Dan Baird & Homemade Sin - Self-Titled (2008)

Dan Baird (Georgia Satellites) has made a habit of working with cool and talented rock & roll folks, and the first proper album from Dan Baird & Homemade Sin offers a lineup that should impress anyone with a taste for good and greasy hard rock boogie.

Jason & the Scorchers guitarist Warner Hodges takes on lead six-string, drummer Mauro Magellan was (like Baird) a member of the Georgia Satellites, and Keith Christopher played bass with Shaver and the Yayhoos. With a lineup like that and the perennially underappreciated Tommy Womack contributing to the songwriting, this would seem to be the sort of album that can't miss, and it doesn't.

Dan Baird & Homemade Sin is swaggering, beer-drinking, hell-raising, paycheck-spending rock & roll of the first order, and while conventional wisdom has it they don't make records like this anymore, thankfully Baird and his buddies aren't bothered by such trivialities. If you want to get your next party started, the Stones-influenced push and pull of "Just Can't Wait" will do the trick. If you're needing an appropriate soundtrack for your next week of living dangerously, "Two for Tuesday"'s tale of a vacation from responsibility should fill the bill. If you want a little country sway along with your rock, cue up "Hellzapoppin" and you'll be glad you did. Like something a little slow and moody? The swampy groove of "Crooked Smile" is just what you need. If you really want to hear Hodges bash the hell out of that guitar, "I Know What It's Like" delivers the goods and then some. And elsewhere, Baird & Homemade Sin hardly make a wrong move, as evidenced in the 100-proof playing, the fortified songwriting, and the thick and meaty production.

It's been a long time since people made hard rock albums as fun, as strong, and as satisfying on a regular basis as this one, but if anyone can bring this stuff back and give it new life, it's Dan Baird & Homemade Sin.

Track List:

01 - Damn Thing to Be Done
02 - Crooked Smile
03 - Two for Tuesday
04 - Runnin' Outta Time
05 - Just Can't Wait
06 - Lazy Monday
07 - Cryin' to Me
08 - I Know What It's Like
09 - She Dug Me Up
10 - Well Enough Alone
11 - Champagne Sparkle
12 - I Can Do Without You
13 - Oh No, There She Goes
14 - Hellzapoppin'

Quality: Average VBR 207 Kbps 44100 Stereo
Size: 94.28Mb
Genre: Rock | Songwriter

*

Bruce Robison - The New World (2008)

Sometimes labels get in the way of great music. Over the years, Bruce Robison, a singer-songwriter from Bandera, Texas, has acquired more than a few, and many of them have done him a disservice. While literally a “Texas singer-songwriter,” Robison’s range as a songwriter extends far beyond the borders of Texas. And while he’s played on “Americana” stations, his music can’t be pigeonholed into a category. One could just as easily see Robison’s music being played in a Boston coffeehouse or a Chicago blues bar, as in a Texas honky-tonk.

Mainstream country music fans know Robison primarily as the songwriter behind the No. 1 hits “Angry All the Time” (Faith Hill and Tim McGraw), “Travelin’ Soldier” (Dixie Chicks) and “Wrapped” (George Strait). However, a deeper look into his catalog reveals an artist that consistently and fearlessly stretches beyond mainstream country’s narrow confines, and has emerged into a territory all of his own. Robison’s sixth studio album, The New World, continues this trend.

Overall, The New World is slightly harder to get into than some of Robison’s past releases, but upon repeated listens, the album begins to shine. The main reason is Robison’s strong songwriting, which is the key to his success. If you are looking for a quick fix or the cheesy cliché, Robison isn’t your man. His lyrics are unfailingly clever and insightful.

Track List:

01 - Hammer
02 - Only
03 - Bad Girl Blues
04 - California 85
05 - Larosse
06 - New One
07 - Twistin'
08 - Hanging On Hopeless
09 - She Don't Care
10 - Echo

Quality: Average VBR 191 Kbps 44100 Stereo
Size: 49.98Mb
Genre: Country | Americana | Folk | Songwriter

*

Chris Berardo & The DesBerardos - Ignoring All The Warning Signs (2006)

Chris Berardo embodies everything I love about poplar music - a pleasing voice, beautiful melodies and hooks, well crafted lyrics. Shades of The Eagles and Poco combine with a Southern rock sensibility, creating a fresh sound unlike the usual cookie cutter country-rock of today.

The rocking “Everybody Swings Around Here” is an immediate pick for my favorite track, but truth be told, I love the whole album, from the melodic “The One," to the top 40 country “hit waiting to happen,” “So Good So Far,” it’s all good.

Chris Berardo is a very good songwriter with an obvious gift for crafting melody lines and home-spun lyrics and his vocal reminds me of times of a more controlled Drive By Truckers sound - familiar, but less garage band/Stones thrash.

“Never The Same” is another memorable track, as is the infectious ”I Will Love Again,” and the bluesy “BarStool, “ complete with a very cool acapella opening verse from Berardo. Pedal steel, mandolin, banjo, fiddle and harp co-exist with acoustic and electric guitar in a beautiful tapestry of sound. Nowhere is it more evident than in the album’s final track, “September Prayer,” a beautiful new point of view on the 9/11 tragedy. Berardo and his band have crafted a fine album that should garner lots of attention. We can only hope. It’s better than 90 percent of the music on today’s country radio.

Track List:

01 - The One
02 - So Good, So Far
03 - Never The Same
04 - I Will Love Again
05 - Everybody Swings Around Here
06 - Forty Years
07 - One Silver Rider
08 - Save My Life
09 - Passenger Side
10 - Barstool
11 - September Prayer
12 - Bonus Track

Quality: Average VBR 212 Kbps 44100 Stereo
Size: 86.41Mb (includes front cover)
Genre: Country | Rock | Americana | Songwriter

*

Bob Childers - Nothin' More Natural (1997)

Bob Childers passed away in April after a lengthy fight with lung cancer and emphysema. RIP Bob.

For years people have talked about legendary "Texas" songwriters like Eric Taylor and Willis Alan Ramsey. Well the folks in Oklahoma have a legend of their own and he is none other than Bob Childers. Never heard of him? You probably have and just don't know it.

The story of Bob Childers begins with his birth in West Virginia. Bob grew up in a decidedly non musical family. He discovered music in his early teens and has been at it consistently for over thirty years. The sixties found Childers studying music at UC Berkeley. Though California was the center of commercial music, he knew something was missing. So began the gypsy travels of Bob Childers. In 1972, while traveling through Stillwater, Oklahoma, Bob discovered the music of Chuck Dunlap (a legendary local artist). He had finally found a home. Childers would later put it this way: "California had the money and the reputation, but Oklahoma had the magic."

Bob began playing his music throughout the area and built a solid reputation as the finest songwriter in the state. By 1978 his music came to the attention of a star Jimmy Lafave, and a lasting friendship ensued. With Lafave's help, Childers recorded his first album in 1979. I Ain't No Jukebox was released to critical acclaim and greatly expanded his fan base. He signed with Cimarron Attractions and his follow-up album, Singing Trees, Dancing Waters, came in 1982. by this point, Bob was touring nationwide and had even played at the White House.

The lure of Nashville was too much for Bob Childers to resist and in 1986 he made the move. Early success there convinced Bob to encourage his protégés to make the same move, and he was followed by several other Stillwater musicians including Tom Skinner and Garth Brooks. Childers released two albums that year. Four Horsemen was another strong effort and was quickly followed by the all instrumental King David's Lament. Though friends like Garth Brooks were thriving in Nashville, the gypsy in Bob led him to the burgeoning music scene of Austin, Texas.

With the continuing support of Jimmy Lafave, Bob recorded his strongest effort to date. Circles Toward the Sun (1990) even yielded a couple of minor hits with Restless Spirits and Mexican Mornings. But just as Childer's music was gaining the acceptance he had worked so hard for, the rest of his world started to collapse. Personal and financial concerns led Bob back to Stillwater where he continued to write and add to his catalog of over 1500 songs.

Early in 1996 Childer's songs came to the attention of Binky Records. A contract followed, and Bob proceeded to make his best selling record, Nothin' More Natural. This obscure masterpiece garnered him his largest following ever, including great interest from the European Market.

Track List:

01 - Dance With The Gypsies
02 - Texas Eagle
03 - Headed South
04 - Wile E. Coyote
05 - Kingston Town
06 - Memphis After Midnight
07 - Ain't No Way
08 - Can't Help Wonderin'
09 - Woody's Road
10 - Nothin' More Natural
11 - Good Mornin' Maryanne
12 - Love Never Tested
13 - Poncho Villa's Gold
14 - Rainbow Rocker
15 - Kind Of A Cowboy

Quality: CBR 320 Kbps 44100 Stereo
Size: 144.34Mb (includes all artwork)
Genre: Red Dirt | Country | Folk | Songwriter

* *

Harris & Ryden - Run (2002)

The music of Stephen Harris & Chris Ryden draws a melodic line nearly the length of the Great Divide, from the craggy peaks of the Grand Tetons to the rolling, green Texas Hill Country. Lots of miles and lots of stories and lots of territory...And all of it is encapsulated on RUN (Two Mule Records), the aptly-titled second album from the increasingly popular duo.

Although they attended the same high school in San Antonio, Stephen's and Chris' paths did not cross until after they made parallel sojourns to cowboy on ranches up in the wilds of northwestern Wyoming. A tangled skein of circumstance (or fate, if you believe in that sort of thing) brought the two together on a rambling roadtrip to Texas. Discovering a shared love of music-and a newly-minted affection for Austin-the two embarked on a musical partnership which has seen a wildly diverse range of shows- from sharing the stage with Lyle Lovett to performing at the ambassador's party at the U.S. embassy in the Dominican Republic. And, oh yeah, an awful lot of beer joints, too.

RUN was produced by Merel Bregante, whose landmark work with Loggins & Messina gave him a few platinum-selling insights about coaxing the best from a duo of talented songwriters and musicians. And the band H&R has assembled makes good use of some of Austin's most talented young pickers.

The bakers-dozen songs on RUN (including the inaugural single, "This Hard Town") flow naturally between Western-flavored rockers, ballads and story songs that evoke classic high-lonesome images. Though Ryden cites influences from Mark Knopfler and Springsteen to Marty Robbins, and Harris' loyalties hew close to classic Texas storytellers like Guy Clark and Ray Wylie Hubbard, their collaborative work owes unclassifiable and original debts to folk, rock, country, and the fertile regional gumbo that is "Texas music."

The caliber of musicians is notable, including track contributions from Matt Slusher (South Austin Jug Band), Brian Run (an accomplished songwriter in his own right), not to mention Blake Lindley (drums, percussion), Justin Farrow (fiddle, piano) and Joel Canfield (upright and electric bass). There is no doubt that Harris & Ryden are a talented pair, but the backing on this record is sharp and diverse, and reveals a distinct maturation from their debut Here to Jackson. The instrumentation is expanded and includes unexpected doses of the accordion, dobro, and piano. Songs vary from genre to genre, making it difficult to pigeonhole the album into a single music category. From traditional to "younger" country, from rock to alt-country, Harris & Ryden draw from a fan base that reaches further than a single radio station's programming. Whatever your musical taste, Run offers something that hit the spot for everyone. And I personally hope that the fates continue to bring Harris & Ryden further success. I suggest that you "run", don't walk, to get this new release from the rising Texas talents Harris & Ryden.

Track List:

01 - This Hard Town
02 - Southern Plains
03 - Lazy Afternoon
04 - Beggar's Dimes
05 - Cold Wyoming Snow
06 - The Eyes Of A Friend
07 - Strange New Love
08 - Mogollon
09 - Annie Belle
10 - Run
11 - Careless
12 - Shiny Cars

Quality: Average VBR 229 Kbps 44100 Stereo
Size: 97.14Mb
Genre: Folk | Roots Rock | Country | Alt-Country | Songwriter

*

Harris & Ryden - Here To Jackson (2000)

Stephen Harris felt his musical roots sprout while he was attending SMU in Dallas. Brandishing a guitar he had "stolen" from his brother, he would sometimes play for late night audiences at his fraternity house. Drawing musical influence from several pf Texas' finest, including Guy Clark, Chris Wall, and Ray Wylie Hubbard, Harris nourished a growing desire to write and perform in a larger capacity.

(Meanwhile, in a parallel universe…) Chris Ryden had been honing his talents as a songwriter for years. Ryden moved to Waco to attend Baylor University, where he continued to refine his musical style, influenced by an array of artists, from Bruce Springsteen to Steve Earle.

(Enter fates) After graduating college, both Harris and Ryden's paths would lead them to separate ranching outfits in the snow painted lands of the Rocky Mountains, where they spent three common years but had not met. (until…) It was there, in the vast lands of Wyoming that a chance phone call let to the discovery that Ryden's roommate and Harris had at one time worked on the same ranch. The two fresh acquaintances embarked on a roadtrip journey back to Texas, and after discovering their common musical interests, the rest they say is…well, you know. Enough with the clichés already.

The fall of 1999 marked the beginning of a different journey for Stephen Harris and Chris Ryden. Then a brand new duo, Harris & Ryden conceptualized and released their debut album, Here To Jackson, and established themselves as a formidable rising talents in the Texas Music circuit. Here to Jackson highlighted Harris & Ryden's growing abilities as songwriters. The album is flush with an honest and descriptive quality, as the songs paint pictures saturated in strong harmonies and storytellin' lyrics. Since Here To Jackson's release, the duo has more than confirmed their abilities to many an audience, sharing stages with Willie Nelson, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Charlie Robison, Jack Ingram, Pat Green and other top drawing performers. Harris and Ryden were recognized at the 2002 Austin Music Awards, winning the Best Folk Band category, and playing in a stunning 5 additional categories, including Best Single, Best Country Band, best Roots Rock Band, Album of the Year and best Band Website.

Track List:

01 - Texas Bound Again
02 - Wild Horses On The Ceiling
03 - Something To Smile About
04 - Peace Of The Gypsy
05 - El Soldado Viejo
06 - The Last Wyoming Cowboy
07 - The Real Ones
08 - Paycheck To Paycheck
09 - Girl From San Antonio
10 - Where The Outlaws Go
11 - For The Boys
12 - High On The Teton Range

Quality: Average VBR 231 Kbps 44100 Stereo
Size: 83.86Mb (includes front cover)
Genre: Folk | Roots Rock | Country | Alt-Country | Songwriter

*

Old Crow Medicine Show - Tennessee Pusher (2008)

With combined sales totaling over 280,000 albums, an appearance on Austin City Limits, two performances on Late Night With Conan O’Brien, and multiple appearances on A Prairie Home Companion, various NPR programs and the Grand Ole Opry, Old Crow Medicine Show prepares for the release of Tennessee Pusher, their third album for Nettwerk Music Group and their most personal album to date.

Tennessee Pusher, produced by Don Was (Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones, Bonnie Raitt), features 13 infectious tracks that offer a virtual American road trip, populated with characters that seem to span a century of the South. Down and outers, hustlers, freighthoppers - these are just a few of the archetypes we meet along the way. OCMS continues to create their special blend of American roots, rock, blues and country, but on Tennessee Pusher, the band has truly found their own voice. With the exception of “Always Lift Him Up” by Blind Alfred Reed, all of the tracks on the album are OCMS originals. Also noteworthy are two distinguished session musicians that joined the band in the studio: Jim Keltner (John Lennon, Neil Young, Brian Wilson) on drums and Benmont Tench (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers) on Hammond C-3 organ.

When asked why he chose to work with OCMS, Don Was explains: “People ask me what The Old Crow Medicine Show are all about. If I’m in a hurry, I just say that they’re The Clash of bluegrass music, but that doesn’t really do anyone any justice. I could tell ‘em that they’re a rock ‘n roll band who use fiddles and acoustic guitars instead of Les Pauls and Marshal stacks, but that’s only one small part of the story. They’re an American Band - even more so than Grand Funk Railroad! In fact, it’s not hyperbolic to say that, as musicians, songwriters and singers, they are the smartest and finest purveyors of American music to come down the pike in decades.”

OCMS will begin touring in support of Tennessee Pusheron September 3rd in the UK, with stops in Manchester, Edinburgh and London before hitting the US on September 18th. With most of their time spent on the road, OCMS has made a name for themselves as energetic performers with an unbridled spirit. It’s a live show not to be missed

Track List:

01 - Alabama High-Test
02 - Highway Halo
03 - Greatest Hustler Of All
04 - Methamphetamine
05 - Next Go 'round
06 - Humdinger
07 - Motel In Memphis
08 - Evening Sun
09 - Mary's Kitchen
10 - Crazy Eyes
11 - Tennessee Pusher
12 - Lift Him Up
13 - Caroline

Quality: CBR 320 Kbps 44100 Stereo
Size: 115.70Mb
Genre: Bluegrass | Americana | Country | Songwriter

* *

Aaron Pritchett - Thankful (2008)

Aaron Pritchett's in a good place these days, there's a new album due out in days, he's booked to open for Toby Keith on six Western Canadian dates this October and when there's time off he's living in a new place in Kelowna he bought last summer.

The new album due out early September is called Thankful and there isn't a single tune with that name on there. The title refers to a time in the early winter a few years back when Pritchett vowed if he hadn't managed to get himself out of playing the bars by January 1st he was quitting the business. And come New Year's Day he hadn't and he really did quit, making active plans to go make a regular living. But January 2nd his then-current video, "New Frontier," went to the top of the CMT chart, the phone started ringing offering some primo, non-bar gigs and he was back in business. The fans kept coming back show after show and Pritchett knew then and knows now they're the ones who float his boat.

Track List:

01 - How Do I Get There
02 - Hell Bent For Buffalo
03 - Unraveling
04 - September
05 - Hard To Miss
06 - Come Over
07 - Nothing But Us
08 - Undeniable
09 - Simple
10 - After The Rain
11 - Let's Get Rowdy
12 - Thankful
13 - I Wonder (With Jessie Farrell)

Quality: Average VBR 206 Kbps 44100 Stereo
Size: 79.86Mb (including front cover)
Genre: Country | Songwriter

*

VA - Oklahoma Rising (2006)

The Oklahoma Centennial Commission has released “Oklahoma Rising,” a limited edition two-disc set celebrating the state’s rich musical heritage. “Oklahoma Rising” features a blend of classic and contemporary Oklahoma artists from all genres.

The once-in-a-lifetime CD collection includes 46 songs by 43 Oklahoma recording artists and groups. The first disc, called “A Unique History,” highlights celebrated musicians from the state’s earlier days including Gene Autry, Chet Baker, Patti Page, Charlie Christian, BJ Thomas, Leon Russell and Leona Mitchell. The second disc, aptly named “An Extraordinary Future,” celebrates many of Oklahoma’s current stars and up-and-comers, including The All American Rejects, Brooks and Dunn, Katrina Elam, The Tractors, Sandi Patty and The Flaming Lips.

Norman native Vince Gill didn't think twice when he was asked to contribute a song to a CD commemorating Oklahoma's centennial, especially when he learned who he'd be working with. "The opportunity to write a song with Jimmy Webb ... it's not going to take you very long to answer that question," said Gill, in a phone interview.

Gill and Webb, author of the classic country song "The Highwayman," wrote the song "Oklahoma Rising," the title track of the two CD-set of 46 songs, that encompasses works from artists ranging from Gill to Garth Brooks, Gene Autry to the All-American Rejects, from Charlie Christian and Wanda Jackson to the Flaming Lips. It's a hell of a cross-section of Oklahoma's vibrant history in music. "It's a collection of music that you will never see again in this exact format," said Jeff Gwaltney, executive producer for the project.

The idea started around May 2005 when he got a call from Gill's camp and Tim DuBois, who used to run Arista Records and Universal South, Gwaltney said. They wanted the producer to work his connections for the centennial compilation. Gwaltney managed to wrangle permission from the various record labels to use the songs of the bands he wanted on the CDs.

It's a set you won't find in any music store. Gwaltney had to agree to keep the CD out of the stores in exchange for using the music. So, the set is available at area Arvest banks, Williams-Sonoma and Pottery Barn locations, Gwaltney said. Money from sales will benefit Habitat for Humanity, he said.
"It'll be up to Oklahomans to decide how many of these are sold and how many people in Oklahoma are helped via Habitat for Humanity," Gwaltney said.

Watching Gill and Webb write "Oklahoma Rising" was something special, Gwaltney said, and the result was a sweeping song featuring Indian flutes and chants from Gill's friend, Bill Miller. "The song is a tribute to Oklahoma's history", Gill said. He wrote the melody for the song while Webb, an Elk City native, wrote most of the lyrics. "I was a little fearful that people were going to assume this was a new state song. But talking to Jimmy, he assured me, 'No, all it is is just to celebrate 100 years,' " said Gill, winner of 17 Grammys during his nearly 30-year career. "Nobody's trying to replace Rodgers and Hammerstein."

There's no Broadway anywhere near "Oklahoma Rising." The song starts off with the lilt of a flute in the background, followed by chants from Miller and then a horn section. The chants carry over to Gill, who sings in his bluegrass- steeped tenor: "We're Oklahoma rising/ Brighter than a star/Stand up and sing about her/Let the world know who we are." A guitar kicks in on "are" and Gill paints a sweeping picture of a land run and prairie schooners while hinting at the state's future.

Webb's lyrics also touch on the Dust Bowl as well as the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building, which took the lives of 168 Oklahomans, Gill said. "In the days and weeks following the bombing, Oklahomans came through as generous, brave, noble people," Webb said. "The whole country had to bow in deference to that. In our heartland we showed that we have a great state and a great reservoir of courage. It made me proud to be an Oklahoman." Writing the song was pretty daunting, Gill admitted. That anything could daunt Gill is saying something, since Gill recently released a four CDlong studio album, "These Days," that just went platinum.

That's 43 songs of new original material recorded in just over a year, folks. "It's like trying to write Christmas music, you know?" said the 49-year-old father of five. "You sit down, you start talking about jingle bells and chestnuts and all this other stuff, and you go, 'Gosh, it's been done so much better so long ago. What're you doing, you know?' "I think Jimmy just did a great job of capturing so much of what's gone on. Not only in reference to the earliest days, but the Dust Bowl days, the bombing, the things that we faced as a state. And, he just did a brilliant job of making it not sound like a commercial."

Track List:

DISC ONE: A Unique History

01. Back In The Saddle Again - Gene Autry
02. Mockin' Bird Hill - Patti Page
03. Mister Five By Five - Jimmy Rushing
04. Look For The Silver Lining - Chet Baker
05. Wheel Of Fortune - Kay Starr
06. Seven Come Eleven-Benny Goodman feat Charlie Christian
07. Somewhere Over The Rainbow - Claude Williams
08. Green Dolphin St-Barney Kessell (Ray Brown/Shelly Manne)
09. Let's Have A Party - Wanda Jackson
10. The Purple People Eater - Sheb Wooley
11. Oklahoma Hills - Hank Thompson
12. Paper Roses - Anita Bryant
13. Yesterday When I Was Young - Roy Clark
14. Help Me Make It Through The Night - Sammi Smith
15. Baby's Got Her Blue Jeans On - Mel McDaniel
16. King Of The Road - Roger Miller
17. Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head - B.J. Thomas
18. Joy To The World - Hoyt Axton
19. A Song For You - Leon Russell
20. Classical Gas - Mason Williams
21. By The Time I Get To Phoenix - Jimmy Webb
22. Oklahoma Stomp - Byron Berline
23. Great Is Thy Faithfulness - Leona Mitchell
24. This Land Is Your Land - Woody Guthrie


DISC TWO: An Extraordinary Future

01. Oklahoma Rising - Jimmy Webb & Vince Gill
02. Much Too Young (Too Feel This Damn Old) - Garth Brooks
03. How Do You Like Me Now - Toby Keith
04. My Sister - Reba McEntire
05. When I Call Your Name - Vince Gill
06. Boot Scootin' Boogie - Brooks & Dunn
07. I'll Still Be Loving You - Restless Heart
08. Prayin' For Daylight - Rascal Flatts
09. Inside Your Heaven - Carrie Underwood
10. Pickup Man - Joe Diffie
11. Someone Else's Star - Bryan White
12. Oklahoma Swing - Vince Gill & Reba McEntire
13. Austin - Blake Shelton
14. No End In Sight - Katrina Elam
15. Baby Likes To Rock It - The Tractors
16. Oklahoma Dust - The Notorious Cherry Bombs
17. Swing Swing - The All-Ameican Rejects
18. Do You Realize - The Flaming Lips
19. Girl In 14G - Kristin Chenoweth
20. Mmmbop - Hanson
21. America The Beautiful - Sandi Patty

Separate download includes high resolution scans all all artwork

Quality: 256 Kbps
Size: 293.30Mb

* * * * *

Joanna Cotten - High Maintenance (2007)

A sultry slide guitar, the lonely moan of a blues harp, the righteous thump of a fatback bass and the sticky soulful rhythm of a Beale Street backbeat … within the first few bars of the first song on High Maintenance, her stunning debut release, Joanna Cotten lays it all out like a slow ride down through the delta. Then she starts to sing, and all heaven breaks loose.

She calls her music "Funkabilly," and the appellation fits just right, serving as both the title of her album's leadoff track and as a dead-on description of Cotten's undeniable artistry – a heart-stopping mix of God-given talent, flawless technique, and deep-down southern soul that adds up to the most potent, pure-country voice to come out of Nashville in a long, long time. By the time the song fades to a raucous, gospel-drenched finale it's crystal clear – this girl was born to sing.

As her debut vividly demonstrates, Cotten has grown into a singer who comes with, and who is inseparable from, her own compelling story.

"I've got a gift that the world can't change or take away," she sings on the album's debut single, "The Prize," as a thumping beat and a slamming banjo drive the point all the way home. And every Cotten-penned song on High Maintenance completes another chapter of her unique musical journey, from the funky romantic frustration of "Hard to Want" to the introspective and inspiring balladry of "Keep My Faith," all the way to "Humble Town," a song that beautifully encapsulates the struggles of Cotten and countless creative souls along Nashville's Music Row. Two uncut gems from the Dennis Linde catalog, including the hilariously evangelistic Elvis tribute, "Miracle In Lee County," pay tribute to the late songwriter and round out this one-of-a-kind country collection. It's been a long and winding path to her debut, and Cotten has grown with every turn in the road. These days, with High Maintenance ready for release, Cotten is chomping at the bit to introduce country fans to her own, patented brand of "Funkabilly."

"I can't wait," she enthuses. "Get ready to sink your feet down in the Delta mud!"

Track List:

01 The Prize
02 Funkabilly
03 High Maintenance
04 Humble Town
05 Grateful
06 Hard To Want
07 This One Burger King Town
08 Miracle In Lee County
09 Man In Trainin'
10 Good Days Gone
11 Keep My Faith

*

Smokelahoma - Bucket Of Clams (2007)

Recorded in the sweltering 120 degree heat of Boulder City Nevada, "Bucket of Clams" is a fine new release by a band that has been an underground secret in the Northwest for the past eight years. Upright bass, Hammond organ, Telecaster guitars and old floor board vocals creates an honest vibe that any fan of Americana music would dig. High powered cannabis with ice cold beer nestled in a chilly cascade mountain stream. People that like this flavor...like it alot!

Smokelahoma are about as ‘under the radar’ as you can get – this is actually their sixth album, but they are probably unknown beyond a small circle of friends. With a little word of mouth, some upcoming live shows in the spring, and more than a little luck, that may just change. Previous albums did a decent enough job in highlighting the songwriting talents and Dylanesque vocal stylings of main man Mike Morton, but Bucket of Clams is a huge leap forward.

An awful lot of time and care went into making this album, and it shows. There is a more countrified approach than in previous albums, and not in a Brooks and Dunne type of way; rather this recalls the sound coming out of Laurel Canyon somewhere around 1974, when west coast rock snaked it’s way into Nashville territory and eventually spawned a whole new subgenre. There’s some similarity with Nashville Skyline era Dylan, too, and that’s only fitting because Morton really sounds like Dylan after a quick encounter with sandpaper – unmistakably similar, but sweeter and less grating. Thankfully for those who might wonder if Morton might border on the derivative, the songwriting bears no resemblance to the erstwhile Mr. Zimmerman – Morton is much more direct and sometimes almost confessional in his lyrics, and produces choruses so damned catchy I’ve found myself singing them around the office.

The music is equally engaging – Morton plays some effective acoustic for a nice rhythm base, while Rusty Urie on electric lead provides some scintillating solos, and Dan Klepinger – who some of you may know from his stints as part of Dark Star Orchestra over the last couple of years – displays some major props on piano and Hammond.

The songs are evenly divided between upbeat rockers and slightly slower, more countrified tunes, and both approaches yield their own distinctive pleasures. Opener, "Let It Roll" is a sprightly shuffle with some really nice pedal steel courtesy of Terry Greene , and it’s followed by the Cosmic Crucified, a slight yet sweet story of wasting away an afternoon doing not much of anything that, for some strange reason, I could see being covered successfully by Jimmy Buffet –maybe it’s the insanely catchy chorus.

"High Side" opens with the buzz of an amp turned up to the max, promising an outbreak of some serious rocking , and the crunchy chords that follow don’t disappoint. A driving tune with some very effective multitracking on Morton’s voice and some terrific to-the-point solos from Urie that don’t waste a note, it builds to a rousing finish with Klepinger wailing away on the Hammond and Morton delivering some impassioned vocals. My favorite track on the album, this could turn out be a serious barnstormer in a live setting.

"Bread of Life Mission", a wistful tale of hard times , displays some great harmonies and some effective piano fills, and a raucous cover of Arlo Guthrie’s drug smuggling ditty Coming Into Los Angeles makes me wonder why someone hadn’t covered this song much sooner. "Smoke a Dooby" is the most traditionally country sounding song here, and Blind Fiddler displays an almost reggae beat, which mixes things up nicely but is probably the slightest song on the album, while "18 Wheels" is almost Poco-like in its use of pedal steel welded to a truck driving themed straight rocker , and "Jesus on a Candle" displays Morton’s most obtuse songwriting – I’ve listened to it a dozen times and still don’t know what it’s about, despite some evocative imagery in the words – combined with the most delicate and pretty arrangement on the album. Drummer Steve Housewright provides a funky, grinding backbeat for "Tinka", which really lets loose at the end and lets Urie rock out like Eddie Van Halen for a short while. And finally "Kickin’ Walls" end things on a sweet, relaxed tune – just Morton and Urie on acoustic guitars with some bongos in the background .

I don’t doubt that you’ve never heard of Smokelahoma, but I fervently hope that one day soon you will, because music this damned good deserves a much wider audience. This year has already seen some great albums hit my mailbox , and this may well be the finest – straight ahead song-based country rock of a type I really didn’t think would get made any more. Take a chance on an unknown band and grab this – you will not be disappointed.

Track List:

01 Let It Roll
02 Cosmic Crucified (Bucket Of Clams)
03 High Side
04 Bread Of Life Mission
05 Coming Into Los Angeles
06 Smoke A Dooby
07 Blind Fiddler
08 18 Wheels
09 Jesus On A Candle
10 Tinka
11 Kickin' Walls (Song 342)

Note: Some explicit lyrics

Quality: CBR 320 Kbps 44100 Joint Stereo
Size: 98.24MB
Genre:Country | Country Rock | Songwriter

* *

Emerson Drive - Countrified (2007)

Anyone who dismisses Emerson Drive as 'just another boy band' is missing out on some great music. Countrified is their third album and their first release with Midas Records. It is a solid album that showcases their vocal unity as well as their incredible musical talent. It is well worth adding it to any collection. It is a fun album to listen to.

Emerson Drive exploded out of Canada in 2001. They signed with Dreamworks records and became one of the very few artists in the business to play all their own instruments on their records. Emerson Drive consists of bandmates Brad Mates on lead vocals, Dale Wallace on keyboards, Danick Dupelle on guitar, David Pichette on fiddle, Mike Melancon on drums and Patrick Bourque on bass guitar. They took several industry awards including CMA's Top New Vocal Group/Duo in 2003. They also had two Top 5 hits with "Fall into Me" and "I Should Be Sleeping." Right after their second album, What If, was released in 2004 their label went through corporate restructuring leaving the band without a label. They decided to settle down in Nashville to be readily available for anything that might pop up. They started working on their own songwriting skills and fate played into their hands when Teddy Gentry, of Alabama fame, and Producer Josh Leo came to hear them shortly after their release. Under their direction the band started getting serious. It was a project that they had no idea when or where it would be released, they just worked at making it the best they could. That dedication is very evident in the finished album.

Newly formed label, Midas Records, listened to what Emerson Drive had to offer and signed them a short time later. songwriter Keith Follese and Publisher Brad Allen helped in the song selection and production process for some tracks and Teddy Gentry and Josh Leo on others. There are some party songs such as "Testify" and "Countrified Soul." There are some heart wrenching ballads such as "Moments" and "Everyday Woman." When they started to record a song they perform in their live shows Charlie Daniels himself showed up to sing with them on "Devil Went Down to Georgia." It was a fitting end to a great album. It also includes an interactive web connect feature when played on a PC/Mac. It offers access to exclusive content, chat with other fans and sometimes meeting the performers themselves. This album seems to reflect what Emerson Drive is all about and that is excellence. They excelled in the song selections and they excelled in the delivery of the chosen material. They are able to portray something close to what you will find in their live shows in this little round disc. That is something that many artists try for and few can achieve with a studio album. It is a real keeper.

Track List:

01 Good Man
02 Testify
03 Moments
04 Sweet Natural Girl
05 You Still Own Me
06 Lucky Man
07 Everyday Woman
08 Countrified Soul
09 Painted Too Much Of This Town
10. A Boy Becomes A Man
11 Devil Went Down To Georgia

Quality: CBR 320 Kbps 48000 Joint Stereo
Size: 100.04Mb (includes artwork)
Genre: Country | Alternate Country | Songwriter

* *

Rachael Warwick - Anglo Americana (2005)

Rachael Warwick's sound walks the line between nu and alternative Country/Americana with a tinge of pop thrown in for good measure. She has a style that has been described as "one of a kind" in fact Mark Moffatt, her producer and Rachael originated the name "Anglo- Americana".

The Brit chick was born and grew up in England and listened to a wide variety of music from around the world, but Country music was embedded in her heart from a very early age, which arose from a trip to Nashville when she was 13 years old.

What makes Rachael's current success quite remarkable is that in the late 1990' she was fronting punk/pop band "Hype". A tour of the UK, a few music festivals, a single "Alian" and one of Rachael' songs being used for a TV commercial for music industry board game "Chart Moves" were the sum of the bands career. The turn of the century would see Rachael evolving the sound for which she is now known. Misfortune and fortune alike played a part in the evolution, which would change her career for the better. Her new sound was one that she felt best represented her personality. It retains the cynical edge that she brought with her from the late 90's punk/pop band yet expertly harnesses the friction caused by the clash between the quirky eccentricities of the UK and the more uniform US style of Alt-country/ Americana.

Rachael's, "Anglo Americana" was recorded at Nashville's Masterfonics using Reba McIntyre's band on both occasions.

Tracklist:

01 Sunshine
02 Cowboy
03 One Last Look At Love
04 Ask Me No Questions
05 Angel
06 Highway 109
07 Lovin'
08 Thank You
09 Excuse Me
10 Mistake
11 Rodeo Man
12 Goodbye

Quality: CBR 320 Kbps 48000 Joint Stereo
Size: 105.25Mb (includes front cover)
Genre: Country | Alternate Country

* *

Jimmy Wayne - Jimmy Wayne (2003)

Despite the fact that he was signed during Nashville's most serious identity crisis, Jimmy Wayne may not be a "pure country artist" (whatever that phrase means anymore). But he does possess two things that the great singer/songwriters in any genre should: passion and honesty. Wayne writes edgy life-and-love songs that come from his own autobiography, much of it spent surviving a broken family and homelessness. His tunes are informed by influences ranging from Steve Earle to Daryl Hall to Don Henley. Wayne's darkness -- and it is considerable -- is tempered by the openness in the grain of his voice and his vulnerability. His youth is not ashamed to sing straight about the weight of his brokenness and yet his willingness to endure it, because love in any guise is better than its alternative.

The album's first single, "Stay Gone," is an invitation for the rest of us to remember our own experiences, despite his protagonist's plea to remain apart, out of sight, because of the pain. "Paper Angel" talks about the forgotten, the lost, the taken; children whom Wayne knows well; in fact, as the power chords and mandolin entwine around his reaching vocals and cascading acoustic guitar, we come to understand that he can understand that he can sing this way because he's been one of these children. When he sings the refrain, with more yearning and determination to convince than in a thousand Steve Earle songs, it's because he knows the other side: "Paper Angels/You're in my thoughts and prayers/No matter where you are remember God's right there/he's asking all of us to help take care/of paper angels everywhere."

The production team of Chris Lindsey and James Stroud has added a lot to songs that are in essence very simple and powerful in and of themselves. It's obvious they want this kid to be a star, but he would have gotten there without all this. The music biz in Nash Vegas has dug its own cookie cutter grave by signing look-alikes who are pretty on TV, and giving those models songs by hacks to record. Then there are the creeps who run country radio and have consciously done everything to ruin country music and its rich heritage; they deserve their fate. However, as a result of folly and greed and arrogance, the entire biz there needs to look at virtually everything that comes their way since they don't know what it is people want, and that's definitely a positive. Programmers actually have to do their jobs, A&R men have to listen to tapes instead of looking at 8x10 glossies to debate whether they'll look good on CMT. Wayne's the real thing. He could make a hard country record, he could make a pop record, a solid rock album; he could even cut a solid soul record with his voice. As a result he could deliver the goods in a more chancy setting, but it's a small complaint.

This album may be a tad slick but the substance far outweighs the polish. This is a young man for whom the sky is the limit. He can write, sing and yeah, for a guy who spent so much of his life living outdoors and in shelters, he's a handsome devil too. But the grain of truth that's in his voice outstrips any image or sonic trappings that may be placed upon him from outside. Keep your ears open; this young man is no flash in the pan.

Paul Franklin - steel guitar
Eric Darken - percussion
Steve Nathan
Tom Bukovac - electric guitar
Kenny Greenberg
Biff Watson
Wes Hightower
Jonathan Yudkin - mandolin, fiddle
Lonnie Wilson - drums
B. James Lowry - acoustic guitar

Tracklist:

01. After You
02. Are You Ever Gonna Love Me?
03. Stay Gone
04. Trespassin'
05. Paper Angels
06. You Are
07. She Runs
08. Just A Dream
09. Blue and Brown
10. I Love You This Much
11. You're the One I'm Talking To
12. The Rabbit

Quality: CBR 320 Kbps 48000 Joint Stereo
Size: 106.7Mb (includes front cover)
Genre: Country | Songwriter

* *

Jon Randall - Walking Among The Living (2005)

'Walking Among The Living' is a wonderful collection of songs that were either written or co-written by Jon. By listening to all fourteen tracks you will soon understand that his songs are more than "filler" or "fluff" - there is a lot of depth to each line in every song that he sings. The only song Jon didn't write is "My Life."

A man breaking down and realizing he is tired of feeling alone and ashamed is the subject of "Baby Won't You Come Home." He's been a mess since the day she left him and he wants things back to normal. "In The Country" is a great place to get away from the daily grind. "A million stars when the sun goes down. Come on baby we can go to town in the country." "Long Way Down" is about someone who jumped off the deep end and is finding that things are more difficult than they thought it would be. You have to find yourself before you can move on.

Brad Paisley and Alison Krauss did a beautiful version of "Whiskey Lullaby," but listening to Jon sing a song he co-wrote gives the lyrics a little more substance. The backing music is haunting and adds even more drama to the already intense lyrics. "Austin" has a bluesy feel as a man sings about drowning in mediocrity unless he can make it to the Texas city where "They still play Merle Haggard and the women like to rock & roll." Last track, "My Life," is an upbeat closer to 'Walking Among The Living.' Despite having an out of control life, he wouldn't have it any other way.

Track List:

01. Baby Won't You Come Home
02. In The Country
03. North Carolina Moon
04. Somebody Else
05. Long Way Down
06. Whisky Lullaby
07. Austin
08. I Shouldn't Do This
09. Reprise For Somebody Else
10. Coming Back For More
11. Lonely For Awhile
12. Walking Among The Living
13. No Southern Comfort
14. My Life

Quality: CBR 320 Kbps 48000 Joint Stereo
Size: 123Mb (includes front cover)
Genre: Country | Songwriter

* *

Meredith Edwards - Reach (2001)

Usually when a young artist makes their way to the Country Music scene, their music is sprinkled with pop music undertones, but Meredith Edwards' debut album, "Reach," is not like that at all. She has the perfect voice for Country Music and I like the fact that she does not hide it from the listener.

The first video and single, "A Rose Is A Rose," is a beautiful song that really showcases Meredith's vocals. It does not matter where you lived (whether it was a bad neighborhood or what have you) or how much money you grew up with, a truly nice person can come from anywhere. The families wondered if the couple would last coming from such different paths but "No matter what, their love came shining through. Because a rose is a rose is a rose."

My favorite song off of the "Reach" album and also the second single is "The Bird Song." It is fun, up-tempo, and has catchy lyrics. Everyone at least once in their lifetime, wishes they could have the point of view of a bird so they could see all that goes on in the neighborhood or town. Because of this, the "people watching" bird decided that it would tell all of us what it is like. She sees various people: two boys down at the creek smoking their daddy's cigarette butts, and a man cussing at her because he just washed his car, "but I ain't done nothin' wrong, I'm just a bird singing my song." The bird likes to take a bath in Mrs. Cole's cement bowl but she always has to watch out for the cat "So I'll just stay up here until the coast is clear." The last verse in this colorful song is very cute and reminds us that whatever we do, somebody's looking over you.

Oh, isn't love "A Beautiful Mess" the next song asks as it chronicles the one-minute, one thing, next minute another situations of a person that has fallen in love. One minute she is flying around with happiness, the next minute she is falling hard. "It's all music, lights and color, a dance on a merry-go-round. An emotional rollercoaster."

The whole album is country, but "Slow Learner" is a very good, very country, honky tonk style song. It seems as though the girl is not going to realize that the object of her affection will never love her back, but finally she gets the clue.

Track List:

01. In Any Given Moment
02. A Rose Is A Rose
03. The Bird Song
04. Ready To Fall
05. A Beautiful Mess
06. You Get To Me
07. But I Can't Let You Go
08. Slow Learner
09. This Is The Heartache
10. Reach
11. You
12. Places In Your Heart

* *

Lisa Angelle - Lisa Angelle (2000)

The first thing that hits you when you throw in this disc is the power of Lisa Angelle's voice. The opening track, the rocking country "4, 3, 2, 1," gets the record off to an energetic start and establishes Angelle's power as a singer and a songwriter. Unusual in country music, she wrote all of the lyrics on the record; she teamed with co-producer Andrew Gold to write the music on most of the tracks.

Gentleness takes over on "A Woman Gets Lonely," which is anything but the stereotypical hurtin' song that the title suggests. Angelle's subtle softness suits her as well as the growl she takes on in "Kiss This." "I Didn't Want to Know" is a sad lament to the end of a love affair, tearful in its regret of honesty. She ups the tempo again on "I Wear Your Love," a pop-tinged love song with just a touch of sass.

"Daddy's Gun" is a disturbing tale of abuse and revenge against and abusive parent. Angelle tells the story with compassion and frankness. On "I Don't Know Why," Angelle reveals Patsy Cline as one of her musical influences as she goes back to an earlier era with a classic country sound. The record closes on a triumphant note with the soaring "Sparrow," complete with a choir to accompany the final chorus.

There is a wide variety of songs presented on this record; emotions ranging from hurt to happiness and back again are chronicled in every song. Angelle presents a very well-rounded debut that promises much more to come.

Track List:

01 4 3 2 1
02 A Woman Gets Lonely
03 Kiss This
04 I Don't Want To Know
05 I Wear Your Love
06 Sin
07 Twisted
08 Daddy's Gun
09 Midnight Rodeo
10 I Don't Know Why
11 Sparrow

Quality: CBR 320 Kbps 48000 Joint Stereo
Size: 114.02Mb
Genre: Country | Songwriter

* *

Rachel Harrington - The Bootlegger's Daughter (2007)

Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, Gillian Welch... Rachel Harrington! These kinds of top-notch comparisons don't seem far-fetched at all given the extraordinary excellence of this likeable Seattle musician's debut album.

Currently she's creating quite a stir in all kinds of Americana charts on both sides of the Atlantic with her handmade acoustic sound between folk and country with a dash of bluegrass. This here's definitely the real stuff! 'The Bootlegger's Daughter' features ten tracks: Seven smashing original compositions plus "Up The River" by her better-known colleague Laura Veirs, Mississippi John Hurt's "Louis Collins" and "Farther Along" - an invitation to a gospel singalong as album closer. Harrington's voice is wonderfully appropriate to this kind of music conveying sadness and hope at the same time while sounding quite natural and original.

The album features a host of well-known studio cracks like pedal steelers Marty Muse (Dwight Yoakam, R.E. Keen) and Mike Grigoni (Korby Lenker), Zak Borden (Willy Mason), Danny Barnes (Tim O'Brien, Bad Livers) on banjo, John Reischmann (Laurie Lewis, Neko Case), and others.

Track List:

01. Sunshine Girl
02. Shoeless Joe
03. Blow ~ The Ballad of Bill Miner
04. Up the River
05. Untitled
06. Halloween Leaves
07. Walk to You
08. Louis Collins
09. Summer's Gone
10. Farther Along

Quality: CBR 320 Kbps 48000 Joint Stereo
Size: 86.08Mb
Genre: Folk | Bluegrass | Country | Songwriter

*

Jackson Taylor - Dark Days (2007)

The Jackson Taylor Band has gone through many line ups over the last few years. The one constant though has been singer/songwriter Jackson Lee Taylor. Jackson's passion for music began as a little boy in Moody, Texas, a small town just north of Austin. His father would take him to see the greats such as Willie, Billy Joe Shaver and Waylon. These musicians planted a deep seed in the heart and mind of that young boy.

Jackson was heart broken when he and his father moved to California to find work on fruit ranches. He and his father spent the rest of Jackson's adolescence bouncing from one migrant labor town to another, finally settling in a small farming town in Washington state.

After high school, Jackson moved back to Texas for a while before going to Nashville. There, Jackson found work as a songwriter for Of music, and for legendary song writer Dewayne Blackwell. After a couple of years, Jackson had to face the hard truth that Nashville would not let him produce and pick his own material. ("I ain't got nothing against Tim McGraw or Mark Wills or none of those folks, but that just ain't the kind of music I feel in my heart. If I am going to do something I don't care to do, I might as well go back to school and a day job." )

Jackson moved to New York City to play clubs, and found a vibrant live scene. There Jackson met the owner of a small Southern California label. Within a month of the meeting, Jackson was in the studio recording "Humboldt County," a record dedicated to his brother who had died there the year before. "Humboldt" got great reviews and did well enough to gain attention from pop mogul George Tobin. Jackson and Tobin struck a deal. After a year Jackson realized Tobin was the same as the Nashville crowd; whatever is on the radio is what you need to sound like. Jackson and Tobin where never able to agree on a song selection or sound, but they parted ways as friends.

Jackson talked to his label and told them he wanted to go back home to Texas. Gaske had reservations, because Texas wasn't LA, Nashville or New York, but Jackson said that was the whole point. Before leaving from Los Angeles and heading to Austin, Jackson went into the studio and recorded "Gypsies & Drifters." After getting settled in Austin, Jackson had to go back up North for a few months to play previously booked shows. While he was there he recorded his third CD "Hollow Eyed & Wasted." Now Jackson is back in Texas where he belongs, writing and producing the kind of music he was born to do.

Tracklist:

01 Outlaws Aren't Wanted Anymore
02 Lonely
03 Drinkin' Alone
04 Outlaw Women
05 Miles
06 Dark Days
07 She's A Real Good Girl
08 Goodbye Morphine
09 Shallow Grave
10 Tradin' In Tomorrow For Today
11 Honky Tonk Heroes

Quality: Average VBR 217 Kbps 44100 Joint Stereo
Size: 59.44MB (includes HQ scans)
Genre: Country | Songwriter

*

Emmylou Harris - Songbird: Rare Tracks & Forgotten Gems (2007)

The difference between a career retrospective and a greatest hits album is mostly in the intent. On Songbird, Harris collects four CDs-worth of material that is most integral and poignant from her entire career. This includes recordings with Gram Parsons and her more recent collaborations with Mark Knopfler, as well as favorite songs from her decades-long recording career.

Other highlights from early years include the previously unreleased recording of "Falling in a Deep Hole"—a simply, lovely tune about longing, loneliness and desire. Accompanied only by piano and guitar, Harris' poetic vocals showcase her entire range—from soft, quiet whispers to an arresting, strong belting.

Some of the greatest highlights come from Emmylou's myriad collaborations. Most notable are the songs included here from her all-star recordings with Dolly Parton and Linda Ronstadt. "Palms of Victory" is a gospel tune with undeniable power and presence, as is "Softly and Tenderly."

There's also an impressive collaboration with Patty Griffin, "Beyond the Blue," from the soundtrack to the film Where the Heart Is. The two singers' voices are perfect complements to one another, soaring through the song. "First in Line" is another glorious collaboration with country singer John Starling, whose husky baritone is a gorgeous accompaniment, rooting Emmylou's smooth, lovely soprano.

Other excellent collaborations included here are tunes Emmylou has recorded with Steve Earle, Mary Black, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Sheryl Crow, the Pretenders and Beck.

There's no secret as to why Emmylou Harris has won 12 Grammy Awards in her nearly four decades on the national music scene. It's not just her pretty, crystal-clear voice that makes her a national musical treasure. It's also her impeccable taste in song choice, arrangements and collaborators.

As Songbird attests, Harris' career has touched so many genres of music that it's almost silly to label her as anything other than a well-rounded singer/songwriter. Each style she touches, she performs so well that it becomes an inspiration to others. From country tunes like "Highway of Heartache" (with Carl Jackson) and "Don't Let Our Love Die" to folkier songs like "Snowin' on Raton," and beyond, Harris has a command for fluidity, poignancy and staying power.

Songbird is an excellent introduction to her work for its inclusion of rare and unreleased recordings, or a good opportunity to celebrate this incredibly talented artist for her more devoted fans.

The sweet voice of Emmylou Harris is a country standard and it is represented well in a new box set titled Songbird: Rare Tracks And Forgotten Gems. With the sample disc I received, I got a good sense of a voice that has always grabbed my attention.

Emmylou Harris was born in 1947 to a military family stationed in Birmingham, AL and grew up in the south. While attending the University of North Carolina, she developed a serious liking for the folk music sounds of Bob Dylan and Joan Baez. Thus prompting her to form a duo, leave UNC, move to New York and engulf herself in the Greenwich Village scene. While there, she would make the friends that would help her complete her debut album Gliding Bird. After its release the record label went under, leaving Emmylou with nothing and forcing her to move back to her parents who now lived in Washington D.C.

In D.C. she met members of the Flying Burrito Brothers who would hook her up with the young country rock pioneer Gram Parsons. He had been looking for a female voice to accompany him on his solo records and Emmylou was it. She would tour with him and his band and sing harmony on his two albums G.P. and Grievous Angel, the latter would become his most significant solo album. Although he tragically died soon after its recording, it continuing to have an impact.

Not long after Parsons passed Emmylou signed with Warner Bros/Reprise and recorded numerous albums and singles with the label into the ‘90s. After leaving Warners and moving to Asylum Records, she continued to release new music, refusing to become a nostalgic stage act. Throughout her career Emmylou would perform with many other great voices including Roy Orbison, Neil Young, Rodney Crowell, Dolly Parton and Linda Ronstadt, and let’s not forget Willie Nelson and George Jones. But it was with Parton and Ronstadt that Harris would record the extremely popular Trio and Trio II albums, which produced the hits “To Know Him Is To Love Him” (the Phil Spector Classic) and “Telling Me Lies.” It is from Trio that I first heard Emmylou Harris’ angelic voice for the first time.

Songbird breaks away from being a greatest-hits box and focuses on material that might not have been heard before by most folks. This is great because it turns the focus from just a song’s popularity to her amazing vocals. My sample disc opens with “Beyond The Blue” and is a perfect example of the power of her voice. With lines like “This life is but a dream” she sounds as if she is a mother gently whispering comfort to her fallen child or consoling them after a death in the family.

“Clocks” is a tune that has piano and guitar work sounding like ticking clocks and the plucking of time as it moves along, bringing sunlight to a missing loved one’s face. Again with her humming, Emmylou sounds soothing yet sad and brings chills that make me play this somewhat dark tune over and over again.

Two gems of the disc are “Palms Of Victory” and “Softly And Tenderly,” which feature the trio that first set my ears alight. “Softly” begins with the heart-stopping sound of Emmylou’s voice and nothing else. After 35 seconds in another world, the gentle picking of a banjo slips in to lend a hand along with the soft strumming of a guitar and the slow bowing of a big bass fiddle. On many of the disc’s songs the traditional instruments of the bluegrass sound aid the magic of Emmylou’s voice.

There are songs that take on different country styles like the prairie, western campfire leanings of “All I Left Behind” with its acoustic guitars and lament of things left behind on the lost highway. Another number about the lonesome road is “Highway Of Heartache” with Carl Jackson supplying male vocals. This tunes picks up the pace a bit and has a solid rhythm section with a low yet driving beat that shows Emmylou can move along just fine with something that swings a bit faster.

“Waltz Across Texas Tonight,” “Snowin’ On Raton,” and “Gone” are the songs outside of the Trio set I remember and love the most. “Waltz Across Texas” is a honky-tonk classic putting Emmylou in the company of country outlaw greats. “Gone” gives a wink and a nod to her hero Bob Dylan in its structure and lyrics. With piano, banjo, and electric and acoustic guitars these tunes bring it all together and capture the overall Emmylou Harris sound perfectly.

Her sweet and haunting vocals are soft yet contain a power that can move mountains and cause devils to cry. Even with great instruments and musicians behind her, Emmylou’s voice is what draws you in and holds you until she is done with a song. Her vocals take you wherever she goes, moving from a low whisper and quite hum to a soaring high-end note, held with perfection and marking a word with importance and forcing you to look at it and see it through her beautiful eyes. And yes, I do think that the woman is truly beautiful and it is reflected not only in her voice and good looks but in the way she carries herself in the media and throughout her life. Songbird is a wonderful look at that life and career.

Tracklists:

Disc: 1
01. Clocks (alternate version)
02. The Angels Rejoiced Last Night (Gram Parsons)
03. The Old Country Baptizing (Gram Parsons & The Fallen Angels)
04. Coats of Many Colors
05. For No One
06. Ooh Las Vegas
07. Satan's Jewel Crown
08. Tulsa Queen
09. My Songbird
10. Green Rolling Hills
11. One Paper Kid (Willie Nelson)
12. Sorrow In The Wind
13. Rough And Rocky
14. Jordan (Johnny Cash)
15. Darkest Hour Is Just Before Dawn
16. Ashes by Now (Dr. John)
17. How High The Moon
18. Spanish Johnny (Waylon Jennings)
19. The Lst Cheaters Waltz
20. Racing In The Streets
21. Like An Old Fashioned Waltz

Disc: 2
01. The Sweethearts of the Rodeo (Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt, Vince Gill & Gail Davies)
02. When I Was Yours
03. My Fathers House
04. Bright Morning Stars
05. When He Calls
06. Lonely Street
07. Brand New Dance
08. Get Up John
09. If I Could Be There
10. Ballad Of A Runaway House
11. Going Back To Harlan
12. Sweet Old World
13. All My Tears (Live)
14. Prayer In Open D (Live)
15. Bang The Drum Slowly
16. Boy From Tupelo
17. Lost Unto This World
18. Man Is An Island
19. Cup Of Kindness

Disc: 3
01. Falling In a Deep Hole (previously unreleased)
02. 1917 (Linda Ronstadt)
03. Palms of Victory (previously unreleased - Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt)
04. Softy and Tenderly (previously unreleased - Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt)
05. My Dear Companion (Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstatt)
06. Mary Danced with Soldiers (Nitty Gritty Dirt Band)
07. I Don't Love You Much Do I (Guy Clark)
08. All I Left Behind (previously unreleased)
09. I Remember You (Steve Earle)
10. Golden Ring (Linda Ronstadt and Anna & Kate McGarrigle
11. Sonny (Dolores Keanes, Mary Black)
12. In The Garden (previously unreleased)
13. Love Still Remains
14. Snake Song
15. Hobo's Lullaby
16. Wondering
17. Immigrant Eyes (previously unreleased)
18. Juanita (Sheryl Crow)
19. She (Pretenders)
20. Sin City (Beck)
21. Wheels (The Seldom Scene)

Disc: 4
01. Beyond The Blue (Patty Griffin)
02. First In Line (previously unreleased - John Starling)
03. Highway of Heartache (previously unreleased - Carl Jackson)
04. ALone And Forsaken (Mark Knopfler)
05. Child of Mine
06. Heaven Ain't Ready For You Yet
07. Wish We Were Back In Missouri
08. Mama's Hungry Eyes with Rodney Crowell
09. Here We Are (George Jones)
10. Waltz Across Texas Tonight (previously unreleased)
11. Snowin' On Raton (previously unreleased)
12. Gone (previously unreleased)
13. Don't Let Our Love Die (previously unreleased)
14. The Pearl (Live)
15. Wildwood Flower (Randy Scruggs, Iris DeMent)
16. Love And Happiness (Mark Knopfler)
17. When We're Gone, Long Gone (Linda Ronstadt, Dolly Parton)

Personnel: Willie Nelson, Vince Gill, Johnny Cash, Linda Ronstadt, George Jones, Mark Knopfler, Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, Dr. John, Waylon Jennings, Sheryl Crow, Steve Earle, Randy Scruggs, Band, Carl Jackson, Pretenders, Gram Parsons, Iris DeMent, Patty Griffin, Beck, Guy Clark, Kate McGarrigle, John Starling, Seldom Scene, Mary Black, Gail Davies, Delores Keane

Quality: VBR (Lame 3.97 Preset Extreme) 44100 Joint Stereo
Size: 475.67MB
Genre: Country | Folk | Country Rock | Bluegrass | Songwriter

* * * * * * * *