ROUTES & BRANCHES
February 11, 2012
Scott Foley

I'd say it was some of the very best in-studio music I've hosted in my radio career.  Greensky Bluegrass visited the R&B studios for this Episode, played three tremendous tunes, and left me impressed in their wake.  The one-two punch of "Tryin' To Catch Me a Jesus" and "Demons" proved that Greensky Bluegrass is becoming a musical force to be considered.  The guys apparently harbor quite a fanbase, judging by the fact that their R&B session drew the second highest number of online listeners in KRFC's history.  Hope a couple of them stayed around for the rest of the program ...

Speaking of which, Rounder has bestowed upon me the full CD for Jay Farrar, Will Johnson, Anders Parker and Jim James' new New Multitudes collection.  Call it Monsters of Folk II, or Monsters of Alt.country, with the four parties being invited by the estate of Woody Guthrie to visit the unpublished song archives a'la Wilco and Billy Bragg.  On publicity materials, the four reported how quickly and naturally songs presented themselves in light of the unfinished lyrics.  The resulting sound is quite different than what was heard on the Mermaid Avenue albums, and time will tell if their impact is as lasting.  I will say that Farrar, Johnson, Parker and James' voices blend well, and the album is much more cohesive than I might have imagined, given the stature of the participants.  I'm sure Mr Guthrie had a very good reason to choose not to release the song "VD City" prior to his passing. 

*  Greensky Bluegrass, "Trying To Catch Me a Jesus"  Live in-studio
*  Greensky Bluegrass, "Demons"  Live in-studio
*  Greensky Bluegrass, "Kerosene"  Live in-studio
*  Rhett Miller, "My Valentine"  Believer  (Verve, 06)
^  Farrar Johnson Parker Yames, "VD City"  New Multitudes  (Rounder, 12)
*  Lizzie Huffman, "Next Time Around"  Pretty Old Soul  (Suburban Home, 11)
*  Pert Near Sandstone, "20 Cups Of Coffee"  Paradise Hop  (Self, 11)
*  Jason Isbell, "Brand New Kind Of Actress"  Sirens Of the Ditch  (New West, 07)
*  Audra Mae, "Ne'er Do Wells"  Audra Mae & the Almighty Sound  (SideOneDummy, 12)
*  Longest Day Of the Year, "Change Our Ways"  Turn Into the Ground  (Mulewax, 12)
*  Father John Misty, "I Would Love You"  Fear Fun  (Sub Pop, 12)
*  Deep Dark Woods, "Place I Left Behind"  Place I Left Behind  (Sugar Hill, 11)
*  Chuck Prophet, "I Felt Like Jesus"  Temple Beautiful  (Yep Roc, 12)
*  Sarah Borges, "False Eyelashes"  Diamonds In the Dark  (Sugar Hill, 07)
*  Darrell Scott, "Pay Lake"  Long Ride Home  (Full Light, 12)
*  7Horse, "Low Fuel Drug Run"  Let the 7Horse Run  (Self, 12)
*  Patterson Hood, et al.  "After It's Gone"  internet single  (Protect Downtown Athens, 12)
*  Broken Everlys, "Blind Twenty Three"  Stoned In Juarez  (TheivingMagpie, 10)
*  Chuck Mead, "Wabash Cannonball"  Back At the Quonset Hut  (Ramseur, 12)
*  Sam Lewis, "Southern Greek Tragedy"  Sam Lewis  (Self, 12)
*  Neko Case, "Furnace Room Lullaby"  Furnace Room Lullaby  (Bloodshot, 00)
*  Kelly Pardekooper, "Where I Come From"  Yonder  (Leisure Time, 11)
*  Ken Will Morton, "Strangers"  Contenders  (Ghostmeat, 11)