As with every year, there was a wide variety of music released, and while we liked much of what we listened to, these 30 are the albums that stuck with us the most. We will be revealing the list in tree segments the next three days. Now that we’ve said that, here’s the second day and second ten albums on our countdown.
20. Young Man, Old Soul – Brandon Rickman (Rural Rhythm Records)
This album may be from the lead singer/guitarist of a bluegrass band (the Lonesome River Band) but that doesn’t mean that this album doesn’t crossover into country more than one would think a bluegrass album would. Rickman possesses not only a strong voice (Think Marty Raybon) but also a solid set of songwriting skills that are both highlighted on the record. Particularly stunning are the ballads which feel like we’re listening to a writer’s night and not an album.
Key Tracks: “What I Know Now,” “Dime Store Rings,” “So Long 20’s” & “Wide Spot In The Road.”
Click the album image to read the original review.
19. The Long Road Home – Terri Clark (Bare Track/EMI Canada/Capitol Nashville)
Terri Clark started in the mid 1990s and for about 10 years straight she scored hit after hit for her first record label Mercury Nashville. While the singer went on to a short-lived deal with BNA Recors, she ultimately decided to write and record The Long Road Home on her own while focusing on her native Canada, where she never lost her place as a radio star. This record finds her able to mine similar territory as Gretchen Wilson (“Gypsy Boots”) while also showcasing that she is able to also hit a raw nerve in other tracks (“A Million Ways To Run”) while being distinctively herself. All of this makes for an incredible album worth listening to and appreciating over and over again.
Key Tracks: “If You Want Fire,” “A Million Ways To Run,” “If I Could Be You” & “You Tell Me.”
Click the album image to read the original review.
18. Wide Open – Jason Aldean (Broken Bow Records)
While his previous albums have gone gold or platinum, this is the album where Jason Aldean became a star. Aldean became a star because of his ability to touch a nerve with audiences with not only his rockin’ rave-ups like “She’s Country,” but also with the slower songs like (ironically) “Fast” and “The Truth.” The album actually isn’t nearly as ‘rocking’ as some would expect based on Aldean’s string of hits but as his last two hits are proving, the artist is much better when singing slower to mid tempos than even on his popular rockers.
Key Tracks: “Big Green Tractor,” “Don’t Give Up On Me,” “The Truth” “Wide Open” & “Fast.”
Click the album image to read the original review.
17. I'm About To Come Alive - David Nail (MCA Nashville)
David Nail has an interesting story in that he was signed to UMG’s Mercury Nashville in 2001 only to never actually get that album out. He lost his deal and a few short years later the same team signed Nail and placed him on their MCA Nashville label. The title track was released in 2008 and it struggled to score any sense of hitworthyness. It seemed as if Nail was gonna strike out twice but then a little song called “Red Light” came his way and the rest, as some folks say, is history. Gifted with a pliable tenor voice that can soar and emote with the best of vocalists, David Nail finally got his debut album out this fall and man, did it contain some gems from the album opener “Mississippi” to “Red Light” to the title track and more. This is the kind of modern country music that I hope can stick around with the even more pop-leaning fare. It’s that good.
Key Tracks: “Strangers On A Train” “Mississippi,” “Again,” “Turning Home” and “Missouri.”
Click the album image to read the original review.
16. The Excitement Plan – Todd Snider (Yep Roc Records)
One wouldn’t think that a country artist could hail from the northwestern part of the country yet that’s exactly where Todd Snider hails from. The singer-songwriter who spent the 90s on some bigger labels has now settled into a nice groove with his most recent releases and as always, The Excitement Plan mixes his trademark humor, wit and political observations into a set of conversational, open and downright enjoyable tunes.
Key Tracks: “America’s Favorite Pastime,” “Bring ‘Em Home,” “Money, Compliments & Publicity.”
15. The Man I Want To Be – Chris Young (RCA Nashville)
While his debut album showed promise on songs like “Drinkin’ Me Lonely” and “Choices” and such, it wasn’t the ‘break-out’ that it could’ve been. Fortunately for Chris, his label believed in him enough to give him the ability to make a second album and after gaining some traction with “Voices,” he was able to hit a home run with “Getting You Home (The Black Dress Song).” The rest of the album alternates between honky tonk rave-ups that are all the rage these days (“That Makes Me”) to soft and tender ballads (“It Takes A Man”). There are many interesting moments on the disc but perhaps no song is more interesting than the duet with Willie Nelson, “Rose In Paradise.”
Key Tracks: “Rose In Paradise,” “The Shoebox,” “Man I Want To Be,” “Rainy Night In Georgia.”
Click the album image to read the original review.
14. Old Things New – Joe Nichols (Universal Records South)
In many ways it feels as if “Old Things New” was made for Joe Nichols himself. Recorded after a stay in a rehab facility the album contains interesting songs on it that touch on somber topics like those mentioned in the title track and “An Old Friend of Mine” and the honky tonk radio fare like “Gimmie That Girl” and “Cheaper Than A Shrink” that find this old soul firmly dancing the line he needs to in order to remain a viable radio star. While those songs keep him on the radio, it is the somber traditional tracks that really give the album life.
Key Tracks: “Man. Woman,” “An Old Friend of Mine,” “Believers,” & “Old Things New.
Click the album image to read the original review.
13. The Quiet Time of a Rock and Roll Farm Boy – Big Kenny (Love Everybody/GloTown/Bigger Picture)
While John Rich made one really great single, Big Kenny followed up his great single “Long After I’m Gone” with a record that showed off a remarkably content and creative artist. From the Native American chants opening up “Wake Up” to the steel-guitar laced “Share The Love,” Big Kenny has crafted a record that has him falling into some sort of cosmic space that once held John Lennon. Hopefully some other songs find a home on radio to get this innovate album (which was made of a biodegradable paperboard that recycles into flowers) into the hands of more people.
Key Tracks: “Long After I’m Gone,” “Go Your Own Way,” “Drifter,” “Free Like Me,” & “Share The Love.”
Click the album image to read the original review.
12. Losin' Lately Gambler - Corb Lund (New West Records)
This singer/songwriter has slowly built a rabid fan the old-fashioned way, through hard work. Mixing in humor along with stellar songwriting and vocal skills, Corb Lund has the complete package. While the chances are small that his brand of rootsy country rock will find a home in the mainstream, this Alberta, Canada-native certainly isn’t avoiding trying to break through. Even if this record doesn’t ever sell what Carrie Underwood sold in her first week it still is worth seeking out if you genuinely love strong storytelling, vocals and instrumental performances.
Key Tracks: “Horse Doctor, Come Quick,” “A Game In Town Like This” & “Chinook Wind.”
Click the album image to read the original review.
11. Dance With Me - Johnny Reid (Open Road Recordings/UMG Canada)
We first became aware of Johnny Reid through his sophomore album Kicking Stones. That album brought Reid into the forefront of Canadian audiences with his mixture of blue-eyed soul and roots-rock/country music. It’s a hybrid that has become more and more popular in the United States yet somehow Johnny Reid hasn’t gotten much attention south of the Canadian Border. While folks in and around Nashville know of the artist, his stellar records, like Dance With Me haven’t found a label home here. It’s a shame because while soul-filled, they contain some genuinely strong country elements with steel guitar solos, passionate romantic songs and fiddles. It’s a combination that works on multiple levels but is especially compelling on the tender ballads like the title track.
Key Tracks: “Dance With Me,” “A Woman Like You,” “Brings Me Home” & “My Old Friend.”
Click the album image to read the original review.
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Well friends, there you have it. The ten albums above are the second set in our three day, Top 30 albums of 2009 countdown. Don’t forget to check out the first set (click here) or to come back tomorrow to find out what album is our #1 album of 2009.
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