2011年 01月 4日 火曜日 16:24

1. Otis Gibbs - Joe Hill's Ashes
http://onechord.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/otisgibbs.jpg?w=300&h=300
An Americana artist who mixes the political and personal. This is his fourth album (not including his Christmas album) and he becomes a better lyricist with every release. With the last album he stepped up the production and it’s continued to this one. His voice manages to be uniquely smooth and rough at the same time.

2. Codeine Velvet Club - Codeine Velvet Club
http://hangout.altsounds.com/geek/gars/images/1/2/4/7/5/codeine-velvet-club.jpg
A project started by Jon Fratelli of The Fratellis, a Scottish rock band, who joined forces with Scottish cabaret singer Lou Hickey. The results were fantastic. Also the first in a recurring theme for me this year – lots of guy/girl harmonies and trading of lead vocals. Unfortunately, this band has already split up, with the two artists working on their own projects now.

3. James - The Morning After The Night Before

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51MGKiT1qKL._SL500_AA300_.jpg
Technically this is a double EP, but 8 songs each equals an album. The Night Before was recorded first: the band were not together and shared their ideas and music by uploading to an ftp server. The Morning After was recorded over the course of a few days with the band all together. It’s a more mellow affair. When I first started listening I greatly preferred TNB, but as time went on, I’ve now swung the other direction. It’s a big deal to me that the past two releases from this band have been in my top 3 since I found albums from the latter part of their pre-hiatus to be spotty. Tim Booth probably has my favorite male voice.

4. The Rizdales - How The Marriage Ended
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_OF8eoQYZHPA/TG_35XW-jcI/AAAAAAAABNY/cNfGCWvgSTw/s400/Rizdales-sleeve.jpg
Traditional country album by Canadian couple Tom and Tara Dunphy.

5. Eli "Paperboy" Reed - Come And Get It
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51VxBDYiJvL._SL500_AA300_.jpg
Old-school soul album that you can’t help but dance to. In fact, when I saw them this summer I’d say at least 75% of the audience was dancing (not just bobbing and swaying). Outside of summerdance, I’ve never experienced that kind of crowd participation.

6. Delta Spirit - History From Below
http://thepopfix.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/delta-spirit-history-from-below.jpg
Basically I’d call it indie folk-rock, which seems to be very popular with me right now (I’d put Good Old War and The Spring Standards into the same broad category). Matt Vasquez is a very good lyricist with an expressive voice (though not really a good one) and the drums have a very prominent place – two things that lift this album up above the others, but you can also add in a variety of different sounds, some nice harmonies, and a wide variety of tempos. That the 8 minute closing track holds my interest is an achievement in itself. As good as the album is, though, live is where it’s really at with these guys. I’d say they’re currently one of the best live bands touring.

7. Good Old War - Good Old War
http://www.examiner.com/images/blog/replicate/EXID17319/images/goodalbum.jpg
Indie-pop, but with a definite folk influence. Lots of harmonies and acoustic instruments. I’m surprised these guys aren’t more popular than they are – at least in the music circles I travel in.

8. Pete Molinari - A Train Bound For Glory
http://www.normanrecords.com/images/covers/5/117255.jpg
If you like skiffle, you’ll like this guy.

9. The Spring Standards - Would Things Be Different
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61DFB9RmnhL._SL500_AA280_.jpg
Yet another indie folk-rock album, this one with male and female voices. Though the entire album is really good, the songs where Heather Robb has the lead are generally the best. On a couple of songs, where she’s belting it out and they’ve got horns, they remind me a lot of Codeine Velvet Club.

10. Darren Hanlon - I Will Love You At All
http://onechord.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/darren-hanlon.jpg?w=300&h=300
A quirky, witty, slightly twee singer-songwriter. I enjoyed this as a bit of fluff from the get-go, but never thought this album would land in my top 10. But the more I listened the more I appreciated his lyrics and he’s got a charming voice. I’ve come to think of him as an Australian Jens Lekman.

11. Murder By Death - Good Morning, Magpie
12. Phosphorescent - Here's To Taking It Easy
13. Jon Langford & Skull Orchard - Old Devils

14. Swans - My Father Will Guide Me Up A Rope
15. Barton Carroll - Together You And I
16. Justin Townes Earle - Harlem River Blues
17. Superchunk - Majesty Shredding
18. Rhonda Vincent - Taken

19. The Unthanks - Here’s The Tender Coming

20. Priestess - Prior To The Fire

21. Marty Marrone & Tangled Roots - Life Of A Dream

22. Whitey Morgan and the 78's - Whitey Morgan and the 78’s

23. Roky Erickson with Okkervil River - True Love Cast Out All Evil
24. I Am Kloot - Sky At Night
[The past couple albums from I Am Kloot have been mellow, rather unadventurous affairs, especially after their mind-blowing God And Monsters album of 2005, but John Bramwell is still a great lyricist with a beautiful voice.]
25. Mavis Staples - You Are Not Alone

26. Free Energy - Stuck On Nothing

27. Eels - End Times

28. The Magnetic Fields - Realism

29. Carolina Chocolate Drops - Genuine Negro Jig

30. Suckers - Wild Smile

* * * * *

I've put together a two-volume, year-end mix. The Best, contains two songs from each of my top 10 albums. The Rest, contains one song from my next 20 favorites.

BEST http://www.megaupload.com/?d=9FES22J6
1. That’s Some Dream - Good Old War
2. My Own Sinking Ship - Good Old War
3. Vanity Kills - Codeine Velvet Club
4. I Would Send You Roses - Codeine Velvet Club
5. Name Calling - Eli ‘Paperboy’ Reed
6. Time Will Tell - Eli ‘Paperboy’ Reed
7. For Eliza - Pete Molinari
8. Streetcar Named Desire - Pete Molinari
9. It’s Not Me, It’s You - The Rizdales
10. To Have Or To Hold - The Rizdales
11. Outdated, Frustrated & Blue - Otis Gibbs
12. Twelve Dead In Sago - Otis Gibbs
13. 911 - Delta Spirit
14. Salt In The Wound - Delta Spirit
15. Sharks - The Spring Standards
16. Queen Of The Lot - The Spring Standards
17. Ten Below - James
18. Rabbit Hole - James
19. Butterfly Bones - Darren Hanlon
20. Modern History - Darren Hanlon

REST http://www.megaupload.com/?d=EXJSHX7P
1. Wrote A Song For Everyone - Mavis Staples
2. Mansions of Los Feliz - Eels
3. Yes - Murder By Death
4. To The Brink - I Am Kloot
5. The Mermaid Parade - Phosphorescent
6. Crossed Wires - Superchunk
7. Roman Candles - Suckers
8. You Must Be Out Of Your Mind - The Magnetic Fields
9. Luxury - Jon Langford & Skull Orchard
10. The Testimony of Patience Kershaw - The Unthanks
11. The Court of Love - Rhonda Vincent
12. Turn Up The Bottle - Whitey Morgan and the 78’s
13. Please, Judge - Roky Erickson with Okkervil River
14. My Birth - Swans
15. Lady Killer - Priestess
16. Free Energy - Free Energy
17. Hit ‘Em Up Style - Carolina Chocolate Drops
18. Rogers Park - Justin Townes Earle
19. Weary Day - Marty Marrone & Tangled Roots
20. Let’s Get On With The Illusion - Barton Carroll