It seems harder and harder to find great new music as the mainstream gets more pop oriemnted. However, some good music is still out there, and here are my favorite full-length albums this year.
10. Junior Sisk – ‘Brand New Shade Of Blue’
My favorite bluegrass album this year. Sometimes witty, sometimes lonesome, but a great listen.
Download now: ‘By Now I Would Be Dead’, ‘Ain’t Nothing Wrong With That’, ‘The Whiskey & The Guitar’
9. Josh Turner – I Serve A Savior
The best religious album of the year.
Download now: ‘I Saw The Light’, ‘Great Is Your Faithfulness’, ‘I Pray My Way Out Of Trouble’, ‘Me And God’
8. Jason Eady – ‘I Travel On’
The troubadour takes a bluegrass twist with this year’s fine set.
Download now: ‘She Had To Run’, ‘Below The Waterline’, ‘I Travel On’, ‘I Lost My Mind In Carolina’
7. Randall King – ‘Randall King’
I’m afraid I didn’t get around to reviewing this promising debut album, but it’s a strong introduction with a 90s neotraditional country vibe.
Download now: ‘Reason To Quit’, ‘Mirror, Mirror’, ‘Dent In It’
6. Dillon Carmichael – Hell On An Angel
Sometimes sublime, sometimes a bit too heavy on the Southern Rock, this remains the debut of the year.
Download now: ‘That’s What Hank Would Do’, ‘Dixie Again’, ‘Hard On A Hangover’, ‘Natural Disaster’
5. Courtney Patton – What It’s Like To Fly Alone
Courtney Patton produced my favorite album of 2015. This year’s follow up was not quite as good, but still extremely rewarding.
Download now: ‘Devil’s Hand’, ‘Round Mountain’, ‘Words to My Favorite Memory’, ‘Red Bandana Blue’, ‘Open Flame’
4. Josh Ward – ‘More Than I Deserve
Solid traditional country from Texas.
Download now: ‘One More Shot Of Whiskey’, ‘Say Hello To Goodbye’, ‘The Devil Don’t Scare Me’, ‘More Than I Deserved’
3. Adam Harvey – The Nashville Tapes
Great neotraditional country from the deep voiced Australian who was our last Spotlight Artist.
Download now: ‘What A Song Can Do’, ‘When Willie’s Gone’, ‘We’ll Have To Drink Our Way Out Of This’, ‘I’d Rather Be A Highwayman’, ‘Three Rivers Hotel’
2. Loretta Lynn – ‘Wouldn’t It Be Great’
The legend returns with a fabulous mix of sassy growing old disgracefully and emotional ballads.
Download now: ‘Ruby’s Stool’, ‘Lulie Vars’, ‘Another Bridge To Burn’, ‘Wouldn’t It Be Great?’
1. Kayla Ray – Yesterday & Me
The Jason Eady-helmed project allos an excellent singer songwriter to shine.
Download now: ‘Once A Week Cheaters’, ‘Things Only Years Can Teach A Woman’, ‘Fair Warning’, ‘Rockport’.
Bonus selection: Tim Culpepper – DUI
I omitted this fabulous traditional honky tonk projct as it has only eight tracks. But what there is is outstanding.
Download now: ‘Under The Influence’, ‘Another Way To Try’, ‘She Only Loves Me’, ‘Sad Ole Country Song’
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Interesting group of selections. I was familiar with the Junior Sisk, Adam Harvey & Loretta Lynn albums having obtained them. I will need to look deeper into the work of some of the others