Monday 26 December 2022

The Not Unloved Awards 2022

Sifting through 2022's physical media purchases earlier, trying to contextualize it all, it was apparent that 2022 has been yet another superb year for new music. Without doubt, Lightning In A Twilight Hour's incredibly pretty "Overwintering" took the garland for Not Unloved's most listened-to record of the year. It was a sweet surprise, therefore, to read that BBC 6Music's Mark Radcliffe had selected it as his album of the year in late November - smart man! "Varandra" by Klara Livets was one of the (many - see also the recent lps by Jeff Parker, Oren Ambarchi etc.) lps that got away when the few copies that were available in the UK seemed to disappear in minutes but it's such a lovely piece of work that the lack of a copy stung so discogs was visited repeatedly until a vaguely sensibly priced copy was found. As stated previously, Sylvie's "Falls On Me" was and is something of an obsession but it didn't come out on a physical format so doesn't make the list, below. Same goes for Yea-Ming and The Rumours' majestic trip through the Paisley Underground, "Back To The Days of I Don't Knows""Write It In The Sky" by The Umbrellas on the other hand was most certainly released on 45 and is such an effervescent pure pop JOY that it is sure to be Not Unloved's most played single of the year to date. Not Unloved's resolve to buy fewer reissues in 2022 went right outta the window when much-loved 90s groups such as Hydroplane, The Cat's Miaow and Movietone were, deservedly, given another moment in the sun courtesy of lovingly produced vinyl reissues and it was a real a treat to be reminded of Arovane's majestic "Tides" album, the CD of which hasn't yet been relocated. Oh, and it was lovely to hear Kerry Polwart's gorgeous voice again on the first vinyl issue of 2006's "Young America" by Glasgow's The Poems.

LPs

Lightning In A Twilight Hour "Overwintering" (Elefant)

Klara Livets "Varandra" (Förlag För Fri Musik)

Tacita Trjj "Meeting On Purpose" (Iriai Verlag)

The Web of Lies "Nude With Demon" (Wrong Speed)

Artsick "Fingers Crossed" (Slumberland)

Amateur Hour "Kr​ö​kta Tankar och Br​ä​nda Vanor" (Appetite)

The Garbage and the Flowers "Cinnamon Sea" (Fire)

The Harlem Gospel Travellers "Look Up!" (Colemine)

Carla dal Forno "Come Around" (Kallista)

Yea Ming and The Rumours "So, Bird..." (Dandy Boy)

Midnight Mines "Scratching The Beat Surface" (Trouble In Mind)

Ribbon Stage "Hit With The Most" (K/Perennial Death)


Singles/E.P.s

The Umbrellas "Write It In The Sky" (Slumberland/Meritorio, 7")

Neutrals "Bus Stop Nights e.p." (Static Shock, 7")

Bitchin' Bajas "Quackenbruck" (Duophonic, 7")

Magic Arm "Good Views Near North" (Feral Child, 7")

Pub "Autumn" (Ampoule, 12")

The Hazmats "Empty Rooms" (Static Shock, 7")

Lizzie No "Sweeter Than Strychnine" (Big Crown, 7")

Skiftande Enheter "Oppna Landskap EP" (Happiest Place, 7")

Lewsberg "Six Hills" (Speedy Wunderground, 7")

Seablite "Breadcrumbs" (Emotional Response, 7")

The Gabys "s/t" (Fruits and Flowers, 7")

Almond Joy "Oh Henry!" (K/Perennial Death, 7")

The Catburgers "Dreamworld Sessions" (F-E-L-T)


Reissues/Archival

Hydroplane "s/t" (Efficient Space)

The Cat's Miaow "Songs '94-'98" (World of Echo)

Movietone "Peel Sessions 1994-1997" (Textile)

O Yuki Conjugate "A Tension of Opposites Vols 1 & 2" (World of Echo)

Various Artists "Ghost Riders" (Efficient Space)

Tia Blake and her Folk Group "Folksongs and Ballads" (Ici Bientot)

Stereolab "Pulse of the Early Brain [Switched On Vol. 5]" (Duophonic/Warp)

The Leaf Library "Library Music: Volume One" (Where It's At Is Where You Are)

Arovane "Tides" (Keplar)

Guided By Voices "Devil Between My Toes" (Scat)

Niagara "Parva Naturalia" (Disciples)

Les Calamites "Encore! 1983-1987" (Born Bad)

The Poems "Young America" (Past Night From Glasgow)


Best old record purchased (TURN IT UP!):

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