featuring the very best of americana, alt.country and roots music
November 28, 2021
Scott Foley, purveyor of dust
Next week at this time we'll be heralding our favorite records of the last twelve months. I'm always quick to acknowledge that these aren't the best or the most impactful releases, just stuff that I like. This is also the time we're barraged with year-end lists from countless others as well as awards nominees and such. In the midst of it all, I've taken to sharing a more objective list of the ten albums that have largely defined and directed americana, alt.country and roots music for the year. Again, these aren't necessarily my own faves (just half of them will appear on next week's list), but they will prove essential in years to come in understanding where we are and where we're going. This list finds artists moving the genre forward and others redefining tradition. It identifies voices that will correct the course of roots music, filling in the missing spots and giving americana its best chance at relevance.
STATE of the GENRE 2021:
10 Records That Defined Our Kind of Music (in order of appearance)
- Steve Earle, JT (New West, Jan 4)
- Aaron Lee Tasjan, Tasjan! Tasjan! Tasjan! (New West, Feb 6)
- Valerie June, Moon and Stars: Prescriptions for Dreamers (Fantasy, Mar 12)
- Steel Woods, All of Your Stones (Woods, May 14)
- Allison Russell, Outside Child (Concord, May 21)
- JP Harris' Dreadful Wind & Rain, Don't You Marry No Railroad Man (Free Dirt, Jun 25)
- Yola, Stand For Myself (Easy Eye Sound, Jul 30)
- Sierra Ferrell, Long Time Coming (Rounder, Aug 20)
- Adia Victoria, A Southern Gothic (Atlantic, Sep 17)
- Charles Wesley Godwin, How the Mighty Fall (Godwin, Nov 5)
Add these dates to your roots music calendar:
December 5: Favorite Records of 2021
December 12: Favorite Songs of 2021
December 19: Christmas Show
Now on to more stuff I just like.
- Robert Plant & Allison Krauss, "Quattro (World Drifts In)" Raise the Roof (Rounder, 21)
- Hiss Golden Messenger, "Time Down the Wind" Highway Butterfly: Songs of Neal Casal (Casal Fndtn, 21)
^ Golden and Rust, "Young Blood" Golden and Rust (Golden and Rust, 21)
- Julie Doiron, "Thought of You" Thought of You (Doiron, 21)
- Cale Tyson, "Half Ass" Okay (Tyson, 21)
- Dope Lemon, "Kids Fallin' in Love" Rose Pink Cadillac (Angus Stone, Jan 7)
- King Hannah, "A Well-Made Woman" I'm Not Sorry I Was Just Being Me (City Slang, Feb 25)
- John Murry, "I Refuse To Believe (Alternate)" single (Submarine Cat, 21)
- Megan Siebe, "Hard To Be Blue" Swaying Steady (Shrimper, 21)
- War On Drugs, "Wasted" I Don't Live Here Anymore (Atlantic, 21)
- Bedouine, "You Never Leave Me" Waysides (Orchard, 21)
- Infamous Stringdusters, "Toward the Fray" Toward the Fray (Americana Vibes, Feb 18) D
- Gabe Lee, "Memphis (live)" Live at Water Street Music Hall EP (Torrez, Dec 3) D
- Misty River, "Wishing On the Wrong Star" Promises (Workshop, 21)
- Jonathan Tyler, "Underground Forever" Moon & Stars EP (Timeless Echo, 21) D
- Amanda Anne Platt & Honeycutters, "Lessons in Gravity" Devil and the Deep Blue Sea (Organic, 21)
- Matt Woods, "Port St Lucie (2021)" Manifesto: 10 Year Anniversary Edition (Lonely Ones, Dec 10)
- Loney Hutchins, "Stoney Creek" Buried Loot (Appalachia, Dec 10) D
- Chris Pureka, "Sky Spinning" Longest Year (Pureka, Dec 3) D
- Houndmouth, "Jackson" Good For You (Dualtone, 21)
- Jamie Lin Wilson, "Just the Other Side of Nowhere" single (Next Waltz, 21) D
- Sam Outlaw, "Daydreaming" Popular Mechanics (Black Hills, 21)
- Bria, "Fruits Of My Labor" Cuntry Covers Vol 1 (Sub Pop, 21)
- Jason Scott, "Suffering Eyes" Castle Rock (Scott, Feb 11)
- Frazey Ford, "Saul" single (Arts & Crafts, 21) D
- The Kernal, "Super (Marijuana) Wal-Mart" Listen To the Blood (Single Lock, Jan 14)
- Lucero, "Among the Ghosts (live)" Live From Red Rocks (Liberty & Lament, Dec 1)
- Charles Wesley Godwin, "Bones" How the Mighty Fall (Godwin, 21)
- Virgil Shaw, "Sharon" At the Time I Didn't Care (Rocks In Your Head, 21)
- Amanda Shires, "Magic Ooooooh (feat. McCrary Sisters)" For Christmas (Silver Knife, 21) D
Earlier ROUTES-casts have been removed; subscribe to our Spotify page to keep up with all our new playlists!
No comments:
Post a Comment