Here's to next year...

Just wanted to say a quick thanks to everyone for stopping by and especially to those who commented, to those who follow me on twitter, and to those who send me emails. One of my new years resolutions is to keep up with my email, so anyone who sent me an email and I haven't responded yet....sorry folks. To bands that have submitted music to me but I haven't replied....it's not you, it's me....just overwhelmed is all. I WILL get a handle on this. Thanks again everyone and Happy New Year....here's to 2010

Album Review: Chuck Prophet - Let Freedom Ring

Here's an album I've really been digging the hell out of, and one I feel hasn't gotten the press it deserves. The story behind this album is that Chuck and his band went to Mexico City to a vintage recording studio (all analog equipment from years gone by) during the initial height of the Mexican swine flu scare.

Chuck describes this album as protest music for people who don't like protest music. What I take out of that is protest music that is not "preachy" (which is the reason I'm guessing most people hate protest music). I don't get a protest music vibe as much as a do a tinge of apocalyptic imagery. "let there be darkness, let there be light, as the hawk cripples the dove/over and over watch the dove die, as they rip out the floorboards above". Those are the opening lines to the title track Let Freedom Ring, later in the album he sings "we're going to see how Wall Street takes the news when Wall Street finds New York City's gone", and in the subdued track Barely Exist he asks "when you barely exist who's going to miss you when you're gone".

What I would like to call this album is not so much a protest album as a killer fucking rock album! The kind with amazing guitar work that calls to mind everything from Brian Setzer to Keith Richards. The kind with expertly crafted songs that are reminiscent of great rock songwriters like Petty, Springsteen, Mellencamp, & James McMurtry in that they not only rock but they say something.  I don't really know what else to say, and you guys know I hate trying to describe music when it's easier and more useful to just post a couple links so you can decide for yourself whether you would like it or not, and say as for me....I fucking LOVE this album!

Listen to Chuck Prophet - You And Me Baby (Holding On) here
Listen to Chuck Prophet - Hot Talk here

http://www.chuckprophet.com/
Read more about the album here - Watch the trailer for the album here
Buy Chuck Prophet - Let Freedom Ring here

Out Of Print & Hard To Find: Johnny Paycheck - The Real Mr. Heartache (The Little Darlin' Years)

This one is a request from a buddy over at altcountrytab.ca who pointed out to me that this collection was out of print and going for outrageous prices over at amazon and other outlets. I'll admit, that while I am familiar with early Johnny Paycheck, I was not familiar with this collection....and I'm glad I searched it out....cause it's a damn fine collection. Folks who dig early George Jones (and that excellent Hard Core Honky Tonk collection (also out of print) I posted a while back) will UNDOUBTEDLY love this. Matter of fact anyone who loves traditional HARD CORE HONKY TONK will love this! These tracks are culled from Paycheck's first several albums covering the years of 1966 - 1969. They quickly went out of print on vinyl, only to be remastered and revived by this album here in 1996.....which has subsequently also went out of print. Shame really, cause this is some of the best and purest country music you are likely to hear.

Here is what USA Today had to say about this particular collection, which I liked so I'm quoting it here: "...his early recordings were some of the most intense material Nashville had ever heard…" 

1. Don't Start Countin' On Me
2. The Girl They Talk About
3. A-11
4. The Real Mr. Heartache
5. I'm Barely Hangin' On To Me
6. The Lovin' Machine
7. He's In A Hurry (To Get Home To My Wife)
8. The Ballad Of Frisco Bay
9. Wherever You Are
10. Big Town Baby
11. Hang On Sally
12. (Pardon Me) I've Got Someone To Kill
13. (It's A Mighty Thin Line) Between Love And Hate
14. Apartment #9
15. The Late And Great Me
16. Motel Time Again
17. Jukebox Charlie
18. Touch My Heart
19. My Baby Don't Love Me Anymore
20. The Cave
21. Don't Monkey With Another Monkey's Monkey
22. (Like Me) You'll Recover In Time
23. It Won't Be Long (And I'll Be Hating You)
24. If I'm Gonna Sink (I Might As Well Go To The Bottom)

MP3
Download Johnny Paycheck - The Real Mr. Heartache here

Vintage V-Roys vids

As you guys know, I'm a huge V-Roys fan from way back. Matter fact I was telling someone the other day that I bet I played "Just Add Ice" more in the 90's than any other album and it remains one of my favorite albums to this day.  So when I found these vintage V-Roys clips on youtube (posted by Scott Miller no less) I about shit a cinderblock.  Check them out, you got Mary, and the most interesting to me (because it's never made it's way to an album) is the Cold Cruel World clip.

While I don't know if the V-Roys will ever get back together (I wish they would), fans in East Tennessee can get the next best thing as Scott and Mic will be playing a one of their legendary New Years Eve shows at the Bijou Theater in Knoxville. Coincidentally, the same night Virginia Tech plays Tennessee....bring it Scott!!!

From The Archives: Townes Van Zandt - The WHOLE Coffeehouse November 1973

Still clearing out requests. This one remains one of my favorite TVZ boots. The reason being is the sound quality is pretty damned good, but his vocals on this are some of his finest that have been recorded in my opinion. If you don't have this, you need it.

Don't forget about Steve Earle's latest tribute to Townes simply titled.....Townes


also, completely unrelated, but if anyone has track 1 of the Buick MacKane show I posted way back, please email it to me so I can do a proper repost.

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This is a great TVZ boot....of which there are many, but his voice really seems to shine on this one. If you have been wanting to get into Townes but have been intimidated by his vast catolouge or some such other reason, this is for you. This makes a very good intro to the genius known as Townes Van Zandt. Of course, you fans will probably want this too (if you don't already have it).

1. Intro 0:29
2. I'll Be Here in the Morning 3:09
3. Cuckoo Song 3:17
4. Hobo Bill 3:06
5. Where I Lead Me 3:13
6. Broke Down Engine Blues 5:12
7. For the Sake of the Song 5:02
8. Nothin' 2:46
9. Talkin' Thunderbird Blues 2:22
10. Pancho and Lefty 3:40
11. Mr. Mudd and Mr Gold 2:35
12. Tecumseh Valley 4:26
13. The Ballad of Irah Hayes 3:58
14. (Quicksilver Daydreams of) Maria 4:21
15. Tying Ten Knots in the Devil's Tail 2:27

MP3
Townes Van Zandt - Whole Coffeehouse

Introducing.....The Bird List

Click the picture to visit the site

The Bird List. A bird's eye view of the combined top 20 lists of what we like to call a "loose confederation of like minded bloggers". This is the inaugural year. It's been a patchy one! But what we do have is a decent idea, and what we feel is an interesting list. So Here it is. The best albums of the year as voted on by 30 of the web's leading aficionados of twanglike music.

1. Justin Townes Earle - Midnight at the Movies
2. Lucero - 1372 Overton Park
3. Ryan Bingham and The Dead Horses - Roadhouse Sun
4. Buddy and Julie Miller - Written in Chalk
5. Dave Rawlings Machine - A Friend of a Friend
6. Slaid Cleaves - Everything You Love Will Be Taken Away
7. Todd Snider - The Excitement Plan
8. Avett Brothers - I and Love and You
9. Band of Heathens - One Foot In the Ether
10. Tom Russell - Blood and Candlesmoke
11. Jason Isbell and 400 Unit - Self Titled
12. Corb Lund - Losin' Lately Gambler
13. Charlie Robison - Beautiful Day
14. Drive-By Truckers - The Fine Print
15. Steve Earle - Townes
16. Deer Tick - Born on Flag Day
17. Wrinkle Neck Mules - Let The Lead Fly
18. Magnolia Electric Co. - Josephine
19. Guy Clark – Somedays The Song Writes You
20. Those Darlins - Self Titled
20. Miranda Lambert - Revolution

Contributing Blogs: A Fifty Cent Lighter, A Truer Sound, Alt-512, Amber Waves of Twang, Americana Rock Mix, Americana Roots, Beat Surrender, Because Whit Happens, Country California, Country Music Pride, Farce The Music, For The Sake of The Song, Front Porch Musings, Heartworn Highways, High Noon Saloon, It's Great To Be Alive, Kim Ruehl (No Depression), Juli Thanki, (The 9513), Romeo Sid Vicious, More Cowbelle, My Aimz Is True, Ninebullets, Sounds Country, The Gobbler's Knob, There's Always Someone Cooler Than You, This Mornin' I Am Born Again, Twang Nation, Twangville, Freight Train Boogie, When You Awake
Special thanks to: Truersound, Sounds Country, Romeo Sid Vicious, and David Attaway

Band of Heathens contest winners are.....

STEVE
Patrick Roefflaer
Payton
and Chris Bailey

Congrats, and your CDs will go out in the mail tomorrow

From The Archives: Son Volt - B-Sides and Rarities

Another request here. This one WELL worth reposting. I also whooped up a quick cover for it as I had posted this back before I started making covers for anything that didn't have one.
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 This is a nice collection of some unreleased and live songs. A few of these songs are available on the excellent Son Volt Retrospective (buy it if you don't have it), but the majority of these are fairly hard to come by. The ones that are on the retrospective are indicated with an asterisk. Some standout tracks are the "Windfall" demo, the wonderful cover of Towne Van Zandt's "Rex's Blues" with Kelly Willis (This track is so good it's worth having twice!), the acoustic version of "Drown", the Byrds' "Truck Stop Girl" (with Kelly Willis again)....pretty much all the Kelly Willis songs are outstanding. The live version of "Tear Stained Eye" is pretty damned good too. Also of note is the version of "Lookin' At The World Through A Windshield" on here which is different from the one on the retrospective (which is from the Rig Rog Deluxe album).

1. Route [Demo]
2. Windfall [Demo]
3. Tear Stained Eye [Demo]*
4. Rex's Blues (with Kelly Willis) [Red Hot + Bothered]*
5. Tulsa County [Switchback EP]*
6. Drown (Acoustic) [Switchback EP]
7. Going Going Gone [Switchback EP]
8. Ain't No More Cane (with Kelly Willis) [Outtake]
9. Old Dutch (David Boquist Vocal) [Outtake]
10. Seven To A Room (Jim Boquist Vocal) [Outtake]
11. Lookin' At The World Through A Windshield [Pop Culture Flexi-Disc]
12. Truck Stop Girl (with Kelly Willis) [Rig Rock Deluxe]
13. Weighted Down [More Oar Tribute]
14. Tear Stained Eye [Live]
15. Holocaust [B-Side]*
16. Last Time Around [Live]
17. Straigtface [Live]
18. Too Early [Live]
19. Is Anybody Going To San Antone [Live]
    

Download Son Volt - B-sides and Rarities here

News Roundup: new DBT, new Reckless Kelly, and new Ray Wylie Hubbard!

How bout a quick news blurb? Just wanted to tell you guys about 3 albums I'm excited about next year.

• Got official word yesterday that The Drive By Truckers' new album, titled "The Big To-Do", will be out March 16th on ATO records, their new record label. What does Patterson have to say about it? “It’s very much a rock album, very melodic and more rocking than anything we’ve done since disc 2 of Southern Rock Opera.” Read more here
• Speaking of DBT, they have just recorded a tribute to Muscle Shoals session man Eddie Hinton on 7" vinyl for Shake-It records that features two Eddie Hinton songs. More info here
• Reckless Kelly have a new album due out Feb. 9th called "Somewhere in Time". The album is slated to feature "hardcore cowboy songs" of Idaho music legend Pinto Bennett. More info (and streaming music) here, or watch the below video

• Now my favorite piece of news, Ray Wylie Hubbard has a new album coming out Jan. 12th. The much anticipated album is called "A. Enlightenment, B. Endarkment (Hint: There Is No C) (a line taken from one of the songs on the album) and is now available for pre-order (autographed). More info here

Christmas Giveaway: Band Of Heathens - One Foot In The Ether

So, it being the season of giving and all, thought I would give a little something back to the readers. I got four of the new Band Of Heathens discs from a friend of the band who asked me if I wanted them to do a giveaway...OF COURSE!

This is a pretty sweet little album (see my review here), went to number 1 on the americana charts I do believe.

This time all you have to do is click the link below and leave your name and email. I did it this way for those who don't like to put their email out on a public place on the internet.  Contest will run until 5pm the 14th of Dec. and the winners will be announced that night. Vote early vote often.

Click here to enter Band Of Heathens giveaway

Album Review Roundup: Canadian Edition

One thing you are going to see a lot in the next couple weeks on here are album reviews....that's just my own brain thinking I got to get all the 2009 album reviews I want to review in before the year is over. What we have here is the Canadian edition of the album review roundup with 6 groups from various locations in the great white north.

Carolyn Mark & NQ Arbuckle - Let's Just Stay Here
Here is a damn fine collaborative album from two great Canadian acts. If you guys remember, NQ Arbuckle made one of my favorite albums of last year, and this album is no let down.  Carolyn's serene vocals blend perfectly with Neville Quinlan's slight rasp and the band's rowdy but restrained twang. Another Canadian you guys may have heard of named Corb Lund makes a surprise appearance on the track Saskatoon Tonight. This album is up there with my favorites and each subsequent listen reveals something else. A very multi layered album and recommended to any reader of the site.
Listen to Carolyn Mark & NQ Arbuckle - The Second Time here
You can buy Let's Just Stay Here.....here


Blue Rodeo - Things We Left Behind
Blue Rodeo are something of an institution in Canada. Centered around Greg Keelor and Jim Cuddy they have been making music for well over twenty years.  This double album find the band in very tight form mining sounds from throughout their career. I will admit the first track "All The Things That Are Left Behind" had me wanted to hit the skip button....that is until the chorus came in....which is such a good chorus it saves the whole song. What this album really reminds me of is an amalgamation of just about every early 70's California country-rock band. From Poco & the Burritos to The Eagles and Jackson Brown. Actually I get a real heavy "Saturate Before Using" era Jackson Brown vibe off this along with a slight Tom Petty vibe. Recommended for any fan of that easy going country-rock sound (cause there is a lot of that on here) and fans of country rock in general.
Listen to Blue Rodeo - Never Look Back here
You can buy Things We Left Behind here

The Dustin Bentall Outfit - Six Shooter
This one is maybe my favorite of the bunch, but that may just be the honeymoon talking. It's definitely one of my favorite recent discoveries. This guy reminds me of Hayes Carll when he first started out. Just full of piss, vinegar and great songs. He's got a very distinct voice that works perfect for this music. I would recommend this for fans of Hayes Carll, Ryan Bingham, Corb Lund, Chris Knight, hell anyone who likes their country with a lot of edge. I don't really know what to say about this other than listen to the sample cause this is a damn good album!
Listen to Dustin Bentall Outfit - Draft Dodger here
You can buy Six Shooter here



Headwater - Lay You Down
Hailing from Vancouver, these guys are playing a blend of bluegrass inflected americana not unlike the Wrinkle Neck Mules. These guys let their bluegrass influences show a lot more than the mules though. One of my favorite things is the killer dobro playing all over it. One of the standout tracks on here is a cover of fellow Canadian Fred Eaglesmith's "Freight Train".  This album is recommended for fans of Wrinkle Neck Mules, Bad Livers, The Steeldrivers, The Pines, The Avett Brothers, and The Fox Hunt.
Listen to Headwater - Freight Train here
You can buy Lay You Down here

Huntley Slim & The Suburban Cowboys - Songs From This Chicken Coop
Now I'm going to tell you right off the bat that this review is going to pale in comparison to the review that was recently posted over at My Aimz Is True. So I will just hit the highpoints. Huntley Slim are very much a traditional bluegrass band...well not too traditional, but they certainly know where their roots are. This album true to it's title, was recorded in an actual chicken coop. How's that for atmosphere? I mentioned in the Headwater review that I loved the dobro all over it, and well I'm going to have to say the same thing for this one. Some killer dobro all over this thing. Recommended for fans of The Fox Hunt, Wrinkle Neck Mules, Old Crow Medicine Show, and the local bluegrass jam.
Listen to Huntley Slim - Suburban Blues here
You can buy Songs From This Chicken Coop here

Blackie and The Rodeo Kings - Swinging From The Chains Of Love
This one is actually a best of, but it's a damn fine compilation I have to say. Now I'm a fairly recent fan of Blackie and The Rodeo Kings so this CD is one I've been spinning a lot this year. Featuring one of my favorite covers which is their psycho blues romp of Johnny Cash's "Folsom Prison Blues". This is really a great intro, and damned near essential for any fan of americana/alt country/decent music.  That is if you aren't already familiar with this band. I guess I should give some background. Blackie and the Rodeo Kings are a supergroup of sorts of Canadian music comprised of Tom Wilson, Stephen Fearing, and Colin Linden. They formed in 1996 as a tribute group to Canadian legend Willie P. Bennett (you know the one Corb Lund sings about on the new album), and decided to record more albums after their initial tribute album.  Glad they did. Recommended if you like blues influenced country with a healthy dose of rock.
Listen to Blackie & The Rodeo Kings - Swinging From The Chains Of Love here
You can buy Swingin' From The Chains Of Love here

From The Archives: Buckner Box - Live in 1996

I have had a few people request a repost of this for a long time. Sorry it took so long, but here finally is a repost!  This was originally posted in Oct. of  '07 and I don't think the link lasted long then. Should last now as it's in Mediafire.  Read the description below for a synopsis.

BTW, this month my Christmas present to you fine folks is to repost anything you want reposted. Just let me know.
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This was quite a find right here, and someone clearly put a lot of effort into this. Not sure who, as they never name themselves, but they compiled this and did all the artwork and everything.....so thanks Mr. Richard Buckner fan. This is my favorite Buckner era, as I don't care much for his newer work. But this "box set" is good and a damn good starter for someone unfamiliar with Mr. Buckner. I would describe him as....well imagine if Dwight Yoakam were a folk singer....well that's not a very good description....he has a similar timber to his voice as Dwight is about the only commonality. He is a mighty fine songwriter though, and put out some killer albums back in the mid 90's (specifically "Bloomed) which is the era this box set focuses on. One more time though, I would like to thank the original compiler of this fantastic set. It's obvious they put alot of love into it.

MP3
Download Buckner Box Disc 1 Here
Download Buckner Box Disc 2 Here
Download Buckner Box Disc 3 Here

From The Archives: A Truer Christmas 1 & 2

Well, it's almost Christmas folks. What better time to repost these two collections?

A Truer Christmas

01-Dwight Yoakam-Run Run Rudolph
02-Reverend Horton Heat-Jingle Bells
03-Adam's House Cat-Santa's Out of Rehab by Christmas
04-Southern Culture On The Skids-Merry Christmas Baby
05-Robert Earl Keen-Merry Christmas From The Family (Live)
06-Asylum Street Spankers-Red Nosed Reindeer Blues
07-Los Straitjackets-God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
08-Buck Owens &; Susan Raye-Santa Looked A Lot Like Daddy
09-Old 97's-Holly Jolly Christmas
10-Reverend Horton Heat-Santa On The Roof
11-Kelly Willis & Bruce Robison-Oklahoma Christmas
12-John Prine-Everything Is Cool
13-The Refreshments-My Christmas Baby
14-Ry Cooder-Christmas In Southgate
15-Robert Earl Keen-Happy Holiday Y'all
16-Dwight Yoakam-Santa Can't Stay
17-Buck Owens & Susan Raye-All I Want For Christmas is My Daddy
18-Kelly Willis & Bruce Robison-Please Daddy Don't Get Drunk
19-Clarence White-Silver Bells
20-Squirrel Nut Zippers-Gift Of The Magii
21-Roger Miller-Old Toy Trains
22-Steve Earle-Nothing But a Child (Demo)
23-The Band-Christmas Must Be Tonight
24-John Prine-Christmas In Prison
25-Red Star Belgrade-Xmas Day


MP3 @ VBRs
Download A Truer Christmas Here

A Truer Christmas 2

1 Hank Snow - Reindeer Boogie
2 Buck Owens - Christmas Time's A-Comin'
3 Michael Reno Harrell - More Than I Deserve
4 Commander Cody -Daddy's Drinking Up Our Christmas
5 Merle Haggard -If We Make It Through December
6 Scott Miller - Skeptical Christmas
7 Kelly Willis & Bruce Robison - A Winter's Tale
8 Doc Watson - Snowbird
9 Bill Anderson - 'Po Folks Christmas
10 Willie Nelson - Pretty Paper
11 Hank Thompson - Gonna Wrap My Heart in Ribbons
12 Jim Lauderdale - Holly And Her Mistletoe
13 George Jones - My Mom and Santa Claus
14 Tennessee Ernie Ford - Christmas Dinner
15 Old 97's - Here It Is Christmas
16 The Long Ryders - Christmas In New Zealand
17 Chuck Berry - Christmas
18 Mojo Nixon - Christmas, Christmas
19 Unknown Hinson - Black and Blue Christmas
20 The Gougers - Just Because It's Christmas
21 Dale Watson - Honky Tonk Christmas
22 Loretta Lynn - To Heck With Ole Santa Claus
23 Ernest Tubb - I'll Be Walkin' the Floor This Christmas
24 Bobby Bare - Christmas Train
25 Frontier Ruckus - Driving Home, Christmas Eve
26 Felice Brothers - Christmas Song
27 Johnny Cash - The Ballad of Harp Weaver


MP3 @ 192 (111MB)
Download A Truer Christmas 2 Here

ATS Reader's Poll '09

It's that time of year folks.....list crazy bloggers have been having wet dreams for weeks! Well, keeping with ATS tradition, I want to know what you folks think. So if you want to vote in this years ATS Reader's Poll then go to the link below or click the fancy picture in the top right area of the site. Poll will run until midnight Dec. 31st, and I'll post the results on the 1st....barring any substantial hangovers (who am I kidding). Naturally there is an option where you can call me a dumbass for forgetting your favorite album.

Click Here to Vote in the 2009 ATS Reader's Poll

From The Archives: The Meat Purveyors - Live on KUT 2002

Here's another I got a request to re-up because the sharebee site is malicious. This is a really good set. Anybody who likes bluegrass will surely dig this.


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How would I describe The Meat Purveyors, well "frantic lesbian bluegrass" is my favorite way to describe it. These guys are good, damned good. They take traditional bluegrass and add just the right amount of punk abandon to it. And did I mention they can play......some damn fined instrumentalists. Anyway, give it a listen if you dig bluegrass. Even if you don't dig bluegrass, give it a listen, they just might convert you.

Fans of "The Gourds" & "Bad Livers" will probably dig this as well.

MP3 @ 320

Download The Meat Purveyors - Live on KUT

Free Music Alert: Vanguard Records Holiday Sampler

Vanguard Records is offering up this free holiday sampler featuring Brandi Carlile, Josh Ritter, The Waton Twins, and many others (as you can see by the cover art).

Just go to the link below and give 'em your email (warning, you are also signing up for newsletters)

From The Archives: Steve Earle - Magnetised Motherfuckers & More Magnetised MFers

Been getting a few emails and comments about malware on Sharebee with some of my links. I stopped using sharebee a long time ago for that very reason. I am slowly going through updating the links when I do one of these From The Archives posts. If you run across one you want, let me know so I can update it.

This one I originally posted a little over 2 years ago and it's a huge, well done (and awesome) rarities collection of Steve Earle spanning from the beginning of his career up until Transcendental Blues. This is one mother of a collection and a must for any Steve Earle fan or fan of good music in general.
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OK, as promised....FINALLY! It took me a while to upload this as I was having technical differcations (to create a Bushism), but here it is....the massive Steve Earle rarites box. Comprised of 4 discs that are jam packed with Steve Earle heroin & high cholesterol goodness....that is, these tracks are pre 9/11 Steve, so we all know what that means (good stuff). Not that I have anything against his post 9/11 work, but I know alot of people do. So anyway, here it is. It's a collection of live songs, songs he cut for soundtracks or tributes, songs he guested on other peoples albums, songs from radio promos, Duets, Singles, etc...

Disc 1
1. Continental Trailways Blues (Steve Earle & The Dukes) (Planes, Trains And Automobiles Soundtrack, 1987)
2. Six Days On The Road (Steve Earle & The Dukes) (Planes, Trains And Automobiles Soundtrack, 1987)
3. Honey Don't (Steve Earle & Joe Walsh) (Beverly Hillbillies Soundtrack, 1993)
4. What's Your Name (Steve Earle) (Skynyrd Frynds, 1994)
5. Johnny Too Bad (Steve Earle & The V-Roys) (Steve Earle & The V-Roys: Johnny Too Bad CD Single, 1996)
6. Ellis Unit One (Steve Earle & The Fairfield Four) (Steve Earle & The V-Roys: Johnny Too Bad CD Single, 1996)
7. Johnny Too Bad (Steve Earle & The V-Roys; Jamaican Hillbilly Mix) (Steve Earle & The V-Roys: Johnny Too Bad CD Single, 1996 )
8. Crying, Waiting, Hoping (Steve Earle & Marty Stuart) (Notfadeaway: Remembering Buddy Holly, 1996)
9. Creepy Jackalope Eye (Steve Earle & The Supersuckers) (Steve Earle & The Supersuckers: Sub Pop EP, 1997)
10. Angel Is The Devil (The Supersuckers & Steve Earle) From Steve Earle & The Supersuckers: Sub Pop EP, 1997)
11. Before They Make Me Run (Steve Earle & The Supersuckers) (Steve Earle & The Supersuckers: Sub Pop EP, 1997)
12. In The Jailhouse Now (Steve Earle & The V-Roys) (The Songs Of Jimmie Rodgers: A Tribute, 1997)
13. Hot Enough For Ya (Steve Earle & Lee Rocker, Scotty Moore, D. J. Fontana) (All The King's Men, 1997)
14. Poison Love (Buddy Miller & Steve Earle) (Buddy Miller: Poison Love, 1997)
15. I Call On You (Julie Miller & Steve Earle) (Julie Miller: Blue Pony, 1997)
16. Dallas (Jack Ingram & Steve Earle) (Jack Ingram: Livin' Or Dyin', 1997)
17. Don't Take Your Guns To Town (Jerry Douglas & Steve Earle) (Jerry Douglas: Restless On The Farm, 1998)
18. Desperados Waiting For A Train (Nanci Griffith, Guy Clark, Steve Earle et al) (Nanci Griffith: Other Voices Too (A Trip Back To Bountiful), 1998)
19. Dirty Old Town (Bap Kennedy & Steve Earle) (Bap Kennedy: Domestic Blues, 1998)
20. Me And The Eagle (Steve Earle) (The Horse Whisperer: Songs From And Inspired By The Motion Picture, 1998)

Disc 2
1. Sunday Morning Coming Down (Kris Kristofferson & Steve Earle) (Kris Kristofferson: The Austin Sessions, 1999)
2. Love Match (Buddy Miller & Steve Earle) (Buddy Miller: Cruel Moon, 1999)
3. High Fashion Queen (Chris Hillman & Steve Earle) (Return Of The Grievous Angel: A Tribute To Gram Parsons, 1999)
4. Breed (Steve Earle & The Dukes) (Transcendental Blues (Japan), 2000)
5. Time Has Come Today (Steve Earle & Sheryl Crow) (Steal This Movie Soundtrack, 2000)
6. The Galway Girl (Sharon Shannon & Steve Earle) (Sharon Shannon: The Galway Girl CD Single, 2000)
7. Our Lady Of The Highways (John Wesley Harding & Steve Earle) (John Wesley Harding: The Confessions Of St. Ace 2000)
8. The Truth (Steve Earle) (Free The West Memphis Three, 2000)
9. Nebraska (Steve Earle & The Dukes) (Johnny Come Lately CD Single, 1988)
10. Little Sister (Steve Earle & The Dukes) (Copperhead Road CD Single, 1988)
11. State Trooper (Steve Earle & The Dukes) Chicago, IL, 15-Aug-1986 (Back To The Wall CD Single, 1989)
12. Dead Flowers (Steve Earle & The Dukes) Calgary, Canada, 14-Apr-1989 (The Other Kind UK CD Single, 1990)
13. Copperhead Road (Steve Earle & The Dukes) Calgary, Canada, 14-Apr-1989 (Steve Earle & Energy Orchard HMV Promo, 1990)
14. I Ain't Ever Satisfied (Steve Earle & The Dukes) Calgary, Canada, 14-Apr-1989 (Steve Earle & Energy Orchard HMV Promo, 1990)
15. Guitar Town (Steve Earle & The Dukes) Calgary, Canada, 14-Apr-1989 (The Other Kind UK CD Single, 1990)
16. When Will We Be Married? (Steve Earle & The Dukes) London, England, 29-Nov-1988 (BBC Radio 1 Live In Concert, 1992)
17. Hard-Core Troubadour (Steve Earle & The Dukes) Henning, TN, 26-Jun-1996 (Hard-Core Troubadour US Promo CD, 1996)
18. White Freight Liner Blues (Steve Earle) (Rig Rock Deluxe: A Musical Salute To The American Truck Driver, 1996)
19. Ellis Unit One (Steve Earle) Boulder, CO, 22-Sep-1996 (E-Town Live, 1997)

Disc 3
1. Copperhead Road (Steve Earle & Peter Rowan, Roy Huskey Jr., Norman Blake) (American Songbook, 1997)
2. Sorry Dwayne (Steve Earle & The Dukes) (More Than I Can Do CD Single (Australia), 1996)
3. You Know The Rest (Steve Earle) Nashville, TN, 1-Oct-1997 (The Fairfield Four & Friends: Live From Mountain Stage, 2000)
4. Valentine's Day (Steve Earle & The Fairfield Four) Nashville, TN, 1-Oct-1997 (The Fairfield Four & Friends: Live From Mountain Stage, 2000)
5. Christmas In Washington (Steve Earle) Nashville, TN, 14-Jul-1999 (Freedom Sings: First Amendment Center, 2000)
6. This Land Is Your Land (Steve Earle et al) Nashville, TN, 14-Jul-1999 (Freedom Sings: First Amendment Center, 2000)
7. Copperhead Road (Steve Earle & The Del Mccoury Band) Hamburg, Germany, 13-May-1999(The Mountain CD Single, 1999)
8. I Ain't Ever Satisfied (Steve Earle) Hamburg, Germany, 13-May-1999 (The Mountain CD Single, 1999)
9. Sin City (Steve Earle & The Bluegrass Dukes) Fargo, ND, 20-Aug-1999 (Transcendental Blues US Bonus CD, 2000)
10. My Uncle (Steve Earle & The Bluegrass Dukes) Fargo, ND, 20-Aug-1999 (Transcendental Blues US Bonus CD, 2000)
11. Copperhead Road (Steve Earle & The Dukes) Bristow, VA, 12-Sep-1999 (Farm Aid: Volume 1 Live, 2000)
12. The Galway Girl (Steve Earle & The Dukes) Austin, TX, 16-Mar-2000 (Transcendental Blues UK Bonus CD, 2000)
13. Steve's Last Ramble (Steve Earle & The Dukes) Austin, TX, 16-Mar-2000 (Transcendental Blues UK Bonus CD, 2000)
14. I Feel Alright (Steve Earle & The Dukes) Austin, TX, 16-Mar-2000 (Transcendental Blues UK Bonus CD, 2000)
15. Copperhead Road (Steve Earle & The Dukes) Austin, TX, 16-Mar-2000 (Transcendental Blues UK Bonus CD, 2000)
16. Until The Day I Die (Steve Earle & The Del Mccoury Band) Glasgow, Scotland, 16-Mar-1999
17. Sara's Angel (Steve Earle & The Bluegrass Dukes) Seattle, WA, 29-Aug-1999
18. Goodbye (Steve Earle & Emmylou Harris, Sharon Shannon) Washington, D.C., 13-May-2000

Disc 4 - More Magnetised Motherfuckers
1. Light In The Window (Greg Trooper) (Greg Trooper: Noises In The Hallway, 1996)
2. Love Is Never Equal (Jill Sobule) (Jill Sobule: Happy Town, 1997)
3. Losers Weep (Stacey Earle) (Stacey Earle: Simple Gearle, 1998)
4. Concrete And Barbed Wire (Lucinda Williams) (Lucinda Williams: Car Wheels On A Gravel Road, 1998)
5. I'll Keep It With Mine (Greg Trooper) (Greg Trooper: Popular Demons, 1998)
6. Open Your Window (Steve Earle) (Pay It Forward Soundtrack, 2000)
7. Neverland (Cindy Bullens) (Cindy Bullens: Neverland, 2001)
8. Candy Man (Steve & Justin Earle) (Avalon Blues: A Tribute To The Music Of Mississippi John Hurt, 2001)
9. Two Girls (Steve Earle & The Dukes) (Poet: A Tribute To Townes Van Zandt, 2001)
10. Walking Down Death Row (Steve Earle) (If I Had A Song... The Songs Of Pete Seeger Vol. 2, 2001)
11. Mercenary Song (Steve Earle, Guy Clark & Townes Van Zandt) Nashville, TN, 13-Sep-1995 (Together At The Bluebird Café, 2001)
12. Ft. Worth Blues (Steve Earle) Cambridge, England, 26-Jul-1997
13. Ellis Unit One (Steve Earle) (KGSR Broadcasts Vol. 6, 1998)
14. Goodbye (Steve Earle) (E-Town Show #9828, feed date 10-Jul-1998)
15. Hometown Blues (Steve Earle) (E-Town Show #9828, feed date 10-Jul-1998)
16. Raleigh And Spencer (Tim O'Brien, Steve Earle & Friends) Nashville, TN, 7-Jul-1999
17. Christmas In Washington (Steve Earle) Santa Rosa, CA, 2-Dec-1999 (Concerts For A Landmine Free World, 2001)
18. Halo 'Round The Moon (Steve Earle) (KGSR Broadcasts Vol. 8, 2000)
19. South Nashville Blues (Steve Earle) (KGSR Broadcasts Vol. 9, 2001)

MP3
Download Steve Earle - Magnetised Motherfuckers

Are You Ready For The (Pop) Country or, my saturday as a mass music listener zombie guy

So today I had Thanksgiving with the in-laws, and between my wifes ipod, the radio, and CMT I was hit with a barrage of music I spend most of my time trying to avoid. Here is a run down of some of the things I heard:

• "God is great, beer is good, people are crazy", that was one of the songs, and what a trite song. It's like the script from a movie a 12 year old would pitch to Adam Sandler. Hey.....so you go to a bar right, drink with this old man all night and talk vaguely of everthing....then okay....get this.....the guy is millionaire and is gonna die and leave everything to you instead of his kids.....which by the way he never talked about cause he was too busy talking about all the women he effed after he divorced their mom(s).

• Taylor Swift.

• Some Toby Keith song with, get this this....smoove sax. Yes, it was about somebody dying and of course waiting in heaven for him, but the kicker was the Kenny G like smoove sax grooves all over this thing. Is Toby trying to get back in that "safe" zone that pop country seems to cater too? Allright, mention God and heaven, we should have this locked. Geez that makes me lose what tiny respect I had for the man's character . And by tiny respect, I mean that literally....a very small amount of respect, and only because he did stand his ground and hold on to his opinions in a genre where "safe" is the word. And my beef with Toby is not because he sang pandering patriotic songs, or his feud with The Dixie Chicks, or his general douchiness. No my beef with Toby stems from an interview I read in which he stated that if it wasn't for him Willie Nelson would have been a has-been. Really Toby....way I see it if it wasn't for Willie you'd still have that shitty looking curly mullet on your head.

• Some guy doing a cover of Hall and Oates. Wow, with this song and the smooove sax of Toby I think pop-country might be going Yacht Rock.

• Tim McGraw must be going for the world record in shitty name dropping songs.

• Taylor Swift.

• Jason Aldean still sucks

• Miranda Lambert video for White Lies. You know I've always kinda just dismissed Miranda, but damned if this song wasn't enjoyable, also it had Jamey Johnson in the video as a preacher, and though the end of the song was a little forced and "safe" (there's that word again), it was better than anything else I was exposed to today (which could be the only reason I deemed it enjoyable). I also heard another Miranda track I dug off a compilation that Rockstar Aimz puts together recently and it was a cover of John Prine's "happy enchilada" song. I dug that too. Makes me wonder if her album is worth checking out. Hmm maybe I'll just talk my wife into getting it.

• Taylor Swift

• Now there was a silver lining in the days overexposure to shitty music. At one point I gained control of the remote and found a Bruce Springsteen concert on TV. A few minutes later everyone else left the room.....winner: Me!

and what the hell, let's celebrate black friday too....

I've posted this vid before, but really is there a more appropriate day to post this song than today? You can download this free (and great) album here: Deano Meats The Purveyors

Happy Thanksgiving, here's a little music

Someone asked me if I would be making a Thanksgiving sampler. Well I've thought about it before, but it's not going to happen this year, maybe next. What I can give you is a killer Thanksgiving song to tide you over.

This is Eric Rhame singing his song titled simply Thanksgiving Day off last year's Timber and Steel. Enjoy and hope you all have a happy Thanksgiving.

Listen to Eric Rhame - Thanksgiving Day here

Free Music Alert: Big Bullet Records - Terminal Ballistics Vol. 1

Big Bullet Records are a fairly new record label out of northern West Virginia. Recently they put out this sampler of some of there artists. Readers should be familiar with Prison Book Club and there are a couple other surprises on here. Now just a heads up this sampler spans many musical styles from the in-your-face rock of The Demon Beat, to gentle folk songs, to hip hop, it's a pretty eclectic mix.

Download Terminal Ballistics Vol. 1 here (click the picture)

Best (and worst) Album Art of 2009

One thing music geeks love to do is make lists. Just look around at all the music blogs on the internet, it's a virtual orgy of lists. So with that said I present to you another fricken' list!

Now, I am a big fan of album artwork. It is one of the reasons I love vinyl so much....those great big covers full of wonderful artwork, not to mention gatefolds and novelty covers (such as Sticky Fingers). CDs were not too bad either....nowhere near as nice as vinyl, but decent, and I especially enjoy when artists put something on the CD itself. Itunes however, with it's 3 inch display of what would otherwise be quality cover art, just doesn't do much for me. I remember the major reason I purchased a Zune media player a few years ago was for the fact that it had a large display screen that was dominated by the cover art. It drives me crazy when something doesn't have it's cover art on the zune too. Anyway, I guess I'm saying all that to get to my point here....I love album art. So without further delay here are my top 10 album covers of the year, followed by some I think are duds. This has nothing to do with the music, strictly from an album art appreciators standpoint.

1. Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit - s/t

I don't really know what this is...some kind of tree? Regardless it's my favorite album art of the year. [Edit: My sources on twitter tell me this album art was painted by 400 Unit guitarist Browan Lollar (view more of his artwork here). I think that makes it even cooler]

2. Slaid Cleaves - Everything You Love Will Be Taken Away

Love this painting on the cover. The guy is laying at a couple graves with a handkerchief with the title "Everything You Love Will Be Taken Away" underneath. My favorite part is the weeping willows.

3. Carolyn Mark & NQ Arbuckle - Let's Just Stay Here

Another cool painting, Carolyn Mark with a creepy expression because she likely chopped the heads off all the members of NQ Arbuckle

4. Drive By Truckers - The Fine Print

I love pretty much every album cover Wes Freed has done, especially the ones he's done for DBT. This one is no exception.

5. Bettysoo - Heat Sin, Water Skin

A cool stylized image of BettySoo herself. Really like the colors of this and the aura that's around her head (yeah, I'm not an art critic as you can tell)

6. Gretchen Peters with Tom Russell - One To The Heart, One To The Head

I am assuming this is a painting Tom Russell did. Just a cool cover, I almost put Tom's Blood and Candlesmoke but I like this cover a lot more.

7. Wilco - Wilco (The Album)

This one was on the worst list originally, but the more I look at it the more I find it endearing. Also, it's certainly memorable. Party Camel for life!

8. Joe Henry - Blood From Stars

I like this one because it reminds me of something O. Winston Link would have done.

9. Tim Easton - Porcupine

Cool painting by Tim Easton. I think I read he hand painted a limited number of vinyl releases of this album. Would love to see some pics of those

10. Kieran Kane - Somewhere Beyond The Roses

I'm not really sure what's going on here, some kind of collage or something but I like it.

Honorable Mentions to:

Cory Branan & Jon Snodgrass - s/t

This one is so bad it's good. I mean, it's a wolf....and a cobra. Also pyramids and snow mountains.

Prison Book Club - Required Reading

I just like this cover and didn't want to leave it out.

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Now for the worst ones:

The Avett Brothers - I and Love and You

I just think this one is creepy and weird. Also it reminds me of a Jethro Tull album cover.

Dave Rawlings Machine - Friend of A Friend

Speaking of creepy and weird, what's up with the look on his face? Did the camera man walk up on him doing something he wasn't supposed to be doing?

Jimbo Mathus - Jimmy The Kid

This one is on the worst list because there was a much better cover they could have used.

Scott Miller - For Crying Out Loud

I'm a huge Scott Miller fan, but not a fan of this cover...at all.

Gurf Morlix - Last Exit To Happyland

Again, I'm a huge Gurf Morlix fan but this cover is almost disturbing. Maybe it's an homage to Bela Lugosi or something.

Heartless Bastards - The Mountain

This one is just aweful, reminds me of a collage I would have done in high school art class at the last minute cause I was too busy sneaking off and getting high during class.

Neko Case - Middle Cyclone

What the hell is this? Why is she on the hood of some car? And what kind of car is that anyway?

BettySoo - Never Knew No Love (Acoustic) (vid)

The folks at Music Fog continue to capture amazing videos of amazing artists. This is one of them.

Album Review Roundup: Band of Heathens, Sons of Bill, Gabriel Sullivan, The Pines, Pieta Brown

First let me say that in all honesty I don't like doing album reviews. I prefer to let the music speak for itself which is why I do the seasonal samplers. But, saying that, the reviews do get a lot of continuing hits from people doing searches and the like, so I like to think they serve their own purpose of turning folks onto music they might like. So with that said I have A LOT of albums I need to review....but like I said, I don't like doing it so I let them stack up. Here is my compromise, a post of shorter album reviews all in one post. Kind of like how magazines used to do their quick reviews. All right, so with the boring information out of the way, let's do this.

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Band of Heathens - One Foot In The Ether

Sounds like the Black Crowes and Little Feat got together and decided to jam. These guys are great musicians in the pentatonic classic rock style. The album kicks off with L.A. County blues which is one of the best odes to Hunter Thompson I believe I've ever heard. Standout tracks include the bluesy Golden Calf, the soulful country of What's This World, the "she talks to angels" type ballad, Let Your Heart Not Be Troubled, the little feat-ish funk of Somebody Tell The Truth, and an amazing cover of Gillian Welch's Look At Miss Ohio.

Buy Band Of Heathens - One Foot In The Ether here

Listen to Band of Heathens - Let Your Heart Not Be Troubled

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Sons of Bill - One Town Away

Well here is a review that is long overdue, and truthfully I'm glad I waited. Why, well because at first I liked the album but thought it to be too slick sounding. I still think it's a little slick sounding, but I quickly got over that after repeated listens. What I call "slick" others would call "well produced". The thing that immediately grabbed me about this album were the well crafted lyrics and melodies. Particularly the line in Broken Bottles "Hank Williams might have been a lovesick drinker, but being a lovesick drunk don't make you Hank". Lyricism such as that is all over this thing, and as I alluded to in the opening sentences, this album is a grower for me. Sons of Bill are recommended if you like Reckless Kelly and Scott Miller.

Buy Sons of Bill - One Town Away here

Listen to Sons of Bill - Joey's Arm

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Gabriel Sullivan - By The Dirt

Here is another one I'm glad I waited to review. I will admit at first I was a little underwhelmed with this one. However last week this album popped up on an MP3 disc in my truck and damn it hit me hard at just the right time. This is a great album though a little off the beaten path. The blurb sheet that came with this album said something like "sounds like Tom Waits fronting The Black Keys" and I would say that is a very apt description. I would also like to compare him to a less rustic, slightly jazzier William Elliot Whitmore. Little bit of a New Orleans thing going on here with the clarinet and song structures...but it works out good with Gabe's weathered voice. The absolute highlight of this album is without a doubt the duet with Brittany Dawn House Built On Love. Check out Gabe Sullivan's blog here.

Buy Gabriel Sullivan - By The Dirt here

Listen to Gabriel Sullivan - House Built On Love here

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The Pines - Tremolo
Man this album is fantastic. Full of bluesy folky goodness and some of the finest yet most subtle slide guitar ever laid to wax. The Pines are one part songwriter David Huckfelt, and one part songwriter Benson Ramsey, who is the son of Greg Brown sideman and producer Bo Ramsey (who also produced this album). I'm guessing that's where he gets his killer guitar chops. This is their second album, and shows a band that has matured quite a bit since their debut album. While that album was a good listen, I would call this album a MUST listen. Great songwriting, great playing, great production, just an all around great album. I tell you what it kind of reminds me of.....if Gurf Morlix had produced a mid 70's Bob Dylan album.

Buy The Pines - Tremolo here

Listen to The Pines - Pray Tell here

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Pieta Brown - Shimmer

Speaking of Greg Brown, longtime readers to ATS should be familiar with his daughter Pieta. This album is a 7-song EP (the second EP in two years) and it's mainly focusing on Pieta's folkier side. I will say this EP is a little more laid back than 2007's Remember The Sun which was one of my favorite albums of that year. But put this album side by side with last year's Flight Time EP and it makes perfect sense, as that album was full of her faster more rocking songs. I would recommend both of these EP's really, though I'm more of a fan of the Flight Time EP, I just think Pieta is best when she adds in a little electric guitar and up's the sultry twang thing. In my opinion the strongest song on here is Lovin' You Still which sounds like a reworking of In My Mind I Was Talking To Loretta off Remember The Sun.

Buy Pieta Brown - Shimmer here (Buy Flight Time here)

Listen to Pieta Brown - Lovin' You Still here

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Ok, guess I will stop there.

Mike Cooley - Live at The 40 Watt (2/25/2005)

So, here we have the third main songwriter of the Drive By Truckers, and the only one who doesn't have any kind of solo album. Listening to this makes you wonder why. Here Cooley is alone with his acoustic guitar playing whatever the crowd wants to hear. He runs through many Truckers' favorites, old and new, and even a few unreleased tracks. A couple of the songs like "Little Pony and The Great Big Horse" and an alternate version of "Uncle Frank" can be heard on the excellent new odds and ends album The Fine Print (have I said that enough across these last three posts?). This is a real treasure, and getting almost all of Cooley's songs together only cements the fact that he is an amazing songwriter and singer. My favorite tracks on here are of course the new ones I had never heard before, the drunk driving ballad "Three On The Tree", "Pulaski Tennessee", and my favorite unreleased one "Weakest Man". Also of interest is an early version of "Bob". The show ends with a killer one-two-three acoustic punch of "Marry Me", "Where The Devil Don't Stay" and "Daddy's Cup". Sound is a solid A-, not to be missed.

And a bonus for you Cooley fans, here is an interesting and insightful interview (because we rarely get to hear from the man) from when his song was featured in Rock Band. Check out this interesting quote: "I make more money off t-shirts. If you rip it, burn it, give it to somebody, and they come to a show and buy a ticket and a t-shirt, I profit more that way anyway, and then I've got a fan. Records are promotional items these days anyway"

MP3

Mike Cooley - Live At The 40 Watt