Top 10 of 2017
I’m not generally a late sleeper, but for this past week off I’ve slept til noon pretty much every day. I think that has a lot to say about how this year was for me. Unlike 2016, this year was…
Woolbright — Busybody Lazybones
Breakups are tough to get through, but I can’t help but feel a little bad for whomever this album is about. Woolbright’s dense, guitar-heavy compositions foreground lyrics that deliver a series of burns of the highest order. If you’ve ever…
Terry Time Brother — Never Alone
This might be one of the most Portland country albums there is. Terry Time Brother, the project of Benson Amps craftsman Terry Benson, has that detached feel and existential crises that PDX has become known for. Far from being derivative,…
Brian Pounds — Southern Writer
There’s no shortage of sad dudes with guitars, but not all of them can dig into that sweet spot between country and the blues like Brian Pounds. The Austin singer-songwriter has been pounding the pavement (see what I did there?)…
David Stone — Alright
David Stone hits a remarkable balance. Maybe I’ll draw it up one of these days, but for me when I consider a song (or album) for the blog, there’s a sweet spot somewhere between country, folk, punk, and indie rock…
Thigh High Tye Dye — T.H.T.D EP
Nashville might not be the most likely place to find a surf rock band, but I hear Nashville’s different now. Maybe they even have a beach? Even if they don’t, Thigh High Tye Dye will help you find some sun…
Bohannons — Luminary Angels
It’s possible that I had a face before listening to Luminary Angels, but I’m so overwhelmed by the sheer power of these songs that it’s hard to remember. Doesn’t really matter; it’s melted right off. To be perfectly honest, I’m…
Billy Bronsted — This Bed of Mine
Billy Bronsted’s album is a force to be reckoned with. You get the sense that, when Bronsted was working on This Bed of Mine, the dam burst and a flood of songs finally found their way out. While Bronsted’s album…