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New Releases:
 The Ragbirds - Travellin' Machine CD -
After a highly successful 2011 The Ragbirds are kicking off a new year with the release of their 4th studio effort. In this exciting mew album the band has seamlessly blended a wide palette of musical genres into a fresh and cohesive 10-track package that is full of life and energy.
It's rare to stumble upon a band that brings as much joy and creative flare to their music as the Ragbirds. Led by the energetic front woman, Erin Zindle, the band tastefully unites multi-cultural rhythms with a roots rock flavor that is as captivating and flirty, as it is smart. A bright and diverse addition to any music collection, the album provides charming, danceable songs that can be enjoyed by listeners of all ages.
 Ten Toes Up - Sleeping Lion CD - For the third studio album, Ten Toes Up enlisted the help of South Carolina's Danielle Howle to occupy the producer's chair. Sleeping Lion puts forth an edgier sound than the previous efforts, but the groove stays present, and the influences remain diverse. Lyrics, and arrangements, are more polished here, which was illustrated by the amount of airplay that was generated by singles "Carolina Mess," "Set Me on Fire," and "This Fortune is Easy." WYAV 104.1 DJ, Scott Mann, says "Sleeping Lion is exactly what a great rock album should be. It's diverse, it sounds great loud, and the songs are played with skill!" The Surge Magazine's Paul Grimshaw says " The band embodies the Carolina sound- a mix of Black Crowes, Widespread Panic, and Allman Brothers Band- but, ultimately, all Ten Toes Up!"
 Greensky Bluegass - Handguns CD - Greensky Bluegrass' 4th studio release, recorded in Jan. 2011, at Glenn Brown Productions in Lansing, MI. Using vintage analog gear, this record was captured on the same mixing console that produced, "Free Bird", and dozens of other mega-hits in Muscle Shoals, AL.
 The Green - Ways & Means CD - Ways & Means is the amazing follow-up to the Green's award-winning debut album. Produced by the band itself, it features 14 songs demonstrating the full-range of this talented band's skills. From dancehall ("Decisions") to lovers rock ("She Was The Best") to classic roots ("Keep On") to unclassifiable genre-busting styles ("Good Vibration"), this album covers a lot of musical ground and is destined to be in the conversation for Reggae Album of the Year.
 Jake Clayton's Barnyard Stomp T Shirt
 Strange Arrangement T Shirt
 Yonder Mountain String Band sticker
 Ten Toes Up - Lion sticker
Coming Soon:
 moe. - What Happened to the La Las -
After twenty years together and nine studio albums, one might think moe. had pretty much done it all. Yet the famously independent-minded jam band is reaching for new ground on its latest project, What Happened To The LA LAs.
To begin with, moe. has signed with Sugar Hill Records, the band's first label sojourn in nearly a decade. The group also chose to work with an outside producer for the first time since 1998's Tin Cans & Car Tires, with John Travis (Kid Rock, Social Distortion, No Doubt) getting the call.
What Happened To The LA LAs features 10 tracks of compact melodies, each textured by moe.'s signature rock riffs and flourishes, and backed by a roller coaster ride of pulsing drums. It's that pure moe. sound which the band's ardent fans -- affectionately dubbed moe.rons -- have come to love over the band's decades of industrious touring.
 Rodrigo y Gabriela and C.U.B.A. - Area 52 CD+DVD - Area 52 contains nine of Rod and Gab's favorite songs from their own catalogue re-arranged and re-configured for a 13-piece Cuban orchestra comprised of some of Havana's finest young players, collectively known as C.U.B.A. This two-disc set includes a 30-minute 'making-of' documentary on DVD.
With career sales in excess of 1.2 million albums, blockbuster movie scores, sell out world tours that span London to Los Angeles, Paris to Tokyo and Dublin to Sydney, and not forgetting the love and respect of fellow musicians like Metallica, Rage Against The Machine, Al Di Meola and L Shankar, Rodrigo y Gabriela have worked hard to reach Area 52.
Last Week:
HGMN's 11th Annual Best of the Year Awards
 STUDIO ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Ultraviolet Hippopotamus - Square Pegs, Round Holes CD - read our review
Runner up: Moksha - Here to Go - read our review
LIVE ALBUM OF THE YEAR: The Silo Effect - Treehouse - read our review
CUSTOMER'S CHOICE: Retail: George Porter & Runin' Pardners - Can't Beat the Funk
Wholesale: SOJA - Born in Babylon
NEW HGMN BAND OF THE YEAR: Strange Arrangement - We were most impressed with this new addition to our network. Pick up their CD and catch a live show!
HGMN HALL OF FAME: LOTUS joins Moses Guest, STS9, The Motet, Umphrey's McGee, The Recipe, Deep Banana Blackout, The Big Wu, Acoustic Syndicate, The Disco Biscuits & Keller Williams in this select list of bands that have helped define HGMN over the years.
HG REPS OF THE YEAR: Brielle Martinez - Florida
HGMN VENUE OF THE YEAR: Georgia Theatre - Athens, GA
HGMN JAMcaster OF THE YEAR: WildmanSteve.com
Congrats to all the winners and thanks for making 2011 a year to remember!
HGMN Staff's Favorites of 2011:
LEE:
Favorite shows: The Motet - Suwannee Springfest 3.24.11 - definately the funkiest act I ever experienced at SpringFest and it had been way too long since my last Motet show.
Bear Creek Music Festival - This whole festival in general was great from beginning to end - almost any of the artists/sets from that could make this list. Some of my personal highlights included sets from Strange Arrangement, Juno What?, New Mastersounds, Snarky Puppy, MSMW & Lettuce.
Albums: Moksha - Here to Go
Strange Arrangement - Polygraph
Dub Is A Weapon - Vaporized
Andy Shaw Band - Own Resolve
Manhattan Project - Atomic Bomb Party Vol 2
* Honorable mention - BIG Something - Mad Science: Live at the Costume Ball - this came out just last week!
ROBIE:
Favorite shows: The Flaming Lips - Blackwater Music Festival 9.24.11
Lyrics Born - FloydFest 7.30.11
Albums: 1. M83 - Hurry Up, We're Dreaming
2. Moksha - Here to Go
3. White Denim - D
4. Charles Bradley - No Time For Dreaming
5. Bon iver - Bon iver
SHERRY:
Favorite shows: Big Daddy Love - Sept 14th 2011 The Pour House, Raleigh NC
Strange Arrangement - Bear Creek 2011
Albums:Big Daddy Love - Let It Grow CD
Lotus - Lotus CD
Strange Arrangement - Polygraph CD
UV Hippo - Sq. Pegs, Round Holes CD
Cope - See CD
TREVOR:
Favorite shows: Discordian Society @2011 Sensational Spring Fling - May 14 2011
Imperial Blend @The Blind Tiger - Oct 15 2011
Albums: Ultraviolet Hippopotamus - Square Pegs, Round Holes CD
Lotus - Lotus CD
Big Daddy Love - Let It Grow CD
The New Mastersounds - Breaks from the Border CD
Home Grown 10 CD
J. EVAN WADE:
Favorite shows: "Groove in the Holler"
Big Something at the Costume Ball
Albums: 1. Dub Is a Weapon - "Vaporized"
2. Songs of Water - "The Sea has Spoken"
3. Lizzy Ross Band - "Read Me Out Loud"
4. UV Hippo - "Square Pegs, Round Holes"
5. COPE - "See"
Upcoming Events:
March 22-25 - Suwannee Springfest - Live Oak, FL
Video of the Week:
The New Deal "Final Jam" on Jam Cruise 10 (Jan 12, 2012) Thanks for all the great music fellas - we'll miss you.
Thanks for reading! Treat yourself to some good music this week.
Lee Crumpton
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Hackensaw Boys - For the Love of a Friend CD
