Little of the music made by artists from Kansas City receives substantial attention from outsiders. The ongoing disintegration of the area’s traditional media outlets exacerbates the negligence. Consequently, waiting until the end of the year to recognize the recordings on this list didn’t seem right. Yet this site has never been mistaken for a popularity contest. A few of the most notable new releases- including a fine album by Kansas City’s most popular band- didn’t make the cut. People baffled by the snub of a notable group will find my monthly surveys reveal an allergy to fizzy indie-pop. While I’m displeased by the gender disparity, I didn’t adjust the rankings for representational purposes.
1. Joyce DiDonato- Eden
Straight outta Prairie Village.
2. Arnold Young and the Roughtet- Fear Is the Mind Killer
3. The Adam Larson Trio- With Love From Chicago
4. Making Movies- Xopa
The band’s best since 2014’s A la Deriva.
5. LeVelle- My Journey Continues
6. Kevin Morby- This Is a Photograph
Bob’s New Morning meets Van’s Veedon Fleece.
7. Huerco S.- Plonk
Ambient ear candy.
8. Flora- Emerald City
Over the rainbow.
9. Stik Figa and August Fanon- Heresy
“Posdnuos mixed with Pac.”
10. The Creepy Jingles- Take Me at My Wordplay
The best garage (rock) in town.
11. Dutch Newman- This Too Shall Pass, Pt. 2
Triumphant sobriety.
12. Rich the Factor- NFT Scritch
KC’s whale.
13. Seth Andrew Davis, Kyle Hutchins, Aaron Osborne and Evan Verploegh- Quartet, Vol. 1
14. Addison Frei- Time and Again
15. Belle & The Vertigo Waves- Lorelai
Let’s live together.
16. Marty Bush- The Long Way Home
The year’s best reboot.
17. Stephen Martin- High Plains
18. Seth Andrew Davis- Highways Jammed with Broken Heroes
19. Kevin “Church” Johnson- Brown Liquor Music
Potent.
20. Ben Baker, Seth Andrew Davis, Krista Kopper and Evan Verploegh- EMS
21. Norman Brown- Let's Get Away
22. Josh Nelson Bob Bowman Collective- Tomorrow Is Not Promised
23. Seth Andrew Davis and Evan Verploegh- Hunter
24. Thumbs- Trunk Wired Shut
Rock-and-roll lifers.
25. Jeff Shirley- Blue Gold