Here's what's caught my ear in the past two years.
David Sylvian / Nine Horses:
Snow Borne Sorrow

Nine Horses is a collaboration between David Sylvian, his brother and frequent collaborator Steve Jansen and electronic composer/remixer Burnt Friedman. I wore this disk out during 2007. Favorite tracks are: Wonderful World, The Banality of Evil, Darkest Birds, and Serotonin.

Wikipedia says "The album successfully fused together elements of pop, avant-garde jazz, folk and electronica, creating an overall sound...". While there is a dud or two, some of these have great ear candy. I interpret many of the songs as revealing the anquish, torment, and recrimination following a divorce. Sure, heavy but it conveys.

Sufjan Stevens: Illinoise!

It's kind of a roundabout story. In early December of 2006 Ned Wharton, NPR's Weekend Edition Music Director made gift recommendations for Christmas. Several artists caught my ear: Sufjan Stevens, Pat Metheny/Brad Mehldau, The Decemberists (see below), and Jon Auer's Songs From the Year of Our Demise.

Wharton was recommending the most recent release from Sufjan Stevens which was a compilation of Christmas related music Stevens had recorded over the past few years. The music sounded creative and that led me to Amazon.com. Instead of the Christmas release, I picked up his previous release called Come on, Feel the Illinoise! This is the disk I wore out in the first half of 2007. Uniquely, Stevens was two steps along a pledged effort to make a CD of music and songs about each of the fifty states. Wikipedia says: "As with Michigan, Stevens used the state of Illinois as a leaping-off point for his more personal explorations of faith, family, love, and location." and "Among the subjects explored on Illinois: the cities of Chicago, Decatur and Jacksonville; the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893; the state's (somewhat confusing and obscure) observance of a holiday in honor of Casimir Pulaski; the poet Carl Sandburg; and the serial killer John Wayne Gacy Jr."   Wikipedia has detailed entries for Sufjan Stevens and, more specifially, the Illinoise! release.

Labels such as Indie folk, Experimental, Folk rock, and Baroque pop have been applied to Sufjan Stevens music. I liked the Illinoise! disk so much that I've since obtained most of his catalog from Asthmatic Kitty Records . Yes, I'd say some of his earliest work does sound like Baroque Pop. I find elaborate arrangements on Illinoise! that make me think classical. My favorite selections off of this are: Chicago, Decatur, Jacksonville, and Night Zombies.

The Decemberists: The Crane Wife

I took a chance on The Decemberists The Crane Wife. I like it! And I wore it out during 2007. Intelligent lyrics and creative, developed rock music. Where else can you hear names of birds like cranes, curlews, and cormorants in rock lyrics? Their rock sound of today draws on much of the classic rock of the last 30 years. I hear Kansas, Jethro Tull, and xxx in their sound. But their sound is their own too. Wikipedia says: "...the band's songs range from upbeat pop to instrumentally lush ballads, and often employ instruments like the accordion, Hammond organ, Wurlitzer organ, and upright bass. In their lyrics, the band eschew the angst and introspection common to modern rock, instead favoring a storytelling approach,..."

I caught them on tour in Knoxville, TN during December 2006. What a great venue! And their show was enjoyable. Most of their readings were much like the studio versions. Still, it was nice to see the music brought to life. The best songs are: The Crane Wife Parts I, II, and III; O Valencia!; and The Island (both parts).

Darla Label Samplers: Little Darla Has a Treat for You

Here's a bit of a story as well. In the late 80's, I liked a (4AD label) band called The Cocteau Twins. Their lush, chiming guitar sound mainly stemmed from their guitarist, Robin Guthrie. The band broke up over ten years ago. While browsing on Amazon.com, somewhere I saw Robin Guthrie's name. That led me to search Amazon.com and find that actually Robin Guthrie had been producing solo work over the past ten years. I ordered one or two of his disks to try and catch up on what he's been creating. In one of the Amazon reviews of his work, was a reference to a single, exclusive track that was ONLY available on a Darla label sampler. That led me to Google "Darla Label". There I found a label that gives a viable outlet for many artists and bands which the large labels ignore.
The Darla label has artists from all over the globe and all over the musical map. Yes, there are plenty of "post rock" instrumentalists. But that's a good thing. The Darla label has samplers all titled Little Darla has a Treat For You Volume xx. I ordered all they had--volumes 15, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, and 25. I've started with just the last two and have been wearing them out. (Yes, I found the Robin Guthrie track Argenta I was seeking.) Certainly, samplers are never 100% winners. I skip the songs that just don't move me. There are plenty of good songs. Some are so good that I was compelled to order full disks of music from Darla.com . The bands that really intrigued me are: Japancakes, Keith Canisius (Rumskib), Yellow6, and Twin Atlas. What other discoveries await me in the other volumes?

I must mention Japancakes. This band from Athens, GA is a large instrumental band. They have violin and pedal steel in addition to more traditional band instruments. You might say much of their work sounds the same--well, I like it all. Sure, the pedal steel could be interpreted as a "country" sound but I see past that to the wonderful lead instrument that it is.

Flaming Lips: At War With the Mystics

The Flaming Lips followed up 2002's Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots in 2006 with At War With the Mystics. This is a fine album. My favorite tracks are The Sound of Failure, Mr Ambulance Driver, Pompeii am Götterdämmerung and an instrumental, The Wizard Turns On.... What I like about the Flaming Lips is that they don't sound like a lot of other bands to me. They sound unique.

I saw the Flaming Lips at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. It's the loudest concert I've ever been to and I failed, unfortunately, to put in my earplugs. Yes, the show was amazing and I'd recommend a Flaming Lips show to anyone for sheer entertainment.

Other Highlights:

Bettie Serveert released Bare Stripped Naked in 2006. It is more acoustic, but not exclusively so, than their previous releases. Highlights are: a crunchy "Certainlie" and "The Rope". Caught them in concert in Feb 2007 at the 7th Street Entry and, once again, enjoyed it a great deal.

Tragically Hip released World Container in early 2007 (in the US). It will continue to grow on me. Highlights for me are: Lonely End of the Rink, The Drop Off, and Luv (Sic). Two slow songs, Pretend and World Container are fine. I caught their live show at First Avenue in May and had a great time.

Neil Young released Chrome Dreams II in late 2007. It's pretty good. The highlight is an 18-minute piece called "Ordinary People". The track is actually from around 1988 when he was recording the Bluenotes album.

Kate Bush released Aerial in late 2005. She had a 12 year break since her previous release. This has two disks. Most of the songs are good. Standouts for me are: Pi, How to be Invisible, Joanni, and The Coral Room. It's gentle. Nice to see what she's creating these days.

My previous Music of Note page is here. Yes, I was wrong in my comments about the Flaming Lips implying that the leader of the band is the drummer and that is why their albums have prominent drumming.

BRUCE RICHARDSON