My albums of 2020

Despite lockdowns, restrictions and all kinds of challenges, artists and labels across the world kept releasing music right throughout 2020. And oh how it helped to get lost in an album, to escape reality for a while. In the words of ABBA; thank you for the music.

Working from home and the fact that there were no gigs meant that I probably listened to more newly released music than normal, certainly way more than last year.

I think I've appreciated music more than ever through this strange year. I've bonded with people with similar taste on social media and appreciated that sense of (virtual) community and connections. I've enjoyed a number of Tim Burgess' listening parties. I've arrange zoom calls for fellow fans of Teenage Fanclub which has been brilliant for socialising and I've been able to get lost in music when I've needed to, or even when I haven't. 

#timstwitterlisteningparties

6 Music has been on most days while working from home and although I've massively missed gigs and all the socialising that goes with them, in some ways I feel closer to music. Strange, huh?!

I always like to point out that there are always albums I discover after writing my Albums of the Year blogs. For example there was a trio of albums released in 2019 that I only discovered this year; I really love the Erland Cooper, Callum Easter and Better Oblivion Community Centre albums. 

So no doubt I'll discover a gem from 2020 next year, indeed I'm only just getting into the SAULT albums. 

I'm not going to name an album of the year for 2020. It's been such a strange and shit year in so many ways, but in terms of new music, it has been excellent and there are a number of albums I keep returning to.

Andrew Wasylyk's is just beautifully crafted music to get lost in, I fell for the talent of Phoebe Bridgers in a big way, The Flaming Lips moved me to tears with their vision, ambition and psychedelic pop, my sister Carla J Easton moved forwards with a defiant, powerful, melodic and emotional heart on sleeve pop record, the Whyte Horses album just oozes great taste and has such a good feel to it, Andy Bell delivered an exceptional debut album of psychedelic pop and grooves, and Dua Lipa released an exceptional pop album that is loved by everyone in our house.

So read on for my 10 favourite albums of 2020 plus 2 incredible compilation albums released by Last Night From Glasgow and Olive Grove Records, also a little on the LNFG reissue of Sisters by The Bluebells and the fast moving novel The Young Team by Graeme Armstrong.

Fugitive Light And Themes Of Consolation by Andrew Wasylyk

Label - Athens Of The North

Andrew Wasylyk is an incredible talent who I've been following since his second album Themes for Buildings and Spaces was released back in 2017. Now on album number 4, Wasylyk creates beautiful grooves, dreamy landscapes and majestic layers to get lost in. David Axelrod is a name that sprung to mind when I first hear the album and it was interesting to hear Andrew mention him in an interview on BBC Radio Scotland. That is the kind of talent and ambition we are talking about.

Last Sunbeams of Childhood is utterly sublime and then Wasylyk actually has a song called Everywhere Something Sublime which totally is .... something sublime!  

Awoke in the Early Days of a Better World is a song I've played a lot. It has a kind of beautiful mellow stoned groove. It somehow has the ability to feel like there is a lot going on, but at the same time there isn't. 

Andrew Wasylyk creates and captures something really incredible with this album.

American Head by The Flaming Lips

Label - Bella Union

When they are on form you sure can get lost in an album by The Flaming Lips. American Head moved me to tears on first listen. Headphones on, glass of red and Wayne Coyne singing from the bottom of his heart and the far reaches of his mind. It's a melodic, soulful, psychedelic trip as song titles like You N Me Sellin' Weed and When We Die When We're High might suggest. 

The sonic vision and ambition of The Flaming Lips never fails to amaze and they go really widescreen with opener Will You Return/When You Come Down which is almost 6-minutes of wonderful psychedelic pop. Mother I've Taken LSD is all kinds of self realisation and empathy; now I see the sadness in the world, I'm sorry I didn't see it before. Hopefully we will see Wayne back riding around the Barrowland Ballroom on a unicorn again before too long!

The View From Halfway Down by Andy Bell

Label - Sonic Cathedral

Andy Bell is someone who feels refreshed and revitalised. Ride are a shining example of how a comeback can work out and Bell seems to have a tremendous sense of urgency and freedom to create outwith that.

His debut album, at the age of 50, sounds fresh, inventive, timeless and fun, full of grooves, twists and turns. The way Skywalker develops on a bass groove for a further 3-minutes just when you think it is about to end is surprising and glorious, while Cherry Cola is just super cool, melodic sunshine on record.

Andy very kindly gave an extensive interview back in August that you can READ HERE

Weirdo by Carla J Easton

Label - Olive Grove Records

My sisters second album under her own name is escapism, realisation, reflection, defiance and at times, a big F**K YOU, like on the absolute anger Over You. Get Lost is Carly Rae Jepsen fronting New Order escapism, Never Knew You is Taylor Swift style realisation and self therapy with the brilliant when I was up I was up, and when I was down you were never around hook, Thorns is a stunning synth ballad, Waves That Fall marries Chic style guitars with Scottish Hip Hop with a blitz by guest Solareye from Stanley Odd while the title track celebrates all that is good about being weird. 

I'm a rollercoaster rolling

The first edition of Weirdo sold out in pre-sales which was incredible for Carla and Lloyd from Olive Grove Records. I think at first that was going to be that, after all, it is quite cool to sell out your pressing. But there was a real demand for a repress and it was no ordinary repress as the artist Jim Lambie designed new artwork.

I look forward to hearing these songs being blasted out live and Carla is a rollercoaster rolling. 2021 will see TeenCanteen release their very first recordings and Carla has a number of new songs written for her next solo album and also for a new band she is forming with Simon Liddell. They are looking for a band name; check this tweet if you have any suggestions!

Future Nostalgia by Dua Lipa

Label - Warner Records

I can only imagine how massive Dua Lipa would have been in a non COVID world. She would have been everywhere with her catchy, clever and euphoric pop. 

The kids kept asking about Dua Lipa songs after discovering her via Tik Tok and they soon got me into Dua Lipa too, but not Tik Tok!

Hallucinate is my personal favourite, its so catchy, the chorus flows so easily. Don't Start Now was the first song I heard off the album and it is brilliant pop music, the whole album is. Physical is totally euphoric, Levitating is ridiculously catchy, while Break My Heart asks the brilliant question am I falling in love with the one that could break my heart?

A genius pop album by a brilliant pop star. We watched Dua Lipa's Studio 2054 online show at the end of November and I really hope to take the kids to see her in person at the Hydro when she eventually plays. 

My feel good album of the year. My kids album of the year. Stick it on and make room to dance.

Punisher by Phoebe Bridgers

Label - Dead Oceans

I fell for Phoebe Bridgers big time after hearing Kyoto on 6Music, reading various reviews and then buying her album and checking her back catalogue. 

Bridgers seems effortlessly talented and ridiculously prolific, full of creative energy that can come bursting out in melodic pop like Kyoto or in more mellow, subdued and reflective ways like the beautiful Garden Song.

I've enjoyed exploring her discography; her EP/mini-album with boygenius and her album with Conor Oberst as Better Oblivion Community Center are both excellent. I can't wait to hear what she does next.

The New Abnormal by The Strokes

Label - RCA Records

The New Abnormal somehow has a sense of urgency along with a sense of don't give a flying f**k and as a result The Strokes sound glorious. The twin guitars of Nick Valensi and Albert Hammond Jr entwine beautifully, even when it sounds like it shouldn't work ... it does. There are keyboards/synths, vocal effects and lazy punky flowing melodies, delivered in Julian Casablancas cool New York drawl. 

I thought The Strokes had disappeared and split a long time ago. This album really was a pleasant surprise. Sure some songs are a little long (and there are only 9 of them) but there are cracking guitar riffs (Why Are Sundays So Depressing), moments of  sheer brilliance like the dive into the flowing chorus of The Adults Are Talking and times, like Brooklyn Bridge To Chorus where everything somehow crashes together to sound magnificent just after it sounds like it could all far apart

I was reminded what a stunning band The Strokes can be, what a stunning band they are ... if they are in the mood.

2021 will be the 20th anniversary of their vital debut album Is This It? That was then, this is now.

Hard Times by The Whyte Horses

Label - CRC Records

This album was released away back in January, it feels like ages ago, so much has happened since then. This is kind of a compilation album but it is a covers album. Whyte Horses display impeccable taste in songs and in guests with La Roux, John Grant, Badly Drawn Boy and Traceyanne Campbell included.

Their faithful version of Red Lady by Phil Cordell opens proceedings, sunshine psych, all round good vibes, beautiful vocals. And you're into the world of Whyte Horses where they romp through Ca Plane Pour Moi and sound like they've gone back to their rehearsal room after being down the pub with Badly Drawn Boy to knock out a lovely rough n raw version of Lou Reed's Satellite Of Love.

I was really looking forward to Whyte Horses coming up to play the CCA in Glasgow, I hope they make it in 2021. 

Working Men's Club by Working Men's Club

Label - Heavenly Recordings

The first time I heard Working Men's Club was on the radio but I had missed the intro, so I was really wondering who this was. There were echoes of both Joy Division and New Order, with a hint of Ian Curtis or Alex Turner on vocals.

Yet another stunning addition to the Heavenly Recordings family. This album is full of glorious synths and beats, playful guitars, moments of euphoria and loads of grooves.

John Cooper Clarke, Valleys and Tomorrow are particular favourites. Another band I can't wait to see live when possible. I can imagine they'll be chomping at the bit to get out there and in some ways the absence of gigs might work in their favour as the buzz around the band and album might catapult them to larger venues.

Hether Blether by Erland Cooper

Label - Phases

I only discovered Erland's 2019 album Sule Skerry via the SAY Award. Thankfully that ensured I was immediately on to his swift follow up.

Hether Blether is Cooper's third and final album in a trilogy of releases shaped by the islands where he grew up. Hailing from the archipelago of Orkney in Scotland, Cooper is inspired by the sights and sounds of his home to create magic music.

Skreever is majestically beautiful, the sound of the Orkney wind over gentle strings. It's rather beautiful, a real favourite. Elsewhere Kathryn Joseph sings on 3 tracks, including Longhope, which starts with strings, a thumping beat and spoken word samples from islanders, building until Joseph's atmospheric vocal sounds like she is whispering a secret fairytale story directly to you. 

An extremely beautiful and moving album. 

Compilations

Isolation Sessions by Last Night From Glasgow

Always full of ideas and burning with creative energy and a sense of purpose, LNFG acted swiftly when lockdown was announced, inspiring to their artists covering each other from their own homes for a compilation album, Isolation Sessions, that was quickly put on sale with proceeds going to venues across the city to help them (hopefully) make it through lockdown. At the time of writing, proceeds from November onwards are going to my favourite music bar McChuills. I think this is a fascinating document of the times, married with LNFG photographer Brian Sweeney's documentation of artists and label members in their own homes. Find out more and order a copy HERE

LNFG's development has been staggering and I fully expect them to not only it the ground running, but full on sprinting when things open up again in 2021 (fingers crossed).

Get Into The Grove, 10-years of Olive Grove Records

Lloyd Meredith who runs Olive Grove Records had big plans for the tenth anniversary of the label in 2020. Hopefully live plans will happen next year, but in the meantime check out the wonderful Get Into The Grove compilation album. You can order the vinyl online now for a January delivery and you'll immediately be able to download and stream the album from Bandcamp.

Running a DIY label for 10-years isn't easy, but just listen to the variety and quality across this record. The purity of moonsoup who I want to hear and see a lot more of in 2021, Jo Mango with The Madrigirls is exquisite and beautiful, while Call To Mind conjure all kinds of emotion with Recovery. The Olive Grove artists have done the label proud. 

Reissue

Last Night From Glasgow have set up Past Night From Glasgow to focus on reissues and oh my, what a way to launch the label with the Sisters LP by The Bluebells, originally released in 1984 and long out of print.

Past Night From Glasgow has some incredible plans for 2021, with BMX Bandits Star Wars album appropriately set for a May 4th release and the past has a bright future going by the quality of artists, albums and physical product that is being reissued with love and care.

Sisters by The Bluebells

Label - Past Night From Glasgow

Look out for a feature blog on The Bluebells Sisters album over the festive season. 

Book of the Year - The Young Team by Graeme Armstrong

Get lost in the world of a Young Team in Airdrie; gangs, fights, drugs, alcohol, dance music, escapism, isolation, the older ones ... a debut novel that lets rip at a ferocious pace, introducing brilliant characters and storylines. Ripe for a film. The 2020's Trainspotting.

LNFG presents Isolation Sessions

Last Night From Glasgow · The Martial Arts - Suddenly Heaven (Stephen Solo)

FEATURE LENGTH BLOG
Including interviews with LNFG's Ian Smith and photographer Brian Sweeney.

Last Night From Glasgow quickly came up with an idea to adapt to lockdown living and in typical LNFG fashion, it grew arms and legs. Isolation Sessions was born, label artists covering their label mates through home recording and in-house photographer Brian Sweeney taking isolation portraits of artists and label members.

A double vinyl album will feature cover versions of LNFG songs from: Broken Chanter, Gracious Losers, Sister John, Cloth, Close Lobsters, Annie Booth, Lola In Slacks, L-space, Nicol and Elliott, Zoe Bestel, Medicine Men, Deer Leader, Bis, Slime City, The Martial Arts, The Muldoons, Life Model, Mt.Doubt, Carla J Easton, Vulture Party and Andre Salvador, Lemon Drink.

I'm a big fan of Stephen Solo who has released 3 stunning albums through LNFG, so although Stephen was unable to contribute, I was delighted to discover that 3 of his songs had been chosen.

Amanda from Sister John explained why her band had chosen to cover Stephen;

I've always loved Stephen Solo's writing and when the chance to do a cover came up, he was the first to spring to mind. The emotional depth and melodic movements of Secrets made it a stand out for me. I saw that we could approach it in a way that hopefully allows a slightly different reading. 

Last Night From Glasgow · Sister John - Secrets You Keep (Stephen Solo)

The list of artists shows the quality and diversity of LNFG's roster; artists, members and the general public have thrown their support behind the idea and the album is well on its way to becoming LNFG's biggest seller.

All proceeds from album sales will be distributed to LNFG partner venues and record stores. The first donations have already been made.

Last Night From Glasgow has come a very long way since forming back in early 2016. I am proud to have played in a part in helping to form the label. These days I'm a member and fan with Ian Smith leading the label with help from an excellent team of directors, all of whom give their time for free.

Ian's passion, dedication, entrepreneurial and community spirit has ensured exciting and incredible development. The label is getting stronger every year and just look again at that roster! The label is now home to Bis, Close Lobsters and Starless, as well young guns Cloth, Mt. Doubt and Lola In Slacks.

Sophie from Lemon Drink

Photograph by Brian Sweeney

Also going on tandem with Last Night From Glasgow is the recently announced Past Night From Glasgow which will take much loved, occasionally maligned and some outright ignored classic albums from our past and repackage, remaster and reissue these with new liner notes, occasional bonus tracks and all the love and respect they deserve.

The first release will be Sisters by The Bluebells with analogue masters being tracked down and plans are afoot to remaster at Abbey Road before a release - originally scheduled for later in 2020.

In addition, Komponist (LNFGK) is an imprint of the label focusing on compositional instrumental music, be it Jazz, Neoclassical, Electronica or Heavy Drone.

The label also has the Hive imprint, designed as an initiative for artists, by artists. It provides a self contained toolkit allowing them to utilise the resources of an existing label to publish, release and promote their own catalogue.

PHEW!

Is it really only 4-years since the label formed?!

Ian very kindly answered a few questions on the label and the Isolation Sessions project which I personally think will stand as an important musical and visual document of these unprecedented times we live in. I also caught up with photographer Brian Sweeney who has been working with the label from the start.

You can order the double vinyl LP and CD from the Last Night From Glasgow Shop.

LNFG boss Ian Smith with wife Julia and son Levon at LNFG HQ

Photograph by Brian Sweeney

Firstly, how are you Ian? How are you adapting to lockdown life?

I am fine, there is nothing else for it. I'd rather not have the worst hay fever I've ever had right now but them's the breaks. Working from home isn't really a challenge for me, I've always preferred it. I find Monday - Friday flys by, there's still some kind of novelty factor to the whole process. Weekends are a pain in the arse thought - not being able to go for a pint or visit friends or attend gigs.

The label started to adapt quickly and the Isolation Sessions project was born. Can you tell us how it started and how it snowballed?

It's what we do. I never cease to be amazed by folks who look for reasons to avoid work, I've always looked for work. We are always looking for ways we can make things just a little better. Ways that we can improve things for our own artists but the industry at large.

The scene is full of self serving folks who had all gone to ground recently, they can see no advantage for them so they have disappeared. We, on the other hand, had seen an opportunity to put our best foot forward and show people what is possible. As for The Isolation Sessions, it was a group conversation - primarily between myself and three team members - although everyone was looking on.

Kenny was first out of the traps, suggesting a compilation album, just to keep us busy. I - as is my want - suggested we should make it for charity and support local venues. Gary quickly pointed out that original material would be a better bet, this quickly morphed into cover versions recorded in isolation and then Tim threw the icing on the cake by naming it the Isolation Sessions.. The conversation started at about 15.10 on 18/03. By 15.30 I had already invited Sister John, Medicine Men, Cloth, Mt. Doubt, Broken Chanter and Bis to participate. By 16.30 we had pretty much the entire roster signed up, by 17.00 it was live in the shop and by the following day it had already raised £1,000.

Many LNFG members have commented on the quality of the home recordings. What apps were artists using to record on?

I actually don't have much information on that - I'm guessing Logic and Garage Band will be to the foreground. Lots of the bands have roped in isolation producers to help. Chris Smith from Life Model has mixed about a third of the album and Paul McGeechan is currently mastering the whole thing. It's now a Double Album with extensive and detailed liner notes and art.

CLICK HERE - to listen to The Muldoons take on Stephen Solo's No Pill For What I Got

And Brian Sweeney has been taking lockdown pictures of label artists and members. How important has Brian been to the label? Could we see an exhibition once we get through this?

Brian is a force of nature. I think we have a symbiotic relationship. There is no doubt that his work has graced many sleeves. There is equally no doubt that his work on the Isolation Sessions Portraits might be the best thing he has done for us and it's certainly the best thing we have done for him.

The process of heading into the community and bringing just a little social interaction into the lives of our members and artists has been invaluable. The fact we can keep him working I think, for him, has been a life saver. The body of work that has been produced is staggering and certainly merits an exhibition in the future. That goes without saying.

LNFG is celebrating its 4th birthday, unfortunately without the planned party. Can you tell us 4 of your highlights from those years? Just how far has the label come?

How far have we come? Honestly - we are knocking on the door of being a sizeable national (UK) label. We are now a publishing house, we have a spectacular roster, worldwide distribution, in house plugging, (soon to be) international press support, partnerships with studios, engineers and mastering engineers. We are the complete package. Our output would rival many major labels, this year through LNFG, Hive, Komponist and PNFG we will manufacture 11 or 12 vinyl albums. That's astonishing, there isn't a label in Scotland who could dream of that level of output. We are under budget, generating surpluses and artists are making some money. It was always a good idea, now we are really starting to see its potential.

Highlights? I dunno - so many different highlights. Personally and emotionally speaking for me. Sweeney's Marxist speech at the first ever LNFG event was special. Sci-Fi Steve shouting "We are Bis from (last night from) Glasgow, Scotland" was a joyous moment. So many of my favourite moments centre on Sister John, but them singing Nick Lowe's I Love My Label at the 2019 Birthday Bash - well that's about the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me/us.

Annie Booth and Leo Bargery dueting on The Line was phenomenally moving. I could pick a hundred, I love everything we have done, I love all our releases. I adore the staff I work with and the members who support us. Everything could be a highlight.

If I had to pick one event that will live long in the memory - well Stephen Watt's book launch - goodness me, if you were there, you will never forget it! If you gave me a second, then dicking about in Wakefield with Sister John, Cloth, Bis and Broken Chanter who were all down playing Long Division. That was a joy, like travelling abroad to support your team in Europe.

Thanks to Ian for his time and commitment to music and the arts.

I also caught up with Brian Sweeney to get his take on The Isolation Sessions;

EF - How are you? How are you adapting to 'the new norm'?

Actually been just as busy, but i suppose that was brought on myself, i had packed schedule which evaporated in day one of lockdown, again a lot of planning and prepping had gone into those shoots, i've always been pretty good at not panicking, when actually i should have been shitting myself, when i look back now.

EF - You're taking portraits to accompany The Isolation Sessions album. What prompted the idea?

A couple of things happened on day one which prompted me into action, my dad went into isolation recently having just bought a new camera for his bird watching hobby, he didn’t have a clue how to use itch learned photography like me through film and manual cameras, so i got him his supplies, picked up the camera and went for a wander into the woods near me with my dog Albion and started shooting birds id seen on previous walks, that became a daily obsession,something i've never done before as i rarely use anything longer than a 75mm lens”

After about day 3 i noticed there was less traffic noises could hear and see more nature, that's when the portrait idea came in on the walks realised that the nature had changed around me as people went indoors to isolated thought wouldn’t it be good to document nature during these times and at the same time document people who had purposely taken themselves into isolations thought that LNFG group would be the best to shoot as the whole manifesto of the label was gigging and socialising, i thought wouldn’t it be good for people on the label to meet the others be it online and hopefully keep the community moving and talking, meeting new folk and putting names to faces..i studied at a documentary photography based school in london,so curiosity was ingrained into me…id never even net a lot of these people.

i took the idea to ian and he said “go for it, we can cover expenses”

How is it going? What has the response been like?

the response was pretty slowly think people were genuinely concerned about doing it, but after a wee bit of perseverance the floodgates opened,its been amazing, the rules were simple i had to be more than 2.5 metres away from subjects think when people saw this was doable and safe and looked coolly inbox went mental,its been an absolute joy to meet everyone, to talk to everyone,just like me, they need something to break the monotony of the day, its just growing and growing,we've nearly hit 100 members and artists now which is pretty amazing as i thought 60 would be incredible….i've another 9 booked in for next week’s planning for monday.

You've been involved with LNFG from the very start through its 4-year existence. How have you seen it develop?

didn’t think it would last longer than 2 years, it was such a beautiful idea and concept i dint think it would work in todays climate.,but its been beautiful, just gets better and better and is starting to feel like a gang now, the fact that is covers all genres is brilliant too, best label i've ever worked with.And the delegation of management has meant all artists are looked after…beautiful people beautiful music

Find out more about Last Night From Glasgow and the Isolation Sessions
www.lastnightfromglasgow.com