Dead, Drunk, and Naked (WUSC-FM 90.5)

Set list 10.16.08

2008-10-19T12:24:00.000-07:00

Dead, Drunk, and Naked Setlist 10.18.08

Shovels and Rope "Gasoline"- Shovels and Rope [EP]
-----new LP due next week!

Dylan Sneed "Look Inside"- No Worse for the Wear [EP]
Hannah Miller "Ever Since Eve"- Into the Black
Chris Knight "The River's Own"- Trailer Tapes
Chris Knight "William"- Trailer Tapes

Leeroy Stagger "With You Were the Trees"- Depression River
Tim Easton "All The Pretty Girls Leave Town"- Special 20
Ben Nichols "Chambers"- The Last Pale Light in the West [EP]
Anthony da Costa "Walls Around Baghdad"- Typical American Tragedy

Lucinda Williams "Real Love"- Little Honey
Soda Jerk "Dear Dissapointed"- Soda Jerk
The Last Almanac "Better Off Alone"- A Memoir
Robinella "Down the Mountain"- Solace for the Lonely

American Gun "Nature Vs. Man"- The Means and the Machine
American Gun "Girl Done Gone"- The Means and the Machine
Murry Hammond "Lost at Sea"- I Don't Know Where I'm Going But I'm On My Way
Crooked Still "Tell Her to Come Back Home"- Still Crooked
-----AG 5 POINTS PUB NEXT SATURDAY THE 25TH

Bill Frisell "One Of These Days"- Nashville
Gillian Welch "Elvis Presley Blues"- Time (The Revelator)
Caleb Caudle "Memory of Somebody Else"- Red Bank Road
Sam Baker "Sweetly Undone"- Pretty World

Brian Wright & the Waco Tragedies "Morning Cigarettes"- Bluebird
Devils In Disguise "Harvest Moons"- Honky Tonk Liftoff
The Plowboys "Plowin' Hard For You"- Sharecropper's Daughter
Red Molly "Keep Your Lamp Trimming and Burning"- Love and Other Tragedies

Ryan Adams "Barter Lines"- Heartbreaker
Richard Buckner "Lil' Wallet Picture"- Devotion + Doubt
Grayson Capps "Arrowhead"- Rott N' Roll

Dead, Drunk, and Naked Setlist 09.25.08

2008-09-27T13:49:00.000-07:00

Abigail Washburn & the Sparrow Quartet "Banjo Pickin' Girl"- S/T
The Felice Brothers "Whiskey In My Whiskey"- S/T
Cory Branan "Jolene"- The Hell You Say

Ryan Adams "Starting to Hurt"- Demolition

Lucero "Tear's Don't Matter Much"- That Much Further West
Loch Ness Johnny "Farewell to the Sea"- Devil's Dance
James McMurtry "Just Us Kids"- Just Us Kids

Eliza Gilkyson "Dark Side of Town"- Land of Milk and Honey
Uncle Tupelo "Life Worth Livin'"- No Depression
Don Chambers & Goat "Open the Gates"- Zebulon
Old Crow Medicine Show "Highway Halo"- Tennessee Pusher

American Gun "Tears"- Dark Southern Hearts
The Jayhawks "Waiting for the Sun"- Hollywood Townhall
Leeroy Stagger "Carol"- Depression River
The Train Wrecks "Texas Bound"- Whiskey & War

Drag the River "Barroom Bliss:- Closed.
Swing Set "The Hard Luck Lines"- How to Make A Living Selling Yourself Short
Wilco "Passenger Side"- A.M.
Soda Jerk "Another Town"- Soda Jerk 2

Ben Sollee "Bury Me With My Car"- Learning to Bend
Kasey Chambers & Shane Nicholson "Rattlin' Bones"- Rattlin' Bones
Gillian Welch "Wayside/ Back In Time"- Soul Journey
Andy Friedman & the Other Failures "Idaho"- Idaho [Single]

Mac Leaphart "Confederate Roses"- Line, Rope, Etc.
Drive-By Truckers "Space City"- A Blessing and A Curse
Tift Merritt "Bramble Rose"- Bramble Rose

Easton, Stagger, Phillips "Highway"- ESP
Todd Snider "Enjoy Yourself"- East Nashville Skyline
Rachel Harrington "Truman"- City of Refuge
Adam Carroll "Racecar Joe (live)"- LIVE

new Lucero song- on Ben Nichols new EP- Last Pale Light in the West (look for this next week on the show)

Eeaston, Stagger, Phillips- One For the Ditch

2008-09-19T09:22:00.001-07:00

Easton, Stagger, Phillips is a super group. The good kind. 3 of the best singer-songwriters in alt. country music come together on this low key collection of originals. Though each of the three can certainly rock out, One For the Ditch is the sound of “3 friends playing songs on the porch”. They keep it simple and mainly acoustic with splashs of pedal steel and other instrumentation to flesh out a couple of songs. The album never sounds forced and always sounds fun, finding a rich middle ground between the Jayhawks and Gillian Welch-David Rawlings best work.

Tim Easton (Joshua Tree, California) is a tremendous solo artist, whose last album Ammunition featured none other than Lucinda Williams and Gary Louris. He’s a great songwriter and a terrific live performer. He has 4 solo records to his name, each with a different take on his folk rock sound. 2001’s Truth About Us featured Wilco (2000 line-up) as a backing band.

Leeroy Stagger (Victoria, Canada) is one of my new favorite artists of all time (how come no one told me about this guy before?). His rough and ragged alt. country record Depression River and the limited release EP Tales From the Back Porch are like a combination of Neil Young, Steve Earle, the Drive-By Truckers, and all that is holy in this world. If your a fun of the punk rock meets country meets Neil Young guitar freak outs, you need to check this guy out.

Evan Phillips (Anchorage, Alaska) is a member/songwriter of the Whipsaws, an alt. country type band that I’ve heard good things about, but have yet to really listen to (note to self: must get on that). However, his songs are some of my favorite on this record (”Highway”, “She’s Gone”). On “Too Many Rainy Days”, Phillips channels early Jeff Tweedy (back when he wrote lyrics that made some sort of sense).

Sorry for the short review, just wanted to get this out there. This one's on twangville, http://twangville.com/1019/easton-stagger-phillips-one-for-the-ditch/

Dead, Drunk, and Naked Setlist 09.11.08

2008-09-15T21:10:00.000-07:00

Drive-By Truckers "Dead, Drunk, and Naked"- Southern Rock Opera

Todd Snider "Mission Accomplished"- Peace Queer [EP]
The Train Wrecks "Whiskey Ain't My Friend"- Whiskey & War
Caitlin Cary "Empty Rooms"- I'm Staying Out
Son Volt "Joe Citizen Blues"- Single

Leeroy Stagger "I Break Hard"- Tales From the Back Porch [EP]
Leeroy Stagger "Beautiful House"- Tales From the Back Porch [EP]
American Gun "Fight Song"- The Means and the Machine
American Gun "Neil Young Mood"- The Means and the Machine

Alien Carnival "Real Music"

Bentz Kirby LIVE AT WUSC- "Country Music"

Jason & the Scorchers "Country Road (live)"- A Blazing Grace

Alien Carnival "Country Boy (for C3)"
Andy Friedman "Guys Like Me Don't Get Grants"- Taken Man
Blue Mountain "She's A Wild One"- Midnight In Mississippi
Uncle Tupelo "True to Life"- Steel Feel Gone

Steve Earle "Copperhead Road (live)"- Just An American Boy
Don Chambers & Goat "Conjuring a Dead Rabbit"- Zebulon
The Jayhawks "Blue"- Tomorrow the Green Grass

Easton, Stagger, Phillips "One Hell of A Life"- One For the Ditch
Easton, Stagger, Phillips "In Love With You"- One For the Ditch
Easton, Stagger, Phillips "She Was Gone"- One For the Ditch

Mac Leaphart "Cold Hard Truth"- Line, Rope, Etc.
Patterson Hood "Pay No Attention to Alice"- Killers and Stars
Grayson Capps "Going Back to the Country"- Rott N Roll
Gillian Welch "Black Star"- Black Star [EP]

new album soon? please?!

2008-09-08T10:51:00.000-07:00

Dead, Drunk, and Naked Setlist 09.04.08

Drag the River "She Used to Smile"- Chicken Demos
Blue Mountain "By Your Side"- Midnight In Mississippi
Whiskeytown "If He Can't Have You"- Faithless Street
Neal Casal "St. Cloud"- Leaving Traces: Songs from 1994-2004

Todd Snider "Fortunate Son"- Peace Queer [EP]
Todd Snider "The Ballad of Cape Henry"- Peace Queer [EP]
Wrinkle Neck Mules "Black Skies For the High & Mighty"- The Wicks Have Met
Cory Branan "Mohammed Ali (and me)"- 12 Songs

Anthony da Costa "The Devil's Won"- Typical American Tragedy
Two Gallants "The Hand That Held Me Down"- Two Gallants
Nanci Griffith "The Flyer"- The Flyer

Zach and the Red Wagon LIVE AT WUSC "Car Don't Run"

The Waifs "Highway One"- Up All Night

Zach and the Red Wagon LIVE AT WUSC "State St."
-------Zach is formerly of Due East------his solo page is here and he is also playing with a new band called Westbank,

Chis Knight "Heart of Stone"- Heart of Stone
Chris Knight "Something to Keep Me Going"- Heart of Stone
Will Kimbrough "Another Train"- Americantis
Lucero "I Can Get Us Out of Here Tonight"- Rebels, Rogues, and Sworn Brothers
-----Ben Nichols in town Nov. 16 with the Revival Tour------

Todd Mathis "This Bottle"- The USC Demos
Todd Mathis "Jazz All Day"- The USC Demos
Phil Lee "Somebody 'Oughta Do Something About That Guy"- The Might King of Love
The Hold Steady "Magazines"- Stay Positive
------Todd Mathis (of American Gun) demos are just him and guitar and not really intended for release yet, but hey if I like it, i play it---------

John Prine "Down By the Side of the Road"
Justin Townes Earle "Hard Livin"- The Good Life
Mary Gauthier "Prayer Without Words"- Mercy Now
Gram Parsons "In My Hour of Darkness"- Grievous Angel

Josh Roberts & the Hinges "Shine A Light (live)"- Live At 5 Pts. Pub, 07-12-2008
Leeroy Stagger "Lay Down Your Guns"- Depression River
Leeroy Stagger Jealous & Drunk"- Depression River
------Leeroy Stagger is fucking awesome!.....he has new solo record coming out soon, as well as a record with Tim Easton and Evan Phillips (of the Whipsaws) called One For the Ditch, which I will be playing next week---------
ESP

Leeroy Documentary type thing

Crooked Fingers "Ship to Spain"- 11 Years of Sin: Bloodshot Records
Billy Bragg & Wilco (feat. Natalie Merchant) "Birds and Ships"- Mermaid Avenue
Crooked Still "Captain, Captain"- Still Crooked
Abigail Washburn & the Sparrow Quartet "Captain"- S/T

Carrie Rodriquez "The Big Mistake"- She Ain't Me
Kristen Andreassen "Like The Snow"- Kiss Me Hello
Cary Ann Hearst "The Straits of Out Love"- Dust and Bones

American Gun "Drunk Girls"- The Means and the Machine
The Daylight Hours "Only One Juliet"- How To Make A Mess Of Things
Danny Schmidt "California's On Fire"- Little Grey Sheep
Mac Leaphart "Flags, Flowers, and Bibles"- Line, Rope, Etc.
--------American Gun at the 5 Points Fountain: September 18th--------
--------Mac Leaphart at the Salty Nut (w. Joe Good Band) on Sept. 13------

Joseph Montoya "Intermezzo, Op. 116"- Recital: March 19, 2008
Andre Previn "Excursions, Op. 20"- Barber: Adagio for Strings
Leifa Josefowicz, violin; John Novacek, piano "Road Movies"- Road Movies

American Aquarium "Come Around This Town"- The Bible and the Bottle
The Avett Brothers "Murder In The City"- The Gleam II [EP]
Anders Parker "Tell It To the Dust"- Tell It to the Dust
The New Familiars "Walkin' the Whiskey Blues"- The Storm

Dead, Drunk, and Naked Setlist 08.03.08

2008-08-04T17:28:00.000-07:00

Jonathan Byrd "The Law and the Lonesome"- The Law and the Lonesome

Uncle Earl "Wallflower"- Waterloo, TN
Gillian Welch "Red Clay Halo (live)"- Music From the Revelator Collection
The Roches "Acadian Driftword"

Sunshone Still "The Winning of Waa-ni-Beh"- Ten Cent American Novels
Hannah Miller "So Much To Say"- Into the Black
Carrie Rodriquez "El Salvador"- She Ain't Me
Grayson Capps "A Love Song for Bobby Long"- If You Knew My Mind
---------Hannah Miller and Sunshone Still at The Watershed on Aug. 22

Drag the River "Mr. Crews"- Its Crazy.
Jesse Malin "Downliner"- Fine Art of Self Destruction
Chuck Brodsky "The Boys In the Backroom"- Two Sets (Set Two)
Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit "Goddamn Lonely Love (live)"- Live At
Twist & Shout, 11.16.07
-----really into Drag the River right now, Isbell was awesome last Thursday

Adam Carroll "Elvis (live)"- Adam Carroll Live
Don Chambers + Goat "Sweetest Flower"- Don Chambers and Goat
Drive-By Truckers "Space City"- A Blessing and A Curse
Jenny Scheinman "I Was Young When I Left Home"- Jenny Scheinman
-------DBT, Don Chambers at Headliners, Sept. 17

Loch Ness Johnny "Modern Art Blues"- Evil Shenanigans
The Replacements "Achin' To Be"- Don't Tell A Soul
Mark Olson "Salvation Blues"- Salvation Blues
Anthony da Costa "Back of My Mind"- Typical American Tragedy

Todd Mathis "Drunk Girls (live)"
Todd Snider "Beer Run (live)"- Near Truths and Hotel Rooms
Sometymes Why "Let Down"- Sometimes Why
Sometymes Why "The Middle"- Sometimes Why
---------rumors abound of a Todd Mathis solo album ( I hear its gonna be composed entirely of Loch Ness Johnny covers)

Porter Wagoner "The Late Love of Mine"- The Wagonmaster
Richard Buckner "Lil' Wallet Picture"- Devotion + Doubt
Johnny Flynn & the Sussex Wit "Brown Trout Blues"- A Larum
Hayes Carll "Don't Let Me Fall"- Trouble In Mind

Drive-By Truckers "The Living Bubba"- Gangstabilly
--- by request, in honor of Jerry Garcia birthday

Tim Easton "Poor, Poor L.A."- Break Your Mother's Heart
Buddy and Julie Miller "The Rivers Gonna Run"- Buddy and Julie Miller
American Gun "Horses"- The Means and the Machine
American Gun "Saint of Alcohol"- Dark Southern Hearts
-------American Gun on Aug. 16th at the Art Bar

Crooked Still "Undone In Sorrow"- Still Crooked
The Avett Brothers "St. Joseph's"- The Second Gleam II
Swing Set "Empty House"- How To Make A Living Selling Yourself Short
Abbie Gardner-Anthony da Costa "Someday"- Bad Nights- Better Days

Levon Helm "Wide River to Cross"- Dirt Farmer
Grace Potter & the Nocturnals "Big White Gate"- This Is Somewhere
Uncle Tupelo "Sin City (live)"

Murry Hammond "I Believe, I Believe"- I Don't Know Where I'm Going,
But I'm On My Way
Old Crow Medicine Show "We're All In This Together"- O.C.M.S.
Otis Gibbs "Murder At the Read House"- One Day Our Whispers

Setlist 07.27.08

2008-07-28T15:27:00.000-07:00

Dead, Drunk, and Naked does Dylan

American Gun "Moonshiner"- The Means and the Machine

The Kennedys "A Hard Rain's A Gonna Fall"- Songs for the Open Road
Tony Rice "Girl From the North Country"
Steve Earle "My Back Pages"

Drive-By Truckers "Like A Rolling Stone"
Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks "Ballad of A Thin Man"
Cat Power "Stuck Inside of Mobile With the Memphis Blues Again"
Ramblin' Jack Elliott "Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues"

Jim James & Calexico "Goin' to Acapulco"
Buddy Guy "Lay Lady Lay"- Bring 'Em In
Gillian Welch "Billy (live)"- Music From the Revelator Collection
Todd Snider "Knockin' On Heaven's Door (live)"- Doing Dylan

My Morning Jacket "Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You (live)"- Bonnaroo 2005
Darrell Scott "I Don't Believe You (She Acts Like We Never Have Met)"- Modern Hymns

Etta James "Gotta Serve Somebody"- Matriarch of the Blues
Mark Lanegan "Man In the Long Black Coat"
Adele "Make You Feel My Love"- 19

Paul Westerberg- 49:00
-----full album, one track- available for 49 cents on Amazon.com

The Avett Brothers "Bella Donna"- The Second Gleam [EP]
The Wailin' Jennys "One Voice"- 40 Days
Tres Chicas "Still I Run"- Bloom, Red, and the Ordinary Girl
Abbie Gardner- Anthony Da Costa "Better Days"- Bad Nights-Better Days

The Mammals "Alone on the Homestead"- Departure
Carrie Rodriquez "Rag Doll"- She Ain't Me
Red Molly "The Mind Of A Soldier"- Love and Other Tragedies
Catherine MacLellan "Emily's Song"- Church Bell Blues
---Uncle Gram really liked this set, an undercutting theme of soldiers being gone from the home.........

The Infamous Stringdusters "Won't Be Coming Back"- The Infamous Stringdusters

another of Dylan's best featured below

Dead, Drunk, and Naked Setlist 05.20.08

2008-07-23T17:00:00.000-07:00

Dead, Drunk, and Naked Setlist 07.20.08

Drew Emmitt "Get er Rollin"- Long Road
Supergrass "Ghost of A Friend"- Diamond Hoo Ha

Hayes Carll "Bad Liver and a Broken Heart"- Trouble In Mind
Lucero "The Mountain"- Rebels, Rogues, and Sworn Brothers
Drag the River "Me & Joe Drove Out of California..."- Its Crazy.
Swing Set "My Side of the City"- How To Make A Mess of Things
Dylan Sneed "Look Inside"- No Worse For the Wear [EP]

Mac Leaphart "No Way"- Line, Rope, Etc.
Mac Leaphart "Cold Hard Truth"- Line, Rope, Etc.

Mac Leaphart "Flags, Flowers, and Bibles"- LIVE in studio
Mac Leaphart "Losing Young"- LIVE in studio

Hayes Carll "She Left Me For Jesus"- Trouble In Mind
Hayes Carll "I Got A Gig"- Trouble In Mind

TUESDAY NIGHT!!!!
Hayes Carll w/Mac Leaphart at the Handlebar in Greenville, SC

Danielle Howle "While I Miss You- Moonlight Night"- Unreleased

The Avett Brothers "Murder In the City"- The Gleam II [EP]
Buddy Guy "Skin Deep"- Skin Deep
Adam Carroll "Sacred Love"- Old Time Rock N Roll

Kentucky Shoes "Settle Down"
Chris Gervais "Spark"
Brian Wright & the Waco Tragedies "Downtime Eloise"- Dog Ears

Abbie Gardner- Anthony Da Costa "Note"- Bad Nights-Better Days
Danny Schmidtz "Girl Whiskey"- Enjoying the Fall
Don Williams "If Hollywood Don't Need You"
American Aquarium "Lover Too Late"- The Bibles and the Bottle

Jason Isbell "In A Razor Town"- Sirens of the Ditch
Jason Isbell "The Magician"- Sirens of the Ditch
Crowfield "Love Is Hell On the Lonely"- Goodbye, Goodnight, So Lone Midwestern

American Gun "Find Our Way Home"- The Means and the Machine
The Gougers "Rosaline"- A Long Day For the Weathervane
Carrie Rodriquez "She Ain't Me"- She Ain't Me

Deadstring Brothers "Sacred Heart"- Starving Winter Report
The Mother Truckers "Dynamite"- Let's All Go to Bed
Old 97's "My Two Feet"- Blame It On Gravity

Red Molly "Wayfaring Stranger"- Love and Other Tragedies
Grayson Capps "Daddy's Eyes"- Wail & Ride
Tim Easton "Troublesome Kind"- Special 20
The Backsliders "If I Was King"- Throwin' Rocks at the Moon

Justin Townes Earle "Turn Out My Lights"- The Good Life
Uncle Earl "I May Never"- Waterloo, TN
Dan Bern "Black Tornado"- New American Language

The Whigs "Right Hand On My Heart"- Mission Control

---------Anthony Da Costa is my new favorite artists, check out this video below, great, funny, song

Anthony da Costa - Poor Poor Pluto (live)
Music Videos at www.yallwire.com

Dead, Drunk, and Naked Setlist 05.13.08

2008-07-23T16:58:00.000-07:00

The Return of "Dead, Drunk, and Naked" Setlist

Jason & the Scorchers "If You Got the Love (I've Got the Time)"- Midnight Roads & Stages Seen
Jason & the Scorchers "Absolutely Sweet Marie (live)"- Midnight Roads & Stages Seen

Shovels & Rope "Gasoline"- EP
Shovels & Rope "Mother's Scorn"- EP
The Felice Brothers "Radio Song"- The Felice Brothers
The Felice Brothers "Whiskey in My Whiskey"- The Felice Brothers

----saw Shovels & Rope yesterday, great act straight up country rock with only an acoustic guitar, tambourine, and boot stompin' percussion

Susan Tedeschi "Don't Think Twice"- Wait for Me
Susan Tedeschi "You Got the Silver"- Hope and Desire
Ben Sollee "A Change Is Gonna Come"- Learning to Bend
Ben Sollee "A Few Honest Words"- Learning to Bend

------love all these covers, Ben Sollee is a really cool cello player with an R&B like voice that is wholly unexpected, but really, really good

Hayes Carll "Beaumont"- Trouble In Mind
Hayes Carll "She Left Me For Jesus"- Trouble In Mind
Mac Leaphart "White Line Mercy"- Rope, Line, Etc.
Mac Leaphart "Confederate Roses"- Rope, Line, Etc.

------ Mr. Leaphart will be doing an in studio with us next week, so be sure to tune in for that.....he and Hayes Carll have a gig the following Tuesday in Greenville- not to be missed

The Waybacks "Lowdown"- Loaded
The Waybacks "Beyond the Northwest Passage"- Loaded
American Gun "This Old Town"- The Means and the Machine
American Gun "Man vs. Nature"- The Means and the Machine

-----The Waybacks are at Headliners on Wed.----American Gun is just awesome (they can't help it)

Sometymes Why "I'm Trying to Remember Which City I Know You From"- Sometimes Why
Sometymes Why "Seasick Dawn"- Sometimes Why
Abigail Washburn & the Sparrow Quartet "A Fuller Wine"- S/T
Abigail Washburn & the Sparrow Quartet "Great Big Wall In China"- S/T

-------saw both these acts at Bonnaroo, both were very good, but Sometymes Why was a suprise....their performance was one of the most intimate all week (despite Death Cab's intusion)---their S/T record is very good and highly recommended, but you must see them live......

Emmylou Harris "Hold On"- All I Intended To Be
Emmylou Harris "A Broken Man's Lament"- All I Intended To Be
American Aquarium "Betting Man"- Bones [EP]
American Aquarium "Bigger In Texas"- Bones [EP]

------American Aquarium Tuesday 22 at Trackside Tavern

Abbie Gardner- Anthony da Costa "Spent"- Bad Nights- Better Days
Abbie Gardner- Anthony da Costa- "Red Barn"- Bad Nights- Better Days
Abbie Gardner- Anthony da Costa- "Crazy In Love"- Bad Nights- Better Days
Abbie Gardner- Anthony da Costa- "Let Me Die In Your Arms"- Bad Nights- Better Days

------quite possibly my favorite record released this year....as Uncle Gram put it to me this afternoon "da Costa does Ryan Adams better than Ryan Adams does"

The Daylight Hours "Old 7"- How To Make A Mess of Things
The Daylight Hours "Try To Understand"- How to Make A Mess Of Things
Todd Snider "Waco Moon"- New Connection
Todd Snider "Play A Train Song"- East Nashville Skyline

Crooked Still "Captain, Captain"- Still Crooked
Crooked Still "Tell Her to Come Back Home"- Still Crooked
Old 97's "Here's to the Hacylon"- Blame It On Gravity
Old 97's "Color of the Lonely Heart Is Blue"- Blame It On Gravity

--------two really good new releases

Josh Roberts & the Hinges "The True and the Obscene"- My War Cry Is Amor
Josh Roberts & the Hinges "The Hardest Part of Winter"- My War Cry Is Amor
Red Molly "Honey On My Grave"- Love and Other Tragedies
Red Molly "Witchia"- Love and Other Tragedies

Slobberbone "Haze of Drink"- Barrel Chested
Slobberbone "Little Drunk Fists"- Barrel Chested
Alejandro Escovedo "Sensitive Boys"- Real Animal
Alejandro Escovedo "Sister Lost Soul"- Real Animal

Bonnaroo In Review Day 1

2008-06-18T06:19:00.000-07:00

Thursday, it seems like every year I forget that at some point driving from Columbia, SC to Manchester, TN I gain an hour by moving into the Central Time Zone. Always a nice surprise, so after 7 hours of driving we finally arrive at the beginning of the long line of cars lined up on I-24 awaiting entrance to the festival. And we go past them. For about 15 miles we pass cars lined up bumper to bumper waiting in the heat for the entrance to paradise.

We on the other hand are heading to will call. After picking up the will call tickets and selling away one of our extras, we got in line coming from the other direction and avoiding the interstate line. Though our line wasn't 15 miles long, it probably took just as long to make it the ticketing area (about an hour and a half). This year, Bonnaroo had a nice staff/volunteer guy stop us right before the entrance and ask is if we had anything prohibited in the car (glass, firearms, drugs, illegal immigrants, etc.). We responded "no" and he responded "we'll if you have anything you don't want the cops finding, you can give it to me now, no questions asked".----Rumor has it the volunteers/staff were gonna have a huge party Monday night, once the patrons were gone.

Anyway, I practically ran over the volunteer whose job it was to park me as close as possible to the car next to me (sorry buddy, but I wanted to you know, be able to open all the doors). We quickly got out, erected our canopy, and staked in our tents. Then we unloaded the booty, 2 handles of whiskey and enough Yuengling to drown a small horse (oh, yeah plus we brought food and water and stuff). Seriously though, this was my most prepared Bonnaroo yet, he brought hamburgers, hot dogs, chips and salsa, pancakes, bacon, and did I mention whiskey?

After chowing down some burgers, we headed out for the stages. While companions charged ahead to try and get into the comedy tent, I hung back to check out Superdrag. Not really familiar with their work, I was pleasantly surprised as they provided some meaty rock n roll in the form of elegantly crafted punk/power pop style. The crowed seemed really into it and I snapped a couple of pictures.

Next, I joined my compatriots in line for tickets to the midnight comedy show featuring Zach Galifanakis, Reggie Watts, and John Mulaney. This ticketing line seemed to last forever, so I entrusted the ticket procurement to them and headed off to see The Felice Brothers.

Having just gottin' into the Felice Brothers, I wondered how they would do live. My one real complaint with their recently released self-titled record was it failed to really rock out much. I had no need to be worried, they certainly brought it to Bonnaroo. I mean these guys had both and accordion and a washboard (on most songs). The Band comparisons are certainly on target. They even look like The Band. Main vocalist/guitarist= Robbie Robertson, accordion/keyboard player= Garth Hudson, bass= Rick Danko, drummmer/guitarist= Levon Helm, washboard/violinist= (okay so he doesn't really look like Manuel). Anyway I showed up just in time for two of my favorite songs, "Ruby Mae" and "Whiskey in My Whiskey". They worked together very organically and seemed to really enjoy attacking their instruments with fury. The drummer in particular had huge stage presence, acting out the lyrics standing atop his stool and even leaving his post to harass his bandmates during the intro to a couple of the songs. For his trouble, the frontman/guitarist kicked over the entire drum set during the finale. The drummer would trade instruments with the lead guitarist/vocalist for a great vocal on "Radio Song". The song also featured O.C.M.S. guitarist Willie Watson on tambourine and background vocals. I would later catch the Brothers set at the Sonic Stage the next day and was able to snap some pictures.

Then the comedy. Zach Galifanakis, Reggie Watts, and John Mulaney, easily the best comedy show I've seen at Bonnaroo (and that includes Lewis Black and Chris Rock). Mulaney did a great bit on Law & Order (the TV show. Reggie Watts could have been a musical performer at the Roo (but still f*cking funny), he has great a great voice and can rap. Galifanakis was as funny as expected and did a great routine at the end that ended with him holding up an Obama '08 sign (a theme that would be repeated on many stages throughout the weekend). Its tough to really review comedy (at least for me). So, I'm gonna leave you with some video clips.

Reggie Watts

Galifanakis

American Aquarium- The Bible and the Bottle & Bones [EP]

2008-06-03T20:06:00.000-07:00

American Aquarium is from Raleigh, NC. And yes, every review you read about them will compare them to Whiskeytown. But, to their credit, American Aquarium embraces the comparison on their second full length, The Bible and the Bottle. Skillet Gilmore (drums for Whiskeytown) does the artwork. Caitlin Cary (founding member Whiskeytown) contributes background vocals to a couple of tracks. Greg Elkins (produced Rural Free Delivery for Whiskeytown) is at the controls.

But, for those of you haven’t heard of American Aquarium Whiskeytown meets Lucero is an adequate comparison. Fueled by the vocal phrasings and sharp lyrics of frontman BJ Barham, the band combines the alt. country stylings of Whiskeytown with the intensity of Lucero. Barham’s lyrics are worthy of either Nichols or Adams, favorite lines of mine include “she takes her coffee one sugar one cream/ she takes her coffee just like me” and “when I’m sober I pray to Jesus/ when I’m drunk thats when I talk to god/ well the bible and the bottle both deceive us/ into thinking we’re something we’re not”. American Aquarium as a musical force is a combustible force in its own right, keyboards, organ, violin, acoustic, electric, and lap steel guitars come together behind Barham in a typical, yet commanding alt. country fashion.

However, the sound of the album does not quite capture the live energy of the band. Such is the case with “Telling A Lie”, a strong song that is signature tune of American Aquarium’s live show that fails to truly take off here. That being said, The Bible and the Bottle is a strong record that should bring the band to the attention of the entire alt. country community (and perhaps beyond).

American Aquarium has made a GREAT record though, and it is the recorded live to tape EP, Bones. Recorded in a friend of the band’s living room, straight to tape with no overdubs, the six song EP not only captures the band’s soul, but also features some of Barham’s best writing. Written in the wake of a recent break-up, the six songs feature a familiar theme of Barham’s, the women that either got away or did him wrong. This is the kind of record that legends are made of.

Bones begins with a minamalist almost R&B like electric guitar before the lyrics settle in with “lonely ain’t easy/ lonely ain’t kind/ lonely won’t leave me/ she’s a good friend of mine”. The song, “Lonely Ain’t Easy” expands to include mandolin and violinist Sarah Mann’s background vocals. Next up is “Emelia”, a song that features a great arrangement particularly the piano parts supplied by Zack Brown. Followed up by “Bigger in Texas”, sounding like Lucero’s Ben Nichols, Barham has several great lines in the song including “the boys they’re running on empty/ my pockets they’re doin’ the same/ that second hand bar in ARKANSAS is the only thing I can blame” as well as “these bar stools are where I spend most of my nights/ the ghosts of dead cigarettes/ these beautiful girls with their strings of pearls/ no good to help me forget/ back home I got a lover/ lover thats too good for me/ these late night calls from the bathroom stalls/ no help……”. The next two songs, “Betting Man” and title track “Bones” would both fit nicely onto Bob Dylan’s classic Blood on the Tracks. The closing track “Good Fight” is the only true rocker on the record and the kind of song that Ryan Adams hasn’t written since Heartbreaker. Lyrics like “Why would you ask for the truth/ truth’s something you don’t understand/ I don’t know why I asked you to stay/ you’re so damn good at walking away/ you’re so damn good at walking away, hey” finnish the EP with a song that’ll leave you singing the chorus well after your cd (or mp3) is over. Bones is a little rough, but a masterful stoke by the band.

check out their myspace for tour dates and tracks from the record(s)

http://www.myspace.com/americanaquarium

they are touring all the way out west right now, before swinging back through the southeast…....

Bonnaroo Plans

2008-05-28T20:28:00.000-07:00

so, I am going to the 2008 Bonnaroo Music Festival...... so I will have many pictures and probably an article for each day of the festival

and while the line-up for the festival isn't as good as the 2006 Bonnaroo Festival that I attended (Tom Petty, Radiohead, MMJ, Bright Eyes, Buddy Guy, Bill Frisell, Grace Potter, Robinella, Lewis Black, Abigail Washburn, Stephen Malkmus, Sonic Youth)

but it is pretty good........so here is what I plan on doing

THURSDAY

-Superdrag, 7-8pm, This Tent
-The Felice Brothers, 10:15-11:15, The Other Tent

FRIDAY

-Drive-By Truckers, 12:30-1:45, Which Stage
-The Swell Season, 4:30-6:00, This Tent
-The Raconteurs, 5-6:30, What State
-Willie Nelson, 6:30-8, Which Stage
-Chris Rock, 7:45-8:45, What Stage
-My Morning Jacket, 12-3, Which Stage

SATURDAY

-Mason Jennings, 1:30-2:15, This Tent

-Abigail Washburn & the Sparrow Quartet, 2:45-4, This Tent
-The Avett Brothers, 4:30-6, The Other Tent

-Levon Helm & the Ramble on the Road, 6:30-8:30, The Other Tent
-Pearl Jam, 10:15-12:15, What Stage
-Sigur Ros, 1am-3am, That Tent

SUNDAY

-Jakob Dylan & the Gold Mtn. Rebels and/or Robert Randolph Revival, 2:45-3:15, This/That Tent
-Jackie Greene (acoustic ensemble)/Solomon Burke/The Greencards, 4:45-6:15, This/That/Blue Room Tent
-Derek Trucks & Susan Tedeschi Soul Stew Revival, 7-8:30, That Tent

Subbed Red Bank Setlist 05.03.08

2008-05-05T06:20:00.000-07:00

I'm up in CT for three weeks, so you may or may not see another post from me until then, so ciao.

Bob Forrest "Moonshiner"- I'm Not There Soundtrack
Uncle Tupelo "Moonshiner"- March 16-20, 1992
American Gun "Moonshiner"- The Means and the Machine

Richard Buckner "Lil' Wallet Picture"- Devotion & Doubt
Johnny Irion "1000 Miles An Hour"-Extempore
American Aquarium "Down Under"- The Bible and The Gun

Thad Cockrell "I'd Rather Have You"- Warmth & Beauty
Son Volt "Medicine Hat"- Wide String Tremelo
Old Crow Medicine Show "I Hear Them All"- Big Iron World
Adam Carroll "Black Flag Blues"- Old Time Rock N Roll

The Train Wrecks "She Was the One"- Whiskey & War
The Plowboys "Carter, Carter (Plant Me A Garden)"- Sharecropper's Daughter
The Waifs "How Many Miles"- Sundirtwater
Sara Lee Guthrie & Johnny Irion "Gervais"- Exploration

Doug & Telisha Williams "Nashville"- Rope Around My Heart
Mindy Smith "Outloud"- Long Island Shores
Jonathan Byrd "Tape Full of Love Songs"- The Waitress
Shooter Jennings "Southern Comfort"- Putting the O Back In Country

Austin Lounge Lizards "Dan Stepford"- Lizard Vision

Sourwood Honey "Follow Me Down"- Oxyendrum (Arboreum)Sunshone Still "Chapter 9- The Long Walk (Rope Thrower)"- Ten Cent American Novels
Ralph Stanley "False Hearted Lover Blues"- Ralph Stanley
Levon Helm "Single Girl, Married Girl"- Dirt Farmer

Steve Young "Worker's Song (Handful of Earth)"- Primal Young

Hannah Miller "Into the Black"- Into the Black
Ryan Bingham "Don't Wait For Me"- Mescalito
James McMurtry "Just Us Kids"- Just Us Kids
Josh Roberts & the Hinges "Hardest Part of Winter"- My War Cry Is Amor
Luke Doucet "Blood's Too Rich"- Blood's Too Rich
Hayes Carll "It's A Shame"- Trouble In Mind
Cracker "Up Against the Wall Red Neck Mothers"- Countrysides

Jason Ringenberg "The Bible and the Gun"- All Over Creation
The Wailin' Jennys "Glory Bound"- Firecracker
Otis Gibbs "Small Town Saturday Night"- One Day Our Whispers
Mary Gauthier "I Drink"- Mercy, Now

the Dexateens "Downtown"- Hardwire Healing
Lucinda Williams "Learning How to Live"- West
John Prine "Bruised Orange (Chain of Sorrow)"- Great Days Anthology

May 7th- Johnny Irion & Sara Lee Guthrie at Cafe Studel
May 10th- Loch Ness Johnny at Forest Acres Festival
May 17th- Devils In Disguise at Cafe Studel
May 18th- The Daylight Hours, Due East, American Aquarium at NBT this will be a badass show)
May 24th- The Daylight Hours at the Art Bar
May 25th- American Gun at the Art Bar

Dead, Drunk, and Naked Setlist 04.30.08

2008-05-02T10:11:00.000-07:00

last Dead, Drunk, and Naked show of the semester....I'll probably be poppin' in and out over the summer and I'll also be on Saturday (May 3rd) for Red Bank Bar and Grille again (9am to noon).....

Shows in May
May 3rd- Crawfish Music Crawl (Josh Roberts & the Hinges, Sunshone Still, Cracker, etc.)
May 7th- Johnny Irion & Sara Lee Guthrie at Cafe Studel
May 10th- Loch Ness Johnny at Forest Acres Festival
May 17th- Devils In Disguise at Cafe Studel
May 18th- The Daylight Hours, Due East, American Aquarium at NBT (this will be a badass show)
May 24th- The Daylight Hours at the Art Bar
May 25th- American Gun at the Art Bar

didn't play American Aquarium this week, but thought I would grace you with a video of one of my favorite songs of their's

Drive-By Truckers “Dead, Drunk, and Naked”- Southern Rock Opera
Lucero “The Mountain”- Rebels, Rogues, and Sworn Brothers
Josh Roberts & the Hinges “Janey”- The Sugarbird Test

Uncle Tupelo “Give Back the Keys to My Heart”- Anodyne
Whiskeytown “16 Days”- Strangers Almanac
The Jayhawks “Sister Cry”- Hollywood Townhall

The Daylight Hours “Truth About Girls”- How To Make A Mess of Things
Hayes Carll “Drunken Poets Dream”- Trouble In Mind
Peter Cooper “Boy Genius”- Mission Door
Old 97’s “No Baby I”- Blame It On Gravity

Grace Potter & the Nocturnals “Nothing But the Water Parts 1 & 2”- Nothing But the Water
Cary Ann Hearst “Dust and Bones “- Dust and Bones

The Train Wrecks “The Ghost of Tom Joad”- Whiskey & War
Wrinkle Neck Mules “The Wicks Have Met”- The Wicks Have Met
The Liabilities “Hey Mary”- The Liabilities

Swing Set “The Hard Luck Lines”- How To Make A Living Selling Yourself Short
Adam Carroll “Oklahoma Gypsy Shuffler”- Old Town Rock N Roll
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club “Weight of the World”- Howl
Alejandro Escovedo “Always A Friend”- Single

American Gun “Neil Young Mood”- The Means and the Machine
American Gun “Fight Song”- The Means and the Machine
Hannah Miller “Angel”- Into the Black

My Morning Jacket “Bermuda Highway”- At Dawn
Kathleen Edwards “Asking for Flowers”- Asking for Flowers
Uncle Earl “The Last Goodbye”- Waterloo, TN

Cracker “Up Against the Wall Redneck Mothers”- Countrysides

The Daylight Hours- How To Make A Mess of Things

2008-04-27T19:05:00.000-07:00

The Daylight Hours is Columbia, SC’s own David Adedokun. Adedokun has been slowly but surely working on How To Make A Mess Of Things for over two years, since the break-up of his former band, Courage Riley. It was worth the wait. Adedokun blends an array of influences into an Americana-indie-pop dream, all the while highlighting his beautiful songwriting and emotive voice.

However, the record is a bitter pill coated in candy. While the music and Adedokun’s voice are both upbeat and hopeful, How To Make A Mess of Things is a song cycle about lost love, rejection, regret, and every other emotion connected with love gone wrong. My favorite tracks are the middle 3 of the album. The infectious “Truth About Girls” has some great lines like “oh boy, you don’t know what you’re getting in to/ My boy, don’t say I didn’t try and warn you” and “don’t take the poison yet, cause once it’s in you it stays there (referring to a first kiss)” The classically themed “Dear John Reply” is sandwiched nicely by “Truth” and perhaps my favorite song on the record, “Only One Juliet”. “Juliet” is about the girl that seems to like (love) everyone. You know that you are not as special to her as she is to you, but you can’t help yourself. But in the end as with all Adedokun’s songs, the narrator lets her go.

Smart songwriting, subtle guitar rhythms, and tastefully applied drums, keyboards, electric guitar, and lap steel are the hallmarks of this record. Hopefully, How To Make A Mess will bring Adedokun the recognition he deserves and expand his touring schedule across the southeast. Check him out at http://www.myspace.com/thedaylighthoursmusic

Swing Set- How To Make A Living Selling Yourself Short

2008-04-20T12:07:00.000-07:00

also posted on twangville.com- http://twangville.com/856/swing-set-how-to-make-a-living-selling-yourself-short/

Under Swing Set’s influences section on their webpage, Teenage Fanclub and George Jones are listed side by side. Just the kind of spirit that has driven the southern rock and roll movement of the last decade or so, a spirit that owes just as much to R.E.M. as Lynrd Skynrd.

Swing Set is the solo moniker for former Sodajerk front man Alex Brenner. Sodajerk toured the east coast for nearly decade, spreading their own brand of alt. country before packing it in after 2007’s swan song Sodajerk 2. Described as Johnny Cash meets the Replacements, Sodajerk’s sound owed a lot to the early periods of bands like the Old 97’s or Wilco. However, Brenner’s solo work is characterized by a renewed focus on his vocals and heartfelt lyrics. Where Sodajerk would stack on the electric guitars and turn their amps up to 10, Swing Set sets the mood with acoustic guitars, light drums, and some pedal steel embellishments.

Owing as much to Mark Kozelek (Sun Kil Moon, Red House Painters) as the Old 97’s, How To Make A Living Selling Yourself Short, Swing Set’s debut, is an Americana record with indie-rock influences. Recorded in Brenner’s Decatur, GA apartment, the album fits late nights or hung over mornings like a worn glove. Brenner’s voice has a little bit of twang and a lot of heartache in it, which makes for a record that seeps emotion at every turn. Also adding to the mix is background vocals by Emily Kate Boyd and Vanessa Olivarez, highlighted on “Nothing to Hold On To” (sounding eerily like Jenny Lewis).

The record is available through cdbaby.com or by download through Swing Set’s webpage: http://www.myspace.com/swingsetrocks

Setlist for 04.19.08

2008-04-20T11:56:00.000-07:00

Subbed Red Bank Setlist (04.19.08)

AMERICAN GUN TONIGHT! 5 Points Pub!

Steve Earle "Somewhere Out There"
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club "Devil's Waitin'"
Alejandro Escovedo "Always a Friend
American Aquarium "Lover Too Late (live)"

Murry Hammond "I Believe, I Believe"
John Doe "I Dreamed I Saw St. Augustine"
Blueground Undergrass "Dublin Blues"
Matt Mays & El Torpedo "The Plan"

Jackie Greene "Honey I Been Thinking About You"
Jed & Kelley "Houston Sky"
Assembly of Dust "Whistle Clock"

Sam Baker "Boxes"
Sara Lee Guthrie & Johnny Irion "Exploration"
Tommy Womack "25 Years Ago"
Kris Kristofferson "Shipwrecked In The Eighties"

Blue Dogs "Cosmic Cowboy (live)"
Fayssoux McLean "Save It- Save It"
Eliza Gilkyson "Ballad of Yvonne Johnson"
Peter Cooper "All The Way To Heaven (feat. Eric Taylor)"

Hayes Carll "Bad Liver And A Broken Heart"
Andy Friedman "Cheat With the Highway"
Swing Set "My Side of the City"
American Gun "Horses"

The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band "Tennessee Stud"
James McMurtry "Ruby and Carlos"
John Prine "Donald and Lydia"

Buddy & Julie Miller "Forever Has Come To An End"
Caleb Caudle "Memory of Somebody Else"
David ByBoth "Before the Longest While"
Loch Ness Johnny "She Used to Be My Girl"

Kathleen Edwards "Alicia Ross"
Jeff Johansson "Lover Don't Go"
The South "I'm With the Band"

Ralph Stanley "False Hearted Lover's Blues"
Neal Casal "St Cloud"

Best of 07 for No Depression

2008-04-20T10:19:00.000-07:00

2007 Top 10.......(No Depression)

Well I know its early to review the best records of 2007 since its still got about a month and a half left, but No Depression was collecting votes, so I did on. Here it is (as a disclaimer: these are MY favorite records, not necessarily the 10 Best for everyone, that being said, comments, suggestions, and insults are appreciated)

1. Sam Baker- Pretty World
- this record is awesome, if anyone has not heard it, i heavily recommend you do. Baker has a rough voice, but he may just be the best songwriter out there today. He plays acoustic guitar and harmonica, Mike Daly (Whiskeytown) produces and plays on it, along with a host of other phenomenal artists. It is mainly acoustic based with flourished of electric guitar, pedal steel, violin, and other awesomeness. Lots of people think his first record Mercy was better, but I think you should buy both of them and decide from there. RIYL: Neil Young, Bob Dylan, roots singer-songwriters

2. Josh Roberts & the Hinges- My War Cry Is Amor
- easily the best self-released record of the year, Josh Roberts and Co.'s sophomore effort is one great rock n' roll record. More expansive and powerful than their excellent debut The Sugarbird Test, My War Cry Is Amor has excellent songs throughout, some of my favorites are the R&B tinged "If Its Not One Thine, Its My Lover", the poignant 'Hand of Man" (check out the banjo on this one), the harmonies on "B1 and B", and the atmosphere of songs like "The Hardest Part of Winter". The album has its share of slower songs the aforementioned "Hardest Part of Winter" and "Curly Bell", but the majority of songs are Crazy Horse-esque rockers displaying Roberts ridiculous guitar god skills. RIYL: Neil Young, Crazy Horse, My Morning Jacket, Rock N Roll
joshrobertsmusic.com or myspace.com/joshrobertsandthehingesrock
check out this article written by Aftermath USA DJ Kyle
www.dailygamecock.com/news/2007/10/16/TheMix/Local.Band.Creates.Epic-3033835.shtml

3. Jason Isbell- Sirens in the Ditch
Isbell's long delayed, but much appreciated solo album was released on the hills of his departure from southern rock heroes the Drive-By Truckers. I've already written a fairly extensive blog about this record (along with DBT's Dirt Underneath Tour). So it is suffice to say, this record is also quite good. Its got rockers, acoustic songs, and "Dress Blues". So hell yeah. RIYL: Drive-By Truckers, Son Volt, Ryan Adams

4. Mark Olson- Salvation Blues
This is probably the most hauntingly beautiful album of 2007. Greg Leisz (Bill Frisell, Dave Alvin,Wilco, Lucinda Williams, Peter Case, Joni Mitchell, Whiskeytown, to name a few) plays pedal steel throughout and it is gorgeous. I've the record described as dark, but not dark in the sense of no hope. I think its Olson's best record since leaving the Jayhawks (incidentally Gary Louris co-writes and does some guest harmonies here). The packing is also cool (book like form w/pictures).
RIYL: The Jayhawks, Gram Parsons, awesomeness

5. Levon Helm- Dirt Farmer
Levon Helm is the man. He put up with Robbie Robertson in The Band, singing lead vocals on favorites such as "The Night They Drove Ole Dixie Down". Though his fortunes fell quite a bit recently (bankruptcy and throat cancer), he's come back strong with the monthly Midnight Rambles at his farm up in Woodstock and now an album that is the best album by any member of The Band since Northern Lights-Southern Cross. Produced by Larry Campbell, Dirt Farmer is a mix of Helm's favorites from his childhood, some new tunes, and other well chosen covers (Steve Earle's "The Mountain" is ridiculously good). Helm's daughter contributes some great fiddle work, but the glories of this record are Helm's voice and drumming. Sometimes you don't realize how much you miss something until you hear it again.

6. Caleb Caudle- Red Bank Road
Caleb Caudle is based out of Winston Salem, NC and is currently touring with a band under the name Caleb Caudle and the Bayonets. That band has already surpassed the rustic acoustic nature of this debut, but the songwriting and production on his record is excellent (particular props to multi-instumentalist Megan McCormick). All originals written by Caleb or his brother Kyle (member of the Bayonets, plays bass), the songs permeate through the room and recall Jay Farrar's more acoustic work or a less ostentatious Whiskeytown.

7. Sunshone Still-Ten Cent American Novels
God what do I say about this record? A folk rock opera about Kit Carson, Sunshone Still's (aka Chris Smith) follow up to the excellent Dead Letters is both more ambitious and more everything than its predecessor. The list of artists who contribute and play on the record is long and extensive, but Smith is certainly at the center of the chaos. Think the heavy production of Sufjan Stevens with the vocals nuances and guitar playing of Nick Drake. You will really have to just listen for yourself.
SunshoneStill.com or myspace.com/sunshonestill
favorite song "Chapter 1- Winning of Wa'anei Bay"

8. Jesse Malin- Glitter in the Gutter
Ryan Adams protege puts together another fine album of rockers, ballads, and everything else. Bruce Springsteen pops in for a duet on "Broken Radio" and Jakob Dylan on "Black Haired Girl", but Malin is the the star throughout. Check out the bare piano rendition of the Westerberg classic "Bastards of Young".
RIYL: Ryan Adams, The Replacements, Bruce Springsteen

9. Wilco- Sky Blue Sky
Tweedy and Co. don't disappoint here (actually I think a lot of people were disappointed, but at this point the only way Wilco could actually defy expectations would be to make a record that actually sounded like their last record). This will probably never be my favorite Wilco record, but its still pretty good. Laid back in a way that Wilco hasn't seen since the A.M. days, Sky Blue Sky is a smooth record that never truly rocks out, despite guitarist Nels Clines ebullient solos throughout. Post critics have either panned it or heralded it as a masterpiece for the same reasons (sounds like 70's pop circa Jackson Brown). I don't have much to say about the record except a) I like it, b) compared to Ryan Adams similar slick effort Easy Tiger, I think Sky Blue Sky is better, and c) its Wilco and all reviews point to these songs being great in concert.

10. Grace Potter & the Nocturnals- This Is Somewhere
This Burlington, VT based band has been picking up a lot of press since the indie release of Nothing But the Water back in 2005 and rightfully so. This Is Somewhere is far slicker than NBTW's rugged bluesy, R&B sound, but it doesn't suffer for it. This is what Rock and Roll in 2007 should sound like. From the uproarious singe "Ah Mary" to the gospel tinged closer "Big White Gate", GP and the Nocturnals run through pop, rock, soul, R&B, country, and back without missing a beat. The Rolling Stones, The Band, Lucinda Williams are all present in this sound. Lead guitarist Scott Tournet is crisp and clean throughout and doesn't overplay, Potter herself is quit a dynamo. A great lyricist for someone so young, her B3 organ is a cornerstone of the Nocturnals sound that distinguishes them from other bands of similar sound, but its her voice that Lucinda Williams meets Janis Joplin powerhouse of a voice that will win her new fans. Check these guys out live, especially if you think this record is too slick, they are awesome.
Favorite songs include "Apologies" (piano ballad), "Stop the Bus", "Aint No Time", "Big White Gate", and "You May See Me".

Looking Forward
also in 2007
Hannah Miller is going to release her full length debut, Miller is a great singer songwriter from the Columbia area, who has expanded her sound on Into The Black (i think thats the title)
myspace.com/hannahmiller

Ryan Adams Box Set 20:20
-should be awesome and include tons of unreleased albums and songs

2008
AMERICAN GUN- The Means and the Machine
this albums is looking like the best of 2008 to these eyes (and ears)
-sheer awesomeness
americangun.net or myspace.com/americangun

Drive-By Truckers- Brighter Than Creations Dark
19 Songs, 7 from Cooley, 3 from Tucker, and 9 from Hood, i might wet myself

American Aquarium- Untitled
I've heard the unmastered, unmixed stuff from this album and its sounds superb, look out for it on Yep Roc next year.

Isbell, Truckers......

2008-04-20T10:09:00.000-07:00

Jason Isbell Record/ Dirt Underneath Tour Reviews

Ok. I was wrong. Forgive me. It was a gut reaction to what, at the time, seemed like a catastrophic shake up in the lineup of a band that was very dear to me. Jason Isbell has left the Drive-By Truckers (as anyone who has listened to the show in the last couple of months had heard me rant and philosophize about, along with Brad Rice's departure from Son Volt….to tour with f**king Keith Urban of all people). Anyway like I was saying, initially I was upset considering the loss of Isbell's excellent songwriting and considerable guitar chops. I mean this was guy that penned "Outfit", "Decoration Day", "The Day John Henry Died", "Danko and Manuel", "Never Gonna Change", "Goddamn Lonely Love", "Easy On Yourself", and "Daylight". These were stand out songs on excellent albums. He brought a soaring pop sensibility to the more rustic leanings of Hood and Cooley, playing precise and clean lead lines, often on slide. Anyway enough on why I was wrong. There was, as it turns out, a considerable upside to all this.

First off Isbell's solo album, Sirens In the Ditch. SITD finally saw release on July 10th on New West records (also DBT's label). Considerably more diverse musically than Isbell's DBT output, SITD features Isbell playing among other things vastly more acoustic guitar and keyboards (piano, wurlitzer, B-3) than he ever did with DBT. Songs like "Down In the Hole", "In A Razor Town", and "The Magician" are great acoustic songs that see Isbell playing not only acoustic guitar, but dobro and banjo as well. "Hurricanes and Hand Grenades" features an even greater stylistic leap, as Isbell mines the musical history of his home town of Muscle Shoals, AL (where he recorded the album). An instant classic, the song stands up tall to the considerable Muscle Shoals catalog. This is what Patterson was referring to in "Ronnie and Neil", when he says "that sweet soul music…that Muscle Shoals sound".
The emotional core of the album is the back to back "Chicago Promenade" and "Dress Blues". The latter of which is a great protest song and has been performed at numerous Isbell solo shows as well as by DBT. Anyone familiar with the ragged solo electric versions that Isbell was doing at his solo shows may take some time to adjust to the slick arrangement the song has been given here (I know it took me awhile). Isbell has given the song a beautiful arrangement with weeping pedal steel, acoustic guitar, and excellent background vocals by both former wife Shonna Tucker and Angela Hacker. The song is incredibly powerful and its lyrics both lament the war and speak to the emotional damage it causes, all the while elegantly depicting the south throughout the lyrics. "Chicago Promenade" begins with Isbell alone with the piano before expanding out to include the full band, the song was written about the recent loss of Isbell's grandfather and seems to be one of the most personal songs on the record.
However, all that being said about new musical territory and all that, there are several songs on here that wouldn't be out of place amongst Isbell's more rock material with the Truckers, including the opener "Brand New Kind of Actress", as well as "Try", Grown", "Shotgun Wedding", and the closer "The Devil Is My Running Mate". Every member of DBT excepting Mike Cooley makes an appearance here including Patterson Hood (co-produced, guitars, piano), former wife Shonna Tucker (backing vox, bass), John Neff (pedal steel), Brad Morgan (drums), Spooner Oldham (B-3), and even DBT producer David Barbe stops by to add keys to "Shotgun Wedding".
I can't recall an acoustic Isbell song on a DBT record; even the slower "Goddamn Lonely Love" and "Decoration Day" were exclusively electric. So, the acoustic songs are both a surprise and the best songs here. The electric songs sound a little weaker with the DBT 3 guitar attack and perhaps purposefully so, as at the time this was recorded it was supposed to be a solo side project. Anyway, the record is excellent and everyone should make plans to catch Isbell's solo tour in a town near you.--- I plan on catching one of the dates he's doing with Centro-Matic in North Carolina.

Part 2 of Why This Isn't A Catastrophe

I went up to Asheville last Friday (07/13/07) to catch DBT do a Dirt Underneath Tour date (w/ half rock show). It ended up being more like a ¾ rock show, but was still rather excellent. They opened up with "Tornadoes" a great song, which got about half the audience singing along almost louder than Hood's vocal. Hood was dressed initially in a nice suit jacket and seemed in good spirits (he shed the jacket for the rock show). In fact the whole band seemed to be enjoying themselves more than previous shows with Isbell, Cooley actually smiled and performed more guitar histrionics than I had ever seen out of him before. This was the first time I had seen the band, where they have not been passing a handle of whiskey around (there were buckets of beer laid out for them). Cooley, however, did chain smoke through the entire show (minus his vocals) in the no smoking venue.

Isbell leaving ended up meaning two things for the band. One, more Cooley vocals, which was huge positive, especially during the acoustic portion of the show as Cooley hit two early high points with "Space City" (making the hair on the back of my neck stand up) and the hilarious/sad/poignant "Panties in Her Purse". The other major effect was that there was a lot more space in the songs allowing for a clearer distinction between Cooley and Hood's guitars as well as Neff's pedal steel and Shonna's bass and backing vocals. I don't know if it was the venue (Asheville's Orange Peel), but this show was vastly superior to DBT's last show with Isbell, which I attended (Charleston's Music Farm…acoustically resembling a tin can). The whole band sounded great and for the first time John Neff's pedal steel was clearly audible throughout (probably partly due its prominence during the acoustic set). Shonna was also filling in for lots of Isbell's background vocals and did excellent job.

This show was easily the best of the three DBT shows I've been to, without even trying really.

PS. Hood was awesome as usual, funny, engaging, and on top of it vocally. His highlights were "Sinkhole", "Dead, Drunk, and Naked", "Angels and Fuselage", and especially "Bulldozers and Dirt".

2-12-07-- Gillian Welch & David Rawlings at The Orange Peel

2008-04-20T09:49:00.000-07:00

Show Review 02-12-07-- Gillian Welch & David Rawlings at The Orange Peel in Asheville, NC

This Monday evening show was sold out with people driving from as far away as Charlottesville, VA to attend. There was no opening act, so Katy and myself found a nice spot on the wood floor of the Orange Peel to plop down and were soon chatting with various locals and the two guys from VA. If you have never seen a show at The Orange Peel, I highly recommend it as a concert venue. Its nice and big, with old wood flowers and cool art all over the walls. The bathrooms are nice and clean and the bar is nice and long. However, the centerpiece of the place is a humongous metal fan (which used to be much bigger they have shortened it since I was last there), that is turned on once the band begins playing).

Gillian and David wandered out on stage at about 9:30pm and were greeted with an energetic response by the eager crowd. They looked like they were dressed to attend a dinner party, Welch wearing a red dress that hung on her elegant, thin frame and Rawlings dressed in a suit jacket with a dressy button up shirt underneath. Rawlings was carrying his trade mark 1935 Epiphone Olympic arch top guitar and a box of tools (capos, picks, and such) that he set on a table set up between himself and Mrs. Welch.

Once the first note was struck, they brought the whole building back to an era before electric instruments, before feedback, before pretension, and before your image mattered more than you songs. Two mics for the guitars, two mics for the vocals, they didn't need anything else. The harmonies were great throughout, and at times it was difficult to comprehend that their were two different vocalist because they were so intertwined. Its easy to see how Rawlings justifies his own group, The David Rawlings Machine, which has played numerous gigs in between the Gillian Welch shows (Gillian plays rhythm guitar). We got a taste of that when he took a lead vocal during the second set. However, this show featured Mrs. Welch's voice, and wonderful voice it is. Authentic is the word that come to mind most often, both in reference to the vocals and the music. Though it might be anachronistic, the pair easily sounds like they could be making this music in 1942 or earlier. The themes, the sounds, the music, the pair of musicians, all authentic.

Instrumentally, Welch played guitar, banjo, and occasionally wailed on harmonica, while Rawlings stuck with his old 1935 Epiphone guitar. Rawlings was a MAD MAN on guitar. Ringing sounds of that old acoustic guitar that not only matched the records, but sent the songs over the top. Though his facial expressions were often strange, he seemed to mimic the lead lines in his movement as he heaved and jerked all the while pressing the guitar forward towards the microphone to get the best sound. It was quite a dichotomy as he swayed, swung, and spun, Welch would hunch over and stoically concentrate on her rhythm playing. Despite having only two instrumentalists, Rawlings lead playing and Welch's rhythm gave the sound an almost full band feel. At one point Welch brought out a foot pedal to add a drum sound to the mix and Rawlings wryly joked that it was "our nod to techno". They were excellent throughout and ended the first set with a fiery version of "Red Clay Halo". The second set, which include solo vocals from both musicians, they encored and finished with two of my favorite songs "Black Star" (the Radiohead cover) and "I'll Fly Away" (from the O Brother Where Art Thou Soundtrack). Another song that particularly stood out to me was Gillian's solo rendition of "One Little Song", which I had never really paid attention to before. The performance and lyrics are really powerful (I'm going to post the lyrics below). Other favorites of mine that they played include "Look Out Miss Ohio", "Make Me A Pallet On Your Floor", "Wayside/Back In Time", "Time (the Revelator)", "Orphan Girl", "My First Lover", "Rock Of Ages", "Elvis Presley Blues", and "I Want to Sing that Rock and Roll".

There's gotta be a song let to sing
Cause everybody can't of thought of everything
One little song that ain't been sung
One little rag that ain't been wrung out completely yet
Gotta a little left

One little drop of fallin rain
One little chance to try again
One little bird that makes it every now and then
One little piece of endless sky
One little taste of cherry pie
One little week in paradise and I start thinkin'

There's gotta be a song left to sing
Cause everybody can't of thought of everything
One little note that ain't been used
One little word ain't been abused a thousand times
In a thousand rhythms

One little drop of fallin rain
One little chance to try again
One little bird that makes it every now and then
One little piece of endless sky
One little taste of cherry pie
One little week in paradise and I start thinkin'

Gotta be a song left to sign
Cause everybody can't of thought of everything
One little song that ain't been sung
One little rag that ain't been wrung out completely yet
Till there's nothing left
-Gillian Welch, Soul Journey

Show 2-10-07---Tim Easton, Paul Burch, and Matthew Ryan

2008-04-20T09:42:00.000-07:00

Show 2-10-07---Tim Easton, Paul Burch, and Matthew Ryan

Tim Easton- Paul Burch- Matthew Ryan---- The Grey Eagle, Asheville, NC

I was really excited about this show, particularly with the addition of Paul Burch to the billing. I had seen Tim Easton play before at the Village Tavern in Mt. Pleasant, SC and he was particularly good. Performing solo acoustic, he is an engaging performer and his songs really translate well live.

Unfortunately for me, Tim Easton, who I had thought was the headliner, came on first and only played for about 30 minutes. He was still very engaging and I particularly enjoyed the new songs he played as well as such favorites as "Black Dog", "Poor, Poor LA", and "Dear Old Song and Dance". He even played one song on the piano and frequently accompanied himself on the harmonica. He was using one of Matthew Ryan's acoustic guitars and his equipment troubles may have been part of the reason for the brevity of the set. He is currently working on a new album, which according to his email is going to be headed in a more "rocking" direction. So, stay tuned for more information on that.

Paul Burch was next. I had heard about him multiple times, but never really checked him out before. He was cool, dressed all in denim, he switched back and forth between guitars and sang mostly upbeat 50's style songs. My favorite song may have been the opener "Montreal", but his set was uniformly pretty cool. He may have lacked the stage presence of Easton, but his songs were pleasing enough. He made a reference to Buddy Holly early in the set and that stuck with me throughout, as their styles sounded really similar. He also pseudo-covered a Bob Dylan's "I Want You", he either just stole the chorus for his own song or changed the verses depending on how you want to interpret it, but nonetheless it was pretty cool.

Matthew Ryan was next and carried with him two additional guitarists (one played bass a couple of times). His attempts to carry the spacey atmosphere songs over into a live environment were hit and miss, though I particularly enjoyed a song called "Providence" that had quite a few verses. He played mainly acoustic guitar, while his sidemen played electric, adding the texture to the songs. He had one cool stage moment, where referred to his harmonica holder as "Americana bling", that the rest of the audience either a) didn't get or b) didn't think it was as funny as I did.

The Grey Eagle is a great place to see a show. It's not much to look at from the outside, but inside they have a bar and grille (located at the opposite end of the stage area), as well as a fairly large stage space with chairs and even some couches set up for the audience. The ceiling rafters had Christmas lights hanging above the audience and the house music was pretty cool (Richard Buckner, Iron & Wine, more Richard Buckner, and did I say Richard Buckner?). The only downside was the temperature was a little on the chilly side.

American Gun-Otis Gibbs-The Bottle Rockets

2008-04-20T09:30:00.000-07:00

I caught The Bottle Rockets- Otis Gibbs- American Gun show the other night.

Though they only played for about thirty minutes, American Gun surpassed my already pretty large expectations. For those of you who haven't heard of American Gun, they are a local band from Columbia, who one reviewer described as reminiscent of the Drive-By Truckers and Slobberbone. I had fell in love with their debut album Dark Southern Hearts a while back and was anxious to see the band in action.
Unfortunately Donald Merckle, acoustic guitarist and as lead guitarist Jeff Crews put it "the other guy that can sing" was missing due to recent back surgery. Nevertheless the show was awesome and full of energy as they whipped through some of my favorite songs from their debut, including "Heart Locket", "Picture", "The Fall", "Tears", as well as covers of "Ring Of Fire" and the traditional folk tune "Wayfaring Stranger" (though it was hardly a traditional take on the tune). Singer-guitarist Todd Mathis was excellent through out, but I was floored by lead guitarist Jeff Crews, who was blistering through out the whole set (they told the crowd late in the set that he usually played keyboards too, but due to Donald's absence was filling in on back-up vocals and had left the keyboard at home). Drummer Andrew Hoose seemed to have a smile on his face the whole show, he and bassist Kevin Kimbrell provided an impressively, aggressive bed rock for the frantic guitar attack of Mathis and Crews.
As a bonus (due to the rather dismal turnout for the Sunday night show), I got to meet and talk to most of the band with the exception of drummer Andrew Hoose. They were all excited about the work they are doing on the new album, but slightly reticent due to Merckle's condition and absence from the sessions. On a more upbeat notice, I also talked to the other opener Otis Gibbs.

Gibbs was certainly a character. He gave frequent anecdotes and stories between each song and was often funny and had success engaging with the rather small crowd. He played a cool solo acoustic show with really cool songs that were kind of....I wanna say Dylan meets Willie Nelson meets Billy Bragg....but that doesn't really get it at all. He's got some country sounding songs, some topical stuff, and some funny songs. He was kind enough to offer me a copy of his latest CD, One Day Out Whispers, to play on WUSC.

The Bottle Rockets came on next and despite being the headliners, they had the muddiest sound mix. Brian Henneman is certainly a terrific guitarist, but his vocals were not helped by the less than stellar mix. Unfortunately my girlfriend had a massive headache at this point, so after a couple songs of foot tapping we made an early departure. I would guess that the sound improved after a couple songs. Henneman will always be one of my heroes for his relationship with Uncle Tupelo and his lead guitar work on Wilco's first record A.M.