THURSDAY MORNING MIX

March 31, 2011

Scott Foley

TV tells me that it is spring, watching the same old faces making the same old predictions that those same old teams will come out on top for the 2011 baseball season. It's like the folks who walk into their morning dressed for yesterday's weather. Or the golf commercials that continue to count on Tiger to draw viewers.

Anyhow, there's a difference between predictable and reliable. Americana stalwarts Steve Earle and Emmylou Harris are predictably reliable on this Episode of TMM. But just like the Seattle Mariners ending atop the AL West (alright, even I can't buy that one ... ), I live for the underdog like Israel Nash Gripka's outstanding Barn Doors and Concrete Floors, and our first glimpse into one of the year's best songs in "Drown". Recorded in an old barn in the Catskills, Gripka and co. uphold my theory that the best albums are recorded in churches and chicken coops.

And speaking of chicken coops, sounds like the Felice Brothers have abandoned theirs for a legit studio with all the requisite fancy buttons and knobs. Time will tell if the rest of Celebration Florida sounds as much like a rootsy Pet Shop Boys ...

Play ball!

* Dave Alvin, "Harlan County Line" internet single (Yep Roc, 11)
* Lance Mills, "If I Fall" Wore Out Shoes (Greasy Bean, 09)
* Caitlin Rose, "That's Alright" Own Side Now (Theory 8, 11)
* Kasey Anderson, "Exit Ghost" Heart of a Dog (Red River, 10)
* Drag the River, "Here's To the Losers" 2010 Demons (DtR, 10)
^ Israel Nash Gripka, "Drown" Barn Doors and Concrete Floors (Self, 11)
* Buddy Miller w/Emmylou Harris, "Why I'm Walkin" Majestic Silver Strings (New West, 11)
* Steve Earle, "God Is God" I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive (New West, 11)
* Bobby Long, "Penance Fire Blues" Winter Tale (ATO, 11)
* JD McPherson, "Signs and Signifiers" Signs and Signifiers (Self, 11)
* Lizzie Huffman, "Tumblers and Tea" Lizzie Huffman & Her Brother Band (Suburban Home, 10)
* Slim Cessna's Auto Club, "Smashing Indictment of Character" Unentitled (Alt. Tentacles, 11)
* Scott Miller & the Commonwealth, "Raised By the Graves" Upside Downside (Sugar Hill, 03)
* Secret Sisters, "Big River" Big River single (Universal, 11)
* Jason Isbell & 400 Unit, "Tour of Duty" Here We Rest (Lightning Rod, 11)
* Jayhawks, "Crowded in the Wings" Hollywood Town Hall (remastered) (American, 11)
* Blind Boys of Alabama, "Can You Give Me a Drink" Take the High Road (Saguaro Road, 11)
* Coal Porters, "Moonlight Midnight" Durango (Prima, 10)
* Mumford & Sons, "To Darkness" Dharohar Project (Self, 10)
* Felice Brothers, "Ponzi" Celebration Florida (Fat Possum, 11)
* Abigail Washburn, "Chains" City of Refuge (Foreign Children, 11)
* Amy Speace, "Battened Hatches" Land Like a Bird (Thirty Tigers, 11)
* Decemberists, "Don't Carry It All" King is Dead (Capitol, 11)
* The O's, "In Numbers We Survive" Between the Two (Idol, 11)

THURSDAY MORNING MIX

March 24, 2011

Scott Foley

Steve Earle calls this his most country record in years. Coming off his tribute to Townes Van Zandt, it's great to hear another collection of originals. The high point, however, is "God is God," a tune we've heard before on a Joan Baez album a couple years back. While I appreciated Baez's take, here it comes off as one of Earle's classic recent cuts. "Every day on earth's another chance to get it right / Let this little light of mine shine + rage against the night." Earle is one of the few who can do justice to a lyric like that, and deliver so it doesn't sound like a simplistic Sunday school lesson.

* Alejandro Escovedo, "Five Hearts Breaking" Gravity (Watermelon, 92)
* Halden Wofford & the Hi Beams, "Hang Man" Sinners & Saints (Self, 10)
* Tejas Brothers, "Diamond in the Rough" Rich Man (Smith, 11)
* Daniel Martin Moore, "Dark Road" In the Cool of the Day (Sub Pop, 11)
* Exene Cervenka, "Someday I'll Forget" Excitement of Maybe (Bloodshot, 11)
* Amy Speace, "Change for Me" Land Like a Bird (Thirty Tigers, 11)
* Todd Snider, "East Nashville Skyline (live)" Storyteller Live (Thirty Tigers, 11)
* Trout Steak Revival, "Those Days" Trout Steak Revival (Self, 11)
* Jim Lauderdale, "Jack Dempsey's Crown" Reason and Rhyme (Self, 11)
* Tift Merritt, "Write My Ticket" Tambourine (Lost Hwy, 04)
* The O's, "Tennessee Coalminer" Between the Two (Idol, 11)
* Drive-by Truckers, "Weakest Man" Go-Go Boots (ATO, 11)
^ Steve Earle, "Every Part of Me" I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive (New West, 11)
* Broken Spoke, "Here All Alone" Before There Were Easy Riders (Self, 11)
* Band of Heathens, "Should Have Known" Top Hat Crown ... (BoH, 11)
* Grant Peeples, "Empty Cup" Okra and Ecclesiastes (Gatorbone, 11)
* Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit, "Heart on a String" Here We Rest (Lightning Rod, 11)
* Shannon McNally, "Western Ballad" Western Ballad (Sacred Sumac, 11)
* Hacienda Brothers, "What's Wrong With Right" What's Wrong With Right (Proper, 06)
* Lucinda Williams, "Buttercup" Blessed (Lost Hwy, 11)
* Low Anthem, "Apothecary Love" Smart Flesh (Nonesuch, 11)
* Head and the Heart, "Down in the Valley" Head and the Heart (Sub Pop, 11)
* Legendary River Drifters, "Waiting on a Line" Into the Darkness (Self, 11)
* Will Kimbrough, "Believer in the Blues" Dirtdobber Blues (Vetter, 11)
* Diana Jones, "Poverty" High Atmosphere (Proper, 11)
* Middle Brother, "Million Dollar Bill" Middle Brother (Partisan, 11)
* Emma Hill and Her Gentlemen Callers, "Capture Your Heart" Meet Me at the Moon (Kuskokwim, 11)
* Devotchka, "100 Other Lovers" 100 Lovers (Anti, 11)

THURSDAY MORNING MIX

March 17, 2011

Scott Foley

On this Episode of TMM, Dixie Chick-emeritus Natalie Maines turns in a pleasantly successful take on one of my favorite tunes of all time. Natalia Zukerman goes where her father, Pinchas, has never been. And Diana Jones collaborates with Ketch Secor.

But this week's Best Ever comes via special delivery from Jason Isbell. His third solo CD, and second fronting the 400 Unit, is overflowing with quality tunes. Whereas his previous CD played to the loud and the soulful, Here We Rest marks an about-face to his more country-rooted sound (and with a voice like Isbell's, the dirty soul of the South isn't going anywhere soon). One of my favorites of 2011.

* Neko Case, "Loretta (live)" Tigers Have Spoken (Anti, 04)
* Natalie Maines, "God Only Knows" internet single (Self, 11)
* Malcolm Holcombe, "To Drink the Rain" To Drink the Rain (Music Road, 11)
* Paper Bird, "Pennies" Anything Nameless and Joymaking (Self, 08)
* Tejas Brothers, "Take This Pain From My Heart" Rich Man (Smith, 11)
* Cowboy Junkies, "See You Around" Demons (Razor & Tie, 11)
* Graham Wilkinson, "Two Days Today" Best of Times: TX Artists Performing the Music of Sara Hickman (Sleeveless, 11)
* Band of Heathens, "Polaroid" Top Hat Crown & the Clapmaster's Son (BoH, 11)
* Bonnie and the Clydes, "Make Up Your Mind" Bonnie and the Clydes (Self, 11)
* Slithering Beast, "Fool Out of You" Delicious (Self, 11)
* G Love, "Fixin' to Die" Fixin' to Die (Brushfire, 11)
* Gram Parsons, "Song For You" GP (Elektra, 73)
* Robyn Ludwick, "Out of These Blues" Out of These Blues (Late Show, 11)
* Boulder Acoustic Society, "How Many Times a Day" Champion of Disaster (Self, 10)
* Natalia Zukerman, "Gas Station Roses" Gas Station Roses (Weasel, 11)
^ Jason Isbell & 400 Unit, "Codeine" Here We Rest (Lightning Rod, 11)
* Caitlin Rose, "Learning to Ride" Own Side Now (Theory 8, 11)
* Son Volt, "Caryatid Easy" Straightaways (WB, 97)
* Trout Steak Revival, "Those Days" Trout Steak Revival (Self, 11)
* Diana Jones, "Don't Forget Me" High Atmosphere (Proper American, 11)
* Andy Friedman, "It's Time For Church" Laserbeams and Dreams (City Salvage, 11)
* Alela Diane, "To Begin" Wild Divine (Beggars Banquet, 11)
* Sarah Lee Guthrie & Johnny Irion, "Target On Your Heart" Bright Examples (9th St Opus, 11)
* Dolorean, "Hard Working Dogs" The Unfazed (Fargo, 11)
* Phil Cook and His Feat, "Hungry Mother Blues" internet single (Self, 11)

THURSDAY MORNING MIX
March 10, 2011
Scott Foley

Excellent new release from Robyn Ludwick on this week's Episode. From TX, she is the sibling of Bruce and Charlie Robison, and writes at least as well as her brothers. Needless to say, she's got it all over them as a singer, demonstrating both the grace of Eliza Gilkyson and the grit of Lucinda Williams. Ludwick's 3rd album is produced by Gurf Morlix, and features help from Ian McLagan and Slaid Cleaves.

Also on this Episode, we dig into strong EPs from Hoots & Hellmouth and Hackensaw Boys, and hear from Band of Heathens' new release (with the worst title of the americana year).

* James Hyland & the Joint Chiefs, "American Son" Celestial Navigation (Ananaki, 10)
* Greg Trooper, "They Call Me Hank" Upside-Down Town (52 Shakes, 10)
* Abigail Washburn, "Burn Thru" City of Refuge (Universal, 11)
* The O's, "We'll Go Walkin'" Between the Two (Idol, 11)
* Hoots & Hellmouth, "Picked by the Root" Face First in the Dirt (Self, 11)
* Samantha Crain, "Rising Sun" Songs in the Night (Ramseur, 09)
* Eleven Hundred Springs, "No Place Else to Go" Eight the Hard Way (Smith, 11)
* Hayes Carll, "Another Like You" KMAG YOYO (& other american stories) (Lost Hwy, 11)
* Slim Cessna's Auto Club, "Unballed Ballad of the New Folksinger" Unentitled (Alt Tentacles, 11)
* Band of Heathens, "Gris Gris Satchel" Top Hat Crown & the Clapmaster's Son (BoH, 11)
* Rachel Harrington, "House of Cards" Celilo Falls (Skinny Dennis, 11)
* Elephant Revival, "Feathers Rise" Break in the Clouds (Ruff Shod, 10)
* Hackensaw Boys, "Noon or Midnight" Old Sound of Music Vol 1 (Self, 11)
* Slaid Cleaves, "Racecar Joe" Unsung (Rounder, 06)
* Austin Lucas, "Darkness Out of Me" New Home in the Old World (Last Chance, 11)
^ Robyn Ludwick, "New Orleans" Out of These Blues (Late Show, 11)
* Joe Johnson, "Anna" Time to Dance (Blank Tape, 11)
* Alison Krauss & Union Station, "Paper Airplane" Paper Airplane (Rounder, 11)
* Middle Brother, "Daydreaming" Middle Brother (Partisan, 11)
* Tin Horn Prayer, "Call a Priest" internet single (Self, 11)
* Emma Hill & Her Gentlemen Callers, "Meet Me At the Moon" Meet Me At the Moon (Kuskokwim, 11)
* Buddy Miller, "God's Wing'ed Horse" Majestic Silver Strings (New West, 11)
* Lucinda Williams, "Convince Me" Blessed (Lost Hwy, 11)
* Gurf Morlix, "Oh Darlin" Blaze Foley's 113th Wet Dream (Rootball, 10)
* Mark Erelli & Jeffrey Foucault, "Johnny 99" Seven Curses (Self, 10)
* Devotchka, "Contrabanda" 100 Lovers (Anti, 11)

THURSDAY MORNING MIX

March 3, 2011

Scott Foley

Call it my New Sneaker Theory. Or maybe my Worn Jeans Theory. Couple years ago when the O's sent me their debut CD, We are the O's, it seemed they had something going on. Good harmonies, a good way with a hook, but not yet stellar. Now, on their follow-up, Between the Two, they realize that initial promise. It's like when you buy a brand new pair of Converse. New Converse look sort of stiff and ... well, new until they are broken in. New jeans, too. Like the O's, give them a year or two of touring and exposure to the elements and they will emerge scratched, worn and bent in just the right places. RIYL Avett Bros or Two Gallants.

* Lucinda Williams, "Blessed" Blessed (Lost Hwy, 11)
* Volebeats, "Empty Streets" Volebeats (Rainbow Quartz, 10)
* Matt the Electrician, "Middle of a Little Country Road" Best of Times: TX Artists Performing the Music of Sara Hickman (Sleeveless, 11)
* Sarah Lee Guthrie & Johnny Irion, "Hurry Up and Wait" Bright Examples (9th St Opus, 11)
* Slim Cessna's Auto Club, "Smashing Indictment of Character" Unentitled (Alt Tentacles, 11)
* Steve Earle, "City of Immigrants" Washington Square Serenade (New West, 07)
* Dave Alvin, "Harlan County Line" internet single (Yep Roc, 11)
* Exene Cervenka, "Turning With the World" Excitement of Maybe (Bloodshot, 11)
* Dolorean, "If I Find Love" The Unfazed (Partisan, 11)
* Devotchka, "Man From San Sebastian" 100 Lovers (Anti, 11)
* David Wax Museum, "Chuchumbe" Everything is Saved (Self, 11)
* Robbie Fulks, "Never Could" Couples in Trouble (Boondoggle, 01)
* JD McPherson, "North Side Gal" Signs and Signifiers (Self, 11)
* Drive-by Truckers, "Everybody Needs Love" Go-Go Boots (ATO, 11)
* G Love, "Walk On" Fixin' to Die (Brushfire, 11)
* Mountain Standard Time, "Loving Sound" Mountain Standard Time (Self, 11)
* Cowboy Junkies, "Wrong Piano" Demons (Self, 11)
* Buddy Miller, "No Good Lover" Majestic Silver Strings (New West, 11)
* Middle Brother, "Million Dollar Bill" Middle Brother (Partisan, 11)
* Bobby Long, "Who Have You Been Loving" Winter Tale (ATO, 11)
^ The O's, "Tryin' to Have a Good Time" Between the Two (Idol, 11)
* Cahalen Morrison & Eli West, "Lost Lovin' Gal" Holy Coming of the Storm (Self, 11)
* Neko Case, "Lonely Old Lies" Virginian (Bloodshot, 97)
* Charlie Shafter, "Jesus and James Dean" internet single (Self, 11)
* Carrie Rodriguez & Ben Kyle, "Fire Alarm" We Still Love Our Country (9th St Opus, 10)
* Lynn Miles, "Something Beautiful" Fall for Beauty (True North, 10)