HCTF's best of 2016 (5-1)

Where's ...
David Bowie, Radiohead, Nick Cave? Or that album that you liked so much?

Simple. HCTF picked the 20 best albums that were actually reviewed on this blog.

HCTF lists the 20 albums that will be in regular rotation for many years to come.

2016 was a memorable year for music lovers.

• Vinyl is back.
• The majors are still running around in circles, trying to keep their cashflow alive.
• streaming is now big business (for the artist not so much).
• "Self-released" has become a regular tag. Even big time acts go for crowdfunding to cover the costs of making an album, sometimes aided by a small network of indie labels to carry the load of distribution.
• Software is catching up with the studio as a means of home recording - untrained ears will have a hard time to hear the difference.

One thing will never change: independent music is where it's at when you are on the look out for something interesting to listen to.

Sadly some of the greats are no longer with us - David Bowie, Prince, Leonard Cohen as well two of the finest sidemen - Scotty Moore and Bernie Worrell. As 2016 drew too a close underrated Stus Quo rhythm guitarist Rick Parfitt and singer George Michael also checked out.

Today: final countdown from number 5 to 1.

Go here for 10-6 | 15-11 | 20-16.

The Luck of Eden Hall: The Acceleration of Time

BEST OF 2016
3
HCTF

Chicago neo-psychedelic rock band The Luck of Eden Hall have been around sine 1989. They never made it big, but their cult favorite status is undisputed. The new double album The Acceleration of Time pays tribute to the sprawling concept albums of yore, with lush guitars, plenty of echo on the vocals, the warm sound of the mellotron and a rhythm section with an uncanny gift for melodic fills.

This an album on which time, the main theme, is captured in song and production values of yesteryear: tapes played backwards in the prog rock instrumental You Asked About Water On Mars, the panning effects in Channel 50 Creature Feature, the call-and-response vocals and bubbling keyboards in the angry stomper The Happiness Vending Machine (bonus points if you can name all the nods to Pink Floyd in this one), and swirling washes of mellotron throughout.

The Luck of Eden Hall: UK "The Acceleration of Time" tour dates

Neo-psychedelic dreampop quartet The Luck of Eden Hall will be playing in the UK in July and August for their The Acceleration of Time tour, after a successful Kickstarter campaign. The August 11 show in London is special: it is teh book release party for A Seance At Syd’s, an anthology about the psych-prog-space underground by Dave Thompson, illustrated by the band's lead singer and guitar player Gregory Curvey.

The lead single from the forthcoming new album, The Happiness Vending Machine b/w Arthropoda Lepidoptra, is released as a limited edition 7" single via Dutch label Headspin Records.

Live dates:

• 07/25 Shakespeare's Pub, Kalamazoo MI
• 07/30 12 Bar Club, London, UK
• 08/01 The Rocking Chair, Sheffield, UK
• 08/03-5 Mwnci Studios, Wales
• 08/06 Bannerman’s, Edinburgh, UK
• 08/07 Nice n’ Sleazys, Glasgow, UK
• 08/08 The Magnet, Liverpool, UK
• 08/09 13th Dream of Dr. Sardonicus Festival, Cardigan, UK
• 08/11 The Half Moon ("A Seance At Syd’s" book release show), London, UK
• 08/29 Backlot Bash w/ The Psychedelic Furs, Chicago, IL

» theluckofedenhall.com

HCTF review of Victoria Moon.

The Luck of Eden Hall: Victoria Moon

photo: Lee Klawans

Chicago based band The Luck of Eden Hall are the kind of act that has cult favorite written all over them. After the ambitious double album Butterfly Revolutions they are back with a fresh collection of neo-psychedelic songs on their new album Victoria Moon. This is a band that looks back while moving forward. Vocals sounding like they were recorded underwater in Super Phantasmal Heroine, the flanger pedal in Blood On My Feet, giving this true and tried techniques a new lease on life is what have been doing for fifteen years. With the current renewed in their kind of music The Luck of Eden Hall might get lucky after all. How many bands can write a song about Sassafras Overcoat or a girl raising a hippopotamus (The Collapse Of Suzy Star) without making a fool of themselves. This band can.

It's not all retro - She's Your Anodyne with its chugging back beat and wall-to-wall keyboards could cross over to the dance scene. Long time followers fans will love The Horrible Pill Book, with its fun fair sounds and the laid-back feel of the Stone Roses. And of course there's a nod to the Beatles with Dandy Horse, a catchy pop song with a George Harrison inspired guitar solo.

The Luck of Eden Hall:
Gregory Curvey: guitars, vocals, piano
Mark Lofgren: bass, vocals
Carlos Mendoza: drums
Jim Licka: mellotron

Victoria Moon is a self-released on album. Buy it from CD Baby or Bandcamp. Headspin Records has expressed interest to release it on vinyl.

Tracks:

1. Sassafras Overcoat
2. Queen Of The Stars
3. Victoria Moon
4. The Collapse Of Suzy Star
5. Zap
6. Sitting Bull
7. Drunk Like Shakespeare On Love
8. Dandy Horse
9. Super Phantasmal Heroine
10. Cracked Alice
11. Blood On My Feet
12. She’s Your Anodyne
13. The Horrible Pill Book

» theluckofedenhall.com

HCTF review of Butterfly Revolutions, Vol. 2.

The Luck of Eden Hall: "Sassafras Overcoat" video

Watch the video Sassafras Overcoat by Chicago neo-psychedelic band The Luck of Eden Hall, the lead single from their new album Victoria Moon. The song slowly builds up to an anthemic pop song about halfway Big Star and The Byrds. The single is for sale (pay-what-you-want) via the trio's Bandcamp.

» theluckofedenhall.com

HCTF review of Butterfly Revolutions, Vol. 2.

The Luck of Eden Hall: Butterfly Revolutions, Vol. 2

Chicago neo-psychedelic trio The Luck of Eden Hall have pulled it off. They have finished their ambitious 2CD project Butterfly Revolutions. On the first disc early Pink Floyd and The Zombies reigned supreme. They have added The Beatles, The Move and Jethro Tull as their major sources of inspiration.

Vol. 2 hits a bit harder than its predecessor. Complicated Mind, Flowers and the surf guitar of Revolution Loop can be pigeonholed as garage pop, but as whole they have retained the pastoral sound, most notably in Revolutions and the sad piano ballad Henrietta Lacks A Smile. The Luck of Eden Hall are not cool enough for the hipster crowd, but indie lovers who can handle a bit of well-executed nostalgia will cherish their perseverance.

The Luck of Eden Hall:
Gregory Curvey: guitars, vocals, piano
Mark Lofgren: bass, vocals
Carlos Mendoza: drums

Butterfly Revolutions, Vol. 2 is released on Myopic records. Buy it from CD Baby.

1. Metropolis
2. Complicated Mind
3. Caroline
4. North Hampton Woods
5. The Ottoman Girl
6. Henrietta Lacks A Smile
7. Flowers
8. Whither Fare Thou Be
9. Revolutions
10. Realization Loop
11. We Are Not Self Control
12. A Drop In The Ocean

Live date:

• 04/21 Vintage Vinyl (in-store at noon), Chicago, IL

» theluckofedenhall.com

HCTF review of Butterfly Revolutions, Vol. 1.

The Luck of Eden Hall: Butterfly Revolutions, Vol. 1

Neo-psycheledica with lush melodies and lyrics about vinyl and velvet. Chicago trio The Luck of Eden Hall have released their first disc of their two-part album Butterfly Revolutions. Dark fairy tales about end badly, silly girls and of course outerspace are bathed in music that touches base with The Zombies, Love, early Pink Floyd, The Byrds and Radiohead.

It's rather ambitious to come up with a double album these days, given the shorter attention span that most listeners currently have. The Luck of Eden Hall are doing it on a shoestring budget, and spending what money they had on capturing the sound and feel of treated vocals and guitar. It's a charming effort and with a bit of luck album sales can be used for a broader sound for Vol. 2.

The Luck of Eden Hall:
Gregory Curvey: guitars, vocals, piano
Mark Lofgren: bass, vocals
Carlos Mendoza: drums

Butterfly Revolutions, Vol. 1 is released on Myopic records. Buy it from CD Baby

Tracks:

1. Chrysalide
2. This Weather's Better For Velvet Clothes
3. Medicine Queen
4. Jupiter
5. Velvet And Corduroy
6. Shampoo
7. All Her Seasick Parties
8. Silly Girl
9. Pretty Little Things
10. She Falls Down
11. Blue Vinyl
12. Queen Anne's Lace

» theluckofedenhall.com