Stapleton’s Room is The Envy Of All On Phil’s Picks 2017 Top 10 New Country/Bluegrass/Americana/Folk Albums List

Courtesy: Mercury Nashville

Country music, Americana, Bluegrass and Folk are some of the most closely related sounds out there today.  They are so closely related that it is easier to find acts from the noted genres on one radio station oftentimes than bands in the worlds of rock and metal.  It seems that there are much more finely defined lines in those two worlds even with their similarities.  Considering that the noted genres tend to be so close to one another, it is easier to group them all together in one list for the purpose of the year’s best new albums.  That having been noted, this critic’s list of the year’s top new albums from those realms is spread widely across each one.  Topping this year’s list of the best new country/bluegrass/Americana/Folk albums is Chris Stapleton’s latest offering, From A Room: Volume 2.  From start to finish, this record takes listeners back to the good old days of country while also touching on southern rock and even some blues.  That’s just the musical aspect of his latest album.  The lyrical content works expertly with each arrangement.  If you are a country, blues and southern rock fan but haven’t yet picked up this record, get it.  Period.  Also on this year’s list are new releases from North Carolina-based outfit Mipso, David Messier, Zakk Brown Band and others.  It runs the gamut.

As with every other list, this list features the year’s Top 10 new albums plus five additional honorable mention titles for a total of 15 albums.  Without any further ado, here for your consideration is the Phil’s Picks 2017 Top 10 New Country/Bluegrass/Americana/Folk Albums.

PHIL’S PICKS 2017 TOP 10 NEW COUNTRY/BLUEGRASS/AMERICANA/FOLK ALBUMS

1. Chris Stapleton — From A Room: Vol.  2
2. Andrew Carter — Andrew Carter
3. Josh Turrner — Deep South
4. Brad Paisley — Love and War
5. David Messier — Waiting For Eldridge
6. Hank, Pattie & The Current — Hold Your Head Up High
7. The Infamous Stringdusters — Laws of Gravity
8. Mipso — Coming Down The Mountain
9. Mike Mangione & The Kin — But I’ve Seen The Stars
10. Outlaws & Moonshine — The Devil In The Moonshine
11. Buzz Cason — Passion
12. Luke Combs — This One’s For You
13. Darius Rucker — When Was The Last Time
14. Zac Brown Band — Welcome Home
15. Toby Keith — The Bus Songs

While the list above is this critic’s own list of the year’s top new records from the country/bluegrass/Americana/Folk realm.  There were certainly more albums than what’s listed here that deserve at least one listen including Lady Antebellum’s latest album Heartbreak, Luke Bryan’s What Makes You Country, Rascal Flatts’ This Is Us and so many others.  Keeping that in mind, there is plenty out there for fans of every noted genre within that universe.

Next up from Phil’s Picks are lots more lists to try to get to before the year lets out.  Lots to do and not enough time, so we’re going to step things up from here.  There are new Children’s albums, rock records, hard rock/metal, live recordings, and the DVD realm.  So there will likely be multiple lists from this point forward.  Stay tuned!

Young Fox Takes The “Gold” On Phil’s Picks’ 2017 Top 10 New Independent Albums List

Courtesy: Spartan Records

Independent recordings are the backbone of the music industry.  Regardless of whether the band is a major name releasing an album on its own, through an independent record label or a lesser-known band doing one or the other, those albums tend to have just as much substance as their more well-known counterparts, if not more.  Keeping that in mind, independent albums (whether released independently or through indie labels) are just as important to the industry as major releases.  That being the case, they deserve their own year-ender list annually just as much as their more commercially-known releases, so Phil’s Picks is giving those recordings their due credit and coverage.  Presented here for your consideration is Phil’s Picks’ 2017 Top 10 New Independent Albums.  The list features the year’s 10 best new independent recordings plus five honorable mention titles for a total of 15 titles, as in years past.

Topping this year’s list of best new independent albums is the new release from underground rock band Young Fox.  The band’s new album Sky Beats Gold proved this year to stand out brightly with its equally deep lyrical content and musical arrangements.  The pairing of those two elements made this album from start to finish a surprisingly powerful effort from the Pittsburgh, PA-based band.  Also included in this year’s list are new albums from the likes of Blacktop Mojo, Hell or Highwater, KXM and others.  Again, many of these bands and albums are such that they are not as well-known as perhaps other bands.  But their albums prove to be just as worthwhile as anything released by their more well-known counterparts.  Without any further ado, here for your consideration is Phil’s Picks 2017 Top 10 New Independent Albums.

PHIL’S PICKS 2017 TOP 10 NEW INDEPENDENT ALBUMS

1. Young Fox — Sky Beats Gold
2. Mike Mangioni & The Kin — But I’ve Seen The Stars
3. Blacktop Mojo — Burn The Ships
4. Pimps of Joytime — Third Wall Chronicles
5. Corroded — Defcon Zero
6. KXM — Scatterbrain
7. At The Wayside — The Breakdown & The Fall
8. Hank, Pattie & the Current — Hold Your Head Up High
9. Mipso — Coming Down The Mountain
10. All out Street Jam — Living Free
11. Hell or Highwater — Vistas
12. Spiral Crush — Electric Life
13. Eve To Adam — Odyssey
14. Galactic Empire — Galactic Empire
15. Satan Takes A Holiday — Aliens

That’s it for this year’s list of top new independent albums.  It should be re-iterated that this was not an easy list to establish as there were so many quality independent albums this year.  Lyrical content and musical arrangements alike had to be considered.  There was no bad lyrical or musical content from any noted album.  Every act on this list should be proud of its album as there is so much to appreciate in each.  Next up from Phil’s Picks as the days tick to the year’s end is Phil’s Picks’ 2017 Top 10 New Country/Bluegrass/Folk/Americana albums.  Since each genre shares so much similarity with the others, it is easiest to combine them into one category rather than try to spread them out.  Stay tuned, and congratulations again to this year’s Top New Independent Albums winners.

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Mipso Releases New LP’s Lead Single

Courtesy: LiveLoud

Mipso unveiled the lead single from its upcoming album Coming Down The Mountain this week.

The band released the album’s title track this week as its lead single.  The song is available now on all digital service providers and is streaming online here.

The Chapel Hill, NC-based band’s latest album will be released in stores and online on April 7, 2017.  Album pre-orders are open now here along with tickets to the band’s upcoming tour in support of its new album.

The band’s tour launches March 24 in St. Louis, MO.  It is currently in the midst of a string of dates in Colorado.  The band will be in Nederland, CO today, March 4.  It will be in Fort Collins, CO on March 5 and Breckenridge, CO on March 11.

After taking some time off, the band will head out on its Coming Down The Mountain tour beginning March 24.  The band’s current tour schedule is noted below.

MIPSO ON TOUR: 

3/4	Caribou Room	Nederland, CO
3/5	Downtown Artery	Fort Collins, CO
3/11	Ride On! Music and Beer Fest	Breckenridge, CO

 

ALBUM RELEASE TOUR (Phase One) | SPRING 2017

 

3/24	The Firebird	St. Louis, MO
3/25	Hi-Fi	Indianapolis, IN
3/26	Gravel Roads Concerts	Minburn, IA
3/29	Redstone Room	Davenport, IA
3/30	Gabes	Iowa City, IA
3/31	Turf Club	St. Paul, MN
4/1	Lincoln Hall	Chicago, IL
4/2	The Frequency	Madison, WI
4/4	Otus Supply	Fernale, MI
4/5	Woodlands Tavern	Columbus, OH
4/6	Hard Rock Cafe	Pittsburgh, PA
4/7	The Hamilton	Washington, DC
4/8	MilkBoy	Philadelphia, PA
4/9	The Broadberry	Richmond, VA
4/19	Music Hall of Williamsburg	Brookyln, NY
4/20	Columbus Theatre	Providence, RI
4/21	One Longfellow Square	Portland, ME
4/22	The Sinclair	Cambridge, MA
4/23	Bearsville Theatre	Woodstock, NY
4/24	Iron Horse	Northampton, MD
4/26	The Avalon Theatre	Easton, MD
4/27	The Southern	Charlottesville, VA
4/28- 4/30	Merlefest	Wilkesboro, NC
5/6	North Carolina Museum of Art	Raleigh, NC
5/13	North Carolina Brewers and Music Festival	Huntersville, NC
5/20	Forest Fest	Fairdale, KY
6/15 – 6/18	Father’s Day Bluegrass Festival	Grass Valley, CA

Additional tour dates to be announced

 

 

Coming Down The Mountain is Mipso’s fourth full-length studio recording.  The band’s previous recordings include long, long, gone (2012), Holler Pop (2013) and Time Reverie (2015).  That record proved to be the bands best work to date, landing at number one on Billboard’s Bluegrass Chart and in the Top 25 of the magazine’s Heatseekers Chart.  The Guardian named the album one of its Best Records of the Year.

As if that is not enough, the band—Jacob Sharp (mandolin, vocals), Wood Robinson (bass, vocals), Joseph Terrell (guitar, vocals) and Libby Rodenbough (fiddle, vocals)—was called a favorite 2016 festival performer by Rolling Stone magazine.

More information on Mipso’s new single album and tour is available online now along with all of the band’s latest news and more at:

 

 

 

Website: http://www.mipsomusic.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/mipsomusic

Twitter: http://twitter.com/mipsomusic

 

 

 

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it.  Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

Mipso Announces New Album Release Date, Specs, Tour Dates

Courtesy: LiveLoud

Instead of coming around the mountain, the members of Mipso will be coming down the mountain this spring.

The Chapel Hill, NC-based Americana/folk outfit announced Wednesday it will release its new album Coming Down The Mountain on April 7, 2017.  The record will see the band branch out more than ever before.

Instead of staying in the safety of its Americana roots this time, the band will present compositions that boast more classic folk-rock and modern alt-country sounds. Those arrangements will still balance with those Americana roots with ease, however as they include pedal steel, banjo, drums and keyboards.

The band’s fourth full-length studio recording, Coming Down The Mountain comes only two years after the release of the band’s critically lauded 2015 album Old Time Reverie.  The 10-song record features lyrical themes that address people’s changing relationship to the idea of home, being pushed and pulled by certain higher forces in life and other matters.

The songs featured in the band’s upcoming record are all original compositions.  The album was produced by Brad Cook (Megafun). The record’s track listing is noted below.

Coming Down The Mountain Tracklisting:
1.     Coming Down the Mountain
2.     Hurt So Good
3.     Spin Me Round
4.     Cry Like Somebody
5.     Monterey County
6.     Hallelujah
7.     My Burden With Me
8.     Train Down the Line
9.     Talking In My Sleep
10.  Water Runs Red

The band will hit the road later this month in support of its new album.  The group’s upcoming live schedule begins Feb. 22 in Nags Head, North Carolina and moves to Wilmington, NC on Feb. 24.

After it finishes those early dates, the band will take a few days off to rest and recharge before heading back out on March 2 in Colorado Springs, CO.  The performance is just the first of a string of dates scheduled throughout the state in March.  Even more dates are set to follow throughout spring and into summer.

The band’s current tour schedule is listed below.

MIPSO ON TOUR: 2/22 Kelly’s Restaurant Nags Head, NC 2/24 Bourgie Nights w/ Brothers Egg Wilmington, NC 3/2 Gold Room w/ Gipsy Moon, Matt Rouch Colorado Springs, CO 3/3 Bluebird Theater w/ Gipsy Moon, Matt Rouch Denver, CO 3/4 Caribou Room  w/ Gipsy Moon, Matt Rouch Nederland, CO 3/5 Downtown Artery Fort Collins, CO 3/11 Joyride’s Ride On! Music and Beer Fest Breckenridge, CO ALBUM RELEASE TOUR (Phase One) | SPRING 2017 3/24 The Firebird St. Louis, MO 3/25 The Hi-Fi Indianapolis, IN 3/26 Gravel Road Concerts Minburn, IA 3/29 Redstone Room Davenport, IA 3/30 Gabe’s Iowa City, IA 3/31 Turf Club Saint Paul, MN 4/1 Lincoln Hall Chicago, IL 4/2 The Frequency Madison, WI 4/5 Woodlands Tavern Columbus, OH 4/6 Hard Rock Cafe Pittsburgh, PA 4/7 The Hamilton Washington, DC 4/8 MilkBoy Philadelphia, PA 4/9 The Broadberry Richmond, VA 4/19 Music Hall of Williamsburg Brooklyn, NY 4/22 The Sinclair Cambridge, MA 4/27- 4/30 MerleFest Wilkesboro, NC 5/6 North Carolina Museum of Art w/ River Whyless Raleigh, NC 5/12- 5/13 North Carolina Brewers and Music Festival Huntersville, NC 6/15 – 6/18 Fathers Day Bluegrass Festival Grass Valley, CA Additional tour dates to be announced.

Tickets for Mipso’s upcoming shows are available online along with album pre-orders here.  More information on Mipso’s upcoming tour, album and more is available online now at:

 

 

 

Website: http://www.mipsomusic.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/mipsomusic

Twitter: http://twitter.com/mipsomusic

 

 

 

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it.  Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

Mipso Announces Fall Headlining Tour Schedule

Courtesy: Robust Records

Mipso is heading out the road.

The Chapel Hill, North Carolina-based indie-folk outfit announced today that it will launch a new series of live, headlining dates beginning October 7^th in Greensboro, North Carolina.  The newly announced, eight-week tour includes stops in Charlotte, North Carolina, Richmond, Virginia, Washington, D.C., Asheville, North Carolina, and a number of other sites.  The tour is in support of the band’s most recent record, 2015’s Old Time Reverie and follows the band’s current tour which runs from July 28^th to September 18^th.  The band’s current, full tour schedule is noted below.

 

7/28 – 7/31	Ossipee Valley Music Festival	Cornish, ME
7/30	Susie’s Cause Bluegrass-Folk Festival	Cockeysville, MD
8/6	Appalachian Summer Fest	Boone, NC
8/13	New York Botanical Garden	Bronx, NY
8/26	Lincoln Theatre w/ Look Homeward	Raleigh, NC
8/26 – 8/27	Jam in the Trees @ Pisgah Brewery	Black Mountain, NC
9/3 – 9/4	Appaloosa Roots Music Festival	Front Royal, VA
9/7	Tractor Tavern w/ Sam Lewis	Seattle, WA
9/8	The Alberta Rose Theatre w/ Sam Lewis	Portland, OR
9/9 – 9/11	Sisters Folk Festival	Sisters, OR
9/11	HiFi Music Hall w/ Sam Lewis	Eugene, OR
9/15	The Spinning Jenny w/ Brooks Dixon
9/16 – 9/18	Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion	Bristol, VA
10/7	Carolina Theatre w/ Silver City Bound	Greensboro, NC
10/14	Neighborhood Theatre w/ Honeydew Drops	Charlotte, NC
10/26	Capital Ale House w/ Sam Lewis	Richmond, VA
10/28	World Cafe Live – Upstairs w/ Sam Lewis	Philadelphia, PA
10/29	The Hamilton w/ Sam Lewis	Washington, DC
10/30	Creative Alliance at The Patterson	Baltimore, MD
11/3	One Longfellow Square w/ Lula Wiles	Portland, ME
11/4	Red Room @ Cafe 939 w/ Lula Wiles	Boston, MA
11/5	Rough Trade w/ Lula Wiles	Brooklyn, NY
11/11	Riverhawk Music Festival	Brooksville, FL
11/18	Rives Theatre	Martinsville, VA
11/19	The Orange Peel	Asheville, NC
11/29	Dakota Jazz Club	Minneapolis, MN
11/30	City Winery	Chicago, IL
12/2	Stoughton Opera House	Stoughton, WI

 

 

More dates are expected to be announced for the band’s tour.  Audiences can keep up with those updates online now along with all of the band’s latest news at:

 

 

 

Website: http://www.mipsomusic.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/mipsomusic

Twitter: http://twitter.com/mipsomusic

 

 

 

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it.  Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.