ALBUMS OF THE YEAR 2021

I have compiled my annual list. I thought this was a good year, I found a lot to listen to and there were a lot of things I didn't have time to investigate properly - for example, a lot of new jazz I enjoyed came through the house, I hope to get into this rich new vein in the new year.

I think always think hard about the number one record; sometimes, when I have a few contenders, I pick the most "difficult" one. But some years a record will haunt me, with the songs trying to drill themselves into my mind between sleep and waking so I can't forget them, and this was one of those years. An innocuous disc but one that seemed to be designed just for me.

I've made a Spotify playlist with a song from each. 

1 SOBERISH - Liz Phair
2 WILDS - Andy Shauf
3 COURSE IN FABLE - Ryley Walker
4 I KNOW I'M FUNNY HAHA - Faye Webster
5 FIR WAVE - Hannah Peel
6 LAST TIME I SAW GRACE - New Bums
7 PETER STAMPFEL'S 20TH CENTURY IN 100 SONGS - Peter Stampfel
8 UNCOMMON WEATHER - The Reds, Pinks & Purples
9 THE CROWDED MIND - Dazy
10 WINK - Chai

11 THE FUTURE BITES - Steven Wilson
12 ALWAYS SOMETHING - UV-TV
13 LILY WE NEED TO TALK NOW - Lily Konigsberg
14 FLAT WHITE MOON - Field Music
15 WISH YOU WERE HERE TOUR REVISITED - 2nd Grade
16 DREAMERS ARE WAITING - Crowded House
17 DEBONAIR - Horsey
18 VERTIGO DAYS - The Notwist
19 CAPE COD COTTAGE - Brendan Eder Ensemble
20 HERITAGE - Hilma Nikolaisen

21 AN OVERVIEW ON PHENOMENAL NATURE - Cassandra Jenkins
22 QUEENS OF THE SUMMER HOTEL - Aimee Mann
23 SPENCER CULLUM'S COIN COLLECTION - Spencer Cullum
24 POHORYLLE - Margo Cilker
25 SLING - Clairo
26 BLACK METAL 2 - Dean Blunt
27 OTHER YOU - Steve Gunn
28 WINDSWEPT ADAN - Ichiko Aoba
29 OH GOOD IT'S - al Riggs
30 NEW LONG LEG - Dry Cleaning

31 TIME NO CHANGES - Chad Taylor & Chris Schlarb
32 WE WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU - The Avalanches
33 FIBATTY - Glenn Richards
34 TO SEE THE NEXT PART OF THE DREAM - Parannoul
35 DESTINY WAIVING - Ulrich Schnauss & Mark Peters
36 VOYAGE OUT - Floatie
37 FOR FREE - David Crosby
38 PALBERTA5000 - Palberta
39 ENDLESS ARCADE - Teenage Fanclub
40 THREESOME VOL 2 EP - The Lickerish Quartet