WELL, Old Father Time is here ready for us to bid 2020 goodbye.
While many of us have had tough years thanks to covid, there have also been good spots.
In the summer, some festivals were able to return and we were thrilled that Wokingham was among them, as was Marvellous.
Some gigs have also been back as pubs saw restrictions ease.
But bands haven’t stopped making music. If anything, lockdown has helped those creative juices flow. We’ve seen some of the fruits of these labours in our weekly playlist, and there will be more to come.
But as we raise a glass to 2020, and get ready to ring in the new, here’s a chance to look back at the 20 top tracks of the year.
As with last year, the RaW Sounds Today playlist has been chosen by a panel from the local music scene. Each track under consideration has featured in the RaWSounds.Today and it’s predecessor, Wokingham Loves Music, playlists throughout the year.
It’s great that the Top 7 are all up-and-coming talent from the local area.
Importantly, for one week only the playlist can be found at a different Spotify location to usual – don’t worry, it’s still free to listen to.
You can tune in att https://spoti.fi/323SUor
Happy New Year to you – here’s to another 12 months of brilliant music.
The Paradox Twin – Wake Vortex
This Reading band’s second album ‘Silence from Signals’ has seen great reactions worldwide so no surprise that this is No1. The album, takes you through powerful and beautiful moments with the stunning vocals of Danny Sorrell and Nicole Johnson combining wonderfully with the band’s musicianship. They have performed live around the UK and Europe, but have never played their home town until now! They have a special homecoming show at the Facebar on 4th Feb – https://www.theparadoxtwin.com/
Third Lung – I A Fire
Another local band that has done some great things in 2021. They released a stream of great singles during the year including this one and they showed what a quality live band they are with some excellent live shows. They also created their own sell out festival, Loddfest, in conjunction with the Loddon Brewery. A hard working band and clearly one to watch in 2022 – http://thirdlungband.com/
Hoopy Frood – Round Shaped Hole
It had been about a 12-year wait for a new album from this Wokingham based band but this year it arrived. It was certainly worth the wait with this track being a highlight from that album entitled ‘Affirmations’. They also released a very cool video which is well worth checking out if you haven’t already – https://www.hoopyfrood.co.uk/
Aaron Cilia – Infinitum
Aaron is a talented young local musician, producer & sound engineer and this is an instrumental single that he released earlier this year on which he played every instrument himself – https://www.facebook.com/AaronCiliaArtist/
The Wave Machine – Ocean’s Brew
Here’s an artist that had the crowd singing along with his uplifting summer feel set at Wokingham Festival this year. He’s a Brighton based singer-songwriter, originally from the local area – https://www.facebook.com/thewavemachine
A Better Life (ft. Pete Rawcliffe) – Wicked Game
A beautiful new version of the Chris Isaak classic by an electronica collective created by local musician Phil Daniels. This song was recorded with the help of singer Pete Rawcliffe – https://abetterlifemusic.com/
Katie Ellwood – Self Love
Here’s another talented young local songwriter who sings and plays every instrument on her releases. This one showcases Katie’s chilled grooves and subtle melody and we love that closing string section – https://www.katieellwood.com/
Ronnie Lane & Slim Chance – The Poacher
Wokingham Music Club continues to bring legendary artists to the town and one of those this year was Slim Chance which includes members who played with the late great Ronnie Lane – https://www.slim-chance.co.uk/
Split the Dealer – Chinchilla
This talented singer was at No.3 in our Top 20 of 2020 with his Deva St.John duet and here he is in Top 20 this year with one of his own excellent 2021 single releases – https://www.facebook.com/splitthedealer
Marky Dawson – Radio Gaga
Marky is a charismatic piano player with a huge voice who showed his quality with a stunning set at Wokingham Festival in August. Here’s his unique version of a Queen classic – https://www.markydawson.co.uk/
Hank Wangford – Perfect Day
This is the opening song on the UK Country/Americana legend’s latest album ‘Holey Holey’. He was due to play at Wokingham Music Club but it was unfortunately cancelled. Hopefully we’ll see him back soon – http://www.hankwangford.co.uk/
Mike Wagner – Be Yours
Mike performed at live events during 2021 including Wokingham Festival & Loddfest. This song from his ‘Life…A Seven Day Journey’ album showcases the talents of this local singer songwriter – https://www.facebook.com/mikewagnermusic
Kyros – Cloudburst (Isolation Sessions)
This is on the band’s ‘Celexa Streams’ album which was recorded during their critically acclaimed virtual lockdown shows. They topped our chart last year with ‘Rumour’ from their ‘Celexa Dreams’ album – http://www.kyrosmusic.com/
The 286 – One Way Love
The 286 are a rock ‘n’ roll orchestra who perform their unique interpretations of classical pieces and more as well as their own self penned songs. They performed at Wokingham Festival in August – https://www.the286.co.uk/
Valeras – Let Me Go
Reading based indie rock duo, Valeras, with a single from their ‘Tell Me Now’ EP. They performed some great live shows during the year including at Sub 89 and an ‘in store’ at Wokingham’s Beyond the Download – https://www.facebook.com/valerasband
Mississippi Voss – Stranger in Paradise
They describe themselves as an indie-funk duo from Berkshire and they played a great set on the Wokingham Music Club Stage at Wokingham Festival in August – https://www.facebook.com/mississippi.voss
Red Tape Resistance – Time is a Killer
This single from the Bracknell based band has a mellow atmospheric opening gradually building in intensity to a strong and powerful closing section – https://www.facebook.com/redtaperesistance
Moth Man – Fatal Blow
They have band members in Reading and Manchester and this is a track from their excellent debut album, ‘Where The Dead Birds Go’ released on Wokingham’s Billywitch Records – https://mothman.band
In Albion – Earth
Here’s a band from Surrey who describe themselves as a ‘theatrical prog rock band’ and who performed shows in the local area including one of the Peach Place Wokingham events put on by the Beyond the Download record store – https://inalbion.net/
Deva St.John – Reckless
This talented singer was at No.3 in our Top 20 of 2020 with her Split the Dealer duet. She makes our Top 20 this year in her own right with one of her quality single releases – https://www.facebook.com/dayvasaintjohn
THE PANEL AND THEIR TOP TRACKS OF THE YEAR:
Andrew Merritt (Andrew Merritt Photography)
Top track from the year’s playlists – ‘Round Shaped Hole’ by Hoopy Frood
Top non playlist track – ‘Liquidator’ by Harry J Allstars
Chris Hillman (White Star Records / Magick Eye Records)
Top track from the year’s playlists – ‘I A Fire’ by Third Lung
Top non playlist track – ‘Parachutes’ by Moron Police
Dean Nelson (Generation Studio)
Top track from the year’s playlists – ‘I A Fire’ by Third Lung
Top non playlist track – ‘The Ripple’ by Grizfolk
John Blaney (Mega Dodo Records / Billywitch Records)
Top track from the year’s playlists – ‘The Poacher’ by Ronnie Lane & Slim Chance
Top non playlist track – ‘Black Bear’ by The Halluci Nation
Stan Hetherington (Wokingham Music Club & Wokingham Festival)
Top track from the year’s playlists – ‘Ocean’s Brew’ by The Wave Machine
Top non playlist track – ‘More Than A Miracle’ by The Blow Monkeys
The ‘non Wokingham’ panel faves have been added as extra tracks to the Top 20 Playlist of the year. Top 20 Playlist Link is at – https://spoti.fi/323SUor
