20th Century Fox has set a Walk the Line: Extended Cut DVD for release on 3/25. The film will feature 17 minutes of additional footage and the 2-disc set will also include audio commentary with co-writer and director James Mangold. The Johnny Cash Jukebox feature offers 8 extended musical sequences from the film with new introductions, including Lewis Boogie, Get Rhythm, You’re My Baby, Jukebox Blues, Rock and Roll Ruby, That’s Alright Mama, Jackson and Cocaine Blues and there is 2 more deleted scenes with optional commentary, the film’s theatrical trailer and 7 behind-the-scenes featurettes (Becoming Cash/Becoming Carter, Sun Records and the Johnny Cash Sound, The Cash Legacy, Folsom: Cash and the Comeback, Ring of Fire: The Passion of Johnny and June, Cash and His Faith and Celebrating the Man in Black: The Making of Walk the Line).
Month: January 2008
The Deadstring Brothers Do the Streets of New York
The Village Voice and Rob Trucks feature Bloodshot Records recording artist and 70’s sleaze revivalist, the Deadstring Brothers in their feature “Possibly 4th Street” expositions. This is a piece where musicians are invited to perform live and impromptu somewhere in New York City and to experience the immeadiacy and electricity of being ignored by snooty pedistrians.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x05BOHbUR_w[/youtube]
Tom T. Hall in the New York Times
That bastion of Eastern elitism, the New York Times, features another great interview with country music legend and master story teller Tom T. Hall entitled “Who Needs Country Radio? Not Tom T. Hall.” Hall talks about the state of country music industry, he and his wife – Miss. Dixie’s – song writing collaberation and his recent involvement with bluegrass music.Â
A great quote on the queasiness of today’s pop-country consumer.
“There’s not much call for dead-people songs in today’s suburbanized country music, but bluegrass audiences still love to hear about murderous outlaws, suicidal lovers and family ghosts. It’s the ghost of a dead mother who dials the phone in “The Midnight Call,†luring her estranged son down to a railroad depot that had been torn down years before. The Halls wrote the song for Ralph Stanley after he revitalized his career by singing “O Death†in the 2000 movie “O Brother, Where Art Thou?â€
Tom T Hall – Clayton DelaneyÂ
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbRiRpopZrw[/youtube]
Ray Wylie Hubbard on Redneck Mother
Ray Wylie Hubbard is one of my country music heroes and he’s one funny son of a bitch! Here Hubbard tells about the inspiration behind his classic song “Up Against The Wall Redneck Mother”. This was filmed at Jerry Jeff Walker’s Birthday Bash at the Paramount Theater in Downtown Austin Texas. You can see Jerry Jeff laughing behind him. Classic!
[youtube]http://youtube.com/watch?v=E24C4NY0ga8[/youtube]
Marc Silver & The Stonethrowers – the Baggot Inn New York City – 1/19
Do yourself a favor next Saturday (1/19) and head over the Baggot Inn and catch Marc Silver and the Stonethrowers serve up their potent brand of urban bluegrass. Get on down to the East side, hoist a pint with Marc and the boys. The show starts at 9:45.
Baggot Inn – 82 W 3rd St (bet Sullivan & Thompson), Greenwich Village, NYC 212-477-0622
Willie Nelson – Gravedigger
The fine folks at the 9513 have done a fine job of reviewing the new Willie Nelson cut “Gravedigger” from Willie’s forthcoming release “Moment of Forever” (Lost Highway – January 22nd) and I have to admit though a Dave Mathews penned and Kenny Chesney produced song doesn’t look promising to me on paper, I’ll be damned if the Texas Yoda doesn’t pull it off!
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDgoHBxEJro[/youtube]
Review – Chicowater: Country Pajamas
Baltimore, Maryland’s Chicowater‘s newest release “Country Pajamas” echoes the early gossamer days of pop, country and folk. The Everly Brothers, Buddy Holly and first 4 album Beatles is spot welded onto a Uncle Tupelo alt.country sound that twangs up power-pop and provokes an even impulse to weep and dance.
“Hold on” kick things off with a sound reminiscent of the fledgling Beatles rockabilly era. The energy just flies off the song. The hooks are infectious and the plunder of Ryan William Bender drums are crisp and unrelenting. Sweet mercy what a beginning.
The next cut “Jagged Hearts” a love-gone-wrong pop song riddled with Jason Lee Ashby’s banjo in the vein of a better Fleetwood Mac tune struggling with a serious Southern jones. “Stuck In The Mud” sound like a trudging, lumbering big rock song that it’s name suggests. This is the song you scream the chorus ’til you’re horse and fist pump to at the Chicowater live show.
“December” and “My darling Girl” are minor-chord weepers that channels Ryan Adams at his most heart wrenching with a sweet honey chorus provided by Jeb Stuart Johnston (lead vocals, guitar, harmonica) and Samantha Lee Johnston (upright doghouse and electric basses, vocals), but does Adams one better by not sounding like they deserve being screwed over for being a pretentious prick. “Learn to Let Go is another heart-broken take done as a blistering rave-up sounds like BR5-49 freebasing the Replacements.
“Ballad of a Fighting Man” serves up a great CCR style guitar lick Civil War lament, the trials of lose, war and the cost of memories with blood on your hands. The harmonica laden “Hard Times” sounds strikingly like Th’ Legendary Shack Shakers without the jarring fear-shifts.
This is a great release that shows an honor for tradition as well as the courage to take chances. I hope the band has a long life ahead of them and doesn’t let internal drama and strife tear them assunder as has been reported. We would all be the poorer if that happens.
Amoeba Music Offers Free Gram Parsons mp3s
Amoeba.com has announced that will be releasing a free Gram Parsons MP3 every two weeks.
They are in week #2 and are currently featuring: “Dark end of the Street”. This cut is from Amoeba’s recent GP/Flying Burrito Brothers Live at the Avalon Ballroom 1969 CD release.
Look for many more tracks to come from these fine folks.
Jim White tp Release Transnormal Skiperoo – March 4
Country music journeyman Jim White will be dropping his new release “Transnormal Skiperoo” on March 4th in the U.S. on David Byrne’s Luaka Bop label. It’s currently available in Europe. White has recruited the NYC based roots group Ollabelle to contribute a gospel vibe to his new song “A Town Called Amen.â€
Jim White will be appearing at New York city at Joe’s Pub on Tue Feb 26 ’08 (7:30)
A Town Called Amen