Turnpike Troubadours - Goodbye Normal Street

When the dust settles on this year of music, I think we will find Goodbye Normal Street near the top of the heap.  If you've been wishing for a great country album for a long while, this one will scratch that itch.  Salty lyrics, some downright nasty fiddle licks, and just enough twang.  This album has moved in and taken residence in my CD player since I received it, and it won't be leaving any time soon.

Buy the album here.









Turnpike Troubadours - Empty As a Drum
Turnpike Troubadours - Gin, Smoke, Lies


Web: Turnpike Troubadours
Twitter: @TpTroubadours

Chelle Rose - Ghost of Browder Holler



I could tell you that Ray Wylie Hubbard produced Ghost of Browder Holler and that would be reason enough for you to buy it.  I could tell you Brad Rice plays guitar on it and that would be even more incentive.  But after you hear it you hear it, you'll agree that the best thing going for this album is Chelle Rose's gritty, yet tender, vocals and her flat-out honest Appalachian songwriting. Think Ray Wylie meets Elizabeth Cook and youll have a working description of Ghost of Browder Holler.  This is one of my favorite albums I've heard this year and it spent a few solid months in my CD player.  You can purchase it in your preferred format from Chelle's website below and check out tour information as well.  Check out a couple tunes and video below in the meantime.


Web: http://chellerose.com/
Twitter: @ChelleRoseMusic


Chelle Rose - If I Could
Chelle Rose - Wild Violets Pretty
Here's a video of "Sweet Violets Pretty" with Elizabeth Cook joining Chelle onstage at The Station Inn.

Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real - Wasted

Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real is a new band on my radar, but Wasted is their second full-length album. Immediately recognizable on the first play of the disc is the nasally vibrato in the lead vocal. Yes, it's excellent.  Yes it's familiar. No, it isn't Willie. But Lukas is Willie's son.
Lukas lays claim to the songwriter's triple crown on this album: he writes the songs, sings them as well, and also plays all the guitars. As you would expect, there is no good genre with which to characterize Lukas' music. A little country, soul, and a lot of rock.  Maybe a sprinkling of jazz, and a dose of the blues. Check out "Heart of the Matter," my favorite after first listen. This is one of the best songs I've heard this year.  Highly recommended.

Lukas Nelson and POTR - Heart of the Matter

And check out a performance of the title track "Wasted."

Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit - Here We Rest

Here We Rest is the latest release from In My Basement Room favorite Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit , and is the band's second release on Lightning Rod Records. For the sake of full disclosure, Jason's previous albums (the solo Siren's of the Ditch, the self-titled one with the 400 Unit (my favorite record of 2009), and all those Trucker's albums) are among my very favorites and I listen to them all frequently. Naturally, I was really looking forward to this new album, but I didn't expect it to hit me like the self-titled album did.  I'm glad to report that my expectations were greatly exceeded.

This album has a lot more acoustic feel than the previous albums.  Strummed acoustic guitar in "Alabama Pines," the wicked fiddle in "Codeine," and the mandolin chop and brushed drums in "Tour of Duty" all contrast the blistering rock of "Go It Alone" and "Stopping By."  Check out "Codeine" and a video of "Alabama Pines" below and be sure to pick up the album.  It will likely be the best album you buy this year.

Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit - Codeine  (from Here We Rest) (Buy)

Centro-Matic - Candidate Waltz

I know I'm way behind on this, but let the record show I'm on the Centro-matic bandwagon. My first true exposure to their music, other than a track or two here and there, was the free 24 song sampler posted on their website earlier this year that Greg at Captain's Dead clued me in on.  I really took to their sound and was pretty excited when their latest album Candidate Waltz showed up in my inbox.  If you are familiar with Centro-matic, then you don't need a "sounds like" comparison and you probably already have this new album.  If you aren't familiar with them, what are you waiting on?  Didn't you see the free sampler linked above?  Check that out, then go get Candidate Waltz.  At first listen it was great, and now at three months aging its a favorite of mine.  The songs take you through a spectrum of emotions that make it the perfect soundtrack for driving around, sitting in a cubicle all day, or cooking chili on a crisp fall evening.  Add to that the frame-worthy cover art by front man Will Johnson and you have an album that is on a very short list for album of the year.

Check out this video of "Only In My Double Mind" off of Candidate Waltz that features Will painting the album cover as a mural.

Fifth on the Floor - Distant Memory Lane

Fifth on the Floor "Distant Memory Lane" Music Video (2011) from Blake Judd on Vimeo.

Free Music: The Billy Reid September Sampler

Here is a little treat I saw over at American Songwriter.  I haven't listened to all of it yet, but you can't beat the price.  You can download it here.