Samuel Johnson, the distinguished man of letters and creator of one of the most influential dictionaries in the history of the English language, once wrote, ‘what is written without effort is, in general, read without pleasure.’
Likewise, music that is written without effort is often heard without pleasure. When it comes to what we pick as our weekly PBS Feature Album, we look for works where determination for excellence is apparent, where musicians harness everything at their disposal to produce an outstanding record. It is with this kind of effort that the music can be impactful and vigorous, while sounding so effortless.
2022 brought us many great albums, from near and far. As always, we listened to this music together with pleasure. We now invite you to reflect on this year in music by revisiting ten PBS Feature Albums that stood out above the rest.
Checkerboard Lounge - 'Sun Sessions'
Alexander Flood - 'The Space Between'
Phil Stroud - 'Apparitions'
Angel Olsen - 'Big Time'
Outright - 'Keep You Warm'
Szun Waves - 'Earth Patterns'
CLAMM - Care
BATTS - 'The Nightline'
Surprise Chef - 'Education & Recreation'
Adalita - 'Inland'
