Top 25 Songs of 2015

Happy New Year! I'm not going to make the mistake of publishing my New Year Resolutions this year but having run down my favourite songs of the year in as a Musical Advent I thought I'd compile them into one list to start things off instead.

This also lets me rearrange a few that, after listening to them quite a bit over the last month, I've decided needed to be higher up the list. Specifically the jaw droppingly beautiful The Bird by Kathryn Joseph and the lyrically smart Several Shades of Green by Wreckless Eric.

25. Moon Duo - Slow Down Low - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqYv1lYDNQU
24. Nadine Shah - Fool - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvNH9byrPpo
23. This Is The Kit - Bashed Out - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yME_52X20N8
22. Trembling Bells - Killing Time in London Fields - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIj6XFOFmb0
21. Charli XCX & Rita Ora - Doing It - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Km3agvlyRmM
20. Girl Band - Pears For Lunch - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zgi3ZvolkRQ
19. Primitive Parts - Miracle Skin - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4lJGF8jIok
18. Speedy Ortiz - Raising The Skate - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdKZDWldEy8
17. Thee Oh Sees - Web - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmZgeu9jRHU
16. Low - What Part of Me - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3P5zm0sJmug
15. Samantha Crain - Kathleen - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBTJucM9l28
14. Sleaford Mods - No One's Bothered - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kg6jniUE2Dg
13. Monotony - Monotony - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZi5yxE13WQ
12. Courtney Barnett - Depreston - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDoHd6bMNCY
11. Ultimate Painting - Break The Chain - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CYquRZTuXY
10. Kathryn Joseph - The Bird - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I44K2W24bjg
9. Ezra Furman - Ordinary Life - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVyA3oqoQlY
8. Joanna Newsom - Sapokanikan - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ky9Ro9pP2gc
7. Wreckless Eric - Several Shades of Green - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzkNQhjWmyU
6. Sleater Kinney - No Cities To Love - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VliouU1NJlI

5. Wave Pictures - Pea Green Coat - The Wave Pictures have been on fine form of late and this was one of the first tracks I heard from their collaboration with Wild Billy Childish. A song I can't help singing along to at the top of my voice whenever it comes on.



4. Leisure Society - Tall Black Cabins - The tall black cabins mentioned are the net drying huts used by local fisherman on The Stade in Hastings, an area I know quite well. It's a beautiful song but the link with a place I know made it resonate all the more.



3. LoneLady - Hinterland - The title track from my Album of the year and the tune that really won me over to LoneLady's sound. It's sparse and spiky and magnificent.



2. Sauna Youth - Transmitters - The DNA of Sauna Youth runs through a few of these entries but I think they found they're best moments in their original form.



1. Meilyr Jones - Refugees - My song of the year. It was the first of three tunes release by Meilyr Jones and really blew my socks off. Meilyr was formerly singer in a band called Race Horses (previously known as Radio Luxembourg) who were pretty great but he's taken things to a whole new level if this song is anything to go by. One of my tips for the top in 2016.



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Musical Advent Day 25: Meilyr Jones - Refugees

Happy Christmas everyone! Whatever you do I hope you have a lovely day.

This is my song of the year. It was the first of three tunes release by Meilyr Jones this year and really blew my socks off. Meilyr was formerly singer in a band called Race Horses (who were previously known as Radio Luxembourg) who were pretty great but he's taken things to a whole new level if this song is anything to go by. One of my tips for the top in 2016.

Musical Advent Day 24: Sauna Youth - Transmitters

For those of you who've been with me from day 1 this is the final part of the Lindsay Corstorphine trilogy. Sauna Youth were the first of the three bands I heard and this single is probably the best thing they've done so far. A band I hope to see live next year and one I think could be a favourite for a long time to come.

Musical Advent Day 23: LoneLady - Hinterland

I'm writing these a few days in advance so I'm not sure if I've published my Top 5 Albums of 2015 yet but I can certainly say the LoneLady LP did pretty well. Another case of an album so good I struggled to pick my favourite song, Hinterland is the title track and I think the tune that really won me over to LoneLady's sound. It's sparse and spiky and magnificent.

Musical Advent Day 22: The Leisure Society - Tall Black Cabins

Most of the tunes in my Top 25 are from albums that I've also enjoyed but this is a song that caught my attention in isolation. The tall black cabins mentioned are the net drying huts used by local fisherman on The Stade in Hastings, an area I know quite well. It's a beautiful song but the link with a place I know made it resonate all the more.

Musical Advent Day 21: The Wave Pictures - Pea Green Coat

Into my top 5 songs of the year now.

The Wave Pictures have been pushing out great tunes at a rate of knots for some time now but this years collaboration with Wild Billy Childish was a real high water mark. Pea Green Coat wasn't on the album but it's the tune with the most obvious Childish influence and a firm favourite round these parts.

Musical Advent Day 20: Sleater-Kinney - No Cities To Love

I got into Sleater-Kinney just after they went on hiatus, the best part of 10 years ago, so was particularly excited by their return to recorded & live music. This is the title track from their latest album and pretty much picks up exactly where they left off. They can do no wrong in my book and this is a corker of a tune.

Musical Advent Day 19: Joanna Newsom - Sapokanikan

This came a little out of the blue, after a gap of some five years since triple album Have One on Me. It almost sounded too good to be true but the more I heard it the more I liked it.

Musical Advent Day 18: Ezra Furman - Ordinary Life

Ezra Furman has had an amazing year, playing bigger & bigger venues and releasing an album, Perpetual Motion People, that seems to have taken a step up from the excellent Day Of The Dog. After much consideration I think this is my favourite track from the new album.

Musical Advent Day 17: Courtney Barnett - Depreston

Things have gone stratospheric for Courtney Barnett this year, seems crazy to think she was playing pub sized venues less than 18 months ago. So many great tunes on the latest album but Depreston struck a particular chord with me. The version in the video is a really nice stripped down recording too.

Musical Advent Day 16: Monotony - Monotony

Part 2 of the Lindsay Corstorphine trilogy. Monotony are Sauna Youth playing different instruments. I forget now which band I heard first but I know it was Monotony that really grabbed my attention. Disappointingly I couldn't find a version of this song on YouTube so here's a Spotify link for those of you who have it and the video below is Monotony playing the next best thing, Back To The Castle.

Musical Advent Day 15: Ultimate Painting - Break The Chain

Something a little more melodic after Sleaford Mods. This is considerably more easy going than my normal fair but I absolutely love it. One of those tunes that sounds like a lost classic from the very first time you here it.

Musical Advent Day 14: Sleaford Mods - No One's Bothered

It took me a while to give Sleaford Mods a proper listen despite the fact I almost saw them live in 2009 (before Andrew Fearns joined). The moment it all clicked for me was watching them live via the BBC coverage of Glastonbury, a real highlight in a generally disappointing line-up. I picked up the album soon after and was surprised by how listenable it is. Not everyone's cup of tea, I realise, but it could well be this generation's punk rock.

Musical Advent Day 13: Samantha Crain - Kathleen

I really liked the previous tunes I'd heard by Samantha Crain, she's played regularly by Marc Riley, but I absolutely loved the 6music session she did in July and decided to try out her latest album. Under Branch & Thorn & Tree is full of magical songs and I struggled to choose the one I liked the best but I think Kathleen is my favourite and it's the perfect introduction for anyone new to her music.

Musical Advent Day 12: Low - What Part of Me

Low have become one of my very favourite bands over the last few years. Their latest album, Ones and Sixes, continued a fantastic run of albums and this is my favourite tune from it.

Musical Advent Day 11: Thee Oh Sees - Web

I got to see Thee Oh Sees live less than a fortnight ago and they blew my mind. A band I'd been meaning to get into for a while but hadn't quite gotten around to, Web was the first track I heard off their latest album and it proved to be the catalyst for me getting to grips with the band.

I struggled to pin down which track from the new LP I liked the most but in the end I felt Web distilled the essence of the band the best. The video is a decent version but they've since switch to a two drummer line up and sound even better.

Musical Advent Day 10: Wreckless Eric - Several Shades of Green

Wreckless Eric is best known for his time on Stiff Records, and his 1977 single (I'd Go The) Whole Wide World. He's been a regular fixture on 6music the last few years, recording three albums with his wife, Amy Rigby but this year he released another solo album, AmERICa, from which this tune is taken.

The lyrics are great, reflecting on past success and the opportunity to live that live again. Eric has a real way with words and there's some lovely touches of humour but that never detracts from what I think sounds like a genuine classic song.

Musical Advent Day 9: Speedy Ortiz - Raising The Skate

Another band that originated as a solo project. Sadie Dupuis began recording her own material while teaching songwriting at a summer camp. They became a full band in 2011 and released their third full length album, Foil Deer, this year.

Musical Advent Day 8: Kathryn Joseph - The Bird

This is simply astonishing. A lovely sparse arrangement with Kathryn's piano to the fore. Vocally reminiscent of Joanna Newsom but this song is truly magnificent.

Musical Advent Day 7: Primitive Parts - Miracle Skin

The first of three entries for bands featuring Lindsay Corstorphine, a musician who seems to be so prolific he's almost formed his own genre. Both Primitive Parts and Sauna Youth have released albums in my top 25 of the year. Monotony are the third band, just as good as the other two, though they're actually Sauna Youth playing different instruments.