Highlights of 2011... so far...

I can't believe all the great music I've been discovering this year - so many great new additions to the My Top Rated playlist on my iPod. There's some old friends, new departures and fresh faces, for sure...

Ari Hest - Sunset Over Hope Street

I've been following Ari Hest for over 10 years - and in full disclosure, I interned with his management for a semester - and I've watch him grow from New York coffee house crooner through major label aspirations to master songwriter (see the "52" Project). I was lucky enough to catch Ari in Nashville last week on the home stretch of his supporting tour for Sunset Over Hope Street, and I was completely blown away by his musicianship, unusual chord voices, and the phenomenal drummer, Doug Yowell, he brought with him.

Check out the tracks "If I knew You'd Say Yes," "Sunset Over Hope Street," "Swan Song" and "How Would I Know."

The Damnwells - No One Listens to the Band Anymore

I am a sucker for classic guitar-driven pop a la Tom Petty, and the latest from the Damnwells hits that sweet spot on the nose. I can't help but feel a lot of raw hope for these guys, who seem to be the perpetual underdogs of pop rock. I was blown away by their major label release Golden Days several years ago, but deflated shortly after when their label dropped them in favor of groups like the Fray.

No One Listens to the Band Anymore shows that you can't keep a good band down for long. My favorites so far include "Werewolves," "She Goes Round," and "The Same Way."


The Civil Wars - Barton Hollow

These harmonies hit me like a brick. While co-member Joy Williams has made a big name for herself in the CCM world with several Dove awards, I can't help but feeling that she's secured a big place for herself in the Americana/Roots scene that's been bubbling up for the last few years. The beauty of their sound is in the simplicity of the production. There's no need for layers of sound when you have two truly skilled musicians blending well together. Listening to this record makes me want to pack my plain guitar, crumple up my humble self-penned songs up and find a new hobby...

Check out "Barton Hollow" (picking up rotation on VH1), "20 Years" and "Birds of a Feather."

Danger Mouse & Daniele Luppi - The Rome Project  

 When I heard about a collaboration featuring Jack White, Norah Jones and Danger Mouse ominously titled Rome, my immediate thought was "this is going to be very interesting." What I was not expecting was a tribute to the classic Spaghetti Western soundtracks from the 1960s, i.e The Good, the Bad and the Ugly and A Fistful of Dollars.

The two pre-release singles that debuted a few weeks ago on iTunes, Jack White's "Two Against One" and Norah Jones' "Black," hint at a fantastic concept album. Plus, you can't beat Italian composer Daniele Luppi's mustache - pure James Bond meets Dos Equis guy, if you ask me. If only I could pull off a look like that...

Middle Brother - Middle Brother

I wish these guys would make a stop in Nashville sometime soon...

Middle Brother is a collaboration of members from Dawes, Delta Spirit and Deer Tick. It's rough around the edges, with clear hints of The Band, CSN and Neal Young. I'm loving the jangled twang in "Blue Eyes," the trying-to-care-but-can't in "Blood and Guts," and the subtle bitterness of "Thanks For Nothing."

Augustana - Augustana

The full album is due the last week of April, but judging by the lead single "Steal Your Heart," I'm very hopeful this record will be in heavy rotation on my iPod this summer just like their previous two. Augustana was produced in part by Jacquire King, the same guy who produced the last two Kings of Leon albums. You can definitely hear a KOL mark in the production and spacey reverb of the record.

Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues

Maybe I just have a little too much affection for the folk/Americana trend that seems to be coming out of the woodwork right now. I can't get enough of the current cadre that boasts Mumford & Sons, the Avett Brothers, the Civil Wars and Fleet Foxes. The Foxes' second album drops in a couple weeks, and I managed score a pair of tickets to see them at the Ryman here in Nashville a few days later. I hope the rest of the disk keeps pace with this pre-release track.