1.      Clem Snide - “Moment in the Sun”  This one streamed on my personal Pandora station back in March and I’ve been wearing it out since.  I like the way it builds from calm to frenetic.

2.      The Low Anthem - “To Ohio”  Love the harmonies from this Rhode Island indie folk-rock group. Something about this song I find mesmerizing.  For some reason, my mind wanders to the middle 1800’s when I hear this….don’t ask.

3.      Deer Tick - “Axe is Forever”  Not many of your compilation CD’s can boast about two consecutive Rhode Island bands, but this one can!  Love this bouncy, straight-forward, piano-laced rock song.

4.      Ford Turrell - “Ghost of Goodbye”  This song got one of the biggest positive reactions on the blog which is not typical of the widely unknown artists I post. Turrell is a young Nashville based singer-songwriter in the Ray Lamontagne mode.

5.      Bob Schneider - “Honeypot”  The latest from Austin’s Bob Schneider, my all-time personal favorite. Great, prolific composer of songs, great rock n roll voice, average guitarist that surrounds himself with Austin’s best studio musicians. His music contains elements of rock, folk, salsa, opera, rap, country, electronica. See him live with a full band, he will not disappoint.

6.      Middle Brother - “Middle Brother”  This band consists of three frontmen from other bands: Dawes, Delta Spirit and Deer Tick.  I rank this 2011 debut album as one of the best records of the year.

7.      The Wood Brothers – “Postcards From Hell”   A friend of mine turned me on to these guys back in July and I’m thankful he did.  Great folk rock band in a similar realm as The Avett Brothers. Check out the bass player Chris Wood’s first band too: Medeski Martin & Wood…perhaps the most innovative jazz-rock band I’ve ever heard.

8.      Drive-by Truckers – “Self Destructive Zones”   Yeah, I’m sure everyone knows who the Truckers are, but they are on the blog and they are such an important band from my perspective that I wanted them in this collection.  “Zones” stands up as one of my all-time favorites of theirs.

9.      Band of Horses – “Older”  This one I first heard on the Austin City Limits TV program. Their performance was one of the best I’d ever seen on that show.  Album was grammy nominated for what that’s worth.

10.   Dr. Dog – “Where’d All The Time Go?”   Philly-based band with a decent repertoire. This was another Pandora streaming discovery. But I just realized while writing this note that I had shared it online before I started the blog.  Oh well.  Still deserves a spot on this list being a song that has influenced me this year.

11.   Joe Purdy – “San Jose”  This one drew my favorite blog comment of the year: 3 chords + emotion = magic. Arkansas folk singer has many very good songs if you like this sort of thing.

12.   The Little Willies – “Roll On”  This is another one I’m sure many of you are familiar with. The Willies are Nora Jones’ studio and touring band.  They used to get together and play county standards just for fun…it turned into a band.

13.   The Jayhawks – “Up Above My Head”   Originally recorded for their 1992 album ‘Tomorrow the Green Grass,’ it was kept off the album due to its straight-forward gospel message.  It was released in 2011 when they issued a re-master. 

14.   Monsters of Folk – “Say Please”   Another ‘collaboration-group.’  This one features members of Brite Eyes, My Morning Jacket and also independent producer M. Ward. Highly acclaimed record and did get some decent college radio airplay.

15.   Amos Lee – “Flower”  Absolutely one of 2011’s best albums.  Everyone knows Amos now and good for him.  Beautiful  songwriting and a voice beyond comparison.

16.   G. Love & Special Sauce – “Honor and Harmony”  This one from Philly’s G. Love was recorded with the help of his buddy Donovan Frankenreiter.  Love the hip hop vocal attitude I sense in this bouncy little diddy.

17.   Nizlopi – “Helen”  This British band I also first heard by listening to my Pandora station (do you see a pattern at all?).  This sound is created by only two people. A guitarist who sings and a bass player who does the beat-boxing in place of percussion.

18.   Golden Smog – “Ill Fated”  Another ‘collaboration-group’ featuring members of Minneapolis-based bands: The Jayhawks, Wilco, Soul Asylum, The Replacements, Run Westy Run, The Honeydogs and Big Star.

19.   Young Fresh Fellows – “My Friend Ringo”   Not everything on the blog is from the modern era! This was a mid ‘80s tune from one of my favorites of that time period.  The Fellows were real pioneers in the Seattle music scene.

20.   Luna – “Anesthesia”    Any band that has members of the The Feelies in it is OK with me! An oldie but a goodie from New York’s Luna…love the pedal in the middle of the guitar solo!

Hope you enjoy my friends and have a safe, happy and healthy holiday season and 2012!

Dan