A night that ends with Jon Snodgrass (of Drag the River) singing for you is a very good night indeed. Even better if he is actually singing live for you and not just playing on the old Ipod.
Jon had a quick layover on his way to Memphis to play with Cory Branan (a show that I could not attend, no I don’t want to talk about it, I might cry). [Seriously, we need to find a way to supplement our income so that we can pursue our rock star lifestyle because the day job thing is getting old. What gives, universe?—Daisy] We met up for drinks with a couple other friends. [Which I could not attend. No, I'm not at all bitter, why do you ask?—Daisy] There wasn’t time for a podcast or really even a formal interview but I did learn a few things about Jon, about myself and about the world. Here they are in no particular order:
Do you know what’s awesome? Jon Snodgrass. Do you know what’s more awesome than that? Jon Snodgrass drinking with me and Kat Jones in Nashville. Yeah. I’ll tell you about it when I recover from it. Right now, I guess I need to go pass my ass out so maybe I can be coherent tomorrow.
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)
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.
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.
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…
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.
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.
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]
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.
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.
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:
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.
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?
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]
Posted in cricket spazzes - February 11th, 2008 at 8:43 pm by Cricket
I have to admit I’m ambivalent about this. I mean, overall he deserves recognition for being such an amazing songwriter, old rocker and political guy. Maybe he deserves one just for being married so many times. Steve definitely deserved the 2005 Grammy he got for The Revolution Starts Now. It was his first Grammy, despite other nominations and I’m pretty sure it was the Best Contemporary Folk album in 2005. He’s an incredible guy, hell, we named the site after his brilliance. We owe the man and we don’t even have anything like a Grammy to offer him. How ever, I’m still not in love with Washington Square Serenade. It is growing on me and you might, someday in the future see me slavishly rambling on about the brilliance of it, but today is not that day. It isn’t bad. It just doesn’t do much for me. It sounds to me too much like a watered down, love-sick version of The Revolution Starts Now. When I listen I don’t hear the heart that Jerusalem has, or the rough emotion of I Feel Alright. I’m just not 100% convinced that Washington Square Serenadeis the Best Contemporary Folk/Americana album in 2007.
For this first bit I blame folks who send me such hilarious things first thing in the morning thus forcing me to share with anyone who will pay attention:
You know, rabid fans that you are, that before there was Lucero, there was Red 40, Ben Nichol’s punk band. You can read a bit about them here. But the important part is the yearbook photos. It is clear that Ben always had deep thoughts, wore over sized army jackets and once expressed his art by drawing the tortured unicorns of his soul. The D&D stories suddenly seem so much more true. Thankfully for us he finally channeled that into song, which it’s much less dorky. I’m sorry, Ben, for sharing this. I still think you are hot. Indeed, it’s vaguely gratifying to see that you appear to be kindred to the guys I smoked pot with in high school.
Once upon a time I was much younger Cricket and I listened to punk rock and the alternative music of the day (which was more alternative than the stuff these kids today are making). Eventually I expanded out into alt-country and, by extension of that old country, Americana and roots music. One day my pal, Ethel Cannes, dropped Lucero in my lap and it was like everything came together. Punk rock and country music written like someone was reading my own heart. There must be more, I thought, and went a-searchin’.
Hi guys! I’m fresh back from Philadelphia which I loved so much I think y’all should move it to the top of your lists of places to visit. In line with our jet setting lifestyles, Mimi is now in LA, leaving Daisy and I to prove we can have fun without her. Left to our own devices we did the only thing we could do that would 100% guarantee fun, we went to a Cory Branan show. [Cory Branan: A guaranteed Good Time—Daisy]
Let’s face it. We’ve been on summer vacation. An unannounced and unplanned hiatus. August was too insanely hot in Tennessee for anyone to think let alone get work done. I’m surprised the whole state didn’t just shut down. And then Daisy joined us in Nashville. You’ll recognize her, surely, from her blog comments and editorial comments, as she’s been help us out around here for a while. Now the bright lights of Nashvegas have drawn her like a moth to a flame. [Sigh, clichés are so cliché.—Mimi][I'm still waiting for the houseboy I was promised as part of my relocation—Daisy] Now she’s a full-fledged HCT Girl and resident of HCT HQ. She’ll be writing with us and hopefully keeping us a little more on track than we have been.
I should be working elsewhere, but I had to drop in and tell y’all that the Mucklewain line-up is finally up. Check it out. Um, let’s see, Amy Lavere, Cory Branan, Dixie Dirt, Jason Isbell, Laws Rushing, Lucero, Malcolm Holcombe, Scott Miller, The Carter Administration, Todd Snider, and like a bajillion other awesome folks? Yeah, I’m there. I mean, you knew we would be anyway, but aw hells yeah this is going to be good. It’s like they made a festival just for me. Like last year, we’ll bring coverage of the bands playing in the weeks leading up to it and we will mock you all mercilessly if you don’t come down to Tennessee to drink beer and watch the bands with us.
Some surrealist country music, Polly Darton sings “Wavin’ Good-bye with my Heart”:
Really is there anything better than Sesame Street?
Posted in cricket spazzes - July 24th, 2007 at 11:19 am by Cricket
Lucero Family Picnic. C’mon, you know you want to go. You can buy me a beer and we’ll hang, okay? Cory Branan’s going to be there. William Elliott Whitmore. Glossary. Two Cow Garage. Southern Bitch. Yeah, you know you don’t want to miss it now, huh?
And hey, Mucklewain is happening again this year. We’ll be there too, although you all need to head over to their site and harass them to post the line-up, ’cause July is almost over and I’m dying to know who gonna be there this time. As with last year, we’ll do our best to bring you reviews of the bands playing and coverage of the show.
It doesn’t have much to do with music, but have y’all gone over and checked out Shorpy? It’s a blog of predominately old photos, plenty that look like old country songs sound. Take a sec a browse through it. It’s just…neat.
I was just watching Walk the Line two days ago and wondering to myself if it would be too stalkery to go drive by Johnny Cash’s house in Hendersonville. And then I woke up yesterday morning to find that it had burned down. I feel ridiculously saddened by this! I mean Mr. Cash was such an icon and an amazing man and I’ve always had the sense that that house meant a lot to him and his family. I know many other people have recorded and stayed there. It really is a piece of history lost. Then again, the property had been sold, so perhaps the universe just didn’t want Barry Gibbs living in Johnny Cash’s home? [That would be a good guess.--Mimi]
In happier news we have an exclusive Cory Branan video for you, thanks to CaseyMagic over at Last Chance Diner. It’s live at the Evening Muse in Charlotte, NC, filmed on March 15th, 2007. The song is “Sour Mash” which hopefully you will enjoy as much as we have.
This weekend began with Mimi off gallivanting in Florida, probably laying on the beach or ogling Navy boys somewhere. And me laying on the couch watching High Plains Drifter and wondering if there’s anyone in the world who loves me enough to bring me Krystals with cheese so I don’t have to get dressed to go get food. These are things you’d think we could both manage without incident, but then if you think that, you clearly haven’t been avidly reading these pages. Because Mimi’s hotel caught fire and the landscape guys cut the cable line from the street to the house leaving me with no internet or Clint Eastwood. And Mimi, well, I haven’t heard from her since the call telling me about the fire, so I’m hoping for the best that she’s not dead or decided to run off to Texas.
Here at HCT HQ strange things happen. Locust-like clouds of drunken bluegrass pickers descend on the house at odd hours, play for a while, eat, drink and then whisk us off to bonfires in the middle of the night. I warned Mimi when she put up that weird wreath on the door that she was inviting the fairies in. Who knew fairies looked like drunk musicians? [Weeeeeeeeellll…I forgot to tell you about my childhood in the Unseelie Court, Cric.--Mimi]
Among other strangeness, one day Mohammed just appeared in our yard. Mohammed is a cement lion. He sits in a fairy-ring of stones, surrounded by tulips. Yeah, really. And we didn’t even put him there. Well, you know lions come from the same place as hippos and if there’s one thing we love unreasonably (even more than music) at HCT HQ it’s hippos. We have many. Mohammed couldn’t come to them, so like the mountain, we brought them to Mohammed. [Look out for more pictures of Mohammed and his crazy antics…when we get bored again.--Mimi]
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.
Is Mercury in Retrograde? Yeah, I could Google it, but really I don’t even want to know. In any case, technical difficulties abound. After much hoopla our podcasts are back up on iTunes. If you had subscribed to them there previously, you’ll need to go do that all over again (which you can conveniently do by clicking this handy link). If you were subscribed some other way, you’ll need to redirect to the new RSS feed URL (add this URL to your podcast software: http://hardcore-troubadours.jellycast.com/podcast/feed/18). If that’s all too technical for you, you can still get all of them right here.
Thankfully, with all technical difficulty insanity I’ve had lately, I’ve had this to amuse me:
Oh, Cory! You look so earnest and sincere. We all know the truth though, but we still love you. Really though, how young and nervous does he look?
It’s no secret that I unrelentingly adore Lucinda Williams. She can pretty much do no wrong as far as I’m concerned. But then, I used to feel the same way about Allison Moorer and her last album left me feeling pretty uninspired, so the anticipation for the new Lucinda album has been killing me. The relief I feel over how much I love it is very nearly a physical sensation.
Have you ever wondered what we do when we aren’t sitting around writing about music? Would you believe that we’re both government agents working undercover in Nashville to protect the world from bad music? Yeah, it’s like Homeland Security but WAY cooler. Okay, no we don’t do that. [No one who ever met us would believe that.--Mimi] Actually Miss Mimi is a physicist and I’m a postal worker. Right, not exactly truth, though that may be the kind of lie where there’s a grain of truth. I guess you could say that about the secret agent thing. The real deal is that I am a high school teacher, at an all-boy Catholic school and Mimi raises alpacas and shears them to knit hippie sweater things out of their wool. [The physicist thing is not mutually exclusive with animal husbandry.--Mimi][I can totally see Mimi raising a pack of alpacas. They’re very soft. You teaching a bunch of impressionable Catholic boys, however, does not seem entirely on the up and up.—Daisy]
One of the best things about this gig is opening my inbox every day and finding emails suggesting new bands for us to cover or giving us news about what’s happening with bands so that I don’t have to do the work to find out for myself.
This morning I learned that Jeff Nichols’ film Shotgun Stories is premiering at the Berlin Film Festival on Feb. 14th, 2007. None other than Ben Nichols has written the score for this movie (Jeff Nichols is Ben’s youngest brother, apparently talent runs in the family). I understand it’s a very southern story in vein of To Kill a Mockingbird and Hud. Friends and readers in Berlin or close by, y’all need to go see this, since you can see it first, and report back to us on the film and the Lucero-driven score.
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