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"Hard
work, solid chops and wry charm have already earned Tele slinger Jon Byrd a sterling
reputation on the honky-tonk side of Nashville's Americana community, but even
those familiar with his work to date are likely to find Byrd's Auto Parts' debut,
self-titled CD an elegant surprise. Four originals, including the wistfully humorous,
steady-rollin' opener, "Jackknife," show off his sinewy writing skills,
while the entire set justifies the relaxed self-confidence of his vocals. The
backing, which prominently features producer Milan Miller, along with Alex McCullough
(bass), Tim Blankenship (drums) and a handful of steel-playing and vocal guests
(Adam and Shannon Wright among them), is spare but not sparse and exceedingly
well-crafted." -- Jon Weisberger, The Nashville Scene
The
song cycle is so strong on this collection that Toronto Star journalist John Sakamoto
made two tracks his top pick in his Anti-Hit-List column, ""#1. 'Surrender'
& 'Miss Idaho'- Unable to choose between these two songs from the Vancouver
band's follow-up to the stunning Dust Bowl Revival, We finally gave up and picked
both of them. The former is an unlikely loping country re-make of Cheap Tricks's
signature tune; the latter is a melancholy, Neil Young-ish original that is reminiscent
of the sound that Jay Farrar has refined both on his own and with Son Volt, Wilco,
and Uncle Tupelo. 'Miss Idaho' certainly holds its own with anything those two
gentlemen have done in years." Shain Shapiro wrote in View Magazine, ".
. . Ox has returned with American Lo–Fi, a set that is even better than Dust
Bowl Revival. A drunken, impressively personal expose in song -- one that shakes
the demons in all of us. Brooding, bacchanalian, repressively sweet, good natured
and smart, Ox has once again reached the acme in 'Canadiana'." All, told,
a fantastic collection of roots pop. (Weewerk)
USWM's
music is rough but well lubricated. Gern f's lead vocals have the ragged glory
of early Tom Waits or smoked-too-many-packs Chuck E. Weiss. Felicity Hamer's leads
have the little-girl innocence of Aimee Mann. The band, which incorporates elements
of bluegrass, old-timey, rouge-ish Irish punk-folk, and country blues, rattles
forth like a runaway train barely on the rails who somehow manage to keep going.
The music is loose, intense and full-bodied. -- Jeff Weiss, Miles of Music (weewerk)
Christian
Williams has stories to tell. Williams' baritone -- a shade less menacing than
the Handsome Family's Brett Sparks -- delivers each song like a sermon, simply
and minimally accompanied by guitar and the occasional saloon piano. His Southern
Gothic tales read like short stories of good and evil... each relying on the other
to exist. -- Jeff Weiss, Miles of Music (self-released)
Grant-Lee
Phillips calls Strangelet "an album for strange times." Combining the
warmth of Grant's recent solo albums with the pure pop hooks found in his albums
fronting Grant Lee Buffalo, Strangelet is a highwater-mark in Phillips' career.
Grant was fascinated by magic as a child, and he brings the talents of a skilled
magician to his songwriting, filling the songs on Strangelet with mystery, suspense
and joy. From the soaring choruses of the single "Soft Asylum (No Way Out)"
to the T. Rex-ish swagger of "Raise the Spirit," Strangelet is guaranteed
to both thrill longtime Grant fans and to bring new members into that fold. (Zoe/Rounder)
You
may best remember Pat MacDonald as one half of the husband and wife duo Timbuk
3, the Austin-based act that spawned a Billboard top 20 hit in 1986 with "The
Future's So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades". Now, with the unfortunate dissolution
of his second marriage, MacDonald is embarking on another journey,"Troubadour
of Stomp", a collection of dark, introspective, highly personal songs penned
during and following his divorce.From the deeply cathartic "Wish You Would
Die", to the acceptance of "Thanks Man" (a song where MacDonald
thanks a friend for sleeping with his wife, and makes no bones about making it
clear why the marriage is dissolving). Through the comical "This Band Sucks",
MacDonald may be having a bad year, but he uses that to his advantage. All played
in his 'Troubadour of Stomp' style (thus the title of the record), a sound that
features only his low-tuned, distorted guitar, harmonica, voice, and a board to
stomp on for percussion. Fusing blues, rock, folk, indie slyness, and darkness
into a late-night, subdued party gone awry, MacDonald takes the one-man band into
new heights, bucking the conventional for a sound that is anything but. (Broken
Halo Records) 
Produced
by Gerald Boyd, Dollar Theatre Movie consists of 13 original songs, all of which
were written or co-written by Drew. Each track is an insight into his musical
evolution over the last two years. The earthy arrangements and passionate lyrics
of Dollar Theatre Movie represent a sound that is distinctly Kennedy's. With influences
ranging as wide as Johnny Cash and Guy Clark to Ben Folds and Ryan Adams, the
music rises as a loose cooperative between sounds that all share a common root
system sewn deep within the American soil. With lyrics that show thought and intelligence,
and hooks that command attention, Dollar Theatre Movie proves to be a highly satisfying
ride, from the opening note to the rolling of the credits. Kelly Willis guests.
(Sustain) 
This Is It features a mix of Ingram originals and carefully chosen outside material
from stellar songwriters like Radney Foster, Trent Summar, and Tom Littlefield.
Whether self-penned or not, Ingram says the songs that made the cut for This Is
It are simply "the ones that stuck with me. These are the songs that I wanted
to play for years to come." (Big Machine Records)
Originally
issued in 1983 and re-released in 2006, Beter Days finds lauded Texas-born singer-songwriter
Guy Clark at the end of his late-'70s/early-'80s stint for Warner Brothers. From
the rollicking "Blowin' Like a Bandit" to the wistful title track to
the sauntering "Uncertain Texas," these finely crafted rock/folk-influenced
country tunes are filled with undeniable charm and wit, arguably making Beter
Days Clark's finest album of the '80s. (DBK Works)
The
2006 reissue of Guy Clark`s 1981 release South Coast Of Texas is a wonderful reminder
that this talented country singer-songwriter has been churning out well-made albums
for quite a long time. Lovingly produced by Rodney Crowell, the album also features
appearances by Ricky Skaggs, Rosanne Cash, and Vince Gill, as well as a slew of
top-notch studio musicians. But it`s Clark`s songwriting that takes center stage,
with tunes like `She`s Crazy for Leavin`` and `Heartbroke` (which later became
a big hit for Ricky Skaggs) representing the man`s way with meticulously crafted
lyrics, and melodies that blend the best of outlaw country with elements of folk
and rock. (DBK Works)
The
reflective 1982 masterpiece Zevon once described as "The Excitable Boy Grows
Up," The Envoy makes its CD debut with this release. Highlights include the
title track, the moving "Never Too Late For Love," "The Hula Hula
Boys," and "The Overdraft," a co-write with novelist Thomas McGuane
featuring a ripping Lindsey Buckingham solo. Four previously unreleased tracks
include outtakes of "Word Of Mouth" and "Wild Thing," and
the romantically skewed gem "Let Nothing Come Between You." Liner notes
by Rolling Stone editor David Wild. Track Listing: The Envoy/The Overdraft/The
Hula Hula Boys/Jesus Mentioned/Let Nothing Come Between You/Ain't That Pretty
At All/Charlie's Medicine/Looking For The Next Best Thing/Never Too Late For Love/Word
Of Mouth (Outtake)/Let Nothing Come Between You (Alternate)/The Risk (Outtake)/Wild
Thing (Outtake). (Rhino)
Originally
released in 1983-and produced by Jackson Browne and Waddy Wachtel-Excitable Boy
made Zevon a star. Includes the essential signature songs "Werewolves Of
London" and "Lawyers, Guns And Money." Also features "Roland
The Headless Thompson Gunner," "Excitable Boy," "Accidentally
Like A Martyr," and other Zevon classics. Four previously unissued bonus
treasures include an alternate version of "Werewolves," a solo piano
version of "Tule's Blues," and an outtake of "I Need A Truck."
In-depth liner notes by Rolling Stone senior writer David Fricke. Track Listing:
Johnny Strikes Up The Band/Roland The Headless Thompson Gunner/Excitable Boy/Werewolves
Of London/Accidentally Like A Martyr/Nighttime In The Switching Yard/Veracruz/Tenderness
On The Block/Lawyers, Guns And Money/I Need A Truck (Outtake)/Werewolves Of London
(Alternate version)/Tule's Blues (Solo Piano Version)/Frozen Notes (Strings Version).
(Rhino)
Recorded
at L.A.'s Roxy theatre in 1981, this long-out-of-print live album features the
two unforgettable original songs Zevon debuted on that year's tour, "The
Sin" and "Stand In The Fire." Also includes searing versions of
"Lawyers, Guns And Money," "Werewolves Of London," "Poor,
Poor Pitiful Me," "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead," "Mohammed's
Radio," and "Jeannie Needs A Shooter" (a co-write with Bruce Springsteen)
among other stellar performances. Four previously unreleased cuts include "Johnny
Strikes Up The Band," "Frank And Jesse James," and "Hasten
Down The Wind." New liner notes feature an essay by Rolling Stone senior
writer David Fricke. Track Listing: Stand In The Fire/Jeannie Needs A Shooter/Excitable
Boy/Mohammed's Radio/Werewolves Of London/Lawyers, Guns And Money/The Sin/Poor
Poor Pitiful Me/I'll Sleep When I'm Dead/Bo Diddley's A Gunslinger/Bo Diddley/Johnny
Strikes Up The Band/Play It All Night Long/Frank And Jesse James/Hasten Down The
Wind. (Rhino)
There are worse things in the world than to be favorably compared to Bruce Springsteen's
Pete Seeger tribute We Shall Overcome. Let's jump right ahead and make the comparison.
Robert Loss's lead vocals and this Columbus-based band have channeled a loose,
rollicking folk, blues and roots-rock sound that is immediately accessible and
foot-stomping. Where other bands choose to brood, The Wells kick out the jams
as they chase the devil. -- Jeff Weiss, Miles of Music (self-released)
Hailing from Santa Monica, CA by way of the UK, Minibar successfully meld a Faces-like
barroom rollick with harmony-rich laid-back California country. Lead singer Simon
Petty's rasp infuses the songs with a hint of sorrow, while the unheralded band
propels the music forward. The album's title Desert After Rain suggest a wealth
of scents amongst a sparse landscape. This album captures that feeling. Fans of
roots-pop like the Wallflowers, Grand Drive and Peter Bruntnell will find Minibar's
third full length among the elite. -- Jeff Weiss, Miles of Music (self-released)
John Prine's appearance on the
acclaimed PBS concert series Soundstage is the only archival concert of his to
be released on DVD. Included are the early classics "Angel From Montgomery"
and "Hello In There," as well as songs from his signature album, Bruised
Orange. Intercut between songs is a special treat for fans: an intimate look at
John in his childhood hometown of Maywood, Illinois where he takes viewers to
the actual scene of "The Accident," and then to the back porch of his
childhood home, where he performs and tells the stories behind "Paradise"
and "How Lucky." (Shout Factory)| Alt Country | Americana Music | Bluegrass Music | Country Bluegrass | Folk Music Folk Rock | Roots Rock | Singer Songwriter | Sitemap |