J-Man
Drawing from both the spontaneity of jazz and the lyricism of contemporary folk, the British trio known as Quercus can be tough to pigeonhole into a specific genre description, but their self-titled debut proves that an improvisational approach to folk-inspired composition can work really well. Featuring the brooding vocal work of June Tabor accompanied by Huw Warren's detailed piano arrangements and Iain Ballamy's subtle saxophone melodies, this 2013 release leaves plenty of room for the compositions to breathe, while still feeling "busy" enough to grab its listener's attention. Although some folks may still feel that Quercus is too dynamically stagnant to feel fully engaging, I think this qualifies as a good "rainy day" album. Fans of atmospheric music should have no trouble appreciating this one!
