Keyboardist of Green on Red and a solo artist for twenty years, Chris Cacavas is definitely left a huge mark in rock’n’roll. But Love’s Been Discounted is likely his crowning masterpiece when at least in the solo period. I don’t know much about the events that happened in Chris’ life that fueled this record with […]

A close second on this list. Former Husker Du drummer is back with a new solo record after 10 years of putting it together over in Twin Cities. The opening rocker You’re The Reflection of the Moon On the Water starts from a big fat 10 second fade in as if Grant is a bit […]

Satin Gum is a new band from Pittsburgh who surprised us early in 2009 with a neat four track EP. Later in the year this EP was expanded into a nine track LP and here it taking a high third position in our year end list. This record combines several very interesting rock moments into […]

Philadelphian musician Greg Koons turned back the clock almost 35 years backwards and, without too many unnecessary innovations, he recorded an album in the best outlaw singer-songwriting traditions of Guy Clark and Gene Clark. 2009 was definitely the right time to return to these traditions as we begun to loose track of these great records. […]

When I lived in Louisiana, I saw a wonderful German movie Schultze Gets the Blues about an old German guy who moves to Louisiana to play zydeco. This bizarre trans-global story is a wonderful dedication to the beauty of Louisiana music. In 2009, the most exciting zydeco album in ages came from the same “neck […]

Memphis musician John Paul Keith puts together the best sounding live show you’ll ever hear. Moreover, his album Spills and Thrills is also the best sounding vinyl record in years. While most Memphis bands like their sound dirty and wonderfully screwed up, John Paul Keith’s sound is crisp and clean. Still, it belongs to the […]

The most poetical title of a record this year comes from Richmond Fontaine. This Portland OR, band gained a lot of attention in 2002 in rock press around their fourth album Winnemucca. But I did not pay too much attention to their music until their work from this year. Storytelling lyrics are accompanied with melodic […]

This glammed out, rocking piece of plastic is the best yet by the venerable Detroit rockers fronted by local freak Matthew Smith. They re-package the British glam and the us power-pop in an unexpectedly fun release that will make your feet stomp and your body move. Their snotty blunt statement that if it ain’t rock’n’roll […]

Texmex rock’n’roll attraction from Austin, Krayolas is no stranger to power pop and roots rock. All these musical threads coexist interleaved in their sonic tapestry. Long Leaf Pine follows up their album La Conquistadora from last year and it definitely helps that one of the notable guests on the record is legendary Augie Mayer, Sir […]

Greg Cartwright established himself as one of the most respected rock’n’roll characters in the recent years. His records are consistently great and he took several bands under his wing to help out, produce and write a few songs. At the same time, he continues to put out great music with his own band Reigning Sound. […]