The Go-Go Boots Episodes – Episode 1 – Drive-By Truckers from Drive-By Truckers on Vimeo.

In what is becoming my favorite annual spring ritual (maybe more than even march Madness?), the Drive by Truckers will be releasing yet another album that has already been garnering raves from those who’ve heard it, whether it be partially, or entirely. Me? Can’t wait.

To tide us over, check out the videos that have been coming out entitled, “The Go Go Boots Episodes”. The new album will be out in just a few short weeks.

The Go-Go Boots Episodes – Episode 2 – Drive-By Truckers from Drive-By Truckers on Vimeo.

The Go-Go Boots Episodes – Episode 3 – Drive-By Truckers from Drive-By Truckers on Vimeo.

DO IT!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Look, Tiger is holding The Avett brother's trophy for them...

In year’s past, I haven’t done much a personal “Best-Of” list at year’s end. I have left that up to others, mainly due to the stress level inherent with such a task. This year, I contributed a list to multiple outlets, so I figure I would share my ballot with you here. What you see below is really a big group of my favorite albums, versus an actual list of albums I think are better than other albums. Over the course of the year, I listen to a few hundred records, easily. Rarely a day goes by where I don’t pop in a new disc that may or may not see some “ink” on this blog. From that large number of records, I actually enjoyed well over 100 of them, I imagine.

The sad fact of the matter, for many reasons, there were many records I liked that I never found the time to actually say much about here on The Gobblers Knob or over on Twangville. I said all that to say this. These 25 albums could’ve easily been higher or lower than they are here. On different days, I feel like certain choices were wrong, but this is what I’m going with…for now, at least.

1.  Avett Brothers – I and Love and You: Indie darling’s go big-time with major label and super-producer. The tight melodies and trademark, emotionally charged and poetic writing prove there was nothing to worry about.

2.  Phosphorescent - To Willie: Every tribute/covers album wants to be this one when they grow up. Matthew Houck made Willie’s songs his own while keeping the raw, real vibe intact.

Here are the rest of my favorites for the year (basically 3a – 3x)…

3.  Heartless Bastards – The Mountain
4.  Miranda Lambert – Revolution
5.  Allen Thompson – 26 years
6.  Telegraph Canyon – The Tide & The Current
7.  Deer Tick - Born on Flag Day
8.  Buddy & Julie Miller – Written in Chalk
9.  Ryan Bingham – Roadhouse Sun
10. Gina Villalobos – Days on Their Side
11.  Band of Heathens – One Foot in the Ether
12.  The Takers – Taker Easy
13.  Wilco – Wilco (The Album)
14.  Roman Candle – Oh Tall Tree In the Ear
15.  The O’s – We are The O’s
16.  Sons of Bill – One Town Away
17.  Drive by Truckers – The Fine Print
18.  The Gourds – Haymaker!
19.  Scott Warren – Quick Fix Bandage
20.  Patterson Hood - Murdering Oscar
21.   Charlie Robison – Beautiful Day
22.   Lucero - 1372 Overton Park
23.   Danny Balis - Too Much Living
24.   Chad Price – Smile Sweet Face
25.   Dawes – North Hills

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For those of you that reside in the sprawling metropolis that is the D/FW region, this might not be “breaking news”, but for those of you that do not call this area home, please continue (you can contine, regardless of where you live, now that I think about it). I have mentioned Ft. Worth’s Telegraph Canyon before, but recent events demand that I go into greater detail at this time. I have been to not one, but two shows at the House of Blues in Dallas where the 7 piece ensemble opened for a well-known and rocking band (that number seems to change, as the violin player didn’t perform with them the second time I saw them). Playing before both the Drive By Truckers as well as Ryan Bingham, I was provided with more than a simple opportunity to finally see the band that I have heard a good it about in the Dallas media perform live. I was also impressed by how a group that shares more sonic traits with Arcade Fire than they do with The Bottle Rockets not only open for these southern-rocking acts, but seemingly turn the initially quizzical looks they received into raucous cheers and beer-can salutes in the span of a song or two. They’ll have another chance to conduct some conversions soon when they open for Slobberbone as the sweaty and beloved rockers perform another heaven-sent “reunion show” at the end of the month in Dallas.

With the set-lists drawing chiefly from their fantastic new CD, The Tide and The Current, Chris Johnson provides a fierce presence as the intense front-man. As compelling as he can be, it was impossible for me to not be drawn in and blown away by the numbers like “Into the Woods” and “Shake Your Fist”. When the melody slowly builds and releases into a climactic and jubilant conclusion, the entire stage seems to bounce with each drum beat. Similar to when I wondered whether another buzzed-about Dallas act, The O’s, were over-hyped or merely appreciated properly, I cant help but feel as though Telegraph Canyon (Official / Myspace) has also earned the generous praise and ample amount of ink that has come their way.

LISTEN: 5 Tracks from Telegraph Canyon’s The Tide & The Current LP

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With several great albums that draw heavily on southern-rock swagger having been released by bands such as Drive By Truckers and Lucero recently, I figured I was fried for a while when it came to these types of sounds. With that said, I was pleasantly surprised when I found myself enjoying the new record by North Carolina’s Possum Jenkins (Official / Myspace).

Collection of Bad Habits, their 3rd album, ably displays what the band calls their “Carolinacana” sound. From what I gather, especially from “Reidsville” and “Don’t Tell Me”, that sound leans more heavily on the blues than the aforementioned bands that also crank the amps to 11. As a result, a comparison to the genre-bending Band of Heathens is likely more appropriate in this case. My favorite tracks are the ones that feature a healthy dose of harmonica, organ and banjo within the same track, like “Ramble Still” and “Burn these Leaves”. When trying to succeed at too many things at once, it’s easy for a band to not succeed at anything. Possum Jenkins maintains their focus and delivers to us a hearty gem. 

LISTEN: Possum Jenkins – “Burn These Leaves”