This Mornin' I Am Born Again

We Have Moved...

2010-02-25T17:39:00.012-06:00

If you're here, you're lost.

This Mornin' I Am Born Again is no longer updated at this address. I have moved from Blogger to Wordpress.

Find the new and improved This Mornin'... at www.ThisMornin.com.

You can update your RSS Feeds with this: http://thismornin.com/feed/

Although I will no longer update this Blogger site, it shall remain here for all your nostalgic needs.

Reader Poll: I Need Some Inspiration

2010-02-23T21:36:00.011-06:00

Let's be honest. Lately, I've updated the look of this blog more often than the content. My post frequency has dropped recently due to a number of reasons. We won't get into why. Instead, let's get into how we go about fixing this.

Originally, I had the intention of posting multiple times every week. I learned quickly that that was a tough task. For one, my posts ending up being more thorough than I initially intended, which is okay with me. So, for a more structured posting process, I started a few 'Feature Posts' - recurring topics that songs could easily fit into to keep a sense of familiarity with the content here. Some of these were meant to be weekly updates - New Digs for one - and that may have gone smoothly for a little while. Some have shown up here and there and some have disappeared completely. So, I need your help. I wanna know what the readers want. Take some time to look back over some of these feature posts and find those that interest you most.

Here's an outline with links those older posts:

New Digs
A (sometimes) weekly post featuring the newest music to spark my interest. Sometimes showcasing a new artist I've found. Sometimes containing songs with a common thread. And sometimes just a handful of good songs.

One Liners
A two-fold intention post. 1)To get posts up quickly without much writing, and 2)To feature some of my photography (yet another hobby of mine I don't devote as much time to as I'd like. These posts are simply a picture I've taken, followed by a song that corresponds somehow with one line from the chosen song as the post title - or one liner.

Viva la Vinyl
Over a year ago, I acquired an amazing piece of technology - A USB turntable. These posts feature songs ripped from my still-growing vinyl collection. Check out a post I made back in 2008 detailing my love for that nostalgic analog sound.

Playlist Pulse
Another feature to help get some music out to you guys quickly. I simply pick one of my iTunes playlists, hit shuffle, and post the first five songs that come up. Simple and effective, yet missing from this site for quite a while.

Mailbox Music
This topic consists of music I've received as promotional material - either through the countless emails I get from music marketing folks or from that rare gem of a hard copy sent pro-bono in the mail.

In The Toolbox
A feature that desperately needs to be seen more, In The Toolbox showcases those 'essential albums'. I have a sturdy metal toolbox that perfectly fits a long row of CDs. This toolbox used to travel with me wherever I went, but has since lost out to the convenience of digital media.

Evolution of Song
This post takes a song that I happen to have multiple copies of. Ideally from the same artist, revealing the evolutionary process the song has undergone throughout the years in studio sessions and the live show.

Cover/Uncovered
Rather than the usual cover song post you might see elsewhere, this feature contains songs in which I first heard a covered version, and subsequently dis-covered the original.

Thursday One-Hitter
The newest feature post to hit the site, the Thursday One-Hitter (named so simply because I first posted one on a Thursday) takes a closer look at songwriting.

Artist Spotlights
Simply titled, my Artist Spotlights feature an in-depth look into an artist's entire catalog, particularly those artists that have greatly contributed to my love of music. Consisting mainly of Ryan Adams material - a catalog that deserves the attention - I've also given attention to Mike McClure, Kasey Chambers, Slaid Cleaves, and Max Stalling (on which Max, himself, dropped by to say thanks).
a separate link for my multiple-entry Ryan Adams Spotlight

So there's your re-cap. With the results from the poll (upper-left sidebar or below), I hope to get a better feel for what the readers want and in return, I can get more of the best material out there.

Crazy MP3 Deals...

2010-02-23T10:13:00.015-06:00

Johnny's sixth installment of the American Recordings catalog was released today - his 78th birthday. You can download it through Amazon, today only, for $3.99, and I strongly suggest you do.
Johnny Cash - Ain't No Grave

If you download songs from the iTunes store, stop. Really. All songs are now $1.29 and are DRM - making it very difficult to do what you want with music you rightfully paid for. There are plenty of other places on the internet to pick up DRM-free music for much cheaper.

The Amazon music store is just as big as iTunes catalog, and their 10 million mp3s still go for only $.99. In addition to their daily $3.99 deal, each month, Amazon also makes 100 mp3 albums available for only $5. Here are some notable ones:
Johnny Cash - Love
Crazy Heart Soundtrack
Dawes - North Hills -- highly recommended
Blackroc - Blackroc -- The Black Keys-produced Hip-Hop album
Vampire Weekend - Contra
Dawn Landes - Sweetheart Rodeo
Andrew Bird - Mysterious Production of Eggs
The Soft Pack - The Muslims
see all 100 albums

And in Amazon's $7.99 bracket:
Johnny Cash - American IV (The Man Comes Around)
Matt & Kim - Grand
O Brother, Where Art Thou Soundtrack
Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
Them Crooked Vultures - s/t
The XX - xx
Patty Griffin - Downtown Chruch -- highly recommended
Norah Jones - Come Away With Me
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It's Blitz!
Reckless Kelly - Somewhere In Time
The Soft Pack - s/t
Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest
The Avett Broths - Emotionalism -- highly recommended
The Black Keys - Rubber Factory
She & Him - Volume One
Dave Rawlings Machine - Friend of a Friend -- highly recommended
Fleet Foxes - s/t -- highly recommended
Band of Horses - Everything All The Time
Monsters of Folk - s/t
Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
Wilco - Wilco [The Album] -- highly recommended
The Swell Season - Strict Joy
Ryan Bingham - Roadhouse Sun -- highly recommended
Gillian Welch - Revival
Ray Wylie Hubbard - A:Enlightenment...
Dr. Dog - Fate
Hayes Carll - Trouble In Mind
Neil Young - Harvest
see all 114,706 albums

eMuisc is where I get a large majority of my purchased music. I pay $11.99/month for 30 downloads (about $.40 a song). There are 4 other plans to choose from on either side of that. Additionally, eMusic puts select albums on sale. They do this by offering a full album download (10-14 tracks) for only 7 credits - or something close to that. When you initially sign up, you'll also get 25 free downloads to start.

Even Better: if you're reading this and want to get in on the action, email me (paytontx12 @ comcast.net). I'll send you an invite, and we'll both get 50 free tracks to download.

Another great online music source is AmieStreet.com. They offer music on a demand-based system. When as song is first added, it's FREE (or very cheap). Each time the song/album is downloaded, the price goes up slightly, songs capping out at $.98 cents. So if you're quick, you can beat any deal, anywhere.

Often, I'll get emails from AmieStreet featuring free mixes. The songs on these mixes remain free - right now, there are over 400 million free songs. Sign up, and they're yours. There's no cost for signing up - you can add funds to your account when you'd like.

Check out their albums available for <$2
Check out their albums available for <$5
Check out their albums available for <$8

Fleet Foxes Download Code Giveaway!!

2010-02-15T15:06:00.006-06:00

Been quiet around here lately. Sorry for the lack of posts.

But to get things going again, how about another giveaway?? This time, I've got a download code for one of my favorite 2007 albums - hell one of my favorite albums EVER: Fleet Foxes' self-titled debut is an elegant masterpiece like nothing before or since. Robin Pecknold and crew created a unique sound that is at once classical and contemporary. The debut will no doubt be hard to follow, but rumor has it the band's sophomore effort will be coming this year.

Click here to enter the Fleet Foxes Contest
Contest Complete

New Album Details from Josh Ritter (+ MP3)

2010-02-08T08:13:00.012-06:00

Woke up this Monday morning to some exciting news in my inbox. Josh Ritter's much anticipated follow-up to 2007's Historical Conquests now has a title, release date, and a promo track. So Runs The World Away will be available in the states on May 4th (April 23rd in Ireland).

A note from Josh on the album:

"So Runs the World Away" took me over a year to make. I'm proud of the fact that I've never recorded a song for a record that I didn't believe in absolutely and that didn't feel, in its writing, recording, and performance, like a moment of real inspiration. I love the songs on this record so much, and my thanks go to my incredible and talented band, my family, and my family of listeners wherever they may be in this fast-spinning world. All my very best, and see you soon!
Josh

As much as Josh is loved throughout the blogosphere, I'm sure this will be posted everywhere, but I'd like to be the first to bring it to you. Josh wants you to join his mailing list to get this track, so do that too below.

Josh Ritter - Change of Time

Conor Oberst - Outer South - Download Code Giveaway!!

2010-02-03T11:00:00.005-06:00

Another week, another winner, another contest. Congratulations to Tim for winning the Justin Townes Earle contest from last Wednesday.

This week, I bring you another top 10 album from my list - Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band - Outer South. The album placed #5 and also marked the 3rd year in a row that Conor Oberst (in some form) has created a Top 5 album - according to me, of course. Outer South shows The Mystic Valley Band taking a step towards the front of the stage - writing and taking lead vocals on a number of tracks. These songs really contribute to the album as a whole and actually played a big part in my high placing of it. Of course, Conor's songs are impressive. Three of them made it to my Top 50 Songs List.

Once again, simply click below (or on the album cover above), enter your email, and that's it. I'll randomly pick a winner this time next week.

Click here to enter the Conor Oberst Contest
Contest Complete - Congrats Brad!

New Track from Joe Pug's Messenger...

2010-01-29T10:31:00.008-06:00

Got an email this morning containing some free tracks available from AmieStreet.com. One of which happens to come from a very highly anticipated album - Joe Pug's full-length debut Messenger. The disc comes out February 16th via Lightning Rod Records following Joe's impressive first two EPs. Get Nation of Heat here and In The Meantime is still available for free when you join Joe's mailing list.

Messenger

Messenger
How Good You Are
Not So Sure
The Sharpest Crown
The Door Was Always Open
The First Time I Saw You
Unsophisticated Heart
Disguised as Someone Else
Bury Me Far (From My Uniform)
Speak Plainly, Diana

Also up for grabs in the email was a track from Great Lake Swimmers - a band I'm slowly but surely getting into. This one comes from their 2009 release Lost Channels. It's a rousing acoustic track that's "swimming in harmony."

Great Lake Swimmers - Still
buy Lost Channels (2009) [CD][Vinyl][MP3 - only $5]

Sarah Jarsoz (and a few others) get Grammy Attention...

2010-01-28T15:44:00.005-06:00

Sarah Jarosz is a fresh-faced young lady from the Texas hill country. At just 19, she's already had the opportunity to not only meet, but create a record with some of her contemporary heroes (although most nearly a generation ahead of her). Because her instrumental reputation precedes her (Sarah plays mandolin, banjo, guitar, and even a toy piano on her album), she was able to employ Tim O'Brien, Chris Thile, and Abigail Washburn as additional musicians/vocalists on her first record. Each of these bluegrass legends offered up a glowing foreword about Sarah, praising not only her playing, but also vocals and songwriting.

I first learned of Sarah when I saw that she had a slot opening for the Dave Rawlings Machine on their recent tour. I was able to catch this show when they made a stop in Austin, and even ran into Sarah patiently waiting in line to catch Dave/Gillian/OCMS as they performed in-store the evening before the show.

Sarah's debut, Song Up In Her Head, will go down as a well-crafted new-age bluegrass record. Despite where Sarah may take her career in the future, the guestlist it features will help it to remain a bluegrass favorite for some time and is currently helping garner extra attention for the young musician. This attention reached its pinnacle when Sarah learned that she would have a chance to take home a Grammy Award Sunday night.

Grammy nods don't often drift into our realm of the music world, but when they do, they usually show favor to the bluegrass end. Gillian Welch's debut was nominated for Best Contemporary Folk Album in 1997 (when Sarah was 6) and her work on the O Brother, Where Art Thou soundtrack helped it win the Grammy for Album Of The Year in 2001 (10, when she started playing the mandolin). As Sarah made obvious in her set in Austin, she was thrilled/honored/maybe a little nervous to open for a true heroine in the business. Fittingly following Gillian's lead, Sarah's debut finds itself in the running for a Grammy. Her song 'Maninneedof' has a chance to be named the Best Country Instrumental Performance. Sarah will be contending against international outfit The Greencards for the song 'The Crystal Merchant' off their album Fascination. Also nominated in the category are Alison Brown and Steve Wariner.

Sarah Jarosz - Maninneedof
The Greencards - The Crystal Merchant

But bluegrass isn't the only genre that occasionally get Grammy attention. Obvious ThisMornin' favorite Ryan Adams found himself thrice nominated in 2002. Gold: Best Rock Album, 'New York, New York': Best Male Rock Vocal, 'Lovesick Blues': Best Male Country Vocal. In 2004, Wilco's A Ghost Is Born took home the honor for Best Alternative Music Album.

The award for Best Contemporary Folk Album was first awarded in 1987. Previous winner include John Prine, Emmylou Harris, Lucinda Williams, Alison Krauss, Bob Dylan, and Steve Earle - who is again nominated this year for his well-crafted tribute album Townes. Joining him in the category is Neko Case, whose Middle Cyclone is also nominated for its artwork with Best Recording Package.

Steve Earle - To Live Is To Fly
Neko Case - People Got A Lotta Nerve

2010 will mark the first ever award for Best Americana Album, hopefully starting a much-deserved shift in notoriety for the growing genre. Your nominees:

Bob Dylan - Together Through Life
Levon Helm - Electric Dirt
Willie Nelson & Asleep At The Wheel - Willie & The Wheel
Wilco - Wilco (The Album)
Lucinda Williams - Little Honey

Indie mainstay Karen O finds herself nominated in two categories for two different projects. Her band, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs' It's Blitz is in the running for Best Alternative Album. Karen's work on the Where the Wild Things Are Soundtrack has been praised all over, and the song All Is Love is nominated for Best Song Written for a Motion Picture.

Karen O & The Kids - All Is Love

Ryan Adams' on-again off-again go-to producer Ethan Johns is nominated for both Best Engineered Album and Producer of the Year for his work on Ray Lamontagne's album Gossip In The Grain.

Ray LaMontagne - You Are The Best Thing

All of this said, I'm still not gonna put myself through the agony of watching this commercialized spectacle - I may try to time it so I can catch some of the above mentioned awards. That is... if they manage to find time to televise them between Taylor Swift and Rihanna performances.

Justin Townes Earle Download Code Giveaway!!

2010-01-27T10:55:00.005-06:00

Just picked a winner for the last download giveaway - Congrats Jeanette!

Next up is #10 from my 2009 Album List - Justin Townes Earle's Midnight At The Movies. This album was also the landslide winner of the first annual Bird List.

Once again, it's easy. Simply click below or on the album cover above and enter your email address. A winner will be randomly chosen next Wednesday (2/3).

Click here to enter the contest
Contest complete - Congrats Tim!

Link & News for January '10....

2010-01-26T17:58:00.007-06:00

Here are some happenings in my music world right now:

Daytrotter has a couple new sessions worth checking out: The Roadside Graves (1/8), Dave Rawlings Machine (1/13) and Samantha Crain (1/20). And for you iPhone users, the folks over there have created an app for the iPhone that lets you stream any artist's session as well as Daytrotter radio.

The Low Anthem recently recorded one of those amazingly quaint NPR Tiny Desk Concerts. They perform 'Ghost Woman Blues,' 'Ghosts Who Write History Books,' and 'This God Damn House' - the tune with the infamous cell phone interference trick. Also notice the special placement of Charles Darwin's The Origin of Species on the bookshelf behind the band. You can view it on their website, along with a recent performance of 'Charlie Darwin' from Letterman. The Low Anthem will also be embarking on their first headlining tour soon following a road stint opening for The Avett Brothers.

Speaking of NPR, head over there to stream Patty Griffin's brand new album Downtown Church (Out Today). As the title may suggest, it's a gospel-flavored album that was actually recorded in an empty church. Another chillingly tender album from Patty. Go ahead and but it: [Amazon CD/mp3]
Here's a taste: House of Gold

Austin City Limits aired The Avett Brothers' set this past Saturday (my intention was to get this post up before the weekend to give you guys the heads up). It was pretty amazing - good mix of old/new material performed very intimately to a warm audience. See a preview here. Definitely picking up the DVD when it comes available.

Justin Townes Earle has a new track available. It's a cover of Dolly Parton's 'Do I Ever Cross Your Mind' done with Dawn Landes - Josh Ritter's wife. Justin's voice is velvety-er than ever on this one. Pick it up from Rollo & Grady.

Joe Pug's full-length debut is nearly upon us. I came across an advance (probably illegal) copy of it, but wasn't able to download it. Oh well, I can wait patiently. But for now, check this:

Mixtape VI: Sweet Black Magic (Ryan Adams B-Sides)

2010-01-21T20:44:00.012-06:00

Before I delve into 2005 and the onset of The Cardinals in my spotlight, there's still plenty of music that needs to be (over)examined. Now, I don't follow much less obsess over collecting each piece of music that any artist records like I do Ryan Adams, but from what I can tell, he's part of a select group of musicians that constantly offer up bonus tracks with each release. Forget all his 'unreleased sessions' or rejected albums for the moment; Ryan Adams' extra songs recorded alongside those that made final album cuts still stack up higher than most folks' entire catalogs.

Starting with 2001's Gold, Ryan has rewarded pre-orders, limited editions, and often folks from other continents with extra tracks that didn't make the proper album with nearly every release. As you'll see, these are often as good if not better than many of the album cuts, and the mystery remains why these songs were never properly released. My Ryan Adams Spotlight posts have been adorned with many of these tracks that were 'bonus album cuts,' but a lot of them were never even attached to albums of his. I've whittled these 50 or so songs down to the best 22 to bring you Mixtape VI: Sweet Black Magic.

Download (zip)

Gold's side 4 is fully represented here, and the mix takes its title from one the tracks. This set of 5 songs remains his strongest bonus effort to date and not necessarily hard to come by, have helped his sophomore album reach the critical level it has. Each side of Sweet Black Magic is finished with a signature down-tempo ballad from Gold's bonus side.

Two of the strongest moments on the mix come at each 2nd track and are both pulled from a label compilation. 'Choked Up' is technically a Whiskeytown outtake from the Pneumonia recording sessions that was part of a Lost Highway 'Lost Songs' collection. 'Monday Night' was released on a Bloodshot records 5-year retrospective entitled Down To The Promised Land. Another easy standout, 'Goodbye Honey' also comes from a Bloodshot Records compilation - the label's 100th release. The Japanese bonus disc included with Love Is Hell included two tracks featured here. Both are positive, mainly acoustic cuts that would never have fit right with the cosmic, dreary album.

Leading off the second side is one of Ryan Adams' best songs of his entire catalog. 'Fool's Gold' was never part of an official release but circulated on a collection of the same name in 2001 along with the rest of Gold's bonus tracks. The Latin-tinged rocker fits right in with the feeling of that album, even starring a familiar character, Mara Lisa, who was the inspiration for another one of those bonus tracks. 'Lovely and Blue' is another unreleased song that was available for a short time on Ryan's web site and features the more polished sound similar to Easy Tiger material. The remainder of the tracks here were b-sides released either on EP's or with singles. The best of these comes from the second 'Wonderwall' CD single with the infectious melody of 'I Want To Go Home.'

Check out more from the Ryan Adams Spotlight:
Whiskeytown
Heartbreaker
Gold
Exile on Franklin Street
The Destroyer Sessions
The Pinkheart Sessions (1)
The Suicide Handbook
48 Hours
The Pinkheart Sessions (2)
Halloween Promo
Demolition
Music In High Places
The Swedish Sessions
Rock N Roll
Love Is Hell
Mixtape V: This One's For The Rose
show all

Deer Tick Download Code Giveaway!!

2010-01-20T16:39:00.004-06:00

As promised, I've got a few more unused download codes to give away. Up for grabs this week is the newest album from one of the hottest bands in the country. Deer Tick's Born on Flag Day found itself at #4 on my Top 20 Albums of 2009. Read my review.

This time there's no trivia stopping you from giving it a try. Simply click below or on the album cover and enter your email address. Next Wednesday (1/27), I'll pick a random winner and notify them via email with the working download code. Do it.

Click here to enter the Deer Tick Contest
Contest Complete - Congrats Jeanette!

Ryan Bingham leaves West Texas in the Dust...

2010-01-19T11:16:00.009-06:00

Since honing his chops alongside many of the Texas/Oklahoma acts I used to follow, Ryan Bingham has signed with Lost Highway, released 2 critically acclaimed albums (the latest of which found my Top 20 Albums of 2009), and....

Sunday Night, New Mexico born, Texas raised Ryan Bingham won himself a Golden Globe Award. He took home the trophy for Best Original Song for 'The Weary Kind,' a tune written by Bingham for the film Crazy Heart starring Jeff Bridges. This film caught my eye as soon as the trailer surfaced. With a cast including Bridges, Robert Duvall, Colin Farrell, and Maggie Gyllenhaal, it was sure to get attention, but surprisingly, focus has been geared toward the music in the film as much as the film itself. Legendary producer T-Bone Burnett oversaw the production of the soundtrack alongside Stephen Bruton.

One of the first things that stood out to me about Crazy Heart was the fact that it was director Scott Cooper's directorial debut. He adapted the script from a book of the same name written by Thomas Cobb. It follows Bad Blake, a fictional yet very familiar country singer who, at 57, seems to have run his course in the business. Cooper had always wanted to tell the life story of Merle Haggard but could never sort out the rights. After finding the book, he learned he could not only tell Haggard's, but also stories of Waylon and Kristofferson, "with a little bit of Billy Joe Shaver and Townes Van Zandt all mixed in." Jeff Bridges pulls off the weary character perfectly, so much that he also picked up a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Drama.

Trailer:

Pick up the soundtrack (out today) from Amazon. It includes tracks from Buck Owens, The Louvin Brothers, Waylon Jennings, Lightnin' Hopkins, Townes Van Zandt, and a healthy helping from the movie's stars (Bridges and Farrell).

Here's your Golden Globe Winning Song performed earlier this month on Letterman:

The Lists: Top 50 Songs of 2009

2010-01-12T14:22:00.012-06:00

Finally, my first post of the new decade. After my ski trip, I was backed up with work, and I've had a lot of photos to edit. And for the second year in a row, the task of making my lists sort of drained the free-form fun out of what I do here. I'm ready to start finding new music as well as posting about some older stuff that had a hand in me starting this blog in the first place.

Truth be told, I wanted a little extra time to refine this list as it is quite large. So without further adieu, my Top 50 Songs of 2009:

50. Sunflower Rain - Ryan Adams [purchase]
49. Dog Days Are Over - Florence and the Machine [purchase]
48. You Never Know - Wilco [purchase]
47. Sailor Song - First Aid Kit [purchase]
46. Ship Come In - Jonny Burke [purchase]
45. Give Me Time - Dawes [purchase]
44. - Brendan Benson [purchase]
43. Two Weeks - Grizzly Bear [purchase]
42. Goodbye Hollywood - JET [purchase]
41. Cry - Slaid Cleaves [purchase]
40. Don't Come Calling - Stephanie Briggs [purchase]
39. Orion & Dog - Sea Wolf [purchase]
38. Boots Boy - Langhorne Slim [purchase]
37. Brother John - Middle Distance Runner [purchase]
36. The Guitar - Guy Clark [purchase]
35. In These Arms - The Swell Season [purchase]
34. Good Ol' Fashioned Nightmare - Matt & Kim [purchase]
33. Cooperstown - The Felice Brothers [purchase]
32. Bells of Harlem - Dave Rawlings Machine [purchase]
31. Eager For Your Love - Tristen [purchase]
30. Nikorette - Conor Oberst & The MVB [purchase]
29. Champion Angel - The Low Anthem [purchase]
28. Lisztomania - Phoenix [purchase]
27. Heartbroken, In Disrepair - Dan Auerbach [purchase]
26. Round Here - Middle Distance Runner [purchase]
25. Ten Women - Conor Oberst & The MVB [purchase]
24. Hurtin' You - Ben Kweller [purchase]
23. Smith Hill - Deer Tick [purchase]
22. Tell Me True - Sarah Jarosz [purchase]
21. Cage The Songbird - The Low Anthem [purchase]
20. Ten Thousand Words - The Avett Brothers [purchase]
19. The Traitor - Sea Wolf [purchase]
18. Funeral Singers - Califone [purchase]
17. Day Is Done - Ryan Bingham [purchase]
16. Everyday - Vetiver [purchase]
15. White Limo - The Felice Brothers [purchase]
14. Sweet Disposition - The Temper Trap [purchase]
13. A Thousand Men - Joe Pug [purchase]
12. Far And Wide - The Roadside Graves [purchase]
11. Easy - Deer Tick [purchase]
10. Mama's Eyes - Justin Townes Earle [purchase]
9. The Big Surprise - The Felice Brothers [purchase]
8. Speak of Trouble - Great Bloomers [purchase]
7. Laundry Room (live version) - The Avett Brothers [purchase]
6. Gunslinger - The Medders [purchase]
5. Take It In - Wye Oak [purchase]
4. I Got The Reason - Conor Oberst & The MVB [purchase]
3. Ticket Taker - The Low Anthem [purchase]
2. Honeymoon - Bombadil [purchase]

1. Ruby - Dave Rawlings Machine [purchase]

Ruby, let down your golden hair
When I'm standing at the bottom of your stairs
Ruby, I can see your TV on
But the people there, they flicker and they're gone
So let down your golden hair for me tonight
Let down your golden hair for me to climb
Just like an old-time telegraph man
I came here with a simple job to do
'Cause that news coming down the wire
Says that your head's on fire
And I'm trying to get a message through to you

Ruby, you ain't lonely yet
With your crystal and your Russian cigarette
Ruby, haven't you heard before?
Working is the finest tower when it hasn't got a door
So let down your golden hair for me to climb
Let down your golden hair for me tonight
Just like an old-time telegraph man
I came here with a simple job to do
'Cause that news coming down the wire
Says that your bed's on fire
And I'm trying to get a message through to you, Ruby

I'm that old-time telegraph man
And I came here with a simple job to do
'Cause that news coming down the wire
Says that your world's on fire
And I'm trying to get a message through to you

I'm that old-time telegraph man
And I came here with a simple job to do
'Cause that news coming down the wire
Says that your world's on fire
And I'm trying to get a message through to you
-------------

"Come Mornin' I'll Be Through Them Hills And Gone"

2009-12-29T18:39:00.005-06:00

Headed out overnight for another New Year's ski trip. Destination: Beaver Creek - my absolute favorite place to ski. Looks like my Top 50 Songs of 2009 will have to wait 'til 2010.... wow that's strange to type.

If I find some time during the trip, I'll begin another set of Download Code Contests. I've got 3 album downloads available from my Top 10 this year: JTE's Midnight at the Movies, Deer Tick's Born On Flag Day, and Conor Oberst's Outer South. Be sure to check back for those.

For now, here are some songs to fit the mood:

Reckless Kelly - Snowfall
Fleet Foxes - Blue Ridge Mountains
Gillian Welch & Dave Rawlings - Snowin' On Raton (live)
White Antelope (Robin Pecknold) - Wild Mountain Thyme

Links & News: Christmas Edition....

2009-12-25T01:21:00.006-06:00

Merry Christmas to all. In the last few days, I haven't had time to prepare any sort of Holiday post, do any thoughtful gift-buying, or properly wrap the gifts I hastily snatched up today. My shopping expedition was haunted by a looming CVS stop and the drive to Grandma's this evening was nearly thwarted but 35+ mph wind gusts. But I'm safe and warm now, enjoying Christmas with the family... though, in a place without much for speedy internet necessary for uploading songs. So, this year, I will direct you to some that did have the time.

Christmas Music Mixes, etc:
I Am Fuel, You Are Friends
plus Heather's (re-upped) 2008 and 2007 Christmas posts.
Rollo & Grady
Brooklyn Vegan
(including some sweet videos)
Songs: Illinois
Nine Bullets offers a holiday song... and a nice reminder.
Bag of Songs is 24/25ths of the way through it's Bag of Christmas songs.
Middle Distance Runner (#7) has a free holiday track.
And, as always, Star Maker Machine has plenty of festive music.

The Lists: Top 20 Albums of 2009 (1-10)

2009-12-22T19:11:00.008-06:00

Check out Part I (11-20)

Part II of my Top 20 Albums of 2009

10. Justin Townes Earle - Midnight At The Movies
Bloodshot, 3.3.2009
Justin Townes Earle's second album cemented his star-studded name as star in his own right and won the top spot in the first ever Bird List - by a landslide. Justin, like some of the best out there, has a difficult time translating his live show allure to a studio CD, but Midnight At The Movies does a damn good job trying. His rollicking, 'Hillbilly Music' (tracks like 'Walk Out' and 'John Henry') are where he grabs your attention, but it's the slower, more personal songs ('Mama's Eyes', 'Someday I'll Be Forgiven') that truly separate JTE from other folk-country acts out there.

Justin Townes Earle - They Killed John Henry
[Direct][Vinyl][CD][MP3][eMusic][iTunes]

9. Sea Wolf - White Water, While Bloom
Dangerbird, 9.22.2009
Alex Brown Church and the folks behind him, better known as Sea Wolf, are probably one the most accessible bands I promote here. I have to admit that they had a little advantage making my top 10 due to the fact that I didn't discover their 2007 release Leaves In The River until last year, and wanted to make up for not mentioning it in my inaugural posts. This year with White Water, White Bloom, Sea Wolf continued to make listener-friendly indie-rock paved with inspiring string pieces, powerful rhythm sections, and soaring vocals.

Sea Wolf - Dew In The Grass
[Direct][Vinyl][CD][MP3][iTunes]

8. Samantha Crain & The Midnight Shivers - Songs In The Night
Ramseur, 4.28.2009
Samantha Crain broke into the folk scene last year with a superb EP. Don't let the fact that her debut full-length was released early this year and the hype surrounding her may have since slowed lead you astray. This is one killer album. Songs In The Night contains very mature writing and even better music created by The Midnight Shivers. It's got a perfect mix of tempos - sing-along folk-rockers, contemplative acoustic ballads, and even a couple electric grooves. If I could pick a poster-band for the sound I want out of my Americana, this is it.

Samantha Crain & The Midnight Shivers - Devils In Boston
[Direct][CD][MP3][eMusic][iTunes]

7. Middle Distance Runner - The Sun & Earth
Engine Room Recordings, 10.20.2009
Every year so far, I've had at least one album that made my list for one simple reason - it rocks. This year's album that always seems to get my head bobbin' is Middle Distance Runner's The Sun & Earth. I stumbled across the D.C. band earlier this year thanks to a couple mind-numbing singles/EPs they released. I grabbed the full album released in October, delighted to see those tracks on it, and even more thrilled to enjoy the rest of the disc. It's one of those albums that you seem to not remember tracks names simply because it's 45 minutes of pulsating Rock n Roll intertwined with moments of acoustic bliss of that all melds together in you brain - in a good way.

Middle Distance Runner - Round Here
[Direct][CD][MP3][eMusic][iTunes]

6. Dan Auerbach - Keep It Hid
Nonesuch, 2.10.2009
I was skeptical of Dan Auerbach breaking from his bandmate to strike out on a solo mission. But I was a fool. Dan brought his funk-filled guitar licks to the studio, polished them off just a tad, and ultimately brought everything to his solo debut that The Black Keys were missing. Keep It Hid has the feel of an artist who knew the exact sound they wanted. Plus, who knew this blues-rocker could slow it down and give us a handful of touching down-tempo ditties to compliment his unique, blistering electric sound.

Dan Auerbach - When The Night Comes
[Direct][Vinyl][CD][MP3][iTunes]

5. Conor Oberst & The Mystic Valley Band - Outer South
Merge, 5.5.2009

I had Outer South, the second album bearing Conor Oberst's name and the first bearing The Mystic Valley Band, in my library for a while this year before I really gave it a listen. I don't know what held me back - maybe I was overwhelmed by the amount of tracks on it and the fact that Conor participated in another release this year - but as soon as I listened once through, I knew it was a top 5 album. This year will mark the 3rd year in a row that Conor Oberst has placed an album in the top 5 here at This Mornin'. Last year, I made the claim that his self-titled album solidified his place as the Best American Songwriter under 30, and with this release I stand by that claim - though he only has 2 more months to hold the title. He will then have wait 5 years in a distant second place until Ryan Adams turns 40.

Outer South doesn't necessarily show us anything particularly new about Conor - his songs continue to be energetic - only slowing when necessary - well-written, and most noticeably perfectly delivered. Conor has a knack for isolating a line apart from the music behind it with the effect of heightening the importance of that lyric like no one else. What sets this album apart from Oberst's earlier work is his band. Although The Mystic Valley Band played on Conor Oberst, that album was more about Conor. On Outer South, he lends prime real estate to his bandmates letting them take 7 of the 16 tracks, including tracks as early as 3 and 4. The songs that Nick Freitas, Taylor Hollingworth, and Jason Boesel wrote and provide lead vocals for aren't my favorite off the album, but they ain't bad, either. Hollingsworth may have the standout non-Oberst song with his Replacements-esque 'Air Mattress.' Outer South is yet another disc from the Omaha alt-rocker that doesn't have a single skippable track.

Conor Oberst & The Mystic Valley Band - Cabbage Town
Conor Oberst & The Mystic Valley Band - Air Mattress
[Direct][Vinyl][CD][MP3][eMusic][iTunes]

4. Deer Tick - Born On Flag Day
Partisan, 6.23.2009

Easily my most anticipated release of the year, Deer Tick's sophomore effort obviously pleased me. But not right at first - if you read my initial reaction, you'll see I was happy with it, but thought it paled in comparison to 2007's War Elephant. What I grew to enjoy about the album after some time, however, was everything that sets Born On Flag Day apart from their debut. Aside from John McCauley's grizzled vocals, this album doesn't have the same grunge-rock feel of which we were introduced to Deer Tick. In its place as an overlying feeling on the album is a bit of a retro-vibe. Born On Flag Day boasts multiple tracks that sound straight out of a 50's studio session outtake disc. Both vocally and musically, I've heard traces of The Everyly Brothers (when they tried out an electric set), The Animals, Chuck Berry, and even some Beatles when I listen to this album. John manages to get those familiar, classic rock tones from his sea-green Fender Strat, both on this album and in the band's live show.

Deer Tick - Stung
[Direct][Vinyl][CD][MP3][eMusic][iTunes]

3. Bombadil - Tarpits & Canyonlands
Ramseur, 7.7.2009

I could sit here and regurgitate words that tell you how Bombadil is groundbreaking, brave, and stylistically unclassifiable, but if you've ever heard their music, that is all too apparent. The simple fact is, it's fun to listen to them - and what else do you really need to know? Tarpits and Canyonlands outreaches the band's last album in terms of accessibility and execution. Here, there are real songs, still liberally arranged with instrumental twists and turns, but in a more focused way. The guys took their time with this recording, and it shows. Most impressively, Tarpits' strongest parts may be the more subdued moments. The slow-building opener 'I Am' provides a gentle, yet ominous lead-in to an album with peaks and valleys in terms of tempo and activity, but never a dull moment.

Bombadil - I Am
Bombadil - Kuala Lumpur
[Direct][CD][MP3][eMusic][iTunes]

2. Dave Rawlings Machine - A Friend of a Friend
Acony, 11.17.2009

I reserved big, comfy spot for this album in my Top 10 as soon as I learned of its release. Don't get me wrong - I still analyzed the songs, but I already knew what we were getting. For an artist with a resume like Dave Rawlings, over a decade to hone his songwriting chops, and the likes of Gillian Welch and Old Crow Medicine Show ushering him in, A Friend of A Friend was bound to be nothing short of spectacular. The last thing I expected going in was to be most impressed by the strength of Dave's original songs. 'Ruby' immediately shot to the top of my favorite songs list, while 'Sweet Tooth' and 'Bells of Harlem' are at once fresh and classically timeless. It's a short and sweet album, with a perfect mix of Dave's early co-writes, well-chosen covers, and original compositions that will no-doubt stand the test of time. Expect a further in-depth review of this one after I've let it simmer a little longer.

Dave Rawlings Machine - Sweet Tooth
[Direct][CD][MP3][eMusic][iTunes]

1. The Low Anthem - Oh My God, Charlie Darwin
Nonesuch, 6.9.2009

Last year, I expressed my thoughts on what I believe makes a great album. Most importantly, that it need be a cohesive, focused, flowing collection of songs, none being superfluous or out of place. The Low Anthem's Oh My God, Charlie Darwin takes this idea to another level. It's a beautiful record, start to finish, complete with ballads and rockers, an interlude, and a reprise. It flows seamlessly, taking you through ethereal hymns and turbulent gospel barn-burners. Some may argue that OMGCD was a 2008 release - the Providence-based band self-released the album in September of 2008 and were subsequently picked up by Nonesuch Records. The label then gave the record a proper release (including vinyl) in June of this year. I discovered the band just after this release and was pleased to see that their schedule crossed paths with mine and we would both be in Nashville at the same time - me for The Big Surprise Tour, them for an intimate show at The Basement. Catching a live show of theirs and meeting the band members had a big part in the placement of this album at the top of my list. Read my review.
The Low Anthem's strongest quality - as a band and especially on this album - is their unmatched instrumentation. Between only Ben Knox Miller, Jeff Prystokwsky, and Jocie Adams, The Low Anthem travels with a trailer-full of gear, all of which gets used on a nightly basis. Their stage progression plays out like a carousel, or literally a game of musical chairs. Most instruments can be played by more than one member, each with their own personal flair. I read a few interviews with the band prior to this write-up (check out this well-written one). In one interview, Miller says they try to push their musical limits by limiting their play on instruments they are comfortable with. He says they walk blindfolded into the instrument room; they "prefer to stumble into beauty." Another interesting note I picked up on, Miller says that band doesn't get too caught up in listening to a lot of contemporary music. This is obvious in the end result of their own music - you can't seem to pick out any specific influence or even compare it to anything else you've heard before: completely original music, earthy and natural.

The Low Anthem - Charlie Darwin
The Low Anthem - Horizon Is A Beltway
[Direct][Vinyl][CD][MP3][iTunes]

-------------------------------------------------

More best of 2009 at This Mornin':
Top 20 Albums, Part I
Best Videos
Top 5 EPs

Continue to the Best Songs of 2009 post

Contest: Free Avett Brothers Album!

2009-12-20T10:44:00.010-06:00

Round Two of my Free Digital Download Code Christmas Giveaway!

Available today is The Avett Brothers - I And Love And You. It was #12 on my Top 20 Albums of 2009. This one is simple:

What were my #1 picks for Album and Song for 2007?

Comment with the answer and your email (or email me if you like that better).
First correct answer wins the download code.

---------------------------------------------

Congratulations again to Scott, the winner of the first contest. He won a download code for The Felice Brothers - Yonder Is The Clock by being the first to answer this question:

Which Felice Brothers song contains a 'pop' in the audio, allegedly due to a nearby lightning strike while recording in the rain?

Answer: The Felice Brothers - Hey, Hey Revolver
It occurs about :35 seconds in - you hear a quick drop in volume, then the telltale thunder roll seconds later.

I should get the Top 10 Albums posted tonight, and I have a handful of download codes to give away from those as well. Stay tuned.

Contest: Free Felice Brothers Download!

2009-12-18T19:51:00.015-06:00

'Tis the season of giving. And although I haven't let loose any holiday music just yet, I though I'd join the spirit of the season with the first-ever This Mornin' I Am Born Again Contest/Giveaway!

I try to buy vinyl as much as possible. I've basically stopped buying CD's unless I've just got to have a hard copy and it's the only option available. These days, with most new vinyl purchases (and many re-issues) you get a code to download the album in high-quality mp3's. Thing is... I'm an impatient person. More often than not, by the time I get to the record store or the vinyl arrives in the mail, I've already found a way to get my hands on the digital tracks. So, lucky for you, I have a stack of unused (hopefully still valid) download codes just waiting to be redeemed.

Up for grabs tonight is #16 on my Top 20 Albums of 2009 - The Felice Brothers' Yonder Is The Clock.
Here's what you gotta do:

Which Felice Brothers song contains a 'pop' in the audio, allegedly due to a nearby lightning strike while recording in the rain? (mentioned before on this blog)

Congrats to Scott, who sent in the correct answer, 'Hey, Hey Revolver.'

Comment with the answer and your email (or email me if you like that better).
First correct answer wins the download code.

The Lists: Top 20 Albums of 2009 (11-20)

2009-12-16T23:35:00.033-06:00

Here it is folks! Expanded for 2009, my
Top 20 Albums of the Year - Part I.

20. Wye Oak - The Knot
Merge, 7.21.2009
It's a loud, alt-rock album kept country with a heavy dose of steel guitar. Wye Oak is Jenn Wasner (guitar, vocals) and Andy Stack (drums, vocals). If being signed to Merge Records isn't enough, the beauty of The Knot, their sophomore album, should help bring some attention going into the next decade.

Wye Oak - For Prayer
[Direct][CD][MP3][eMusic][iTunes]

19. Wilco - Wilco (The Album)
Nonesuch, 6.26.2009
The boldly titled seventh album from alt-country mainstay Wilco did not disappoint. Jeff Tweedy continues to provide welcoming melodies and infectious guitar licks overlain with his unmistakably heavyhearted vocals. Each time I listen, I find a new favorite track. In fact, as I write this, I already wish I would have placed it higher in this list.

Wilco - I'll Fight
[Direct][Vinyl][CD][MP3][iTunes]

18. Slaid Cleaves - Everything You Love Will Be Taken Away
Music Road, 4.21.2009
Folk storyman Slaid Cleaves may not pump out albums, but for our patience we get carefully crafted song showcases that continually impress. While Everything You Love doesn't have a 'Broke Down,' there remain 11 songs filled with first-person experience that only Slaid could recount with such ease and grace.

Slaid Cleaves - Black T-Shirt
[Direct][CD][MP3][eMusic][iTunes]

17. Stephanie Briggs - Birds Barely Know Us
Smith Entertainment, 3.31.2009
It's strange that out of all the Texas acts I used to follow, a female, Stephanie Briggs, would bring an album that follows the general direction to which my musical tastes have shifted. What's not so strange is that running around with the likes of Cody Canada, Stephanie learned how to use a guitar the right way. Calling New Braunfels, TX home, Stephanie (guitar, vocals) and husband Matthew (percussion, vocals) offer a freshly energetic album with an indie-edge.

Stephanie Briggs - Private Parts
[Direct][CD][MP3][eMusic][iTunes]

16. The Felice Brothers - Yonder Is The Clock
Team Love, 4.7.2009
Since 2007's Tonight At The Arizona, each of The Felice Brothers' albums have become slightly less enjoyable - mainly due to too much album-filler. But just as I passed through Yonder Is The Clock to check inventory, I remembered just how good the good ones are. Ian Felice can strike my fancy just as easily with a raucous barn-burner as he can with a plaintive dirge. Read my original review.

The Felice Brothers - Boy From Lawrence County
[Direct][Vinyl][CD][iTunes]

15. Ryan Bingham & The Dead Horses - Roadhouse Sun
Lost Highway, 6.2.2009
Another product of the Texas Music scene, Ryan Bingham emerged with the basics only to build upon them to gain national success. I'll admit, if I hadn't found this album for $3.99 on Amazon, I most-likely wouldn't have given it a shot this year. Sure glad I did - Roadhouse Sun is a dustblown disc expertly arranged with the fullest sound to come from Ryan yet.

Ryan Bingham - Change Is
[Direct][Vinyl][CD][MP3][iTunes]

14. Great Bloomers - Speak of Trouble
Maple Music Recordings, 4.21.2009
The Great Bloomers came out of nowhere (actually Canada) and brought us an easy choice for a top 20 list. Lowell Sostomi and crew offer piano-fueled, guitar-aided, harmony-highlighted folk-pop that oozes optimism. Listed first in their 'influence' column are The Beach Boys, and nowhere does that 'influence' ring truer than when they institute deft 4-part harmonies. Speak of Trouble jauntily guides you though 11 tracks of unique arrangements and sticky melodies.

Great Bloomers - Admit Defeat
[Direct][CD][MP3][eMusic][iTunes]

13. Brendan Benson - My Old, Familiar Friend
ATO, 8.18.2009
This is Brendan Benson's fourth solo album, but remains the only one I've heard. I was first introduced to Brendan when he joined forces with Jack White in The Raconteurs. When I heard My Old, Familiar Friend, it was quickly evident how much of Consolers was influenced by Brendan. If you like the pop melodies and smooth vocals from The Raconteurs, Brendan Benson comes highly recommended. First order of business for 2010: check out Benson's back catalog.

Brendan Benson - Garbage Day
[Vinyl][CD][eMusic][iTunes]

12. The Avett Brothers - I And Love And You
Sony/American, 9.29.2009
Just two short years after The Avett Brothers topped my list of albums, it seems they are already the clichéd choice. Good news for them, but as you'll remember from my original review, (sorta) bad news for me. Their meteoric rise from obscurity landed them in the studio with Rick Rubin for 2009's I And Love And You. His polished touch on the album created a different sound that initially rubbed some of us the wrong way. From the small sampling of reviews I found that weren't fawning over the disc, one common theme emerged: This album will grow on you. While in its second listening round, the album hit me in a different way. Once I got over the production choices, all that was left were the songs. And they were good.

The Avett Brothers - And It Spread
[Direct][Vinyl][CD][MP3][eMusic][iTunes]

11. These United States - Everything Touches Everything
United Interests, 9.1.2009
Reigning Best Album champs These United States released their third disc in just two years. Last year's Crimes was my choice for Best Album last year, but interestingly enough, I couldn't find a song from it to include in my Best Songs list. The same approach was taken with 2009's Everything Touches Everything, in which Jesse Elliot crafted a cohesive album. None of the songs were written with a single in mind, but rather each was written as an equally important element to the disc. Maybe it's not quite as good as Crimes (due mainly to the fact that its opener was a stellar, thematic lead-in), but still an immense joy to listen to - and that's all that matters.

These United States - I'm Gonna Assemble A City
[Direct][CD][MP3][eMusic][iTunes]

----------------------------------
Continue to Part II (Albums 1-10)....
2009's Top 5 EP's
2009's Best Videos

----------------------------------
Refresh your memory with last year's lists:
Top EPs
Top Songs
Top Albums, pt 1
Top Albums, pt 2

The Lists: Best Videos of 2009

2009-12-15T12:25:00.008-06:00

Here's an unranked group of some of the best music videos from 2009. I didn't scour the internet (or god-forbid watch MTV/CMT) for every video made this year. They are basically taken from those artists in my Top 20 Albums list (coming soon) that happened to make videos this year.

These United States - Everything Touches Everything

The Low Anthem - Charlie Darwin

The Avett Brothers - Slight Figure of Speech

Bombadil - So Many Ways To Die

Dan Auerbach - Heartbroken, In Disrepair

Middle Distance Runner - The Unbeliever

Sea Wolf - Wicked Blood

Brendan Benson - A Whole Lot Better

Survey Says........

2009-12-15T09:52:00.006-06:00

In its inaugural run, The Bird List had a few snags - mainly the website - but the results are in. I'm fairly pleased with the way things turned out. Only 6 of the albums I included in my Top 20 made the combined list, but then again, this was a much more 'country-based' group than what ThisMornin' usually offers. So here you go:

The Bird List. A bird's eye view of the combined top 20 lists of what we like to call a "loose confederation of like minded bloggers". This is the inaugural year. It's been a patchy one! But what we do have is a decent idea, and what we feel is an interesting list. So Here it is. The best albums of the year as voted on by 30 of the web's leading aficionados of twanglike music.

1. Justin Townes Earle - Midnight at the Movies
2. Lucero - 1372 Overton Park
3. Ryan Bingham and The Dead Horses - Roadhouse Sun
4. Buddy and Julie Miller - Written in Chalk
5. Dave Rawlings Machine - A Friend of a Friend
6. Slaid Cleaves - Everything You Love Will Be Taken Away
7. Todd Snider - The Excitement Plan
8. Avett Brothers - I and Love and You
9. Band of Heathens - One Foot In the Ether
10. Tom Russell - Blood and Candlesmoke
11. Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit - S/T
12. Corb Lund - Losin' Lately Gambler
13. Charlie Robison - Beautiful Day
14. Drive-By Truckers - The Fine Print
15. Steve Earle - Townes
16. Deer Tick - Born on Flag Day
17. Wrinkle Neck Mules - Let The Lead Fly
18. Magnolia Electric Co. - Josephine
19. Guy Clark – Somedays The Songs Write You
20. Those Darlins - S/T
20. Miranda Lambert - Revolution

Contributing Blogs: A Fifty Cent Lighter, A Truer Sound, Alt-512, Amber Waves of Twang, Americana Rock Mix, Americana Roots, Beat Surrender, Because Whit Happens, Country California, Country Music Pride, Farce The Music, For The Sake of The Song, Front Porch Musings, Heartworn Highways, High Noon Saloon, It's Great To Be Alive, Kim Ruehl (No Depression), Juli Thanki, (The 9513), Romeo Sid Vicious, More Cowbelle, My Aimz Is True, Ninebullets, Sounds Country, The Gobbler's Knob, There's Always Someone Cooler Than You, This Mornin' I Am Born Again, Twang Nation, Twangville, Freight Train Boogie, When You Awake
Special thanks to: Truersound, Sounds Country, Romeo Sid Vicious, and David Attaway

Dave Rawlings Machine Double Shot

2009-12-13T16:43:00.005-06:00

Headed to Waterloo Records in a few to catch an in-store performance from Dave Rawlings & Co. I've seen a few videos of similar shows and therefore am just as excited about the in-store as I am the full concert following. The Parish Room on 6th St will host the Dave Rawlings Machine and opener Sarah Jarosz. It's a great music venue where I've previously caught my favorite Old Crow Medicine Show performance. And with 3/5 of OCMS plus the addition of the ever-impressive Gillian & Dave combo, it's sure to not disappoint. Details/Photos to follow.

Here's a lively, OCMS-dominated track off A Friend of a Friend:
Dave Rawlings Machine - It's Too Easy
buy it - it's great.

The Lists: Top 5 Eps of 2009...

2009-12-10T21:28:00.006-06:00

Sorry for the lack of posts lately, but I've been cramming for finals. Ha. Not those... I'm done with school, remember. What I've been cramming is music. Into my ears.

You see, it's that time of year again where every self-respecting blogger boils down the thousands of discs and songs they've collected over the year into structured, numerical lists. This year, my Top Albums list will part of The Bird List (for the record, I voted for The United State of Americana) - a sort of master list aggregated from over 40 Americana/Country/Folk blogs. Our finalized lists of 20 albums are due tonight, and the results will be tallied and will go live (here) on Monday the 14th.

So to answer your agonizing question... yes, my list is complete. And although I know you can't wait any longer to see the definitive Top Albums of the year, I won't be posting mine just yet. Like last year, I will begin my year-end lists with a small sampling of the Best EP's of the year. This year we have 5, 2 up from last year. My albums list has doubled to 20. And I plan on offering somewhere near 50 of my favorite songs this year. Stay tuned, folks.

5. Angus & Julia Stone - The Beast [EP]

I found Australian sibling duo Angus & Julia Stone through Rollo & Grady. I was a little late to the party - they have putting out music for a few years now. This EP saw its US release early this year in preparation for their debut LP A Book Like This. Julia's bubbly yet sultry voice (think Kasey Chambers, Joanna Newsom) is the initial attention-grabber, but Angus' smooth vocals and lyrics will keep you listening.

Soldier
[CD][mp3][iTunes][eMusic]

4. Deer Tick - More Fuel for the Fire [EP]

As expected, 2009 was a huge year for Providence's Deer Tick. Just five months after releasing their sophomore album, John McCauley and crew gave us a new EP sampling 3 new songs. 'La La La' might be the country-est tune Deer Tick has recorded thus far. Guitarist Andrew Tobiassen takes front stage on his tune 'Dance of Love.' And 'Axe Is Forever' is yet another retro-groove sure to stick in your head throughout next year.

La La La
[mp3][iTunes]

3. Jonny Burke - The Long Haul [EP]

Former 1/2 of The Dedringers Jonny Burke spent 2009 on the road across the country opening for such acts as James McMurtry and Ryan Bingham. Somehow, he found the time to record a 5-track EP. 'Ship Come In' enlists Austin's Band of Heathens to help fill sound and vocals. 'El Paso' is a western lament a-la Townes Van Zandt.

El Paso
[CD][free download]

2. Tristen - Deceivers Are Achievers [EP]

A gracious reader emailed me to suggest that I may enjoy an EP from Tristen Gaspadarek, a Nashville-based singer and multi-instrumentalist. He was right. Tristen's brand of jangly pop (rubbed in the dirt just enough to be folk) is right up my alley. Her youthful voice and original melodies have been known to stick in my head some.

Matchstick Murder
[mp3]

1. Joe Pug - In The Meantime [EP]

My favorite discovery of the year was, hands down, Joe Pug. He blew onto the scene last year with his Nation of Heat [EP], but it somehow slipped past me. I'm always a fan of simple acoustic music, and Joe has that art down to perfection. This EP - free on his website - consists of leftover tracks from the Nation sessions. Look for 2010 to be a breakout year for Joe as his touring has recently been shifted into full-gear (including some time overseas with The Low Anthem) and his debut LP, Messenger, is set for a February release.

Dodging The Wind
[free download]

----------------------------------
Refresh your memory with last year's lists:
Top EPs
Top Songs
Top Albums, pt 1
Top Albums, pt 2

Sam & Jill's New Projects....

2009-12-05T00:11:00.007-06:00

The Everybodyfields were one of my favorite discoveries of 2007. Their album from that year, Nothing Is Okay, was a top 10 choice and remains in solid rotation. So I was understandably upset when I learned last year that they were taking separate paths. But my disappointment changed to excitement once I heard a couple tracks from their current projects.

Sam Quinn has since formed another band - Sam Quinn & Japan Ten. The band includes Sam, Josh Oliver, Megan Gregory, and Brandon Story. So far, they have only released a DVD (available here), but have set a tentative date of late February - early March for The Fake That Sunk a Thousand Ships:

1. Hello
2. Fanboy
3. So Strong
4. Suite Motown
5. Strange Wave.
6. Gun
7. Mardi Gras
8. Help Me
9. Late The Other Night
10. River

You can hear some of them here.

Meanwhile, the beautiful Jill Andrews has been hard at work recording new stuff, getting her touring feet on the ground, and making videos to tell us all about it. Jill has a 6-track EP out (both hard copy and digital) on her website.

Here's her latest (November edition) Video - this one with Matt Buthcer.

Check out her previous videos:
[Ocotber][September][August][July][June]

Mixtape V: This One's For The Rose

2009-12-02T22:30:00.008-06:00

We've reached a large benchmark in the Ryan Adams Spotlight here at ThisMornin.com. It's 2004 and Ryan has just talked Lost Highway into releasing Love Is Hell, his solo career-ending opus. The remaining part of 2004 will see Lost Highway release various singles from Rock N Roll and Ryan himself (through PAX-AM) put out a handful of 7" vinyls.

Those paying attention will argue that 29 was Ryan's last 'solo' record - and they have a point. 29 was recorded before JCN and Cold Roses, and without The Cardinals. But because it was released last out of the three 2005 masterpieces - and because the extra/bonus material from those sessions has yet to surface - I will review it later. For now, Ryan's solo career is over and it's time to slow down and take a look back at the multitudes of tracks released in the last 4 years.

To quote one of the greatest music-driven movies of all time, "the making of a great compilation tape, like breaking up, is hard to do and takes ages longer than it might seem." I've been working on this mixtape basically since I started this blog. This One's For The Rose is the quintessential 'Greatest Hits' formed from all of the 'unreleased' tracks Ryan recorded from 2000-2003. This excludes any track that was (or has since been) released in any sort of official form - as a bonus track, on a compilation, re-recorded for a later album, etc. The sessions that produced this material vary in quality, style, and genre, but then again, you could say about all of Ryan's stuff. These collections haven't been mastered and/or cut well, so I took this liberty of 'cleaning' them up a bit - cropping the tracks to eliminate leads-ins, restarts, and empty tape. These 19 tracks are split into two sides, each of which can be considered an album on its own - beginning with a strong, upbeat track, dancing around throughout the middle without a single weak song, and with one of Ryan's signature piano ballads to cap it off.

Download (zip)

You'll notice that two 'sessions' are very strongly represented on this mixtape: The 48 Hours and Swedish Sessions. These are by far the best unreleased albums Ryan has recorded. They are both concise, complete, and nearly flawless, whereas his other recording sessions contained strange throw-away tracks. But in-between those overzealous recordings, Ryan managed to mix in great songs. The Suicide Handbook was 32 tracks of mostly plaintive acoustic numbers that would help populate Gold and Demolition. His earliest - from 2000 - The Destroyer Sessions produced a couple tracks that would show up on Heartbreaker and lends a couple more tracks to this mixtape. The mix is rounded out with one track from each from Ryan's Love Is Hell NY, NY Session, Cowboy Technical Services Session, and the First Pinkheart Session.

This is a Greatest Hits, so there's not a clunker in the bunch, but special attention should be payed to a few tracks. Quoting John Cusack once more, "you gotta kick off with a killer, to grab attention. Then you got to take it up a notch, but you don't wanna blow your wad, so then you got to cool it off a notch. There are a lot of rules." I began with 'When The Music Don't Come' - a 'killer' track from the Love Is Hell sessions that almost became the title of this little compilation. It would've worked well as appeasement during Ryan's sabbatical before he recently decided to begin releasing music again. I took it up a notch with 'Walls' - the country-est tune in the bunch. To cool it off, I offered 'Dear Anne,' which is probably the most touching song here. Written as a letter to Anne Frank, it asks how Anne's fate came to be, and thanks the biographer for her words, whether or not they were his to read. Leading you back into heavier music is 'Born Yesterday' with its plodding tempo and passion-laden vocals. 'Madeline' lathers some sultry piano and blues guitar on the mix with a Huck Finn-esque river song. To end side one, I used the last track from the First Pinkheart Sessions. Just Ryan and his piano, the song doubles as a sort of midway interlude, fittingly mentioning that "its been so long for just half-over."

Side B reads much the same, highlighted by 48 Hours and Swedish Session songs. 'Friendly Fire' delicately tells of how relationships often come with the casualties of war. With the harmonica-driven attitude reminiscent of Heartbreaker's opener, 'Poor Jimmy' picks thing up in the middle. One of my all-time favorite songs, 'Poison & The Pain' gives off an eerie feel with Ryan providing his own sparse backing vocals and hand claps. The second side again ends simply, this time with a softly-picked guitar accented with the low end of a piano. 'String & The Wire' is a desolate song that Ryan once said of in a live show: "it’s really long and really totally boring, so if you need to get a drink or something, this is the best song to go." Not boring at all, it's simply soothing. And that's my idea of the perfect album-ender.

Stay tuned for more Ryan Adams mixtapes. I have plans for a B-Sides & Bonus Tracks compilation, a Live compilation, and maybe even an Unreleased Cardinals mix. In good time, my friends.

Check out all of my Ryan Adams Spotlight up to this point.

Get Lotsa Deer Tick for <$10!!

2009-12-01T12:36:00.007-06:00

Deer Tick's 2009-ending EP More Fuel For The Fire is out today through iTunes. Get it for only $3.96. You get 3 new tracks and a live cut of 'Straight Into A Storm.'

Also, Amazon is selling Born On Flag Day for only $5 today. Get you some.

But to keep you folks comin' to this here site, I'll give you some cheap music as well. Here's John from Deer Tick doing his best acoustic Mellancamp:

Deer Tick - Authority (John Mellancamp cover)
Check the video at Fader TV.

Bombadil Offers Sincere Correspondence, New Video...

2009-11-30T13:01:00.007-06:00

The good folks from North Carolina's Bombadil have been very generous to this music blogger from the start. I have received both of their full-length albums early, free, and thoughtfully personalized. Just last week, I was also sent a postcard featuring Oto The Bear (above) from the guys wishing me a Happy Thanksgiving. Thanks, and right back at you Brian, Daniel, and James.

Be sure to get yourself a hard copy of the band's latest, Tarpits & Canyonlands. It is adorned with some amazing album art - including Oto - by Robbi Behr - check it out here.

Bombadil just unleashed their first ever music video. Set to 'So Many Ways To Die,' the flick features classic (public domain) footage of the various ways people have come close to dying. But just as their music is brave and uplifting, the video reveals that the only way to truly live is to push yourself to your own limits.

"there's no good place in town, but I feel alright..."

2009-11-23T04:28:00.007-06:00

Deer Tick - Houston, TX
buy Born on Flag Day (2009)

Saw Deer Tick tonight in Houston.
No cameras allowed.
They opened.
They rocked.
Buy this album. (and this EP... in a couple days)

"she said it's all gonna end, and it might as well be my fault"

2009-11-23T03:00:00.005-06:00

Matchbox 20 - 3 AM
buy Yourself Or Someone Like You (1996)

It never gets old... especially hanging out with the people you went through 1996 with.

Thursday One-Hitter, Vol. 3......

2009-11-19T18:31:00.004-06:00

I'm a Hank Williams fan.... who isn't?? I may not have mentioned anything about the crooner here before, but for any fan of country music, it kinda goes without saying. I've also never tried to amass any kind of complete recordings collection of Hank's - I grab a track when I come across one and buy a random CD when I find it. So for that reason, I'm not afraid to admit I first heard today's One-Hitter when it was featured as the theme song for a short-run HBO animated series.

Hank Williams - I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive
buy Hank Williams - 40 Greatest Hits

Now you're lookin' at a man that's gettin' kinda mad
I had lots of luck, but it's all been bad
No matter how I struggle and strive
I'll never get out of this world alive

My fishin' pole's broke, the creek is full of sand
My woman run away with another man
No matter how I struggle and strive
I'll never get out of this world alive

My distant uncle passed away and left me quite a batch
And I was livin' high until the fatal day
A lawyer proved I wasn't borned, I was only hatched

Everything's against me and it's got me down
If I jumped in the river, I would probably drown
No matter how I struggle and strive
I'll never get out of this world alive

These shabby shoes I'm wearin' all the time is full of holes and nails
And brother, if I stepped on a worn-out dime
I bet a nickel I could tell you if it was heads or tails

I'm not gonna worry wrinkles in my brow
'Cause nothin's ever gonna be all right no how
No matter how I struggle and strive
I'll never get out of this world alive

'I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive' was ironically the last single to be released before the legend's death in January of 1953. That year, the song reached #1 on Billboard's Country Singles Chart. The song was meant to be humorous, and while it is, to this day it remains one of Hank's best-written songs. The simplicity in both lyrics and melody, combined with a classic-country guitar and fiddle riff are a perfect example of the ease that Hank was able to deliver and sell his craft. His natural yodel and use of backwoods vernacular (see below) play on this theme of simplicity, creating what could be considered the quintessential country song. Despite his never-ending run of bad luck, Hank is able to exude an air of positivity throughout the song.

During my Tennessee road trip earlier this year for The Big Surprise Tour, we stopped off at the County Music Hall of Fame in Nashville. As expected, Hank Williams was prominently featured. But to my excitement, the museum was running a complete Williams Family exhibit, spanning from Hank, Sr.'s childhood through to Hank III's current endeavors. After brushing up on my Hank knowledge, I made a personal vow to feature more Hank-related content on this blog. I used to defer to Setting The Woods On Fire for all things Hank and classic country, but as Paul retired from blogging back in May, I might just have get back to more country roots writing over here.

These United States RAD New Video!!

2009-11-18T22:15:00.004-06:00

Yo! Peep this!

These United States - The Important Thing
buy Everything Touches Everything (2009)

New Deer Tick EP - December 1st

2009-11-18T01:58:00.013-06:00

Deer Tick announced last week that they have a NEW EP ready for release. More Fuel For The Fire will be available exclusively through iTunes December 1st. Read the CMJ story here. The EP will feature 3 new tracks and a live cut of 'Straight Into A Storm' from Born On Flag Day - the band's sophomore album - released only a few short months ago.

I will be attending Deer Tick's show in Houston this weekend to get an early preview of these new tunes. The boys are opening for Neko Case at Warehouse Live. I also plan on catching Slaid Cleaves Friday night at McGonigel's Mucky Duck. If you're ever in the Houston area - check their schedule. Truly one the best places to see live music.

Both of these artists had 2009 releases and have yet another chance to impress me before I finalize my end-of-year lists. And I'm proud to announce that this year, my list will be part of something much bigger than simply this blog. The Bird List will compile chosen albums from more than 30 Americana/Alt-Country/whathaveyou blogs to create the ultimate Best Albums of 2009 master-list. Special thanks to Matt from A Truer Sound for including me in this effort. I'm excited to see how this turns out in its inaugural run.

Thursday One-Hitter: John Allyn Smith Sails

2009-11-12T21:49:00.006-06:00

For our second edition of Thursday One-Hitter, we employ the Austin-based indie-rockers Okkervil River. I've been a big fan of theirs since I found 2007's The Stage Names and subsequently discovered the band's earlier material. Last year, Okkervil River released The Stand-Ins, the follow-up and stylistic sequel to their 2007 disc.

The final track on The Stage Names made a huge impact on me from the first time I heard it - and more every time since. What begins as a twisted retelling of a suicide ends in a cascading sing-along tribute to none other than The Beach Boys... sort of.

Okkervil River - John Allyn Smith Sails
buy The Stage Names (2007)

By the second verse, dear friends
My head will burst, my life will end
So, I'd like to start this one off by saying "live and love"

I was young and at home in bed
And I was hanging on the words some poem said
In '31, I was impressionable, I was upsettable
I tried to make my breathing stop and my heart beat slow
So when my mom and John came in, I would be cold

From a bridge on Washington Avenue, the year of 1972
Broke my bones and skull and it was memorable
It was half a second in, I was halfway down
Do you think I wanted to turn back around and teach a class
Where you kiss the ass that I've exposed to you?
And at the funeral, the University
Cried at three poems they'd present in place of a broken me

I was breaking in a case of suds
At the Brass Rail, a fall-down drunk with his tongue torn out
And his balls removed
And I knew that my last lines were gone while stupidly I lingered on
Oh, but wise men know when it's time to go
And so I should too

And so I fly into the brightest winter sun
Of this frozen town, I'm stripped down to move on
My friends, I'm gone

Well, I hear my father fall
And I hear my mother call
And I hear the others all whispering, "come home"
I'm sorry to go, I loved you all so
But this is the worst trip I've ever been on

So hoist up the John B. sail
See how the main sail sets
I've folded my heart in my hand and I wanna go home
With a book in my hand
In the way I had planned
Well, this is the worst trip I've ever been on

Hoist up the John B. sail
See how the main sail sets
I'm full in my heart and my head and I wanna go home
With a book in each hand
In the way I had planned
I feel so broke up
I wanna go home

It's always a dangerous move to reference the fact that you're singing a song in your lyrics, but the way in which Will Sheff begins his in-character biographical tale of late poet John Berryman sets the tone for a dangerously brave song. As John Berryman (born John Allyn Smith, Jr.), Sheff warns upfront that he will not live through the song, hell... not even verse two.

There's no need to give you guys a Berryman bio here; Sheff does that pretty well in the song. But as a youngster, the poet witnessed his father commit suicide, only to do the same later in life - in much more dramatic fashion. In '72, after struggling through alcoholism and depression, Berryman lept to his death from the Washington Avenue Bridge in Minneapolis. Sheff is undoubtedly schooled in the literary works of Berryman, alluding to his writing style and even borrowing a couple direct lines from his poems.

While doing a little research for this post, I quickly realized I'm in no way schooled enough in poetry and/or psychology to decode the thousands of underlying connections that Sheff has provided in this song. This person did quite the job, though.

While you may recognize the second half of the song as a Beach Boys cover, the surfing songsters were actually the ones doing the covering. Some form of the traditional maritime song (as Hoist up the John B sails, etc) has existed since before the surfboard was around. But Sheff's choice to break into 'Sloop John B' for the coda was a well-devised plan. The sixth stanza marks the beginning of the covered lyrics. They begin with another allusion to Berryman's troubled childhood, "hear[ing his] father fall." Not only is the transition seamless in melody, but more Berryman references are found in the traditional lyrics: "full in my heart and my head" is apparently taken verbatim from one of his poems. And don't think that choosing a song referencing a boat named the John B. was any sort of accident, either.

Ryan Adams: Love Is Hell

2009-11-11T22:29:00.021-06:00

My last official post in the Ryan Adams Spotlight (since filled in with Viva la Vinyls and an Evolution of Song) was way back in March. In my Rock N Roll review, I mentioned that Love Is Hell was supposed to be the follow up to Demolition but was rejected (or rather put on the back-burner) by Lost Highway. Ryan subsequently recorded Rock N Roll to assuage his label, who released the blistering disc in November of 2003. And as reciprocation, Lost Highway also quietly released Love is Hell, Pt 1 the same day. The remainder of the selection of songs that would eventually become the complete collection were released as Love Is Hell, Pt 2 a month later in December of 2003. It wasn't until May of '04 that the label felt it necessary to re-issue the collection as one complete set.

Ryan says LIH is "a lot like Heartbreaker, but better and more severe." I can get on board with the latter. "It's complex and it's damaged, a genuine, freaked-out, psychedelic wall of soundscape, and I think for subject matter it can't be beat." As far as subject matter goes - and while we're making Heartbreaker comparisons - it's much more personal in content than his debut. He also says its "me totally being me. It was the record I needed to make." But if Ryan has ever been accused of being the sad-bastard type of singer/songwriter, then LIH is him at his sad-bastardest.

The album isn't his strongest, either looking forward or back, but it may just contain some of his strongest and most underrated songs. The sad part is, none of these come until the latter part of the album (or Pt. 2, if you prefer the EPs). This may be the reason that the album never became a fan favorite or was ever referred to as one of his better albums. If I were a casual listener, I would have a hard time making it to Side 2 before giving up on the album. It begins with the weakest album-opener in his repertoire, 'Politcal Scientist'. 'Afraid Not Scared' follows only to bore me further, going so far as to slightly annoy me with its repetitious, droll lines. Each of the 5 or so opening tracks can be considered a microcosm for the entire album itself: sure, there are some good (even great) parts, but on the whole, the depressing, metallic feel of it all overwhelms.

Attention must be payed to track 5, his impassioned version of the Gallagher Brothers' 'Wonderwall,' and the only cover song Ryan has put on a full release. For that reason, it may have seemed like a strange choice, but the sentiment he extracts from the song in his version is completely in line with the rest of the disc - and that's the magic of a carefully chosen cover. Ryan brings the tune down to a creeping tempo, keeps the reverb to a haunting level, and completely sells it as something born from himself.

I feel like Love Is Hell doesn't quite get started until the 2:38 mark of 'Shadowlands' when the voice effect is removed, the string section picks up, and the first glimpse of optimism is injected into the album. It is at this part, with an inspiring electric lead riff, I find myself for the first time interested in what Ryan has to say. The acoustic lead into the hopeful melody of 'World War 24' continues this trend and begins the transition into the Love Is Hell that I've grown to love. Although 'Avalanche' slows things down for a bit, I think it's the strongest song up to this point in the record. It shows Ryan singing in a more natural voice and also opening up lyrically. Each of the songs leading up to it have been somewhat veiled in metaphor, but - aside from the blatant metaphor of the title - 'Avalanche' is pure and honest.

If necessary, I could scrap Love Is Hell, Pt 1 forever and be just as satisfied with the second disc as I am with it in its entirety. Aside from another slightly weak opener with 'My Blue Manhattan,' the remaining seven songs that make up EP2 and sides 3&4 of the vinyl are what make Love Is Hell a great album. In 'Please Do Not Let Me Go,' he speaks of a girl that was "sweet enough to sing, oblivious to melody." That's a quality Ryan and his subject don't share - at least not with this album. While the music and lyrics aren't his best, Love Is Hell holds some of his most inventive melodies. The strongest of which comes in the plaintive yet powerful 'I See Monsters.' The song has seen a live maturation into a more electric ballad the likes of 'What Sin' but retains its acoustic intimacy each time he repeats the title line. This song may be the sole stand-out track from the album.

The jaunty 'English Girls' lightens up an otherwise darkened album with a shout out to his British love at the time, Leona Naess, in which he somehow manages to make the words "you meant everything" more powerful than another famous string of three words. To finish the album, Ryan turns the blues knob up to 11 and summons the Purple Rain gods for a slow-building tune with a smoldering electric solo. 'Hotel Chelsea Nights' is a perfect, albeit ill-fitting end to album that is similarly disjunct, strangely-timed, yet somehow just right.

-----------------------------

I mentioned the various incarnations and formats that Love Is Hell was released upon. With each version, save the already cramped double disc 10" vinyl, Ryan supplied bonus tracks. As always with these review posts, I suggest you get a hold of the album on your own but will supply you with these harder-to-find extra songs.

Love Is Hell, Pt 1 UK Bonus Tracks:
Caterwaul (w/ Leona Naess on Vocals)
Halloween
Love Is Hell, Pt 2 UK Bonus Tracks:
Fuck The Universe (aka Faker)
Twice As Bad As Love

The info was hard to track down, but apparently Love Is Hell was released in 2007 in Japan and came with a complete bonus disc. It included the above tracks as well as the following (previously unreleased) songs. Some of these had appeared on a bootleg collection known as Black Clouds. These extra tracks are much more modest recordings and far more listenable than the first two from each disc above.

My Father's Son
Gimme Sunshine
Black Clouds

Purchase Love Is Hell:
[Full CD/MP3] [Pt 1 CD/MP3] [Pt 2 CD/MP3]
[Japanese Bonus Version]

Thursday One-Hitter.....

2009-11-05T18:39:00.007-06:00

Although I already have a feature post that highlights just one track - One Liners - sometimes I feel a bit constrained because I tend to base those picks on my photography first. For that reason, I'm implementing a new weekly (hopefully) post that features one track that strikes me particularly right that week. It will focus more on songwriting/lyrics than most of my posts and, if at all possible, I'll try to offer some interesting notes about the song/artist.

And because today is Thursday... I give you your first Thursday One-Hitter:

Patty Griffin - Moses
buy Living With Ghosts (1996)

Diamonds. Roses. I need Moses
To cross this sea of loneliness, part this red river of pain
I don't necessarily buy any key to the future or happiness
But I need a little place in the sun sometimes, or I think I will die

Everywhere is somewhere and nowhere is near
Everybody got somebody with their wine and their beer
So I'm just this tragic figure in the corner over here
With an empty apartment and a best friend who is a queer

Everytime I see him he smiles
And he tells me how well he's walking these miles
But he never, ever asks a single thing about me
If I die, he'd hear about it eventually
Diamonds. Roses. I need Moses
To cross this sea of loneliness, part this red river of pain

Everywhere is somewhere and nowhere is near
Everybody got somebody with their wine and their beer
So I'm just this tragic figure in the corner over here
Go home to an empty apartment and call a best friend who is a queer

Diamonds. Roses. I need Moses
To cross this sea of loneliness, part this red river of pain
To cross this sea of loneliness, part this red river of pain
To cross this sea of loneliness, part this red river of pain

At its inception, Living With Ghosts, Patty's 1996 debut, was a hauntingly beautiful recording - simply Patty and her guitar. When her label wasn't quite satisfied with the studio production treatment it got, Patty suggested that A&M Records release the sparse original demo. That decision payed off. The world was therefore introduced to Patty Griffin the right way: bare, unfiltered, and consequently far more evocative than had her songs been shrouded by a full band.

That minimalist treatment was essential in making 'Moses' the power ballad that it is. The lyrics are edgy enough to keep this one from being covered by radio queens. Patty sings about the usual personal struggles: pain, loneliness, and happiness (or lack thereof), but it's the way in which she delivers her words that stops you in your tracks. I would go so far as to say that this is the most emotion I've ever heard someone express in song. In just over three minutes, Patty takes you on the rollercoaster ride that her heart is obviously well-accustomed to at this point.

If the level of overall emotion in her vocals were tracked on a scale of 1-10, Patty begins 'Moses' at a healthy 6. She desperately calls for Moses to help her "cross this sea loneliness, part this red river of pain." In verse 2, Patty falls to her lowest, a "tragic figure" questioning her solitary living and even her choice of friends. We follow Patty as she reveals her love interest and his blatant lack of interest in her. Dripping with spite, she sings, "if I die he'd hear about it eventually." But as Patty repeats the opening lines, all hell breaks loose. She busts out of that 1-10 scale to somewhere near 14 as a few stirring Oh's trail the verse. Once more through the refrain, she manages to gently lay the song back down, allowing the listener to catch his breath and realize the power of the song he just heard.

Prisencolinensinainciusol... Oll Raight!!

2009-11-02T22:26:00.007-06:00

This may just be the strangest music ever posted on this site, but damn if doesn't groove!

Adriano Celentano - Prisencolinensinainciusol

If you wondering what it is you're hearing, you're not alone. It's gibberish. Gibberish posing as English, set to a funky 70's disco beat. Adriano Celentano is an Italian entertainment renaissance man who wrote the tune in 1972 as a bit of commentary on the lack of communication in the world. Prisencolinensinainciusol is said to mean Universal Love.

I found the video and although I had no clue what I was watching... I couldn't stop watching. It's dangerously infectious with an old-school, Dylan-esque vibe that pulls from just about every genre of music. If you check out some of the comments on the various versions posted on YouTube, you'll see that a lot of folks felt the same. The song is also said to be one of the earliest precursors of rap music. Just more proof of the overwhelming power of music to transcend all language and culture barriers.

black cats and fallen trees, under ladders always walkin'...

2009-10-31T12:49:00.002-05:00

Ryan Adams - Halloweenhead (acoustic)

Here's my festive Halloween post for you this year. Boo.

Check out last year's post - also featuring Ryan Adams - with re-upped song links.

New Digs, Vol. 25: JET....

2009-10-26T21:06:00.010-05:00

Esquire magazine named Kate Beckinsale the Sexiest Woman Alive, and I can't argue with that. But don't worry, we're still here for the music. The magazine filmed a photoshoot with Ms. Beckinsale and put some music to it. Some good music.

JET - Goodbye Hollywood
from Shaka Rock (2009)

I looked up the band and learned that this wasn't the first time their music has been used in conjunction with moving pictures to grab your attention. JET's song 'Are You Gonna Be My Girl' from their 2003 debut album has been blasted all over TV, most notably in one of Apple's first dancing silhouette ads. Get Born was a huge success for the Australian rock band, selling 3.5 million copies thanks to their lead single, 'Cold Hard Bitch,' which reached #1 on Billboard's Modern Rock chart.

While those songs are good, the way in which I heard them (radio) stalled my interest, and I figured them to be your usual one (or two) hit wonder sure to be embraced by MTV. But I recently picked up their 2009 disc, Shaka Rock, and was pleasantly surprised. So I went out and found Get Born. These guys are not the one-trick mainstream act you expect them to be. Sure, they shine when they rock with energy on par with The Kooks, but JET is equally impressive when they lay off the guitars and symbols a bit and throttle down to a mid-tempo song.

JET - Look What You've Done
JET - Radio Song
from Get Born (2003)

The two blockbuster songs from JET's debut may still be their marquee songs, but this year's release is tells us so much more about the band. The songs on Shaka Rock have more substance - and let's face it... what Apple ad song has really meant something? They are chosen for their ability to immediately wedge themselves in your frontal lobe and stay there. These new songs, however, have a stronger lyrical focus and, in doing so, the band has expanded their sound.

JET - Seventeen
from Shaka Rock (2009)

Dave Rawlings Readies Debut....

2009-10-19T17:25:00.012-05:00

I mentioned the other day that the long-awaited Gillian Welch follow-up to 2003's Soul Journey is finally coming, albeit in the form of The Dave Rawlings Machine. Now that we have full details including track list, release date, album art, and pre-order, I thought I outta give this release its own post.A Friend of a Friend is the first solo album from Dave Rawlings, although he has collaborated (and played alongside) Gillian Welch throughout her career. In addition, the duo has been instrumental in helping a couple of my favorite artists get their recording feet on the ground. Dave pays homage to these friends on his album, due out November 17th on Acony Records, by re-recording songs co-written with Ryan Adams ('To Be Young') and Old Crow Medicine Show ('I Hear Them All').

Those co-writes, along with five other original songs make up with bulk of the album, with an interesting cover medley of Conor Oberst's 'Method Acting' and Neil Young's 'Cortez The Killer' thrown in the mix. I'm most looking forward to the lead-track 'Ruby' and 'Sweet Tooth,' both of which I vividly remember from The Big Surprise Tour. As expected, Gillian lends her siren vocals throughout the album, and Old Crow Medicine Show will help fill out arrangements.

1. Ruby
2. To Be Young (Is To Be Sad, Is To Be High)
3. I Hear Them All
4. Method Acting/Cortez The Killer
5. Sweet Tooth *
6. How's About You
7. It's Too Easy
8. Monkey And The Engineer
9. Bells of Harlem

Pre-order now at Amazon - $11.99

I wish I had a promo track to offer, but until then, enjoy this rip of 'Sweet Tooth' from the No Depression Music Festival in July:
*Dave Rawlings Machine - Sweet Tooth (live)

Here are some notes and quotes I found regarding the recording process:

Making A Friend of a Friend, Rawlings discovered that different considerations applied when recording himself singing melody instead of harmony. “When I listen to a Gillian record there’s a particular place and feeling in it that has an awful lot to do with the sound of her voice,” Rawlings says. “A lot of things change from track to track, but that has always been the constant. And a lot of the arrangements we’d worked out over the years---the way we put chords, the way we sing together---I was shocked at how little they worked for my voice or my record. We had learned to make records in a particular way because we were always framing her voice, which is this large, takes-up-a-lot-of-space, very intimate, very good sounding thing, a beautiful tone, so you can frame it in a skeletal way. It almost seems to me that the less you put on her records, the more powerful they are, but when we started working that way with my voice, which is so different, it turned out that nothing from that approach was valid, so we had to find different sounds and treatments that we were happy with. I was really surprised when we started that we were in territory as uncharted as we were. We broke new ground from necessity.”

Spontaneity was an important part of the recording. “I've learned over time that as a lead singer, I do my best singing live and on early takes, so it was essential that we capture the band quickly and in an organic way. So when we stood in a circle to rehearse the first song I thought, ‘Well, I guess we better put a mic in the center and be done with it.’ It tied my hands as far as mixing the vocals went, but it helped us capture something in the air. I knew that Gillian and I would be at the core of the recordings, but I became interested in a particular acoustic sound with more vocal parts that I knew the Crows could conjure up. Karl, Benmont and Nate were the icing on the cake.”

A Friend of a Friend has more lavish arrangements than songs from the Gillian Welch catalog typically do. They are more boisterous, but they are built on the same careful spine that Welch songs are. Rawlings’s sly and succinct guitar playing is embedded within ensemble play as opposed to carrying the bulk of the arrangement. The songs are exuberant, sturdy, and carefully constructed, but they also reverberate poetically. The music on A Friend of a Friend is cousin to the deftly modern and haunting music that Welch and Rawlings are known for, but it has here been expanded; the crowd is larger, the party more robust, but the room is the same room.

I already got my tickets to The Dave Rawlings Machine at The Parish Room in Austin and found out that the machine (which will include Rawlings, Welch, Secor, Watson, and Jahnig) will be doing an in-store performance at Waterloo Records earlier that day. Check 'em out if they are heading your way.

Nov 28 2009

8:00P

The Melting Point

Athens, Georgia

Nov 29 2009

8:00P

The Orange Peel

Asheville, North Carolina

Nov 30 2009

8:00P

Cat’s Cradle

Carrboro, North Carolina

Dec 1 2009

8:00P

Bijou Theatre

Knoxville, Tennessee

Dec 3 2009

8:15P

Exit / In

Nashville, Tennessee

Dec 4 2009

9:00P

Headliners Music Hall

Louisville, Kentucky

Dec 5 2009

8:00P

Bluebird Nightclub

Bloomington, Indiana

Dec 6 2009

7:30P

Abbey Pub

Chicago, Illinois

Dec 7 2009

8:00P

High Noon Saloon

Madison, Wisconsin

Dec 9 2009

8:00P

Cedar Cultural Center

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Dec 10 2009

8:00P

The Waiting Room

Omaha, Nebraska

Dec 11 2009

8:00P

Granada Theatre

Lawrence, Kansas

Dec 13 2009

7:30P

The Parish

Austin, Texas

Dec 14 2009

7:30P

The Parish

Austin, Texas

New Lyle Lovett on the Cheap...

2009-10-19T16:32:00.007-05:00

Go pick up Lyle's new album, Natural Forces, at Amazon today only for $3.99.

Here's on of my favorite tunes of his:
Lyle Lovett - Step Inside This House
buy Step Inside This House (1998)

Links & (new album) News for October...

2009-10-07T20:58:00.009-05:00

First, the New Album news:

The much anticipated new Gillian Welch album isn't coming anytime soon... but a David Rawlings Machine album is! Heather at Fuel/Friends reported that Dave's album, A Friend of A Friend, is due November 17th and will apparently feature his version of 'To Be Young,' a Ryan Adams co-write. Gillian will appear on 8 of the 9 tracks.
The Felice Brothers got directly back to work after Yonder Is The Clock dropped earlier this year. They readied a 9-track demo with the intention of selling at shows - specifically The Big Surprise Tour. But the demand was such that their management wanted to make it an official release. No word on a release date or format for the The Mixtape yet.

**Update** Pre-order is available now. $10 - Ships Monday 10/12.

And the rest:

Our old friend BoyHowdy from Cover Lay Down was inspired by my recent Slaid Cleaves post to dig deeper into the world of Slaid's coverfolk. As always, it's well-written and informing.
ThisMornin' favorite Bombadil recently stopped off at the Daytrotter studios to record some songs. It's a great set with 3 tracks off the new one and a revisited song from their debut. Check it out.
Thanks to a link to my previous post on the Bob Dylan fansite ExpectingRain.com, ThisMornin' received at record number of hits today (700 and counting...). Maybe I should talk about 'ol Bobby D more - people seem to like him.
I took some time to calm down and re-read my I And Love And You review the other day and realized it came off much more negative than I intended. This isn't any sort of recant, but maybe I was sizing it up next to Emotionalism a little too much. I'm just saying, don't call me a hypocrite if it shows up on a list here at the end of the year. Maybe my faith in The Avett Brothers was a little re-instilled when I caught their performance on Ferguson last night - a complete 180 from the direction they took on Letterman. See for yourself:

Pick up the mp3 here.

The Low Anthem Covers Dylan

2009-10-06T09:49:00.007-05:00

If you haven't yet checked out Providence's The Low Anthem, what's wrong with you? I had the pleasure of catching an intimate live show of theirs in Nashville not long after discovering their 2009 disc, Oh My God, Charlie Darwin. Both the album and their live set are mesmerizing. Read my show review - with updated song links for a couple days.

The Low Anthem is making their way back from a European tour and preparing for some Fall /Winter US dates, including some with Josh Ritter. Check 'em out when they come your way:

October 15 Providence, RI Avon Cinema
October 17 Seattle, WA Chop Suey
October 18 Portland, OR Lola's Room at the Crystal Ballroom
October 19 Eugene, OR WOW Hall*
October 21 San Francisco, CA Great American Music Hall*
October 23 Los Angeles, CA Troubadour*
October 24 San Diego, CA Casbah*
October 25 Tucson, AZ Plush*
October 27 Austin, TX The Parish*
October 28 Dallas, TX Granada Theater*
October 29 Houston, TX Bronze Peacock at HOB*
October 30 Baton Rouge, LA Spanish Moon*
See the rest here

* with Blind Pilot

Right now, simply by joining The Low Anthem's mailing list (at the bottom, on the right), you'll get a free download of the band covering Dylan's Dignity. It's done very simply and with the tone to make it sound like one of their own.

Evolution of Song: What Sin Replaces Love

2009-10-05T23:58:00.013-05:00

What Sin Replaces Love?
Love is gone. There's a hole where it used to be. What is the quickest way to fill it?

That's what Ryan Adams asks in one of his most epic songs. And he wants to know RIGHT fucking NOW. The answer he inevitably settles on seems to be murder. He wants to "kick love right in its gut; beat it and leave it for dead." It shouldn't come as a surprise that 'What Sin...' was never officially included on an album. But since its inception around 2000, the song has been a live staple. While it hasn't changed lyrically in 9 years, it has evolved from a dark, acoustic tune into a full-on electric blues jam. Let's explore.

Tell me what sin replaces love
I wanna know, right now
Tell me what sin replaces love
I wanna know, right now

Imagine yourself on a mountain
A mountain discolored with flowers
Flowers discolored with horses
Horses distracted by stones
Stone distrusting and mean
Then you might know what I mean
I want to kick love right in its gut
Beat it and leave it for dead
Go and wash my hands in the river
Lie down and die in your bed

The voice on the receiver
Baby cry howlin' in the wind
I don't wanna beg for your mercy
I wanna know right know, what sin

Tell me what sin replaces love
I wanna know, right now

2000: Live @ The Boardwalk
Sheffield, UK - 11.19.00
Solo-Acoustic

This isn't the first time Ryan played this song - that was in February of 2000, the same night he claims to have written and first performed 'Come Pick Me Up' - but it's still in its original form here. Get the whole show for a great mix of his early solo stuff.

2001: Live @ The Great American Music Hall
San Francisco, CA - 2.17.01
Solo-Acoustic

Not much different than the introductory version but still amazing in its quiet tenebrosity. Full show.

-------
Ryan nearly shelved the song after 2001, playing it just a handful of times in 2002, and once each in '03 and '04. But in 2005, 'What Sin Replaces Love' was given its proper credit, showing up as a bonus track in the Japanese release of The Cardinals' Jacksonville City Nights in all its electric glory. Included in a hard-to-find JCN 3-track promo was a studio recording of the acoustic version of 'What Sin.' I'll post these on my Jacksonville City Nights review.
-------

2005: Live - The Loft Sessions
XM Radio Studios - 4.19.05
Full-Band Electric

Here, the original Cardinals lineup doles out the jam version of 'What Sin.' This one is pretty true to the electric bonus track, with an extra helping of extended solos.

2006: Live @ the Borderline
London, UK - 9.19.06
3-Piece Acousitc

Around this time, The Cardinals were changing form - in fact, every element except Brad on the drums. Ryan, Neal Casal, and Jon Graboff play an amazing set in London - with Jon on mandolin - giving the setlist made up of a good mix of JCN, Cold Roses, and Easy Tiger a fresh sound. I suggest downloading the whole thing.

2007: Live on The Henry Rollins Show
IFC - 4.20.07
Full-Band Electric

The latest version may prove to be the best. Here, 'What Sin' is fully formed and extended with powerful solos. An 8+ minute jam version delivered with the same spitting anger it was written with.
One word: SICK. See video.

---------------
Check out more Evolution of Song at ThisMornin.com:

Ryan Adams: These Girls 8.9.2008
OCMS/Dylan: Wagon Wheel 6.5.2008

In The Toolbox: Double Feature....

2009-10-01T16:23:00.007-05:00

You could say this about all my feature posts, but it's been way too long since I've done an In The Toolbox. This is the recurring post theme that explores an 'essential' album chosen from my handy toolbox full of CD's. I've extended this privilege to any of my vinyls that I keep in my sturdy Eurolite carrying case (both seen above).

To get things going again with this feature, I'm offering up two gems today. These discs come from a couple of Texas' best songwriters and both were the album that turned me on to the artist. Also linking these albums together is the fact that they both feature a cut of the namesake song for this blog. This Mornin' I Am Born Again was originally a Woody Guthrie poem that Slaid Cleaves got his hands on put to music. Slaid included his version on his career-making album Broke Down. A few years later, Ray Wylie Hubbard recorded a cut of the song for my favorite album of his, Delirium Tremolos.

Slaid Cleaves - Broke Down
Philo (2000)

One of my first orders of business back when I started this blog was to get Slaid's name out into the blogosphere. My first post following the introductory Best of 2007 lists was an Artist Spotlight on Slaid. There, I expressed my admiration for Broke Down, his 5th album, but only the 2nd originally released on CD. The disc contains 10 tracks, not one of which can be considered weak.

'Broke Down' leads off, introducing the listener to Slaid's unmatched ability to tell a story. If this album had a hand in jump-starting Slaid's career, then the title track gets most of the credit. He continues this trend with 'Breakfast in Hell,' a John Henry-esque story of the tragic death of a Canadian logger. The most powerful track on the album is a well-chosen Karen Poston cover, 'Lydia' - a captivating story of a weathered widow twice-scarred by coal mine tragedy. The tune fits Slaid and the album so well, you would never guess it wasn't his. While his narratives are generally of the brokenhearted and last-leggers, there is an air of optimism in Slaid's voice that hints at a happy ending - even if it may not occur during the span of the song.

Slaid does offer some hope on the album, even if a little veiled. One Good Year hits upon that familiar feeling of the forced optimism that comes with a new year's resolution. 'Horseshoe Lounge' lifts the spirits some, offering a shoutout to a welcoming bar in Slaid's adopted home of Austin. 'Key Chain' shows Slaid's songwriting wit, breaking down a bad divorce into the happy fact that he now has en empty key ring with which to start over again.

Broke Down shows the versatility, both lyrically and musically, that Slaid had gathered throughout his first few albums. Tempos shift throughout, the vocals/harmonies keep the melodies fresh, and the genres jump effortlessly between simple singer-songwriter, to bluegrass and blues. See 'Cold and Lonely' and his Del McCoury tribute, 'I Feel the Blues Moving In.' I wrote about the latter in a Cover/Uncovered some time back.

Slaid Cleaves - Broke Down
Slaid Cleaves - Lydia

Buy Broke Down: [Direct][Amazon][iTunes]

Ray Wylie Hubbard - Delirium Tremolos
Rounder/Philo (2005)

Ray Wylie Hubbard may have gotten his start back in the 'Outlaw Country' days in the 70's, but he's found his groove (literally) since the turn of the century. Hubbard is in his element with a foot-tapping tune accented with ample amounts of dobro and slide guitar. Bookended by dirty, bluesy records, 2005's Delirium Tremolos finds RWH taking a reflective look at the roots of his music. Almost completely composed of covers, the album cements Hubbard's title as the Dark Prince of Texas Music.

The album begins medium-paced and mellow, with an Eliza Gilkyson cover (with vocal help from her) and a version of Roger Tillison's 'Rock and Roll Gypsies'. Two of the darkest songs are that of Hubbard's own. 'Dallas after Midnight,' a Jack Ingram duet and 'Dust of the Chase,' a dustblown ballad of a bordertown outlaw.

The aforementioned 'This Mornin' I Am Born Again' is one of the most haunting recordings I've ever come across. Full a capella, except for a constant, creaking percussion, the song features a choir of Texas vocalists gradually joining the hymnal chant. The song begins a 5 track string of tunes that makes Delirium Tremolos a masterpiece. The delta-blues, traditional 'Roll and I Tumble' features expert guitarwork. Co-written with Cody Canada, 'Cooler-N-Hell' is an electric groove that roll-calls everything that makes a man glad he's a man. The album is capped-off with an 8-minute romp through James McMurtry's backwoods family reunion recount, 'Choctaw Bingo.' Hubbard's epic version may be even better than McMurtry's original.

Ray Wylie Hubbard - Roll and I Tumble
Ray Wylie Hubbard - Choctaw Bingo

Buy Delirium Tremolos: [Direct][Amazon][iTunes]

See the sidebar to download both artists' versions of This Mornin' I Am Born Again.

------------------------------
Check out more In The Toolbox at ThisMornin.com

I And Love And You: The Curious Case of the Missing Banjo...

2009-09-28T23:07:00.008-05:00

I've had a digital copy of The Avett Brothers' I And Love And You for over a month now. The fact that I haven't said anything about it yet is a little telling. For one, because of the brothers' new label/record deal, I have been afraid to post (leak) any songs too far prior to release day (tomorrow). On the other had, maybe I haven't shared anything from the album for the simple reason that I'm not too thrilled with it.

Upon learning about the band's label switch and plans to record with the famous Rick Rubin, I was immediately torn. Good for them. Potentially bad for the music. As I've made clear before, I grew up on 'Texas Music' and was indoctrinated with the "Nashville Sucks" mentality, which despised anything considered major label or big-time. To say the least, the term Sell-Out was heedlessly thrown around at the first sign of an increased paycheck. While I've since learned that the devil doesn't reside in Tennessee, and in most cases, a band's musical direction is ultimately an inside decision, a little part of me dies inside every time a favorite band jumps a rung in the music world.

I And Love And You is a good album. There are a couple of great songs. But it will never compare to Emotionalism. End of story.

OK, well... not the end of this one. I've got a few points to hit on. The biggest turn-off from the disc is the blatant lack of banjo. It may be a genre-polarizing instrument, but Lord, don't completely take it away. Scott admittedly doesn't play the banjo in the traditional fashion - but that's what makes it so exceptional. At some point he picked up the instrument and figured out how to make music with it. So what he's not playing clawhammer. He makes the banjo as much a percussion instrument as a stringed one. It only makes a few scattered cameos on IALAY, the first of which may just be my favorite song from the album.

January Wedding

In place of the banjo and overall sparing instrumentation from their earlier efforts, Rubin' s product employs an increased presence of a full drum kit and heavy piano. Both of which The Avetts have included in their music before, but never like they do on IALAY. Oftentimes the barroom style piano riffs come as hokey, a little forced (see Kick Drum Heart). Before, The Avett Brothers have excelled in gradually building songs upon themselves, starting simple and unfolding into a more layered sound throughout. On the new album, too many songs start full-formed and have no room to grow.

On the positive side, Seth and Scott's vocals are as strong as ever. At times smooth, other times perfectly raw. Taking twists and turns and carrying the melodies throughout. But in the past, they've used their voices as the primary emotion-harboring instruments, proving they can get their message across without a room full of symbols and amps. Ill With Want, for example, could have been equally impressive without the huge chorus backlit with synthesized aahs and crashing symbols.

Most of my disappointment with the album can be attributed to production. The songwriting still shines through. In fact, it's the saving grace it. The trifecta of Head Full of Doubt, And It Spread, and The Perfect Space provides an insight to Scott and Seth's inner struggles. They lead into the album's high note at track 6 in the form of a perfectly-written song.

Ten Thousand Words

Had we not been supplied with The Avetts' Tiny Desk Concert at NPR, I would be fawning over the album version of Landry Room. While it's still a superb tune, having been introduced to the live version first leaves me feeling a bit cheated when I hear the song on the album. The phrasing and lack of energy, coupled with piano in place of banjo causes the song to simply get lost within the album. One place I do enjoy the beefed-up sound is in Slight Figure of Speech, where the instruments match the energy in the vocals. It reminds me of very early Avett Brothers.

Slight Figure of Speech

Although I've been a ball of negativity in this post, I And Love And You will end up being much better than many albums this year. But it's hard to be completely subjective and not make comparisons to their last album (and my undisputed top album) from 2007. If I were to take each of the 13 tracks from the album separately and express my thoughts, you would find a much more favorable review. On the whole, however, I just don't find myself in the state of awe that The Avett Brothers have so often put me in.

I still encourage you to make your own decisions regarding the album. Maybe with a little time and some high fidelity vinyl, it'll grow on me.

Purchase I And Love And You: [Direct][Amazon][iTunes]

--------
Just as I finished writing this review, The Avett Brothers came on Letterman to play the title/lead-off track from the album. I And Love And You was the so-called single and the first track unleashed from the album. I was less-than impressed then, but as an album-starter, I think it serves its purpose well. The performance tonight portrayed everything I dislike about the album. Seth on the piano, Bob playing an electric bass, and someone on a full drum set in the back. Scott played the banjo, but I couldn't hear it. I feel bad for anyone getting their first taste of Avett from this Letterman performance. They used to be considered a punk/folk string band, but just showed the nation a low energy, out of context, mainstream song.

Mixtape IV: Rainsongs

2009-09-24T00:58:00.009-05:00

I've been spending my working days a little farther west this summer. The drought conditions and record number of 100° days really took a toll on South Central Texas. But in the past week, the skies have finally let loose.

It's funny how things work. With all the recent rain, I'd begun compiling a list of 'rain' songs and had a slight case of déjà vu. I checked my archives and remembered that I put together a similar small mix near this time last year as a much-needed rain came my way. The systems bringing in the moisture this time are likewise ushering in what feels to be fall, and it's got me excited. A friend told me the other day: I don't know if I have a favorite season, I just like when it changes. I like that.

This year's mix steals a bit from last year's, but is much bigger and leans on the optimistic leg. And like all my mixtapes, careful attention is payed to song order and album flow, and it will fit perfectly on a CD. One of my previous mixtapes was comprised of 'storm' songs, which are somewhat different, so I've stayed away from the ones I used there. This tape features two brand new songs from Ryan Adams - one from each of his recently released digital singles. The lead track from Sea Wolf is one of my favorites. Following the raindrop intro is a well-written story of love's beginnings on a rainy fall night. You'll find a good mix of alt.country and classic tunes, a Dylan cover, and some stuff from down here in Texas. The mix closes out with everyone's favorite High Fidelity soundtrack tune - a movie that fittingly centers around the idea of the mixtape - and one of Patty Griffin's most powerful songs - but really... does she have any that aren't?

It seems much of the country is currently experiencing heavy rains, so I hope this mix finds you well and fits your mood.

Side A:

1. Leaves in the River - Sea Wolf
2. Raincoat Song - The Decemberists
3. Rain in LaFayette - Pat Green
4. I Wish It Would Rain - Wreckless Eric
5. Rain - The Beatles
6. Save It For A Rainy Day - The Jayhawks
7. The Beatles & The Thunder - Max Stalling
8. What Color Is Rain - Ryan Adams
9. Buckets of Rain - Neko Case
10. Rainy Day Blues - Willie Nelson

Side B:
1. I Wish It Would Rain - The Temptations
2. Train Under Water - Bright Eyes
3. She Don't Mind The Rain - The Rosewood Thieves
4. Walk Between The Raindrops - James McMurtry
5. Go Ahead and Rain - Ryan Adams
6. I Love The Rain The Most - Joe Purdy
7. Over The Rain - The Great Divide
8. Hill Country Rain - Jerry Jeff Walker
9. Dry The Rain - The Beta Band
10. Rain - Patty Griffin

Download Rainsongs (zip)

----------------------------------------
Check out more Mixtapes at ThisMornin.com:
Mixtape I: Surviving Ike
Mixtape II: NYC MIX
Mixtape II: American Mix

All mixtape zips are re-upped for a few days.

Viva la Vinyl: Ryan Adams' California 7"....

2009-09-08T19:23:00.006-05:00

Here's another set of freshly-ripped vinyl tracks from none other than Ryan Adams. These songs make up the California 7" EP, the second of the three PaxAM releases set free in 2004. All four sides of this collection are taken directly from 2000's Exile on Franklin Street.

A: California
B: Waves Crashing
C: Secret Powers
D: Do You Wanna Get High?

I posted the vinyl tracks from Ryan's first PaxAM release - The Rescue Blues EP - here and mentioned that there were rumors that Ryan was looking to resurrect the vinyl label. Well, unless there's an imposter on a Ryan Adams forum, then the man himself has shared further details on the matter.

Wolfhunter says that certain, newer, unreleased material should be available "eventually." Among the material to be released are Cardinology outtakes, and Cardinals IV/V, the latter of which are complete records made with the original Cardinals lineup. He also says that they will be available on vinyl and as mp3 downloads.

**Update 9-9-09**
Suspicions confirmed! Check out Ryanada.ms for an informative video of his PaxAM vinyl mastering machine. Oh, there's also a couple mp3's from the first pressing available for purchase - and download on Friday. Well, maybe the second release if you count the 7" that came with the Hello Sunshine pre-order - which I should post here in a few.

You get:
•Lost and Found
•Go Ahead and Rain
for only $1.49

Hiatus officially over. Rejoice.
-------------------------------------------------
Check out more Viva la Vinyl at ThisMornin.com

"I wanna jump right in and see what that big ocean's got..."

2009-09-04T10:00:00.009-05:00

Check out this new track from The Swell Season, aka Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova.

The Swell Season - Low Rising

This tune comes from their sophomore effort Strict Joy, out October 27. It's just as impassioned as anything from their debut or the Once Soundtrack. It was made available thanks to IFC.com. No word on any more films from the duo, though.

Glen and Marketa, who look as though they're still in love, recently did a Tiny Desk Concert. They seemed very happy to be there, performing a couple extra songs for the folks at NPR.

Here's my favorite one from their debut:

The Medders' Debut....

2009-09-03T17:23:00.007-05:00

Cheyenne, Carson, and Will Medders, along with Joshua Stauter come together to form The Medders. Their self-released, self-titled debut album dropped Tuesday.
Here's the single:

The Medders - Gunslinger

Buy The Medders straight from the band.

But here's a little hint: Go look for the album on a certain online music source I've mentioned (and linked to) here before and you may just find it available for less than $2 - but only if you move fast. Mine's in the process of downloading now. I'll let you know what I think once I've soaked it up...

New Digs, Vol. 24: Local Edition...

2009-09-01T23:36:00.006-05:00

Hey. I'm still here.

Just to prove it, here are some sweet jams that will no-doubt match the sonic quality you always find here. These songs are all new to my library, and all happen to come from the Lone Star State - or somewhere very near.

Walt Wilkins - Gypsy Line
buy Vigil (2009)
Walt Wilkins is another one of the hundreds of brilliant songwriters we have hiding down here in Texas. His fluent way with words is matched by his effortlessly smooth vocal ability. Walt's been making music since '02 and has had a number of his songs featured by Pat Green. Vigil, Walt's fifth album, was released in June of this year.

Walt: [Website][MySpace][Facebook]

Mike McClure Band - Find It In You
buy Onion (2009)
McClure's 7th solo album, Onion, is yet another batch of tunes cooked up in his basement-turned studio. For this veteran songwriter/producer, pumping out albums is not the chore it once was. Mike's already talking about another album in the works. Let's hope he keeps supplying us with his work at this pace.

Mike: [Website][MySpace]

Cross Canadian Ragweed - Pretty Lady
buy Happiness And All The Other Things (2009)
Happiness... marks Ragweed's tenth album and 2009 marks 15 years that this band has been kickin' around. Produced by the aforementioned McClure, this album takes on a slightly different feel than their ealier works, but still has that classic Ragweed swagger. They were, by far, my favorite band throughout most of my adolescence, and I'm glad to see that the guys are still making good music and seem to be a genuine as ever.

CCR: [Website][MySpace][Facebook]

Stephanie Briggs - Good Guess
buy Birds Barely Know Us (2009)
I found Stephanie in the liner notes to the above mentioned album - she co-wrote a handful of songs with Cody Canada, offered some vocal help, and even designed the album art for Happiness... Stephanie's got a fun, quirky vocal delivery overlaid with electric guitars and interesting arrangement. She's much edgier than the other 'Texas' bands she associates with - in a good way. Glad I looked her up.

Stephanie: [Website][MySpace][Facebook]

photo by Alexandra Valenti

The Happen-Ins - Die
You may remember me mentioning that the two main pieces of Austin's Dedringers parted ways earlier this year. Sean Faires went on to form The Happen-Ins with the help of some other talented Austin musicians. I've since caught the band live a few times, and I'm more impressed each time. They play dirty, groovy blues/rock with infectious hooks and energetic vocals. I have a feeling after next year's SXSW, things are gonna be happenin' for these guys. This tune is from a demo I got my hands on - hopefully a taste of a soon-to-come full album.

Happen-Ins: [MySpace][Facebook]

The Medders' Gunslinger Video....

2009-08-21T15:21:00.002-05:00

I shared a track from Nashville based band-of-brothers, The Medders, a while back. Since then, 'Gunslinger' has been on a heavy rotation in my player. It's the only track to be released from their upcoming self-titled debut (September 1), although you can stream some more tracks on their MySpace.

Found a link in my inbox today to the official video for Gunslinger. Enjoy.

The Medders: [Website][Facebook][MySpace]

The Low Anthem @ The Basement - Nashville, TN

2009-08-20T22:27:00.004-05:00

Although my trip east was for the Big Surprise Tour, I managed to find another show in the area while there. The Low Anthem, a band I've only recently become acquainted with, played an opening set for Langhorne Slim at The Basement in Nashville.

The Basement is a quaint, little venue that, although cramped and stuffy (kinda like a basement), is one hell of a place to catch a band like The Low Anthem. The dark, intimate setting is perfect for a mellow, harmony-focused three-piece.

I downloaded the band's Oh My God, Charlie Darwin a few days before the trip and immediately loved what I heard. I hadn't, however, looked up much info on the band themselves. I was under the assumption that there were at least two primary lead singers, due to the fact that the album portrayed two very different vocal styles. To my surprise - and delight - I found that Ben Knox was the one and only lead vocalist. The polar opposites of silky, airy vocals and grungy warbles show this guy's range. Check out these tracks for examples:

The Low Anthem - (Don't) Tremble
The Low Anthem - The Horizon Is A Beltway

Ben is joined in the band by Jocie Adams and Jeff Prystowsky. The three of them together play a total of 65 instruments.... OK, a little exaggeration, but not much. That night at The Basement showed the band constantly trading instruments and places on stage. Ben and Jeff shared duties on both the organ and the drums. Ben and Jocie both played guitar (acoustic and electric). Jeff thumped a stand-up bass for the majority of the time, while Ben had an array of harmonicas around his neck. Jocie plays the clarinet and the crota les - I had to ask her after the show what it was. At one point, Ben stepped away from the mic to show his skills on the alto horn. But just when you thought they couldn't possibly pull out another trick, Ben closed out a particular tune with some well-controlled cell phone to cell phone interference - that is during the song, he pulled out a phone, called another phone conveniently placed on stage, and let a couple harmony notes echo back and forth between the phones and through the mic. Skills.

The Low Anthem, however, shines brightest in their harmonies. The crowded bar was often mesmerized down to silence due to the band's captivating 3-part vocal showcasing. Don't beleive me? Listen...

The Low Anthem - Cage The Songbird

I haven't even had the chance to mention that Ben's lyrics are often as unbelievable as the band's musical skills. I never like to get too in-depth decoding lyrics anyway, so I'll trust that you check 'em out for yourself.

Buy Oh My God, Charlie Darwin (vinyl available!) and please catch this band when they come your way.

The Big Surprise Tour: Nashville, TN

2009-08-13T15:38:00.002-05:00

Checkin' in from the hotel in Nashville before I head down to the banks of the Cumberland to enjoy night 1 of my Big Surprise Tour double-feature. I feel like I've already been on vacation for a week, but have yet to experience the real reason for the trip. We've been in Music City for 3 nights now - checked out Lower Broadway, the uber-tourist, live music strip in downtown Nashville, as well as some other, less-cheesy areas of the city. We caught an amazing show from The Low Anthem in a quaint, little brick joint known as The Basement. I will put up a full review of the show complete with photos when I get the time.

The venue couldn't be more in the heart of Nashville. Riverfront Park is a grass lawn overlooking a stage/barge docked in the Cumberland River. The area backs up to the corner of First St and Broadway. The backstage area not only consists of the river and various bridges, but the Titans' LP Field also serves as a scenic backdrop.

The bands are no-doubt in full stride by this point in the tour, having had numerous stops from New Hampshire on down to Tennessese, and the last stop tomorrow night in Knoxville promises to be a blowout of a finale. Full reviews/photos to follow.

The Felice Brothers - The Big Surprise
buy Yonder Is The Clock (2009)

"One eye on the sunrise, one eye on the clock..."

2009-08-09T10:16:00.001-05:00

Hayes Carll - Little Rock
buy Little Rock (2005)

Passing through Arkansas today; spending the night in Memphis. Let me know some things to do if you know the area.

"Take me to another place. Take me to another land..."

2009-08-07T20:58:00.001-05:00

Arrested Development - Tennessee

That song steps a little out of my normal genre realm, but how can you not love it? As I searched my library for 'Tennessee,' it was the first result. Immediately, I was taken back to raiding my sister's CD collection when I tired of my own crappy, country cassettes.

"A game of HORSESHOES!"

Tomorrow (in spite of being warned that Tennessee sucks in the summer), I head east to catch two instances of the Big Surprise Tour. If you don't know, it's pretty much the best folk lineup in this young century. Old Crow Medicine Show headlines an August-long set of dates with help from The Felice Brothers, Justin Townes Earle, and the spectacular duo of Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings. Yeah.

The showcase is said to feature all acts "shar[ing] the stage, taking part in each other's songs, resurrecting old standards, and playing newly written collaborative material as they go." Ketch Secor says of the lineup: "If there is a ‘scene’ around the music we play, these artists make up the better part of it." I couldn't agree more.

We're making a road-trip out of it, taking our time getting there, and spending a few days in Nashville before catching the last two dates of the tour in Music City and Knoxville.

Gillian Welch & David Rawlings ft. OCMS - Odds n' Ends

Gillian Welch &David Rawlings - I Want To Sing That Rock and Roll (live)
buy Time (The Revelator) (2001)

Old Crow Medicine Show - Fall On My Knees (live)
buy OCMS Live (2003)

The Felice Brothers - Hey, Hey Revolver (live)

Justin Townes Earle - Chitlin' Cooking Time In Cheatham County (live)

"The best country singers die in the back of Classic Cars..."

2009-08-04T20:26:00.005-05:00

(One Liners is a recurring feature at This Mornin' I Am Born Again that offers a single song, paired with a photo taken from my personal library, with one lyric highlighted for effect.)

Bright Eyes - Classic Cars
buy Cassadaga (2007)

Check out more One Liners at ThisMornin.com

"She left me for a Hollywood movie star. She liked the way he spelled his name."

2009-08-04T20:08:00.005-05:00

Matt Powell - The Hammock Song
buy Dragonfly (2002)

More on Matt Powell here.

Check out more One Liners at ThisMornin.com

"Your blue blood runs like it's got some important place to be."

2009-08-04T19:37:00.007-05:00

Joe Pug - Black-Eyed Susan

Pick up the rest of Joe's new EP, In The Meantime, for FREE on his site. It's good.

Check out more One Liners at ThisMornin.com