- Top Tens
Glenn Van Dyke of BOYTOY who made their UK debut in Octoberarter the release of their debut LP Grackle.
BOYTOY will release a split 7” single with Swiss group Schade in January on Sacred Hood/PaperCup Music.
1: David Bowie: Blackstar
2: Autolux- Pussy's Dead
3: A Tribe Called Quest- We Got it from Here....Thank you 4 Your Service
4: Solange- A Seat at the Table
5: Cosmonauts: A-OK!
6: Angel Olson- My Woman
7: Night Beats: Who Sold My Generation
8: Kendrick Lamar- Untitled Unmastered
9: Drake- Views
10: Warpaint- Heads up
- Top Tens
Top Ten Albums
1. Meilyr Jones -2013
2. Money - Suicide Songs
3. Parquet Courts - Human Performance
4 Keaton Henson – Kindly Now
5. Dandy Warhols - Distortland
6. Ed Harcourt - Furnaces
7. Spring King - Tell Me If You Like To
8. Teleman – Brilliant Sanity
9. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Skeleton Tree
10. Lanterns On The Lake - Beings (actually a 2015 release but too late for last years list)
Top Ten Gigs
1. Traams – Southampton, Lennons
2. Meilyr Jones – Trisha’s Bar, Soho
3. Anna Meredith – Kings Cross Scala
4. Money - Battersea Arts Centre
5. Adem – Reading Arts Centre
6. Damien Durado – Islington Assembly Hall
7. Cat Empire – Portsmouth Pyramids
8. Lemon Twigs – MOTH Club
9. Lanterns On The Lake – Hackney Oslo
10. Tame Impala - Berlin
Top Ten Festival Appearances
In chronological order
Primavera Sound: Beach House
Primavera Sound: Richard Hawley
Primavera Sound: Parquet Courts
Truck : Yndi Halda
Visions : Let's Eat Grandma
EOTR : Meilyr Jones
EOTR : Money
Southsea Festival : Palm Honey
Southsea Festival : British Sea Power
Mirrors Festival - Bill Ryder-Jones
Best Moments:
1. Kylie joining John Grant at The Albert Hall to duet on Glacier
2. Dressing as one of the bears at BSP gig at the Wedgewood Rooms
3 Whilst having a pee at Union Chapel the bloke next to me said 'hello mate' - it was Ed Harcourt!
Si
- Top Tens
City Of Ashes Top Ten Albums 2016
1. Yashin - The Renegades: This record became the sound track to so much of our 2016 and we'll forever be grateful to the Yashin boys for taking us out on their album release tour earlier this year. It kick started an incredible 12 months for us and I suspect this one will always hold a special place in our hearts.
2. Death Valley High - Cvlt [as fvk]: We first met these boys on tour with Trapt a couple of years ago. They became the reason we were asked to join the tour drunk as anything at 3amon a Tuesday in Swansea and honestly we couldn't be more grateful. In fact we head out on our first ever European tour next year thanks largely to these guys and can't wait to hit the road with them. I think their new single from this record is their most catchy and fun track yet whilst still being true to the band's image. It reminds me of Marilyn Manson mixed with a little Deftones.
3. Jimmy Eat World - Integrity Blues: I'm such a massive fan of this band, particularly having spent so much time growing up in the same home town of Tempe, Arizona. I can't think of many bands that manage to churn out such great catchy, energetic pop rock tracks at such consistency. This record pushes the band into a mellower and almost reflective sound which (of course) they get just right.
4. Young Guns - Echoes: Playing this year's Butserfest with Young Guns was a real highlight for me and I've loved their new release. Not much more I can say other than another great record from a great band!
5. The Amity Affliction - This Could Be Heartbreak: I have a huge amount of time for what this band stand for and how giving Joel is of himself to his art and to those that find strength in it. I was in touch with him earlier in the year about our own depression project (The Sometimes Project) and he was enormously supportive of it and us. It's great to see them getting the level of international recognition they deserve.
6. City of Ashes - Rise: I wouldn't normally be down with sticking our own record in something like this but knowing how much went into it keeps me feeling incredibly proud of the achievement. I think myself and James worked around 1500 bar shift hours between us to fund the record so I rate it as a win.
7. Blink 182 - California: I think a lot of people would agree with this. The new vocals and guitar parts have injected a lot of energy and enthusiasm back into the band and created a fun record to listen to.
8. Hands Like Houses - Dissonants: Without doubt my single favourite record of the year. So many great rock tracks!!
9. Tonight Alive - Limitless: I caught their performance from Download this year and what a hell of a performer Jenna is! Another fantastic record.
10. The 1975 - I Like It When You Sleep, For You Are So Beautiful: Probably played in the tour van more than any other record this year. The boys got really into this one. A fun record to round off the list!
- Top Tens
Celeb Car Crash Top Ten albums 2016
1. Metallica - Hardwired ... to self destruct
2. Periphery - Periphery III
3. Gojira - Magma
4. The Temperance Movement - White Bear
5. Meshuggah - The Violent Sleep of Reason
6. David Bowie - Black Star
7. Lacuna Coil - Delirium
8. Deftones - Gore
9. Biffy Clyro - Ellipsis
10. Kings of Leon - Walls
- Top Tens
ALBUMS OF THE YEAR
1. The Gloaming - "2"
2. Bellowhead - Live: the Farewell Tour
3. Margo Price - Midwest Farmer's Daughter
4. Shovels & Rope - Little Seeds
5. John McCusker - Hello, goodbye
6. The Rolling Stones - Blue and lonesome
7. Damien Dempsey - No Force on Earth
8. Seth Lakeman - Ballads of the Broken Few
9. Daoirí Farrell - True Born Irishman
10. Ducking Punches - Fizzy Brain
LIVE GIGS
1. Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band, Circus Maximus, Rome
2. Frank Turner & the Sleeping Souls (show #2000), Rock City, Nottingham
3. Lynched, Vicar Street, Dublin
4. Flook, Sugar Club, Dublin
5. Lúnasa, Dervish + Triad, Printworks, Dublin Castle
6. Le Vent Du Nord, Sugar Club, Dublin
7. The Unthanks, Set Theatre, Kilkenny
8. Lindi Ortega, Grand Social, Dublin
9. Daoirí Farrell, Whelans, Dublin
10. Bronagh Gallagher, Áine's living room, Dublin
FESTIVAL PERFORMANCES
1. Gogol Bordello, Cambridge Folk Festival
2. P J Harvey, Glastonbury
3. The Waterboys, Folkfest Killarney
4. We Banjo 3, Folkfest Killarney
5. Christy Moore, Cambridge Folk Festival
6. Kíla, Cambridge Folk Festival
7. Mary Chapin Carpenter, Cambridge Folk Festival
8. Sharon Shannon, Glastonbury
9. Iarla O Lionáird & Steve Cooney, Folkfest Killarney
10. Máirtín O Connor Band - Folkfest Killarney
SONG OF THE YEAR
Something familiar - Josienne Clarke & Ben Walker
BOOK OF THE YEAR
Soul Picnic: The music and passion of Laura Nyro - Michele Kort
(from 2002, but best music book I bought and read this year)
FILM OF THE YEAR
Gimme danger: The story of the Stooges - directed by Jim Jarmusch
- Top Tens
Albums
1 Radiohead – A Moon Shaped Pool
2 Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Skeleton Tree
3 David Bowie – Blackstar
4 The Rolling Stones – Blue & Lonesome
5 Goat – Requiem
6 Pictish Trail – Future Echoes
7 Beth Orton – Kidsticks
8 Michael Kiwanuka – Love & Hate
9 Polica – United Crushers
10 The Joy Formidable - Hitch
Festival Performances
1 Mercury Rev - Glastonbury Park Stage
2 Kate Tempest – Glastonbury. Hell Stage
3 Coldplay – Glastonbury Pyramid Stage
4 The National – Latitude
5 Beth Orton – Caught By The River
6 The Very Best – Glastonbury Crows Nest Stage
7 Goat – End Of The Road
8 Michael Kiwanuka – Glastonbury Crows Nest Stage
9 Broken Social Scene – End Of The Road
10 Primal Scream – On Blackheath
Gigs
1 Pictish Trail, James Yorkston, Withered Hand – Union Chapel 20/12
2 Explosions In The Sky – O2 Brixton 12/10
3 Blues competition final – Flemmington Bowls Club Melbourne 13/11
4 Polica – The Roundhouse 19/10
5 Christine & The Queens – O2 Brixton 2/11
6 The Joy Formidable - Colchester Arts Centre 13/5
7 Hans Zimmer – Arena Wembley 7/4
8 Israel Nash – Garage 15/2
9 LNZNDRF – Oslo London 19/2
10 Withered Hand – Lexington 7/1
Best Musical Moment
Just being at the Howlin’ Fling Festival on the most beautiful Scottish island of Eigg
Worst Musical Moment
Being at Glastonbury when we got the Brexit referendum result
Best Film
Hunt for the Wilderpeople
Ken
- Top Tens
Albums of the Year:
1. David Bowie - Blackstar
2. Radiohead - A Moon Shaped Pool
3. Car Seat Headrest - Teens of Denial
4. Underworld - Barbara Barbara, We Face A Shining Future
5. Bon Iver - 22, A Million
6. Christine and The Queens - Chaleur Humaine
7. Michael Kiwanuka - Love & Hate
8. Francis and The Lights - Farewell, Starlite
9. Anohni - Hopelessness
10. Beyond The Wizards Sleeve - The Soft Bounce
Gigs of the Year:
1. Kojey Radical – Jazz Café, Camden
2. Radiohead – Roundhouse, Camden
3. Christine & The Queens – O2 Academy
4. NZCA Lines – Village Underground, London
5. Public Service Broadcasting – The Science Museum, London
6. Polica – Village Underground, London
7. Jean-Michel Jarre – O2, London
8. John Carpenter – Troxy, London
9. Clint Mansell – Royal Festival Hall, London
10. Jagwar Ma – Village Underground, London
Festival performances:
1. Christine & The Queens – Other Stage, Glastonbury
2. Ben Watt & Bernard Butler – Field Day
3. Michael Kiwanuka – Crow’s Nest, Glastonbury
4. Coldplay – Pyramid Stage, Glastonbury
5. Skepta - Field Day, London
6. Blackalicious – La Pusy Parlure, Glasto
7. St Paul & The Broken Bones – other stage, glastonbury
8. John Grant – Field Day, London
9. Floating Points – Field Day, London
10. Manic Street Preachers – Victorious Festival, Portsmouth
Track of the year: 'Love & Hate' by Michael Kiwanuka
Book of the Year: 'A Little Life' by Hanya Yanagihara
Music book of the year: 'Porcelain' by Moby
Video of the Year: 'Friends' by Francis & The Lights feat Bon Iver & Kanye West
Russell
- Top Tens
Albums
1. Darlingside – Birds Say
2. William Tyler- Modern Country
3. Black Mountain – IV
4. Teleman- Brilliant Sanity
5. Felice Brothers – Life in the Dark
6. King Creosote- Astronaut Meets Appleman
7. The Hardy Tree – Through Passages of Time
8. David Bowie- Blackstar
9. Imarhan – Imarhan
10. Damien Jurado – Visions of us on the Land
Gigs
1. James Yorkston/Pictish Trail/Withered Hand- Union Chapel – 20/12/16
2. Black Mountain- The Dome- 17/11/16
3. Leisure Society-St Pancras Old Church- 30/9/16
4. Bill Ryder-Jones- Scala-3/3/16
5. Magnetic North- 14/4/16 – Islington Forge
6. Christy Moore- Royal festival Hall- 5/4/16
7. Withered Hand- Lexington-7/1/16
8. Israel Nash- Garage-15/2/16
9. Damien Jurado – Islington Assembly Hall- 18/4/16
10. Frightened Rabbit-Roundhouse-7/12/16
Best Track
'Space to Bakersfield' – Black Mountain
Best TV Show
The Missing Series 2 – BBC
Best Film
'Nocturnal Animals'
Best Musical Moment of the Year
Darlingside's deserved ascendancy from unknowns at the bottom of the bill in the tent to packing out the main stage in the space of a weekend at Cambridge Folk Festival.
Most Disappointing Musical Moment of the Year
The shocking discovery that what I was playing was not a rubbish freebie remix CD packaged with the new Bon Iver album, but was in fact the actual album.
Matt
- Top Tens
Albums
1. David Bowie - Blackstar
2. Bon Iver - 22, a Million
3. Ferocious Dog Live at Rock City
4. Danny Brown - Atrocity Exhibition
5. Membranes - Inner Space/Outer Space
6. Shirley Collins- Lodestar
7. Nick Cave and Bad Seeds - Skeleton Tree
8. Beyonce - Lemonade (video version)
9. Anohni - Hopelessness
Festival
1. Glen Hansard, Cambridge
2. James Yorkston, New Line Brewery, Seachange Festival
3. Wonk Unit, Strawberry Fayre
4. Billy Bragg, Moseley Folk Festival
5. Songhoy Blues, Moseley Folk Festival
6. Christy Moore, Cambridge Folk Festival
7. Mary Chapin Carpenter, Cambridge
8. Tom Robinson Band, Tolpuddle Martyrs Festival
9. Baba Mall, Cambridge
10. Carl Palmer, Cambridge Rock Festival
Gigs
1. Membranes, Luminous Bodies, Magoo, Knowpeace, Owl Sanctuary, Norwich
2. Funke and the Two Tone Baby, Portland
3. Wonk Unit, Portland
4. Raggedy Rawney, Carpenters Arms Cambridge
5. Cass Combs and the Awesome Soul Collective, Flying Pig Cambridge
6. Slaves, Corn Exchange
7. Keltrix, Grapes, Cambridge
8. Hinds, Junction, Cambridge
9. Chris T T, Paul Goodwin, Portland
10. Rhodri Davies + Twenty-Three-Hanging Trees + Skeleton Hand, Boathouse, Cambridge
Film - Deadpool
Single - Skott-Amelia
Kevin Hand
- Top Tens
Top 10 Albums
Frightened Rabbit- Painting of a Panic Attack
Wild Beasts- Boy King
Local Natives- Sunlit Youth
Mothers - When You Walk a Long Distance You Are Tired
Bears Den - Red Earthing & Pouring Rain
Whitney - Light Upon The Lake
Hinds - Leave Me Alone
LNZNDRF - LNZNDRF
Ry X - Dawn
Bill Ryder-Jones - West Kirby County Primary
Top 10 Gigs
David Gilmour - Royal Albert Hall
Bruce Springsteen - Ricoh Arena
Coldplay - Wembley Stadium
The Lone Bellow - The Horn, St Albans
Super Furry Animals - The Junction, Cambridge
Coldplay - Indigo2
Placebo - SSE Arena, Wembley
Hans Zimmer - 3Arena, Dublin
The Hinds - The Junction 2, Cambridge
White Lies - Shepherds Bush Empire
Top 10 Festival Appearances
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard - Green Man
Temper Trap - Field Day
Kurt Vile & The Violators - Glastonbury
Whitney- Green Man
Adele - Glastonbury
Hot Chip - OnBlackheath
Sigur Ros - Citadel
Frightened Rabbit - Glastonbury
Coldplay - Glastonbury
Wild Beasts - Green Man
Best Film
Rogue One
Best Musical Moment
Standing on stage at Wembley Arena in front of 10,000 people
Worst Musical Moment
The Lack of anti/pro Brexit records
- Top Tens
Top Ten Albums 2016
1. Whitney - Light Upon the Lake
2. Laish - Pendulum Swing
3. Communist Daughter - The Cracks That Built the Wall
4. Pinegrove - Cardinal
5. Angel Olsen - My Woman
6. Julia Jacklin - Don't Let the Kids Win
7. Alex Lahey - B-Grade University
8. Margo Price - Midwest Farmer's Daughter
9. Teenage Fanclub - Here
10. Public Access T.V. - Never Enough
Festival Shows
1. Whitney. Sidewinder Bar SXSW.
2. Isaac Gracie. Latitude. SXSW
3. Loretta Lynn. Stubbs. SXSW
4. Dylan Leblanc. Parish. SXSW
5. Harts. Aussie BBQ SXSW
6. Hives. Fort York. TURF
7. Margo Price. Fort York. TURF
8. Boy & Bear. Fort York, Field Trip
9. National. Fort York, Field Trip
10. Julia Jacklin. Aussie BBQ. SXSW
Gigs
1. Jenny Lewis. Massey Hall. Toronto
2. Tragically Hip. Air Canada Centre. Toronto
3. Gaz Coombes. Drake Hotel. Toronto
4. Teenage Fanclub. Manchester Academy 2. Manchester
5. St Paul & The Broken Bones. Danforth Music Hall. Toronto
6. Jayhawks. Horseshoe. Toronto
7. Teenage Fanclub. Lee's Palace. Toronto
8. Whitney. Lee's Palace. Toronto
9. Bob Mould. Horseshoe. Toronto
10. Echo & The Bunnymen. Phoenix concert theatre. Toronto
Song Of The Year
No Woman. Whitney
Best musical moment is a tough one for me...but to see our Canadian Rock Heroes the Tragically Hip, playing one of their last shows ever due to lead singer Gord Downie being diagnosed with brain cancer..seeing the fight in the man, tears in his eyes, emotion throughout the arena..pretty unforgettable.
Worst moment...don't think I can pick one. We lost too many great musicians this year so the fact that Bowie, Cohen, and Prince are gone, we had too many bad moments. Didn't really have a bad concert moment.. Maybe a few disappointing ones but I hate to be negative!
- Top Tens
ALBUMS
1 Hamilton Leithauser + Rostam – I Had a Dream That You Were Mine
2 The Magnetic North – Prospect of Skelmersdale
3 Kris Drever – If Wishes Were Horses
4 The Head and the Heart – Signs of Light
5 Heidi Talbot – Here We Go 1 2 3
6 The Changing Room – Picking Up The Pieces
7 Songs of Separation – Songs of Separation
8 Darlingside – Birds Say
9 Turin Brakes – Lost Property
10 Band of Horses – Why Are You OK
GIGS
1 The Leisure Society – St Pancras Old Church
2 Kris Drever & Ian Carr – Sunny Sailor, Maldon
3 Turin Brakes – Colchester Arts Centre
4 Lau – Barbican Centre
5 The Changing Room – Blue Boar, Maldon
6 The Changing Room – Colchester Arts Centre
7 Churchfitters – Colchester Centre
8 Gigspanner – Colchester Arts Centre
9 Hannah & Philip Martin – Colchester Arts Centre
10 Hannah Sanders & Ben Savage – Colchester Arts Centre
FESTIVALS (All From Cambridge Folk Festival 2016)
1 Sam Kelly and The Lost Boys
2 Darlingside
3 Megson
4 Songs of Separation
5 John McCusker Band (feat. Heidi Talbot, Kris Drever, Graham Coxon)
6 Jon Boden
7 Brian McNeill
8 The Rheingans Sisters
9 Le Vent Du Nord
10 Eliza Carthy and the Wayward Band
BEST SONG
Northway/Southway - The Magnetic North
BEST FILM
Captain America 3: Civil War
BEST TV SHOW
Westworld
BEST MUSICAL MOMENT
Being pleasantly surprised/impressed by an unknown band called Darlingside at Cambridge
WORST MUSICAL MOMENT
The Disappointment felt listening to the new Field Music Album the first time