Damon Albarn – “The Nearer The Fountain, More Pure The Stream Flows” (Transgressive Records)
And see, the day came when Damon Albarn sat down in a barn to look for the pure sound and he saw it was good. Put it in a slightly abbreviated form. In fact, after all his projects (Blur! Gorillaz! Operas!) Converted a barn into a studio in the English hinterland, and that’s when the album “The Nearer The Fountain, More Pure The Stream Flows” (Transgressive Records) was born. “I was on my own dark journey,” he says, “and that led me to believe that there might still be a pure source.” Whatever this could mean. So source search: delicate, restrained songs, a lot of keys, trying. Chords and notes that are allowed to hang in the air, inner contemplation, on the verge of meditation. We know some things from Albarn, he hinted at the solo entertainer with the cheap rhythm machine a couple of times, in “Royal Morning Blue” there is actually a kind Blur-Refrain. But best of all are the songs that hardly become a song, stay in suspension, attempts to create cirrus clouds. In songs like “The Cormorant” Albarn gives the very late Bowie, “Blackstar” phase, with a breaking voice. And then it comes to the end with the song “Particles”, which sounds as if the seeker has moved as far away from all sources as possible. He rises, floats into nowhere, singing a few last soft notes. Nice. Max Fellmann
Courtney Barnett – “Things Take Time, Take Time” (Marathon Artists)
The Australian Courtney Barnett is a master of calm miniatures. In her alternative / folk rock songs she sings less about the epic love dramas, more about the nicks in everyday life, less about the big crises, more about the perplexed moments in between. Still unbeatable: the title of her debut album from 2015, “Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit”. The new, third one is now called “Things Take Time, Take Time” (Marathon Artists). And indeed: it takes a little time. If you are in a bad mood, you could complain that it all flows a bit slowly. Few highs or lows, always about medium-paced, medium-loud, plus singing that sometimes reminds you of a shower. But the songs gradually develop their own drive, Schrammel guitar and lyre singing are reminiscent of Lou Reed in the best sense of the word. And the really nice moments, such as the head-up incantation “Take It Day By Day”, put you in a good mood and make you think of the sunny self-help songs by Jonathan Richman. Music that is easy to tidy up with – both in the living room and in life. Max Fellmann
Meskerem Mees – “Julius” (Mayway Records / Sony)
And after cleaning up, it’s time to make a discovery: the Belgian Meskerem Mees sings folk songs that can do everything from spring-delicate to autumn-melancholy. As fresh and crystal clear as if the genre had just been invented. All alone, a voice, a guitar, now and then a friend plays a little cello with it. And please, what more for? Who still dares to do something like that today? To celebrate the debut album “Julius” (Mayway Records / Sony), her record company proudly compares her to Nina Simone (wrong track, she looks at most a little like her) and Joni Mitchell (wrong track, Mees’ songs are much lighter, airier, lighter than Mitchell’s melancholy). But yes, it can take on the big ones. Music to which you want to drink the finest tea. Max Fellmann
Dave Gahan & Soulsavers – “Imposter” (Columbia / Sony Music)
Fascinating effect, the Dave Gahan together with the Soulsavers on “Imposter”, and which makes the strange little idea of the cover album astonishingly big: Gahan often does not stray too far from the source material when he interprets “I Held My Baby Last Night” by Jules Bihari and Elmore James, Neil Young’s “A Man Needs a Maid” or “Smile” by Charlie Chaplin. When he sings “Metal Heart” from the fantastic Cat Power or PJ Harvey’s “The Desperate Kingdom of Love”. When he dares to try the infinitely beautiful, very fragile “Lilac Wine” and at the very end, as if the originals were not awe-inspiring enough so far, also Bob Dylan’s “Not Dark Yet” and “Always On My Mind” (Elvis, Wille Nelson, Pet Shop Boys). A few things inflate the band a bit, full of Hammond organs, large choirs, muscular drums, milling, nasty electric guitars. But actually respect dominates. Gahan is not someone who attacks, conquers or subdues the pieces. He does not renew anything and replant even less. The reference is always there, cherished, cared for, loved. And yet everything could also be from himself. As if he were simply slipping into the music, wrapping himself up in the arrangements like in fluffy fur. Big, smart song dweller. Jakob Biazza
Eric Clapton – “The Lady in the Balcony: Lockdown Sessions” (Universal Music)
Well, what do we do now Eric Clapton? Unfortunately, he has developed into a full lateral thinker, sings corona protest songs, does not want to allow pandemic regulations at concerts. Difficult. So boycott? To ignore? On the other hand: Lemmy collected Nazi memorabilia, Bryan Ferry loves fox hunting, and anyway … let’s cut it short. So Clapton canceled a gig at the Royal Albert Hall and instead gave a living room concert with his band just for the camera. On the DVD “The Lady in the Balcony: Lockdown Sessions” he plays his way through hits and blues classics, “After Midnight”, “Rock Me Baby”, “Layla”, “Got My Mojo Working” – tasteful, cozy, absolutely also fussy. You don’t have to see it urgently, but: It’s nice to watch your old warriors at work. The great drummer Steve Gadd, who could easily throw a fireworks display, but only plays the drums with his fingers, very gently. Nathan East, who could split atoms with the electric bass, but here only lets the double bass growl gently. And Clapton himself, now a retired geography teacher with a knitted vest, makes a comparatively relaxed impression. I just wish him that he could deal with corona regulations and vaccinations in such a relaxed manner. Max Fellmann