Best Folk Music Albums of 2009...So Far

Breaking from the theme album bent of 2006's Fox Confessor Brings the Flood, Neko Case's long-awaited follow-up Middle Cyclone saw her covering songs by Harry Nilsson and Sparks. Continuing her tendency to pack her albums with musicians from other bands, she brought in her New Pornographers collaborators, as well as members of Calexico, Visqueen, the Sadies, Los Lobos, and artists like M. Ward and others.

Steve Earle's tribute to his songwriting hero Townes Van Zandt, appropriately titled Townes, seems to have been a very long time coming, even though it's only been talked about for a little while. Considering Earle's reverence for Van Zandt's extraordinary body of work, it's hardly surprising that this tribute disc is one of the best of the year.

Todd Snider has, for nearly two decades, been one of the best mostly-under-the-radar singer-songwriters in contemporary folk music. His songs have ranged from hilarious, endearing narratives about workaday life to hard-biting protest songs. On his latest album, he tends more toward the former, but one thing is certain. Above all else, Todd Snider is an excellent storyteller, and The Excitement Plan is a tremendous example of this skill.

Sara Watkins may still be best known as the fiddling third of the prodigious trio Nickel Creek, but her solo album draws a solid line between what she has to offer as a solo artist and the work of her former band mates,although both Chris Thile and her brother Sean are all over this disc. (Read my interview with Sara Watkins about this album.)

Eilen Jewell's 2007 breakthrough album, Letters from Sinners and Strangers (actually her second release), introduced an incredible songwriting talent to the world. The buzz around her third effort has been long and loud, and Sea of Tears easily meets those expectations.

Sometymes Why is an all-star trio of women from some of contemporary Americana's finest string bands: Crooked Still, the Mammals and Uncle Earle. Drawing from their incredible pool of songwriting talent, pushing the boundaries of contemporary folk music, Sometymes Why's sophomore release Your Heart Is a Glorious Machine highlights their inventive harmonies and instrumentation. It's almost as charming as their live shows.

Gregory Alan Isakov has been up-and-coming for some time, but his third self-released album, This Empty Northern Hemisphere, is poised to be his breakthrough. With original lyrics which straddle longing, nostalgia, and heartache, Isakov delivers songs that defy categorization and speak to more universal truths. Backed by Brandi Carlile on a handful of tunes (with whom he's currently on tour), Isakov delivers one of the best breakthrough albums of recent note.

Danny Schmidt has a knack for using the tools of traditional music in new and innovative ways. Pulling from classic-style country and the blues, he opens his second disc, Instead the Forest Rose to Sing, with one of the album's best tracks, the timely tune "Better Off Broke" (purchase/download). It's an easy entry point to what becomes a tour through stellar topical tunes and heartbreaking story-songs.

Gurf Morlix isn't hugely well-known. He's not exactly a household name, but his career as both instrumentalist and producer has distinguished him among industry insiders. Now on his latest solo album, Last Exit to Happyland, he distinguishes himself further as a singer-songwriter. Of course it doesn't hurt that he's joined by Ruthie Foster and Patty Griffin, whose contributions mark some of the best songs on the disc.

Justin Townes Earle's second album on Bloodshot Records, Midnight at the Movies delivers more of the new rootsy goodness we saw from his last disc, The Good Life. Where Good Life saw Earle resurrecting and re-working songs from a classic country angle, Midnight sees him taking a decidedly more folk and alt-country direction, even singing of folk legends like the story of John Henry.