Mark Wheat, Host

These are in no order of rank, just a list representing albums that I connected with through my musical highlights of the year.


It was another banner year for Mn music and I got to visit many parts of greater Minnesota for several musical road trips that cemented my connection to 3 artists that I have liked for awhile now:


  • Doomtree — No Kings
  • Mason Jennings — Minnesota
  • Low — C'mon

In Rochester with Dessa, where she was stellar, (then even better here at The Fitz!). Then in Red Wing with Sims, Lazerbeak, Cecil and Mictlan of the crew for MN Music Coalition's Caravan Du Nord, where they brought the power of their new No Kings to the glorious Sheldon Theater.


Up in Duluth with Mason in another fabulous venue that was new to me: Sacred Heart. And lovely Winona with Low where they played and talked about their amazing career in an hour long workshop at a small coffeehouse for Caravan du Nord.

  • Adele — 21
  • Bon Iver — Bon Iver
  • Fleet Foxes — Helplessness Blues
  • Foster The People — Torches
  • Radiohead — King of Limbs

These next five would be the the top albums by votes for the Chart Show. I knew Adele was the real deal when she did her 19 session for us. I couldn't have predicted the huge year that she's had but it's heart-warming.


As is the mainstream recognition of Bon Iver, my fave album of the year and a brilliant follow up to a much buzzed about debut, a very hard thing to do, especially from Eau Claire!


Foster The People won me over when they played spare acoustic versions of their hits, so they deserve their breakout year.


Fleet Foxes is a dark horse album for end of year reviews. Feels like it was over-looked.


Radiohead seem to be taken for granted now; all the superlatives have been used. I had more earworms in me head from this one than ever before and I liked the TKOL RMX album too giving other talented artists time in the spotlight.


  • Ólafur Arnalds — ...and they have escaped the weight of darkness
  • Tinariwen — Tassili +IO:I

The last two never got played regularly on The Current but were the most played in my house and car. Ólafur released this last year but she's the best example of the kind of Icelandic music that I fell in love with after our summer trip.


Tinariwen played my fave show of the year at The Cedar, truly a spiritual experience.





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