2020 has certainly been a difficult and unusual year. I presented my last live Quiet Revolution on 3 March at which point only a relatively small number of new albums had been released. There followed a break in shows when lockdown began and I resumed on the air late April with a recorded show that looks likely to continue for, well, I’m not sure how long to be honest!

This ability to continue the show albeit in rather a different way has I’m delighted to say enabled me to shine some light on some of the excellent new records that have been released in 2020. In some ways because of the much more home-based way we’re living the fact that we’re six months into the year seemed to creep up on me more than ever!

In the last few years, I’ve tended towards posting my favourite releases of the year this way. Mid-year and then again in December. It seems to work for me and is an easier way of keeping track of everything I’ve enjoyed and not missing anything.

Hope you enjoy discovering some of these fine artists and records if you haven’t been lucky enough to have stumbled across them before now I hope you enjoy discovering them from here on in. And do let me know what you think, you can post comments on this blog or on Twitter.

• Bonny Light Horseman – Bonny Light Horseman http://www.bonnylighthorseman.com
• Rose Cousins – Bravado http://www.rosecousins.com
• Serious Child – Time in the trees http://www.seriouschild.com
• Ned Roberts – Dream Sweetheart http://www.nedroberts.co.uk
• Sam Carter – Home Waters http://www.samcartermusic.co.uk
• Salt House – Huam http://www.salthousemusic.com
• Alec Bowman – I used to be sad and then I forgot http://www.alecbowman.com
• Ian Roland and the Subtown Set – Double Rainbow http://www.ianroland.com
• Norma MacDonald – Old Future http://www.normamacdonald.com
• Clem Snide – Forever just beyond http://www.clemsni.de
• Dan Whitehouse – Dreamland Tomorrow http://www.dan-whitehouse.com
• Arborist – A Northern View http://www.arboristmusic.com
• Kirsty Merryn – Our Bright Night http://www.kirstymerryn.com
• India Electric Co – The Gap http://www.indiaelectricco.com
• Damien Jurado – What’s new tomboy? http://www.damienjurado.com
• My Girl The River – Cardinal in the snow http://www.supertinyrecords.com
• John Moreland – LP5 http://www.johnmoreland.net
• The Lowest Pair – The Perfect Plan http://www.thelowestpair.com
• Ma Polaine’s Great Decline – City of Love http://www.mapolainesgreatdecline.com
• Charlie Dore – Like animals http://www.charliedore.com
• The Mammals – Nonet http://www.themammals.love
• Lisa Marini – Born in tribes http://www.lisamarini.com
• Modern Studies – The weight of the sun http://www.modernstudiestheband.com
• Josienne Clarke – Historical Record Vol. 1 and 2 http://www.josienneclarke.com
• Matt Hill – Savage Pilgrims http://www.matthillsongwriter.com
• Vanessa Peters – Mixtape http://www.vanessapeters.com
• Peter Oren – The Greener Pasture http://www.peteroren.com
• Gitta de Ridder – To our children http://www.gittaderidder.com
• Lynn Miles – We’ll look for stars http://www.lynnmilesmusic.ca
• Marin Patenaude – Sight Unseen http://www.marinpatenaude.com

I also really like what I’ve heard of Tom Houston’s Gap in the fence which hasn’t been released yet although some singles from the album have. I envisage Tom’s album will appear in my next blog about my favourite releases in December. In the meantime check him out at http://www.tomhouston.org

I posted my albums of the year at just over the mid-way point in July. Here are my additions to that list covering the period August to December. I hope you enjoy seeking these records out and adding to your music library.

The list is in no particular order of preference. 2019 has been another fantastic year for music. Here’s to 2020!

Paul Mosley and the Red Meat Orchestra – You’re Going To Die!

Catherine Rudie – The Mobius Kiss

Rachel Sermanni – So It Turns

The Doghouse Roses -We are made of light

Josienne Clarke – In all weather

The Milk Carton Kids – The Only Ones EP

Smith and McClennan – Small Town Stories

Bella Hardy – Postcards and Pocketbooks (best of)

Emily Barker – Shadow Box

Stick in the Wheel – Against the loathsome beyond

Son of Town Hall – The adventures of Son of Town Hall

Joan Shelley – Like the river loves the sea

Rowan Rheingans – The lines we draw together

Nels Andrews – Pigeon and Crow

The Hoth Brothers – Workin’ and Dreamin’

The Rails – Cancel the sun

Bedouine – Bird songs of a killjoy

Session Americana – Northeast

Kirsty McGee – The deafening sound of the stars

Martin Simpson – Rooted

Boo Hewerdine – Before

The Askew Sisters – Enclosure

The Orphan Brigade – To the edge of the world

Stylusboy – Routes

Catherine MacLellan – Coyote

Wookalily – Everything is normal except the little things inside my head

Maz O’Connor – Chosen daughter

Steve Pledger – Alone in the dark

Amy Speace – Me and the ghost of Charlemagne

Ida Wenoe – The things we don’t know yet

Show of Hands – Battlefield Dance Floor

Spell Songs – Lost Words

Carrie Tree – The Canoe

Daniel Meade – Rust

Chris Cleverley – We sat back and watched it unfold

Dori Freeman – Every single star

Man the Lifeboats – When the time bell rings

Luke Daniels – Old friends and exhausted enemies

Samantha Whates – Waiting Rooms

Clara Baker – Things to burn

Betsy Phillips – We don’t stay anymore EP

Hiss Golden Messenger – Terms of surrender

It’s that time again. Just over 6 months into 2019 and it’s been another superb year for music as far as I’m concerned. Here are my favourite releases to date.

They’re not in any order of preference, I like them all as much.

Please do feel free to comment and start a discussion going. And let me know what your favourite releases are…

William the Conqueror: Bleeding on the soundtrack (Loose Music)

Grace Petrie: Queer as folk (Robot needs a home)

Lau: Midnight and Closedown (Reveal Records)

Marry Waterson and Emily Barker: A window to other ways (One Little Indian)

Harbottle and Jonas: The sea is my brother (Brook View Records)

Katie Spencer: Weather Beaten (KRS Music)

Jeremy Tuplin: Pink Mirror (Trapped Animal Records)

The Delines: The Imperial (Decor Records)

Kalyn Fay: Good Company (Horton Records)

Peter James Millson: Low-key (Significant Records)

Megson: Con-tra-dic-shun (EDJ Records)

Abigail Lapell: Getaway (Coax Records)

Buffalo Blood: Buffalo Blood (Eel Pie Records)

Pete Gow: Here there’s no sirens (Clubhouse Records)

Lula Wiles: Love gone wrong (Smithsonian Folkways Recordings)

Sir Silence and Lady Hush: It’s time she said (Hushland Records)

Andrew Bird: My finest work yet (Lorna Vista Recordings)

Danni Nicholls: The Melted Morning (Danni Nicholls)

Sean Taylor: The Path into the blue (Sean Taylor)

Damien Jurado: In the shape of a storm (Loose Music)

Mike Vass: Save his calm (Unroofed Records)

Odette Michell: The Wildest Rose (Odette Michell)

Jacob and Drinkwater: This Old River (Polyphonic Records)

Jones: Carver’s Law (Meme Records)

Her Crooked Heart: To love to leave to live (Her Crooked Heart)

Anna Tivel: The Question (Fluff and Gravy Records)

Humbird: Pharmakon (Humbird)

The Alvarez Theory: The Alvarez Theory (Alvarez Theory)

Glen Hansard: This Wild Willing (Anti Records)

Ryan Bingham: American Love Song (Axter Bingham Records)

Son Volt: Union (Transmit Sound)

Josh Ritter: Fever Beats (Pytheas Recordings)

The Little Unsaid: Atomise (Reveal Records)

Tiny Ruins: Olympic Girls (Bella Union Records)

Edgelarks: Feather (Dragonfly Roots Records)

Peter Bruntnell: King of Madrid (Domestico Records)

Kenneth J Nash: The Explorer EP (Old Hotel Records)

Caroline Spence: Mint Condition (Rounder Records)

The Tallest Man on Earth: I love you, it’s a fever dream (Birds Records)

Paul McClure: Market Town (Clubhouse Records)

Nev Cottee: River’s Edge (Wonderful Sound)

Harry Harris: I feel drunk all the time (Harry Harris)

Norrie McCulloch: Compass (Black Dust Records)

Carly Dow: Comet (Carly Dow)

Findlay Napier and Megan Henwood: The Story Song Scientists EP (Dharma Records)

The Felice Brothers: Undress (Yep Roc)

Jamie Freeman: Dreams of falling (Union Music Label)

Emily Mae Winters: High Romance (Emily Mae Winters)

Bill Callahan: Shepherd in a sheepskin vest (Drag City)

The Willows: Through the wild (Elk Records)

After publishing my albums of the year there are always some that got away. Albums that in error I’d not included in my list or those that I simply hadn’t had a chance to hear yet. I’ve not done too badly this year. Three additions to my original lengthy favourites list. I’m kind of encouraged to learn that having a long list of favourite releases isn’t unique to me. John Mulvey, editor of Mojo magazine’s own personal favourite releases of last year was longer than mine so I feel I’m in good company.

Anyway here are my additions.

Sweet Billy Pilgrim – Wapentak : erroneously missed off my original list. Now corrected.

Doug Paisley – Starter Home: I’ve loved all of Doug’s previous albums, just didn’t get to this one fast enough!

Neilson Hubbard – Cumberland Island: Producer in demand for Quiet Revolution faves like Dean Owens and Caroline Spence. Like Doug’s album I didn’t get to hear it until too late. Now rectified I’m delighted to say.

For those who just like a straightforward list without video links here it is, all of my favourite releases from 2018 together. It’s a long list but I consider that minimalism is overrated!

• Sarah McQuaid – If we dig any deeper it could get dangerous
• Jess Morgan – And I still can’t keep still EP/Blue Jay single/Aston expressway, kiss me quick single/Whitby single
• Dean Owens – Southern Wind
• Gem Andrews – North
• Faeland – At my swim
• Jim Ghedi – A hymn for ancient land
• Bennett Wilson Poole – Bennett Wilson Poole
• Don Gallardo – Still here
• Kings of the South Seas – Franklyn
• Zoe Mulford – Small brown birds
• Alela Diane – Cusp
• Josienne Clarke and Ben Walker – Seedlings All
• H.C McEntire – Lionheart
• Winter Wilson – Far off on the horizon
• Jerry Leger – Nonsense and heartache
• Orphan Colours – All on red
• Stick in the Wheel – Follow them true
• Brandi Carlile – By the way, I forgive you
• Fran Wyburn – Wood for the trees
• Hannah Read – Way out I’ll wander
• I’m Kingfisher – Transit
• Cath and Phil Tyler – The Ax and the Ox
• Mary Chapin Carpenter – Sometimes just the sky
• Courtney Marie Andrews – May your kindness remain
• Duotone – A life re-appearing
• Simone Felice – The Projector
• Hayley Henderickx – I need to start a garden
• Israel Nash – Lifted
• Ray Cooper – Between the golden age and the promised land
• Gretchen Peters – Dancing with the beast
• The Fugitives – The promise of strangers
• Hatful of Rain – Songs of the lost and found
• Jill Jackson – Are we there yet?
• Blair Dunlop – Notes from an island
• Olivia Chaney – Shelter
• Hannah Sanders and Ben Savage – Awake
• Laura Veirs – The Lookout
• Juliana Daugherty – Light
• Erin Rae – Putting on airs
• Lucy Ward – Pretty warnings
• Jennifer Castle – Angels of death
• Suburban Dirts – I want blood
• Hadley McCall Thackston – Hadley McCall Thackston
• The Jellyman’s Daughter – Dead reckoning
• Ana Egge – White Tiger
• Modern Studies – Welcome strangers
• Ry Cooder – Prodigal Son
• Mishaped Pearls – Shivelight
• Ben Kunder – Better Human
• Jess Vincent – Lions
• Laura Gibson – Goners
• Benjamin Folke Thomas – Modern man
• William Fitzsimmons – Mission bell
• Karine Polwart, Steven Polwart and Inge Thomson – Laws of motion
• Cam Penner – At war with reason
• Trevor Moss and Hannah-Lou – Fair Lady London
• Nathan Bell – Love, bones and stars
• Marc Ribot – Songs of Resistance 1942-2018
• John Smith – Hummingbird
• Kelly Oliver – Botany Bay
• Jess Matas – Tamarack
• Phillip Henry – True North
• Kitty MacFarlane – Namer of clouds
• Ed Harcourt – Beyond the end
• David Berkeley – The Faded Red and Blue EP
• Sinnober – Projection
• Martyn Joseph – Here come the young
• Ciara O’Neill – Arrow
• The Willows – Through the wild
• Glorietta – Glorietta
• Austin Lucas – Immortal Americans
• Annie Dressner – Broken into pieces
• Gilmore and Roberts – A problem of our kind
• Me for Queen – Loose end
• Curse of Lono – As I fell
• Drew Morrison and the Darkwood – Electric Notes Wild
• Tunng – Songs you make at night
• Treetop Flyers – Treetop Flyers
• Grace Petrie – Queer as folk
• Vanessa Peters – Foxhole prayers
• Dan Webster – Devil sky
• M.G Boulter and The Froe – Blood Moon EP
• The Cowboy Junkies – All that reckoning
• Kerry Devine – Away from the mountains
• Lori McKenna – The Tree
• Elephant Micah – Genericana
• Amanda Shires – To the sunset
• Lachlan Bryan and the Wildes – Some girls quite like country music
• The Innocence Mission – Sun on the square
• Lera Lynn – Plays well with others (a duets album)
• Jason McNiff – Joy and independence
• Alden Patterson and Dashwood – By the night
• Robby Hecht and Caroline Spence – Two people
• Steve Tilston – Distant days
• The Milk Carton Kids – All the things that I did and all the things that I didn’t do
• Rab Noakes – Welcome to anniversaryville
• Kristian Kjellvander – Faux Guernica
• Katherine Priddy – Wolf EP
• Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus – Boygenius EP
• Eliza Gilkyson – Secularia
• Rachel Baiman – Thanksgiving EP
• Reg Meuross – Reg Meuross
• Luluc – Sculptor
• The Shackleton Trio – Fen, farm and deadly water
• Trampled  by Turtles – Life is good one the open road
• Letitia VanSant – Gut it to the studs
• The Trials of Cato – Hide and hair

 

 

Here goes with the final part.  Hope you enjoy.

Letitia VanSant – Gut it to the studs

Trampled by Turtles – Life is good on the open road

The Shackleton Trio – Fen, farm and deadly water

Luluc – Sculptor

Reg Meuross – Reg Meuross

Rachel Baiman – Thanksgiving EP

This is the third and final instalment of my favourite releases from January to June. Keep an eye out on my blog for the rest of the year in December.

Mishaped Pearls – Shivelight 

Ry Cooder – Prodigal Son

Modern Studies – Welcome Strangers

Ana Egge – White Tiger

The Jellyman’s Daughter – Dead reckoning

Hadley McCall Thackson – Hadley McCall Thackston

Suburban Dirts – I want blood

Jennifer Castle – Angels of death

Lucy Ward – Pretty warnings

Erin Rae – Putting on airs

Juliana Daugherty – Light

Here’s the second part of my blog charting favourite releases from January to June 2018.

Laura Veirs – The Lookout

Hannah Sanders and Ben Savage – Awake

Oliva Chaney – Shelter

Blair Dunlop – Notes from an island

Jill Jackson – Are we there yet?

Hatful of Rain – Songs of the lost and found

The Fugitives – The promise of strangers

Gretchen Peters – Dancing with the beast

Ray Cooper – Between the golden age and the promised land

Israel Nash – Lifted

Hayley Henderickx – I need to start a garden

Simone Felice – The Projector

Duotone – A life re-appearing

Courtney Marie Andrews – May your kindness remain

Mary Chapin Carpenter – Sometimes just the sky

Cath and Phil Tyler – The Ax and the Ox

Darlingside – Extra life

Birds of Chicago – Love in wartime

The first 6 months of this year has seen the release of many great albums, EP’s and singles. Here I highlight some of my favourites this far in.

Sarah McQuaid – If we dig any deeper it could get dangerous

Jess Morgan – Aston Expressway, kiss me quick digital download single

Dean Owens – Southern Wind 

Gem Andrews – North 

Faeland – All my swim

Jim Ghedi – A Hymn for Ancient Land

Bennett Wilson Poole – Bennett Wilson Poole

Don Gallardo – Still Here

Kings of the South Seas – Franklin 

Alela Diane – Cusp

Zoe Mulford – Small brown birds

Josienne Clark and Ben Walker – Seedlings All

H.C McEntire – Lionheart

Winter Wilson – Far off on the horizon 

Jerry Leger – Nonsense and heartache 

Orphan Colours – All on red

Stick in the Wheel – Follow them true

Brandi Carlile – By the way, I forgive you

Fran Wyburn – Wood for the trees

Hannah Read – Way out I’ll wander

I’m Kingfisher – Transit

Dan Hartland – Great Novels

The Rheingans Sisters – Bright Field

Greg Russell and Ciaran Algar – Utopia and Wasteland

Chris Smither – Call me lucky

Michael McDermott – Out from under it

Glymjack – Light the evening fire

Eamon O’Leary – All Souls

The Little Unsaid – Selected Works 

Ma Polaine’s Great Decline – The Outsider

The Mammals – Sunshiner 

The Equatorial Group – Apricity