Hello, I'm new to the site. I'm a little bit of a music freak. I was curious to see what musical tastes folks have around here. So far I've listened to about 30 CDs that have been released this year (and have about 30 more to go before the year is out) but here are some of my favorites...
1. Rainy Day Music by The Jayhawks - Melodic catchy pop hooks with great harmonies (think The Beatles meet Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young) with a slight countryish tinge.
2. Soul Journey by Gillian Welch - Bare bones production firmly rooted in the country/blues and folk tradition. Simple yet powerful melodies abound coupled with razor sharp songcraft. Gillian has received the "new female Bob Dylan" badge before but here I think she channels Townes Van Zandt moreso then anyone else.
3. Decoration Day by Drive-By Truckers - Very gritty country/rock (think Lynryd Skynyrd if they'd hung out with Kurt Cobain) with dark imagery, massive guitar riffs and impressive lyrical skills. This one is still fairly new to me so it might end up higher by the end of the year as I digest it more.
4. Failer by Kathleen Edwards - Young Canadian singer/songwriter with a voice very much akin to that of Lucinda Williams. Filled with introspective lyrics on top of sometimes country/rock guitar riffs, acoustic ballads, and flat out rockers.
5. Sumday by Grandaddy - This one is new as well but it is growing on me fast. Melodic and spacey with lots of churps and sounds effects going on behind some very mellow yet intoxicating productions.
Other albums that may crack my top five before the years end:
World Without Tears by Lucinda Williams
It Sill Moves by My Morning Jacket
Terrior Blues by Jay Farrar
The Jealous Kind by Chris Knight
Wallace '48 by The Hangdogs