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.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 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