Bob Fish

Bonnie “Prince” Billy has crafted a disc that sounds comfortable and warm while dealing with the uncertainty of what lies ahead. The here and now is all we have at the end of the day, and that’s more than enough.

New Ways is about being in each moment and feeling it to it’s fullest. And it imbues every decision on the disc. Leif Vollebekk has captured time in a bottle, distilling moments with a clarity that captures the essence of each experience.

This is more like a coming-out party for an artist no longer content to be one of many. With Not Alone, Birnbaum has exposed himself as a full-fledged artist in his own right, one deserving of a much wider audience.

Grace Cummings voice refuses to be denied. She sings with a power and conviction on Refuge Cove that challenges listeners not to be moved by her lyrics. They not only fit the times and conditions of this moment but suggest we prepare ourselves for a very different world.

On Itasca’s ‘Spring’, the music mesmerizes, guitars glide on the streams of dappled western light. Perspectives change with time and tides, yet the moments of beauty that unfold on Spring are eternal.

The Peanut Butter Falcon is a story about what it means to be alive, living out your dreams and following where those dreams call you. Musically, the soundtrack follows a similar path merging styles and genres to detail a pathway between dreams and reality.

Despite a series of mishaps that would sink a lesser band, One Eleven Heavy seems to subscribe to the philosophy that whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. Suffice it to say that based on Desire Path they keep getting stronger and stronger.

As The Son Of Town Hall, Ben Parker and David Berkeley have created an album that plays like nothing else you will hear this year. Equal parts care and craftsmanship, joy and sorrow, it is a splendour to behold. As a bonus, watch their video for their new single The Line Between.

With Parallel Line, Tim Crabtree challenges listeners to hear the music that exists within the notes, in the process re-examining who we are and what we think.

On his third long-player, Frontier, Gallagher opens a seam and explores the nature of love in these uncertain times. His Andalusian odysseys have proven fruitful yet again.

With “Abundance Welcoming Ghosts”, Red River Dialect play with raw abandon, summoning up instrumental ghosts and wizards, generating an album that stands on the shoulder of giants showing no fear.

Louien has created a special disc centred around grief, mourning and introspection. Despite the pain, Solberg notes, “Grief allows for beautiful things as well.” All are on display in None of My Words.