Bob Dylan: John Wesley Harding (1967) (Country,Folk)

In a year that was largely defined by psychedelic rock and innovations to electric guitar music, Dylan countered the prevailing trend by reverted to a folkier more rustic sound. Though it is not completely akin to the work that made him the singer-songwriter darling of the era. Instead, Dylan invokes lyrics of folk tales, myth, legend, spirituality often in an ambiguous and self meditative state. Though very earthy, there is something very ghostly and mystic, a masterpiece of an album for the Fall.




Country/Folk

Kyuss: Welcome to Sky Valley (1994) (Metal,Rock)

The high-intensity hellish energy of their previous albums becomes much more condensed. Though not as experimental as Blues For The Red Sun, Welcome to Sky Valley refines the stoner metal genre through more intricate and filling, lengthy compositions. The guitars and drums remain monstrous crushing and intense, but this time there is a bit more composure, they sound sharper, but at the same time the production feels open like you are listening to a band play in the stary nights of California. A real gem in the genre and should be listened to even if you are not a fan of the genre.







Heavy Psych/Stoner Metal/Stoner Rock

Kate Bush: Hounds of Love (1985) (Pop)

Lovey-dovey art-pop, with lavish violins, pianos, bells and all things baroque complemented by fruitful recording techniques, bordering on glitch and new wave (Waking The Witch, Watching You Without Me), Hounds of Love has the wide range of performances expected from art-pop acts while still feeling incredibly cohesive, intimate and sensual. With her dreamy but powerful performances, Hounds of Love is a masterpiece and easily one of the apexes in the 80s art-pop scene. 


Art-pop/Baroque Pop/Progressive Pop

Neutral Milk Hotel: In the Aeroplane Over the Sea (1998) (Folk,Rock)

A hallmark in indie folk music that remains daunting and sonically exhilarating. With enough complexity and esoteric lyrics to remain compelling after multiple listens, even if Magnum's voice is whiny and hard to listen to at times, the emotion and absurdity of the project strikes home, in one of the immortalized "hipster" albums of recent decades.



Best Tracks: King of Carrot Flowers Pt.1*, King of Carrot Flowers Pts.2 & 3*, In the Aeroplane Over the Sea*, Two-Headed Boy, The Fool, Holland, 1945*, Communist Daughter, Two-Headed Boy Pt.2



Folk Punk/ Indie Rock/ Psychedelic Folk

Love: Forever Changes (1967) (Folk,Pop,Rock)

It would be easy to say Forever Changes is just one of many feel-good hippie albums of the 60s, but in listening closer, it transcends that moniker. With its enduring, socially potent lyrics, bright, lush instrumentation and excellent songwriting, shifting from melancholy, longing and fervour all in a poetic existential tone, Forever Changes is a timeless well-defined linchpin of 60s era psychedelia. A lighting in the bottle moment, effectively encapsulating it's era in such a cohesive manner to point that it is everlasting. The news of today will be the movies of tomorrow. 

Best Tracks: Alone Again Or*, A House Is Not a Motel*, Andmoreagain*, The Daily Planet*, Old Man, The Red Telephone*, Maybe the People Would Be the Times or Between Clark and Hilldale*, Live and Let Live*, The Good Humor Man He Sees Everything Like This*, Bummer in the Summer, You Set the Scene


S+ Summer Vibes/ Baroque Pop/ Pop Rock/ Psychadelic Folk 

Lou Reed: Transformer (1972) (Rock)

With typical Lou Reed swagger, Transformer is a poppy glam rock record that still holds onto much of the dirt, hedonism, and instrumental fulfilment of his Velvet Underground days. The songs are simple and sufficient, never too arduous or taxing, yet incredibly catchy and diverse, with a large range of energetic performances, from punk-like to slower more art rock-inspired, with consistent quirk and wit to throw serious listeners off guard. One of the benchmarks in glam-rock, Transformer is a must-listen for pop and rock fans alike. 


Best Tracks: Vicious*, Perfect Day*, Hangin' Round*, Walk On the Wild Side*, Make Up, Satellite of Love*, Wagon Wheel, New York Telephone Conversation, I'm So Free*


S

Art rock/Glam rock/Pop rock

Fleet Foxes: Helplessness Blues (2011) (Folk)

The subtle melancholy of their previous album is now a driving force but now packaged with 60s folk adoration, as shown with the apparent inspirations from Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Cosby, Stills and Nash. The song Lorelai being so akin to Dylans 4th Time Around it almost sounds like a cover, but an excellent one at that, with grander more energetic instrumentation and dynamic vocal passages. But, this is much of the appeal of Helplessness Blues, the ability to borrow the best moments of folk music and translate them into grander, chamber pop songs with enough experimentation and lyrical substance to engage modern listeners. As a band they really show their resiliency, being able to switch effortlessly between grander and more intimate songs while maintaining cohesion in a story of life, loss and love. The vocal harmonizations and instrumental landscapes remain warmer and even more rustic, and the lyrical content is more focused with contrasts of warmth and optimism with an overbearing sadness. The ethos of the album leaves an impression and the album is without a doubt one of the best in its class in recent decades.

Best Tracks: Montezuma*, Bedouin Dress, Sim Sala Bim, Battery Kinzie*, The Plains/ Bitter Dancer, Helplessness Blues*, The Cascades, Lorelai*, Someone You'd Admire*, The Shrine/ An Argument, Blue Spotted Tail*, Grown Ocean


S

Earthy Vibes/Chamber Folk/ Folk Pop

Enya: Watermark (1988) (Pop)

A cohesive blend of ethereal Celtic New Age and experimental pop. Some songs are slower (Watermark, Evening Falls...) some more cheerful and jumpy (Orinoco Flow) others more stormy(Cursum Perficio, Storms in Africa pt1&2). Enya sings vocals in 3 different languages and uses them as elegant instruments, weaving with other instruments giving some occasional structure on some songs while crafting some powerful vocal performances when she chooses to make her voice the centre-piece. Though borrowing from classical and folk, most of the project has a bright electronic sheen. Most songs have a strong influence of ambient music allowing a lot of space, successfully creating an ethereal feeling. A lulling project, lush and bright dreamy canvas in a refreshing New Age paganesque experience.


Best Tracks: Watermark, Cursum Perficio, On Your Shore*, Storms in Africa*, Exile, Orinocco Flow*, River, The Longships*, Storms in Africa - Pt. II*

S



Forest Vibes/Ambient Pop/Celtic New Age/Experimental Pop