Rolling country 2007 thread

I thought Elizabeth McQueen's version of "Almost Blue" was one of the best things on her "pub-rock" record. Hard to think that McQueen will ever make a great album, though, unless someone else is totally in charge. She's got a very nice voice, but she seems to lack an artistic killer instinct, so results run from nice to nice, without much else. I've paid astonishingly little attention to Costello over the years, but my guess is that he's somewhere the opposite of McQueen: does have the killer instinct but doesn't have the voice. But then, when I was listening to him back in the "This Year's Girl" days, I thought his musical instincts evaporated when you went beyond his voice and songs; which is to say that the Attractions could jab you but they couldn't rock you, they didn't manage (or the producer - Nick Lowe? - failed to capture) the basic voluptuousness of music. So he was like the Franz Ferdinand of his day. (I like Franz Ferdinand, a funny glammy take on postpunk, but the band's basic herky-jerk undercuts its viscera.) Then, barely paying attention, I got the feeling that Costello was reaching out and embracing a whole bunch of things that his voice couldn't do justice to.

The bits I've read about early Yoakum match up with what Chris said: he was playing honky-tonk in L.A. country bars in the Valley for patrons who'd rather have heard Kenny Rogers; then the cowpunks found him or vice versa and they were willing to listen and applaud.

Sure, Chuck, I will get you a copy. I remember having two conversations with the publisher's publicist about getting one to you when the book was in the bloom of youth, so I don't know what happened. But I bought a stash for purposes just like this. Actually, I should have waited--I see there are now remaindered copies on Amazon going for cheaper than what I bought 'em for from the publisher a few months ago.

Count me in among those who "discovered" country via "Almost Blue" (not counting childhood viewings of "Hee Haw" and a copy of "Cattle Call" that was the one country record in our household). I love Costello--as in, 98% of everything he's done--beyond most standards of reason, so I should probably refrain from defending him to non-fans, lest I just get apoplectic. But "Almost Blue" was probably never one of anybody's most beloved EC records; if any of his LPs should have had "Stiff" on the spine, it should've been that one. But I love it even if it puzzlingly stuck too close to some sort of remembrance of what Billy Sherrill should do for its own good (after the one raucous cut, the opener). And I think "Good Year for the Roses" is still rightfully remembered as a great single, in the UK, where it was a hit. Anyway, "King of America" was Costello's great "country" record, sort of. There's still more material there waiting to be covered by some brave artist, even though Johnny and Rosanne Cash both got to individual tracks.

On the subject of Dwight, last time he played L.A., he raged from the stage about Brooks & Dunn appropriating his "Hillbilly Deluxe" title (though he didn't mention them by name). Made me wonder... does he pick a bone about that every night?

Thanks, Chris! (Believe it or not, I even put your book on my Xmas list last year, but sadly nobody bought me the copy I'm too cheap to buy myself.)

I personally have never comprehended the attraction of any Costello after Trust, but I've admittedly become lazier and lazier over the years about trying to keep up with the old cuss. Never really connected with Get Happy, either -- if it's Stax, it's Stax with tall he funk taken out, as far as I can tell. (Ha, here's a good question: What is Elvis C's funkiest song ever? I pick "Getting Mighty Crowded," which is a Van McCoy cover, I believe, on the underrated early odds-and-sods collection Taking Liberties, but maybe I'm missing some obvious competition.) On the other hand, I think Frank kind of underrates the Attractions' rocking on This Year's Model.

In fact, so far, I'd say the Attractions rock harder on that album than the Stooges do on their new album. I need to listen more, but so far, I'd say the band sounds almost as thin and drowning underwater as Iggy does. Though maybe I just need to get past Albini's typically self-defeating production muffle, who knows. Either way, though, Iggy pretty much sounds awful. A couple of the songs ("ATM," which may or may not be better than Girls Against Boys' "Cold Cash Machine"; "I'm Fried") do kind of sound like songs though, at least. And I have been loving Steve Mackay's sax blurts in I think "I'm Fried" and the otherwise very shitty and hookless "She Took My Money," which I didn't expect. So far, the track I hate most is "You Can't Have Friends," though competition may emerge as I listen to it more. (On the other hand, I don't get either the people who complain or the people who rave about the allegedly "stupid lyrics." They're just sound like...lyrics.)

This more-or-less random cdbaby Southern-rock CD rocks harder than Weirdness too, as far as I can tell so far. Singer's a little too Steve Earle for my tastes, but "Rebels and Cadillacs" and "Devil Knows His Name" and "I Ain't Him" ["Him" being Jesus] and "Can't Hide the Tears" really kick:

(Oops, cdbbaby down now. Album is Pete Berwick, Last Train Outta Nasvhille. Also liking another new cdbaby CD, by a big-voiced gal named Shawna Corder. Especially liking "Real Good Time" and "Chevy Impala." She tries to reclaim "I Will Always Love You" for country, too, though I get the idea she grew up on Whitney's version rather than the Dolly one herself. I'll post links to these once the site is done doing its Saturday maintenance.)

Also wish I heard a fifth as much rock'n'roll on that new Stooges album as I hear in Neil Sedaka's new The Definitive Collection on Razor & Tie this morning, which is wonderful, way better than I would've expected. I've loved "Laughter In the Rain" and "Bad Blood" and "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do" before, but this album really makes the case for Neil as a great high-voiced pop-rocker. And the closer, "Junkie For Your Love," is diva disco!)

Okay, already! Pete Berwick:

http://cdbaby.com/cd/berwick2

Shawna Corder:

http://cdbaby.com/cd/shawnacorder

So far, the track I hate most is "You Can't Have Friends,"

Okay, the band rocks passably on this I guess. But Iggy makes it sound like a Jane's Addiction song, I just realized! I don't know if that's good or bad.

So far, though, nothing on the album except MacKay's sax has come close to kicking my ass. I don't know how much more time I should waste on it.

I am going to shut up about the Stooges album on this thread from now on, though, unless I notice country on it. Future comments: Metal thread only.

More Southern Ohio pretty-gal pop-country! (See also: Shawna Corder):

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=48008592

Promo CD single has "I Break", which is first on her myspace page, and which is slow and not bad, at track #2, but much more importantly "Husband 2," which is fast and really great, at #1.

Also listening tonight to 2004 chitlin-circuit cdbaby soul (as in: everything from blues to disco to absolutely unabasedly schmoove-jazzed schmaltz) by Bobby Wayne; "This House is Haunted" sounds the best so far, but "Homestead Greys" (despite sounding curiously singer-songwriterly) rules by virtue of being the most blatant Negro League tribute I've ever heard:

http://cdbaby.com/cd/bobbywayne

And also also listening to the newly released soundtrack to the apparent circa 2003 German movie Schulze Gets The Blues, which compiles all kinds oof apparently unknown acts (Bobby Jones Czech Band! Jackie Callier & the Cajun Cousins! Brachstedter Musikanten! Zydeco Force! Chorgenmeinschaft 'Sang & Klang' Angerdorf! and draws the most explicit connections between
polkas-and-oompahs and zydecos-and-cajuns of any album I'm aware of; I can't find a track listing on line, but these pictures describe the mood nicely:

http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=schultze+gets+the+blues&btnG=Search+Images&gbv=2

Plot summary:

Schultze is a retired lignite miner living in an East German village and a passionate Polka musician on his accordion. One night he listens to a Zydeco tune in the radio, which changes his taste of music radically. Notwithstanding his complete ignorance of the English language he starts a trip into the heart of the Zydeco; to Louisana

"On The Drift" is Bobby Wayne at his most country; "Time" is Bobby Wayne at his most jazz; and "Dig Yourself" (basically a check yourself before you wreck yourself with some other woman advice-type song) is as good as "This House Is Haunted."

From the Joisy/Philly axis, not as "Tex-Mex" or "country-rock outlaw style" as his cdbaby page sez he is. Also way more ridiculous than he probably he thinks he is. Reminds me of Huey Lewis, for some reason. Just not as good:

http://cdbaby.com/cd/jimmielee5

Okay, I dunno, I'm kinda liking "Saloon Girl," actually -- has a real early '70s Top 40 soft-rock cheese feel. So I won't give up on Jimmie Lee yet.

From Arkansas (via Savannah, Georgia, where she apparently goes to college), seeming bubble-country potential, and some promising song titles ("The Dating Game," "Forever Green"), but something missing: Like tunes, maybe? Or more likely, production. Though her voice is too average, maybe:

http://cdbaby.com/cd/scoutfinch

Wait, there is some Tex-Mex in Jimmie Lee's sound! I spoke way too soon. "Hey Trina" could be the beginning of "Switchin' to Glide" by the Kings via Joe "King" Carrasco, almost, and it quotes "Steppin' Stone" and has early '60s style cornball Jersey/South Philly Italianate doo-wop backup falsettos. I dig it!! And "Steel Guitars And Whiskey" is really catchy too -- The guy has a way with a hook; no wonder he gets all those girls! I'm still not sure why he thinks his music is "country rock," but who cares??

(i.e., the "Hey Trina" chorus reminds me of when the Kings used to go "Hey little Donna, ya still wanna? You said to ring you up when I was in Toronta"; everybody remembers that one on good AOR stations back in 1979, right?)

And his "Homewrecker" sounds like "I'm A Girl Watcher" (who did that song?) as covered by George Thorogood, or somebody. (Maybe early '60s rock'n'roll is country rock by now? Plus he does sing about steel guitars and whiskey, and "Saloon Girl" = "Whiskey Girl," maybe? Why not?)

Actually, he does sound country-rock, in a way. But it's the '70s-pop everywhere there's signs messin up the scenery breaking my mind hitchin a ride gotta get me home to my baby's side she took me by the hand and we made love in my chevy van and that's all right with me kind--which I guess doesn't initally hit me as "country" or even "rock." Though of course it is.

So ha, after all that (which nobody was paying attention to, apparently), I'd now call Layin' Down the Law by Jimmie Lee one of my favorite albums (or EPs, whatever: seven songs; runs maybe 22 or 23 minutes I guess -- perfect!) of the year. I like every song! And supposedly this is Jimmie Lee's dozenth album, or thereabouts! (Well, his cdbaby page actually says "'Layin' Down The Law' marks his 12th CD release this spring
of 2007," and I doubt he's really put out 12 different CDs this spring, seeing how spring is only a couple days old now, but I think I know what he's trying to say.) Though no doubt hiring a producer (David Ivory) who's produced Patti Labelle and Philly sleaze-rockers Silvertide before didn't hurt. But I like Jimmie Lee's attitude, too -- it's sort of like that one song I was talking about above on the new REO Speedwagon album that reminded me of Electric Six: Especially in "Homewrecker" and "Muscle Money and Glory" (an excellent '70s radio style hard rocker like nobody knows how to pull off anymore) this dude's what Dick Valentine only pretends to be. His apartment's very messy, he's got whiskers on his chin, he's gone on country music, and he always plays to win. (Actually, he's clean-shaven. But still.)

This thread done died? Again? Sad...

Shawna Corder cdbaby CD linked to above has basically three songs I like enough to probably want to hear again of ten: "Real Good Time," "Chevy Impala," "My Kinda Man" (who cooks her dinner). Don't mind "Home Run" (about running a home, I gather) or the "I Will Always Love You" remake, either. And some of the ballads certainly bust an impressive gut, vocal-wise.

Pete Berwick CD is better; just wish his singing wasn't so Steve-Earle-flat.

Great ambient.shoegaze.pop.psychedelic.rock.country record from Courtney Tidwell called Don't Let Stars Get Us Tangled Up. I love this record so much I want to take it out behind the junior high school etc.

I ain't dead. Trying to finish up a couple particularly challenging pieces this week, and fighting a cold. Filed a profile of Rodney Atkins that oughta run soon, and I interviewed Pam Tillis yesterday, which was interesting. Just as I thought, she consciously made this record to sound like a 1973 Gram Parsons album. She's nice.
Got an LP copy of Buddy Emmons' Sings Bob Wills, from '78. Great playing from all involved, but he's not much of a singer. He's one amazing steel player, though.
The Cortney Tidwell record is real good. I wrote about her last month, saw her play in Nashville. She's opening some dates for Andrew Bird. She belongs on this thread; might've mentioned before that she's a real native Nashvillean--rara avis these days--and that her mother, Connie Eaton, was a minor country star in the '70s, as was her grandfather, Bob Eaton. What's interesting about her record, and a lot of stuff coming out of Nashville's indie scene, is how ten-years-ago it is, like her triphop moves, which I find somewhat unconvincing. (Hands Off Cuba, composed of some of her backing musicians, sounds just like Tortoise in 1997; Lone Official, ditto, sounds just like Pavement or the Sea and Cake or someone. These bands are all influenced by Pavement, and also by the Louisville/Chicago bands of, er, ten years ago.)

xps

A livejournal friend linked this the other day:

Dolly and Cher

Rodney Carrington's "Show Them To Me" = Not as good as "Boobs a Lot" by the Holy Modal Rounders. (He lost me at the word "funbags.")

Not feeling these guys, though their nation of origin (Norway) and their name (reminiscent of '80s Poguesalikes who I once owned an EP by The Men They Couldn't Hang) led me to have high hopes. But they just sound dull:

http://cdbaby.com/cd/tmtcs

Drawing a blank on so far: New CDs by Jack Ingram, David Lee Martin.

Haven't even put on yet: New CD by Gretchen Wilson.

Liking so far (but not quite country, at least so far): New CD by Mary Weiss.

Also liking so far (but only country in that it's crunk): New CD by Crime Mob.

Oops, his name's DANIEL Lee Martin. Apparently.

yeah, I'm supposed to be writing about Mary Weiss but somehow her peeps won't send it.

still haven't found time to listen to Gretchen, or to this tribute to June Carter Cash I got, featuring the usual suspects: Costello, Paisley, Lynn, Billy Bob Thornton...

did attend to Southern Culture on the Skids' Countrypolitan Favorites. They actually kinda make me like them or at least not hate them (the band, not the mostly cool songs they choose to cover, like T. Rex' "Life's a Gas" and "Tobacco Road" and "Te Ni Nee Ni Nu," the latter which was covered far better by Alex Chilton). But it's still just kitsch and I don't see the point of their devotion. Yes, some of us live in houses and others live in trailers but we all share our martinis on Saturday night and then the most adventurous of us slip behind the barn for a snort of moonshine or crystal or Krystals (no cheese) or a girl named Krystal. Kinda tired shtick.

The Alternate Routes' Good and Reckless and True is a species of overstated country-rock; they also sound like a '90s band like the Gin Blossoms, guitar overload, a singer whose very self-involved tenor reminds me of Rufus Wainwright's (don't think they wear anything but jeans, and they're pictured on the CD cover at dusk silhouetted against the sky, but they do have a song called "California" which isn't as good as Wainwright's song of the same name). Some real nice dynamic shifts and pauses and they get off the occasional good line about how they wrote this song on the back of a coaster. Two or three really pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty good songs (as Larry David might put it), and the whole thing is a mannerism. "Are You Lonely" does effectively balance a relatively dirty-sounding verse with an intriguing chorus. Pretty good. They seem like one of those bands who, if they'd just cut loose and get looser, would be even better, and I do like the way they simulate straining at the form. And to my ears they demonstrate the influence of that Mr. The Edge-style guitar non-chordal conception on country-rock, big heroic quarter notes and a cool harmonic ambiguity I wish they'd go further with.

Oh, and I felt good the other day talking to Pam Tillis, who was nice. My first thought about her new 'un was that it was a direct lift from those Gram Parsons records. First thing she said was that she was consciously emulating the sound and feel of GP and Grievous Angel. Has anyone heard her record of all Mel Tillis-associated songs she did a few years ago? I went back and listened to some of her '90s stuff like "Cleopatra, Queen of Denial." Pretty, pretty, pretty....

the mary weiss isn't particular country, but it is particularly good. not to sound like an old man or anything, but it puts all of the current "-ettes" bands to shame. fave songs so far: "stop and think it over," "i don't care."

liking a lot: tim mcgraw single "last dollar (fly away)," which sounds particularly joe walsh-y.

The song I'm liking most on this Tim McGraw album is "Put Your Lovin' On Me." It sounds like it might be a typical "Hard Day's Night"-style song about getting' some good lovin' at the end of a hard workin' day, and it almost is. But there's something about the fact that it's about 70% sorrow and only about 30% sensuality that intrigues me. For somebody whose audience is predominantly female, McGraw is pretty good at picking these male angt songs, of which there are several more on the record.

i went to a fundraiser tonite, for a xian ranch, with a singer, who was the worst hat act i had encountered yet, no modulation, fake drums, and mushy stories about the dead. shiver.

Just picked up a rentacar for a week-long road trip down through Delaware/Maryland/Virginia and back up, and gave cursory listens on the way back from Manhattan (where Avis is) to Queens (where my apt and luggage is) to both Jack Ingram and Daniel Lee Martin, and they were both sounding better than I expected. Ingram actually has more than a little squireely Tom Petty powerpop in his sound, and the Hinder-cover cheating song is okay enough that it makes me wonder if I should go back and listen to Hinder's version, and he does this funky Eagles-I-think-riff rocker where he replaces the word "fuck" with "love" all the way through. Martin's more the rugged outdoorsman, apparently, but I really like the rocker about the girl born into a family whose business is moonshine, and the outdoorsy anthem about why tall buildings in cities are why God made rivers, and the song about it depends which way you look at it with the dark hard opening riff that reminds me that Bob Dylan's "Hurricae" was pretty dark and rocking song, and the pastoral introduction to the John Denver cover which I haven't otherwise listened to yet. First few songs on post-Rancid Poguesalikes Filthy Thieving Bastards' new CD sounded promising too. So I guess I'll take all three of those on the road with me (along with enough other CDs to fill my carrying case.) Kings Of Leon, whose new album I decided didn't sound absolutely horrible but also didn't sound very good (lotsa Counting Crows in it, some early U2, some fake reggae, not a pinch of the Southern and/or garage rock people claim -- okay maybe a speck of Strokes?) will not make the cut.

Didn't know there was a new Gretchen but thought her version of "The Midnight Oil" ruled the Mandrell comp, had Gretchen's force without her jabbing elbows. I also quite adore the Eurobosh rave happy hardcore make 'em mokum crazy neofreestyle or whatever it is remix of "Redneck Woman" which I assume is unauthorized and not on the new album or everyone would be swooning or sputtering over it already.

Only've heard the the MySpace tracks and 30-second clips of the rest of the Mary Weiss. Her voice has adult richness, but it also seems a lot more rigid than that of the wailing teen we formerly knew her as. Maybe this is a defensive reaction on my part when rehearing a former flame, to immediately think "Oh, it's not that good" - to get a jump on my own potential disappointment and therefore not really feel the disappointment. So I may take a while before reaching a balance in my appraisal, but I am disappointed. "Break It One More Time" does seem a strong song but weighed down by the singing.

Read in the NY Times that "Last Dollar (Fly Away)" was written by Big Kenny; think it would make more sense for him to have sung it. The words still throw me, maybe 'cause I want for something that evokes both "King Of The Road" and "Like A Rolling Stone" to simultaneously be footloose and care-worn, so an opportunity seems lost.

that makes sense about "last dollar." I'm sorry, but I think it's one of the worst and most annoying songs I have ever heard. I'm not a Tim McGraw fan at all, find his voice dishonest and wheedling. And of course, I'm jealous he's got Faith...
catching up after a month, it seems, of stuff designed to keep me from doing what I need to be doing, which is listening to music. I did listen to the new Wilco, which is country-rock, right? I've never been a big fan, but it works. They imitate someone imitating Dr. John on one tune, and there are plenty of cool guitar solos and Tweedy seems to have a sense of humor about his moroseness. Still find myself unmoved by Elizabeth Cook's new one; "Sometimes It Takes Balls to Be a Woman" is kinda great, the cover of "Sunday Morning" is a good idea but I mean they should've done "Lonesome Cowboy Bill" off Loaded.

The Alison Krauss alb is streamed over on the AOL Listening Party (but so's the new Timbo, so that's where my ears have been).

"What Light," the one song I've heard from the Wilco, makes me sneer at its dull thudding platitudes, and it needs something more tuneful/musical in the sound itself - I mean, it's designed so that you have no choice but to attend to the platitudes - but the singing is reasonably bearable and the playing good. (Haven't totally made up my mind about it, actually, since the platitudes touch on, like, real human issues.)

(Timbo just quoted Kurtis Blow's "The Breaks.")

thanks for the tip on Krauss. as for Wilco, seems like Tweedy has developed some sense of humor about his sad-sack-ass life. his voice is full of self-pity, but someone knows how to construct music that's interesting. I swear, Sky Blue has moments where they sound like the Move, those big lumbering riffs and ridiculous drum fills, just like Bev Bevan on Shazam!. but a lot of the songs start off as strummy folk shit, and I thought, oh, god, this is awful, but then it turns into something else, they even do some twin-guitar moves. so I dunno, he took all his money and bought every Wishbone Ash record and sat around smoking better pot than we can get here these days.

and since I'm here, I thought I'd mention that the Mary Weiss record is a dog, retro, and the songs and the singing just lie there inert. terrible production values. she looks good, though, I mean she's nearly 60 and she don't look a day over 42, and she sounds exactly like Joey Ramone in drag.

I don't mind the retro on the Weiss (interesting that she'd try to girl groupify a Yardbirds song), but I think you're right, unfortunately. There's some good songwriting, but her singing brings everything down. (Never was a Reigning Sound fan, either.) Maybe if she'd worked hard and resurrected her chops, or used Auto-Tune, this could have worked, 'cause the character of her voice is OK. And she used to sing in tune.

Btw, some very good singers from the original era had trouble staying in tune - Ronnie never had perfect pitch, and Shirley of the Shirelles could go way off - without this hurting their effectiveness. I wonder why it's sometimes a problem and other times not. Hard rock singers can often be good out of tune, but that doesn't explain how the sweet Shirelles managed it.

Wrote this on the teenpop thread (in response to Greg's being puzzled by one of my American Idol posts):

"I Who Have Nothing" is nice - not close to being up there with Carrie covering Tiffany and sounding totally Carrie in doing so; but it was a good version of the song

Greg, I meant that Jordin's "I Who Have Nothing" was a good performance of a good song but not nearly the great American Idol moment that (at least on retrospective evidence from YouTube) Carrie Underwood's cover of Tiffany's "Could've Been" was. Carrie really nailed and wailed the song and made it warm and mature without losing its spark and sounded herself even while venturing off her usual country terrain. I've now listened to a whole hunk of Carrie's idol performances, and "Could've Been" and "Sin Wagon" are my two favorites; I like "Alone" too, which you linked above; she did a reasonable job on "Independence Day" but didn't deliver either the terror or self-righteousness; hard to run up against Martina McBride at her absolute best.

(Also, her song choice wasn't so docile. "Sin Wagon" was one that the Dixies hadn't dared release as a single; and I don't think that in early '05 it was clear that singing the Dixies wouldn't have potentially alienated people in Carrie's future fan base. I wonder if this was on her mind at all, and what the fact that she likes songs like "Sin Wagon" and "Independence Day" says about her, whether there's any kind of statement there. She sang "Goodbye Earl" on pre-Idol demos.)

Oh, I'm wrong, the Dixies' "Sin Wagon" was a single, but it flopped, stalled at 52 on the country charts, I'd guess because of radio station squeamishness.

http://community.livejournal.com/poptimists/342793.html

about the new brad paisley

I joined in on the Paisley discussion over at Poptimists. I speculated that the song's genesis was Paisley listening to one of those bittersweet recalling-my-first-love teen idylls - "Strawberry Wine" and such, meadows and lakes etc. - and Brad rubbing his chin and musing, "What about insects?" I managed to bring in both Taylor Swift (backroads being the setting for sex, implication being that, 'cause she and her lover are teens, motels and homes aren't available) and meth labs (mom-and-pop operations get busted, leaving the field clear for outside interests - vicious big-time operators - to take over; this in regard to the urban-rural divide and the decline of the countryside).

my favorite thing on the new McGraw is probably "Kristofferson," about finding a note from a departed lover and then sitting down and writing it into a song, though it's hard to ignore the irony of it being Tim singing it when he's actually only written like, what, one of his own songs ever? "I'm Workin'" is also great, another topnotch Lori McKenna-penned cut, mostly I just how it avoids an obvious narrative approach and instead feels more stream-of-consciousness in describing the thoughts of a night-shift cop (though I guess it could be a paramedic or something too). I like the funkiness of "Between the River and Me," and "Whiskey and You" is pretty good too even if it's basically the same song as DBT's "Women Without Whiskey" though not quite as stellar.

Guys, sorry I haven't posted in so long. Haven't had much time, energy or attention span to spare, re anything country. But this microview of Elana James' s/t solo debut is up now. As Hot Club's E.Fremerman, she could be great, on this or that track, but the albums and live tapes I have are almost random virtuosity, on her part, and she's almost the whole story with H.C. After the Dylan stint, she's really learned how to sequence, and write: http://www.villagevoice.com/music/0714,various,76272,22.html

This is probably the only place I can mention that Loudon Wainwright III's Strange Weirdos, the soundtrack to upcoming movie Knocked Up, produced by Joe Henry, is really cute and cutting in that LW3 way. Great guest guitar by Richard Thompson.

Also, Edd on Stax50 and Eccentric Soul: http://www.villagevoice.com/music/0713,hurt,76168,22.html

Great to hear about new Loudie, esp. w) R.Thompson again. I'm writing about Andrew Bird now, and he makes me think of Loudon and Rufus, though not so excessive as latter. Any thoughts on A. Bird, anyone? don

Finally, one for those who do like or would like to like or like to like to like Keith Urban (more or at all):
http://www.paperthinwalls.com/singlefile/item?id=653

Don asked me about Bird before. Never heard the guy. So Mark Nevers produced his record, Don? Bird's playing here April 18 with Cortney Tidwell.
Cursory listen to the new Johnny Bush tells me it's something I'm gonna enjoy down the road. He's playing in N-ville May 26 with some of Ray Price's old Cherokee Cowboys, and 6 of the CCs are doing a panel discussion at Country Music Hall of Fame on Saturday, rare video and audio footage, that sort of thing. Not really enjoying much at this moment, since I chipped a tooth last night and I'm set for a visit to the dentist, not feeling too, er, chipper.

Chipped a tooth during that all-night writing session, or was that the night before? Hope you're feeling better. As well as the Wainwrights, Bird is like early 70s Cale,re lyrics that can seem too knotty, but a great way with a melody and arrangements, often enough, even some pop smarts. Lots of music on his site, esp. live sets linked from archives.org, which I've really got to check for other artists. His site:
http://www,andrewbird.net

dang, sorry! a comma instead of a dot, should be http://www.andrewbird.net

My and other people's reviews of Wilco's "What Light" are up at the Jukebox.

Me and Martin talkin' (along w/ Josh and Blood and Jonathan) about Miranda Lambert's "Famous In A Small Town" over in Jukebox.

Okay, back from the road (spent nights in Annapolis MD, Baltimore MD, Shepherdsville WV [Bavarian Inn on the Maryland border overlooking the Potomac!], Harrisonburg VA, Smithfield VA, Chincoteague VA -- more on some of those eventually); here's some real quick shorthand re: country-related stuff and other stuff discussed here listened to on the road, with more on these and more to come later too I'm sure):

Mary Weiss - decided I like the whole album and love none of it, though I do like some of it more than other of it. Most of the criticisms Edd and Frank have stated ring more or less true. Clearly her voice is not what it once was, though it's still....something. Also, she's no longer part of a group, which is probably an issue. And too much of the material tends more toward cabaret torch than girl group, I'd say. And yeah, Reigning Sound were never great to begin with. Though they're not bad.

Martina McBride- I give up on the new one. I called this "interesting" up thread; actually I said even more than that if you want to go back and check. Interesting to think about, I guess I meant. But after I wrote that, no other thoughts came to mind, and no other songs kicked in. Three or four songs are not bad, I guess. The single, "Anyway," is dull. Won't put the album in the sell pile, in case subsequent singles change my mind, but I am not counting it. Until it happens, album is in limbo.

Miranda Lambert -- Favorite song now on new album, which I still love, is "Dry Town," I think. "Guilty in Here" has an outside shot though. Maybe not as rocking nonstop as I thought at first. But close enough. I get Frank's concern about her taking one aspect of her debut and putting conceivably too much emphasis on it. But it was a great aspect! And the new rockers wail all over the new ballads.

Gretchen Wilson - As do hers. I like the new album. Real good rockers and fairly dull ballads, just like on her probably overrated debut and her probably underrated followup album. In 20 years, all three will seem more or less equal, I'm betting.

Neil Sedaka -- New best of drifts into showtune schlock for a couple songs in the middle, otherwise I still love most of it. Laleana said that all her life she'd assumed that a woman was singing "Laughter in the Rain" -- maybe Carole King, who it really sounds like. (Also, who had the hit with "The Immigrant"? It seems quite timely!)