Start Anew

Welcome to 2026!

A new year brings a new selection of 26 songs for '26, all featuring a new something or other.

99 minutes of top tunes, starting with Beady Eye, Liam's better-than-Oasis band.

There are a handful of '70s and '80s artists, including The Undertones, The Adverts, Breathless, Beastie Boys and Asleep At The Wheel covering Huey Lewis & The News.

A fistful of '90s fun (well, depending on your definition of fun) comes courtesy of Arab Strap, Epic Soundtracks, The Magnetic Fields and Martin Stephenson & The Daintees.

It's mostly 21st century music though, some old, some new, something for everyone from The Isley Brothers ft. De La Soul to Tokyo Police Club, BANKS to Beverly Kills.

A couple of 2025 highlights from Xan Tyler & Dusty Stray and Bedford Falls Players and, to wrap things up, Billy sings Billy, that is, Billy Nomates sings Billy Bragg.

Fingers crossed, this year's going to be a good one.

1) Start Anew (Remix Of 'Dreaming Of Some Space' By JC Of RKID003): Beady Eye (2014)

2) New Moon: Bedford Falls Players (2025)

3) Happy New Year Next Year: Violent Femmes (2015)

4) New Church: The Adverts (1978)

5) A New Chapter: Breathless (1984)

6) New Birds: Arab Strap (1998)

7) Window Shopping For New Clothes: The Undertones (1983)

8) Something New Under The Sun: Epic Soundtracks (1994)

9) New New Song: Tokyo Police Club (2008)

10) Your New Normal: Nine Inch Nails (2020)

11) I Think I Need A New Heart: The Magnetic Fields (1999)

12) I Want A New Drug (Cover of Huey Lewis & The News): Asleep At The Wheel (1987)

13) Big Sky New Light: Martin Stephenson & The Daintees (1992)

14) New Berlin: Beverly Kills (2022)

15) It's The New Style (Vocal) (Remix By Rick Rubin): Beastie Boys (1986)

16) The End Of A New Beginning: Xan Tyler & Dusty Stray (2025)

17) I've Found A New Way To Love Her: Julian Cope (2005)

18) Kinda New (Album Version): Spektrum (2004)

19) New Brat In Town (Unreleased Version By Steve Albini): The Auteurs (1996)

20) New Years (Cover of Asobi Seksu): Boris (2012)

21) Someone New (Album Version): BANKS (2014)

22) New Love Cassette (Album Version): Angel Olsen (2019)

23) A New Chance (Tanlines Remix): The Tough Alliance (2007)

24) Feels Like A New Morning: The Blow Monkeys (2013)

25) It's A New Thing (It's Your Thing) (D-Nat & Onda Reconstruction): The Isley Brothers ft. De La Soul (2004)

26) New Ingland (Demo) (Cover of Billy Bragg): Billy Nomates (2024)

1978: Crossing The Red Sea With The Adverts: 4

1983: Chain Of Love EP: 7

1984: Ageless EP: 5

1986: It's The New Style EP: 15

1987: 10: 12

1992: The Boy's Heart: 13

1994: Sleeping Star: 8

1998: Philophobia: 6

1999: 69 Love Songs: 11

2004: Enter The...Spektrum: 18

2004: ...Taken To The Next Phase: 25

2005: Dark Orgasm: 17

2005: Luke Haines Is Dead: 19

2007: A New Chance EP: 23

2008: Elephant Shell / Extras (ltd 2x CD): 9

2012: Asobi Seksu x Boris Split EP: 20

2013: Feels Like A New Morning: 24

2014: Flick Of The Finger RKID003 EP: 1

2014: Goddess: 21

2015: Happy New Year EP: 3

2019: All Mirrors: 22

2020: Ghosts VI: Locusts: 10

2022: Kaleido: 14

2024: New Ingland EP: 26

2025: Home: 16

2025: New Moon EP: 2

Start Anew (1:39:26) (GD) (M)

If you're feeling nostalgic, check out my previous New Year's Day posts from 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025.

New To Me...To You...To Me...To You

or, How To Get Away With Two "25 From 25" Albums Lists Whilst Pretending That Wasn't Your Intention All Along, Part Two.

This is the second of two lists, my very loose criteria being the first time I have purchased an album by these artists, irrespective of whether they've been going for years or debuted in 2025.

Again, loads of albums that either remained on the long list or haven't yet made it off the shopping list and as yet are unheard. Honourable mentions to Brian Bilston & The Catenary Wires (sorry, JC!), Ead Wood, Restricted Code, Oklou, Steve Lane, The Morning Early, SPRINTS and Peter Capaldi (yes, him!)

As yesterday, I've listed my 25 picks alphabetically, rather than in order of greatness, but I will also reveal my favourite at the end.

25 From 25 - New To Me

(click on the links to buy these albums...and more!)

1) The Smile You Send Out Returns To You: Constant Follower

2) Gift Of Sorts: Chris Reeve

3) Dan's Boogie: Destroyer

4) Concrete Rockers: Earl Sixteen & The Co-operators

5) Ellen Beth Abdi: Ellen Beth Abdi

6) Mother Of A Thousand: F.O. Machete

7) Phantom Island: King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard

8) Om Verda Mi: Lakeshouse

9) Living History: Later Youth

10) LEDLEY: LEDLEY

11) Clients Of Suddenness: Louise Connell

12) A Danger To Ourselves: Lucrecia Dalt

13) Things Must Change: Montjuïc

14) Might As Well Play Another One: Mumble Tide

15) Ways To The Deep Meadow: Ocean Moon

16) A Dawning: Ólafur Arnalds & Talos

17) Desert Queen: Pearl Charles

18) Disturbia: Phonolab

19) Quad 90: Quad 90

20) Concorde: Res One, Upfront, Badhabitz

21) Don't Worry, It's Forever: Sister John

22) Rapture Party: The Joshua Hotel

23) Red Door Open: The Twistettes

24) Last Exit To Music: Xavier Corbera

25) Things Found In Books: Yvonne Lyon & Boo Hewerdine

I recommend each and every one of these albums, but my #1 of 2025 is the stunning self-titled debut by Ellen Beth Abdi.

I was fortunate enough to see Ellen Beth Abdi supporting A Certain Ratio in Bristol last May, and although I recognised her from appearances on the ACR album 1982 and 2023 EP, I was completely unfamiliar with her own songs.

I was at the gig with my friend Mike and we were both blown away by her performance. I told Ellen Beth as much at the merch stand after; she didn't have any records for sale at the time, but I did come away with a jar of delicious marmalade...now that's a USP!

So, when Ellen Beth Abdi's album emerged in May 2025, needless to say that expectations were high...and then surpassed.

The voice is something else, enough to carry the songs, but Ellen Beth handles the entire record with a sure hand, from keyboards and flute to co-production with Joel Anthony Patchett, this does not sound like a first album.

A highlight of the gig was a cover of Spellbound by Rae & Christian, a tribute to Ellen Beth's musical inspiration, vocalist Veba aka Beverley Green. She does the song - and the singer - justice, both on stage and in the studio, sublime vocal loops layering and layering to create a mesmerising whole.

Ellen Beth's own songs are more than up to the challenge of meeting this high bar. Tenterhooks, the lead single, was a perfect example of this but honestly, there's not a single song on the album that I don't want to play again and again. And I have, since buying it.

I can't wait to hear what she does next.

Double Entrendre

or, How To Get Away With Two "25 From 25" Albums Lists Whilst Pretending That Wasn't Your Intention All Along.

Looking back on 2025 so far, I think I bought more albums than ever, a mix of physical and digital. The latter was ably supported by a further year's subscription to the excellent Last Night From Glasgow label, which accounts for about a quarter of today’s and tomorrow’s featured artists.

A few were purchased at merch stalls following a headline or support slot gig, others on the recommendation of others, including you lovely people out there in the blogging community.

So, I've got two lists, loosely separated into artists that I'm familiar with and already owned albums by, the second compiling artists who, regardless of whether they'd been around for ages or just started out, were new to me. So, it's a hodge podge of debut albums and artists that I really only delved into properly with their latest long player. I'm posting the first list today, the second on New Year's Eve.

There are a shed load that I just haven't got around to buying yet and I haven't yet succumbed to streaming so I can't sneak them in on the technicality of having heard them. Apologies therefore include Pulp, Syd Minsky Sargeant, Death In Vegas, Mogwai and Water From Your Eyes, all of whom have released albums that I want to get (and said as much in previous posts), but who remain on my shopping list.

An honourable mention also to those that I did buy but who didn't make onto either list because, well, I had to stop at 25, right? A tip of the hat then to Manic Street Preachers, The Supernaturals, Julian Cope, Gareth Sager and Scanner.

I've listed them alphabetically, rather than in order of greatness, but I may reveal my favourite at the end...if I can decide on one by the end of this post!

25 From 25 - Old Favourites

(click on the links to buy these albums...and more!)

1) Let The Horse Run Free / Rodeo Disco: 100 Poems

2) The Collapse Of Everything: Adrian Sherwood

3) Pinball Wanderer: Andy Bell

4) Dead Souls: Armory Show

5) Metalhorse / Mary And The Hyenas OST: Billy Nomates

6) Mumbo In The Jumbo: Davey Woodward

7) Wise Music In Dub: Dennis Bovell

8) Subconsciousology: Dot Allison

9) Lay Low: Eddie Chacon

10) Nation Shall Speak Unto Nation: Edwyn Collins

11) Rats In Paradise: Emily Breeze

12) Begging The Night To Take Hold: Emma Pollock

13) Twilight: Hifi Sean & David McAlmont

14) Songs For Nina And Johanna: James Yorkston & Friends

15) Junk System EP 1&2: Junk System

16) Lotus: Little Simz

17) New Town Ghosts: Mark Rae

18) Lake Deep Memory: Pye Corner Audio

19) Barb And Feather: Red Snapper

20) Strawberries: Robert Forster

21) International: Saint Etienne

22) MAD!: Sparks

23) Faultline: The Cowboy Mouth

24) moisturiser: Wet Leg

25) Home: Xan Tyler & Dusty Stray

I have loved each and every one of these albums but my #1 of 2025 has to be Billy Nomates.

Not just because Metalhorse is a fantastic album, taking her music to another level, but also because she somehow found the time to write, record and release another album. The soundtrack to Mary And The Hyenas may have been relatively overlooked compared to Metalhorse, but it's every bit an equal. Astonishing to think that Tor Maries was also releasing one-off songs in between both of these. 

Finally getting to see Billy Nomates live in concert for the first time in September, with an excellent band and songs that took on a life of their own on stage, was an unforgettable experience and the push over the line to secure my #1 in a year of varied but brilliant albums.

When I Should Have Been Celebrating My Dad's 60th Birthday....

... I was at Fiddlers in Bristol with Mrs. K for a Minotaur Shock gig.

In fairness, at the time (Sunday 2nd June 2002), Mum and Dad were living in Eire, a gruelling 14-hour door-to-door trip each way, there wasn’t an 'official' party on that date and I'd spoken to Dad on the phone to wish him happy birthday earlier in the day.

I remember that it was an enjoyable gig, not least because it was also being broadcast live on BBC Radio 3 as part of their Mixing It programme, presented by Robert Sandall and Mark Russell.

I might be misremembering this bit, but I seem to recall that we all spent a lot of time sitting on the floor!

A great line-up: in addition to headlining hometown heroes Minotaur Shock, Foehn aka Debbie Parsons, also from Bristol and previously one-half of Third Eye Foundation, plus Manchester trio Mum & Dad, whose releases on Andy Votel and Damon Gough's Twisted Nerve label had caught my ear. 

So on a technicality, I did spend the night with Mum and Dad, just not mine…!

A lovely surprise to find that Future TuesDay has posted the entire show on YouTube. Enjoy!

 

 

Queueing At The Checkout

Before I launch into the inevitable final round up of 2025, I thought I'd drop by Amoeba Music's What's In My Bag? series and see what others have been shopping for this year.

My three specific shoppers are Russell Mael, David St. Hubbins and Nigel Tufnell from Spinal Tap (in tribute to Rob and Michele Reiner) and finally David Byrne.

Some great picks from all three. I'm particularly happy that the latter picked Bristol-based IDLES. Maybe David will be tempted to come to Bristol to play a gig or just hang around Longwell Records when it relocates from Keynsham to Clifton Arcade in February.

 

 

Fantastic Expectations, Amazing Revelations

Sadly, Christmas Day is also a reminder that it's another year - currently the ninth - since George Michael passed. 

I won't pretend that I was a huge fan of his music, either as Wham! or solo, but his presence as a singer, songwriter and phenomenal talent cannot be denied.

There's been a lot of TV time dedicated to George's life and music in the past couple of days. I haven't watched any of it, though a pop up in my suggested viewing on You Tube caught my eye.

On Tuesday 9th October 2012, George performed at Manchester Arena and, a third of the way through his set, dedicated a song to an audience member. The fact that the audience member was Ian Brown and the song was one of his own, 2001 epic F.E.A.R. must have been one of those WTF?! moments

George introduces F.E.A.R. as "a song we have never played before…we shall never play again, I should imagine" which is brutally honest though ultimately proved to be true.

"You'll please have to excuse me," explains George. "We've only rehearsed this a couple of times, so it might be a bit...crap", which of course proves to be wholly untrue. 

It's truly magnificent.

And here's the original version.

For each a road

For everyman a religion

Find everybody and rule

For everything and rumble

Forget everything and remember

For everything a reason

Forgive everybody and remember

For each a road

For everyman a religion

Face everybody and rule

For everything and rumble

Forget everything and remember

For everything a reason

You got the fear

You got the fear

You got the fear

You got the fear

F.E.A.R. (you got the fear)

F.E.A.R. (you got the fear)

F.E.A.R. (you got the fear)

F.E.A.R. 

Final eternity arouses reactions

Freeing excellence affects reality

Fallen empires are ruling

Find earth and reef

Fantastic expectations, amazing revelations

Final execution and resurrection

Free expression as revolution

Finding everything and realising

You got the fear

You got the fear

You got the fear

You got the fear

You got the fear

F.E.A.R. (you got the fear)

F.E.A.R. (you got the fear)

F.E.A.R. (you got the fear)

F.E.A.R. (you got the fear)

F.E.A.R. (you got the fear)

F.E.A.R. (you got the fear)

You got the fear

You got the fear

You got the fear

You got the fear

You got the fear

Boxing Day, Fighting Fit, Gloves Off

Boxing Day blues kicking in already?

Fear not, I've created a brand new hour-long Dubhed selection to banish the blues and hopefully not leave you seeing red!

I worried that my 2021 Boxing Day offering was too obvious, being themed around boxes. Four years later, I've clearly not learned my lesson, as today's selection is based on boxing-themed song titles. 

In fact, it turned out that I hit a rich seam of gold in my digging, unearthing enough songs for at least one more selection. 

Left out of the ring on this occasion were The Affectionate Punch by Associates, Pulling Punches by David Sylvian, Punch Drunk by Gene Loves Jezebel, One Armed Boxer by Lee 'Scratch' Perry & The Upsetters, Saved By The Bell by Robin Gibb and of course Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On) by Talking Heads.

Decayed, my recent series focussing on the 1990s, also featuring boxing obsessed songs like Muhammad Ali by Faithless, Lessons Learned From Rocky I To Rocky III by Cornershop and Heavyweight Champion Of The World by Reverend & The Makers, all left in the changing room on this occasion.

I think, blow-by-blow the fifteen rounds here deliver a knockout selection, an (upper) cut above the rest and proof if needed that I'm in your corner. 

And before I stretch my efforts to insert boxing references too far, it's time to hang up my gloves, know what I mean, 'Arry?

1) The Boxer (Album Version): The Chemical Brothers ft. Tim Burgess (2005)

2) Knockout Position (DJ Muggs Remix): Kaliphz (1995)

3) Another Blow On The Bruise: Gavin Friday & The Man Seezer (1989)

4) Sucker Punch: Fujiya & Miyagi (2006)

5) Fighting Fit (Album Version): Gene (1996)

6) Southpaw (Fluke's Glassjaw Remix): Trisco (2005)

7) Lazyitis (One Armed Boxer): Happy Mondays ft. Karl Denver (1989)

8) Lightweight: Marco Rossi (2024)

9) Down And Out: The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion (2015)

10) The Boxer (Cover of Simon & Garfunkel): Bob Dylan (1970)

11) Still Fighting: The Sabres Of Paradise ft. Denise Johnson (1993)

12) Knuckle Sandwich Nancy: Slade (1981)

13) Reign Of Blows: XTC (1984)

14) Boxerbeat (Album Version): JoBoxers (1983)

15) Boxing Clever: The Selecter (2023)

1970: Self Portrait: 10

1981: Till Deaf Do Us Part: 12

1983: Like Gangbusters: 14

1984: The Big Express: 13

1989: Each Man Kills The Thing He Loves: 3

1989: Lazyitis EP: 7

1993: Sabresonic:: 11

1995: Seven Deadly Sins: 2

1996: Drawn To The Deep End: 5

2005: Push The Button: 1

2005: Southpaw EP: 6

2006: Transparent Things: 4

2015: Freedom Tower No Wave Dance Party 2015: 9

2023: Human Algebra: 15

2024: Since Returning From The Moon: 8

Boxing Day, Fighting Fit, Gloves Off (1:01:50) (GD) (M)

Ding Dong! (Five Times)

Wishing each and everyone one of you a day full of love, good vibes and festive fun.

Today's fistful of treats should cater for those wishing for a merry and/or maudlin Christmas. Enjoy!

1) Christmas, It's Not A Biggie (Live @ KEXP): Say Sue Me (2019)

2) White Christmas (Live @ Live Lounge, BBC Radio 1) (Cover of Bing Crosby): London Grammar (2017)

3) Happy Xmas (War Is Over) (Live @ Live Lounge, BBC Radio 1) (Cover of John Lennon, Yoko Ono & Plastic Ono Band): Michael Kiwanuka (2024)

4) The Cherry Tree Carol (Live @ KEXP) (Cover of traditional song): Mark Lanegan (2014)

5) Christmas Wrapping (Live @ The Quay Sessions, BBC Scotland) (Cover of The Waitresses): Belle & Sebastian (2017)

  

 

 

Decorated, Understated, Over The Top

As a first-time subscriber to Roberta Fidora's Neighbourhood, this year has seen some unexpected treats drop through the letterbox, in addition to access to Roberta's vault of releases under her own name and previously as CURXES, plus any new songs as they emerge. All for less than the cost of half a dozen cappuccinos from your favourite cafe per year.  A bargain, in other words.

My first festive treat as a neighbour arrived this week: a Christmas card, designed by Roberta with a personalised message inside. No question, the best of the bunch received at Casa K this year. Wonderful.

To complement this, Roberta's also released a seasonal song, Christmas Trees, and it's a belter. Even a casual browser of this blog will have sussed that when it comes to Christmas songs, I'll embrace pretty much all of it, however cheesy or played to death (though I will draw the line at Mariah Carey and Ed Sheeran).

That said, as my Bad Santa offerings attest, I tend to lean more heavily towards the slightly off-kilter and frequently jaded take on this time of year.

Following in the tradition of It's Christmas And I'm Crying by Du Blonde (2023) and Boxing Day Sales by Richard Dawson (2024), Roberta delivers a deliciously downbeat narrative against an upbeat, jingly jangly backdrop.

Christmas Trees comes in two versions, with a radio edit dropping the cusses (or should that be CUXXES?) whilst loving none of it's bite. 

I've shared the words below, but you can also find a lyric video on YouTube. 

Head on over to Bandcamp for Roberta's music and maybe even join the Neighbourhood. 

Having been subjected to a 10 second loop of Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow emanating from an inflatable monstrosity in the garden opposite Casa K for 15 hours a day for the past four weeks, I know where we'd rather be!

It’s late December

And I am quite depressed

(Put the tree up but can I skip the rest?)

Carols are being drowned out by the neighbours’ shit

(Ho ho ho)

(Really tried but I’m just not feeling it)

Nothing is magical

It’s a massive lie

(Reasons for the season are running dry)

People are miserable and yet still they buy

(As if Christmas could be quantified)

And all the gifts are too expensive

And there is really no incentive to buy

Anything

All around me

All around me

Those Christmas trees

But I feel like

  in January

All the trimmings

All the singing

Hey, can you not?

But the register keeps ringing in the shops

Sleigh bells are grating

And so are children’s choirs

(Shut up, please) (And the volumes seem like they’re getting higher)

You can shove them up your pa rum pum pum pum

(Father Christmas too, he can just do one)

And all the gifts are too expensive

And relatives are argumentative

If they’re still around

(But quite a few are dead!)

All around me

All around me

Those Christmas trees

But I feel like

I’m their branches in January

All the trimmings

All the singing

Hey, can you not?

But the register keeps ringing in the shops

Consumerism

Forced tradition

Yes it is and no it isn’t

Can you hear what I hear now?

Well that’s because you never listen

Buy everybody tat

Don’t touch the thermostat!

Do I have to interact with

Any of this festive crap?

Joyeux noel?

See you in hell…

And all the gifts are too expensive

And none of them are quite inventive enough

(Overly sentimental)

For anyone you love

All around me

All around me

Those Christmas trees

But I feel like

I’m their branches in January

Decorated, understated, over the top

Until their needles drop…and then it finally stops.

(Ho ho ho, Merry Christmas)

My World Is Filled With Cheer

In 1970, Donny Hathaway recorded and released This Christmas, his singular take on the festive fare doing the rounds at this time of year.

In 2020, record label Rhino commissioned an official video - Donny's first - to celebrate the song's 50th anniversary. Glorious animation by comic artist Lonnie Milsap.

If you're compiling a soulful Christmas compilation, then this is a must-have.

Hang all the mistletoe

I'm gonna get to know you better

This Christmas

And as we trim the tree

How much fun it's gonna be together

This Christmas

Fireside is blazing bright

We're caroling through the night

And this Christmas will be

A very special Christmas for me

Presents and cards are here

My world is filled with cheer and you

This Christmas

And as I look around

Your eyes outshine the town they do

This Christmas

Fireside is blazing bright

We're caroling through the night

And this Christmas will be

A very special Christmas for me, yeah

Shake a hand, shake a hand now

Fireside is blazing bright

We're caroling through the night

And this Christmas will be

A very special Christmas for me, yeah

Hang all the mistletoe

I'm gonna get to know you better

This Christmas

And as we trim the tree

How much fun it's gonna be together

This Christmas

Fireside is blazing bright

We're caroling through the night

And this Christmas will be

A very special Christmas for me

Merry Christmas

Shake a hand, shake a hand now

Wish your brother merry Christmas

All over the land, yeah

Merry Christmas

Merry, merry Christmas