2012 Americanrootsuk 'Albums of the Year'
The following list is the www.americanrootsuk.comalbums of 2012. (Cue fanfare!) The observant will notice there are 29 albums! The aim was to get a top 20 but after cutting out some very good albums I decided I just couldn’t reduce the list any further. There is not really any specific order other than in the top half dozen or so. My four particular favourites are the top four on the list and would in all probability figure in my top 20 ever! They really are that good and if I really had to stick my neck out, album of the year would have to be the incredible ‘Petunia and the Vipers,’ although on another day it could just as easily be the Sumner Brothers or Good Luck Thrift Store Outfit! Such is the fickleness of musical taste!
A couple of people mentioned the fact that three of those 29 albums are by bands that are based in or around the Brighton area, but I should point out that they are in the list on merit and not some misplaced sense of loyalty. For those that are not familiar with them, those bands are The Curst Sons, Porchlight Smoker and Hatful of Rain.
I should also point out that two of the selections were chosen by the late Paul Hinkley Smith who sadly passed away in September. They are the albums by John Murry and Hurray For The Riff Raff and were so highly rated by Paul that I had to include them.
Rather than adding comments to each album, all of them have been reviewed on the website this year so
further comment seems unnecessary. Should you wish to read the review simply insert the band/artist name into the search bar at the top of the page and you will be whisked off as if by magic to the review!
A couple of people mentioned the fact that three of those 29 albums are by bands that are based in or around the Brighton area, but I should point out that they are in the list on merit and not some misplaced sense of loyalty. For those that are not familiar with them, those bands are The Curst Sons, Porchlight Smoker and Hatful of Rain.
I should also point out that two of the selections were chosen by the late Paul Hinkley Smith who sadly passed away in September. They are the albums by John Murry and Hurray For The Riff Raff and were so highly rated by Paul that I had to include them.
Rather than adding comments to each album, all of them have been reviewed on the website this year so
further comment seems unnecessary. Should you wish to read the review simply insert the band/artist name into the search bar at the top of the page and you will be whisked off as if by magic to the review!
Petunia and the Vipers
Sumner Brothers – I’ll be there tomorrow
Good Luck Thrift Store Outfit – Old excuses
Joseph Huber – Tongues of fire
Charlie Parr – Keep your hands on the plow
Caroline Herring – Camilla
Malcolm Holcombe – Down the river
The Curst Sons – The snake & the money jar
Some Dark Holler – Hollow chest
Tom Vandenavond – Wreck of a fine man
Sumner Brothers – I’ll be there tomorrow
Good Luck Thrift Store Outfit – Old excuses
Joseph Huber – Tongues of fire
Charlie Parr – Keep your hands on the plow
Caroline Herring – Camilla
Malcolm Holcombe – Down the river
The Curst Sons – The snake & the money jar
Some Dark Holler – Hollow chest
Tom Vandenavond – Wreck of a fine man
John Murry – The graceless age
Hurray for the Riff Raff – Look out Mama
Jan Bell – Dream of the miner’s child
Stevie Tombstone - Greenwood
Blame Sally – Live at KVIE studios
Heritage Blues Orchestra – And still I rise
The WellDiggers – Hope and fear
Hat Fitz & Cara – Wiley ways
Will Scott – Keystone Crossing
Hillfolk Noir – Radio hour
Hurray for the Riff Raff – Look out Mama
Jan Bell – Dream of the miner’s child
Stevie Tombstone - Greenwood
Blame Sally – Live at KVIE studios
Heritage Blues Orchestra – And still I rise
The WellDiggers – Hope and fear
Hat Fitz & Cara – Wiley ways
Will Scott – Keystone Crossing
Hillfolk Noir – Radio hour
Melissa Ruth and the Likely Stories – Ain’t no whiskey
Porchlight Smoker 2
Hatful of Rain – Way up on the hill
Jason T. Lewis – The fourteenth colony
Cary Hudson – Mississippi moon
Lonesome Sisters – Deep water
McDougall– A few towns more
Illegitimate Sons – American music
Viper Central – Thump & howl
A final thought! There is going to be a nice round number of 30 albums after all with that final place going to a reissue. This is the phenomenal 63 c.d set of Johnny Cash's 'Complete Columbia Collection.' Not all of it is great, in fact not all of it is even o.k. but the lesser albums are more than compensated for by the great albums! (Not that I have listened to all of them yet) It had to be added to the list simply because of the sheer scale of the thing!
Porchlight Smoker 2
Hatful of Rain – Way up on the hill
Jason T. Lewis – The fourteenth colony
Cary Hudson – Mississippi moon
Lonesome Sisters – Deep water
McDougall– A few towns more
Illegitimate Sons – American music
Viper Central – Thump & howl
A final thought! There is going to be a nice round number of 30 albums after all with that final place going to a reissue. This is the phenomenal 63 c.d set of Johnny Cash's 'Complete Columbia Collection.' Not all of it is great, in fact not all of it is even o.k. but the lesser albums are more than compensated for by the great albums! (Not that I have listened to all of them yet) It had to be added to the list simply because of the sheer scale of the thing!