

Marisa Anderson and William Tyler‘s collaborative album, “Lost Futures”, has some of our favourite melodies of the year. The idea of “duelling guitars” has given us some enticing music over the years, but the duo’s music shines brighter when those guitars – both electric and acoustic – sound like they’re just sweetly talking to each other.
Tamara Lindeman’s work as The Weather Station is finally getting the critical acclaim it deserves. In “Ignorance”, and following what she started with the already superb self-titled album, the Canadian singer-songwriter goes way beyond her folkish roots and employs a constellation of musicians to dress up her stellar songs in lush instrumentation. We’ll be very surprised if this ends up outside our top three albums of the year.
It’s hard to talk about Buck Meek without referring to him as “Big Thief’s Buck Meek”. But his solo work – with a little help from some of our favorite handymen of indie music such as Mat Davidson (Twain) and Adam Brisbin – is its own thing, with Meek’s characteristic voice paving the way to beautifully arranged songs. Songs that we’re definitely going to use as an argument when, come November, you’ll say, as always, that “this wasn’t a very good year for music”.
Bolachas Now Playing, a new music Spotify playlist, updated every Wednesday.
John Darnielle is Getting Into Knives! And it’s probably his best album in almost a decade, when ‘All Eternals Deck’ brought us some of the most memorable the Mountain Goats songs. Closing the album, the title track is the standout here – a repeat affair right after the first listen.
Plus: new tracks by Bill Callahan & Bonnie “Prince” Billy, Helena Deland, Jeff Tweedy (Wilco), Woods, Okey Dokey, The Shilohs, Aaron Lee Tasjan, Matt Berninger (The National), The Besnard Lakes, Plastic War, Strange Ranger, Son Little, Nilüfer Yanya, Ariana Grande, Hot Chip (with Jarvis Cocker), Harolddd (with Faye Webster), Skyway Man, Julien Baker, Skullcrusher, Adrianne Lenker, Sierra Ferrell, Oliver Wood, Mandolin Orange, Grace Gillespie, and Valley Maker.