This year sees another superb selection of EOY favourites committed to vinyl for your budget priced listening pleasure. I remember TVAM playing at the launch of our end of year booklet way back in 2018, and thinking they were destined for great things, turns out that “great things” was kicking off our end of year compilation in 2022! (and writing one of the best albums we’ve heard all year too, obviously). From the distorted kosmische groove of “Piz Buin”, we segue into the similarly machinated throb of “Ploys” by Working Men’s Club before things take a more relaxed turn with the off-kilter jangle of shop favourite Cate Le Bon from February’s Pompeii.
I have to admit I hadn’t listened to that much Kokoroko when we were selling all their 12’s last year, but Could We Be More was where it really clicked for me, and I’d consider the brilliant “We Give Thanks” as the finest cut from the whole album. I’m pretty sure there isn’t a track from Luke Unabomber’s top-spot compilation I wouldn’t be happy to see here, but to have King Errisson’s “Space Queen” and Pye Corner Audio’s “The Warmth Of The Sun” closing out the A-Side seems like the perfect shot / chaser.
We’ve got post-rock leaning arty indie from caroline in the intoxicatingly climactic “Dark Blue” before the beautifully melodic “Stevie” from Warpaint’s Radiate Like This moves us into more airy downbeat territories. Next up we’re pulled into even more psychedelic realms by Gwenno’s Superb “An Stevel Nowydh” before the masters of modern psychedelia The Orielles present one of the more jagged but most alluring cuts on their brilliant Tableau. King Hannah’s “All Being Fine” grooves away perfectly before handing over to the unbeatable Michael Head & The Red Elastic Band to bring us home with “Gino And Rico”. What a collection!
I have to admit I hadn’t listened to that much Kokoroko when we were selling all their 12’s last year, but Could We Be More was where it really clicked for me, and I’d consider the brilliant “We Give Thanks” as the finest cut from the whole album. I’m pretty sure there isn’t a track from Luke Unabomber’s top-spot compilation I wouldn’t be happy to see here, but to have King Errisson’s “Space Queen” and Pye Corner Audio’s “The Warmth Of The Sun” closing out the A-Side seems like the perfect shot / chaser.
We’ve got post-rock leaning arty indie from caroline in the intoxicatingly climactic “Dark Blue” before the beautifully melodic “Stevie” from Warpaint’s Radiate Like This moves us into more airy downbeat territories. Next up we’re pulled into even more psychedelic realms by Gwenno’s Superb “An Stevel Nowydh” before the masters of modern psychedelia The Orielles present one of the more jagged but most alluring cuts on their brilliant Tableau. King Hannah’s “All Being Fine” grooves away perfectly before handing over to the unbeatable Michael Head & The Red Elastic Band to bring us home with “Gino And Rico”. What a collection!
TRACK LISTING
SIDE A
TVAM : Piz Buin
Working Men’s Club : Ploys
Cate Le Bon : Harbour
Kokoroko : We Give Thanks
King Errisson : Space Queen
Pye Corner Audio : Warmth Of The Sun (Edit)
SIDE B
Caroline : Dark Blue
Warpaint : Stevie
Gwenno : An Stevel Nowydh
The Orielles : Television
King Hannah : All Being Fine
Michael Head & The Red Elastic Band : Gino And Rico