Kevin's Top 13 Albums of 2017

Kevin's Top 13 Albums of 2017

1. Colter Wall – Colter Wall

Granted, producer Dave Cobb has an inexhaustible Midas touch. But you’d assume in situations like this one – producing the debut album from a star in the making from Canada – he’d largely just stand back. Listen to Wall’s deep, dark baritone and tell me he’s 22 years old; great golly, he is. Here’s the gold standard for folk albums in the twenty-teens, featuring the year’s best murder ballad, “Kate McCannon.” Tyler Childers’ singing harmony vocals on the traditional ballad “Fraulein” is the cherry on top. 

2. Chris Stapleton – From a Room, Vol. II

This is the best pure country album for the last two or three years, from the man with hands-down the best voice in the genre. I had this playing in the background at work and a colleague asked, “Is this Waylon?” Well, yeah, pretty much. Take note, Nashville: Stapleton’s topping the charts, no thanks to you.  

3. Turnpike Troubadours – A Long Way From Your Heart

As I wrote on its debut, this album is wonderfully more of the same we’ve come to expect from these champions of the Red Dirt universe. Nobody writes a bittersweet broken-heart song better than Evan Felker, as evidenced in “The House Fire.”

4. Tyler Childers – Purgatory

Appalachia has passed the torch to its newest great storyteller; welcome to the big time, Tyler Childers. If anyone has doubts, ask yourself if Sturgill Simpson would produce this guy if he were anything but the genuine article. Childers has set himself an incredibly high bar here; but with a couple listens no one will doubt he’ll raise it higher on the next one. Here is the real deal, and he’ll be around for a long, long time. 

5. Jeremy Pinnell - Ties of Blood & Affection

Fine storytelling, great vocals. More from this guy, please. 

6. Texas Gentlemen – TX Jelly

A terrific breakout record from some of the finest musicians in the Lone Star State. Recorded over a handful of days in Muscle Shoals, this first group of 11 tracks fits together in a perfect yet random way. These guys are heavy hitters and make it sound easy. Much more to come.

7. JD McPherson – Undivided Heart and Soul

What this country needs is more rockabilly, and this Okie delivers in spades. This is just lots of fun. It’s got a dash of British pub rock, just enough to remind us of Elvis Costello & Nick Lowe. Shake your hips, Daddy-o.

8. Jason Eady – Jason Eady

The album gently grabs your attention with the song “Barabbas” and holds it throughout with some of the best songwriting of the year from a genuine craftsman. This Texan – by way of Mississippi – hits full stride with a fine album produced by the legendary Lloyd Maines and featuring the backing vocals of Vince Gill.  

9. Gregg Allman – Southern Blood

I don’t think he ever made a better solo album, and it’s so just bittersweet that we get this one from beyond the grave. His covers of the Grateful Dead’s “Black Muddy River” and Little Feat’s “Willin’” add a sweet touch. Given all Gregg’s givens, let’s be thankful he was here for 69 years. Rest easy, man. 

10. Zephaniah OHora – This Highway

This album is an authentic, organic tribute to the golden years of country music, recalling Hank Snow, Marty Robbins and Ray Price. Another hit for the so-called “neo-traditionalists.”

11. The Steel Woods – Straw In The Wind

A perfect balance of country and rock, and with some fine storytelling. Check your mirror, Blackberry Smoke; these guys are on your heels. 

12. Son Volt – Notes of Blue

Jay Farrar decided to make a blues record and to the surprise of absolutely no one, it shines. He’s superman. He can do anything. Could we have a bluegrass album next, please? 

13. Shinyribs – I Got Your Medicine

Just a fun album, start to finish. Adult-size portions of soul, real (as to what is today called) rhythm & blues, and gospel should keep this record in heavy rotation.

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Kevin Broughton

Outlaw Country on an Old Emerson

My Uncle Mike introduced me to outlaw country. He was a big fan of Waylon, Johnny Cash, and Merle as far back as I can remember. Cassette tapes were his preferred format. Usually had a well-worn Emerson sitting there on his table. Always had a huge pile or shoebox full of tapes. There'd be a few Hee Haw Gospel Quartet tapes in there too, but it was mostly various albums and compilations of the country legends that are such a part of my listening habits as an adult. 

As a child, I'd sit and listen with him while I drew or played with my GI Joe men. "Ring of Fire" and "Amanda" and "On the Road Again"… he'd sit there in his wheelchair and listen for hours. Sometimes he'd turn on the old transistor radio and scroll through the stations. He was a little impatient, or just difficult to please - scanning through the static to find just the thing. When he found it, he'd stop and sing along a little. Mike knew the songs by heart. 

Into my teens, I developed more of a taste for rock music - pop metal, then heavy metal, then grunge. Country didn't really do it for me for a while there, but it was always Uncle Mike's favorite. Every Christmas or birthday, we were buying Mike a new radio or tape player because he was so hard on the electronics with his constant button pushing. We even tried a CD player or two, but tapes were easier for him to deal with.

In my late teens and early twenties, I came back to country music. Oh, the rock was still there, but I finally had experienced some of the losses - in life and relationships - that make someone fully appreciate the emotional honesty of truly great country music. And just who did I gravitate towards when I fell back in love with country music? Well, George Strait…. but then Waylon and Johnny and Merle. 

As Mike aged, he wasn't able to listen to music as much. His health often kept him in bed more than in his wheelchair, and when he was in his chair, his hands kept him from operating the radios and cassette players like he used to. But he still loved the music. "Jesus Loves Me" was one of his favorite songs and I heard him singing it as recently as the past couple of years. I'll always owe a huge debt of gratitude to my Uncle Mike for my love of music and country music in particular. 

My Uncle Mike passed away late Tuesday night. At 59, he lived past expectations for someone with his severity of cerebral palsy.

Cerebral palsy took so many things from Mike - the ability to walk, a great deal of his mental function, his independence, and what most of us would call a "normal" life. However, it never robbed him of his love of family, God, and music, and I like to think those three helped him live a relatively long and entirely love-filled life. 

Thanks for everything, Uncle Mike. I love you.

-Corey 

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