Twang Nation – The Best In Americana Music
Americana & Roots Music & Culture
On March 13th of this year, Ryan Bingham took the stage at the historic Gruene Hall, the oldest continually run dance hall in Texas. The hall echoes the songs of Texas legends Willie Nelson, Townes Van Zandt, Doug Sahm, Lyle Lovett and others.
Captured in glorious sepia by TourGigs, this sold-out, intimate performance that features renditions of: “Tell My Mother I Miss Her So,” “Boracho Station” and “Hallelujah.”
My Morning Jacket’s Jim James, Alabama Shakes’ Brittany Howard and tUnE-yArDs’ Merrill Garbus took to NBC’s Jimmy Fallon Show, Backed by Fallon’s house band, The Roots, to perform their version of late Nigerian bandleader Fela Anikulapo Kuti ‘s “Trouble Sleep Yanga Wake Am.”
The band wonderfully reflects Fela’s love for American R&B blended with a classic African afro-pop style.
The cut can be found on Red Hot + Riot, with this second volume celebrating Fela’s music. This , and all their excellent releases, help fund the not-for-profit Red Hot organization fight AIDS worldwide.
John Murry’s life could have been a Southern tragedy penned by his second cousin William Faulkner. An addict who lost his wife. child, home and before cleaning up, almost his life. These harrowing experiences are reflected back darkly, but not bleakly, in “The Graceless Age.”
Murry’s brand of fuzzed-out pop-Americana take you through uncomfortable landscapes while not pushing to alienation. His emotional warble is reminiscent of Jay Farrar and Bruce Cockburn and it fits around the songs perfectly. The bittersweet kaleidoscope aesthetic Murry conjures recalls Elliot Smith’s introspective dark pop.
“California†is a menacing psychedelic ditty that that is hapless and hopeless as he tries to forget his ex in the city that won’t let him do it as sweet melody swirls with tense percussion and guitars. “Little Colored Balloons” recalls his near overdose “Off of 16th and Mission, i took an ambulance ride, they said I have died” as female backgrounds and piano and organ swell around his passionate build.
“Southern Sky†swings out with a xylophone (again, fuzzily) to tell a take of redemption through rebirth and renewal. “Things We Lost In The Fire,†starts simple enough with acoustic guitar and pedal steel to then crescendo into a pixies wave of wailing crunch guitar. .
The last words on The Graceless Age, sung in a dreamy falsetto, are “Maybe someday, some way.†It’s the perfect closing moment, as the guy who has suffered so much throughout the album drags himself out of the gutter to look to the stars. John Murry’s past may not be far behind, but his future as a songwriter and artist of major stature and authority is right now.
This is not an easy records, but it’s one Murry had to make and holds the characteristics of stark inevitability. this is the sound of a souls purged.
‘The Graceless Age’ might have saved Murry’s life. Is there any greater testament to music than that?
Boo Ray’s “Boots and Blue Jeans,” from his current release “Six Weeks In A Motel” carries a heap of grit and soul. The video filmed at the legendary Johnny’s Tavern in Nashville, TN by Daniel Henry & Price Harrison show folks having a high time. The kind of folks that would drop quarter after quarter to play this hotnumber.
Ray’s time raised in the western mountains of North Carolina has given him a sensibility for southern and roots rock in the vein of Lynyrd Skynyrd and The Faces. melody with bite and brawn. This is 100 proof with an ear for a hook.
“Six Weeks In A Motel,” the Boo Ray’s follow up to 2010 release “Bad News Travels Fast.”
The musicians featured include Steve Ferrone on drums (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers), Jimmie Lee Sloas on bass (Keith Urban, Reba McEntire), British guitar virtuoso Sol Philcox, and Bruce Bouton (Randy Travis, Emmylou Harris, Ricky Skaggs) on pedal steel.
With one platinum and four gold records in the UK Seasick Steve might be the most popular performer you’ve never heard of. he’s probably fine with that. seasick doesn’t cater to fads or trends, he’s worked his brand of greasy gut-bucket blues throughout his career.
Today he releases “Hubcap Music,” his Third Man records debut produced by the man himself. the album features long-time drummer and frying pan virtuoso Dan Magnusson as well as John Paul Jones, Jack White, Luther Dickinson, Elizabeth Cook and Fats Kaplin. The record marks Seasick Steve’s second full-length on Third Man Records, and joins a blue series 7″ (“Write Me a Few Lines”) and a live, direct-to-acetate recording (Seasick Steve Live at Third Man Records) to make up his Third Man catalog.
Hubcap Music derives its title from Seasick’s 4-stringed Morris Minor guitar, fashioned from two Minor 1000 hubcaps and a garden hoe, and his second similarly made instrument using Hudson Terraplane hubcaps, given to him by Jack White. The Morris Minor guitar made its first appearance on the TV show “Top Gear,” and rivals Seasick’s Didley Bo for the title of baddest junk’strument ever to grace (and sell out) such stages as Royal Albert Hall, Manchester Theatre and Hammersmith Apollo Theaters.
The below cut, “Home,” features Luther Dickinson of North Mississippi Allstars fame on wailing slide guitar. This gritty stmopfest recalling the place there’s nowhere like gives you a sample for this release and well reflects Steve’s frenetic live performances he’s famous for.
the Late Show with David Letterman continued it’s support of great music by featuring a special musical performance in honor of the film Muscle Shoals, featuring R&B legend Candi Staton, Jason Isbell, John Paul White (The Civil Wars) and The Swampers (Spooner Oldham, Jimmy Johnson & David Hood).
the ensemble performed “I Ain’t Easy To Love” written by James Leblanc and Angela Hacke, is featured in the Magnolia Pictures film Muscle Shoals, in theaters now & available on iTunes and On Demand.
About the film:
“Located alongside the Tennessee River, Muscle Shoals, Alabama is the unlikely breeding ground for some of America’s most creative and defiant music. Under the spiritual influence of the “Singing River,” as Native Americans called it, the music of Muscle Shoals has helped create some of the most important and resonant songs of all time. At its heart is Rick Hall who founded FAME Studios.
Overcoming crushing poverty and staggering tragedies, Hall brought black and white together in Alabama’s cauldron of racial hostility to create music for the generations. He is responsible for creating the “Muscle Shoals sound” and The Swampers, the house band at FAME that eventually left to start their own successful studio, known as Muscle Shoals Sound. Greg Allman, Bono, Clarence Carter, Mick Jagger, Etta James, Alicia Keys, Keith Richards, Candi Staton, Percy Sledge and others bear witness to Muscle Shoals’ magnetism, mystery and why it remains influential today.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5q4QOnU7kM
Muscle Shoals movie trailer –
In 1956 The Grand Ole Opry invited a young country singer named George Jones to perform on their popular radio show.The 25 year-old Marine Corp veteran was already picking up momentum in his home state of Texas, where he was signed to Starday Records, where a year earlier, his song “Why Baby, Why†had become his first hit. However in his estimation, and many young country performers at the time, an appearance on the Opry was proof you had really hit the big time.
In Jone’s own words, “My success as a country singer, no matter how big it became, would always be limited unless I appeared on the Grand Ole Opry.†When that call from Nashville finally came he drove almost 800 miles from Houston, borrowed a guitar from Jimmy Dickens, and performed one song. His appearance was a success and he was quickly asked to come back and become a member.
Starday Records owners, Jack Starnes and Pappy Daily, knew they had to move quickly if their label was going to keep up with Jones’ newfound popularity. In early 1957 they released George Jones’ first album, Grand Ole Opry’s New Star, which also happened to be Starday’s first LP.
On October 15th this collectable release will be reissued in its entirety for the first time. The first 250 copies of this album will be pressed on Blue Vinyl and come with a bonus reissue of George’s only rockabilly record, an ultra-rare 45 he cut under the name ‘Thumper Jones.’
Pre-order George Jones’ ‘The Grand Ole Opry’s New Star’ here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkzGJrAav48
TRACKS
01. Why Baby Why
02. Seasons Of My Heart
03. It’s OK
04. Let Him Know
05. Play It Cool
06. Hold Everything
07. Boat Of Life
08. You Gotta Be My Baby
09. What Am I Worth
10. Your Heart
11. Ragged But Right
12. Yearning
13. Still Hurtin’
14. Taggin’ Along
BONUS 45
SIDE A
Thumper Jones – Rock It
SIDE B
Thumper Jones – How Come It
Two musical loves of mine is classic heavy metal and Americana music. I know this skit from from Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, featuring the Avett brothers covering Iron Maiden’s “Run to the Hills,” Black Sabbath’s “Iron Man,” and Metallica’S “One” is done for laughs, but part of me would love for it to be real. I mean if Ryan Adams can do Iron maiden straight why not?
The fake release is described thusly “If you’re looking for a sunnier, gentler sound of heavy metal classics like Black Sabbath’s “Iron Man,” then pick up a copy of “The Avett Brothers Sing Heavy Metal.”
I know I would.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=St7TR2ZVbP8
In Texas, the surname Robison carries with it a tone of songwriter reverence. Charlie, his brother Bruce, and sister Robyn Ludwick have created a long legacy as Hill Country singer/songwriters working in the local community as well as being covered by Music City.
On his new release “High Life,” Charlie has some fun with classic and new songs. Band’s Robbie Robertson’s “Look Out Cleveland†and Bob Dylan’s “When I Paint My Masterpiece.†Robison also covers Austin legend Doug Sahm’s “Nuevo Laredo.†Of Sahm, Charlie says “My uncle was like a hippie around that time, and I remember cruising around Austin with him listening to Doug Sahm records and it was just so wild, the sounds he was getting. All that Sir Doug stuff just hit me really hard.â€
There are also a few gems by his siblings “Brand New Me†by Bruce and “Monte Carlo†and “Out of These Blues†by Ludwick. He also covers friend Bobby Bare Jr.’s rocking study on celebrity “Patty McBride.â€
Charlie seems to be having a lot more fun on this follow-up to the wonderfully introspective “Beautiful Day,” My only question is, with a title like “High Life,” (complete with Mr. Natural style cover art) where the obligatory Willie Nelson cover?
I was not fortunate enough to attends the Inside Llewyn Davis benefit concert this last Sunday at New York’s Town Hall, but YouTube user Julie P did and was kind enough to share some videos of the performance which I’ve posted below.
The concert is inspired by the upcoming folk pseudo-documentary Inside Llewyn Davis by the incredible Coen brothers (O Brotehr Where Art Thou, No Country For Old Men, True Grit) The evet was produced by the Coens and the film’s Executive Music Producer T Bone Burnett. the roots music who’d=who bill included The Avett Brothers, Joan Baez, Rhiannon Giddens of the Carolina Chocolate Drops, Lake Street Dive, Colin Meloy of The Decemberists, The Milk Carton Kids, Marcus Mumford, Conor Oberst, Punch Brothers, Dave Rawlings Machine, The Secret Sisters, Patti Smith, Gillian Welch and Willie Watson. The artists as well as stars from the film performed songs from the film live, as well as songs from the early 1960s that inspired it.
As more videos are posted I will add them here.
Colin Maloy, Joan Baez, and Gillian Welch
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xy7dNZTNem8&feature=c4-overview&list=UUkM6IBsFkHspnonQLwecdKA
Gillian Welch, Rhiannon Giddens, and Carey Mulligan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K15nU5a6Qek&feature=share&list=UUkM6IBsFkHspnonQLwecdKA
Patti Smith, Avett Brothers, Dave Rawlings + – People Have The Power
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDCLmTq_y2M&feature=c4-overview&list=UUkM6IBsFkHspnonQLwecdKA
Marcus Mumford, Oscar Isaac, and Punch Brothers “Fare Thee Well”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TstKeaP-aHk
Marcus Mumford and Joan Baez – “Corn Whiskey When I’m Dry”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIsr2bwVrz0&list=UUkM6IBsFkHspnonQLwecdKA
Marcus Mumford – “I Was Young When I Left Home” (Bob Dylan)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvVBce8hQF8&list=UUkM6IBsFkHspnonQLwecdKA
Elvis Costello, Punch Brothers, Inside Llewyn Davis actor Oscar Isaac, & Adam Driver “Please Mr. Kennedy”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzU8mz3eqTc&list=UUkM6IBsFkHspnonQLwecdKA
