Archive for the ‘Texas’ Category

SXSW Preview – Adam Carroll – “Live At Flipnotics”

Tuesday, March 16th, 2010

I’ve written a bunch about Adam Carroll. I’ve covered his solo records (here), a duo record with Michael O’Connor (here) and now a live from Flipnotics Cafe record.

To quote myself here’s what I originally wrote about the song “Oklahoma Gypsy Shuffler” when it first appeared on Adam’s record Old Town Rock N Roll:

The song is about a loner who roams the land getting into and out of trouble, both mortal and of the soul. With lines like “drivin’ down the west coast highway”, “songs out the window was all he had to lose” (can’t you just picture the songs floating out the window?), “cuttin’ heads on the chitlin’ circuit”, and “snorting cocaine off a buck knife” Oklahoma Gypsy Shuffler is as timeless as the Oklahoma dust bowl and the howling winds of West Texas.

I think that pretty much nails it, except to say that this live record features production and playing by Scrappy Jud Newcomb and along with the older songs Adam throws in a couple of new ones. If you are an Adam Carroll completist like myself you’ll want to buy this one (here). Catch Adam Carroll at Flipnotics on 9pm on Friday night and then stay for friend and Austin legend Beaver Nelson (or go a little early to see Scrappy Jud Newcomb).

Oklahoma Gypsy Shuffle

Adam Carroll with Scrappy Jud Newcomb

Posted in Adam Carroll, Folk, SXSW, Singer-Songwriter, Texas, Uncategorized | No Comments »

{MP3} Slaid Cleaves – “Everything You Love Will Be Taken Away” (Music Road Records, April 21)

Monday, March 23rd, 2009

Slaid Cleaves may not be the king of Austin singer-songwriters, that title still belongs to Willie Nelson, but he is certainly one of it’s Princes. Thus it was important for me to pay my respects on my last night in Austin. Slaid was the headliner at the famed Cactus Cafe on a night filled with the cream of the crop from Austin and beyond (Sam Baker, Rod Picot and Amanda Shire, Gurf Morlix, Matt the Electrician, and Graham Weber). He was there touting a bunch of new songs from his upcoming self released record Everything You Love Will Be Taken Away.

“Cry” is the title track and according to Slaid’s bio sets the tempo/theme for the record, “Whether it’s your loved ones, your way of life, or even just your sense of innocence and hope, every song in some way is about how it all gets taken away.” Slaid has left the comfy confines of the Rounder Records behomoth and joined the co-op label Music Road Records founded by friend and musician Jimmy LaFave. Slaid now has his destiny in his own hands with this new diy route, ““I’m in on all the decisions,” says Cleaves. “It feels good to have so much more control over my fate now. I figured, I cut my own hair, I fix my own car — so why shouldn’t I be the one responsible for getting this work of mine out into the world?”

“Cry” is relentlessly down with lines like “every blue sky fades to gray”, “watch your little heart get crushed” and of course “everything you love will get taken away”. But it’s cathartic as well. I’m still listening to the entire record but this song and the others Slaid played live bode well.

You can (and should) pre-order this April 21st release here though Amazon.

Cry

“One Good Year”

Stream more songs here:



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Posted in Americana, SXSW, Singer-Songwriter, Slaid Cleaves, Texas, Uncategorized | 2 Comments »

{SXSW Preview & New Record Review} Danny Schmidt “Instead The Forest Rose To Sing” (Red House Records, March 10)

Monday, March 2nd, 2009

Instead The Forest Rose To Sing is the new record from Austin singer-songwriter and poet Danny Schmidt. I add that “poet” tag to separate Danny from the hundreds of singer songwriters and folk artists toiling away in near obscurity whose songs never rise above the mundane and ordinary. As I (and others) have said before Danny is one of the great songwriters working today. Add to that the fact that he plays guitar effortlessly and jawdroppingly well makes anything he does potentially great.

The new record has several songs that will stand the test of time and others that are sleepers that will grow more potent with age. On the new record Danny tackles the question and value of money on several songs. For instance “Better Off Broke”, with it’s lyrics of “You’re better off broke with soup in your belly. Than sittin’ there hungry round a pot of gold”, addresses the age old question of whether money will make you happy. That same theme pops up again on the bank robbery gone bad tale of misfortune “Two Timing Bank Robbers Lament”. Money on a global stage comes into play on one of my favorite songs on the record in “Southland Street”. It’s the story of the rise of industry in the US complete with it’s fall after production moves south and then east. I know that sounds a little dry but the song is at once deeply personal and at the same time universal.

The emotional heart of the record has got to be “Grandpa Built Bridges”. As Danny describes it this is a song on how our urban and technologically advanced culture no longer is in touch with ancient cultures and the ways those cultures dealt with death and dying. Here’s a stanza or two (all of the lyrics as well as a short description of each song can be found here):

Grampa buried dignity when he got old
Like a killer and child now for seven long years
But he wets his own britches if he’s not told
But he used to build bridges, they would light em up at night

Grampa built bridges, they were delicate webs
With ridges and valleys joined hand in hand
When Grandma went empty the last of her days
He told her she’d come and could go with grace

Instead… is out on March 10 on Red House Records and can be pre-ordered here now through Amazon. Danny Schmidt’s official showcase is at The Driskill Hotel on Thursday, March 19.

Here’s one of the sleepers on the new record. It came to life with incredible force this weekend at the house concert we hosted with Danny Schmidt and Pokey Lafarge.

Firestorm

Bonus:
Southland Street (live at Cactus Club)

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Posted in Danny Schmidt, Folk, Singer-Songwriter, Texas | 2 Comments »

Exclusive first listen to “What Love Can Do” by Austin supergroup The Resentments (Freedom Records, Jan. 20)

Thursday, January 8th, 2009

Can you call The Resentments a supergroup when the bulk of the population doesn’t know of a single soul in the band? In the world of Americana roots music you can. Whether these guys are household names or not, the band’s musical pedigree (besides being made up of a bunch of mutts) is very high. Comprised of “Scrappy” Jud Newcomb, Stephen Bruton, John Dee Graham, Bruce Hughes and John Chipman, this band can seem a little schizophrenic on record depending on who is singing and the style of song being played but their live show is renowned in Austin. At one point culminating in their even being named the best bar band in America.

“What Love Can Do” is the Graham Parker, Elvis Costello and Richard Thompson inspired “pop” single replete with squeezebox and mandolin. Buy the new record Roselight here.

What Love Can Do

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Posted in Americana, Texas, The Resentments | 1 Comment »

Sad News: Asaurus Records Goes Down Fighting With Upcoming Release By The Mathletes – V.U. And B&S Covers By The Mathletes

Tuesday, May 13th, 2008

There’s a bit of sad record label news this morning. Asaurus Records has announced it’s taking a permanent vacation. Asaurus is/was one of the coolest little lofi records on the planet. Their catalog consists of seminal recordings by Colin Clary, the Mathletes, Pants Yell!, Red Pony Clock and Capstan Shafts.

The last threatened release should be something new from The Mathletes in June. It may or may not include these cover songs released this year as a free download. Here’s “What Goes On” by VU and “Seeing Other People” by Belle and Sebastian. In the meantime head over to the Asaurus store before it closes for handmade, cdr releases from all of the above plus many more.

What Goes On
Seeing Other People

And impossibly – The Mathletes on PBS

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Posted in Indie Rock, Lofi, Texas | Comments Off

Rodney Parker And 50 Peso Reward – “The Lonesome Dirge” (Self-released, April 8)

Wednesday, February 13th, 2008

The title The Lonesome Dirge is a bit of a misnomer for this brawny heartland rock meets smoky Texas twang of a record from Rodney Parker and 50 Peso Reward.

I wrote about Rodney Parker way back in the infancy of this site. So there’s some history there. That counts for something, plus the $100 dollar bill inside the CD case (just kidding). But all of that familiarity doesn’t breed contempt, nor does it lessen the fact that this sounds like a damn fine record.

The song “11 Hours” is a standout track, but it’s the only one like it on the record. “11 Hours” is an atmospheric ballad that’s vocals are run through a long delay. It’s unlike a lot of the rockers on The Lonesome Dirge until the end when it kicks it up a notch. If this piques your interest find out more here.

11 Hours

Posted in Alt-country, Americana, Texas | 3 Comments »

Danny Schmidt’s “Grey Sheep” (One of the best records of the new year…there I said it!) (Waterbug Records, Feb. 19)

Thursday, January 31st, 2008

For me, and with my particular tastes, I’m comfortable saying that the new record by Austin-based singer-songwriter Danny Schmidt is the best of the new year. By now Danny’s got a recognizable and distinctive vocal delivery and I love it. His songs are as literate, and can be as funny and clever, as anyone else in the songwriting racket today.

I’ve written about his upcoming record, Grey Sheep, here, but frankly I did so too early. His record has a Feb. 19 release date and at the time of my initial mention there was nowhere to pick up this great CD. But now there is. Buy it here via his label, Waterbug, now.

Danny Schmidt’s description of “Cliff Song” is better than anything I can come up with.

“This song was the letter back to my first love, assuaging her fears that the cliffside path I was proposing was ripe with astonishing sights more than it was riddled with trepidation.”

Joia Wood is the featured female vocal on this song. Paul Curreri (aka Mr. Devon Sproule) did wonders with a production job that at times is simple and lets the playing come through, and at other times is a little bit more atmospheric, which is well suited to the lyrics.

Cliff Song

Bonus “cover” song from Paul Curreri and Devon Sproule from the free online ep – Valentine Duets

All The Best (John Prine “cover”)

Posted in Americana, Folk, Singer-Songwriter, Texas | 1 Comment »