ROUTES & BRANCHES
June 16, 2012
Scott Foley

Judging by the ol' calendar on the wall, it's just about mid-year - halfway through the year 2012.  While I typically assemble favorites lists at year's end, this year I intend to at least pull together an alphabetical list of my mid-year faves, most likely by the first post of July.  Now there's something to look forward to in this summer of monumental fires, absurd heat and insufficient employment. 

 New product this Episode from the likes of Canadian import Corb Lund, as well as an excellent contribution by Robert Ellis to an americana tribute to Nick Lowe.  Colorado artists come through this week with new stuff from Johnny Hickman and Ashley Raines (understandably decided to play "More Of a Man" rather that his "Fuck Shit Up" song that opens the new EP).  2011's year end favorites list featured just one Colorado artist, but I'm thinking this year's list might prove a bit more representative.

Finally, Nashville songwriter Elizabeth Cook has already recorded tunes like "Heroin Addict Sister", "Yes To Booty" and "Sometimes It Takes Balls To Be a Woman", so it was just a matter of time before she released an EP of gospel standards.  With her husband Tim Carroll, Cook does a great job of respecting the tradition while putting her own stamp on cuts like "Hear Jerusalem Calling" and "If I Had My Way I'd Tear This Building Down".  She cemented the week with a stellar take on the former, on David Letterman's show.  And just to make sure she's not accused of being overly reverent, she includes a take on Velvet Underground's "Jesus". 


*  Turnpike Troubadors, "Gin Smoke & Lies"  Goodbye Normal Street  (Bossier City, 12)
*  Lindi Ortega, "Angels"  Little Red Boots  (Last Gang, 11)
*  Diamond Rugs, "Hightail"  Diamond Rugs  (Partisan, 12)
*  BR5-49, "There Goes My Love"  Big Backyard Beat Show  (Arista, 98)
*  Johnny Hickman, "Our Little Movie"  Tilting  (Self, 12)
*  Sons Of Bill, "Santa Ana Winds"  Sirens  (Thirty Tigers, 12)
^  Elizabeth Cook, "Hear Jerusalem Calling"  Gospel Plow  (Thirty Tigers, 12)  D
*  Ashley Raines & New West Revue, "More Of a Man"  Begin  (Idiom, 12)  D
*  Ryan Adams, "Born Into a Light"  Cardinology  (Lost Hwy, 08)
*  Joy Mills, "When the Arrow Leaves the Bow"  Trick Of the Eye  (Self, 12)
*  Two Gallants, "Broken Eyes"  Bloom & the Blight  (ATO, 12)  D
*  Grant Farm, "Tell Me Tell Me"  Grant Farm  (Self, 12)
*  4H Royalty, "Virtues Spices & Liquors"  Where UFOs Go To Die  (Self, 12)
*  Honeycutters, "Josephine"  When Bitter Met Sweet  (Buttons Down, 12)
*  Corb Lund, "September"  Cabin Fever  (New West, 12)  D
*  Grey DeLisle, "Beautiful Mistake"  Home Wrecker  (Hummin' Bird, 02)
*  Caitlin Rose, "Piledriver Waltz"  internet single  (Self, 12)  D
*  Shovels & Rope, "Birmingham"  O' Be Joyful  (Dualtone, 12)
*  Robert Ellis, "All Men Are Liars"  Lowe Country  (Fiesta Red, 12)  D
*  Civil Wars, "From the Valley"  Mercyland: Hymns For the Rest Of Us  (Mercyland, 12)
*  Patrick Dethlefs, "Will I Ever Find a Way"  Fall & Rise  (Self, 12)  D
*  Dexateens, "Down Low"  Singlewide  (Skybucket, 09)
*  Rachel Harrington, "Moonshine Boy"  Makin' Our House a Honkytonk  (Skinny Dennis, 12)
*  Mary Karr & Rodney Crowell, "My Father's Advice"  Kin  (Vanguard, 12)
*  Flatlanders, "Dallas"  More a Legend Than a Band  (Rounder, 72)
*  Bap Kennedy, "Please Return To Jesus"  Sailor's Revenge  (Lonely St, 12)  D
*  Walt Wilkins, "Like Strother Martin"  Plenty  (Ride, 12)
*  Leftover Salmon, "Kentucky Skies"  Aquatic Hitchhiker  (Self, 12)