What is it about drinking and country music. If songs aren’t about trucking than they are invariably about drinking. And more importantly why do I like these songs? Me, a guy who has to stop drinking soon after the first one. I wrote about the Austin based band (duo) The Texas Sapphires back in 2006 here. There new record is called As He Wanders… and is out on April 6. You can order it here now.
“How Did I Get So Sloppy Drunk When I Was Drinking Neat” is the drunkenest song on the new record. Enjoy and treat this as a cautionary tale for the weekend ahead.
For awhile I thought Twitter was going to change the world. Now I see it for what it is – a discovery vehicle for anything and everything you might be interested in. The whole “change the world” thing is not gonna happen mainly because the kids don’t use it or even understand what the point of it is (they already have myspace, facebook, texting, et al). But still if you follow the “right” people you can use Twitter as your very own recommendation engine. I’ve done just that for this post on D. Charles Speer & The Helix’s new record Distillation and the leadoff track “Mason Dixon Crime”.
On the surface these guys may seem like conventional honky-tonk, but the guys behind D. Charles Speer are also the guys behind the NYC experimental band No Neck Blues Band. So while you can take them at face value and enjoy the twang, you also can delve a bit beneath the surface to find the little cross currents and minor revolutions bubbling up.
Thanks in part to Twitter once again, the boys from Herohill and Slowcoustic have picked up on the new record by Cam Penner. Check out their posts here and here. In case you missed it last week here is Cam’s song “13″.
Honky-tonk Friday came a little early this week with the (virtual) arrival of the new record by Martinsville, Virginia natives Doug & Telisha Williams. The record’s called Ghost of the Knoxville Girl and sits squarely in the intersection of blues, country and roots. Much like the recent record from Eilen Jewell “Knoxville Girl” isn’t content to stick with just one genre. There are Bruce Springsteenesque social consciousness raising rockers like “20 Point 2″ and eerie murder/ghost ballads like the title track.
For honky-tonk fans it’s the first track that shines. I just love Telisha’s voice on “Kitchen Light” and the song features tasty pedal steel and just the right combination of bass and drums.
Our occasional Honky-Tonk Friday feature had to arrive a day early when I heard the new ep from Arty Hill & the Long Gone Daddys. Arty Hill is pure country and this record is a trip back in time to and about the earliest country legends. The EP is called Montgomery On My Mind; The Hank EP and is available on the great real country label Cow Island Music.
There was a time when I religiously followed Camper Van Beethoven. I liked their sound more when it was frantic folk based rather than punky. I also followed all the spinoff bands and solo records. That time has passed though and I no longer am up to date on all the goings on in the old Camper Van clique. Enter McCabe & Mrs. Miller.
However, when I heard about this record by Victor Krummenacher and Alison Faith Levy of The Sippy Cups I was intrigued. From Victor’s past recordings I knew he leaned more folk/country than punk. Together Victor and Alison have that kind of California americana sound. A sound that is dusty but at the same time refined. I think of Chuck Prophet and Dave Alvin being in that same mold as well. Here’s a sample from their new debut record Time For Leaving. Pick it up now at the newly redesigned CD Babyhere.
I’ve said it before but it bears repeating. Brooklyn is the home of some pretty kick ass alt-country/honky-tonk bands. I’ll Be John Brown is one of the latest additions to a thriving scene. Their new self-titled CD is out now and available from CD Baby here.
The band’s song “My New South” reminds me of some of the cowpunk from the 80’s (like some of the stuff by The Dead Milkmen). The band definitely infuses their twangy country with equal parts punk rock energy. “My New South” is the band’s dream vision of what the South could be like with lines like “billboards will be kindling”, “people of all colors will be all better bowlers and you’ll rarely see a cop”, “courtesy will be a cash crop and the last Walmart burns to the ground”.
The band has what sounds to be a great show coming up at the Living Room on July 4.
If you’re like me and are wondering who the hell Arty Hill and the Long Gone Daddy’s is and why their 5 year old debut record Back On the Rail is in the top ten of the Americana Charts then let me explain. the band’s debut has just recently been re-released. And apparently this 5 year old honky-tonk is better than most of the stuff coming out at the moment. Unfortunately I don’t have anything from Back On The Rail but check out these samples from the band’s followup Bar Of Gold.
I may all be a little late catching up with Arty Hill but now that I have them on my radar I’m going to play closer attention. Their next project is a Hank Williams tribute that mixes covers with originals called Montgomery On My Mind: The Hank EP.
What are the chances that two great honky-tonk records are released within weeks of each other? How high do the odds go if both artists are from Austin, Tx? It’s got to be pretty slim. Here’s the two high priests of honky-tonk in their prime with relevant new records. One is a followup to an early classic in his career and the other is a continuation of stellar release after stellar release.
Dale Watson’s new record is The Truckin Session Vol 2. It’s out now on Hyenea (order here). Wayne “The Train” Hancock’s new record is Viper Of Melody and comes out April 21 on Bloodshot. Pre-order here (an LP version is available that is a limited edition of 1000 and includes a digital download).
The songs below show that even within a very specific sub genre artists can take a different routes and arrive at just about the same place. Dale’s sound is more electric and hard edged. His vocals are deep and authoritative. On the other hand Wayne has an earthier, more organic sound, it’s a sound that hasn’t changed much since the original twentieth century depression. His themes of hard work, despair and depression are pretty timeless as well.
I couldn’t wait for Honky-Tonk Friday to post these nuggets from Li’l Mo and the Monicats. Li’l Mo has a new record that came out on Cow Island Music on March 17 titled On the Moon. It’s not hard or rugged country but instead its got that smooth around the edges Patsy Cline country sound.
Cow Island Music may have a terrible name but the label is home to some of the best East coast honky-tonkers like The Dixons, Starline Rhythm Boys, Nate Gibson, and Preacher Jack. So while this seems like a random artist on a weird label it’s a little more than that and deserves your full attention.
I got an email with a long backstory about the band Old Californio and their new album Westering. For me the whole thing was a waste of space. Not that the email wasn’t informative and well written but the key fact for me was that Dave Gleason is a fan and plays on the record. That’s all that needed to be said. See, Dave Gleason (and his west coast consorts like Mike Stinson and Tracy Huffman) has been making some of the best alt-country honky-tonk for a decade or so now. His stamp of approval goes a long way.
The new record is due out April 21st and was produced by Alfonso Rodeñas (Mark Olson / Ben Vaughn/ Los Tigres Del Norte). Westering Again was recorded in a converted garage that used to serve as a chicken coup and you can hear that rootsiness in the song “Mother Road”. You can also hear nods to the Grateful Dead, Wilco, Jayhawks and Gram Parsons. The band is celebrating the release of the new record on April 5 at The Grand Ole Echo.
Heybale named their latest record The Last (Great) Country Album without a hint of irony or sarcasm. That’s saying something. Heybale is a group of Austin’s finest pickers and players led by the timeless Redd Volkaert.
I wrote about the band here first when their record came out. They’ll be playing both Friday and Saturday night but you should probably try to catch them at the Continental Club, it’s their home away from home.
I don’t think of Chicago as a honky-tonk city. But perhaps it should be as we have such crappy weather, an abundance of dive bars and a history of once being a Western cow town. Chicago’s own True Historians play some pretty righteous honky-tonk. The lead vocalist has a nice nasally Buddy Holly delivery and the musicians are mostly made up of top notch players from Texas.
The band has just released their debut self-titled record and it’s just what you might expect from a group of hard drinkin’ Texans. Buy it here.
P.S. I was putting together a post on the Knoxville based folk/swing/1920’s band Christabel and the Jons when I came across a fine review already published by A Fifty Cent Lighter and Whiskey Buzz so I’m just going to give that post an amen! and link to it here.
I’m so excited about the new record from Lana Rebel of Juanita Family (here) and Last Of The Juanitas fame that I couldn’t wait `til honky-tonk Friday to post “Loneliest Love Song” from her 2008 release All I Need.
The new record is a combination of various dustbowl styles from folk to pure country, above it all hovers Ms. Lana’s wonderful rich voice. The songs I’ve heard from this record don’t have that hard edged honky tonk sound. Which is fine by me. Instead they all sound a little resigned, reserved and refined. This record certainly deserves to be in the most overlooked and deserving records of the year category. Pick it up now through CD Baby here.
I once wondered if Brooklyn wasn’t the new Nashville (evidence here, here, here). But judging from the amount of country inspired bands that have come out of Canada in the past three years perhaps the great white north is the new epicenter of the country music universe. I haven’t spent any time in Canada but I’m sure there are both beautiful rural areas and sophisticated cosmopolitan cities. I’m also sure our neighbor to the north has the right conditions for honky-tonk: namely loneliness, isolation, depression and whiskey.
Scotty Campbell and His Wardenaires are the perfect example of this new face of honky-tonk. He’s been called Canada’s best unsigned country act and he and the band have also just won an award for Best Roots Music Act at the recent Hammy’s (Hamilton Music Awrds).
“Smokin’ and Drinkin’” is the title track from Scotty’s 2008 release. I’m guessing it probably encapsulates Scotty and the band to a T. Here are some upcoming dates to give you an idea of the true Honky-Tonks they have up North. Order the new record here via CD Baby.
Nov 29 2008 9:00 – The Ironwood stage and Grill Calgary, Alberta
Dec 21 2008 4:00 – The Cadillac Lounge Toronto, Ontario
Feb 6 2009 10:00 – The Dakota Tavern Toronto, Ontario
Seriously how can I not write about Horatio Lee Jenkins and his drinking song “Drunker Than Satan”? The song is a tale of how our brave narrator accepts a drinking duel from Satan. The song is not rocket science (hell, even Sarah Palin could follow it) so I won’t say anything more about the plot. But do listen it’s pretty clever. Then check out “It’s OK To Be Gay” – proof positive that not all rednecks are conservative m’fers.
One of my randomnest discoveries of earlier this year was the really rough and lofi honky-tonk of Tony Wain And The Payne (here). Their early demos were some of the least produced, most boozy, ramshackle gorgeous things I’ve ever heard. They’ve tightened things up just a bit and say they are going to release something this fall.
The band is the toast and pride of Ashville, NC. The band’s next show is at something called the Mellow Mushroom Halloween Blowout on Oct. 31. If you live within 200 miles I’d suggest you check it out. Here’s two new whiskey and beer drenched songs from the band.
The new Wasco Brothers record Jackknife is proof positive that you don’t need a good press packet, band photo, cd artwork or even a good band name (I can’t not read that as Waco Brothers!) to create lasting music. The band’s new cd is a stretch for Honky-Tonk Friday as it’s said to incorporate elements of pub rock, British invasion and even a bit of psychedelia.
But the song “What You Doing…” has just the right combination of twangy telecasters and heartbreak to qualify as honky-tonk. Order Jackknifehere through Miles Of Music (It’s A Cracker – 100% Guaranteed).
I’m staying in my own backyard for this week’s “Honky-Tonk Friday”. The Gin Palace Jesters are a Chicago based group of honky-tonk hillbillys. They’ve got a couple fine records out that by and large feature their own original songs about drinking, hillbilly love, and broken hearts. I’m impressed with the band’s ability to navigate between 50’s rockibilly, western swing, and hardcore country.
The band opens up for Dale Watson at Fitzgerald’s on Sept 5. Buy their new record Roadhouse Riot…And Other Songs With Wordshere.
Here I am to fulfill my contractually mandated 1 post a day. Plus it’s honky-tonk Friday so I didn’t want to leave you high and dry on that front.
This song from the Dedringers is more of a combination Big Star meets Wilco than say the true honky-tonk of Waylon, Merle or Johnny. But with lines like these it’s clear where these young Texan’s hearts reside:
Woke up in a van sleeping down by the river
Goddamn my liver, how long have I been here?
Knocked out loaded since the trailer exploded
I aint seen the sun since the last time I voted
in ‘88
The band’s new release came out in July, but is just now starting to tear up the americana charts and sympathetic radio stations like MMM in Madison. Buy Sweetheart of the Neighborhoodhere via Waterloo Records.
Some of my all time favorite records over the last decade or five have been gospel influenced, which is strange because I’m actually indifferent about the traditional genre known as “Gospel Music”. Whether it’s Johnny Cash singing gospel hymns or Gordon Gano hashing through his religious beliefs or even Iris Dement’s small little gospel record she released five years back, these albums with their celebration of life complete with all it’s ups and downs are very attractive to me.
One of the new era gospel records I have been looking forward to is the one being put out by Signature Sounds this August by The Sacred Shakers featuring Eilen Jewell. In fact this record has more in common with early Sun Records period Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley than any of the schlock that passes for contemporary Christian music today. It’s rooted in the blues/folk and hard country of the Southern states with a healthy dose of Texas two step mixed in for good measure. It doesn’t hurt that Eilen Jewell is the lead singer on a number of these tracks, her voice is as suited to gospel as is the the alt-country she’s become known for on her solo releases. This is some of the most uplifting, heart healthy music you’re likely to hear and this is coming from a life long agnostic who’s verging toward atheism with every new calamity and moral collapse.
Pre-order this August 12 release here or here (it’s a much better deal here).
Glad you found me at my new url. Songs:Illinois is committed to writing about music that is under-appreciated and unique. I've found that the music I write about shares a couple of traits. And they are: lyrical integrity, musically diverse, and written/performed by compelling characters.
Most songs found here are free and legal and have been provided by either the artist or label. If for some reason you'd like to have a song removed, please email me at cbonnell (at) gmail.com.
