2010 Year In Review Part Deaux: Texas Music You Should Be Listening To!

As the saying goes, there must be something in the water!  There is something about the Texas music scene that defies typical musical conventions.  This, of course, comes as no surprise to the millions of Texas music fans.  The variety of music that hails from the great state is as expansive as the West Texas plains.  While Austin is known as the “Live Music Capital” of the world, there are plenty of fertile musical breeding grounds in Texas. 

 Today, I will WOW you with some of the musical greatness that came from or had ties to Texas in 2010. This is not meant to be a comprehensive list, it is just a few of the albums that I have had in heavy rotation over the course of the last year. 

Artist	Album	Observations
Old 97’s	The Grand Theatre Vol. 1	Dallas band gets back to their roots and write good music without trying to be anything more than they are.  After 17 years it is good to see them comfortable in their own skin.
Spoon	Transference	Not as much of gloss and a lot more rock is what make this album great.  Not shying away from the darker textures, Spoon creates a less poppy album and the laxity of Transference is the strength of the album.
Reckless Kelly	Somewhere In Time	A fine album of cover songs to their one time mentor Pinto Bennett.
Roky Erickson & Okkervil River	True Love Cast Out All Evil	Concise production shapes the sorrow of the Austin icon Roky Erickson’s life and ultimately the optimism of his return.
Court Yard Hounds	Court Yard Hounds	2/3 of the Dixie Chicks show that sometimes less is more.  Jakob Dylan adds his dusky dulcet tone for a quick duet.
Alejandro Escovedo	Street Songs of Love	The fierceness of the guitar and the bombastic instrumentation belie the emotional elements of the lyrics.
Arcade Fire	The Suburbs	Currently Canadian, Butler boys do hail from the sterile Houston suburb known as the Woodlands.  This is a great album and also made my 2010 Year in review.
Ryan Bingham	Junky Star	Former rodeo star hits the big time with Golden Globe and Oscar win and a current Grammy Nomination for his work on the “Crazy Heart’ soundtrack.  His 3rd album is no fluke either.  His whisky and cigarette vocals are the perfect vehicle for his forlorn tales.
Randy Rogers Band	Burning the Day	One of the hardest working bands in the state.  Over 200 dates over the past years.  Still time to record and release their 5th album.
Norah Jones	…Featuring Norah Jones	The list of collaborators is what makes this album genius.  You have the rap community represented with Talib Kweli Q Tip, and Outkast, the rock genre is fortified by Foo Fighters, and Ryan Adams is a genre chameleon so several are covered with his efforts.  Also, Willie Nelson adds his own brand of greatness.
Walt Wilkins	Agave	A true Texas troubadour.  No one does it better then Walt.  The words of a poet delivered honey sweet with a calm, familiar feel.  Need to see him live if you ever have the chance.
Tommy Alverson	Texas One More Time	With a twinkle in his eye, and a beer in his hand, Tommy makes music that makes you feel fine.  When Tommy sings, it feels like a warm summer night and for that moment you are carefree.  Highly recommend you see him live, you won’t regret it.
Six Market Boulevard	Running On Seven	I caught these boys live one Sunday afternoon at a local barbeque joint.  Nice, strong debut album.
Mike Ryan	The First One	Great voice, laid back attitude, and interacts with his fans.  Ballsy covers of Lenny Kravitz and Conway Twitty.  Need to see him live to fully appreciate his brand of greatness.
Bruce Robison	From the Top	Amazing songwriting that has made many country artists famous.  This album finds him paired with Rodney Crowell and it is an effort steeped in simplicity.  When you write as well as Bruce, you don’t need to add a lot of fluff.

 Great music awaits!

2010 Year In Review: Music You Should Have Been Listening To!

Well, 2010 was quite the year!  Everyone got a little older but ladies, you don’t look it!  In spite of continued political divide, the yet to rebound economy, and little oil spill in the Gulf, 2010 was a pretty great year in music.  Not for the industry as a whole (canceled tours, decline in both digital and CD sales, etc…), but in terms of the output from various artists it was a pretty fine year.  Hell, the Beatles finally capitulated to the masses and released their catalog on iTunes!  Back the Brinks truck up boys, we are cashing in!

Here is my annual review of what I thought, and thereby, was good in the world of music in 2010.  If it did not make the list, it means I did not get a chance to listen to it, or it sucked.  It is entirely possible that some music got by me this year.  It is more likely that the music I did not listen to was not listenable and therefore sucked.

In all seriousness, this is a compilation of 50 albums that were released in 2010 that got a lot of play in the many places where I listen to music.  All of these albums I own and were in heavy rotation throughout the year.  These are by no means the only albums released or that I purchased in 2010 but the ones I found myself digging a little more than some of the others.

The albums listed below are in no particular order of greatness but are all great in their own unique musical way!  See, look at that, I’m being mindful of the feelings of the artists that will never read this blog and perpetuating the “everyone is a winner”, feel good schlock that has helped raise and create a whole generation of entitled whiners and, I digress.

So sit back and peruse the gentle musing of what made my musical pants go crazy this year.

Artist	Album	My Annotations
The Black Keys	Brother	This album and all of their other albums rock.  This band consists of 2 white dudes from Ohio who sound like a symphony of veteran bluesman that caught wind of some funk.  Pure greatness!
Arcade Fire	The Suburbs	Nice way to come back from a 3 year break!  This album and this band is what is right with music today. Sprawling music, musicians that actually play instruments, and have something meaningful to say!
Jamey Johnson	The Guitar Songs	Jamey tried the clean cut “new” country way and realized that it was not going to work for him.  So, he followed the Johnny Cash 101 course and gave in to vice and temptation, grew a crazy beard and wrote about his life.  This double disc is pretty aggressive for this relative newcomer but he pulls it off and we are better for it.
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers	Mojo	Great new disc from the Heartbreakers and another great album from start –finish for Tommy Boy.  After 30 years I am amazed that he can still bring it like he does.  Petty has a way of always taking me back to the halcyon days of high school.  Props to the folks from 75115!
Drive-By Truckers	The Big To-Do	I love DBT and this album is no exception.  While Jason Isbell is missed, they are able to carry one and make some damn fine music.  The stories that they create are usually good for a laugh or two until you realize that most of them come from real life events.
Fistful of Mercy	Fistful of Mercy	The musical triumvirate of Ben Harper, Joseph Arthur, and Dhani Harrison.  Great harmonies and acoustic instrumentation.
Bruce Springsteen	The Promise	This 2 disc set is the lost tracks to the Darkness on the Edge of Town session.  That period was pretty prolific for the Boss and it is funny how 30+ years later the music is still relevant.  Hats off to you Bruce and the E Street Boys.
Eminem	Recovery	Dropped off the face of musical earth and did a death spiral and realized that he had more music to make.  While not as aggressive and misogynistic as his earlier work, Recovery shows that he still has skills.
The Dead Weather	Sea of Cowards	Jack White is pure greatness and this sophomore effort from one of his many side projects does not disappoint.
The National	High Violet	Not exactly a “pick me up” kind of band but the drama and melancholy is balanced by the somber vocals and tight instrumentation.
Band of Horses	Infinite Arms	Indie music darlings come back with a full group for their third album.  Their sound is familiar but they do explore some new lyrical territory.
Neil Young	Le Noise	Neil Young and his eclectic ways paired + Daniel Lanois production expertise = genius.
Kings of Leon	Come Around Sundown	These guys make consistently good music.  It is unfortunate that their previous release was embraced by the masses and oversaturated the airwaves.
Kid Rock	Born Free	Say what you will about the Kid, but when he stays close to the classic rock of our youth, he makes entertaining music.
Joe Purdy	4th of July	The best indie act out there today.  Releases all of his material on his own with no major label support, gets little or no radio play, and tours in places that hold 200-300 people.  He is amazing.
Joe Purdy	This American	See above
The Gaslight Anthem	American Slang	New Jersey band channeling the musical spirit of Springsteen with a little punk rock spin.  Further proof that good things come from the Garden State!
Spoon	Transference	Spoon continues to make moody not quite pop music.  This is their 7th album and is a great showcase of their formidable musical chops.
Gorillaz	Plastic Beach	Cartoon characters that get the likes of DeLa Soul, Snoop Dogg, and Lou Reed to guest on their album.  What more can I say?
MGMT	Congratulations	The sophomore album from the trippy, somewhat psychedelic duo.  As good as their stellar debut and clearly shows that these boys have some skills.
Kanye West	My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy	Despite the petulant attitude, knack for opening mouth and inserting foot, Kanye knows how to mix and mingle the tracks, samples and artists.   Not sure I like liking him but hard to ignore.
Robert Plant	Band of Joy	Golden Rock god pays go pre-Zeppelin days and does some pretty sweet covers of American music such as Townes Van Zandt, Low, and Los Lobos.
John Mellencamp	No Better Than This	This live mono recording of his latest was done in various parts of the country such as a Georgia church, San Antonio hotel room, and a Memphis recording studio.  Mr. Happy Go Lucky strikes again!
Broken Bells	Broken Bells	James Mercer (The Shins) and super producer Danger Mouse (Gnarls Barkley) team up for an awesome debut album.  Hopefully they will find time to make more music.
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club	Beat the Devil’s Tattoo	Cool, scary band name with cool scary album name.  I’ve been a fan for years and like how they have evolved.
Marc Cohn	Listening Booth:1970	Great covers of 70’s song.  Nice to see him back in the booth.
Josh Ritter	So Runs The World Away	Quite the word smith.  Sparse musical compositions are the foundation for the subterranean concepts of the album.
Flobots	Survival Story	Rock-Rap with the instrumentation of a viola!  Politically charged lyrics with deft delivery and did I mention the viola?
The Rescues	Let Loose The Horses	Four part harmonies that flawlessly flow throughout the album.  Lingering, soothing lyrics that are both exploratory and meaningful.  Great debut album.
Jack Johnson	To The Sea	Feel good music in the laid back Jack Johnson style.  Not breaking new ground which is not necessarily a bad thing.
Ray LaMontagne & The Pariah Dogs	God Willin’ and the Creek Don’t Rise	4th studio album for the whiskey soaked and smoky voiced troubadour and this time he is backed by a true, professional band.  This album, like all the rest is best when his dulcet tone has room to breathe.
Mumford & Sons	Sigh No More	Further proof that harmonies were all the rage in 2010.  This London quartet’s debut album is closer to folk than just about anything on this list.  Not sure how the English captured Americana but more power to them.
The New Pornographers	Together	The large Canadian bands 5th album is a nice blend of vocals and instrumentation.  Will Sheff of Okervil River, Zach Condon of Beirut, and some Dap Kings (the horn players) all make appearances on the album.
The Black Crowes	Croweology	The Crowes version of “Best of” with 2 discs worth of tracks.  Nice acoustic versions of their catalog.  This is the last release before their next breakup/hiatus.  Damn sibling rivalries!
LCD Soundsystem	This Is Happening	The 3rd and reportedly final album from the dance/rock kings.
Of Montreal	False Priests	An eclectic blend of funk, synth, and sing along chorus.  Lyrically odd at times, the songs seem to be better crafted then some of their other work.
Sleigh Bells	Treats	Drums, guitars, and a little hip hop are hard to beat.  This band is not easy to define but certainly fun.
Big Boi	Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Song of Chico Dusty	One half of the rap duo OutKast, Big Boi shows his considerable skills on his solo album.  Solo album is a loose term considering that T.I., Gucci Mane, George Clinton, Jamie Foxx, B.o.B, and Too Short are just a few of the folks that appear on the album.
The Hold Steady	Heaven Is Whenever	Not as commercially known as some of the other bands on this list but just as good, if not better than some.  Think heartland rock with Brooklyn attitude.
Eels	Tomorrow Morning	The 2nd of their albums to be released in 2010, this one is a little more upbeat.  The addition of keyboards and strings is a nice touch.  It seems that E might have just a glimmer of happiness in his life.
Weezer	Hurley	With co-writers like Ryan Adams, Mac Davis, and Linda Perry, this album twists and turns in many musical directions.  All of them good!
Vampire Weekend	Contra	Sophomore album for the Paul Simon channeling group is not a drastic departure from their first.  The formula works.
Ozomatli	Fire Away	As diverse as band as there is, these LA boys mix in the rap, Spanish horns, and a bit of Ska to completely blow you away.
Street Sweeper Social Club	The Ghetto Blaster EP	Tom Morello of Rage fame and Boot Riley release this angry, politically driven EP.  Not so angry that they can’t cover LL Cool J’s Mama Said Knock You Out and MIA’s Paper Planes.
The Avett Brothers	Live Volume 3	This album was recorded in 2009 shortly after the major label debut.  It covers several great tracks from their previous indie label albums.  This is a band best served live.  Might make my Top 10 Live Album List.
Joe Pug	The Messenger	Great acoustic folk music.  Lyrically sound and great from start to finish.  He is one of the great finds of 2010 for me.
Jakob Dylan	Woman + Country	The still Wallflowerless Dylan’s 2nd solo album is as solid as anything he has ever done.  Neko Case also appears on the album.
Matt Costa	Mobile Chateau	Jack Johnson’s protégé’s third release is a mixed bag of upbeat tempos and California pop with a helping of soulful piano and surprising depth.
Elton John and Leon Russell	The Union	Clash of the aging titans!  Hard to believe that after 40 years of divergent paths, these two make an album that leaves you wondering why it did not happen sooner.
Reckless Kelly	Somewhere In Time	This album is a 12 track homage to the band’s early mentor and Americana singer/songwriter Pinto Bennett.

2010 Mid Year Review: Albums You Should Have Bought!

Well, here we are, six months in to 2010.  Musically it has been a pretty solid half a year.  Today I will list a few of the albums that you should have picked up thus far this year.

The albums are listed in no particular order.

2010 Mid-Year Review: Albums You Should Have Bought

Artist	Album
Massive Attack	Heligoland
The Black Keys	Brothers
Gary Allan	Get Off On the Pain
John Butler Trio	April Uprising
Spoon	Transference
She & Him	Volume Two
Vampire Weekend	Contra
Drive-By Truckers	The Big To-Do
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club	Beat the Devil’s Tattoo
The New Pornographers	Together
Jack Johnson	To The Sea
The Gaslight Anthem	American Slang
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers	Mojo
Band of Horses	Infinite Arms
Flobots	Survival Story
The Dead Weather	Sea of Cowards
The National	High Violet
Minus the Bear	Omni

 Great music awaits!

25 Albums (since 2000) you should own

Greetings music lovers,

 Today’s blog is a monthly continuation of 25 albums you should own and has the following parameters:

• Album must have been recorded/released in or after to 2000
• No duplication of artist
• No live albums or greatest hits (kind of an all encompassing copout to include either)
• Listing of my favorite track from said album (This is not so much a parameter but a mere bonus for your reading pleasure)

 Twenty Five albums you should own! (In no particular order):

Artist	Album	Song
State Radio	Us Against The Crown	Camilo
Amos Lee	Last Days At the Lodge	What’s Been Going On
Brett Dennen	So Much More	Ain’t No Reason
The Black Crowes	Before the Frost	Appaloosa
Bob Dylan	Modern Times	Thunder on the Mountain
Beck	The Information	Strange Apparition
Ben Harper & The Relentless 7	White Lies for Dark Times	Faithfully Remain
Bon Iver	For Emma, Forever Ago	Flume
Corrine Bailey Rae	Corrine Bailey Rae	Seasons Change
Eddie Vedder	Into the Wild	Society
Erin Ivey	The 11th Floor	Chocolate
Foo Fighters	In Your Honor	Another Round
The Hold Steady	Stay Positive	Lord, I’m Discouraged
James McMurtry	Childish Things	We Can’t Make It Here
Josh Ritter	The Animal Years	Girl In the War
Yeah Yeah Yeahs	Show Your Bones	Warrior
Zac Brown Band	The Foundation	Highway 20 Ride
William Fitzsimmons	Until When We Are Ghosts	Passion Play
Vampire Weekend	Vampire Weekend	The Kids Don’t Stand A Chance
TV On the Radio	Dear Science	Halfway Home
Tom Petty	Highway Companion	Square One
Spoon	Transference	Nobody Gets Me But You
Slaid Cleaves	Everything You Love Will Be Taken Away	Beautiful Thing
Serj Tankian	Elect the Dead	Money
Rilo Kiley	Under the Blacklight	Silver Lining
Ray LaMontagne	Trouble	Jolene

 So, there you have it, another list of musical bliss.  Take your time, check them out and let me know what you think.

 Great music awaits!

You should be listening to Spoon!

Spoon is an indie rock band that hails from the great city of Austin, Texas.  Formed and co founded by Brit Daniels and Jim Eno in 1993.  Early musical comparisons to The Pixies and Sonic Youth quickly subsided as they began to define their own sound, a blend of sophisticated, guitar driven pop/post-punk that rocks.

Spoon’s career can be likened to that of a slow boil.  They have seven full length albums and an equal number of EP’s and received critical recognition for their work but have received little radio play along the way.  This might, in part, be related to the label issues that plagued them in the early years.  The irony of this is that there music has found it way on a smattering of television shows that include the following: The Simpsons Veronica Mars, Bones, The O.C., Scrubs, and How I Met Your Mother.  Spoon also appears in the movies 17 Again, Cloverfield, and I Love You Man.

Their music is inventive and ambitious yet accessible. Their albums are consistently tight, usually containing ten or twelve well crafted tracks and clocking in around the forty minute mark. 

Spoon Discography 

Albums	EP
Telephono A Series of Sneaks Girls Can Tell Kill the Moonlight Gimme Fiction Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga Transference	The Nefarious (EP) Soft Effects (EP) 30 Gallon Tank (EP) Love Ways (EP) Get Nice! (EP) Don’t You Evah (EP) Got Nuffin (EP)

Top 5 Spoon Songs according to Butler (Albums listed on right):

1. I Turn My Camera On (Gimme Fiction)
2. The Way We Get By (Kill the Moonlight)
3. Don’t Make Me a Target (Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
4. All the Negatives Have Been Destroyed (Telephono)
5. The Underdog (Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga)

Check out Spoon and let me know what you think.

Spoon’s music is available is available on iTunes, record stores and www.spoontheband.com.

Also, if you have a facebook page, you can become a fan of the blog.

http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#/pages/Music-you-should-be-listening-to/261897107787?ref=ts

Great music awaits!