Top Ten Albums

Someone last year asked me for my top ten album list, so I obliged with the following (in no particular order). I don't think it's actually changed since then, although I might put Martha Wainwright there now as well (or maybe she's just a close-run outsider) and maybe the Mountain Goats. How about some audience participation? List your own top ten in a comment, if you can. It is a difficult exercise.

1. The Shins, Chutes Too Narrow. An almost flawless thirty odd minutes of indie pop. The highlight is the song Turn A Square which is great to sing along to if in a slightly intoxicated state.

2. Ben Folds Five, Whatever and Ever Amen. The album that got me away from commercial radio and onto Triple J. The track everyone knew was Brick but it's Battle of Who Could Care Less that I still listen to compulsively. I own two different versions of this album, one with extra bonus tracks (like the Japanese version of Song for the Dumped).

3. Radiohead, either The Bends or OK Computer. Actually I'd pick OK Computer although the song High and Dry is great. I heard a busker's version of Karma Police in the main street of Galway in Ireland when I was there two years ago. Also love Airbag and Subterranean Homesick Alien, plus Lucky because it has my name in it ('kill me Sarah, kill me again with love').

4. Harvey Danger, King James Version. A cleverly put together set of infectious college rock tracks with intelligent (and somewhat bizarre) lyrics. The highlights are Meetings With Remarkable Men, Authenticity, This is the Thrilling Conversation You've Been Waiting For and the excellently named You Miss the Point Completely (I Get the Point Exactly). It's a shame that the album was never released here.

5. Wilco, A Ghost Is Born. At first hearing I didn't think much of it, but after the third, fourth and fifth times through I was hooked. Love the song Spiders (Kidsmoke) with its ten minutes of catchy guitar. Company In My Back is beautiful, especially the piano part in the background. Also love Hell is Chrome with the line, 'when the devil came he was not red, he was chrome and he said "come with me, you must go," so I went' and Theologians (who 'don't know nothing about my soul').

6. Scissor Sisters, Scissor Sisters. A well put together album with very few dud tracks. Great to dance to, good rhythm, catchy melodies, an excellent cover (Comfortably Numb), a track about the second Wizard of Oz movie and much more...

7. Josh Pyke, Feeding the Wolves. Although it's only seven tracks, still well worth buying. Private Education, Middle of the Hill, Goldmines and Fill You In are all great, but I discovered the album through the song Beg Your Pardon which is beautiful.

8. Crowded House, Recurring Dream. One of the few 'best of' albums people with credibility are allowed to love, according to some writer in The Age entertainment section. But hey, who cares? It's got all the best stuff on it. Weather With You is my favourite but there are many others.

9. Split Enz, Spellbound. A huge collection, most of which is excellent, some of which is OK. I love History Never Repeats, Give It A Whirl, I Got You and Sweet Dreams.

10. Nick Drake, Bryter Layter. Great music for listening to when coming home after a big night out. It took me ages to remember this one and in the process of going through my entire iPod play list I worked out many, many albums that could fall in between the top 10 and the top 20, to the point where I even would have a hard time working out a top 30. But this is a fairly definitive list. Martha might displace one of these. So might the new Shins album, other Wilco and Ben Folds Five, the Killers, etc.