American Aquarium Performs New Song "The Unfortunate Kind"

Top 30 Albums of 2015: 3/4 Report

Here's my 3/4 of 2015 Favorite Albums list. I'm going to attempt to do a composite among FTM's regular contributors (Matthew, Kelcy, Jeremy, Kevin, and myself) and hopefully have our first team-voted official list (at least a top 10) at the end of December, so this is just a 20% slice here. -Trailer

1. Father John Misty - I Love You Honeybear

2. Chris Stapleton - Traveller

2. Whitey Morgan - Sonic Ranch

4. Turnpike Troubadours - s/t

5. Jason Isbell - Something More Than Free

6. The Honeycutters - Me Oh My

7. Randy Rogers & Wade Bowen - Hold My Beer, Vol. 1

8. James McMurtry - Complicated Game

9. American Aquarium - Wolves

10. Ray Wylie Hubbard - The Ruffian's Misfortune

11. Jonathan Tyler - Holy Smokes

12. J.D. McPherson - Let the Good Times Roll

13. Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp a Butterfly

14. Ashley Monroe - The Blade

15. The Pollies - Not Here

16. Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats - s/t

17. Jamie Lin Wilson - Holidays & Wedding Rings

18. The Damn Quails - Out of the Birdcage

19. Anderson East - Delilah

20. Kacey Musgraves - Pageant Material

21. Faith No More - Sol Invictus

22. Lindi Ortega - Faded Gloryville

23. John Moreland - High on Tulsa Heat

24. Lucero - All a Man Should Do

25. Benton Leachman - Bury the Hatchet

26. Wrinkle Neck Mules - I Never Thought It Would Go This Far

27. Clutch - Psychic Warfare

28. Darrell Scott - Ten

29. The Deslondes - s/t

30. Dwight Yoakam - Second Hand Heart

I haven't heard these enough yet to rank them: Jason Boland and the Stragglers - Squelch, Hailey Whitters - Black Sheep, The Yawpers - American Man, Corb Lund - Things That Can't Be Undone, Don Henley - Cass County, Gretchen Peters - Blackbirds.

Top 20 Albums of 2015: First Half Report

 1. Whitey Morgan - Sonic Ranch
Sonic Ranch is as strong a "real country album" as you'll hear in 2015. It's refreshing to hear such unfiltered honky-tonk music in this day and age of contrived edge and softened edges. Morgan and the 78s' version of modern outlaw country is a comparable sound to what Sturgill Simpson is doing, but with a blue collar approach and a more pronounced low-end. This album may not drive Morgan to acceptance/hype in the same circles as Jason Isbell and Sturgill, but it's a big statement album that will bring in new fans and make old ones very happy.

2. Father John Misty - I Love You Honeybear
Indie-pop is a sub-genre I usually avoid due to the overly precious nature of its typical fare. Father John Misty doesn't do twee. He infuses his catchy pop tunes and lounge rollers with a strong dose of balls. His lyrics are clever, biting, and frequently downright asshole-ish. These songs comfort, provoke, enlighten, and annoy, often at the same time. Our narrator is a jerk, but a jerk that you have to stick around to see what he'll do or say next. This is a record that will gnaw at you and stick with you, each song taking its turn being an earworm or soundtrack to some odd moment.

3. Chris Stapleton - Traveller

4. The Honeycutters - Me Oh My

5. Randy Rogers & Wade Bowen - Hold My Beer, Vol. 1
Hold My Beer, Vol. 1 sounds as much like a celebration of friendship as it does a duets album from the pair of popular Texas troubadours. There's a palpable sense of fun and camaraderie throughout the ten song collection.  It’s the soundtrack to a good Saturday afternoon barbecue, a party record for people who'd rather not fist-pump, a greatest hits collection of songs you haven’t heard yet (unless you've been to their summer tours of the same name as the album).

6. J.D. McPherson - Let the Good Times Roll

7. American Aquarium - Wolves
To say the musical arrangements are daring & a departure from past albums is true. Yes, the same basic structure is there, the skeleton is intact enough to keep the loyal fans sated. But BJ Barham & the boys take risks here. The lush "Man I'm Supposed To Be" could be something Chet Atkins produced, but the darkness that lurks in this most honest of love songs somehow makes the song even more powerful. -Kelcy Salisbury

8. James McMurtry - Complicated Game
This is McMurtry’s best record, and it ain’t close. And that was a high bar. He could put his pen and guitar down now, and his name will forever belong beside those of Lovett, Clark, Earle, and yes, Van Zandt. If you know those names, you know what the comparison implies.  If you don’t, listen to Complicated Game, and get a frame of reference. This one’s a crowning moment for one of the true and elite Texas craftsmen. -Kevin Broughton

 

9. Ray Wylie Hubbard - The Ruffian's Misfortune

10. Jamie Lin Wilson - Holidays & Wedding Rings

11. Kacey Musgraves - Pageant Material

12. Darrell Scott - Ten

 

13. Blackberry Smoke - Holding All the Roses

14. Wrinkle Neck Mules - I Never Thought It Would Go This Far
Maybe this fine album isn't to be analyzed. Find your own meaning in these literate, attitude-driven, poetic, anti-bucolic, abstruse (and surprisingly fun) lyrics and run with it. It's not like you're going to stop tapping your foot, either way. It's all too damn catchy; and so steeped in shine and cooked over some ridge dweller's firepit, I Never Thought It Would Go This Far can't help but captivate.

15. John Moreland - High on Tulsa Heat

 

16. Will Hoge - Small Town Dreams

 

17. Courtney Patton - So This is Life

 

18. Benton Leachman - Bury the Hatchet
Benton Leachman has a reedy croon that gives off the impression of innocence or sweetness. While that may indeed be the case for Leachman personally, his debut album, Bury the Hatchet, presents several bits of evidence that are at odds with that starry-eyed delivery. He's clearly a complicated and real person, and this record shows you all his sides with a passionate honesty that's rare in first releases.

 

19. Cody Jinks - Adobe Sessions

 

20. Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp a Butterfly

You Suck as a Music Fan 6

If...

You stopped being a fan when they sold their 10,000th album.

... you only go to concerts to talk to your friends and stare at social media. -@MarkDeskin

You think pedal-steel is a pick-up truck accessory... -Hannah Jo Lally

You incorporate Luke Bryan lyrics into your wedding vows. -Neal Grant

If you spell George's name Straight. -Michael Crabtree

You pirate the album then complain about its production values.

You only go to the merch table to ask for a free sticker. - @HonkyTonkQueen

You ask the merch guy if the album is on Spotify.

You judge an entire album based on hearing one or two songs. -Andrew Lacy

You find all your new music by Shazam'ing songs from WWE promotional videos.

You encourage 3 minute drum solos by cheering the whole time. -Christina Maccini
 
You don't know anyone else's name in the band besides the lead singer. -Cheyenne Wolf Abilene

The next morning, you have to ask your friends what the band played.

If you consider countdowns as the bar for good music. -Kenny Daniel

If you think Lie Baby is a Brantley Gilbert song. -Ben Ryan

You think Louis Armstrong was that guy who doped up and won the Tour De France "a lot of times." -Barry Toffoli

You had a terrible night because your phone ran out of space for videos.

You think Shinedown's version of "Simple Man" is better than the original. -Mark Breunig

You treat a live band like your personal jukebox. -@UncleLeonAlibis

You don't clap for the live band but you'll "check in" at the venue on your iPhone. -Lee Kelley

You ask to be on the guest list. -Trey Newman

The only song you recognize is the rap song playing over the monitors while the second band sets up.

You swapped Exile on main Street for 3 Garth Brooks albums. (I was young and stupid) -Matt Kidney
 
Jimmy Kimmel's crew interviews you during SXSW -James Treviño

FGL is your jam. -Westin Zamarippa

You've demanded a refund because the band didn't play the one song you know.

You use the phrase "but you've gotta admit that it's catchy." to justify a terrible song. -Taylor Smith

you respond to the question who's your favorite artist that you don't have one and you like whatever's  on the radio. -@AshleyAnnMusic

You go to your most favorite band's concert, but you get so drunk, the band has you thrown out (saw this at an American Aquarium show) -@maparriott

When you say "the record store" and you mean "Walmart." -Mike Holcomb

You couldn't make the live show because you didn't have a bow-tie to match the current vibe of the band.

   

Your idea of discovering artists is from listening to mainstream radio -@Convictcharlie

You wear bedazzled jeans to a concert. And you're a dude. - @fher1286

You can only sing along to the last two hits.

a guy raps with a twangy, nasal drawl in double-time about a ba-donk-a-donk with some such colored Solo cup in a truck with ground effects and a 7 foot suspension lift with double-decker KC lights and a never-used Warn wench, rollin' down a dirt road, going to that lake at Old Man Johnson's farm, on a hot, summer night...over the dying pleas of a steel guitar and you don't literally get sick to your stomach. -Jay White
 
You talk through an entire acoustic set. -@BlondieInTX

You think Sam Hunt is a country singer.

If Willy Braun asks you to put down your phone. -Jodi Tidwell Bourne
 
You still buy Josh Abbott's music - @HonkyTonkQueen

You take MMA training in the winter and spring to prepare for the summer concert season.

You claim an artist is a "sell out" for selling Nashville something they wrote because YOU....
DONT go to shows
DONT buy the merch
and have
DOWNLOADED all their music for free. -Angela Jolene

All your band shirts came from Target.

you know the pants size of the jeans the artist fits in to, but you're unsure of what the last single was. -Danielle E. Bowers

 
You think the Possum is a pesky critter and the Hag is merely your mother-in-law. -Mike Pollard

You smuggle in Bud Light to a show....in a can. -Scott McGuffie

Old 280 Boogie Review (American Aquarium, Caleb Caudle, etc.)

American Aquarium

by Matthew Martin
When my friends called me a few months ago to persuade me to go to the Old 280 Boogie in Waverly, AL, I had no idea I'd be so easily swayed.  However, I ended up down in Alabama last weekend in what was one of the best times I've had in a very long while. 

For those of you that don't know, the Old 280 Boogie is a shin-dig put on in Waverly, AL and has a few bands and a few hundred folks.  If you've never been to Waverly, AL (don't worry, I hadn't been there and I went to school less than an hour away), it is just like every other small, Southern town you know- which I say lovingly, not degradingly.  It is everything I miss about the South after living here in the nation's capitol for many years.

We got to the Boogie around 1 that day and the first band was already going- I believe it was Serious Sam Barrett at that time.  I knew by the time we set up that this was going to be a good day.  The crowd was perfect, friendly, and revved up.

Next up was Caleb Caudle, who was damn near perfect.  My only complaint is that Caleb didn't play

Caleb Caudle

a bit later in the day.  Caleb's songs are great and a great complement to the beautiful weather we had for the day.  If you haven't listen to Caleb's recent album, you should do so now.

Alanna Royale and her band came on next and they had the crowd in the palm of their hands.  Alanna was a great performer.  It's easy to start making comparisons, because everything's been done, right?  But, Alanna was reminiscent of Brittany Howard in her complete control of the stage.  I'm guessing if you like Alabama Shakes, there is a great chance you'll like Alanna Royale.

Now the local crowd was getting a bit more lively and the Pine Hill Haints from Auburn, AL came on and worked the crowd into a frenzy.  With the frenetic energy of a rockabilly band and their undeniable bluegrass style, the Pine Hill Haints proved to be one of many highlights of the day.  Local products were the theme of the day and the Pine Hill Haints proved that local music is alive and well everywhere.  Go to your local music hall.  Listen to your local band.  They have something to say.  And, they are likely damn good musicians.

Alvin Youngblood Hart's Muscle Theory was next and, I will admit, I did not listen to them as much as I should have.  The day was beginning to take it's toll and I needed a break from the festivities.  I'll say that missing most of this set was one of the only regrets I had of the day.  But, all was soon to be forgiven.

Johnny Sansone

Johnny Sansone.  Know him?  Yeah, neither did I.  Jesus am I glad I didn't!  This dude was unbelievable and I think going in not knowing helped the experience tenfold!  Coming onto stage dressed in full Dia de la Muertos garb was schticky at first... so I thought.  But, when Johnny began playing the harmonica and singing in a rasp that rivaled Dr. John, I knew this was going to be something unforgettable.  And, it was.  I haven't had the heart to listen to Johnny's studio albums after the show but only because I was so blown away by the live show.  I don't mean any knock towards Mr. Sansone.  He was incredible!  But, I'm not ready to let go of that performance.  Of the unbridled showmanship and musicianship that emanated from the stage.  Johnny Sansone.  Go to his website.  See if he's coming near you.  Drive an hour or more.  Do whatever you have to.  Go see this man.

Now, as the day was beginning to get a bit, shall we say, loose, the final act was about to come on.  I love American Aquarium.  For many reasons, I love these dudes.  They are good people, and they are a great band.  If you've made it this far through my ramblings, you probably already love American Aquarium.  But, if you don't know them, do yourself a favor- listen in this order Dances for the Lonely, Burn. Flicker. Die., and Wolves.  To me, this is the best way to enjoy this band- to see where they have been and where they are going.  Stories can be hard to tell- they can be heartbreaking, they can be joyous, and they can be hard to convey.  But, American Aquarium does so deftly, and with an ability to cut to the quick.  The boys were firing on all cylinders this evening and were having a great time themselves.  BJ made more than a few comments about the venue and the crowd being somewhat of a high-water mark of being on tour.  The guys of American Aquarium have been playing together for a helluva long time and you can tell.  This is a band that has been through a lot on the road- good and bad- and they wear that badge with honor.  They have honed that knowledge of each other into a finely tuned musical machine.  One of my favorite things I have seen over my years of watching American Aquarium is seeing the closing song turn from "I Hope He Breaks Your Heart" to "Burn. Flicker. Die."  This is a transition that is amazing.  And, I think it shows the growth of this band.  These are two incredible songs, but if I'm honest with myself, "Burn. Flicker. Die." is the better song.  It is the show-stopper.  And, recently, that has been the literal case.  I hope these guys stick together and stick around for a much longer time.  I don't think we've heard enough from these guys.

I've written so much.  I can be long-winded, but I feel the story has to be told.  The Old 280 Boogie.  Waverly, AL.  Johnny Sansone.  American Aquarium.  The story is only half-told.  The best way to be a part of this story if to go to this incredible place.  Go see these bands.  Go support the bands around you.  Music is what keeps us all going.  Most of us.  Some people can write the songs of our lives.  Some can write about those songs.  But, we can all go and enjoy and support the music.  I want to leave this by saying thank you to the folks of Waverly, AL.  The folks of Standard Deluxe.  The folks of This Is American Music (Corey, I'm sorry we didn't get a chance to formally meet).  Everyone involved in putting the Old 280 Boogie on.  You've got a lot to be proud of and I can't wait to be back in the years to come.

Best Albums of 2015 So Far: 1st Quarter Report

My actual "Best of 2015" list includes four albums not yet released, but since this is labeled as the "1st Quarter Report," I decided to stay true to the title and not include those four. However, you should know that my favorite album I've heard this year is actually Whitey Morgan's Sonic Ranch ...and by a long shot. It comes out in May. But here's the list of my favorite albums released thus far in 2015.

 1. Father John Misty - I Love You Honeybear

2. J.D. McPherson - Let the Good Times Roll

 3. Blackberry Smoke - Holding All the Roses

 4. American Aquarium - Wolves

5. James McMurtry - Complicated Game

6. Wrinkle Neck Mules - I Never Thought It Would Go This Far

 7. Allison Moorer - Down to Believing

 8. JEFF the Brotherhood - Wasted on the Dream

 9. Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp a Butterfly

10. Butch Walker - Afraid of Ghosts

------------------------------------------

11. Benton Leachman - Bury the Hatchet

12. Earl Sweatshirt - I Don't Like Shit, I Don't Go Outside

13. Houndmouth - Little Neon Limelight

14. The Delta Routine - You and Your Lion

15. The Lone Bellow - Then Came the Morning

16. The Mavericks - Mono

17. Aaron Watson - The Underdog

18. Ryan Bingham - Fear and Saturday Night

19. Striking Matches - Nothing But the Silence

20. Gurf Morlix - Eatin' at Me

-------------------------------------------------------------
Yet to hear or need to hear more of: Gretchen Peters - Blackbirds, Jackson Taylor - Cantina del Diablo, Haley Cole - Illusions, Great Lake Swimmers - A Forest of Arms, Joe Pug - Windfall, Willie & the Giant - s/t, JJ Grey & Mofro - Ol' Glory, Brandi Carlile - The Firewatcher's Daughter, No Dry County - The Night Before, Cody Jinks - Adobe Sessions.

New Video: American Aquarium - Losing Side of Twenty-Five

Album Review: American Aquarium - Wolves

by Kelcy Salisbury

American Aquarium is a band that's been building tremendous buzz off the strength of their relentless touring and their album Burn, Flicker, Die for the past couple of years. We've all heard the story ad infinitum about how that album was supposed to be their goodbye. It was the end. Its success seemed like the beginning of a fairy tale ending, a Behind The Music episode in reverse.

So let's skip that part of the story & talk about the new album, Wolves.

I never do track by track reviews, but this deserves one. Problem is then I'd have to pick a favorite & I can't do it. I doubt I ever will.

This is as perfect of a country-fried, southern rock album as I can imagine hearing in the present time.

To say the musical arrangements are daring & a departure from past albums is true. Yes, the same basic structure is there, the skeleton is intact enough to keep the loyal fans sated. But BJ Barham & the boys take risks here. The lush "Man I'm Supposed To Be" could be something Chet Atkins produced, but the darkness that lurks in this most honest of love songs somehow makes the song even more powerful.




The opener, "Family Problems," strays into psychedelic, Turtles-esque territory in places & again the song is more powerful for it.

"Losing Side of Twenty-five" contains a riff that will lodge itself into your brain and likely be stuck there for the remainder of 2015. It doesn't hurt that the song is damn good too, giving an autobiographical account of the life of a late-20's guy who chose the road life over settling down. "I might never have a mansion, hell I might never own me a home…" sings Barham, laying bare the realities of the path he's chosen.

I never would call American Aquarium a straight ahead country band in the vein of those modern bands who are simply aping tradition. They have become one of the bands who've taken country music in the direction it needs to go & that's why I think that this album & this year are the most important of their careers. Based on what I know about their history, the incredible growth from strong album to utterly breathtaking album, and the tides seeming to be slowly turning in Nashville, I believe that this is one of the bands that is going to be the crest on the wave that rejuvenates true country music - with a truly modern touch - for the masses.

If you want to see them with the other band I've given similar accolades (a bit over a year ago I believe), catch one of their dates with Turnpike Troubadours. Truly the two best younger bands in any genre right now.

American Aquarium has been extremely generous in their willingness to make their music available to stream for free for years now. Now is the time to pay them back. Wolves is an album to buy. Seriously, it's as good as anything I've heard in 6 months at least. Probably much longer.

If you've agreed with my recommendations in the past, you know what to do. If not, I may have been out of sync with your tastes before, but this album is different enough from their past work that you should give it a try anyway.

------
You can buy Wolves tomorrow (Feb. 3, 2015) from iTunes, Lone Star Music, and all the usual retailers.

New Video: American Aquarium - Man I'm Supposed to Be

Kelcy Reflects on 2014, Chris Knight, Babies, etc.

Things I'm Glad I Experienced or Discovered in 2014:
by Kelcy Salisbury

_________________________________________________________

2014 was a momentous year for me in a lot of ways, personally & professionally. These are the best things that I experienced, discovered, or rediscovered in the past year, in no particular order.

Jason Boland & The Stragglers with Chris Knight live at Joe's on Weed Street.  
Joe's has a lot of history in "TX/Red Dirt" music, especially for a venue in Chicago. This past summer I checked 2 firsts off my list: I saw a show at Joe's & I saw Chris Knight. It was everything I'd hoped for & then some. I met Chris Knight - he killed a bunch of people in song - but I'm still here for now.

Ray Wylie Hubbard live was everything I'd hoped for & then some. Ray put on a great show in a really cool room, was gracious enough to put me on his guest list though we'd never met, and was just about the coolest cat to talk to that you'd ever hope to meet. Ray Wylie Hubbard is exactly who you think he is, only better.

I finally started listening to American Aquarium & now I'm sad that Burn, Flicker, Die didn't make it into my best of 2013 list. These guys are going to lead the charge to take back country music right alongside Turnpike Troubadours. They're the truth.

I discovered Fistful Of Beard a few months too late to ever see a live show, which is quite a shame, but they left behind one really good album.

I finally got around to listening to John Fullbright's solo stuff around the time my daughter was born. She's 10 months old & Song For A Child might be her favorite song.

I rediscovered, through my daughter, how much FUN music is supposed to be. She already loves music & she already knows how to find John Fullbright, The Trisha's, Jason Boland & Brandy Clark on my phone whenever she's feeling like an impromptu dance party. Her favorite dancing song is probably Mike Ness (of Social Distortion) covering I Fought The Law, and if you've never seen this child jam out to that song, I feel bad for you. 

New Video: American Aquarium - Wolves

FTM Top Albums of '12: Matthew's Top 10

-By Matthew Martin

1- Lee Bains III & the Glory Fires, "There is a Bomb in Gilead"- My God!  No band surprised me more this year than Birmingham's own Lee Bains III.  I witnessed them open up for Alabama Shakes in Baltimore and was just floored by these guys.  Evoking that Southern, soulful voice akin to fellow Alabama native Jason Isbell, Bains and his incredibly gifted band-mates have created an album that continues to grow stronger and stronger with each listen. 

2- American Aquarium, "Burn. Flicker. Die"- We've all heard it before, right?  Band hits road.  Band tries to make it.  Band gets weary.  Band breaks up.  This is where we meet BJ Barham and his band American Aquarium on their latest release: between weary and callin it quits.  What makes an album great is taking a subject we've heard and making it sound new and fresh.  Barham has done this to perfection with his road weary songs.  American Aquarium has had some really good albums, but this album achieves far beyond good- it is truly great.

3- The Pollies, "Where the Lies Begin"- Another great band from Alabama- there must be something in the water down there.  Listening to this album for the first time was such an awesome experience that I wish I could listen for the first time again.  I'm not sure you can get much better for a debut album.  Everything on this album works perfectly- from the interplay of instruments to the Jim James-esque echo vocal effects.  Just try to listen to this album and not be taken aback.  

4- Titus Andronicus, "Local Business"- Everyone's favorite Nihilistic band came back from their massively heavy and successful 2010 album "The Monitor" to record a more basic rock and roll record.  Recorded with the same 4 folks who had been touring for the last few months as Titus Andronicus, this album hits the ground running and really never lets up.  This album has less of the bombast than the previous 2 albums (i.e., no spoken intros, no droning noise, etc.), but Patrick Sickles and crew still run through 7+ minute songs at break-neck speed.  

5- Lucero, "Women & Work"- I don't know how Lucero continue to get better, but they do.  Taking the Memphis soul sound they incorporated on "1372 Overton Park," they honed their sound in to make this incredible album.  The songs on this album are your typical Lucero songs, but then you add in songs such as "Sometimes" and "Go Easy" and you have possibly their best album since "That Much Further West."  Some folks don't like the horn section Lucero have taken up, but I couldn't be more on board.  It works incredibly well for their sound and Nichols' gruff voice.  (Also, anyone else notice "Like Lightning" being played during some college and pro football games this year?)

6- Shovels & Rope, "O Be Joyful"- To truly appreciate Shovels & Rope, you should see them live, immediately.  Until then, this album serves as a great snapshot of their energy, harmony, and chemistry.  There have been a ton of "husband/wife" duos lately, it seems, but Shovels & Rope are doing everything right.  Some songs may initially seem sappy, but they play them with such sincerity and gusto that any sap is quickly overshadowed by their keen emotion.  There is no better song from 2012 than "Bimingham," which alone makes the album worth purchasing.

7- Arliss Nancy, "Simple Machines"- "I don't believe that we've been properly introduced.." So begins the newest album from Arliss Nancy.  I'd say that is a fair statement from the Denver rock band.  Their first album ("Dance to Forget") was a good album but this album shines much brighter due to upped production values, added instruments here and there, and a damn near perfect set of songs.  I'd say if you were just now hearing of Arliss Nancy this album would no doubt be the place to start and if you've been hesitating on listening, stop.  It's a great, catchy rock and roll album.

8- Natural Child, "For the Love of the Game"/"Hard in Heaven"- After seeing Natural Child open up for The Hold Steady this year, I went crazy for these guys.  The 3-man band from Nashville, TN were busy in 2012 releasing both "For the Love of the Game" and "Hard in Heaven."  I know it's probably cheating to include both albums here at #8, but when I was thinking about this list I couldn't pick a clear favorite.  Sounding like a combination of the Stones and the Ramones, Natural Child rock and roll through sleazy guitar licks and songs about women, partying, and drugs.  Just try to listen to these guys without moving.  I think it's impossible.

9- Alabama Shakes, "Boys and Girls"- I fell for this album and band hook, line, and sinker.  Talk about a powerful voice!  I think this is a fun, well-played, and well-written record.  While Alabama Shakes aren't really breaking new ground lyrically, they are laying down really great music and the songs are perfect vehicles for Brittany Howard to showcase her incredible vocals.  Also, it's really amazing how fast Alabama Shakes rose to stardom.  I'm sure it happens all the time, but it had never happened to a band I was on board with when they were just Alabama's best kept secret. 

10- Justin Townes Earle, "Nothing's Gonna Change the Way You Feel About Me Now"- Lots of folks aren't crazy about JTE's new album due to its subdued nature.  I, on the other hand, think it is the perfect Sunday morning album.  Once again, an artist added a horns section to an album and it worked perfectly.  The contemplative mood of the album works for Earle and the band he gathered to record with. This is a fine album that I believe will get much stronger with time.

Other albums just missing the top 10 include: The Bohanons- "Unaka Rising," The Gaslight Anthem- "Handwritten," Cory Branan- "Mutt," Shooter Jennings- "Family Man," and Patterson Hood- "Heat Lightning Rumbles in the Distance."