Review of the Year

Review of the the Year – The Best of 2021

Yet another bumper year for new releases by new artists, classic re-issues and comebacks from some old favourites.

Despite what the salivating broadcasters and media will have you believe, there was so much more to the year than a new album by A****e, the banality of which didn’t even register on the gingerquiff seismograph such was its insignificance in the shadow of so much in the way of superb and exciting music that moved me. (Yes, I know she has a great voice, but oh so dull).

Anyway, no more focussing on negatives, There were so many remarkable albums this year that, once again, I can’t narrow them down to my ten favourites, so before I run down my Top 10 albums of the year, here are those…

In 11th Place (in no particular order)…

It was so hard to leave anyone out this year, I have loved records by so many wonderful and diverse bands and artists.… Read the rest

Singles Round Up 2021 Part 5

Singles Round Up 2021 – Part 5

Mirroring last weekend, I’ve spent all the time my body can manage doing manual labour in the garden, so I’m back to trying to empty my inbox of the influx of e-mails that show no sign of abating.

As before, not reviews as such, more just a round up of singles, tracks or demos that have stuck their heads above the parapet and caught my attention. Where available, I’ve added them to The Ginger Quiff 2021 playlist on Spotify featuring all the bands/albums that have appeared on the blog (or in reviews I’ve done for Louder Than War) this year.… Read the rest

The Middlenight Men Issue 1

The Middlenight Men – Issue 1 – album review

Like many other new albums in 2021, I’ve been enjoying this one for some time now but due to heavy workload and a general feeling of listlessness and malaise, I’ve never got around to writing about it. With a few days off work ahead of me, and having recovered from the after effects of the AZ vaccine, I’m going to try to rectify that…

‘Marvel’ous

So what of Issue 1 from The Middlenight Men? Well, quite simply it is ‘Marvel’ous. This band has provided the full package. The whole affair is a statement as to why physical releases beat streaming hands down.… Read the rest

Singles January 2021

Singles Round Up – January 2021

Merely two weeks into 2021 and already my inbox is inundated with e-mails – new singles, forthcoming albums, demo’s. Certainly enough to focus my attention on the music and not the ongoing shit-show that 2021 has already shown itself to be.

It is nigh on impossible to listen to everything, but there have been certain songs that captured my attention more than others for one reason or another. Here is a selection of my favourites of the singles I’ve received so far (and I make absolutely no apology for sharing the first three again).

Mark W Georgsson

Theoretically this is a 2020 single given that it was released on Hogmanay, but I’m counting it as one of the first great singles of 2021.… Read the rest