Favorite Albums of 1996

This list is basically in alphabetical order, not in order of preference. (How's that for avoiding tough decisions?)

I believe that all of these albums have outstanding qualities, in some objective and defensible attributes. It is my personal list, however, I'll call these albums "favorites" and will leave the "best of" lists for the columnists.

• various artists: Robert Burns' The Merry Muses — An exceptional collection of Burns' bawdy songs, many of which he also wrote "polite" sets of verses for. How many albums of 200+-year-old songs get a "Parental Advisory" sticker? But these songs show Burns' talent for language and lyrics, as well as his humanity, perception, and humor. And the performances, by artists well known in Scotland but new to me (Scott Murray, Gill Bowman, Fiona Forbes, Davy Steele, Tich Frier, Robin Laing) are top-notch.

• various artists: The Complete Songs of Roburt Burns, Volume 2 — This series was started to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Burns' death and intends to cover all of the poet/songwriter's 300+ songs. Volume 2 features some accomplished and (to me) lesser-known artists. Most of the arrangements and performances are excellent and will appeal to fans of Celtic music as well as those who appreciate Burns' songwriting skills.

• Greg Brown: Further In — The songs on this collection have a more romantic and personal touch. Greg's singing is in fine form and the relatively sparse arrangements serve the songs well.

• Jack Hardy: The Passing — Well, it didn't get released in 1996, but this is one fine album. Look for it in early 1997. The title track, with a bouncy Irish-sounding tune and chorus in Gaelic, was motivated by the death of Jack's grandmother and deals with both that personal situation and the treatment of the elderly. There's a song that uses the end of the 20th century to look back on the last 2000 years, and another that describes New York City's unofficial "Hallowe'en Parade." "Dachau," a live version of which has already appeared on a Fast Folk album, will also be on the album.

• Peter Keane: Walkin' Around — Keane specializes in "soft blues" in the style of Mississippi John Hurt and Dave van Ronk. That statement applies to both his playing and his songwriting. His execution is masterful again on this album.

• Kate and Anna McGarrigle: Matapedia — The songs on this album contain connections to many traditional and older songs on this album, which adds to their power. There are many such references in "Goin' Back to Harlan" and lines from "Man of Constant Sorrow" are worked brilliantly into "Why Must We Die?" The main tune of "Jacques et Gilles" derives from the nursery rhyme but the song starts with an accordion introduction that is another traditional tune, best known as "Un Canadien Errant" ("The Lost Canadian"), a song written in 1842 about a young man forced to flee Canada after participating in an uprising. All in all, this is a well-crafted and beautiful album.

• Bill Morrissey: You'll Never Get to Heaven — A masterpiece of an album, consisting of fine songs, excellent production and musicianship, and superb sound. I can attest that this album holds up to more than 100 listenings!

• Elliott Murphy: Selling the Gold — Not quite up to the brilliance of his 1993 album Unreal City, this album still features Elliott's strong performing skills and a few great songs: "Is Fellini Really Dead?," "Love to America," and the title track.

• Pete Nelson: The Restless Boys' Club — There are some unique characteristics to Nelson's songs. A line or two may be simple, even cliché, but they are followed by others that shape a poignant portrait of growing up, broken relationships, or a time gone by. Some of the lyrics are almost narratives, but they are delivered with a sense of timing that makes the odd rhythms even more effective.

• Jean Redpath: Songs of Robert Burns, Volume 2 — These are not the highly regarded volumes of songs arranged by Serge Hovey, but another series of Burns' songs recorded by Redpath a cappella and accompanying herself on guitar. This series uses songs that Burns published in a series of songbooks called the Scots Musical Museum. Released on three cassettes in Scotland in the '80s, they have finally been issued on two CDs.

• Loudon Wainwright III: Grown Man — Released in late 1995 in Europe, but included here on the pretext that it was released in January 1996 in the U.S. Another strong album from one of the most consistent songwriters of the past 25 years, it contains a varied batch of songs on family, contemporary, and humorous themes. Jeffery Lesser's superb production is again evident.

• Dar Williams: Mortal City — Everyone else is singing her praises, and I will too. There are many extraordinary songs on this album. I'm usually disinclined to jump on the bandwagon of "hot" artists, but this is one fine album. I put the CD away for a while and keep coming back to it. I couldn't catch all the words without the lyric sheet, and I'd highly recommend reading along with these songs at least once.

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