As always, lots of good music that came out last year. Â I have no doubt some really good stuff released and I never heard a song of it. Â Rich world problems. Â Here’s what I listened to and liked a lot this year.
- The Avett Brothers – True Sadness: I like the Avett’s mix of pop, indie and bluegrass. Â Catchy melodies and beautiful harmonies on top of solidly built songs. Â Perhaps what intrigued me the most about this album is that I have a few other Avett albums. Â Normally that means I can take or leave the latest one. Â But I kept True Sadness in my rotations for several months and so it’s my #1 pick for the year.
- Margo Price – Midwest Farmer’s Daughter: Looking back over my playlists I seemed to have liked a little more twang this year than some. Â Margo Price’s record underscores that and the 10-years-to-be-an-overnight-sensation story makes you feel good about how often it’s played.
- Dori Freeman – Dori Freeman: Coming out of literally nowhere, Dori’s amazing, soaring vocals captured a lot of people’s hearts, mine included. It sounds like there’s a lifetime of stories and music in this debut effort, so I hope she can dig deep and find material for a sophomore album soon.
- Frank Solivan – Family, Friends & Heroes: Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen are one of the hottest bluegrass bands on the circuit today. Â However, for this project Frank turned to family and friends to put out a CD heavy on the sounds that influenced him. Â There are big name guests, but some of the lesser-known family really delivers, especially Frank’s Mom shortly before she passed.
- Aoife O’Donovan – Man In A Neon Coat: Most people are going to give In the Magic Hour the nod for O’Donovan’s best album of the year. Â It’s a fine studio effort. Â But this live recording, captured a few months after the release of the studio record, shows how a good band can take things to another level.
- Courtney Granger – Beneath Still Waters: An old school country album from one of the biggest names on the Cajun scene. Â Beneath Still Waters captures the essence of a bygone era and transports you back to another time and place. Â Practically flawless in its execution.
- Sarah Borges – Good & Dirty: Twangville favorite Sarah Borges put out an EP early in the year. Â Normally it’s tough for 5 songs to compete with 10-12 in a full length project. Â But they’re all strong songs and wrap up with an endearing song about family and personal values, Purple GTO.
- Terri Hendrix – Love You Strong: Rock music is full of teen angst songs, but on this record Terri delivers a middle-age angst masterpiece. Â It’s fun and funny and deadly serious all at once, and speaks volumes to those of us on the downhill slide.
- St. Paul & the Broken Bones – Sea Of Noise: Paul and his band are stretching out a little bit on this album, and there’s less of the soul intensity from the earlier efforts. Â But that’s like saying someone is less religious than the pope–it’s a high bar. Â And in return the group is developing a sound that will keep them around and not be a one note wonder.
- Corin Raymond – Hobo Jungle Fever Dreams: I kind of surprised even myself when this ended up as high on my list as it did. Â But I kept going back to it throughout the year and there’s just so much to hear that it really rewards multiple listens. Â And get the CD so you get the full multi-media experience.
- Sam Bush – Storyman: Solid album from one of the titans of bluegrass.
- Lydia Loveless – Real: Spreading her material across a wider range of genres, another Twangville favorite delivered the goods this year.
- Parker Millsap – The Very Last Day: Soulful and funky and full of stories, it shows Millsap is going to have some staying power.
- Session Americana – Great Shakes: Studio album from a great live band that’s getting better and better at capturing their essence on a record.
- Dwight Yoakum – Swimmin’ Pools, Movie Stars: Several good songs on the disc, but worth the purchase price if only for the cover of Prince’s Purple Rain.
- Elizabeth Cook – Exodus Of Venus: East Nashville’s saltiest beauty queen went rock and roll, no doubt influenced by her pals in Hard Working Americans.
- Robert Rex Waller, Jr. – Fancy Free: Several artists put out records of covers of songs/artists that influenced them this year, and this one from I See Hawks In LA frontman Rob Waller was my favorite.
- Sarah Jarosz – Undercurrent: I think you almost have to call Sarah a “former” bluegrass player now, and this album is an example of why no one should be unhappy with that.
- Jamestown Revival – The Education Of A Wandering Man: Another album of good music that sticks in your head.
- Mandolin Orange – Blindfallen: Another strong out for the duo from North Carolina.
About the author: I've actually driven from Tehatchapee to Tonopah. And I've seen Dallas from a DC-9 at night.