There are certain artists whose work I will buy sight unseen. Or do I mean "hear unheard"? They've got a new record out? I must have it now. I know there will be enough in there to tick the boxes on my musical appreciation scale whether the cognoscenti or the reviewers or the zeitgeist agrees with me or not. Of course, they won't all be winners (I point you towards Bruce's soul covers album of last year), but I still want them on the shelf.
Here are the Must Have records I bought Hear Unheard this year...
Lloyd Cole - On Pain
I wrote about Lloyd's new album after seeing him play live for the umpteenth time at the end of October. I don't have much to add to that review. It is still on rotation and most of the songs have wormed their way into my good graces, but I'd still prefer it if he got over this 80s electronica phase and went back to making nice safe guitar music. Lyrically though, he's still got it. As the album's opening lines ably demonstrate...
I can't be trusted with your money Look what I did Every time that you gave it to me I can't be trusted with your secrets Look what I did Every time that you gave them to me
Brett and Rennie Sparks returned with their first album of Gothic Americana in seven years. It's not as immediate as their earlier stuff - age brings a kind of contemplative wisdom to their songwriting, I guess - but it rewards the effort if you're willing to give it time.
Another band I've been following faithfully since the early noughties is Craig Finn's The Hold Steady. Finn has a pretty steady work ethic at the moment, alternating Hold Steady releases with his solo albums... although I have to confess, I'm starting to prefer the latter. The Price Of Progress is the band's ninth album, and it's a good listen, but not quite as good as A Legacy of Rentals, last year's Top 3 offering from Finn on his own.
Lukas Nelson & The Promise Of The Real - Sticks & Stones
One artist who's only entered my Reliable Purchase list over the last couple of years is Willie's boy, Lukas Nelson. He's incredibly prolific - this is his 8th album in 13 years - and pretty much sticks to a formula of hard luck, heartbroken country with much time spent drowning his sorrows in booze, but if you like that kind of thing, he rarely puts a foot wrong.
A late entry, but one I've no doubt I'll be listening to well into the New Year. Following on from her excellent Olivia Newton John covers record of 2018, Juliana picks another top 70s/80s artist to reinvent. (We'll skip over her Police covers record, for reasons to do with the manufacturing of silk purses from bovine ears.) Actually, "reinvent" is probably taking it a bit far, as these are pretty faithful to the originals, but she doesn't choose the obvious tracks (apart from Don't Bring Me Down) and the result is the best kind of aural comfort food.
It takes quite an effort to become an Old Faithful after only one album, but Hamish Hawk went to the top of the class following his 2021 LP Heavy Elevator. I've been salivating with expectation for the follow-up, and it may well be that I set my expectations too high (something I'll discuss again in this year's Top Ten). Angel Numbers is a great album despite my unrealistic hopes of stadium-conquering crossover glory... but there's still time, Hamish.
Wherе's my limelight? If I'm to nurse the fеver I carry inside I'll starve, I will not stifle my appetite
It's nigh-on high time I can barely make out the mountain no-one taught me to climb And frightened allies take swipes at my sides
I manage one of these Top Tens about every three years (although this one is slightly late). I collect them as I go along and when I've got enough for a Top Ten, I unleash them on the world.
In previous volumes, folks have entertained themselves by seeing how many they can get from the lines alone before clicking on the links to see if they're right. That might be a little harder this time...
As we reach the final month of the year, it's time to start my annual year-end countdown of favourite records... and even though I add an extra album to the allotted number each year, it was really hard to narrow this year's selection down to just 21. It's been a great year for music... and despite a few bumps along the way, a great year for me. If only because I got out of The Bad Place and into a job that I actually enjoy doing. Of course, the rest of the world continues to fall apart around our ears, but it makes a big difference when you don't spend your every waking hour dreading your workplace.
21. Lukas Nelson & The Promise of The Real - A Few Stars Apart
Lukas has placed higher on my countdown with his last two records, and maybe that's a sign of how stiff the competition was this year. A Few Stars Apart is a nice slow-burner of a record, but it's his most traditional offering in some time, an album of laid back country love songs, the best of which fall into classics territory... but lack the individuality I enjoyed from him previously. It's maybe one of those records that suggests he's pretty happy with his lot at the moment... always a kick in the creative teeth. It's also the record on which he sounds more like his dad than ever before... and if you're not sure who his dad is, stick around because we'll be hearing from him very soon...
There are indeed many great bands with 4 in their name... but there's only one Four Tops. My sister had a Four Tops greatest hits in her record collection when I was growing up and I played the grooves out of it. (I'm also thankful to her for having a similar Supremes compilation.)
And then came Martin, who insists on doing that thing I had to train The Swede not to do, listing artist & title the wrong way round. It does make copy and paste so much harder. Grumble, mutter.
Cilla Black - Work Is A Four-Letter Word(and covered by The Smiths! A version that ought to be in with a shout, if only because covering Cilla at Moz's insistence so irked Johnny...)
I'm with Johnny on that one. I loved their cover of Golden Lights by Twinkle, but this one never really worked for me.
And if you like the title but (strange to consider!) are put off by the whine in lead singer Raine Maida's voice (it generally goes over pretty well here in Canada, but still)...
You know what, Douglas, I didn't mind it at all. Though there was maybe a bit of Chad Kroeger in there. (Should I duck now/)
...then you may be drawn more to Cherry Ghost's very different song "4 a.m."
And this, which Martin picked out, and it was definitely on my shortlist because it is glorious, and would have won most other weeks. (Don't give up though, Aimee, there's still chance for you to take the top spot.)
I remember Elvis Costello praising that, way back when, particularly for lyrics such as these...
Today's the fourth of July
Another June has gone by
And when they light up our town, I just think
What a waste of gunpowder and sky
However, as I said: predictable.
From his debut album, and quite different from the kind of music that would make him famous, but still deeply affecting, and with some truly glorious imagery.
Somewhere in that ancient mystic trinity, you'll get three... and that's next week's magic number.
D12 (which stands for Dirty Dozen) was the rap band Eminem was in before he became famous. He got the old gang back together a few years later, notably for the song below...
Those of you with better memories than me (or The Swede) may remember that that song won #35 on the Hot 100 Countdown, and at the time I remarked: "don't expect it to show up again at number 12. I can easily think of a dozen songs that would come before it." Which may have been an exaggeration on my part, but I have to stick to my word.
That was obviously a popular suggestion with Alyson, who says: it was one of my first singles. I also had a Donny pillowcase and a Donny Cap (not a euphemism for a form of contraception as I was only aged 12 - apt).
Well, I suppose that's less embarrassing than Respect Yourself by Bruce Willis. Sadly, the only version I own of that song comes from this fellow...
Speaking of welcome returns, after my plea last week, Douglas McLaren returned to explain where he's been recently... and it seems as though life is pretty unpleasant for teachers in Canada... as I can attest it is in the UK. His explanation below sounds very familiar to these ears...
...our entire school system has moved during these times to an online platform, as we figure out how to get teenagers to do work from home while they are stressed and concerned about what is going on in the world beyond their doors. And that has meant trying g to figure out how to upload video lectures, hold virtual office hours online, screencasting, web-textbooks, and a whole lot of other insanely time consuming nonsense for an old dinosaur of the classroom like me to learn.
You have my sympathy, Douglas, as all this has nearly broken me over the past few weeks, not to mention the fact that Louise is also supposed to be working from home and we've got to home-school Sam while we're doing it. If I read one more article about "how to spend your free time" or "what to watch on Netflix now we're all at home, taking it east", I'm going to scream.
Anyway, here's Douglas to tell us about his suggestion for this week...
Great Big Sea are from Newfoundland on Canada's east coast, with their lyrical and folksy "Come And I Will Sing You (The Twelve Apostles)", which I think is worth the listen.
This week's winner though. Alyson got it, but first to name it was Martin who normally spreads his bets over a whole load of tracks but this week was so certain of a win, he piled all his chips onto one bet. And guess what? It paid off...
Makes you wonder why they weren't huge... although I guess a band that size had to sell a heck of a lot of records to break even...
Next week, eleven. After that, things get really tricky. I might need to come up with some new rules...
This is it, then. A pretty shitty year, all told, both on the world stage and closer to home. Still, we must press on and concentrate on the things that do still bring us joy. For me, that's my boy, a constant source of fun, pride and love. And music... always there, always something to cling onto in the wreckage. Here's the best of this year's offerings, in my humble opinion, with no obvious surprise at the top...
4. Craig Finn - I Need A New War
The Hold Steady released their first album in five years, Thrashing Thru The Passion, and a fine record it was too. However, their frontman appears to have transcended the trappings of his own band, and his solo albums continue to rise into another league altogether. I Need Another War was another great example of why Craig Finn is probably the best short story writer in contemporary rock. The Raymond Carver comparison still holds true.
When they swept up all the empties the parties always seemed like such a waste
3. Jenny Lewis - On The Line
Having said all that about Craig Finn, here's someone who can actually challenge him to that short story crown... and in this case, I guess she takes the prize. Another artist who has transcended her former band (the excellent Rilo Kiley) and continues to develop in new and exciting directions. She's more musical than Craig - shades of Tom Petty, Aimee Mann and even the Shangri-Las on this record - which is why she places one step higher. But it was a close call.
I had tickets to see Jenny Lewis this summer - my only gig of the year. Then I ended up having to move house and missed the gig. Dag-nabbit.
2. Lukas Nelson - Turn Off The News And Build A Garden
Song of the year right here. The rest of the album was pretty bloody amazing too, showing a diversity of styles most country / Americana artists would struggle to display. All those years gigging with Neil Young, and his dad, have obviously paid off for Willie's boy. There's even a bit of Jeff Lynne in this record. Stylish and poppy - a difficult trick to pull off these days.
My Top Three Bruce Springsteen Albums are, in ever-changing order: Born To Run, Nebraska and Tunnel of Love. Who's have thought that thirty-plus years after the most recent of those, he'd have delivered a challenger for the coveted Number Four position? But if you're gonna go draw new water from the well, choosing a well in Jimmy Webb's backyard is a masterstroke...
Top Track: Are you kidding me? I could sit here all night trying to work that one out. Here's this week's favourite...
Happy New Year, everyone. I'd like to hope 2020 will be better than 2019, but I've reached the age where I realise that's pretty unlikely. Still, humanity may yet prove me wrong.
Thank you to the good people who read this blog, who keep me company in the darkness. Your visits are always much appreciated. Be well.
Willie's boy has done it again. Hot on the heels of one of the best albums of last year, here comes his latest. I called Craig Finn one of the busiest men in rock last week, but Lukas Nelson is giving him serious competition, also playing guitar in Neil Young's band as his "day job".
I've not listened to the whole album in detail, but the title track (with Sheryl Crow on backing vocals) is a powerful statement about the state of the world today...
If you're going out celebrating tonight, take care and have a good one. If, like me, you'll be asleep long before the clock strikes in the new year... enjoy that too.
Thanks for reading this dribble throughout 2018. See you in 2019.
12. Lukas Nelson & The Promise of the Real - Lukas Nelson & The Promise of the Real
Willie's son, Neil Young's guitarist... and a fine solo artist too. I promise you he's the real thing.
Country legend Willie Nelson has a new album out at the moment. I've heard a couple of tracks and they sound pretty good for an 85 year old. It's on the list. However, my time has been taken up quite a bit lately with his son's record...
Lukas Nelson & The Promise of the Real is an excellent country record. And it should be, given the work Lukas has put in - not just with his father, but as part of Neil Young's backing band too. The album mixes country genres pretty effortlessly, the lyrics are full of character and wit, and there's some top notch guitar playing that verges on showing off every now and then, but admirably so. Check out the 7 minute opening track Set Me Down On A Cloud, which gets close to George Harrison good. Some great backing vocals by New York indie girl band Lucius too.
Actually, I'm struggling to pick a favourite track from this album, but as the Steve Earle-esque High Times isn't up on youtube, you'll have to choose from these... the one with the flashy video...
...or the abbreviated live acoustic performance of this one (the album version is much bigger in every way) in which Lukas bemoans having to play Georgia On My Mind every night with his dad because it reminds him of a girl he used to date called Georgia. Oh, the horrors of being Willie Nelson's son!
