Friday, July 17, 2009

From The Archives: Buddy Miller - Merlefest 5-1-05

Got a request for this, so thought I would throw it up real quick. Go out and get Buddy & Julie's latest "Written in Chalk" if you haven't already.

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Got this one with the artwork and all (love it when that happens). This is a nice little set, although the drums are a little heavy in the mix at the beginning. Really it's hard to go wrong with Buddy Miller though, and on this set he's got a full band behind him so some of it gets a little more rockin' than usual. Buddy is a highly underrated artist in a sea of underrated artists. Cool version of "That's How I Got To Memphis" on here too.

MP3
Buddy Miller - Merlefest 5/1/05

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Guest Post: Waffles The Shape of Texas: A High Noon Saloon Compilation

If you guys have been keeping up, you know that I recently did a guest post of a covers compilation over at High Noon Saloon. Well I asked Dangerbird if he would like to return the favor and he did so with a covers comp of his own!
Lots of not just songs but artists that were new to me. Favorite discovery off this is Death Cab For Cutie doing Fortunate Son. I never have checked out Death Cab For Cutie, because....well I thought the name was horrible (I know, lame coming from someone who loves bands named Wrinkle Neck Mules & Drive By Truckers), and I just assumed they were some kind of Fall Out Boy band (though I'm not sure I know what they sound like either). Also loving this Nirvana song on here.....never heard it before.
Looking at the cover Dangerbird made for this, makes me wonder where one might find a waffle iron shaped like Texas.....cause that is fucking sweet!

Here is Dangerbird's writeup:

Following on from the success of the first Smothered, Covered & Peppered compilation, A Truer Sound offered me the opportunity to respond with a compilation of my own. I loved Smothered... so much I thought I'd stick with the theme. Now, waffles aren't as common in Australia as they are in the States - indeed late night takeaway is restricted to but a few isolated cafes in the cities - but I do love me a good cover.

I too stuck with predominantly newer artists doing classic tracks from a bygone era, with a few notable exceptions. For example, Ramblin' Jack Elliott is by no means a 'newer' artist, though he is making a bit of a comeback after a half-decade on the folk circuit.

Followers of High Noon Saloon may recognise some of these tracks from previous mixtapes (Calexico's version of 'Tulsa Telephone Book', Hank III's 'Atlantic City'). I make no apologies for including them again, as it's tracks like these that have informed High Noon's direction.

Raise a glass!

Tracklisting:
1. Wagons - I've Never Been To Spain (Orig. by Hoyt Axton. Made famous by Elvis Presley)
2. Mike Noga & The Gentlemen of Fortune - Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You (Orig. by Bob Dylan)
3. Todd Snider - Maybe You Heard (Orig. by Kris Kristofferson)
4. Calexico - Tulsa Telephone Book (Orig. by Tom T. Hall)
5. Whiskey Folk Ramblers - Ramblin' Man (Orig. by Luke the Drifter, a.k.a. Hank Williams)
6. Wilco & Feist - The Jolly Banker (Orig. by Woody Guthrie)
7. Naama Hillman - Ring of Fire (Orig. by Johnny Cash)
8. Vetiver - Standin' (Orig. by Townes Van Zandt)
9. Dixie Chicks with Ricky Skaggs - Walk Softly on this Heart of Mine (Orig. by Bill Monroe)
10. Ramblin' Jack Elliott with Lucinda Williams - Careless Darling (Orig. by Ernest Tubb)
11. Old Crow Medicine Show - Union Maid (Orig. by The Almanac Singers)
12. Hank III - Atlantic City (Orig. by Bruce Springsteen)
13. Steve Earle & The V-Roys - In The Jailhouse Now (Orig. by Jimmie Rodgers)
14. Bruce Springsteen - I Ain't Got No Home (Orig. by Woody Guthrie)
15. Cowboy Junkies - I'm So Lonely I Could Cry (Orig. by Hank Williams)
16. Paul Kelly - Pastures of Plenty (Orig, by Woody Guthrie)
17. Michael Vermillon - Waiting Around to Die (Orig. by Townes Van Zandt)
18. Death Cab For Cutie with Sean Nelson - Fortunate Son (Orig. by Creedence Clearwater Revival)
19. Nirvana - Ain't It A Shame (Orig. by Leadbelly)
20. Jason & The Nashville Scorchers - Hello Walls (Orig. by Faron Young)
21. Scott H. Biram - Muleskinner Blues (Orig. by Jimmie Rodgers)
22. Ground Components - Jackson (Orig. by Johnny Cash & June Carter)
23. Hater - Blistered (Orig. by Billy Edd Wheeler)
24. Blitzkid - I Walk the Line (Orig. by Johnny Cash)
25. Uncle Tupelo - Sin City (Orig. by Gram Parsons)

Sunday, July 12, 2009

Something a little different....LCPL Stephen Davis



This is a hometown boy (my old hometown), and friend of friends (the ones who pointed this vid out to me) Lance Corporal Stephen Davis of the USMC currently serving in Iraq. Song has sort of a Chris Knight vibe to it, and I'm sure some of you can appreciate it. Consider it a late 4th and Fathers Day post

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Random news....No Depression archives, Wrinkle Neck Mules, Brian Henneman comments

Big news for alt-country (whatever that is) fans, and music lovers in general today as No Depression has put all of it's past articles, reviews, letters, pretty much the whole of the magazine minus ads, online today in the No Depression Archives. I bet I spent 3 hours this afternoon looking through old articles (some really interesting V-Roys articles in there for Scott Miller fans). Can't wait to dig in some more.

In other news, A Truer Sound favorites Wrinkle Neck Mules have announced their new album titled Let The Lead Fly will be released on Sept. 22nd on Lower 40 Records. Read about it here

And finally, here is a forum post (in which someone commented he was going to have a shit fit) from Brian Henneman regarding the Bottle Rockets demos I posted over the weekend
No shit fit here.
Go git it.
I have no idea what they sound like, but, if I did it, it's 'cause I wanted somebody to hear it.
That ain't stealin' it's sharin', 'cause none of this was ever for sale, or, intended for sale...
Brian

Saturday, July 4, 2009

The Bottle Rockets - Dust and Wrath Demos (1990)


The final in the Bottle Rockets Demo Trilogy. This one is from 1990 and features a few songs that will be familiar to B-Rox fans. The majority of these however however have never been released officially. Shame too cause there are some good songs on here.

As I said earlier, The Bottle Rockets have a new album entitled Lean Forward due out early next month (Aug. 11th to be exact). And if you are interested at all in reading about the history of Henneman and The Bottle Rockets, I found the wikipedia article to be the best (most of it was copied verbatim from factorybelt.net)

The Bottle Rockets - Brian Henneman Demos (1991)


The second Bottle Rockets demo of the trilogy I will be posting. Kind of a followup to the Uncle Tupelo demo trilogy. This one is Brian Henneman backed by Jay and Jeff from Uncle Tupelo. Really cool banjo version of "Wave That Flag" on here with what I'm assuming to be Jay Farrar on the banjo.

MP3 @ 192

The Bottle Rockets - Brooklyn Side Demos


You didn't know it, but you're smack dab in the middle of a 4th of July post extravaganza here at A Truer Sound. And well, what's else says 4th of July better than bottle rockets? Unfortunately these bottle rockets here won't blow your thumbs off, only rock your socks off. This is a demo that I am not really sure where I even got. I can't find any info on it but it's a great demo of one the seminal Alt Country albums The Brooklyn Side. The demos here are a more subdued affair than the rocking Brooklyn Side, but very very cool, and quite a few unreleased songs. Really love the little intros to the songs too....such as the intro to I'll Be Comin' Around where Henneman explains the song is the result of listening to too much fleetwood mac while thinking about his friends girlfriend. Really love the last song on this thing "Gravity" as well. Don't know why it has never made it to an official album.

The Bottle Rockets have a new album titled Lean Forward due out Aug. 11th by the way, and have just filmed a live DVD due out sometime soon. Read about it here

MP3 @ 192

Friday, July 3, 2009

Corb Lund DVD Preview

Due out this month sometime according to the information. Visit his website
Stream the whole show here (coutesy toomuchcountry)

Del McCoury Band - WFPK Studios 10/5/01


Let's continue with the bluegrass theme here, this one is ABSOLUTELY my favorite recorded anything of Del McCoury. Anytime I need a Del fix....I always turn to this one before any of his studio albums or official releases. Perfect sound on this, perfect mix, the band is playing extra fierce, just an all around great set captured on the radio. And given that I've already said this is my favorite Del recording, obviously I think the version of 1952 Vincent Black Lightning on here is THE best version of the song. Some great insights on Del and the Boys recording method, cover choices, and the state of bluegrass during the interview as well. Bluegrass fans, don't miss out on this one (that includes you Mr. guy in the OCMS shirt :-P)

Doc & Merle Watson - Freedom Park - Charlotte, NC 7/4/80


Around here 4th of July means 3 things...Cookouts, Fireworks, and Bluegrass. So to celebrate, here is an old Doc Watson show with his late son Merle recorded on Independence Day 29 years ago. So break out the watermelon and sparklers, kick back and enjoy this great show by two of the greatest pickers of all time. This set also included one of my favorite songs of all time....The Cuckoo (she never....says cuckoo.....till the 4th day....of July....)

MP3 @ 192

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