Lest we Forget: the live recordings of Townes van Zandt

The great man is long gone, but the more the long lost live recordings become evident the more the man's genius is clear.

Try these:

mp3 Townes van Zandt: Pancho & Lefty (Rear View Mirror)
mp3 Townes van Zandt: Tecumseh Valley (Bluebird Cafe)
mp3 Townes van Zandt: Lungs

Buy the artist here, download drm-free here.

Whiskeytown's Strangers Almanac reissued

From early on in Ryan Adam's career, Whiskeytown's major label debut had some great songs. It's now reissued, with (as is the fashion) a whole load of extra stuff. From the original album, try this:

mp3 Whiskeytown: Losering

From the extras, try these:

mp3 Whiskeytown: 16 Days (acoustic)
mp3 Whiskeytown: Nurse with the Pills (live)

Buy here.

Lest we Forget: Lloyd Cole's Rattlesnakes

The early to mid-1980s saw a lot of crap produced, much of it now sounding horribly dated by those tinny synthetics (especially the drum sound). Lloyd Cole's debut still sounds of its time, but has lasted well; literate and tuneful pop music at its best. Try these:

mp3 Lloyd Cole & the Commotions: (Are You Ready to be) Heartbroken
mp3 Lloyd Cole & the Commotions: Down on Mission Street

I don't think Cole ever quite hit the same heights again, thoiugh these two from the follow-up East Pieces are both killers:

mp3 Lloyd Cole & the Commotions: Lost Weekend
mp3 Lloyd Cole & the Commotions: Perfect Blue

Here's a lovely live recording:

mp3 Lloyd Cole: Why I Love Country Music (live)

Buy Lloyd Cole here.

Centro-Matic & South San Gabriel

The new album's here (well, double album). Centro-Matic's half seems to be hard rocking and loud; South San Gabriel widens the musical palate whilst keeping the usual melancholy. Try these from Dual Hawks:

mp3 Centro-Matic: I, Kite
mp3 South San Gabriel: Emma Jane

Buy Centro-Matic and South San Gabriel here, download DRM-free here.

Hayes Carll

I've just acquired Hayes Carll's new album Trouble in Mind. With a touch of the Steve Earle (always a recommendation in my book), it comes with plenty of souls and twang and is well worth checking out. Try this:

mp3 Hayes Carll: Don't Let Me Fall

You can also hear some live stuff thanks to Largehearted Boy here (including the brilliantly titled She Left me for Jesus). From the previous album, try the title track:

mp3 Hayes Carll: Little Rock

You can buy his music here, and download some DRM-free here.

Back with Justin Townes Earle

Justin Townes Earle certainly has a pedigree: son of Steve, the late great Townes van Zandt in his name. The music has bits of both, but plenty of his own. Try these, from his debut album The Good Life:

mp3 Justin Townes Earle: Far Away in Another Town
mp3 Justin Townes Earle: Lone Pine Hill

And from his EP Yuma:

mp3 Justin Townes Earle: The Ghost of Virginia

Buy his music here, DRM-free here.

Traveller again:

Off on my travels once again, this time to Greece and Ireland, so things will be a bit quiet for a week or so. See ya soon...

Lest we Forget: Elton John's Tumbleweed Connection

Early Elton John's a bit different. He was yet to become the pastiche pop star. Tumbleweed Connection drew on Bernie Taupin's cowboy fetish to excellent effect, and is an album of a distinct country-rock Americana feel. Try these:

mp3 Elton John: Come Down in Time
mp3 Elton John: Country Comfort

Recorded at this time is the original of a great song:

mp3 Elton John: Madman Across the Water

I recently posted Bettye Lavette's outstanding cover of Talking Old Soldiers here.

Buy the album here.

Covertime: Elvis Costello

I have long been a big fan of Mr Costello. A great songwriter and artiste, of course. Usually, his versions are the best. However, there are some great covers. Try these:

mp3 HEM: (The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes
mp3 Alison Brown: Everyday I Write the Book
mp3 Laura Cantrell: Indoor Fireworks

The next two, strictly speaking, aren't covers; they are Costello songs sung first by others. If you haven't heard the first, do; as the fleet sailed for the Falklands, we heard this:

mp3 Robert Wyatt: Shipbuilding
mp3 Alison Krauss: The Scarlet Tide

Buy the artists music here.

The Black Keys: Attack & Release

It's out, and fears that it might be a compromise too far seem off the mark. Instead, the two-man electric blues-rock is just widened and deepened. In particular, some slow numbers stand out. Anyway, try these:

mp3 The Black Keys: I Got Mine
mp3 The Black Keys: Lies

Looking back, try this (the song that first turned me on to this band):

mp3 The Black Keys: Work Me.

Buy the Black Keys here, and download some DRM-free here