What Love?

It's that time of year again, my amigos da musica, so hallelujah, here we go. FTSOTS presents the ten push and pulls of the year, not forgetting the finest reads around. Always a pleasure. Winning artwork - 'his dreams of music', yes sir - comme d'habitude by Tinca. Dig in and crack up.

1. Jake Xerxes Fussell - What In The Natural World
Jake Xerxes Fussell - Pinnacle Mountain Silver Mine
2. Colter Wall - s/t
Colter Wall - You Look To Yours
3. Joan Shelley - s/t
Joan Shelley - The Push And Pull
4. Fleet Foxes - Crack-Up
5. The Feelies - In Between
6. The Weather Station - s/t
7. Hiss Golden Messenger - Hallelujah Anyhow
8. Here Lies Man - s/t
9. Courtney Barnett & Kurt Vile - Lotta Sea Lice
10. John Moreland - Big Bad Love

Flamenco dept:
Luis Moneo - Mi Cante, Mi Palabra

Top books on music:

1. Erin Osmon - Jason Molina: Riding With The Ghost

2. Clinton Heylin - Trouble In Mind: Bob Dylan's Gospel Years

3. Reinhard Kleist - Nick Cave: Mercy On Me

4. Allan Jones - Can't Stand Up For Falling Down: Rock'n'Roll War Stories

Anything Different

Only debut albums should be self-titled in my book, but let's be mild for once and forgive the Weather Station. As it stands, the Canadian combo's fourth offering is simply too good to be cast aside for such petty reasons. With bonus points for lush but functional string arrangements and even a flute here and there, The Weather Station raises only one question really: might young Tamara Lindeman be Joni Mitchell's illegitimate offspring?

The Weather Station - Kept It All To Myself