Less new music, more old music … same old thing. Actually, these 15 albums are the only new titles that I held on to this year (so far) … guess I’m just getting old and finicky. Go figure.
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1. Grizzly Bear ~ Shields : sublime
2. Sigur Ros ~ Valtari : more ambient than any of their recent releases, more fragile, and more beautiful
3. Tim Eriksen ~ Banjo, Fiddle, & Voice : folk music, exactly as the title says
4. James Yorkston ~ I was a Cat from a Book : much the same as always
5. Brian Eno ~ Lux : light and space
6. Gravenhurst ~ the Ghost in Daylight : as spectral and tormented as a ghost
7. Zeus ~ Busting Visions : want to relive your ‘70’s power pop past?
8. Dr. Dog ~ Be the Void : want to relive your ‘70’s classic rock past?
9. Great Lake Swimmers ~ New Wild Everywhere : a little more polished, a little more NPR, but still lovely and laudable
10. Kami Thompson ~ Love Lies : moody & melancholy, but with a bit of a bite (and it doesn’t hurt to have the family along on several tracks)
11. Sun Araw meets the Congos ~ Icon Give Thanks : an intriguing meeting of new and old style sounds. The question begs to be asked though – what would have happened if Scratch Perry had been invited to the party?
12. Gnome & Spybey ~ Beyond Willie’s Place : moving toward the heart of space and away from Dead Voices On Air
13. Clinic ~ Free Reign : as mellow as they’re ever likely to get
14. Field Music ~ Plumb : a nice, new, shiny knot
15. Twilight Sad ~ No One Can Ever Know : imagine icy ‘80’s synth pop
Archival
Didn’t get too much this year in terms of new archival material. Still grabbing an occasional Grateful Dead release; I’m actually waiting on the most recent Dave’s Pick to come out (Volume 5: 11/17/73), which looks to be a killer show. Otherwise I’m hoping to pick up Lost Tapes by Can sometime soon. Yes?
Solicitations
Seeking recommendations for music similar to that which I have been immersing myself in over the course of the past year :
- English Folk Rock (having read the highly informative but somewhat pedantic Electric Eden by Rob Young) : Fairport (natch), Bert Jansch, June Tabor, the Trees, the Unthanks, Heron, Anne Briggs, Eliza Carthy, etc.
- Krautrock (having previously ignored this entire field of music) :
- Amon Duul II, Can, Cluster, Harmonia
- Ambient/Industrial (having an affinity for the prettier end of the spectrum) : Brian Eno, Harold Budd, Zoviet France
- Classical (having same aforementioned connection with prettiness) : Gavin Bryars, Arvo Part, Alan Hovhaness, Vaughn Williams
R.I.P.
Levon Helm, Earl Scruggs, Dave Brubeck, Adam Yauch, Etta James, Doc Watson, Ravi Shankar
Matt Nerney