One vote. A single vote made the difference for Route .44 over the Low Anthem for album of the year. This Is My America expands on their acclaimed 2007 debut Worthless Lessons, as frontman Ian Lacombe leads the crew on a dark and gloomy ride down his lonesome highway, bloozy sax slithering around his cathartic rusty-nail growls and the award-winning vocals of Jess Powers. On This Is My America, the octet quickly kicks into full stride on the slow-burn opener “Stimulus Response,” the funky percussion of Jud Lisiecka bounces across the speakers on “Trinity,” and “Barfly” and “The Blame Game” are unique additions to the .44 catalog. But the real magic resides in their renowned live shows. Route .44 hits the circuit harder than just about anyone on the New England music scene, with monthly stops at the Blackstone, and a full schedule that includes upcoming shows at Tammany Hall in Worcester and the Roxy in Boston.
Runners-up
2_The Low Anthem, Oh My God, Charlie Brown
3_ the Cobra-Matics, Under the Hood
4_ Six Star General, Spaceship to Planet Cookie
