I always knew Houston’s Robert Ellis was the real deal. Now they agree with me across the pond. From The Guardian’s New Band of the Day:
“That idea of dovetailing country old and “new” – the Nudie suit-wearing good ol’ boys and the countercultural LA wannabes – is a development, of sorts, although arguably Gram Parsons was the living embodiment of both sensibilities. Robert Ellis is a hippie throwback but he also moves between periods and worlds with aplomb – at a recent party for Paste magazine he and his band, according to one onlooker, “deconstructed old bluegrass songs and borrowed as much from Radiohead as George Jones”. He alternates between country and alt.country on the two “sides” ofof (sic) his concept album Photographs.”
Aside from his appearance I don’t get the “hippie” reference, but whatever. Ellis is getting the attention he so richly deserves.
Here’s Robert Ellis’ Stream of “Photographs” at Paste.com