2020: THE YEAR IN MUSIC!!!
(Featuring The Legendary No Static At All Top 50 Albums Of The Year!)
And so, the time has come for us to wave a not so fond farewell to the year that was 2020. A tumultuous year for so many reasons, but one that will always be remembered as 'The Year Of Covid'. Although, with the current state of affairs not really shifting forward in any meaningfully positive way, it could be argued that last year could just be the start of things. Here's hoping that the universe provides for us all and that everything starts to change for the better - sooner rather than later.
Obviously, the personal cost of the Corona Virus must take precedence when it comes to reviewing the last 12 months - and rightly so. For my part, I - and most of my nearest and dearest - have managed to avoid the serious end of things but for any of you out there who are reading this here little blog and have experienced the sharp end of the bug - I offer thanks for logging on and condolences for any loss.
The Corona effect has of course decimated the music industry just as much - perhaps even more so - than most areas. Live gigs, festivals and musical performances of any kind have been on shutdown since last March and with our esteemed government seemingly unwilling to help out in any way, it doesn't look good for the bulk of 2021 either. Many bands and artists have turned to the internet and moved into live streaming performances for fans across the world, as well as pushing forward merchandise opportunities to help the financial constraints of themselves and their employees. As welcome as these revenue streams must be for the artists involved, it's a drop in the ocean compared to what they would have earned from touring commitments that - at the moment at least - seem a long, long way from being rescheduled. Fingers crossed for the industry as a whole and that the world gets back to some kind of normality before it's too late. (As a postscript, I was lucky enough to attend a few gigs early in 2020 before everything shut down and - in lieu of my annual Top Ten Gigs Of The Year list - my favourite three were the luscious torch-song stylings of Angel Olsen and her 'All Mirrors' tour at the Hammersmith Apollo; Sleater-Kinney's astounding performance at Brixton's rammed to the rafters Academy and the supremely scuzzy Heavy Psych Sounds Fest at the even more supremely scuzzy Camden Underworld where the likes of Black Rainbows and Mondo Generator did the business and then some).
Fortunately, despite all the horrendous upheaval around the globe, new music has broken through in gargantuan style with masses of magnificent albums and tonnes of tremendous tunes filtering down into the No Static At All sphere. The following post will touch on all the major food groups and - hopefully -give you some idea of the best stuff available for your delectation. As is traditional, I will end this mammoth look back at 2020's runners and riders with my annual Top 50 Albums Of The Year list which has caused me no end of sleepless nights before I was able to finalise my decision. I recommend you pull up your favourite piece of recline-worthy furniture, pour yourself a flagon of mead and get stuck in.
(To make things even more enjoyable, here's a link to the best music of 2020 for you to listen to whilst you read - how joyous!)
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4ARawAeoWrzGQAGRvcAnKw
ROCK/METAL/PSYCH/HEAVY
We start - as we always do - with the heavy goods. And what goods there were. Running the full gamut of everything that the louder end of the spectrum has to offer - from soft-rock and prog royalty like Bon Jovi, Deep Purple, Fish, FM and the long-awaited return of Blue Oyster Cult, to metal legends such as the seemingly deathless Ozzy Osbourne, Napalm Death and Sepultura - 2020 was chock-full of gnarly riffage, brain-melting noise and in-your-face pulverising power. There was a raft of magnificently hairy and lairy Southern rock types getting deep, down and dirty for your delight with the likes of The Outlaws, Black Stone Cherry, Crown Lands and The Cadillac Three who all released splendid albums more than worthy of your time. Pick of the bunch though were The Texas Gentlemen who released their storming second album 'Floor It!!!' in the summer and immediately nestled in quite snugly with the likes of Little Feat, Creedence and The Band when it came to choogle-filled 70's indebted country-rock. Marvellous fare.
 |
| 'The Texas Gentlemen' |
There was an astonishingly ear-splitting troupe of 21st Century metal releases from Trivium, Bring Me The Horizon, Svalbard, Elder, Clipping and the utterly extraordinary 'Underneath' by Pittsburgh collective Code Orange which saw this terrifically experimental band fuse modern-day electronica and full-throttle hardcore into a dense, broiling stew of cerebellum-scrambling noise. Utterly wonderful, quite frankly. Elsewhere, living legends Mike Patton and Maynard James Keenan - taking time out from their respective Faith No More and Tool day jobs - returned with side-projects Mr. Bungle and Puscifier and there was further punk and hardcore influenced gloriousness from Idles - with their third album 'Ultra Mono' - and the brilliantly named Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs who's second album 'Viscerals' was an absolute joy. Over in the alt-rock, grunge-inflected aisle, we found the likes of the rejuvenated Stone Temple Pilots with their lovely, acoustic-led 'Perdida' opus, an intriguing side-project from Pearl Jam's Stone Gossard and his Painted Shield collective, an excellent third album from Nashville's Bully as well as some bog-standard fare from Biffy Clyro, Green Day and Slipknot frontman Corey Taylor who tried something a bit different with the shiny pop-smarts of 'CMFT' and just about succeeded. My go-to genre this year though within the heavy bracket was the sludgy, dust-encrusted stoner-rock arena where the legendary likes of Brant Bjork and Nick Oliveri's Mondo Generator - both previously of the Kyuss parish - released albums full of dirty grooves, dusty blues and low-slung psych sounds. I also thoroughly enjoyed the latest releases from The Pilgrim, Black Rainbows, Sweden's Blues Pills, the head-strafing wonder of 'Ummon' by French psychedelic wanderers Slift and, more than any other, the quite magnificent 'Nothing As The Ideal' by Nashville psych-blues pioneers All Them Witches which tied up the loose ends of Led Zep swagger, Doors-esque atmosphere, modern-day stoner-rock wooziness and gut-throbbing chugging riffs into one outstanding whole. Outrageously good.
TOP 5 ROCK/METAL/PSYCH/HEAVY:
5: CODE ORANGE: 'Underneath'
4: BRANT BJORK: 'Brant Bjork'
3: THE TEXAS GENTLEMEN: 'Floor It!!!'
2: SLIFT: 'Ummon'
1: ALL THEM WITCHES: 'Nothing As The Ideal'
 |
| 'All Them Witches' |
INDIE/ALTERNATIVE
Next up in this trawl through 2020's best bits, is a deep dive into my favourite wheelhouse of all - indie rock and alternative sounds of every stripe. It was another very solid year in this department with sterling releases from ace acts - old and new. We'll start with the new though, and an absolute shed-load of storming debut efforts from a bunch of bands with heady futures on the horizon. Brighton natives Porridge Radio released the brilliant 'Every Bad' and ticked all my boxes when it came to lo-fi fuzz and ramshackle indie. They were closely followed by the likes of London art-rockers Sorry, atmospheric Mancunian doom-mongers Ist Ist and hilariously offensive Aussie noiseniks The Chats who released a spartan debut of shouty punk numbers including the boisterously wonderful 'Smoko'. Three all-female acts returned with hugely impressive second albums - The Big Moon, Dream Wife and Hinds from Madrid with their joyously entertaining 'The Prettiest Curse' opus. Psych-infused indie was in full flow too with the likes of Ben Chasny and his long-standing Six Organs Of Admittance project, New Jersey's Garcia Peoples and their shifting, sprawling 'Nightcap At Wit's End' album, Texan choogle enthusiasts White Denim and their solid lockdown effort 'World As A Waiting Room', yet another release from the outrageously prolific Ty Segall - this time under his Fuzz moniker - and another album from the even more outrageously prolific Aussie psych fiends King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard who released the tremendous 'KG' set in the late summer. It's their 16th album since 2012 - which is just showing off quite frankly - and it was just as glorious as all the others, barrelling through all that is good and holy when it comes to fuzzy psych and slap-you-round-the-chops alt-rock. Their 17th album - 'LW' - is awaiting imminent release. But of course.
 |
| 'King Gizzard...' |
Classic indie acts from back in the day re-appeared from the shadows with fabulous new sounds. There was a heart-warming return to the coalface from long-lost London new-wavers The Psychedelic Furs - last seen some time around 1991 - who released the excellent 'Made Of Rain' to very welcome notices. Also back in the fray were Midlands indie-poppers Cornershop - some 22 years after their monstrously successful 'Brimful Of Asha' Number One single - and their really rather lovely 'England Is A Garden'. Also back were Manchester's legendary indie-dance progenitors AR Kane, Fugazi's Ian MacKaye and his new Coriky project as well as a brand new solo album from Tim Burgess of The Charlatans who took some time off from his magnificently popular Lockdown Listening Parties on Twitter to release his gorgeous 'I Love The New Sky'. Elsewhere on the margins we found gloomy death disco from Protomartyr, widescreen dream-pop from Nothing, not as good as it thinks it is glam-pop from The Lemon Twigs, jangly indie-pop from Car Seat Headrest, erudite soundscapes from Destroyer, some terrifically enjoyable Gallic Surf-grooves from Juniore and some lusciously baroque art-rock from Perfume Genius. Coming very close to breaking the fabled Top 50 though were the debut solo album from Matt Berninger of The National who released the stripped-back 'Serpentine Prison' toward the end of the year; the pleasingly slapdash collaboration between The Flaming Lips and Deap Vally on their - oh yes - 'Deap Lips' opus; the new project from Interpol's Paul Banks who hooked up with Josh Kaufman of Bonny Light Horseman under the Muzz umbrella and delivered a wondrous collection of laid-back new wave and post-punk; and, in particular, the fifth full-length album of splendidly summery and joyfully janglesome grooves from New Jersey natives Real Estate and their 'The Main Thing' album which - in an ideal world - would have sounded absolutely astonishing at a late summer festival, hazy sunshine above and cold beverage in hand. One day, eh? Sigh.
TOP 5 INDIE/ALTERNATIVE:
5: PORRIDGE RADIO: 'Every Bad'
4: CORNERSHOP: 'England Is A Garden'
3: KING GIZZARD & THE LIZARD WIZARD: 'KG'
2: MUZZ: 'Muzz'
1: REAL ESTATE: 'The Main Thing'
 |
| 'Real Estate' |
COUNTRY/AMERICANA/FOLK
Onto the more relaxed end of things now with a preposterously profound preponderance of hushed acoustic tones, laid-back stringed instrumentation of every hue and traditional song-writing stylings of the finest kind. Relaxed Americana from across the pond had a banner year in 2020 with superb new albums from musical polymath - and creative arranger for Pink Floyd nabob Roger Waters last world tour no less - Jonathan Wilson who released the fantastically down-home 'Dixie Blur'. On top of that, No Static At All favourites of many years standing Ray LaMontagne, William Elliot Whitmore, Widowspeak and Bill Callahan all delivered excellent additions to their respective catalogues. Callahan's 'Gold Record' in particular was a real wonder, following on swiftly from 2019's sprawling 'Shepherd In A Sheepskin Vest' opus and touching on his new-found domestic bliss with a fresh new take on his wry vignettes of modern-day life. Wonderful stuff. More traditional country-rock fare was found within albums from legendary troubadour Steve Earle - along with his Dukes backing troupe - as well as the second terrific release from The Allman-Betts Band, sterling sets from The White Buffalo, Marcus King, Nathaniel Rateliff and the splendid Pacific Range with their 'High Upon The Mountain' opus - a modern-day Flying Burrito Brothers if ever I've heard one - and a trio of magnificent albums from some of the fiercest females on the country scene in Lucinda Williams and her earthy 'Good Souls, Better Angels'; the gospel-tinged - and Sturgill Simpson produced - 'That's How Rumours Get Started' by Margo Price; and the delicate, lost-love ruminations of 'Old Flowers' by Courtney Marie Andrews. There was also some very special indie-infused Americana from Waxahatchee - aka Katie Crutchfield - on her divine fifth album 'Saint Cloud' as well as a very welcome return to the fray for both Conor Oberst - who re-activated his Bright Eyes trio after ten years with the solid 'Down In the Weeds, Where The World Once Was' collection - and also Grant-Lee Phillips, who - some 28 years after I was first blown away by a live performance of his previous combo Grant Lee Buffalo - re-appeared with his tenth solo outing of front-porch dwelling troubadour tunes.
 |
| 'Grant-Lee Phillips' |
Folk-tinged Americana had a very strong year too with female artists such as Laura Viers, HC McEntire, Gwenifer Raymond, Suzanne Vallie, Kate Stables - under her This Is The Kit alias - former Lone Justice leader (and early 90's power ballad queen) Maria McKee, and Big Thief's Adrienne Lenker all releasing exceptional albums that covered a whole range of styles from folky horror ballads, baroque chamber-pop, spectral instrumentals and hazy, ethereal twang. There was also a fine bunch of more traditional folk releases with the splendid sounds of Welsh prog-folk troupe Hen Ogledd - featuring the mighty Richard Dawson among their number - as well as living legend Shirley Collins who, at the age of 85 and over 50 years since her travels around America with folk collector Alan Lomax, released the delightful 'Heart's Ease'. There was also a tremendous collaboration - a folk-rock super-group, if you will - between songwriter and playwright Anais Mitchell, long-standing member of The Shins Eric Johnson and Josh Kaufman from Hiss Golden Messenger, who clubbed together under the moniker Bonny Light Horseman and gave us a glorious debut offering of magical trad-folk and hug-inducing spirituals. I also thoroughly enjoyed the brilliant 'Old Wow' from London's Sam Lee, who has been ploughing his own furrow of esoteric folk and jug-band blues styles for many years now. Long may he continue.
My favourite albums of 2020 from this particular genre though were career-peaks for all involved. Alt-country legends Drive-By Truckers - who, aside from the late, great R.E.M. are possibly the finest band to come out of Athens, Georgia - released their last album 'American Band' in 2016. That record was a call to arms to their fellow countrymen that specific decisions wouldn't be taken and political differences would be smoothed over. The last four years have put paid to that in monstrous style so it was only right and proper that this hugely important band - led by the ever-present Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley - put pen to paper and addressed their fury and disappointment across not one, but two extraordinary albums of passionate, politically charged and socially aware widescreen Southern rock and full-blown Americana. Both January's 'The Unraveling' and December's no-less potent follow-up 'The New OK' were as good as modern-day rock music gets - no matter what genre you wish to label it with. It was just such a shame that - like the majority of the music I've written about so far - we were unable to see the band perform these astonishing songs in a live setting. Elsewhere, former Trucker Jason Isbell released his seventh solo collection of rich, soothing country ballads and hip-thrusting rockers on the fabulous 'Reunions', and there was also a divine new album from Frazey Ford - formerly of Canadian alt-country trio The Be Good Tanyas - who's 'U Kin B The Sun' was a sun-kissed raft of soulful country grooves and soothing, folky balm. And finally, when it comes to soothing, you can't go far wrong with the long-awaited return of British singer-songwriter Bill Fay who - a full 50 years after his debut album and almost ten since his re-appearance from the wilderness - delivered in 'Countless Branches' his third comeback album of piano-led traditional folk songs and beatific paeans to life, love, mortality and spiritual wonder that would make even the hardest heart melt a little.
TOP 5 COUNTRY/AMERICANA/FOLK:
5: BILL CALLAHAN: 'Gold Record'
4: FRAZEY FORD: 'U Kin B The Sun'
3: JASON ISBELL: 'Reunions'
2: BILL FAY: 'Countless Branches'
1: DRIVE-BY TRUCKERS: 'The Unraveling' & 'The New OK'
 |
| 'Drive-By Truckers' |
DANCE/ELECTRONICA/HIP-HOP/JAZZ/WORLD/BLUES
A slightly less fulsome year in 2020 when it came to the kind of sounds that would usually have me shaking my hips, tapping my feet and rolling up the rug in the lounge for a groovesome slice of dancing like nobody's watching. However, there was just enough fresh content to wish I was in a tent at a festival on a Saturday night throwing some serious shapes. Hip-Hop's 2020 was a tad fallow with just a few albums from some old stalwarts shaking my tree in the form of Public Enemy's strident 'What You Gonna Do When The Grid Goes Down?'; the latest angry missive from the now elder statesman of rap Eminem and his 'Music To Be Murdered By - Side B' and, in particular, the quite astonishing new release from Killer Mike and El-P - otherwise known as Run The Jewels - who's 'RTJ4' was an uncompromising and muscular state-of-the-nation address that saw the duo solidify their place at rap's top table in excoriating style and featured a ferocious crew of special guests including Zack De La Rocha, DJ Premier and Josh Homme.
 |
| 'Run The Jewels' |
There was also a brace of albums by UK acts who have been heavily influenced by US hip-hop over the years with the 13th studio album from Bristol's Tricky, who followed up his nakedly personal 2019 memoir with his best album in years in 'Fall To Pieces' as well as Damon Albarn's new Gorillaz project - 'Song Machine Season 1' - which saw the former Blur fulcrum collaborate with artists as varied as rappers Slowthai, Kano, Schoolboy Q and Skepta and legends such as Elton John, Beck, Robert Smith and - quite wonderfully - Leee John of long-lost UK Brit-Funkers Imagination. The most interesting - and ultimately, mysterious - releases from the UK side of this particular genre came from the anonymous SAULT collective who - eventually unmasked (perhaps?) as London-based producer Inflo - delivered two extraordinary double albums of modern-day RnB, proto-soul and politically charged Afro-beats and rhythms on 'Untitled: Black Is' and 'Untitled: Rise'. Hugely exciting stuff.
Electronic music had a very solid year - the genre does exceedingly well in my Top 50 - with tremendous new music from dyed-in-the-wool No Static favourites Holy Fuck, Daniel Avery, Oneohtrix Point Never and New York City's very own techno magus Moby who - after a tough couple of years of opprobrium from certain quarters over revelations in his most recent memoir - got back to doing what he does best and released the very good indeed 'All Visible Objects' album. There was a couple of electronica-indebted albums from Australia's ambient-jazz soundscapers The Necks and Norfolk brothers Sunda Arc and their gorgeous 'Tides' opus. The Smart brothers from Sunda Arc are also members of Brit-Jazz combo Mammal Hands and some of their current contemporaries had a brilliant year with the likes of Moses Boyd, Nubya Garcia, GoGo Penguin and London's mighty Shabaka Hutchings who - not content with fronting two of the best bands to come out of this scene in recent years in The Comet Is Coming and Sons Of Kemet - found time to put together another album of intense spiritual jazz and free-form psychedelic exploration on his Shabaka And The Ancestors release 'We Are Sent Here By History'. Throw in some driving African grooves and stomping desert blues with releases from Afel Bocoum, Tamikrest, Bab L'Bluz and a wondrous hook-up between the late and very great Tony Allen and Hugh Masekela - as well as two straightforward blues albums that piqued my interest from Joe Bonamassa and Errol Linton - and 2020 wasn't too shabby after all in this particular department.
 |
| 'Thundercat' |
It certainly wasn't when it came to the albums that almost made it into my final countdown: 'It Is What It Is' from L.A.'s Stephen Bruner - otherwise known as Thundercat - who took a step back from his previous sprawling collections of funk, jazz, soul and psych and focused on concise, economical song-writing to marvellous effect; and the truly gorgeous 'Pleasure, Joy And Happiness' from California's Eddie Chacon - who was once one half of early 90's one-hit-wonders Charles & Eddie - which came out of nowhere towards the end of 2020 and blew my mind. A stunning suite of downbeat soul and woozy, lo-fi RnB, Chacon's tales of darkness, depression, ennui and hope for the future recalled the heady heights of early 70's Motown classics from Stevie Wonder and - most pertinently - Marvin Gaye's 'What's Going On'. High praise perhaps, but most definitely justified.
TOP 5 DANCE/ELECTRONICA/HIP-HOP/JAZZ/WORLD/BLUES:
5: MOBY: 'All Visible Objects'
4: SAULT: 'Untitled: Black Is' & 'Untitled: Rise'
3: RUN THE JEWELS: 'RTJ4'
2: THUNDERCAT: 'It Is What It Is'
1: EDDIE CHACON: 'Pleasure, Joy And Happiness'
 |
| 'Eddie Chacon' |
CLASSIC ACTS/HERITAGE ROCK
A brief sortie now into the realm of the much-maligned 'classic act' or 'heritage artist' - the kind of performer or band who still knocks out an album every few years which may or may not touch on former glories from early on in their career but is still worthy of some listening time. Some of the following artists are perhaps way past their best - song-writing wise - but have still managed to put a decent shift in and deliver sturdy additions to their respective canons. One of the biggest bands of the last 20 years - Las Vegas natives The Killers - returned with the reasonably solid 'Welcome To The Mirage' and one of the most popular UK bands from the early noughties - wistful Scottish troubadours Travis - re-appeared with the delightful '10 Songs' which featured a warming, harmony-laden duet with Susanna Hoffs from The Bangles. James Dean Bradfield from Welsh politico-rockers Manic Street Preachers released his tribute album to Chilean activist Victor Jara - 'Even In Exile' - and The Modfather himself - Paul Weller - continued his recent purple patch with the experimental 'On Sunset' which touched on pastoral folk, glam, and old-school white-boy soul to thrilling effect. There was also some fine efforts from turn of the 80s new-wave royalty The Pretenders and Wire, 70's glam-rock brothers Sparks and a very welcome return to the fray for Aussie post-punkers Midnight Oil with their first new recording in almost 20 years. Three living legends returned with extremely solid albums: Elvis Costello with 'Hey Clockface'; Mike Scott - along with his Waterboys - with the fantastic 'Good Luck, Seeker'; and the one and only Paul 'Fab Macca Wacky Thumbs Aloft' McCartney himself, who commemorated the 40th anniversary of his old sparring partner John Lennon's death with his lockdown recorded 'McCartney 3' opus which was chock-full of stellar tunes.
Coming very close to breaking my Top 50 though were the brand new albums from mid-90s alt-rock queens Alanis Morissette and Fiona Apple who returned after many years away with 'So Many Forks In The Road' and 'Fetch The Bolt Cutters' respectively and reiterated in some style what brilliant songwriters they both are and also what incredibly important and influential artists they remain to this day. And a quick shout-out to my favourite synth-pop band of the 80's the Pet Shop Boys who released their 14th studio opus 'Hotspot' in early January - remember how long ago that seems? - and, even though they will never reach the giddy heights of their late 80's imperial phase, still maintained a decent batting average among it's ten tracks.
 |
| 'Macca' |
Coming very close to breaking my Top 50 though were the brand new albums from mid-90s alt-rock queens Alanis Morissette and Fiona Apple who returned after many years away with 'So Many Forks In The Road' and 'Fetch The Bolt Cutters' respectively and reiterated in some style what brilliant songwriters they both are and also what incredibly important and influential artists they remain to this day. And a quick shout-out to my favourite synth-pop band of the 80's the Pet Shop Boys who released their 14th studio opus 'Hotspot' in early January - remember how long ago that seems? - and, even though they will never reach the giddy heights of their late 80's imperial phase, still maintained a decent batting average among it's ten tracks.
As well as all the above, my old mucker Neil Young had something of a full-blown explosion of creativity - putting together not only his second volume of the mammoth 'Archives' series, but posting a huge number of videos on his website of his good self sitting on his porch playing some tunes. The best of these were released in late summer as 'The Times' EP and were a glorious listen. He also allowed the long-lost 'Homegrown' album to see the light of day, and the double live album 'Return To Greendale' got an official release too. All this, and he celebrated his 75th birthday. Long may he reign.
 |
| 'Neil Young' |
There was also a fabulous return to recorded glory for Roger J. Manning, Eric Dover and Tim Smith, three-quarters of the latter line-up of early 90's power-poppers - and architects of my favourite album of all time - Jellyfish. The three of them have been by no means idle since their former band's split in 1994, but have obviously become weary of waiting for the highly improbable re-appearance from the wilderness of original Jellyfish main man Andy Sturmer and have subsequently re-named themselves The Lickerish Quartet and jumped straight back in where they left off. Their first two EP's - 'Threesome Volume 1' and 'Volume 2' - were exactly what I wanted them to be, straining at the leash with wit, verve, invention, Beatles pop-smarts, close-knit harmonies, surging chords and music-hall whimsy.
Finally, a brief mention for my favourite song-writer of the past three decades - Mark Kozelek. As per usual, the San Francisco based Ohio native was just as prolific as he has been for many years, with three albums hitting my stereo in 2020. Under his own name there was 'All The Best, Isaac Hayes' as well as a second collaboration with multi-instrumentalists Jim White and Ben Boye on 'Kozelek, White and Boye 2'. And at the end of last year came 'Welcome To Sparks, Nevada' under his Sun Kil Moon moniker. All three albums were once again full of brilliant songs and wonderful music that yet again proved how supremely talented he is. However, in the midst of all these creative endeavours, came shocking revelations from a number of women accusing Kozelek of sexual misconduct and unsavoury behaviour over recent years. Kozelek has strenuously denied everything and the case is foregoing. Because of this, I can't - in good conscience - start comparing Kozelek's work to others from 2020 so, as good as the above three albums are, I feel it's only right and proper to put them to one side.
5: THE WATERBOYS: 'Good Luck, Seeker'
4: FIONA APPLE: 'Fetch The Bolt Cutters'
3: PET SHOP BOYS: 'Hotspot'
2: NEIL YOUNG: 'The Times EP'
1: THE LICKERISH QUARTET: 'Threesome Volumes 1 & 2'
 |
| 'The Lickerish Quartet' |
IN MEMORIAM
Once again, 2020 saw the loss of many musical heroes and heroines - some of whom were extremely important to my music-loving life - and all of them will be sorely missed.
Rest in power to all of the following:
EDDIE VAN HALEN (Jan 26/55 - Oct 6/20)
PETER GREEN (Oct 29/46 - July 25/20)
ANDREW WEATHERALL (April 6/63 - Feb 17/20)
NEIL PEART, ANDY GILL, MANU DIBANGO, ADAM SCHLESINGER, DAVID ROBACK, DAVE GREENFIELD, TOOTS HIBBERT, JOHN PRINE, FLORIAN SCHNEIDER, ENNIO MORRICONE, SIMEON COXE, LITTLE RICHARD, JOHNNY NASH, SPENCER DAVIS, IVAN KRAL, TIM SMITH, DENISE JOHNSON, JUDY DYBLE, RUPERT HINE, BILL WITHERS, MF DOOM, KENNY ROGERS, JULIE FELIX, BILL REIFLIN, PETE WAY, JUSTIN TOWNES EARLE, EMITT RHODES, ASTRID KIRCHERR, STEVE PRIEST, GENESIS P. ORRIDGE, PHIL MAY.
(And a fond farewell to the wonderful Q Magazine - my music bible since 1986)
TOP 30 REISSUES/COMPILATIONS
As is traditional, I start my proper rundown of the best music of 2020 with a thorough trawl through the finest reissues, compilations, re-releases and live offerings from across the musical spectrum. Eyes down and indulge yourselves, people.....
30: PYLON: 'Box'
29: BLACK SABBATH: 'Paranoid 50th Anniversary Edition'
28: VARIOUS ARTISTS: 'Oneness Of Juju'
27: TREES: 'Trees 50th Anniversary Box'
26: JOHN COLTRANE: 'Giant Steps 60th Anniversary Edition'
25: DIRE STRAITS: 'Complete Albums Box'
24: METALLICA: 'S&M 2'
23: PETER GABRIEL: 'Rated PG'
22: SUEDE: 'The Beautiful Ones 1992 - 2018'
21: SIMPLE MINDS: 'Street Fighting Years Deluxe Edition'
20: IGGY POP: 'The Bowie Years'
19: DEFTONES: 'White Pony/Black Stallion'
18: PALE SAINTS: 'The Comforts Of Madness 30th Anniversary'
17: JOHN LENNON: 'Gimme Some Truth Box Set'
16: THE BLUE NILE: 'High Deluxe Edition'
15: BEASTIE BOYS: 'Music'
14: PJ HARVEY: 'To Bring You My Love/Dry - Demos'
13: ROBERT PLANT: 'Digging Deep: Subterranea'
12: MUDHONEY: 'Real Low Vibe: The Reprise Recordings 92-98'
11: SUZANNE VEGA: 'An Evening Of New York Songs And Stories'
10: LOU REED: 'New York Deluxe Box Set'
9: TEARS FOR FEARS: 'The Seeds Of Love Deluxe Box Set'
8: PEARL JAM: 'MTV Unplugged'
7: ELLIOTT SMITH: 'Elliott Smith 25th Anniversary Expanded'
6: THE WAR ON DRUGS: 'Live Drugs'
5: TOM PETTY: 'Wildflowers & All The Rest'
4: NICK CAVE: 'Idiot Prayer - Alone At Alexandra Palace'
3: NEIL YOUNG: 'Homegrown'
2: THE BELOVED: 'Happiness 30th Anniversary Edition'
1: PRINCE: 'Sign O' The Times Super Deluxe Box Set'
 |
| 'His name was Prince...and he was funky' |
TOP 10 MUSIC BOOKS:
A new addition to my annual run-down here with a wee little glance toward the bookshelf and my choice of the best music-related tomes that piqued my interest. The Number One choice in particular could well be the most extraordinary memoir of any kind that I've ever read.
10: TIME BETWEEN: My Life As A Byrd, Burrito Brother And Beyond by Chris Hillman
9: SMALL HOURS: The Long Night Of John Martyn by Graeme Thomson
8: NOT FOR YOU: Pearl Jam And The Present Tense by Ronen Givony
7: WHILE WE WWERE GETTING HIGH: Britpop And The 90's by Kevin Cummings
6: LET LOVE RULE: A Memoir by Lenny Kravitz
5: BROKEN GREEK: A Story Of Chip Shops And Pop Songs by Pete Paphides
4: ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR: The Beatles In Time by Craig Brown
3: I WANNA BE YOURS by John Cooper Clarke
2: TOTAL FUCKING GODHEAD: The Biography Of Chris Cornell by Corbin Reiff
1: SING BACKWARDS AND WEEP by Mark Lanegan
TOP 50 ALBUMS OF 2020:
Eyes down then for the very best of the very best. The finest 50 albums from an extraordinary year - both inside and outside the music bubble. You want rock, pop, dance, folk, funk, psych and indie? Look no further, my friends - everything lies within. Enjoy, won't you?
50: FUTURE ISLANDS: 'As Long As You Are'
49: BOB MOULD: 'Blue Hearts'
48: THE DREAM SYNDICATE: 'The Universe Inside'
After two glorious post-comeback albums drenched in what made this Californian combo so special in the first place - janglesome grooves, harmony vocals and summery vibes - this third set since the original band reconvened 6 years ago saw them take a different approach. Long, Krautrock-inspired jams and psych-infused wig-outs were the order of the day here, throwing in some jazz, art-rock and general esoteria for good measure. Bang on!
47: BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN: 'Letter To You'
Twenty albums deep for The Boss and he went back to basics - hooking up with the remnants of the E Street Band for the first time in many years and recording the whole shebang live in the studio - no overdubs. Featuring a bunch of songs left over from the mid-70's, these huge-sounding tracks were full to bursting with typical E Street tropes - lung-busting sax, earthy harmonica and barrel-house piano - and Bruce himself was at his best vocally and lyrically, touching on themes such as family, comradeship and living life to the full. Barnstorming.
46: GREG DULLI: 'Random Desire'
First album under his own name for the Afghan Whigs head honcho and - although he didn't stray too far from his comfort zone - this very fine album saw Dulli marry the usual Whigs-style anthemic rockers with more downbeat soulful shuffles and piano-led balladeering, as well as ambient acoustica and electronic sound-scapes. Throw in his astonishing voice - Dulli was always one of the finest singers from the early 90's grunge explosion - and we're well and truly at the races.
45: NADIA REID: 'Out Of My Province'
Third album of literate, world-weary storybook songs from the New Zealand native who - accompanied by Matthew E White and the SpaceBomb collective - embellished her previous semi-acoustic sound with lush strings and a relaxed horn section to wondrous effect. Her tales of dislocation and the trials of touring - usually the cry of the spoilt rock star - were full of pathos and pain that made this listener warm to her even more. Just really, really lovely stuff.
44: TREES SPEAK: 'Shadow Forms'
Well, this was very special indeed. The Diaz brothers from Arizona had totally flown under the No Static At All radar until last autumn when I discovered this album thanks to the mighty Resident Records in Brighton (https://www.resident-music.com/). Released only 6 months after the almost as good debut 'Ohms', this astounding instrumental suite of experimental psych, free-form jazz-indebted prog, John Carpenter-inspired electronica, Krautrock rhythms and mystical sounds from across the universe has nestled in snugly on the stereo at No Static Towers for many a month. Basing their ethos on the idea that future technologies - human and alien - will store their data within our planet's flora (ostensibly using them as natural hard-drives) thus allowing the trees to speak to each other, this magnificent album showed the Diaz brothers to be musicians and composers that need to be taken very seriously indeed. Utterly spellbinding.
43: BOB DYLAN: 'Rough And Rowdy Ways'
Dylan returned to the fray in 2020 with his first collection of original songs for nigh on a decade. Sticking to his recent tried and tested style of laid-back blues grooves and hushed acoustics, this 39th entry into his astonishing canon can arguably be considered one of his best. Invigorating, illuminating and an instant classic, this sprawling set - most pertinently on the monumental 17 minute fever dream 'Murder Most Foul' - saw the great bard focus his eye on his country's fractured existence with awe and ire in equal measure.
42: THE STROKES: 'The New Abnormal'
Twenty years after the release of their seminal debut album, New York's premier gang of über-stylised indie-rockers dropped this sixth collection of tracks onto a just-locked-down world in March to nothing more than a resigned shrug. Their manic hey-day long behind them, Julian Casablancas and company have quietly settled into being 'just another band' and - on this evidence - it seems to suit them. Fusing their propulsive art-rock indebted indie smarts with post-punk synths and off-kilter time signatures, this was their best album for many a year.
41: THE FLAMING LIPS: 'American Head'
Wayne Coyne and his ever-evolving troupe of psychedelic wanderers reined in their more excessive experimental tendencies of recent years on this one, with a tender and moving suite of songs that harked back to the likes of 'Yoshimi...' from 15 years ago. A nostalgic, trippy flashback to their smalltown USA upbringing that focused on lost friendships and family strife to gorgeous effect.
40: SONGHOY BLUES: 'Optimisme'
World music album of the year by some considerable distance, this third effort from the Malian blues troupe saw them stripping things back to basics and turning in a real pile-driver. Produced by the great Matt Sweeney (Chavez, Zwan, Superwolf) this bunch of fuzzy jams and thrilling rockers was an absolute blast from soup to nuts. Throw in a brace of tracks where the band sung in English for the first time and this was a real step up from previous releases.
39: THE JAYHAWKS: 'XOXO'
A more than welcome return here from the band that was my entry point into the whole Alt-Country scene of the 90's thanks to their peerless 'Hollywood Town Hall' opus from 1992. This time round, for their 11th album, the quartet tried something a little different with all four members contributing writing and lead vocal duties on three songs apiece. Embracing their usual relaxed Americana vibes with jangly power-pop and lush orchestration, this was very fine fare indeed.
38: OSEES: 'Protean Threat'
Here he is again, then. An astonishing 25 albums down the line and there's just no stopping John Dwyer as he makes his annual foray into my finest albums of the year with his ever-mutating OSees franchise. Eschewing the more prog-filled and jazzy influences of his last few records, this half hour excursion into cranium-rattling garage punk and pulsing psych frenzy was probably not the best place to start for the beginner, but for a dyed-in-the-wool fan like myself this was LSD-dosed nectar from the fuzz-encrusted gods. (An almost as good remix album - 'Panther Rotate' - swiftly followed.)
37: SONIC BOOM: 'All Things Being Equal'
Pete Kember - once of legendary UK acid-fried indie heads Spaceman 3 - reactivated his old Sonic Boom alias for the first time since 1990 and delivered this extraordinary hour of music that sounded like it came from another universe entirely. Playing absolutely everything himself - the list of synths and keyboards on the sleeve notes came across like a deep web online coding platform - these repetitive, droning grooves and psych-tinged electronic sound-scapes were utterly compelling and strangely comforting.
36: EELS: 'Earth To Dora'
The return to the musical landscape of Mark E. Everett - aka E - and his revolving door of Eels collaborators is always a joyous occasion as far as I'm concerned and this thirteenth album of sardonic love songs, whimsical alt-rock and heart-stopping ballads was no exception. Perhaps not as strong as previous releases - it didn't reach the heights of 2018's 'The Deconstruction' for example - this was still a fine entry into E's magnificent body of work. Worth the admission price alone for the hilarious 'Are You Fucking Your Ex?'
35: CARIBOU: 'Suddenly'
Electronica stalwart Dan Snaith returned under his Caribou guise - he also records slightly more uptempo work under the Daphni moniker - for the first time in over 5 years with a real pearl. After recent family losses and personal upheaval, you'd be forgiven for thinking that 'Suddenly' might be a tough listen. Far from it. With the likes of the twinkly, pop-filled joy of 'Never Come Back' and the thrilling proto-house of 'Ravi' in the mix, this was wondrous stuff. Drenched in sparkling synths, thrusting piano trills and - this is Caribou, after all - hip-shaking beats, this was up there with 2010's monumental 'Swim' as some of Snaith's finest work.
34: STEPHEN MALKMUS: 'Traditional Techniques'
Third album in as many years from the former Pavement fulcrum and, after the classic indie-rock sound of 'Sparkle Hard' and the bizarre synth-prog of 'Groove Denied', this one saw the constantly evolving Malkmus take yet another sonic departure - this time toward a delightful hybrid of woozy acid-folk and droning, Middle-Eastern psychedelia. Along for the ride was Matt Sweeney - having a pretty solid 2020 himself - and Chris Funk from The Decemberists who both assisted the main man in fine style.
33: AK/DK: 'Shared Particles'
Third excursion into the Krautrock-indebted and synth-encrusted interstellar dance party from Brighton duo Ed Chivers and Graham Sowerby which has been sound-tracking the current lockdown at No Static Towers in thunderous fashion. Full to the rafters with catchy hooks, dirty beats, driving rhythms, mind-melding percussion and in your face fuzz-filled freak-outs, I defy anyone not to cut a fulsome rug to this. Bursting with energy, euphoria and enthralling electronic effervescence, this was a blockbusting barrage of mind-blowing magnificence.
32: THE ROBERT CRAY BAND: 'That's What I Heard'
Legendary blues-man Cray - who has been releasing solid albums for almost 40 years now - has never really made a bad record, but has settled into a relaxed 'elder statesman of blues' role that has perhaps softened the edges of his recent output. That all changed with this terrifically exciting 20th collection of deep, Southern-fried soul and groovesome blues rockers that contained some of the finest songs of his stellar career. As well as the usual 'lost love' blues standards of old, there was a fiery move into political protest with the gritty funk of 'This Man' taking aim at a certain orange-hued resident of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Quite wonderful.
31: LAURA MARLING: 'Song For Our Daughter'
Rush-released by the UK's premier folk-influenced singer-songwriter to fill those early lockdown days last Spring, this seventh album of literate and thoughtful stories saw Marling connect with her womanhood more than ever before as she reached her 30th year during recording. Embracing her obvious influences - Cohen, Joni, Macca - but draping the songs with her own worldview, these lush and warming tales of the modern world proved once again what a talent she is.
30: GHOSTPOET: 'I Grow Tired But Dare Not Fall Asleep'
London's Obaro Ejimiwe - otherwise known as Ghostpoet - has been quietly releasing a solid body of work over the last decade or so, fusing the early 90's sound of Massive Attack and the trip-hop scene with urban hip-hop and electronic soul to sometimes startling effect. His Mercury-nominated debut 'Peanut Butter Blues And Melancholy Jam' not only has one of the greatest titles in living memory, but is also a superlative collection of grimy beats and thoughtful rhymes. This fifth opus from him is possibly his best since that famed debut and sees Ejimiwe embracing a more crunchy alt-rock sound which surrounds his laid-back vocal stylings with oppressive atmosphere and doom-laden detritus. The title track alone could well be the song of his life. Immense.
29: JARV IS...: 'Beyond The Pale'
The first proper band that 90's Britpop hero Jarvis Cocker has surrounded himself with since Pulp's split in 2002 has most certainly invigorated the great man's creative spark and these seven sprawling modern-day pop songs saw one of music's great polymaths re-discover his mojo in startling fashion. Embracing house, dub, spacey pop, discordant art-rock and all points in between, the solid nature of these brilliant tracks belied the fact that the whole project was cobbled together over the last few years from live recordings and sporadic get-togethers. Lyrically, Cocker was digging deep - touching on Neanderthal history, nostalgic reveries and broken family units to head-spinning effect. Extra kudos too for the line "This is one nation, under a roof - ain't that the truth" on the magnificent second summer of love influenced - and eerily prescient lockdown anthem - 'House Music All Night Long'.
28: EOB: 'Earth'
First solo album from Radiohead's second guitarist Ed O'Brien (the very tall one with the dulcet backing vocals) and, for the most part, a dazzling departure from his day job. Birthed after a long-mooted move to Brazil for O'Brien and his family and with time on his side whilst waiting for the next Radiohead call, this dazzling mix of folk-tinted acoustic ballads, alt-rock protest songs and - most strongly of all - euphoric festival-friendly bangers, came across as a real labour of love for the Oxford man. A 45-minute long carnival of sound, colour and feel, this was a tremendous opening gambit from a musician who has been hidden away too long in the shadows.
27: AC/DC: 'Power Up'
The return of Australia's biggest musical export is always a huge deal within rock circles and this 17th album was no exception. However, all has not been rosy (or Rosie?) within the AC/DC camp in recent years. Since the release of 'Rock Or Bust' in 2014 the band's major driving force - song-writing wise - Malcolm Young, has sadly left us due to complications arising from Alzheimer's. Not long after, long-standing drummer Phil Rudd was arrested back in Oz and sentenced to house arrest for threatening to kill an acquaintance of his. Worse was to come when vocalist Brian Johnson - he of the flat cap and ear-splitting screech - found he was no longer able to hear his voice whilst singing and was unceremoniously axed from the band. It was no surprise then, when bassist Cliff Williams decided to hang up his four-string and retire. That just left ageing schoolboy Angus Young who, undeterred, took a session musician-heavy version of AC/DC out on the road for the 2015/16 tour - with his nephew Stevie Young filling in for the dearly departed Malcolm, and none other than Guns 'N' Roses front-man Axl Rose on vocal duties. By all accounts, the shows were fantastic and it wasn't long before rumours began to swirl that the rejuvenated Angus was getting the original gang back together and recording. Johnson gave an interview where he waxed lyrical about his new "game-changing ear implants" and before you could say 'Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap' the boys - with a combined age of 339 - were back. And guess what? They've gone all dubstep and drill! No - of course they haven't. If you've heard any of AC/DC's previous 16 albums, then you'll know exactly what 'Power Up' sounds like. And that's just the way I like it. Full-throttle, in your face, filthy as fuck and firing on all cylinders, this was as solid an album as they've made in 30 years. There's nothing subtle here - double entendres abound and the song titles alone tell you exactly what you're in for: 'Shot In The Dark'; 'Demon Fire'; 'Wild Reputation' and - gloriously - 'Money Shot', which features the immortal couplet: "I've got a good prescription, for the state of your condition - you've got to take it three times a day" and, if possible, is even more AC/DC than AC/DC. There's a slightly more wistful air to the swarthy stomp of 'Through The Mists Of Time' but it's an outlier - the other 11 tracks are straightforward crunchy rockers that do exactly what they say on the tin. Can they keep it up? (Fnarr.) Who knows. If they stick to their usual schedule of an album every 6 years then by rights, no. Johnson would be pushing 80 for heaven's sake. But, for now, this will do handsomely.
26: KHRUANGBIN: 'Mordechai'
Third album of delightfully funky and hip-swayingly groovesome semi-instrumental jams from the Houston trio who - bouyed by the mainstream success of their recent 'Texas Sun' EP with soul singer Leon Bridges - decided to expand their sound by adding vocals from bassist Laura Lee on a bunch of tracks here which added real heft to their slinky, Far-Eastern take on modern day jazz-funk. The perfect sound-track for all those holidays we didn't take last year, this supremely chilled hybrid of woozy dub, psychedelic soul and intricate guitar noodling was a real treat.
25: PHOEBE BRIDGERS: 'Punisher'
Second solo album - after her recent extra-curricular forays with Boy Genius and Better Oblivion Community Centre - from the archly candid Californian singer-songwriter which, if not quite reaching the heights of her extraordinary debut 'Stranger In The Alps' from a couple of years ago, still saw her stock rise in major fashion. Astonishingly frank and personal, these millennial missives from the depths of her psyche - shot through with a dry wit - were backed with lush acoustics and ethereal folk stylings that oozed a dream-like quality. Sly digs at shamed former paramour Ryan Adams added an extra edge and, from top to bottom, Bridgers proved yet again what a striking talent she is.
24: THROWING MUSES: 'Sun Racket'
First album in over seven years under the Muses umbrella - although fierce and fabulous front-woman Kristin Hersh has been releasing tremendous records under her own name in the interim - and the trio from Boston are still utterly brilliant. One of the finest bands to emerge from that outrageously opulent US indie-rock scene of the late 80's - see the Pixies, Dinosaur Jr and Buffalo Tom for further evidence - the Muses have never really put a foot wrong as far as I'm concerned, but this crunchy little half-hour of fuzzy guitars and thumping percussion is up there with their very best. Hersh's vocals have mellowed into a husky growl that suits the mood perfectly and her guitar-playing is as scorchingly spiky as always. Throw in the thick grooves of long-standing rhythm section Dave Narcizo on drums and bassist Bernard Georges and we're cooking with gas.
23: BEN WATT: 'Storm Damage'
Multi-instrumentalist songwriter Watt is best known as being half - along with his wife Tracey Thorn - of downbeat acoustic duo Everything But The Girl who were the authors of a raft of solid albums throughout the 80's and 90's. However, since their trip-hop indebted über-success of 'Missing' in 1997, the band have slipped back to the margins and have basically been defunct for some time. Both Thorn and Watt have released excellent solo records over the last decade or so - indeed, Thorn's wonderful 'Record' from 2018 was an absolute joy - but this latest collection from Watt is his own mini-masterpiece. A stunning mix of drifting electronica, warm acoustics and hug-inducing atmosphere, this gorgeous group of songs from Watt can easily stand toe to toe with his former band's famed early work. With lyrics touching on love, life, death and the importance of familial connection, as well as his own mental health issues, this was a deep and meaningful listen that anyone with a heart couldn't fail to be moved by.
22: THE SMASHING PUMPKINS: 'Cyr'
The almost-but-not-quite full-blown reunion of the original Smashing Pumpkins line-up a few years ago saw main man Billy Corgan and drum titan Jimmy Chamberlin - who had been recording under the Pumpkins banner with a host of session musicians for a good few years - welcome guitarist James Iha back to the fold with open arms. Original bassist D'arcy refused to get involved but - undaunted - the trio knuckled down to work to, hopefully, regain some former glory. The short, sharp 'Shiny And Oh So Bright' from 2018 came close to the classic Pumpkins formula of spiky grunge, windswept proggy textures and driving, industrial rock. It was, however, way too brief - clocking in at just 8 tracks and barely half an hour of music. To the follow-up then, and Corgan has pushed the boat out in monstrous fashion. Obviously aiming for the serious fans - and those of us who still feel that 1995's epic double album 'Melon Collie And The Infinite Sadness' is their meisterwerk - this was an absolute behemoth. Running to 20 tracks and with lyrical themes nodding to mystic runes, witchcraft, mythical creatures and a whole host of Gothic ephemera, you would be forgiven for perhaps giving it a miss. Plus, with - for the bulk of the album at least - the guitars turned right down and a backdrop of pulsing synths and enigmatic electro-pop to the fore, could you even call this a Smashing Pumpkins album? The answer - for the most part - was yes. Corgan's Marmite vocals are the clincher of course. If you didn't warm to his voice back in the day, then - considering his nasal whine has seemed to get even more whiney over the years - you certainly won't want to tune in now. However, even though the album is way too long and there's a fair bit of filler to wade through before the end, there is still some real wonder to be found here. The opening synth-encrusted stomp of 'The Colour Of Love' is one of their very best tracks, and the driving electronica of 'Ramona' isn't too far behind either. Very much in thrall to Corgan's love of 80's legends like Depeche Mode and New Order - who, lest we forget, Corgan duetted with on the Mancunian heroes 'Get Ready' opus from 2001 - as well as the likes of Jean-Michel Jarre, modern-day EDM and even Killing Joke on the throbbing grind of 'Anno Satana', this was a startling change of direction for these 90's rock survivors and even though a more streamlined 12-track album would have perhaps been more palatable, you can't fault Corgan for his ambition. And, considering his reputation, who would want to?
21: ARBOURETUM: 'Let It All In'
Sixth full-length album of 21st Century folk-rock glory from the Baltimore quartet who since 2007 have been steadily honing their fantastically ragged sound of fuzzy guitar jams, pastoral folk and groove-coddled psych into a swaggering racket of denim-clad noise. Led by vocalist/guitarist Dave Heumann and escaping from their day jobs every few years to tie a record together, the band have very quietly become something rather special. This latest clutch of tunes could well be their best to date - more focused and cohesive than previous releases but still more than happy to fly off the leash on occasion. The extraordinary 12-minute title track being a case in point - an epic foray into verdant Crazy Horse territory, with a careering, Krautrock-tinged chug that grabs you by the throat and doesn't let go. Elsewhere across the album there's a little bit of country, some ebbing instrumental interludes, a few Middle Eastern vibes and a whole bucket-load of hypnotic guitar solos and electrifying grooves.
20: MARK LANEGAN: 'Straight Songs of Sorrow'
19: SUFJAN STEVENS: 'The Ascension'
First album in 5 years from the previously prolific Stevens and, if nowhere near as immediate as his tear-inducingly beautiful 2015 masterpiece 'Carrie & Lowell', his latest is still an enormously rewarding listen. Taking a huge left-turn from that last album's hushed Americana and confessional ballads, 'The Ascension' was an 80-minute odyssey into glitch-ridden synth-wave, expansive electronica and dense and knotty modern pop textures that took a fair amount of time to digest. Blending in lyrical touchstones such as faith, politics and his own personal fears for the future, this certainly wasn't an easy ride but the destination - taking in the likes of the dream-pop swathed 'Video Game' and the atmospheric centrepiece 'America' along the way - was more than worth it.
18: ROSE CITY BAND: 'Summerlong'
Seemingly unable to sit still for more than five minutes, the bountifully bearded Californian Ripley Johnson - he of hazy psych legends (and perennial No Static At All faves) Wooden Shjips and Moon Duo - has revved up the motor of a third exceptional outfit. Rose City Band is ostensibly a solo project for Johnson and the self-titled debut from a couple of years ago was ramshackle and loose at the seams but had some lovely moments. This second opus however is leagues ahead - melding a choogle-sprinkled country-rock vibe with woozy grooves and Johnson's beloved cosmic motorik rhythms. Another bunch of songs that would have sounded nigh-on perfect during festival season, 'Summerlong' was another absolute peach from Johnson - and his guitar playing on the album was pure 70's stoner-rock nirvana.
17: NADA SURF: 'Never Not Together'
Twenty five years into their career and New York City power-poppers Nada Surf are still pumping out sublime collections of breezy alt-rock, chiming indie and fist-pumping choruses to a world that seemingly doesn't give a fig. How this is possible - when far lesser lights sell millions - is just one of life's untold mysteries. Led by guitar-toting vocalist Matthew Caws and long-standing dreadlocked bassist Daniel Lorca, the band's catalogue of crackingly choice albums from the last three decades has seen them come close to breaking the mainstream on occasion - their 1996 single 'Popular' gained major radio play in the US - but they have mainly been drifting around the margins of cult-hood for most of their life-span. A real travesty of course, as the likes of 2002's 'Let Go' and 'Lucky' from 2008 are as good as modern indie-rock gets. Blending Beatles pop-smarts with the crunchy hooks of the likes of Big Star, Teenage Fanclub, Badfinger and Cheap Trick - as well as a Tom Petty-ish strain of classic Americana - Nada Surf should tick all the boxes for fans of a certain type of chime, jangle and harmony vocal. This latest album - their ninth - doesn't pull up any trees or veer away from their previous formula but it's another storming selection of stellar tuneage that can't fail to get the listener grinning away and cranking up the volume. Opening track 'So Much Love' is just gorgeous, and the driving, synth-laden 'Live And Learn And Forget' is as close to early 80's New Wave as they've ever been. Throw in the boisterously majestic 'Looking For You' and the thunderously thrusting 'Something I Should Do' - featuring an absolutely rip-roaring stream of consciousness rant from Caws - and this could well be the very finest album from this very fine band.
16: ANDY BELL: 'The View From Halfway Down'
15: ANGEL OLSEN: 'Whole New Mess'
14: FOUR TET: 'Sixteen Oceans'
For almost two decades now, London-born techno head Keiran Hebden has been honing and perfecting his high-class instrumental sound patterns and electronic symphonies - first as a member of the mighty Fridge, then on his own under the Four Tet banner - and his most recent albums have been among his best work. This latest collection of beautifully bucolic brain-balm not only matches up to his last few releases, but for the majority of it's run-time, raises the bar quite superbly. Splicing together a wondrous sound-collage of relaxed, come-down ear-worms to foot-twitching, arms-in-the-air bangers - via Ellie Goulding vocal samples, bleeps, glitches and bubbly bass drops - this saw Hebden at the very top of his game. Not only that, he recorded the whole thing at his home studio - situated in his spare room.
(Check out this storming home-based DJ set for evidence:
13: ROISIN MURPHY: 'Roisin Machine'
12: DEFTONES: 'Ohms'
When California's premier hard rock/metal legends Deftones released their last album 'Gore' in 2016, there were many raised eyebrows and shaking heads amongst their long-standing and, usually, rabid fan-base. It wasn't a bad album per se, just far less riff-heavy than previous efforts and - as such - left many fans a tad baffled. One such confused listener was one of the album's participants - guitarist Stephen Carpenter - who, feeling his contribution had been waylaid by the ambient textures and more electronic feel of the album, started to question his role in the band. The less than stellar response from fans and critics alike to 'Gore' may explain why the band - who, along with Tool, have always been one of the more interesting metal crews of the past three decades - have returned to work with producer Terry Date who was behind the mixing desk on their first four magnificent albums. Lead vocalist Chino Moreno pre-empted this new collection by stating that everyone involved was far more engaged and excited than they had been in years. Fortunately - for those of a heavy-based disposition - he wasn't wrong. It's fair to say that 'Ohms' is - by some considerable distance - the finest Deftones opus since the monumental 'White Pony' from the turn of the century. From the gargantuan Sturm und Drang of the title track and the frenzied face-peel of 'Genesis' to the classic crunch and thud and bone-shaking splendour of 'The Spell Of Mathematics', this was mighty, mighty stuff. More recent Deftones experimental flourishes were on board also - some ambient esoteria here and Middle Eastern melodies there - but, in the main, this was the band on massive, riff-tastic form and Carpenter in particular was having a blast. For Moreno's part, whereas in the past his lyrics have been too dense and knotty to get a handle on, here - having recently undergone therapy sessions for the first time - his words were more open, honest and intimate than ever before. Yes, there was the usual Moreno scream dotted throughout, but also a more emotive aspect to his singing - drawing you into his psyche like never before. Throw in Abe Cunningham's powerhouse drumming, stomach-rattling bass work from Sergio Vega and ear-caressing synths from Frank Delgado and you're left with not only the best metal album of 2020, but one of the best metal albums of recent years, period.
11: THURSTON MOORE: 'By The Fire'
10: DOVES: 'The Universal Want'
One of the most welcome comebacks of the year saw Mancunian indie heroes Doves reform after a decade on hiatus and promptly carry on where they left off. This fifth album of widescreen and windswept alt-rock reaffirmed to many what a fantastic band they always were - oozing classic song structures, euphoric choruses, chiming guitar curlicues and all that is good and holy when it comes to Northern indie music. Jimi Goodwin's bass-heavy vocals are still the main focal point, and with the Williams twins - Jez and Andy - filling the ears of the listener with all kinds of sonic wonderment, album highlights like the jangle-filled glory of 'Carousels', 'For Tomorrow' and the hug-inducing title track are up there with their finest songs. An absolute joy to have them back.
9: TAME IMPALA: 'The Slow Rush'
Australia's premier one-man musical army Kevin Parker's fourth album of modern-day, beats-driven psychedelia saw the former guitar-toting slacker dive ever deeper into synths and digital rhythms but without losing his knack for an absolute banger of a tune. Fusing 70's soft-rock with Euro-house and woozy disco, this saw Parker expand his usual remit into even more atmospheric areas. In the half-decade since the release of his magnum opus 'Currents', Parker has gotten married and settled into domestic life that has seen his song-writing touch on more emotional subject matter. The melancholic eulogy to his late father - 'Posthumous Forgiveness' - was the most obvious example, but elsewhere across this really rather gorgeous album there were nods to the difficulties of combining family life and constant touring, as well as the realisation that you're not a young man forever - as shown on the outstanding 'It Might Be Time', which was basically Supertramp's 'Logical Song' off it's napper on mescaline and shoving glow sticks up it's nostrils. Tremendous, obviously.
8: PEARL JAM: 'Gigaton'
Grunge's great survivors reappeared after a seven-year break with their 11th album of statuesque rock ballads and spiky, US punk-indebted thrashers but also threw a few curveballs into the mix. Lead single 'Dance Of The Clairvoyants' - with it's scratchy funk riffs and art-rock inspired groove - was the most wholly surprising thing Eddie Vedder and company have ever put down on record. Nothing else quite hit you for six like that track, but across the board, this was the strongest collection of songs Pearl Jam have released since 'Yield' in 1998. Vedder's lyrics touched - as is the norm - on political themes, familial bonds and environmental concerns (as shown by the melting ice-caps on the album cover) and beside him, long-standing comrades Stone Gossard, Jeff Ament, Mike McCready and Matt Cameron imbued the music with strength, heft and depth. This heroic band of brothers have been doing their own thing for over thirty years now and, despite the ups and down of the universe and the ever-changing vagaries of the music business, Pearl Jam are still with us and taking no prisoners. As Vedder sings so magnificently on the late-career peak of 'Retrograde': "I won't give up on satisfaction".
Damn right.
7: THE AVALANCHES: 'We Will Always Love You'
Australian DJ/producer duo Robbie Chater and Tony Di Blasi released their first album under their The Avalanches alias back in 2000 with the still massively influential 'Since I Left You'. A tour de force of sample-heavy sound collages, slinky rhythms and thumping beats, it took the dance world by storm and won awards by the bucket-load. It also left the duo creatively spent, as it was a full 16 years before a second album - the summery dance-pop of 'Wildflower' - hit the shelves. As good as that album was, it wasn't a patch on that famed debut so my anticipation for this relatively quick-fire third salvo wasn't exactly on tenterhooks. How wrong I was. This latest collaboration-drenched foray into modern-day soul, funk, dance grooves and electronica turned out to be one of the surprises of the year - and may well be even better than the duo's legendary first opus. A concept album of sorts, the album's inspiration comes from a story about science communicator Carl Sagan proposing to his partner - NASA creative director Ann Druyan - back in 1977, and then recording her love-struck response so that it could be included on the Golden Record, which was human-kind's so-called 'demo tape' that was placed inside Voyager 1. As such, this wonderful album feels like an interstellar love story, beamed across the multiverse for all to hear. Filled to the brim - as ever - with a kaleidoscopic barrage of samples, sound effects, ambient interludes and spoken word reveries, the album also features a stunning roll-call of alt-rockers, hip-hop vocalists and wild-card singers with the likes of Mick Jones from The Clash teaming up with ragga rapper Cola Boyy on the breezy pop of 'We Go On' and The Smiths' guitar legend Johnny Marr adding his dulcet licks to the groovy psych of 'The Divine Chord', which features MGMT on vocals. Elsewhere, there's appearances from Karen O, Perry Farrell, Kurt Vile, Tricky, Neneh Cherry and Jamie XX. The real highlight though is a magnificent vocal from Sananda Maitreya - otherwise known as 80's soul singer Terence Trent D'Arby - on the sublimely gorgeous 'Reflecting Light' which pairs him up with a 1970 sample from brittle-voice UK folk legend Vashti Bunyan. It's without doubt one of the most beautiful songs of the year and a soothing balm to all the crap thrown at the world since last spring. Just like the rest of this wonderful album, in fact. And, if you're not grinning from ear to ear when the fantastic "California life is alright with me" coda kicks in toward the end of the Rivers Cuomo from Weezer fronted joyful pop of 'Running Red Lights', then why are you even reading this blog?
6: MY MORNING JACKET: 'The Waterfall 2"
5: BDRMM: 'Bedroom'
Second best debut album of 2020 here and another incredible discovery that I owe to Brighton's premier music emporium Resident Records. A quintet from West Yorkshire, the vowel-dispensing Bdrmm have taken that early 90's dreamy shoegaze sound - oft-derided but quietly influential - and run with it in extraordinary fashion. If you're a fan of that deliciously sweet spot between 1989 and 1991 when dream-pop, swirling cascades of guitars, chugging indie-rock, effects-pedal heavy blasts of noise and grunge all came together - and quite frankly, why the hell wouldn't you be? - then this delightful little opening gambit from the band will tick all your boxes and be so far up your alley it'll be parked in your driveway. With the gossamer whisper of Ryan Smith's vocals drifting through the songs whilst the 'quiet-loud-quiet' musical textures cascade around your ears, it's easy for the casual listener to perhaps dismiss these songs as a straightforward pastiche. However, the band are clever enough to blend all of their influences into something that's wholly their own sound - injecting some post-rock, washes of ambient noise and even some early 80's goth-rock for good measure. It's all utterly wondrous and - with the likes of the astounding 'A Reason To Celebrate' proving that Bdrmm can write a indie-rock anthem for the ages - the future looks immensely promising.
4: FLEET FOXES: 'Shore'
A surprise internet 'drop' last Autumn, the fourth Fleet Foxes album was a slight departure from their previous releases. Recorded by main-man Robin Pecknold in his home studio early last year, this was ostensibly a solo record in all but name. It also turned out to be a far more accessible and overtly uplifting collection than either of the last two full-blown Foxes releases and - as such - can easily lay claim to being their best set since their still utterly peerless debut from 2008. With Pecknold in a much better place emotionally and physically - the year-long 'Crack-Up' tour throughout 2018 left him with broken ribs and a frazzled psyche - this was a tour de force of gleaming folk-rock and classic song structures, drenched with sparkling guitar lines and wide-eyed multi-tracked vocals that couldn't fail to put a smile on this particular listener's face. Pecknold's songs have always had a deep, literate air and this batch was no exception - touching on the loss of many a comrade over recent years as well as his own feelings of depression and isolation - but, bathed as they were in musical swaddling clothes of such delightful softness, they ended up sounding like a much-needed celebration of life itself. Utterly glorious.
3: FONTAINES D.C.: 'A Hero's Death'
Second album in less than 18 months for this spritely bunch of rapscallions from Dublin and - even though their 'Dogrel' debut was an excellent calling card - this follow-up is an absolute quantum leap forward and proved that not only was that swaggering first offering no fluke, but that this tremendously thrilling combo will be around for a very, very long time to come. Like 'Dogrel', this new collection touches on frenetic post-punk and atmospheric indie-rock - just like Mother used to make - but twists those long-standing tropes into new and vibrant shapes that excite and beguile in equal measure. There's a strain of gothic melodrama - a lá The Cure - that never topples over into caricature, and within the pounding percussion and driving guitars, such as in the fabulous title track and the thumping 'Televised Mind', there's a real feeling of depth, maturity and confidence that belies the fact that this lot are still in their early twenties. Lead vocalist Grian Chatten's tales of life, loss, romance and rebels come across like James Joyce and The Ramones having a pow-wow over a pint of the black stuff and the whole shebang is oozing with melody, menace and might - and yet there's also room for some plaintive ballads like the spine-tingling 'You Said' which is one of the finest songs I've heard in years. Very special indeed.
2: ROLLING BLACKOUTS COASTAL FEVER: 'Sideways To New Italy'
Not quite scaling the heights of 2018 when this wonderful Aussie quintet owned the Number One spot in that year's No Static At All Top 50 with their life-affirming 'Hope Downs' debut offering, but they have matched their 2017 position that was taken by their first two EP's. This time around, their second full-length opus is more of the splendidly glorious same and the world is all the better for it. Especially at the moment. You want summery jangle, breezy indie-rock smarts, melodies by the shed-load and pure, unadulterated sun-out shades-on tunes? Then look no further my friends. With the three principal song-writers and guitar toting frontmen Fran Kearney, Tom Russo and Joe White all perfecting their sound and style in hugely effective fashion, the likes of the lively 'Falling Thunder', the wistful nostalgic reverie 'Cameo' and the piledriving chime-filled splendour of 'Cars In Space' are some of the best songs they've written. Indeed, it's fair to say that over the last few years the 35 songs that this incredible crew have released can - as far as I'm concerned - stand head and shoulders above the canons of pretty much any band out there. As you can tell - I'm a bit of a fan.
1: WORKING MEN'S CLUB: 'Working Men's Club'
And so to this year's No Static At All Top 50 champion and - for the second year running - it's a debut album from a dance-music influenced Northern mob. Just like W.H. Lung's immense 'Incidental Music' in 2019, this astonishingly vibrant set of club bangers, throbbing death-disco and beats-injected post-punk anthems was nailed on for the top spot as soon as I heard it. Originally put together by principal song-writer and lead vocalist Sydney Minsky-Sargeant as a straightforward indie guitar band, the group have been through a number of line-up changes before settling on the current iteration. Their overall sound has transformed too, into a pulsing electronic hybrid of New Order, LCD Soundsystem, classic early 80's synth-pop, fellow Yorkshiremen Cabaret Voltaire and frazzled arty discordia. As you may imagine, it's thoroughly magnificent from soup to nuts. With the likes of 'Valleys' coming across like a late-night lockdown rave and the thirteen minute acid-fried frenzy of 'Angel' closing the album in spectacular style, this is an album for ageing dance-heads and urban hipsters alike. Celebrating club culture old and new - something we all need in the current climate - the sounds on this phenomenal album are joyful, free, energetic and euphoric and combine all the above-mentioned influences with propulsive industrial rhythms, funky techno flourishes and even - just for the greying 80's Acieeeed fans out there - some Italian house piano. Pinning all of this musical glory together are the striking vocal inflections of Sargeant who almost tonelessly spins tales of darkness, despair and depression that's completely at odds with such uplifting music. If he's not singing about "wet prison piss" on the Nine Inch Nails clang of 'Be My Guest', he's asking us to "Tune into the BBC and watch me defecate" amid the racing synths and urgent percussion of 'Cook A Coffee'. Like a lot of modern youth - he's only 19 for heaven's sake - Sargeant is no doubt extremely pissed off with the state of the universe over the last few years, and all of that anger and frustration has been thrown into his lyrical world-view with extraordinary results. The whole album is a total masterpiece and - considering it's only their debut release - makes my 51 year old brain fray at the edges when I think of what might come next. Plus, if I hear a more sensationally electrifying track than this album's tribute to everybody's favourite rock and roll poet 'John Cooper Clarke - with it's infectious guitar riff, body-shaking bass-line and impossibly slinky groove - then I'll be amazed. Outstanding, majestic, superlative and transcendent.
EXTERNAL LINKS!!!
For those of you out there that need more - and I just know that you all need so much more - here follows a few extra links to satiate that musical itch.
For a visual journey through all the above albums and tunes, look no further than my YouTube playlist - curated by yours truly - and which will hopefully get your fingers clicking, your toes tapping and your hips shaking. Enjoy, won't you?
I wouldn't have been able to keep up to date with all of the incredible sounds I've written about above - especially during this crazy last 12 months we've all been through - if it wasn't for the best little record shop in the world, Resident Records in Brighton. With their online service in full flow, I've been able to continue with my regular purchase regimen as much as normal and - in the case of Bdrmm and Trees Speak to name but two - discovered some glorious new sounds in the process. Please check them out - under the current circumstances, any new patronage will no doubt be most welcome.
Finally, some unsigned grooves for your delectation. A couple of good chums of mine have been continuing to get deep, down and dirty with their own musical adventures and the results are available for ears up and down the country.
From the depths of South East London we find the electronic sound-scapes and atmospheric ambient beats of Benomaly. Find his work here:
And here:
Also, from the wilds of Southern suburbia, the gnarly riffs and fuzz-filled blues hues of the Spongers collective will keep you in guitar goodliness over the winter months in some style.
Dive in here:
And here:
And that, friends and neighbours, is 2020 in a nutshell. Not the greatest year externally by any stretch of the imagination, but musically? Seriously solid. Here's to 2021 and a brighter tomorrow for all.
Thanks for reading!
😎
