2016 Albums - 5 to 1

Corinne Bailey Rae - The Heart Speaks in Whispers - Her first album lived in Cathie's car CD for years as a choice the whole family could agree on. When this popped up on one of the publications that I track, I decided to give it a listen.  I had forgotten what a warm and inviting experience her music is.  It's old and familiar, yet, still fresh and new at the same time.








Jeff Beck - Loud Hailer - Jeff Beck has frustrated me for decades.  He is a great guitar player, who doesn't want to play pop music.  When he doesn't have a singer to work with, I find his music to lack a focus.  Add to that his tendency to create jazz/rock fusion, and I usually just stay away.  I was so surprised when I listened to this. These are songs.  The general theme is political, but, really, it is just classic guitar rock done by one of the best who has ever done it.





Chance the Rapper - Coloring Book - I don't listen to a lot of hip-hop and what I do listen to is not current.  I gave this a listen based on last year's Trumpet Donnie album and Chance's recent appearance on Saturday night live.  While it took me a few listens to come to appreciate the album, I chalk that up to my lack of exposure to the genre.  It is an upbeat, positive look at the world that is missing in most music from this genre. I am very much looking forward to his future work.

Emma Pollock - In Search of Harperfield - I first heard this at 5 AM on BBC 6 and it caught my ear.  It is a very British, female, singer/songwriter album that captures your attention with her melodies and gives you enough lyrics to keep you interested.  It has been near the top of the rotation for the entire year.








 Simpson - A Sailor's Guide to Earth - Simpson's Metamodern Sounds in Country Music was my second favorite album of 2014. I put this on the headphones for my lunch walk one day in March and I kept walking until I heard the whole thing (it's only 39 minutes long). This reminds you that good country music is soul music.  It's more of a 60's Memphis style of country than the current version coming from Nashville, plus, to give it more soul, he works with the Dap Kings.  It starts with him welcoming his son to earth and ends with the best song on the album, an uptempo shuffle.  In between, he covers Nirvana and gives In Bloom new depth.  This was far and away the best thing I heard all year.

2016 Albums - 10 to 6

Robert Ellis - Robert Ellis - Apple Music classifies this as singer/songwriter and that works for me.  It is intricate guitar work with clearly sung vocals.  The songs convey quiet, calm and the sometimes loneliness of small town America.








Maren Morris - Hero - This comes from that defiant school of female country with just a little more edge than you hear from the artists that are ending up on the radio.  It is good, rollicking fun.










Billy Bragg & Joe Henry - Shine a Light: Field Recordings from the Great American Railroad - Every couple of years, someone does an album of traditional American folk songs.  After Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young (why is everything with Crazy Horse a stomp) and the Alvin brother's efforts, I found this  one to be clean, clear and do an excellent job on conveying the sentiments of the original songs.






Julia Jacklin - Don't Let the Kids Win - It seemed like the majority of the music that I listened to this year was some version of Americana/singer/songwriter; quiet, introspective work where you needed to listen.  This is a more of a pop rock effort with enough of an edge to keep it from falling into cliche.







The Divine Comedy - Foreverland - Every year something quirky catches my ear and this is this year's winner.  I would call it Baroque pop, but, don't confuse it with prog rock.  It is light, inventive and strange.  The odd part, is I don't like Baroque music.