Rolling Country 2014

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/25/arts/music/country-music-opens-its-ears.html

Jon Caramanica's overview of country's interest in rap

What's Willie Nelson's best album? Or is that too broad of a question?
Can't get enough of The Highwaymen and Waylon, need more like this. Again!

Shotgun willie is one of my faves

Yeah, Shotgun Willie and since you like Waylon too, try Waylon and Willie, that's the best of their several I've heard, although Take It To The Limit is good too. Phases and Stages is an usual breakup album: he writes the first side from the woman's point of view, the second from the man's. Both do go through various stages, incl. "Oh well, what the hell," and back to the bars (uh spoiler alert--but it's cool that it's not all weepers, though there are def some of those too; real good ones). Also, his other big concept album is The Red Headed Stranger; then check Pancho & Lefty,with Merle Haggard, and Me and Paul(a non-duet album, despite the title). All these add up to the best of his 70s, maybe early 80s sets with Outlaw and Highwaymen-appeal(of the ones I'm familiar with).

If you want to range further afield, try Face of a Fighter(demos, but awesome); the western swing album with Asleep At The Wheel,Willie and the Wheel; Stardust, which is prob his best exploration of The Great American Songbook; the all-instrumental Night and Day and mostly-instrumental Let's Face the Music and Dance, plus his collaborations with many good-to-great female singers, To All The Girls....

Any opinions on the band "Exile"? They had a country career that I know utterly nothing about, but their pre-country "Kiss You All Over" just came up on one of the local oldies stations* and struck me -- musically -- as "Walk On The Wild Side" repurposed as mainstream love slush, and not bad at that.

*KCKK, owned by a company in the Denver 'burb of Lakewood; interesting playlist, as they seem to go for a good deal of the nonobvious: mid-level hits from the mid Sixties to mid Eighties, on a middle path (e.g., I'm not expecting to hear Motley Crue or Sugarhill Gang but right now they're playing the O'Jays "Used Ta Be My Girl"), for an audience that's probably middle-aged at the youngest. And now they're playing the album version of Johnny Rivers' "Poor Side Of Town."

(Oh, and I see "Kiss You All Over" was a Chapman-Chinn song.)

Exile's local, so they still have a pretty big following here, even though the original line-up has long since disbanded and only a couple of guys still play occasional nostalgia tour gigs.

In their mid-80s heyday, though, they were pretty huge-- a bunch of #1 hits at country radio. Because of their origins as a rock outfit, they were seen at the time as less "authentic" than, say, Alabama, which is why they never made many inroads at the CMAs or ACMs, but their singles ("Give Me One More Chance," "Woke Up in Love") hold up as well as most anything else from that era. The local classic country station keeps both of those singles, along with "She's a Miracle" (and "Kiss You All Over," fwiw) in pretty steady rotation.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/nashville-hitmaker-luke-bryan-at-jiffy-lube-live/2014/06/01/33100c4a-e933-11e3-8f90-73e071f3d637_story.html

If someone eventually reveals that Luke Bryan is a robot built by scientists trying to create the ideal country-music superstar, count us as among those who will not be at all surprised.

First, no human should be able to breathe while wearing pants that tight. More important proof: Just one day after taking a nasty spill off the stage at his concert in North Carolina, Bryan displayed over-the-top, full-force energy during his Friday night show at Jiffy Lube Live, as if nothing had happened.

Lyrics with so many mentions of trucks may also have been written by robots (although many of them work I must admit)

went to the just-opened "country: portraits of an american sound" exhibit at the annenberg space for photography in LA today. really nice collection of photos by les leverett (longtime official grand ole opry photographer), leigh wiener, henry horenstein, henry diltz and a few others. it's a pretty big exhibit. heavy on '60s and '70s shots (and extra-heavy on johnny cash shots), but a few older ones and a small but interesting collection of current portraits. worthwhile if you're in LA (and free). i think my two favorite shots were a black-and-white study/mockup for the cover for the louvin brothers' satan is real -- which was nicer than the actual cover -- and charlie rich hanging out on a porch with c.j. allen, the sharecropper on his family farm who was one of his mentors on the piano.

I wonder if the the exhibit will tour?

"Talk of Dreams" (1980) by Lee Beom-yong & Han Myeong-hoon (이범용 & 한명훈) sounds fairly country. And from last January there's a TV version, still countryish, by the two remaining members of V.O.S, a mid-'00s boyband. Very pretty (the song as well as the singers).

Thanks for the info about Exile. Seem on the border between lite soul, lite rock, and lite country; sound okay, though I actually think the country rhythms get in the way of what otherwise is a nice bit of Quiet Storm.

Working on a piece about the Country Cavaleers, whose singer, James Marvell, is still out there doing his thing in Christian Country, and who was once in a series of Tampa garage bands with Buddy Good, who later joined him in Mercy (on their re-recorded version of 1969's "Love (Can Make You Happy)," and later went to Nashville and made some singles as the Country Cavaleers, and appeared on the Wilburn Bros. show in '72. Marvell bills himself as the original country outlaw, because the Cavaleers had long hair (and an anti-drug message to boot). Easily the most obscure country act that actually has some credence to their almost-career I've ever run across, and found their two LPs, which are so obscure that there's absolutely no discographical info anywhere, though they did cut one single for the "custom" label Cutlass (a Dickey Lee-Don Williams-produced (!) cover of "Stop! in the Name of Love" b/w a Jack Clement tune originally done by Charley Pride in 1968) as well as one MGM single, "Humming Bird" b/w "Hang on to What," which scraped the bottom of the charts. Other singles were on the Maryland label Country Showcase America; the LPs were independently issued on their own JBJ and Versha labels. The JBJ album features Good and Marvell imitating Tiny Tim, Ed Sullivan and Marlon Brando on the back cover, along with a song called "Turn on to Jesus," which is kind of Beatles-esque, a nod to their '60s garage-band roots. (Ironically, they apparently attempted to interest future Outlaw marketing auteur Jerry Bradley, of RCA Records, in their proto-outlawism, which was more comic than bad-ass.) Quite a story.

Country Cavaleers doing "Hang on to What," 1973 MGM single: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0E3OzyYy8c

James Marvell, 1981, a song about how he invented outlaw country in the '60s. Props to whoever made the decision to have the female background singers chime in on "outlaws" in the chorus. "Urban Cowboys, Outlaws, Cavaleers": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkE0QB7IvQE

Finally got to Mary Gauthier's Trouble and Love: breakup and recovery and then some--though she claims (in interviews) to be through with romantic love, realizing she just wasn't made for it, and maybe vice versa, and though (in song) she does demonstrate "How You Learn To Live Alone," that's a co-write with Gretchen Peters (perfectly placed on Hashville the TV series to boot):another example of how she's regrouping, realigning her musical and emotional resources, into sweet unpretentious forging on, with "Worthy" the tiny turning point on a dime: "ashes into flame"--sure, why not, rewind is no great leap of imagination---once *something* provides the key, but then, you've already got to be unlocked, for creativity to do its mysterious thing, whatever the process (obviously she's a vet, a pro, almost slipping into solemn folk-country soap opera at times, but usually not: "Oh Soul" does have a choked-up male vocal shadow, and yeah she's at the crossroads and ready for repentence, but does she have to "pray at the grave of Robert Johnson"? Maybe so, considering the better lines). One of the year's best.

"Hashville"! I wish. Where the struggling hero is named Gram (get it?).

xhuxk's rhapsody playlist delving into the "source material" of miranda's platinum is stellar.

the essay:
http://app.rhapsody.com/blog/post/source-material-miranda-lamberts-platinum

the music:
http://app.rhapsody.com/playlist/pp.152027918

Splendid, thanks. Also enjoying this (even saluting deep roster of Average Joes or Joe's!) http://www.rollingstone.com/music/pictures/a-history-of-hick-hop-the-27-year-old-story-of-country-rap-20140627

...although they did leave out this pioneer crew: http://www.villagevoice.com/1999-05-25/music/the-groovegrass-boyz/full/

Pistol Annies' Angaleena Presley's solo debut is up-front autobio, to wit:

1. "Ain't No Man" (Angaleena Presley)
2. "All I Ever Wanted" (Angaleena Presley)
3. "Grocery Store" (Angaleena Presley/Lori McKenna)
4. "American Middle Class" (Angaleena Presley)
5. "Dry County Blues" (Angaleena Presley/Mark D. Sanders)
6. "Pain Pills" (Angaleena Presley)
7. "Life of the Party" (Angaleena Presley/Matraca Berg)
8. "Knocked Up" (Angaleena Presley/Mark D. Sanders)
9. "Better Off Red" (Angaleena Presley)
10. "Drunk" (Angaleena Presley/Sarah Siskind)
11. "Blessing and a Curse" (Angaleena Presley/Bob DiPiero)
12. "Surrender" (Angaleena Presley/Luke Laird/Barry Dean)

More details here: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/angaleena-presley-album-reveals-american-middle-class-life-20140627#ixzz35zLCMAdb"> http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/angaleena-presley-album-reveals-american-middle-class-life-20140627#ixzz35zLCMAdb

The Sturgill Simpson record is great.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOCFWd8qusw

atlantic: The Bro-Country Backlash Is Here

(you can listen to the maddie & tae track here fyi, since it's hard to find elsewhere: http://musictumblrnotes.tumblr.com/post/90397213533/girl-in-a-country-song-maddie-tae-maddie )

Emmylou Harris, Rodney Crowell co-headline this week's http://musiccityroots.com/roots-tv/, streaming tonight from 7 'til 10(?) (Central, anyway).

MCR newsletter: "We are expecting solo acoustic performances by each (Emmylou, Rodney) at Roots, with some duo moments as well."

Nah gah live post the whole thing, wouldn't be prudent, but right now: Humming House, young acoustic pickers, but all with powerful, non-nasal voices; the woman snare drummer was singing lead--rich sound--this guy's okay too. Here she is again, contralto maybe, and with the most starpower, even sneaking up on this spooky ballad.

ha, Harris & Crowell right into a duet: Parsons' "Wheels," and yeah, acoustic, but with upright bass and ace piano, plus three guitars. Luvly.

Still together for "Pancho and Lefty," "Til I Gain Control Again," fuuuck (they still archive these, or most of 'em; might be some artists/labels holding out)

best (heartbruising) rendition of "If I Needed You" I've heard; can seem like one of TVZ's atypically formalist turns, but not here.

Picking up the tempo for "Leaving Louisiana in the Broad Daylight," with the pianist switching to accordion, and a nuanced touch (ditto the pickers)

Thanks for the link to Music City Roots, dow. Damn, I love Emmylou and Rodney. His memoir was excellent, and Emmylou's is coming out in the next year or two, I understand.

Oh, didn't know that, thanks. Also, during the MCR interview, she said they're working on a second duo album, this time writing together. Don't think they've ever done that before--?

Tonght's Music City Roots features Amy LaVere. whose recent Runaway's Diary is really striking, for the tone: sounds really young,like, "I can't believe I'm doing this," and also "I'm doing this, wow!" and always observant, drawing back a little more, too, whenever things get too gnarly--nevertheless, scary ol street dude Townes Van Zandt drops science in her face, via song, not personal appearance(good selection and sequencing of originals and covers).

checking into thread entirely to love sturgill simpson, even if he does swallow the ends of his lines.

IT'S MARDI GRAAAAAAAAAAAS
UP IN THE CLOUUUUUUUUUDS
I'M UP SO HIIIIIIIGH
MAY NEVER COME DOWN!
I'LL TRY ANYTHIIIIING
TO DROWN OUT THE PAIIIIIIN
THEY ALL KNOW WHY I'M GETTING DRUNK ON A PLANE

"drunk on a plane" is fucking perfect

Headliner on tonight's Music City Roots live radio/TV stream (7-10 PM CST): Irene Kelley, whose has cool phrasing has stayed with me from a few previous broadcast sets over the years. Mainly known as a back-up singer and co-writer, though she's had a few albums, which I haven't heard. New Pennsylvania Coal has her fellow A-List Nashville cats picking, with guest star vocalists. On the same bill: American Aquarium, The Vespers, Songs Of Water---not a good week for names, but descriptions seem fairly promising.

x-post--Dierks Bentley getting abandoned groom sympathy bro-style without dissing the not-to-be-bride who left him

singing the blues...

Well, this is incredible

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUQ2ltrdkTw

drunk on a plane" is fucking perfect

― emo canon in twee major (BradNelson)

the "quarterback" video is interesting in that it ends differently than the song does. the song ends with everyone in school and in town siding with the quarterback and no one believing the girl. the video ends with seemingly everybody in school taking the girl's side.

I must say, the Singles Jukebox nailed it, if I may so:

http://www.thesinglesjukebox.com/?p=12354

the bendy riff on "Drunk On A Plane" is fantastic but the vocals just sound so melodically & rhythmically bankrupt to me and I hate that.

kinda hate "drunk on a plane" but good for y'all

"quarterback" is very affecting

Now it can be told! Edd Hurt, via the invaluable Perfect Sound Forever, on idiosyncratic early 70s lawnghaired Nashville cats The Country Cavaleers http://www.furious.com/perfect/countrycavaleers.html

http://www.furious.com/perfect/graphics/countrycavaleers.jpg

http://www.wonderingsound.com/feature/kira-isabella-quarterback-country-radio-date-rape/

More re "Quarterback" and country lyrics

That's by Charles Aaron, who was at Spin for ages

interesting + carefully compiled analysis of the prospects of emerging major-label radio-promoted solo acts (since 2008, since 2007 is when country's current biggest superstars, male and female, emerged): http://www.mjsbigblog.com/the-country-radio-climb-how-are-major-labels-serving-new-acts-male-female.htm

it's a fairly long read w/ lots of tables but the main takeaways are

- significantly fewer of the women who are promoted to radio will ever score a top 20 hit compared to men.
- whether women have an established fanbase prior to being promoted to country radio (from tv talent shows, acting, or a career as a pop artist) is a far more important determinant of whether they can score that first hit compared to men, for whom having a prior fanbase seems to make no difference. of the nine women who succeeded at getting a top 20 hit, the only two that did not have significant fanbases beforehand were sunny sweeney and kacey musgraves (and even she had her minor stint on nashville star).
- solo men who score a top 20 hit are extremely likely to score more of them later on. meanwhile, not even one of the solo women to have scored a top 20 has logged a second hit since 2008. (cassadee pope and kacey musgraves both have songs currently charting, but it's looking like both will fail to reach the top 20.)

i think it would have been interesting to look at how much being part of a duo or group helps for men compared to women but i don't think the results would be surprising

Tonight's Music City Roots live audio/video stream incl. Susan Werner, whose 2013Hayseed was all about life on the fsrm, like dealing with freaky weather, whether you call it climate change or the roll of the dice; also, "My my, hey hey/Pesticides have made me gay," snd the awesomeness of yet another big fat moon. Also, David Olney, who used to stomp around like late 70s/early 80s Joe Ely Band; dunno know what he's up to now, but the last tunes I heard were still all-weather. And: Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper: heard Cleveland with other bands, which were good modern bluegrass, not too nasal. Oh yeah, and Micheal-Ann; got a promising promo from her.