Album release shows would normally happen around the time that a new album is released. We all know why this isnât the case for any artist releasing new music over the past 18 months but finally for IDLES the time has arrived to play these special intimate shows. With two hometown Bristol shows and an Oxford gig in the bank, the band arrive in Kingston for their opportunity to grace the PRYZM stage.
âUltra Monoâ was released in September 2020, so these release shows happen almost a year on from the albumâs arrival. For some acts this could cause issues, but not for IDLES. If the euphoria for fans seeing the band after the last year or so isnât enough, they have also waited patiently to hear these new songs live.
It actually feels wrong to call them new songs, as theyâve helped many a fan through a difficult period in all our lives. These songs are now part of our lives, but IDLES songs always seem to grow wings in the live setting. So as the clock strikes half past nine, itâs time to let these track soar.
Straight out the bat fans are treated to âWarâ, âGroundsâ, âMr. Motivatorâ and âAnxietyâ as âUltra Monoâ comes to life for a sold out Kingston crowd. With so much pent up frustration there is immediately a cathartic release of energy with the audience and the band clearly up for it tonight.
As the evening continues and the setlist weaves between the bands three albums, it becomes clear that the new(er) tracks more than hold their own live. âThe Loverâ, âKill Them With Kindnessâ and in particular âReignsâ all sound monstrous tonight.
When you add these tracks to a set that includes âMotherâ, â1049 Gothoâ, âSamaritansâ and âDivide and Conquerâ you come to realise how formidable a back catalogue IDLES have amassed over a relatively short period of time.
The band has always been ferocious yet incredibly tight live and they have lost none of this innate ability during their enforced time away from the stage. Finishing with âNever Fight a Man With a Permâ and âDankeâ you know that opportunities to catch this band in venues this size are going to be few and far between.
Full Pelt Music looks back on 2020 for our Year in Review
What a year to pick to review. Itâs been a year like no other and not for good reasons.
On a personal level as detailed within my first blog, âThe Reluctant Bloggerâ, I was made redundant from a job I loved, just before Christmas and during a global pandemic! Not nice, but realistically I wouldnât be writing this blog on this website if that hadnât happened! The decision to return to writing about music also allowed me to take a look at the relationship between music and my mental health in âMental Health, Music and Meâ.
For the world it has been a year of pain, struggle and despair. From the fires of Australia to the flooding of the UK early in the year and now again just before Christmas; there has been no restpite in the year of the coronavirus. Unprecedented is the word of the year, but with Brexit and the ongoing pandemic looming large, the word for next year is probably uncertain.
Everybody has struggled this year, personally and professionally. This struggle is not limited to the music industry but our industry has struggled greatly. The live side of the industry is built on bringing people together and of course that has not been possible since March. The recorded side of the industry has also struggled with delays in recording, producing and distributing.
Recovery for the grassroots of the industry is far from guaranteed. The stark and sad reality is that many musicians and hard working crew members will have needed to have sought alternative employment and the actuality here is that many will never return to the music industry. The fact is many government schemes setup to alleviate the financial pressures on individuals and businesses simply bypassed these people.
Unfortunately the pandemic has also hastened the plight of many grassroots, independent music venues. We have sadly already lost many venues and there are still many more at imminent risk of permanent closure. We have written extensively about the issues surrounding our industry in our blog âWhy We Need To #SaveOurVenuesâ, and we encourage you to get involved in the initiatives highlighted.
This is of course a creative and innovative industry and through struggle we evolve. Much like the loss of my own job bred this website, the loss of touring and live shows has seen the evolution of the livestream. Many musicians have embraced technology and sought new ways to engage with their audiences. We have looked at the rise of this phenomenon in our blog âLivestreams: Good or Bad for the Music Industryâ.
When looking back on 2020 in the future, the memories will fill everybody with dread. There has however been some fantastic musical highlights despite everything else. We recently revealed our Album of the Year in our â2020 Album of the Yearâ blog; and the Top 20 list was highly competitive.
2020 has produced some incredible music and thatâs where we are going to focus this end of year review. In order to celebrate the successes of a very difficult year we going to look at the following awards – Album of the Year, Single of the Year, Gig of the Year, Festival of the Year and Artist of the Year!
Album of the Year
As mentioned we recently listed our Top 20 Albums of the Year here. This was a highly competitive list as 2020 saw some truly phenomenal releases.
Full Pelt Music’s Top 20 Albums of 2020
We said âIt has been a crazy year, and this list has been heavily influenced by that. As mentioned the top of this list is massively impacted by new music I heard during the height of the initial lockdown. âUltra Monoâ was an album that I was already extremely excited to hear; and the stream of songs released during Lockdown only served to raise that excitement to a fever pitch.
Thankfully IDLES didnât disappoint and when the album arrived it was a pure masterpiece. It shows a natural progression on the bands first two records and grows the bands sound. It still captures what made us all fall in love with the band but by incorporating new elements into the bands sound the album shows that IDLES are no one trick pony.
Above all other releases this year and those that feature in this list, this was the album that we needed this year. In a year where we have all been knocked down one way or another, IDLES and âUltra Monoâ has been a call to arms, to pick ourselves up, dust ourselves down and keep going.â
WINNER:‘Ultra Mono’ by IDLES
The Contenders:‘A Hero’s Death’ by Fontaines D.C., ‘Post Human: Survival Horror’ by Bring Me The Horizon, ‘Nothing Is True & Everything Is Possible’ by Enter Shikari, ‘A Celebration of Endings’ by Biffy Clyro, and ‘Sex, Death & the Infinite Void’ by Creeper
Single of the Year
Itâs been a good year for both Bring Me The Horizon and Yungblud, with both releasing stunning new records. Yungblud recently hit the number one spot with âweird!â which we reviewed here, and Bring Me The Horizon silenced their doubters with âPost Human: Survival Horrorâ which we reviewed here.
It shouldnât therefore be so much of a surprise that their collaboration together is our standout single of the year. Accompanied by an over the top video, ‘Obey’ is a rip roaring tale of corruption and brainwashing, so perfectly fitting for 2020!
WINNER:‘Obey’ by Bring Me The Horizon feat. Yungblud
‘Obey’ – Bring Me The Horizon feat. Yungblud
The Contenders:‘Model Village’ by IDLES, ‘Space’ by Biffy Clyro, ‘Trouble’s Coming’ by Royal Blood, and ‘Protect The Land’ by System Of A Down
Gig of the Year
I was lucky enough to catch some fantastic shows early in the year, you know BC (before Covid!), and Stereophonics, Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes, Kaiser Chiefs and Fontaines D.C. all deserve special mention.
For my Gig of the Year however Iâm again looking to the Covid era.
When life has drastically changed and youâve been deprived of the opportunity to do something you love, you learn to savour those moments more. For me, as somebody that in 2019 attended some 93 gigs, the loss of live music was devastating. Of course, many people have endured much worse in 2020, particularly at the height of the initial national lockdown; for me however, I was just desperate for live music.
The opportunity to watch real, live music again thankfully emerged (if only for a short time) at the end of summer. Frank Turner lives by the moto âAlways on Tourâ, and he wasnât going to let a global pandemic get in the way. An innovative location for a socially distanced gig was Nottingham Arboretum, basically a bandstand in a park. The result was a stunning if unusual setting for a gig which came to life when night fell and Turner serenaded the sold out crowd with his biggest hits.
A great supporting cast including Tash Bird, Holly Carter and Beans On Toast helped to make this show one to remember. The musicianship on show was fantastic, as was the togetherness and gratefulness of an audience desperate to once again forget lifeâs stresses and enjoy an evening of music. It was a powerful evening that brought tears to many an eye, and thatâs why it wins our Gig of the Year award.
WINNER: Frank Turner @ Nottingham Arboretum (20/09)
Nottingham Arboretum
The Contenders: Stereophonics @ Kentish Town Forum (21/01), Kaiser Chiefs @ Brighton Centre (30/01), Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes @ Alexandra Palace (15/02), and Fontaines D.C. @ Norwich UEA (24/02)
Festival of the Year
The coronavirus pandemic completely obliterated the 2020 festival season, as early optimism that some festivals would survive was eventually swallowed whole by this horrible virus. With social distancing in place, festivals just were not possible. But didnât I say that the music industry is the most creative and innovative industry? Whilst some promoters attempted to arrange socially distant shows, tours and festivals, few succeeded; with even Live Nation cancelling a huge programme of drive in shows.
I was lucky enough however to venture to two such festivals at the Norfolk Showground near Norwich. A mixture of entertainment was laid on in a specially designed arena with socially distanced âpodsâ maintaining the necessary safety measures. Brickfest was a one day festival focussing on covers band with a handful of original acts like headliners Bad Touch thrown in. The day was a huge success given the circumstances, as was our 2020 Festival of the Year â Wild Fields Festival!
Wild Paths Festival debuted in Norwich last year with acts gracing venues across the fine city. This year the event embraced the outside arena and rebranded as Wild Fields Festival over two days was an eclectic line-up on offer. The first day featured great sets from many young artists including Lauran Hibberd, Indoor Pets, Another Sky and headliners Gengahr.
Even through the greatest adversity the power of the arts shines through and Wild Paths was a shining example of how to put on a safe, fun and thoroughly entertaining festival during a global pandemic.
WINNER: Wild Fields Festival
Brickfest at the Norfolk Showground, also host of Wild Fields Festival
The Contenders: Brickfest
Artist of the Year
Our final award is for Artist of the Year. In a such an unprecedented and difficult year this award is going to an act that has considerably contributed to making the year better. Fantastic new music has played a hugely positive role in improving a hard year. With this in mind that means that IDLES, Biffy Clyro, Enter Shikari, Bring Me The Horizon, Fontaines D.C. and Yungblud are all in the running for this award.
Beyond that however real live music when possible has been an even greater high than normal. As such Frank Turner enters the running as an act I somehow managed to catch live this year some four times including the aforementioned Gig of the Year.
But this year is different, new albums and live shows whilst normally the lifeblood of our industry almost feel insignificant when you look at the horrors witnessed across society, both inside and outside the music industry. One saving grace for many this year has been the arrival of the music livestream. A number of those already mentioned have dabbled if not excelled in this activity.
Our winner however has taken this new outlet to heart. They have provided joy and distraction to thousands of people during what must be a record setting number of livestreams. More than that, they have managed to raise an amazing amount of money for a cause I have already championed in this blog. That cause is of course the Save Our Venues campaign and our Artist of the Year is clearly that man again, Frank Turner!
In 2020, Frank Turner has probably played more real shows and more livestreams than anybody else. He has recorded and released new music including collaborations with NOFX and Jon Snodgrass. He has produced the fantastic new Beans On Toast record. He has thoroughly entertained and provided much needed distraction from the real world to thousands; and he has raised an incredible amount of money for charity.
In reality Turner deserves a medal, but what we can give him is our Artist of the Year award!
WINNER: Frank Turner
Artist of the Year – Frank Turner
The Contenders: IDLES, Biffy Clyro, Enter Shikari, Bring Me The Horizon, Fontaines D.C., and Yungblud
2020, a year we will all be hoping to forget very quickly, but there has been some great music released. All focus now however is on 2021 and those vaccinations. We hope that sooner rather than later we will be able to safely gather again in those venues and fields to watch our favourite artists in the flesh.
There will also likely be an avalanche of new music coming our way with artists having been isolated with their creatively for company. Letâs just hope that not every song is about lockdown!
Who is going to make the Full Pelt Music Top 20 Albums of the Year List?
2020 – a year we would all much sooner forget. Certainly not the year we had all envisaged. Real life has been traumatic and upsetting for many. The effects of the virus have been disastrous for the music industry, with the collapse of live music and many delays and production issues for albums.
You’d think therefore that selecting an Album of the Year list would be difficult due to a lack of new music! We are however talking about the most creative and adaptable industry and in fact compiling this list has been hard for the opposite reason. Even through all the sadness and despair this year, we have been graced with some amazing new music.
More so, the uniqueness of this year has created a special connection to the music released during the most troubling times. This is therefore a highly competitive list and all 20 entries deserve high praise!
We have been counting down the list as part of our #AdventCalendar of music over on our Twitter Page. Be sure to follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by clicking the icons below!
Finally, before we talk through our Top 20 Albums of the Year, a special mention to Yungblud and his new album ‘Weird!’ which we recently reviewed here. Released after the compilation of this list, the album is a stunning piece of work and had it been released earlier would have been competitive at the top of the list! But, now to the countdown…
20
HAYLEY WILLIAMS ‘Petals For Armor’
In a year that doesnât seem to want to end, January seems a lifetime ago when Paramoreâs Hayley Williams announced her debut solo album âPetals For Armorâ. By the time that album arrived, the world had descended into chaos and all touring plans had been cancelled. When the album did emerge in May it represented a ray of light in dark times, and showed Williams has a lot to offer outside of Paramore.
we suggest you check out:
Hayley Williams – ‘Simmer’
19
DOVES ‘The Universal Want’
When Doves returned from an eight year hiatus in 2018 the band initially basked in that reformation glory. Thankfully for fans though it hasnât taken long for the band to head back into the studio and the resultant album âThe Universal Wantâ is a timely reminder of what we had been missing.
we suggest you check out:
Doves – ‘Prisoners’
18
AC/DC ‘Power Up’
After a tumultuous few years with the tragic loss of Malcolm and departures of Cliff, Phil and Brian, AC/DC could have been easily forgiven for riding off into the sunset having had one of the greatest careers of any heavy rock band. But then that wouldnât be the AC/DC way of doing things would it? Instead we get another classic AC/DC album in âPower Upâ with Williams, Rudd and Johnson back in tow!
we suggest you check out:
AC/DC – ‘Shot In The Dark’
17
REWS ‘Warriors’
The Shauna Tohill led REWS have somehow managed to equal if not surpass their debut album with sophomore release âWarriorsâ. Packed with punchy, catchy, bouncy rock and roll, we challenge you not to throw your heart and soul into this album just as Tohill clearly has.
we suggest you check out:
REWS – ‘Birdsong’
16
THE STRUTS ‘Strange Days’
With The Struts you should always expect the unexpected. This is not a band that plays by any kind of rule book. So why wouldnât they team up with guests as diverse as Tom Morello, Phil Collen & Joe Elliott, Albert Hammond Jr and yes the actual Robbie Williams? âStrange Daysâ solidifies The Struts reputation as the future of rock.
we suggest you check out:
The Struts – ‘Strange Days’
15
ALL TIME LOW ‘Wake Up Sunshine’
âWake Up Sunshineâ is somehow the eighth studio album for All Time Low, which makes me feel very old. Thankfully this isnât an album that rests on any laurels and the band continue to deliver the goods with another very solid album added to that back catalogue.
we suggest you check out:
All Time Low – ‘Monsters’
14
THE KILLERS ‘Imploding The Mirage’
By now we know exactly what to expect from The Killers and thankfully their first album without lead guitarist Dave Keuning still delivers that classic feel. With the likes of Lindsay Buckingham instead contributing on âImploding The Mirageâ, there is even an air of freshness to their sound.
we suggest you check out:
The Killers – ‘My Own Soul’s Warning’
13
PHIL CAMPBELL AND THE BASTARD SONS ‘We’re The Bastards’
When Phil Campbell And The Bastard Sons released their debut album, to the surprise of many they delivered a classic rock masterpiece. Any doubters thinking they couldnât do it again have now been proven wrong with the release of âWeâre The Bastardsâ In our recent review (here) we stated âThe bands fans are the loyal kind hence their lyrics proclaim â…âcause weâre the bastards, and youâre a bastard too…â. If youâre in to good old fashioned rock and roll, give this album a listen and you too will be in that clubâ.
we suggest you check out:
Phil Campbell And The Bastard Sons – ‘Son Of A Gun’
12
GREEN DAY ‘Father Of All…’
âFather Of All…â may not sit highly amongst the bands back catalogue if we are being honest, but an average Green Day album is still a very good album in the grand scheme of things. Despite this album pre-dating national lockdowns the album has remained on rotation throughout the year which is a testament to its real qualities.
we suggest you check out:
Green Day – ‘Oh Yeah!’
11
BOSTON MANOR ‘Glue’
Nobody should be surprised at the quality of Boston Manorâs albums anymore. With the release of their third album âGlueâ, the band have now delivered three high quality albums with plenty to unpack.
we suggest you check out:
Boston Manor – ‘Liquid’
10
HAIM ‘Women In Music Pt. III’
With âWomen In Music Pt. IIIâ, Haim have let it all hang out with a statement of an album that takes listeners on a musical journey of wonder. Taking elements of various genres and given them that now classic Haim twist, this album is a stunning piece of musicianship.
we suggest you check out:
Haim – ‘Now I’m In It’
9
PVRIS ‘Use Me’
With the release of third album âUse Meâ, PVRIS have continued their evolution into something majestic, enormous and vital. The bands growth had been put out there for all to see and this album just encapsulates the power of Lynn Gunn.
we suggest you check out:
PVRIS – ‘Dead Weight’
8
BLACK STONE CHERRY ‘The Human Condition’
On âThe Human Conditionâ we get the Black Stone Cherry that we all love, just doing what they do best. Full of head banging and foot stumping this record sees the band confirm that they are here to stay, and that they have plenty left in the creative tank.
we suggest you check out:
Black Stone Cherry – ‘Again’
7
TRIVIUM ‘What The Dead Men Say’
âWhat The Dead Men Sayâ is a stunning piece of work that captures a band that has hit their peak. Trivium have mixed the lessons learnt from their past with their recently rejuvenated vigour and have come out the other side with an album that stands up that anything that they have previously released. Â
we suggest you check out:
Trivium – ‘Catastrophist’
6
CREEPER ‘Sex, Death & The Infinite Void’
The release of âSex, Death & the Infinite Voidâ was a rocky road for Creeper, and not just because of a global pandemic. Various internal struggles and personal demons had to be overcome before Creeper could make their grandiose return. Sadly this return coincided with a certain virus which hampered the typical over the top promotion of a Creeper release. Thankfully for the band the record itself is brilliant enough to shine through even the darkest times.
we suggest you check out:
Creeper – ‘Born Cold’
5
BIFFY CLYRO ‘A Celebration Of Endings’
As we hit the top five Albums of 2020, things are very tight. A terrible year has thankfully seem some amazing music emerge to see us through. Biffy Clyro are another band whose plans were destroyed by this horrible virus, with tours cancelled and the album delayed. The early single releases from âA Celebration of Endingsâ however provided much joy in the early period of lockdown.
When the full album finally found his way into the public domain, little did fans realise the treat that was in store for them. Biffy Clyro always evolve with each release, but they somehow manage to retain that Biffyness to their music. This is a unique band and âA Celebration of Endingsâ is a unique record that mixes both the beautiful and the heavy as only Biffy Clyro seem to be able to.
we suggest you check out:
Biffy Clyro – ‘End Of’
4
ENTER SHIKARI ‘Nothing Is True & Everything Is Possible’
Another band whose releases were a small positive in the huge negative that was the first national Lockdown was Enter Shikari. It was clear from the start that âNothing Is True & Everything Is Possibleâ was going to be a very special album. The connection felt now with certain tracks only serves to ensure that this album will forever be seen as one of, if not the best Enter Shikari album.
All the normal quirkiness is there, along with the more mainstream elements incorporated into 2017âs âThe Sparkâ. In fact, on this album Enter Shikari may have actually made the perfect Enter Shikari recipe and in turn the perfect Enter Shikari album!
we suggest you check out:
Enter Shikari – ‘satellites**’
3
BRING ME THE HORIZON ‘Post Human: Survival Horror’
Yes, âPost Human: Survival Horrorâ is technically an EP, but it is just so outrageously good that it had to feature and feature high. Precursors such as âLudensâ and âParasite Eveâ had promised something special but I donât think anybody predicted anything this good.
When we recently reviewed the record (here) we told you âThis new EP takes the best elements from throughout their career and combines them in one stunning masterpiece of an album.â. Bring Me The Horizon prove with this album that the best is still to come!
we suggest you check out:
Bring Me The Horizon – ‘Obey’
2
FONTAINES D.C. ‘A Hero’s Death’
The battle for the number one spot this year was fierce. Actually, the battle for the top 5 was fierce this year. Fontaines D.C. are the band that gets the number two spot, but this album deserves Album of the Year. âA Heroâs Deathâ shows that the band are no flash in the pan and builds on the basis of debut âDogrelâ. This album actually feels a step above that debut album, and is another that has created a huge personal connection during this tough year.
This record has already rightfully brought the band much acclaim and we canât wait to hear these songs live. Fontaines D.C. are an unstoppable songwriting force and with âA Heroâs Deathâ they have placed their claim to be the band of their generation.
we suggest you check out:
Fontaines D.C. – ‘I Don’t Belong’
1
IDLES ‘Ultra Mono’
It has been a crazy year, and this list has been heavily influenced by that. As mentioned the top of this list is massively impacted by new music I heard during the height of the initial lockdown. âUltra Monoâ was an album that I was already extremely excited to hear; and the stream of songs released during Lockdown only served to raise that excitement to a fever pitch.
Thankfully IDLES didnât disappoint and when the album arrived it was a pure masterpiece. It shows a natural progression on the bands first two records and grows the bands sound. It still captures what made us all fall in love with the band but by incorporating new elements into the bands sound the album shows that IDLES are no one trick pony.
Above all other releases this year and those that feature in this list, this was the album that we needed this year. In a year where we have all been knocked down one way or another, IDLES and âUltra Monoâ has been a call to arms, to pick ourselves up, dust ourselves down and keep going.
we suggest you check out:
IDLES – ‘Model Village’
So, there you have it, the Top 20 Albums of 2020 as considered by Full Pelt Music. We are sure that your lists will be different to ours and we want to hear them, so why not share yours with us on social media!
