Features

ALBUMS OF THE YEAR
1. The Whole Love - Wilco
2. Celebration Florida - The Felice Brothers
3. Revelator - Tedeschi Truck Band
4. The Harrow And The Harvest - Gillian Welch
5. The Majestic Silver Strings - Buddy Miller
6. Seasons Of My Soul - Rumer
7. Broken Record - Lloyd Cole
8. Gentle Spirit - Jonathan Wilson
9. At My Age - Nick Lowe
10. I Love You Go Easy - Devon Sproule

BEST COMPILATION OR REISSUE
An American Trilogy Mickey Newbury
The Fame Studios Story 1961 – 1973

BEST GIG
Kyuss at the Coolangatta Hotel/Tedeschi Trucks Band at Bluesfest

BEST MUSIC FESTIVAL
Same as last year: Bluesfest for the manic feast, and Mullum Fest for the relaxation and musical nourishment.

BEST MUSIC BOOK
1001 Australian Nights by Dave Graney

BEST DVD
Color Me Obsessed - The Replacements (more about that in a future issue).

PERSONAL HIGHLIGHT OF THE YEAR
The Rhythms Q&A Tent at Bluesfest 2011: it was a success beyond anyone’s expectations, helped lift the magazine’s profile, provided some unforgettable live entertainment, and allowed us to hang out with beautiful people like Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks, Elvis Costello, Clare Bowditch and Trombone Shorty! It felt like Rhythms had found a home.

ALBUMS OF THE YEAR
1. Blood Thinner - Jordie Lane
2. West - Wooden Shjips
3. Sal Kimber & the Rollin’ Wheel - Sal Kimber & the Rollin’ Wheel
4. 40 Nickels For A Bag Of Chips - Old Gray Mule
5. Queen Of The Minor Key - Eilen Jewell
6. The Harrow And The Harvest - Gillian Welch
7. Carried In Mind - Jeff Lang
8. Crystal Theatre - Belles Will Ring
9. Friend From Another Star - The Windy Hills
10. Starvation Box – Backsliders

BEST COMPILATION OR REISSUE
Steaming At The Opera House - Billy Thorpe & the Aztecs’

BEST GIG
Kyuss (The Coolie Hotel)

BEST MUSIC FESTIVAL
Bluesfest and Mullum Fest

BEST MUSIC BOOK
Dirty Deeds by Mark Evans

BEST DVD
Live Over Europe - Black Country Communion

PERSONAL HIGHLIGHT OF THE YEAR
Many and varied – profiling Gurrumul for the cover of the April issue of Rolling Stone, in the process becoming the first journalist to actually interview Gurrumul himself. Being told by Eric Bibb that he dug my Gurrumul story. Continuing to live in Brunswick Heads. Interviewing Simon Crean. Making it through an entire year as Rhythms Assistant Editor. Hanging out with George Clinton at Bluesfest. Meeting BB King’s drummer, Tony Coleman, at Bluesfest. Finally getting a new record player. Oh, and I got married too.

ALBUMS OF THE YEAR
1. Helplessness Blues - Fleet Foxes
2. Bad As Me - Tom Waits
3. Live In Europe, The Bootleg Series Vol. 1 - Miles Davis
4. Road Shows Vol. 2 - Sonny Rollins
5. Rio - Keith Jarrett
6. The Whole Love - Wilco
7. El Camino - The Black Keys
8. The Smile Sessions - The Beach Boys
9. Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will - Mogwai
10. Pull Up Some Dust And Sit Down - Ry Cooder

BEST COMPILATION OR REISSUE
Dogon A.D. - Julius Hemphill

BEST GIG
Sonny Rollins (Melbourne Town Hall)

BEST MUSIC FESTIVAL
Wangaratta Jazz Festival

BEST DVD
Sounds And Silence: Travels With Manfred Eicher

BEST MUSIC BOOK
Dave Graney’s tongue-in-cheek (I hope) 1001 Australian Nights: A Memoir

PERSONAL HIGHLIGHT OF THE YEAR
Mike Nock and Barre Phillips (Wangaratta Jazz Festival, 2011) demonstrating that age is no barrier to adventurous music and creative spirit.

AL HENSLEY

ALBUMS OF THE YEAR
1. West Side Soul - Magic Sam Blues Band (reissue)
2. Showdown Albert Collins/ Robert Cray/Johnny Copeland (reissue)
3. Right Around The Corner - The 5 Royales
4. Bad Girl - Demetria Taylor
5. Brazilian Kicks - Lynwood Slim & The Igor Prado Band
6. Deluxe Edition - Shemekia Copeland
7. Louisiana Swamp Stomp - Various Artists
8. West Side Baby - Floyd McDaniel
9. Shake ‘Em On Down - Rory Block
10. Dedicated - Steve Cropper

BEST COMPILATION OR REISSUE
Hoodoo Man Blues Junior Wells

BEST GIG
Return To Forever (QPAC Brisbane)

BEST MUSIC FESTIVAL
Brisbane Festival

BEST MUSIC BOOK
Ray Charles: The Birth Of Soul - Mike Evans

BEST DVD
Brighter Days - JJ Grey & Mofro

PERSONAL HIGHLIGHT OF THE YEAR
Herbie Hancock (QPAC Brisbane)

ALBUMS OF THE YEAR
1. Live In Europe, The Bootleg Series Vol 1- Miles Davis
2. Mirror Charles Lloyd - Quartet
3. When The Sky Cries Rainbows - Sandy Evans Sextet
4. Solo - Vijay Iyer
5. All We Are Saying - Bill Frisell
6. Shreveport Stomp - Browne/Hannaford/Anning
7. Country - Shannon Barnett Quartet
8. The Exquisite Corpse Of Beethoven - Johannes Luebbers Dectet
9. Scare Quotes - Tim Stevens Trio
10. In Cahoots - Inside Out

BEST COMPILATION OR REISSUE
Legacy Of A Legend Dave Brubeck

BEST GIG
Sonny Rollins (Melbourne Town Hall)

BEST MUSIC FESTIVAL
New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.

BEST MUSIC BOOK
Not a new release, but I got around to reading Robin D.G. Kelley’s thorough biography,
Thelonious Monk : The Life And Times Of An American Original

BEST DVD
The DVD included in Live In Europe, The Bootleg Series Vol 1- Miles Davis

PERSONAL HIGHLIGHT OF THE YEAR
My first hole-in-one, on the 11th at Kew!

LARRY SCHWARTZ

ALBUMS OF THE YEAR
1. The Harrow And The Harvest - Gillian Welch
2. Rrakala - Gurrumul
3. Bad As Me - Tom Waits
4. Love & Sorrow - Kavisha Mazzella
5. The Lost Notebooks Of Hank Williams - Various
6. Pull Up Some Dust And Sit Down - Ry Cooder
7. So Beautiful Or So What - Paul Simon
8. Blessed - Lucinda Williams
9. How To Become Clairvoyant - Robbie Robertson
10. Tassili - Tinariwen

BEST COMPILATION OR REISSUE
Robert Johnson: The Complete Recordings – The Centennial Collection

BEST GIG
Randy Newman (Victorian Arts Centre)

BEST MUSIC BOOK
Devil Sent the Rain by Tom Piazza

BEST DVD
Live In London, Randy Newman

PERSONAL HIGHLIGHT OF THE YEAR
Dylan-inspired Robert Adamson being appointed inaugural chair in Australian
Poetry at University of Technology, Sydney.

ALBUMS OF THE YEAR
1. Night Of Hunters - Tori Amos
2. Live At The Royal Albert Hall - Joan Armatrading
3. Home And Heart - Sarah Carroll
4. Pull Up Some Dust And Sit Down - Ry Cooder
5. Closer - Mark Fitzgibbon Quartet
6. Cicada - Hazmat Modine
7. Pearl - The Killjoys
8. Invalids And Supermen - Bryony Morgan
9. Windfarms Of Your Mind - Ben Rogers Trio
10. Bad As Me - Tom Waits

BEST COMPILATION OR REISSUE
Sing The Songs: The Essential Neil Murray
Wendy Saddington And The Copperwine Live

BEST GIG
Steely Dan and Steve Winwood

BEST MUSIC BOOK
Alan Lomax: A Biography by John Szwed

BEST DVD
Phoenix Rising Deep Purple

PERSONAL HIGHLIGHT OF THE YEAR
Observing the belated success of Casey Donovan.

CHRIS HOLLOW

ALBUMS OF THE YEAR
1. Eternal Sphere EP - Beaches
2. Rome - Danger Mouse & Daniele Luppi
3. Trans-Love Energies - Death In Vegas
4. Here Before - The Feelies
5. Mazes - Moon Duo
6. Dark Magic - Sand Pebbles
7. The Whole Love - Wilco
8. Quilt - Quilt
9. Future Universe - Ron S. Peno & The Superstitions
10. Drive Soundtrack - Cliff Martinez + Various Artists

BEST COMPILATION OR REISSUE
SMiLE Sessions The Beach Boys

BEST GIG
Dean Wareham playing Galaxie 500 (The Annandale Hotel, Sydney)

BEST MUSIC FESTIVAL
Harvest Festival (Werribee Park) – strictly for the music, not the queues and hassles.

BEST MUSIC BOOK
Le Freak: An Upside Down Story of Family, Disco and Destiny by Nile Rodgers

BEST DVD
The Trip starring Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon

PERSONAL HIGHLIGHT OF THE YEAR
The birth of my son, Rye Hollow! A big ten pounder! Brown eyes, floppy hair. He likes roaming and he’s something of a rogue who plays by his own rules.

ALBUMS OF THE YEAR
1. Hollie Cook - Hollie Cook
2. Phantom Songs - 17 Hippies
3. From Africa With Fury - Seun Anikulapo Kuti & Egypt 80
4. Addis Through The Looking Glass - Dub Colossus
5. Radio Babel - Watcha Clan
6. If You Want Loyalty, Buy A Dog - Little Axe
7. We’re New Here - Gil Scott Heron/Jamie XX
8. Owiny Sigoma Band - Owiny Sigoma Band
9. Countryman - Frank Yamma
10. One Two DRC - Music Kinshasa

BEST COMPILATION OR REISSUE
The Best Of Quantic / The Sound Of Siam

BEST GIG
Primal Scream (The Forum)

BEST MUSIC FESTIVAL
WOMADelaide

BEST MUSIC DVD
YouTube

BEST MUSIC BOOK
Rude Boy Once Upon A Time In Jamaica by Chris Salewicz

PERSONAL HIGHLIGHT OF THE YEAR
Artist In Conversation WOMADelaide 2011, talking to Archie Roach; biggest pressure drop ever to chat with this humble man in front of an audience. The Congos first radio interview in Australia; funny, spiritual, deep knowledge and niceness.

ALBUMS OF THE YEAR
1. The Harrow & The Harvest - Gillian Welch
2. Tutu Revisited - Marcus Miller
3. Addis Through The Looking Glass - Dub Colossus
4. Agadez - Bombino
5. Monty Alexander Harlem-Kingston Express Live!
6. The Road To Damascus - Syriana
7. Hollie Cook - Hollie Cook
8. Together - Talvin Singh
& Naladri - Kumar
9. Absolucion - Arrebato
10. (Tie) Fatou - Fatoumata Diawara
10. (Tie) Rrakala – Gurrumul

BEST COMPILATION OR REISSUE
Compilation Dub Zealand

BEST GIG
Mercan Dede (Melbourne Arts Centre)
Zakir Hussain (WOMAD Earth Station)
Nathalie Natiembe (WOMAD)
Jason Moran (The Basement)
Trilok Gurtu (Parramasala, Sydney)

BEST MUSIC FESTIVAL
Island Riff Sound, Noumea, New Caledonia

BEST MUSIC BOOK
Jimmy Cliff: An Unauthorized Biography by David Katz

BEST DVD
Strange Birds In Paradise

PERSONAL HIGHLIGHT OF THE YEAR
Visiting Istanbul and attending festivals in both Vanuatu and New Caledonia.

ALBUMS OF THE YEAR
1. We Are The Tide - Blind Pilot
A king tide at that.
2. Demons - Cowboy Junkies –
An ode to a much missed master.
3. Mission Bell - Amos Lee –
A trip to Tucson and a No.1 album.
4. Days Into Years - Elliott Brood
Rustic brooding beauty.
5. I Love You Go Easy - Devon Sproule –
I love you too.
6. Our Blood - Richard Buckner
An elegant gem written in blood.
7. The High Country - Richmond Fontaine
– Widescreen Americana at its grittiest.
8. Ashes And Fire - Ryan Adams -
The heartbreaker returns.
9. The Harrow And The Harvest - Gillian Welch
A harrowing classic.
10. Skyscraper Soul - Jim Cuddy
Timeless country soul.

BEST COMPILATION OR REISSUE
Road Atlas 1998-2011, Calexico

BEST GIG
Mia Dyson (Zoey’s, Ventura, CA)

BEST MUSIC FESTIVAL
Festival en el Barrio with Calexico and Friends, Tucson, AZ.

BEST MUSIC BOOK
I’ll Never Get Out of This World Alive by Steve Earle

BEST DVD
Live In London Devon Sproule

PERSONAL HIGHLIGHT OF THE YEAR
Having a one year old and getting to watch and listen to Elmo and his four ducks over and over and over again…

CLIVE SIMMONS

ALBUMS OF THE YEAR
1. Paper Airplane - Alison Krauss
2. 21- Adele
3. Helplessness Blues - Fleet Foxes
4. Making Mirrors - Gotye
5. So Beautiful Or So What - Paul Simon
6. Her 12 Faces - Lanu
7. Better Day - Dolly Parton
8. 50 Words For Snow - Kate Bush
9. Prologue - Milk Carton Kids
10. Bon Iver - Bon Iver

BEST GIG
Sade. Without a doubt, the show of the year. Close runner-up: John Farnham.

BEST MUSIC FESTIVAL
Notes From The Hard Road (Melbourne Festival)

BEST MUSIC BOOK
Starman: David Bowie The Definitive Biography by Paul Trynka

BEST DVD
George Harrison: Living in the Material World.

PERSONAL HIGHLIGHT OF THE YEAR
Sade. Oh, and seeing Mavis Staples live for the first time.

ALBUMS OF THE YEAR
1. The Woodbine & Ivy Band - The Woodbine & Ivy Band
2. Ragged Kingdom - June Tabor & Oysterband
3. Neptune - Eliza Carthy
4. The Reckoning - Steve Tilston
5. Shadow And Light - John Doyle
6. Band Of Brothers - Slava & Leonard Grigoryan and Joseph & James Tawadros
7. Purpose + Grace - Martin Simpson
8. Carried In Mind - Jeff Lang
9. Little Stories - Harry James Angus
10. Cicada - Hazmat Modine

BEST COMPILATION OR REISSUE
Oi! A Nova Musica
Essential Martin Carthy

BEST GIG
Way To Blue – The Songs of Nick Drake (Melbourne Recital Centre)
Arte Kanela (Tanks Arts Centre, Cairns)

BEST MUSIC FESTIVAL
Fairbridge Festival of World & Folk Music (WA)
WOMADelaide (SA)

BEST MUSIC BOOK
Bob Dylan - No Direction Home: The Life And Music Of Bob Dylan by Robert Shelton
(Revised and Updated Edition)

BEST DVD
Café de los Maestros

PERSONAL HIGHLIGHT OF THE YEAR
Performing at the 2011 Rainforest World Music Festival in Borneo with Kamerunga.

BEN MICHAEL

ALBUMS OF THE YEAR
1. Ghost Wave EP - Ghost Wave
2. Dirty Beaches - Badlands
3. Trans-Love Energies - Death In Vegas
4. 12 Desperate Straight Lines - Telekinesis
5. Follakzoid EP - Follakzoid
6. Neverendless - Cave
7. Tree Of Life Soundtrack - Alexandre Desplat
8. Stone Rollin’ - Raphael Saadiq
9. Dark Magic - Sand Pebbles
10. Far Arden The Sun Blindness

BEST COMPILATION OR REISSUE
Some Girls Rolling Stones

BEST GIG
Wire (Corner Hotel)

BEST MUSIC FESTIVAL
Eight Miles High Festival, Brisbane

BEST MUSIC BOOK
Listen To This by Alex Ross

BEST DVD
Tree Of Life

PERSONAL HIGHLIGHT OF THE YEAR
Writing with Yusef Islam and rediscovering his music as we worked together on his musical. True Joy and bliss.