What The Shuck?! 2021 Albums of the Year
This is a compilation of my favorite songs from 2021. Some big names, up and comers, friends of what the shuck, and anyone I loved listening to during the year and will be listening to for a long time. In this review, I won’t go over every album but will be focusing on local talent!
John R. Miller: Depreciated
John R Miller…. My good friends, it’s been a while since a guy completely stole my ears like this but Millers’ Depreciated had me hanging on for dear life from song one to the last. I’m pretty sad this dude wasn’t on my radar before last year but I asked Nicholas Jamerson who was a must-listen for 2021 and he said John R Miller is gonna have a huge year and nailed it with that prediction. Real recognize real I guess? Rather Miller is talking about the past, the future, a lady, a car he’s fixing, or sometimes a combination of the bunch. Depreciated may the title of the album but it will leave you wanting more even if it’s heartbreaking. Though this album will have you feeling stranded in the hills of West Virginia or filled with hope to follow your dreams, Miller paints an Appalachian masterpiece that shows his talent with electric instruments, but at the end of the day he nails it down as a true country album with a lot of the acoustic work in the album that stretches the story from the hills of WV to the miles across the country during the expedition that is life.
5 locally crafted beers out 5.
Leah Blevins: First Time Feeling
Do you like Dolly Parton and The Black Keys? You’re damn right you do! Well, imagine they got together and made a musical baby called Leah Blevins. Blevins may be an unfamiliar name to you but I was blessed to grow up with this incredibly talented sweetheart. Hailing from Sandy Hook, KY in the foothills of Appalachia and the home of Country Legend Keith Whitley. Leah dropped her album First Time Feeling with no regrets or fucks given. You can tell that the right talent was working with Leah on this album from the first note till the last. Leah typically kills the lyrics but teaming up with Paul Cauthen has taken her great talent to a level that is getting well-deserved national recognition. Rather you’re looking back on a past tragedy that ends up being a “ Beautiful Disaster”, singing and dancing with the loves of your life in “ First Time Feeling” or “Magnolias” or looking back on the bond built with the love of your life in “Little Birds” Leah will leave you wanting more the entire album and it was shown in how many times I listened and how many times you will once this album sinks its claws into you.
5 out of 5 locally crafted beers.
Dee Oh Gee: New Way of Life
HOLY FUCK, what an album. I loved all the albums I have listed so far but none of them ROCK like this one. Think of Cage the Elephant or My Morning Jacket style music with a country and more southern rock twist. Right out of the gates the trio formerly known as “ The Blackfoot Gypsies” shows us they aren’t here to play games with “Doesn’t Have to Be a Dream” and “Going to the Woods” will have you knee-slapping and dancing your ass off as you get ready for their show this summer at Black Mountain Jamboree. If you can’t wait till that show to “ Lay It on Down” don’t worry Dee Oh Gee has your back with their instant classic of an album. Make sure you listen to all the songs but personal favorites were “Mason Dixon Line” and “Truck Driving Song” which will put you in a psychedelic country haze that may take ya back to your Dead Head days of college with a whole new spin. Roll one up, sit back and enjoy the New Way of Life
5 out of 5 locally crafted beers!
Cole Chaney: Mercy
This album has been playing in my car since I got it. Cole Chaney BURST onto the scene in 2021 off the coast of Catlettsburg, KY in a way that hasn’t been seen organically take on since Tyler Childers. Cole Chaney’s debut album “Mercy” is a bona fide county album through and through. Cole delicately weaves the power of his voice with the well-thought lyrics making him an absolute beast of a 1-2 punch combined with his banjo, guitar and instrumentals you’re gonna love this album. Songs 1-4 are put together like the ultimate batting lineup. “ Ill Will Creek”,“Coalshooter”,“Silver Run” get the bases loaded for my personal favorite “ Another Day in the Life” to hit a grand slam to the fucking moon. Don’t worry though Cole will have you coming back down to earth with “Back to Kentucky” and then will finish up by asking for a little “Mercy” Cole told me this album was “Frankenstein” together. I think the fine folks of your fan base would say you did an incredible job , my friend!
Rasie Hell, Praise Dale
5 out of locally crafted beers
Drayton Farley: A Hard Up Life
This guy is new to my radar but one thing I can tell ya about diving more into the talent across Appalachia and the south has given me lots of new great musicians I more than likely would have never heard if I listened to the bullshit on the tv, bullshit on the radio. Drayton is playing for keeps in A Hard Up Life showing the range of happy and sad songs. Drayton paints images of life growing up in a dying town and growing up to work a job that didn’t bring him the “American Dream” like we may have been promised. The honesty of heartbreak is very apparent in the entire album and if you follow him on Twitter to confirm that Drayton doesn’t just sing about the hard-up life… he’s also tweeting about it! This album seems dedicated to the everyday blue-collar workers and the struggles they may face along the way. Through the wisdom of experience and finding out on his own Drayton does an awesome job of using his music to present his very unique perspective on life.
5 out of 5 locally crafted beers
Nicholas Jamerson & The Morning Jays: The Pike County Fair (Live)
Everyone knows I’m a huge fan of Nicholas Jamerson so it wouldn’t make sense to leave him off this list. He has been referred to as the Appalachian Apostle, “ sundy best dude” but my favorite is brother! Even though the recording is from 2019 Nicholas Jamerson & The Morning Jays opened for Billy Strings at the Pike County Fair was released late in 2021. Nicholas and his band typically consist of Aaron and Wes Smith of Brother Smith, Jordan Allen of Jordan Allen & the Bellwethers, Zach Lafferty( Sundy Best, Rosemont Garden) and Zachary Martin(every band in Lexington) and this band has really hit full stride since recording this album. Performing at festivals like Floyd Fest, Railbird and many more Nicholas and his super band are the toast of the town! This album gives you a raw look at a lot of songs that now have grown into classics for the folks performing. During this show, you’ll hear Nicholas originals like “ Ride”, “It’s a Long Way To Wheelwright”, “ Linda James” but also originals by Jordan Allen “Rollin in the Dough” and Brother Smith “ Salt on the Watermelon”. If you haven’t had a chance to see these fellas live I highly recommend you make that happen asap! Sounds like all involved in the project have a HUGE 2022 in the works. Catch them in June at Black Mountain Jamboree. Be ready to sing, dance , and cry!
Grayson Jenkins: Turning Tides
If you’ve been around the Lexington music scene over the past five years you know who this guy is. Grayson Jenkins made a big splash in 2021 with his album Turning Tides by playing at festivals like Railbird. Grayson has been a staple of the Lexington music scene for half a decade. An impressive feat considering how late into the music and songwriting game he showed up. Proving hard work and dedication can turn a fun hobby into a skill and trade. Grayson teamed up with some of the best musicians in the state to make this album happen. Songs like
”Mockingbird”, “Low down Lady” are absolute classics. My favorite on the album is the self-titled “ Turning Tides”. “Nowhere Nights”tells the story of a musician struggling to get by but always sticking to the dream. No matter how dark the road grows keep the faith that it will all work out. Grayson is direct proof of that!
5 out of 5 locally crafted beers
Clark Kissick: Storyteller
Hailing from Bath Co, KY Clark. Known as the guy that wore Randall Cobb’s #18 after he left for the NFL. Clark was a scout team All-American and stole the hearts of the fans. However, now that he has released his first EP he’s getting some recognition for his powerful and raw voice mixed with song-writing skills that allowed him to title the EP Storyteller. After touring with Chris Knight and Reed Fields last year Clark started putting together his first EP. Currently working on a full album with a band. Storyteller is instrumentally compromised of acoustic and steel guitar which provides an opportunity for Clark to show the skills he has and the depths he can hit with his voice. “Hell of a Woman” highlights the struggles of being a military wife while the husband is away at war and all that it takes to keep a family together during the war. “Powder Crew Blues” talks about trying times of being on the road and stuck in Tennessee with nothing to do but work, drink, do pills and get into trouble. Keep up the good work Clark, can’t wait to see your next album!
Lance Rogers: Lance Rogers (Self titled)
Lance is new to the scene but his talent runs thick. Dropping his self titled album in 2021, Lance has caught fire. Produced by Duane Lundy of Lexington Recording Company has worked on some of my favorite projects with Sturgill Simpson, Justin Wells, Abby Hamilton, Colter Wall, Shooter Jennings and many more. Combining these efforts made it apparent Lance was going to make an excellent album due to his incredibly creative story-telling and song-writing skills. “Outside The Lines “ offers haunting lyrics of the past and a pedal steel guitar that matches that same energy. Rogers has been writing music officially since 2018 but is always writing lyrics or lines that pop up in his head because he knows that random lyric may end up being a song that he writes or just something that leads him to another idea or song. The boyish energy of the weathered man is a refreshing sight and sound to take in. Even though he is youthful in his craft he is wise in his lyrics he presents line for line. Once again “ These Words” features haunting lyrics of the past and a combination of the pedal steel, piano and acoustic guitar. “Motorbike” is my favorite on the album. throughout the song, Rogers talks about the ride of life that he’s on wondering if he should slow down and plant his feet on the ground… or if he’s going to take another round. As long as we are riding the motorbike of life we can always find new opportunities and lessons to take in. Great work Lance, keep it up, buddy!
Sierra Ferrell: Long Time Coming
This psychedelic western country album is the Appalachian Cowgirls studio album debut. Ferrell of West Virginia is blowing up after the release of the album. Landing on lineups at Bonnaroo, Railbird and Black Mountain Jamboree This album has a mixture of classic country with hints of jazz, bluegrass and some gritty western style country. In 2017 Sierra started gaining a following via Youtube with a few songs that went on to make it on the mix for Long Time Coming. Using that momentum of recently gained internet fame, Ferrell went from traveling to play a few of her songs and covers of classics to mixings the sounds of the classic 70’s country into her own incredible and undeniably original sound. Songs like “Made Like That” , “ In Dreams”and “The Sea” are some of my favorites. However, if you need a really good classic country cheating country song look no further than “ Whispering Waltz”. At the end of the day I would expect to hear the name Sierra Ferrell for a very long time and you can in Kentucky this June when she headlines BMJ!
Charles Wesley Godwin: How the Mighty Fall
A native of West Virginia, Charles Wesley Godwin's goal when making music is to create a landscape in your mind that presents a cinematic country-folk scene that’s straight from a movie or book. Raw and rugged the music is Appalachian Americana, backed by Godwin's sharp songwriting and deep country draw. In 2021 How the Mighty Fall, uses story-telling skills for a variation of songs of virtue by building the importance of mortality and hope but also leaving room to learn from regret, putting a delicate touch that only CWG could spin. Its apparent Godwin has grown a lot since his debut album due to the birth of his son and the expansion of a family. This album focuses more on the themes of life rather than stories. Bending the lines of several genres. Country music themes, singer-songwriter, and folk. Hopefully, CWG isn’t “Lyin’ Low” because this album has some absolute hits from song one till the very last. I haven’t had a chance to see him live yet but am absolutely in love with the idea of seeing “ Gas Well” all the emotions, all the power. Sometimes the things that are the most explosive make for the best songs.
5 out of 5 locally crafted beers
I hope y’all enjoyed this review and the playlist of all the incredible music though out 2021. 2022 is gonna be an even bigger year and is looking to gear up to be a great year of music!
