ROUTES & BRANCHES

featuring the very best of americana, alt.country and roots music

August 9, 2014

Scott Foley

Great to spend some time with Drew Kennedy to begin this Episode.  Turns out we were both halfway through copies of Todd Snider's new collection, I Never Met a Story I Didn't Like.  Great storyteller, of course.  Kennedy himself tells some good stories, albeit involving fewer ill advised decisions or illegal substances.  His new double CD, Sad Songs Happily Played, intersperses this engaging personality with a survey of Kennedy's fine songs, just the man and his acoustic.  Matter of fact, some of the intros last longer than the corresponding tunes.  As he tells it, it wasn't until after the show that he realized that the soundman had been recording.  This makes for such a personal document, "a human recording," writes Kennedy, "It's not perfect, but that's the nature of being human.  I think I speed up and slow down here and there.  I think I say "thanks" too quickly after every song -- and in a weird way -- but that's what I did on this particular Friday night in November, the culmination of my 33 years, 8 months, and 5 days of life."  Turns out that's what makes Sad Songs such a fitting way to experience Drew Kennedy.  You might take his singing for granted until you hear him slip into his falsetto during an exquisite "Vapor Trails", or witness his vocal strength on "Headlights".  Perhaps you wouldn't recognize the careful precision of his lyrics until you hear "Jackson Square" or "I've Got Some Leaving To Do" in such a pin-drop setting.  It's the next best thing to spending half an hour in the studio with him. 

KRFC will be broadcasting Fort Collins' Bohemian Nights at New West Fest next Friday thru Sunday, preempting the station's usual lineup.  I'll likely publish a new blog entry despite the absence of a corresponding playlist.  If you need yourself a bit more Scott until then, please join me this Wednesday from 8-10am (mt) for a Morning Mix. 

*  Cory Branan, "All the Rives In Colorado"  No-Hit Wonder  (Bloodshot, 14)
*  Goodnight Texas, "Knock 'em Stiff"  Uncle John Farquhar  (Self, 14)
^  Drew Kennedy brand new live song
*  Drew Kennedy, "Vapor Trails"  live in studio
*  Drew Kennedy, "Things Change"  Sad Songs Happily Played  (Self, 14)  D
*  Matt Hillyer, "If These Old Bones Could Talk"  If These Old Bones Could Talk  (Run Up Tree, 14)
*  Micky & the Motorcars, "Long Road To Nowhere"  Hearts From Above  (Self, 14)
*  Secret Country, "Night of Whiskey"  From the Barroom To the Bedroom  (Killing Horse, 13)
*  Cahalen Morrison & Country Hammer, "Daisy In Tennessee"  Flower of Muscle Shoals  (Free Dirt, 14)  D
*  Whiskey Shivers, "Give Me A Reason"  Whiskey Shivers  (Self, 14)
*  Black Prairie, "Songs To Be Sung"  Fortune  (Sugar Hill, 14)
*  Bill Miller Band, "Prettiest Girl"  Any Way Shape or Form  (New West, 14)
*  Steve Earle & Milk Carton Kids, "Custer"  Look Again to the Wind: Johnny Cash's Bitter Tears Revisited  (Sony, 14)  D
*  Trampled By Turtles, "I'm Going Down"  Dead Man's Town: Tribute To Born in the USA  (Lightning Rod, 14)
*  Old Crow Medicine Show, "Sweet Amarillo"  Remedy  (ATO, 14)
*  Devil Makes Three, "Statesboro Blues"  Do Wrong Right  (Milan, 09)
*  Frazey Ford, "September Fields"  Indian Ocean  (Nettwerk, 14)  D
*  Hiss Golden Messenger, "Southern Grammar"  Lateness of Dancers  (Merge, 14)
*  Luke Winslow-King, "Everlasting Arms"  Everlasting Arms  (Bloodshot, 14)  D
*  Shovels & Ropes, "Stono River Blues"  Swimmin' Time  (Dualtone, 14)
*  Quiet Life, "Housebroken Man"  Housebroken Man  (Mama Bird, 14)  D
*  Loudermilks, "Quite Honestly"  Loudermilks  (You Know What, 14)
*  Sahara Smith, "Are You Lonely"  Myth of the Heart  (Playing in Traffic, 10)
*  Paul Thorn, "Old Stray Dogs & Jesus"  Too Blessed To Be Stressed  (Perpetual Obscurity, 14)  D
*  Denver, "A Way Out"  Rowdy Love  (Mama Bird, 14)