The Indie Dad’s Albums of 2018
2019 top 10 Albums
10/Radiophonic Workshop – Possum OST
Somewhat unbelievably this is the first film to be soundtracked by the Radiophonic Workshop, using wholly original material and a few old cues from Delia Derbyshire’s archive it’s just as unsettling as the film it accompanies. Not an easy listen but a instant horror classic.
9/Warmdascher – Whale City
Charles Bukowksi informed garage rock that rigorously ploughs the greasy groove it inhabits.
8/Trevor Moss & Hannah Lou – Fair Lady London
Everything they do is sterling song-craft, this is number 5 with no quality dip, folk gems from the heart.
7/Our Girl – Stranger Today
Saw them support Rolling Blackouts C.F. couple of months ago. Could tell the songs were good, album purchased and the blueprint for something special is there. Not yet fully formed which is exciting, think next will be extraordinary. Get the version with the free LP if possible, thank me later.
6/Lil Peep – Come Over When You’re Sober Pt 1 & 2
A new album from a corpse? Cobbled together cash in? Bit of both? Part 2 – the “new” bit is stuff that has largely been out there and is OK but no masterwork. Part 1 (first time on vinyl) is a revelation. I might have just about known who he was before he died, but I’m not supposed to at my age, he was a genuine youth sensation and this already has influenced a generation. Me, I just get to enjoy the fact that great music keeps coming, and wish all the other stuff he could have done was cut off mid flow.
5/Suede – The Blue Hour
This is an outstanding album in the scheme of classic guitar pop. Growing old with panache the whole band is on top form. Even Brett’s marmite vocal can’t be denied as a powerful instrument. And the song matter is disturbing, beauty formed from from insanity and abuse. Not exactly a concept album but it seems to be close. A paedophile rock opera? Not a perfect pull tag perhaps.
4/Ghost – Prequelle
Sorry, but there it is. Hard Rock genius, channels everything from Scorpions to Alan Parsons Project and even chucks in some of the best Rock Sax since Foreigner’s Urgent.
3/Lice – It All Worked Out Great Vol 1 & 2 (technically 2 EPs but hey).
So we are down to the top 3, in yet another “Year Punk Broke”. To be honest I don’t think my list reflects the most important directions in music, Women leading in all areas and urban music scaring the suits with Drill. I have to go by what I’ve heard in more depth so it’s a pretty white, male top ten. All great but most certainly not definitive. In my collection this year singles would be quite a different story.
Lice are Funky Punks with a groove all their own, they really come into their own live but these tracks set the scene perfectly and in common with Our Girl it’s not as fully formed as the next 2 bands so I think the best is yet to come.
2/Idles – Joy As An Act Of Resistance
This is top of many lists, it misses my top spot as I don’t think it alters or adds much to the very strong Brutalism, maybe it refines the anger a tad but otherwise both albums could form a very convincing double. It does cement them as a force to be reckoned with. It is fantastically easy for oldies looking to see the anger and community they remember in Punk to embrace Idles. And quite rightly. We know we’re “home” with Idles.
1/Shame – Songs Of Praise
So top spot goes to a bands first LP, a marvellous album with exuberance and clever song construction for such a young band. And having heard a new track live it sounds like they will stretch out even more on album two with a slightly more Happy Mondays style. But whatever, stick this on, jerk about like singer Charlie Steen and believe the world can be changed for the better by pure joie de vivre. If Idles are John The Baptist, Shame might be Jesus.
(End Of Year Nostradamus prophecy – Black Midi will make the album of 2019)