So glad to be introduced personally to my two favorite bands this year, Humbird and Frail Talk, and so lucky to see both many times. Humbird, from Minneapolis, are the smartest, freshest indie-folk folks, and also just the most friendly people imaginable. Colorado is lucky to have Frail Talk living in Fort Collins, and making this incredible, quirky squiggly music.
I first heard about Samora Pinderhughes on Making Contact speaking about his Healing Project and abolition so powerfully and heart-wrenching, and his music this year slightly more R&B, but no less powerful.
Paper Wings and Liv Greene both play “traditional” old-time and country and unquestionably modern.
Elori Saxl released two absolutely stunning dense experimental electronic record/EP. Absolutely worth a listen.
Tindersticks 14th album is more orchestral than some of their other releases, and really proves how impressive and strong musicians they’ve been for 30+ years.
Allegra Krieger’s album is so lyrically dense that I hear a different detail to the story.
Jennifer Jane Niceley lived in Denver and I’ve been waiting for a new record of hers for seven years; it’s different musically, but still so marvelously poetic.
The Cool Cloud of Okayness from Tara Jane O’Neil, one of the most impactful musicians for me 20 years ago, builds this full and spacious sound that both floats and remains so grounded.
And of course number 11, Hildegard, Helena Deland and Ouri, making excellent experimental indie-“pop” that I’m sure to come back to the creativity and playfulness.
Putting this list together, I realized I really settled into my personal preference of genre this year more than many years. But wow, music really means so much to me, and is able to help folks through the hard times and make the good times fuller. And radio is such a powerful tool to share music, and introduce people, myself very much included, to sounds and musicians we may never hear about otherwise.
Honorable Mentions that must be included:
Kaia Kater – Strange Medicine – Free Dirt
+Ultra – Metropolis
Large Brush Collection – Off Center – Companion Plant
coco – 2 – First City
American Culture – Hey Brother, It’s Been a While – Convulse Records
youbet – Way To Be – Hardly Art
Rae Khalil – CRYBABY – Def Jam
| Artist | Album | Label | |
| 1 | Humbird | Right On | Nettwerk |
| 2 | Frail Talk | Microspirit | Frail Talk |
| 3 | Samora Pinderhughes | Venus Smiles Not in the House of Tears | Machel Records |
| 4 | Paper Wings | Listen to the World Spin | Paper Wings |
| 5 | Liv Greene | Deep Feeler | Free Dirt Records |
| 6 | Elori Saxl | Earth Focus / Drifts and Surfaces | Western Vinyl |
| 7 | Tindersticks | Soft Tissue | City Slang |
| 8 | Allegra Krieger | Art of the Unseen Infinity Machine |
Double Double Whammy
|
| 9 | Jennifer Jane Niceley | Not Lost | Pink Light |
| 10 | Tara Jane O’Niel | The Cool Cloud of Okayness | Orindal |
