The Hits That Happened

It is that time of year when all music bloggers are contractually obliged to tell you about the music they have enjoyed listening to in the last 12 months. So let's get through it as quickly and painlessly as we can. 

But not before wishing a hearty and happy Christmas to all our readers who celebrate it. This will be the last post before the big day. Have fun and see you on the other side.

And now the interminable list.

Favourite albums of the year

Ten albums in alphabetical order by artist, with Bandcamp links where available. The usual caveat applies, i.e. at least half the list might be different if I did it again in a few days' time. 

"Tama" - Awa Guindo

"In Your Long Shadow" - Lillian King

"The Black Dog and the Wandering Boy" - James McMurtry

"Remembering Now" - Van Morrison

"Swimming" - Sam Moss

"Se Nam" - Nana Benz Du Togo

"Yenbett" - Noura Mint Seymali

 "From Newman Street" - Kassi Valazza

"England Screaming" - Wreckless Eric

"2" - Yalla Miku

Assorted sounds and visions

Some of my favourite tracks from 2025 that have not previously been featured here to show that the zeitgeist is infinite. A few are from the albums above, most are not.

"Doom Monger" - Gina Birch

"The Waulking Songs" - Eleanor Dunsdon & Gregor Black

"The Government Neglects Our Region" - Famo Mountain

"Canopy" - Flora Hibberd

"We Was Kings In The Jungle, Slaves In The Field" - Lonnie Holley

"Jesus & John Wayne" - Googly Eyes

"Pinocchio in Vegas" - James McMurtry

"Enough" - Sam Moss

"Benevolent Dictator" - Painting

"Reggae Poison" - Lee "Scratch" Perry, Peter Harris & Fritz Catlin 

"Fresh As A Sweet Sunday Morning" - Brigid Mae Power

"Hagala Geyeul" - Noura Mint Seymali

"Melodie Is A Wound" - Stereolab

"Once In A Lifetime" - W.I.T.C.H.

"Alemuye" - Yalla Miku

Kris Kringle Song Sunday

I'm afraid its that time of the year again. Time to be subjected to our fourth annual seasonal Single Song Sunday.

This year I have chosen "Deck The Halls" for one reason and one reason only - the MRV from Jacob Miller and his pal Ray I. Mr Miller takes great delight is changing 'holly' to 'collie' (the weed not the dog) whenever the mood takes him. Clearly a man who was up for a bit of Pun Fun.

Before we get to the MRV we have Kate Rusby going full folkie followed by old timey, cajun, surf-rock, 60s cool jazz and 80s funk versions. And then there is something weird from Germany, just in case Walter feels a bit homesick while spending Christmas in Sri Lanka.

"Deck The Halls" - Kate Rusby

"Deck The Halls" - Blueside Balladeers

"Deck The Halls" - Jo-El Sonnier

"Deck The Halls" - Big Mick & The Curl

"Deck The Halls" - Bobby Timmons

"Deck The Halls" - Jay Diggs

"Deck The Halls" - Kostnice

"Deck The Halls (featuring Ray I)" - Jacob Miller

Giddy Prototype

We have had the awards ceremony for Pun Fun 2 and the latest leg of our tour of the Americas already this week, and there are a couple of chunky posts in the pipeline. So I'm keeping this brief and sweet, like a palate cleanser between courses.

While I was browsing on last Bandcamp Friday I stumbled across the work of Artem Bemba, a singer-songwriter from Ukraine. His has put out a lot of music but I was particularly taken by his 2019 album "Harvest" from which the track below (which roughly translates as "There Will Be A Garden In Us") is taken. This album and most others are available on a name your own price basis.

There are some obvious Neil Young influences (the clue is in the album title) but what it reminded me most of was my old favourites Nagisa Ni Te. According to my extensive records they have not appeared on these pages since 2021, which is far too long. I'm taking the opportunity to put that right with this track from their 2008 album "Yosuga".

"В нас буде сад" - Artem Bemba

"Seeing The Sea" - Nagisa Ni Te

P.S. Thank you to the random adjective/ noun generator for the title of the post. I was struggling on my own.

Ernie's El Dorado Pt 11 - French Guiana

Our final stop on our trip around the Americas for this year brings us to French Guiana. Strictly speaking it is not a country but a part of France (where they presumably call it Our Guiana) but leaving it out on those grounds would be to deny you the chance of hearing the local music and deny me the chance of mentioning my holiday there in 2002.

French Guiana is 99% jungle with the result that the vast majority of the population live on the coast. One of the very few towns in the interior is Saint-Georges on the banks of the Oyapock river, which forms the border with Brazil. These days they have a bridge over to Brazil and the wild west town of Oiapoque but when I was there you had to rely on water taxis like the one in the photo.

The town of Kourou on the coast is the location of the European Space Agency's primary launch site. The flight path of the rockets takes them over Devil's Island, where the old solitary confinement cells have been reclaimed by nature - undoubtedly one of the most atmospheric places I have ever visited

 

But enough about me, its time for some music. And who better to start us off than Henri Salvador. Born in Cayenne, he became very big on the boulevards of Paris, with a glittering career in the 1950s, 1960s and well beyond as a songwriter and performer. The song I have chosen has been credited by Antonio Carlos Jobim with inspiring him to slow down samba and invent bossa nova.

  

Our next artist chose to stay in French Guiana and become a star locally. The young Daniel Sinai left Les Corsairs, renamed himself Dany Play and swept all before him in the 1970s. This track dates from 1972. I found it on a compilation called "Disque La Raye - 60's French West Indies Boo-Boo-Galoo".

Sticking with the pop sounds, La Compagnie Créole released their first album in 1982 and enjoyed regular chart success in France and other French speaking countries for the rest of that decade. This is the title track from an album released in 1989. They are still going and only last year appeared on the French version of 'Masked Singer' as a giant hand.  

Another active veteran now. Chris Combette released his first album in 1995 and according to his biography "he has been captivating audiences for decades with his enchanting blend of Caribbean, jazz, French and African music". I'm not going to contradict Mr Little Comb. Today's track comes from his most recent record, 2024's "Laissez faire les Anges".

From CC's "enchanting blend of Caribbean, jazz, French and African music" to a "Guyanese Afropunk some Brazilian flautist". We are talking of course of Yann Cléry and the lead single from his 2023 album "Yann Solo". True to his word, he goes all in on the flute. 

We have a couple of examples of indigenous music for you all next. The Bushinengue is a term given to the various peoples in French Guiana and Surinam who are descended from groups of African slaves who escaped and fled into the interior. Their music is heavily percussion led. 

Angi Fusi features on the 2019 compilation album "Les Bushinengé – Nèg Mawon De Guyane". Wan Ton Melody are on there as well although this track comes from their 2012 album "Peace And Love". I know absolutely nothing else about either artist.

Which brings us at last to the MAR slot. There was no shortage to choose from thanks to the good folks at French Guiana's very own Natural Sound 973 label. I have opted for Jahman T and this track from his 2011 album "Switi Dei".

"Dans Mon Ile" - Henri Salvador

"Mais Tu Sais" - Dany Play

"Cayenne Carnaval" - La Compagnie Créole

"Lévanjil Dan Bouch" - Chris Combette

"Afropunk" -  Yann Cléry

"Songé" - Angi Fusi

"Blesi" - Wan Ton Melody

"Rastafari" - Jahman T

Joe Ely RIP

I woke up this morning to the news that Joe Ely left us yesterday. The angels musta notta gotta lotta sleep last night. RIP Mr Ely.

"Tonight I Think I'm Gonna Go Downtown" - Joe Ely

"Tennessee's Not The State I'm In" - Joe Ely

"The Road Goes On Forever" - Joe Ely

Pun Fun 2: The Results

Ladies and gentlemen, we have another winner! Topping the Fruit and Vegetable Pun Fun chart is...

C with "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polkadot Zucchini"

It became fairly clear after the early votes had been received that it was going to be a two horseradish race for first place between C and Rol with "I Yam What I Yam". In the end C took the win by a marrow margin.

She is far too modest to admit it but I think C may have had an inkling that she was in with a chance of victory. A couple of days before voting closed she sent me this original artwork (as some of you will know C is a very talented artist and illustrator).

I particularly like the use of peas to provide a sense of scale. A zucchini that is only seven peas long can truly be described as both itsy bitsy and teenie weenie.

C and Rol were not the only ones to submit quality produce. Here is the top five a day:  

1. Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polkadot Zucchini - Brian Hyland (C)
2. I Yam What I Yam - Gloria Gaynor (Rol)
3. Kumquat May - Ewan McGregor & Nicole Kidman (Mr F)
4. Sprout - Tears For Fears (Ernie)
5. The Aubergine Genie - David Bowie (The Swede)

I'm pleased with my fourth place although slightly disappointed that my tactical decision to choose a seasonal vegetable didn't bear more fruit. It was my third choice. I originally selected Rocking Sidney's "Don't Mess With My Mange Tout" but had to disqualify myself as that isn't the title. My second thought was "Baby Kumquat" by The Equals but I was worried about splitting the kumquat vote.

Many thanks to everyone who sent in an entry, and thanks also to those of you who did not but found time to vote. We jumped from 11 entries in Pun Fun 1 to 15 this time round. If numbers increase any further I may need to consider amending the scoring system so you can vote on your top five. Any thoughts on that let me know in the comments. 

The current plan is to announce the theme for Pun Fun 3 on Monday 12 January. Until then, we will hand over to The Intruders to deliver their tribute to C, followed by the man who made it all possible.

Gigs-A-Gone-Gone

It has been a fairly busy year on the gig front, having clocked up a round 30. Barring any last minute plans I have no more lined up until January so am now able to share my annual Gigs of the Year list, whether you want it or not. With the usual caveat about the list being different if I were to do this again next week, in date order they were:

Sarabeth Tucek @ West Hampstead Arts Club
Mekons @ 100 Club
Tengger @ Cafe Oto
Zawose Queens @ Dalston Curve Garden
Yalla Miku @ Shacklewell Arms
Celebration of The Incredible String Band @ Queen Elizabeth Hall
Al Stewart @ London Palladium
Vieux Farka Toure @ Troxy
Wreckless Eric @ The Lexington
Blind Yeo @ Shacklewell Arms

Honourable mentions go to others that might easily have made the cut on a different day such as Kassi Valazza, Slow Motion Cowboys, Eleanor Dunsdon & Gregor Black etc etc. 

The most visited venue was the Shacklewell Arms in Dalston where they lay on regular free gigs - inevitably a mixed bag but the highs were very high indeed (see above). 

And finally, also worth noting is the above average level of enjoyable oddness throughout the year, including Tengger and Blind Yeo but also from the likes of Milkweed, ROIS and Rose Io and her alter ego Ecto the Rabbit. More oddness I say! 

That's enough self-indulgent drivel for today. Let's have some live action from some of these folks. The last one lacks the high production values of the others but it was taken at the gig I was at (although not by me).