1. Bob Dylan - Rough and Rowdy Ways
This year, for many reasons - no doubt including the longing for reassurance and the comfort of safe favourites - I have found or made less time to listen to new music. Older and especially instrumental music of all kinds has totally dominated my listening. But there has been some good new music.
I was willing and wanting some of newer stuff to be better than (or at least inspire more than!) what I first heard in June 2020. No such luck. My choice of favourite album of the year has nothing to do with my previous unscalable opinion of His Bobness. In any year, this LP is a humdinger. It’s the sheer depth of the offering we get in this record... its surprise, its joy, its beauty and grace in reflection, and its remarkable timeliness. Bob Dylan, aged 79, has gone and left all contenders whimpering with their pants round their ankles. Yet again.
2. Perfume Genius - Set My Heart On Fire Immediately
3. Bonny Light Horseman - Bonny Light Horseman
4. Fleet Foxes - Shore
5. Lewsburg - In This House
6. Khruangbin - Mordechai
7. Tiña - Positive Mental Health Music
8. Taylor Swift - Folklore
9. Paul McCartney - McCartney III
10. Lucy Railton - 5 S-Bahn
Nigel
