The first quarter of ’09 was relatively quiet for the ’mericans, but that didn’t stop folks from hitting the polls hard in support of scene veteran and ’mericans founder Chris Daltry (ex-Purple Ivy Shadows), who recently toured solo down the Eastern Seaboard to iron out new material for the quintet’s next full-length release, due out by year’s end. It will be tough to improve on 2007’s Where All Dead Leaves Go, the follow-up to their acclaimed debut ’Merican Recordings, which included Death Vessel’s Joel Thibodeau on vocals and put the band on the map with the standout track “Pawtucket.” Daltry has a knack for crafting warm and soulful hooks complemented by moody roots-rock rhythms, in the realm of Wilco and the Jayhawks. The ’mericans have been playing out semi-regularly since the spring, and their live show is not to be missed.
Runners-up
2_Mastamindz
3_Six Star General
4_Route .44
