Steve Newton

This was the year I broke down and bought an iPhone so I could listen to music and answer the phone at the same time. Turns out the pesky device doesn’t hold that many songs. At least I can still fit all my Drive-By Truckers tunes on there.

Drive-By Truckers
The Big To-Do
“Birthday Boy” has to be the greatest rock song of the year, and it’s no surprise it was written and sung by the underrated Mike Cooley. The other main DBT tunesmith, Patterson Hood, does his part as well, especially on the booze-fuelled “The Fourth Night of My Drinking” and the true-life murdered-preacher tale “The Wig He Made Her Wear”.

Listen to "Birthday Boy" by Drive-By Truckers.

Buddy Guy
Living Proof
On the opening track, “74 Years Young”, the Chicago blues legend shows he’s still a potent force of nature by unleashing a fierce barrage of blues-metal licks that would make Hendrix weep—or at least jam along. Nobody does it better, although B. B. King and Carlos Santana show up to offer some fancy fretwork as well.

Listen to "74 Years Young" by Buddy Guy.

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Mojo
I don’t know if Tom Petty ever misplaced his mojo, but he’s definitely got it working on this primo collection of bluesy rock tunes that showcase the guitar work of Mike Campbell.

Listen to "Jefferson Jericho Blues" by Tom Petty.

Joe Satriani
Black Swans and Wormhole Wizards
Satch didn’t put out an album in 2009, but he’s more than made up for that with these 11 startling tracks of strange and beautiful guitar music, coproduced with Langley’s own Mike Fraser.

Listen to "Dream Song" by Joe Satriani.

Ronnie Earl
Spread the Love
His name isn’t as familiar as Clapton, Beck, or Page, but Ronnie Earl is another blues-based guitarist who makes magic whenever his finger touches a fret, as proven by these 14 smouldering instrumentals.

Listen to "Miracle" by Ronnie Earl and the Broadcasters.

Sora
Desire and Truth
I got turned on to local rock-guitar wizard Erol Sora and his Gary Moore fetish when he released his Demented Honour album back in 2005. On his latest release he continues his passionate revival of melodic ’70s hard rock in the company of stalwart Vancouverites Jason Solyom (drums), Brendan Mooney (bass), and Gregory MacDonald (keys).

Listen to "Diamonds in the Wind" by Sora.

Black Country Communion
Black Country Communion
Rock supergroups come and go, but this one—composed of bassist-vocalist Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple, Black Sabbath), guitar hero Joe Bonamassa, drummer Jason Bonham (son of Zeppelin’s John), and former Dream Theater keyboardist Derek Sherinian—has the tunes and talent to last.

Listen to "The Great Divide" by Black Country Communion.

Joe Bonamassa
Black Rock
Before he joined up with Black Country Communion, Bonamassa made a name for himself as a blues-based artist with guitar skills up the ying-yang. His latest solo release displays his formidable chops via a collection of originals and covers of Blind Boy Fuller, Otis Rush, and John Hiatt. Bonamassa’s idol, B. B. King, shows up to put a soulful shine on Willie Nelson’s “Night Life”.

Listen to "Look Over Yonders Wall" by Joe Bonamassa.

John Hiatt
The Open Road
The 58-year-old songwriting legend goes to town on a bare-bones collection of rootsy rockers and heartfelt ballads. The title track is particularly killer.

Listen to "The Open Road" by John Hiatt.

The Telepathic Butterflies
Wow & Flutter!
Groovy quartet from Winnipeg brilliantly updates the psychedelic British jangle pop of the ’60s.

Listen to "Between the Lines" by the Telepathic Butterflies.