Yes, it’s that time of year…well…it’s the first part of that time. For once, I’ll cut straight to the car chase: On this week’s Another Country we will play Part One of our Best of The Year. I should qualify that ‘best’ thing a little. I’d suggest all of us could imagine lists of things that deserve to be crowned ‘the best.’ So on these nights this is simply a nod to the artists we’ve enjoyed over the course of the year. Sometimes there’s songs we’ve played and loved and sometimes it’s simply a case of choosing one song by an artist we’ve played a whole bunch over the last twelve months. (step forward Charley Crockett)
There’s another qualification I need to confess. This year’s list is essentially my list. My long time producer, Richard Murdoch, has been stolen away on other wireless duties for the last couple of months of this year and I’ve been handed the keys of the record cupboard to make up my own list. I have missed his input but I think I’m pretty sure he’d agree on most of the picks.
This week then will have two hours of songs I think worthy of your attention should you still be searching for that perfect Christmas gift or even if you are about to write that letter to Santa. If you’ve not been naughty you could perhaps want to look out for some of these artists’s albums which have put a smile on my face over the course of 2025. On this week’s show that list will include Eric Church, Kacey Musgraves, Tyler Childers and The War and Treaty. Now those names you might expect but you may not have expected to hear The Kentucky Gentlemen, Case Oats or Lainey Gardner but you will.
The thing is we could have played so much but I’ve really tried to pick things which truly delighted and surprised. Occasionally we’ve managed to spend time with the artists concerned and on some occasions I’ve caught their live show which has perhaps focussed my attention all over again. (that’s you Cody Johnson) Sometimes I’m playing one song from albums where I could easily be picking ten or twelve (that’s you I’m looking at Lainey Wilson) and sometimes there’s just one song because, well, often there’s only a need for one song.
Whichever way, this week’s AC will be all killer and no filler. If you think I’ve missed anything significant feel free to let me know but don’t forget Part two will be broadcast next week. I’ll let this blog speak for both these shows and will be back just before Christmas for a final blog of the year. The first of these special shows starts this Tuesday evening on BBC Radio Scotland or BBC Sounds. Join me if you can.