Gosh, what do I leave out of such a list? I have found the variety this year really exceptional, and it has been good to get acquainted with new artists as well as hear new work from those I already like. In terms of instruments, if you had asked me what I thought of the harp a year or so ago, I would have dismissed it as at best a shrinking violet, but then through a number of releases, an enjoyment of listening to the instrument that I have not known for 40 years has been re-found. From these releases, I have to select Brídín’s Ocean of Stars, if only for its beauty, the very subtle use of sampling and the fact that by day Brídín works in the family firm of undertakers.
The Irish feature pretty heavily in my listening. As I continue to educate myself in the art of sean nós, Lorcan Mac Mathuna’s An Bhuatais & The Meaning of Life provides a great range of songs that exemplify the tradition and beautifully continue it along its path. The subject range in this album is not just limited to the lament of Irish history as there is a lullaby for a mother cuckoo’s chick, and that is a simply stunning version of Psalm16.
Another great voice, Brigid Mae Power, extended her repertoire with Burning Your Light, a brilliant set of songs with a country feel and a perfect showcase for her voice. To sing your own work, in the way that you want, cannot be easy; to sing other people’s songs, songs that are well-known when performed by the original artists, and do such a great job, is a gamble, but when it pays off, it pays off well. This has paid off and more.
Sidetrack My Engine showed banjo-player and singer Nora Brown developing well. Clearly, all stages of the record-making process, from sourcing through arranging to recording, are essential to her. Starting with the ukulele at the age of 6, and later moving to the banjo, only now does she appear to be shedding the ‘Little’ prefix, and I think that this is important as she moves from ‘child prodigy’ to serious artist, continuing the tradition, making it real and accessible for today’s audience and adding to our understanding of the back story of these tunes.
Music from the African diaspora features loud in our household, guaranteed to lift the spirits and usually have people dancing around the room, defying even me to sit still. From the releases this year, it has been a bit of a struggle to limit the choice, but I have finally gone for Djourou from Ballaké Sissoko and Binga from Samba Touré. Djourou explores several connections, with singers, with instrumentalists and across a wide range of musical styles, and this album covers a lot of ground and makes some really exciting connections. I love his mastery of the technique, the free-flowing sound whilst his fingers work delicately, quickly and as with a soul of their own.
Samba Touré’s album is very much about him and his home in Mali. Even though topped-and-tailed with two traditional Songhai songs, the album is essentially the world today as Samba sees it: part lament for the past, part questioning the impact of modernisation on the soul as much as on the body, and all covered in a blanket of COVID-19.
And as the pandemic rolls on, we have all been affected in some way, not least the frontline staff and those that provide for us. One of the great chroniclers of the age, Robb Johnson, always manages to hit the nail on the head and following on from Pandemic Songs of 2020, Minimum Wages emphasises the tragic, the desperation and the inequality of the care workers, of the needy and of society in all its failings. But, somewhere in there, as well as compassion on a broad scale, there is personal compassion and a distinctive, more folky feel – without losing the punch.
Later in the year, one of the most welcome releases came from Henry Parker. Lammas Fair is a great listen and marries a look back to folk-rock of the early seventies with a modern sense of what it is to be rooted in a place. Henry’s guitar work is excellent and, away from the album, I would recommend you check out some of his videos playing classical guitar.
The final pair for this set of ten go together for no other reason than I tend to play one after the other. The Memory Band’s recent album Colours is part of Stephen Cracknell’s seemingly rolling programme of playing with the boundaries of musical styles, merging, combining and reimagining them into delightful pieces. All this makes for interesting and highly engaging sounds. However, in terms of domestic airtime this year, Las Lloronas have featured quite heavily since I first heard Soaked at the start of the year. Cool, jazzy and with great harmonies, it is a perfect listen at any time of the day.
So, there you have my top ten for this year – but ask me tomorrow, and I might have changed my mind. Lots of great music and most produced under challenging circumstances and with few opportunities to perform it live. Without the support of the buying public, many of these artists would find life quite hard and let us hope that we can see things getting better for performers in the new year.
Happy Christmas, and buy some records: