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Artists Worth Checking Out Best of 2018 Women in Entertainment

Forty best albums of 2018

What a year for indie music.  We received a boatload of review requests from around the world, and published reviews of nearly 1,000 CDs and EPs.  We culled through those we reviewed first to pick our nominations for the LA Music Critic Awards, and now to compile our list of the 40 Best CDs of 2018.

Due to the sheer volume, we only considered full-length projects for this list, but that doesn’t mean that quite a few of the EPs we reviewed weren’t also worthy of distinction.  We may yet put together another list of just EPs.

In the meantime, while we wait for the winners of the second half of 2018 for the LA Music Critic Awards to be announced tomorrow, here are our favorite CDs of 2018.  You can find their individual reviews by searching for them on our blog.

40.  Kate ReidThe Heart Already Knows

39.  Deb RyderEnjoy the Ride

38.  Jeffrey FoucaultWar on the Radio

37.  Katie HerzigMoment of Bliss

36.  Eric Tingstad – Electric Spirit

35.  Fanny Walked the Earth – self-titled

34.  Wily Bo WalkerAlmost Transparent Blues

33.  Buddy GuyThe Blues is Alive and Well

32.  Walt WeiskopfEuropean Quartet

31.  Mindi Abair & the BoneshakersAll I Got for Christmas is the Blues

30.  YYNOT – self-titled

29.  Peter V Blues Band Shaken but not Deterred

28.  Delta MoonBabylon is Falling

27.  The TextonesOld Stone Gang

26.  Ronny MorrisSweet Silence

25.  Sydney WrightSeiche

24.  GleesonThe Years Have It

23.  Colin DevlinHigh Point

22.  EverlastDon’t Complain

21.  ZsuzsikaStart Again

20.  Michael PetersonFrom Here to Eternity

19.  K. Michelle DuboisAutumn

18.    Broken BellowsI, Kaleidoscope

17.  Rachel SageMyopia

16.  Janiva MagnessLove is an Army

15.  John Flanagan TrioHonest Man

14.  Lee Ainley’s Blues StormShoot me Down

13.  FloodsBad Times

12.  Frank Hannon (From One Place . . . to Another, vols 1 and 2)

11.  Keith HarkinIn the Round

10.  Southern HaloJust Like in the Movies

9.  Cindy Alexander – Nowhere to Hide

8.  Kari KimmelGold & Glitter

7.  Hymn for HerPop-n-Downers

6.  Jordan Siwek Sun Inside You

5.  Slim GambillFake Jazz

4.  Gina SiciliaHeard the Lie

3.  Birds and ArrowsArbitrary Magic

2.  Brigitte Rios PurdyStill I Rise

and the Best Album of 2018 goes to

Norway Reloaded – My Longest Mile

 

Categories
Artists Worth Checking Out Get it or Forget it Reviews Women in Entertainment

Get it or forget it – Frank Bey, Delta Moon, Matthew Perryman Jones, Great Aunt, PILES

The Brewers are now just two wins away from the World Series, and winter is definitely here.  Let’s warm up the climate with five more amazing artists.

Artist Name Frank Bey

Album NameBack in Business

Label: Nola Blue Records

Genre:  Blues

Track Listing:  1.  Back in Business; 2.  Gun Toting Preacher; 3.  Take it Back to Georgia; 4.  Cookie Jar; 5.  The Half of It; 6.  Where you Been so Long; 7.  Better Look Out; 8.  Ain’t no Reason; 9.  Blame Mother Nature; 10.  Give it to get It; 11.  Yesterday’s Dreams

Publicist:  Blind Raccoon

Review:  This album celebrates the return of Frank Bey, one of the pioneers in blues, as well as providing a soundtrack for his recently released documentary When You Ask Me How I Feel:  The Life and Music of Frank Bey.  Bey announces his return in the traditional blues title track, and then proceeds to act like he never left, delivering a tasty collection of blues songs that will tickle your ears and get you in the groove.  The horns and organ on “Gun Toting Preacher,” as well as those well-written lyrics and gravelly strong voice of Bey bring back memories of the contributions of black musicians over the years.  His form of the blues incorporates everything we love about traditional blues with a healthy dose of soul and R&B thrown in for good measure.  It is so good to hear artists like Bey and Buddy Guy and to know that they are still alive and kicking and bringing us more of the music that make then icons in the blues genre.  Hats off to multi-Grammy winning producer Tom Hambridge for his amazing work on this album.

Recommendation:  Get up and Get this one.  It is a must for your blues collection.

Artist Name Delta Moon

Album NameBabylon is Falling

Label:  Jumping Jack Records

Genre:  Swamp Rock/Blues

Track Listing:  1.  Long way to Go; 2.  Babylon is Falling; 3.  One More Heartache; 4.  Might Take a Lifetime; 5.  Skinny Woman; 6.  Louisiana Rain; 7.  Little Pink Pistol; 8.  Nobody’s Fault but Mine; 9.  Somebody in my Home; 10.  One Mountain at a Time; 11.  Christmas Time in New Orleans

Publicist:  Blind Raccoon

Review:  Recently selected as the Best Blues Band in Atlanta, Delta Moon leaves not doubt that it is indeed the best with the release of its tenth studio album, Babylon is Falling.  The album combines the blues with the rocking sound of Swamp Rock to create a masterpiece of funk and jive.  But they are not just a great blues band – they also provide meaty lyrics with a strong message that needs to be heard, and we are determined to help them reach their audience.  This is an album that will quickly earn its place in your blues/southern roots collection, and is a true must-have.

Recommendation:  Run out and Get this one, and put it on repeat.

Artist NameMatthew Perryman Jones

Album NameThe Waking Hours

Label:  Tone Tree Records

Genre:  Indie Pop/Rock

Track Listing:  1.  Happy; 2.  Lovers in Another Life; 3.  Careless Man (ft Young Summer); 4.  Anything Goes; 5.  The Waking Hours; 6.  Coming Back to Me; 7.  Half Hearted Love; 8.  Carousel (ft Fleurie); 9.  Take it With Me

Publicist:  The Syndicate

Review:  Matthew Perryman Jones is the consummate singer-songwriter, injecting his indie pop/rock sound with dynamic lyrics delivered with the swagger of Bono, resulting in a very radio-friendly style that begs for heavy rotation.  Every song is a potential Top 40 hit, with positive and upbeat songs that speak of so many universal truths.  The songs are equally perfect for placements in commercial, television and film, and would be a great addition to any music supervisor’s catalog of great songs.

Recommendation:  This one is a definite Get.

Artist NameGreat Aunt

Album NameA Mess That I Left

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  Americana/Folk

Track Listing:  1.  Refrain; 2.  Head Up; 3.  We Need to Start Again; 4.  Diggin’ Holes; 5.  Part I (They Came); 6.  Tell me When It’s Over; 7.  Oh, Cruel World

Publicist:  Self-promoted

Review:  Melbourne-based duo Great Aunt gives us folk-based Americana music tinged with shades of bluegrass and gospel.  For an Australian band, they have a great handle on the Americana sound and could easily compete with American bands in this genre.  They have a wholesome sound that is very family friendly, and capture the true spirit of this genre with their soulful renditions.  We would love to see them tour the States, and believe they would be quite successful.  This one is worthy of multiple listens.

Recommendation:  Definitely give this one a chance.

Artist Name PILES

Album Name Una Volta

Label:  Aagoo Records/REV. Lab Records

Genre:  Experimental Instrumental

Track Listing:  1.  Drones and Piles; 2.  Decay; 3.  Ulrik; 4.  Mort aux cons; 5.  Kraut and Piles; 6.  Materials in US; 7.  Chambre d’echo; 8.  Marie

Publicist:  Shameless Promotion PR

Review:  Finally, an album for lovers of percussion.  PILES are a French collective that presents drum sounds in an experimental way that highlights the instrument, creating a soundscape that can easily be placed in commercials, film or television.  Although you’ll probably not hear these songs on the radio, they are commercially viable in other ways, and might be a good source for music supervisors to understand dramatic scenes.  Although not for everyone, if you love drum solos, you will probably love this one as well.

Recommendation:  Give this one a spin.