Possession

Bella and I are trying to rewatch a load of horror movies with a view to trying to determine our favourites. As a way of jogging my memory, I am going to try to jot a few notes down of films that are notable.

First up, Andrzej Zulawski's Possession (1981)

Mark comes back from a trip to find that his wife, Anna, wants to leave him. She is acting strange and he is distraught. Eventually, the reason for this is revealed and they are both caught up in a terrible nightmare.

OK, that synopsis does not even begin to describe the movie. It is quite mad in a variety of ways. However, there is a lot to commend it. The performances (especially Isabelle Adjani) are awesome. Check out the subway scene. The supporting characters are very good. The tension is palpable. In all, a very enjoyable watch and it is easy to see why this film is highly regarded.

However, is it likely to make a list of favourites? No, it leaves too many unanswered questions. I don't mind this so much, and it certainly wouldn't stop me from recommending it, but when compared with other greats, which are more coherent within themselves, I am not sure it will stand up.

Somewhat arbitrary overall rating: 8/10

Memorability: 9/10

Performances: 10/10

Scary: 6/10

It all adds up: 5/10

The Case Against The Case Against Pop Music

Popping up on my facebook feed lately have been several comments and critiques of pop music. The general point is that pop music is terrible and that this may presage the coming of the apocalypse, or something. As a general defender of pop music both past and present, this has been causing some rankling and I have been feeling an increasing urge to respond. But no, I should let it go - some battles just aren't worth fighting...

And then, I came across a video so insensible that it has been dogging my thoughts. Whether in the shower or driving to work, the various arguments won't leave me alone. It doesn't help that the person in the video, Paul Joseph Watson, is utterly insufferable. His argumentation is mind-numbingly awful, and this is compounded by a voice half-shouted, half-announced, all annoying. His voice is the aural equivalent of Katie Hopkin's face. He is also a contributor to Infowars, which indicates high levels of batshit craziness. Nonetheless, he has compiled in one place all of the typical arguments I hear so often. This is fair service; I ought to thank him. I won't though.

So, over the following paragraphs, I will attempt to respond to these arguments and ultimately offer a defence of pop music. Not necessarily all pop music, mind - I will never deny the contention that some pop music is bad. Of course it is. I might even allow that most is bad. But essentially, what I want to defend is that there is nothing inherently bad about the current state of pop music.

Argument #1 - It all sounds the same

Watson wants to claim that his arguments are scientific and objective, which is a laudable aim. As such he straight away refers to a study that emerged that year that Top 40 pop music is becoming more homogenised. this means that the dynamic range of the music, in terms of chord progression, instrumentation etc. is narrowing. Well, let's take this at face value and allow that it is true.

Firstly, to note the narrowing of range is not to claim that all pop music is identical, which Watson proposes. Thinking of the people that are highlighted within the video; Beyonce, Rihanna, Kanye, Kesha, Taylor Swift; I would hold that we can readily differentiate between their records. Part of this will be a product of their differing vocal styles, part will be the context of their music - they are not all doing the same thing. I'll grant that, Kanye excluded, the instrumentation is similar. There have been plenty of musical styles that have been similar to the point of being largely indistinguishable to the unintitiated. Reggae in the 70s and 80s is coming to mind, where producers would often use the same rhythms ('riddims') to record various singers or MCs. Certainly if we were to survey the productions of Prince Jammy, we might consider that the similarities are more striking than the dissimilarities, leading someone to conclude that they were all more or less the same. Of course, an aficionado of these artists might object; but then, so would a 14 year old girl regarding Taylor Swift.

Secondly, what Watson does not address is why this tendency is present. The report noted that this convergence was a common tendency within genres, not wholly unlike natural selection. The sound that is indicative of that genre, what it is that has become popular in the first place, is homed in on by record buyers and the songs draw closer together. So this process is not an exclusively cynical move by record producers, but is a symbiotic process between producer and customer. And of course, in the same way as we have seen repeatedly in the past, at some point an outlier will emerge that will act as a game changer.

Argument #2 - The lyrics are dumber than ever

Watson refers to a study conducted by data analyst AndrewPowell-Morse that confirms a ten year trend that pop music lyrics are increasingly simple, such that an average 8 year old would understand them. However, what Watson neglects is Powell-Morse's own conclusions that this should in no way be understood as a condemnation. All it measures is the word complexity of the lyrics and it wholly ignores things such as nuance. Furthermore, as a ten-year study it fails to consider the complexity of pop music from other eras. The Beatles' early work, for instance, is no better. And what should we make of The Kingsmen's incomprehensible 'Louie Louie' or The Crystal's 'Da Do Ron Ron' or The Dixie Cups 'Iko Iko'?

Ultimately, is the lyrical complexity of pop music even important? There is a place, of course, for lyrically complex songs. We can admire Dylan et al., but this is not, in the purest sense pop music. Pop music has a far less cerebral purpose - it is operating on a physical/emotional level. Does it make you want to dance? Yes, then fine. Does it make you happy? Cool. And so on. Whatever music Watson likes, that's fine, but it is clear that he has missed the point as to what pop music is.

Argument #3 - It's artificially loud

This is quickly despatched. While it is true, it is not particular at all to pop music. If you read reviews from audiophiles and obsessives (which is not to deny them their point), you will hear this complaint about all styles of music, not only pop.

Argument #4 - It's all written by the same people

Watson notes that a great deal of pop music stems from a small number of writers; Dr. Luke, Max Martin, Cathy Dennis, Linda Perry. This is true. In the first instance, so what? Again, this is hardly new. Look back to the 60s and you will see a similar list of names surfacing again and again and again; Bacharach/David, Goffin/King, Mann/Weill, Holland/Dozier/Holland. Once more, you will see a similar number of producers putting their stamp upon the records they produced, such that they are all fundamentally similar; Phil Spector, for example.

The problem here is the inference that these modern pop artists are nothing but puppets with no input into their music, and are thus talentless. Would anyone suggest that Dusty Springfield's 'Dusty in Memphis' which has no songs written by her, reveals zero talent? The first Stones LP has no written input from Jagger and Richards. so apparently they only developed their talent later, when they stopping ripping off the songs of old bluesmen. Watson has the audacity to single out Taylor Swift, who is well known to have been a pretty prolific songwriter, even if she has let some other writers play a bigger role on '1989'. Finally, how exactly is Watson, or anyone for that matter, to know exactly how much input is to be attributed by the named artist, so as to be so confident that that input is zero?

Argument #5 - Its all about sex

This is amongst the silliest arguments Watson proposes and it is unworthy of my dead puritanical grandmother. When exactly was pop music not about sex? Elvis wasn't nicknamed 'the pelvis' for his remarkable bone-structure. Pop music was about sex all the way back to the 40s (and no doubt before, if the folk traditions are to be believed). When John Lee Hooker sang that he's a Boogie Man, he wasn't talking about dancing.

Argument #6 - It's not really about anything

This is an extention of the previous point, really. In the first place, this is not true. Even Beyoncé's 'Single Ladies', which is highlighted for lyrical vacuousness elsewhere, is about something (self-empowerment). Her self-titled album from 2014, critically lauded no less, raises themes of feminism, equality and identity.

Secondly, who cares? Music doesn't have to be about anything. When I listen to The Meters first few albums (all instrumental funk), am I sitting there thinking about what its about? What important message is being conveyed by 'Look-Ka Py Py'? None; not a bit. But does it groove? Does it make me want to dance or tap my feet? Yes? Cool - turn it up.

Argument #7 - It is talentless

For anyone other than Watson, whose conspiratorial leanings we will leave for argument #8, this is often the key point. Real musicians play their instruments; real musicians write their own material; real musicians write songs that matter, man... Watson replays the admittedly amusing youtube clip of Kanye West vs. Freddie Mercury, in a particularly spurious bit of argumentation.

Freddie is a great singer, Kanye isn't. But this straw man shouldn't fool anyone. Kanye never claimed to be a great singer. However, what he is, is a great producer and a decent enough rapper/lyricist. Every album Kanye has produced has shown a great sense of texture and mood. Even his use of autotune is an intentional devise to create distance and a sense of alienation is his music. Sure, his instruments are different to Mercury's, and that's OK. All music is simply the manipulation of sound waves in fashions that are interesting or appealing to the listener insofar as they evoke something. It doesn't matter at all whether the instrument is a piano, a guitar, a keyboard, a sampler, or a pile of rocks. If the musician is capable of evoking something to the listener, they are talented. To say otherwise is to reveal a prejudice that lacks justification. Furthermore, any serious listen to West's work will reveal an artist closely attuned to the musical dynamics of his craft within his specific genre. It is not coincidental that Kanye has won a bucketload of accolades from a wide array of serious music magazines and websites.

Argument #8 - It is only popular because of repetition

Being a full-blooded conspiracy theorist, this is where Watson jumps off the crazy end. He refers to the fact that record companies use complex algorithms to predict future trends and thus saturate all media streams, creating, as he puts it (admittedly nicely), a musical Stockholm Syndrome.

I've no doubt that there is some truth to this. But there is a defect to his argument - what about the more serious music listener, who a) listens to, and enjoys, a wide array of music beyond pop music; and b) isn't so exposed to the various media streams. For instance, I don't listen to music radio or spotify. I only listen to music that I physically buy, and I buy a wide range of music. Right now, I am listening to Can's 'Future Days' - decidedly not pop music. I buy music on the basis of recommendations and reviews, and predictably, some I like and some I dislike. In the last year or so, I have bought several albums from the artists that Watson disparages; Beyoncé (self-titled, awesome), Taylor Swift ('1989', alright), Rihanna ('Anti', pretty good), Kanye ('The Life of Pablo', mostly alright, occasionally excellent), Nicki Minaj ('The Pinkprint', mostly meh, occasionally alright). Now, why do I like some of them but not others? And just as importantly given earlier arguments, how can I tell them apart?

Why is it that I continue to go back to, say, Beyoncé's album, when I have so many other albums available that Watson would approve of? The simple answer is that they do something that the Smiths, or Pink Floyd, or The Beatles don't do. They make me feel different things. As such, they have a place in my heart and my record collection. Modern pop music occupies a place in the musical palette that is distinct and has the same capacity to be exciting and thrilling as any other genre of music. As such, it deserves to be treated as seriously as anything else. 

Renaldo Domino

Having done my Top 40 songs the other day, I thought I'd pop a few of the lesser known songs up - just in case you're interested. This is a soul rarity from Chicago's Twinight Records.

Renaldo's quite the crooner, but what sets it apart for me is the deep bass backing vocals and the violin driven middle-eight. You don't get that too often...

Top 40 Songs

Mandi on Facebook challenged me to knock up a list of my Top 40 songs. Since we all like a list, I figured I'd share it here too... Not my most considered list, but such a list is always going to exist like the wind...Nonetheless, here goes... (in no particular order)


Adam & the Ants - Physical (You're So)
African Head Charge - Off the Beaten Track
Aretha Franklin - I Say a Little Prayer
Barrington Levy - Here I Come
Beatles - A Day in the Life
Black Sabbath - Faeries Wear Boots
Blondie - Picture This
Bob Dylan - One of Us Must Know (Sooner or Later)
Bonnie Prince Billy - I See a Darkness
Chic - I Want Your Love
The Cramps - Can't Find My Mind
David Bowie - Young Americans
Dion - (I Was) Born to Cry
Donna Summer - I Feel Love
Dr. Alimantado - I Killed the Barber
Dr. John - Gris Gris Gumbo Ya Ya
The Flying Burrito Brothers - Sin City
Fred Neil - Everybody's Talkin'
Funkadelic - Music For My Mother
The Handsome Family - Weightless Again
J.J. Barnes - Everytime I See You I Go Wild
Japan - Visions of China
Junior Walker and the Allstars - Shotgun
Kool and the Gang - Jungle Boogie
Minnie Riperton - I am the Black Gold of the Sun
Otis Redding - I've Been Loving You Too Long (To Stop Now)
R. Kelly - Ignition (Remix)
Renaldo Domino - Not Too Cool To Cry
Roberta Flack - Compared to What
Roxy Music - Mother of Pearl
Scott Walker - The Old Man's Back Again
Siouxsie and the Banshees - Spellbound
Sisters of Mercy - Some Kind of Stranger
The Smiths - Suffer Little Children
Smokey Robinson and the Miracles - Tracks of My tears
Sweeney's Men - Dreams For Me
Tammi Terrell - All I Do IS Think About You
Velvet Underground - Venus in Furs
The Viscounts - Who Put the Bomp (In the Bomp, Bomp, Bomp)
The Walker Brothers - The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore


What's yours?

The Groupies - Primitive

Some things require little introduction or comment. Here is Blaze Starr burlesque dancing to The Groupies (later covered by the Cramps). That's all the reason you need to watch...

Trying to Remember (Part One of Who-Knows-How-Many)

I don't really want to begin this by getting all philosophical, but I will allow myself this slight indulgence. The philosopher David Hume suggested that what we call personal identity, a sense of unified self, is an illusion. Instead we are mostly a 'bundle of perceptions'. Think about yourself right now - you are perceiving a multitude of things (the screen, words, cold, perhaps even breathing) but there is nothing that could really be understood as your self - an identity holding it all together. Anyway, I say this as a means of introduction and a rationale. When I look back on my teenage years - or almost any years beyond the most recent - all I have a bundle of largely fragmented memories, but nothing that quite holds it together beyond the fact that I have them. There are huge gaps - gaps not only of the mundane, but also of people, events, places.

And this bothers me. I have recently joined a Facebook group populated by people that I was very close to for a couple of years. Names and photographs are appearing and I am struggling to unearth their significance. I feel bad about this. People have done me the service of remembering me. I have not done the same. Not out of malice or disregard (not consciously anyway), but those memories have simply deteriorated. So I thought that I would write what I remember down. Perhaps once I have done so, others, if they are interested and kind enough, might be able to fill in a few of the gaps - do a little excavation work. I am certain that hidden in my mind are the people, events and places that were all so incredibly important to me for a time.

As I set out on this task I am very aware that this will not be very interesting to anyone, perhaps even myself. Maybe one or two people will read it out of sheer boredom. So why do it? I figure that the only way to properly unearth these memories is to approach them systematically. It is only by going into the nooks and crannies of what I do remember, that I will remember more. If I rely on my occasional ruminations then it is unlikely that much will come, and that which does will fade away as soon as it emerges.

Aside from potentially boring people to tears, I want to apologise in advance for all the people that I have forgotten, or have failed to give a proper place to. Should anyone read these and feel slighted, I ask that you prompt me - take me to task. Again, I am confident that it is all in there - all that is needed is the appropriate stimuli.

So, to begin....

My teenage years begin properly in the months leading up to 5th July 1986, while I was still 15. I will skip any long introduction to this period at this point. As and when it is required, I may digress, but for the time-being it will suffice to note that my birthday is in October, so at this point I was 15. I grew up in the posh end of Garston, but had lived for a time in New Zealand and London between the ages of 9-11. I went to New Heys Comprehensive School. My family were quite religious...

If there is a hero of the piece (or villain if you happen to be my Grandmother), that honour goes to Justina Heslop. Through a church youth group in Aigburth, I had met Justina somewhere around 83-84. In that clumsy pre-teenage fashion we had gone out for about six months. For reasons that are utterly lost, and probably worthless even then, we broke up and lost contact. Life went on. Somewhere towards the end of 1985 or beginning or 1986, I realised that I had left something important at Justina's house and I wanted it back. It was a Frisbee and accompanied by Ian Webster, a friend from school, I went to her house to retrieve it. Her mother answered the door, greeted me and invited us in. She called up the stairs to Justina, who stuck her head over the bannisters to see what the matter was. What I saw was a shock of black and white.

In the time since I had seen her last, Justina had become a goth. I did not really know what this was or what it entailed, but it evoked a significant change. She invited us upstairs and we sat in her room for a little while before claiming the Frisbee and moving on. Before we left, however, we spoke about the clutch of records that littered her room. I had been into music since early childhood, but these were bands I did not know at all and I was intrigued. There were albums by Bauhaus, The Cramps, The Cult etc. Justina played me odd tracks by some of these - most notably 'Rose Garden Funeral of Sores' from Bauhaus' 'Press the Eject'.

My own tastes, while nowhere near so refined, were fairly broad and had left me receptive to new things. Of course, I had a general appreciation of the pop music of the period but there was plenty beyond it. Through my childhood, I was a fan of Blondie and New Wave bands in general. Thanks to my uncle, who was at that time a big fan NWBHM, I had been exposed to a variety of metal bands. While he preferred the more technically proficient end of the spectrum, I gravitated towards Black Sabbath and Motorhead. Thanks to my parents, classic 60s and 70s rock and soul were covered. I had recently developed a particular fascination with Jimi Hendrix. Beyond this, I had begun to be aware of music beyond these parameters; I had fallen in love with the aesthetic of Strawberry Switchblade, and, not unrelated, had found myself oddly drawn to 'Swimming Horses' by Siouxsie and the Banshees. Even though I had little notion about what these hairstyles related to, I was intrigued.

So when I heard these records of Justina's, I was hooked. I quickly got back in touch with her again. She kindly arranged for her boyfriend of the time, some older kid called Gary from the Wirral, to do me some tapes. Over the course of the following weeks, the following albums were acquired, either by tape from Gary or by going to the WHSmiths on Allerton Road and seeing what was in the budget pile:

Alien Sex Fiend - Acid Bath

Bauhaus - Press the Eject and Give Me The Tape

Cabaret Voltaire - Red Mecca

Elvis Costello - King of America

The Cramps - Off the Bone

The Cure - Boys Don't Cry

The Cult - Love

The Damned - Phantasmagoria

Red Lorry Yellow Lorry - Paint Your Wagon

The Rocky Horror Picture Show (Audience Participation Version)

These albums formed the starting point of a new chapter of my life. But the real point of change occurred when Justina rang me a few weeks later to tell me of an upcoming Peter Murphy gig at the Liverpool Royal Court Theatre.

Up next? Parallel developments with Helen, Christine, Lins and Carl or the gig itself...

Things That Made Me Happy in 2014

Bella

She really does get more wonderful and beautiful every day. It is a very peculiar phenomena - some scientist should investigate. She gives me a reason to get up in the morning and a reason to come home at night. I know that it is wrong to project perfection on anyone, but aside from too much Candy Crush and Pocket Planes, there is very little she can do to improve...

My friends

I have so many good people in my life. Of course, there are my very close friends that I see daily - David and Sathyai. Aside from Bella, no-one puts up with my shit as much as them. Their patience and generosity is boundless. I could say the same about Paul, Graham, Bob except that they all have the good sense to live slightly further away from me and so their burden is lighter.

Beyond these parameters, there is a long list of people that have made me happier this year; Phil, Katy, Peter, Amber to name a few. Special acknowledgement is needed for my past and present work-colleagues; Dermot, Debra, Duncan, Elaine (again, amongst others) who have first hand knowledge of my incompetence and yet still support me and offer me kindness.

I also need to mention people from further afield. It has been amazing to see James and Carol again this year. I could write pages about James and the friendship he has offered me. If I was draw up a list of reasons why I should emigrate, they would figure highly. Of course, there have been many people that I have connected with primarily electronically this year; it has been great to be back in touch with Simon. I have also valued many of my old students that have kept in touch. This is not merely because it is nice to know what people are up to, but they have also fed to me lots of interesting thoughts and ideas.

Music

Of all the things that make me happy, chief among them is music. I have been buying much less new (i.e. current) music these days. However, there remains a steady inflow. Primarily soul music. I have taken the opportunity to properly investigate Aretha Franklin and Al Green this year, and that has paid dividends. Of the few 'new' LPs I have bought, Run the Jewels 2, The Bug's 'Angels and Demons' and Lee Fields' 'Emma Jean' have all stood out. The jury is still out on D'Angelo's 'Black Messiah'.

Steve at Polar Bear has continued to furnish me with amazing CDs. They have rarely failed to contribute to my general happiness this year. Probably the biggest single event this year was the Numero Pop-Up Store in September. The Wonderful Bella allowed me to massively over-indulge myself. Given that I spent best part of £250 and walked away with a whole box of CDs, there were hardly any disappointments. I have only just finished working my way through the box.

Finally, and this is lame, but it did make me happy: I finished writing up that 'my favourite albums' list. It is a great pleasure to revisit so many albums that shaped my life.

College

On balance, work has probably contributed more grumbles than anything else this year. However, there are a few things to be grateful for: good results this year, positive observations, MUN. One of the things that keeps me positive is the fantastic relationships that I have with my students. Aside from showing an interest in a subject that I love, they are often funny, kind and generous.

Television and Film

I have seen a few good shows and movies this year, and they are worth a note. True Detective was the TV event of the year for me, eclipsing Game of Thrones and The Walking Dead, which were themselves both excellent. We finally watched the whole of the US Office, which made us both happy. I have been slowly digesting and massively enjoying Peter Cook's little show from the 90s 'A Life in Pieces'.

As for movies I was most taken by 'The Babadook' - a tasty little Australian horror movie that should certainly become a classic. Other movies that have stayed with me are The Killers, Gone Girl, and Simon, King of the Witches. Special mention should be made of a film that Bella forced me to watch: The Perks of Being a Wallflower. Despite the premise, which filled me with dread, I enjoyed it more than almost anything this year.

General Stuff

I have been reading more this year. Having had a few years of reading bits and pieces, I have read several whole books this year (standouts include Peter Guralnick's Sweet Soul Music and Joe Hill's 'Heart Shaped Box' [thanks, Sathyai]). I am looking to forego distractions like Facebook and Reddit (beyond the cursory) and seek to set aside time to read more seriously. On a similar level, I have managed to write a few bits and pieces this year. I hope to expand on this.

Not unrelated, one of my favourite things, and things that have made me most happy, are good arguments. I often feel that I am imposing myself on people when I argue, but there have been some great discussions and debates and I am grateful for these - and the patience of my friends who put up with them.

Teddy and Wednesday have enriched my world this year. Kittens are awesome.

Despite that I write this full of cold, I am grateful that I continue to have good health. My lifestyle makes me unworthy of such a blessing, but nonetheless, it is good to generally fit and strong.

I have had some lovely food this year. Of course, much of this has come from the lovely hand of Bella, but various restaurants and take out joints have contributed. My favourite meal out was courtesy of Mimmo La Bufala in Hampstead.


Lots of things have made me happy this year. Of course, there are the things I have mentioned, but there is a very long list of things and people that I have not mentioned. I often give the impression of being grumpy and complainy, but that is primarily because grumpiness and complaints amuse me. Even my gripes make me happy. Life is good.

Secret Santa

I have never been a fan of Secret Santa. However, I have just experienced my worst ever SS. This tops the one where I did not receive my present. Oh, and the other one where I did not receive my present.

This time, my gift went uncollected, and my present was an old box of cards, emptied of contents, filled with scrap paper, a tangerine (to give it a mystery weight) and £5 in an envelope. Even by SS standards, this was poor...

Still, it was handy to have a fiver to hand...

99 Luftballons

In 1983 to 1984, Top of the Pops had a short spell of including coverage of the European charts. There is only one thing I remember from this, and probably there is only one thing worth remembering: Nena's 99 Luftballons. The song was evidently dominating the German charts, and so week after week, it appeared.

Even for 1983, it was a bit of a throwback. It was a tasty slice of power-pop in new-wave dressing. Kim Wilde's Kids in America in 1981 covered the same sort of sonic territory. Nonetheless, Nena was hot, German (read: exotic) and had underarm hair - so I was hooked. A few months later, it was re-released in English, polished (just a smidge). And I was hooked again. Apparently, Nena carried on releasing records, but none ever crossed my path.

What did I learn? Underarm hair is nothing to be afraid of. Thus opening the door to Siouxsie and the Banshees a little while later. Also, understanding lyrics is utterly optional. It's still a great tune.

It's been a long time...

Maybe I should revive this...

The Best of 2006

What we have here are the best CDs that I have bought this year. I have included all sorts of CD releases – new releases, compilations, reissues and box sets (if I had bought any best-of compilations that were worthy of this list, they would have been included also). I know that some lists only include new releases, but as a CD buyer, I don’t stop to think about whether it is a compilation or whatever. If I like it and want to listen to it, then I buy it – that is all there is to it. So here is the list.

You are undoubtedly aware that this blog is in conjunction with my radio show. I can heartily recommend downloading the show that it goes with – it makes a fine sampler for the year. Please feel free to comment on the list, and if you want, debate my choices. Some serious agonising has been done, and particularly those that fell between 41-50 are sorely missed. The runner-up post has preceded this one, which shows positions 80-41. Just for your information, I bought 112 CDs that were released this year.

Special mention must be made for TV on the Radio’s ‘Return from Cookie Mountain’ (4AD). It arrived too late for inclusion, but haven given it a couple of listens, I think it might have made it onto the list given a while longer to establish itself.

Let’s get on with the show…

40- Lily Allen - Alright, Still (EMI) LDN

Mouthy, annoying but catchy. I doubt that she will ever match this CD. It is hopelessly flawed – especially the second side – but worth a listen if only for the painful infectiousness of LDN, Smile and Knock ‘em Out (with it’s Professor Longhair sampling…)

39- Danielson - Ships (Secretly Canadian) Did I Just Step on Your Trumpet

Sufjan Stevens on meths. Another out-there Christian freak-folker. Brother Danielson gathered all his friends and relations to make one huge wig-out, and this is it. It doesn’t get better than the track chosen, but it is worth it just for that track alone.

38- Nina Nastasia - On Leaving (Fatcat) One Old Woman

A slow one. I was really disappointed when I bought it, but repeated listens have been rewarding. Perhaps, by the time I hit the best of 2007 I will love it as much as ‘Dogs’ or ‘Darkened Air’… I don’t know.

37- Pipettes, The - We Are the Pipettes (Memphis Industries)

Dirty Mind

Fun is so not dead. Not as much the air-heads as you might want to think, but perfect for those moments when you do need to empty your mind of pesky things. Stick it on. Sing along. Revel in it’s carelessness.

36- Various Artists - Gypsy Beats & Balkan Bangers (Atlantic Jaxx)

Fanfare Ciocarlia - James Bond Theme

The year that the Balkan’s struck back. You could not move this year without bumping into some tuba-playing dance band touted as something glorious. This was a neat sampler: not consistent, but a great place to start – and worth it for Bulgarian Chicks by the Balkan Beatbox (not chosen because of length).

35- Regina Spector - Begin to Hope (Sire) That Time

I mulled this for some time. I have not heard her other releases and I could not decide whether it was Tori Amos or Alanis or Kate Bush or what…. In the end, I put all of these things to one side and just let CD do it’s work. Eventually, it won a place on this list.

34- Sisters of Mercy, The First and Last and Always (Merciful Release)

Nine While Nine*

It has been a great year for goth reissues. This one was looked forward to excitedly, being unendingly satisfying for me. Almost certainly not a great LP for the ages, but some fantastic moments and a great reminder that Eldritch was a pretty good lyricist. Goth’s not undead… yet.

33- Comets on Fire - Avatar (Subpop) Jaybird

I just couldn’t grasp hold of their earlier CDs; they were just too wayward, with their endless sweeping solos and all. On Avatar, however, they have managed to reign themselves in somewhat, and write things that sound like songs – and the balance is just right.

32- Scritti Politti - White Bread Black Beer (Rough Trade)

Petrococadollar

I have to admit that I missed Gartside’s last offerings, and so jumped straight from ‘Cupid and Psyche ‘85’ to this. Nothing has changed – Gartside still has a voice so delicate, and the arrangement is so light, it could just blow away. Lovely.

31- Beyoncé - B’Day (Sony) Freakum Dress

This LP has not been given the same amount of adoration as her solo debut ‘Dangerously in Love’, and admittedly, it lacks a song of such outrageous catchiness as ‘Crazy in Love’. However, it is a far leaner LP with far less filler. Each track is a stand-up example of why R’n’B should not be dismissed so easily.

30- Siouxsie & the Banshees Juju (Polydor) Sin in my Heart*

The cream of the goth reissues. Even though, Sioux denies ever having had anything to do with goth, this is the goth LP par excellance. It has everything from cascading guitars, tribal drums and the subject matter. If you call yourself a goth and do not have this record you have two choices: a) Call yourself an emo, and go wet a bet somewhere; or b) buy this record now.

29- Arctic Monkeys - Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not (Domino)

Fake Tales of San Francisco

The hype almost killed this for me. I was so incensed with NME’s declaration that this was the greatest record since Mozart (or something) that could barely bring myself to listen to it. Eventually, I succumbed and picked it up on e-bay (to hide my shame) and had to admit that it was, actually, quite good. To be honest, there is nothing devastatingly new or innovative here, but there doesn’t need to be – just 12 sharply-observed, well fuelled rock songs. All you need, really.

28- A Hawk and a Hacksaw The Way the Wind Blows (Leaf)

Salt Water

To my mind, the best of the LPs to make use of the East-European sound that is all the rage. Semi-instrumental and blends styles, instruments and sounds better than almost anything else I have heard this year.

27- All Saints - Studio 1 (Parlophone) Rock Steady

I am such a sucker for a good pop record – especially a good girl-group record – and to me, All Saints are the bomb. The Sugababes may have had better hits, but All Saints manage to carry it for an album. Welcome back, girls…. It’s been too long.

26- Howlin Rain - Howlin Rain (Birdman) Death Prayer in Heaven's Orchard

Comets on Fire and Sunburnt Hand of the Man people combine and come up with a record that sounds like it came from the West Coast circa ’72. Except that these guys took waaaaay too much acid, and when they wig-out, they do so with a fury. Great for when you want a crazy psychedelic sound, but need a decent tune or two to roll with.

25- Scott Walker - The Drift (4AD) Hand Me Ups

Heh heh heh… Scariest LP of the year? Damned straight. We all like a little fear from time to time, but the meat punching, braying donkeys and Donald duck impersonations, coupled with subject matter like 9/11 and Jesse Presley’s still-birth makes for a challenging listen. Listen with the lights on.

24- Various - The World is Gone (XL) Hater

Is it folk or is it grime or is it electronica? Who knows and who cares. This was an impulse buy for me, but one that was instantly rewarded by the glorious ‘Hater’.

23- Midlake - The Trials of Van Occupanther (Bella Union)

Roscoe

More Laurel Canyon inspired tunes. It comes across as easy-listening on first listen, but repeated exposure reveals muilti-layered and textured songs that have a similar level of sophistication to Steely Dan. Although it all gets a little Rufus Wainwright towards the end, it is not surprising that this disk featured highly in several end of year lists.

22- Clark - Body Riddle (Warp) Herzog

A fine slice of electronic psychedelia. It is one of the few pieces of electronica that has really sunk in with me this year. Wild cycles of sound that build up into something very interesting: an electronica LP that really rewards repeated listens.

21- Various Artists - Nuggets (1965-1968) (Elecktra)

The Leaves - Hey Joe*

Classic compilation remastered and reissued. Some of the finest garage tunes every committed to vinyl – back when garage meant garage and not R’n’B.

20- Tunng - Comments of the Inner Chorus (Full Time Hobby)

Band Stand

The alt.folk scene has given us many curious bands, and Tunng are certainly among them. Slightly clipped folk tunes, cut up a little and given occasional electronic treatments. Band Stand and Woodcut are the stand out tracks.

19- Bonnie 'Prince' Billy & Tortoise - The Brave and the Bold (Overcoat)

It's Expected I'm Gone

Yet another Will Oldham release, and this time with post-rock band Tortoise. As a covers album, it is, at the least interesting. The radical reworking of Elton John’s ‘Daniel’ turned a few heads, but it was were the band stuck to the spirits of the originals that the best results were found, such as in ‘Calvary Cross’ and ‘Thunder Road’.

18- Beatles, The - Love (EMI) For the Benefit of Mr. Kite…

Is this a new album or a compilation? Hard to say, but the Beatles have been given a stand-up, if slightly underwhelming, mash-up treatment. When it works, it is tremendous and exciting; when it doesn’t, it simply reminds the listener why the originals were so good in the first place – which ain’t no bad thing.

17- Six Organs of Admittance The Sun Awakens (Drag City) Attar

Ben Chasny (also a member of Comets on Fire) and his solo project ‘Six Organs of Admittance’ have been pushing the envelope of finger-picking styles for best part of ten years now. While this LP is not quite the equal of the flawless ‘School of the Flower’, it is still a quality piece of work. If John Fahey had burnt out on acid, and then spent three weeks in his garden with a big bag of weed, it would sound something like this…

16- Various Artists - Rockin' Bones: 1950s Punk and Rockabilly (Rhino)

Elvis Presley - One Night of Sin

Rhino Handmade make great compilations, and a box set like this is meat and drink to a show like Tunes from the Missing Channel. It is rammed full of classics that you know and classics that you don’t. Where else might you hear some teenage girl have an orgasm to a rockabilly rhythm (Little Girl by John and Jackie) or some preacher tell his bobby-socked listeners they are going to hell (Sinners by Freddie and the Hitch-hikers). In the end I plumped for an unreleased version of ‘One Night’ by the King – the lyrics changed

to ‘One night with you is what I am now praying for’ from the original ‘One night of sin is what I am now paying for.’ Wow! Elvis in Prostitution shock!!!!

15- Bob Dylan - Modern Times (Sony) The Levee's Gonna Break

Album number six billion or something. It may be five years since his last new offering, but if anything Dylan is improving with age, picking up a little more bounce and swing. While it only makes number 15 on my list (there were simply LPs I enjoyed more), I can fully anticipate ‘Modern Times’ picking up the top spot in many lists – and yes, it is that good.

14- Brian Eno & David Byrne My Life in the Bush of Ghosts (Virgin)

The Carrier*

This is a stand-up classic. Eno & Byrne have rarely done better work than this experiment that grew out of Eno’s production of Talking Heads LP ‘Fear of Music’. By matching ethnographic recordings to sharp rock and funk rhythms, the pair created something completely timeless and spaceless. This new release includes a video, seven new tracks and extended versions of some of the original inclusions, such as on this piece.

13- CSS - CSS (Subpop) Music is my Hot Hot Sex

From Brazil comes this shabby piece of work. It is messy and inconsistent, but at the same time full of energy and oozes sex – of the nasty, filthy and fun sort. It has some of the best titles of any CDs released this year ‘Let’s Make Love and Listen to Death from Above’ and the current selection ‘Music is my Hot Hot Sex’

12- Lady Sovereign - Public Warning (Defjam) Gatheration

The marmite of grime and hip hop, but you can tell which side of the line I am on – I think that both of her releases to date have been great. Fun, stupid and full of fire. She is no MIA – she raps with the same insight of the Cookie Crew, but the inventive mixes and production that sound like they are more the product of cheap necessity than artistic sensibility propel the ‘biggest midget in the game’ to great things – well, onto the Defjam label, which is not necessarily the same thing. This LP has still not been released in the UK – I have it on import, so who knows, it might make next year’s list too.

11- Gossip - Standing in the Way of Control (Kill Rockstars)

Yr Mangled Heart

Cheap and trashy. This LP sounds to me like New York, which ironic since they are based in Washington. A great combination of disco and punk. The singer reminds me of a disco diva, but the music is all white stripes – guitar and drums, no bass. What the hell? It works…..

10- Steeleye Span - Please to See the King (Castle)

False Night on the Road*

Folkier than Fairport, this LP saw the first classic line-up of Steeleye. Folk-legend Martin Carthy and Peter Knight took the places of Terry and Gay Woods and added the precise amount of dirt to an already authentic sound. Carthy’s guitar work in particular revolutionised their sound. He was used to playing acoustic and played the electric the same way, which forged a harsher more jagged sound. This song, a live favourite, makes great use of both new musicians. Crank it up loud and you’ll see what I mean.

9- Sol Seppy - The Bells of 12 (Gronland) Wonderland

A right old mixed bag of wonder this one. Multi-instrumentalist Sophie Michalitsianos has been performing with Sparklehorse for some time, but this debut is simply gorgeous. It covers a range of styles from instrumental tunes, made up of – principally – bells, to slowcore, to lush indie pop. Has been kicking around for almost a year, but needs a little word of mouth push.

8- Bruce Springsteen - We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions (Columbia)

Old Dan Tucker

The Boss does Seeger. Unlike his regular recordings, he invited a bunch of folk to a barn and knocked this CD up in a day or two. Fast, loose and true to the spirit of Pete Seeger.

7- Cat Power - The Greatest (Matador) Love and Communication

Cat Power (aka Chan Marshall) has been making lo-fi indie tunes for best part of ten years and has gained herself considerable critical acclaim in doing so, but in going to Memphis and pulling together a team of crack session musicians, she has found the musical backing that her songs have been crying out for. At once muscular and yet vulnerable. Quality.

6- David Crosby - If Only I Could Remember My Name (Atlantic)

Music is Love*

Crosby’s 1971 debut is as cool as it comes. Messed up by the breakdown of CSN&Y and the death of his girlfriend, Crosby gathered all his friends around to the studio to knock out a few tunes. But what friends: a look through the credits and you see a who’s who of the San Francisco area – people from the Dead, Jefferson Airplane, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young all come along. But even with a list like this, it is hard to believe the beauty of some of these songs.

5- Espers - II (Wichita Recordings) Mansfield and Cyclops

Psychedelic folk favourites. The impossible melding of pastoral folk with freaked-out acid-tinged psychedelia. Greg Weeks and Meg Baird and co. have been pushing out the boundaries since their debut in 2004. This release cements their sound and their status.

4- Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings the Flood (Anti-)

Star Witness

The voice. This is the first CD I have bought by Neko Case and it is beautiful. Country-tinged loveliness. She and her producer gathered a crack band of musicians (including Garth Hudson of The Band and Howie Gelb of Giant Sand) to give Case’s 12 songs as much musical clout as lyrical. A classic, no doubt.

3- James Blackshaw - O True Believers (Important) O True Believers

This guy was 23 when he recorded this, but you could never believe it. The quality of his guitar work is easily on a par with his mentors, John Fahey, Robbie Basho or Peter Walker. Listening to this CD is like walking through a waterfall – except less wet.

2- Bonnie 'Prince' Billy - The Letting Go (Domino) Strange Form of Life

The second Will Oldham release in the chart is as close to perfect as it comes in my mind. It is the first proper Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy release since Master and Everyone in 2001, but he has lost nothing. By enlisting Valgeir Sigurosson (the composer and arranger for Bjork’s releases), he has a backing that gives both warm and cool textures to his song, which follow the usual pattern of loss and solitude. However, Dawn McCarthy’s backing vocals add even greater depth to the lyrics, emphasising his separation. This LP is beautiful from start to finish.

1- My Latest Novel - Wolves (Bella Union) The Reputation of Ross Francis

Who? Why? Where? Why this band have not been catapulted into the stratosphere beats me, especially given the similarity to last years biggest release (Funeral by Arcade Fire). Where TAF crank up the energy and consequently the strangeness of their material, My Latest Novel emphasise the quiet and the familiar. The key to me came when I played the CD in anticipation for the show. I knew that it was going to be a big player, but on listening to it again, I realised that it had lost none of its charm, but had gained a depth and beauty. I cannot recommend this LP enough. Album of the Year.

* Denotes a reissue

Best of 2006 - The Runners Up

These are the runners up for the best of 2006 show. The places 41-50 are numbered, since these in particular were agonised over. Letting them slip out of the top 40 was painful, and each of them are fine LPs. Just not as satisfying (for whatever reason) as those that made it.

41 Susanna and the Magical Orchestra - Melody Mountain (Rune Grammofon)

42 James Yorkston - The Year of the Leopard (Domino)

43 Robbie Basho - Venus of Cancer (Tomkin's Square)

44 Jenny Lewis w/ The Watson Twins - Rabbit Fur Coat (Rough Trade)

45 TV on the Radio - Return to Cookie Mountain (4AD)

46 Steeleye Span - Hark! The Village Wait (Castle)

47 Steve Reich - Phases [Boxset] (Nonesuch)

48 Karen Dalton - It's So Hard to Tell Who's Going to Love You The Best (Megaphone)

49 Clogs - Lantern (Brassland)

50 Vetiver - To Find Me Gone (Fatcat)

This next list are those in the 51-80 places. They are in no particular order, so you can - if you want - imagine that your favourite LP made it to 51. All of these LPs have something going for them - in my haphazard and casual rating system, they all received 7 out of 10 or more.

Steeleye Span - Ten Man Mop (Castle)

Siouxsie and the Banshees Kaleidoscope (Polydor)

Meg Baird, Helena Espevall, Sharron KrausU Leaves from Off the Tree (Bo'Weavil)

Current 93 - Black Ships Ate The Sky (Durtro Jnana)

Christine Harwood - Nice to Meet Christine (Finders Keepers)

The Memory Band - Apron Strings (Peacefrog)

Pink Mountaintops - Axis of Evol (JagJaguwar)

Juana Molina - Son (Domino)

Woven Hand - Mosaic (Glitterhouse)

Various Artists - Atlantic RnB 1947-1974 Volume 2 1952-1954 (Warners)

Willard Grant Conspiracy Let It Roll (Loose)

Various Artists - Sixties Soul Sensations (Music Club)

Tractor - John Peel Bought Us Studio Gear and a PA (Oz-It)

Tony Allen - Lagos No Shaking (Honest Jons)

Staples Singers - Stax Profiles (Stax)

Sisters of Mercy, The - Floodland (Merciful Release)

Siouxsie and the Banshees Join Hands (Polydor)

Scott Walker - Climate of Hunter (Virgin)

Jassi Sidhu - No Strings Attached (Moviebox)

Nancy Sinatra - The Essential Nancy Sinatra (EMI)

Mustafa Ozkent - Rhythm'n'Soul, Blues'n'Jazz, Rock'n'Pop (Finders Keepers)

Micah P. Hinson - And the Opera Circuit (Sketchbook)

Max Richter - Songs From Below (Fatcat)

Lubos Fiser - Valerie and her Week of Wonders (OST) (Finders Keepers)

Jolie Holland - Springtime Can Kill You (Anti-)

Flaming Lips, The - At War With the Mystics (Warners)

Family - Bandstand (Repertoire)

Dresden Dolls - Yes, Virginia (Roadrunner)

Delgados, The - The BBC Peel Sessions (Chemikal Underground)

David Axelrod - The Edge of Music (Stateside)