#30-Bill Scorzari-Sidereal Days (Day 1)-Long Island musician Scorzari tells us stories about love and humanity with his sweet melodic guitar playing and his gruff vocal delivery. I love his little stories, and it’s like he is sitting around a fire opening his heart to you.
#29-Michael Hurley-Broken Homes And Gardens-When I was in college, I stumbled across Hurley’s 1971 record Armchair Boogie in a cut-out bin. This was around 1977, and I was taken by the cartoon cover and then charmed by the weird-ass low-fi folk that came out through my speakers. It stayed with me for some time. I may have gifted it to my friend JP at one point because he REALLY dug it. If you like Bonnie Prince Billy, you will soon understand why Hurley is his musical grandfather.
This was Hurley’s last album of ‘outsider folk’. He left us for points unknown on April 1st of 2025.
#28-Robert Plant-Saving Grace-Plant has been deep in Americana for a number of years. With Saving Grace he dips his walking boots back into the hills and valleys of his homeland. It’s a beautiful record of strings and things and that singular voice. It’s a great little outfit he has gathered here.
“It’s not finished. There’s loads more. If I open the trunk of my car, all these songs fall out. Songs recorded, songs not recorded. It’s a trove.When you sing, you sing,” he continues. “You don’t say: ‘Fuck it, I’ll stop now.’ You carry on singing.-Robert Plant
#27-Todd Snider-High, Lonesome and Then Some-This is not on this list because Todd left us all behind just recently. Hard to listen to these songs and not believe they were a tad prescient.
Hey now
You’ve got to live a little
Might be all we got
You’ve got to live a little
People die a lot
They do
Look it up
Yup-Temptation To Exist-Todd Snider
#26-Skyscraper Stan & The Commission Flats-Those Were Days-Long tall Stan and the Commission Flats are back. His lyrics are bright, like in an intelligent way, coloured with some wit. Recorded live in the studio, warts and all. Stan hopes the fans “begin the experience curious and then run through a range of emotions including rage, wistful longing, excitement, sentimentality, lustfulness, hope.”.
#25-Bruce Springsteen-Nebraska ’82 (Expanded Edition)-5 Disc Set including electric versions of Nebraska tracks, a re-mastered Nebraska and more. It’s a delight and hard to believe it is 43 years old. 37 tracks for you to delve into….enjoy.
https://open.qobuz.com/playlist/48469543 Qobuz link for playlist….once I can embed these instead of a link…I will stop Spotify as a embedded list. I no longer subscribe to Spotify.
#24-Luther Dickinson-Dead Blues Volume 1-Good to know there will be another volume of this music. These are blues songs that the Grateful Dead covered but re-imagined through the eaars and soul of Dickinson and company. Soul singer Datrian Johnson is a find and keep your ear out for him as his solo album will soon drop.
Luther recorded much of the music during COVID, and adding the vocals was the icing. These are nothing like the Blues or The Grateful Dead. But you will dig it if you like either.
#23-Patti Smith-Horses: 50th Anniversary Edition-This album is a classic piece of rock and roll from start to finish. Patti bursts onto the scene. I was 18 when this album came out and finally got to see her perform when I was 19. Fan forever and sat at her feet many times as she prowled, growled and took over the stage with her presence. It is one of those albums I listen to every year.
#22-Grant Lee Phillips-In The Hour Of Dust-Weary and warm, slow and slower, Phillips croons about the world today. His voice warms me like an old friend.
#21-Jeff Tweedy-Twilight Override-Wilco front man Tweedy steps out and clobbers us all with a triple record. I am still digesting this album and waiting for my next long drive to take it all in again! It’s possibly a masterpiece, but I have to wander down the corridors a bit more. Thanks for the payload of 30 songs, Jeffrey! This will grow with me as most of your music has.
And bubbling under the Top 50….some more to check out:
Kenny Wayne Shepard/Bobby Rush- Young Fashioned Ways-Bobby and Kenny bring ya the blues.
Lowdown Saints-Hard Player-Get your Swedish Blue Stockholm Shoes on…..Blues from across the oceans.
Bill Evans Trio-Haunted Heart: The Legendary Riverside Studio Recordings: complete studio recordings by the Bill Evans Trio featuring Scott LaFaro and Paul Motian. Included are the albums Portrait in Jazz and Explorations, plus 26 alternate takes — 17 previously unreleased.
Lance Ferguson-Rare Groove Spectrum Volume 3: Producer, songwriter, DJ and recording artist Lance Ferguson returns with the third chapter in his widely celebrated series, Rare Groove Spectrum, Vol. 3. I did not know of Volume 1-2, which I will be seeking out!