After a few false starts the engine has finally coughed into life, there’s gas in the car and those people down the hall most certainly know who you are. So, hop on board and let’s see where we end up on this Highway of Hits, this Boulevard of Broken Dreams.
Loosen those waistbands and if it’s your thing settle down with a bottle of Jack, a spliff the size of Gary’s salsiccia, a sharp pencil and several sheets of paper. If that’s not your thing then just make yourself a nice cup of herbal tea, make sure the curtains are tightly shut, forget about last night’s office party (nobody will remember, just keep saying nobody will remember) and try and remember what’s got you excited this year (Moose, remember your keyword is restraint)
We already know the Top 3 Albums of The Year (Lana, Bruce and Michael, duh) but c’mon the whole point of this exercise is to discover new lands, to boldly go where nobody has boldly gone boldly before and to wonder if Duco1 actually exists or is he just Danny Baker havin’ a right laugh.
Right, some rules. You are allowed a maximum of 20 nominations. Be careful (and I am looking at Junior Wells here) points are awarded strictly in the order you post ie the first album gets 20 points, the second 19 and so on. If like me you are struggling to think of twenty new albums you actually like then just list however many you can muster. It would be helpful if you can put Artist first followed by Name of Album as frankly “I Love A Teenage Goose – Reno Freakout” means little to me. Nominations open Right Here, Right Now and close at midnight 31st December. Results will be published sometime in January depending on how many people have actually voted and how long my Hogmanay Hangover takes to subside.
Angular banjos always sound good to me and would those lovely Mods keep this somewhere near the top of the page, pretty please?
If @SteveT or @pencilsqueezer want to amend the choices they have already made to be in accordance with The Rules then now’s your chance
1. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds -Ghosteen
2 lana del Rey – Norman fucking Rockwell
3. The Divine Comedy – Office Politics
4. Beth Gibbons etc – Henryk Górecki: Symphony No. 3 (Symphony of Sorrowful Songs)
5. Various Artists – Come On Up To the House: Women Sing Waits
That’s all folks!
1 Bruce Springsteen – Western Stars
2 Lana del Rey – Norman Fucking Rockwell
3 Wilco – Ode to Joy
4 Billie Eilish – When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?
5 Jeff Tweedy – Warmer
You are Lodestone of Wrongness and I claim my ten pounds! Last time I let you borrow my records
I think you have my Ode to Joy copy, am still waiting for my vinyl to arrive (from UK)!
Having finally received Wilco on vinyl (and seen them live twice this week), please move Ode to Joy up to no. 2.
Sorry, Lana says no
Which she would do to any of my suggestions …
1. James Blake – Assume Form
2. Leonard Cohen – Thanks For The Dance
3. Vampire Weekend – Father Of The Bride
4. Bruce Springsteen – Western Stars
5. Nick Cave – Ghosteen
6. Lana del Rey – Norman Fucking Rockwell
I wasn’t really enamoured of any of these albums and doubt I’ll ever play any of them ever again. But I didn’t really listen to anything else new this year (apart from Taylor Swift and Jedward, neither of whom deserve any points) so they’re all I’ve got. My listening this year has been dominated by my late discovery of Misty In Roots 2002 album ‘Roots Controller’ and CD2 of Vashti Bunyan’s 2007 compilation ‘Some Things Just Stick in Your Mind – Singles and Demos 1964 to 1967’.
Both Jed and Ed are devastated by your comments, they may well split up
I’m going to change my mind and put Michael Kiwanuka – Kiwanuka at number 1. Partly because I’ve been listening to it today and it’s very good and partly just to annoy your manservant.
I’ll have to go to great lengths tonight just to keep him happy.
Mosi o Tunya is my go-to Misty studio album.
I cherish the CD-R copy of the Eurovision album that @Stimpy mailed to me years back. It’s only possible improvement would be if it were longer.
Thanks for taking this on, LoW. My 20…
WH Lung – Incidental Music
Jay Glass Dubs – Epitaph
Lorelle Meets the Obsolete – De Facto
Homemade Weapons – Gravity
Niights – Hellebores
Jeff Mills – Moon: The Area of Influence
Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry – Rainford / Heavy Rain
Underworld – Drift
Teeth of the Sea – Wraith
Richard Fearless – Deep Rave Memory
Hey Colossus – Four Bibles
Scar – High Fives & Devil Eyes
Special Request – Offworld
Spiritflesh – Spiritflesh
Josefin Ohrn + The Liberation – Sacred Dreams
Floating Points – Crush
Om Unit Presents: Cosmology – Dark Matter
Swervedriver – Future Ruins
Lenzman – Bobby
Various Artists – Pay It All Back Volume 7
An intriguing list, as always, Mr Bangs.
I’ve just ordered Lee Perry’s “Heavy Rain” myself, actually.
From the audio samples, it sounds like the great man is right back on form…
I do trust LB you have strictly adhered to the artist/album format because my man-servant Gary is easily confused?
LoW: Yes, I did. Scout’s honour.
Oh yes. I think it’s the combo of him and Adrian Maxwell Sherwood that brings out the best in both of them.
Bloody hell, I have one on your list, Wraith’s Teeth of the Sea, if not in my 20. Interesting record tho’.
I really ought to have listened to that Swervedriver album by now! 🙁
The ordering is a bit random, although Western Stars has been my most played album of the year, new or old. Yola’s album was the one which took be by surprise, for which I have the estimable @SteveT to thank. If you haven’t caught up with it, it’s a belter.
1 – Bruce Springsteen – Western Stars
2 – Big Big Train – Grand Tour
3 – Tedeschi Trucks Band – Signs
4 – Yola – Walk Through Fire
5 – Steve Hackett – At The Edge of Light
6 – David Gray – Gold in a Brass Age
7 – Van Morrison – Three Chords and The Truth
8 – Zervas & Pepper – Endless Road, Restless Nomad
Gosh didn’t know Zervas and Pepper had released new album. Thanks Niall, will look it up.
@Carolina It’s really good.
Have put it on my Wishlist!
Top tip mate – ordered!
Lodey, can you please take my first list as my only list. Do I need to cut and paste or have you already recorded the contents?
My faithful man-servant, whom I call Gary as it amuses me and I take small pleasures whenever and wherever I can, has been hammering away for hours. As soon as he is finished with that I’ll get him straight on to typing in your list
Leonard Cohen – Thanks For The Dance
Bruce Springsteen – Western Stars
Blood-Allison Moorer
Judy Collins Winter Stories with Jonas Fjeld
Brian Eno-Apollo (the 2nd and new Cd)
Penguin Cafe-Handfuls Of Night
Tim Bowness-Flowers At The Scene
Alasdair Roberts-The FieryMargins
Marry Waterson and Emily Barker-A Window To Other Ways
Lines-The Unthanks
Ralph McTell- Hill Of Beans
Boo Hewerdine-Before
Badbea-Edwyn Collins
Tedeschi Trucks Band-Signs
Purple Mountains-Purple Mountains
And Bri has nominated the one and only Joe Jackson and his Fool as Album of the Year
Actually a very good album
Here’s my take on the year….
1. Michael Kiwanuka – Kiwanuka
2. Pixies – Beneath the Eyrie
3. Monks Road Social – Down the Willows
4. The Delines – The Imperial
5. Lana del Rey – Norman Fucking Rockwell
6. The S.L.P – The S.L.P
7. Durand Jones & The Indications – American Love Call
8. Vampire Weekend – Father Of The Bride
9. Edwyn Collins – Badbea
10. The Teskey Brothers – Run Home Slow
11. Geraint Watkins – Rush of Blood
12. Yola – Walk Through Fire
13. Jenny Lewis – On the Line
14. Elbow – Giants of all Sizes
15. Robert Forster – Inferno
16. The Waterboys – Where the Action is
17. Joe Jackson – The Fool
18. Van Morrison – Three Chords & The Truth
19. Bruce Springsteen – Western Stars
20. Erik Koskinen – Burning the Deal
It’s been a good year….
1. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Ghosteen
2. Black Midi – Schlagenheim
3. Sarathy Korwar – More Arriving
4. Little Simz – Grey Area
5. King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard – Fishing For Fishies
6. Priests – The Seduction of Kansas
7. Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah – Ancestral Recall
8.Gruff Rhys – Pang!
9. Tiny Ruins – Olympic Girls
10. Moon Duo – Stars Are The Light
The only new releases I bought this year, in each case because I enjoyed the artist in concert. Except for Wookalily who I didn’t see in 2019, but I crowdfunded their album some while back. I was a long time in the making
The Delines – The Imperial
Ida Mae – Chasing Lights
The Local Honeys – Sings The Gospel
Rowan Rheingans – The Lines We Draw Together
Wookalily – Everything Is Normal Except The Little Things Inside My Head
Daoiri Farrell – A Lifetime Of Happiness
Wayward Jane – Old Train
I don’t tend to buy modern music and I only bought two new albums this year. But I like them both.
1. Les Penning and Robert Reed – Return To Penrhos
2. Beth Gibbons – Gorecki Symphony No 3
Is The Gibbons version better than the Dawn Upshaw one?
Depends on your stance on non-classical versus atypical renditions. I love it, the wife prefers the orthodoxy of a trained voice.
It is, probably, better than the Steve Gibbons, unless he puts on his Dylan voice.
I’ve previous always been polled by fRoots magazine (RIP), but once I realised I wouldn’t be asked this year I stopped paying particular attention to new releases. But I’d obvs forgotten about the Afterword poll!
Looking back, I see so many promising albums that I’ve listened to once or twice but don’t know well enough to nominate here (Lau, Karine Polwart, Black String, Mavis Staples, Topic: Vision and Revision), songs I’ve loved whose parent album I haven’t got around to investigating (Vampire Weekend, Naomi Bedford & Paul Simmons, Z.O.G. &the Zongo Brigade) and favourite artists whose new stuff I’m yet to hear (Lankum, Jambinai, Nick Cave, Jarlath Henderson, Laughing Len). But here are four crackers I couldn’t not nominate for fear they’d be overlooked otherwise:
1. Kirsty McGee – The Deafening Sound of Stars (a romantic, jazzy career highlight even by her high standards)
2. Bush Gothic – Beyond the Pale (not officially released in Europe yet, but another exquisite collection of reworked Australian folk songs)
3. Edgelarks – Feather
4. Shooglenifty & Dhun Dhora – Written in Water
And the results from the Rigid Digit jury are as follows:
1. Richard Dawson – 2020
2. Liam Gallagher – Why Me? Why Not?
3. Fontaines DC – Dogrel
4. Mattiel – Satis Factory
5. Specials – Encore
6. Richard Hawley – Further
7. The Who – Who
8. Wreckless Eric – Transience
9. black midi – Schlagenheim
10. Frank Turner – No Mans Land
11. Bruce Springsteen – Western Stars
12. Elbow – Giants Of All Sizes
13. Divine Comedy – Office Politics
Edit:
14. Steve Mason – About The Light
(late edit, prompted by Ainsley below (my memory isn’t what it was …))
1. Caoimhin o Raghallaigh & Thomas Bartlett : untitled
2. Rowan Rheingans : The Lines we Draw Together
3. Lankum : The Livelong Day
4. Martin Simpson : Rooted
5. Kathyrn Tickell and the Darkening : Hollowbone
The latter three are fine and listenable, but aren’t career-defining.
I really need to hear that Rowan R album.
I am pleased to see @Vince Black nominating it too. The live show was startlingly good and the CD allows me to relive that each time. It’s one of those where I don’t know how well it works if you haven’t got the show to cross reference.
Revise please, Loders.
Lau : Midnight and Closedown at 4. Re-number Simpson and Tickell accordingly.
Ta
Medium-sized Gary is doing his thing as we speak. As soon as he is finished, shouldn’t be long, he’ll get right to it
1. Leonard Cohen – Thanks For the Dance
2. Divine Comedy – Office Politics
3. Sara Bareilles – Amidst the Chaos
4. Savannah King – Cliffrose
5. Richard Hawley – Further
6. My Life Story – World Citizen
7. Fionn Regan – Cala
8. Waterboys – Where the Action Is
9. Kristen Plati – Find Me Lost
10. Pernille Rosendahl – The Hurt
See, all those hours sitting in your place of work waiting for the five o’clock hooter were worth it.
Yes. Ten albums from twelve months. About as much as Tiggs would get through in one and a half of his Friday morning braindumps.
I had a sort of appraisal interview today. It wasn’t a time for honesty, eg.
“Where do you see your long-term future with us?”
“Welllll I’m a creative guy, always looking for a new challenge, so I’m thinking of faking my own death so that I never have to come here again”
My top four ( I know, I know)
Russkaja – No One Is Illegal
Death of Guitar Pop – In Over Our Heads
The Regrettes -How Do You Love
and album of the year
My Life Story – World Citizen.
I thenk yaw
I’m strangely moved by that MLS album in a way I wasn’t expecting at all. Perhaps because Jake isn’t singing in that theatrical vibrato any more, therefore taking away the arch 90s irony.
Seeing them live at Hebden Bridge brought the whole thing to life. #Nofilter is one great tune!
So, Uncie Mick and your flagrant disregard for The Rules – MLS is your No1 despite being listed at Number 4. Are the others listed in reverse order as well? Honestly, Little Gary doesn’t know whether he’s coming or just out of breath.
I’m a bit worried about “little Gary”, who you keep calling your “manservant”. He’s going to get terribly overworked in the next couple of weeks.
I’ve learnt from last year’s mistakes (keep on top of things, less brandy, more Polaroids) therefore I plucked Little Gary from his role as Junior Gardener and promoted him to Keeper of the Poll. He’s a sprightly wee thing – keen, eager to please and, gosh and golly, his fingers never stop moving. He’s just informed me it’s already getting really tight at the top of the leaderboard – no idea what that actually means but Keep Voting!!!
1. Songs of Our Native Daughters – Songs of Our Native Daughters
2. Various – The Lost Words Spell Songs
3. Bella Hardy – Postcards & Pocketbooks
4. Various – Instant Replay
5. Monks Road Social – Down the Willows
I heard a track from that Songs of our Native Daughters on 6Music last week and immediately went out and bought it If I had heard it before I compiled my list it would have appeared but rules is rules
I have consulted Little Gary and the wee scamp confirms that anyone can change his/her list as much as they like until midnight 31st December. He says he has no problem scrolling up and down the pages and working all the hours necessary as long as the correct result is achieved. I’m pretty certain he’s telling the truth
Hayes Carll – What it is
Idlewild – Interview Music
Twilight Sad – It won’t be like this all the time
Angel Olsen – All Mirrors
Karine Polwart’s Scottish Songbook
Bruce – Western Stars
Erland Cooper – Sule Skerry
It’s looking good for our raggy-coated side of folkies this year…….
Steve Earle- Guy
Joe Jackson- Fool
Lucas Nelson and the Promise Of The Real- Turn Off The News(build a garden)
Various- If You’re Going To The City (Mose Allison tribute)
Billy Bragg and Joe Henry- Shine a Light
Bruce Springsteen- Western Stars
Van Morrison- The Healing Game(re-issue box set)
Hayes Carll- What It Is
Van Morrison- 3 Chords and The Truth
Todd Snider- Cash Cabin Sessions vol 3
I’ll have to consult Little Gary but I believe Healing Game (a reissue) cannot be considered in this particular poll?
Erm … that Billy Bragg & Joe Henry album is from 2016.
Little Gary is having a lie down…
Like many not a lot of new albums
1.Open Heart Storyby Luke Howard an Aussie jazz/classical pianist. I reviewed a performance of his trio earlier this year. This is rich and lush then sparse and hypnotic. His first on Mercury jazz label.
2.Run Home Slow : Teskey Brother Sl My 60th birthday party at the local life saving club was probably there last small rime gig. Their “difficult second album” is not as Good as their first but Josh Teskey’s voice brings it home.
3. Western Stars – Bruce. Loved the strings
Little Gary says “Western Stars new album is really called Bruce?”
Apparently
It’s very early days it must be said but Brooce is so far ahead it’s hard to see him getting caught. Last year Ry, this year Mr Springsteen. Anybody would think this blog is populated by gentlemen of a certain age…
Love the first Teskey album but not so enamoured with this one. It sounds a bit samey, to me. His voice is a stunner, though.
Karen O & Dangermouse – Lux Prima
Better Oblivion Community Center – Better Oblivion Community Center
Mercury Rev – Bobbie Gentry’s The Delta Sweete Revisited
Wilco – Ode to Joy
Vampire Weekend – Father of the bride
Lambchop – This (is what i wanted to tell you)
Big Thief – Two Hands
Big Thief – UFOF
Bruce Springsteen – Western Stars
Waterboys – Where the action is
Lloyd Cole – Guesswork
Beck – Hyperspace
Bon iver -i i
Michael Kiwanuka – Kiwanuka
Mark Ronson – Late night feelings
Jenny Lewis – On the line
Bill Callahan – Shepherd in a Sheepskin Vest
The National – I am easy to find
1 Bruce Springsteen – Western Stars. Easily my most played album.
2 Steve Hackett – At The Edge Of Light. One of his very best records.
3 Stephen Hero – Deciduous Eccentric. Final album from ex Kitchens Of Distinction singer.
Shockingly I seem to have only bought the above new albums this year. MusicMagpie have had a lot of my money as they are selling most CDs for under £3, so I’ve been filling gaps in my collection.
4 Michael Chapman – True North. Played a lot on Spotify
Er, that’s it. *hides head in shame*
Most o f what I buy tends to be second hand old stuff but I did buy three new albums this year and I liked them all. They were-
‘California Son’- Morrissey
‘Western Stars’- Bruce Springsteen
‘Where the Action Is’- The Waterboys.
Is it bad i had to check these were a l 2019. a pretty decent year though…
The National – I am easy to find
Nick Cave – Ghosteen
Lana del rey – Norman Fucking Rockwell
Hayden Thorpe – Diviner
Ezra Collective – you cant steal my joy
Hania Rani – Esja
Fontaines DC – Dogrel
Vampire Weekend – Father of the bride
Hot Chip – A Bath Full of ecstasy
Divine Comedy – Office politics
Little Simz – Grey Area
International Teachers of Pop – International teachers of pop
Billie Eillish – When we all fall asleep
Bruce Springsteen – Western Stars
Mercury Rev – Bobbie Gentry’s The Delta Sweete Revisited
Specials – Encore
Dave – Psychodrama
Caterina Barbieri – ecstatic computation
Michael Kiwanuka – Kiwanuka
You can drive yourself mad trying to listen to everything or you can just stop now and contribute..
Headline: NINE of my top 10 are by solo female artists
1. Lana Del Rey – Norman Fucking Rockwell
Masterful. And the clearest winner of SR’s record of the year for over 30 years, still..
Happiness is a butterfly
Try to catch it every night
It escapes from my hands into moonlight
That’s a MOTH, love.
2. Lizzo – Cuz I Love You
Only thing you can say against this leppin’ party box is it feels more like a parade of singles than an album (even more so if you buy the deluxe cd). Great leap forward for this lady.
3. Billie Eilish – When We All Fall Asleep Where Do We Go?
When I was 16/17 I wrote loads of songs. Guess what? They were all sh*t. Fantastic pop record. Fingers crossed there’s much more to come.
4. Jenny Lewis – On The Line
Highlight of the year was seeing Jenny perform this in the flesh.
5. Jamila Woods – Legacy! Legacy!
Second album, second top 10 spot in my end-of-year list. The first wrapped its biting lyrics in pretty melodies, this one has a more muscular jazzy sound.
6. Yola – Walk Through Fire
Big beautiful grin of a country soul record
7. Sigrid – Sucker Punch
Norway’s turn to deliver the year’s primo Scandi-pop treat.
8. Blick Bassy – 1958
The African music I like is usually of the funky variety. This record, though, reminds me of my favourite Super Furry Animals album MWNG – lovely woozy melodies in a language I don’t know, which makes it a great going to bed album..
9. Self Esteem – Compliments Please
A delightful slice of pure pop marks a new direction for former indie band lady.
10. Shura – Forevher
Dreamy electropop journey
11. The Wild Reeds – Cheers
Three individual writers and voices produce a nice variety of indie rock with country inflections.
12. Durand Jones & The Indications – American Love Call
Some days this perfect reproduction of a past sound feels a bit “Showaddywaddy”, most times it hits the spot.
13. King Princess – Cheap Queen
Soulful pop in a most appealing voice.
14. Little Simz – GREY Area
Yep, the year’s best hip hop record was also DONE BY A GURL..
15. Girl Ray – Girl
Another great drift-off-to-sleep album. A smoother, slicker take on their unique sound. They’re growing up!
16. Kid Acne – Have A Word
“Slartibartfast/ Trousers Halfmast!”
Brings both a twisted update on the loose funk of Happy Mondays AND all the bonkers random wordplay of S Ryder in his pomp..
17. Dawn Richard – New Breed
Surprising new yellow-ribbon-free direction by the artist formerly known as Dawn*
(*AW old geezer joke)
18. Kevin Abstract – ARIZONA BABY
Gay rapper brings the tunes
19. Tove Lo – Sunshine Kitty
Heavily front-loaded, like so many classic pop records, but just enough on the back side to sneak into the top 20.
20. Spearmint – Are You From The Future?
Starts off like Shaft, then takes a Pet Shop Boys detour, before settling down to the tuneful, strummy, thoughtful indie tunes which made them ..er.. famous
The next ten
21/ Songs Of Our Native Daughters
22/ The Japanese House – Good At Falling
23/ Dave – PSYCHODRAMA
24/ The Maes
25/ Stealing Sheep – Big Wows
26/ Sudan Archives – Athena
27/ Equipto – Few And Far Between
28/ Leonard Cohen – Thanks For The Dance
29/ Nilüfer Yanya – Miss Universe
30/ Raphael Saadiq – Jimmy Lee
Now for the absolute joy of dipping into all y’all’s selections (especially the country/Americana which you know so much more about)..
Also: will be starting a Spotify playlist when I get a minute..
Oh, and as you forgot to include Michael and Bruce in your Top Twenty, Little Gary has substituted them for two of those records you made up. Apart from that , Top Posting!
Who cares if some of these I have never heard of (and some I think you just made up in order to wind up Little Gary) – this is what this poll is all about! Enthusiasm, erudition, passion – you is Number 1 in my charts
Yay – a vote for the Maes (even if it isn’t in your top 20). Do put a track on your Spotify list.
Why not put one here?
Like a lot of my not top 20 albums – notably Leonard Cohen – some of the very finest songs but then a few not so great did the damage. Perhaps the most beautifully recorded album of the year though..
Lovely to see and hear them ‘live’, thanks for posting.
Good to see Billie Eilish getting some love in last 2 offerings.
I’m pretty confident Little Gary will ensure Billie gets the spot she deserves (honestly, some people on here are more interested in trains nobody has ever seen than an express heading for hitsville!)
Some good choices there and, even better, lots I don’t know, so I can put a few hours aside to go through them.
I’m just finishing relistening to my top few to decide on the final order, but I think my number one is on your list. I’m then waiting for someone else to post a long list cos I want to do a top 75! My total list is 146 this year (although Stormzy’s one is due out I think and I’ll probably end up with some more after listening to the ones on here I don’t know) which is a big drop for the second successive year, so I’m getting better. When I got to 210 a couple of years ago it was ridiculous and a good 70-80 were a bit rubbish, so I’m really trying hard to be a bit more choosy and I’m getting there. There’s only about a dozen that are a bit rubbish this year and going down my list there seems to be a big step between 75 and 76, so that’s a good cut off point, as all the top 75 are worth people checking out, if they’re that way inclined.
Point of order, says max 20 in the rules!!
Paul can list 456 for all Little Gary cares – only the Top Twenty will count, mind. And let’s not forget in this festive time Paul is only halfway through his 12 step programme. So, if you’ve got time in between wrapping presents and helping at the soup kitchen, let’s all properly peruse his list. Sock it to us, Paul!
Typo above. When I said “you can drive yourself mad trying to listen to everything” that should, of course, have read you can drive yourself Wad..
I saw Jenny Lewis last night! Wasn’t totally enamoured to be honest, although she did finish the set by getting carried offstage by someone dressed as a snowman, which was fun.
The Blackening – Michael Tanner with Alison Cotton and Lino Capra Vaccina
Naked Flames – TC & I (Live)
How Would You Know I Was Lonely – The Rhythm Method
Office Politics – The Divine Comedy
Encore – The Specials
Haven’t heard too many new albums this year but I liked all these…
1. The Mountain Goats: In League With Dragons
2. Richard Dawson: 2020
3. Purple Mountains: Purple Mountains
4. Songs Of Our Native Daughters
5. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds: Ghosteen
6. Ezra Furman: Twelve Nudes
7. Peter Perrett: Humanworld
8. Rhiannon Giddens with Francesco Turrisi: There Is No Other
9. Sharon van Etten: Remind Me Tomorrow
10. Jeffrey Lewis and the Voltage: Bad Wiring
OK. I started listening through the albums I’ve bought this year, but there’s no way I’d be able to get through all of them in time to cast my vote, so I’m just going to vote with my gut and my unreliable memory (as the tagline says, below…)
1. Daniel Norgren – Wooh Dang
2. Andrew Bird – My Finest Work Yet
3. Jeff Tweedy – Warmer
4. Lizzo – Cuz I Love You
5. Vampire Weekend – Father Of The Bride
6. Mdou Moctar – Ilana
7. Native Harrow – Happier Now
8. James Blake – Assume Form
9. Kevin Morby – Oh My God
10. King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard – Fishing For Fishies
11. Big Thief – Two Hands
12. The Tallest Man On Earth – I Love You. It’s A Fever Dream
13. Kel Assouf – Black Tenere
14. Wilco – Ode To Joy
15. Aldous Harding – Designer
16. Cherry Glazerr – Stuffed & Ready
17. Tinariwen – Amadjar
18. Vetiver – Up On High
19. Big Thief – U.F.O.F.
20. Kacy & Clayton – Carrying On
Bubbling Under: Julia Jacklin – Crushing, Friendly Fires – Inflorescent, Jake Xerxes Fussell – Out Of Sight, Sarah Klang – Creamy Blue, Leyla McCalla – The Capitalist Blues, Weyes Blood – Titanic Rising, Jesca Hoop – Stonechild, Bantou Mentale – Bantou Mentale, Rymden – Reflections & Odysseys, Bassekou Kouyaté & Ngoni Ba – Miri, Gemma Ray – Psychogeology…and a few others…but these are the ones I remember without revisiting.
You’ve got weeks yet to cast your final votes. Little Gary is always willing to fire up his joystick and move those numbers around. Just don’t tell him I said so
I know, but I have better things to do leading up to Christmas than to worry about whether no 10 and no 12 should switch places, or if I prefer the desert blues to Americana… 🙂
I basically went with how much I’ve played the albums, and how much I remember without revisiting them. It’ll do just fine, most of my choices won’t affect the final list anyway!
(Just hearing the name Bruce Springsteen sends me into a deep coma, BTW… 😉 )
I was shocked to find I had only bought one ‘new’ album this year…
and so by default my 20 points goes to:
Steve Mason – About The Light
– not his best album but good nonetheless.
Also shocked that I had missed new releases from
Jenny Lewis, Alison Moorer and Richard Hawley !!! If Santa is kind I may be able to award 19 points to one of these.
You’ve got weeks yet to cast your final votes. Little Gary is always willing to fire up his joystick and move those numbers around. Just don’t tell him I said so
here goes….
1) Press Club – Late Teens.
My discovery of the year, incendiary Australian punks with an incredible front woman. I was lucky enough to see them twice this year, in tiny rooms, and they were spectacularly good both times. Fire, energy, passion and cracking tunes
2) The Chemical Brothers – No Geography.
Just so much better than it had any right to be. I thought they were pretty washed up, and then they deliver this collection of absolute non stop bangers. Plus they killed it at Glastonbury
3) New Model Army – From Here.
No great reinventions, but their best (and best recorded) set of songs in years
4) The Membranes – What Nature Gives…Nature Takes Away.
Dark post punk, bordering on the goth, bolstered by a twenty piece choir on a concept album about the countryside year, with a decided folk horror edge. Featuring guest spots by Shirley Collins and that Chris Packham off of the telly.
5) Press Club – Wasted Energy.
Yeah, two albums in one year! That’s what I’m talking about! (the first was actually released last year in Australia, but don’t tell anyone)
6) Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard – Yn Ol Annwn.
Welsh psychedelic doomsters refine their template and make their best record yet. Black Sabbath, Hawkwind and Delia Derbyshire jamming, or like I said of their last record, watching Headbangers Ball on Skaro and then your big sister comes home and puts on her Cocteau Twins tape.
7) Better Oblivion Community Centre – s/t
Phoebe Bridgers is one of the most exciting talents to emerge in the last few years, and this collaboration with Conor Oberst reinforced that. Love the way their two voices work together.
8) Weyes Blood – Titanic Rising.
Sumptuous chamber pop that puts you in mind of Sarabeth Tucek or Karen Carpenter.
9) Blut Aus Nord – Hallucinogen.
Superb French psychedelic post-black metal. Riffs and chopped up choral vocals, terrifically exciting stuff.
10) Lana Del Rey – NFR
Yeah, it probably is as good as everyone says, even if the Sublime cover is a bit unexpected. Venice Bitch is one of the songs of the year, but I am still irked that the cover is much more Roy Fucking Lichtenstein than it is Rockwell
11) WH Lung – Incidental Music
12) Ezra Collective – You Can’t Steal My Joy
13) Lil Simz – Grey Area
14) White Ward – Love Exchange Failure
15) Dave – Psychodrama
16) Equiknoxx – Eternal Children
17) The National – I Am Easy To Find
18) We Lost The Sea – Triumph And Disaster
19) Stenny – Upsurge
20) Carla dal Forno – Look Up Sharp
Still undecided about Nick Cave. It’s either towering emotional genius, or a boring load of old piffle. Makes it quite exciting when I put it on though, I just don’t know what reaction I’ll have. And speaking as a huge Springsteen fan, I’m sorry to report that I just don’t get the love for Western Stars at all.
Re Bruce by Western Stars – according to Little Gary and his Swingometer you are in a minority of minus 456. Mind you, Little Gary sometimes gets muddled. Why, even last night
This thread has got me listening to Norman Fucking Rockwell — and I’m definitely going to investigate Mammoth Weed Bastard!
Do you only like albums with a swear in the title?
I recommend Marquee Cocking Moon.
It’s not as good as Abbey Fucking Road.
Ah, so that’s what Paul had in mind with that little song on the White Album…
I don’t have a dog in this fight, because as usual I mostly listened to old, and my most-played album of the year was probably Leroy Anderson Favourites by Leonard Slatkin and the St Louis Symphony Orchestra.
But I have to say I’m lining up with the Kid on Western Stars. I yield to nobody in my admiration for the Boss. I’ve bought all his albums up to and including High Hopes. But Western Stars seems like generic Springsteen to me, mostly variations on the same set of strummed chords, and actually rather monotonous, with little light and shade. I’d make an exception for Rhinestone Cowboy, but I’d probably make an exception for that even if it was sung by Ed Sheeran.*
Others will disagree, obviously.
*That’s a lie.
To be honest on first listens I went “Oh god, it’s Bruce doing Dylan doing Sinatra”. I was Wrong, it’s a belter, second best Album of the Year
Only went and bleeding forgot Bob Mould‘s Sunshine Rock, didn’t I? Can Little Gary please insert him at number 10 and knock everything else down one?
It’s gone a bit quiet on The Poll front so I sent him off to the greenhouse where apparently the banana plants have all gone droopy. He’s a wonder bringing droopy things back to life so as soon as he returns I’ll get him rearranging your list.
I have to say, I’ve never seen little Gary and Sven from I’m Sorry I Haven’t A Clue in the same room.
Is Sven helping little Gary to get his poll up again?
Don’t you mean Samantha? Haven’t listened since Willie Rushton died and they kept playing that stupid game – you know the one where the office nerd comes up to you and says “Goodge St” and because he’s in snood you are allowed to headbutt him?
Im in !
1. Pearlfishers – Love and Other Hopeless Things
Listened to this about 4 times more than anything else on this list
2. The Delines – the Imperial
New discovery for me – sublimely sad country songs from Willy Vlautin
3. Various artists – Joni at 75
Surprised myself by liking this so much. Kristofferson’s take on ‘Case of You’ the only music that genuinely made me cry this year
4. Solange – When I Get Home
Another great album from Beyonce’s little sis
5. Bruce Soord – All This Will Be Yours
Porcupine Tree’s front man goes solo and mainly acoustic. Really impressive set of songs
6. Patrick Watson – Wave
I know nothing about him but this is a great find whoever he is !
7. Calexico / Iron and Wine – Years To Burn
Cracking combination of talents. Best Iron & Wine album since Ghost on Ghost (for me anyway)
8. Fionn Regan – Cala
As good as his debut which was very, very good.
9. The National – I Am Easy To Find
Not sure why I like this band but I do.
10. Modern Nature – How To Live
A bit of prog here and there underpinned by some motorik percussion. Really good and varied
set
11. A Winged Victory For The Sullen- The Undivided Five
They are back ! An ambient masterpiece that’s nearly as good as their debut
12. Bruce Springsteen – Western Stars
A top 5 BS album for me
13. Vetiver – Up On High
They do what they do yet again but they do it very well
14. Michael Kiwanuka – Kiwanuka
Not quite as good as Love & Hate but pretty close
15. Lana Del Ray – Norman Fucking Rockwell
Venice Bitch might be my track of the year. Goes on a bit tbh else would be higher up the list
16. The Cinematic Orchestra – To Believe
Another great return to form. Classy stuff.
17. Matthew Halsall – Oneness
This man has made some exceptional jazz over the years.
18. Jan Akkerman – Close Beauty
His best album since early 70s
19. Vampire Weekend – Father Of The Bride
Didn’t think Id like this new fangled pop outfit but there you go you can teach old dogs
20. Jessica Pratt – Quiet Signs
Pretty much the same as her first album but I loved that one as well
Thumbs-up for the Matthew Halsall album.
‘Tis quite lovely.
A true annus horribilis for me, I’m afraid, both for personal reasons and work-related. Won’t go into deatails, this is not the time nor place, just hope next year will be better. As every year, some adventurous choices in my list, but really don’t have the strength for short descriptions. So here:
1. 13 Million year old ghost – 13 Million year old ghost (Nick Zinner)
2. Joe Henry – The gospel according to water
3. Lankum – The livelong day
4. The J.B. ‘s – More mess on my thing
5. Jeff Goldblum – I shouldn’t be telling you this
6. Sturgill Simpson – Sound & Fury
7. Massive attack – Mezzanine (The Mad Professor remixes)
8. Leonard Cohen – Thanks for the dance
9. James McVinnie – All night chroma
10. Kira Kira and Hermigervill – Sumarborn
11. Jesse Dayton – Mixtape vol. 1
12. Paul Williams – Emmet Otter’s Jug-band Christmas
13. Jon Boden – Rose in june
14. Black Pumas – Black Pumas
15. Jamael Dean – Black space tapes
16. Various – If you’re going to the city (A tribute to Mose Allison)
17. Pink Purple – Red
18. Bailen – Thrilled to be here
19. Cuban jazz report – Cuban jazz report
20. Vanishing twin – The age of immunology
Thank you Stoneload (heh heh) and Little Gary, good men and then some.
2018 was a series of horrors for me, but – and I could never have seen it coming – 2019 was the brightest for a long time.
Hopefully it will be the same for you, Izzy..
Izzy – keep taking the drugs: some very “inventive” names in there. I particularly liked ‘Red by Pink Purple’
Recorded in early 2010 during winter break from the Flaming Lips “Embryonic” tour, Pink Purple features then-drummer Kliph Scurlock and John Huff. Borrowing mics from the band, Kliph and John set up an army of analog synths and other vintage equipment to create Pink Purple “Red”. This unreleased album highlights the band’s encyclopedic knowledge of classic British rock/prog/psych throughout the tracks.
These recordings have never been released.
No drugs for me, thank you, I do like some quality red wine on occasion.
Nope, didn’t understand a word.
@izzy
I bet that’s either brilliant or bobbins.
That Sturgill Simpson was a major disappointment for me Loved the last two albums but this was like he had been listening to Medadeth. Awful. Ooaa.
Is the JBs album new or archival?
…pretty rough talk coming from someone who nominated Leonard C.
The J.B.’s album is new as far as the music is officially released for the first time. It was recorded in 1969 for James Brown – In 1969 Bootsy Collins, barely 18 years old, brought his band into King Studios and recorded a demo entitled “More Mess On My Thing.” Brown approved, brought Collins and his band on as his backing band The J.B.’s, the rest is history.
Of course, the Afterword end of year poll is unique among esteemed organs of popular music in that it is compiled by a member together with his imaginary friend, who may or may not also be a member.
Little Gary and his member is not something to be discussed before the watershed. (Gary and his little member is, however, fair game)
Only 10 from me:
1. Michael Kiwanuka – Kiwanuka
2. Bon Iver – i,i
3. James Blake – Assume Form
4. Leonard Cohen – Thanks For The Dance
5. Flaming Lips – King’s Mouth: Music and Songs
6. Nils Frahm – All Encores
7. Jeff Lynne’s ELO – From Out Of Nowhere
8. Röyksopp – Lost Tapes
9. A Winged Victory For The Sullen – The Undivided Five
10. Mercury Rev – Bobby Gentry’s The Delta Sweete Revisited
Good to see you, HPW! Little Gary says he has had to delist your No7 choice as it’s obviously Wrong
I must admit my eyebrows are stuck in the ceiling fan after seeing that. To each his own…
It’s great. I urge all ELO-sceptics to give it a listen. The world would be a very dull place if we all liked the same thing. Personally, I would de-list the Springsteen album (I’ve listened to it more than once, but just don’t get it).
Wise words my man
I was beginning to think I was the only one who likes the new ELO album. Every review I’ve read says it’s so-so, but I think it’s fab.
I don’t think this has been a vintage year for the type of music I like. Next year promises to be much better with releases from Nadia Reid, Bill Fay, The Weather Station, A Girl Called Eddy, The Secret Sisters to name but a few but have still managed to find 20 I really enjoyed.
1. Lucy Rose – No Words Left
2. Bill Callahan – Shepherd in a Sheepskin Vest
3. Anna Tivel – The Question
4. Amy Speace – Me and the Ghost of Charlemagne
5. The Maes – self titled
6. Weyes Blood – Titanic Rising
7. Michael Kiwanuka – Kiwanuka
8. Come on Up To My House – Women Sing Waits
9. Joan Shelley – Like the River Loves the Sea
10. Roseanne Reid – Trails
11 .Judy Collins and Jonas Fjield – Winter Stories
12. Peter Bruntnell – King of Madrid
13. The Lost Words – Spell Songs
14. Dori Freeman – Every Single Star
15. Mary Bragg – Violets as Camouflage
16. Ida Wenoe -The Things We Don’t Know
17. Caroline Spence – Mint Condition
18. The Unthanks – Lines
19. Yola – Walk through Fire
20. Joy Williams – Front Porch
Not bought much new-new in 2019, but here’s my sexy 6:
1. Michael Kiwanuka – Kiwanuka
2. Liam Gallagher – Why Me? Why not.
3. Mavis Staples – Live in London
4. The Black Keys – “Let’s Rock”
5. Various Artists – World Spirituality Classics 2: The Time For Peace Is Now
6. Devendra Banhart – MA
And my track of the year goes to Lizzo – Juice. What a massive tune and, unusually these days, crossed over everywhere. Which is nice.
Listened to a lot of new songs on Spotify but not so many full albums. These are the ones that I returned to:
1. Lana Del Rey – Norman Fucking Rockwell. This is one great song after another. Hard to believe so many exist on one album. I tend to want to hear it all the way through once I start.
2. Michael Kiwanuka – Kiwanuka. Very hummable, groovy mix of soul and rock.
3. Billie Eilish – When We Fall Asleep Where Do We Go? This is very 2019 I guess. Captures the zeitgeist and feelings of adolescence. Works for me. Ultimately it’s very catchy.
4. Chromatics – Closer To Grey. Very cool. Like other albums from 2019 it sounds kind of retro and yet of now.
5. Sharon Von Etten – Remind Me Tomorrow. I like the commitment. Got a lot of power.
6. Clairo – Immunity. This is drippy female stuff. Strictly not for Afterword old grumps. The bass really really shakes the speakers at times.
7. Aldous Harding – Designer. The videos are real works of surrealist art. Truly odd.
I’ve liked other tracks/hits like Mark Ronson feat Likke Li, Dua Lipa’s latest, King Gizzard, and more but haven’t managed a whole album.
As there seems to be barely a trace of jazz so far, here is my all-jazz top ten list for 2019. No descriptions offered.
1.] Binker Golding – Abstractions of Reality Past and Incredible Feathers
2.] Yazz Ahmed – Polyhymnia
3.] Nérija – Blume
4.] Sarah Tandy – Infection in the Sentence
5.] Joe Armon-Jones – Turn to Clear View
6.] SEED Ensemble – Driftglass
7.] Ezra Collective – You Can’t Steal My Joy
8.] Rosie Turton – Rosie’s 5ive
9.] Moses Boyd Exodus – Displaced Diaspora
10. Kinkajous – Hidden Lines
Do you know how tired Little Gary is typing all these names? Why can’t everyone just choose the same five records and why has nobody nominated Ed Sheeran?
My Top 5 then*
Ed Sheeran
Bruce Springsteen
Lana del Ray
Michael Kiwanuka
Nick Cave.
That about right?
*It isn’t really. i am still mulling. Only one of those definitely going to make my list. Can you guess which?
Lana?
Ed obviously
And anyways, Mike my Little Gary excitedly informs me that the Ezra Collective currently hold a comfortable mid-table spot and that given Pencilsqueezer’s list the place is brimming with plinky-plonky jazz, you know the kind of stuff you put on when that cute girl from Romantic Literature 2 has most unexpectedly accepted your invitation back to your rooms to toast some crumpets
That cute girl was such a very long time ago… (fond reverie) ..
I was such a fool.
Never should have put that Ornette Coleman album on.
Nah, should have gone with Frank Sidebottom.
“Fantastic Sea Shanty” usually causes serious flutterage.
A few additions to my list:
11.] Anna Meredith – Fibs
12.] The Comet Is Coming – Trust In The Lifeforce Of The Deep Mystery
13.] Aldous Harding – Designer
14.] The Comet Is Coming – Afterlife
15.] AVA – Waves
16.] Floating Points – Crush
..and here’s another one.
17.] Alice Zawadzki – Within You Is a World of Spring.
My final 3:
18.] Maria Chiara Argirò – Hidden Seas
19.] Marco Marconi Trio feat. Max Ionata – New Roads, Live at the Bear Club
20.] Percy Pursglove, Paul Dunmall, Mark Sanders & John Etheridge – DEPS
You made those last four up, didn’t you?
In point of fact it was them made me up. I am but a figleaf of their emancipation.
You may not have made them up Mike, but as the person working on the Spotify playlist let me tell you some of them (and not just yours I’m referring to much of the AW jazz wing) are a bugger to find..
1) Tom Rafferty – More Guitars.
2) Tom Rafferty – More Guitars.
3) Tom Rafferty – More Guitars.
4) Tom Rafferty – More Guitars.
5) Tom Rafferty – More Guitars.
6) Tom Rafferty – More Guitars.
7) Tom Rafferty – More Guitars.
8) Tom Rafferty – More Guitars.
9) Tom Rafferty – More Guitars.
10) Does My Arse Look Huge In This? – Beyonce.
Do these replace your earlier picks and I’m not sure you understand The Rules? “Does My Arse Look Big In This?” was released in 2015.
I remember well when the Arse dropped. It was a new sound, plenty of fat bass.
That’s spelt ‘phat’!
I know what I bloody mean, feller
Here’s my Top 10
1. Frank Zappa – Halloween ’73
2. Chrissie Hynde – Valve Bone Woe
3. Rachael and Vilray – Rachael and Vilray
4. Joel Paterson – Let It Be Guitar!
5. The Bad Plus – Activate Infinity
6. Yazz Ahmed – Polyhymnia
7. Abdullah Ibrahim – The Balance
8. Bob Dylan – Rolling Thunder Revue
9. Phil Judd – Flightless Bird
10.Aldous Harding – Designer
Does this list include reissues eg Abbey Road? Or is that going to be another thread?
Re-issues are indeed another thread.
Who is doing that one? Little Gatz?
Me not know
I guess Dylan doesn’t count either, or are old recordings never released before allowed?
I’m a bit confused about that – perhaps someone wise like @tiggerlion might want to adjudicate?
Thank you for giving me the authority to make the decision.
I’d say re-issues and ‘historical’ recordings count together as a different category. Therefore, Dylan, The Beatles and, even, Matthew Halsall belong in another list thread.
Cheers!
If only Little Gary was here to make the necessary changes! I think the best option is for me to leave the spreadsheet next to Rover’s feeding bowl. ” Oh gosh, how could that have happened?”
I would suggest that re-releases such as Abbey Road are definitely a separate thread, whereas historical recordings such as the Dylan RTR would count as they have not previously been officially released. OOAA of course
That sounds very sensible to me.
Here’s my best Historical, Archival & Reissues of 2019 (a category defined by duco, I believe):
In reverse order and tell Gary not to worry his pretty little head because I’ll be posting my best new of 2019 in due course.
30. Paul McCartney – Amoeba Gig
29. Kankyo Ongaku: Japanese Ambient, Environmental and New Age Music 1980-1990
28. The Replacements – Dead Man’s Pop
27. Elvis Presley – Live 1969
26. Massive Attack – Mezzanine (Mad Professor remix)
25. Errol Brown & The Supersonics – The Treasure Dub Albums Collection
24. The J.B.’s – More Mess On My Thing
23. Nat King Cole – Hittin’ The Ramp: The Early Years (1936-1943)
22. World Spirituality Classics 2: The Time For Peace Is Now
21. Rupa – Disco Jazz
20. Yabby You – Walls Of Jerusalem
19. Brian Eno – Apollo Atmospherics And Soundtracks (Expanded Edition)
18. John Coltrane – Blue World
17. The Queens Of Trojan: Love Is All I Bring
16. Marvin Gaye – You’re The Man
15. Creedance Clearwater Revival – Live At Woodstock
14. David Bowie – Space Oddity (2019 Remix)
13. Mary Lou Williams
12. The Beatles – Abbey Road (2019 Remix)
11. Stan Getz – At The Gate
10. Prince – Originals
9. The Band – The Band (2019 Remix)
8. Linval Thompson & The Revolutionaries – Negrae Love Dub/Outlaw Dub
7. Paul Bley, Gary Peacock, Paul Motion – When Will The Blues Leave
6. Prince – 1999 Super Deluxe
5. Bob Dylan – Travelin’ Thru
4. Matthew Halsall – Oneness
3. Burial – Tunes (2011-2019)
2. Aretha Franklin – The Complete Amazing Grace
1. Tubby Hayes – Grits Beans And Greens
Interesting list. Some for me to investigate.
Ho hum – this is a tricky one. I have Matthew Halsall’s superb “Oneness” album in my “New albums of 2019” chart, because the material had never been released before. But in a sense, Tigger is also right, because the album is, indeed, an ‘archival recording’. I’m not sure which chart it should go in, now…
Where else would it go? It belongs with Tubby Hayes, Bob Dylan, Paul Bley, Prince, Stan Getz and so on…..all featuring material never previously released that can only be described as ‘archival’.
Nice to see the Abdullah Ibrahim album straight in at no.7 in Mousey’s Top 10 with a bullet.
The veteran South African pianist must be the oldest artist yet nominated in the Afterword 2019 album of the year poll.
The playlist is live! Adopting the Lemonhope method, I have gone for track 3 across the board (handy for the three track Beth Gibbons album). It’s collaborative, so if you want to add your selections there as you submit them here be my guest..
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👏👏👏👏
That, as usual is very cool. Now, what is this Spotify of which you speak?
1. Kate Tempest – The Book of Traps and Lessons
2. FKA Twigs – Magdalene
3. The Comet is Coming – Trust in the Lifeforce of the Deep Mystery
4. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds – Ghosteen
5. Tyler the Creator – Igor
6. Lightning Bolt – Sonic Citadel
7. W. H. Lung – Incidental Music
8. Fontaines D. C. – Dogrel
9. Fire! Orchestra – Arrival
10. Oh Sees – Face Stabber
11. Matana Roberts – COIN COIN Chapter Four: Memphis
12. Rhiannon Giddens – There Is No Other
13. Thom Yorke – Anima
14. Murder Capital – When I Have Fears
15. Hatchie – Keepsake
16. Sharon Van Etten – Remind Me Tomorrow
17. Chris Forsyth – All Time Present
18. Bill Callahan – Shepherd in a Sheepskin Vest
19. Purple Mountains – Purple Mountains
20. Weyes Blood – Titanic Rising
Nice list! I can now put Kate back on my own nominations. Cheers!
I didn’t know that Fire! Orchestra had a new album out this year…must investigate!
I don’t think I can spin this out to 20. Not an inspiring year for me – I’ve bought fewer CDs than any other year I can remember. I’ve also not heard of most of the artists in some of the lists above. My loss I guess, but I just don’t have time or inclination to stay on the cutting edge any more. So here’s my probably rather conservative selection.
1, Allison Moorer – Blood
2. Josh Ritter – Fever Breaks
3. Avett Brothers – Closer Than Together
4. Justin Rutledge – Passages
5. Hiss Golden Messenger – Terms Of Surrender
6. The Long Ryders – Psychedelic Country Soul
7. Dylan Leblanc – Renegade
8. Son Volt – Union
9. Buddy & Julie Miller – Breakdown On 20th Avenue South
10. Bruce Springsteen – Western Stars
11. Thea Gilmore – Small World Turning
12. Tinariwen – Amadjar
13. Felice Brothers – Undress
14. Mavis Staples – We Get By
15. Neil Young – Colorado
16. Calexico / Iron & Wine – Years To Burn
Nothing conservative about that list apart from the fact that conservative old me recognises the majority of those albums. We’re like brothers
For me it`s been a good year for new releases and even better for Archive/Re-releases. I`ve been fighting a losing battle at cutting back on purchases off-set by culling my collection profits paying for 90% of new additions.
No shocks in this list
1) Harp & A Monkey: The Victorians
2) Rodrigo Y Gabriela: Mettavolution
3) Bill Nelson: Old Haunts
4) Bruce Springsteen: Western Stars
5) Yola: Walk Through Fire
6) Long Ryders: Psychedelic Country Soul
7) Big Big Train: Grand Tour
8) Peter Perrett: Humanworld
9) Show Of Hands: Battlefield Dance Floor
10) Mercury Rev: Bobby Gentry`s The Delta Sweete Revisited
11) Vetiver: Up On High
12) Rustin Man: Drift Code
13) Neil Young: Colorado
14) Jeff Foskett: Voices
15) Lau: Midnight And Closedown
16) Rhiannon Giddens (with Francesco Turrisi) There Is No Other
17) Gospelbeach: Let It Burn
18) Lukas Nelson & Promise Of The Real: Turn Off The News Build A Garden
19) Richard Hawley: Further
20) Josh Ritter: Fever Dreams
Neil Young and Crazy Horse please!
13) Neil Young & Crazy Horse: Colorado
Thank you. Haven’t heard it yet which 10 years ago would be unthinkable.
It’s quite good and if you’re a Shakey fan it’s very good.
Good ‘evans. January is so long ago. I had forgotten that Midnight and Closedown was a 2019 album. I shall have to go back and revise my submission.
Good to see you taking notice of my impeccable list @thecheshirecat. I`m aware you`re a folk fan, what are your thoiughts on `Harp & A Monkey`?
Ooh. Most fond. We’re hoping to have them back at the folk club soon. They are bang on the overlap of New Take on Old Storytelling Tradition.
@thecheshirecat which folk club is it you’ll be hoping to have them back too?
http://www.northwichfolk.co.uk/committee.html
One of those shiny happy people on the committee is me.
WOT! no kilt!
Many many women have had good reason to announce that they didn’t recognise me with my trousers on.
You irresponsible devil. I mean to say…. it’s December.
By heck @Baron Harkonnen I thought I’d probably be the only person on here to a) have Harp and a Monkey in my best off b) and would have bet Simon’s harp on me being the only person to have Victorians as my number 1 ….
Hi @Bogart I couldn`t stop playing it, always a good sign, when it arrived direct from the band. I haven`t seen them live but will endeavour to attend @thecheshirecat`s folk club (it ain`t too far away) if he books them. I think I saw Show Of Hands Steve Knightley there a few years ago. I don`t remember how I got into HAAM initially but they are good, aren`t they?
Without looking at any other post, mine are
1. Rammstein – Rammstein. You could not ask for more from a Rammstein album, a thing of beauty
2. Lana Del Rey – NFR. Shockingly good – had a guilty soft spot before- guilty no more and the best songs are at the end
3. Vampire Weekend – Father Of The Bride. Up to usual standard, only shame not more of their amazing new guitarist who is the star of the current tour
4. Motorpsycho – The Crucible. More focussed, than last years double – but still brings the progpsychfusion
5. Weyes Blood – Titanic Rising. Beautiful surging songs
6. Trentemoller- Obvserse . is anyone else ploughhing this field of dark electronic low-key rock so well
7. Pye Corner Audio – Hollow Earth. The best Boards Of Canada album of the year
8. Miranda Lambert – Wildcard. Rocking nashville bangers
9. Slipknot – We Are Not Your Kind. Tunes, ones played by guys in scary masks but still tunes.
10. Chemical Brothers – No Geography. Who’d have thought it?
11. Joan Shelley – Like The River Loves The Sea. Best Nick Drake album of the year
12. Vincent Delerm – Panorama. Beautiful French acoustic chamber pop.
13. Plaid – Polymer
14. Thom Yorke – Anima
15. Sturgill Simpson – Sound & Glory
16. Stars Are The Light – Moon Duo
17. Nils Frahm – Encores 3
18. Weezer – The Black Album
19. Prins Thomas – Ambitions
20. Chromatics – Closer To Grey
A really good year, methinks – 3 5K albums
Here we go then, earlier than usual, as I realise I’m not going to get to listen to Lana, Winged Victory, Nils Frahm, Underworld, Ezra Collective, Chromatics and sundry others, some of which I own but have as yet unplayed, before the end of the year, not if I am going to give my CD swap chums their due.
1. So That You Might Hear Me/Bear’s Den
2. Cancel the Sun/The Rails
3. No Treasure But Hope/Tindersticks
4. Ghosteen/Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds
5. Blood/Allison Moorer
6. Titanic Rising/Weyes Blood
7. Badbea/Edwyn Collins
8. Kiwanuka/Michael Kiwanuka
9. Shepherd in a Sheepskin Vest/Bill Callahan
10. More Rockingbirds/Rockingbirds
11. Reflections and Odysseys/Rymden
12. Tairm/Whyte
13. Encore/The Specials
14. 4 A.M. and Counting/Curse of Lono
15. True North/Michael Chapman
16. Midnight and Closedown/Lau
17. Years to Burn/Calexico & Iron and Wine
18. Sal/Iain Morrison
19. Fool/Joe Jackson
20. Africa Speaks/Santana
Quite a year and one in which songs have fought back, instrumental and electronica having given them a bashing in recent years.
Not sure you read The Rules. Never heard of any of these before eg Years to Burn have released an album entitled “Calexico & Iron and Wine”? I’m afraid all your choices have been declared null and void
I think you will find only mine are correct, your premise based on a flaw in your expectations. And I know you are dying to test drive the Whyte and the Iain Morrison.
(What fool goes into a shop and asks for a record by purely the name of the band/singer? Maybe fools unaware that there are sometimes two, or more, by the band/singer…. Jeez, you people.)
I’d forgotten about that new Rockingbirds album. Ta.
Me too, Rockingbirds that is.
I have 7 of those albums on @retropath2`s list and will be investigating some more from it. If Nick Cave`s `Ghosteen` had been around a month longer I reckon it would have been in my top 3.
I`ve always thought these polls take place too early, this is not a crticism of the OP. I reckon a good time is the end of January to allow a late releases to be considered.
A shot rings out in The Languedoc (again)
Oc?
Aye
Monsieur Lodestone if it isn’t too much of a ball ache can you out Our Native Daughters a t the top of my list and withdraw no. 20.
Nae probs. That coveted 37th spot is looking good for Native Daughters
Here we go then.
1. Yola – Walk through fire
2. Michael Kiwanuka – Kiwanuka
3. Springsteen – Western Skies
4. Metronomy – Forever
5. Nerija – Blume
6. Purple Mountains – Purple Mountains
7. Angel Olsen – All Mirrors
8. Mercury Rev – Delta Sweete
9. Billie Eilish – When we fall asleep
10. Felice Brothers – Undress
Tee hee! You’re quite right to have Purple Mountains under Western Skies, but surely Undress comes before you fall asleep…?
I think it’s been quite a mediocre year for music, I still managed to find 15
Wilco – Ode To Joy
Sam Cohen – The Future’s Still Ringing In My Ears
Billy Bragg – The Best of Billy Bragg at the BBC
Jeff Tweedy – Warmer
Richard Hawley – Further
Kevin Morby – Oh My God
William Tyler – Goes West
Leonard Cohen – Thanks For The Dance
Kate Rusby – Philosophers, Poets and Kings
Mercury Rev – Bobbie Gentry’s The Delta Sweete Revisited
Nils Frahm – Encores 2
Tindersticks – No Treasure But Hope
Edwyn Collins – Badbea
Bruce Springsteen – Western Stars
The Beat – Public Confidential
I’ve really tried to like Ghosteen but I much preferred Nick Cave when he wrote songs.
Rather like your list and completely agree re Nick C
Unlucky for some…
1. Rose Elinor Dougall – A New Illusion (a wonderful record that hasn’t been celebrated enough. Would go down well in these parts, I’m sure.)
2. Weyes Blood – Titanic Rising
3. Rozi Plain – What A Boost
4. Jenny Lewis – On The Line
5. Delines – The Imperial
6. The Utopia Strong – (eponymous)
7. Marissa Nadler/Stephen Brodsky – Droneflower
8. Alison Cotton – The Girl I Left Behind Me
9. Vic Mars – Inner Roads and Outer Paths
10. Angel Olsen – All Mirrors
11. Isan – The Lamenting Machine
12. Andrew Wasylyk – The Paralian
13. Shana Cleveland – Night of the Worm Moon
Look here, Steelyeye – Little G has deserted his post and there’s only me with my arthritic fingers and wine-addled mind left round here. More than half of your nominations are new, meaning I have to type yet more names that mean as much to me as a Scrabble board that has just been knocked over. But that’s ok my old friend, never mind me, I’m just stuck here wondering once again why I ever volunteered for this. And just to think there’s still twenty votes each for Tiggs and Duco1 – that’s another forty names new to me and the rest of the universe.
And I am particularly impressed by the time you spent setting up FB & Twitter pages and false reviews etc but you may have gone a bit far with this –
“Wasylyk was originally commissioned to create new music for the restored 19th century Erard Grecian harp at the historic house Hospitalfield in Arbroath, but the pieces blossomed over the five-month residency largely due to the influence of the external environment, with inspiration coming from the building’s relationship to the brutal but beautiful North Sea. As time passed, the songs expanded with extensive field recordings taken on exploration of the surrounding coast. The harp-led compositions that were developed using the house’s grand piano soon grew into a series of textured tales dressed in a variety of instruments including synths, flugelhorn, euphonium, oboe and strings”. Respect, my man, respect
Euphonium! The humanity!!
It’s lonely in Hull. The Friendly Green Dragon is abed…
In The Land of Green Ginger obviously
The Green Dragon is in Beverley, you twonk. It is friendly though but. I once had pie and chips there.
Mmm pie and chips.
Look, I worked in Hull for two years (Sculcoates) and I know it “very well”. The pub in Jolly Green Ginger Dragon Lane served a very nice fish & chips before we all went down some studenty night club thingie where we drank a lot and then vomited the fish & chips. When my company was feeling generous I was billeted in Beverley where we had very nice
You’re thinking of Land of Green Ginger, a street named after my ill-advised dalliance with environmentalism.
Ughh, biodegradable undercrackers…
Sculcoates has never been a a des res, but these days is pretty post-apocalyptic. Walking down the street, dodging between the dozens of flytipped fridges and mattresses, you may well be accosted by a local citizen expressing concern that you are not wearing shit-streaked pyjamas like everyone else.
And yet, as Burt Lancaster says in the Sweet Smell of Success as he steps down from the kerb, literally into the gutter… “I love this dirty town”
Even as a working class lad from Aberdeen Sculcoates scared the shit out of me and that was thirty years ago. I once went out of the factory for a lunchtime stroll. I gave my wallet to a very nice man who kindly escorted me back safely home
“Ah have always depended on the kahndness of strangers”
For me, it’s in Welton – I knew it well.
I have Mr Wasylyk’s last, I didn’t know he had a new. He is current bassist in Idlewild, also accompanying Roddy Woomble on guitar and keys on his solo jaunts. Talented fella.
Idlewild are from Dundee and as anyone from Aberdeen knows Dundee doesn’t actually exist therefore neither does Idlewild therefore neither does Wasylyk (even for Dundee that’s a weird name – next you will be telling me Dundee has spent 450 million on a museum that attracts eleven visitors a year all of whom say “but it doesn’t exist”)
If Dundee was Africa
And Fife was Antarctica
If Arbroath was India
And Perth was Peru
In that darkest of continents
How happy I’d be
Cause that would mean Aberdeen
Was deep in the Mediterranean Sea
And a’body would agree
That’s a no bad place for Aberdeen tae be
First Bri, then Tahir and now bigstevie thrown off the blog for blatantly breaking posting rules.
Brought a tear to my eye!
Crikey – The Andrew Wasylyk album is in the much-awaited duco01 Top 60 as well!
I thought “As soon as I mention that album, Lodestone is going to react with a long post about the historic house Hospitalfield in Arbroath”. But now he’s done that already, so he won’t do it again when I post my chart. Hurrah!
If he had used The Wonder That Is An Arbroath Smokie as his inspiration he would have been challenging Lana for top spot. I like Arbroath, coldest football match I have ever attended where not one but two linesman were carted away with hypothermia
1) Harp and a Monkey – Victorians
2) Sarahy Korwar – More Arriving
3) Jeffrey Lewis and the Voltage – Bad Wiring
4) Richard Dawson – 2020
5) Bruce Springsteen – Western Stars
6) Ezra Furman – 12 Nudes
7) Bob Mould – Sunshine Rock
8) Dave – Pyscohdrama
9 ) The Membranes – What Nature Gives
10) Steve Ignorant’sSlice of Life – Don’t Turn Away
11) Prefab Sprout – I Trawl The Magahertz
12) Beth Gibbons & Polish NSO – Gorecki Symphony No3
13) Specials – Encore
14) Pere Ubu – The Long Goodbye
15) Fontaines DC – Dogrel
16) Kate Tempest – The Book of Traps and Lessons
17) Darran Hayman – 12 Astronauts
18) The Comet Is Coming – Trust In The Lifeforce of Deep Mystery
19 ) New Order – NO, LG, 12, 17 MIF
20) Albie Donnelly’s Supercharge – Get Hip
Another Membranes fan! I saw them play this album over the summer, at a festival. 11am Sunday morning in a sunny field, with the choir all present and correct – it had the feel of an alternative Sunday service. It was great.
Prefab Sprout is a reissue (of Paddy’s 2003 solo) and belongs on another thread.
I agree with Stevie F therefore Mr or Mrs Bogart do you want to name a substitute?
Anna Meredith – Fibs
Would have been in the original list but I’ve only streamed it so far and I stuck to things that I’d bought physical copies of.
Bugger. I ummed and t’other over is it a re-issue, in the end I reasoned, well yes technically it’s a re-issue but…but it was originally under Paddy M’s moniker and it’s now been released as a Prefab Sprout effort. So let’s put it in. Oh well I fought the law and the law won…
I prefer the idea of John Robb and his writing to his music.
Okay, had a good listen to the new ones, so here’s my top, er, 75 (I’ll spare you the other 75!), cos that’s where the quality starts dropping off on my list. If anything’s worth doing it’s worth doing to excess…I suppose that also explains the amount of Tesco’s Luxury Mince Pies and Cherry & Rum Stollen in the cupboard. These are all in order, so you can use the top 20 for the poll. There are a couple of EPs in here, but I include them because they contain a substantial amount of music. I consider all this top 75 to be at least very good and there’s a lot of quality about the top 20 or so, which has been the same for the past few years. Little Simz is my favourite new (to me) artist of 2019 and she also provided my favourite track of the year, with Selfish (as well as acting in a TV series I really enjoyed, Top Boy. She’s a talented lass.
1 Little Simz – GREY Area
2 James Blake – Assume Form
3 Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds – Ghosteen
4 Bobby J From Rockaway – Summer Classics
5 Cigarettes After Sex – Cry
6 Lizzo – Cuz I Love You
7 Michael Kiwanuka – Kiwanuka
8 JME – Grime MC
9 Jamila Woods – Legacy! Legacy!
10 Rapsody – Eve
11 Haviah Mighty – 13th Floor
12 Karen O & Danger Mouse – Lux Prima
13 Ashley Henry – Beautiful Vinyl Hunter
14 Dave – Psychodrama
15 Apollo Brown – Sincerely, Detroit
16 Verb T & Pitch 92 – A Question of Time
17 Lana Del Rey – Norman Fucking Roswell!
18 Awon – Soulapowa
19 Skepta – Ignorance is Bliss
20 AJ Tracey – AJ Tracey
21 FKA Twigs – MAGDALENE
22 Bruce Springsteen – Western Stars
23 J Majik – Full Circle
24 Anderson .Paak – Ventura
25 Gang Starr – One of the Best Yet
26 Jeff Lynne’s ELO – From Out of Nowhere
27 Hot Chip – A Bath Full of History
28 Lambert – True
29 Carter Tutti Void – Triumvirate
30 Sophie Ellis-Bextor – The Song Diaries
31 The Good People – Good For Nuthin’
32 Pernice Brothers – Spread the Feeling
33 P Money – Money Over Everyone 3
34 Daniel Caesar – CASE STUDIES 01
35 Kano – Hoodies All Summer
36 Brother Ali – Secrets & Escapes
37 Equipto – Few and Far Between
38 Czarface – The Odd Czar Against Us!
39 Wretch 32 – Upon Reflection
40 Inspectah Deck – Chamber No.9
41 JuJu – Maps and Territory
42 Bronx Slang – Bronx Slang
43 Skyzoo + Pete Rock – Retropolitan
44 Yuna – Rouge
45 Durand Jones & the Indications – American Love Call
46 Neak – Kwesbaar
47 Seba Kaapstad – Thina
48 Hayden Thorpe – Diviner
49 Jesse Malin – Sunset Kids
50 Norah Jones – Begin Again
51 Hemlock Ernst & Kenny Segal – Back at the House
52 Joe Jackson – Fool
53 Leonard Cohen – Thanks For the Dance
54 Devlin – The Outcast
55 Morrissey – California Son
56 Angel Olsen – All Mirrors
57 Damien Jurado – In the Shape of a Storm
58 YBN Cordae – The Lost Boy
59 Bill Pritchard – Midland Lullabies
60 Om Unit – Om Unit Presents: Cosmology – Dark Matter
61 Yugen Blakrok – Anima Mysterium
62 Czarface & Ghostface Killah – Czarface Meets Ghostface
63 Tone Spliff – Ardore Melodico
64 Sampa the Great – The Return
65 Kaytranada – BUBBA
66 Atmosphere – Whenever
67 People Under the Stairs – Sincerely, the P
68 Epic Beard Men – This Was Supposed To Be Fun
69 Anti-Lilly & Phoniks – That’s the World
70 The Lilac Time – Return To Us
71 Etherwood – Lost in the Right Direction
72 Little Brother – May the Lord Watch
73 Grieves – The Collections of Mr. Nice Guy
74 Damani Nkosi & Ill Camille Are HARRIETT – HARRIETT
75 Kehlani – While We Wait
Nice to see Bill Pritchard in there, Paul. I must investigate.
Roswell, eh? Do you have one of those players like in Men In Black? – “Now I have to buy The White Album all over again”.
I really wanted to like the Gang Starr album as much as you but I’m afraid I did not…
Stop being picky. I got the Norman right, and the Fucking.
I’m biased about Gang Starr, as Guru’s my favourite rapper. Nowhere near their albums from back in the day and it took a few listens, but I like it.
The Guru definitely isn’t as good as he used to be, poor lad…
It’s not quite as good as his last two (funnily enough, I listened to A TripTo The Coast about an hour ago), which are both superb, but it’s well worth seeking out. It’s a shame the wilderness years lasted so long. Jolie is a favourite album of mine. I played it loads back in the day.
Nick Cave
Lana Del Rey
Michael Kiwanuka
The National
Lizzo
Fat White Family
Karen O/DangerMouse
El Hombre Malo
FKA Twigs
Vampire Weekend
Sam Fender
Taylor Swift (was that this year)
Sharon Van Etten (see Taylor Swift)
Lucky for you boyo that Little Gary is not around
1. Richard Dawson- 2020 (by a country mile)
2. Aldous Harding- Designer
3. Lizzo- Cuz I Love You
4. Fontaines DC- Dogrel
5. black midi- Schlagenheim
Listened to Richard Dawson again last night. It’s getting better with each listen.
Undoubtedly number 1.
Bruce who?
Dead Dog In An Alleyway is such a perfect way to sign off this dark, dark year.
Another excellent year for music. As this century rolls by my listening pleasure just increases. We all look back fondly to the sixties and seventies but there is so much more great music around these days. Some oldies are still going but the youngsters’ musicianship is just incredible. Jazz and modern Classical music have led the way for me. There is so much fabulous Jazz around, so varied, so lively, so innovative and most of it from the UK. My entire top twenty could be Jazz. Most of all, this year, whatever the genre, female artists have been at the forefront and long may it continue.
I’m going to be disciplined and just nominate twenty. Sorry, Lodey, but for dramatic effect, I’m listing them in reverse order:
20. Little Simz – GREY Area
Hip Hop had a poor year overall but Little Simz spits fire on this assured and raucously entertaining album.
19. Claire Martin – Believin’ It
For her twentieth album, Ms Martin is rejuvenated by an enthusiastic, young Swedish trio. Poised and exquisitely phrased, this is very beautiful mature vocal Jazz.
18. The Japanese House – Good At Falling
Superficially cool, detached, dreamy electronica. But, as ever, still waters run deep and repeated listens reveal unsettling brazen personal issues.
17. The Comet Is Coming – The Afterlife
Recorded at the same time as Trust In The Life Force, The Afterlife is their equivalent of Amnesiac to Kid A. Raw, earthy and apocalyptic, the two albums combined summarise the state of the world in 2019. Afterlife edges it by getting straight to the point and omitting the ‘tune-up’ tracks.
16. Aldous Harding – Designer
The melodies ebb and flow within the confines of a single octave as gently as a rocking chair. Seductively soothing but decidedly odd.
15. Beth Gibbons & The Polish National Radio Orchestra – Henryk Górecki Symphony No. 3 (Symphony Of Sorrowful Songs)
Magisterial.
14. Greg Foat – The Mage
Greg Foat always sees the beauty in Jazz. The Mage casts its spell with grace and style.
13. Hania Rani – Esja
This young Polish composer becomes one with her grand piano, as though her blood courses through its keys. Esja is a great friend, compassionate and kind.
12. Prince Fatty – In The Viper’s Shadow
Mike “Prince Fatty” Pelanconi deserves greater recognition. His albums are recorded on vintage analogue equipment to capture the authentic sound of seventies Dub and they are never less than excellent. Guests, this time, include Marcia Griffiths and Big Youth.
11. Jenny Lewis – On The Line
Assertive and honest, Jenny knows exactly what she wants and how to get it. Ringo sets the tone, thumping his tub with solemn authority.
10. FKA Twigs – Magdalene
Ms Twigs continues to push envelopes. At times exquisite and at others almost painful but always innovative.
9. Theon Cross – Fyah
Theon’s tuba adds essential meaty heft to Sons Of Kemet. Turns out his solo album is a marvel in its own right.
8. Raphael Saadiq – Jimmy Lee
You can draw a straight line from What’s Goin’ On through Erykah Badu to Jimmy Lee. A deeply soulful view of life on the streets in America today.
7. Mavis Staples – Live In London
We Get By is a classy studio album but live, celebrating her eightieth birthday and drawing from music she made in her seventies, Mavis is a wonder of nature.
6. Allison Moorer – Blood
Allison confronts her childhood and her parents’ brutal deaths. She does so by remaining true to her beloved Country music and without manipulating the listener.
5. Weyes Blood – Titanic Rising
Ms Blood creates an ephemeral work that sounds both fifty years old and brand new. The word ‘immersive’ could have been invented to describe it.
4. Vikingur Ólafsson – J.S. Bach Works And Reworks
The classical equivalent of a remix, Bach’s moods and styles are cleverly appropriated by an extraordinarily accomplished Icelandic pianist, keeping Jóhann Jóhansson’s spirit alive.
3. Binker Golding – Abstractions Of Reality Past And Incredible Feathers
Probably the most conventional album emerging from the lively London Jazz scene, Abstractions is acoustic, quartet Jazz at its finest. Binker plays smooth like Sonny or Stan, rather than fiery like Coltrane, and Joe Armon-Jones on piano is stunning.
2. Our Native Daughters – Songs Of Our Native Daughters
Four intelligent, powerful, supremely talented women join together to express their disgust at racism, oppression and misogyny. If you aren’t moved by Rhiannon Giddens, Amythyst Kiah, Leyla McCalla and Allison Russell’s collective spirit, then you can’t have a pulse.
1. Lana Del Ray – Norman Fucking Rockwell
Bruised, wasted, elegant. Jack Antonoff adds some melodic fairy dust enabling Lana to capture the zeitgeist of 2019.
Yay for Claire!!
Yes. Lovely woman. Lovely singer, too. And who wouldn’t be rejuvenated by a trio of young Swedes?
Last saw her in Pizza Express Soho where in an audience of roughly 42 I sat entranced.
ps I took out one of your discordant jazzy noodling things and substituted Bruce instead. You know it is right
Seems fair enough. I haven’t listened to it so I’m not in a position to judge.
Nineteen points for Bruce it is then
You’re right about women ruling the musical world at the moment – my list when I get round to nailing it down will certainly reflect this. Songs of Our Native Daughters will be high on my list and I am mystified that it doesn’t seem to be registering on all the various Album of the Year lists elsewhere. I urge anyone here interested in American folk country and roots music to give it a listen. Rhiannon Giddens just gets more and more impressive – a real Renaissance woman for our times.
@Blue-Boy I suspect because if fell under the radar. I compiled my list 3 weeks and had never heard it or even heard of it.
Two weeks ago I heard a track on 6Music as it was Iggy Pop’s album of the year. Went out and bought it and adjusted my list to make it number 1. Truly remarkable.
Regarding your opening comments, I respond with listen to Tigger on this point, as the eminent ducool would say.
Hmmm …. a captivating list, as always, Tigger.
– I’ve been meaning to investigate the Our Native Daughters album all year, but haven’t quite got round to it. The fact that it’s been given the year-end silver medal by Tiggerlion makes me even more keen to hear it.
– Nice to see Vikingur Ólafsson in the chart. He’s a cool cat, no doubt. I have the sister album to the record in your chart, the one that’s just called “Johann Sebastian Bach”, from 2018. It’s got some pretty fine ivory-tinkling on it.
– I wasn’t too impressed by the Weyes Blood album on first hearing, but I diligently applied the Tiggerlion 6-listenings rule, and guess what? Now I love it!
I should add, of course, the the duco01 60 Favourite New Albums of 2019 chart is now being presented on another thread. Get on over there!
I’ve just been smitten by the snaky basslines of the two Sault albums (5 and 7, if you weren’t aware). I just can’t work out where to squeeze them in!
OK, here we go. Once again, it’s been a great year for music, and once again my listening has largely swerved the usual suspects, so, with little hope of many of these making your cut:
1. Lost Crowns – Every Night Something Happens
2. Motorpsycho – The Crucible
3. Blanck Mass – Animated Violence Mild
4. Vanishing Twin – The Age Of Immunology
5. Anna Meredith – Fibs
6. Lau – Midnight and Closedown
7. North Sea Radio Orchestra – Gap Species
8. Pye Corner Audio – Hollow Earth
9. The Comet Is Coming – Trust In The Lifeforce Of The Deep Mystery
10. Kathryn Tickell – Hollowbone
11. Gong – The Universe Also Collapses
12. The Chemical Brothers – No Geography
13. The Utopia Strong – The Utopia Strong
14. Black Midi – Schlagenheim
15. Richard Dawson – 2020
16. Nils Frahm – All Encores
17. Shackleton aka Tunes Of Negation – Reach The Endless Sea
18. William Doyle – Your Wilderness Revisited
Nice to see another vote for the Utopia Strong!
They’ll will be another one when the you lot stop filling Post Boxes up three times a day and I get my arse in gear.
1. The National – I Am Easy To Find
2. Bruce Springsteen – Western Stars
3. Lana Del Rey – Norman Fucking Rockwell
4. Nick Cave – Ghosteen
5. Hayes Carll – What It Is
6. Leonard Cohen – Thanks for the Dance
7. Lloyd Cole – Guesswork
8. Allison Moorer – Blood
9. The Hold Steady – Thrashing Through the Passion
10. Hiss Golden Messsenger – Terms of Surrender
11. Robbie Robertson – Sinematic
12. Elbow – Giants of All Sizes
13. Joe Henry – The Gospel According to Water
14. Tedeschi Trucks Band – Signs
15. Ode to Joy – Wilco
16. Justin Townes Earle – The Saint of Lost Causes
17. Better Oblivion Community Center – BOCC
18. Sleater-Kinney – The Center Wont Hold
19. Calexico and Iron and Wine – Years to Burn
20. Josh Ritter – Fever Breaks
The Moseley’s scores from Bonobo (first) to Bruce (last)
Top tier: you know I actually shelled out real money for physical product here:
1. Fabric live: Bonobo. This has given me the most pleasure this year, as Ms Kondo would say. It has sparked joy.
2. Vampire Weekend – Father of the Bride
3. Underworld – Drift (a download, but £16 on any form of music apart from hipster coloured vinly is a real investment)
4. Chemical Brothers -No Geography – title track is the track of the year at Moseley Towers, no question. Beyond banging.
5. Lana Del Ray – Norman F Rockwell (OK this was a Music Magpie mistake and it was two quid, but still, real product guys).
Tier Two: emusic, diamonds amongst the rubble.
6. In League With Dragons – Mountain Goats
7. Carter Tutti Void – Triumvirate
8. Vivian Girls – Memory
9. Yeasayer – Erotic Reruns- yeasayer
10. Bob Mould – Sunshine Rock
11 Ladytron – Ladytron
12 Claavs – No Saviours
Tier Three: You know I listened to these on Spotify and they weren’t half bad.
13 Dave – Psychodrama
14 Bruce Springsteen – Western Stars
1. Out of the Ordinary – Stranger Things Have Happened
2. Belle and Sebastian – Days of the Bagnold Summer
3. Hania Rani – Esja
4. Will Burns and Hannah Peel – Chalk Hill Blue
5. Vin Gordon – African Shores
6. Lloyd Cole – Guesswork
7. Edwin Collins – Badbea
8. Esya – Absurdity of ATCG (I)
9. Esya – Absurdity of ATCG (II)
10. Steve Mason – About the Light
I’ve hardly bought any new albums this year – mainly rereleases but the following are new and highly regarded :
1. Bruce – Western Stars
2. Lumineers – 111
3. Sturgill Simpson – Sound and Fury
4. Big Big Train – Grand Tour
5.Steve Hackett – At the edge of light
6 Jimi Hendrix – Songs for groovy children
7. Dr Trippy – All cows eat grass
Also heard via streaming services and highly regarded
8 Peter Bruntnell – King of Madrid
9. Tedeschi Trucks Band – Signs
10. Jan Akkerman – Close Beauty
Mostly singles this year, again but these stuck out:
Lana Del Rey – Norman Fucking Rockwell
Vampire Weekend – Father of the Bride
Better Oblivion Community Center – Better Oblivion Community Center
Lizzo – Cuz I Love You
Billie Eilish – When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go
Weyes Blood – Titanic Rising
You not feeling the new Tove Lo, MC?
(I believe it was you who put me on to her..)
Bugger, there’s a new one? Any good?
Edit – I see it’s in your top 20
Here’s my list. I didn’t realise that I’d listened to as many albums this year as I’ve mainly been catching up on back catalogue.
1. Plastic Mermaids- Suddenly everyone explodes
They’re from the Isle of Wight, they make amazing late 90’s influenced tunes. I finally got to see them live earlier this year and this is their debut album. I don’t know of another person who has heard of them, let alone listened to this rather amazing album. Shame.
2. Rustin Man- Drift Code
Took me a few listens to really get into this album. I absolutely love the music on this record, but struggled initially with his voice- it sort of reminded me of how my Uncle Len would talk when his false teeth were loose. Well, I’ve gotten over all of that now. I’m surprised that it hasn’t featured a bit more in this end of year list.
3. Sleaford Mods- Eton Alive
4. Wilco- Ode to Joy
5. Lana Del Ray- Norman Fucking Rockwell!
I only heard it a few weeks ago as the title track is a ‘single’ on Radio 1. Been making up for lost time since.
6. Chemical Brothers- No geography
A few other people have mentioned how this album is a lot better than it should otherwise be. It’s certainly a lot better than anything they’ve released in 15 odd years in my opinion.
7. Deerhunter- Why hasn’t everything already disappeared?
Why isn’t everyone else listening to this?
8. Lambchop- This (Is what I wanted to tell you)
9. Lizzo- Cuz I love you
We would’ve listened to this more but it’s lyrically a bit too fruity to play around Mini Paws.
10. Beck- Hyperspace
11. Mark Lanegan- Somebody’s Knocking
12. The Quiet Temple- The Quiet Temple
I don’t know a great deal about this- It’s an instrumental album and Duke Garwood is one of the collaborators on it.
13. Beth Gibbons, Polish National Radio Symphony- Of sorrowful songs
14. Trash Kit- Horizon
15. Brittany Howard- Jaime
16. Belle and Sebastian- Days of Bagnold Summer
17. Billie Eilish- When we fall asleep, where do we go?
18. Gruff Rhys- Pang!
19. Richard Hawley- Further
20. Dave- Psychodrama
Listened to most of No Geography on a late-night drive home again. The title track is so brilliant I cursed them for making it only 3 10 long – the great bits only happen once. Somebody do a remix please!
Although I’m guilty as anyone, having left them off my list, I’m surprised that Brittany Howard and Tigger’s man Raphael Saadiq aren’t figuring in the shake up. Also, I don’t think anyone’s gone for P.P. Arnold’s comeback album which I thought would be right up Afterword Avenue..
Yes I noticed absence of PP Arnold too. It will be on my list when I post it.
A great tune on a great album.
Hopefully all 2019 releases….
1. Edwyn Collins – Badbea
2. Pure Bathing Culture – Night Pass
3. Pernice Brothers – Spread the Feeling
4. Josh Ritter – Fever Breaks
5. Trashcan Sinatras – Zebra of the Family 2
6. The Rockingbirds – More
7. Martha – Love Keeps Kicking
8. Peter Bruntnell – King of Madrid
9. Richard Hawley – Further
10. Bruce Springsteen – Western Stars
11. Lloyd Cole – Guesswork
12. The Waterboys – Where the Action is
13. Joy Williams – Front Porch
14. The Rubinoos – From Home
15. Gary Daly – Gone from here
16. Peter Bruntnell – King of Madrid
17. The Pearlfishers – Love….
18.The Ocean Blue – Kings and Queens….
19. The Wild Reeds – Cheers
20. Vetiver – Up on High
Peter Bruntnell, so good you chose him twice…
What is Zebra of The Family 2, Salty? I loved the last proper Trashcans release.
Compilation of demos & outtakes from Weightlifting and In The Music. The first volume came out in 2003 and features songs from the first three albums.
I have Weightlifting on vinyl on the way (including the frankly bonkers P+P charge from the US to UK).
1. HOT CHIP – A Bathfull Of Ecstasy
2. PURPLE MOUNTAINS – S/T
3. VAMPIRE WEEKEND – Father Of The Bride
4. YOUNG GUV – Guv I and Guv II
5. LANA DEL RAY – Norman F***** Rockwell
6. PERNICE BROTHERS – Spread The Feeling
7. THE DIVINE COMEDY – Office Politics
8. JENNY LEWIS – On The Line
9. WEYES BLOOD – Titanic Rising
10. MICHAEL KIWANUKA – Kiwanuka
11. BILL CALLAHAN – Shepherd In A Sheepskin Vest
12. RICHARD DAWSON – 2020
13. ALDOUS HARDING – Designer
14. WILCO – Ode To Joy
15. ROBERT FORSTER – Inferno
16. A LAZARUS SOUL – The D They Put Between The R & L
17. RICHARD HAWLEY – Further
18. BRITTANY HOWARD – Jaime
19. THE DELINES – The Imperial
20. SLUMBERJET – World of Sound
Bubbling Under: Beirut, Better Oblivion Community Center, Edwyn Collins, New Pornographers, Durand Jones & The Indications, C Duncan, Karen O & Danger Mouse, Bruce Springsteen, Gruff Rhys, Hiss Golden Messenger, Whitney
Couldn’t get into the new Nick Cave. I have tried.
Oooh, @monsignorbonehead
I missed that Robert Forster album…any good?
@freddy-steady … really good. He’s on a fine (if not prolific) run of form since Grant died. Start with the first track and last track if you aren’t sure, both classics. First one is based on a Yeats poem I believe. Had the pleasure of seeing him twice in Dublin this year, once with a band and once on his own, both great. He’s one cool man… I hope to be him when I grow up.
@monsignorbonehead
Thanks. Have been listening to late period Go-betweens this week. Oceans Apart has a couple of absolute classics. Is his solo stuff similar? I imagine so, can’t think it’ll be too different. Watched the documentary again the other week…can’t make up my mind about him, I think he’s a bit odd!
@freddy-steady
Oceans Apart definitely my favourite of the late period GBs albums. Darlinghurst Nights is brilliant. If you like the Forster contributions, you’ll like the solo stuff.
My two favourite solo albums are his first, Danger In The Past (classic title track) and his first after Grant’s death, The Evangelist.
He probably is odd, but so charismatic on stage. I don’t meet many of my heroes, but chatted to him at a book signing a couple of years ago and he was a pleasure.
I’ll be interested to know your verdict if you give any of this a blast.
@monsignorbonehead
Finally had a little bit of free time so given The Evangelist a go and I like it, a slow burner I reck. Sounds more like a Go-betweens album then the GW (Sorry, Grant) McLennan solo albums I’ve got, as you alluded to.
Danger in the Past now.
@monsignorbonehead
Not so keen on Danger in the Past and Inferno has a couple of crackers…the last track in particular.
Giving the Evangelist another go and liking it a lot…thanks for the pointer!
@freddy-steady Glad The Evangelist hit the spot! Don’t give up on Danger… just yet, especially the title track (I’m a sucker for a song that could work as a short story) and Baby Stones
@monsignorbonehead
I will give it another go o promise. Been listening to Oceans Apart again. You’re right about Darlinghurst Nights and Finding You could have fitted on 16 Lovers Lane…blooming lovely!
Finally I have managed to get this done……
1. Bruce Springsteen / Western Stars
2. Big Big Train / Grand Tour
3. Joe Jackson / Fool
4. Bear’s Den / So that you might hear me
5. Cinematic Orchestra / To Believe
6. Lucy In Blue / In Flight
7. Bruce Hornsby / Absolute Zero
8. Reese Wynans & Friends / Sweet Release
9. Waterboys / Where The Action Is
10. iamthemorning / The Bell
11. Beth Hart / War In My Mind
12. elbow / Giants Of All Sizes
13. Coldplay / Everyday Life
14. Santana / Africa Speaks
15. Lloyd Cole / Guesswork
16. Native Harrow / Happier Now
17. Peter Frampton / All Blues
18. Michael Kiwanuka / Kiwanuka
19. Tool / Fear Inoculum
20. Penguin Cafe / Handfuls Of Night
Bubbling under were Richard Hawley, Rustin Man, EB The Younger, GoGo Penguin, Snarky Puppy, Mavis Staples, Carrie Tree, Robbie Robertson and The Who (loving it but not listened to it enough yet….). Any of these could have made the Top 20 and probably would if I do again tomorrow.
I didn’t realise Ocean In A Drop actually came out.
I’m a bit surprised that Native Harrow hasn’t gotten more nominations, I would have thought that album was tailor-made for the Afterword demographics (as well as being very good).
A second vote for Bear’s Den!!
A man of taste, @chrisf
Have you heard their new EP….. “Only Son Of The Falling Snow” – 3 winter themed tracks.
I have. I like the first 2 they previewed, less the 3rd more obvious one.
I have no idea how you lot find time to listen to all this new stuff..! I have consciously cut back on buying new records as I am having so much fun discovering old stuff lately, but the following have been on heavy rotation…
1. Bruce Springsteen – Western Stars
2. Ditto – Soundtrack version
3. Show Of Hands – Battlefield Dance Floor
4. Solo Noi
5. Santana – Africa Speaks
Oh yes…The Who – WHO..!
I’m still trying to decide between the original Western Stars and the soundtrack. It’s a difficult choice, and I’m surprised it’s not been mentioned before.
I said elsewhere I actually prefer the soundtrack but I should point out that when voters have nominated “Western Stars” I count it only as the original ( I think only one person so far has listed both versions). Them’s The Rules
I must have missed that earlier mention, but I’ve taken note.
No missing, I just made that Rule up
I have purchased several albums / songs based on some recurring recommendations within this list, but haven’t had time to listen to them properly yet.
So can I suggest we re-do this exercise at the end of January, so we have an authoritative echo-chamber of “improved” results that correctly match the AW collective taste?
Over to you Lodes 😀
Rules is Rules, next you will be wanting me to forgive Little Gary (his plaintive wails beneath my window are becoming most irksome, anyone would think it’s winter out there).
Five seconds of deep thought follow – you know what MC, I think you are probably right! I’m off to raise the portcullis and let the wee scamp in.
I say publish the list and be damned, or by Boxing Day, so we can take advantage of sales (do they still have them?)
The Rules clearly state closing day for voting is midnight 31st December. I will endeavour to publish results as soon as possible in early January provided French strikers allow me to get back home. Little Gary, suitably contrite after all his shenanigans, is open to allowing amended votes to be cast during January as suggested by MC but those results will be unofficial, advisory only and , well, meaningless.
This is a meaningful vote??!! Why didn’t someone tell me?
I hope young people don’t get involved, we’ll end up with the wrong result. Voting is best left to angry white pensioners.
Well here goes
1. Best record of this century? Sure is! Lana del Ray – Norman Nice Chap Rockwell
2. Bruce Springsteen – Western Stars. “What the f**k is this?” I said on first hearing. As usual I was Wrong, it’s his best since whenever. And the movie is stunning!
3. Michael Kiwanuka – Kiwanuka. “what the f**k is this?” See above. For me it’s his best yet
4. Billie Eilish – When We Fall Asleep. Where will this young woman go next? After this superlative effort, let’s hope she sets her controls to the heart of the sun
5. Ian Noe – Between The Country. See El Duco’s thread, nuff said.
6. Wilco – Ode to Joy. These boys never disappoint.
7. Karine Polwart – Scottish Songbook. Even with some rather strange choices the girlie smacks it home!
8. Alison Moorer – Blood. See Tiggs’ comments
9. Sam Fender – Hypersonic Missiles. As Jamie T seems to have retired this will do very nicely.
10. The Delines – Imperial. Until this year these guys had passed me by. A belter!
11. Sharon Van Etten – Tomorrow. It’s the more restrained moments on this that appeal
12. Kate Tempest – The Book of Traps and Lessons. More power to her strident elbow and anything produced by Rick Rubin is bound to be good
13. Weyes Blood – Titanic Rising. Continues the “2019 is The Year of Women” theme
And that’s all the votes from The Languedoc
We are indeed.brothers except best record of the century is Blackstar (or Yankee Hotel Foxtrot)
This thread has made me feel guilty as I’ve really not been paying attention in class to “new” this year (although lots of “new to me”) so it’s a pretty truncated list for me, but what’s here is what I really have loved this year, not just liked.
1. Billie Eilish – When We Fall Asleep… (I know her brother helps but this is stunning)
2. Nils Frahm – All Encores
3. Lana Del Ray – NFR! (Agree with the EndofYearcast – remove the middle 3 or 4 tracks but still great)
4. Underworld – Drift Series 1 (consistently good despite being 3 days long)
5. The S.L.P. – The S.L.P. (not a Kasabian fan, but Serge must’ve been hiding this stuff)
6. Floating Points – Crush (I like my electronica tracks to be a bit longer, generally, but good none the less. Roll on some remixes)
7. The Comet Is Coming – Trust In The Lifeforce… (I think they’ll mix their styles even better in future but this was a cut above)
8. Steve Mason – About The Light (can never understand why he doesn’t get the recognition/sales he deserves?)
9. Joe Jackson – Fool (still going strong)
Not Quites – enjoyed these but didn’t fall in love : Divine Comedy (a bit patchy), Bruce (not vintage – sorry Lodes) Big Big Train (patchy – forgot to write some melodies this time round)
Forgot about Steve Mason (whoops! that’s what releasing an album in January does)
Although – I don’t think this was as strong as his last 2, felt a little bit sanitised/reined in
But .. I now need to add an edit to my list above
Some of you must have got hold of a copy of NFR that includes 3 or 4 bonus tracks that I don’t have on mine, and they are stuck in the middle for some reason. Funny they did that and used some lesser material when the version I listen to is great the whole way through. Yours, puzzled.
These are my 20, as exclusively revealed and annotated on a separate thread.
1. Hania Rani – Esja
2. Andrew Bird – My Finest Work Yet
3. The Nat Birchall Quartet – The Storyteller
4. Steve Gunn – The Unseen Inbetween
5. Greg Foat – The Mage
6. Ian Noe – Between the Country
7. Kali Malone – The Sacrificial Code
8. Matthew Halsall – Oneness
9. Weyes Blood – Titanic Rising
10. Paolo Fresu, Richard Galliano & Jan Lundgren – Mare Nostrum III
11. Gianluigi Trovesi and Gianni Coscia – La Misteriosa Musica della Regina Loana
12. John Zorn – Nove Cantici per Francesco Dassisi
13. Jake Xerxes Fussell – Out of Sight
14. Lankum – The Livelong Day
15. Vin Gordon – African Shores
16. John Southworth – Miracle in the Night
17. Big Thief – U.F.O.F.
18. Joan Shelley – Like the River Loves the Sea
19. Michael Vincent Waller – Moments
20. Eluvium – Pianoworks
Pretty Good year…
1:Richard Dawson – 2020 (so far ahead of the pack he should change his name to Usain Bolt)
2: Nick Cave – Ghosteen
3: Chemical Brothers – No Geography (gig of the year too.)
4: Warmdusher – Tainted Lunch (Why are all the Fat White family spin off bands better than the fat white family?)
5: Weyes Blood – Titantic Rising
6: Iggy Pop – Free
7: Black Midi Schdfdgfdfgsf (how ever you spell it.)
8: Purple Mountains – Purple Mountains
9: Angel Olson – All Mirrors
10: Aldous HardingDesigner
1. Richard Dawson – 2020
2. Long Ryders – Psychedelic Country Soul
3. Rockingbirds – More Rockingbirds
4. New Pornographers – In the Morse Code of Brake Lights
5. Utopia Strong – Utopia Strong
I’m surprised no one’s mentioned this festive family album:
Ronco presents – Lana Del Rey sings your Christmas favourites.
Feauturing classics like:
God rest you fucking gentlemen
Fuck the herald angels
The 12 fucks of Christmas
It’s the most wonderful fuck of the year
We wish you a fucking Christmas and a fucking New Year. (Now bring us some fucking pudding, now bring us some fucking pudding).
And many more…
A bit like rage against the machine getting the festive top spot.
1 Weyes Blood – Titanic Rising
Absolutely stunning Californian pop – sumptuous and gorgeous, this landed with me from first listen in a way Lana hasn’t quite yet
2 Our Native Daughters – Songs of Our Native Daughters
In which four smart women wield banjos, beautiful voices and razor sharp songwriting to shine a light on slavery and its legacy. I haven’t been able to get into Rhiannon Giddens’ album with Francesco Turrisi, but more than one masterpiece in a year would just be greedy.
3 Yola – Walk Through Fire
Oh this is just glorious big voiced, big sounding soul from a great British singer, recorded in Nashville and produced by Dan Auerbach with artists across the generations from Charlie McCoy to Molly Tuttle
4 Bruce Springsteen- Western Stars
I’ve enjoyed this more than any Bruce record since The Rising – individually there are no classic Springsteen songs but the whole is more than the sum of the parts and this is a great sounding, moving, record
5 Vampire Weekend – Father of the Bride
It’s probably 20 minutes too long, but most of this is fantastic melodic pop with an acerbic undercurrent, especially the fabulous duets with Danielle Haim
6 Angel Olsen – All Mirrors
What is it with female singer songwriters and melodramatic big production this year? Olsen ditches the guitars and brings in orchestral arrangements behind her magnificent voice to great effect
7 Michael Kiwanuka – Kiwanuka
So far this is a record which impresses me more than it moves me but there is no denying the creative talent and sharp intelligence in this album which reveals more every time I listen to it
8 Brittany Howard – Jaime
The voice of Alabama Shakes is a thing of wonder and this is a superb mashup of musical styles with songs conveying a powerful strain of anger and defiance.
9 Van Morrison – Three Chords and the Truth
Such is Morrison’s illustrious back catalogue that it’s easy to dismiss his recent records as ‘not as good as Astral Weeks or St Dominic’s Preview’. Well of course it isn’t, but there are half a dozen tracks on here which are still superb by anyone else’s standards.
10 Thea Gilmore Small World Turning
Thea Gilmore could sing an election manifesto and make you believe it. This is a patchy album, but it’s good to hear an English songwriter express some political anger, and there are a handful of classic Gilmore ballads like Karr’s Lament which channels Richard and Linda Thompson in their pomp.
11 Molly Tuttle When You’re Ready
Lovely warm country songs – shades of Nanci Griffith – from a massively promising talent
12. The Delines – The Imperial
My initial feelings were of disappointment that this isn’t quite as good as the wonderful Colfax. But with repeat listens, songs like Cheer Up Charley, Holly the Hustle and Eddie and Polly have worked their way into my brain and brought me round.
And I’ll leave it there. There are several albums which I like the sound of – Jenny Lewis, Lana, Richard Hawley, Wilco, Bon Iver, Salif Keita, Lankum, Snarky Puppy amongst them, but I haven’t listened to any of them enough to confidently add them to the list. But like Tigger said – Boy, is there a lot of great music out there.
Great post, Blue Boy!
I was surprised when watching a live performance on You Tube to discover that Yola was a Brit. I suppose that does make hers my no1 Briddish rekkid of the year. Your enthusiasm makes me want to check out the ones I’ve not heard (maybe not Van) and revisit those that have not heretofore popped for me..
Yola was singer with Phantom Limb from Bristol (signed to Naim Records, the label of the hi-fi company). Their two albums were great as well.
Hey Blue Boy! I have to say your choices/reasonings/opinions are like Gary-like in their weightiness. You ou is the man
Yola is one of the CDs I have bought since reading these various choices. Fabulous, minding me of classic Jimmy Webb era Glen Campbell, almost the source inspiration of Lana Del Fucking Rey, even Aldous Harding.
Seems to be quite a lot of love for the Yola record here – reckon she’ll make a decent showing when the scores are on the doors.
I agree with you about There Is No Other.
Greetings, Santa Lodestone and your army of little helpers!! I have naught to bring to the table myself but am greatly enjoying all your lists and filling my skiboots with things i want to hear.
A Merry Xmas to you , one and all!
I am still hoping that Kraftwerk will do a Xmas album, in the meantime, these wacky Swedes will do….
You and yours have a great day! Just put turkey in the oven, next up stockings & bucks fizz (waits for Moose…)
Thank you kindly! I am looking forward to a photo of you in your new ballet shoes and Italian onesie.
Allmusic seem to be in agreement with the AW hive mind. Take a look at their contenders for LP of the year:
https://www.allmusic.com/blog/post/the-2019-allmusic-readers-poll
What a sad bunch of copycats,eh?
I bet they’ve bugged Lodey’s Phone!
At last a day off!!! So here are the results from the South Coast jury. Merry Christmas!
1. Black Midi – Schlagenheim
2. Richard Dawson – 2020
3. International Teachers of Pop – International Teachers of Pop
4. Sun O))) – Life Metal
5. Cosey Fanny Tutti – Tutti
6. The Comet Is Coming – Trust In The Lifeforce of the Deep Mystery
7. Serfs Up! – Fat White Family
8. The Utopia Strong – The Utopia Strong
9. Matmos – Plastic Anniversary
10. Pye Corner Audio – Hollow Earth
11. Vampire Weekend – Father of the Bride
12. Anna Meredith – Fibs
13. Fenella – Fenella
14. Josefin Ohrn & The Liberation – Sacred Dreams
15. Erland Cooper – Sule Skerry
16. Black Peaches – Fire In The Hole
17. Motorpsycho – The Crucible
18. Will Burns & Hannah Peel – Chalk Hill Blue
19. Justin Hopper & Sharron Kraus with The Belbury Poly – Chanctonbury Rings
20. Night Moves – Can You Really Find Me
That’s Sunn O))) at number 4
See, I know everything about Sunn O))). It’s pronounced “sun” and they are an American experimental metal band from Seattle, Washington, that formed in 1998. The band is known for a heavy and slow sound, that blends diverse genres including drone, black metal, dark ambient and noise rock and for very loud live performances.
I think we may be witnessing a late rush for the No1 spot
You all tire me out with your relentless ness.
I bought the Agnes Olsen and Lana Del Ray cd’s for Mrs Steady for Christmas so they will be 1+2 this year with Ghosteen at 3 even though I’ve had it for a while but not actually got round to actually listening to it yet. I am v old.
For once I can provide a full list of twenty. Compared to many, my list is pretty mainstream and dominated by ‘auld fella’s’. Most have been mentioned already, so not too onerous on LoW and Little Gary.
As always, other people’s lists have encouraged me to explore their favourites – I will be checking out Michael Kiwanuka, Yola, Our Native Daughters and Weyes Blood, amongst others, in the New Year.
As ever, thanks to all for the humour, insight, recommendations and passionate opinions. Best wishes to everyone for 2020.
1. Bruce Springsteen – Western Stars
2. Better Oblivion Community Centre – BOCC
3. Lloyd Cole – Guesswork
4. Elbow – Giants Of All Sizes
5. Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds – Ghosteen
6. Joe Jackson – Fool
7. Coldplay – Everyday Life
8. Aldous Harding – Designer
9. The Waterboys – Where The Action Is
10. Jenny Lewis – On The Line
11. Lana Del Ray – Norman Fucking Rockwell
12. Lankum – The Livelong Day
13. Nils Lofgren – Blue With Lou
14. Joe Pug – The Flood In Color
15. Van Morrison – Three Chords And The Truth
16. Keane – Cause And Effect
17. Rickie Lee Jones – Kicks
18. Sturgill Simpson – Sound And Fury
19. Neil Young And Crazy Horse – Colorado
20. Thom Yorke – Anima
I didn’t include the Keane album in my list but it was a genuine return to form, I thought
Yep – a pretty consistent set of songs and Tom Chaplin is in good voice.
Little Gary thanks you Max, such an easy input! If there is anything he can help you with, no matter how small, just ring that bell
1-Joan Shelley – Like The River Loves The Sea
2-Bonnie “Prince “Billy – I Made A Place
3-The Specials- Encore
4-Mark Lanegan Band – Somebody’s Knocking
5- Jesse Malin – Sunset Kids
6- Angel Olsen – All Mirrors
7-Lana Del Rey – NFR! Norman Fucking Rockwell
8- Tyler Childers – Country Squire
9- Eilen Jewell – Gypsy
10-Better Oblivion Community Center – Better Oblivion Community Center
11-Julia Jacklin – Crushing
12-Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds – Ghosteen
Bonus best gig- I’m With Her
1 Tomeka Reid – Old New
2 John Zorn – Tractatus Musico-Philosophicus
3 Snarky Puppy – Immigrance
4 Beth Gibbons + Polish NSO – Gorecki Symphony #3
5 Holland/Hussain/Potter – Good Hope
6 Hania Rani – Esja
7 Art Ensemble of Chicago – We Are On The Edge
8 Tonbruket – Masters Of Fog
9 Wilco – Ode To Joy
10 Bon Iver – i,i
11 Steve Lehmann – The People I Love
12 John Zorn – Nove Cantici per Francesco Dassisi
13 Lana Del Ray – Norman Fucking Rockwell
14 Brad Mehldau – Finding Gabriel
15 Frisell/Morgan – Epistrophy
16 Dave Liebmann etc. – On The Corner Live!
17 Miles Okazaki – The Sky Below
18 Iamddb – Swervvv
19 Mercury Rev – Bobby Gentry’s The Delta Sweete Revisited
20 Branford Marsalis – The Secret Between The Shadow And The Soul
Dat’s all folks!
Nice! Lots of international Jazz in there.
Nice! Lots of new names for Little Gary
Rearrange the letters of Lodestone Of Wrongness and take some away and you get “songfest”. Which is what this project is, in a way, sort of.
Enrols wooden songfest.
Londoners songfest woe.
Loosen songfest wonder!
Rearrange Gary into Gray and do it again backwards and you get Yarg which as we all know is how the name of Cornwall’s most famous product actually got like invented in like 1965.
I for one would love to know what Gary did with all that money he inherited from his cheesy parents and why he can no longer enter the UK.
Oh and Declan’s list is disqualified cos it doesn’t contain Bruce
“Aren’t you being a little..um..arbitrary?”
Swidt?
..are a hip hop collective from Onehunga, New Zealand
Hey, I’ve been to Onehunga.
So has Declan but Gary hasn’t because of the restraining order
Mini has been to Aldeburgh mind, lots of black labradors accompanied by knobheads apparently.
Twit. 😄
Declan’s no.12 position for John Zorn’s “Nove Cantici per Francesco Dassisi” means that, incredibly, that album has now received votes from TWO Afterworders! Could it be making a late run on the outside for the year-end No.1 spot? Come on all you lurking Afterworders who haven’t contributed to this poll yet – Vote Nove Cantici!
Think you’ll find Swidt are the ones troubling Brooce right now: did you know they are a hip hop collective from Onehunga, New Zealand?
Here’s my I Think I’m Probably On The Wrong Messageboard list for this year
1) The Twilight Sad – “It Won’t Be Like This All The Time”
2) Petrol Girls – “Cut and Stitch”
3) Pip Blom – “Boat”
4) Flowdan – “Full Metal Jacket”
5) Dave – “Psychodrama”
6) The Paranoid Style – “A Goddamn Impossible Way Of Life”
7) Jeffrey Lewis and the Voltage – “Bid Wiring”
8) USA Nails – “Life Cinema”
9) Swarm Intelligence – “Against The Dying Light”
10) Fresh – “Withdraw”
11) Homemade Weapons – “Gravity”
12) Bronx Slang – “Bronx Slang”
13) Tommy Four Seven – “Veer”
14) Bis – “Slight Disconnects”
15) Big Brave – “A Gaze Among Them”
16) Special Request – “Vortex”
17) Clear Soul Forces – “Still”
18) Tyred Eyes – “Destroy Everything You”
19) Ellen Allien – “Alientronic”
20) Yawners – “Just Calm Down”
Little Gary has just self-combusted. 19, count ’em 19, new entries! Fortunately we have just consulted The Rules and Deviant808 is disqualified on account of being, well, Deviant. Such a pity, we really think Bronx Slang is a bangin’ record (we are not sure what bangin’ actually means but our nephew tells us it’s a term of endearment)
Profuse apologies to little Gary.
Just been listening to Yawners – hard to imagine why nobody else has picked up on this
Yawners are the Madrid-based power pop duo of Elena Nieto and Martin Muñoz. Founded by Nieto in her home town of Salamanca and persisting through a move to Germany before finding its current form with Muñoz in Madrid, Yawners have established themselves at the forefront of the blossoming Spanish guitar pop scene.
But are they a hip hop collective from Onehunga, New Zealand? No sirree, they is not. And anybody who thinks VAR is not The Death of Football just watch Pukki’s “goal” against Spurs. After Trump, after Boris The World has finally spun off its axis. I despair
While I may be a bit “deviant” in my tastes, nominating NZ hip hop acts is a bit much even for me.
Though I did come close to including “Spaces” by Yosi Horikawa.
“Horikawa is not just a producer or musician or sound artist: he is a world builder whose materials constantly surround us, though we rarely stop to appreciate them. Horikawa honed this approach for more than a decade, travelling far and wide to record forests, beaches, cities and people while never missing an opportunity to also find sounds closer to his home in Tokyo.
The album features 11 songs that combine field recordings and sound design with a range of stylistic touch points: the fluid intricacies of hip-hop, the precise efficacy of IDM, the euphoric physicality of dance music, the humanity of acoustic instrumentation.”
The AW might appreciate the title of this one:
Here’s a list that will have a few unique entries.
Numbers 1 to 5 were easy, sorting the rest was more difficult. Leonard Cohen could end up higher in my personal estimation, but I have only had it since Xmas Day. Some people will throw up their hands in horror at the presence of Hootie & Sheryl Crow, but I don’t care. I like them.
1 The Delines – The Imperial
2 Michaela Anne – Desert Dove
3 Jesse Malin – Sunset Kids
4 Allison Moorer – Blood
5 Bruce Springsteen Western Stars
6 Jim Cuddy – Countrywide Soul
7 Chris Knight – Almost Daylight
8 Tyler Ramsey – For The Morning
9 Jenny Lewis – On The Line
10 Judy Collins & Jonas Fjeld – Winter Songs
11 Buffalo Blood – Buffalo Blood
12 Steve Earle & the Dukes – Guy
13 Rodney Crowell – Texas
14 Leonard Cohen – Thanks For The Dance
15 Hootie & the Blowfish – Imperfect Circle
16 Brittany Howard – Jaime
17 Hannah Aldridge – Live In Black & White
18 Patty Griffin – Patty Griffin
19 Amy Speace – Me and the Ghost of Charlemagne
20 Sheryl Crow – Threads
1. Michael Chapman – True North
2. Jan Akkerman – Close Beauty
3. Steve Hackett – At the Edge of Light
4. Errr…..
5. That’s it.
I was shocked (before Xmas) to find I had only bought one ‘new’ album this year…
and so by default my 20 points went to Steve Mason
– not his best album but good nonetheless.
Also I was shocked that I had missed new releases from
Jenny Lewis, Alison Moorer and Richard Hawley !!!
So after using up vouchers my final list is:
1. Lambchop – This (Is What I Wanted To Tell You)
2. Richard Hawley – Further
3. Steve Mason – About The Light
4. Jenny Lewis – On The Line
5. Calexico & Iron & Wine – Years To Burn
Keep them coming pop-pickers, vote vote vote for Nigel Barton (or Swidt)!!!!
I wish someone would do those plays again with someone other than Keith Baron. I mean god rest him and all that, but he was a twerp.
As with Trevor Griffiths’s Bill Brand, probably quite topical again now (BB played by the excellent Jack Shepherd so no recasting necessary).
Another great year – and amidst all the excitement of the new music, a nod of appreciation to the older folks, particularly in jazz, who have been really prolific in turning out some great stuff.
The best:
Yola/Walk Through Fire: Played more than anything this year – great soulful songs and singer
Raphael Saadiq/Jimmy Lee: Needs a bump up the charts – classy R&B/soul with relentless political message – @Tiggerlion summed it up perfectly and now only a fiver on Amazon
Terri Lyne Carrington and Social Contract/Waiting Game: To admire rather than adore at this stage, a double album split between politically inspired hip-hop and three lengthy improvised pieces all underpinned by her ever-inventive drumming
Vivian Sessoms /Life II: Brilliant soul music with a jazz tinge – with deep soul epic “I Can’t Breathe” as its centrepiece
Gwilym Simcock/Near and Now: Solo jazz piano playing of the highest quality – saw him live recently playing this in a small Cambridge college chapel – just wonderful
Gaby Moreno & Van Dyke Parks/Sparkle: Beautifully sung Mexican border songs with, as you’d expect, stunningly original string arrangements
Peter Eldridge/Somewhere: More strings and sublime jazz singing on mix of well-chosen standards and self-written songs
Dayme Aroceni/Sonocardiogram: Afro-Cuban gospel racket with a live Latin jazz feel – and what a voice
Philip Bailey/Love Will Find a Way: Smooth.
Areni Agbabian/Bloom: American/Armenian singer/pianist pens and plays moody melancholic songs in a stark ECM setting
Jon Batiste/Chronology of a Dream: Second of two great albums this year on Blue Note – joyful 60s style jazz tunes with a lively audience
Abdullah Ibrahim/The Balance: The old jazz folks have still got it – also released a superb solo live set “Dream Time” later in the year
Marc Copland & Daniel Schlappi/Alice’s Wonderland: One of three excellent albums released by the veteran Bill Evans-style balladeer in the last year. Sublime piano/bass duet
Angel Bat Dawid/The Oracle: Snatches of songs with a gospel soulful undertow interspersed with full on jazz clarinet skronking. Somewhat unique.
Damon Locks Black Monument Ensemble/Where Future Unfolds: Angel turns up here as well, as part of an epic live set that includes full-on gospel choir, civil rights speeches and a rocking band
Hildur Gunadttir/Chernobyl Soundtrack: Since her compatriot and collaborator Johann Johannson passed away, Hildur seems to have become the go-to composer for wonderfully stark and moody soundtracks. See also “The Joker”
Tilda Swinton – Nan Shepherd/The Living Mountain: Is an audiobook allowed? It’s one of the great pieces of nature writing beautifully told.
Seed Ensemble/Driftglass: Saw both “the Seeds” and Yazz play these two albums at the Cambridge jazz festival – both superb live and on record
Yazz Ahmed/Polyhymnia
Scott Hamilton/Danish Ballads: In amongst all the “new jazz” excitement, the veteran tenor man turns out sublime beautifully played slow-paced albums of immense charm
The rest:
Jimmy Cobb/Remembering U: Sixty years on from Kind of Blue and still drumming up a storm at 90
Ahmad Jamal/Ballades: Another octogenarian performing at the top of his game with customary vamping style across mix of standards and self-penned tunes
Onciem & Frederic Blondy/Occam Ocean II: Queen of drone Eliane Radigue’s latest with ideal tinnitus cure over an hour of undulating orchestral slowness
Tahirah Memory/Ashe: Tuneful neo-soul
Emilia Martensson/Loredana: Underappreciated singer with a unique jazz/folk edge to her voice and songwriting
Sarah Gazarek/Thirsty Ghost: If only for her stellar take on “I Get Along without you very well”
Jazzmeia Horn/Love and Liberation: Not as immediate as her album last year, but still the best of the new female jazz singers
Bill Frissel/Harmony: Lovely slow-paced guitar and vocals set
Carmen Lundy/Modern Ancestors: Self-written and produced high quality jazz singing
Giovanni Guidi/Avec Le Temps: Best of the new breed of ECM jazz pianists
Camila Meza/Ambar: New discovery for me – Chilean jazz vocalist/guitarist
Vagabon/Self-titled: Sort of electro-soul – with a hint of Joan Armatrading in the vocals – and some great songs
Eliane Elias/Love Stories: Smooth classy Latin
Daughters of Swords/Dawnbreaker: Charming electro-country from Mountain Man singer
Kurt Elling/James Morrison/Live in New York: Great live set by the jazz vocals master
Pete Belasco/Strong and able: Ultra-smooth slow soul
Pieces of a Man/Made in Pieces: 70s “conscious” soul re-tread from Manchester group
Red Dead Redemption II Soundtrack: Daniel Lanois, Rhiannon Giddens, Willie Nelson all feature
Laurence Hobgood/Tesseterra: Great piano player on quirky jazz/strings/rock covers album
Doobie Brothers/Live from the Beacon Theatre: Great run-through of old faves “The Captain and Me” and “Toulouse Street”
I’m always intrigued by your end-of year selections and mini-reviews, Morrison. Good stuff.
Thanks for the tips on the Gwilym Simcock album and the Abdullah Ibrahim live set. Will investigate.
Some of the letters of Hildur Guðnadóttir’s name seem to have escaped somewhere. Which is a pity, because I’m very fond of the Icelandic ð.
Seconded. You bring the Soul, Morrison. Whether it’s Jazz or R&B, your choices are always full of Soul.
For what it’s worth:
1 Jenny Lewis: On The Line
2 The Rails: Cancel The Sun
3 Taylor Swift: Lover
4 Ben Walker: Echo
5 Bruce Springsteen: Western Stars (although I prefer the soundtrack version)
6 Marc Cohn and The Blind Boys Of Alabama: Work To Do
7 Hannah Aldridge: Live In Black And White
8 Stray Cats: 40
9 Josienne Clarke: In All Weather
10 John Mayall: Nobody Told Me
Bubbling under…
11 Teskey Brothers: Run Home Slow
Thanks.
Little Gary says “Thanks, Robert!” What he shouted at Morrison if published would send him to Tahir-land
Well I’ll not be buying any more this year so here goes…..
NB: I tried, but it is impossible to put into a definitive order, depends on my mood at any given time.
1/ Yola – Walk Through Fire. (Saw her live twice this year. Her joy at performing was infectious which has helped her get top spot from me).
2/ Michael Kiwanuka – Kiwanuka
3/ Leonard Cohen – Thanks For The Dance
4/ Lloyd Cole – Guesswork
5/ Bruce Springsteen – Western Stars. (He doesn’t need my vote to win, but I won’t complain when he does).
6/ Molly Tuttle – When You’re Ready
7/ Allison Moorer – Blood
8/ P.P.Arnold – The New Adventures Of….
9/ Curse Of Lono – 4am & Counting
10/ Van Morrison – Three Chords & The Truth
11/ Steve Earle – Guy
12/ Jenny Lewis – On The Line
13/ The Waterboys – Where The Action Is
Also purchased…
Miranda Lambert – Wildcard (Listened to it once & it didn’t grab me. Will re-visit later).
Sturgill Simpson – Sound & Fury (I like his other stuff but hate this).
Apart from the lack of Nick Cave that is a prime example of AW19 pop-picking!
Is that a good thing or am I a cliche?
I will do some Nick Cave homework for future lists. Don’t like any shouty stuff though.
Absolutely no shouty in Ghosteen.
You are I’m afraid a cliche (in the world outside The Afterwordsphere you are deemed “weird”)
Heresy! Heresy! There is no other world beyond the Afterdome,
It is an evil legend created to spread
Discontent!
Sorry Lodestone, I’ve forgotten Mavis Staples – We Get By.
Could you please slot her in at no.9 & bump the rest down one?
Seen the Waterboys album mentioned a few times. What type of Waterboys is it this time? Fol de rol raggle raffle, the big music?
1 Isildur’s Bane & Peter Hammill – In Amazonia
2 Richard Dawson – 2020
3 Peter Perrett – Humanworld
4 Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds – Ghosteen
5 The Dream Syndicate – These Times
6 Mikal Cronin – Seeker
7 Bonnie Prince Billy – I Made a Place
8 Fontaines DC – Dogrel
9 Mdou Moctar – Ilana the Creator
10 Michael Kiwanuka – Kiwanuka
11 Pixies – Beneath the Eyrie
12 Son Volt – Union
13 Elbow – Giant of All Sizes
14 Big Thief – UFOF
15 Edwyn Collins – Badbea
16 Garcia Peoples – Natural Facts
17 Sarathy Korwar – More Arriving
18 Lankum – The Livelong Day
19 Jenny Lewis – On the Line
20 The Rails – Cancel the Sun
Hurrah! Someone finally mentioned Big Thief – my new artist discovery of the year. They released two albums in 2019. Songwriter Adrianne Lenker is super talented. I will choose the other 2019 album Two Hands just because it contains the fantastic song Not.
Little Gary says that I think you will find Big Thief has been nominated “many” times already (where “many” equals five). Do pay attention (his words not mine)
Yes I was torn between the 2 albums, and ‘Not’ was also my favourite track of theirs, and my gateway to the band. Could easily have included both albums in the top 20, but then would have had to miss out the Rails from the list, and couldn’t let down the lovely Kami.
I struggled a bit to get to 15 albums that stand above the rest but I’ve got quite a few that I’ve not listened to as much as I could have done.
The good thing is that my list includes 6 artists that I’d not heard of this time last year (although two of them (no1 & no8) are collaborations of already known artists).
On a slightly sad note, I was looking forward to the Rubinoos gig to support the album in January but the tour has been pulled due to Al Chan (longtime Bass player) needing cancer treatment.
1. Better Oblivion Community Centre
2. The Rubinoos – From Home
3. Caroline Spence – Mint Condition
4. Stella Donnelly – Beware Of The Dogs
5. Lula Wiles – What Will We Do
6. The New Pornographers – In The Morse Code Of Brake Lights
7. Ags Connolly – Wrong Again
8. The Highwomen – The Highwomen
9. Jenny Lewis – On The Line
10. Miranda Lambert – Wildcard
11. Pip Blom – Boat
12. Long Ryders – Psychedelic Country Soul
13. Delines – The Imperial
14. Bruce Springsteen – Western Stars
15. Vampire Weekend – Father Of The Bride
Little Gary is somewhat perturbed. Days, nay weeks, of lying around in a bathtub of soothing but meaningless foam whilst thinking of nothing more than where his next nibble was coming from and then out of nowhere Afterworders most of us thought had left our rapidly depleting community forever suddenly start submitting entries to The Poll That Means Absolutely Nothing. “Pip Blom” – let’s at least try to be serious here!
“Ags Connolly” is in fact a hip hop collective from Onehunga, New Zealand
Two things… 1. I post very regularly. 2. That Pip Blom album is just the right sort of thing to listen to while coding… I find it’s a late morning album… OK, 3 things… I’ve love to see Ags Connolly doing a bit of break dancing to accompany his music!
Ags Connolly is a very funny bloke. He was an active member of Loudon Wainwright III notice board all these years ago.
Isn’t Pip Blom is merely one of the noises you made in the bath?
Sort of thing you keep a snorkel handy for.
1. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Ghosteen
2. Lana Del Rey – Norman Fucking Rockwell
3. Jesca Hoop – Stonechild
4. Aldous Harding – Designer
5. Fionn Regan – Cala
6. Vampire Weekend – Father of The Bride
7. Fruit Bats – Gold Past Life
8. Bedouine – Bird Songs of A Killjoy
9. The National – I Am Easy To Find
10. Big Thief – UFOF
11. Hiss Golden Messenger – Terms of Surrender
12. Rozi Plain – What A Boost
13. Joan Shelley – Like The River Loves The Sea
14. Michael Kiwanuka – Kiwanuka
15. Bon Iver – i,i
16. Le SuperHomard – Meadow Lane Park
17. David Mead – Cobra Pumps
18. Purple Mountains – Purple Mountains
19. Robert Forster – Inferno
20. The Black Keys – Let’s Rock
Bruce says he’s never rated you either…
Er, excuse me, you seem to have voted for one of the non-Leonard albums I chose. Don’t you know the rules?
Having spent the best part of the decade for a follow up to what I consider to be the decades best album, I found Cobra Pumps a little underwhelming…. perhaps I need to go back to it.
To be honest, it probably should have been further down, more like 20, but by the time I got past 15 I thought I’d give him and Le SuperHomard a bump up. I also forgot Weyes Blood, which would have then pushed him out of the top 20 altogether.
I would also add, that if you thought his last album was the decades best, then it’s maybe not surprising that this one underwhelmed. That’s a tough challenge for any artist.
On our way back to The Languedoc so next time I look at the thread it will be 2020 and the voting will be over. Best wishes to one and all and a Happy New Year!!!
I’m sure I probably speak on behalf of someone when I say that our gratitude to you knows no reservation nor boundary, is tempered by neither climate nor circumstance and will brook no impetuous discountenance.
Fuckin’ ‘ell, it’s Leonard Sachs!
I don’t know who he is, but I see from my extensive research that In January 1984 he was fined £75 for “importuning men for an immoral purpose” at Notting Hill Gate tube station and thus am therefore proud to be mistaken for him. I wish I knew what his “immoral purpose” was though.
I see from my further extensive research that he’s dead. I hope you don’t think I’m dead. I get that quite a lot.
Don’t knock it. Think of the tax breaks.
As near as I can figure it right now…
1. Bruce Springsteen – Western Stars
2. Sharon Van Etten – Remind Me Tomorrow
3. Aldous Harding – Designer
4. Lana del rey – Norman Fucking Rockwell
5. Nick Cave – Ghosteeen
6. Michael Kiwanuka – Kiwanuka
7. Wilco – Ode To Joy
8. Jenny Lewis – On the Line
9. Cass McCoombs – Tip Of The Sphere
10. Underworld – Drift Series 1
11. Durand Jones and The Indications – American Love Call
12. Deerhunter – Why Hasn’t Everything Already Disappeared?
13. Bill Callahan – Shepherd In A Sheepskin Vest
14. Thom Yorke – Anima
15. Richard Hawley – Farther
16. Songs of Our Native Daughters – Songs of Our Native Daughters
17. Tyler Childers – Country Squire
18. Weyes Blood – Titanic Rising
19. Purple Mountains – Purple Mountains
20. Billie Eilish – When We Fall Asleep Where Do We Go?
I find that we acquired only four 2019 albums in 2019. (Much more older stuff though.)
Of the four, I chose one, the aardvarkess chose two and the other was a joint decision.
If I’d voted last year HMHB would have been No. 1 so I’ve made more of an effort this year.
1. Elbow – Giants of All Sizes – Jewel cases really ought to be a thing of the past.
2. Coldplay – Everyday Life – Really OTT packaging.
3. Bruce Springsteen – Western Stars – Stupid cardboard gatefold with the openings on the inside*.
4. Keane – Cause and Effect – No 1. for straightforward packaging.
None of the above have been listened to as much as I’d like – that will change when I get them on a USB drive to listen to on my commute. That process might also cause my opinion to change.
Last year’s poll did trigger some purchases so I look forward to this year’s results,
(* IE mine is already torn.)
Ditto re Western Stars. Ripped mine trying to get booklet out. Most annoying.
Exactly.
Only just got this done in time, not because of a lack of inspiration though. It was good to find I could eaily pick 20 favourites this year.
1. Jon Anderson – 1,000 Hands
2. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds – Ghosteen
3. Red Box – Chase the Setting Sun
4. Bruce Springsteen – Western Stars
5. Coldplay – Everyday Life
6. Jamie Cullum – Taller
7. Beck – Hyperspace
8. Jon Boden – Rose in June
9. The Divine Comedy – Office Politics
10. Vampire Weekend – Father of the Bride
11. Bat for Lashes – Lost Girls
12. Stormzy – Heavy is the Head
13. Michael Kiwanuka – Kiwanuka
14. Underworld – Drift Series 1
15. Anna of the North – Dream Girl
16. Lloyd Cole – Guesswork
17. Clairo – Immunity
18. The Night Cafe – 0151
19. Josh Rouse – The Holiday Sounds of Josh Rouse
20. Vangelis – Nocturne
I did really like a lot of Morrissey’s album but couldn’t bring myself to include him in the final list.
Hang on @langdale68
Red Box??
Well it meant they got at least one CD sale this year. Soundtrack to a midlife crisis?!
@langdale68
I assume it’s the Red Box who had a couple of hits in the 80’s? Didn’t know they were still going/had reformed…any good??
Yes they’re still going, a few line up changes I think. I’ve enjoyed their new one, good for when I want something uncomplicated/melodic to listen to.
@langdale68
Ah, thanks. Will try and investigate when back home. Ta.
1. Tape Runs Out – Talking Through The Walls
2. The Specials – Encore
3. Karine Polwart – Scottish Songbook
4. Boo Hewerdine – Before
5. Michael Kiwanuka – Kiwanuka
6. Mark Kavuma – The Banger Factory
7. Fiat Lux – Ark of Embers
8. Ebony Steel Band – Pan Machine
9. The Stargazer Lilies – Occabot
10. Mary Waterson & Emily Barker – A Window to Other Ways
11. Ember Rev – From the Country to the City to the Sea
12. The Basque Roads – I Have Committed Murder
13. New Order – So It Goes…
14. Various – The Daisy Age
15. Billie Eilish – When We Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?
There have been others, but not played enough to register, and the unlistened to pile is looming.
I will do notes for the unusual ones but can’t right now, must dash…
Bit late to find out The Daisy Age is eligible RECOUNT!!!
I wasn’t sure, and was in a bit of a hurry as we had guests due any minute.
Please ask Little Gary to swap #14 for me.
14. No-Man – Love You To Bits.
As promised/threatened:
1. Tape Runs Out – Talking Through The Walls
They’ve been playing around Cambridge for years and have, in the last couple, settled on a lineup (although the fragrant keyboard player left at the end of December) and gigged a lot. This is their third EP but the first to be recorded in a studio rather than as bedroom demos. To be honest, I prefer the two live-in-the-studio recordings I did with them this year, but they haven’t been released (except as YouTube videos).
2. The Specials – Encore
3. Karine Polwart – Scottish Songbook
4. Boo Hewerdine – Before
Ex-Bible man in “No guitars” shock.
5. Michael Kiwanuka – Kiwanuka
I loved his very first EP and the retro-soul of his first album. This one is still growing on me and gets better with every play.
6. Mark Kavuma – The Banger Factory
Lovely trumpet-led jazz quartet played by London twentysomethings. Recorded live to 2″ analogue tape, could be from the 1950s. My pal’s lad plays the drums.
7. Fiat Lux – Ark of Embers
This is the unreleased album from 1984 (which was CD2 of Hired History Plus) on vinyl. If it doesn’t count, Little Gary please bump everything else up one.
8. Ebony Steel Band – Pan Machine
Kraftwerk tunes played on the steel drums. Puts a smile on my face.
9. The Stargazer Lilies – Occabot.
Shoegazers/tape loopers from NYC. I sadly, am old enough to remember shoegaze the first time.
10. Mary Waterson & Emily Barker – A Window to Other Ways
Folk dynasty and newish folkie make lovely album.
11. Ember Rev – From the Country to the City to the Sea
Cambridge band come good at the third or fourth attempt. A bit indie, a bit prog, a bit folk (they have an accordion player instead of keyboardist). I recorded this live in the studio.
12. The Basque Roads – I Have Committed Murder
Cambridge rock-folk duo. If Lemmy had joined Fairport instead of RT, and Keith Moon instead of Mattacks, and all the tunes had been murder songs. I also recorded this live in the studio.
13. New Order – So It Goes…
I’m team Hooky, really, but lovely to have live versions of some of the older/rarer songs.
14. No-Man – Love You To Bits
Tim Bowness’ vocals are like aural treacle (smooth and thick, not sticky) and Steven Wilson’s musical ideas take one song and turn it inside out and upside down through arrangements and inversions to make up a mini-album. Lovely to have them back after a long break, although I doubt they will ever better Flowermouth.
15. Billie Eilish – When We Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?
Offspring The Elder has been a fan since Eilish’s Soundcloud days. The whole house has listened to this by osmosis and I saw her set at the Reading Festival – undoubtably the highlight of the weekend.
Stop press!
Lode, old chap, this needs to go on my list and earn a point.
It’s Michael Formanek Very Practical Trio – Even Better
Instead of Marsalis. Thanks.
HNY!
Better late than never! Computer died, so having to do this on my phone. Not fun!
1 Sunshine Village – The Buffalo Trees Saved The Children of The Sun
2 C Joynes & The Furlong Bray- The Borametz Tree
3 Junior Brother – Pull The Right Rope
4 Steve Gunn – The Unseen In Between
5 Sam Cohen – The Future’s Still Ringing In My Ears
6 Joseph Huber – Moondog
7 Kokoko! – Fongola
8 Cate Le Bon – Reward
9 Frankie &The Witch Fingers – Zam
10 Fruit Bats – Gold Past Life
11 Asmâa Hamzaoui & Bnat Tombouctou – Oulad Lghaba
12 – A Lazarus Soul – The D They Put Between The R & L
13 – Black Midi – Schlagenheim
14 -Lankum – The Livelong Day
15 – Jeffrey Lewis & The Voltage – Bad Wiring
16 – Trey Gruber – Herculean House Of Cards
17 – Aldous Harding – Designer
18 – Yak – Pursuit Of Momentary Happiness
19 – Martin Crawley – Undone At 31
20 – Erland Cooper – Sule Skerry
And more that I may love more, but I just haven’t had the time to listen to enough to feel hooked into ’em.
Brian Harnetty – Shawnee, Ohio; Sharon Van Etten – Remind Me Tomorrow; Alasdair Roberts – The Fiery Margin; Michael Chapman – True North; Big Thief- U.F.O.F. & Two Hands; Deer Hunter – Why Hasn’t Everything Already Disappeared?; Nick Shoulders – Okay, Crawdad;
Angelo De Augustine – Tomb; Julia Jacklin – Crushing; Ian Noe – Between The Country; Oh Sees – Face Stabber; Michael Nau – Less Ready To Go; Nev Cottee – River’s Edge; Modern Nature- How To Live; Ohtis – Curve Of Earth; Flaming Lips – King’s Mouth; Rustin Man – Drift Code; Mega Bog – Dolphine; Hey Colossus – Four Bibles; 75 Dollar Bill – I Was Real; William Doyle – Your Wilderness Revisited; Barry McCormack – Mean Time
Wow! Gary will be upset. Out of your top twenty, I have five. I’m getting better.
Happy New Year, Contrary!
Sorry Gary! Happy New Year Tiggs!
Tremendous list, as always, Contrary.
Incredibly, we both have Steve Gunn at no.4 and Lankum at no.14. That’s … telepathic!
I’ve read a bit about Brian Harnetty’s “Shawnee, Ohio”, and it sounds a really interesting project. I must investigate.
Yikes! I’m late. Fully understand if you wanna chuck my list in the bin, but here goes:
1 Sleaford Mods – Eton Alive
2 Weyes Blood – Titanic Rising
3 Big Thief – Two Hands
4 WH Lung – Incidental Music
5 Michael Kiwanuka – Kiwanuka
6 Divine Comedy – Office Politics
7 Durand Jones – American Love Call
8 Steve Mason – About The Light
9 Bat For Lashes – Lost Girls
10 Modern Nature – How To Live
11 Big Thief UFOF
12 Mac De Marco – Here Comes The Cowboy
Much obliged. Happy new year to all.
Given the number of last-minute entries and the fact that Gary is looking darn chirpy this morning I’ll allow late selections and modifications until the end of today.
Another two votes for the Big Thief albums are always welcome, Mr Pelvis.
Yeah, they’re both smashing. I think Two Hands is the slightly better of the two. Not is my song of the year I reckon – it’s a real earworm.
Pelvis, re: ‘Not’ – you, me, Artery, and, I discovered today, Barrack Obama! We’re keeping good company!
Wilco always have good taste
“As we wrap up another year, we’d be remiss not to share some of the band’s favorite albums from 2019. So without further ado, let’s get to the music. We’re looking forward to the next year (and decade), we’ll see ya there. – Wilco HQ
Aldous Harding Designer
Arthur Russel Iowa Dream
Ben Monder Day After Day
Beth Gibbons & The Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra Henryk Gorecki
Bill Callahan Shepard in a Sheepskin
Bill Orcutt Odds Against Tomorrow
Black Midi Schlagenheim
Blood Incantation Hidden History of the
Human Race
Bonnie “Prince” Billy I Made a Place
Caroline Shaw Orange
Cate Le Bon Reward
Chris Lightcap SuperBigmouth
Daughter of Swords Dawnbreaker
Dyson Stringer Cloher Dyson Stringer Cloher
Earl Sweatshirt FEET OF CLAY
Emile Mosseri The Last Black Man in San Francisco (soundtrack)
FKA Twigs MAGDALENE
Flying Lotus Flamagra
Gerald Cleaver & Violet Hour
Live At Firehouse 12
Jamie Drake Everything’s Fine
Jim O’Rourke Steamroom 43
JPEGMAFIA All My Heroes Are Cornballs
Julian Lage Love Hurts
Kim Gordon No Home Record
King Princess Cheap Queen
Lana Del Rey Norman Fucking Rockwell!
Larry Grenadier The Gleaners
Mark Mulcahy The Gus
Molly Sarle Karaoke Angel
Michael Kiwanuka KIWANUKA
Neil Cowley Solitary Refinement
Purple Mountains Purple Mountains
Richard Dawson 2020
Sleater-Kinney The Center Won’t Hold
Thurston Moore Spirit Counsel
Tyler, the Creator IGOR
Weyes Blood Titanic Rising
Will Kimbrough I Like It Down Here
Hmmm … nice to see Wilco giving the nod to the new Mark Mulcahy album. I’ve just bought that for Mrs duco01.
Wilco get a vote? Hope so.
All of Wilco’s choices got 25 points
Sorry I’m late . . .
Julia Jacklin – Crushing
We Get By – Mavis Staples
Leonard Cohen – Thanks for the Dance
Hector Plimmer – Next to Nothing
JJ Cale – Stay Around
The Delines – The Imperial
Blood – Alison Moorer
Big Thief – Two Hands
Weyes Blood – Titanic Rising
Nick Cave – Ghosteeen
Little Gary’s fingers have not stopped moving this morning and he’s still hard at it! NO MORE VOTING/CHANGES ALLOWED!!!!!!
I am very slowly browsing my way through this mega-thread to discover what I have been missing.
@Leicester Bang’s choices were magnificently individual. I could really develop a taste for this Mexican duo: Lorelle meets the Obsolete.
Or from an earlier LP:
Peanuts Molloy voted for two interesting projects
The Last Words: Spell Songs which I have just discovered was Songlines Album of the Year. It all sounds very promising.
And then this US “supergroup” (Songs of) Our Native Daughters
First I’d hear of either of them. Now on my Must-See-Live list
Sorry to confuse Little Gary!
Sorry again, Little Gary. This is not a vote, just a thoroughly uplifting song.