HCTF's annual list of the 20 albums that will be in regular rotation for many years to come. As per usual many genres are represented. Here Comes The Flood covers a lot of ground and it shows in this eclectic, final tally.
Today: countdown from number 20 to 16.
Please shop at your local record store. Most of the stores have a pretty good website where you can order your stuff. It might even be cheaper than the big ones on the 'net. The folks who work there know their stuff and can recommend artists you might like.
Buy directly from the artist, attend live shows and stop by the merch table. And be sure to tell your friends about that great new act you discovered. Word-of-mouth can't be beat as the prime source to discover new music.
20 Adam Irving: Old New Blue
English multi-instrumentalist navigates choppy waters. And makes it safe to port.
Finding peace with Yoga 4 after channeling Zappa in the harsh So Long shows the inner tension that makes Old New Blue a captivating listening experience. And lo and behold: there is even a happy ending of sorts with the gentle Wet Nose: "Overall its elapsing, a synapse perhaps in another encounter which perfectly fits. With a dry throat I’ll lay back, with no thought of payback, the image will play back, a satisfied me."
19 Curtis Eller's American Circus: Another Nice Mess
A grand tour of bygone American folklore. Say "hi" to Fay Wray, Lillian Leitzel and Sonny Liston
They always have been a band that have a soft spot for outcasts, losers and people going their own way like the unnamed protagonist in Conscientious Objector. They make a case of straying from the mainstream and not give in to the values of Standard White Jesus, a cover of the Pat Macdonald song, with the killer line "Everybody want to be on a stamp, but nobody wants to die".
18 STÄSJ: Building A Cathedral
Janssen is sitting comfortably on the fence between high art and snippets of accessible pop.
She tries to make sense of her surroundings and thoughts by going in at the deep end to find out what is all about and how to connect or get away from the hustle and bustle, when it all becomes a bit too much. Grief and joy are equal partners. Janssen pulls it off with poetic lyrical imagery, draped as an extra layer upon the meandering soundscapes and crunchy beats.
17 Martin Kohlstedt: Live
Fully improvised, on-the-spot compositions. Classical music you could dance to.
Kohlstedt is always aware that the space between the notes is as important as the music itself and that repetition can induce a trance-like vibe that lifts him and the audience before he goes back to the earth with a choice melody. There is no applause between the tracks, which is a smart choice as it would take away from the quiet intensity and rip apart the illusion that he is playing just for you.
16 Jumble Hole Clough: They've Built an Ark in Arkham
Less-is-more risk taking without a safety net. Neo-classical finery at its finest.
s is his wont, he can write about anything that comes to mind: being frustrated about evasive inanimate objects (Brushes, combs and cutlery), a big saltwater fish turning up in an expected location (Great White Shark in Peasholme Park), an underground line that was never finished (We rode on the Picc-Vic Line). Robinson has built his own niche, not caring much if anyone will like visiting there, but those who dare to enter are treated to a mix of progressive, free-flowing music that is actually well-constructed and a lot of fun too.
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