Top 30 Albums of 2021

30. Maximo Park – Nature Always Wins 

Seven albums ion and, the North East gang can still find innovative ways of making their introvert pop music come alive.

29. The Umbrellas – The Umbrellas

The beauty of Jetstream Pony and the pop majesty of the Bangles. Truly joyous!

28. Jackson Browne - Downhill From Everywhere

The maestro proves he still has hearts to melt and thoughts to provoke in his twilight years.

27. Little Simz – Sometimes I Might Be Introvert

All the potential has come to fruition. This is an artist approaching the peak of their powers.

26. Blue Orchids – Speed The Day

Warped Stranglers-esque bangers about the future. What more could you want?

25. The Other Ones – The Other Ones

Intelligent, raw, and emotive, it doesn't just tick all boxes, it shatters them! (Full review)

24. The Catenary Wires – Birling Gap

Amelia Fletcher and Rob Pursey writing partnership have matured to career-high. A great sense of Englishness comes from their folk meets indie splendour.

23. La Luz – La Luz

The fuzz, the funk, the wizardry. More, please!

22. The Shop Window – The State of Being Human

The excitement, hope, and splendor of Blur’s ‘Modern Life Is Rubbish’ is reimagined via the Roses, Ride, and Teenage Fanclub.

21. The Stan Laurels – There Is No Light Without Dark

From The Shins to Housemartins to Edwyn Collins, John Lathrop’s 4th album under this guise is riddled with great pop sensibilities.

20. David Long & Shane O’Neill – Moll & Zelis

Long and O'Neill's life-long connection has burrowed through the inhuman aspects of technology to really connect musically. (Full review)

19. Mogwai - As The Love Continues

Right in the slot of what makes them great!

18. Paul Weller – Fat Pop

Another lockdown (mostly) written album. Weller manages to channel his inner Baxter Dury and Erland & The Carnival on yet another fine album.

17. Billy Bragg – The Million Things That Never Happened

The best album from the Barking songwriter since 2008’s ’Mr Love & Justice. A heartfelt exploration of modern politics, letting go of the past, and parking cynicism to the back of the mind.  

16. Ian M Bailey – Songs to Dream Along To

The heart and soul of CSN, The Byrds, and REM are reawakened here. With help from Daniel Wylie, he manages to conjure endless rays of sunshine.

15. Robert Plant & Allison Krauss - Raise The Roof

The follow-up to 2007’s masterpiece ‘Raising Sand’ doesn’t hit the same highs but, their connections remain as authentic, challenging, and romantic as ever.

14. A Smyth - Last Animals

‘Last Animals’ is awash with the characteristics of great songwriters past and present. Perhaps, at times his vocals don’t find their distinct voice but, to tales this good, does, should, anyone care? (Full review)

13. The Coral – Coral Island

The double album should have been condensed into one truly great one. However, it’s impossible to deny the scouse bands pedigree as they approach their 20th anniversary.

12. For Those I Love – For Those I Love

Despite the specificity of David Balfe’s grief and portrayal of Belfast, his songwriting pertains to a universality opening the album up to all.

11. Desperate Journalist - Maximum Sorrow

An album written in lockdown had the potential to be a lacklustre album from the tour bus; insular and lacking intelligent exploration. Not here, not Desperate Journalist. Every word is packed with vitriol and torment, and despatched with wit, intelligence, and charm. (Full review)

10.. Daniel Wylie - Atoms and Energy

No matter the mood or subject, Wylie can pivot to a happier sonic and thus, allows each song to develop greater depth and value. (Full Review)

9. Fightmilk – Contender

It will bash your soul, break your heart and patch you up mentally, emotionally, and intellectually better than ever! (Full Review)

8. The Reds, Pinks and Purples – Uncommon Weather

Joy and devastating pain collide on this glorious windswept album. The pain of The National is taken for walk Elliot Smith and c86 and the results are sublime.

7. Jarvis Cocker – Chansons d ’Ennui Tip-Top

Billed as the comparison art piece to Wes Anderson’s latest film ‘The French Dispatch’, Cocker has conjured pure majesty on his album of French pop covers.

6. Damon Albarn – The Nearer the Fountain, More Pure the Stream Flows

His second album touches nature with the isolation of lockdown. So pure is its connection with his surroundings, even Bon Iver will wonder how it was done.

5. Afflecks Palace – What Do You Mean It’s Not Raining

So many have striven to be like the greats, Afflecks have found space in their slipstream on this debut. How soon they can overtake remains to be seen but, their destiny clearly lies alongside them at least! (Full review)

4. Bobby Gillespie, Jenny Beth, and Primal Scream – Utopian Ashes

This achingly beautiful delve into a fictional failed marriage is laced with southern soul, Emmylou, and a vulnerability so stark that, you’ll be lost from note one.

3. David Crosby – For Free

After various health scares, Crosby is unsurprisingly reflective mood. The results are astonishing as he turns his soul inside out.

2. The Institutes - Coloseums

This album’s spirit is nothing short of heroic. Its quality vastly towers over its peers. (Full review)

1. James – All Colours of You

Locked inside, missing the death of a parent, the soul should have been crushed. It could have been the end for this illustrious band. However, through the grief and the agony, they have produced a benchmark-setting album. Few can say they have ever laid their soul this bear with such poignant poetry.