Album Review: State Theatre by J.R. Shore

Pack your bags for a tour across the wide expanse of the Americana musical spectrum with J.R. Shore. On his new album, State Theatre, you’ll hear echoes of current favorites like Darrell Scott and Ray Wylie Hubbard back through Bob Dylan and Joe Ely, with touches of Randy Newman, Taj Mahal, Doctor John and Lowell George sprinkled in. J.R. Shore digs even deeper into America’s musical past incorporating touches of Jazz, Dixieland and Ragtime as well. There is virtually no corner of America’s grand Country/Blues/Americana tradition that goes unexplored on this album, which is ironic, because J.R. Shore is Canadian. Like the Rolling Stones reminding America of its forgotten Blues roots, J.R. Shore holds a sonic mirror up to us reflecting back the tones and textures that define Americana.

State Theatre is a shining example of everything that’s right with Americana: brilliant storytelling, three dimensional characters you’d meet in real life, expert musicianship, creative arrangements, and a rootsy, earthy voice to bring it all together. The album starts off with the lo-fi, bluesy “Holler Like Hell”, which sounds like it bubbled up murky and uninvited from the Louisiana Bayou. “Addie Polk” follows with a funky take on a serious subject – the housing crisis. The lyrical depth of the subject is balanced by the uptempo rhythm and punctuated with a mean Hammond organ, as if the will of the music transforms a tragic story into one of triumph. Then the album really kicks into high gear on the next four songs. “Poundmaker,” “Charlie Grant,” “Dash Snow,” and “Jackie’s Odds” are as fine a murderer’s row of songs as I’ve ever heard on a single album. “Poundmaker” is a Marty Stuart style tribute to yet another Native American caught between two worlds and prosecuted by one of them. Beginning and ending with the refrain, “On account of my grandfather, they did not cut my hair;” the story gives a snapshot of a cycle that has repeated for generations. The slide guitar and piano give the perfect yearning, almost reverent backdrop to this tragic story. “Charlie Grant” follows with the tale of the Negro League star who almost broke through baseball’s color line twenty years before Jackie Robinson by passing himself off as a Native American. Again, Shore plays counterpoint to the tragedy of the story with an uptempo, almost Dixieland rhythm and ends on a poetic note of optimism about his burial, singing, “He’s just two doors down from Miller Huggins. They’re finally playing on the same damn field.” “Dash Snow” follows with a “Memo From Turner” sounding eulogy for a junkie. “Jackie’s Odds” finishes off this amazing run with a Dr. John/Little Feat fusion about a gambler who just can’t win (“the deeper you go, the harder you fall.”)

The rest of the album is a sumptuous feast of Blues, Folk and straight up Country. Quite frankly, there’s not a bad song on the album, but other standouts are the Dylan inspired “Ballad of Dreyfus,” the Randy Newmanesque, “146” and the gospel/blues tribute to the Underground Railroad, “Dayton Free,” where Shore sings, “Freedom’s streets are shinier than Tennessee gold.” (And if that’s not enough, J.R. includes a bonus disc of eight cover songs of some of his favorite songwriters including Robbie Robertson and Neil Young.) J.R. Shore packs so much emotion, empathy and pathos into these stories that you feel he’s lived each of them himself. Such is the power of music in the hands of a master. And if there are any masters of this form we call Americans, J.R. Shore is sure one of them.

Song of the Week: Dirty Politics by Whiskey Rivers

Just in time for today's election, Whiskey Rivers gives us a soundtrack for the day's newscycle. Dirty Politics is an uptempo modern country tribute to America's other national pastime. Whether Democrat or Republican, Dirty Politics takes shots at both sides. While certainly not an in depth critique of the shortcomings of our political parties, it does offer soundbite cliches to remind both sides that they have a ways to go to earn the trust and respect of the voters. And even though politics may be a dirty business, it's still youre right to vote. So go exercise your right today!

Album of the Week: Lowe Country,the songs of Nick Lowe

Somehwere between disco and hair bands, rock and roll was in danger of losing its identity. Nick Lowe (and occasional bandmate Dave Edmunds) stepped into the musical void to remind Rock of its early country and rockabilly roots. Now country music has stepped up to honor this crossover legend. Fiesta Red Records has just released an alt country tribute album to Nick Lowe, entitled Lowe Country. Nick Lowe was well respected in the early 80's for bending musical genres and fusing rock, pop, and country (and off the beaten path lyrics) to create a distinctive hybrid sound before any kind of music was preceded by the term "alt." Some of Lowe's masterworks are reinterpreted (although his biggest hit, "Cruel To Be Kind," is mysteriously missing) on this album by many of today's emerging alt-country stars. Nick Lowe's music definitely stands the test of time, and it's refreshing to hear them arranged in a new way. Much of the pop influence has been scrubbed from the original versions on this album. In their place is a healthy dose of banjo and steel guitar. Alt Country darling Caitlin Rose does a yearning, almost Patsy Cline take on "Lately I've Let Things Slide." Hayes Carll does a steel guitar tinged version of "I'm Gonna Start Living Again If It Kills Me." Newcomers Chatham County Line do an ironic down home version of "Heart of the City." But the song that benefits the most from the alt-country love is "All Men Are Liars" by Robert Ellis. Ellis manages to stay true to both tone and tempo while somehow converting it from a tongue in cheek pop song to a straight up country "unplugged" number. Nick Lowe's songs sound fresh and new again here. And the album's musical lineup is a great introduction to many of today's new alt-country stars. And if that weren't enough incentive to check out this disc, Fiesta Records is donating proceeds to benenfit victims of the 2010 Nashville floods and 2011 Texas wild fires! So here's your chance to get goods while you do good!

Song of the Week: Queen of the Minor Key

Queen of the Minor Key by Ellen Jewell is a great rockabilly rave up to get you started on your weekend. Sounding a little like Patsy Cline sings Gene Vincent, Queen of the Minor Key will take you back to music's unscripted past where the lines between rock and country were easily blurred. Ellen Jewell is a time-warping, genre-bending siren who defies description. Like Southern Culture on the Skids, Ellen combines elements of rockabilly, surf music, jazz and traditional country to create a whole that's larger than the sum of the parts. This song is from her album of the same name which was released over a year ago. It was brought to our attention by Brite Revolution Records, who have just released a killer Americana sampler. The best part is that it's free! So check out Ellen Jewell, Darrell Scott, The Trishas and a host of other great bands - I gurantee you'll find something you like! Then do yourself a favor and go buy one of their albums. As for us, we're starting with Queen of the Minor Key by Ellen Jewell!

Album of the Week(ish) Sooner by Liz Frame and the Kickers

Liz Frame and the Kickers deliver that authentic, rootsy Americana sound that we love so much. Sounding a bit like Gram Parsons meets Cowboy Junkies, Liz and the Kickers (Liz Frame: vocals and guitar,Kristine Malpica: percussion and vocals,Lynne Taylor: bass and vocals,Chuck Melchin: guitars, mandolin and vocals) create an earthy, soothing sound that rocks the body and soul like a swimging hammock on a warm June afternoon. Their new album, Sooner, is packed with irresistable licks and insightful lyrics. Liz and company set the tone with the first song, Win. Liz sings "Johnny's just a junkie with a monkey on his back...He's gonna fight every last demon that brought him down - and he's gonna win." Right away they let you know their take on life, which they elaborate on throughout the album: life isn't always fair, sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, and sometimes it all depends on the timing. This is especially true when it comes to love. In Girl Of Little Faith, Liz sings "when I leave I don't look back." But in Come Back To Me she yearns for her lover's return. Apparently he arrives too late as in the song Sooner, Liz sings "you should've come to me sooner than today, back when I would have done just about anything to make you stay." The toll of love's near misses makes Liz feel like "The Devil Put A Bullseye On My Back" in the song of the same name. She wails that "he ain't ever gonna be happy till I'm broken as a girl can be." Yet despite the pain, Liz is (and indeed all of us are) somehow drawn back to love like the junkie is drawn back to his addiction in the album's first song. After love's ups and downs in the previous songs, Liz still feels compelled to sing in, I Wanna Be Your Baby, that "I wanna be the blood running through your veins, I wanna be the joy that you can't contain... I wanna be your baby." Liz makes you feel the depth of her lyrics with her emotional and sensual vocals. The Kickers provide subtle yet gorgeous background harmonies. And the gentle wailing of steel guitars adds further resonance to the music's impact. A wonderful album from start to finish. They only way they could have made it better would have been to release it "Sooner."

Album of the Week: High, Wide & Handsome by The Trishas

The Trishas weave effortlessly beautiful harmonies with expert musicianship in their debut CD, High, Wide & Handsome. The first song on the album, "Mother of Invention" reels you in with with their irresistable harmonies and simple guitar and banjo arrangements. Sounding a little like "Didn't Leave Nobody But the Baby" from Oh Brother Where Art Thou, "Mother of Invention" has that same siren-song quality and hypnotic appeal. Singing, "In interesting conditions you discover who you really are," the Trishas invite you on a journey of musical discovery of their own. But like those silver screen sirens, The Trishas turn the tables after the first song. After singing about the possibilites and inspirations that privation can bring, they focus the rest of the songs on the deeper privation of lost love. But instead of finding possibilities and inspirations, they discover only broken hearts and fools. In songs like "Liars and Fools," "The Fool," and "Little Sweet Cigars," the Trishas make clear that love is a fool's game from the start. They sum it up succinctly in "Little Sweet Cigars" singing "when you're kissed by a fool then you're fooled by a kiss." Other songs paint an equally bleak picture of love's entanglements. In songs like "Cheater's Game," "Why," and "Strangers," they sing about life after love's flame burns out. In "Strangers," for instance they lament that "I'd like to introduce myself to the one I used to know so well." But if love's fire burns out, the Trishas prove that music's fire never does. In "Looking At Me," they advise that "a fire burns slow if you know how to build it." And again in "One Down," they sing, "if there's nothing left to burn, set yourself on fire." And this album is indeed a slow, sultry burn. Sounding at times like torch singers (especially on "Cold Blooded Love,") The four members of the Trishas smolder their way through love's ups and downs culminating in one of the album's finest moments, "Rainin' Inside." A John Prine-esque blues ballad that begins, "Billie Holliday is killing me, like she's been reading my mind. I dropped the needle on her yesterday and I've been listening all this time," "Rainin' Inside" demonstrates that these ladies sing the blues with the best of them.

Song of the Week: Back When by the Carper Family

"Back When" is a roots-Country, lover's lament from The Carper Family. With beautiful vocal harmonies and expert musicianship, "Back When" (from the album of the same name) takes listeners on a musical journey to back when Country music was fresh and new. Like a modern day Andrews Sisters singing covers of Bob Wills, these three Southern sirens (Melissa Carper, Beth Chrisman and Jenn Miori) evoke feelings from another era. No electric guitars, no vocal effects, no post production trickery; The Carper Family delivers hearfelt and well honed roots Country at its best. Singing of love's later stages, after the bloom has left the rose; The Carper Family wonders aloud why the love letters no longer come. Pondering love's fading passions, they sing "why can't back when happen again." Many critics of modern country music may be tempted to ask that same question. But thanks to the Carper Family "Back When" can indeed happen again.

Curmudgeons Rejoice!

Since before Elvis first shook his pelvis onstage, there has always been a small but very vocal portion of music fans who have insisted that older songs are better. Well now, those of us who fall into that category can shout a hearty "I told you so!" as MSN Music News reports that for the first time ever old albums are outselling new ones. (So that's where our album sales are going!) According to Nielson music analyst, David Bakula, the primary catalyst for the trend is cost: Catalog albums are usually priced between $5.99 and $10.99, while new albums are often $13-$18. "I really, truly do believe that there probably is a consumer that is buying music here that wasn't buying music in the past," Speaking of which, for today only you can pick up your very own digital copy of Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison for only $2.99 at Amazon.

Album of the Week: Now & Then by Westbound

Westbound is an amazing musical duo from Houston Texas. Consisting of one-man-band John Stoll and musical songbird Rebecca Ferguson, Westbound plays authentic American roots music. While Nashville and Austin fight over the face of Country music, Westbound beautifully represents the heart of Country. Without overdoing production or attitude, Westbound gets right to the essence of the music. With an organic sound that seems to bubble up from the earth itself and flow clear and pure as a mountain stream, Now & Then is a trip in time to the very beginnings of American music. Like T Bone Burnett's masterful production of the Oh Brother Where Art Thou soundtrack, Now & Then represents a time and place before mass communication, when singing was only done by those with something to say. Even so, Rebecca's voice brings these songs to life in the present tense. Her haunting portrayal of the jilted lover in "Railroad Boy," makes you feel the pain of lost love when she sings how she died "to show the world that I died for love." Her lilting, yet powerful voice is used to wonderful effect in the revival-like songs, "Go Down Moses" and "Wayfaring Stranger." She brings full emotional impact to each of these songs of love and love lost, and sin and salvation. The sparse, melodic rhythms of John's acoustic guitar and banjo perfectly pair and blend with Rebecca's earthy voice. And although much of the album tells of loss and regret, one of the highlights is "At Dawning (I Love You)." Simple, yet elegent Rececca sings, "When the dawn flames in the sky, when the birds wake and cry, when the day shines anew, I love you." This is as honest and sincere a confession of love as I've heard put to music. Westbound has created a beautifully harmonious blending of voice and instrument, of lyric and song and of past and present. You can bet that I'll be listening to this album more than just "Now & Then."

The Original Honky Tonk Angel Gets Her Wings

Family Reunion is saddened by the passing of Kitty Wells. The "Queen of Country Music" She is the original trailblazer for women in country music. She scored her first number one hist in 1952. She was named the Country Female Artist of the Year an unparalleled 14 years in a row. Every female country artist from Patsy Cline to Tanya Tucker to Carrie Underwood have reached their heights by standing on her shoulders. God bless you Kitty. You will be missed and remembered!