Since Amelia Fletcher’s current band Tender Trap resurfaced early last year after a lengthy hiatus, they have been a very exciting proposition indeed. The addition of Katrina Dixon on drums (stand-up, in true c86 style) and Elizabeth Morris (of the ever wonderful Allo, Darlin’) appears to have given them a real shot in the arm, judging by their recent live shows. To further this notion, Tender Trap MK2 have released two wonderful singles in the last year – the fizzy Fireworks (backed by the even better Grand National) and Girls With Guns, which you can download for free from FortunaPOP! here. In my opinion, the new songs trump everything they’ve done before and are closer to the sound of Talulah Gosh and Heavenly.

The 3rd Tender Trap album, entitled Dansette Dansette, will be landing soon. Be sure to check out it’s wonderful Chris Summerlin-designed artwork here.

Just like 2006, Camera Obscura were very much my band of the year.

Let’s Get Out Of This Country – their previous album before this year’s My Maudlin Career, is one of my favourite pop albums of all-time and one that I have strong a sentimental attachment to. It came into my life at a transitional time full of new experiences and adventures. I’ll never forget the first time I heard Lloyd, I’m Ready To Be Heartbroken on late night MTV2 (bring back 120 Minutes dammit!), a few days before my first trip to Singapore in October 2006. Although I was already aware of Camera Obscura and owned their Underachievers, Please Try Harder album, I wasn’t particularly a fan until that night. Subsequently, I listened to Lloyd… many, many times on my trip and when I finally heard the album when I got home (I had no way of listening to CDs in Asia), I instantly loved it.

My Maudlin Career didn’t have the same immediate effect on me but when I eventually fell for it, I fell for it hard. It became the soundtrack to my summer, and I will always associate it with cycling in the evening sun.

For christmas, Camera Obscura released a new 7″ single which is a double A side of The Blizzard (a cover of a song by an old country singer called Jim Reeves, who got namedropped on the first Half Man Half Biscuit album) and Swans from the album. As a christmas gift, they’ve put The Blizzard up for free download here. Enjoy and I hope you all had a wonderful christmas!

Ahhh, the School… Most definitely my favourite pop discovery this year. Gorgeous, sparkly melancholy like thon Spector dude used to produce in the ’60s. After one listen to their wonderful Let It Slip EP (available from Elefant here) back in January, I was an instant fan. And after blinding sets at London Popfest in February and Indietracks in July, they became one of my biggest pop crushes. Their debut album, which should be landing on the 15th of February, will no doubt be my musical highlight of 2010.

For the second time, the School have released a special festive song for christmas (in December 2007, they released the lovely Kiss You In The Snow on an Elefant christmas EP). The new one is called Let Me Be The Fairy on Your Christmas Tree Tonight and it’s pure class, obviously. You can download it for free from Elefant’s web site here.

NB – The photo above was taken by me at Indietracks back in July. I wish the sun was shining right now like it was that day…