Really. Write. A Blog.
See, it’s not that I don’t want to, but this is the Hinterland of the year, that magical in-between time, when all the dutiful joy of Christmas is over and done with, and equally as dutiful, but somewhat more desperate celebrations of New Year begin. The time when we tick off the last days of this year’s timesheet, and are just starting to tear it away, tear it to shreds, burn the damn thing, before we face the clean white tyranny of a fresh, crisp, blank New Year. Watch your fingers for papercuts.
I like this time of year. No matter how many wonderful things I have planned for the next twelve months – how many terrifying and scary upheavals that could mean the start of a new and much more rewarding phase of my life… I like that sense of a project completed. I enjoy revelling in that satisfaction, before a new year begins. I like a breather. So understandably, I want to prolong it as much as possible.
I suppose that means I don’t want to write a blog after all.
So in spite of myself, here’s two.
Talking of my personal Top Ten, here’s the Thrash Hits Staff Albums of 2014. No spoilers… except I am pretty well chuffed I got St Vincent on there this year.
You’ll also notice (okay, *some* spoilers, then) that it’s not been a particularly metal year for me, in terms of personal favourites. Frankly, folk-influenced and acoustic music has been doing it more for me, generally. Discovering RM Hubbert, Blue Rose Code (Honestly, The Ballads of Peckham Rye is no. 11 on my Top Records of 2014. Making this year’s list on two days notice killed me.), The Lake Poets, Sarah Jarosz, Trev Gibb (‘Old Wounds‘, trust me.), Hannah D’Arcy, MG Boulter, Nadine Shah, has been like finding precious lost items in cobwebbed attics, brushing the dust off, setting them down and watching them sparkle. Yes, I know I should really check out Richard Dawson. He’s next on my list. Honest.
Meanwhile, Les Claypool‘s Duo De Twang, and Devin Townsend and Ché Aimee Dorval‘s Casualties of Cool were both projects that elevated sides of these artists we’d long expected, but perhaps had never imagined would sound so sweet. Oh, and while we’re on the subject of sweets, that Primus cover of ‘The Candyman’ (from their Charlie and the Chocolate Factory album) is a fucking belter.
Told ya.
The other big influence on 2014 has been the theatrical. Or rather, the storytellers, I should say. Aidan Moffat‘s solo stuff, Shilpa Ray, St Vincent (still kicking myself for having flu the night she breezed through the North-East), Fair To Midland, General Sherman, By Toutatis and associated projects… When researching for a panel at Loncon 3, I also came across Darren Korb’s excellent soundtrack for Bastion – one hell of a case of first time lucky for the composer. New …And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead, and the follow-up to Devin Townsend‘s Ziltoid The Omniscient, Z2, scratched the same itch nicely. John Grant made a late grand entrance, courtesy of the livestream of his Sage Gateshead show with the Royal Northern Sinfonia; the night a friend and I confessed to each other that we were both, just a teensy bit, in love with him.
There are doubtless other names I’ve missed, but here are a few of my favourite discoveries of 2014.
Tissue Culture – Bleak Northern Beaches
One of my favourite discoveries through the Tiny Lights gig nights. Click here for some photos of them I took earlier this year.
https://soundcloud.com/tissueculture/bleak-northern-beaches
John Grant – Where Dreams Go To Die
I had such trouble picking one of John Grant’s tracks for this. ‘Queen of Denmark’, or ‘Sigourney Weaver’ could have easier been here instead. You should look those out too. Or ‘That’s The Good News’. Really, just go, before I start naming more tracks.
Blue Rose Code (w/ Samantha Whates and MG Boulter) – True Ways of Knowing
Killing three birds with one stone, this also features the amazing double basswork of John Parker of Nizlopi, and Rachel Newton, whose sterling harp playing is also on the recent BRC album. I shot Ross and co. at The Cluny in Newcastle earlier this year. He’s touring in April.
Nadine Shah – Stealing Cars
Another late contender this year, I’m barely done with first listens to this.
Shilpa Ray (w/ Warren Ellis & Nick Cave) – Pirate Jenny
Now striking out from her Shilpa Ray and her Happy Hookers outfit, Shilpa Ray is a trailblazer. Pick up the EP ‘It’s All Self Fellatio…‘, it’s a blinder.
RM Hubbert w/ Aidan Moffat & Alex Kapranos – Car Song
An older track, but one I was so glad to finally hear live when Hubby hooked up with Aidan Moffat at the Sage in May (click here for my DiS photo gallery).
Shrine Black Peaks – Say You Will
One of the things that keeps me writing for Thrash Hits is the radar those boys have. This blindsided us all. Thankfully, their quiet since is largely down to their name change since they released their debut EP, Closer To The Sun.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nIn24wO7nE
Sarah Jarosz – I Can’t Love You Now
There’s something about Sarah Jarosz’s writing that suggests someone ten years older writing about how they feel in their early twenties. Here’s one example.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4g5ITA32dE
Casualties of Cool – Flight
Not so much a new discovery, but wonderful to hear a project with Ché Aimee Dorval front and centre.
The Lake Poets – Husks
To close, this track taken from the debut EP Honest Hearts. Martin’s show at the Mining Institute in Newcastle was a privilege to witness.
http://youtu.be/spB3a7TG0mU
