songs:illinois » Newgrass

Honky-Tonk Friday – The Emmitt-Nershi Band (members of Leftover Salmon and The String Cheese Incident)(Sci-Fidelity, Sept 29)

Craig — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 14:41:56 +0000

Of course this song by the Emmitt Nershi Band is not honky-tonk. But I’m being pretty loosey goosey with that term. The band gets it’s name from some real kings of the newgrass/jamgrass movement. Drew Emmitt (Leftover Salmon) is on mandolin & vocals and Bill Nershi (the String Cheese Incident) is on acoustic guitar and vocals.

On the title track “New Country Blues” the musical performances are near virtuosic and the lyrics hit all the key country themes (corn whiskey, country life vs. city life, and holding your best girl in your arms).

Preorder New Country Blues here.

New Country Blues

{MP3} Sarah Jarosz – “Song Up In Her Head” (Sugar Hill, June 16)

Craig — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 14:44:12 +0000

Sarah Jarosz got more attention than any banjo wielding 18 year old could hope to expect from the indie rock music world a few weeks back with the release of her Decemberists cover “Shankill Butchers” (here). I hope now that her Sugar Hill debut is about to be released those same sites continue to write about this up and coming Austin based folk artist.

“Song Up In Her Head” is the title track of her debut on Sugar Hill which is due out June 16th. Sarah’s a talented musician and has a velvet voice that suits her blend of bluegrass/newgrass perfectly. I’m no expert but those in the know (Tim O’Brien and Abigail Washburn) have been singing her praises for a while now. Order the new record now here and be entered into a Sugar Hill contest.

Song Up In Her Head

King Wilkie Presents The King Wilkie Singers

Craig — Fri, 22 May 2009 13:57:12 +0000

King Wilkie is another in a long line of newgrassy groups. Their new record is called King Wilkie Presents the Wilkie Family Singers. The song “Sun and Moon” is over before it truly starts and is framed by a recording of feet entering and then leaving a room. The new project is a concept record that’s modus operandi reminds one a little of the back story of Sgt Pepper’s.

Special guests on the new one include Robyn Hitchcock, Abigail Washburn and Peter Rowan. All In all it’s an adventurous undertaking and shows real risk taking and nerve.

Sun And Moon

Bonus back catalog:

40 West
Broke Down and Lonesome
Lee and Paige
Drifting Away

Newgrass Friday – Belleville Outfit “Time To Stand” (May 12)

Craig — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 12:28:26 +0000

One of Austin’s youngest and best kept secrets (wrote about `em here) is the new grass string band known as the Belleville Outfit. They have a new record called Time To Stand coming out May 12.

“Sunday Morning” captures what the band does best by mixing genres like blues, swing, bluegrass and even gypsy into a sound that’s all their own.

Sunday Morning

{Mp3} Sometymes Why cover Concrete Blond’s “Joey” (from their upcoming release “Your Heart Is A Glorious Machine”)

Craig — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 15:06:21 +0000

The Concrete Blond song “Joey” should probably be left well enough alone. It’s such a heart-rending song that I think it can only been done justice by the cigarette and whiskey ravaged voice of lead singer Johnette Napolitano. To try to make it into a song with beautiful harmonies and gently strummed guitars is really missing the point. The women in Sometymes Why (members of Uncle Earl, the Mammals, and Crooked Still) may have a fine record on their hands but it’s hard be too excited after hearing this song.

The new record, Your Heart Is A Glorious Machine, out in March on Signature Sounds.

Joey

Original video for “Joey”