ALBUMS

1. Stick— Jim Bob
Easily my favorite solo album by the former Carter USM frontman since 2007’s A Humpty Dumpty Thing (and his most fun record since In A Big Flash Car on a Saturday Night), Stick harkens back to the turn of the millennium when Jim would release a completely unique but still very him sounding solo record nearly every year. I’ve enjoyed his musical comeback after a seven year hiatus as novelist JB Morrison, but Stick is the first time I’ve had that giddy old “oooh…what’s this?” reaction in quite awhile.¹

2. Thank The Lord… It’s the Pink Stones — The Pink Stones
The latest from my current favorite band (I think) takes the cosmic country aspects to the next level while still being its own unique thing. A record so good it inspired some flash fiction in the spaces between the songs. A lot of real sad groovies here. Bring on LP4!

3. Sea Pipes — Sea Pipes
Best debut record by a teenage band² since I Should Coco, and just as infectiously catchy. Can’t believe this was recorded by high school kids; can believe it was embraced by the legendary DJ Nic Harcourt.

4. Last Missouri Exit — Case Oats
Maybe my most anticipated album of the year, and it didn’t disappoint even though I wasn’t 100% sure what to expect. By the time I saw them play SXSW before the release date I knew this would be a treat. (Funny side story: One song had been stuck in my head since the pandemic era Tweedy Show performance circa 2020. When the album tracklist dropped I was disappointed “Diane, Diane” didn’t make the cut since I didn’t remember/realize it was called “Bitter Root Lake.”)

5. The Little Ones — James Felice
A lightly paraphrased one-sided conversation with my wife. “James Felice has a solo album coming out on Valentines Day.” <a few days later> “And it’s really good.” <a few days later> “And he’s playing Antone’s next week opening for Shovels & Rope.” <after the show> “Should we go see him again tomorrow?” To reappropriate the time Ian Felice paraphrased my wife live on stage: “Hear that James? They’re all hits.”

6. Magnifier — Mason Jennings
My favorite Mason album since Wild Dark Metal, which is oddly the polar opposite of this sparse, short, acoustic beauty of a record. Normally I complain about feeling shortchanged by 8 song / < 30 minute releases, but this became the perfect soundtrack to put on right before bed while still being awake for the whole thing before fading off.

7. Big Stage — Jon Lindsay
Smart, sharp songwriting carries this pop-infused album that feels straight out of the late 70s/early 80s in a love-letter sort of way. Sonically a little all over the place yet still has a solid through line if that makes sense.

8. Love Chant — The Lemonheads
I went into this with very low expectations and came out pleasantly surprised. It splits the difference between the early punky songs and the 90s pop perfection. And of course I dig the fun song titles like “58 Second Song” (clocking in at 3 minutes and change) or “Wild Thing” (not a cover, but winkingly not not not³ a cover)

9. Arther Buck 2 — Arthur Buck
Sounds like what I wanted the first Arthur Buck record to sound like, which is basically Monster era R.E.M. crossed with Lonely Astronaut era Joseph Arthur.

10. Songs For Other People’s Weddings— Jens Lekman
This concept album released as a companion to David Levithan’s novel of the same name⁴ features Jens’s classic formula of heartfelt goofy sincerity amped up to almost orchestral musical proportions. (And of course I was intrigued by the concept of a book based on an album featuring characters with single letter names…)

11. is — My Morning Jacket
My favorite MMJ record since Circuital. (For some reason I keep wanting to call this if vs. is.)

12. Automatic — Jim Bob
Released on the same day as my #1 record of the year Stick, I consider this one the fourth album in the comeback record trilogy⁵ that started with 2020’s 7th ranked Pop Up Jim Bob. Still, I realize these subjective ranking exercises are silly and any new Jim Bob record is something to celebrate. Without the juxtaposition of two choices who knows where this would independently rank⁶. “Our Forever Home” might be my favorite Jim Bob ballad since “This Phoney War.”

SONGS

1. “Basic Being Basic” — Djo

2. “Snugglebunny” — Benji Hughes

3. “Bitter Root Lake” — Case Oats

4. “My Other Car” — Jon Lindsay

5. “Space” — Hunter James

6. “I Wrote A Song Called Take The Skinheads Bowling” — David Lowry

7. “Betrayed” — Jeff Tweedy

8. “Didn’t ask what’s on my mind.” — Telemarket

SHOWS

1. Danny Malone (4 shows: 1/17 + 5/10 at Radio East, 7/26 at Wyldewood, 8/1 at Radio South)
Discovery of the year that kept on giving. He opened for Possessed by Paul James at the January show. We knew nothing about him—but the rest of the room joyfully sang every word and screamed “We love you Danny!” after nearly every song. Started seeking him out after this; by the third show we were practically leading the sing-a-longs.

2. Benji Hughes & Jon Lindsay (3 shows⁷in 3 cities!: 3/14⁸at Merdian in Buda, 3/15 at Zilker Brewing during SXSW, 5/16 at The Pour House in Raleigh, NC⁹)
Last year’s jaunt to NC proved unnecessary¹⁰ when my favorite musician came to me in 2025. Later in the year I managed to parlay a work trip into one last side quest for the final show of the duo tour taking it full circle at Jon Lindsay’s record release gig. Got to hear a few unexpected deep cuts (“Longshot”, “Magic Summertime”, “Spirit Guide”), helped¹¹ inflate and/or deflate beach balls & floats for the stage show, and brought a whole parade of Texas people on tour from all sides of my triple life to the Buda gig to join in on the fun.¹²

3. Shurman at the Saxon Pub — 7/24/25
I used to see this band all the time 20+ years ago in LA. This random reunion showed they still got it.

4. Vapors of Morphine at the Continental Club — 9/19/25
Hat tip to Jon Mack for telling me to check this out. Wasn’t sure how Mophine would be with a different singer/bass player, but hearing these songs live was amazing. (The saxophone is arguably more important to the overall Morphine sound than my younger self realized.) Bonus: Encore opened with “Thursday” — my favorite Morphine jam.

5. Wilco AM Tribute at Radio East — 9/20/25
A fun set of Austin all-stars covering Wilco’s under-appreciated debut.¹³

6. Pink Stones at the White Horse (1.5 times) — 3/13 outside & 3/15 inside
The biggest concert going news of the year is I missed more Pink Stones gigs than I attended!
My epic run of consecutive Austin shows in a 3 year span ended with number 16 before the two Benji sets and Nate Pepper’s out of town birthday generated four separate conflicts¹⁴. Bright side was the 3/15 Benji/Pink Stones conflicts were a 2 minute walk apart (thank the lord for SXSW), so I did squeeze in the back half of the unexpectedly extended Pink Stones set¹⁵.

7. LA Exes at Stubb’s — 11/8/25¹⁶
Have wanted to see this band since their debut album ranked second on my 2021 list, and the opening slot for OK GO was a perfect way to do so. Bonus: We got upgraded to VIP/ADA seats and watched from the balcony above the stage.

8. Regina Spektor at The Moody Theater — 8/5/25
Oh, Regina. Hadn’t seen you live for 16 years before this gem. How we’ve missed you.

9. Hayes Carll Grateful For Christmas at the Paramount Theater — 12/11/25
This annual event is fast becoming a December tradition. Oddly light on actual holiday songs this year, though special guest appearances by Ben Kweller and Lyle Lovett (on a duet of “LA Freeway” by Guy Clark!) made up for it.

10. Supergrass at House of Blues Boston — 9/12/25
In which they played all of I Should Coco, not quite in order on the final night of the tour.

11. Pavement at Levitation Fest — 9/28/25
A Pavement reunion will never get old. I sorta wish the setlist had more “hits,” but can’t complain about rare appearances by “We Dance” & “Debris Slide” & “Texas Never Whispers” here.¹⁷

12. Jens Lekman at Mohawk — 11/25/25
Theme of this show was “dress as a song title.” I went as “Cover Me” by Bruce Springsteen wearing a classic Coverville podcast Coca-Cola parody shirt. My wife and her oxygen machine were “The Air That I Breathe” by Albert Hammond. Jens was Jens, as delightful as always.

13. Fingerpistol at ABGB — 7/20/25
See last year’s 11th ranked show for the full “why I dig this band” recap, but “Two Dollar Words” never gets old.

14. Beat Root Revival at the Armadillo Christmas Bazaar — 12/21/25
Hadn’t seen Beat Root in a few years. Had a neat trick where they redid some of their originals with holiday lyrics so they wouldn’t have to completely learn all-new holiday tunes.

XX. Alabama Shakes at the MGM Music Hall at Fenway — 9/14/25
Honorable mention for this the one that got away since I didn’t get to see the show but should have. Went to the Red Sox game and saw Alabama Shakes were playing next door. When the game ended I sprinted out of the ballpark and over to the club. Bought a StubHub ticket for $20 at 9:55pm…and then got an alert my order was cancelled because the event already ended. I WAS STANDING OUTSIDE AND NOBODY WAS LEAVING! A colleague who attended told me they started at 9:15 and played until almost 11pm, so I could’ve been there for a solid 10+ songs.

PICTURES TO PROVE IT¹⁸

FOOTNOTES

1. My rankings for the full Jim Bob solo catalog: 1. A Humpty Dumpty Thing (2007), 2. J.R. (2001), 3. Stick (2025), 4. Goodnight Jim Bob (2003), 5. Pop Up Jim Bob (2020), 6. Big Flash Car on a Saturday Night (2002), 7. School (2006), 8. Thanks For Reaching Out (2023), 9. Angelstrike! (2004), 10. Who Do We Hate Today (2021), 11. Jim’s Super Stereoworld (2001), 12. What I Think About When I Think About You (2013), 13. Automatic (2025), 14. Goffam (2008) ︎
2. Full disclosure: My former boss’s son is the drummer. He sent me their first single and I was surprised it was legit good. Then the algorithm alerted me to the album drop and I had it on repeat with no nepotic nudging. ︎
3. I used a triple negative in an effort to be as charmingly opaque as the song that is and isn’t on this record, plus I liked it was footnote number 3. ︎
4. I haven’t read the book yet, but plan to next year once the paperback is released. (I read in bed, and hardcovers are dangerous if you nod off and drop one on your face.) ︎
5. So long, and thanks for all the fish. ︎
6. “Please enjoy all Jim Bob solo records equally.” — Something my Innie would be told in a Wellness Session. ︎
7. Almost 4 shows this year, but Benji cancelled his appearance at November’s Been There 4 benefit festival due to a conflict. ︎
8. March 14th gets a special SXSW footnote since I managed to see Case Oats at Hotel San Jose, John Doe Folk Trio at C-Boys, Deslondes at Colton House Hotel, Benji at Meridian and almost had a chance to make it back in time to see The Pink Stones close out the night at Continental Club (but Buda proved too far away logistically). Still, what a day! ︎
9. Lily Mars opened the Raleigh show and played a great cover of “Jane Says.” ︎
10. Though of course I’m still glad I went. ︎
11. Poorly, though in my defense you didn’t have to squeeze to inflate when I was a kid! ︎
12. Quote from Nate Pepper: “After seeing Benji live I understand L Extreme a lot more.” ︎
13. I was sort of triple booked this night, deciding between this show / Vapors of Morphine night 2 / Flat Fest 2. I’m happy with my selection. ︎
14. Especially disappointing was I missed shows at Continental Club & Saxon Pub, two of my favorite venues. ︎
15. I thought I’d negotiated my favorite song “Time’s Standing Still” as both the opener and the closer with bass player Adam Wayton so I’d be present for the second instance, but as Hunter Pinkston put it afterwards “Adam’s not in charge of anything” ︎
16. This would have been the day of the 4th Benji gig of the year at Been There 4. Didn’t have to sweat it since he didn’t play, but still went to the fest in the daytime, left for LA Exes, then came back for headliner Ben Kweller. ︎
17. Since this is as good a place as any: I loved Pavements the movie. Best line: “Like being in a hair metal band in 1992, you can’t ruin something that’s already ruined.” ︎
18. I’ve got a whole stack of proof ︎

ALBUMS

1. Nobody Loves You More — Kim Deal
   A decade in the making, the first solo record (not counting an album’s worth of solo singles released back in 2013) by the Pixies / Breeders icon delivers in spades. Sonically adventurous while still sounding exactly like you’d expect and want a Kim Deal record to sound like. Quoting Paste Magazine (who ranked this way too low at 43 IMHO): “And then there is her voice—still a fusion of charm, attitude, a choir of angels and fine-grit sandpaper, just as it has been all along.”
2. The Past Is Still Alive — Hurray for the Riff Raff
   Combining their early album folkiness with the autobiographical messages from more recent output, The Past Is Still Alive epitomizes dangerous folk rock appeal. Like the Kim Deal album, it’s exactly what we’ve come to expect from Alynda Segarra. Bonus points from me for the title and how it weaves its way into a few different songs.
3. Roll It Out — The Deslondes
   So much talent in one band, and the records keep getting better and better. That’s the beauty of a supergroup: We showed up to the party via Sam Doores, but stuck around for Riley & Dan & JJ and welcomed new guy Howe with open arms. “Greater than the sum of its parts” may be cliche, but here it’s the whole truth and a ringing endorsement. Deslondes might be Cajun for Voltron.
4. Bandcamp 52 Fridays — Shawn Smith
   Not exactly an album, but I need somewhere to commemorate the 35 posthumous archival songs released on Bandcamp this year of a planned 52 spanning all of Shawn Smith’s musical projects. Some of these were previously released on the old Skeleton Keys compilations¹, but many were new to me. A whole lot of gems from the dearly departed great I miss the most. (Bonus: Since it didn’t start until May, more are coming in 2025!)
5. L.A. Times — Travis
   Easily my favorite Travis record since The Man Who. Continuing the inadvertent theme percolating above, these new songs sound both freshly different yet clearly sound like Travis songs if that makes any sense.
6. Natural Magick — Kula Shaker
   Easily my favorite Kula Shaker record since, well, 2022‘s very good comeback record. Thankfully they ditched the mildly annoying skits between songs with a solid set of groovy, glammy, just plain fun rock songs wearing their psychadelic influences on their sleeves. It is a little top-heavy, but also might be one of my favorite four-song stretches to open any album in recent memory.
7. The Fear of Standing Still — American Aquarium
8. Valley of Abandoned Songs — The Felice Brothers
   I live-tweeted my first listens for both of these, so I’ll let me past self do the talking below.²

SONGS

1. “Mercury on Parade” — The Deslondes
2. “idontwannapaymytaxes” — Kula Shaker
3. “The Living Thing” — Monsters of Folk
4. “Missionary” — Jack White
5. “A Paradigm Never Talked About In Song” — Hunter James
6. “Nobody Dies from Weed” — Hayes & The Heathens
7. “Damn What a Beautiful Man” — Painted Shield
8. “Time Makes Fools of Us All” — Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats
9. “Sweet Talk” — Iron & Wine
10. “Livid” — Wilco

SHOWS

1. The Pink Stones (12³ times at 7 venues!) — 3/13-3/18 & 10/17-10/20/24
   I’ll spare y’all the play by play and group these 2 blocks together as if they were one show. I did a deep dive into the 8 SXSW shows already, and enjoyed their triumphant October return with a 3-night Sagebrush residency + secret show at Sam’s Town Point capper.
2. Soul Coughing at Roadrunner in Boston — 9/29/24
   They said it would never happen, but I’m certainly glad it did. I still get giddy remembering the True Dreams > Collapse > Misinformed triumphant triumvirate mid-set.
3. Benji Hughes at Bourgie Nights in Wilmington, NC — 9/28/24
   My first in-person Benji Hughes live show in 8 years, plus first in his home state and first since L Extreme was released. Still as magically great as the first time.
4. The Nude Party at Sam’s Town Point (live album recording!) — 5/6-5/8/24
   Stop me if you’ve heard this one before. “They’re playing multiple nights. Let’s just go to the first one…” Those worst laid plans always tend to spiral on me. Despite a nearly identical setlist each night, I had a blast with the sweaty honky-tonk singalong. Did my best to scream my usual “Never!” at the end of “Chevrolet Van” each night, but unfortunately didn’t hear it on the live record.⁴
5. American Aquarium at Radio East — 12/7/24
   On a cold and rainy night at an unfamiliar venue I ended up going solo to this show. American Aquarium kept me warm with a mostly blistering set. BJ made it feel worthwhile when he said “These are the kinds of shows that separate the true fans from the casual ones.” And he didn’t even know I skipped the third night of the Wilco residency for it!⁵
6. Wilco at The Moody Theater — 12/5 & 12/6/24
   The shows formerly known as Winderlude hit the road, advertised as “no repeats across nights” vs. the typically implied low likelihood of repeats on one of Wilco’s multi-night stands. Would’ve run the table if not for the American Aquarium conflict (more on that above and below…), but still a heck of a time by one of the few bands who could pull this sort of thing off.⁶
7. Weezer/Flaming Lips/Dinosaur Jr. at Moody Center — 9/27/24
   Already covered in detail (actually, sorta twice), but I can’t wait to see Blue live one more time for the 50th anniversary…
8. The Record Company at Antone’s — 1/17/24
   When the only thing I miss about LA comes to visit it’s always a heck of a time. This was a rollicking set, heavy on the first and fourth records with an old school “Tallahassee Lassie” cover to close things out like just like in the independent good ol’ days.
9. Sam Doores at Sagebrush — 5/10/24
   Since this year’s theme was seeing the same band multiple times, I should technically extend this one to the 6 times I saw The Deslondes as a group (4 with Pink Stones, 2 separately) plus 2 Riley Downing solo sets & 2 Sam Doores solo sets for an even 10 on the year.⁷ Of course every gig was great, but citing Sam’s solo gig here due to it being my wife’s favorite of the bunch, our first time seeing someone on the small side stage at Sagebrush, and because he sound checked with “Clay Pigeons.”
10. America at The Moody Theater — 8/31/24
    In which I met the guy who wrote “A Horse With No Name”
11. Fingerpistol at The ABGB — 12/29/24
    Last but not least starts with a flashback. In December of 2016 we went to a holiday songwriter swap at The ABGB. Musicians rotated through playing 1-2 songs each open mic style. It freezing out and relatively empty—probably a single digit number of non-performing patrons present. One song stood out with a chorus that went “with your two dollar words and your fifty cent mouth, nobody here has any idea what you’re talking about.” I couldn’t remember the name of the group, but recalled the lyrics often. Periodically I’d search the internet to track it down but always came up empty — until I finally found it this summer! Saw they were playing Sunday Best at The ABGB and heard it live again early in the second set. Fitting end to a fabulous musical year.

CONFLICTS

New category this year! With all the concerts I attend you think this would happen more frequently, but 2024 certainly made up for lost time on being double booked and needing to make a difficult choice on who to see (and/or brave the double header…) with great frequency.⁸

Evan Dando vs. Quantum Leap Finale: February 20th
Winner: The Quantum Leap season finale, which unfortunately became the series finale (damn you, NBC!) This was a no brainer being my favorite show, and I took guidance from Evan himself when he sang “What if something’s on tv and it’s never shown again?”

Sabrina Ellis vs. Kelsey Wilson: March 13th
Winner: Sabrina for duration, but I went to both. Best way to resolve a concert conflict? When they are conveniently at the same venue, one on the outside stage and the other inside. Can’t go wrong with the two best vocalists in Austin. I give a slight nod to Sabrina, but when someone else (not me) shared the sentiment with congratulations for their Best Vocalist win at the Austin Music Awards, the reply was “I’m honored, but how can anyone think that with Kelsey Wilson literally singing outside right now?”

Bob Schneider vs. The Deslondes: March 15th
Winner: Bob Schneider. SXSW conflicts shouldn’t really count (even though I’ve listed two of them here), but since I already had a bunch of Deslondes under my belt and yet to come seeing Bob at ABGB with some friends just made sense.

Weezer vs. M. Ward: September 27th
Winner: Weezer. Confession: If it wasn’t the Blue Album in full I definitely would’ve chosen M. Ward over a regular Weezer show.

Benji Hughes vs. Joe Castiglione: September 28/29th
Winner: Benji Hughes. This one was both a no brainer and a painful one. Obviously I’m picking my favorite artist of all time, but missing out on honoring the Red Sox broadcaster whose voice I’ve probably heard more than any other in my life was tough. Technically I could’ve taken an early flight to fit this in before Soul Coughing, but the weekend was already a whirlwind so I opted out.⁹

James vs. Soul Coughing vs: September 29th
Winner: Soul Coughing. It was never going to happen again while James keeps on keepin’ on. (Technically I could also put Joe Castig here since it was the actual day, but instead I’ll just ibid it.)¹⁰

Mason Jennings vs. Soul Asylum vs. The Pink Stones: October 17th
Winner: Both! The rare double header, though I did miss the first hour of the Pink Stones so I guess Mason technically won.

Wilco vs. American Aquarium: December 7th
Winner: American Aquarium. Since I saw Wilco the previous two nights it made sense to share the love for live, original, independent music. Based on the weather I initially wished I picked the alternative (and briefly considered catching the first Wilco set before the set-times made it impractical), but all’s well that ends well.

Hayes & The Heathens vs. Metallica: December 13th
Winner: Hayes & The Heathens — who probably should’ve earned at least an honorable mention on the top shows list for a fun Xmas show including fantastic renditions of “Merry Christmas Baby,” “LA Freeway,” “Miss Ohio,” and a face-melting electric “KMAG YOYO.” (The Metallica show was also in LA and part of my wife’s work holiday party, so since I wasn’t invited this isn’t actually a conflict but whatever.)

(Realizing I should have put this section before SHOWS to avoid spoilers, but I don’t feel like rearranging it. Happy new year!)

FOOTNOTES

1. I only bought 2 of the 7 volumes when Skeleton Keys first surfaced in 2011, mainly for the long lost “So The Heart Can See” unreleased solo album. After Shawn Smith died I wished I’d bought them all, so these new releases were a pleasant surprise of a second chance. ︎
2. I might regret this if/when X/Twitter shuts down, but at least it will be a good excuse to hear these records back to back again. ︎
3. Technically 11.5 times; I missed the first half of the first Sagebrush show due to a conflict with Mason Jennings playing Antone’s the same night. (If thirteen is a baker’s dozen, what would eleven and a half be?) ︎
4. Fun side-story: Hung out with a guy on night three who wanted a spot not directly next to the speaker where his friends were situated, so he joined me close-ish but outside of the invisible sound line. At the encore break we talked about my books and I gave him an L Extreme card as I left to summon a rideshare home. Two minutes later he and his roommate come running out of the venue and find me on the bleachers. He showed her the card and she said “oh, I read that the other day” Long story short, she works at Emo’s and ended up with the copy I left backstage for Caroline Rose after her May 1 gig. She gave it to J Boog when he saw her reading it backstage and wanted a new book to read. ︎
5. American Aquarium is named after a Wilco lyric, adding more layers here. ︎
6. These were my 21st & 22nd Wilco shows! For fun, I made up a setlist for an imaginary fourth night assuming a similar format of mellower first set, heavier second set and still no repeats. ︎
7. If we’re being ultra specific, the best single show of the year was a tie between the Pink Stones opening for Deslondes at The White Horse on 3/14 and the encore of the same at Sam’s Town Point on 10/20. ︎
8. I suppose the uptick in multi-night stands and traveling to other cities this year raised the odds on this happening. ︎
9. I did hear his final innings on the radio from Jon Mack’s house while eating a Town Spa pizza though… ︎
10. Ibid ︎

ALBUMS

1. Rides On — The Nude Party
   A delightful romp of a record. My unpopular opinion is it sounds like The Rolling Stones at their peak, but better.
2. BOOTCUT — Bahamas
   Afie is beginning to make his case for the elusive infallible band tag, going country on his sixth release under the Bahamas monicker while still sounding like himself.
3. Joy’all — Jenny Lewis
   Another in a solid run of feel-good solo albums starting with The Voyager (not that there was anything wrong with her previous records), Jenny’s starting to feel like the old friend you can comfortably pick up where you left off with even after years apart.
4. Wide Open Light — Ben Harper
   A stark album primarily featuring acoustic guitars and piano, but with the lyrical mix of pleasure & pain Ben Harper has built his career on. My favorite is the jazzy “Trying Not to Fall In Love With You.”
5. The 4th Record — The Record Company
   Triumphant return by the thing I miss most about LA. Dropped by their label, the band went back to their roots of DIY modern blues rockers. Reminds me why I started digging them in the first place.
6. You Know Who — The Pink Stones
   A sophomore album that barely resembles what came before it but still charms with poppy alt-country leanings. Bonus points for the “Still Laughing…” reprise.
7. Bird Machine — Sparklehorse
   Posthumous albums of leftovers and/or incomplete “lost records” can be a mixed bag, but this one is a beautiful cap on a legacy and what might have been. Nice touch including an original of one of the Dark Night of the Soul collaborations. I’d love to hear a full album of those demos.
8. Asylum on the Hill — The Felice Brothers
   In a few years I’ll look back at this list and be surprised how low this ranked, but when a surprise new album drops in the middle of December it’s hard to evaluate it fairly. Am I giving it too much credit as a shiny new object? Regardless, The Felice’s keep Felicin’ with these charming modern throwback records. Brother James takes a big step forward, sharing near equal billing with Ian as songwriter on this set.
9. Metal Marty’s Greatest Hits — Metal Marty Chandler
   A semi-secret Supersuckers country record fronted by one of the greatest guitarists / characters in music today? Sign me up! “So if you’re lookin’ you can call off the search; ’cause I’m the baddest motherf@#$er on earth.”
10. In The Moment That You’re Born — Brad
    Posthumous albums of leftovers and/or incomplete “lost records” can be a mixed bag, and this one fits into that cautionary tale. But it also reminded me how much I miss Shawn Smith so it gets the tenth slot on that alone. “Meadow in August,” “Straight to the Hoop,” and “Hey Now What’s the Problem” earn their spots on the pantheon, and covering Malfunction’s “Stars ‘n You” by Andrew Wood brings Brad full circle in a fitting swan song.

SONGS

1. “Ice Cream (Pay Phone)” — Black Pumas
2. “Travelin’ On” — Carly Farmer (Jamie Jackson & Jamie Drake)
3. “Barbaric” — Blur
4. “The Locals” — Metal Marty Chandler
5. “Love Feel” — Jenny Lewis
6. “Fucked It Up” — Sparklehorse
7. “When Susie Was a Skeleton” — The Felice Brothers
8. “Meadow in August” — Brad
9. “Befriend the Police” — Jim Bob
10. “Bad Light” — The Record Company

SHOWS

1. Supersuckers at the Continental Club — 12/15/23
   Final night of 3 consecutive shows opening for Reverend Horton Heat. I asked on Instagram if they were planning a country show. They said no. My wife bailed on attending for this reason. They played a country set anyways. It was the highlight of my year. Bonus: Metal Marty played “The Locals” during his mid-show solo set. I also got the setlist.
2. The Pink Stones at Feel So Good — 3/17/23
   A single digit number of people attended this SXSW show at a semi out of the way clothing store doubling as a venue. Proud to be one of them hearing some great new songs in an intimate setting.
3. Jenny Lewis Austin City Limits Taping — 7/26/23
   Only the second time we’ve won tickets to a taping, and the first time to see an artist we genuinely adored.
4. The Nude Party — 5 Times at SXSW, March 2023
   Yes, I saw the same band 5 times in 6 days during South By, and loved them more each and every time. Varied setlists, matching costumes, and good old fashioned classic rock and roll. My favorite bit of stage banter was from the KUTX morning sessions at Scholz Garden. “I don’t think we went to bed last night. Leave it to radio people to book a showcase at 8am.”
5. The Flaming Lips at Moody Theater — 11/8/23
   All of Yoshimi + a full second set of classics. Confetti shaped like little pink robots, lasers, inflatables, hamster balls. The spectacle that keeps on giving. More thoughts and photos here.
6. Deslondes at Sam’s Town Point — 10/1/13
   Might be the first time in my life I figured out a secret show using context clues vs. insider information. We planned on seeing Deslondes at a BBQ & baseball festival that sold out. They had a “secret show” without a location specified amidst their Texas tour dates. I know they frequently play Sam’s Town, even curating an annual SXSW event. Popping over to the Sam’s Town calendar had a “secret show” on the same night. I took a shot and hit the jackpot.
7. Texas Radio at High Noon — 3/17/23
   Noon on St. Patrick’s day during SXSW. Barely double digit attendees to see C.M. Talkington perform with Renee Zellweger for free. Unannounced bonus of Paul Leary from Butthole Surfers in the band. Fun rock songs, but the ballad’s where Renee sang (and accompanied on guitar) stole the show. Afterwards most of the crowd made a beeline for Renee, but I waltzed up to Carty and thanked him for making my second favorite film of all time, the grossly underrated Love and a .45. Magic all around.

BOOKS

Bonus for 2023: Shepherd.com invited me to write about my 3 favorite books read this year. Check them out at the link, or peruse how ~1300 other authors answered the same question.

PHOTOS

Second bonus: Pictures to prove it!

ALBUMS:

1. River Fools & Mountain Saints — Ian Noe
   Album of the year in the biggest landslide victory since I’ve been doing this, plus only the second artist to claim my top slot twice (see also: Alabama Shakes in 2012 & 15). Ian Noe defies the sophomore slump with another stellar record, a little more electric and a little more John Prine influenced than before. The whole thing is great; the final track gives me chills.
2. Home, Before and After — Regina Spektor
   Her best album since Far in my opinion, full of the whimsically charming piano gems Regina does so well.
3. Chicamacomico — American Aquarium
   More sad songs to make you happy from the mind of BJ Barham, closing with a rocker about the power of song that feels like a certified twanger of a long lost country hit single.
4. 1st Congregational Church of Eternal Love (and Free Hugs) — Kula Shaker
   Confession: I didn’t know there was a new Kula Shaker record until early December, but man am I glad they’re back in a big way. K level quality vibes here, though the between song skits were probably a better idea in theory than practice.
5. Cruel Country — Wilco
   My favorite end-to-end Wilco album since Sky Blue Sky, reflecting the country tinged Americana leanings I’ve adopted since moving to Texas–somewhat ironically foreshadowed by older Wilco records.
6. May You Live In Interesting Times — David Ford
   One of two new David Ford albums released in 2022 (plus an EP as part of a duo), this one is unapologetically a pandemic record about the pandemic. Interesting times indeed.

REISSUES:

1. The Lindon Trees are Still in Blossom / The Cherry Trees Are Still in Blossom — Jens Lekman
   An equally strange and brilliant reissue strategy, Jens mysteriously announced his classic Night Falls Over Kortedala was going out of print, following the previous fate of his singles collection Oh You’re So Silent Jens due to unlicensed samples. The solution? Reissue both without the samples–re-recorded where necessary–with era appropriate bonus tracks. The result is a remarkable scavenger hunt search for changes, two terrific versions of the classic “Black Cab,” and two brand new sequel songs checking in on old friends Julie & Nina. (Bonus: A studio version of live EP rarity “Our Last Swim in the Ocean.”) Re-record your catalog for rights purposes is becoming an increasingly necessary stunt for musicians to pull royalty-wise, but I’m hard pressed to think of another example where the final product transcends the original.
2. Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (The Unified Theory of Everything) — Wilco
   With heavily bootlegged demos floating around, I’m surprised how much net new material was available here to celebrate the record that belatedly introduced me to Wilco. Highlights include an old version of “Hummingbird” with drum machine beats and a Frampton-esque talking guitar take on “Pot Kettle Black.”
3. I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning (A Companion) — Bright Eyes
   Part of an ongoing anniversary EP series of re-recorded songs + an era appropriate cover, the neat trick here is re-doing the folky songs from this album in the electronic-tinged style of Digital Ash in a Digital Urn (and vice versa).
4. “Won One” — Chris Evjy
   A long lost cover of the Local Boy one hit wonder my former roommate found in his digitized archives. Since I hadn’t heard this song (outside of in my own head) for nearly 30 years I’m counting it as a reissue. Watch this spot in 2024 for another Local Boy sighting. (I’m from the future…)

SONGS:

1. “Road May Flood / It’s a Heartache” — Ian Noe
2. “Our Last Swim in the Ocean” — Jens Lekman
3. “Spud Infinity” — Big Thief
4. “The First Year” — American Aquarium
5. “Be the Hook” — Pavement
6. “Cheers to Falling Away” — Hunter James
7. “Pants is Overrated” — Lyle Lovett
8. “Fare Thee Well Miss Carousel” — Bright Eyes
9. “Pink Rabbits” — The Tallest Man on Earth

SHOWS:

Lighter than usual as we ease out of pandemic life. I’m trying to better pick my spots vs. go to every show that catches my interest — and often seemingly end up being the only masked person in attendance. Better safe than sorry after my Beck incident.

1. Pavement at the Moody Theater – 10/11/22
   See you again in another decade?
2. American Aquarium at the Paramount Theater – 12/8/22
   Great show overall, made better by the fact I almost missed it flying back from a work meeting in Denver. Parked across the street from the venue about a minute before the opener took the stage.
3. Sweet Spirit at Radio Coffee & Beer – 6/12/22
   Similar to the above, Sweet Spirit was announced as the surprise band at Radio’s birthday party early one evening and I practically ran there to see them.
4. Wild Child at the 04 Center – 12/10/22
   Duo singalong show that ended up joining forces between Wild Child & Sir Woman, previewing the new album I hope to talk more about here on next year’s list.

ALBUMS

1. 1975 — No-No Boy
   Melodic and memorable with a great story and purpose behind it (the record is literally part of Julian Saporiti’s Ph.D dissertation on trans-Pacific musical culture), I’m amazed this hasn’t shown up on more year end lists as it seems to check every cultural and critical box there is. Possibly the best god damn album of the last 5 years.
2. Get Some — L.A. Exes
   Pop-punk meets the classic wall of sound with this supergroup that’s just so much fun. Do you want to go to Jake’s house? Yes, yes I do.
3. Visits From Future Technology — Shaun Ryder
   Despite the title, this is technically a blast from the past. Mostly recorded ten years ago and forgotten, I think it’s his best work since It’s Great When You’re Straight, the first Black Grape album.
4. From Dreams to Dust — The Felice Brothers
   Listening to this band evolve over the last decade has been a wondrously fulfilling experience. “Jazz on the Autobahn” sounds very Felice Brothers while not sounding like anything else. “To-Do List” has no chorus, three ramshackle guitar solos and was recorded in one take. A great record for everyone from Francis of Assisi to the fans of AC/DC.
5. Who Do We Hate Today — Jim Bob
   Jim Bob hadn’t released a new solo record in ~7 years, and then put out two in 11ish months right when we needed it most. (He also allegedly has at least an EP planned for 2022!) I think I slightly favor last year’s Pop Up Jim Bob, but that’s splitting hairs for an artist that hasn’t let me down across 17 albums + numerous b-side compilations and live releases. Can you say infallible band?
6. Play Loud — The Record Company
   Similar to what I said about the Felices above, though in this case I was super proud to watch my favorite local LA band hold their own on a national stage—and then pleasantly surprised to hear them broaden their sound with some of the poppy/glammy tracks here. “Get Up and Dance!” = wow.
7. You Get It All — Hayes Carll
   A weird side-benefit of the pandemic and the resultant livestream shows some artists did was a front row seat to watching an album develop. Four or five of these songs (plus some non-album tracks) debuted on either Alone Together Tuesday streams or Patreon exclusives, nicely building anticipation to a solid finished product.
8. Unsettling Delight — Rafe Addison
   I discovered this guy from his stellar cover of “Baby, It’s Your Life!” by Benji Hughes, which led me to check out his debut album shortly thereafter. Guess what? As advertised, Unsettling Delight is an unsettling delight. A unique take on power pop reminiscent of a few different influences while solidly it’s own thing. I dig.
9. Things Take Time, Take Time — Courtney Barnett
   My vote for best album title of the year, it’s Courtney Barnett taking it down a gear but still doing that thing only she can do so well. Part of me misses the rocker side here, but I can pretend her awesome Harriett the Spy theme song is part of this record to restore equilibrium. (I suspect given another couple months this would rank higher, but these things take time…)
10. Introducing... — The Pink Stones
    Was I pretty sure I was going to like this album when I saw the ellipsis in the title? Perhaps. Did I like it even more when I learned the singer switched from punk to americana after hearing Evan Dando’s cover of “Brass Buttons” by Gram Parsons? Same answer. Easy country rockers sung in a soothingly lazy cadence. Sign me up!

SONGS

1. “Like I Used To” — Sharon Van Etten & Angel Olsen
2. “Puppy and a Truck” — Jenny Lewis
3. “Jazz on the Autobahn” — The Felice Brothers
4. “Get Up and Dance!” — The Record Company
5. “Smile Real Nice” — Courtney Barnett
6. “Barroom Blues” — The Pink Stones
7. “It Sucks (and I Don’t Like It)” — Eddie Spaghetti & Frank Meyer
8. “Raising Hell” — Tom Morello featuring Ben Harper**

**lyric of the year: “Fell in love with a drunken friend at a South By show with R.E.M.”

ALBUMS

1. Nobody Lives Here Anymore — Cut Worms
Cut Worms wasn’t on my radar until Spencer Tweedy covered “Last Words to a Refugee” on an episode of the Tweedy Show in November. That indirect recommendation rocketed to the top of this year’s chart. (The title is also somehow perfect for 2020 even though it doesn’t quite make sense in that context…)

2. The Neon Skyline — Andy Shauf
A Paul Simon-esque concept album about a night out at the local watering hole (remember those days?) that plays out like a short story. A unique yet timeless sound that I really dig. (The fact that there’s a recurring character named Judy–which is also my dog’s name–doesn’t hurt.)

3. Devotion — Margaret Glaspy
I really dug Margaret Glaspy’s first album. This sounds nothing like it. Alternatingly poppy and dancy and sweet and vicious, I dig this one for all those reasons and then some.

4. Sam Doores — Sam Doores
Once the fiddle player in Hurray for the Riff Raff, this eponymous solo debut has a nice New Orleans folk vibe to it. Released pre-pandemic, it became a go to for soothing casual kick-back listening as the year wore on.

5. Lamentations — American Aquarium
Sad songs make us happy. Top-notch songwriting from the most genuinely authentic voice in Americana. Also the inspiration for the Musical Heroes of the Pandemic section below.

6. Spirit Guide — Benji Hughes
When your favorite solo artist releases their first new to you album in ~6 years, anticipation abounds. Benji came through with a 47-minute single that hides 14 tracks of a concept album loosely themed around spirits and ghosts. And that’s not all Benji had up his sleeve this year…

7. Pop Up Jim Bob — Jim Bob
When the singer of your favorite band releases their first new to you album in 6+ years, anticipation abounds. Jim Bob came through with his most Carter sounding solo album–including an eerily prescient 30 second single (recorded and released pre-pandemic) titled “2020 WTF!”

8. Father of All… — Green Day
The best Green Day record since Dookie, not counting their semi-secret Foxboro Hot Tubs side project that this is reminiscent of. The fact that it both is Green Day and sounds nothing like Green Day blew my mind and made me smile more with each listen.

9. Serpentine Prison — Matt Berninger
This may have been my most anticipated album of the year, and it sounded more or less exactly as I imagined. More EL VY than National, and that’s fine by me.

10. Painted Shield — Painted Shield
I tend to be on top of upcoming music releasees, but somehow (2020 WTF?) this one eluded me until I heard Mason Jennings casually mention on a livestream that his new band with Stone Gossard was dropping their debut record that same week (!!!!!). It’s strange and glammy and wonderful. You had me at Mason & Stone, and won me with a song called “Time Machine.” But why isn’t the band called Stonemasons? Biggest missed naming opportunity since Petty Cash.

REISSUES

1. A Lovers Extreme / Another Extreme — Benji Hughes
Back in 2014, these two records were in a 3-way tie for second place on my year-end list. Originally released as OXOXOXOX & XXOXOXX via Benji’s website, they’re back with new titles, new artwork, and a wider release as thematic sequels to A Love Extreme.

2. summerteeth (Deluxe) — Wilco
One of Wilco’s classics gets the super deluxe demos and outtakes treatment, with a fascinating blend of early takes, different lyrics and live sessions. Plus “Viking Dan” might be my favorite new old song of the year. So weird, so awesome.

3. Wildflowers & All The Rest — Tom Petty
Another super deluxe, but at the core it’s really setting right what once went wrong by restoring Wildflowers to the double-album Petty originally intended. If only the label left Tom (and Virginia) alone back then.

4. Lockdown Sessions — David Ford
David Ford did a marvelous job of releasing & reorganizing older (and newer) tracks from his vaults via Bandcamp as companion pieces to his fortnightly livestream shows. My 2 favorite archival releases were The Ones That Got Away (essentially a best of the EP/B-Sides compilation) and The Lockdown Archive: Songs for the Road which celebrated his under-appreciated second album. (Additional bonus points for “The Bar is Open” — my favorite new song about COVID.)

SHOWS

This is usually my favorite section of this annual post, reminiscing on a year of live shows and highlights. This year was different for obvious reasons — but live music was still ever-present in new and unique ways. So I’ll break this out a little differently:

Pre-COVID Shows:

Supergrass @ Casino de Paris — 2/4/20
Back in 2014, we took a vacation to Paris & London to see the last ever Carter USM show. On the way home my wife asked when we could go to Paris again. “When Supergrass reunites,” was my off the cuff reply. I kept my promise — and I’m so glad I did with what transpired after. I consider this band to be the underrated champion of the 90s britpop era. (Blur vs Oasis? My answer is Supergrass.) The ‘Grass were back, and it felt like they never left.

Glorietta @ Antone’s — 2/13/20
2018’s album of the year was supposed to be a one and done collaboration and supergroup tour between solo projects. But as David Ramirez said when Glorietta took the stage as a surprise headliner for Luck Reunion’s annual Lucky Draw, “McRib is back!” It was a delightfully ramshackle performance that left me on a high around why I love live music so much–ironically making it a fitting final live and in person show to witness before the world turned and left us here…

Heroes of the Pandemic:

A silver lining of last year is the fact that it happened in the future. Twenty or even ten years ago the technology may not have been ready to shift the bulk of working and socialization online, but in 2020 it did a pretty solid job of making lemonade out of lemons where it could. I know it’s not the same, but below are some of the performances that kept us sane.

The Tweedy Show — Jeff Tweedy & Family
Jeff Tweedy sitting in his living room, playing songs from his back catalogue plus a lot of random covers with his sons Spencer & Sammy. It’s charming, laid back and real–and easy to imagine this is what a normal evening in the Tweedy household might be like. Originally airing EVERY NIGHT (!!!), it’s since scaled back to 3-5 days a week. But with 141 episodes and counting, I can’t overstate how awesome and caring and cool it is that a musician would connect with their fans in this way for free during trying times.

Alone Together Tuesdays — Hayes Carll
Episode count isn’t the way to evaluate these sort of things, but there’s comfort in routine so I’ve really come to appreciate some regularly scheduled programming. Hayes Carll has broadcast live on YouTube across 35 Tuesdays in a virtual reboot of his old Enough Rope with Hayes Carll series he once broadcast monthly from the Saxon Pub in Austin. Stories and songs for times like these with a true genuineness behind the whole production.

Lockdown Sessions / Milk & Cookies — David Ford
An alternating themed performance and benefit concert for Reverse Rett, David Ford shared his “whiny little English boy playing the blues” stage persona with a great mix of originals, covers, stories and surprises. My single favorite livestream of the year was the episode where he played a 40 minute medley of songs without stopping or speaking at all. Drop the mic, that ruled.

The Sad Song Revival — BJ Barham
In the earliest days of lockdown, when we were still adjusting to what was starting to be called “the new normal” and before it simply became “normal,” BJ Barham of American Aquarium was the trailblazer of what this new musical world could look like. He played free shows on Instagram and Facebook. He played ticketed full-album acoustic shows on StageIt. He played full-band, full production value full-album shows for a higher ticket price. He took requests, he told stories, he logged in early to interact with commenters before the show. These actions and the pureness of his intentions moved me from a casual fan to a big loyal one. He made us smile more in these instants than any sad song ever written.

Private Zoom Concerts — Smooth Hound Smith
While many artists experimented with the busking-style live show with virtual tip jar format, Smooth Hound added the ability to book a private show on their website. We did four of them over the course of the year (starting with each of our birthdays, and then “hey, why not?”) and had a terrific time chatting with the band, collaborating on setlists, and sharing a more personalized type of concert experience.

One highlight: After a scheduling snafu caused the band to inadvertently stand us up for show number 4, as an apologetic make good they offered to learn and cover any song we chose. (“Any song…?” I asked.) We picked “O Lonely Soul, It’s a Hard Road” by Mary’s Danish (or by Local Boy from Timely Persuasion, depending on your point of view). They nailed it, leaving us speechless that a band could bust out this obscure song we had no expectation of ever hearing live, giving it a new life and seemingly having a genuine great time doing so.

Private Computer Shows — Benji Hughes
I booked Benji Hughes to play my work holiday party via Zoom. He had a karaoke machine! And an extreme time was had by all. In a normal year, that would be enough to drop the metaphorical ball on this blog post and call it a year in review. But wait, there’s more…

Remember that scheduling snafu with Smooth Hound Smith that begot a cover of “O Lonely Soul…” referenced above? We had ten people in various remote locations waiting on a band that (explainably in hindsight and with no ill intentions) stood us up. What to do? I booked another band. Enter Benji on short notice, playing a Zoom show that left everyone floored. Piano, guitar, originals, covers — and yes, more karaoke. Another extreme time was had by all.

Really dropping the mic for now. Happy new year. 2021 FTW!

-JLC

1. Between the Country — Ian Noe
   Discovered this album via NPR First Listen on a whim (ala 2016’s top album) and never looked back. A perfect mix of folky songs spanning a number of emotions and influences while still holding together as part of their own refreshingly new voice.
2. On the Line — Jenny Lewis
   A strong, cathartic, singable companion/sequel to The Voyager. Jenny Lewis just keeps getting better with each release. Bonus points for how my mind was blown when I realized you can (probably inadvertently) sing the chorus to Champagne Supernova over the opening verse to Heads Gonna Roll. The intentionally train-wreck-y launch day all-star telethon special was also a nice touch.
3. Help Us Stranger — The Raconteurs
   The best album Jack White has been involved in since Get Behind Me Satan — with the possible exception of Rome which I consider more a Danger Mouse album with Jack White guesting.
4. Night Shift EP — Jenny Owen Youngs
   I know every year I say EPs don’t count, but then almost every year I pick one anyways. This was a late breaking discovery a few weeks ago (thanks to the unexpected yet welcome return of TwentyFourBit), but I really dig it. Looking forward to diving into her back catalogue in 2020.
5. Purple Mountains — Purple Mountains
   Like many, my excitement over the triumphant return of David Berman was overshadowed by his death which put me on a nostalgic Silver Jews listening spree for the second half of the year. But this new record stood out as a highlight even before that shift in perspective. It’s sonically different than the Joos for the most part, but still very Berman on the lyrics front. RIP.
6. Dog in a Manger — Smooth Hound Smith
   Despite what you may assume from the title, this isn’t an Xmas record. Instead it’s a big step forward for the Americana duo (now with a full band at live shows!)
7. Monster (25th Anniversary Remix) — R.E.M.
   Still my favorite R.E.M. album (and the first record I ever waited in line outside a record store to buy at midnight on release day), I love how the remix raises the vocals way up in the mix to better understand Michael Stipe’s lyrics. There also seem to be a few additional flourishes ala the remix treatment In Utero got in 2013. I had a lot of fun revisiting Monster this year.
8. Weezer (The Teal Album) — Weezer
   Yes, it’s a guilty pleasure covers album. But it’s also the best Weezer album since Maladroit.

Songs

1. Topo Chico — Robert Ellis
2. Eyelash — Asian She (cowritten by Benji Hughes)
3. Uh Huh — Jade Bird
4. Jesus & Elvis — Hayes Carll
5. If Today Doesn’t Do Me In — Ian Noe
6. Rabbit Hole — Jenny Lewis
7. Hold Me Anyway — Wilco

Shows

Gin Blossoms @ Scoot Inn 3/7

Spiral Stairs, Sweet Spirit, Carson McHone, Kevin Galloway @ Mohawk 3/12 (Nine Mile Touring SXSW)

Hayes Carll @ SXSW 3/15-3/16 (4 shows in 27 hours!)

The Tallest Man on Earth @ Moody Theatre 4/23

Lemonheads @ Barracuda 5/31

Felice Brothers @ Barracuda 6/12

Will Courtney (solo acoustic) @ Batch Craft Beer & Kolaches 7/5

Mason Jennings @ 04 Center 7/12

Ian Noe @ Scoot Inn 8/17
(biggest disappointment of the year – he cancelled to have his wisdom teeth out)

Black Pumas @ Mohawk 8/24

Guns N Roses @ ACL 10/12

Reverend Horton Heat w/ Alejandro Escovedo @ The Continental Club 10/22

Wilco @ Moody Theatre 10/27

Ray LaMontagne @ Moody Theatre 11/2

Smooth Hound Smith @ Mohawk Indoor 11/19

Robert Ellis @ Armadillo Christmas Bazaar 12/23

In Memorium

Since David Berman was already covered above, I’d be remiss not to give a little eulogy for Shawn Smith as a wrap up to the year in music.

This one hit me the hardest, as I’ve been a big fan for a long time. As previously mentioned, I sought out the first Brad album early on and ended up stumbling onto a guy they call “Seattle’s Best Kept Secret” in this singer.

His voice was amazing, and even more amazing was the volume of side projects he sang for. Brad. Satchel. Pigeonhead. All Hail The Crown. From The North. Twilight Singers. Vincent & Mr. Green. Plus a plethora of solo releases, many of them underrated classics. (Shield of Thorns & The Diamond Hand still slay me.)

I named the protagonist of my short story Fester after Shawn Smith, and still shudder in glee when I encounter the part where my Shawn Smith listens to THE Shawn Smith in the car. I never intended for the namesakes to cross paths in the story, but I love that they did.

Shawn Smith 1965-2019 RIP

1.Glorietta — Glorietta
Oh my! Another year, another supergroup on the top list. This one’s a little different with it being a supergroup where I wasn’t very familiar with any of the members beforehand outside of Wild Child — but their end results absolutely blew my mind.

2. Loner — Caroline Rose
Great record, great live show. It’s quite possible nobody has ever had as much fun on a record (or a tour) where they completely reinvent themselves.

3. Western Movies — Traveller
Two supergroups in one year. This long-awaited debut (hyped up by 2 Austin shows they played in 2017) didn’t disappoint with a Benji Hughes level of “goofy yet sincere” going on throughout.

4. The Tree of Forgiveness — John Prine
He looks like death on the cover (no offense intended), but the songs tell you he’s still got it and is totally fine if this ends up being his swan song.

5. Esher Demos — The Beatles
Acoustic demos recorded at George Harrison’s house, officially released as part of the White Album 50th anniversary re-issue.

6. Crazy Love — Will Courtney
Discovery of the year. Saw him on the actual 50th Anniversary of the White Album and he covered “Sexy Sadie” for the occasion. This album is great, but he has an older song called “The Days When Bands Could Make Your Cry” with an acoustic version that absolutely makes me cry.

7. Blaze (Original Cast Recording) — Ben Dickey & Friends
I was super late to the Blaze Foley party, but this soundtrack (and the biopic it comes from, and delving deep into the Blaze back catalogue) were big highlights of the musical year.

Songs

1. Chevrolet Van – The Nude Party
2. Soul #5 – Caroline Rose
3. The Movie Song – The Record Company
4. 19th Amendment – Dolly Parton
5. Resignation – Paul Cauthen
6. I’m Not Your Mother, I’m Not Your Bitch* – Courtney Barnett
7. I Ain’t Got Nothin’** – Willie Nelson
   
   *Song title of the year
   
   **Lyric of the year: “A lonely summer night and memories linger / of when I gave you a ring and you gave me the finger…”

Shows

Rhett Miller @ Antone’s – 1/27
Bahamas @Antone’s – 2/17
Cha! (Police tribute band) @ Elysium – 3/3
Caroline Rose @ SXSW (4 shows!)
Blaze Foley movie & Tribute @SXSW – 3/16
Mason Jennings @ Cactus Cafe – 4/20
The Breeders @ Emo’s – 4/21
Rivers Cuomo @ the Troubadour – 5/30
Paul McCartney @ ACL Fest – 10/5
Jackie Venson @ ACL Fest – 10/5
The Record Company @ Scoot Inn – 11/1
Will Courtney @ Sam’s Town Point – 11/9
Hayes Carll & Jack Ingram @ Luckenbach Dance Hall – 11/17
Glorietta @ the Heights Theater – 12/15
Heart & Bones play the songs of Dirty Dancing @ 3Ten – 12/29

ALBUMS

1. Resistance Radio: The Man in the High Castle Album — Various
2. Life Will See You Now — Jens Lekman
3. Colors — Beck
4. Like a Drunk in a Midnight Choir: RSD Celebrates the Music of Leonard Cohen — Various
5. St. Mojo — Sweet Spirit
6. Salutations* — Conor Oberst

SONGS

1. Pamela — Sweet Spirit
2. Beat of My Heart — Benji Hughes
3. Goodbye One More Try — Hunter James
4. A Little Uncanny — Conor Oberst (with the Felice Brothers)
5. 1234 — Kevin Morby
6. Losing Interest — Wilco

SHOWS

Hamilton Leithauser + Rostam @ The Teragram Ballroom – 1/17/17

John Aielli Ekliktikos 50th Anniversary @ Hogg Auditorium – 3/7/17

Spiral Stairs @ Mohawk – 3/17/17

Tom Petty @ Frank Erwin Center – 5/2/17

The Record Company @ Emo’s – 9/17/17

Traveler @ ACL Fest (day) & Stubb’s Indoors (night) – 10/7/17

Continental Church of the Reverend Horton Heat @ The Continental Club – 10/27 & 10/28/17

John Fogerty @ Auditorium Shores – 10/29/17

Jen Cloher @ The Moody Theater – 11/11/17

Ray Wylie Hubbard @ The Paramount Theatre – 11/17/17

Beck @ John Anson Ford Amphitheatre – 11/18/17

ATX6 @ Stateside Theater – 11/29/17

Mike Doughty plays Irresistible Bliss @ Largo – 12/7/17

1. I Had a Dream That You Were Mine — Hamilton Leithauser + Rostam
I love when my favorite album of the year comes out of nowhere. I listened to this on NPR first listen because I liked the title and Hamilton’s last name. And I pretty much haven’t stopped listening to it since. Never been a big Walkmen fan, though in hindsight I always liked the music of Vampire Weekend more than the lyrics. Sooo good.

2. Wild Dark Metal — Mason Jennings
Probably Mason’s best record since Blood of Man (if you don’t count The Flood as an excellent collection of older songs) — and somewhat of a companion piece with the electric guitar focus. He didn’t tour for this album, and an interview seemed to suggest he’s contemplating retirement. I hope he doesn’t hang it up for good, but completely understand if he needs a break.

3. Ruminations — Conor Oberst
This is the first time I’ve genuinely loved a Conor Oberst record top to bottom on my own vs. slowly come around to it based on my wife’s interest in it.

4. Give It Back To You — The Record Company
This one feels weird to me in some regards since I’ve been a fan of this band for so long that these aren’t really “new” songs to me. But super proud of the buzz they’ve achieved in the leap from “best local band in LA” to “Grammy nominated artist for best contemporary blues album.”

5. Songs in the Key of Animals — Benji Hughes
Another time travel moment since this tied for my second favorite album of 2014 in its original form, but got a re-issue on Merge with a different track order and some new flare to a few of the intros/outros of the songs. Love that Benji is getting more well-deserved exposure, though I’m still a little baffled by the re-ordering since I’ve always thought the “draft” version was especially well sequenced. Maybe I’ll get to ask him someday.

6. Emotions & Math — Margaret Glaspy
Favorite debut of the year — if “debut” is defined as “first release by someone I hadn’t heard of before.”

7. Life in the Dark — The Felice Brothers

SONGS

1. Couples Skate — Robert Ellis

2. O’Brien is Tryin’ to Learn to Talk Hawaiian — The Mr T Experience

3. Two Dollar Man / Old Daze — Mason Jennings

4. Freaky Feedback Blues — Benji Hughes

5. Plunder — The Felice Brothers

SHOWS

Sweet Spirit @ ABGB 1/31/16
They did a cover from Blackstar shortly after Bowie’s passing — and then went straight into an awesome rendition of “Young Americans” that brought down the house.

Benji Hughes @ The Bootleg Bar 2/4/16
My grandmother passed away this year. The funeral was the weekend before this show. I was scheduled to go to LA for work and could have been off the hook no questions asked, but decided to keep the trip anyways. Whether it was too soon or not is still debatable, but seeing Benji and hearing “I Hate When Pretty Ladies Die” live was exactly what I needed. RIP, Gram.

Smooth Hound Smith @ ON A RIVERBOAT (!!!) at SXSW 3/18/16
I already covered this show in the SXSW recap, but man was that fun.

Supersuckers @ The Continental Club 3/19/16
This one didn’t get too much detail in the SXSW recap, but was a highlight. When the schedule first came out and I saw the Supersuckers were playing the Continental at 1am I was pretty sure I’d be going by myself, but somehow managed to convince my wife to join me (as well as our friend Hunter) and a good time was had by all.

Reverend Horton Heat & Dale Watson @ Strange Brew 7/23/16
Dale Watson became our discovery of the year due to this show. And I fulfilled my musical bucket list item of finally hearing “Liquor, Beer & Wine” live. One of four times I saw the Reverend this year after way too many years off.

Felice Brothers @ the Sidewinder 10/5/16
Super cool venue, super cool setlist by a band that’s really coming into their own. And we kept up our remarkable run of consecutive shows where they play “Marie” — still my favorite song of theirs.

The Record Company @ Antone’s 11/12/16
Coverville introduced me to the Record Company years ago based on their awesome cover of “So What’cha Want?” by the Beastie Boys. My favorite part of this show was turning around to watch the crowd while they played it, watching everyone slowly reach the same revelation about what song it was when the signature guitar riff kicks in. I also got to ask singer Chris Vos about the lyric change on “This Crooked City” from “…and we shared a couple of beers” to “…and we shed a couple of tears.” Both work well, but completely change the interpretation of the song. He laughed when we screamed the older “beers” version during the set, and later told me “to be honest, I still sing beers sometimes too.”