01 The Avett Bros
Emotionalism

I wish I was an Avett brother. I also with I was Steve McQueen

02 Band of Horses
Cease to Begin

Favorite line: “running a blender in a thunderstorm”

03 The National
Boxer

This album took me quite a while to really sink in, but once it did it grabbed me by the collar and shoot me around.

04 Wilco
Sky Blue Sky

Jeff Tweedy just keeps making great records.

05 Spoon
Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga

There are some outstanding songs to dive to with the windows down on this record.

06 Beastie Boys
The Mix Up

The whole thing is instrumental, ’nuff said

07 Bettye Lavette
Scene Of The Crime

It’s a shame that it’s taken 30 years for the industry to finally support her

08 Earl Greyhound
Soft Targets

Black Sabbath meets Sly Stone

09 Iron & Wine
The Shepherd’s Dog

Just when I thought Sam Beam couldn’t get better, he adds a full band.

10 Romantica
America

Lush americana from Minneapolis & Belfast, IRL

11 The Gourds
Heavy Ornamentals

Why did it take me so many years to discover these guys?

12 Willie Nelson
songbird

Produced by Ryan Adams, it’s the best work either of them have done in quite some time. Even has a Gram Parsons cover on it!

13 Bright Eyes
Cassadaga

Worth buying for the first two minutes of “four winds”

14 Amy Winehouse
Back to Black

I love and hate her like Shane McGowan of The Pogues