The daylight is vanishing and year is getting close to the end. Some are probably already sketching their aoty lists, but I still have a whole lot to do to even mention all the albums I’ve enjoyed during the year. So I’ll carry on sharing songs and my love for the songs.
William Matheny’s debut album Strange Constellations is one of those that I’ve failed to mention even though I really like it. The album came out on Misra Records back in February and I bought a download soon after and it has stayed with me throughout the year. If all my beloved sad bastards have temporarily overstayed their welcome in my heart and depression tries to grow too much, this album is a damn fine kick in the ass. Sure William Matheny also delivers some gorgeous country-tinged ballads, but this one contains a whole lot of energy and rock’n’roll and even a softie like me needs that occasionally. There’s a little bit everything actually. The man has the ability to create beautiful pop melodies, convincing folk storytelling and Hold Steady-ish indie rockers. Maybe some songs fall into good-but-not-that-special category, but doesn’t really matter at all. 99.99% of albums have some of those, but only a selected few have such awesome ones like Blood Moon Singer and Teenage Bones.
The Burning Hell – Revival Beach
Canadian The Burning Hell wrote the song that I’ve loved the most during the past decade, but let’s not get into that again because there’s a brand new The Burning Hell album Revival Beach available on BB*Island. My early favorite song is this great combination of warmhearted smiles and nostalgic tears and it’s called The River (Never Freezes Anymore).
Simon Joyner – Step Into The Earthquake
Simon Joyner from Omaha, Nebraska is one incredible songwriter and he is now back with a new album Step Into The Earthquake that is out now on Ba Da Bing Records (USA) and BB*Island (Europe). I completely fell in love with his previous album Grass, Branch & Bone and these days it’s one of my favourite albums of this current decade. Step Into Earthquake probably doesn’t become as important to me and quite frankly that’s pretty much impossible. However, this new double is also a magnificent album and a master-class of songwriting. I’ve had most of these songs on rotation for months, because I bought the Phoenix demos during the ACLU benefit on Bandcamp, but they’ve kept their magic throughout the year. This is Earthquake from the new Simon Joyner album.
Fiver – Audible Song From Rockwood
I shortly featured this one back in May, but I thought a revisit is in order because a) I still love it b) I just saw that it’s on Bandcamp these days. Back then I couldn’t find it anywhere else than on the Idee Fixe Records website where I bought it.
Canadian singer-songwriter Simone Schmidt aka Fiver spent a few years going through the old case files (from 1854-1881) of patients at the Rockwood Asylum for the Criminally Insane and turned her findings into fictional folk songs. The songs found a home on her new album that is mesmerizing in an unsettling manner and one of the most powerful and breathtaking albums of the year. It might not be an ideal choice as background music for lazy afternoon, but I highly recommend taking the time to listen to this traditional folk album. This is Pile Your Silver from Audible Songs From Rockwood.