THURSDAY MORNING MIX April 2, 2009 Scott Foley

A couple of nice debuts on this week's Episode. Jay Bennett's Whatever Happened I Apologize is available for free download at an interesting site where artists give away their music for free. He took a good amount of talent with him when he departed Wilco. Andy Friedman's Weary Things is one of the year's nicest surprises thus far. Nice to have a peek into Elvis Costello's Secret Profane and Sugarcane, too. Produced by T Bone Burnett, it's a return to Elvis' fling with americana, featuring Byron House, Jerry Douglas, and other folks who you wouldn't expect to hang with Costello. Most importantly, Fernando Viciconte's True Instigator is among my favorite releases of 2009. The Portland songwriter has labored away for years on his original sound, incorporating alt.country, junkyard rock, Latin flourishes, and a dark theatricality. Overall, it sometimes brings to mind fellow Latino Alejandro Escovedo. It was free at one time from his website, but that time has passed by now. Still well worth tracking down.

* Booker T, "She Breaks" Potato Hole (Anti, 09)
* Loomer, "Caramel Heart" Songs Of the Wild West Island (Newtone, 06)
* Be Good Tanyas, "Light Enough To Travel" Blue Horse (Nettwerk, 00)
* Jeffrey Foucault, "Late John Garfield Blues" Shoot the Moon Right Between the Eyes (Signature Sound, 09)
* Jay Bennett, "Engines Are Idle" Whatever Happened I Apologize (self, 09)
* Two Dollar Pistols, "Anyone Else But Me" Here Tomorrow Gone Today (8th House, 07)
* Los Lobos, "And It Didn't Even Bring Me Down" Keep Your Soul (Vanguard, 09)
* Ana Egge, "Bully Of New York" Road To My Love (Parkinsong, 09)
* Slaid Cleaves, "Hard To Believe" Everything You Love Will Be Taken Away (Music Road, 09)
* Ryan Adams, "Natural Ghost" Cardinology (Lost Highway, 08)
* Flatlanders, "Way We Are" Hills and Valleys (New West, 09)
* Drag the River, "Trainwreck" Bad At Breaking Up (Suburban Home, 09)
* Brigitte DeMeyer, "Looking For Moses" Red River Flower (self, 09)
* John Doe & the Sadies, "Til I Get It Right" Country Club (Yep Roc, 09)
* Jayhawks, "All the Right Reasons" Rainy Day Music (Lost Highway, 03)
* Andy Friedman & the Other Failures, "Idaho" Weary Things (City Salvage, 09)
* Fernando Viciconte, "Kissing the Lips Of God" True Instigator (self, 09)
* Believers, "Higher Ground" Lucky You (Chinese Baby, 09)
* Hollyfelds, "She's Got You" Black Heart Blue (self, 09)
* Ry Cooder, "Poor Man's Shangri-La" Chavez Ravine (Nonesuch, 05)
* Elvis Costello, "Complicated Shadows" Secret, Profane and Sugarcane (Hear, 09)
* Greencards, "Rivertown" Fascination (Sugar Hill, 09)
* Star Anna, "Burn" Only Thing That Matters (self, 09)
* Legendary Shack Shakers, "Agony Wagon" Believe (Yep Roc, 04)
* Jason Isbell, "Seven-Mile Island" Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit (Lightning, 09)

Scott