My Favourite Albums Of 2013

Even though I've always been partial to female musicians, whether they are singers, songwriters guitarists, or rockers, this year more than ever it was the girls who dominated by iPod and stereo. There's even a few that I've failed to include that I truly loved: Alessi's Ark's lovely third album The Still Life; Caitlin Rose's fun follow-up to her debut, The Stand-In; Juliana Hatfield's underrated collaboration with Nada Surf's Daniel Caws, Minor Alps; Speedy Ortiz's 90s style alternative rock; Lissie's joyful pop; Mazzy Star's long-awaited comeback and Laura Marling's elegant and beautiful Once I Was An Eagle. I really wanted to include them all but a few of those annoying boys just couldn't be ignored so unfortunately it isn't an all-girl end of year list (but almost). These are my 10 favourites. Well, right at this minute anyway...

My Favourite Movies Of 2013

I watched over 200 films last year, old and new, and most I really enjoyed but there were a few that definitely didn't live up to expectations. I think one of the biggest disappointments of the year was Baz Luhrmann's gaudy mess The Great Gatsby which turned one of the greatest American novels into a series of brash music videos. It did get better during the second half but I don't know if I can ever forgive the awful visual assault of the first half. It was by far the worst film I saw in the cinema this year. Surprisingly though there were some great, actually superior sequels, namely The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, The Hobbit: Desolation Of Smaug and Star Trek Into Darkness, which may have missed my top ten but I loved them all. Stoker was my favourite film of the year though, propably more due to the skills of director Chan Wook-Park and the strangely beautiful Mia Wasikowska. This may all change though as there are still loads I have yet to see. But for now these are the films I loved in 2013:

1. Stoker
2. Nebraska
3. Mud
4. La Vie d'Adèle (Blue Is The Warmest Colour)
5. Anchorman 2
6. Gravity
7. Monsters University
8. Frances Ha
9. Django Unchained
10. La Grande Bellezza (The Great Beauty)

Merry Christmas!

Best Gigs Of 2013

Although I didn't go to as many shows this year there were still definite highlights and a few shows that I will never forget. I got to see Neil Young with Crazy Horse for the first time, a longtime dream, not to mention seeing Christine McVie briefly reunite with Fleetwood Mac for Don't Stop at the O2 Arena. I didn't do the festival thing this year (after last year's double dose of rain and mud it was something of a relief to be honest) or see as many new artists but I did get to see a few artists that have long been on my wishlist, like Patty Griffin and Grace Potter, as well as old favourites like Dinosaur Jr and Cat Power. So all in all not a bad year and 2014 is already shaping up to be great too. But for now here's my favourite shows from 2013: 

10. Built To Spill at Electric Ballroom

9. Patty Griffin at the Union Chapel

8. Simone Dinnerstein & Tift Merritt at the Purcell Room

7. Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell at Hammersmith Apollo

6. Grace Potter & The Nocturnals at Bush Hall

5. Neko Case at The Forum

4. Arcade Fire (as The Reflektors) at the Roundhouse

3. Fleetwood Mac at the O2 Arena

2. David Byrne & St. Vincent at the Roundhouse

1. Neil Young & Crazy Horse at the O2 Arena

Neko Case at The Forum

Neko Case
Angel Olsen
Lucy Wainwright Roche
The Forum, 12 December 2013

Out again on a cold, wet and windy December night to The Forum, scene of my last concert from last year, Mark Lanegan, and now my last gig of 2013. Like Lanegan, Neko Case is more than worth braving the weather for even if this is the biggest venue I've seen her in for some time (and sadly I notice later that she hasn't sold it out, with the balcony empty) and there are two other intriguing acts on the bill for what promises to be a fantastic night of music and mischief.