The Listen To This Playlist End Of Year Review 2020

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This month the "Listen To This Playlist' is a little different. I've picked two of my favourite songs from each month to create an annual review of my favourite songs from this year. There’s also 12 of my favourite Christmas songs mixed in, and some James Harriman tunes too. Just over two hours of music I think you should check out! It was really hard to only pick two songs from each month, there was so much great music. Below is a breakdown of all the songs and a little explanation of why I included them. You can also click on each month to visit the playlist archives and listen to all the music I was enjoying this year. 

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January
The playlist starts with the first two songs from January's update. 'I Could Be So Good For You' by Denis Waterman has a great groove. I'll be honest, I only found this track researching the sketch from Little Britain but after listening to it a few times it got stuck in my head. Track two Beans on Toast's 'World Gone Crazy' just sums up the way I feel about the year 2020. I saw Beans live in February, and the album this single comes from was on repeat for a good month or so afterwards. 

February
February's edition is represented by The King Blues' 'The Future's Not What It Used To Be'. I love the drum and bass style ending of this track, plus the line about hookers and schoolgirls is lyrical genius. The second track is 'Ain't Goin' To Goa' by The Alabama 3. It's groovy, I'm not sure what makes it so catchy, but it definitely gets stuck in your head. Having played the song so much in February, listening to this takes me back to the start of this year, an easier time before the pandemic.
 
March
In March my good friend Gully released a smooth sounding EP and I have included a cool track from that called 'Best Times'. Honestly I could have included any track from this EP, his voice never fails to make me melt. There is also a track from Declan McKenna 'Beautiful Faces' that I remember hearing on the radio on St Patrick's Day, and shazamming it on because I loved the guitar tone so much.
 
April
In April life became a bit rockier. My good friends The Fangs of The Dodo released a great EP in February, and in April I featured their track 'Hung By A Thread'. Once again, I could have picked any track from what is an eclectic sounding EP, but this particular song gives me real Paramore vibes and I love it. There's also a track from Gypsy Unit. 'Treasure Island' just makes me smile, particularly when the chorus hits! 
 
May
May features music from Turismo covering Jake Thackray's 'Lah Di Dah'. I discovered both these artists while binge watching "Meet The Richardson's" on Dave one night at 4am. Don't Judge me, this was during peak lockdown. I also got really into Sandie Shaw, I can't quite remember why, 'Think It All Over' is one of the songs that really got stuck in my head that month.
 
June
June another band of my friends released an EP. All Smiles In Wonderland made me feel things I didn't know I could feel with 'State Of Serenity' (released in May). Maddie's voice has so much emotion and the sound of 'Stranger' takes me back to my mid 00's emo days. I also got really into folk again, discovering loads of nice folky tracks most notably Skipinnish who's track 'Walking On The Waves' and it's roaring chorus made me reflect on the festival season that never was.

July
Talking of festivals, in July I got nostalgic and revisited all the festival playlists I had. I re discovered Los Albertos who I saw when I played at Once Upon a Time in The West Festival back in 2018 and their track 'Pikey Killed My Goldfish' reminds me of the blurry evenings fuelled by cider. I also got grooving to BENEE's track 'Supalonely' this went on to inspire the sound of  the J.U.R.B remix of Snakes And Ladders.
 
August
In August I got even more obsessed with the groovy disco sound that was beginning to dominate the charts. With Purple Disco Machine's remix of Lady Gaga and Ariana's track 'Rain On Me' being a regular play in my digital club livestreams for Jammed Up Events from my kitchen. I also really enjoyed Police Dog Hogan's track 'West Country Boy' a song that left me wondering how I hadn't stumbled upon their music before.
 
September
September I discovered Allie X a Canadian indie legend who's album Cape God (released in Febuary) should win every music award this year. Her track 'Super Duper Party People' has a unique baseline, and everyone who I have played it to have instantly started "vibeing". I also stumbled upon The Trials of Cato. I love discovering traditional sounding folk bands. Their song 'Tom Paines Bones' has a really nice mandolin/banjo part, and is just so smooth and easy to listen to. I think it is a reinterpretation of a true story.
 
October
This year I got way too into gaming and in October whilst playing Among Us at a stupidly early time of the morning 'Turn The Lights Off' played on my Spotify music mix. It perfectly fitted the vibe of the game, and I immediately went through and listened to the entirety of Tally Hall's back catalouge as well as some of the singer Rob Cantor's songs too. They just have such a unique happy yet creepy sound. Another discovery I really loved the track 'Make Time For Change' by The Magic Gang a track that is so well produced that I could write an essay on it. 
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November
November we were stuck in a second lockdown, and music really helped me get through it. Between moving house and doing a frontline job to earn money and help out I was tired out and fed up. Royal Blood's Trouble coming provided me with an anthem to rock out to and relieve my stress. Plus, it's good to know there is probably a new royal blood album to look forward to in 2021. This year I also became a tastemaker taking a lot of playlist track submissions. It's nice to discover new acts to love, and Tayo Sound's vibey track 'Someone New' was definitely one of my favourites this year.
 
December
December additions include my favourite festive classics such as Stop The Calvary, Step Into Christmas, Christmas Time (Don't Let The Bells End) and Merry Xmas Everybody. There are also some more unusual picks such as Bob Dylan's 'Must Be Santa' and Christy Moore's 'Fairytale Of New York'. There are some lovely sounding acoustic songs 'What Are You Doing New Years Eve' by The Head and The Heart and 'Maybe This Christmas' by Ron Sexsmith. There's also a Christmas bop by Frannie B, a great modern version of Sleigh Ride by Fun, and humorous festive songs by Thomas Benjamin