This Year's Models

So, Euros Childs at the Mining Institute was the last gig of 2015; mighty fine he was too. Well, now it's time to give a rundown of my purchases and attendances of  2015. You'll not be surprised by album of the year....

2015 Albums of the Year:

1.    Trembling Bells – The Sovereign Self; amazing Scottish proggy, folky, late 60s/early 70s hippy, trippy genius.

2.    Godspeed You! Black Emperor – Asunder, Sweet and Other Distress; astonishing, orchestral avant garde post rock from the Quebecois octet.

3.    Band of Holy Joy – The Land of Holy Joy; they’ve been going over 30 years, but this is their finest Brechtian. Klezmer waltz through the capital’s ripped backside in over 25 years.

4.    The Pop Group – Citizen Zombie; venerable, reformed post punk iconoclasts rage and howl at the evils of the modern world. Essential.

5.    Wire – Wire; nearly 40 years in and the very definition of angular, awkward belligerence on one of their most compelling releases in 30 years

6.    Penetration – Resolution; Ferryhill’s finest’s first album since 79 and it contains 5 solid gold classics. Buy this.

7.    British Sea Power – Sea of Brass; the world’s cleverest indie band reimagine 14 classics with full orchestral backing. Simply adorable.

8.    Euros Childs – Sweetheart; the annual slice of sweet, beautiful pop by the world’s most modest man.

9.    Yo La Tengo – Stuff Like That There; quiet, homely acoustic re-treads of some favourites and parts of their back catalogue. Warm.

10. Gang of Four – What Happens Next; Andy Gill is the Gang of One these days, but it’s a fiery soup of righteous anguish and anger he produces.

11. Fairport Convention – Myths & Heroes; a lovely collection of down-to-earth proper folk roots by the incomparable masters of their craft.

12. Jad Fair & Norman Blake – Yes; community service C86 by numbers while we anxiously await the new TFC album.

13. The Fall – Sub Lingual Tablet; elderly drunk rants incoherently over the top of uninspired Killing Joke style sludge.

2015 Gigs of the Year

1.    Godspeed You! Black Emperor – Sage 24/10 – a breath-taking evening of cultural import; legendary.

2.    Wire – Sage 22/2 – these old fellas won the BBC6 weekend with this sonic assault.

3.    Trembling Bells – Cumberland 13/8 – a sold-out gig at last for them and one of the best performances I’ve seen from them; love this band.

4.    Vic Godard – Cumberland 27/11 – the old campaigner slayed us with a superb set on a magical night.

5.    Christy Moore – Sage 26/10 – right on form as ever; he also dedicated “Spancilhill” to me, which was grand.

6.    Penetration – Playhouse 16/10 – a superbly judged set of old and modern; they really are getting better with age.

7.    Band of Holy Joy – Cluny 8/5 – the perfect antidote to post General Election malaise; they are so important.

8.    Euros Childs – Mining Institute 10/12 – impossible not to smile during the Welsh wizard’s gigs.

9.    JAMC – Leeds 17/2 – feedback, strobes and ear-splitting volume; wonderful nostalgia.

10. Wedding Present – Riverside 7/11 – a great set of career highlights; a must-attend annual event.

11. British Sea Power – Sage 22/2 – short set at Radio 6 festival; no brass band, but plenty of bears and greenery.

12. Fairport Convention– Sage 18/2 - a jolly and fulfilling evening; how said 2016’s tour won’t feature Newcastle.

13. Lindisfarne Story – Playhouse 11/10 – nostalgic, honest and deeply compelling; a fitting tribute to Si Cowe (RIP).

14. Ride – Barrowlands 23/5 – the first 4 EPs have lasted better than Mark Gardener’s hair; the trilby fools no-one.

15. Andy Irvine – Irish Centre 16/4 – nice to see the legend up close and personal, but he’s a minor talent in the story of 60s Irish Folk.

16. Lee “Scratch” Perry – Riverside 10/4 – glad I saw him, but at nearly 80, he’s struggling to keep the audience entertained.

2015 Old Albums of the Year:

1.    Gang of Four – Entertainment; accidentally posted along with their new album. One of the best of all time.

2.    Peter Bellamy – Both Sides Then; superb trad bellowing from a tragic loss to the English folk scene

3.    Joe Heaney – The Road from Connemara; Sean nos is an acquired taste. Joe Heaney did it better than most.

4.    The Copper Family – Come Write Me Down; if the peasants of William Blake’s imagination had sung, they would have been the Copper family.

5.    Anne Briggs – Collection; A killer voice from a crazy woman.

6.    The Young Tradition – Oberlin 1968; bellowing traddies live on stage. A fascinating document.

7.    Jack the Lad – Plymouth Bootleg; a happy-go-lucky live album fun of wisecracks, mirth and 70s folk.

8.    Pete Seeger & Almanac Chorus – Union Songs; the Socialist ABC for folk singers. Important.

9.    Shirley Collins – Collection; too mannered for my tastes.

10. Bob Dylan – Oh Mercy; got my mam’s copy when she went into care. It’s ok, but everything after Desire expendable.

11. Bob Davenport – The Common Stone; arrogant, smug and boring.

12. Louis Killen & Johnny Handle – Along the Coaly Tyne; so theatrical it could have been an Am Dram soundtrack.