It's been a long time since I've assembled a best-of-anything list at
the end of a year, and I'm not going to start now since I'm not
compelled to stay on top of the latest-and-supposedly-greatest the way
I was 20 years ago, but I still enjoy reading others' lists. The only
one of the below albums I actually have is the Baseball Project, which
is diverting and clever in a boys'-club sort of way, if not a great
album (a little too much inside baseball going on). I much like the
Hold Steady and Steve Wynn, but haven't gone out of my way to pick up
their newest stuff. And I'd have to add Wreckless and Amy's duo effort
to my list (if I had one). Apropos of the recent discussion, I must
say that I like it when musicians step out of their comfort zone and
try new genres, tempos and tricks. There may come the occasional
clunker, but it's much preferable to owning eight albums by one artist
that all sound essentially the same. Even the
if-it-ain't-broke-don't-fix-it Ramones experimented with their sound,
with varying success (although they never surpassed what they did on
their first three or four LPs, I do give them credit for trying).



--- In amyrigby@yahoogroups.com, "Highbridger" <highbridger@...> wrote:
>
> They are in order of goodness (best on top), but you can't go wrong
> with anything listed here. Yes. I know that these are the top 11, but
> this is from another list I'm on and that's the format we follow.
>
> Albums
>
> Kathleen Edwards � Asking for Flowers
>
> The Hold Steady � Stay Positive
>
> Scott Kempner � Saving Grace
>
> Milton � Grand Hotel
>
> Steve Wynn � Crossing Dragon Bridge
>
> The Raveonettes � Lust Lust Lust
>
> Carrie Rodriguez � She Ain't Me
>
> Drive By Truckers � Brighter Than Creation's Dark
>
> The Baseball Project � Volume 1, Frozen Ropes and Dying Quails
>
> Willie Nile � Live from the Street of New York
>
> Kelly Jones � SheBANG
>
>
> Songs
>
> Kathleen Edwards � Asking for Flowers
>
> Milton � Grand Hotel
>
> Alejandro Escovedo � Sister Lost Soul
>
> Scott Kempner � Shadows of Love
>
> Hold Steady � Sequestered in Memphis
>
> Drive By Truckers � The Righteous Path
>
> Hold Steady � Slapped Actress
>
> Steve Wynn � Bring the Magic
>
> Kelly Jones � There Goes My Baby
>
> Carrie Rodriguez � Infinite Night
>
> The Baseball Project � Past Time
>