Rolling Country 2014

Also touring: Wine Women & Song, AKA Matraca Berg, Suzy Bogguss, and Gretchen Peters. Covered a WWS show in Columbus OH years ago. Purty cool: seasoned personal hits and more recent, well-placed co-writes, plus covers of Stones, Parsons, etc. What's that curled around Matraca's elbow? I asked but haven't heard back from her yet.

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Tonight on Music City Roots, from 7 til some time prob a bit before 10 Central, Angeleena Presley and Mary Gauthier will be among the performers, with sets prob 25-27 minutes long, plus brief interviews. Scroll to the bottom of this page for livestream video and live radio links. For archived shows (back to 2010), click media, audio, downloads. http://musiccityroots.com/events/

Nikki Lane ‏@nikkilanemusic 2h2 hours ago

I literally just pissed all over myself in a traffic jam in Boston while trying to pee out of the side… http://instagram.com/p/vUYIbKOVC-/
0 replies 2 retweets 5 favorites

Really liked Holly Williams' 2013 The Highway and some earlier music.

Holly WilliamsVerified account ‏@hollywilliams1

Mama, Daddy, Waylon, Jessie-all legends in their own right ❤️❤️ #1979 #weddingday

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Fine presentation: life & music of the late great Gary Stewart, country-rocker like no other---thx to @rekkidoftheday Phillip Overeem 4 alert http://bit.ly/1sW1bMU

He's *kind of* like if Jerry Lee Lewis had first emerged in the 70s, having to deal with all that and vice versa, but some wild desolate Hank Williams in there too, what if Hank had made it to middle age---here's my take, written right before/after his death, a decade ago: http://bit.ly/1uC1dh6

Minton Sparks is a story-telling poet with an ear for the music in spoken words. She's often held forth with guitarist John Jackson, who toured with Dylan long enough to be prepared at all times, so Live At Station Inn is a good place to start.
Studio arrangements ride along nicely too, and she's sure got a way with a beat. This fall's Gold Digger delivers more downhome truths in itchy empathy: "Every line is written on the body," and how. (If had to pick one for a comp, might possibly be "Tennessee Prison For Women," which is like a slice of Orange Is The New Black, although seems even more like based on her teaching there, or is that just a illusion of her deft realness)

That is, I don't know if she actually has taught there (could read the bio, but the music's the thing).

Cool convergence at the CMAa

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Make a note

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Starting a new series of Xmas EPs:
"I wanted to do an EP and spread it around over the next three years. I love it. I miss making Christmas music, so I'm happy."

Rimes says she felt very free to experiment with her sound on the release. "There's a little bit of dirty south kind of sound, but it's also very intimate. It was nice to do some songs that haven't been covered as much, so it was nice to set the tone with something a little different than what normal Christmas records have been." Nuthin too weird tho:
http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/the-615/6327687/leann-rimes-one-christmas-ep-interview?utm_source=twitter

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Yep, Willie's Stash, a mixed bag which actually continues the zigzag grooving of most albums he's released in this century. But these 18 tracks, new recordings of vintage covers and (mostly) originals, from "Alexander's Ragtime Band to "Ou-es Tu, Mon Amour/I Never Cared For You," lyrical and blunt, well-remembered and impulsive.
He seems a little short-winded at first, but vocal levels shift as needed: he's scrawny, full-bodied, nasal, well-rounded, etc. Ivories are also flexible, while the geetar darts, jabs, practices Djangology (he said recently he'd been taking lessons in that, but sounds the same). She contours and solos too, given more space than usual (though also check last year's Let's Face The Music and Dance).
Each song lives in its own story, its own moment, streaming here for now http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/arts/music/pressplay.html?_r=0

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Pretty and spooky without being Southern Gothic, the current Cantrell vibe is "that's just how it is," cos love & music will only take you so far, no matter through what and for what (incl "Turn Down For What," not stylistically, but this music's into pleasure too). Sounds she knows she's on a roll, so why stop now, pick up some more sorrow and happiness on the way. Also sounds like She might be mildly surprised that I'm surprised at her unpretentious mastery and ambition (no dis on Brandy Clark, but those who think she's the best should hear the way Cantrell does less-is-more, vocally: "I'm gonna get these ol' clothes clean, do you know what I mean?")

Xgau pretty much nails it (think by "helpmeet" he means "co-writer"):

Laura Cantrell: No Way There From Here
(Thrift Shop)

Now in her mid forties, Nashville-born, New York-based Columbia grad Cantrell has always been one of those intensely likable, not necessarily female Nashville helpmeets whose own music is a quantum too mild to break out of their circle. But on her first album of new songs since she stepped back to have a kid, two cowrites with the darker and sharper Amy Allison are intensely flavorful: the pan-feminist “All the Girls Are Complicated” and the pining-for-my-guy “Can’t Wait.” Great melodies too from Jennifer O’Connor on the songwriter-centric “Beg or Borrow Days” and Franklin Bruno on the dislocated “No Way There From Here” and, hey, Laura Cantrell acting alone on the calmly bereft “Letter She Sent.” That’s a lot. Welcome outside the circle, ma’am. A MINUS

Also, despite the shifting songwriting credits (which I haven't checked), it's seamless, without being too smooth. A touch of the old Hoboken denim lilt in there too, so one for us Amy Rigby fans (first track even has a dbs feel).

Not that this is, eh, jangle-country.

Not pandering to her fellow fortysomethings' hip nostalgia, that is.

At long last I was able to put the dreaded Crowell/ Willoughby sense of shame and disentitlement to proper use. Recent adventures of Rodney C. (Lon Chaney Williams?)
http://www.twitlonger.com/show/n_1siqmba

Chris Richards end of the year list in Washington Post has Sam Hunt, Miranda Lambert, sturgill Simpson, plus Lori McKenna and Hiss Golden Messenger

Methinks that Sam Hunt one is kinda uneven

i wanted to like it/him but i thought it was pretty boring throughout. i actually love "cop car" but somehow found the version on his album fairly dull.

Yeah, that track started well, but petered out. Overall---mehhh---anyway, note to self: get the following

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Have they done one for Oklahoma yet?

Thanx to all-weather publicist Cary Baker for pic of his new copy.

Country album noms at the Grammys:

Dierks Bentley - Riser
Eric Church - The Outsiders
Brandy Clark - 12 Stories
Miranda Lambert - Platinum
Lee Ann Womack - The Way I'm Livin'

brandy, miranda and lee ann :D :D :D

so happy that brandy's gotten some recognition

Best New Artist noms:

Bastille
Iggy Azalea
Brandy Clark
HAIM
Sam Smith

!

whoa that is pretty big especially given that her album wasn't exactly a hit. SO DESERVING! so unusual to be excited about grammy nominations!

!!!

only grammy noms to make me happy so far

The chronology of these ballot choices always weirds me out: voted (see way upthread) for Clark in Nashville Scene poll re alb was released---last year. Na ga vote for anything twice, wouldn't be prudent.
Best recap & comments in the history of time:
http://www.nashvillescene.com/countrylife/archives/2014/12/04/nashville-recap-two-sides-to-every-story

It is great to see Brandy Clark getting the exposure that her talent deserves. I was wondering, because i have no idea, do Grammy nominations actually make a difference to record sales?

if the the category is shown on the television broadcast, it usually provides a quick but significant upsurge in sales for the nominated artists (esp. if they win)

Thanks dyl,

I was wondering about the importance of the nomination. In Britain or Ireland, being nominated or winning a high profile award, such as the Mercury Prize, can have a very positive effect, but it can also be seen as an albatross around the neck of the winner. A case in point is Speech Debelle, who never really recovered from being perceived as an undeserving winner of the award, and her win certainly didn't translate into record sales.

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/40-best-country-albums-of-2014-20141210

Whiney and other RS contributors weigh in with selections from big names and others

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/style-blog/wp/2014/12/10/girl-in-a-country-song-hits-no-1-by-mocking-bro-country-the-bros-arent-laughing/?hpid=z4

But the guys in question have been pretty humorless. When the song dropped, the bros were tellingly silent amid the waves of hype, if not downright annoyed. Asked about the song by the Chicago Tribune, Florida Georgia Line’s Brian Kelley claimed he didn’t know what the interviewer was talking about. When asked further, he got snippy. “All I’m gonna say about that is, I don’t know one girl who doesn’t want to be a girl in a country song,” Kelley said. “That’s all I’m gonna say to you. That’s it.”

Here's one to which I contributed: http://www.spin.com/articles/40-best-country-songs-2014/

Nikki Lane: still good. Prob in my Scene ballot Top Ten Albums.

i like this pretty ok so far but i can't stop hearing her accent as claire bowen's fake-ass 'scarlett' accent on nashville

Thanks, Alfred. I've been way behind on singles for the Scene ballot, will check those.
Tulare Dust, good Merle trib, now reissued with an added disc:
http://shop.fronterarecords.com/Tulare-Dust-2-CD-expanded-edition-ROC-3273.htm

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tulare dust is one of the only tribute albums i've ever truly loved.

i think "girl in a country song" and especially the way it's been promoted have been overly acquiescent to the 'bro' side of the industry but it is amusing to see that the florida georgia line guy is actually annoyed by it

Iris DeMent's cover of Big City on Tulare Dust. Just killer.

Amen. Come to think of it, during one of her long spells between albums, she also toured as keyboard player with Merle and the Strangers. Sure would like them to duet.
xpost yeah and he shoulda pointed out to his interviewer that they put themselves in a country song, that answer songs are another way of riding a trend by counter-balance, that answer songs are another biz family tradition. Alas, Weird Al probably won't be back 'til way after this whole thing is too passe for him.

Another excellent Ashley Spurgeon recap of Nashville (mid-season finale!), with some points I hadn't thought of, so obv. brilliant. Good comments again too:
http://www.nashvillescene.com/countrylife/archives/2014/12/11/nashville-recap-first-to-have-a-second-chance

Also speaking of Nashville, I don't hear a connection between Nikki Lane and Claire Bowman's fake accent, which always reminded me of a Loretta Lynn imitation (or Sissy Spacek as Loretta in Coal Miner's Daughter) Maybe Bowman noticed that she looks like young Loretta might now, with a salon tan and mermaid waves of platinum extensions.

extensions, even (but the original LL would prob be pale brunette on Bloodshot w Lydia Loveless, at least initially)

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/40-best-country-albums-of-2014-20141210

Whiney and other RS contributors weigh in with selections from big names and others

― curmudgeon, Wednesday, December 10, 2014 1:11 PM (1 week ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

I really like this list, though Lydia Loveless is an unforgivable exclusion. Is that Little Big Town record the real deal? I can barely remember it, though I'm certain I gave it a couple spins.

Also, I feel like I'm the only guy that doesn't get Shovels and Rope. They're fine, but come off a bit gimmicky to me.

That Nashville Sound's EOY lists:

Top 35 Albums:
http://thatnashvillesound.blogspot.com/2014/12/that-nashville-sounds-top-35-albums-of.html

Top Ten Unexpected Country Duets and Music Collaborations of 2014:
http://thatnashvillesound.blogspot.com/2014/12/that-nashville-sounds-top-ten.html

Nice to see Jason Eady get some love. Critics seem to have totally slept on that record.

Yeah, I still need to check that for the last round-up, re the Scene ballot. Maybe check Shovels and Rope's O' Be Joyful, which I get into more than the latest alb. They've got a Deluxe Edition of it out now or coming up, with "songs from our previous records," meaning from before they teamed up, apparently, but reworked for their current shows.

May not have time for singles though. Right now I'm just blanking on any ten, much less ten best.

Okay, listened to the current xpost Jason Eady, Daylight and Dark: a mild-mannered, reflective, sometimes rueful voice, usually late night for him. between 9 and 10.Although "Temptation" seems to be out in the great wide open, an eerie gray today, with no distractions, while he thinks about his thoughts, about being tempted. He invites us to lean in, just a bit. So far, the title track and about half the others, ones that sound a bit more lived-in, pull me along. Background and duet assistants assist, also when the tempo gets picked up, just a tad. Don Williams, George Strait appeal.

Kelly Willis & Bruce Robison, Our Year: Was she this strong on her solo albums? Must check. Seems like she should always sing lead. On "Lonely For You," she even sounds like a (vocally, not emotionally) self-sustained Everly, no need for overdubs. He's crisp, but there's a subliminal ebb and flow on a couple tracks, like he's pausing the take, "Lemme come back to that line": the writer as vocal stylist, whoopee. Still, it mostly works out, especially when I play it louder, and the sequence of tracks is good, like even "Harper Valley PTA" takes on a claustrophobic quality here, as Willis relentlessly busts the endless, obsessive rounds of musical beds in this itchy niche, this teeming Valley. Fine finale, "This Will Be Our Year," doesn't seem ironic, though lyrics x context of sequence show they know they got a lot to hope for, def. incl. change, but they've sure worked for it, earned it. Good, but if you haven't heard them before, check 2013 Cheater's Game first.

http://www.spin.com/articles/40-best-country-songs-2014/?page=3

Here are some singles,a mixture of pop and Americana and Jon Langford (I guess he counts as roots/Americana now).

I wrote some of those blurbs -- thanks!

Re: Willis, I'd say she's even stronger on her solo albums (though I like both of the duets albums with Robison quite a bit, as well). Of her early 90s albums for MCA, her self-titled release was my favorite, though all three were solid. Since signing with independent labels, I'd say <i>What I Deserve</i> is her strongest album, but I really don't think she's ever released a bad album. She plays to more of an Americana audience, but I think her song choices and feistiness avoid a lot of the stuffier trappings of so many other acts in that corner of the genre.

Both the Willis & Robison and Jason Eady albums made my Nashville Scene ballot. I liked Eady's previous album a bit better than this one, fwiw.