The Independent in Sunderland is a venue I have not attended before but a visit by the band that produced my second favourite album of last year, was not to be missed.
I attended with a pal who is writing a 'proper' review of Hiss Golden Messenger's show, so as usual I will confine myself to reporting on my own personal thoughts and feelings about the gig and will leave the hard work to him.
What struck me most about the evening was how we can have a band who not only featured in my 'best of' list for 2014, but also featured heavily in most other music critics lists, yet here they were performing before just over 100 people in this tiny venue. While I am not complaining at being able to see these guys in close proximity, I am left shaking my head in wonder at the fact that the likes of Mumford & Son can pack out stadiums these days. There just ain't no justice, but we all knew that anyway didn't we?
Anyhow, M. C. Taylor and pals (Scott Hirsch on bass, Phil Cook on guitar and piano and another guy I don't know on drums) delivered a mighty fine set taken largely from their most recent album, 'Lateness of Dancers'. They had also obviously done their homework as Taylor was able to make reference to the rivalry between Sunderland and Newcastle and he spoke of the famous horse punching incident of a couple of years ago. If you have no idea what I'm on about, you can get a report of that incident here.
Regarding the performance, I may have missed some of the subtle nuances of the album versions (such as the sublime female vocals on 'Southern Grammar' and the lush organ that weaves its way through songs like 'Mahogany Dread') but the band had clearly restructured these numbers for live performance giving some of them an added bite. Anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed the set and it was all over far too soon.
Incidentally, Taylor made reference to bluegrass singer and banjo player Alice Gerrard who at 80 is still making fine music (backed most recently by Hiss Golden Messenger) and who has been nominated this year for a Grammy award.
Regarding the venue, I was suitably impressed and had hoped to return next month to see GoGo Penguin, only for me to discover that it is sold out. Shame!
So we come to my favourite three albums of 2014 which I shall as usual reveal in reverse order.
Cue drum roll.
At number 3. 'They Want My Soul' by Spoon
I have been a fan of this band since their 2007 album 'Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga' and while this latest release offers nothing new in terms of a musical progression since then, it is sonically far superior to 2010's 'Transference'. The lack of musical progress to me is not necessarily such a bad thing, particularly when the band are doing what they do best. In case you aren't familiar with their work, they do really catchy rocking tunes on a sublime aural landscape created in this instance with help from renowned co-producers Joe Chiccarelli and Dave Fridmann. If something works as well as this, why change?
Why indeed!
At number 2. 'Lateness of Dancers' by Hiss Golden Messenger
They made it as far as number 6 in my selections for 2013 which considering that the album 'Haw' is every bit as good as 'Lateness of Dancers', demonstrates that the quality this year has not been quite as high as last. In my opinion of course.
This is a wonderful album though and if you don't believe me, read here what I wrote about it in September, or better still, get the album and play it.
1. 'Lost in the Dream' by The War On Drugs
I recorded my initial thoughts on this album in March. Read them here.
Rather surprisingly I find that my own choice for best album of 2014 is also featuring very heavily in most other 'Best Album' selections in the music press. Maybe I'm not so out of touch after all.
It's a great album, so I suggest you drop everything and go to listen to it now.
Whatever you do, have a very happy and healthy new year.
One of my absolute favourite albums from last year was 'Haw' by Hiss Golden Messenger and only 18 months later they have produced the follow up, 'Lateness of Dancers'.
The title also happens to be the name of a story by Eudora Welty, the American author who wrote several novels and short stories about the deep south. I suspect that the choice of title is no accident.
Hiss Golden Messenger is actually M.C.Taylor ably assisted by long time collaborators, William Tyler and Scott Hirsch plus on this occasion, Mountain Man singer Alexandra Sauser-Monnig.
The album has obvious similarities with it's predecessor yet has a more uplifting feel to it. A far more upbeat album both musically and I feel, lyrically. Besides the quality of the songs, the overall sound is very satisfying (especially on headphones) and I discover new parts each time I listen. For example the swirling organ on opening track, 'Lucia', the fuzzy distorted guitar on 'I'm a Raven (Shake Children) or the subtle picked banjo and strange electronic sounds that suddenly emerge in the chorus of the title track. Then of course there is the wonderful organ that plays out 'Mahogony Dread'. Like it's predecessor, this album is packed full of wonderful sounds and images. And I love it.
It has been quite a difficult task coming up with my absolute favourite albums of 2013; it truly has been a wonderful year for new (and reissued) music. Now it has finally come to the point where tradition dictates I should name the ones that come top of the pile, the deciding criteria being which new albums have occupied most of my listening time this year. In the end it comes down to the following six.
To place these six albums into some kind of order is also difficult for I am sure that whatever sequence I come up with today, I may disagree with tomorrow and to quote David Bowie, 'and the next day and the day after that'.
Anyway, this is the White Room top six (in reverse order) for 2013.
6. 'Haw' by Hiss Golden Messenger.
I wrote about this album in May and you can read my thoughts here.
5. '[Awayland]' by The Villagers.
This was written about way back in January and my prediction that it would feature among my favourites was accurate. Read my thoughts here.
4. 'We Are The 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace & Magic' by Foxygen.
My thoughts on this work appeared on these pages in July. Read them here.
3. 'VII' by Blitzen Trapper.
One of my favourite bands of the past ten years didn't disappoint with this offering. Yes, of course you can read my opinions here.
2. 'The Raven That Refused To Sing (And Other Stories)' by Steven Wilson.
It was a very close run thing for first place this year. I love this album and on any other day it may have clinched the top spot. If you wish, feel free to read more here.
1. 'Field Of Reeds' by These New Puritans.
I don't see this album finishing top of any other list this year, though to be fair it has featured in the lower extremes of some magazine lists. There is no doubt that this is less accessible than other albums in my own list, yet it is for that very reason that I have decided to award it first prize this year. The band are not seeking any commercial route to stardom but are bravely ploughing their own furrow, creating music which is challenging yet immensely rewarding for those prepared to stick with it. This is an album that will stick with me for many years and which one day may be looked back on as a true classic.
You can of course read my original thoughts here.
That's all until after Christmas but here's wishing you a very happy holiday.
Cheers!
As another birthday slips by, I realise that we are once again midway through the year. So it seems a good time to quickly mention the albums that have most impressed me so far in 2013.
I have of course previously mentioned some of the best, such as:
- Pere Ubu - Lady From Shanghai
- Richard Thompson - Electric
- Villagers - {Awayland}
- Steven Wilson - The Raven That Refused to Sing
- Steve Earle - The Low Highway
- Hiss Golden Messenger - Haw
- These New Puritans - Field of Reeds
- Anais Mitchell & Jefferson Hamer - Child Ballads
Others that are contenders include 'Til Your River Runs Dry' by Eric Burdon who remains in very fine voice. Also a great return to form by David Bowie with 'The Next Day', 'Push the Sky Away' by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds and the second album from Mount Moriah entitled 'Miracle Temple'.
I am also currently listening to 'Southeastern' by Jason Isbell and 'Once I Was an Eagle' by Laura Marling and I have little doubt that they will feature in my final decision at the end of the year.
All in all it has been a great year so far. And there are still another six months to go!
I have missed the previous three albums from this US duo but on the strength of some good reviews I took the plunge with their most recent album, 'Haw'.
And how pleased I am that I did as I have discovered yet another superb album, to add to the ever growing list competing for the White Room prize for album of 2013.
The duo are M C Taylor and Scott Hirsch and they are ably supported on this album by among others, William Tyler and Nathan Bowles. The name 'Haw' I understand comes from the name of a river and the Sissipahaw native American tribe of North Carolina. So now you know!
Musically the songs veer from the soft country rock of 'I've Got a Name for the New Born Child' and 'Sweet as John Hurt', through the Dr John-like swamp groove of 'Devotion', the hoedown fiddle dance tune that is 'Hark Maker (Glory Rag)' to the blues rock opening track, 'Red Rose Nantahala'. Stand out tracks though, are 'Busted Note' and 'Suffer (Love My Conquerer)'. The latter could be a folky Americana tune but midway through Taylor is joined by a female singer (Sonia Turner) before lush strings wash through the airwaves clashing against strange electronic sounds emerging from the left channel. It is totally mesmerising and on first hearing comes as a complete surprise. Another surprise occurs during 'Cheerwine Easter' when the gentle acoustic ballad is blown apart by a subtly jarring, slightly discordant but totally wonderful sax solo backed by tinkling piano. Wonderful!
I have not yet had time to fully take in all of the lyrics but throughout I detect a host of biblical references. Perhaps those more familiar with this band can enlighten me as to whether there are serious religious messages within these words.
Because of the broad palette of styles on this album, the band are difficult to categorise musically, though because of the Americana roots of most tracks I would draw comparisons with another of my favourites in this genre, Blitzen Trapper. To me, that's no bad thing. I have been gradually drawn in to this record and I think it may well be in the mix when it comes to deciding on my favourites of 2013.
What a year it's been.
