{"id":3889,"date":"2020-12-24T19:57:21","date_gmt":"2020-12-24T19:57:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/agraham.org\/blog\/?p=3889"},"modified":"2024-06-26T18:02:29","modified_gmt":"2024-06-26T18:02:29","slug":"2020-in-music","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/agraham.org\/blog\/2020\/12\/24\/2020-in-music\/","title":{"rendered":"2020 In Music"},"content":{"rendered":"

Time for the almost annual and almost end of the year look back at music after 2019<\/a>, 2018<\/a>, 2017<\/a> and 2016<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Gigs<\/h2>\n

So I probably went to some gigs but it was last about 9 months ago and I can’t even remember. Fuck 2020. Fuck our governments at every level. Watching some musicians play in their living room wasn’t the same. I just want to go to a gig. And after a year of music venues being left to die Brexit’s gonna fuck over most bands I would give a shit about seeing from touring. Fuck 2020. Fuck our governments.<\/p>\n

Music Shops<\/h2>\n

Grouchos closed<\/a>. Fuck 2020. Thankfully the former staff went ahead and opened up a great new shop, Thirteen Records<\/a>, in the now pedestrianised Union Street.<\/p>\n

New Releases<\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

I had the season tickets for Make That a Take<\/a> and Specialist Subject<\/a> again, but obviously due to inability for many bands to get into recording studios not as much came out as recent years.<\/p>\n

Albums<\/h3>\n

2Pac \u200e\u2013 Me Against The World<\/a> – Finally got his best album on vinyl when the 25th anniversary rolled round.
\nAJJ \u200e\u2013 Good Luck Everybody<\/a> – Good folk punk album, the UK release caused some confusion for their archivist as their promo images didn’t reflect the release.
\nAlhaji (Chief) Prof. Kollington Ayinla And His Fuji ’78 Organisation \u200e\u2013 Blessing<\/a> – really cool afro-funk release. Yet again Soul Jazz with the obscure quality.
\nThe Avalanches \u200e\u2013 We Will Always Love You<\/a> – way more laid back than their first album, and didn’t hear any stand out songs like Frontier Psychiatrist etc.
\nBadBadNotGood & Ghostface Killah \u200e\u2013 Sour Soul<\/a> – Repress of hip hop collaboration. Well worth checking out.
\nMatt Berry \u200e\u2013 Phantom Birds<\/a> – Pretty disappointing. I’d heard some music so had high hopes but it’s a bit meh. Can’t see me having the urge to listen again to be honest.
\nBob Vylan \u200e\u2013 We Live Here<\/a> – Fuck yeah, Bob Vylan was one of the great finds of this year. Cool fusion of hip hop and punk.
\nBroken Social Scene – Live At Third Man Records<\/a> – Great live album. I miss seeing them live. They were great live. Being in a room with musicians entertaining you is good. And important. Fuck 2020.
\nCharmpit \u200e\u2013 Cause A Stir<\/a> – The first time I heard anything by this band was the week before this was released as part of a livestreamed houseshow where they performed pop covers with costume changes. Simply amazing.
\nCherbourg Harps Assembly \u200e\u2013 Covered\u200b-\u200b19 (A Benefit Compilation for Willows Animal Sanctuary)<\/a> – Seas, Starry subset released to make money for an animal sanctuary.
\nCitizen Bravo, Raymond MacDonald And Friends \u200e\u2013 Return To Y’Hup The World Of Ivor Cutler<\/a> – Absolutely massive collection of artists covering some songs by the oft-overlooked Ivor Cutler. Man 2020 started with a bang and was looking great for music.
\nDeftones \u200e\u2013 Ohms<\/a> – Surprisingly good recent album by band I’d skipped the past few of.
\nDr Pish \u200e\u2013 Popular Songs<\/a> – If nothing else you should listen to Hings Vegans Might Eat<\/cite>. Best reaction I heard was “Is this Limmy having a mental breakdown?”.
\nThe Duke Of Portland \u200e\u2013 The Duke Of Portland<\/a> – Pretty cool find of a previously unheard album. Some of the lyrics haven’t aged well but an important release.
\nMiles Davis \u200e\u2013 Double Image \/\/ Rare Miles From The Complete Bitches Brew Sessions<\/a> – rarities compilation for RSD by one of the most important jazz musicians.
\nErica Freas \u200e\u2013 Young<\/a> – wonderful punk album by someone who takes part in the great Flick Through Podcast<\/a>.
\nFrightened Rabbit \u200e\u2013 The Winter Of Mixed Drinks<\/a> – awesome repress with a live single.
\nIdlewild \u200e\u2013 Captain<\/a> – finally a vinyl release for the bands second best album. Waited a long time and it delivers.
\nIlluminati Hotties \u200e\u2013 Free I.H: This Is Not The One You’ve Been Waiting For<\/a> – pretty great indie release, found them via ppl-plzr<\/a>.
\nJune Of 44 \u200e\u2013 Engine Takes To The Water<\/a> – Another post-rock release for RSD.
\nJune Of 44 \u200e\u2013 Tropics And Meridians<\/a> – One of the Record Store Day releases, class math rock.
\nKaddish \u200e\u2013 Two Demos<\/a> – Kaddish got some physical copies made of their first demos on cassette. They, and everyone else noticed the stupid prices their first two LPs are selling for online too. Kaddish records, ecossemo pension funds.
\nKerbdog \u200e\u2013 Kerbdog<\/a> – Repressed at last. Hopefully no more 3 figure ebay auctions for the originals now.
\nKerbdog \u200e\u2013 On The Turn<\/a> – Finally a repress. Yes. 100%. Class, go buy it.
\nThe Kimberly Steaks \u200e\u2013 Confessions of a Justified Cynic<\/a> – Weegievilles greatest Kerplunk-era Green Day tribute act.
\nThe Lovely Eggs \u200e\u2013 I Am Moron<\/a> – pretty cool garage rock I found out through the Flick Through podcast.
\nThe Menzingers \u200e\u2013 Chamberlain Waits<\/a> – a good punk release. On THIS RSD. Etc.
\nMuncie Girls \u200e\u2013 B\u200b-\u200bSides The Point<\/a> – B-sides by one of SSR’s best bands.
\nPaper Rifles \u200e\u2013 Traitor’s Hill<\/a> – Second album by the band, pretty damn good, and been making some big lists for best albums of the year.
\nPaper Rifles \u200e\u2013 Lockdown Covers<\/a> – Not content dropping a studio album they also released a covers album. The Mel C and Bryan Adams song is a banger (featuring the awesome Beth from Slowlight). The Idlewild one is just perfect.
\nPillow Queens \u200e\u2013 In Waiting<\/a> – Brilliant Irish band whose State of the State<\/cite> is definitely worth a look too.
\nRaised Fist \u200e\u2013 Sound Of The Republic<\/a> – Weird to spot some Hardcore record as part of Record Store Day. Pretty gid.
\nRefused \u200e\u2013 Not Fit For Broadcast (Live At The BBC)<\/a> – Live set released as part of Record Store Day. I love Refused.
\nEnrique Rodr\u00edguez & The Negra Chiway Band \u200e\u2013 Fase Liminal<\/a> – Chilean spiritual jazz. Really really good.
\nJeff Rosenstock \u200e\u2013 No Dream<\/a> – anti-folk hero back with another banger after 2019s surprise day 1 release.
\nScotland in the 80s \u200e\u2013 The Dreary Heather Club<\/a> – absolutely class folk album released by a geographically dispersed group of artists.
\nGil Scott-Heron, Makaya McCraven \u200e\u2013 We’re New Again (A Reimagining By Makaya McCraven)<\/a> – really enjoyable jazz album.
\nSt\u00f6j Snak \u200e\u2013 Life, Death And Everything In Between<\/a> – Great follow up to the phenomenal debut album. It’s not as good, but most second albums aren’t.
\nStonethrower \u200e\u2013 Legacies<\/a> – great ecossemo release with proceeds going to Rad Apples and a racial justice charity.
\nThe Strangers Almanac \u200e\u2013 Daisies of the Galaxy<\/a> – Mr E “Mark Everett” Eels gets called out by local artist who clearly got ripped off by him and releases completely original album Mr Eels covered and made huge.
\nWrest \u200e\u2013 Coward Of Us All<\/a> – great find of new Edinburgh band who are FRabbit-esque.<\/p>\n

Various \u200e\u2013 A Compilation Vol\u200b.\u200b2<\/a> – Another venue fundraiser. Fucking 2020. Fuck.
\nVarious \u200e\u2013 Blue Note Re:imagined 2020<\/a> – absolutely brilliant re-interpretation of Blue Note tracks.
\nVarious \u200e\u2013 Brazil Funk Power<\/a> – Soul Jazz with a Brazilian Funk collection for RSD.
\nStereo Verlag \u200e\u2013 Die Stereo H\u00f6rtest-Edition Vol. IV Visions Of Jazz<\/a> – really cool jazz compilation which came with a CD and download code, which I hadn’t seen before.
\nVarious \u200e\u2013 Dune (Original Soundtrack Recording)<\/a> – RSD release of the Toto-centred classic. Picked up in eager anticipation of the 2020 release of the Dune part 1 film. Fuck 2020.
\nVarious \u200e\u2013 Furlough Your Dreams<\/a> – SSR rarities available for 24hours, the cover of which was later released as a shirt.
\nVarious \u200e\u2013 Hidden Gems<\/a> – Colin released a whole bunch of massive compilations this year, and I haven’t got them all but this was some great punk stuff.
\nVarious \u200e\u2013 Hope In The Face Of Fear<\/a> – quality compilation of black metal artists.
\nVarious \u200e\u2013 Kaleidoscope (New Spirits Known & Unknown)<\/a> – Soul Jazz Records history of releases is so good I blind-purchase every jazz release I see from them. Compilation of a bunch of contemporary jazz artists.
\nVarious \u200e\u2013 Lockdown Unplugged<\/a> – another compilation for a mental health charity. See the theme this year :(.
\nVarious \u200e\u2013 Music Venue Trust<\/a> – fundraiser compilation for venues abandoned for months by the clusterfuck government.<\/p>\n

EPs and other stuff<\/h3>\n

Alldeepends \u200e\u2013 Hello My Name Is<\/a> – If you have this you know how amazing it is. If you don’t have this, you are wrong and should rectify it immediately. Short run of the physical release but digital purchases are infinite.
\nBiffy Clyro \u200e\u2013 Moderns<\/a> – Wasn’t please by price but got these covers of Frightened Rabbit on Record Store Day as it was funding for the great Tiny Changes<\/a> charity.
\nCherym \u200e\u2013 Weird Ones<\/a> – Cherym are great and I missed not seeing them at BYAF this year :(.
\nConcept Car \u200e\u2013 Luxury Interior<\/a> – Cool electronic EP after some tracks dropped one by one.
\nGone Wishing \u200e\u2013 Hidden Not Hiding<\/a> – One of the first releases of the year.
\nGoodbye Blue Monday \u200e\u2013 Self\u200b-\u200bIndulgent One\u200b-\u200bTake Woefuls<\/a> – Acoustic versions of some of their great songs.
\nLipsick! \u200e\u2013 Sicksongs<\/a> – One of the best bands Dundee produced had a bunch of their work put online by a bored member on lockdown.
\nThe Marx \u200e\u2013 Musk Family Emerald Mine<\/a> – localish punk outfit with snazzy suits.
\nMin Diesel \u200e\u2013 Mints<\/a> – another hidden gem of the Scottish music scene. Get on it.
\nOrder Of The Wolf \u200e\u2013 Split With Pessimista<\/a> – Another split by the great local black metal artist.
\nSeas, Starry \u200e\u2013 Larsson Dreams of Germans \/ Hey Koala<\/a> – Aberdeens finest with a couple of new tracks.
\nSpectral Child \u200e\u2013 Moribund Kingdom<\/a> – quality dark ambient release.
\nSpectral Child \u200e\u2013 Isolationism<\/a> – second release by them. Check them out.
\nToodles & The Hectic Pity \u200e\u2013 Ghosts, Guilt & Grandparents<\/a> – pretty cool punk release from SSR.
\nTragical History Tour \/ Order Of The Wolf \u200e\u2013 To The Chaos<\/a> – great split with a punk and black metal interpretation of the same track.
\nWoolen \u200e\u2013 Wrap Up Warm, It’s Cold Out There<\/a> – randomly found Fife emo. Fifemo.
\nWrest \u200e\u2013 A World That Has Left You Unspoken<\/a> – lockdown ep by the Edinburgh based band.
\nYndi Halda \u200e\u2013 Acoustic<\/a> – acoustic versions of some of the post-rock bands releases.<\/p>\n

Music still in the ‘to listen’ pile\/Other Music I discovered<\/h3>\n

My to listen pile is far far too big to even dig into. I finally managed to sort out my digital media library and am slowly working through listening to it. I still have a ridiculous pile of CDs to rip, and a massive pile of records to listen to and file. I also caught up with some of the backlog and listened to a bunch of stuff, but maintaining that list is just ridiculous so can’t be faffed. Near the heat death of the universe when I have listened to all the music I own I’ll do some “best music” type post to document stuff I love. Pinky promise.<\/p>\n

Discogs<\/h3>\n

I submitted a massive amount of digital music to discogs over the year and was in the top 10 for the month for some months. This was a precursor to a project I kicked off but stalled with. It may become public next year but #effort.<\/p>\n

Music goals for 2020<\/h3>\n

Started ripping more of collection as FLAC. Once I get through I will re-rip things I have as MP3. Also need to then sort and try to sell off the stuff I don’t like. That required actually listening to the music I own though…
\nStill have a massive pile of 12s to get through but the vast majority are sorted and I’ve made some passes through and sold off some stuff I disliked or had duplicates of.
\nMade some progress in my 7s. The awkwardness of listening to a track and flipping makes it difficult to do when reading a book etc so will probably get nowhere near completed until I’ve sorted through the 12s.<\/p>\n