HCTF's annual list of the 20 albums that will be in regular rotation for many years to come. As per usual many genres are represented. Here Comes The Flood covers a lot of ground and it shows in this eclectic, final tally. Caveat: only albums that got a review are in these listings. I listen to a lot more music than I have time to write about.
Today: countdown from number 15 to 11.
Please shop at your local record store. Most of the stores have a pretty good website where you can order your stuff. It might even be cheaper than the big ones on the 'net. The folks who work there know their stuff and can recommend artists you might like.
Buy directly from the artist, attend live shows and stop by the merch table. And be sure to tell your friends about that great new act you discovered. Word-of-mouth can't be beat as the prime source to discover new music. Algorithms always play it safe, which is fucking boring.
15 Brian Bilston and The Catenary Wires: Sounds Made By Humans
A poet and an indie band challenging each other with words and music. Everybody wins.
Whether it is taking the piss out of the dread trying to land a new job (The Interview), inserting a bucket load of song titles and lyrics snippets into Every Song On The Radio Reminds Me Of You, the arduous task of picking the right songs for a Compilation Cassette, where the only certainty is that there will be no country & western on it, Bilston and The Catenary Wires always find the right words and music to get the message across.
14 Tugboat Captain: Dog Tale
A collection of gentle storytelling Baroque pop songs. Tea and biscuits not included.
Dog Tale is like well-stuffed picknick basket, filled to the brim with tasty morsels to enjoy on a beautiful Spring afternoon. But it also works on a rainy day, when it will brighten up the listener's day without fail. It is a celebration of all things British. Some of it might seem cliché, but clichés will outlast a fad without even trying.
13 Exploding Skull: Coyote
There is beauty in noise, especially when one's has the audacity to take it slow.
Sometimes bending the notes so far that they are about to break or go out of tune, he plays a game of tension and release. Metal heads will love it as a come down album, and avant-garde and noise affiocianodas will appreciate the exploration of the outer regions of ambient and use of drones. Joseph can make his guitar sound like a totally alien instrument. His determined pushing of the boundaries opens up a unique sonic palette, enabling him to create textures and chord progressions that sound fresh and adventurous.
12 Elvis Eno: I'll See Myself Out
An underappreciated album by a major artist getting a long overdue place in the spotlights.
Dunbar is a keen observer and sharp-witted lyricist. He only played drums on the album, enabling him to focus on his vocals, with the quartet having his back to enhance the various emotions. Elvis Costello fans as a rule don't think highly about The Juliet Letters, which is rather short-sighed. When they stumble upon this tribute of sorts, they might reconsider their opinion. And if not, they can enjoy it as such.
11 Nervous Twitch: The Day Job Gets in the Way
Angry knitting, politics, relationship troubles, but most of all dreaming about making it as an artist, because why not.
Fuzz driven guitar is king, with making a fuzz being a close second. The trio honour the tradition that a punky pop song should be over and done with within three minutes, which will come as a relief for the dancers at their live shows who surely will need a break from jumping and down. Recommended if you like Shonen Knife, X-Ray Spex, and the Kelly Deal 6000.
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