@bslon et. al.:
i mostly agree with the greatness of bare trees and future games (as well as ms. mcvie), though "sentimental lady" gargles my nads. as for the p. green era, i'd give "then play on" another chance--it has "o well" + "closing my eyes," an incredible kirwan song.
my picks for the holiday:
graham parker, the real macaw--his foray into new-wavy keyboards and arrangements was a mistake, but he is a first-rate songwriter and this is an overlooked gem
chris whitley, teraa incognita--the vanishingly rare blues guy who doesn't sound like anyone else. "weightless" is a stone classic.