Hello my lovelies, and happy new year to you …

Bruce Springsteen – We Take Care of Our Own

Frightened Rabbit – State Hospital
A brief warning that this video might be disturbing to those who have experienced domestic violence – but the ending is so lovely and hopeful.

And now for something completely different:

One Direction – What Makes You Beautiful
DON’T BE HATIN’. This is as perfect a bubblegum pop song as has ever been recorded.

Snow Patrol – This Isn’t Everything You Are
Wall-to-wall goosebumps…

Lake Dredge Appraisal
Not a song, but a sublime web series from the very innovative Onion video studios. Watch the entire series here.

Of Monsters And Men – Little Talks
The Mumfordification of the world continues, and I couldn’t be happier about it.

Mumford & Sons – I Will Wait
Speaking of which…

Dear Esther original soundtrack
Dear Esther is an interactive storytelling experience, and it is amazing. A big part of that amazingness is the soundtrack by composer Jessica Curry.

Taylor Swift – State of Grace
Again, that old saying about books and covers…

fun. – Some Nights
On the whole I still prefer the previous album (Aim and Ignite) to this one, but this song is amazing, and I’m happy for their success.

Oh, and one last thing … this was the year I discovered that there is a thing called ICP Theater, in which everyone’s favorite clowns review things from popular culture. My belated holiday gift to you is this, in which the boys critique the ubiquitous Gangnam Style:

 
Here are my top 20 Americana albums as featured on Roots ‘n’ Boots:

20. Kasey Chambers & Shane Nicholson – Wreck and Ruin (Sugar Hill)
19. Darrell Scott – Long Ride Home (Full Light)
18. Kevin Gordon – Gloryland (Crowville)
17. Malcolm Holcombe – Down the River (self-released)
16. Carolina Chocolate Drops – Leaving Eden (Nonesuch)
15. Justin Townes Earle – Nothing’s Gonna Change the Way You Feel About Me Now (Bloodshot)
14. Sons Of Bill – Sirens (Thirty Tigers)
13. Iris DeMent – Sing the Delta (Flariella)
12. JD McPherson – Signs and Signifiers (Rounder)
11. Catherine Irwin – Little Heater (Thrill Jockey)
10. Jon Byrd – Down at the Well of Wishes (Longleaf Pine)
9. Buford Pope – Matching Numbers (Unchained)
8. Lee Bains III and the Glory Fires – There Is a Bomb in Gilead (Alive Naturalsound)
7. Dwight Yoakam – 3 Pears (Warner Bros./Via)
6. Tommy Womack – Now What! (Cedar Creek)
5. Kelly Hogan – I Like to Keep Myself in Pain (Anti-)
4. Chris Knight – Little Victories (Drifter’s Church)
3. Ray Wylie Hubbard – The Grifter’s Hymnal (Bordello)
2. Patterson Hood – Heat Lightning Rumbles in the Distance (ATO)
1. The Carper Family – Back When (self-released)

Here’s a list of five favorite albums from WFPK Program Director, Stacy Owen.

Band of Horses – Mirage Rock
I’m a big fan of Ben Bridwell’s vocals and every song tells a distinct story with beautiful arrangements.

Stars – The North
This makes the list mostly because “Hold on When You Get Love and Let Go When You Give It” is my favorite song of the year.

Father John Misty – Fear Fun
Father John Misty is a quirky, fun, inspired project from a former Fleet Foxes member. Also one of my favorite live performances of the year. I saw him in Philly, and he’ll be at Headliners here in Louisville on Jan. 9!

Damien Jurado – Maraqopa
Another beautiful collaboration with producer Richard Swift from the godfather of Seattle folk/rock.

King Tuff – King Tuff
He’s known to the rock-nerd underworld as King Tuff, but songwriter Kyle Thomas crafted an instantly accessible and totally engaging release. My “put it on in the car and rock out” CD of the year.

Accelerando – Vijay Iyer
Clean On The Corner – Mike Reed’s People, Places & Things
Bright Light In Winter – Jeff Parker Trio
Allelujah! Don’t Bend! Ascend! – Godspeed You Black Emperor
The Jazz Workshop Concerts, 1964-65 – Charles Mingus
Book Of Mae’bul – Darius Jones Quartet
Love, Peace & Soul – Don Byron
Centennial–Newly Discovered Works of Gil Evans – Ryan Truesdell
Cine Prive – Domenico
The Money Store – Death Grips

Over the last couple of years, there’s been an explosion of comedy gold. From TV, to standup, to podcasts, there’s just to much hilarious stuff happening these days. Speaking of which, here are my top 10 stand-up comedy albums of 2012. It’s tough to put them in order, because each record is the funniest thing I’ve heard all year at the moment I’m listening to it.

Just for reference, some of these records aren’t for the faint of heart – and some of the tracks in the accompanying playlist aren’t safe for work.

Kyle Kinane – Whiskey Icarus
Jonah Ray – Hello, Mr. Magic Plane Person, Hello
Jim Gaffigan – Mr. Universe
James Adomian - Low Hangin Fruit
Tig Notaro - Live
Louis C.K. – Live at the Beacon Theater
Hannibal Buress – Animal Furnace
Derek Sheen – Holy Drivel
John Mulaney – New in Town
Todd Barry – Super Crazy

So I’m a little bit late with this, but here goes – these were the ten songs I dug the most in 2011. (In the spirit of being late, a couple of them actually came out in 2010, but 2011 was the year I discovered them and spent a lot of time with them.)

The Twilight Sad – The Wrong Car

Iron and Wine – Tree By the River

Bon Iver – Calgary

Robyn – Call Your Girlfriend

Adele – Don’t You Remember

Nicki Minaj w/ Rihanna – Fly

The Script – You Won’t Feel a Thing

Brett Dennen – Sydney

The Band Perry – If I Die Young

Dawes – A Little Bit of Everything

Here they are.  The albums that soundtracked the entire year.  Let us know what you think.

Winners in each category voted on by you!
“Local Artist of the Year” – Ben Sollee
“Emerging Artist of the Year” – The Civil Wars
“Artist of the Year” – Adele

 
100. Elbow – Build a Rocket Boys
99. Jessica Lea Mayfield – Tell Me
98. Ari Hest – Sunset OverHope Street
97.  Tune-Yards – Who Kill
96.  Dave Moisan – Ungravity
95.  Vandaveer – Dig Down Deep
94.  Will Hoge – Number Seven
93.  Joseph Arthur – The Graduation Ceremony
92.  Joe Bonamossa – Dust Bowl
91.  Cold War Kids – Mine is Yours
90.  Lisa Hannigan – Passenger
89.  G. Love – Fixin’ to Die
88.  Matthew Ryan – I Recall Standing As Though Nothing Could Fall
87.  The Felice Brothers – Celebration,Florida
86.  Lykke Li – Wounded Rhymes
85.  Kathleen Edwards – Voyager
84.  Graffiti6 – Free EP
83.  Warren Haynes – Man in Motion
82.  Washed Out – Within and Without
81. PortugalThe Man – In the Mountain In the Cloud
80.  Drive By Truckers – Go-Go Boots
79.  Matt Pond PA – Spring Fools EP
78.  Gabe Dixon – One Spark
77.  Nerves Junior – As Bright As Your Night Light
76.  Bobby Long – A Winter Tale
75. Beirut– The Rip Tide
74.  The Twilight Singers – Dynamite Steps
73.  Bell X1 – Bloodless Coup
72.  The Deloreans – American Craze
71.  Young the Giant – Young the Giant
70.  Snow Patrol – Called Out in the Dark EP
69.  R.E.M. – Collapse Into Now
68.  Nicole Atkins – Mondo Amore
67.  The Dears –Degeneration Street
66.  James Maddock – Wake Up and Dream
65.  Harper Blynn – Harper Blynn
64.  The Cars – Move Like This
63.  Sam Roberts – Collider
62.  Walk the Moon – I Want I Want!
61.  Ryan Adams & the Cardinals – III/IV
60.  Gary Clark Jr. – Bright Lights EP
59.  Ben Harper – Give Till It’s Gone
58.  Scars on 45 – Give Me Something/Heart On Fire
57. St. Vincent– Strange Mercy
56.  Radiohead – The King of Limbs
55.  Laura Marling – A Creature I Don’t Know
54.  Diego Garcia – Laura
53.  Amos Lee – MissionBell
52.  Silver Tongues – Black Kite
51.  Bon Iver – Bon Iver
50.  Lucinda Williams – Blessed
49.  City & Colour – Little Hell
48.  Wilco – The Whole Love
47.  Noah & the Whale – Last Night on Earth
46.  Mike Doughty – Yes & Also Yes
45.  James Vincent McMarrow – Early in the Morning
44. Florence+ the Machine – Ceremonials
43.  Iron & Wine – Kiss Each Other Clean
42.  Raphael Saadiq – Stone Rollin’
41.  Sarah Jaffe – Suburban Nature
40.  Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues
39.  TV On the Radio – Nine Types of Light
38.  Over theRhine– The Long Surrender
37.  The Civil Wars – Barton Hollow
36.  Matt the Electrician – Accidental Thief
35.  Ha Ha Tonka – Death of a Decade
34.  Bedouin Soundclash – Light the Horizon
33.  Company of Thieves – Running From a Gamble
32.  The Jayhawks – Mockingbird Time
31.  Bright Eyes – The People’s Key
30. Feist – Metals
29.  Katie Herzig – The Waking Sleep
28.  The Heavenly States – Oui Camera Oui
27.  Burlap to Cashmere – Burlap toCashmere
26.  Coldplay – Mylo Xyloto
25.  Paul Simon – So Beautiful or So What
24.  Ben Sollee – Inclusions
23.  Gillian Welch – TheHarrow& the Harvest
22.  Eddie Vedder – Ukulele Songs
21.  Eastern Conference Champions – Speak-Ahh
20.  Tedeschi Trucks Band – Revalator
19.  Motopony – Motopony
18.  The Features – Wilderness
17.  Jim Ward – The Electric Six EP
16.  Ryan Adams – Ashes & Fire
15.  The Head & The Heart – The Head & the Heart
14.  Ponderosa – Moonlight Revival
13.  The Black Keys – El Camino
12.  Gomez – Whatever’s On Your Mind
11.  Bob Schneider – A Perfect Day
10.  Foster the People – Torches
9. The Decemberists – The King is Dead
8.  Adele – 21
7.  Abigail Washburn – City ofRefuge
6.  Hayes Carll – KMAG YOYO
5. Brett Dennen – Loverboy
4.  Jason Isbell – Here We Rest
3.  Death Cab For Cutie – Codes & Keys
2.  Dawes – Nothing Is Wrong
1.  My Morning Jacket – Circuital

Oy! this was a tough year to make such decisions as to the ten best albums of the year! About drove me crazy. A lot of my choices were quite frankly made because of time spent with the music. It’s likely Ryan Adams and The Black Keys would have made the list if they had come out earlier in the year and I’d had time to get to know the music better. Same for Feist and several others. But in the end, as fate would have it, the ten I chose were the ones who got my attention the most and often returned to for many listens. So here they are:

10.  Adele – 21 – The British songstress made an album this year that may be the best of her career not only from the past but into the future. Undeniable great singing and songwriting with the number one hit of the year “Rolling In The Deep”.

9.  The Civil Wars – Barton Hollow – John Paul White & Joy Williams are both established songwriters and solo artists. After meeting at a songwriters workshop and playing together they soon realized they had amazing chemistry. They joined forces and voices and Barton Hollow is the beautiful result. Check out “Poison & Wine”.

8.  Paul Simon – So Beautiful or So What – Never a one trick pony Paul Simon keeps on keeping on and produced one of his most gorgeous records yet. Check out “Getting Ready for Christmas Day”, “The Afterlife” and “Rewrite”. Excellent!

7.  Silver Tongues – Black Kite – Louisville rockers Silver Tongues stole the show for me this year after sifting through hundreds of local releases and some other great contenders for this spot on the list. They have the edge I wish Coldplay had and surpass many great bands who’ve been at this game for years with just their debut. Tracks recommended are “Warsaw”, “Broken Strings” & “Wet Dog”.

6.  The Head & The Heart – Self-titled - The Northwest is brimming once again with some stellar bands emerging from its decidious forests. Oh, and from Seattle too. There’s not one bad song from The Head and The Heart but these tracks really stand out “Lost In My Mind” and “Down In The Valley”.

5.  Motopony – Self-titled – Read number six. Only difference is different songs. Suggested are “King of Diamonds” and “Seer”.

4.  Burlap to Cashmere – Self-titled - One of those bands that had success in the ’90s then disappeared only to reform, rejuvenate, recover and reemerge with an excellent album this year. Check out “Don’t Forget to Write” and “Build A Wall”.

3.  Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit – Here We Rest – One of my favorite songwriters ever, guitarist and Southern rocker Jason Isbell put out a relatively light hearted record with some really fun songs. As always don’t let the light-heartedness fool you. Depth and remarkable songwriting are all over this album too. Favorite tracks are “Alabama Pines” and “Codeine”.

2.  The Decemberists – The King Is Dead – Colin Meloy and his Portland, Ore. bandmates put together an album of brilliance this time around. Some would argue they always do but this one caught me by surprise and I fell madly in love with the whole album. Having Gillian Welch & Dave Rawlings guest on the record didn’t hurt. “June Hymn” is some of the best poetry put to song I’ve ever heard. “Down By The Water” is good Americana fun too.

1.  Vandaveer – Dig Down Deep – This band is made of two: Mark Charles Heidinger & Rose Guerin who were obviously made for each other – musically that is. Gorgeous harmonies, fantastic songwriting, mezmerizing melodies swept me off my feet this year and landed this record as my number one pick of 2011. “Concerning Our Past and Future Conquests” and “The Nature of Our Kind” are just two of the 10 amazing tracks on this record.