Best of 2009 So Far: June

I just started listening to the new Buddy and Julie Miller and it's great so far... but it didn't make the cutoff for this chart. Take a good look and see what you think might interest you that you haven't heard or purchased yet... this chart will come into play over the next couple of weeks.

1. Son Volt - American Central Dust*

2. Ben Nichols - The Last Pale Light in the West

3. Charlie Robison - Beautiful Day

4. Justin Townes Earle - Midnight at the Movies

5. Slaid Cleaves - Everything You Love Will Be Taken Away

6. The Devil Makes Three - Do Wrong Right

7. Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears - Tell 'em What Your Name Is

8. Deer Tick - Born on Flag Day

9. Steve Earle - Townes

10. Wilco - Wilco (The Album)*

11. Phosphorescent - To Willie

12. Great Lake Swimmers - Lost Channels

13. Roman Candle - Oh Tall Tree in the Ear

14. John Moreland & The Black Gold Band - Endless Oklahoma Sky

15. Ryan Bingham - Roadhouse Sun

16. The Deep Dark Woods - Winter Hours

17. Todd Snider - The Excitement Plan

18. Holly Williams - Here With Me

19. The Gourds - Haymaker!

20. Mastodon - Crack the Skye

21. Wayne Hancock - Viper of Melody

22. Eric Church - Carolina

23. The Fox Hunt - America's Working So We Don't Have To

24. Strand of Oaks - Leave Ruin

25. Doug Paisley - s/t

26. The Extraordinaires - Electric and Benevolent

27. Scott Miller - For Crying Out Loud

28. Dale Watson - The Truckin' Sessions (v.2)

29. Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit - s/t

30. Terry Anderson & The Olympic Ass Kickin' Team - National Champions

*Due for release Tuesday

Best of 2009 So Far: Through May

As always, feel free to chime in with your own favorites of the year thus far, or give me some suggestions for music I should check out! Any of these that aren't yet released... um, I've listened to the streaming previews...yeah, that's the ticket.

1. Son Volt - American Central Dust

2. Ben Nichols - The Last Pale Light in the West

3. Justin Townes Earle - Midnight at the Movies

4. Slaid Cleaves - Everything You Love Will Be Taken Away

5. Wilco - Wilco (The Album)

6. Phosphorescent - To Willie

7. Steve Earle - Townes

8. The Devil Makes Three - Do Wrong Right

8. Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears - Tell 'em What Your Name Is

9. The Gourds - Haymaker!

10. Great Lake Swimmers - Lost Channels

11. Roman Candle - Oh Tall Tree in the Ear

12. John Moreland & The Black Gold Band - Endless Oklahoma Sky

13. Mastodon - Crack the Skye

14. Doug Paisley - s/t

15. Wayne Hancock - Viper of Melody

16. Scott Miller - For Crying Out Loud

17. Eric Church - Carolina

18. Dale Watson - The Truckin' Sessions (v.2)

19. Strand of Oaks - Leave Ruin

20. Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit - s/t

21. The Last Vegas - Whatever Gets You Off

22. The Felice Brothers - Yonder is the Clock

23. Willie Nelson & Asleep At The Wheel - Willie and the Wheel

24. Green Day - 21st Century Breakdown

25. Diana Jones - Better Times Will Come

Best of 2009 So Far: Expanded Edition

I usually don't rank everything I've heard for these personal charts, but I thought I'd do so this time around... even including a mainstream country rankings after the main chart.

1. Ben Nichols - The Last Pale Light in the West
2. Justin Townes Earle - Midnight at the Movies
3. The Gourds - Haymaker!
4. Phosphorescent - To Willie
5. Great Lake Swimmers - Lost Channels
6. Mastodon - Crack the Skye
7. Steve Earle - Townes
8. Slaid Cleaves - Everything You Love Will Be Taken Away
9. The Deep Dark Woods - Winter Hours
10. Scott Miller - For Crying Out Loud
11. Eric Church - Carolina
12. Strand of Oaks - Leave Ruin
13. Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit - s/t
14. The Last Vegas - Whatever Gets You Off
15. The Felice Brothers - Yonder is the Clock
16. The Hold Steady - A Positive Rage
17. Silversun Pickups - Swoon
18. Incredibad - The Lonely Island
19. U2 - No Line on the Horizon
20. Terry Anderson & The Olympic Ass Kickin' Team - National Champions
21. Doug Burr - The Shawl
22. M.Ward - Hold Time
23. Mark Olson and Gary Louris - Ready for the Flood
24. The Derek Trucks Band - Already Free
25. Neko Case - Middle Cyclone
26. Bruce Springsteen - Waiting on a Dream
27. The Decemberists - The Hazards of Love
28. Husband and Wife - Dark Dark Woods
29. Chris Isaak - Mr. Lucky

Ranking the Mainstream:
1. Eric Church - Carolina
2. Adam Gregory - Crazy Days
3. Rodney Atkins - It's America
4. Keith Urban - Defying Gravity
5. Rascal Flatts - Unstoppable

Favorite Albums of '09 - First Quarter Report

Click on underlined artist names for their Myspace pages to listen! (Ben doesn't have a solo Myspace, but you can listen to samples on the Amazon link)

Feel free to comment on any of these, or to suggest some other great albums of early 2009!

1. Ben Nichols - The Last Pale Light in the West
A collection of gritty narratives based on Cormac McCarthy's gore-soaked epic, "Blood Meridian," it's as passionate and powerful as anything I've heard this year (and much of last), despite the narrow focus. I'm a huge fan of Ben's full-time gig, Lucero, and looking forward to their major label debut later this year, but it'll have to really be something to top this.
Prime track: "Toadvine"

2. Justin Townes Earle - Midnight at the Movies
This is the one where son overtakes father. Justin's warm, reedy vocals and classic country sound with a modern feel make this quite an engaging album.
Prime track: "Mama's Eyes"

3. The Gourds - Haymaker!
Ridiculously fun as always, but the song-craft never suffers for the sake of party and vice versa. Not quite up to the high bar set by their previous release, Noble Creatures, but still a very strong effort.
Prime track: "Shreveport"

4. Phosphorescent - To Willie
A loving ode to a legend. Nelson's songs retold through a filter of reverent indie folk sound great and remind you that Willie's not just an entertainer and troubadour, but a songwriter of the highest order. Phosphorescent's not bad either, putting their own stamp on the songs, not just performing rote covers.
Prime track: "The Last Thing I Needed (First Thing This Morning)"

5. Great Lake Swimmers - Lost Channels
An indie-folk band with some of the most beautiful vocals you'll ever hear, Great Lake Swimmers take a step in a new direction on this outing, upping the tempo a bit and eschewing the stripped down approach for an array of new instruments, to nice effect. "Pulling on a Line" is my favorite song of the year thus far.

6. Mastodon - Crack the Skye
Metal! Smart, masterfully technical and fairly innovative, but still headbangingly hard, Mastodon's beast of a record should appeal to fans of anybody from Iron Maiden and Metallica to Coheed and Cambria. Great music for working out, or washing the dishes.
Prime track: "Oblivion"

7. The Deep Dark Woods - Winter Hours
Prime track: "All the Money I Had is Gone"

8. Scott Miller - For Crying Out Loud
Prime track: "Sin in Indiana"

9. Eric Church - Carolina
Prime track: "Where She Told Me to Go"

10. Strand of Oaks - Leave Ruin
Prime track: "End in Flames"

Best of '09 So Far

Here's another update of my favorite albums of the year thus far, which I'll do monthly. This is very much a fluid list... I haven't had time to fully digest everything so the rankings will definitely change. It's looking like another great year for tunes though, as was 2008. Feel free to comment with your own list or make suggestions for stuff I should check out!

01. Ben Nichols - The Last Pale Light in the West
02. Justin Townes Earle - Midnight at the Movies
03. The Gourds - Haymaker!
04. Phosphorescent - To Willie
05. Scott Miller - For Crying Out Loud
06. U2 - No Line on the Horizon
07. Strand of Oaks - Leave Ruin
08. Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit - s/t
09. The Deep Dark Woods - Winter Hours
10. Doug Burr - The Shawl
11. M.Ward - Hold Time
12. Mark Olson and Gary Louris - Ready for the Flood
13. The Derek Trucks Band - Already Free
14. Neko Case - Middle Cyclone
15. Bruce Springsteen - Waiting on a Dream
16. Dierks Bentley - Feel That Fire
17. Husband and Wife - Dark Dark Woods

Best of '09

Okay, so 2009's only been here a short time, but I've already managed to hear some great music. Here's my very very early top 10 (and yes, a couple haven't been released yet... I have a man on the ground).

1. Ben Nichols - The Last Pale Light in the West
2. The Gourds - Haymaker!
3. Phosphorescent - To Willie
4. Scott Miller - For Crying Out Loud
5. Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit - s/t
6. Doug Burr - The Shawl
7. M.Ward - Hold Time
8. Mark Olson and Gary Louris - Ready for the Flood
9. The Derek Trucks Band - Already Free
10. Bruce Springsteen - Waiting on a Dream

Best Albums of 2008

'08 was a great year for music (artistically, if not commercially) and I listened to a lot of it! Below you'll find the top 10 I submitted as my official "Gambler" vote at altcountrytab.ca as well as a couple other albums I heard this year. Tomorrow I'll get back to the funny and post a "Best of 2008 Country Covers" edition with mostly fresh, new, unposted parody covers! For now though, here's what my ears enjoyed in 2008.





01. Drive-by Truckers - Brighter Than Creation's Dark
This is my third favorite Truckers album. That alone qualifies it to be the number one in any given year. The fact that DBTs recovered from their previous, disappointing release and the loss of Jason Isbell with this extremely satisfying record only seals the deal. Standout: The Righteous Path








02. Jamey Johnson - That Lonesome Song
The best mainstream country album in years, maybe decades. Jamey paints a darkly vivid picture of heartache, addiction and despair with a few respites of humor, all in the style of an updated Waylon. Johnson inhabits his songs in a way that few country artists do. He may not be in the category of "..Jennings and Jones" but That Lonesome Song proves Johnson has the talent to aim that high. Standout: The High Cost of Living







03. Kasey Chambers and Shane Nicholson - Rattlin' Bones
I've never had more than a passing interest in Kasey's solo material, but this is a different beast altogether. Kasey and Shane's vocals blend to make a heavenly sound and the songs they perform are very strong as well. The harmonies are the thing though. Standout: Sweetest Waste of Time









04. Kathleen Edwards - Asking For Flowers
Kathleen reaches back into the emotional depth of her debut album with Asking for Flowers and comes out with nearly as strong an album. Her songwriting and wit are sharper than ever.











05. Hayes Carll - Trouble in Mind
Hayes is a hillbilly poet in the tradition of Steve Earle and Townes Van Zandt and he's quickly proving himself to be in that realm of talent as well.
Standout: Bad Liver and a Broken Heart











06. Sun Kil Moon - April
I'm not sure how Mark Kozelek keeps this up. His first SKM album is one of my favorites of all time, and this isn't far off.










07. The Hold Steady - Stay Positive
Standout: Lord, I'm Discouraged














08. The Felice Brothers - s/t
Standout: Frankie's Gun!













09. Two Cow Garage - Speaking in Cursive
Standout: Bastards and Bridesmaids














10. Fleet Foxes - s/t
Standout - White Winter Hymnal














The rest:
11. NQ Arbuckle - XOK
12. Blitzen Trapper - Furr
13. Chris Knight - Heart of Stone
14. Metallica - Death Magnetic
15. Reckless Kelly - Bulletproof
16. The Gaslight Anthem - The '59 Sound
17. Justin Townes Earle - The Good Life
18. Bruce Robison - The New World
19. The Steeldrivers - s/t
20. Drag The River - You Can't Live This Way
21. Blue Mountain - Midnight in Mississippi
22. Mudcrutch - s/t
23. Vampire Weekend - s/t
24. AC/DC - Black Ice
25. Damien Jurado - Caught In The Trees
26. Lee Ann Womack - Call Me Crazy
27. Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever
28. Chris Mills - Living In The Aftermath
29. Hank Williams III - Damn Right Rebel Proud
30. The Tallest Man in the World - Shallow Grave
31. The Moondoggies - Don't Be a Stranger
32. Guns n' Roses - Chinese Democracy
33. Jason Boland And the Stragglers - Comal County Blue
34. Aaron Watson - Angels and Outlaws
35. Horse Feathers - House With No Home
36. Whitey Morgan And The 78's - Honky Tonks And Cheap Motels
37. Old Crow Medicine Show - Tennessee Pusher
38. Kings of Leon - Only By the Night
39. The Black Crowes - Warpaint
40. Lil Wayne - Tha Carter III
41. Paul Thorn - A Long Way From Tupelo
42. Randy Rogers Band - s/t
43. Old 97s - Blame It On Gravity
44. Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers - Turbo Ocho
45. Langhorne Slim - s/t
46. Jim Lauderdale And The Dream Players - Honey Songs
47. Trent Willmon - Broken In
48. The Black Keys - Attack and Release
49. Dead Confederate - Wrecking Ball
50. Nada Surf - Lucky
51. Snoop Dogg - Ego Trippin'
52. Ryan Adams & The Cardinals - Cardinology
53. Candlebox - Into the Sun
54. R.E.M. - Accelerate
55. George Strait - Troubadour
56. Alan Jackson - Good Time
57. Weezer - The Red Album
58. My Morning Jacket - Evil Urges
59. Glen Campbell - Meet Glen Campbell
60. The Raconteurs - Consolers of the Lonely
61. Five Finger Death Punch - The Way of the Fist
62. Kanye West - 808s and Heartbreak
63. Coldplay - Viva La Vida
64. The Cool Kids - Bake Sale
65. Rodney Parker & 50 Peso Reward - The Lonesome Dirge

Top 10 Country Albums of 2008

Here are my favorite "mainstream" country albums of '08. Again, if you'd like, leave me a comment or a list of your own! Oh, and for the record, I don't claim to be any great shakes as a reviewer. I just know what I like. For some truly well written reviews, check out my buddies at Country Universe, Roughstock, The 9513 and a few others in my sidebar. CU's Blake's take on my #1 is especially insightful.


01. Jamey Johnson - That Lonesome Song
Head and shoulders above every other mainstream country album that has come out, not just this year, but almost as far back as I can recall. Reminiscent of the sonic textures of the better known Waylon Jennings albums, That Lonesome Song is a nearly unrelentingly dark trip through the hell of heartache and regret. Somewhere between Jennings and Jones, Jamey chisels his own persona hewn from hard living and hard times. A modern classic.







02. Reckless Kelly - Bulletproof
It's a shame this group hasn't struck it big... yet. Everything about them screams "big time superstar band" but their hard rocking side leaves radio programmers at a loss as to where or even if to slot them. They may not fit into Clearchannel's ideal of country right now, but they're closer to the real deal than many of the top 40's pop leaning acts. RK's writing is strong and varied, and as musicians, they are noted to be among the cream of the "Texas music" crop. Bulletproof is their strongest release to date, bringing the rock and the ballads in enough measure to satisfy the male and female demographic alike. Even their throwaway songs stay with you because of the big melodies, and the deeper tracks will punch you right in the gut. I've been a fan since last millennium, so it gives me great selfish personal satisfaction to see them catching on. The sky's the limit for Reckless Kelly.
Standout: Ragged as the Road




03. Lee Ann Womack - Call Me Crazy
When Jamey Johnson thinks you're the best country artist going today, you're doing something right. Lee Ann could have kept pushing toward the pop country of her smash hit "I Hope You Dance" but has instead opted for real tear-in-your-beer country with her two most recent releases. This one's even better than "There's More Where That Came From" which landed on many "Best of" lists.
Standout: Solitary Thinkin'






04. Randy Rogers Band - s/t
See #2
Standout: Didn't Know You Could













05. Trent Willmon - Broken In
Trent has a distinctive Texas drawl and a unique perspective on commercial country. He also picks and co-writes great material. He's a vastly underrated and under-appreciated artist.











06. George Strait - Troubadour
The King just keeps right on rolling, sounding better than ever on somewhat above average material. That's not a slight against him; the songs just aren't all up to snuff this go round. He's still wonderful at performing them.
Standout: West Texas Town









07. Alan Jackson - Good Time
A welcome return to straightforward country, but something of a bloated release. Trim this down to a svelte 12 song package and it's probably 3 places higher on the list. Normally, I wouldn't penalize an album for too many songs, but the fact that there are so many weak songs (I'm looking at you "Country Boy") really pull down the overall product. Mix in an outside writer or two, AJ.
Standout: Right Where I Want You






08. Ashton Shepherd - Sounds So Goods
A great new voice in the country world, Ashton's nasal twang takes some getting used to but it grows on you after a bit. It's nice to hear someone who sounds different from what we're used to on the radio, and it's surprising (though well deserved) to see her finally getting some airplay with the very endearing title track. She's definitely someone to watch in coming years. Here's hoping she gets the continued push she deserves.
Standout: Whiskey Won the Battle






09. Blake Shelton - Startin' Fires
Blake leans toward more soulfulness on this record to nice effect. If he'd mix some grittier material in with the smooth R&B (with the right track sequencing of course), this would be a more satisfying effort, but it's nice nonetheless. The hooks are sharp as an X-acto blade.
Standout: Startin' Fires

I see you, BSers :)
Yes, I am weird, but hey, I liked the album at least.





10. Randy Travis - Around the Bend
Standout: Dig Two Graves

Favorite Songs of 2008

Everybody's doin' it, why not me? I tried to keep it down to one song per artist, but some artists warranted more. I'll follow this up with a top 10 country albums, top albums overall and possibly a "Best Albums of 2008" album cover day which will not just be a rehash, but quite a few new parody covers. For now, here are my favorite songs of the year. Chime in with your own if you'd like.

Top 50 Songs of 2008

1. Kasey Chambers & Shane Nicholson - Once In A While
2. Drive-by Truckers - The Righteous Path
3. The Hold Steady - Lord, I'm Discouraged
4. Ben Nichols - The Kid (technically a 2009 release, but I'm too lazy to redo the list)
5. Fleet Foxes - White Winter Hymnal
6. Kathleen Edwards - Buffalo
7. Jamey Johnson - The Last Cowboy
8. Mudcrutch - Scare Easy
9. Sun Kil Moon - The Light
10. Blitzen Trapper - Not Your Lover
11. Langhorne Slim - The Rebel Side of Heaven
12. Kasey Chambers & Shane Nicholson - Sweetest Waste of Time
13. Hayes Carll - Bad Liver and a Broken Heart
14. Chris Knight - Crooked Road
15. Damien Jurado - Paper Kite
16. Chris Mills - Such a Beautiful Thing
17. Two Cow Garage - Bastards and Bridesmaids
18. Vampire Weekend - Oxford Comma
19. The Gaslight Anthem - The '59 Sound
20. Drag the River - Fleeting Porch of Tide
21. Amber Dust - An Unfamiliar House
22. Lee Ann Womack - Solitary Thinkin'
23. NQ Arbuckle - Marco Polo
24. Sun Kil Moon - Like the River
25. The Tallest Man on Earth - Pistol Dreams
26. Old 97s - Color of a Lonely Heart Is Blue
27. The Moondoggies - Make It Easy
28. Reckless Kelly - Ragged as the Road
29. Travel By Sea - Let It All Lie Down
30. Alan Jackson - Right Where I Want You
31. The Black Keys - Things Ain't Like They Used to Be
32. Jason Boland and the Stragglers - Bottle By My Bed
33. Dead Confederate - The Rat
34. George Strait - West Texas Town
35. Drive-by Truckers - That Man I Shot
36. Hayes Carll - Beaumont
37. AC/DC - Anything Goes
38. Whitey Morgan and the 78's - Sinner
39. The Wrights - Rewind
40. North Mississippi Allstars - Shake
41. The Steeldrivers - Sticks That Made Thunder
42. Tift Merritt - Broken
43. The Low Anthem - To Ohio
44. Jamey Johnson - In Color
45. Kathleen Edwards - The Cheapest Key
46. Fleet Foxes - Mykonos
47. Nada Surf - Beautiful Beat
48. Justin Townes Earle - Hard Livin'
49. The Gaslight Anthem - High Lonesome
50. Ray Lamontagne - Let It Be Me

The Crap List

Here's the next-to-last Crap List (my favorite albums) of the year...
Feel free to ignore... or add your own list in the comments.

01. Drive-by Truckers - Brighter Than Creation's Dark
02. Jamey Johnson - That Lonesome Song
03. Kathleen Edwards - Asking For Flowers
04. Sun Kil Moon - April
05. Kasey Chambers and Shane Nicholson - Rattlin' Bones
06. Hayes Carll - Trouble in Mind
07. Two Cow Garage - Speaking in Cursive
08. Chris Knight - Heart of Stone
09. Ben Nichols - The Last Pale Light in the West
10. The Hold Steady - Stay Positive
11. Blitzen Trapper - Furr
12. Fleet Foxes - s/t
13. Metallica - Death Magnetic
14. Reckless Kelly - Bulletproof
15. Justin Townes Earle - The Good Life
16. Bruce Robison - The New World
17. The Steeldrivers - s/t
18. Hank Williams III - Damn Right Rebel Proud
19. Drag The River - You Can't Live This Way
20. Blue Mountain - Midnight in Mississippi
21. Mudcrutch - s/t
22. Vampire Weekend - s/t
23. AC/DC - Black Ice
24. Damien Jurado - Caught In The Trees
25. Whitey Morgan And The 78's - Honky Tonks And Cheap Motels
26. The Moondoggies - Don't Be a Stranger
27. Dead Confederate - Wrecking Ball
28. Aaron Watson - Angels and Outlaws
29. Horse Feathers - House With No Home
30. Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever
30. Old Crow Medicine Show - Tennessee Pusher
31. Kings of Leon - Only By the Night
32. The Black Crowes - Warpaint
33. Lil Wayne - Tha Carter III
34. Paul Thorn - A Long Way From Tupelo
35. Lee Ann Womack - Call Me Crazy
36. Candlebox - Into the Sun
37. Randy Rogers Band - s/t
38. Old 97s - Blame It On Gravity
39. Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers - Turbo Ocho
40. Langhorne Slim - s/t

The Crap List

As one of my non-humor asides, I like to update my top albums of the year list now and then. Here is my current chart, with many changes still likely to occur by December 31, with Ryan Adams & The Cardinals, Brad Paisley, Two Cow Garage, AC/DC and Hank III releasing records before the end of the year. Feel free to comment with your favorites or you can just make fun of my musical taste.

1. Drive-by Truckers - Brighter Than Creation's Dark
2. Kathleen Edwards - Asking For Flowers
3. Hayes Carll - Trouble in Mind
4. Chris Knight - Heart of Stone
5. Sun Kil Moon - April
6. Jamey Johnson - That Lonesome Song
7. Blitzen Trapper - Furr
8. The Hold Steady - Stay Positive
9. Fleet Foxes - s/t
10. Reckless Kelly - Bulletproof
11. Bruce Robison - The New World
12. Justin Townes Earle - The Good Life
13. The Steeldrivers - s/t
14. Blue Mountain - Midnight in Mississippi
15. Mudcrutch - s/t
16. Drag The River - You Can't Live This Way
17. Vampire Weekend
18. Dead Confederate - Wrecking Ball
19. The Moondoggies - Don't Be a Stranger
20. Aaron Watson - Angels and Outlaws
21. Damien Jurado - Caught In The Trees
22. Metallica - Death Magnetic
23. Old Crow Medicine Show - Tennessee Pusher
24. Kings of Leon - Only By the Night
25. The Black Crowes - Warpaint
26. Lil Wayne - Tha Carter III
27. Paul Thorn - A Long Way From Tupelo
28. Candlebox - Into the Sun
29. Randy Rogers Band - s/t
30. Old 97s - Blame It On Gravity

Based on what you've seen here, you probably think I hate all music, but that's not true. I live, breathe and love music. I even dig many of the artists I make fun of (not you, R Kelly). Anyway, as another non-humor aside, here are my top 30 albums of '08 to this point. Feel free to chime in with your faves.

1. Drive-by Truckers - Brighter Than Creation's Dark
2. Kathleen Edwards - Asking For Flowers
3. The Hold Steady - Stay Positive
4. Hayes Carll - Trouble in Mind
5. Jamey Johnson - That Lonesome Song
6. Sun Kil Moon - April
7. Reckless Kelly - Bulletproof
8. Fleet Foxes
9. Justin Townes Earle - The Good Life
10. The SteelDrivers
11. Mudcrutch
12. Drag The River - You Can't Live This Way
13. Vampire Weekend
14. Aaron Watson - Angels and Outlaws
15. Damien Jurado - Caught In The Trees
16. The Black Crowes - Warpaint
17. Lil Wayne - Tha Carter III
18. Paul Thorn - A Long Way From Tupelo
19. Candlebox - Into the Sun
20. Old 97s - Blame It On Gravity
21. Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers - Turbo Ocho
22. Langhorne Slim - s/t
23. The Black Keys - Attack and Release
24. Nada Surf - Lucky
25. Snoop Dogg - Ego Trippin'
26. Chris Mills - Living In The Aftermath
27. Trent Willmon - Broken In
28. R.E.M. - Accelerate
29. George Strait - Troubadour
30. Alan Jackson - Good Time

And I just got Chris Knight's "Heart of Stone" in the mail so it'll certainly be on this list soon.