Justin Townes Earle
Nothing's Gonna Change the Way You Feel About Me Now
Bloodshot

That Justin Townes Earle would begin his career in the shadow of other great songwriters was unavoidable; after all, his father is Steve Earle, and he carries the name of late Texas songwriter Townes Van Zandt.

If memory serves, I first stumbled across Hoots & Hellmouth at a show -- Why was I there? Who was I with? -- four years ago at Off Broadway.

High on both the CMJ and Americana charts is "Voyageur," the latest release from singer-songwriter Kathleen Edwards. This from-the-heart batch of songs is her most developed work yet.

Charlie Parr is a Duluth-based country blues musician, a juxtaposition of location and genre which is only surprising if you haven't heard of Bob Dylan.

With the not quite over-night success of tUnE-yArDs, it appears that the immediate forecast calls for more chopped and drizzled rhythms, the clink and clatter and whirring whiz bang of more-is-always-never-enough lo-fi sample upon sample.

Click an artist name to listen to the session.

Check out the archives from previous years: 2010 | 2009

St. Louis locals Middle Class Fashion deliver upbeat, piano-driven pop with their first full-length album, "Girl Talk."

I'm sucker for a good stereo mix of doubled or tripled drums -- see every other track on "Soft Bulletin" and "Yoshima" -- and also a pushover when it comes to the bass stating the hook -- see jazz -- but I'm on the fence when it comes to blowing bubbles in music. I suppose there are some days when I just really need to hear "Octopus' Garden," but it's been a while.

The new of Montreal single has everything you'd expect from the Athens, Ga. band -- that is if you've just returned from a month-long cruise where the imperial ballroom house band plays nothing but ELO, Steely Dan and David Bowie covers -- sign me up for the next departure -- and the weather was gorgeous with intermittent showers of flutes, Fruit Loops and cherry cola.

Guided by Voices
"Let's Go Eat the Factory"
Matador

There's a fair amount of context to the new Guided by Voices record, "Let's Go Eat the Factory," so let's recap.

Stoner rock gets dark and doomed in the sound of Damned Holy Rollers. The band is on a mission to take St. Louis on a heavy trip, late into the rock 'n' roll night.

I consider myself an album guy, but this year it just didn't work out that way. Actually, it didn't work out that way last year either. My god, does the MP3 generation have its hooks in me, too?

Fresh Heir doesn't play the groove too retro. With nods to John Legend and Maroon 5, the band's sound is truly fresh and contemporary.

An all-star band of musicians from the G.E.D. Soul label, the Magic in Threes lays out an exclusively instrumental groove -- smooth, moody and a little mysterious.

Trampled by Turtles is a young string band with a surreal name and an unreal approach to bluegrass, folk and rock 'n' roll.

Deck the halls with boughs of great music this season. 88.1 KDHX presents KDHXmas 2011: A Holiday Sampler -- 12 festive tracks, recorded live at KDHX.

Known for their unpredictable, high-energy, country-fueled live performances, Kansas City band the Wilders more than lives up to its name.

A St. Louis Christmas legacy marches on with "A Very Bert Dax Christmas Volume 9." The latest CD of Christmas songs from St. Louis artists will be released this week with four CD release shows around town.

The shimmering and lilting folk rock of Spectator is perfect for a stroll in the moonlight or just slipping into a day dream.

Best known as a guitar slinger for the band Mofro, Daryl Hance has recently lit out for solo territory, with blues and groove tightly in tow.

Remember cassette tapes? St. Louis electronic artist Mikey Wehling does, and he puts them to funky, lo-tech but hi-fi use.

Rachael Yamagata's songs trace a winding path from love's beginning to love's end, while celebrating all the complications that come along for the ride.

The ghost of Hank Williams haunts many a country singer and songwriter. In Wayne "the Train" Hancock's case, the ghost has a found a true, kindred spirit.

Cedar Hill presents themselves as a traditional bluegrass band, and they are, but perhaps not in the way that you might think.

Perhaps the most politic duo in acoustic music, Trout Fishing in America knows how to get kids and adults alike singing and bouncing along.