Under the Radar: Giant Bear

Giant Bear just released there self-titled album on August 14th and it will rank up there with Elliot Randall as one my surprise favorites of the year. They are an Americana outfit with Indie Rock sensibilities. Based in Memphis the Commercial Appeal says they are "somewhere between cowboy noir and the best band to ever play on a front porch." The Source Weekly in Eugene, OR calls it "Orchestral Funk-a-Billy." I call it awesome. These guys could follow Lucero's rise from Memphis to the Alt.Country circuit.

The album starts out with the line "There are no honky tonks left in Nashville" musing about the current state of Music City from the perspective of a guy who "Wants to drink the old time way." The album also has the coolest cover since The Gourds did "Gin 'n Juice." They do a quirky Americana version of "Head Like a Hole" by Nine Inch Nails. Some of the songs are dark like "Devil in the Wall" - "There was blood on your wrist and a Bible on your reading list. I tried to fix you with my towel. You clenched your fist and woke me with a growl." Mostly though, the album is an upbeat good time. Also, Luther Dickinson from North Mississippi All-Stars contributes slide guitar on the album to give it the local Memphis "Street Cred."

The album is streaming for free on: http://redwaxmusic.net/ check it out for sure!

This review also appears on: http://twangville.com

Kieran Kane, Kevin Welch, Fats Kaplin - Kane Welch Kaplin

Kieran Kane, Kevin Welch, Fats Kaplin will be releasing a new album on September 11, the album is self titled Kane Welch Kaplin. Not exactly a creative title but after the first listen it is obvious they spent their time making the album not naming it. Their previous album Lost John Dean went number one on the Americana charts. So they have a lot to live up to and they succeed. In fact, I expect the new album will also spend some time at number one.

Like the last album this album is very rootsy with heavy folk, blues and gospel leanings. This time however they have added a fourth member. Fortunately they did not have to rename the band because it is Kieran's son Lucas Kane on percussion. Kane and Welch's history from Dead Reckoning Records allows them to mesh together even though their voices seem contrasting. It is the songwriting that is the glue that holds things together. If the songwriting adds cohesion, then Kaplin's musicianship gives the record its soul. Apparently Kaplin has a tendency to work whatever instruments that happen to be lying around into songs. That tendency gives the album its improvisational feel.

The songs come at you from a lot of different directions. There are Blues and Gospel numbers as well as story songs that weave a tapestry that is a little darker than their previous work. For example, "Dark Boogie # 7" is a spoken word folktale that goes inside the head of a mentally ill murderer. A more uplifting song is the closer "What are They Doing in Heaven Today," which was put on the album because all three have lost their moms in the last few years.

Sample the songs at:
http://compassrecords.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=520

This review als appears on: http://twangville.com

Michael McDermott & Pieta Brown upcoming releases

Well Folks, I am back from another round of R&R and I wanted to let you know about One Little Indian Records out of San Francisco, which has two upcoming Singer-songwriter releases that I feel are worth noting. The first on August 28th is Michael McDermott's Noise from Words. McDermott is a Chicago based Songwriter. Musically, the album is fairly standard singer-songwriter fare. Lyrically McDermoot is a poetic and powerful voice. His songs are candid and deal with regret ("Mess of Things") but also redemption ("Tread Lightly"). In "No Words" he expresses hope when he declares "The night has come undone and the world has just begun" He also has a famous fan in writer Stephen King who calls McDermott "the greatest undiscovered rock & roll talent of the last 20 years."

Download the free MP3 below:

http//www.onelittleindian-us.com/freemp3/mcdermott_freemp3/

For my local Birmingham readers Pieta Brown is even more interesting. Her new album Remember the Sun releases on September 25th. She is the daughter of well known Grammy nominated folk singer Greg Brown. After being born in Iowa she and her mother moved here to Birmingham. While growing up in Birmingham Pieta began writing poetry and composing songs for the piano. Her exposure to traditional folk music shows through. However, her gift for composition is really shown with each successive listen to the album. What at first seems very simple is beautifully composed and lands her somewhere between traditional folk and more contemporary female songwriters. The music is rooted in tradition while exploring new boundaries. She is totally mesmerizing!

Download the free MP3 below:

http://www.onelittleindian-us.com/freemp3/pieta_freemp3b/

Deadstring Brothers to Release New Album

According to The 9513 The Deadstring Brothers will be releasing their new album on Bloodshot on October 9th. The Album will be titled Silver Mountain and I am definitely looking forward to it.

Check out this and other news:
http://www.the9513.com/brad-paisley-vs-kellie-pickler-you-be-the-judge/

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

This is a weekly 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. Links to all of these charts are found to the right in the AWT favorite links list.

Americana Music Association - Airplay Week of July 30th
1) Ryan Adams - Easy Tiger
2) Kelly Willis - Translated from Love
3) Marty Stuart - Anthology of Duets
4) Doug Spartz - The One Who's Leaving
5) Sarah Borges and The Broken Singles - Diamonds in the Dark
6) Subdudes - Street Sympho
7) Adrienne Young - Room to Grow
8) Jimmy Lafave - Cimmaron Manifesto
9) Eilen Jewell - Letters from Sinners and Strangers
10) Gourds - Noble Creatures
Debuts
24) Teddy Thompson - Up Front Down Low

XM Ch.12 Cross Country - Cross Checking week of July 30th
1) Various Artists - Anchored in Love
2) Various Artists - Just One More A tribute to Larry Brown
3) Jeffery Halford and the Healers - Broken Chord
4) Swampdawamp - Swampdawamp
5) Peter Berwick - Ain't No Train Outta Nashville
6) Avett Brother - Emotionalisn
7) Jeff Finlin - Angel in Disguise
8) Kelly Willis - Translated from Love
9) Antsy McClain and the Trailer Park Troubadors- Trailercana
10) Jimmy Lafave - Cimmaron Manifesto

Debuts
None

FMQB AAA Non-Commercial - Airplay Week of July 30th
1) RYAN ADAMS - Easy Tiger
2) SPOON - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
3) SUZANNE VEGA - Beauty and Crime
4) Subdudes - Street Symphony
5) Crowded House - Time on Earth
6) GRACE POTTER - This is Somewhere
7) WILCO - Sky Blue Sky
8) WHITE STRIPES - Icky Thump
9) FEIST - The Reminder
10) Ben Harper - Lifetime

Debuts
None

Under The Radar: 8/7/07

Here are a few artists I have come across lately that I think have potential to be much bigger in the future:

The first is Intensive Care an Indie Rock band out of Montreal. They have the atmospherics not uncommon to other Indie bands; but these guys also understand the importance of a good Rock hook as well. Their self released EP is available through iTunes and CDBaby. Check out the MP3s below:
http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/5/29/1124526/2-Break_Me_Up_Machine.mp3%20http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/5/29/1124526/3-dls.mp3
Here is a Youtube video


Next is The Mountain Pearls. Their sel-released debut is very lo-fi rough edged Roots Music that sounds like a hillbilly version of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. This is toe tappin' front porch music.

Check them out on EMUGGA:
VISIT
The Mountain Pearls



Also, The Steep Canyon Rangers winner of the IBMA energing artist award for 2006 are coming out with their new record Lovin' Pretty Women on Rebel Records August 14th. If you like traditional Bluegrass you don't want to miss this one. Below is a video biography of the band:

Josh Rouse - Country Mouse, City House

The new Josh Rouse album Country Mouse, City House is more city than country and it is also great. What else do you expect from Rouse. This album is very Jazz influenced in the vein of his Under the Cold Blue Stars release. "Sweetie" and "Hollywood Bass Player" will be the fan favorites but the coolest song on the Album is "Pilgrim" which I swear had to be produced from the grave by Miles Davis.

See the video for "Hollywood Bass Player" and a live acoustic version of "Sweetie." Also there is an interview done on the DL on AOL Music.

Emuga Launches

The folks over at AmericanaRoots.com have launched a social networking site for Americana and alt-country artists and fans it is called emugga.com. It is sort of a MySpace for the world of Americana. I have joined. I hope it takes off and I encourage you all to join.

Check it out:
http://emugga.com

Putumayo Presents - Americana

Whenever someone puts together a compilation CD choosing the songs can be difficult. When the compilation is of something like Americana Music, the very definition of which is elusive at best, the job is near impossible. If anyone could do it Putumayo, who has developed an entire international catalog of impossible compilations over the years, can. This compilation of 12 songs, which I outline below, was well chosen. In truth the songs lean more to the "Alt" side of Americana than the "Roots" side. However, to criticize Putumayo for this would be nitpicking.

Here is a listing of the song with a word on each. 1) Robinella - "Down the Mountain" provides a nice mix of Jazz and Old Time. 2) Mulehead - "Frankie Lee" was an odd selection considering they are not even together any more and were a flash in the pan at best. However, the song is a good example of alt-country so it works well. After all, picking the right songs is more important than the artists when putting together a compilation. 3) The Little Willies - "It's Not You It's me" has a real juke joint feel to it. 4) Robert Earl Keen - "Ride" has twin dobro slide guitars played in traditional blues fashion. If that does not impress nothing will. 5) Eliza Lynn - "Sing a New Song" see the video below and you will understand. 6)OCMS - "Wagon Wheel" an old timey feel provided by the young men in Old Crow. 7) Chip Taylor & Carrie Rodriguez- "Sweet Tequila Blues" a mix of old and new. 8) Tim O'Brien- "House of the Risin Sun" a lesson by the professor of Americana. 9) Alison Brown - "Deep Gap" features Brown on guitar and with more tradition than Jazz. 10) Terri Hendrix - "A Prayer for My Friends" her distinctive voice is a good example of the powerful female voices that are so important to the Americana scene. 11) Josh Ritter- "Harrisburg" there is no Americana album complete without a story song. 12) Ruthie Foster - "Hole in My Pocket" last but not least a Gospel singer.

Check out the web site:
http://www.putumayo.com/en/catalog_item.php?album_id=243

Eliza Lynn Video:

This review also appears on:

Best of 2007

**UPDATED 8-1-2007**
Due to a Blogger glich 16 items got deleted when I posted. This is the corrected list. However, the list still only includes releases through July 14th.
This is My updated Best of 2007. Wilco is still #1. The highest debuts are Kelly Willis at #4, Jason Isbell at #6 and Ryan Adams at #10. I expanded the list to 40 this time and dropped 5 from the previous list. My apologies to anyone offended the list was getting to big. Also, as usual, I did some rearranging based on further reflection. Reviews are coming for Kelly Willis and Elliot Randall who debuted at #14. Another notable debut is Spoon at #25. Enjoy the list and feel free to tell me how you agree or disagree. Also, make no hesitation to trash me or my intelligence in any way you see fit. I'm used to it.

1) Wilco - "Sky Blue Sky"
2) Patty Griffin - "Children Running Through"
3) White Stripes - "Icky Thump"
4) Kelly Willis - "Translated From Love"
5) Wrinkle Neck Mules - "Wicks Have Met"
6) Jason Isbell - "Sirens of the Ditch"
7) Assembly of Dust - "Recollection"
8) Hackensaw Boys - "Look Out"
9) The Shins - "Wincing the Night Away"
10) Ryan Adams - "Easy Tiger"
11) John Doe - "A year in the Wilderness"
12) Son Volt - "The Search"
13) The Broken West - "I Can't Go on I'll Go on"
14) Elliot Randall - "Take the Fall"
15) The Basement - "Illicit Hugs and Playground Thugs"
16) Paul McCartney - " Memory Almost Full"
17) Sarah Borges and the Broken Singles - "Diamonds in the Dark"
18) Kim Richey - "Chinese Boxes"
19) King Wilkie - "Low Country Suite"
20) Modest Mouse - "We Were Dead Before he Ship Ever Sank"
21) Feist - "The Reminder"
22) Olav Larsen and the Alabama Rodeo Stars - "Loves' Com to Town"
23) Elizabeth Cook - "Balls"
24) Willy Mason - "If the Ocean Gets Rough"
25) Dale Watson - "From the Cradle to the Grave"
26) Spoon - "Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga"
27) The National - "Boxer"
28) Charlie Louvin - "Charlie Louvin"
29) Infamous Stringdusters - "Fork in the Road"
30) Nathan - "Key Principles"
31) Adam Hood - "Different Groove"
32) Elizabeth Cook - "Balls"
33) Rocky Votolato - "The Brag and Cuss"
34) Pela - "Anytown Graffiti"
35) Joe Ely - "Happy Song from Rattlesnake Gulch"
36) Cadillac Sky - "Blind Man Walking"
37) Martin Sexton - "Seeds"
38) Two Cow Garage - "Three"
39) The Gourds - "Noble Creatures"
40) Hoots & Hellmouth- "Hoots & Hellmouth"

Under the Radar: Elliot Randall

Elliot Randall is gaining notoriety on the West Coast and is becoming a popular act in the San Francisco Bay area. He is also getting love from the California press. Recently, he was featured on legendary Bay area radio station KFOG’s local scene and is going to be appearing at the station’s local scene kickoff party on August 3rd. The national exposure has not come yet. However, he was recently featured on an AmericanaRoots podcast, which is an AWT favorite. Hopefully more exposure like this will come for Randall. He certainly deserves it. Based on my correspondence with Elliot he seems like a heck of a nice guy and I am certainly rooting for him.

Though he lives in the Bay Area, he is originally from Charleston, South Carolina and told me he spent most of his time growing up in the Carolinas. His Southern roots really show as he mixes Roots Rock with a more Classic Rock and Roll sound. He is an excellent songwriter whose musical style has the ability to appeal to a wide audience. On his new album Take the Fall Randall plays mid-tempo songs like “How to Grow Old” as well as full out rockers like “Second Time Around.” Both musically and lyrically Randall’s music is very accessible to the listener. All of the songs on the album show the various influences he has. Whether the listener’s preferences lean more toward Rock or Roots or Singer-Songwriter, this album will satisfy.

MP3 Links Below:

http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/5/29/1124526/01%20How%20To%20Get%20Old.m4a

http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/5/29/1124526/03%20Second%20Time%20Around.m4a

This review also appears on: http://twangville.com

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

This is a weekly 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. Links to all of these charts are found to the right in the AWT favorite links list.

Americana Music Association - Airplay Week of July 16th
1) Ryan Adams - Easy Tiger
2) Kelly Willis - Translated from Love
3) Marty Stuart - Anthology of Duets
4) Jimmy Lafave - Cimmaron Manifesto
5) Adrienne Young - Room to Grow
6) Sarah Borges and The Broken Singles - Diamonds in the Dark
7) Amy Lavere - Anchors and Anvils
8) Son Volt - The Search
9) Gurf Morlix - Diamonds to Dust
10) Doug Spatz - The One Who's Leaving
Debuts
35) Jason Isbell - Sirens of the Ditch
37) Terri Hendrix - The Spiritual Kind
40) Walt Wilkins & the Mystiqueros - Diamonds in the Sun

XM Ch.12 Cross Country - Cross Checking week of July 16th
1) Gurf Morlix - Diamond to Dust
2) Jed and Kelley - Song to Take Home
3) Various Artists - Anchored in Love
4) The Basement - Illicit Hugs and Playground Thugs
5) Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers - No More Beautiful World
6) Jimmy Lafave - Cimmaron Manifesto
7) Antsy McClain and the Trailer Park Troubadors - Trailercana
8) Swampdawamp - Swampdawamp
9) Pete Berwick - Aint No Train Outta Nashville
10) Jason Isbell - Sirens of the Ditch
Debuts
None

FMQB AAA Non-Commercial - Airplay Week of July 16th
1) Ryan Adams - Easy Tiger
2) Suzanne Vega - Beauty and Crime
3) Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
4) Wilco - Sky Blue Sky
5) Crowded House - Time on Earth
6) White Stripes - Icky Thump
7) Feist - The Reminder
8) Paul McCartney - Memory Almost Full
9) Sarah Borges and The Broken Singles - Diamonds in the Dark
10) R.Thompson - Sweet Warrior
Debuts
25)Interpol - Our Love to Admire
26) Polyphonic Spree- The Fragile Army
29) Lori McKenna - Unglamorous
30) Kelly Willis - Translated from Love

Kelly Willis - Translated from Love

After taking a few years off to devote to her children, Kelly Willis has returned. With the help of her Producer and friend Chuck Prophet and of course her husband, the accomplished singer-songwriter Bruce Robison. This was not business as usual for Willis. In fact, this is a Rock and Roll album with a little bit of Country roots. Kelly Willis wrote or co-wrote 6 songs on on the album. Co-writing with Bruce and Chuck Prophet. However the choice of Chuck Prophet came about, he was the perfect producer. With his history in music and his friendship with Willis and Robison, he understands the roots of where she comes from and where she wants to go. It is obvious from the first listen to Translated from Love that all parties were on the same page.

The first song on the album is a cover of Damon Bramblett's "Nobody Wants to Go to the Moon Anymore." She follows it up with "Sweet Little One" which feature a country vocal style. However, Prophet uses subtle keyboards to give the song a rich texture that hints at what they are trying to accomplish on the album. "Teddy Boys" is a rocker that is a little bit raunchy and definitely shows the influence of Prophet. Willis did not totally walk away from Country Music. For example, "Losing You" is a solid Country Song. Although, listening to a Pop song like "The More That I'm Around You" it is apparent that Kelly Willis' voice could fit just as easily in Rock or Jazz as country. In the end, what Chuck Prophet accomplished with his production was to show the diversity of Willis' voice more than any other album in her under-rated career.

Sample her music on:
http://www.kellywillis.com/flash/

http://www.myspace.com/kellywillismusic

The Gourds - Noble Creatures

By now we know what to expect from The Gourds. Noble Creatures fortunately delivers The Gourds full package, quirky hook laden roots music that mixes tradition with foot stompin' contemporary jams. Of course this is all delivered with the requisite humor. After all, this is the band that managed to fuse Compton and Appalachia when it covered Snoop Dogg's "Gin and Juice."

There are a few things that are added on the album, like the Hammond B3 background on "Kicks in the Sun." Overall the album has a little bit more of Grateful Dead influence than normal but it is still a typical Gourds album. That is a good thing when you do what you do as well as the Gourds. The Cajun stomp of "Cranky Mulatto" is familiar territory for the band. Their Texas Red Dirt Roots are highlighted on "Moon Gone Down." I expect "All in the Pack" to be the live hit that will get the fans dancing on the tables, which where they belong at a Gourds show. Hopefully we can all be dancing at their live shows for many years to come.

Stream the full album:
http://www.yeproc.com/artist_info.php?artistId=957

This review also appears on: http://twangville.com/

Settin' the Wodds on Fire: This Weeks Charts

This is a weekly 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. Links to all of these charts are found to the right in the AWT favorite links list.

Americana Music Association - Airplay Week of July 9th
1) Ryan Adams - Easy Tiger
2) Kelly Willis - Translated from Love
3) Marty Stuart - Anthology of Duets
4) Jimmy Lafave - Cimmaron Manifesto
5) Adrienne Young - Room to Grow
6) Sarah Borges and The Broken Singles - Diamonds in the Dark
7) Amy Lavere - Anchors and Anvils
8) Wilco - Sky Blue Sky
9) Gurf Morlix - Diamonds to Dust
10) Kendel Carson - Rearview Mirror Tears
Debuts
21) Subdudes - Street Symphony
30) Chris Knight - The Trailer Tapes
33) Max Stalling - Topaz City
37) Tab Benoit - Power of the Ponchatrain
40) King Wilkie - Low Country Suite

XM Ch.12 Cross Country - Cross Checking week of July 9th
1) Kendel Carson - Rearview Mirror Tears
2) Robbie Fulks - Revenge
3) Gurf Morlix - Diamond to Dust
4) Jed and Kelley - Song to Take Home
5) Various Artists - Anchored in Love
6) Jimmy Lafave - Cimmaron Manifesto
7) Red Dirt Rangers - Ranger Motel
8) Antsy McClain and the Trailer Park Troubadors - Trailercana
9) Avett Brothers - Emotionalism
6) Dale Watson - From The Cradle To The Grave
10) David Olney - One Tough Town
Debuts
46) Hackensaw Boys - Look Out!
47) Tab Bemoit - Power of the Ponchatrain

FMQB AAA Non-Commercial - Airplay Week of July 9th
1) RYAN ADAMS - Easy Tiger
2) SPOON - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
3) WILCO - Sky Blue Sky
4) PAUL MCCARTNEY - Memory Almost Full
5) SUZANNE VEGA - Beauty and Crime
6) FEIST - The Reminder
7) Sarah Borges and The Broken Singles - Diamonds in the Dark
8) R.THOMPSON - Sweet Warrior
9) GRACE POTTER - This is Somewhere
10) WHITE STRIPES - Icky Thump
Debuts
11) Subdudes - Street Symphony
27) Van Morrison - Best of ... Vol. 3

Jason Isbell Review on Twang Nation

Twang Nation has an excellent review of former Drive-By-Trucker Jason Isbell's new album. Keep an eye on him I think good things are in his future.

http://www.twangnation.com/2007/07/17/jason-isbell-sirens-of-the-ditch-new-west-review/

Check Out His MySpace Page:

http://www.myspace.com/jasonisbellmusic

Kim Richey and Adam Hood - Live on Reg's Coffeehouse

Check out this link to Kim Richey performing live on Reg's Coffee house

http://www.myfoxal.com/myfox/pages/Entertainment/Detail?contentId=3778881&version=1&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=VSTY&pageId=7.3.1

Also Adam Hood performed on the Coffeehouse. I talked to him for a while at City Stages this year. He is a super nice guy and one of my favorites. See my previous review here on AWT and check out this video. He is a really good songwriter.

http://www.myfoxal.com/myfox/pages/Entertainment/Detail?contentId=3778857&version=1&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=VSTY&pageId=7.3.1

King Wilkie vs. The Avett Brothers

The new King Wilkie album Low Country Suite has the band adding other influences to their traditional Bluegrass with excellent results. Compared to the Avett Brothers, who made a similar move with Emotionalisdm, I feel the King Wilkie album is far superior. I admit that I am on an island when it comes to the Avett Brothers new effort. Every magazine website and blog I have seen gushed with praise for Emotionalism. I seem to be the lone dissenter. However, I feel the Avett Brothers lost their edge on the album. The edgy Bluegrass they played became pop with no attitude on emotionalism. The album sounded like a knock off of early Beatles records. I expected them to break out in a "Love Me Do" cover at anytime.

How could the Avetts have expanded their music and made it work? Listen to King Wilkie's Low Country Suite and you have your answer. A likewise edgy bluegrass band, they went in some new direction without losing their identity. Somehow they have managed to cross the American songwriting landscape in a way that was honest but doesn't try to deny where they started. It is not an easy thing to do. But King Wilkie succeeded where the Avetts did not.

Click here to take a listen:
http://kingwilkie.com/flash/

Check out this YouTube clip of Wrecking Ball:

The Basement - Illicit Hugs and Playground Thugs

The Basement generated a lot of hype among the UK press before they released their first album. Early singles hinted at something special and they generated quite a following among fans. For some reason the buzz has been a little slower to build in the US, but they have released their first US CD on Zealous Records, Illicit Hugs and Playground Thugs. A recent article in No Depression should help also. The album is an instant classic mixing Americana influenced Roots Rock with British influenced Pop. The songs by the Irish born Liverpool based quartet are infectious. The album bridges a gap between their British and Irish upbringing and Americana Twang. It is evocative of the way Gram Parsons tried to fuse rock and country in his day. In fact you could alter Gram’s description of his own music slightly and call it “Cosmic British-American Music.”

The album starts out with the Alt-Country of “Do You Think Your Moving On.” Other songs like “Summertimes” have more of a Pop style. The Basement is influenced by Old 97s as can be heard on 2 tracks in particular, “When Tomorrow Comes” sounds like Satellite Rides Pop, while “Just a Dream” is redolent of earlier Old 97s. One of the band’s key attributes is the ability to sound upbeat even when using melancholy lyrics.

Check out some of their music:
http://www.zealousrecords.com/thebasementplayer/index.html

This review also appears on: http://twangville.com

Settin' the Woods on Fire- This Weeks Charts

This is a weekly 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. Links to all of these charts are found to the right in the AWT favorite links list.

Americana Music Association - Airplay Week of July 2nd
1) Ryan Adams - Easy Tiger
2) Kelly Willis - Translated from Love
3) Marty Stuart - Anthology of Duets
4) Jimmy Lafave - Cimmaron Manifesto
5) Adrienne Young - Room to Grow
6) Gurf Morlix - Diamonds to Dust
7) Sarah Borges and The Broken Singles - Diamonds in the Dark
8) Wilco - Sky Blue Sky
9) Son Volt - The Search
10) Elizabeth Cook - Balls
Debuts
20) Antsy McLain and The Trailer Park Troubadors - Trailercana
26) Gourds - Noble Creatures
31) Hackensaw Boys - Look out!
37) Steve Forbert - Strange Names and New Sensations
40) Nick Lowe - At My Age

XM Ch.12 Cross Country - Cross Checking week of July 2nd
1) Kendel Carson - Rearview Mirror Tears
2) Robbie Fulks - Revenge
3) Gurf Morlix - Diamond to Dust
4) Elizabeth Cook - Balls
5) Avett Brothers - Emotionalism
6) Dale Watson - From The Cradle To The Grave
7) Jimmy Lafave - Cimmaron Manifesto
8) Jed and Kelley - Song to Take Home
9) David Holt and The Lightning Bolts - Self-Titled
10) Todd Snider - Peace, Love and Anarchy
Debuts
47) Max Stalling - Topaz City
48) Jason Isbell - Sirens of the Ditch
49) Ryan Adams - Easy Tiger

FMQB AAA Non-Commercial - Airplay Week of July 2nd
1) WILCO - Sky Blue Sky
2) RYAN ADAMS - Easy Tiger
3) SPOON - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
4) PAUL MCCARTNEY - Memory Almost Full
5) SUZANNE VEGA - Beauty and Crime
6) WHITE STRIPES - Icky Thump
7) FEIST - The Reminder
8) R.THOMPSON - Sweet Warrior
9) TORI AMOS - American Doll Posse
10) Sarah Borges and The Broken Singles - Diamonds in the Dark
Debuts
NONE

Kelly Willis live @ Zydeco in Birmingham, AL

Boy am I sorry I missed this one.

Check out the this video for Kelly Willis live at Zydeco July 6th. Thanks to TC for pointing this out to me.

http://www.myfoxal.com/myfox/pages/Entertainment/Detail?contentId=3709509&version=1&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=VSTY&pageId=7.3.1

AWT on Vacation

A little R&R with the Fam somewhere my cellphone won't even work. I'll be back on Monday. Happy 4th of July fellow Twangers.

Under The Radar: The Wells

When Tom at Twangville gave me The Wells Outcasts Will Make a Strong Nation cd for review, he told me I would like it because it reminded him of X and John Doe and he knows what a big fan I am. He was absolutely right. The harder songs especially have the stripped down punk with a little twang style of X. When using female backing vocals you can definitely visualize John Doe and Exene singing together. Other songs are more roots influenced but still have rock undertones. Lyrically, the album is full of dark and haunting folk tales of people gone astray not unlike characters that have haunted John Doe’s songs over the years.

The stories in the songs on Outcasts are literary in nature, which is not surprising since songwriter Robert Loss has an MFA in creative writing and teaches English in their home base of Columbus, OH, home to other alt-country acts like Two Cow Garage. Talk about anti-heroes, we have characters here that Cormac McCarthy would love to create. We have someone, who murders the Steinbeck folk hero Tom Joad for a loaf of bread and parlays it to a successful political career. We also find a nomadic loser sabotaging a Pentecostal tent revival to keep his girl from getting saved. Is nothing sacred? The answer is no. I hope these guys don’t stay under the radar for too long they deserve to be found. A lot of bands are jumping on the Americana band wagon these days but The Wells definitely deserve attention.

Check out their MySpace page:

http://myspace.com/wellsrock

This review was also posted on: http://twangville.com/

Kim Richey - Chinese Boxes

It has been almost five years since Kim Richey released a new album. Clocking in at 33 minutes, Chinese Boxes is worth the wait. The short length of the album is appropriate for the conceptual simplicity of the lyrics. The imagery Richey uses in her lyrics allow her to provide the listener a conceptual framework that doesn't require much narrative. On the title cut of the album she uses "Chinese Boxes" (empty boxes inside of bigger empty boxes) to signify a relationship with someone that seems to be enduring but is really not substantial. This type of imagery is used over and over again on the album often to poignantly describe relationships that aren't what they appear to be.

This lyrical minimalism doesn't apply to the instrumentation which is beautiful, textured and draws the listener to the word pictures she is framing. Richey wrote or co-wrote all the songs on the album, including "Drift" which she penned with Mindy Smith. The earlier songs on the album are slower in tempo setting the atmosphere, while the second half of the album picks up the tempo a bit. No matter the tempo of the song the results are the same. The album will be released July 10th by Vanguard. Don't miss it!

See the link be low to sample 2 songs off of the album.

http://www.vanguardrecords.com/listen.asp?idArtist=45

Justin Trawick: Live 9:30 Club DC

My friend Tom, who runs AWT's favorite blog Twangville, which I write for under the name "CrackerSoul," turned me on to Justin Trawick. Tom and I went to see him at the 9:30 Club friday night, June 29th. It was a great show. The 9:30 Club is also a great venue. Trawick is a real up and comer who has already developed a loyal following in the DC area. Here is a link to the Twangville review and a link to video Tom shot during the show:

http://twangville.com/580/justin-trawick-rocks-the-930-club/