My Favorite Albums of 2021

 

This week while we were in NYC we had lunch with my friend Elliot Wagner (@nowiveheardeverything) who I met at SXSW many years ago.  Like a few of you, Elliot has forgotten more about music than I will ever know – he’s a walking encyclopedia of music.  We were talking about the best albums and he made a great point – any list may not be the “best” but is definitely your “favorite” at that point in time.  And never more true than this year when in the last month my “favorite” albums of 2021 have changed some places – still the same albums just a different order.  So with that said here are my “Favorite” albums of 2021! And the rules remain the same - only 2021 released albums and I have to own the vinyl (sorry Andrew Leahy).

 

1.   1.   James McMurtry – The Horses and the Hounds – I first heard James in 1989 when “Too Long in the Wasteland” came out and I wore out that cassette – yes a cassette which I still have.  Then we moved to Austin and I saw James numerous times including one night at the Cactus Café where he was standing beside me at the bar getting a shot before he played.  James is a true storyteller and you just want to believe they are his stories – guess he learned the storytelling from his dad – acclaimed author Larry McMurtry.  This album opens with “Canola Fields” that leads us from the fields of Southern Alberta to “Brooklyn before it went hipster”.  And a classic line “we were hiding out under my hat, cashing in on a thirty year crush, you can’t be young and do that”.  Lots of references to getting old as in “If it Don’t Bleed” where he writes “there’s more in the mirror than there is up ahead” which is so true for so many of us.  So many great lines and songs on this album!

 

2.   2. The Hold Steady – Open Door Policy – still remember the day at SXSW years ago at Rachael Ray’s party when Jo asked who the accountant in the Twins hat was getting his picture taken and I told her it was Craig Finn, lead singer of The Hold Steady who we would see in an hour or so and instantly became one of our favorite bands.  After a few albums that didn’t hit the mark this year’s release is a home run – right up there with “Boys and Girls in America” .  In “Lanyards” “Everybody’s trying to get the right kind of wristband” – so true for anybody going to a show.  And in “Family Farm” the writer meets a girl and then “She brought me to a fortress she called the family farm, out along the towers there were guards with heavy arms, I guess there was some tension with the neighbors”.  I can’t wait until we actually get to see these songs live in 2022!

 

3.      3. Amy Speace with The Orphan Brigade – There Used to Be Horses Here – It was on one of our lunch time walks in the spring of 2021 when the title track played from a Spotify new releases playlist and I was hooked.  Some research revealed I had a prior Amy Speace CD in the collection.  That song hooked me and led to discover more great songs on this album which became one of my most played in 2021.  The title track is about horses that lived by her dad’s house that are there no more “And I wanted to see them that day in October, running fast up the hill to the sky, I wanted to see them in perfect formation, one more time, one more time.”  What a great picture these lines paint of a fall day with the horses in the fields.  I think we can all see that picture in our minds.  This is still my favorite song of the year.  On “Shotgun Hearts” telling the story about a previous love “Running against our dreams before they could start, With Shotgun hearts”.  Because of COVID Amy didn’t tour this year but we did have the chance for a virtual house show where she played our request list and some of the new songs from her house in Nashville.  One of the highlights of 2021 for sure.

 

4.      4. The Killers – Pressure Machine – This is the most un-Killers like album I’ve ever heard – and my favorite.  I’ve heard it described as their “Nebraska” and although that maybe a stretch it’s terrific.  It’s a story album focused on small town Utah where Brandon grew up.  And for all of us from small towns the stories hit home.  The opener “West Hills” is the traditional small town guy who gets involved in drugs “They got me for possession of them Hillbilly Heroin pills Enough to kill the horses that run Free in the West Hills.”.  And then on “Cody” it’s that kid we all knew “Cody says he didn’t start the fire, His parents know he probably did”.  An added bonus was the great harmonica that Joe Pug (see below) added on “Quiet Town” which is another story of despair in a small town “A couple of kids got hit by a Union Pacific train, Carrying Sheet metal and household appliances”.  The story of small town America!  The most interesting question is how the Killers blend this into a live show with all their anthemic rockers.  Look forward to seeing that in Houston in 2022.

5.     5.  Morgan Wade – Reckless – Another find off of the Spotify Release Radar playlist early in 2021.  I then found out that Sadler Vaden (Isbell’s guitar player) was the producer and played / wrote on this album as well as much the 400 Unit.  We got a chance to see Morgan play these songs live when she opened for American Aquarium in June in the Heights.  It was solo acoustic so the songs sounded different but still very good.  The album opens with “Wilder Days” which is a falling in love story “I wish I had known you in your wilder days, and now here we go You got me falling in love again”.  The title track is a good song as well “Going too fast down the wrong way, swimming out past where the waves break”.  It will be interesting to see where Morgan goes from here!

 

6.      6. Son Volt – Electro Melodier – I wish I had been in to the Alt Country music earlier in my listening life and maybe I would have seen Uncle Tupelo.  It’s not often that a band breaks up and tow quality bands are formed from the parts.  But with Jeff Tweedy creating Wilco and Jay Farrar establishing Son Volt that is a reality. Most of you know I don’t get Wilco and I’ve tried hard to but I don’t get what the songs are about.  Son Volt on the other hand seems to write songs I enjoy.  This year’s release has great songs all over it.  “Reverie” opens the album with these lines “When you fade into a melody, your mind is lost in reverie” and isn’t that what music means even more in 2021 – listening to a song is your escape.  Later on “Livin’ in the USA” Jay writes the existential question facing America right now “Where’s the heart from days of old?, Where’s the Empathy?, Where’s the soul?, livin’ in the USA”.  All appropriate questions for 2021. 

 

7.       7. The Flatlanders – Treasure of Love – I don’t think there is a voice in music I like any more than Joe Ely.  I could listen to him sing just about anything he sings so this album was just about guaranteed to make my list when it came out.  No new songs, mostly covers which I am not a fan of but getting any new music from guys in their 70’s is a bonus.  One of my best Austin music stories was from the security airport when Jimmie Dale Gilmore was in front of me. We were both on the way to Nashville for Americana Fest and I got this story from him “I was over at Joe’s (Ely) house this weekend and we were singing some songs and Robert stopped by and joined in.”  Me – “Robert?” JDG – “Robert Plant” – yeah Robert Plant just stops by my house on a Saturday to sing with us!  Only in Austin, Texas.  Back to this album a great opener with Joe singing “Moanin’ of the Midnight Train” and then Jimmie singing “Long Time Gone” from Tex Ritter.  Later Butch Hancock does a great version of Cash’s “Give my Love to Rose”.  Great to hear these guys taking on some classic songs!

8.     8.  Joe Pug – The Diving Sun – I first heard and saw Joe open for Steve Earle in 2009 in Chicago and then again in 2010 at SXSW.  Since then I have listened to his music and probably more to his podcast – The Working Songwriter where he talks to all musicians on how they write – and mostly the music I listen to.  This release is an interesting format – a 10” vinyl record with 8 songs.  The good news is that all the songs are quality songs – no filler here.  I have worn out the opener “Crescent Bridge” on Spotify with its beautiful keyboard opening.  “I’ve been waiting all night for you to look my way, I’ve been playing with a fire that I can’t explain.”  The third song “Free Rider” starts with “Never once did you stand on your own in the fire” as the writer questions if the other person is a free rider.  And somehow Joe has BJ Barham of American Aquarium playing French Horn on the 4^th song “Deep End”.   Give this record a listen as well as Joe’s podcast, you won’t be disappointed.

9.       9.Rodney Crowell – Triage – Rodney’s catalog has become a recent addition to my collection.  I hadn’t really listened to him but the more I do the more I know I should have earlier.  Another of the great stories of American Music, playing in EmmyLou’s Hot Band and then marrying Rosanne Cash.  And Rosanne sings on this album along with her husband John Leventhal playing on several songs and producing one of them.  The opener is a great song “Don’t leave me now” that opens with “I’ve been a liar, I’ve been untrue, I’ve compromised myself, But I’ll make it up to you”.  I think we can all relate to some part of that statement.  Side one closes with a statement “Something has to change” which is Rodney’s commentary on the U S in 2021 – “we can’t live in fear like this and in trembling rejoice”.

10.   10. John R. Miller – Depreciated – Another Spotify Release Radar find where I first heard “Borrowed time” and then when I found out the name of the album I had to buy it.  Anybody who can use an accounting term for their album title is someone I need to listen to.  Both the opener and the second song “Borrowed Time are terrific songs and I look forward to seeing John R. live in the future.

 

Best of the rest:

The Felice Brothers – From Dreams to Dust – Jazz on the Autobahn is a fun song even though I don’t know why

The Staves – Good Woman – beautiful harmonies

Hanna Enlof – Bare Bones Swedish singer songwriter

Josiah and the Bonnevilles – Motel Mayday – opener is a classic

Moon Taxi – Silver Dream – some great pop songs

Brandi Carlile – In These Silent Dreams – always Top 10 for me – not this one

Lukas Nelson and Promise of the Real – sounding more and more like Dad but with a rock band backing

Graham Sharp – Truer Picture – solo album from a Steep Canyon Ranger

Strand of Oaks – In Heaven

Emily Scott Robinson – American Siren