My personal cultural highlights of 2013

As in recent years… a few personal cultural highlights from this year.

Albums:

Kairos 4Tet – Everything We Hold

A bit of a strange album – part jazz album, part songs (and not necessarily jazz songs, though definitely jazzy).  But lovely.  And I keep playing it.

Opus 5 – Pentasonic

My kind of burning bost bop jazz.  Donald Edwards is one of my favourite drummers ever.

Tomasz Stanko – New York Quartet

I’ve always loved Stanko’s trumpet playing and composition.  Here he gives us a full double album of new material.  Exquisite.

Goldfrapp – Tales of Us

I loved their last album, the synth-poppy Head First, but this is a lovely, contemplative album and a good companion to Head First.

Prefab Sprout – Crimson/Red

I would have preferred a full band rather than Paddy playing everything himself, and some of the arrangements are a bit strange.  But it’s Prefab Sprout!!  The lyric-writing is just in a different league and the melody writing is effortless.

Suede – Bloodsports

Bloody good.  Sadly overshadowed by their idol Davie Bowie springing an album on us a week or so before, but this is a much better album.  More consistent, catchier and definitely one of their best albums.

Curt Smith – Deceptively, Heavy

Probably his best solo album to date.  Vibrant and catchy.  Every song is hook-laden.

Other releases:

Ready to Start – Tears for Fears (Arcade Fire Cover)

It sticks in my head – in a good way.  Roland’s voice is perfect for it.

Looking forward to in 2014:  New Joan as Policewoman, Jimi Goodwin (Doves), Tears for Fears, Phronesis

Books (I’ve read lots, but of those that actually were released this year, my favourites are):

A Delicate Truth – John Le Carre (blogged about here)

A Tale for the Time Being – Ruth Ozeki (I’ve found all her books incredibly moving.  Loved this)

Films:

The Great Beauty – Paolo Sorrentino

Argo – Ben Affleck

The Place Beyond the Pines – Derek Cianfrance

Haven’t been to the cinema as much as I would have liked this year, but these three films really stand out from what I’ve seen.

Gigs:

Phronesis – The Cockpit Theatre

Peter Gabriel – Back to Front Tour

Manu Katche – Ronnie Scotts

TV:

Homeland, Borgen