Top 15 Albums for May 2009!!!

May 2009

1. Neil Young – Fork In The Road [Reprise 2009]
2. Ziggy Marley – Family Time [Tuff Gong 2009]
3. Julian Marley – Awake [Tuff Gong 2009]
4. Steve Earle – Townes [New West 2009]
5. Queen Ifrica – Montego Bay [VP Records 2009]
6. The Decemberists – The Hazards of Love [Capitol 2009]  
7. Vybz Kartel – Most Wanted [Greensleeves 2009]
8. Bushman – Most Wanted [Greensleeves 2009]
9. Los Fabulosos Cadillacs – La Luz del Ritmo [Nacional 2009]
10. Gomez – A New Tide [Ato Records 2009]
11. YT – Born Inna Babylon [Sativa 2009]
12. Booker T – Potato Hole [Anti 2009]
13. Steve Winwood and Eric Clapton – Live from Madison Square Garden [Reprise 2009]
14. UGK – UGK 4 Life [Zomba 2009]
15. The Flatlanders – Hills & Valleys (Dig) [New West 2009]

Neil Young’s Fork In The Road pays tribute to cars and praises the new advancements in green car technology. It seems Young was so inspired by Wichita mechanic Jonathan Goodwin’s work on Young’s Lincoln that he wrote some wonderful songs about it. Goodwin converted Young’s 1959 Lincoln Continental adding battery power, biodiesel, and old jet engines in a fashion that increased gas mileage to 100 mpg and at the same time doubled the horsepower from 300 to 600. This album is timely, deep, and insightful. Neil Young continues as a cutting edge songwriter.

Ziggy Marley’s Family Time brings together some great artists making fun reggae sounds for the entire family. Jack Johnson, Willie Nelson, Toots Hibbert, and others lend their voices to the great tracks. Willie Nelson and Ziggy Marley rework the spiritual “This Train (feat. Willie Nelson)” while Ziggy and Toots Hibbert sing “Take Me To Jamaica (feat. Toots Hibbert).”

The Marley Brothers have been prolific and Julian “JuJu” Marley’s new album Awake displays the excellent quality reggae being produced by Bob’s progeny. “Violence In The Streets” with brother Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley packs a political message inside a driving riddim. “Boom Draw” celebrates the “healing of the nation” that grew on King Solomon’s grave. The tracks “Things Ain’t Cool,” “Awake,” and “On The Floor” rock and “A Little Too Late” with brother Stephen “Ragamuffin” Marley is pure melodic funky reggae.

Queen Ifrica’s Montego Bays caprtures the best of female roots reggae from Jamaica. “Keep It To Yourself” is a lesson in good vibes and “Daddy” is an interesting raw social commentary.