Favorite Shows of 2011

1. Dawes @ Webster Hall on October 26th
Pick up the newest issue of Relix for my review

 

2. Marco Benevento @ Bear Creek Music Festival on November 12th/13th
Maybe it’s unfair to include two shows as one, but it’s hard to pick between Benevento’s two shows at Bear Creek Music Festival.  After a brutally cold Friday night at Bear Creek that found sunny Florida transformed into a sub freezing nightmare, Marco Benevento’s early afternoon set under the sun felt like heaven.  As the weather elevated everyone’s spirits, Benevento’s gorgeous, colorful melodies served as the perfect wake up call.  Roosevelt Collier of The Lee Boys sat for a wild “Twin Killers,” and during the equally stellar Sunday show Benevento was joined by Johnny Vidacovich and Robert Walter.

 

3. Gov’t Mule @ The Beacon Theatre on December 31st
My write up on the show here
Not too many bands know how to ring in the New Year like Gov’t Mule, who delivered an epic five hour show with an incredible cover of Joe Cocker’s complete Mad Dogs & Englishmen album

 

4. Furthur @ Best Buy Theater on March 12th
Though Furthur’s 3/15 show on Phil Lesh’s 71st birthday got the most attention out of the band’s spring run at the Best Buy Theater, having been at both shows, the band was simply more on this night.  A high energy first set was followed by a wild and exploratory second set highlighted by a scorching “Mountain Song > I Know You Rider.” 

 

5. Dawes @ Electric Fetus on May 22nd
I really did try hard to not to include multiple performances from the same band/musician on this list, nevermind in my top five, but this performance from Dawes was too good to ignore.  Celebrating the upcoming release of Nothing Is Wrong at one of my favorite record stores, the band treated an intimate, spoiled crowd to most of the new album and some songs from their first album North Hills.  Accompanied by only Taylor Goldsmith’s soft electric guitar strumming, the sweet vocal harmonies of Taylor, his brother Griffin and Tay Strathairn had the crowd mesmerized in dead silence.


6. Ryan Bingham @ The Dead Horses @ The Varsity Theatre on March 3rd
Ryan Bingham & The Dead Horses’
impassioned show at Minneapolis’ Varsity Theater showed that Ryan Bingham is not only one of the most talented songwriters in recent memory, but the leader of a dynamite live rock and roll band.  Performing in the heart of Dinkytown, the coffee house-filled University of Minnesota neighborhood where Bob Dylan got his start (The Varsity Theater is on the same block as the apartment building that an 18 year old Dylan called home), the show’s highlights were Bingham’s tributes to his hero.  He delivered a beautiful version of his own “Mr. Dylan’s Hard Rain” early in the set, while a solo performance of “The Times They Are A Changin’” dedicated to the Madison protesters was one of my favorite concerts moments of the year.

 

7. Ryan Adams @ Ed Sullivan Theatre on December 5th
My review here

 

8. Grayson Capps @ Sullivan Hall on October 6th
My review here

 

9. Bill Kreutzmann, George Porter Jr., Steve Kimock and Nigel Hall @ Sullivan Hall on January 1st
Can rhythm sections get any better than Bill Kreutzmann on drums and George Porter Jr. on bass?  Hearing the two of them chase each other around while Steve Kimock’s psychedelic guitar pushed the band into unexplored stratospheres made for quite the jam session.  

 

10. The London Souls @ Brooklyn Bowl on October 3rd
My review here


11. Medeski, Martin & Wood @ Bear Creek Music Festival on November 11th
In Florida’s balmy 26 degree nighttime weather, it was a challenge for me to even be in the crowd during this show.  I can only imagine how much of a challenge it was for Medeski, Martin & Wood to get on stage and play in that weather.  But celebrating their 20th anniversary as a band, Medeski, Martin & Wood delivered the kind of set only true road warriors like them can and performed an hour and a half of mindblowing experimental jazz.  Guitarist Will Bernard joined the band for the second half of their show, while Pee Wee Ellis, Johnny Vidacovich and Stanton Moore also joined in on the fun.

11 Songs From 2011

Here’s a little sampler of my favorite 11 songs from 2011.:

1. Dawes- A Little Bit Of Everything

2. The Barr Brothers- Beggar In The Morning

3. Vetiver- Wonder Why

4. Nathan Moore- I’m The Same

5. Wilco- Art Of Almost

6. Woods- Pushing Onlys

7. Dead Man Winter- Wasteland

8. The London Souls- I Think I Like It

9. Tea Leaf Green- Fallen Angel

10. Ryan Adams- Dirty Rain

11. Grayson Capps- Highway 42

Best Albums of 2011 #26-30

Full list here

Real Estate-Days
Like Vetiver, Woods and several others, Real Estate is further proof that sixties influenced psychedelia is beginning to seep into the indie rock scene.  Combining airy, reverb-drenched vocals with soaring guitars and a heavy nod to The Byrds with jingle jangle riffs, Real Estate are poppy but dreamy.  Though the band’s sound is somewhat repetitive, lead guitarist Matt Mondanile’s gentle, lush playing gives the songs some extra color.  The 7+ minute album closer “All The Same” shows that Real Estate thrive when they turn to the exploratory side, but upbeat poppy numbers like “It’s Real” work just as well.

Key Tracks- Easy, It’s Real, Wonder Years, All The Same

27. Rich Robinson- Through A Crooked Sun
With The Black Crowes on hiatus, Rich Robinson is revisiting a solo career that he’s never given proper time or attention.  After years of singing just harmonies in The Black Crowes, Rich doesn’t sound completely comfortable as a lead singer, but makes up for it with his guitar work.  From gorgeous acoustic melodies to searing blues riffs and soaring psychedelia, Through A Crooked Sun is certainly an album for the guitar lover.  Larry Campbell produces the album and lends pedal steel guitar to a few standout tracks, as the band recalls Stephen Stills’ Manassas with their fusion of country and bluegrass with rock and roll.

Key Tracks: Hey Fear, All Along The Way, Bye Bye Baby

28. Gillian Welch- The Harrow and the Harvest
The Harrow and the Harvest
is Gillian Welch’s long awaited follow up to 2003′s Soul Journey.  In between, she and her musical partner David Rawlings recorded the spectacular A Friend of a Friend as the David Rawlings Machine in 2009, but The Harrow and the Harvest has little in common with that album or Soul Journey.  Instead the pair turn away from the rootsy but electrified Americana of those album and take an acoustic folk approach.  The Harrow and the Harvest sounds like it could have been recorded during the Great Depression- there are no electric guitars, keyboards or drums on this album.  But the sparse musical accompaniment suits these dark, lonesome songs perfectly.  To say the album is a bit of a downer is putting it lightly.  Lyrically these songs are desolate and apocalyptic, but with the pair’s vocal harmonies, the dark end of the world has never sounded so sweet.

Key Tracks- Scarlet Town, The Way It Will Be, Tennessee

29. My Morning Jacket- Circuital
Though Circuital was not showered with the massive critical acclaim that My Morning Jacket’s albums generally receive, it is nevertheless another strong and creative album.  There are a couple of low points – “Holdin’ On To Black Metal” is particularly brutal – but on most of the album, particularly the ethereal title track, they sound as good as ever.

Key Tracks- Victory Dance, Circuital, Movin’ Away

30. The Wood Brothers- Smoke Ring Halo
My review here
The Wood Brothers third album together finds them leaving their past as a rootsy folk duo behind to make more of a full band album.

Key Tracks- Smoke Ring Halo, Made It Up The Mountain, Blue And Green

Best Albums of 2011 #21-25

Full List Here

21. The War On Drugs- Slave Ambient
Equally influenced by The Arcade Fire, Bruce Springsteen and the Grateful Dead, The War On Drugs music is dominated by layers of psychedelic keyboards and interwoven liquified guitar lines, but at the core is strong songwriting from frontman Adam Granduciel.  Something about the band’s sound is unquestionably “big” and catchy, and Slave Ambient could be a breakout album of sorts for them.

Key Tracks- Best Night, Your Love Is Calling My Name, Baby Missiles, Original Slave

22. Jonathan Wilson- Gentle Spirit
For the past few years, Jonathan Wilson has quietly spearheaded Laurel Canyon’s emerging country rock scene without getting much recognition. d Along with his good friend Chris Robinson, Wilson has hosted loose jam sessions featuring talented friends ranging from classic rock veterans such as Benmont Tensch of Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers and Jackson Browne to rising young bands Dawes and Truth & Salvage Co.  With Gentle Spirit, the man who has served as the architect of the Laurel Canyon revival from behind the scenes steps into the spotlight with his first official solo album.

Wilson’s psychedelic country rock is more influenced by the Grateful Dead than fellow Laurel Canyon residents Jackson Browne and Crosby, Stills & Nash, and at his best, Wilson’s soaring lead guitar work is reminiscent of Jerry Garcia.  At its worst, the album lags a little bit with a consistently slow tempo and seven songs over six minutes long.  But with a gentle, breezy voice and gorgeous guitar playing, the album is an exciting glimpse into the man who is in many ways the father of one of the most flourishing music scenes in the country.

Key Tracks: Natural Rhapsody, The Way I Feel, Woe Is Me, Valley of the Silver Moon

23. Jim Lauderdale- Reason & Rhyme
My review here
Jim Lauderdale’s 3rd collaboration with Grateful Dead lyricist Robert Hunter finds the songwriter as brilliant as ever.

Key Tracks- Cruel Wind & Rain, Jack Dempsey’s Crown, Don’t Give A Hang, Reason & Rhyme

24. Warren Haynes- Man In Motion
Man In Motion
is the album that Warren Haynes has wanted to make his entire life.  With Gov’t Mule taking 2011 off, he finally had his chance.  On Man In Motion, Haynes pays tribute to his first musical loves- soul music.  Haynes’ soulful voice shines, while George Porter Jr. on bass and Ivan Neville on keys along with a horn section give the album a funky edge.  For those worried that Haynes searing, bluesy guitar work might get lost on a more straightforward soul album – fear not – there is plenty of guitar on this album.  Actually with seven of the ten tracks clocking in at over six minutes, the album suffers from a little too much jamming.  Though at times Man In Motion feels more like a loose live show than tight soul album, it finds Warren Haynes’ voice sounding better than ever before.

Key Tracks- Everyday Will Be Like A Holiday, Your Wildest Dreams, Save Me

25. Garage A Trois- Always Be Happy, But Stay Evil
Garage A Trois bring their weird brand of noise rock back into the studio for Always Be Happy, But Stay Evil, their second album since keyboardist Marco Benevento replaced guitarist Charlie Hunter in the band.  Featuring heavy, psychedelic noise and effects courtesy of crazed experimentalists Benevento and saxophonist Skerik, the band explores free jazz territory while also featuring groove heavy numbers dominated by drummer Stanton Moore.

Key Tracks: Omar, Shooting Breaks, Thumb

Best Albums of 2011 #16-20

Full List Here

16. The Low Anthem- Smart Flesh
The Low Anthem received quite a bit of well-deserved praise for their last album, 2009′s Oh My God Charlie Darwin, and their new album is an even stronger follow up.  Featuring brilliant, timeless songwriting and tender vocal harmonies along with a thirst for using instruments rarely touched by folk musicians, The Low Anthem craft their own fresh sound and are one of the most exciting young folk rock bands.

Key Tracks- Ghost Woman Blues, Apothecary Love, Matter Of Time, Smart Flesh

17. Middle Brother- Middle Brother
Take a glance at the key tracks I selected for this album and you can probably figure out what appealed to me most about Middle Brother.  If you couldn’t tell from me selecting Dawes’ album as my favorite of the year, I think Dawes’ frontman, Taylor Goldsmith, is nothing short of a musical genius.  So when listening to Middle Brother, a collaboration between Goldsmith, Deer Tick frontman John McCauley and Delta Spirit frontman Matt Vasquez, it was Goldsmith’s songs which I gravitated towards the most.  Though Goldsmith steals the show (for me, at least), the album has more of a group feel than a typical supergroup effort, and sounds more like a few good friends sitting around a campfire, casually passing around guitars and trading verses.

Key Tracks- Blue Eyes, Wilderness, Blood and Guts, Million Dollar Bill

18. Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit- Here We Rest
Jason Isbell’s new album Here We Rest kicks off with the lazy country rock of “Alabama Pines” which could be the best song Isbell has ever written.  Isbell was often overlooked as a member of the Drive By Truckers, even though he wrote several of their most popular songs.  But Isbell has blossomed as a songwriter since leaving the Truckers, and Here We Rest finds his band growing along with him, as this is the 400 Unit’s most consistent and cohesive album yet.

Key Tracks- Alabama Pines, Codeine, Heart On A String, Tour Of Duty

19. Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey- Race Riot Suite
The word ambitious always seems to work as an adjective to describe Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey, and the band’s name itself just about requires that they relentlessly explore new projects and sounds.  Their new album, Race Riot Suite, certainly lives up to that expectation as the band attempt to tell the story of the brutal 1921 race riots in Tulsa, Oklahoma, through instrumental jazz.  The chaotic, swirling sounds of Chris Comb’s lap steel along with a guest horn section of Peter Apfelbaum and Steve Bernstein evokes the angry violence of the event, and Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey’s re-telling of the story is one of the most interesting musical projects of 2011.

Key Tracks- Black Wall Street, Grandfather’s Gun, Eye Of The Dove

20. Wooden Shjips- West
San Francisco has a long tradition of psychedelic rock, and Wooden Shjips are one of the bands carrying the torch of Bay Area psychedelic rock.  With plenty of fuzzed out, screeching guitar riffs and solos, the band pays some tribute to 1960′s psychedelic rock but is significantly harder edged.  Influenced equally by psychedelic garage rock and krautrock, Wooden Shjips music is adventurous and wildly refreshing.

Key Tracks- Black Smoke Rise, Flight, Rising

Best Albums of 2011 #11-15

Full List Here

11. Ryan Adams- Ashes & Fire
My Review
After a two year retirement from the music world, Ryan Adams has returned with a mostly acoustic collection of gorgeous new songs that finds him sounding as good as ever.  Adams has a reputation for not being the best judge of his own songwriting, and this album is no exception with a clunker or two.  But most of the album is spellbinding, with Adams’ voice sounding more tender than ever on folky ballads that evoke Neil Young’s Harvest.

Key Tracks- Dirty Rain, Ashes & Fire, Invisible Riverside, Lucky Now

12. Woods- Sun & Shade
2011 was a spectacular year for psychedelic rock lovers, and Woods Sun & Shade was one of several psych-rock masterpieces of the year.  Frontman Jeremy Earl’s breathy falsetto may evoke Neil Young, but musically Woods lean more towards the Grateful Dead with a fondness for psychedelic exploration, which shines through on the 7+ minute instrumental “Out Of The Eye.”  Ranging between guitar driven psychedelia and catchy pop hooks, Woods music is both adventurous and breezy. 

Key Tracks- Pushing Onlys, Out Of The Eye, To Have In The Home. Sol y Sombra

13. Tea Leaf Green- Radio Tragedy!
After Tea Leaf Green’s fairly mediocre and uneven Looking West in 2010, the band ushers in a new chapter with Radio Tragedy!  Bolstered by the addition of percussionist Cochrane McMillan, Radio Tragedy finds the band sounding not only fresh and creative but also more focused in the studio.  Though Looking West was marred by overproduction, on Radio Tragedy the band continues to experiment in the studio but has learned how to insert psychedelic touches that compliment their songs, rather than distract the listener.  Radio Tragedy finds the band sounding more comfortable and confident than they’ve been since original bassist Ben Chambers left several years ago.

Key Tracks: Fallen Angel, Germinatin’ Seed, The Cottonwood Tree, Nothing Changes

14. The Tedeschi Trucks Band- Revelator
Revelator marks the long awaited studio collaboration between Derek Trucks and his wife Susan Tedeschi.  Though the two have frequently performed together live, the new 11 piece Tedeschi Trucks Band marks the first time they have forsaken their solo projects to create a band and write new material together.  As expected, the combination of Tedeschi’s bluesy howl and her husband’s searing slide guitar couldn’t sound more natural.  Unlike The Derek Trucks Band, which had strong roots in free jazz, The Tedeschi Trucks Band sticks to funky blues rock on Revelator.  Though the album may be more song-oriented than any of Derek’s previous work, there is still plenty here for lovers of his remarkable guitar playing, and the album shows he’s grown into an impressive band leader.

Key Tracks: Midnight In Harlem, Bound For Glory, Learn How To Love, Love Has Something Else To Say

15. The London Souls- The London Souls
This is rock and roll.  Full of screaming guitars, howling vocals, and a crashing rhythm section that could make the listener’s eardrums bleed, The London Souls are a throwback to the days of heavy blues rock.  There are plenty of nods to classic rock heroes Led Zeppelin, The Jimi Hendrix Experience and Cream throughout the album, and The London Souls are already being treated as rock and roll royalty, recording their debut album at the famed Abbey Road Studios.  The result is an explosive album that sounds instantly classic yet original by an exciting young band.

Key Tracks- She’s So Mad, Old Country Road, Stand Up, I Think I Like It

Best Albums of 2011 #6-10

Full List Here

6. The Jayhawks- Mockingbird Time
My review here
The prospect of Mark Olson and Gary Louris reuniting for a Jayhawks album after fifteen years apart was an exciting one.  Rarely do bands return from lengthy, bicker-filled hiatuses to produce fresh, cohesive albums, but with Mockingbird Time, The Jayhawks prove their old magic is as powerful as ever.

Key Tracks: Hide Your Colors, Tiny Arrows, She Walks In So Many Ways, Mockingbird Time


7. Grayson Capps- The Lost Cause Minstrels
Grayson Capps is one of the most talented and shamefully underrated songwriters out there, and The Lost Cause Minstrels is the strongest and most consistent album of his career.  Backed by a killer band, Capps’ latest effort leans more towards rock and roll than the country found on his earlier albums.  There aren’t too many storytellers as creative and sincere as Capps, and with the support of a great band, his stories have never been told better.

Key Tracks- Highway 42, Jane’s Alley Blues, Ol’ Slac, No Definitions

8. Vetiver- The Errant Charm
Vetiver are one of the shining stars of the rising folk psychedelia movement centered in Los Angeles’ Laurel Canyon.  With breezy, catchy melodies, tender vocal harmonies and a healthy amount of acid-drenched lead guitar, Vetiver have figured out how to perfectly toe the line between pop and psychedelia.  Looking back at my best albums of 2009 list, Vetiver’s Tight Knit ranked 13th and was a terrific album, but with The Errant Charm, Vetiver have clearly reached a new plateau.  They’ve become a significantly more cohesive band, and the songs are more experimental and ambitious musically.  But it’s the balance between sonic weirdness and singalong choruses with catchy, jangly guitar riffs that makes Vetiver such a fresh, exciting band.

Key Tracks- It’s Beyond Me, Can’t You Tell, Right Away, Wonder Why

9. Hot Tuna- Steady As She Goes
Even after more than fifty years of playing together, Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady are still finding ways to create great new music together.  Steady As She Goes is Hot Tuna’s first studio album in quite awhile – 21 years to be exact.  But with producer Larry Campbell at the helm, their return to the studio is a success.  Campbell is the secret star of this album, not only producing the album but also teaming up with Jorma to write songs and lending his guitar, fiddle, pedal steel and more to the mix.  Opening with heavy blues rocker “Angel of Darkness,” this immediately sounds like vintage Hot Tuna with plenty of searing guitar work from Jorma and heavy baselines from Casady.  Featuring both heavy psychedelic rock and folksy ballads that showcase Jorma’s voice and Campbell’s stringed virtuosity, Steady As She Goes ranks up there with anything the band has ever done.

Key Tracks- Angel of Darkness, Second Chances, Things That Might Have Been

Yellowbirds-The Color
Yellowbirds is the new musical project of Sam Cohen, guitarist and vocalist of psych rockers Apollo Sunshine.  Yellowbirds share the same fondness for 1960′s psychedelia that Apollo Sunshine had, and, like that band, they’ve developed their own unique brand of psychedelic rock.  With no song longer than four minutes, Yellowbirds keep their songs jangly and catchy and put a stronger emphasis on melodies and songwriting than the noise rock of Cohen’s former band.  But within the lush melodies there is still plenty of experimentation, including the psychedelic touch of Cohen’s autoharp, which helps make The Color one of the most fresh and exciting new psychedelic rock albums.

Key Tracks- The Rest Of My LIfe, Rings In The Trees, Our Good Days Are Gone, The Reason

Best Albums of 2011 #1-5

Full List Here

1. Dawes- Nothing Is Wrong
My review here

Not only my favorite of the year but an album that will always be one of my all time favorites.  The album speaks for itself, and Dawes seem to be well on their way to becoming one of the best rock and roll bands in the world.

Key Tracks: Coming Back To A Man, Fire Away, Million Dollar Bill, A Little Bit Of Everything


2. The Barr Brothers-
The Barr Brothers
Though Brad and Andrew Barr have explored several different musical projects together – ranging from The Slip to Surprise Me Mr. Davis to their newest project The Barr Brothers – there is one similarity between all the projects: the Barrs are simply meticulous perfectionists in the studio.  But their patient approach pays off with The Barr Brothers debut album, which finds Brad and Andrew once again achieving near perfection in the studio, though this time with a different band and musical approach.

Brad and Andrew use The Barr Brothers as a vehicle to delve into folkier, more singer/songwriter influenced material than the music they make with The Slip, and Brad’s soothing vocals and gently picked acoustic guitar stand out.  But what really separates The Barr Brothers is harpist Sarah Page, whose enchanting instrument infuses the music with freshness.  Ranging between delicate ballads and searing blues rockers, the album shows off a new side of Brad and Andrew and finds them as inventive as ever.

Key Tracks: Beggar In The Morning, Give The Devil Back His Heart, Cloud (For Lhasa), Let There Be Horses


3. Dead Man Winter-
Bright Lights
My review here
An electric outlet for Trampled By Turtles’ frontman Dave Simonett, Dead Man Winter shares Trampled By Turtles’ rootsy sound and vocal harmonies but can pull of gritty rock and roll just as well.  Full of breezy country rockers that will live in your head, this might be the best batch of songs Simonett has ever written.

Key Tracks: Wasteland, Get Low, House Of Glory, Bright Lights


4. Wilco-
The Whole Love
With the exception of a slight hiccup with 2009′s mediocre Wilco (The Album), Wilco have always managed to create one terrific, unique album after another.  With The Whole Love, Wilco the studio geniuses are back.  The album opens with electronic noise unlike anything we’ve heard from Wilco since the experimental days of Yankee Hotel Foxtrot and A Ghost Is Born, as opener “Art Of Almost” unwinds into a chaotic jam highlighting John Stirratt’s thumping baseline and lead guitarist Nels Cline’s effect-heavy shredding.  Album closer “One Sunday Morning” is nearly as experimental and ambitious – as the 12 minute acoustic epic could be the best song Jeff Tweedy has ever written. From explosive psychedelia to catchy rock and roll and rootsy ballads, the album finds Wilco making some of the most inventive and best music of their career.

Key Tracks- Art Of Almost, Dawned On Me, Born Alone, One Sunday Morning (Song for Jane Smiley’s Boyfriend)


5. Nathan Moore-
Dear Puppeteer
Nathan Moore’s Dear Puppeteer finds him generally following the singer/songwriter style of his last album, Folk Singer, but including more friends and instruments.  There are stark folksongs here, such as “Like A Cartoon” and “The Garden.”  But there is also swinging, breezy rock and roll on “Safe To Say” and the rolling Americana of “I’m The Same.”  Moore the songwriter remains as engaging and entertaining as ever, with a balance of serious introspection and tales of love gone wrong with a healthy dose of humor.

Key Tracks- Safe To Say, Dear Puppeteer, I’m The Same, Hollow

Top 30 Albums of 2011

2011 was an absolutely outstanding year for new releases, and this is the first time in several years of doing top 30 picks that I’ve been forced to leave off a substantial number of albums that I really liked.  For the second time in three years, Dawes have created my favorite album of the year, but with an album that is somehow substantially better than their stellar debut album.  With terrific albums from rising stars Dawes, Jonathan Wilson and Vetiver, the new Laurel Canyon country rock scene started to receive national attention and acclaim, as did a rising new psychedelic movement behind great efforts from The War On Drugs, Woods and the brand new Yellowbirds.  Check out the full list below for a taste of some of the best music released in 2011, with album write-ups and recommended tracks to come over the next week.      

30. The Wood Brothers-Smoke Ring Halo
My Morning Jacket- Circuital
Gillian Welch- The Harvest and the Harrow
Rich Robinson-
Through A Crooked Sun
Real Estate- Days
25. Garage A Trois-
Always Be Happy, But Stay Evil
Warren Haynes- Man In Motion
Jim Lauderdale- Reason & Rhyme
Jonathan Wilson- Gentle Spirit
The War On Drugs- Slave Ambient
20. Wooden Shjips- West
Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey- Race Riot Suite
Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit- Here We Rest
Middle Brother- Middle Brother
The Low Anthem- Smart Flesh
15. The London Souls- The London Souls
The Tedeschi Trucks Band-
Revelator
Tea Leaf Green- Radio Tragedy
Woods- Sun & Shade
Ryan Adams- Ashes & Fire
10. Yellowbirds- Yellowbirds
Hot Tuna- Steady As She Goes
Vetiver- The Errant Charm
Grayson Capps- The Lost Cause Minstrels
The Jayhawks-
Mockingbird Time
5. Nathan Moore- Dear Puppeteer
Wilco- The Whole Love
Dead Man Winter- Bright Lights
The Barr Brothers- The Barr Brothers
1. Dawes- Nothing Is Wrong