Dave Rawlings Machine Double Shot

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.

Dave Rawlings Readies Debut....

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

The Big Surprise Tour: Nashville, TN

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)

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

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)

Cover/Uncovered: The Weight....

It's been a while since I've done a Cover/Uncovered. I came across one of the following tunes earlier today and quickly realized this song should've been one of the first examined for this feature post.

Songwriting credits are a somewhat debated topic when it comes to The Band. I remember reading once that Robbie Robertson had the biggest part in constructing this one, but I like to think Levon and the rest of the gang did their fair share. The tune takes place in the town of Nazareth (in Pennsylvania) - the home of the Martin Guitar Company - and features a cast of interesting characters encountered around town. Robertson says of the song:

In "The Weight" it was this very simple thing. Someone says, "Listen, would you do me this favour? When you get there will you say 'hello' to somebody or will you give somebody this or will you pick up one of these for me? Oh? You’re going to Nazareth, that’s where the Martin guitar factory is. Do me a favour when you’re there." This is what it’s all about. So the guy goes and one thing leads to another and it’s like "Holy Shit, what’s this turned into? I’ve only come here to say 'hello' for somebody and I’ve got myself in this incredible predicament."

Live, 'The Weight' is absolutely epic. The ever-growing number of verses, multi-part harmonies, and irresistible crowd interaction combine to make the tune a live staple. And not only for The Band. Just check out the Wiki page to see an immense list of folks that have been known to include the The Weight in their sets. The song was a nightly standard at most of the 'Texas Music/Red Dirt' shows I attended throughout high school and college, nearly matching the encore-worthy popularity of Cross Canadian Ragweed's Boys From Oklahoma.

Cover: Cody Canada, et al - The Weight
Cody (of Cross Canadian Ragweed) is joined in an acoustic set by Mike McClure, Stoney LaRue, Jason Boland, and the then just sprouting Ryan Bingham. McClure adds a little comedy when he botches his verse, only to improvise a freestyle rhyme. The performance is highlighted by Stoney's chilling vocals.

The following song (and video) is one I've been studying up on lately, as in less than two weeks, I will head East to Tennessee to catch two performances of The Big Surprise Tour - Old Crow Medicine Show, The Felice Brothers, Justin Townes Earle, all joined on stage by Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings. You couldn't ask for a better folk lineup in today's music world (well maybe if you added The Avetts in there). But more on this later - I plan on doing some kind of pre-road trip post regarding the shows.


Cover: Gillian Welch, Dave Rawlings, OCMS - The Weight
I love that these guys take the song back to its roots, slowing it down and revealing the true beauty in the melody. These six folks can make any song sound like it was born out of bluegrass, but it really shines here.

As good as Stoney sounds when he says "and he caught me in the fog" or Willie does when he belts "if you take Jack, my dog," neither gives me the feeling I get when Levon Helm begins The Band's version.

Uncovered: The Band - The Weight
purchase Music From Big Pink (1968)
Uncovered: The Band - The Weight (live at The Palladium, 1976)


----------------------------------
More C/U at This Mornin' I Am Born Again:

Cover/Uncovered: Obscure Covers - 10.22.2008
Cover/Uncovered: Slaid Cleaves - 9.30.2008
Cover/Uncovered: Dead Leaves - 9.10.2008
Cover/Uncovered: Mike McClure - 4.26.2008
Cover/Uncovered: II - 3.2.2008
Cover/Uncovered: I - 3.2.2008

New Felice Brothers Track...

FYI - Head over to SPIN's website to stream one of the tracks from the forthcoming Felice Brothers' Yonder Is The Clock.

'Penn Station' out-energizes anything from last year's album and has the feel of the final track on Tonight at the Arizona - a raucous live version of 'Take This Hammer.'

The rest of the track names definitely keep things interesting - especially #7 'Katie Dear.' I haven't known The Felice Brothers to do too many traditional songs, but if they were going to try one out, this tune (aka Silver Dagger) takes the cake. Here are some previous versions of the song:

Old Crow Medicine Show - The Silver Dagger
from Eutaw (2001)
The Cheiftains with Gillian & Dave - Katie Dear
from Down the Old Plank Road (2002)
Joan Baez - The Silver Dagger (live)
from Bowery Songs (2005)

Still no pre-order links available yet, but I will keep you posted. And as I said, the album will also be pressed on vinyl with a release date set for April 7th. Check out more early '09 releases.

Top 10 Songs of 2008...

Ok, i've put this off long enough. We're now only 2 weeks away from 2009, and i might be one of last to get their lists up. And to be completely honest, my top 10 album list is not yet complete - well not the back half. But i have made final decisions on the Best Songs of the Year. But first....

What makes a song great?

That question has been tossed around since the first single was ever recorded, and if we (or anyone) knew the answer, there would be nothing left. The truth is, there is no answer. Music is subjective - some people simply listen, and if they like it, it's a good song. Some look for originality, some for familiarity. Many people want emotive lyrics. Many want to hear words they can relate to. Many people (who are no doubt Dylan fans) are looking for groundbreaking wordplay that will blow their minds.

Of course, certain instruments excite certain people. i, for example, love the plunk of a banjo in an otherwise non-bluegrass tune. Acoustic guitars picked with purpose will grab my attention far earlier than a hard-strummed electric. Lately hand claps and tambourines make me happy.

What about vocals? Let's be honest - the Folk/Americana/Alt-Country (what have you) world doesn't possess the greatest or most talented vocalists. Many lead voices are of the love it or hate it variety, and can immediately turn someone off from a song. If i can't listen to the lead vocals, the band is going to have a hard time getting on my good side. That said, there is no formula or standard that i judge by, and i have a fairly wide acceptance range. The most important thing a singer can possess is believability.

Growing up listening to mainstream country (and shifting between rap phases), i was under the impression the only song structure consisted of verse-chorus-verse-chorus-bridge-chorus. While that simple formula still works, an artist can expand or abbreviate to an indefinite degree as they see fit. Adding dynamic to a song with a tempo or key change can seem strange at first, but is one the most vital factors in keeping the listener engaged.

A particularly separating attribute for a list like this is enjoyability. This doesn't mean that the song has to have uplifting lyrics; it's often the opposite. The best judge for this element is how fun the song is to sing along to. The songs that i found myself belting out (severely off-key) in my car were the first to be added to the list.

So where does this leave me? Basically back where i started. There is no formula, no set of rules, and no boundary to great songs. That is what keeps music interesting, fresh, versatile, and what makes it an essential part of life. Taking these factors into consideration, here are my picks for the Top 10 Songs of 2008.


10. The Greatest Hustler of All ~ Old Crow Medicine Show
from Tennessee Pusher, written by Willie Watson/Ketch Secor



9. Who Am I To Say ~ Justin Townes Earle
from The Good Life, written by Justin Townes Earle



8. Skinny Love ~ Bon Iver
from For Emma, Forever Ago, written by Justin Vernon




7. Souled Out!!! ~ Conor Oberst
from Conor Oberst, written by Conor Oberst



6. Sideman Blues ~ The Dedringers
from Sweetheart of the Neighborhood, written by Jonny Burke



5. Murder In The City ~ The Avett Brothers
from The Second Gleam, written by Scott Avett



4. Traipsing Through the Aisles ~ Samantha Crain
from The Confiscation EP, written by Samantha Crain



3. White Winter Hymnal ~ Fleet Foxes
from Fleet Foxes, written by Robin Pecknold




2. Rattlin' Bones ~ Kasey Chamber & Shane Nicholson
from Rattlin' Bones, written by Chambers/Nicholson




1. Frankie's Gun! ~ The Felice Brothers
from The Felice Brothers, written by Ian Felice

"My car goes... Chicago.
Every weekend to pick up some cargo.
I think I know the bloody way by now, Frankie,
Turn the god damn radio down, thank you.
Pull over. Count the money.
But don't count the .30 in the glove box, buddy.
That's for to buy Lucille some clothes.

Bang Bang Bang went Frankie's gun!
He shot me down Lucille!
Bang Bang Bang Bang went Frankie's gun!
He shot me down Lucille! (He shot me down!)

Work zones, double fines.
Don't pass the double lines.
Trailer McDonald's, rest stop trailer double wide.
I saw a man hit my mom one time, really
I hurt him so damn bad I had to hide in Jersey.
Called my mama told her, 'In the dresser
There's ten or twenty dollars but there ain't no lesser.'
That's for to take my sister to the picture show.

Bang Bang Bang went Frankie's gun!
He shot me down Lucille!
Bang Bang Bang Bang went Frankie's gun!
He shot me down Lucille! (He shot me down!)

Sha nay na sha nay na na na na na...
Sha nay na Sha nay na...

Slip make a fender shine,
Frankie you're a friend of mine,
Got me off a bender after long-legged Brenda died.
I thought we might be on a roll this time, Frankie.
I could have swore the box said Hollywood blanks, but
You see my mama
Please tell her
I left a little rock in a box in the cellar.
That's for to wear till kingdom come.

Bang Bang Bang went Frankie's gun!
He shot me down Lucille!
Bang Bang Bang Bang went Frankie's gun!
He shot me down Lucille! (He shot me down!)

Sha nay na sha nay na na na na na...
Sha nay na Sha nay na...

Yodelea he hoo."

Click the album covers to purchase.

Check out last year's list (my 2nd post on This Mornin'...), and stay tuned for the definitive Top 10 Albums of 2008.

Summer Album Round-up....

As promised, i've sorted through my recent album purchases to bring you a Late Summer/Early Fall Album Round-up.

Most of the albums considered came from Volume 3 of my Album Release Forecast. One album, Punch, was released back in March, but because of the different billing from Chris Thile's previous releases, i was unaware of the album until recently. Also, Todd Snider's Peace Queer release date was pushed back to October. Not sure yet if i'll do another Album Release Forecast for Fall/Winter, so here are some noteworthy upcoming releases:

• October 7th ~ Bob Dylan - Tell Tale Signs: Bootleg Series, Vol. 8
  
• October 7th ~ Oasis - Dig Out Your Soul
  
• October 14th ~ Todd Snider - Peace Queer
• October 21st ~ Gary Louris - Acoustic Vagabonds
  
• October 28th ~ The Cardinals - Cardinology
• October 28th ~ Hank Williams - The Unreleased Recordings
  
• Date TBA ~ Slaid Cleaves - Hard To Believe
• Date TBA ~ Gillian Welch - TBA

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

Okkervil River ~ The Stand-Ins
This is an album by a veteran band who is obviously very comfortable in their skin, although their dark lyrics may not express the same sentiment. Will Sheff is a pro at taking a deep, personal situation and creating a candid, incredibly catchy tune. While this disc may not contain as many 'hits' as its predecessor, it is by no means any less enjoyable. The only lulls within The Stand-Ins are the three short instrumental 'title tracks' that disconnect the disc from what would be a smooth-flowing narrative.

Okkervil River - Singer Songwriter

Conor Oberst ~ Conor Oberst
Conor proves that even without his longtime musical partner Mike Mogis and the shield of the Bright Eyes moniker, he's still this young generation's most inventive, fearless troubadour. He may even be better without the two - this disc is currently the best album to be released this year. From the start, Conor Oberst is a captivating album filled with original melodies accented with pointed spurts of alliteration. The aggressive acoustic solos are evident of his previous work with Dave Rawlings. While the subject of his songs continue to be spiritually driven, there's none of the religious cult undertones that impaired Casadaga. The first couple tracks i came across from this one seemed only to be a continuation of that last album, but when you hear them in the context of the other stellar tunes, they become a perfect fit. Buy this one.

Conor Oberst - Get-Well-Cards
Conor Oberst - Moab

Old Crow Medicine Show ~ Tennessee Pusher
i heard someone else call this a 'concept album' centered around booze, drugs, partying, etc. While there are many nods to this kind of living (Alabama High-Test, Methamphetamine, and Humdinger are some track names), i don't think The Show had a specific concept in mind. Just look at their previous albums and see if there is any less debauchery in the themes. You already know how i feel about the re-make of Caroline, and the sour-taste that Highway Halo left me with. Old Crow's appeal is their imperfect, whiskey-fueled energy, and Don Was simply tried to harness this into an over-produced, radio-ready album. To sand down the sounds coming from the strings of this band is a crime. The good news is that, while most of the songs Ketch fronts were deeply affected from the heavy hand of Was, no one can make Willie Watson's tenor wail sound anything less than pure backwoods emotion. It's not completely a miss, but i'm already anxious to see what The Show does next.

Old Crow Medicine Show - The Greatest Hustler of All
Old Crow Medicine Show - Crazy Eyes

Carrie Rodriguez ~ She Ain't Me
With her second solo effort, Carrie moved even further away from the Texas dancehall stigma she acquired while playing with Chip Taylor. She leans further toward contemporary jazz with fiddle highlights on this disc. Carrie also took the writing reins here, and proves she can be a successful solo artist. While i don't think she's found her exact sound yet, She Ain't Me will be a stepping-stone she can proudly look back on.

Carrie Rodriguez - El Salvador

Rodney Crowell ~ Sex and Gasoline
Although he's been making music since the 70's, i've only really become a fan of Rodney through his last three records. Political tunes usually turn me off, but something about Rodney's unbiased, regular-joe perspective coupled with unforgettable guitar riffs and melodies made much of his material very pleasing. On Sex and Gasoline, his subject matter remains the same, only none of the instrumentation is as catchy. i just can't get into this one. An occasional political/social commentary song is a good idea, just don't let it be all you do.

Rodney Crowell - I Want You #35

Punch Brothers ~ Punch
Had the pleasure of catching Chris Thile and his band live in Austin a few weeks ago. i went expecting a good bluegrass show but was blown away with not only their combined talent, but also the overall show experience. i knew his years in the spotlight with Nickel Creek would've taught Chris how to play big shows, but the way he handled a crowded room of less than 100 fans was impressive. As far a mandolin players go, Chris is no doubt one of the best around, but i was shown that each of the other players in the Punch Brothers rules their instrument just as well. The album contains four 'songs' in the traditional sense as well as a four-movement piece entitled The Blind Leaving The Blind. Who does movements these days? Real musicians.

Punch Brothers - Punch Bowl
Punch Brothers - The Blind Leaving The Blind: Fourth Movement


These United States ~ Crimes
The biggest surprise and dark-horse for album of the year goes to These United States and their second album of 2008. Jesse Elliot has finally found the right lineup and sound direction for this ever-changing band, and let's hope he keeps it that way. Read more here.

The United States - Susie at the Seashore


Kasey Chambers & Shane Nicholson ~ Rattlin' Bones
This album is everything i expected from reading reviews and from hearing the title track: Kasey and her new husband going back to their musical roots. It's a groovy, folky, uplifting album that centers around themes of heaven and hell. The most surprising aspect is how much i enjoy the inclusion of Shane Nicholson. This album will receive a high place on my Best Of '08 list, and Rattlin' Bones will be a strong contender for Best Song.

Kasey Chambers & Shane Nicholson - The House That Never Was
Kasey Chambers & Shane Nicholson - Sleeping Cold

Click the Album Covers to purchase.

Free Old Crow: Highway Halo....

Head over to OCMS's MySpace page to get a copy of Highway Halo off their new album, Tennessee Pusher. As i mentioned back here, the first single to leak, Caroline, left me unimpressed. Unfortunately, this new song also lacks their trademark bare-bones sound, and possesses a highly produced, bubble-gum feel. On the plus side, it's quite groovy, and the boys' harmonies have only strengthened.

Pre-order Tennessee Pusher (September 23)

Here's a stellar tune off Eutaw, from back in '01, for a little comparison.

Old Crow Medicine Show - The Silver Dagger

buy Eutaw

Album Release Forecast, Vol. 3....

If you check the archives, i've only got 1 previous album release forecast (here). But i did, in fact, write two of them. One day, my second one mysteriously disappeared. My guess is some of the tracks i posted got some people angry, and instead of coming to me, they went to Blogger, who then removed the post - no questions asked.


But thanks to the internet and all its archiving glory, you can still find remnants of it - like here at Elbo.ws.

Anyway, my plan was to get an installment out pretty regularly, as not to miss any big releases. But this summer has been one big blob of uncertain locales and shaky internet service - with even more to come. So that didn't happen, but i did manage to talk about some releases as i learned of them in single posts.


i will resume with a late summer/early fall album release forecast:


August 5
Conor Oberst - Conor Oberst
(Merge Records)

This album has been talked about on every other blog and music mag, so i won't get in-depth. Conor Oberst left behind the Bright Eyes moniker as well as his "better half" and longtime producer Mike Mogis and went deep into Mexico to record his latest effort. The self titled disc is reportedly not as much 'sad-bastard' but more up-tempo midwest rock - much like Cassadaga, which i really enjoyed.

Conor Oberst - Danny Callahan
stream the whole thing here.


August 5
Carrie Rodriguez - She Ain't Me
(Back Porch Records)

If Norah Jones and Allison Krauss had a love-child, her name would be Carrie Rodriguez and she would be a classically-trained violinist with a twangy, soulful voice. Carrie worked with songwriter Chip Taylor for many years, and in '06 released her solo debut, Seven Angels on a Bicycle. It's a fiddle-driven, mellow album that features mostly songs penned by Chip. Carrie is set to release her sophomore effort in which she took over the writing duties - she co-wrote with Gary Louris and Mary Gauthier, and Lucinda Williams makes a cameo. Not bad.

Carrie Rodriguez - Got Your Name On It
Chip Taylor & Carrie Rodriguez - Keep Your Hat On Jenny
pre-order She Ain't Me



August 19
Todd Snider - Peace Queer
(New Door Records)

i already talked about this one here.



September 2
Rodney Crowell - Sex and Gasoline
(Yep Roc Records)

The Houston Kid honed his musical chops as a guitar player/singer with ol' Emmylou. He ran around with Steve Earle, Guy Clark, and Townes in the 70's and 80' - oh yeah, he was also married to Rosanne Cash. Known mainly for his songwriting, he has penned songs that produced hits for Emmylou, Guy, Waylon, George Strait, Keith Urban, etc. With a slew of solo albums since '78, Rodney's last few discs have been politically-fueled rants set to catchy guitar/mandolin riffs.

from Sex and Gasoline:
Rodney Crowell - Closer To Heaven
from 2005's The Outsider:
Rodney Crowell - Don't Get Me Started


September 9
Okkervil River - The Stand Ins
(Jagjaguwar)

Will Sheff and band didn't take long to follow up 2007's The Stage Names (which, if i could re-do my Best of 2007 list, would make the top 5). That's simply because they had toyed with the idea of releasing a double album last year. Though the idea was forgone, The Stand Ins picks up where The Stage Names left off. The overall theme is said to carry over, there's a sequel to the plaintive Savannah Smiles, and even the artwork coincides. Read more here.
here's a live version of a song that will be on the new disc - my most anticipated of this list.

Okkervil River - Lost Coastlines (WOXY.com Lounge Acts)


September 23
Old Crow Medicine Show - Tennessee Pusher
(Nettwerk)

i posted about this release here as soon as i found out. Since then, i've also been informed that an EP will precede the album release. Out next week (July 29th), it will include 2 songs from the full album plus an exclusive track, Back To New Orleans.

The album was produced by Don Was (The Stones, Dylan, Black Crowes) who has his own channel on MyDamnChannel.com - check out the boys playin' some studio sessions with country legend 'Cowboy' Jack Clement:



You can find an older version of Caroline at my original Tennessee Pusher post, but he's another new tune from The Show that i've found:
Old Crow Medicine Show - Soul Rebel (live)

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

If you know of any upcoming albums that fit the mood here at This Mornin'...., please tell me.

Finally, New Old Crow......

Found out today that Old Crow Medicine Show has a new album set for release on September 23rd. Tennessee Pusher will have 13 tracks and the first single is a remake of their love ballad, Caroline. You can stream it over at their MySpace page.

I have a older version of the tune that, as far as i know, is unreleased.
mp3: Old Crow Medicine Show - Caroline

My first impression is, well.... that of the unimpressed. I don't quite like the corny upbeat tempo that the new version sports. Ketch drastically changed the lyrics and added slight melody tweaks in an attempt to transform the song into what some may consider a more listener/radio-friendly version. Rips the soul out of the song...... At least they didn't touch the trademark harmony echoes from Willie Watson and the rest of the gang.

Let's hope they just got tired of the old way they played it and wanted to update the song - and that there's 12 other stellar new tracks to make up for this mistake.

Anyway, still lookin' forward to the release. It has been nearly two years since Big Iron World came out and changed the way people think about traditional music.


If i had to name the Top 3 Live Shows i've seen, Old Crow would take up two of those spots. They are truly THE BAND to see live - you can take anyone (no matter their musical taste) along with you and they will leave a fan of OCMS. There is something to be said for pure musical talent and showmanship - qualities that transcend any genre stereotypes.

They're not comin' down my way, but maybe you'll be luckier:

September 2008
Wed 3 Manchester Club Academy, Manchester, UK
Thu 4 The Liquid Room, Edinburgh, UK
Sat 6 Shepherds Bush Empire, London, UK
Thu 18 The Electric Factory, Philadelphia, PA
Fri 19 9:30 Club, Washington, DC
Sat 20 9:30 Club, Washington, DC
Wed 24 Berklee Performance Center, Boston, MA
Fri 26 Webster Hall, New York, NY
Sat 27 Webster Hall, New York, NY
Sun 28 Town Point Park, Norfolk, VA
October 2008
Thu 9 Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN
Fri 10 Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN
Sat 11 Louisville Palace Theatre, Louisville, KY
Sat 18 Riviera Theatre, Chicago, IL
November 2008
Thu 6 Henry Fonda Theatre, Los Angeles, CA
Fri 7 The Fillmore, San Francisco, CA
Sat 8 The Fillmore, San Francisco, CA
Wed 12 Crystal Ballroom, Portland, OR
Thu 13 Moore Theatre, Seattle, WA

Some Other Stuff:

• just found the new cut of Caroline up for grabs at Some Velvet Blog....
• go here and listen to Ketch talk about the 'Evolution of a Bluegrass Standard' - eerily similar to this.......