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Cream of the Crop - Twang Nation Top Americana and Roots Music Picks of 2012
It seems like I say it every year - so here goes, another bumper year for Americana releases blah blah. but it's true!
I've been sitting on a list of about 50 releases all of which could easily be included in a top 10 list of the best of 2012
until the last final minute of a slef-imposed deadline to keep from crapping up my holidays. I had to make a stand.
Here it is.
I finally threw the arbitrary "Top 10" structure out the window and doubled down and made it a top 20 21. The selections are lasted in arbitrary order and are not most best to least best. They all stand on their own as some of this year's. or any year's, finest examples of songwriting and performance excellence.
A quick word on the exclusion of mainstream heavyweights like Mumford and Sons, The Avett Brothers and their upstart competitors the Lumineers didn't make the cut. Cards on the table, for all my rooting for mainstream acceptance of the genre I'm still a music snob. Like most other genres, I genuinely think that once a person mines the Americana field below the mainstream examples that is where they will discover the real riches lie. This is my opinion. Your mileage may vary.
Here's a a happy, healthy and twangny 2013! thanks to all of you for reading, following,commenting. And to all the great musicians that reward us every day with riches that I personally am unworthy of.
Chris Knight - Little Victories
Malcolm Holcombe - Down the River
Darrell Scott - Long Ride Home
Corb Lund - Cabin Fever
Buddy Miller and Jim Lauderdale - Buddy and Jim
Iris Dement - Sing The Delta
Dwight Yoakam - 3 Pears
Turnpike Troubadours - Goodbye Normal Street
John Fullbright - From the Ground Up
Shovels & Rope - O' Be Joyful
The White Buffalo - Once Upon a Time in the West
Justin Townes Earle - Nothing's Going to Change The Way You Feel About Me Now
The Trishas - High Wide & Handsome
Gretchen peters - Hello Cruel World
Lindi Ortega - Cigarettes & Truckstops
Patterson Hood - Heat Lightning Rumbles in the Distance
Chelle Rose - Ghost of Browder Holler
Derek Hoke - Waiting All Night
Shooter Jennings - Family Man
BlackBerry Smoke - The Whippoorwill
Nick Cave / The Bootleggers / Warren Ellis - Lawless (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Views: 1024
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Comment by Easy Ed on December 20, 2012 at 7:47am -
I found three albums to add to the wish list, so thank you for that. I really like the Lawless soundtrack too, and although when No Dep was printed on paper they never mentioned Nick Cave, its nice to see him get occasional mentions here on the website. May the holiday season be good to you and yours.
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Comment by TwangNation.com on December 20, 2012 at 7:49am -
And to you Ed. Thanks for taking the time to read and comment.
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Comment by Matsfan on December 24, 2012 at 11:38am -
While I have not heard many of these releases, I agree with several. Among them, Dwight Yoakam's (note correct spelling) 3 Pears was his best in years and Blackberry Smoke went to a new level. Not sure how wide your definition of Americana music is but Wrecking Ball by Bruce and Neil Young's Psychedilic Pill would seem to be missing. Thank you for the interesting list.
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Comment by Steve Ford on December 24, 2012 at 4:38pm -
@Matsfan - a list that names the Avetts and Mumford as "mainstream heavyweights" is unlikely to include Bruce and Neil, worthy as they all may be. @twang - thanks - more holiday listening lined up on Spotify!
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Comment by Jim Moulton on December 24, 2012 at 11:03pm -
Merry Christmas Guys,
I credit all of the hard work you guys put into your reviews. I guess I'm not a fan of Americana, cause I haven't heard of most of the groups, or haven't listened to them. With mp3s, the internet made small groups that are not label related just as relevant as Led Zeppelin. I can see that in your list, but there is no bluegrass or country, well Dwight Yoakam.
Everybody ,good music is good music, what someone likes is great, Merry Christmas
Jim
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Comment by Matsfan on December 26, 2012 at 7:20am
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Steve Ford, you are obviously correct; if the Avetts are mainstream I don't know what I was thinking asking about Bruce or Neil! Re-calibrating...I will add one for consideration...Hugh Bob and the Hustle (self titled)...great alt-country sound out of Milwaukee.
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Comment by TwangNation.com on December 27, 2012 at 11:50am
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Unlike Mumford and the Avett, whose recent efforts weren't the best of the Year, Young and Springsteen were excluded they're recent albums are not Americana. They're rock.
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Comment by Easy Ed on December 27, 2012 at 12:03pm
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standing at the top of the slippery slope...and here we go....wheeeeeee.
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Comment by TwangNation.com on December 27, 2012 at 6:00pm
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I have a slide for these moments.
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Comment by Matt L on December 28, 2012 at 8:42am
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Good list, but missing a few IMO:
1. Arliss Nancy Simple Machines
http://arlissnancymusic.bandcamp.com/
http://shitstarterrecords.bandcamp.com/album/arliss-nancy-those-cro...
2. John Moreland the Dust Bowl Souls Everything the Hard Way
http://johnmoreland.bandcamp.com/album/everything-the-hard-way
3. Otis Gibbs Harder than Hammered Hell
http://otisgibbs.bandcamp.com/releases
4. And, had he not hung it up, it would have included Kasey Anderson and the Honkies Let the Bloody Moon Rise, of which I got an advance copy, so it's on my list. Damn shame. I hope that Kasey will find his way back.
http://popatunes.blogspot.com/2012/10/breaking-new-kasey-anderson-a...
5. Snakehealers Cure All
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