It's almost January which means minds are turning north, to Tamworth. In an enduring personal failure, I won't be there again this year but, there's always next year, is what I keep telling myself. Because really what could be better than getting to see Andy Baylor every day for a freakin' week?
And when you see him, request "Who Were You Thinkin' Of" for me, which I love but there's no Andy doing it on YouTube so we'll have to slum it with Sir Doug and the boys:
Bruce Springsteen, The Promise This is truly beautiful stuff. Also essential is watching the HBO documentary of the making of Darkness on the Edge of Town, with amazing footage of inside the studio and lots of real insights into the artistic process. Darkness was actually the first Springsteen album I owned so I've always had a soft spot for it, seeing the album or mores worth of great material from those sessions gives a better understanding of what the album is, on relistening, as well as adding 20 odd quality tracks to our collections. It is a case of what the album could have been but was not, by deliberate choice. And it's not often we really get that level of stickybeaking into creation. Even people not into Bruce would benefit from seeing the doco, it's a real close examination of the artistic process.
Bob Dylan, The Witmark Demos: 1962-1964 (The Bootleg Series Vol. 9) Well it's Bob and lots of good stuff but not as essential as the Bruce for the reasons above. Recently I have been obsessing over some gospel era live shows and those are my personal pick for Bootleg Series 10. I know that at least for April 20, 1980 Massey Hall Toronto gig there is an officially recorded by Sony audio and video record. Bob's ambivalence or otherwise about the era is unknowable of course, but I'd love to see something new added to the official record. Of course, the unofficial record has been ahead of the curve for decades, this article is worth reading for that, "the wisdom of bootleggers over gatekeepers"
Riley, Grandma's Roadhouse As this Nashville Scene article says "long lost country rock gem" featuring Gary Stewart.
Everything from Soundway To wit,The World Ends: Afro Rock and Psychadelia in 1970s Nigeria, Nigeria Special, Volume 2: Modern Highlife, Afro Sounds & Nigerian Blues 1970-6 and The Sound of Siam : Leftfield Luk Thung, Jazz and Molam from Thailand 1964 - 1975
Next Stop .... Soweto Volumes 2 and 3 series from Strut. Free tracks, info and sounds at the Volume 2 and Volume 3 microsites. I'll single out Vol. 3 Vol. 3: Giants, Ministers and Makers: Jazz in South Africa 1963-1978 since the rock, funk soul crate digging comps are a dime a dizen these days so I really loved hearing the jazz side of things.
A short (16 songs, just over an hour) selection of tracks:
And in no order the final list of the records covered in the previous six posts, which are all here.
Marshall Chapman, Big Lonesome
Buddy Guy, Living Proof
The Fabulous Ginn Sisters, You Can't Take a Bad Girl Home
Phosphorescent, Here's To Taking it Easy
Sharon Jones & the DapKings - I Learned the Hard Way
Aloe Blacc, Good Things
The Secret Sisters, The Secret Sisters
American Graveyard, Hallelujahland
Whitey Morgan and the 78s, Honky Tonks and Cheap Motels
Hellbound Glory, Scumbag Country
Joe Pug, Messenger
Chris Altmann, Que Paso
Mary Gauthier, The Foundling
Tom Jones, Praise & Blame
Marty Stuart, Ghost Train
Justin Townes Earle, Harlem River Blue
Shelby Lynne, Tears, Lies & Alibis
Cotton Jones, Tall Hours in the Glowstream
Ray Wiley Hubbard, A. Enlightenment, B. Endarkenment Hint There is no C
Lil Band O Gold, The Promised Land
Raul Malo, Saints & Sinners
Los Lobos, Tin Can Trust
The Tallest Man on Earth, the Wild Hunt
Chelsea Crowell, self-titled (honorary 2009 ring-in)
Huun-Huur-Tur, Ancestor's Call
Gregory Porter, Water
Lucky Peterson, You Can Always Turn Around
The Carter Family III, Past & Present
Elizabeth Cook, Welder
Mike Stinson, The Jukebox in Your Heart
Cedric Watson et Bijou Creole, Creole Moon: Live at the Blue Moon Saloon
Mike Stinson, The Jukebox in Your Heart
Mike Stinson is sort of a John Prine meets Dwight Yoakam, with some Tom T. Hall and he is ace. This is one of my very, very favourites of the year. "Square with the World" is an instant choice for the songs you want at your funeral, "Walk Away" is a heartbreaking ode to big decisions and there area bunch of wry drinking songs besides. It rocks.
My only complaint really is making me listen repeatedly (as that is how I listen to The Jukebox in Your Heart) to a song called "Ashes II" with the line "still the same old nightmares come around." ;-(
Cedric Watson et Bijou Créole, Creole Moon: Live from the Blue Moon Saloon
Cedric Watson has been a rising star in cajun/zydeco for a few years now with some very fine records but I really like the energy a live set (deep in the heart of Arcadia in Lafayette) brings to it so I've it over the studio album he put out his year L'esprit Créole (but you should get that too if you like this sort of stuff.)
Ray Wylie Hubbard, A: Enlightenment B: Endarkenment (Hint: There Is No C)
I don't think I rate any of RWH's albums as anything less than excellent (though sadly I don't have any of his 70s albums, they're hard to get) and a new collection of his cosmic Texas grooves is a joyful addition to the world. Hard to pick a standout, all the songs are.
Elizabeth Cook, Welder
Nothing so breakout as "Balls" her previous album, but worthy album of country rockers, ballads, a leftfield cover of Faron Young's "Blackland Farmer" and a double helping of sass.
Huun-Huur-Tur, Ancestor's Call
Yes, I hear you say, this list has had lots of country and folk and some blues, some New Orleans and Texas sounds, some this and some that. But where? Is the Tuvan throat singing? Gotcha covered right here. Had Huun-Huur-Tur's previous album in my year end a couple of years ago and Ancestor's Call is in much the same vein so needs a spot to. Despite the reputation and undoubted strangeness to non-Steppes ears I find this music comforting for some reason. The clip clop of the horses seems to underpin the whole flow; see here for some insights into what they're actually singing.
There aren't really any live YouTubes that do it justice for mine so if you're interested track down the music as recorded.
Gregory Porter, Water
Time for some vocal jazz! Cool guy, hot voice - a voice very much in the traditional crooner mould (he's performed on Broadway & does a Nat King Cole tribute show which gives you an idea) but, while certainly colouring between the lines, the album has also an effortless modern touch and style. This is his first album, an up and comer. (Of course I can't say or think his name without adding "The only thing I knew about Gregory Porter was that his name wasn't Gregory Porter.")
Lucky Peterson, You Can Always Turn Around
I want to say "traditional blues" but there are enough other elements to not make that quite accurate, "I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free" swings and the opening to "I'm New Here" is as fine folk-country picking as you'll hear, "Trampled Rose" is, i dunno, some gypsy-Arabic thing happening. But he pulls it off, complemented by the fine vocals of Tamara Peterson.
The Carter Family III, Past & Present
The Carter Family III is Dale Jett (A.P and Sarah Carter's grandson), John Carter Cash and his wife Sarah. and is "just" a really fine collection of old timey tracks in the (surprise) Carter Family style. Not much by way of video for this ... but here's John Carter and Dale Jett (autoharp) on a Carter track together, plus bonus Tom T Hall.
This is the fourth instalment in my 2010 retrospective. They are in no order, I just made a list then took the first five for the first post, next five or six for the next and so on. I might comment on some that they are a cut above the pack but otherwise there is no ranking at all.
Raul Malo, Saints & Sinners
Raul's fourth album in five years, the others have made my year ending list too. Raul is not those who favour mumbling, ironic alt.country; they are soaring songs from an old fashioned school of pop craft. He's also had five record labels in ten years solo post-Mavericks so I hope at Fantasy he finds what he's looking for and we get more, please.
Chelsea Crowell, self-titled
ACTUALLY, this is a 2009 release (but November, c'mon) but I didn't realise that til I was googling links to write this, so it stays. All complaints should be directed to the Federal Minister for Arts. This is a very charming and catchy collection of folk-pop-country (I particularly like "Tremelo Trees", "Where the Hell is Robert E Lee" and "I Want My Seven years Back") which is worth listening to for itself and as a very promising debut so you can say you knew her way back when. You are welcome.
Plus her Twitter background is Robocop riding a unicorn. Case closed.
UM WHAT there are no videos ANYWHERE for her. But there are couple of songs on the above linked website. Give 'em a whirl.
Los Lobos, Tin Can Trust
Hard to go past Los Lobos for musical talent per square member, or consistency over a couple of decades. Tin Can Trust offers a familiar formula of thoughful Tex-Mex bar rock - um, OK that might not actually be it's own actual formula. But if it is, they invented it. I also today picked up La Pistola Y El Corozan from 1988, because what else would you follow up a gigantic smash hit number 1 ("La Bamba") with but an album of traditional Mexican folk songs?
The Tallest Man on Earth, the Wild Hunt
This dude is a Swedish dude and is quite the hot young thing in singer-songwriter world. For more than that I'm gonna link to Tim and James. (Hey, finding something to write about a million bloody albums every December is hard, walk a mile in my shoes.)
The vid is a cover of "Graceland" (NB: Not on the album)
Mary Gauthier, The Foundling See here for my thoughts on the new record after Mary's tour out her earlier this year.
Instead of a musicy one (tho it DOES include a song), I'll post here her contribution to the It Gets Better campaign. In the couple of days since I found this and parked it in the draft of this post, I've watched it a dozen times. Mary is adorable and orsm, so warm and expansive in her nature and her music. Plus she wrote "I Drink" iwhich is legitimately one of the greatest pure country songs ever written. She was out her just this past weekend but I missed her Sydney gig due to already having tickets to something else which of course got rained out. Boo. But I'll be there next time for sure.
Tom Jones, Praise & Blame
Well hey now, expecting a few rolled eyes on this, Tom Jones does a record of blues and gospel songs. A cynicism about the trend of aging rockers rediscovering the roots with the help of a hipster celebrity producer (Ethan Johns in this case) is understandable although I've never shared in it. This formula has produced great, good and mediocre albums in the same proportion as any other theory the industry has pursued. A generous dose of opportunism isn't, it turns out, any barrier to producing enjoyable music. Sound Opinions is a podcast of Jim De Rogatis and Greg Kot, two long standing music critics, whose opinions I respect although there's not much overlap for me in their indie rock focus, but they're very knowledgeable on "my kind of music too." So anyway their attitude in this was "WTF the dude that sings Sex Bomb and gets ladies' panties tossed at him should not sing the blues" and gave it a "Trash It" on their (very useful) Buy It, Burn It, Trash It scale. I was rather taken aback with the vehemence of the insistence this record should not even be a thing that exists in the world. But to me even before I heard it I didn't dismiss it. I don't know much about Tom Jones' background really (though I listened to this BBC Desert Islands Discs chat which was interesting) but it didn't seem implausible to me that the atmosphere of the small town Welsh chapel of the 40s and 50s might actually share some sensibilities with Southern Gospel, and while he's a bit older than the Stones and Claptons etc but I didn't see any reason why an interest in this kind of music had to be completely manufactured. So prima facie, bring it on and I vowed to judge on its merits.
Since it is in this list it is probably redundant to say I actually really love it, and its in the top few in terms of albums I've listened most to this year. Naturally if you need to compare everything in music to everything else in music, Tom Jones doing "Didn't It Rain" may not be in the same category with Sister Rosetta Tharp or Mahalia Jackson but I don't see why it wouldn't compare to Little Richard. Some people aren't going to be able to put out of their mind it is Tom Jones which is fine, but if you're not hamstrung by that this is a completely enjoyable album by a guy who still has a great voice, a seeming genuine feel for the music and spot on back up musos and production.
The following vid is Burning Hell, but I'd hardly be fulfilling my sacred duty as a worker in the Dylan-Industrial Complex if I didn't also link to his cover of "What Good Am I?"
Marty Stuart has a voice, man I would listen to him sing the proverbial phone book. Happily though he has not forced me to make good on that promise and just keeps releasing top notch albums of country fucking music. That is all that needs to be said about that.
(I know you'll probably not watch the second one - psychology y'all! - but he talks about J.R Cash shoving the Washington Monument up his nose so for that reason you might wanta. Sniff. )
Justin Townes Earle, Harlem River Blues
Justin, oh Justin. JTE is continuing his music journey, and while his first, raw album still packs the biggest punch for me I am loving watching him build his musical self from the ground up. He's ratcheded up the production values and sonic scope each album without losing the JTE favoured themes of rootlessness, country mythology and just out of reach possibilities of forgiveness. Plenty to love here in still the most exciting career in development.
Shelby is keeping the cool, cocktail hour end of country and soul alive. We like this. Not quite as explicitly as on her album last year of Dusty Springfield covers but after doing those old songs she's done a whole album of new ones in the same vein.
If you like the Phosphorescent sound I listed previously in the series, then Cotton Jones is a band you'll want to check out. There are some differences, CJ is more dreamily languorous lead singer Michael Nau's voice has a crustier (in a good way) edge. Good Sunday morning stuff.
This is "Man Climbs Out of the Winter" which is my fave off the record:
This is the second instalment in my 2010 retrospective. They are in no order, I just made a list then took the first five for the first post, next five or six for the next and so on. I might comment on some that they are a cut above the pack but otherwise there is no ranking at all.
The Secret Sisters, The Secret Sisters
The Secret Sisters are championed by Jack White and their debut is produced by T-Bone Burnett, so that's some serious clout out of the gate. Twitter description: Out of Alabama, Laura and Lydia Roger are a female Everly Brothers at their countriest (and then some), backed up with 50s/60s classic country sounds.
I'll group these together since they represent some solid hard core honky tonk and if you like that why keep you in suspense by dragging them out? I didn't get Hank III's record yet which explains its non-inclusion.
If I were ranking these two would be at the very top. Well I guess I raved enough about both of them here. But still I don't think you can listen to "Bury Me far From My Uniform" too often:
I included the BB King/Buddy Guy vid in the post below cos its BB King and Buddy Guy buy there are more energetic blues numbers on the record, so for balance heres "On the Road"
This is the first five records in my 2010 retrospective. They are in no order, I just made a list then took the first five for this first post, next five for the next and so on. I might comment on some that they are a cut above the pack but otherwise there is no ranking at all.
Marshall Chapman, Big Lonesome
Found via Fervor Coulee.
Marshall Chapman has an interesting and eclectic tale, one until recently I was in complete ignorance of. She seems to have flirted with some kind of breaking through in the 70s and 80s country/rock and has diversified in recent years into books and movies (she plays Gwyneth Paltrow's manager in the upcoming Country Strong, which looks very Crazy Heart-ish in which a boozy country singer goes on a character arc. Looks like some crunchy country soap so I'll definitely make a date one Cheap Tuesday after its released. And hey looking at that trailer it looks like Tim McGraw can act, which is more than we can say for Colin Farrell.) Big Lonesome is a low key but endearing collection of country-folk, with dashes of blues and swing.
Buddy Guy, Living Proof
Well, I don't think I need to sell this one other than saying Buddy is in top form, and if you are inclined to like Buddy Living Proof won't leave you thinking he should've given it up. No surprises in the fact the duet with Santana adds nothing, but OTOH is the duet with BB King, not that it's earth shattering but it's Buddy Guy and BB King.
A very fun, melodic and sexy outing from The Ginn Sisters, who have previously worked back up for Fred Eaglesmith. "Hey, Doll" (in vid below) is the stand out in the "find yourself constantly singing the refrain throughout the day" test but the rest is infectious and with a good mix of styles (sometimes reminiscent of the earliest Dixie Chicks, sometimes more a soupy type of country-pop).
Phosphorescent, Here's To Taking it Easy Tim Dunlop's spruik will suffice here, with the additional comment the songs he particularly disses are some of my faves.
Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings - I Learned the Hard Way
Sharon Jones has her thing and it shows no signs of being played out, I didn't see her Sydney show last week but reports are good. I thought although I loved their first album i might find I didn't need a new album of it every 18 months or so, particularly in the increasingly crowded retro soul marketplace. But they're still the best at it. Speaking of retro soul I'll also throw Aloe Blacc in here. His Good Things doesn't quite entrance me as much as the Daptone output but the single "I Need A Dollar" is killer and I've got a ticket to his Festival Bar show at the Sydney Festival.
Recent Comments