- Top Tens
Top 10 of 2016 by Jon Rooney, Virgin of the Birds
1. Nap Eyes - Thought Rock Fish Scale
2. Modern Studies - Swell to Great
3. Various Artists - Song, By Toad Split 12” Volume 4
4. Faith Eliott - Insects
5. Amanda Bergman - Docks
6 Jenny Hval - Blood Bitch
7. Honeyblood - Babes Never Die
8. David Thomas Broughton - The Crippling Lack
9. Chance the Rapper - Coloring Book
10. Okkervil River - Away
Check out Virgin of the Birds, single “Spooky, Stony, Barely Over Thirty”
- Top Tens
Albums
1. Parquet Courts - Human Performance
2. Treetop Flyers - Palomino
3. Joe Bonamassa - Blues of Desperation
4. Black Mountain - IV
5. Okkervil River - Away
6. Case Lang Veirs - CLV
7. Emma Pollock - In Search of Harperfield
8. Billie Marten - Writing of Blues & Yellows
9. Mystery Jets - Curve of the Earth
10. White Denim - Stiff
Top 10 Gigs
The Blue Aeroplanes - The Fleece
Lucero - Brudenell
Hurrah For The Riff Raff - Brudenell
The Sheepdogs - Gasa Gasa, New Orleans
Bo Ningen - Leeds Irish Centre
Parquet Courts - Wardrobe
Cabbage - Ritz, Manchester
Anathema - Picturedrome
Beverly - Picturedrome
Turin Brakes - Picturedrome
Festival Performances
Teenage Fanclub - EOTR
Thee Oh Sees - EOTR
The Blind Shake - EOTR
C Duncan - Deershed
Primal Scream - On Roundhay
Throws - EOTR
Fizzy Blood - Live at Leeds
Emma Pollock - Deershed
Boxed In - Deershed
Goat - EOTR
Favourite Film
Captain Fantastic
Favourite Book
1971 - David Hepworth
Worst moment of 2016 : The obvious losses we have endured, especially for me 2/3 of ELP passing.
Best : New album announcement from The Blue Aeroplanes...
Keith
- Top Tens
Here is a top 10 of the year from Tiger Lillies bass player Adrian Stout.
1. Leonard Cohen - You want it Darker
2. Radiohead - A Moon Shaped Pool
3. Beak> - Couple in a Hole soundtrack
4. David Bowie - Black Star
5. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Skeleton Tree
6. The Fat White Family - Songs for our Mothers
8. Jambinai - A Hermitage
9. Shirley Collins - Lodestar
10. PJ Harvey - The Hope Six Demolition Project
The new album from The Tiger Lillies: 'Cold Night In Soho' is due on 26 January 2017, a week before a major solo concert for the band at the Roundhouse in London, which forms part of the venue’s “In the Round” season on 3rd February, 2017. Tickets are Here
This is also the band’s first album not connected to a theatre show in about ten years, representing a return to song-writing for the sake of the songs alone. To mark this high-profile occasion the album will be released in a limited-edition vinyl pressing featuring ten of the songs, as well as a CD, with the full complement of 16 songs.
- Top Tens
With his 'Best Male Vocal' from the British Blues Awards, King King's Alan Nimmo delivers his Top Ten Albums of 2016:
1. Chris Stapleton – Traveler
2. Thunder – Wonder Days
3. Tyketto – Reach
4. The Stevie Nimmo Trio – Sky Won't Fall
5. Joanne Shaw Taylor – Wild
6. Amos Lee – Spirit
7. The Brothers Landreth – Let it Lie
8. Joe Bonamassa – Blues of Desperation
9. Walter Trout – Alive in Amsterdam
10. Knock Out Kain – Rise of the Electric Jester
- Top Tens
I’ve actually been very lazy on the music front this year – Promise to do better in 2017. From the little I’ve done:
Album: - Bears Den, Red Earth & Pouring Rain
Gig: Muse @ O2
Best Song: Kings of Leon “Don’t say its over”
Film: Deadpool
Worst musical moment: realising that half way through the Undertones gig that all their songs sound the same live
Best: the lighting and speaker rig at the Muse Gig
Gavin
- Top Tens
Albums
1 David Bowie - Black Star
2 Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds - Skeleton Tree
3 Drive by Truckers - American Band
4 Whitney - Light Upon The Lake
5 Leonard Cohen - You want it Darker
6 Radiohead - Moon Shaped Pool
7 American Football - LP2
8 Frightened Rabbit - Painting of a Panic Attack
9 Wilco - Schmilco
10 The Rolling Stones - Blue & Lonesome
Live Gigs
1 Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band - Ricoh Arena, Coventry
2 David Gilmour - Royal Albert Hall
3 Neil Young & The Promise of the Real - O2 London
4 Coldplay - Wembley Stadium
5 AC/DC (with Axl Rose) - London Stadium
6 The Cure - Wembley Arena
7 Cinematic Orchestra - Rock City, Nottingham
8 Wilco - Brixton Academy
9 Red Hot Chilli Peppers - Genting Arena, Birmingham
10 Sleater Kinney - Sydney Opera House
Festival Performances
1 Thee Oh Sees - End of the Road
2 Low - Caught by the River
3 Warpaint - Green Man
4 Bill Ryder-Jones - Howlin' Fling, Eigg
5 Local Natives - End of the Road
6 Sigur ros - Citadel festival
7 The Magnetic North - Green Man
8 Whitney - Green Man
9 Beach House - Laneway Festival
10 Lush - Green Man
Best and worst Musical moments
Best: Going to a gig at the Sydney Opera House
Worst: The passing of David Bowie and all the musical legends who died this year.
Best Song
Julia Jacklin - Pool Party
Best Film
Black Mass
Best Book
David Millar - The Racer: The Inside Story of Life on the Road
Merry Christmas! Pete
- Top Tens
Albums
1. Boy King - Wild Beasts
2. Skeleton Tree - Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
3. Hope Demolition Project - PJ Harvey
4. 22, A Million - Bon Iver
5. Bat For Lashes - The Bride
6. Kevin Morby - Singing Saw
7. GoGo Penguin - Man Made Object
8. Preoccupations - Preoccupations
9. Gold Panda - Good Luck and Do Your Best
10. Anonhi - HOPELESSNESS
Top track
Distant Sky - Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
- Top Tens
Top Ten Albums
Chaleur Humaine by Christine and the Queens is the only new album I've properly listened to that came out in 2016. Mostly in this year of shock, horror and dismay I've turned to comfortable favourites like Out of Time, Blue and Fleetwood Mac's greatest hits to guide me through. BUT, there is something positive on the horizon...I'm so looking forward to maybe finding new music from Bon Iver, Conor Oberst and Leonard Cohen in my Christmas stocking. So no top ten from me, but an anticipation of a better year ahead x
Top 2016 Gig
1) Christine and the Queens at Brixton Academy
Top Three 2016 Festival Appearances.
James @ On Blackheath (AMAZING)
Unknown Mortal Orchestra @ Green Man
Slow Club @ Green Man
Best Film
I Daniel Blake
Best Book
His Bloody Project by Graeme Macrae Burnet
Best song
Tilted by Christine and the Queens
Best and worst musical moments
Worst, the death of Leonard Cohen
Best, everyone dancing and singing along to Songhoy Blues at Green Man
Lou
- Top Tens
Top Ten Albums
1 Beyond the Wizard's Sleeve – The Soft Bounce
2 Nancy Kerr- Instar
3 Minor Victories – The Debut Album
4 Josienne Clarke and Ben Walker - Overnight
5 Lucinda Williams – The Ghosts of Highway 20
6 Luh – Spiritual Songs for Lovers to Sing
7 Lisa Hannigan – At Swim
8 The Wedding Present – Going ,Going ...
9 Blair Dunlop – Gilded
10 Metallica – Hardwired ... to Self-destruct
Top Ten Gigs
1 Muse, Barclaycard Arena, Birmingham
2 PJ Harvey, The Eden Project
3 Brian Wilson, Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham
4 Savages, The Junction, Cambridge
5 Preservation Hall Brass Band, Preservation Hall, New Orleans
6 Eliza Carthy and The Wayward Band, Glee Club, Nottingham
7 Wilco, Albert Hall, Manchester
8 Stick In The Wheel, Village Folk, Derby
9 Lake Street Dive, Scala, London
10 Lucinda Williams, The Plug, Sheffield
Individual performance worthy of mention – Dr Ruth Skipper of Moulettes rocking out with her bassoon, an instrument previously unknown to rock out with.
Top Ten Festival Appearances
1 Josienne Clarke & Ben Walker, Derby Cathedral, Derby Folk Festival
2 Peggy Seeger, Derby Folk Festival
3 The Human League, Splendour
4 Bat for Lashes, End of The Road
5 Goat, End of The Road
6 Broken Social Scene, End of The Road
7 Primal Scream , On Roundhay
8 Fairport Convention, Derby Folk Festival
9 Teenage Fan Club ,End of The Road
10 Whitney , End of The Road
Worst and Best Musical moments – (sadly) David Bowie dying and then hearing all the great music he made being played everywhere for the next week. The intro to 'All The Young Dudes' still brings a tear.
Annoying developing live music trend - People talking during shows. It easy folks, music is designed to be listened to, sung along with, danced to, or all three, not for being talked over. Talking whilst a musician is playing is disrespectful to the musicians and annoys other audience members who have paid to hear the musician, not you. Stop It Now.
Best Song – Riding The Low 'Heed'
Best Film
Hunt for The Wilderpeople
Alisdair Whyte
- Top Tens
Our Top Ten albums of 2016 so far, in alphabetical order;
Big Thief - Masterpiece
David Bowie - BlackStar
Case/Lang/Viers
Eagulls - Ullages
Eno - The Ship
Lera Lynn - Resistor
Moonface & Siinai - My Best Human Face
Margo Price - Midwest Farmer’s Daughter
Radiohead - A Moon Shaped Pool
Whitney - Light Upon the Lake
How many will still be on the list come December?
- Top Tens
Albums
1. I Love You, Honeybear - Father John Misty
2. Sometimes I Sit And Think, And Sometimes I Just Sit - Courtney Barnett
3. Perpetual Motion People - Ezra Furman
4. Have You In My Wilderness - Julia Holter
5. Carrie and Lowell - Sufjan Stevens
6. B'lieve I'm Goin' Down - Kurt Vile
7. On Your Own Love Again - Jessica Pratt
8. Currents - Tame Impala
9. Constant Bop - Bop English
10. Born Under Saturn - Django Django
Gigs
Father John Misty - Village Underground, London
Sufjan Stevens - Royal Festival Hall, London
Public Service Broadcasting - Roundhouse, London
Super Furry Animals - Brixton, London
Jeff Lynne's ELO - Porchester Hall, London
Patti Smith - Roundhouse, London
Kurt Vile & The Violators, Anson Rooms, Bristol
Bob Dylan - Royal Albert Hall, London
Unknown Mortal Orchestra - Islington Assembly Hall, London
Gruff Rhys - Ebbw Vale Institute
Festival performances
St Vincent, Green Man
Beck, British Summer Time
Father John Misty, Green Man
Future Islands, British Summer Time
Public Service Broadcasting, Green Man
Super Furry Animals, Green Man
Manic Street Preachers, On Blackheath
808 State, On Blackheath
Mew, Green Man
Meilyr Jones, Green Man
Nigel
- Top Tens
ALBUMS
1. Maccabees - Marks To Prove It
2. Tame Impala - Currents
3. Courtney Barnett - Sometimes I Sit And Think And Sometimes I Just Sit
4. Unknown Mortal Orchestra - Multi Love
5. Ezra Furman -Perpetual Motion People
6. Father John Misty - I Love You, Honeybear
7. Ghenghar - A Dream Outside
8. East India Youth - Culture of Volume
9. Public Service Broadcasting - The Race For Space
10. Girlband - Holding Hands With Jamie
GIGS
Father John Misty - Village Underground London
Maccabees - Coronet London
Laura Marling - The Thekla Bristol
The Decemberists - O2 Glasgow
Foals - Village Underground London
Adem - Moth Club London
Alvvays/Genghar - Joiners Southampton
East India Youth - Village Underground London
Christopher Owens - St John's Church Bethnal Green
Wolf Alice - Old Fire Station Bournemouth
Festival
Tame Impala - End of The Road
Royal Blood - Best Kept Secret
East India Youth - End of The Road
Surjan Stevens - End of The Road
Meilyr Jones - End of The Road
Alvvays - End of The Road
Hinds - Visions
Darwen Deez - Truck Festival
Elbow - On Blackheath
Here's to more of the same in 2016 !!
Sally
