THE BEST ALBUMS OF 2017

1. Dispatch - American, Location 12
2. The War On Drugs - A Deeper Understanding
3. Jack Johnson - All The Light Above It Too
4. John Mayer - The Search For Everything
5. Dan Auerbach - Waiting For A Song
6. Beck - Colors
7. Arcade Fire - Everything Now
8. Fleet Foxes - Crack-Up
9. Courtney Barnett & Kurt Vile - Lotta Sea Lice
10. The Shins - Heartworms
11. Josh Ritter - Gathering
12. Ryan Adams - Prisoner
13. Angus & Julia Stone - Snow
14. Haim - Something To Tell You
15. Mike Gordon - OGOGO
16. Margo Price - All American Made
17. JD McPherson - Undivided Heart & Soul
18. String Cheese Incident - Believe
19. Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors - Sopuvenir
20. SOJA - Poetry In Motion
21. The Dirty Heads - Swim Team
22. John Craigie - No Rain, No Rose
23. Matisyahu - Undercurrent
24. Zach Gill - Life In The Multiverse
25. The Lone Bellow - Walk Into A Storm
26. Conor Oberst - Salutations
27. The Killers - Wonderful Wonderful
28. Benjamin Booker - Witness
29. Chaz Bundick & The Mattson 2 - Star Stuff
30. Maroon 5 - Red Pill Blues

the playlist: JUL 2017

1. Angus & Julia Stone - "Snow"

2. Flight Facilities (featuring Emma Louise) - "Arty Boy"

3. The Killers - "The Man"

4. Queens Of The Stone Age - "The Way You Used To Do"

5. Pickwick - "Turncoat"

6. Real Estate - "Darling"

7. Iron & Wine - "Call It Dreaming"

8. The Lone Bellow - "Time's Always Leaving"

9. Waker - "Pike"

10. Mike Gordon - "Steps"

THE BEST ALBUMS OF 2014

1. Phish - Fuego
2. G. Love & Special Sauce - Sugar
3. John Butler Trio - Flesh & Blood
4. Angus & Julia Stone - Angus & Julia Stone
5. moe. - No Guts, No Glory
6. SOJA - Amid The Noise And Haste
7. Ray LaMontagne - Supernova
8. Conor Oberst - Upside Down Mountain
9. Broken Bells - After The Disco
10. Beck - Morning Phase
11. Vance Joy - Dream Your Life Away
12. Maroon 5 - V
13. Bahamas - Bahamas Is Afie
14. Ben Howard - I Forgot Where We Were
15. Counting Crows - Somewhere Under Wonderland
16. Coldplay - Ghost Stories
17. The Black Keys - Turn Blue
18. Benjamin Booker - Benjamin Booker
19. Ryan Adams - Ryan Adams
20. O.A.R. - The Rockville LP
21. Rebelution - Count Me In
22. Trevor Hall - Chapter Of The Forest
23. St. Paul & The Broken Bones - Half The City
24. Jack White - Lazaretto
25. Hozier - Hozier
26. Tweedy - Sukierae
27. The War On Drugs - Lost In The Dream
28. Foo Fighters - Sonic Highways
29. The Belle Brigade - Just Because
30. Royal Blood - Royal Blood

BURN THIS / November 2014

1. Chadwick Stokes "Our Lives Our Time"
2. Brad Corrigan "Anything New"
3. Tristan Prettyman "Perfect Storm"
4. Trevor Hall "Green Mountain State"
5. Roo Panes "Tiger Striped Sky"
6. James Bay "Let It Go"
7. Ben Howard "I Forget Where We Were"
8. Damien Rice "I Don't Want To Change You"
9. Angus & Julia Stone "Get Home"
10. Charlie Mars "Hell Yeah"
11. Lera Lynn "Standing On The Moon"
12. Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors "American Beauty"
13. Gregory Alan Isakov "Amsterdam"
14. The Head And The Heart "Let's Be Still"
15. The Lone Bellow "Then The Morning Comes"
16. The Belle Brigade "Back Where You Began"
17. The Avett Brothers "Bring Me Your Love"
18. Trey Anastasio Band "Bounce"
19. Rebelution "Invasion"
20. SOJA (featuring Alfred The MC) "Promises & Pills"

BURN THIS / October 2014

1. The Beautiful Girls "Dancehall Days"
2. Angus & Julia Stone "Grizzly Bear"
3. Bahamas "Waves"
4. Lucius "Don't Just Sit There"
5. Jukebox The Ghost "The Great Unknown"
6. Walk The Moon "Shut Up And Dance"
7. Guster "Simple Machine"
8. Daniel Ellsworth & The Great Lakes "Phantoms"
9. Andrew McMahon In The Wilderness "Cecilia And The Satellite"
10. Meiko "Be Mine"
11. Will Dailey "Castle Of Pretending"
12. The Jason Spooner Band "Fireflies"
13. Nicki Bluhm & The Gramblers "Another Rolling Stone"
14. St. Paul & The Broken Bones "Half The City"
15. Ray LaMontagne "She's The One"
16. Vance Joy "Mess Is Mine"
17. Judah & The Lion "Scared"
18. The Barr Brothers "Half Crazy"
19. Wild Adriatic "Lonely"
20. Benjamin Booker "Have You Seen My Son?"

BURN THIS / September 2014

1. Angus & Julia Stone "A Heartbreak"
2. Mike Doughty "Light Will Keep Your Heart Beating In The Future"
3. The Wind And The Wave "Raising Hands Raising Hell Raise 'Em High"
4. Johnnyswim "Diamonds"
5. Phillip Phillips (featuring Robert Randolph) "Fly"
6. Needtobreathe "Brother"
7. The Wild Feathers "Left My Woman"
8. Marc Broussard "Man Ain't Supposed To Cry"
9. Charlie Mars "The Money"
10. Bahamas "Little Record Girl"
11. Roadkill Ghost Choir "Slow Knife"
12. Kina Grannis "Dear River"
13. Madi Diaz "Stay Together"
14. Sarah Jaffe "Lover Girl"
15. The Dirty Heads "Sound Of Change"
16. SOJA (featuring Anuhea & J Boog) "Easier"
17. Iration "Burn"
18. Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad "Steady"
19. Rebelution "More Love"
20. Nahko & Medicine For The People "Dark As Night"

#reviewoftheweek / Angus & Julia Stone - Angus & Julia Stone

After having done a few solo albums, the brother/sister duo of Angus & Julia Stone have returned with their biggest album to date. The album was produced by the legendary Rick Rubin who has worked with everyone from Johnny Cash to the Beastie Boys. Marking the first time the duo has written songs together, the two deliver a stunning array of new music that sets itself apart from anything they've done in the past, both together and solo. The album is full of catchy hit-worthy songs that elevate their traditional acoustic folk sound to more of an indie rock feel, while still maintaining their roots. "Grizzly Bear" and "Death Defying Acts" are two standout tracks that could have appeared on any A&JS album in the past. Songs like "A Heartbreak" and "Heart Beats Slow" show off a bit of maturity for the duo, showcasing elevated lyrics and their great ability to play off of each other, sharing lead vocal duties simultaneously, something that was sparse on previous releases. Despite the fact that they hail from Australia, this album has a very distinct Laurel Canyon/Southern California vibe that differs from the beach-ready acoustic stuff they have showcased previously. This is the album that will firmly plan their sound on American soil, and most likely skyrocket their popularity stateside.

BURN THIS / August 2014

1. Guster "Long Night"
2. The Shins "So Now What"
3. Bahamas "Stronger Than That"
4. Brett Dennen "Out Of My Head"
5. Matt Hires "Heartache Machine"
6. Grant Harrison "Just A Little More Often"
7. Phillip Phillips "Unpack Your Heart"
8. Matt Nathanson (featuring Lolo) "Headphones"
9. Robert Francis & The Night Tide "Pain"
10. Angus & Julia Stone "Heart Beats Slow"
11. The Wind And The Wave "It's A Longer Road To California Than I Thought"
12. Jon And Roy "Where'd My Light Go"
13. Trevor Hall "Wish Man"
14. Rebelution "Count Me In"
15. Nahko & Medicine For The People "Warrior People"
16. SOJA (featuring Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley) "Your Song"
17. The Dirty Heads "Radio"
18. Pepper "Push"
19. Matisyahu "Broken Car"
20. Three Legged Fox "We Are Electric"

BURN THIS / February 2012

1. Bahamas "Caught Me Thinking"
2. Soft Swells "Every Little Things"
3. The Shins "Simple Song"
4. Pete Murray "Always A Winner"
5. Augustana "Just Stay Here Tonight"
6. Needtobreathe "White Fences"
7. Green River Ordinance "Heart Of Me"
8. Parachute "Kiss Me Slowly"
9. Justin Levinson & The Valcours (featuring Will Dailey) "Let You Go"
10. Jessie Baylin "Hurry Hurry"
11. Madi Diaz "Gimme A Kiss"
12. Eric Hutchinson "Watching You Watch Him"
13. Andy Grammer "Fine By Me"
14. Damato "Angels"
15. Cris Cab "Good Girls"
16. O.A.R. "Gotta Be Wrong Sometimes"
17. Trevor Hall "The Love Wouldn't Die"
18. Angus & Julia Stone "Love Will Take You"
19. Rachael Yamagata "Dealbreaker"
20. Jason Mraz "I Won't Give Up"

THE 30 BEST ALBUMS OF 2010

1. Jack Johnson - To The Sea
2. Guster - Easy Wonderful
3. Josh Ritter - So Runs The World Away
4. Band Of Horses - Infinite Arms
5. John Butler Trio - April Uprising
6. Angus & Julia Stone - Down The Way
7. Ray LaMontagne & The Pariah Dogs - God Willin' & The Creek Don't Rise
8. Vampire Weekend - Contra
9. Arcade Fire - The Suburbs
10. Kings Of Leon - Come Around Sundown
11. Matt Costa - Mobile Chateau
12. ALO - Man Of The World
13. Barefoot Truth - Threads
14. Pete Francis - The Movie We Are In
15. JBM - Not Even In July
16. The Black Keys - Brothers
17. Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
18. The Cat Empire - Cinema
19. Lissie - Catching A Tiger
20. Good Old War - Good Old War
21. Broken Bells - Broken Bells
22. Rogue Wave - Permalight
23. Griffin House - The Learner
24. Greg Laswell - Take A Bow
25. Joshua Radin - The Rock And The Tide
26. Benjy Davis Project - Lost Souls Like Us
27. Dirty Heads - Any Port In A Storm (Special Edition)
28. Iration - Time Bomb
29. Joe Pug - Messenger
30. Pete Yorn - Pete Yorn

All of these albums can be purchased by clicking here.


If you are interested in seeing what albums make the top 30 in previous years click here for the archive. To purchase albums on previous top 30 lists click here.

CD REVIEW: Lady Of The Sunshine "Smoking Gun"

The other half of the duo Angus & Julia Stone, Angus also recently released a collection of his music under the name Lady Of The Sunshine. This album, however, is a bit of a departure from his normal gig, as the entire set consists of songs heavy on electric guitar and alternative rock grooves. It still follows the same map as the folk music he creates with his sister, but it's got a bit more girth to it. "White Rose Parade" is a good bridge between his folk stylings and his rock chops, showing off his lyrical prowess as well as his new instrumentation. Angus Stone as Lady Of The Sunshine takes a different approach to his folk roots, and shows off that change a bit with the inclusion of the song "Big Jet Plane" which was made incredibly popular as a hit single from his last album with his sister. Being that this album was actually recorded prior to Angus & Julia Stone's last, it's actually the first incarnation of "Big Jet Plane" and the single was the updated version of it. Needless to say that it's excellent that the song was included on both albums. Lady Of The Sunshine still holds true to the folk and roots rock that is at the core of the music with a healthy dose of alternative flavoring up each and every song.

CD REVIEW: Julia Stone "The Memory Machine"

One half of the brother and sister duo Angus & Julia Stone, Julia has released her debut solo album. A side project of sorts, the album has Julia branching out on her own and exploring her own songwriting to a further extent. As with her previous releases with her brother, the disc is a plethora of folk rock driven heavily by an acoustic guitar and wispy strings. Not having to share lead vocal duties, Julia showcases her rather unique voice on each of the ten tracks, ad several of them could have found themselves on an Angus & Julia Stone album. Fortunately she saved some gems for herself, and songs such as "This Love" and "Catastrophe" are samples of her songwriting at its best. Julia Stone is a unique soul, and whether with her brother or on her own, the music she creates is truly magical.

New Release Tuesday

Music out today worth checking out:

• Kid Cudi - Man On The Moon II: The Legend Of Mr. Rager
• Lady Of The Sunshine - Smoking Gun
• Trey Lockerbie - Light Therapy
• Dave Matthews Band - Live In New York City
• Julia Stone - The Memory Machine

BURN THIS / November 2010

1. Ryan Montbleau Band "Chariot (I Know)"
2. Taylor Carson "Five"
3. Isaac Russell "Lighthouse"
4. Dan Craig "Enough"
5. Joshua Radin "You Got What I Need"
6. Amos Lee "El Camino"
7. Ruarri Joseph "Caveman, Yellow, An Ordinary Life"
8. The Pines "Avenue Of The Saints"
9. The Romany Rye "Dear Holly"
10. Carl Broemel "Carried Away"
11. Joe Pug "The Sharpest Crown"
12. Nathaniel Rateliff "You Should've Seen The Other Guy"
13. Mason Reed "I'm Only Gonna Break Your Heart"
14. Ray LaMontagne & The Pariah Dogs "Like Rock & Roll And Radio"
15. JBM "From Me To You And You To Me"
16. Matt Costa "Painted Face"
17. Josh Ritter "Another New World"
18. Griffin House "Let My People Go"
19. Angus & Julia Stone "Hold On"
20. John Butler Trio "Revolution"

Listen live to the entire playlist in the music player in the right sidebar all month long during November.

BURN THIS / June 2010

1. The Beautiful Girls "10:10"
2. Michael Franti & Spearhead "Shake It"
3. C-Money (featuring G. Love) "Arroz Con Pollo"
4. Dirty Heads "Sails To The Wind"
5. Iration "Let Me Inside"
6. Passafire "49th"
7. Timmy Curran "Swim"
8. Ry Cuming (featuring Sara Bareilles) "Always Remember Me"
9. Kai Brown "Moments Like This"
10. Justin Nozuka "My Heart Is Yours"
11. Pete Francis "Light Up My Day"
12. Josh Ritter "Southern Pacifica"
13. Good Old War "My Own Sinking Ship"
14. Griffin House "River City Lights"
15. Robert Francis "One By One"
16. JBM "Friends For Fireworks"
17. Ruarri Joseph "An Orchard For An Apple"
18. Angus & Julia Stone "Yellow Brick Road"
19. Xavier Rudd "Set Me Free"
20. The Cat Empire "Beyond All"

BURN THIS / May 2010

1. John Butler Trio "Close To You"
2. Angus & Julia Stone "Black Crow"
3. Xavier Rudd "Time To Smile"
4. Mishka "Bittersweet"
5. Dave Barnes "Little Lies"
6. Tyrone Wells "Metal & Wood"
7. Matt Morris "The Un-American"
8. Justin Nozuka "Woman Put Your Weapon Down"
9. Pete Francis "Glue"
10. Cary Brothers "Ghost Town"
11. Landon Pigg "Take A Chance"
12. Ry Cuming "Some Kind Of Live"
13. Jason Castro "That's What I'm Here For"
14. Greg Laswell (featuring Ingrid Michaelson) "Take Everything"
15. Josh Ritter "Change Of Time"
16. Griffin House "She Likes Girls"
17. Harper Blynn "25 Years"
18. Zach Jones "3,000 Miles"
19. Rogue Wave "Solitary Gun"
20. Jack Johnson "You And Your Heart"

CD REVIEW: Angus & Julia Stone "Down The Way"

Folk music has never been this exciting. Well, that's except for the last time these two made an album. Angus & Julia Stone, a brother and sister duo from Australia, have managed to come very close to the quality and vibrancy of their debut. "Down The Way" has everything a great folk rock record needs: great lyrics, interesting and simple instrumentation, and stunning vocals. Sharing the vocal duties, Angus & Julia trade the lead roll practically every other song, throwing in some interesting harmonies and duet vocals here and there. "And The Boys" was the first taste the two let us in on and was just the appetizer for what was to come on the album. "Black Crow" and "Big Jet Plane" are two of the duo's finest recordings, showing off their great storytelling through clever lyrics. The most intriguing song on the album is "Yellow Brick Road" using childhood metaphors to convey their message during a recording that is over seven minutes long, channeling Bob Dylan the entire way. Angus & Julia Stone have a unique style of folk music that sets them apart from the masses, and have definitely avoided the dreaded sophomore slump.

BURN THIS / April 2010

1. Barefoot Truth "Spoonful"
2. Justin Ratowsky "Stop"
3. Jay Malinowski "Santa Monica"
4. Angus & Julia Stone "Big Jet Plane"
5. Timmy Curran "Castle"
6. ALO "Big Appetite"
7. Rey Fresco "Precious Time"
8. Iration "Time Bomb"
9. Dirty Heads "Lay Me Down"
10. Ozomatli (featuring Jack Johnson) "It's Only Paper"
11. Citizen Cope "Healing Hands"
12. Matt Morris "Love"
13. Jason Mraz "Kickin' With You"
14. Josh Rouse "I Will Live On Islands"
15. Tom Freund "Ghost In This Town"
16. JBM "Ambitions & War"
17. Jakob Dylan "Nothing But The Whole Wide World"
18. Joe Pug "Messenger"
19. Robert Francis "Darkness"
20. Brandi Carlile "That Year"

New Release Tuesday

New music out today that is worth checking out:

• The Bamboos - 4
• Barenaked Ladies - All In Good Time
• Mae - (a)fternoon
• Jon McLaughlin - The Early Recordings
• Mishka - Talk About
• Angus & Julia Stone - Down The Way
• Turin Brakes - Outbursts

BURN THIS / January 2010

1. Samantha Stollenwerck "Oblivious"
2. John Butler Trio "One Way Road"
3. The Beautiful Girls "Don't Wait"
4. State Radio "Calling All Crows"
5. Passafire "Here In Front Of Me"
6. Trevor Hall "Volume"
7. Mike Doughty "Pleasure On Credit"
8. Bob Schneider "Tarantula"
9. Carbon Leaf "Mexico"
10. Still Time "Old Soul"
11. Rob Drabkin "Little Steps"
12. Jon And Roy "Another Noon"
13. Barefoot Truth "Damage Done"
14. Piers Faccini "A Storm Is Going To Come"
15. Angus & Julia Stone "And The Boys"
16. Kings Of Convenience "Boat Behind"
17. Ben Howard "Cloud Nine"
18. Jay Farrar & Benjamin Gibbard "California Zephyr"
19. Coconut Records "The Summer"
20. The Drums "Let's Go Surfing"