Twang Nation – The Best In Americana Music
Americana & Roots Music & Culture
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.â€
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
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.
Photo credit: Andy Tennille
Dave Rawlings Machine’s 2013 crackerjack lineup – Gillian Welch, John Paul Jones, Willie Watson and Paul Kowert – is back for six nights only this summer, beginning June 18 in Boulder, CO, and finishing up on June 27 at Nashville, TN’s legendary Ryman Auditorium.
The high-caliber collective is known for their shows of distinctive picking, high lonesome songs, ands some pretty great covers, like in the Live and Breathing Session below. Fan club pre-sale for the tour will begin on March 20. General on sale begins March 21. Complete tour dates are below.
June
18 – Boulder, CO – Boulder Theater
24 – Kansas City, MO – Uptown Theater
25 – St. Louis, MO – The Sheldon
26 – Louisville, KY – Brown Theatre
27 – Nashville, TN – Ryman Auditorium
Jimmy Kimmel Live broadcast the show for a week in Austin from The Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long Center for the Performing Arts, The show’s week-long trip to the capital was timed with the 28th annual South by Southwest (SXSW®) Festival.
And on his last night of his stay Kimmel invited Lonely Boys as well as the Lone Star State’s greatest ambassador Willie Nelson.
Clad in black discusses his history with Austin, getting a black belt in Taekwondo and his SXSW party “The Heartbreaker Banquet.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRExfUzdy8I
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPc8HQQ3E5E
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgt3bnaqPBo
Portland Oregon’s self-described “junkbox blues duo” has a new song “Don’t Come Down” that offers some of the heat and ramshackle alchemy of Henry Christian (Guitar) and John Johnson (percussion), but with this cut there’s more.
From the guitar loop running throughout and the reverbed, lonesome vocals, there’s a beautiful menace and a work of a deft subtlety pointing to a richness and bravery in flexing their musical brawn.
“Don’t Come Down” is from Hillstomp’s upcoming, 4th full-length release “Portland, Ore” out April 15. The album is their first on Fluff and Gravy Records and features 10 new tracks and is mixed by Chet Lyster of Eels, and produced in conjunction with Kevin Blackwell of Sassparilla.
The record will be available on CD and LP, and can be pre-ordered here.
On March 25, Columbia/Legacy will release “Out Among the Stars,” an album of lost songs recorded by Johnny Cash in the early 1980s produced by Billy Sherrill.
You can now see a video for the album cut “She Used to Love Me a Lot”, directed by filmmaker John Hillcoat (the man behind The Proposition, The Road, and Lawless as well as music videos for Nick Cave, How to Destroy Angels, Depeche Mode, and others)
The video is a collection of snapshots of the American Cash championed in song and deed intercut with shots of the Man in Black himself.
In Hillcoat words from an accompanying statement:
The lyrics seemed to speak to America as it is now, to the nation that loved him and to the great divide he fought so hard against. This divide has only grown exponentially since he died, so we wanted to show America under this stark light and as a homage to the very reason Cash always wore black: to the shameful increase of the disenfranchised and outsiders. At the same time, we wanted to reference the great man’s own struggle and journey from the love of his life to the burnt out ruins of his infamous lake house home, personal photographs, the cave where he tried to take his life but then turned it all around, the place he last recorded in and his last photo before his passing.
“She Used to Love Me a Lot” was written by Dennis Morgan, Charles Quillen, and Kye Fleming. In 1984, David Allan Coe was recorded the song on his album “Darlin’, Darlin”. Listen to the Elvis Costello remix of Cash’s version here.
After 8 all-too-brief spellbinding and perplexingly metaphysical episodes the first season of HBO’s True Detective has finally reached its conclusion. The ending was such a hit that the millions hitting HBO GO service crashed the system for much of the show.
It’s no wonder it’s a hit.
The spirit of the show is reflected in the taunt writing of creator Nic Pizzolatto. Then there’s the stellar performances by Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson as the dysfunctional Det. Rustin Spencer “Rust” Cohle and Det. Martin Eric “Marty” Hart bound together to catch a dark killer.
Another star of the series was the music selection that provided atmosphere and texture in a way that you hardly realized you were hearing songs by Wu-Tang Clan , Bob Dylan and Austin’s 13th Floor Elevators.
The soundtrack also included a great selection of Americana, country, gospel, and blues. John Lee Hooker and Slim Harpo sit aside Steve Earle , Buddy Miller , Lucinda Williams and Father John Misty.
And then there’s that stunning opening segment backed by The Handsome Family excellent performance of the T Bone Burnett-penned “Far From Any Road.” (below)
I reached out on twitter to ask folks what bands they most would like to hear on True Detective season two. Some of the choices were obvious, some surprising. All great and would fit nicely.
If Nic Pizzolatto stops by (‘sup Nic) I hope he considers some these great artists and allows them to set a tone and allow the greater exposure.
Enjoy and leave you choices in the comments.
Lincoln Durham is a consummate stage performer and brings grit, soul and blood to his craft. Perfect for end credits or a bar fight.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5QGl8PgUX8
Elephant Revival’s warm and inviting sound could lull in a audience in just before a particularly gruesome bit of work.
The Ben Miller Band kicked my butt in Nashville and their performance has stuck with me. Bar scene or panning a rugged landscape.
Valerie June. Who am I kidding. Put Valerie June in any segment and she’ll steal the scene.
Lee Harvey Osmond is a master of atmosphere. He’d fit right into a scene needing a slow simmer. Love scene, hands down.
Lindi Ortega is as good as it gets. Her sound is a great fit for an opening credits or as a a pan of the killers quarters.
Slim Cessna’s Auto Club oozes chaos and menace. Add to something violent.
16 Horsepower sounds as old as the hills and as deep as a grave. Opening credits or main character reflective moment.
Hiss Golden Messenger’s darkness is always bolstered by a joyful reverence. Perfect for a moment of hoe or resolution.
Rachel Brooke was born to back a show like True Detective. Her sound is of the ages and has a playful darkness and perfect for a late-night rainy drive away from something unspeakable.
Twang nation is proud to feature the new video by Brooklyn/Queens-based band The Dust Engineers. The stylized, noir-inspired video for their song “Lead [Pb]” captures adeptly the song’s lush atmosphere leading toward either a double cross or sweet comeuppance.
The band’s sound is reminiscent of The Red House Painters, Tarnation or Trinity Session-era Cowboy Junkies. Shimmery strummed and yearning slide electric guitars swirl around lead vocalist Sara M’s soft, siren phrasing. It’s is like a high-noon summer sun dappling through a glass of good bourbon,
When asked about the song’s title principle songwriter Erik Rosenberg replies:
“The atomic symbol “Pb” is included in the song title to clarify that “Lead” describes the heavy metal, especially its weight, its toxicity, and its color. These qualities reflect the main concept of the song: losing your sense of self to to the depths of an unhealthy relationship, a relationship that plagues you but simultaneously defines you.”You can hear that the first lyric is “Lead. Lead on my back I’m sated. Go on go on.”
The song sounds lighter than air, “He” than “Pb,” though when connected to the video it does get pretty heavy.
Buy Lead [Pb]
https://vimeo.com/77362117
As I posted a few months ago March 25 Columbia/Legacy will release a “lost” Johnny Cash album of 12 shelved recordings from the early 80s produced by Country Music Hall of Fame member Billy Sherill.
Putting aside the question “does a Johnny Cash need a remix?,” on March 11, a cut from the album, “She Used to Love Me a Lot” will be released on a 7″ with the below remix by Elvis Costello. The remix does appear on the album.
The recordings were unearthed by the label and Cash’s son John Carter Cash in 2012. It includes duets with both Waylon Jennings and June Carter Cash. Two tracks are credited as being written by Johnny Cash, “Call Your Mother” and “I Came to Believe”.
Listen to the original version of “She Used to Love Me a Lot”: