Best of 2018 #7

Here's three of my favourite songs of 2018 that don't feature on my fave albums of the year.


Echo And The Bunnymen - The Somnambulist
(The highlight of a rather strange album of remakes of old Bunnymen songs. The fact this was one of two new songs on it shows they don't need to retread the old days, they should just keep moving forward.)




Hatchie - Sure
(I featured this one earlier in the year, so here's an also-rather-excellent live version.)




Boy Azooga - Loner Boogie
(Another one I posted a while back so another live version for you. Apparently, Davey was shitting himself (his words) when they did this, but they didn't do a bad job considering...)




And finally... a couple more best ofs...

TheRobster's top 3 gigs of 2018:
1. The Breeders - Very close, but being in the presence of the genius that is Kim Deal edges it every time!
2. Idles - Absolutely immense.
3. Shame - Two or three others almost made the list, but Shame really were special.


MrsRobster's albums of the year:
I knew I was asking for trouble. For all her wonderful qualities, MrsRobster is not known for her decisiveness. So asking her to choose her top 3 albums of the year was like asking Theresa May to come up with a good Brexit deal. She narrowed it down to 10, but couldn't choose three from them. So in no particular order, she went for:

Idles - 'Joy As An Act Of Resistance'
Estrons - 'You Say I'm Too Much, I Say You're Not Enough'
The Wombats - Beautiful People Will Ruin Your Life'
Shame - 'Songs Of Praise'
Spring King - 'A Better Life'
The Beths - 'Future Me Hates Me'
Teleman - 'Family Of Aliens'
James - 'Living In Extraordinary Times'
Muse - 'Simulation Theory'
Slaves - 'Acts Of Fear And Love'


MrsRobster's top 3 gigs of the year:
She did a bit better with the gigs but still couldn't get it down to three. She has her top 2, and the other three are tied in third:

1. Ride - Certainly in my own top 5 but just missed the top 3
2. Public Service Broadcasting - A bit predictable. She just LOOOOOOOOOOVES the PSB boys.
3=. Idles
3=. Shame
3=. Estrons - The other one from my top 5, a great way to end the year.


And that's it from me for 2018. And, in fact, for the foreseeable. I had planned to do another Bowie Week in January, and put the blog on an indefinite hiatus after its fifth birthday in February. But instead, I'm calling it a day now. I'm bored of the thing and need to stop.

So until I have something to say that I feel you may be everso slightly interested in, I declare Is This The Life? closed for business. Thanks for everything - the support, the contributions, the fun. Have a good holiday everyone. Nadolig Llawen a Blwyddyn Newydd Dda.

New stuff wot sounds like old stuff #5

OK, one more of these. Couldn't resist this one. Boy Azooga come from Cardiff and will hopefully become as synonymous with Wales as Tom Jones, sheep and cheese on toast! They make a terrific noise, described by their label Heavenly as "an ensemble that swings smoothly from filmic instrumentals to a churning, rave-tinged rock that hints at both Can and their progeny in Happy Mondays."

Frontman Davey Newington comes from a very musical family - his grandfather was a jazz drummer and his parents both played in the BBC National Orchestra of Wales. He has also been part of Charlotte Church's band (as drummer) as well as numerous jazz bands and orchestras. Talented fella then.

Boy Azooga's debut album '1, 2, Kung Fu!' is due out in June, but the two singles that have emerged have already made it one of the most hotly anticipated records of the year. Here's the current song - it's short but it packs a punch. The guy at the very end of the video, by the way, is one Kliph Scurlock, former drummer with the Flaming Lips and now a Cardiff resident.