Category Archives: Americana

Review: Rosanne Cash – The River & the Thread (Blue Note)

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Rosanne Cash

Rosanne Cash’s latest completes a body of self-reflective work beginning with 2006’s dark beauty Black Cadillac, the homage to her and father’s musical bond with 2009’ s “The List” and now with “The River & the Thread” Cash get’s back to her genealogical, and spiritual, roots.

Cash’s early success hinged tacking country music and giving it a fresh pop spin that allowed her to break into the charts dominated by Willie Nelson, Conway Twitty and Ronnie Milsap.

The River & the Thread, she does much of the same. Americana’s expansive style fits well with her current range of material. Reflecting a deeper level of artistry and honesty those qualities shine brightly on songs like opening track “A Feather’s Not a Bird,” where a Creedence-style swamp groove runs deep into the Southern art of blurring fact and myth, reminiscent of Bobbie Gentry‘s “ode to Billy Joe.”

The songs continues to travel across space and time. To cotton fields in “The Sunken Lands,” where back-breaking work parallels the humiliation of a woman suffering under a cruel man. Then down a hot, reverb-shimmering asphalt road to Memphis where the achingly beautiful “Etta’s Tune,” where a Southern summer simmers across past regrets.

“World of Strange Desire” is a boot-stomper that echoes the mythology gumbo of the album opener

Part of her journey that led to this sterling release were actual travels. One stop was to the famed Muscle Shoals recording studio and Greenwood Mississippi where Robert Johnson’s grave is located.

I only have these nits to pick. The album, at 38 minutes, is too good to be this brief. Also the arrangements fill the space with excellent instrumentation to a point that there’s little room for Cash to settle in a quiet place and let her expressive voice build any level of intimacy.

Quibbles aside “The River & the Thread” is a bountiful work from a soulful traveler.

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Watch Out! Lyle Lovett – “That’s Right (You’re Not from Texas)” Conan – 4/3/14

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Lyle Lovett

While in Dallas to produce his show Conan O’Brien has had some fun indulging in some things that make the Great State, well, great. But more often than not O’Brien, and his sidekick Andy Richter, just seemed confused. And many of the jokes in a less-hardly clime might be borderline offensive.

Lucky for O’Brien Texas eats offensive for breakfast.

Besides a brisket-filled Piñata (yes, really) Team Coco had the good sense to invite Lyle Lovett and his Large Band performs his classic song of inclusion “That’s Right (You’re Not From Texas).

Watch Out! Rodney Crowell – “Fever On The Bayou” [VIDEO]

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Rodney Crowell

One of the most memorable scenes from James Szalapski’s extraordinary “Heartworn Highways” is at the end of the country/folk documentary Christmas Day song-along. Fueled by cigarettes and wine Steve Young, Rodney Crowell, Steve Earle, Jim McGuire and others are shown having a raucous guitar pull at Guy and Susanna Clark’s Nashville home. Near the end Rodney Crowell leads the gathered in beautifully delivered “Silent Night.” Crowell renders a tone of beauty that brings a hush to this seasoned (and buzzed) band of new outlaws.

Now a veteran of the country/Americana field he’s hardly coasting. Crowell along with his old Hot Band collaborator, Emmylou Harris won a Best Americana Album Grammy for last year’s “Old Yellow Moon.” He also performed at an Everly Brothers tribute will in LA to pick up the prize. He most recently held court a few well-received sets at South By Southwest.

One track on Crowell’s upcoming album, Tarpaper Sky (April 15) offers a gumbo-flavored track, “Fever on the Bayou.”

The song has been decades in the making. It began as a collaboration between Will Jennings. But, says Crowell “Due to our inability to come up with a suitable last verse, the song lay dormant for twenty-plus years. An off-chance conversation with a friend of mine in which the word Franglais—an improper synthesis of the French and English languages as I understood it—gave me the idea that the last verse should echo the Cajun French I’d heard working on construction crews along the Texas-Lousiana border. Once I had that last verse the recording was a snap.”

Check the lyric video for “Fever on the Bayou” below. Tarpaper Sky will be out April 15 via New West. Pre-order here.

Austin City Limits Announces Inaugural ACL Hall of Fame in Conjunction With Upcoming 40th Anniversary

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Austin City Limits

Austin City Limits (ACL) announced today the launch of the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame in conjunction with the iconic television series’ upcoming 40th Anniversary. This Hall of Fame’s Inaugural Induction Ceremony will take place on Saturday, April 26, 2014 at ACL’s original home, KLRU’s legendary Studio 6A. Recognizing both artists and non-performers who have made the long-running show a music institution, the ceremony will honor the first class of inductees, featuring two legendary music acts, Willie Nelson and Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble, and a pair of individuals who have played an invaluable role in the genesis of the series, show creator Bill Arhos and longtime University of Texas football coach Darrell K. Royal.

Performers for this intimate evening include inductees and Doyle Bramhall II, Mike Farris, Buddy Guy, Emmylou Harris, Lyle Lovett, Lukas Nelson, Robert Randolph and Kenny Wayne Shepherd. Former University of Texas football head coach Mack Brown will participate in the inductions, as well as special guests. More information about performances and additional guests will be announced prior to the event. Details about the physical ACL Hall of Fame will also be unveiled at the ceremony.

Guitar legend Stevie Ray Vaughan and “Coach” Darrell K. Royal will be inducted posthumously during the ceremony. Willie Nelson, ACL show creator Bill Arhos and Vaughan’s longtime band Double Trouble, featuring Chris Layton, Tommy Shannon and Reese Wynans, will be inducted at the event. The Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will be an annual event, honoring a new class of inductees each year. This year’s Inaugural ceremony will be an invitation-only benefit for ACL parent station KLRU-TV, Austin PBS.

“There are other Halls of Fame, but none quite like this,” says ACL Executive Producer Terry Lickona. “Austin City Limits has become a unique American institution, in both the worlds of popular music and television. It has such a rich history and legacy that we decided it was time to celebrate and honor the artists and individuals who made it what it is today.”

ACL began broadcasting in 1976 as a live-music show that served to showcase musicians; it has since grown to feature performers of all genres from all over the globe. Since its inception, the Peabody Award-winning series has become an institution that’s helped secure Austin’s reputation as the Live Music Capital of the World. ACL continues its mission of producing great television with the debut of its 40th Season in October 2014. The program airs weekly on PBS stations nationwide and episodes are made available online at http://acltv.com/watch/.

Johnny Cash’s Son Reveals More Songs To Come

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John Carter Cash, son of Johnny and June Carter and owner and operator of Cash Productions, LLC and the Cash Cabin Studio in Hendersonville, Tennessee, has told the Guardian that that there is enough material left in the archives of his late father for several more posthumous albums and enough outtakes from the American Recordings sessions to fill another multi-disc box set.

Carter Cash said, There are a few things that are in the works right now – probably four or five albums if we wanted to release everything. There may be three or four albums worth of American Recordings stuff, but some of it may never see the light of day.”

Rick Rubin said: “We released the work we had been planning to release along with John [Carter Cash] and the idea of the Unearthed boxset of outtakes was his idea. We will probably put out additional Unearthed material recorded since the last Unearthed box, in keeping with John’s wishes.”

Here a John Carter Cash interview with country925fm where he discusses more releases.

The most recent posthumous Johnny Cash album is “Out Among The Stars,” featuring 12 previously unreleased recordings from sessions in 1981 and 1984, on sale now.

T Bone Burnett Recording Unfinished Dylan Tunes with Elvis Costello, Jim James, Marcus Mumford [VIDEO]

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New Basement Tapes

If there was ever an Americana and roots music watershed recording the Basement Tapes 1967 sessions from Bob Dylan and The band was one.

Now there’s official word that that mainstay of Americana, T Bone Burnett, is working on a project “Lost On The River: The New Basement Tapes.” The project has a solid (and marketable) roster – Elvis Costello, Rhiannon Giddens (Carolina Chocolate Drops), Taylor Goldsmith (Dawes), Jim James (My Morning Jacket) and Marcus Mumford (Mumford & Sons.)

The event focuses on two-dozen recently discovered lyrics written by Dylan during the 1967 period that generated original legendary Basement Tapes release.

Recording is nearly complete on the project which will be released later this year by Electromagnetic Recordings/Harvest Records. The album will be accompanied by a Showtime documentary titled Lost Songs: The Basement Tapes Continued, directed by Sam Jones (the Wilco documentary, I Am Trying To Break Your Heart)

I can imagine the germ of this endeavor occurred during the “Another Day, Another Time: Celebrating the Music of “Inside Llewyn Davis,” held at New York City’s Town Hall last September. That one-night event featured Mumford and Giddens as well as Joan Baez, Patti Smith, Jack White, The Avett Brothers, Punch Brothers, Gillian Welch, Dave Rawlings Machine, Willie Watson, The Milk Carton Kids, Colin Meloy and Lake Street Dive. (see below)

Truth is I’m ambivalent about this. A sequel to The New Basement Tapes is like a sequel to Casablanca. Is it necessary and will it ever have a chance to even come close to the genius of the original. And as much as i respect the artists involved, they are hardly the contemporary versions of Dylan and The Band.

If this was Ryan Adams and the Felice Brothers I still think it would fall short, but damn it would be interesting.

Here’s to being proven wrong.

You can sign up for updates at on the project at the official site.

Lost On The River: The New Basement Tapes” will be released Nov. 11. Pre-order here.

Watch Out! Brandy Clark – “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” 3/24/14 , “Stripes” [VIDEO]

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Brandy Clark

Brandy Clark took time from her busy touring schedule to play the The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

Clark played a spirited and tight version of her neo-trad country song “Stripes,” from gher debut “12 Stories.” (watch below)

Said Clark: “Performing on ‘Ellen’ was a bucket list item for me, and I was thrilled to be there,” said Clark. “I appreciate her support of new artists and music from all genres, and hope to have the opportunity to return to her show some day.”

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Happy Birthday Patterson Hood – Top 10 Songs [VIDEO]

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As one of the founders and principle songwriters of the mighty Drive-By Truckers, Patterson Hood has created a wealth of searing narratives and complex and character studies that has put him on a short list of great contemporary songwriters.
On this occasion of his 50th birthday I take a daunting task at my top 10 , in no particular order, from that bounty.

Your’s not here? Add it to the comments.

Based loosely on Ray McKinnon film short “The Accountant”, the song is about family pride, greed and vengeance.

Hood’s great Uncle encapsulates the complexity of war by remarking “I never saw John Wayne on the sands of Iwo Jima” while watching said movie.

Act I of the DBT’s “Southern Rock Opera,” Hood delivers HISTORICAL soliloquy ON growing up Alabama and how George Wallace, Bear Bryant and Ronnie Van Zant shaped the environment.

Dirty South is where I fell in love with The Drive-By Truckers. Here’s one reason why.

Here’s another in acoustic version.

Hood displays his awesome storytelling chops before this excellent cut.

The title track off Hood’s latest. Inspired by the impending mortality of his Great Uncle.

Soulful and rips your heart out.

A delicate beauty that compliments hood’s voice well.

A reflection on Drive-By Truckers touring hard through rough times.

John Fullbright Readies His Second studio album ‘Songs’ (May 27th)

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John Fullbright

There is cause for great celebration here at Casa Twang. One of my favorite Americana /roost artists John Fullbright will release his second studio album , the straightforwardly titled ‘Songs’ (Blue Dirt/Thirty Tigers) on May 27th.

Fullbright is one of the brightest and most talented and versatile singer/songwriters/performers working today – regardless of genre. We’re just fortunate that he hews to out part of the Americana field.

“Songs” follows the breakout success of his 2012 debut ‘From the Ground Up’, which was nominated for the “Best Americana Album” Grammy (and criminally lost) Fullbright will play an intimate album-preview show at NYC’s Rockwood Music Hall Stage 2 on Monday, March 24.

The Wall Street Journal premiered new single “Happy” this morning, with Jim Fusilli calling ‘Songs’ “a warm, winning and plainspoken Americana album that builds on the authority and charm of ‘From the Ground Up’ not by musical-muscle flexing, but by its clarity and simmering intensity.”

Fullbright says of his songwriting influences “When I discovered Townes Van Zandt, that’s when I went, ‘You know, this is something to be taken pretty damn seriously,'” says Fullbright. “You can write something that’s going to outlast you, and immortality through song is a big draw.”

“I didn’t grow up around musicians or like-minded songwriters, but I grew up around records,” he says. “One of the most fulfilling things about the last two years is that now I’m surrounded by like-minded people in a community of peers. You don’t feel so alone anymore.”

From the press release:

“The arrangements on ‘Songs’ are stripped down to their cores and free of ornamentation. Fullbright’s guitar and piano anchor the record, while a minimalist rhythm section weaves in and out throughout the album. That’s not to say these are simple songs; Fullbright possesses a keen ear for memorable melody and a unique approach to harmony, moving through chord progressions far outside the expected confines of traditional folk or Americana. The performances are stark and direct, though, a deliberate approach meant to deliver the songs in their purest and most honest form.

This is one to look forward to kids. Hear the new single “Happy” , complete with some mighty fine whistling, below.

‘Songs’ Tracklist:
01. Happy
02. When You’re Here
03. Keeping Hope Alive
04. She Knows
05. Until You Were Gone
06. Write a Song
07. Never Cry Again
08. Going Home
09. All That You Know
10. The One That Lives Too Far
11. High Road
12. Very First Time

Listen Up! Johnny Cash & Waylon Jennings – I’m Movin’ On

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Johnny Cash album 'Out Among the Stars'

Casa Twang is proud to bring you another cut from the highly anticipated Columbia/Legacy release “Out Among the Stars,” (March 25) An album of lost songs recorded by Cash in the early 1980s and produced by Billy Sherrill.
(see the video for “She Used to Love Me a Lot” here)

Cash is in fine form joking about a conversation he had with the creator of the song , the great Hank Snow. Jerry Kennedy’s guitar, Hargus “Pig” Robbins on piano and an uncredited drummer lays down a solid shuffle, The lead guitar portions sounds like classic Marty Stuart, who was tasked with “fortifying” the original recordings.

“I’m Moving On” is a 1950 country standard. The song reached #1 on the Billboard country singles chart and stayed there for 21 weeks. The song was previously covered by Ray Charles, Willie Nelson, the Rolling Stones, Elvis Presley, Emmylou Harris, Chuck Prophet among others.