the playlist: SEP 2023

1. The Killers - "Your Side Of Town"

2. Future Islands - "Deep In The Night"

3. Death Cab For Cutie - "An Arrow In The Wall"

4. Ethan Tasch - "Holdup"

5. Margaret Glaspy - "Get Back"

6. Grace Potter - "Good Time"

7. The Record Company - "Dance On Mondays"

8. Black Pumas - "More Than A Love Song"

9. Ray LaMontagne - "It Takes Me Back"

10. Stephen Marley (featuring Jack Johnson & Bob Weir) - "Winding Roads"

the playlist: JUL 2020

1. Ray LaMontagne - "Strong Enough"

2. Will Hoge - "The Curse"

3. Pat McGee Band - "Broken Heart"

4. Ben Harper - "Don't Let Me Disappear"

5. moe. - "LL3"

6. Pacific Range - "High Upon The Mountain"

7. Mat McHugh - "Lagoon"

8. Phantom Planet - "Only One"

9. Woods - "Where Do You Go When You Dream?"

10. Local Natives (featuring Sylvan Esso) - "Dark Days"

the playlist: MAY 2018

1. Flight Facilities (featuring Nika) - "Need You"

2. Allen Stone - "Brown Eyed Lover"

3. Jason Mraz - "Have It All"

4. Ray LaMontagne - "Such A Simple Thing"

5. Jim James - "Just A Fool"

6. The Wild Feathers - "Big Sky"

7. The Record Company - "Life To Fix"

8. Nicki Bluhm - "To Rise You Gotta Fall"

9. Pete Yorn & Scarlett Johansson - "Bad Dreams"

10. Matt Costa - "Sharon"

BURN THIS / February 2016

1. Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals "Pink Balloon"
2. The Record Company "Off The Ground"
3. Ray LaMontagne "Hey, No Pressure"
4. White Denim "Holda You (I'm Psycho)"
5. The Revivalists "King Of What"
6. JD McPherson "Bridgebuilder"
7. Anderson East "Only You"
8. Allen Stone "Love"
9. Chris Velan "Un-American Gothic"
10. Cas Haley (featuring Trevor Hall) "Hold Up My Heart"
11. The Hip Abduction "Come Alive"
12. The Cat Empire "Que Sera Ahora"
13. Jack Garratt "Breathe Life"
14. Gabrielle Aplin "Light Up The Dark"
15. Grace Potter "Nobody's Born With A Broken Heart"
16. Greg Laswell "Dodged A Bullet"
17. Josh Ritter "Where The Night Goes"
18. Rayland Baxter "Rugged Lovers"
19. Bobby Long "Ode To Thinking"
20. Stephen Kellogg "26 Seconds (Of Silence)"

BURN THIS / January 2015

1. Ben Howard "Rivers In Your Mouth"
2. Vance Joy "First Time"
3. Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors "Here We Go"
4. Shakey Graves "Dearly Departed"
5. JD McPherson "Bossy"
6. Benjamin Booker "Happy Homes"
7. The Revivalists "When I'm Able"
8. O.A.R. "Favorite Song"
9. SOJA "Tear It Down"
10. Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad "Whatever Cost"
11. Rebelution "Fade Away"
12. Blue King Brown "All Nations"
13. The Beautiful Girls "Until My Kingdom Comes"
14. Tristan Prettyman "Waves"
15. Guster "Never Coming Down"
16. Ray LaMontagne "Ojai"
17. Piers Faccini & Vincent Segal "Cradle To The Grave"
18. The Mattson 2 "Dif Juz"
19. Tommy Guerrero "The Lone Pistolero"
20. Adam Topol "Bumping At The Breakwater"

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 / 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 / July 2014

1. O.A.R. "The Architect"
2. Phillip Phillips "Alive Again"
3. The Wind And The Wave "With Your Two Hands"
4. Johnnyswim "Home"
5. Jamestown Revival "Golden Age"
6. Ben & Ellen Harper "A House Is A Home"
7. Shovels & Rope "The Devil Is All Around"
8. Nathaniel Rateliff "Nothing To Show For"
9. Ray LaMontagne "Drive-In Movies"
10. St. Paul & The Broken Bones "I'm Torn Up"
11. Paolo Nutini "Iron Sky"
12. Will Dailey "Sunken Ship"
13. William Fitzsimmons "From You"
14. Bahamas "All The Time"
15. Matisyahu "Surrender"
16. Phish "555"
17. moe. "Annihilation Blues"
18. White Denim "Come Back"
19. The Revivalists "When I Die"
20. G. Love & Special Sauce "Weekend Dance #2"

BURN THIS / June 2014

1. The Dirty Heads "My Sweet Summer"
2. Rebelution "Lost In Dreams"
3. Matisyahu (featuring Collie Buddz) "Confidence"
4. SOJA (featuring Michael Franti & Nahko) "I Believe"
5. Pepper "Come And Get Me"
6. Cris Cab "Liar Liar"
7. Ed Sheeran "Sing"
8. Sam Roberts Band "Shapeshifters"
9. Wild Adriatic "Mess Around"
10. Benjamin Booker "Violent Shiver"
11. Old 97's "Let's Get Drunk & Get It On"
12. The Belle Bridgade "When Everything Was What It Was"
13. Robert Francis & The Night Tide "Love Is A Chemical"
14. Ray LaMontagne "No Other Way"
15. Marc Broussard "Hurricane Heart"
16. O.A.R. "So Good So Far"
17. John Butler Trio "How You Sleep At Night"
18. The Revivalists "Chase's House"
19. moe. "Some Old Story"
20. Phish "Waiting All Night"

#reviewoftheweek / Ray LaMontagne - Supernova

Now that Ray LaMontagne has solidified himself as a force in popular music, showcasing his brilliant throwback folk, it became time to branch out and add new layers into his sound. Enter produce Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys. Auerbach helped LaMontagne really dive deep into the 60's and 70's folk sound that his music is rooted in, delivering an outstanding new collection of songs. This album doesn't have the same full live band feel of the last, however it stands out as possibly his best collection of songs since his debut. The title track is phenomenal and a great pop rock crossover tune, but it's songs like "Ojai," "Airwaves," and "No Other Way" that show off the true character of the album. He certainly has outdone himself with this one, and LaMontagne has proven that old is new again and it sounds just as good as ever.

BURN THIS / May 2014

1. Mat McHugh "More Money"
2. Ozomatli (featuring Dave Stewart) "Brighter"
3. Rebelution "De-Stress"
4. Matisyahu "Watch The Walls Melt Down"
5. The Revivalists "Criminal"
6. John Butler Trio "Blame It On Me"
7. Current Swell "Rollin'"
8. Sam Roberts Band "Human Heat"
9. Reuben And The Dark "Rolling Stone"
10. Daniel Ellsworth & The Great Lakes "Sun Goes Out"
11. Kina Grannis "The Fire"
12. Dan Wilson "A Song Can Be About Anything"
13. Matt Hires "Heartache Machine"
14. Eric Hutchinson "Forever"
15. Augustana "Love In The Air"
16. Dave Barnes "Good"
17. Needtobreathe "Difference Maker"
18. The Belle Brigade "Metropolis"
19. Ray LaMontagne "Airwaves"
20. Ben & Ellen Harper "Learn It Again Tomorrow"

BURN THIS / April 2014

1. Ray LaMontagne "Supernova"
2. The Revivalists "Navigate Below"
3. Augustana "Ash And Ember"
4. Phillip Phillips "Raging Fire"
5. Current Swell "Keys To The Kingdom"
6. John Butler Trio "Livin' In The City"
7. Galactic (featuring JJ Grey) "Higher And Higher"
8. St. Paul And The Broken Bones "Call Me"
9. Paolo Nutini "Scream (Funk My Life Up)"
10. Dave Barnes "Twenty Three"
11. Eric Hutchinson "A Little More"
12. Elizabeth & The Catapult "Shoelaces"
13. Jessica Lea Mayfield "I Wanna Love You"
14. Priscilla Ahn "Diana"
15. Justin Nozuka "Right By You"
16. James Vincent McMorrow "Red Dust"
17. The Belle Brigade "Likely To Use Something"
18. The Avett Brothers "Morning Song"
19. Luther Dickinson "Blood 'n Guts"
20. moe. "Blond Hair And Blue Eyes"

BURN THIS / November 2011

1. Grace Woodroofe (featuring Ben Harper) "I've Handled Myself Wrong"
2. Piers Faccini "My Wilderness"
3. Josh Garrels "White Owl"
4. Chadwick Stokes "Rainsong"
5. The White Buffalo "I Wish It Was True"
6. John Craigie "Boston In November"
7. Joshua Hyslop "If I Was A Better Man"
8. Michael Kiwanuka "I'm Getting Ready"
9. Ed Sheeran "The A Team"
10. Ben Howard "Three Tree Town"
11. Greg Holden "Following Footsteps"
12. The Milk Carton Kids "Michigan"
13. Bobby Long "Dead And Done"
14. Lisa Hannigan (featuring Ray LaMontagne) "O Sleep"
15. Mason Jennings "Clutch"
16. The Head And The Heart "Coeur d'Alene"
17. Caitlin Rose "Shanghai Cigarettes"
18. The Belle Brigade "Losers"
19. Motopony "King Of Diamonds"
20. Dawes "A Little Bit Of Everything"

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

BURN THIS / March 2011

1. Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors "Fire & Dynamite"
2. Augustana "Steal Your Heart"
3. Bob Schneider "Let The Light In"
4. Chamberlin "Dust"
5. James Vincent McMorrow "This Old Dark Machine"
6. Fistful Of Mercy "Fistful Of Mercy"
7. Jones Street Station "The Understanding"
8. Middle Brother "Me, Me, Me"
9. North Mississippi Allstars "This A'Way"
10. Will Conner (featuring J.J. Grey) "That's All Right Mama"
11. John Craigie "Mama Nashville"
12. Bobby Long "Penance Fire Blues"
13. Amos Lee "Out Of The Cold"
14. Ray LaMontagne & The Pariah Dogs "God Willin' & The Creek Don't Rise"
15. The Low Anthem "Ghost Woman Blues"
16. Nathaniel Rateliff "Early Spring Till"
17. Gregory Alan Isakov "Big Black Car"
18. The Pines "Lonesome Tremolo Blues"
19. Haroula Rose "Duluth"
20. Mason Jennings "So Many Ways To Die"

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

2010 THISisMODERN.net Grammy Roundup

Congratulations to THISisMODERN.net supported artists who won Grammy Awards for 2010. And the winners are:

• Album Of The Year: Arcade Fire "The Suburbs"
• Best Pop Performance By A Duo/Group With Vocals: Train "Hey, Soul Sister (Live)"
• Best Rock Performance By A Duo/Group With Vocals: The Black Keys "Tighten Up"
• Best Alternative Music Album: The Black Keys "Brothers"
• Best Rock Or Rap Gospel Album: Switchfoot "Hello Hurricane"
• Best Contemporary Folk Album: Ray LaMontagne & The Pariah Dogs "God Willin' & The Creek Don't Rise"
• Best Recording Package: The Black Keys "Brothers"
• Best Boxed Or Special Limited Edition Package: The White Stripes "Under Great White Northern Lights (Limited Edition Boxed Set)"
• Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical: John Mayer "Battle Studies"
• Producer Of The Year: Danger Mouse (The Black Keys "Brothers"; Broken Bells "Broken Bells")

In addition to congratulating the award winners, congrats to some of the greatest performances of the night: Mumford & Sons performed their hit "The Cave," The Avett Brothers performed their hit "Head Full Of Doubt/Road Full Of Promise," and both bands backed up legend Bob Dylan on an ensemble performance of Dylan's own "Maggie's Farm." Arcade Fire performed their songs "Month Of May" and "Ready To Start" before and after accepting the night's biggest award, Album Of The Year, respectively.

BURN THIS / January 2011

1. G. Love "Fixin' To Die"
2. Fistful Of Mercy "Father's Son"
3. J.J. Grey & Mofro "Hide & Seek"
4. Nathaniel Rateliff "Whimper And Wail"
5. The White Buffalo "Into The Sun"
6. Mason Jennings "January"
7. Elephant Revival "Go On"
8. Chase McBride "Hold Me Up"
9. Ray Lamontagne & The Pariah Dogs "For The Summer"
10. Jason Spooner "Seed In The Ground"
11. Brooke Fraser "Jack Kerouac"
12. Ben Fuller "California"
13. Donavon Frankenreiter "Hold On"
14. Lissie "Cuckoo"
15. The Heyday "Good Old Days"
16. Churchill "Miles"
17. Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors "Live Forever"
18. Haroula Rose "Brand New Start"
19. Sarah Jaffe "Summer Begs"
20. John Craigie "All Through Montana"

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

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.

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 / September 2010

1. Guster "Do You Love Me?"
2. Matt Costa "Witchcraft"
3. Josh Ritter "Rattling Locks"
4. Lissie "In Sleep""
5. Grace Potter & The Nocturnals "Paris (Ooh La La)"
6. Ray LaMontagne & The Pariah Dogs "Repo Man"
7. J.J. Grey & Mofro "The Sweetest Thing"
8. Hayley Sales (featuring Donavon Frankenreiter) "Not In His Garden"
9. Chase McBride "Gloria
10. Ryan Montbleau Band "Songbird"
11. Kina Grannis "Strong Enough"
12. Brendan James "The Fall"
13. Greg Laswell "Marquee"
14. Chris Trapper "The Game Is Done"
15. Pete Francis "Light Years"
16. John Butler Trio "I'd Do Anything"
17. Timmy Curran "Believe"
18. The Cat Empire "Feeling's Gone"
19. Lee Everton "I Got To Keep On Moving"
20. The Beautiful Girls "Home/Family"

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

CD REVIEW: Ray LaMontagne & The Pariah Dogs "God Willin' & The Creek Don't Rise"

The mellow soul master is back, and this time he's brought his friends along for the ride. Self producing this latest album, Ray LaMontange formed an essential backing band called The Pariah Dogs which features some of the best in the business. The album pretty much stays along the standard format that Ray is used to, with a bit more classic rock and country music influence throughout. The most exciting track on the album is the lead off song "Repo Man," which features a bit of funkiness not heard in LaMontagne's music on any of his previous three albums. Of the ten tracks, seven feature Ray's signature deep soul vocals over a bed of mellow acoustic driven soundtrack. The first single "Beg, Steal, Or Borrow" is an instant LaMontagne classic, and will most likely go down as one of his best written. "For The Summer" and "Like Rock & Roll And Radio" are also incredible songs that are sure to become instant fan favorites. This new DIY approach to music that LaMontagne & Co. have taken on this album makes the music much more organic, proving that LaMontagne is one of this generations best songwriters and performers.