Another remarkable story. Bill Fay is a British singer-songwriter who back in the 1970s released a couple of fascinating albums that received some good reviews but sold few copies. He retreated back to his working life doing manual labor and disappeared from the music scene. He was coaxed back into the studio and about forty years after his previous records released this masterpiece. He’s in his late 60s now and his music betrays not one iota of bitterness at his lost career. Instead, he sings beautiful, quiet, wise songs of difficult hope. He’s a man grateful for life and faith and love. The title track and “Healing Day” may capture his message the best. He also does a fine job covering Wilco’s “Jesus, etc” (ignore the video in the linked track and just listen to the song).

Dead Oceans, 2012. [All-Music Guide review]

Here’s #84.