Have I ever told you how much I love Uncle Lucius? Well, I do. A whole lot! One of the most fun shows I've ever experienced at Blue Light was this band. And their album Pick Your Head Up is one of those that if one song comes up on shuffle, I wind up listening to the whole thing over and over. I've been hooked for a really long time and I'm not even sure how I heard of them. What I do know is their next album, And You Are Me comes out August 28th, and the date is written on my calendar on my wall next to my desk so I can count down the days.
Their video for the first single on the album, "Pocket Full of Misery" came out today. I watched this video from a 1970-something Willie Nelson picnic earlier this week and was convinced I was born in the wrong decade. But after watching this Uncle Lucius video, I feel alright. This is my kind of party and exactly what I'd be fine doing every weekend of my life. I wish I could have been there for the making of this video because it seems like it was hardly a video shoot and more of a party/garage rehearsal in which video cameras just so happened to be present for.
If you don't know Uncle Lucius yet, check it out. You're about to have a new favorite uncle.
Thanks to one of my music/Blue Light junky friends, I recently found out about a band from Oklahoma called Taddy Porter. I had heard/seen the name because he? she? had played at Blue Light last week. When I went to the bar Saturday night, my friend mentioned he was bummed that didn't get to come see them (I found out Taddy isn't a he or a she but a them) play because he had a final Thursday. I asked him a little about the band, and basically he said they are like the Jonathan Tyler and the Northern Lights of Oklahoma.
Well of course that sparked my interest. The next day I listened to them a little bit on Spotify and about two songs in caved and bought their entire self-titled album. It's tough to compete with the playlist I'm into right now since it's full of Josh Weathers, Turnpike, and some other new stuff, but I have found myself hitting skip over and over and eventually wind up just listening to Taddy Porter.
I did a little stalking research and figured out some more about them. Evidently Taddy Porter isn't the name of the lead singer, it's the name of a random beer they've never even tried. They are a blues-rock band from Stillwater, Oklahoma and they tour with JTNL a lot. (!!!) Lead singer Andy Brewer is from some sort of baseball dynasty and they've played with some pretty big names and had their music used for lots of cool stuff.
Taddy Porter is the kind of old rock music that just doesn't exist anymore. But bands like this, JTNL, and potentially Whiskey Myers and Cody Canada & The Departed give me hope that it can be resurrected. TP's music isn't angry like most rock tends to be these days. Songs like Big Enough have such sweet lyrics, just delivered in a way that makes you want to head bang, which is totally my kind of love song. Mean Bitch isn't even an angry song, it's more about a strong, opinionated woman (LOVE).
So far my favorites are King Louie (be careful listening to that in the car, it causes me to drive way too fast), Whatever Haunts You, Big Enough and Mean Bitch.
Here's the video for Long Slow Drag:
And a live one of King Louie:
The Blue Light website says they'll be back June 9th, and yeah, it's on my calendar. See ya there.
Uh oh... here I go again on a MAJOR binge. Just when I need to be packing and doing laundry (I've got about 4 hours to do that) I got sucked in. I heard the new Turnpike Troubadours song early yesterday morning for the first time. It isn't often that a song completely sweeps me off my feet. I mean, there are good songs that I freak out over and love, but this new song is incredible. Maybe because it took me by surprise, I didn't even know they had a CD coming out soon, but this song is amazing.
It's no secret that Evan Felker is one of the best songwriters in Texas, but the band itself is outstanding as well. Now combine the two and you've got gold. These guys blew everyone away in 2011 and I have no doubt they will continue that streak in 2012 with their new album coming out in May (yes, it's on my calendar!!).
I got to see them back in November and it was one of the best shows I've ever been to. I was (as usual) glued to the stage for most of the night. They have such a good energy on stage and even if you don't know their songs, you walk away a huge Turnpike fan.
I started looking online for their new songs and all I could find are a few live recordings but then I discovered a plethora of songs I had never heard so I make a YouTube playlist and stayed up way too late last night trying to get my fix. Then I woke up this morning craving it again, so here I am, trying to get it out of the way so I can tend to other stuff.
Anyway, here is what I've been listening to this morning:
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!
A few nights ago one of college friends texted me. Aside from being one of the funniest people I know, he is also one of the few friends I have that can hold a conversation with me about music and actually know most of the artists I bring up. He asked me if I had ever heard of the Dirty River Boys, and while I knew the name was familiar, I had to look them up to see why. My memory was quickly jogged when I saw the song Carnival Lights. I had recently heard it on the local Texas Country station in Lubbock and I had put them on my list of people to check out.
My friend had met one of the band members the other night and was given a CD. You see, my friend had the coolest summer job ever... an internship with the PBR in Colorado, and other than having to live in cold Colorado, it seems like a pretty cool job, based on the people he gets to meet (umm.. bull riders ;)). So basically he wanted to rub it in that he got to party with one of the Dirty River Boys.
Not really, I think he really wanted to talk music with someone he knew could talk the talk! The rest of our conversation went like this:
Him: Pure awesomeness. If old crow [medicine show] and turnpike [troubadours] had a baby this would be it. That baby would smoke weed, chug pendleton whiskey and play the mandolin.... simultaneously.
Then I laughed for 12 years, immediately went and bought the CD once I realized that I couldn't just go burn his, what with him being a couple states away and all, and I have been listening to them ever since. I'm hooked!
I adore the song Carnival Lights, which would come as no surprise to anyone who knows me. Pretty much anything dealing with carnivals, circuses, carnies, gypsies... for some reason always attracts me. It's just something I can't explain. Their sound is so unique and raw. And it goes beyond that, the song writing and harmonizing is phenomenal. I can't wait to see them live. They will be in town July 12, but I'm thinking I might should be a good friend and wait for my friend to move back to Lubbock so he can go see them with me.
Or I could go by myself and rub it in his face! We shall see!
I have been excited for today for a while now, because it was the release date for not one, but TWO albums that I had been anticipating for quite some time. Both of the bands are in my top 10 (maybe even top 5, depending on my day). They are Whiskey Myers and Steve Earle. I've been a huge fan of Whiskey Myers since their first album came out and I've been long awaiting the second one. As you know, I have always been obsessed with Steve Earle and this is his first album in a few years, but one of many in the past 30 or so.
My sister and I usually divvy up who is going to buy music and then we trade songs, so it was a toss up which one I wanted to hear first, but I went with Whiskey Myers' Firewater and she is supposed to be buying I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive.
I have made so many memories to Whiskey Myers' original album, Road of Life. I have become a huge fan of them, and although I haven't gotten to see them live yet, they are on my list! They fit the bill of everything I love in a band. From song to song you are carried through their musical variety from slow and smooth ballads to jam sessions that sound like they were just rocking out in their garage and happened to have a recorder handy. They touch on every genre of music I love: southern, classic rock; country; blues.
When a band's freshman album blows me away, I get nervous about the release of a sophomore album. I am always worried that they set the bar too high the first time around. However, this was not the case with WM.
The fact that the album was produced by ex-Shooter Jennings (another favorite of mine) guitarist and songwriter, Leroy Powell, I knew it was going to be hot. Country Music News International describes Firewater as:
"Distinctly Southern Rock-oriented, yet inventive enough to incorporate
the band's heart-on-their sleeve Country and Blues influences."
The five-piece band, with twin guitars wowed me again with their spicy blend of music. To say I am obsessed with this album is an understatement. I can't get enough. From their single and first track on the album, Bar, Guitar and a Honky Tonk Crowd, I have been hooked. It then leads into another jammer then a more country ballad that is sure to pick a bone with anyone with southern pride. The next track, Calm Before the Storm is one of my favorites because it reminds me so much of Lynyrd Skynyrd, especially Free Bird. I love the mix of county tunes, the bluesy ballads, like Broken Window Serenade and full out rock songs like Turn It Up, and one that really sings to my soul, Different Mold. And to top it off, How Far sounds like something that would have been on my Woodstock playlist back in summer 2009 when I had a mild obsession with Jimi Hendrix and The Who. (Yeah, I just compared one band to Lynyrd Sykyrd and Jimi Hendrix, they are that good.) Song for You, in it's acoustic style and record-player crackle reminds me of the great Ryan Adams.
I think this quote from CMNI from lead singer Cody Cannon sums up everything I could say about them in far fewer words:
“We know people are going to compare our sound to bands like LynyrdSkynyrd, and that’s fine, we take that as a high compliment. But when theyhear this new record, they’re gonna find out that there’s a whole lot more tothis band. We love Country music, we love Rock, we love Blues – we justlove to jam, period. It doesn’t matter to us where the music comes from, itjust matters that it’s real.”
Another music obsession I've had for quite some time now is a new band called Six Market Blvd. I first heard of them last summer when I was working at the radio station in my hometown. We had a huge stack of free CDs, and I would normally grab a handful of them from time to time and give them a listen. This one knocked me off my feet. For the guys to be so young, they have a timeless and polished sound. They only have one album out, Running On Seven. Every single song on it is amazing. Their sound varies so much from song to song and the album never gets old. Whenever I get stuck in a rut with my iPod or get sick of the radio, I can pop in their CD and just get lost in it for days. Even after months and months of wearing Running On Seven out, there is not a single song I skip over or favor more than another.
With two lead guitars, plus another guitar, bass and drums making up the band, and three of the guys singing vocals, unique harmonies are a trademark for 6MB.
To me, their sound is like a 1970s rock band, and an 80s pop band put together. They blend country, old-school Rock 'n' Roll and Americana. Some songs sound sort of like Ragweed, some haunt the likes of Pink Floyd and others have a more Honky-Tonk Gary Stewart feel. Very vintage. I feel like these guys are going to skyrocket in the next few years.
6MB's music soulful, even in their upbeat jam, Ready to Throw, you can still feel it. It's impossible for me to pick a favorite song because I get such a different feeling with every song -- and if you know me, you know that is what I look for in music. It's gotta be REAL.
I could not be more pleased with this band. I hope I will get to see them soon and I hope they keep on rockin'. I would love to hear another album soon, but for now, this one is still entertaining me.
