My Favourite Albums Of 2015

I think this year has been one where I have struggled to find much inspiration in music. I don't know if it's my age finally catching up on me or a lack of music out there to excite me, but I suspect it's the former. I hope it doesn't last but in any case it was pretty easy this time for me to whittle down my favourite albums of the year to just 11. I'm crossing my fingers that 2016 reignites some kind of fire in my music-loving soul but in the meantime here are the few that meant the most to me over the past year.

Best Gigs Of 2015

This definitely wasn't a prime year in gigs for me but it was nice to finally see a few reunited acts live for the first time, most notably The Replacements and Sleater-Kinney, and of course the incomparable Christine McVie back singing with the Mac. You would think that the Fleetwood Mac shows would be my absolute favourites (they were certainly the gigs that cost the most, probably as much as the rest combined) but seeing and hearing McVie singing Everywhere and You Make Loving Fun, although undoubtedly thrilling, was slightly overshadowed by finally seeing The Replacements and the pure ramshackle, joy of their show. Other than my usual fare of alternative and classic rock, I also got to experience some heartwarming pure country shows (Sturgill Simpson and Kacey Musgraves) and even a pop concert, albeit a rather unusual one (the fantastic Marina & The Diamonds). I can't imagine I'll go to many more pop gigs in the future but I do hope next year has some more country in store for me.

Alela Diane & Ryan Francesconi at Bush Hall

Alela Diane & Ryan Francesconi
Vikesh Kapoor
Bush Hall, 11 November 2015

There’s not much doubt that Vikesh Kapoor is a huge Bob Dylan fan. When he walks onstage he is dressed in an outfit that could have been hanging in the legend’s wardrobe back in 1965: short brown suede jacket, drainpipe jeans and pointy Beatle boots, and on top of that there’s the curly hair standing tall on top of his head and the way he carries his acoustic guitar up high. From behind he might well be mistaken for youthful Dylan. Musically, it’s not quite as obvious, although he’s an acoustic storyteller, he reminds me more of the mournful sounds of A.A. Bondy or even Ryan Adams at his most sparse.