If it weren’t for Ethyl & the Regulars and their new record Fill ‘er Up I would have had to scrape the bottom of my drafts folder for something to post. Fortunately for you the band’s label, Cow Island Music, serves up some of the best honky-tonk on the East Coast. They’ll continue that trend when they release Fill `er Up on August 11.

Long Gone Long Forgotton

I’d like to add my voice to the handful of music blogs that have been praising the debut release from Howard Eliott Payne (Candie Payne’s brother and formerly The Stand frontman). Both You Crazy Dreamers and Music Like Dirt have featured the music from Bright Light Ballads and I’d just like to throw one more voice (and song) into the mix.

Howard actually had me at the cover art. It certainly harkens back a few decades to the artwork of Dylan, Young and Parson albums. Much the same can be said about the low key music found inside. While a few songs like “Come Down Easy” reach a gospel-like crescendo, more often they are minor masterpieces like “Dangling Threads” and “Until Morning”. These songs are more self assured than usually found on a debut.

Buy it here.

Dangling Threads

Bonus:

Come Down Easy (via You Crazy Dreamers)
Until Morning (via Music Like Dirt)