2006 Top 50 Artists

1. Jackie Greene American Myth
   Every generation may not produce a Dylan, but every succeeding generation has turned out its share of artists who suffer comparison to the icon. Jackie Greene bears this burden as if he were oblivious to the Dylan references that punctuate his reviews. On only his second major label release, Greene exhibits an innate sense of song structure that flows seamlessly from blues to folk to rock—establishing Greene as a rising star in American roots music. His cleverly crafted lyrics and wordplay cover a wide terrain of moods, including his biting cynicism toward American culture (“Hollywood”), a pseudo-cavalier response to a failed relationship (“I’m So Gone”) and a tender side on several love ballads. American Myth stands as testament to a unique and individual voice with enough swagger and talent to withstand comparison and to invoke complement. (RMW)
   
   
2. Belle and Sebastian The Life Pursuit
   Belle and Sebastian have been together for more than 10 years, and this is their sixth full-length release. Still, the group sounds as though they’re having as much fun as a band would on a debut album. Instead of their semi-regular folk-pop, they have opted for a more 60’s pop style of rock. There are elements of T-Rex, Stevie Wonder and even some lounge and blues that expand the band’s sound. The sometimes witty, always literate lyrics of frontman Stuart Murdoch help express this feeling of fun. You can picture the band cracking smiles as they take their quirky music to the next level, and it makes you eager to see what they are going to do next. (BS)
   
   
3. Mark Knopfler & Emmylou Harris All the Roadrunning
   Since her days backing Gram Parsons, Emmylou Harris has been known for her frequent duets. This album-length collaboration with Dire Straits frontman, Mark Knopfler, is an inspired pairing. The songs—which ruminate on long-term relationships, the aging process, and the haze of memory—are primarily written by Knopfler and are similar to the rootsy sound of his previous work. But, the real magic happens when Emmylou’s voice is added to the mix. Her soaring vocals add an air of drama that nicely counterpoints Knopfler’s laid-back rumble. The thoughtful lyrics and elegant guitar work make it seem easy, but an album this exceptional underscores just how much talent is on display. (MS)
   
   
4. Gnarls Barkley St. Elsewhere
   At first blush St. Elsewhere sounds like a great party album—the type that entertains a wide spectrum of tastes. But take a closer listen and discover why this was a chart-topping release this past summer. The first full-length collaboration between producer Danger Mouse and vocalist/songwriter Cee-Lo, aka, Gnarls Barkley, is a wild amalgamation of retro R&B and soul, hip-hop, and techno beats. The release also features ingenious production and a depth of songwriting that is rarely found on commercial hits. The infectious “Crazy” is an immediate attention grabber, but there is much more that merits attention. These songs are exciting, smart and accessible and offer a rare perspective that honors the past while blazing new paths. (KS)
   
   
5. James Hunter People Gonna Talk
   James Hunter’s People Gonna Talk sounds like a straight-up retro sound at first. His soulful voice invites comparisons to Sam Cooke or Jackie Wilson; and the music sounds right off of a Ray Charles disc from the late 1950’s. Still, there is something extremely contemporary about this release. It’s a testament of Hunter’s brand of blue-eyed soul. The songs—all written by Hunter himself—are genuine and timeless. The music is a clean combination of drums, saxophones, bass and Hunter’s own guitar riffs. This album appeals to many generations, and James Hunter is a one-man rhythm and blues revival with a twist, taking the style to the present when it sounds just as honest and fresh as it did back in the day. (BS)
   
   
6. Susan Tedeschi Hope and Desire
   The fourth studio album from Boston blues performer Susan Tedeschi is quite different for her. Not only did she not write any songs, but she also doesn’t play any guitar. Instead she opts to tackle material by The Rolling Stones, Stevie Wonder, Bob Dylan, and Iris DeMent, as well as songs notably recorded by Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin. To say that she makes the most of this great material is an understatement. Tedeschi rolls out a bouncy southern soul sound, likely to keep all listeners snapping fingers and tapping toes. Hope & Desire is an excellent CD featuring Tedeschi’s jaw-dropping vocal talent. (MS)
   
   
7. My Morning Jacket Z
   Bridging the gap between indie rockers and jam bands is My Morning Jacket. The band has elements of both, and on their latest effort, the two styles come together perfectly. The vocals and lyrics of Jim James are filled with as much passion as they are reverb. They glide along with the music helping to illustrate the band’s unique vision. Just when you think you have some songs figured out, an unexpected bit of surf music, electronica or even a lengthy guitar solo takes you by surprise. My Morning Jacket’s broad fan-base results from the group’s sound welcoming—and not isolating—music fans of all types. (BS)
   
   
8. Neko Case Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
   Like most intriguing poets, Neko Case is not an easy read nor is her music readily classified by a single genre. Fox Confessor Brings the Flood is crawling with enigmatic animal and intriguing human characters, bizarre imagery, and spooky reverb-driven production. Like her work with her indie-pop band, The New Pornographers, Case offers several songs with catchy pop melodies to offset the darker mood of her ballads. Solemn and sometimes unsettling, her lyrics create a gothic atmosphere that begs repeated listening. Hammered dulcimer, cello, Hawaiian guitar and piano add spice to arrangements that are already intricate and dense. Soaring above it all is that voice, instantly recognizable, plaintive, aching and haunted. Neko Case deserves attentive listeners who appreciate her weird intensity. (RMW)
   
   
9. Gomez How We Operate
   It’s easy to forget that Gomez has always been a band with a knack for writing great melodies. Previous albums have drenched songs in techie flourishes or buried the melodies in the middle of extended jams, but the solid songwriting has always been there. The truth is in the title, then, on Gomez’s fifth release, How We Operate. This one finds the Brits scaling back the experimental aspects and focusing on what they do best with surgical precision. The lyrical melodies at the center of songs like “See the World” and “Girlshapedlovedrug” are catchy without being cloying. The addition of banjo and acoustic guitar on more straightforward rockers add a touch of welcome unpredictability. In doing so, How We Operate opens up the heart and soul of a well-oiled machine. (SB)
   
   
10. Kate Bush Aerial
    Thirteen years after her last release, Kate Bush reemerges from her manse on the moors to grace the world with a double CD that reinforces her reputation as one of pop music’s true enigmas. Aerial is aflutter with birds, pastoral scenes, epiphanies of motherhood, odes to ordinary chores, the loss of loved ones and even the chanting of pi as a metaphor for obsession and infinity. The mystical side of Bush, so associated with her early work, is invoked on the entrancing “How To Be Invisible.” Bush’s voice has mellowed into a deep, rich vehicle for these intimate themes. Her production is impeccable, traveling seamlessly from sublime orchestration to lone piano and vocals—apropos for a truly original eccentric. (RMW)
    
    
11. Michael Franti & Spearhead Yell Fire!
    After traveling to Iraq, Israel and Palestine armed with a guitar and a video camera, Michael Franti returned to a studio in Kingston, Jamaica, to reflect on his journey to tumultuous parts of the world that most artists only experience through the evening news. The resulting Yell Fire! is typically Franti-ambitious, covering serious territory both geographically and thematically. Giving equal voice to bomb victims, fighting soldiers, peace protesters and new overseas friends, the album could have been a scathing diatribe at the state of the warring world. Franti manages to find the hope and joy in the universality of music lovers looking forward to a brighter future. (SB)
    
    
12. Richard Hawley Coles Corner
    Coles Corner is a place in Richard Hawley’s home-town of Sheffield, England, where young lovers go to meet. It also feels like the setting for Hawley’s fourth solo album, at least in spirit, as his characters meet and part, and love and lose. The album features realistic love songs that take on the very human feelings of desperation, awkwardness and restlessness. But, there’s a hopeful vibe that abounds here as well; Hawley is never dramatic or fatalistic in his approach. Adding to the atmosphere is Hawley’s smoky voice and lush instrumentation that completes this lovely meeting. (BS)
    
    
13. Fiona Apple Extraordinary Machine
    Who would have thunk it? The princess of pout has a sly, self-effacing sense of humor to match her immaculate talent for creating melody! This much anticipated third release from the pop diva came after years of drama. Unhappy with the initial recordings, Apple held up the release until she could re-record many of the songs. Genre-jumping from wicked cabaret to lilting waltz to unadulterated power pop, Apple’s offerings are smart, ironic, sexy, occasionally scathing and, yes, funny. Apple’s voice and piano hold the spotlight whether a song is balanced on bare-boned arrangements or festooned with exuberant strings. (RMW)
    
    
14. Amadou & Mariam Dimanche a Bamako
    It’s hard to imagine a more compelling back story than that of West African duo Amadou & Mariam. After meeting at Mali’s Institute for Young Blind People, the pair forged a partnership in music and marriage that has taken them to the top of the African and European world beat scenes. With international superstar Manu Chao serving as producer on the couple’s fifth and most ambitious album, Dimanche a Bamako finds the pair’s organic harmonies rising to an eclectic international scale with the addition of funky horn riffs, offbeat samples and irresistible grooves. (SB)
    
    
15. Donavon Frankenreiter Move By Yourself
    The sophomore album by the pro surfer turned singer/songwriter from Southern California is miles ahead of his debut. Donavon Frankenreiter crafts a sound that’s significantly deeper and richer—and simply more fun—than before. Making a significant break with his “Jack Johnson protégé” past, Frankenreiter’s Move By Yourself is drenched in ‘70s R&B and soul, prominently using strings and wah-wah guitar. Although retaining the surfer/slacker sensibility, Frankenreiter creates an engaging fusion of enjoyable retro and earnest modernity. (MS)
    
    
16. Calexico Garden Ruin
    John Convertino and Joey Burns believe that a band has to keep redefining its sound in order to stay relevant. As the writing core of Calexico the duo continues to challenge their band mates and fans with excursions into new musical realms. Garden Ruin finds the band experimenting with layered harmonies while restricting the use of their signature horn and string arrangements. Lyrically, Burns ventures into America’s current political atmosphere. Recorded in Bisbee, Arizona, Calexico marries the arid, isolated feel of that desert town with Hispanic influences derived from their hometown, Tucson and the band’s international make-up. (RMW)
    
    
17. The Flaming Lips At War With the Mystics
    Exploding into the mainstream with an alternative radio hit in 1993, The Flaming Lips didn’t self-destruct like most bands might have trying to follow up the success of a quirky song like “She Don’t Use Jelly”. Instead, The Flaming Lips came back by experimenting with their music in fascinating ways, all while still signed to a major label. At War With the Mystics could be considered modern psychedelic rock with its crunchy guitar and trippy production, but it also has a gentle side as well. The Lips could have gone in many directions with this release. It makes one wonder just what they’ll do next. (BS)
    
    
18. Zero 7 The Garden
    The term “folktronica” has been used in recent years to describe the collision between folk music and electronica. But on The Garden, the third album from British duo Zero 7, aka, Sam Hardaker and Henry Binns, it has never been more fitting. Vocalist Sia lends her beautiful, ethereal voice to several tracks, while first time Zero 7 collaborator Jose Gonzalez creates an equally mesmerizing effect reminiscent of early Crosby, Stills and Nash. The end result is a pleasing set of mellow, soulful pop songs that softens and then perfects the merging of cutting edge electronic production and folk sensibilities. (KS)
    
    
19. Josh Ritter The Animal Years
    The driving drumbeat that propels “Wolves,” Josh Ritter’s first single from The Animal Years, gives notice that the Idaho folksinger is moving away from the singer songwriter approach to composition to a more complex structure that encompasses a broader range of possibilities. Producer Brian Dreck (Iron & Wine) includes enough sonic additives to help Ritter discover his new voice while still maintaining the focus on Ritter’s instinctual, nuanced songwriting. Ritter includes universal questions about love, creates a debate between two saints about the implications of war, and ends with a manifesto on how history will view these troubling times. (KS)
    
    
20. Sarah Harmer I’m a Mountain
    Sarah Harmer’s third solo release finds the artist stepping back to refocus on a more organic style of music making—one that highlights traditional folk and bluegrass. Harmer’s production duties consist of overseeing a live and lively weekend taping with a group of talented musicians who joyously pluck and pick away on guitars, banjo, mandolins and stand-up bass. Piano and harmonica add a touch of spice to the arrangements and Harmer’s voice rings pure and sweet. Her lyrics are a mix of pastoral charm and political/cultural tweaks, but the overall effect of this music is to create an aura of well-being and optimism. (RMW)
    
    
21. Bruce Springsteen We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions
    A decade ago Bruce Springsteen immersed himself in music recorded by legendary folk performer Pete Seeger, eventually resulting in this release—Bruce’s 21st album. Recorded live in his New Jersey farmhouse in three sessions spanning as many years, the recordings’ looseness and informality lends a sense of wild fun to much of the album, an uncommon occurrence to Springsteen’s discography. This album was created for the sheer love of the music and it shows. (MS)
    
    
22. Beck The Information
    Beck’s ninth album tries hard to distill all the different styles of his back catalogue into one cohesive album, fusing some big-beat dance-rock with a little sexy funk added with a pinch of folk-tinged groove. Most of the record succeeds entertainingly, but even when Beck drifts into left field and gets downright weird (like in his 10-and-a-half minute space opera album closer), he’s never uninteresting. Throw this album on at a party, and you’ll never lack for bodies moving or at least making interesting conversation. (MS)
    
    
23. Cat Power The Greatest
    For the better part of a decade, Chan Marshall, aka Cat Power, has been honing a unique lo-fi indie angst ridden sound. On her newest effort, Marshall goes southern with horns, funky string arrangements, and spine-chilling violins. The Greatest was recorded in a week at the legendary Ardent studios in Memphis with session veterans Mabon and Leroy Hodge who helped broaden and refine Marshall’s presentation. The Greatest represents Chan Marshall’s most cohesive and accessible record and should win her an expanded legion of fans thanks to her sweetly laidback and soul tinged sound. (KS)
    
    
24. Ray LaMontagne Till the Sun Turns Black
    Ray LaMontagne is the sort of songwriter who wears his troubled heart on his faded sleeve, and his sophomore album continues his expression of emotional unrest. While his music still sounds retro with not a shred of irony or winking modernism—like he just emerged through a time machine from the early ‘70s—the sound is expanded from his last record. Organs and strings enrich the arrangements more than previously and imbue LaMontagne’s songs and vocals with a greater sense of drama (think Joe Cocker). While not as powerful as his debut, it’s still a strong statement from a terrific performer. (MS)
    
    
25. Rosanne Cash Black Cadillac
    When Johnny Cash died in 2003, the world began to deal with the loss of a legend. For Rosanne Cash, this legend was her father, and in the writing and recording of this release, she also grieved the passing of her mother and stepmother, too. Inspiration comes in many forms and, for Cash, her darkest and most personal moments translated into the creation of an inspired and heartfelt release. But the album is never sappy or morose. Cash takes on a range of emotions and genres as her songs cycle from bluesy rockers to straight up country. (BS)
    
    
26. Del Castillo Brotherhood
    The Austin-based new world flamenco and rock band founded by brothers Rick and Mark del Castillo first gained national recognition on the 2003 soundtrack for Once Upon a Time in Mexico. This third album from the sextet bristles with energy—from dueling Spanish guitars to Latin rhythms to the English and Spanish belting of lead singer Alex Ruiz. Del Castillo cooks up a tasty musical stew that may be reminiscent of Gipsy Kings-meets-Los Lobos but remains nicely original. (MS)
    
    
27. Matt Pond PA Several Arrows Later
    Although now based in New York, Matt Pond, the eponymous songwriter at the center of the band Matt Pond PA, does his former Keystone State of residence proud with the band’s sixth album Several Arrows Later. Pond demonstrates his skill at combining the best of heartbreak lyrics and plaintive vocals with acoustic instrumentation—cello has never sounded as well-matched to a driving drum beat as it does in the opening “Halloween.” No matter the location, Pond knows that mellow melancholy crosses state lines. (SB)
    
    
28. Kris Delmhorst Strange Conversation
    The flame that ignited the work of great artists in past centuries continues to spark the art of today —sometimes in new forms. This is evident in songwriter Kris Delmhorst’s collaboration with poets of past centuries. Taking either inspiration or directly using the words of renowned writers, Delmhorst creates melodies to match the emotions elicited in works by Walt Whitman, Lord Byron, Edna St. Vincent Millay, Rumi, Virgil and others. The results are often surprising and always imaginative—Georg Eliot meets Dixie Ragtime and e.e. cummings provides lyrics for a country romp. Unpretentiously and lovingly, Kris Delmhorst translates classic literature for a new century and audience. (RMW)
    
    
29. The Decemberists The Crane Wife
    Although this fourth album marks The December-ists’ first for a major label, fans need not worry about their creative integrity. The band keeps their offbeat songwriting perspective intact while taking their music into surprising and inventive directions. Songs move from terse pop gem to sprawling mini rock opera in a variety of unexpected musical styles (even sounding like Emerson, Lake & Palmer on one track). The Crane Wife, a strong, solid album, is chock full of delights for those who don’t want to know for sure in which direction each song might turn. (MS)
    
    
30. KT Tunstall Eye to the Telescope
    For American fans, a telescope may indeed be the necessary tool to keep up with KT Tunstall’s meteoric rise to fame in 2006. For fans back in her native UK, however, the success has been a long time coming. The Scottish songwriter had been performing in bars long before releasing a major label record; and the rough edges show in her tuneful debut, which garnered a Mercury Prize nomination in 2005. With foot-stompers like “Black Horse and the Cherry Tree,” Tunstall makes a memorable mark on both sides of the pond this year. (SB)
    
    
31. Avett Brothers Four Thieves Gone
    Is there such a genre as Alt-Bluegrass? If so, this North Carolina trio should rule the roost with the forceful performances and vivid songwriting on their latest album. Recalling the manic intensity of the Violent Femmes debut, the Avett Brothers swoop from delicate ballad to caterwauling hootenannies from song to song. Although they may fall between the cracks of some listeners’ tastes, their raw energy mixed with rootsy, acoustic music will be irresistible to many. (MS)
    
    
32. Beth Orton Comfort of Strangers
    Marking the 10th anniversary since Beth Orton’s debut album, Comfort of Strangers takes a kaleide-scope look at affairs of the heart with draped over intimate, delicate melodies. Crafted while using a different approach to her material, the album was recorded with the warmth of analog sound and made quickly with minimal overdubs, using mostly a trio of backing musicians. The 14 keenly-observed vignettes are each a simple delight. And, in aiming for an earthy sound, Orton soars heavenward. (MS)
    
    
33. Alejandro Escovedo The Boxing Mirror
    Always the confessional and introspective songwriter, Alejandro Escovedo has made no secret of the turmoil in his life. The Boxing Mirror finds him sparring with his own self image in the wake of his newly found sobriety, a new marriage, fatherhood and his near-death experience due to complications from Hepatitis C. The resulting work is a mix of conflicting emotions; somber, self-reflective ballads are off-set by blazing rockers that act as cathartic release for the anger and resentment of lost opportunity. Producer John Cale is a perfect fit for this darkly themed and wizened confirmation of redemption. (RMW)
    
    
34. Los Lonely Boys Sacred
    Los Lonely Boys’ second release arrives nearly three years after their self-titled debut. The Garza brothers (guitarist Henry, bassist JoJo, and drummer Ringo) kick off the new one with the fierce “My Way,” a declaration of independence from a meddling music industry. Most of the songs are ruminations on love as well as odes to the comforts of home. “Outlaws” is a tribute to free-willed country singers and features Willie Nelson. A horn section backs up the group’s harmonies and Santana-esque rock—an added dimension to the excellent musicianship introduced on their first release. (MS)
    
    
35. Elvis Costello & Allen Toussaint The River in Reverse
    The devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina prompted many musicians to make albums in homage to The Big Easy. This one joins British-born Elvis Costello with New Orleans songwriter and pianist Allen Toussaint. Together, the two reworked seven of Toussaint’s classics and collaborated on five new songs. The resulting album is a celebration of the region’s music with a twist of social commentary. Ranging from sweet ballads to sing-along rockers, Costello’s backing band, The Imposters along with The Crescent City Horns, add spirit and soul to this emotional work. (BS)
    
    
36. Chris Smither Leave the Light On
    Consistency is not a bad thing, especially if you’re Chris Smither. On this, his 12th album since 1970, Smither delivers another excellent collection of his blues-tinged folk songs. But, it doesn’t come off as the same old thing. His wry observations on life are current and Smither peppers his lyrics with personal topics including his own aging process to more universal and frequently controversial subjects such as politics and evolution. Bob Dylan’s “Visions for Johanna” and a few traditional tunes balance-out original material and match nicely with Smither’s gravelly voice, expert picking and percussive foot-stomping. (BS)
    
    
37. Madeleine Peyroux Half the Perfect World
    While comparisons to Billie Holiday and Patsy Cline are bound to follow Madeleine Peyroux for the rest of her career, the greatest thing about Peyroux’s third release, Half the Perfect World, is that Peyroux is really starting to sound like…well, Madeleine Peyroux. With her delicate, lingering phrasing, the chanteuse puts her own stamp on classic covers (Joni Mitchell’s “River,” Leonard Cohen’s “Blue Alert”) while turning less-likely candidates like Fred Neil’s “Everybody’s Talkin” from Midnight Cowboy into future torch standards full of wistfulness and romance. (SB)
    
    
38. Bob Dylan Modern Times
    Bob Dylan’s 31st studio album is 10 new songs from the man who has become rock music’s benchmark for songwriting. Using timeless song structures from blues and vintage pop, Dylan demonstrates that he remains a creative force to be reckoned with in popular music. Backed by his touring band and produced by himself under the pseudonym Jack Frost, the musicianship and sound of the album is largely impeccable. Though the disc drags a bit in its second half, it’s a respectable entry to take its place among Dylan’s pantheon of other albums. (MS)
    
    
39. Jamie Cullum Catching Tales
    Jamie Cullum’s enormous success on both sides of the Atlantic can be attributed to his ability to straddle the line between contemporary pop and jazz—and his immensely likable personality. Catching Tales, the follow up to his breakthrough Twentysomething, finds the pianist/vocalist sticking to the musical framework that worked last time out. Cullum takes a giant step forward as songwriter, offering original compositions that feature funk, soul and hip-hop elements and involve collaborators as diverse as Ed Harcourt and producer Dan the Automator. Cullum adds a handful of jazz standards but revises them by way of untraditional arrangements. (RMW)
    
    
40. Rosie Thomas If Songs Could Be Held
    Rosie Thomas isn’t typical of artists on the legendary indie-rock label Sub Pop records. Her folk-based songs are reminiscent of early Suzanne Vega but with less detachment and more vulnerability. Thomas’ lovely harmonies alternates folk guitar with piano and offer an ideal setting for her earnest vocals. A striking lyricist, she keeps her words low-key before swooping in with startling imagery at just the right moment. Rosie Thomas is a notable talent who has been flying under the radar for too long. If Songs Could Be Held merits holding, and serious listening. (MS)
    
    
41. Ben Harper Both Sides of the Gun
    Ben Harper is one of the few artists that come to mind as someone who constantly produces thought-provoking and emotional music. His brilliant songwriting, social commentary, personal reflection, and musicianship once again shine on his latest release, Both Sides of the Gun. The double CD travels in two separate directions. The first disc features some familiar Harper territory with a mix of funk, roots rock and blues. The second is a bit on the somber and introspective side, highlighting Harper as a singer-songwriter. Sadly, he’s still an unsung musical hero when it comes to the mainstream. (KS)
    
    
42. Camera Obscura Let’s Get Out of This Country
    The comparisons between the Glasgow six-piece band Camera Obscura and their Scottish peers Belle & Sebastian are inevitable. After all, the former’s debut was produced by the latter’s Stuart Murdoch, and both bands excel at making quirky pop with a melancholy underbelly. But Camera Obscura’s third LP finds the band taking off in its own direction under the vocal leadership of Tracyanne Campbell, who serves as a wary yet sincere guide through the minefields of giddy love and eventual disappointment. The effort proves that there’s a new contender in the Scottish lace-and-paisley mood-pop scene. (SB)
    
    
43. Corinne Bailey Rae Corinne Bailey Rae
    Listening to the smooth, romantic debut of Corinne Bailey Rae, you might be surprised to find out that the 26-year-old soul singer from Leeds, England was initially inspired by Led Zeppelin. But it makes sense—there are layers beneath her songs that add depth and maturity to what might have been an otherwise pretty yet unremarkable neo-soul record. With a voice that is sometimes girlish, often sultry, Bailey Rae shows a mastery over her material, earning laudatory comparisons to Billie Holiday and Erykah Badu. (SB)
    
    
44. Keane Under the Iron Sea
    In the two years since Keane’s debut album introduced the world to the latest chapter in introspective British songwriting, the band has discovered electric guitars and lush arrangements that add teeth to their sound without betraying the sensitivity therein. New songs like “Is It Any Wonder?” find the band “amping” up their sound with racing guitar pedals while staying true to one of their biggest strengths: lead singer Tom Chaplin’s soaring voice. It’s still the true soul of a band that has discovered it can let loose a little and not lose any heart in the process. (SB)
    
    
45. Jenny Lewis & The Watson Twins Rabbit Fur Coat
    Former child-actress Jenny Lewis steps away from her indie-rock band Rilo Kiley in order to produce her first solo effort. Rabbit Fur Coat is ripe with gorgeous harmonies, country-tinged melodies and amusing contradictions. An avowed atheist, Lewis chooses as her collaborators the Texas gospel singers Chandra and Leigh Watson. Lewis is a revelation as lyricist. She writes devastating one-liners that spin wickedly funny stories deadly serious—all the while the music plays out like a baby’s lullaby. Beware this young artist; in her world there is a very thin line between scathing exposure and serene humility. (RMW)
    
    
46. Cassandra Wilson Thunderbird
    Where contemporary jazz blends with traditional blues, and seasoned classics match up with newly crafted ballads, there you’ll discover the music of Cassandra Wilson. Wilson has eclipsed the boundaries of mere singer. Her voice has evolved into a unique and unparalleled instrument—one that conveys emotions with a mature subtlety. T Bone Burnett’s sparse production is stunningly gorgeous. Wilson’s vocals snake between the stellar work of her band which includes Keb’ Mo’, Mark Ribot, Jim Keltner and Jay A. Bellarose. Her repertoire includes works by Blind Lemon Jefferson, Willie Dixon and Jakob Dylan. (RMW)
    
    
47. Hem Funnel Cloud
    The third studio album from the New York group Hem is built around a core quartet that highlights Sally Ellyson’s delicate, majestic voice. On Funnel Cloud, the group is joined by additional musicians, including a pedal steel and glockenspiel player, a violinist and, on occasion, an 18-piece orchestra. Known for their low-key folk-pop sound, Hem branches out, incorporating more up-tempo pacing and rock elements. But the strength of this band continues to be its ability to create music that is cinematic in its scope and vision. One of the most striking songs is the beautiful “Reservoir” which references Pittsburgh and exemplifies the CD’s great songwriting, quiet intensity and powerful beauty. (MS)
    
    
48. The Boogie Hustlers 122 Ellsworth
    The eight-member collective, The Boogie Hustlers, have been creating a buzz on Pittsburgh’s live music scene since 2004. The CD title implies the local connection, marking the Shadyside location where the band hones their sound. 122 Ellsworth features a melting pot of influences ranging from the Meters and Marvin Gaye to Spearhead. What makes this debut so special is the authentic neo-soul, blues, and funk grooves along with the harmonizing vocals of Sean Riegler and Vince Wylie. Poogie Bell’s production adds the finishing touches to one of this year’s finest local releases. (KS)
    
    
49. Golden Smog Another Fine Day
    Golden Smog is a super-group featuring a number of notable musicians from the mid-west and Minneapolis rock and alt-country scene, including Dan Murphy (Soul Asylum), Jeff Tweedy (Wilco), Gary Louris and Marc Perlman (The Jayhawks) and Kraig Johnson. After an eight-year hiatus, the group returns with Another Fine Day featuring 15 new songs, both full-on rockers and slower, more rootsy numbers. Tweedy and Louris handle most of the songwriting although Perlman and Murphy add a few gems. Singer Muni Loco is featured on “Cure For This,” making her the first female to grace a Golden Smog recording. (MS)
    
    
50. Lila Downs La Cantina
    The heart breaks, the glass is lifted, firecrackers sputter in the square. Accordion, trumpet, harp, cello and various percussive and stringed instruments merge in a mad polka-like frenzy while a stray clarinet hints at klezmer. Mexican-American diva Lila Downs begins to sing in deep, rich tones—at first a whisper then builds to dramatic proportions. Songs are introduced with spoken passages, always in Spanish. Downs sobs as she sings Ranchero ballads of lost love and drunken nights. The music is tragic; but it is also delirious fun. Lila Downs has a remarkable gift for making heartbreak seem like a celebratory matter. (RMW)

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