Great music exists – it only needs someone willing to find it. I listened to more new music this year than I ever had in my life. These are my top five favorite albums released during the 2008-2009 school year.
Disclaimer: I listen to mostly singer/songwriter types and most of these albums have a very heavy country influence.1. M. Ward – Hold Time
The beauty of M. Ward’s “Hold Time” does not make itself readily apparent upon first listen. Granted, the loose, bluesy hook of “Never Had Nobody Like You” and the majestic build of “Stars of Leo” make a fine first impression, but you really need time with this album to tune into its unique brand of beauty.
The simple arrangements and understated vocal lines blend seamlessly together.
2. Steve Earle – Townes
It is a crime that more people don’t know about Townes Van Zandt. The poetic cowboy spent a lifetime playing his music in bars across this great nation, and maybe that is where these songs belong: served up at a quarter till two in the morning, with beer spilled on the floor and the smell of stale cigarette smoke in the air.
Steve Earl’s tribute to Van Zandt goes far beyond just an album of covers. Earl offers new interpretations rather than karaoke versions of Towne’s greatest hits. Even if you don’t know Van Zandt’s work, this album will draw you in.
3. Dan Auerbach – Keep it Hid
Dan Auerbach usually fronts the indie rock darlings from Akron, Ohio known as The Black Keys. Where that duo – just Auerbach on guitar and Patrick Carney on drums – keeps their grooves firmly planted in blues riffs, Auerbach’s first solo release treads more experimental waters.
Auerbach is unlikely to quit his day job just yet, but this album stands strong in the face of the brilliant Keys legacy.
4. Neko Case – Middle Cyclone
Neko Case’s “Middle Cyclone” delivers a hauntingly deep sound; chock full of amazingly complex and organic songs. The album was recorded in a barn and the ambient noises that bleed in from the surrounding farm add character to every track.
If you don’t know who Case is, you need to.
5. Justin Townes Earle – Midnight at the Movies
The Earles are well represented on this list; with Justin’s father Steve turning up at number two. The younger Earle’s album delivers a similar, mellow tone. “Midnight at the Movies” sounds like a classic country album – think Hank Williams meets Paul Westerberg.
Earle even covers the Replacements’ classic “Can’t Hardly Wait” and widdles the mid-1980s rocker down to a simple guitar and mandolin arrangement.