Friday, September 07, 2007

White Ghost Shivers - Killing Tradition

Austin-based "hot jazz" ensemble the White Ghost Shivers are plugging in tonight at the Replay Lounge in Lawrence, KS, and playing a set of punked up versions of their 1920s-style fare. At their acoustic show last night I picked up a copy of a teaser EP featuring four of their songs redone in this style. Here's the original version of "Strictly Ornamental" from their latest full-length album Everyone's Got 'Em along with their new version.



Listen:

The White Ghost Shivers - Strictly Ornamental (acoustic album version)

The White Ghost Shivers - Strictly Ornamental (electric EP version)



Buy:

From Chicken Ranch Records

Thursday, August 02, 2007

Jeff Zentner - Hymns to the Darkness

A couple months ago I posted about "distortion folk" group Creech Holler. Lead singer Jeff Zentner also sent me his solo CD, Hymns to the Darkness. Unlike Creech Holler, which takes a distorted electric take on largely traditional tunes, Zentner's disc brings a baker's dozen of acoustic originals. Truly a solo album, Zentner plays guitar, dobro, steel, mandolin, and banjo, and provides his own harmony vocals.



Listen how the steel guitar hovering over the more "old time" sounding acoustic instruments creates an interesting ethereal Southern Gothic sound.



Listen:

Jeff Zentner - Rusty Town



Buy:

From CD Baby

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

The Statler Brothers - The Essential Statler Brothers, 1964-1969

If you're about my age, you probably only know about the Statler Brothers from their cheesy early-'90s TNN variety show and their appearance on the Pulp Fiction soundtrack (and the scene where Bruce Willis sings along). But before they got old and fully embraced corn pone humor, the Statler Brothers laced their humor with a dark underside and an earnestness that makes one wonder exactly who is supposed to be laughing.

Listen:
The Statler Brothers - Half a Man
The Statler Brothers - Jump for Joy

Buy:
From Amazon

Thursday, July 12, 2007

Forty Twenty - Lowdown and Dirty

I first saw Forty Twenty opening for BR549 in the spring of 2003. In the year that followed, they must have made the trip from Lincoln down to Lawrence or Kansas City another six or seven times, almost all of which I saw. Forty Twenty is a great country bar band, playing as long as three hours with no breaks, with no set list, and including a wide range of originals, classic country standards, and unexpected covers.

Forty Twenty regularly started off their shows with a cover of Black Sabbath's "War Pigs" in medley with their original tune "The Wagon." (Ninebullets' recent post on "War Pigs" covers prompted me to post this.) In concert, they often interpolated standards into their own songs, invigorating the standards/bar band formula.

Listen:
Forty Twenty - Drink About Her
Forty Twenty - War Wagon (live medley: War Pigs/The Wagon)

Buy:
From Lone Star Music

Wednesday, July 04, 2007

This is America.

Listen:
Marty Stuart - Hobo's Prayer

Buy:
From Amazon

Friday, June 29, 2007

Ray Charles - Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music

I figure that it's about time for me to write about my (near) namesake, Ray Charles's 1962 album Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music. Much of what is written about this album sees it as the initial work in the country-soul connection that would become more obvious a decade later with the rise in both genres of the Muscle Shoals sound. But unlike later country-soul, as exemplified by Mavis Staples and Solomon Burke, both of whom truly fused the sounds of the country and soul genres (or explored overlaps, perhaps), this album largely ignores the sounds of country, instead transforming songs originally recorded in a country or western style into soul and light jazz.

None of this is meant, however, as criticism of Charles or this album. Rather, I feel that this album points out another important similarity between country and soul: their common relationship to the song. In 1962 rock and roll was on the verge of permanently intertwining the songwriter and the performer, the song and the performance. In rock music, the writing of a song and the interpretation of that song in recording are fused into one action; the song is what's on the record and what's on the record is the song.

Imagine rock hits reinterpreted similarly to this album. It's been done of course; Pat Boone's recording of Ozzy Osbourne's "Crazy Train" was heard by many as the theme to The Osbournes, but can only really be regarded as kitsch or a novelty song. The lounge interpretation can perhaps even be seen as violating or betraying the song.

The songs on this album are open to radical reinterpretation, however, because they were written with just that in mind. These songs, by and large, weren't written with a performer, genre, or performance style in mind. They were largely written with total disregard to the manner in which any performer would interpret them.

Soul and country share the same attitude toward the song and toward the value of the performer as interpreter separate from the songwriter. Placing value on interpretation seems radical to those of us thoroughly steeped in the singer/songwriter ideology of rock and roll, but listening to this album shows that its absolutely appropriate to assign authorship for genius interpretation.

Listen:
Ray Charles - Hey, Good Lookin'

Buy:
From Amazon

Monday, June 25, 2007

American Gun - Dark Southern Hearts

American Gun is a Columbia, SC-based rock group that wears their love of country music on their sleeve. Ranging from straight-ahead rock and roll (circa early-1970s Stones) to more laid-back roots rock with prominent steel guitar and piano, their debut album Dark Southern Hearts shows a wide range of musical interests while retaining a strong focus on the rock that is at the heart of their style. Unlike some rockers drawing from country sounds, American Gun plays a perfect middle ground in their use of sounds normally associated with country music. They aren't cute or clever with their country allusions, but neither are they reverent. Rather, their calls to country music serve simply to flesh out their rock and roll sound without transforming it into something new. Listen to how the fiddle and banjo in "Drowning Ship," instead of turning the song into a country song, serve the needs of the song as a rock song.

Listen:
American Gun - Drowning Ship

Buy:
From American Gun
From emusic

Now on MySpace!

I finally got around to setting up a MySpace profile for Postmodern Sounds.
Visit it at www.myspace.com/postmodernsounds.
Hopefully it's easier to use day to day than it was to set up.

Wednesday, June 06, 2007

Yarn - Yarn

A couple months ago while vacationing in New York City, I just happened to get an email promoting New York alt-country band Yarn's debut album the morning of their CD release show as the Lakeside Lounge, which I had been thinking about attending. I ended up not being able to make the show, even though it was a scant block and a half from where I was staying, but I was fortunate enough to have a CD waiting in my mailbox when I made it back to Kansas.

Led by local roots-rocker Blake Christiana, of Blake and the Family Dog, Yarn takes a primarily acoustic approach to the Brooklyn Americana sound, focused on songwriting and underlaid with sharp guitar and mandolin work and occasional steel, Dobro, and fiddle/violin.

Listen:
Yarn - Madeline

Buy:
From CD Baby

Tuesday, April 24, 2007

Dressed in Black: A Tribute to Johnny Cash

The last half decade has seen an explosion of Johnny Cash tribute albums. Leading the pack in 2002 was this indie-country oriented set produced by BR549's Chuck Mead. This compilation, probably due to its house band of Chuck Mead on guitar and Dave Roe on bass, flows together remarkably well considering the breadth of music included: the psychobilly of Rev. Horton Heat and the punk-country of Hank III and J.D. Wilkes of the Shack*Shakers as well as the Dale Watson's honky tonking and Bruce Robison and Kelly Willis's Americana.

This album has a general sense of sincerity and comfortableness that isn't exhibited in tributes (such as the Marty Stuart-produced Kindred Spirits) featuring better-known performers some of whom seem as if they are coming to the material for the first time. This album also gives some much needed attention to several people, such as Earl Poole Ball, Redd Volkaert, and Kenny Vaughan, who are better known as sidemen or backing musicians, allowing them to step up into the spotlight.

Listen:
Bruce Robison and Kelly Willis - Pack Up Your Sorrows
Damon Bramblett - I'm Gonna Sit on the Porch and Pick on My Old Guitar

Buy:
From Dualtone
From Amazon

Thursday, April 19, 2007

The Soul of John Black - The Good Girl Blues

Sometimes I think a lot of alt-country types think they own the "roots music" idea. I know I'm guilty of this a lot, assuming that the natural and appropriate method of engaging with popular and folk music history lies somewhere on the continuum between Uncle Tupelo and BR549. But sometimes I get CDs that show me I'm an idiot.

I got The Good Girl Blues by The Soul of John Black a couple months ago. Most of the CDs I get sent are by people I haven't heard of, and scanning down the list of names on this disc and recognizing none, I assumed it was just another indie outfit looking for a good word. As I listened to the CD and thought about how I would review it, how I could comment on the tight integration of acoustic and electric, city and country blues with elements of soul, funk, and hip hop, I realized that I didn't have the vocabulary to discuss these latter, more recent developments in African American music. Then I read the press packet and found out that front man John Bigham played with Miles Davis (even writing one of the songs on Davis' last album) and was a member of Fishbone for nearly ten years.

I guess my point is that my insular view of "roots" as nearly synonymous with alt-country prevented me from seeing strands of influence that should have been obvious and caused me to overlook playing with Miles Davis and Fishbone as legitimate avenues toward this.

Listen:
The Soul of John Black - Fire Blues
The Soul of John Black - Deez Blues

Buy:
From CD Baby

Thursday, April 05, 2007

Creech Holler - With Signs Following

North Carolina singer-songwriter Jeff Zentner recently sent me With Signs Following, the recent album from his trio Creech Holler. While the broad categorization of alt country is probably okay for Creech Holler, a more appropriate label might be "distortion folk." A full half of the songs on this album are traditional (with another credited to Dock Boggs and four by the band), but these songs are hardly played in a manner that could be called traditional in any way. Relying on heavily over-driven electric guitar and brash rudimental drumming, this CD doesn't risk being mistaken for the work of folk purists. The songs are still very recognizable as traditional folk songs, making for a nicely jarring combination.

Listen:
Creech Holler - Wild Bill Jones

Buy:
From CD Baby

Thursday, March 15, 2007

Call for suggestions: Music in New York City

I know I have a few regular readers in and around the New York City area. I'm coming your way next week; I'll be in town from this coming Friday, the 16th through the 24th. I'm looking for any advice about where I might want to go to hear some nice alt-country or roots-oriented music. I'm staying in Alphabet City, and I'm hoping to catch the Doc Marshalls' show at Banjo Jim's. I'm also contemplating some of the shows at the Rodeo Bar. Are any of the band there next week recommended? Any hints or suggestions about other worthy shows this week would be appreciated.

Thanks.

Wednesday, March 14, 2007

7 Shot Screamers at SXSW

One of these years I'm going to make it to South by Southwest. Not this year, though. Perusing the highlights lists, like the ones posted by Twangville, I've noticed a whole lot of great roots and alt-country that I'm going to be missing. One band that hasn't been pointed out is the 7 Shot Screamers. SXSW has them listed under the punk genre, which may be why they haven't been noticed by roots music fans. This is a prime example of the limitations of the one-and-one-only genre classification scheme the SXSW index uses.

The 7 Shot Screamers' blend of punk and rockabilly should appeal to a wide variety of punk and roots-oriented tastes. I've written about their first album. Their most recent album came out last fall on St. Louis-based garage rock label Big Muddy. They've also been touring with Exene Cervenka, formerly of X and the Knitters, as the current incarnation of her Original Sinners.

They're playing 8:00, Saturday at the Dirty Dog Bar in Austin.

Listen:
7 Shot Screamers - Love Always, Charlie
7 Shot Screamers - War Song

Buy:
From CD Universe

Friday, February 23, 2007

Kirk Rundstrom

I didn't know Kirk Rundstrom personally. I wish I had. He had a real presence over the Lawrence music community.



This was my first favorite song of theirs years ago.

Listen:
Split Lip Rayfield - The Day the Train Jumped the Tracks

Support:
The Kirk Rundstrom Cancer Fund

Monday, February 19, 2007

Loomer - Songs of the Wild West Island

Canadian indie-rock/alt-country band Loomer released their sophomore album last fall. I've been listening to it in my car for a while and I've been quite taken by the way they combine the often disparate sub-genres of country music. Instead of focusing on cross-generic synthesis like some indie-roots bands (the proliferation of country/soul around these days, for example), Loomer creates an intra-generic synthesis of Americana, honky-tonk, Uncle Tupelo-style alt-country, and old time. Featuring sweet pedal steel, baritone guitar, banjo, and a combination of sweet harmonies and rough vocals, this album highlights the best sounds from these often separated strands of country music.

Listen:
Loomer - Endless Holiday
Loomer - Anastasia (Live BBC Session)

Buy:
From Miles of Music
From Amazon

Wednesday, February 07, 2007

The Highway Sound - What Henry Ford Forgot

The Highway Sound is a project of Brooklyn-based singer/songwriter Jay Zasa. The focus of the album is Zasa's songwriting, which is foregrounded by his distinctive, slightly off pitch but endearing voice that is reminiscent of Michael Stipe of REM. Jay is backed up by an ensemble playing what he calls "big Brooklyn Americana." While they never reach the ethereality of Brooklyn neighbors Hem, preferring a lower-fi aesthetic, the family resemblance is apparent. Listen for the fiddle of Mat Kane (of the Doc Marshalls) and the piano of Andy Bienen (co-screenwriter of Boys Don't Cry).


Listen:
The Highway Sound - Railroad Bill's Return

Buy:
From CD Baby

Thursday, February 01, 2007

Top 10 of 2006, Part 3

Today we finish up the sample songs off my favorite albums of the year. My top two are perhaps the least well-known releases on this list, but don't think that I upped their placement just to have an unconventional top pick. I actually feel that these two albums are the best I've heard this year, surpassing the better-known and more-respected musicians who are below them on the list or not present at all.

3. Kris Kristofferson - This Old Road

Listen:
Kris Kristofferson - Pilgrim's Progress

Buy:
From Amazon

2. Bob Wayne and the Outlaw Carnies - Blood to Dust

Listen:
Bob Wayne and the Outlaw Carnies - 27 Years

Buy:
From Bob Wayne

1. Scott H. Biram - Graveyard Shift

Listen:
Scott H. Biram - Been Down Too Long

Buy:
From Bloodshot
From Amazon

Tuesday, January 30, 2007

Top 10 of 2006, Part 2

Today we continue the sampling of my top 10 of 2006. Follow the link for more detailed commentary.

7. Old Crow Medicine Show - Big Iron World

Listen:
Old Crow Medicine Show - I Hear Them All

Buy:
From Amazon

6. Solomon Burke - Nashville

Listen:
Solomon Burke - Valley of Tears

Buy:
From Amazon

4. Hank Williams III - Straight to Hell

Listen:
Hank Williams III - D. Ray White

Buy:
From Amazon

Thursday, January 25, 2007

Top 10 of 2006, Part 1


Head over to Americana Roots to see my top 10 albums of 2006. All ten albums are highly recommended and I've included a brief paragraph of explanation after each choice. Here are my favorite songs from albums 8, 9, and 10. Stay tuned for the rest of the count-down.

10. White Ghost Shivers - Everyone's Got 'Em

Listen:
White Ghost Shivers - Little Kisses

Buy:
From Chicken Ranch Records

9. Gary Bennett - Human Condition

Listen:
Gary Bennett - Headin' Home

Buy:
From Gary
From Amazon

8. Grayson Capps - Wail and Ride

Listen:
Grayson Capps - Give It To Me

Buy:
From Hyena Records
From Amazon

Monday, January 22, 2007

Cadillac Sky - Blind Man Walking

Blind Man Walking, Cadillac Sky's first album on Skaggs Family Records, hits stores tomorrow. Cadillac Sky could primarily be classified as a newgrass band, but the influence of country, traditional bluegrass, and Celtic music can be heard. Banjo player Matt Menefee and fiddler Ross Homes have both placed at Walnut Valley and singer and mandolin player Bryan Simpson has had several songs recorded by mainstream country artists.

Singer Bryan Simpson's baritone splits the difference between recent hat act Josh Turner (with whom they're played) and John Cowan of New Grass Revival and highlights an ambivalence running through this CD toward the divisions between traditional, progressive, and popular.

Listen:
Cadillac Sky - Born Lonesome
Cadillac Sky - You Again

Buy:
From Scaggs Family
From Amazon