Albums of the Year: Honorable Mention Edition

First of all, let me make it clear that these are not necessarily the best or most popular or most significant albums of 2015. These are my favorite albums that I have listened to more than once or twice. It's my list.

I'll link to the album spotlights and interviews from this blog. There won't be any commentary in this post.

The list would be shorter if I were genre specific or only listened to mainstream stuff. This is about good music that I like. And I don't listen to much of anything mainstream. I listed my favorite albums of 2015 and came up with 24. This honorable mention list will include the 14 that didn't make the top ten.

The artist's name will link to my posts, the album name will link to the artist's web site.

In no particular order:

Plastic Rhino - Recondition

Jonathan Tyler - Holy Smokes

Lindi Ortega - Faded Gloryville

Frankie Bourne - Californicana

Samantha Fish - Wild Heart

Koritni - Night Goes On For Days

Europe - War of Kings

Striking Matches - Nothing But The Silence

Allison Moorer - Down To Believing

Gretchen Peters - Blackbirds

Butch Walker - Afraid of Ghosts

Brandi Carlile - The Firewatcher's Daughter

honeyhoney - 3

Ray Wylie Hubbard - The Ruffian's Misfortune

Look for my top 10 coming out later this month.

1st Quarter of 2015: My Favorite Albums

These are my favorite albums released so far in the 1st quarter of 2015 that I've heard. The list is not all-encompassing, as it only includes records I've listened to. I reserve the right to update this list as I find new stuff released in January, February and March of this year. The list will be fluid. And I plan on doing one for each quarter of 2015. And none of this music actually exists, as it is not played on mainstream radio.

Right now, in no particular order:

Blackberry Smoke: Holding All The Roses

Black Star Riders: The Killer Instinct

Striking Matches: Nothing But The Silence

Butch Walker: Afraid of Ghosts

Allison Moorer: Down To Believing

Houndmouth: Little Neon Limelight

Brandi Carlile: The Firewatchers Daughter

Kid Rock: First Kiss

2015 Has Been Pretty Good So Far, Musically Speaking

Music. New music. Good new music. That's what I'm loving right now. And there is some good stuff out there. And that's just the stuff that I've found.

I probably wouldn't have said that two years ago. Everything new that I heard on the radio, I did not like. Therefore, I mistakenly assumed that nobody was putting out any good music. Then I fired my local radio stations and took matters into my own hands.

Spotify, blogs, YouTube and Twitter have led me to the land of good music. If i never hear another Florida Georgia Line song, I will be thankful. I'm not even sure what an Iggy Azalea is. The only Iggy I know is Iggy Pop.

We are only three months in to 2015 and there have already been several good records released. The only problem is that you are not going to hear any of that on the radio.

My little place here on the internet is dedicated to featuring good music that I like. I don't have the time or energy to spend listening to and then writing about stuff I don't like.  I'll leave that to someone else.

Records that have come out in 2015 that I like, so far include:

Blackberry Smoke
Allison Moorer
Striking Matches
Houndmouth
Kid Rock
Butch Walker
Brandi Carlile

And then I've found music that came out in previous years (mostly 2014) that is good:

Kate Vargas
The Glorious Sons
Salvation Jayne

I love finding good music. I'll continue sharing it here. Join me if you want.

What I'm Loving Wednesday

I'm loving Couch by Couchwest. What is that you ask? It's the online alternative to the Austin-based music festival turned corporate boondoggle known as South by Southwest. From the Couch by Couchwest website:

Let’s face it, we’re all too broke to go to Austin, and even if we had the money, we couldn’t get out of work anyway. There’s this pesky thing called “life” that keeps getting in the way. Allow us to introduce you to Couch by Couchwest.

CXCW is an annual online music festival that is for everyone. No badges, lanyards, bracelets, parking fees, ticket lines, exclusive parties, VIP tents, porta-potties, babysitters, dogsitters, expensive beer prices, or crappy hotel rooms…just the sweet comfort of your own couch. Here’s how it works, artists and bands from all over the globe record a video performance for us from their living rooms, kitchens, porches, bathrooms, you name it…pretty much anywhere but a stage…and we post them during the week of the festival (March 15 – 21, 2015).

Listen, you’re not the only person out there stuck in an office or a classroom or at home while all the supposed “cool kids” are trudging through the crowds of Austin. We are here for you, friends! So crack open a beer and a laptop, crank up the volume, and enjoy the couch!

I'm also loving that because of the internet and streaming services I'm not relegated to the crap that mainstream radio is shoving down our throats, especially with country music. Little mini-rant there. I'm over it.

I'm loving the new Allison Moorer record Down To Believing. I spotlighted it yesterday. Here's the video for the track "Like It Used To Be". Enjoy.



She was not the only artist who doesn't exist to release a record yesterday. Houndmouth also dropped Little Neon Limelight. This is "Sedona" from that record.




Now go buy a CD. Support music you like.

Album Spotlight: Allison Moorer: Down To Believing

Allison Moorer released her 8th studio record Down To Believing. I can't compare it to any of her previous albums because I have just recently discovered her. That's on me. But what I can compare it to is the rest of the music out there right now and it stacks up among the best.

This record comes after her divorce from Steve Earle. There's a lot of emotion on the album that undoubtedly comes from that.

I don't know how classify music anymore. Country music is all EDM, rap and Southern Rock infused. Rock music is dead on radio except for classic rock. Pop music is just basically unlistenable. Down To Believing falls somewhere in the vast wasteland of good music that nobody ever hears. Does it even exist?

This ranks in the top two or three records released this year for me. And that speaks well of what has come out so far because top to bottom this is an excellent record.

There are country influences. There are some blues-tinged songs. There are songs that would have been pop radio friendly in the 80s.

It's not fair to try to put a label on this record. If you like Ryan Adams, Rosanne Cash, Holly Williams, Justin Townes Earle, the Eagles or Linda Ronstadt there will be something for you on this record.

Here is the video for "Like It Used To Be". Enjoy.

New Stuff: Like It Used To Be by Allison Moorer

Found this via a post on Farce the Music. Never heard of Allison Moorer before. I will say that "Like It Used To Be" does not suck. In fact it's a pretty darned catchy song. I like it.