Preparing for this blog has renewed my commitment to listen to each album I get right when I get it. I don't know about y'all, but I'm actually pretty bad about that. Unless it's an album I've been really looking forward to, there's a very good chance that I'll hold off on listening to it. I don't know why I do it, but I do. Which is okay, so far as it goes - until you decide to make a best of 2015 list, but can't until you go through and listen to all of them. That's right. These past couple of weeks, I've been going through and listening to every album and EP that I got in 2015. I don't recommend doing this. Especially when it involves roughly 80 full-length albums and over 40 EPs. 1,360 songs total, according to the iTunes playlist I created. Yep. I repeat: I do not recommend doing this.
Now, I've been reading a bunch of these kinds of lists and just about all of them focus on one kind of country music only. Like mainstream popular country or Texas country. There's lists of the best alternative country albums and the best bluegrass albums. I'm one who appreciates different styles and sub-genres of country music. Hence, the * attached to Country in the title. So I decided to throw them all together and pick the ones I liked the best, regardless of sub-genre. This was not an easy feat. The truth is that I genuinely liked most of the albums and EPs I got last year. As such, I had to be brutal. There's albums I loved that didn't make the final cut. Ultimately, it was a question of which ones made the most impact. Be it lyrically, musically, emotionally or whatever else. Some of these made it on other best of lists; others didn't, at least as far as I've seen. Worth keeping in mind that all of these lists are pretty subjective and should be taken with a grain of salt. This list consists entirely of full-length albums; there might be a separate post for my favorite EPs coming down the road. For now, we're going on a bit of a musical journey here. This list covers some ground. I believe that there is at least one album on here for everyone. Maybe even more than that. Now I would say that I enjoy every album on here pretty equally which made ranking them difficult. So difficult, in fact, that I decided to just list them alphabetically by first name.
1. Aaron Watson, The Underdog. I had never heard of Aaron Watson until this year and I must say that I'm not okay with that. Not at all. This is a man who apparently got rejected by Nashville and instead of giving up on his dream, he decided to become an independent artist. This album was released on his own label and it is fantastic. Straight up Texas country. Traditional 90s country instrumentation. Strong lyrics. Spot on production. There's songs that make you want to get up and dance, songs to give you some inspiration and songs that will touch your heart. This guy is the real deal, y'all.
Favorite tracks: "The Prayer", "Wildfire", "Bluebonnets (Julia's Song)", "That's Gonna Leave a Mark" and "The Underdog".
2. Allison Moorer, Down to Believing. Heading into alternative country territory here. This album is intense and emotional; gritty and raw. Allison Moorer has been through a lot over the past five years. Her marriage to Steve Earle ended in divorce and their son was diagnosed with autism. These songs draw largely from both experiences without holding anything back. It's personal and honest in a way that most albums aren't and still manages to be relatable. Even if you haven't gone through the same things she has, these songs will speak to you.
Favorite tracks: "Thunderstorm / Hurricane", "I Lost My Crystal Ball", "Down To Believing", "If I Were Stronger" and "Mama Let the Wolf In".
3. Ashley Monroe, The Blade. A breakup album for those of you who prefer a nice blend of Americana and country, though there are some pop influences thrown on a couple of the songs. Ashley Monroe has been compared to Dolly Parton and this album pretty much solidifies that comparison. I can imagine Dolly singing all of these songs and that is high praise indeed. This is one of those albums that gets a lot of positive praise from critics and nowhere near enough mainstream attention. One of the few that I knew would make my list the first time I heard it.
Favorite tracks: "I Buried Your Love Alive", "Bombshell", "If the Devil Don't Want Me", "Mayflowers" and "On To Something Good".
4. Brett Eldredge, Illinois. A mostly an upbeat album that's fun to groove along to. There a definite R&B influence throughout that some won't appreciate, but I for one like it. This album fits better in country than it would anywhere else. Brett takes some risks on this one with "Shadow" being the biggest. That's a song you either love or hate. But here's the thing about that: I cannot tell you how many utterly forgettable songs I listened to in preparation for this post. So in this time of so much sameness, I appreciate those songs that jump out. Those songs that you will have an opinion about, one way or another. Illinois features Brett branching out while staying true to the artist he's been.
Favorite tracks: "Fire", "Lose My Mind", "Time Well Spent", "Illinois", and "Lose It All".
5. Cam, Untamed. This album got released in the middle of December, which unfortunately took it out of the running for several albums of the year list. This is one of the most interesting debut albums I've ever heard. Cam has managed to take parts of various genres and mash them together in a way that is uniquely hers. It's hard to come up with anyone else she reminds me of and that's a good thing. She's just Cam. Whether she's singing a heartbreaking ballad or showing some sass or promising vengeance against a lover who has done her wrong, she's never anything but herself. It's going to be cool watching her develop as an artist. She's off to quite a start.
Favorite tracks: "Hungover on Heartache", "Mayday", "Burning House", "Half Broke Heart" and "Village".
6. Carrie Underwood, Storyteller. First, allow me to lament the fact that it's been years since she won female vocalist at the country music awards shows. It's simply ridiculous by this point. Carrie's last couple of albums have, in my opinion, been her best to date. You have the power rock-influenced anthems. Beautiful ballads that really show off her range as a singer. Strong lyrics, often involving stories you could build movies around. It's all here and it's wonderful.
Favorite tracks: "Dirty Laundry", "Church Bells", "Choctaw County Affair", "Like I'll Never Love You Again" and "What I Never Knew I Always Wanted".
7. Chris Stapleton, Traveller. I remember all the hype I heard about this album before I listened to it. Everyone was raving about it. So I got it, expecting it to be good, but didn't think it could possibly live up to all the hype. I was wrong and happily so. It didn't just live up to the hype, it surpassed it for me. It was fun watching him sweep the CMAs, rightfully so, and then watching people trying to figure out who this dude was. I'm so glad that more and more people have discovered Chris Stapleton. It would have been a travesty if Traveller hadn't won album of the year. Kudos to the CMAs for giving Chris his due. I believe that he is one of the best songwriters alive today. And that voice of his, goodness. I would listen to this man sing anything. Incredible album all the way around. One that demands your complete attention from beginning to end.
Favorite tracks: "Traveller", "Whiskey and You", "Nobody to Blame", "Daddy Doesn't Pray Anymore" and "Was It 26".
8. Chris Young, I'm Comin' Over. Ah Chris Young. Constantly overlooked by the industry much to the chagrin of his loyal fans. It doesn't make any sense. Chris is easily one of the best male vocalists in country music today and proves that on his fifth studio album. An album that he not only co-produced, but one where he co-wrote all but two of the songs. The album is personal, the most personal he's ever made. Once again he shows that he can party when he wants to, but no Chris Young would be complete without a few ballads that really show off all that his voice can do. It is high time for Chris to get some solid recognition from the industry. It's time for the industry to take him more seriously. He's more than earned it.
Favorite tracks: "Think of You" duet with Cassadee Pope, "I Know a Guy", "Sober Saturday Night" featuring Vince Gill, "Underdogs" and "What If I Stay".
9. Eric Church, Mr. Misunderstood. I've learned a couple things about Eric Church over the years. One, he does what he wants. He's not afraid to take chances or try new things. Two, he cares about his fans. This is a man who never gives anything less than his best, whether it's on stage or in the studio. He's taken on ticket scalpers because he doesn't want his fans to get taken advantage of. And last year, he surprised members of his fan clubs with a brand new full-length album that none of them knew was coming. He premiered the title track at the CMAs and the album was made available for purchase afterwards. I bought it, not realizing that it apparently wasn't just a few fan club members who got the album but all of them. I received a package containing the album on both vinyl and on a CD. Because Eric Church is just that cool. The music is stripped down which lets the lyrics shine. It's like he pulled out some of the best aspects of each of his previous albums and found the best way to infuse them together to create Mr. Understood. This is one that gets better every time you hear it. Eric flippin' Church, y'all.
Favorite tracks: "Mr. Misunderstood", "Knives of New Orleans", "Kill a Word", "Record Year" and "Three Year Old".
10. Home Free, Country Evolution. This one should come as no surprise to anyone who knows me. I don't know if I've ever listened to an album with a more appropriate title. The gentlemen of Home Free, country music's first a cappella country group, have created another album full of both covers and originals. The covers consisted of both recent hits and some of country music's most famous songs, creating a nice bridge between the two. Hence the title. Two of which were done with the original artists, namely the Oak Ridge Boys on "Elvira" which was hands down the biggest and most important collaboration in country music in 2015. In years, even. Charlie Daniels joined them on his signature hit "The Devil Went Down to Georgia", along with Taylor Davis, making it the only song of the album with actual instruments. Everything else you hear on the album? Made by the human voice. And yes, that includes all the drum sounds - those were all made by vocal percussionist Adam Rupp. All of them. He's quite talented, that one. The harmonies? Impeccable. This album is outstanding from the moment it starts until the moment it ends.
Favorite tracks: "Elvira" (full write up here), "Don't It Feel Good" (Home Free original), "Seven Bridges Road", "Fishin' in the Dark/Boondocks" (full write up here) and "Serenity" (Home Free original).
11. Ira Dean, Beer or Gasoline. This is actually one of two full length albums that Ira released in 2015. I really liked them both - the other is called "It's About Time - but this was my favorite of the two. Some of you might remember Ira from country trio Trick Pony. Personal anecdote: Trick Pony was actually the first country act I ever met. This was back in like 2001 or so and Ira was up first, technically making him the first country singer I ever met. Granted only by a few seconds, but hey, it still counts. I was so happy when I found out that he was releasing new music - although he has gotten cuts on other albums over the year. Like the title track, which was cut by Chris Young. A talented songwriter, he's one who can write songs that make me laugh and others that make me cry. In fact, the funny songs and the party songs make the emotional ones stand out that much more in contrast. Solid album that seemed to hardly get any attention. Don't miss out on this one.
Favorite tracks: "Hillbilly Rich", "Beer or Gasoline", "Somethin' Like a Sunday", "Hungover You" and "God Must Love Crazy".
12. Rachel Potter, Not so Black and White. For those of you who enjoy some pop in your country. Or those of you who just love listening to great singers sing. Rachel has become one of my favorite female singers, hands down. Girl's been on Broadway for heaven's sake. I believe I said it in my album review (found here), but she's the kind of singer that makes me want to become a better singer myself. She has so much control over her voice and I could listen to her sing just about anything. Not so Black and White is the kind of album that you just want to crank up and not just sing along with, but do so with abandon. The uptempo songs are downright infectious and the ballads are just lovely. The songwriting is strong and clever. What more could you want? On a side note, Rachel has formed a country trio along with Donny Fallgatter and Josh Matheny called Steel Union and they are fantastic. I'm going to be doing a write up about them sometime in the near future, so be on the lookout for that.
Favorite tracks: " Zero to Sixty", "Radio", "Try", "Tail Lights" and "Jesus and Jezebel".
13. Randy Rogers & Wade Bowen, Hold My Beer, Vol. 1. Time to head back to Texas, methinks. Because sometimes you just need straight up and stone cold country. I don't know if I can properly describe how much I enjoy listening to this album. It makes me smile and there's some moments on here that crack me up. A true duets albums that makes me wish more acts did these kinds of albums. These guys have apparently been friends for years and that definitely comes across in these songs. It's so much fun listening to them play off each other. It's now become a goal of mine to see these guys live. I just know it'd be an absolute blast. I came across an interview with them (found here) where they say that they had members of both of their live bands play on here with them. Very cool, in my opinion. Shout out to Taste of Country for such a great interview; definitely go check it out.
Favorite tracks: "I Had My Hopes up High", "'Til It Does", "Good Luck With That", "Standards" and "El Dorado".
14. Stephanie Urbina Jones, Fiery Angel. I stumbled upon this album quite by accident and it was easily one of my favorite musical discoveries of 2015. It's country music with a distinctive Latin flavor that makes it a treat for the ears. This is such a positive and hopeful album, though it does have a few ballads that'll break your heart. But that said, when all is said and done, you end up feeling uplifted after listening. Vocally, Stephanie reminds me a bit of Trisha Yearwood - her voice is very full with a beautiful, rich tone. Talk about songs that make you want to dance, my goodness. There's a few in particular where I just can't help myself. Fiery Angel includes a gorgeous rendition of "Help Me Make It Through the Night". It might be my new favorite version of the song, in fact. Wonderful album.
Favorite tracks: "Vamonos (Let's Go)", "Rose in the Wreckage", "I Wanna Dance With You", "Help Me Make It Through the Night" and "This Is What Hope Looks Like".
15. T. Graham Brown, Forever Changed. Okay, let's clear something up right away. This is not a country album. I mean, there are some country elements, but this is really a Southern gospel album with a lot of soul and R&B. This album pretty much blew me away. So much so that I just had to add it to the list. I've gotten to see T. Graham Brown at the Grand Ole Opry a few times over the year and as good as he sounds on the CD, he sounds better live. This album features an impressive collection of guest singers including Vince Gill, the Oak Ridge Boys, Jason Crabb, Leon Russell and Sonya Isaacs. Just to name a few. Do yourself a favor and check this one out. It's good for the soul.
Favorite tracks: "Soul Talk", "Out of the Rain", "People Get Ready", "Which Way to Pray" and "How Do You Know".
*16. Volume Five, Voices. The original plan was to have this post up before 2016 started. This obviously didn't happen. So I'm throwing in an extra album. Every time I listen to a great bluegrass album, I wonder why I don't listen to bluegrass more often. There's something about bluegrass that hits me on a different level than other kinds of music. The musicianship on here is out of this world. Solid harmonies. Just a pleasant album all the way around.
Favorite tracks: "Dream Softly", "Strangest Dreams", "Satan's Ridge", "Sam's Gap" and "Soldier for the Lonely".
And there you have it. As I said in the introduction, there are albums that I loved that did not make the cut. Some that came very close, but ultimately, it is my opinion that these were the strongest albums released in 2015. Should any of the artists happen to come across this, I have one thing to say: thank you. Thank you for this music and all the music you create.
To everyone else who reads this, I hope that this has inspired you to maybe broaden your horizons and try listening to something different. It's okay to like different styles of country music. No matter what anyone else tries to tell you. And if you like it, buy it. Talk about it. If an artist or a song has made a positive impact on your life in any way, tell them. Don't waste your time hating on whatever you don't like and spend it instead on promoting whatever it is that you love. If any of these were among your favorite albums from 2015, let me know. What other albums did you enjoy in 2015? Leave a comment below or hit me on twitter @countrymusicatk.
Thanks for reading! Here's to another great year of music!
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