Music, Style & Culture

Best Of 2010: The High Wire On Dean & Britta

Tim tells us about his favourite album of 2010.

Tim Crompton, The High Wire: Dean & Britta - '13 Most Beautiful: Songs For Andy Warhol's Screen Tests'

I'm guessing many people's favourite album of the year is Arcade Fire and I must admit to loving that very much too, ('Sprawl II' is my equal favourite song of the year along with 'Power' by Kanye West), but my top album from 2010 is '13 Most Beautiful: Songs For Andy Warhol's Screen Tests'.

I've never been able to convince anyone to listen to Dean & Britta, but I will carry on trying til the grave. The problem is that it's almost impossible to explain the appeal of Dean Wareham, especially when trying to argue against the case that he is just Shakin Stevens to a Lou Reed Elvis. Worryingly, the Andy Warhol context of this album should highlight that even more, but - as with everything Wareham has ever touched - it is PERFECT and you need to listen and understand!

Ok, so yes take some Velvet Underground, but here mix it with Lee Hazelwood and Nancy Sinatra, Spacemen 3 (Sonic Boom is on board as usual), Bob Dylan and... well, obviously the only outcome possible is that it will just be the best music in the world! If you are a Dean Wareham virgin, listen to 'On Fire' by Galaxie 500, 'Penthouse' by Luna and 'Avventura' by Dean & Britta. If you hate them all you will have to conclude you have no taste and are a loser.

Got to also mention 'Flaws' by Bombay Bicycle Club. It's an impossibly cool beautiful acoustic album of perfect songwriting, a million miles from Mumford & Sons' horn sections and bombast, and such a complete change of sound from their first album that you worry all their old fans will have deserted them and no potential new ones will realise Bombay Bicycle Club are the band they need to hear! Tinie Tempah's album should get a mention too for actually being a good attempt at taking on the U.S. monopoly of Kanye, Beyonce, Rihanna and Jay Z on the charts. Hats off to you Tinie.