10 for 2010: Cold Cave

This week we're bringing you our 10 for 2010; musicians set for tours and records in 2010 at one end and 2009's give-a-listen albums at the other.

Cold Cave's 'Love Comes Close' was one of 2009's overlooked albums. As the charts flood with synthesised sirens it's easy to lose sight of what they really are; a band playing the music they love. Wesley Eisold presents his long-term influences in a whole new way.

Not even online radio's enthusiastic adoption of 'Life Magazine' could take the shine off Cold Cave's 'Love Comes Close'. The record deserves to be listened to this year and next, adding the final flourish the group's serrated sounds on Hospital Productions, What's Your Rupture and Heartworm Press.

Wesley Eisold - previously of Some Girls and American Nightmare - has been presenting his hardcore influences in this new way since early 2008 but it was with this album that he jumped wholeheartedly between it being a psychoanalytic solo project and a full live band. With Dominic Fernow and Caralee McElroy of Xiu Xiu playing live and contributing to the writing, each track is energetic and lavishly dressed in rich synthesised sound. From under the distortion pedal, it's easy to hear that this is the music that they enjoy listening to.

Despite their Prurient backed UK performances receiving criticism for being too short, Fernow has promised the band are improving as "humans and musicians and artists" for new dates in 2010.

Cold Cave are a short sharp taste of everything we love.

Buy 'Love Comes Close' from Matador Records