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As each year goes by and the musical landscape changes it’s great to see that the ‘album’ endures as an art-form for music fans across the globe. Every year I like to point you towards a ‘Festive 50’ – some you’ll know already, a few you might not. Lots of them are homegrown and stand tall next to all the others. There’s pop, indie, punk, R’n’B, soul, electronica, hip-hop, reggae, rock and a whole heap more in there… Please investigate and enjoy!

Albums of the year:

– 5 & 7 (Forever Living Originals)

Actually 2 albums but hey… both released in 2019.

Then in alphabetical order:

– The Paralian (Athens of the North)

– Fibs (Moshi Moshi)

– 24 Carat Diamond Trephine (So Knee)

– Slight Disconnects (Last Night from Glasgow)

– Health (Fatcat)

– Here or Nowhere (Lost Map)

– Reward (Mexican Summer)

– Cloth (Last Night From Glasgow)

– Cheaply Bought, Expensively Sold (Modern Sky)

– Why hasn’t everything already disappeared? (4AD)

– Badbea (AED)

– Serf’s Up (Domino)

– Levitation (Moshi Moshi)

– XIV Surrounder (Tenement)

– Doko Mein (Merge)

– Interview Music (Empty Words)

– Dissolution (Weird World)

– Assume form (Polydor)

– The route to the Harmonium (Domino)

– Carnage Hall (Upset the Rhythm)

– Lux Prima (BMG)

– Rainford (On U Sound)

– Voila (Dirty Water)

– Looks me in the Eye (Flying Nun)

– Crow Hill (Common Grounds)

– More Fyah (Scotch Bonnet)

– Nick Waterhouse (Innovative Leisure)

– Oceans of the Moon (Castle Face)

– Face Stabber (Castle Face)

– Stranger Things Have Happened (Ramrock)

– Birthday (Bella Union)

– Run around the sun (Rock Action)

– More Arriving (Leaf)

– Revision Ballads (Lost Map)

– SHHE (One Little Indian)

– Dog Whistle (Loma Vista)

– The Departure (Suffering Fools)

– Eton Alive (Extreme Eating)

– Stunning Luxury (Leaf)

– Stillhound (Lost Oscillation)

– Athens (Stones Throw)

– What nature gives… nature takes away (Cherry Red)

– Infancy (Distiller)

– It won’t be like this all the time (Rock Action)

– Poor girls broken boys (Midnight Pink)

– Moments of being (Mink)

– ANIMA (XL)

– Heartbreak (Heavenly)

– Titanic Rising (Sub Pop)

And here’s the disclaimer before the shouting starts… this is my list, and you can make your own if you like. I hope you get some inspiration from it though... Buy, borrow or stream them all.

Track of the Year: The Twilight Sad – I/m not here [missing face] (Rock Action)

Compilation album: Tiny Changes – A Celebration of Frightened Rabbit’s ‘Midnight Organ Fight’(Atlantic)

Live Act of the Year: Oh Sees

Merry Christmas, Happy Hogmanay - all the best for 2020… and the new decade ahead!

Cheers,

Vic xxx