All What Jazz?

While 2014 promises great things from The New Mendicants, The Everlasting Yeah and The Band of Holy Joy, 2013 was a pretty good year for music I thought. Here's my end of year musical musings...

ALBUMS:

1.    Christy Moore – Where I Come From: A superb, comprehensive revisiting of his entire solo career.

2.    The Pastels – Slow Summits: Glorious, beautiful, summery pop.

3.    British Sea Power – Machineries of Joy: Eccentric genius at its best.

4.    Euros Childs – Situation Comedy: The super sounds of the 70s…

5.    Yo La Tengo – Fade. The accent is on harmony and introspection rather than fuzzy guitars, but that’s no bad thing.

6.    The Fall – Re-Mit: Classic bile-filled rants backed by accessible lo-fi backing.

7.    Wire – Change Becomes Us: Compelling revisiting of their great lost album.

8.    Pere Ubu – Lady From Shanghai: Measured ranting and demonic music.

9.    Trembling Bells & Bonnie “Prince” Billy – The Bonny Bells of Oxford: Celebratory live recording of 2012 gig.

10. The Wellgreen – Grin & Bear It: In 1975 these lads would have been listening to Hall & Oates rather than Suicide.

11. That Fucking Tank – A Document of the Last Gig: A glorious racket.

12. My Bloody Valentine – mbv: A two decade hiatus but no change to their style.

13. David Bowie – The Next Day: An arresting return to form.

14. Laura J Martin – Dazzle Days: More Lene Lovich than Joni Mitchell

15. Jetsam – A Dream Life of Hackney Marshes: Pretentious and unwelcoming.

16. Camera Obscura – Desire Lines: Bland and twee.

COMPILATIONS:

1.    Insane Energy Drop: Eclectic Pastels chosen nuggets.

2.    The Barne Society: The new Sound of Young Scotland.

3.    Rock Action Records Sampler 3: Sublime post rock collection.

4.    AIM Nominees Sampler: The occasional diamond in the mouth of a corpse.

EPs & SINGLES:

1.    The New Mendicants – Australia: The harmonic perfection you’d expect.

2.    The Fall – The Remainderer: Astonishing good return to form.

3.    The Fall – William Wray: Reports of MES’s demise are unfounded.

4.    The Wedding Present – Two Bridges: A new song; sounds like an old song.

5.    Vic Godard – Caught In The Midstream: Northern Soul influenced crooning.

6.    The Wedding Present – 4 Lieder: Sung in German for Record Store Day.

7.    Victories at Sea – In Memory: Histrionic pap.

GIGS:

1.    Trembling Bells; The Cumberland, December 8^th.

2.     British Sea Power; Northumbria University, April 6^th.

3.    The Pastels; CCA Glasgow, June 1^st.

4.    Neil Young & Crazy Horse; Metro Arena, June 10^th.

5.    Wire, The Cluny, September 18^th.

6.    Christy Moore, Tyne Theatre, October 13^th.

7.    Euros Childs, Star & Shadow, November 23^rd.

8.    Wedding Present, Think Tank, October 28^th.

9.    Trembling Bells & Mike Heron, Sage 2, July 15^th.

10. Fairport Convention, Sage 2, February 26^th.

11. Television, Sage 1, November 15^th.

12. Jon Langford, Sage Americana, July 21^st.

13. Golden Grrls, Morden Tower, February 21^st.

14. Vic Godard, Star & Shadow, November 29^th.

15. Pere Ubu, Sage 2, April 15^th.

16. Camera Obscura, Northumbria University, June 8^th.

OLD ALBUMS:

1.    Joni Mitchell – Blue: Perfection

2.    Jimi Hendrix – Live 1967: A legendary performance

3.    Fairport Convention – Maidstone 70: A band at the height of their powers.

4.    Blackflower – I Changed From a Stone to a Statue: Alex and Lavinia from Trembling Bells go traditional and it works so well.

5.    Plinth – Music For Smalls Lighthouse: Ambient perfection.

6.    Dr. Strangely Strange – Kip of the Serenes: Stoned Irish hippies.

7.    Incredible String Band – The 5,000 Spirits: Stoned Scottish hippies.

8.    Fairport Convention – Full House: Stoned English folkies.

9.    Fairport Convention – Nine: Drunk English hippies.

10.  Jon Langford – All the Fame of Lofty Deeds: Drunk Welsh C&W punk.

11. Dr. Strangely Strange – Heavy Petting: Dull Irish hippies.

12. Win – Urgh! Tears Babe: Angular Scottish post punk 1.

13. Win – Freaky Trigger: Angular Scottish post punk 2.

14. The Johnstons – Ye Jacobites By Name: Awful, earnest Irish folk pop.

15. The Dipsomaniacs – Well Connected: Awful, earnest SLF sound-alikes.

OLD SINGLES:

1.    Television – Prove It: Still glorious after all these years.

2.    Tame Impala – Half Full Glass of Wine: RSD re-release of superb laze rock.

3.    Cornershop – The Battle of New Orleans: Enormous Fun.

4.    Cornershop – Topknot: Partially successful indie dance crossover.

5.    Ward 34 – Religion for the 70s: An obscure Newcastle punk classic.