Phil Shaw
1 How We See the Light - John Cale
Ex-Velvet Underground man – now 82! – forsakes the gloom of last year’s Mercy album for a gorgeous, multi-tracked vocal and warm, optimistic take on the end of a relationship.
2 Wristwatch – MJ Lenderman
From the outstanding Manning Fireworks album, a guitar-drenched song about a man obsessed with status symbols, all of which he would give up for ‘your amazing grace’.
3 Before The World – Club Kuru
Despite being described by its London-based writer and singer Laurie Erskine as ‘spiritual jazz meets classic rock’, this track is redolent of the best psychedelia of the Sixties.
4 Floating Parade – Michael Kiwanuka
MK says his ethereal, soulful return is about the mind driving ‘the metaphorical movement of taking yourself out of an uncomfortable situation’. Whatever, it’s beautiful.
5 Raat Ki Rani (Night Reign) – Arooj Aftab
Performed stunningly on Later With Jools Holland last month by the US-based Pakistani singer, the track melds magic and mystery with the dream-like quality of a lullaby sung in Urdu.
6 The Apple – Willie J Healey
The latest and finest example of the Oxfordshire singer-songwriter’s insanely catchy, cleverly crafted 70s-tinged pop, with Nick Lowe and Arctic Monkeys among his admirers.
7 A Bird Of No Address – Mercury Rev
Much of the beautifully orchestrated, multi-layered new album features Jonathan Donahue talking rather than singing, or soaring as he can, but this is a glorious exception.
8 Light On – White Denim
Marking a further step on the Texas-founded, LA-based band’s shift from garage rock to psyche pop, the song builds on a frisky guitar intro by James Petralli before taking sudden, unexpected turns.
9 Nobody Loves You More – Kim Deal
Deal is ex-Pixies and Breeders but the title track from her solo debut is a sweet surprise belying the riffing years: tender vocal, sensitive lyric, lush strings and cinematic brass.
10 My Golden Years – Lemon Twigs
Sibling revelry lives! Shades of Todd Rundgren, echoes of the Beach Boys, tied up in irresistible harmonies and jangling guitars by New York’s Addario brothers and their band.
11 A Ricochet Moment – Michael Head & The Red Elastic Band
12 Long Dark Night – Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
13 I Guess Time Just Makes Fools Of Us All – Father John Misty
14 Floating On A Moment – Beth Gibbons
15 Gone – The Umbrellas
16 Arizona – Jaspar Lepak
17 In The Modern World – Fontaines DC
18 Boy In The Wild – Christy Moore
19 Sadness As A Gift – Adrianne Lenker
20 Trenches – Robert (featuring Liam Bailey & John Parish)
21 SPEYSIDE – Bon Iver
22 Right Back To It – Waxahatchee (featuring MJ Lenderman)
23 Sousoume Tamacheq – Mdou Moctar
24 Sooner Or Later – Danny & The Champions Of The World
25 I Said What I Said – The Softies
26 Your Girl – Emilia Sisco
27 Sick Of The Blues – Porridge Radio
28 Code – Flora Hibberd
29 Double-Edged Sword – Josienne Clarke
30 My America – Charlie Castell
My 10 favourite covers of the year
1 Jóga (Bjork)
Melike Şahin
Turkey meets Iceland in an exquisitely smoky, percussive treatment of Bjork’s ‘emergency’ song played live on Cerys Matthews’ wonderful Sunday show on 6Music.
2 Back to Black (Amy Winehouse)
The Zutons
3 Bound For Glory (Phil Ochs)
Phil Odgers & John Kettle
4 Dirty Work (Steely Dan)
King Princess
5 Blackbird (The Beatles)
Beyoncé
6 No Face, No Name, No Number (Traffic)
Robyn Hitchcock
7 Merry Christmas, Mr Lawrence (Riyuchi Sakamoto)
Kraftwerk
8 Change is Now (The Byrds)
Christian Parker
9 When the Game Is Played On You (Bettye Swann)
Lady Blackbird
10 Atmosphere (Joy Division)
The Routes
Best reissues
If you’re less than thrilled by the prospect of Rod Stewart at Glastonbury, and hanker for the days when Ronnie Lane’s songcraft brought the best from him, this 8-CD boxset is for you. Captures the band’s live brilliance; artistry and exuberance in equal measure.
2 HMS Fable – Shack
3 Archives: The Asylum Years – Joni Mitchell
Best music books
1 The Island Book Of Records: Volume 2, 1969-70 (Editor: Neil Storey)
‘Island,’ said Cat Stevens, ‘was a magical pink wonderland’: Traffic, Nick Drake, John Martyn, Fairport, Free, Mott, Crimson, samplers et al. Evocative interviews and illustrations chronicle its first heyday and tease a second spearheaded by reggae.
2 And The Roots Of Rhythm Remain – Joe Boyd
3 Dip My Brain In Joy: A Life With Neil Innes – Yvonne Innes
Phil Shaw on Island and the making of a record label
