Twang Nation – The Best In Americana Music
Americana & Roots Music & Culture
One of the best bands I’ve had the privilege of seeing play live, The Felice Bothers have brought some of that playfulness to the video for their latest single “Lion.”
Shenanigans and tomfoolery abound. Clad in black there’s field strongman posing, football, and topped off with a random pie fight and beer shower,
This gives me an opportunity to, again, wonder how these guys weren’t tapped for T Bone Burnett’s upcoming “Basement Tapes 2“.
“Lion” is from the new album Favorite Waitress.
Neo-Trad Outlaw and reluctant savior of country music, Sturgill Simpson turned out a sizzling rendition of ‘Life of Sin” recorded at the Nashville’s historic RCA recording studio.
This is the very same studio that Ben Folds has been trying to save from potential raising. let’s hope this RL Bagg’s Handcrafted Video Series is a sign of new life for the storied space.
‘Life of Sin” is from Simpson’s newest release “Metamodern Sounds in Country Music.â€
the newest video for “It Ain’t You” from Asleep at the Wheel front-man Ray Benson’s latest solo release “A Little Piece” (Bismeaux Records.) The vide is a video scrapbook of Benson and Willie Nelson’s 40-plus year friendship. A friendship that started when Willie suggested AATW move from their hometown in Philadelphia to Austin, Texas in 1973.
Ray and Willie duel on “It Ain’t You” and, as it is an old Waylon Jennings co-write, it recognizes the influence all three have had on the Texas music scene from a rear-view mirror if age and wisdom.
Ray Benson says of the song/video:
“When Sam, co-producer of my solo CD, played me this song written by Waylon Jennings and Gary Nicholson, I was amazed that no one had ever recorded it! It’s definitely an undiscovered gem and strikes an emotional response with many people. After listening, I called up my pal Willie Nelson and asked if he would sing the song with me. He agreed and we went out to Luck, TX and recorded his vocal.”
“Willie is 81 years young and I’m close to turning 64. The song is about growing old and yet feeling and acting young…it felt so appropriate for us to do. The video has captured the feeling of the song with its slow motion effects, an inside look at the backstage concert preparation and a peak of our long history together as friends. Hope you all enjoy it.”
Enjoy this lovely tune from two masters trading wistful recollections. The cut also features some of Willie’s signature jazz-tajanzo guitar licks.
Buy “A Little Piece.”
The last few years has seen Ryan Adams dabbling in computer music and metal and producing for Jenny Lewis.
Now Adam’s is in a rock-and-roll phase with his new self-titled solo album, his 14th, which will hit stores on September 9 via Pax-Am Records.
The video for the fist single, “Gimme Something Good,†is a nice balance of brooding rocker and B-movie camp, represented onscreen by super-vamp mistress of the night Elvira. Adams stares menacing and Elvira preens and dances around a candelabra. It’s serves just the right amount of cheese and oomph to make for a cool vid.
Get spooky with “Gimme Something Good†below.
cover
Tomorrow night, 8/13, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon has booked both Ryan Adams and Taylor Swift.
I think this has potential to be a fanatic opportunity for both performers.
Swift is appearing to promote her role in the upcoming movie ‘The Giver†and Adams booked as musical guest and is there to promote his upcoming self-titled release. I believe a few songs performed together would do a lot to gain Adams some mainstream exposure and allow Swift to gain a little indie creed.
Both performers are known for covering musicians that they respect. Ryan adams does a great interpretation of Iron Maiden’s “Wasted Years†and Swift really won be cover with her version of Mumford & Sons’ “Blank White Page.â€
Aside from the image potential, I believe that interpreting eachother’s songs as duets or trade-offs would bring new dimensions to the work not head in it’s current form.
“Love Story” – Sure it’s sappy and naive, but Adams counts melt any jaded heart.
“Teardrops on My Guitar” – See above re: sappy and naive
“Back to December” – No one handles regret and heartbreak like Adams. This would kill.
“White Horse” – See above re: regret and heartbreak
“We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” – Adams’ would deconstruct this pop ditty and lay it’s dark, fatalistic core out odor all to see.
“Safe & Sound” – This is an obvious one. This Swift/Civil Wars collaboration for the Hunger Games is half-way to being in Adams’ style wheelhouse. The other half is in Tori Amos’ .
Ryan Adams songs I’d like to see Taylor Swift cover
“When the Stars Go Blue” – Arguably the best song from “Gold.” Perfect for a duet. Obvious connection since Tim McGraw
covered this one.
“16 Days†– A gem from Strangers Almanac. A duet and a single of this radio-friendly cut would surely sell a ton. I wonder if Adam’s would torpedo this song’s climb up the charts twice?
To Be Young (Is To Be Sad, Is To Be High) – From Heartbreaker. It’s fun. Swift knows fun.
“Two†– His best off “Easy Tiger,” and one of his biggest hits. A duet with swift would bring out the song’s sweetness.
“So Alive†– Also off Gold. This song rocks U2-style. Swift has been known to rock out on occasion.
“Lucky Now†– From 2011’s “Ashes & Fire,” another of Adam’s most radio-friendly, and optimistic, love songs.
I can imagine the eye-rolls and sneers resulting from this post by Swifties and whatever Adams fans call themselves. But i believe that both sWIFT AND adams have an independent streak and a love of musical history that would suit them.
If nothing else I got fans in each camp to hear the other’s music, probably for the very first time.
Common sentiment has you believe that TV singing competitions are a cultural wasteland not worth our attention.
Grace Askew is proof that sometimes paying attention pays off.
“The Voice” Season 4 contestant Grace Askew delighted when she did a excellently brash cover of Lee Hazlewood’s “These Boots Are Made for Walkin,'” made famous by Nancy Sinatra
Twangers, ya know I like it greasy. If you give me swampy and greasy at the same time you’ll have a hard time sending me home.
Recorded at the legendary Sun Studio, “Cinnamon” is a woozy slice of what Askew has coined “bluntry” (blues+country, or perhaps stoned country) Labels aside, it’s a greasy, swampy delight made more so by Askew’s marble-mouthed delivery in her native Memphis country grammar.
Shot in an abandoned house , with single-source light saturated clack-and-white, Askew dances as she sings this sexually-charged come-on.
Askew embodies a potent blend of charisma and authenticity that makes her a force to keep your eye on.
“Cinnamon” is from Askew’s debut newest release ‘Scaredy Cat
And in the no surprise to anyone category today The Civil Wars’ Joy Williams and John Paul White made their “indefinite hiatus‘ into a musical conscious uncoupling.
the folk-pop duo took to thecivilwars.com to announce the news. As a farewell and thank you to fans, the two are offering a download of their 2010 rendition of the classic “You Are My Sunshine.†The track was originally a b-side to the band’s limited edition Barton Hollow 7″ vinyl. This is the first time the song is available digitally in the U.S.
Joy Williams comments, “I am saddened and disappointed by the ending of this duo, to say the very least. JP is a tremendous musician, and I will always be grateful for the music we were able to create together.I sincerely hope that ‘You Are My Sunshine’ will be accepted as a token of my gratitude for every single person that has supported our duo throughout the years. I’m so thankful and my heart is full. Looking ahead, I’m excited to share the music that I am writing and recording in the midst of this difficult transition. I’ve loved being back in the studio, and have missed performing live. I look forward to seeing you soon.â€
John Paul adds, “I would like to express sincere thanks to all who were a part of the arc of The Civil Wars—from the beginning, to the end, and all points in between. My deep appreciation goes out to all who supported, disseminated, and enjoyed the music. Whatever shape or form the next chapter takes, thanks for being a large part of this one.â€
Williams and White were already music industry veterans in 2008 when a chance pairing at a Nashville group writing camp shows potential chemistry. In their brief career The Civil Wars helped bring Americana to the mainstream with their best-selling, Grammy-winning, releases and intimate but rousing live performances.
I was lucky to be able to speak to Joy and John Paul in 2009. They showed me the upmost generosity and kindness. “We Really Don’t Fit Anywhere†– The Civil Wars Interview
Here are a few of my favorite Civil Wars performances:
Barton Hollow (Later with Jools Holland)
Poison & Wine (on David Letterman)
“From This Valley” (Live at the Grand Ole Opry)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBygKZqc3ls
“Between the Bars” (Elliott Smith cover)
“Sour Times” (Portishead cover)
“Billie Jean” (Michael Jackson Cover)
“You Are My Sunshine” (Live)
And the time I won a bottle of bourbon and they won some Grammys.
http://www.grammy.com/news/and-the-grammy-went-to-the-civil-wars#ooid=05bXZoMzq2-pDksz0DznPVSCPspq72pZ
There’s much talk about a backlash brewing against the male-centric Bro-Country mainstream country radio has been riding high on for the past few years. This musical uprising is said to be stewarded by women challenging the stereotypes paraded around in daisy dukes in derogatory narratives. Trouble is the men in these songs are simple, one-dimensional characters as well and the potential for expansion for anyone, topically or stylistically, are very narrow.
These women work the same mainstream fields that currently allow bro-country a thriving bounty. Small tweaks to adjust for new market fluctuations will be made. But the labels are in business to be in business, not to make some grand cultural statement.
Pretty tame stuff to fuel a backlash.
The products, or songs, might strike many as flimsy representation of human condition , but I argue it’s less about the songs and more about the process. Consider Sunny Sweeney; in and out of the the gravitational pull of Music Row, the big boys never knew what to do with her. Her first album bore the Lone Star mark of her native home of Texas and was re-released by Big Machine Records.
But charting and Music City are joined at the hip, and after being the first artist signed to a joint venture between Big Machine and Universal Republic Records – Republic Nashville – the more polished “Concrete,” was released but netted no significant radio play.
Sweeney and Big Machine split in 2012.
Now we have her provocatively titled new release, “Provoked.”
Combining DIY ethic with crowd-sourced funding, and support by indy Americana super label Thirty Tigers, “Provoked” contains Sweeney’s earlier fire tempered with an ear for a hook and just the right amount of studio provided by Luke Wooten (Dierks Bentley, Brad Paisley and sister neo-traditionalist Kellie Pickler)
From the cover Sunny looks right through use with her big, blue tinted eyes. What looks like tape with the title is masking her mouth giving the duel impression of being gagged and screaming the title at once.
Bro-country, like music of music city product, is thin tropes masquerading as the human experience, topical and stylistic, are very narrow. condition. Instead of working within those narrow confines Sweeney reaches back to a time when Nashville released songs dripping of love, tears, pain and blood – Tammy, Loretta, Kitty, George Jones , Willie and Waylon can all be heard between the spaces.
Sweeney says the album reflects her coming to terms with the mistakes she has made and the recovery that the last few years have brought her. “The album is a journey from nearly hitting bottom and losing everything personally to regaining my footing and being able to find not only my true self again, but real happiness.†“Provoked” might be a result of hard times and challenges of the spirit, but it has allowed Sweeney to regain her voice.
“You Don’t Know your Husband” kicks off with an acapella declaration of other-woman context rich in sass driven by cooking dobro and electric guitar that mirrors the dysfunctional menace the story rightly deserves.
The first single “Bad Girl Phase” is a Brandy Clark/Jessie Jo Dillion/Shannon Wright co-write and follows along with the badass gal theme covered by everyone from Miranda to Nikki Lane. Sweeney pulls off the song like a honky-tonk woman swagger over a greasy strut accompaniment.
“Second Guessing” and “Carolina on the Line” are tear-stained. moody studies on faded dreams and broken hearts and coming to terms in spite of it all.
When Lucinda Williams does a song it stays done but give Sweeney props for having a go at “Can’t Let Go.”
“Front Row Seats” mid-temo rocker offers the same kind of wry observations of the seamier side of polite society similar to Kacey Musgraves’ “Merry Go ‘Round”
“My Bed,” a co-write Sweeney with singer/songwriters and 2/3rds of the Pistol Annies, Angaleena Presley and Ashley Monroe – is a duet with singer/songwriter Will Hoge. It;s a intmate glimpse of a couple’s love souring on the vine. ” I’ll always love you/At least that’s what we said/Now you’re just sleeping in my bed.”
“Uninvited” is a dreamy study of social exclusion real or imagined sounds like a Radiohead brought up on The Possum.
on “Provoked” Sweeney proves that a more substantial response to Bro-Country, or really anything Music Row is shoveling out as the flavor of the moment, is to follow your heart and kick some ass. Sweeney sure does that and reminds us that life is more than just radio decoration.
Past night Nikki Lane took the occasion of her television debut on Conan O’Brien to deliver a scorching rendition of her “Right Time”
“Right Time” is from Lane’s latest album “All Or Nothin.”
I’m really looking forward to this self-titled release from Austin’s punkgrass band Whiskey Shivers. Now the reveals of the Homer & Jethro-inspired cover for the album ahs amped up teh anticipation.
I’ve yet to catch these boys live but I’ll make up for that when I catch a NorTex stop.
From the release:
“Whiskey Shivers isn’t just the five of us on stage, it’s everybody in the room,” (frontman and fiddle master Bobby) Fitzgerald says. “We try to bring everybody into the moment and get them to realize there’s no wall between us and the crowd. We’re all in this together, and we’re all here to have a good time. We’ll do our best to facilitate it, but it takes all of us to make it happen. When you start to feel that, you can’t help but feel a little attachment and become invested in the show. You realize, ‘Oh, I’m here to have good time too!'”
Despite their joyful demeanor, the guys in Whiskey Shivers aren’t pretending that life is always easy. Far from it, Fitzgerald explains. Their new self-titled album, out September 23 and produced by fellow roots music boundary-pusher Robert Ellis, is heavy with traditional bluegrass themes and imagery lamenting universal struggles – work, pain, sin, regret and death.
It’s in the contrast where Whiskey Shivers’ music shines. They infuse their songs with punk rock energy and a darkly comical light-heartedness, stretching the bluegrass genre to fit whatever they feel is right. For them, being happy is a conscious choice, and making fun of life’s struggles is part of their philosophy.
“We’re all going through s**t all the time. We recognize that life’s tough,” Fitzgerald says. “We try to write songs that recognize the hard times that we all share. When you put your problems out on the table where everyone can see them, it doesn’t really have the same power over you any more, and you can start to acknowledge it, separate yourself from it, and go on with your life. Try to take a night where you can forget about your problems and just feel good, have a good time with your friends, make new friends, and be part of a little community for a while.”
That sort of musical honesty is what brought together the ragtag group of string players from small towns around the country to Austin, TX, where Whiskey Shivers was formed when stand-up bassist Andrew VanVoorhees answered a dubious Craiglist ad from a man named “Bob” looking to form a bluegrass band.
The full lineup now consists of Bobby Fitzgerald (vocals, fiddle) from Dundee, NY, Andrew VanVoorhees (bass, vocals) from Prineville, OR, Joe Deuce (washboards) from Vider, TX, Jeff “Horti” Hortillosa (vocals, guitar) from Middlesboro, KY, and James Bookert (banjo) from Georgetown, TX.
Whiskey Shivers will hit the road hard this summer and fall, including sets at the Americana Music Festival in Nashville and a string of dates with the Legendary Shack Shakers. See below for a full list of dates.
Fitzgerald admits that it can sometimes seem impossible to maintain such a high level of energy night after night on the road. “Well, it can seem that way, up until the moment the show starts,” he says. “We could have a really tough day, driving through bad weather on no sleep, feeling like s**t, the sound is terrible, or whatever else is going on that day. And then as soon as we start playing, it all just kind of falls away. All of the sudden we’re having a good time again, and the momentum carries itself. That’s why we’re doing this, because we love it.”
TOUR DATES:
7/31 – Austin, TX @ Holy Mountain
9/3 – Lexington, KY @ Cosmic Charlies #
9/4 – Louisville, KY @ Zanzabar #
9/5 – Newport, KY @ Southgate House #
9/6 РColumbus, OH @ Rumba Caf̩ #
9/7 – Detroit, MI @ Magic Stick #
9/9 – Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Ballroom #
9/10 РPittsburgh, PA @ Club Caf̩ #
9/11 – Brooklyn, NY @ Knitting Factory #
9/12 – Cambridge, MA @ The Middle East #
9/13 – Asbury Park, NJ @ Asbury Lanes #
9/14 – Lancaster, PA @ Chameleon Club #
9/15 – Washington, DC @ Black Cat #
9/16 – Asheville, NC @ Grey Eagle
9/18 – Nashville, TN @ Americana Music Festival
9/19 – Fort Wayne, IN @ Brass Rail
9/20 – Elgin, IL @ Second Space
9/25 – Houston, TX @ Continental Club
9/26 – Austin, TX @ Scoot Inn
9/27 – Arlington, TX @ Levitt Pavilion
9/30 – Lafayette, LA @ Blue Moon Saloon
10/3 – Charlotte, NC @ Evening Muse
10/4 – Mt. Pleasant, SC @ Grove at Patriots Point
10/5 – Atlanta, GA @ Eddie’s Attic
10/6 – Knoxville, TN @ Barleys
10/9 – New York, NY @ Mercury Lounge
10/10 – Buffalo, NY @ Sportsmans Tavern
10/11 – Grand Rapids, MI @ Founders Brewing Co
10/15 – Nashville, TN @ Loveless Barn
10/16 – Ozark, AR @ Mulberry Mountain
10/17 – Tulsa, OK @ Shrine
10/18 – Maryville, MO @ The Palms Bar and Grill
10/21 – Ann Arbor, MI @ The Ark
10/22 – Chicago, IL @ Schubas
10/24 – Minneapolis, MN @ Lee’s Liquor Lounge