Manic Street Preachers: Introduction and Discography Guide

Manic Street Preachers in 1994. L-R: Sean Moore (drums), Nicky Wire (bass), James Dean Bradfield (guitar/vocals), Richey Edwards (guitar)

    "Rock and roll is our epiphany,"

sing the Manic Street Preachers on their 1992 song "Little Baby Nothing,"

"culture, alienation, boredom and despair."

    That couplet could be the band's manifesto - although it occurs to me that I should probably include the next line, which is "ooh ooh ooh." The combination of those five elements, rock and roll, culture, alienation, boredom and despair, is present on every single Manics album to this day (there has occasionally been a bit more boredom than one might wish, but only occasionally). In particular, I would single out alienation as a key concept that runs through the band's career: from the flat-out punk of their early days, through the glam sound of their early 90s work, the twisted post-punk of their 1994 masterpiece The Holy Bible and the mainstream rock of their later work, alienation both in a Marxist and a conventional sense has been a constant.

    The Manics first started making waves at the end of the 80s/start of the 90s with catchy, politicized punk songs and eye-catching media statements which frequently involved venomous attacks on other bands and musicians. One of their first singles was called "Motown Junk" and contained the line "I laughed when Lennon got shot"; they were operating upon the maxim that all publicity was good publicity. In modern parlance, they were trolling.

    The politics was an an integral element of the band's art at this point. The Manics all came from the same community: Blackwood, a Welsh coal mining town whose economy was devastated by Thatcher's deliberate destruction of the industry. Everything the band wrote was informed by a socialist perspective, and they presented themselves as more of a left-wing Situationist art group than as a conventional rock band. The music, in the early days, was almost an afterthought - the intention was to provoke controversy and debate.

    The band was divided into two discrete elements: guitarist/lead vocalist James Dean Bradfield and his cousin and the band's drummer Sean Moore, who between them wrote the music, and bassist Nicky Wire and Richey Edwards, ostensibly the band's rhythm guitarist (although he could barely hold down a chord and the band frequently unplugged him when they played live), who together managed the band's conceptual side, writing the lyrics and developing with the band's look (which varied from punk to glam to some kind of weird terrorist chic), as well as thinking up publicity stunts and to an extent determining the musical direction of each album.

    Having got themselves a media profile that was frankly disproportionate to both the quality and popularity of their music with their publicity stunts, the Manic Street Preachers announced that their debut album would be the "greatest rock album ever" and sell 16 million copies around the world "from Bangkok to Senegal," after which, mission accomplished, the band would split up. It was around this time that Edwards got into an argument with the music journalist and broadcaster Steve Lamacq about the band's authenticity and decided to prove his point by carving "4 Real" into his arm with a razor blade - in hindsight, this was a bit of a red flag.

    When it arrived, the Manics' debut album, Generation Terrorists of course did not sell anything like 16 million copies - initial sales were around 250,000, enough for it to reach No. 13 in the UK charts (sales figures for Senegal and Bangkok are unknown). The band did not split up, and their career began to follow a more conventional trajectory: the sophomore album attempted to refine the debut's sound, and they began to have hits and do more normal interviews in which nobody ended up in hospital.

    However, Edwards' mental health deteriorated. In 1994, he wrote most of the lyrics and determined the musical direction of the band's harrowing masterpiece, The Holy Bible, before checking into The Priory with mental health issues including anorexia, alcoholism and depression. In early 1995, he disappeared and has never been seen again. In 2008, he was declared dead in absentia, but the case has never been definitively resolved.

    In 1996, the Manics came back as a three-piece with their most important song, the working class anthem "A Design for Life." Their popularity exploded, but they were a different band, still excellent, but more conventional, more mainstream (although on the other hand, I can't think of another mainstream rock band who had Fidel Castro attend one of their concerts). After their late-90s apogee, they sort of blew it with a couple of albums people other than me didn't like very much, before settling into a comfortable middle-age release pattern, continuing to enjoy modest commercial success without attracting much attention. Although their young selves would probably hate the idea of this version of the band, they still write very good songs. The world of music is better for their continued existence.

***

    As you may have guessed, I am an unapologetic fan of this band, the kind who enjoys even random b-sides and finds it difficult to view any of their work objectively. In my teens, I bored the snot out of all my school friends by talking about them ceaselessly for about a year. I like all their albums and personally don't think they've made a bad one - most music fans would disagree with me about that. Above all, I met my wife at a Manics gig in 2013, and so owe the band an eternal debt for making me literally the happiest person in the world. 

    Despite all this, I've attempted to approach their discography objectively while putting together this ranking, aimed at anybody with a passing interest in listening to their work. Incidentally, I've tried to avoid the word "anthemic" as much as possible, because it's a lazy cliché employed by all journalists when writing about this band.

Now, let's proceed to the ranking!

13. LIFEBLOOD (2004)

    After the critical mauling of sixth album Know Your Enemy, and with the rise of the so-called "New Rock Revolution"... 

(It was rock, but it sure as hell was not new or revolutionary - thank you, NME, for that completely inaccurate marketing slogan.)

    ...there was a sense that the tide was turning against the Manics. I reckon their confidence took a serious knock; they seemed rattled in the subsequent half-decade. The result was a convoluted series of sessions with various producers that led to this keyboard-dominated oddity. I rather like it - it has a nostalgic beauty - but I wouldn't recommend starting here. The third single from the album was cancelled, and the band went on hiatus after the tour (I saw them play Leeds University Union in this period - they were actually really good that night).

12. GOLD AGAINST THE SOUL (1993)

    

    This is a real curate's egg. After their hugely ambitious debut album, the goal here seemed to be to refine the glam metal-dominated sound of Generation Terrorists into something more accessible, retaining that album's political edge but displaying it through a personal lens.

    Results were mixed. The best songs are amongst the finest work ever produced by the band - in particular, "From Despair to Where," "La Tristesse Durera" and "Roses in the Hospital" are timeless anthems of alienation. However, the less said about stuff like "Drug Drug Druggy," "Nostalgic Pushead" and "Symphony of Tourette's," the better. The other songs land somewhere between, but are ultimately inessential.

11. KNOW YOUR ENEMY (2001)

    This album would be at the bottom of many fans' lists, but I like its bravery and eclecticism. After releasing their most polished, commercially successful album, Manic Street Preachers decided to spend their cultural capital on this raw, overstuffed collection of genre experiments - their second-longest album after the debut.

    The Manics are often compared to The Clash, whom they have frequently cited as influences - I'd say this is their most "Clash-esque" album, with a more spontaneous recording process, highly political lyrics, and an unpolished, punky feel. It's overlong and several tracks are sub-standard, but it also has a number of great deep cuts such as "The Convalescent" and "My Guernica," and the singles are ace too.

10. RESISTANCE IS FUTILE (2018)

    In their most recent album, the Manics paid tribute to their heroes and wrestled with the issue of obsolescence. They also went full-on FM rock: glossy 80s Van Halen synths, harmonized guitars, big choruses (well, big choruses are pretty much a given) and a very shiny production job courtesy of their new studio, Door to the River.

    The album is perhaps a little overproduced, but it's full of great, immediate songs, such as the Yves Klein tribute "International Blue" and the lament for lost innocence "Distant Colours." As with many recent Manics albums, the highlight is a duet. This one is with Catherine Davies AKA The Anchoress, "Dylan and Caitlin," a moving song* about the final years of Dylan Thomas, with Bradfield and Davies singing the titular roles.

*It bears a passing resemblance to Elton John and Kiki Dee's "Don't Go Breaking My Heart," but I'll let them off.

9. FUTUROLOGY (2014)

    Early 80s post punk and sophisti-pop influences combined with the band's classicist pop-rock songwriting on the Manics' twelfth album, resulting in an infectious album of art-rock full of guest spots and left turns. The album's overt artsiness resulted in it being one of the most critically acclaimed Manics albums.

    Unfortunately, Futurology loses momentum in the last two or three songs, which leaves it lower in my ranking than it otherwise might be - its failure to stick the landing always leaves me feeling vaguely let down. However, the first three quarters of the album contains some absolutely storming tunes.

8. SEND AWAY THE TIGERS (2007)

    After their 2006 hiatus (during which both Bradfield and Wire released excellent solo albums), the Manics resorted to a cliché that is found somewhere in the discography of any band of long standing: they recorded a "back-to-basics" rock album. Send Away the Tigers harks back to various hallmarks of their classic work: "Indian Summer" directly recalls 1996's "A Design for Life," while the glam-rock and punk moves of several other songs evoke their early years. The best track (also the band's last real hit), "Your Love Alone Is Not Enough," a duet with Nina Persson from The Cardigans, is possibly the Manics' catchiest song of all time, and the album as a whole is a tad insubstantial but great fun.

7. JOURNAL FOR PLAGUE LOVERS (2009)

    Based on a folder full of lyrics and poetry that Richey Edwards gave to the other band members shortly before his disappearance, Journal for Plague Lovers is an oddity in the late Manics catalogue. In their catalogue as a whole, in fact - they don't have another album remotely like this. Unlike the word salads Richey lyrics tended to result in back in the 90s, here Bradfield, Moore, and Wire prune Edwards' screeds into haikus of despair, and pair them with cold, minimalist art-punk. It's not an unequivocal artistic success, but it is an intriguing and unsettling listen.

6. POSTCARDS FROM A YOUNG MAN (2010)

    While Postcards from a Young Man was being recorded, Nicky Wire announced that the sound of the record would be "heavy metal Motown," probably causing James Dean Bradfield to curse the impossibility of actually creating such a thing. In the event, the sound was basically Manics + strings + choir, which is fine by me. 

    This was the first Manic Street Preachers album not to contain a UK Top 20 single (except Journal for Plague Lovers, but that didn't have singles), and they haven't had one since. Nevertheless, a lot of the songs feel like hits. The album's welcoming, summery tone belies the fact that the album is steeped in melancholy and fear for the future; not only is it musically very beautiful at times, it also functions as an incisive and prescient analysis of the United Kingdom at the start of the 2010s.

5. REWIND THE FILM (2013)

    In 2013 and 2014, the Manics released two albums they had recorded concurrently. According to the hype, the idea was that Rewind the Film was a gentle and rather nostalgic acoustic album, and that Futurology was an arty and experimental effort that would take the Manics sound into the modern era.

    The thing is, I think the acoustic album is actually more experimental and takes more risks than the "arty" one. There isn't really a traditional Manics song on here, and it's full of quirky experiments like "4 Lonely Roads," on which Cate Le Bon sings lead vocals, and "(I Miss the) Tokyo Skyline," which revolves around subtle, looping electronics. Best of all is the magnificently melancholic title track, but it's a late-career triumph from start to finish and their best album of the 21st Century.

(I might be biased - I met my lovely wife on the tour for this album, so it truly changed my life.)

4. GENERATION TERRORISTS (1992)

    From a certain perspective, the Manics's debut album is just college agit-prop sloganeering bolted onto shittily produced pseudo-hair metal. To which I say:

a) There are several songs that are considerably more than that. In particular, "Motorcycle             

        Emptiness" is a classic anthem of alienation with one of the greatest lead guitar parts of all time, 

        and "Little Baby Nothing" is the Manics' first and greatest duet, a beautiful and scathing anti-

        patriarchy ballad.

b) College agit-prop sloganeering bolted onto shittily produced pseudo-hair metal is awesome.

    So yes, Generation Terrorists is much longer than it needs to be at 18 tracks and 73 minutes, yes, the programmed drums sound bloody horrible, yes, there's absolutely no need to get The Bomb Squad to produce a remix of one of the album's least interesting tracks, yes, it does kind of sound like Mötley Crüe got infiltrated by Communists...

    ...what was my point again? Ah, yes...

    ...but it's fun. You can chant along, play air guitar, headbang, and some of the sloganeering makes you think. Plus those two songs I mentioned before are so good I decided to embed both of them.

3. THIS IS MY TRUTH TELL ME YOURS (1998)

    There is a certain vintage of Manics fan who will be furious that I have placed this album, their commercial apex, ahead of Generation Terrorists in my ranking. The widescreen FM rock of This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours was viewed by some as a betrayal of the band's punk roots. The first album where the lyrics were entirely written by Nicky Wire, it often explores grief and depression rather than being confrontationally political - another strike against the album in the eyes of some "true fans."

    However, the songs on this album, whatever their lyrical theme, are brilliantly written and beautifully produced and arranged, and the album's much-maligned second half is a procession of the most underrated material in the band's career. Also, there is some sharp political writing on songs like "Ready for Drowning" and the band's first UK Number 1, "If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next." Taking an anti-fascist protest song to the top of the UK charts is one of the Manics' finest achievements; unfortunately, the song seems to become more relevant with each passing year.

2. EVERYTHING MUST GO (1996)

    After the disappearance of Richey Edwards - never solved, never resolved - there was a question mark over the continued existence of the Manic Street Preachers. However, one day in late 1995, James Dean Bradfield fused two sets of Nicky Wire lyrics into a song so glorious that it alone justified the band's prolongation. "A Design for Life," a brilliant and timeless song of working class self-elevation and systemic repression, is one of those songs with a life of its own. It became ubiquitous in the UK, and soared to the top of the...

    ...actually, it was denied the number one spot by "Return of the Mack" by Mark Morrison. Oh well, at least it beat Gina G's "Ooh Aah... Just a Little Bit."

    In a way, Richey Edwards was still part of the band on this album. Several lyrics are his, including the haunting "Small Black Flowers That Grow in the Sky," one of his finest works, and "Kevin Carter," a song about the true story of a war photographer who, unable to handle the trauma inflicted upon him by his work, took his own life (one of Edwards' last known interactions was to object to Bradfield's decision to give the verses a bossa nova rhythm, but the final version is undeniable).

    Everything Must Go as a whole is affecting, rousing and basically without flaw, containing some of the band's most direct and immediate, as well as their most emotionally resonant, material. It was directly responsible for a new level of exposure and acclaim, and for the Manics' continuation to this day. New listeners, start here: this album contains the essence of the Manic Street Preachers.

1. THE HOLY BIBLE (1994)

    The Holy Bible stands apart from the rest of the Manic Street Preachers discography. Musically, the album's convoluted post-punk is unlike anything else they produced, seeming to come from a darker dimension. Lyrically, Richey Edwards takes the lead - the lyrics of first two albums were written collaboratively with Wire, here it's at least 70% Edwards - and explores the full extent of his torment. The album expresses, in harrowing manner, both self-disgust and disgust with the world. In modern geek parlance, it's the "darkest timeline" version of the Manics.

    Subject matter: prostitution, imperialism, fascism, self-harm, anorexia, depression, genocide, suicide. This is not a cheery listen. It's actually one of the Manics albums I listen to least frequently, because quite frankly it's a bit of a bummer. Edwards was seriously mentally ill at this point, and his pain permeates every note of The Holy Bible.

    The darkness surrounding the group at this point seems to elevate their work onto another plane. James' guitar playing, singing and the melodies themselves are inhuman, focusing on chromatic or minor-key progressions and modes in contrast to the more conventional writing found elsewhere in the band's catalogue. Wire's basslines follow suit, and Moore's drum sound, having previously sounded stadium rock-esque, is stripped down to a bone-dry thud. It's a sound more reminiscent of Joy Division, PiL, or Wire than the band's earlier glam-punk or later mainstream rock stylings. They were never able to recapture the mood of this album (probably a good thing in terms of their mental health).

    There are some people who only have time for The Holy Bible, and can't be bothered with the rest of the Manics discography. While I certainly don't agree with that, I do understand it. This is something else.

2020: My 100 Favourite Albums

    So, 2020. It's been an interesting year. I think I'll leave analysis of the various horrors that occurred to those with keener minds and stronger stomachs than myself, and focus on the primary objective of this blogue: to catalogue and recommend excellent albums from all over the world, but primarily from the UK, US and Brazil.

    Before I begin, this list is entirely subjective. Your list will be different than mine. We don't make lists to have a great big circle-jerk and agree with each other all the time, we do it because there might be an album on someone else's list that you haven't heard and will like, or maybe even because someone's choices might make you reevaluate your opinion of an album.

    I must say I missed a number of albums off this list that I really enjoyed - I had a lot of album-listening time, and if I put all the albums I liked on the list, it would be twice as long. I think 100 is a good, round number, though, and it also forces me to think hard about my choices. 

    The sequence is in descending numerical order of quality - the lower the number, the better the album - although doubtless I will look at this in a couple of months and think "that album should be higher, that should be lower" and so on, but I will resist the temptation to muck about with it. Really, the act of ranking albums like that is somewhat ridiculous... but I did it anyway. Again, I'm sure you'll disagree with my ranking.

    I also feel that there were certain areas that I somewhat neglected - there's a lack of Brazilian women on this list, and not quite enough rap albums. I intend to improve upon this oversight in 2021 by paying more attention to albums as and when they come out - this year was a bit of a mad scrabble to prepare the list in the last few months, so stuff got overlooked, and I have a bias towards rock and indie music, so I favoured those genres.

    I'd also like to mention some websites that help me find albums - if anybody would like to suggest additional ones, I'm all ears. I need more sources.

Diverse Genres: Pitchfork and Metacritic

Metal: Angry Metal Guy

Brazilian Music: Miojo Indie and Sounds & Colours

    With no further ado, here's some arbitrary ranking and categorization of other people's hard work!

100. MACACO BONG: DELTA TRON

    If you in any way like post-rock, I urge you to consider Cuiabá, Mato Grosso's Macaco Bong. They are undoubtedly one of the finest bands in the genre, with distinguished dicography consistently exploratory music produced over a decade and a half. This new album is typically excellent and original, bringing together jazz, blues, funk, trip-hop and breakbeat influences into a typically heady genre stew.

99. ALANIS MORISSETTE: SUCH PRETTY FORKS IN THE ROAD

    People tend to overlook Alanis these days - she's the kind of artist who provokes comments like "oh, is she still going?" Which is a shame, because she definitely is, and this album about motherhood, struggling with addiction and psychological demons and self-empowerment is smart, affecting and well worth your attention. Nobody writes songs like she does and a new work from her is always welcome.

98. TAYLOR SWIFT: FOLKLORE

    I have seen legions of people in forums and comment sections lauding this as the album of the year, and while I can't agree with that, I must say that it's a very tasteful and enjoyable work, as is her second album of the year, Evermore. I've always respected Swift's craft and nous, but this is possibly the first time she's made an album in a style I really relate to. 

97. CARIBOU: SUDDENLY

    I've always thought of Dan Snaith as more of an instrumental electronica artist who sometimes sings, but here he brings his vocals front and centre. The result is a direct, accessible album with a broad sonic pallette that feels more lyrically and melodically substantial than earlier works.

96. PAUL WELLER: ON SUNSET

    In a period of just over ten years, the Modfather has put out six studio albums - and they're all fab. This one was mooted as having house influences, but honestly what I'm mostly hearing is Weller's beloved soul music. All the better for it - ten great, imaginatively arranged songs, with ten great vocal performances. Seriously, I love Weller as a singer.

95. RINA SAWAYAMA: SAWAYAMA

    This is a powerhouse pop album that packs a dizzying array of different sounds and genres into its 44 minute runtime, including rock and even touches of metal on the absolute banger "STFU." Whatever Sawayama touches turns to gold - every song is infectious, uplifting and inventive.

I'd like add that it's a fucking disgrace that the Mercury Prize people did not consider Sawayama "eligible" for their shortlist despite her having lived in the UK nearly her whole life. Pathetic. Change your damn rules.

94. U.S. GIRLS: HEAVY LIGHT

    Meghan Remy has been making some of the finest, most intelligent pop music of the past decade, and this is a typically stellar effort. Elaborating on the template of 2018's definitive In a Poem Unlimited, the album moves from pop-soul to glam-rock to outré experimentalism without missing a beat.

93. PVRIS: USE ME

    Apparently, PVRIS have "gone pop" on this album. Not having heard their previous efforts I wouldn't know, but this is an absolutely storming, hugely infectious and most definitely extremely poppy album, with a compelling vocal performance by Lynn Gunn. Unfortunately, the album's release was marred by sexual misconduct allegations against the guitar player, who was unceremoniously fired from the band. There's not much guitar on the album anyway; I doubt he'll be missed by anyone.

92. IMPERIAL TRIUMPHANT: ALPHAVILLE

    Black metal in general is quite a rural genre, evoking desolate landscapes, mountains, windswept valleys, snowy tundra... would it be too cliché to say fjords? Fuck it. Fjords. Imperial Triumphant, however, are a distinctly urban band, combining the genre's typical unhinged ferocity with sophisticated touches of jazz and avante-garde music typical of their native NYC. I'm undecided if this or their previous effort, 2018's Vile Luxury, is their apex, so why not treat yourself and pick them both up?

91. JUP DO BAIRRO: CORPO SEM JUÍZO

    This genre-blending, gender-blurring record only runs 27 minutes, but in that time it makes quite a mark, moving from passionate and thought-provoking trans advocacy to the explicitly sexual (there's one track that made me feel distinctly prudish!), to Luta por Mim, a highly moving track featuring a verse from rapper Mulambo that might be the year's definitive statement on Black Lives Matter in any language.

90. DOVES: THE UNIVERSAL WANT

    Like they've never been away. The Universal Want adds precisely zero strings to the Doves bow as far as I can tell, but delivers on their soaring, richly produced and arranged Britrock sound just as brilliantly as their previous albums. Their many fans will be delighted with this expert service.

89. JINDER: ALMANAC FOR THE FAILING DAYS

    The former Mercurymen maestro released two albums this year, both of which are worth your time and money. The first, The Silver Age, released just before COVID hit the west, was a fine effort that looked poised to boost his career significantly until the shit hit the fan. This, the second, was written and recorded while Jinder himself was recovering from the dreaded virus and adds a layer of darkness and intimacy to his ever-exceptional artistry.

88. NAPALM DEATH: THROES OF JOY IN THE JAWS OF DEFEATISM

    Napalm Death rarely disappoint. Over the nearly four decades of their career, they've demonstrated an admirable willingness to switch up their sound, from the frenetic grindcore of their legendary late-80s recordings to the death metal of their 90s output and beyond. This album has enough of their traditional fury to satisfy the faithful, but the back half is full of experiments and detours that make it a fascinating listen.

87. CHLOE X HALLE: UNGODLY HOUR

    The second album from this R&B duo is - well, I haven't actually heard the first one, but if it's not a step up from their debut, then I definitely need to go look that up. The exceptionally fine production is full of interesting details, the vocal melodies and harmonies are first-class and the songs are full of empowerment and optimism. 

86. LEVELLERS: PEACE

    One of the small delights of 2020 was seeing the Levellers back in the UK top 10 for the first time since the late 90s - and with a cracking album that feels like a distillation of all their finest qualities. Mark Chadwick and Simon Friend's contrasting voices have equal prominence on this rousing collection of folk-punk songs that speak to our times while recalling this band's heyday.

85. CRACK CLOUD: PAIN OLYMPICS

    The Vancouver art-punk collective have really outdone themselves on their second album. Adding lashings of jazz and noise-rock to their genre cocktail, they have created a fascinating sound that seems to change shape every time you get a grip on it. The album seems to turn on a penny between emotional rawness and arty angularity.

84. PANZERFAUST: THE SUNS OF PERDITION - CHAPTER II: RENDER UNTO EDEN

    A black metal band with the word "panzer" in their name? Ruh-roh. However, as far as I can tell, Panzerfaust are not that kind of black metal band - in fact, there's a photo of them pissing on the Westboro Baptist Church, which hopefully puts them in the clear. Anyway, they're Canadian. Canadians aren't Nazis, right? Right?

In any case, just like Chapter I, this is earth-shattering, ear-piercing black metal with touches of death and doom that skilfully evokes the horrors of war, interspersed with moments of calm and beauty that make the ugliness feel all the more vivid.

83. TATÁ AEROPLANO: DELÍRIOS LÍRICOS

    This is the kind of MPB that I could listen to all day. Evocative - but not derivative - of classic artists like Caetano Veloso and Tom Zé, with the urbane touches of modern counterparts such as Tim Bernardes and Juliano Gauche, Delírios Líricos is smart, resonant and brilliantly arranged.

82. JEFF TWEEDY: LOVE IS THE KING

    Jeff Tweedy is one of those guys who just has vibes. On this album at least, he's not necessarily always doing anything so different from hundreds of other singer-songwriters (though both of them definitely have at some point!), but he has an indefinable feel that makes him stand out from the pack. This low-key lockdown record is steeped in what Tom Waits once referred to as "that feel."

81. HAVOK: V

    It's been rather a good year for good ol' thrash metal, with Mr. Bungle (see below) and a host of acts old and new releasing fine albums. Denver band Havok's fifth effort was particularly excellent. The riffing is tight and relentless, and David Sanchez's rasping shriek brings intensity to the album's political aggression.

80. THIAGO FRANÇA: KD VCS

    This remarkable composition, performed entirely on solo saxophone by França, known for his work with Metá Metá and his Carnival music project A Espetacular Charanga do França, perfectly encapsulates the solitude of lockdown using all the sonic possibilities, both tonal and atonal, of his instrument. The title is Brazilian Portuguese textspeak meaning something like "where have you all gone?"; the whole piece is haunted by loneliness.

79. KING GIZZARD & THE LIZARD WIZARD: KG

    An Australian psychedelic rock band who won't make you want to vomit and tear your eardrums out of your skull!

    Just in case you didn't get it, that was a joke about Tame Impala.

    I fucking hate Tame Impala.

78. RUFUS WAINWRIGHT: UNFOLLOW THE RULES

    Another absolute belter of an album from the purple-blooded prince of singer-songwriting. I can't remember him releasing anything this enjoyable for quite some time, maybe since 2007's Release the Stars. Wainwright's trademark lushly arranged modern torch songs with soaring choruses are back with a vengeance.

77. TRAVIS: 10 SONGS

    After a period in which Fran Healy was delegating much of the songwriting in Travis to bassist Dougie Payne - with better results than you might expect - he's back with a vengeance on 10 Songs. Expect absolutely no concessions to the passage of time. This sounds almost exactly like The Man Who and The Invisible Band, and it's maybe a couple of timeless anthems short of being as good as those albums, but it's every bit as much of a pleasure to listen to.

76. LUEDJI LUNA: BOM MESMO É ESTAR DEBAIXO D'AGUA

    My one criticism of this album is that musically, it doesn't really offer anything I haven't heard before. However, it is rare to hear a modern MPB album with this level of excellence across the board. The jazz-tinged musicianship and songwriting are masterly; it is the mere quality of this album that elevates it above its peers.

75. WIRE: MIND HIVE

    Wire are a band that never, ever sit on their laurels, always seeking new territory and new songs, rarely playing large sections of their prodigious back catalogue live - and yet, they're always immediately recognisable. Mind Hive has echoes of past classics, but has a discipline and simplicity that is all its own.

74. LOMELDA: HANNAH

    There's something about the simplicity and directness of this set that really appeals to me. These affecting songs about solitude, companionship and self-knowledge with their unadorned arrangements go straight to the heart.

73. NADINE SHAH: KITCHEN SINK

    This is a difficult album to describe - whatever box I try to put it in, it just won't fit. Very frustrating when you're trying to sum something up in a couple of sentences. Suffice to say, Shah has a fantastic voice and writes brilliant lyrics and melodies, and producer Ben Hillier creates richly detailed and eclectic sonic backdrops that bring a sense of adventure and grandiosity to proceedings. If you want to know what it sounds like, go listen to it.

72. TIM BURGESS: I LOVE THE NEW SKY

    This new solo work from the Charlatans frontman is better than the majority of those by his band - and they don't really have a bad album. Here, he explores his love of art-pop, many tracks bearing traces of Eno's early solo work and that of his contemporaries in the early 70s - however, Burgess's instincts are generally more upbeat and major-key than those artists, resulting in an album that is both clever and full of warmth.
    

    By the by, Burgess has also been bringing a shaft of light into many people's 2020 with his Twitter listening parties, with an eclectic range of great musicians guiding participants through a wide array of albums old and new. Find out more at the listening party website.

71. SHIRLEY COLLINS: HEART'S EASE

    One of the musical highlights of the past half-decade has been the return from retirement of one of English folk music's premier voices, Shirley Collins, after over 35 years of near-total silence. This follow-up to her comeback album Lodestar is even better than that excellent album, with Collins inhabiting the voices in this set of (mostly) traditional songs with total command. An album full of emotion and wisdom.

70. SUMAC: MAY YOU BE HELD

    This is as heavy as lead, a dense, sludgy post-metal epic that sometimes goes off into drone territory. However, it offers moments of light and optimism amidst the ugliness that give the heaviest moments additional impact. Another reason to love Sumac is that they're boycotting Spotify. #FuckSpotify

69. JAY ELECTRONICA: A WRITTEN TESTIMONY

    Honestly, Mr. Electronica is my second-favourite Jay on this album. His beatmaking is excellent, and his writing thought-provoking, but this would be half the album without Jay-Z, who gives possibly his best vocal performance since Watch the Throne. However, unfortunately, I have to add a caveat: the album contains antisemitic dog-whistles. Such idiocy mars the album, and is beneath the dignity of everybody involved.

68. GORILLAZ: SONG MACHINE, SEASON ONE: STRANGE TIMEZ

    Best Gorillaz album since Plastic Beach! Best Albarn album since... well, actually since the last Blur album, which was five years ago. Gorillaz' Song Machine series of singles has been a highlight of this shitty year, and this full-length collection, packed with superb guest features and some of Damon Albarn's best pop songwriting, is an absolute delight.

67. SUFJAN STEVENS: THE ASCENSION

    Sufjan hasn't released a proper solo studio album for a long time, and this 80-minute electro epic could not be more different from 2015's spectral Carrie & Lowell. The album's length, and its contrast of pop arrangements with drawn-out, impressionistic song forms, seems to have confused some critics, but this is an album that richly rewards time and attention.

66. FACELESS BURIAL: SPECIATION

    This album is pure, distilled essence of death metal, nasty, brutal and pummelling, with brainy touches that remind me of the work of bands such as Death and Cynic. The chemistry of the band's playing, and the sheer aggression, makes them a worthy successor to the greats, and the homage never sounds like mere pastiche - this death is alive. 

65. GIL SCOTT-HERON/MAKAYA MCCRAVEN: WE'RE NEW AGAIN

    This is the second time that Gil Scott-Heron's final album has received a makeover, after Jamie xx's commissioned remix in 2011. The jazz-soul sound renowned drummer McCraven creates is a perfect fit for Scott-Heron's last stand, and a worthy tribute. It's almost as good as the original.

64. THE WEEKND: AFTER HOURS

    If on his previous album, Abel Tesfaye took his hipster R&B sound to the dancefloor, on After Hours (as the name suggests) he has created a soundtrack for solitary introspection. His music is stripped of frills and features, and reduced to its bitter, bruised essence.

63. BLACK ROYAL: FIREBRIDE

    On their second album, this Finnish death-doom metal band have pivoted towards the death side of their equation, with speeded-up tempos giving their trademark killer riffs extra bite. Riku Niemelä's mighty roar on this album would be my favourite extreme metal vocal performance of the year, were it not for a certain Mr. Patton... 

62. ARCA: KICK I

    Arca vaguely gestures towards the mainstream on this one - she hasn't exactly gone full-on pop, but collaborations with artists such as Björk, Rosalía and Sophie are good indications of where she's headed here. A smart, engaging collection of modern avant-garde pop songs.

61. OZZY OSBOURNE: ORDINARY MAN

    Hopefully, Ordinary Man is not Ozzy Osbourne's final album - he certainly has plans for at least one more, so let's pray to the gods of metal that Parkinson's doesn't rob him of the ability to record it. However, were this to be the last one, at least he would be going out at the top of his game - this is his finest work since the 90s, showcasing his patented gonzo blend of glam, alt, trad and doom metal to great effect. Even the kooky song about aliens is great.

60. JEFF PARKER: SUITE FOR MAX BROWN

    In lieu of a new Tortoise album (did I mention they're my favourite post-rock band?), I'm more than happy to accept this jazz odyssey from their longtime guitarist. This is an imaginative and varied set full of outstanding instrumental performances, not least from Parker himself.

59. NO JOY: MOTHERHOOD

    On the first No Joy album in a half-decade, Jasmine White-Gluz has spiked her shoegazey dream-poppy brew with a shot of eclecticism, injecting it with doses of trip-hop and 90s-style breakbeats. However, her consistent focus on providing that crucial combination of melody and noise gives the album focus and makes for a thoroughly satisfying listen.

58. THE FLAMING LIPS: AMERICAN HEAD

    In which the Flaming Lips take the conceptual cohesion and dark social commentary of their latter-day work and combine it with the sound of The Soft Bulletin (still their masterpiece). The resulting work is fit to stand alongside the finest moments in their esteemed discography. Essential for fans, and not a bad entry point for newbies.

57. BRUNO SCHIAVO: A VIDA SÓ COMEÇÕU

    Bruno Schiavo is an excellent singer-songwriter whose work reminds me of the likes of Mutantes (apologies for the lazy comparison, but it is genuinely reminiscent). I was also put in mind of certain works by Super Furry Animals, and the excellent rhythm section on this album reminded me of Tony Allen and Paul Simonon's collaborations. Definitely gets my Brazilian Debut Album of the Year award.

56. MARGO PRICE: THAT'S HOW RUMORS GET STARTED

    Margo Price moved away from the more country-based sound of her debut and sophomore releases on her third album, creating a classicist pop-rock sound somewhat reminiscent of Stevie Nicks' work with Fleetwood Mac. Every song here is infectious and distinctive - I don't drive these days, but it would probably make great driving music.

55. DUA LIPA: FUTURE NOSTALGIA

    This excellent pop album looks both forward and backwards, as the title suggests, drawing on several top producers to update the Madonna/Kylie electro-disco aesthetic for 2020. Future Nostalgia is certainly considerably better than the recent efforts of those two singers. I recommend it for the parties you're currently unable to have.

54. NICK CAVE: IDIOT PRAYER: NICK CAVE ALONE AT ALEXANDRA PALACE

    This powerhouse performance, just Nick Cave and his piano, goes on over 80 minutes, but not a single song feels superfluous. Cave is not afraid to expose the weaknesses in his voice as he transforms songs that were previously thunderous anthems into naked confessionals in a set that draws from diverse areas of his illustrious songbook. This is the live album for 2020.

53. THE SOFT PINK TRUTH: SHALL WE GO ON SINNING SO THAT GRACE MAY INCREASE?

    This is a fine set of ambient techno that manages to be both cerebral and emotional, utilizing a broad palette of sounds whilst maintaining a unity of form and purpose. Also, it's a really great album title that skewers the hypocrisy of fundamentalist thought.

52. YVES TUMOR: HEAVEN TO A TORTURED MIND

    I can well imagine that the bold, jarring soundscapes explored on this album would indeed be heaven to a tortured mind. On their most successful album to date, Sean Bowie does their namesake proud with a set of twisted, infectious avant-pop songs that could be seen as modern analogue of the Berlin trilogy.

51. TIM HEIDECKER: FEAR OF DEATH

    With a little bit of help from his friend, the prodigiously talented Natalie Mering AKA Weyes Blood, Heidecker has created his finest album. Retreating somewhat from the political edge of his anti-Trump songs, this set of wry, self-deprecating songs about - well, fear of death - is beautifully arranged, and Mering's solo performance on the album's final song is, as always, a tour de force.

 

50. SIGUR RÓS: ODIN'S RAVEN MAGIC

    Technically, I'm not sure if I should be including this as it was recorded over a decade ago. It's so bloody good though, the best Sigur Rós-related thing to come out since ( ), epic, operatic and grand.

49. BC CAMPLIGHT: SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF

    The combination of darkness and self-effacing humor that Brian Christinzio pulls off on this album is almost as impressive as the richly detailed musical textures. Altogether, it's a masterpiece of songwriting and musicianship that combines the home-made with the epic.

48. SPARKS: A STEADY DRIP, DRIP, DRIP

    This is probably the best Sparks album since... well, actually, all Sparks albums are pretty awesome. This is another Sparks album, and they are still at the top of their game. If you like Sparks, you will probably enjoy this. In fact, if you like Sparks you probably already have this. Come to think of it, this entry is pretty superfluous. I should probably cut it out and replace it with an one for an up-and-coming band who aren't as good as Sparks.

47. UNLEASH THE ARCHERS: ABYSS

    Unleash the Archers are the best power metal band in the world right now. Their combination of speed, brilliant playing, and the splendid vocal acrobatics of Brittany Slayes, is irresistible. I'm not sure which is better, Abyss or its predecessor Apex, so I suggest you go listen to them both.

46. JARV IS: BEYOND THE PALE

    This album was recorded partly live, apparently, combining improvised passages with more thought-out studio work. It could have been recorded on top of the Taj Mahal for all I care - it's Jarvis bloody Cocker, who I always enjoy, and what's more it's his best work since the last Pulp album.

45. CREEPER: SEX, DEATH & THE INFINITE VOID

    I'll be honest, I could do without the wince-inducingly pretentious spoken word passages on this album, and the concept means nothing to me. The choruses, though - oh, the choruses. The choruses are huge. Wall-to-wall rock bangers like they used to make back in the 90s. My inner Weezer fan is deeply satisfied, something I can't really say about most latter-day Weezer albums.

44. SEVDALIZA: SHABRANG

    The minimalism of this dark avant-pop epic, combined with the generally low bpms and glacial atmosphere, has the power to unsettle, as do some of the lyrics. It might not be the year's most accessible album, but it is a very impressive work of art, and consistently impressive across its 58-minute run time.

43. BOLDY JAMES & THE ALCHEMIST: THE PRICE OF TEA IN CHINA

    Boldy James has been busy this year, releasing multiple albums. So has beatmaker The Alchemist, as a matter of fact: his album with Freddie Gibbs is also well worth seeking out and has appeared on many year-end lists. I prefer this, though, partly because Boldy James is much more to my taste as an MC - his richly detailed lyrics and exceptional rhythmic control are hugely impressive.

42. THE OCEAN COLLECTIVE: PHANEROZOIC II - MESOZOIC / CENOZOIC

    The Ocean's series of albums based on geological eras continues to fascinate. This particular entry covers the period from the age of dinosaurs to the modern day, and moves seamlessly from crushingly heavy progressive metal to atmospheric post-rock passages. I've no idea exactly how the concept relates to the music, but they've created a thing of beauty here.

41. NUBYA GARCIA: SOURCE

    Source is this prodigiously gifted saxophonist's debut as a bandleader, and I'm hoping for many more. The strong dub and R&B influences create a modern fusion style that perfectly complements Garcia's inspired playing, creating a distinctive and consistently enjoyable album.

40. DRAKEO THE RULER: THANK YOU FOR USING GTL

    Drakeo the Ruler pulls off a neat conceptual trick on this album. Currently trapped within the USA's prison-industrial complex, he recorded all his vocals for this album over the phone, and his inclusion of the pre-recorded messages from prison phone service operator GTL carries with it an implicit criticism of the way in which US prisons profit from their inmates. The lyrics are biting, the vocal dexterity is impressive, and the beats are top-notch. Highly recommended.

39. CAR SEAT HEADREST: MAKING A DOOR LESS OPEN

    Will Toledo's newest album did not receive universal acclaim, and I can see why - the songs are much less anthemic, and it's probably his most jarring change of style since his move from cult Bandcamp favourite to indie darling a half-decade or so ago. I love it, though - these mantra-like, often electronic-led songs are highly affecting and effective, and I always like to hear artists adding new strings to their bow.

38. BARTEES STRANGE: LIVE FOREVER

    One of the most gratifying musical trends over the past decade has been the increasing prominence of Black voices in indie-rock, led by pioneers such as Shamir (who released two albums in 2020, both of which are excellent but neither of which quite made it into my top 100) and now Bartees Strange, whose debut album is a truly original and unique work that demands to be heard. Live Forever blends an array of modern genres seemingly effortlessly into a cohesive, affecting style.

37. BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN: LETTER TO YOU

    The Boss is Back! Well, actually, he released an album in 2019, but this time he's brought the E Street Band into the studio for the first time in ages, and basically just jammed these tunes out with them almost live. There are a clutch of excellent new songs here, and he's dug out three outtakes from the early 70s, but what really stands out is the chemistry and energy of the band playing together in the studio. A welcome entry into the Springsteen canon.

36. NEGRO LEO: DESEJO DE LACRAR

    Negro Leo nails it every time. Every album of his is just fantastic - there's no other musician on the planet like him. His avant-garde, jazzy MPB brew is impossible to categorize (beyond vague, reductive statements like "avant-garde, jazzy MPB") and always carries a satirical or political edge. Desejo de Lacrar is one of his best works - I might not know how to describe it properly, but I can certainly recommend it.

35. KID CUDI: MAN ON THE MOON III: THE CHOSEN

    Kid Cudi's latest installment in his Man on the Moon series is a self-conscious return to form. His first full-length solo hip-hop album for four years, it may not have the originality of some of his early work, but it displays a maturity and a mastery of the form that comes from many years of boundary-pushing. It's a celebration of all things Cudi, the light and the dark side.

34. JEFF ROSENSTOCK: NO DREAM

    Jeff Rosenstock's previous album, POST-, was a cathartic blast of anger and frustration that anybody horrified by the Trump administration and the direction the world is going in could relate to. No Dream is... much the same thing, to be honest, and still very welcome. Trump may be on his way out, but unfortunately I think we'll be needing artists like Rosenstock for quite some time to come.

33. LUCINDA WILLIAMS: GOOD SOULS BETTER ANGELS

    One of the greatest, most distinctive voices in American roots music returns with a state-of-the-nation address. Good Souls Better Angels is a tighter, more focused set than the sprawling double-albums Williams is known for, channeling political anger and making good use of modern production touches to create one of her most energetic collections.

32. PORRIDGE RADIO: EVERY BAD

    This intense, exhilarating album from a band I'd never heard of was one of the more pleasant surprises in a year full of them. Dana Margolin's vocals have a rare honesty and authenticity, and the band's brand of alt-rock is full of imagination and invention. This is their fourth album, so I shall have to dig into the back catalogue.

31. MR. BUNGLE: THE RAGING WRATH OF THE EASTER BUNNY DEMO

    Mike Patton is not an artist who's accustomed to looking backwards, but on this occasion he's gone backwards to go forwards, assembling a version of Mr. Bungle augmented by Dave Lombardo of Slayer and Scott Ian of Anthrax to create an album on the foundation of the band's original demo from the late 80s. Perhaps unsurprisingly, it's a collection of feral crossover thrash with a psychotic vocal performance from Patton.

30. RASHID: TÃO REAL

    For his third official studio album, Paulista rapper Rashid has delivered one of those epic hour-plus-long albums that supposedly died out in the 90s. The concept is simple: it's an album for you to listen to in the street. Unfortunately we haven't been listening to too much music in the street this year, but I enjoyed this excellent, generous-spirited album just fine in my bedroom.

29. DESTROYER: HAVE WE MET

    I really should be more familiar with Destroyer, an artist whose extensive back catalogue has a formidable reputation. However, when this came out I had to answer the eponymous query in the negative. The smart indie-pop on this excellent album makes it clear to me that exploring the Destroyer discography should be a priority.

28. JESSIE WARE: WHAT'S YOUR PLEASURE?

    This is an absolutely flawless dance-pop album in a year where several such records have been released by the likes of Lady Gaga, Kylie Minogue, Dua Lipa, et cetera. Jessie Ware's subtle, sophisticated take on the genre tops all those other releases, boasting a consistently engaging blend of modern production and classicist arrangements.

27. FONTAINES D.C.: A HERO'S DEATH

    This Irish quintet appear to have been anointed Rock's Great New Hope - and listening to their second album, I tend to concur. Their post-punk sound reminds me of several great historic bands without aping any of them, the songwriting and musicianship is absurdly strong, and Grian Chatten is a natural frontman with an instantly recognisable voice. These guys should go far.

26. RIZ AHMED: THE LONG GOODBYE

    After suffering through a long, abusive relationship, Riz Ahmed is breaking up with Britannia. That's the central metaphor on this album, in which Ahmed vents his anger at the UK's slow transformation from a modern, multicultural nation into a small-minded, delusional Little Britain, a global joke, a country whose priorities have become so twisted that it places the prejudices of racists and bigoted xenophobes before its own economic self-interest; a foreigner-hating fascistic backwater that fetishises deportation (I could add about twenty more run-on clauses to that sentence - I'm nearly as angry as Riz). The music, somewhat reminiscent of MIA, is excellent, and Ahmed's vocal delivery is highly effective at conveying his anger and sense of betrayal.

25. ANAAL NATHRAKH: ENDARKENMENT

    Anaal Nathrakh have always been ferociously heavy, and that doesn't change on Endarkenment. What is different is the increased emphasis on sugar-coating the horror with melody, creating a sound that's as infectious as Covid and about as pleasant (if you think that simile's in bad taste, I know a guy who wrote a song called Catchy Like Corona).

24. NO HOME: FUCKING HELL

   

    This raw, disturbing album is the product of a serious talent. Listening on headphones, the combination of the cathartic lyrics and vocalisations with DIY aesthetics and electronic experimentation actually left me feeling a little queasy at times. It's a tough and challenging listen full of difficult emotions and sounds, but well worth the effort.

23. BUSTA RHYMES: EXTINCTION LEVEL EVENT 2: THE WRATH OF GOD

    Making an album that's explicitly a sequel to his finest work is a bold move from Busta Rhymes, especially given that in the two decades since his output has only shown intermittent flashes of the genius that was in full effect in the late 90s. He absolutely knocks it out of the park on this one, though, outshining all his illustrious guests, including Kendrick Lamar and Q-Tip, on the kind of epic CD-length hip-hop album they supposedly don't make any more.

22. KATIE GATELY: LOOM

    With her sophomore album, Katie Gately has produced one of the year's most striking works. Inspired by the loss of her mother, Loom explores grief in a tapestry of electronic and human elements. The album's centrepiece, "Bracer," is an epic tour de force that build from a whisper to a scream, and a contender for my song of the year.

21. RUN THE JEWELS: RTJ4

    El-P and Killer Mike return with their fourth classic in a row. These guys absolutely kill it every time, providing an intense, relentless blast of energy and anger with state-of-the-nation lyrics, state-of-the-art production and perfectly chosen and deployed guest spots. I need hardly say more than that in 2020, they did it again.

20. PROTOMARTYR: ULTIMATE SUCCESS TODAY

    This brutal, chilling deconstruction of Trump's America might just be my favourite Protomartyr album. The musicianship is on another level, crushing rhythms topped with squalling guitars with added layers of jazz-inspired instrumentation. The title phrase "ultimate success today" is repeated numerous times through the album in cold tones of mockery; if you want to know what that means, check out the cover art.

19. VALCIÃN CALIXTO: NADA TEM SIDO FÁCIL TAMPOUCO IMPOSSÍVEL

    Nothing has been easy; nor has it been impossible. On his sophomore album, Calixto really leans into the axé side of his axé-punk aesthetic. His debut, Foda!, shared this album's strong sense of community and connection to his home city of Teresina, Piauí, but there was a darkness and anger to that record. Conversely, this warm, welcoming set of songs about hope, forgiveness, family, and overcoming oppression and adversity brings a smile to my face and peace to my heart every time I listen to it. Axé indeed!

18. JAMES DEAN BRADFIELD: EVEN IN EXILE

    The Manic Street Preachers have always made such a big deal about the lyrical/conceptual side of their songs, it's often overlooked that what really makes it all cohere is the prodigious musical talent of their unassuming singer/guitarist. On Even in Exile, a concept album about the life and times of Victor Jara with lyrics by Nicky Wire's poet/playwright brother Patrick Jones, James Dean Bradfield cuts loose from the obligation to write bolt-on anthemic choruses, allowing him to stretch out and explore his musicality. Perhaps he should continue with this path on the next Manics album.

17. ANGEL OLSEN: WHOLE NEW MESS

    Sometimes, the demos are better than the recording proper - just ask PJ Harvey, who followed up Rid of Me with the demo tape for the album, or Bruce Springsteen, who went one step further, junked the studio recordings for Nebraska entirely and released the demo instead. Angel Olsen already had an excellent album in 2019's All Mirrors; on the demos for that record, now released as Whole New Mess, the polish and artifice are stripped away to reveal the emotional core of those songs, resulting in what might just be Olsen's best album.

16. ELVIS COSTELLO: HEY CLOCKFACE

    Elvis Costello is always worth a listen, whether he's doing one of his genre experiments or making a self-consciously "Costello-esque" record. Hey Clockface, compiled from multiple sessions, is kind of both at the same time, ranging from spoken word pieces to jazzy ballads to startling experimental rockers. One of his most adventurous and rewarding albums.

15. AESOP ROCK: SPIRIT WORLD FIELD GUIDE

    The latest album from the ever-verbose Aesop Rock is a typically dense, trippy listen full of psychedelic beats and surreal wordplay. Spirit World Field Guide is a rambling imaginative journey that gets better with every listen.

14. THE MICROPHONES: MICROPHONES IN 2020

    After a two-decade layoff, Phil Elverum has returned to his former project with a single, album-length track that's a fascinating stream-of-consciousness examination of his past and the motivations and stories behind his songwriting. Not only is it lyrically brilliant, the music, harking back to the late Microphones sound, is consistenly engaging and sonically adventurous.

13. LIANNE LA HAVAS: LIANNE LA HAVAS

    I'll be honest, I probably wouldn't have bothered with this album had it not been for the cover of Radiohead's Weird Fishes, which is excellent - but so are all the other tracks on the album (the fact that it took a Radiohead cover to get me to listen says much more about me that it does about her). La Havas is a very promising singer-songwriter who seems to have come into her own with this album, and I look forward to more from her.

12. ARTHUR MELO: ADEUS

    This album was my first encounter with Arthur Melo, a young singer-songwriter from Belo Horizonte who cites as influences Caetano Veloso, Milton Nascimento, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell and Devendra Banhart, amongst others - but for me his voice and guitar playing immediately brought to mind the late master of bossa nova, João Gilberto. Except Melo deconstructs the genre, turns it inside out and shrouds it in a melancholy and alienation that remind me a little of his fellow mineiro, Jonathan Tadeu. An extremely interesting work. 

11. HAKEN: VIRUS

    My favourite Haken album - fight me! Virus continues the British prog-metal favourites' controversial (and awesome - I will fight you) dabbling with djenty sounds and showcases their tightest, most focused songwriting to date in an album that's all killer no filler. The title is a bit on the nose, but apparently they came up with it long before anybody knew what COVID was. 

10. ONEOHTRIX POINT NEVER: MAGIC ONEOHTRIX POINT NEVER

    This is one of those albums where the artist takes everything they've done up to that point and weaves it into an accessible career-defining statement, like Animal Collective's Merriweather Post Pavilion and several other albums I am failing to bring to mind. Here, Daniel Lopatin's electronic explorations are refined into an album that is as poppy and infectious as it is brave and startling.

9. KA: DESCENDANTS OF CAIN

    I never heard Ka before, but this was certainly a great place to start. Lyrically, this album weaves a Biblical metaphor through several strands of contemporary social commentary and personal reflection in an intellectual and emotional powerhouse of a performance. Musically, the mostly percussionless, ambient beats (or non-beats) are highly original and put the spotlight squarely on the outstanding vocals and writing.

8. PAUL MCCARTNEY: MCCARTNEY III

    One of the more pleasant side-effects of COVID was that lockdown has forced Paul McCartney to eschew the use of producers who were fashionable five years previously in a futile quest to get his songs into the Billboard charts and instead simply follow his muse. Ironically, doing so has made him feel like a much more relevant artist, and the resulting album is imaginative and engaging from start to finish, displaying to the full his knack for creating seemingly effortless hooks. Paul, mate, just produce yourself from now on. You know better than Ryan chuffing Tedder.

 

7. BRIGHT EYES: DOWN IN THE WEEDS, WHERE THE WORLD ONCE WAS

    After a long layoff, Conor Oberst and company return, bringing with them strings, horns, and... synthesiser? Flea playing slap bass? Seriously? The risk-taking pays off, resulting in one of the finest products in an extremely distinguished discography.

6. MOSES SUMNEY: GRAE

    Moses Sumney is one of the most intriguing popular musicians to emerge in the last half-decade and one of the hardest to pin down, hovering between avant-pop, indie singer-songwriter and R&B. Grae is his breakthrough album, stylistically if not commercially, a double-album exploration of identity that forges a cohesive sound from his wide-ranging influences.

5. PHOEBE BRIDGERS: PUNISHER

    Phoebe Bridgers has outdone herself with Punisher, an album that combines intimate, direct indie-folk songwriting whose production is full of light and shade, with sonic details and arrangements that make it an exceptionally rewarding relisten. It's already a superb album when the epic closing track, I Know the End, pushes it over the top into classic status, earning her my "finale of the year" award.

4. ZÉ MANOEL: DO MEU CORAÇÃO NU

    Zé Manoel has such a melodic gift that his softly mellifluous vocals and jazz-soul piano stylings may lead non-Portuguese speakers to mistake this album for background music rather than the tour-de-force of songwriting and musicianship it actually is. The lyrics, whether Manoel is addressing a lover, skewering the racism (now horribly enabled and unleashed in Brazilian society by the miserable creature currently occupying the presidency) or singing for Orixás, deserve the closest attention, as does the brilliantly played and arranged - and subtly eclectic - music.

3. CHILDISH GAMBINO: 3.15.20

    I knew Donald Glover as Childish Gambino long before I clued into the fact that he acts (I don't watch much TV) and have always admired his increasingly adventurous albums, but this is on another level. Every track brings a new sound, from ambient passages to R&B, electro, avant-garde hip-hop - there's so much to unpack on this album.

2. BOB DYLAN: ROUGH AND ROWDY WAYS

    I had a bit of a fanboygasm when Dylan dropped the incredible epic Murder Most Foul back in March, and when I realised it was going to be a full album - well, it almost compensated for the whole not being able to leave the house thing. The wizened Minnesotan sage croaks and croons his way across the 70 minutes of this album with an unmatched authority, and the lyrics - well, agree or not, they didn't give him a Nobel for nowt. 

1. FIONA APPLE: FETCH THE BOLT CUTTERS

    The best album of Fiona Apple's career, Fetch the Bolt Cutters would be my number one most years. This bona fide masterpiece runs the gamut of human emotions with a technical mastery and stylistic boldness that surprised even me, a long-term admirer of her work. And she's also playing piano somewhere on Dylan's album, so she's done the 1-2.