The Best Of 2008...Artist Discoveries

If you're gonna check out any of these folks, make it Dustin Welch, Justin Townes Earle and Joe Pug. They're all kind of at a similar point in their careers where very good things are going to happen for them / to them soon. Make no mistake, all of these artists are worth your time but a few of them don't have records out yet so just be patient and go see them live.

Leo Rondeau (myspace) Country/Folk/Americana
Joe Pug (myspace) Singer/Songwriter
Roger Alan Wade (myspace) Singer/Songwriter moving effortlessly from touching to ribald
A.A. Bondy (myspace) Singer/Songwriter
Tim Hus (site) Canadian Cowboy
American Graveyard (myspace) Alt-Country Rock
Flatcar Rattlers (myspace) large band 21st century bluegrass/jamgrass
Dustin Welch (myspace) high energy Americana Rock
Justin Townes Earle (myspace) Singer/Songwriter with a flare for the nostalgia of the past
The Diesel Kings (myspace) Rockin' Country

The Best Of 2008...Official Releases

Alt512's Top Seven:
Justin Townes Earle The Good Life
Tim Hus Bush Pilot Buckaroo
Brock Zeman Hundred Dollar Difference
Joe Pug Nation Of Heat (EP)
Hayes Carll Trouble In Mind
Adam Carroll Old Town Rock N Roll
South Austin Jug Band Strange Invitation

The Best of the Rest:
Jason Boland & The Stragglers Comal County Blue
I See Hawks In L.A. Hallowed Ground
The Gunhands Country Strange
Todd Snider Peace Queer (EP)
A.A. Bondy American Hearts
Justin Townes Earle The Good Life
Reckless Kelly Bulletproof
Fred Eaglesmith Tinderbox
Peter Cooper The Mission Door
Scott Miller For Crying Out Loud
Eleven Hundred Springs Country Jam
James McMurtry Just Us Kids
Mike McClure Did7
The Dedringers Sweetheart Of The Neighborhood

Tim Hus: Another Great Canadian Artist

This post has nothing whatsoever to do with Austin music but I thought I'd just post a little blurb here about Tim Hus (site, myspace). He's a buddy of Corb Lund (site, myspace) and some would argue that they share a certain commonality in terms of sound. They've collaborated on songwriting and each other's albums in the past but I wanted to focus on Hus' music here.

Tim Hus has three records...2002's Songs Of West Canada, 2004's Huskies And Husqvarnas and 2006's Alberta Crude. Each record has what I would consider to be relatively sparse arrangements that work perfectly with Hus' voice and compositions. After a listen to each record, I am certain they're going to get more play from me in the near future.

My current favorite tracks are "Open Pit Mine", "Dangerous Dave's Tractor Show", "Everybody Likes A Hank Williams Song", "One More Oil Boom" and "Man With A Black Hat". Speaking of a man with a black hat, written for Stompin' Tom Connors (site, myspace), Hus has a great deal of respect for Canadian cowboy luminaries Ian Tyson and Stompin' Tom.

Regardless of who Hus counts among his musical influences, there is a great presence to his music that makes the music instantly palatable and immensely enjoyable.

Also, I wanted to mention that after listening to his cds for a few weeks now, his vocals share a certain Johnny-Cash-ness with Damon Bramblett (myspace).

If you want Hus' collection, you'll have to get it from him at a show somewhere down the road or send him a check.