#10
Play On
Carrie Underwood

World: meet Underwood. She’s fiercely compassionate and endearingly idealistic (the riveting “Change”). She holds her beliefs with a firm but quiet conviction (“Temporary Home”). She’s as comfortable and convincing at tearing down a wrong-doer (the Dixie Chicks-esque “Songs Like This”) as she is nursing an irreparable heartache, whether it’s in the form of a haunting country standard (“Someday When I Stop Loving You”) or a rich pop ballad (“What Can I Say?”). And she’s one of the most gifted vocalists of this generation, possessing an instrument that, when colored and layered with emotion as she’s aptly learned to do on Play On, can have bone-chilling effects.

Like it or leave it, Play On is the most authentic encapsulation of Underwood’s artistry and persona to date, and serves as an exciting glimpse at how far a little growth can carry her. The best is yet to come, but in the meantime, the “good” is pretty damn good. – Tara Seetharam

#9
Sara Watkins
Sara Watkins

As most people know by now, Sara Watkins is the female member of the now-disbanded (hopefully temporarily) New Grass trio, Nickel Creek. While Nickel Creek was difficult to classify in a certain genre (not bluegrass, not country), they were embraced by bluegrass and country music fans alike. Each member of the popular trio has released intriguing projects outside of Nickel Creek, but Watkins’ album  has assumed the most decidedly country direction of them all. As a result, we are treated to a sublime album thanks to Watkins’ sweet voice and a set of impressively solid songs. – Leeann Ward

#8
Live at Eddie’s Attic
The Civil Wars

When Alabama singer/songwriter John Paul White and eleven-time Dove Award nominee Joy Williams formed the Civil Wars, their first release Live at Eddie’s Attic (available for free download) appeared to be purely publicity, not something one expects to be spectacular. Yet, Live at Eddie’s Attic is exactly that, excelling in the emerging acoustic movement that floats along the outskirts of country much like the most pop-oriented country radio fare, albeit in its own direction. – William Ward

#7
Live on the Inside
Sugarland

I’ve never heard a live album that has so made me long to see an act in concert. Sure, the live versions of the hits are solid, especially the marriage of “Joey” with Nightswimming,”  But it’s the broad selection of interesting covers that make this essential listening. Where else can you hear Pearl Jam and Kings of Leon songs alongside songs by The B-52′s and Edie Brickell & The New Bohemians? – Okay, fine. Satellite radio. But you won’t hear Nettle’s irreplaceable drawl wrapped around them anywhere else. – Kevin Coyne

#6
Revolution
Miranda Lambert

If Crazy Ex-Girlfriend was the album that commanded us to sit up and take notice of Lambert, Revolution is the album that lures us in, one intriguing, introspective song at a time. By shedding the authentic but limiting aggression-heavy skin of her previous album, Lambert is free to explore the complex of emotions behind her fierce persona, in songs that range from poking tongue-in-cheek fun (“Only Prettier”) to honestly and accessibly conveying love (“Love Song”). And it should be noted that, while Lambert has honed her songwriting skills to a tee on Revolution, her largely underrated vocal skills are perhaps equally superb on this album; this is no more apparent than on the touching, beautifully restrained “The House that Built Me.” – TS

#5
Written in Chalk
Buddy & Julie Miller

A textbook Americana album – textbook in the sense that it truly does blend a wide range of roots sounds, and in the sense that it’s really freaking good. What you get here is part warm country (“Ellis County”), part dirty rock ‘n’ roll (“Gasoline and Matches”), part quiet folk (“Chalk”), and even part slow-burning jazz (“Long Time”). The common thread is immaculately crafted melodies and productions which nail the essence of each song’s emotional point.
- Dan Milliken

#4
Willie and the Wheel
Willie Nelson & Asleep at the Wheel

Three decades in the making, Willie & The Wheel came to us in a swingin’ flurry at the beginning of 2009, setting the bar so high for future albums that very few were able to outshine it. It’s one of those rare albums that sounds inspired from start to finish, as though not one single note of the wildly energetic, masterfully performed disc was taken for granted by its creators. Given the current musical landscape, Willie & The Wheel may feel like a tribute to Western Swing, but make no mistake: distinct and compelling, this is an album that embodies and, in many ways, enhances Western Swing – a classic on its own merits. – TS

#3
The Excitement Plan
Todd Snider

The Excitement Plan is more acoustic than some of Snider’s previous work (thanks to producer Don Was), but the clever turn of ideas and his trademark relaxed delivery is ever-present. As always, Snider gently pokes a stick at the world, along with himself, as he views life’s situations through his typically goofy, but insightful, lens. Album highlights include the retro-sounding “Don’t Tempt Me” (with Loretta Lynn), the self-aware/self-deprecating “Money, Compliments, Publicity (Song Number Ten)” and the simple “Corpus Christi Bay.” With a string of quality and engaging albums under his belt, it’s heartening that The Excitement Plan manages to be one of Snider’s most solid   projects so far. – LW

#2
Midnight at the Movies
Justin Townes Earle

Justin Townes Earle’s largest claim to fame is still a matter of his family tree, despite musical differences that, in many ways, make comparisons with his acclaimed singer/songwriter father quite challenging. Midnight at the Movies continues Justin’s argument for fame under his own merits, highlighting his less political and more personal writing with a warm voice much less worn than his father’s. It also provides one of the strongest songs of the decade, “Mama’s Eyes,” an epic wrapped up in a package so tiny it leaves you wondering how it was done. – WW

#1
Satisfied
Ashley Monroe

Satisfied was supposed to be released in 2006, but since the album did not produce any top 20 singles, Columbia Nashville held the album instead of officially releasing it. It did momentarily find its way onto digital retail outlets for a month, just long enough to gain hype by ardent supporters who recognized that Satisfied was a real gem that deserved to be officially released to the public. Fortunately, the powers that be at Columbia (though Monroe and the record label had long since parted ways) finally decided to re-release the digital version of the album in May 2009, this time for good.

While Monroe was merely nineteen years old when she recorded this album, she neither caters to the teen crowd nor overreaches to prove her maturity. Instead, her warm, clear crackling voice simply sings of what she knows. From her playful duet with Dwight Yoakam (“That’s Why We Call Each Other Baby”) to introspective compositions such as “Hank’s Cadillac” and the album’s title track, Satisfied is smart without being pretentious, contemporary without being bubblegum and traditional without being stale. – LW

]]> http://www.countryuniverse.net/2010/01/15/best-country-albums-of-2009-part-2-10-1/feed/ 49 http://www.countryuniverse.net/2010/01/14/best-country-albums-of-2009-part-1-20-11/ http://www.countryuniverse.net/2010/01/14/best-country-albums-of-2009-part-1-20-11/#comments Thu, 14 Jan 2010 08:27:30 +0000 Dan Milliken http://www.countryuniverse.net/?p=14374 #20 One to the Heart, One to the Head Gretchen Peters & Tom Russell

Gretchen Peters is best-known as a singer-songwriter, and a successful one at that, having penned the CMA. Song Of The Year "Independence Day" in 1994 and scored a top five hit when Faith Hill recorded her song, “The Secret of Life” in 1999. It is surprising then that, with her seventh album, One to the Heart, One to the Head, she and Tom Russell would release an album consisting almost completely of covers. Reminiscent of Willie Nelson’s penchant for relaxed delivery, One to the Heart, One to the Head flows with subtle emotion and western imagery. - William Ward

A tense uncertainty hung over 2009, as the world waited to see what would become of a new American president, an economy in crisis, and a full deck of divisive social issues.

Popular music tends to respond to such charged societal circumstances in one of two ways: by confronting the issues and their ramifications head-on, or by cranking up the escapism to drown it all out for a bit. 2009 leaned heavily on the latter course, as the thumping sex-pop of Lady GaGa and the fluttery boy-centrism of Taylor Swift dominated the airwaves and the registers, offering listeners a chance to believe, if only for a few passing moments, that the world was as simple as a ride on a “disco stick” or the defeat of an evil cheer captain.

The tensions were certainly felt in country music, whose mainstream attempted to rally its casual fans against all the fallout by drumming up endless brain-optional reassurances of hometown value, God and gender identity, mostly with the volume at an attention-forcing 11 and the lyrical shrewdness averaging about 3. It made for a remarkably accessible year for that mainstream, but one which fewer fans ultimately cared much about, neutered as it was by its attempts to appease – rather than inspire – the mass public.

But let’s be positive: there were exceptions. For all its white lies and willful ignorances, country music in 2009 still told a great deal of truth. For all the loudness and brashness, the actual chart smashes – “Then”, “You Belong with Me”, “Big Green Tractor”, “Need You Now”, “Consider Me Gone” – were mostly non-exclamatory songs, songs that reflect a cherishing of simple, core ideals: Stability. Support. Romance. Appreciation. And of course, the alternative and independent artists hidden under country’s big tree continued to flourish in their own way, protected by the stability of the music’s thick roots and a less-tainted appreciation for its craft. Kinda like in the first two thirds of Avatar.

The countdown beginning below – our final country music retrospective of the past year and decade – contains albums from every spot on that big tree, from superstars squatting on the apples up top to upstart little sprouts on the middle branches to the legends holding down the withered bark at the base. It has been compiled by combination of equally weighed top-ten lists by Kevin, Leeann, William, Tara and myself, and features commentary from all five of us. Part 2 will come tomorrow, along with our individual singles and albums data. As always, we hope you enjoy the countdown and invite you to share your own top albums in the comments, along with any thoughts you may have as we close the book on 2009, if not on all the issues it brought forth.

- – -

#20
One to the Heart, One to the Head
Gretchen Peters & Tom Russell

Gretchen Peters is best-known as a singer-songwriter, and a successful one at that, having penned the CMA. Song Of The Year “Independence Day” in 1994 and scored a top five hit when Faith Hill recorded her song, “The Secret of Life” in 1999. It is surprising then that, with her seventh album, One to the Heart, One to the Head, she and Tom Russell would release an album consisting almost completely of covers. Reminiscent of Willie Nelson’s penchant for relaxed delivery, One to the Heart, One to the Head flows with subtle emotion and western imagery. – William Ward

#19
Southern Voice
Tim McGraw

He once sang about how he’d do it better in his next thirty years, an early indication that he’d be paying close attention to the seasons of life and the changes that come with them. The best tracks of what is yet another solid McGraw album find him holding on the past for dear life (“Still”), worrying that life is passing him by (“If I Died Today”), and empathizing with those who have already seen life pass them by (“You Had to Be There.”)
- Kevin Coyne

#18
Closer to the Bone
Kris Kristofferson

A masterclass in deep, personal, relatable, evocative country songwriting. Casual listening it ain’t, though, as Kristofferson’s arrangements and singing are too understated to work with anything less than your full attention. Give it. You won’t regret doing so, especially at the end, when Kris whips out the first song he ever completed (at age eleven), a charmer called “I Hate Your Ugly Face.” – Dan Milliken

#17
Defying Gravity
Keith Urban

Somebody’s in love. If Urban’s last album chronicled his descent into addiction, this one is the soundtrack of his own personal redemption. He’s giving thanks to the woman who brought him back from the edge and singing about love and happiness with the giddiness of a much younger man. – KC

#16
Hillbilly Goddess
Alecia Nugent

Hillbilly Goddess is a  first-rate album that went largely unnoticed, which would be unfortunate in any year, but is positively bewildering in a weaker year such as 2009. Tastefully produced by Carl Jackson, who also produced Joey + Rory’s debut album, along with the highly-acclaimed tribute to the Louvin Brothers, Hillbilly Goddess is treated with spare acoustic country arrangements (with splashes of bluegrass for good measure) that serve to accentuate  Nugent’s clear voice and songs rather than overpower them. Particularly if you like the production of the Joey + Rory album or Bradley Walker’s Highway of Dreams, Hillbilly Goddess’ arrangements will appeal to you as well. This third album is Nugent’s strongest to date both in sound and songs. – Leeann Ward

#15
Twang
George Strait

Easily among the most interesting moments in this legend’s very large catalog, chock full of typically solid material plus a previously unheard boldness befitting a man now willing to stick his tongue out on an album cover. He’s nearly sixty years old and still sounds more alive on highlights like “Hot Grease and Zydeco” and “El Rey” than most of his younger radio peers. Tway-yay-yang on, sir. – DM

#14
It’s Time
Amy Dalley

It was time a long time ago, actually. I’d call Dalley the most promising female singer-songwriter that mainstream country had a chance of embracing this decade. Thankfully, she’s included some of her best songs from her unreleased Curb album (“Let’s Try Goodbye”, “Talk.”) The rest of the album is up to par with those cuts, and quite a few surpass them. – KC

#13
Still Your Man
Paul Burch

He’s a new discovery for many of us at CU, but D.C. native and Nashville favorite Paul Burch has been releasing solid album after solid album since the late 90′s. His latest effort is a sparsely-arranged, unpushy meeting of jukebox pop, Bakersfield twang, and delicate crooning, the kind of effortlessly retro work you can imagine Justin Townes Earle getting totally jealous about. With more muscular production, most any of these songs could be standout cuts on other artists’ albums. – DM

#12
American Saturday Night
Brad Paisley

Every once and awhile we’re reminded that there are country “stars” in Nashville who deliver fresh, relevant and exciting music – music that’s as steep with artistic integrity as it is with commercial viability. American Saturday Night is the best recent example, a fine piece of musicianship that, for all its twisted wit, radiates with a sharp, mature perspective. It’s Paisley’s most cohesive album yet, which means some of the enjoyable off-the-cuff-type tracks of the earlier albums have been trimmed; but where the album lacks in diversity, it compensates with character and notable ambition, as on the progressive “Welcome to the Future.” The interesting thing about Paisley is that he places no more weight on songs lined with social commentary than he does on songs that capture everyman emotion (the fantastic “Everybody’s Here”), or songs that are just plain silly (“Water”?). Each seems to be crafted with the same level of ownership and keenness, and the result is an engaging album that has something to say, from start to finish. – Tara Seetharm

#11
Whatcha Gonna Do
Claire Lynch

Grammy nominee and IBMA award winner Claire Lynch was performing progressive bluegrass well before its recent commercial expansion, experience that serves her well on her latest album, Whatcha Gonna Do. Produced by Lynch herself, Whatcha Gonna Do is an eclectic gathering of well-written material that ranges from the unrecorded “A Canary’s Song,” co-written by Garth Brooks, to the more traditional “My Florida Sunshine,” written by Bill Monroe. Perhaps most impressive is Lynch‘s “Woods of Sipsey,” a haunting song written for her grandmother-in-law that shows the extent to which she continues to be a progressive voice in acoustic music. – WW

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Recommend Ten Tracks: 2009 Edition

Lorrie Morgan, “I’m Always On a Mountain When I Fall” from A Moment in Time

I love the effect that was created by having this album recorded live in the studio. It’s like hearing her in a smoky nightclub. This is by far my favorite track on the album, a loser’s lament that was quite worthy of revival.

Aaron Tippin, “Prisoner of the Highway” from In Overdrive

He already has the default voice of the overworked working man, so his world-weary vocal is a perfect fit for this song about an imprisoned by the freedom of the road.

Miranda Lambert, “The House That Built Me” from Revolution

I find her new album to be a bit unwieldy as a whole, but I love this particular track about a woman asking the new owner of her childhood home to allow her some time alone with the place that raised her. Having just sold our family home of thirty years, this song has been resonating with me, as we truly can’t go home again.

Todd Snider, “Money, Compliments, Publicity (Song Number 10)” from The Excitement Plan

The wry and witty folkster at his most wry and witty, yet still spilling out nuggets of brilliance from the corner of his mouth.

Carrie Underwood, “Someday When I Stop Loving You” from Play On

Don’t count me among the folks that wish that Underwood would just stick to simple songs like this with quiet arrangements that showcase her voice at its most tender. I like my pop-country and want some more, thank you very much. But for those of you who just want to hear that voice and the barest of accompaniment, this track is golden.

Patty Loveless, “When the Last Curtain Falls” from  Mountain Soul II

Given the preference, I’ll take my Patty Loveless down from the mountain. I love that pure country voice contrasted against electric instrumentation. But the best reason to listen to Patty Loveless is to hear her wrap her voice around complicated and truly adult material that reflects the reality of life and love.  This track could stand toe to toe with the best of her material to date.

Tim McGraw, “If I Died Today” from Southern Voice

It’s not nearly as accessible an assessment on one’s own morality as “Live Like You Were Dying”, but it’s a heck of a lot more believable than sixteen seconds on a bull named Fu Man Chu.

Love and Theft, “Slow Down” from World Wide Open

He’s talking to life and it’s a sadly beautiful conversation.

Holly Williams, “Birds” from Here With Me

This song is hauntingly gorgeous, a requiem for a dying love and a wishful hope for the new love that has yet to come.

Keith Urban, “Thank You” from Defying Gravity

Urban’s explorations of his demons have produced some of his best tracks, like “You’re Not My God”, and this one is a winner, a love letter to the wife that helped pull him away from the precipice.