My Top Ten Artists: Lockdown Edition

It's no secret that 2020 has been an awful year for pretty much everybody and we're only in June. Staying positive is the best way forward. Music creates good positivity and some fantastic music has been released this year and I am going to share my top ten favourite artists and the reason why they have made my time in lockdown feel brighter, most of whom have dropped some big releases this year, no particular order just want to thank all these ten bands for letting me cope more. Enjoy!

(no pictures used belong to me)

1. Vistas

Vistas are: Prentice Robertson, Jamie Satoshi-Law and Dylan Rush

It has been a real joy to have Edinburgh based trio Vistas' tracks blasting through my speakers this lockdown, In particular their debut album "Everything Changes In The End" which was released on 29th May and features tracks that have been readily released but re recorded hits such as Tigerblood and Retrospect alongside many others that were released in late to mid 2019 and early 2020 just before the album release was announced! I started listening to Vistas in early 2019 after finding out they performed at my first gig The Years End Festival in December 2018 but I didn't see them as they were playing at Gorilla whilst I was seeing most of The Ritz's acts.

I was listening to Tigerblood lots on my playlist and having little friendly chats with Vistas on Instagram at the beginning of lockdown so I thought I'd venture more into their songs which I soon became astonished by! I pre-ordered the limited edition blue vinyl of their album. I've missed a couple of acts from Vistas but I hope to see them once this is all over!

2. LOAstate 

LOAstate are: Sid Cooper, Luke Denvers, Ryan Comac, Tommy Gorton and James Cardus

As most of my followers will know I interviewed Sid, The LOAstate frontman in April 2020 for my very first virtual interview which is an activity that keeps my music journal alive with there being no gigs.

 I found LOAstate in October/November 2019 after hearing a lot of my favourite bands talking about their debut performance at the Neighbourhood Festival held in Manchester 2019 I thought id go ahead and listen to their only released songs at the time "Love as you want it" and "Why Me Why" and at the time thought that it wasn't my cup of tea, the sounds and synths used were very different to what I usually listen to, But you know what? After a couple more listens it began to sync in that the lyrics contained are very meaningful and in times of trouble I take an LOAstate quote and it will inspire me to create the person I want to be and as of today LOAstate are one of my favourite bands for the reason of being inspirational. They are also really funny and friendly and we often have banter on Instagram.

 LOAstate teamed up with Kashmere and released the track Crystals in April 2020, A track that was recorded and written entirely whilst in lockdown then a month later, LOAstate wrote a track on their own called Blue Skies and fans were asked to participate in the Blue Skies video by sending a picture of them on a night out with mates and it was shown in the video.

3. IDLES

IDLES are: Lee Kiernan, Joe Talbot, Jon Beavis, Adam Devonshire and Mark Bowen

Bristol based punk band, IDLES have been keeping me very motivated this lockdown, With their new track released this lockdown, Mr Motivator! IDLES are a big favourite of mine and always will be. I got their second album "Joy As An Act Of Resistance" on CD for Christmas and was told because at the time I was a big Slaves fan I would like IDLES and it was true! I saw IDLES on TV at Glastonbury and the show just looked incredible! Not a dull moment at all and also when they played a big show in France at Le Bataclan which also got put on vinyl. My personal favourite IDLES track has got to be Danny Nedelko which is an ode to immigration in the UK and how it wonderfully impacts the country and economy to make it a better place. Danny Nedelko is also a real person, Frontman of local band, Heavy Lungs.

4. The Zangwills 

The Zangwills are: Jake Vickers, Ed Dowling, Adam Spence and Sam Davies

Chester's very own The Zangwills have been on repeat on my Spotify this lockdown! Also I had a fantastic talk with frontman Jake for my third live interview, I have only seen The Zangwills live once supporting Saytr Play at Gorilla in early 2019 I didn't really take much interest to them after seeing their performance i don't know why but as soon as the music began to sync in I became a fan! Their tracks such as Painting by Numbers, Sunlight at Midnight and Patio Paradise are big hits! And big favourites of mine, The Zangwills are also very good friends with Saytr Play and I've seen them collaborating on stage at gigs in particular, The Zangwills headliner at Academy 3 in February 2020 despite me not being at the show I saw footage of Fred on stage with them and it just looked incredible! I hope to see The Zangwills live soon because it will be my first show as a fan.

5. Kashmere

Kashmere are: Joey Newey, Charlie Cole, Andy Law and Freddie Hughes 

The amazing Stockport based synth-pop band Kashmere have been keeping themselves busy this lockdown with a brand new EP which was hinted when they teamed up with LOAstate and released Crystals. The seven track EP with three interludes was written and recorded entirely through lockdown except for Make Love which Joey stated was written in 2015. A lot of the EP sounds like it has been inspired by modern rap music to me with the instruments and beats used, For something made whilst being stuck indoors I'm very impressed with it and would class it as one of the best releases this 2020.



6. Cabbage

Cabbage are: Lee Broadbent, Joe Martin, Eoghan Clifford, Patrick Neville and Asa Morley

There have been no new releases this lockdown from local-to-me Mossley post punk group, Cabbage. However my fandom expanded massively in March-April after listening more in depth to Young, Dumb and Full of on Spotify. So much my fandom expanded I even purchased the last remaining vinyl on Amazon (It had to be done!!). I can't remember what got me into them or when I got into Cabbage, I had heard of them prior to 2018 because they hail from Mossley which is very local to me but I think I started listening to them after hearing they were good mates and has similarities with The Blinders, both being politically active bands and just like The Blinders, dedicating a lot of their songs to socialist topics.
In December 2019 there was a show hosted at The O2 Ritz called "Socialist Sunday" headlined by The Blinders and Cabbage, Unfortunately I couldn't make the show but what I saw and heard, The Blinders and Cabbage were both on at the same time and apparently they are the best collaboration at a gig if they happen to be playing at the same time!


7. No Hot Ashes

No Hot Ashes are: Isaac Taylor, Luigi Di Vuono, Jack Walsh and Matthew Buckley

If there was no pandemic this year then No Hot Ashes would have called it a day and performed their final two shows in mid April 2020 and kissed the music scene goodbye. After announcing they were calling it a day in March they also announced two very last shows; One at The Grace in London and one at Gorilla in Manchester.
 I immediately jumped on the website and grabbed tickets because I'm a huge NHA fan and the band mean so much to me but unfortunately I have missed so many performances such as their big O2 Ritz headliner in October 19 and The British Sound Project in November which they headlined. So this means that my first and only NHA gig will be the final one which is a shame seeing how much they mean to me and both shows are rescheduled to August 2020.
I became addicted to their album and got it on Spotify the day it dropped and I got their album on vinyl in December 2019, It is honestly such a monumental album, One of the very best released in 2019 and has the most artistic, iconic eye opening artwork in my opinion.


8. The Lottery Winners

The Lottery Winners are: Thom Rylance, Robert Lally, Katie Lloyd and Joe Singleton

I have been immensely proud of Wigan based band The Lottery Winners throughout this year and last year! I saw them for the very first time in March 2019 supporting Larkins at the Albert Hall and I'm serious here, The second I walked into the venue and heard Thom shout "This one's called 21" I was blown away at how talented and wonderful that track was and after the show I looked on Spotify and noticed they only had two tracks on there and 21 was nowhere to be seen.
I actually enjoyed The Lottery Winners more than Larkins! They did well in 2019 selling The Bread Shed out and supporting Sir Tom Jones at his Colchester, Bristol and Peterborough was a massive achievement for them, couldn't be any more happier and proud of them.
However in September luck struck me and they announced their debut album was going to be released in March 2020 and at the time I was complaining that it was too long but you know what? It did take a while but it was totally worth the wait! And 21 was the main thing that hyped me about it but 21 was singly released in January 20 (21st January to be precise)


9. The Chats

The Chats are: Eamon Sandwith, Matt Boggis and Josh Price

Seeing Aussie shed rock band The Chats live was a great end to my 2019! I never knew that their tour banner was going to be their debut album cover either! I got into The Chats in mid 2019 because I wanted to check some Australian bands out with me already being a big King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard fan. After seeing The Chats I got into bands such as Pist Idiots, Crocodylus and Skegss. The Chats released their debut album "High Risk Behaviour" at the beginning of the UK lockdown which has got to be the #1 album of 2020 in my honest opinion. Truly beautiful album one of a kind. Might not be everyone's cup of tea but if you like music inspired/written by young scallywags then I recommend The Chats!

10. The Blinders

The Blinders are: Thomas Haywood, Charlie McGough and Matthew Neale

I have a lot to say about The Blinders so I'll try and keep it as short and sweet as possible! I found The Blinders in February 2019 after noticing a lot of Saytr Play fans talking about them and I started listening to their debut album in March, So many people I know have seen The Blinders live but I haven't to this day, I just can't wait for that day to come because from listening to their Spotify they just sound like from that such a brilliant band to see live. In April they performed a huge O2 Ritz headliner and if I tell you who I know who went we'll be here until Christmas! Oh my god the footage I saw just makes me look daft for not going but I was seeing and supporting a local group to me called Kul Tablasi who are quite up and coming so I thought I'd go over and show some love over at The Deaf Institute on the same night. And if you think about it I wasn't as much as Blinders fan as I am today so if they headlined The Ritz or a bigger venue in the near future, no arguments I would not miss it for anything! But people I know who went told me how much of a glorious night it was.

They released an album of The Ritz headliner which I have on vinyl and contains bonus track "Forty Days and Forty Nights" which was released in February 2020.

In September 2018 they released Columbia, Their debut album which has a lot of topics related to the George Orwell novel "1984"
Their second album "Fantasies of A Stay At Home Psychopath" comes out in July 2020 and this lockdown The Blinders have released one track called "Mule Track" and in February they released "Forty Days and Forty Nights" and "Circle Song."