It's traditional that I spend the last couple weeks of the year sorting through any remaining unfiled piles of CDs in my office so I can start the year with a clean slate and plenty of room for the new releases. So I end up listening to even more music than usual in the countdown to the new year and invariably I find one gem that I missed during the year that absolutely slays me. William Elliott Whitmore's record is it for 2011. It's clarity and passion woke me up as if somebody poured cold water on my spine. His songs are remarkable in how they profoundly and simply address today's issues while putting them in historical context. It feels rural in its soul but with a voice that no intellectual could ignore. He could play equally well to any demographic in any state or city in the U.S., and that is a rare thing. I hope you enjoy, keep an eye on this one for sure.
William Elliott Whitmore - Field Songs: Amazon :: iTunes :: Official Site
P.S. New Year's Resolution: one post per week for the next 50 weeks on a recommended album.