November is traditionally for feasting. Normally that means some overrated food and sale items that aren’t really that great, but in 2022 it also means with regard to music. We are in the midst of the most fertile and explosive release calendar I can ever recall for this kind of music. 2022 as a whole has been a boon. A bountiful flood of quality releases have dotted the calendar dating back to January.
But, this August through October stretch has been particularly heavy-hitting. New albums from scene heavy weights Wade Bowen, Randy Rogers Band, Adam Hood and Pat Green; new songs from area packers such as Koe Wetzel, Giovannie and the Hired Guns and Shane Smith & the Saints; career defining albums from ladies such as Courtney Patton and Bri Bagwell; ear grabbing singles dropping from new artists such as Jacob Stelly, Kat Hasty, Ellis Bullard and Shaker Hymns. It really kicked into gear around the time Drew Kennedy and 49 Winchester released their most recent collections into the world, and has never really looked back.
The firehose of information that comes at us all on a modern daily basis can be overwhelming. Nowhere is that more apparent than in the music world. Artists are constantly releasing content on all sorts of platforms in both official and unofficial capacities. TikTok covers, Instagram reels, YouTube exclusives, mixtapes, digital releases, vinyl only. You get it all. It’s hard to know where to dive in.
That’s where we try to come in. We try to gatekeep and audit the bad stuff out and showcase only the finest quality stuff. We miss stuff from time to time, but our batting average is pretty dang good. Our The Drop playlist has become a sought after exposure model for artists looking to get their new products in the ears of the right kind of fans. The fans that will drive 5 hours (or longer) one way to see their show…and then buy merch while they are there. The ones who become lifelong fans. The core.
Our core is strong. Being a music fan is something I’m thankful for. Being a part of the Texas Music community at large for nearly 25 years, and the Galleywinter community in particular for 20 years is something I’m extremely proud of and grateful for. It’s a calling, a passion and a mission. And in fruitful times like we are in currently, it’s just so much fun.
New music keeps blasting our way. I won’t lie, over the past 20 years, there have been a few drought years where maybe only 2-3 great albums come out. This year that is not the case. Next month as we begin to prepare our year end favorites lists, it’s going to be difficult to cut some of this down. It’s been that good. I’m hopeful this streak continues into 2023. And I’m thankful for the problem of having too much good music.
MINOR CHORDS:
-I loathe everything about Philadelphia sports. But, as a Rangers fan, give me the Phillies over the Astros. I just can’t do it. Do it for Drew Kennedy!
-We’re just about ready to drop our River Jam 2023 details!
-Speaking of good times, it’s almost time to descend up on Key West once more. Take me there now.
-In one week, the political commercials will cease.
-Over on The Ticket, they are currently in the midst of a game-picking bet where the loser has to ride a Greyhound from Dallas to Phoenix for the Super Bowl. What’s the worst bet pay-off you have ever seen or heard of?
-This month’s recommended album: The Great Divide - Providence. As if the noted 2022 releases above weren’t enough, the year has gifted us the first Great Divide album in 20 years. Mike McClure, JJ Lester and the gang return in peak condition. It’s as if they never left. They sound the same sonically; and their always wisdom soaked lyrics now reek of lived in experience. Take the subject matter out and this record sounds like it was cut in 1998. That’s a sincere compliment.
-”Of all the things I’ve lost, I miss my mind the most.” - Mark Twain