Favourite Albums of 2022 pt 3 of 3
10. “Mahal” by Toro y Moi
Apparently this is the SEVENTH album from musical mastermind Chaz Bear, so it’s shameful that this is my first adventure with him. It’s deep-groove shaggy psychedelic rock rooted in the 1960s and 70s with some 90s post-rock thrown in for good measure. It’s an eclectic album, designed to feel like you’re being taken for a ride in the filipino jeepney that Bear sits in on the front cover. Try “Magazine“.
9. “Don’t Wait For A Sign” by Jeanines
DIY indie-pop shoegaze at its very finest, I have played this album constantly throughout the year, complimenting as it does the newly discovered pop mastery of Mick Trouble (see number 15 on this list, and it’s worth noting there are rumours that the elusive Mick is the male half of Jeanines). In fact these two discoveries also led me into the world of Television Personalities and their own rich back catalogue. Back to Jeanines and this, their second album, flashes by in just over 20 minutes such are the bite-sized musical nuggets of each track. So you really should consume all of it, though perhaps my favourite track is “Who’s In The Dark“
8. “Skinty Fia” by Fontaines D.C.
Third album from the the Irish post-punk poets and this is packed with gritty emotion, superbly delivered by gravelly front man Grian Chatten. The album’s title is an expletive which translates from the irish as “the damnation of the deer”, and these scathing 10 tracks deliver a sucker-punch that shows the band growing ever more confident. Try “Jackie Down The Line“.
7. “Sincere” by Hater
More shoegaze, though this is on the noisier, fuzzier end of things. It’s a dramatic album from the Swedish band who never let the dark, swirling soundscapes overwhelm the delicate melodies. There is romance and yearning and even some ‘up’ moments on this gem. Try “Something“.
6. “Pre Pleasure” by Julia Jacklin
Rough Trade describes this album as “the most intimate, raw and devastating ten songs of (Julia Jacklin’s) career” and it’s hard to disagree. She’s honing the sound on this, her third album, and creating more complex, deeper songs despite the apparent soft-indie folk leanings. Emotional turmoil rarely sounded this enticing. Try “I Was Neon“.
5. “Blue Rev” by Alvvays
Harmonically rich, lyrically provocative, this is their best album yet (and the first two are already very, very good). The whole album is utterly loveable. Start anywhere, though maybe “Easy On Your Own” is a good place.
4. “Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You” by Big Thief
How can such a sprawling album of 20 tracks, which come in at 80 minutes long, not contain a single dud moment? Big Thief have always been prolific but this is getting ridiculous now. And although the album seems to have a laid-back vibe, the energetic high points of the compositions coupled with some dark imagery in the lyrics challenge the listener to delve deeper into what these songs are actually saying. A process which rewards close and repeated listens. Very hard to pick a single moment, though perhaps “Change” is a good place to start.
3. “We’ve Been Going About This All Wrong” by Sharon Van Etten
This album sounds massive and central to that is the epic vocal performance of Sharon Van Etten. She swoops from virtuosity in one breath to raspy vulnerability on the next, and the effect is heart-breaking. She’s grappling with deeply personal themes whilst setting them all against a backdrop of a world in the grip of constant crises. And yet the overall impact is somehow one of hope. This album is stunning. And it IS massive. Start with album opener “Darkness Fades” and you’ll hear what I mean.
2. “Autofiction” by Suede
A friend and fellow music fan responded to me recommending this album with “does the world really need another Suede album?” and the answer is “when it’s as outstandingly good as this, YES IT ABSOLUTELY DOES!” It may be their ninth album but they haven’t stayed still, they’re constantly innovating the way they write and record and these tracks were laid down ‘as live’, meaning the little imperfections are preserved, giving everything a rough and vital raw energy that would otherwise have been smoothed out in the editing process. Brett Anderson (describing this as their “punk record”) is still the master at delivering vocal performances that deliver profound emotional punches, and his lyrics are as unflinchingly honest and personal as ever. They were always the most interesting artists from the Brit Pop era and, with the possible addition of Blur’s Damon Albarn, they’re the only ones still feeling essential some thirty years on. A monumental album. Start with “She Still Leads Me On“.
1. “Sometimes Forever” by Soccer Mommy
Stylistically this is the most eclectic album from the brilliant Sophie Allison (aka Soccer Mommy), full of contradiction and awkward juxtapositions. But then such conflict is what makes Allison such a brilliant songwriter and musician, with many of these songs careering from love to violence in the space of a few bars. Beauty and dissonance, bitter wisdom and wide-eyed innocence, it’s all here, assembled with more experimental percussive elements than on the records that precede it. Be assured, these songs pack a massive punch when heard live, with the bone-shaking rattle and crash of the haunting “Unholy Affliction” being a particular highlight. And yet, in amongst the jagged sonic rocks, there are to be found some pure and gentle pop gems. I put her previous album “Color Theory” at number three in 2020’s favourite albums list and I’ve regretted that placing ever since. So here she is two years later, deservedly at the very top of my musical year.
Click here for a Spotify Playlist which samples tracks from everything I’ve listed over the last three posts from 2022 (and a little bit more). Here’s to looking ahead to the music of 2023!
Favourite Albums of 2022 pt 2 of 3
20. “Waterslide, Diving Board, Ladder To The Sky” by Porridge Radio
Anthemic scream-alongs rich with angst yet playful and, at times, even joyful. A prolific band with an amazing front person in Dana Margolin, this album somehow manages to eclipse the three that have gone before. Obvious place to start would be the first single off the album “Back To The Radio” but I’d rather recommend “The Rip“.
19. “The Overload” by Yard Act
A rich musical tapestry that incorporates multiple influences, ranging from 70s Nu-Wave and US Hip-hop via British Guitar Indie. Vocalist James Smith sounds like the love-child of Jarvis Cocker and John Cooper Clark and his politcally charged rants manage to be full of bitterness and anger whilst being simultaneously very funny. Released in January, this was a superb start to the year. Try album opener “The Overload“.
18. “A Way Forward” by Nation Of Language
Technically this came out at the end of 2021 but supply issues meant anyone after a physical copy didn’t take delivery of it until February of this year. This, the band’s second album, picks up from their debut (a celebration of 80s synth pop) and delves further back to offer a modern update of 70s electronica and krautrock. You could start anywhere but my personal favourite track is album closer “They’re Beckoning“.
17. “Georgia Gothic” by Mattiel
Third album from the Atlanta based two-piece and there’s no sign of slowing down. Seeing them live demonstrated just how tight the writing is, with guitarist Jonah Swilley having a field day whilst vocalist Mattiel Brown soared above it all. Try “Lighthouse“.
16. “A Bit Of Previous” by Belle & Sebastian
More of the same from B&S, but when they are as consistently brilliant as this then why not put it in the year’s top 20? This is not a beard-stroking muso list of greatest innovations in recorded sound or envelope-pushing genre reinventions (much though both of those things do continue to interest me). No, this is my favourite list of albums released this year, and as such is intensely subjective. I love this from B&S as much as I love everything else they’ve done. Try “Young And Stupid” and I defy you to object to the album being here at number 16!
15. “It’s Mick Trouble’s Second LP” by Mick Trouble
Mick Trouble’s Second LP is largely here because it was a gateway drug for me, leading as it did to his first. Don’t get me wrong (we won’t get you wrong) this second effort is very good, but his first was revelatory. Probably my favourite new purchase of the whole year (certainly the most expensive being so hard to find on vinyl), though it doesn’t qualify for 2022 because it came out in 2019. It’s called “It’s The Mick Trouble LP” and there is much mystique surrounding the man himself, who never appears live. Despite embracing all things British (right down to the 60s english twang in his voice) it’s widely believed that he’s native to Brooklyn, New York. Whatever, I LOVE what he does. From the first album try “Bloody Blighty” (it’s brilliantly ridiculous), or maybe “Similar Kicks“. I cannot get enough of this jingle-jangle stompy-smiley semi-stupid anglophilia.
And from this second LP, maybe start at “The Bleeding Downs“. Very few of his songs sit around for any longer than three minutes, so why not just scoff the whole album down?
14. “A Light For Attracting Attention” by The Smile
From the ridiculous to the sublime, with this being as close as it’s possible to get to a brand new Radiohead album without actually having a brand new Radiohead album. This is the debut from the trio individually known as Thom Yorke, Johnny Greenwood and Tom Skinner (the drummer from Sons of Kemet). Punky, poppy, dripping with existential dread, reverberating with heavy delay and eerie synth soundscapes, this is pretty chuffing excellent all round. Start with “The Smoke“, it’s the first thing they released from the album though it’s not necessarily indicative of the many treasures awaiting you there.
13. “Grotto” by Wilma Vritra
A recording duo who create tracks from either side of the Atlantic, this introspective, richly orchestrated album grapples with themes of doubt and the need for safe spaces, couched in quietly epic terms. This has not appeared on any end-of-year lists and I’m baffled by that, it’s an album that lured me in and kept me with it all year. Try “Tunnel Vision” as a place to start, but I urge you to experience the album as a whole.
12. “Wet Leg” by Wet Leg
It’s around about now that the list starts getting a bit silly. This amazing debut from a band that has burst onto the scene with a whole fresh perspective on guitar pop could easily have been my album of the year, and yet here it is nestled in the relatively modest position of 12. But hey, I don’t make the rules, ok? Actually I do but that is not my point. What is my point? No idea, but listen to it all, if you haven’t already. No point in recommending the big singles “Chaise Longe” or “Wet Dream” (brilliant though they are), because if you haven’t heard those yet then why on earth are you here? I don’t mean here reading this list, I mean here on earth. So instead here’s a deeper cut (if that’s possible for such a ubiquitous album): start with. . . “Ur Mum“.
11. “Warm Chris” by Aldous Harding
Why have I put this brilliant album all the way down here at number 11? Clearly it is because I am an idiot. Aldous Harding is a bona fide genius, defying any attempts at categorisation. Outrageously funny but so deadpan that I intensely doubt she means to be. And yet she’s a genius who is in full control, so of course she means it. Seeing her live for the first time ever this year was a huge treat, but did nothing to crack the enigma. Which is just as well, because I don’t believe us mortals are meant to fully understand such masterpieces as “Fever“. Embrace the strangeness, it’s utterly beautiful.
Favourite Albums of 2022 pt 1 of 3
I’m going to kick off with an album that’s 19 years old (and therefore ineligible for the list), but one that was new to me. “I’ve Seen Everything” by The Trash Can Sinatras blew me away and is close to being the perfect guitar pop album. Tightly written songs, attractive harmonies and baring-the-soul lyrics. Try opening track “Easy Read“.
Another artist who was new to me this year was Abner Jay, a truly extraordinary man with a life story to match. Strictly speaking he was a blues artist though he pushed the boundaries of the style in genre defying directions. I heard a compilation playing in a record store in Bury St Edmunds and just had to buy it. You can start anywhere, you’ll fall in love with his voice instantly, though maybe try “Shenandoa” first up. But then there’s his more famous “I’m So Depressed” which is exemplary. He’s still nowhere near as well known as he deserves to be.
Other singles, EPs and one-offs of note (before I get to the list itself) include this Robert Smith-esque vocal effort from a band called Home Front whose excellent debut EP was called “Think Of The Lie”. Opening track “Flaw In The Design” also channels late-80s The Cult.
The Wedding Present decided to repeat their hit parade year of 1992 and released a 7″ single every month throughout 2022, and there were some absolute bangers in there. Personal favourites were “I’m Not Going To Fall In Love With You” and the motorik “We All Came From The Sea“.
I loved the simplicity of Uwade‘s songs (there are not many, as yet) and seeing her live on a tiny, intimate stage at this year’s End Of The Road festival was one of the year’s highlights. Try “The Man Who Sees Tomorrow“. Looking forward to any longer release she puts out in 2023.
Since I’ve already started to veer off the guitar indie rock circuit, I may as well stray even further. “Hold The Girl” by Rina Sawayama, is worth a mention. It is so utterly different from anything else I bought this year as to be comical. I still have a soft spot for proper ‘pop’ and there are more ideas contained in this one track than many artists manage in a whole album. I’m including a link to the official video because this track is so strange next to everything else I’m going to be listing that you may as well fully embrace how off-centre this item is. I think she’s brilliant, and this track makes my heart sing.
Final “is Mark on glue?” swerve before we get into the list was the album “Where I’m Meant To Be” by The Ezra Collective. Yep, it’s Jazz. Musical kryptonite to me usually and much of this album is still unpalatable to my ears, but I’m edging close to ‘cracking’ jazz by liking the more funk and hip-hop infused tracks here. I’m trying. . .
Now to the list. I don’t think this year has been quite as epic as last year for strictly new music, though I could easily list a top 50 again. Honourable mentions that didn’t make the top 25 include “Cheat Codes” by Danger Mouse and Black Thought, “Still Life” by The Slow Show (what a voice), “Versions Of Modern Performance” by Horsegirl, and new albums by Yeah Yeah Yeahs (“Cool It Down”) and Dry Cleaning (“Stumpwork”).
25. “Save The Baby” by Enumclaw
Debut album that owes much to Dinosaur Jnr, and that’s no bad thing. Try “Jimmy Neutron“.
24. “And In The Darkness Hearts Aglow” by Weyes Blood
I am still amazed by the Weyes Blood album “Titanic Rising” (top of my list in 2019 and up there with one of my favourite albums of all time), and I think this latest effort will get there but it’s just not quite hitting the same heights just yet. Maybe if it had come out earlier in the year it would be higher in 2022’s list but, whatever, this is still subtly brilliant songwriting with tender lyrical flourishes from a stunning voice. Deceptively gentle whilst tackling the weighty stuff of trying to live a meaningful life in the twenty first century. Beatles meets Karen Carpenter in celestial folk heaven. Try “It’s Not Just Me, It’s Everybody“.
23. “Souvenirs” by Pale Blue Eyes
Debut album from the trio, recorded in a home studio they worked their asses off to buy and fill with the right technology, down in Devon (hence the label “Devon Cream-adelica”), this is sophisticated synth pop powered by metronomic guitar riffs. Try “TV Flicker“.
22. “Emotional Eternal” by Melody’s Echo Chamber
Psychadelic folk pop (I think) with a breathless childlike wonder at its heart. This is Melody Prochet’s third album and is, in my opinion, her best yet. Try “Looking Backward“.
21. “Loggerhead” by Wu-Lu
Rev-heavy guitar cascading over walls of bass, this is complex, angry and utterly brilliant. Influences range from drill to trip-hop but this debut from the London multi-instrumentalist is admirably difficult to pin down. Try “South“.
Favourite Albums of 2021 pt 3 of 3
10. “The Obvious I” by Ed Dowie
Ed Dowie is an interesting guy and his musical influences are unlike anything else on my list this year. He was a chorister in Dorset throughout his childhood and his father composed classical 20th century choral music. As an undergraduate he studied minimalist composers and yet this album is an accessible electronica pop gem, albeit one infused with Krafwerk’s belief in achieving the maximum emotional impact via the most minimal means.
Try “Dear Florence”
9. “Loving In Stereo” by Jungle
This top ten could mostly be listed in any order really, such is the love felt for all of them. In a difficult year this is the most life-affirming, soul-glowingly wonderful dance album and has been on constant play since it came out in the summer.
Try “What D’You Know About Me?”
8. “On All Fours” by Goat Girl
For some reason I dismissed this when it first came out but was persuaded to give it a second chance by a friend who was raving about it. What on earth was I thinking? It’s immense, with more ideas on this one album than many bands manage in a whole career. Lyrics that challenge global injustice over off-beat chord progressions, guitar hooks and synthesisers from some unseen sci-fi film.
Try “Sad Cowboy”
7. “Jubilee” by Japanese Breakfast
I’ve followed Michelle Zauner’s career since seeing Japanese Breakfast live at End Of The Road music festival a few years ago. She was on her second album then – “Soft Sounds From Another Planet” – which is now a firm favourite, so this third album was awaited with much anticipation. And it doesn’t disappoint. She’s gone in a wholly more upbeat direction here, and is playing with more sounds and more complex arrangements, but all to glorious effect.
Try opening track “Paprika”. As someone who has used the pandemic to learn music software, I can empathise with how complicated the time line was on this track. There is no wasted space here, and yet it all works without sounding overcrowded, which is a masterful achievement.
6. “New Long Leg” by Dry Cleaning
Spoken vocals tightly interwoven with agitated, driving guitars, this is an album that makes you sit up and listen. Sometimes frighteningly bleak, often dryly humorous, like all genuinely great albums this reveals its secrets more on each subsequent listen.
Since the single “Scratchcard Lanyard” has been much played, I’m not going for the obvious sampler, so instead try “Her Hippo”
5. “A Song Is Way Above The Lawn” by Karen Peris
Complete change of pace from the restless punk of Dry Cleaning, this solo folk album is mysteriously categorised on some sites as “Children’s Folk” which I think does a disservice to those adults amongst us who are uncomplicatedly delighted to hear songs about such things as riding up the road on the back of a giraffe. In any case, music as escapism wasn’t particularly something that appealed when I actually was a child. Baffling pigeon holes aside, this is a wonderfully emotional, cinematic album dedicated to noticing and finding joy in tiny details, in those small quiet moments that otherwise pass us by. It’s an album that inspires genuine awe with every listen, and it perfectly illustrates music as a gateway drug since it has opened me up to the wonderful world of Peris’ main band, The Innocence Mission.
4. “Carnage” by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis
Cave himself describes the album as “a brutal but very beautiful record nested in a communal catastrophe” and it is perhaps the most spectacular example of how some artists have used the pandemic to grow, refusing to be crushed by its constraints. Musically it is enigmatic, subtle, hinting at something just out of reach and then suddenly there will be a lyrical moment that sparkles in the mist, almost painful in its sudden clarity. My love-hate relationship with the music press is perpetuated in how this album doesn’t feature on more official best-of-2021 lists.
Try “White Elephant”. Although perhaps the most beautiful song on the album is the title track “Carnage”, and if you’re unaware of the fascinating Red Hand Files there is a brilliant account of how he created those lyrics here.
3. “Little Oblivions” by Julien Baker
Julien Baker is the personification of the term tortured artist, living in such pain and self-doubt it’s a miracle she can still play live or even come up with musical gems like this. Her first two albums are amazing, but here she takes her storytelling to new heights, drawing on more obviously autobiographical material (such as how she tries to overcome the physical tick that causes her to hit herself repeatedly, even when on stage), and enhancing the musical palette with more instruments, most of which she plays herself. Being a die-hard fan of The Cure it should come as no surprise that miserablism will feature highly in any end of year list I compile, but don’t be misled into thinking this is an exercise in self-indulgence or wallowing, far from it – pain and deep insecurity has rarely sounded so compelling. Or, dare I say it, uplifting. These may be the darkest of lyrics, but the songs contain hope.
Try “Faith Healer”
2. “How Beautiful Life Can Be” by The Lathums
If I compile a playlist based on this end of year list there will be some excruciatingly jarring changes of mood. Going from the depths of Julien Baker, above, to this sparkly indie-gem from Wigan relative newcomers The Lathums is such a violent swerve it should almost be criminal. This is SO feelgood, with its jangly guitar, Merseybeat pop anthems that I file it firmly under “guilty pleasure”, and I’m not even slightly ashamed. The lyrics are often bland, sometimes even awful (what the hell are they banging on about with “The Redemption Of Sonic Beauty”?) but when the stompingly catchy melodies sound this good, who cares?
1. “Colourgrade” by Tirzah
Another violent gear change, this album is not an instant, easy work. I wasn’t sure what I was listening to initially, and then something clicked. I don’t know where to put it in terms of genre, and it’s unlike anything else on my list, in fact it’s not much like anything else in my whole collection, but it offers something deeply affecting. Minimalistic, trippy in places, intensely personal and yet wonderfully intoxicating. Allow this album in, riches await you.
Try “Beating”
Favourite Albums of 2021 pt 2 of 3
20. “Ghost Tapes #10” by God Is An Astronaut
This experimental band have been producing guitar-led instrumentals for twenty years, though this is the first I’ve heard of them. At times fierce and penetrating, there is some piano involved which helps soften the mood into something more contemplative. As a full length, this record is majestic.
Try “Burial”
19. “Chemtrails Over The Country Club” by Lana Del Rey
Hugely prolific and, to me, always brilliant, this her seventh album somehow managed to underwhelm many critics and fans alike. Without wishing to be deliberately contrary I think this is one of her very best. It’s her most folksy offering, but she continues to both inhabit and deconstruct the American Dream in the most mesmeric way.
Try “White Dress” which showcases an amazingly fragile vocal performance.
18. “Thirstier” by Torres
Quite a departure for Mackenzie Ruth Scott (aka Torres) on this, her fifth album. The sound is bigger, more pompous, more confident, more defiant. She is boldly admitting to being happy and she wants everyone to know about it, via wall-of-sound guitar pop rock, with some grunge and even country elements thrown in.
Try “Don’t Go Puttin’ Wishes In My Head”
17. “I’ve Been Trying To Tell You” by Saint Etienne
Rough Trade’s website writes “Saint Etienne have always understood that pop music is the nearest thing to time travel, the closest we can get to breathing the air of a different time. On this album they take that theory to its logical conclusion.” And how, with each track incorporating very subtle sounds and samples from 1997 to 2001. If, like it is for me, that period of time is rich in nostalgia (both upbeat and yet at times painful) then this is like putting Proust straight into your ears. It’s alchemy and it sounds divine. The sleeve notes and cover photography are artworks in their own right.
Try “Pond House”
16. “New Fragility” by Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
Alec Ounsworth has always been the creative force behind Clap Your Hands Say Yeah and his distinctive voice makes any record unmistakably theirs. So I hope I’m not doing the band’s alumni too much of a disservice when I say that it seems to not be a problem that he is the only surviving band member for this, their sixth album. I absolutely love the way this guy approaches melody and whilst I would happily recommend ANY of their previous albums, it’s great that 2021 included a new one.
Try “Thousand Oaks”
15. “Stand For Myself” by Yola
Soul, disco and pop, wandering basslines, motown-inspired brass backing and all wrapped up in THAT astonishing voice. These are the records that make my return to vinyl even more special, despite them being miles away, sonically speaking, from my default melancholic guitar indie. The fact that this was produced by Dan Aurbach from Black Keys says much about its eclectic nature.
14. “Bright Magic” by Public Service Broadcasting
I really don’t know where to begin describing this concept album about the city of Berlin, such is the density of ideas contained within its 46 minutes. It’s sort of in three parts (the physical construction of the spaces / the building of the myth of the city / a final sonic evocation of what the place means to J. Wilgoose, the composer). It is less linear than the previous four PSB records, less narrative, and it uses way less spoken english samples, though some of the soaring guitar and keyboard structures are familiar. But these are just words, and do nothing to convey the sense of wonderment the music radiates. And Bowie is there, haunting the seventh track, aptly titled “The Visitor”.
Try “My Blue Heaven”, though to be honest this, of all albums on my end of year list, really only works being listened to as a whole. In fact, this track is completely atypical of the rest of the album. I just really like it, so there!
13. “Ongoing Dispute” by Yung
Second album from the Danish quartet, parts of this remind me of the too-cool-for-school swagger of The Strokes at the height of their powers. Catchy yet brash, they never sacrifice melody however much the cascading guitars are doing. Immense.
Try “Friends On Ice”
12. “Juillet” by En Attendant Ana
Second album for the Parisian quartet, the hints of Stereolab are still there, though they’ve upped their songwriting with more complex arrangements and melodies that soar and wander. Absolutely dazzling.
Try “Enter My Body (Lilith)” and marvel as the guitars build and swoon and just when you thought you couldn’t get swept up any higher, there’s a brass section to tip you into ever more intense euphoria.
11. “Ignorance” by The Weather Station
Tamara Lindeman – The Weather Station – wanted to break herself of prior songwriting habits and access more emotional moods, via a stronger sense of rhythm. To achieve this, she did not allow herself to write with guitar, setting herself a challenge to only compose on keyboards. If this album’s beautiful, sensuous, lavish sound is anything to go by, she’s hit songwriting gold.
Favourite Albums of 2021 pt 1 of 3
Another great year of new music, I could have listed a top 50. Honourable mentions that didn’t make the list include “Drunk Tank Pink” by Shame, “Sgt Culpepper” by Joel Culpepper, “Blue Weekend” by Wolf Alice, “Birling Gap” by The Catenary Wires and “Happier Than Ever” by Billie Eilish, “Collapsed In Sunbeams” by Arlo Parks and “Valentine” by Snail Mail.
I’m also choosing to not include “Bright Green Field” by Squid, and “For The First Time” by Black Country New Road. Both excellent bands, but the material assembled on their debut LPs is not wholly new, and (controversially) I don’t think either album really flows properly, which is crucial to such efforts making a “Favourites” list for any year. Still well worth checking out though.
25. “Mirror II” by The Goon Sax
Oddball Brisbane trio, this album mixes Disco, Funk and off-kilter, psychedelic guitar pop to brilliant effect.
Try “In The Stone”
24. “As The Love Continues” by Mogwai
With such a vast back catalogue it could be intimidating knowing where to start with the Scottish noise-instrumentalists, but their newest album is up there with their very best.
23. “Sometimes I Might Be Introvert” by Little Simz
Thrilling, powerful and utterly compelling, this follow up to the excellent “Grey Area” is vast in scope and ambition.
Try opening track “Introvert”
22. “The World Within Our Bedrooms” by Drug Store Romeos
Brilliantly inventive lo-fi pop, their deadpanned videos are worth checking out as well.
21. “Nocturnal Manouvres” by JOHN
Change of pace here, with the ferociously wonderful JOHN. Cinematic, hardcore, pummelling noise-rock.
Try “A Song For Those Who Speed In Built-up Areas”
BEST SINGLE TRACKS AND EPS
Quick detour to list some amazing mini-releases from the year.
“Say What You Will” by James Blake. His vocal performance on this song is so astonishing as to be almost supernatural.
“Grey Tower” by Lost Horizons. I’ve been obsessed with this track all year.
“A Mermaid In Lisbon” EP by Patrick Watson. Always love his work, and this EP is as beautiful as anything that’s gone before.
“Change” EP by Big Thief. The indie / folk / rock outfit from Brooklyn are pretty prolific and everything they’ve ever released is amazing. And yet somehow this EP from earlier in the year is their very best material, which is really saying something. Lead singer Adrianne Lenker might just be a genius.
Favourite Albums of 2020 pt 4 of 4
5. “God Is A Woman” by Indian Queens
A deceptively complex debut album from a band that has a wealth of influences whilst maintaining an original sound. The rhythm section is frequently grungy and yet there’s a distinctive 80s tinge to many tracks, and even a 60s psychedelic rock feel to much of the album. There is dirt and there is beauty here and it’s a wonderful combination. Apparently they honed their sound and their material over a number of years playing live before eventually committing it to record. This patient approach has more than paid off.
Start with “Bubblewrap“
4. “TTRRUUCES” by TTRRUUCES
The strangest, most eccentric album on my list this year, this is essentially a rock opera that tells a narrative story about a Sad Girl and a Lost Boy on their quest to acquire a new mind-altering drug called “TTRRUUCES”. As Rough Trade describes it ” it’s a dream-like adventure, simultaneously euphoric and disorientating in both mood and execution”. Cinematic pop, boisterous beats, grand storytelling and huge ambition from its creators (Anglo-french duo Natalie Findlay and Jules Apollinaire) mean that the ultimate goal is to have visual accompaniment to every track such that it forms a mini-movie. Over and above all of this – it sounds flipping great!
Start with “Bad Kids“, although the album should really be enjoyed in its entirety, from start to finish. The penultimate track “Something Inside” is also stunning.
3. “Color Theory” by Soccer Mommy
I am a little mystified that this album has not featured on any high-profile “Albums Of The Year” lists. The second full-length from Sophie Allison (after 2018’s superb debut “Clean”) is a stunningly honest self-portrait that sees the 22 year old artist tackling mental illness head on. It’s close, intimate and lyrically arresting and yet she retains enough pop rock sensibility that the thrust of each song’s meaning never becomes overwhelming. The instrumentation supports each track in fascinating, intricate ways for although she’s technically a solo artist she has assembled some impressive musicians to work with, who all contribute to the the arrangements. It is intense, for sure, but utterly compelling and ultimately cathartic.
Start with “Circle The Drain“
2. “The New Abnormal” by The Strokes
I haven’t been remotely interested in The Strokes’ output for a good fifteen years (they hadn’t released anything at all for seven of those years) and I only listened to this album under sufferance when a friend insisted I give it a try. And WOW did I thank them for that insistence. This is sublime, every track sparkles with the production genius of Rick Rubin and the band sound as tight as a gnat’s bumhole. The melodies duck and weave throughout these lo-fi gems and are so infectious you want to play the whole thing again as soon as it finishes. I absolutely love this album.
Start with “The Adults Are Talking“
1. “Punisher” by Phoebe Bridgers
Having obsessed over Phoebe Bridgers’ debut album Stranger In The Alps and subsequently devoured every side-project she’s involved with (Boygenius, Better Oblivion Community Centre) this was an eagerly anticipated release. It may not smack you over the head with its brilliance on first listen, but that is the way of truly great albums, they get under your skin and reward close, repeated listens.
So much has been written about her meteoric rise, about her songwriting brilliance and about her ability to pull in a vast range of amazing guest performers (the collaborators on Punisher reads like a “Who’s Who” of the alt rock scene) that I’ll just leave this description from Rough Trade here, to sum up why I love this album and why it’s my favourite new release of the year:
“To say she writes about heartbreak is to undersell her blue wisdom, to say she writes about pain erases all the strange joy her music emanates. The arrival of Punisher cements Phoebe Bridgers as one of the most clever, tender and prolific songwriters of our era.”
Start with “Garden Song“.
Towards the end of the year she released an EP of four songs from Punisher rearranged with a full orchestra which is, predictably, stunning. If you love the album as much as I do then check out the EP here.
Favourite Albums of 2020 pt 3 of 4
10. “Gentle Grip” by Public Practice
I’ll let NME’s first sentence of their review sum-up what’s great about this record:
“If Dua Lipa’s Future Nostalgia has been the quarantine balm of pop’s mainstream, the debut album from New York disco-punks Public Practice should take up that mantle for the underground.”
Start with “My Head“
9. “Jetstream Pony” by Jetstream Pony
It’s been a good year for Dream Pop which is a sub-genre I go for in a big way, and this debut from what should rightfully be called a ‘supergroup’ of the indie scene is a gem. I first saw them on David Gedge’s “On The Edge Of The Sofa”, the lockdown version of his annual festival “On The Edge Of The Sea”, and they fitted right in alongside such luminaries as Gedge’s own “Wedding Present” and “Popguns” (Jetstream Pony’s Shaun Charman is an alumni of both bands).
Start with “It’s Fine“
8. “Down In The Weeds Where The World Once Was” by Bright Eyes
From Rough Trade’s listing:
“Amidst the current overwhelming uncertainty and upheaval of global and personal worlds, Oberst, Mogis, and Walcott reunited under the moniker as both an escape from, and a confrontation of, trying times. Getting the band back together felt right, and necessary, and the friendship at the core of the band has been a longtime pillar of Bright Eyes’ output. For Bright Eyes, this long-awaited re-emergence feels like coming home.”
I am relatively new to Bright Eyes, but having fallen for Conor Oberst’s voice last year when discovering his Phoebe Bridgers collaboration “Better Oblivion Community Centre” I am loving going back through his vast back catalogue.
Start with “Mariana Trench“
7. “Bedroom” by bdrm
Shoe-gaze is alive and well in 2020 as this debut from the Hull / Leeds five-piece attest. The list of musical influences reads like my own personal catalogue of favourite bands – The Cure, DIIV, Ride, Radiohead. This is quite simply a splendid record.
Start with “Push / Pull“
6. “Dream On” by Alice Boman
Boman’s quiet, gentle voice somehow penetrates through sounds which are often thick as fog on this sumptuous album that is full of gorgeous melodies. An album about heartbreak that is frequently uplifting, if that’s even possible, it came out right at the beginning of the year and has been on repeat throughout all these past twelve difficult months.
Start with “Don’t Forget About Me“
Favourite Albums of 2020 pt 2 of 4
15. “I Slept On The Floor” by Another Sky
Minimal, ethereal post-rock debut from this brilliant London four-piece. For all its melancholia it never deserts melody and somehow manages to embody a sense of hope within the soaring despair. Lead singer Catrin Vincent’s voice may not be to everyone’s taste, though she is amazingly versatile and swings effortlessly from vulnerability to strength.
Start with “Fell In Love With The City“
14. “Universal Want” by Doves
Doves’ fifth album, and their first for eleven years, did not disappoint. Troubled lyrics over tightly written melodies that remain rooted in guitar riffs whilst acknowledging the influence of dance music.
Start with album opener “Carousel“.
13. “Floatr” by Happyness
Lush ballads with a strong vein of eccentricity running throughout, this album reminds me of “The Delgados” which is surely no bad thing.
Start with “Vegetable“.
12. “Some Kind Of Peace” by Olafur Arnalds
Coming, as it did, at the end of a terrible year this was music to offer deep solace to anyone struggling. Intensely beautiful, it almost defies description.
Start with “We Contain Multitudes” which might just be sonic perfection.
11. “Have We Met?” by Destroyer
This most inappropriately named band return with album number thirteen! It develops those familiar traits – floating synths, pulsing bass, wry one-liners – and blends them with newer influences to enhance that trademark sense of modern dread. A beguiling listen.
Start with “Crimson Tide“.
Favourite Albums of 2020 pt 1 of 4
20 “I Grow Tired But Dare Not Fall Asleep” by Ghostpoet
Dark, weighty, intelligent and important this is a great record, with superb clarity of production.
Start with the title track, “I Grow Tired But Dare Not Fall Asleep.”
Much as I love this album, and Ido really love it, it acted as a gateway into his 2015 album “Shedding Skin” which is even better and has become a firm favourite.
19 “Voices” by Max Richter
The only classical album on my list this year, but it’s a deeply poignant one. It centres around the 1948 Universal Declaration Of Human Rights just as we hit a year when such a thing is under immense pressure. Sparse, aching, and intensely beautiful its premiere at The Barbican Centre was one of the last live music events I went to and is part of the reason why it ran through the rest of the year so strongly.
Start with: impossible really when it should be enjoyed as a whole piece, but “Chorale pt iv” is astonishing. . .
18. “It’s Never Going To Happen And This Is Why” by Spectres
Sharp change of direction from Max Richter, this is noisy and brutal and utterly exhilarating.
Start with: “Idolise Us” which is track one. If you can’t handle that, this album is not for you. . .
17. “Mordechi” by Khruangbin
I love all their instrumental stuff, but now they’ve added vocals and it’s great. Still a nomadic band with a vast, global sweep of influences and a crisp, tight sound that usually finds some kind of funk to its groove.
Start with “So We Don’t Forget“
16. “Coasting” by Honey Cutt
I cannot understand why this brilliant debut album didn’t get more attention this year. It’s a Surf Pop gem with intelligent lyrics that grabs hold of you and doesn’t let you go.
Start with “Suburban Dream“
Mark Davison 