Top-tier songcraft is on full display thanks to a crop of late 2020 releases available now.
Title: McCartney III (Capitol Records)
You might like if you enjoy: Paul McCartney's 1970 "McCartney," Neil Young, Beck
Tell me more: The arrival of the coronavirus pandemic early this year has left a destructive legacy in its wake to be sure. On the flip side, a number of music making greats not able to tour have been recording and issuing some of their most interesting and ambitious discs in memory. As likely the final great release of 2020, Sir Paul McCartney's decidedly lo-fi 18th solo album McCartney III (released Dec. 18) is the must-hear follow-up to 1970's McCartney, 1980's McCartney II and his 2005 disc Chaos and Creation in the Backyard. The material is diverse and there are definite treasures to be found for the faithful. The mostly-instrumental "Long Tailed Winter Bird," genre-bending "Find My Way," baroque folk flavored "Pretty Boys" and wistful piano-anchored "Women And Wives" are early enticing entries on "McCartney III." The buoyant rocker "Lavatory Lil" and gentle "The Kiss Of Venus" recall McCartney's early solo work; "Deep Deep Feeling" is haunting and bolstered by some emotive lead guitar work. Late disc standouts include the sparse and tempting "Deep Down," and breezy unassuming acoustic closer "Winter Bird / When Winter Comes" (a "lost classic" collaboration between McCartney and the late George Martin). Although McCartney's youthful tenor is mostly in absentia, the 78-years-old artist's brilliant songwriting and musicianship — he plays nearly all instruments on the album — are on full display. Information: PaulMcCartney.com.
Title: More From The Levee (Signature Sounds)
You might like if you enjoy: Bob Dylan, Bruce Cockburn, Neil Young, Chris Smither's 2014 album "Still on the Levee"
Tell me more: Singer-songwriter-guitarist master Chris Smither's More From The Levee is an album whose authentic Louisiana-draped soundscape is enhanced by the artist's descriptive and poetic lyrics. The range of undeniable material includes the melodic opener "Lonely Time," uptempo country blues nugget "Confirmation," enchanting "I Am The Ride," confessional "Hey, Hey, Hey" and stirring "Caveman." It doesn't hurt that members of alternative rock outfit Morphine, vocalist Anita Suhanin and the late New Orleans rhythm and blues great Allen Toussaint appear on this batch of previously-unreleased recordings tracked in 2013 for the 50-year retrospective "Still on the Levee" (released in 2014). Information: Smither.com.
Title: Think of Spring (Antim)
You might like if you enjoy: M. Ward, Billie Holiday, Elliott Smith
Tell me more: Singer-songwriter M. Ward has released a moving full-length tribute to legendary jazz and swing singer Billie Holiday titled Think of Spring where he offers up 11 tunes popularized by the late artist who passed away in 1959 at the age of 44. The songs are delivered via sparse and impactful arrangements with Ward's distinctive baritone and deft acoustic guitar play doing all the lifting; indeed Ward used various alternate tunings and minimal studio wizardry to complete the recordings (most tracked on an analog Tascam four-track machine). The yearning "I Get Along Without You Very Well," uplifting "For Heaven's Sake," shimmering "It's Easy To Remember," tender "For All We Know" and lovely "All The Way" (the latter popularized by Holliday as well as Frank Sinatra) are among the gems on the collection. Information: mwardmusic.com.
Title: Covers EP (Republic Records)
You might like if you enjoy: James Blake, Billie Eilish
Tell me more: James Blake delighted fans with the release of his new Covers EP on Dec. 11. The six-track collection features the United Kingdom-based singer-songwriter/multi-instrumentalist delivering some of his favorite covers. Blake's evocative take on Billie Eilish's "when the party's over" is every bit as powerful as the original while his otherworldly take on the Joy Division favorite "Atmosphere" is a fully new interpretation of the 1980 classic. Blake's bewitching falsetto and potent piano playing bring a haunting touch to a cover of Stevie Wonder's "Never Dreamed You'd Leave in Summer." Blake's amazing reworking of Frank Ocean's "Godspeed" has already become a favorite (generating more than 5 million views on TikTok) and is one of the EP's highlights. The other selections on the release include the Neo-classical Beyoncé track "When We're Older" and a magnificent mostly-faithful cover of Roberta Flack's "First Time Ever I Saw Your Face." Information: JamesBlakeMusic.com.
Robert Kinsler
Great to read about this. I really liked McCartney III as well. Need to check out the M Ward Album too.
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