My faves:
01) Anna St. Louis - If Only There Was a River
02) Haley Heynderickx - I Need to Start a Garden
03) Anna & Elizabeth - The Invisible Comes to Us
04) The Hanging Stars - Songs for Somewhere Else
05) Sarah Louise - Deeper Woods
06) Martha Scanlan - The River and the Light
07) Jim Ghedi - A Hymn for Ancient Land
08) Stick in the Wheel - Follow Them True
09) Courtney Barnett - Tell Me How You Really Feel
10) Colter Wall - Songs of the Plains
01) Anna St. Louis - If Only There Was a River
Debut full-length studio release for the Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter from Kansas City. A pastoral song suite, sometimes recreating American Primitivism and John Fahey-style fingerpicking. The record conveys a soothing and peaceful energy, a warm and inviting atmosphere. Stunning debut.
02) Haley Heynderickx - I Need to Start a Garden
Songwriter from Portland/Oregon with her full-length debut album. The record has a strong acoustic feel to it, even when Haley Heynderickx switches to electric guitar. Warm melodies, some slightly strange, but wonderful guitar tunings, quirky lyrics, and a trembly singing voice. The songs are mostly lovely little sketches. An intricate, tender, delicate and beautiful record, but with a strong sense of humour. "I Need to Start a Garden" is only 30 minutes long, but it leaves a deep impression.
03) Anna & Elizabeth - The Invisible Comes to Us
A record subtly pushing folk music beyond the borders and seeking the outer limits with the electronic sounds, drones, loops and sequencers employed throughout the record, without ever forsaking the raw and earthy quality of the traditional songs. Minimalist arrangements, clearly based on traditional folk music, but the thrilling new spin they put to the songs makes this a bold, powerful and dauntless album.
04) The Hanging Stars - Songs for Somewhere Else
Country pop conveying a wonderful West Coast atmosphere with more than a tinge of psychedelia. Surprisingly, this is not a Californian band, but a group from London/UK. Their 2016 debut album "Over the Silvery Lake" was even better. Phantastic live band, saw them in May this year.
05) Sarah Louise - Deeper Woods
Third full-length release of the North Carolina leftfield folk singer-songwriter. The previous two albums were mainly instrumental guitar exercises, the new album features her singing on each of the tracks: And her strong, emotional and resonant voice is a great complement to her six-string sorcery. Inventive, haunting and daring experimental roots music.
06) Martha Scanlan - The River and the Light
Already the fourth album of this Montana-based Americana/folk singer-songwriter, but the first one that I became aware of. Sparse and intimate, with layers of subtle sounds. The instrumentation is creating poetic soundscapes that are drawing you into the songs.
07) Jim Ghedi - A Hymn for Ancient Land
6- and 12-string guitarist and singer from North Yorkshire with his second album. Largely instrumental pieces of pastoral music that evoke a strong sense of music and place conjuring up vibrant images of landscapes and countryside towns. Maybe the record is a bit oversentimental and saccharine in some places through the inclusion of orchestral elements, but the guitar playing is simply superb, sometimes reminiscent of Michael Chapman or an English John Fahey.
08) Stick in the Wheel - Follow Them True
Their second full-length album, following the wonderful "From Here" from 2015. The delivery of the songs is unadorned, with a sense of anger, fury and urgency, and rooted in their East London working class roots. A traditional folk record and sort of a punk manifesto at the same time.
09) Courtney Barnett - Tell Me How You Really Feel
Catchy guitar riffs, infectious power-pop melodies, and just a ton of charm. Not as consistently brilliant as the 2014 predecessor "Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit", but joyously pleasing.
10) Colter Wall - Songs of the Plains
Another fine record from this young Canadian songwriter. Naked and sparse songs, carried by Colter Wall's dark and booming baritone voice.