Post by maddix85 on Dec 30, 2022 22:04:27 GMT
my annual essay below. lets see your lists!
Top 20 Gigs of the Year
1, Pavement @ Camden roundhouse
They’ve been top of my must see list for years after I stupidly didn’t go last time they toured the UK (I think it was just before I started becoming a regular London visitor). This was everything I’d hoped for and more. Superb setlist and I was really struck by how tight the band were too.
2, Sleaford Mods @ All Points East
They’re always brilliant live and this was no exception. The tent was an ideal stage for them and they totally smashed it. I’ll never tire of seeing them live.
3, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds @ All Points East
Not my favourite time seeing Nick Cave live but he’s always stunning so this still features high up.
4, Yard Act @ Norwich Arts Centre
I’d seen them live twice in 2021 so knew they were good but this was the first time since the album came out and the whole atmosphere in the room was incredible. This was a real turning point for me with the album where I went from being slightly disappointed initially to loving it.
5, Paul Weller @ Norwich UEA
I had a proper Weller obsession over the last year or so and was properly pumped for this. He’s just a don and while I never think he’s truly amazing live, these last two shows I’ve seen from him have been my favourites. A massive setlist and great performance.
6, Ride @ Norwich Waterfront
Ride do funny things to me live. I love everything about them and while this wasn’t quite up there with their last trip to Norwich, it was still brilliant. I think Vapour Trail might be my favourite song of all time.
7, Richard Ashcroft @ South Facing Festival
You can never go wrong with Ashcroft live. Amazing voice and plays the hits. Setlist was a bit short though so loses some points for that.
8, Kasabian @ Norwich UEA
This could have been awful but y’know what, Serge smashed it as frontman. Still not convinced by the new album but live this was a huge party. Never seen the UEA bouncing so much.
9, Embrace @ Norwich
Embrace along with Oasis were my favourite band as a teenager. I went off them massively in the mid 00s so despite seeing them loads back in the day hadn’t seen them live since 2005. 17 years later and I was surprisingly hooked in by the new album so decided to go and see the boys live again. It might not be the coolest thing in the world to claim but I had a fucking great time at this gig. Sung my heart out.
10, Primal scream @ Wide Awake
A great end to a top day at Wide Awake. This helped banish the memories of a poor show from the Scream last time they visited Norwich as this was a much stronger performance. A few sound issues thanks to a blown speaker by Fat White Family mean this doesn’t score higher though.
11, Dry Cleaning @ The Leadmill, Sheffield
I’d started to lose a bit of interest in Dry Cleaning by the time this gig had come around so it doesn’t feature as highly as seeing them live last year did. Still great though, just by this point they had been playing the same setlist for about 3 years.
12, The Skinner Brothers @ Norwich Waterfront Studio
Strange things happen in the Studio room at Norwich Waterfront. Even though it is tiny bizarre things always happen from Macauley Caulkin coming out with Adam Green, to Har Mar Superstar supported by the now world superstar Lizzo having a fucking party. This gig was just properly raucous and Skinner Brothers have great big silly ladrock tunes as well as awful banter. Huge fun.
13, Just Mustard @ Voodoo Daddy’s Norwich
Loud, abrasive shoegaze in a tiny venue. Of course it was going to be a great night. This was one of those gigs that made the album really click for me and I’ve been obsessed with it ever since.
14, The Total Stone Roses @ Norwich Waterfront
I last saw a tribute band in 2002 I think. Always avoided these nights but decided to give it a go as seeing The Stone Roses supported by Oasis and The Smiths seemed like a good crack for a Friday night. It ended up being one of the most fun nights out I’ve had all year. Great crowd and sung my heart out. Was pretty pissed by the time The Roses were on so it basically felt like the real deal. Will go again next year for sure.
15, Peter Hook and the Light @ Norwich UEA
I’ve waxed lyrical about the Peter Hook live show before. It shouldn’t work but it really does. I always have such a great time seeing him. Huge setlists and the band are superb. This was a Joy Division focused night and while I think I prefer him doing New Order, it was still great.
16,The Smile @ All Points East
Was torn between seeing these or Spiritualized but probably made the right choice. Got a decent spot down the front and this was sublime. Still not fully convinced on the album but this certainly helped it click more.
17, Bloc Party @ Norwich Waterfront
This was surprisingly good. They played a set heavy on the classics thankfully and I forgot how many big tunes they had. I actually didn’t mind the new album from this year either so the tracks from that were hardly duds. Kele is still a bit of a wally though.
18, Kae Tempest @ All Points East
I’d seen them live a couple of times about ten years ago but wasn’t properly a fan then. The last couple of albums have really clicked with me though so I was pumped for this set and it didn’t disappoint. Only downside was it was a bit short due to being a festival set during the day. Will definitely go next time they do a headline show in Norwich.
19, The Cribs @ Norwich Waterfront
You can’t go wrong with The Cribs live. Not the best time I’ve seen them but tune after tune with loads of energy.
20, Cast @ Norwich Waterfront
I had a big britpop year in 2022 so this kinda show was always going to go down well. Sound issues at the start but once they hit their stride it was great. Big up John Power.
1, Pavement @ Camden roundhouse
They’ve been top of my must see list for years after I stupidly didn’t go last time they toured the UK (I think it was just before I started becoming a regular London visitor). This was everything I’d hoped for and more. Superb setlist and I was really struck by how tight the band were too.
2, Sleaford Mods @ All Points East
They’re always brilliant live and this was no exception. The tent was an ideal stage for them and they totally smashed it. I’ll never tire of seeing them live.
3, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds @ All Points East
Not my favourite time seeing Nick Cave live but he’s always stunning so this still features high up.
4, Yard Act @ Norwich Arts Centre
I’d seen them live twice in 2021 so knew they were good but this was the first time since the album came out and the whole atmosphere in the room was incredible. This was a real turning point for me with the album where I went from being slightly disappointed initially to loving it.
5, Paul Weller @ Norwich UEA
I had a proper Weller obsession over the last year or so and was properly pumped for this. He’s just a don and while I never think he’s truly amazing live, these last two shows I’ve seen from him have been my favourites. A massive setlist and great performance.
6, Ride @ Norwich Waterfront
Ride do funny things to me live. I love everything about them and while this wasn’t quite up there with their last trip to Norwich, it was still brilliant. I think Vapour Trail might be my favourite song of all time.
7, Richard Ashcroft @ South Facing Festival
You can never go wrong with Ashcroft live. Amazing voice and plays the hits. Setlist was a bit short though so loses some points for that.
8, Kasabian @ Norwich UEA
This could have been awful but y’know what, Serge smashed it as frontman. Still not convinced by the new album but live this was a huge party. Never seen the UEA bouncing so much.
9, Embrace @ Norwich
Embrace along with Oasis were my favourite band as a teenager. I went off them massively in the mid 00s so despite seeing them loads back in the day hadn’t seen them live since 2005. 17 years later and I was surprisingly hooked in by the new album so decided to go and see the boys live again. It might not be the coolest thing in the world to claim but I had a fucking great time at this gig. Sung my heart out.
10, Primal scream @ Wide Awake
A great end to a top day at Wide Awake. This helped banish the memories of a poor show from the Scream last time they visited Norwich as this was a much stronger performance. A few sound issues thanks to a blown speaker by Fat White Family mean this doesn’t score higher though.
11, Dry Cleaning @ The Leadmill, Sheffield
I’d started to lose a bit of interest in Dry Cleaning by the time this gig had come around so it doesn’t feature as highly as seeing them live last year did. Still great though, just by this point they had been playing the same setlist for about 3 years.
12, The Skinner Brothers @ Norwich Waterfront Studio
Strange things happen in the Studio room at Norwich Waterfront. Even though it is tiny bizarre things always happen from Macauley Caulkin coming out with Adam Green, to Har Mar Superstar supported by the now world superstar Lizzo having a fucking party. This gig was just properly raucous and Skinner Brothers have great big silly ladrock tunes as well as awful banter. Huge fun.
13, Just Mustard @ Voodoo Daddy’s Norwich
Loud, abrasive shoegaze in a tiny venue. Of course it was going to be a great night. This was one of those gigs that made the album really click for me and I’ve been obsessed with it ever since.
14, The Total Stone Roses @ Norwich Waterfront
I last saw a tribute band in 2002 I think. Always avoided these nights but decided to give it a go as seeing The Stone Roses supported by Oasis and The Smiths seemed like a good crack for a Friday night. It ended up being one of the most fun nights out I’ve had all year. Great crowd and sung my heart out. Was pretty pissed by the time The Roses were on so it basically felt like the real deal. Will go again next year for sure.
15, Peter Hook and the Light @ Norwich UEA
I’ve waxed lyrical about the Peter Hook live show before. It shouldn’t work but it really does. I always have such a great time seeing him. Huge setlists and the band are superb. This was a Joy Division focused night and while I think I prefer him doing New Order, it was still great.
16,The Smile @ All Points East
Was torn between seeing these or Spiritualized but probably made the right choice. Got a decent spot down the front and this was sublime. Still not fully convinced on the album but this certainly helped it click more.
17, Bloc Party @ Norwich Waterfront
This was surprisingly good. They played a set heavy on the classics thankfully and I forgot how many big tunes they had. I actually didn’t mind the new album from this year either so the tracks from that were hardly duds. Kele is still a bit of a wally though.
18, Kae Tempest @ All Points East
I’d seen them live a couple of times about ten years ago but wasn’t properly a fan then. The last couple of albums have really clicked with me though so I was pumped for this set and it didn’t disappoint. Only downside was it was a bit short due to being a festival set during the day. Will definitely go next time they do a headline show in Norwich.
19, The Cribs @ Norwich Waterfront
You can’t go wrong with The Cribs live. Not the best time I’ve seen them but tune after tune with loads of energy.
20, Cast @ Norwich Waterfront
I had a big britpop year in 2022 so this kinda show was always going to go down well. Sound issues at the start but once they hit their stride it was great. Big up John Power.
Old stuff I have loved for the first time this year!
1,Show and AG – Goodfellas (1995)
I’d been a big fan of their debut, runaway slave, for years but it dawned on me this year I’d not listened to anything else by them. Check out this follow up and loved it even more than runaway slave. This is proper banging, great production and a real dark menacing sound.
2, Bailter space – Wammo (1995)
I’d previously heard earlier Bailterspace and enjoyed but wammo is a different level. Widely considered their most accessible album it combines the shoegazey sound of the earlier albums with big hooks. Love it.
3, Loop – A Gilded Eternity (1990)
Truth be told I could have stuck any Loop album here but I think this is the one I enjoyed the most. For some reason I’d never checked them out prior to this year despite it being a name on my radar for years and the kind of sound I love. Its psychedelic space rock not too dissimilar to early spiritualized/spacemen 3 but this band really clicked with me this year.
4, Secret Shine – Untouched (1993)
Dream pop/shoegaze from 93. You know what this sounds like. Its brilliant.
5, Tyrone Davis – Turn Back the Hands of Time (1970)
I’d been a fan of his debut lp for a few years but never gone further than that until this year. This is more of the same, wonderful Chicago soul music.
6, The Artwoods – Art Gallery (1966)
Ronnie wood’s brothers band. I wasn’t expecting much from this but this is great 60s mod rnb.
7, Betty Everett – There’ll Come a Time (1969)
Can’t remember how I got into this but its lovely funky sophisticated soul. Gets some comparisons to Dionne Warwick but she’s funkier, groovier and better.
8,Jimmy Mcgriff – Soul Sugar (1970)
Funky as fuck soul jazz stuff.
9,George Harrison – Cloud Nine (1987)
I had a big Beatles and Beatles solo work phase earlier in the year after Macca’s Glasto slot. I’d never listened to this whole lp from Harrison before. Turns out it is great.
10,Nas – It Was Written (1996)
For some reason I’d never checked out this album before despite it following an all time classic in Illmatic. It’s great.
11, Miriam Makeba – Keep me in Mind (1970)
Excellent African soul voice. Some top covers here too.
12, James Knight and the Butlers – Black Knight (1971)
Raw funk soul music from someone who wants to be James Brown. Good shit.
13, Maxayn – Maxayn (1972)
Psychedelic soul record. Sounds a bit like Sly and the Family Stone. Couple of belting Stones covers too.
14,The Times – Pop Goes Art (1982)
80s mod revival band. Should be shit, actually excellent and sounds like a cross between The Jam and Television Personalities.
15, The Stovall sisters – The Stovall Sisters (1971)
Big funky gospel album. Dig this.
16, Dyke and the Blazers – The Funky Broadway (1967)
Lacks a bit of consistency as isn’t all of the quality of the standout tunes but the standouts are fucking golden!
17 Group Home – Livin Proof (1995)
I’ve realised with hip hop I tend to focus mostly on the late 80s/early 90s sound and that actually there’s so many golden mid 90s lps I need to check out too. This has a reputation of having some of DJ Premier’s finest beats and they’re fucking right! Rapping is ok but it is the production that carrys this to greatness.
18, Shinsight Trio – Somewhere Beyond the Moon (2010)
23 mins of jazzy boom bap. Not sure how I’d missed these before as right up my street.
19, Cranes – Loved (1994)
I’d been meaning to check these out for a while and the constant comparisons Just Mustard have had to them finally made me do it. This is really nice female fronted dream pop/shoegaze with definite hints of Mazzy Star. Will look forward to checking out their other albums as this is the only one I’ve tried so far.
20, The Chameleons – Script of the Bridge (1983)
I’ve been a fan of the second album since picking it up on wax about 20 years ago but it dawned on me I’d never really ventured beyond that. I noticed they are touring the debut next year so thought I’d check it out and it’s even better than the sophomore. They always remind me of Echo and the Bunnymen for some reason. Will probably go to this gig next year.
I’d been a big fan of their debut, runaway slave, for years but it dawned on me this year I’d not listened to anything else by them. Check out this follow up and loved it even more than runaway slave. This is proper banging, great production and a real dark menacing sound.
2, Bailter space – Wammo (1995)
I’d previously heard earlier Bailterspace and enjoyed but wammo is a different level. Widely considered their most accessible album it combines the shoegazey sound of the earlier albums with big hooks. Love it.
3, Loop – A Gilded Eternity (1990)
Truth be told I could have stuck any Loop album here but I think this is the one I enjoyed the most. For some reason I’d never checked them out prior to this year despite it being a name on my radar for years and the kind of sound I love. Its psychedelic space rock not too dissimilar to early spiritualized/spacemen 3 but this band really clicked with me this year.
4, Secret Shine – Untouched (1993)
Dream pop/shoegaze from 93. You know what this sounds like. Its brilliant.
5, Tyrone Davis – Turn Back the Hands of Time (1970)
I’d been a fan of his debut lp for a few years but never gone further than that until this year. This is more of the same, wonderful Chicago soul music.
6, The Artwoods – Art Gallery (1966)
Ronnie wood’s brothers band. I wasn’t expecting much from this but this is great 60s mod rnb.
7, Betty Everett – There’ll Come a Time (1969)
Can’t remember how I got into this but its lovely funky sophisticated soul. Gets some comparisons to Dionne Warwick but she’s funkier, groovier and better.
8,Jimmy Mcgriff – Soul Sugar (1970)
Funky as fuck soul jazz stuff.
9,George Harrison – Cloud Nine (1987)
I had a big Beatles and Beatles solo work phase earlier in the year after Macca’s Glasto slot. I’d never listened to this whole lp from Harrison before. Turns out it is great.
10,Nas – It Was Written (1996)
For some reason I’d never checked out this album before despite it following an all time classic in Illmatic. It’s great.
11, Miriam Makeba – Keep me in Mind (1970)
Excellent African soul voice. Some top covers here too.
12, James Knight and the Butlers – Black Knight (1971)
Raw funk soul music from someone who wants to be James Brown. Good shit.
13, Maxayn – Maxayn (1972)
Psychedelic soul record. Sounds a bit like Sly and the Family Stone. Couple of belting Stones covers too.
14,The Times – Pop Goes Art (1982)
80s mod revival band. Should be shit, actually excellent and sounds like a cross between The Jam and Television Personalities.
15, The Stovall sisters – The Stovall Sisters (1971)
Big funky gospel album. Dig this.
16, Dyke and the Blazers – The Funky Broadway (1967)
Lacks a bit of consistency as isn’t all of the quality of the standout tunes but the standouts are fucking golden!
17 Group Home – Livin Proof (1995)
I’ve realised with hip hop I tend to focus mostly on the late 80s/early 90s sound and that actually there’s so many golden mid 90s lps I need to check out too. This has a reputation of having some of DJ Premier’s finest beats and they’re fucking right! Rapping is ok but it is the production that carrys this to greatness.
18, Shinsight Trio – Somewhere Beyond the Moon (2010)
23 mins of jazzy boom bap. Not sure how I’d missed these before as right up my street.
19, Cranes – Loved (1994)
I’d been meaning to check these out for a while and the constant comparisons Just Mustard have had to them finally made me do it. This is really nice female fronted dream pop/shoegaze with definite hints of Mazzy Star. Will look forward to checking out their other albums as this is the only one I’ve tried so far.
20, The Chameleons – Script of the Bridge (1983)
I’ve been a fan of the second album since picking it up on wax about 20 years ago but it dawned on me I’d never really ventured beyond that. I noticed they are touring the debut next year so thought I’d check it out and it’s even better than the sophomore. They always remind me of Echo and the Bunnymen for some reason. Will probably go to this gig next year.
Top 10 EPs of the year
1, Pastel - Isaiah
Big lad tunes full of early Verve worship on SPIRIT OF SPIKE ISLAND RECORDS. The record label name says it all.
2, Been Stellar - Been Stellar
American rock that sounds straight out of 1993. A bit Smashing Pumpkins a bit Drop Nineteens. I love this.
3, Regressive Left - On The Wrong Side of History
LCD Soundsystem lite. Good fun.
4, Moreish Idols - Float
It's a bit Black Midi, BCNR etc but better than Black Midi post debut, obviously.
5, Keg - Girders
Are you Squid in disguise? A perfectly good soundalike while we await the next Squid album
6, Memphis Reigns and QM - Reign Clouds
Summery scratchy boom bap. I'm in.
7, Ryley Walker - So Certain
A few tunes continuing in the sound of the last album. I'm a huge Ryley fanboy and these are just as good as anything on the LP.
8, Deep Tan - Diamond Horsetail
These scare me quite a bit but the tunes are good. Creepy frenetic post punk. A bit Raincoats in places too.
9, Opus Kink - 'Til the Stream Runs Dry
Nick Cave fronting BCNR. I'd wrongly written these off as third tier new band like Folly Group et al but they're much better than that.
10, Joyeria - FIM
Great fun Pavement soundalike tunes.
Big lad tunes full of early Verve worship on SPIRIT OF SPIKE ISLAND RECORDS. The record label name says it all.
2, Been Stellar - Been Stellar
American rock that sounds straight out of 1993. A bit Smashing Pumpkins a bit Drop Nineteens. I love this.
3, Regressive Left - On The Wrong Side of History
LCD Soundsystem lite. Good fun.
4, Moreish Idols - Float
It's a bit Black Midi, BCNR etc but better than Black Midi post debut, obviously.
5, Keg - Girders
Are you Squid in disguise? A perfectly good soundalike while we await the next Squid album
6, Memphis Reigns and QM - Reign Clouds
Summery scratchy boom bap. I'm in.
7, Ryley Walker - So Certain
A few tunes continuing in the sound of the last album. I'm a huge Ryley fanboy and these are just as good as anything on the LP.
8, Deep Tan - Diamond Horsetail
These scare me quite a bit but the tunes are good. Creepy frenetic post punk. A bit Raincoats in places too.
9, Opus Kink - 'Til the Stream Runs Dry
Nick Cave fronting BCNR. I'd wrongly written these off as third tier new band like Folly Group et al but they're much better than that.
10, Joyeria - FIM
Great fun Pavement soundalike tunes.
Top 40 albums of the year
40, Working Men’s Club – Fear Fear
Their debut was my album of the year and I had high hopes for this. Initially I thought it sounded great but ultimately it hasn’t had the staying power of the debut and lacks the big memorable tunes. I still enjoy this a lot but it was always going to be a challenge to match the debut for me.
39, Chill Rob G – Empires Crumble
I can’t say I’m massively knowledgeable about Chill Rob G. I know and liked Ride the Rhythm from 89 but hadn’t listened to any of his releases since then until now. I really like the production on this album and while it still has that 90s boom bap sound I dig with my hip hop it does also sound a bit more modern than some of the total pastiche stuff I like.
38, The Smile – A Light for Attracting Attention
It’s basically a Radiohead album ain’t it and it’s basically as good as the last few Radiohead albums. Grown on me as the year has gone by and seeing them live helped.
37, The Skinner Brothers – Soul Boy Vol II
Zach Skinner has caused a bit of a stir on the social media by being a bit of an outspoken gobshite of the new wave of ladrock this year. I had great fun with this album though and particularly during the first half of the year hammered this loads.
36, Action Bronson – Cocodrillo Turbo
Bronson seems to be finding a bit of consistency with his last couple of releases. I doubt we’ll ever reach the highs of Dr Lecter again but this is a lot better than the blip he had a few years back. One of those voices I’ll never tire of.
35, The Wave Pictures – When the Purple Emperor Spreads His Wings
A constant fixture on my end of year lists, The Wave Pictures. One of many acts who have gone down the double album route this year which I’m not normally a fan of. Over an hour of tunes can be a bit much to digest in one go but this is mostly great with huge bonus points for a song dedicated to Hazel Irvine.
34, Ural Thomas and the Pain – Dancing Dimensions
Ural is a new discovery for me this year with a great backstory. He was a soul singer in the 50s and 60s with the likes of Otis Redding, James Brown etc then disappeared from public eye for decades. He was rediscovered in the 2010s and has put out a few albums since with this being the latest. He’s now 82 but this is great psychedelic soul music.
33, Good Grief – Shake Your Faith
Scousers who sound nothing like Scousers and instead rip off the likes of Husker Du, The Replacements and The Lemonheads. Nothing original but I really enjoyed this and it worships a load of my favourite bands.
32, Blak Madeen – Amongst the Living Dead
90s centric hip hop that I’m a big sucker for. Lots of scratching and great samples give this a real golden era feel. Bonus points for featuring a guest spot from Edo G.
31, Czarface – Czarmageddon!
I’ve been a little bit hit and miss with Czarface stuff. They’ve been pretty prolific which can be hard to keep up with and while I’ve loved some of it, other releases have left me cold. This is definitely one of, if not their best for me. Fearless and Inventive is one of my favourite Kool Keith appearances in years too.
30, Julia Jacklin – Pre Pleasure
I loved Crushing and tbh still don’t feel like I’ve spent enough time with this. Her voice is just timeless though and I look forward to letting these songs get under my skin as initial impressions are this is a strong follow up.
29, Jarvis Cocker – This is Going to Hurt
Big surprise this one. I nearly didn’t bother as I assumed it was just an instrumental soundtrack but gave it a go and it ended up being a fully formed album with songs with words and everything. As always with Jarvis, lyrically it is great and the tunes are just as good as anything on his other solo albums. I reckon lots of people will have overlooked this one.
28, Craig Finn – A Legacy of Rentals
In recent years I’ve ended up enjoying Craig’s solo albums more than The Hold Steady. I’m pleased to see him follow the style of God In Chicago here with a couple more spoken word style tracks as I’m a huge sucker for these. Messing with the Settings and Break from the Barrage have ended up as two of my favourite ever Finn penned tracks.
27, PVA – Blush
This is banging. Kinda similar ground to Working Men’s Club but they’ve come up with the bigger and better tunes this year. Enjoyed their set supporting Dry Cleaning in Sheffield. Need to catch them again now the LP is out.
26, Ribbon Stage – Hit with the Most
I was a big fan of their EP from a couple of years back but had kinda forgotten about them until I saw the album had been released. 11 songs in under 20 minutes here so this flies by. Lofi indie pop with a c86 influence. I’m a sucker for this stuff and it is done really well here.
25, Spiritualized – Everything was Beautiful
I’ve always had loads of time for Spiritualized and this is probably their strongest release since Ladies and Gentlemen… for me. It’s nothing new but really strong songwriting and has a real classic feel.
24, Black Midi – Hellfire
I still think the debut lp was the best thing they’ve done by far. These last couple have been good but there was some real unhinged energy that’s been missing since that first record. When I’m in the right mood this sounds great..
23, The Sherlocks – A World I Understand
Yeah, they’re proper meat and potato rock but there’s always been something about them I quite like. It’s one of the least original sounds you can think of but they know their way around a decent tune. I’ve spent a large part of the year listening to ladrock like this so it has ended up being one of my most listened to albums of the year. Proper anthems for proper lads.
22, Nord1kone and DJ MROK – Tower of Babylon
Ridiculous lineup of talent on this one. Guest spots from Chuck D, Phill Most Chill, Kool G Rap, Gift of Gab etc give you everything you need to know about the sound of this one. As always with a hip hop recommendation from me it harks back to the early 90s golden era and is a brilliant throwback.
21, Tim Burgess – Typical Music
I love Tim but wasn’t keen on this at first. Again, I think it suffered from being too long and a lot to take in. A few tunes stood out though and was enough to keep me coming back and the whole thing eventually clicked in a big way.
20, Daniel Avery – Ultra Truth
Avery has probably overtaken Four Tet in recent years as my favourite electro artist. He consistently releases top albums that have exactly what I look for in electronic music which is a combination of ambient darkness with the occasional banger. I found this slightly disappointing on first listen but after spending a bit more time with it the subtleties have really revealed themselves.
19, Andy Bell – Flicker
Similar to the Tim Burgess album I struggled with this a bit initially due to the length but again there were a few standout tracks that kept me coming back. Just recently I've been in a real shoegaze phase and listening to a lot of Ride, Slowdive etc so decided to spend some proper time with this album again and have ended up really loving it. It particularly sounds great in headphones on my early morning bus ride to work in the dark. Bell is still hugely underrated for me as both a musician and a songwriter. Easily one of my favourite guitarists and wrote what is possibly my favourite song of all time in Vapour Trail. These tunes have a real feeling of nostalgia which I'm always a huge sucker for. Need to pick this up on wax.
18, Bodega – Broken Equipment
Their best release yet. I always quite liked them but found them slightly annoying. That’s pretty much fallen away with this release and it is just a great album. Pillar on the Bridge of You is massive.
17, Fontaines DC – Skinty FIA
I loved the last album but this took its time to click with me. I really wasn’t feeling it for the first couple of listens but got there in the end. Clearly one of the best bands of the past 5 years or so and I really need to get round to seeing them live.
16, Kae Tempest – The Line is a Curve
Kae has always been an artist I’ve appreciated but maybe not fully clicked with an album until now. This is a special piece of work though and consistently great throughout.
15, Jamie T – The Theory of Whatever
Huge surprise this one. I’ve tried with Jamie T several times before and never got the hype at all. Even saw him live twice with a mate who loves him and still nothing. In fact I’m not even sure why I even bothered to listen to this but it got me instantly. Loads of big hooks and just a great fun listen.
14, The Cool Greenhouse – Sod’s Toastie
A continuation of the sound and lyrical wit of the debut. Only this time without being conned into growing stinging nettles.
13, Liam Gallagher – Come on You Know
Huge album. Liam sounds great, loads of big tunes. His best solo release yet. There’s even fucking reggae!
12, Embrace – How to be a Person Like Other People
An Embrace album this high up in 2022, I know. I normally give new Embrace releases one listen for old times sake, cringe at how bad it is then never listen again. This was different though, it’s actually really good! Reminds me of The Good Will Out in sound and their best work since then for me. Led to a bit of a moment where I rediscovered my old love for Embrace too. Danny Mac 4ever.
11, Young Prisms – Drifter
First album in a decade for the San Francisco shoegazers. I’d been a casual fan of their debut but can’t say I remembered much about it, this one has really clicked with me though. Honeydew is a huge standout and has a bit more of an indiepop feel and even reminds me of something that could have fitted in on The Pains of Being Pure at Heart debut. High praise indeed.
10, Stone Foundation – Outside Looking In
I’ve really grown to love these in the last few years. It can be slightly cheesey in places but overall it is just really well crafted funk/soul music.
9, Horsegirl – Versions of Modern Performance
I loved the early singles so was really pumped for this. It just has that classic American indie sound I love and some wonderful guitar noises. A real consistent highlight of the year.
8, Johnny Marr – Fever Dreams
Another big surprise this one. Johnny is obviously a legend but I’ve always found his solo work nothing more than decent. This one just clicked with me though and I ended up playing it loads. Great guitars as you’d expect but some big tunes on this. Reminds me quite a lot of Music Complete by New Order.
7, Jermiside and The Expert – The Overview Effect
Never heard of these before but this combination of old school hip hop sounds and 60s psychedelia was a real winner for me.
6, Dry Cleaning – Stumpwork
Shock! Last year’s number one and my most raved about new band in years only make 7 on this year’s chart. This is still a wonderful album but a whole lot more subtle than the debut. I still feel it is growing and I may go on to love this more over the coming months and years but for now this feels about right.
5, Monophonics – Sage Motel
Colemine Records have become one of my favourite labels in recent years and this is a soul classic from their roster. Psychedelic soul and its finest and I always love a concept album.
4, Yard Act – The Overload
I was initially slightly disappointed when this came out. Those early singles were so good that the first tracks that came out from this couldn’t help but feel slightly underwhelming. They also clearly took a massive step towards the mainstream with their sound too which I wasn’t sure about at first. What I’ve come to realise though is that this is still a brilliantly written album with great hooks, personality and storytelling full of humour. Seeing them live again helped it all click into place and this is utterly deserving of one of my albums of the year.
3, Black Country New Road – Ants from Up There
From first listen I knew this was something special. The debut was great but this is a step up. It’s just a shame that with the singer leaving they were never able to properly tour this album as I’m sure it would have been even bigger. A sublime piece of work.
2, Dangermouse and Black Thought – Cheat Codes
This is unfortunate to miss out on the coveted number one spot. It had held it since release but in the end just lost out. It’s an incredible album that just sounded like a lost classic from the very first spin. Everything about this is great from the production and samples to the vocals. Even Michael Kiwanuka doesn’t ruin it! A hip hop masterclass.
1, Just Mustard- Heart Under
My biggest grower of the year. I initially thought this was pretty good but kept coming back to it for some reason. I then saw them live and everything fell into place and I’ve been obsessed ever since. It helps that I tend to listen to shoegazey stuff like this a lot more in winter months and I’ve been hammering this album in my headphones while on my bus journey to work in the dark each morning lately. It really works in that setting. Obvious influences here from Cranes, MBV and The Cure but they also have enough originality to make a sound their own.
Their debut was my album of the year and I had high hopes for this. Initially I thought it sounded great but ultimately it hasn’t had the staying power of the debut and lacks the big memorable tunes. I still enjoy this a lot but it was always going to be a challenge to match the debut for me.
39, Chill Rob G – Empires Crumble
I can’t say I’m massively knowledgeable about Chill Rob G. I know and liked Ride the Rhythm from 89 but hadn’t listened to any of his releases since then until now. I really like the production on this album and while it still has that 90s boom bap sound I dig with my hip hop it does also sound a bit more modern than some of the total pastiche stuff I like.
38, The Smile – A Light for Attracting Attention
It’s basically a Radiohead album ain’t it and it’s basically as good as the last few Radiohead albums. Grown on me as the year has gone by and seeing them live helped.
37, The Skinner Brothers – Soul Boy Vol II
Zach Skinner has caused a bit of a stir on the social media by being a bit of an outspoken gobshite of the new wave of ladrock this year. I had great fun with this album though and particularly during the first half of the year hammered this loads.
36, Action Bronson – Cocodrillo Turbo
Bronson seems to be finding a bit of consistency with his last couple of releases. I doubt we’ll ever reach the highs of Dr Lecter again but this is a lot better than the blip he had a few years back. One of those voices I’ll never tire of.
35, The Wave Pictures – When the Purple Emperor Spreads His Wings
A constant fixture on my end of year lists, The Wave Pictures. One of many acts who have gone down the double album route this year which I’m not normally a fan of. Over an hour of tunes can be a bit much to digest in one go but this is mostly great with huge bonus points for a song dedicated to Hazel Irvine.
34, Ural Thomas and the Pain – Dancing Dimensions
Ural is a new discovery for me this year with a great backstory. He was a soul singer in the 50s and 60s with the likes of Otis Redding, James Brown etc then disappeared from public eye for decades. He was rediscovered in the 2010s and has put out a few albums since with this being the latest. He’s now 82 but this is great psychedelic soul music.
33, Good Grief – Shake Your Faith
Scousers who sound nothing like Scousers and instead rip off the likes of Husker Du, The Replacements and The Lemonheads. Nothing original but I really enjoyed this and it worships a load of my favourite bands.
32, Blak Madeen – Amongst the Living Dead
90s centric hip hop that I’m a big sucker for. Lots of scratching and great samples give this a real golden era feel. Bonus points for featuring a guest spot from Edo G.
31, Czarface – Czarmageddon!
I’ve been a little bit hit and miss with Czarface stuff. They’ve been pretty prolific which can be hard to keep up with and while I’ve loved some of it, other releases have left me cold. This is definitely one of, if not their best for me. Fearless and Inventive is one of my favourite Kool Keith appearances in years too.
30, Julia Jacklin – Pre Pleasure
I loved Crushing and tbh still don’t feel like I’ve spent enough time with this. Her voice is just timeless though and I look forward to letting these songs get under my skin as initial impressions are this is a strong follow up.
29, Jarvis Cocker – This is Going to Hurt
Big surprise this one. I nearly didn’t bother as I assumed it was just an instrumental soundtrack but gave it a go and it ended up being a fully formed album with songs with words and everything. As always with Jarvis, lyrically it is great and the tunes are just as good as anything on his other solo albums. I reckon lots of people will have overlooked this one.
28, Craig Finn – A Legacy of Rentals
In recent years I’ve ended up enjoying Craig’s solo albums more than The Hold Steady. I’m pleased to see him follow the style of God In Chicago here with a couple more spoken word style tracks as I’m a huge sucker for these. Messing with the Settings and Break from the Barrage have ended up as two of my favourite ever Finn penned tracks.
27, PVA – Blush
This is banging. Kinda similar ground to Working Men’s Club but they’ve come up with the bigger and better tunes this year. Enjoyed their set supporting Dry Cleaning in Sheffield. Need to catch them again now the LP is out.
26, Ribbon Stage – Hit with the Most
I was a big fan of their EP from a couple of years back but had kinda forgotten about them until I saw the album had been released. 11 songs in under 20 minutes here so this flies by. Lofi indie pop with a c86 influence. I’m a sucker for this stuff and it is done really well here.
25, Spiritualized – Everything was Beautiful
I’ve always had loads of time for Spiritualized and this is probably their strongest release since Ladies and Gentlemen… for me. It’s nothing new but really strong songwriting and has a real classic feel.
24, Black Midi – Hellfire
I still think the debut lp was the best thing they’ve done by far. These last couple have been good but there was some real unhinged energy that’s been missing since that first record. When I’m in the right mood this sounds great..
23, The Sherlocks – A World I Understand
Yeah, they’re proper meat and potato rock but there’s always been something about them I quite like. It’s one of the least original sounds you can think of but they know their way around a decent tune. I’ve spent a large part of the year listening to ladrock like this so it has ended up being one of my most listened to albums of the year. Proper anthems for proper lads.
22, Nord1kone and DJ MROK – Tower of Babylon
Ridiculous lineup of talent on this one. Guest spots from Chuck D, Phill Most Chill, Kool G Rap, Gift of Gab etc give you everything you need to know about the sound of this one. As always with a hip hop recommendation from me it harks back to the early 90s golden era and is a brilliant throwback.
21, Tim Burgess – Typical Music
I love Tim but wasn’t keen on this at first. Again, I think it suffered from being too long and a lot to take in. A few tunes stood out though and was enough to keep me coming back and the whole thing eventually clicked in a big way.
20, Daniel Avery – Ultra Truth
Avery has probably overtaken Four Tet in recent years as my favourite electro artist. He consistently releases top albums that have exactly what I look for in electronic music which is a combination of ambient darkness with the occasional banger. I found this slightly disappointing on first listen but after spending a bit more time with it the subtleties have really revealed themselves.
19, Andy Bell – Flicker
Similar to the Tim Burgess album I struggled with this a bit initially due to the length but again there were a few standout tracks that kept me coming back. Just recently I've been in a real shoegaze phase and listening to a lot of Ride, Slowdive etc so decided to spend some proper time with this album again and have ended up really loving it. It particularly sounds great in headphones on my early morning bus ride to work in the dark. Bell is still hugely underrated for me as both a musician and a songwriter. Easily one of my favourite guitarists and wrote what is possibly my favourite song of all time in Vapour Trail. These tunes have a real feeling of nostalgia which I'm always a huge sucker for. Need to pick this up on wax.
18, Bodega – Broken Equipment
Their best release yet. I always quite liked them but found them slightly annoying. That’s pretty much fallen away with this release and it is just a great album. Pillar on the Bridge of You is massive.
17, Fontaines DC – Skinty FIA
I loved the last album but this took its time to click with me. I really wasn’t feeling it for the first couple of listens but got there in the end. Clearly one of the best bands of the past 5 years or so and I really need to get round to seeing them live.
16, Kae Tempest – The Line is a Curve
Kae has always been an artist I’ve appreciated but maybe not fully clicked with an album until now. This is a special piece of work though and consistently great throughout.
15, Jamie T – The Theory of Whatever
Huge surprise this one. I’ve tried with Jamie T several times before and never got the hype at all. Even saw him live twice with a mate who loves him and still nothing. In fact I’m not even sure why I even bothered to listen to this but it got me instantly. Loads of big hooks and just a great fun listen.
14, The Cool Greenhouse – Sod’s Toastie
A continuation of the sound and lyrical wit of the debut. Only this time without being conned into growing stinging nettles.
13, Liam Gallagher – Come on You Know
Huge album. Liam sounds great, loads of big tunes. His best solo release yet. There’s even fucking reggae!
12, Embrace – How to be a Person Like Other People
An Embrace album this high up in 2022, I know. I normally give new Embrace releases one listen for old times sake, cringe at how bad it is then never listen again. This was different though, it’s actually really good! Reminds me of The Good Will Out in sound and their best work since then for me. Led to a bit of a moment where I rediscovered my old love for Embrace too. Danny Mac 4ever.
11, Young Prisms – Drifter
First album in a decade for the San Francisco shoegazers. I’d been a casual fan of their debut but can’t say I remembered much about it, this one has really clicked with me though. Honeydew is a huge standout and has a bit more of an indiepop feel and even reminds me of something that could have fitted in on The Pains of Being Pure at Heart debut. High praise indeed.
10, Stone Foundation – Outside Looking In
I’ve really grown to love these in the last few years. It can be slightly cheesey in places but overall it is just really well crafted funk/soul music.
9, Horsegirl – Versions of Modern Performance
I loved the early singles so was really pumped for this. It just has that classic American indie sound I love and some wonderful guitar noises. A real consistent highlight of the year.
8, Johnny Marr – Fever Dreams
Another big surprise this one. Johnny is obviously a legend but I’ve always found his solo work nothing more than decent. This one just clicked with me though and I ended up playing it loads. Great guitars as you’d expect but some big tunes on this. Reminds me quite a lot of Music Complete by New Order.
7, Jermiside and The Expert – The Overview Effect
Never heard of these before but this combination of old school hip hop sounds and 60s psychedelia was a real winner for me.
6, Dry Cleaning – Stumpwork
Shock! Last year’s number one and my most raved about new band in years only make 7 on this year’s chart. This is still a wonderful album but a whole lot more subtle than the debut. I still feel it is growing and I may go on to love this more over the coming months and years but for now this feels about right.
5, Monophonics – Sage Motel
Colemine Records have become one of my favourite labels in recent years and this is a soul classic from their roster. Psychedelic soul and its finest and I always love a concept album.
4, Yard Act – The Overload
I was initially slightly disappointed when this came out. Those early singles were so good that the first tracks that came out from this couldn’t help but feel slightly underwhelming. They also clearly took a massive step towards the mainstream with their sound too which I wasn’t sure about at first. What I’ve come to realise though is that this is still a brilliantly written album with great hooks, personality and storytelling full of humour. Seeing them live again helped it all click into place and this is utterly deserving of one of my albums of the year.
3, Black Country New Road – Ants from Up There
From first listen I knew this was something special. The debut was great but this is a step up. It’s just a shame that with the singer leaving they were never able to properly tour this album as I’m sure it would have been even bigger. A sublime piece of work.
2, Dangermouse and Black Thought – Cheat Codes
This is unfortunate to miss out on the coveted number one spot. It had held it since release but in the end just lost out. It’s an incredible album that just sounded like a lost classic from the very first spin. Everything about this is great from the production and samples to the vocals. Even Michael Kiwanuka doesn’t ruin it! A hip hop masterclass.
1, Just Mustard- Heart Under
My biggest grower of the year. I initially thought this was pretty good but kept coming back to it for some reason. I then saw them live and everything fell into place and I’ve been obsessed ever since. It helps that I tend to listen to shoegazey stuff like this a lot more in winter months and I’ve been hammering this album in my headphones while on my bus journey to work in the dark each morning lately. It really works in that setting. Obvious influences here from Cranes, MBV and The Cure but they also have enough originality to make a sound their own.
