After a six-year break since their truly exceptional sophomore record, Four of Arrows (#2 on this List in 2019, losing only to Tool – which doesn’t really count as losing), it’s wonderful to have Great Grandpa back. Al Menne came out as trans in the interim, making him an icon for female to male trans music fans. He’s embraced the responsibility of that – which I’m sure he didn’t want – with strength and dignity. And there’s no question that Patience, Moonbeam is inherently intertwined with Menne’s transition, even though it also stretches out well beyond it. Lyrically, a number of songs engage with the trans experience directly (‘Ephemera’ being perhaps the most explicit example). On top of that the album was recorded when Menne was in the early stages of taking testosterone, and he impressively turns the consequent changes to his voice into a huge positive. He always had a unique voice but his range here is crazy, and whenever his voice cracks he ensures a whole load of emotion spills out. Musically, Patience, Moonbeam is Great Grandpa’s most ambitious record, keeping the folk-indie heart of Four of Arrows but adding scale and allowing space for more progressive segments, including greater use of strings, vocoders, and keys. I think I ultimately still prefer Four of Arrows. That record is pretty hard to top. This is an exceptionally well-pitched follow up, though: different in various ways but not a radical departure. About as good as could possibly have been hoped for.