Category Archives: New Artists

Music Review – Red Eye Junction – In The Shadows (Self-Released)

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If you like your country music steeped in the sound of Bakersfield and honky-tonk that reeks with the aroma of beer and sawdust rathe than hair mousse and celebrity fragrances then San Luis Obispo California’s Red Eye Junction’s second release In The Shadows might be your cup of shine. The ghosts of Lefty Frizzell, Buck Owens and Hank Williams Sr. haunt every groove of this fine release. Featuring songs that appear deceptively simple that on closer listen manifest a musical craftsmanship reverent for music made for Saturday-night sinning and Sunday-morning salvation.

Red Eye Junction features a crackerjack band on this release as led by the Benevolent Dr. Cain (as he is billed) who possesses a high-lonesome keen only at home in country music, and most associated with Bill Monroe, Hank Williams Sr. and Jimmy Dale Gilmour, and Jackpot Jonny Clarke who can pick slicker than a greased pig on a July night.

Tonight is a boot-skootin‘ tunes about good times and good lovin‘. These Five Strings and Gone Again are boudoir bawlers that feature pedal Steel by master Tommy Butler and Talk of the Town and Home Ain’t So Sweet are cheating (and potentially murder) songs featuring Jonny Clarke on slightly gruffed vocals and Greg Clarke’s fine fiddle work. A stand out for me is the title cut, an simmering atmospheric minor-chord lament with Buck Dylan’s midnight train harmonica. Anytown is a rollicking road song praising small town life and Two Part Blue features both Dr. Cain and Jonny Clarke sharing vocals on this light-hearted barroom confessional.

Pick up In The Shadow, crack open a brew and celebrate the enduring spirit of country music.

MySpace | CD Baby

“It’s All Over” – Red Eye Junction (from thier first release “Outlaws And Heroes”)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvB0W0-qdBQ[/youtube]


Americana Music Festival Chooses Artists

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The Americana Music Association, working in partnership with Sonicbids, has selected the first two showcase artists for the upcoming Americana Music Festival (which will be held September 16-19, 2009 in Nashville, TN).

Brigid Kaelin made the front page of The Tennessean on her very first day playing Nashville, daring to play the accordion to country music during the 2007 Nashville Star finals. Last May, she wrote Elvis Costello a note offering her services as an Imposter, and he invited her to play live with his band without rehearsal. Dueling head-to-head accordion solos with keyboardist Steve Nieve, she later received several standing ovations during her musical saw solo.

Kaelin is a trained jazz pianist who played show tunes at West Village cabarets while a student at New York University. She released a country Chanukah record “Mazel Tonk!”

Jacob Simpson (vocals, guitar), Chase McGill (vocals, guitar, banjo, piano) and Dustin Hedrick (violin) initially formed Come On Go With Us while studying at Mississippi State University.  With their strong Southern roots in mind, they embraced the idea of sweet tea, hot weather, family and friends, soon began the writing process and later took to the road. The band’s first full length album drops in March.

Applications for the 2009 Americana Music Festival will be accepted through Thursday, April 30, 2009.  You may submit your materials directly to the AMA office via mail. All submissions must include the application form. Information on the submission process and access to the application form may be found at the AMA Website.

Conference registrations currently at the early bird discount rate of $250 for members and $350 for non-members are available at the Americana Music Online Store.

PopMatters Interviews Gary Louris and Mark Olson

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  • PopMatters.com’s Juli Thanki in her current Torch & Twang dispatch looks over the history of coal mining in country and folk music and asks if the topic is still relevant today. As the jobless rates soar I’d say the sentiment these songs embody is as important as ever.
  • Continuing with the PopMatters.com love, Michael Franco sits down with ex-Jayhawks Gary Louris and Mark Olson to talk about their new release Ready for the Flood and the possibility of a Jayhawks reunion.
  • Twangville has a review of Changing Horses, the new Americana venture by indie-pop singer/songwriter Ben Kweller.
  • Plant, Krauss and T Bone Burnett have some interesting, endearing and funny things to say after their bonanza at the Grammys.
  • The best thing for me about Carrie Underwood’s bombastic performance at the Grammys (besides her dress) was the smoking blonde supporting her by shredding axe. Her name is Orianthi and she’s a 34 year-old Australia guitar prodigy whos  first support show was for Steve Vai when she was 15.

The 51st Grammy Awards- Carrie Underwood “Last Name”

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QvOAzkaAxA&feature=related[/youtube]

Or, The Whale at Hotel Utah

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  • For one week only you can download honeyhoney‘s song “Brahm’s Lullaby” for FREE! honeyhoney’s “Brahm’s Lullaby” was featured in an Anti-Smoking campaign commercial in California (titled Grim Reapers.) Beginning Tuesday, February 3rd – honeyhoney’s “Brahm’s Lullaby” will be available for purchase on iTunes.
  • ACountry.com is giving away tickets to the city to your choice of Robert Earl Keen’s scheduled stops between February 11th to April 4th. 2009 marks the 20th Anniversary of Robert Earl Keen’s “The Road Goes on Forever” and will be the subject of a live tribute album to be released on Jan. 6, 2009 as well as a new book The Road Goes On Forever The Music Never Ends… which will be released in March, 2009.

JD Wilkes Side Project – The Dirt Daubers

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Jessica Cassyle Carr at Alibi.com holds a Q&A with Denver based former 16 Horsepower frontman and current Gothic Americana singer/songwriter David Eugene (aka Wovenhand.)

The Arizona Daily Star gives us a peak at the A-list alt.country artist packed tribute album for the Hacienda Brothers leader Chris Gaffney. Joe Ely, Los Lobos, Dave Alvin, Tom Russell, James McMurtry, Robbie Fulks, John Doe, Dave Gonzales and members Calexico and more  appear. The Hacienda Brothers‘ final album, “Arizona Motel,” came out last June, two months after Gaffney’s death.

I’m a huge fan of the Psychobilly/Gothic sideshow that is Th’ Legendary Shack Shakers so I was pleased that LeighAbsinthia over at the Hank III cussin’ board brought to my attention JD Wilkes roots music side project, along with his wife Layne Hendrickson. Ladies and gentleman I bring you The Dirt Daubers.

The Dirt Daubers – “Sugar Baby”

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFVy9R3UsCA[/youtube]

Those Darlins on Tour

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Ever wonder what it would been like if Anita, June, and Helen Carter had been reared on pop-punk,  kept their respect for old-school country  and looked great in shorts? Well wonder no longer friends, Tennessee-based Those Darlins combine Pentecost earnestness with riot girrl spirit that delivers a sound both reverent and brazen. Fresh off  sharpening their chops  on a holiday run with O’Death and Boss Hog these Southern gals are raring to get back on the road. Go listen to their EP on their MySpace page (and then buy one!) then go see ’em live and show some love.

Those Darlins – Tour Dates

Jan 8 – Off Broadway + St. Louis, Missouri
Jan 9 – Radio Radio + Indianapolis, Indiana
Jan 10 – The Hideout (early show 7pm) + Chicago, Illinois
Jan 13 – The Toad (early show at 8PM)  +  Cambridge, Massachusetts
Jan 14 – Johnny Brenda’s +    Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Jan 15 – The Mercury Lounge  *  New York, New York
Jan 16 2009 – The Mercury Lounge ++     New York, New York
Jan 17 2009 – Union Pool ++ New York, New York

Feb 28 – 9:30 Club ** Washington, DC
Mar 1 – Paradise Club ** Boston, MA
Mar 2 – Music Hall of Williamsburg ** Brooklyn, NY
Mar 3 – Bowery Ballroom ** New York, NY
Mar 5 – Beachland Ballroom ** Cleveland, OH
Mar 6 – Metro ** Chicago, IL
Mar 7 – First Avenue ** Minneapolis, MN
Mar 10 – The Showbox ** Seattle, WA
Mar 11 – Wonder Ballroom ** Portland, OR
Mar 13 – Bimbo’s ** San Francisco, CA
Mar 14 – El Rey Theatre – Los Angelos, CA

+ headline
* w/Ida Marie
++ w/The Soft Pack & The Browns
** w/ Dan Auerbach

Those Darlins – Wild One

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0oZ38g_P7U[/youtube]

Ladies and Gentlemen…Ms. Rachel Brooke

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You can keep your Carrie Underwoods, your Taylor Swifts, your Jewels and your Jessica Simpsons…I’ll take a beer and another song by Michigan’s Rachel Brooke.

Rachelle Brooke Covering Hank William’s Old Log Train

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3YNlIVxwWk[/youtube]

Review – Star Anna – Crooked Path (Malamute Records)

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Now this is how it’s done. Ellensburg, Washington based Star Anna Krogstie‘s debut release, “Crooked Path” (the English translation of her Norwegian surname) delivers some of the finest work in alternative country today.

Echoing the folky remoteness of Cat Power (Chan Marshall), the rustic revivalism of Gillian Welch, and just a grain of Neko Case style Southern-gothic smoldering, Star Anna wears her influences proudly but makes her own mark on the material here.

Her band the Laughing Dogs lay down adept and solid sounds that moves from the alt.country of “If Wishes Were Horses” , “Black Cat Blues” to the Appalachian-style raved-up title song. “Places We Exist” takes page from the Van Morrison book of swinging pop-folk and “Space Beneath The Door” grooves along with a soft blues-funk that belies the love don’t live here no more message of the song. One of the finest songs in a whole line of fine songs is the slow-burning “No Surprise” featuring a weeping bottle-neck accompaniment is as haunting as anything done by the great Patsy Cline and is guaranteed to break your heart and make you reach for the bottle.

Sure the sound moves across a sonic landscape, but Star Anna pulls it all together with her lilting passionate voice. This is one of the finest debut releases it has been my pleasure to hear.

Star Anna – “If WIshes Were Horses”

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSNb9qVI5Nk[/youtube]

Deadstring Brothers Fall Tour with the Shooter Jennings

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Motor City’s Deadstring Brothers have scored themselves a
place on the bill with Shooter Jennings on part of their
upcoming Fall tour. The Sticky-Fingers influenced roots-rockers are currently on tour in the UK and will begin a trek through the US in mid October in support of their current Bloodshot release “Starving Weather Report.” The Brothers will join Bloodshot brethren Scott H. Biram, The Meat Purveyors and more at the Bloodshot Records / CMJ Bar-B-Que on Saturday, November 4th at Union Pool in Brooklyn.  

more Deadstring Dates:

Sat 9/30    London            UK     The Borderline

Sun 10/01   Bristol           UK     The Promenade

Tue 10/03   Swansea           UK     The Chattery

Wed 10/04   Sheffield         UK     The Boardwalk

Thu 10/05   Hull              UK     The Adelphi

Fri 10/06   Darvel, Scotland  UK     Darvel Music Festival

Sat 10/07   Wolvehampton      UK     The Little Civic

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