Overlooked albums of 2008, music to look forward to in 2009

By The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

No matter how many albums we hear, how much we read about music, listen to radio or songs streaming on the Web, follow our friends' advice (or don't), good music still eludes us all, writes Ellis Widner in Tuesday's Style section.

With thousands of recordings issued every year, it's no wonder. So, Widner will try to point to a few things that deserved more attention than they got in 2008 and look ahead to potential riches to come this year.

Looking back, Arkansas' act of 2008 could well be the American Princes. The Little Rock-based power pop and rock band's "Other People" topped Magnet magazine's Top 25 albums of the year list.

Other Arkansas musicians released fine recordings, including Delya Chandler, Ted Ludwig and Shannon Boshears. But there was another album that didn't get its due, namely Jimmy Thackery and the Drivers' "Inside Tracks." It features passionate blues-rock by the Nighthawks founder who lives near Eureka Springs. He's known as a skillful and talented guitarist, and Thackery's songwriting is steadily improving, as this album shows.

Read tomorrow's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.

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