Dolly Parton and Tift Merritt Full Album Streams

The folks at Spinner have

Full Album Streams of the new Dolly Parton and Tift Merritt Albums. Check them out.

What is your favorite Wilco album?

My friend Ben pointed this out to me from the Washington Post This guy ranks Wilco albums in the aftermath of their week long Chicag0 gig in which they played their entire catalogue. (I wish I had been there.) The author is a "New School" Wilco fan who downplays their alt-country side, which also makes him a tool in my opinion. You can identify these folks because they are the ones who derided Sky Blue Sky as if the Americana influence was some new direction. Well here is my ranking. I would like to see yours. It is really hard to do because all Wilco albums are great to me, but here goes:

1) Being There
2) Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
3) Sky Blue Sky
4) Summerteeth
5) A Ghost is Born
6) A.M.

It might seem hypocritical to rank A.M. last but to be fair it has a few weak tracks while the others don't. Now let me see your list.

American Gun - The Means and the Machine

As many of you know I also write for Twangville. Todd Mathis is a fellow Twangville contributor and front man of the up and coming alt-country band American Gun, along with friend and fellow songwriter Donald Merckle. They recently released The Means and the Machine and it is an album with hooks that will grab you right away. However, for those that demands instant credibility, American Gun Delivers it. The album was mixed by Chris Stamey, (The DBs, Whiskeytown, Caitlin Cary, Alejandro Escovedo, Yo La Tengo, Tift Merritt)and Al Perkins (Flying Burrito Brothers)provides pedal steel. The album is full of great hooks and melody. As compared to their previous release Dark Southern Hearts, the new effort shares stylistic similarities; but it is a bit more fine tuned with harmony vocals, keyboards and of course Al Perkins on Pedal Steel. According to Todd these refinements were largely the suggestion of Stamey.

The songs on the album are a fun listen. On the song "Drunk Girls" they describe how the social division of every bar in America is determined by different types of drunk girls and where they stand. It is a true and hilarious observation of the co-ed sport of drinking. They, also show us their theological side on the song "Jesus Gave Us Rock and Roll." This is a song to which all the people can say Amen. "Girl Done Gone" is a dark tale that would make Patterson Hood proud. Hooking up with Stamey was a really great idea for American Gun. He expands their sound and they will likely expand their audience.

Sample songs on their website.

Alt-Country in 1 Minute

This is on the DL on Spinner

It is a one minute history of Alt-Country it is really good and pretty humorous.

Check it out on Spinner

The Story of another Country

Tift Merritt's new album Another Country is aptly named because she literally went to France and rented a flat to write the songs for this album. My impression is that this will be her best album yet.

Listen to the story of Another Country

No Depression - RIP Old Friend

No Depression Ceasing Publication

This is sad, shocking and I can't believe it as I write it; but No Depression will be ceasing operations after the May/June issue. They will still have a presence online but it will in no way replace the definitive Americana magazine. The Americana bible as far as I am concerned. The term Alt-Country was invented, defined and re-defined by Grant Alden and Peter Blackstock. I first started reading ND in 1996 when my friend David Deter introduced me to it. I bet I can count on one hand the number of issues I have missed in the last 12 years. In fact I am such a geek I still have the majority of the issues I bought. I can't bring myself to throw them away. The magazine covered the gamut from Roots Rock and Twang infused Alternative music to Traditional Americana, Country and Bluegrass. They also have increasingly spread their wings by including a diverse array of alternative bands that showed originality and creativity in their songwriting.

Moreover, No Depression was one of the last bastions of excellence in music journalism. While most music publications have eschewed excellense in writing, ND celebrated it with in depth and well written feature articles. In an era where two paragraphs can now constitute a feature story in some magazines, ND enlisted great writers to employ well crafted prose to draw you even closer to the artists they covered. I will never forget the issue where one of my favorite authors, Silas House, wrote an article on Lucinda Williams that was as enjoyable to read as it was informative.

The accountant side of me understands the economic realities that have led them to this decision. The music fan side of me laments the fact that the magazine, which resisted the influence of the rapidly shortenning attention span of our culture, will no longer be with us. No Depression you will be greatly missed.

Gary Louris releasing 2-19

Vagabonds the new album from former Jayhawks frontman Gary Louris is out on Tuesday. I have a feeling this is going to give the Truckers a run for the money at the top of my first list which I wil post in a couple of Weeks.

Stream

Other releases of note on 2-19

Jim Lauderdale - Honeysongs
Allison Moorer - Mockingbird
Ray Davies - Working Man's Cafe
Mountain Goats - Heretic Pride

Valentines Day: Business Time

For those of you who took the advice below. You know what time it is?

It's Business Time!!!!

Valentines Day the Foreplay

I hope you guys had the sense to play the new Shelby Lynne CD to your Valentine. If that doesn't get you action, then you are either hopeless or in trouble. This album of Dusty Springfield covers combined with Lynne's sultry voice was sure to have been a winning combination. But if you didn't think of it I hope you enjoyed your KFC takeout and ESPN.

Under the Radar: Death to Anders & The Hollyfelds

I’ve recently received Submissions from a couple of upstart bands I think are worth a look. They are Death to Anders and The Hollyfelds.

Death to Anders has just released a new album Fictitious Business. Their sound has it’s basis in the L.A. Indie Rock scene but it is also heavily influenced early 90’s Sonic Youth. They have a certain atmosphere and distortion layered around their melodies. The sound strikes a nice balance between Indie Pop tunesmanship and atmosphere.

Stream their music

The Hollyfelds have released their album Saratoga. On their website the band self describes their sound as “a country sound...a neo-traditional country sound (tempered with a hefty dose of folk and Americana and just a touch of bluegrass, all anchored by solid pop hooks).” Well that just about sums it up. Except it fails to mention thet the best thing about the group is the beatific harmony vocals of their dual lead singers, Eryn Hoerig and Kate Grigsby. Further the album was produced by Ric Hordinski (Over the Rhine, Robbie Fulks and David Wilcox.)

Stream on their website.

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

This is a bi-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 og January 28th
1) Levon Helm - Dirt Farmer
2) Robert Plant & Alison Krauss - Raising Sand
3) Tift Merrit - Another Country
4) Steve Earle - Washington Square Serenade
5) Willie Nelson - Moment of Forever
6) Ryan Bingham - Mescalito
7) Jesse Dayton & Brennen Leigh - Holdin' Our Own...
8) Mando Saenz - Bucket
9) Drive-By-Truckers - Brighter Than Creation's Dark
10) Will Hoge - Draw the Curtains

Debuts

23) Paul Thorn - A Long Way From Tupelo
26) Malcolm Holcombe - Gamblin' House
31) Amanda Shaw - Pretty Runs Out
33) Allison Moorer - Mockingbird
34) Blind Boys of Alabama - Down in New Orleans


XM Ch.12 Cross Country - Cross Checking week of Jan. 28th
1) Ryan Bingham - Mescalito
2) The Bridge - Th Bridge
3) Levon Helm - Dirt Farmer
4) Bleu Edmondson - Lost Boy
5) The Sadies - New Seasons
6) Miles from Nowhere - Bloodlines
7) Blue Rodeo - Small Miracles
8) Will Hoge - Draw the curtains
9) Cross Canadian Ragweed - Mission California
10) The Deep Dark Woods - Hang Me Oh Hang Me

Debuts
47) Drive By Truckers - Brighter that Creation's Dark

FMQB AAA Non-Commercial - Airplay Week of Jan. 28th
1) Robert Plant & Alison Krauss - Raising Sand
2) Cat Power - Jukebox
3) Nada Surf - Lucky
4) Radiohead - In Rainbows
5) Jack Johnson - Sleep Through the Static
6) Tift Merrit - Another Country
7) Bruce Springsteen - Magic
8) Sharon Jones - 100 Days
9) Eric Lindell - Low on Cash...
10) KT Tunstall - Drastic Fantastic

Debuts:
27) Nicole Atkins - Neptune City
28) Richard Julian - Sunday Morning in Saturday's Shoes
29) Moe - Sticks and Stones
30) Ray Davies - Working Man's Cafe

Willie Nelson - Moment of Forever

I have to admit I didn't want to like this album. I was not at all happy with the fact that Kenny Chesney was producing the album. Preconceptions are often wrong. That is a lesson I have learned in my life, and this is one example of that lesson. This is definitely one to have for all Willie fans. What makes this album good is the man himself; in spite of Chesney and not because of him. By this I am referring to the overproduction this album suffers from on a few songs. In particular the opening song "Over You Again." Some other Twang bloggers like Twang Nation and the 9513 have speculated this song sounds like they were trying, unsuccessfully, to go for a Daniel Lanois sound. Well Mr. Chesney I have heard Daniel Lanois and you are no Daniel Lanois. For proof if this break out Teatro and listen to what Lanois accomplished with Willie and compare the two. One more criticism before I get to praise. The choice of the Big Kenny penned "The Bob Song" was terrible and the production was pretty cheesy too.

This album has far more high points though. The understated title cut written by Kris Kristofferson is stripped down and powerful. The Dave Matthews song "Gravedigger" is an innovative arrangement. To be fair, Chesney deserves a lot of credit for that. "Worry B Gone" is a Guy Clark song that makes for a good duet with Willie and Chesney. Although the Clark version only says a "puff of that Worry B Gone," the duet version has Willie puffing and Chesney sipping. I guess Chesney's soccer mom fans can't handle the fact he might have inhaled. If the witty "You Don't Think I'm Funny Anymore" doesn't make you laugh then you have no sense of humor, especially if you are male and married. The album ends on a powerful and transcendant note with a rendition of Dylan's "You Gotta Serve Somebody." So while this album has its flaws, it is still a Willie Nelson album, and in the end that is all that matters.

Willie sings Moment of Forever


This review also appears on Twangville

Hidden Gems Part 2 - Jewly Hight

Previously I identified Twilight Hotel as a gem that could be easily missed in the plethora of releases on July 29th. The other one is Jewly Hight - Darlin' Understand. Hight is a music critic who is releasing her first album. In fact, you have probably read her in No Depression. Well, she needs to consider putting down the pen and picking up the microphone full time. She is a talented songwriter. Additionally, the arrangements and influences she includes in her compositions allow her to stand out in the crowded female singer-songwriter marketplace. Lyrically you would expect a writer who lists Flannery O'Connor as one of her biggest influences to deliver, and she does. The songs range from Blues to Gospel to country to rock all wrapped in a sort of Southern Gothic package. Some songs like "White Knuckles" are more ethereal others like the Gospel of "Answer" are more upbeat. The Rock numbers range from the guitar heavy "Wheels Come Off" to the Southern Soul of "Poke Salad." Her voice, which sounds similar to Rosanne Cash, allows her to pull off all of these style changes without a hitch.

If you are not convinced yet, check her out on MySpace

This review also appears on Twanville

Hidden Gem Part 1 - Twilight Hotel

As I've already mentioned Tuesday is going to be a big day for new releases. Because of this fact, a couple of Gems releasing on 1-29 that could easily get lost in the Hoopla. Twilight Hotel Highway Prayer is the first one I would like to point out. This Winnipeg based male-female duo enlisted fellow Canadian Colin Linden to produce the album, However, the project was recorded in Nashville with a stellar group of musicians. The band's version of Americana can be a little dark, but Linden did an excellent job of producing the album and it is certainly no downer. For example the Rockabilly influenced opener "Viva La Vinyl" Kick things out of the chute. Overall though, the album is typified by a mellow and contemplative brand of Folk and Americana.

"Viva La Vinyl"


This review is also posted on Twangville

1-29 Addendum Oop!! I missed one!!!

A shout out to my buddy Large Benjamin who informed me of this new release that is garnering a lot of buzz. VW's sound is infectious this should be good release.

Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend

1-29 Releases

January 29th appears to be the first big day of the year for new releases. There is a lot coming out that day but I thought I would highlight a few of the releases.

Shelby Lynne - Just a Little Lovin' Shelby doing a Dusty Springfield tribute Need I say more.




Willie Nelson - Moment of Forever Okay this album was produced by Kenny Chesney which makes me skeptical but the first single "Gravedigger" is excellent and it is on Lost Highway. Not to mention it is Willie so I bet it is good.

Listen to "Gravedigger"

Malcolm Holcombe - Gamblin' House "Rich in idiosyncratic epigrams with echoes ranging from Guy Clark to Bob Dylan, Holcombe (with "Jelly Roll" Johnson's ever-ready harmonica adding emphasis) delivers elusive tales of a life that may not have always been wisely lived, but was always worth writing about." Billboard Magazine

Sample it on his website

Dailey & Vincent Dailey & Vincent - One of the most highly anticipated Bluegrass debuts in recent memory. Dailey is along time member of Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver. Vincent has been playing with Ricky Skaggs for 10 years.

Sample at Rounder records

Joe Jackson - Rain Heard a cut off this one on Reg's Coffeehouse sounds like it will be a good one. Welcome back Joe.

Blind Boys of Alabama - Down in New Orleans After forming over 50 years as kids in a deaf school in Alabama, The Boys have garnered 4 Grammys in four years and recorded with a lot of different artists like Ben Harper. This records takes them quite obviously to the crescent city where they team up with Allen Toussaint, The Preservation Hall Jazz Band and the Hot 8 Brass Band.




There are also a couple of releases from artists you might not have heard before:

First is:

Twighlight Hotel - Highway Prayer This band out of Canada plays a brand of roots music that is sometimes haunting but always steeped in the traditions of American music. I encourage you to check these guys out. I will do a full review in a few days.



Jewly Hight- "Darlin' Unerstand" This album Counry, Soulful and altogether Suthern. As a lyricist she is as inflnced more by Flannery O'Connor than any musician. She is a music jornalist but is also a talented musician. The album is self-released. I will also do a full review of this one in a few days.

Check her out on MySpace

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

This is a bi-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. These are the first charts I am posting for 2008.

Americana Music Association - Airplay Week og January 7th
1) Steve Earle - Washington Square Serenade
2) Robert Plant & Alison Krauss - Raising Sand
3) Levon Helm - Dirt Farmer
4) John Fogerty - Revival
5) Ryan Bingham - Mescalito
6) Shooter Jennings - The Wolf
7) Dwight Yoakam - Dwight Sings Buck
8) Chip Taylor & Carrie Rodriguez - Live from Ruhr Triennale
9) Gougers - A long Day for the Weathervane
10) Various - Goin' Home: A Tribute to Fats Domino

Debuts
33) Tift Merrit - Another Country
37) Sara Cox - Crowded is the New Lonely

XM Ch.12 Cross Country - Cross Checking week of Jan. 7th
1) Ryan Bingham - Mescalito
2) Levon Helm - Dirt Farmer
3) Bleu Edmondson - Lost Boy
4) The Bridge - Th Bridge
5) Miles from Nowhere - Bloodlines
6) Dwight Yoakam - Dwight Sings Buck
7) Shooter Jennings - The Wolf
8) Deadstring Brothers - Silver Mountain
9) Cross Canadian Ragweed - Mission California
10) Chip Taylor & Carrie Rodriguez - Live from Ruhr Triennale

Debuts
47) Red Stick Ramblers - Made in the Shade
48) Steeldrivers - Self-Titled
49) Marah - Angels of Destruction

FMQB AAA Non-Commercial - Airplay Week of Dec. 31st
1) Robert Plant & Alison Krauss - Raising Sand
2) Bruce Springsteen - Magic
3) Iron & Wine - The Shepherds' Dog
4) Radiohead - In Rainbows
5) Neil Young - Chrom Dreams II
6) KT Tunstall - Drastic Fantastic
7) Steve Earle - Washington Square Serenade
8) Eddie Vedder - Into the Wild
9) Spoon - GaGaGaGaGa
10) Levon Helm - Dirt Farmer

Debuts:
18) Jack Johnson - Sleep Through the Static
22) Sheryl Crow - Detours
24) Keller Williams - 12

Drive-By-Truckers: Brighter than Creation's Dark

When a band has a shakeup in its' lineup critics will often look skeptically at their follow up album. But when the follow up is an epic 70 minute 19 song project, even a reasonable critic has to wonder if they can pull it off. Fortunately for us the Truckers not only pull it off, but they deliver an instant classic. In fact, front man Patterson Hood feels that Brighter than Creation's Dark is their best work. It is hard to argue with him, although I personally love the Truckers music to a degree that makes it hard for me to single out one album as their best.

The loss of Jason Isbell was significant but Hood and Mike Cooley had a recipe for success. Take away one electric guitar (Isbell) but add Pedal Steel (John Neff) and one legendary keyboardist (Spooner Oldham) along with a female voice (Isbell's ex Shonna Tucker). The resulting entree' these ingredients make could make Martha Stewart proud. However, Martha would need to get liquored up and go back to prison in order to truly appreciate this meal.

The album is full of all of the things that make the Truckers great. It is reminiscent in some ways of Southern Rock Opera. Patterson Hood can still tell the story of the struggling Southern working man like no one else. His stories are also able to resonate with everyone trying to navigate their way through this life. Take "Righteous Path" as an example. On this song Hood sings, "I don't know God but I fear his wrath. I'm just trying to stay on the righteous path."

Mike Cooley can still deliver tales of excess and debauchery with the best of them. "Three Dimes Down" and the hilarious country song "Lisa's Birthday" are the best examples of this. But on this album Cooley's lyrics have more depth and self-reflection than ever. On "Perfect Timing" Cooley says "I used to hate the fool in me but only in the morning. Now I tolerate him all day long."

Shonna Tucker contributes and sings three songs on the album. Her voice is good and has a touch of a rough soulful quality that fits nicely on the album. You can especially hear the soulful edge on "Home Field Advantage."

Patterson Hood's song "man I Shot" is a song about a soldier in Iraq that I think anyone can appreciate. Much like Jason Isbell's "Dress Blues" the tragedy of war is shown in a way that is moving no matter your political affiliation. Also true to form for the Truckers, drug addiction in rural America is discussed in a few songs like "You and your Crystal Meth." Indeed the Truckers have mixed what has always made them great with some new twists that show they are going to continue to be great for some time to come.

Check out a few of their new songs on the DBT MySpace Page

This review also appears on Twangville

Bluegrass Mecca in the OC

The organic and social nature of Bluegrass is one of the main attractions of the genre. As a culture we are losing our sense of community and our pace of life seems to be ever accelerating. That is why this "Hillbilly Music" is now attracting such disparate participants. There are few better ways to find connection than "roots" music.

Consider this quote from the Orange County Register:

"But those looking to gawk at hillbillies wearing straw hats, sporting gap-toothed grins and playing washboards should look elsewhere.

'We are not one-shoulder strapped overalls, minus teeth and no education. … We don't go around making the pigs squeal,' says Spiegel, a Southern California fiddle champion.

A 'good 70 percent' of the people who play bluegrass music have college degrees, says Spiegel, a fiddle teacher who's counted doctors, lawyers and scientists among her students."

Read the Full Article online:
Bluegrass Mecca in an Archery Range

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

The Overall Charts for 2007. Links to all of these charts are found to the right in the AWT favorite links list. Expanded lists are available there

Americana Music Association - Top 10 of 2007
1) Lucinda William - West
2) Ryan Adams Easy Tiger
3) Kelly Willis - Translated from Love
4) Son Volt - The Search
5) Patty Griffin - Children Running Through
6) Marty Stuart - Compadres
7) Jay Boy Adams - The Shoe Box
8) Joe Ely - Happy Songs from Rattlesnake Gulch
9) Various Artists - Endless Highway: Music of the Band
10) Greencards - Viridian


XM Ch.12 Cross Country - Cross Checking Top 10 of 2007
1) John Fogerty - Revival
2) Lucinda Williams - West
3) Kelly Willis - Translated Fom L:ove
4) Jay Boy Adams - The Show Box
5) Blackie and the Rodeo Kings - Let's Frolic
6) Bill Kirchen - Hammer of the Honky Tonk Gods
7) Son Volt - The Search
8) Southern Culture on the Skids - Countrypolitan
9) Jason Isbell - Sirens of the Ditch
10) Kendel Carson - Rearview Mirror Tears

New Year Releases

The New Year releases will get kicked off a little slowly but there are several that have cought my eye. So since Dick Clark rang in the year in all of his Nipped, Tucked and Botox glory you can focus on some early year releases. By the way he co-hosting this year with Ryan Seacrest. So your Rockin' Eve was hosted by the ageless one and the classless one. As for me, I watched Superbad instead and ignored the whole damn embarassing spectacle. Back from my Digression let us talk about new music.

1-8

Marah - Angels of Destruction! Does anyone rock with more passion than the kids from Philly?
Check out a couple of new Tunes on MySpace

Rhonda Vincent - Good Thing Going Supposedly more country and less traditional it will be interesting to here this one.

Sample at Ronder

1-22

Drive-By-Truckers - Brighter than Creation's Dark - More on this later. I will be posting a review thia weekend. However, it is yet another great one from the Truckers.

The Preview on myspace

Norh Mississippi Allstars - Hernando I'm fired up for this one. The Allstars and the Truckers on th same day! It needs to be declared a national holiday.

Sample tracks Here

Matt Costa - Unfamiliar Faces This will be the first good Singer-Songwriter albums of 2008.

Check out Mr. Pitiful on his website.

Dan Israel - Turning

A late release in 2007 that I almost overlooked is Dan Israel's Turning. Israel has been around a while from the Midwest to Austin and back again. He has opened for acts as diverse as Morissey, Spoon and Peter Himmelman. He has won songwriter awards in both Austin and Minneapolis, including Minnesota songwriter of the year in 2006. He has done albums solo and with his backing band The Cultivators. This album is a combination of friends and members of The Cultivators. The friends who join him are a who's who of the Midwest Music scene. Marc Perlman (The Jayhawks), Dave Boquist (Son Volt), John Munson (Semisonic) and Jesse Green (Foo Fighters and Wilco) just to name a few.

All of these different contributors come together under the singular vision of Israel to make a cohesive album. If you like roots rock there is something for you here. The first three songs on the album prove this. The album opens with "Triangle," which showcases Israel's singer-songwriter side. This leads into the lose rocking and rootsy "Counting on You." The next song "Hurt and Love" is an Americana song with a gentle banjo and fiddle inter-play the creates a musical metaphor to the tug of war in relationships that the song addresses. The album's highlight is the power pop anthem "News to Me." Also, the slide guitar work on "Song for Africa" makes that song stand out. In all honesty there is no weak link on this album. It is strong from start to finish.

Check out his MySpace page

This review also appears on Twangville

Merry Christmas from the Family !!!

Bing Crosby and Burl Ives have nothing on Rebert Earl Keen:

Merry Christmas from Cracker !!!!

Cracker sent an e-mail to music bloggers asking them to spread a little Christmas Cheer. This is the song they released around Christmas in 2001. They are now circulating an MP3 link for free.

So Merry Christmas I hope Santa brings you all some Cracker Soul!!!

Merry Christmas Emily Free MP3

Sara Lynn Single and Video to be Released to US Country Radio in early 2008

Steel Jack Music Group released Sara Lynn's debut album Thing for You on September 30th. However, they are going to do a major US radio promotion for the album and the first single, which is the title cut, in early 2008. The Canadian Country Diva has all of the ingredients to a popular mainstream country star in the US. The only problem is that she plays "real" Country music. However the recent success of Miranda Lambert and others offers hope to more traditional artists and suggests a new willingness on the part of Nashville to play more traditional music.

Sara Lynn both exemplifies and defies the typical Nashville formula. She exemplifies the formula because she is good looking and has a voice that is equally as stunning. She defies the Nashville formula in that she was not "created" by the industry. She is a truly well rounded and talented artist. In fact she wrote or co-wrote all of the songs on the album, and co-produced it along with Todd Ostrowercha and Tim Hearsey. The album was recorded in her hometown of Vancouver, but was mixed and engineered in Nashville.

The songs she writes reflect on her personal experiences and feelings. The album is typified by catchy, high-energy tunes in which she mixes in fiddle and even some accordion to pump the energy into the album. Although she grew up on Country music she also sites The Band, Tom Petty and The Rolling Stones among her influences. I hope Nashville picks up on her. She certainly has what it takes and US mainstream audiences deserve the opportunity to experience her for themselves.

Check out her Website

Check out her video:


This review also appears on Twangville