There are relatively few music artists who, when they are interviewed, or they write an article, can be guaranteed to say something smart, interesting, and entertaining.
Iโm thinking of the likes of Michael Stipe, or Kristin Hersh.
And also Jessica Dobson, the singer/songwriter fronting Deep Sea Diver.
This is another great track from the year of many gems, 2016. That year marked the 50th Anniversary of the formation of The Monkees, and a project was put together to make a new record by the three surviving members. This is its highlight track.
The fourth and final LP from School of Seven Bells was completed without main songwriter Benjamin Curtis, who sadly died young in 2013. But itโs a fine record, and the opening track, Ablaze, is a highlight from 2016 - a year of many highlights.
If one uses the release date of the album, rather than the pre-release single, this track counts as being from the golden year of 2016 - for me the finest year of releases since 2004. Itโs distinctively Poliรงa, but without the prominent autotune effects that controversially featured in earlier releases.
This track comes from 2016, the wonderful year where my annual โbest-ofโ mix tape was one of the greatest I can remember. Paper Thin is by Laura Kidd, who was then using the She Makes War project name, and features Tanya Donelly on BVs.
This is the first in a trio of songs by a pair of my favourite artists of recent years. First up is singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Anomie Belle, with Salt Spring from her 2016 LP Flux.
Scot composer and musician Anna Meredith combines electronica with classical instruments to produce music that has connections to past yet which still sounds fresh and modern.