Church Symphony’s Sonic Explosion

Who says old guys can’t rock? This recently surfaced video clip offers compelling evidence to the contrary, even if said geezers have a 70-piece orchestra in tow.

The Church’s sheer hyperblastic force on this version of their adrenaline-propelled classic track, “Tantalized,” from 1986’s Heyday, overwhelms the George Ellis Orchestra. The classical musicians accompanied the Aussie rock band during a special one-off “Psychedelic Symphony” performance at the Sydney Opera House in April 2011.

In fact, the orchestra seems unnecessary for much of the song, though it does add some nice embellishments around the band’s satiated sound. (It should be noted, too, that the original LP track did have prominent horn parts, too, so it wasn’t all just guitar slinging then either.)

Absolutely brilliant rock excess, even with the orchestral flourishes.

The Church’s Sonic Triumvirate

The Church at Showcase Live, Foxboro, Mass. 2/18/11

Last night I saw one of the most unique rock concerts I’ve ever seen – and it was by a band I’ve seen perform live more than a dozen times! The Church took the currently fashionable concept of performing a favorite album live in its entirety to a new level, playing three albums from beginning to end. The result was a very different concert experience — somewhat akin to watching a three-act play, albeit a psychedelically energetic one.

The pace and expectations of the typical concert were transformed during the Aussie art rockers’ most recent visit to Showcase Live, a venue found in the shadow of the New England Patriots’ home turf in Foxborough, Mass. Given the set structure, you knew what was coming next, but the flow of songs had added meaning and context, and each album was highlighted in a new way when juxtaposed with the others.

The three records the 30-year-old band is presenting on its current 12-city “Future Past Perfect” tour are: (1) its most recent studio release, 2009’s Untitled #23; (2) its last major label release, 1992’s Priest = Aura; and (3) its biggest commercial success, 1988’s Starfish.

The concert was strategically sequenced, beginning with the slowly building, atmospheric sheen and thoughtful, romantic lyrics of Untitled #23. It was the perfect lead in to what was to come, and it simultaneously highlighted the ongoing quality of the band’s creativity – even at this advanced point in its career – as well as the diversity of its catalog (despite maintaining a characteristic “Church sound” since the first L.P., Of Skins and Heart, in 1981).

As we learned from frontman Steve Kilbey early on, the nature of this performance necessitated less of the usual between-song banter so the intended flow of the songs would not be disrupted – though he was clearly tempted into straying from that dictate at times, especially during the first and last sets.

Several of the songs in the opening set stood out in this live performance much more than on the original album release. Of course, “Deadman’s Hand” provided some catchy riff-rock, and “Pangaea” some pop punch, but “Space Saviour,” “On Angel Street” and “Anchorage” came to the fore, glimmering more spectacularly than ever.

“On Angel Street,” in particular, seemed transformed into one of the most bluesy excursions I’ve ever heard The Church undertake, with guitarist Peter Koppes channeling David Gilmour. (Floydian references have always been as much a part of The Church sound as the Television-like dual guitar interplay, but it has typically been the spacey side of Floyd, not the bluesy riffs side.)

As on their 2009 “Love Will Find Us” tour in support of Untitled #23, the band members once again switched instruments for several songs. This mostly involved guitarist Marty Willson-Piper and singer/bassist Kilbey swapping positions, though Koppes and additional backing keyboardist/guitarist Craig Wilson did some instrument swapping as well. Drummer Tim Powles remained behind the kit throughout. The Untitled songs themselves were changed some from their live debut in 2009: proof again that The Church’s music – new or old – is ever evolving.

As promised, a short “interval” after the conclusion of Untitled #23 allowed the band a wardrobe change and time to transition into the mindset for the dense, opiated sounds of Priest = Aura. Long a favorite among the band’s hardcore followers (me included), this record is especially suited to the performance-as-a-whole approach. It rocks out much more than Untitled #23, yet its layered guitar sound is also coupled with rich lyrical narrative and diverse song craft – from the pop sheen of “Ripple,” “Kings” and “Feel” to the near-cabaret-meets-Kurt-Weil melodies of “Witch Hunt” and “The Disillusionist.” In total, it’s an epic piece of work.

“Aura” kicked off the second set slowly, but Marty’s fierce guitar tones were soon piercing the hypnotic waves of sound. The poppy aspects of the album (noted above) were sprinkled throughout the set, brightening the sound palette of Priest’s otherwise heavy sonic landscape.

Kilbey’s continuing rebirth as a performer since kicking heroin earlier in the decade was amply evident in this second set. Songs during which SK once stood stationary at the mic – concentrating on his pulsing bass riffs and perpetually rhyming vocal phrases – were now accompanied by purposeful prancing and flamboyant gesticulation. We saw the first displays of his newly animated stage persona on the 2009 Untitled tour, but this night, at times, it seemed a bit over the top.

This exuberance was most evident during “The Disillusionist.” The singer, freed from bass or guitar (as he was a handful of times during the night), punctuated the vocal lines with deliberate stabs at the air. Nevertheless, with Kilbey’s increasingly maniacal run through the song’s lengthy narrative (a formidable memory exercise in itself), the guitarists’ soaring accompaniment and Powles’ deft cymbal work, the song was a surprising highpoint of the middle set.

Overwrought physical expressionism aside, it was refreshing for long-time fans to see Kilbey look like he’s actually having fun. For their part Koppes and Willson-Piper conducted their complementary six-string interplay with the usual aplomb. They tangled in electronic frenzy for “Chaos,” the penultimate song of the set, while Powles kept some semblance of structure to the affair. The middle set concluded with the sublimely understated atmospherics of “Film,” a soundtrack to an imaginary movie, which could be said about much of the music on this markedly cinematic album.

Apropos to that, during the Priest = Aura set, as well as the final segment of the night, the film and slide images projected onto the screen behind the band became increasingly active and engaging, adding a fitting visual embellishment to the sonic swirl emanating from the stage. (This venue, by the way, has great sound and sightlines, too bad it doesn’t get great original artists gracing the stage more often.)

Though never boring or tedious, there was an undeniable element of endurance to the proceedings – for band and audience alike. It’s not too often these days (this side of Bruce Springsteen at least) that you get a three-plus hour concert from a single act. The brief breaks between each album definitely helped: pauses that refreshed, giving all a chance to catch their breath before the next excursion.

For the last set of the night, the familiar jaunty pop sound of Starfish was particularly effective.

Standouts tracks of this finale included the opener, “Destination,” which ended with some frenetic guitar by MWP; the angels in overdrive acceleration of “North, South, East and West”(one of the absolute highlights of the whole night); and the crowd-favorite, “Reptile,” with MWP’s trademark buoyant lick bobbing above Koppes’ sinister counter melody. Of course, “Under the Milky Way” was effectively delivered and enthusiastically received, even if it’s just another song in the band’s view.

The night ended appropriately with the oft-employed closing track, “Hotel Womb.” It was a majestic finish to a fantastically fulfilling concert. And the icing on the cake? Despite the promo materials for the tour, Marty no longer looks like Rasputin!

Hardly the best song performance of the night (great tune though), but a subtle kickoff to a fairly raucous final set of the lengthy concert.

Attending Church

The Church at the Armory, Somerville, Mass.

“Tragic … Simply tragic.” I imagine the words spoken in Monty Python-ese by Michael Palin as I scan the sparse audience of 250 or so at The Church’s lone Boston area gig on their Spring 2010 tour.

How could a band as epically good as these veteran Aussie art rockers attract such a spartan crowd? Lack of promotion, years of record company neglect and managerial ineptitude, consumer complacency and ignorance, or some kind of cosmic artistic injustice? Whatever the reason, the turnout is disheartening for a devotee like myself. People should be flocking to witness this band’s transcendent brilliance on display.

Nevertheless, The Church hold nothing back in this, the 13th stop on their 22-date 30th anniversary tour. To mark the occasion, they’re systematically featuring one song from each of their 23 full-length albums, performed in reverse sequential order from most recent to earliest (albeit with a bit of cheating).

Having regained some momentum over the past few years, it seems The Church have come to accept that they have a small (but passionate) following that appreciates their sophisticated brand of chiming space rock. After all, the band did bill this tour “An Intimate Space.” And that’s precisely what the recently renovated Somerville Armory offers. A 300-seat, gymnasium-like performance hall (though a fancied-up one) on the outskirts of Boston.

I have seen The Church live a dozen or so times since 1986, and despite the fact that they’ve done a couple of acoustic tours in the past, this is the first time I’ve seen them in this arrangement. As I expected, it is energetic and interesting, although likely even more so for the already converted than for the new initiates.

The acoustic treatment and the near-constant trading around of instruments among the musicians draws out different nuances and highlights different aspects of the songs. Some are radically reworked (most notably “Reptile” and “The Unguarded Moment”), while others take on new power and prominence (“Invisible” and “10,000 Miles”), and at least one really shines in a whole new way (an absolutely combustible finale on “Grind”).

The harmony vocals are much more prominent than in the band’s electric presentation – a pleasant discovery for a grizzled old follower like me. Guitarist Peter Koppes plays quite a bit of keyboards, some mandolin and harmonica, as well as several different acoustic guitars. Meanwhile, Marty Willson-Piper plays various acoustics guitars, mandolin and bass on several occasions, as well as contributing his distinctive vocal stylings (lead and background) throughout.

I especially like the band’s turn on “Jazzy Reptile,” as singer/bassist Steve Kilbey dubs their rendition of the radio-friendly hit from 1988’s landmark Starfish album (but for the purposes of this concert associated with its appearance in acoustic form on 2007’s El Momento Siguiente release). Koppes plays MWP’s original, catchy, descending guitar lick on electric piano, while Marty translates Peter’s sustained electric guitar melody to acoustic guitar.

Other stellar renditions of the night are “Invisible” (from 2002’s After Everything Now This), “Comedown” (from 1996’s Magician Among the Spirits), “My Little Problem” (from 1994’s Sometime Anywhere), “10,000 Miles” (from 1984’s Remote Luxury) and “Grind” (from 1992’s Priest = Aura). The aforementioned “Reptile,” as well as “Almost With You” and “Appalatia,” on which Koppes takes a turn on lead vocals, are also quite remarkable.

Somewhat less effective – and I’m being hyper critical here, as only a long-time curmudgeonly fan is wont to do – are: “Louisiana” (one of my all-time favorite Church songs), which seems a little anemic, lacking the majesty of the electric version; and “Space Saviour,” which was better realized in fully electric form on last summer’s “So Love May Find Us” tour. The band’s first big hit, 1981’s “The Unguarded Moment,” came across as a bit too languid for my taste. Nonetheless, even these few misfires were still entertaining.

In typically blunt fashion, Kilbey has posted blog comments about feeling fatigued at points on this tour, but you couldn’t guess that from this performance. He played with exuberance and feeling, and warmly engaged the audience and his band mates between songs – something we’ve seen an increasing amount of in recent years as the singer has reinvigorated himself as the band’s frontman.

Drummer/engineer Tim Powles not only provided a solid foundation throughout on drums and percussion – giving the acoustic treatments impressive horse power – but he also played some piano, sang backing vocals and added to the entertaining intra-band banter. As the group’s newest member (only 17 years in the fold) and its fourth drummer, Powles is often overlooked. But, I believe, without him the band probably wouldn’t exist today.

There are nine more shows to go on this 30th anniversary tour – from New York City (4/22) to Atlanta (5/1). Go see one of them, you’ll be redeemed … and you’ll get a nice program and new CD free with your ticket!

FULL SET LIST

First Set:

Pangaea

Space Needle

Reptile

Ionian Blues

El Momento Descuidado (The Unguarded Moment)

Appalatia

Invisible

Louisiana

Comedown

My Little Problem

Second Set:

Mistress

Metropolis

Under the Milky Way

Already Yesterday

10,000 Miles

Fly

Almost With You

Tear It All Away

Encores:

Disarm (Smashing Pumpkins song)

Space Saviour

Grind

The 20 Best Albums of 2009

Every media outlet under the sun (not to mention some in the dark, too) has issued a best-of-the-year list. While mine inevitably has some things in common with others, it simply represents my personal favorites. There may be other meritorious titles out there, but if they’re not listed here, it means either they were not the cream of this year’s crop to my ears, or I simply didn’t hear them. More likely the former though, since I listen to a heck of a lot of music. Anyway, you’re welcome to disagree.

As I began to consider this list, I was tempted to state right off the bat that 2009 was not a particularly impressive year as far as new rock releases were concerned – especially when compared to the bright sonic lights that breached the horizon in 2007 and 2008. Yet, as I got into assessing the albums, I began to think that maybe 2009 wasn’t so bad after all. One thing is for sure, Pink Floyd’s influence continues to abound in modern music – on both the dense, hard rock side and the mellow, spacey side of the sound spectrum.

• = mostly mellow

• = a mix of mellow and rockin’

• = totally rockin’

• Nightjar – Marty Willson-Piper – This might be my favorite record of the year. Simultaneously lush, yet uncluttered, this latest solo release from the Church guitarist is rich in multi-layered acoustic guitars, string accompaniments and evocative harmony vocals. There is real drama – both lyrically and musically – in the songs. It all adds up to exuberant and romantic music that manages to be both crisp and atmospheric. (See my previous, more detailed posting on this CD here.)

• Untitled #23 – The Church – This Australian band, forever pegged to the 1980’s thanks to their biggest hit, 1988’s “Under the Milky Way,” has continued making great music ever since, albeit mostly under the commercial radar. This is the latest in their string of underappreciated releases – though this one did seem to earn a few more industry accolades than the previous few. Overall, Untitled #23 is quite different sounding from the other titles on this list. It’s not as immediately accessible as some here, but its subtle treasures and nuance reward those who invest repeated listening. I particularly like it for its mix of airy, contemplative atmospherics and edgy, churning portentousness – all done with lots of guitars! Highlights include “Deadman’s Hand,” “Space Saviour,” “Operetta” and the two poppy songs, “Pangaea” and “Sunken Sun.” (See here for my post on the band’s “So Love May Find Us” 2009 U.S. Tour.)

• Hold Time – M. Ward – Another stellar release from Conor Oberst’s bud, Matt Ward, the rockin’ folkie from Portland, Ore. Ward has been making outstanding, multi-textured music for years, but it was his 2008 collaboration with Hollywood starlet-cum-singer Zooey Deschanel that put him in the public consciousness. On this 2009 release, his unique vocal style, alternatively falsetto and raspy baritone, are coupled with understated band support. Great lyrical turns of phrase, jaunty acoustic guitar and percussion – occasionally embellished by reverb-and-vibrato-drenched electric guitar, strings or keyboards – make this a thoroughly enjoyable listen and a fairly unique take on the musical style that has come to be referred to as “Americana.”

• Wilco (the Album) – Wilco – This is a mostly middle of the road effort by a band that a few years ago was really pushing the envelope in their evolution from “alt country” to something akin to America’s Radiohead. They may never top Summerteeth and Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, but the current Wilco lineup always delivers stellar performances and sharp songwriting, if not exactly boundary-pushing compositions. Nevertheless, the sinister pulse and climactic instrumental exploration of “Bull Black Nova” on this release earn it ranking right up there among the group’s best songs. On the whole, Wilco (the Album) seems to combine many of the characteristic elements of the band, going all the way back to their 1995 debut, A.M. While what emerges from the blender might make for a somewhat blander serving of Wilco, it is still haute cuisine compared to most bands today.

• Glitter and Doom Live – Tom Waits – Yes, the raspy “singing” is an acquired taste. But, like Dylan, even the potentially off-putting vocals are subsumed by the creative wit of Waits’ songs about the seedy underside of life. Love and genuine humanity are always percolating just beneath the surface. This collection of performances from Waits’ 2008 tours features a cross section of his rollicking, bluesy, sometimes vaudevillian, catalog. Expected Waits’ standards (“Lucinda,” “Get Behind the Mule,” “Metropolitan Glide,” “I’ll Shoot the Moon,” “Make It Rain” et al) are seamlessly integrated with less familiar fare. A second disc features excerpts of the troubadour’s famed between-song storytelling. While strong enough to stand on their own, Tom’s tales lose a little something when devoid of context. Nevertheless, this second disc is entertaining, if not likely to get repeated listenings. (I’m surprised a similar package has never been done with Springsteen, who is likewise renowned for his between-song banter.)

• Around the Well – Iron & Wine – Like Tom Waits’ remarkable 2006 collection of leftover songs, Orphans, this double album highlights the depth of compositional talent of Iron and Wine main man Sam Beam. It comprises demos and unreleased songs from Iron and Wine’s first sessions in 2002 through those for 2007’s The Shepherd’s Dog. Despite the variety of origins and sources, the songs hold together for a cohesive listening experience. The elegiac acoustic guitars, mandolins and banjos strummed and picked over Beam’s characteristically melancholic vocals are as emotive as ever. The demo-like informality and spare production fit the mood, creating what seems a fitting soundtrack to, say, the quieter moments of the Civil War. A good CD for Sunday listening, for sure.

• Them Crooked Vultures – Want some real rockin’? This is it for 2009 in my book. While many of the titles on this list are on the mellower, folkie or artsy, space rock side of the spectrum, this one kicks out the jams – in a sophisticated way, of course. Despite the “super group” hype, this one actually lives up to expectations. (For more details, read my previous post on the TCV album here.)

• There Is No Enemy – Built to Spill – Not their best release in my opinion, but still a very good pop album, and certainly one of the best of 2009. If you like Soft Bulletin- and Yoshimi-era Flaming Lips, you’ll like this one. The boys from Boise offer up shimmering, mostly mid-tempo songs about the disenchantment, frustration and resignation of modern life. Nevertheless, with ample guitars creating sounds bordering on modern psychedelia, this record is far from a downer. Highlights include “Good Ol’ Boredom,” “Pat,” “Things Fall Apart” and, of course, the great single, “Hindsight” … “What about Canada?” indeed.

• Embryonic – Flaming Lips – This is not Soft Bulletin- or Yoshimi-era Lips. It is rawer and, at times, more artistically aggressive than anything the band has done in years. Much of the slick pop production sheen of recent releases is stripped away to reveal a more abrasive, almost working-mix-like energy and sound (hence, the album’s title). This lengthy album has many highlights, ranging from the opener, “Convinced of the Hex,” through the Floyd-meets-Kraftwerk sound of “Evil,” to the pulsing, bass-driven rhythm of “See the Leaves” and “Worm Mountain.” There’s also the atmospheric, math-theory-spouting “Gemini Syringes,” the industrial staccato guitar of “Powerless” and the dance-club-friendly closer, “Watching the Planets.” And you can’t help but smile at the ludicrous animal mimicry on “I Can Be a Frog.” It’s good to hear the Lips regain some alternative edge before they found themselves walking that giant bubble ball into mainstream mediocrity.

• Insurgentes – Steven Wilson – Like his band, Porcupine Tree (see below), Steven Wilson’s first solo album channels Pink Floyd and Radiohead at all turns. Yet, overall, it’s much more than a mere knockoff. It has a remarkably subtle density in both its spacier, tranquility and its industrial aggression. The opening track, “Harmony Korine,” sets the dynamic tone for the rest of this well-developed set. Musicianship and recording is top notch throughout.

• The Incident – Porcupine Tree – The Pink Floyd and Radiohead influences remain front and center, but like singer/guitarist Steven Wilson’s solo album (Insurgentes), there is enough here that is uniquely Porcupine Tree to earn this CD kudos in its own right. Though undeniably prog-rock (something not usually to my liking), the alternately spacey and rockish musical bits and the Radiohead-meets-later-period-Beatles lyrics keep the slick production and sophisticated musicianship from taking over. Despite undeniable sonic resemblance to “Dogs” on Pink Floyd’s Animals album, the epic “Time Flies” is an impelling, multi-faceted highpoint, as is “I Drive the Hearse.” And “Drawing the Line” is prime single fodder; remarkable for a band that doesn’t seem too geared to that approach. In hindsight, this might be the album U2 was trying to make with No Line on the Horizon.

• The Eternal – Sonic Youth – Still sounding like the bastard offspring of Patti Smith and Richard Hell, foster-parented by The Pixies and P.J. Harvey, it’s no surprise that this CD’s sleeve art contains a tip of the hat to prototypical rocker and punk scenester Johnny Thunders. But, overall, The Eternal leans more toward pop songcraft, with odd little instrumental embellishments (e.g. “Antenna”), than the thrash style that endeared the band to Neil Young’s rusty metal sensibilities. That said, the threat of sonic mayhem always lurks just over the precipice. Highlights include the propulsive, punk pop of “Anti-Orgasm,” which post climax mutates into a pastoral mood piece, and “What We Know.” There’s Lou Reed overtones on “Poison Arrow” and Echo and the Bunnymen guitars on “Walkin’ Blue.” The musicians deftly balance the sublime with the sonic assault … just as a good rock and roll band should.

• Outer South – Conor Oberst and The Mystic Valley Band – Somewhat reminiscent of the early Wilco records and, even more so, George Harrison’s solo work, the second release from the wunderkind Bright Eyes leader and his new band features catchy, tightly arranged folk and countrified rock songs. The opener, “Slowly (Oh So Slowly),” provides a jaunty takeoff point. But the album’s most noteworthy tracks, “To All the Lights in the Windows” and the overtly political “Roosevelt Room,” successfully tread similar ground as previous Bright Eyes’ highlights “Four Winds” and “At the Bottom of Everything” – or even the best of Joe Strummer’s last years, for that matter. Despite the quirky title, “Cabbage Town” is another up-tempo standout, while “Difference Is Time” is a potent mid-tempo rocker (with drummer Jason Boesel on lead vocal) and “Ten Women” ably holds up the softer side. Clever wordplay and slightly menacing melodies bolster the overall pop sound, which has more in common with the southern accents and sensibilities of Tom Petty than the bleak coal-country vision of Dylan, to whom the young and prolific Oberst has so often been compared.

• 21st Century Breakdown – Green Day – I’m not really much of a Green Day fan. For my fill of snotty punk attitude with a bit of melody, I’m more inclined to go to the original source, be it The Damned, The Skids, the Dead Kennedy’s or even The Replacements. That said, the former Bay Area punks (now thirty-something parents themselves) just seem to be getting better with each outing. Musically, the spirit of The Skids is all over this record, interspersed by occasional suggestions of Bauhaus (“Christian’s Inferno”), The Beatles (“Last Night on Earth”) and even Gogol Bordello (“Peacemaker”). Overall, this album is full of concept without being either pretentiously high-brow or stupidly sophomoric … as good a soundtrack as any for the Decline and Fall of the American Empire.

• Welcome to Mali – Amadou & Mariam – Despite a long and distinguished career in West Africa and Europe, this is the breakthrough album for this husband and wife duo. Never mind the fact that many of the songs are sung in Malian or French, the infectious rhythms, tasty guitar chops and catchy choruses transcend all language barriers. Best of all, this album works whether you just want it for background ambiance or if you want get up and dance. (See my previous posting on the duo’s appearance in Boston last June here.)

• The Hazards of Love – The Decemberists – Critics’ darlings since their indie label days early in the decade, this Portland, Ore.-based quintet didn’t really resonate with me on their first few albums. It wasn’t until this year’s release that I became a convert, sold by the sophisticated song cycle presented through simple vocal and acoustic interludes and full band workouts. The ephemeral male and female vocals float over opulent instrumentation. But this time around, the group’s characteristic, almost Edwardian, vibe is interlaced with Floydian bombast. (I didn’t know they had it in them!) Raconteurs-like heavy pop riffs are masterfully juxtaposed with keyboard and harpsichord-driven motifs that recall mid-’80s XTC and ’60s British folk. As a unified thematic piece, the album tells a rather complicated tale of a young woman, a shape-shifting animal, her lover and a lecherous snake. Suffice to say, it’s a story that takes repeated airings to fathom. Yet, even with less acute attention, Hazards is a rewarding listening experience. Various characters are voiced by notable guests, such as Becky Stark (Lavender Diamond), Jim James (My Mourning Jacket), Robyn Hitchcock and others.

• My Old Familiar Friend – Brendan Benson – This guy consistently writes more great hook-driven pop songs than anyone since Matthew Sweet. When not trading vocals and guitar licks with Jack White in The Raconteurs, Benson has a critically acclaimed solo career in his own right. Besides the aforementioned Sweet, the fedora-sporting Benson’s catchy compositions conjure the spirit of Dave Edmunds, Something Happens (an impressive Irish band that followed in U2’s footsteps for a few years in the late ’80s) and even Paul McCartney at times. If you like sunshiny pop and dramatic balladry, you can’t help but like this infectious album. Great overall musicianship and production. Pretty much every song is a pure pop winner.

• The Fall – Norah Jones – “The lite jazz chanteuse rocks out,” or something to that effect, is what the early critics said of the multi-Grammy winner’s 2009 release. Well, not exactly. I didn’t find The Fall quite crossing the bridge over to Rock Island. Yes, some of the tempos are a little more upbeat, and the electric guitar may be turned up a notch with a few added effects, but Norah’s warm, folk, pop, jazz vocals are still the star of the show. While Jones is familiarly sultry on several songs, she sounds almost Lucinda Williams-like on the hauntingly atmospheric “Light As a Feather,” and nearly funky on “Young Blood.” She shows some humor on “It’s Gonna Be” and “Man of the Hour”(about her dog!). She even channels Alison Krauss on the country-ish “Tell Her Mama” and “You’ve Ruined Me,” which along with the neo-psychedelic “Stuck” are highlights. Overall, a strong fourth outing from Ravi Shankar’s most famous daughter.

• White Lies for Dark Times – Ben Harper & Relentless 7 – Backed by the Texas trio Relentless 7, the noted slide guitar specialist gets extra funky on this outing. Alternately bluesy, hard rockin’ and soulful, Harper’s instrumental chops stand out, but there’s catchy lyrical phrasing bubbling through on many songs, too. The jamming is Hendrixian at points (“Lay There & Hate Me” and “Keep It Together”), Black Crowes-ish at others (“Boots Like These” and “The Word Suicide”). The opening track, “A Number with No Name,” kicks it off, and it all rocks on from there.

• Live in London – Leonard Cohen – The old Zen-master’s pension recovery tour reminded us all of his sensitive songwriting and performing brilliance. His heartfelt, literate approach to rock/folk/whatever you call it is simply unparalleled. At 73, Leonard Cohen is dignity incarnate. This live recording from his July 2008 concert at London’s 02 Arena covers the full span of his 40-plus year career, featuring all of the expected “hits.” His large backing band is absolutely stellar. Sting wishes his band sounded this good. I recommend the DVD version of this release, since it has the same song list as the CD but the added bonus of the visuals, which in this case add a lot to the overall effect.

Others that were seriously considered, but didn’t quite make the top 20 cut:

No Line on the Horizon – U2 / Together Through Life – Bob Dylan / Monsters of Folk / The Fountain – Echo & The Bunnymen / Battle for the Sun – Placebo / American Central Dust – Son Volt / Imidiwan: Companions – Tinariwen /Songs from Lonely Avenue – The Brian Setzer Orchestra / Horehound – The Dead Weather / Fork in the Road – Neil Young / Electric Dirt – Levon Helm / Through the Devil Softly – Hope Sandoval & The Warm Inventions / Outside Love – Pink Mountaintops