I'll start. These are the new albums I have listened to and enjoyed the most this cruel, crazy, beautiful year.
Nathaniel Rateliff – And It’s Still Alright
Deacon Blue – City of Love
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit – Reunions
Diana Krall – This Dream of You
Ben Harper – Winter is for Lovers
James Grant – Bespoke Songs Volume One
Alan Cameron Trio – Two Nights at Olympia
Bob Dylan – Rough and Rowdy Ways
Bruce Springsteen – Letter to You
Ray LaMontagne – Monovision
1. Otis Gibbs - Hoosier National 2. John Moreland - LP5 3. Drive-by Truckers - The Unravelling / The New Ok 4. Ray LaMontagne - Monovision 5. Nathaniel Rateliff - And It's Still Alright 6. Frazey Ford - U Kin Be The Sun 7. American Aquarium - Lamentations 8. Run The Jewels - RTJ4 9. Jayhawks - XOXO 10. Bob Dylan - Rough And Rowdy Ways 11. Courtney Marie Andrews - Old Flowers 12. Lilly Hiatt - Walking Proof 13. The Secret Sisters - Saturn Return 14. Sturgill Simpson - Cutting Grass Vol 1 and 2 15. Bruce Springsteen - Letter To You 16. Jason Isbell - Reunions 17. Black Thought - Streams of Thought Vol. 3: Cane & Abel 18. Jerry Joseph - The Beautiful Madness 19. Steep Canyon Ranger - Arm In Arm 20. Pearl Jam - Gigaton 21. Shemekia Copeland - Uncivil War 22. The War & Treaty - Hearts Town 23. Pokey LaFarage - Rock Bottom Rhapsody 24. Lucinda Williams - Good Souls Better Angels 25. Pacific Range - High Upon the Mountain Reissues: Tom Petty - Wildflowers box Wilco - Summerteeth box Prince - Sign o' the Times box
It's interesting that so many of you have picked Rough & Rowdy Ways. it is Mr J's album of the year and I just can't listen to it. This is unusual, we don't always like the same stuff but I can usually tune out. I just can't with this, so it's different rooms or headphones!
It’s not an album but Karen O and Willie Nelson’s version of Under Pressure is one of my favourite things this year.
As far as disappointmenta go, I think it was only Bruce, really.
Taylor Swift put out some decent stuff. I think she’s on the receiving end on incredible abuse. But I don’t like her singing. she just can’t get rid of that pop delivery.
New releases, in some sort of order:
Lucinda Williams - Good Souls Better Angels
Bruce Springsteen - Letter To You
Drive By Truckers - The Unraveling
Bob Dylan - Rough And Rowdy Ways
Brian Fallon - Local Honey
Nathaniel Rateliff - And It’s Still Alright
Emily Barker - A Dark Murmuration Of Words
Drive By Truckers - The New OK
Pretenders - Hate For Sale
Neil Young - Homegrown
Dylan still a work in progress, but the more I listen the more I uncover.
Can‘t help thinking JF’s been rummaging thru my record collection though.........
Reissues:
Tom Petty - Wildflowers & All The Rest
Joy Division - Unknown Pleasures/Closer
Wildflowers was a record I never paid much time to back in the day, possibly because the Jeff Lynne production on its predecessor turned me off TP‘s later releases. My mistake - love it.
JD original pressings worn out during my angsty early eighties period. Still sound remarkable to these older ears.
Disappointments:
Jason Isbell - Reunions
Courtney Marie Andrews - Old Flowers Dunno what happened with these two, but they still haven’t connected. Forgetting JI’s last live set, I thought Nashville Sound was excellent so had high hopes for this after a long wait. Likewise with CMA’s Kindness record. Perhaps I need to give ‘em another go, persevere?
Need to check out these Taylor Swift records.