DECLAN CULLITON
COUNTRY
1 LIV GREENE - DEEP FEELER
2 GILLIAN WELCH & DAVID RAWLINGS – WOODLAND STUDIOS
3 BOB SUMNER – SOME PLACE TO REST EASY
4 BRONWYN KEITH-HYNES – I BUILT A WORLD
5 AMANDA ANNE PLATT & THE HONEYCUTTERS – THE ONES THAT STAY
6 JESSE DANIEL – COUNTIN’ THE MILES
7 MINDY SMITH – QUIET TOWN
8 JP HARRIS – JP HARRIS IS A TRASH FIRE
9 EMILY NENNI – DRIVE & CRY
10 CHARLEY CROCKETT - $10 COWBOY
11 KIMMI BITTER – OLD SCHOOL
12 HANNAH JUANITA – TENNESSEE SONGBIRD
13 KAITLIN BUTTS – ROADRUNNER
14 SUNNY SWEENEY – STILL PROVOKED
15 PAT REEDY & THE LONGTIME GONERS – MAKE IT BACK HOME
16 NATHAN JACQUES – DARK WANDERER & THE BOUNTY HEART
17 KELSEY WALDON – THERE’S ALWAYS A SONG
18 SIERRA FERRELL – TRAIL OF FLOWERS
19 SARAH GAYLE MEECH – EASIN’ ON
20 KAYLA RAY – THE WORLD’S WEIGHT
ROOTS / AMERICANA
1 PETER BRUNTNELL – HOUDINI AND THE SUCKER PUNCH
2 HURRAY FOR THE RIFF RAFF – THE PAST IS STILL ALIVE
3 LOUIEN – EVERY DREAM I HAD
4 KIELY CONNELL – MY OWN COMPANY
5 SOPHIE GAULT – BALTIC STREET HOTEL
6 DEAN OWENS – THE RIDGE TRILOGY EPS
7 THE THIRD MIND – THE THIRD MIND 2
8 IRON & WINE – LIGHT VERSE
9 CAITLIN CANNON – BEGGAR
10 BONNY LIGHT HORSEMAN – KEEP YOUR MIND / SEE YOU FREE
COVERS ALBUM
LUCINDA WILLIAMS – SINGS THE BEATLES FROM ABBEY ROAD
TRIBUTE ALBUM
AGS CONNOLLY – YOUR PAL SLIM: SONGS OF JAMES HAND
IRISH ALBUM
DAVID MURPHY – CUIMHNE GHLINN: EXPLORATIONS IN IRISH MUSIC FOR PEDAL STEEL GUITAR
GIGS
1 BOB SUMNER – DEE’S COCKTAIL LOUNGE, NASHVILLE
2 THE FELICE BROTHERS – BUTTON FACTORY, DUBLIN
3 HURRAY FOR THE RIFF RAFF – BUTTON FACTORY, DUBLIN
4 MARY GAUTHIER / JAIMEE HARRIS – PAVILLION, DUN LAOGHAIRE
5 JESSE SYKES & THE SWEET HEREAFTER – CONCERT HALL, DUBLIN
6 AMANDA FIELDS – DEE’S COCKTAIL LOUNGE, NASHVILLE
7 KRISTINA MURRAY – THE 5 SPOT, NASHVILLE
8 TYLER CHILDERS – BUTTON FACTORY, DUBLIN
9 THE SADIES – STATIC ROOTS, GERMANY
10 DAVID NEWBOULD – STATIC ROOTS, GERMANY
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EILIS BOLAND
ALBUMS:
ANDREA & MUD - INSTITUTIONALIZED
AJ LEE & BLUE SUMMIT - CITY OF GLASS
DARIN & BROOKE ALDRIDGE - TALK OF THE TOWN
GILLIAN WELCH & DAVID RAWLINGS - WOODLAND STUDIOS
BONNY LIGHT HORSEMAN - KEEP ME ON YOUR MIND/SEE YOU FREE
ANDY STATMAN - BLUEGRASS TRACKS
LIV GREENE - DEEP FEELER
DANNY & THE CHAMPIONS - YOU ARE NOT A STRANGER
BILLY STRINGS - HIGHWAY PRAYERS
WILLI CARLISLE - CRITTERLAND
GIGS:
BILL KIRCHEN - UK AMERICANA WEEK, HACKNEY 24/01/24
MARGO CILKER - UK AMERICANA WEEK, HACKNEY 24/01/24
BELA FLECK/ MY BLUEGRASS HEART - CELTIC CONNECTIONS, GLASGOW 01/02/24
PETER ROWAN - RED ROOM, COOKSTOWN 07/04/24
JOHN BLEK & THE RATS - KILKENNY ROOTS FESTIVAL 05/05/24
MUIREANN BRADLEY - CQAF BELFAST 07/05/24
CHRIS LUQUETTE & RICK FARIS - WESTPORT FOLK & BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL 08/06/24
DAVID NEWBOULD - STATIC ROOTS FESTIVAL, OBERHAUSEN 13/07/24
TEDDY THOMPSON - COLFER’S, WEXFORD 26/7/24
JOHN MARTYN BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION- MANDELA HALL, BELFAST 11/09/24
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STEPHEN RAPID
COUNTRY/HONKY TONK
1 DWIGHT YOAKAM – BRIGHTER DAYS
2 GEORGE DUCAS – LONG WAY FROM HOME
3 BENJAMIN TOD – SHOOTING STAR
4 WEST OF TEXAS – HOT MOTEL NIGHTS
5 MATT CASTILLO – PUSHING BORDERS
6 JESSE DANIEL – COUNTIN’ THE MILES
7 JP HARRIS – JP HARRIS IS A TRASH FIRE
8 KAREN JONAS – THE RISE AND FALL OF AMERICAN KITSCH
9 RAY SCOTT – BILLBOARDS AND BRAKE LIGHTS
10 JOHN MILLER & THE COUNTRY CASUALS – LOSERS HALL OF FAME
Highly Recommended
GEORGE DEARBORNE – LOTTA HONKY TONK LEFT IN ME
VICTORIA LIEDTKE & JASON RINGENBERG – MORE THAN WORDS CAN TELL
CAMERON WRINKLE – IN MY HEAVEN
BEN ARSENAULT – MAKE WAY FOR THIS HEARTACHE
PAT REEDY & THE LONGTIME GONERS – MAKE IT BACK HOME
DAVID SERBY – LOW HANGING STARS
JENNY DON’T & THE SPURS – BROKEN HEARTED BLUE
MATT HILLYER – BRIGHT SKYLINE
CORY CROSS – THERE’S MORE
GRANT LANGSTON – ALABAMA
MATT MASON – TIME’S ALL I GOT
COUNTRY & WESTERN
TRIS MUNSICK – BIG MEDICINE MOON
ZACK MCGINN – COWBOY MOON
CORB LUND – EL VIEJO
TRIBUTE ALBUMS
AGS CONNOLLY – YOUR PAL SLIM / THE SONGS OF JAMES HAND
VARIOUS ARTISTS – CANT STEAL MY FIRE / THE SONGS OF DAVID OLNEY
AMERICANA
1 SLIM CESSNA’S AUTO CLUB – KINNERY OF LUPERCALIA/BUELL LEIGON
2 THE OLD 97’s – AMERICAN PRIMITIVE
3 SURRENDER HILL – RIVER OF TEARS
4 JESSE DAYTON – THE HARD WAY BLUES
5 DAVE ALVIN & JIMMIE DALE GILMORE – TEXICALI
6 INDIA RAMEY – BAPTIZED BY THE BLAZE
7 ANDREA & MUD – INSTITUTIONALIZED
8 SAMMY VOLKOV & DANA WYLIE – THE DAY HAD TO COME
9 THE CACTUS BLOSSOMS – EVERY TIME I THINK OF YOU
10 SWAMP DOGG – BLACKGRASS
Highly Recommended
ELAINE PALMER – HALF MOON RISING
JOE ELY – DRIVEN TO DRIVE
SINGER/SONGWRITER
MICHAEL MCDERMOTT - LIGHTHOUSE ON THE SHORE/EAST JESUS
OISIN LEECH - COLD SEA
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PAUL McGEE
CHOICES AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Here are my selections for 2024 and I have restricted my list to music that left the deepest impression on me during the year. Reviewing so much music is a privilege that is never taken for granted and one that brings many rewards. This year I posted 130 album reviews on the Lonesome Highway website and the inevitability of having to restrict my final choices is always the hardest part. There are many great records not included on my final list but increasing numbers only serves to take away from the stature of my top selections. I have limited my choices to albums and gigs that I have personally reviewed or attended.
FAVOURITE ALBUMS
1 HEATHER LITTLE – BY NOW
2 ORDINARY ELEPHANT – ORDINARY ELEPHANT
3 EMILY HADEN LEE – THE WOMAN I WOULD BE
4 LEAF RAPIDS – VELVET PAINTINGS
5 AMY SPEACE – AMERICAN DREAM
6 ERIC BIBB – IN THE REAL WORLD + LIVE AT THE SCALA THEATRE, STOCKHOLM
7 CHRIS SMITHER – TO THE BONES
8 STEVE DAWSON – GHOSTS
9 SMALL TOWN JONES – KINTSUGI
10 MATT OWENS – WAY OUT WEST
11 MALCOLM Mac WATT – DARK HARVEST
12 HANK WOJI – HIGHWAYS, GAMBLERS, DEVILS and DREAMS
BEST IRISH ALBUMS
1 WITHOUT WILLOW – LEFT BEHIND
2 THE NEW LEAVES – A SKETCH OF HOME
3 SAMMY HORNER (THE ELECTRICS) – BIG PUB IN THE SKY
GIGS
1 THE PAPER KITES - VICAR STREET, DUBLIN
2 EDDI READER – THE PAVILLION, DUN LAOGHAIRE
3 OVER THE RHINE – FITZROY CHURCH, BELFAST
4 AMY SPEACE / WITHOUT WILLOW – NEW GATE CENTRE, DERRY
5 KEVIN MONTGOMERY / JUDE JOHNSTONE - WHELANS, DUBLIN
6 JEFFREY MARTIN – THE WORKMANS CLUB, DUBLIN
7 MARY GAUTHIER / JAIMEE HARRIS – THE PAVILLION, DUN LAOGHAIRE
8 CRAIG FINN / KATHLEEN EDWARDS – WHELANS, DUBLIN
9 THE ANTLERS / OKKERVIL RIVER – OPIUM, DUBLIN
10 KASSI VALAZZA / CHRIS ACKER – WHELANS, DUBLIN
11 ANDREW COMBS / JAKE XERSES FUSSEL – THE WORKMANS CLUB, DUBLIN
12 SESSION AMERICANA – THE CHERRY TREE, DUBLIN
ARCHIVE
MYRIAM GENDRON – NOT SO DEEP AS A WELL (2014)
KRISTA DETOR – CHAOS, COLLISIONS and CLOCKS (2019)
COMPILATIONS
SESSION AMERICANA – THE RATTLE and the CLATTER… (20 Years, So Far)
DAVID OLNEY – VARIOUS ARTISTS… YOU CAN’T STEAL MY FIRE
HIDDEN TREASURE
THE PAPER KITES – AT THE ROADHOUSE (2023)
BARBARO – ABOUT the WINTER (2023)
BOOK of the YEAR
JIM WHITE – INCIDENTAL CONTACT (PUBLISHED IN 2022)