This list of the Top 10 albums from 2009 features albums that cover 'the bases' in what country music represents to different people. There is a slice of virtually every type of modern (and traditional) country music represented. Did your favorite artist make the list?
10. Willie And The Wheel – Willie Nelson & Asleep At The Wheel (Bismeaux Records)
It was one of 2009’s first releases and it remained one of the year’s best. Willie Nelson has long flirted with various styles of music but swing and jazz are two types of music that suit his distinctive vocal style, perhaps even more than country music. While his fine American Classics album proved the jazz point, this record with the great Texas Swing band Asleep At The Wheel proved that Willie can swing with the best of ‘em. This album is full of classic western swing tunes and it just feels like you’ve entered a time warp back to the ‘good ole days’ whenever listening to it.
Key Tracks: “Hesitation Blues,” “Oh, You Pretty Woman,” “South,” & “Won’t You Ride in My Little Red Wagon.”
Click the album image to read the original review.
9. Here With Me – Holly Williams (Mercury Records Nashville)
Cerebral and personal, Here With Me is a record that really makes you feel like you’re a ‘flower on the wall’ to what’s happening in Holly Williams’ life. While no radio singles ‘popped’ from the album, it still feels cohesive from beginning to end and is exactly the kind of record that Mary Chapin Carpenter and Rodney Crowell have made careers out of. The record also helps prove that Hank Williams Jr.’s daughter has helped carry on the family legacy. It also features new Sony Nashville artist Chris Janson on a couple of tracks.
Key Tracks: “Mama,” “Keep The Change,” “Love I Think Will Last” (With Chris Janson), & “Three Days In Bed.”
Click the album image to read the original review.
8 World Wide Open – Love And Theft (Carolwood/Lyric Street Records)
From the opening title track to the closing “Drowning,” World Wide Open plays out like the work of a group who has arrived on the music scene fully formed. While some people would consider placing such a pop-leaning alum this high on a ‘best of country music’ list, we’d disagree saying that when the results are as strong as what is found on World Wide Open, it’s easy to proclaim that a group of stars have been born, each with their own singular voices which are blended, a-la Crosby Stills & Nash, to create one cohesive harmonic voice.
Key Tracks: “Runaway,” “Drowning,” “Slow Down,” “World Wide Open,” & “Dancing In Circles.”
Click here to read the original album review.
7. The List – Rosanne Cash (Manhattan Records/EMI)
The idea was simple. Pare down her the list of ‘essential’ country songs from her father Johnny’s ‘list’ to share 10 or 12 of the key tracks and share them with the world. The List not only found a home at places like NPR but it also showed fans that Rosanne Cash was still very much in fine voice and the whole album sparkled with vibrant reverential performances. With the commercial success of the record, it looks like Rosanne will likely record a follow-up record which may very well end up on a list of ours, just like this record did this year.
Key Tracks: “I’m Movin’ On,” “Silver Wings,” “Miss The Mississippi And You” & “She’s Got You.”
Click the album image to read the original review.
6. Brothers from Different Mothers – Dailey & Vincent (Rounder Records)
Jamie Dailey and Darrin Vincent not only perform spectacularly jovial bluegrass tunes on Brothers From Different Mothers but they also showcase their stellar harmonic sensibilities which really do prove the album’s title to be true. It’s rare to find harmonizing this good. The instrumentation sparkles, the vocals are stellar and the song choice is top-notch. This is our favorite bluegrass records of the year and it also stands as one of 2009’s finest country music-related releases. People wanting a pretty accurate (despite the presence of strings on one song) representation of what Bluegrass is would do well to check this (or their self-titled debut) out.
Key Tracks: “You Oughta Be Here With Me,” “Girl In The Valley,” “Winters Come and Gone,” & “On The Other Side.”
Click the album image to read the original review.
5. Vigil – Walt Wilkins (self-released)
This record flew way under the radar this past year as it was not only recorded on a tight budget to completely benefit the Longevity Foundation (click here to go to their website) but it wasn’t available to many places outside of Texas. This is a shame because it is some of the best country music (or country/rock) that you’re likely to hear. It’s also a prime example of why Walt Wilkins has become such a massive influence on Texas music with the stellar songwriting, melodies and vocal delivery.
Key Tracks: “I’ll See You On The Other Side,” “Dear God,” “Be Home Soon,” & “Someone Somewhere Tonight.”
4. Mountain Soul II – Patty Loveless (Saguaro Road Records)
While not as ‘mountain’ or ‘bluegrass’ as the GREAT first Mountain Soul record, Mountain Soul II is nonetheless a wonderful exercise in ‘roots’ music and traditional country music. Patty Loveless was, quite simply, born to sing this music and each track, including songs she revisited from past records like “A Handful of Dust” shine here. There isn’t a bum track on this record and here’s hoping Patty keeps making records like Mountain Soul II.
Key Tracks: “Busted,” “A Handful of Dust,” “Bramble And The Rose,” “Big Chance” & “Feelings of Love.”
Click the album image to read the original review.
3. Revolution – Miranda Lambert (Columbia Nashville)
Miranda Lambert made a good pair of records in Kerosene and Crazy Ex-Girlfriend but with Revolution she finally made a great one. Her talent as both a singer and as a songwriter is fully realized on this stunning collection of songs that range from revenge tracks like “White Liar” to ruminations of the home that she grew up in with “The House That Built Me.” It’s a stunning collection of tunes that brims with confidence and should help establish Miranda as one of Country music’s brightest talents and puts her right on par with Carrie Underwood and Martina McBride as one of the genre’s top female vocalists.
Key Tracks: “The House That Built Me,” “White Liar,” “Time To Get A Gun,” & “Somewhere Trouble Don’t Go.”
Click the album image to read the original review.
2. Carolina – Eric Church (Capitol Nashville)
Eric Chruch has stated that he makes albums that are cohesive collections from start to finish and while other people may say the same thing, after listening to Carolina it is clear that Eric means what he says. The album, like Jamey Johnson’s That Lonesome Song works great from start to finish and has found a loyal audience, even if it’s been a struggle to attain consistent radio airplay. The record simply is an event worth listening to over and over again, something that can also be said about the man’s raucous live show.
Key Tracks: “Lotta Boot Left To Fill;” “Smoke A Little Smoke,” “Carolina,” & “Those I’ve Loved.”
Click the album image to read the original review.
1. American Saturday Night – Brad Paisley (Arista Nashville)
Brad Paisley has attained his status as one of the torchbearers of traditionalist country music the right way, through hard work and reverence. While he does maintain a traditional footing on American Saturday Night, the album also finds the artist expanding his sound a little bit to include new sounds all the while still retaining his country credibility. There are barn-burners that show off his guitar playing ability, there are soft tender ballads that find a home in the hearts of female fans everywhere and socially conscious songs that find Paisley as one of the sharpest songwriters currently working in country music.
Key Tracks: “Welcome To The Future,” “American Saturday Night,” “Catch All The Fish,” & “Water.”
Click the album image to read the original review.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
There they are. The final ten albums in our countdown of the Top 30 Country Albums of 2009. Do you agree with the placement of the albums here? Do you think that some albums deserved to be higher, lower, or not even on this list? Feel free to leave some comments below.
0 Comments