Musical Highlights 2023

2023 has been a particularly cruel year,  a spiralling cost of living crisis,the  appalling suffering in Gaza and  the West Bank. as  well as our increasingly unhinged UK government, to name just a few factors. At times, the news cycle has been simply overwhelming. On top of this so many brilliant people taken from us.This  year we lost  Alan Rankine. Jeff Beck. Tina Turner, Tony Bennett, Gordon Lightfoot, Denny Laine.  Shane MacGowan .Kevin 'Geordie' Walker,  Benjamin  Zephaniah among some  we've  had  to  same  bye to.,..

To honor these musical inspirational legacies,let's continue listening to their incredible music and keeping their influence alive. Times ahead are going to be hard. As we ride these storms together lets be reminded of people like the individuals mentioned and of music’s ability to stir us, allowing us to forge further connections to ourselves and each other.

However you spend or celebrate this time of year, power to the music and the people that make it. Lets  try and support local music venues and appreciate their intrinsic value. Music and the places where it is performed can be balms that can brings us together as we face the challenges  ahead. Am  fortunate  to  have  wonderful  venue called  the Cellar Bar based  in  my  hometown,  which  is  always  a  pleasure  to  visit. .

In a year of reflection, music stretched and relocated in often unpredictable ways.Bandcamp an artist-focussed platform continues to allow us to support our favorite musicians and labels that enrich our lives and is a good place to discover new music In no particular order here are my musical highlights of the year that have really enjoyed and  lifted me.Here;s to better days ahead. Happy yule. Winter solstice. Heddwch/Peace :-  

1. LP by The Astronauts

2.Inside the Old Year Dying by  PJ Harvey, 

3.A Web of Braided Willow (The Folklore of the Wickerman) by Folklore Tapes

4.MAN, MYTH & MAGIC by SENDELICA

5.Deus Ex Machinations by Spurious Transients

6.Medicine  by  Goat

7.Gardener's Of The Earth by White Canyon & The 5th Dimension  

8.K by K Lihn 

9/A Trip To Bolgatanga by African Head Charge  

10. Waltz of the Weekend by Soft Hearted Scientists

11  Pil -  End of  World

12.Lankum - False Lankum

13. Gina  Birch - I  play  my  bass  loud

14 Almond and the Seahorse by Gruff Rhys

15 Various Artists Bob Stanley & Pete Wiggs Present: Incident At A Free Festival

16. Various Artists Cease & Resist - Sonic Subversion & Anarcho Punk In The UK 1979​-​86

17. Various Artists Longing for the Shadow: Ry​ū​k​ō​ka Recordings, 1921​-​1939

18.Various Artists Afro Psych: Journeys Into Psychedelic Africa 1972 - 1977

19.Arthur Russell - Picture  of Bunny Rabbit

20.The Rolling Stones - Hackney Diamonds

21.Smile - Skindred

22 Kristin Hersh Clear Pond Road

23 Jah  Wobble - A Brief history  of  now

24.NAÏA - LA SORCIÈRE DE ROCHEFORT-EN-TERRE

25/ FAE TRANSIT - SAM MCLOUGHLIN

26.Rasha Nahas - AMRAT

27 Various:.By the People, For the People - House of Afandi Records

         28/ Anohni and the Joh to Crnsons: My Back Was a Bridge for Youoss

29.The Endless Coloured Ways: The Songs of Nick Drake

30.The Iliminaughty - Kildren