Last year's winner was Bush, The Kingdom, which drew laughs all over the internet and was omitted from other award winning best ofs out there. To be honest, I only played that record once this year and perhaps overrated it. Ghosts Of West Virginia from Steve Earle came in at number 2 and I recently put that on the musical box and even found that one to be filed in the back of the room. I still love Steve Earle's music but I find that each and every new release is a minor pleasure but with the exception of So You Wanna Be A Cowboy, will be gathering dust forever more.
(NME Photo Credit)
Whatever Rolling Stone or SPIN or Pitchfork touts, I avoided. When it came to review the heartbreak album of the year, I decided on Kacey Musgraves' Star Crossed over Adele 30, tho people say that one is her best. Time has flown by so quickly, that Taylor Swift is now 32 and in the process of re recording her albums that she did for Big Machine Music. To be honest, I have never cared much to review Taylor's output. The loss of twenty years blogging to nobody might be one reason as well. For hot shots like Lorde's who's Solar Power, I thought about getting the naughty naughty album cover, but nobody has it and by the time I got the record store I could never remember her name or title. Perhaps Solar Power is the better of Star Crossed or Adele 30. And maybe I'll get round hearing that album.
This year, 25 albums were bought this year, but per usual, it was hard trying to find most of the CDs since I had to venture to Moondog Music or Co Op Moline to get these albums. Target would have one or two, Wally World ditto but I wasted miles on the car only to find nobody had the Doobie Brothers latest, to which it did come out on Island/Universal, something unheard of from a 50 year old band on a major label. But major labels are a major hindrance anyway, they don't promote rock and roll, unless it's a 50th anniversary of a classic title from 1971. I really didn't see any reason to pony up for David Crosby's If I Can Only Remember My Name with boner tracks or Tattoo You 40th from the Stones. For reissue of the year, it was easier just to give it to Omnivore for the Buck Owens albums he did for Capitol in the late 60s and early 70s, Sweet Rosie Jones or Tall Dark Stranger. Or Down In The Rust Bucket from Neil Young and Crazy Horse since Neil Young has been very busy issuing his archives and it's hard to keep up with what he issues. For quality reissues, there's always The Grateful Dead, which Road Trips Volume 2, is basically Anthem Of The Sun done in concert at the Carousel in Portland Or 2/14/68
But then again the best of the past years, tend to be forgotten even when they made the best ten. One of the still played albums was The Who's 2019 S/T didn't make the top 20 but has emerged as the album I go back to on a regular basis. Ten years ago, we had sweet Samantha Fish come out as one of the up and coming guitar blues player around. For some reason her new album never appealed much to me even with Tech9 appearing as shock value. But then again, the blues is more rock than the Billboard top 100. It used to be that Billboard was the pulse of music but I haven't paid any attention of the flavor of the month. Most pop songs sound the same anyway. Still Sam Fish remains a must see when she comes into town and she has been very good appearing here once or twice close by.
This year, the blues played a bigger role here for me due to correspondence with Bob Corritore and his tribute to Chess/Cobra Records Spider In My Stew, and hanging out with the Avey/Grouws Band in November which their latest album Tell Tale Heart improves big time, by adding a bit of Fleetwood Mac to their grooves. The future is there and we still have local artists keeping the music alive. Nevertheless the first five albums can share the number 1 rating, not a bad song and perhaps over time, these albums were will be remembered better than the previous ones I put up in the past. Tastes vary and sometimes they show up. Just ask Bush on that.
The Best albums of 2021
Avey-Grouws Band-Tell Tale Heart (Navy House)
Our friends from the Quad Cities, home of The Dawn and the spirit of Ellis Kell make a sophomore album that improves on the blues and adds some rock n roll. Jenny Grouws has one of the best blues vocals out there, Chris Avey could be Richard Thompson of the blues on Mariana and Daylight is the best Stevie Nicks song she never wrote. Bad Bad Year and Love Raining Down, the album lead off are highlights. While the 2020 epidemic slowed them down when The Devil May Care came out but 2022 looks to be the year you will hear more from AGB. Bryan West, drummer MVP.
Bob Corritore And Friends-Spider In My Stew (Southwest Musical Arts Foundation)
Bob is a living legend out in Arizona and is one of the best and most knowledgeable of the blues, he's played with Muddy Waters, Chico Chism and many others and owns the Rhythm Room out in Scottsdale. On this album, Bob really takes us back to the feel of old time Chicago blues, on this album, more of a look at Cobra Records and of course Chess and he manages to grab a who's who of blues people on Spider. Bob Primer, Kid Ramos, Bob Margolin and many others give cool version of Don't Mess with the Messer and Wang Dang Doodle and even I Shall Be Released makes sense as album closer. Last time a blues album moved me this much was Howlin' Wolf's Rocking Chair album.
James McMurtry-The Horses And The Hounds (New West)
It was a big event to see McMurtry come out with a brand new album, his first in over 7 years and for this, he had Ross Hograth (who helped shape his John Mellencamp produced Columbia albums) producing and even Kenny Aronoff showed up to played drums too. McMurtry remains one of the best songwriters ever with his downhome and honest views, even on What's The Matter, even the best songwriters will have to deal with romantic grief as well.
Black Berry Smoke-You Hear Georgia (30 Tigers)
By far the best southern rock band out there, Charlie Starr and company came back with a better record than the last one. It's a shame that nobody else does this better than The Smoke. Rock is not dead, but the Major labels are doing their damnest to kill it.
Los Lobos-Native Sons (New West)
The gang decide to cover songs by bands that are in the LA area and they have a ball reconstructing Buffalo Springfield, Farmer John and Jackson Browne. I have never heard a subpar Los Lobos record and most do make my ten best list of any year. A quality name you can trust. Los Lobos
Neil Young And Crazy Horse-Down In The Rust Bucket (Reprise/NYA)
Forget the Promise Of The Real concerts of Earth fame, Neil has always gotten the best ragged glory out of Billy Talbot/Ralph Moline/Frank Stompedero lineup and this concert during the Ragged Glory tour shows them on fire and better than the Arc/Weld album. If there's any issue, it might be a few too many from Ragged Glory, but Fucking Up is fun to listen to and another great version of Cinnamon Girl.
Robert Plant/Alison Krauss-Raise The Roof (Rounder)
I think this one is better than Raising Sand, tho it's a bit darker and moody. Jay Bellodose is the secret weapon but Plant does know a few decent soul songs to cover.
Paul Stanley's Soul Station-Now And Then (UMe)
While Ace Frehley decided to continue to mine the classic rock songbook, Stanley went one better and rediscovered the soul classics and channeled his inner Motown, but also Philadelphia soul from the Spinners, the Marvalows, and Al Green. The record sank without a trace a week or so after release but Paul really does love R and B as much as you and I.
Willie Nelson And Family (Legacy)
His That's Life album was so so, but what Willie does best is play the gospel and revisit some of his best known stuff, this time out with Bobbie playing piano and Paul English playing his last sessions. For 32 minutes, it's a nice family get together
Ministry-Moral Hygiene (Nuclear Blast)
I'm surprised to hear how well the record has sounded since Al Jourgensen has his issues, but the record is much darker than the Trump bashing AmeriKKK album. Reviews have been mixed but he hasn't been this impressive since Psalm 69.
The next ones:
Julie Gordon/Dave Bonham-Live At The Artisan Sanctuary (Zephyr Rose)
Weezer-Ok Human (Atlantic)
Weezer-Van Weezer (Atlantic)
Surf Zombies-In Stereo (Surf Zombie Music)
Steve Earle-JT (New West)
The Specials-Protest Music (Island)
Neil Young/Crazy Horse-Barn (Reprise)
Deep Purple-Returning To Crime (Ear Music)
Silk Sonic-An Evening With Silk Sonic (Atlantic/Rhino)
The Darkness-Motorheart (Cooking Vinyl)
The Gordon/Bonham were recorded demos of their live shows done in the studio and it has been known that she has always had the best vocals in town. Six years after Kyle Oyloe, she has settled down into a more folk rock mood. Dave adds complimentary guitar to her vocal. For Weezer, OK Human is better than the Van Weezer album. The Surf Zombies is Cedar Rapids' version of caffinated Ventures and Los Straitjackets and I think this is their best album overall. The Specials with Terry Hall leading them, make a protest album of songs over the past 100 years, which sound more folk than ska. Barn is a more streamlined NY/CH, sloppy and meaningful at the same time. Deep Purple has fun covering other band's songs, they tend to play it safe more than they should but the Caught In The Act Medley is fun and Battle Of New Orleans is more fun than Shapes Of Things. Silk Sonic, is Bruno Mars paying homage to Booty Collins and Babyface. He's better with the funk stuff, the Baby Face tribute, passable. And The Darkness can wow and annoying you at the same time.
The Rest:
Rick Estrin And The Nightcats-Contemprary (Alligator 2019)
Toots And The Maytals-Got To Be Tough (Trojan 2020)
Nina Simone-Fodder On My Wings (Verve 2020)
Kacey Musgraves-Star Crossed (Interscope)
Todd Snider-First Agnostic Church Of Hope And Wonder-(30 Tigers)
The First three albums don't qualify for the 2021 list, but Toots and the Maytals, I didn't get the record till Collector's Choice had it up for sale. In some ways it's a bittersweet finale since it would be Fred Hibbert's last record and Robbie Shakespeare last record as well. Kudos to Zak Starkey for putting this together. The Nina Simone was from last year and would have made the top ten. The Night Cats played the CR Bluesfest and this was their latest which came out 2 years ago. Estrin is a very sly vocalist in a Sonny Boy Williamson (2) way. Kacey and Todd close out the years other albums, tho perhaps some day Star Crossed will be remembered better. But the Todd Snider album was even too weird for Todd Snider himself. I expected better from him.
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