Album Review: The Handsome Family - Unseen

The Strange and Wonderful Handsome Family Keeps it Blissfully Weird with Unseen
By Kevin Broughton

It’s fitting that the Handsome Family – husband and wife duo Brett and Rennie Sparks – used their trademark wry, ironic humor in naming their latest LP “Unseen.” Until a couple years ago they weren’t just largely unheard; they were barely on anyone’s radar at all. Oh, they had a cult following in the U.S. and as is often the case with offbeat American acts, a larger, more vigorous fan base in Europe and the U.K.

Then Matthew McConaughey plucked one of their tunes, “Far From Any Road” as the opening theme for season one of HBO’s True Detective. Never mind that it was released a dozen years earlier (and written, no kidding, about fire ants in the driveway of their Albuquerque home) millions of fans of the compelling mini series scanned the scrolling credits wondering, “Who is that band?” And around the globe the duo’s streaming and downloading exploded, just like that. Looking back, I’m shocked the Coen brothers haven’t made heavy use of them.

Unseen, the HandFam’s 11th studio album in a 23-year career stays true to their Western gothic, surrealistic roots. Quirky, seemingly random, and downright strange characters and stories blend with spacey, yet sparse instrumentation and Brett’s penetrating, rangy baritone. The finished product seems paradoxical: Dark and mournful; soothing and peaceful; sad and wryly funny; hypnotic and irresistible. I can’t quit listening to it.

“Gold,” the album’s opening cut, finds a gut-shot robber lying in a ditch, looking up at a spiral of $20 bills dancing on the air. Brett once stopped off at a convenience store and saw such a whirlwind of bills and thought, there’s no happy story behind this. And that was all lyricist Rennie needed to weave a graphic, tragic tale. Heck, forget a sound track; the Coens need to write a script around this song.

William Crookes

And who knew William Crookes – British chemist, discoverer of the element thallium and inventor of the vacuum tube – was deeply into spiritualism? Rennie Sparks, that’s who. “Gentlemen” is a fittingly haunting tribute to that portion of his life, perfectly pitched with Brett’s rumbling, low bass. “Gentlemen, I tell you now. I swear, the truth. I saw the table rise; the teacup flew.” The final stanza, with about three layers of Brett’s overdubbed harmonies with himself is testament to his beautiful, deep range. Other cuts find him singing falsetto high tenor harmony to his wife’s melody. Strange and beautiful.

“The Silver Light” should be depressing; there’s nothing happy about gambling addicts pissing their money away in a casino. But the beautifully blended vocals and instrumentation give it an “oh well, it’s still pretty” feel.

The songs are heavily laden with minor chords and make lots of use of the baritone guitar. There’s only one tune approaching upbeat (“The Sea Rose”), and while they’re lyrically downers, the magical, layered harmonies (Brett’s got more range than any baritone/bass on the planet) give all the songs a spacey, almost happy air. It’s all the more striking when you know he recorded the whole thing in his home studio.

It’s rare to find a band with a sound so distinct it’s truly theirs and no one else’s, sui generis in the literal sense. You’ve never heard anyone like The Handsome Family, and you never will. Comparisons to any other are futile. Grab this one up and you’ll wear it out.

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Unseen is out tomorrow, September 16, and is available on The Handsome Family website, Amazon, iTunes, and the usual outlets.

2 New Videos: The Handsome Family - Gold & Back in My Day

From the forthcoming album Unseen.

If you don't know of The Handsome Family but they sound familiar... they did the theme song for True Detective season 1.

FTM Top 75 Albums of 2012: 1-20

1. Lee Bains III & The Glory Fires - There is a Bomb in Gilead

A first-half-of-the-year release unfairly hurts some albums on these year-end lists. That wasn't the case for this year's #1 album, There is a Bomb in Gilead. From my May review:

"The forthright Lee Bains III and The Glory Fires emerges onto the scene already

a full-fledged force to be reckoned with on this fantastic debut.

Mixing garage rock, country soul and southern swagger into an effortlessly authentic blend, Lee and the boys give a spirited go at every style across 11 spotless tracks. From the driving exploration of faith on album opener "Ain't No Stranger," through the sin, searching and nostalgia of the middle to the hymn-inspired closing title track, there isn't a weak point on the album."

2. Marty Stuart - Nashville, Vol. 1 Tear The Woodpile Down

Standout tracks: Sundown in Nashville, Picture From Life's Other Side (with Hank III)

3. Chris Knight - Little Victories

See review here.

4. The Pollies - Where the Lies Begin

See review here.

RIYL: Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Lucero, Two Cow Garage

5. Turnpike Troubadours - Goodbye Normal Street

Does this band have a signature sound, or what? Turnpike Troubadours are (is?) distinctive, vibrant and unique (so unique in fact, that I used two synonyms for that word in the same description). Disregard my haphazard writing and just know that they've come into their own on Goodbye Normal Street. 

Songwriting doesn't get much better in this day and age.

Standout tracks: Good Lord Lorrie, Empty as a Drum, Gin, Smoke, Lies

6. The Departed - Adventus

From Kelcy's November review (note - we'll also post Kelcy's favorite albums of '12 later on, 

so I should probably do my own write-up here, but I'm lazy)

"In summary, if you're a fan of anything that Cody Canada, Seth James, Jeremy Plato, Steve Littleton or have done in the past you will love this album.  If you're a fan of good bluesy rock n roll you will love this album.  Shoot, if you're just a fan of good music with some substance, you need to pick up a copy.  So get Adventus & celebrate the true Arrival of The Departed on the scene."

Standout tracks: Prayer for the Lonely, Set It Free, Sweet Lord

7. Dwight Yoakam - 3 Pears

A true comeback album, 3 Pears finds the country legend mixing rock, soul, country and his undying swagger into a welcome set of memorable songs that will never get played on Clearchannel radio.

Standout tracks: It's Never Alright, A Heart Like Mine, Rock It All Away

8. Uncle Lucius - And You Are Me

Standout tracks: Pocket Full of Misery, Rosalia

9. Kendrick Lamar - good kid, M.A.A.D. City

(Condescending Wonka says) Oh you thought West Coast rap was dead? 

Have you heard Kendrick Lamar?

Standout tracks: B*tch Don't Kill My Vibe, Backseat Freestyle

10. The Trishas - High, Wide and Handsome

Real country is alive and well. The Trishas are proof. The vocals and harmonies are beyond reproach. The songwriting is the thing for me though. High, Wide and Handsome shows Nashville how to write a hooky, lyrically clever song without leaning on cliches and marketing. The Trishas are no one-note act - they give us a portrait of strength on the album, but they also give us vulnerability. In other words, reality.

Standout tracks: Over Forgiving You, Mother of Invention, The Fool

11. John D. Hale Band - More Than I Can Handle

Standout tracks: More Than I Can Handle, Harold Wilson, Desperate People

12. Killer Mike - R.A.P. Music

I want to personally thank Killer Mike for relighting my fire for hip-hop. Obviously, I focus mostly on alt-country and rock, but I've been a rap fan since the late 80's. I just thought intelligent, fiery, well-crafted hip-hop was a thing of the past. (Obviously there's a whole rap underground that I'm discounting with that statement, but there are only so many hours in the day for listening to music.) R.A.P. Music is a bold statement, both lyrically and sonically. Producer EL-P (whose own album is further down this list) provides a brutal, old-school-leaning bed for the rhymes. Mike flows like he actually cares about what he's saying. He's clearly a real person - in one verse he's cursing the political system; in the next he's praising his family. There's little talk of bling and booty on this record....because real people don't have to dwell on generalities and boasts when they discuss life. Killer Mike is as real as it gets.

Standout tracks: Big Beast, Reagan, Butane

13. Lindi Ortega - Cigarettes & Truckstops

14. Shooter Jennings - Family Man

The indie-country Svengali delivers his most consistent album to date with Family Man. 

It's a cohesive, passionate look at (mostly) the everyman side of country music royalty. 

On these very pages, I once dismissed Shooter's music, voice and image but no longer... 

so long as he continues to deliver music this engaging and tuneful. 

Standout tracks: The Long Road Ahead, Daddy's Hands

15. Alabama Shakes - Boys & Girls

The indie world buzzed and bowed for this band from ...duh, Alabama, as soon as their EP hit the scene in 2011. That hype turned a lot of people off or built up their expectations far too high, but for me, Boys & Girls was a delivery on the promise of that Extended Play. Throw some Muscle Shoals soul, New York garage rock and folk sensibility into a blender and the Shakes are what results. It's more than that, though. Their songwriting is strong, their musical chops are exciting and Britanny Howard's voice is a thing of beauty.

I can't wait to see where they go from here.

Standout tracks: Hold On, Heartbreaker, I Ain't the Same

16. Arliss Nancy - Simple Machines

17. Darrell Scott - Long Ride Home

18. Jason Eady - AM Country Heaven

19. Matt King - Apples and Orphans

Like Shooter Jennings, Matt King was an artist I once didn't "get." Given time with his music however, I've changed my tune. Matt is a country singer with a very distinct vision. He also has a signature sound. That's rare in this day and age. Apples and Orphans is full of wit and anger in equal amounts. While politics and the environment are common themes, Matt explores these themes with an old-timey aesthetic and warm approach that never seems preachy, even when it is. His music is at times experimental, steampunk (whatever that means), ragtime or pure country. It's always passionate.

Standout tracks: Back to Baltimore, Jasmine and Gypsies

20. Lucero - Women and Work

Farce the Music Halloween Playlist 2018

Here's a new Halloween "mixtape" for 2018, featuring 33 creepy-ass country, 

Americana, R&B, blues, and rock tunes for your listening displeasure. This year's edition is more atmospheric and disconcerting than last year's more party-hardy mix. Spotify playlist below.

Magnolia Electric Co. – Will-O-The-Wisp

Lead Belly – Where Did You Sleep Last Night

16 Horsepower – Low Estate

Bobbie Gentry – Seventh Son - Demo

Ray Charles – The Midnight Hour

Tyler Childers – The Harvest

Violent Femmes – Country Death Song

Dolly Parton – Banks of the Ohio

The Charlie Daniels Band – The Legend of Wooley Swamp

Nick Lowe – The Beast In Me

Danzig – Blood And Tears

Rachel Brooke – The Barnyard

Waylon Jennings – Cedartown, Georgia

George Jones – Open Pit Mine

Neko Case – Hex - Live

Grateful Dead – Dire Wolf

Pantera – Cemetery Gates

Champion Jack Dupree – Evil Woman

Tony Joe White – Voodoo Village

Alice Cooper – Sick Things

The Sonics – Psycho

The Handsome Family – Far From Any Road

Neil Young – Harvest Moon

Misfits – This Magic Moment

Drive-By Truckers – First Air Of Autumn

Freakwater – Dark As A Dungeon

Los Straitjackets – ¡Ghostbusters!

Cat Power – Werewolf

Jace Everett – Bad Things

Los Lobos – Grim Grinning Ghosts

Nina Simone – I Put a Spell on You

The Rolling Stones – Paint It, Black

Screamin' Jay Hawkins – There's Something Wrong With You

New Video: The Handsome Family "The Red Door"

From 2016's Unseen.

Kevin's Top 10 Albums of 2016

We won't necessarily post every contributor's votes for best album, but we'll share with you this week some of our individual top albums lists. Here is Kevin Broughton's.

Broughton’s Top Albums, 2016

1.  Austin Lucas, Between the Moon and the Midwest.

One of two or three genuine country music masterpieces in a year of hearty competition, I wrote in May that “somebody better pack a lunch if he wants to displace this as the best country album of 2016.” Several worthy folks did, yet here’s your champ.  Lucas didn’t write and arrange; he composed. The heartache is real, the vocals brilliant. Oh, and as a bonus it packs the finest duet of the year, with Lydia Loveless.

2.  Brent Cobb, Shine on Rainy Day.

A terrific breakout album from a kind and humble Georgian, this record’s beauty lies in its simplicity. Yes, Nashville, it’s possible to sing about the joys of rural living without sounding forced, contrived, and stupid. Country music needs more Brent Cobbs. Maybe a dozen.

3.  Sturgill Simpson, A Sailor’s Guide to Earth.

I’m probably in the minority, thinking this record is better than the blockbuster Meta Modern Sounds in Country Music. Then again, the Grammy folks grew a brain and made it an “album of the year” nominee in addition to best country album. Sturgill does it his way again, while telling the Nashville suits to pound sand. He’s the baddest ass in music, and we should all thank him.

4. Jack Ingram, Midnight Motel.

It’s the Texan’s best work yet, by a wide margin. And man, it’s sad. Wistful in some spots, forlorn and outright hopeless in others, the one upbeat number is “I’m Drinking Through It.” (“Sometimes you’re thirsty, sometimes you just need a drink.”) Not an album you’ll listen to on a regular basis, but its authenticity shines through in Ingram’s soulful vocals and sparse arrangements.

5. Flatland Cavalry, Humble Folks.

“Easy on the ears, heavy on the heart,” according to the band’s website. Yep. Bossman Trailer nailed it in his review. This one’s a real keeper.

6.  Robbie Fulks, Upland Stories.

Let’s get this out of the way: Robbie Fulks is a bona fide musical genius and a real man of letters. It’s fitting that this album was inspired by James Agee’s nonfictional literary triumph, Let Us All Praise Famous Men. The record’s first track, “Alabama at Night,” snagged a Grammy nomination for best folk song. Fulks, an elder statesman at the iconic Bloodshot Records, is the true triple threat: Guitar virtuosity, brilliant lyrics, and a pure high tenor. If he has a peer in the craft, I’ve yet to hear him.

7.  Cody Jinks, I’m Not The Devil.

Another genuinely great country album in a year when the “neo-traditionalists” are gaining traction. Packed with spiritual themes, this record should be an exemplar to any bros out there who’d like to try something real for a change.

8. Blackberry Smoke, Like an Arrow.

Their best record yet, and it straddles the country and rock worlds with perfect balance.

9.  The Handsome Family, Unseen.

It’s weird and wonderfully addictive. I dare you to find a comparison. Go ahead. Try.

10.  The Flat Five, It’s a World of Love and Hope.

It’s five of Chicago’s best doing the happiest album of the year. Everybody needs to listen to this album once a week.

Feel Bad for You Mixtape: March 2013

It's time again for the monthly FBFY compilation from your favorite group of misfits, bloggers, music fans and heathens. March's theme is Couch By Couchwest (scroll down and check out the poster I designed for CXCW13!)... which is coming next week! This edition of the mix includes tunes from The Handsome Family, Kings of Leon, X, Will Kimbrough and more.

Download/comment here: http://feelbadforyou.atruersound.com/

Or stream below:

The Pastures of Madison County

I was able to make it back to this year's incarnation of Pickin' in the Pasture, a family and friends event in Madison County, MS starring Fireman John's BBQ, Drew Kennedy's beard and usually Josh Grider and/or Matt Skinner, after I missed 2011. I won't do a big write-up like I did in 2010, but it was another great show. Our three heroes, along with Josh Grider's lovely wife, a lovely bassist named Chris and a lovely drummer named (___?) played a full band/four singer concert for the family, friends, dogs and a blogger. They took turns trading solo tunes (Drew Kennedy did "Vapor Trails" among others), cover songs (Josh Grider and his wife did a great version of Johnny and June's "Jackson") and co-writes (Matt Skinner did both an electric and an acoustic version of the haunting Corb Lund co-write "One Left in the Chamber"). It was a fun time and here are the pictures to prove it!

Matt Skinner, Josh Grider and Drew Kennedy tuning up pre-show.

Josh Grider accompanies his wife on guitar.

Drew Kennedy has a wallet chain. Remind you of anybody??

The band in reverse.

Matt Skinner tearing it up on guitar. 

The tall and handsome Josh Grider is now a Nashville songwriter. Please don't write about trucks, Josh!

Josh Grider with two future bluegrass or country superstars. Seriously, they were great!
Sidenote: Josh has gotten really good on the guitar.

Electric show-closing barn-burner "Ain't Livin' Long Like This"

The beginning of the late-night acoustic jam.

Annnnd, this isn't from Pickin' in the Pasture, but here's a video of Matt Skinner performing the awesome tune "One Left in the Chamber."

Farce the Music's Top 20 Albums of 2016

 Our "Best Albums of 2016" was voted on again this year by all Farce the Music contributors: Jeremy Harris, me (Trailer), Matthew Martin, Kelcy Salisbury, Kevin Broughton, Robert Dean (and friend Chad Barnette as a tiebreaker).

1. Sturgill Simpson - A Sailor's Guide to Earth
I’m probably in the minority, thinking this record is better than the blockbuster MetaModern Sounds in Country Music. Then again, the Grammy folks grew a brain and made it an “album of the year” nominee in addition to best country album. Sturgill does it his way again, while telling the Nashville suits to pound sand. He’s the baddest ass in music, and we should all thank him. -Kevin Broughton

If you were turned off by this album's not completely inherent country-ness, I highly suggest you revisit this one with an open mind.  This may not be Sturgill's best album, but it's damn close.  Every song from start to finish is a homerun, making the album as a whole quite the emotional powerhouse.  And, of course knowing the context of the album- written as a love note to his son- only helps the listening experience.  "Call To Arms" is probably now my favorite Sturgill song and by the time I got to this song on the album, I couldn't sit down.  Such a barn-burner, such a wonderful way to end a wonderful album. -Matthew Martin

Behold world, Sturgill has done it again. Buy A Sailor’s Guide To Earth right now and help us throw gasoline on the establishment while Sturgill Simpson is the preaching madman we’ve all been waiting for. Let his church welcome all those who are lost and share his message: get weird, or die tryin’. -Robert Dean

2. Cody Jinks - I'm Not the Devil
Another genuinely great country album in a year when the “neo-traditionalists” are gaining traction. Packed with spiritual themes, this record should be an exemplar to any bros out there who’d like to try something real for a change. -Kevin

There's really not a best song on Jinks' 2016 album. It's a steady and moving collection without a single droop in quality, much less a weak moment. Jinks is blessed with a wonderful voice and possibly even better songwriting talents. He'll be a star in this realm of music for years to come. -Trailer

 3. Lori McKenna - The Bird & The Rifle
We had a casual poll about 2016 music a month or so back. Lori McKenna led the way on the "Best Songwriter of 2016" voting, and it's no surprise. With observant, incisive songs like "OMYM" and the others on her brilliant The Bird and the Rifle, McKenna stays at the forefront of American songwriting. She has the ability to put the listener into a situation they may have never even dealt with and make them think "Yes, this is exactly how that feels!" The Bird and the Rifle is a master-class and for me, "Old Men Young Women" is its centerpiece. -Trailer

 

4. Brent Cobb - Shine On Rainy Day
Brent’s pleasing voice and well crafted songs combine for a true knockout punch. From top to bottom this is a very strong album and would top many lists in any year. - Jeremy Harris

A terrific breakout album from a kind and humble Georgian, this record’s beauty lies in its simplicity. Yes, Nashville, it’s possible to sing about the joys of rural living without sounding forced, contrived, and stupid. Country music needs more Brent Cobbs. Maybe a dozen. -Kevin

5. Austin Lucas - Between the Moon and the Midwest
One of two or three genuine country music masterpieces in a year of hearty competition, I wrote in May that “somebody better pack a lunch if he wants to displace this as the best country album of 2016.” Several worthy folks did, yet here’s your champ.  Lucas didn’t write and arrange; he composed. The heartache is real, the vocals brilliant. Oh, and as a bonus it packs the finest duet of the year, with Lydia Loveless. -Kevin

6. Justin Wells - Dawn in the Distance
The former frontman of Fifth on the Floor lets his songwriting and strong voice shine through in his debut. I would’ve thought Justin’s voice was more suited for the rock style he was accustomed to but with this release he proved me wrong and really showed his full potential. -Jeremy Harris

 

7. Flatland Cavalry - Humble Folks
"Easy on the ears, heavy on the heart" reads the description on Flatland Cavalry's website, and that couldn't be more accurate. Their sound is an easygoing mix of red dirt country, pop melodies, laid back swing, and heartworn folk. And there's so much fiddle. Lord, but I love me some fiddle and I love Laura Jane's fiddling. It's all a perfectly accessible approach but one that doesn't scrimp on the craftsmanship and songwriting.  Humble Folks is a great album, well worth your listen. It's a familiar sound, but one that with repeated listens will reveal deeper layers and twists of melody you haven't heard before. These songs are sure to make you think, smile, hurt, and tap your foot. Sometimes all at once. That's what good music does. -Trailer

 

8. Drive-by Truckers - American Band
There is not a more important album in Drive-By Truckers' repertoire.  This is an album written by deep-red-state Southern men about issues that many in this region turn away from.  This is DBT taking their implicitly political music and making it as explicit as possible.  And, in the process, they made a few fans turn away from them.  But, the band didn't back down and, to my way of thinking, we're much better for it.  This is the album we needed in 2016, and will continue to need as we move forward.  It's ok for us to have differing opinions and as Cooley says, "if the victims and oppressors, just remain each other's others," then where will we be over the next few years.  So, this album is an impressive call to arms for everyone to look ourselves and those who differ from us in the eye and figure out how to find some common ground, while also calling bullshit on those who wish to divide us.  "What It Means" is already in my top 5 favorite DBT songs and to me, this is the best song of the year.  The best song of the year on the best album of the year by one of the most important Southern bands of our time. - Matthew

9. Blackberry Smoke - Like an Arrow
Their best record yet, and it straddles the country and rock worlds with perfect balance. -Kevin

10. Caleb Caudle - Carolina Ghost
This is the closest thing to a mainstream country album I've heard and loved in a long time. Best listened to as a whole, but be sure to check out White Doves Wing along with Steel & Stone. This is what modern country sounds like done right. -Kelcy Salisbury

Caleb Caudle has given you a gift: it's ok to want to pop on a record and drink a beer in the yard. You don't have to be at the juke joint, or pine for the days of the Armadillo in Austin. Nope. This is about as fucking Americana as it gets: good tunes, simple music and honesty worn like a badge of courage. The exact thing folks try to do but seemingly end up sounding like shitty copies of Bruce Springsteen. Carolina Ghost inspires those moments where it’s ok to slow dance to the radio, or just shut up and let the music do the talking. -Robert

 

11. A Tribe Called Quest - We Got It From Here… 

Thank You 4 Your Service
It's a shame that this is Tribes' farewell album. It's as strong as anything they've ever done. I'm going to miss their existence. ATCQ is kind of like the Big 10 of hip hop. I may not like everything they do, but the genre as a whole is better when they're at the top of their game.  -Kelcy

12. (tie) Jeff Shepherd and The Jailhouse Poets - s/t
Every song Jeff has ever written has came straight from his heart. Knowing this makes you wonder how so much heartache can be packaged in one young man. Jeff finally gets the chance to lay his heartache on the masses with a super strong debut that shows a bright future for the sad song writer. -Jeremy

12. (tie) The Sword - Low Country
Stoner metal kings take a slight detour with more prominent 70s & electronic (and acoustic) influences. The results are epic.  -Kelcy

When is the last time you heard an acoustic record that rips that wasn’t straight country or some guy with a beard in a flannel? This is a throw back to the 70’s and makes drinking beer super easy.  -Robert

14. Luke Bell - s/t
This was the best debut of year and one of my most listened-to albums of the year.  Every song on this album is perfect cowboy Country.  Luke Bell is the natural progression through the years from Buck Owens to Dwight Yoakam, and now to Luke.  If Paul Cauthen and Luke Bell are the future of Country, then we are going to be A-OK, y'all!  "Bullfighter" is a perfect example of Luke Bell's mastery of capturing every day moments in his songs. - Matthew

 

15. Car Seat Headrest - Teens of Denial
I've tried to review the album this song is from about ten times this year, but I just don't know what to say about it that would make any sense or sound like I vaguely know what I'm talking about. Just know that it's badass and it was my favorite album of 2016. -Trailer

16. Brandy Clark - Big Day in a Small Town
I'll admit I was a little concerned when Brandy led off this album era with "Girl Next Door," a pop-country tune with a disco flavor. That song eventually grew on me - and the album itself blew me away. Brandy takes the most banal moments of everyday life and makes them sound like plot points in an epic soap opera (in a good way). She finds the unique in the commonplace, dripping a heavy dose of verbal poison in with the sweetness. -Trailer

17. Elizabeth Cook - Exodus of Venus
The most diverse and mature release from Elizabeth to date. Great songwriting and several songs that have a gritty rock sound make this a must listen to album for fans or anyone for that matter. -Jeremy

 

18. Rodney Parker and 50 Peso Reward - Bomber Heights
Lyricism won the day for me. With Bomber Heights Parker and his band, 50 Peso Reward, have created a masterful, literary, cinematic statement. The album begins with "Steppin' Into Sunshine."  The song offers a series of visuals such as "...there is a priceless work and a box knife" that contrast images of beauty and destruction, light and darkness, before the quietly triumphant line "I'm steppin' into sunshine".  It sets up the album perfectly. -Kelcy

 

19. Arliss Nancy - Greater Divides
This is the only kind of album I ever want Arliss Nancy to make.  I hope they continue to do this exact sort of thing for years to come.  The band is tight, the music is wonderful, the songs are as good as any the boys have ever written, and this album is one of their best.  - Matthew

20. Quaker City Night Hawks - El Astronauta
Quaker City Night Hawks made the driving album of the year with this slice of 

greasy, Texas-fried retro rock goodness. -Kelcy

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Other popular selections:
Paul Cauthen - My Gospel; Margo Price - Midwest Farmer's Daughter; Mark Chesnutt - Tradition Lives; Chris Stalcup and the Grange - Downhearted Fools; Metallica - Hardwired… to Self Destruct; The Handsome Family - Unseen; Jack Ingram - Midnight Motel; Erik Dylan - Heart of a Flatland Boy; Leonard Cohen - You Want It Darker; Courtney Granger - Beneath Still Waters.