Someone started a thread like this in the Electronica forum, and I think it's a great idea. Here's mine so far:

1 – Tallest Man On Earth – Shallow Grave
2 – Tyler Ramsey – A Long Dream About Swimming Across the Sea
3 – Sun Kil Moon – April
4 – Haley Bonar – Big Star
5 – Ladyhawk – Shots
6 – Elliott Brood – Mountain Meadows
7 – Colm Mac Con Iomaire – The Hare’s Dream
8 – Karine Polwart – This Earthly Spell
9 – Caroline Herring – Lantana
10 – Eef Barzelay – Lose Big
11 – Langhorne Slim – Langhorne Slim
12 – Nels Andrews – Off Track Betting
13 – Bo Ramsey – Fragile
14 – Accidental – There Were Wolves
15 – Travel By Sea – Days of My Escape
16 – Brown Bird – The Bottom of the Sea
17 – James Yorkston – When the Haar Rolls In
18 – Fern Knight – Fern Knight
19 – Battle of Land and Sea – Battle of Land and Sea

wow, i've only heard of three of these and they're your top three. arf!
i'll try to put one up soon

Bowerbirds have a good new album out. If you haven't checked it out, I suggest you do. I believe it's top 5 in this genre so far this year.

sweet. i really enjoyed their first one. thanx anbc

1) Sun Kil Moon - April
2) Blackbird Harmony - Hardwood Exits
3) Damien Jurado - Caught in the Trees
4) Robert Forster - The Evangelist
5) Elliott Brood - Mountain Meadows
6) Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
7) Possessed by Paul James - Cold and Blind
8) Andy Dale Petty - All God's Children Have Shoes
9) Neil Halstead - Oh! Mighty Engine
10) Matt Bauer - The Island Moved in the Storm
11) Centro-Matic / South San Gabriel - Dual Hawks
12) The Tallest Man on Earth - Shallow Grave
13) Bonnie 'Prince' Billy - Lie Down in the Light
14) Chatham County Line - IV
15) Festival - Come, Arrow, Come!
16) Johnny Flynn - A Larum
17) Chauchat - Upon Thousands
18) The Battle of Land and Sea - The Battle of Land and Sea
19) Bowery Boy Blue - Stalk That Myth
20) Timesbold - ill Seen ill Sung
21) James McMurtry - Just Us Kids
22) The Dutchess and the Duke - She's the Dutchess, He's the Duke
23) Mark Pickerel and His Praying Hands - Cody's Dream
24) Travel By Sea - Days of My Escape
25) Kathleen Edwards - Asking for Flowers


Need more listens:

James Yorkston - When the Haar Rolls In
Micah P. Hinson - Micah P. Hinson and the Red Empire Orchestra
Death Vessel - Nothing Is Precious Enough for Us
Jens Carelius - The First Songs

quote:

Originally posted by anbc:
Bowerbirds have a good new album out. If you haven't checked it out, I suggest you do. I believe it's top 5 in this genre so far this year.

I wasn't able to find this or any information about it. What is it called?

quote:

Originally posted by St. Mike:

quote:

Originally posted by anbc:
Bowerbirds have a good new album out. If you haven't checked it out, I suggest you do. I believe it's top 5 in this genre so far this year.

I wasn't able to find this or any information about it. What is it called?

I'm guessing anbc is referring to Hymns for a Dark Horse being reissued by Dead Oceans this year.

quote:

Originally posted by nmeiborg:

quote:

Originally posted by St. Mike:

quote:

Originally posted by anbc:
Bowerbirds have a good new album out. If you haven't checked it out, I suggest you do. I believe it's top 5 in this genre so far this year.

I wasn't able to find this or any information about it. What is it called?

I'm guessing anbc is referring to Hymns for a Dark Horse being reissued by Dead Oceans this year.

Oh.

Just realized that this thread existed. Will report back with a list, not too hard since most of my favorite albums are from these two genres.

A couple that I have been loving recently have been The Moondoggies new album, which is very similar to Elliott Brood and new Elephant Micah, which is a very strong effort from a well established folk veteran.

quote:

Originally posted by DrAwesome:
new Elephant Micah, which is a very strong effort from a well established folk veteran.

The new Elephant Micah is out/leaked somewhere? Really looking forward to this one.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: nmeiborg,

quote:

Originally posted by nmeiborg:

quote:

Originally posted by DrAwesome:
new Elephant Micah, which is a very strong effort from a well established folk veteran.

The new Elephant Micah is out/leaked somewhere? Really looking forward to this one.

He's making 100 CD-R copies of the new album sort of as a preview for hardcore fans. There've been multiple delays by the record company in getting the actual CD out (it was expected to come out in Marhc, so we're at 5 months delay at this point with no end in sight). I'm not sure if there are still copies available, but I ordered mine immediately, less than 3 hours after he announced they were for sale, and I haven't gotten mine yet. I guess the people that ordered it through Third Uncle are getting it faster than the people (like me) that ordered it through his home page.

quote:

Originally posted by DrAwesome:
A couple that I have been loving recently have been The Moondoggies new album, which is very similar to Elliott Brood and new Elephant Micah, which is a very strong effort from a well established folk veteran.

I don't see all that many similarites between Elephant Micah and Elliott Brood, but I definitely am going to check out that Moondoggies album soon. It's #2 on my list right now. Only think ahead of it is a folk album by a 17-year-old named Anthony Da Costa, whose MySpace tracks have me very excited.

Oh I didn't mean to say that The Moondoggies sound like Elephant Micah just Elliott Brood. That sentence was poorly worded. But yeah, it's really good.

Oh, I get it now. I guess I read it too fast.

Also, I've got to mention an incredible folk album by Anthony Da Costa that is absolutely blowing me away right now. It's called Typical American Tragedy. He's only 17 years old, but this is definitely one of the best albums I've heard all year. This guy has a bright future ahead of him. I wouldn't be surprised at all if he gets really big (at least in an indie kind of way) in the next several years. Check out his MySpace: www.myspace.com/anthonydacosta

Here's the list:

1. Silver Jews - "Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea"
2. The Mountain Goats - "Heretic Pride"
3. The Tallest Man on Earth - "Shallow Graves"
4. The Burning Hell - "Happy Birthday"
5. Laura Marling - "Alas I Cannot Swim"
6. Neil Halstead - "Oh! Mighty Engine"
7. Blackbird Harmony - "Hardwood Exits"
8. Elliott Brood - "Mountain Meadows"
9. Sun Kil Moon - "April"
10. The Moondoggies - "Don't Be A Stranger"
11. Micah P. Hinson - "Micah P. Hinson and the Red Empire Orchestra"
12. Johnny Flynn - "A Larum"
13. Beatbeat Whisper - "Wonder Continental"
14. Eef Barzelay - "Lost Big"
15. Horse Feathers - "House With No Home" (NEW!)
16. Elephant Micah - "Exiled Magicians" (NEW!)
17. The Felice Brothers - s/t
18. Damien Jurado - "Caught In Trees"
19. Breathe Owl Breathe - "Ghost Glacier EP"
20. Lesser Gonzalez Alvarez - "Why Is Bear Billowing?"

That's the top twenty!

I haven't been here for a while and it's good to see this thread exists. I'll put my list up soon.

quote:

Originally posted by St. Mike:

quote:

Originally posted by nmeiborg:

quote:

Originally posted by St. Mike:

quote:

Originally posted by anbc:
Bowerbirds have a good new album out. If you haven't checked it out, I suggest you do. I believe it's top 5 in this genre so far this year.

I wasn't able to find this or any information about it. What is it called?

I'm guessing anbc is referring to Hymns for a Dark Horse being reissued by Dead Oceans this year.

Oh.

Sorry, that was my fault, I thought Hymns for a Dark Horse was a 2008 original release. My mistake.

quote:

Originally posted by The Doctor:
I haven't been here for a while and it's good to see this thread exists. I'll put my list up soon.

Here is my list: http://rateyourmusic.com/list/khadar/best_albums_of_2008

Nice list, Doc. I'm really digging the new Horse Feathers as well. I haven't heard of Pete Greenwood or Donovan Quinn. Worth looking into I presume?

I should check this thread out more often. I really really like a good folk/Americana album.

I don't know if I have the time or money to make a whole list for just one genre of music though. But I will say I bought the new Calexico album yesterday and I think it is very strong. It is very consistent.

Also, I've mentioned Sleep Station a few places here on the forums to very little response. I think it's especially noteworthy though, in this corner of the forum. Very well written, and dynamic in sound throughout while never straying from the Americana backdrop. I think it's worth some of you checking out. Sleep Station - The Pride of Chester James.

I'm excited about the new Horse Feathers album. How are you guys taking it?