Welcome ladies and gentlemen from all over the world, sadly for obvious reasons this has to be a virtual ceremony this year, so you don’t get to give me a gentle squeeze and a peck on the cheek for once. It is nice to see that you have all kept to the strict ball gown and tuxedo dress code, maintaining formal dress standards is the only way for humankind to prevail in our current crisis.
368 days ago I wrote this about celebrating new music:
Given that large tracts of the world are on fire; bigotry, unpleasantness, intolerance and discourtesy stalk our societies and the levers of power are, largely, in the hands of some of the least altruistic, monomaniacal, indecently underqualified, shameless fuckoids that have ever been shat into existence, we need this.
Well, readers, good job we fixed all that in the last 12 months and haven’t encountered any new problems in 2020, eh?
Having spent large chunks of 2020 in lockdown, not having seen my parents for a horribly long time and living in a lot of fear for those I love* music, as always has been a solace to me. So much solace that I bought an embarrassingly high number of records this year, some even from shops! Remember shops? we in frighteningly-mismanaged England barely do.
The Leslie West Memorial Award for LP cover nudity was not a hotly contested one this year, nudity barely featuring in my record buying. I have two competing theories for this a) sudden maturing sobriety forced upon me by the enormity of 2020 b) I’ve already bought them all. I lean towards the latter.
How fitting then that the first and best is the Slits Cut – defiant, primal, sexy, powerful and very out-there, nobody’s objects, nobody’s fools. I love this LP cover every bit as much as I love the music.
Next up is the Peter Green Memorial Award for the best LP cover bought in 2020. From three separate new editions of the Jobcentre Rejects compilations, to an original Alice Cooper Billion Dollar Babies wallet (complete with banknote), to the brilliantly researched and packaged Thelonious Monk Palo Alto and even including the glassy oddness of Fripp/Eno (No Pussyfooting), there was only one winner.
Stand up Smashing Pumpkins Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness, a beautifully presented 4LP box set, replete with fabulous artwork, several booklets and a side order of some very good music indeed.
Which of course, ladies and gentlemen brings you to this afternoon’s main event, brought to you by Antifa Ready Excuses – ‘In God you trust, just blame it all on us!’ – 1537’s Top 10 LPs of 2020
- Bob Dylan Rough And Rowdy Ways.
Bob Dylan in worthwhile LP shock! Imagine that shock quadrupled as I spent more and more time with it over the year. Dylan has learned how to use his leathery velvet ruin of a voice beautifully and has turned in a sharp, cogent, sometimes mystifying set of songs, some of which are every bit the equal of past glories. ‘Goodbye Jimmy Reed’, ‘Murder Most Foul’ and ‘I Contain Multitudes’ are quite excellent, but my favourite lyric is from the snarky ‘Black Rider’ – ‘Black rider, hold it right there/ The size of your cock will get you nowhere’. That’s Nobel laureate material right there.
The music is minimal, at times almost spectral, behind the man, everything is placed at the service of those words. There is a surprising amount of power here and a lot that rewards repeated deep listening. Plus I love the cover and inner sleeve art. Well played!
- Tony Allen & Hugh Masekela Rejoice
A wonderful life-affirming LP received at exactly the time I needed it this year. A labour of love for Allen putting out the products of his sessions recorded with the sadly deceased Masekela took on even more poignancy when Allen died in April. Who could ever have wished for a more uplifting monument to two towering talents of African music?^ ‘Jubilani (Rejoice, Here Comes Tony)’ says it all really. A treasure of an album.
- UFO Live In Youngstown 1978
I am not much of a one for live LPs normally^^ but I have played this RSD album a lot this year, possibly for nostalgia for a band I saw on their last tour but more probably because of the impossibility of seeing any live music at the moment. Youngstown 1978 was one of the dates that was folded into UFO’s classic live double, but I think I actually prefer this take; a couple of the songs aren’t very clear, Phil Mogg sounds pretty out of it between tracks but the whole hangs together as a raw, unpretentious, utterly honest rock experience. Let’s face it, they certainly had the songs.
- Magnetic Fields Quickies
God bless Stephen Merritt and all the ideas who sail in him. His response to lockdown was to bang out an LP of 29 quick songs (there were fewer on the initial 5 x 7″ box set) and the intelligence behind 69 Love Songs really does not disappoint here. Sing along, smirk and snuggle up with such sexually ambiguous joys as ‘The Biggest Tits In History’, ‘Kraftwerk In A Blackout’, ‘You’ve Got A Friend in Beelzebub’ and ‘The Day The Politicians Died’. As always amidst the yuks there are some real feelings and angst knitted in. All on transparent magenta vinyl too.
- Rose City Band
Technically a very late 2019 release, but who’s counting? A lovely mellowed-back countrified psych LP from Ripley Johnson. I have not been convinced by Ripley’s last few albums with Wooden Shjips or Moon Duo but this, bought blind, has restored all my faith. For me it conjures up the shade of JJ Cale on mushrooms, playing guitar in a bluebell wood.
- Raging Speedhorn Hard To Kill
A wonderful scouring slice of groovy anger. Really cathartic when turned up stupidly loud and a superb soundtrack for my recent Madden 20 addiction. I have played this LP a lot and it has helped me aurally burn down 2020.
- AC/DC Pwr/Up
I had very low expectations for this one and it pleasantly surpassed them all. Having grown used to the boys bringing out LPs with two very good tracks, two quite good and a load of forgettable ones, Pwr/Up zapped these quotas. For the first time since the ‘Thunderstruck‘ single some imagination has been applied along with the graft and they even do a couple of unexpected things hereabouts; ‘Through The Mists Of Time’ is a cracker. This LP was like coming home to a nice warm bath, which surely is what heavy metal is all about?!
- Bill Evans Some Other Time
Another expensive, expansive, exponsive RSD release. This time the first vinyl airing of the lost Black Forest sessions laid down by Evans’ trio in 1968. The presentation and research is wonderful, but more importantly so is the playing – precise and loose, crystalline and, in a couple of places, emotional too. All rather lovely in a very precise way.
- Late Night Final A Wonderful Hope
Solo synth release from stalwart Public Service Broadcasting chap, Mr J Willgoose Esq. This is an gorgeous LP designed as balm for your soul during the wee small hours. Over 4 long-form tracks he paints a shimmering, humane, progressive tapestry of sound. Medicine for the heart.
- Video Nasties Dominion
John Carpenter meets Entombed would be my lazy description of these Liverpool-based death ‘n’ rollers. Released just as the UK went into lockdown Dominion did not get the attention it merited, this is a great truly heavy LP blending all sorts of interesting gory things together, Video Nasties manage to find their groove amongst all the splatter. Some excellent samples and soundtrack-like bits and pieces too. I loved this LP, even though it butts right up against my heavy limits. The fact Dominion is on ‘miasma green’ vinyl and I work with the lead singer are other things you should know. Excellent.
Best of the rest? purely for impact it was Dead Can Dance The Serpent’s Egg. I received it the day I decided it wasn’t safe to go into Liverpool to work anymore, the day I was most worried about protecting my family from the pandemic and amidst huge worry about how we would buy food/supplies. Never having heard a note before I was weeping openly after only a minute of ‘The Host Of Seraphim’. Sacred music played in a ruined overgrown cathedral for truly profane people. I have only been able to listen to it again twice because it takes a toll.
Well that and Jerry Lee Lewis Live At The Star Club, Hamburg which is the fiercest, most kickass, bad attitudinous LP I have ever owned. It is truly incredible.
All that remains is to thank each and every single one of you for reading and visiting my little gilded palace of nonsense, if it wasn’t for you chaps and lady chaps 1537 would have wilted away and fallen off the vine a long time ago. So you’ve only got yourselves to blame.
To paraphrase Mr Ice-T, told ya, should’a kissed me last year! Peace out etc.
1048 Down (the U-bend).
*that’s not a vinyl reference, I mean my family and friends this time; as opposed to my one true methodically alphabetised love.
^even sadder considering the deaths of Manu Dibango and Mory Kanté too.
^^most just involve you hearing your favourite songs played a bit faster and with the odd mistake in them, occasionally the singer says something daft between songs and then there’s some extra solos to spoil the shape of the songs.
You and HMO are turning me into a UFO guy. Bill Evans, Raging Speedhorn, I like your style. Tony and Hugh, Rose City Band. I just puffed my guts out on some tobacco from Guatemala listing to Bob. Enjoyable time.
I’m sure all your other picks are more than listenable knowing your tastes but CB is going to hand out the award for “Lets Not Forget”. And that goes to Jerry Lee. You woke me up to what it’s all about. He is one of the big reasons I like rock n roll. What a perfect example of the music. I’ve been holding off pulling the trigger on him. Why? Like a good cigar, waiting for the right occasion (and other bullshit excuses). I wanted to be there more than anywhere.
I think you might find a liking for Magnetic Fields, all you need is an ear for a tune and a sense of humour.
The Jerry Lee album is tricking incredible! I bought 153 LPs last year and not a single one can hold a candle to it.
I will take MF on recommendation.’
I was lucky enough to have this music around when I was a little dabbler. I have to thank my dad and my uncles for being unapologetic Lewis fans. He was the King and he would tell you that himself.
Now here’s the resource we all needed! A truly great list! And man, I really want that Thelonious Monk. I should just suck it up and buy it.
Cheers Aaron. The Monk is good, but the packaging and the story behind it is even better than the music – it’s a wonderful thing. I think you’d like the Bill Evans too.
I know I would! Thanks!
I’ve heard one (ONE!) of your top 10 LPs (Dylan, which has yet to really hit me in the way it’s hit others). Really intrigued by the Raging Speedhorn and UFO releases (I’ve been obsessed with Phenomenon over the last few months).
What?! How dare you not own/have heard Rose City Band?! I think it has enough country in it for your tastes too.
No pun intended but the UFO one is (ta-da!) phenomenal.
I know, it’s shocking. It’s been on the list, but you know what it’s like! Dare say I’ll buy it after stopping by here…
Give it some Spotification. I think you’ll really like them/him.
I like Wooden Shjips and Moon Duo, but just never got to them… dunno why. I’ll definitely check it out soon… I think.
You’ll like it J.
Wow, AC/DC cracks another list! Thank you for the nudity.
If I had a dollar for every time someone had thanked me for my nudity …
$3?
£2.50, the last time was a bit half-hearted.
I go through life with low expectations that way everything will exceed it and make life wonderful. It has worked well for 52 years so I am going to keep that philosophy. And that AC/DC was superb. Actually this whole post was, I just didn’t listen to any of these (other than AC/DC or course).
I thoroughly approve John, low expectations all the way for me too; I try to cultivate that at home too. I think you’d really like the UFO too, a proper warts ‘n all concert with some great tunes.
I think I would like that one as well. Those UFO live albums are usually pretty good.
Surpass my low expectations! Can’t ask much more from an album than that! Agree on the UFO, it’s superb. I’ve not listened to anything else in your Top 10… and I’m not going to, you can’t make me!
Yup low expectations, that’s what metal’s all about! I have decided that will also be the name of my backing band ‘1537 & The Low Expectations’, the dancers/backing singers can be the Low Expectationettes.
I thought the Video Nasties might be angled towards your sensibilities, ‘Drone Eagle’ is a great track.
“Typical Girls” was not a big hit, but it had a great influence on the future. It was proof that in this male-dominated industry there were now women who made music on their own terms.
Viv Albertine’s autobiography is a wonderful read, really good book.
Sorry, I haven’t read the book. But Viv is a smart, compelling person. I also remember The Raincoats, they were pretty close to The Slits.
Great post full of great stuff and a reminder I have really got it up my Raging Speedhorn game. I still haven’t got to that one
Cheers Steve, the Speedhorn was purchased on a whim and I just loved it. There’s one track called ‘Spitfire’ that makes me think I’m the hardest, meanest man on earth – which is all I want from metal.
The Rose City Band is another I’d possibly pick out for you, if you haven’t heard it. It’s so relaxing and just out and out nice.
AC/DC is very solid. The world needed AC/DC to step up and they did. That UFO one is amazing as I downloaded it from Apple Music and those shows are wild as they always seemed like a mess offstage but on-stage man could they deliver.
For Xmas I received Strangers In The Night on vinyl. What a slick reissue. Review coming up at some point. (Cheap Plug)
The AC/DC really did exceed my expectations, I think Shot In The Dark is almost the weakest track on it – I was very disappointed by that when I first heard it. There are some very good tracks on it, for me it’s their best since The Razor’s Edge; which I think is an underrated LP.
The UFO is just superb, a real warts ‘n all performance. I was surprised by how well recorded it was too. Bit of a rare LP that one already, supposed to be 1200 pressed but apparently there were manufacturing issues and so only 600 were; or so the rumour goes.
Look forward to reading Strangers – how different is the setlist?
That’s awesome if only 600 were printed I mean even at 1200 is still cool. Set list is different that being This Kids and Mother Mary are on the original album as well as the reissue on vinyl. Different running order as well.