NICK BARKER (Musician)
TOP 10 ALBUMS OF THE YEAR
No Ordinary Crown – Will Johnson
I loved Centro-magic for so long and was gutted when they broke up. This record slays me .The king of Lo-Fi and the greatest of songwriters
Should’ve Learned By Now – Lucero
Lucero are my go to…I’m a longtime fan.
Second Thoughts – Leichhardt
Hopefully not to be another criminally underrated Aus band. Like the SunnyBoys mixed with DBTs .Plus I got to sing a track !
Sunshine State – Good Will Remedy
Another great band outta QLD , singer/songwriter Will Lebihan is the real deal, hard working and it shows here.”Jay” is killer
The Night We Called It A Day – Rebecca Barnard
Think you know about Rebecca from the Empire days?? Think again , incredible singer is my friend Bec. Effortless
Ripper 23 – The Hard Ons
Unreal!
Blitzen Trapper (“Cheap Fantastical Takedown” / “Millions of Billions” / “Ghost & the Snakebite”)
Oh OK technically not an album but if you haven’t heard them, a long and wonderful trip awaits . See you at the end
Weathervanes – Jason Isbell
Hard to find a more reliable singer/songwriter really . I loved his songs in DBT’s and nothing has changed.
Wronger – Tommy Stinson’s Cowboys In The Campfire
Tommy Stinson showin’ us how’s it done as usual,a lotta fun .
I was going to put EXOSKELETON but then i realised that would be a bit of a dick move
BEST COMPILATION REISSUES
Chrome Dreams – Neil Young
BEST MUSIC BOOK
Livin’ on a Prayer – Desmond Childs .
BEST OTHER BOOK
Another Bloody Love Letter – Anthony Loyd
BEST MUSIC FILM/DOCUMENTARY
Stranger In My Own Skin (Pete Doherty Documentary).
A cautionary tale for the young folks
BEST FESTIVAL GIG/OTHER GIG YOU SAW THIS YEAR
I have a confession to make here…..
BEST FESTIVAL GIG OR OTHER GIG YOU DID THIS YEAR
My very own Exoskeleton Record Launch @ Shot Kickers
YOUR HIGHLIGHT OF THE YEAR
Playing ‘Undecided’/’Black and Blue’ on Off The Record
SARAH CARROLL (Musician, Music Educator, Broadcaster)
TOP 10 ALBUMS OF THE YEAR
In no specific order…note that most are Australian and many were nominated for the Australian Music Prize this year.
So This Is Love – Cash Savage And The Last Drinks-
On and On and On – David M Western
Honey Dates Death / Ghazals – Fenn Wilson –
Maybe, then…. Dan Warner and Night Parrots –
Are We There Yet? – Romanie
Minor Gold – Minor Gold
Watty Thompson – Watty Thompson
The Returner (US) – Allison Russell
Rollercoaster – Checkerboard Lounge
I Am The River, The River Is Me – Jen Cloher
BEST COMPILATION/ REISSUES
Rosa Duet (20th Anniversary Reissue) – Barb Waters (Cheersquad Records and Tapes)
This album is full of fabulous songs and performances and is a grand document of an era in the Melbourne music scene when the artists invited to record with Barb were all working hard and kicking arse.
BEST MUSIC BOOK
Book Of Life – Deborah Conway
I was given the honour of interviewing Deborah about her book (and her life!) recently. To prepare, I read her book twice and found it more enjoyable the second time as I’d learned to receive her blunt and mercurial voice! Fascinating and revealing, about herself and the music industry.
BEST OTHER BOOK
Rumi: Food Of Middle Eastern Appearance – Joseph Abboud
Apart from the witty title, I’m very keen on this book and loved hearing Cam from Eat It on RRR interviewing Joseph about it. He aims to demystify and make accessible to all the techniques of the Lebanese home cooking which have taken him to the top! Rumi is the name of his restaurant in Melbourne and also the name of one of ancient Persia’s greatest poets.
BEST MUSIC FILM/DOCUMENTARY
The most intensely beautiful film I’ve seen this year is Three Chords And The Truth, starring my darling friend and one of our finest singers and songwriters, Jackie Marshall. Of course, I was ready to love it but I wasn’t ready for how much I’d be affected. It’s the story of two women, one in her 40s, one in her late teens, who find each other by chance and discover a deep connection through music. The young actor who plays opposite Jackie, Maisie Owens, is just glorious and director Claire Pasvolsky is receiving well-deserved accolades!
Just watched Martin Scorsese’s Rolling Thunder Revue doco, which I know has been out for a while. Wow! Absolutely scorching performances and a total schooling for any other living songwriter.
BEST FESTIVAL GIG/OTHER GIG YOU SAW THIS YEAR
The Archie Roach tribute on Friday night at Port Fairy Folk Festival, featuring Radical Son and Sally Dastey amongst others. Hearts bursting and breath taken away.
BEST FESTIVAL GIG OR OTHER GIG YOU DID THIS YEAR
The show I did with Suzannah Espie at Archie’s Creek to celebrate our 25th anniversary of playing together was beautiful and great fun, and followed by a glorious reunion with darling Bill Kirchen the next day! His gig with Redd Volkaert was honky tonk perfection.
Also, must mention my first ever festival show as a drummer! Queenscliff Music Festival, Tin Stars, we ruled.
YOUR HIGHLIGHT OF THE YEAR
My son Fenn’s sold out album launch at the Curtin in May. Watty Thompson opened the show with a poem about Fenn which was the most moving and sweet thing I’ve heard in a very long time and the performances by all involved were absolutely astounding.
STEVE HOY (Musician)
TOP 10 ALBUMS OF THE YEAR (In no particular order)
Seven Psalms – Paul Simon
Mountains – Nils Lofgren
Every Loser – Iggy Pop
Strays – Margo Price
Toast – Neil Young
Maybe, Then . . . Dan Warner & The Night Parrots
The Night We Called It A Day – Rebecca Barnard
Shadowland – Dog Trumpet
Weathervanes – Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit
Four – Bill Frisell
(I only bought these ten new releases plus Fragments! Heaps of older, secondhand,etc)
BEST COMPILATION REISSUES
Bob Dylan: Bootleg Series Vol. 17 Fragments: Time Out Of Mind Sessions (1996-1997)**
BEST MUSIC BOOK
Let’s Do It – Bob Stanley (2022 I know but . . .)
BEST OTHER BOOK
Be Mine – Richard Ford
BEST MUSIC FILM/DOCUMENTARY
Live At the Royal Albert Hall – Creedence Clearwater Revival (Netflix)
BEST FESTIVAL GIG/OTHER GIG YOU SAW THIS YEAR
Festival: Lightning & Rhinestones, Palais Hepburn
Other Gig: The Cartwheels, Northern Arts Hotel, Castlemaine
BEST FESTIVAL GIG OR OTHER GIG YOU DID THIS YEAR
Words On The Water: A Cruise On The Hawksbury River Celebrating The Life & Poetry Of Robert Adamson
YOUR HIGHLIGHT OF THE YEAR
Moving to the Central Highlands
BRIAN TARANTO (LOVE POLICE SUPREMO)
TOP 10 ALBUMS OF THE YEAR
Birds Nest – The Bures Band
The Golden Crystal Kingdom – Vincent Neil Emerson
Irish Rock N Roll – The Mary Wallopers
Valley Of Heart’s Delight – Margo Cilker
Supernatural Thing – M Ward
Haunted Mountain – Buck Meek
Yesterday’s News – Robert Ellis
At The Roadhouse – The Paper Kites
Rustin’ In The Rain – Tyler Childers
Cousin – Wilco
BEST COMPILATION REISSUES
Dixie Chicken – Little Feat
BEST MUSIC BOOK
Don’t Tell Anyone The Secrets I Told You by Lucinda Williams
BEST OTHER BOOK
Only read music books!
BEST MUSIC FILM/DOCUMENTARY
Little Richard: I Am Everything
BEST FESTIVAL GIG/OTHER GIG YOU SAW THIS YEAR
Neil Young & Crazy Horse at The Roxy playing Tonight’s The Night and Everybody Knows This is Nowhere.
BEST FESTIVAL GIG OR OTHER GIG YOU DID THIS YEAR
Farm Aid, including a surprise set of Bob Dylan with Tom Petty’s Heartbreakers, and Bob on guitar!
YOUR HIGHLIGHT OF THE YEAR
Driving around LA with Warwick Brown with Neil Young blaring out of the speakers, then getting super stoned in the line at The Roxy to see Neil and the Horse.
ANDY WHITE (Musician)
TOP 10 ALBUMS OF THE YEAR
‘Now and Then’ by The Beatles played for 40 minutes.
BEST COMPILATION REISSUES
The Complete Budokan 1978 – Bob Dylan
BEST MUSIC BOOK
The Creative Act – A Way of Being – Rick Rubin
BEST OTHER BOOK
I Wanna Be Yours – John Cooper Clarke
BEST MUSIC FILM/DOCUMENTARY
Nothing Compares: Sinéad O’Connor
BEST FESTIVAL GIG/OTHER GIG YOU SAW THIS YEAR
Macca – Melbourne
BEST FESTIVAL GIG OR OTHER GIG YOU DID THIS YEAR
Playing Dublin Whelans in January
YOUR HIGHLIGHT OF THE YEAR
Recording in Abbey Road Studio 2, 14 July.