22. Jason Isbell – Foxes In The Snow
A new Jason Isbell LP would generally achieve a higher placing in my end of year countdown, but he left his backing band the 400 Unit in the pub for this one, offering up a one-man acoustic set instead. Like many Americana artists, the temptation to “do a Nebraska” must always be tackled… and as you’d expect from Isbell, this is another fine collection of subtle country storytelling… but it could have done with a little more oomph in places. Get the band back out of the pub next time.
21. Cory Hanson – I Love People
Cory Hanson is the lead singer of LA-based psychedelic rock band WAND… but in his spare time, he makes solo records which veer more into 70s singer-songwriter territory, and comparisons have been made to Randy Newman (him again! – see #25) and Todd Rundgren. There’s a lot of piano on this record, which always suits me, and some quirky lyrical diversions, such as Hanson’s tribute to Lou Reed, which is keen to remind us that Lou was “a tai chi master”.
Hanson also offers up a downbeat sequel to a perennial
Christmas favourite… and one which, surprisingly, I didn’t mind listening to in
September.
Cory
Hanson – Santa Claus Is Coming Back To Town
What I like most about Hanson’s songs though is the way he
half-reveals a story, and leaves the listener to make up the rest. A bit like
Michael Stipe, in a way…
I just wanna leave this town
And say so long, fool
I just need a steering wheel
To hold on to
All the standup comics
Burn out on the evening train
All the jokers on their horses
Laughing in the rain
Why so serious?
You've got no sense of humor
No this ain't funny to me
I heard the rumors you bit her leg
And stumbled into the sеa
20. Hayes Carll – We’re Only Human
In the year we lost Todd Snider, there’s some consolation that we still have Hayes Carll, who ploughs a similar furrow of wry, witty, down-home hippy liberal hokum. The song that most exemplifies that on his latest release is this one…
Hayes
Carll - Good People (Thank Me)
I love the story about him hating his neighbour till she
gave him some apples. Todd would be proud – and so would John Prine.
And more than ever, right now, we need artists who still
dare to write songs like this…
The man on the TV keeps makin' strange faces
Folks flyin' rockets to far away places
The world's gettin' turned on by assholes and racists
And it's all for the progress of man
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