06.18.09
Posted in cricket spazzes, news, some albums we done liked others we ain't - June 18th, 2009 at 3:57 pm by Cricket
If you are feeling up to it, feel free to write a country song about me: Living in the swampy, hot south, plagued by severe storms and tornadoes. Lost a tooth (trust me it’s a story you don’t want to hear). Lost my man. Am all bruised up (related more to the tooth and not at all to the man). I’m hanging it up for a while. Sitting on the porch, sippin’ whiskey and watching the lightning and the fireflies until I’m calm and life doesn’t feel like a utter disaster. Hiatus. Summer vacation. Mental health break.
In the meantime there’s some new albums you should be listening too:
DADDY, For a Second Time (Tommy Womack & Will Kimbrough, also on tour, check the dates, go see them and learn to love Tommy as much as I do)
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· Tags: cory branan, daddy, jon snodgrass, lucero, ryan bingham, todd snider, tommy womack
04.14.09
Posted in back catalogue, cricket hates on pop country, news - April 14th, 2009 at 3:31 pm by Cricket
There’s still a day left to enter and win a copy of Willie Nelson’s Naked Willie. Contest ends at midnight tomorrow, so finish up your taxes and go over and enter!
The new podcast is also up. It’s a good listen for a grey spring day. Even if you aren’t in Nashville where the weather isn’t cooperating with the season you should still go download it and listen.
And now that I’ve got your reminders out of the way, I need to clean up some of tabs I’ve had open in my browser for weeks. Here’s some things I’ve been meaning to share with you:
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· Tags: todd snider
Posted in podcast - April 14th, 2009 at 10:58 am by Cricket
It’s podcasting time again!! This time poet and musician Matt Urmy sat down with us for a very pleasant afternoon. We had so much fun, in fact, that we talked for 3 hours. To save your sanity, I’ve distilled the conversation and the music down to just under and hour. For you listening pleasure, you can get the ‘cast at iTunes, or simply download it here (right click and ’save file as’).
Matt is wonderful, but if you want the true experience of what it was like in the HCT living room that day, I suggest you listen to it after only 5 or so hours of sleep, when you are hungover and have started drinking at lunch time. I won’t admit whether those were the exact conditions of the day, but recreating those conditions might actually make us sound less obnoxious (or at least you’ll understand us better).
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· Tags: matt urmy
04.09.09
Posted in cricket spazzes, some albums we done liked others we ain't - April 9th, 2009 at 11:04 am by Cricket
On every blog like this one, my fellow twang geeks are all a-chatter about Naked Willie. I’ve been beating myself up all week, worrying about reviewing it, about what clever things I might say that would make you go buy the album. I mean who am I to judge these songs and review their quality? It’s Willie Nelson for Pete’s sake!
And then I realized…
Duh. You ‘re already either going to buy this album or you aren’t, whether I like it or not is irrelevant (although I do like it). I mean, it’s possible, but it seems unlikely that someone reading this has been thinking, “Gosh, I’ve sure heard a lot about this Willie Nelson fellow. I should get one of his albums. I wonder which one, oh, sure Naked Willie seems like a good place to start.” No. Just not happening.
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· Tags: willie
04.07.09
Posted in cricket spazzes, east nashville, some albums we done liked others we ain't - April 7th, 2009 at 3:18 pm by Cricket
Two Irishmen walk into my bar – wait, this is not a joke! Or maybe it is in some surrealist way. So, two Irishmen walk into my bar and I end up in barn at 3 am, drinking grape soda and triple sec from a coffee cup. Yes, yes, my life is actually more like a circus than the average American dream. I know. But, the upshot is the fantastic music I get to hear, and let’s just ignore the painful downside of a grape soda and triple sec hangover.
Sipping fuzzy grape liquor in that barn, I heard some songs that made my knees weak. Songs that soared far above the barn, the crap drink, and the late night, to shower back down in a sound that was ramshackle good. Songs so new they will not be heard for a while yet. But do not drown in your envy just yet! All hope is not lost!! Because there was an album before which has been melting my heart and cleansing my soul and soothing my hideous grape soda induced headache (surely it was the soda and not the liquor). Gavin Glass and the Holy Shakers.
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· Tags: gavin glass
04.03.09
Posted in some albums we done liked others we ain't - April 3rd, 2009 at 4:21 pm by Mick
Wrinkle Neck Mules - The Wicks Have Met
Now this is how I like my country music. Despite the questionable band name, Wrinkle Neck Mules are a talented 5 piece from Richmond that, like most country bands I enjoy, dabble in folk, bluegrass, and rock. The entire album is littered with mandolin, pedal steel and banjo played amazingly well. The instrumentation here is full and detailed but never takes away from the whole of the songs themselves (even if “Black Skies for the High & Mighty” is the band’s self described ‘mando porn’).
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· Tags: wrinkle neck mules
03.28.09
Posted in some albums we done liked others we ain't - March 28th, 2009 at 3:19 pm by Mick
Ryan Purcell - Kick The Dirt
This might sound stupid but when I go to a bar I want to hear songs about a bar. I want to hear whiskey and beer and screwin’ around with dangerous women. I want a soundtrack, really. On Kick The Dirt Ryan Purcell manages to give me some of that wrapped up in a lengthy nine tracks. Like I said, Purcell only gives me some of that. Half of these songs are about drinkin’ and women, the other half about politics.
The first song, “Guantanamo”, nearly put me off because of the sarcastic nature of the lyrics but I stuck around for the rest because of Purcell’s gravelly voice (nearly every singer I like sounds like emphysema amplified) and I’m glad I did. The second and third song here are sweaty, drunk, country blues bar band music. I swear I thought Faces were playing when I first heard “Palmer’s Pickup Blues”. Purcell himself even sounds like Rod Stewart momentarily. Another one I really enjoy, “Enough”, continues in the same vein with a little Neil Young influence. If I knew dick about chords and notes I could probably figure out if he was ripping off “Alabama” or not.
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· Tags: ryan purcell
Posted in cricket spazzes, news - March 28th, 2009 at 3:02 pm by Cricket
If you are a regular reader of this blog, then you know at least two things about me: I love Lucero and I love Drag the River. The other things you may have gleaned about me from reding these pages are probably better left undiscussed.
This week I’ve been rattling around, as I do, slightly disorganized and trying to do way more than I have time for. As always I start my day by reading 624,729 blog posts from various sources. Often I make lists of things I want to share with you all and mostly I never ever get around to doing that. I swear, I’m working this I am totally going to get better about it. Sometimes I don’t share because it’s just too personally depressing. Like this post about Lucero’s Ben Nichols at SXSW. These are the moments in life that I knowing I missed them just breaks my heart. If nothing else to have heard new songs and finally have seen Last Pale Light in the West performed live [You're missin' out, lady. Although it's comparable to any time Ben closes out with an acoustic, my love of the book bumps those songs up a notch--Mick]. You know, assuming there is the possibility of a Lucero related show that I was sober enough remember. Which would totally happen at SXSW, right? Right? Yeah, maybe it’s better that I wasn’t there…
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· Tags: $5 Cover, drag the river, jon snodgrass, lucero
03.20.09
Posted in a little bit rock and roll, some albums we done liked others we ain't - March 20th, 2009 at 12:41 pm by Mick
Neko Case - Middle Cyclone
I’m convinced Neko Case is a damn siren. She is one of the very few female artists I consider myself a fan of even though I don’t particularly like a good majority of her music. There is a confidence in her song writing you don’t often see among women (sorry, but it’s fucking true) and a voice that is equally unmatched. [Your links and comments in your last post directly contradict the previous two sentences. It's okay, it makes me love you more.—Cricket] I was discussing her sound with my friend and couldn’t quite verbalize it. We were sitting on my deck under the trees and a full moon and listening to a raccoon climbing somewhere and realized that that was it. There is something very closely tied to nature not only in her lyrics but in the grand and layered arrangements of her songs. Similarly, there is a uniquely haunting, almost magical element in her voice that conjures up some other unworldly, ethereal place.
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· Tags: neko case
03.19.09
Posted in cricket spazzes, news, random - March 19th, 2009 at 2:20 pm by Cricket
I know, I know, it’s been like a year, right? A year of few posts and many promises. But really we are almost there. I’m settling the last details incrementally. And doing this slow, slow, slow rolling launch of the new stuff. In the meantime, there’s like a million little things I should be telling you about.
First up, you all met Mick, right? He’s an asshole [So very true--Mick], but I kind of love him, which hopefully means you will too. I didn’t bring him in for a dissenting viewpoint or anything. I mean his musical tastes mostly mirror mine but I expect he’ll like things I won’t, and vice versa.
Nextly, we’ve got message boards. Yep, right here! I surely haven’t ironed out all the kinks yet, and they are really only a skeleton of what I am planning for the future. For now, they are there, you can register, and poke around, and post, and hopefully that will help me find and solve what problems there might be there.
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· Tags: ryan bingham
03.17.09
Posted in east nashville, some albums we done liked others we ain't - March 17th, 2009 at 12:34 pm by Mick
Amanda Shires - West Cross Timbers
I admit that I am a sucker for attractive female singers, and especially so when those singers’ voices cause them to sound like they could crumble into nothing at any second. Oh my god does Amanda Shires sound wounded. On West Cross Timbers she sings in such an emotionally fragile tone you could almost begin to feel bad for listening. Hell, even I started to feel bad about the way I’ve treated girls.
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· Tags: CDBaby
03.16.09
Posted in some albums we done liked others we ain't - March 16th, 2009 at 7:36 pm by Cricket
D. S. Yancey’s album, Lonely Riders, has been the soundtrack to my life for the last two weeks. I’m embarrassed to admit that I’ve had the album for much longer than that, but finally just gave it a spin, and good goddamn, I cannot stop listening. More than that, I keep forcing everyone around me to listen as well. I suspect it’s super annoying when I prance around, making people stop what they are doing to listen, as I softly chant, “How good is this? For reals, so good!” but in this case everyone has agreed with me, so I will keep doing it.
Seriously, y’all, Lonely Riders is the album you didn’t yet know that you absolutely have to have. I know almost nothing about Yancey. He is, I believe, an honest-to-god trucker. He plays guitar. He writes good songs. I like the way he sings them. That sums up entirely the knowledge I have of him. Internet searches weren’t much help. All I have to go on is the music itself.
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03.10.09
Posted in some albums we done liked others we ain't - March 10th, 2009 at 11:59 am by Mick
[Because the least I can do, if I am not contributing as I should, is introduce you to our new (only) man about the place, Mick, and let him do some work.--Cricket]
Waylon And The .357’s - Waylon Forever
It’s hard for me to think about Waylon Jennings and not think about The Dukes of Hazzard. I grew up watching that show and the theme song, “The Good Ol’ Boys”, will forever be in my memory. Another song, “Mamas, Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys”, was one that my father sang to me and my brothers as children dozens of times. Even though these songs had a prominent role in my youth I didn’t know who Waylon Jennings was. I only knew him as The Balladeer, the narrator for the Dukes. I have to admit (and this is total country blasphemy) that outside of the Dukes theme and a handful of other songs, I have never had a strong interest in Waylon Jennings’ music. His actions towards Nashville have always interested me more than his song writing.
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· Tags: waylon
01.22.09
Posted in podcast - January 22nd, 2009 at 10:40 pm by Daisy
First podcast of the New Year! Are you as excited as we are? You should be! This time around we have the boys from The Fox Hunt from West Virginia. Well, we don’t have them right this moment, but we had them for awhile when they came through town to play a show with our friends The Magpies. Alas, much to our dismay, we had to release them back into the wild. But before we did, we got a podcast chock-full of fantastic old-timey music out of them.
The Fox Hunt is made up of John Miller, Ben Townsend and Matts Klein and Metz (and if the name sounds familiar, it may be because Cory and Ben were talking about them the last time they were here). They have one album out, available on CD Baby with a few more slated for release throughout the year, including America’s Working So We Don’t Have To, which is coming to you on Feb 17. Watch this space in the future for a review when it arrives.
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10.16.08
Posted in cricket spazzes - October 16th, 2008 at 11:14 pm by Cricket
At the very second I am writing this it is pouring rain in Tennessee, cars are rushing by and a loud plane is flying overhead. It’s like a momentary metaphor for how I’ve felt all week: overwhelmed. It’s been a week full of darkness and light for my friends, for me it’s almost as if time has been standing still. In the end, it’s all good however, because I’ve had some amazing music to listen too.
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· Tags: lucero, lucinda williams, todd snider
10.08.08
Posted in some albums we done liked others we ain't - October 8th, 2008 at 11:00 am by Cricket
There was a simpler musical time, say 50 years ago, before rock n’ roll and country split and become estranged brothers. Careless Hearts still straddles this divide, beating out twangy, folk-infused rock. The rhythm and the tune bore down into the heart of country, the guitar pulls it back into modern rock n’ roll, and the lyrics are folktastic (though entirely evoking the dusty rural country life of America, rather than some citified folk rock). The Hearts boys are out with their sophomore effort, Heart’s Delight, and I couldn’t be more delighted with the results.
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10.02.08
Posted in daisy spazzes, some albums we done liked others we ain't - October 2nd, 2008 at 12:11 pm by Daisy
The Magpies website proclaims them to be indiefolkrockrevivalist in genre, and since I find that to be a pretty apt description, I’m not going to bother to think up another. True, these guys will rock your face off if given half a chance, but their musicality keeps them from being swept neatly into the “rock” category. More than anything, they are deft storytellers and as such, they neatly sidestep the cliché traps of the indie rock and singer/songwriter genres to create something wholly their own. Between the solid rhythm section, the maniacal genius of Justin Gorski’s piano playing, and the soulful, whiskey-rough edge of Roger Hoover’s vocals, you aren’t given much of a choice but to sit up and pay attention. The Magpies are one of those rare bands that are both musically and lyrically brilliant, and their newest album, Eastern Standard Time showcases this beautifully.
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· Tags: the magpies
09.25.08
Posted in hot live action - September 25th, 2008 at 1:12 pm by Cricket
From Cory Branan’s people:
We’ve decided to add a last minute show as Cory passes back through Nashville b/c his set at the Next Big Nashville was a short one. So tomorrow night at the 5 Spot in East Nashville come out to see Cory’s friends the Magpies play at around 11pm and when they finish up Cory will hit the stage. You should pay the $5 to comes see the Magpies, but we won’t be charging a cover late night for Cory. This show should go pretty late, so if you are going to see the Avett Brothers at War Memorial or our friends Ballhog! down at the Basement, you should stop by on your way home.
We HCT girls say: Yes, come down!! Don’t miss the Magpies, it’ll be an excellent show, now with the added bonus of Cory!!
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· Tags: cory branan
09.19.08
Posted in east nashville, some albums we done liked others we ain't, talk to us - September 19th, 2008 at 11:56 am by Cricket
Under a magnificent, sprawling tree, there is an unusual house on a mysterious street in Nashville. On this funny little street the weather is never quite like it is in the surrounding neighborhood, sun shines through rain clouds and snow falls from the clear blue sky, sometimes only on the extraordinary little house. The light there, day, night or dawn, always seems slightly purple. The grass is scraggly and pathetic but gigantic flowers bloom all around. In this house lives a mysterious little family, The Joiners. Does the odd little house on the peculiar little street make the Joiners different from everyday people, or is it the Joiners that make the street strange?
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09.18.08
Posted in a little bit rock and roll, east nashville, some albums we done liked others we ain't - September 18th, 2008 at 10:06 am by Cricket
I’ve been resisting the Men of Action. The album has been gathering dust on my desk ever since I got a pre-pre-pre-release copy of it. You see, these boys are friends of mine. I like them, they are good guys and I respect them as musicians. I’ve seen them do some good rock n’ roll. I have confidence in their ability as songwriters. And yet, some part of me was worried that this album would suck. And then where would I be? If it sucked I couldn’t tell them and I’d have to go around making excuses to why I’d never reviewed it. Imagine my relief when I finally played Country for Groovers and discovered that it is awesomeness made manifest! Hurrah!
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09.15.08
Posted in cricket spazzes, daisy spazzes, hot live action, news, rumors - September 15th, 2008 at 7:07 pm by Cricket
Daisy and I boldly braved predictions of flash flooding to drive the long, desolate hours to Batesville, Arkansas for the Lucero Family Picnic. It was worth it. So worth it. First off, before I tell you about the show, let me fill you in on the news we gleaned while there:
As many of you maybe know already, Lucero’s Brian Venable is expecting his first child any day now. He was primed to leave, even mid-show, should his lovely lady, Sam, have gone into labor. We saw ultrasound pictures of Henry, the boy they are expecting to join their family soon. So everyone keep them in your thoughts for an easy delivery. I know Brian can’t wait to meet Henry (we can’t either!). Seriously, if every expectant father was as happy as Brian appears to be, the world would be a much, much better place. [It really is just about the sweetest thing ever how excited he is.—Daisy]
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· Tags: cory branan, lucero
08.30.08
Posted in cricket spazzes, news - August 30th, 2008 at 11:20 am by Cricket
I’m all a-twitter over here! Giddy I tell you! William Gibson is perhaps my all-time favorite author (to date anyway, though I hope to carry the unrelenting love I have for him with me to my grave). He’s fantastic interviews. I love what he writes. And when I was in college I learned that he collects old punk rock 7″s. DREAMY! Well, it would appear that his taste has grown with mine in the last couple decades. In the NYT’s Book section today he has a playlist of songs to read his Spook Country too. The list is like something I would have written here had I been clever enough to think to make playlists to go with my favorite books. Go check it out, even if you don’t like, or haven’t read, Gibson I assure you that it’s music that you’ll love.
William Gibson’s playlist
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08.28.08
Posted in cricket spazzes, news, random, rumors - August 28th, 2008 at 10:23 am by Cricket
I am too tired today to go back through old posts and check what I’ve talked about before. Which is kind of ironic because usually when I’m this lazy I can’t manage to do much more than browse the internet. I am anxiously awaiting the day when I have dozens of minions to do my bidding while I sit back on the couch, drink coffee and play on the internet. Which is, uh, what I am doing right now, but I feel guilty for not being more productive. Presumably the minions would alleviate that guilt.
So I’m sitting here going through all the sites I’ve bookmarked recently, trying to catch up on the news. And by news I mean what is going on in twangalicious music this week, because watching the Democratic Convention is likely to make my head explode. Anyway, as I read it occurs to me that there’s all this stuff I should be telling y’all about.
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· Tags: hank iii
08.25.08
Posted in a little bit rock and roll, daisy spazzes, hot live action - August 25th, 2008 at 8:09 pm by Daisy
In anticipation of all the exciting new changes coming up here at HCT, Cricket and I decided to get our rock chick on and go see some shows a few weeks ago. Yes, Lucero was passing through at the time (they are on tour right now!). Shockingly, they aren’t the point of this post, because the Magpies were here the next night, and I am smitten. Seriously, we’re talking intense new band love affair. I can’t stop listening to their entire catalog and doodling “Daisy ♥ Magpies” on everything. (Note to Cricket: I wouldn’t pass out on the couch any time soon. I have Sharpies…) So forgive me if this is a little effusive and disjointed, and not the calm, rational post that you’re used to seeing on these pages.
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· Tags: the magpies
08.14.08
Posted in cricket spazzes - August 14th, 2008 at 9:58 pm by Cricket
Maybe I wouldn’t love country music so much if I didn’t have so many failed relationships. Or maybe I have so many failed relationships because of country music. No, that’s not right. Wait, maybe I need, um, well whatever. My point is, dumped again and so begins the endless tragic songs that might make me feel better.
In general, my favorite breakup songs fall into the following categories: songs that remind me of the jerk who left me, songs that empower me, songs that make me full of wistful longing, and songs that break my heart all over again. And so I present them to you in that order:
Colin Hay - Waiting for My Real Life to Begin
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07.10.08
Posted in cricket spazzes, news, rumors, tours - July 10th, 2008 at 12:17 pm by Cricket
I am full of the news of big changes here at HCT. Coming soon. See this space. Hmm, it could be coming even sooner if I was working on it, instead of posting here. But I love you guys and I don’t want you to think we’ve just wandered off and stopped posting, as we so often do (none of that in the future though, I swear). And once again, if you are interested in writing for HCT, email me. This is an unpaid, though very prestigious, exotic and exciting job. What do you get out of it? Free music to review. What do we get out of it? Your awesome, smart writing. Call me, you know you want to hook up with us.
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· Tags: avett brothers, hank iii, lucero, lyle lovett, steve earle
06.09.08
Posted in cricket spazzes, random - June 9th, 2008 at 2:50 pm by Cricket
So we really have been falling down on the job over here at HCT HQ. Apparently Gibson.com has decided to pick up the slack for us by presenting the least inspired list of the top 5 alt-country albums of all time. I don’t disagree with the titles listed here, it just feels like the all titles on this list go without saying (though I would argue that the Wilco album on the list should be A.M.). There’s nothing surprising, or unknown. Anyone who began reading No Depression at the beginning has some variation of this list burned permanently into their consciousness. There’s a few other even less inspiring lists over at Gibson.com.
Honestly I am glad people are still talking about these albums. I hope it might even bring in new fans who will start searching out new music in my favorite genres. Which means that I should also be doing my job and talking about new music, old music and good music over here. So what’s my problem?
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· Tags: hank iii, lucero
06.03.08
Posted in back catalogue, some albums we done liked others we ain't - June 3rd, 2008 at 11:53 am by Mimi
You read HCT regularly, you’ve been an alt-country fan for years, you have all the Wilco, Jayhawks and Whiskeytown CDs already and you still listen to them. The double-disc re-release of Whiskeytown’s Strangers Almanac seems like a non-event to you. Or is it? Clearly, what you want to know is whether it’s worth it to buy this album for all the previously unreleased live tracks, alternate versions, b-sides, and demos.
But first let’s talk about Strangers Almanac itself.
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· Tags: ryan adams, whiskeytown
05.13.08
Posted in hot live action, random - May 13th, 2008 at 5:31 pm by JD
So, hi there, this is Mimi. No, I am NOT dead. I just moved to LA. For now, you can read my mad ramblings here, but soon we’re going to have a huge shake up at HCT. More on that later, but for the time being, meet our latest addition to the wacky world of HCT: our buddy JD. Oh, yeah, so I’ve moved to LA. That’s where I am, not dead (I heard the rumors, trust me), just far, far away from Tennessee (cue a Lucero track). JD’s my gal in CA, and she loves tequila (dear god), Texas-flag regalia, [The throw pillows were a GIFT, I swear! -- JD] and avocados. Say hey to her and settle in for the reconstruction you’ll see around here very soon!
*
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02.14.08
Posted in a little bit rock and roll, cricket spazzes, daisy spazzes, random - February 14th, 2008 at 10:50 am by Daisy & Cricket
Well, Valentine’s Day is once again upon us, and we here at HCT headquarters had a few days there where we were undecided as to whether we would take the opportunity to be bitter single girls, sitting around the house watching Lifetime and listening to Jagged Little Pill over and over again [This is surely hyperbole, it's never been so bad that we have to listen to Alanis for salvation.—Cric] [Nor will it ever be that bad.—Daisy]. But then we remembered that we’re awesome. Also, we hate to be so stereotypically lame. Anyway, everyone knows that the suckiest holiday for a single girl is Arbor Day. Nobody wants to celebrate trees alone. [Except tree perverts. Yikes.—Cricket]
So, instead of eating our weight in peppermint nougats, we thought we’d share some songs about love and relationships that we dig. It’s what we do. [In the grand tradition of Valentine's Day, we give you this present which is something you neither need nor want, is completely last minute and yet, it's the thought that counts, right? We love y'all.—Cricket]
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· Tags: chris milam, cory branan, lucero, steve earle, todd snider
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