New Music Tuesday

So honestly, there is no new music today. At least not in my world. These Tuesday posts have really become a bunch of random stuff that isn't necessarily deserving of an entire post so I throw everything in one and end up rambling. I need to come up with a catchier title for these. Help?

The only new music I've found so far today is another new one from the Randy Rogers Band. I've seen lots of mixed feelings about "Fuzzy" on Twitter and Facebook (just like with the last two we heard here and here), but I think I like this one. NO, it's not 2004 Randy but guess what... people would still be bitching if all RRB music sounded like it did in 2004. You can't win 'em all.

You'll have to go to iTunes and pay a buck-twenty-nine to hear the whole thing before the world ends next Friday, or else you'll just have to chance it and wait till their whole record Trouble comes out in January.

Also, I keep forgetting to post about this album. I don't know how many Jason Isbell fans there are in my little circle, but I am a HUGE fan and his new live album is incredible. I wish him and his fiance Amanda Shires would come to Lubbock. I think it would be a HUGE show.



And finally, I've been posting non-sucky Christmas music every day. Just songs I come across by artists I like or versions of songs that I can actually stand to listen to.

Christmas Music That Doesn't Suck.

Amanda Shires - July 26, 2012

Being from Lubbock, I'd heard of Amanda Shires a few times as a result of her having played with the Thrift Store Cowboys, but it wasn't until she got engaged to one of my favorite Americana artists, Jason Isbell, that I started to listen to her music. I can't describe her sounds myself, but her website biography says "her energetic, jittery vocals and eccentric lyrical subjects mark her out as a young female heir to the godfather of strange, Tom Waits. In her more conventional moments, Shires sounds like the weird young niece of Dolly Parton.”


So of course I obliged when my boss invited me and some coworkers to the Buddy Holly Center last Thursday afternoon for live music featuring Miss Shires herself. Aside from the hot west Texas sun, the afternoon was perfect - made better by good company and cold beer, and the music was awesome. Her quiet voice, accompanied by her fiddle and occasional whistling and a man on acoustic guitar was the perfect backdrop to a relaxing afternoon in downtown Lubbock.

People I Love: Jason Isbell

I heard about Jason Isbell about a year or so ago but never really jumped on the bandwagon. I knew that he used to be with the Drive By Truckers but that was about it. Then in the past few months, reviews for his newest album, Here We Rest, have been popping up everywhere and basically people are going nuts for it and the song Codeine. I listened to it a few times but never understood the hype.

Then, a few days ago, I woke up with Codeine stuck in my head. I went and found it on Spotify and it was like something just clicked and I now understand what all the buzz is about. I have listened to nothing but Jason Isbell since then and bought his last two entire albums. Needless to say, I am now hooked.

I won't go into all that nonsense about what makes him so good and what his "sound" is like, because I don't know shit about all that technical stuff, I just know I like it and I can't get enough. You will have to see for yourself. And if you don't catch on right away, give it some time and maybe you will have an epiphany like it did and be hooked for good. :)