ROUTES & BRANCHES   
featuring the very best of americana, alt.country and roots music
August 10, 2013
Scott Foley

I never had the privilege of hearing Austin Lucas sing gospel, punk or death metal in his previous incarnations, though I imagine it must've been quite a sound.  As it stands, I still cast my vote for Austin as my favorite americana vocalist.  On his 6th solo release, Stay Reckless, Lucas applies his distinct voice with equal effectiveness to angsty alt.country and earnest ballads alike.  Especially in light of his 2008 Bristle Ridge collaboration with Chuck Ragan, it seems his yearning, cracking, wailing voice is best when at the service of some strain of bluegrass.  Lucas' "high lonesome sound" is perfect for a tune like "Four Wheels" or "Gift and a Gamble", where he is backed wonderfully by Kelly Knieser.  Knieser's band Glossary supports Lucas throughout Reckless, bringing that act's soul and swagger to the proceedings (along with guests Cory Branan, Chris Scruggs and fiddler Hoot Hester).  As a passionate and hard-working proponent of our kind of music, it's heartening to see Austin Lucas rewarded with a contract on New West Records, alongside labelmates Steve Earle, Patty Griffin and John Hiatt. 

Next week we'll be taking a hiatus from our regular programming at KRFC.  On Friday, Saturday and Sunday, we'll be broadcasting from the Mountain Stage at Bohemian Nights here in Fort Collins.  This includes sets from the Patti Fiasco, Born in the Flood, Yawpers, the Samples and more.  It also allows new music to back up precariously, more often than not leading to a flash flood of debuts the following week.  Appropriate preparedness actions are recommended. 

*  Emmylou Harris, "Wheels (live)"  Spyboy  (Eminence, 98)
*  Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell, "That's All It Took"  Big E: Salute to Steel Guitarist Buddy Emmons  (Warner, 13)  D
*  I See Hawks In LA, "Beauty of the Better States"  Mystery Drug  (Self, 13)
*  Sara Petite, "Scarlet Letter"  Circus Comes to Town  (Self, 13)
^  Austin Lucas, "So Much More Than Lonely"  Stay Reckless  (New West, 13)
*  John Statz, "Green Meadows"  Old-Fashioned  (Yer Bird, 12)  C
*  Willie Nelson w/Mavis Staples, "Grandma's Hands"  To All the Girls ...  (Columbia, 13)  D
*  Have Gun Will Travel, "Standing At the End of the World"  Fiction Fact or Folktale  (This is American Music, 13)  D
*  Over the Rhine, "Highland County"  Meet Me at the Edge of the World  (Self, 13)
*  Belle Jar, "Against Us Two"  Union Station  (Self, 13)  C
*  Cory Branan, "Darken My Door"  Mutt  (Bloodshot, 12)
*  Sturgill Simpson, "Poor Rambler"  High Top Mountain  (Thirty Tigers, 13)
*  Kimberly M'Carver, "Rodeo Clown"  Hard Waltz  (Kocker, 13)
*  John Moreland, "Oh Julia"  In the Throes  (Last Chance, 13)
*  Ryan Bingham, "Tell My Mother I Miss Her So"  Roadhouse Sun  (Lost Hwy, 09)
*  Halden Wofford & the Hi Beams, "Brown Mt Slave"  Rocky Mt Honky Tonk  (Self, 13)  C
*  Two Tons of Steel, "Hell Cat"  Unraveled  (Smith, 13)
*  Sam Baker, "Tattooed Woman"  Say Grace  (Music Rd, 13)  D
*  Bonnie Whitmore, "Heartbreaker"  There I Go Again  (This is Amer Music, 13)
*  Sarah Lee Guthrie & Johnny Irion, "Hurricane Window"  Wassaic Way  (Self, 13)
*  Avett Brothers, "Another Is Waiting"  Magpie & the Dandelion  (American, 13)  D
*  Dave Alvin, "Out In California (live)"  Interstate City  (Hightone, 96)
*  Robbie Fulks, "I'll Trade You Money For Wine"  Gone Away Backward  (Bloodshot, 13)  D
*  Mike Stinson, "Got a Thing For You"  Hell and Half of Georgia  (Poplar Cove, 13)
*  Grant Langston, "Along For the Ride"  Working Until I Die  (MSG, 12)  D
*  Civil Wars, "Had Me a Girl"  Civil Wars  (Sensibility, 13)
*  Doc Feldman & the LD50, "Bless This Mess"  Sundowning At the Station  (This is Amer Music, 13)
*  Shonna Tucker & Eye Candy, "Linda Please"  Tell All  (Sweet Nectar, 13)
*  Grisly Hand, "Country Singles"  Country Singles  (Self,  13)  D
*  Tim Easton, "Don't Lie"  Not Cool  (Campfire Propaganda, 13)