ALC #16: A Sudden Nowhere

[EyeKanFly]

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A Sudden Nowhere by Phill Reynolds
Available on Bandcamp and Spotify at least, probably other streaming platforms

Sounds Like:Indie folk; Americana, but sung in Italy with very strong Venetian influence
Origin: Italy


Ok so I was considering a few different albums for this week, but luckily since I'll be doing another week I get to bother you all another time.

Phill Reynolds is an Italian folk singer who either has US American roots or draws heavily from Americana and country music. Album came out way back in January but it's something I've seen myself coming back to multiple times over the past 5 months. It's an interesting darkly atmospheric folk album. It clearly draws from northern Italian folk. While Reynolds lives in northwestern Italy, you can see Ligurian and Lombard influences if you've listened to any music from those regions (there's a solid s/t metal album by Dohlmen out this year which uses the Sardinian language and has lots of Sardinian influences. Sardinian and Ligurian music and language are VERY similar). There's a hulking heaviness that threads itself throughout the album, akin to drone and doom metal. But at the same time there's an interesting lightness that spreads in many songs, seen in optimistic vocals and quick guitar fills or solos.

Take a listen, let me know what you think. If you like it, I have other albums I can recommend! If you don't like it, well, sorry for wasting your time lol
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51 Washington, D.C. albums!

[Hayden]

In the queue.

Another choice that I haven't seen anywhere else.

[Hayden]

Oh wow the cover does not reflect the music in the slightest Why... why is that the cover? Especially when you can buy this postcard alongside the album—

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Solid stuff though. Exactly what it wants to be. Busker-esque. Nice voice too. Sax solos are very welcome.

[LedZep]

I'm a bit behind on ALC-s but from the snippets I'm listening to right now this should be top tier stuff. Great choice, I've also not seen it anywhere.
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Finally updated the overall chart

2020s
90s

[LedZep]

Lovin' this one. It is quite beautiful and peaceful but also dark, have to agree with EyeKanFly here. Reminds me of a lot of gothic/alt country that my dad loves. And so do I, there's something poetic, "standing by the fire and listening to music in the forest in the middle of nowhere" type happy melancholy in the genre. The stories are great too, the mood is spot on, it's in the top 50 of the year easily.
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Finally updated the overall chart

2020s
90s

[Keatownrodriguez]

I seriously enjoyed this album. I especially loved moments with the solo guitar like on To Agota. A nice mixture of bittersweet and dark moods.

[KitchenSink]

this was an interesting listen for me because while I did enjoy it for the most part my main thought for the bulk of its duration was how much more I would've really loved this had it been released during the height of my "indie phase". Feels weirdly nostalgic for me as such. So idk if there's a psychological reason for this but my favorite tracks were the ones that sounded the least like what I'd be listening to during my peak indie years haha. Time is Now was a highlight in that sense, definitely gonna echo Hayden re: the sax, and I like when he does some of the weirder more expressive stuff with his voice rather than the more standard "indie folk voice". Felt similarly about the guitar work tbh, the more atmospheric and/or pulsating strings did more for me than most of the folky plucking. Neat stuff overall albeit nothing I really see myself revisiting anytime soon (now if I were still in middle school however that would be a much different story, if only I could send this thing back in time a young KitchenSink would be very appreciative haha). OH also, respectable Leonard Cohen cover. IMO pulling of a genuinely worthwhile LC cover is no easy task
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A Variety of Artists

[an-outlaw]

I'm sure there was a Swedish singer who had a sound like this several years back. Something very familiar about it. Great sound still
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More needs and less greed
Yesterday is not you, it is a resource to be looked back on.