The top five nominees for HGMN 2012 studio album of the year
1. Mac & Juice - Step Into the Light
Mac & Juice's self-released album, Step into the Light, is not just a collection of songs but rather a personal stamp on their original music that has developed organically over the years. Because of the many genres of music coming to life on this album, it is challenging to put them into any one category. While crafting songs is serious business for Mac & Juice, what follows are bright, tight, beautifully rocking stories that come to life through moonlit vocals, thoughtful lyrics, and their two guitars which seem to channel the stories as well. Among the eleven songs, “Willie Nelson Song” and “One Hundred Dollars” plug songwriting influences such as Waylon Jennings and Merle Haggard, while “Johnny Gene” and “I’m Going Home” give a nod to authentic bluegrass. “Phoenix” and “She Don’t Wanna Be” are straight driving rock songs with moving hooks. "Today,” “Remembered as the Best” and “Countryside” will make you want to drive with the top down. “The Most Beautiful Thing” unveils jazz notes that are reminiscent of Stevie Wonder, but with their signature virtuoso brand. “Piece of Mind” ebbs and flows over a groove laden low end that spills into a lick-heavy guitar solo where Mac & Juice unleash their tandem jams.
"The album is full of redemptive, beautiful moments for those who appreciate virtuosic guitar and emotionally evocative lyrics."
-J. Evan Wade
2. Scythian - It's Not Too Late
Rousing and raucous, Scythian (sith-ee-yin) plays kicked-up Celtic and world music with hints of Gypsy and Klezmer, all infused with a touch of punk-rock sensibility. Take a trio of classically trained dueling fiddlers, toss in a rhythm guitar, a banjo and the occasional funky accordion, then power it with the driving rhythm of a world percussionist, and you've got the ingredients for a show you won't soon forget. Scythian's high-energy, adrenaline-peddling, interactive brand of music is the result of their origins as street performers and has one goal in mind - to get people up on their feet and dancing. Their repertoire ranges from traditional and contemporary Celtic and folk music to the alluring and dramatic strains of Gypsy and Eastern European tunes, and then crosses back over the border to pick up some good old-fashioned bluegrass licks.
3. The Deluge - Elephant Graveyard
Elephant Graveyard is a freewheeling yarn with wildly expressive musical accompaniment. The second release from the Deluge is a departure from their first in so much as ascetic, but the spirit of storytelling is very evident on Graveyard. The record begins with the Otis Redding inspired Honest Man and moves seamlessly into the murder ballad Rosy. Each track differs vastly from the last and the inclusion of the Tom Scott cover, So White, is cleverly translated by the band’s new rhythm section in the dynamic duo of Jeremy Merritt (drums) and George Westberry (bass). New guitarist, Daniel Serrif, displays his mastery of motivic development in his work on Let’s Make Medicine, which begins with cerebral legato bends before it transforms into a downright raunchy rock and roll guitar solo. Chris Lord offers his melodic voicing throughout the entire record and is on full display on the track, Her Pride. Brandon Knox’s voice also displays fluidity from liltingly sweet to shouting and screaming. The addition of Kofi Burbridge (ARU, Tedeschi Trucks Band) adds another eccentric voice to an already elaborate tapestry. All told, Elephant Graveyard is a diverse record that will keep the listener’s head on a swivel.
"Sounding like a lesson in merging the blues with funk, jam rock, and an occasional tasty jazz lick for garnish, Elephant Graveyard is a sophomore album worthy of pride."
- Jeremy Sanchez
4. Graham Whorley - Permission to Think
Graham Whorley is poised to make an indelible mark on the national scene and expand his Lowcountry roots. The new 14-track album features custom artwork from world renowned graffiti artist, Ishmael. Permission to Think challenges us to consider ways that break down walls, perceptions, and illusions that stop us from reaching our true potential. Throughout, Whorley speaks from experience and carries us along for an unforgettable musical ride ranging from the soul searching title track, “Permission to Think” to the experimental and lively, “UFO.” Whorley spent the last two years crafting the album in Virginia with longtime friend and engineer, Roger Reynolds on the mixing board, who recently joined Whorley to set up shop in Charleston. Graham took on the daunting prospect of composing all of the music, writing all the lyrics and playing all of the instruments on this new project while his three-piece band, The Graham Whorley Band, underwent a transformation due to touring conflicts with former GWB members. The result of Whorley’s hard work is a fresh, enticing notion of universal themes and timeless songs that beg to be heard again and again.
"A great deal of musicians have a message but their tunes aren’t so tight, or the music may be mind blowing but the words are just accessories – Whorley has managed to adeptly lock onto both categories as an artist and weld them together for a product that demands attention."
-Jeremy Sanchez
5. Dangermuffin - Olly Oxen Free
With their brand new follow up, Olly Oxen Free, Dangermuffin have returned home. No longer easily dubbed an Americana or roots-rock band, the group’s sound encompasses ska, calypso, and even Southern rock, often within the same song. Like the cry bellowed during a children’s game of hide-and-seek, Olly Oxen Free signals that it’s safe to come out from our hiding spots, gather back together, and celebrate late into the evening.
"It is pure pleasure and sort of a miracle for the genres of Americana, folk and jam music."
-Simon Eddie
