1. Desperate Journalist – Satellite
Three and half minutes of indie pop perfection with the guitar solo of the year.
2. The Murder Capital – Don’t Cling to Life
Stunning post punk single from the Dubliners.
3. Vex Red – Air
Heavy, droning epic shout-a-long brilliance
4. Squid – The Cleaner
The most brilliantly bonkers song this year from the most exciting new band in the country.
5. Fontaines DC – Roy’s Tune
Melancholic and thought provoking from the band of the year.
6. Sorry – Right Round the Clock
Genre bending brilliance from my most anticipated debut LP in 2020.
7. Elbow – Dexter and Sinister
A return to form for the Bury Boys. Sinister is the word.
8. Aldous Harding – Treasure
Brittle and beautiful.
9. Jesca Hoop – Shoulder Charge
Spellbinding live and heartbreaking on record.
10. Julia Jacklin – Turn Me Down
That middle bridge crescendo is spine tingling.
11. Black Country, New Road – Sunglasses
Scrap the above, this is is the most bonkers song of the year but captivating across all 9 minutes.
12. The National – Light Years
Simplistic but beauteous.
13. Bodega – Shiny New Model
More concise and melodic than their debut LP but unmistakably Bodega.
14. Sports Team – M5
Massive bouncing indie pop about the M5 motorway with one of the most infectious choruses this year, with a ‘Robin Hood Prince of Thieves’ type geographical poetic licence by referring to Aldershot.
15. Big Thief – Not
Intense and slow burning epic first single from their second record of 2019.
16. Mark Morriss – All the Wrong People
The Bluetones frontman is still banging out the hits as good as their Britpop heyday. Summery pop brilliance that takes a swipe at Trump and blinkered Brexiteers.
17. Michael Kiwanuka – Rolling
Could have chosen anything off Kiwanuka but this second track has a brilliant Hendrix/funk distorted Wah Wah guitar line and amazing bass groove.
18. Angel Olsen – Lark
Cinematic epic startling orchestral wonderment.
19. Better Oblivion Community Center – My City
Showcases everything brilliant about Phoebe Bridgers and Conor Oberst’s collaboration.
20. Marika Hackman – I’m not where you are
From the pop record of the year, the lead single is a synthy slinky slice of pure gold about breaking up with someone.
