Anna Burch - Quit the Cusre
Anna Burch - Live at Hyde Park Book Club, Leeds
It’s that time of year again. It’s time to sharpen my quill
and dip it into the deep pot of inky goodness that is 2018. It’s always
difficult to commit to just 10 solitary albums but this year has been
particularly tricky. There have been a lot of fantastic long-players,
making an absolute mockery of all those ridiculous ‘is the album dead?’
articles.
I’ve re-written this list far too many times, wracked with
guilt about those I’ve had to leave out. Considered making it a Top 15 or Top
20 albums instead (but that’s just cheating isn’t it?). So I don’t lose any
sleep over it here’s some other acts that have released great albums over the
last 12 months. Click for more info- one of my reviews, a track from the album, the artists website or a link to the albums Bandcamp page:
Goat Girl,
You’re a Face,
Johnny Dowd,
EP/64,
Miss Red,
Aidan Moffat & RM Hubbert,
Sink Ya Teeth,
Melvins,
The Wave Pictures,
Anna Calvi,
Lucrecia Dalt,
Joseph Quimby Jr,
Julian Cope,
Virginia Wing,
Steven Adams & The French Drops,
Fermata,
Primitive Knot,
Tim Hecker,
Hookworms,
Kamasi Washington,
Acid Mothers Temple,
Chris Carter and
Johnny Jewel. Oh and a really special EP by
Jenny Hval too.
So without further ado (drum roll please!) here are my ten
favourite albums of 2018 (with links to either my review or something relevant)
Albums Aplenty
With Quit
the Curse Detroit’s Anna Burch has produced this year’s perfect indie
album. 32 minutes of sunny, Lemonheads-esque pop and seductively melancholic
melodies. I’ve had it on heavy rotation all year and was even lucky enough to see
her perform the songs live at Hyde Park Book Club in Leeds. Faultless.
The bands Go-Betweens connection piqued my
interest yet it’s this Brisbane trio’s gorgeous indiepop that had me returning
to We’re Not Talking again and again.
I saw them perform at Headrow House in Leeds too, further cementing the love
affair. A great band!
I managed to see The Lovely Eggs three
times this year, each time an absolute treat. This is Eggland might just be their boldest statement yet. Punk
thrash meets psychedelic, early Flaming Lips-esque shenanigans. 2018 truly was the
year of the egg.
A true indie-underground success story, the
brilliant Brace for Impact saw Laura Kidd aka She Makes War climb up the Independent
Album Charts on the back of fan funding and some of the finest songs she’s
written. The album and subsequent show at The Brudenell Social Club emphasised
what I already knew- She Makes War rocks!
Glorious post-punk from Manchester. We Are ILL is just over 40 minutes of
state of the nation, post-punk madness and politics. All carried off with a
wicked sense of humour and some of the most original and inventive music I've hear all year. I was thoroughly hooked after seeing them live at
Wharf Chambers in Leeds. Highly recommended!
No one does it quite like Leeds post-punk
poets The Wind-Up Birds. The soundtrack to austerity and a sonic response to bigotry
and Brexit Britain. An album infused with anger, disenchantment and revolution.
While many of this year’s albums cast an eye over current affairs, no album
sums up the mess we’re in quite as well as Desire
Paths (and yes, I saw them live this year too- at Wharf Chambers).
An album of funky post-punk released by Nottingham’s
consistently ace Gringo Records and named after the city I’ve spent the last 17
years calling home- what’s not to like? Limber, danceable grooves, hard-rock
riffs and Gemma Fleet’s impossibly cool vocals make Living in Leeds one of this
year’s finest underground albums. It’s fun and kinda makes me feel like dancing
(which isn’t something that happens all that often).
Like watching Papa Lazarou riding over the
hillside with his freakish carnival in tow, Evil Blizzard are Preston’s very
own punk-rock ringmasters. The Worst Show
On Earth sees the band flesh-out their bass-heavy sonic assault to stunning
effect. Their Halloween show at The Brudenell Social Club was one to remember
too!
Perhaps this year’s most immersive album, The Light is Leaving Us All pulls you
into its dark yet hypnotically beautiful world from its opening moments. David
Tibet’s lyrics remain cryptic yet full of sorrow and mystery. An album I’ve
played late at night many a time this year.
Alan Sparhawk, Mimi Parker and Steve
Garrington are pretty consistent- Low remaining one of the most fascinating and
unique acts of the last 24 years. On a personal level they always manage to hit
the spot. Yet even by their impossibly high standards Double Negative is
something genuinely strange and wonderful (and yes, I saw them live this year
too- shaking the roof at The Brudenell Social Club).
Gigs Galore
Now for some live music. Having attended 32 gigs over the
last 12 months I’ve certainly got plenty to choose from. Again, it was tricky
to narrow it down. The likes of
Hot Snakes,
Bob Log III,
Anna Burch,
Aidan Moffat & RM Hubbard,
The Breeders,
Screaming Females,
Bardo Pond,
Grails,
The Goon Sax,
Sly & The Family Drone,
Low and
Horse Feathers all putting on some mighty fine
shows. And so many more I haven't even mentioned (find the rest here:
https://soundblab.com/writer/120).
It’s been hard to choose but here are
Ten of the Best Gigs I Went to in 2018 and links to my reviews:
And, because I like to spoil you, here’s a rather sizeable
playlist of some of the years finest songs. Enjoy!
