THURSDAY MORNING MIX

April 14, 2011

Scott Foley

Colorado's own DeVotchKa blurbs (collectively, I assume), "If you don't like Amanda Shires, then you don't like America." Well, no matter your brand of patriotism, between solo albums, collaborations and her work with Thrift Store Cowboy, Shires is on a roll. On her new solo effort, Shires continues to show herself as a idiosyncratic writer with a faint quirky streak and a voice that quavers and breaks in all the right places. Her talents also extend to the violin and the ukelele, and she is backed by Will Kimbrough, Chris Scruggs, coproducer Rod Picott and more.

Also joining us on this Episode are the excellent Zoe Muth on her sophomore release, something new (and band-driven) by Jeffrey Foucault, and a fine effort by Owen Temple, aided by members of Band of Heathens.

* Jim Lauderdale, "Love's Voice" Reason & Rhyme (Self, 11)
* Flatlanders, "Comfort's Sigh" Best of Times: Texas Artists Performing the Music of Sara Hickman (Sleeveless, 11)
* Walt Wilkins, "Trains I Missed" Diamonds in the Sun (Palo Duro, 07)
* Dylan LeBlanc, "If Time Was For Wasting" Paupers Field (Rough Trade, 10)
* Aaron & Nicole Keim, "In the Pines" Born in the Country Raised in Town (Self, 06)
* Jeffrey Foucault, "Pretty Girl in a Small Town" Horse Latitudes (Signature Sounds, 11)
* Alela Diane, "Of Many Colors" Wild Divine (Beggars Banquet, 11)
* Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit, "Codeine" Here We Rest (Lightning Rod, 11)
* Paul Thorn, "If You Can't Love Me 4-Ever" Are You With Me (Back Porch, 04)
* Zoe Muth & the Lost High Rollers, "Come Inside" Starlight Hotel (Signature Sounds, 11)
^ Amanda Shires, "When You Need a Train it Never Comes" Carrying Lightning (Self, 11)
* Steve Earle, "Waitin' on the Sky" I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive (New West, 11)
* Elephant Revival, "Breathe" Break in the Clouds (Ruff Shod, 10)
* Surplus Cheaper Hands, "Dark Passenger" It's Your Parade (Self, 11)
* Owen Temple, "Mountain Home" Mountain Home (El Paisano, 11)
* Dolorean, "Unfazed" Unfazed (Fargo, 11)
* Head and the Heart, "Coeur d'Alene" Head and the Heart (Sub Pop, 11)
* Del McCoury & Preservation Hall Jazz Band, "I'll Fly Away" American Legacies (McCoury, 11)
* Broken Spoke, "Center of Dead and Alive" Before There Were Easy Riders (Self, 11)
* Lucinda Williams, "Convince Me" Blessed (Lost Hwy, 11)
* Old Crow Medicine Show, "Caroline" Tennessee Pusher (Nettwerk, 08)
* Caitlin Rose, "Sinful Wishing Well" Own Side Now (Theory 8, 11)
* Black Lillies, "Two Hearts Down" 100 Miles of Wreckage (Attack Monkey, 11)
* Split Lip Rayfield, "Rig or Cross" I'll Be Around (Self, 08)
* Fleet Foxes, "Grown Ocean" Internet Single (Sub Pop, 11)
* Matraca Berg, "Racing the Angels" Dreaming Fields (Dualtone, 11)
* Nathaniel Rateliff, "You Should've Seen the Other Guy" In Memory of Loss (Rounder, 10)