Originally formed in 2003 as a means for five friends – Jones, guitarist Jim Campilongo, singer/guitarist Richard Julian, bass player Lee Alexander and drummer Dan Reiser – to pursue their mutual interest in traditional country music, The Little Willies borrowed their name and spirit from Willie Nelson and hit a home run with their 2006 release, which included country standards along with a handful of original songs. 

 Although Norah Jones is the headliner, singer-songwriter Richard Julian and guitar virtuoso Jim Campilongo have had significant independent careers, and the musicianship by all the members is outstanding, with a bit of attitude.  Julian has a handful of well-received albums to his credit, and he splits the singing duties on The Little Willies’ releases fairly evenly with Jones.  Jim Campilongo has carved out an unsual career path, initially with his band the 10  Gallon Cats and later as a solo performer, doing instrumental country and rockabilly music that incorporates elements of jazz.  Originally influenced by blues guitar legend Roy Buchanan, Campilongo has Buchanan’s inventiveness along with the lightning-fast technique of a Bill Kirchen.  As a testament to his prowess among guitar enthusiasts, in 2010 Fender issued a signature Telecaster in honor of Campilongo – a reproduction of Campilongo’s 1959 Telecaster.  On For the Good Times, Campilongo’s Telecaster twang takes center stage on “Diesel Smoke, Dangerous Curves” and “Tommy Rockwood.”

But of course, Norah Jones’ presence will sell most of the albums, and that is fine.  Her vocals are sassy and superb.  Among my favorites are “Remember Me,” the Scotty Wiseman song recorded by Willie Nelson on his 1975 masterpiece Red Headed Stranger, and the title tune, which was written by Kris Kristofferson.  All-in-all, For the Good Times is an excellent album, lively and rewarding.  The collective talent of the members of The Little Willies is evident on virtually every track.  

 1) R.E.M. – Collapse Into Now

 2) Old Californio – Sundrunk Angels: I keep coming back and listening to this album.  It’s rock ‘n’ roll, and twangy, and a little bit funky.  There are slide guitars and harmonicas, ballads and ditties.  It’s a veritable jambalaya of Americana music.

 3) Suzanna Choffel – Steady Eye Shaky Bow: Choffel, a guitarist as well as singer, manages to put a very jazzy spin on some tunes that are otherwise more country and pop, all while maintaining an Austin sensibility to the production.  Normally when someone says music is hard to classify it’s because the music is all over the map.  In this case, the songs are in a consistently similar vein, albeit not something you hear very often.  Undoubtedly the best Americana album of the year to play for someone who says they don’t like country and twangy.

 4) Gillian Welch – The Harrow & the Harvest: I was a little bit meh about this record when I first heard it.  But it’s grown steadily on me since it came out.  I think what I like most is that it’s so different from just about anything else I heard all year, and yet it’s still so essentially Gillian.  If you just listened to this once or twice and then put it away, go back and listen again 6 months later.  You’ll see.

5) Sons of Fathers – Sons of Fathers: And speaking of great harmonies in the vein of Welch & Rawlings, check out the debut release of David Beck and Paul Cauthen, otherwise known as Sons of Fathers.  These guys have a crack set of musicians behind them and give a vocal performance that is mesmerizing.

6) Milk Drive – Road From Home: Sometimes there’s no substitute for the ability to shred.  Milk Drive consists of members who collectively have probably won more picking awards than any band in existence.  They’ve put a jazz spin on a bluegrass sound and are seriously pushing the envelope of how sophisticated Americana music can sound.  Not to mention that instrumental virtuosity.

7) The Bottle Rockets – Not So Loud: An Acoustic Evening: Just as the unplugged MTV performance by Pearl Jam defined the very plugged-in sound that was grunge, this acoustic performance by a normally loud band shows why they’ve been so successful.  With all the amplifiers stripped out, the songs are still well written and well performed and stand the test of time.

8 The Decemberists – The King Is Dead: Lots has been written about the early 2011 release by one of the darlings of the indie crowd.  For me, this album showed how wide ranging they can be with its twangy influence that simply presents Colin Meloy and his mates in a new light that’s an easy extension to their previous catalog.

9) Dave Alvin – Eleven Eleven: No real surprises here, it’s another solid effort from Alvin who proves that, first, he can without fail drum up a supporting ensemble that’s so incredibly tight you’d swear they’ve played together for years.  And second, he keeps writing songs that convey such a sense of time and place that you’re transported with him to the moment in time so carefully documented in the lyrics.

10) Sarah Jarosz – Follow Me Down: Jarosz’ vocals have gained strength and capability on her second release.  Combine that with mandolin (and other strings) chops that may be the best in Texas even though she’s barely old enough to vote and you have a winner.  She just gets better every time you see her.

11) The Band Of Heathens – Top Hat Crown & the Clapmaster’s Son: I liked this album as a follow up to their two previously acclaimed efforts, but the real reason it’s in the years top was that it provides new material for them to perform live.  You have to catch them in a club to experience the full joy of TBOH.

12) Robert Earl Keen – Ready For Confetti: Another album that’s here because it’s just full of good songs.  Keen has his sound and his fans and no one’s going home disappointed from this.

13) Sinful Savage Tigers – The Last Night Of The Revels: A really solid effort from a group that’s bound to start gaining more notice.  They’re just too good and the tunes too catchy to fall into some regional bucket where they only play for the locals.

14) Great American Taxi – Paradise Lost: Sort of an Americana supergroup, Great American Taxi is a little retro and a little progressive and someone you need to go hear live.

15) Wilco – The Whole Love: The year off did these guys right.  There’s more excitement in this record than I’ve heard from Tweedy & company in a while.

16) Beirut – The Rip Tide: Another good release from one of the kings of the neo-Balkan indie sound.

17) Hayes Carll – KMAG YOYO (& Other American Stories): Carll continues to craft a unique sound and there are some real keepers on this album.

18) The Gourds – Old Mad Joy: Kevin Russell and his band mates have pushed out the boundaries on what most people would consider “Gourds music”, which was a pleasant surprise.

19) Allison Krauss & Union Station – Paper Airplane: Krauss is back into her groove from the rock-royalty side projects and as much as I enjoyed those, this seems to capture her spirit better.

20) The Wailin’ Jennys – Bright Morning Stars: When it’s all about the vocals, you can’t do much better than the Jennys.  Another group I have to recommend seeing live.

Too Drunk to Truck, by Roy Sludge
This album was tailor-made for Twangville. Old school in all the best ways, it might as well be a collection of lost classics from the Sun Studios archive.

The title track kicks off the album with a strong indication of what will follow. Yup, songs about trucks, drinking and ornery women, although not necessarily in that order.

Well I drive all over this country, roaming from town to town
When day is done I’m gonna have my fun I’ll pick ‘em up and put ‘em down.
I’ll flirt with some old waitress, try to push my luck.
But when push comes to shove I’m too tired for love ‘cause I’m too drunk to truck.

The song also unleashes Sludge’s secret weapons: Boston-based guitarists Duke Levine and Kevin Barry. Both have a sound pristine and precise, yet filled with character, Barry on the lap steel and Levine on the electric guitar. And I shouldn’t neglect bassist Jim Haggerty, who brings his own rockabilly cred from his role as bassist for Wanda Jackson.

Sludge sings of drinkers remorse on the amusing “I Got Hammered (Then I Got Nailed).” Haggerty’s walking bass line mimics the pounding that comes from a bad hangover as Sludge laments, “spent the next five days in jail, but the rest I can’t recall ‘cause of too much alcohol.”

I’m sure that there are two sides to every story, and “Hell Hath No Fury” provides Sludge’s perspective on a love gone wrong. “She lives to hurt me, she lives to make me mad,” he sings, “she loves to burn me, when I’m sad it makes her glad.” Ouch.

Sludge and crew bring out the country shuffle as on the swinging “Eight Would Be Great.” A few tracks later, the band cranks it up in fine Sun Records fashion on “If You Can’t Rock Me.” Levine, in particular, lets it fly with some magnificent guitar licks and solos.

The record closes with a mighty fine cover of Johnny Cash’s “Drive.” It is the perfect capstone to a release that showcases a classic sound with skill and flair. But don’t take my word for it. Bruce Springsteen recently stopped by to check out Sludge during a recent run of residency shows.

Audio Download: Roy Sludge, “If You Can’t Rock Me”

This Round Is On Me, by Maxim Ludwig and the Santa Fe Seven
My favorite musical discovery this year was LA-based Maxim Ludwig and the Santa Fe Seven. The band has the perfect combination of great songwriting and playing that is playful and loose. As we move towards the close of the year, Maxim and the Seven have just released a new ep that features his strongest songs yet.

“Stacy C’Mon,” the opening track is one that should be familiar to Twangville readers. Maxim was kind enough to share it with us earlier this year. I, for one, can’t get enough of it – from the catchy riff to the sing-along chorus, it has simply lodged itself in my head.

“Nothing At All” adds a bit of R&B shuffle to the mix, in large part courtesy of a soulful sax that joins the fray. Maracas give the song an extra flair, complimenting the wailing slide guitar. Ludwig leaves no doubt where he stands on the future of a relationship: “Between you and nothing, I choose nothing at all.”

The opening of “On Bunker Hill” teases with a mournful woman’s voice set against a somber synthesizer. When a piano joins the mix, the song builds into a majestic rocker reminiscent of the Band. The maracas return on “Red Eyes,” which has a restrained boogie beat that hearkens back to Little Feat.

Take a shot, this round is on me,” Ludwig sings on the rousing closer “From the Alley View.” I’ll join in with a toast to this ep and more great music to come!

Audio Download: Maxim Ludwig and the Santa Fe Seven, “Nothing At All”

THE PLAYLIST
Mannequin Man, Kingsley Flood (from the self-released ep Colder Still)
I’d forgotten how potent the Kingsley Flood live show was until I saw them light up the Lizard Lounge in Cambridge this past weekend. Although acoustic guitar and fiddle are part of their instrumentation, they are way more than a roots band. They pack their songs with an aggressive yet infectious edge. I’m lovin’ this track that reminds me a bit of the Violent Femmes.

Audio Stream: Kingsley Flood, “Mannequin Man”

Parade, Oldjack (from the self-released Maxi-Single)
The headline on Oldjack’s web site says “Old Soul Rock and Roll” and damn if that ain’t what they deliver. This is classic rock – think Joe Cocker, Leon Russell, the Rolling Stones and maybe even some Lynyrd Skynyrd – played to perfection. Lead singer Dan Nicklin howls while a bevy of female singers wail. Throw in multiple guitars, an organ and a rock solid rhythm section and you’re primed for a rock and roll revival.

Audio Download: Oldjack, “Parade”

One Guitar, Willie Nile (from the River House Records release The Innocent Ones)
“I’m a soldier marching in an army, got no gun to shoot but what I’ve got is one guitar, I got this one guitar,” sings Nile on this stand-out track from his latest release. It is a fitting lyric for an artist whose songs are filled with an unbridled passion for rock and roll. Rock on, Willie, rock on!

Audio Download: Willie Nile, “One Guitar”

Turn It Up Or Turn It Off, Harrison Hudson (from the Favorite Gentlemen Recordings release American Thunder)
There is some music, loaded with hooks and overflowing with energy, that is just tailor-made to be the soundtrack of any party. Put this one down on that list. The songs on Harrison Hudson’s latest have the feel of classic 1960’s rock and roll while maintaining a modern-day sound. And did I mention the hooks?

Audio Download: Harrison Hudson, “Turn It Up Or Turn It Off”

Westside Street, The Deep Dark Woods (from the Sugar Hill Records release The Place I Left Behind)
This quintet from Saskatchewan, Canada was a pleasant surprise at the recent Americana Music Conference. Their songs are like aural pictures, soundscapes regal yet forlorn. In the Robbie Robertson tradition, these boys prove that some of the best Americana comes from North of the border.

Audio Download: The Deep Dark Woods, “Westside Street”

Bite Your Tongue, High on Stress (from the self-released Living Is a Dying Art)
Let it not be said that they don’t know how to rock in Minneapolis. And High on Stress will be happy to prove it to ‘ya. The band’s latest serves up a healthy dose of Midwestern rock and roll, the kind that sounds better the louder that you play it. And I mean that as a compliment.

Audio Download: High On Stress, “Bite Your Tongue”

Says Lately, Scotty Alan (from the Spinout Records release Wreck and the Mess)
The Michigan native went to Los Angeles to record his latest release. Arriving in LA, Alan gathered an impressive group of players, including long-time Jackson Browne and Ry Cooder collaborator David Lindley and legendary Ian McLagan among others. The results speak for themselves, songs vibrant and pulsing with energy.

Audio Download: Scotty Alan, “Says Lately”

Donner is from Dallas, but he recorded the album in Alabama. More specifically it was created at the fabled Muscle Shoals Sound Studio. Having a Southern Renaissance in Muscle Shoals is a perfect place considering the plethora of Southern Rock, Country and Soul classics that have been recorded there. Although Donner’s music is more of a virtuosity of styles and influences than a renaissance, it is a well crafted work of art by any definition. The album is a mix of Rock, Jam Band, Country and alt-country. However, no song is represented by a single style. Each song is a blend of influences. Whether up-tempo or more subdued, there is no doubt that a talented and emerging songwriter carefully arranged each song.

No Better Time is an exceptional debut release. Michael Donner has set the bar high for himself, but there is no doubt that he is a truly gifted artist with more to offer in the future.

Based in Austin, Nelson has put together a collection of elements in his sound that certainly reflect influences from the area, like the Tex-Mex horns of the hill country that comes through in Dreams In the Desert and the title track.  There are also ingredients from further east, like the Cajun fiddle in Anna Lee or the multiple lead guitar southern ballad of There’s Time.  The flexibility of the entire band shows up best, though, in Daydreamers with it’s reggae beat and Norteno trumpet part.

San Juan Street isn’t just about musicianship and instrumental prowess.  Nelson is honing his singer-songwriter lyric chops much like one of his inspirations, Robert Earl Keen.  The protagonist in many of the songs on this record is the familiar hapless guy who just reacts to his current predicament.  There’s the man who loses his wife to the flood in Anna Lee or the pollyanna who sees nothing but happiness ahead “there’s no end to me and you” in Daydreamers, but then realizes “that don’t bring back them damn old good old days” in the next song, the record’s title track.

San Juan Street has something that will appeal to just about any Twangville reader.  Even better, there are some surprises with the horns, the accordion arrangements, and some sweet guitar licks, that have the album really growing on you with subsequent listens.  Currently there’s a link on Nelson’s web site where you can buy the album for whatever you feel its worth.  How can you go wrong?

Listen to these tracks first: Nobody Got A Hold On Me, Dreams In the Desert, Anna Lee, Daydreamers

Set aside any the speeches and performances, the event was held in the legendary Ryman Auditorium. Originally built for religious revivalist meetings, it achieved great fame as the original home of the Grand Ole Opry and as a revered venue for every great country – and Americana – recording artist.

A special location demands a special band, and, in that respect, the Americana Awards didn’t disappoint. Led by Buddy Miller, the house band included Don Was on bass, Cody and Luther Dickinson (North Mississippi All-Stars) on drums, guitars and various other instruments, John Deaderick on keys and the masterful Greg Leisz on steel guitar. Adding their special vocal harmonies were The McCrary Sisters: Ann, Regina and Alfreda.

The moments came fast and furious. The show opener was a tribute to the 10th anniversary of the “O Brother Where Art Thou?” soundtrack. Buddy Miller, Jerry Douglas, Don Was, Alison Krauss and Emmylou Harris harmonized beautifully on “I’ll Fly Away.” Talk about an impressive beginning.

Greg Allman, still recovering from a recent health issue, accepted a Lifetime Achievement Award and performed “Sweet Melissa.” Keb Mo, presenting Allman with his award rightfully said, “It’s our privilege to honor a man who would be in several Hall of Fames if he never opened his mouth. He’s that good with his fingers.”

An emotional Lucinda Williams, also Lifetime Achievement Award winner, fittingly performed “Blessed.”

Dobro legend Jerry Douglas, known for his storied career as a session musician and band member, was presented with his award by Alison Krauss, with whom he has been performing for more than 12 years. Krauss movingly credited Douglas with revitalizing the band at a pivotal moment.

Others receiving Lifetime Achievement Awards were Bob Harris, a British broadcaster who has long championed Americana artists, and Rick Hall, the producer who helped define the the Muscle Shouls sound. Hall was inducted by R&B Legend Candi Staton, who then serenaded Hall with her hit “Heart on a String.”

And the 2011 award winners? An impressive bunch. Buddy Miller was perhaps the biggest winner of the evening, humbly accepting the awards for artist and instrumentalist of the year. Miller also joined Robert Plant and his fellow Band of Joy mates in accepting the Album of the Year award and then performing their haunting take on Low’s “Monkey.”

Justin Townes Earle garnered song of the year for “Harlem River Blues,” a song that he said was inspired by a reading of Jim Carroll’s “The Basketball Diaries.” Mumford & Sons received the Emerging Artist award in abstentia while the Avett Brothers celebrated their Duo/Group of the Year award with a performance of a new song “The Once and Future Carpenter.”

So how does one close out a show filled with magical moments? By inviting Allman, Plant and many of the evening’s performers to join the house band for a closing take on Allman’s “Glory Glory Hallelujah.” Hallelujah, indeed.

• ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Band Of Joy, ROBERT PLANT
• ARTIST OF THE YEAR: BUDDY MILLER
• INSTRUMENTALIST OF THE YEAR: BUDDY MILLER
• NEW / EMERGING ARTIST: MUMFORD AND SONS
• SONG OF THE YEAR: “Harlem River Blues” by JUSTIN TOWNES EARLE
• DUO / GROUP OF THE YEAR: THE AVETT BROTHERS
• LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD FOR SONGWRITER: LUCINDA WILLIAMS
• LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD FOR PERFORMANCE: GREGG ALLMAN
• LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD FOR INSTRUMENTALIST: JERRY DOUGLAS
• JACK EMERSON LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD FOR EXECUTIVE: RICK HALL
• TRAILBLAZER AWARD: BOB HARRIS

Eli –
I am surprised by how much I like Mockingbird Time. Now you may be asking yourself “surprised? really? what’s wrong with this sap—it’s the Jayhawks—the original line-up with Louris and Olson back together again.” And you would be right, such a momentous reunion of one of alt. country’s defining bands and one of my personal favorites to boot would ordinarily involve me drooling for months on end awaiting the release date. The problem here being that Louris and Olson have been playing for a couple years now and recorded a duo album in 2009, the Chris Robinson produced Ready for the Flood. And I was psyched for Ready for the Flood, perhaps way too psyched, as the album was a good, but not great, set of fairly relaxed songs. My favorite part of the album may have been the cover art. So, when I heard the Jayhawks were reuniting and recording a new album, my ears perked up a little, but I wasn’t foaming at the mouth and preaching to random people in the street about its impending release.

Well maybe I should have been. Mockingbird Time features all the same hallmarks as the band’s heralded records of the 1990’s (Hollywood Town Hall, Tomorrow the Green Grass). Olson and Louris haven’t missed a beat with their achingly beautiful harmonies or their top-notch songwriting. The influences are all fairly predictable given the band’s back catalog (Neil Young, the Stones, the Kinks, The Band, etc.), but the influence I was most struck by this time around is The Beatles. Certainly the post-Olson Jayhawks veered towards a more elaborately produced pop-rock sound, but what we get here is the gruffer side of the Beatles. “Highwater Blues” and “Hey Mr. Man” strike me as the kind of songs that Lennon would have smoked 4 cigarettes and then belted out. The piano coda of “Mockingbird Time” sounds like a McCartney number, or a Harrison one, or for that matter a late-era, Lennon solo composition.

Not that any of that matters too much, because this album sounds like the Jayhawks. In other words, it sounds awesome. Check out “She Walks In So Many Ways”, “Closer to Your Side”, or “Stand Out in the Rain”, it’ll take you back to the glorious 90’s and the heyday of the alt. country revolution.

Jeff –
“Even though they haven’t made an album together as the Jayhawks in over 15 years, Mark Olson and Gary Louris have never been that far apart. They seemed to be moving back toward this reunion for a long time. First impression is, where’s Gary? He’s there for harmony and guitar, but where are his songs? It seems like Mark Olson, the absentee songwriter, has come back and replaced Gary Louris as a frontman. I’ve always been a bit more of a Gary Louris fan and the interplay between the two was never more perfect than on Tomorrow the Green Grass. The record feels a bit more like Hollywood Town Hall but not as confident.

A lot of the more poppy elements are subtle in favor of Mark Olson’s rather solid but unexciting batch of songs. Louris and Olson’s harmonies certainly shine through the mix but they don’t have the beautiful poppy hooks of “Nothing Left to Borrow” or “Blue.” Those songs were instant classics. Even compared to Rainy Day Music, Mockingbird Time seems much less assured and more tentative. It’s as though the band is getting to know itself again. Perhaps their next foray will be a bit more exciting.”

Chip –
It was suggested, when this Jayhawks tag team review was assembled, that there would be many Beatles references for Mockingbird Time. However, a contrarian’s perspective reveals a more diverse set of influences. On the Jayhawks new release, The Byrds influence is ever present with the harmonizing of Louris and Olson. However, there is also a strong Neil Young influence that comes through on songs like “High Water Blues”.

Mockingbird Time is more than a showcase of influences. The Jayhawks have expanded their sound with rich guitar textures. In prior releases, the guitar work was more understated. This time around, a melodic and at times almost psychedelic feel moves to the forefront, and enhances the characteristic vocal harmonies. Certain songs even revisit old territory. Consider “Pouring Rain at Dawn”, which conjures up memories of Hollywood Town Hall. With the release of Mockingbird Time, Louris and Olson have given their fans a welcome reunion. Fortunately, there is an obvious rejuvenation, which suggests this reunion is also a new beginning.

Audio Download: The Jayhawks, “She Walks In So Many Ways”

The first half seems to be oriented to songs about still being in the place where you grew up.  The tunes are, for the most part, rock and roll.  And pretty darn good rock and roll at that.  My favorite is Dice Were Down with it’s sweet horns accent.  But Tired of Conversation and the aforementioned Brass Bell are no slouches either.

The second half strikes a more alt-country pose, and is a little more slanted toward the idea of leaving home.  There’s some good twangy steel on most of the numbers in this section.  It starts with Retreating and the opening line of “it’s nice to see you straight today,” that hits close to home for anyone that’s had a friend who struggled to cope.  Highway Song (an original, not a cover of the Blackfoot anthem) and Never Changing Thing are both easy to imagine as songs Uncle Tupelo would have done had their path taken a slightly different fork from the same starting place.

Overall, Butchers Blind still seems to be finding their voice and style.  They could be a rock and roll band.  They could be the next big thing in alt country.  Who knows.  But I’m looking forward to seeing where they go.  And in the meantime Play For the Films is an enjoyable entree into their talent.

Loveless is a spit-fire 21-year-old from Columbus, Ohio who sings with both restraint and attitude. It would be easy to call her country, but that doesn’t tell the full story. Her Bloodshot Records debut moves effortlessly from acoustic ballads (“Crazy”) to country gems (“How Many Women”) to full-on rockers (“More Like Them”). I’d probably best describe her as being schooled in country music yet blessed with a rock and roll heart.

The album opens with a fury of electric guitar and banjo on the raucous “Bad Way To Go.” “Well if I said I’m sorry, you should have known I’m really not, ‘cause I don’t need to apologize for giving all I got,” declares Loveless in a statement that sets the stage for the songs that follow.

“Steve Earle” is an entertaining romp that projects the tale of a stalker onto the persona of musician Steve Earle. “He stands outside my window until I have to call the cops, but they always let him out of jail ‘cause he is a famous face,” she sings, “that’s a funny way of asking me to go on a date.” One wonders what Earle thinks of this song.

Loveless explores her country side on “How Many Women.” “How many women does a man need, how many before he stands on his own feet,” she asks, “how many hearts will he break, how much time will he waste, how many women does a man need.” Speaking on behalf of my gender, I’m not really sure how I should take the indictment of men that emanates from the lyrics. Nonetheless, the song has a likeable country shuffle.

“More Like Them” opens with a hearty riff before the rhythm section kicks in with a healthy beat. The song finds Loveless trying to explain her independent spirit, not all that believably declaring that she wishes that she was more like “the kind of people who feel sad when relationships end.”

Indestructible Machine heralds the arrival of a great new musical voice.

Audio Download: Lydia Loveless, “Can’t Change Me”

The Duke & The King, by The Duke & The King
I’ll admit to not knowing much about the Duke and the King. I was aware that Simon Felice had moved on from the Felice Brothers and had formed this new outfit, but little more. Let’s just say that I’ve corrected that now.

The band serves up a brilliant blend of upstate New York Americana (think the Band) and Muscle Shouls soul. This isn’t, perhaps, too much of a stretch when you consider the band’s credentials. Aside from Felice, bandmates Bobbie ‘Bird’ Burke and Nowell ‘The Deacon’ Haskins have connections to George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic while Simi Stone is steeped in soul and R&B.

And the music? Sublime. Opener “If You Ever Get Famous” is a winsome folk song accentuated by the beautiful harmonies that are a band hallmark. That leads right into the laid-back R&B groove of “Shaky” with its closing saxophone solo that recalls “Walk on the Wild Side.”

Stone shines on what is easily the stand-out song on the album. “I lost my man, to the whiskey and the heart in my hand, been holding on for two years too long,” sings Stone before the band kicks in with a melody that is equal parts pop, folk and R&B. The song brilliantly brings together a happy-go-lucky attitude with an appealing swagger.

“Shine On You” opens with acoustic guitar and harmonica that leads one to think that the song will be a quiet ballad. The arrival of a tasteful yet ragged electric guitar and some brilliantly soulful vocals join in the chorus to give the song tremendous depth.

“If I was dying of heart-ache would you write me a song, rock me there in the moonlight all night long” Felice sings in “You and I.” It is a sentiment that perfectly fits this release, the ideal soundtrack for gazing into a moonlight night.

Audio Download: The Duke and the King, “Shine On You”

World Wide Rebel Songs, by Tom Morello, the Nightwatchman
I’ve never been a big Rage Against the Machine fan, but Tom Morello’s latest solo release is really hitting the spot. Aside from a healthy dose of Morello’s guitar prowess, it is filled with the socially and politically conscious lyrics for which Morello is known. “Troubled times call out for troubled songs,” says Morello of this latest release, “I wanted to capture a vibe midway between Johnny Cash and Che Guevera, murder ballads and Molotov anthems.”

The album roars out of the gate with “Black Sparticus Heart Attack Machine,” ostensibly an acoustic rocker but instilled with the intensity one would expect from Morello. “I’m a massive air strike on a beautiful night, yea it’s my song I’m singin’,” he roars, “somebody better start countin’, we’re coming out swinging.”

“It Begins Tonight” is perhaps the closest to a Rage song, with Morello’s electric guitar spitting out licks against a furious rhythm. “I see your mouth moving but man I ain’t listening, “ he snarls before letting loose a fiery guitar solo. Intense.

Morello channels Woody Guthrie with the sing-along “World Wide Rebel Songs,” albeit with his own distinct lyrical imprint. “Where they’re voices raised and barricades, believe me man I’m down,” he sings, “raise your voices all together, mother f*cker here we come!”

“Speak and Make Lightning” has a down-home foot-stompin’ feel. A rollicking piano and backing vocals help the song build to a gospel rave-up before Morello lets loose with what can only be described as a country-esque guitar solo delivered in the Morello style.

The restrained yet powerful “Save the Hammer for the Man,” co-written and featuring Ben Harper, contains the lyric that best captures the spirit of Morello’s music. “Alone I marched towards freedom, leaving footprints across the land, with a vow that’s left unspoken, save the hammer for the man.” Ironically it is sung by Harper but that doesn’t lesson its relevance.

Regardless of whether you agree with Morello’s views or not, this is music that commands attention.

Audio Download: Tom Morello: The Nightwatchman, “It Begins Tonight”

THE PLAYLIST

Damn This Town, John Hiatt (from the New West Records release Dirty Jeans and Mudslide Hymns)
Nearly 40 years. That’s how long John Hiatt has been releasing albums. Pretty darn impressive if you ask me, particularly given how consistent – consistently good – he has been over the years. His latest is just another feather in the cap. The lead-off track is a perfect example, with Hiatt’s gruff voice perfectly matched with the bluesy guitar riffs. And the album title? A classic. (See Eli’s take here.)

Audio Download: John Hiatt, “Damn This Town”

Little Bird, Kasey Chambers (from the Sugarhill Records release Little Bird)
It is hard not to get lost in Australian singer-songwriter Chambers’s voice. It has an ethereal quality yet is instilled with confidence and strength. Musically, her songs are steeped in the country and folk tradition, yet shine with a uplifting pop sensibility. The combination is irresistible.

Audio Download: Kasey Chambers, “Little Bird”

Cry, Slaid Cleaves (from the Music Road Records release Sorrow & Smoke: Live at the Horseshoe Lounge)
Cleaves is a songwriter’s songwriter, crafting thoughtful folk songs rich with detail and intelligence. Those who know his music will appreciate this casual performance from Austin’s legendary Horseshoe Lounge, complete with stories and clinking beer bottles to add extra character to his songs. And for those who aren’t familiar with his music, what the heck are you waiting for? There’s no better place to start than this collection that features some Cleaves classics, such as this track that has remained on my playlist since it was released more than two years ago.

Audio Download: Slaid Cleaves, “Cry”

I Hate New York, Jim Boggia (from the Soundcheck Sessions)
Popster Boggia channels Simon and Garfunkel on this somber yet moving ballad.

I hate New York, ‘cause I found a love I’d hold until eternity, I hate New York, that god-forsaken skyline is my enemy, fueled the fantasy that she chose over me.

Audio Download: Jim Boggia, “I Hate New York”

Richie and Ruben, Fountains of Wayne (from the Yep Roc Records release Sky Full of Holes)
It would be easy to talk about Fountains of Wayne’s incredible pop sensibilities and insanely catchy melodies. I’ve always been struck, however, by the quality of their lyrics. The attention to detail is astounding as the band keys in on the small details that infuse their songs with immense personality. Exhibit A is this quirky tale of two guys searching for the next big business venture.

Audio Stream: Fountains of Wayne, “Richie and Ruben”

Baby’s Got a Dream, Girls Guns and Glory (from the Lonesome Day Records release Sweet Nothings)
If you’re looking for some honky-tonk, this could be the release for you. The Boston-area quartet mix their country chops with a small dose of rock. The results? A down-home good time.

Audio Download: Girls Guns and Glory, “Baby’s Got a Dream”

Saturday, Little Jackie (from the release Made For TV)
Imani Coppola and Adam Pallin mine the best of late 1970’s and early 1980’s soul pop. The string flourishes help give this song a retro feel but Coppola’s silken vocals and an alluring groove maintain a contemporary edge. This is perma-grin music — it never fails to bring a smile to my face.

Audio Download: Little Jackie, “Saturday”

Thunder Road, Jim Boggia (from the Soundcheck Sessions)
Yes, this is a Bruce Springsteen cover. Yes, it is played on a ukelele. And, yes, it is amazing.

Audio Download: Jim Boggia, “Thunder Road”