The Biggest Bigs

101 from 2021

Oh What a lovely year for Outsideleft Stories. Below are the 101 most widely read stories of our year. Thanks for reading!

1. Speaking and Singing at the Same Time
   Duncan Jones' Speaking and Singing at the same time, was our most widely read story in 2021. Duncan says Dry Cleaning didn't invent the chatty vocal style... by Duncan Jones
2. Outsideleft at SXSW - Feature Film Reviews - Comedy
   Lake on two SXSW comedy feature film premieres. SXSW is a big event for film and Lake dissected some of the shorter ones by Lake
3. I am 52 and the Armed is on the Bluetooth
   The Armed are a radiant flower bursting through the sidewalk cracks, an expression of wild nature paved over by some forgotten elder clan by Alex V. Cook
4. The Art of Don & Moki Cherry - Organic Music Societies - Book Review
   Lake previews a major new publication on the remarkable Don Cherry and Moki Cherry. by Lake
5. Can 'Shoplifters Of The World' Live Up To The Myth It Was Inspired By?
   Never let the truth get in the way of a movie about your heroes by Alarcon
6. No More War
   A Short Film by Giles Duley and Robert Del Naja by Tim London
7. Then Melanie Howard Creates A Masterpiece
   Such Small Hands' debut LP Carousel is beautiful and unbound by Ancient Champion
8. A Furious Devotion: The Story of Shane MacGowan
   Richard Balls' biography tells it like it is by Ancient Champion
9. Millicent Chapanda - Celebrating Sanctuary Livestream
   Mbira superstar Millicent Chapanda opens the Celebrating Sanctuary livestream series by Lee Paul
10. Say Hello... Wave Goodbye
    Jay Lewis revisits Japan with the release of the Deluxe Edition of 'Quiet Life' by Jay Lewis
11. Track by Track: Athenian - Momus
    Momus takes us on a song by song circuit of 'Athenian', his latest album by John Robinson
12. Erratics and Unconformities
    2020 long form recording of the year was by Craven Faults by Jay Lewis
13. Deadly Cuts / I Blame Society / Slalom - Film Reviews
    Lake looks at three debut feature films from female directors, Rachel Carey, Gillian Wallace Horvat and Charlène Favier by Lake
14. John Robinson Week in Outsideleft, Beginning on November 1st
    Coniciding with the publication of John Robinson's Momus Book, It's John Robinson Week at Outsideleft by LamontPaul
15. Afrik'Art Festival 2021: Magic In Montpellier
    Art Exhibitions, Artistic Residences, Fashion shows, Film Screenings, Live performance, Conferences... by LamontPaul
16. Outsideleft Week in Music
    We're hearing from Billy Nomates, Nick Cave, Megan Thee Stallion, The Wedding Present, Paul Weller, Alan Vega, The Horrors, Fela Kuti, Discodor, Sofia Kourtesis, Jane Birkin, Baby Queen, Dinsoaur Jr and more... by Jay Lewis
17. Serge Gainsbourg: Relax Baby be Cool
    Hamilton High On Jeremy Allen's Serge bio by Hamilton High
18. Momus: We're All Athenian Now
    Ahead of Momus himself walking us through his new record, track by track, John Robinson listens to Athenian by John Robinson
19. Interview: Emma Purshouse
    Renowned Performance Poet, Emma Purshouse talks about her new novel Dogged, and all sorts... by LamontPaul
20. Madlib has a message from your Sound Ancestors
    Alex Cook says Madlib and Four Tet makes sense. Dirt and flowers. Static and signal. Groove and needle. by Alex V. Cook
21. Jasdeep Singh Degun
    The WOMAD at HOME series continues this week with Jasdeep Singh Degun by Hamilton High
22. The Predictable Unpredictability of Nicolas Cage - Willy's Wonderland - Film Review
    Lake looks at Nicolas Cage in Willy's Wonderland. by Lake
23. Outsideleft at SXSW - Woodlands Dark and Days Bewitched: A History of Folk Horror - Review
    Lake ventures deep into the woods on the trail of the deeper roots of folk horror. by Lake
24. Amelia Troubridge shoots Motorhead
    In 1997, photographer Amelia Troubridge went on her first rocknroll tour assignment with... Motorhead by Ancient Champion
25. Hausen - the heating is broken and the radiators are full of black gunk
    That's just the start of the misery, John Robinson says... by John Robinson
26. Bill Traylor: Chasing Ghosts - Film Review
    Lake looks at a documentary examining the life of the American artist Bill Traylor. by Lake
27. Mon Amour
    A new poem from Christian Present by Christian Present
28. Anarchy In A Small Corner of The UK
    The new weekly Ancient Champion Column Starts here by Ancient Champion
29. A Bunch Of Five - Tom Braham
    Our new infrequent series in which somebody special picks five things that make their world go around continues with London hairdresser and man about town Tom Braham by Lake
30. Track By Track: Blood - The Real Tuesday Weld
    Bandleader Stephen Coates talks us through the group's great new album Blood one song at a time by Lee Paul
31. Nancy's Seven Foot Tall Post-Suicidal Feel Good Blues Oozes...
    ...like it is being squoze from a tube to be applied to a rash by Alex V. Cook
32. This looks like a gas station tape from an alternative 1983
    Everything about the new Tamar Aphek album is perfect. by Alex V. Cook
33. Stewart Lee, King Rocker
    Stewart Lee's documentary about The Nightingales comes to Sky Arts by Lake
34. Lorna Rose in the Garden
    Our favourite artist Lorna Rose shares some of her lockdown work by Ancient Champion
35. Going Shopping #1: RPM Analogue Audio
    The first in our occasional series, with Richard March of PWEI, BRA and now... RPM Analogue Audio by Jay Lewis
36. The Pop Group vs. Dennis Bovell
    Coventry City of Culture Music Festival by Tim London
37. Celebrating Sanctuary with the Ava Band
    Celebrating Sanctuary Birmingham streams the Ava Band by LamontPaul
38. Poly Styrene: I Am a Cliché
    Some people still think little girls should be seen and not heard by Lake
39. TRZTN's Royal Dagger Ballet
    Psychosexual fun in Paris and New York by John Robinson
40. Setting The Mumble Free From The Formaldehyde
    The Carnage of Nick Cave and Warren Ellis by Alex V. Cook
41. Chantal's Good With Wood
    Finding Britain's Best Woodworker by Lee Paul
42. No-production: Stillness and Exile
    Jeremy Gluck's Nonceptual, No Production Manifesto by Jeremy Gluck
43. Michael Beach's Dream Violence
    Alex V. Cook thinks he hears a stray Mountain Goat strumming by Alex V. Cook
44. Outsideleft at SXSW - The Drover's Wife - The Legend of Molly Johnson - Review
    Lake's final film review from SXSW 2021, a revisionist western from Australia by Lake
45. Born in 1996
    25 Albums That Turn 25 in 2021. Do they hold up? by Alarcon
46. And In The End...
    'Let it Be' as it should have been (and more). by Jay Lewis
47. Collapsing in Sunbeams
    Erin looks into what Arlo Parks is looking into by Erin
48. Ancient Champion: Getting Ready For Nothing
    This week Ancient Champion's got nothing going on but the stain on the decking by Ancient Champion
49. Follow the Science
    Jay Lewis follows Laurie Anderson's landmark science class by Jay Lewis
50. Quiet Howls for Lawrence Ferlinghetti
    The original influencer by Alex V. Cook
51. Tick Tock Tick Tick The Metronomic Rock
    A poem from Toon Traveler by Toon Traveller
52. SXSW Shorts Round-Up Part Three - More Narrative
    Outsideleft's Lake in More Shorts at SxSW by Lake
53. Moods From Moderns...
    Sleaford Mods' Spare Ribs is their best yet by Jay Lewis
54. Refugee Week - World Music & Arts Festival
    Celebrating Sanctuary Birmingham is bringing people together in Refugee Week with Live and Streamed Music, Arts and Culture by Lee Paul
55. Milkwater - Film Review
    Lake on Morgan Ingari's impressive debut feature film. Drama. Comedy. Surrogacy. by Lake
56. Viva! Alan Vega
    Alan Vega's lost album comes from Sacred Bones by Toon Traveller
57. The King Is Dead
    Larry King, Legendary Talk Show Host, Cultural Icon, Dies at 87 by Alarcon
58. Sarah Mary Chadwick
    Alex V Cook says Me and Ennui are Friends, Baby, reveals the actual frayed edges of Sarah Mary Chadwick's nerves by Alex V. Cook
59. Track by Track: Museumgoer 16
    Narcoleptic Taxi's, Trees, a Mudlark Crisis, Flying Cars and a General Lament. Museumgoer 16 has all this and more... by Lee Paul
60. The Ultimate Distractions
    Alex V Cook hears the Tindersticks talking to him by Alex V. Cook
61. The Evanescence of a Dream
    The Southern California multimedia artist, Victoria Arriola, bursts gently from a five year dream by LamontPaul
62. Track by Track: S/T by Flowertown
    San Francisco duo Flowertown talk us through their new LP, S/T... by Lee Paul
63. I Can See For Miles
    Tower Block author Professor Miles Glendinning talks to Outsideleft by LamontPaul
64. The Main Benefit of Volatile Organic Solvents in Dry Cleaning is Fire
    Alex V. Cook gets along with Dry Cleaning's New Long Leg by Alex V. Cook
65. The Abolitions Festival
    The 9th Abolitions Festival in Paris and Brittany from May 6th - May 29th by LamontPaul
66. It's John Robinson Week in Outsideleft!
    1. The Excerpts: Excerpts from John's new Momus book, Famous for Fifteen People by LamontPaul
67. For Black Country New Road, a dazzling journey begins in a triumph
    'For the First Time' may be one of the finest musical achievements of 2021 by Jay Lewis
68. The True Don Quixote
    Lake looks at a contemporary, Louisiana set, update of the Don Quixote story starring Coen brothers' veteran Tim Blake Nelson and somehow avoids using the words 'tilting' and 'windmills' by Lake
69. Buck's Meek...
    Buck Meek has Two Saviours for you this week by Lee Paul
70. Woodstock '99 Killed The Androgynous Pop Star
    'Woodstock 99: Peace, Love, and Rage' documents the final fling for androgyny with pop music by Alarcon
71. Rachael Cox Never Stops
    Rachael Cox, talks about Celebrating Sanctuary Birmingham, their acclaimed Bitesize Streaming series and the forthcoming Refugee Week by LamontPaul
72. The American Negro
    Adrian Younge's One Man Global Saturday School by LamontPaul
73. Baby Please Don't Touch
    Alarcon and Ancient Champion on the sacrosanct songs you just don't touch and 10 cover versions that defied the logic and the rules by Alarcon
74. Daniel Meadows - Factory Records 1979-1980
    Cafe Royal Books and photographer Daniel Meadows publish candids from the Factory floor by Hamilton High
75. Jazz Rock, Fashion. When in a post covid world
    Toon Traveler Heels are Cooled, he has time to think about the dearth of Jazz Rock cover bands by Toon Traveller
76. Rough Trade Books X Garden Museum - Pamphlet Series
    The new Rough Trade Books x Garden Museum pamphlet series are a joy. And we've got a bonus Bunch of Five songs for gardening selected by writer/gardener Susanna Grant. by Lake
77. The Pleasure Principle
    Self Esteem begins with this by Jay Lewis
78. Long Live Aaron Beck
    Dr. Richard Bennett remembers Aaron Beck (1921-2021), the founder of cognitive therapy by Dr. Richard Bennett
79. Eclectic Lady Land: A Playlist from the Future
    Katherine Pargeter celebrates the release of the movie Sisters With Transistors with an all experimental playlist by Katherine Pargeter
80. Celebrating Sanctuary Birmingham with Niwel Tsumbu and Eamonn Cagney
    The final Bitesize concert of the season by LamontPaul
81. Beyond the end of the Bayou
    Louisiana's The Rakers return with a new single, Endless Blue by Lee Paul
82. John Robinson has Sorrows on his turntable
    Love Too Late was in danger of never being released at all... by John Robinson
83. A Bunch of Five - Anthony Reynolds
    Anthony Reynolds picks five things that make the world go around by Lake
84. Charting Territory Unknown
    Germa Adan's sweet melodies for difficult days by LamontPaul
85. Russian germanium transistors fitted here, if that's your bag
    on making fuzz with guitar amp and pedal maker, Jonny Brelliott by Lee Paul
86. C. D. Rose's Run For The Hills
    The Blind Accordionist is a collection of short stories from C. D. Rose, isn't it? by LamontPaul
87. Tap your spoons on your cups
    Hamilton High on the gentle invention of the Wau Wau Collectif by Hamilton High
88. Nineteen Ways of Looking at a Cello
    Scott Ordway's stark cello compositions, as animated by Arlen Hlusko by Jay Lewis
89. Release The Hawks
    'The Greatest Album Never Made' is finally released by Jay Lewis
90. The Blues Are Still Blue
    Jay Lewis's favourite album is fifty years old, you may have heard of it by Jay Lewis
91. Kind of Punk
    - the recollections of a 'nice girl' in a small town - by Tim London
92. Everyone Loves Ascending Fourths
    Erin listens to black midi's ambitious second long player by Erin
93. Keith Moon Died For Somebody's Sins, But Not Mine
    It was 43 years ago today... by Alarcon
94. Racist Tones
    A selection of authors recall racist encounters in the 70s/80s by Tim London
95. Track by Track: Seventh Season by Brother Lee
    Brother Lee walks us through his new acoustic-pysche LP by LamontPaul
96. Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain
    Does Morgan Neville's film about Anthony Bourdain shed light on his suicide? by Alarcon
97. Oh! Brother
    Brother Lee's Seventh Season LP is a psychedelic lite deelite by Lee Paul
98. Old Bill
    Billie Eilish holds on in the eye of her storm by Erin
99. Anna Meredith: The Artful Dodgem
    Anna Meredith's Bumps Per Minute is a thrill ride, of course. by Jay Lewis
100. The Top 10 Heartbreakers
     Songs to soothe the loveless, lovelorn, unloveable, and brokenhearted. Love is a battlefield. by Alarcon
101. An Ocean Full of Excellence
     The exhilarating debut from Squid by Erin