2010- The Year in Music

The Roots- How I Got Over- Dear God 2.0 featuring Jim James





Ryan Bingham and the Dead Horses- Crazy Heart Soundtrack- The Weary Kind

Ray Lamontagne and the Pariah Dogs- God Willin and the Creek Dont Rise- Beg, Steal, or Borrow

Have Gun Will Travel - Postcards From the Friendly City- Ballad of Asa Daulton- Re-released on Suburban Home Records in 2010

Josh Ritter- So Runs the World Away- The Curse

Vampire Weekend- Contra- Taxi Cab


I'm slightly addicted to "Top 10/Best of" lists. This time of year is perfect because media outlets are posting their lists about everything from sports to music to political miscues. (Click here for NPR Music's Best of 2010 List and Here for Michael Jordan Top Ten Best Dunks). These short snippets of culture are easily digested in my routine 30 minute breaks from doing things I should actually be doing.

Here are a handful of my favorite releases from last year. Many of these are strong showings from bands you probably already know (Josh Ritter, Vampire Weekend, Ray Lamontagne). A few might be flying under your radar like Florida's own Have Gun Will Travel. (Technically they self released Post Cards from A Friendly City in 2009 but 2010 saw Suburban Home Records picked them up and re-release their sophomore album.) The breakout newcomer for me was Ryan Bingham and the Dead Horses. Bingham's song Weary Kind was produced by T. Bone Burnett for the soundtrack of Crazy Heart. They won an Academy Award and have been nominated for a Grammy. Its great to see a fictional movie about a washed up outlaw country singer bring an actual country singer fame. As a side note anything produced by T. Bone Burnett is fantastic. He has been the driving sonic force behind Buena Vista Social Club, the sound track for O Brother Where Art Thou, and Alison Krauss/Robert Plant's Raising Sand.

My hands down favorite album of last year was The Roots How I Got Over. This album combines the bands usually crisp raps with Marvin Gaye era melodies and indie guest stars. Radio Days, the title track How I Got Over and The Day are three great tunes on the album. Indie veterans Jim James (My Morning Jacket) and Joanna Newsome contribute backing vocals to a few of the tracks. The combination doesn't come of as a gimmick but of a genuine mixture of genres. The video I posted, Dear God 2.0, is a rewrite of a song by the indie super group Monsters of Folk. It took me by surprise and kept me wanting more.

I posted all these songs to the blog's music roll. For the music lovers feel free to repost your favorite albums of the year. I'm always looking for more music.

Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder- Live at the Charleston Music Hall

The smokin version of Uncle Pen that I added to the blog's music rotation is from this live album. The album released in 2003 features a good mix of bluegrass standards and original music.(click here for the discography) For bluegrass fans it will be confirmation that Kentucky Thunder is one of the best live bluegrass bands still touring. For newcomers to the genre it is a great introduction to this style of music.

Skaggs started as a child prodigy and later went onto back everyone from J.D. Crowe to Emmy Lou Harris. He has won numerous Grammy/IBMA/CMA awards throughout his career. Check out his website for a more in depth history.(click here)

Have Gun Will Travel- Casting Shadows Tall as Giants

In the never ending quest for good studio music I thought I would put a plug in for Bradenton, FL natives Have Gun Will Travel. Their 2008 debut Casting Shadows Tall as Giants is pure Americana genius.  I have had this album on constant repeat for a few weeks. I highly suggest it for any folk music lovers.

For more information on HGWT's albums and tour schedule Click Here. I haven't seen them in person yet but I've heard they put on a great live show.

"...Casting Shadows is steeped in the country twinges of lap steel, harmonica, banjo, strings, and acoustic guitars. The record's true strength is its artful tributes to classic westerns, tying the album stylistically and thematically to the wild-west in all its gun-blazing glory... Burke's rich songwriting weaves classic western themes of life and death, honor, and morality throughout the record's narrative songs." National Public Radio

Michael Jackson> James Brown> Marvin Gaye> Elvis> Ray Charles...

There are so many unexpected joys that come from living in a foreign country. One of them happened today when I realized that my Chinese coworkers didn't know any American music before Michael Jackson. Its the first time I have ever mentioned the name Elvis and got a completely blank stare. I couldnt stop laughing. It makes sense when you think about the limited role western culture had in China from 1949 on.

The later part of the night I spent playing the music that influenced the American music generation before it. It started with them playing an American born Chinese singer that was mimicking Michael Jackson's acapella rifts. I explained that he was copying Jackson who got it from James Brown. I tried to explain that Jackson also patterned his dancing style after Brown's ( in honor of the Godfather of Soul I'm posting my favorite youtube video of him dancing.)

From there I played them early Ray Charles. Next came Elvis who covered Charles' " I got a Woman" and rose to fame by copying African American music. Then I had to throw in Marvin Gaye to explain what the Motown sound was. Even with my limited understanding of history I could link back 60 years of American music.

Tomorrow I'm going to introduce them to Johnny Cash by way of the rivalry he had with Elvis. Then I can explain the June Carter Cash and the Carter family, which is a great segue way into the music from my region of the world, bluegrass.

Blitzen Trapper and Wolfgang's Vault

A friend just posted about this band last week so I had to check them out. I have not been disappointing. NPR's Live Concerts from All Songs Considered has a show from Austin TX's South by South West. They are a rowdy band from Portland Oregon. Twangy singing, distorted guitar licks, country western rhythms, and the ghost of Bob Dylan's Harmonica, whats not to like? One of their more mellow songs that grabbed me is called "Fur". Great song.
They can also be found on one of my favorite all time sites: Wolf Gangs Concert Vault