Album review: Justin Townes Earle moves on with ‘Nothing’s Gonna Change the Way You Feel About Me Now’ (MP3 download)

Justin Townes Earle
Nothing’s Gonna Change the Way You Feel About Me Now
Bloodshot
 
That Justin Townes Earle would begin his career in the shadow of other great songwriters was unavoidable; after all, his father is Steve Earle, and he carries the name of late Texas songwriter Townes Van Zandt. 
 
Yet despite the long shadow those two songwriters cast, the younger Earle has always forged his own path musically, a path that has typically been much more country than that of either his father or his namesake. However, on his latest record, “Nothing’s Gonna Change the Way You Feel About Me Now,” he diverges from that country road and channels a Memphis soul sound.
 
Earle has spoken both of the similarities between chord progressions in soul and country music, and of the fact that both musical genres have roots in the church, in gospel and worship songs. So, the move from a Nashville to a Memphis sound was a logical one for him, and the record was even recorded in a converted church. Produced by Earle and “Harlem River Blues” co-producer Skylar Wilson, it was recorded live in the studio (no overdubs), over a four-day period in Asheville, N.C. Their intention was to create a collection of songs that were both timely and timeless.
 
Still, Earle seems burdened by his familial connections. The record opens with “Am I That Lonely Tonight?” as he sings the first line, “Hear my father on the radio, singing ‘Take me Home again.’” A subtle horn section swells behind the singer’s vocal, underscoring the forlorn feeling that pervades the song and the record overall. The horns serve that same purpose throughout, as on “Look the Other Way,” a sad, albeit more hopeful, tune about trying to get the attention of a woman. He could be a better man for her, but she always looks the other way.
 
There are some upbeat songs here too, such as “Baby’s Got a Bad Idea,” but many of the songs are slower numbers; quiet tunes and hushed confessionals that offer a glimpse into a conflicted and desolate world of heartache and loneliness. The record finds a groove, however, as on “Down On the Lower East Side” with its jazzy beat, brushed snare and muted trumpet. But in spite of arrangements and the Memphis soul spirit, it never really swings until nearly the end, with the rollicking “Memphis in the Rain,” one of the best songs on the album.
 
Earle brings a lot of emotional weight to his lyrics, and by the end of the record it seems he’s at least worked through some of his issues as he closes the album with “Movin’ On.” With a great walking bass line and simple supporting harmonica, Earle sings, “I’m trying to move on,” and the listener feels he really means it.

“Nothing’s Gonna Change the Way You Feel About Me Now,” is a solid effort from talented young singer-songwriter. If a record like this is the result of Earle “movin’ on” from his country and Americana roots, then it will be fascinating to see what musical direction he heads in next.

“Look the Other Way” – Justin Townes Earle

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Posted by | May 7, 2012 | Album Reviews | 1 Comment 

Concert review: Willie Nelson mixes it up at the Pageant, Tuesday, April 17

Willie Nelson at the Pageant, April 17, 2012

Nate Burrell

Don’t let the oversize Texas flag hanging behind the stage or the unfortunate Toby Keith collaboration fool you. Willie Nelson is not simply a country artist.

One only had to look at the crowd that packed the Pageant last night (tax day, ironically) to hear him and his Family play to know the truth of this statement. From bankers to bikers, transexuals to tweens, Nelson’s appeal crosses, and erases, all lines of social demarcation, and his followers were out in force last night to see and hear him do his thing.

Anyone who might still have doubted Nelson’s transcendence of the “country” label after surveying the audience last night was undoubtedly convinced after he picked up his trusty guitar, Trigger, and played the first notes of the obligatory opening song “Whiskey River,” strumming with an off-kilter sense of time that took the straight-ahead rollicking tune into territory that was more be-bop than honky tonk.

Backed by a bare-bones band that included just a bassist, harmonica player, drummer and his sister Bobbie on piano, Nelson made the rounds of his huge catalog, from the outlaw country odes “Me and Paul” and “Mommas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys,” to sparkling gems of pop song-craft like “Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain” and “Crazy.” Nelson also took several songs from other artists, like Billy Joe Shaver, Kris Kristofferson and Hank Williams and made them his own. His delicate version of Ray Charles’ “Georgia On My Mind” was a particular highlight.

Willie Nelson is one of those artists who never plays a song the same way twice, and he took obvious pleasure in mixing up time signatures and phrasing, improvising his way though his songs while keeping just enough of the melody intact to remind the audience where he was coming from. Being the guy keeping time for Nelson has to be one of the toughest jobs in music, and the fact that Paul English only used a snare drum to take care of business was mind-boggling. Equally amazing was the sound that Nelson got out of Trigger, a beat-to-hell Martin N-20 classical guitar that by rights should have no business making those dulcet tones.

With his huge recorded output and proclivity for experimenting in musical genres from jazz to hip hop to reggae, though, it was a bit disappointing that the set list didn’t include some of Willie’s more esoteric offerings. The only time he really strayed from the hits was for a spare rendition of “I Never Cared For You,” from his vastly underrated late ’90s record “Teatro.”

At 78 years old (he turns 79 on April 30) with 50-plus years in the business and umpteen records under his belt, I doubt anyone would fault Willie for sticking close to the recorded versions of his songs, throwing some souvenir bandanas to the crowd and calling it a day. The fact that he continues to perform with such creativity and abandon elevates him above most of his peers, and definitely the majority of musicians out there. Just call him “artist.”

Opening act the Pernikoff Brothers played a short but tight set that featured a mighty drum sound and soaring vocal harmonies that made them sound much bigger than a trio. It can’t be easy to open for someone who’s achieved “living legend” status, but they handled the job with major aplomb.

Posted by | April 18, 2012 | Concerts | Comment 

Concert review: The Hackensaw Boys, Rum Drum Ramblers and Lydia Loveless pack a wallop at the Duck Room, Saturday, March 3

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Last night’s performances by Lydia Loveless, Rum Drum Ramblers and the Hackensaw Boys at the Duck Room were undoubtedly among the best I have seen in a while.

The venue itself is an ideal place to see musicians play; the up-close-and-personal atmosphere offers a memorable experience for audience members. The venue features exposed rafters, unfinished concrete floors, no windows and low lighting with an easily approachable stage. The layout feels as though everyone is hanging out in someone’s basement with the added bonus of live music.

The pre-show crowd began to filter down the stairs while, with eager anticipation, I took in the arrangement of the stage to admire the variety of banjos, guitars, upright basses and unexpected drum set, as bluegrass and old-time country music typically does not involve drums. Also providing foresight into the evening’s talent were the six microphones lined up across the front of the stage.

Lydia Loveless opened the show with a beautiful singing voice that filled the room. Her defiant, tell-it-like-it-is lyrics are accompanied by her acoustic rhythm guitar and some upright bass played by Ben Lamb. Lamb rocked the bass, alternating between picking the strings while thrashing his long hair around, or using the bow to glide across notes for a smoother sound.

Loveless opened with “Always Lose,” and held the audience’s attention with her commanding voice through the rest of her unfortunately short set, including “Jesus Was a Wino” and ending with “Crazy.” Lydia is young but has the perspective of someone much older; her punk-country sound has limitless potential.

The next act was local band Rum Drum Ramblers. Their presence ignited the crowd and quickly boosted the energy in the room. The three-piece band wowed the audience with performances on the harmonica, washboard, upright bass, guitar and percussion. Their refreshing Delta blues musical style brought a feel of New Orleans’ Bourbon Street directly to St. Louis. It is exciting to see young talent unafraid to create this style of music and pour immense amounts of enthusiasm and soul into each song. The final song, “I Got Mine,” featured a guest appearance by St. Louis’s Pokey LaFarge. This collaboration generated a booming crowd response and was fun to watch.

And finally, the headliners from Virginia, the Hackensaw Boys: This sextet featured the usual bluegrass instruments, all played exceptionally well with flawless timing. The band performed over 20 songs without taking a break, and the momentum never slowed, in fact, it only increased as the show went on.

Each of the six band members sang either lead or harmony, and the instrumental talent was evenly distributed as well. Except for the fiddle player: He played with such animation and intensity, it was impossible to steer your attention away from the passion in his performance. Also notable was the quick and seamless handling of a broken guitar string; the rest of the band interacted with audience in a fun and personable way while also playing random beats while the string was quickly repaired.

The entire show was organized, flowed well and the music was addicting and fun with a highly responsive crowd. I cannot name a poorly-played song, but a few highlights include “Keep It Simple,” “Flora,” “Alabama Shamrock” and “Smilin’ Must Mean Something.”

In the end, the Hackensaw Boys left the crowd wanting more and deserve to have their photo on the wall at Blueberry Hill.

Posted by | March 4, 2012 | Concerts | Comment 

Concert review: Guy Clark masters the Old Rock House, Wednesday, February 29

guyclark.com / Senor McGuire

The appellation “legend” tends to be more of a marketing term than a description of an artist’s importance. Often, it serves only to mark someone who’s been lucky enough to get old without succumbing to too many vices and pitfalls along the way, and doesn’t necessarily reflect the scope of their contribution to their art form.

No one, however, deserves the title of “legend” more than Guy Clark, a progenitor of multiple splinter factions of Americana music and a songwriter without peer, and last night at the Old Rock House, he proved this in spades to the sold-out crowd.

Accompanied by longtime collaborator Verlon Thompson, Clark hobbled onto the stage while John Lennon’s “Imagine” played over the PA. He leaned heavily on a cane — the result of being recently, as he put it, “laid up with bad legs” — sank slowly into his seat and gingerly took his guitar from its stand.

“We’ve come here to sing you some songs,” Clark said. “Some of which we know.”

The duo had no set list. Instead, the selection of songs were decided upon on the spot with a little bit of discussion and the help of a few audience requests.

The evening started with “Cape,” possibly the finest ode to the importance of keeping your inner-child alive into adulthood ever penned, then moved on to fan favorites “L.A. Freeway” and “Homegrown Tomatoes.” But the set wasn’t just a rote run through of greatest hits. Clark announced early on that he’d be trying out some new material, and these new gems, like “My Favorite Picture of You” — another musical tribute to one of Clark’s frequent inspirations, his wife Susanna — and “I’ll Show Me” were proof positive that while Clark may physically be a bit worse for wear, his skill at laying the heart of the matter bare and distilling the truth from it hasn’t been blunted a bit.

What transpired at Hickory and 7th last night wasn’t so much a “show” as a version of one of Clark’s famous kitchen-table guitar pulls. There were flubbed lyrics, missed cues and more than a few sour notes.

“Y’all should get your money back,” Clark said, chuckling, after one misstep.

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Posted by | March 1, 2012 | Concerts | Comment 

Concert review: Darrell Scott engages devoted fans at the Old Rock House, Friday, February 17

flickr.com/photos/24365773@N03/5136857592 / Phil King

Without regard for cold starts or protocol for warming up the crowd, Darrell Scott began his set last night with “River Take Me,” and immediately turned the entire Old Rock House audience attention to the stage. For the reminder of the night we were rapt by his song stories of life and love.

Scott not only stands out as a solo performer but also as a musician and songwriter called upon to contribute by some of the greatest performers of our time. He has performed live or in the studio with the likes of Robert Plant, Joan Baez, Del McCoury and Guy Clark to name a few. His songs have been recorded and performed by Brad Paisley, Keb Mo, Garth Brooks, Tim McGraw and a slew of other artists who could be considered the who’s who in country and Americana music. His album “A Crooked Road” received the 2011 Independent Music Award for Best Country Album and his performance of “Willow Creek” on the same album received a Grammy nomination for best country instrumental performance.

Darrell drove to St Louis from his home in Nashville for this show making it possible to bring along a bouzouki — or as Darrell put it, “an octave mandolin if you’re in the TSA line” — and a fretless banjo in addition to his guitar. The bouzouki went unused until the encore was performed but the banjo did come out about mid set for “Banjo Clark.” The familiar percussive banjo sound was present but the fretless banjo added sliding and lilting accents adding a dimension to banjo with which I was completely unfamiliar. It will definitely remain in my memory as some of the most interesting and enjoyable banjo playing I have witnessed.

The crowd at the Old Rock House was nothing short of devoted to Scott’s music, calling out requests and carrying vinyl copies of his new album “Long Ride Home.” From my balcony perch I had an exceptional view and felt as close enough to the stage to hold a conversation with Scott. His moving performance of “Mahala” was preceded by recounting how he wrote it when his daughter Mahala was about one and half years old and how he had recently visited her, now twenty one and living in New York. Darrell had the audience join in for the last chorus of the song. It was a wonderful experience being part of an audience who truly loved his music.

Darrell set about wrapping up his set with the hilariously funny and engaging “Spelling Bee Romance.” Before the song began we were given instruction on how to go about inciting an encore once he had finished. So we all clapped immediately — an entire song too early — and then repeated this immediately after the song and again after the following song and were thanked by Scott with two encores — finally using the bouzouki for the last song.

The night closed with Scott standing near the exit and engaging any of us who wanted to speak with him as we passed to leave. Fans lined up to buy albums and everyone was happily buzzing with excitement. I couldn’t help but feel it was a great night to be alive.

Posted by | February 18, 2012 | Concerts | Comment 

The Back Country’s top 10 albums of 2011

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Here’s my roundup of favorite country sounds of 2011. Enjoy!

The Carper Family – “Back When” (Self-released)

Three gals from Austin create a sophomore release mixing great covers and original tunes with wonderful three-part harmonies. Brennen Leigh adds mandolin and guitar, and the steel guitar and dobro of the great Cindy Cashdollar round out this fine release.

Cow Bop – “Too Hick for the Room” (B-4MAN)

Bruce Forman, Pinto Pammy and friends serve up another helping of jazz and swing tunes with great arrangements. Bruce’s guitar work is stellar.

Amber Digby & Midnight Flyer – “Live at Swiss Alp Hall” (Heart of Texas)

There’s nothing quite like a live honky tonk album, and Amber Digby delivers the goods, recorded at a historic Texas dance hall. Midnight Flyer features her uncle, steel guitar Hall of Famer Dicky Overbey, while HOT label mate and duet partner Justin Trevino lends his voice to the evening.

The Five and Dimers – “Quarter of a Tank” (Five and Dimers)

A relatively new band from the East Side, the Five and Dimers feature lead singer and chief songwriter Matt Taul, along with fiddle, banjo, guitar, bass and drums, with occasional pedal steel worked in. A strong debut release.

Merle Haggard – “Working in Tennessee” (Vanguard)

He’s mellowed somewhat — like an aged Tennessee whiskey — but his output still amazes me. His marvelous songwriting continues to impress and his voice sounds as vibrant as 30 years ago. There’s even a reworked version of his hit, “Working Man Blues” with fellow country icon Willie Nelson. Long live the Hag!

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Posted by | December 29, 2011 | Music | Comment 

‘Most of these songs today suck’ An interview with Kinky Friedman

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Kinky Friedman has said that “only Jews and cowboys can wear their hats indoors. Try to be one or the other.” And Kinky should know.

Not only is he both Jewish and a cowboy, but he wears a lot of hats. A country singer, humorist, mystery writer and former politician, he even has his own line of cigars. Friedman is, in his own words, “multi-talented.”

I had the chance to talk to Friedman recently, and he spoke at length on a variety of topics including country music, the sorry state of American politics and his “Hanukkah Tour,” which he will bring to Off Broadway on December 2. He answers his phone, “Start talking.”

Kris Embry: If I’m not mistaken it was your birthday yesterday [November 1]? Is that correct?

Kinky Friedman: Don’t remind me. I’m 67 though I read at the 69-year-old level.

Well, happy birthday, anyway. I have to admit I thought of you mainly as a writer. But you began your career primarily as a musician. Is that still your first love?

Yes, but I’m ambivalent about performing, about being a country singer. And anybody who uses the word ambivalent should never have been a country singer in the first place. But yeah, this is something that is dear to my heart, doing a solo tour like this. And it’s also the curse of being multi-talented. That never helps. I’m going to do a reading from the book, “Heroes of a Texas Childhood,” which is the latest, and we’ll have that book available as well. And of course there’ll be the music, the songs, then we’ll dabble in some politics. That was a great crowd last time at Off Broadway. I don’t remember when that was, but back a ways ago.

So you’re not touring with a band?

No, this will be solo.

You’ve certainly toured around a lot in the past. Do you still enjoy being on the road doing this sort of thing?

I do, and that’s why I’m doing this. That’s why the “Hanukkah Tour” is happening. And of course it’s a financial pleasure touring solo. I noticed Kristofferson just did a solo tour, and really that’s what you want. You want to be able to hear him sing “Me and Bobby McGee” by himself. You know, we don’t need some hot mandolin player from Los Angeles with him. That’s not very important. And I find the songs really hold up. “They Ain’t Makin’ Jews Like Jesus Anymore” tells us a lot about what’s happened to our country in terms of political correctness.

Right. Well, I saw the picture advertising the show. It looks like it’s going to be a pretty orthodox affair.

(Laughs) I suppose, yeah. We will have those posters available, too. And, of course, I will sign anything but bad legislation. So, a very nice gift for Hanukkah or Christmas.

A couple of your nonfiction books feature cartoons by John Callahan, who is a very funny cartoonist. How did you end up working with him?

John was an old friend of mine, and John was bugled to Jesus, I think last year.

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Posted by | November 25, 2011 | Interviews, Music | Comment 

Concert review: Legendary Blind Boys of Alabama grace the Old Rock House, Tuesday, November 8

Blind Boys of Alabama, Old Rock House, November 8, 2011

Nate Burrell

Last night, fans found refuge from the rain and had their spirits lifted by the Blind Boys of Alabama‘s moving performance.

The cold wetness outside seemed miles away as the Southern group’s warm harmonies radiated from the Old Rock House stage. With matching embroidered black suits and dark sunglasses, the Blind Boys rallied around Jimmy Carter, a veteran of the stage and member of the original group that banded together in an institute for the blind in 1939.

Carter’s deep vocals have not wavered with time, nor has the performer’s jovial presence, which brought the crowd to its feet. There were chairs in front of the stage, which is an unusual set-up for the Old Rock House, but it made sense once Carter descended into the audience with help from a stage worker and maneuvered around the seats. Delighted attendees ranged in ages, including a few small children who joined their parents to witness a continuing part of American music history that featured both traditional and newer music.

Touring openers Sara and Sean Watkins, formerly of Nickel Creek, kicked off the night with a set of modern acoustic folk. The Blind Boys joined them onstage as Sara Watkins’ fiddle and Sean Watkins’ guitar were welcome additions to the Southern sextet during “Jesus Built a Bridge to Heaven.”

Throughout the night, both the band and audience’s intensity gathered steam as the Blind Boys powered through spiritual classics such as “Free At Last,” as well as their stunning version of “Amazing Grace,” which is set to the music of “House of the Rising Sun.” (The group performed “Amazing Grace” live at KDHX just before the show. Hear it here.) These and other songs showcased the ability of Carter (who sounds a bit like the late Solomon Burke) as well as fellow singers Eric McKinnie and Ben Moore who provided both backup and solo deliveries.

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Posted by | November 9, 2011 | Concerts | Comment 

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