What a year 2025 has been, musically speaking. There’s been a lot outside of music that has been…hmm, disappointing – one way or another. No one was really expecting the dawn of a new socialist utopia, but we had been promised change. And actually if enough digging is done then some change is happening, but the overturning of almost 15 years of misrule is a slow process. Maybe overselling the change was a bit of a mistake, and maybe not making more of every bit of improvement is also a mistake. But, forget all that, musically, it has been a great year.
And what a year it has been for gigs – such a great range of performers at all sizes of venues. Remarkably Bob Weir wasn’t gig of the year – his appearance at the Royal Albert Hall had the majesty of a full orchestra, but to be honest good as the gig was it was the encore with just the four piece band that was the highlight. The AMAUK showcases as usual got the year off to a great start, so many musicians, so little time, with Canada providing the strongest themed showcases of Americana once again which must mean something. That the spirit of independent and innovative music in the genre isn’t owned by the nation that gave the genre its name? Maybe it is that. Ella Spencer’s showcase also featured Jerry Joseph and if previous years have been the year of The Delines or the year of Bonny Light Horseman then, from a listening point of view, this year has definitely been the year of Jerry Joseph.
And as usual there has been a deluge of albums, and within the flood a significant number of superb new titles and new artists. Add in, on top of all that, the release of “A Complete Unknown” and the astonishing “SINNERS” and it’s been a pretty prime year for music films as well. What a year.
Your favourite record’s on the turntable – Albums of the Year
10. Ann Lui Cannon – “Clever Rabbits“. Clever lyrics, open emotions and a strong sense of place on this Ethan Johns produced debut album.
9. Malin Pettersen – “Wild Flowers“. A strong showing from one of Nordicana’s finest. Felt, in places, like an album from the Seventies thanks to the hope that the songs embody.
8. Wes Corbett – “Drift“. It’s just – just! – a really fine collection of the finest of modern banjo playing. Bela Fleck is a fan, which is something of an unarguable seal of approval.
7. Blue Cactus – “Believer“. From the poppier end of alt-country, but with a subtext of darkness touching the soul.
6. Charlie Musselwhite – “Look Out Highway“. We don’t cover a lot of blues, but we would cover a blues album from Dylan. Am I saying “Look Out Highway” is Dylanesque? Not really, but it comes from a similar grounding, and Musselwhite’s harp is a thing of wonder still.
5. The Delines – “Mr Luck & Ms Doom“. Willy Vlautin is still providing great sung vignettes for Amy Boone, so, paradoxically, all’s well in the world albeit that the world of the Delines is not a uniformly happy place.
Haven’t heard it on the radio though – Song of the year
There never was any doubt about it – from the superb album “Panther Tracks, Vol 1” the standout song was ‘Pink Light‘ in which Jerry Joseph literally put his heart on display in a typically passionate, powerful, and rather devastating song. Note the use of the word “typically“, there’s not many people who get that description.
Oh, the songs pour down like silver – Gigs of the year
Poor old December always gets short-changed in this list, and with a couple of pretty exciting ones still to go that’s probably more true than it has ever been. Oh well, can’t be helped. Really there are some wonderful gigs not mentioned below, such as Chuck Prophet at the Portland Arms in Cambridge – a sweaty exhilarating experience with the ever present threat of a guitar blow to the head, or the superb Music of the Incredible String Band at the Queen Elizabeth Hall which surely was Mike Heron’s last musical outing. Mary Gauthier was reliably wonderful – in a matinee! – as was JP Harris in a surprisingly small room. And so many wonderful performers who promise so much for the future – Kassi Valazza, Ann Lui Cannon, and Natalie Wildgoose to name just three.
10. Jason Isbell, Barbican, London – a man and a guitar and a bag full of songs that are on their way to being regarded as classics.
9. Richard Thompson, Eric Morecombe Centre, Harpenden – somewhat akin to Jason Isbell, except classic status has already been achieved.
8. Bobby Weir, Royal Albert Hall, London – with a full orchestra this was an impressive sound, but the four piece rock band could also blow all that extra gloss away.
7. The Music of David Crosby, Barbican, London – a reminder, if it was needed, of how much we’ve lost with David Crosby no longer being with us. But the songs can – and should – live on.
6. Bela Fleck/BEATrio, Cadogan Hall, London – both nights were just a joy, and show that there are still plenty of new territories for Fleck to explore.
5. Mercury Rev, Islington Assembly Hall, London – still the finest exponents of magical realism in the realm of rock.
4. Nora Brown & Stephanie Coleman, Round Chapel, London – a reminder, if it was really needed, that there are plenty of new players ready to take traditions forward – and to build and expand them into their own sounds.
3. Music of Martin Carthy, EartH, London – a marathon of a concert, exploring seven decades of music making with a host of friends of long-standing and a similar number of players ready to take all the music forward.
2. The Delines, Union Chapel, London – a gig that previewed some of next year’s album, highlighted the latest release and made the listener wish for another half an hour to allow for more of the “old stuff”. Leave them wanting more – whilst giving them what they want at the same time.
1. Tift Merritt, Oslo, London – it had been way too long, but after eight years it was as if Tift Merritt had never been away. A powerhouse of a set, and Merritt is just such an engaging performer. If you spend the whole gig grinning even while having your heart broken then you’re having a good time. Come back soon, Tift.
