(not) ROUTES & BRANCHES
> Wednesday Morning Mix <

November 23, 2011
Scott Foley

Another early morning drive up to FoCo, this one interrupted promptly by a friendly officer who gave me my first speeding ticket in nearly half a lifetime.  Fortunately, the worthiness of the Episode all but made up for that roadbump.  Plus, a fingernail moon, a slow purple sunrise and some great new stuff.

To the recent run of excellent late-season Colorado releases, add a fine alt.country quartet from Greeley, Turn 4. Of course, one of the water marks we use when we're assessing alt.country is Son Volt's early trifecta, Trace, Straightaways and Wide Swing Tremolo.  While few if any albums really measure up to these late 90s legends, Turn 4's buzzing electric guitars, steady dino-drumming (courtesy of Dan Radach, last seen behind Motorhome and Glove Trucker) and Farrar-esque vox more than  hold their own in spirit.  Moreover, What You Do About It clock in at 17 cuts and more than an hour's worth of songs.  Doesn't sound like the album will be officially unleashed until February, but keep tuned to R&B and WMM and no doubt you'll eventually hear nearly the entire glorious mess. 

Finally, in my one man effort to monopolize the Northern Colorado airwaves, I'll be hosting this week's post-Thanksgiving Friday Morning Mix from 8-10am on KRFC.  And then I'll be back on Saturday afternoon.  Just try to shake me off your radio (and yes, I'll be tastefully seasoning Episodes from here on in with appropriate holiday stuff)!

*  Steve Earle, "Sin City (live)"  Transcendental Blues  (Artemis, 00)
*  Bare Bones, "Doves & Crows"  Bare Bones  (Self, 11)
*  Delta Rae, "Bottom Of the River"  internet single  (Self, 11)
*  JD Malone & the Experts, "Still Love You"  Avalon  (It's About Music, 11)
*  Amy LaVere, "You Can't Keep Me"  Stranger Me  (Archer, 11)
*  Nathaniel Rateliff, "Laughing"  In Memory Of Loss  (Rounder, 10)
*  Shelby Lynne, "Revelation Road"  Revelation Road  (Everso, 11)
*  Jayhawks, "All the Right Reasons"  Rainy Day Music  (American, 03)
*  Cowboy Junkies, "Sing In My Meadow"  Sing In My Meadow  (Razor & Tie, 11)
*  Yo-Yo Ma Stuart Duncan Edgar Meyer Chris Thile, "Here & Heaven"  Goat Rodeo (Sony, 11)
*  Ronnie Fauss, "Just the Other Side Of Nowhere"  Any Lovin' Way But Wrong  (Self, 11)
*  Willie Nelson, "This Old House"  Remember Me Vol 1  (R and J, 11)
*  Kentucky Parlor Pickers, "Roadside Diner"  Barn Burner  (Self, 11)
*  Dawes, "Way You Laugh"  Nothing Is Wrong  (ATO, 11)
*  Ben Sollee & Daniel Martin Moore, "Only a Song"  Dear Companion  (Sub Pop, 10)
*  Alabama Shakes, "I Found You"  Alabama Shakes EP  (Self, 11)
*  Bonnie & the Beard, "Lonely Hills"  Bonnie & the Beard  (Self, 11)
*  Lyle Lovett, "Empty Blue Shoes"  Natural Forces  (Curb, 09)
*  Mariachi El Bronx, "48 Roses"  II  (Self, 11)
*  Frank Turner, "One Foot Before the Other"  England Keep My Bones  (Epitaph, 11)
*  Mavis Staples, "You Are Not Alone"  You Are Not Alonen  (Anti, 10)
*  Greensky Bluegrass, "Better Off"  Handguns  (Big Blue Zoo, 11)
^  Turn 4, "What You Do About It"  What You Do About It  (Fuck All Y'all, 11)
*  Jolie Holland, "Gold and Yellow"  Pint Of Blood  (Anti, 11)
*  Nick Lowe, "Somebody Cares For Me"  Old Magic  (Yep Roc, 11)
*  Madison Violet, "If I Could Love You"  Good In Goodbye  (True North, 11)
*  Eric Lindell, "Cazadero"  West County Drifter  (MC, 11)