Music Friday: "Dollar General"

The new album by American Aquarium comes out swinging with its opening track "Dollar General." 

"Greatest trick ever played was taking our voice

and giving us two sides in the illusion of choice.

It ain't left versus right. It's bottom versus top. 

Until we figure it out, this ain't gonna stop." 

The album is titled New Ways to Lose. 

Music Friday: "Cherokee Purples"

Before I bought the new album from American Aquarium, I was growing Cherokee purples. They're a heirloom variety of tomato that I've never grown before, so I tried them. 

Finally here in early September some of them are turning from green to the ripe color. I'm hoping they taste good. I've been wanting to make BLTs with my homegrown tomatoes all summer. 

Here's the tune about, well, a lot of stuff. 

Music Friday: "The Curse of Growing Old"

One of my friends on FB called attention to that American Aquarium had a new album out this year, The Fear of Standing Still. 

Here's one tune from that new album. 

Music Friday: "Downtown Girls"

I finally got around to the buying the new album by American Aquarium, but after I listened to it the first time, iTunes proceeded to play Dances for the Lonely because it was next in the album queue as I was doing work this morning. 

I was reminded of how much I like this song. 

Music Friday: "All I Needed"

American Aquarium has a new album out this month. I haven't got it yet, but I plan to. 

Here's the final song on Chicamacomico. 

Top Ten/Twenty Albums of 2020

 It's that time of the year again. And 2020 has been a shitshow of a year. 

Like I did in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019, I'm providing my top choices of albums that came out this year. 

I didn't acquire as much new music as I have in past because I only purchased twenty new albums.   

I'm providing my top twenty albums with a few albums that came out in 2020 that I'm thinking about getting. If there are other albums you would recommend that came out in 2020, please let me know in the comments section. 

Regardless, in dishonor of what a crappy year it has been, you should also check out these articles in The Washington Post:

• "The Words To Describe 2020"
• "Dave Barry's Year in Review"

1. Drive-By Truckers - The New OK

This was the second album by DBT this year since The Unraveling came out, if I remember right, in January. I am sure there are some old DBT fans who are pushing back on the band's overtly political lyrics. There's all kinds of commentary about this on the InterWebs. I doubt Hood and Cooley give a damn. If there's an album that sums up this year, this one is it. 

Favorite songs: "Watching the Orange Clouds," "The New OK," "The Perilous Night," and "The Distance"

2. Nathaniel Rateliff - And It's Still Alright

I reckon it was a tough conversation that was had with The Night Sweats when the lead singer told them he wanted to record a solo album. But it makes sense. This album doesn't have the vibe of a Nathaniel Ratliff and the Night Sweats album. It's very much an introspective, intimate album about loss and learning. 

Favorite songs: "Rush On," "Expecting to Lose," "You Need Me," and "Mavis"

3. Phoebe Bridgers - Punisher

Getting this album made me want to get her previous album. I got introduced to this artist via a couple of late night shows and a fraternity brother via FB. I find her lyrics interesting--talk about fighting with undesirable people and how people's mindsets are nonsense. She does interesting work. 

Favorite songs: "Garden Song," "Chinese Satellite," "Savior Complex," and "Kyoto"

4. American Aquarium - Lamentations

This is another album of its time. The lead singer targets some obvious problems from a Southern point of view, especially his take on the 45th president in "Me + Mine (Lamentations)." This is another fine album from the band. 

Favorite songs: "Me + Mine (Lamentations)," "A Better South," "The Luckier You Get," and "Starts With You"

5. Drive-By Truckers - The Unraveling

This album started the year. Interestingly enough, it's one fo the few albums by DBT that doesn't use the signature artwork their albums are known for. "Thoughts and Prayers" is one of my favorite songs of the year. 

Favorite songs: "Thoughts and Prayers," "Armageddon's Back in Town Again," "Grievance Merchants," and "Slow Ride Argument"

6. Pearl Jam - Gigaton

This is an album that I like initially on the first listen besides one song ("Buckle Up," which is one of my least favorite Pearl Jam songs), but it's an album I need to listen to more often. I just keep forgetting about it. When Lightning Bolt came out, I wore out that album. I find this one comparable. 

Favorite songs: "Quick Escape," "Never Destination," "Retrograde," and "Who Ever Said"

7. Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit - Reunions

 

I'll freely admit that Reunions is probably my least favorite Isbell album. I wanted to like it a lot, but it just doesn't grab me like the other albums. Regardless of my misgivings in regard to how this one fits into his catalog, It's a good album. Here's one of my favorite snippets of lyrics of 2020: "We're all struggling with the world on fire." 

Favorite songs: "Dreamsicle," "River," "St. Peter's Autograph," and "What've I've Done to Help"

8. Bruce Springsteen - Letter to You

The old rocker goes all introspective. It works. 

Favorite songs: "Last Man Standing," "Ghosts," "House of a Thousand Guitars," and "Burnin' Train" 

9. Run the Jewels - RTJ4

As you would surmise if you're following my Music Friday posts, I'm not a huge fan of hip-hop. But I like Run the Jewels. And the group provided this album for free this year. I also like free. "Look at these slave masters posing on your dollar." 

Favorite songs: "Ju$t," "Never Look Back," "A Few Words for the Firing Squad (Radiation)," and "Walking In The Snow"

10. Ray LaMontagne - MONOVISION

LaMontagne is one of those artists I like, but I seem to be hit and miss with his releases. I have a few, but I don't have anywhere close to all of them. Heck, I only have three of his albums. So 2020 was a hit year. It's a solid album that features his folky, soulful music. 

Favorite songs: "Misty Morning Rain," "Highway to the Sun," "We'll Make It Through," and "Strong Enough"

11. High on Stress - Hold Me In

As much as I like a good concept album, what I appreciate more is a straightforward rock and roll band. High on Stress is a band I discovered via Twitter (@Quintilan376) in 2020. They remind me of late era Replacements in some regard. 

Favorite songs: "Work Release," "Progress Is A Busted Line," "Wish This Moment Gone," and "Relax"

12. Jack Garrett - Love, Death, & Dancing

I absolutely enjoyed this bloke's previous album, and this one is solid too. He's such a talented dude. 

Favorite songs: "Time," "Circles," "Better," and "Old Enough"

13. Green Day - Father of All...

This is a decent collection of short post-punk rock and roll songs from a band that is already in the Hall of Fame, which I find a little strange. 

Favorite songs: "Fire, Ready, Aim," "I Was a Teenage Teenager," "Sugar Youth," and "Father of All..."

14. Sarah Jarosz - World on the Ground

The über-talented Jarosz produced another fine albums this year. I got to it late in the year, so I haven't given it as many spins as I should have because there is some fine work on this album, which has gotten some acclaim and awards.

Favorite songs: "What Do I Do," "I'll Be Gone," "Pay It No Mind," and "Johnny"

15. Sturgill Simpson - Cuttin' Grass Vol. 1

While what the album provides is not new material from Simpson, it provides his "hits" of sorts in the form of bluegrass. He assembled a host of talented musicians to translate parts of his fine catalog to bluegrass. I haven't gotten volume 2 yet. 

Favorite songs: "Turtles All the Wall Down," "Living the Dream," "Just Let It Go," and "Breakers Roar"

16. Margo Price - That's How Rumors Get Started

Price is not afraid to call out people on their bullshit. This album has more of a rock vibe to it, which has garnered her some criticism. I don't think she gives a damn. 

Favorite songs: "I'd Die For You," "Gone To Stay," "Letting Me Down," and "Prisoner of the Highway"

17. The Third Mind - self-titled

I can't recall how I happened upon this album, but I found out about it somehow. I especially like the instrumental "East West." 

Favorite songs: "East West" and "Morning Dew"

18. Jayhawks - Xoxo

Here's another album I got to late from a band I first got introduced to in the 90s. It's what you would expect from the Jayhawks - straightforward alt-country. 

Favorite songs: "Society Pages," "Dogtown Days," "Bitter Pill," and "Homecoming"

19. G Love & Special Sauce - The Juice

I was at a friend's house a while back, and they were playing some G Love & Special Sauce. I took the plunge and got a couple of his albums. He's been around a while. I remember visiting Baton Rouge back in 1997, and he was playing there. He's still doing his schtick. 

Favorite songs: "Birmingham (featuring Robert Randolph and Keb Mo)," "Go Crazy," "Diggin' Roots," and "Fix Your Face" 

20. Bruce Hornsby - Non-Secure Connection

This ain't your radio-friendly Bruce Hornsby from the 90s. He's pushing boundaries, and I don't think some of his traditional fans are liking it. 

Favorite songs: "Non-Secure Connection," "Bright Star Cast," "Porn Hour," "Time, the Thief" 

Some albums that came out this year that I'm thinking about purchasing

Dawes - Good Luck with Whatever

Fiona Apple - Fetch the Bolt Cutters

Fleet Foxes - Shore

Music Friday: "Better South"

The new Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit is getting much attention today, but earlier this month American Aquarium's new album, Lamentations, came out too. 

Here's an in-your-face tune I really like from the album. 

Music Friday: "The World Is On Fire"

I picked up the recent album by American Aquarium yesterday and have given it a couple of listens. It's another solid offering. At times, the record has more a country twang than I'm used to. I like it when they rock.

Here's the opening tune on the album. 

Music Friday: "Southern Sadness" & "Burn. Flicker. Die."

Wolves by American Aquarium was ranked 17th on my annual best albums list. 

"Southern Sadness" is one of my favorite tunes on that album. 

And here's the band performing "Burn. Flicker. Die." It's from the band's previous album. 

Music Friday: "Wolves" & "Katherine Belle"

One album I'm looking forward is American Aquarium's new release, Wolves. 

So below is the title track of the album with "Katherine Belle" from Dances for the Lonely thrown in for good measure. 

Music Friday: "Ain't Going to the Bar Tonight," "Hurricane," & Cape Fear River"

I've featured American Aquarium before on a Music Friday, but today I'm providing a trio of the band's performances because this week I discovered they're going to be playing with Jason Isbell at Off Broadway on June 19. Even though it'll be a Wednesday night, I hope to go to that show. 

The first song is "Ain't Going to the Bar Tonight" from Dances for the Lonely (2009). The second tune is "Hurricane" from Small Town Hymns (2010). The final video is "Cape Fear River" from Burn. Flicker. Die. (2012). 

Music Friday: "Katherine Belle," "PBR Promenade," "Cape Fear River," "Lonely Ain't Easy," & "Redheads and Adderall"

!It's an embeddapalooza! Six, count 'em, six videos. Five songs, sure, but the final two videos provide "Redheads and Adderall" in full band and solo formats.

American Aquarium is a band I've been listening to a lot this week. Lifting from CDBaby, Lastfm has an entertaining description of the band:
"Put broadly, American Aquarium is an indie rock band with a country flair. Whether you call it alternative country, twang-core, or garage folk, one thing is for certain: these guys love to play loud music. When people are confronted with the electric twang of a three-guitar assault (two electrics and one acoustic), they are taken aback. At first glance, the shaggy hair and thrift shop stylings might typecast this group as just another garage band making noise, but when a twangy southern howl blasts over the six-piece band, stereotypes go out the window.

Comprised of a neo-folk everyman, a guitarist who thinks it’s 1975, a veteran hardcore drummer, a hard rock bassist, a beatnik with a viola and a true soul-man on keys, American Aquarium as a whole breaks down all boundaries of what a band should sound like. A majority of people, including some band members themselves, don’t know what genre of music this stuff fits into. Wouldn’t the southern vocals make it a country band? Well, would a country band have a double kick drum?

These six musicians have set out to make original rock music that can be enjoyed by as many different people as possible. Chugging guitar riffs and catchy hooks make these songs easy to rock out to or sing along with. It is impossible to pigeonhole American Aquarium into one style of playing. They may play a thunderous rock song that has the crowd moving with every chord of the guitar, then silence the same crowd with a five minute piano ballad. The band’s live show is where they take the most pride, and as such have built a large fan base in their hometown of Raleigh, NC. Regularly drawing a few hundred to every show, American Aquarium loves to keep the crowd guessing. Be it two songs or two hours, this band just generally loves to play music. Their array of musical taste has not only allowed them to bring something to the table for everyone, but for everyone to leave satisfied."                

It sounds like the last two songs are new ones from a forthcoming album, an album that Jason Isbell is producing if I'm interpreting his tweets correctly.