Mr Drayton's Favourite Records, 2012.

Alex Collier made this - alex@oddballmedia.com for all your poster needs.

It’s that time of year. Anorak on, head down, list of fifty albums of the year. It’s a time of contention. For the die hard list-feeder each proclamation brings either euphoric vindication or crushing, bone crushing, splintering defeat.

I do like a list, but I most certainly don’t have the time to listen to 50 new albums a year, so, here’s a list of elpees released this year that I bought and played over and over again until their mysteries were revealed unto me.

Rob Heron and The Teapad Orchestra - Money Isn't Everything. CD. Having a knees up this christmas? Rolling out the barrel? Soundtrack it with this slice of home made joy. The beauty of this record is how they’ve captured much of what they do live. Infectious. And they’re all only 13 years old.

Port St Willow - Holiday. DL. Brian Eno recommended this in Mojo magazine, so I gave it a punt. I’ve had it for a week now and have listened to it, start to finish, five times. It’s a wafting cloud of electronic melancholy. Possibly the best new thing I’ve heard for years.

Gojira - L’Enfant Sauvage. DL.

Mathematical Gallic Metal.
Stonking.
Even better live.

Efterklang - Pyramidia - LP. A slice of Danish wonder. The vinyl version is beautiful,  just what a record should be. From start to finish, a wonderful place to be.
Even better live.

Dexys - One Day I’m Going To Soar. LP. Bands reflecting on past glories doesn’t really do it for me, they can stay behind. Dexy's though are a marvel. It's rare to have a band that you've always known were brilliant, and when they come back they are again. With knobs on.
She’s Got A Wiggle is the single of the year, even though it was never released as a single.
Even better live.

Elton John vs Pnau - Good Morning To The Night - DL. Elderly EJ fan finds comfort in modern day studio jiggery pokery and old Elton songs.

Liabach - Reproduction Prohibited. DL.
Who said you can’t have compilations in a top ten? More adventurous, surprising and mindboggment going on here than anything in a BMX bike riding, arse showing, hipsters Top 50.

Blunderbus - Jack White. LP.
It’s Jack White. What do you expect, Boring?

LCD Soundsystem - Shut Up and Play the Hits. DVD.
Ok, so it’s not an album, it’s a live DVD of their last ever gig, but if you just listen to it, it’s the greatest live album ever.
Even better live.

Be Strong - The 2 Bears. CD.
The most played album of the year.
Cool and groovy, warm and friendly, and funny too.
Great songs.
It’s a toe tapper and no mistake.      

Welcome back my friend, I wasn’t expecting you here: Fleetwood Mac - Rumours. LP.

A Record Player favourite. I hated the ‘Mac during the punk rock revolution. After sharing this with a packed and jigging room at The Record Player, my mind was changed.
It’s got everything you might ever need from a record. 




SINGLE of 2012 - Lightning Bolt - Jake Bugg.  At 2.33 this is everything a single should be. Snappy, catchy and with no caterwauling winsome lass bellyaching all over it.  Rockin'.


Well, if you made it thus far, Thankyou. If this list inspires you buy any of these albums, do let me know what you think of them.

If you're at a loose end, The Record Player is here: Tyneside Cinema, we're on til the 20th Dec, which final one of the season, a right royal blow out - is the Christmas Singles Club. It will be very christmassy, I promise.

Finally, I have a Christmas Day show on BBC Newcastle - Mr Drayton's Christmas Record Box.
Currently it's scheduled to run 19.00 - 21.00. A selection of festive fun you wouldn't normally hear on the radio.

My current favourite xmas song is Sufjan Stevens version of Little Drummer Boy. Beautiful.