That's right Luke, I'm calling you out. You and I both know who has the superior music taste in this joint, and it sure ain't you. You are right, though - music does affect our mood, and that 'Top 5' of yours makes me feel sick! (Well, four of the five of them do, anyway).
Have a listen of my list for yourselves, and see what you think...
5. Paid Salvation - A. Swayze & The Ghosts
In at five for me is a cracking debut album from a band you've probably never heard of...until now. A. Swayze & The Ghosts are a Tasmanian punk-rock band, who released this gem back in September of last year. Full of classic punk-esque social criticism reminiscent of legends like the Sex Pistols, Swayze bring it bang up date with all twelve songs hitting the mark, tackling issues as varied as social media (Connect To Consume), religion (Paid Salvation), and feminism (Suddenly). There really is no weak track, and while none are instant classics, I'm hard-pressed to fault what is a superb first effort from the Aussies. I await their second album with high hopes of bringing back the punk revolution of 1977. God knows music needs it.
Top Tracks: Connect To Consume, Mess of Me
4. The New Abnormal - The Strokes
I make no secret of my love for The Strokes - listening to Is This It for the first time was a truly cathartic experience, and even to this day hearing the opening bars of Last Nite gives me that warm, fuzzy feeling deep inside. Whilst this latest effort, released in April last year, does not quite reach the lofty heights of that masterpiece, it has a little of that Strokes touch that was missing in their last few albums. Brooklyn Bridge To Chorus is the obvious stand-out for me, despite being a little bit too sweet, and though the album as a whole is a little hit-and-miss, I am too excited about the possibility of a Strokes renaissance to not include this in my Top 5.
Top Tracks: Brooklyn Bridge To Chorus, At The Door
3. Zeros - Declan McKenna
As Luke so kindly pointed out, I did indeed recommend him this second album, so 'You Better Believe!!!' I'm taking full credit for that one. Like my fellow co-owner, I too was a huge fan of Declan's first album, and whilst I agree with him that no one song reaches the level of Brazil, and the album as a whole is not as accomplished as that first masterpiece, Zeros is still an LP absolutely worthy of this list. McKenna is certainly one of very few artists these days who finds originality where it is so greatly lacking in the rest of the industry. Luke can say there's no 'iconic banger', but me belting out 'You Better Believe!!!' in the shower on numerous occasions says otherwise. Keep the good stuff coming, Declan.
Top Tracks: You Better Believe!!!, Be an Astronaut, The Key To Life On Earth
2. Untitled (Black Is) - SAULT
Something of a left-field choice sits in my number two spot - again one you may not have heard before. SAULT, an anonymous British collective, are an experimental group who delve into all genres from neo-soul and rhythm and blues, to house and disco grooves. After releasing two promising albums, 5 and 7, in 2019, Untitled (Black Is) is the first of two twenty-track masterpieces released in 2020 by the collective. Widely tipped to be shortlisted for this year's Mercury Prize (it even features a guest track from last year's winner Michael Kiwanuka), this piece of incredibly powerful social commentary is a direct response to the Black Lives Matter protests which dominated headlines last year. Wildfires, in particular, really makes you sit up and notice; lyrics like "You should be ashamed/The bloodshed on your hands/Another man/Take off your badge/We all know it was murder" really hit home. With the cover featuring the infamous BLM symbol of a raised fist, SAULT have shown us all what the industry should be about - expressing the most powerful of emotions through music, not endlessly generating near-identical, meaningless pop music.
Top Tracks: Wildfires, Bow (Michael Kiwanuka)
1. Deep Down Happy - Sports Team
And finally, we come to the best album of the last 12 months. It is no understatement to say Deep Down Happy defined my summer; commenting on suburban Middle England, with lyrics filled with unique quips, and with an unbeatable post-punk grit. The sheer quantity of great tunes on this album makes picking a favourite incredibly tough; Camel Crew, Lander, Here It Comes Again, Going Soft, Here's The Thing, and Fishing are all strong contenders. Here's The Thing is the strongest social commentary-wise, but I'm so addicted to the chorus of Camel Crew, I think that one might just top the list. Either way, the quality offered across all twelve tracks was recognised with a well-earned Mercury Prize nomination.
Top Tracks: Camel Crew, Lander, Here It Comes Again, Going Soft, Here's The Thing, and Fishing
How could you ever think Luke's list is stronger than that? Maybe we should do a poll to prove I'm right...
luke ur gonna need some burn cream to go with those 3rd degree burns...