I rather naively chose not to vote for the Ashley Monroe album, assuming most everyone else would classify it as being from 2006, but I especially liked your description of that record’s place in the contemporary country landscape.

Congrats, bud!

I know it might sound forced or something to say, but I really do learn by example on most things, so I want to acknowledge that. I was inspired to try and write comments in the first place by those who have done so in years past, particularly Jonathan Keefe, Chris Neal, Frank Kogan and Barry Mazor, all of whom show up again this year. They’ve been saying smart stuff about music since back when I was an eighth grader whining on LiveJournal – probably longer, for most of them. I feel indebted to them and others for getting me off my butt in some small way, so there’s my own “Bravo.”