This has been one hell of a week. Every day has seemed like Friday. Probably because I've been waiting on this Friday for months. Last night I saw the Damn Quails but on the most badass show at the Blue Light and a new CD is on the horizon (next summer hopefully, still not soon enough). Their new stuff is kick-ass. Tonight the Departed is playing Lubbock Music Fest and I could not be more excited... I could go on but I'll just re-live it here next week.
I got to see Corb Lund and the Hurtin' Albertans Wednesday night. That made for a pretty awful Thursday morning, but it was worth it. Corb showed up rocking his usual punchy cowboy hat with a green hockey jersey. That's not something you see every day in Lubbock. But then again it's not every day there's a Canadian country music superstar at Blue Light either. My friend Carter decided it would be cool to give him shit about it the jersey and I guess it got to him because when Corb hit the stage he was in a regular brown t-shirt.
Terrible picture but that's all I got.
I almost didn't go but I'm glad I did. I didn't realize how much of his music I actually knew. Cabin Feverhas been in my rotation a lot here lately so I guess it shouldn't come as too much of a surprise.
Favorite moments of the night:
"Cows Around" - Like the cattle breed version of Johnny Cash's "I've Been Everywhere."
"Bible on the Dash" - Recorded on the album with Hayes Carll which only makes it better.
"Time to Switch to Whiskey" - Yup, like the Kyle Bennett song. Corb actually wrote it and made it famous in Canada before most of us in Texas ever heard it. Corb's is way better and who doesn't love screaming the RYE WHISKEY RYE WHISKEY part over and over?
It feels so cliche for me to be posting a George Strait song. But I am still in mourning that the King announced his final tour yesterday. His first stop is in Lubbock in January so I'm praying my parents are quick enough to snatch up some tickets for my sister and I for Christmas. Lord knows I won't be able to afford them myself. I've seen him twice and while it's not my preferred concert environment (beer-soaked bar, front row, rowdy crowd), there's nothing like seeing a man that has been an icon for many generations singing hit songs from before I was born that are still played on the radio every day.
Nothing will take me back to my childhood faster than "I'm Carrying Your Love with Me" or "Check Yes or No." I can't pick a favorite. I have tried and I think it changes every time but is usually somewhere around "Blue Clear Sky" or "Run." It's impossible to pick just one, but I love this list Galleywinter put together last year. It's pretty cool to see what an impact one singer has had on so many.
ps - Sorry. This is probably the sappiest song I've ever posted but it just fits the bill too well. :)
Well this weekend was full of activities which I cannot possibly re-cap properly because I just felt like it was more important to have fun than pay attention. I will say that I saw Chris Knight for the first time, and other than feeling like I should have popped 10 Prozac before hand, he was really good. And I am still loving his CD that came out last week.
I also went to the second annual JAB Fest. Mostly because my roommates wanted to go and they hardly ever want to do that kind of stuff. And also so I could say I have been to every JAB Fest someday if that is ever something to brag about. I'll just leave it at that. But evidently I missed one hell of a show by some band I've never heard of (Cadillac Black), and I heard the Hogg Maulies were good too, as usual. Creager and Morrow were a blast and those were about the only bands I watched. By the time Josh Abbott came on I was over it because there were too many frat dudes and sorority girls in my bubble. (Shocker)
ANYWHO. New music this week seems kinda scarce. Maybe because I'm being lazy, or maybe because the past two weeks were chock-full.
Mumford & Sons Babel came out. I haven't really listened to it yet. Honestly, I haven't been the biggest fan before, but they are growing on me. I'm not sure if it's my aversion to English accents or my stubbornness issues accepting bands who have the whole world on their bandwagon before me. BUT, like I said, they are growing on me.
And the only other new music I have today was kind of a surprise. I don't really know if this is considered a "release" yet. I really don't even know what is going on at all. This is what I do know: I nearly wet my pants when I saw this status on Josh Weathers' Facebook page the other day:
I didn't even know he had a new CD coming out soon. So naturally I immediately purchased it. It was in my mailbox when I got home last night and has been on repeat ever since. I will try to review it soon and get the rest of the information on how you can get it if you missed your window of opportunity. And can I just say, I LOVE how he is doing it old-school, by himself, through PayPal and shipping everything himself? I've heard that he is the hardest working man in local (Fort Worth) music and I'm beginning to see why.
Read my live review from the Blue Light here (which I still stand by my word that it was the best concert I've ever seen there).
Yesterday morning I heard this song on the radio from one of my most favorite bands, Six Market Blvd., so I'm assuming it's safe to say it's their next single. Which is fantastic because I it's my favorite song, or at least in my top three favorites, from their album, Shake it Down. I'm ready for it to be played and requested on the radio 900 times a day. Bring it on.
These boys are in town this weekend and I hope I can catch them after JAB Fest Saturday because they are always a great time!
I love this time of year. Everyone is back in town and there's tailgates, awesome concerts every weekend and a million opportunities to party every day. Whenever I'm feeling hungover on a weekday at work regretting having so much fun the night before, I just think about the good stories I'll have to tell. I feel sorry for the people who don't have that frame of mind!
I heard this song yesterday and realized it's pretty much the way I feel lately! But I wouldn't change it for the world.
So much new music came out yesterday that I'm still trying to digest it all. Here's a pretty good list, I don't think I have much more to add to it.
I will tell you I didn't think I would like the new Curtis Grimes live album. I don't know why - I've always liked him, even before the Voice - but I tend to like people less for no reason with popularity. But this new album is dang good! I love that he included the Nelly song. I remember the first time I saw him live and he did this song. I thought "GOLD!" and it is. This whole album is just fun and makes me want to go dancing.
I'm also very surprised with the new Bart Crow. I've never not liked him, but he's never been my favorite either. This album is his best yet from what I've heard and I'll be listening to it a lot in the weeks to come. "Dandelion" (also the name of the album) really caught my eye ear, but just about every one of them did.
I've only listened to a few on Mike Ryan's new release Night Come Falling. I'm waiting until I get my autographed hard copy (thanks Independent Sky Music!!) I LOVE Mike Ryan and I know I will wear this one out once I get it.
Ryan Bingham is catching lots of flack for his new album Tomorrowland but so far. There's a bunch of newer, more rock sounding stuff than his die-hard fans are used to, but I dig it. There's also still a bunch of very classic Bingham tunes, so everyone should be happy. Oh and I must say, I was skeptical till I heard "Guess Who's Knockin'." (He had me at motherfucker.)
And finally, Dwight Yoakam's Three Pears. I think Yoakam is a music icon that is vastly under-appreciated by the masses. I love him, his style, his mysteriousness, his unique sound and his dance moves. So far I'm loving this new one. It's classic and makes me want to go back to the '90s when he was the only one dancing around in skinny jeans and he could actually pull it off unlike the band fairies these days. Long live Dwight!!
Go test drive these on Spotify if you want but be sure you buy what you like!
Normally when I see bands I've been looking forward to seeing for a long time, I take notes in my phone or at least don't let myself get too carried away so I can remember enough to write about it the next week. Well I saw Jonathan Tyler and the Northern Lights twice this past weekend as well as Taddy Porter for the first time. Taking notes just wasn't in the cards for me but it was worth it. Both shows were right up there with the times I saw Josh Weathers or the Departed at Blue Light. Top 5 caliber for sure. Even if I don't remember everything, it was pretty damn unforgettable.
I can't lie, I was a little disappointed that Taddy Porter didn't play more songs that I knew, but I guess that just means new music is on it's way. The guys in that band are amazing though. I love a band that isn't afraid to come hang out in the crowd and watch the next band play and that is just what they did.
I'm pretty sure this is my favorite picture of all time. Not real sure why these faces are being made but my friend Layton (photobomber in the background) says it's because I just called him out on calling Andrew (the lead singer) Taddy. And not only did I know his name wasn't Taddy but that he comes from a family of baseball legends. I think he was surprised I knew that.
(Sorry - I can never pass up the opportunity to quote Friends.)
Anywho, for the first time I think ever at Blue Light I stepped outside of my comfort zone (fron row, center stage). This time I stood on the church pew by the side of the stage and realized that it's damn near as fun. Maybe more fun because you can see the entire band and also the whole crowd. And for someone who loves people watching so much, that's a plus.
Favorite moments of the JTNL shows: Gypsy Woman, of course.
Honky Tonk Women (Stones cover). This new song.
Everything that came from Miss Emotion Brown.
The finale/encore Beatles cover with Taddy Porter.
Everything else.
From the beer slinging, to people taking off their clothes and just plain raging - you can't explain a Jonathan Tyler show until you've been. Even though I was practically deaf all day Sunday and only wanted to sleep off my hangover, I could probably still go for round 3 and 4. So if you haven't been yet, do whatever it takes to get to a show immediately. If you love blues, rock and roll or just good music of any kind, you can't go wrong with JTNL.
Friday night - Round 1.
One of my favorite moments. JT walked out on the tables right in front of where I was standing.
Friday night - the finale with Taddy Porter. Slinging beer. Yes.
Sometimes I'm so impressed with my drunk iPhone photography! Actually I think I handed the phone to somebody else to take this one.
A few days ago on Twitter and Facebook, I started noticing The Departed retweeting and sharing statuses people had made about their new single "Worth the Fight." I didn't think much of it until I noticed the word 'agvocate.' It was really weird for me to see that word associated with music. I hear that word nearly every day. In case you didn't know, this ol' blog is just a hobby. I really work in the cotton industry and am getting a degree in Agricultural Communications. So seeing all these ag blogs posting about The Departed was like my two worlds colliding. I don't really know how this whole thing got started because this song definitely isn't out right about farming, but It's neat to see how different people interpret songs.
I for one know exactly where these people are coming from. I come from a long line of cotton farmers, my dad is a crop duster and my sister and I both work in the ag industry. It is definitely a fight. This video on cotton farming says it all.
This weekend some really cool things are going on in Lubbock (which is sort of the reason for my lack in posts the past few days). The Texas Tech football game tomorrow has been named the Cotton Game. So I have been working around the clock at work helping plan and coordinate lots of different things we are doing in conjunction with this event.
Lame title. I know. I'm in a hurry because it's been one of those days and it'n not even nearly over, but that's OK. I'm just focused on the fact that I'm getting to see Jonathan Tyler and the Northern Lights not once, but TWICE this weekend.
Here's some new stuff ya better pick up (or download) today. I've only listened to the Dirty River Boys album so far - and am in love with it - check out what I had to say about it here.
There's also some new singles that went to radio today from two of my favorites: The Departed and Kacey Musgraves. They make me extremely excited to hear the rest of the albums.
Do you ever listen to a song and the first time you hear it you have no idea what is going on, then you listen again a few days later and it's like something clicks and then you can't get enough of it? That's what happened to me with this song. It's so different from what I normally listen to but I am obsessed with it. Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros is one of the bands featured in the movie "Big Easy Express" along with Mumford and Sons and Old Crow Medicine Show. I haven't seen it yet but I'm planning on it, even though my tension span with movies is that of a three year old.
When I went to find a video of this song, I found their TV debut on Letterman from a few years ago. It makes me love them even more. They are just so weird and don't give a shit. Let's face it - they dance around on stage the way most people do when nobody's looking. I would love to hand out with them. Plus, their website is so trippy and cool. I wonder if my web design professor will let me copy it for my professional portfolio website I'm supposed to be working on.
Tonight I'm going back to my hometown for the first homecoming football game since I left. I don't want to go but my two best friends from high school are dragging me along so I think we'll make it fun. I must say I'm completely blown away by some of the mums I've seen on Facebook already. I think it's 20+ years of mum-envy building up. I've never had a mum because my mom had me convinced they were tacky (they ARE - that's the POINT). I feel a little deprived and I don't think I can complete my proper small-town-Texas raisin' until I've worn a homecoming mum big enough to saddle. That's what small-town homecoming is all about, right?
There are so many songs about small-town America. And let's face it, most of them are check-lists of clichés associated with hometowns and they all sound the same. Very few accomplish this while still being original - think Ragweed's "17" and Charlie Robison's "My Hometown."
This song from the new Hogg Maulies album, August Rain can be added to that list of good examples. Maybe I just like it because it's so West Texas oriented, which I think is a little under-represented in songs in general. But everything about this song hits home for me - no pun intended.
Have you ever wondered who Waylon was singing about in his song "Luckenbach Texas", when he sings the line, "Hank Williams' pain songs and Newbury's train songs"? He was giving a nod to one of the great singer/songwriters, Mickey Newbury. Although he was the youngest person ever inducted into the Songwriter Hall of Fame, he is not as well known as many of the artists who sang his songs. Labeled as one of the first outlaws to buck the Nashville system, and a person who Ralph Emery once called a "hippy cowboy," he did things his way. Do yourself a favor and read all about Mickey, enjoy his music, and see how so many were influenced by it.
This trilogy of songs, which he did not write but arranged, went on to become the centerpiece for every Elvis Presley show.
This song was made famous by Jerry Lee Lewis, but on this video you can enjoy the haunting voice of a legend.
Thanks to my good friend - who happens to be from Waylon's hometown - for introducing me to Mickey and so much other music!
So I've been hinting around that I got the new Dirty River Boys album, Science of Flight last week. It isn't officially released till September 11, but thanks to the Kickstarter project they did a while back, I was able to get my grubby little hands on it a few weeks early. Last week was full of new releases and I think between those and doing some swaps with a few friends, I wound up with around 200 new songs in my iTunes. Normally this would be a great thing, but I'm finding myself feeling guilty for all the music I've gotten because it's all been pushed to the back-burner as Science of Flight has taken full stage.
It couldn't have come at a more perfect time either because the Boys were in town Friday night at the Blue Light. After listening to the new album on a loop for about 72 hours I was ecstatic to see these songs and all my other favorites performed live.
Even after stalking them on YouTube for months and knowing a good handful of the songs already on this album, I'm still beyond impressed and it's now resting in my top 3 albums of 2012. One of my favorites right off the bat is the Tom Petty-esque "Heart Like That," a wanderlust tune that I can't get enough of. Even though "She" will always be my favorite DRB song, this one is close behind. They have a way of singing songs girls will relate to without being cliché.
Speaking of not being cliché, did you know there is such a thing as a summer song that doesn't mention cut off jeans, corn fields, trucks or motorboatin'? At first I was a little nervous when I saw the title "Summer Sweet Summer," but they had me at "I'm gunna take her by the hand, spin her till she's mine." This one has everything it takes to be the perfect summer song without being overdone. I think it will be a radio hit next summer.
Science really shows this four-piece band's diversity with everything from a perfectly-fitting and well-deserved Townes Van Zandt cover of "Lungs" to the upbeat, jazzy "Medicine Show." Another one of my favorites is "Riverbed Wildflowers," a slow song about moving on and of course I love the title track - it's such a pretty song.
"Letter To Whoever" and "Road Song" keep my blood pumping and make me dance in my spinny office chair or cause other drivers to think I'm having a seizure because I just can't sit still. I think "Raise Some Hell" is going to be a huge hit live because it was already received well when I saw them at Blue Light this past Friday night.
That was a damn good show. The crowd was the best I've seen in a while with everybody being back in town now that school's started. It was the first time in a long time I've had to fight for my place on the front row. There was a group of "Man Fan's" bro-ing out on the front row and at first I was annoyed but I figured if you can't beat 'em, join 'em, so that's just what I did.
The Boys kicked off with the first track from Science of Flight, "Dried Up." It's got that unmistakeable Dirty River Boys sound and is one of my favorites from the album. It's fun to listen to, fun to sing along to and just a damn good song that a lot of people can relate to. They played most of the new songs, and even though only a handful of people got the album early, it was obvious that everyone loved the new stuff. They played a good mix of older songs too like "My Son," "She," and a really cool version of "Carnival Lights" that built up really slow and then finished off strong with the entire crowd singing along to every word.
Part of what makes their live shows so entertaining is the crowd interaction. If putting the "Dirt" in Dirty River Boys doesn't pan out for Travis, I see a very promising future as a nightclub DJ. He just has that voice and charisma and constantly keeps the crowd going. When they played "Boomtown," one of their biggest hits, he commanded the entire crowd to jump, chant and harmonize with the band. I doubt there was a drop of beer left in a bottle after that song because everyone was fist-pumping and jumping up and down the entire time.
They also keep you guessing. Constantly switching places, switching gears and going back and forth between Marco and Nino singing lead. I love that CJ always sings a few of his songs. You never know what to expect next so you better pay attention or you might just miss seeing an upright bass being played like a guitar. Hell, one of the best moments was the encore/grand finale song. They covered the greatest Old Crow Medicine Show ever "Cocaine Habit." I've heard many people rave about how excited they were to hear that.
There were a few songs they didn't play that I was wishing they had. "Six Riders" is one that I've been listening to on YouTube for a long time and I was excited to hear it but never did. Also, "El Pescador", the last song on the album will take you by surprise and for a minute, you may think you accidentally switched it to the AM Tejano station. I have no idea what the words are, but I love it. My friend Carter kept requesting it Friday night and afterwards we found out that it's actually Nino's dad singing on the album. I think this one could be a HUGE hit live. It would be one of those unexpected things like Josh Weathers covering Whitney Houston or Josh Abbott turning "Oh, Tonight" into that annoying song by Fun. that winds up being a crowd favorite.
I'm telling ya, this band is going places! I think this Science of Flight is going to skyrocket the Dirty River Boys into a whole new territory. They have such a unique sound, but are still incredibly diverse. They have a huge, loyal fanbase, but there are still people waiting on the sidelines that are fixing to jump on this bandwagon. If you're one of those - please go get this album on Tuesday and see them at your earliest possible convenience because it's time to get DIRTY!
Pre-order Science of Flighthere, here or get the autographed CD and a shirt here.
I've been slacking lately. Every time I've sat down to write today my phone has rang or I've gotten distracted. I promise I have an awesome post coming tomorrow - I'm attempting my first album and concert review in one so that will be interesting (hopefully in a good way).
This is one of my favorite song off the new Uncle Lucius CD And You Are Me. Not sure why I like it so much since it's different from the usual Kevin singing lead but I just love the laid back, slow and sweet sound of it.
