Favorite Records of 2013 - Number 10

First things first...I do not claim that this is a "best of 2013" list. As copious as my music listening is, I have not heard everything, so any claim to best is silly. For example, the latest record from a psychedelic band called Earthless should be landing on my doorstep sometime today. And after a couple of listens on Spotify that record would have had a good chance to make the list.

But time waits for no man!! And...here...we...go!!!!

Around about the turn of the century I was way into alternative country. Ha ha! Turn of the century. That was ten years ago. Technically 13 years ago. Whatever. I was huge into Wilco and Son Volt and Uncle Tupelo and The Jayhawks and Ryan Adams and Whiskeytown and Old 97s and all the bands of that ilk. I still like those bands a ton but the current state of alt country sort of bores me. That's not the music's fault, that is my fault. My ear, my sensibility, whatever you want to call it, has shifted. Right now, I am much more tuned into harder music, heavy music.

Caitlin Rose is neither hard nor heavy. What she is is a damn good song-writer and a damn good singer. Her latest record is The Stand-In is a great bar-room friendly, classic-country sounding record. If you like that show "Nashville" you should be checking out Ms Rose.

She also knows it is smart to surround herself with talented people, especially The Jayhawks' Gary Louis who helps out on a couple songs, two of the songs that happen to be the best on the record: "Only A Clown" and "Silver Sings." Both those tracks have an unmistakable Jayhawks-vibe, those shimmering 12-string guitars that seemed just a little bit amped up than usual, that great country meets rock with a heavier lean toward rock.

But what's best about Caitlin Rose is her voice. She has a sensational voice. Most importantly it is an interesting voice. It is not a hard-road kind of voice, like a Lucinda Williams, but is very unique, more like that of a young woman starting to see the mess that haunts the honky-tonks. The band that supports her is top shelf, switching between rockier numbers to more hard core classic country tunes without problem.

Nashville is a concept I have railed about a ton. The majority of music that is coming out of their factories is uninteresting, dull, not-really-country. Country is a vibe, country is a mood. It's more than sombre; Johnny Cash knew how to get jaunty when he felt like it. Too much country music comes across as fake. And nothing about Caitlin Rose comes across as fake.

Other lists I have seen feature young country artists like Kacey Musgraves and Ashley Monroe. Those young women are definitely talented compared to a lot of the junk Nashville is putting out, but Caitlin Rose is hands down my favorite of the group.

Here's "Only A Clown," my favorite song off the record and one of my favorite songs of the year.

Next up...more mellowness from way up north!

Mid Year Report

Since everybody else seems to be doing it, here's my Top 5 records of the year. It's entirely possible one  or two or all of these will fall off the Top 10 of the year (that happened last year with The Shins) but I doubt it! These records are all really good!! Some hard and heavy stuff...some mellow stuff.

The Eldritch Dark by Blood Ceremony - What happens when Black Sabbath meets Jethro Tull? You get Blood Ceremony. Though front-lady Alia O'Brien is far cuter than either Ozzy or Ian Anderson. I've been drooling over this record on Spotify for a while...the vinyl is supposed to be coming soon, so I will write about it when it shows up. They are from Canada, which is apropos of nothing.

Ultraviolet by Kylesa - This is s good as modern metal gets. Smart, well-written, not super-fast so it keeps a great groove. Kylesa know how to get it mellow before breaking into a sonic tidal wave. Read more here and here (Blood Ceremony here to!)

The Stand-In by Caitlin Rose - And now for something completely different. Sensational country-esque singer-songwriter. I say country-esque because "modern" country is equated with junk like Taylor Swift. This is the real deal. More here.

Impossible Truth by William Tyler - Brilliant record I wrote about here. Guitar instrumentals can get dull in a hurry; this doesn't get dull at all, it's mesmerizing. It's not the kind of record you dance to (I guess you can but it'd be kind of weird) but even though it's wordless it's the kind of record you still pay attention to.

Elephant Stone by Elephant Stone - More Canadians. Psychedelic prog-pop with 12-strings and sitars. Very classic era 90s sounding band. I need to listen to this record more. Wrote about seeing them live here.

There you go. Like I said, I can't really see these records falling off the list. Especially the Blood Ceremony one. If one of them does (or two or three) then that will be great because that means more killer records came out. I expect the new Blackfield will be on my list, that comes out September-ish. Alcest and Anathema are both working on new records. Records I have now that could make the list? Destroy This Place, Arbouretum, Kadaver maybe. It will be fun to find out!!

The Stand-In Takes Center Stage

The most expressive of musical instruments is the voice. Such a range and depth of emotion can be conveyed from one line to another. Caitlin Rose is a another Nashville artist and is blessed with an excellent instrument in her voice. She is also a gifted songwriter.

Her latest record is The Stand-In and is a great slice of modern takes on a classic country sound. Focusing on the lady side of the house, country music in it's current popular format has become so commercialized and pop-ized that it has been rendered unlistenable. What makes good country music great is the pathos, the longing, and most importantly the element of strength imbued in the music and the lyrics. It started with Shania Twain, whose ex-hubby Mutt Lange added electric fiddles and a pop sensibility. Sure it had an element of feminism but it had no punch; it was girl-power in the form of girls-night-out-in-short-skirts-and-high-boots. Fair enough (and nothing inherently wrong with that), it was made to move records and it moved a LOT of records, but the music isn't interesting in the slightest. This has culminated in the form of Taylor Swift, who for all the praise and sales is to me absolutely terrible. It's bubblegum without any of the sweetness. And country music this ain't.

That doesn't mean good female country isn't out there. Artists like Tift Merritt, Shannon McNally, Lindi Ortega, Allison Moorer, Shelby Lynne are still doing their thing. Add Caitlin Rose to the interesting mix. The Stand-In is a classic sounding record with a modern touch. It has that Loretta and Patsy vibe on songs like "Golden Boy," "Dallas" and "Pink Champagne," goes nearly indie-rock on "Everywhere I Go" and then rocks a way Shania can only dream of in tracks like "No One To Call" and "Silver Sings."

She has such a great expressive voice. It's classic sounding but unique; that's what makes a truly great singer. Ms Rose has a wonderful instrument at her disposal and she knows how to write songs that let her gift shine. It helps she has a crackerjack of a band backing her.

Here's the best song on the record, co-written with Gary Louris of The Jayhawks, "Only A Clown." Taylor Swift wishes she could write a song this good. It has a fantastic hook in the chorus that just grabs me and makes me smile.

Of course though this song won't be a hit because the system is fixed. That's another story, though.

PS smoking is bad for you, Caitlin!