My Favourite Albums so Far in 2020 - Part 0ne
Here we are a third of the way through a very unusual year and it’s time to think about what my favourite albums of the year are so far.
Not only does it give me a chance to reflect on what I have been listening to regularly and enjoying it will also make it much easier to write my album of the year blog if I have already narrowed them down into the different thirds, see there is some method in my madness.
So up until the 30 April this year, we have had some big names from past and present dropping albums, as well as some lesser knowns, we have had releases from Green Day, Dua Lipa, Morrisey, The Courteeners, La Roux, The 1975 and Tame Impala to name a few, but who has made the cut and is in my first top ten of the year.
So in no particular order here are my top 10 albums for the first third of 2020.
The Big Moon - Walking Like We Do
The second album from The Big Moon is a departure from their Mercury prize nominated album Love in the 4th Dimension which had a guitar hook heavy almost grunge rock feel to it.
Walking Like We Do shows a stripping back of the guitars and a more piano led set of tracks, they are certainly channeling some serious indie pop here.
One thing that hasn’t changed is the solid melodies that they write and still allows Jule’s Jackson ascerbic lyrics to shine through.
My favourite tracks are Take A Piece and Your Light.
Stream the album here:
https://open.spotify.com/album/0Z9W4KdFjlAUNGjXx3CVZU?si=egrRCdobR3q-nul7DqJ6DA
Courteeners - More Again Forever
More Again Forever is the Courteeners’ sixth studio album and again shows the evolution of the Manchester band which may not appeal to those who want them pigeonholed into the parka wearing indie landfill.
I have been a fan of Courteeners since day one, and for me seeing the band evolve and get more experimental and confident in their music is a real sign of progression.
This album sees them try out some new sounds but doesn’t take away Liam Fray’s ability to write an all out indie banger.
My favourite tracks are Heart Attack, The Joy of Missing Out, Heavy Jacket and Missing Out.
Stream the album here:
https://open.spotify.com/album/3ulm7pOwYf0Q3t0omjf7PI?si=gfIEdT4XT5ud3rxkYuAWxg
stmartiins - hoping for the worst
So strictly speaking it’s only on EP but it has seven songs so is close enough to be an album for me, and in all honesty it is just too good not be included.
stmartiins deliver a set of songs that showcase their ability to create dream pop in their own unique style. They experiment their sound with reverbs, dreamy melodies and are not afraid to feature prominent drum machines, all combine to deliver a fantastic tracklist.
The duo of Katie Lynch and Mark Johnston have know each other since they were twelve and it’s that closeness in their relationship that allows them to create really beautiful genre defying pop songs.
My favourite tracks are Holly’s House, Saw The Moon and Melvin.
Stream the album here:
https://open.spotify.com/album/2zmbHD7kSmroKPUifbz8GA?si=IxCUKcSeQviBLMvGixEhlw
Moaning - Uneasy Laughter
Moaning are another band who have taken a different direction with their sophomore album. Whilst the eponymous debut album was guitar heavy Uneasy Laughter is dominated by synths.
This has seen them transform from post punk to New Wave in one clean step, they use their synth led approach to take us back to a past sound, with their dark lyrics and heavy subject matter, there is a definite feel of Joy Division about this album.
This for me may well fly under the radar for a lot of people in 2020 but it shouldn’t, take a chance and give it a listen.
My favourite tracks are Ego, Make It Stop and Fall in Love.
Stream the album here:
https://open.spotify.com/album/342FbXgO7NwePGgoTAmRiP?si=vT4aEuGWSI-rw-ZvyVprhA
Georgia - Seeking Thrills
Georgia’s second album is an ode to the dancefloor, it features nods to club dance music and some straight out synth pop.
It’s an eclectic album, the thirteen tracks all showing a sense of focus from Georgia, my favourite tracks are Started Out and About Work the Dancefloor which both have club beats and get you dancing along from the outset.
But there are many other ideas in the album including the fantastic 24 Hours which is just a perfect synth pop banger.
Stream the album here:
https://open.spotify.com/album/26FuPLPN5Vyznv9yFxKOTM?si=ZHVyEBRyRuS7R4B4p0mslg
Bombay Bicycle Club - Everything Else Has Gone Wrong
So Bombay Bicycle Club return from their brief hiatus with their fifth album Everything Else Has Gone Wrong.
And for me this doesn’t disappoint, it delivers everything you expect, some fun tracks that you can imagine being fantastic for delivering real feel good vibes at Summer festivals, although that will have to wait to 2021.
It’s an album that mixes some of their trademark sounds, some real synth driven pop tunes intertwined with some thrashing guitars.
My favourite tracks are Eat, Sleep, Wake (Nothing But You), Is It Real and I Can Hardly Speak.
Stream the album here:
https://open.spotify.com/album/11yHtE6IzOk6elh9cJzldJ?si=u8ky039UTxSzDJY3NN9gaw
Gerry Cinnamon - The Bonny
Gerry is back with his second album The Bonny and it doesn’t disappoint.
It gives us exactly what you would expect from Mr Cinnamon, it delivers a series of foot stomping singalong anthems which will propel him to the higher echelons of festival bills.
But it’s not all bouncing anthems, there are also a number of sombre ballads as well. The songs are in the main simple, it’s mostly Gerry and an acoustic guitar but it’s his ability to write a killer hook that snares you back in just as you thought you were escaping.
My favourite tracks are Canter, Where We’re Going and Sun Queen.
Stream the album here:
https://open.spotify.com/album/1yolfDsjo8yeHTjP9BF2B0?si=WcUfdDoJRuur8yaOmiUQgw
Dua Lipa - Future Nostalgia
Dua Lipa’s second album cements her place as the leading lady of pop in the UK.
Future Nostalgia is a collection of pop-funk and disco inspired tracks, it’s a delivery of throwback retro pop, that makes you just want to listen and dance to over and over again.
Dua Lipa delivers a fantastic vocal throughout the album, with assurance and a coolness that just shouts out pop icon.
It’s just non stop banger after banger, no room for ballads on this album, my favourite tracks are Don’t Start Now, Pretty Please and Boys Will Be Boys.
Stream the album here:
https://open.spotify.com/album/7fJJK56U9fHixgO0HQkhtI?si=Egr6LBExSr-N6kbNXkkMmQ
Baxter Drury - The Night Chancers
So Baxter Dury returns with his first album in three years and his sixth overall.
The Night Chancers is like the Ying to the Yang of Prince of a Tears, where the previous album sounded confident, The Night Chancers highlights the vulnerability in Dury’s songwriting.
It paints darker stories, the first words of the album after all are “I’m not your fucking friend”, all played out in the mini vignettes of each song, it’s a melancholic album, with some great electro funk and bass to drive the album.
Dury continues to deliver his urban spoken word poetry with his usual acerbic views on life situations.
My favourite tracks are I’m Not Your Dog, Hello, I’m Sorry, Samurai and Say Nothing.
Stream the album here:
https://open.spotify.com/album/1LCoVpaGVLibfCMmVyRaYH?si=usOlqVDZRoeaA6NoWS7Wow
Echo Machine - Instant Transmissions
Echo Machine bring to us their debut album and it is a glorious infusion of punk and eighties synth pop.
It’s bold, it’s brash and it’s bloody beautiful, it’s a trip back to eighties electro synth pop, but it’s loud and has a fantastic punky edge to it, giving it a real contemporary sound.
Gary writes relatable lyrics, without getting too dark, so there is always a sense of hope in the delivery no matter the subject matter.
I can’t find enough superlatives for this album, I guess the best compliment is that I still play it almost every day.
My favourite tracks are Less Alone, Headlights, Automatic Love and The Road.
Stream the album here:
https://open.spotify.com/album/5onn3uqTPxw7bASxPDUtuA?si=eGah2xW-RRq2C36DdUyggg