Top Albums & Songs – September 2018 (FOLKDJ-L)

Franco-American folk-rock duo The Whispering Tree had the top album (Invisible Forces) and five of the month’s most-played songs on folk radio during September 2018, while eclectic Celtic folk and roots-rock duo House of Hamill had the month’s #1 song. So say charts compiled from radio playlists submitted to FOLKDJ-L, an electronic discussion group for DJs and others interested in all folk-based music on the radio.

The Whispering Tree features singer-songwriter Eleanor Kleiner and multi-instrumentalist Elie Brangbour. Inspired by the duo’s new home in New York’s pastoral Hudson Valley, Invisible Forces explores duality and the struggle for a sense of permanence in the face of inevitable change.

House of Hamill is the young Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-based husband-and-wife duo of Rose Baldino and Brian Buchanan – both of whom are accomplished traditional fiddle players, classically trained violinists, and vocalists. “Pound a Week Rise” is from their sophomore release, March Through Storms.

The September 2018 FOLKDJ-L charts are based on 14,817 airplays reported on 573 playlists submitted by 132 different DJs. The number of reported spins is shown in parentheses. The top albums and songs charts are compiled under the auspices of Folk Alliance International (www.folk.org), a nonprofit organization that aims to nurture, engage and empower the international folk music community – traditional and contemporary, amateur and professional – through education, advocacy and performance The monthly top albums and songs charts are posted on AcousticMusicScene.com, with permission.

Top Albums of September 2018

1. Invisible Forces by The Whispering Tree (98)
2. Damn Sure Blue by Kate Campbell (91)
3. The Bloom of Youth by Childsplay (89)
4. Horrible World by Kathy Kallick Band (85)
5. Music of Our People by Darol Anger and Emy Phelps (79)
6. Acrobats by Moors and McCumber (74)
7. Pretty Bird by Kathy Mattea (71)
8. The Hermit’s Spyglass by Ben Bedford (68)
8. Secularia by Eliza Gilkyson (68)
10. Last Day on This Earth by David Roth (65)
10. King of the Road: A Tribute to Roger Miller by Various Artists (65)
12. Sing Me Back Home: The DC Tapes, 1965-1969 by Hazel Dickens and Alice Gerrard (62)
13. March Through Storms by House of Hamill (61)
14. Years in the Making by Loudon Wainwright III (58)
15. Wings by Zoe Speaks (57)
16. Live at the CMA Theater in the Country Music Hall of Fame by Earls of Leicester (52)
17. Kanawha County Flatpicking by Tyler Grant and Robin Kessinger (50)
18. Homestead Hands by The Lark and the Loon (45)
19. Reckless Abandon by Susan Shann (40)
20. 2018 by Holly Near (39)
21. Some People I Know by The Brother Brothers (38)
22. No One Travels Alone by Jon Brooks (37)
22. The Tree of Forgiveness by John Prine (37)
24. Nantucket Girl by Susan J. Berman (36)
24. Shout and Shine by Fink, Marxer & Gleaves (36)
26. Roses in November by Tret Fure (35)
26. Been on Your Side by Courtney Hartman and Taylor Ashton (35)
26. Make Your Own Luck by Mustard’s Retreat (35)
29. We Ain’t Gonna Give It Back by John O’Connor (34)
30. Redwing by Sarah Sample (32)
30. Ready to Go by Reggie Harris (32)
32. 40th Anniversary Bash by Hot Rize (31)
32. Lucky Star by Brooks Williams (31)
34. Didn’t He Ramble: Songs of Charlie Poole by David Davis and the Warrior River Boys (30)
35. Epilogue: A Tribute to John Duffey by Various Artists (29)
35. Welcome to the Ether by Wes Collins (29)
37. Wilderness Years by Jory Nash (28)
37. Orach by Tannahill Weavers (28)
39. Dead Reckoning by Jellyman’s Daughter (27)
40. The Forgotten by Joe Jencks (26)
40. Sweet Old Religion by Pharis and Jason Romero (26)
40. My Way by Willie Nelson (26)
43. 13 Rivers by Richard Thompson (25)
43. Lovers Tree by Claudia Russell and Bruce Kaplan (25)
43. Duckpin by Charm City Junction (25)
46. Haven by We Banjo 3 (24)
47. Full Detroit by Paul Sachs (23)
48. The Tree by Lori McKenna (22)
48. Clovis Man by Cej (22)
50. Lies the Poets Tell by Laurie MacAllister (21)
51. Black Cowboys by Dom Flemons (20)
51. Triumph by Kate Callahan (20)
51. An Evening With Kevin Burke by Kevin Burke (20)
51. Wild! Wild! Wild! by Robbie Fulks and Linda Gail Lewis (20)
55. Downey to Lubbock by Dave Alvin and Jimmie Dale Gilmore (19)
55. This Too Shall Light by Amy Helm (19)
55. Queen City Jubilee by Slocan Ramblers (19)
55. Time to Fly by Mare Wakefield and Nomad (19)
55. New Routes by Asleep at the Wheel (19)
60. Dying Star by Ruston Kelly (18)
60. At King Electric by Ray Bonneville (18)
60. Everyday Street by Lucy Kaplansky (18)
60. Armadillo on a Hot Tin Roof by Vi Wickam and Justin Branum (18)
60. Take This Hammer by Joe Rollin Porter (18)
60. Ghost Light by John McCutcheon (18)
60. True in Time by John Gorka (18)
67. Moving East by Jimmy Rankin (17)
67. Turmoil and Tinfoil by Billy Strings (17)
67. Quarter Past Tonight by Chicago Farmer (17)
67. Oliver the Crow by Oliver the Crow (17)
67. River’s Rising by Nancy Cassidy (17)
67. This Side or the Other by David Olney (17)

Top Songs of September 2018

Here’s a link to view the official video for House of Hamill’s “Pound a Week Rise”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UtQJj9D2Rg

1. “Pound a Week Rise” by House of Hamill (23)
2. “Change Should’ve Come by Now” by Kate Campbell (22)
2. “Little Falcon” by Ben Bedford (22)
2. “These Houses” by The Whispering Tree (22)
5. “Fat Cat” by The Whispering Tree (19)
6. “Damn Sure Blue” by Kate Campbell (17)
7. “Down by the Riverside” by Eliza Gilkyson (15)
7. “When Fall Comes to New England” by Cheryl Wheeler (15)
9. “Cardboard Boxes” by Loudon Wainwright III (14)
9. “Wayside” by Courtney Hartman and Taylor Ashton (14)
11. “Redwing” by Sarah Sample (13)
11. “Wichita Lineman” by Darol Anger and Emy Phelps (13)
11. “Summer’s End” by John Prine (13)
11. “Ride Away” by Kathy Kallick Band (13)
11. “Is It Too Much to Ask” by David Roth (13)
11. “Roll in My Sweet Baby’s Arms” by Loudon Wainwright III (13)
11. “Bells” by The Whispering Tree (13)
11. “Sailing Off to Yankeeland” by Childsplay (13)
19. “Ode to Billie Joe” by Kathy Mattea (12)
19. “Garden” by The Whispering Tree (12)
19. “(It’s A) Horrible World” by Kathy Kallick Band (12)
19. “Pockets Full of Rain” by Kathy Kallick Band (12)
23. “Bigger Win” by Moors and McCumber (11)
23. “Uncle John’s Band” by Darol Anger and Emy Phelps (11)
23. “Heavy” by The Whispering Tree (11)
23. “Chocolate on My Tongue” by Kathy Mattea (11)
23. “01” by Jon Brooks (11)
23. “Cuckanandy / Chris Childs” by Childsplay (11)

Editor’s Note: Both The Whispering Tree and House of Hamill are among the artists and acts who will showcase their talents in AcousticMusicScene.com showcases during the 24th annual Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA) Conference in Stamford, Connecticut in November.