Tag Archives: E-6 faves

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Squirrel Flower – Alley Light

Video 11 Comments

It was an unusually strong year for music. Several new (to me) artists that quickly became favorites, as well as a number of excellent releases from artists I already dug. Some years it’s tough to come up with a top 10. This year the competition was fierce and some really fine music was relegated to the honorable mentions.

Best of 2023 (in order)

Wednesday Rat Saw God. Album of the year. Great from start to finish. Also picked up all their earlier releases after realizing that Rat Saw God was their fourth album—-all of them terrific, I might add. Throw in Lenderman’s solo stuff and these youngsters from Asheville, NC were far and away my most listened to act(s) of 2023.

Hotline TNT Cartwheel. Plays like a classic from the first wave of shoegaze, yet completely contemporary. A heavy Ride influence with some Swervedriver and a pinch of Sugar thrown in for good measure. Fantastic album.

Squirrel Flower Tomorrow’s Fire. Muscular, brooding indie rock from Chicago transplant Ella Williams. (fwiw, Jake Lenderman plays in her studio band for Tomorrow's Fire, so you know the guitars are on point.)

Laurel Halo Atlas. Instrumental music that is simultaneously dreamy, yet slightly disorienting. Found it to be a great soundtrack for both painting and cooking. She is a frequent collaborator with Bootsy favorite Julia Holter.

Blonde Redhead Sit Down for Dinner. After nearly a decade on the sidelines, BRH return with a lovely, mellow release that grows and grows with repeated listens.

dusk Glass Pastures. Alt-country band from 'Sconi with more than a little late-60’s San Fran, rough-neck/hippy vibe. (Think Moby Grape, right down to the 3 guitar attack and multiple lead vocalists.)

MJ Lenderman and The Wind Live and Loose. Jake Lenderman and his crackerjack band blaze through 14 originals and close with a fabulous cover of “Long Black Veil.” Dude is only 24 years old. He is definitely one to watch.

Deerhoof Miracle Level. What can I say? These guys continue to deliver the goods. Entirely sung in Japanese.

Cory Hanson Western Cum. Like Foxygen covering the Eagles. lol Seriously, an axe-wielding tour de force from the Wand dude. Ridiculously horrible album title, though. (shout-out to Zach for turning me onto Pale Horse Rider a few years back in these same year-end best of's.)

Angel Olsen Forever Means EP. Two of the four songs rate amongst her finest work. I’m on board for whatever Angel wants to do

Honorable Mentions (in no particular order)

Ratboys The Window
Lana Del Rey Did You Know There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd?
Sufjan Stevens Javelin
Slow Pulp Yard
Mitski The Land is Inhospitable and So Are We
Feist Multitudes
feeble little horse Girl with Fish

2 votes, average: 9.00 out of 102 votes, average: 9.00 out of 102 votes, average: 9.00 out of 102 votes, average: 9.00 out of 102 votes, average: 9.00 out of 102 votes, average: 9.00 out of 102 votes, average: 9.00 out of 102 votes, average: 9.00 out of 102 votes, average: 9.00 out of 102 votes, average: 9.00 out of 10 (2 votes, average: 9.00 out of 10)
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Julia Holter – Have You In My Wilderness

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It pretty much came down to a tie between Ms. Holter and Joanna Newsom for album of the year.
Both were records I had eagerly awaited and neither disappointed. Just incredibly lovely music.
A stripped-down version of the beautiful closer to Have You In My Wilderness
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wd94q_jHblA
I saw Joanna on Thursday night at The Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul, my first visit that venue. Gawd, what a dump. 🙂
In all seriousness, truly one of the best concerts I've ever seen--and I've seen a few in my day.
This baroque country western(?!) number from Divers was one of the many highlights.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTOREKA4DiA

Best of 2015
1. (tie) Julia Holter Have You In My Wilderness
Joanna Newsom Divers
Gorgeous genre-defying, dare I say, masterworks. Seriously. Both sound timeless to my ears. Well done, ladies.
3. Kurt Vile b'lieve i'm going down<
Another artist who has quietly become a favorite of mine. Mellower than anything he's done, this one didn't grab me like some of his earlier records but it grew on me big time.
4. Giant Sand Heartbreak Pass
Like a letter from an old friend. Cult artist Howe Gelb has been recording for over 30 years and this is one of of his best. Sadly, but not surprisingly, slipped under most folks radars.
5. Sleater-Kinney No Cities to Love
Northwest power trio returns with a more mature sound that still takes names and kicks ass.
6. Beach Slang The Things We Do To Find People Who Feel Like Us
Cut from the same cloth as Japandroids, but with a heavier Replacements vibe than the latter's Husker Du leanings. Still, it scratches that same itch.
7. Destroyer Poison Season
Dan Bejar releases a record, I'm in.
8. Sufjan Stevens Carrie and Lowell
Full disclosure, I'm a longtime fan but I only listened to this one a few times before setting it aside. I just found it way too sad for me to enjoy at the time. I also heard enough that it will likely become another important record in my life. Giving the guy the benefit of the doubt.
9. Kendrick Lamar To Pimp a Butterfly
Picked up because both Ms. Holter and Ms. Newsom have cited it as a fave. Still digesting, but headphones are quickly proving them right.
10. Floating Points Elaenia
Like Bitches Brew Miles Davis fed through somebody's laptop and reconfigured as dance music for replicants.

6 votes, average: 8.17 out of 106 votes, average: 8.17 out of 106 votes, average: 8.17 out of 106 votes, average: 8.17 out of 106 votes, average: 8.17 out of 106 votes, average: 8.17 out of 106 votes, average: 8.17 out of 106 votes, average: 8.17 out of 106 votes, average: 8.17 out of 106 votes, average: 8.17 out of 10 (6 votes, average: 8.17 out of 10)
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Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band – It’s Hard To Be A Saint in the City

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I was the king of the alley, mama
I could talk some trash

Live at Hammersmith Odeon, London, 1975.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LS5uyOPTGuE
There were reasons behind the hype that landed Bruce on the covers of Time and Newsweek simultaneously in 1975. Continue reading Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band – It’s Hard To Be A Saint in the City →

5 votes, average: 7.60 out of 105 votes, average: 7.60 out of 105 votes, average: 7.60 out of 105 votes, average: 7.60 out of 105 votes, average: 7.60 out of 105 votes, average: 7.60 out of 105 votes, average: 7.60 out of 105 votes, average: 7.60 out of 105 votes, average: 7.60 out of 105 votes, average: 7.60 out of 10 (5 votes, average: 7.60 out of 10)
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