A lot of env-econ.net readers use my annual list for their holiday shopping and I am happy to share it for another year. As always, the list is based on revealed preference. I bought each of these (CDs ... not downloaded to the IPad I don't have) and the ranking is based some mix of (a) the order I'd like to listen to them right now and (b) how many times I think I listened to them this year.
Here it is as posted at No Depression:
1. Decemberists - "The King is Dead"
2. Drive-By Truckers - "Go Go Boots"
3. Cake - "Showroom of Compassion"
4. BoDeans - "Indigo Dreams"
5. Gourds - "Old Mad Joy"
6. Wilco - "The Whole Love"
7. Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit - "Here We Rest"
8. My Morning Jacket- "Circuital"
9. Steve Earle - "I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive"
10. Old 97s - "Grand Theatre Vol. 2"Honorable Mention: Gillian Welch - "The Harrow and The Harvest" (there are a couple more that are resisting my memory right now)
Numbers 1-7 really got me through the year. There is a distinct lack of female voices this year. I heard Gillian Welch on campus, which was great, but the album didn't really grab me (and I realize that is [one of] my problem[s]). I'll make up for that with Shelby Lynne's Christmas album.
I've also submitted this to WNCW Top 100 contest. I'm fairly sure that I'll be a winner this year:
One lucky contestant will win the Top 10 CDʼs of the year. Nine others will win a grab-bag of other great WNCW favorites, hand-picked by your hosts!
WNCW required that the BoDeans and Steve Earle are write in votes (Cake is on their list but not Steve Earle, how weird is that?).
Happy Holidays!