The Black Crowes

Long time readers of my Top Ten lists will know that I have an enduring affection for Southern Stoner Rock, resulting from early imprinting by the Allmans, Skynyrd and their redneck brethren from the classic era. I confess I've never been a particularly big fan of the Black Crowes, but I'm definitely high on their new release Before the Frost... It was recorded live in Levon Helm's barn studio before a small but appreciative audience, and something about the setting has definitely brought out the best in these guys. Their sound is rich and nuanced. This is a vibrant, energetic set, but it's not just about the chooglin'. Certainly, there are abundant big Stones-y riffs as one might expect, but also moments of lyricism as well. This one has quickly made it into heavy rotation on my car stereo system. Good drivin' music!

www.blackcrowes.com

www.lala.com/#artist.The_Black_Crowes

Colorado Americana

Another case study of why we need record stores, particularly independent record stores. While checking out the "local artist" listening post at Bart's CD Cellar in Boulder, I was introduced to these two fine artists, both of whom would probably be classified as Americana, Country/Folk, Singer Songwriters... but none of those labels quite does them justice. Give them a listen... Both present well-crafted, melodic material suitable for listening in a quiet space where you can really pay attention....

Reed Foehl's new release Once An Ocean will remind you of "After the Goldrush" era Neal Young with the poetic lyrics of a Townes Van Zandt. He's ably backed by members of the Be Good Tanyas. Nuf said?

www.reedfoehl.net

www.cdbaby.com/cd/reedfoehl2

Ain't The Same As Before from multi-instrumentalist Kort McCumber has a bit more of a country twang to the vocals, but also features intelligent lyrics and sweet melodies. Next best thing to actually being in Boulder.

www.kortmusic.com

www.digstation.com/AlbumDetails.aspx?albumID=ALB000029682

Puerto Plata

If the Dominican Republic honored living national treasures, the name of 86-year old Jose Cobles, aka Puerto Plata, would certainly be on the list. During the thirty-year Trujillo dictatorship, his music was banned and performed only in red light cabarets and other underground clubs. Give this a listen and you can see why tyrants might have been fearful. His nylon string guitar and extraordinary voice capture all the joy and power inherent in the human spirit. He can even take a tune like "Guantanamera" which you've heard a thousand times and make you sit up and feel it as if for the first time. He's backed on this new release Casita de Campo by some of the cream of the crop of the younger generation of Dominican musicians. You've just got to love this!

www.lala.com/#artist/Puerto_Plata

www.iasorecords.com

Matt Schofield

Why do we need record stores? Here's one more reason. I had the time to leisurely browse the bins at Amoeba San Francisco recently and came across this sublime 2004 release entitled the trio, live (Nugene Records). The blurb on the back says "Virtuoso guitar, greasy organ and infectiously funky rhythms. File under jazz/blues." Who could pass that up for $3.99? And the blurb don't lie. Perhaps I'm the last person in the English speaking world to hear of this guy... yet another Strat Master from the UK (and apparently no relation to John). And the other two-thirds of his trio ain't bad either. This is a live recording from the Bishops Blues Club in England and he simply burns down the house! Guitar fans definitely owe it to themselves to get a listen of this. What technique! What power! I suppose we've all heard these licks before, but never quite assembled in this way and performed with this clarity. Now I've got to look up the rest of this guy's catalog.... Join me.

www.mattschofield.com

www.nugenerecords.com

Maria de Barros

In need of a mental vacation? Cue up Morabeza, the latest release from this 2004 TD Top Ten artist. Within the first few bars, you'll find yourself sitting on the outdoor patio of a seaside cafe in Cape Verde, soaking in the view of the azure sea, with the cool drink of your choice in your hand. But this is no simple happy hour fare. This is deeply beautiful music that captures the soul of a people. The title refers to solidarity in times of misfortune... kindness, tenderness, hospitality, sympathy and friendship. Captivating. Transporting. Uplifting.

www.mariadebarros.com

www.myspace.com/mariadebarros

Brian Blade

Mama Rosa is something different for this noted jazz drummer. His songwriting and exceptional vocals are the centerpiece of this 2009 release on Verve Forecast. It's measured, meditative, questing music perfect for late night listening. Definitely more jazz than pop in sensibility, with excursions into minor key moody atmospherics influenced by co-conspirator Daniel Lanois. Memorable. Hauntingly beautiful. If I were to particularly recommend one track, check out Mercy Angel.

www.lala.com/#artist/Brian_Blade

www.brianblade.com

www.verveforecast.com

Marshall Crenshaw

My friend Wayne Osgood originally introduced me to the music of Marshall Crenshaw, and his self-titled debut album was one of my very favorites way back in 1982. If you've never heard it, by the way, I recommend you give it a listen. It still stands up ... fresh and snappy with echoes of Buddy Holly at his best. I confess, I've lost track of M.C. over the years until coming upon his new release Jaggedland. It retains the same kind of energy of his early work and is definitely in the early running for one of my favorite discs of 2009. It's intelligent, well-crafted rockin' music about the affairs of the heart and the inevitability of change. Imagine an album with lyrics worth listening to where you actually find yourself humming the tunes later in the day. He also hasn't lost his touch on the Stratocaster. Great tone and economy of technique.

http://www.marshallcrenshaw.com

The Alex Dixon Band

From the bucolic album cover art, one might be expecting some sensitive singer-songwriter fare a la early Joni Mitchell. Don't be fooled. Alex is the grandson of legendary bluesman Willie Dixon, and this disc is a fitting tribute to his legacy. That's not to say Alex is a traditionalist, by any means. This is blues with a butt-shakin' rock sensibility. Young Mr. Dixon, the keyboardist, has assembled an amazing ensemble of vocalists and musicians to create this beautifully self-produced disc. Special props to Alan Mirikitani for his stingin' guitar work. They even take on "Spoonful" and produce a fresh, dynamic rendition that grabs you and puts old EC to shame.

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/alexdixonband

http://www.dixonlandingmusic.com

Buddy & Julie Miller

You'd think that a guy whom No Depression appropriately named Artist of the Decade wouldn't warrant mention here, but Buddy Miller and his superbly talented life/musical soulmate Julie Griffin Miller are still hardly household names outside of a relatively small circle of fervent admirers. They deserve more attention, particularly since I think they've just produced a masterpiece with Written in Chalk. It's certainly in the early running for my favorite album of the year.

This is music appropriate for a long drive through open country on a midsummer evening, as day fades gradually into night. It's a mature work, in the best sense of the word. The instrumentation and arrangements are appropriately spare and understated. Two lifetimes of passion and pain fuel these aching harmonies. There is a raw immediacy to these performances, most recorded in their home studio, that cuts like a knife. June, written and recorded on the evening of June Carter Cash's death in 2003, will leave you breathless.

http://www.NewWestRecords.com

http://www.BuddyAndJulie.com

Los Straitjackets

You just gotta love The Further Adventures Of my favorite quartet of masked musical marauders. This is surf music from Mars... monster Dick Dale riffs; Ventures tremolo; Secret Agent Man twang; and some truly badass drumming. The folks at Yep Roc have gone all out for this release with special packaging, comic book superhero artwork and even trading cards! I'd recommend this for driving, but body parts have been known to twitch uncontrollably and unsafe speeds are virtually guaranteed when you crank this up. Flamin'....

http://www.lala.com/#artist/Los_Straitjackets

http://www.straitjackets.com/

Mariza!

This past weekend we had the good fortune to witness one of the most electrifying live performances I've ever seen. It was the last concert in a three-month North American tour by Portugese fado queen Mariza at the wonderful Parmount Oakland. What a stage presence -- captivating, sexy, and totally charming. And the voice... truly amazing in its richness and complexity. Did I mention the extraordinarily talented backing musicians? It was a night to remember. It's almost impossible to capture a personality like that on CD, but new album Terra would be a great place to start for the uninitiated.
Otherwise, if you ever have a chance to see her live, do yourself a favor.....

www.myspace.com/fadomariza

www.mariza.com

The Mystix

Were these guys discovered in some smoky honky tonk in Lubbock or Amarillo or some swamp pop dive in Shreveport or Lafayette? Ummm... it says here that Blue Morning was recorded in Saugus, MA! This is clearly a labor of love from a super talented ensemble of veteran session players from the Boston area, and they nail it! From Jo Lily's wonderfully raspy Hiatt/Dylan vocals and downright nasty guitar playin' to the butt-kickin' rhythym section, this is a true delight from beginning to end. There's a garage band immediacy to their sound, but these cats can really play. I haven't heard their brand new release Down to the Shore, yet, but I'm sure it will warrant mention here soon. Until then.... crank it up!

www.cdbaby.com/cd/mystix2


http://www.themystix.com/

SambaDa

Need a lift? Check out Salve a Bahia. This is joyful, sensuous music that will have your whole body movin' in no time. Bahia by way of Santa Cruz, CA, with captivating rhythms and lovely harmonies. The singing is all in Portugese, but English translations are helpfully provided in the CD package. You may just find yourself busting out some capoeira moves you didn't even know you had inya. A perfect way to get in touch with your inner Brazilian!

http://cdbaby.com/cd/sambada2

http://www.sambada.com/

John Scofield & the Piety Street Band

It's not every concert you attend where you suddenly realize "hey that's Bonnie Raitt sitting down there a few rows in front of us." What artist could draw a legend like that to sit in the audience? We were fortunate to be able to see legendary jazz guitarist John Scofield last week with a crack ensemble of master musicians from New Orleans billing themselves as the Piety Street Band. With the amazing Jon Cleary on keyboards and vocals, George Porter Jr. on bass and vocals and Ricky Fataar on drums, we knew we were in for a treat. Their arrangements of a set of classic gospel tunes rocked the house. Fortunately, the set is available on their new album Piety Street. Definitely worth a listen!

www.lala.com/#artist/john.scofield

http://www.johnscofield.com/

Damon Fowler

The twangy delights of the vintage Fender Telecaster are fully on display on Sugar Shack, the debut release on the venerable Blind Pig Records label from this gifted young Florida guitar slinger. His songwriting is also impressive, and with titles like "VFW," "Sugar Lee" and "I Hope It's Gonna Rain," you know can't get much mo' rootsier than that.... Also included are some inspired covers of classics like "Tonight the Bottle Let Me Down." Great drivin' music.....

http://www.blindpigrecords.com

http://www.lala.com/#search/Damon%20Fowler

Funkapalooza

It's almost Jazzfest time, and music lovers everywhere wish they were heading to the Crescent City. I recently had the opportunity to visit and spend a couple of hours in my favorite local independent record store, the Louisiana Music Factory (www.louisianamusicfactory.com)
They've got lots of listening stations, and it's always a very effective sales device where I'm concerned. I picked up a number of local releases from 2008 that I hadn't seen in my local spots... even Amoeba. All are highly recommended:

Big Sam's Funky Nation Peace, Love and Understanding
The horns are front and center on this up tempo, high energy largely instrumental set. Immobility is not an option. http://cdbaby.com/cd/bigsamfn3

Bonerama Bringing It Home
Their four trombone front line plus electric guitar, bass and drums takes the NOLA brass band sound to a whole nother level. This nonstop boogie session is recorded live and the boys definitely rise to the occasion. http://cdbaby.com/cd/bonerama3

Joe Krown, Walter Wolfman Washington, Russell Batiste Jr. Live at the Maple Leaf
Another raucous live set from one of NOLA's funkiest venues featuring three local legends, with the master of the 1958 Hammond B3 in the spotlight. www.joekrown.com

Porter, Batiste, Stoltz Moodoo
Another of NOLA's favorite funk/jazz/rock power trios in a smokin' live performance, featuring Page McConnell on keyboards on several cuts. http://cdbaby.com/cd/pbstoltz2

Brother Tyrone

If I'd come across this self-released gem (Mindbender) from New Orleans any sooner, it would have been a serious contender for my favorite album of 2008. This is the real deal. You'll hear echoes of classic soul and blues singers like Al Green, Johnnie Taylor, and Bobbie Blue Bland, but Brother Tyrone is a true original. What a voice! And he's backed by some amazing male gospel singers and a crack ensemble of NOLA musicians, recorded at the Piety Street studios. Give this a listen and you'll need to order it or download it immediately!

http://cdbaby.com/cd/brothertyrone

The Refugees

Fans of one of my favorite groups, The Wailin' Jennys, should definitely check out this debut release from The Refugees entitled Unbound. Three veteran solo artists (Wendy Waldman, Deborah Holland and Cindy Bullens) have joined forces to produce spine tingling three-part harmonies and tasty acoustic musicianship, leavened with a sense of humor.

http://www.therefugees.com/

www.myspace.com/refugees3

Welcome to "Music for the Rest of Us"

What do I mean by that? I'm talking about the fertile yet relatively unexplored territory that lies West of Madonna and Britney but East of Radiohead and Animal Collective and South of Lil' Wayne and Fifty Cent. It's the place where Memphis Soul and New Orleans Funk and Urban Blues can be found. It's where Cajun and Zydeco artists bend genres and contemporary bluegrass pickers dazzle with their musicianship and harmonies. It's where so-called alt.country and Americana and Roots music thrives alongside rockabilly and roadhouse blues and Southern Stoner rock. It's also where Hawaiian slack key guitar meets Portugese fado and Cape Verdean and African rhythms joyfully coexist with Brazilian samba, Tex Mex conjunto and Colombian cumbia.

There's a whole world of amazing music out there that's rarely noticed by mainstream media. Despite the ongoing meltdown of the traditional music industry, artists are putting out more great tunes than ever before. How to find them? I'm a compulsive browser in independent record stores and reader of publications like Mojo, Relix, Dirty Linen, Fretboard Journal, Songlines, and No Depression. For several years now, I've been putting together an annual "top ten" list of my favorite releases of the past year for my friends. At their urging, I've decided to expand my efforts to a more year-round endeavor. This blog is a first step in that direction.

You're not going to read here about the latest releases from U2 or The Boss. You don't need me to find out about them. Rather, my beat is the somewhat more obscure artists that record on independent labels who are making music that I believe you'll love as much as I do. That's my goal.

I'm always eager to hear about new artists, so please share your tips and I'll be happy to pass them along via this venue. Your feedback is always welcome!