The show is returning strong for 2012. But we can't forget all the great music from 2011. So, we're listening to the bands in my list of Top 24 of 2011.

Download this episode HERE

Music in this episode:

– Keep It Coming AND Trouble Won't Last Always by Glossary
(from Long Live All Of Us)
www.Glossary.US

- Strike The Motion by Mike Doughty
(fromYes And Also Yes)
www.MikeDoughty.com

- Shine by Fifth On The Floor
(from Dark And Bloody Ground)
www.FifthOnTheFloor.com

– Choir Boys by Micah Schnabel
(from I’m Dead, Serious)
www.MicahSchnabel.blogspot.com

– Song Of Seven Sisters by Have Gun, Will Travel
(from Mergers & Acquistions)
www.HGWTMusic.com

– No Simple Machine by Old 97′s
(from Grand Theatre Vol. 2)
www.Old97s.com

– Don't Let The Bastards Get You Down by The Mallett Brothers Band
(from Low Down)
www.MallettBrothersBand.com

– Used To Be A Cop by Drive-By Truckers
(from Go-Go Boots)
www.DrivebyTruckers.com

– Down By The Water by The Decemberists
(from The King Is Dead)
www.Decemberists.com

– The Grant by Lauderdale
(from Moving On)
www.Myspace.com/LauderdaleMusic

– Sweet Hell by Gin Wigmore
(from Gravel & Wine)
www.GinWigmore.com

– Heart On A String by Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit
(from Here We Rest)
www.JasonIsbell.com

– Can't Change Me by Lydia Loveless
(from Indestructible Machine
www.LydiaLoveless.com

– A Broken Heart by Matt Woods
(from Manifesto)
www.TheRealMattWoods.com

– Wessex Boy by Frank Turner
(from England Keep My Bones)
www.Frank-Turner.com

– Usual Suspect by Ha Ha Tonka
(from Death Of A Decade)
www.HaHaTonkaMusic.com

– Put Up A Fight by The Only Sons
(from American Stranger)
www.TheOnlySons.net

– Hate, Rain On Me by Andrew Jackson Jihad
(from Knife Man)
www.AndrewJacksonJihad.com

– Me And Lazarus by Iron & Wine
(from Kiss Each Other Clean)
www.IronAndWine.com

– Two Eyes by Roger Bryan & The Orphans
(from 37)
www.RogerBryanAndTheOrphans.blogspot.com/

– Salsola by Memphis Train Union
(from The Bluebird Sessions)
www.Myspace.com/MemphisTrainUnion

– Too Old To Die Young by Will Hoge
(from Number Seven)
www.WillHoge.com

– Thunder Rail by Austin Lucas
(from A New Home In The Old World)
www.AustinLucasMusic.com

– Dead Run by 16 Horsepower
(from Yours Truly)
www.16Horsepower.com

E-Mail: Von@AmericanaRoots.com

Voice Mail: 813-458-5270

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It's undeniable that Micah is a master of the "lamenting-a-failed-relationship" song. The "what ifs", "should haves", and "wish I didn't's" of any failed relationship are all present in familiar form. From the opening line of the opening song, "Choir Boys", the tone for the album is set by the line "You've got to be kidding me. Is this really how this is gonna end?". The theme of heartbreak is run straight through to a line in the final track of the album, "This is My Headstone", where he confesses "It takes a better man than me, I guess, to carry all this loneliness. If you want to know my one regret, well, I never really found her".

The songs of heartbreak and spite are entwined with tales of a weary traveling musician, and Micah's disenchantment with religion. All proving entertaining because of the slick lyrics used. At any point, on any song, without fail you can imagine vividly what is being said both upfront and in between the lines.

As for the production, it seems that this album is a little less gritty that it's predecessor. The arrangements are more pop oriented, but it works in a weirdly positive way. The poppy uptempo bass and piano intro of "The Heavy Things" starts you off happily (and later uncomfortably) singing along about the unfortunate death of a friend.

Overall it's the perfect album to listen to if you've just broken up with your girlfriend or feel like sulking over a loss in general. But in a catchy way that could possibly cheer you up. (?)

The digital download of this album made it into my top 24 albums of 2011 (even though it's physical release isn't until 2012). For more info on Micah Schnabel go to:

www.TwoCowGarage.com

www.MicahSchnabel.blogspot.com

Yeah, yeah. It’s that time of year again. Everyone is doing it, and so am I. My top albums of 2011.

This was a really tough list to gather. 2011 was crammed with amazing music, so that just made the decision making that much harder.

34 people e-mailed and messaged me with suggestions of what my final top number should be this year. Suggestions ranged from “Top 10″ to “Top 53″! That wasn’t going to happen anyway. But the most common number suggested was “Top 24″.

I didn’t implement any rules into this years list. As that was too much of a pain last year. So, it all comes down to what I was personally listening to the most this year.

Hopefully you’ll find an album or two on here that aren’t on anyone else’s lists.

This list is in no particular order.

- Yes And Also Yes by Mike Doughty

- Dark And Bloody Ground – Fifth On The Floor

- I’m Dead – Micah Schnabel (NOTE: Even though the physical album doesn’t get released until 2012, the pre-order instant download makes it a 2011 contender)

- Mergers & Acquistions – Have Gun, Will Travel

- Grand Theatre Vol. 2 – Old 97′s

- Long Live All Of Us – Glossary

- Low Down – The Mallett Brothers Band

- Go-Go Boots – Drive-By Truckers

- The King Is Dead – The Decemberists

- Moving On – Lauderdale

- Here We Rest – Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit

- Gravel & Wine – Gin Wigmore

- Indestructible Machine – Lydia Loveless

- Manifesto – Matt Woods

- England Keep My Bones – Frank Turner

- Death Of A Decade – Ha Ha Tonka

- Knife Man – Andrew Jackson Jihad

- American Stranger – The Only Sons

- Kiss Each Other Clean – Iron & Wine

- 37 – Roger Bryan & The Orphans

- The Bluebird Sessions – Memphis Train Union

- Number Seven – Will Hoge

- A New Home In The Old World – Austin Lucas

- Yours Truly – 16 Horsepower

I don’t have any explanations for my choices to type out to you. I will give my opinions when the show returns on January 5th with episode 126.

This is the last episode of 2011!  It won't be the last that you hear from me this year, just the last ARM episode. I get a little rant-ish (ranty?) in this episode, so if you can get around that, there's plenty of new and awesome music to amuse you.

Download the episode HERE

Music in this episode:

- Kill Of The Night AND Black Sheep by Gin Wigmore
(from Gravel & Wine)
www.GinWigmore.com

- Dead Run AND Fire Spirit by 16 Horsepower
(from Yours Truly)
www.16Horsepower.com

- It Should Have Stopped AND There's A Starbucks (Where The Starbucks Used To Be) by John Wesley Harding
(from The Sound Of His Own Voice)
www.WesleyStace.com

- The Watchmakers Rhyme AND More Than Money by Seth Lakeman
(from Tales From The Barrel House)
www.SethLakeman.co.uk

- Tonight AND The Shot by Gum Creek Killers
(from Coat Of Arms)
www.TheGumCreekKillers.tumblr.com

- Switzerland AND Bullets Are Grazin' Me by Poor Edward
(from Time Is Gonna Change You)
www.PoorEdward.no

- I'm Dead, Serious AND The Heavy Things by Micah Schnabel
(from I'm Dead, Serious)
www.MicahSchnabel.blogspot.com

- Promise Me Nothing AND DNA2 by New American Farmers
(from Rotation Pt. 1)
www.NewAmericanFarmers.com

- Grow Old With You AND Missed Me by Matthew Mayfield
(from Now You're Free)
www.MatthewMayfield.com

E-Mail: Von@AmericanaRoots.com

Voice Mail: 813-458-5270

Website: www.AmericanaRockMix.com
Skype: ARockMix
Twitter: www.Twitter.com/ARockMix

Outlaw Radio - Listen in on Monday nights at 6PM CST at www.BlackCountryRock.org/OutlawRadio

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Micah Schnabel
Providence Social Club
Providence, Rhode Island, USA
September 24, 2011

Download the episode HERE

Set List :

- Choir Boys
- Syd And Nancy
- American Static
- X's & O's
- Burning In Water, Drowning In Flame
- Ruby Soho [Rancid cover]

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E-Mail: Von@AmericanaRoots.com

Voice Mail: 813-458-5270

Listen twice a week! 10AM Wednesdays and 5PM Sundays on the Avalon channel on LifeJive Radio at LifeJive.com

Website: www.AmericanaRockMix.com
Skype: ARockMix
Twitter:www.Twitter.com/ARockMix

In this episode I have my first guest since settling down in Florida. Bryan Childs (AKA AutopsyIV) from NineBullets.net stops by and has a beer (or 5) with me as we do a catalog retrospective of Suburban Home Records.

Download the episode HERE

Music in this episode:

- Bad Days Ahead AND Postcard And Apologies (Two Cow Garage cover) by I Can Lick Any Sonofabitch The House!
(from Sounds Of Dying)
www.ICanLickAnySOB.com

- History With History AND Bad Kreuznach by Drag The River
(from 2010 Demons)

Tired & Fired AND Me & Joe Drove Out To California by Drag the River
(from It's Crazy)
www.DragTheRiver.com

- What Dying Is For AND Soundtrack To My Summer by Two Cow Garage
(from Sweet Saint Me)

- Swingset Assassin by Two Cow Garage
(from Speaking In Cursive)
www.TwoCowGarage.com

- She Did AND Life I've Got by Austin Lucas
(from Collection)
www.AustinLucasMusic.com

- Sing Song AND Hakuna Matata by Josh Small
(from Josh Small's Juke)
www.Myspace.com/JoshSmall

- Friends In Bottles AND Curse Of A Drunk by The Takers
(from Taker Easy)
www.Myspace.com/TheTakersHonkyTonk

- American Static AND Throwing Rocks At The Sun AND Cut Me, Mick by Micah Schnabel
(from When The Stage Lights Go Dim)
www.TwoCowGarage.com

- The Devil Meets the Longhaired Weirdo AND Dirty Jeans by Michael Dean Damron
(from Pleas From A Ghost)
www.MikeDamron.com/

- Thing Of The Past AND Memento Mori by Tim Barry
(from 28th And Stonewall)
www.TimBarryRVA.com

- Owen Oklahogan AND Paul Revere by Arliss Nancy
(from Truckstop Roses)
www.Myspace.com/ArlissNancy

NOW BUY MERCHANDISE. Shirts, stickers, mugs, etc. CHECK IT OUT HERE!

E-Mail: Von@AmericanaRoots.com

Voice Mail: 813-458-5270

Listen twice a week! 10AM Wednesdays and 5PM Sundays on the Eclectic Heaven channel on LifeJive Radio at LifeJive.com

Website: www.AmericanaRockMix.com
Skype: ARockMix
Twitter: www.Twitter.com/ARockMix