Mad Mackerel’s Favourite Tunes of 2020

Time to finish off our reflections on the past twelve months. Here are my own choices for ten favourite tunes that soundtracked lockdown and those life saving dog walks with the gold medal winning picnic thief. 10 Man of Moon – Strangers The long awaited (by me anyway) return of Scottish duo Man of Moon was amply rewarded by their brilliant single Strangers using heavy … Continue reading Mad Mackerel’s Favourite Tunes of 2020

Chris T Popper’s Favourite Tunes of 2020

Here are the annual choices of the past year’s top tuneage from the admirable Chris T Popper. 10. Protomartyr – Processed By The Boys The first song from their new album Ultimate Success Today was everything I’d been waiting for. Loud reverb with a clumping sense of doom from the ever reliable Joe Casey. He’s singing about a future so scary it can’t be that … Continue reading Chris T Popper’s Favourite Tunes of 2020

Mad Mackerel’s Best Tracks Of 2020: Part 4 (25-1)

Here is the final part of this year’s countdown of our favourite tunes of 2020. Many thanks to MM stalwarts Chris T Popper and Dr Roddy (whose personal selections will come in the next couple of days) and to anyone who has read / listened and discovered something new in a year that truly sucked. Happy New Year and here’s to a better 2021.   … Continue reading Mad Mackerel’s Best Tracks Of 2020: Part 4 (25-1)

Mad Mackerel’s Best Tracks Of 2020: Part 2 (75-51)

Here is the second part of our countdown of our favourite 100 songs of 2020.   75 Protomartyr – Worm in Heaven   74 Flat Worms – The Aughts   73 IDLES – Mr Motivator   72 Bee Bee Sea – Day Ripper   71 TRAAMS – Greyhound   70 Gum Country – Tennis (I Feel OK)   69 Songhoy Blues – Badala   68 … Continue reading Mad Mackerel’s Best Tracks Of 2020: Part 2 (75-51)

The Top 200 – Mad Mackerel’s favourite songs of the last ten years (Part 3)

The third part of our epic countdown of our favourite songs of the past ten years. 160 The Pink Mountaintops – North Hollywood Microwaves (2014)   Filthy, snarling, primal rock’n’roll featuring some pornographic rapping from Annie Hardy (ex-Giant Drag). A case of the bite being much worse than the bark.   159 Calexico – Two Silver Trees (2008) Atmospheric and relaxed, Two Silver Trees meanders … Continue reading The Top 200 – Mad Mackerel’s favourite songs of the last ten years (Part 3)

MM’s BEST OF 2016: MAD MACKEREL

Our final Best of post of 2016 is MM’s own selections. You can also listen via Spotify here. 20 TRAAMS – A House On Fire I always think I don’t really like long songs and yet they always seem to end up in my favourite tracks of the year. This TRAAMS song is nearly nine minutes long yet hurtles along in a blur of krautrock … Continue reading MM’s BEST OF 2016: MAD MACKEREL

MM’s BEST OF 2016: THE ITALIAN JOB

  The first of our four individual listings comes from The Italian Job – she of the detailed spreadsheets and punk rock outlook. Listen on Spotify here. 20. Underworld – I Exhale   19. The Wave Pictures – Pool Hall   18. Arborist – I Heard Him Leaving   17. Kyle Craft – Before The Wall   16. Terry Malts – Used To Be   … Continue reading MM’s BEST OF 2016: THE ITALIAN JOB

MM’s BEST TRACKS OF 2016: 25-1

And so here we are, our favourite tracks of the year counting down from 25 to number 1. Enjoy…   25 King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard – Gamma Knife   24 Little Barrie – I.5.C.A.   23 She Drew The Gun – Since You Were Not Mine   22 Car Seat Headrest – Fill In The Blank   21 Communist Daughter – Balboa Bridge … Continue reading MM’s BEST TRACKS OF 2016: 25-1

Live Review: TRAAMS (Bullingdon, Oxford)

It has long been a frustration that Oxford, a city with such a rich recent heritage of music, should be so poorly served by live music nowadays. Fourth rate tribute bands, pointless 70s and 80s reunion tours and over-hyped next-big-things clog up what remains of the city’s venues ad nauseam. Every time we check the tour dates of bands and artists we’d love to see … Continue reading Live Review: TRAAMS (Bullingdon, Oxford)