IT’S BEEN a great year for music from Reading and Wokingham-based musicians.
We’ve loved being able to share some of the tracks that we’ve enjoyed. Every week, there is a new selection to enjoy and from some incredibly talented people.
We try to make the RaW Sounds Today playlist a must-listen, and given by how popular it is, you seem to agree.
Before we launch headlong into 2024, we wanted to spend a week looking back at the past 12 months, with our annual end-of-year review. Here are 20 fabulous tunes to enjoy.
Back to normal next week.
The Playlist is on a different link to the usual weekly one. It is at https://bit.ly/RaW2023Top20
Rila’s Edge – Share the Night
They were Number 4 in last year’s Top 20 with their Someone New single and we said “they are destined for a good year”.
Well, that has certainly been the case as the band have released a string of great singles like this one which highlight their ability to write and perform strong exciting indie anthems.
They performed some brilliant live shows during the year including an incredible performance in a packed tent at Wokingham Festival when they headlined the second stage. They are certainly a band of the moment and we look forward to them progressing further during 2024 – https://www.rilasedge.com/
Beans on Toast – Against the War
The Club Velocity team bring quality artists to the area and one that made a return visit was Beans on Toast.
He increases his audience each time which is no surprise with his performance and thought provoking songs – some witty, some serious, some both.
If any budding singer-songwriters want to know how to engage an audience they should get along to Reading Face Bar on March 5, when he returns for another Club Velocity/New Mind show in support of his album The Toothpaste and the Tube – https://beansontoastmusic.com/
Third Lung – It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock ‘n’ Roll)
For the third year in a row Third Lung have made the Top 3 of our end-of-year chart.
They topped our Top 20 last year with the release of their critically acclaimed Gameplay album and, with the focus this year on the promotion of that excellent album, they released just one new single but what a single it was.
A very impressive interpretation of an AC/DC classic – http://www.thirdlungband.com/
Flutatious – Spacechick (Mitchell Mix)
2023 saw the 10th anniversary of this band’s Fluctuations EP on our locally based, Magick Eye Records.
It included this song which was mixed by renowned Reading-based producer, John Mitchell – https://www.flutatious.co.uk/
Tankus the Henge – You Can Do Anything
They performed an incredible headlining set at Wokingham Festival in August showing that they must be one of the best live bands around at the moment.
We look forward to new music from the band in 2024 – https://www.tankusthehenge.com/
Trim – Restart
This band, based around singer-songwriter Chris Trim, released their debut album this year called Resolve and it is a very good album full of songs with melody such as this one that has a memorable hook that you can’t help singing along to – https://www.trimmusic.co.uk/
Kyros – Esoterica
This band with local links (management, record company, and drummer) released several singles during the year ahead of the release of their new album Mannequin in February and a UK Tour in April.
It’s going to be quite a year for the band – https://www.kyrosmusic.com/
Mackenzie – Ordinary
It’s always wonderful when you hear a song from a new artist that grabs you straight away and even more wonderful when they are from the local area. This is one of those.
What a brilliant melodic alt-pop artist from Reading Mackenzie is – https://linktr.ee/Mackenzieofficial
Jopy – Ka Ka Killer
Here’s another excellent local artist. Jopy is based around local musician Jo Parnell, and exciting times are ahead.
Following the release of a couple of great songs and powerful live performances Jopy has signed to Goo Records – https://www.facebook.com/jopymusic
Rocket Kings – Say it With a Smile
The band that always do make you smile released their new album this year called Paving the Way.
It gained very favourable reviews and radio plays which is not surprising as it’s full of feel-good songs like this one – https://www.kyrosmusic.com/
Deva St.John – The Curse
Deva has appeared in our Top 20 every year since we started producing our playlist feature and here she is again. She consistently produces quality singles showing what an impressively creative artist she is – https://www.facebook.com/dayvasaintjohn/
Pinewall – You Didn’t Go Up There to Fish
A posthardcore band from Reading who released their first two singles in 2023 including this one.
With powerful vocals and musicianship creating metal with melody like this we’ll look forward to seeing what they do next – https://linktr.ee/pinewall
Spriggan Mist – The Portal
They continued to spread their spriggery pokery throughout the country during 2023 and released this great new version of one of their most popular tracks. Watch out for their Power of 3 show at Acoustic Couch in Bracknell on February 17 – https://www.sprigganmist.com/
Squeeze – Pulling Mussels (From The Shell)
This classic band is here as Wokingham Music Club put on a wonderful show of songs and stories by Chris Difford from the band. The full Squeeze will be at Reading Hexagon on November 7 on their 50th Anniversary Tour – https://www.squeezeofficial.com/
Gemma Rogers – New World Order
London-based Gemma has played Club Velocity shows in Reading and also appeared at 19 Something Festival. This single was released this year and is another of her very good songs with socially conscious lyrics – https://www.gemmarogersmusic.com/
Jesse Smith – WKD
He appears on TV singing with the Strictly Come Dancing band and earlier this year Jesse, who is from Reading, released this excellent solo single and performed a solo tour in spring and summer as well as recently in December – https://www.jessesmithuk.com/
Nell Bryden – Hail Mary
Here’s another world-renowned artist that appeared at a Wokingham Music Club show this year. The American singer-songwriter released her Believe Again album from which this single was taken – https://www.nellbryden.com/
That Joe Payne – Falling In Love Is Easy
This is a single from the new album Bread & Circuses that Joe released this year.
We were lucky enough to get along to the album launch show where Joe and his band played an impressive set – https://www.thatjoepayne.com/
The Veras – Something to Say
It’s that 21st century band who love the sound of the sixties and they certainly showed that this year with the release of this excellent single where they produced a new version of the classic that was originally released by The Action – https://theveras.co.uk/
The Wave Machine – Break Away
The Wave Machine has moved away from his Wokingham hometown to Cornwall, a perfect location for his songs of sun, sea and fun which clearly keeps inspiring him to release uplifting singles like this 2023 release – https://thewavemachinemusic.com/
THE PANEL AND THEIR TOP TRACKS OF THE YEAR:
Andrew Merritt (Andrew Merritt Photography): You Didn’t Go Up There to Fish by Pinewall
Chris Hillman (White Star Records / Magick Eye Records): Share the Night by Rila’s Edge
Tara Deane (Musician & Promoter at Tara Deane Music): The Curse by Deva St.John
Dean Nelson (Generation Studio): Share the Night by Rila’s Edge
John Blaney (Mega Dodo Records / Billywitch Records): Pulling Mussells (From The Shell) by Squeeze
Roger Dudman (The Walrus and The Carpenter Show on Rock Radio UK): The Portal by Spriggan Mist
Stan Hetherington (Wokingham Music Club): Against the War by Beans on Toast
