Living Room Performance: The Mavericks "Come Unto Me"

The Mavericks - "Come Unto Me"
2012 Americana Music Festival
Ryman Auditorium, Austin TX



Nashville veterans The Mavericks have been making their unique style of Country-rock for over twenty years. This January the band will be releasing In Time, their first album seven years to coincide with the 20th anniversary of their first major label release. Enjoy this performance of "Come Unto Me", a track you'll find on the new album.

Tuesday Double Feature: Alialujah Choir "A House A Home" & The Last Bison "Switzerland"

This week's Tuesday Double Feature includes two videos with Fantastical dream like imagery.

Alialujah Choir - "A House A Home"



This Portland Oregon side project is made up of some of the best folk artist this rain soaked city of ours has to offer. Their dreamy organic music is earthy and comforting. Spaciously sparse and boldly arresting the Alialujah Choir create songs that are beautifuly emotional. Celebrating the recent release of their dedut self-titled album we should expect to see more from this great band.  

The Last Bison - "Switzerland"



This Virginia based band combines elements of alternative rock, folk and chamber music to create wonderfully unique arrangements. With the recent release of their latest EP Inheritance on Republic Records The Last Bison are starting to build momentum. Having made an appearance at this years Musicfest NW, we can only hope that they won't be strangers to the Northwest.

From The Shelf: Alabama Shakes - Boys & Girls (2012)

Alabama Shakes
Boys & Girls
ATO Records

Thank God for Brittany Howard and the Alabama Shakes. The soulful blues ache in her voice almost makes you want to cry. If you're like me and was raised on your parents Motown albums, then listening to their debut LP Boys & Girls is like a sweet memory you didn't even know you had. Occasionally affected by coffee shop impulse buying, this is the first album I've bought at a Starbucks that I didn't regret after three tracks. Filled with some of the most emotionally bold soul music to be played in over four decades this album is a must for anyone that loves Aretha Franklin, Carol King or Otis Redding.

From the aching groove of "Hold On" to the driving build of the closing  track this album is an audio time machine through the history of soul. There's the subtle rocking pew sway of the 50's in the title track "Boys & Girls."  "Rise to the Sun" on the other hand personifies the dancing shake of the heyday of 60's soul, while "I Found You" is the strutting gize and attitude rich flavor of Apollo nights of the politically charged 70's.

Stylistically and emotionally rich this album is amazing from start to finish. It has the three element that make all truly great soul music; Amazing instrumentation, a voice that can knock you to the grounds and faith. If the band can stay true to all three of these  facets then they are sure to be with us for a long while and will find the recognition that they truly deserve.   
 

Living Room Performance: Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit "Danko/Manuel"

Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit - "Danko/Manuel"
WorkPlay Birmingham, Alabama
August 17th, 2012



Having launched his career as a songwriting member of the Drive-By Truckers, Jason Isbell has spent the last several years proving his individual greatness as the lead of his own band the 400 Unit. Isbell released his first full-length live album Live From Alabama  just yesterday. So in honor of the occasion we've posted this performance. Enjoy 

Tuesday Double Feature: Reckless Ones "Dead & Gone" & The Hillbilly Moon Explosion "My Love Evermore"

This week's Tuesday Double feature feels like it's right out of the Grindhouse Theaters of the 60's and 70's.

Reckless Ones - "Dead & Gone"



This post-apocalyptic video from Minneapolis rockabilly band the Reckless Ones plays like Lance Mungia's Six-String Samurai. This Midwest three piece personifies all that is holy in the rockabilly world: Tattoos, hot-rods and curvacious women worthy of a Petty pin-up calender. Denying the sterile sound of the present these boys wrap themselves in the warm tones of their retro goodness and the world is better for it.

The Hillbilly Moon Explosion - "My Love For Evermore"



Like a David Lynch film this video by Zurich based The Hillbilly Moon Explosion has an off putting high art feel that would make Tarantino jealous. With a brand new album Buy,Beg or Steal filled with the haunting vocals of Emanuela Hutter and the swinging top shelf Americana their known for. This band is expanding it's fan base with leaps and bounds.

Cure for the Mondays: Smoochknob "Meet Me Half The Way"

Smoochknob - "Meet Me Half The Way"


Clown-love In Portland, makes a cute video but a scarey internet search.



Home town favorites, Portland's Smoochknob are known for their fun antics. So this humorous little video for the upcoming single off their forthcoming album is no surprise. With any luck we'll be seeing the new album in spring of 2013. Until then, I hope that your Monday doesn't suck too much.

About Last Night: Two Cow Garage @ Dante's 11/10/12

Last Night Two Cow Garage left everything but a severed limb and the kitchen sink on Dante's stage. For those of us who braved the cold, bore witness to one of the greatest rock shows to roll through Portland in months.

Starting off the night was the blue coller rock of Portland's Truckstop Darlin'. I love the work ethic of this band. There was no messing around. Using every second of their 45 minute slot John Phelan and the boys played every song they could fit. This is how every opening band should be.  Plowing through their set list with a systematic focus Truckstop Darlin' is sure to have please their fans and won some new ones. A perfect introduction into the night, there salt-of-the-earth set lead wonderfully into the aggressively raw performance of fellow Portland favorites I Can Lick Any Sonofabitch In The House. 

The boldly aggressive rock'n'Roll of Micheal Dean Dameron and the irreplaceable crew of SOB is some of the best damn music you will ever hear and this goes twice as true live at Dante's where they hold home court advantage.  Last night was a particularly amazing show even as short as an opening slot in a four band line-up. A perfect balance of the flesh pounding force and heartbreaking vulnerability that is SOB at its best, Dameron's gravel raw vocals seemed more poignant than ever. The band was also in rare form, as though re-energized from a long hiatus and chomping at the bit.  The concussive rhythm of Flapjack Texas's no nonsense drumming and the punctuating precision of Mole Harris's bass poured from the stage with a true physical presence. While the playful guitar flairs of Jon Burbank and harp mastery of David Lipkind gave even familiar songs new life.  As the minutes clicked away I have to admit that I felt a little cheated. I could listen to these guys all night but thankfully the best was yet to come.

Like a punk rock machine gun The Copyrights' followed with a rappid-fire delivery that was unrelenting. Undeniably this band has a hand on that great punk rock energy that can spill from a stage a excite an audience. What they don't have is songs that sound different. Their  performance on stage was powerful  and fit wonderfully in the mix of the bands. Unfortunately, half way through their set it felt as thought they were playing one song the whole time. The one redeeming factor of their show was that their no breaks delivery maintained the momentum of the show and spring-boarded the night in to the mind blowing performance of Two Cow Garge.     

And what a performance it was. Bounding across the stage with uncanny punk rock dexterity Shane Sweeney and Micah Schnabel flew about like balls of rock'n'roll fury. It's been a long time since I've seen a performance this unyieldingly powerful. Fueled with an energy formulated from one part small town frustration, one part artistic hunger and a good helping of pure joy to be on a stage in front of a crowd that loved them; there was no stopping these boys. Driving through one song to the next, the crowd howling along the red hewed walls of Dante's never felt this familiar. Near Primal, Two Cow Garage gave there all and we loved every moment of it.
Combined these bands gave one of the best concerts I've seen and reminded us beyond party lines what America is really about.