The FolkBlog Top 10 CDs of 2008 are totally subjective and based solely on the opinion of the author.  Among the criteria are the amount of time spent in my CD player, and my perception of quality or innovation.
1. The Horse Flies – Until the Ocean
Featuring swirling pan-world rhythms melded with covers of traditional songs as well as creative originals and compelling instrumentals, this was by far the most original album I received all year.
2. Kate Campbell – Save the Day
Kate Campbell is a great storyteller who weaves stories of Elvis, Jesus, Thomas Merton, Harper Lee and others into a compelling whole. I don’t know about you, but I need to be constantly reminded that we are all “shining like the sun.”
3. Andrew Calhoun and Campground - Bound to Go
This album features 35 songs of freedom drawn from historical African-American and civil rights sources, including both spirituals and songs depicting the harshness of slavery and hopes for freedom, whether in this life or the next.  Calhoun is joined by a host of guest artists who fill out the sound. If you have any interest in historical folk music, particularly music from the African-American experience, get this CD.
4. Bob Dylan – Tell Tale Signs
Bob Dylan makes better albums of music he doesn’t consider ready to be released than most artists make of the music they release. This album consists of studio out-takes, unreleased tracks and live versions of material since 1989, when the first set of bootleg tracks was released. Particularly fascinating are the two different alternate takes of “Mississippi”
5. Kathy Mattea – Coal
Kathy Mattea went back to her West Virginia roots, inspired by the Sago Mine Disaster, to record this collection of songs about coal and country from such stellar songwriters as Billy Edd Wheeler, Hazel Dickens and Jean Ritchie. She treats the songs with sparse folk/bluegrass production(as opposed to Nashville New Country production), and the result is truly outstanding.
6. James McMurtry – Just Us Kids
James McMurtry brings his scathing wit and anger to simmer on such topics as the Iraq War, miscarriages of justice, the New Orleans hurricane, child abuse, and getting older.
7. Red Molly - Love and Other Tragedies
Red Molly is back, with a more fully-produced sound, but the same tight three-part harmonies, quality originals and inspired choices of covers, including a fantastic a cappella rendition of Susan Werner’s “May I Suggest”.
8. Tommy Emmanuel – Center Stage
Australian finger-picking guitar master Tommy Emmanuel shines in this 2-cd live set, showing the true range of his virtuosity. A DVD of this performance is also avaialable.
9. Joe Crookston – Able Baker Charlie and Dog
Singer/songwriter Joe Crookston put forward a collection of thoughtful stories, many drawn from his time working for an oral history project in the Finger Lakes region of New York.
10. David Stoddard – Get Off My Lawn
David Stoddard, to the best of my knowledge, is the only performer that prominently features a quote from one of my reviews on his website. I don’t mind, because I really think he’s that good, and this album is just the latest reason why David Stoddard should be mentioned near the top of a list of great singer/songwriters that are surprisingly not very well known. He plays both piano and guitar extremely well, his lyrics are witty and insightful and he ought to be a star on the folk singer/songwriting circuit. Standout cuts include a retelling of the Thanksgiving story from the point of view of the natives (“where are all these people coming from?) and a re-recording of his great song mocking NASCAR (“We’re fascinated by the way they’re driving in a circle/round and round and round and round and round”).
Really Outsanding CDs That Did Not Make the Cut
In alphabetical order by artist
- Angel Band – With Roots and Wings
- Boiled in Lead – Silver
- Billy Bragg – Mr. Love and Justice
- Chuck Brodsky – Two Sets
- Eliza Carthy – Dreaming of Breathing Underwater
- Vance Gilbert – Up on Rockfield
- Donal Hinely – Blue State Boy
- Paul Kelly – Stolen Apples
- The Kennedys – Better Dreams
- Kelley McRae - Highrises in Brooklyn
- Tift Merritt – Another Country
- Joel Rafael – Thirteen Stories High
- The Refugees – Unchained
- Royal Pine – Chanty Town
- Ben Sollee – Learning to Bend
- Brooks Williams – The Time I Spend With You
