Song of the Day - East Texas Rust

This song is from a band called Shinyribs. Say that out loud, it's fun! I don't know a damn thing about the band but I probably will go into stalker mode here pretty quick and figure it out. I just know I like this song and it puts me in a good mood when I'm driving and I dance and twitch and act like an idiot trying to sing along because honestly I have no clue what he's saying except for when he says "Brown Sugar got paid, beer drinker got played, sunglasses on the blackbird, barbeque is the new word..." blah blah blah... so fun!

Song of the Day - Enough

I love the Band of Heathens, even if they did rip off my band name for when I have a band someday... which would be the Hallelujah Heathens. And by rip off, I mean I was listening to their song Hallelujah when I put two and two together, but as far as I'm concerned, I had the idea first.

Anyway, I just like this song and it's perfect for a Monday because it reminds me of everything I'm lucky to have when I really feel crappy. I'm always amazed at how there are just enough people to make the world go 'round. I mean, obviously there's still hungry homeless people and stuff, but my point is we can't all be brain surgeons. Somebody has to take out the trash at the food court in the mall and did you ever think that somebody out there has to fix all the broken and squeaky Walmart baskets? There could probably be a few more people with that job though because those damn baskets are always jankity so that may not be the best point.

Sorry for rambling... I am thinking deep thoughts today!

Back to the song... here it is.

PS, this whole album is the bomb.com and has a very gritty-grimy-New Orleans-old-timey feel to it. Check it out!

Justin Moore's Super-Country-Country-Song, "Bait a Hook" Checklist

This round of "My Super-Country Country Song Checklist" is brought to you in part by Hanes Classics Boys' No Ride Up Camo Briefs 3-Pack! - AKA, the Justin Moore Special!

Today we will be analyzing self-proclaimed "outlaw," Justin Moore's Bait a Hook. 

Here is the official music video:

I guess I will have to do a recap of the video to make up for the lack of any substantial comments, but here's what the people are saying anyway:

"thumbs up if you can bait a hook" -henryfishinandhuntin

"When someone rings the doorbell, why do dogs always assume it’s for them?" -darkmoo23

Just a snippet of the caliber of people commenting on this video.

Anyhow, the video is complete with little Justin fishing in his crappy boat in his denim tuxedo complete with jeans he borrowed from Alan Jackson's Chatthochee video circa 1994 and a pearl snap shirt, unbuttoned to show off his hairless chest and man-jewelry like all the real outlaws do. 

Then we get to see some pretty man and woman couple which have nothing to do with Justin eating fancy food and getting manicures. Then they get on a fancy boat and beat the "good ole boy" at catching fish. The end.

Oh, and he makes out with his dog and eats his biscuits. 

Now, on with the checklist. How country IS Mr. Moore? Let's find out!!

References:

[] Beer

[x] Whiskey

[] Smoking

[] Chicken

[] Boots

[] Jeans

[] Cowboy hat / ‘ol’ ball cap’

[x] Dirt/Back Roads

[xx] Fields, ’Sticks,’ Country, River etc.

[] Tractors

[] Fighting

[x] Trucks

[x] Huntin’

[xx] Fishin’

[x] Mama and/or Daddy

Uses terms:

[] Hick

[] Redneck

[x] Country boy/girl

[] Hillbilly

[] Outlaw

[] Blue-collar

Name Drops:

[] Willie Nelson

[] Waylon Jennings

[] Hank Williams 1, 2 or 3

[] Johnny Cash (Man in Black)

[] Merle Haggard

[] Jesus

BONUS:

[] Rapping

[xxxxxx] Talking/spoken work through end of song

WOW! Justin Moore really cleared house on the references for this song! However, I don't think he gave himself enough outlaw cred because he never a) outright called himself and outlaw and b) never name-dropped a single 'outlaw.'

(Clarification: he did call himself a "good ole boy" and Jack Daniels doesn't qualify as a name-drop, it is a whiskey reference.)

This song was originally only worth a C+ for it's country quality, but with the arrogance of it and the super-duper bonus for talking through the end of the song (which he set the bar high for the rest of the country musicians on this one) I'd score Bait a Hook a solid B+ for overall countryness. But I bet if we combined this song with Outlaws Like Me, he'd score a perfect 100%!

Way to go, Justin - keep up the good work!!

Obsessed with Lincoln Durham

"If you dig Son House and Townes Van Zandt... Lincoln Durham is your man. Don't come no cooler." 

-Ray Wylie Hubbard

I heard my first Lincoln Durham song on the Drop on Galleywinter and I had never heard anything like it. I don't know how to describe it because I don't speak that musical language that all the real music reviewers use, but I know a good thing when I hear it. I went and bought his EP as soon as I could and I've been waiting for the release of his album, The Shovel vs. The Howling Bones for months. I have seriously had it written on my calendar at work since the day it was announced. I preordered it on Lonestar Music and I got my autographed copy in yesterday.

The cover of it is super creepy, like the name, and I like it. It fits his style I guess. Speaking of his style, he dresses like a 1920s paper boy. I have never seen him live but one of my friends did and came back talking about how weird he dresses, but I think that's all a part of his mystique.

One thing I know is that this kid is innovative. Check out the list of "instruments" included on some of these songs...

Bird feeder..trash can..cardboard box?

Anyway, I have been sitting in my room for at least an hour now doing that thing I do when I'm bored and one little thing manifests into hours of internet stalking researching until I know everything there is to know (on public domain) about somebody. Well, I think this bio I found on Lonestar says all you need to know...

born in Whitney, Texas. raised in Itasca. started playing fiddle at the age of four. that’s right, four years old. by eight, Lincoln Durham was performing in fiddle contests all over Arkansas and Oklahoma. in fact, at ten he won the Texas State Youth Fiddle Championship. come twelve, the young man hooked up a residency with the house band at the Oceola Opry. then, through his high school years, Lincoln decided to pick up the strat. he started a three-piece band playing who else but Jimi and Stevie Ray. took a spell, though, and put the guitar on the backburner for a while to pursue art and design. but, a couple years ago, he grabbed a resonator, a slide and an old Gibson j45. he impressed Ray Wylie Hubbard so much with his greasy, nasty sound that Ray signed on to produce his record.

I have been sitting here watching video after video of Lincoln, which I've watched most of them before, but I'm just as amazed as the first time. I can hardly listen to my iPod and work out on the elliptical at the same time - I can't imagine singing, playing the harmonica, fiddle, and guitar at the same time and not looking like someone from a Dr. Seuss book. 

Here's the first song that got me on this bandwagon:

And here's my favorite song (so far) from the new album:

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. :)