Album of the Year
Doyle Bramhall II – Rich Man Jamie Dickson, editor
Like the proverbial buses, two of my favourite albums this year turned up at once in the form of Doyle Bramhall’s superbly soulful Rich Man and the esoterically brilliant Ruins by Wolf People – neither will disappoint. If you like John Martyn and Nick Drake, then I also urge you to try Ryley Walker’s sombrely beautiful Golden Sings That Have Been Sung.
Steven Wilson – 4 ½ David Mead, deputy editor
Following on from 2015’s Hand. Cannot. Erase., the current king of prog released an ‘in-between album’ (hence the title) in January this year, in order to satiate fans who were wildly anticipating his fifth solo release. It’s got everything – including Guthrie Govan on guitar!
Michael Messer’s Mitra – Call Of The Blues Dave Burrluck, gear reviews Editor
Slide-guitar fans need to listen to this. Michael Messer’s Mitra trio includes Hindustani slide-guitar maestro Manish Pingle and London-based tabla player Gurdain Singh Rayatt, and they cook up a world-music blues slide fest. The Mississippi Delta meets Hindustani classical music. More of this, please!
David Bowie – Blackstar Jason Sidwell, senior tuition editor
Bowie’s last studio album is a staggering new sonic page in his canon, unlike anything he had released previously with avant garde jazz/rock/ambient leanings and a crisply cinematic production from Tony Visconti.
Savages – Adore Life Lucy Rice, managing editor
Savages deliver the drama here in a bold exploration of love, loss and fear that’s reflected in the expert dymanics of Gemma Thompson’s Jag and Duo-Sonic lines – cleverly journeying through light and shade, from skyscraper riffs to mix-cutting harmonics.
Metallica – Hardwired… To Self-Destruct Rob Laing, contributor
It’s not perfect but when it hits the mark – and it does more times than anything they’ve done in 25 years – it’s a potent reminder of James Hetfield’s rhythmic and vocal gifts, this time with a far superior guitar tone and mix than their last two studio efforts.