BEST MUSIC: 2021, with Music Players!

With 4 Music Players!

C U R T I S
H A R D I N G

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ALL THE
REAL MUSIC!

Hard Pass all those trendy-indie
'Best Music' lists that taste like chrome!

These tunes will cross-knit your wits
and flipside your backside!

Shortcut to Music Players:
• BEST ALBUMS: 2021
• COOL SONGS: 2021
• COVER SONGS 2021
• BEST REISSUES: 2021

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Alison Krauss + Robert Plant

B E S T
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A L B U M S :
2 0 2 1

BEST ALBUMS 2021
by Tym Stevens This is a Spotify player. Join up for free here.


This music player has songs from the following albums, in the same order.

• Curtis Harding, "If Words Were Flowers"
Psychedelic Soul.
Curtis only gets greater on each album with memorable tunes, a supple range, adventurous arrangements, and a feeling of all limits lifting.

(see also: Black Pumas, Greyhounds, Benjamin Booker)

• The Courettes, "Back In Mono"
Garage Rock and Girl Group.
'You wanted The Shangri-Las if they were also The Sonics and you got it!'... thanks to this Brazilian guitarist and Danish drummer.

(see also: The Crystals, Thee Headcoatees, The Raveonettes)

• Menahan Street Band, "The Exciting Sounds Of Menahan Street Band"
Cinematic Funk.
'Who's the headset flick who's a sex machine to all your dance floor kicks? Damn right.'

(see also: Isaac Hayes, Charles Bradley, Lee Fields)

• Bachelor, "Doomin’ Sun"
Indie Folk.
Semi-supergroup members (Jay Som, Palehound) unwind as a Indie Folk duo with sharp lyrics, warm introspection, canny melodies, and acoustic chops.

(see also: Meat Puppets, Aimee Mann, Hand Habits)

• Fay Hallam, "Modulations"
Groovy Mod.
Like a freshly discovered Library Music album of timeless grooviness, flowing all the get-go into your swingin' Go-Go.

(see also: Alan Hawkshaw, Piero Piccioni, Chris Joss, Shawn Lee)

• Autoramas, "Autointitulado"
Garage Wave.
Like Dick Dale jamming with Devo on Deimos, the Brazil quartet brings us more startlingly distorted Garage Surf with snappy New Wave spasms.

(see also: The Spotnicks, The Rezillos, The B-52's, Polysics)

• Brian Wilson, "At My Piano"
Baroque Pop.
You thought that Brian's harmonies and arrangements for The Beach Boys were sublime enough, but wait till you hear the core beauty of them on acoustic piano.

(see also: George Gershwin, Van Dyke Parks, Paul McCartney)

• The Black Keys, "Delta Kreme"
Bruising Blues.
The Blues is the original spark of Rock'n'Roll, and the fuse is still lit.

(see also: The White Stripes, Gary Clark Jr, Joanna Connor)

• Robert Plant + Alison Krauss, "Raise The Roof"
Alt-Roots.
Following their lauded album "Raising Sand" (2007), the troubadours interpret more folk, bluegrass, blues, and N'awlins gems.

(see also: Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazelwood, Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan, Gillian Welch and David Rawlins)

• Tristen, "Aquatic Flowers"
Baroque Pop.
Tristen excels at strong pop hooks with sly twists and open-hearted lyrics.

(see also: The New Pornographers, Jesca Hoop, Gabriella Cohen)


• The Limiñanas + Laurent Garnier, "De Pelicula"
Sin-ematic Garage.
An imaginary film noir soundtrack from the grimy Psyche duo and the dance DJ, eerie and edgy and errant.

(see also: Can, Robert Johnson and Punchdrunks, Calibro 35, L’épée)

• Robert Finley, "Sharecropper’s Son"
Rural Blues.
The roots soil is as fertile as ever, and Robert's rich soul and rural pride will regenerate you.

(see also: Muddy Waters, Big Mama Thornton, Albert King, Black Joe Lewis And The Honeybears)

• La Luz, "La Luz"
Baroque Surf.
The pulsing Surf ripples and dreamy Girl Group sighs grow more introspective and psychedelic this time, abetted by production wizard Adrian Younge.

(see also: The Neptunas, Susan And The Surftones, Shantih Shantih, Frankiie)

• La Femme, "Paradigmes"
ModPsycheLoungeRave.
France's coolest band pumps the dream party (and upstairs orgy) with Go-Go pop, gauzy psyche, cooing songbirds, beatnick rap, brash horns, and clang guitars.

(see also: Manfred Hübler And Siegfried Schwab, Casino Music, Air, Pepe Deluxe)

• Joel Culpepper, "Sgt. Culpepper"
Baroque Soul.
From its clever title in, this smart Soul record delivers the real feels with dynamic frills.

(see also: Imani Coppola, Liam Bailey)

• Mike Edison + Guadalupe Plata, "The Devil Can’t Do You No Harm"
Garage-abilly Gospel Noir.
The Rockabilly growler and Spanish Garagers collide in a reverb-soaked recital of hymnals, folklore, and midnight tremelo.

(see also: Link Wray, Tom Waits, The Limiñanas)

• Gary Louris, "Jump For Joy"
Singer Songwriter.
The prime mover of The Jayhawks does a rare solo turn, stripping it down to melodic folk confessionals with occasional electronic textures.

(see also: latter Beatles, America, Wilco)

• Cha Wa, "My People"
New Orleans Funk.
Timeless Funky gumbo to ignite the fiyo in your bayou.

(see also: The Meters, The Wild Tchoupitoulas, The Soul Rebels)

• Nicole Atkins, "Memphis Ice"
Eclectic Soul.
The Rock'n'Soul chameleon revises her acclaimed "Italian Ice" (2020) album in new mellow Memphis Soul terms.

(see also: Patsy Cline, Dusty Springfield, Gemma Ray, Hannah Williams)

• El Michels Affair, "Yeti Season"
Eerie Cinematic.
Like a moody Bollywood psychedelic soundtrack with flourishes of Turkish funk and Spaghetti Westerns, groovy and heady.

(see also: Sheila Chandra, Dengue Fever, Ikebe Shakedown, Ghost Funk Orchestra)

• Tash Neal, "Charge It To The Game"
'70s Rock Redux.
The London Souls duo made one brilliant album of timeless Classic Rock (2015). Now Tash Neal and Chris St. Hilaire are making solo work, with Tash going full Thin Lizzy while Chris pursues Calypso beats and mellow songwriter tunes.

(see also: Thin Lizzy, early Lenny Kravitz)

• Adia Victoria, "A Southern Gothic"
Alt-Roots.
The Flannery O'Connor of Americana music, getting more ambitious and complex amid the atmospheric production of T-Bone Burnett.

(see also: Lucinda Williams, Rhiannon Giddens)

• Micky Dolenz, "Dolenz Sings Nesmith"
Singer Songwriter.
Micky, the heart of The Monkees, gives a full-hearted tribute to the brainy one, covering many of his '70s solo songs. The version of "Circle Sky" with an Indian orchestra is astounding.

(see also: The Flying Burrito Brothers, Crosby Stills And Nash, Poco)

• St. Vincent, "Daddy’s Home"
Askew Soul.
Our mercurial hero relaxes on the angular art-pop in favor of a warm mid-'70s sultry Soul groove.

(see also: Laura Nyro, Annie Peacock, Rickie Lee Jones, Feist)

• Orquesta Akokán, "16 Rayos"
Cuban Mambo.
The group keeps Cuba's vibrant musical traditions alive with their vital roof-raisers.

(see also: Perez-Prado, Afro Latin Vintage Orchestra, The Souljazz Orchestra)

• Eddie 9V, "Little Black Flies"
Soul Blues.
That wonderful place between Chess and Stax where the blues shouts like sunshine.

(see also: J.B. Lenoir, Eli "Paperboy" Reed, James Hunter Band)

• Caleb Landry Jones, "Gadzooks, Vol. 1"
Art Psyche.
The cracked actor pours out more potent ideas in one song than most do in an album, a sparkling cascade of luminous delirium.

(see also: Syd Barrett, Skip Spence, Julian Cope, Crispin Hellion Glover)

• Cedric Burnside, "I Be Trying"
Gutbucket Blues.
Cedric's roughhewn strummers and tough clangers resonate like a wounded soul grown as tempered as steel.

(see also: R.L. Burnside, Elmore James, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion)

• Aaron Lee Tasjan, "Tasjan! Tasjan! Tasjan!"
Melodic songwriter.
Tasjan is one of those singer-songwriter-showmen and crack melodicists (practically minted from a factory in 1971) who seem like they can do anything, and so far has.

(see also: latter Beatles, early Elton John, Harry Nilsson, Elliott Smith)

• Amythyst Kiah, "Wary + Strange"
Alt-Roots.
Gutpunching the roots industry with her bluegrass protest song "Black Myself", Kiah returns with wildfire sophistication, a soulful range, and palpable restlessness.

(see also: Odetta, Our Native Daughters, The Carolina Chocolate Drops)

• The Secret Sisters, "Quicksand"
Country.
In this 4-song EP, the Rogers sisters make more suprising leaps forward in song craft and harmonies with two originals, plus covers of The Strokes and Fiona Apple.

(see also: The Everly Brothers, Alison Krauss, I'm With Her)

• St. Paul And The Broken Bones, "The Alien Coast"
Art Soul.
The Alabama Soul outfit leap another light year with this mercurial extravaganza, a textural passion tour by turns moody, brash, jazzy, tough, dreamy, and finally triumphant. Wow!

(see also: Eddie Hinton, Curtis Harding, Nathaniel Rateliff And The Night Sweats)

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C O O L
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All the REAL MUSIC
beyond the box!

Nevermind Gloss Pop, Stepford Idols, Karaoke Choruses ("woh-oo-oh"), Ego Brats, Emo Prats, Plinky Folk, Brittle Bombast, Vegas Country, Smug Thug, Mope Noodling, De-mixed Throb, and Robot-o-Tune schlock! >

Here's the
D R E A M
J U K E B O X !
Boogie with more bounce to the ounce
than a Bounce House!

COOL SONGS 2021
by Tym Stevens
This is a Spotify player. Join up for free here.
*(The Player is limited to the first 200 songs.
Hear the unlimited Playlist here.)

This jukebox is sequenced into groups of sound, instead of randomly.
All the songs elasticize their genres.
Get your groove on in this sonic order.:
Rockabilly! Surf! Beat! Garage!

Psyche! Classic Rock! Glam! Alt-Roots!

Blues! Soul! Funk! Africana!

World! Riot Grrrl! Alt-Rock! Electro!

Alt-Rap! Alt-Jazz! Cinematic!

RESIST! Happy Holidays!

St. Vincent; Tash Neal;
Adia Victoria; Lera Lynn

13 hours of thinky, wiggly music, featuring the following fine folks in this exact order!:

• Rockabilly! • Jimmy Dale Richardson, Lily Locksmith, Miranda And The Beat, The Honkabillies, and The Courettes.

• Surf / Shindig! • Surf Zombies, Underwater Bosses, Autoramas, Mike Edison + Guadalupe Plata, Lord Huron, Shannon And The Clams, Los Mambo Jambo, Pokey LaFarge, and Las Cafeteras.

The Courettes;
Las Cafeteras; Shadow Show

• Beat / Garage! • The Courettes, Cupid's Carnival, Lindsey Buckingham, The Fratellis, Shadow Show, Triptides, David Menke, The Exbats, The Shadracks, The Tremolo Beer Gut, Ghost Woman, Night Beats, and The Routes.


• Psychedelic / Beatlesque! • Tristen, Groovy Uncle, La Luz, Psychedelic Porn Crumpets, Taraka, Mickey Dolenz, La Femme, The Limiñanas, Tele Novella, Crowded House, Martina Topley-Bird, Heartless Bastards, Satellite Jockey, Caleb Landry Jones, Diamond Hands, Aaron Lee Tasjan, and Gary Louris.

La Luz; La Femme;
Martina Topley-Bird; Art d'Ecco

• Classic Rock / Glam! Silver Synthetic, Reigning Sound, Tash Neal, DJ Williams + Tash Neal, Art d'Ecco, The Devils, Liz Phair, Neal Francis, Gloria, Midnight Sister, Liam Kazar, and Weyes Blood.

• Alt-Roots! • Rhiannon Giddens + Francesco Turrisi, Robert Plant + Alison Krauss, Lera Lynn, Adia Victoria, Allison Russell, Joan Armatrading, Bedouine, Nicole Atkins, Kira Skov, The Breeders, The Secret Sisters, Della Mae, Theo Lawrence, Sierra Ferrell, Sharon Van Etten + Lucinda Williams.

Nicole Atkins; Robert Finlay;
Lady Blackbird; Steve Cropper;
Delvon Lamar Organ Trio

• Blues! • Mr. Airplane Man, Buffalo Nichols, Madi Diaz, The Black Keys, Joanna Connor, Cedric Burnside, Avey Grouws Band, Robert Finley, Ghalia Volt, Eddie 9V, and Amythyst Kiah.

• Soul! • Curtis Harding, Izo FitzRoy, Nathaniel Rateliff And The Night Sweats, Ruby Velle And The Soulphonics, Black Pumas, Lake Street Dive, PM Warson, The Secret Sisters, Aaron Frazer, Lady Blackbird, The Buttshakers, Thee Sacred Souls, Anderson East, Ben Pirani, and Steve Cropper.

• Funk / Mutant Disco! • The Bamboos, Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio, The Grease Traps, True Loves, St. Vincent, Redtenbacher's Funkestra, Joel Culpepper, Menahan Street Band, Cha Wa, George Porter Jr and Runnin' Pardners, Orgone, Emma-Jean Thackray, Lake Street Dive, Mndsgn, Cimafunk, Gizelle Smith, Art d'Ecco, Pond, and Khruangbin + Leon Bridges.

Tony Allen; Altin Gün

• Africana! • Bacao Rhythm And Steel Band, Adrian Younge, Femi Kuti, Tony Allen, Joan As Police Woman, Mdou Moctar, Funkwrench Blues + Bombino, and Nahawa Doumbia.

• World! • Orquesta Akokán, Cochemea, Altin Gün, El Michels Affair, and La Femme.

We Are Lady Parts;
Guerilla Toss;
Django Django;
Kae Tempest; K-OS

• Riot Grrrl! • Lady Parts, Sleater-Kinney, Ottis Coeur, LIINES, Mujeres Podridas, KT Tunstall/DeepVally/Peaches, Taraka, Porvenir Oscuro, SASAMI, Deap Vally, Garbage, Du Blonde, Amyl and The Sniffers, Fake Fruit, Pom Poko, Gustaf, and Bachelor.

• Alt-Rock! • Parquet Courts, Fashion Pimps And The Glamazons, White Denim, Habibi, Django Django, Martina Topley-Bird, Spoon, Gabriella Cohen, Deerhoof, Elvis Costello, Jane Weaver, CIVIC, St. Vincent, Guerilla Toss, and Superstate/Graham Coxon.

• Electro! • Working Men's Club, Fatima Al Qadiri, Stats, and Marie Davidson.

• Alt-Rap! • The Bug, Kae Tempest, K-OS, Ty Segall + Denée Segall, The Allergies, She Drew The Gun, Common + Brittany Howard, Ceramic Dog + Marc Ribot, Moor Mother, Slimkid 3, and Flying Lotus.

Ghost Funk Orchestra; Kandle;
The Limiñanas; Elena Satine

• Alt-Jazz! • Esperanza Spalding, Sons Of Kemet, The Lasso, and Terence Blanchard.

• Cinerama / Soundtracks! • Nicholas Britell, Sndtrak, Tommy Guerrero, Menahan Street Band, Ghost Funk Orchestra, St. Paul And The Broken Bones, Gizelle Smith, Gloria, Roy And The Devil's Motorcycle, Kandle, Billie Eilish, The Tremolo Beer Gut, Alan Evans Trio, The Limiñanas, La Femme, Fay Hallam, The Coral, Delaney Davidson + Neil Finn, St. Vincent, Wax Tailor + Dave Gahan, Lera Lynn, Ludwig Goransson, Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Lady Parts, the cast of ENCANTO, Seatbelts + Elena Satine), Sparks + Adam Driver, and Jefferson Airplane (Marcel Dettmann and Gabriel Mounsey Remix).

Courtney Barnett; Janelle Monáe

• RESIST!! • Stereo Total, John Fogerty, Garbage, Death From Above 1979, The Jack Moves, Mexican Institute Of Sound, Gizelle Smith, Chris Isaak, Courtney Barnett, Tune-Yards, Janelle Monáe, Adrian Younge, Ringo Starr, Angelique Kidjo, Chris St. Hilaire, Monophonics, and Vivien Goldman.

• Happy Holidays! • Joel Paterson, The Pen Friend Club, and Blondie.

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C O V E R
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All the Best
COVER VERSIONS
of the year!

Music is the throughline of the human spirit.

Singing timeless songs in times of uncertainty brings us solace, offers out support, and bonds us in communion.

In (another) year that separated us from each other, sharing songs reaffirmed us as a people, honored our origins, and lit the way for the young.

There were an abundance of cover songs in 2021. Through them, we sought reflection, revelation, and renewal. Here’s a playlist of our mutual journey.

COVER SONGS 2021
by Tym Stevens This is a Spotify player. Join up for free here.


List = Original By / Cover Artist
Songs are sequenced in the chronological order of the Originals.


• 1920s-'50s Covers •
Traditional Hymn / Rhiannon Giddens + Francesco Turrisi • Fats Waller / Archie Shepp • Cole Porter / Tony Bennett • Sammy Fain and Irving Kahal / Cat Power • Woody Guthrie / The Secret Sisters • Tampa Red / Ghalia Volt • Big Joe Williams / The Black Keys • Woody Guthrie / Liz Vice • Lil’ Son Jackson / Alabama Slim • Howlin’ Wolf / Tony Holiday + Watermelon Slim.

• '60s Covers •
Bob Dylan / Cha Wa + Alvin Youngblood Hart • The Chantays / The C33s • Henry Mancini / Messer Chups • Lou Rawls/Sam Cooke / Lady Blackbird • The Pleasure Seekers / Greg Townson • Jimmy Reed / Ronnie Wood + Mick Taylor • Bob Dylan / Carolyn Wonderland • The Beatles / Scary Pockets • The Mamas And The Papas / Omar Apollo • James Brown / Jason Isbell And The 400 Unit • Ray Charles / PM Warson • Nina Simone / Ledisi • Liz Brady / Olivia Jean • Female Species / La Luz • Velvet Underground / Iggy Pop • The Beach Boys / Brian Wilson • Buffalo Springfield / Dylan LeBlanc • The Monkees / Micky Dolenz • The Monkees / The Queers • Albert King / Harlis Sweetwater • The Delfonics / Paul Stanley's Soul Station • Glen Campbell / Black Pumas • Aretha Franklin / Jennifer Hudson • Eddie Floyd / Matt Berninger • “Sesame Street” theme/Joe Raposo / Reid Jamieson • Minnie Riperton / Bacao Rhythm And Steel Band • Joni Mitchell / Chelsea Wolfe • Bob Dylan / Bob Corritore • Bob Dylan / Eli "Paperboy" Reed • The Rolling Stones / Brad Marino • The Beatles / Violet Orlandi • David Bowie / We Are KING.

Rhiannon Giddens; Black Pumas;
The Coathangers; Angel Olsen

• '70s Covers •
Neil Young / Kandle • Paul and Linda McCartney / Fernando Perdomo • Badfinger / Susanna Hoffs + Aimee Mann • Led Zeppelin / Dylan LeBlanc • T-Rex / The Kills • Hound Dog Taylor / GA-20 • Stevie Wonder / Patti Smith • War / Los Lobos • The Rolling Stones / The Band Of Heathens • Sly And The Family Stone / Dumpstaphunk • Gordon Lightfoot / Le Ren + Buck Meek • Gordon Lightfoot / Darling West • William DeVaughn / Orgone • Billy Preston / A.J. Croce • Hall And Oates / Lydia Hol • Stevie Wonder / Jon Batiste • The Runaways / Wanda Jackson • Elvis Costello And The Attractions / Juanes • Iggy Pop / The Lovely Eggs • The Jam / Las Lenguas Muertas • Kleenex / Habibi • The Cars / K-OS • Donna Summer / Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs • Wings / Scary Pockets.

• '80s Covers •
John Lennon / Marilyn McCoo And Billy Davis Jr • Blondie / The Coathangers • Gang Of Four / Gail Ann Dorsey • David Bowie / Boise Cover Band • X / Violet Grohl • X / Jesse Dayton • Yoko Ono / Japanese Breakfast • The Cyre / Marc Collin • Zapp / The Heritage Orchestra • Laura Branigan / Angel Olsen • Grace Jones / Bacao Rhythm And Steel Band • Men Without Hats / Angel Olsen • Roxy Music / Peter Frampton Band • Roxy Music / Angel Olsen • Bruce Springsteen / King Hannah • Bob Dylan / Chrissie Hynde • Bruce Springsteen / Shakey Graves • The Cars / Bleachers • R.E.M. / Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit • Peter Gabriel / Lowland Hum • Pixies / A.A. Williams, and Tkay Maidza.

• '90s Covers •
The Gories / The Shivas • Nirvana / The Dollyrots • Bikini Kill / Mike Watt • R.E.M. / Lauren O'Connell • The Breeders / Tune-Yards • Soundgarden / Brandi Carlile • Bjork / Julia Jacklin • Guided By Voices / Lauren O'Connell • Radiohead / Julian Lennon + Nuno Bettencourt • Bob Dylan / Mike Edison • Bob Dylan / Dave Gahan • Lucinda WIlliams / Robert Plant + Allison Krauss.

• '00s, '10s, and '20s Covers •
Queens Of The Stone Age / The Vaccines • Tame Impala / The Wiggles • Fiona Apple / The Secret Sisters • Paul McCartney / Phoebe Bridgers • Paul McCartney / Josh Homme.

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Quality is timeless.

The Beatles,
with Billy Preston


BEST REISSUES 2021
by Tym Stevens This is a Spotify player. Join up for free here.

This music player has songs from the following albums, in the same order.

• 1950s •

• Various Artists, "Rip It Up: The Best Of Specialty Records" (1952-’59)
The L.A. label scorched the party with crucial artists like Lloyd Price, Little Richard, The Soul Stirrers with Sam Cooke, Larry Williams, and Percy Mayfield (and Don And Dewey, not included here).

• Don Covay, "Hey There" (late-'50s)
Don is loved for his mid-'60s Atlantic Soul sides, but here's a fine sampling of his early Rocker platters.

• Nina Simone, "Nina Simone And Her Friends" (1959)
In the dawn of her career, Nina alternates songs with her colleages Chris Connor and Carmen McCrae.

Little Richard; Nina Simone;
Dick Dale; The Temptations

• 1960s •

• The Drifters, "We Gotta Sing! The Soul Years 1962-’71"
Beyond their first wave of classic hits, The Drifters did many more stellar sides across the changing decade.

• Dick Dale and his Del-Tones, "Wild Ideas" (1963)
A collection of Dick's roaring Surf tunes from his prime era.

• Enrique Torres + Les Baxter, "Joyas Musicales del Peru" (1964)
Upbeat Peruvian romance melodies with lush 'Exotica' arrangements.

• The Temptations, "Emperors Of Soul: The Rarities"
The Motown vaults yeild more treasures with these rare B-sides and alternate takes.


• Laura Nyro, "Go Find The Moon: The Audition Tape" (1966)
In 20 minutes she nailed it: it was all already there, the songcraft, the voice, the lyrical ambition.

• Female Species, "Tale Of My Lost Love" (1966 +)
An unsung all-female Rock band gets a proper voerview, from their early Beat pop to their later country rock.

• The Who, "Sell Out" (Super Deluxe)
Theis edition unleashes all the goodies, expanding the 'radio jingle' concept album into a cornicopia of wondrous tunes and radio parodies.

• The Luv'd Ones, "Truth Gotta Stand" (1965-'67)
Char Vinnedge led the all-female band from Beatlesque pop to storming Jimi distortion. This collection of all their work is a must have.

Female Species; The Luv'd Ones;
Sly And The Family Stone; Joni Mitchell

• Johnny Cash, "Live At The Carousel Ballroom, April 24 1968"
Johnny and June setting the seeds of Outlaw Country to come, with their protest anthems, Dylan covers, and family mass.

• Various Artists, "It’s A Good, Good Feeling: The Latin Soul of Fania Records“ (mid-'60s +)
Soul is Soul, and this box set showcases how artists like Ray Barreto, Willie Colón, Joe Bataan, and Monguito Santamaria spread the sunshine, the vibes, and the parameters.

• Various Artists, "Summer of Soul" (rec. 1969)
The Harlem Cultural Festival, now immortalized with Questlove's "Summer Of Soul" documentary, was graced by The Chambers Brothers, The Staple Singers, Ray Baretto, Nina Simone, and the mighty mighty Sly And The Family Stone.


• Joni Mitchell, "Joni Mitchell Archives, Vol. 2: The Reprise Years (1968-1971)"
The queen of poetic introspection, quicksilver guitar, and elastic genres began her quest with these first four remastered albums, abetted by a 1970 concert.

• The Beatles, "Let It Be" (rec. 1969)
Forget the negative myths.
All of rock history's narratives about these sessions are wrong, and this deluxe box set, a comprehensive companion book, and Peter jackson's acclaimed 6-hour documentary "Get Back" have now set all the records straight.

Aretha Franklin

• 1970s •

• The Beach Boys, "Feel Flows: The Sunflower and Surf’s Up Sessions 1969-1971"
When he got as ambitious as The Beatles in 1967 (the shelved "Smile" album), The Beach Boys initially fought Brian Wilson, damaging his spirit and esteem. Ironically, they proved him right by embracing looser experiments, cosmic consciousness, and continuous remakes of that material.

• Neil Young, "Carnegie Hall 1970"
An intimate solo acoustic show away from CSNY and Crazy Horse.

• Roberta Flack, "First Take" (1970)
The best Soul Jazz vocalist staked her claim with this classic album.

• Aretha Franklin, "ARETHA" (1956-2015)
The first box set to encompass Aretha's entire career, from the early Gospel sessions to her triumphant performace at the White House.


• Erma Franklin, "Brunswick Essentials" (1970)
Unfairly overshadowed by her sister Aretha, Erma had many fine Rock'n'Soul sides of her own.

• John Lennon, "Plastic Ono Band" (1970)
John's cathartic break from The Beatles is still one of Rock's bravest recordings, both a raw folk confessional and a grungey punk bruiser.

• George Harrison, "All Things Must Pass" (1971)
One of the best double-albums ever made, remastered with a healthy addition of unreleased demos.

• Pastor T.L. Barrett and the Youth For Christ Choir, "I Shall Wear A Crown" (1971-'78)
'70s Gospel was especially soulful and funky, and here's a fine example of that.

Neil Young; Roberta Flack;
Eddie Hazel; Elvis Costello

• The Doors, "L.A. Woman" (1971)
The Door's final album as a quartet, with copious alternate takes and song sketches.

• O.V. Wright, "A Nickel And A Nail" (1971)
Besides Al Green, Hi Records had grand artists like the funky sass of Ann Peebles and the bluesy soul of O.V. Wright.

• Brainticket, "1971 Recording Session"
The multiculti Prog band, a more devious balance to Hawkwind, deserve all the limelight they can get.

• Black Sabbath, "Vol. 4"
The current remastering campaign of their catalog includes an excellent remastering of this classic album, both beautiful and brutish.


• Tony Joe White, "Smoke From The Chimney"
A trove of unreleased demos from the master of Swamp Pop.

• Muddy Waters, "The Montreux Years" (1972, '74, '77)
Muddy experienced a career renaissance after his counterculture festivals dates that carried him through the decade.

• Can, "Live In Stuttgart 1975”
Losing their singer, the motorik band returned to their intense and entrancing freeform improvs.

• Experience Unlimited, "Free Yourself” (1977)
Before E.U. became a major '80s GoGo Funk band, they debuted here as a righteous Funk prog force with Fusion chops and Rock fury.


• Eddie Hazel, "Games, Dames, And Guitar Thangs" (1977)
The Jimi Hendrix of Funkadelic, in his only solo album, nailed it with funtastic originals, and legendary covers of The Beatles' "I Want You" and The Mamas And The Papas' "California Dreamin'".

• Elvis Costello And The Attractions, "Armed Forces" (1979)
The Angry Young Punk was among the most literate, as the scathing anti-Fascist commentary, slippery chord changes, and shrewd puns in this super deluxe box set proves.

The Delmonas

• 1980s •

• Various Artists, "Shake The Foundations: Militant Funk And The Post-Punk Dancefloor 1978-1984"
Concurrent with Mutant Disco in the US, the UK deconstructed dance music into an art soundscape that anticipated TechnoFunk and Industrial.

• Bush Tetras, "Rhythm And Paranoia: The Best Of" (early-'80s)
As part of that NYC scene, this PunkFunk combo married snotty swagger with bounding grooves, influencing everone from Romeo Void to Sonic Youth.

• Bob Dylan, "Springtime In New York: The Bootleg Series, Vol. 16 / 1980-1985" (1980)
Bob's most maligned period gets another chance, with stripped down alternate takes.

• The Delmonas, "Hello, We Love You! The Big Beat EPs" (late-'80s)
The female Garage band's work, before they morphed into Thee Headcoatees.

• Joe Strummer, "Assembly" (1986-'02)
A synopsis of the Clash leader's solo career, as compiled for Dhani Harrison's relaunched Dark Horse label.

• 1990s •

• Nirvana, "Nevermind" (1991)
This 30th anniversary bonanza includes four live concert recordings, charting the band's evolution from indie outsiders to world conquerors across four months.

• L7, "Wargasm: The Slash Years 1992-1997"
One of the greatest and most crucial grunge bands (then and now) gets their propers with this incendiary audit.

• David Bowie, "Brilliant Adventures (1992-2001)"
This box set documents David's restless style changes -often analogous to his late-'70s breakthroughs- with dance, art-rock, and ambient.

• Buena Vista Social Club, "Buena Vista Social Club" (1997)
When Ry Cooder recorded the veterans of the isolated Cuban music scene as an inpromptu group, they became a sensation triumphing on world tours.

• Supergrass, "In It For The Money" (1997)
What do you do when you make your "Abbey Road" on your second album and everybody slept on it? Supergrass kept advancing, while you rubes can just catch up now.

Sharon Jones; Goat

• 2010s •

• Prince, "Welcome 2 America" (rec. 2010)
Prince's unreleased 2010 album sees official release.

• Various Artists, "The Daptone Super Soul Revue Live at the Apollo" (rec. 2014)
Sharon Jones brought her label mates to the legendary Apollo for a classic-style revue. How lucky that audience was to experience Sharon and The Dap-Kings, Charles Bradley, Antibalas, Menahan Street Band, and The Budos Band, along with worthy stalwarts like Saun + Starr, Naomie Shelton, and The Como Mamas.

• Goat, "Headsoup" (2012-'18)
The mysterious collective radiates somewhere between AfroBeat and Psyche Prog. This collection of rarities provides an alternate map.
(The title is a pun on The Rolling Stones' "Goats Head Soup" album.)





© Tym Stevens

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"A splendid time is guaranteed for all!"

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See also:


• BEST MOVIES + TV: 2025
• BEST MUSIC: 2025
• BEST COMICS: 2025

• BEST MOVIES + TV: 2024
• BEST MUSIC: 2024
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· BEST MOVIES + TV: 2023
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• BEST MOVIES + TV: 2022
• BEST MUSIC: 2022
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• BEST MOVIES + TV: 2021
• BEST COMICS: 2021

• BEST MOVIES + TV: 2020
• BEST MUSIC: 2020
• BEST COMICS: 2020

• BEST MOVIES + TV: 2019
• BEST MUSIC: 2019
• BEST COMICS: 2019

• BEST MOVIES + TV: 2018
• BEST MUSIC: 2018
• BEST COMICS: 2018

• BEST MOVIES + TV: 2017
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• BEST MOVIES + TV: 2016
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• BEST MOVIES + TV: 2014
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• BEST MOVIES + TV: 2012
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• BEST MOVIES + TV: 2011
• BEST MUSIC: 2011
• BEST COMICS: 2011

• BEST MOVIES + TV: 2000-2010
• BEST MUSIC: 2000-2010
• BEST COMICS: 2000-2010


_______________

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BEST MUSIC: 2020, with Music Players!

With 4 Music Players!

B L A C K
P U M A S

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ALL THE
REAL MUSIC!

Hard Pass all those trendy-indie
'Best Music' lists that taste like spoons!

These tunes will seance your senses
and woogie your boogie-oogie-oogie!

Shortcut to Music Players:
• BEST ALBUMS: 2020
• COOL SONGS: 2020
• COVER SONGS 2020 NEW +!
• BEST REISSUES: 2020

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Greyhounds; Les Hay Babies 1;
Bonnie Whitmore 2; Star Feminine Band
Photos: 1- Jim Dupuis, 2- Eryn Brooke

B E S T
N E W
A L B U M S :
2 0 2 0

BEST ALBUMS 2020
by Tym Stevens This is a Spotify player. Join up for free here.


This music player has songs from the following albums, in the same order.

• Black Pumas, "Black Pumas"
The Album Of The Year.
A Psychedelic Soul tour-de-force.
A truly stunning debut by the Texas duo, with a diverse range of melodies that already sound like classic standards.

(See also: Georgia Ann Muldrow, Curtis Harding, Greyhounds, The Heavy)

• Nicole Atkins, "Italian Ice"
Country, Soul, Psyche, +.
Atkins is a mage who shifts effrortlessly through musical moods, with memorable tunes and rewarding turns.
Why do we need plastic idols, when we have someone who deserves all the attention?

(see also: Neko Case, Aaron Lee Tasjan, Jesca Hoop, Lera Lynn)

• Autoramas, "Studio Sessions"
Surfabilly New Wave.
Garage sounds with punk angularity, from Brazil with love.

(see also: The Rezillos, The B-52's, Pixies)

• Alexandra Savior, "The Archer"
Cinematic soulsearching.
Rising above personal setbacks and turmoil, Savior's second album steps boldly forward, haunting while exorcised.

(see also: Julee Cruise, The Last Shadow Puppets, Kandle, Unloved, Deradoorian)

• Greyhounds, "Primates"
Funky Soul Rock cornucopia.
Giving the Black Pumas a serious run for their money are their fellow Texans, swiping the stage with bounding Funk, warm Soul, and crack tunes.

(see also: Black Pumas, The Black Keys, St. Paul And The Broken Bones)

• Pottery, "Welcome To Bobby's Motel"
Elastic Dance Punk.
Montreal whips up a mercurial smoothie of Talking Heads twitch, Gang Of Four hustle, Fela polyrhythms, and Zappa's spirit.

(see also: Liquid Liquid, Orange Juice, White Denim)

• Chicano Batman, "Invisible People"
Alternative Dance.
With a name like Chicano Batman, they have to be delightful. And this dream disco of alternative sounds will shake your hips while lingering in your ears.

(see also: Kid Creole And The Coconuts, Brazilian Girls, Red Baraat)

• Hijyou no Licence, "Black Beauty"
Garage Rock riot.
What, you thought you could just escape Japanese noiseabilly freakouts? Not on my watch.

(see also: The Gories, Guitar Wolf, Thee Michelle Gun Elephant, Theee Bat)

• Monophonics, "It's Only Us"
Funky Soul Psyche.
The Bay Area groovers shimmy your sacroiliac through lush moodscapes.

(see also: Kelly Finnigan solo record, El Michels Affair, Ghost Funk Orchestra, The Budos Band, Ikebe Shakedown)

• Songhoy Blues, "Optimisme"
Desert Blues from Mali.
Their ferocity comes from being political refugees, their joy from optimism for the future.

(see also: Tinariwen, Goat, Imarhan, Bombino)


• Bonnie Whitmore, "Last Will And Testement"
Noir Soul.
Recorded in some nexus between Memphis Soul joints and Twin Peaks diners, this confession booth of soulful blues and ballads is killer.

(see also: Nicole Atkins, Jessica Lee Mayfield, Secret Sisters, Hannah Williams)

• Loren Oden / Adrian Younge, "My Heart, My Love"
Timeless Soul.
Sweet crooning from Gospel roots, with lovely Classic/Forward arrangements by producer Adrian Younge.

(see also: The Delfonics, Marvin Gaye, Maxwell, D'Angelo)

• Lucinda Williams, "Good Souls, Better Angels"
Bruising Blues.
The Alt-Country poet can belt out fuzzy feedback with the best of them, and here she goes off like pissed bottle rockets.

(see also: Patty Griffin, Mr. Airplane Man, The Detroit Cobras)


• Bootsy Collins , "The Power Of The One"
Funk Forward.
Another Bootsy record with serious guest stars (George Benson, Christone "Kingfish" Ingram, Snoop, Branford Marsalis, Larry Graham himself, Dr. Cornel West, etc.), this time more fully wrapped in the classic P-Funk sound.

(see also: James Brown, Parliament, Funkadelic, early Red Hot Chili Peppers, Thundercat)


• X, "ALPHABETLAND"
Punkabilly.
The L.A. Punk pioneers return so energized with their early-'80s fire that you'd think not a minute had passed.

(see also: The Cramps, The Damned, Black Flag)


• BC Camplight, "Shortly After Taking Off"
Pop Futurism.
Brian Christinzio's bracing blender intoxicates sounding like 10cc melodies, Brian Wilson harmonies, Father John Misty wit, and ELO futurism. Think and dance.

(see also: GUM, La Femme, Django Django, Constant Bop)

• Les Hay Babies, "Boite aux Lettres"
Chanson Beatles.
The best Rubber Soul from Canada you didn't know you'd need and love so much.

(see also: Les Lutins, Les Intrigantes, French Boutik)


• The Jayhawks , "Xoxo"
Alt-Americana.
Everything right about Roots music, Singer-Songwriter, and Country Rock in one ever-evolving band.

(see also: The White Album, Neil Young, America, Wilco)


• Star Feminine Band, "Star Feminine Band"
AfroPop.
A Benin septet of musician girls from 10 to 17, turning daily challenges into sunshine. Go buy it right now.

(see also: Lijadu Sisters, King Sunny Ade)


• Bob Dylan, "Rough And Rowdy Ways"
Blues Master Class.
When Bob talks, you listen.

(see also: Howlin' Wolf, Leonard Cohen, Tom Waits, Mark Lanegan)

• Kyle Lacy, "The Road To Tomorrow"
Actual Heartland.
Lacy and his hickory-smoked cohorts swing this debut record of Rockabilly, Country, and pure Soul with such confident verve, you'd think it was his tenth.

(see also: Sam Cooke, Van Morrison, Brian Setzer, The James Hunter Six, J.D. McPherson)


• Jungle Fire , "Jungle Fire"
Latin Funkadelia.
You'll feel like a hundred horses, thundering across the desert into glory.

(see also: Fela, early Budos Band, Ocote Soul Sounds, Brownout, Antibalas)


• Death Valley Girls, "Under The Spell Of Joy"
Epic Garage.
Bikini Kill meets Black Sabbath. Get off your butt and get with.

(see also: Cradle, Blackwater Holylight, Heron Oblivion, Las Robertas)


• Las Cobras, "Selva"
Lysergic Fuzz.
Like a tryst between Mazzy Star and Guadalupe Plata, their sinister hypnotic psychedelia will enrapt your synaptic paths.

(see also: Jesus And Mary Chain, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Tess Parks, The Limananas, L'Epee)

• Tami Neilson, "CHICKABOOM!"
Honkytonk Heaven.
Rockabilly, Country, and Soul with the sass of Wanda Jackson and the grand intensity of Shirley Bassey. A great record to offset a lousy year.

(see also: Patsy Cline, Imelda May, Shannon And The Clams)


• Osees (Thee Oh Sees) , "Protean Threat"
Prog Punk.
Rip it up and start again. Garage Punk's most frighteningly malleable contortionists always switch names and sounds swifter than ocean currents, this time bashing out manic Motorik on crank.

(see also: Faust, Primus, Ty Segall, Meatbodies, Abjects)


• Habibi, "Anywhere But Here"
Beat Music meets Iran.
After a long gestation (and fraught times), the quartet evolves their harmony guitar pop into textural melodicism with lyrical teeth.

(see also: Dum Dum Girls, La Luz, Quilt)


• Toots And The Maytals, "Got To Be Tough"
Reggae Soul.
Rest In Power, Toots Hibbert. The man who invented the term 'Reggae' and then defined its sound has left us his lifelong legacy of shining music.


(see also: Otis Redding, Jimmy Cliff, John Holt, Black Uhuru)

• Deerhoof, "Future Teenage Cave Artists"
Experimental Pop.
Indie Rock's most fearless band played cut-up with the sonic rules again, turning melody inside out while still being erratically catchy.
And they also dropped a covers album -Love-Lore- of insane medley combinations.

(see also: Frank Zappa, David Bowie, Yoko Ono, Broadcast, Guerilla Toss)


• Don Bryant , "You Make Me Feel"
Stax Soul.
Quality is timeless, and griots know the score. Listen and learn.

(see also: Sam And Dave, Eddie Floyd, William Bell, Clarence Carter, Sharon Jones)


• Throwing Muses, "Sun Racket"
Classic Indie.
The indie band's second act blazes like it's their first time and they have everything to prove.

(see also: Blake Babies, Belly, Sleater-Kinney)


• Here Lies Man, "Ritual Divination"
Afrobeat Rock.
Pounding out an album a year like it was the '70s, sounding like a jam session between Fela and Queens Of The Stone Age.

(see also: Fela Kuti, Antibalas, Golden Dawn Arkestra)

• Pretenders, "Hate For Sale"
Punk'n'Roll.
Molten with vigor and resolve, this stunning new rocker from the returning stalwarts plays like 'their great lost record from 1982'. A fist in the face to time, ageism, and conformity.

(see also: The Stranglers, The Smithereens, Ex Hex)

• Public Enemy , "What You Gonna Do When The Grid Goes Down?"
Conscious Rap.
When Chuck D. raps, you listen.

(see also: The Last Poets, Gil Scott-Heron, Consolidated, Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy, Kae Tempest)

• Caleb Landry Jones, "The Mother Stone"
Baroque Pop Dada.
The famed actor fractures his hypnogogic hallucinations into whiplash symphonies, like Sgt. Pepper pinballing through a maze. Hold onto the handlebars and enjoy the ride.

(see also: Syd Barrett, Alexander "Skip" Spence, Julian Cope, Crispin Glover, Beck)


• Nadine Shah, "Kitchen Sink"
Moody Alternative.
The cosmopolitan Shah unscrews the skewed in her mysterious moods.

(see also: Malaria!, The Creatures, Anna Calvi)

• Fantastic Negrito, "Have You Lost Your Mind Yet?"
Blues Moderne.
Xavier Amin Dphrepaulezz plays the Blues spectrum with his roots in the classics, and his branches into the cosmos.

(see also: The Bones Of J.R. Jones, The Alabama Shakes, Benjamin Booker)

• White Denim , "World As A Waiting Room"
GaragePsycheSoulFunkPunkJazzProgBluesPop.
The Austin Texas quartet will throw in some other wrong/rights into the gumbo before you can blink. Plus, you can boogie to it.

(see also: The New Pornographers, Thee Oh Sees, Portugal. The Man, Spoon)

• Tomar And The FCs, "Rise Above"
Gutbucket Soul.
Memphis-esque Soul Stew: half-a-pint of Stax, four tablespoons of Hi Records, a pinch of Stones, a dash of Allmans, and a stir of Link Wray. Beat well.

(see also: Little Milton, David Porter, Raphael Saddiq)

• Shadow Show, "Silhouettes"
Revolver Redux.
Detroit brings you the catchy, adventurous, Beatlesque popcraft you needed to feel truly complete.

(see also: The Bangles, The Pandoras, The Bristols, Cola Jet Set)

• Cupid's Carnival, "Color-Blind"
Beatles '65, with some '69.
The Beatles are a prism, from which new rays continually find their own light. This inspired band guarantees you a splendid time.

(see also: The Spongetones, The Red Button, Groovy Uncle)

• Joel Paterson , "Let It Be Acoustic Guitar!: Joel Paterson Plays The Beatles Again"
Beatles acoustic.
Following the success of his electric instrumentals album Let It Be Guitar! Joel Paterson Plays The Beatles (2019), here's the acoustic follow-up.

(see also: Chet Atkins, early Glen Campbell, Jim Capilongo)

• Daniel Romano, "How Ill Thy World Is Ordered"
Mash-ville Skyline.
Minting albums as fast as Prince or Ryan Adams, on this stylistically expansive release the Canadian sounds like '69 Dylan making Abbey Road at Muscle Shoals.
And if that isn't good enough for you, I don't know what else to say.

(see also: The Flying Burrito Brothers, Alan Hull, T-Bone Burnette, Jake Bugg)

• Annabelle Chairlegs, "Gotta Be In Love"
Optical Sound.
Psyche-idealic pop for now people.

(see also: The Shivas, LOVEBYRD, Blackwater Holylight, The Lovely Eggs)

• The Moons, "Pocket Melodies"
All roads lead to Abbey Road.
Beatlesque bands tend to be crafty clones or spiritual cousins. The Moons are definitely the latter, using their pop chops and sonic experimentation to create exemplary albums, and this magnum opus is their best yet.

(see also: Cotton Mather, Robbers On High Street, Lawrence Arabia)

• Joey Molland, "Be True To Yourself"
Badfinger's culmination.
Just as Paul McCartney is a one-man Beatles, Joey Molland is the one-man Badfinger. Here he creates the greatest album you wish they had got to make, a swan song of effortless grace and beauty.

(see also: Sleepy Hollow, We All Together, Chris von Sneidern, The Grays)

• Diamond Hands , "III"
Pop-adelic perfection.
Everything immortal about The Beatles, Classic Rock, and Power Pop in one spellbinding kaleidescope.

(see also: Let's Active, Sitcom Neighbor, New Electric Ride)

• Paul McCartney, "McCartney III"
The Love he makes.

The Sun doesn't care about your 'fashion-turnover' outlook. It's beyond anyone's simple limits and will continue to illuminate the world. Quality is timeless.
Here, the Master Of Pop gleefully tosses away the Fakebook yet again, with immediately classic tunes alive with lucid knack, elated spark, and fresh perspectives.

Reminder, dept.: You know how you made a solo record, trying all kinds of un-commercial things, going acoustic and eclectic, playing all the instruments in your home studio? Paul invented that with McCartney (1970). Catch up to the rays.

(see also: Emitt Rhodes, Todd Rundgren, Elliott Smith, Sam Phillips, Tara Busch, Mikal Cronin)

Paul McCartney 1
Photo: 1- Mary McCartney

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C O O L
S O N G S :
2 0 2 0

All the REAL MUSIC
beyond the box!

Nevermind Gloss Pop, Stepford Idols, Karaoke Choruses ("woh-oo-oh"), Ego Brats, Emo Prats, Plinky Folk, Brittle Bombast, Vegas Country, Smug Thug, Mope Noodling, De-mixed Throb, and Robot-o-Tune schlock! >

Here's the
D R E A M
J U K E B O X !
Shimmy down with more soul
than a fishing wharf!

COOL SONGS 2020
by Tym Stevens
This is a Spotify player. Join up for free here.
*(The Player is limited to the first 200 songs.
Hear the unlimited Playlist here.)

This jukebox is sequenced into groups of sound, instead of randomly.
All the songs elasticize their genres.
Get your groove on in this sonic order.:
Rockabilly! Beatlesque! Garage! Psyche!

Glam! Folk! Country! Blues!

Soul! Funk! World! Africana!

Alt Rock! PostPunk! Electro! Riot Grrrl!

TripHop! Soundtracks! RESIST!

Fantastic Negrito; Pottery 1;
Nadine Shah; La Femme
Photo: 1- Luke Orlando

16 hours of synapse-snapping, tushie-twisting music, featuring the following fine folks in this exact order!:

• Rockabilly! • The Fangin' Felines, Groovy Uncle, Eva Eastwood, The Neatbeats, and Hijyou no Licence.

The Newbeats; Salome No Kuchibiru;
The Ace Of Cups; Las Cobras

• Surf / Beat / Garage! • The Minders, Peggy Sue, Hayley And The Crushers, The Courettes, The Shakers, Cupid's Carnival, Nick Lowe, Habibi, Mr. Waricomets, Tristen, Lips Of Salome, The Fleshtones, Night Beats, Pretenders, Ace of Cups, and Las Cobras.

• Psychedelic / Beatlesque! • Autoramas, Destination Lonely, Shadow Show, The Clientele, Miranda And The Beat, Fleur, Joel Paterson, Isobel Campbell, Diamond Hands, El Goodo, Leah Senior, The Flaming Lips, Bananagun, The Moons, The Empty Hearts, BC Camplight, Datura4, Brigid Dawson And The Mothers Network, Dent May, Annabelle Chairlegs, The Jayhawks, Daniel Romano, Caleb Landry Jones, Blues Pills, Bebopalula, Paul McCartney, Joey Molland, King Tuff, Brent Cowles, Nathaniel Rateliff, Les Hay Babies, Throwing Muses, and Death Valley Girls.

Autoramas; Annabelle Chairlegs 1;
The Jayhawks; Joey Molland
Photo: 1- Federico Moreno

• Classic Rock / Glam! • Declan McKenna, Gloria, Jane Weaver, Fuzz, Las Historias, Mrs. Piss, Osees, and Nancy.

• Folk / Country! • levitation room, Shirley Collins, Sarah Jarosz, Tim Heidecker and Weyes Blood, The Secret Sisters, The Clientele, Adia Victoria, Dana Gavanski, Samantha Crain, Dirty Projectors, Kacy + Clayton and Marlon Williams, Angel Olsen, Laura Marling, Kevin Morby, and Rhiannon Giddens.

The Secret Sisters; Bette Smith;
Bai Kamara Jr; Chris Stapleton;
Don Bryant 1; Nicole Atkins
Photo: 1- C. Matt White

• Blues! • Bob Dylan, Bette Smith, Suzanne Santo and Gary Clark Jr, S. G. Goodman, Black Joe Lewis And The Honeybears, Lucinda Williams, Bai Kamara Jr And The Voodoo Sniffers, and Larkin Poe.

• Soul! • Early James, Thorbjørn Risager, Native Harrow, Don Bryant, Tami Neilson, The Altons, The James Hunter Six, Dedicated Men of Zion, Nicole Atkins, Black Pumas, Gemma Ray, Thee Sacred Souls, Dan Penn, Chris Stapleton, Greyhounds, Kandle, Los Yesterdays, Marcus King, Lee Fields And The Expressions, Motenko, X, Loren Oden, Paul Weller, Khruangbin and Leon Bridges, Monophonics, Thee Sinseers, SAULT, and Aaron Frazer.

• Funk / Mutant Disco! • Fantastic Negrito, Hannah Williams And The Affirmations, Them Vibes, Bastards Of Soul, Jyoti/Georgia Anne Muldrow, Tomar and the Fcs, Pottery, Jungle Fire, Neal Francis, Thundercat, Penza Penza, Childish Gambino, The Du-Rites, Chris Joss, Brownout, Temples, La Femme, Chrysta Bell, and Too Much.

Deerhoof 1; Deradoorian;
White Denim 2; PINS 3;
Zara McFarlane; Osees
Photos: 1- Shervin Lainez, 2- Pooneh Ghana, 3- Debbie Ellis

• World! • Toots And The Maytals, The Hempolics, Marcos Valle, Ley Line, Altin Gün, and Bab L'Bluz.

• Rock En Espanol! • Los Cogelones, Mint Field, El Shirota, The Limiñanas and Nuria, Sgt. Papers, Los Estanques, Estrogenuinas, Marilyn Monstruo Band, and The Mavericks.

• Africana! • Tony Allen and Hugh Masekela, Warsaw Afrobeat Orchestra, Songhoy Blues, Les Amazones d'Afrique and Mamani Keïta, Melt Yourself Down, Farafi, Roy Ayers, Star Feminine Band, Antibalas, Groupe RTD, Michelle David And the Gospel Sessions, and Mdou Moctar.

Toots Hibbert; Tony Allen 1;
Songhoy Blues; Les Amones d'Afrique
Photo: 1- Bernard Benant

• Alt Rock! • Here Lies Man, Deerhoof, Spoon, Thao And The Get Down Stay Down, Chicano Batman, Ohmme, Moses Sumney, Deradoorian, White Denim, HAIM, Yves Tumor, Nadine Shah, and Savoy Motel.

• Neo Wave / PostPunk! • The Unknowns, Elvis Costello, The Go-Go's, Crack Cloud, Vintage Crop, Kobra, PINS and Leather Party, Ganser, Public Practice, Autoramas, and Girls In Synthesis.

• Electro! • GUM, Home Counties, Electrocute, Jehnny Beth, Django Django, Zara McFarlane, Special Interest, Son Lux and William Bell, Osees, and Kate NV.

• Alt-Rap! • Kate Tempest, Riz Ahmed, Sa-Roc, Dry Cleaning, Shygirl, Shabazz Palaces, Calibro 35 and MEI, Sneaks, Keleketia! +, Common with Lenny Kravitz and Chuck D., Fiona Apple, Shamekia + Fiona Apple, Hotel Lux, and Run The Jewels with Josh Homme and Mavis Staples.

Riz Ahmed; The Paranoyds;
noranekoguts; Alexandra Savior;
Unloved; Adrian Younge + Ali Shaheed Muhammad

• Riot Grrrl! • Mitski, Shilpa Ray, illuminati hotties, Es, Kat Riggins, The Paranoyds, noranekoguts, L.A. WITCH, Concrete Lawn, Sasami, Suzie Stapleton, and Ohmme.

• Alt-Jazz! • Jaimie Branch, Artemis, Muriel Grossman, Shabaka And The Ancestors, Nubya Garcia, and Idris Ackamoor And The Pyrimids.

• TripHop / Cinerama / Soundtracks! • Kandle, Anna Calvi, Calibro 35, Alexandra Savior, The Third Mind, Sharon Van Etten, The Proper Ornaments, Lera Lynn, El Michels Affair, Unloved, Ghost Funk Orchestra, Au Revoir Simone, The Budos Band, Jackie Lynn, The Dream Syndicate, Bonnie Whitmore, Brownout, El Michels Affair and Piya Malik, Julie Byrne and Jefre Cantu-Ledesma, Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Loma, Jon Batiste, Ramin Djawadi, Jeff Russo, and Ludwig Goransson.

Elvis Costello; Public Enemy;
Resistance Revival Chorus; Durand Jones And The Indications
• RESIST!! • Artichoke, Ondara, Dion and Paul Simon, Leslie Odom Jr., Thee Sacred Souls, Catholic Action, Elvis Costello, Wire, Dave Hause and Amythyst Kiah and Kam Franklin, Pink Mountaintops, Boca 45 and Hannah Williams, Enemy Radio, Alabama Slim, Earl St. Clair, Public Enemy, Paul Cauthen, Consolidated, Blake Mills, Ohmme, Lucinda Williams, Neil Young, Peaches, Heartless Bastards, Angelo Moore And the Brand New Step, The Magnetic Fields, Resistance Revival Chorus and Rhiannon Giddens, Gabriels, Lera Lynn, Durand Jones And The Indications, Badge Époque Ensemble and James Baley, Mavis Staples, A Certain Ratio, Las Cafeteras, Kyle Lacy, Liz Vice, and Harry Gregson-Williams.

• Happy Holidays! • Kelly Finnigan, Black Pumas, and Michelle David And the Gospel Sessions.

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C O V E R
S O N G S
2 0 2 0

All the Best
COVER VERSIONS
of the year!

Music is the throughline of the human spirit.

Singing timeless songs in times of uncertainty brings us solace, offers out support, and bonds us in communion.

In a year that separated us from each other, sharing songs reaffirmed us as a people, honored our origins, and lit the way for the young.

There were an abundance of cover songs in 2020. Through them, we sought reflection, revelation, and renewal. Here’s a playlist of our mutual journey.

COVER SONGS 2020
by Tym Stevens This is a Spotify player. Join up for free here.


List = Original By / Cover Artist
Songs are sequenced in the chronological order of the Originals.


• 1920s-'50s Covers •
Mahalia Jackson / Sinéad O'Connor • Tampa Red / Erin Harpe • Vera Lynn / Karen Elson • Glenn Miller / Elisa Jo • Woodie Guthrie / Resistance Revival Chorus • Big Mama Thornton / Kyle Lacy • Little Willie John / The Shakers • Screaming Jay Hawkins / Kandace Springs, and The Kills.

• '60s Covers •
Ray Charles / Autoramas (riff), and The Flying Horse Big Band • Sam Cooke / Leslie Odom Jr., and Los Coast and Gary Clark Jr. • The Seekers / Dean And Britta • Toussant McCall / Robert Plant • Los Shakers / Muck and the Mires • The Impressions / The Notations • The Beatles / Kathleen Grace and Larry Goldings • The Easybeats / The Weeklings, and The Premonitions • The Seeds / Nick Waterhouse • The Rolling Stones / Les Hay Babies • The Beatles / Blossoms • Four Tops / Jonathan Wilson • Tim Hardin / Vagabon + Courtney Barnett • Nina Simone / Lady Blackbird • The Beatles / Black Pumas, and Peter Parcek • The Rolling Stones / Molly Tuttle • The Kinks / Unloved and Raven Violet • Jefferson Airplane / The Shivas, and Prince Fatty + Shniece McMenamin • The 13th Floor Elevators / The Third Mind • Status Quo / The Colour Collection The Moody Blues / Larkin Poe • Ennio Morricone / Ikebe Shakedown • Buffalo Springfield / Billy Porter • James Brown / Shawn Pittman • Bee Gees / The Revivalists • The Beatles / Artemis • Harry Nilsson / Alyssandra Nighswonger • The Turtles / Bella Kaye • Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazlewood / Alex Kapranos and Clara Luciani • HAIR / Rachelle Garniez • Margo Guryan / Bedouine • The Beatles / Valentina And The Electric Post, The Midnight Callers • Tommy James + The Shondells / The Shacks + The Diamond Mine • Dusty Springfield / Meridian Brothers • Glen Campbell / The Pen Friend Club • The Band / Larry Campbell + Teresa Williams, w/ Buddy Miller • Creedence Clearwater Revival / Eileen Jewell.

• '70s Covers •
Creedence Clearwater Revival / Fogerty's Factory • Crosby, Stills, Nash, And Young / Katie Pruitt • Kris Kristofferson / Kelsey Waldon • Neil Young / Brad Mehldau • The Stooges / Destination Lonely • The Beach Boys / Psychic Ills • The Beatles / Joel Paterson, and Joan As Police Woman • George Harrison / Jarrod Dickenson • Simon + Garfunkel / XIXA • Brook Benton / Los Straitjackets • Cat Stevens / Father John Misty • Edwin Starr / Vintage Trouble • Steppenwolf / Deap Lips (The Flaming Lips + Deap Vally) • David Bowie / Ramin Djawadi • John Lennon / Dirty Projectors, and The Anderson Council • Neil Young and Crazy Horse / Jeff Russo and Noah Hawley • Pink Floyd / Nick Mason's Saucerful of Secrets • Black Sabbath / Moon Duo • Funkadelic / Brittany Howard • Graham Nash / Constant Bop • Marvin Gaye / Devon Gilfillian, and Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio • Black Sabbath / BSCBR with Deradoorian • Ann Peebles / Sister Lucille • Nilsson / Heather Trost • The Jackson 5 / Dezron Douglas • T. Rex / Pixies • Yes / Allegaeon • John Denver / Whitney and Waxahatchee • Steely Dan / Eli "Paperboy" Reed, and Julia Logan • Dr. John / Maceo Parker • Aerosmith / Scary Pockets + Judith Hill • George Harrison / Sunday Someday + Anne McCue + Megan Palmer • Pink Floyd / Ramin Djawadi • The O’Jays / PJ Morton and Yola • Black Sabbath / Emel • Big Star / Bedouine, Hurray For The Riff Raff, Waxahatchee • Sly And The Family Stone / Bootsy Collins and Larry Graham • Nick Drake / Ben Harper and Rhiannon Giddens • Kool And The Gang / Khruangbin • Elton John / The Fearless Flyers • Freddy Fender / Al Green • Stevie Wonder / Constant Bop • Paul McCartney And Wings / Tanya Donelly and The Parkington Sisters • Dolly Parton / Robin McKelle • Stockhausen/Beach Boys/Star Trek/Oliveros/Muppet Movie medley / Deerhoof • Chris Bell / Beck • Bob Dylan / Emma Swift • Black Sabbath / Uniform • Led Zeppelin / H.C. McEntire • “Rocky Horror Picture Show” / T.S.O.L. and Keith Morris • America / Anna Ash • David Bowie / Durand Jones And The Indications • Stevie Wonder / Teddy Thompson • Michael Hurley / Cass McCombs and Steve Gunn • Fleetwood Mac / Elizabeth, and Julia Holter • Donna Summer / The Organauts • Bob Marley / Toots And The Maytals + Ziggy Marley • Kraftwerk / Guga Stroeter, Lucio Agra, Renato Soares • Talking Heads / Order of Operations • Richard Hell And The Voidoids / The Bobby Lees • Plastic Bertrand / Whyte Horses • Elvis Costello And The Attractions / Los Straitjackets, and Sharon Van Etten and Josh Homme • Chic / Lydia Ainsworth • Buzzcocks / Adele And The Chandeliers • The B-52’s / The Medicine Dolls • The Clash / Hinds, and Mattiel • Wings / Constant Bop.

• '80s Covers •
John Lennon / Chris Cornell • X / Hayley and the Crushers • Grace Jones / Bacao Rhythm And Steel Band • Grover Washington Jr and Bill Withers / Rhiannon Giddens and Sxip Shirey • Kraftwerk / Resynator + Jon Natchez • Phil Collins / Larkin Poe • Bruce Springsteen / Alison Mosshart • Ramones / Brad Marino • Queen and David Bowie / Karen O and Willie Nelson • Joan Jett / L7 • Prince / Sharon Jones And The Dap-Kings, and Tashaki Miyaki • Prince / Mariachi El Bronx • The Cars / Soccer Mommy • U2 / Sarah Jarosz • INXS / Dylan LeBlanc • Pixies / Gouge Away • Nirvana / Bully • Beastie Boys / Mattiel • Public Enemy / Public Enemy +.

• '90s Covers •
Concrete Blonde / Puss N Boots • Chris Isaak / Messer Chups, and Aubrie Sellers • Julee Cruise / Daniel Knox • Pixies / Nation of Language • Joan Jett / The Venomous Pinks • Soundgarden / Brandi Carlile • Beastie Boys / The Record Company • Radiohead / Arlo Parks; and Danielle Ponder • Mazzy Star / Whitehorse • Nirvana / Hannah Williams And The Affirmations, and Shadwick Wilde • Portishead / Amanda Palmer and Rhiannon Giddens, and Torres • Soundgarden / Scary Pockets + Maiya Sykes • Guided By Voices / Mo Kenney • Soundgarden / Sevendust • Radiohead / Scary Pockets + Monica Martin • Jeff Buckley / Emel • Elliott Smith / Marika Hartman.

• '00s and '10s Covers •
Hooverphonic / Hooverphonic • Gillian Welch / Kevin Morby David Bowie / Modern Nature • Gnarls Barkley / Shadow And the Thrill • Lana Del Rey / Vitamin String Quartet.

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B E S T
R E I S S U E S :
2 0 2 0

Quality is timeless.

Fanny


BEST REISSUES 2020
by Tym Stevens This is a Spotify player. Join up for free here.

This music player has songs from the following albums, in the same order.

• 1950s •

• Peggy Lee, "Decca Rarities" (1952-’56)
A prolific and important period in the great Torch Singer's history, given center stage.

• Sarah Vaughan, "Time After Time" (1950s)
Let's give all the love to Jazz vocalists like Sarah Vaughan, Betty Carter, Blossom Dearie, Dinah Washington, Julie London, Nancy Wilson, Anita O'Day, and Carmen McCrae that we should.

• Various Artists, "The Right To Rock: The Mexicano And Chicano Rock 'n' Roll Rebellion 1955-1963"
Rock'n'Roll was everybody, from the beginning. Learn the important contributions from Latinx pioneers like young Freddie Fender, Chan Romero, Los Xochimilcas, Ritchie Valens, Los Teen Tops, and Los Gibson Boys.

• Pérez Prado, "Prez" (1956)
The Mambo master's Top 40 smash and mainstream pinnacle, remastered.

• Eddie Cochran, "The Liberty Years" (1957-’64)
A box set of the Rockabilly troubadore's entire output, remastered.

• Bessie Jones, "Get In Union" (1959-'66)
Recorded by ALan Lomax, fronting the Georgia Sea Island Singers, Bessie Jones was a walking encyclopeia of folk spirituals. A mainstay on the '60s festival circuit, she sang at the Carter inauguration in '77.

Chicano Rock; Perez Prado;
Ella Fitzgerald; Joni Mitchell

• 1960s •

• Various Artists, "Gargano's Garage: Lavender, Magenta, Indigo, and Blue Fin Labels" (1959-’66)
A subterranean history of the mysterious producer Vic Gargano, his myriad record label artists, and a span from Prom Rock to Psychedelia. >

• Ella Fitzgerald, "The Lost Berlin Tapes" (rec. 1962)
The live album Ella In Berlin (1960) is an essential classic. Her sequel tour was recorded but lost... until now.

• Solomon Burke, "The King Of Rock 'N' Soul: The Atlantic Recordings 1962-1968"
While many know Atlantic Soul giants like Wilson Pickett, Percy Sledge, Ben E. King, and Aretha Franklin, not enough know the fine catalog of Solomon Burke. This box set corrects that.

• Joni Mitchell, "Archives, Vol. 1: The Early years 1963-1967"
A box set of unreleased treasures, such as home demos, live recordings, and radio performances, by the Folk regent before she made albums.

• Various Artists, "Girls With Guitars Know Why" (mid-'60s)
The fifth compilation in Ace Records' ongoing series celebrating the women of '60s Beat, Garage, and Psychedelia.

• Various Artists, "Lost Nuggets From The 60s: Girls In The Garage 1963-1967"
While the coveted Girls In The Garage series was essentially bootleg, this above-ground parallel helps put these lost classics back into print and history.

Sharhabil Ahmed; Bobbie Gentry;
Elton John; The Pleasure Seekers

• The Everly Brothers, "Down In The Bottom: The Country Rock Sessions 1966-1968"
Concurrent with the Country Soul of Stax and Muscle Shoals, and preceding the rise of Swamp Pop, the brothers went to their roots in these overlooked recordings.

• Los Brincos, "Todos Sus Exitos y Rarezas" (1964-'70)
A fine overview of "the Spanish Beatles", who made many fine sounds from Merseybeat to Classic Rock.

• Sharhabil Ahmed, "The King Of Sudanese Jazz"
The Sleuths at the wonderful label Habibi Funk mine gold again with their anthology of the innovative guitarist, singer, and band leader.

• Bobbie Gentry, "The Delta Sweete“ (1968)
Last year, many Alt-Folk artists did a tribute to this entire album. Listening to the original reveals how The Queen Of Swamp Pop was actually a versatile interpreter of all kinds of music. And a darn good guitarist and writer, as well.


• Elton John, ”Jewel Box” (1965-2019)
This box set retrospective is a shocking abundance of riches.
Skipping the hits, these 8 discs cover the rare and the deep of Rock's greatest showman: from B-sides and deep cuts, to the motherlode of 65 unreleased demos (!) by Elton and Bernie Taupin from the early days.

• The Feminine Complex, ”Livin’ Love” (1969)
The all-female band's debut album is a Pop trove of sunny Soul and groovy Beat music.

• Marie Laforêt, ”1969-1970”
More of a supple nightclub chanteuse than a Chanson idol, Laforêt is duly recognized now for her sophistication and bredth.

• The Pleasure Seekers, ”What A Way To Die” (1964-’69)
The all-female band, led by sisters Patti and Suzi Quatro, spanned from Beat music to a harder blues that presaged their rebirth as the ultra-Heavy Cradle.

Jimi Hendrix

• 1970s •

• Jimi Hendrix, "”Live In Maui” (1970)
A fabulous remaster of the Hawaii concert, in both audio and video form, along with a new feature-length documentary about the event.

• The Stooges, ”Live At Goose Lake: August 8th, 1970” (1969)
A startling new discovery, the only soundboard recording of the original line-up of The Stooges roaring their way through all of Fun House, right before they fell apart.

• Fanny, ”Fanny” (1970)
Fanny made history as the first all-female Rock band signed to make multiple albums on a major label.
This vinyl reissue of their Rockin' debut -produced by Richard Perry- proves what an excellent and dexterous Rock'n'Soul quartet they were.

• John Lennon, ”Gimme Some Truth” (1970-’80)
A compilation of his greatest hits, in anticipation of a new remastering of all his solo albums. A Punk with wings, before all and like no other.

The Stooges; Marvin Gaye;
The Staple Singers; Brainticket

• The Doors, ”Morrison Hotel“ (1970)
A 50th Anniversary remastering of the essential album, with a healthy dose of extra takes.

• Marvin Gaye, ”Funky Nation: The Detroit Instrumentals” (1971)
A collection of the funky jams Marvin did with Bohannon in the wake of releasing the essential What's Going On album.

• Ennio Morricone, "Morricone Segreto” (late-‘60s to early-‘80s)
Morricone did a frighteningly huge amount of film scores in this socially fertile period. Besides polishing off rarities, this collection displays the incomporable bredth and innovation of his talent.

• David Bowie, ”Metrobolist, a.k.a., The Man Who Sold The World” (1970)
The 50th Anniversary rerelease of the classic, remixed by original producer Tony Visconti.

• Black Sabbath, ”Paranoid” (1970)
One of the new remasters of the original Sabbath's catalog, this box set also includes live 1970-'71 concerts, a new book, photos, and more.

• Oneness Of Juju, "African Rhythms 1970-1982”
An American band who merged African and Afro-Cuban rhythms to Funk and Soul political songs.

• The Staple Singers, ”Come Go With Me: The Stax Collection” (1968-1974)
The Staples made many fine Gospel protest albums from the late-'50s up, but when they came to Stax Records, their star took off. Led by the inimitable guitarist Pops and the fiery frontsinger Mavis, they schooled the charts with such Funk classics as "Respect Yourself" and "I'll Take You There".

• Iggy And The Stooges, ”You Think You’re Bad, Man? The Road Tapes ’73-’74“
A five-disc bookend to the ”Live At Goose Lake" set (1970 above), this fly/wall document of freefall follows their scorched-earth reunion tour down to its infamous finale of flung bottles and obscenities. Who's your Punk daddy now?

• Brainticket, ”Cottonwoodhill”, “Psychonaut” (1971, 1972)
Vinyl reissues of the electrifying German Prog band, with unsung classics like the domme poet of the Funky "Pieces Of Light" and the Sabbath stomp and Shankar fade-out of the intense "Watchin' You".

The Rolling Stones; African Airwaves;
Make Some Noise; Elvis Costello

• The Rolling Stones, ”Goats Head Soup” (1974)
Previously considered the fall-off after the Stones' Golden Period, this reissue gives better justice to their eclecticism. Includes extra tracks, a live concert, and an unreleased song with Jimmie Page guesting on guitar, "Scarlet".

• Various Artists, "Soul Love Now: The Black Fire Records Story, 1975-1993”
Oneness Of Juju issued their own record label, with a pantheon of spiritual Jazz artists and conscious Soul acts.

• Various Artists, "La Locura de Machuca 1975-1980”
In mid-'70s Columbia, a producer named Machuca documented the roiling scene of Columbian/African psychedelic fusion acts. Blow your mind, wag your behind.

• Neil Young, ”Homegrown” (1975)
The ever-fluctuating Neil finally unveils this unreleased album, a Country-Rock breakup lullaby.

• Various Artists, "African Airways Six: Mile High Funk 1974-1981”
Another funktastic collection of African women soaring.

• Iggy Pop, "The Bowie Years“ (1977-’78)
A deluxe box set of the two Berlin albums produced by Bowie, plus outtakes, versions, an interview, a book, and live performances.

• Patrick Cowley, ”Some Funkettes” (1975-’77)
The sixth entry in a release campaign of the influential Disco producer's works.

• Various Artists, "Make More Noise! Women In Independent Music UK 1977-1987"
Because of Feminism and Punk, more women took control in Rock during this period than ever had before. This 90-song box set and book is an important synopsis covering that wave that lifted our present.

• The Toms, "The 1979 Sessions”
Tommy Marolda dubbed himself making memorable Power Pop tunes, and created a cult following.

• Elvis Costello And The Attractions, ”Armed Forces” (1979)
A deluxe box set of the remastered album, copious live perfomances, 10" records, lyric books, posters, postcards, and a partridge in a pear tree.

Eve Libertine of Crass

• 1980s •

• Use No Hooks, ”The Job” (1979-’83)
The unreleased recordings of an Australian PunkFunk band, with plenty of hooks and workouts to spare.

• The Last, ”Look Again“ (1980)
The L.A. Power Pop band's unreleased second album, remastered.

• Toyah, ”Sheep Farming In Barnet” (1980)
The beginning of a remastering and reissue campaign of Toyah Wilcox's works, along with other albums from the Safari Records label.

• Split Enz, "True Colours” (1980)
A remixed anniversary edition of the New Zealand classic, with added live performances.

• Pylon, ”Pylon Box” (1980-’83)
The Art Pop band from Athens, GA, gets the full treatment, with both albums remixed, B-sides and rarities, a demo setlist, and a lavish book.

• Red Cross, "Red Cross" (1980)
The Power Punk origins of Red Kross, before they were legally forced to change their name.

• Crass, "Catalog Remasters" (1978-’86)
The fiercest AnarchoPunks of all, with a remastering of their six crucial albums, including Penis Envy and Christ: The Album.

• Prince And The Revolution, "Prince And The Revolution Live” (1985)
Prince was king of the world in 1985 because of the smash success of Purple Rain (1984), and this live concert -briefly available on VHS then- has been remastered for the ages.

• Various Artists, "Sun City: Artist United Against Apartheid“ (1985)
Following the worldwide success of Live Aid, Little Steven (Van Zandt) organized an all-star album to decry oppression in South Africa. It helped bring massive international awareness to overturning Apartheid, which happened in 1990. At last, this pivotal classic gets reissued.

• Prince, ”Sign ‘O The Times” (1987)
A staggeringly deluxe box set.
Prince reinvented himself with the solo double album Sign ‘O The Times, but he went through three unreleased albums to get there. This insanely generous set includes all of that and B-sides besides, plus live performances, a DVD concert, and a 120-page book.

• Tears For Fears, ”The Seeds Of Love” (1989)
After the monster hits of 1985, the band took their time to make a Beatlesque album that most slept on. Time proves the wiser, with this expanded set.

• Neneh Cherry, ”Raw Like Sushi“ (1989)
While Conscious Rap and Native Tongues acts were renovating HipHop, here came the leftfield Swede to ramp up the game, with tough lyrics and bumping tunes.

• 1990s •

• L7, ”Smell The Magic” (1990)
The Grunge Grrrls' blistering second album, remastered for a vinyl release.

• Various Artists, "Rutles Highway Revisited" (1990)
A tribute album to The Rutles, with covers of their first 1978 album by indie artists like Galaxie 500, Lida Husik, Das Damen, Daniel Johnston, Shonen Knife, and Bongwater.

• PJ Harvey, ”Album Demos” (1993-’96)
A reissue campaign of all her albums remastered this year was good enough. But in addition, companion albums of home demos for Dry, To Bring You My Love, and Is This Desire? were released for the first time.

• Supergrass, ”The Strange Ones: 1994-2008”
For all the hoopla about the Blur and Oasis feud, the greatest Britpop band was Supergrass, whose relentless run of catchy and inventive Power Punk, Classic Rock, Glam, and Indie anthems was formidable. And now, undeniable.

• Paul McCartney, ”Flaming Pie” (1997)
On fire with the adrenalin from The Beatles Anthology, Paul - with help from friends like Jeff Lynne, George Martin, and Ringo- struck up the band as only he can. A classic.

L7; Supergrass;
Gillian Welch; Lips Of Salome

• 2000s •

• Gillian Welch, ”Boots No. 1, 2, and 3” (2004)
Gillian Welch and David Rawlings recorded a vault's worth of demos for copyright reasons, and now share them with us to enjoy.

• Robert Plant, ”Digging Deep: Subterranea” (1981-2020)
As a companion to his Digging Deep podcast, Robert presents a new solo retrospective with three unreleased songs, focusing more on roots and mood.

• The Coathangers, "The Coathangers" (2007)
The debut album of the Punk trio remastered for vinyl.

• 2010s •

• Calibro 35, "Calibro 35" (2010)
The debut album of the Milan band, who specialize in funky cinematic Rock in the mode of 1969-'75 Italian soundtracks.

• The Kills, ”Little Bastards“ (2003-’20)
This collection of B-sides and cover versions from the Blues Punk duo is basically a blasting new album in itself.

• Incredible Tabla Band, Shawn Lee Presents ”Tabla Rock” (2012)
The 1973 classic LP Incredible Bongo Band sold nothing, but became the sonic bedrock for all samples of HipHop to come with songs like "Apache". This loving recreation of it substitutes tablas for bongos.

• Lips Of Salome, "Sound Of Salome" (2007-’20)
A summary of the Japanese duo's career, rooted in '60s styles expressed in new ways.

• Autoramas, ”B-Sides And Extras, Vol. 1” (2000-’20)
The Brazilian combo surfs on Rockabilly and Garage rhythms with New Wave chops.






© Tym Stevens

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"A splendid time is guaranteed for all!"

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See also:


• BEST MOVIES + TV: 2025
• BEST MUSIC: 2025
• BEST COMICS: 2025

• BEST MOVIES + TV: 2024
• BEST MUSIC: 2024
• BEST COMICS: 2024

· BEST MOVIES + TV: 2023
• BEST MUSIC: 2023
• BEST COMICS: 2023

• BEST MOVIES + TV: 2022
• BEST MUSIC: 2022
• BEST COMICS: 2022

• BEST MOVIES + TV: 2021
• BEST MUSIC: 2021
• BEST COMICS: 2021

• BEST MOVIES + TV: 2020
• BEST COMICS: 2020

• BEST MOVIES + TV: 2019
• BEST MUSIC: 2019
• BEST COMICS: 2019

• BEST MOVIES + TV: 2018
• BEST MUSIC: 2018
• BEST COMICS: 2018

• BEST MOVIES + TV: 2017
• BEST MUSIC: 2017
• BEST COMICS: 2017

• BEST MOVIES + TV: 2016
• BEST MUSIC: 2016
• BEST COMICS: 2016

• BEST MOVIES + TV: 2015
• BEST MUSIC: 2015
• BEST COMICS: 2015

• BEST MOVIES + TV: 2014
• BEST MUSIC: 2014
• BEST COMICS: 2014

• BEST MOVIES + TV: 2013
• BEST MUSIC: 2013
• BEST COMICS: 2013

• BEST MOVIES + TV: 2012
• BEST MUSIC: 2012
• BEST COMICS: 2012

• BEST MOVIES + TV: 2011
• BEST MUSIC: 2011
• BEST COMICS: 2011

• BEST MOVIES + TV: 2000-2010
• BEST MUSIC: 2000-2010
• BEST COMICS: 2000-2010


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