My Favorite Albums of 2011

I guess I lose what little blogger cred that I have if I don't post an end-of-the-year "Best Of" list before 2012. I'm getting it in just under the wire. These are my favorite albums on this day, the 31st of December, in the year of our lord 2011, and it is subject to change whenever I feel like it. Seriously, it's been a great year for music, and it was really difficult for me to make this list. Feel free to heap praise on me or call me a pretentious overbearing wretch.

1. Hayes Carll - KMAG YOYO (and Other American Stories)

Such a solid country/alt country album. I saw Carll live twice this year which possibly (probably) biased this decision, but this was also the album I listen to the most in 2011. Country rockers, ballads, duets, trios, humor, slobber-into-your-beer heart-breakers, and even a Christmas song. This album has it all. See my review of his Boston show on April 23 for a song-by-song rundown. You were fallin' like the Alamo, drinkin' fast and talkin' slow, lookin' like it's time to go home.

KMAG YOYO.mp3
Buy: KMAG YOYO (& other American stories)


2. Frank Turner - England Keep My Bones

Franky T. and his band put on my favorite show of 2011, which I never got around to reviewing (sorry). Asides from that killer show, this album was a huge leap in songwriting from a guy who was already pretty damn good at it. Lots of proud references to his homeland of England on this record, including a gorgeous a capella anthem, which he totally nailed at the Boston gig. Now who’d've thought, after all, something as simple as rock n’ roll would save us all?

I Am Disappeared.mp3
Buy: England Keep My Bones


3. Gillian Welch - The Harrow and the Harvest

Gillian Welch doesn't make a lot of records, but when she does they are stellar recordings. This album can be described as a neo-traditional country with elements of bluegrass and lots and lots of killer guitar playing from Welch and her co-writer/partner-in-crime Dave Rawlings. Check out this video from their appearance on Conan. That's the way that it ends, though there was a time when you and I were friends.

Scarlet Town.mp3
Buy: The Harrow & The Harvest


4. Deer Tick - Divine Providence

Loud, fun, drunken rock and roll. It's seems so easy, yet so many bands fuck it up. Then there's Deer Tick, the miscreants out of Providence, Rhode Island. I saw these juvenile delinquents at the Daytrotter Barnstormer tour in Maine, just before hurricane Irene, in a small, hot and sweaty hall. So fun, just like this album. We're full grown men, we act like kids. We'll face the music next time we roll in.

Let's All go to the Bar.mp3
Buy: Divine Providence


5. Chuck Ragan - Covering Ground

This is an album of folk music that only someone with the intensity of Chuck Ragan can deliver. The instrumentation is mostly acoustic guitar with backing fiddle and occasional harmonica. The loose theme throughout the record is Ragan's experience as a touring musician on the road. Some may say I'm a nomad by fate,
tempered from the road right after being forged in flames. "Meet You in the Middle" is a standout track which features Brian Fallon of Gaslight Anthem on vocals.

Nothing Left to Prove.mp3
Buy: Covering Ground


6. Austin Lucas - A New Home In the Old World

Lucas does it again with a stellar country/alt country album with elements of bluegrass, rock, and even some hints of classic gospel music, with diverse instrumentation from fiddle to pedal-steel. The musicianship shines on this album, which is not a surprise when you learn that members of Lucero and Magnolia Electric Co. severed as the backing band during recording. The lyrics are just as good, with this former punk rocker finding his songwriting groove. More than mere highways rest between you and I, and that lonesome Nevada county line.

Run Around.mp3
Buy: A New Home In The Old World


7. Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit - Here We Rest

Here We Rest is a slight departure from his previous two solo albums in that it is more of a singer/songwriter type of album as opposed to the blues-based country rock that permeates his previous releases. For example, "Alabama Pines" is an homage or even a love song to his home state, which really shows Isbell's growth as a songwriter. Check out their Letterman appearance from November 4 with the song Codeine. If there's two things that I hate, it's having to cook and trying to date.

Go It Alone.mp3
Buy: Here We Rest


8. Robyn Ludwick - Out of These Blues

My colleague over at A Truer Sound introduced me to this album early in 2011, and I kept coming back to it. Robyn Ludwick's voice and music slightly resembles Lucinda Williams, only a little softer and sweeter with a Texas drawl. Ludwick sings about being down and out, broken hearted, and homesick. This album was produced by Gurf Morlix, one of the best in the business. Don't be hard on yourself, son, I knew you were leavin'. You always wanted to climb to the top of the world.

Fight Song.mp3
Buy: Out of These Blues


9. J. Mascis - Several Shades of Why

Raise your hand if you have ever had hearing damage after J. Mascis's band Dinosaur Jr. blasted you into next week at one of their live shows. (Aimz raises hand.) So you would think that a solo acoustic album by the god of the Jazzmaster may not be so good. You would be WRONG! It all comes down to songwriting, and Mascis excels at it. This record showcases Mascic's unique voice and stellar lyrics make this one of the sleeper albums of 2011. And I know in my mind, I know I should be grateful. But it's hard for me, I'm done so easily.

Is It Done.mp3
Buy: Several Shades of Why


10. Todd Snider - Todd Snider Live: The Storyteller

If you own zero Todd Snider albums you should get this one. If you own every Todd Snider album you should get this one. Here Snider captures his live show on a two disc set, where he plays most of his classics and tells stories behind some of the songs. It's almost a greatest hits style of album, only live and with intermittent story breaks. His live show in Boston in February played out like the record. Snider is the best in the business at this brand of hippie folk rock and storytelling. This record highlights Snider's wacky sense of humor, but even the serious, poignant songs will make you play the album again and again. That last song was such a touching little number about athleticism and hallucinogenic drugs. You don't really hear enough of that in folk music anymore. I'm just doing what I can.

KK Rider Story.mp3
Don't it Make You Wanna Dance.mp3
Buy: Todd Snider Live: The Storyteller

Concert Review: Tim Barry and Chuck Ragan, Wrongbar, February 6

This review is several weeks late because I have computer problems, and am addicted to Olympic curling, and have a severe case of the Februaries, and am just damn lazy. If you don't feel like reading the entire review, here's the four word summary: superb musicians, terrible venue.

Some background: Both Tim Barry and Chuck Ragan come from 90s hardcore/punk rock backgrounds, Barry with the punk band Avail, and Ragan from Hot Water Music. Both bands are on indefinite hiatus (I think), and both artists have gone on to release several solo albums in the singer/songwriter, folk, and alt country styles. I discovered them via their solo work. Barry released his first full length solo album Rivanna Junction in 2006, while Ragan did the same in 2007 with Feast or Famine. They have since put out a handful of wonderful americana albums, all of which I recommend.

---

Tim Barry is an angry dude. But he's also sincere, forthright, impassioned, and one hell of a storyteller. Wearing a "Conway Twitty Raised Hell" T-shirt, Barry played solo with an acoustic guitar to an incredibly knowledgeable crowd. In fact, I had no idea that Barry and Chuck Ragan were so popular in Southern Ontario. The Wrongbar was beyond sold out, but more on that later. The characters in Barry's songs are presumably semi-autobiographical: they are fucks-up who are trying to do the right thing, but keep stumbling into people who are constantly letting them down. Barry has an acute sense of history, and before launching into "Prosser's Gabriel" he gave a shout out to the late Howard Zinn for teaching him about working man's history. In fact, he gave a quick lecture on the Virginia slave trade, specifically in his home town of Richmond, including the slave revolt lead by Gabriel. Barry also showed his strong sense of family by talking about how he missed touring with his baby sister who recently brought his first niece into the world. He dedicated "Wait at Milano" to his new niece, and told everyone to focus on the positive and hopeful things for future.

The MAN (Canadian Customs) wouldn't let Barry sell his records on this mini tour of Canada. He said, "I have a new album out [28th & Stonewall], but I don't care if you buy it or steal it. Music is meant to be shared. But if you steal if, buy me a beer. Or a shot of JD." I highly recommend you buy 28th & Stonewall and buy Barry a beer. Or a shot of JD. Actually, buy all of his records. They are all tremendous.

Setlist
1. Dog Bumped
2. Idle Idylist
3. Church of Level Track
4. This November
5. Downtown VCU
6. Prosser's Gabriel
7. Wait at Milano
8. Avoiding Catatonic Surrender

Wait at Milano.mp3
Buy: Rivanna Junction (2006)

Prosser's Gabriel.mp3
Buy: 28th and Stonewall (2010)

Edit: Barry was recently featured in the Richmond, VA, weekly magazine Style. Check out: "Ride Fast, Live Slow."


Headliner Chuck Ragan tore up the place, and again, I was thrilled by how audience knew every word to every song. His style is different from Barry's direct storytelling, but no less powerful. Ragan played acoustic guitar and harmonica, and was backed by bad-ass fiddler Jon Gaunt. Their songs ranged from Celtic folk ("Its What You Will"), to bluegrass ("Coal Tattoo"), to country rock ("Glory"). He even pulled out an old Hot Water Music song ("Jack of All Trades") and a bluegrass tune from Bristle Ridge, a 2008 collaboration with Austin Lucas (track name escapes me). Opener Dave Hause (who I missed, it was an early show) joined Ragan and Gaunt on stage for a rousing version of "For Broken Ears." Local band Cavaliers, the second act, (who I also missed because I'm a dumbass and got off at the wrong streetcar stop and had to walk several blocks) filled in to make a full band for the last five songs of Ragan's set, and Barry joined Ragan singing an amazing version of "California Burritos." Cavaliers sounded fantastic and I definitely want to see them again.

After you pick up Barry's albums, pick up all of Ragan's albums too.  I just got into his 2009 release Gold Country, and it is wonderful  All of Barry's and Ragan's albums are on eMusic.

Setlist
1. The Boat
2. It's What You Will
3. Rotterdam
4. Coal Tattoo (Hazel Dickens cover)
5. Cut Em Down
6. Between the Lines
7. Symmetry
8. Jack of All Trades (Hot Water Music)
9. God Deciding
10. Something of off Bristle Ridge
11. For Broken Ears
- fiddle interlude -
12. Don’t Cry (If You’ve Never Seen The Rain)
13. Do You Pray
14. Geraldine
15. Glory
16. Do What You Do
17. California Burritos
18. ??? (maybe "Let It Rain," I can't remember)

It's What You Will.mp3
Buy: Feast or Famine (2007)

Glory.mp3
Buy: Gold Country (2009)

Despite the fantastic musicians, I came away from the show with a sour taste in my mouth. And no, I wasn't drinking skunky Blue. In fact, getting a cocktail was a huge problem in general. This was my first trip to Wrongbar, and they had obviously oversold the show. The place was crowded to the point of being dangerous. My friends, who are huge Chuck Ragan fans, left half way through his set because they were feeling claustrophobic. I was actually trying to hatch an escape plan in case of disaster. I've been to sold out shows at the Horseshoe, Phoenix, Lee's Palace, Opera House, etc., but I have never felt unsafe at these venues. Many people were moshing and crowd surfing. Here's a hint, people: when there is a fiddler on stage playing bluegrass, its not really appropriate to slam dance, take off you shirt, and throw beer. When the fiddler stops to tell you to chill, maybe you should chill. I'm not a big girl, and even though I was standing to the side, I got my ass kicked. I've never come away from a show with bruises on my legs from getting pinned to the railing or randomly kicked. I'm pretty sure that I will never go to Wrongbar again.

Chuck Ragan and Tim Barry tonight in Toronto

I'm very excited to see Chuck Ragan and Tim Barry at the Wrongbar tonight in Toronto, the culmination of Ragan's and Barry's Canadian mini-tour. How bad-ass is their tour poster (above)? Ragan and Barry are being supported by locals Cavaliers! and acoustic folk pop artist Dave Hause.

Tim Barry put out a tremendous album last year called Manchester. This album contains great rock and folk/rock songs with lots of biting social commentary supported by Barry's strong and gruff vocals. But the song that just slays me is Barry's eulogy to a friend, "'222.'" The first time I heard this song it reminded me of my friend Kathleen, who died in 2003 at age 31 from cancer, and I cried and cried and cried. (Photo to the right, taken by her mother. Its a terrible scan, but appropriate, as Kath hated having her photo taken.) In this song Barry just nailed everything I was feeling about Kath. The only other song that gets this kind of emotion out of me is Townes Van Zandt's "Kathleen." I hope Barry doesn't play this song tonight because it's so embarrassing bawling in public.

'222'.mp3
Buy: Manchester (2008)

Barry's new album 28th & Stonewallcame out on January 26, and it's getting a lot of buzz in the Americana community. I haven't heard it yet - I plan on buying it tonight - but the good folks at Suburban Home Records are allowing jokers like me to stream the album from our blogs. Enjoy!



I admit that I don't know Chuck Ragan's music as well as I know Barry's. He released the album Gold Countrylast September, which I also plan on picking up tonight. In 2008 he put out a killer bluegrass album with Austin Lucas.

Simple Life.mp3
Buy: Bristle Ridge (2008)

Last December Suburban Home Records made a Mix Tape for fans like me to share. In the chaos of the holidays, I completely forgot to share it with my fellow blog readers. My buddy Autopsy IV who runs NineBullets.net posted it to his blog yesterday. You can head over there to see the song list and download the mix tape. Here are two tracks from the mix tape appropriate to today's blog post.

Tim Barry - Shoulda Oughta.mp3
Chuck Ragan - Don't Say a Word.mp3
From: Raising Hell & Living Cheap, Suburban Home Records Mix Tape Volume 1 (2009)

Suburban Home also recently posted their second Mix Tape, Greetings from the Left Coast. Per their web site:

Just like last time, you can get 5 copies for FREE. We ask that you please keep 1 and give 4 to friends. We also ask that you only order 1 set of mix tapes so there are more people who can get them. We believe that music is meant to be shared. If you hear an artist that you like, please consider finding their releases and see if they are touring through a town near you. You will just need to pay for shipping.

They don't have a track list for this one, but they hint that fans of Two Cow Garage will like it. Which means that I will like it. Yay!