2012 was a never-to-be-forgotten year for John and everyone around him. The reception for From the Ground Up has been so amazing, it’s hard to imagine that it all happened, that we went from posting the Kickstarter to the Grammy announcement in just a few months.
Here’s an abridged list of “Best of 2012” lists that mentioned John.
From NPR:
10 Artists You Should Have Known In 2012
There is so much flavor on John Fullbright’s debut, From the Ground Up, it could please folks accustomed to anything from soul to folk, to indie pop. It’s not every day a new artist shows up out of the red Oklahoma dirt — Woody Guthrie’s hometown, to be exact — and earns comparisons to great songwriters like Townes Van Zandt and Randy Newman, but Fullbright’s music makes sense in such lofty company. His songs toss around themes of god and lust and faith and doubt like they’re all dirty shirts that have been worn for too long. Take “Jericho.” Its gospel organ and dark, slogging rhythm support lyrics about searching for something — be it love or forgiveness, truth or transcendence. Everything here is on even ground — the profound as important as the profane. For Fullbright even the road to glory must be built from the ground up. –Kim Ruehl, FolkAlley.com
World Cafe Host David Dye Picks His 10 Favorite Songs Of 2012
Ken Tucker’s Top 10 Albums Of 2012
Ann Powers’ Top Albums And Songs Of 2012
NPR Music’s 100 Favorite Songs Of 2012
From American Songwriter:
American Songwriter’s Top 50 Albums Of 2012
Fullbright’s own delivery is so charismatic and fiery, that his presence positively transcends his influences.
American Songwriter’s Top 50 Songs Of 2012
#25 “Jericho — The chorus (“Let my trumpet blow…”) grows more heraldic every time he sings it, that harmonica solo sounds like he’s speaking in tongues, and the last minute sound like he’s actually found salvation.
And more:
Voice of America 2012 Roots Roundup
