Best Records of the Year 2020: 40-21

Later than ever, we know... but December (more hospital visits) has been pretty hectic, somewhat fitting this surreal year, finally vanishing. Yet the time has arrived to unveil our Best Records of 2020! Like we did last year, we have maintained the number of 40 for the albums listed, splitting the post in two. The only difference being the inclusion of EPs within the list (as we haven't had a lot of them among our favourites this season). Therefore, here are our mandatory albums, "in charge of" our soundtrack in this excruciating 2020, starting with the LPs ranging from 40 to 21. A stunning harvest despite the times, really deserving a listen! And stay tuned, the Top 20 will be online tomorrow!

40. Lifetime of Comedy- The Parson Red Heads
39. Jetstream Pony- Jetstream Pony
38. Horse- Holy Motors
37. All This Talking Gets Us Nowhere- The Buoys
36. Johnny- Lawn
35. Agitprop Alterna- Peel Dream Magazine
34. Heathers- Terry vs. Tori
33. Carefree Theatre- Surfer Blood
32. Never Not Together- Nada Surf
31. How Ill the World Is Ordered- Daniel Romano

30. A Hero’s Death- Fontaines D.C.
29. Muzz- Muzz
28. Plum- Widowspeak
27. Días Raros- Melenas
26. Jump Rope Gazers- The Beths
25. Disco Volador- The Orielles 
24. The Long Now- The Luxembourg Signal
23. Electric Songs- The Wolfhounds
22.The Scenic Route- Dropkick
21. Hypoluxo- Hypoluxo

Want to check the best recors of 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012 and 2011?

The Indie Anthology 80: essential songs

Let's keep with the recovered pace, so here comes another one for the Indie Anthology! Today we move to Essex, to pay our modest tribute to a very beloved band of the Blog (that his mighty leader David Callahan took his time to answer our questionnaire is among the "achievements" I'm most proud of). One that is very well "alive and kicking", in what, in my humble opinion, easily ranks among the most exciting comebacks in music history. Jangle-noise (what?) courtesy of the pack from Romford!

Song: Magic Triggers 
Artist: The Wolfhounds 
Year: 1990

It started, of course, with me downloading (Audiogalaxy folks, pure Pleistocene era) the über recurrent C-86 compilation. A bunch of wonders (Close Lobsters, Bodines, Shop Assistants and McCarthy, to just name a few), but also quite an amount of fillers (being polite). And then, others with a big question mark on it. Discovery, promise, or just one hit wonders? 'Feeling So Strange Again' was in that category for me. But not for a long time. Not when you discover a blasting tune like 'Anti-Midas Touch', or a record like 'Unseen Ripples from a Pebble'. It was jangle-pop, sure, but there was also bite and lyrics to dig in. And the following discoveries were asking me to dig deeper, more consciously, in that rage and social commentary, while the noise and experimentation kept the group interesting. Raw indiepop. with thorns in every side. What was not to love? Like McCarthy, The Wolfhounds were a group for me. So, to choose just one tune has been excruciating. The aforementioned 'Midas', the perfect combination of grit and mellowness of 'Me', the stormy, sonicyouthesque 'Blown Away', the incarnation of The Fall's gloom in 'Another Hazy Day On The Lazy "A"', or more recently, the mesmerizing melodic urgency of 'Divide and Fall'. Any of them could have gone here. Why the choice of 'Magic Triggers' then? I guess it has to do with the "take no prisoners" upbeat start, or the pressing, contagious immediacy of the tune, or the desperate vocals delivered by David, or the manic guitar halfway of the piece, or the tension, the constant threat between melody and fury. Sums pretty well all the reasons why I love The Wolfhounds and why I think they are among the most criminally underrated bands. Period. Here I rest my case.

The Bloodbuzzed Jukebox Week 124

I've been unable, or just too angry/appalled to post anything since Wednesday morning. Almost 60 million people voted for a monster, period. Add it to Brexiters, corruption lovers here in Spain, or Nazi parties around Europe and you get the whole, devastating picture. Sure it's time for "deep" post-results analysis on what's wrong with democracies, politics, parties, media, etc. But it's also time to demand, before it's too late (very close now) responsibilities on citizens, the ones who voted. Pure & simple: idiocy is just an option, and can be reverted. I'll stop the rant here or I'll keep going for ages. For the time being, try to get some shelter and comfort doing the things you love... like listening to music. Here's our latest TOP TEN Jukebox, full of discoveries plus some dear friends (The Wolfhounds and Laz in top-notch form). As always, all songs are available at our Soundcloud page (Join Us!).

Direct links to 2016 Jukebox playlists

Week 84  Week 85  Week 86   Week 87   Week 88  Week 89 Week 90   Week 91   Week 92  
Week 93  Week 94  Week 95  Week 96   Week 97  Week 98  Week 99   Week 100 Week 101 
Week 102   Week 103  Week 104  Week 105   Week 106   Week 107 Week 108 Week 109
Week 110 Week 111  Week 112 Week 113   Week 114  Week 115   Week 116  Week 117 
Week 118 Week 119 Week 120 Week 121 Week 122   Week 123

These Go to 11: Interviewing The Wolfhounds

As we move on from the end-of-the-year lists, is time to offer you another interview. A great one, as a matter of fact. I'm proud to bring you the answers to our peculiar questionnaire from the frontman of a legendary (criminally underrated) band that, happily, has returned to action. I'm referring to David Callahan, leader of The Wolfhounds. These Go to 11!

Band named Wolfhounds & the
gallows behind,  what's not to fear?

David Callahan, The Wolfhounds

Formed in 1985 in Romford, UK, their first EP "Cut The Cake" made them part of the mythical C86 compilation album. After the poppier debut "Unseen Ripples From A Pebble on Pink", they evolved into a rockier, raging indie rock combo with brilliant albums like "Bright and Guilty", "Blown Away" and "Attitude" in 1990, after which the band disbanded. Several music adventures (urge you to check Moonshake) followed until they got back together in 2005 for a gig on the 20th anniversary of their first single. More gigs came, plus an EP with three tunes pre-dating band's debut in April 2012. Fuelled by the success of song "Skullface", the band is back in full form as the stunning 2013 singles "Cheer Up" and "Divide and Fall" prove, with more to come in 2014. The dogs are released again. Here we go!

1. First record that you bought (be honest)

"Gudbuy T'Jane" by Slade from a post office near where I lived - I still like the bad spelling of their titles - the B-side was "I Won't Let It 'Appen Agen" ...

2. First and last concert you have attended (be honest too!)  

City Rock '77, when
Mr. Callahan went punk

First gig I ever went to was a punk festival called City Rock in Chelmsford. It was a little pathetic as you can see here. However I got to see Rob Tyner from the MC5 sing with Eddie and the Hotrods and Slaughter and the Dogs. The Damned got to the stage where they were onstage ready to play, when their manager ordered them off again as they weren't getting paid. They should have played anyway. I remember the Doctors of Madness being quite impressive. Most impressive was the aggression and teenage confidence of the older punks with their dyed hair and ripped school uniforms. I was 13, but remembered to make my flared trousers skinny with a packet of safety pins. The last gig I went to was to see my mate Mathew Sawyer play with the Len Bright Combo (which is Wreckless Eric with a couple of the Milkshakes). Mathew was good but he was even better the week before at a smaller venue. Len Bright Combo were also enjoyable, but unfortunately I spent most of their set chattering as there were a lot of people I knew there.

3. Guilty pleasure (song/band you shouldn’t like but you do, yes, it’s the embarrassing question)
Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, though I think it's fair to say I only like the Crosby and Young bits. And "Our House".

4. Most precious music item you own (collector mode on)
A notebook, a pen and an instrument to mess around with (and a laptop or phone to record it on). Otherwise I'm not really precious about memorabilia, though I understand that some records I own are worth quite a lot of money.

Don van Vliet, Captain Beefheart

5. Favorite lyrics (not yours)

Today, it's the English translation of "Jackie" sung by Scott Walker, or all of "Trout Mask Replica" by Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band.

6. Musician/s you would like to meet (should be alive, for obvious reasons, but you can choose a dead one too)
Members of a few young bands that I've seen, but I never introduce myself in case I either patronise them or make a fool of myself. I'm not great at meeting those with a body of work that I admire, and (perhaps foolishly) turned down introductions with Captain Beefheart and Dr John.

7. Favorite artwork album (not yours)
I have a Dutch classical LP released as a picture disc in the shape of a circular birth control pill dispenser - I'm not sure it gets better than that! Otherwise, I like American cheesecake and exotica sleeves from the 1950s.

8. Books or movies? Depending on your answer recommend us one (trick: you can choose both)
I would press a copy of Cormac McCarthy's "Blood Meridian" into your grateful hands, after forcing you to watch Nicolas Roeg's "Don't Look Now", accompanied by coconut and lime ice cream and several gin and tonics.

"The Sound Your Eyes Can Follow",
Moonshake's 2nd album 

9. Song (of yours) you are most proud of
My favourite song of my own is "Just A Working Girl" off the 2nd Moonshake album. I wrote it on my 4-track portastudio when I lived in Hackney Central, after coming back from the pub pissed, went to sleep, and then had to spend the whole of the next day trying to figure out what I'd done as I'd erased all the source samples and not written down the lyrics. I was double happy that PJ Harvey agreed to sing on it, but still regret not honing the song first before it was recorded. Unfortunately, it was a lot better a year later after we'd toured it, but it was out by then.

10. What’s does it mean indie for you? (yes, the “serious question”)
I'm a literal indie fundamentalist - it means striving to be independent of influence and doing as much as you can by yourself or with like minds. Most 'indie' groups aren't.

11. Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
I'd like to think I'd be taking a well-earned break from writing and music by trying to see all of the exotic birdlife of the Polynesian islands. But I think it's entirely probable that I'll be on a defibrillator.

Zillion thanks David!