THURSDAY MORNING MIX

February 3, 2011

Scott Foley

"My people come from the dirt, white bread and kerosene / Catfish and flatbeds, sweat stains and retreads, okra and Ecclesiastes ..." I wasn't surprised to find Sam Baker on the recommended playlist of Grant Peeples. Sam's bare-bones and grit songwriting style came to mind when I first heard Grant's superb "My People Come From the Dirt." Brought to mind Gurf Morlix, too, who actually produced Okra and Ecclesiastes. It's all smart music; strong lyrics that mean something, and say it in a way that you haven't heard before.

We also revisit Morlix's own new CD, which pays tribute to another iconic songwriter, Blaze Foley. And we finally have the full album of Hayes Carll's KMAG YOYO, from which I have yet to encounter a throwaway cut. Looking back over the past few weeks' Episodes, I'm surprised I haven't mentioned Malcolm Holcombe's excellent To Drink the Rain, another favorite from early in the year.

* Malcolm Holcombe, "Those Who Wander" To Drink the Rain (Music Road, 11)
* Redbird, "What Made Milwaukee Famous" Live at the Cafe Carpe (Signature Sounds, 10)
* Madison Violet, "Small of My Heart" No Fool For Trying (True North, 09)
* Wailin' Jennys, "Swing Low Sail High" Bright Morning Star (Red House, 11)
* Hayes Carll, "Bottle in My Hand" KMAG YOYO (Lost Hwy, 11)
* Big Head Blues Club, "Preachin' Blues" 100 Years of Robert Johnson (Ryko, 11)
* North Mississippi Allstars, "Hear the Hills" Keys to the Kingdom (Songs of the South, 11)
^ Grant Peeples, "My People Come From the Dirt" Okra & Ecclesiastes (Gatorbone, 11)
* Cahalen Morrison & Eli West, "Lost Lovin' Gal" Holy Coming of the Storm (Self, 11)
* Robert Plant, "Only Sound That Matters" Band of Joy (Rounder, 10)
* Fleet Foxes, "Helplessness Blues" Helplessness Blues (Sub Pop, 11)
* Lawn Chair Kings, "Time Will Tell" II (Self, 11)
* Lisa Morales, "I Am the Weakest Fool" Beautiful Mistake (Zairo, 11)
* Gurf Morlix, "Clay Pigeons" Blaze Foley's 113th Wet Dream (Rootball, 10)
* Lori McKenna, "American Revolver" Lorraine (UMPG Nashville, 11)
* Only Sons, "Written Word" American Stranger (Sophomore Lounge, 11)
* Lucinda Williams, "Buttercup" Blessed (Lost Hwy, 11)
* Railbenders, "Leavin' Song" Showdown (Self, 06)
* Greg Trooper, "Might Be a Train" Upside-Down Town (52 Shakes, 10)
* Chris Brecht, "Not Where You Are" Dead Flower Motel (Self, 11)
* Wanda Jackson, "You Know I'm No Good" Party Ain't Over (Third Man, 11)
* Daniel Martin Moore, "In the Garden" In the Cool of the Day (Sub Pop, 11)
* Dolorean, "Thinskinned" The Unfazed (Partisan, 11)
* Ryan Adams & the Cardinals, "Death and Rats" III/IV (Paxamerican, 10)
* Bobby Long, "Who Have You Been Loving" Winter Tale (ATO, 11)
* Amos Lee, "Clear Blue Eyes" Mission Bell (Blue Note, 11)