Elliot Randall & The Deadmen - Caffeine and Gasoline

Elliot Randall, along with his band The Deadmen, has released his sophomore album Caffeine and Gasoline. It is a decidedly more Country affair than his previous effort. What hasn’t changed is the depth of the songwriting. A full band, The Deadmen, have a lot to do with the diversity of styles. However, the main influence is producer David Simon-Baker, who has worked with Jackie Greene and The Mother Hips. There is a blend of Country, Rock and troubadour songwriting that reflect Randall’s influences and South Carolina upbringing. He may be based in San Francisco but his influences range from coast to coast. Common themes are love on the mend and love gone wrong.

The way Randall pours out the soul of his protagonists is a manner exhibited by more seasoned songwriters. Randall will no doubt go from a popular regional Northern California artist to a true touring songwriter. He has recently opened for Junior Brown, Cross Canadian Ragweed, Hayes Carll and The Steve Miller Band. The diversity of this album should firmly establish him in the Americana landscape. There is no sophomore slump. In fact, it appears there are even better things to come.

Best of 2008

This is my Finaa list of the year. The Truckers are #1 and went wire to wire in the top spot. No small accomplishment. Give me your thoughts and your top picks:

1) Drive By Truckers - Brighter Than Creation's Dark
2) The Hold Steady - Stay Positive
3) Kaey Chambers & Shane Nicholson - Rattlin' Bones
4) Lucinda Williams - Little Honey
5) Tift Merrit - Another Country
6) Hayes Carll - Trouble in Mind
7) Reckless Kelly - Bulletproof
8) Old 97's - Blame it on Gravity
9) Alejandro Escovedo - Real Animal
10) Chris Knight - Heart of Stone
11) Kaiser Chiefs - Off with Their Heads
12) The Steeldrivers - The Steeldrivers
13) Ryan Adams & the Cardinals - Cardinology
14) Old Crow Medicine Show - Tennessee Pusher
15) My Morning Jacket - Evil Urges
16) The Waybacks - Loaded
17) Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
18) Band of Heathens - Self-Titled
19) Shawn Mullins - Honeydew
20) The Whigs - Mission Control
21) Ashton Shepherd - Sounds so Good
22) Jaon Boland & the Straggler - Comal County Blue
23) J. J. Grey & Mofro - Orange Blossoms
24) Okkervil River - The Stand Ins
25) Gaslight Anthem - The '59 Sound
26) The Beautiful Loser Society - Aim Low
27) Yarn - Empty Pockets
28) Griffin House - Flying Upside Down
29) The Raconteurs - Consolers of the Lonely
30) John D. Hale - Lost
31) Drew Emmitt - Long Road
32) Infamous Stringdusters - Self-Titled
33) Wild Sweet Orange - We Have Cause to be Uneasy
34) Cherryholmes - III
35) R.E.M. - Accelerate
36) Justin Townes Earle - The Good Life
37) Joey & Rory - The Life of a Song
38) Ray Lamontagne - Gossip in the Grain
39) B. B. King - One Kind of Favor
40) British Columbians - Self-Titled
41) Teddy Thompson - A Piece of What You Need
42) The Waifs - Sundirtwater
43) The Bridge - Blind Mam's Hill
44) Brett Dennen - Hope for the Hopeless
45) Donna The Buffalo - Silverlined
46) Heybale - The Last Country Album
47) Tejas Brothers - Self - Titled
48) Railroad Earth - Amen Corner
49) Kathleen Edwards - Asking for Flowers
50) Sierra Hull - Secrets
51) South Austin Jug Band - Strange Invitation
52) Eleven Hundred Springs - Country Jam
53) Jim Lauderdale - Honey Songs
54) Dr. Dog - Fate
55) The Stills - Oceans Will Rise
56) Hank Williams III - Damn Right Rebel Proud
57) Chatham County Line - IV
58) Sonny Landreth - From the Reach
59) Graham Lindsey - We are All Alone in This Together
60) Have Gun Will Travel - Casting Shadows Tall as Giants

Settin'' the Woods on Fire: This Week's Charts

This is a periodic feature in which I post on AWT the top albums and debuts in the airplay charts from Americana Music Assoc., XM Cross Country and FMQB Non-Commercial Adult Alternative chart. I haven't posted the charts in six weeks because there was not a ton of movement for a while. Now that here have been a rash of Spring releases things are shaken up a bit. Links to all of these charts are found to the right in the AWT favorite links list.

Americana Music Association - Airplay Week of July 7th
1) John Hiatt- Same Old Man
2) Hayes Carll - Trouble in Mind
3) Alejandro Escovedo - Real Animal
4) Band of Heathens - Self Titled
5) James McMurtry - Just us Kids
6) Reckless Kelly - Bulletproo
7) Emmylou Harris - All I Intended to Be
8) Old 97's - Blame it on Gravity
9) Eleven Hundred Springs - Country Jam
10) John Mellancamp - Life Death Love and Freedom

Debuts
29) Hacienda Brothers - Arizona Motel
30) Honeybrowne - Mile by Mile

XM Ch.12 Cross Country - Cross Checking week of July 7th

1) James McMurtry - Just Us Kids
2) Reckless Kelly - Bulletproof
3) Hayes Carll - Trouble In Mind
4) Brendon James Wright & The Wrongs - Self-Titled
5) Band Of Heathens - Self-Titled
6) Pear Ratz - Holier Than Thou
7) Shurman - Waiting For The Sunset
8) Stone Coyotes - VIII
9) Van Morrison - Keep It Simple
10 Jason Ringenberg - Best Tracks & Side Tracks

Debuts
44) Alejandro Escovedo - Real Animal

FMQB AAA Non-Commercial - Airplay Week of July 7th

1 MY MORNING JACKET -Evil Urges
2 COLDPLAY - Viva La Vida
3 ALEJANDRO ESCOVEDO - Real Animal
4 ELVIS COSTELLO - Momofuku
5 BIG BLUE BALL - Big Blue Ball
6 AIMEE MANN - Smilers
7 AMOS LEE - Last Days At The Lodge
8 DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE - Narrow Stairs
9 FLEET FOXES - Self-Titled
10 R.E.M. - Accelerate

Debuts:
29) Adele - 19

BEST OF 2008 SO FAR

This is my third list of the year. It is based on releases through June 17th. The Truckers are still number one and it will take a great album to knock them off the pedestal. The highest debut is Old 97's at #4. Other notable debuts are My Morning Jacket at #8, Sonny Landreth at #11 and John Hiatt at #14. Anyway as always leave comments and tell me what an idiot or genius I am. I've been called a lot worse. The list follows:

1) Drive By Truckers - Brighter Than Creation's Dark
2) Tift Merrit - Another Country
3) Hayes Carll - Trouble in Mind
4) Old 97's - Blame it on Gravity
5) The Waybacks - Loaded
6) Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
7) Shawn Mullins - Honeydew
8) My Morning Jacket - Evil Urges
9) The Whigs - Mission Control
10) Ashton Shepherd - Sounds so Good
11) Sonny Landreth - From the Reach
12) Justin Townes Earle - The Good Life
13) Griffin House - Flying Upside Down
14) John Hiatt - Same Old Man
15) The Raconteurs - Consolers of the Lonely
16) The Steeldrivers - The Steeldrivers
17) Band of Heathens - Self-Titled
18) John D. Hale - Lost
19) The Waifs - Sundirtwater
20) Gary Louris - Vagabonds
21) Sierra Hull - Secrets
22) South Austin Jug Band - Strange Invitation
23) Eleven Hundred Springs - Country Jam
24) Jim Lauderdale - Honey Songs
25) Black Crowes - Warpaint
26) Del McCoury Band - Moneyland
27) Chatham County Line - IV
28) Abigail Washburn & the Sparrow Quartet - Self-Titled
29) Allison Moorer - Mockingbird
30) R.E.M. - Accelerate
31) Railroad Earth - Amen Corner
32) Widespread Panic - Free Somehow
33) Jeb Loy Nichols - Days are Mighty
34) Stephen Malkmus - Real Emotional Trash
35) Mando Saenz - Bucket
36) The Weepies - Hideaway
37) Shelby Lynne - Just a Little Lovin'
38) North Mississippi All-Stars - Hernando
39) Ralston Bowles - Rally at the Texas Hotel
40) Tim O'brien - Chameleon
41) Paul Thorn - Long Way from Tupelo
42) George Strait - Troubadour
43) American Gun - The Mean and the Machine
44) Wes Charlton - World on Fire
45) Twilight Hotel - Highway Prayer
46) Black Mountain - In the Future
47) Rhonda Vincent - Good Thing Goin'
48) Carlene Carter - Stronger
49) James McMurtry - Just us Kids
50) Jackie Greene - Giving Up the Ghost
51) Willie Nelson - Moment of Forever
52) Austin Collins - Roses are Black
53) Langhorne Slim - Self-Titled
54) The Hollyfelds - Saratoga
55) Malcom Holcombe - Gamblin' House
56) Jason Collett - Here's to Being There
57) Ben Sollee - Learning to Bend
58) Firewater - The Golden Hour
59) Tab Benoit - Night Train to Nashville
60) Marah - Angels of Destruction

Signposts: Along the Information Super Highway

Here is some things being talked about in the Blogger community.

AmericanRoots Ray Randall reports that Jason & the Scorchers will be receiving a Lifetime Achievment Award from the Americana Music Association.

Nine Bullets has posted links to live recordings by Lucero.

The Boot does a great interview with Charlie Daniels who is celebrating 50 years in music.

Hickory Wind doesn't want anyone to tell Hayes Carll about the "death of alt-country."

Twangville's Mayer is the best there is at finding the underground bands. This week he introduces you to The Teenage Prayers.

Settin'' the Woods on Fire: This Week's Charts

This is a periodic feature in which I post on AWT the top albums and debuts in the airplay charts from Americana Music Assoc., XM Cross Country and FMQB Non-Commercial Adult Alternative chart. I haven't posted the charts in six weeks because there was not a ton of movement for a while. Now that here have been a rash of Spring releases things are shaken up a bit. Links to all of these charts are found to the right in the AWT favorite links list.

Americana Music Association - Airplay Week of May 19th
1) Hayes Carll - Trouble in Mind
2) James McMurtry - Just us Kids
3) Van Morrison - Keep it Simple
4) Paul Thorn - A Long Way from Tupelo
5) Old 97's - Blame it on Gravity
6) Tim O'Brien - Chameleon
7) John Hiatt- Same Old Man
8) Kathleen Edwards - Asking for Flowers
9) Justin Townes Earle - The Good Life
10) Waybacks - Loaded

Debuts
Railroad Earth - Amen Corner

XM Ch.12 Cross Country - Cross Checking week of May 19th
1) James McMurtry - Just Us Kids
2) Waybacks - Loaded
3) Shurman - Waiting For The Sunset
4) Jim Lauderdale & The Dream Players - Honey Songs
5) Carlene Carter - Stronger
6) Stone Coyotes - VIII
7) Matt King - Rube
8) Justin Townes Earle - The Good Life
9) Tim O'Brien - Chameleon
10)Kathleen Edwards - Asking For Flowers

Debuts
47) Girls, Guns & Glory - Inverted Valentine
48) Guy Forsyth - Calico Girl

FMQB AAA Non-Commercial - Airplay Week of May 19th

1) DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE - Narrow Stairs
2) OLD 97S - Blame It On Gravity
3) R.E.M. - Accelerate
4) ELVIS COSTELLO - Momofuku
5) BLACK KEYS - Magic Potion
6) COLDPLAY - Viva La Vida
7) AIMEE MANN - Smilers
8) JACKIE GREENE - Giving Up The Ghost
9) STEVE WINWOOD - Nine Lives
10) VAN MORRISON - Keep it Simple

Debuts:
24) James Hunter the Hard Way
25) Mason Jennings - In the Ever

BEST OF 2008 SO FAR

This is my second list of the year. I'll add to it each month, but eventually I will cap it. How big will the list get? I have no idea but probably not over 60. The list includes releases through April. The Truckers are still number one and it will take a great album to knock them off the pedestal. The highest debut is Hayes Carll at #3. Other notable debuts are Griffin House at #10, South Austin Jug Band at #11 and R.E.M.'s return to excellence at #16. There are also 2 notable jumps. Ashton Shepherd moves up to #8 as I have since purchased the full album and realize how truly great it is. Also, onfurther reflection, The Black Crowes are up to #18. Anyway as always leave comments and tell me what an idiot or genius I am. I've been called a lot worse. I have given my reason for the omission of the Kathleen Edwards previously. However, I keep hearing good songs from that album and may have to give in next month. So here it is:

1) Drive By Truckers - Brighter Than Creation's Dark
2) Tift Merrit - Another Country
3) Hayes Carll - Trouble in Mind
4) The Waybacks - Loaded
5) Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
6) Shawn Mullins - Honeydew
7) The Whigs - Mission Control
8) Ashton Shepherd - Sounds so Good
9) Justin Townes Earle - The Good Life
10) Griffin House - Flying Upside Down
11) South Austin Jug Band - Strange Invitation
12) The Steeldrivers - The Steeldrivers
13) Gary Louris - Vagabonds
14) Allison Moorer - Mockingbird
15) The Raconteurs - Consolers of the Lonely
16) R.E.M. - Accelerate
17) Jim Lauderdale - Honey Songs
18) Black Crowes - Warpaint
19) Stephen Malkmus - Real Emotional Trash
20) Chatham County Line - IV
21) Mando Saenz - Bucket
22) The Weepies - Hideaway
23) Widespread Panic - Free Somehow
24) Jeb Loy Nichols - Days are Mighty
25) Shelby Lynne - Just a Little Lovin'
26) Carlene Carter - Stronger
27) George Strait - Troubadour
28) American Gun - The Mean and the Machine
29) North Mississippi All-Stars - Hernando
30) Twilight Hotel - Highway Prayer
31) Black Mountain - In the Future
32) Paul Thorn - Long Way from Tupelo
33) Rhonda Vincent - Good Thing Goin'
34) James McMurtry - Just us Kids
35) Jackie Greene - Giving Up the Ghost
36) Willie Nelson - Moment of Forever
37) The Hollyfelds - Saratoga
38) Malcom Holcombe - Gamblin' House
39) Jason Collett - Here's to Being There
40) Marah - Angels of Destruction

Hayes Carll the Heir Apparent

There have been a lot of reviews written already about the new Hayes Carll album, Trouble in Mind. It is no doubt an album that fully establishes him as an artist. Exactly what it establishes him as is what I would like to address. A lot of the Texas Troubadours are getting older. Some like Townes Van Zandt and Doug Sahm are no longer with us. When you consider artists like Guy Clark, Jerry Jeff Walker, Jimmy Dale Gilmore, Joe Ely, Ray Wilie Hubbard and many more I could name if time allowed, it begs one question. Who is leading the next generation?

It is an interesting question and definitely open for debate. In any case Hayes Carll is in the discussion. In fact, I feel he is the leader of the pack. His body of work is three albums deep now and shows that he has all of the elements to carry the torch of the aforementioned legends. What are these elements? What does Hayes Carll have in common with these legends? What he possesses is more that just geography. In fact, the Texas Music scene has developed to the point that you no longer need to be from Texas. Refugees are now accepted as long as they have talent. Take a guy like Adam Hood. He is a fellow Alabamian who has been adopted by the Red Dirt Scene.

First and foremost Carll can dish out the requisite humor. Why is humor so important? To answer that go to a Guy Clark show and see how many fans request “Texas Cookin.’” The scene will be repeated at other shows by other artists. The humorous lighthearted songs get requested most. There is nothing more important than bringing laughter into the lives of fans. No doubt part of the reason people love music is escape. Humor helps relieve stress better than anything. Another quality Carll has in common with the great troubadours, is that he doesn’t need a full band. His songs stand on there own. An acoustic guitar and maybe a microphone, depending on the venue, is all that is needed. Sure a band helps but is not required.

Hayes Carll is also a great storyteller. The characters in his songs are often as important as the music. This brings to mind Clark, Townes, Ely etc. Moreover, just like his influences and idols, his lyrics and stories reflect perspective on life as it is lived by real people. Some of his characters may be extreme but everyone can relate to them. No esoteric lyrics, cryptic meanings or elitist intellectualism. Just real life as it is lived by real people with real struggles.

There are certainly a lot of good young song-writers out there, but Hayes Carll seems to be carrying the torch for the next generation of the Texas /Americana Troubadours.

Mary Gauthier - Between Daylight and Dark

When you think of the great storyteller songwriters certain names come to mind. Names like, Guy Clark, Joe Ely, Robert Earl Keen, Townes Van Zandt, Kris Kristofferson, Jerry Jeff Walker and Chris Knight just to name a few. These people have one thing in common. They are all men. I have news for these gentlemen. The doors to the "old boys club" have been busted down and Mary Gauthier has just ordered a round for the house.

The best story songs, though often tragic, can be redemptive and healing to the listeners as they get lost in the narrative of the song. While the listeners may not directly relate to the extremity of the situations in which the characters on Between Daylight and Dark exist, they can still find plenty of common ground among less extreme but common circumstances in their own life. Sadness and tough circumstances come into contact with everyone at some point. Some people have more than their fair share of heartache.

The brokenness that scatters the landscape of this album is offset by characters who maintain some form dignity in their circumstances. Out of their sadness hope begins to grow. For example, "Last of the Hobo Kings" sings of the life of a man who was part of the train hopping sub-culture that no longer exists. Gauthier seems to suggest that the end of the Hobo era points to a greater loss of spirit and adventure in our country. She points to the wisdom that the hobo gained in his travels by saying he "knew how his nation was doing by the size of a sidewalk cigarette butt." "Thanksgiving" follows a grandmother taking her grandchild to see her father in prison on Thanksgiving. Growth is seen in "I Ain't Leavin." In this song the main character decides to stay and fight for a relationship when previously she would run away. "Broken on the inside is what I used to say. Then I'd pack my bags raise a white flag and drive away. I thought that's what made me strong, but I was young and I was wrong."

Every song on this Lost Highway release has similar impact. She wrote or co-wrote all the songs on the album. My favorite collaboration on the album is "Snakebit," which she co-wrote with Hayes Carll. Joe Henry produced the album and kept things simple and understated in a way that lets Gauthier shine in a way that makes this the best release of her career.

Listen to the Full Album Stream

This review also appears on: Twangville