2010 was another great year for reissues, new issues of archival material and new albums by heritage artists. Far and away the most revelatory listening experience of the year was the 15-CD set of Hank Williams’ Mothers’ Best radio transcriptions. The earlier musical excerpts (released in 2008 as The Unreleased Recordings) was a revelation in its presentation of a parallel Hank Williams performance catalog, but the unedited programs brilliantly flesh Williams out as an entertainer, band leader, friend and human being.

Artists, particularly those on indie and self-made labels, continue to provide on-line streams and track downloads to catch listeners’ ears. Aggregators like Hype Machine and Elbows provide a quick way to hear what bloggers are writing about. Unfortunately, the major labels continue to shy away from this promotional avenue, and an affordable, legal licensing scheme for bloggers and podcasters continues to be elusive for commercially controlled music.

That said, here (in alphabetical order) are my favorites from among what I heard in 2010. Click through the album titles to find full-length reviews.

#1 Release of 2010
Hank Williams – The Complete Mothers’ Best Recordings… Plus!

Top New Albums of 2010
Elk – Tamarack Mansion
Derek Hoke – Goodbye Rock ‘n’ Roll
John Meeks – Old Blood
John Mellancamp – No Better Than This
Marty Stuart – Ghost Train The Studio B Sessions
Peter Wolf – Midnight Souvenirs

Top Reissues of 2010
Chris Bell – I am the Cosmos (Deluxe Edition)
Hot Tuna – Live at the New Orleans House, Berkeley, CA 09/69
The Plimsouls – Live! Beg, Borrow & Steal
Elvis Presley – On Stage (Legacy Edition)
Otis Redding – Live on the Sunset Strip
Ola Belle Reed – Rising Sun Melodies
Paul Revere & The Raiders – The Complete Columbia Singles
The Runaways – The Mercury Albums Anthology
Various Artists – British Invasion (DVD Box Set)
Various Artists – Remember Me: Cameo Parkway Vocal Groups Vol. 1

Honorable Mention New Music of 2010
Reno Bo – Happenings and Other Things
The Clientele – Minotaur
Paul Collins – King of Power Pop!
Andrew Combs – Tennessee Time
Hacienda – Big Red & Barbacoa
Eilen Jewell – Butcher Holler: A Tribute to Loretta Lynn
Andy Kim – Happen Again
Raul Malo – Sinners & Saints
Christine Ohlman & Rebel Montez – The Deep End
The Mad Tea Party – Rock ‘n’ Roll Ghoul
Manning-Dickson – Drive
Stonehoney – The Cedar Creek Sessions
Twilight Broadcasters – Evening Shade
Dale Watson – Carryin’ On

Honorable Mention Reissues of 2010
The Clefs of Lavender Hill – Stop! Get a Ticket
George Jones – The Great Lost Hits
Phil Ochs – On My Way: 1963 Demo Sessions
Dolly Parton – Letter to Heaven: Songs of Faith and Inspiration
The Poppees – Pop Goes the Anthology
Sorrows – Bad Times Good Times
Roland White – I Wasn’t Born to Rock ‘n’ Roll

My 2009 Top 10 bears several surprising similarities to last year’s list. Willie Nile’s album of new material replaces last year’s historic Live From the Streets of New York; a Big Star box set replaces last year’s Big Star-rich Thank You Friends: The Ardent Records Story; there’s a superb reissue from a legend (Elvis replacing Hank), and a revitalized album from a musical great (Tanya Tucker replacing, of all people, Glen Campbell). There are exceptional new works from favorite artists (Slaid Cleaves, The Avett Brothers and Caroline Herring) and terrific acts that are new to my ears (Blind Pilot, Jason Karaban, The Voyces).

It was a year full of great music, with a dozen more albums that could easily have taken a place in the top ten. New sounds and variations on old sounds all sounded fresh and exciting. The EP returned as a short form introduction for new artists or a placeholder for artists who didn’t have a full album ready to go (don’t miss Lissie’s debut in the honorable mentions below). Little by little the majors continued to dig out their vaults, or let specialty labels do so on their behalf, returning great music to circulation and impressing a new generation of fans.

Great trend: artists giving away a selected track to podcasters and bloggers (and thus their listeners and readers). Unfortunately the major labels haven’t yet seen the promotional value as being worthwhile. Just as troubling: the on-going complexity and expense of ASCAP and BMI licenses (plus the mechanical from Harry Fox Agency) that would really free podcasters and bloggers to help artists and the music industry promote their wares. The indies get it, and distribution sites like ReviewShine help artists and bloggers meet. Let’s hope 2010 sees new thinking in music licensing that helps the majors get comfortable with new media.

That said, here are my favorites from among what I heard in 2009. Click album titles to read reviews and (for many) hear sample tracks.

Top 10 Albums of 2009 (Alphabetical Order)
The Avett Brothers I and Love and You
Big Star Keep an Eye on the Sky
Blind Pilot 3 Rounds and a Sound
Slaid Cleaves Everything You Love Will Be Taken Away
Caroline Herring Golden Apples of the Sun
Jason Karaban Mayfly
Willie Nile House of a Thousand Guitars
Elvis Presley From Elvis in Memphis
Tanya Tucker My Turn
The Voyces Let Me Die in Southern California

Honorable Mention New Music of 2009
Dave Alvin and the Guilty Women s/t
The Belleville Outfit Time to Stand
Sarah Borges and the Broken Singles The Stars Are Out
Guy Clark Somedays the Song Writes You
The Clean Mr. Pop
Dennis Diken with Bell Sound Late Music
John Doe and the Sadies Country Club
Hollis Brown Hollis Brown
Peter Holsapple and Chris Stamey Here and Now
Sarah Jarosz Song Up in Her Head
Eilen Jewell Sea of Tears
Paul Jones Starting All Over Again
King Wilkie King Wilkie Presents The Wilkie Family Singers
Lissie Why You Runnin’
Gurf Morlix Last Exit to Happyland
The Mumlers Don’t Throw Me Away
Outrageous Cherry Universal Malcontents
Pine Leaf Boys Homage Au Passe
The Postmarks Memoirs at the End of the World
Brandon Rickman Young Man, Old Soul
David Serby Honky Tonk and Vine
Ricky Skaggs Solo: Songs My Dad Loved
Chris Smither Time Stands Still
Mark Stuart and the Bastard Sons Bend in the Road
Various The Man of Somebody’s Dreams: A Tribute to the Songs of Chris Gaffney
Derek Webb Stockholm Syndrome
Holly Williams Here With Me

Honorable Mention Reissues of 2009
Book of Love Candy Carol
Dave Brubek Quartet Time Out
Creedence Clearwater Revival The Singles Collection
The Del-Lords Based on a True Story
The Del-Lords Frontier Days
The Fabulous Poodles Mirror Stars/Think Pink
Jay & The Americans The Complete United Artist Singles
George Jones A Picture of Me (Without You)/Nothing Ever Hurt Me (Half as Bad as Losing You)
Gary Lewis & The Playboys The Complete Liberty Singles
Little Richard The Rill Thing
Manassas Pieces
The Nerves One Way Ticket
Dolly Parton Dolly
Thee Midniters Thee Complete Midniters: Songs of Love, Rhythm and Psychedelia
Tiny Tim I’ve Never Seen a Straight Banana
Various Artists A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector
Various Let Freedom Sing

[©2009 hyperbolium dot com]

Every time I compile a favorite-albums-of-the-year list, I’m surprised at how little it intersects with anyone else’s list. Given my narrow listening choices, I wouldn’t expect to share many items with Rolling Stone, Spin, Paste, Pitchfork, and the like. But my selections also find little resonance with commercial or alternative country sources such as CMT, Country Standard Time, Twangville (1 2), All Music or The Boot. Apparently, I listen in a parallel universe. That said, here are my favorites from among what I heard in 2008.

Highlighted album titles link to reviews.

Top 10 Albums of 2008
Hank Williams The Unreleased Recordings
Hayes Carll Trouble in Mind
Tift Merritt Another Country
Glen Campbell Meet Glen Campbell
Dion Heroes: Giants of Early Guitar Rock
Samantha Crain The Confiscation
Willie Nile Live From the Streets of New York
The Gibson Brothers Iron & Diamonds
Amelia A Long, Lovely List of Repairs
Various Artists Thank You Friends: The Ardent Records Story

Honorable Mention New Music of 2008
The Avett Brothers The Second Gleam
The Band of Heathens The Band of Heathens
Carlene Carter Stronger
Mark Chesnutt Rollin’ With the Flow
Steve Cropper & Felix Cavaliere Nudge it Up a Notch
The Crowe Brothers Brothers -n- Harmony
Mark Erelli Delivered
The Gabe Dixon Band The Gabe Dixon Band
Greta Gaines Whiskey Thoughts
Holly Golightly & The Brokeoffs Dirt Don’t Hurt
Guggeneheim Grotto Happy the Man
The Hacienda Brothers Arizona Motel
Tim Hensley Long Monday
Dan Janisch Medicine Man
Jamey Johnson That Lonesome Song
Scott Kempner Saving Grace
Hal Ketchum Father Time
Howlin’ Wind Magnificent Fiend
Sonny Landreth From the Breach
The Lonely H Hair
Holly Long Leaving Kansas
Gary Louris Vagabonds
James McMurtry Just Us Kids
John Mellencamp Life Death Love and Freedom
Mike & The Ravens – The Saxony Sessions
The Morning Benders Talking Through Tin Cans
Mudcrutch Mudcrutch
Shawn Mullins Honeydew
OST Soul Men
Steve Poltz Traveling
The Rescues Crazy Every After
The Steeldrivers The Steeldrivers
The Youngers Heritage

Honorable Mention Reissues of 2008
Blue Ash No More, No Less
The Browns The Complete Hits
Creedence Clearwater Revival The First Six Albums
Tommy James and the Shondells 40 Years: The Complete Singles Collection
Jan & Dean The Complete Liberty Singles
Margie Joseph Margie Joseph
Carole King Tapestry (Legacy Edition)
Nick Lowe The Jesus of Cool
Arthur Lyman Latitude 20 / Aphrodisia
Arthur Lyman Cotton Fields / Blowin’ in the Wind
The Mojo Men Not Too Old to Start Cryin’: The Lost 1966 Masters
Nerves One Way Ticket
John Phillips Pussycat
Otis Redding Live in London and Paris
Mel Tillis Your Body is an Outlaw
Ben Vaughn Beautiful Thing
Wednesday Week What We Had

[©2008 hyperbolium dot com]