Here is some of the music that struck me in 2009. In case you missed it, read the manifesto for this site. It might help you understand where I am coming from. If you didn’t see the Bird List, now might be a good time to check it out.
#20: Dave Alvin and the Guilty Women
S/T
Dave continues a great late-career run. Come to think of it, his “run” has never stopped, or really even slowed. Read a single review.
#19: Steve Earle
Townes
Reverent enough to know when to leave the song alone, but restless enough to know when to shake things up.
#18: Gary Floater
A Hero Never Learns
There is country music that is funny outside of “She Left Me For Jesus”. Most of it is here.
#17: Band of Heathens
One Foot In The Ether
Mining that Canadiana sound, BoH comes up with something fresh. Good songs and great voices. Read a single review.
#16: Guy Clark
Somedays the Song Writes You
This should probably be filed under “educational” rather than “country”. Read a single review.
#15: Corb Lund
Losin’ Lately Gambler
Wry humor and stripped down execution from the Great White North. Read a single review.
#14: Charlie Robison
Beautiful Day
A beautiful sounding record, with great songs to back it up. Possibly his most consistent. Read the original review.
#13: Buddy and Julie Miller
Written In Chalk
This sounds old, worn in, and gorgeous. I don’t think people are used to quality of this level anymore.
#12: Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
S/T
His departure didn’t kill the Drive-By Truckers, but gave us double the output. DBT also put out a rarities record, and Isbell had the best song (“TVA”) on it. Read the original review.
#11: Robert Earl Keen
The Rose Hotel
One thing you can say about Robert Keen is that he always sounds like he is having fun. Read the original review.
Posted: December 30th, 2009 | 2 Comments »
I recently talked to the Ed Jurdi from the Band of Heathens, who recently released One Foot in the Ether, their second studio record and fourth overall. You can read a review of that record’s first single “L.A. County Blues” here. Five Records is an occasional feature of artists talking about the music that inspires them. Read more of these posts here.
The Who
Live at Leeds
“When I was 6 years old, my parents bought me a serious boom box and 2 tapes. Chicago X and Live at Leeds. That record totally blew my mind. It was so heavy and reckless, yet so melodic and dynamic, sometimes all at once. It was pure energy, I could almost put myself at that show and picture the whole scene.”
John Hiatt
Crossing Muddy Waters
“He’s just got so many good songs and so many good albums. To do something this soulful and deep at that point in his career was just a wonder.”
Gary Louris
Vagabonds
“When we were recording One Foot in the Ether, I was listening to this record, Vetiver’s To Find Me Gone, and Roy Harper’s The Passions of Great Fortune Vol 1. Can you tell I have a hard time sticking to 1 album? I was listening to a bunch of folk music at the time, these were just a few of the records that kept getting rotated around.”
Tom Waits
Mule Variations
“A song I wish I had written – “Picture in a Frame” by Tom Waits from Mule Variations. I mean the guy is just so brilliant, what else can you say?”
Drew Smith
Drew Smith’s Lonely Choir
“His songs have an emotional and lyric intensity that’s matched with really cool hooky memorable melodies. It’s totally timeless.”
Posted: October 30th, 2009 | No Comments »
I talked to the talented Gordy Quist from the Band of Heathens last week, who recently released One Foot in the Ether, their second studio record and fourth overall. You can read a review of that record’s first single “L.A. County Blues” here. Five Records is an occasional feature of artists talking about the music that inspires them. Read more of these posts here.
The Jayhawks
Hollywood Town Hall
“My aunt and uncle sent me a copy of The Jayhawks album Hollywood Town Hall when I was about 13 or 14 and just starting to play in bands. Although most of the music I was playing at the time was much heavier, that album struck me as both a songwriter’s album and a band’s album, which was something I was after.”
Tom Petty
Echo
“Echo is one of my favorite Tom Petty albums, even though it’s pretty dark and didn’t have the hits that some of his other albums did. He’s an artist who has continued to write great songs, put out great records, and still tours with a great rock ‘n’ roll band.”
Tom Waits
Orphans, Brawlers, Bawlers and Bastards
“I was listening to a lot of Tom Waits stuff while we were in the studio making One Foot in the Ether. Specifically, the Mule Variations album and the triple album Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers and Bastards. They’ve both got some amazing songs and interesting sonic textures and arrangements.”
Gary Floater
A Hero Never Learns
“I wish I had written the song, “The Dirty South”, from the Gary Floater album A Hero Never Learns.”
The Magpies
Eastern Standard Time
“The Magpies are a band from Cleveland and they’re great live and they put out great albums”
Posted: October 23rd, 2009 | 2 Comments »
