W/e 17/12/25 - Big Thief, Olivia Dean, Kolsch, Cameron Winter, Blondie

And the final batch.

No great movers once again, but a decent showing by both Olivia Dean and Kolsch.

OG Phil finishes the year with the 😄 thanks to his highest ever set of scores.

Andy has the ☹️, his 14th of the year!

Congrats to Blondie, into the classics top 30 alongside Primal Scream (Give Out But..) and Air, and is our 4th most enjoyed classic this year.

Andy

Big Thief - This was pretty enjoyable, nice vocals and pleasant tunes 6.5

Olivia Dean - Another lovely new soul voice, she’ll get comparisons to Raye but she’s got a sweeter more delicate style for me 7

Kölsch - Tiss, tiss tiss. Another one I just don’t get. Might enjoy it more in an old Slovakian castle with lots of lasers to distract me like a bored cat but sitting at my desk I struggle to see the appeal 3.5

Cameron Winter - I’ve listened to the Geese album a lot and while I don’t dislike it’s hard to get a grip on why it’s so beloved in all the critics lists for the year. This is much the same but without the grooves that album has, just Cameron’s voice, which is distinctive to say the least 5

TotW - Man I Need by Olivia Dean

Blondie - Sometimes a classic is exactly that rather than just a favourite of the selector, this is a prime example. Top drawer new wave that somehow crossed over and features 5 all time pop classics. Lovely stuff 9.5

Phil (New)

Olivia Dean 8

I really enjoyed the way this album is put together. The music has a compressed far away feel, it's all about her voice, which is stunning.

Kölsch 6

Coincidentally, I'm planning a Kölsch recipe for a homebrew comp this week so was hoping this would provide me the winning sound track for the brew, unfortunately not quite! The odd track was good, CamalPhat's influence on the first was noticeable and slightly different to the rest. Nacht und Traume's looping trancy bassline was a highlight but probably needed a club sound system, smoke and lasers rather than a ford transit stereo on the M4 for full appreciation.

Big Thief 7

A calming listen, rich musically with beautiful vocals adding a real sense of warmth. 'All night, all day' stood out.

Cameron Winter 3

Some of my favourite artists write depressing lyrics, but somehow deliver them in a way that draws you in and gives you an emotional lift, there was none of that here. This chap seems to have written and recorded the whole thing in a constant cloud of bad mood, hangover and lack of vitamin d, he just drones, on and on and on. The music of the album is listenable and could have been enjoyable if it hadn't been spoilt by the monotonous drawl.

TOTW: Olivia Dean - Loud

Blondie 6.5

Not a huge fan of the hits, and hadn't listened to the album before. Great drumming throughout, and the mix of bits of different styles in the music with a punk base was cool.

Phil OG

Big Thief 8

Not as quirky as their earlier albums and, because of that, it took me a long while to warm to this new one. It still seems odd that, despite losing a member, their sound is denser and more conventionally rocky. But they’re still a class act.

Olivia Dean 8.5

High quality smooth soul from a future superstar. Not unlike early Corinne Bailey Rae but Dean has the potential to be huge. One of my albums of the year, no contest.

Kolsch 5.5

A bit bleepy but there are a couple of decent pop tunes buried in here somewhere …

Cameron Winter 8

Listening to this, I was reminded of Syd Barrett’s solo work, and Eno’s first couple of post-Roxy albums. In other words, it’s the work of an uber-maverick. On the evidence of this, and the Geese album Getting killed, Winter hears the world differently from the rest of the rock world and, I don’t know about the rest of you, but I need more of that!

TOTW – Olivia Dean – Let alone the one you love

Classic

Blondie 8

It was a considerable achievement for a new wave band to make a pop album – a classic, in fact – and not only keep but maintain their cool. Still sounds timeless.

Guy

Big Thief – I’m not a huge fan of this folky, C&W style but this was reasonably easy to listen to and pretty well put together – 6

Olivia Dean – Good voice but this sort of female warbling is not my cup of tea. I’m sure it’s a great example of the discipline but it didn’t get my engine revving – 6.2

Kolsch – Enjoyed this. Some cracking electronica with haunting vocals. This was the only album this week that roused me from my flu-induced stupor – 7.5

Cameron Winter – If this guy wasn’t part of one of the bigger hits of recent times, then I can’t see this album doing well. It’s limited musically and his voice (whilst distinctive) is dreary and depressing – 5.5

TOTW – Home - Kolsch

Blondie – Definitely a classic. The hits are superb but the rest of the album stands up too - every track has something to it. Timeless is the word Phil! A lovely end to the required listening – 8.7

Justin

Big Thief - Decent tunes. Folk rock and indie mix works well. 6.9

Olivia Dean - Great voice. Some nice soulful 80s style tunes. Not something really for me but obviously quality. 7.2

Kolsch - Didn't totally grasp me on the first listen but I've been listening to this for a few weeks and it has really grown on me. A mixture of Avici style tracks and electronica classical. 7.5

Cameron Winter - I actually enjoyed this despite the strange depressing vocals. 7

TOTW Kolsch - Kinema

Blondie - Plenty of classics and the rest aren't bad either. Still sounds modern and distinct 8

Carlo

Big Thief – 6.5

Pleasant enough, perhaps slightly whiny, but generally quite listenable. Would I put it on again? I’m not entirely convinced.

Cameron Winter – 6

I’m confused – do I like this or not? I think not. That said, it’s an interesting sound for a young guy. I am curious who the target audience is.

Kölsch – 8

Some of the vocals are a little poppy, but I actually quite like this. Love a bit of synth.

Olivia Dean – 7.8

A gorgeous, silky voice, even if it’s not really my sort of thing.

Blondie – 8

Some obvious crackers, but also a couple of surprisingly meh tracks I didn’t know.

TOTW: Kölsch. All that matters.

Mark

Big Thief - played this quite a bit and it was a real grower, shades of Sharon Van Etten, First Aid Kit etc - 7.5

Olivia Dean - classy pop album, lovey voice and more substance than most of her peers in this very crowded field - 7

Kolsch - a bit more commercial than their earlier minimalist stiff which I prefer, but there's still some nice sweeping house bangers, including Smile a big epic at the end - 7.5

Cameron Winter - the Geese album has grown on me and so I really wanted to like this, but while some of it was strange and atmospheric, it's also a bit hard going. The vocal is certainly unusual, bit of a Rufus Wainwright vibe, but the music underneath it is quite beguiling in places, and in time I could see myself getting into this - 7

TOTW - I can't keep anything, by Cameron Winter

Sam

Big Thief ; I like a bit of country and western but this is a bit dull : 5

Cameron Winter : I’m convinced the internet is loving this because they all loved the Geese album . This is a very odd and he sounds like he’s escaped from the 1950’s . Because there are a couple of nice bits it scrapes a 5

Kolsch: thank god for this ! Proper dancey in parts , my hands were in the air … 7.5

Olivia Dean : beautiful voice but this ain’t my cup of tea : 5.5

TOTW Waste my Time by Kolsch

Blondie : what a fantastic album . 6 singles off it . 11:59 is a banger too . Great choice : 9 all the way

Paul

Big Thief (7)

Really nice chilled tunes and a pleasing voice. A very present listen.

Olivia Dean (7.5)

Lovely voice and soulful tunes, again a very present listen!

Kolsch (7)

Nice bit of techno, could be quite fun in the right environment.

Cameron Winter (5)

I’ve really enjoyed Geese recently and like his slightly ramshackle vocal style but just couldn’t get on with this, just all too slow and dronny for me.

Blondie (9)

First time I’ve listened to the album in full. The hits are excellent and the rest holds up pretty well.

TOTW - Big Thief- Words

Simon

Big Thief: had very little expectations for this, and it's not usually my style of music at all, but found this strangely engrossing - it has an ethereal quality that really suits the singer's vocals; reminded me of Central Reservation by Beth Orton, has the same slow but atmospheric feel. 7.8

Olivia Dean: great voice, sounds immaculate and has some high quality songwriting, just doesn't do much for me. 6

Kolsch: as an uptempo, occasionally cheesy, Euro house album goes it's pretty decent, although doesn't do anything interesting enough to make me want to listen to it more. 6.5

Cameron Winter: much like the Geese album, probably best described as an acquired taste - it's certainly an interesting listen, but it didn't have enough intrinsic appeal to make me want to spend time trying to get to know it better. 6.5

Blondie: when they were at the top of their game from the late 70s to the early 80s Blondie really were untouchable, releasing a series of stone cold pop classics whilst retaining their new wave cool. Great stuff, not least Picture This which is one of my all-time favourites. 8.5

TotW: Big Thief - No Fear

Adam

Big Thief

Enjoyable country style music with some eccentricities 7

Olivia Dean

Album has not been out that long but some tracks seem to be everywhere. Lovely soulful pop from this rising star 7

Kolsch

Good enough bit of bleep bleep and drum machine to dance around to. 6

Cameron Winter

Old soul music from this youngster. Quite liked this 7

TOTW: Lady Lady - Olivia Dean

Classic

Masterful pop - the hits are really superb. 8

Erol

Big Thief - I love a bit of modern country with a twist. This hit the spot. 7.5

Olivia Dean - she has a superb voice and the backing track is delightfully laid back. She’s definitely one to watch. 8

Kolsch - decent dance tunes with some pleasant classical moments. 7.5

Cameron Winter - mumbling miserable man from a bygone age. I can see the appeal but it’s not really for me. 6

TOTW - Words, Big Thief

Blondie - the hits, of which there are many, still sound great. 8.3

Jim

Big Thief 6

Enjoyable, interesting folky/country but lacking stand out tracks

Olivia Dean 7

Top notch solfull pop. Can see why she’s seen to have a big future

Kolsch 7.5

A splattering of quality trance without hitting the heady heights of his 2020 humdinger

Cameron Winter 4

At best there’s something slightly hypnotic about his singing however if I’m being honest its pretty dull and monotonous

TOTW: Kolsch - Waste my time

Blondie 9.5

Almost perfect , packed full of timeless classics. Must have been quite something to see them in their late 70s pomp.

Matt

Big Thief - 7.9

Olivia Dean - 7

Kolsch - 7.6

Cameron Winter - 5

TOTW - Big Thief, Words

Annette

Big Thief: 6

Olivia Dean: 8

Kolsch: 8

Cameron Winter: 4.5

TOTW: Kinema by Kolsch

Classic: Blondie - 8