The 2017 instalment of dTunes  – Enjoy.

Starboard

1. Never Enough – The Hunna

Start. The Pixies’ spirit is here. Stop. English rockers get us underway. 3 minutes of neck nodding and foot stomping. Control your inner air drummer.

2. Oxygen – Catfish And The Bottlemen

Shades of ‘The Importance of Being Idle’ in the intro and Dandy Warhols throughout, this one is most likely to stick in your head for the day. First Welsh band in a while.

3. Wall of Glass – Liam Gallagher

The younger Gallagher’s latest work was nicely described as ‘fauxasis’. Liam is sticking to what he knows best here. Loud volume required.

4. Plans – Coquin Migale

The Brexit effect is evident – here’s another British outfit. The (in)appropriately titled tune from Geordie rockers with a very European sounding name.

5. Feel It Still  – Portugal. The Man

On your feet please. With an infectious 60s bassline bubbling throughout, this dancefloor filler will have you hand clapping and finger clicking in a jiffy. Oh, they’re American by the way.

6. Love is an only child – Monico Blonde

80s influences are officially cool again. The wheel always turns. These guys are brand new so one to watch. Another Welsh band, this must be a record.

7. Treat Me Like a Lover – Will Joseph Cook

Another catchy tune from across the water. Working some clever wordsmithery around the melodies, Cook showcases many of the art school traits of Vampire Weekend, Two Door Cinema Club and other soundalikes.

8. Shine On Me – Dan Auerbach

In the year that Tom Petty passed away, this is a song that could easily be mistaken for a Petty/Wilburys cover. Dan is yer man from the Black Keys (remember “Lonely Boy”?) and delivers a feelgood clap-along front porcher in the allotted 3 minutes. U-S-A

9. Favorite Song – Sinkane

A plea to the DJ from this multi-instrumentalist who has divided his time between Africa, Europe and the US. And it shows in the tunes. Don’t hang the DJ – just ask them nicely.

10. Dreamers – Neon Waltz

The obligatory ‘la la la la’ entry. We haven’t had a ‘sha la la’ variant in a while. Long overdue. From the highlands of Scotland, you can hear the wind and rain in their tunes.

Port

11. U2 – Red Flag Day

I go and write them off (again) and then they come back with this. Not quite ready to go out to pasture yet, one of the standout tracks from the new album. Bizarrely, the only Irish act to feature this year.

12. Everything Now – Arcade Fire

Arcade Fire release their inner ABBA. Already established as an anthem for the age of instant everything. “We’ve got infinite content, so we’re infinitely content”. Love it.

13. Spent The Day In Bed – Morrissey

Manc or Yank –  who knows these days? – definitely a return to form from Moz. Plenty of experience to draw upon when writing this one methinks. Still railing against The Man, the rain and now fake news. “No bus, no boss, no rain, no train” – the ultimate duvet day slogan.

14. Day I Die – The National

The album is packed with gems from New York’s most optimistic pessimists. Crystal balling about the state of your relationship on your last day in the midst of a barnstorming melody. Not many can do it, nobody does it better.

15. The Gold – Manchester Orchestra

Southern Americans with a Northern English name. The confusion continues. There will be the inevitable Fleet Foxes comparisons. Albeit with a harder edge. A wide open spaces kind of tune.

16. It’s A Beautiful World – Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds

U2 are the sole Irish flag bearers here (although a few qualify via the Granny Rule). Noel is in a Zooropa state of mind on this tune.In spite of his concept album leanings on his latest long player, he can’t resist the melodies and hooks.

17. What About Us – P!nk

Always loved Pink but only liked the songs. Don’t like this one, I love it. Great songs have many traits, chief amongst them is the ‘I feel like I already know this one’ feeling. An epic tune, all bets off for the Grammy award.

18. Sugar For The Pill – Slowdive

The resurrected Slowdive are making music that matches their best output from the shoegazing/Britpop years. Atmospheric as ever. Best served after sunset.

19. Apocalypse – Cigarettes After Sex

We close with New Yorkers with a moniker that many won’t thank me for including. From their eponymous debut album. Check out their cover of ‘Keep On Loving You’ if you get the chance.

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Thanks for listening, reading and watching. If you’re on Spotify, check out the playlist: