Kevin Kendle's After Christmas Gift

A couple years back I was weaning myself from my usual post-Holiday splurging blues... from all that sugar, the endless libations, the mystical high I always yearn to attain (yes, I always get a little down after December comes and goes - funny how a couple of weeks of time transforms the stark landscape from glittering wonderland into bleak tundra). So I was searching through Emusic for a little midwinter pick-me-up and came across Kevin Kendle's Winter.

I was immediately struck by how nicely the music fit the songs titles and conjured a meditative mood that really helped me ease into the new year and embrace the small offerings of beauty that winter truly offers. I find myself returning to the CD each January and actually look forward to it.

Later that same year I checked out Kendle's Autumn release and was equally enthralled. It is described as a haunting atmospheric album that evokes images of ethereal, magical landscapes of the season of mists and I enthusiastically agree. 

Now Kendle has a new CD coming out in 2012 that sounds very intriguing:
The Leaves of Paradise: a collaboration with the Joao Santos. Check out the incredible digital landscape images at the Kevin Kendle web site!

If you enjoy meditative electronic music or spacey new age and need a little shot in the arm to pick up your spirits, I recommend the music of Kevin Kendle! Now pass me a cup of hot chocolate...

Kevin Kendle Amazon Store

2011: The Year That Was

New music releases I enjoyed the most:

Hammock Longest Year
Doug Powell The Apprentice's Sorcerer
Ron Sexsmith Long Player Late Bloomer
Paul Simon So Beautiful or So What
The Sea And The Cake The Moonlight Butterfly
Bon Iver Bon Iver
Daryl Hall Laughing Down Crying
Jonathan Wilson Gentle Spirit


Other artists whose albums I listened to but they didn't really knock my socks off:

Joseph Arthur, Fow, Rundgren, Waits, Buva, Neon Indian, Kate Bush, Fleet Foxes. Rundgren needs to get back to basics... Waits needs to flee them.



Probably the recording I listened to most last year was:

Eden Ahbez Eden's Island

My soundtrack of the summer from hell!!!


Odds and Sods (mostly Sods):

Songs from 2011 you must download now!

The Copper Top Bill Wells and Aidan Moffat / Burden of Tomorrow Tallest Man on Earth / Beachcombing Typewriter / Perfect Day Cassettes Won't Listen / Hold That Thought Nik Freitas / Soft Washed Out / Dancing Barefoot Todd Rundgren



Best Shows I Saw (aka Only Shows I Saw):

Steely Dan at the Starlight Theater in KC
Ben Folds with the OKC Philharmonic and Paul Simon both at the beautiful Civic Center Music Hall within a few days of each other.

Made Me Quite Merry: Carla Bley Carla's Christmas Carols

A band I'd like to check out more in 2012: Balmorhea

Personal MVP of 2011:

Would have to be Paul Simon. I've spent a lifetime fending off the guy but there's no denying it now... he's one talented sob. His album was great and the impromptu show he gave us in the lobby of the Civic Center while the sound system was being fixed was magical. Showed he had stamina, versatility and most importantly... heart.