2020 end of year lists

Here we go. 2020 all things considered has turned out to be pretty damn strong, at least for me. When you factor in that a lot of artists have put back releasing records until next year, plus many of the smaller acts I enjoy perhaps had to shelf recording altogether I was quite surprised with how many records I ended up enjoying. 

40: Thurston Moore - By the Fire

Strong Thurston solo LP. The straight up alt-rock material sounds like the stuff he did in later period Sonic Youth, which is fine by me. The rest if made up of long noise rock pieces. I do think he perhaps should have stuck to one style for this record. I really loved last years Spirit Counsel, yet it's something I need to be in the mood to listen to. Here you get some alt-rock bangers with the lengthy pieces sandwiched in, it always catches me off guard. Still, judging it purely by the material he produced for this record it's of a bloody high standard.

39: Tony Allen & Hugh Masekela - Rejoice

This project is made up of a session that Tony Allen & Hugh Masekela recorded together in 2010. Masekela died in 2018 & Allen decided to honour his friend by adding some finishing touches & getting the project released. It's a lovely slice of Afro-jazz with or course some wonderful drumming from Allen who unfortunately passed away a month after this was released.

38: The George Costanzas - George

A bandcamp discovery I made earlier in the year. Florida based band with one of the most all over the place records I've heard all year. Very reminiscent of say how Ween would go from a hardcore punk song into a daft country number. Playful from start to finish, experimental whilst always delivering pop hooks. Will definitely keep an eye out on these in future.

37: Melt Yourself Down - 100% Yes

I don't think they'll ever top their debut, but then they did have Shabaka Hutchings in the band then. It's not like they've made a huge change, but the afro-beat influence has been toned down for a more predominant dance-punk sound. That being said, this is still a shit-ton of fun. I think 2020 would have been a huge year for them if they had got to tour this properly and hit the festival circuit hard, real party anthems which would have gained them a ton of fans. Unfortunately this record will probably come & go now.

36: Nathan Fake - Blizzards

The Aphex Twin... of Norfolk. I know Jp's championed this guy for quite some time, though it wasn't until here that I finally heard him. A mid-tempo mix of Tech, House & IDM. Perhaps could have either done with a little more variety or a slightly shorter running time, though the majority of this record is spot on tbh.

35: Guided by Voices - Surrender Your Poppy Field

My favourite of uncle bob's 3 GBV records in 2020 (the other two didn't do a great deal for me). It took a while to really warm to this one but revisiting it for the first time in a few months it really hit home how many great tunes are on here. Few duds on here, but you get that with almost every Pollard record. The strong points are bloody magnificent.

34: Idris Ackamoor & The Pyramids - Shaman!

I think I like this project slightly less than the previous two, yet it still delivers that sweet African flavoured spiritual jazz. The 10 minute + numbers are the standouts for me, though at the same time I could have done with the record being cut a little as at 75 minutes run-time it certainly feels its length. Still, another fine record from Ackamoor & the Pyramids, a band I still need to see live as I'm sure they'll be wonderful.

33: JARV IS... - Beyond The Pale

I've found Jarvis Cocker's solo career a little disappointing. His past
couple of records both had a couple of bangers on & the rest would kinda be forgettable. This time around he's made a really strong record start to finish, though I'm not sure there are any real bangers on here. Still, it's his most complete record he's been involved with since This Is Hardcore for my money. Some great lyrics scattered within these tunes too. Forever a national treasure.

32: Gillian Welch & David Rawlings - All the Good Times

I've dipped in and out of both Welch & Rawlings careers over the years & I definitely need to grant the pair of them more time. This is a straight forward covers record that was recorded during lockdown, but damn they really captured some magic in these recordings. It probably helped that the majority of the songs I've no idea who recorded the originals, but in terms of Americana/alt-country, this is just wonderful.

31: The Koreatown Oddity - Little Dominiques Nosebleed

Not a huge amount of Hip-Hop that really captured my imagination in 2020, though this LA raper I was on board with immediately. It seems he has released a dozen projects prior to this over the past few years, though this is the first that has gotten him a bunch of attention. Production wise it throws a ton of ideas, lots of skits & different sounds yet it works well. As a lyricist he's pretty playful whilst looking back to his childhood, it works well minus a couple of unfortunate cringe moments. Thankfully this thing moves along at such a brisk pace that its constantly moving onto the next idea. Cool record, I look forward to what he comes up with next.

30: Luke Haines & Peter Buck - Beat Poetry for Survivalists

This came out early in the year & unfortunately didn't seem to get much attention. Peter Buck delivers up some incredibly catchy pop tunes & Luke Haines weaves some spoken word stuff into the melody's & it works a treat. Huge fan of Haines writing on this, it often verges between the comical to the absurd. I hope they decide to work together again, this was a pleasant surprise. Hoped to see them perform this at the 100 club but then Covid hit.

29. Built to Spill - Built to Spill Plays the Songs of Daniel Johnston

Really lovely Daniel Johnston covers record from Built To Spill. I've never really had my day was this band, but gave this a go & they've done a great job of delivering catchy indie-rock versions of some of my favourite Johnston numbers. They've not exactly reinvented any of these tunes, instead just highlighting what a special songwriter Daniel was & that's good enough for me.

28: Dinner Party - Dinner Party

Terrace Martin, Robert Glasper, Kamasi Washington & 9th Wonder collaboration featuring Phoelix on vocals for most the numbers. The project combines neo-soul & jazz with some hip hop beats sprinkled in. It has a really clean production which actually suits the material perfectly. Lovely record with my only gripe being the fact its only 23 minutes long. Certainly would have loved to hear a much lengthier project from these guys.

27: Eels - Earth to Dora

Yeah, that's right, fuck you all. I'd not cared for the past couple of Eels records too much but this hit home straight away. Yeah E is still chugging away doing the same style of songs he always has, though these really landed for me. Huge Lennon vibes on a few numbers on here. I guess at this point I'll be like the person that says "it's Weezers best album for years" & then everyone listens and nobody agrees. Oh well, I still love you E.

26: Adrian Younge & Ali Shaheed Muhammad - Jazz is Dead 001

Jazz is Dead has been a really cool project fronted by Adrian Younge & Ali Shadheed Mahammad which has spawned 5 mini-albums in 2020 with the pair working with a variety of artists. Volumes 2-5 saw them work with a single artist per release with collaborations with the likes of Marcos Valle, Doug Carn, Azymuth & Roy Ayers (all are worth your time). However it was the first release of the series which really did it for me. Here they work with different artists on each track with a plethora of talent from Roy Ayers to João Donato & Brian Jackson. Recommend this to anyone into Jazz, funk & Brazilian music, it touches on a ton of genres but feels like a complete piece. Plus it runs at just under half hour. I always check out anything Adrian Younge is involved with, in some ways I wish he'd attempt to make his own masterpiece because the guy is clearly talented as fuck. But then again, the guy gets to work with all his heroes & continues to produce great music that often looks back to the past whilst managing to have his feet facing forward.

25: Bananagun - The True Story of Bananagun

Australia are really churning out a bunch of solid psych bands over the past couple of years & Bananagun might be my favourite of the recent batch. They do the driving psych thing as well as the likes of King Gizzard & Frankie & the Witchfingers, yet what makes them stand apart is the rhythm section that deliver afrobeat grooves as well as a big Brazilian influence. They blend the styles in well & the whole record is pretty damn strong from start to finish. Hopefully will catch them live next year.

24: LITHICS - Tower of Age

Third album from Portland based LITHICS, though this is the first release of theirs I've heard. It's that angular, punchy post-punk that I've been an absolute sucker for these past couple of years. The vocals remind me a little of Cate Le Bon, imagine if Crab Day was a little more aggressive & harder hitting and you get something that sounds like this. There's a few throwaway pieces that sound like half-ideas or just jams that don't really go anywhere which has prevented this from being higher on my list but the gold on here is killer.

23: Archie Shepp, Raw Poetic & Damu the Fudgemunk - Ocean Bridges

I didn't even know Archie Shepp was still alive when I found this record on RYM This is a jazz-rap record, but not sample heavy like say Guru's Jazzmatazz series, instead its made up of live improvisations. The result musically is more of a straight up jazz record, the drumming is mostly jazz flavoured rather than leaning to traditional hip hop beats. Though Raw Poetic still manages to flow well over them & then Damu The Fudgemunk sprinkles in his magic on the production side. It's full ideas, interludes, spoken word pieces, musical passages that quickly move onto the next as well as some lengthy pieces which serve as the glue holding it all together. This isn't some vanity project like Gorillaz where you draft in guest vocalists, it's a proper collaboration with everyone involved adding to the flavour of the project.

22: Christian Lee Hutson - Beginners

indie-folk in the same vain as Bright Eyes & Phoebe Bridgers, yet personally I think this is better than either records those two released in 2020. It's the kind of earnest songwriting which often doesn't appeal to me, yet lyrically it kept me interested & there's some lovely melody's spread over this thing. If you like Elliott Smith, this will probably appeal. Am surprised how much I immediately warmed to this record, one of those that just speaks to me when I'm in the right mood for it.

21: Sun is Poison - Rodeo Abandoned by God

Sun is Poison is the moniker of Will Seifert, a NY based bedroom Lo-fi recording artist. I found him on bandcamp earlier in the year & was immediately impressed. It's that kinda indie-rock meets lo-fi folky stuff that will appeal to fans of stuff like Bright Eyes, Mount Eerie, Elliot Smith & Neutral Milk Hotel. Wonderfully crafted songs & despite being lo-fi in approach, the recordings have so much atmosphere & feeling to them. Really impressive stuff, he's already released the follow up, though this record still shades it for me. Can't wait to hear what comes next.

20: Jason Molina - Eight Gates

Jason Molina is one of those cult folk artists that I've always read a ton about but never took the time to listen to any of his stuff. This is some archival material he recorded in the late 2000s & its one of those records that just hit me instantly. The songs are so sparse with a real haunting quality about them. Yeah, some of it feels somewhat unfinished, but somehow that's part of the appeal. I'm really excited now I've got the end of year list out of the way to spend the next few months discovering his back catalogue. If this is any indication of what I'm in for I'm sure he'll become a big favourite of mine, just a shame I waited until he was DEAD to discover him.

19: Monophonics - It's Only Us

Monophonics nail that sweet early 70s Psychedelic Soul sound whilst still managing to sound somewhat modern instead of a straight up
pastiche. Lovely production on here, great playing & the vocals are top notch too. Lovely record, some absolute bangers early on & the rest of the record is rewarding after multiple plays. 

18: The Cribs - Night Network

My first few listens of this were really disappointing. To me it felt like 2 or 3 Cribs bangers, some decent stuff & a bunch of filler. Then I kept coming back to it & the filler started to sound pretty damn decent & the stuff I thought was alright I ended up loving. They throw a curveball on the opening track, but apart from that, well it's a Cribs record & you know what, after a fucking shit year like this I welcome a return to normality & the Cribs bashing out indie anthems like its 2006 is good enough for me. There's still a couple of tracks I could do without but fuck it... long live the Cribs!

17: Moor Jewelry - True Opera

Collaboration between Moor Mother & Mental Jewelry which are two artists I'd never heard of until hearing this record. This is one of the most aggressive records I've heard all year. Moor Mother's vocals have absolute venom in their delivery & musically its an onslaught of loud noisy post-punk that feels like it could fall apart at any time. I'd describe their sound as imagining Sonic Youth at their loudest making a record with Fugazi with a vocalist spitting out vicious lyrics Zack de la Rocha style. Definitely going to keep an eye on both of them, especially Moor Mother, she had about half a dozen projects in 2020. The only other I heard was an intense free-jazz record with some poetry on top which was pretty damn impressive too.

16: Action Bronson - Only For Dolphins

I've enjoyed the majority of anything that Bronson had put out in recent years, yet at the same time my interest had dropped off a little. When I heard he had Tommy Mass producing who did Dr. Lector I got excited. Then he dropped Latin Grammy's for it & I was convinced it could finally be the record to match his debut. It doesn't quite reach those heights, some of the beats aren't anything special. Yet as always, Bronson's personality just beams over the entire thing. Found myself returning to this a bunch, probably my favourite Bam Bam release since Blue Chips (which I can't believe was 8 years ago now). Has also helped that I've been on a huge youtube kick watching literally anything he's popped up in, the man is a superstar. 

15: Nadine Shah - Kitchen Sink

Loved hearing material from this record performed live earlier in the year. I'm not sure if production wise they've quite captured the energy of those live performances, however Nadine has come up with a superb set of tunes here with some great lyrics to match.

14: The Budos Band - Long in the Tooth

Daptone records always find a way of making my end of year list. I know most people don't care for instrumental only bands but The Budos Band always deliver. Their past couple of records have seen them stray towards jazz-rock & the heavier side of psych - This time around they've gone back to the sound of their debut, a mixture of jazz-funk & psychedelic rock. Big drum sounds, funky bass lines, cool organ sounds & horn sections to die for. It sounds like a soundtrack to an incredible Italian crime flick from the 70s or could even double up as a Rocky theme song. All the tracks are really short & on point too, this might be my favourite Budos Band record yet.

13: Bill Callahan - Gold Record

From what I've read & heard fans of Callahan have found this record somewhat underwhelming compared to last years "Shepherd in a Sheepskin Vest". For me this is a far superior record. Though last years record was more ambitious musically & in scope, the simplicity of the songs on offer here are what really make it work for me. Lyrically this might be my favourite record of the year, I'd never really thought of it until now but you can really compare him to Lee Halzlewood, not just because of the deep baritone vocals but he has a playful way with words where they're often full of humour whilst sometimes being kinda twisted. Lovely stuff.

12: Etuk Ubong - Africa Today

Ubong is a trumpeter and composer from Lagos who delivers his unique style of Afrobeat on his debut. It has the groove you'd expect from an Afrobeat record, but things feel a little more intense & hectic than you usually find with the genre. Also he includes these big jazzy breakdowns in few of the tunes that really give the tunes a life of their own. Outstanding record, really excited to hear whatever he does next & hope he performs in the UK next year.

11: Doves - The Universal Want

11 years since their last record Doves return & it sounds like they've never been away. I was fully expecting this to have a couple of stand-outs and the rest to feel uninspired, yet the entire record is pretty spot on. I really dig some of the drum sounds on this record. There's nothing on here that will gain them any new fans, but its like having an old familiar friend back. It exceeded my expectations & then some.

I'm also posting a top40 list but as a reminder I'll be only counting top30 positions. Considering the reduced amount of lists this tries to reward records with more than one vote.

10: Happyness - Floatr

Happyness return with a rejigged lineup & their best record to date. They do that 90s flavoured indie-rock thing as good as anyone. Great record start to finish. 

09: Paul Weller - On Sunset

Weller has been on fire these past few years. It really feels like he's reached the point where he couldn't care less if people are into what he's doing, he's just making music to please himself & the results show for themselves. This is one of the most soulful records he's made whilst still being tinged with psychedelia & great craftsmanship in the songwriting department. I don't know who he had play on this thing or even who produced it, all I know is that it sounds bloody lovely. His vocals despite all the years of booze & ciggies still sounds wonderful too. I'm not going to say "it's the best since", because I've pretty much loved everything he's done since 22 Dreams onwards, but this certainly has to be up there. Still sounds undeniably like Weller, yet he continues to change the sound up with each release. One of the all-time greats as far as I'm concerned. 

08: Baxter Dury - The Night Chancers

Baxter's quickly becoming one of my absolute favourite artists. The lyrics to Carla's Got a Boyfriend just kill me He has such a wicked way with words, I'm a complete sucker for his style. No reinventing the wheel here, just another bloody brilliant record from him. At only half hour it perhaps could have done with a couple more tracks, feels a tad short. 

07: The Strokes - The New Abnormal 

The Strokes dropped Making Bad Decisions & it sounded like old school Strokes & I was excited. The album came out & nothing sounded at all like that & I was instantly disappointed. I few of the tracks even made me cringe. Then I gave it a second try & liked a couple of numbers & kept returning to it. Before I knew it The New Abnormal had become my soundtrack to this summers lockdown. I now associate this with getting pissed in the garden with the sun beaming out. I never expected this record to have so much staying power. For me personally it's their best since Room On Fire, yeah First Impressions highlights are stronger, but this whole thing I love from start to finish. I never saw this one coming, The Strokes in 2020 making a fucking great record.. fair play.

06: Primo! - Sogni

Half of mother fucking TERRY deliver their second album and its a huge step up from the debut. It's that minimalist indie-pop meets post-punk that manages to be serious yet playful at the same time. "Machine" might be my favourite song of the year, though the entire record is killer. Music tailor made for my tastes. 

05: Fiona Apple - Fetch the Bolt Cutters

Fiona Apple is an artist who of course I was aware of, but until this record I'd never heard one of her records. This got rave reviews upon its release so I gave it a go & the reviews were justified. It manages to balance playful songs, yet with often biting lyrics. The song structures often feel relatively simple, yet she always throws in a few surprises on each song. The use of percussion to drive the majority of the songs works a treat. I've spent a good time listening to her back catalogue since & whilst this isn't my favourite record of hers, it might well be her most ambitious yet. 

04: Tiña - Positive Mental Health Music

I saw these earlier in the year supporting The Cool Greenhouse. Live they seemed like a band that hadn't quite found their sound, yet had plenty of potential... though they dropped the album in November and it pretty much contained the setlist I saw them do & it completely made sense on record. It's nothing but a fun indie-pop/rock record that's sometimes a little twee, a bit jangly & a little psych ("I Feel Fine" would have fit nicely on a 90's Jonestown LP). It's not the most ambitious record you'll hear in 2020, yet it's the simplicity of these songs which really make it stand out for me. It's just wonderfully addictive & well crafted indie-pop music. Reminds me of Neutral Milk Hotel a lot in places. I was expecting this debut to be pretty solid, but never imagined it'd turn out to be one of my favourites of the year. A real joyous record that I'm not sure I'll tire of anytime soon.

03: The William Loveday Intention - Will There Ever Be a Day That You're Hung Like a Thief?

2020 has been a great year to be a Billy Childish fan. The year started with a solid record billed with The Chatham singers, then towards the end of the year his new project "The William Loveday Intention" was announced. The first record saw Billy revisit a bunch of his songs giving them a more cinematic feel, somewhere between a bluesy version of Morricone meets a Tarantino soundtrack. On this LP Billy is again re-using a lot of material he's written in the past but delivering them in the style of classic era Bob Dylan which caught me completely by surprise. I later found out he'd even recorded a limited press Dylan covers record prior to this release (which is also ace). Billy's talents as a songwriter often get looked over as they're thrown away into a quick 3 minute garage-punk song, but delivered in this style it really highlights just what a wonderfully unique writer he can be. The king of garage-rock sounding like mid 60s Dylan is not something I ever thought I'd hear, or actually be any good... but it works perfectly. Not only the best Billy Childish record in absolutely years, but will probably go down as one of my favourite things he has ever done.

02: The Cool Greenhouse - The Cool Greenhouse

I'd been a fan of the Cool Greenhouse prior to the release of this record, the Crap Cardboard Pet from early 2019 was pretty damn good & seeing them live a couple of times made me fall in love with them even more. Despite this, I wasn't expecting a full length by them to be this special. The EP was so repetitive that the prospect of a full length LP seemed like it might be overkill... & yes, it is very repetitive to the point of being hypnotic, but damn did he/they come up with the goods. The previous releases had been kinda lo-fi production wise, here the material has a beefier sound that gives the tunes much more bite. Lyrically I find him fascinating, a deadpan delivery full of sarcasm with plenty of humour to boot. I do wonder where he can take the sound next, will another record in this style feel overkill? I dunno.. but as a debut record, it's one of the best I've heard in a very long time.

01: Laura Marling - Song for Our Daughter

I was in two minds most this year if this was my favourite record of hers or 2013's Once I Was An Eagle, but listening back recently to the pair recently it became clear that this is her most confident & self assured record yet. It's just so bloody timeless sounding, masterful songwriting that can stand up against any of the greats. I don't think there has been another songwriter in the past 10 years or so that has come close & she continues to somehow get better. It's a near perfect record & one I'm sure I'll still be as fond of in 20 years time.

EPS



01: Pozi - 176

02: Sinead O'Brien - Drowning in Blessings

03: Legss - doomswayers

04: Hotel Lux - Barstool Preaching

05: Little Simz - Drop 6

06: The Stroppies - Look Alive!

07: Filmmaker - Royal Dungeon

08: PVA - Toner

09: Egyptian Blue - Body of Itch

10: Ty Segall - Segall Smeagol





Gigs: One per artist

01: Dry Cleaning @ The Sunflower Lounge

02: Nadine Shah @ The Roundhouse

03: Black Midi @ The Roundhouse

04: Supergrass @ Alexandra Palace

05: Gurr @ The Lexington

06: Pozi @ The Green Door Store

07: The Cool Greenhouse @ Peckham Audio

08: Ryley Walker @ Cafe Oto

09: Mikal Cronin @ The Moth Club

10: Tina @ Peckham Audio

11: Jarv IS @ The Steel Yard

12: DOG @ The George Tavern

13: Lias Saoudi @ The Windmill

14: Sinead o Brien @ Bedford Esquires

15: The Coral @ Alexandra Palace






old stuff I discovered in 2020


01: Yamasuki - Le monde fabuleux des Yamasuki (1971)
(thank you Barny)
02: Steve Reich - Music for 18 Musicians (1978)

03: Janko Nilovic - Rythmes contemporains (1974)

04: Marva Whitney - It's My Thing (1969)

05: Von Südenfed - Tromatic Reflexxions (2007)

06: New York Philharmonic / Leonard Bernstein - Le sacre du printemps (1958)

07: OutKast - ATLiens (1996)

08: Jacqueline Taïeb - Jacqueline Taïeb (1967)

09: Justin Hines and The Dominoes - Jezebel (1976)

10: Bo Diddley - Where It All Began (1972)

11: Pablo Moses - Revolutionary Dream (1975)

12: Fiona Apple - When the Pawn (1999)

13: Brian Eno - Before and After Science (1977)

14: Ruby Andrews - Everybody Saw You (1970)

15: Cesar Ascarrunz - Cesar 830 (1975)

16: Trio Mocotó - Trio Mocotó (1977)

17: Godstar - Sleeper (1993)

18: U2 - Pop (1997)

19: Billy Cobham - Inner Conflicts (1978)

20: Lalo Schifrin - Towering Toccata (1977)

Brilliant read as always, cheers

I don't know what is worse, the new Eels lp making Karl's list or the inclusion of U2. How the mighty have fallen.

Magnificent list as ever Karl. Made even better by the fact that I haven't heard 70% of it.

I agree 100% about your Laura Marling sentiments, although I still think Semper Femina is her masterpiece. This one will still feature high up my list though.

I never did warm to The Strokes record. But I may have given up too early.


Do you know the Archie Shepp classic- Attica Blues?

Semper Femina for me too.

31. The Nude Party - Midnight Manor
Just like The Cowboys last year, The Nude Party came into my list late in the year to cover that necessary garagey spot that I used to love so much a few years ago. You know, 70s Stones if they had never become big. Full of basic rock’n’roll stompers, pianos are beaten up and guitars do what they should but, even if I couldn’t really point any big mistakes, this time I’m not connecting to it as much as I used to.

32. Guided by Voices - Surrender Your Poppy Field
My favourite from them since Class Clown... The 2nd one from the year didn’t hit the spot as much as this one for me (and yet to hear the 3rd one), but it seems everyone has its own favourite GBV.

33. Partner - Never Give Up
If The Presidents of the USA (the band although the real ones would be cool too) where a lesbian couple, this is how they’d sound. Riff-tastic and with BIG soloing, dumb and fun rock’n’roll music when I needed it more.

34. Total Revenge - Total Revenge
At just 20 minutes I wasn't sure if I should include it here. Scrappy melodic lofi garage, you know the kind.

35. Cloud Nothings - The Black Hole Understands
They’re revisiting the Albini collaboration for a 2021 release but I prefer them when they take a more melodic and less angsty approach. Even if this pandemic bandcamp-only release made no impact at all and will get lost in the streaming era, I found it deserving of a mention.

36. No Age - Goons Be Gone
I used to be a little bit annoyed by these guys, as they received a bit of praise in some webs like Pitchfork but they never were THAT special. Some years have passed and probably nobody is going to listen but I reckon Goons Be Gone is not worse than any of their peak-era records (and not better either?).

37. Whitney - Candid
I usually hate cover albums and this year we got a good amount of them. It’s not the idea I don’t like, there are many examples of a good cover and back in the 60s bands it was quite useful and some bands did grow upon them. But recently they seem to be either unexciting or professional (the T.rex tribute from this year just felt so soulless and dirgey instead of FUN as it should) so when this record was announced I wasn’t exactly happy. But the song selection is quite interesting and they turn every one of them into the Whitney sound, so the result is quite worthy and well, candid. Plus making icons like Moondog or Labi Siffre more well known is always a plus.

38. Tim Burgess - I Love the New Sky
Between this and the famous listening parties Tim was able to have an interesting year. Here he delivers a nice British pop volume that can stand on its own to the recent Charlatans output. It could and it will be lost among other “more important” releases, but it deserves some praise.

39. The Magic Gang - Death of the Party
I know I listened to their debut because I can see my rating in RYM but I can’t recall anything from it. This one sounds like an updated, cozier and way more commercial version of Dexys, I reckon I tried not to like it too much but the songs are agreeable and I had to let myself go.

40. Car Seat Headrest - Making a Door Less Open
What a total mess, a bit of a shame and a waste of talent. Confusing tracklists and different versions of the songs on digital vs vinyl, some terrible experiments and even 2 other members of the band get to sing for some reason. And considering all that, it still has some fantastic songs and turns a spotless reputation into a more wriggly road that could become more interesting. The saviour of rock’n’roll lost in the middle of cheap bleepy bloopy music. It doesn’t make much sense, so I’ve decided to include it ahead of other records I’ve rated higher, maybe to honour other one-man-band disappointments of the year: Sufjan, Tame Impala, Eels..

I don't, I've always meant to check out The Magic of Ju-Ju as the artwork looked cool as fuck. I'll give it a go, I like this time of year when there are little new releases so I can spend time on older stuff I've never gotten around to. I'll also go back to Semper Femina, It's a record I liked, though never really connected with as much as her other work. 

I've still not heard either Nude Party record. I saw them live at a day festival a year or two back and they were good fun, like Black Lips meets the Jonestown doing Rolling Stones covers. 

Partner sound interesting from your description, I'll have a listen. 

i can confirm the magic of ju ju is very good. i also liked fire music. need to check out some more of his back catalogue, never heard attica blues.

21. Neil Young - Homegrown
I am a weird Neil Young fan, have only checked half of his classics so far and moderately enjoyed most of it while failing to REALLY love anything. For me there's no big gap between On the beach and Trans. So my expectations might be lower and that could be the reason why I find these tracks so appealing. It gives me peace of mind, that much I can tell.

22. Crack Cloud - Pain Olympics
Remember any of my rants about the stagnation in the post-punk world? That’s because post-punk has become a single song instead of a genre. Well, these guys are trying a few different things and seeing what sticks. Non-morose synths ✓ Sax ✓ Drum solos?! ✓ Groupal chants ✓ Unexpected turns ✓Rich production ✓ Different cadences both in music and vocals ✓ Not quite there, but a good attempt to bring the genre out of the tiny tiny box they’ve put it in. For that very reason (and the sin of not being British) every purist seems to hate it.

23. Rolling Blackouts C.F. - Sideways to New Italy
It’s all about the extended interplay in the outros like Cars in Space and it’s one of those cases where having different singers also help adding little differences to what’s a pretty stable in its quality set of songs. Like a bloodier Real Estate, they should retag the R for Rollicking if you know what I mean... haha yeah... ENOUGH.

24. The Black Lips - Sing... in a World That's Falling Apart
After devoting a song or two on every previous album to the genre, they’ve decided to go full country here. But of the gritty, rusty kind of, stories of losers in small towns under a distorted twang. It’s quite suitable for them and the best release of this lineup, even if it might not please older fans of the band nor country purists.

25. The Lemon Twigs - Songs For The General Public
Shit, these brothers were my winning horse for a rock band becoming big and here they are, releasing their 3rd record and going nearly under the radar. This is their most straightforward one, just 10 direct tunes (something I really wanted to happen) and would be lying if I don’t concede it lacks quite something. But the talent is there (The One is pure bliss) and hopefully once live shows come back they'll pick up with conquering the world.

26. The Cribs - Night Network
Just another Cribs record, which initially seemed not a lot but it grew on me and now I’d say it’s my favourite from the post-Marr period.

27. La Trinidad - Los Edificios Que Se Derrumban
Debut from a young Spanish power pop band that has won me even if I’m still a little reluctant. Their references seem to be a mix of late 70s bands (Clash, Undertones, Costello) and 80s Spanish pop and the result could be cringey but it’s catchy and satisfying instead.

28. Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings - Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Rendition Was In)
Is it too late for this? This posthumous COMPILATION is chock-full of classic soul tunes and dunno if longtime fans of her might find it weak, but I can’t compare and really believe this is a fantastic mood-setter.

29. Thelonious Monk - Palo Alto
Can’t remember exactly when or why but at some point during this year I started to listen to a lot of jazz. I’m still a rookie obvs, but the story behind this amateur live recording being finally released made me pay attention to it. It seems something that couldn’t happen right now: a top musician in his prime playing in a high school gym for a good cause cos he needed the little money they’d pay, so it’s quite charming. Although I guess the list of better Monks concerts might be huge, there are renditions here that make it more than worthwhile, “Well, You Needn’t” being my favourite one.

30. Melenas - Días Raros
JP-core band and one of my 4 live shows of this terrible year.

It's probably most famous for It's title track which was heavily borrowed by Galliano on their track 'Jus Reach' during that 90s Acid Jazz Rare Groove period.

The whole album is decent though.

11. Renaldo & Clara - L’amor Fa Calor
Catalan modern sounding sweet pop, the arrangements are marvelous and it simply goes down like a subtle breeze. Besides the title track which is a bit of an outlier, it’s so deceptively small in scope it could be undervalued, but every song is a jewel sculpted to nearly perfection. Lyrics are quite special too, with topics ranging from historical constructions to regional accents, enjoying the dole or roundabouts.

12. Fleet Foxes - Shore
Released without warning, it’s also the least conflicted and self-conscious since the debut. I’m not sure I could explain it but It feels more grounded, nearly urban? I read someone describing it as a warm hug and I gotta agree, although maybe of the too-long-it's-getting-awkward kind in its second half. Not a big departure but sunnier and with enough gorgeous melodies to walk with me through the usual grief of the Autumn days. “For Richard Swift” etc.

13. Daniel Romano - How Ill Thy World Is Ordered
Daniel Romano is one of those names I’ve heard a few times and - this sounds weird but - I knew it could be so up my alley I might not find anything interesting on him. It seems this year he has released around a dozen records, which didn’t help as an entry moment, but this one seems to be a real highlight in his career. And yeah, it’s a pretty standard classic rock’n’roll album with horns and shit but a really good one at that.

14. Declan McKenna - Zeros
Initial listens made me think little Declan had been defeated by the over ambition in his sophomore work after a meteoric rise: recorded in Nashville, Bowiesque artwork, too many space references, etc. The songs felt big and referential instead of light and enjoyable (brainy glam?), but with time I realized this project and the sustained quality of every track is something very praiseworthy and only possible for a maturing young talent like him. All and all, the highs from the debut might be missed but overall it’s a more solid installment throughout.

15. Dan Deacon - Mystic Familiar
Dan is one of those artists I liked one or two tunes but had never really listened to. It seems Mystic is one of his more easygoing releases and it’s been received as one of his best, so I might have arrived at the right time after all. Epic and colourful, it’s the kind of psych-indietronica tuneful enough but also with a good amount of chaos, noise and unpredictability to keep things interesting. Extra points for also making the soundtrack for a dog grooming doc.

16. HAIM - Women in Music Pt. III
This could win a prize for songs more deserving of a live show. I only got into HAIM after watching them live where they really loosen up from the clean production of their works, so I really wish I can see how this one translates to a festival. Some big singles here (with The Steps being one of my favourite songs of the year) and even if it’s a bit stretched out and very genre fluid, it might be the most consistent and accomplished release from the girls.

17. Bob Dylan - Rough and Rowdy Ways
Every late-era Dylan work has an expected wave of praise, but this one seems to be more deserving of it. Not many things have changed from Tempest, but it all looks more well-rounded this time and the production is splendid. His voice and phrasing are a treasure too. Bookending the record we have tracks that were released with no warning hyping what could come later, two calm but different approaches to what we love about him. The rest is formed by mordant blues numbers, delightful ballads and all kinds of Earthly and divine mythology, including his own. “Funny, smart, and displaying a full palette of emotions. They are also eminently quotable”. Fuck, I don’t want to say it to loud but it wouldn’t be a surprise if this was his last one. In that case, he can surely be proud, he’s long been part of the pantheon.

18. The Strokes - The New Abnormal
I might have been more delighted by the new wave of Strokes love this has generated than by the actual music. Of course it hits some sweet spots (especially in the first half), but I still prefer Comedown Machine or First Impressions. Production is quite nice, The Adults Are Talking I hated when I heard leaked from a live show and here it sounds really great, like an upgrade to the deceptively-simple-heavily-calculated efficiency of their beginnings. Eternal Summer is the other one where their magic happens, that feeling when one of your favourite bands stops you on your tracks. But there are a couple fillers and most of the tracks could be trimmed one minute so...

19. of Montreal - Ur Fun
This far in a career where he has tried nearly every outfit, here we can find some of the best straight-pop songs Kevin has ever penned. The rest is hit or miss but still far from other recent failures where he tried sounding modern without actual focus, although the reception to this has been quite middling.

20. The Chats - High Risk Behaviour
Snotty Australian punk, no tricks at all, the merit is in keeping a high consistency level on this well worn-out genre. Fun and to the point.

A strange year for me. I really thought there weren't any great records made, but when I started on my list I realised there were more than I thought.

Not a vintage year by any stretch, but I love my top eleven. I really don't think i've heard more than 30 records I genuinely like though. That's caveated with the fact that i've listened to a lot less music this year, and in terms of diversity I think i'm actually suffering from a lack of gigs and no longer living in TCOTU. I think my taste might have regressed somewhat through lack of exposure.

I haven't had time to add comments this year, but it's no secret what I think of the SAULT records and of the new music released I've probably listened more to Fleet Foxes than anything else. Robin Pecknold really hits my sweet spot. My curveball is probably the Childish Gambino online only release. I really hope it gets a vinyl issue as I reckon it'll sound amazing. The other artist I never thought i'd see in one of my own lists was Rufus Wainwright, but I think his release this year was really good. A record with real depth....and even the most hard hearted of curmugeons would find it hard to deny his amazing voice.

The other record that threatened top spot for a while was US Girls. I've not gone back to it in months, but absolutely loved it when it came out.

The Cleo Sol record is wonderful too- another from the producer Inflo's (Little Simz, SAULT) camp.

And I think the Gorillaz record was a real return to form.

The Avalanches record was only released a couple of weeks ago, but the singles released throughout the year means it warrants a spot in the list.

30 The Avalanches - We Will Always Love You
29 Fontaines DC - A Hero's Death
28 The Flaming Lips - American Head
27 Rufus Wainwright - Unfollow The Rules
26 Sufjan Stevens- The Ascension
25 Public Enemy - What You Gonna Do When the Grid Goes Down?
24 Kelly Lee Owens- Inner Song
23 Death Valley Girls - Under The Spell of Joy
22 Marlowe - Marlowe 2
21 Sorry - 925
20 Freddie Gibbs- Alfredo
19 Bastien Keb - The Killing of Eugene Peeps
18 Gorillaz - Song machine, Season 1
17 Porridge Radio - Every Bad
16 Bill Callahan - Gold Record
15 Pantha du Prince- Conference of Trees
14 Damu The Fudgemunk, Archie Shepp, Raw Poetic - Ocean Bridges
13 The Cribs- Night Network
12 Adrianne Lenker - Songs & Instrumentals
11 Cleo Sol- Rose In The Dark
10 Fiona Apple - Fetch the Boltcutters
9 Cornershop - England is a Garden
8 Laura Marling - Song For Our Daughter
7 US Girls - Heavy Light
6 Perfume Genius - Set My Heart on Fire Immediately
5 Keleketla - Keleketla!
4 Childish Gambino - 3.15.20
3 SAULT - Untitled (Black Is)
2 Fleet Foxes - Shore
1 SAULT - Untitled (Rise)