Top 10 of 2006, Part 2

Today we continue the sampling of my top 10 of 2006. Follow the link for more detailed commentary.

7. Old Crow Medicine Show - Big Iron World

Listen:
Old Crow Medicine Show - I Hear Them All

Buy:
From Amazon

6. Solomon Burke - Nashville

Listen:
Solomon Burke - Valley of Tears

Buy:
From Amazon

4. Hank Williams III - Straight to Hell

Listen:
Hank Williams III - D. Ray White

Buy:
From Amazon

Top 10 of 2006, Part 1

Head over to Americana Roots to see my top 10 albums of 2006. All ten albums are highly recommended and I've included a brief paragraph of explanation after each choice. Here are my favorite songs from albums 8, 9, and 10. Stay tuned for the rest of the count-down.

10. White Ghost Shivers - Everyone's Got 'Em

Listen:
White Ghost Shivers - Little Kisses

Buy:
From Chicken Ranch Records

9. Gary Bennett - Human Condition

Listen:
Gary Bennett - Headin' Home

Buy:
From Gary
From Amazon

8. Grayson Capps - Wail and Ride

Listen:
Grayson Capps - Give It To Me

Buy:
From Hyena Records
From Amazon

Cadillac Sky - Blind Man Walking

Blind Man Walking, Cadillac Sky's first album on Skaggs Family Records, hits stores tomorrow. Cadillac Sky could primarily be classified as a newgrass band, but the influence of country, traditional bluegrass, and Celtic music can be heard. Banjo player Matt Menefee and fiddler Ross Homes have both placed at Walnut Valley and singer and mandolin player Bryan Simpson has had several songs recorded by mainstream country artists.

Singer Bryan Simpson's baritone splits the difference between recent hat act Josh Turner (with whom they're played) and John Cowan of New Grass Revival and highlights an ambivalence running through this CD toward the divisions between traditional, progressive, and popular.

Listen:
Cadillac Sky - Born Lonesome
Cadillac Sky - You Again

Buy:
From Scaggs Family
From Amazon

The Can Kickers - Mountain Dudes

New London, CT-based The Can Kickers combine a punk ethos with traditional mountain music instrumentation: banjo, guitar, fiddle, harmonica, and washboard. What they may not possess in instrumental virtuosity, they make up in frantic energy and excitement. This, their third album, features mostly standards. Check out this collage of traditional sources, incorporating a traditional melody I can't quite place, some words from "Blue Moon of Kentucky," and some original lyrics.

Listen:
The Can Kickers - Shenandoah X

Buy:
From The Can Kickers

Antsy McClain and the Trailer Park Troubadours - Merry Christmas from the Trailer Park

If you're looking for a campy, white-trash Christmas, and if you're looking to experience it vicariously, this CD by Antsy McClain and the Trailer Park Troubadours is the one to get. And the music's pretty good, too. Unlike some white trash send up records, which are more concerned with the broad comedy, this CD also features some nice country and rockabilly sounds. Lead singer Antsy McClain also happens to do "serious" work, so don't think that he's a one-note novelty act.

Listen:
Antsy McClain - Christmas at the Trailer Park
Antsy McClain - She's Underneath the Mistletoe Again

Buy:
From Antsy McClain

Sunny Sweeney - Heartbreaker's Hall of Fame

The first thing I noticed about Sunny Sweeny was her East Texas accent. It reminded me a bit of Natalie Maines of the Dixie Chicks. I’m glad I didn’t let my initial prejudice get in the way of listening to the whole album, though, as Sweeney puts out a compellingly sweet and swinging album of Texas-style honky tonk.

Read the rest of my review on Americana Roots.

Listen:
Sunny Sweeney - If I Could

Buy:
From CD Baby

Spicewood Seven - Kakistocracy

I got this CD more than a month ago but haven't had the time to review it until now. I figured that after tomorrow, it would be a moot point to feature a disc intent on effecting the political status quo.

"Kakistocracy" is "government by the least qualified or most unprincipled citizens," according to the American Heritage Dictionary. I don't think it's risky to guess to whom the Spicewood Seven are referring. This CD isn't a liberal diatribe, though. Including a dig at "hippie girl" protesters and lamenting the removal of "under God" from the Pledge of Allegiance, this album is more reminiscent of Merle Haggard's populism than Steve Earle's full-fledged liberalism.

The album touches on a variety of issues, but the focus is the war in Iraq. Unlike some east coast liberals, this album doesn't show disdain for military personnel and it touches on religion as a force for progressive social change in a way that the Democratic establishment doesn't seem to get. The rise of populist opposition to the war in Iraq as exemplified by this album and Haggard's recent album makes me think the GOP is going to be in trouble tomorrow. The Democrats' inability to seize this discourse on a national level, however, mystifies me and if they don't pull it off tomorrow it wasn't for lack of opportunity.

The album, masterminded by Tennessee State U. English professor Luke Powers and Austin producer Tommy Spurlock, features guest appearances by Leon Rausch (of Bob Wills' Texas Playboys), Rosie Flores, Elana Fremerman (of Hot Club of Cowtown), and Garth Hudson (of the Band), who provides a church pipe organ version of the Doxology/Old 100th entitled "Garth's Dox."

The portion of the proceeds from this album are being donated to The Center for the Intrepid rehab facility being built at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio.

Listen:
Spicewood Seven - 21 Guns (For Cindy Sheehan)

Buy:
From CD Universe