My ten favorite music makers right now (in no order, just folks I'm listening to and thinking about a lot):

Andrew Bird
It's really coming into focus with him lately. Seeing him live and finally digesting his entire catalogue just cements his growing stature with me in the last few years. Favorite album right now: Break it Yourself.

The Durutti Column
Been getting back heavily into Vini, in anticipation of (hopefully) new material sometime this year. His one man band virtuosity is definitely in the same vein of Andrew Bird's eccentricities. Favorite album right now: Vini Reilly from 1988 (recorded during downtime while Vini was working on Morrissey's first album) — though Idiot Savants (from 2007) and A Paean to Wilson (from 2010) still remain his later day masterpieces.

Simple Minds
On the strength of the recent x5 box set. Seriously different band on that early stuff than their later pop hits. Favorite album right now: Sister Feelings Call (1981).

Poor Moon
Really clamoring for anything by these guys right now. Great as the Illusion EP is, it's danged short! And, after seeing them play a fourty minute live set in which they only played one song from the EP, I know they've got a bunch of other material in the can.

Leo Kottke
I love how he doesn't seem to take himself seriously at all, but he can play; MAN, can he play! Besides the dizzying technicality, there's a real knack for catchy tunes in his playing. Favorite album right now: Greenhouse (1972).

William Ackerman
Really love the tunes and emotions this guy can conjure with just six strings and two hands. I finally gave up trying to lump him in with any genre. His music's too emotive and ethereal to be folk, but too twangy to be new age. Favorite album right now: It Takes a Year (1978).

John Lennon
I can't over just how much of himself he laid bare in his initial solo output. That's really admirable. Fantastic tunes don't hurt either. Favorite album right now: John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band (1971)

Yes
I just love how spastic and ridiculous Yes gets at times, then their tunes will break down into this absolutely beautiful, lush, harmony-laden creations. Favorite album right now: the otherwise underrated Time and A Word (1969).

Genesis
Early stuff, mind you. It's mainly an interest in the musical backings. Genesis was probably the least technical of all the big prog bands, so the music relies on the pictures that Tony Banks, Anthony Phillips and Mike Rutherford can paint and they pull from melodramatic palette of sounds that is unpredictable and sometimes even catchy. Favorite album right now: Trespass (1970).

Fleet Foxes
Just because. Favorite album right now: Helplessness Blues (2011).

~Austin

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