Rick Brown & Sue Garner, Still (side A)

Rick Brown & Sue Garner's persistence in making amazing music is particularly inspiring, and 2000's Still is no exception. From Rick's early-80s work with V-Effect and Information through their teaming up to form Fish & Roses in the mid-80s, they've had an obvious and often-overlooked impact on what is now considered indie-rock. The path indie-rock to becoming something of a calcified genre has moved far away from its creative and idiosyncratic roots, yet Rick & Sue continue to make inspiring and rewarding music. Still emphasizes their mellowest, artiest side, which was often overpowered in both Fish & Roses and Run On. It still has their uplifting energy, even in its artiest and most abstract moments, and it's always approachable. The album sounds small and present in a way that's slightly referential of 90s lo-fi, but the mixes are great, professional, and clear. The simple image on the cover art works nicely with the understated music inside.