New Album Details from Josh Ritter (+ MP3)

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

Ryan Bingham leaves West Texas in the Dust...

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:

Sam & Jill's New Projects....

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]

Bombadil Offers Sincere Correspondence, New Video...

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.

These United States RAD New Video!!

Yo! Peep this!



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

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

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.

Evolution of Song: What Sin Replaces Love

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.

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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.
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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.



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Check out more Evolution of Song at ThisMornin.com:

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