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Dgold’s TOP 10 ALBUMS OF 2003:

01. The Disco Biscuits - TranceFusionRadio_Broadcast01,02,03
02. Led Zeppelin - DVD & How The West Was Won
03. The Slip - Alivelectric & Aliveacoustic
04. Gov’t Mule - The Deepest End
05. Speakeasy - Cut of the Jib
06. Robert Bradley and Blackwater Surprise - Still Lovin’ You
07. The New Deal - Gone Gone Gone
08. Neil Young - Greendale
09. Tea Leaf Green - Living In Between
10. David Gray - A New Day at Midnight (late 2002)

12-30-2003
“DJ Jigga’s Trance-Fusion Pre NYE Mix”

SET ONE: Walk Of Life, Spill The Wine > Cisco Kid, Sledgehammer > Rock Candy, Today > Kumuy

SET TWO: Crescent > Germination, Miz X, Stay Awhile, VL Tone

ENCORE: Exciting New Direction

DIRE STRAITS - Walk of Life
WAR - Spill The Wine, Cisco Kid
PETER GABRIEL - Sledgehammer (7-21-1987)
THE DISCO BISCUITS - Rock Candy (7-5-2003)
SOUND TRIBE SECTOR 9 - Today > Kumuy (9-6-2003)
LOTUS - Crescent > Germination (on Harmonized Records)
ASTRALYTE - Miz X
THE NEW DEAL - Stay Awhile, VL Tone (new album Gone, Gone Gone)
THE NEW DEAL - Exciting New Direction (from Receiver)

John-Garrett’s TOP 10 ALBUMS OF 2003:

01. Allman Brothers Band - Hittin’ The Note
02. The Disco Biscuits - TranceFusionRadio_Broadcast01,02,03
03. Led Zeppelin - How The West Was Won
04. Gov’t Mule - The Deepest End
05. Allman Brothers Band - Live at the Atlanta International Pop Festival
06. Keller Williams - Home
07. The New Deal - Gone Gone Gone
08. Lotus - Germination
09. Electric Mudd - Call It What You Will
10. WAR - The Very Best of WAR

* Runner ups include:
* Widespread Panic - Ball
* Speakeasy - Cut of the Jib
* Allman Brothers Band - Live at Stonybrook, NY
* Derek Trucks Band - Soul Serenade
* Living Daylights - Night of the Living Daylights
* moe. - Wormwood

Best CDs of 2003: Editors’ Picks
Includes Dgold’s Top 10 and Tspeed’s Top 10…

Best CD Releases of 2003: Editors Picks from Honest Tune magazine

If you are anything like us, you listened to a lot of CDs in the past year. And there were some great ones. In trying to figure out which ones were the best, in between yelling, shoving and spiking each others drinks, we all decided to list our favorites. Here they are. Don’t forget to vote in the online poll (located along the left side of your screen) for your favorite CD release of 2003. Results will be published in the next issue of An Honest Tune.

Chip Schramm , AHT Contributing Editor

1. “Hittin’ The Note” Allman Brothers Band After a 10 year studio layoff, a ‘new’ lineup produced a new album, with impressively vintage sound and classic quality. From the youngster Derek Trucks ’ guitar wizardy on tunes line Instrumental Illness to Grandaddy Gregg’s moving vocals on “Old Before My Time” this album hits on all cylinders

2. “Ball” Widespread Panic More of an emotional than objective choice, this is the inverse of the album listed above. Despite the emotional turmoil and rapid changes surrounding the band in 2002/2003, they turn out a solid, sonically enjoyable album in a remarkably short amount of time.

3. “On and On” Jack Johnson Who cares if the mainstream media has “discovered” him now? This album is all about great songwriting and smooth vocal delivery that can’t be faked. Jack Johnson is a naturally talented poet who has achieved commercial success on his own terms.

4. “The Deepest End” Gov’t Mule (see live show comments below) This album can’t do justice to the experience of actually having BEEN there, but if you weren’t in NOLA that weekend, just close your eyes, drink nonstop for 9 hours beforehand, and pretend.

5. “Lesser” Daniel Hutchens This album shows off a quietness to Hutchens’ music that is always lurking beneath the surface of Bloodkin’s grinding tone. Here the dark side of his creativity is still present, but the softer treatment makes his skillful songwriting and stand out even more.

6. “Soul Serenade” Derek Trucks With the label problems they had delaying this album’s release by several years, lots of artists might just have shelved it completely. But’s it’s a good thing they didn’t because the material is like the missing link in the DTB’s world blues evolution.

7. and 8. (tie) “It’ll Come To You… The Songs of John Hiatt” and “Johnny’s Blues” These 2 tribute album compilations, to Hiatt and Johnny Cash respectively, were my most surprising finds of the year. Each one is chock full o’ mega-stars to cover the tunes (from Willie Nelson to Mavis Staples and all points in between) and have been sharing time in my car’s CD rotation since the spring.

9. “Emphasizer” Garage A Trois Lots of experimental funkiness courtesy of some uber-talented musicians. I was glad to see them schedule enough live dates to support the effort, too.

10. “Double Barrell” Old No. Eight This is my most outrageous album of the year. It’s like the Kudzu Kings after a strip of the brown acid. I first listened to it while on a long road trip from Houston to Birmingham and almost drove my car off I-10 into an oil field after hearing the opening track “C’mon let’s go do some blow.” Funny, very funny, but not for the faint of heart.
Fred Adams, AHT Contributing Editor

1. “How the West Was Won” Led Zeppelin An easy choice as my favorite album of the year, this live release, put out over 30 years after it was recorded, documents the sheer power and majesty that was Led Zeppelin more thoroughly than any official release in the band’s illustrious career. Culled from two different shows and sequenced to play as a single night’s performance, this CD, along with the accompanying self-titled two DVD set, offers an entire new generation of fans the opportunity to witness the band at their very best - live and loud – just the way Led Zeppelin was meant to be experienced.

2. “The Deepest End” Govt Mule Documenting the band’s historic concert during this year’s New Orleans Jazz Festival, “The Deepest End” is a piece of work that may well end up being considered one of the finest live recordings ever made. Every bit the equal of The Band’s “Last Waltz,” this CD/DVD set captures a night in American music history that will long be remembered – the crowning jewel in the cap of Mr. Warren Haynes, a man who has proven himself to be not only the hardest working man in show business (apologies to James Brown, but Warren took that title from him several years ago), but also one of the most talented and generous musicians to ever grace a stage.

3. “Say You Will” Fleetwood Mac Imagine the best, most moving, romantic sex of your life. Close your eyes, and the sounds you hear could well be the songs of this CD. While I have never been a fan of this band’s work, with the exception of the classic rock hit “Oh Well,” this release moved me to the depths of my soul and will long hold a special place in my heart. Move over Barry White, the world of romance music may have just found a new soundtrack.

4. “Hittin’ the Note”Allman Brothers Band Ten years after their last foray into the studio, the latest version of the Allman Brothers Band, sparked by the return of Warren Haynes to fray, delivered an album fans had wanted for years. Add young guitar wiz Derek Trucks to the mix, and you have one of the most lethal instrumental duos on the planet, a fact that is quickly apparent throughout this recording, particularly on the Grammy nominated track “Instrumental Illness.”

5. “Unclassified” Robert Randolph and the Family Band The emergence of Randolph as an international superstar was just a matter of time. With this red-hot release, combined with numerous national television appearances, the world has indeed discovered the genius of this young pedal steel player from New Jersey. The album has been nominated for two Grammy awards – Best Rock Instrumental Performance and Best Rock Gospel Album – which will only elevate Randolph’s status as one of the premiere instrumentalists on the road today.

6. “Ball” Widespread Panic Panic’s eighth studio release was without doubt the most different recording the band had ever released. First, and foremost, this marked the group’s first foray into the studio without their beloved lead guitarist Mike Houser. And secondly, for the first time in their career, the band decided to record only material that had yet to be played, and developed, on tour. As a whole, the album shows a band trying its best to redefine itself in order to march on without their fallen comrade. It is, without doubt, “New” Panic - fun, and fulfilling, yet oh so different than that we’ve come to know and love. A tasty batch of new songs, particularly “Papa Johnny Road” and “Loner Look,” that should one day come to be appreciated as much as the rest of the band’s classic catalogue.

7. “As Time Goes By…The Great American Songbook Volume II” Rod Stewart Stewart breathes new life into 14 American musical standards. From “Time after Time,” to “I’m In the Mood for Love,” to “I Only Have Eyes For You,” Stewart’s breathy, haunting, dead-on voice delivers these timeless classics in a way that echoes the sounds of old, in his own trademarked voice, so that a new generation can enjoy them. While some may try to label this album as little more than a lounge singer crooning away his last days, Stewart seems to have reinvigorated his career, sounding as alive and passionate as ever.

8. “Lesser” Daniel Hutchens Bloodkin’s talented lead singer and main song writer steps out on his own with his first solo release, a truly enjoyable effort that showcases Hutchens’ vocal prowess. While the songs found here maintain the dark edge he is known for in Bloodkin, they are softer, more subtle, and seem very deeply personal. An album that will surely stand the test of time.

9. “Let it Be… Naked” The Beatles Another of my personal favorites this year to finally see the light of day more than three decades after being recorded. “Let it Be” originally started as a back-to-the-roots album/documentary project called Get Back in January, 1969, but ended up as the band’s de facto swan song 18 months later. Three decades later, this stripped-down re-release offers the bare-bones version of these recordings, allowing listeners to judge the band’s “live in the studio” efforts as opposed to the grandiose orchestra and choir overdubs orchestrated by producer Phil Spector. The album also includes a bonus disc of conversation and song snippets culled from hundreds of hours of session that seem to underscores the often unfocused state of affairs the band found themselves in towards the end of their remarkable career.

10. “Speakerboxx/The Love Blow” Outkast A guilty pleasure, one I admit rather hesitantly. From my first listen to the infectious “Hey Ya’,” I was instantly sold on the amazingly original material from this Atlanta duo. Certainly not something to listen to all the time, but the hooks from this song (a sure winner as Song of the Year in many different polls) alone were enough to compel me to give special mention to this as one of the catchiest singles to hit to radio in quite some time.
Tom Speed, An Honest Tune Publisher & Editor In Chief

1. “Decoration Day” Drive By Truckers The Truckers follow up the critically acclaimed Southern Rock Opera with a masterpiece, packed with balls to the wall rockers, country rock ballads and superb songwriting as they continue to explore the duality of the Southern Thing.
2. “Hittin’ The Note”Allman Brothers Band The first studio record from the Brothers in a decade exceeded all expectations, as the re-addition of Warren Haynes propelled the band to new heights and reinvigorated one of America’s greatest bands for a new millennium. It doesn’t get any better than Haynes in one ear and Derek Trucks in the other.
3. “The Wind” Warren Zevon Dying from lung cancer, Zevon entered the studio with his friends and crafted the most moving and poignant farewell ever made. “Knocking on Heaven’s Door” surpasses every version of the song ever recorded.
4. “Ball” Widespread PanicFollowing the devastating loss of founding guitarist Mike Houser, Widespread Panic stepped to the plate with a strong batch of tunes. At times bone crunching, at times tender, the sound of Widespread Panic working through grief with art was one of the greatest achievements of their storied carreer.
5. “Stingray” Kenny Brown Kenny Brown learned the Mississippi Hill blues from Joe Callicot and served as R.L. Burnside’s sideman for 20 years. With Stingray his interpretation of Hill Blues shows that he deserves his place in the long line of Hill Blues masters that includes Callicot, Burnside, Mississippi Fred McDowell and Junior Kimbrough.
6. “Hanapepe Dream” Taj Mahal & The Hula Blues Taj Mahal delivers a terrific blend of world music of every kind including enchanting covers of classics such as “Blackjack Davey” and “All Along the Watchtower” interspersed with original Hawaiian steel beauties that’ll have you craving a barefooted sunset with a boat drink.
7. “Ruckus” Galactic With Dan the Automater at the helm, the Crescent City’s G-Men provide an innovative record that chronicles their ever-evolving definition of what a funk band is.
8. “Mouthful of Copper” Jerry Joseph & The Jackmormons The long overdue double disc live set from one of America’s greatest songwriters and greatest power trios, Mouthful of Copper stands as an affirmation of angst rock. The Jackmormons stretch out on well known tunes such as “Climb To Safety” and rock out on “Savage Garden” and “Hallelujah Trail.” With all due respect to Gov’t Mule and their 20+ friends, it took just 3 guys to make the best live release of the year.
9. “Back To The Bottom” Gamble Brothers Band This young band from Memphis is proudly bringing the Stax sound back to the streets, and doing so with flair and poise. Far from a retro act, The Gambles excel at crafting song that feature abundant grooves and alluring hooks. A magnificent sophomore release from one of the year’s most promising young bands.
10. “Talking To Plants” Kevin McKinney The former Soulhat frontman delivers his second solo studio release cooked up in his ‘shatcave’ home studio and proves that you don’t need a big budget studio or even a band to make a great rock album.

Honorable Mentions:

* “O Cracker Where Art Thou?” Leftover Salmon & Cracker: One of the oddest pairings of the year results in one of the best. Salmon’s inventive take on the Cracker catalog underscores the depth of David Lowery’s songwriting, breathing new life into songs you thought you were sick of.
* “Emphasizer” Garage A Trois: A super album from a supergroup. The addition of Mike Dillon to the triumvirate of Stanton Moore, Charlie Hunter and Skerik was a brilliant one, even though it did ruin the pun.
* “Dirt on the Angel” Danny Barnes: Listening to this record amounts to taking a trip through the looking glass into the world of Danny Barnes—a rural world of fishing and peanut butter and good times. It’s an enchanting trip.
* “Wormwood” moe. : moe. overcomes the jam band studio curse by crafting one out of live material to produce their best ‘studio’ record to date.
* “About Time” Steve Winwood: Stevie Winwood returns from his decades-long affair with beer commercial music with soul and an infectious reinvigoration.
* Taylor Grocery Band: Electric Catfish Music is here!

Bill Whiting , AHT Contributing Editor

1. “Ball” Widespread Panic A great recording that stands on it’s own merits. “Nebulous” and “Fishing” provide standouts. The boys rebound in style, and produce a classic that will be listened to for years to come.

2. “Sweet Oblivious Antidote” Perpetual GrooveHomegrown begins the Harmonized label with this release of syncopated beats and progressive movements. A daring musical journey that is straddled between the sublime, “Three Weeks,” and sonic fury, ” Astro Monkey-Robot Waltz.”

3. “Carbohydrates” Raq An ingenious second release from another formidable Burlington, Vermont ensemble. There must be something in the water there. Addictive melodies combine with top notch musicianship to produce the one of the most improbable and memorable discs of the year.

4. “In Search Of…” Ten Ton Chicken The rich musical movement in San Francisco produced this funhouse recording. A band as tight as their name is odd, Ten Ton Chicken’s influences on In Search Of literally ran amok, ranging from ska, “’skLorilla,” to blues improvisation, “Sometimes.” The impact of this release will be felt deep into next year.

5. “Launchpad” Particle. The band that has come to define jamming into the dawn arrives with a disc full of vision and purpose. Taking trance fusion to a whole new level, Particle provides a soundtrack for dance happy clubbers eager to move their feet. Heady, butt shaking grooves abound on Launchpad.

6. “Call It What You Will” The Electric Mudd. The sounds of the south rear up once again on this bludgeoning disc from one of Mississippi’s best kept secret. A swampy mix of hard hitting blues and pounding rock and roll, Call It What You Will has the ability to transport the listener to Bayou country, and put them in a Jazz Fest state of mind.

7. “Intoxicating” Bohemian Sunrise World Beats and sinewy rhythm and blues blend together to create a parking lot masterpiece. Those with an appetite for heavy drumming combined with jazzy interludes will relish this funky creation. Sounds and melodies to fill the head and warm the soul make up the world of Intoxicating.

8. “Hot Fish Laundry Mat” King Johnson A Georgia band that can really swing. King Johnson’s brass heavy sound is fleshed out through the guitar and vocals of Oliver Wood. They bring to mind many Southern giants including Dr. John and Dirty Dozen Brass Band via Little Feat.

9. The Deepest End (Live) Govt. Mule A night to remember receives the royal treatment as it is brought to disc. A must for any Mule fan, Deepest End Live displays with stunning clarity the depth and range of Warren Haynes’ and Matt Abts’ talents. Special guests abound to create a very special moment in time.

10. “Hittin’ The Note” The Allman Brothers Band. After an extended recording hiatus, the Brothers return at the top of their game with Warren Haynes and Derek Trucks providing plenty of guitar firepower. Nuggets like “Desdemona” and the reworked Govt. Mule number, “Rockin’ Horse” will shape set lists for years to come. And, “High Cost of Low Living” is an instant classic.

Brad Hodge, AHT Contributing Photographer & Contributing Writer

1. “Speakerboxxx/ Love Down Below” Outkast This album really helped me to re-establish my love affair with good quality hip hop, and there is a strong movement of good hip hop out right now!
2. “The Deepest End” Gov’t Mule
3. “Right Now Move” Charlie Hunter
4. “The Complete Jack Johnson Sessions” Mile Davis
5. “Up All Night” John Scofield
6. The Detroit Experiment
7. “Emphasizer” Garage a Trois
8. “Diamonds On The Inside” Ben Harper
9. “The Headphone Masterpiece” Cody Chesnutt
10. “Ball” Widespread Panic This was a brave album for a band going through tremendous amounts of change and suffering, for that alone it makes the list.

Scott Simoneaux, AHT Contributing Writer (and Resident Indie Rocker)

1.”Elephant” White Stripes Jack and Meg White were on the cover of just about every mainstream music rag in 2003 and deservedly so. Elephant proved to be their finest release to date. This band will go down as one of the best bands of the decade by the time it comes to a close.

2. “Yoko” Beulah This San Francisco pop group gets better with each CD. The band has put out some of the best, yet under appreciated and unnoticed, records of the last few years. The production on Yoko is by far the best on any of their releases - it also has the songs to match it.

3. “Chutes Too Narrow” The Shins Another band starting the high ride with the press. This CD will probably make most music critics “best of…” lists by the end of the year. Pop music from the Pacific Northwest via Sub-Pop.

4. “It Still Moves” My Morning Jacket I said in an earlier AHT review this year that this was probably one of the best CD’s of 2003. As the year comes to an end it’s clear that it certainly is.

5. “Take Them On, On Your Own” Black Rebel Motorcycle Club The band defined “indie stoner rock” on their 2001 debut release. Their sophomore CD takes that formula and turns up the tempo for another great record by BRMC.

6. “Baby I’m Bored” Evan Dando –Evan Dando released his first studio record since 1996 with a more mature, more mellow, version of The Lemonheads. Like it or not - Dando (main songwriter and ultimately only permanent Lemonhead) wrote some of the best pop music of the 90’s. He also fell victim to text-book-rock-star trappings that nearly put him in the ranks of a Syd Barrett. Ultimately, sobriety found him and with it comes Baby I’m Bored.

7. “Youth and Young Manhood” Kings of Leon I’ve seen Kings of Leon described as “The Strokes meet Molly Hatchet”. While this might be on the mark, these kids have made a great record on their own. Age and proximity may play be the biggest reasons for such(ages range from 16 to 23 and they live in Memphis). Regardless, the record comes off more genuine than derivative.

8. “D-D-Don’t Stop” The Beat Junior Senior Easily the most fun record I’ve heard all year. Part Motown, part new wave, part dance beats - don’t like or listen to any of those genres? Get this record and you’ll find yourself a fan of all three in no time.

9. “Fever To Tell” Yeah Yeah Yeahs One of the few bands to break out of the NYC scene that deserves the hype. Sound like a female-fronted version of Jon Spencer Blues Explosion.

10. “Permission To Land” The Darkness OK, it is what it is. People either love this band or hate ‘em - for all the same reasons. The Darkness have the vocal pomp of Freddie Mercury and the licks of some of your favorite 80’s metal bands (with slow ballads, to boot). I’m not saying they’ve reinvented the wheel - but they have shone a light on a genre that has lied dormant for some time. This guys are probably a blast to see in concert.
DeMatt Harkins, AHT Contributing Writer
1. “How the West was Won” Led Zeppelin The synchronicity of Led Zeppelin’s talent, taste, and testosterone remains undeniable. And the proof lies in this combined pair of southern California vault-busters from June of 1972. While studio albums stagger with craftsmanship, live performances dumbfound with musicianship. Convulse to the swagger of the best blue-eyed rhythm section to walk the earth. Contort to the confident strut of an axe-wielding wizard. Churn to the wails of the resident historian / sex therapist. His knowledge boasts equally of Middle Earth, Coahoma County, and “down there.”

2. “It Still Moves” My Morning Jacket A long-haired quintet have altered the meaning of Kentucky’s high lonesome sound. My Morning Jacket puts it to tape in a silo. This makes for dramatically humbucked arrangements and an unmistakably cavernous tenor. They create perfect three-minute sepia-toned watercolors, but then they let the tape run for coda upon coda. It Still Moves is equally epic as it is organic in its slow-motion majesty. And how did My Morning Jacket choose to spend their new major-label resources? On The Memphis Horns.

3. “Marquee Moon” Television (reissue) Although more notably associated with Patti Smith, The Ramones, The Talking Heads, and Blondie, it was Television that put CBGBs on the map locally. On many levels, The Bowery is not a beautiful place. And Television’s heavily rhythmic, pre-wave, two-guitar front sneers the blank-faced tension of the street smart. Distortion be damned. The ten-minute title track still stands as one of the supreme electric compositions, period. And with this expanded reissue of the ‘77 vinyl revolution, it is finally paired with the equally seminal 45-only, “Little Johnny Jewel (Parts 1 & 2).” Together they confirm Television’s short-hair improv cred to all of civilization.

4. “Youth & Young Manhood” Kings Of Leon Touring must come easy for the Kings of Leon, seeing that three of the four Messrs. Hollowill were raised by a traveling Pentecostal preacher. And cutting their musical teeth in the church translates into devil-chasing vigor and snake-handling furor. But make no mistake, their needs are purely carnal. The Kings’ filling station punk succinctly expresses the ebb and flow of human experience, while looking through rust-colored glasses. Despite an English producer and an L.A. studio, a ravingly macho vision of Tipton County rises to the top.

5. “Take Them On On Your Own” Black Rebel Motorcycle Club History shows that it’s not unusual for the English to clue us into the rich musical heritage that has been under our noses the whole time. In a strange case of role reversal, two San Franciscans and an expatriated bloke have revived the psychedelically sedate soundscapes of the late Thatcher era. However, with their sophomore output, BRMC’s audience is mainly comprised of those that didn’t miss it the first time around. But that doesn’t take away from the passive, as well as, overt aggression that would have made the cut in Brando’s namesake biker gang.

6. “Room on Fire” The Strokes A sensationally trend-bucking debut whose reception meets its touting is asking for it: A sophomore slump, creative cruise control, backlash, ego inflation, overexposure, and a sense of invincibility. However, it seems The Strokes have made a concerted effort to avoid all of these. And they have. Room on Fire plays more determined and proficient than its predecessor. While they bid farewell to lo-fi production – with the same producer, no less – they offer arrangements of greater complexity and emotional grit. Rather than wading in self-importance, our favorite 5th Avenue droogs have risen to the challenge and emerged smelling like professional musicians.

7. Pushin’ My Luck Robert Belfour Pushin’ My Luck is just as dark as Belfour’s visage suggests on the stark black cover. After all, he does not represent the sun-drenched expanses of the Mississippi Delta. Rather, these are the sounds of the eternally-foreboding topography of the North Mississippi hills. Although he wasn’t signed until well into his sixties, Belfour’s fingers again prove the most nimble and proficient of the entire Fat Possum roster. And his words express spent realities and solemn desires that only seem genuine coming from a retired Holly Springs construction worker. A party album this is not. But these grooves run deep.

8. “Funky Kingston / In the Dark” Toots & The Maytals (reissue) In 1976, stateside head-nodders were introduced to a Jamaican musical document for the ages. Little did they know, Mango/Island execs had given them a duct taped compilation of two 1973 albums. Regardless of previous intention, the situation has been rectified with the US reissue of both LPs on one disc. Imagine finding another 70 yards of the Bayeux Tapestry. Yet, these 21 tracks are not so much funky as they are super soulful. Toots’ Christian upbringing and affinity for American radio shine through gloriously, because the ties between Memphis and Kingston are have never been more joyously clear.

9. “ThickFreakness” The Black Keys When asked about Hill Country Blues hotbeds, 100 out of 100 people would not respond with Akron. Be that as it may, Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney have spent countless hours with their heads in Marshall County. They take Hwy. 7 trance-party stomps and trudge them through the lesser-known Ohio mud; keeping all menace and testosterone heavily in tact. Thick Freakness is a fuzz-toned sledge hammer covered in a fine coating of red dust. And the best thing these guys have going for them is that they get it. Rather than ripping-off, they have synthesized something new, reverent, and gimmick-free.

10.“Pig’s Lib” Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks Stephen Malkmus’ span of control within Pavement becomes clear when listening to his second solo excursion. Disjointedly melodic streams of lyrical and structural consciousness could describe either interchangeably. But Pig’s Lib represents SM’s most impressive output since before Pavement’s twilight releases. The less strenuous surroundings seem to have successfully bolstered a signature style into sounding as original as ever. Although some of the hard edges have been relinquished, the vacillating and unpredictable dynamics maintain the bar-raised creativity and wit.
Honorable Mention

* “Country Got Soul” Various Artists
* “I Can’t Stop” Al Green
* “Strays” Jane’s Addiction
* “Miami Sound” Various Artists
* “Don’t Give Up on Me” Solomon Burke
* “Elephant” W hite Stripes

Best Releases of 2003 That Were Released in 2002

* Interpol – Turn On the Bright Lights
* Queens of The Stone Age – Songs for the Deaf

Daniel Gold, AHT Senior Editor

1. “TranceFusionRadio_Broadcast 01,02,03” Disco Biscuits Best-ever release with a title to suit the genre-innovators. Pristine live recording with elements enhanced in the studio. The first three in an open series. Rattle the neighborhood with trance fusion music.

2. “DVD” & “How The West Was Won” Led Zeppelin They were my favorite band from a long time ago. As of this double-release, they’re my favorite - period. DVD reclaims live Zep history and proves they were the original jam band.

3. “Alivelectric” & “Aliveacoustic” The Slip Both releases have the yin and the yang in there, so it’s not as clear a duality as the titles might suggest. These two live albums were released at the same time with complimentary but not matching packaging.

4. “The Deepest End” Gov’t Mule The stuff of legends. One of the best concerts ever, perfectly documented, and not long after the live event. The DVD comes with the CD’s. Gov’t Mule once again delivers symmetry in this peak release, from which the only thing missing is the late Allen Woody.

5. “Cut of the Jib “ Speakeasy

6. “Still Lovin’ You” Robert Bradley and Blackwater Surprise

7. “Gone Gone Gone” The New Deal

8. “Greendale” Neil Young

9. “Living In Between” Tea Leaf Green

10. “A New Day at Midnight” David Gray This album was released on 11-5-02, and therefore doesn’t technically qualify for the Best of 2003. But I’ve listened to this masterpiece non-stop since I first heard it in the middle of this year.

Chris Brewer, AHT Senior Editor

1. ‘Terrior Blues’ Jay Farrar A remarkable album that both escapes the stereotypes of alt-country, while at the same time, sticking true to the formula that Jay has perfected. Simultaneously unnerving and calming, this record is unclassifiable by genre, it is simply great music.

2. The Wind’ Warren Zevon A masterful farewell to the world that has long ignored him, with this document Warren shows another side of himself, the sensitive one. While the trademark Zevon use of irony, wit, and wry humor still persists, it is is hopeful and earnest message that shines through.

3. ‘Ball’ Widespread Panic A remarkable album, from a remarkable band. Surviving the loss of their founding member and lead guitarist wasn’t easy, but this record shows a band at the top of its form, redefining itself by looking forward, even as they nod to the past. One of its better studio efforts, this is a truly great album in its own right, not in terms solely of its songs.

4. Some Devil’ Dave Matthews A marked departure from his DMB fare, this album features stripped-down arrangements, which coupled with songs about loss and despair form a melancholic painting of a man who is not as happy-go-lucky as some would suspect. Guest appearances abound, including Phish ’s Trey Anastasio and longtime Matthews collaborator Tim Reynolds.

5. ‘Mouthful of Copper’ Jerry Joseph & Jackmormons The first live set from the Jackmormons, perhaps the jam community’s hardest rocking outfit (well, after Mule). This collection highlights newer JJJ songs as well as those familiar to Panic fans such as ‘North’ and ‘Climb To Safety’. Very good sound and a great representation of a band at its creative peak.

6. ‘Truth Be Told’ Blues Traveler A return to the classic BT melodies of old, this record simmers with an energy missing from their last two efforts. Simple and elegant songwriting combined with concise while robust arrangements make this a must-have of 2003 for old and new fans of the band alike.

7. ‘Dirt On the Angel’ Danny Barnes This is probably my favorite current album, I can’t seem to get it out of my player. A sparkling gem of an album, and again, one I cannot classify.

Jamie Lee, AHT Contributing Writer

1. “Decoration Day” Drive-By Truckers The Drive-By Truckers are masters of gritty, real-life storytelling and this album is a perfect example of why they are the hottest rock and roll band in the country.
2. “It Still Moves” My Morning Jacket This Kentucky rockers, led by Jim James, have created a polished, soulful, rock and roll masterpiece. It is proof that these guys can be as delicate or as hard as they want to and maintain the same level of songwriting and musicianship.
3.

“Mouthful of Copper” Jerry Joseph and the Jackmormons
# Self-titled Moonraker Featuring the breathtaking vocals of Kelli Scarr, Moonraker is a band built on rubber band tightness, futuristic vision, and an electronic influence. Electro-rock if you will.
# “Progression Sessions 9” Makoto featuring Deeizm Tokyo’s Makoto is a DJ that spins spry break beats that offer texture and hooks. Coupled with vocalist Deeizm, and this album - recorded live in Japan - is a drum and bass masterpiece.
# “Live at Home” Sound Tribe Sector 9
# “Gone, Gone, Gone” The New Deal
# “Aliveacoustic” The Slip
# “Hittin’ the Note” Allman Brothers Band Warren Haynes and Derek Trucks have injected a new youthfulness into the Allman Brothers Band, and this album brims with raw blues energy.
# “Silver Lake” Vic Chesnutt
Elizabeth Speed, AHT Copy Editor

1. “Mouthful of Copper” Jerry Joseph & The Jackmormons
2. “Silver Lake” Vic Chessnut
3. “Decoration Day” Drive By Truckers
4. “The Deepest End” Gov’t Mule
5. “The Wind” Warren Zevon
6. “Back To The Bottom” Gamble Brothers Band
7. “Ruckus” Galactic
8. “Wormwood” moe.
9. “Ball” Widespread Panic
10. “Hittin The Note” Allman Brothers Band

Stuart Gaines, AHT Contributing Writer

1. “The Wind” Warren Zevon
2. “Ball” Widespread Panic
3. “Oh Cracker Where Art Thou?” Leftover Salmon & Cracker
4. “About Time” Steve Winwood
5. “Speakerboxxx/The Love Below” Outkast
6. “The Deepest End” Gov’t Mule
7. “Inside In” Mike Gordon
8. “Hanapepe Dream” Taj Mahal & The Hula Blues
9. “Hittin The Note” Allman Brothers
10. “quebec” Ween

Chase Farmer, AHT Contributing Editor

1. “Thickfreakness” The Black Keys The best rock and roll band in America.

2. “Near Truths and Hotel Rooms (Live)” Todd Snider Finally a live record from one of the finest yarn spinners touring.

3. “Fate’s Right Hand” Rodney Crowell”

4. “Decoration Day” Drive-By Truckers Simple. Southern. Rock.

5. “Haggard Like Never Before” Merle Haggard Fifty years and he’s as potent today as he was then.

6. “House Party” Dan Zanes Phenomenal acoustic music for kids?and discerning adults everywhere.

7. “Songs For Devon Sproule” Paul Curreri Criminally under recognized singer/songwriter scores again with this guitar and vocal set produced by Kelly Joe Phelps.

8. “Rock & Roll City” Eddie “The Chief” Clearwater featuring Los Straightjackets Great blues rock from this unlikely pair—and the most headdresses on record this decade.

9. “It Still Moves” My Morning Jacket Reverb rules.

10. “Wellspring” Caroline Herring Former Sincere Rambler making quite the name for herself, and rightfully so. This is a set of astonishing songs, from a great songsmith.
Joe Dancer, AHT New Orleans Correspondent

1. “Decoration Day” Drive-By Truckers

2. “How The West Was Won” Led Zeppelin

3. “Speakerboxx / The Love Below” Outkast

4. “Beginning Stages of…” The Polyphonic Spree

5. “The Wind”Warren Zevon

[Editors Note: It should be duly noted that Mr. Dancers 2001 ballot, in which he selected the eventual Grammy-winning record Two Against Nature by Steely Dan as the #1 record of the year, and was the only AHT ballot to make such a selection, was inadvertently omitted from that year’s “Best Of” publication.]
Dave Meyer, AHT Contributing Editor & Photographer

1. “Downstream” New Monsoon Their 2nd record will make you seek out the first. It’s an eclectic mix of southern rock and rhythms with a middle eastern flavor mixed with a swirl of improvisational chemistry make this my favorite record.

2. “Unclassified “ Robert Randolph & The Family Band This stayed in my CD player for weeks after the Austin City Limits festival … 2003 was a good stepping stone for RR&TFB - He’s upped the ante this year in the studio and on the road!

12-16-2003
“Xmas Jam Preview Show!”

SET ONE: Rockin’ Horse, Time Is Free > Spoonful, All Night Long, Leave It Alone > Success Yourself

SET TWO: Melissa (acoustic), Take Me To The Tundra > Jam > Life Is > Loup > Snow On The Pines, They’re Gonna Miss Me When I’m Gone > Lost > Dudley’s Kitchen

ENCORE ONE: Geraldine and the Honey Bee, Dog Song, Ribs & Whiskey, Pass On

ENCORE TWO: Feelin’ Alright, Soulshine

Feature Show: Xmas Jam Preview
for Warren Haynes 15th Annual Christmas Jam December 20th, 2003 in Asheville, NC
more information at www.xmasjam.com

GOV’T MULE - Rockin’ Horse
STAINED SOULS - Time Is Free > Spoonful
NORTH MISSISSIPPI ALLSTARS - All Night Long
BLOODKIN - Leave It Alone > Success Yourself
ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND - Melissa (acoustic)
KELLER WILLIAMS - Take Me To The Tundra > Jam > Life Is > Loup
YONDER MOUNTAIN STRING BAND - Snow On The Pines
SAM BUSH - They’re Gonna Miss Me When I’m Gone
STRING CHEESE INCIDENT - Lost > Dudley’s Kitchen
JOHN BELL - Geraldine and the Honey Bee, Dog Song, Ribs & Whiskey, Pass On
JOE COCKER - Feelin’ Alright
GOV’T MULE - Soulshine

12-9-2003

SET ONE: Intro > I Feel Love > Bear’s Gone Fishing > Sleeping Man, Don’t Keep Me Wonderin’ > Carry On > Almost Cut My Hair > Smokestack Lightnin’ > Pedro

SET TWO: Frosty Morn > Ruben’s Train > Hogs in the Tater Patch, Shady Grove, Where Does an Old Time Riverman Go, Sucker, Takeout > Pickin’ up the Pieces > Porch Song

ENCORE: Fayetteville Line > Gone Gone Gone

The New Deal - Intro > I Feel Love
Widespread Panic - Bear’s Gone Fishing > Sleeping Man
Allman Brothers - Don’t Keep Me Wonderin’
Crosby Stills Nash & Young - Carry On
Gov’t Mule - Almost Cut My Hair
Grateful Dead - Smokestack Lightnin’
Derek Trucks Band w/ Marc Quinones - Pedro

High On The Hog - Frosty Morn > Ruben’s Train > Hogs in the Tater Patch
Garcia, Grisman & Rice - Shady Grove
John Hartford - Where Does an Old Time Riverman Go
Speakeasy - Sucker
Widespread Panic - Takeout > Pickin’ up the Pieces > Porch Song
Leftover Salmon - Fayetteville Line
The New Deal - Gone Gone Gone

12-2-2003
“Jam Cruise Preview Show!”

SET ONE: Midnight Moonlight, Roulette > Liquid Blue, There When I Land, Electra Glide in Blue, Tubeular > Dance Lesson #2, Last Ride, Lights in the Sky > Kneeknocker

SET TWO: Florida > Ain’t Nothin’ But a Party, Mulberry’s Dream > The Deep End, Down a River, Doublewide > Show Time, Isles of Langerhan, Peace of Mind

ENCORE: Brokedown Palace

In this week’s radio show, we previewed Jam Cruise 1 & 2, setting sail twice in January 2004. It’s like a floating festival, with 25 bands. We hand-picked one song per band for a really eclectic, fun radio program. A wide variety of styles, but with kinship they flowed together nicely. Many songs seemed relevant to the Jam Cruise experience. More info at www.jamcruise.com

Peter Rowan & Crucial Reggae,
Umphrey’s McGee > New Monsoon,
RAQ, Jerry Joseph,
Keller Williams > Karl Denson,
Tishamingo, Les Claypool Frog Brigade > Particle

Mofro > The Dirty Dozen Brass Band,
The Disco Biscuits > Rob Wasserman & Mark Karan,
Billy & Liza, Galactic > Rebirth Brass Band,
Col. Bruce Hampton & The Codetalkers,
Younder Mountain String Band

David Gans

ANNOUNCING: Imagine being on a cruise ship in the middle of the ocean while listening to bands like Galactic, Spearhead, Particle, Keller Williams , Les Claypool, & The Disco Biscuits . These and many more will be aboard the Jam Cruise, heading to sea twice in January, with ports in the Bahamas and Key West. Read on »