Best new releases of 2011

[Harvey2]

2011 has been an excellent year for new releases and I've really struggled to come up with my final Top 20. However, no surprise to find that once again, the girls dominate my list (16 out of 20 titles). Is it just me or have the guys run out of ideas? Incidently, the guys on my list are mainly older musicians too and one of them is an actor!

I've also managed to catch a lot of great concerts this year ( enjoyed Stacey Kent and her band on Sunday) and once again, it's been the girls that impressed me the most, not that I'm complaining.

[Sylvie]

Is the actor Jeff Bridges?

[Harvey2]

No, it's not Jeff Bridges. As much as I enjoy his movies that's as far as it goes with me. Same for Tim Robbins, he should stick to acting too.

[Mike Rogers]

I've felt that for some time that most of the decent stuff is coming from the girls - a lot of whom seem to be able to connect with the roots of music yet produce fresh-sounding albums that avoid clichés. (However there is still a lot of teen'n'twenty angst out there.)
The vast majority of guys who I like are not merely old but positively ancient.

[Arlene]

2Incidently, the guys on my list are mainly older musicians too and one of them is an actor!

Is the actor Hugh Laurie?

[Arlene]

Ten of my favorites by female artists (so far) and I'm guessing that at least some of these women also grace Harvey's list):

Abigail Washburn- City of Refuge (I LOVED her set last week at HSB)
Zoe Muth- Starlight Hotel
Sarah Jarosz- Follow Me Down
June Tabor- Ragged Kingdom
Gillian Welch- The Harrow & The Harvest
Emmylou Harris- Hard Times
Eilen Jewell- Queen of the Minor Key
Matraca Berg- The Dreaming Fields
Tara Nevins- Wood and Stone
Diana Jones- High Atmosphere

[Harvey2]

Arlene, you clever devil! You are correct yet again and yes, seven of your picks are in my top 40. Bet you can't guess the other 33 - or maybe you can ;-)

[Arlene]

Arlene, you clever devil! You are correct yet again and yes, seven of your picks are in my top 40. Bet you can't guess the other 33 - or maybe you can ;-)

I think I'll quit while I'm ahead... :) But I'm very interested in seeing your list....

[Harvey2]

Arlene, you clever devil! You are correct yet again and yes, seven of your picks are in my top 40. Bet you can't guess the other 33 - or maybe you can ;-)

I think I'll quit while I'm ahead... :) But I'm very interested in seeing your list....

Ok then, here it is;

City of refuge (AW)
The King is dead (TD)
Voyager (CM)
Hard Bargain (EH)
The man in the long black coat (BJ)
Cheapskate lullabye (CD)
High atmosphere (DJ)
Neptune (EC)
Let England shake (PJH)
A kiss before you go (K)
Ashore (JT)
The harrow and the harvest (GW & DR)
Follow me down (SJ)
Revelation road (SL)
Talk to me (HL)
The deep field (JAPW)
Red barked trees (W)
Metals (F)
Songbook No.2 (RN)
Ragged Kingdom (JT & TOB)
Helplessness blues (FF)
Paper airplane (AK & US)
Majestic silver strings (BM)
Queen of the minor key (EJ)
Ghost on the canvass (GC)
American folk songbook (SB)
I'll never get out of this world alive (SE)
Daybreak (SH)
John Wesley Harding (TG)
Virtue (ETG)
Bright morning stars (WJ)
Lie to me (BS & DC)
Kings and Queens (B & TRK)
I love you, go easy (DS)
Passenger (LH)
Any forgotten thing (H)
Good things happen over coffee (EH)
Working in Tennessee (MH)
Temptation (TW)
Tribute to George (various)

Lots of old favourites there and some new names such as ETG (Emmy the great) .

[Arlene]

City of refuge (AW)
The King is dead (TD)
Voyager (CM)
Hard Bargain (EH)
The man in the long black coat (BJ)
Cheapskate lullabye (CD)
High atmosphere (DJ)
Neptune (EC)
Let England shake (PJH)
A kiss before you go (K)
Ashore (JT)
The harrow and the harvest (GW & DR)
Follow me down (SJ)
Revelation road (SL)
Talk to me (HL)
The deep field (JAPW)
Red barked trees (W)
Metals (F)
Songbook No.2 (RN)
Ragged Kingdom (JT & TOB)
Helplessness blues (FF)
Paper airplane (AK & US)
Majestic silver strings (BM)
Queen of the minor key (EJ)
Ghost on the canvass (GC)
American folk songbook (SB)
I'll never get out of this world alive (SE)
Daybreak (SH)
John Wesley Harding (TG)
Virtue (ETG)
Bright morning stars (WJ)
Lie to me (BS & DC)
Kings and Queens (B & TRK)
I love you, go easy (DS)
Passenger (LH)
Any forgotten thing (H)
Good things happen over coffee (EH)
Working in Tennessee (MH)
Temptation (TW)
Tribute to George (various)

Am I the only one who has some difficulty figuring out the artists' names based on their initials? (I can always google the album titles.....)

Thanks Harvey. I see I have some albums to check out. (And a bunch of these ARE on my list-- I usually limit myself to 20 but...)