My Aimz Is True

Concert Review: Lucero, New Years Eve, Boston

2012-01-25T15:37:00.001-05:00

"Why is Aimz going to see Lucero on New Years Eve? Has she lost her mind?" - My Latin friend Isabel referring to the Mexican soap opera/pop music star.

I know people hate New Years Eve, and that it's "amateur night," and blah, blah, blah, but damn I love ringing in the new year by rocking out! For the last four or five years I have spent my New Years Eve in Toronto at the Horseshoe Tavern having The Sadies start my year off by giving me significant hearing damage. But I no longer live in Toronto, and haven't lived in Boston long enough to find a local favorite band. So when I saw that Lucero was playing a New Years Eve gig in Boston at the Paradise Rock Club (within stumbling distance of my home) I jumped to my keyboard and bought tickets off of the Lucero web site pronto!

This was Lucero's first New Years Eve gig outside of Memphis, and they pulled out all of the stops. The band dressed up! Lead singer Ben Nichols wore a coat, button-down shirt, and tie, with a hat. This outfit freaked me out because I have only ever seen Nichols in a white V-neck T-shirt. Bassist John C. Stubblefield was dressed like one of the Blues Brothers, and keyboardist Rick Steff donned a dapper coat. Lead guitarist Brian Venable apparently said, "fuck this" and wore his usual T-shirt with cut off sleeves and a baseball hat. Awesome.

The audience was really great. The show was nearly sold out, yet there was no beer-throwing or an overabundance of moshing that has plagued other Lucero shows that I have attended (see Toronto, October 20, 2009). I don't know if this good behavior was due to extra security at the Paradise, or if Boston fans are more civilized, or if there weren't any kids/students in town due to winter break (or a little of all three). Regardless, this was the first Lucero show that I have been to where I didn't have to take a shower and do laundry to wash all of the flying Coors Light off of me at the end of the night.

Lucero opened the show with "That Much Further West." They brought the horn section! Two dudes: one on trumpet and one switching between tenor and baritone saxophones. "West" was followed by the heart breaker "Nights Like These." And in terms of set list.....that's all I got. Hey! It was New Years and I was busy getting drunk!

I can always say, "I'm sorry I's drunk," so many times 'til it doesn’t mean much.

Last Night in Town.mp3
Buy (mp3): Nobody's Darlings (2005)

The set list was probably very similar to the Dec 30 set in New York. I do remember them doing many songs from their 2009 album 1372 Overton Park, a few new ones from their upcoming release Women & Work, and the requisite Nichols solo mini-set. I also remember that they did not do very many songs, if any, from the 2006 release Rebels, Rogues, and Sworn Brothers, which is my favorite from the Lucero catalog.

Sing Me No Hymns.mp3
Buy: Rebels, Rogues & Sworn Brothers (2006)
I don't think that they played this on New Years, but I don't care. It is a bad-ass song.

The weird part about Lucero shows is that there is so much bro-mance at thees gigs. You would think that with a male to female ratio of about 5 to 1 that a girl could get a midnight kiss. But no! Then again, I did wreak of beer. Shouldn't that be a turn on?

It was really cold in Boston that night, so there was a significant lineup for the coat check at the end of the show. Huge coat check lines are presumably not an issue in Memphis. The cool part about waiting around for my jacket is that the musicians came out and talked to the fans after the show. Despite being drunk as hell I got to chat with Steff and tell him about much his rock piano rules. And I gave a big drunken hug to Nichols of my way out. (How embarrassing am I? WTF is wrong with me?)

I must compliment the staff of the Paradise on throwing a really good New Years party. They provided goofy party hats and horns, plus balloons at midnight, and the bartenders were quick with the drinks. The security dudes were really friendly and professional. It was a great evening.

Lucero's new album Women & Work will be released on March 13. Here's a teaser video from the band.

Track Listing:
1. Downtown (Intro)
2. On My Way Downtown
3. Women & Work
4. It May Be Too Late
5. Juniper
6. Who You Waiting On?
7. I Can't Stand To Leave You
8. When I Was Young
9. Sometimes.mp3
Pre-order: Women & Work
10. Like Lightning
11. Go Easy

Lucero Tour Dates:
2/23 - Hot Springs, AR @ Maxine's Pub
2/24 - Fayetteville, AR @ George's Majestic Lounge*
2/25 - Fayetteville, AR @ George's Majestic Lounge
3/01 - Girdwood, AK @ The Sitzmark Bar & Grill / Aleyska
3/02 - Girdwood, AK @ The Sitzmark Bar & Grill / Aleyska
3/03 - Girdwood, AK @ The Sitzmark Bar & Grill / Aleyska
3/09 - Louisville, KY @ Headliners Music Hall^
3/10 - Birmingham, AL @ Zydeco^
3/11 - New Orleans, LA @ Tipitina's Uptown^
3/12 - Houston, TX @ Fitzgerald's Upstairs #
3/14 - Dallas, TX @ Trees^
3/19 - Phoenix, AZ @ The Crescent Ballroom
3/20 - Solana Beach, CA @ The Belly Up Tavern
3/21 - Los Angeles, CA @ Music Box
3/23 - San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore
3/24 - Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom
3/25 - Seattle, WA @ Neumos
3/28 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge**
3/29 - Fort Collins, CO @ Aggie Theater**
3/30 - Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theater**
3/31 - Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theater**
4/01 - Colorado Springs, CO @ The Black Sheep**
4/03 - Rock Island, IL @ Rock Island Brewing Company^
4/04 - Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue^
4/05 - Madison, WI @ Majestic Theater^
4/06 - Milwaukee, WI @ Turner Hall^
4/07 - Chicago, IL @ Metro^
4/09 - Columbus, OH @ The Bluestone^
4/11 - Cincinnati, OH @ Bogart's^
4/12 - Cleveland Heights, OH @ Grog Shop^
4/13 - Detroit, MI @ Magic Stick^
4/14 - Toronto, ONT @ Lee's Palace^^
4/15 - Montreal, QUE @ Les Foufounes Electriques^^
4/18 - Northampton, MA @ Pearl Street Nightclub^^
4/19 - Boston, MA @ Paradise^^
4/20 - New York, NY @ Webster Hall^^
4/21 - Pawtucket, RI @ The Met Cafe^^
4/22 - Philadelphia, PA @ Abbey Bar Appalachian Brewing Company^^
4/24 - Harrisburg, PA @ Abbey Bar at Appalachian Brewing
4/25 - Washington, D.C. @ 9:30 Club
4/26 - Richmond, VA @ The Hat Factory^^
4/27 - Asheville, NC @ The Orange Peel^^
4/28 - Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade - Heaven Stage^^

* w/ Adam Faucett and The Tall Grass
# w/ Built To Spill and Dinosaur Feathers
^ w/ William Elliott Whitmore
** w/ Larry and His Flask
^^ w/ J. Roddy Walston & The Business

Bonus! As I was preparing this post Lucero released another teaser video.

The Weight

2012-01-07T17:33:00.001-05:00

I know I rip on Wilco a lot, but this is pretty damn good. Mavis Staples leads Nick Lowe and Wilco in their rendition of The Band's classic "The Weight" backstage at the Civic Opera House in Chicago in December 2011.

Also watch the killer original from the best concert film of all time, 1973's The Last Waltz. A young Mavis Staples wails out the second verse. I love the comment on the youtube page that says, "Rick Danko looks like a little bit like what I imagine 'Crazy Chester' looks like, especially when singing his part." Danko rocks the bad-ass fretless bass.

Feel Bad For 2011

2012-01-07T12:32:00.000-05:00

This month for the Feel Bad For You comp we were asked to submit one of our favorite tracks from the last year. So as we give 2011 a swift kick in the ass good-bye, here are some of the best songs of 2011, as contributed by bloggers, tweeters, members of the altcountrytab.ca forum, and other rogues and rapscallions.

Download

1. Powder Mill - Devil In New Orleans
Southern Independent Vol. 2
Submitted By: Adam Sheets
Comments: Of all the exclusives we put on the three volumes of Southern Independent, this is probably my favorite.

2. Robyn Ludwick - New Orleans
Out Of These Blues
Submitted By: Mando Lines
Comments: My favorite track off of one of my favorite records of 2011. Robyn Ludwick is a Robison, as in sister to Charlie and Bruce, but she's got her own take on being a singer-songwriter. As New Orleans demonstrates, her voice is sexy, her lyrics are smart and her songs are real.

3. Mount Moriah - The Reckoning
Mount Moriah
Submitted By: Ryan (Verbow at Altcountrytab)
Comments: One of the more upbeat songs off this album. Sweet vocals, beautiful melody, just makes you feel good all over. If you've ever liked any music described as "alt-country" you need to check this album out. A perfect blend of country and indie rock - go get this one now.

4. Daniel Knox - I Make Enemies.mp3
Buy: Everyman for Himself
Submitted By: April @ Now This Sound Is Brave
Comments: Since I already submitted my favorite song of 2011 to the August FBFY, here's my top runner-up from Couch by Couchwest alumni Daniel Knox. With some help from Akron, Ohio's own Ralph Carney (Tin Huey, Tom Waits, the Black Keys), Knox spins a heartfelt tale of love for humanity. Ah, my cockles, they are warmed.

5. Ghosts I've Met - Out With The Embers
From A Spark
Submitted By: erschen

6. Robyn Ludick - Out Of These Blues
Out Of These Blues
Submitted By: Truersound
Comments: Has been my favorite song for the better part of the year. I love everything about it.

7. Artist: Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears - You Been Lyin’
Scandalous
Submitted By: BoogieStudio22
Comments: Four of my top ten favorite albums leaned toward R&B and Soul-influenced sound. Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears captured it beautifully. Great band to see live too!

8. John Paul Keith - You Devil You
The Man That Time Forgot
Submitted By: mikeorren
Comments: Lots of new music this year, but I keep going back to this one. And I'm always a sucker for a Devil song.

9. JEFF the brotherhood - Bummer
We Are The Champions
Submitted By: annieTUFF
Comments: I was able to catch JEFF the brotherhood at the Pilot Light here in Knoxville back in September, and I feel really lucky that I did. It was an amazing show, one that I keep thinking about. (I posted about it on my tumblr...just in case you wanna see pics) It was definitely in my top live shows of 2011, sooooo I decided to pick a song off their 2011 album "We Are The Champions" for this mix.

10. 4 On The Floor - Workin' Man Zombie.mp3
Buy: 4 x 4
Submitted By: toomuchcountry
Comments: Nothing like a little optimism about the working life to begin the new year.

11. The Dead Exs - Shut Up And Love Me
Resurrection
Submitted By: Popa2unes
Comments: I’m trying to make it on 10 dollars a day, I’m working part time and their docking my pay, My baby tells me we got three mouths to feed, I’d stop complaining if she just say to me, Shut up and love me.

12. Lori McKenna - Sweet Disposition
Lorraine
Submitted By: Rockstar_Aimz
Comments: I think that this song may be about me.

13. Zoe Muth & Lost High Rollers - Before the Night is Gone
Starlight Hotel
Submitted By: Simon

14. Childish Gambino - Freaks and Geeks.mp3
From: Freaks and Geeks EP
Submitted By: philnorman
Comments: My favorite records of the year would be folks like Jason Isbell, Chis Thile & Michael Daves, Glossary, and Gillian. But when I looked at my iTunes play counts, a little guilty pleasure was right there at the top. Donald Glover is insanely talented.

15. The Pollies - Ashes of Burned Out Stars.mp3
From: N/A - Live From The Shoals track (rough)
Submitted By: Corey Flegel - This Is American Music
Comments: The Pollies are just another band along with DBT, Jason Isbell, The Civil Wars, Doc Dailey, and Lauderdale that hail from Muscle Shoals, Alabama. No big deal...they will have their proper coming out party in 2012. Be ready...

16. Kelsey Waldon - God-Fearing People
Anybody's Darlin' EP
Submitted By: Trailer

More from 2011

2012-01-06T00:29:00.000-05:00

Other albums from 2011 that I really liked (in alphabetical order by artist):

Kasey Anderson and the Honkies - Heart of a Dog
Blackie and the Rodeo Kings - Kings and Queens
The Civil Wars - Barton Hollow
Dawes - Nothing is Wrong
The Decemberists - The King is Dead
Drive-By Truckers - Go-Go Boots
Foo Fighters - Wasting Light
Glossary - Long Live All of Us
Ha Ha Tonka - Death of a Decade
Lauderdale - Moving On
Middle Brother - Middle Brother
Old 97's - Grand Theatre Vol. 2
Tom Russell - Mesabi
Matthew Ryan - I Recall Standing As Though Nothing Could Fall
Tom Waits - Bad as Me

Album cover of the year, Everything the Hard Way by

John Moreland & The Dust Bowl Souls (also, a pretty good album)

Some of my favorite songs of the year (excluding songs from my Top 10 Favorite Albums):

Ryan Adams - Lucky Now
From: Ashes and Fire

Kasey Anderson and the Honkies - Save it for Later
From: Heart of a Dog

Chris Bathgate - No Silver
From: Salt Year

Blackie and the Rodeo Kings - My Town Has Moved Away (with Pam Tillis).mp3
Buy: Kings & Queens

The Civil Wars - Barton Hollow
From: Barton Hollow

Michael Dean Damron - Clean
From: Plea from a Ghots

Dave Hause - Time Will Tell
From: Resolutions

Dawes - If I Wanted Someone
From: Nothing is Wrong

The Dead Exes - Shut Up and Love Me
From: Resurrection

The Decemberists - Dear Avery
From: The King is Dead

Dolorean - The Unfazed
From: The Unfazed

Drive-By Truckers - The Weakest Man
Buy: Go-Go Boots

Foo Fighters - These Days
From: Wasting Light

Ha Ha Tonka - Usual Suspects
From: Death of a Decade

Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit - Everywhere With Helicopter
From: Sing For Your Meat: A Tribute To Guided By Voices

Lauderdale - The Cost
From: Moving On

Laura Marling - The Beast
From: A Creature I Don't Know

Lori McKenna - Sweet Disposition.mp3
Buy: Lorraine

The Low Anthem - Apothecary Love
From: Smart Flesh

Middle Brother - Daydreaming
From: Middle Brother

Tom Russell - Mesabi.mp3
Buy: Mesabi

Vulture Whale - Land It
From: Vulture Whale

Tom Waits - Kiss Me
From: Bad as Me

Matt Woods - Days of Walking
From: The Matt Woods Manifesto

Wye Oak - Civilian
From: Civilian

My Favorite Albums of 2011

2011-12-30T16:03:00.000-05:00

I guess I lose what little blogger cred that I have if I don't post an end-of-the-year "Best Of" list before 2012. I'm getting it in just under the wire. These are my favorite albums on this day, the 31st of December, in the year of our lord 2011, and it is subject to change whenever I feel like it. Seriously, it's been a great year for music, and it was really difficult for me to make this list. Feel free to heap praise on me or call me a pretentious overbearing wretch.

1. Hayes Carll - KMAG YOYO (and Other American Stories)

Such a solid country/alt country album. I saw Carll live twice this year which possibly (probably) biased this decision, but this was also the album I listen to the most in 2011. Country rockers, ballads, duets, trios, humor, slobber-into-your-beer heart-breakers, and even a Christmas song. This album has it all. See my review of his Boston show on April 23 for a song-by-song rundown. You were fallin' like the Alamo, drinkin' fast and talkin' slow, lookin' like it's time to go home.

KMAG YOYO.mp3
Buy: KMAG YOYO (& other American stories)

2. Frank Turner - England Keep My Bones

Franky T. and his band put on my favorite show of 2011, which I never got around to reviewing (sorry). Asides from that killer show, this album was a huge leap in songwriting from a guy who was already pretty damn good at it. Lots of proud references to his homeland of England on this record, including a gorgeous a capella anthem, which he totally nailed at the Boston gig. Now who’d've thought, after all, something as simple as rock n’ roll would save us all?

I Am Disappeared.mp3
Buy: England Keep My Bones

3. Gillian Welch - The Harrow and the Harvest

Gillian Welch doesn't make a lot of records, but when she does they are stellar recordings. This album can be described as a neo-traditional country with elements of bluegrass and lots and lots of killer guitar playing from Welch and her co-writer/partner-in-crime Dave Rawlings. Check out this video from their appearance on Conan. That's the way that it ends, though there was a time when you and I were friends.

Scarlet Town.mp3
Buy: The Harrow & The Harvest

4. Deer Tick - Divine Providence

Loud, fun, drunken rock and roll. It's seems so easy, yet so many bands fuck it up. Then there's Deer Tick, the miscreants out of Providence, Rhode Island. I saw these juvenile delinquents at the Daytrotter Barnstormer tour in Maine, just before hurricane Irene, in a small, hot and sweaty hall. So fun, just like this album. We're full grown men, we act like kids. We'll face the music next time we roll in.

Let's All go to the Bar.mp3
Buy: Divine Providence

5. Chuck Ragan - Covering Ground

This is an album of folk music that only someone with the intensity of Chuck Ragan can deliver. The instrumentation is mostly acoustic guitar with backing fiddle and occasional harmonica. The loose theme throughout the record is Ragan's experience as a touring musician on the road. Some may say I'm a nomad by fate,
tempered from the road right after being forged in flames. "Meet You in the Middle" is a standout track which features Brian Fallon of Gaslight Anthem on vocals.

Nothing Left to Prove.mp3
Buy: Covering Ground

6. Austin Lucas - A New Home In the Old World

Lucas does it again with a stellar country/alt country album with elements of bluegrass, rock, and even some hints of classic gospel music, with diverse instrumentation from fiddle to pedal-steel. The musicianship shines on this album, which is not a surprise when you learn that members of Lucero and Magnolia Electric Co. severed as the backing band during recording. The lyrics are just as good, with this former punk rocker finding his songwriting groove. More than mere highways rest between you and I, and that lonesome Nevada county line.

Run Around.mp3
Buy: A New Home In The Old World

7. Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit - Here We Rest

Here We Rest is a slight departure from his previous two solo albums in that it is more of a singer/songwriter type of album as opposed to the blues-based country rock that permeates his previous releases. For example, "Alabama Pines" is an homage or even a love song to his home state, which really shows Isbell's growth as a songwriter. Check out their Letterman appearance from November 4 with the song Codeine. If there's two things that I hate, it's having to cook and trying to date.

Go It Alone.mp3
Buy: Here We Rest

8. Robyn Ludwick - Out of These Blues

My colleague over at A Truer Sound introduced me to this album early in 2011, and I kept coming back to it. Robyn Ludwick's voice and music slightly resembles Lucinda Williams, only a little softer and sweeter with a Texas drawl. Ludwick sings about being down and out, broken hearted, and homesick. This album was produced by Gurf Morlix, one of the best in the business. Don't be hard on yourself, son, I knew you were leavin'. You always wanted to climb to the top of the world.

Fight Song.mp3
Buy: Out of These Blues

9. J. Mascis - Several Shades of Why

Raise your hand if you have ever had hearing damage after J. Mascis's band Dinosaur Jr. blasted you into next week at one of their live shows. (Aimz raises hand.) So you would think that a solo acoustic album by the god of the Jazzmaster may not be so good. You would be WRONG! It all comes down to songwriting, and Mascis excels at it. This record showcases Mascic's unique voice and stellar lyrics make this one of the sleeper albums of 2011. And I know in my mind, I know I should be grateful. But it's hard for me, I'm done so easily.

Is It Done.mp3
Buy: Several Shades of Why

10. Todd Snider - Todd Snider Live: The Storyteller

If you own zero Todd Snider albums you should get this one. If you own every Todd Snider album you should get this one. Here Snider captures his live show on a two disc set, where he plays most of his classics and tells stories behind some of the songs. It's almost a greatest hits style of album, only live and with intermittent story breaks. His live show in Boston in February played out like the record. Snider is the best in the business at this brand of hippie folk rock and storytelling. This record highlights Snider's wacky sense of humor, but even the serious, poignant songs will make you play the album again and again. That last song was such a touching little number about athleticism and hallucinogenic drugs. You don't really hear enough of that in folk music anymore. I'm just doing what I can.

KK Rider Story.mp3
Don't it Make You Wanna Dance.mp3
Buy: Todd Snider Live: The Storyteller

X-mas Mash-ups Yo!

2011-12-23T01:24:00.000-05:00

I had a bunch of Christmas music posts planned, but here I am at my folk's place playing Ms. Computer Repairer, for both my parent's PC and my crappy netbook. Argh. It's not putting me in the holiday spirit, I tell you what. But anyhoo, who loves mash-ups? Me! Who really loves mash-ups with good (bad) Christmas tunes? MEEEEE!!!

The first three are a few of my favorites from the fantastic Santastic collection, which is a group of DJ's that have been putting out a disc worth of Christmas mash-ups and remixes since 2006. You can download all of the albums/tracks for free, and, if you are able, please make a donation to several charities that they support.

mojochronic - Yuletide Zeppelin.mp3 (various Led Zeppelin vs. various Christmas)
From (free download): Santastic III: In 3-D (2008)

mojochronic - Rudolph (You Don't Have To Put On The Red Light).mp3 (The Police vs. Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer)
From (free download): Santastic V: Snow, Man! (2010)
Video: Rudolph (You Don't Have To Put On The Red Light)

Divide and Kreate - Santatage.mp3 (Beastie Boys vs. Otis Redding vs. Run DMC)
From (free download): Santastic Six: 100% Holiday Mash-ups and Remixes (2011)

I first found the below track from an article in the Toronto Star in 2007. It takes the worst Christmas song, and makes it into one of the best. Unfortunately, it's no longer posted on the website where I originally found it (http://mp3j.podomatic.com/).

MP3J - Christmastime Firestarter.mp3 (Paul McCartney vs. The Prodigy)

Years ago when I was living in St. Louis I bought this comp by a bunch of local musicians put together as a charity project for a local food bank. While this isn't actually a mash-up, it's still one of the funniest things that I have ever heard.

Rocket Park - Rudolph the Redneck Reindeer.mp3 (Lynyrd Skynyrd vs. Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer)
From: Better Than Fruitcake (2000, out of print)

Country Christmas Y'all

2011-12-17T02:20:00.002-05:00

Christmas and country music go together like peas and carrots. It's that time of year where Santa corrals up his steeds, puts on his spurs, and delivers presents to all of the good little cowpokes who have never heard of, much less seen, snow. Don't mind that flask of shine that Santa has stashed in his leather vest. It's hard work delivering present all over the world! And if you are an extra good little rocker, Santa may bring you a new steel gee-tar for Christmas. Yeee-Haw!

Brenda Lee - I'm Gonna Lasso Santa Claus.mp3
From: Hillbilly Holiday (1990, out of print, song orig. 1956)

Hayes Carll - Grateful for Christmas.mp3
Buy: KMAG YO YO (2011)

Country Mike - Country Christmas.mp3
From: Country Mike's Greatest Hits (2000, out of print)

Asleep at the Wheel - Merry Texas Christmas Y'all.mp3
Buy: Merry Texas Christmas Y'all (1997)

Willie Nelson - Pretty Paper.mp3
Buy: Pretty Paper (1979)

Kelly Willis and Bruce Robison - Oklahoma Christmas.mp3
Buy: Happy Holidays (2006)

Loretta Lynn - Country Christmas.mp3
Buy: Christmas Collection: 20th Century Masters (2005)

Red Sovine - Santa is a Texas Cowboy.mp3
From: Christmas With Red Sovine (1978, out of print)

Oh man, I have tons of other Country Christmas music. Next year I'll make a comp, I promise.

Geriatric Rock

2011-12-15T22:04:00.001-05:00

Twitter was abuzz today with a video of Jeff Tweedy, lead singer of Wilco, channeling his inner Al Roker by announcing the weather report for Chicago's WGN television on Thursday morning. First, who gets up that early to watch the morning weather report (especially if you are in the rock and roll business)? Second, who cares that much about the weather? The answer to both of these questions: my dad. 65-year-old father of two, grandfather of one, ice fisherman extraordinaire, not quite the Grumpy Old Men curmudgeon, but getting close.

Another piece of Jeff Tweedy/Wilco news filtered under the twitter radar last night/this morning. As my colleague Cowbelle first pointed out to me, Wilco's latest album The Whole Love was named to the American Association of Retired People's 2011 Top 10 Albums for Grownups, along with albums from Tony Bennett, Barbara Streisand, and Paul Simon. I've been saying since 2004's A Ghost is Born that Wilco is "Dad Rock," i.e. something that dads listen to in order to try to convince their kids that they are cool. Thanks to AARP for validating this theory! Now I know what to get my dad for Christmas.

AARP's 2011 Top 10 Albums for Grownups
• Paul Simon, So Beautiful or So What
• Adele, 21
• Jill Scott, The Light Of The Sun
• Tom Waits, Bad As Me
• Raphael Saadiq, Stone Rollin'
• Tony Bennett, Duets II
• Barbra Streisand, What Matters Most
• Alison Krauss and Union Station, Paper Airplane
• Wilco, The Whole Love
• Yo-Yo Ma, Stuart Duncan, Edgar Meyer and Chris Thile, The Goat Rodeo Sessions

Somewhere Jay Farrar and Jay Bennett are giggling.

Born Alone.mp3
Buy: The Whole Love

I know I bust on Wilco a lot, but let's face it: they are low hanging fruit. Catch their show sometime. They are a tremendous live act. No joke.

December Feel Bad For You

2011-12-15T00:53:00.000-05:00

The monthly Feel Bad for You comp from various bloggers, tweeters, members of the altcountrytab.ca forum, and other jokers. And this one is spiked with X-mas tunes. Yay!!!

Download/Stream:

1. The Duke Spirit - This Ship Was Built To Last
Neptune (2008)
Submitted By: Shooter
Comments: Why don't you go over there and blow me and come back over here and fuck you.

2. Leonard Cohen - The Stranger Song
Songs of Leonard Cohen (1968)
Submitted By: Adam Sheets

3. Yo Yo Ma, Chris Thile, Edgar Meyer, Stuart Duncan - Quarter Chicken Dark
The Goat Rodeo Sessions (2011)
Submitted By: Phil Norman
Comments: You should need no comment after seeing the names of the four masters making this music.

4. Sidewinders - Solitary Man.mp3
From: Witchdoctor (1989, out of print)
Submitted By: BoogieStudio22
Comments: Who can resist a great Neil Diamond cover?

5. Mudlow - Zane Merite
Zane Merite (2006)
Submitted By: April @ Now This Sound Is Brave
Comments: I knew what Mudlow looked like (thanks to this photo set on Flickr) a few years before I knew what they sounded like (which seems fair enough since Mudlow takes their time between albums). And what they sound like is the noir soundtrack of my (rougher, dustier) dreams. This song will make a reappearance on their next, just-finished album, so think of it as an early preview.

6. Billy Joe Shaver - Presents From The Past.mp3
Buy: Victory (1989)
Submitted By: Truersound
Comments: It’s a Billy Joe xmas.

7. Peter Himmelman - Impermanent Things
Mission Of My Soul: The Best of Peter Himmelman (2005)
Submitted By: toomuchcountry
Comments: My knee-jerk reaction was to offer Ray LaMontagne’s "Beg, Steal or Borrow" as a Dirty Santa submission for this month's compilation. However, I'm a sucker for Christmas. I want to believe – I have to believe – that there is still a shred of relevance to it. Even if the time and events surrounding it have been bastardized by black days, cyber weeks, thoughtless gift cards, hair-graying stress over time at "your folks or mine this year?", apathetic efforts in helping the truly needy, gluttony, etc., there is still something magical about The Day. Being Jewish, Himmelman clearly didn't write this song about Christmas. Nonetheless, I think its a good kick-in-the-gut reminder where my priorities need to be - and where they shouldn't. Thus endeth the soapbox. Enjoy the track. And thanks to those who sampled, listened, downloaded, commented, and ignored my submissions this year – and to FBFY overall. See ya in 12.

8. Chris Difford - Up the Junction
Uncut Magazine Playlist (Sept 2006)
Submitted By: Simon
Comments: Had this track stuck in my head for a few days now, like this version with a little bit of steel.

9. Don Ryan - This Town.mp3
Buy (bandcamp): Tangle Town (2011)
Submitted By: popa2unes
Comments: Staying in my own backyard again this month, Don Ryan is from Hawthorne, NJ. The 18 song album is available on his bandcamp page, name your price. fantastic witty dark lyrics and multi influenced music mixed together by a mad scientist. "As defeat licks the jaws of victory, The rotten teeth of injury and insult gnaw at me, The local stigmatic handsome gentleman detonates, incinerates the town he’s living in”

10. Joe Pug - Speak Plainly Diana
Live at Lincoln Hall (2011)
Submitted By: Autopsy IV
Comments: A live album with no new songs on it a Top 10 of the year? Better fucking believe it.

11. Ronnie Lane & Steve Marriott - Ruby Jack
The Legendary Majik Mijits (1980)
Submitted By: Erschen

12. The High Score - Merry Christmas To You.mp3
Free Download: Christmas Split (2009)
Submitted By: annieTUFF
Comments: I know this wasn't technically a Christmas themed mix, but I’ve been listening to this song a bunch today…so you should too. AND it talks about New Years Eve too…soooo really it's fitting for the entire month of December (yay). This is actually one half a free split that Mic Harrison and The High Score put out for download on their website last year (it's still up, you can download both songs @ http://www.micharrison.com/Download.html). By the way, I kept going back and forth between this song, and the Dwarves "Drinkin’ Up Christmas" and the Vandals "My first X-mas As a Woman" so, go find those (slightly offensive) Christmas songs too.

13. Darby O’Gill and the Little People - Whiskey Christmas
Christmas Songs For Drunken Atheists (2007)
Submitted By: Rockstar Aimz
Comments: Christmas brings psychotic family, massive consumerism, loneliness, huge expectations, and getting stuck overnight in an airport somewhere during a goddamn snowstorm. But at least there's booze!

14. The Decemberists - Foregone
Long Live the King (2011)
Submitted By: Verbow
Comments: I never thought I would like anything by the Decemberists, but The King is Dead is my favorite album of 2011. The follow up EP Long Live the King is a pretty good addendum, with "Foregone" being the best of the bunch. Cannot believe this song didn’t make the album proper – listen to that pedal steel!

15. Riviera - Destiny
Watching Western Skies EP (2011)
Submitted By: Cowbelle
Comments: Riviera were an alt.country group in Chicago, now re-located and re-grouped in Portland, OR.

Holiday Cheer

2011-12-13T21:48:00.000-05:00

This blog has seen better days. I'm trying to get back into the swing of things, but I could use a little help. Maybe some Holiday Cheer from Old St. Nick? In other words, BOOZE!

Better Off Dead - All I Got For Christmas Was Drunk.mp3
Buy (CD Baby): A King Family Christmas (2006)

Darby O'Gill and the Little People - Christmas Whiskey.mp3
Buy: Christmas Songs for Drunken Atheists (2007)

Robert Earl Keen - Merry Christmas From the Family.mp3
Buy: Live at the Ryman (2006)

Clyde Lasley and the Cadillac Baby Specials - Santa Came Home Drunk.mp3
From: Bummed Out Christmas! (1989, out of print)

Remembering Freddie Mercury

2011-11-24T12:59:00.001-05:00

A few weeks ago at his gig in Cambridge, MA, Frank Turner lead everyone in a singalong to Queen's "Somebody to Love." (More on that later) Since then I have been on a huge Queen kick.

Today is American Thanksgiving, but it is also the 20th anniversary of the death of Queen's lead singer Freddie Mercury. Mercury was the greatest rock singer of all time, with a vocal range of four octaves, which is pretty amazing considering he had to formal vocal training. You can read the rest of his biography on line in various places, but for today I'll summarize by saying that I am thankful that Freddie Mercury was part of my musical life.

I remember when this video came out in 1981. It totally freaked me out. It's still pretty relevant 30 years later.

Gigs you should see in Boston Oct 27-28

2011-10-27T19:05:00.000-04:00

It seems like I'm always out of town when there are bands/artists touring through Boston who I really want to see. While I am away visiting family in Detroit Rock City, here are some gigs to check out.

Thursday, October 27
Gillian Welch at the Wilbur Theater

Update (from http://www.gillianwelch.com): Due to Laryngitis, Gillian Welch is unable to perform tonight (October 27, 2011). The show has been postponed to Tuesday, December 13th at 8 PM. All original tickets will be honored night of show. If for some reason you cannot attend, refunds are available at point of purchase.

I did a search for tickets a few days ago and it seemed that the original show was sold out. The postponement may be a good thing for those of us who didn't get tickets the first time around.

Gillian Welch - The Way it Goes.mp3
Buy: The Harrow & The Harvest (2011)

Friday, October 28
Biltzen Trapper with Dawes at the Royale

Oh man I really want to go to this show. I saw Blitzen Trapper a few years ago in Toronto and they were great! If anyone wants to do a guest post on this gig please e-mail me at rockstaraimz at gmail dot com.

Blitzen Trapper - Might Find It Cheap.mp3
Buy: American Goldwing (2011)

Dawes - Coming Back to a Man.mp3
Buy: Nothing Is Wrong (2011)

Friday, October 28
The Civil Wars with Milo Greene at the Berklee Performance Center

This show appears to be sold out, but there are a shitload of tickets for sale on Craigs List and Stub Hub.

The Civil Wars - Barton Hollow.mp3
Buy: Barton Hollow (2011)

I don'n know very much about Milo Greene, but Jess from New Music Collaborative, a Boston-based music blog which is a lot better than mine, tweeted a link to their video for the song "1957" and it sounds pretty damn cool.

Embedding is disabled, so watch the video here.

Our Lady Peace and the Occupy movement

2011-10-23T15:02:00.000-04:00

A day before the Canadian music blog NXEW tweeted "The U.S. sites are full of live performances from well known acts, why aren't Canada's musicians turning up at #OccupyCanada?" this below message came through my inbox via Bob Lefsetz and his music musings newsletter. Our Lady Peace is one of my favorite Canadian rock bands, even from before I lived in Toronto. While they may not be performing in the Occupy movement, they are definitely getting involved. Check out their latest song/video entitled "Fight The Good Fight" and see lead singer Raine Maida's letter to Bob Lefsetz below.

From: raine maida
Subject: Our Lady Peace/OCCUPY movement

Hi Bob,

I'm the singer in the band Our Lady Peace. We were signed to Columbia for 10 years,1997-2007 had a cpl platinum records blah blah blah.

I've been reading some interesting stories regarding The OCCUPY movement lately. Some asking, "Where is this movement's Dylan or Joan Baez or Lennon?" Others telling bands/artists to fuck off and stay away from the movement. In a day and age when branding is such an ingrained part of our culture i find this a very compelling issue.

I've been involved in different social causes ever since the day i was handed an Amnesty Int. sticker at a Peter Gabriel concert back in the late 80's. Adbusters has always been my preferred reading material. (great counter culture mag from Vancouver & initiators of this movement). i've traveled to and filmed Docs in Iraq and Darfur and helped rebuild schools in D.R of Congo with an organization i trust called Warchild.

On Oct 15th the 4 members of OLP occupied in Detroit ,LA, Toronto and NY. We marched, spoke to protesters and shot footage over the course of last weekend and have now edited a video with that footage to a song we recently recorded called "Fight The Good Fight."

Interestingly enough we've received numerous hate emails, dislikes on facebook etc for supporting the movement. I fully understand the pitfalls for an artist involving themselves with certain issues. This one i'm baffled by though...isn't everybody concerned with the future? Are we not all worried about our jobs, education, healthcare, the fact that there is no transparency in Govt or big business these days? This movement has suffered from disinformation and shameful reporting by the mainstream media.

Much like the artists with the courage to voice their opinions in days past, this song/video is our way of supporting the movement and getting the message out. Nothing Machiavellian about this. We're speaking from our hearts. Hell, I brought my young kids to the Los Angeles rally. This song is for them!

October Feel Bad For You: Instrumentals

2011-10-21T21:08:00.000-04:00

Your monthly comp from your favorite musical delinquents, only this time, with a theme! Most people submitted instrumentals, but some people can't follow directions (I'll leave you to figure that one out). It's a pretty interesting comp this month - everything from country to hip-hop to metal to stoner rock. And I forgot the link to the stream, so if you want to stream the entire comp, go here. Otherwise, download here.

1. Chelsea Crowell - For Stormy.mp3
Buy (mp3): Crystal City (2011)
Submitted By: Mando_lines
Comments: "For Stormy" is an instrumental track off of Chelsea Crowell’s record, Crystal City. The song originally had lyrics, but Ms. Crowell made the decision to jettison the lyrics and had her producer, Loney Hutchins, play lap steel in place of her vocal track. A Tennessee thunder storm (and tornado siren) are in the background, if you listen closely. Conveniently, the siren was in the same key as the song.

2. Lil’ Cap’n Travis - Twilight On Sometimes Island (SoulQuest 17)
Twilight On Sometimes Island (2007)
Submitted By: Erschen
Comment: Love me some Pedal Steel

3. Los Straitjackets - Fortune Cookie
The Further Adventures of Los Straitjackets (2009)
Submitted By: popa2unes
Comments: Everyone’s favorite Mexican wrestling mask-wearing, Chuck Taylor-clad, surf and garage instrumental rock band, we had these guys play at a traditional Hot Rod Show I was involved with a couple summers ago, they know how to have a good time and get everyone dancing.

4. The Royal Court of China - Townsend, TN
The Royal Court of China (1989)
Submitted by: toomuchcountry
Comments: The Royal Court of China was a Nashville-based, Elliston Place/Rock Block staple band in the late 1980s who later took a shot at the big time with a relo to LA. Bands such as The Questionnaires (featuring great songwriter Tom Littlefield), Government Cheese, Will & The Bushmen (fronted by Will Kimbrough), and RCC were among the second and larger wave of memorable bands that followed the original Nashville rockers, Jason & The Scorchers. The band got its name from a magazine interview with Jimmy Page and Paul Rodgers. In the interview, the two of them mentioned that they had rejected RCC as a name for their name and instead chose The Firm. RCC’s second album, Geared & Primed, was hard-edged and included their only hit – "Half The Truth" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4JNLthoQRU). But their first and self-titled release included a wider range of guitar playing, a mandolin, some slide to give it a distinctly-Nashville touch, a few more harmonies, and this instrumental named for one of the most beautiful, tranquil parts of East Tennessee.

5. Paul Simon & Stéphane Grappelli - Hobo’s Blues
Paul Simon (1972)
Submitted By: Phil Norman
Comments: I’ve been on a Paul Simon binge lately, and I was already thinking of submitting a gypsy jazz track when I remembered this little ditty with the master himself, Stéphane Grappelli.

6. Japancakes – Only Shallow
Loveless (2007)
Submitted by: Corey Flegel
Comments: featuring pedal steel God John Neff of DBT before he was John Neff of DBT…always a badass.

7. The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Drivin’ South
Radio One (1989)
Submitted By: BoogieStudio22
Comments: What else is there to say?

8. The Volebeats - Maggot Brain
Bloodshot Records: Making Singles, Drinking Doubles (2002)
Submitted By: Truersound
Comments: in the pantheon of great rock instrumentals, Funkadelic’s "Maggot Brain" is certainly near the top. This is a killer version with some absolutely necessary steel guitar.

9. Willy Vlautin & Paul Brainard - A New Life
Northline (Soundtrack To The Book) (2008)
Submitted By: Simon
Comments: Love Willie Vlautin’s writing for Richmond Fontaine and his books are equally fantastic – the book and soundtrack idea works wonderfully well.

10. Megadeth - Into the Lungs of Hell.mp3
Buy: So Far, So Good...So What! (1988, reissued 2004)
Submitted By: Gorrck
Comment: Having sent instrumentals the last 2 months, this actually was a challenge this month. Pulled up Glenn Miller’s “Goin’ Home” — way too mellow and sad. Fired up some Xavier Cugat and remembered I had a cover of Ray Charles doing “One Mint Julep”. Then I realized I submitted the Cugat in 2008. Dammit. So here’s some Megadeth. Enjoy!

11. Slithering Beast - Ghost Song
Werewolf Ballads (2006)
Submitted By: bootlegend
Comments: One of my favorites from a criminally underexposed band out of Louisville.

12. Norman Blake - Arkansas Traveler
Live at McCabes (1976)
Submitted By: Bowood
Comments: This could be why I play guitar, or it could be why I don’t.

13. Rodrigo y Gabriela - Stairway to Heaven
Rodrigo y Gabriela (2006)
Submitted By: Rockstar Aimz

14. Outkast - Bombs Over Baghdad
Stainonia (2000)
Submitted By: Autopsy IV
Comments: Bob your head. Rag top.

15. The Queers - Squid Omelet.mp3
Buy: Grow Up (1990)
Submitted By: annieTUFF
Comments: Ok, so when I think instrumental I automatically think surf music. And I LOVE surf music. Dick Dale and the Dale Tones, The Ventures, Frogmen, Sentinals, The Rumblers, Beach Boys (although honestly I don’t listen to them as much as the others I’ve mentioned). I could go on and on about surf music. BUT I wouldn’t have ever gotten started listening to surf music if it weren’t thru a weird backdoor way of getting exposed to it, thru punk. So, I decided to put up the song that got me started really listening to surf instead of one of the other surf bands I mentioned. The Queers are a great band that are pretty heavily influenced by surf music, and you can really hear it in their songs, I love them. Although I had heard surf before I didn’t really appreciate it until after getting into punk. Confused now? Me too. By the way, this song ends kind of abruptly, because it’s supposed to lead right into the next track…so this might not really be the greatest pick for a random mixtape….but I’m telling a story with this song, so, suck it.

16. Mark III Trio - Good Grease
Single (Unknown)
Submitted By: mikeorren
Comments: Off a great bootleg instrumental soul compilation that sadly seems to be unavailable on now. The comp disc was called “Bucket o’ Grease”

17. Sun Kil Moon - Si Paloma.mp3
Buy: Ghosts of the Great Highway (2003)
Submitted By: Trailer
Comments: I’m not a big fan of instrumentals, but that’s the theme…so here’s a submission from one of my favorite albums of all time.

18. Ray Charles - Moanin’
Genius + Soul = Jazz (1961)
Submitted By: Adam Sheets

19. Butch Cassidy Sound System - Cissy Strut
Butches Brew (2004)
Submitted By: noteethleroy

20. Earth - Peace in Mississippi (Jimi Hendrix cover)
Pentastar: In the Style of Demons (1996)
Submitted by: TheSecondSingle
Comment: Stoner rock at its best. This may not be most people’s cup o’ tea, but you have to admit: it’s pretty badass.

21. Booker T. & the M.G.s - Green Onions.mp3
Buy: Green Onions (1962, reissued 1991)
Submitted By: TheOtherBrit
Comments: Thanks to TheSecondSingle for the inspiration via Spotify!

Your Past Life As A Blast

2011-10-13T22:28:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago Okkervil River released a video for their song "Your Past Life as a Blast" from the 2011 album I Am Very Far. This song is one of my favorites on an otherwise mediocre record, and the video is cute as hell. Here's what Okkervill River lead singer/ songwriter Will Sheff has to say about it.

When I was writing the lyrics for I Am Very Far I kept fixating on the idea of being new, specifically memories of being very little and being conscious of the fact that I was a new person, that I hadn’t existed before. I kept thinking about the way the brain works when it’s not trying overly hard to put ideas or thoughts in order, either because it’s new or maybe because it’s dreaming or maybe because it’s been disarranged in some way.

The lyrics to “Your Past Life as a Blast” deal with a lot of different things and in a kind of disarranged way, but it felt to me like it was the sweetest moment on the record, a moment of nostalgia and tenderness and sunnyness. When I was writing the lyrics, certain images flashed in my head, and some of those images were specifically from my childhood, or of the way I remember earliest childhood feeling to me.

Like many kids of the late 70s and early 80s, my dad was often hovering around with a Super 8 camera, filming my mom and me and – as time passed – my younger brother and sister. I remember him projecting these movies on a bare wall and, eventually, the movies becoming as much a part of my memory as the original events he had filmed. I thought it would be cool to use actual footage of those memories in the video itself, to make a really personal kind of rock video.

For the “Your Past Life as a Blast” video, I worked with the editor Alan Del Río Ortíz to turn my dad’s home movies into a short condensed film of someone’s childhood, a little home-movie music video, about moms and dads and kids, and how it felt.

Your Past Life As A Blast from Okkervil River on Vimeo.

I saw Okkervil River at the Royale in Boston back in June. I have since moved to a new apartment and subsequently misplaced my notes from that show, but I will say that despite the fact that the I Am Very Far as an album didn't do a lot for me, OR is still one of the best live bands out there. What was interesting to me that night is that the band personal has completely changed over since I first saw them in 2007; only two of the six musicians I saw four years ago are still in the band. And from the original band founded in 2001, only Will Sheff remains. It's only natural for a band to rotate members, especially in the early years, but when this current OR lineup played the older songs, they sounded just a little bit different than the original band. This isn't necessarily good or bad, just different. Anyway, the entire show kicked ass, and I even liked the I Am Very Far songs. OR played everything I wanted to hear, and if I ever find my notes from that show, I'll post the official set list, but here are a few that I remember.

Wake and Be Fine
For Real
The Valley
Black
A Girl in Port
John Allyn Smith Sails
Your Past Life as a Blast.mp3
Buy: I Am Very Far (2011)
A Stone (Will Sheff solo)
Lost Coastlines
Our Life is Not a Movie or Maybe.mp3
Buy: Stage Names (2007)
Unless It's Kicks

And some others.....

Okkervil River is currently touring Australia. I highly recommend that you check them out.

Amanda Palmer covers Rebecca Black

2011-10-07T11:59:00.000-04:00

But it's not exactly what you would expect. Yesterday Amanda Palmer entertained the folks protesting corporate and government shenanigans at Occupy Boston. In addition to playing one of her own songs, covering Neutral Milk Hotel, and performing the old English folk song "The World Turned Upside Down" popularized by Billy Bragg, she also rewrote the pop song "Friday" from the perspective of a truck stop hooker. Now, the premise of this cover sounds hysterical, but listen to the lyrics, especially in context of what the people at the Occupy events are protesting. Very poignant and well done.

American Dream

2011-10-05T13:52:00.000-04:00

"Its called the American Dream because you have to be asleep to believe it." - George Carlin

Listen carefully to these lyrics:

Willie Nelson featuring Bob Dylan - Heartland.mp3
Buy: Across the Borderline (1993)

The Dead Exs - Shut Up and Love Me.mp3
Buy (mp3, name your price): Resurrection (2011)

September Feel Bad For You

2011-10-03T19:03:00.002-04:00

Only a month or so late! From your favorite bloggers, twitterers, forum members at AltCountryTab.ca, and other slack-jawed yokels, September's mix tape! Check out the homepage at Feel Bad for You. Stream or download the comp below.

1. Blue Oyster Cult - Astronomy
Secret Treaties (1974)
Submitted by: Shooter Jennings
Comments: Part of one of the most expansive and confusing concept albums ever written which involves Aliens, Dark Mirrors and Lesbians (supposedly).

2. Nicki Bluhm - Stick With Me
Driftwood (2011)
Submitted by: noteethleroy
Comments: This one has gotten under my skin lately, to me it brings back memories of the classic duets I grew up on.

3. Jonny Corndawg - Red on the Head
Down On The Bikini Line (2011)
Submitted By: toomuchcountry
Comments: As the calendar turns to September, what comes to mind? State fairs. And with state fairs, what comes to mind? Corn dogs, right? Well, maybe. I first heard Jonny Corndawg in 2009 when he opened for the legendary Billy Joe Shaver at Nashville’s Exit-In. In the two years since, I’ve learned he is a leather worker, an avid runner, a gypsy-like touring machine, and an artist with a brand new release with some pretty witty – even bordering on juvenile – lyrics. Right in my wheelhouse.

4. Brontide - Matador
San Souci (2011)
Submitted By: Erschen
Comments: Interesting instrumental rock. Kind of all over the place.

5. Mic Harrison and the High Score - Keep On Letting Me Down
Great Commotion (2010)
Submitted By: annieTUFF
Comments: I might be a little partial to this band…. But, I truly love this song, it was my instant favorite from this album (Great Commotion), and I think it stands as one of my top songs from Mic and The High Score.

6. Johnny "Guitar" Watson - Space Guitar.mp3
From: Single (1954)
Submitted By: Bowood
Comments: This record influenced everyone from Dick Dale to Jimi Hendrix. Watson later made records that influenced 70′s funk and 80′s rap. Great performer and singer. Quite a character too.

7. Lauderdale - Stars Fell
Moving On (2011)
Submitted By: Corey Flegel
Comments: My favorite song I’ve heard this year…Yeah, I’m biased and I don’t care. Go get it here if you want: www.thisisamericanmusic.com

8. Emmylou Harris - Orphan Girl
Wrecking Ball (1995)
Submitted By: Phil Norman
Comments: A Gillian Welch tune, sung by Emmylou, produced by Daniel Lanois. One of my all-time favorite albums.

9. David "Honeyboy" Edwards - Roamin' and Ramblin' Blues
Alan Lomax Field Recording, 1942, taken from Delta Bluesman (1992), Earwig/Indigo Records
Submitted By: Brad Kelley
Comments: This one was easy. Honeyboy Edwards died August 29, 2011, at the age of 96. He traveled and performed with Robert Johnson during the 1930s. He moved to Chicago and performed nearly 100 shows a year until 2008, but continued to play concerts until earlier this year. This guy is the real thing, and his death is the end of an era. He knew and played with everyone in that first generation of Delta Blues. (This might look like two mp3s, but the first is just a brief introduction by the folklorist Alan Lomax.)

10. The Whiskey Gentry - Eula Mae
Please Make Welcome (2011)
Submitted By: Bryan Childs
Comments: Band out of Atlanta I really dig.

11. The Hangdogs - The World Is Yours.mp3
Buy (mp3): Beware Of Dog (2000)
Submitted By: Truersound
Comments: Been in a conspiratorial anti-gov mood lately, and this song follows that trail nicely.

12. Coma Cinema - Blue Suicide
Blue Suicide (2011)
Submitted By: Lord Summerisle
Comments: Just discovered this band in August only to find that they are calling it quits at the end of this year. All of their stuff is available for free download at http://comacinema.org/sounds.html.

13. Frank Bang and the Secret Stash - Burning up the Wind
Wonder Woman (2011)
Submitted By: popa2unes
Comments: Chicago based, unsigned Kick Arse Rock n Blues band – Frank "Bang" Blinkal – Vocals/Guitar Bob Spelbring – Drums/Vocals Josh Hyland – Bass/ vocals – Tony MacQuaid – Guitar/Vocals and by the way, ifin ya like em 3 downloads available on their Reverbnation or Facebook page.

14. Lou Reed - September Song
Lost in the Stars: The Music of Kurt Weill (1994)
Submitted By: mikeorren
Comments: It’s September. Kurt Weill was German. Lou Reed is back, doing an album about a German character, with Metallica. So, all logic screams that this is the only song to submit this month.

15. Trombone Shorty - Hurricane Season.mp3
Buy: Backatown (2010)
Submitted By: Gorrck
Comments: Gorrck’s Axiom: Carrying a trombone simultaneously increases *AND* decreases your risk of being detained by law enforcement authorities.

16. Prison Book Club - Six Pack
Prison Book Club (2011)
Submitted By: TheOtherBrit
Comments: I love this album and this band.

17. Stephen W. Terrell - Solar Broken Home
Picnic Time for Potatoheads (2003)
Submitted by: Adam Sheets

18. Nirvana - Verse Chorus Verse (aka In His Hands)
With the Lights Out (2004)
Submitted By: Verbow
Comments: This month marks 20 years since the release of Nevermind. In 1991, I was an 11 year old with horrible taste in music (MC Hammer anyone?). One day I stopped on MTV while the video for "Smells Like Teen Spirit" was on, and I was hooked from there on out. More than anything, Nirvana was a gateway to a whole new world of music that I continue to explore to this day. Is Nevermind my favorite album of all time? No, but its one that I still enjoy and still takes me back to that time like no other. Since everyone knows most of those songs by heart, I thought this outtake from the Nevermind sessions would be a good selection. Enjoy.

19. Dolorean - Benito’s Dust.mp3
From: 7″ Split with Holy Sons (2004)(out of print)
Submitted By: Slowcoustic
Comments: Just your standard hard luck song to rip your guts out.

20. The Cute Lepers - Noisy Song
Adventure Time (2011)
Submitted By: Simon
Comments: Retro pop-punk from Seattle.

21. The [REDACTED] - Everybody’s Got Something To Hide Except For Me And My Monkey
The [REDACTED] (1968)
Submitted By: Mario Garcia
Comments: I’ve been obsessed with this song over the last few days so it seemed like a good one to submit. It’s one of the best songs ever and a top 5 for me from The [REDACTED]. Great riff, great energy, great lyrics.

22. The Afghan Whigs - Gentleman.mp3
Buy: Gentlemen (1993)
Submitted By: Now This Sound Is Brave
Comments: The Afghan Whigs formed in 1986, disbanded in 2001 and remain my favorite band. Gentlemen is a practically perfect album. "Gentleman" is a practically perfect song. Rough, depraved, menacing… perfect.

23. Little Lisa Dixie - Bonnie and Clyde
Little Lisa Dixie (2011)
Submitted By: BoogieStudio22
Comments: An artist I stumbled onto quite some time ago. Just learned she put out an album in March 2011. Nice debut.

24. Star Anna - Alone In This Together
Alone In This Together (2011)
Submitted By: Cowbelle
Comments: A six-minute song is a little obnoxious but worth every second.

25. Glen Campbell - Ghost on the Canvas.mp3
Buy: Ghost On The Canvas (2011)
Submitted By: Rockstar Aimz
Comments: How bad-ass is it that Campbell selects a song written by Paul Westerberg.

This Blog Needs an Enema

2011-10-02T18:29:00.000-04:00

For various reasons, some of it being laziness, I have totally neglected this blog over the last few months. After a little vacation, I am read to jump back in full force. My question for you, dear readers, is this: should I post reviews of the shows that I have attended over the last few months? Blogging by its nature is very time-sensitive, especially music blogs. Do I say "fuck it," and post in October about shows that I saw in March? Would anyone read that crap? Does anyone read my current crap? I need feedback people. Post your feedback below. Thanks!

Book of Poems

2011-09-11T17:28:00.000-04:00

Even though I'm feeling somewhat over-saturated by the media with Sept 11 memorials, especially for an event that seems to me to have just happened last week, I have to add a bit for those of you who happen to read my little blog. One of my favorite singers/songwriters/performers, Rhett Miller, who's band the Old 97's helped introduce me to the alt country genre, lived in New York just three blocks south of the World Trade Center on the day the twin towers were attacked. He allowed The Atlantic to publish the journal he kept during that time period.

Went to bed at three last night after writing a song, "Lovebird," and making love with Erica. About 9 a.m., heard two loud explosions. Didn’t fully awaken us. Phones started ringing. Mom on my cell (I missed it) and a college friend of Erica’s on the landline. It’s all very confused at first. It’s not unusual to hear construction in the morning, and I think I muttered a sleepy complaint about the loud noise.

Me to Erica: Babe, I think a plane just crashed into the World Trade. I’m going to go up to the terrace and check it out.

She says: You’re getting up? Can’t I keep sleeping?

Me: I think this is a big deal.....keep reading.

The Old 97's album Satellite Rides came out in March of 2001. On the morning of Sept. 11 my good friend Gorrck was in Los Angeles working on a project, as he was every week, not too far from his home in Phoenix, Arizona. He was three time zones behind the east coast and, unlike me, didn't have the trauma of watching everything unfold on live TV. After some chaos in LA, he managed to rent a car and drive the six hours back to Phoenix. Remember, this was 2001: no iPods. Gorrck had a Sony Discman with him for the one hour flight between LAX and PHX. The only CD he had with him was the aforementioned Satellite Rides, which he listened to over and over as he drove through the desert towards his home. The song "Book of Poems" left a huge impression on him on that tragic day.

Well it's a sick world and sixteen days
I got nightmares every night
I got a real bad feeling that a book of poems ain't enough

I think "Book of Poems" is supposed to be about a bad relationship (as are most alt country songs), but in the context of Sept. 11, 2001, it can be interpreted as no matter what anyone says, especially the government, things will never be the same despite this little book of "happy poems" that is supposed to make us all feel better. Especially when our leaders are inspiring us by encouraging us to "participate in the economy," or, "go shopping."

Peace.

Book of Poems.mp3
Buy: Satellite Rides (2001)

Hurricane Party

2011-08-27T23:31:00.001-04:00

Photo from NASA Flickr set

Who needs some hurricane music? Despite the fact that the national media is treating this like the end of civilization, we east coasters are really quite alright. Boston will get a bunch of rain and wind, but I live on the 7th floor up on a hill, so I will be fine. I just hope that the power doesn't go out cause that would suck. But I'm all stocked up with cookies, donuts, and beer just in case I'm shut in! Here's some hurricane music for you. Let's all go get shitfaced!

1. James McMurtry - Hurricane Party
Just Us Kids (2008)

2. Scorpions - Rock You Like a Hurricane
Love at First Sting (1984)

3. Blitzen Trapper - Below the Hurricane
Destroyer of the Void (2010)

4. Arcade Fire - Neighborhood #3 (Power Out)
Funeral (2004)

5. The Hold Steady - Hurricane J
Heaven is Whenever (2010)

6. Jason Isbell - Hurricanes and Hand Grenades
Sirens of the Ditch (2007)

7. NQ Arbuckle - Goodnight Irene on New Years Eve
Last Supper in a Cheap Town (2006)

8. Ben Prestage - Hurricane Blues.mp3
Buy (MP3): Down-Home & Home-Made (2006)

9. Jay Farrar - Like a Hurricane
Stone, Steel, and Bright Lights (2004)

10. The Shiners - Hurricane Blues.mp3
Buy: See Rock City (2002)

11. John Fogerty - Walking in a Hurricane
Blue Moon Swamp (1997)

12. REO Speedwagon - Ridin' the Storm Out
Ridin' the Storm Out (1974)

13. 6 String Drag - She's a Hurricane.mp3
From: 6 String Drag (1998, out of print)

14. Bob Dylan - Hurricane
Desire (1975)

15. Neil Young and Crazy Horse - Like a Hurricane
Live In San Francisco, Cow Palace (1978)

16. Jimmy Buffett - Trying to Reason with Hurricane Season
A-1-A (1974)

17. Bob Dylan - Shelter From the Storm
Blood on the Tracks (New York Sessions) (1974)

18. Kyuss - Hurricane
...And the Circus Leaves Town (1995)

19. Jame McMurtry - Hurricane Party
Live in Europe (2009)

20. The Weavers - Goodnight Irene.mp3
Buy: Goodnight Irene: Weavers 1949-1953 (2000 box set)

Other important information:

The N'awlins Hurricane
Ice
2 oz light rum
2 oz dark rum
2 oz passion fruit juice
1 oz orange juice
juice of a half a lime
1 Tbsp simple syrup
1 Tbsp grenadine
orange slice and cherry for garnish

Dark and Stormy
Ice
1/4 lime
2 ounces dark rum
10 ounces of ginger beer
Lime wedge for garnish

Zip City Illustrated

2011-08-21T19:48:00.000-04:00

Killer fan video for the Drive-By Truckers "Zip City," by Andrew Colunga. Nicely done!

DBT is touring the southern US starting in September, and the Midwest in late October. They are one of the best live acts out there. If they are playing in your area, do no miss them!

Buckner Does Townes

2011-08-18T11:11:00.000-04:00

Prepare to have your mind blown as Richard Buckner covers Townes Van Zandt's "Still Looking for You."

Buckner has a new album out called Our Blood. I haven't heard it yet, so let me know what you think of it.

August Feel Bad For You

2011-08-15T15:59:00.002-04:00

Your monthly comp from music bloggers, members of the AltCountryTab.ca forum, twitterers, and other jackasses. Once again, I forgot to submit a track. Bad Aimz! Also, check out the main Feel Bad for You page for older comps.

1. The White Soots - If I Go.mp3
Buy (bandcamp): The White Soots (2010)
Submitted By: popa2unes
Comments: Another power trio revival Rock and Roll band trips my wire, The White Soots out of Dayton, Ohio. The band formed in early 2009 with brothers Kyle(Guitar/Vocals) and Kraig Byrum(Drums) and longtime friend Karl Benge(Bass) and began playing in clubs in Dayton under the name Fuzz Hound, which was changed to The White Soots after about one year of playing. They specialize in a bluesy, psychedelic mix of guitar infused rock and roll.

2. Mumford and Sons - Little Lion Man
Sigh No More (2010)
Submitted By: mikeorren
Comments: In honor of all the Leo birthdays (like mine).

3. John Doe - Peggy Sue Got Married
Rave On Buddy Holly (2011)
erschen

4. The Goddamn Gallows - Y’all Motherfuckers Need Jesus.mp3
Buy (mp3): 7 Devils (2011)
Submitted by: Adam Sheets

5. Lou Reed - Sick of You
New York (1990)
Submitted By: Brad Kelley
Comments: Matt tells me he’s not familiar with this album. This album is Lou Reed’s masterpiece, in amongst some other amazing records. Choosing one song of off it was difficult, but allowed me the opportunity to listen to the whole thing again. If you, like Matt, have this vague idea that Lou Reed is supposed to be really good but don’t know where to start, the album New York is the place to start. “The ozone layer has no ozone anymore, and you’re going to leave me for the guy next door? I’m sick of you. I’m sick of you.”

6. Willis Alan Ramsey - Satin Sheets
Willis Alan Ramsey (1972)
Submitted By: Truersound
Comments: Loving this guy right now.

7. Richmond Fontaine - Barely Losing
Post to Wire (2004)
Submitted By: Simon
Comments: Very much looking forward to the new Richmond Fontaine album that’s due soon, so in anticipation thought I’d go with one of my favourites from them this month.

8. Jolene - Pensacola.mp3
Buy: In the Gloaming (1998)
Submitted By: philnorman
Comments: The passing of time has only made this record better and their obscurity a shame.

9. The J.B.'s - Pass the Peas.mp3
Buy: The Funk Box (2000, originally recorded 1972)
Submitted By: Gorrck

10. Radio Nationals - Golden
Place You Call Home (2003)
Submitted By: BoogieStudio22
Comments: A Seattle-area band that put out an EP and Full-length in the early 2000s. Just damn good rock ‘n roll with a bit of alt-country and Americana tossed in.

11. Delicate Cutters - Picture of Health
Some Creatures (2011)
Submitted By: TheOtherBrit
Comments: Once again pimping B-ham, this album just came out on Skybucket.

12. James Leg - Drinking Too Much.mp3
Buy: Solitary Pleasure (2011)
Submitted By: Now This Sound Is Brave
Comments: Everyone who is subject to my blabbing on Twitter or Facebook or who has run into me on turntable.fm or has talked to me longer than five minutes knew I was going to get around to submitting this song to FBFY sooner or later. This is, as they say, my jam. John Wesley Myers of Black Diamond Heavies doing his solo thing and covering the Kill Devil Hills – though the song seems tailor-made for Myers. My favorite song off of what will probably be my favorite album of 2011 when it’s all done.

13. John Cunningham - Public Information Song
1998–2002: Homeless Home/Happy Go Unlucky (2010)
Submitted By: Ryan
Comments: A little folky, a bit Beatle-y, a wonderful song from a fellow discovered by Joe Pernice.

14. The Rainmakers - One More Summer
Tornado (1987)
Submitted By: toomuchcountry
Comments: Its hard to believe, but a quarter-century has passed since Kansas City’s The Rainmakers debuted (not including their prior life as Steve, Bob & RIch). And its been14 years since the band went their separate ways. Late last year, however, the band re-formed (with Jeff Porter replacing Steve Phillips), released an album of all new material titled 25 On, toured Norway for several dates plus a couple of homecoming shows in KC Mizzou, and showed they can still rock (http://youtu.be/UKRtBrH4PZI). If you ever find yourself in Kansas City on a Wednesday night, be sure to visit The Record Bar where The Rainmakers’ lead singer Bob Walkenhorst and guitarist Jeff Porter have a standing gig. With this steamy, greasy summer we’re enduring, I chose this cut from the band’s second release.

15. JEFF The Brotherhood - Diamond Way
We Are The Champions (2011)
Submitted By: annieTUFF
Comments: I was going to send a song that had a story to go with why I chose it…but last minute changed my mind. Just because I’ve been listening to these guys allllllllllllll day, and they kick ass. So, there.

16. Steve Wynn - Conspiracy of the Heart
Kerosene Man (1990)
Submitted by: Beldo
Comments: A great song from the Dream Syndicate frontman’s debut album. A beautiful duet with Concrete Blonde’s Johnette Napolitano.

17. Kent Goolsby - Wide Eyed Son.mp3
From (free download): Wide Eyed Son (2011)
Submitted by: Corey Flegel
Comments: Obviously, I love this record since it’s on our site, you can download Wide Eyed Son in it’s entirety for free at www.thisisamericanmusic.com.
Aimz's note: Goolsby's EP is bad-ass. You should download it pronto.

Losing My Religion in a Major Key

2011-07-26T00:16:00.003-04:00

This video just jumped across my twitter feed and I find it completely fascinating. The fine folks at Major Scaled TV digitally redid R.E.M.'s "Losing My Religion" so it's in a major key. It's totally freaking me out.

Compare to the original:
Losing My Religion.mp3
Buy: Out of Time (1991)

I don't know much about keys, and certainly can't tell you what minor key it was written in and what major key the new digital version is in. At least not by ear. Can one of your musical types help me out?

The Major Scaled TV people have also digitally converted The Doors "Riders on the Storm" and Metallica's "Nothing Else Matters" into major key songs. The Metallica song almost sounds poppy!

July Feel Bad for You

2011-07-23T14:07:00.002-04:00

Your monthly comp from bloggers, twitterers, altcountrytab.ca forum members, geeks, weirdos, and musical miscreants. Download or stream below.

1. The Everybodyfields - T.V.A.
Half-Way There: Electricity and the South (2004)
Submitted by: Brad Kelley
Comments: To me, this song is almost perfect. Great lyrics about a real historical event from the area I grew up in (I’m sure my relatives would have taken this view), great harmonies and picking, and it really sets a mood.

2. Buffalo Killers - Let it Ride
Let it Ride (2008)
Submitted By: Popa2unes
Comments: Buffalo Killers, guitarist and vocalist Andrew Gabbard, bass guitarist and vocalist Zachary Gabbard and drummer Joseph Sebaali. The band was formed in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 2006.

3. Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit - Everywhere With Helicopter.mp3
Buy (mp3): Sing For Your Meat: A Tribute To Guided By Voices (2011)(2011)
Submitted by: TheSecondSingle
Comments: A fantastic, original take on a Robert Pollard classic.

4. The Gadjits - Ex Ballerina
Today is My Day (2002)
Submitted By: Ryan (Verbow)
Comments: The Gadjits started out as ska-punk proteges of Tim Armstrong (Rancid) but by their third album developed a more pop/rootsy rock sound. This song reminds me of what its like being in your early to mid teens when you fall for someone for the dumbest reasons. It could be called Ex Girlfriend or Ex whatever and you’d still know what he’s talking about.

5. Damion Soumi - Ghost
What a Wonderful Game (2009)
Submitted By: Autopsy IV
Comments: local(ish) artist I just found out about.

6. Danger Mouse and Daniele Luppi feat. Jack White and Norah Jones - Two Against One
Rome (2011)
Submitted By: mikeorren
Comments: Inspired by Italian film soundtracks.

7. The Dirtbombs - Indivisible
We Have You Surrounded (2008)
Submitted By: Now This Sound Is Brave
Comments: I have a friend who believes Mick Collins is the perfect man. I’m not about to argue.

8. Rich Hopkins & Billy Sedlmayr - The Fifty Percenter
The Fifty Percenter (2001)
Submitted By: toomuchcountry
Comments: I can’t believe the year is half-over. Recognizing that reality, I’m submitting the title track from Rich Hopkins’ 2001 release. Hopkins was the iconic guitarist for Tucson’s The Sidewinders (later known as The Sand Rubies). His guitar talents continue on this release. With vocals from Billy Sedlmayer, the combined sound is a more subdued, polished, even versatile sound than when Hopkins was with The Sidewinders/Sand Rubies. Yes, I submitted a track by The Sidewinders last month. Yes, I got good feedback. Yes, the song title fits this month. No, I won’t apologize for going back-to-back on Hopkins-related music.

9. Albert Hammond - Smokey Factory Blues.mp3
The Free Electric Band (1973)
Submitted By: erschen
Comments: He’s best known for his hit "It Never Rains In Southern California" but I’m really liking this track.

10. Wrinkle Neck Mules - One Hand in the Furnace
Let the Lead Fly (2009)
Submitted By: Simon
Comments: Favourite track from my favourite Wrinkle Neck Mules album, apparently a new album's due end of the year – looking forward to that.

11. Vulture Whale - Land It
Vulture Whale (2007)
Submitted by: Corey Flegel
Comments: So I’ve totally submitted this song to this mixer group before. I don’t care, it’s my favorite song ever…I know a lot of folks who feel this way too…This list includes some of my favorite music snob friends and some members of some of my favorite bands.

12. Kill County - Western Town.mp3
The Year of Getting By (2010)
Submitted By: Slowcoustic
Comments: Always a sucker for a slowed down jam with a bit of country twang. Kill County has been an out of nowhere kick in the teeth for me and I can’t get enough of this album (what should have been a top 10 of 2010 if I had only heard them earlier). This is what I consider real country music and its frickin’ great.

13. 13ghosts - 3 AM
unreleased (2011)
Submitted By: TheOtherBrit
Comments: Possibly my favorite song I’ve heard this year. Hoping it appears on their new album coming out this month.

14. Matt Jorgensen +451 - Helter Skelter
Another Morning (2008)
Submitted By: BoogieStudio22
Comments: I’ve been on a bit of jazz bender recently, so I thought I’d toss something a bit different into the FBFY mix this month.

15. Martin Sexton - Glory Bound
Black Sheep (1996)
Submitted By: Phil Norman
Comments: I’m making a mistake I’ve gotta make, and then I’m glory bound.

16. Riley Puckett - Ragged But Right.mp3
from a long time ago (old, old, old)
Submitted By: Truersound
Comments: original and best version of this song.

17. Hank Williams Jr. - Family Tradition
Live and Drunk (bootleg; year unknown)
Submitted by: Adam Sheets

18. The Warped 45s - Grandpa Carl
Matador Sunset (2011)
Submitted By: Rockstar Aimz
Comments: A song about bootlegging booze from Canada to Detroit during
prohibition. This is an up-and-coming alt country band from Toronto.
I saw them open for the Drive-By Truckers about a year and a half ago.

19. Blind Pilot - Look At Miss Ohio.mp3
(Live bootleg)
Submitted By: Cowbelle78

Happy 3rd Birthday to Me!

2011-07-13T12:43:00.001-04:00

Today is the third anniversary of My Aimz is True! Yay! And we always celebrate anniversaries with Pavement!

Pavement - Shoot the Singer.mp3
Buy: Slanted & Enchanted: Luxe & Reduxe (2002 reissue)

Our indie rock hero Stephen Malkmus and his band the Jicks have a new albums coming out on August 23. Here's a sample:

Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks - Senator.mp3
Pre-order: Mirror Traffic (2011)

Seriously folks, My Aimz is True has gone through some changes in the last six months, mainly due to me moving to a new country and starting a new day job. Let's face it, my blog has been pretty weak lately. I'm hoping to get my act together and get back to regular posting ASAP. I really appreciate all of you keeping up with me while I go through all of these life changes. Rock on!

Brown Haired Daughter

2011-07-05T12:57:00.002-04:00

The webmaster from one of my favorite bands asked me to post this new track on my blog, and when the Old 97's say "jump," I say, "how high?" I saw them for the first time a few months ago, and they were fantastic live. Someday I'll get around to writing that review. Anywhoo, the 97's have a new album out today called The Grand Theatre Vol. 2. Volume 1 was pretty killer, so I am really looking forward to this one. Here's a taste of Volume 2:

Brown Haired Daughter.mp3
Buy: Grand Theatre Vol. 2

Stars and Stripes

2011-07-04T13:46:00.004-04:00

From one of the best piccolo solos.....

John Philips Sousa - The Stars and Stripes Forever.mp3
Buy: Sousa's Greatest Hits (1999)

.....to one of the best guitar solos....

Jimi Hendrix - The Star Spangled Banner.mp3
Buy: Experience Hendrix: The Best Of Jimi Hendrix (1998)

....to a brilliant song that doesn't really have anything to do with Independence Day.

Dave Alvin - 4th of July.mp3
From: King of California (1994, out of print, according to Amazon)
This album is brilliant! How the hell can it be out of print!

Canada Day Gordon Lightfoot Tribute

2011-07-01T11:08:00.001-04:00

Our friends over at Hero Hill have outdone themselves on this fine Canada Day. They put together a tribute to Gordon Lightfoot from some of my favorite Canadian indie artists including the Warped 45s, Cam Penner, and The Schomberg Fair. Turning Back the Pages of My Sweet Shattered Dreams contains 36 tracks covering nearly all of Lightfoot's career.

Go over to Hero Hill and download this tribute pronto!

Cam Penner - Alberta Bound.mp3
Lorrie Matheson - Sundown.mp3
From: Turning Back the Pages of My Sweet Shattered Dreams: A Tribute to Gordon Lightfoot (2011)

Amarillo Highway

2011-06-23T16:32:00.001-04:00

"Amarillo by Morning" by Gorrck

Over the last six months a bunch of my friends, as well as me, have made career changes which involved relocating long distances. Of course we all sent photos to each other - like me and my U-Haul in a snow squall in Rochester, NY. I particularly like this one sent to me by my buddy Gorrck as he and his wife and dog were driving from Scottsdale, AZ, to Chicago, IL. Reminded me of this song....

Terry Allen - Amarillo Highway.mp3
Buy: Lubbock (on Everything) (1974, reissued 1995)

And here's a rockin' bad-ass cover:

Robert Earl Keen - Amarillo Highway.mp3
Buy: Live at the Ryman (2006)

New Music from Matthew Ryan

2011-06-22T17:16:00.001-04:00

One of my favorite indie artists Matthew Ryan will officially release his next album entitled I Recall Standing As Though Nothing Could Fall on July 26th. However, for 24 hours (June 22, 3pm to June 23, 3pm, central time, I think) Ryan is allowing people to purchase the album digitally for just $5 from his bandcamp site. How cool is that? You can also stream it on the bandcamp site (or below) so you can preview what you are buying (everyone, that is, except me, because my work computer blows). The album itself can be preordered via Ryan's online store. The CD will also contain a bonus disc of outtakes and demos. That's a lot of music, for just $15. Or $5 digitally in the next 24 hours!

<p>&amp;lt;a href="http://matthewryan.bandcamp.com/album/i-recall-standing-as-though-nothing-could-fall"&amp;gt;I Recall Standing As Though Nothing Could Fall by Matthew Ryan&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;</p>

I'm Sad....

2011-06-21T22:08:00.002-04:00

Today's summer solstice was beautiful in Boston. Sunny, 80F, light breeze. But I am sad. Why you ask? Because tonight I should be enjoying Joey Cape and Cory Branan in concert, but the tour was cancelled. Frown.

I've never seen Cape in concert, but he has a 20+ year musical career that spans punk, alternative/indie rock, folk, and even alt country.

From his punk band Lagwagon, who will tour Europe at the end of the summer.

Lagwagon - Whipping Boy.mp3
Buy: Trashed (1994)

From his other band Bad Astronaut, slightly, slightly, less punk, but still awesome.

Bad Astronaut - Break Your Frame.mp3
Buy (mp3): Houston: We Have A Drinking Problem (2000)

Here's one from Capes's brilliant 2008 solo album.

Joey Cape - Errands.mp3
Buy: Bridge (2008)

Finally, Cape is/was touring with his latest band, Joey Cape's Bad Loud.

Joey Cape's Bad Loud - Okay.mp3
Buy (pay what you can): Joey Cape's Bad Loud 2011

I've been a fan of Cory Branan for years, but the only time I got to see him live was when he opened for the epic Drag the River show last year in Toronto. And I don't like the fact that it takes Branan a billion years to release an album. Fortunately, he released a new song today via his Facebook page. So click here and look over to the left and click "Free Exclusive Download."

Meanwhile, enjoy this track from Branan's split EP with Jon Snodgrass.

Cory Branan - Walk Around.mp3
Buy (mp3): Cory Branan & Jon Snodgrass (2009)

June Feel Bad For You

2011-06-16T23:49:00.004-04:00

I've been working so much that not only did I forget to post the monthly Feel Bad For You comp, I also forgot to submit a song to it. It's a great mix this month - I've already listened to it four times. Song were submitted by bloggers, twitterers, members of the AltCountryTab.ca forum, and some random jackasses. Thanks to Pearlsnapman for the cover art.

1. Warren Smith - I’ve Got Love If You Want It
The Complete Sun Recordings (orig. 1957)
Submitted By: Bowood
Comments: Sun Studios legend Warren Smith. That studio…that f…in’ beautiful studio. Thank you Lord for Sam Phillips.

2. The Dead Exs - Angel From New Orleans.mp3
Buy (mp3): Resurrection (2011)
Submitted By: popa2unes
Comments: David Pattillo – electric slide guitar and vocals – Wylie Wirth – on the skins. Pattiillo is a producer with a credit list from Alanis Morrissette to the Hold Steady, The Black Crowes to the Beastie Boys and last year produced the Reni Lane debut for Universal Motown. Wirth has toured extensively in Europe and the US with various bands and was a member of the Warner Bros act Sweet Lizard Illtet.

3. Retribution Gospel Choir - What She Turned Into
Retribution Gospel Choir (2008)
Submitted By: verbow1
Comments: I like to think of myself as ahead of the musical curve, finding new stuff before anyone else. The truth is I’m often several years behind, always trying to catch up, hence a 2008 release just finding me at the end of 2010. This band features Alan Sparhawk of Low – I’m not the biggest Low fan but these guys really stick with me. Nothing fancy, just a good rock song.

4. National Grain - City Lights
National Grain (2006)
Submitted By: Corey Flegel
Comments: Some dude on an Amazon review of the record said it best about NG- Their songs sound like deep cuts off of some of the early, better albums by Haggard and the Possum.

5. Gil Scott-Heron and Brian Jackson Ain’t - No Such Thing As a Superman
Midnight Band: First Minute of a New Day (1975)
Submitted by: Now This Sound Is Brave
Comments: Shortly after I received the June FBFY call to arms, it was confirmed that Gil Scott-Heron, the man responsible for "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised," died. His album I’m New Here was possibly my favorite of 2010, and I was looking forward to seeing what he would do next. Dying wasn’t what I had in mind.

6. Edmunds Crown - Stuck in an Office
Regrets of a Company Man (2006)
Submitted By: Simon2307
Comments: One of the may highlights from an eighteen track album of 3 minute power pop songs everyone should own.

7. Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show - Penicillin Penny.mp3
Buy: Belly Up! (1973) (1973)
Submitted By: Shooter Jennings
Comments: Be cleansed by her dirtiness.
Rockstar Aimz's note: this is my favorite song on the mix. Awesome.

8. Last False Hope - $2 Pints
Outlaw Radio Compilation Vol. 1 (2010)
Submitted By: Adam Sheets
Comments: Everything that is great about honky-tonk and punk is represented in this song. This is the sound of the future.

9. Chris Thile & Michael Daves - Sleep With One Eye Open
Sleep With One Eye Open (2011)
Submitted By: Phil Norman
Comments: Been listening to this record non-stop since it came out last month.

10. The Black Twig Pickers - Never Miss Your Mama
Hobo Handshake (2008)
Submitted By: Truersound
Comments: I’ve been seeing these guys a lot lately, and every time I swear they get better. Love it when they break out the washboard, especially on this song and on "The Coo-coo." See these guys live if you get a chance, talk Mike into telling some stories. This song also makes me wish I could clog like a drunk hillbilly.

11. Brandon Adams and The Sad Bastards - Fuck Me Up
Brandon Adams and The Sad Bastards (2011)
Submitted By: Romeo Sid Vicious
Comments: This one has been stuck in my head for about a week now. It’s a raw song that’s just plain amazing. I don’t have a rant for this one. Just one I have been enjoying a lot lately.

12. The Ramones - My Back Pages
Acid Eaters (1993)
Submitted By: mikeorren
Comments: In honor of Bob Dylan’s 70th, a cover I just rediscovered.

13. Bon Scott - Every Day You Have To Cry.mp3
Buy: Round and Round Compilation (1967)
Submitted By: some jackass who didn't leave his/her name
Comments: Nothing spectacular here but interesting to hear Bon Scott before his AC/DC days. This was a band called the Valentines. The song is by Arthur Alexander and has been covered by quite a few including the Bee Gees and Dusty Springfield.

14. The Sidewinders - What Am I Supposed To Do?
Witchdoctor (1989)
Submitted By: toomuchcountry
Comments: The deadline was drawing near for this month’s submission, and I hadn’t chosen my June selection. So my quandary naturally resulted in my submitting this great track by Tucson, AZ’s, The Sidewinders (later known as The Sand Rubies).

15. A Camp I - Can Buy You
A Camp (2001)
Submitted By: DC Noise
Comments: A Camp makes some mighty infectious pop music. The band is fronted by Nina Persson, aka That Girl from The Cardigans (an underrated band, in my opinion).

16. Les Savy Fav - Let’s Get Out Of Here
Root For Ruin (2010)
Submitted By: Pearlsnapman

17. Raphael Saadiq - Heart Attack
Stone Rollin’ (2011)
Submitted By: BoogieStudio22
Comments: Raphael Saadiq has been around for a while, but in his most two most recent releases he’s been digging into the Motown catalog of sounds. He’s still got the R&B/Soul thang going on, but his most recent album rocks out a bit more.

18. The Head and the Heart - Down In The Valley.mp3
The Head and the Heart (2011)
Submitted By: cowbelle78
Comments: I’m not huge on this band in general, but I heard this song on a sunny walk in my new stomping ground the other day and it spoke to me. Something about trouble and whiskey – and I think there’s some optimism in there too.

19. Mike Ethan Messick - Walking Into Walls
The Only Easy Day Was Yesterday (2011)
Submitted By: Trailer

20. Grant Lee Buffalo - Arousing Thunder
Copperopolis (1996)
Submitted By: The Second Single

21. Branden Barnett - Heart Won’t Bend.mp3
From: Heart Won’t Bend (2011)
Submitted By: TheOtherBrit
Comments: I forgot to send in my submission so made this selection in about 30 seconds. This song is part of a series of singles and covers Branden has been releasing on his bandcamp (bandcamp.com/tag/branden-barnett). 100% of what you hear on there is Branden and I think that’s pretty badass.

Free Music! Huntley Slim: Make Work Project EP

2011-06-02T12:50:00.000-04:00

On the surface, Ottawa, Canada's, Huntley Slim may appear very similar to many other bluegrass and old time bands. But their DIY ethic and energetic live shows revive a tradition not often heard in music today. With a straightforward approach to the creation and execution of their music, Huntley Slim focuses on writing what they know. Mining the collective minds of three distinct songwriters, the band's sound is as varied as their influences.

With songs that cover a range of themes, including heartbreak, loss and the sweat of hard labor, Huntley Slim is able to reel in audiences of all ages. The band is comfortable in rowdy late night bars, as well as rural community centers and on outdoor festival stages. Huntley Slim is still Seamus Mulready on bluegrass and old time banjo, Chris Mellor on guitar, with the recent full time arrival of Devon Barrow on upright bass.

On their third effort, the band has recorded a "what you hear is what you get" collection of six songs. Recorded live off the floor at TenVolt Audio in Ottawa by Steve Donnelly (The Kingmakers, Ninety Pounds of Ugly), Make Work Project is a sonic mirror of what Huntley Slim sounds like live. With just three instruments and voices, the band has shown that they have the talent and passion to create music that is traditional and modern at the same time.

"Recommended for fans of The Fox Hunt, Wrinkle Neck Mules, Old Crow Medicine Show, and the local bluegrass jam." - atruersound.com

Money on a Ring.mp3
Download Free EP: Make Work Project (2011)

Tuesday Morning Coffee

2011-05-31T09:12:00.001-04:00

Need a little pick me up after the long weekend?

Which also reminds me of this....

How can I get either of these to be my morning alarm?

Memorial Day 2011

2011-05-30T10:50:00.001-04:00

I know, I post the same song every year for Memorial Day, but I don't care because this song is bad-ass! First, this song is sort of a throw back to the origins of hip-hop in that it's a protest song, questioning why the US military is in Iraq. Second, it calls out the Bush administration for having no proof on "weapons of mass destruction." Third, while he questions authority, the narrator in the song also takes tremendous pride in being a soldier and doing his job well. Despite the fact that the song is from 2005, it's lyrics can easily be changed for today's regime. Iraq, Afghanistan, and now Libya? Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.

But would Robert Gates back me up with the chrome?
Would Janet Napolitano fight or would she stay secure back home?
And would Hillary Clinton cover grenades in a fox hole?
I'm startin' to believe what I was told is not so.

Such a killer song! Play it LOUD!

The Perceptionists - Memorial Day.mp3
Buy: Black Dialogue (2005)

Ha Ha Tonka: Usual Suspects and Tornado Relief

2011-05-29T00:19:00.004-04:00

The boys of Ha Ha Tonka have been busy as usual, touring in support of their fine new album Death of a Decade, which was released in April. Check out their new video for "Usual Suspects."

They toured through Boston a few weeks back, but shit happened and I missed the show. They are currently touring in their native Missouri, and other nearby states. Here's one of my favorites from their new album.

Problem Solver.mp3
Buy: Death of a Decade (2011)

Importantly, Ha Ha Tonka is playing in a relief concert for the victims of the recent tornado that struck Joplin, Missouri. Ha Ha Tonka hail from West Plains, Missouri, due west of Joplin, and their southern Missouri heritage plays a prominent role in their songwriting. They are probably all too familiar with the terror of living in Tornado Alley. If you are in the Kansas City area, attend Midcoast Cares: a Benefit for Joplin on Wednesday, June 1 at Crosstown Station. Thanks guys! If you are not in Kansas City and still want to help Joplin, MO, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and other areas nailed by tornadoes and other disasters this spring, donate some cash to the Red Cross's general disaster relief fund. Come on! You easily spend $10 on beer every weekend! Or, if you are lazy like me and don't want to get off of your couch, text REDCROSS to 90999 to donate $10. And be thankful that you have a couch to plop onto tonight.

Concert Review: Rammstein at the Air Canada Centre, Toronto, May 8

2011-05-15T23:05:00.002-04:00

Mediocre photos by me taken with my Droid.

A while ago I promised my good buddy Schneider Weisse that I would go with him to see his favorite band, the German metal industrial band Rammstein, if they ever toured North America, which they rarely do. Last summer they played a festival in Quebec City, but neither of us could make the show. This past December Rammstein played in the US for the first time since 2001. They did only one show, at Madison Square Garden, and it sold out in about four minutes or something ridiculous like that. Schneider Weisse somehow got a ticket and flew from Toronto to NYC for the weekend for the show (review of the NYC show from Spin). I wanted to go, but I was in the middle of trying to get my shit together to move to Boston and couldn't pull it off.

Since the Quebec and New York Cities shows went so well, Rammstein must have decided to do a mini North American tour, and in early 2011 announced that they were playing six US, three Canadian, and four Mexican dates in the spring of 2011. Fortunately, one of those dates was at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, within stumbling of Schneider Weisse's condo. So I booked a flight and got my sorry ass to Toronto for the May 8 weekend.

The Air Canada Centre was nearly sold out, and we had perfect seats just off of the floor facing the stage. German industrial metal bands will always attract it's share of goths, chicks in short skirts and fishnet stockings, dudes in black skirts and combat boots, and enough black lipstick and nail polish to paint a hearse (on both the chicks and the dudes). But I was really impressed that Rammstein attracted fans of all ages. While the kids mostly stayed in the pit area - the ACC's floor was cleared of chairs so people could mosh - my section had a wide range of ages, within plus or minus 20 years of 35, I would guess. Leader singer/entertainer Till Lindemann is 48 years old. My crew of simps (Rockstar Aimz, Schneider Weisse, Haifisch, Warlock, and Paul) averaged around age 35. Haifisch, who is a native of Germany and has two daughters in their late teens/early 20s, commented, "This is a much better Mother's Day present than toast in bed." Yah!!!

Someone like me who isn't overly familiar with Rammstein's music, except for their only North American hit, 1997's "Du Hast," attends these type of concerts for one reason: to be entertained. In others words, for the pyro. Both Lindemann and keyboardist Christian "Flake" Lorenz are licensed pyrotechnicians, and work with designers to set up pryo, lights, and other effects for their shows. And the pyro did not disappoint. There were giant flames from the stage, fire coming out of metal wings on Lindemann's back, flares blaring out of the end of Lindemann's big-ass bazooka, fireworks, sparks on wires flaming out over the audience, flames from the top and the bottom of the stage. We were on the far side opposite the stage and we could feel the heat from the pyro. The performers and the kids in the pit must has been cooking!

Pyromania!

Rammstein is also know for their stage props and other theatrics. This tour included Lindemann throwing Lorenz into a basin and torching him from above, only to have Lorenz crawl out of the basin wearing a head-to-toe gold sparkling jumpsuit. Lorenz then scampered back up to his keyboards and spent the rest of the show walking to the beat on a rotating treadmill ("Flake" must be in incredible shape). Lindemann also torched a "fan" who "ran" onto the stage, and towards the end of the main set, boarded a giant penis and blew foam at the fans, some of which made it all the way back to our section. During the first encore Lorenz in his jumpsuit boarded an inflatable raft and "sailed" out into the audience. As the fans pushed him along, Lorenz hoisted a big Canadian flag, much to the crowd's delight. Don't worry, the flag wasn't torched. Maybe they saved the flag torching for the American shows? That was a joke people.

Pyro, props, and theatrics are all well and good Aimz, but what about the music? Rammstein played about half of their set from the 2009 album Liebe Ist Für Alle Da . (Translation = There Is Love for Everyone) They sounded AWESOME. From the minute the guitars chopped through the backdrop during the opening song, to the metronome-like timing and pounding by the drummer, and the keyboards tying every song together: the band was tight and focused. Other reviewers mentioned that they had a hard time hearing Lindemann's deep baritone voice, but from my vantage point he sounded wundebar. I could hear him rrrrroll every "R." At one point Lindemann sang a solo with just an acoustic guitar backing him (can't remember which song). An acoustic guitar at a metal show, you ask? Of course! That's how you score with the chicks!

I was also blown away by the knowledgeable crowd. Considering that a vast majority of the crowd presumably did not speak German, it was incredibly impressive how the audience knew the music. Basically, the only non-German Lindemann said the entire night was, "Sank you Toronto. Merci beaucoup." During the aforementioned "Du Hast," the crowd essentially sang the song back to the band. That has to be something pretty special for Rammstein, having 14,000 non-German speakers on a different continent sing a 14-year-old hit back to you in German. Check it out:

I was completely entertained for the 100 minute show. I even threw in a few fist pumps and devil horns. It's not a show I will see on every subsequent tour (that is, if they have more North American dates before 2021), but I highly recommend a Rammstein gig not only for the pyro and stage show, but also for the killer metal. "Other bands play, Rammstein burns!"

Setlist
(from MetalSetlists.com):
1. Rammlied
2. Bückstabü
3. Waidmanns Heil
4. Keine Lust
5. Weisses Fleisch
6. Feuer Frei!
7. Wiener Blut.mp3
Buy: Liebe Ist Für Alle Da (Deluxe edition, 2009)
8. Frühling un París
9. Ich tu dir weh
10. Du Riescht so gut
11. Benzin
12. Links 234
13. Du Hast
14. Pussy

Encore
15. Sonne.mp3
Buy: Mutter (2009)
16. Haifisch
17. Ich Will

2nd Encore
18. Engel

Combichrist opened the show with a 30 minute set, and since it took forever to get through the Air Canada Centre security pat-down, I only saw their last song, where they tipped over their drums sets and smashed their shit. Rock on! Their PR people did send me their latest ultra-violent, extra-boobies video for the song "Throat of Glass," which has a very Nine Inch Nails vibe. Needless to say, the video is not safe for work. Watch the uncensored version here.

Check out these killer photos of the show by Tom Pandi.

May Feel Bad for You: Killer Basslines Edition

2011-05-05T14:45:00.096-04:00

Your favorite monthly comp has a theme for May: "Killer Basslines." Tracks were submitted by bloggers, twitterers, members of the AltCountryTab.ca forum, rock stars, and other ne'er-do-wells.

1. Fugazi - Waiting Room
13 Songs (1989)
Submitted By: romeosidvicious
Comments: This one took no thought at all. The opening to this song is what comes to mind any time any one mentions a bass line. This album was an icebreaker between me and my now best friend when we first met, and to this day still makes my play lists 22 years later. God damn it now I feel fucking old…

2. The Meters - Chicken Strut.mp3
Buy: Struttin’ (1970, reissued 1999)
Submitted By: Phil Norman
Comments: I dig the current neo-funk-soul revival of bands like Sugarman 3, but I dig The Meters even more. Also, this song has chicken noises.

3. Morphine - Yes
Yes (1995)
Submitted by: April at Now This Sound Is Brave
Comments: Since the general makeup of Morphine was drums, baritone sax and two-string slide bass, nearly every song they recorded was built around a killer bassline. But the bassline on "Ye"” is the one that most frequently makes me rock out and say, "Damn."

4. Cream - Tales of Brave Ulysses
Disraeli Gears (1967)
Submitted By: District Noise
Comments: Because I figured everyone else would pick "Sunshine of Your Love."

5. Eleven Hundred Springs - Queen of Canton Street
Welcome to Eleven Hundred Springs (1999)
Submitted By: mikeorren
Comments: In my mind, the best country acts use bass to create an R&B rhythm behind the fiddle, slide and twang. This is one of my favorite examples, as well as some nice songwriting from Matt the Cat. (Hint: "Naomi" was one of Dallas' best country bars, not a woman.)

6. Tom Freund - Comfortable In Your Arms.mp3
Buy: Copper Moon (2005)
Submitted By: toomuchcountry
Comments: Before pursuing his solo career, West Coaster Freund played in a couple of fantastic bands: first with then unknown Ben Harper and later with The Silos. His bass playing is as smooth as a tumbler of Kentucky bourbon. Be sure to check out the video of this song.

7. Sir Mix-a-Lot - Testarossa
Mack Daddy (1992)
Submitted By: Autopsy IV
Comments: The 808 kick drum makes the girlies get dumb.

8. The Who - Young Man Blues
Live at Leeds (1970)
Submitted by: Rockstar_Aimz
I recently heard the Foo Fighters cover of this song, and while their version is good, Nate Mendel is no John Entwistle. This song has so many killer parts, but it's Entwistle's driving base line that makes it kick so much ass. Although it's not an original, this song represents The Who musically at their very best

9. Grand Funk Railroad - People, Let’s Stop The War
E Pluribus Funk (1971)
Submitted by: Truersound
Comments: What Homer Simpson calls "The bong-rattling bass of Mel Schacher."

10.Quicksilver Messenger Service - Mona
Happy Trails (1969)
Submitted By: Shooter Jennings

11. The Who - The Real Me
Quadrophenia (1973)
erschen
Comments: My introduction to this song was by the 80′s Metal Band W.A.S.P. Which got me to look into deeper cuts from The Who. Thanks Blackie!! John Entwistle sure could play. What a rhythm section, Keith Moon & John Entwistle.

12. Radio Moscow - The Escape.mp3
Buy: Brain Cycles (2009)
Submitted By: popa2unes
Comments: Comprised of singer/songwriter/guitarist Parker Griggs, drummer Corey Berry and bassist Zach Anderson – the rebirth of the Power Trio. Call it blues rock, call it psychedelic, call it hard-grooved stoner rock, it’s Cream on steroids.

13. The Stranglers - Nice 'n' Sleazy
Black and White (1978)
Submitted By: TheSecondSingle
Comments: With regards to killer basslines, when in doubt, pull out some late '70s/early '80s British punk.

14. The Who - My Generation
My Generation – Deluxe Version (2002)
Submitted By: Simon
Comments: No choice to make on the track, other than which version to submit.

15. The Wipers - Potential Suicide
Is This Real (1979)
Submitted By: verbow1
Comments: Another band I discovered thanks to one Mr. Kurt Cobain. Very heavy song – and pretty depressing – stay away from the handguns after listening to this one.

16. Descendents - Myage.mp3
Buy: Milo Goes To College (1981)
Submitted By: @marioegarcia (imperialrooster)
Comments: If we’re talking killer basslines it’s hard not to submit something by Motorhead or the Minutemen (or Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five). I’ve been struggling with this selection for a little bit but decided to submit this Descendents song. It's the song that made me fall in love with punk rock, a relationship that has alternately ruined my life and made my life worth living at various points. Let's talk about that bassline. The Ventures after about six pots of coffee, this is one of those lines that's guaranteed to get my motor going in the morning, especially when Bill Stevenson's "Wipeout" drums lock in time with the bass.

17. The Cure - The Hanging Garden
Pornography (1982)
Submitted by: Slowcoustic
Comments: Because I was every alternative outcast character of a mid 80′s John Hughes film, I listened to said "alternative" music because it made me better than the rest of the Junior High/High School normals. Because of this early emo angst, I was introduced to The Cure. And it changed music for me forever. The bass lines on the album might not be killer, as they are fairly straight forward, but are also quite pronounced. The album is dark and echoing due to the heavy bass and percussion aspect, and it almost pushed me to eyeliner…. Almost.

18. Betty Davis - Your Mama Wants Ya Back
They Say I’m Different (Originally released in 1974; reissued with bonus tracks in 2007)
Submitted By: BoogieStudio22
Comments: This was a very tough choice. Whittled my library down to 32 songs with "killer bass lines." Then down to five songs. In the end, went with this Betty Davis track, with nasty sounding vocals to complement the "killer bass line." BTW, Betty Davis was married to Miles Davis in '68, divorced in '69.

19. Black Flag - Six Pack.mp3
Buy: The First Four Years (1983)
Submitted by: AnnieTUFF
Comments: After a lot of thinking about killer basslines, and about technical skill vs just sounding badass, I had to choose this song. Because it doesn't matter where I am, who I'm with or what is going on with my life, when I hear the first couple of notes of this song I wanna get rowdy. And who doesn’t wanna get rowdy?

20. Al Green - Belle
The Belle Album (1977)
Submitted By: Adam Sheets
Comments: Great bass here courtesy of Reuben Fairfax Jr. and an excellent performance from the undisputed King of Memphis soul. This is perhaps Green’s most ambiguous number and those who aren’t paying close attention to the lyrics are likely to interpret this one far differently than the artist intended.

Concert Review: Hayes Carll with Jason Isbell and Shovels and Rope

2011-05-03T13:31:00.003-04:00

About a minute into Hayes Carll's first song "Chances Are" a big cheer erupted from the crowd. No, the crowd wasn't cheering for the protagonist in this heartfelt ballad. They were celebrating the fact that the Boston Bruins had just beaten the Montreal Canadians in double overtime. For a second there I thought I was back in Canada, but then I remembered that the Leafs never make the playoffs. I hope the Texans on the stage weren't confused either. Welcome to Boston!

Carll headlined the sold out gig on Saturday, April 23, at the Brighton Music Hall in Boston, playing all but one song from his tremendous 2011 album KMAG YOYO (and Other American Stories), and other great tunes from his back catalog. (The one song he didn't play from the new album was a Christmas song, which really didn't fit on the day before Easter).

After the warm up ballad, Carll and his band dug into the country rock with "Hard Out Here" and "It's a Shame," along with "Drunken Poet's Dream," which he co-wrote with Ray Wylie Hubbard. By the time he got to the title track to his new album, "KMAG YOYO," which to me sounds like "Subterranean Homesick Blues" on meth, the crowd was rowdy and dancing up a storm.

A few down-tempo tracks later, including my favorite song "Beaumont," Carll introduced a new song that he co-wrote with Bobby Bare Jr., "One Bed, Two Girls and Three Bottles of Wine." This song, along with the venerable "She Left Me for Jesus," which is a quality Easter song, is one of the reasons why I love Hayes Carll's music. There is a long tradition of humor in country music, and so few songwriters use humor in their songs these days, and even fewer use it well. The only other modern humor-using country-ish songwriters that immediately come to mind are are Todd Snider and Corb Lund, both of whom have guest vocals on the song "Bottle in My Hand." A tour with Carll, Snider, and Lund would be worth TSA molestation and domestic air travel.

Early in the set Cary Ann Hearst of first opener Shovels and Rope (see below) joined Carll on stage for the duet "Another Like You." Hearst actually sings on Carll's album, and she is exactly what I pictured: sassy, snarky, and wonderful. "Another Like You" reminds me a bit of the John Prine/Iris Dement duet "In Spite of Ourselves," only Carll's song is framed as a liberal man and a conservative woman getting drunk and mouthing off while actually being attracted to each other. As Carll said, "At the end of day we are all American. I'm convinced that all it takes is a little bit of alcohol and physical attraction." Carll recently announced on twitter that he was talking to James Carville and Mary Matalin about being in his video for "Another Like You." For those of you too young to remember 1992, Carville was chief political strategist for Bill Clinton's successful presidential campaign, while his girlfriend Matalin was deputy campaign manager for George H.W. Bush's unsuccessful re-election bid. I can't find it right now, but I remember reading some brilliant essay written by Carville on how he had to suck up to Mary after the election. They married in October 1993.

Carll's band was fantastic. First, they were all wearing pearl snap shirts, including Carll. Old school. The pedal steel player switched to a different instrument for every song, including mandolin, Dobro, banjo, and probably some stringed instruments that I'm forgetting. The lead electric guitarist also played lap steel and accordion. During "The Letter" both the lap and pedal steel guitars were going full force. That's a lot of steel guitars for just $15.

After a short encore, Carll returned to the stage to play the melancholy "Hide Me" solo. The rest of the band slowly ambled onto the stage and by the end of the song the band had fully assembled to kick the audience into next week with a hard rocking cover of George Jones' "White Lightning." Shovels and Rope joined them on stage to sing, play, and rock out. Perfect ending to a perfect evening of country-rock!

I hope Carll auctions off this sweater for charity, because I want it!

Set List
1. Chances Are
2. Hard Out Here
3. It's a Shame.mp3
Buy: Trouble in Mind (2008)
4. Drunken Poet's Dream
5. KMAG YOYO
6. Bye Bye Baby
7. Another Like You
8. Rivertown
9. Little Rock
10. Beaumont
11. Bottle in My Hand
12. One Bed, Two Girls and Three Bottles of Wine
13. The Letter
14. Faulkner Street
15. Grand Parade
16. I Got a Gig
17. Long Way Home
18. The Lovin' Cup
19. Girl Downtown
20. She Left Me For Jesus
21. Stomp and Holler.mp3
Buy: KMAG YOYO (& other American stories) (2011)

Encore
22. Hide Me
23. White Lightning (George Jones cover)

Hayes Carll and Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit alternated as the headlining act for this mini tour, with Carll closing the Boston gig. I've seen Isbell and his band live twice before, and had never seen a Carll gig, so this setup worked out perfectly for me. Isbell's new album Here We Rest is a slight departure from his previous two solo albums in that it is more of a singer/songwriter type of album as opposed to the blues-based country rock that permeates his previous releases. For example, "Alabama Pines" is an homage or even a love song to his home state, which really shows Isbell's growth as a songwriter.

Not that we fans haven't known about Isbell's musical talents for years. While Isbell and his band mainly played tracks off of his superb new album, he also treated we longtime fans to a few of his older songs from his days with the Drive-By Truckers. I was especially thrilled to hear "Outfit," one of the best songs in Isbell's, as well as the Trucker's, catalogs.

Isbell is also a tremendous guitar player. Before launching into "Never Gonna Change" he shredded on his electric for a few minutes, and broke up "Never Gonna Change" with Hendrix's "Stone Free." So killer. And the rest of his band is fantastic as well, switching from the electric instruments to the acoustics and upright bass for the country-folk "Codeine," and back to the rock and/or roll for The Meters cover "Hey Pocky A-Way" ("New Orleans Music" - Isbell) and a new track "Tour of Duty." Isbell's lead guitarists Browan Lollar is not only a bad-ass guitarist, but also an artist. He painted the album art for Here We Rest.

As much as I loved seeing Hayes Carll headline the gig, Isbell's set left me wanting more. Come back to Boston soon, Jason!

400 Unit lead guitarist Browan Lollar did the album cover painting.

Set List
1. Go It Alone
2. Alabama Pines.mp3
Buy: Here We Rest (2011)
3. Never Gonna Change ---> Stone Free (Jimi Hendrix cover) ---> Never Gonna Change
4. Goddamn Lovely Love
5. Codeine
6. Hey Pocky A-Way (The Meters cover, drummer Chad Gamble on lead vocals - I didn't actually know this song and had to look it up.)
7. Tour of Duty
8. Heart on a String
9. Outfit
10. Streetlights.mp3
Buy: Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit (2009)

Changing my name to Calamity Aimz.

A few weeks ago I messed up my left foot, and I finally saw the doc about it last Wed. She gave me this ridiculous boot to wear which prevents me from bending my toes, and helps my third extensor digitorum longus tendon/third metatarsal heal. So I limp all over the place and have a hard time walking. Why am I telling you this? Because my slow walking and limping made me miss the bus, then miss the subway, and completely miss the first openers Shovels and Rope. Why didn't I just take a friggin' cab? Shovels and Rope are husband/wife duo Cary Ann Hearst and Michael Trent. Judging by the ruckus applause they received as I walked in, their set went over very, very well. In fact, I talked to a couple who were there just to see Shovels and Rope, and had never heard of Hayes Carll or Jason Isbell.

I'm not sure if they played the below track on Saturday night, but it's one of many stellar songs from their self-titled album.

Can't Hardly Stand It.mp3
Buy (mp3): Shovels and Rope (2008)

Happy Birthday Willie Nelson!

2011-04-30T15:26:00.000-04:00

78 and still kicking ass!

April Feel Bad For You

2011-04-10T09:16:00.001-04:00

The monthly comp of songs submitted by bloggers, twitterers, member of the AltCountryTab.ca forum, and other ne'er-do-wells. As always, drunken ramblings encouraged. Stream below:

1. The Dead Milkmen - "Commodify Your Dissent"
The King in Yellow (2011)
Submitted By: Autopsy IV
Comments: Brand new music from the Dead Milkmen. Love the lyric, "Country music used to be about the music and not the country."

2. The Bouncing Souls - "The Ballad of Johnny X"
Johnny X 7″ (1995)
Submitted By: Romeo Sid Vicious
Comments: Been in kind of a "Fuck Off" mood lately due to various circumstances so I have been pulling out older and angrier stuff to make it through. This one is pretty standard for me when these moods rear their ugly heads.

3. Allen Thompson - Forgive Me.mp3
Buy: 26 Years (2009)
Submitted By: TruerSound
Comments: Some East Nashville music by way of Roanoke,VA.

4. Obits - "Two-Headed Coin"
Moody, Standard and Poor (2011)
Submitted By: Popa2unes
Comments: This band just showed up on my radar, but they’ve only been a band since '07 but are accomplished musicians who once fronted Drive Like Jehu, Edsel, Hot Snakes, and Pitchfork.

5. Ellis Paul - "The Speed of Trees"
The Speed of Trees (2002)
Submitted By: philnorman
Comments: "Your love makes me move at the speed of tress." For me, Ellis Paul defines the contemporary singer-songwriter genre.

6. Vulture Whale - Land It.mp3
Buy: Vulture Whale (2007)
Submitted By: Corey Flegel
Comments: "This song is our Freebird" — Lee Bains (Glory Fires, Dexateens)

7. Let's Active - "Forty Days"
Every Dog Has His Day (1988)
Submitted By: toomuchcountry
Comments: April > Easter > Mitch > Let's Active. Naturally.

8. Yesterday's Ring - "Punx Not Dead…It's Just Sleeping"
Diamonds In The Ditch (2009)
Submitted By: PearlSnapMan

9. Rusty Wier - Don't It Make You Wanna Dance?.mp3
From: Don't It Make You Wanna Dance? (1975, out of print)
Submitted By: erschen
Comments: I hadn't heard this in years until I heard Todd Snider's version on his latest live album. This song never fails to bring a smile to my face

10. John Popper & the Duskray Troubadors - "Champipple"
John Popper & the Duskray Troubadors (2011)
Submitted By: Trailer
Comments: I'm a huge Sanford & Son fan, so pretty much, a song titled "Champipple" only need be listenable to grab me. Bonus points for being a pretty damn good tune.

11. Bob Dylan and the Band - "Bessie Smith"
The Basement Tapes (1975)
Submitted By: JackAttackHays
Comments: I love Garth Hudson's organ playing on this song. Absolutely stunning. And Rick Danko singing doesn't hurt!

12. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - "American Girl"
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers (1976)
Submitted By: BoogieStudio22
Comments: How best to introduce myself? How about with *the* song from *the* album that, for me, distilled the sound of the 50s/60s (to which my older brother introduced me) & also had the attitude and energy that set the stage for my future musical preferences. I can still remember that day in 1977 when I first heard it. It was a spring afternoon. My best friend and I are cruising in his metallic blue Duster. Mike says he has a new tape he wants me to check out, pops it into the player and I hear the snare/cymbal intro of "Rockin’ Around." And so started my love affair with music that continues to this day. This album is in my top 10 and this song, "American Girl," never fails to bring that day back to me. I can, quite literally, smell the smells, feel the sun and relive that afternoon. Friends think I’m crazy when I say that, but it's true.

13. Cut in the Hill Gang - The Right to Love You.mp3
Buy: Mean Black Cat (2010)
Submitted By: Now This Sound Is Brave
Comments: Covering a song by the Mighty Hannibal, CitHG make love sound like a threat. A sexy, going-down-slow kind of threat. Album only available as import, but well worth the extra scratch.

14. The Replacements - "If Only You Were Lonely"
B-Side to I’m In Trouble (1981)
Submitted By: MarioEGarcia
Comments: Early peek at Westerberg's songwriting genius. It amazes me that he was this melodic and sincere this early in their "snotty trash" days. Perennial mixtape fave of mine. The lyrics are perfect. Who here hasn't been in the position of our hero, drunk and dying for the person sitting next to him at the bar to go home with him…

15. Willie Nelson and Wynton Marsalis - "Busted"
Here We Go Again (2011)
Submitted By: MikeOrren
Comments: Willie's country has always had a jazz delivery. This is the second live disc collaboration, a tribute to Ray Charles. And lately, I’ve been feeling a little Busted.

16. Chase 56 - "Goodbye Princess"
Allatoona Rising (2010)
Submitted By: TheOtherBrit
Comments: One of the few albums in recent history that I love every single track on, these guys are my hometown heroes, or something like that.

17. The Broken Family Band - "Alone in the Make-Out Room"
Balls (2006)
Submitted By: Simon2307
Comments: Sticking with UK bands for FBFY, here's a killer indie twang track from The Broken Family Band.

18. The Wrens - "Surprise, Honeycomb"
Secaucus (1996)
Submitted By: verbow1
Comments: This song is killing me lately. Can’t describe it. Dark and twisted – as you can tell by the lyrics http://www.wrens.com/records/secaucus#surprise.

19. Jacob Thomas - Tennessee Nighttime Blues.mp3
Black, White and Red: Vol. II (2007)
Submitted By: Slowcoustic
Comments: Truly a down trodden track if I ever heard one – but at the same time achingly beautiful. Like exhaling smoke from lungs this song just brings a sense of stillness to the sad bastards among us.

20. The Mountain Goats - "Beautiful Gas Mask"
All Eternals Deck (2011)
Submitted By: noteethleroy

21. Dan Tedesco - "Lookin' For A Girl Like You"
Tracks On Fire (2011)
Submitted By: monkeyboy
Comments: I'm liking this guy's new album and going to see him in Denver on April 7th. Check him out!

22. Charlie Rich - "I Take It On Home"
20 Greatest Hits (1997)
Submitted By: Bowood
Comments: Great voice and great advice.

23. Blue Moonshine - "Rules"
Distilled EP (2011)
Submitted By: Rockstar Aimz
Comments: Great little bluegrass-ish/country-ish EP. More fiddle!

24. The Tower of Dudes -Drink, Fuck, Drive Truck.mp3
Buy: A Plan (2008)
Submitted by: Jessica
Comments: The title says it all.

Foo Fighters Saturday

2011-04-09T15:29:00.000-04:00

Working my ass off all week plus getting shitfaced at the Old 97's gig last night equals Aimz sleeping for 13 hours last night. So when I finally got up at 12:45, made coffee, and flipped on the TV, I was just in time for the Foo Fighters: Live at Wembley Stadium (2008). Holy shit! It looks so amazing in HD. Finally justification for spending too much money on an HD TV! Check out this clip:

Dave Grohl is my secret boyfriend. So secret that he doesn't even know it. He's about as close to a rock god as there can be in 2011. I bow down and worship him.

And, it turns out that the Foos are on Saturday Night Live tonight with Helen Mirren hosting (11:30 p.m. Eastern). The show should be killer.

Last night when I was hammered I caught the end of the Foo documentary, Back and Forth. Then passed out on my couch. Back and Fourth is playing on VH1 again tonight at 1 a.m. (Eastern). The trailer:

Awesome! The Foos new album will be officially out on April 12! Krist Novoselic guests on bass and accordion on the song "I Should Have Known." It's the first recording that Grohl and Novoselic have done together since Nirvana.

Buy (CD): Wasting Light (2011)

Buy (DVD): Foo Fighters: Live at Wembley Stadium (2008)

I need to stay in tonight anyway since I fucked up my foot, so tonight's schedule: Foos on SNL at 11:30 p.m. Foos documentary on VH1 at 1 a.m. I may or may not be live tweeting during the shows.

Saturday Tunes

2011-04-02T13:57:00.001-04:00

My blog has been weaker than usual lately due to me getting killed at my new job and due to me doing a bit of traveling. Here are a few tunes that I have been digging lately. I really hope to kick this blog into high gear this April.

This one is dedicated to my buddy Gorrck who just turned 40!

The Heartless Bastards - Done Got Old.mp3
Buy: Stairs & Elevators 2005

This one is dedicated to all of you poor saps who lost your girlfriend to the lead singer of a bad pretentious indie band at South by Southwest.

Sons of Bill - Lost Love and Indie Rockers.mp3
From: Life in Shambles tour EP (2010)

From the great state of Georgia, here's a song about vapid, annoying chicks. I strive not to be one of those girls.

Chase Fifty Six - Goodbye Princess.mp3
Buy: Allatoona Rising (2010)

The New England Americana Festival

2011-03-30T22:56:00.001-04:00

Who's in Boston/New England and wants to check out some new bands with me? The New England Americana Festival kicks off tomorrow night (Thursday, March 31) at Church in Boston (69 Kilmarnock Street), and runs through Saturday night (April 2). Since I have only been in Boston for three months and I don't know the local or regional Americana scene at all, I am looking forward to checking this out! Who wants to hang out with me? E-mail me at rockstaraimz at gmail and we'll drink some beers and enjoy some tunes.

Our friends over at Boston Band Crush have a two part write-up of the bands at the festival, plus two "old timey barrels full o'music from the included bands." Check 'em out! Part I. Part II.

Chocolate Jesus

2011-03-20T16:26:00.000-04:00

This is a song for those of you in the audience who have trouble getting up on Sunday morning and going to church. I've discovered something that is a candy item, it's actually kind of an immaculate confection. There's a cross on one side, a bible inscription on the other. You put it in your mouth and when it's gone you can get up and leave.

Congrats to Mr. Waits on his induction to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I am going to be spending the next week months/years being obsessed with Waits' music. Stay tuned.

SXSW First Timers Guide #3: Eating and Drinking

2011-03-13T00:20:00.003-05:00

My Canadian Rock Grrrl Rad Jen comes through again with another killer guest post! Which is extra sweet for me since I've been drawing the bloggers-blank lately. Y'all need to eat at SXSW, correct? Here are your eating/drinking suggestions for the week. And you in Canada know that NAFTA didn't exactly come through for Tex-Mex food, so gorge yourself while in Austin.

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Great Texas food should be part of your fun at SXSW. Get your share of great authentic BBQ, Tex-Mex, tacos, gulf shrimp, and the incredible explosion of "foodie" food trailers. The trick is to balance the eating with the drinking: don't be so desperate that you end up eating 6th Street pizza slices for the whole trip and don't do daytime drinking on an empty stomach.

TIMING: WHEN TO EAT
If you are planning on catching the punk rock bands playing on the pedestrian bridge at 3:00am, you should probably stop reading right now. I can't help you. Otherwise I recommend the following 1) eat a big breakfast, 2) eat an early dinner.

The daytime bands and FREE BEER start at NOON. You need to eat before noon, even if you are not a breakfast person. Luckily, Austin invented the breakfast taco and Mexican restaurants offer breakfast 24/7. Then there is the dinner crowd line up situation: there are a 100,000 people in town for SXSW, and almost every single one of them decides to have dinner at 7ish, before the night shows start. If you eat dinner early at 5 or 6, you have a MUCH better chance of getting into a restaurant. Otherwise you walk around for 2 hours wasting time in restaurant lineups. You can always have a late night pizza slice or taco truck snack. I try to eat a big Mexican breakfast as a drinking base, maybe a taco or pizza slice in the afternoon if necessary, and then dinner AND COFFEE around 5 or 6 for the night shift. Keep in mind that I do not have the luxury of a nearby hotel room to nap in. I go out and stay out. It's like going to war.

BREAKFAST
A big deal in Austin. Everyone goes out for breakfast, almost every day. And why wouldn't they? The breakfast taco is genius: Order two. Egg and potato, chorizo, whatever, you can't go wrong. Even non-Mexican places offer these. Even the 7-11. My usual order: eggs scrambled with tortilla chips, usually with potatoes, beans, chorizo. Tortillas on the side. You are allowed to drink Bloody Marys or a Tecate beer with breakfast. No one will bat an eye. But plan your nap time.

Recommendations:

COUNTER CAFE - on Lamar, near Waterloo Records. Really excellent diner breakfasts and burgers. Small. I love this place
24Hr DINER - on Lamar right beside Waterloo Records. Very good. Big
MARIA'S TACO EXPRESS - South Lamar, far south. Big. Hippie gospel church there on Sundays.
POLVO'S - on South First. My fav Mexican restaurant. Good to go here before you go to Yard Dog/South Congress day shows. Giant breakfast tacos. Killer margaritas.
BOULDIN CREEK CAFE - on South First, near Polvo's. Breakfast tacos, great coffee.
JO'S - on South Congress, near the San Jose. Coffee, Coffee, Coffee!

LUNCH/DINNER
Lots of good stuff here, so I am just going to categorize my recommendations. Remember, I do a big breakfast, then grab a late lunch/early dinner.

MEXICAN
All the Mexican places above serve lunch/dinner options as well. Other Recommendations:

EL NARANJO - on Rainey St. near the Convention Centre. Rave reviews. Want to go.
Z TEJAS - around the corner from Waterloo Records. A bit more upscale.
GUERO'S - on South Congress. Pronounced "wwwwher-o's." Everyone ends up here at least once. Great bar and patio. Really part of the SXSW scene.
POLVO'S - I am repeating POLVO'S because it is really good food. While you are waiting for your table, order a margarita and hang out in the parking lot. Fun!
La CONDESA - upscale Mexican across from the W hotel. Excellent but $$$$.

BARBECUE
This is a noun in Texas, not a verb. Order ribs or brisket. Sides are separate: beans, coleslaw, pickles. You will also get white Wonder bread.

ARTZ RIBS - on South Lamar. Excellent.
FRANKLIN Barbecue TRAILER - Rave reviews. 11th Street. Want to go.
IRON WORKS BBQ - downtown near Convention Center.
LAMBERTS BBQ - very good, but $$$.
STUBB'S - on Red River. OK. A convenient location.
SALT LICK - car ride north of city if you have time.
THE COUNTY LINE BBQ - car ride north of city if you have time.
LOUIE MUELLER'S BARBEQUE - in TAYLOR, TX. If you have time for a day trip before or after SXSW, I highly recommend this place. About an hour away. Completely authentic. Wild west. Great building used in a zillion movies - great photo ops. People will believe you actually WERE in Texas. Award winning food.

DOWNTOWN: 6TH ST/RED RIVER/CONVENTION CENTRE AREA
This is tough. There is mostly crap food right in the heart of the bar area where you will be most evenings. These are the edible exceptions.

FOOD TRAILERS off Red River - You will see people lined up for KEBAB-A-LICIOUS for a reason. I expect even more Food Trailers this year.
RAINEY STREET - up and coming n/s hipster street near the convention center. Good restaurants like EL NARANJO and GARAGE MAHAL. BYOB.
DRISKILL HOTEL - on 6th Street. Fast way to get decent food on 6th st: eat at the bar in the hotel cafe. Also, order drinks and hang in the crazy wild west lobby.
CASINO EL CAMINO - 6th Street. The best burgers in town, according to the Fearless Critic. I am too fearful to eat there myself: very punk rock. You eat in the dark surrounded by the pierced and tattooed. The red head rock goddess Sabrina of A Giant Dog is a cook there, FWIW.
FRANK - West off Congress. You can see the sign painted on the building. Hot dogs, cold beer. Lots of hot dog options. And bacon-infused Makers Mark.
IRON CACTUS - on 6th Street. Pedestrian Tex-Mex, but edible.
THE BOILING POT - on 6th Street. Cajun, crawfish, etc. You wear a bib and the boiling pot gets dumped on the table. Fun!

SOUTH CONGRESS AREA
All the restaurants on this strip are good to very, very good. Try to eat here before you head back to 6th street.

GUERO'S - everyone ends up here.
HOME SLICE PIZZA - excellent.
PERLA'S - Fantastic seafood restaurant. Expensive, but worth it. Try happy hour.
VESPAIO - very good Italian.
ENOTECA - Vespaio's little sister, very Terroni-ish (Toronto reference!)
SNACK BAR - global organic.

EAST AUSTIN
This area has exploded in the last year...like Ossington/Dundas (Toronto reference!). Lots of new restaurants/bars --- and a FOOD Trailer Park here.

PROTOCOL/MISCELLANEOUS
Only the more upscale restaurants take reservations during SXSW, but many will tell you what the wait time is and take down your cell number and call you when your table is ready. Ask. This frees you up to drink in their parking lot or a neighboring bar. ALWAYS ask if you can order drinks if you need to wait. You'll make friends. Some restaurants are dry, but allow you to bring in your own wine or beer. Madam Mam's Thai on Guadalupe is one of these.

FOOD TRAILER PARKS: most are dry, but many allow you to bring in your own beer or wine (which you can buy in the gas station, y'all.) Nothing more fun than sitting outside on a warm Texas night eating great food at a picnic table, under Xmas lights, with your own cheap wine or beer. So civilized.

You may ask for a "Go Box" for leftovers. Perfectly acceptable and often done, but you have to fill the styrofoam box yourself, which I find hilarious. Alamo Drafthouse movie theaters serve food, wine and beer. Yes, while you watch the movie. Don't eat before the movie. I always order the deep fried pickles.

DRINKING

BEER: Lots of local Texas and micro brew beers to try, as well as Mexican. (Texas was settled by German and Czech immigrants! Who knew?)
WATER: Every bar has a water cooler and plastic cups at the end of the bar. Look for it. Keep yourself hydrated. Do yourself a favor and have a glass of water once in a while.
TOPO CHICO: Mexican mineral water in glass coke-like bottle. SO REFRESHING! I try to balance one Topo Chico per two beers.
ICED TEA: This is real unsweetened ice tea. Not the sugary stuff we get in bottles. Again, really refreshing when you've been drinking all day.
MEXICAN COCA COLA: For Coke addicts, this IS the real thing. Look for bottles with the paper sticker on the side. Pure sugar cane or something.
MARGARITAS: With the freshest of lime juice. Yum. Every bar/restaurant makes them a different way. Again, I love POLVO'S.

THE BEER KOOZIE!
Yes, the foam beer cooler thingy: bands, bars, and parties will be handing these out. Get them, keep them and use them. Learn to love them. Texans keep them in their back pockets. Really.

TIPS!!!!
Please tip your servers and bartenders!!! Tip the volunteer serving up that FREE Beer! Tip the waitress on her third 16hr shift! Texans tip $1.00 on a $3.50 beer. Do not act like a Yankee cheapskate.

WHERE NOT TO EAT
Jovitas: Drink there but don't eat there.
6th Street Pizza
Dog and Duck Pub: Chips, yes. Fish, no.

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Damn! Thanks for the info Jen! Now I'm hungry and thirsty.

Here are three more bands which I would check out if I was going to SXSW, which I am not. Feel bad for me.

Whitey Morgan and the 78's - I Ain't Drunk.mp3
Buy: Whitey Morgan and The 78's (2010)

SXSW Schedule
FRI 18 Yard Dog Party, 3:00pm
SAT 19 Bloodshot Records Showcase, Red Eye Fly, 1:00am

Sharon Van Etten - One Day.mp3
Buy: Epic (2010)

SXSW Schedule
WED 16 UT-FM Live Broadcast, Hilton Lobby, 10:30am
WED 16 Brooklyn Vegan Showcase, Swan Dive, 12:00am
THU 17 Other Music Party, French Legation, 3:00pm
FRI 18 The Onion A.V. Club Party, Mohawk, 3:00pm
SAT 19 Red Ryder Showcase, Central Presbyterian Church, 8:30pm

Dolorean - The Unfazed.mp3
Buy: The Unfazed (2011)

SXSW Schedule
THU 17 End of an Ear, 4:00pm
FRI 18 Brooklyn Vegan/Partisan Records Party, Swan Dive, 2:00pm
FRI 18 Overtone Party, J. Blacks Feel Good Lounge, 4:45pm
FRI 18 Knitting Factory Showcase, Rusty Spurs, 9:00pm

SXSW First Timers Guide #2: What's with all these 'unofficial' Parties?

2011-03-10T15:39:00.004-05:00

More SXSW advice from my homegrrrl Rad Jen. I am not going this year, so if you invite me to a SXSW party or showcase, I will forward that invitation to Rad Jen. She can out drink me by a lot. Consider yourself warned.

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SXSW First Timers Guide #2: What's with all these 'unofficial' parties? How do I get in? What about the RSVP thing?

Yes, there are a million day and night 'unofficial parties'. Which basically means a line-up of bands/artists and (hopefully) free beer and food - all sponsored by a Magazine/Record Label/Radio Station/Website/Blog/Whatever. Many of these performers will be part of the 'official' showcases at night. Some of them won't be. My experience is the 'parties' are way more fun than most showcases....

INVITE ONLY PARTIES
The real industry parties are 'badges' only, and you need to secure a hard laminate 'invite' directly from the sponsor. Some of these invites are given out at the convention center. If you are a non-industry 'wristbander' like me, you can send grovelling emails to the sponsor of the party which you really want to go to, and they may mail you an invite. (This used to work with New West records, back when they had the Drive-By Truckers on their roster, and the party to go with it....) I have no idea how to get an invite to Perez Hilton's party, or SPIN magazine, or whatever. Ask your industry contacts. (You will notice showoffs wearing multiple party badges around their necks like trophies.....FWIW).

Conversely, if you DO happen to get your hands on some laminate party invites, don't change your mind and leave them in the hotel room. Bring them with you and GIVE THEM AWAY to someone who looks like they would appreciate them. Make friends and good rock karma!

'FREE' PARTIES with or without RSVP'S
Most of these will be advertised as 'Free' on their websites or give you an RSVP to click. The RSVP is virtually meaningless. No one is going to check your name. It is simply a way for the party giver to call this a private party, and get their temporary liquor license. So yes, RSVP for the hell of it, but the trick here is to GET THERE EARLY. Like, opening time slot. Otherwise you are in a line up for hours when you could be at a different party, drinking.

VENUE CAPACITY
All venues will stop the lineup at the door when their venue is AT CAPACITY, whether you have an invite or not. This goes for all events - unofficial and official SXSW events. You'll see a guy with the clicker. Why? Because you'll also see fire marshals walking in and out of clubs regularly throughout the festival. No club wants to get shut down. You may not get in, but the good news is that you're not going to die in a nightclub fire in the middle of Texas. That will not happen.

ALL AGES
Note which parties are ALL AGES because, guess what? Free + All Ages means a long lineup and kids with nothing better to do than stand in line. Get there early.

BRING YOUR I.D.
Just a reminder, you need your I.D. at all times.

www.showlistaustin.com
This site does the MAGNIFICENT task of compiling and listing all the 'unofficial' events and parties, including all the RSVP links. It's ONE guy who does all of this! If you run into him, please buy him a drink! This site also allows you to quickly view who is throwing which parties on which day.

More soon,

Rad Jen

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If you are going to go to any unofficial parties, you should go to at least one, if not both, of the parties that my colleague over at NineBullets is throwing. Check this shit out:

Glossary - Lonely is a Town.mp3
Buy: Feral Fire (2010)

SXSW Schedule
TUE 15 Hole in the Wall, 8:00pm
WED 16 The Mean Eyed Cat, 4:00pm
THU 17 Sam's Town Point, 11:00pm
FRI 18 NineBullets Party I, Double Down Lounge, 2:00pm
SAT 19 NineBullets Party II, Revolution Bar, 3:00pm

The Only Sons - Lay Back Down.mp3
Buy (mp3): Steel Hearts (2009)

SXSW Schedule
FRI 18 NineBullets Party I, Double Down Lounge, 2:00pm
SAT 19 NineBullets Party II, Revolution Bar, 3:00pm

Austin Lucas - She Did.mp3
Buy: Somebody Loves You (2009)

SXSW Schedule
SAT 19 NineBullets Party II, Revolution Bar, 2:00pm

Somewhere along the line make sure to catch Kasey Anderson and the Honkies. They are doing seven different gigs during SXSW - all FREE. I'm not posting tunes right now as I will do a proper write-up of their new album Heart of a Dog in a few weeks.

SXSW Schedule
THU 17 Music Gorilla Showcase, Treasure Island, 3:00pm
FRI 18 Stag's Rock Roll Circus South, Zax, 12:00pm
FRI 18 NineBullets Party I, Double Down Lounge, 3:00pm
FRI 18 Romeo's, 11:00pm
SAT 19 Smoke and Sand Showcase, Rusty Spurs, 12:00pm
SAT 19 NineBullets Party II, The Revolution Bar, 2:00pm
SAT 19 Twangfest Party, Jovita's, 5:30pm

SXSW First Timers Guide #1: What to Pack/What to Bring

2011-03-09T12:13:00.005-05:00

Confession: I have never been to SXSW. This fact probably ruins what little indie cred I have, but it's the truth. And this year is no different. While you all will be rocking out in Austin, I'll be slaving away for THE MAN in Boston. However, my Canadian rock grrrl Rad Jen is a veteran of SXSW, and she wrote some killer first-timers guides which she has kindly allowed me to post here. The music festival starts on March 15. Enjoy!

______________________________________________________

Forget about the music....what are you going to wear? What do you need to pack?

You may want to do your prep shopping now so that you can focus on music research and your schedule closer to the event. And trust me, you want to be physically comfortable during the festival so you can just focus on the fun - and not your aching back and feet. Or shopping for what you forgot.

The dayshows are mostly outside, with a varying degrees of tent coverage for sun or rain. The night shows are in bars or big tents. If the schedule says "patio" it really means a parking lot + a big tent + portables. Most bars have an outdoor area, which is great when it's warm, not so great when it's pouring rain. You will be standing in a lot of lineups outside all of these, and the weather will vary. You will likely go out early for breakfast and day shows and go back to your hotel around 4-5 to shower, nap and get ready for the night shows. Yes, there ARE events that START at 2:00AM. You are on your own for those. Good luck.

1. FLY CARRY ON ONLY
Given the volume and number of connecting flights into Austin, the chances of your checked bag being delayed get crazy. I find a wheely carry on and a mid size duffel as my "personal" bag holds everything I really need. Wheely goes overhead, duffle under the seat. I use a string bag for my passport/wallet/glasses/boarding pass. Many of the small plane connecting flights let you to gate check your carry on anyway (like Porter). Buy your tolietries when you get there. If you MUST check a bag, tag it with your connecting flight number, your Austin address, and a prominent cell number. Delayed bags will get delivered to your hotel. Pack two days of clothes in your carry on, just in case.

2. IT'S ALL ABOUT THE SHOES
This is the key thing you need to think about: comfortable shoes. You will be standing up on hard pavement for four solid days. You need cushion and arch support. Open shoes/sandals are okay for daytime shows, but I like having closed boots/shoes for nighttime. There are a lot of gravel back alleys you'll be walking through, not to mention wet bathroom floors. Bring minimum 2-3 pairs of shoes to rotate, lots of socks, Dr. Scholl's athletic insoles as backup. You may want to buy new shoes NOW and break them in. Get a pedicure or cut your toenails before you go. I could not be more serious: do whatever you need to do to make sure your swollen feet won't hurt. High heels are completely ridiculous: the hot girls are all wearing heavy boots with pretty dresses. And tattoos.

3. BRING LAYERS
It could be 80F or it could be freezing. You need layers. My daytime uniform is a black tee or tank top (black to hide food stains, y'all) and jeans, with a hoodie or long sleeve shirt/jean jacket/leather jacket/polar fleece jacket to layer up at night or if it gets cool. Bring a lightweight raincoat w/hood and/or mini lightwight collapsible umbrella. It will rain one day - always does. Bring a warm tuque and gloves, just in case. They saved my ass last year when a cold front came in and half the daytime shows got cancelled. Everyone in Austin seems to own a North Face polar fleece vest for a reason. There are Lululemon and REI stores besides Waterloo Records and the big Whole Foods downtown if you need an emergency weather shop. Again, you may want to buy some of this stuff now.

4. SUN PROTECTION
Put sunscreen on your face and bare arms, feet, etc. every morning, regardless of the weather. The morning weather will probably change. Sunglasses: I always bring a back up pair. You need a sun hat, even if you never wear hats. Put it in your day bag. I pack a "face stick" to reapply to my nose, etc., if I'm worried at all about exposure. This is easy to forget about when you're half drunk and watching bands all day. At night, you will see people running around with 3rd degree sunburned faces. You do not want to be one of them. And you will notice that Texans do not generally have tans.

5. ALLERGIES
Austin is the allergy capital of the US. Even if you do not have allergies at home, there is a good chance you will get them in Austin. The SXSW week is usually the week all the trees flower: it's grey when you get there and green when you leave. Pack some Claritin or Reactine just in case. I start taking them pre-emptively about a week before I go.

6. TOLIETRIES
In addition to sun and allergy protection you need: 1) Earplugs - for the loud bands, bad sound checks, your afternoon nap, and the loud partiers next door. 2) Those small packs of Kleenex for the ladies - the TP is gone by day two, and Mexican food makes my nose run. 3) Wipes/Wet Ones - for both the sloppy tacos and stinky portables you will be dealing with. 4) Purell. You will make friends in bathroom lineups when you pull any of these out of your day bag. Good conversation starters. A sleep mask is a good idea too, for afternoon naps. Pack these or make a Walgreens run PRONTO when you get there. FWIW, I also bring Beano. And Polysporin ointment, just like Mariah Carey on tour.

7. GOVERNMENT ISSUE ID
EVERYONE gets carded, regardless of age. It is illegal to be inside a bar in Texas without identification. You need to carry ID with you at all times. I do not like to carry my passport around to shows, but use my drivers license or health card instead. The fun part is when the 21 year old doorman says, "wow....you look really great!" when he realizes you are his mother's age. Don't get shut out of a bar because you didn't pack your ID. This is strictly enforced.

8. LOTS of U.S. $1.00 BILLS
Drinks are ridiculously cheap in most bars (by Toronto standards), and there is tons of FREE BEER to be had at day shows, but it is customary and polite to tip $1.00 a drink. Try to catch your bartender's eye when you put $1 into the wine carafe on the bar, and chances are she'll serve you again first before the lout who didn't. The Brits get this wrong all the time. My fav handwritten sign at Emo's is "'Cheers Mate' is not an acceptable tip in Texas!" Try to load up on $1 bills now if you have the chance. They go fast. Also: most bars are cash only. I get my US cash before I go at the CIBC US ATM. And, Austin city buses are $1.00 single fare or $2.00 for an all day pass. Having a $20 bill is not going to help - they do not make change.

9. A GOOD DAY BAG + MINI PENLITE
Needs to hold all of the above, and your BOTTLE OF WATER, camera, phone, T-Shirts and other swag that you may buy, etc. Messenger bag or backpack - up to you. You will have people behind you trying to see the band, so keep that in mind. You don't want it to be so big that it pisses people off. And a penlite is handy to have in dark bars at night.

MORE INFO TO FOLLOW:
SXSW FIRST TIMERS GUIDE #2: What's with all these 'unofficial' parties? How do I get in? What about the RSVP thing?

If I am missing anything, just ask.

Rad Jen

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Awesome! Does Rad Jen rule or what?

If I were going to SXSW, here are some bands/artists who I have never seen before who I would love to check out.

Slim Cessna's Auto Club - This is How We Do Things in This Country.mp3
Buy: Jesus Let Me Down (2006)

SXSW Schedule:
TUE 15 Panache Party, Scoot Inn
WED 16 Anso Party, Spider House
THU 17 Panache Showcase, Red 7, 12:10AM

John Vanderslice - Sea Salt.mp3
Buy: White Wilderness (2011)

SXSW Schedule:
WED 16 Tiger Mountain and Noise Pop Present: Brooklyn vs. The Bay!, 3:30pm
WED 16 Dead Oceans/Secretly Canadian/Jagjag showcase, Red 7, 10:30
THU 17 Schubas Party, Yard Dog Folk Art Gallery, 1:35pm
THU 17 Paste Party, Stage on Sixth, 5:30 pm
FRI 18 KEXP's live broadcast, Mellow Johnnys Bike Shop, 6:30 pm

J. Roddy Walston and the Business - Uh Oh Rock 'n' Roll.mp3
Buy: J Roddy Walston & The Business (2010)

SXSW Schedule
WED 16 Stubb's 8:55pm
THU 17 No Depression Showcase, Soho Lounge, 1:00am

Bob Dylan "Revealed"

2011-03-07T11:36:00.011-05:00

It's a rare day when I get something interesting in my inbox. It's even more rare when it's from Bob Dylan's crew. And when someone even remotely associated with Bobby D. says "jump," I say "how high?" Per the press release:

When Bob Dylan turns 70 in May 2011, his iconic career will have spanned five decades. Yet, a true portrait of the reclusive "voice of the generation" has eluded Dylan fans. Through exclusive insider interviews, and never-before-seen photos and footage spanning Dylan's 50-year career, Bob Dylan Revealed offers an intimate biography of who Bob Dylan was, and who he is today. Producer Jerry Wexler and award-winning songwriter Al Kasha provide an untold account of Dylan's early days at Columbia Records in 1962. Drummer Mickey Jones chronicles the 1966 Bob Dylan and the Band electric world tour that changed Rock n' Roll forever, while soon after, Dylan used the cover of a motorcycle accident to enter drug rehab. Dylan's 1974 comeback tour is illustrated by tour photographer Barry Feinstein through his finest photos and behind-the-scenes accounts. In 1975, Bob Dylan hit the road with a rag-tag band of folk troubadours, culminating in "The Night of the Hurricane." Folk legend Ramblin' Jack Elliott, violinist Scarlet Rivera, bassist Rob Stoner, and Rubin "Hurricane" Carter reveal the inside story of Dylan's Desire album and Rolling Thunder Revue tour. Following a stint as The Entertainer in 1978, Bob Dylan fell into the arms of the Lord through the Vineyard Christian Fellowship Church, producing three Gospel albums. Derided as "God-Awful Gospel," Dylan's radical new direction alienated fans and enraged critics. Pastor Bill Dwyer, journalist Joel Selvin, singer Regina McCrary, keyboardist Spooner Oldham, and Dylanologist AJ Weberman share intimate accounts of Bob Dylan's "born-again" transformation - and his return to Judaism! Bob Dylan Revealed culminates with Dylan's Never Ending Tour that began in 1992 and continues to this day, as drummer Winston Watson recounts his personal journey as a warrior in Bob Dylan's "Never Ending Band."

Watch the trailer here: Bob Dylan Revealed

The DVD will be officially released on May 1.

Bob Dylan - I and I.mp3
Buy: Infidels (1983)

March Feel Bad For You

2011-03-05T21:39:00.004-05:00

Your monthly Feel Bad For You comp from AltCountryTab.ca forum members, bloggers, twitterers, and other misanthropes. As always, drunken rambling comments encouraged. Stream below:

1. Gregg Allman - "I Can’t Be Satisfied"
Low Country Blues (2011)
Bowood
Having wasted most of his career drunk and high, I feel Gregg has made a fine soulful album. This version of a Muddy Waters classic is a good example.

2. Mount Carmel -Still Listening.mp3
Buy: Mount Carmel (2010) (2010)
Truersound
Free-incarnation [shoot me now, I just said "free-incarnation"].

3. New Mongrels - "Skin and Bone"
Big Cup of Empty (1998)
Phil Norman
I have an undying love for the songwriter scene of Atlanta in the 1990s. The New Mongrels were its super-group. Haynes Brooke got together folks like the Indigo Girls, Big Fish Ensemble, Caroline Aiken, Michelle Malone, Gerard McHugh, and DeDe Vogt to do his songs. Genius!

4. Have Gun Will Travel - "Soles of Our Shoes"
Postcards From the Friendly City (2010)
Autopsy IV
The Tampa Bay area is gonna be making a pretty strong showing at SxSW this year and one of my favorites, Have Gun WIll Travel, is making the trip. This is one of my personal favorite tracks of their album, Postcards From The Friendly City.

5. Nothington - Where I Stand.mp3
Buy: All In (2007)
PearlSnapMan
I like to rock out to this.

6. Verbow - Dying Sun
White Out (2000)
verbow1
One of my favorite songs by one of my favorite bands. Criminally overlooked. If you like this one, I put up a compilation at altcountrytab.ca – check it out.

7. Fitz & The Tantrums - "Money Grabber"
Pickin’ Up the Pieces (2010)
District Noise
Okay, it’s hipster soul. But I don’t care.

8. Hey Negrita - Lust & Bones.mp3
Buy: The Buzz Above (2006)
Beat Surrender
Thought I go with a UK band this time around, love pretty much all of Hey Negrita’s work some fantastic tunes, this is a favourite from their second album The Buzz Above released in 2006. Wiki tags them as “English Country Blues” whatever that is.

9. Geto Boys - "Damn It Feels Good to Be a Gangsta"
Office Space Soundtrack (1999)
Rockstar_Aimz
I’ve been so overwhelmed with moving to a new state (country?) and starting a new job that I have hardly listened to any new music this year. But I always make time for Office Space.

10. The Most Beautiful Losers - "First Love"
Midnight Piranha Brothers (2011)
TheOtherBrit
This album just came out and makes me long for keg parties and warm weather and being 16 again. You should check it out.

11. Jim Roll - "Train"
Ready to Hang (1998)
toomuchcountry
I first heard this song on a sampler disc titled The Sound of One Man Clapping. The song led me to seek out Roll’s full CD, Ready to Hang. I then got his second release, Lunette. It turns out Lunette was produced by Walter Salas-Humara of The Silos – a fave of mind for years. Tennessee has a a pattern of rough storms and constant weather alerts in during March – including the ever-present guidance to listen for the sound of a train as an indicator of a tornado (or it could just be at train). So this cut seemed appropriate for March’s FBFY comp.

12. The Rolling Stones - "Blood Red Wine"
Acoustic Motherfuckers Bootleg
CaptainsDead

13. Ghost Shirt - "History of the Radio"
Domestique (2010)
Corey Flegel
Sweet, bombastic-y, swirly awesomeness by our pals from Columbus, Ohio.

14. Jason D. Williams - You Look Like I Could Use A Drink.mp3
Buy: Killer Instincts (2010)
Mike Orren
What was supposed to be a covers album by the man rumored to be Jerry Lee Lewis’ kid turned into an original disc of songs by Todd Snider (who produced) and supported by Dan Baird. Just plain fun, but a little bit dark too.

15. Danny Gatton - "The Simpsons"
88 Elmira St. (1991)
erschen
In my top 5 of all time for guitarists. Saw him around this time and I feel lucky that I did. Amazing player, so under appreciated.

16. Duane Jarvis - "A Girl that’s Hip"
Far From Perfect
noteethleroy
Saw Todd Snider last week and Tim Carroll opened up for him, Tim played this song that he had co-written with Duane as a tribute.

17. Manowar - Black Wind, Fire and Steel.mp3
Buy (mp3 only $5 at Amazon): Fighting the World (1987)
Gorrck
Guaranteed win if you mention this band in a list of bad hair metal bands.

18. Great Lake Swimmers - "I Will Never See The Sun"
Great Lake Swimmers (2005)
TheSecondSingle
Beautiful song. Oldie but a goodie. This is a hell of an underrated band.

19. Slithering Beast - "Trouble Coming Down the Road"
Delicious EP (2011)
bootlegend
Might be my favorite song off the new EP. Killer guitar hook over the minor chord.

THE MAN

2011-02-28T22:50:00.004-05:00

"Rock and roll is all about sticking it to THE MAN."

- someone, probably from the '60s.

I haven't been blogging much lately because THE MAN has been keeping me down. You know THE MAN, the people of authority who make your life miserable. THE MAN (my lesbian landlords) wants the rent. THE MAN (my Indian boss) wants data. The corporate MAN is driving up my oil bills so he can buy another yacht. The political MAN is trying to suppress the working class, per usual, and taxing the bejesus out of me.

Fuck THE MAN!

The broadcasters bought off the FCC
Big oil's got the EPA
Halliburton Halliburton Halliburton Halliburton
What else do you have to say

Kieran Kane, Kevin Welch, Fats Kaplin - Everybody’s Working for the Man Again.mp3
Buy: You Can't Save Everybody (2005)

So fuck the FCC
Fuck the FBI
Fuck the CIA
Livin’ in the motherfuckin’ USA

Steve Earle - F the CC.mp3
Buy: The Revolution Starts...Now (2004)

What do you mean, I couldn't be president of the United States of America?
Tell me something, it's still "We the people," right?

Megadeth - Peace Sells.mp3
Buy: Peace Sells...But Who's Buying? (1986)

Negotiation's just no fun
And it don't serve our interests none
Gonna turn up the heat till it comes to a boil
So we can go get that Arab oil

James McMurtry - God Bless America.mp3
Buy: Just Us Kids (2008)

McMurtry is the master of the modern protest song. From the brilliant Childish Things.

Groupies, or Lack Thereof

2011-02-21T11:47:00.002-05:00

Last night was one of those rare nights where I was so glad that I decided to stay in, despite the fact that today is a holiday for me and I don't have to go to work (although, I am still going in for a few hours, curse, curse, curse).

Around 10:00 last night Neko Case posted on twitter: "To answer your question, no, ladies in bands don't get ANY action. Actresses have a lean on all the "pussy" we were supposed to get." This prompted a discussion on the social order of rock stardom. Dozens of other female musicians chimed in saying that they never get laid while out on tour, while their male drummers pick up a different chick every night.

Colette Alexander: I remember the 1st time I ever wished I was a boy was when I started playing in bands. Oh, to be propositioned post-show.

Rockn Rolga: this is TRUTH. While my band mates were getting some action, my action was hoofin' the merch back in the van.

Sarah Conley: so true! i'm in a brother-sister band&get no action where my bro&the rest of the guys get all.i'm rarely even in the conversation

Needless to say, this discussion blew my feeble mind and shattered my rockstar fantasies. I mean, if Neko freaking Case can't get laid post-gig, how the hell is here any hope for me?

The conversation quickly turned to why this double standard exists in the music biz:

Jenny Decimal: Folks assume that a girl making it in a business that's traditionally a dudefest must be terrifying & evil, eg Margaret Thatcher.

This statement I can appreciate, especially in my career and with my education. How many dudes have told me that I intimidate them? Is it my fault that I have my shit together and make more money than they do? More importantly, am I Margaret Thatcher? God Damn! I might as well shoot myself right now.

More theories:

Steve Horrocks: It's simply due to the abundance of sluts.

Amy Millan: the merch girl man.She's the one who gets ALL the action-It's like wardrobe chicks on film sets-they get WAY more then actresses

jason bentley: It's easier to talk to MerchGirl v. BandGirl b/c MerchGirl can't leave her post! Stationary = indieboynerd confidence!

Lumpy Deardorff: I would not hit on you. Please don't take it personally, I am married & afraid of powerful women. Also, all other types of women.

flattery_sucks: It's hard to hit on women in bands, I am busy awkwardly trying to explain what their music means to me emotionally. Also crying

It appeared that gay dudes were willing to take one for the team and several propositioned Ms. Case. But overall, the straight men were being giant pansies. Team Daytrotter summed it up best, "sounds like we've got some figurin to do."

This conversation was the best thing that I have ever seen on twitter, possibly the best think ever on the internet. Although now I am totally depressed knowing that I will never get laid again.

Here are two groupie songs that I love. What makes these versions really interesting is that both were originally sung by women.

Okkervil River - The Blonde In the Bleachers.mp3 (Joni Mitchell cover)
From: Golden Opportunities Mixtape (2007)

Sonic Youth - Superstar.mp3 (Carpenters cover)
Buy (MP3, CD out of print): If I Were A Carpenter (1994)

And for me and Margaret Thatcher:
Neko Case - Alone and Forsaken.mp3
Buy: Live From Austin, TX (2007)

Boston - The Band, Not the City

2011-02-20T16:45:00.001-05:00

Today the Boston Globe published a really interesting feature on the band Boston, who's debut self-titled album sold 17 million copies (the second best-selling debut album in U.S. history behind Guns N' Roses Appetite for Destruction). The article mostly focuses on the life and suicide of lead singer Brad Delp, the feud with band mastermind Tom Scholz, and litigation surrounding his death. Read When, suddenly, the sun was gone and Timeline for the band Boston.

Boston was one of the first that CDs I purchased. I was in high school (late 80s/early 90s) and listened obsessively to classic rock radio. What I loved about this album was that not only did the songs kick ass, but the fact that Scholz had an mechanical engineering degree from MIT and used his engineering knowledge to put together his own studio. The demo tapes were so good that the songs were largely untouched for their 1976 Epic Records debut. This was a revelation to me: geeks can make killer music!

Who knew that two decades later this small-town Wisconsin girl would end up living in Boston and working on the MIT campus. Now I need to start a band...

Peace of Mind.mp3
Buy: Boston (1976, reissued 2006)

This is really interesting: rare footage of the original lineup from a gig at Giants Stadium in 1979.

I Choo Choo Choose You!

2011-02-14T08:29:00.001-05:00

"Look, check it out, Lisa! You can tell the exact moment when his heart rips in half!" - Bart

Spanning four and a half decades (1963-2009) and nine genres, here's my bitterness playlist. I originally had to cut this playlist down from 60+ songs. Not all of these songs are bitter; some are classics that will rip your heart out like poor Ralphy Wiggum up above. Love songs? Puuulleeeeaase. There's a lot of heartache in music, which is why we love it.

Playlist
‎1. 13th Floor Elevators - You're Gonna Miss Me
2. Husker Du - Don't Want to Know if You Are Lonely
3. Lipstick Killers - Hindu Gods of Love
4. Two Dollar Pistols - You Ruined Everything.mp3
Buy: You Ruined Everything (2002)
5. Patsy Cline - I Fall to Pieces
6. The Everly Brothers - When Will I Be Loved?
7. Old 97's - Wish the Worst
8. The Fox Hunt - Lower Than I Should Be
9. The Byrds - I'll Feel a Whole Lot Better
10. The Gourds - Promenade.mp3
Buy: Noble Creatures (2007)
11. The Paper Hearts - This Time
12. Neil Diamond - Solitary Man
13. Social Distortion - Ball and Chain
14. Drive-By Truckers - Women Without Whiskey
15. Lucero - Nights Like These
16. George Jones - You're Still On My Mind
17. Bob Dylan - Don't Think Twice, It's All Right
18. The Everly Brothers - Love Hurts
19. Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears - Bitch, I Love You
20. Slaid Cleves - Dreams
21. Frank Turner - Heartless Bastard Motherfucker
22. Al Green - How Can You Mend a Broken Heart?
23. Otis Redding - I've Got Dreams to Remember

BONUS! "I Never Liked St. Valentine"
Video and song by Reckless Kelly's Willy and Cody Braun. This song was co-written by Willy Braun and Todd Snider. Good stuff.

Concert/Album Review: Todd Snider Live, Boston, Feb. 5

2011-02-13T00:23:00.004-05:00

One month into this Boston gig and I already got to cross an artist off of my bucket list. Believe it or not folks, I saw Todd Snider for the first time on Saturday, February 5, at the Paradise Rock Club in Boston. This was my first Boston music outing, and compared to Toronto venues, the Paradise is way too nice for me to be hanging out in. It doesn't have the distinctive smell that the Horseshoe has. It doesn't have duct tape holding the walls up like at the El Mo. It isn't 20 bazillion degrees like Lee's Palace. Seriously, there is nice, shiny paint on the walls, plus unstained carpeting, fast bartenders, and sanitary bathrooms. What's up with that???

This show was a sit-down affair, which I wasn't really prepared for. I was mentally prepared to rock out all night (not that you can't do that sitting down, but still). The last time I was at a gig where seats were on the dance floor was at Gary Louris and Mark Olson in Toronto in February 2009. Like that show, I brought down the average age at this gig. And of course I didn't get there when the doors opened at 8, so I didn't get a seat, which is fine because I prefer to stand. I ambled up to the balcony and ended up meeting a bartender who is a huge fan of The Sadies (fuck yeah!), and the coolest dude ever, Zman, a well known taping fanatic. Rock on Zman!

This is where I mix the show review in with a review of Snider's latest album, Todd Snider Live: The Storyteller. I've been following Snider's music for a long time now, and his music and songwriting range everywhere from manic to brilliant. He's one of the few artists who still incorporates the long tradition of adding humor to country music. From everyone who I have talked to, who's blogs I've read, who post comments on alt country message boards (yeah, I'm a tool), they have all said that the Todd Snider live show is a completely different beast than his studio recordings. Not that his studio recordings aren't killer, but his live show's reputations supersede him. (Does that make any sense? I've been drinking.)

Regardless, my first "experience" with a Todd Snider live show came by the way of the greatest bootleg of all time, and I say this without hyperbole. One of Snider's superfans compiled, spliced together the best recordings, mastered, and made cover art for a five volume set of bootlegs which he named Tales From Moondawg's Tavern. Aside from the bootleg series for Bob Dylan put out by Sony records, this is the best bootleg in the world. I think my alt country music blogger colleagues would agree with this statement.

Snider and his people aren't stupid. They know that fans love the Moondawg's boots. They know that people live for Snider's live shows. So it came as no surprise when Sinder released a proper double live album, the aforementioned Todd Snider Live: The Storyteller. This album was complied over several shows during the last year and a half. On the album he is backed by a live band called Great American Taxi. His live set in Boston was solo acoustic. For the Boston gig he initially followed the first three tracks from this album, then veered off into audience requests and stuff that Snider felt like doing. Importantly, Snider sold/is selling official recordings from this show and subsequent shows. I bought a code card for $7 (right) which gives me the right to download and listen to the show that I just saw. In this digital age, being able to download the show is an incredibly easy marketing tool, and a great way to support the artists that you love. Snider is the first artist whom I have seen take this approach. I suspect that many others will follow suit.

The Moondawg's boot covers material from 1996 to 2006. Most of the songs and stories that Snider plays on his new album and played at the Feb. 5 gig I was already very familiar with from the boots. It's not to say that Snider live isn't fantastic - he is! It's just that, with the exception of the covers, I knew exactly what was coming after he hit the first few cords. The same goes for the older songs on the Storyteller album. Like I said, this isn't bad, just somewhat predictable. For the post-2006 material on Storyteller, I was laughing my ass off. If you saw someone last week walking down Cambridge Ave. in front of Mass General Hospital, laughing her ass off while listening to her MP3 player, that was me listening to "Mushroom Story," which itself is worth the price of the album.

"That last song was such a touching little number about athleticism and hallucinogenic drugs. You don't really hear enough of that in folk music any more. I'm just doing what I can."

To sum up, go see Snider live, buy the show download, and buy Storyteller. Give Storyteller to a friend who has never heard of Todd Snider. Folk music and stories like these are meant to be shared.

Set List
1. Greencastle Blues
2. Is This Thing Working?
3. Just Like Old Times
4. Tension
5. Iron Mike's Main Man's Last Request
6. Play a Train Song
7. 45 Miles
8. Doublewide Blues
9. D.B. Cooper
10. Tillamook County Jail
11. Vinyl Records
12. Keep Off The Grass
13. Beer Run
14. Stuck On A Corner
15. Runaround Sue (Dion cover)
16. Bill Elliott Story
17. Sideshow Blues
18. Stoney
19. Conservative Christian, Right Wing, Republican, Straight, White, American Males

Encore
20. Come From The Heart (Guy Clark cover)
21. Relax Your Mind (Leadbelly cover)

Also, check out Snider's recent interview with Paste.

January 2011 Recap

2011-02-06T22:45:00.003-05:00

Lots of noteworthy things happened while I was on hiatus in January. Here's a quick rundown of what I missed while I was moving and getting settled.

#1. Justin Townes Earle started out 2011 by rocking it on Letterman on January 5, playing the title track from his 2010 release Harlem River Blues. Make sure to note Jason Isbell killing it on lead guitar .

Gary Louris of the Jayhawks.
Photo by Frank at Chromewaves.

#2. I cursed and cursed and cursed when I learned that The Jayhawks were opening their reunion tour in Toronto at the Phoenix, on January 18, only two weeks after I moved. This show coincided with the reissues of their classic albums Tomorrow the Green Grass and Hollywood Town Hall. From everything that I read, the show was pretty great:

Most obviously it was there in their vocals and the way their harmonies interlocked – as good as they sounded individually it was like their voices were meant to be together for always – but also in the way their guitars played off one another, Olson’s acoustic rhythm and Louris’ searing electric leads reminding that they played both sides of the country-rock tag equally and just that undefinable but undeniable chemistry between them.
- Chromewaves.net

The Jayhawks' style has certainly aged well, and the clichéd yet accurate observation that "they sound better than ever" was heard exchanged between more than a few contented concertgoers. - Exclaim!

The Jayhawks really were fantastic. A bit of a slow build but then they got rocking. Harmonies were blissful. The new songs had a very defintie new energy and excitement. They are coming back around in the summer with that tour. - Rad Jen

It was awesome, original line-up. It was fucking epic. I feel rough today. - Kellow

After some address changing issues were cleared up with Amazon and my credit card company, I finally received TTGG and HTH in the mail last week. And let me tell you, they sound so good.

Leave No Gold.mp3
Buy: Hollywood Town Hall (2011 Expanded Edition)

Tomorrow the Green Grass.mp3
Buy: Tomorrow The Green Grass (2011, 2 CD Legacy Edition)

#3. My main man Hayes Carll played on the Tonight Show on January 21, and my cable was installed on January 22. Grumble, grumble. Despite the fact the Jay didn't know what the fuck he was talking about, Carll and his band destroyed it on Leno. Is "KMAG YO YO" not "Subterranean Homesick Blues" on meth? The album KMAG YOYO will be officially released on February 15.

#4. Todd Snider wrote an amazing essay for the Village Voice blog on what he would do if he met Bob Dyaln.

it's hard to think of new ways to consider bob dylan and his work
he's probably the most debated and discussed singer to ever live.
but here's a question. especially for songwriters.
what are you going to do if you meet bob dylan?
.....continue reading here.

Snider released his latest album, the two-disc Todd Snider Live: The Storyteller on February 1. He played an acoustic gig in Boston last night. A review will be forthcoming.

Keep Off the Grass.mp3
From: Tales from Moondawg's Tavern (2000 bootleg)

#5. In Hunstville, Alabama, on January 27th, Jason Isbell joined the Drive-By Truckers on stage for the first time in four years. My blogger colleague AutopsyIV at Nine Bullets has the full run-down. WOW! Even without Isbell, the Truckers remain one of my top five live acts. I'm very jealous of all of you fuckers who were at that Huntsville show!

See ya White Stripes

2011-02-03T13:08:00.049-05:00

Yesterday afternoon twitter exploded with the unsurprising news that The White Stripes were officially calling it quits. Considering that they hadn't put out an album since 2007, and that Jack White has had about 25,000 "side" projects with various bands and producing gigs over the last few years, one can hardly be shocked by this announcement. I did, however, feel a twinge of sadness upon reading this news.

I will always remember exactly where I was when I first heard The White Stripes. It was spring of 2002 and I had just moved to Toronto. I was driving around the west end, completely lost, when I heard "Fell in Love With a Girl" on the radio. Holy crap! What is this? Love at first listen.

I then read in Rolling Stone and Spin about how all of the "The" bands (The White Stripes, The Strokes, The Vines and The Hives, I wrote about this in March 2009) were supposed to "save" rock and roll, like rock needed saving. The White Stripes were really the only ones of this bunch to achieve significant commercial success. And despite Jack White being a totally weird dude, I was completely enamored with his brand of stripped-down, blues-based rock, especially on the first three albums.

Although a lot of critics cite Elephant as their best work (it won a fucking Grammy for Best Alternative Album), White Blood Cells will always remain my main White Stripes love. My friends and I would sing along to the entire album - from the folk-pop "Hotel Yorba" to the "Union Forever," who's lyrics are taken entirely from Citizen Kane lines, to the sweet "We're Going to Be Friends," to the awesome garage-punk of "Fell in Love With a Girl." My buddy Vic would play guitar and I would try to sing along to "Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground." The White Stripes did "Dead Leaves" and "We're Going to be Friends" that fall on Saturday Night Live. John fucking McCain was the host.

As the they posted on their web site: "The White Stripes do not belong to Meg and Jack anymore. The White Stripes belong to you now and you can do with it whatever you want. The beauty of art and music is that it can last forever if people want it to. Thank you for sharing this experience. Your involvement will never be lost on us and we are truly grateful."

Thanks for the music Jack and Meg. Can't wait to see what you do next.

The Big Three Killed My Baby.mp3
Buy: The White Stripes (1999)

Why Can't You Be Nicer to Me?.mp3
Buy: De Stijl (2000)

Fell in Love With a Girl.mp3
Buy: White Blood Cells (2001)

February Feel Bad For You Comp

2011-02-02T12:51:00.002-05:00

While I was on hiatus I enlisted my colleague TruerSound to curate the monthly Feel Bad For You comp for our friends on AltCountryTab.ca. TruerSound in turn enlisted the help of RomeoSidVicious and his mad programming skillz to turn the comp completely digital, with it's own URL and other fancy crap. TruerSound also enlisted the musical opinions of other friends/bloggers/jokers/sociopaths to contribute to this fine project, to make it more diverse and shit. Friends, I present to you, the February Feel Bad For You comp, complete with it's own website, FBFY Monthly Mixtape, and cool cassette streaming thingy. You can click on the aforementioned link to download the comp and to see which contributor you would like to blame for their terrible choice in songs. Enjoy!

1. Andrew Combs - Tennessee Time.mp3
Buy (Bandcamp): Tennessee Time (2010)
Submitted By: Autopsy IV
Comments: Jordan, the manager of The Only Sons, gave me a heads up about this guy. He was in Tampa working the merch table for the Caitlin Rose / Justin Townes Earle tour. We had a short conversation and I recorded him playing a song for me. A couple of days later he emailed me this album and it’s fucking great.

2. The Backsliders - "Broken Wings"
From: Throwing Rocks At The Moon (1997)
Submitted By: Truersound
Comments: “the distance from the bottle to the floor/gets closer evertime I drink one more” A classic song off a classic album

3. Against Me! - "Holy Shit"
From: Searching For A Former Clarity (2005)
Submitted By: PearlSnapMan
Comments: I’ve been completely obsessed with this song and this band recently.

4. Amazing Rhythm Aces - "King Of The Cowboys"
From: Stacked Deck (1975)
Submitted By: erschen
Comments: Nice 70′s country rock. They are most known for their lone hit, Third Rate Romance. I came across this song a few years back. Beautiful piano by James Hooker, who’s been a part of Nanci Griffith’s band for many years. Also, some nice harmonies. Kind of an ode to westerns.

5. Charlie Parr and the Black Twig Pickers - "The Whupped Him Up The Hill"
From: Glory in the Meeting House (2010)
Submitted By: RomeoSidVicious
Comments: I have been on sort of a Gospel kick in my personal playlists lately and now I am going to share that kick with all of ya’ll. This is just an amazing track with great vocals and an awesome backing band. “Church music” by and large sucks and is rarely anything I would listen to but old timey Gospel is a different story and this one comes from a more visceral time when they weren’t afraid to paint a mental image with hymns. Nowadays, if you ever darken a church house door, you won’t hear anything like this because the current crop of religious people are mostly in it just to feel good. It doesn’t matter if you religious or not this is still a great track from a different time.

6. Good Old War - "That’s Some Dream"
From: Good Old War (2010)
Submitted By: Blair Hook

7. The Bohannons - Axe To Grind.mp3
Buy (Bandcamp): Days of Echo (2010)
Submitted by: Corey Flegel
Comments: I’ve been extremely lucky to go on the road with the rock band Glossary the past couple of years or so…I don’t know where we were, but I remember reading some very loose talk on a random bar room bathroom stall about some band called the Bohannons. I didn’t think a whole lot about it until I was later pillaging the Grand Palace poster stash and saw a poster for a Lucero/Bohannons show that was pretty pretty badass. I hollered at Bingham Barnes(Glossary bassist and Grand Palace silkscreen extraordinaire) and said- Hey I know these Bohannons! I read about them that time…Anyways, Bingham says- oh yeah, The Bohannons are the super rock your body/melt your face awesome dudes from Chattanooga. And Lord knows they are…I love this band. I think they ate my brain…

8. Tommy Womack - You Don’t Get Over Love.mp3
From: Unreleased
Submitted By: toomuchcountry
Comments: This song belongs in this month’s FBFY compilation for a couple of reasons. One, February – Valentine’s – Love – Broken Hearts – Whatever. Also, Tommy Womack recently released a Government Cheese anthology and has scheduled two February reunion shows in Bowling Green, KY and and Nashville. (Buy, read, devour & laugh at Cheese Chronicles: The True Story Of A Rock-n-Roll Band You’ve Never Heard Of if you want to learn more.) This song has never been released on any of Womack’s solo material. Its from a performance on March 10, 2001 at the now-gone 12th & Porter bar/restaurant in Nashville as Tommy opened for Scott Miller. Womack was about six years removed from the breakup of the Cheese, and Miller had just formed Scott Miller & The Commonwealth two years after the dissolution of The V-Roys. You Don’t Get Over Love, and you don’t get over great music.

9. Miss Quincy - Wild Mountain Flower.mp3
Buy (CD Baby): Your Mama Won’t Like Me (2011)
Submitted by: Simon2307
Comments: Seem to have a thing for female vocals and banjo’s at the moment – this is a new one on my playlist.

10. The Church Keys - "Brother Was You Prayin’"
From: Work With It! (1999)
Submitted By: Bowood
Comments: Was going to send in these guys’ “Pigtails Plaid Skirt” , but as just listening to that song may be a felony, rip it up with this stomper instead.

11. The Great Recession Orchestra - "Chinese Honeymoon"
From: Have You Ever Even Heard of Milton Brown? (2010)
Submitted By: Mike Orren
Comments: While Bob Wills is the undisputed King of Texas Swing, it was invented by the long-forgotten Milton Brown. A crew of some of Fort Worth’s top musicians rediscovered Brown’s work last year and produced a tribute album showcasing Brown’s more gypsy jazz-heavy fusion with hillbilly music. “Chinese Honeymoon” is a nice uptempo intro to the album.

12. Kitty Wells - "My Big Truck Drivin’ Man"
From: Kitty Wells Showcase (1968)
Submitted By: DCNoise
Comments: Kitty Wells: older than your grandma, cooler than you.

13. Reckless Kelly - "She Sang the Red River Valley"
From: Acoustic: Live At Stubb’s (2000)
Submitted By: Rockstar Aimz
Comments: This song makes me want to learn how to play guitar.

14. The Snake The Cross The Crown - "Gypsy Melodies"
From: Cotton Teeth (2007)
Submitted By: Beldo
Comments: I’ve been listening to this album a lot lately. One of my favorites of 2007. Getting worried that I haven’t heard a peep from these guys in four years.

15. The Civil Wars - "Barton Hollow"
From: Barton Hollow (2011)
Submitted By: Phil Norman
Comments: Sure, they got popular due to a Grey’s Anatomy placement. So what — that tune, “Poison and Wine,” leaves me quivering in my seat. Sure, they do the same sappy folky thing time and time again. So what — they do it right.

16. Pete Stein - Tiny Creatures.mp3
From: Dark Horse demos (2010)
Submitted By: TheOtherBrit
Comments: I think I’ve seen Pete from Truckstop Coffee play more than any other artist in the last year or two. This is a song of a demo album he’s been touring with the last few months. From what I’ve heard live his next full album should be pretty great.

17. Ponderosa - "Devil On My Shoulder"
From: Moonlight Revival (2011)
Submitted By: Trailer

18. R.B. Morris - "Roy"
From: Take That Ride (1997)
Submitted By: Brad
Comments: Here’s RB Morris. Great songwriter, He’s a poet from Knoxville, picked up a guitar and now does this. This one is a classic album. Scott Miller thinks this guy’s the shit. You’ll recognize the very famous singer on this song instantly. This is a great song. No Cheeseburger [Editor's Note: Jimmy Buffet reference], but great nonetheless. Listen a couple of times, and you’ll be singing it over your oatmeal in the morning.

19. Neko Case - "Deep Red Bells"
From: Blacklisted (2002)
Submitted By: Cowbelle
Comments: My favorite Neko track, nine years later.

20. Jimmy Sturr - "Edelweiss"
From: Polka! All Night Long (1996)
Submitted By: Gorrck

Snow Rage Freak Out!

2011-02-01T21:12:00.002-05:00

I told you that I would freak out if we got any more snow! Up to a total of 21 more inches by tomorrow afternoon. Fuck this! I'm on the next plane to Cancun. If planes could get out, that is.

Alice Cooper - Freak Out Song.mp3
From: Live in Toronto (1969 bootleg)