Part One 50-41
Part Two 40-31
Part Three 30-21
Part Four 20-11
Part Five 10-1

20. Two Cow Garage – Brand New Flag

Two Cow Garage from Columbus, Ohio is a long time favourite and they can kick off the top 20 with their great new album Brand New Flag. Both songwriters Micah Schnabel and Shane Sweeney are in excellent form on this new one.

19. Justin Peter Kinkel-Schuster – Constant Stranger

Water Liars frontman Justin Peter Kinkel-Schuster put out a magnificent solo album Constant Stranger. A really strong indie-folk album altogether and then there’s this last song The Dirt, The Bells and I . Such a brilliant song.

18. Kalispell – Printer’s Son

Next we have Shane Leonard’s Kalispell. Actually Printer’s Son would have been on my top 10 a year ago, but I left it out because it didn’t come out officially until summer 2016 (Kickstarter backers got it a year earlier). It’s a bit difficult to decide where it should land this year, because I didn’t listen to it nowhere near as much as back in 2015. I still love it though and it’s full of stunning folk songs.

17. BJ Barham – Rockingham

American Aquarium frontman BJ Barham released a magnificent solo album Rockingham. Small town hymns that are both warm and devastating. The song + video combination of The Unfortunate Kind is heartbreaking. Man returning from a gravesite and looking back the life they shared. Overwhelming hurt wrapped in warth and gratitude.

16. Robbie Fulks – Upland Stories

Unfortunately there haven’t been that many Grammy nominees on my year-end lists. This year we do have one, because Robbie Fulks got two nominations. I didn’t see that coming, but it was fully deserved because Upland Stories is awesome. The album contains beautiful and warm folk/bluegrass sounds and wonderfully written stories set in the uplands. So fabulous.

15. Chris Staples – Golden Age

Oh Chris. I fell in love with you the minute I heard the first single and opening track Relatively Permanent. That song is a moment. That song is everything. The rest of the album Golden Age had a hard time living up to that, but it didn’t fall far behind its glorious first outtake. The whole album is remarkable.

14. John Calvin Abney – Far Cries and Close Calls

John Calvin Abney is an Oklahoma-based songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. His new album Far Cries and Close Calls is a very captivating collection of songs. A while back he might have been better known as a trusted sidekick or backing musician to your favourite folk songwriter, but these days he is also a tremendous songwriter. Or well maybe he always was and I just haven’t heard the old material.

13. Drive-By Truckers – American Band

I love the band Drive-By Truckers, but for some weird reason I haven’t been extremely excited about their last 2-3 albums. I can’t even pinpoint why that is exactly, because while the records aren’t their very best, they are still pretty damn good and would be standouts in someone else’s catalogue. The excitement is definitely now back, because this new album American Band is a stunning collection of songs. Lyrically important and both Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley are in top form.

12. Daniel Markham – Disintegrator

Daniel Markham put together a dreamscape called Disintegrator. If you wake up in the middle of the night, play this one as loud as your neighbours can handle and it will kick the demons out of your head. Outstanding record from Daniel Markham once again.

11. Wesley Randolph Eader – Highway Winds

Wesley Randolph Eader from Portland might still be fairly unknown, but he is an incredible folk songwriter. Highway Winds should get a lot of recognition. This contains some of my favourite songs of the year. Actually five of these ten songs could be candidates for the songs of the year list. There’s a couple of songs that I’m not that excited about and that’s the only reason this dropped just outside top 10. Wesley Randolph Eader closes this chapter of the albums of the year list by Waitin’s What We Do and Sorrows For A Song, because it would be impossible to pick just one.

Part One 50-41
Part Two 40-31
Part Three 30-21
Part Four 20-11
Part Five 10-1

30. Caleb Caudle – Carolina Ghost

Moving on to the top 30. North Carolinian americana/country singer-songwriter Caleb Caudle has become a big blog favourite over the last few years and I will buy everything he releases. I really love the song Tuscaloosa, but obviously it’s not just that. The whole album is pretty amazing.

29. China – Pool Of Tears

This might be a little obscure pick, because San Francisco-based China is still criminally unknown. That’s unfortunate, because Pool of Tears is a wonderful record. Not exactly the happiest record you might ever hear, but somehow it’s still damn enjoyable one to listen to.

28. Cody Jinks – I’m Not The Devil

Looking for some real and true country music instead of country songs about sipping rum drinks by the pool (that was slightly modified late great Ben Bullington quote). Well look no further. Cody Jinks is the man for the job. I’m Not The Devil is an extremely convincing album and it has already picked several #1 spots in the country/americana blogosphere and rightfully so.

27. Caleb McCoach – Vanity

I accidentally stumbled upon this Caleb McCoach album Vanity during one of my aimless bandcamp browsing sessions. I listened to this for hours and hours and oh how badly I fell in love with it. It’s dark and fragile, but also somehow peaceful and warm. Caleb actually released another album in December. I have to get into that sometime soon, because this one is special.

26. Freschard – Sunday Night

Regular visitors are probably well aware that I’m seriously addicted to the music of French-born, but Berlin-based Freschard. Shh.. Boom Biddy Boom and now Sunday Night is an album trio that I could just listen to all day long. This new one maybe didn’t have anything as highly addictive as Cheese and Crackers or glorious as Tweet Tweet, but it’s definitely another winner.

25. Michael Nau – Mowing

Page France and Cotton Jones guy Michael Nau charmed me early in the year with his solo album Mowing. Full of sweet folk-tinged pop songs and irresistible low-key beauty. It all sounds so smooth, lovely and easy-flowing. I have the US version, but it also came out in the Europe very late in the year.

24. Itasca – Open To Chance

Paradise of Bachelors is a label whose taste I trust and I will listen to each and everyone of their releases. I didn’t know Itasca aka L.A based folk singer-songwriter Kayla Cohen before this album, but Open to Chance instantly became very dear to me. I’ve spent a lot of time just lying on the floor wrapped into the mesmerizing serene beauty of this album.

23. Matt Woods – How To Survive

New Matt Woods album How To Survive has been in really heavy rotation. The man has the voice and of course the songs too. This one Fireflies for example. So damn brilliant and the rest are pretty much on the same level.

22. Kacy & Clayton – Strange Country

Did I ever feature this when it came out on New West Records? If I didn’t, I’ll turn myself in tomorrow to the local police station. One shouldn’t get away with such a crime. Anyway these Canadian second cousins put together a stunning album that echoes both the North American folk tradition and British 70s folk. Very impressive.

21. Robert Ellis – Robert Ellis

Robert Ellis didn’t play it safe and the new album has very ambitious and innovative arrangements and more sonic adventures that I’m usually willing to take. Robert Ellis is such a talent that he can make this all work beautifully and this genre-blending break-up album turned out to be absolutely wonderful. Robert Ellis and California from his self-titled album is a perfect way to end this third chapter of this pointless albums of the year list.

Part One 50-41
Part Two 40-31
Part Three 30-21
Part Four 20-11
Part Five 10-1

Time for the dreaded and pointless albums of the year 2016 list. Yeah, I know this list is ridiculously long, but it was already difficult enough to cut this down to 50 so I decided to stop breaking my heart anymore and just go with this long list. Sorry about that. The order is pretty insignificant and I didn’t think that long about it. Any album could go 10-20 spots up or down on some other day. It’s basicly just 50 albums that I held dear during the year 2016.

50. Frederick Squire – Spooky Action at a Distance

Canadian Frederick Squire can do the honors and kick off this list with his quietly spectacular new album Spooky Action at A Distance. You might know him as the Fred in Daniel, Fred & Julie, but his solo albums are treasures as well. Maybe this one didn’t hit me as hard as March 12 or Sings Shenandoah and Other Popular Hits, but it’s still gorgeous.

49. Luka – Summon Up A Monkey King

Sticking in Canada for the time being. Luka aka Luke Kuplowsky loves cats, Kaurismäki and Richman. So my kind of guy most definitely. Summon Up a Monkey King is a great late night listening and presents love through different perspectives. And Rohmer plays his important role both in the album cover and the music videos with grace and absolute perfection. What a beautiful cat.

48. Ryan Allen and His Extra Arms – Basement Punk

I’m way behind with 2016 power pop or melodic pop and haven’t even heard some important ones like the new Legal Matters album. I need to go through the year-end lists of the pop blogs sometime early in the 2017 to see what I’ve missed. However, I do have a few great ones on this list. Ryan Allen and His Extra Arms from Michigan is a long time favourite and this one is his finest album. Mal n’ Ange is one of my jams of 2016.

47. Hayes Carll – Lovers and Leavers

The new Hayes Carll album got a little mixed reviews, but I think it’s rather stunning. It sure is a little ballad-heavy and requires a certain mood. Therefore this is one of those that could easily jump into the top 20 on some day and out from the list on another. But the songwriting is excellent. This song The Magic Kid is one of the best of the year.

46. Jeremy Squires – Shadows

Jeremy Squires from North Carolina is somehow able to present fragility and sadness in such manner that all that gloom gets overshadowed by the peace and warmness that flows through the listener.

45. Joe Purdy – Who Will Be Next?

The new Joe Purdy album deals with difficult issues like gun violence, refugee crisis, police brutality, racism. Actually everything it tells should be naively obvious to all of us, but it’s still an important and welcome reminder, because somehow lack of empathy seem to be a running theme in this current world. Children of Privilege by Joe Purdy from Red Barn Studio Live Sessions.

44. Shotgun Jimmie – Field Of Trampolines

I’m not sure is happiness consultant a thing, but if it is I could definitely use one and Canadian Shotgun Jimmie would be a strong candidate for the job. One sure needed a Field Of Trampolines when the year constantly tried to drag us down. It might not be over yet, but I’m sure we can bounce back. Let’s love, laugh and listen to Jimmie.

43. Al Scorch – Circle Round The Signs

Al Scorch from Chicago released his Bloodshot Records debut Circle Round The Signs in the spring. There’s both banjo-driven high-tempo foot stompers and beautiful ballads. Saw him live in Stockholm in the fall and that was a great evening.

42. Big Shoals – Hard Lessons

Big Shoals from Gainesville, FL was a completely new find to me and their latest album Hard Lessons turned out to be a great americana / alt.country album. Very convincing already and I expect them to one day hit the top 10, if both a) they keep making records b) I keep writing a blog.

41. Margo Price – Midwest Farmer’s Daughter

Country singer-songwriter Margo Price has received a lot of hype during the year and righfully so. This might be a surprisingly low position for this excellent album. This was actually jumping up and down while I was making this list, because on the other hand there are songs that I absolute love like Hands of Time, but also some I don’t care that much for like the first single Hurtin’ (On The Bottle). Easily ends up on a positive and high note though. The perfect way to end this first chapter of the albums of the year list is Margo Price and her songs Hands Of Time that is one of the finest songs of the year.