Favorite Albums of 2024: First Quarter Report

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 Someday I won’t be too lazy to write some short review blurbs, but for now, here are my early favorites of 2024.

1. The Droptines - s/t

2. Waxahatchee - Tigers Blood

3. Jonathan Peyton - Nothing Here’s The Same

4. Sierra Ferrell - Trail of Flowers

5. Sarah Jarosz - Polaroid Lovers

6. Old Heavy Hands - Small Fires

7. Shane Smith & The Saints - Norther

8. Taylor Hunnicutt - Alabama Sound

9. Blackberry Smoke - Be Right Here

10. Kacey Musgraves - Deeper Well

11. The Black Crowes - Happiness Bastards

12. Taylor McCall - Mellow War

13. Willi Carlisle - Critterland

Some other early favorites in no particular order:

Amigo the Devil - Yours Until the War is Over

Cody Jinks - Change the Game

The Montvales - Born Strangers

Lizzie No - Halfsies

Ellis Bullard - Honky Tonk Ain’t Noise Pollution

Mery Steel - She’s Back!

JJ Grey & Mofro - Olustee

Schoolboy Q - Blue Lips

Sam Morrow - On the Ride Here

Luke Grimes - s/t

Hurray for the Riff Raff - The Past is Still Alive

Jordan Lee King - By and By

Casper McWade - Something for the Pain

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"

Top Albums of 2019 - First Quarter Report

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1. Vandoliers - Forever

2. Charles Wesley Godwin - Seneca

3. Joshua Ray Walker - Wish You Were Here

4. Molly Tuttle - When You’re Ready

5. Austin Meade - Waves

6. Kalyn Fay - Good Company

7. Dee White - Southern Gentleman

8. Jenny Lewis - On the Line

9. Yola - Walk Through Fire

10. Flatland Cavalry - Homeland Insecurity

11. Robert Ellis - Texas Piano Man

12. Reba McEntire - Stronger Than the Truth

13. Mary Bragg - Violets as Camouflage

14. Rod Melancon - Pinkville

15. Quaker City Night Hawks - QCNH

16. Sharon Van Etten - Remind Me Tomorrow

17. George Strait - Honky Tonk Time Machine

18. Hayes Carll - What It Is

19. Karly Driftwood - Too Mean to Die

20. Jimbo Mathus - Incinerator

21. Liz Brasher - Painted Image

22. Charlie Shafter - When I Was Yours and You Were Mine

23. Randy Houser - Magnolia

24. The Steel Woods - Old News

25. Rob Baird - After All

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*there are a few recent and forthcoming albums I haven't listened to enough to rank yet

**this is just Trailer's top 25 - year end list will include all FTM contributors

Favorite Albums of 2016: First Quarter Report

(Note: This is only Trailer's Top 10 of 2016 so far and is subject to change. 

Our official list will be a combined effort from all contributors in December)

1. Hayes Carll - Lovers and Leavers (out Friday)

2. Caleb Caudle - Carolina Ghost

 

3. Flatland Cavalry - Humble Folks
 

4. Parker Millsap - The Very Last Day
 

5. Southern Family
 

6. Randy Rogers Band - Nothing Shines Like Neon
 

7. Bonnie Raitt - Dig in Deep
 

8. Margo Price - Midwest Farmer's Daughter
 

9. Loretta Lynn - Full Circle

 

10. The Cactus Blossoms - You're Dreaming

Best of 2010 So Far: 1st Quarter Report

It's been a good year for music so far. I always say that though. If you look (listen) hard enough, there's plenty of great stuff to listen to out there... and most of it isn't played on your local country or rock station.

What's this list missing? Let me know in the comments!

01. Joe Pug - Messenger

02. Austin Collins - Wrong Control

I've been playing this one about twice a day since I got it. Great great stuff!

03. Kasey Anderson - Nowhere Nights

04. Drive-by Truckers - The Big To-Do

I wasn't that impressed with this after a few listens but it's really growing on me.

05. Great American Taxi - Reckless Habits

06. Retribution Gospel Choir - 2

07. Surfer Blood - Astro Coast

08. Tim Barry - 28th & Stonewall

09. Johnny Cash - American VI: Ain't No Grave

10. Hellbound Glory - Old High and New Lows

Country songs about heroin and heartbreak, chock full of profanity. I like it!

11. Reckless Kelly - Somewhere in Time

12. Butch Walker and the Black Widows - I Liked It Better When You Had No Heart

13. Drew Kennedy - Alone, But Not Lonely (Free here!)

14. Dirty Sweet - American Spiritual

15. Ray Wylie Hubbard - A. Enlightenment B. Endarkenment (Hint: There Is No C)

16. Gary Allan - Get Off on the Pain

17. The Brothers Comatose - Songs from the Stoop

18. Carolina Chocolate Drops - Genuine Negro Jig

19. Whispering Pines - Family Tree

20. Murder By Death - Good Morning, Magpie

21. Freedy Johnston - Rain on the City

22. Rogue Wave - Permalight

23. I See Hawks in L.A. - Should've Been Gold

24. Gil Scott-Heron - I'm New Here

25. Easton Corbin - s/t