04.14.09

All those bits and pieces

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:

06.03.08

We had a bad break up but baby I loved you the most

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.

03.05.07

Meet me at the station

Posted in back catalogue, cricket spazzes, random - March 5th, 2007 at 7:46 pm by Cricket

It’s strange how, in the modern day of air and car travel, the folkloric power of trains seems not to have diminished at all. It’s true I can get in my car and drive nearly anywhere in the country, yet the idea of hopping a train seems to hold more fanciful notions of freedom and escape from the everyday. [It’s because it is a myth, that’s why, exactly.—Mimi] But there’s more to it than that. There’s a wistful, lonesome sound of far-off train whistles which promise escape that is somehow out of reach. The sound now contains more nostalgia than ever before, though trains are still prevalent all over the world.

02.23.07

Finally on Friday there’s a few top fives

Posted in a little bit rock and roll, back catalogue, random - February 23rd, 2007 at 7:56 pm by Cricket & Mimi

Before I go on about my own random blather, I’d like to point out a little bit of utter awesomeness to you. Brody, one of the lovely folks over at The 9513, has crowned the country music blogs with their Golden Age counterparts. We at HCT are stupidly thrilled to be compared to Townes in such a way—not just because our blog is named for a song written about Townes, but more specifically Brody seems to like the way we play. So go check out the post, check out all the other awesome blogs there and give Brody and his kin some love. Also I would like to say an extra thanks from the HCT cat, whose name is, in fact, Townes Van Cat (a stray that lives in the yard, how appropriate, eh?). [Aw, that’s sweet. Is it one of the feral cats?—Daisy]

01.23.07

Sometimes we like things so much we can barely be objective

Posted in back catalogue, some albums we done liked others we ain't - January 23rd, 2007 at 10:36 am by Mimi

Sigh.

Matthew Ryan – Concussion and From a Late Night High Rise

Sometimes I just hate myself for missing out on the good stuff while I’m off reading books about math theory or comic books. (And here I will have to WARN for me talking in comic book metaphors and references for a while, since I’ve been on a comics-reading jag lately.)

These two albums are very different, which to some people would show depth of talent and interest and to others will be just annoying—

01.21.07

Best of the best “best-ofs”

Posted in back catalogue, some albums we done liked others we ain't - January 21st, 2007 at 7:30 pm by Cricket & Mimi

I sat down to write a sort of “compilations and ‘best-ofs’ that you must own.” But then I realized, really what do I know about what you should own? Nada. So, instead, here is a rambling excursion through compilations I own that feel necessary to my continued existence and Mimi’s as well, since I conscripted her to help me write this. Maybe they are to your continued existence, too, you just don’t know it yet.

GOLD Greatest Hits – Dolly Parton
It feels a little risky, starting right out with Miss Dolly. But really, who doesn’t love Dolly? She’s an insanely talented song-writer. Her singing may not be for everyone but is undeniably beautiful. She’s like a mad genius with the marketing and all. I mean what do you know about her personal life? Nothing! And yet she gives every appearance of being honest, open, friendly and forth-coming all the time. She has amusement parks! Seriously, that’s like my dream someday. Cricketworld! You’d have to be 21 to get in, and have a valid Valium prescription, but hey! We won’t kick you out for being drunk. [You get a theme park, I’m setting my ambitions slightly higher with a banana republic of my very own stocked with guys in grass skirts and no winter.--Mimi]

12.22.06

It won’t seem like Christmas (without this review)

Posted in back catalogue, some albums we done liked others we ain't - December 22nd, 2006 at 10:55 am by Mimi

It’s the holidays. Suck it up and cope. Shopping sucks. Going in the debt for the beginning of a new year sucks more. But there are cookies and parties where you get drunk and embarrass yourself in front of your colleagues to look forward to (and if you’re really lucky, you’re the one taking the embarrassing pictures instead of the one starring in them).

And in salute to the season where it’s acceptable to be drunk in the middle of the day and people break down crying for no discernable reason, I’m going to review three very different Christmas albums. (And if you think these suck, then drop us a line and send us what you think is a decent holiday record. They are not easy to come by, Judgey McJudge.)

Cricket, incidentally, loathes Christmas music, cementing my place as the Pollyanna of this outfit. [Bah humbug.—Cric]

11.03.06

Oh please no, not a Chili’s commercial

Posted in back catalogue - November 3rd, 2006 at 6:11 pm by Cricket

So, you’re going through life, doing your thing. If you’re me it involves watching Friday Night Lights and seeing commercials you’d probably never see otherwise. There’s that horrible Chili’s commercial, the whole baby back ribs song thing makes me insane, and suddenly you think… Man, I can’t believe that Chili’s is using some faux-Old 97s in their commercial.

Then you realize: oh shit, that is the Old 97s. Well clearly the world is ending, but what to do now? There’s nothing to be done for it but to drown yourself in Old 97s goodness and try to pretend the commercial never happened.

08.10.06

More Mucklewain anticipation – Allison Moorer

Posted in back catalogue - August 10th, 2006 at 8:40 pm by Cricket

Allison Moorer’s album Alabama Song isn’t a summer fun album. It isn’t a spring flowers and sunshine right outside your window album like her new one is. It’s full of the seasonless light of two a.m. loneliness and self-realization. It’s timeless heartbreak on a backbone of good deep, soul shivering twang. For reasons I don’t understand, I think this is the least known of her albums, though perhaps only because it was her debut. I can make a good critical case for her other albums–I can recognize the greatness in them as well, but this one, Alabama Song, is the one that really speaks to me. [Hi, she's from Mobile.--Mimi]

You can’t passively listen to it–you have to take the ride the artist is offering you on this one, and the ride Allison gives is worth it.

08.01.06

Lookin’ back might break your heart – Whiskeytown and Ryan Adams

Posted in back catalogue, some albums we done liked others we ain't - August 1st, 2006 at 2:43 pm by Mimi

This isn’t about albums, but songs I think are worth getting from iTunes or Soulseek, however you roll.

Cricket doesn’t listen to Ryan, and I think that’s because before he went bonkers she was punk rawk enough to mainly ignore him. Then there was the whole personality thing, and, well, I don’t blame anyone for ignoring him or giving him a skip.

That being acknowledged, if you pass on Ryan and Whiskeytown because of Love is Hell or Demolition or Rock N Roll then you need to relax a little and realize that every once in a while when something’s popular it isn’t because the masses will buy anything marketed well–sometimes something really is good.

Whiskeytown

07.06.06

Lucinda Williams makes us cry in a good way

Posted in back catalogue, some albums we done liked others we ain't - July 6th, 2006 at 1:44 pm by Cricket

So there’s all this new music to tell everyone about. I have stacks of it next to me, just waiting for me to take time out of my busy schedule to listen to it. But what about music you might have missed? There’s so much out there–you just can’t always find what’s good. I try I fill in the gaps for my friends, and y’all are my friends right?

Lucinda Williams is a good ol’ Southern girl, by way of Louisiana and Mississippi. I can believe she isn’t a Madonna-sized star, though sure that’s my own fangirl prejudice talking. But that fact is that I have heard people say they’ve maybe heard a song or two by her and weren’t so impressed. This breaks my heart, so I’m going to offer the best I can: a review of my personal favorite album, World Without Tears. I will do my best to be even-handed, but I’m sure you’ve already come to expect the usual dissolution into giddy, hysterical squeeing when I talk about something I really like.

06.28.06

Run, don’t walk, down to the record store

Posted in back catalogue, some albums we done liked others we ain't - June 28th, 2006 at 2:52 pm by Cricket & Mimi

We each chose five albums that you should absolutely own, listen to, learn and love. “Back catalogue” albums will be a regular deal here, as we explore not only new music, but music you may have missed because you were too busy watching Beverly Hills, 90210.

Mimi’s albums

Step Inside This House – Lyle Lovett

This was a hard one for me. I guess I’ll get around to waxing on and on about all of his records eventually, but let’s start here.

I hear a lot of people saying that the last decent country music was made in the 70’s. Hush your infidel mouths! What you mean is that country radio has sucked for a long time. Yeah, that’s sadly all too true. But it doesn’t mean there isn’t good country music out there.

This is Lyle’s 1998 tribute album to other Texas songwriters. [Mimi, you like an album with Texas songs on it? Shocking.--Cricket]

06.27.06

Six pack to go

Posted in back catalogue, random, some albums we done liked others we ain't - June 27th, 2006 at 1:41 pm by Cricket & Mimi

Six songs by three artists that you should download from iTunes rather than bothering with the entire album right off.

Mimi’s:

Josh Ritter

“Letter From Omaha”–This song is as country as Josh gets. It’s from his first album, which I think I like more than the newer stuff–which isn’t a shock since I have serious prejudices about production (and the overuse thereof). “Tonight, the sugar cane smells like calico, the color of your hair.” This is has a Dylanesque sound.

“Girl in the War”–I think this is his best song. It’s not just topical, but twists the usual Over There wartime trope by making the soldier female. I liked this song much more before I read an interview with him talking about the song. That’s the kind of risks I take for y’all. This track is from Animal Years, which Pitchfork and No Depression are both lauding–the death knell for Josh? Hm.

06.25.06

The brightest stars sing the saddest songs

Posted in back catalogue, cricket spazzes - June 25th, 2006 at 7:55 pm by Cricket

I wrote this whole review of the new Allison Moorer album, Getting Somewhere and just scrapped it. I’m not happy with album and I just can’t get behind writing a bad review for someone I generally love. And since we’re all about the love here at HCT headquarters I guess I’ll just move on to something else. [Yeah, that was a rough call, I agree. Maybe next time, Allison, we'll pimp you out then.—Mimi]

You know what I love? Lucero. As anyone who knows me can attest to, I have not shut up about this band for a while now. And yet I’m shocked to find not everyone (including some of my friends) is still listening to them. So what’s to be done? The new album, Rebels, Rogues, and Sworn Brothers isn’t due out until September 26th. I could review their recent re-release of the Attic Tapes? Or perhaps review of 2005’s Nobody’s Darlings? A summary of their career thus far? No, if you want a summary of their career you either already own or need to get the DVD Dreaming in America. And picking a single album to review? Too hard for me to choose. So instead how about my top ten favorite Lucero songs? Yeah? Okay!

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