THURSDAY MORNING MIX
December 3, 2009
Scott Foley

To be perfectly honest, I gave up on the Grammys long ago, altho I continue to watch the broadcast for the sake of cultural literacy. This year, the old white men on the Grammy committee threw the americana audience a bone by creating a new category, "Best Americana Album." None of the five nominees will appear on my year-end album list (to be broadcast December 31 on KRFC), but at least they got their categories right. Dylan, Levon Helm, Willie & the Wheel, Wilco and Lucinda. No surprises.

The surprise comes with the nominees for the Grammy for "Best Contemporary Folk Album." Tracy Chapman and Shawn Colvin aren't tremendously deserving for their most recent albums, but at least they could be construed as Contemporary Folk. The remaining three nominees, on the other hand, would actually make more sense in the previous category: Neko Case, Steve Earle and Elvis Costello. Three discs that have made at least my long list for favorite albums of the year. But Contemporary Folk?!!

Bob Schneider “The World Exploded Into Love” from Lonelyland (2001) on Universal

Shannon McNally “Freedom To Stay” from Coldwater (2009) on self

Amelia White “Rusted Dreams” from Motorcycle Dream (2009) on self

Dave Rawlings Machine “How's About You” from Friend of a Friend (2009) on Acony

Imelda May “Smokers' Song” from Love Tattoo (2009) on Ambassador Records

The Railbenders “Drive Away” from Drive Away (2009) on The Railbenders

Tift Merritt “Write My Ticket” from Tambourine (2004) on Lost Highway

Langhorne Slim “Back To the Wild” from Be Set Free (2009) on Kemado

Carolyn Mark “Sunday Morning” from Let's Just Stay Here (2009) on Mint

Ryan Bingham “Weary Kind” from Crazy Heart (2009) on New West

^Wrinkle Neck Mules “Cracks & Seams” from Let the Lead Fly (2009) on Lower 40

Dan Auerbach “Whispered Words (Pretty Lies)” from Keep It Hid (2009) on Nonesuch

Bruce Cockburn “Mary Had a Baby” from Christmas (1993) on Sony

Curtis Harvey “Bag of Seeds” from Box of Stones (2009) on Fatcat

Patty Loveless “Bramble and the Rose” from Mountain Soul II (2009) on Saguaro Road

Golden Smog “Strangers” from Another Fine Day (2006) on Universal

Elvis Costello “My All Time Doll” from Secret, Profane and Sugarcane (2009) on Hear

Chip Taylor “Piece of the Sky” from Yonkers, NY (2009) on Train Wreck

Jon Snodgrass “Brave With Strangers” from Visitor's Band (2009) on Suburban Home

Gretchen Peters “Song For a Winter's Night” from Northern Lights (2008) on Scarlet Letter

Dawes “When You Call My Name” from North Hills (2009) on ATO

Tom Gillam “Tear in the Rain” from Had Enough (2009) on Smith

Zoe Muth & the Lost High Rollers “Running Kind” from Zoe Muth and the Lost High Rollers (2009) on Zoe Muth

Steve Earle “White Freightliner Blues” from Townes (2009) on New West

Deer Tick “La La La” from More Fuel For the Fire (2009) on self

The Gourds “Lament” from Stadium Blitzer (1998) on Sugar Hill

Stoll Vaughan “Meet You In the Middle” from The Weatherman (2009) on Stoll Vaughan