Top 10 CDs of 2021

Wow, 2021, what a year. Never in my life would I imagine being given the gift of salvation and then shin kicking it, but here we are, still having to wear masks, vaxxed, boosted, and barely living a life of freedom because 40% of the country is like, You don’t control me! Cool bro. Cool. Stop paying your car insurance, stop wearing a seat belt, don’t get any vaccines for your kids, allow you dogs to become rabid...don’t just pick and choose because a Cheeto’s minions made this an us verse them issue. *sigh* At least we have music. Right?

 

So, let’s get into it…

 

#10 – Morgan Wade – Reckless

I have amazing friends that love great music. Craig tipped me off to Morgan Wade, and I am certainly glad he did. The production value of the CD is excellent. The guitar tones, layers, and placement of instruments is expertly done. I was excited to learn that it was Sadler Vaden, of the 400 Unit, behind the console. The album is polished and flows nicely between tracks which have a center, a string that ties them all together. Musically, everything makes sense. But, when you strip away the layers and just focus on the voice and lyrics, the true gift of Reckless emerges. Wade tells stories that are real, honest, and accessible. It is a great record and deserves all the praise it has received.

 

 

#9 – Julien Baker – Little Oblivions

I have mad respect for Baker. Three albums in, and she continues to push herself. She could just roll up into a studio with her guitar and a few pedals and record another Sprained Ankle and people would love it, but she wouldn’t be content. She needs to grow, and I am enjoying watching her growth. Despite the fuller, more electropop, driven sound, the intimacy of her lyrics is not lost. She still has a lot to say and can weave together excellent phrases. Baker is an earnest writer, and I love her for it.

 

 

 

#8 – Son Volt – Electro Melodier

I mean, it is Son Volt, the creators of one of my favorite genres of music, one of the reasons I formed Whiskey Daydream after EKe broke up. As you would expect, Farrar’s lyrics are honest, poetic, political, and timely. He has his pen on the pulse of our generation, and he isn’t afraid of losing fame or fans, he’s gonna call it like it is. The recording is great. The instrumentation is great. The players are great. It is just a great album. Period.

 

#7 – Andrea von Kampen – That Spell

Coming off the heels of Old Country, That Spell was a highly anticipated release for me. A few Eps and a full length into it, and von Kampen hasn’t abandoned what makes her special. Her songs can absolutely stand on their own with just the strength of her clear and breathy vocals, the six strings of her guitar, and the authenticity of the stories she is sharing. That being said, she made some excellent choices on this recording, bringing in strings, piano, and other organic instruments to help fill space and alter the mood track to track. The church organ on “The Wait” is everything I could hope for on a recording. The restraint that her supporting cast played with is incredible. I wish every musician could listen to That Spell, if only to understand that sometimes less is more.  

 

#6 – Quicksand – Distant Population

Y’all, you can take the boy out of the 90’s, but you can’t fully remove the 90’s from the boy. I spend the vast majority of my time listening to very thoughtful, chill, singer/songwriter, Americana, and Alt-Country music, but every now and again, I need to throw up the \m/ and just let loose. I became a huge fan of Quicksand with the release of Manic Compression in 1995, and I was elated when, out of nowhere, they seemed to re-emerge in 2017 to release Interiors. So, when they dropped Distant Population this year, I had to get it, and I am glad I did. I recently joined a gym to keep moving and get myself healthy, and this CD gets me going before every workout. What I love about Quicksand is each piece of the puzzle has equal value. Schreifels vocals are great. The lyrics are solid. Vega is one of my favorite bassists. Cage if a beast behind the kit. Capone has excellent chops and tone without being too thirsty. Individually they are great. Together they are better.

#4 – Billie Eilish – Happier Than Ever / Olivia Rodrigo – Sour

I have 1a’d and 1b’d before, but never given two albums the same position, but with these two, it is impossible for me to separate them. They are the same album. I know. I know. Two different artists. They don’t even sound the same. But all the elements are the same. 

·         Crisp production? Check

·         Solid, emotive vocals? Check

·         Excellent earworm melodies? Check

·         Good, angsty, scorned lover, songwriting? Check

Hell, both albums have tracks that sound like they are in ¾ and have the rise and fall of a proper waltz, and they both offer songs that feature incredible bass lines. Rodrigo’s “good 4 u” has the grimiest bass line on the first two verses. Every time I hear it, my hips begin to gyrate like I am Elvis or some shit. Eilish is more consistent, allowing the bass line to drive the entirety of “Lost Cause.” Same effect; I am just grinding for longer when that one comes on.

 

There are some definite differences. Happier Than Ever has a moodier and somber vibe. It is sultry and earnest. Sour, has a pop sensibility that feels younger. Some of this can be attributed to regional differences. Eilish is a LA born and bread. Everyone from LA is jaded. It is part of the package. Whereas Rodrigo comes from Temecula, about an hour East of San Diego, sunny, dry, gorgeous, but it’s got a very Stepfordy vibe.

 

Still, I am pretty sure both Rodrigo and Eilish will burn down your house if you fuck them over, they’ll just do it differently. Billie’s gonna pour the gas and leave trails of gunpowder, then sit back and watch as you start the fire when you flick out your cigarette butt, smirking as it goes up all Halloween orange and chimney red. Olivia, on the other hand, is throwing a molotov cocktail through your window and then flipping you off through your door camera before she walks away. Pick your poison. As long, as you stay on their good side, I highly recommend both albums.  

 

 

 #3 – Lucy Dacus – Home Video

 

It feels like I am always writing about Lucy Dacus and for good reason. She is brilliant, and her band is incredible. They make consistently excellent music while continuing to evolve. Dacus serves up pure and unflinching lyrics, inviting the listener into her world while sparing nothing. They are raw and real. She is giving you everything she has to offer. Don’t listen if you are trying to avoid feeling. When talking about Lucy Dacus I feel compelled to mention her band. Hayden Cotcher is one of my favorite drummers, extremely tasteful with quick wrists and excellent dynamics. Christine Moad is a fantastic pocket bassist. He has all the chops and knows when to use them, ensuring the integrity of the track is never jeopardized. Jacob Blizard is a damn genius. I am not sure who is responsible for what when they are in the studio, but his playing adds so much to each track. Having seen them live multiple times, they are all amazing to watch work, and this gift of a CD can be listened to from start to finish with no regret of time wasted on any track.

 

 

#2 – Watchhouse – Watchhouse

 

From the outside looking in, hell even from the inside looking in, this was the year of Watchhouse for me. I listened to this CD and all the back catalog of Mandolin Orange (their former name) more than anything this year. My first and only concert I have been to since the pandemic began was to see them (plus Son Volt and the Sleepy Rubies) at the Open Highway Music Festival. I absolutely adore when couples sing together. There is something magical when there is real love behind the melody lines and lyrics. I love Marlin’s mandolin and Frantz’s fiddle. Fuck, I love that their names and primary instruments make alliterations. I love everything about a band singing about being kind. The album is crisp. The instruments are perfectly distanced, allowing the recording to breathe like it would on stage. I can, and have, listen to it on repeat for days at a time. It is a worthy purchase.

  

 

 

#1 – Jack Ingram, Miranda Lambert, Jon Randal – The Mafia Tapes

You can thank Austin City Limits for this one. I hadn’t heard anything about this recording, but Ingram, Lambert, and Randal did a supporting session on ACL, and it made me go buy the CD. I love Miranda Lambert, have all of her recordings, including the Pistol Annie’s stuff, so when I saw her pop up on my DVR, I had to stop and watch. As a singer/songwriter, the Mafia Tapes is everything I love. Three friends, sharing their tunes, adding harmonies to each other’s tracks, and filling out the instrumentation with some complimentary guitar parts here and there. When I was in college I tried to make a similar recording, rolled up to the barn that was on the property of the house I was staying in with a couple PZM microphones and a four track recorder. I wanted to hear everything. I wanted the vocals to get lost in the rafters. I wanted the creak of the old wood floors, the sound of the wind rattling the battered tin roof. I wanted the environment to be part of the recording. That is absolutely what they captured here, three incredible singer/songwriters holed up in a house somewhere in West Texas and they recorded everything allowing the listener to feel like they were actually there. It is perfect in its simplicity, and the songwriting is fantastic to boot. I went weeks with it in constant rotation and never got tired.

 

Well, there you have it, my Top 10 for 2021. Per usual, I only ranked albums that I purchased, and there were many that didn’t make the list. One, in particular, was The Off Season by J Cole. For a portion of the year, I thought it was going to be my #1. The beats are excellent. The production is crisp, and Cole’s lyrics are intelligent and thought provoking. What eventually caused it to fall was they are also misogynistic AF. The more I rolled around bumping it with the kids in the car, the more I thought I hope my son never speaks this way about a woman, and I pray that no one ever treats my daughter like she is an object. Ultimately, I decided if I continued to play the album and others with similar themes, I was part of the problem. I was giving artists a pass that they don’t deserve, so I stopped playing it and removed it from it’s place on my list. So here is a reminder for all that we need to be the change we want to see.

 

Top 10 CDs of 2017

Let’s be honest the concept of top or best or favorite is completely based on preference. There is no way to truly quantify the value of recording in away that it would be universally accepted. So, I do not apologize for having an opinion or attempting to rank the music that moved me. Having written and published a public list since 2009, I have adopted some standard rules that I apply to drive consistency from year to year, but even those are subject to change based on the way the wind moves from one day to the next, and now that I have a family that likes to insert their influence on the list all bets are off, really.

Just to refresh everyone, here are some of the items that will influence my placement of an album on the list: as in years past, to make the list, I have to own the CD. Like most, I subscribe to a variety of streaming services, so I end up listening to a lot of music, but in order to be considered for the Top 10, the recording had to be so good that I opened the wallet and dropped some cash for the CD.  Other factors that are taken into consideration, vocal quality – what can I say, I like big voices, unique voices, solid voices – total spins, lyrical content, and the ability to pull it off live. I realize the last shouldn’t be in consideration for album of the year, but it’s my list, so… Also, I will not consider EPs. Don’t get me wrong, I like EPs. I listen to EPs, but they always leave me wanting more. The last factor that often comes into play is an artists ability to grow, to expand…to be their best versions of themselves, to drop a disc that was better than their other efforts.

This is the moment where I drop a caveat. From year to year there tends to be at least one recording that I want to recognize, but I just couldn’t add it to the list for one reason or another. This year it is moral. I love 4:44. I think it is a great recording. The production is solid. The beats are tight. The lyrics are forward moving and exceptional, but I am just done supporting adulterers. Keep it in your fucking pants. Seriously. You are married to Queen Fucking B. You have everything. But everything is not enough? But you are sorry; right? Fuck that.

With all the dirty laundry out of the way let’s get into it.

 #10 Daughter – Music From Before the Storm

It’s rare that a band appears in back-to-back years. It has happened. Samantha Crain comes to mind, but, again, it is rare. Luckily, Daughter is just bad-ass enough to make it happen. Hitting the list at #7 last year with Not to Disappear, they are back this year with their soundtrack to Before the Storm. What I love most about Daughter is the atmosphere they create with their music, so many layers and textures to lose yourself in. They create the perfect get shit done music, which seems totally appropriate for an episodic video game. If I had one request, it would be more lyrical content. I get that they are creating the soundscape for a video game, but can’t the moments be made more powerful by using lyrics to express the feelings of key characters? Also, it would let us hear more of Elena Tonra’s voice, and that’s really what we want, isn’t it?

 #9 Samantha Fish – Belle of the West

Belle of the West was last CD added to the list, but Samantha Fish has been on the list since March. How in the hell is that possible, you may ask. Well, Ms. Fish opted to drop two CDs in 2017 because, fuck it, why not, right? For months I was groovin’ to the up-tempo jams on Chills and Fever, and then she curve balled me, dropping Belle of the West in November. Maybe it is recency bias; maybe it’s just my singer/songwriter sensibilities; maybe it’s my appreciation for Luther Dickinson’s production; but when listening to these two excellent recordings that exist on totally different spectrums, I am drawn to the more acoustic, more reflective, down-tempo recording. Standout tracks like “Blood in the Water,” “Don’t Say You Love Me,” and “No Angels” add just enough sultry stank to set the recording apart from other singer/songwriters dropping CDs in 2017. Throughout the disc, the Delta influence is present, and I also hear shades of Bonnie Raitt, but the net result is a disk that is very Midwest, very bluesy, very country, very Americana, and very Samantha Fish.

 #8 The Wild Reeds – The World We Built

The Wild Reeds are another band that I found while I was binge listening to Audiotree. Their harmonies immediately grabbed me, so I started down the YouTube rabbit hole landing on several quality live performances, which pushed me to hit up iTunes and buy their catalog. I had been enjoying Blind and Brave; Songs for the Morning, Afternoon, and Evening; and the live Audiotree recording when I caught wind of a new release. I jumped out on iTunes and purchased without a preview. Like previous recordings, the World We Built offers the same powerful harmonies and distinct phrasings; strongly penned songs and emotional delivery, but it does it with a fuller, more electric accompaniment. While I genuinely appreciate the acoustic, bluegrassy, vibe of the previous discs, I loved their desire to grow and expand. The inclusion of synths adds new textures that make the recording interesting and kept me captivated from start to finish. Another item that really grabbed my attention on this disc was the production quality. The kit sounds incredible throughout – punchy kick with just the right kiss of reverb and a nice snap of the snare. The guitars are nicely separated, leaving the middle free of muddle which can be found in bigger bands. The bass hits nicely with the sub engaged, and can we go back to that kit? Damn, it sounds so good.

 #7 Quicksand – Interiors

The 21 year-old sailor bouncing between gaslight open mics with a cassette of Manic Compression guiding the trips between coffeehouses just threw up two fingers and rejoiced that Quicksand is still making killer music. With labels like post-hardcore and 90’s alternative thrown about, it may be hard to classify Quicksand. So for those not familiar, when I am building playlists, I often find them hanging out with Tool and Helmet, but they would be equally comfortable paired up with Kyuss or some of the more aggressive Seattle bands. Heavy with quick beats and resounding vocals, all of which are highlighted on Interiors. Vega’s fuzzed-out bass creating the drone the moves the tracks along, allowing Cage to showcase his quick wrists, while Capone and Schreifels deliver those anthemic rawk builds, providing the tension and release so integral to the genre. The disk is solid throughout. You can put it in at the start of any roadtrip and let it guide your voyage without the need to skip tracks.

 #6 Chris Stapleton -  From a Room, Volume 1 & 2

Come on Chris, what are you trying to do to me You know I’ve got rules and shit. Why did you have to throw me a deep sinker and drop two volumes within the same year. What am I supposed to do with that? Judge them separately? Rank one above the other? Well, it is my list, and I am calling it one CD that is brilliant. Deal with it. For those reading the list that really know me, you know Stapleton is everything I aspired to be. Big-ass voice. Killer guitar tone. Writing the most heartfelt songs you ever cried to. While the collection of songs assembled for From a Room offer some uptempo ditties designed to lift the soul, I defy you to give it a good headphone listen from cover to cover without spilling a tear or two. If “Either Way” doesn’t get you, “Nobody’s Lonely Tonight” certainly will.

 #5 Son Volt – Notes of Blue

It is so rare for a CD that was released in February to make the final cut, but Notes of Blue is that rare kind of CD. All the social commentary and middle-America earnest lyrics that you’ve come to expect from Son Volt, delivered by a voice that could only be Jay Farrar’s. This go around, Son Volt offers a Delta inspired exploration into crunchy guitar goodness. “Static” is a standout for me. I get stank face just listening to it. Of course, any local reference gets this St. Louisian excited, so “Cherokee St.” also jumps out to me, but the disc is filled with solid tracks, and so much dirty delta goodness. Sown through the dusty fabric of the recording are acoustic gems like “the Storm” and “Cairo and Southern.” My admiration of Farrar and Son Volt is well documented in my past Top 10 lists, but this recording is really special, a must own.

Folks this is where things get real tricky. I found it next to impossible to rank 4 through 2, so I am not. That’s right. It’s my damned list, and if I want to give you three 2s, well that is what you are gonna get. The problem is there is no empirical way for me to differentiate these disks. I saw 2 of them live this year, and they killed it. They had equal distribution of play, with the one that I wasn’t able to see live garnering slightly more spins than the other two; if I were to poll members of the family, they would each pick a different one, so there was no help to be had there. Actually, if I were to ask Wendy Mae, she would likely list Tank and the Bangas as her Top CD in 2017, and she doesn’t give any Fs that their two disks were released in 2013 and 2014. My arbitrary rules are of no consequence to this fiercely independent 10 year-old.  I once heard her listen to “Crazy” 27 times in a row. Twenty. Seven. Times.

So here you go, The 2s in alphabetical order.

 #2a All Them Witches -  Sleeping Through the War

The undisputed #1 for my 8 year-old, Sleeping Through the War was played before every football practice and game. It was his get-up disk. It is the reason he got a bass for Christmas and wants an All Them Witches tapestry to cover the grill on his amp thanks to their Rig Rundown. For me, the CD reminds me of my best jams in So Much Closer, Whiskey Daydream, and EKe. It’s the direction So Much Closer was headed before we split and where I’d likely land, if I started a new band. Their dynamic shifts; unabashed use of guitar, bass, and Rhodes effects; and poetic lyrics are all staples of my musical interests. Through six disks their growth continues to inspire, and with Sleeping Through the War I believe they tapped into something remarkable. It offers just the right amount of studio magic without seeming over-produced. The energy of their live performance can still be felt on every track while offering enough layering to keep the disk interesting from first note to last. “Don’t Bring Me Coffee” and “Am I Going Up?” are standouts for me, but I never feel the need to skip a song.

#2b Julien Baker – Turn Out the Lights

From the moment I pressed play I was in love, and at exactly 3:32 of the second track “Appointments” I knew this CD was worthy of a #1 placement. I am often drawing comparisons between the artists on this list and my own music. At my core is a Julien Baker. Six strings. One voice. And fearless creativity. While I have loved every band I have been in and cherish those moments recording and touring, I am most me when it is just me, my guitar, and some effects on stage. What I love most about this recording is she stayed true to her formula. On the heels of a successful first solo effort, it is so tempting to pull together a full band and expand the sound because that’s really what is expected. It’s what I did. The release of my 2^nd full length was also the first time I played with a full band. It is what I thought would take me to the next level. Thankfully Julien has enough confidence to know that is not true. Julien has been able to do what I couldn’t. She has created something so moving and powerful that she doesn’t need any other instrument; she doesn’t need anyone else on stage with her. She strips herself bare, opens her mouth and lets all of us into her world, her fears, her anxieties, her passions, her salvation, and it is enough. We ask for nothing more, and thank her for sharing her gifts with us.

 #2c Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit – The Nashville Sound

Come on; y’all knew it was coming. The disc is incredible. As far as I am concerned, Isbell continues to be the best songwriter of his generation. The Nashville Sound offers a somewhat retro look into his rockier past, highlighting the sonic force that is the 400 Unit while still offering up some intensely introspective yet universal lyrics. When played in the car, there isn’t a family member that doesn’t sing along. The opening tracks of “Last of My Kind,” “Cumberland Gap,” and “Tupelo” perfectly set the mood for the recording, but the hidden gems are still to come. “If We Were Vampires” is the love song all songwriters wish they would have written for their lover, while “Hope and the High Road” provides the hope we all need during these dark days of the new world order. The Nashville Sound spent the vast majority of the year as my #1, but Turn Out Lights which was a late release caused me to question its position, sending me into an intense internal debate that resulted in a totally different direction. 

 #1 Sylvan Esso – What Now

So, how did we land here? Well, for a period I had four #1 CDs, but then my new found fuckit caused me to look at things through a slightly different lens. If Christ Stapleton could drop two volumes and Samantha Fish could release two separate CDs in one year, then I could pair The Echo Mountain Sessions (also released in 2017) with What Now when making my final assessment. On its own, What Now was my wife’s pick for #1. It was probably Wendy Mae’s pick, if I was able to confine her to CDs released in 2017. We took a family roadtrip to Indianapolis to see Sylvan Esso kill it live, and I spun the disc as much as any CD this year. It is another go-to for me when getting shit done. Also, it is impossible for me to not move when listening to What Now. Truly, it is worthy on its own, but the Echo Mountain Sessions really pushed it over the top. Watching and hearing them remix four of the tracks using actual instruments blew my mind. The artistry. The talent. It was all just simply too much to ignore. When you pair all that with lyrics that are actually saying something, it became apparent that I had found my #1. What Now eases you into the fun with a couple subtle tracks more focused on the lyric than the beat, but the dance party kicks into action with the third track, “Die Young.” When “Radio” comes on, you cannot stop your body from moving, as you sing at the top of your lungs because Amelia’s pissed and so are you! It’s a wrap with “Kick Jump Twist.” Lights have been turned off; glow sticks have come out; and your arms are a jumbled mess of hippie moves and failed attempts at animation. Thankfully “Song” provides a brief respite from the dance party ‘cause I am too old and fat to keep up, but they are only giving you one song to breathe. “Just Dancing” is everything you need to let lose and dance like no one is watching before the disk fades out with three numbers that have you thinking as much as moving. 

Preamble: Top 10 CDs of 2016

Well, it’s that time again. The time when I remember that I actually have a blog – oh my pour unused blog. The time when I ramble in an effort to let you know what albums I think were the best in 2016. But not so fast. First we need to cover some details about my list, talk about music consumption, and ease you into the music that got me moving in 2016.

I posted my first public top 10 list in 2009, over the last seven years the requirements of the lists have remained pretty consistent, but for new readers I like to provide a quick review. My list tends to be singer/songwriter heavy. I am a singer/songwriter, so it stands to reason that I enjoy listening to other singer/songwriters. As in years past, to make the list, I have to own the CD. Like most, I subscribe to a variety of streaming services, so I end up listening to a lot of music, but in order to be considered for the top 10, the recording had to be so good that I opened the wallet and dropped coin for the CD.  Other factors that are taken into consideration, vocal quality – what can I say, I like big voices, unique voices, solid voices – total spins, lyrical content, and the ability to pull it off live. I realize the last shouldn’t be in consideration for album of the year, but it’s my list, so… Also, I will not consider EPs. Don’t get me wrong, I like EPs. I listen to EPs, but they always leave me wanting more. I understand that that is often the point, leave them wanting more has long been the motto of many a performer, but I want to be satiated by the music. I want to be fat-full. Laying on the couch in a tryptophan stupor, full. I want a post-orgasmic state where the body can do nothing but tingle as the mind reflects on what just happened. That rarely happens in four songs.

So, let’s talk about what has changed for me – consumption. For years I’d sit in my office and work the day away as Pandora spoon fed me new artists that they felt were similar to artists that I was already enjoying. I learned about a lot of new artists that way. Well, I changed jobs this year, and my new employer blocks all streaming services. ALL. STREAMING. SERVICES. However, YouTube is wide – the fuck – open. As a result, YouTube has become my new radio, and sites that share consistently great new artists like Audiotree, KEXP, and NPR Music have really had an impact on what I am listening to this year.

Now, before I get into my actual list, we need to address the incredible elephant that is in the room. I am a 42 year old dad that hasn’t toured with a band in 5 years. I work my 7 to 3, spend my free time coaching my son’s 2^nd grade football team and playing fantasy football. Sure I go to concerts frequently, will even travel with the family to see bands we love, and I still play the occasional solo show, mess around making crazy experimental loops in the basement with the kids, and have friends over once and a while for a good jam to knock off the rust, but my hip-factor is as fleeting as my hairline. While I’d love to claim to be current with the new musical trends and groups, every once and a while great new artists slip by me and they miss their shot at the list. If I am being completely honest, the three artists that got the most play this year did not release full lengths in 2016 – Julien Baker, William Wild, and Sylvan Esso.

Although I knew the name Julien Baker because she made just about everybody’s 2015 list, I consider her to be an Audiotree find. It was the end of the year. I was reading other people’s lists, and I didn’t think it was right to rearrange my list just because everyone else was infatuated with this girl, so I didn’t really dig in. Well, I was wrong. I should have. I watched her Audiotree performance and was mesmerized. Six string, one voice, and some ambient delays. She is incredible. She is intelligent. She is thoughtful. She is everything I love about singer/songwriters. I just kept replaying the video. I bought the Sprained Ankle CD, bought the Audiotree recording and she entered into weekly rotation. I have listened to her CD at least once a week since first watching the video.

By the time I found William Wild, I was already allowing Audiotree to think for me. Daily I go out and look for the new releases, and no matter what it is, I listen. Sometimes its thick sludge rock, sometime hip-hop, sometimes it is new artists still struggling with keeping pitch, sometimes it is seasoned pro’s that are graciously offering up themselves to hungry ears, sometimes it is new cats whose voices are gifts. That was William Wild, aka Garrett Sale. If I had a formal tracking system, I’d bet William Wild and Julie Baker are tied for most plays this year. Like with Baker, I purchased everything I could from William Wild. While the rest of the world was on a collective conscious journey to merge electronic and folk-rock, Garrett and crew keep it pure, understated but expert production featuring heavenly guitar tones and all the pedal steel my happy ears could handle, and as mentioned his voice is a gift. It is the kind of voice that makes other singers wish they sang like him.

While Julien Baker and William Wild definitely got the most plays at home, Sylvan Esso most certainly got the most plays at work. There is nothing better than making sense out of rows of data, fully in the zone, and chair dancing to the fresh grooves concocted by Nick Sanborn while losing myself in Amelia Meath’s incredible voice. I have not created an Excel chart, PowerPoint presentation, or status report in 2016 without the assistance of the Sylvan Esso dance party. Unlike the other two artists, I found Sylvan Esso during my weekly Tiny Desk Concert search which often results in me falling down an illuminated rabbit hole of Tiny Desk performances, as YouTube serves me up artist after artist. Most become background for my work, but not Sylvan Esso. They took over the moment and produced multiple queries as I sought to learn more about this band. Like the others, I purchased everything I could find and wait patiently for more.

So, while none of them can make the official Top 10 CDs of 2016, these three were my top new finds of 2016.  Tomorrow I will unveil the official 10-6, and on Friday I will give you 5-1.

Stay tuned!