“There is no light without the dark. This is your life – find your spark…” from “This is your life” by John Lathrop
Peter Jackson when in discussions on “Get Back” said he discovered the Beatles music when he was 12 years old after purchasing 2 double compilations. He said the music “lifted his spirits” ,it made him feel good. All of the music I am going to share with you has lifted my spirits in many ways. It has been another tough year for everyone. I know I have had my share of ups and downs, with some medical procedures impacting my life. So we all needed our spirits lifted. Nothing better than music to keep us going. It has been an amazing year for music. It was quite a year for Beatles fans with the release of “Get Back” several reissues, and groups like The Poppermost keeping that sound going. It’s been an amazing year for pop rock [ thank you so much Big Stir Records]. I have discovered a lot of new music with artists like Allison Russell, Adia Victoria, Dorothea Paas, Novelty Island, Fryars ,and The Babblers. Plus the re-discovery of the amazing Tot Taylor has really made me happy. So it is late and I apologize for taking so long to get going here , but I am ready to share my list. I will start with my top 20. After that selections will be in random order. There will also be a link for all my videos of the year. So here are my choices for musical dreamers. Come along and dream with me.
TOP TWENTY ;
1] Allison Russell- “Outside Child”….

“Then I heard that Rock and Roll. And I saw my deliverance “
Not since Laura Nyro’s electrifying “Eli and The 13th Confession” album have I been so drawn to an artist .Allison Russell’s “Outside Child” was the #1 album in The Nashville Scene. So I checked her Facebook page and found a wealth of articles about her full of high praise. She has a tragic back story ,but the transformative power of music saved her. The more I read and the more I listened I fell hard for this remarkable album. In the notes to the album Allison refers to her music as a “reckoning and a remembrance”. She has a wonderful voice and the music crosses all genres . Her melodies and performances take you away from some of the troubling lyrics. There is so much joy in her vocals it is difficult to not be moved. Here are three standout tracks. 1] “Nightflyer” A lovely song full of poetic lyrics. “I’m the melody and the space between Every note the swallow sings .” 2] “Persephone” ,a nice pop tune she calls “an hommage to my first love”. The sweet melody was stuck in my head for a while. She recently performed this on the Colbert show, included in my videos. “come runnin’ to you in the violet hour…”.Allison also plays a nice clarinet solo. 3] The Runner” a fantastic R&B song with background vocals by Yola. She sings of her hearing rock and roll music which changed everything for her. “Oh I had to sing to sing to sing from the Western sea to the old country. ” This is the debut solo album for the courageous artist. I urge you to check her music out. She writes in the album notes “We are not alone. We are not what we’ve lost. We are more than the sum of our scars.” A true survivor ,and we get the benefits of her amazing talent. My album of the year.
2] Teenage Fanclub – “Endless Arcade”
“Come with me together we’ll ride to infinity…” Leave it to this veteran band to come up with another compelling album. Down one songwriter, Norman Blake and Raymond McGinley carry on and the results are superb. The harmonies are divine, the guitars jangle, and the tunes stick to you. Here is a recent recap I did on this site.:
Ive been a faithful fan since 1990’s “A Catholic Education” ,so I was thrilled at a new album. And it’s a great one full of their honey harmonies and music that still shows Big Star and Byrds influences. They are older and wiser,but they still rock and have plenty to say. Guitars ae always ahuge part of their sound and there is no letdown here. The opening track “Home” concludes with 4 minutes of melodic, guitar. Charging guitars kick off “Warm Embrace” with lovely vocal harmonies that glide over the lyrics.There is an affectionate nod to the Beatles on “Everything is falling apart”. “With a smile,long hair, And I want to Hold Your Hand”. Perhaps my favorite is “The sun won’t shine on me” with its heartfelt vocals and an awesome twin guitar solo. “With a troubled mind I am in decline. And the Sun won’t shine on me.” Outstanding! The anthem “Come with me” about dealing with the world. “Come with me tgether we’ll hide from reality”. 6 songs by Norman Blake which deal with heartache and breaking up. The other 6 are by Raymond McGinley which are searching and looking forward . All together its an emotional collection that is heartwarming , comforting, and thought provoking. Enriching us with his age and experience Norman sings in “Back in the day” “With each new passing day I see that old world fading away…”.This is elegant music with chiming guitars and gorgeous vocals. It is one of the years best albums.
3]Nick Frater- “Earworms” “God knows I know you well God knows you know me well God knows I know you well God knows if I can tell How to survive somebody How to survive somebody like me…” From “How to survive somebody” one of the two ballads I am crazy about. This is one heck of an album. The minute I put it on I was totally hooked. Nick lives in Croydon and he notes it was created during the pandemic. He knows his pop music so well that every song has something to offer. So much to love here. On the instant hit “It’s all Rumours” when Nick sings the high note “tonight” I think he sounds just like Roy Wood. I really love Darian Sahanaja’s retro backing vocals on “Buggin’ Out”. “What’s with your heavy heart? ” is simply a classic pop tune so well sung by Nick. Let’s talk about my two favorites , those ballads. So I am loving everything about the first four tracks. And then “Star Crossed” comes on. Wow! Amazing melody reminding me slightly of Bacharach, that type of progression. An awesome tune well sung with a perfect stinging guitar throughout. “I would like to know why my heart is star crossed once again…”.One of the year’s best songs. My other fave is “How to survive somebody” the concluding track which I quoted from at the top of this recap. Another gorgeous melody with heavenly background vocals by Roger Joseph Manning Jr. It builds to a rousing close mellowed out by a chorus of those background vocals and then the title repeated quietly. Kind of breathtaking. Most of the songs have melody changes ,the way good pop songs work. A well crafted album that never stops delighting. On the Big Stir Records site Nick describes his music ” as the Carpenters meet The Flaming Lips with a dose of Beach Boys for good measure.” He also mentions his love for Todd Rundgren, a subject I would love to discuss with him someday. I’m going to add Roy Wood in that mix, an artist I adore, and I hear his influence. I am so lucky to have connected with Nick. He dedicates the album to Gemma and Ivy his beautiful wife and daughter. To quote XTC “This is Pop>”
4]The Stan Laurels- “There is no light without the dark” “We’ll always have our dreams where we are in between lucidity and the holy trinity of love wine and song….” One of my favorite songs with those poetic lyrics. A blast of guitar opens the album followed by beautiful vocals and one can be certain there is great music to follow. This is the work of John Lathrop ,and it is a true labor of love. He composed all the music and plays everything with a bit of help from his co-producer Michael Day. John has crafted a wonderful pop album and with those strong guitars this man knows how to rock. Here are my three favorite tracks. 1] “Tomorrow” .I have been singing the praises of this song for a while now. Simply put this is exquisite pop. The jangle guitar opening , the layered vocals, the lovely melody, and a killer chorus. “Don’t shed a tear today is always here. Sunshine so divine…”. There’s a nifty guitar break that swirls at 2:28, followed by a repeated chorus that slows down at the very end . Great! 2] “Lost and Found” A short guitar overture followed by another great melody. I do believe this is John’s best vocal. When his vocals lift up at “it’s not a big surprise” it is a major hook for me. Love the high note when he sings “you’d have to have a brain” with some nice drumming , a background choir of voices, and the guitar quickening the pace, and a cool guitar finale. I’m sure he had fun putting that all together. 3]” Of love wine and song”. I love this song because it is like a romantic ode. “You’ll never know the power of your glow…”. Sweet lyrics balanced with perfect guitars , more great background vocals, and another nice ending. John really knows how to begin and end a song. We also get two instrumental interludes. there is a humorous stab at our worst president ever [sorry don’t even want to type his name}. “He uses both tiny hands to sip his drink…”.There is a heartfelt song for his son Mateo. The album ends with the pounding rock tune “This is your life’ that includes the album’s title in the lyrics. All in all a real entertaining album full of contrasting tones well pulled together. In my video collection you’ll find a perfect cover of the Beatles “I’m only sleeping”. John thanks the love of his life, Elvira as well as his two sons Miguel and Mateo. I do enjoy John’s artwork showing him with a guitar. Another of his talents. This is the 4th Stan Laurels album. It is my first. I have some catching up to do.
5] Tot Taylor -“Frisbee” “Look at you you lovely thing you’re waiting for a bell to ring It’s plain to see you must be fortunes child…”. As far back as the 70’s Tot Taylor put out several albums as well as composing and arranging for the amazing Compact Organization label, working for artists like Mari Wilson and Virna Lindt. Those were great times for music and I was a huge fan. So I flipped when I discovered Tot was still making vital music. This is such a great album to listen to. He has a nice band which he calls The Macrobiotic Symphony Orchestra .The album kicks off with “National Music Day” ,a day in which “the records start walkin’ and the dee jays stop talkin’ “.The opening line “Mr. Dee Jay measure me another cup of melody…” is so cool. My three favorites start with the catchy “Fortunes Child” which I quote at the beginning of this recap. The playful melody reminds me of The Kinks. “Yoko Oh” is Tot’s answer to John Lennon’s “Oh Yoko”. It is a gorgeous ode to his favorite Beatle with a heartfelt vocal and a melody that reminds one of Mr. Lennon. “Yoko Oh I’m sure I don’t need to say everything’s ok with the people for the people by the people…”. It begins with “Please accept a kiss from someone who misses you…”. It is really a lovely tune , one you should hear. Then there is the addictive “Featurette” which harks back to his schooldays with a put down by a teacher. The chorus ” you’re just a featurette how can I forget I’m not done with you yet” was stuck in my head for days. He also has a marvelous musical attack on President Trump ” Baby I miss the Internet”. “You should be trying to make our dreams come true but the things you do…”. I’ve included Tot performing this song in my video collection. My download includes four extra songs including “This new Abba Record” in which he puts all the pressure on the need for that release to ease the world’s problems. Look for that one. It also has the very pretty “Sunset Sound” .So if you aren’t familiar with Tot and you enjoy British pop [doesn’t everyone?] you should seek this one out. Like Ray Davies and Vic Godard he is a brilliant composer and arranger. Of all the selections on my vast list this is the one I was most excited about finding.
6] Astral Drive- “Astral Drive” “I can dream. when the whole world makes me scream. I can be whatever I wanna be I can dream…” Talk about lifting my spirits. that song “I can dream” is a tonic for hard times. Phil Thornalley is essentially a one man band but he does get some help for example Kasim Sultan, Shelly Peiken, and his daughter Maddy. He makes joyful music that is so much fun to listen to. His last album centered on the Todd Rundgren sound. This album stretches his sound adding lots of soul music, and sunny pop to occasional Todd sounding tunes. Musical poetry shows up in “Waterfall” and “Water Lilies”. “Stargazing” composed by the great Boo Hewerdine shows off Phil’s falsetto and is one of my favorites. More positive vibes show up in “One Big Love” and “For the Dreamers” with the vocals soaring. “This one”s for the dreamers optimists and schemers..”. I Love “Summer”s Here” another upbeat tune that boasts “I don”t know why I’m a genius. I just know I am …” You go Phil. A nifty Nazz cover “Open my eyes” and the album closer with a touch of Hendrix at the start “Wish u Well “. “I hope your dreams are beautiful and they come true but most of all I wish u well…” . My cd came with three extra tracks , all good especially the soulful “Long way from Philadelphia.” It is a well produced album with lots of nice guitar mixed in and all the vocals sound glorious. Throughout the pop music puts a smile on your face .I love the music of Astral Drive and I think you will too.
7] Kasim Sultan – “2021” “If there”s one thing I”m sure of we need more love more love There is one thing the world needs more of it”s more love more love…”. from the opening song “More Love”. After the positive Astral Drive album we turn to Kasim Sultan from Utopia and he brings Phil Thornalley on board helping out with the composing and playing. If you know Kasim’s voice from Utopia than you know he has the voice of an angel. Together with Phil ,they have put together a packed album full of songs about hope, heartache, and lots of romance. “More love” the song quoted at the top of this article is a postive anthem for our dark days. “Everything I shouldn’t want” is like straight out of the Utopia playbook. “Unsung ” has this classic lyric “I’m on the road payin’ all my bills Thank God for Rundgren..” My three picks are : “God kicked the stone” sounds like a Paul McCartney song with bittersweet lyrics. “So tied up and tragic a hopeless romantic left with your heart on the ground just one more stone that God kicked around.” The sad “What it means to be alone ” “I’m an authority on loneliness but to look at me you’d never guess …”.Another showcase for Kasim’s golden vocals. The album’s best song is the very romantic “To Her” enhanced by cello and violin. Kasim’s choir boy vocals are so gorgeous. “She gives you the reason Something to believe in. Something good…”.A classic elegy to romantic love. A fine album well worth your time. Kasim is busy a lot ,either touring with Todd Rundgren or with his Kasim Sultan’s Utopia. I saw that show just before the pandemic and it was an excellent evening.Together with the Astral Drive album I think we can say Utopia is here!
8] Elizabeth and the Catapult – “sincerely, e,” “and tell your best friend not to visit there’s no more use in going out. Yeah the birds and the bees they will come to agree that no one’s gonna save them now…”from the suite ” Birds and the bees ” Elizabeth found herself alone at home during the pandemic .Feeling creative she composed 12 songs and recorded them in her living room with just her piano and occasional guitar. I listened to a lot of her home concerts during lockdown and she performed a lot of these songs as they were ready to share. So when she released this album as a download I finally owned them in one place. It is a wonderful collection of songs some light and some heartbreaking .”Birds and the Bees” quoted at the top of this recap is a piano suite that describes how scary it was during the lockdown, afraid to go out or even visit loved ones. “The Muse” tells of a boyfriend who only hung around “so I could write your name in a song.” The upbeat “Thirsty” is one of the fun songs. Another light number is “Sha-la-la” “We don’t make a killing but it’s still a living to me Sha la la la Sha la la la. “One of my favorites is the bittersweet “Together alone” ,another song about the lockdown. “I fell in love with the boy on the screen He looked so real in my digital dream Heard the sound of a bluebird singing a song close my eyes he was already gone…” She saves the best for last. The final two songs are both tender piano ballads . “Hope my sometimes friend” a quiet meditation on hope. “think more with your heart and less with your head my darling hope my sometimes friend…” Her vocal on this one tugs at your heart particularly at the finale. Then there is the closer, “Love always wins” perhaps one of her finest songs ever. It has had me in tears many a time. ” cause the more you hurt me I guess the more I know you care…”.The intricate piano and the emotional vocal is very moving. This whole intimate album is really worth seeking out. I have to mention her piano playing. I have watched her home concerts and am aware of how well she plays. But this album takes that up a notch. The vocals as well. Elizabeth, thank you for this amazing album.
9]Brandi Carlile- “In these silent days” “You know I may not be around this time tomorrow but I’ll always be with you…” from “This time tomorrow”. I”ve always loved some of the songs Brandi was releasing. But this is my first album by her. I was drawn to it by the song “Right on Time”. I saw her perform this song on a couple talk shows and then SNL. Each time she left me in tears. Her powerful vocal especially toward the finale just got to me. She has had that effect on me in the past especially with “The Joke”.This album showcases the current artist who has crossed over to pop on a lot of her newer songs. Throughout it is her amazing vocals that keep you going. She shows her country side on “Mama Werewolf” with a rousing vocal. “Sinners Saints and Fools” is filled with guitar and strings and builds to a dramatic finish. However it is the ballads that I love the most. “Right on Time” is hard to beat. “It’s not too late. Either way I loose you in these silent days .It wasn’t right But it was right on time…” The lovely three part harmonies on “This time tomorrow”, which I quoted at the top of this piece, deliver an emotional touch. “Throwing good after bad” is another sad break up song with a quieter delivery but effective. “I’m a dandelion and when my color suited you You allowed me to grow but you know when you know…”.And the endearing “Stay Gentle” is sung to a child [her child I assume] and the sweetness in her voice makes this very special. “Darling stay wild if you can the girl with the world in her hands…”. Gets to me just typing that. Brandi surrounds herself with a great supporting group. It is her versatility as a vocalist that shows why she sells out Madison Square Garden. She recently performed Joni Mitchell’s “Blue” album live. I hope someone releases that. Would love to see it. This is a wonderful album. If you haven’t seen it be sure to watch her performance on SNL in my video collection.
10] Jon Batiste- “We Are” “Who do you love when push comes to shove how does it feel how’s it gonna feel how does it feel when it’s getting too real…” From “Cry”. This is the first album I got in 2021 and I haven’t stop grooving to it yet. Who better than the energetic band leader for Stephen Colbert to put out an awesome album of dance music, with plenty of of soul and jazz and just plain old good vibes. In the booklet with the cd Jon writes “Dedicated to the dreamers, seers, griots, and truth tellers who refuse to fully descend into madness.” This is a joyous celebration of rhythm led my a man who does it all. It opens with “We Are” featuring the St. Augustine High School Marching Band and The Gospel Soul Children all addressing the fact that ‘the ghetto is full of stars”. There are the dance anthems like “I need you” and “Freedom”. “Cry” shows off Jon’s amazing soulful falsetto, one of my favorites which I quoted at the top. Another favorite is the sweet “Show me the Way” with Jon digging Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Wu-Tang Clan, and Stevie Wonder for inspiration. “Now I wanna hold your hand lil” darlin, lover man Beatles or Rolling Stones I gotta say , come on…”. “Turn that record player on blast me your favorite song yeah, oh yeah …” Such fun! My other favorite is “Movement 11” “with Jon playing jazz piano with strings. Thelonius would be proud. Jon is surrounded my an amazing group of musicians and vocalists. Jon sings with soulful abandon. The liner notes are by Quincy Jones who praises Jon for ” studying his roots and paying homage to those who came before him.” This is one heck of an album full of inspiration. I urge everyone to give it a try. On the last song “Sing” “I’m done with this heavy heart. I let all my burdens off and I sing”. So we should listen.
11] Faye Webster- “I know I’m funny haha” “Let’s sit around and drink some sake then we can argue about the same things talk about the neighbors on the front porch…” From the title cut “I know I’m funny ha ha”. Faye Webster is a unique artist. Her songs are like conversations about life’s little ups and downs ,mostly downs. Picking right up where her last album left off the music continues to be quiet country soul with a mournful pedal steel is the lead instrument. It goes down easy but the more you listen ,the more you realize the emotions at stake. “Better Distractions” was on Barack Obama’s list of favorites. One to spend some time with. The surface beauty is infectious. Listen : “Sometimes”, “Kind Of”, “A dreamwith a baseball player “
12} Dana Countryman – “Pop Scrapbook” Getting a new Dana Countryman release is like hearing from an old friend. It makes you happy. And he has so much to offer you. Here is a recap of this terrific album from a November post :
“Find your song and embrace it” Michael McCarthy writes in the liner notes And there is so much here to embrace. Since discovering Dana ,I have found so much happiness in his magical pop music. The opening track “Mr. Sunshine ” just explodes with twin guitars and lyrics like “shine a light and bring a bright and sunny day”. And when he sings “My baby’s coming home she’s on her way” the melody dips up and down followed by a bell. Play this song on a dreary day and the room will brighten up.The album is full of these gems. A favorite is “Sunday comes along” as Dana unfolds a Sunday for us. When he sings the title lyric the music swells with flutes and a perfect pop melody blossoms with a Bacharach trumpet. Fun! “Let’s keep dancing” is a sweet duet with his lovely wife Tricia .”I’ll whisper sweet little things in your ear”.Romance is alive in their vocals. The suite “Record store employees” is dedicated to 10 cc. Dana has informed me that it is a true story. Perhaps my favorite song is “You’re everything” with the help of another pop master Nick Frater on vocals and guitars. “You’re every note of every song I sing…”. Simply a great pop tune.A petal steel gives a country slant to “Brand new feeling”, and the bossa nova “Butterflies” brings some jazz with a vibraphone and flugelhorn. Of course there is always a bonus Christmas song, and we also get 2 hidden tracks ,one a surf song recorded in 1988 by Dana’s old group The Amazing Pink Things, and a perfect cover of Teddy Randazzo’s “I’m on the outside looking in”. So a terrific value and an album that could be a gift for your sweetie or any big pop music fan. Dana is a versatile pop artist and a wizzard in the studio. He’s also a swell guy who looks great in an Hawaiian shirt. Dana thank you for the music
13} Brian Gari- -“Names Volume two” This latest by Brian gave me great pleasure. I loved the first volume and this one was even better. Here is my recap from November :

The ever so gifted Brian Gari has returned with a new set of names. I loved Volume 1, and this one is just as entertaining. It is a wonderful album with music ranging from whimsical and humorous to tender and sad. There’s “Tim” who loves collecting the Beach Boys ,with appropriate background vocals. There is Clara who runs a little record store where singles are “less than a dollar”,and our narrator learned about music and rock and roll.I have a soft spot for “Clara’s record store” because I hung out at my local record store and I did learm a lot about music, and went on to work in music retail for over 30 years. The sensitive “I can’t change you Diane” is in Jimmy Webb territory with a gorgeous string finale. The sweet “Tom and Jill”, about two cats that had to be composed by a cat lover. Such a well crafted song that shows off the genius of Brian”s songwriting. Have to mention “Jana I know your ex” with opening music straight out of a Broadway overture.A terrific tune with a great ending “We’re much better off than then “and Brian speaking “I think we are” and then “I know we are”. that sends me every time. The lovely”Elizabeth” who is in a bad relationship and doesn’t know “There’s a man out there a man who’d truly care .” One of my very favorites is “Brigid[I know I frighten you”] Just check out these lyrics set to a lovely lilting melody: ”But I won’t be there… I’ll be in the air I’ll be touching ground …I’ll be in my bed But you won’t be there …you’ll be miles away starting your new day…regretting what you said…” Not since “By the time I get to Phoenix” has travel in a song been so heartbreaking. Brian and Peter Milrose have crafted a very entertaining album, full of nice production touches. The melodies are gorgeous ,and the songs are sure to bring a smile or a tear. One other tune I have to mention is the acoustic gem “There;s a cinder in Cindy’s Eye”.More of that clever wordplay that Brian excells at. I do hope you seek this album out. There’s something for every music lover from this extraordinary talent.
14] Emperor Penguin- “Corporation Pop” “Oh what a time to be alive Utopia’s a state of mind…” from “Utopia” featuring Nick Frater and James Whelligan and my favorite track on this fantastic pop collection. Music comes from three EP’s with some added tracks. “Utopia” is one of the added tracks. There is also the pop perfect opening track “Talk to me ” featuring Orbis Max. Infectious vocals rule throughout the album including two with one of my favorite vocalist Lisa Mychols. But it is the hard work of these fine British gentlemen who we need to thank for this glorious music. My other favorite is “Hell in a handcart” where the melodies just keep coming. So much to listen to and enjoy. I urge you to seek this one out. It’s a truly great album. Listen : “Tuesday’s World “,”The way the cookie crumbles”, “Oh Helena “
15] The Armoires – “Incognito” “She was maybe a bit too demanding She was surely too much in demand She was justified in feeling tired of holding his hand…” from “{Just can’t see} the attraction ” by The October Surprise or should I say The Armoires. This fab band led by Christina Bulbeko and Rex Broome tried an experiment during the lockdown. They came up with a bunch of fake band names and then released singles by them. This album combines those singles together ,thus the title “Incognito”. The results are one of the most entertaining albums of the year. Originals and some choice covers and a variety of musical genres to delight the listeners. The first thing that knocked me out were three covers. John Cale’s “Paris 1919” performed by The October Surprise . What an inspired choice and they pull it off very nicely. I recently posted this on FB I was so happy with it. Then The Yes It Is [great name] pull of a terrific version XTC’s “Senses working overtime”. When it comes on I sing along to the chorus. But what really turned my head was Andy Gibb’s “Words and Music” a song I must confess I do not know. They transform it into an early indie pop song with an awesome vocal by Christina. It’s become a big favorite of mine. As for the originals there is the tune I quoted at the top of the recap, “{Just can’t see]The Attraction “featuring cool lyrics. You got to love the pure country of The Chessie System with some choice fiddle work by daughter Larysa Bulbenko. The Ceramic Age add another favorite of mine ,”Ohma Bring your light into this place”, sounding like REM. And I need to point out a hidden track “Shame and Bourbon” with some more country fiddle and perfectly sung sad sad lyrics. Got to love the ” demon in the front right seat” “and he’s telling me it’s time to let you go”. Where did I put that Makers Mark? I hope the charade isn’t over. Would love to hear more from Yes It Is and Tina and the Tiny Potatoes. Just sayin’. So a great band having fun in the studio. The rhythm section features Clifford Ulrich on bass and the great John Borack on drums, plus there’s a lot of help from musical friends. There is a nice essay in the liner info by Larysa that lays out a mission statement for the band and this exercise. Very well put. Here is what I did. Grabbed the cd jacket and the fold out with all the picture sleeves for the bands. Followed all the info as I played the cd. It could be fun for the whole family.
16] Lana Del Rey- “Chemtrails over the Country Club ” “Let me love you like a woman Let me hold you like a baby Let me shine like a Diamond Let me be who I’m meant to be ” from “Let me love you like a woman.” I keep saying Lana is doing her best work every new album. That’s because this hard working lady keeps improving her craft. Following 2019’s wonderful “Nornan F______ Rockwell”she continues to sing about the California myth. A lot of autobiography is in the lyrics. “Down in Orlando I was only 19 Down at the Men in Music Business Conference, I only mention it cause it was such a scene and I felt seen…” detailing her waitress days in “White Dress” sung in a whisper falsetto. Jack Antonoff helped out with co- composing and playing a variety of instruments. Here are three standout tracks 1] “Wild at Heart full of the noir atmosphere she’s famous for. 2] “Breaking up slowly ” a sad country duet with Nikki Lane. “I don’t want to end up like Tammy Wynette…”. 3] “Dance till we die ” an outstanding song that references that she’s covering Joni Mitchell and mentions Joan Baez ,Stevie Nicks, and Courtney Love. ” We’ll keep walking on the sunny side and we won’t stop dancing til we die…”.It feature a strong vocal that takes off mid song. The album ends with a beautiful cover of Joni’s “For Free” sung with Weyes Blood and Zella Day. The song actually ends with Weyes Blood singing the last verse.
17]Tele Novella- “Merlynn Belle” “You’ll only dance if its to gunshots and you move through it with grace send me a postcard when you get to what I hope is the right place…” From the great opening track “Words that stay”. About 15 years ago I discovered a group called Agent Ribbons. Three ladies all with the last name of Ribbons. What I loved most of all was the haunting vocals of Natalie Ribbons. I had not heard another voice quite like it. So when a video of Tele Novella popped up this past year I recognized that voice. Yes, Natalie Ribbons, who is the lead singer and composed all the songs was back in my life. And what an interesting group Tele Novella is. And that voice still has a hold on me. It is difficult to describe that voice, as well as the meaning of the songs. Natalie’s voice is clear and beautiful with a kind of old country lilt that make these songs so easy to fall into and dream with them. The music has an antiquated quality to it with traces of folk, country, pop, and psych. The lyrics are pure poetry that touch your heart and make you think. For example check some of these out: from “It won’t be long” “I told a story it began and then it ended and in the middle you were hanging by a thread” and goes onto “There was a murder an affair and lots of money. A girl so beautiful they thought that she was dim.” From “Never” a sad song about being there for a friend with heartache “How could such a broken heart still be so eager to please”. From “Wishing Shrine ” which starts out with a Morricone whistle , “We wrote all our dreams on scraps of paper and put them in a wall of ancient clay.” From “One little Pearl” that sounds like an old English folk song “I’ve got her bonnet and her gloves and her shoes an old tooth All the jewels and her dear diary”. From “Crystal Witch” which has a mystical sound “With a cape and a cold eye She only eats crystals But how she sings when your finger rings her mouth.” There’s more but you get the idea. That video I discovered turned out to my very favorite track, “Paper Crown” with a gorgeous yearning vocal by Natalie that gets breathy in the chorus. “I want a love I can make with scraps on the floor Watch as I make one Better than before . When I am high When I am low I’m sure to find love wherever I go.” The sweetness of this song has stayed with me ever since I discovered it. That video is in my collection. My two other favorites are “Words that stay” which I quoted at the top, and “The Wishing Shrine”. My favorite moment comes in the closing song “Technicolor Town” where Natalie ,in her finest country voice sings “My yearning heart will howl” and proceeds to howl a couple of times. So great!. I so hope you will look for this album. I hope Natalie will charm you like she does me. I do have to mention she is not alone in the group. There is Jason Chronis ,who is in all the videos, and Sarah La Puerta. Natalie Ribbons ,now that I have found you ,I will not let you go.
18] Tamar Berk- “The Restless Dreams of youth” ” And it’s only when someone asks me that I’m reminded of your silly face and the stack of vinyl records you left at my place ” from opening track “Skipping the cracks”. I discovered Tamar from one of Chipper Sam’s weekend playlists. I followed up went to her site and fell in love with the album cover. She’s got a cigarette in one hand ,a cup of coffee in the other, her head is cocked to the side ,and that look on her face. It was like she was saying to me “you wanna listen or not “.So I checked out her videos. First one that showed up was “Better off meditating” ,and she’s in a red polka dot dress facing the camera at times with a guitar. I was in another place, that place where you have just found someone special. And special Tamar is. This is a great rock album with lots to offer. It is all there in the album title. You can reflect back, look ahead, but the search for peace of mind is constant. These well written songs reflect the searching, the break ups, the standing up for your rights. I love the ringing guitars in songs like “Shadow clues” and “Socrates and me”. “In the Wild” is a perfect pop song with a classic finish. You need to watch the video for “Cleveland” with all the childhood clips. “What ever happened to me I feel like I’m stuck somewhere back in the midwest and that might be unfair but I’ve got some regrets now I just wanna be free.” The video is included in my collection. It is her lovely ballads that are my favorites ,like “Til I’ve Won” with it’s unfolding melodies and it’s emotional build up. “When I took you out to play you wanted to run away I was lingering by your side and I wanted to keep you tied,” The best track on the album for me is “A New Case” with it’s gorgeous piano and Tamar’s strongest vocal. “What a waste A head case there’s nothing I like more than being right but right now I adore the fight”. Beautiful! The tug between tough and vulnerable lies in these songs. The more you listen, the more you think. If you haven’t discovered this album you owe it to yourself to give it a try. I just would like to give her a big hug. So Tamar consider this album recap your hug. So grateful I found you.
19] Dorothea Paas- “Anything Can’t Happen” “I’m not lonely now doing all the things I want and working on my mind Sorting through all thoughts I go through one at a time…” “From Running under my life” a song that briefly begins the album and is the ending song. This album is one of my treasured finds, first discovered in a strong review in Uncut Magazine. After watching a couple videos I was emotionally connected. It is a break up album that deals with the pain and regrets in such a compelling way that you are right there with her feeling it , She has a beautiful high voice ,and she sustains some of her notes as if to underscore her sadness . It is stunning to listen to. She has a terrific group of musicians to enhance the mood. My three songs starts with the title song. With a guitar intro she goes through a few changes. that lead to “It’s so hard to trust again when you don’t even trust yourself”. She sings this three times to great affect and it is followed by “When anything can’t happen at any time” ending with the band slowing down. Bleak, but still it is a pretty pop tune. “Frozen Window” begins with a low voice and a ringing guitar following her every move, It is a chilled atmosphere . She sings “it’s hard to see myself in positive light” and then something remarkable happens. She slowly starts grasping at a ray of hope. The last thing she sings is “I will love again” ending with the band playing a searching finale. My third song is “Container” and it is one of the year’s best songs as well as my video of the year. In the video she faces the camera while sitting on a park ride, one of those that revolves. She sings in a quiet sad voice “Why can’t love be like in my dream Why don’t you show up when I want you to. Why can’t it always be June. Why can’t it be like that one time…”.And at 1:20 the ride starts slowly revolving. As it turns ,and she continues her song, your heart turns with her. It is a breathtaking video that has to be seen. It is included in my video collection. The song itself is painful to listen to but beautiful at the same time. And that is the essence of this brilliant album, sadness and beauty. I don’t have a lot of information on the artist. The review mentions she is from Canada, and this is her debut album. I have not seen another review anywhere else. So I am writing to whoever reads this to seek this one out and listen. Give it some time, because there is a lot going on in some of the songs. But the reward is finding it and experiencing this remarkable album.
20] The Hepburns [featuring Estella Rosa} “Architecture of the Ages” “Going to move to Wales and write the great Welsh novel. I’m going to write down all the things they say. A slice of life , cinema verite…” From “Move to Wales “. I have been listening to The Hepburns for over 30 years. I own several of their albums and I noticed the main players Matt Jones and Mike Thomas are still on board. This album features Estella Rosa on vocals and she is perfect for them. She has a lovely pop voice and is kind of like Sarah from Saint Etienne. How long before we get a solo album from Estella. They are well known for their pop music but there is something special about appearing on the amazing Elefant label. They have never sounded better. The music is a mix of pure pop, bossa nova, and sunshine pop. The melodies are ever so wonderful and Matt and Estrella deliver vocals that are soft, tender, and moving. The lockdown does factor in several of the songs. “On the Telephone” is about trying to connect during lockdown. “No need to be alone talking to you on the phone…”My three songs : “The other side of grey” is simply a perfect pop tune. It opens the album with Matt’ and Estrella trading vocals “I’m drinking coffee and listening to the pouring rain…” They both harmonize on the backing vocals to great affect. There are a couple chord changes and the song ends with these quaint lyrics “So tell me how does this song end? [it’s waiting patiently].So tell me how does this song end, on the other side of grey? ” Great! “Seagulls on a frozen Lake” is a gentle bossa nova with more sensitive vocals, The Elefant description of the song is “Like listening to a Joao Gilberto record while reading Jean Paul Sartre “.I believe this is another song reflecting the pandemic. The frozen lake is a metaphor for the emptiness outside. He sings “with a paperback and a cup of tea I could face an eternity…”. Some nice guitar and background vocals end the song with the last line “this place is dead”. The best song on the album is co-written with Matt and Jorn Oddvar Alekjaer and Ole Johannes Aleskjaer from The Loch Ness Mouse one of my favorite bands. “Lockdown to Liverpool” features Estrella’s nicest vocal, and the song is quite gorgeous with minor key changes, a lovely jazz guitar solo, and vocal swells of sunshine pop. The lockdown appears to be over and they are outside “The sun was low, the air was cool…” “No time to wait ,don’t hesitate “cos nothing’s going to last….”.A beautiful song !.There is also some Bacharach trumpet on “Five miles of line”. “Mermaid” is based on a medieval legend. Throughout the album we get some breezy rhythms and those perfect vocals. Elefant Records is really a good fit for The Hepburns. Looking forward to more music from them
BUBBLING UNDER : In No Particular order
21] The Babblers -” Psychadilly Circus”
22] St. Vincent- “Daddy’s Home”
23] Tenant from Zero- “Flight:
24] Novelty Island- “How are you coping with this Century?”
25]The Poppermost- “Hits to Spare”
26] Fryars- “God Melodies”
27] Yola- “Stand for Myself ”
28] Gary Louris – “Jump for Joy”
29]Adia Victoria -“A Southern Gothic”
30] Billie Eilish-“Happier than Ever”
31] Lake Street Dive- “Obviously”
32] Catenary Wires- “Birling Gap”
33] The Marias- “Cinema”
34] Johanna Samuels- “Excelsior”
35] Durand Jones and the Indications-“Private Space”
36] Aimee Mann- “Queens of the summer hotel”
37] Chris Church- “Game Dirt”
38] Lucy Dacus- “Home Video”
39] Jackson Browne- “Downhill from Everywhere”
40] Neil Young with Crazy Horse- ” Barn”
41] Hilma Nikolaisen “Heritage”
42] Maria Rodes Y La Estrella de David- “Contigo” [on Elefant Records]
43] Solea Morente- “Aurora Y Enrique” [on Elefant Records]
44] ANC4- “Strange Tide”
45] Kings of Convenience-“Peace or Love”
46] They might be giants- “Book”
47] Jeff Tweedy- “Love is the King / live is the king”
48] John Grant- “Boy from Michigan”
49] Maxwell Farrington and Le SuperHomard- ” Once”
50] David Crosby- “For Free”
MORE GREAT SELECTIONS :
Lindsey Buckingham -“Lindsey Buckingham” / Silk Sonic -“An Evening with Silk Sonic” / Gruff Rhys- “Seeking New Gods” / The Weather Station – “Ignorance” / The War on Drugs – “I don’t live here Anymore ” / Rhiannon Giddens with Francesco Turrisi -“They’re calling me home” / Saint Etienne – “I’ve been trying to tell you ” / Brendan Eder Ensemble- “Cape Cod Cottage” / Legal Matters- “Chapter Three” / Tom Shotton- “Forever Home” / The Brothers Steve- “Dose” / Paul Weller “”Fat Pop” / The Black Watch -“”Here and There” / Eliane Elias with Chick Corea and Chucho Valdes- “Mirror Mirror” / Aaron Frazer – “Introducing Aaron Frazer” /Molly Burch -“Romantic Images ” / Martha Wainwright -“Love will be reborn ” / The Speed of Sound- “Museum of Tomorrow” / Orbis Max-“The Covid Collaborations 2020-2021” /The Weeklings- “In their own Write [live] /
VIDEO PLAYLIST-!00 videos covering most of the artists my list. To choose from the list of videos, copy and paste this link into your URL. That will take you to my YouTube. Enjoy!
To watch all videos in sequence here, just click on the link below top right
RECORDINGS OF SPECIAL MERIT – Covers, live albums, compilations
Meredeth d’Ambrosio- “Sometime Ago”- It was gratifying to see a new album announced for Meredeth, one of my favorite artists. This album continues her journey to interpret classic songs and even cover a few of her own. She has a beautiful voice and she surrounds herself with amazing musicians. Often times when I’m down I reach for one of her 17 albums [I own them all], knowing that her sensitive vocals are going to leave me in a better place. This new release can now be one of them.
“Party for Joey. A sweet relief tribute to Joey Spampinato “- A fantastic lineup of artists performing covers of songs with a connection to Joey who was with NRBQ for 40 years. He is battling health problems, thus the relief tribute. Artists like Al Anderson, Bonnie Raitt, Los Lobos ,and The Minus Five are just some of the artists on this album. Beautiful liner notes are by Michael Simmons , a true fan. Well worth owning.
Pomplamoose- “Impossible A Prononcer” This hard working band releases a new cover every week. Some of them have been French classics. This is an entire album of French covers . Nataly Dawn has an amazing grasp of the French language , and the band’s versions of songs by Jacques Brel, Charles Trenet, and Michel Legrand, among others ,take us to another place. I love it!
Manu Lafer -“And It’s Yours- Brian Gari Tribute ” A very cool album of Brian Gari covers by Brazilian artist Manu Lafer. I am a big fan of Brian’s work, and it is such a treat to hear Manu perform his music. Some of these songs I am hearing for the first time ,for example the lovely “Don’t let another night go by”. I know Brian is in love with Brazilian music so he must be on cloud nine with this release. Some excellent musicians and vocalists help out, and it all sounds wonderful.
Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga- “Love for Sale” Emotions run high listening to this album of Cole Porter classics . Tony is in excellent voice and this is Lady Gaga at her very best. There was a TV special and watching these two had me in tears. This will probably be Tony’s last album and hearing him sing “Just one of those things” should appeal to all music lovers. God Bless Tony Bennett!
Nicole Atkins-“Memphis Ice” This album was recorded in a Memphis studio with just a piano violin and cello backing Nicole , so great attention is drawn to her magnificent vocals. She is primarily performing songs from her last album ,”Italian Ice” with one new track. If you have ever had the pleasure of seeing Nicole live as I have, then you know how powerful her voice is. Elvis Costello has praised this album. I am doing the same.
The DB’s – “I thought you wanted to know” A terrific compilation of early tracks mixed with some live tracks. The DB’s were an awesome power pop band from the late 70’s led by by Chris Stamey and Peter Holsapple ,two musicians that are still doing great work presently. A must for all power pop fans.
Robert Plant and Alison Krauss- “Raise the Roof” More Americans covers by these two amazing vocalists. Their voices blend together well and these country and blues covers are a joy to listen to. They go deep in their choices like a 1930’s tune by Geeshie Wiley’s country blues “Last kind words Blues “.Well worth investing in.
Boo Hewerdine- “Selected Works” This is a gorgeous compilation of singles ,B sides, and a couple album tracks that work well together, making this a fascinating listen. If you have read my recaps of Boo’s albums you may know that I believe Boo is doing his best work now. His 2019 release “Before” was so beautiful, and this collection is full of that beauty. The opening track “The Language of Love” is a good example of what I am writing about. There really is no one like Boo Hewerdine. I highly recommend this collection.
NRBQ- “Dragnet” I can’t rate an NRBQ album. They are a very special group in my world. This is an all new album and it carries on the tradition of sweet songs and some wild ones like their cover of the “Dragnet” theme song. Outstanding songs like Scott Ligon’s “That makes me a fool” and Terry Adams “Sunflower” prove that they still capable of musical magic.
EP’S
1] Bill DeMain- “Vaudeville EP”
2]David Myhr- “And Now This”
3] The Shang Hi-Los-“Kick it like a Wicked Bad Habit”
4] Nedelle Torrisi with Larry Goldings- “Five Songs”
5] Lickerish Quartet- “Threesome Vol. 2”
6] Boo Hewerdine “Singularities “
7] Lauren Balthrop- “Where is Love”
SONGS OF THE YEAR :
1] Ole Johannes Aleskjaer “Waterways” A sublime song that captured my heart the minute I heard it and hasn’t stopped delighting me. He is way into Paddy McAloon territory here. Perfect pop !
2] Dorothea Paas- “Container” Heartbreak song and video of the year. Her performance of this song in a clear beautiful voice brings me to tears constantly. “It’s just a container for my thoughts It’s something to throw my loneliness and fears into…” .Stunning!
3] Sondre Lerche-“King of Letting Go” Released early in the year and I have been playing it all year. He has a knack for the irresistible hook. He continues to close into the Prefab Sprout sound. Even the title sounds like Paddy.
4] Oslo Oscillator -“Drifting” More perfect pop from Norway. More beautiful melodies that sound like Paddy McAloon.
5] The Last Detail- “I’m Sorry” Another super catchy song from the team of Mehdi Zannad and Erin Moran [A Girl called Eddy} with a touch of R&B on this gem.
6] Joe Dilillo with The Lickerish Quartet- “Loser Girl” The minute I heard this I was hooked. Great tune with a killer chorus. “Afraid and I’m frantic a hopeless romantic …” Terrific lyrics. Begging for more from Joe.
7] Rehab Sprout- “Let There be Music” Fabulous Prefab Sprout cover by a group of dedicated musicians including the great Gary Clark on vocals and Neil Conti on drums. I hope there will be more of these covers.
8] VV Lightbody -“Really do care” Another delicate ballad from an artist that won my heart in 2020. Her album was high on my year end. This is gorgeous.
9] C Duncan- “Alluvium” He is back with more cinematic pop and heartfelt vocals .Lovely tune
10] Bill DeMain- “One more couple in love” My favorite from Bill’s “Vaudeville” EP. It’s a toe tappin’ number that will put a smile on your face. The whole ep is full of songs that swing and looks to a simpler time.
11] Joe Pisapia- “On the other side” Came out in January and Joe and some musical friends all helped out om Zoom. It is about getting together with friends after the lock down. An emotional sentiment. After the song ends one of the singers says “That feels good Joe P.” I say the same thing every time I listen to it.
12] Frances Forever- “Space Girl” Sweet funny song that just popped up one day and I fell instantly in love with it. The video is great with a nice romantic ending. Don’t know much about this artist but I will do some searching.
13] Madison Cunningham- “Broken Harvest” I love her performance with several key changes. I adore her voice and hope this means there is more coming. The video is kind of psychedelic.
14] Zella Day featuring Weyes Blood- “Holocene” Pretty song with a sensual video, Another artist I do not know but I have become a big Weyes Blood fan. Great harmonies.
15] Pomplamoose – “Read Me” One of their weekly offerings , this one an original and it is fantastic. Funny and upbeat with a neat vocal by Nataly. Watch her dance in the studio on the video.
16] The Babblers -“Child of War”- From their awesome album , this song really speaks to what is happening right now in Ukraine. “These are the times of war. I’m sorry for the child of war…”.From an album full of pop rock gems, this folk rock tune is the one that means the most.
17] Adia Victoria- “Magnolia Blues” So much power in Adia’s vocal, it really captures the mood that the modern blues album excels at. If you haven’t heard her you are in for a treat. The album is full of grit and incredible vocals.
18] Lauren Balthrop -“Where is love” A gorgeous ballad by this compelling artist. I’m a big fan of her work and simply love this song especially the dramatic finish.
19] Ian Carr and Boo Hewerdine- “My baby hates jazz” A snappy fun little song about a girl friend that just doesn’t get jazz. “She’s got no time for pizzazz my baby hates jazz.” Boo with a friend knocking off a tune having a good time.
20] Solea Morente- “Iba A Decirtelo” Elefant label magic with a magnificent pop artist. Solea sings this so well , I was deeply affected by her .When you find music this good you hold on to it. I am under her spell.
21] Sorrows- “Christabelle” Kicking off their album with this gem. It has everything going for it: A girls name for the title, melodies that stick, soaring harmonies, nifty guitar breaks, and a perfect ending. can’t ask for anything more from a pop song.
22] The Stan Laurels – “Tomorrow” -I mentioned in the album recap how much I loved this song. Love the jangle guitar opening, the layered vocals, and the thrilling guitar solo. And as it slows down to end you just want to play it again. That is pop!
23]Kings of Convenience featuring Feist- “Catholic Country”- With a bossa nova guitar starting this off it is nice to know that this group hasn’t changed a bit. Still performing gentle music with quiet vocals. This lovely samba features Feist on the chorus . “The more I know about you the more I know I want you…”.Goes well with a glass of Zinfandel.
24] Sharen Van Etten and Angel Olsen- “Like I used to”-Stunning collaboration with both ladies soaring with their vocals, which blend together beautifully. Emotions run high and each artist delivers. Please say there’s going to be an album.
25] Rebe- “Ven a Buscarme Temprano”-An enchanting flight of fancy from another Elefant artist. She glides through sweet melodies in a cute sighing vocal. Rebe is a very visual artist and the video for this is quite provocative . I can’t really describe it.You have to check out my collection and see for yourself. It is something.
26] Nick Frater- “Star Crossed”- I wrote about how much I loved this song in the #3albums. It has a great Bacharach melody, well sung by Nick and it features a superb guitar solo at the conclusion. It is one thing to deliver some upbeat pop tunes. But this easy going gem elevates his status as a singer/ songwriter. And according to the liner notes that is Nick on that amazing guitar.
27] Maria Rodes y La Estrella de David – “Venga Va”- More gorgeous pop vocals from the Elefant label. Maria Rodes and David Rodriquez blend their voices and magic happens. Even though the lyrics are in Spanish it does not matter. Pop music is a universal language. I believe I have three videos by her in my collection. Check them out. I love her1
28] Tamar Berk- “Better off meditating”- Great rock song with a killer chorus that snaps to attention with a drum beat, This was the first song I heard by Tamar and I went on to fall in love with her album. You will as well if you haven’t heard this terrific artist.
29] Alessia Cara- “Best Days”- I watched her perform this on Fallon and I was emotionally affected by her dynamic vocal. It really is special. “What if my best days are the days I’ve left behind…”.It is in my video collection. I urge you to check it out.
30] Orbis Max- “With a girl”- Lush baroque arrangement of this top notch song. Great vocals with a trippy background.. Just lovely!
31] Beach Bunny featuring Tegan and Sara- “Cloud 9”- Power pop from Chicago, my kind of town. This will put a smile on you for sure. Lead singer Lily has the perfect power pop voice and together with Tegan and Sara they knock this this upbeat tune out of the park.
32] Lucy Schwartz- “Tiny paper clips”-You can always count on Lucy for a couple of winners. Been following her for several years, and that has been the case. With a full production this is a wonderful tune with a sweet Lucy vocal.
33] Cour de Recre- “Le Jardin De Nobuko”- Very cool French electro pop. On a synth bounce we get irresistible vocals including some children. Fun song on the Elefant label.
34] David Myhr- “We Wanted to shine”- Fabulous pop featuring David’s soaring vocals. He has an amazing voice and this is simply a great pop tune. It is from an ep with talk of another ep coming. During the instrumental break David just goes ‘Woo!”. My thoughts exactly.
35] The Blasting Company and Van Dyke Parks-“Old Summer Reckoning”- A real find. American music that reminds me of Hoagy Carmichael . Arranged and co composed by Van Dyke Parks and his genius is all over this tune. Don’t know much about the group .It just popped up one day making my life a little better. I do recognize the name Austin Hoke on cello. I will look for other music by them. And you should seek this tune out.
36] Todd Rundgren and Sparks- “Your Fandango” -A wild and crazy collaboration by two artists re-united. Todd produced their pre Sparks band way back in the days. They did not hold back on the silliness with this nutty song. But after a few spins the music is creative and kind of addictive. That is The Sparks for you. And Todd shines through as well. Be sure to watch the video.
37] Laura Veirs- “Between the Bars”- An intimate cover of an Elliot Smith song. Just Laura and an acoustic guitar. I noticed that she is performing it in her live shows. Quite lovely.
I could go on but with the goal of finishing I’ll move on.
REISSUES;
- The Beach Boys- “Feel Flows: The Sunflower and Surf’s up sessions 1969-1971” -Mojo Magazine calls it a “treasure chest” and in the January year end issue Bill DeMain has a nice article on the box set plus an interview with Al Jardine and Bruce Johnston. The treasure are the out takes , and the live tracks. I have yet to complete listening to the 5 discs. But I love the two original albums and can mention three classics from them: Carl’s “Feel Flows”, Dennis Wilson’s “Forever”, and Bruce’s “Disney Girls”. Be sure to read Bill DeMain”s informative article.
- Neil Young -” Carnegie Hall 1970 9 weeks after the release of “After the Gold Rush” Neil did two solo shows at Carnegie Hall. Just Neil his guitar and a piano . 23 songs on 2 discs covering some Buffalo Springfield, songs from his solo albums, and a few that had not been recorded yet. I know Neil puts out a lot of music but this legendary concert is beautiful. Highly recommended.
- Sorrows -“Love too late…the Real Album”- Technically not a reissue ,but a re-recording. 40 years ago their record company messed with the making of the original. As it says in the liner notes it was a flop and the band was shattered by the whole experience. And now the band is giving us the album that was supposed to be. And it is a wonderful pop album. 10 originals and 1 Kinks cover. “Christabelle” is in my top songs. Hats off to the band for reclaiming their dream. It is on the always reliable Big Stir Record label who would not dream of messing with an artist’s music .Be sure to listen to it.
- George Harrison -“All Things Must Pass”- Truth be told I do not own this . It was on my Christmas wish list but it’s a 6 cd set and out of everyone’s price range. I have heard several of the outtakes on WXRT’s Sunday morning Beatles show. And I have been playing my original vinyl set a lot. There is a priceless moment in “Get Back” where George talks about having all these new songs and since they only let him have 2 tracks on a Beatles album it would take him forever for these to be heard. So glad he figured out a way.
CONCERTS :
- The Flat Five in June at Fitzgeralds in Berwyn ,Illinois Outside on their big patio we were treated to 2 sets of covers and tracks from their 2 amazing albums. This was our first concert in person since lockdown. What a treat. The musical diversity performed is always one of the fun parts of seeing The Flat Five.
- James Taylor and Jackson Browne – July 29 at The United Center, Chicago, Illinois. This was our first indoor arena concert in over 2 years. James had an all star band with a horn section and he performed well. The set list covered his career . He even did a number from his “American Standards” . I was more impressed with Jackson Browne. When he sat at the piano and sang “Late for the Sky” I could not stop the tears. He had a great band with superb background vocalists and his new material was very moving.
- NRBQ September at Fitzgeralds . It was so great to see one of my favorite live bands, and to see Terry Adams again. 35 songs in a 2 1/2 hour set .Seeing them made me so happy. Fantastic night!
- Swan Dive – A live stream June 3rd- Bill DeMain and Molly Felder got together at Bill’s home in Nashville to perform their album “June” for it’s 20th anniversary. It is a joy to see them perform with multi instrumentalist Jim Hoke and an appearance from producer Brad Jones. The complete video is in my playlist .it is #33.
I STILL NEED TO CHECK OUT:
- Paul Bevoir- “A Balloon to the Moon” Thanks to Chipper Saam I just found out about this. I love this artist and will check it out.
- Vic Godard and Subway Sect- “Moments Like this”- Just discovered this release. Vic like Edwyn Collins are huge in my book.
- Floating Points ,Pharoah Sanders, and the London Symphony Orchestra- “Promises” This was Mojo’s #1 album of the year. That is how I discovered it. An amazing meeting of jazz, classical, and electronica. At times meditative, at times intense ,music to get lost to.
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LOOKING FORWARD TO IN 2022:
Loch Nes Mouse [I hope] /Elvis Costello /Sondre Lerche /Belle and Sebastian /Boo Hewerdine /Rumer /Tears for Fears /Emperor Penguin /Bart Davenport /Chris Church /Seth Swirsky /Regina Spektor /Lannie Flowers /Anais Mitchell /Amoeba Teen /Eileen Gogan /C Duncan /Curtis Stigers /Taj Mahal and Ry Cooder /Mitski /Michael Head /Sarah Borges/Hurrah for the Riff Raff /The Delines /Gustaf Ljunggren / Father John Misty / Lightning in a twilight Hour [ex Field Mice] / Destroyer /Lykke Li /Kevin Morby /Momus /Rebecca Martin /Under the Bridge -Various Artists – New songs from artists who were all on Sarah Records / Monochrome Set / Tahiti 80 /
I CAN DREAM ; My personal wish list ;
- Prefab Sprout- My annual dream wish. I know Paddy has a wealth of material. I’m not asking for much. Anything really, like the album announced a couple years ago. Luckily there are musicians like The Loch Ness Mouse and Rehab Sprout ,and Sondre Lerche, who were influenced by Paddy and are releasing great music that has a Prefab sound.
- Roddy Frame- I do hope he is well and happy. Just miss his music.
- A few more to mention. Swan Dive or just Molly Felder. Gary Clark. David Mead.
SHOUT OUTS ;
- Alan Haber -His knowledge and insight into music is always welcome to me. I look forward to his posts or his comments on my posts. His great taste in music has been an inspiration to me .
- Bill DeMain- His superb music is one thing but we are also entertained by his cooking, his drawings of birds and owls, his editorial comment on media, plus he is quite humorous. I always look forward to his posts , like his current top 10 favorite things.
- Big Stir Records- The roster of artists is amazing. But it is the professional attitudes of Rex Broome and Christina Bulbenko that really stand out. Their affection for their artists and the way they promote their releases is outstanding. Their kindness is impressive.
- Duglas T. Stewart- He always has music, cinema, and books to recommend. Never fails to turn me onto something new. His nostalgia for his past as a musician is heartfelt. I look forward to his posts and perhaps some new music soon.
- Mojo Magazine- Always turns me on to something new. Each issue is packed with information that an obsessive music fan like myself delights in reading. Their review section is the best. I am a long time subscriber and a satisfied customer. I won’t go on about the mail delivery. Not Mojo’s fault.
- Daily stops or just companies I receive messages from : Pitchfork, Popmatters, Ray at Kool Kat ,Big Stir Records , Bandcamp, Darla Records, Elefant Records , videos that pop up on YouTube, etc. All turn me on to vital new music and keep me informed.
WRAP UP :
What a year. it seems the Pandemic inspired a lot of musicians to put together some memorable music. I do apologize for this getting out so late. I had some set backs. I am working on a crap computer that shuts down every 20 minutes or so and takes a long time to restart. And of course I type with one finger. I do enjoy sharing musical thoughts with other music lovers. That is the whole idea. I am not a writer. Just a huge music lover who started doing this way back and it has sort of gotten bigger as the years went by. The one thing I really push myself to do. As I say every year, if there is anything I have introduced to you that you enjoy I would love to hear about it. Don’t hesitate. All feedback is welcome. And if you see this list please pass it on to other music fans. I do get some great feedback sometimes and it is comforting. So please, let’s talk. Let’s have coffee. I have been listening intently to the music I have listed. Time to take a big sigh and move onto 2022. I know just where to start ; The Elvis Costello, Tears for Fears, Chris Church, Emperor Penguin , and I hear Michael Simmons has a covers collection which has me quite excited. I am still working my way through Bob Dylan and the Band doing The Complete Basement Tapes. Plenty to look forward to. As I stated at the very beginning of this list good music lifts your spirits. We all need that. So a huge thank you to the many artists I have included in my list. I can’t forget to thank my amazing wife Amy for putting up with me and my music habit. Hope you enjoy some of those awesome videos. In the words of Bob Dylan “Take care of your health and get plenty of rest…”
Gene Good javagene@hotmail.com. ,
God Save the Kinks
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