It’s a bit of a weird feeling, to be hit by the realisation that your two favourite records of the year are, um, covers records. But that’s the deal. First, there’s Jeffery Lewis‘ 12 Crass Songs, which is pretty much what it says on the tin: a selection of songs spanning the career of UK anarcho-punks Crass played in Lewis’ typical halting, stammering antifolk style, which frankly could have gone either way, yet somehow boasts a creepily insistent replayability. Gotta write the review of this, so I won’t say too much, but at the end of the day it’s all about guilt, OK?

Oh, and then there’s Dirty Projectors. For some reason I was the last in the Plan B office to get into this band, but their Rise Above - ostensibly a cover of Black Flag’s Damaged but, and here’s the rub, entirely replayed from memory - is a pretty genius feat of juxtaposition, sinewy So-Cal hardcore recast as joyful, harmony-heavy ethno-pop. I love them both and you will too.