Well, my year-end list is nearly complete. There were, as always, some real gems in 2009, but on the whole, I'd say fewer keepers than usual. 2010, on the other hand, looks to be full of promise, primarily on the female singer-songwriter front, which - let's face it - pretty much makes or breaks my music year.
First, comes word that Tift Merritt is in the studio with producer Tucker Martine, who has produced a whole slew of great albums, not the least of which was the 2007 album from Jesse Sykes & The Sweet Hereafter. Speaking of whom, Sykes & Co. should have a new release in 2010 as well.
On Jan. 26, Patty Griffin will release the delayed Downtown Church, produced by Buddy Miller (whose heart problems likely delayed the project). Allison Moorer will release Crows on Feb. 9. The album reteams her with producer R.S. Field, who also produced her best record The Duel. Grace Potter has a new album due in the spring, but unfortunately it appears that the sessions with T-Bone Burnett were scrapped. I'm extremely interested but also a little worried about the direction of that project.
The Drive-By Truckers supposedly have not one, but two, new albums in the can, and those will presumably be released by ATO Records in the near future. Spoon unexpectedly announced the release of a new album Transference, due Jan. 26 on Merge.
Sam Phillips will continue to release new work with her self-released digital project The LP, including three more EP's and a full-length album.
What else in 2010? Might we hear the anticipated reteaming of Alison Krauss and Robert Plant? Will Gillian Welch follow David Rawlings' 2009 lead and drop a new album after almost seven years of waiting? Aren't Over The Rhine long overdue for a new studio album?