Albums of the Year (2016) so far…
I have been listening to a lot of music and going to a lot of gigs this year but I must confess that I have been less than cosmopolitan in my listening. So here are my favorites (that I bought on vinyl or hight resolution download (marked DL)), so far. I’m sure that I have missed out on lots of great recordings, but in the era of Deezer, Spotify, Tidal, Apple Music and Qobuz – you can really sample before you buy.
- Applewood Road – Applewood Road
- Sturgil Simpson – a Sailor’s Guide to Earth
- Steve Mason – Meet the Humans
- David Bowie – Blackstar
- Max Jury – Max Jury
- Margo Price – Midwest Farmer’s Daughter
- Colvin & Earle – Colvin & Earle
- Paul Simon – Stranger to Stranger
- Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros – Person A
- Brian Eno – The Ship
- Avishai Cohen – Into the Silence
- Teddy Thompson & Kelly Jones – Little Windows
- The Jayhawks – Paging Mr Proust
- PJ Harvey – Hope Six Demolition Project
- Kevin Morby – Singing Saw
- Cate Le Bon – Crab Day
- Turin Brakes – Lost Music
- Field Music – Commontime
- Parquet Courts – Human Performance
- M. Ward – More Rain
- The Coral – Distance InBetween
- Iggy Pop – Post Pop Depression
- Radiohead – A Moon Shaped Pool
- Loretta Lynn – Full Circle
- Mogwai – Atomic
- The Gloaming – The Gloaming 2
- Weezer – White Album
- Damian Jurado – Visions of Us on the Land
- Lucinda Williams – ghosts of the highway
- Suede – Night Thoughts
- Chris Forsyth – The Rarity of Experience
- Eric Clapton – I still do
- Michael Franti & Spearhead – Soulrocker (DL)
- Band of Horses – Why are you ok (DL)
- Emily Jane White – They Moved in the Shadow… (DL)
- Michael Formanek – The Distance (DL)
- White Denim – Stiff (DL)
- Charlie Haden & Jim Hall – Charlie Haden & Jim Hall (DL)
- Dr. Lonnie Smith – Evolution (DL)
- Case / Lang / Viers – Case, Lang & Viers
- Tedeschi Trucks Band – Let Me Get By (DL)
What is remarkable this year, so far, is the number of “returning” artists. Generally I look for new talent and new work, but the records by Bowie, Iggy Pop, Radiohead, Suede, Paul Simon and Lucinda Williams are truly marvellous. The best, experience, however, was Eric Clapton. Although I have most of his albums, nothing since “unplugged” has really grabbed me. But “I still do” is a wonderful record, recorded in analogue, engineered by Glyn Johns and sounding – perfect – then released on 2x45rpm AAA for a reasonable price.
I went out an bought the Bowie album on the day of release on vinyl and high res download due to highly favourable reviews. I love prog Bowie. I hope that, with foreknowledge of his imminent death that David left us with lots of unreleased recordings – he departed the stage much too soon.
Incidentally, I think Sturgill Simmpson is probably the greatest recording artist in the world right now (no as a live act Springsteen + ESB and Neil Young + promise of real are in a different league to anybody else, save U2). His baritone voice is a slightly sweeter instrument than Johnny Cash’s. Everything about the new album is brilliant, from the artwork to the R&B, blues and Motown influence.
Please Sturgill, a duet with Kacey Musgraves – that’s all I want!
audioexchange 