As 2016 races to a close I feel that it is my musical duty to review the best of those tracks that have been the soundtrack to a gigging year of epic proportions. But for my day job feeding 11-16 year old alligators with knowledge I would probably be doing this full time. The last fifty-two weeks have taken me in planes, trains and automobiles from Liverpool to London, and Birmingham to Belfast, via Manchester, Edinburgh, Stoke and Warrington.

It has been virtually impossible for me to choose my top songs, albums etc. but here goes, in no particular order:

Best albums: Human Understanding- Sunflower Bean/ Viola Beach-Viola Beach/Blossoms-Blossoms

Best EP’s– Headspin-Black Honey/ The Road- The Big Moon/ / EP01-Dream Wife/EP-The Magic Gang/Harder from Here-Hidden Charms

Best songs– Like the Wind-Feral Love/ All My Pride-Black Honey/ FUU-Dream Wife /Sliders-The Orielles/ A Young Understanding-Sundara Karma/ Drunk-Viola Beach/Kezia-Blossoms/ Sucker-The Big Moon/ 2013-Sunflower Bean

Best gigs– Black Honey-Flying Vinyl, London/ Feral Love-Festevol, Liverpool/ Hidden Charms& Vryll Society-Birmingham/ Viola Beach tribute night-Warrington/Black Honey& Dream Wife-Manchester

Tips for 2017: All the above, except for Blossoms who were a successful tip for 2016, and Viola Beach, who were, of course tragically killed earlier this year. I have a real heart’s desire to see Hidden Charms be really successful, in memory of Craig Tarry and Viola Beach.

After seeing these on a number of occasions , I can see them all continuing to make great strides forward in 2017. Again, in no particular order:

• Black Honey
• Feral Love
• Dream Wife
• The Big Moon
• Sundara Karma
• The Orielles
• Hidden Charms
• Vryll Society
• The Amazons
• Pumarosa
• The Magic Gang
• Pink Kink
• Psycho Comedy
• Queen Zee and the Sasstones

I will review my favourite photos of 2016 in another post shortly. Happy New Year and thank you for reading my wafflings this past year.

Written by Si ©Cre8ivation