Music Tracking 2015

These are 2015 releases that I've taken note of, listed alphabetically by artist, with VA comps at the bottom. My grades, where available, are in brackets at the end of the line (stars in B+ range). Lines in blue indicate that I have a physical copy (albeit sometimes just a promo CDR); in green are records that I graded based on a Rhapsody stream or other such source. Most records have release dates and a brief generic note (usually taken from AMG).

Unheard records are prioritized 0-3 (graded records are 4-5). The priotization is based subjectively on personal interests, reviews I've noticed, reviewers I particularly respect, what I know about the artists, etc. Roughly speaking: 0 is something I have no reason to consider (default page omits 0); 1 has been noted as having some cred somewhere; 2 is something I have some specific reason to search out; 3 is something I'll listen to ASAP.

Option selectors:

Genre switches (selection not implemented yet):

Notes also include scores from review sources:

And after a semicolon:

  • RC: Robert Christgau's Expert Witness: letter grades, 1-2-3 * for HMs

New Releases

  • ERR: stream no grade: Perry Beekman: S'Wonderful: Perry Beekman Sings and Plays Gershwin
  • Ryan Bingham: Fear and Saturday Night (Azater Bingham) [01-20] - alt country/rock -- PM:80
  • Norman Blake: Wood, Fire & Words (Plectratone) [01-20] - neo-trad folk -- PM:70
  • Zac Brown Band: Jekyl + Hyde (Republic) [04-28] - country -- BB:70
  • Luke Bryan: Kill the Lights (Capitol Nashville) [08-07] - country -- BB:70
  • Buxton: Half a Native (New West) [03-03] - alt-country
  • ERR: stream no grade: Ann Hampton Callaway: The Hope of Christmas
  • Cam: Welcome to Cam Country (Arista Nashville, EP) [03-31] - [B]
  • Cam: Untamed (Arista Nashville) [12-11] - countr [**]
  • ERR: stream no grade: Kenny Carr: Exit Moon
  • ERR: stream no grade: Francois Carrier/Steve Beresford/John Edwards/Michel Lambert: Outgoing
  • Kasey Chambers: Bittersweet (Sugar Hill) [07-24] - alt-country -- MT:* [B]
  • Eric Church: Mr Misunderstood (Capitol Nashville) [11-05] - country [**]
  • ERR: stream no grade: Tom Collier: Across the Bridge
  • ERR: stream no grade: Colours Jazz Orchestra: Home Away From Home: Plays the Music of Ayn Inserto
  • Andrew Combs: All These Dreams (Colin) [03-03] - alt-country -- PM:60
  • Easton Corbin: About to Get Real (Mercury Nashville) [07-03] - country [B]
  • The Cox Family: Gone Like the Cotton (Rounder) [10-23] - bluegrass
  • ERR: stream no grade: Cuir: Chez Ackenbush
  • ERR: stream no grade: Benoit Delbecq/Miles Perkin/Emile Biayenda: Ink
  • Iris Dement: The Trackless Woods (Flariella) [08-07] - folk -- MT:C+
  • The Deslondes: The Deslondes (New West) [06-05] - [B]
  • Kristin Diable: Create Your Own Mythology (Speakeasy) [02-24] - [B]
  • Justin Townes Earle: Absent Fathers (Loose Music) [01-13] - alt/indie rock -- AV:75, CS:67 [*]
  • Steve Earle & the Dukes: Terraplane (New West) [02-17] - modern blues -- CS:67, P:91, Pf:63, PM:60, RS:70; RC:** [**]
  • Brett Eldredge: Illinois (Rhino) [09-11] - country -- BB:70
  • Joe Ely: Panhandle Rambler (Rack 'Em) [09-18] - [**]
  • ERR: stream no grade: Charles Evans: On Beauty
  • Frazey Ford: Indian Ocean (Nettwerk) [10-14] -
  • ERR: stream no grade: Free Jazz Group Wiesbaden: Frictions/Frictions Now
  • Kinky Friedman: The Loneliest Man I Ever Met (Avenue A) - -- RC:*** [**]
  • Jake Fussell: Jake Xerxes Fussell (Paradise of Bachelors) [01-27] - folk -- PM:80
  • The Gibson Brothers: Brotherhood (Rounder) [02-24] - bluegrass
  • Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell: The Traveling Kind (Nonesuch) [05-12] - Americana -- P:85 [*]
  • Ray Wylie Hubbard: The Ruffian's Misfortune (Bordello) [04-07] - Americana -- P:90, PM:60 [A-]
  • Sam Hunt: Between the Pines: Acoustic Mixtape (MCA Nashville) [10-27] - country [B]
  • Alan Jackson: Angels and Alcohol (Capitol Nashville) [07-17] - contemporary country [A-]
  • Jason James: Jason James (New West) [08-21] - country-pop
  • ERR: stream no grade: Andrew Jamieson: Heard the Voice
  • Chris Janson: Buy Me a Boat (Warner Nashville) [10-30] - country
  • ERR: stream no grade: Jeff Jenkins Organization: The Arrival
  • ERR: stream no grade: Per Texas Johansson: De Langa Rulltrapporna I Flemingsberg
  • ERR: stream no grade: Kansas: Miracles Out of Nowhere
  • ERR: stream no grade: Tyler Kaneshiro & the Highlands: Amber of the Moment
  • Toby Keith: 35 Mph Town (Show Dog Nashville) [10-09] - country -- BB:80 [B]
  • Jana Kramer: Thirty One (Elektra Nashville) [10-09] - country
  • ERR: stream no grade: Martin Kuchen/Johan Berthling/Steve Noble: Night in Europe
  • ERR: stream no grade: Nancy Lane: Let Me Love You
  • ERR: stream no grade: Jon Lindberg/Anil Eraslan: Juggling Kukla
  • ERR: stream no grade: Mundell Lowe/Lloyd Wells/Jim Ferguson: Poor Butterfly
  • The Lowest Pair: The Sacred Heart Sessions (Team Love) [02-24] - Americana -- P:85
  • Old Man Luedecke: Domestic Eccentric (True North) [07-24] - [***]
  • Corb Lund: Things That Can't Be Undone (New West) [10-09] - neo-trad country
  • Shelby Lynne: I Can't Imagine (New Rounder) [05-05] - Americana -- P:92 [B]
  • Maddie & Tae: Start Here (Dot) [08-28] - contemporary country -- BB:80; MT:* [*]
  • Steve Martin & Edie Brickell: So Familiar (Rounder) [10-30] - progressive bluegrass
  • Reba McEntire: Love Somebody (Nash Icon) [04-14] - country -- BB:70
  • Tim McGraw: Damn Country Music (Big Machine) [11-06] - country
  • James McMurtry: Complicated Game (Complicated Game) [02-24] - Americana -- P:90, PM:80; RC:A [A-]
  • ERR: stream no grade: Tobias Meinhart: Natural Perception
  • Ashley Monroe: The Blade (Warner Music) [07-24] - country -- BB:80, P:89; RC:**, MT:A- [A-]
  • Kip Moore: Wild Ones (MCA Nashville) [08-21] - country
  • Allison Moorer: Down to Believing (E1) [03-17] - singer/songwriter -- PM:80 [**]
  • Whitey Morgan and the 78s: Sonic Ranch (Whitey Morgan Music) - [***]
  • Gurf Morlix: Eatin' at Me (Rootball) [02-03] - Americana -- RC:*** [**]
  • Kacey Musgraves: Pageant Material (Mercury Nashville) [06-23] - country -- BB:90, P:94; RC:*, MT:** [***]
  • Willie Nelson/Merle Haggard: Django and Jimmie (Legacy) [06-02] - trad country -- P:86; RC:*** [A-]
  • ERR: stream no grade: Noertker's Moxie: Simultaneous Windows
  • ERR: stream no grade: Larry Novak: Invitation
  • Old Dominion: Meat and Candy (RCA) [11-06] - country
  • Lindi Ortega: Faded Gloryville (Last Gang) [08-07] - country [***]
  • ERR: stream no grade: Kim Pensyl: Foreign Love Affair
  • ERR: stream no grade: Ivo Perelman/Mat Maneri/Tanya Kalmanovitch: Villa Lobos Suite
  • ERR: stream no grade: Ivo Perelman/Matthew Shipp: Complementary Colors
  • ERR: stream no grade: Ivo Perelman/Matthew Shipp/Whit Dickey: Butterfly Whispers
  • ERR: stream no grade: Oscar Perez: Prepare a Place for Me
  • Rod Picott: Fortune (Welding Rod) - alt-country [***]
  • Punch Brothers: The Phosphorescent Blues (Nonesuch) [01-27] - progressive bluegrass -- P:88, PM:80
  • Dave Rawlings Machine: Nashville Obsolete (Acony) [09-18] - alt country [*]
  • ERR: stream no grade: Jeff Richman: Hotwire
  • Daniel Romano: If I've Only One Time Askin' (New West) [07-31] - alt-country -- RC:**, MT:** [*]
  • Darius Rucker: Southern Style (Capitol Nashville) [03-30] - -- RS:60
  • ERR: stream no grade: Matthew Shipp: Matthew Shipp Plays the Music of Allen Lowe
  • ERR: stream no grade: Herb Silverstein: Younger Next Year
  • Sleep Canyon Rangers: Radio (Rounder) [08-28] - bluegrass
  • Ralph Stanley: A Man of Constant Sorrow (Cracker Barrel) [01-19] - -- PM:60
  • Chris Stapleton: Traveller (Mercury Nashville) [05-05] - country-rock -- BB:80 [*]
  • George Strait: Cold Beer Conversation (MCA Nashville) [09-25] - country -- BB:70
  • Chip Taylor: The Little Prayers Trilogy (Train Wreck, 3CD) [10-14] - alt country
  • ERR: stream no grade: The Dan Trudell Trio: Dan Trudell Plays the Piano
  • Carrie Underwood: Storyteller (Arista/Columbia) [10-23] - country -- BB:70
  • ERR: stream no grade: Ramana Veiera: Fado Da Vida
  • Webb Wilder: Mississippi Moderne (Landslide) [09-25] - Americana [*]
  • Dwight Yoakam: Second Hand Heart (Warner Bros) [04-14] - country:P:89 [B]
  • Chris Young: I'm Coming Over (RCA Nashville) [11-13] - neo-trad country

Reissues, Etc.

  • Bobby Bare: The Storyteller: The Anthology 1960-1983 (Raven, 2CD) [04-28] - country
  • Kenny Knight: Crossroads (1980, Paradise of Bachelors) [05-12] - country-rock [***]
  • The Notations: Still Here: 1967-1973 (Numero) [03-17] - Chicago soul
  • Buck Owens: Buck Em! The Music of Buck Owens 1967-1975: Vol 2 (Omnivore) [11-13] - Bakersfield sound
  • Charlie Rich: So Lonesome I Could Cry (Fat Possum) [05-05] - country-pop
  • LeAnn Rimes: All-Time Greatest Hits (1996-2007, Curb) [02-03] - country [C+]

Priority Counts

  • Priority 1: 33
  • Priority 2: 1
  • Priority 3: 0
  • Priority 4: 33
  • Priority 5: 2

Total: 69