Top 5 new discoveries of 2016

I listed my top 10 new releases of 2016 but of course there was older releases which I only discovered in 2016 which made me sit up and take notice or non full length album releases which made me do the same. Here's some of them:

Thorbjorn Risager & The Black Tornado - Too Many Roads

Another brilliant release from Ruf Records this label can do no wrong in my eyes (or should that be ears?) Horns, Hammond, Blues shuffles and gravelly lead vocals with with Soul style backing vocals. Bring on the 20th of Jan & the release of the new Album 

Legs Electric - Maximum Rock N Roll

This band rocks! that's all that need be said get their EP & play it loud. Full review here

Pretty City - Colorize

I walked into the Spotted Mallard to catch a T Rex tribute show thinking to myself "this should be cool". While there were a small handful of T Rex tunes played by the band on stage the majority of the tunes were originals. After the band had finished up I practically ran up to the stage at the end of the set to buy the bands album. These were the guys. Blown away I was!

GL - Love Hexagon

I was aware of these guys already but had never sat down to listen to what they had released until earlier this year. With Ella Thompson on Vocals and Graeme Pogson of The Bamboos on Drums, Programming etc their sound hearkens back to the synthpop acts that were all over the radio in the 80's. These guys are just brilliant, I know finally know what everyone else was raving on about. Now I just have to get my hands on a copy of their full length release Touch.

Mr Black and Blues - Blow These Tracks

Longtime organiser of the Cotton Club blues nights at the Spotted Mallard I had seen him play there previously and thought he was great I was reminded again of this when I caught him playing for the last Cotton Club session of 2016 and had to buy his albums.

This one in particular recorded with Chris Wilson live on the Queenscliff Blues Train is especially brilliant 

Top 10 Full length releases of 2016

It's that time again where we look back on the year that was and try to sift through the countless releases to try work out what we enjoyed most. This year was a little more difficult than others seeing as they were countless good releases which I enjoyed but I wanted to find the stuff that more than just good but a classic that will live up to repeated listening and at the end of next year I will still be listening to. So here it is the top 10 full length releases as chosen by one half of the Connections team:

Joe Bonamassa - Blues of Desperation

 Joe Bonamassa - Blues of Desperation

It’s Joe Bonamassa doing what he does best. One of the many keepers of the flame of so called modern blues he keeps championing the genre pushing boundaries and paying tribute to the masters and does it all effortlessly

Leonard Cohen - You Want It Darker

 Leonard Cohen - You Want It Darker

He gifted us with one last album just weeks before his death. Admittedly I have never been his biggest fan but this album is flawless from start to finish.

Kylie Auldist - Family Tree

  Kylie Auldist - Family Tree

Everyone’s favourite funk/soul songstress goes 80’s pop on this release. What’s there not to like about this…? released just as This Girl (which is actually a Cooking on 3 Burners tune, let’s not forget that) was becoming a mega hit the timing could not have been more perfect

Justine Yap Band - Let Love

Justin Yap Band - Let Love

Soulful blues from local Melbourne band this album is an absolute pleasure to listen to and has been getting regular spins ever since I got my hands on it.

Matty T Wall - Blues Skies

Matty T Wall - Blue Skies

While many of todays blues artists leanings are much more towards the the rock side of the blues, Matty’s are slightly more geared towards the funkier side of the blues. A very strong debut release which has been getting noticed the world overfor good reason

Dr Albert Flipout's one CAN band -
Don't you call my name

Dr Albert Flipout's one CAN band -
Don't you call my name

My favourite one man band does it again. Look past the initial novelty factor and you will quickly realise that this is a great songwriter who knows his craft & can write some serious choons 

Full review here

Marta Ren & the Groovelvets - Stop Look Listen

A funky soul release that sounds like it could have been released n the STAX label sometime in the mid 60’s. The Italy based Record Kicks label continue to release fantastic records that will fill the floor with people doing their best Northern Soul dance moves

Oz Noy - Who Gives A Funk

Oz Noy - Who Gives A Funk

Collaborations abound on this release by Oz Noy who’s guitar virtuosity is up there with the best of them but he still knows the golden rule of “The Song Is King” Oz is a jack of all genres & a master of all of them. The title of this release says it all

Child - Blueside

 Child - Blueside

Psych blues rockers Child pick up where they left off with their debut release & it’s everything you could expect it to be. If they continue releasing music of this calibre it won’t be long before they start getting noticed in a big way outside the land of OZ

Back In Blue - A Blues Tribute to AC/DC

 Various Artists - Back In Blue - A Blues Tribute to AC/DC

A who's who of somewhat lesser know Australian artists (i.e. you won't find them being played on mainstream radio or on Sunday morning music TV programs) come together to pay tribute to perhaps the best known & best selling Australian album & all for a good cause.

Full review here

Well that's my list as it stands today, ask me tomorrow and it may be completely different. There's more than a few "honorable mentions" I could list but that may be a list for another time.