Review of 2011

Here’s this year’s offering:

1. Favourite album released in 2011:

The Old Magic by Nick Lowe. Again, I’ve gone for the type of record you listen to while supping a fine single malt, in the winter, next to the fire, with your feet on a labrador – but it’s beautiful. A songwriter at ease with himself, it seems. I REALLY like it..

1a: Other favourite albums:
Bon Iver by Bon Iver
Anna Calvi by Anna Calvi
Ilo Veyou by Camille
Cults by Cults
Build A Rocket Boys! by Elbow
Virtue by Emmy The Great
Father, Son, Holy Ghost by Girls
Leave No Trace by Fool’s Gold
O, Devotion! by Liz Green
Let England Shake by PJ Harvey
Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming by M83
Leaving Songs by Stuart A. Staples
Into The Murky Water by The Leisure Society

2. Favourite single (or individual track) released in 2011:

Rolling in the Deep by Adele. I know it came out in November last year, so officially has no place here. In my defence, however, I only really heard it this year… and she really is that good, isn’t she?
Otherwise, it’s a special mention to Midnight City by M83.

3. Favourite discovery of 2011 (of an album released before 2011 but you only heard this year):

Among My Swan by Mazzy Star. HOW had I missed Mazzy Star?

4. Favourite rediscovery of 2011 (of an album you’ve owned for ages but listened to again in 2011 and realised how great it was again):

You know, for years I’ve rubbished them. Then Absolute 90′s came on the air, I heard Oasis again, remembered what it was like in 1995/6 and listened to Definitely Maybe and (What’s The Story) Morning Glory? again. If only they’d stopped there…

5. Favourite live gig of 2011:

I have had a hopeless year for gigs. I had tickets to see Paul Simon – all ready to go, and he postponed it to the next day – when I couldn’t make it. That was gutting. I was in London, and could get to see the full Deserter’s Songs set performed by Mercury Rev 10 years on – this after the first time round when I went to see them in Sheffield and ended up seeing the last song of their encore. Long story. Anyway, I didn’t make it this time round as I found out on the one day they were playing, I was booked to be an usher at a wedding. Nice, but annoying.

So by default then, it has to be Cults at the Manchester Ruby Lounge. The sound wasn’t great in the venue, but the band were energetic enough – and it was the dawn of a new beginning. Many more gigs in Manchester next year, please.

6. Favourite film of 2011:

I watched three films all year – The Ipcress Files on BBC2, Full Metal Jacket on ITV4 (both of which were great) and…

7. Favourite DVD/Blu-Ray of 2011:

..The King’s Speech on Blu-Ray. Yes, I need to get out more. Thankfully, it was superb. I am definitely going to make the cinema in 2012…

8. Favourite TV show of 2011:

Frozen Planet. I don’t care if one bit of it wasn’t what you thought it was – it was great. I’m sure there’s been many others, but I’ve not watched much TV this year – other than sport.

9. Favourite radio show of 2011:

Radcliffe & Maconie on 6 Records. Intelligent humour in an afternoon. Perfect. Tea-time theme-time anyone?

10. Favourite book you read in 2011:

I, Partridge by Alan Partridge. Aha!

11. Favourite event of 2011:

Well, I could go for the Arab Spring, the fall of Gaddafi, the hacking scandal… but instead I think I’ll go for the many weddings I’ve been to this year – 6, with an invite to a 7th I couldn’t make (sorry Alice & Callum). It’s good to see your friends (and most of all, my sister) so happy.

12. Favourite gadget of 2011:

I bought a Kindle. Best purchase ever.
Also, Spotify Premium. It’s actually saving me a fortune…

13. Biggest disappointment of 2011:

My comparative lack of running. Get a move on, son…

14. Villain of 2011:

You know, I really have no idea. Let’s go for Bashar al-Assad. He seems like a bit of a git.

15. Legend of 2011:

Andy Flower (and by proxy, Messrs Strauss, Cook, Trott, etc…)

Review of 2008

Review of 2008:

I’ve limited it to just one per category. As there’s usually too many to mention.

1. Favourite album released in 2008

I would humbly suggest that for once, the Mercury Music Prize judges got it spot on. Elbow – The Seldom Seen Kid.

2. Favourite single (or individual track) released in 2008

And from it… One Day Like This.

3. Favourite discovery of 2008 (of an album released before 2008 but you only heard this year)

Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings – 100 days, 100 nights. Old-skool soul and doo-wop.

4. Favourite rediscovery of 2008 (of an album you’ve owned for ages but listened to again in 2008 and realised how great it was again)

The Verve – Urban Hymns. I think I’d just forgotten how much I like it, really.

5. Favourite film of 2008

Waltz with Bashir.

6. Favourite DVD of 2008

Walk The Line

7. Favourite TV show of 2008

QI.

8. Favourite live gig of 2008

Elbow at Manchester Apollo

9. Favourite non-music event of 2008

Kevin Keegan returning to Newcastle (see point 11)

10. Favourite gadget of 2008

I finally retrieved my hi-fi this year and added my dad’s old LP deck. Can I have that?

12. Biggest disappointment of 2008

Kevin Keegan leaving Newcastle….

12. Villain of 2008

Mike Ashley, albeit with a caveat that if he puts his hand in his pocket now and buys us some half-decent players, he may be excused. A bit.

13. Legend of 2008

Obama? Boris Johnson? Chris Hoy? The delicious Victoria Pendleton?

Nah. It has to be Phillip Schofield, for interrupting the Kerry Katona interview and asking if she was actually ok.

Review of 2007

(I thought I’d resurrect the ‘Review of..’ series… here’s the old ones….)

Review of 2007

Favourite album released in 2007:

Richard Hawley’s Lady’s Bridge. Sheffield Steel, a hint of Roy Orbison and Matt Munro and a soon-to-be-released collaboration with the Arctic Monkeys. It’s music to actually make your heart melt. Excellent live too, witty, charming – and a man who sounds comfortable in his own skin. This is a step up from Coles Corner too – in so much as it is more popular whilst retaining his charm. Honourable mentions also to Stephen Fretwell for Man On The Roof; The White Stripes for Icky Thump; Justice for ‘Cross’; Klaxons for Myths of the Near Future; Arcade Fire for Neon Bible; Radiohead for In Rainbows, The Arctic Monkeys for Favourite Worst Nightmare; Kate Walsh for Tim’s House & Kaiser Chiefs for Yours Truly, Angry Mob.

Favourite single released in 2007:

Surprisingly, perhaps, I’m going to go for… Dizzee Rascal, Sirens. Top slice of UK grime with a genius soul beat. I don’t get the whole Dizzee thing – but this was awesome. A soundscape of a single.
Mentions: Sonny J – Keep On Moving; The Wombats – Let’s Dance To Joy Division; Arctic Monkeys – Brianstorm.

Favourite discovery of 2007 (of an album released before 2007 but you only heard in 2007):

Martha Reeves and The Vandellas – Gold. Not really a ‘discovery’ – as everyone knows at least one of their records – but I’d never realised just how many brilliant ones they’d done. True motown.

Favourite rediscovery of 2007 (of an album you’ve owned for ages but listened to again in 2007 and realised how great it was again): I listened to a lot of Mercury Rev – Deserters songs. Still amazing.

Favourite film of 2007: The Simpsons – as I think it was the only one I saw…

Favourite DVD of 2007: Family Guy season whatever the latest one was…

Favourite TV show of 2007: QI.

Favourite live gig of 2007: Stephen Fretwell, Fibbers, York.

Favourite non-music event of 2007: England beat France, Rugby World Cup Semi-final…

Most annoying person in 2007: Steve McLaren

Legend of 2007: Alan Johnston.