Hank III's Rebel is Still Within

I toss out the phrase “not reinventing the wheel” pretty freely here. I don’t mean nothing by it; all I’m saying is that a band has found something that works for them and their fans and they stick with it. You don’t want to pick up, say, a Metallica record only to find out they’ve decided to have a try at some Lady Gaga sounds. No, you sure don’t.

Take it as an endorsement, then, when I tell you Hank III ain’t reinventing nothing on Rebel Within, his new album. “I’m drunk (again), and stoned (again), let’s fuck (again) ‘til dawn (again),” goes the title track. So it should come as no surprise to fans that III is still drifting, stoned, lonesome, and everything else he’s been for the past decade.

As someone said on the Hank III message board: “I think he's gonna do whatever the fuck he wants to anyway...no matter how many people pick it apart.” So if you haven’t liked his previous albums, you won’t like this one. But if you, like me, are a fan, then you’re going to want to get yourself a copy of Rebel Within.

Rebel Within.mp3

Labels: alt.country, psychobilly

posted by aikin @ 7:00 AM 0 Comments

Free Cigarettes for Drunken Minors

Yesterday, while I was looking for info about the Living Deadbeats, I noticed one of their MySpace “friends” was a fellow Vancouver-based band called Free Cigarettes for Drunken Minors. I’ve mentioned before that I’m a sucker for a cool band name, so I had to see what was going on there.

What I found was guitarist Kara Beaner and banjo player Dirty Swagger, who together play what they call a “rotten brand of country punk.” They’ve also described themselves as “the Eurythmics of the drunk rawk scene.”

What you get is an acoustic duo that has been together since the mid-90’s, entertaining the masses with tastefully twangy tunes such as “Hard Luck Motherfucker,” “Whiskey Demons,” and today’s selection, “Hangover.”

You can also get more information about Free Cigarettes for Drunken Minors from their MySpace page. (Taken out of context, that sentence sounds like either the worst or the funniest PSA ever.)

Hangover.mp3

Labels: alt.country, punk, rockabilly

posted by aikin @ 10:24 AM 2 Comments

'How'd a White Boy Get the Blues?'

Is it too early in the day to star drinking whiskey? ‘Cause dammit that’s what Popa Chubby makes me want to do.

Popa Chubby (more on the name in a bit) plays the kind of raunchy blues / rock-a-billy / old-school country that you want to hear in a bar, not sitting on the couch in your living room at 10 in the morning. Last year he released his 19th album, Vicious Country, a disk that not only showed off his talent on the guitar, but also paid tribute to the legendary music that has influenced him along the way. The album, while not attracting much mainstream attention, continued to build on the legend that is Chubby.

Ted Horowitz came out of the Bronx, raised on Clapton, Hendrix, and the Stones. By the time he was in his early 20’s, he had found his love for the blues, but had also found his way into occasional work with Richard Hell. Ted’s first big break was winning a national blues talent search sponsored by KLON, a public radio station in Long Beach, Calif.

I’ve found two versions as to how Ted Horowitz became Popa Chubby. The first comes from something Chubby himself said. He was jamming one night with Bernie Worrell of Parliament-Funkadelic, he says, and, “He was singing a song called ‘Popa Chubby’ and he pointed at me.”

“Popa Chubby basically means to get excited. The core of my music is about excitement. I think music should make people feel alive.”

The other version – unsourced, I might add, but on the Popa Chubby Wiki page – claims the name is a variation of the term “pop a chubby.” My guess is that, as usual, the truth is somewhere between the two versions.

Popa Chubby’s 20th album, The Fight Is On, is due out March 22. If you can’t find it your local big box retailer (haha!), you can order it from the Popa Chubby website. In the meantime, here are a couple of things from the Vicious Country LP. The woman on vocals is Galea, Chubby’s sometime bass player and longtime collaborator.

Break Me Down.mp3
Satan is Real / Straight to Hell (Hank III cover).mp3
Harper Valley P.T.A. (Jeannie C. Riley cover).mp3

Labels: alt.country, blues, covers, rockabilly

posted by aikin @ 11:00 AM 0 Comments

‘This is a song Charles Manson stole from the Beatles...’

For my entry in the macabre post of the month sweepstakes, it was 40 years ago tonight that Charles Manson sent four of his followers to Cielo Drive in Los Angeles to commit the gruesome murders that were supposed to lay the groundwork for his vision of Helter Skelter.

As Manson interpreted it, Helter Skelter would be an apocalyptic war that would arise from tension over racial relations between blacks and whites. In his courtroom testimony, prosecution witness and Family hanger-on Paul Watkins explained how it would happen: “There would be some atrocious murders; that some of the spades from Watts would come up into the Bel-Air and Beverly Hills districts and just really wipe some people out, just cut bodies up and smear blood and write things on the wall in blood.

“So, in retaliation,” Watkins continued, “this would scare; in other words, all the other white people would be afraid that this would happen to them, so out of their fear they would go into the ghetto and just start shooting black people like crazy.”

The resultant rampage by frightened whites would be exploited by militant blacks to provoke a war of mutual near-extermination between racist and non-racist whites over the treatment of blacks. The militants would arise to finish off the few whites that had survived.

In this holocaust the members of Manson’s Family would have little to fear; they would wait out the war in a secret city underneath California’s Death Valley. As the sole remaining whites, they would emerge from underground to rule the now-satisfied blacks, who, as the vision went, would be incapable of running the world.

When you’re discussing how Manson managed to twist the Beatles’ lyrics into these bizarre ideas, your guess is as good as mine. We’re obviously not dealing with a rational mind. According to Vincent Bugliosi, prosecutor on the Manson case and author of the book “Helter Skelter,” Manson believed that the lyrics “When I get to the bottom I go back to the top of the slide / Where I stop and I turn and I go for a ride” was an obvious reference to the Family's emergence from “the Bottomless Pit” – the underground hideaway. Manson also twisted “Helter Skelter... She's coming down fast” to mean that race war was imminent.

Of course, the Beatles were shocked to learn of Manson's interpretation of their lyrics. As Ringo Starr would later say, all the Beatles ever stood for was peace, love, and harmony.

Helter Skelter.mp3 ~ The Beatles
Helter Skelter (take 2).mp3 ~ The Beatles
Helter Skelter (live).mp3 ~ U2
Helter Skelter.mp3 ~ Aerosmith
Helter Skelter.mp3 ~ Motley Crue
Helter Skelter (live).mp3 ~ Motley Crue
My Monkey (demo).mp3 ~ Marilyn Manson
Helter Skelter.mp3 ~ Henhouse Prowlers
Helter Skelter (Dizmaster remix).mp3 ~ Sam Punk

~~~~~
By the way, if you haven't read "Helter Skelter" by Vincent Bugliosi, it's a fascinating and very readable account of the events leading up to the Tate/LaBianca murders and the subsequent trial. I fully recommend it to you.

Also, if you're wondering, the bottom picture is an actual Helter Skelter.

Labels: alt.country, Beatles, classic rock, covers, glam, industrial, live albums, metal, outtakes, remix

posted by aikin @ 12:31 PM 0 Comments

Music from My Mailbox

Some pretty tasty things in this go ‘round of the Licorice Pizza mailbox purge. There’s a cover of an old Sweet song and the first single from a garage band super group.

I’ll get right to my pick of the month, which is “Bow Down and Die,” from The Almighty Defenders, the aforementioned supergroup. It’s a funny thing because when I first read the email, I thought these guys had potential to suck. Wrong I was. Their debut album isn’t due until September, but this preview of the collab between the Black Lips, King Kahn, and Mark Sultan, is some wonderfully grungy gospel.

Somewhat in the same vein is the Generationals, whose “When They Fight They Fight,” reminds me much of the old girl groups. I’m hearing a lot of groups tending back toward the old-school sound, which pleases me. I’m more than sick of the over-hyped electronica. Just pick up a guitar and play. There are a few of those types here today, such as Dala and Cory Chisel.

One other band that needs some special mention is The Lonely H. They’re bringing a sound that would not at all be out of place on a 1970's FM radio dial. And I mean that in a good way. Check ‘em out. There are also a couple bands here that I may have posted before, but as long as they’re sending me decent music, I’m going to share it.

As always, follow the links for more information.

Generationals
Indie
From: New Orleans, La.
Band MySpace
When They Fight, They Fight.mp3

Citay
Happy Hardcore / German pop / Soul
From: San Francisco, Calif.
Band MySpace
Set Me Free (Sweet cover).mp3

Floating Action
Other
From: Black Mountain, U.S.
Band MySpace
50 Lashes.mp3

The Almighty Defenders
Garage / Rock
From: Beverly Hills, Calif.
Band MySpace
Bow Down and Die.mp3

The Lonely H
Classic Rock / Americana / Indie
From: Port Angeles, Wash.
Band MySpace
Diggin’ a Hole.mp3

Will Dailey
Rock / Acoustic / Roots Music
From: Boston, Mass.
Band MySpace
Colour of Spring (Talk Talk cover).mp3

Dala
Acoustic / Indie
From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Band MySpace
Anywhere Under the Moon.mp3

Emmy the Great
Chinese traditional
From: U.K.
Band MySpace
She Almost Had a Baby (Simon Raymonde mix).mp3

Charlie Morris
Blues / Acoustic / Americana
From: St. Petersburg, Fla.
Band MySpace
Stagger Home to My Baby .mp3

Japandroids
Garage / Rock
From: Vancouver, Canada
Band MySpace
Young Hearts Spark Fire.mp3

Radical Sons
Indie / Rock
From: St. Louis, Mo.
Band MySpace
All Signs Show.mp3


Cory Chisel & the Wandering Sons
Americana / Folk / Neo-Soul
From: Appleton, USA
Band MySpace
Born Again.mp3

~~~~~
(Pictures, top-to-bottom: Generationals, The Almighty Defenders, Dala, and Japandroids)

Labels: alt.country, folk, garage rock, indie, pop muzik, rock

posted by aikin @ 3:30 PM 0 Comments

Music from My Mailbox

Tons of stuff in this early month mailbox purge. Even as I compile this, more music is flooding the LICORICE PIZZA inbox, so with luck and proper organizational skills, I may actually get out another mailbox post this month. Let’s all keep our fingers crossed.

You’re going to see a couple more than usual electro-dance sorta things. Everybody wants to be the next Lady Gaga. I usually just delete these and move on unless I think the song is catchy or somewhat interesting, or if I just happen to be in a good mood. Two of the more interesting are the tracks by Ze! and Emma. Ze’s in particular has an 80’s synth vibe to it.

On the rock side of the street is where you’re going to find my pick of the litter, which goes this time to The Perms for their solid indie rock – not a ZZ Top cover – track, “Give Me All Your Lovin’.” I’m also liking the county-tinged tracks by Leslie and the Badgers and the interestingly named Donny Hue and The Colors.

As always, follow the links for more information.

The Perms
Powerpop / Indie / Rock
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Band MySpace
Give Me All Your Lovin’.mp3

Ancient Astronauts
Down-tempo / Funk / Hip Hop
Cologne, Germany
Band MySpace
Everybody.mp3

Zé!
Electro / Pop / Disco House
Kuala Lumpur / Brussels / London, UK
Band MySpace
I Am Glam.mp3

Leslie and the Badgers
Indie / Folk Rock / Country
Pompadourous Angeles, Calif.
Band MySpace
Los Angeles.mp3

Jessie Murphy In The Woods
Indie / Lyrical / Glam
New York, N.Y.
Band MySpace
In the Woods.mp3

EMMA
Rap / Electro / Club
Essen // Düsseldorf, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
Band MySpace
Couch Potato.mp3

Donny Hue and the Colors
Other / Experimental / Country
Brooklyn, N.Y.
Band MySpace
I speak of the Hayseed Cousins.mp3

Jeannine Hebb
Pop / R&B / Rock
Brooklyn, N.Y.
Band MySpace
Things Haven’t Been So Bad Lately.mp3

The Plastic Revolution
Pop / Rock / Electronica
San Diego, Los Angeles, Calif., & New York, N.Y.
Band MySpace
Sex-Crazed.mp3

TPF!
Electro / Punk
Los Angeles, Calif.
Band MySpace
143.mp3

new numbers
Indie
Brooklyn, N.Y.
Band MySpace
Whatever I Want.mp3

~~~~~
pictures, top-to-bottom: Ancient Astronauts, Emma, TPF

Labels: alt.country, electronic, funk, hip-hop, indie, new stuff

posted by aikin @ 11:39 AM 1 Comments

Steve Earle pays tribute to Townes Van Zandt

I just got the new Steve Earle album, Townes, which is a tribute to Earle’s friend and mentor, Townes Van Zandt. Admittedly, this disk is a little outside my usual tastes, but then again, I’ve long been a fan of “outlaw” country.

What fascinates me as much as his music is Earle’s story. His return from addiction is nothing short of inspirational. Once you've picked it up, it’s hard to put down the crack pipe and return to real life. Mix heroin into that party, as Earle did, and you’ve got a real recipe for disaster.

The latest issue of Rolling Stone has a feature article on Earle, wherein he talks about meeting Van Zandt and the influence Van Zandt had on his life and his music. In recording this disk, Earle told Rolling Stone he “wanted to capture the Van Zandt he recalled from his memory, when his friend was at his peak.”

The songs Earle selected, he says, are the ones that he feels personally connected to and mean the most to him. The music ranges from “(Quicksilver Daydreams of) Maria,” which was on Townes’ 1968 debut LP, For the Sake of the Song to “Marie,” from his 1994 album No Deeper Blue.

Earle laid down the basic tracks in his New York apartment before taking the recordings to Nashville to finish the album. His wife and his son both contribute individual guest vocals on the album. Also of note is the appearance of former Rage and current Street Sweeper guitarist Tom Morello on “Lungs,” which is often considered one of Van Zandt’s masterpieces.

I’m woefully unschooled in Van Zandt’s music. Before picking up this disk, the only thing I can say for sure I’ve heard is the Merle Haggard / Willie Nelson cover of “Pancho & Lefty” (which Earle covers here). Townes, to the best of my limited knowledge about the man and his music, pays formidable tribute in a way no one but Steve Earle could have done.

Lungs.mp3

Labels: alt.country, new stuff

posted by aikin @ 10:05 PM 0 Comments

Joe Pug's 'Nation of Heat'

Let me blaspheme right now and get it out of the way. I only recently became a fan of Joe Pug, but upon my first several listenings to his Nation of Heat EP I had one thought in mind: Dylan-esque. High praise maybe, and it’s yet to be seen if his career can span 40-some-odd years, but I like the way he has started.

It’s only been a couple of years since Pug decided to be a musician, throwing in the towel on college and moving to Chicago from North Carolina. He played his first headlining show last May, at Chicago's legendary Schuba’s Tavern. Two weeks later he released Nation of Heat.

Barely a year later, Pug is scheduled to play several summer festivals, including Bonnaroo next month and Lollapalooza in August. He’s also touring with Steve Earle for several dates this summer, including a June 18 show at the Crighton Theatre in Conroe, Texas, which will be the only time you’re going to hear me say I wish I still lived in Conroe.

An October appearance on NPR brought high praise for the 23-year-old singer/songwriter: “Not only does [the] Chicago-based singer have a beautifully mature voice, but the lyrics...possess wisdom seemingly beyond his age.”

Absolutely. When I first discovered Pug, and started looking for more information and music, I was surprised to learn he was so young. Pug is working on his debut full-length, which will be a sort of litmus test as to whether he can sustain the buzz from his EP. Comparisons to Bob Dylan and Josh Ritter tend to put a lot of pressure on a person, but I like this guy’s music and hope he can pull it off.

Hymn #101.mp3
Nation of Heat.mp3

Click over to Joe Pug’s MySpace for his summer tour dates and other things you need to know.

Labels: alt.country, folk

posted by aikin @ 11:11 AM 1 Comments

Music from My Mailbox

This weekend seemed like a good time to clean out the Licorice Pizza mailbox. As daunting as that task seemed at first, it turned out it was mostly filled with the usual cheap Viagra ads and pleas from widowed South African heiresses. Once all that was deleted, I was able to sort through the good stuff and see what kind of new music I could check out.

Turns out there were a good variety of things; like usual something for most tastes. One of the most interesting finds was O’Death, a New York band that combines elements of bluegrass and jug band music to create something sort of creepy. A very interesting listen, though.

I was also pleased to see some new music from The Sword, who is currently out on tour with Metallica. This could be the exposure these guys need to break out.

Like always, follow the links for more info.

The Sword
Metal / Rock
From: Austin, Texas
Band MySpace
How Heavy This Axe.mp3

Gladshot
Pop
From: New York, NY
Band MySpace
He Was Gone.mp3

Art Whiplash
Electronica / Thrash
From: Paris, France
Band MySpace
Party, Sex, and Bullshit.mp3

Buffalo Drive
Healing & Easy Listening / Lyrical / Lounge
From: New York, NY
Band MySpace
Peter & George.mp3

J-Roddy Walston and the Business
Rock / Rock / Rock
From: Baltimore, Md.
Band MySpace
I Used to Did.mp3

Sedium
Rock / Alternative
From: Austin, Texas
Band MySpace
Skank.mp3

O’Death
Gothic / Country / Punk
From: New York, NY
Band MySpace
Lowtide.mp3

Offlimit
Alternative / Indie / Rock
From: Tunbridge Wells, London, and the southeast UK
Band MySpace
Get Out.mp3

Labels: "alternative", alt.country, electronic, indie, metal

posted by aikin @ 6:48 PM 0 Comments

Lovesick, Broke, and Drunk: New Hank III

I haven’t seen any mention around the blogosphere (at least the places I frequent), but I believe you good people need to know that Hank III’s latest album dropped yesterday.

Damn Right, Rebel Proud doesn’t necessarily break any new ground: III is still lovesick, broke, and driftin’, but to that you can add pissed off and drunk. In the opening track, “The Grand Ole Opry (Ain’t So Grand)”, Hank III focuses his ire at the country music establishment that refuses to reinstate his grandfather to the Grand Ole Opry. A few songs later he’s “Stoned and Alone,” drowning his sorrow in a few shots of Jack.

The album is full of the twang of “real country” that III has come to embody. After hearing Straight to Hell last year, I went back and listened to Hank’s older albums. He’s always been true to his vision of country music; nowhere are you going to find the Nashville-friendly pop country he rails against. On the contrary, with each successive release, III has further melded the seeming diverse genres of country and punk into his own hellbilly sound. Damn Right, Rebel Proud doesn’t pack the bludgeon of Assjack, Hank III’s hardcore band, but it comes as close as you can get with a fiddle and steel guitar.

If you haven’t before listened to Hank III, I cannot strongly enough encourage you to do so. And if you haven’t had the chance yet to see him perform live, well, you need to. It’s an unforgettable experience.

The Grand Ole Opry (Ain’t So Grand).mp3

Labels: alt.country, country music, new stuff

posted by aikin @ 9:23 PM 0 Comments

Music from My Mailbox

My inbox has been overflowing with music lately. One good thing is that I’m seeing a trend toward rock, punk, and pop-punk stuff rather than the “indie” music I had been seeing. No offense, but it’s all in personal preferences and I prefer rock.

That said, there is still a pretty good selection of things here and – whether your musical tastes always mesh with mine or not – I think you’ll find something here that you can listen to.

Like always, follow the links for more info.

o'death
gothic / country / punk
From: New York, NY
Band MySpace
Lowtide.mp3

The BPA
Acousmatic / Tape music / Psychobilly / Powerpop
From: United Kingdom
Band MySpace
Toe Jam.mp3 (with David Byrne and Dizzee Rascal)

Matt and Kim
Other
From: Brooklyn, NY
Band MySpace
Daylight.mp3

HADOUKEN!
Indie / Electronica / Pop
From: London, United Kingdom
Band MySpace
Get Smashed Gate Crash.mp3

The Dead Trees
Folk Rock / Grime / Americana
From: Portland, Oregon
Band MySpace
Shelter.mp3

Emilie Simon
Electronica / Pop / Experimental
From: France
Band MySpace
Space Oddity (David Bowie cover).mp3

Bankrupt
Punk / Rock / Psychobilly
From: Budapest, Hungary
Band MySpace
Sidewinder.mp3

Spider Problem
Rock / Rock / Rock
From: Los Angeles, Calif.
Band MySpace
Bullet.mp3

Labels: alt.country, indie, pop-punk, psychobilly, punk

posted by aikin @ 11:01 AM 2 Comments

Music from My Mailbox

As usual well past due, here’s the latest (and not-so-latest) from the Licorice Pizza mailbox. There’s a pretty good selection of stuff here; something for everyone’s palate, I think.

My personal pick of the litter is the tune from Brooklyn’s TK Webb & the Visions, “Teen is Still Shaking.” This is a spacey metal song with Dylan-esque vocals. My vote for weirdest song is Lexicon’s hip-hop take on the Ramones “I Wanna Be Sedated.” And winning the honor for “Singer I’d Most Like to Leave Everything For” is Kirsten Price.

Like always, follow the links for more info.

Ed Laurie
Acoustic / Folk
From: United Kingdom
Band MySpace
Meanwhile in the Park.mp3

TK Webb & the Visions
Folk / Metal / Psychedelic
From: Brooklyn, NY
Band MySpace
Teen is Still Shaking.mp3

John & Roy
Folk Rock/Roots Music/Reggae
From: Victoria, BC, Canada
MySpace
Another Noon.mp3

The Electric Soft Parade
Other
From: Brighton, South United Kingdom
Band MySpace
Summer’s Slow Meander (2003 b-side).mp3

Kirsten Price
Alternative / Soul
From: Down Underneath the Manhattan Bridge Overpass
Band MySpace
Bring Me Back.mp3

Lonely Boy
Indie / Pop / Acoustic
From: Sweden, Norway
Band MySpace
Girls and Love.mp3

That Handsome Devil
Rock / Alternative / Pop
From: New York
Band MySpace
Squares.mp3

Calexico
Rock / Indie rock / Alt-country
From: Tucson, Ariz
Band Web site
Two Silver Trees.mp3

John Paul Keith & The One Four Fives
Indie / Rock / Country
From: Memphis, Tenn.
Band MySpace
Lookin’ for a Thrill.mp3

Audrye Sessions
Indie
From: Oakland, Calif.
Band MySpace
Turn Me Off.mp3

Lexicon
Hip Hop / Rock / Indie
From: Los Angeles
Band MySpace
I Wanna Be Sedated (Ramones cover).mp3

Labels: alt.country, hip-hop, indie, metal, new stuff, rock

posted by aikin @ 1:57 PM 1 Comments

Dash Rip Rock

I finally got to see Bruce Springsteen last night. The E Street Band made up for – and then some – the show they had to cancel two weeks ago. They played a three-hour rock and roll party, with a mix of old and new, with Bruce even pulling hand-written requests from the audience. I really liked that they rocked so hard, with Bruce and Little Steven facing off in guitar duels and Bruce emphasizing his own guitar playing.

Heather over at I am Fuel, You are Friends wrote an excellent entry last month about her first Bruce show and I think it’s worth reading. He had a slightly different set-list that night (and my beer cost $11, rather than $10), but the crowd emotion and reaction is the same. She also posted a few Bruce songs, which I’m not doing today.

And that provides a smooth transition to what I am going to post today.

I don’t remember if I first heard of New Orleans rockers Dash Rip Rock on the blogs or if I found them somewhere else. Either way, this self-proclaimed “Greatest Bar Band in the World” lives up to the title. The live album from which I took today’s music, Live at Schubas, leaves no doubt Dash Rip Rock is a helluva good time. They’re playing a couple of shows in Key West this summer and if I can find my way down US 1, I have no doubt there is a guaranteed good time awaiting me.

Some quick band history, in case you don’t know: Dash Rip Rock began playing in the summer of 1984 in Baton Rouge, La. The group formed when drummer Clarke Martty brought together Bill Davis and Ned Hoaky Hickel, Jr. for a rockabilly trio ala the Stray Cats.

They released their debut album in 1986 and began touring heavily through the southeast. It was there they developed a strong regional following, especially in college towns. Fueled by whisky and egged on by the raucous college crowds, Dash Rip Rock evolved into more of a bar band over time. One of their most successful recordings was a parody of Danny and the Juniors’ “At the Hop,” a song called “Let’s Go Smoke Some Pot.”

Drummer Fred LeBlanc, who had replaced Martty, left Dash Rip Rock after the second album, 1988’s Ace of Clubs. He now fronts Cowboy Mouth.

The band’s name supposedly comes from the Beverly Hillbillies: Dash Riprock was a boyfriend of Ellie May’s.

Check out the band’s Web site for more information, tour dates, and for some Free Downloads.

Locked Inside a Liquor Store.mp3
Delta Dawn (Tanya Tucker cover).mp3
I Saw the Light (Hank Williams cover).mp3
Let’s Go Smoke Some Pot 2005.mp3
Jambalaya (Hank Williams cover).mp3

Labels: alt.country, garage rock, live albums, psychobilly

posted by aikin @ 11:03 AM 2 Comments

I'm Crying in My Beer

Here it is Valentine’s Day and I’m finding myself single. On the plus side, there’s no candy, flowers, or jewelry I have to buy. No cards or waiting for a table at a restaurant because I forgot to make reservations. Instead, it’s a Thursday like any other Thursday here in Apt. 104.

On the downside, there’s always the crying in your beer over loves lost. Sloppy on a wobbly stool in a bar named Pretty Pat’s, philosophizing with the bartender who might look good enough to try to take home after you have a few more. The bar’s old enough that there is a coin-fed jukebox against the wall, beside the pool cues. The jukebox holds 45s that haven’t been changed in about 20 years, but that’s all right. You’re single, it’s Valentine’s Day, and there’s nothing that sounds better than George Jones or Hank Sr. They knew heartbreak and you know heartbreak. You drop in 50 cents and punch up E1.

For me, it’s a fine line distinguishing a good “Tear in My Beer” song from just another sad song. Pop music is overloaded with slow, sad songs, but if I’m going to cry in my beer, I need a good, slow, twangy country song. It’s got to be about cheatin’, broken hearts, and somebody-done-somebody-wrong. And it’s got to be country. As much as I love rock music, when it comes to sitting up on a barstool, getting drunk, and feeling sorry for yourself, it’s got to be country music.

It seems like the best country songs are found in jukeboxes in small, ugly bars. Or maybe that’s just the best place to hear them. I’ve got a woefully small collection of country music, but I gathered a few of my best “crying in your beer” songs with which to wish you Happy Valentine’s Day.

Broke, Lovesick & Driftin’.mp3 Hank III
The Bottle Let Me Down.mp3 Merle Haggard
Ex in Texas.mp3 Moe Bandy
I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry (live).mp3 Hank Sr.
If Drinkin’ Don’t Kill Me, Her Memory Will.mp3 George Jones
Pardon Me, I’ve Got Someone to Kill.mp3 Johnny Paycheck

Labels: alt.country, holiday

posted by aikin @ 8:00 AM 4 Comments

A Girl and A Guitar

Many times, if I like an artist’s music but don’t know much about them, I can sort of bluff my way through a post, using a combination of biographical information and miscellaneous quotes (see yesterday’s post).

Then there’s today’s post, which gives me nothing but the music, although I think that’s the way the artist wants it. A few days ago I got an “add” request on my MySpace from someone calling herself “A Girl and A Guitar.” I was intrigued enough to check out her profile, which has as its default song “Ask Me if I Give a Shit.” I listened to the entire song, which is something I rarely do on someone’s MySpace, then dropped her a note telling her I really liked her music. Interestingly, she responded with a nice note, and she sent me some music, but she did not offer up any other identifying information. Neither is there any bio information or pictures on her MySpace. It simply says, “It is not what you have that matters. It is what you do with what you have that matters.”

A Girl and A Guitar defines her musical genre as “acoustic / country / Americana.” She fits all of those neatly, but there’s also an old-school rockabilly feel to her songs. She wrote and recorded all of the music herself and has released an independent album called One Track Recordings, a nod toward her motto of “One girl. One guitar. One microphone. One computer. One software program.”

While the music has a minimalist feel, the songs keep with the country tradition of “Somebody done me wrong.” If there’s any autobiography behind any of these songs, A Girl and A Guitar has been done way wrong. Look at song titles such as “Ask Me if I Give a Shit” and “I’m Not Your Booty Call,” not to mention lyrics like “It just blows my mind time after time / when I can't believe what you've done to me / And you don't even know that you've dealt this blow / You're too self-consumed, boy, to know what you do,” from “Self-Consumed.”

Of course, like all good country lyrics, some are apropos to a number of situations. I think a few of the women in Miami-Dade County could learn from these lines from “When I’m Holding Your Hand”: “Maybe someday you'll realize that it ain't all about the size of your wallet or your automobile. It's just the way you make me feel.”



For more information, and to order a copy of One Track Recordings, go to A Girl and A Guitar’s MySpace space (or click on the above banner - same thing). You can also go to her Web site and send her a request to play your town.

Ask Me if I Give a Shit.mp3
Doubt.mp3

Labels: alt.country, indie, new stuff

posted by aikin @ 11:50 AM 0 Comments

Music from My Mailbox

Man, this cold is kicking my butt. Right now I’m loopy on a cocktail of Sudafed, Airborne, and Halls. Being the trooper I am, though, I’ve dragged my laptop over to the couch and will post a couple of things for you good people.

I think I’ll make the “Music From My Mailbox” a semi-regular feature around here. Maybe every other Sunday, depending how much music I get. I appreciate those who send me tunes and I don’t want anyone to think they’re being ignored, but by the same token, my inbox isn’t really being deluged with stuff. BTW, if you want to send some music, send it to e0a8198 at yahoo dot com.

Again, I’ll set the respective Web sites do the talking as I know not too much about the bands.

Lou Reed & Nanking

Lou Reed has been known to be intensely moved by historical and international events and conflicts. Just recently, Reed composed and recorded two brand new songs – “Gravity” and “Safety Zone” – both inspired by the soon-to-be released film “Nanking” – a powerful and relevant documentary that tells the story of the Japanese invasion of Nanking, China, in the early days of World War II. It is an emotional reminder of the heartbreaking toll that war takes on the innocent, and a testament to the courage and conviction of a few individuals determined to act in the face of evil.
Stream both songs here.

The Devil Makes Three

The Devil Makes Three has spent the past five years mixing styles from the ragtime and country music of the twenties and thirties to the rock and roll and punk music of their adolescence, pushing the boundaries of acoustic music in the Pacific Northwest since they arrived from their native Vermont in 2002. Based in Davis, Calif., this trio of Pete Bernhard (vocals/guitar), Cooper McBean (guitar/banjo/vocals), and Lucia Turino (upright bass) has built a passionate fan base known for both their live performances and their self-released CDs.
Old Number Seven.mp3

Tera Melos

Formed in 2004, Tera Melos is a three-piece from Sacramento, Calif. Where most bands only claim to “bloom artistically” or “become more experimental,” Tera Melos’ growth and experimentation are constantly apparent – even tangible.
Nathan Latona (bass) and Vince Rogers (drums) start and stop with a precision that could control traffic, the perfectly precise rhythmic background for Nick Reinhart’s (guitar, programming) progressive songwriting. Reinhart’s technical abilities – the two-handed fretboard tapping, the neck-encompassing riffs – are augmented by his pedal work. He’s constantly sampling his guitar between bolts of delay, fuzz, and a battery of warp-sounds that explode from either side of the stage.
Guy Vs. DC Sniper.mp3

Admiral Twin

Formed in 1996, Admiral Twin has released five CDs to date, including 2000s critically praised Mock Heroic on Mojo/Universal Records. (Unfortunately for the band, Mock Heroic was released just months before the demise of the record label. Ouch.) Since 1998, the band has performed for well over 500,000 concertgoers all across North America...usually mostly clothed. Admiral Twins latest CD, Creatures of Bread & Wine, once again showcases this Oklahoma-based pop-rock trio’s amazing knack for consistently catchy, intelligent songwriting, as well as rock solid musicianship, stellar harmonies, and the wildly inappropriate use of small farm animals for interesting “sound textures.”
In My Veins.mp3

Labels: alt.country, indie, movies, new stuff

posted by aikin @ 4:06 PM 2 Comments

In which we return to the White Stripes rumor mill

Not exactly breaking news, but almost two months after canceling their tour and seemingly dropping off the face of the earth, the White Stripes announced last week they are releasing three new songs and a new video.

According to a post on their Web site, “The White Stripes have just filmed an exciting new video and recorded three never before heard original songs (with a special collaboration) and one unique new version of a song from their latest album Icky Thump.”

The Candy Cane Children fan site is rife with speculation on not just the three new songs, but with whom Jack and Meg have collaborated. Most posters there think “Conquest” will be the single, but guesses as to the guest spot range from Patti Page to Alicia Keys.

While we wait for more news, here are a couple of Jack White songs. The first is a traditional folk song from the Cold Mountain EP; the other two are from a June 3, 2001, show Jack did at the Garden Bowl Bar in Detroit, Mich. And if anyone’s interested, I do have a few more tracks from that show....

Wayfaring Stranger.mp3
Cold Brains (Beck cover).mp3
Dyin’ Crapshooter’s Blues (Blind Willie McTell cover).mp3

Labels: alt.country, live music, rock, White Stripes

posted by aikin @ 7:00 PM 4 Comments

You Can't Buy a Gun When You're Crying

I’ve noticed lately I don’t mind country music as much as I used to. Maybe this change of heart is due to getting older, or maybe it’s a natural response to being bombarded on all sides by thumping reggaeton and other Latin dance music.

When I say “country music” please understand I don’t mean poppy, adult contemporary-style country music. If I’m going to listen to country, it better have some damn twang to it.

A disk I recently got hold of (I think on eMusic, my source for all things obscure and wonderful) is You Can’t Buy a Gun When You’re Crying by Holly Golightly & the Brokeoffs. I ain’t gonna lie: the title got my attention before anything else. Once I got inside, though, the music fit the bill for my current country music jones. It’s blues, it’s country, it’s folk – it’s great.

From ARTISTdirect.com:

Billed as the debut effort of Holly Golightly and the Brokeoffs, it’s worth noting that, despite the pluralistic moniker, “the Brokeoffs” is actually a somewhat mysterious guy simply called Lawyer Dave, a one-man-band from Texas.

Though they come from seemingly different worlds, the two singers mesh well, with Golightly's soft warble playing against Lawyer Dave's slurring drawl. There are elements of the haunted harmonies of the Carter Family in the mix, as well as traces of lonesome Delta twang.

I will also admit that my introduction to Holly Golightly came via The White Stripes’ “It’s True That We Love One Another.” With that as my jumping off point, I dug a little deeper and found an artist with roots not just in country, but also in R&B, rockabilly, and 60s music. And a little trivia note, Holly’s name really is Holly Golightly. Her last name is Smith.

Damaged Goods Records released You Can’t Buy a Gun When You’re Crying in May. If you’re in England, Holly Golightly & the Brokeoffs are currently on tour in that area. Visit her site for more tour and music information.

You Can’t Buy a Gun When You’re Crying.mp3
Black Heart.mp3

Labels: alt.country, blues

posted by aikin @ 8:36 PM 0 Comments