Well, it’s that time of year to reflect back on all the new releases of 2003 that you really enjoyed listening to. I was surprised at how long my list was and had a hard time reducing it down to just those that I enjoyed most. How about you – anyone else want to share their favorites?

My Top 16 of 2003:

Albert Lee – “Heartbreak Hill”
Buddy Guy – “Blues Singer”
Canned Heat – “Friends In The Can”
Carlos Guitarlos – “Straight From The Heart”
Claire Holley – “Dandelion”
Emmylou Harris – “Stumbling Into Grace”
Greg Trooper – “Floating”
Joan Baez – “Dark Chords On A Big Guitar”
John Hiatt - "Beneath This Gruff Exterior"
Lucinda Williams – “World Without Tears”
Natalie Merchant – “The House Carpenter’s Daughter”
Sarah McLachlan – “Afterglow”
Steely Dan – “Everything Must Go”
Van Morrison – “What’s Wrong With This Picture?”
Walter Trout – “Relentless”
Warren Zevon – “The Wind”

I tried to limit my list to 15, but just couldn't do it :D

bump. Anyone else have any 2003 releases that they really enjoyed?

-Dave

Johnny Cash Man Comes Around

Josh Ritter Helo Starling

Rodney Crowell Fate's Right Hand

Sarah Mclaughlin Afterglow

Little Feat Kickin' it at The Barn

Frank Black & The Catholics Show Me Your Tears

GrandpaBoy DeadMan Shake

Howe Gelb The Listener

Steely Dan Everything Must Go

John Hiatt Beneath This....

Warren Zevon The Wind

Heck ya....

#1 by a pretty far margin: Richard Thompson's This Old Kit Bag
...then:

Steve Howe's Elements

Judith Owen's 12 Arrows

Tony Levin Band's Double Espresso

The Aquarium Rescue Unit's The Calling

Andrew York's (from the LA Guitar Quartet) Into Dark...awesome quality and production,,,the most lifelike guitar I have heard.

Bob Seger - Greatest Hits 2
Van Morrison - Whats Wrong With This Picture
Delbert McClinton - Live

opt80 and Dave918 please send me all your Blues CD's.( A cleaver ploy on my part; ask for music instead of gear.)

;) :D :D

My top ten from a month ago, which might be a little different today, but what the heck.........

10) Sun Kil Moon, Ghosts of the Great Highway- pretty sure this one would go higher if it had come out a few months ago.

9) British Sea Power- same comment as 10)

8) Band of Blacky Ranchette, Still Looking Good To Me- Howe Gelb and friends make an imminently likeable record.

7) Holopaw, S/T- the 1st 2003 disk I bought this year, as I recall.

6) Joan Armatrading, Lovers Speak- brilliant. She does everything on this record but play drums and sweep out the studio.

5) Lucinda, World Without Tears- so shoot me, I really like this disk.

4) Richard Thompson, Old Kit Bag- sometimes the old guys still do it right.

3) Jay Farrar, Terroir Blues- So good it's scary.

2) Decemberists, Castaways & Cutouts- excellento

1) Songs: Ohia, Magnolia Electric Co.- Period. Winner by a long shot.

I would add to the list, except that an old vinyljunky like me doesn't go in for the newfangled stuff. I haven't bought any new music in years. I did get a mintish new copy of Aqualung this year........does that count? ;)

[i]opt80 and Dave918 please send me all your Blues CD's.( A cleaver ploy on my part; ask for music instead of gear.)

;) :D :D [/B]

LOL! Never give up Bigmacc! Someday someone will take you up on one of your offers - then what are you going to do? :D

-Dave

The only one that really stands out for me is Lucinda William's "World Without Tears." Other than that... Most of my other purchases have been from 30 or more years ago from bands that most people here have probably never heard of, so I won't bore you with the details.

mOOn

Moon betta l know of the bands l was a FM disc-jocky 72-73.

Post your list might bring back some memories.:D

Originally posted by bigmacc
Bob Seger - Greatest Hits 2
Van Morrison - Whats Wrong With This Picture
Delbert McClinton - Live

opt80 and Dave918 please send me all your Blues CD's.( A cleaver ploy on my part; ask for music instead of gear.)

;) :D :D

Macc,
What is your address again,somewhere in the Sault?

Alan

Haven't bought a lot of new releases this year, but the two that stand out are British Sea Power - The Decline of BSP, and Radiohead - Hail to the Thief.

I'll second opt80's nomination of Frank Black and The Catholics "Show Me Your Tears". It's my record of the year and available on vinyl too. I also enjoy "Earthquake Glue" by Guided By Voices and "Decoration" by Drive By Truckers.

Ed

..............Ray Bonneville.....Roll it Down... his voice is kinda like J.J.Cale's...if any of you are old enough to remember him..played it again and again in the heat of the summer....July Sun & Slow Matin....Awsome..check out his website you can hear clips of his songs...his guitar and style will blow you away like the Maxell Commercial....Kenny

Originally posted by Kenny
...if any of you are old enough to remember him..

I resemble that remark :D, but seriously Cale is one of my all time favorite artists. I just checked out Ray Bonneville on CDBaby and I'll definitely be adding him to my collection. Thanks Kenny :thmbsp:

-Dave

I want to get the rest of his cd's when I get some extra cash....I heard a live interview on CBC Canada last summer...I think he was playing at the Montreal Jazz festival and I immediately liked the man and his music.... I thought he had a very unique style of guitar playing and his voice fit that so well.....he has a home down south where he writes a lot of his songs....I find there is so many not so well known musicians that are just out of the mainstream and they are extremely good ....who knows maybe they prefer it that way...please let me know what you think of his music

Originally posted by Kenny
....I find there is so many not so well known musicians that are just out of the mainstream and they are extremely good ....who knows maybe they prefer it that way...

I couldn't agree more Kenny. I'm always on the lookout for that type of artist and I think that a lot of them do prefer it that way - I know JJ Cale does.

-Dave

Lyle Lovett - My Baby Don't Tolerate
Beatles - Let it Be

Tori Amos -Tales of a Librarian
Evanescence- Fallen