The Primevals - "Second Nature" (Triple Wide)
The Glaswegian garage rock veterans returned with a lyrically dark and steely album.

Blue Oyster Cult - "The Symbol Remains" (Frontiers Records)
Buck Dharma, Eric Bloom et al served up arguably the strongest BOC album since the group's '70s prime.

TV Smith - "Lockdown Holiday" (Easy Action)
The much-loved former Adverts frontman made a welcome return with an acoustic album documenting his personal experience of Covid-19.

The Lovely Eggs - "I am Moron" (Rough Trade)
Lancaster oddballs The Lovely Eggs brought some much-needed surreal humour to 2020.

Gus Ironside  is the music editor for Sogo creative arts magazine and also contributes to Louder Than War (online and print), Vive le Rock, PennyBlackMusic and Is This Music?