Greetings, Afterworders,
‘Tis that time of year again. The time when I present my favourite new albums of the year for general scrutiny and perusal. And, just like last year, there are 45 of them. Forty-five: the number of rpm of the old seven-inch singles that started my love of music a very long time ago. Looking through this list now that I’ve compiled it all, I realise that I must have spent much of 2021 listening to albums of tasteful American acoustic guitar instrumentals. This wasn’t a conscious choice; it just happened.
Sometime before the end of December I’ll post my list of Favourite Reissues and Archival Recordings of the year, but, as I say, we start with the new albums of 2021. It’s been an okay but not great year for new albums, I think. There’s been an abundance of albums that I’ve enjoyed well enough, but not one record that has really stood out as being brilliant, making me want to shout from the rooftops. I’m sure I WILL eventually find a 2021 album that blows my mind … but I won’t discover it until about 2023 or later.
I hope you find an unfamiliar album or two here that you enjoy investigating. As ever, the chart is presented in reverse order, to create a tangible air of excitement and intrigue as we count down. We start with the first third of the chart: numbers 45 to 31. Eyes down for a full house; we begin about 520 years ago…
duco01 says
45. Stile Antico – The Golden Renaissance: Josquin des Prez
2021 marks 500 years since the death of the great French Renaissance composer Josquin des Prez (sometimes spelled Josquin Desprez). And so quite a few early music ensembles have put out recordings in tribute to the great man. This Stile Antico effort is OK, but they’ve made 6 or 7 other albums that I prefer to this. If you fancy buying one of 2021’s recordings that celebrates Josquin, get the superb Gesulado Six one that’s higher up this chart.
44. The Gothenburg Combo – Nomad
A Swedish guitar duo. A series of instrumentals reflecting various cities they have visited on their travels. Worth a listen.
43. Buck Curran – No Love is Sorrow
American Primitive guitar sounds recorded in Bergamo, Italy. Some instrumentals, and few more structured songs where Curran shares the vocal duties with his wife Adele.
https://obsoleterecordings.bandcamp.com/album/no-love-is-sorrow
42. The Weather Station – Ignorance
I’ve loved Tamara Lindeman’s music for years, and her 2018 album, simply entitled “The Weather Station”, is fantastic. “Ignorance” came out this year to glowing reviews and high positions in many “Best of” lists. But I can’t seem to get into it myself …
https://theweatherstation.bandcamp.com/album/ignorance
41. Eydís Evensen – Bylur
Ms Evensen is an Icelandic pianist and composer. “Bylur” means “Storms”, but the album is an ambient rather than tempestuous affair. The instrumental tracks work better than when she starts warbling.
40. Tamil Rogeon – Son of Nyx
Rogeon is an Australian violinist and jazz composer. A nice album with his eight-piece ensemble.
https://soulbankmusic.bandcamp.com/album/son-of-nyx
39. Shai Maestro – Human
Maestro is an Israeli jazz pianist, and this is his sixth outing as a leader for ECM Records. It sounds like … well, it sounds like a lot of piano-led ECM albums sound, but that’s no bad thing.
38. A Winged Victory for the Sullen – Invisible Cities
Dustin O’Halloran and Adam Wiltzie have been making fine ambient music as a duo for 10 years now, and this is their fourth album. I think it’s the soundtrack to a theatre production or something.
https://awvfts.bandcamp.com/album/invisible-cities
37. Amanda Whiting – After Dark
Most albums released on Jazzman Records tend to be reissues of obscure soul, funk and jazz collections from the 60s and 70s But this is a new release by a Welsh harpist and her band. If you like the classic Dorothy Ashby jazz harp albums of the late 50s/early 60s, then you’ll go for this.
https://jazzmanalbums.bandcamp.com/album/after-dark
36. Drew Gardner – S/T
Drew Gardner is best known as the electric guitar-playing half of the band Elkhorn. This is his first album under his own name, and it’s certainly a decent listen.
https://eiderdownrecords.bandcamp.com/album/s-t
35. Eleven Magpies – Eleven Magpies
Here’s a Bristolian band that have been enthusiastically promoted and supported by the Unthanks. They sound like a quartet [guitar, mandolin, violin and cello] version of the Penguin Café Orchestra. Their album is only available as a download from their bandcamp page. A band this good should be making proper RECORDS!
https://elevenmagpies.bandcamp.com/album/eleven-magpies
34. Chihei Hatakeyama – Late Spring
Proper-job modern Japanese ambient music. Oh yes.
https://gearboxrecords.bandcamp.com/album/late-spring
33. Sarah Davachi – Antiphonals
The Canadian ambient composer Sarah Davachi was an artist I’d been aware of for years, without buying any of her records. That changed this year when I scooped up this album of piano, organ, harpsichord, mellotron and syth instrumentals. An engaging listen.
https://sarahdavachi.bandcamp.com/album/antiphonals
32. Portico Quartet – Terrain
Their first of two albums this year, and their third album for Gondwana Records; I like it quite a bit more than 2019’s “Memory Streams”. Longer, looser pieces, as the band steps away from jazz into more ambient territory.
https://porticoquartet.bandcamp.com/album/terrain
31. Nils Frahm – Tripping with Nils Frahm
This may have come out on vinyl + download in 2020, but the CD didn’t appear until 2021, so I’m claiming it for this year. Frahm is a really successful concert act nowadays, and this live set shows why.
https://nilsfrahm.bandcamp.com/album/tripping-with-nils-frahm
el hombre malo says
marvellous! you always find interesting music that has passed me by – and you were the one who tipped me to the splendid Gondwana label.
thanks for sharing!
Kaisfatdad says
Completely agree Senor Malo. The Duke always delivers whole gang of exciting, new artists that brighten my December.
How about Welsh jazz harpist, Amanda Whiting!
Or Aussie violinist Tamil Rogeon?
I can easily lose myself in Chihei Hatakeyama ‘s ambient Japanese sounds.
Let’s have a full track.
Now, I’ve a bone to pick with you, Duke.
From my brief listen through your new list , I feel you have undersold the albums a tad. Your ability to discover gems has certainly not deserted you!
Far from it!
Blimey! These Bristolians are also rather fab.
https://elevenmagpies.bandcamp.com/album/eleven-magpies
duco01 says
So … erm … no comments? Not one? Not a sausage?
Oh well, I’ll have to hope that tomorrow’s batch, from number 30 down to 16, captures the collective imagination of the Afterword a bit more ….
fitterstoke says
That’s an up for Eydis Evensen’s Bylur – just surprised it wasn’t higher up your list…I don’t think I know anything else: but I’ll be seeking out Eleven Magpies, based on your description.
dai says
What are we supposed to comment on? Personally you listed 15 albums I am unfamiliar with, and there is another thread with greater discussion of 2021 releases where you could easily have posted your list
hubert rawlinson says
@dai because every year from 2015 this is what @duco01 does.
Lodestone of Wrongness says
More power to Dukey Boy’s elbow….. Although he still owes me 15 dollars for recommending one of the worst records I’ve ever heard and me, oh foolish one, believing him
duco01 says
Hmmm … if there’s ever an Afterword mingle in the Languedoc, I shall have to think twice about attending. If I do turn up and order un demi, Lodestone will ambush me and demand his fifteen euros back after I persuaded him to buy a record that he loathed [I seem to recall the album in question was “Niagara by John Southworth”, in anyone’s interested]
Lodestone of Wrongness says
Twas indeed that abomination. Saying that, nothing would please me more than buying you a demi whilst debating the merits of Albanian Nose Flutes versus Blue Banisters.
Love, Peace and Long May you Reign
Kaisfatdad says
Count me in, Lodey! Sounds like a great party. And let’s invite @Gary too. He’s just down the road from you!
Tiggerlion says
I like your number 42. An album grieving over the state of the planet full of wonderful melodies with a beautiful production.
However, you say “I can’t say seem to get into it myself…” Hardly enough to get the blood coarsing through the veins.
Sewer Robot says
Clue: it’s at number 42 on his list..
Tiggerlion says
But it’s on his list. If I felt that way about an album, my list would stop at number 40.
retropath2 says
I thought similar to be fair, but, say, if @Duco01 had only listened to 45, they would BE his best 45, which is an interesting concept. (In that context, can you guess what my number 97 would be? Clue: Kentucky fried egyptian in spiky pool)
Tiggerlion says
Wow! Floating Points can’t be last then!
duco01 says
Hmmm … yes, I take your points, Tigger and retro. In a relatively ‘weak’ year – as I feel 2021 is – then an album that is as far down my Favourites list as no.42 can’t be described as one of my ‘favourites’. The bottom third of the chart don’t really come with the heaviest duco recommendations, but hey! it’s all in fun.
Tiggerlion says
Indeed. Your annual countdown is always fun.
Kaisfatdad says
At 45, you have the wonderful Stile Antico who DuCool introduced us to a few years back. Absolutely wonderful! My musical comfort blanket,
So just imagine how excellent the next 44 selections are going to be!
Colin H says
I admire your prolificity of listening, Duc – but I’ve not heard, or heard of, any of the releases so can’t comment with any sort of ‘Yes, I liked that too’ stuff. If you get to something I’ve heard, I promise to say something 🙂
Eyesteel says
Nice to see some more love for Amanda Whiting and Sarah Davachi – both on my list in the *other* thread. I’ll check out some of your other choices for sure…
Lodestone of Wrongness says
Six more comments than my choices….
Blue Boy says
Thanks @duco01, I always enjoy this thread.
Only one I am familiar with so far is the Weather Station and you describe precisely my feelings about it. I love ‘Robber’ but the rest of the album just isn’t gripping me.
And, above all, I entirely agree with this comment:
‘There’s been an abundance of albums that I’ve enjoyed well enough, but not one record that has really stood out as being brilliant, making me want to shout from the rooftops.’
I have several good records jostling for inclusion in my top 20 when I finally get round to it, but so far I am not sure there is one which I think is really great – there have generally been at least 3 or 4 of those every year, but I haven’t found them this year. Yet….
Tiggerlion says
Promises, Promises, Promises…
Blue Boy says
a quick check suggests that only one of your list will overlap with mine Tiggs (and no, it’s not that one) – with possibly 2 or 3 others hovering in the relegation zone.
Tiggerlion says
Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear…
Feedback_File says
Yeah I’m also in the ‘like Robber but the rest is disappointing’’ camp. Expected it to make my top albums of the year but found I’ve hardly played it after the first few goes.
duco01 says
Good morning again, Afterworders, and thanks for your comments yesterday. Now we move, inexorably, into the dense, murky, middle-reaches of this intriguing little chart, with numbers 30 down to 16. And we start with the good old greybearded, big-nosed Bard of Barking…
30. Billy Bragg – The Million Things that Never Happened
A difficult album to place, because I’ve only just received it. It’s 38 years since Life’s a Riot with Spy vs Spy, but Billy is still “mixing pop and politics” better than most. Romeo and Michele Stodart out of the Magic Numbers fit into the band very nicely.
https://billybragg.bandcamp.com/album/the-million-things-that-never-happened
29. Rose City Band – Earth Trip
The Rose City Band is basically the Americana singer-songwriter Ripley Johnson. This album is his best so far, I think, and the brilliant long final track “Dawn Patrol” is one of my favourite songs of the year.
https://rosecityband.bandcamp.com/album/earth-trip
28. Black Twig Pickers – Friends Peace
This record has a perfect line-up for a modern, left-field Appalachian music collection: Mike Gangloff on the hardanger, the versatile Nathan Bowles on the banjo and the always excellent Sally Anne Morgan on fiddle and vocals [her 2020 solo album “Thread” is an even better record than this].
https://blacktwigpickers-vhf.bandcamp.com/album/friends-peace
27. Mathias Eick – When We Leave
The Norwegian trumpet man’s fifth album as a leader for ECM. If I was forced to pick just one Eick album to recommend to someone, it would be his magical 2015 record “Midwest”, but hey, this is pretty good, too.
26. Corntuth – The Desert is Paper Thin
This is a download only at the moment. ‘Corntuth’ is a New Yorker called Pete Finney. The album is essentially 11 sparse, arid instrumentals: pedal steel guitar, syths, other guitars, plus sort of “field noises”. There’s not too much information about this album, except that Finney describes it as “A long drive, a dry place”. Yes, that’s exactly what it sounds like. I’d like to hear more from this guy.
https://corntuth.bandcamp.com/album/the-desert-is-paper-thin
25. Greg Foat & Warren Hampshire – The Upturned Glass
The Isle of Wight’s two most prolific ambient soul-jazz keyboard players return for another 40 minutes of good, rollicking instrumental fun, all the way from Ventnor. The opening track wins song title of the year: “6,000 Drunks Clinging To A Landslip”.
https://gregfoat.bandcamp.com/album/the-upturned-glass
24. Anthony Joseph – The Rich are only Defeated when Running for their Lives
Imagine if Roger Robinson’s righteous dub poetry was placed in a jazz rather than reggae setting. That’s a bit what this album sounds like. If the whole album were as good as the second track, “Calling England Home”, then this would be Top 5, easily.
23. Jan Lundgren, Lars Danielsson & Emile Parisien – Into the Night
Recorded live at the Ystad Jazz Festival. The two Swedes (on piano and double-bass) invite the French soprano saxophonist in for a really cosy and chilled-out ACT Music set. And very nice quality vinyl pressing – as always with ACT (other labels take note!).
22. Hayden Pedigo – Letting Go
The maverick guitarist/soundscape artist from Amarillo, Texas is back with his sixth full-length outing, endorsed by Terry Allen and posing by a huge US truck in pretty serious goth make-up. Seven very high quality guitar-based instrumentals.
https://haydenpedigo.bandcamp.com/album/letting-go
21. John Zorn, Bill Frisell, Julian Lage and Gyan Riley – Teresa de Ávila
If any band were a Premier League acoustic guitar trio, then it’s Frisell, Lage and Riley. They’re the perfect interpreters of Zorn’s pieces centred around early Christian mysticism.
20. John Zorn, Bill Frisell, John Medeski, Carol Emanuel and Kenny Wollesen – Gnosis: the Inner Light
Here, John Zorn pays tribute to his hero Ennio Morricone, and to help him he has his celebrated guitar/organ/harp/vibraphone quartet. If you’ve never dipped your toe into the huge and dauntingly eclectic world of Zorn’s recordings, then this is as good a place to start as any…
19. Samba Touré – Binga
My favourite African new release of the year. The Malian Damba Touré offers a rippling guitar set in the great West African acoustic tradition of Kante Manfila and Djelimady Tounkara.
https://samba-toure.bandcamp.com/album/binga
18. Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders & the London Symphony Ochestra – Promises
Let me guess: you know this one, right?
17. Gyan Riley – Shelter in Space
The US guitarist Gyan Riley is the son of the minimalist composer Terry Riley (who did “In C”, and a lot of other stuff). With a little help from mates on bass, percussion and violin, he cooks up a consistently engaging set of instrumentals here.
https://gyanriley.bandcamp.com/album/shelter-in-space
16. Gesualdo Six – Josquin’s Legacy
Music not just from Josquin Desprez, but from composers who were inspired by him, such as Pierre de la Rue and Jean Mouton. It’s refreshing to hear the music performed by such a small vocal ensemble. Watch them light up Ely Cathedral here, and keep an ear open for countertenor Guy James on the far left.
Right. That’s it for now. Tune in tomorrow for the TREMENDOUS TOP FIFTEEN on Radio Fab Afterword.
dai says
Manics no. 1? Got to be
Lodestone of Wrongness says
He can’t decide which of the two Lana albums is his Number 1. A toughie indeed
Moose the Mooche says
She only did two albums this year? Bloody slacker.
Blue Boy says
I have been enjoying Bill Frisell’s work with Charles Lloyd this year, so intrigued by the John Zorn recordings – will give them a go. Rose City Band, that I know several here recommend, sounds like my kind of thing, but their music has passed me by so far. And I see a lot of love for Anthony Joseph. Lots here to follow up on….
Tiggerlion says
In my opinion, all six of Anthony Joseph’s tracks are superb. I remember when Forces Of Viktory came out, it took me a little while to ‘enjoy’ Sonny’s Lettah. Now, I think it’s the stand out.
duco01 says
Okey-dokey. Without further ado, let’s move into the business end of the chart with positions 15 down to 6:
15. Warren Hampshire – Language of the Birds
Warren Hampshire’s solo projects are now as compelling and enjoyable as those of his sometime duo partner, Greg Foat. This time, the tunes wander off in a folkier direction.
https://aotns.bandcamp.com/album/language-of-the-birds
14. Steve Gunn – Other You
Steve Gunn is such a consistent songwriter This is his tenth solo album since 2007, as every one that I’ve heard is really good. On “Other You” he mellows out a little and finds a lighter, more summery style.
https://stevegunn.bandcamp.com/album/other-you
13. James Yorkston & the Second Hand Orchestra – The Wide, Wide River
Yorkston’s 2019 album “The Route to the Harmonium” was the first weak record of his career. Here he bounces back with aplomb, teaming up with a large Swedish folk ensemble to make a lovely album that came together quickly and organically, like many of the best records do.
https://jamesyorkston.bandcamp.com/album/the-wide-wide-river
12. Yasmin Williams – Urban Driftwood
Ms Williams from Maryland plays a thing called a harp guitar, which looks a bit like a modern version of the lute. She’s accompanied by Taryn Wood on the cello, and Amadou Kouyate on the djembe. Some mesmerising sounds here. Recommended if you like the Catrin Finch/Seckou Keita albums.
https://yasminwilliams.bandcamp.com/album/urban-driftwood
11. Bill MacKay & Nathan Bowles – Keys
This is Nathan Bowles’s second entry on the chart. On this occasion, the North Carolina banjoist/organist teams up with Chicago guitarist Bill MacKay for seven rootsy instrumental pieces and three songs.
https://billmackay.bandcamp.com/album/keys
10. Marisa Anderson & William Tyler – Lost Futures
Here, folk guitarists Marisa Anderson and William Tyler team up for eight instrumentals – seven absolute gems and the appalling Track 4, “Something Will Come”, which sounds like a washing machine the size of the Large Hadron Collider and has me running for the fast forward button every time. It’s a real “Jazz Police” – but the rest of the album is fab!
https://marisaanderson.bandcamp.com/album/lost-futures
9. Nat Birchall – Ancient Africa
Birchall has done a couple of dubby albums with Al Breadwinner in recent years, but here he’s back on his familiar spiritual jazz territory. There’s a reason Birchall has been an ever-present in my charts for the past 11 years or so: everything he does is quality, quality.
https://natbirchallmusic.bandcamp.com/album/ancient-africa
8. Fred Thomas – Three or One
ECM album of the Year! First you take some J.S. Bach pieces – some organ preludes and some bits and pieces from cantatas. Then you transcribe them for solo piano (played by Fred Thomas) or a piano trio with Aisha Orazbayeva (violin) & Lucy Railton (cello). Et voilà! Simply exquisite.
https://www.highresaudio.com/en/album/view/tfcpto/fred-thomas-j-s-bach-three-or-one-transcriptions-by-fred-thomas
7. Chuck Johnson – The Cinder Grove
Chuck Johnson’s early albums were very much acoustic guitar showcases in the John Fahey mould. Here he drifts into dreamier, dronier territory, with organ and synthesizers to the fore. He’s such a consistent composer and recording artist. Another winner – maybe even his best.
https://chuckjohnson.bandcamp.com/album/the-cinder-grove
6. Erkin Cavus & Reentko Dirks – Istanbul 1900
Magical duo performances by the Turkish guitarist Erkin Cavus and the German guitarist Reentko Dirks, conjuring up the Istanbul/Constantinople of 120 years ago. The music very much reminds me of Anouar Brahem’s classic oud albums for ECM: spare and uncluttered, with plenty of room for the notes to breathe. The album’s rather short at 30 minutes, but every second counts.
https://www.highresaudio.com/en/album/view/9nxw4s/erkin-cavus-reentko-dirks-istanbul-1900
Stay tuned for the fantabulous Top Five! They’ll be arriving either later today or tomorrow morning.
Tiggerlion says
Woah! Turns out I bought Nat Birchall in August but I haven’t got round to listening to it yet. I’ll have to correct that immediately.
Kaisfatdad says
I see what you mean about Something will come on Lost Futures. @DuCo01. It does rather outstay its welcome.
But the rest if the album is excellent.
William Tyler did the music for one of my favourite films of the year.
Kaisfatdad says
Shame on me! We’re down to the Top Five and I’ve only just turned up. It’s rather like waking at Xmas to see Santa and his sleigh flying off into the sunset.
“He’s making a list. He’s checking it twice. He’s gonna find out who’s naughty or nice,”
Santa and the Duke have that in common. At Xmas time they write long, interesting lists!
The Muswell Hillbilly says
I don’t know much on this list, although I always find plenty in your lists to enjoy and you tend to cost me money, but the Yasmin Williams album has been a firm favourite of mine this year. A wonderful, pastoral record. Exhilarating in places but with a soothing quality that suits a bright, cold morning.
Locust says
How is it possible that Nathan Bowles has been on two albums this year and I didn’t know about it? 🙁
Kaisfatdad says
While we wait with bated breathed to hear the Sage of Spånga announce his top five, you may enjoy this playlist…..
Several of the artists are not on Spotify, but a surprising number are, such as Corntuth.
Enjoy!
duco01 says
Very warm pre-Christmas greetings to everyone on this site. With the exception of Kaisfatdad, I only know you as a set of usernames and little square avatars, but what a thoroughly nice (and inspiring) bunch of people you are, week in, week out. It means a great deal.
Sometime in the next 10 days, I’ll be back with my list of 20 Favourite Reissues and Archival Recordings, so keep an eye open for that. But for now, here are the five records at the top of the New Albums pile for this year: two from the UK, and three from the USA…
5. M.G. Boulter – Clifftown
This is Andy Kershaw’s Album of the Year. And no wonder. Matt Boulter, from the south coast of Essex is a real find. Who does he sound like? Well, if you can imagine Robin Peckinold singing Paul Simon’s “There goes Rhymin’ Simon” album, then you’re getting close. Small, sad vignettes from Thames estuary towns. I think a lot of Afterworders would enjoy this.
https://mgboulter.bandcamp.com/album/clifftown
4. Cameron Knowler & Eli Winter – Anticipation
Two guitarist chums – flatpicker Cameron Knowler from Texas and fingerstylist Eli Winter from Chicago – get together for their first collaboration of duets, and it’s a winner right from the off. They show impeccable taste in covering Michael Chapman’s “Caddo Lake”, and their five original compositions are gems, too.
https://cameronknowlereliwinter.bandcamp.com/album/anticipation
3. Nathan Salsburg – Psalms
Over the past decade, Kentucky’s Nathan Salsburg has contributed so much ace guitarin’ to albums by his partner Joan Shelley, Bonnie “Prince” Billy, the Weather Station, and many others, as well as putting out eight solo albums of his own. Now he explores his Jewish heritage by singing nine psalms – eight in Hebrew and one in English. An unexpected delight.
https://nathansalsburg.bandcamp.com/album/psalms
2. Gyan Riley – Silver Lining
Gyan Riley! What a guy – three records in the Top 21 of my chart, including two that were released within three weeks of each other. On “Silver Lining”, he pays tribute to the musicians and composers who’ve inspired him: the great classical guitarist Julian Bream, the musical chameleon John Zorn and of course his own father, Terry Riley. Nine beautiful solo acoustic guitar compositions. Such a pleasure to listen to.
https://gyanriley.bandcamp.com/album/silver-lining-2
1. Jim Ghedi – In the Furrows of Common Place
And this year’s winner is a long-haired folkie from South Yorkshire. Some records grab you straight away, while others – like this one – sneak up on you over a period of many months. Ghedi recorded the album on the desolate west coast of the Isle of Lewis, and the album sounds … windblown, exposed to the elements. Who does he sound like? Well … I suppose he and his band sound a bit like the Irish band Lankum, with his stark, impassioned vocals over a big harmonium drone, fiddle, guitars, drums and flugelhorn. It doesn’t surprise me that Ghedi mentions the nature writer Robert MacFarlane in his sleeve notes, as some of these songs cover seem to echo what MacFarlane conveys in his book The Old Ways, about searching for the sacred nature of place, down old drovers’ tracks and holloways. Ghedi sets a John Clare poem to music, sings Ed Pickford’s “Ah Cud Hew” in a rugged Durham dialect, and winds up the album with a really intense, 8-minute take on the old Scots ballad “Son David”, which he brings off brilliantly. “In the Furrows of Common Place” isn’t at all suitable as background music. It demands your attention, and rewards the keen listener. Jim Ghedi should be very proud of what he’s done here.
https://jimghedi.bandcamp.com/album/in-the-furrows-of-common-place
retropath2 says
Wow, that Jim Ghedi track is astonishing. Listening to it is like attending a deserted and deconsecrated church in midwinter.
duco01 says
Yeah, it’s music that’s not so much recorded, as HEWN OUT OF THE ROCK. On a very cold day.
Tiggerlion says
Excellent! As always. Plenty there to chew on. Thank you, duco.
duco01 says
You’re welcome, Tigger – and I think you’ll enjoy that Nat Birchall album!
Tiggerlion says
I am already!
Tiggerlion says
You are quite right it is a marvel. To my ears, it’s a big step up from Mysticism Of Sound. I think he has mastered the art of multitracking himself much better, blending the melody lines and the tones beautifully. He has also improved his technique on piano, drums and percussion. If I’d paid attention to it earlier, it may have reached my top five.
Blue Boy says
Thank you @duco01 I know literally not one of your top 15 and have barely heard of any of them. I would expect nothing less – thanks for the recommendations!
Kaisfatdad says
MG Boulter is a pleasant surprise. When you mentioned Essex, I was expecting something Chas and Dave- y.
Wrong! No pub piano here.
He’s a very articulate song-writer.
Lodestone of Wrongness says
Normally whatever Andy K raves about I love too. Trying hard but still can’t hear why the fuss around MG Boulter.
Like other years I will dip in and out of Dukey Boy’s list. Mostly I’ll go “Nah” but every so often a real gem will reveal itself.
Sewer Robot says
Am I the only one who sped-read the Duke’s post as “Very warm pre-Christmas greetings to everyone on this site, with the exception of Kaisfatdad”. How distressing to have a new AW beef in the run up to turkey time!
Plenty to chew on – I’ve only heard two on this year’s list…
hubert rawlinson says
No I did too.
Kaisfatdad says
This is war, Hubert!! Down here on the South Side, we are going to the mattresses and preparing for a barney….
One big discovery from the thread was that the Rainbow in Curved Air Hitmaker has a son who is a very gifted musician.
In his living room.
Here he is with Dad.
The first song is not quite what I expected!
Moose the Mooche says
“I’ll see you in the tvättstuga, punk…. pepparkakor at dawn!!”
hubert rawlinson says
Surströmming coming atcha KFD.
Kaisfatdad says
You may remember that back in September there was a thread that explored the influences of Bach.
So I am now very keen to hear Three or One, Fred Thomas’s ECM album of Bach transcriptions.
Thomas is a highly versatile chap. Here is playing Wagner in Buenos Aires.
Kaisfatdad says
There is certainly some superb guitar paying on this year’s list.
Give this a listen, for example.
A Turkish guitarist, Erkin Cavus, and German one, Reentko Dirks, with a musical portrait of Istanbul.
Kaisfatdad says
New kids on the Guitar Block? Not quite!
Those two guitarists have been playing together since 2006.
https://www.highresaudio.com/en/artist/view/ea6fb915-6673-4149-bc35-c4f4664cc46b/erkin-cavus-reentko-dirks
Two more from them.
And while we are listening to Turkish guitarists, why not a little vintage Turkish psychedelia?
Kaisfatdad says
There is, I suspect, not much music on the list that has a Yuletide vibe. But this track by the Portico Quartet goes very well with the snow currently falling, rather gently, outside my kitchen window here in Bagarmossen.
Kaisfatdad says
That Chuck Johnson is a fascinating musician. Really rather out of the ordinary. Extremely cosmic, blissed-out, meditative …..
It reminds me a little of the music that accompanied the Noble Lights Week display at the Town Hall here last week.
If I went over to visit @RobC for a cup of herbal tea at his yurt, I would not be surprised to hear a bit of Chuck.
Here’s Mr Johnson a few years ago playing more traditionally.
Kaisfatdad says
Here’s what NPR had to say about The Cinder Grove:
“Chuck Johnson, The Cinder Grove
A decade ago, Johnson was one of the leading lights of whatever you call the fingerpicked acoustic guitar style often tied to John Fahey’s name but practiced in more diverse, distinct ways than that framing admits. Lately, though, the Californian artist has split the seams of his own practice with works like this wildfire elegy, which turns to yawning pedal steel and other ambient stepchildren (dig the chamber strings on “Red Branch Bell”) to evoke a bodiless choir, kneading out notes of boundless sustain. —Daoud Tyler-Ameen”
https://www.npr.org/2021/06/30/1011549351/npr-musics-favorite-albums-of-2021-so-far
And the NY Times
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/10/arts/music/chuck-johnson-cinder-grove.html
Pitchfork really go to town.
https://www.chuckjohnson.net/the-cinder-grove-reviewed-on-pitchfork/
Talk about purple prose!
“Johnson wanders through soundscapes that explore voids without over-emphasizing their darkness. ”
Please do not confuse Chuck with his namesake in Downing Street who is one enormous void.
Kaisfatdad says
James and Yasmin also made it onto this list
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/dec/20/the-10-best-folk-albums-of-2021
This one also sounds like a cracker!
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/jun/11/khasi-cymru-collective-sai-thain-ki-sur-the-weaving-of-voices-review
thecheshirecat says
Pleased to see the Guardian list feature my No1 choice – Patterson Dipper.
Kaisfatdad says
That Guardian folk list is another cracker, Cheshire. It really makes me want to listen to their choices.