Till April is Dead, A Garland of May – Lisa Knapp (England)
A May-themed album may seem a somewhat niche notion but in the capable hands of Lisa Knapp, who has yet to put a foot wrong in an impeccable musical progression, it is an inspired match to her history and talents. Rooted in the weird and wonderful English folk traditions of May time it is constantly yet subtly and subversively inventive, highly atmospheric, and by turns stirring, elegant and beautiful – as befits the season. Listened to on a soggy January day, finally past the shortest day, it keeps the promise of longer warmer days in morale boosting sight; played loudly and repeatedly on the balmy first of May last year it was an absolute joy.
Snowpoet – Snowpoet (England)
Gently jazzy, with a fascinating range of musical textures and pace changes, coupled with intriguing words coming and going that demand repeated attentive listening… It all adds up to something alarmingly addictive and pleasing with some truly magical moments, I can neither leave it alone nor fully explain it! It’s a bit like spending forty fascinating minutes in that disorientating no-mans-land between sleep and awake where it’s hard to fully grasp anything; wonderfully understated yet penetrating and persistent. Snowpoet are fronted by the London-based writing duo of Lauren Kinsella and Chris Hyson, with Lauren performing all the vocals, while versatile musician Chris is augmented by a number of others whose collective creativity and self-restraint are to be (quietly) applauded. This is their debut album from 2016 with a second due out in just a few weeks, I intend to be first in the queue.
(Oh and they are playing a double bill with the incomparable Olivia Chaney in May, just a 20 minute drive away in a hall with fabulous acoustics; this in a week I shall be away so can only admire the perfection of my disappointment – go for me if you can)
Agiorgitiko – Stathis Koukoularis & Martha Mavroidi (Greece)
Agiorgitiko is an adaptable red grape variety grown particularly in Greece, for a range of wine production, and like it this album could be considered a staple fruit of the nation. Legendary violinist Stathis Koukoularis is on blistering form alongside soaring young vocalist and lutist Martha Mavroidi as they provide definitive performances of a range of traditional music and song from the Aegean and Asia Minor, along with the single fine self-composed title track. There are no gimmicks or concessions to wider populism, this is unashamedly uncompromised traditional, utterly beautiful, music from start to finish. Savour it in a world of artifice.
Viena – Varttina (Finland)
Female Finnish band Varttina have surely been around forever, after all I remember buying their breakthrough album Oi Dai back in 1991 so they must be really quite old (like me) now, right? Not so it seems, unlike me they appear to have access to Dr Who like regeneration powers, with frequent personnel changes meaning they have managed to sustain if not enhance their trademark youthfulness and energy. This was brought home emphatically at a live performance locally just before Christmas, fittingly in the week of the centenary of Finnish independence, when the three current members, arriving late after traumatic travel problems and with no supporting musicians, simply blew away a full house. It’s easy to be beguiled by the traditional costumes and humour (almost slapstick at times) Varttina bring to their live performance which disguise apparently effortless yet formidable vocal strength and skill in perfect synchronisation, coupled with impressive musicianship on kantele and accordion. Prior to independence Finland was part of Russia and those roots are a key inspiration musically, witness this tremendous new album (one of their absolute best, which is saying something given the number they have produced down the years) which has been inspired by visits to the lingering traditional villages and customs of the Viena Karelia (or White Karelia) region on the Russian side of the border. Inventively based on traditional words and melodies Viena provides a wonderful mix of powerful and delicate singing, often moving, and unique to this part of world – and well worth embracing.
A Pocket of Wind Resistance – Karine Polwart with Pippa Murphy (Scotland)
Having listened to this a number of times I indulge myself with the fanciful thought that it was released in late November, just too late to be included in any music publications “best of the year“ considerations (and probably too early to be remembered next time round), as an act of charitable consideration for other contenders. So yes, it’s a bit special. How special? Respected author Robert Macfarlane when asked for his best books of 2017 by the Guardian newspaper demonstrated his alertness by majoring on a single volume, the 64 page printed version of essentially the words to this album. Yet both of these productions are subsequent to their profound source, the 2016 Edinburgh Festival theatre production Wind Resistance, a theatre debut for renowned Scottish musician and ex-social worker Karine Polwart. All three incarnations of the work individually and exquisitely capture the natural cycle of Scottish rural life both human and animal, with stunning evocations of the natural world, notably through the migration of geese, and human love, pregnancy and childbirth, the hardships of winter, and no holds barred tragedy. A powerful and imaginative combination of music (composer Pippa Murphy deserves significant credit), natural sounds, song and spoken word including Burns poetry delivers a profound story that goes way beyond a normal musical production. Formidable, utterly humane, and be warned - there may be tears before the end.
See Also: Favourite Listening of 2016
Another Year of Reading - In Pictures (2017)
