Some music to get you through Christmas

We have reached the period of the year when, by law, we all have to listen to the same 12 songs over and over and over and over. Here are some alternatives.

Counting down from 10 to 1:

10.5: In waves by Jamie XX

I added this one as I had forgotten it- every bit the equal of the much more lauded ‘in colour’. Great danceable tracks throughout.

10: My light, my destroyer by Cassandra Jenkins

Honestly this is only as low as this because I found out about it yesterday. It is utterly gorgeous- melodic and folky but with some really sonically interesting moments and an emotional range in the lyrics which is just phenomenal

9: The last flight by Public Service Broadcasting

PSB have always had a reliable template- surging percussive sound under archival recordings. And yet they keep it fresh- this album inspired by Amelia Earhart is a perfect encapsulation of their nerdy, joyous approach.

8: God said no by Omar Apollo

Sexy, cool, fluid and irresistible. And the music is pretty amazing too! Contains perhaps the single of the year, Spite.

7: Only God was above us by Vampire Weekend

The preppy charm and literate approach are intact, but the sound feels darker, the lyrics tinged with regret and a deep ennui. An album that captures the current cultural mood brilliantly.

6: All born screaming by St Vincent

Restlessly inventive, unbelievably cool, but always with a clarity about what she is doing that makes the work totally accessible. In another year, would be #1, probably

5: Alligator bites never heal by Doechii/ World wide whack by Tierra Whack

Yes, I have broken the ‘top 10 albums’ rule, but neither of these are presented as albums, so sue me. Two wildly original, scatological, funny, funky hip-hop albums by female artists who, for me, far outstripped their male counterparts this year.

4: Romance by Fontaines DC

This is a riot- banger after banger- practically every track could be a single. Is it rock? Don’t care, it’s absolutely great.

Now, we come to the holy trinity of 2024….

3: The rise and fall of a midwest princess by Chappell Roan

This album has a bit of a reputation as bubblegum pop- and yeah, Hot to Go is that, but she can do power pop, ballads, and the most vicious and brilliant breakup song (My Kink is Karma) since Cry me a river. Only less problematic.

Also, music moment of the year was her VMA performance. No contest

2: Brat and it’s completely different but also still brat by Charli XCX

Brat has three of the best tracks of the year amid some eminently skippable filler. The remix album elevates the skippable tracks, sometimes (I think about it all the time) to the point when they rival some of the more mainstream future classics. And Robyn! I love Robyn.

1: Hit me hard and soft by Billie Eilish

She lays out her stall in the first two tracks- the contemplative Skinny, then the lustful, bouncing Lunch. The message is clear- she can do it all. So then she does it all, often across a single track. L’amour de ma vie starts as a ballad and becomes an electronic breakdown. Birds of a feather is the bitter sweet love song we all wanted to hear. And throughout, that voice… an incredible album.

That’s it till after Christmas from me- have a good one!!