I’ve been fortunate enough to have attended quite a number of multi-day music festivals over the years, from the Veiled Prophet Fair to the Monterey Jazz Festival and Telluride to Hardly Strictly Bluegrass.  For my money, though, it’s really hard to beat the Old Settler’s Music Festival.  Held 20 miles or so outside of Austin in mid-April, it has an unparalleled selection of music, a reasonable size crowd, and a solid enough vibe to keep everything together even if the weather turns bad.  This year was no exception, and here are a few of my favorite moments from the 25th annual celebration.

The Blue Hit

 Eating From the Palm Of His Hand Award.  The last few years Old Settler’s has branched out some from its historic focus on Americana, and organizer Jean Spivey has been brilliant at bringing in indie acts that keep things fresh without leaving you scratching your head on the line up.  Local up-and-comers The Blue Hit and Lissie are examples, but better still Saturday night main stage closer Iron and Wine.  But for the sheer number of “I Love You Amos” shouts, the Philadelphia native was no doubt an honorary Texan for at least one Friday night.

Brian Henneman of the Bottle Rockets

 Back To My Roots.  There’s always a healthy dose of roots rock at OSMF, and this year was no exception.  James McMurtry blistered the stage Friday night.  Ozark dwellers Ha Ha Tonka did a cover of the Leadbelly song made famous in the 70’s by Ram Jam, Black Betty.  Three hours later walking back to my car people were still singing it.  For outright magnetism, though, the prize has to go to The Bottle Rockets, who did a pied piper number on anyone in the common area about dinnertime Saturday night.

 Audience Participation Award.  You have to give kudos to the Steep Canyon Rangers for their campground set on Thursday night.  What had been an engaged, but slightly sedate, audience for the earlier acts was stirred into a frenzy with the traditional bluegrass and awesome picking of the North Carolina quintet.  And their rendition of The Weight, the night after Levon’s passing, was clearly the best of the many covers honoring the man done over the weekend.  However, for the second year in a row this award has to go to Gaelic Storm.  They don’t just get people singing and dancing, they have people waving their arms, trying to outdo each other shouting, and, last year, riding a donkey (you had to be there).

Kimberly Zielnicki

 Youth Talent.  One of the things that sets OSMF apart from many larger events is the youth talent competition on Saturday morning.  This being Austin, the bar is pretty high, and past winners have gone on to their own recordings and performing with national acts in short order.  This year’s winner was fiddle player and singer Kimberly Zielnicki, who got a cheer from the crowd with her comment before the last song of an encore set, “you can never have enough fiddle songs”.  Tradition is that Miss Zielnicki will get a slot on the main stage next year, and I’ll look forward to seeing her with another year’s experience and some notoriety under her belt.

Sarah Jarosz with Darrell Anger

 Best Festival Moment.  This was sort of the year for NPR darling Sarah Jarosz, what with her main stage return playing to a clearly partisan crowd, and her mandolin workshop with Joe Walsh (not that one, the other one) that drew hundreds of people, most of whom have never even picked up the instrument.  For the real feel of the event, though, my vote goes to the kind of impromptu moment that’s the heart of a festival, yet witnessed by very few.  Woody Platt and a couple of his Steep Canyon Ranger mates were jamming with mandolin virtuoso Frank Solivan (who turned in a really, really sold set with his band Dirty Kitchen earlier in the evening) behind the bandstand long after the lights were off and most people had gone to their campsite.  The minstrels decided they needed a banjo and so walked over to the car where Frank’s banjo player, Mike Munford, was asleep.  They lit into a tune and before they were halfway through, Mike had his instrument out and had joined the fun.  You couldn’t help but grin as wide as the band was.

The Honeydogs, led by songwriter and lead singer Adam Levy, came into existence in the early 1990s as an alternative country outfit in the vein of the Jayhawks and Wilco.  Like the better-known Wilco and the Jayhawks, the Honeydogs gradually wandered away from that alt. country flavor, in the Honeydogs’ case in favor of an ambitious progressive rock exemplified by 2003′s concept album, 10,000 Years, which, although musically strong, was at times inconsistent.  

Up until now, Seen a Ghost and Here’s Luck represented the sweet spot of the band’s career, a point at which the band had hit its stride musically but had not wandered too far away from its simple roots.  Check out the simplicity of “Those Things are Hers” off Seen a Ghost and “Freakshow at the Fair” off Here’s Luck, which was a twisted masterpiece.  The albums were ambitious, sometimes with complex instrumentation including a string section (see “Pins in Dolls” on Here’s Luck), but they hadn’t moved too far away from their lyrical roots.  The Beatles’ influence was evident on these albums, but the Flying Burrito Brothers were there as well.  

Stardom eluded the Honeydogs, but they have managed to continue as a unit, performing and recording intermittently.  Adam Levy has worked as a social worker and an educator, putting food on the table during the dormant periods.  The Honeydogs’ 2003-2009 releases, 10,000 Years, Amygdala and Sunshine Committee, were enjoyable, but they lacked the unique Honeydogs sound evident on the 1997-2001 recordings – no more Flying Burrito Brothers. 

What Comes After is a step back in the direction of those excellent 1997-2001 albums.  It has some tremendous, melodic tunes.  It opens with a bluesy, accoustic riff on “Particles or Waves” and continues its surprising journey from there.  Some highlights are “Aubben” and “Better Word,” which would have sounded perfectly in place on Here’s Luck, “Blood is Blood,” which includes a little banjo picking for for those who crave a little twang, and there are string accompaniments ala ”Pins in Dolls” on “Everything In Its Place” and “Turned Around.”  The album isn’t perfect (the song “Death By Boredom” is aptly named), but it is the best from the Honeydogs in years and stacks up well with their best work.  Those who enjoyed Seen a Ghost and Here’s Luck will should be delighted with What Comes After.

 The flag-bearer for that conflict is The Spirit of Death, a tribute to too-soon-gone fiddle goddess Amy Farris.  It speaks to the only thing inevitable beside taxes, and then finishes with a tap-your-foot, happy-go-lucky fiddle part by guest Gabe Witcher.  This was definitely one of my favorite tunes on the album.  In the same vein is Your Love Is Going To Kill Me, exploring the joy of marriage yet realizing the stress it adds can be, well, life-shortening.

Lest you think this is just music to slit your wrists by, the Hawks keep the dark lyrics fully in check with an intricate layering of guitars and harmonies that just listening to on the surface brings back many of the light-hearted sounds that attracted the world to the California country rock of the 70′s.  There’s also a touch a Norteno in Highland Park Serenade, and jam band syncopation in my favorite tune, I Fell In Love With the Grateful Dead.  Like some of the place and time stories of previous albums (Humboldt and Slash From Guns ‘n’ Roses come to mind), the Hawks blend personal experience and an eye for the soul of the tale that should leave a lot of Deadheads nodding in appreciation.  And Hunger Mountain Breakdown is a bluegrass anthem anyone from the hills of Kentucky would be proud of.

The Hawks sometimes say they live in the margins of the music business.  I’d counter that the notes in the margins say as much about a book as anything.  And I See Hawks In L.A. fills those white spaces admirably.

North Carolina’s American Aquarium has certainly made the most of their tenacious touring and effective self-promotion over the past few years. With their last two studio albums, Dances for the Lonely and Small Town Hymns possessing an irresistibly comfortable blend of country and rock, and the band’s live shows having gained a reputation for being not-to-miss events, it makes perfect sense that the five-piece, led by vocalist B.J. Barham would finally release a live album.

American Aquarium – Live in Raleigh has all the things a good live album should have. An effective mix of quality soundboard-recorded performances with the proper amount of audience whooping and hollering. It’s clear that American Aquarium chose to make proper use of their hometown advantage, knowing that a revved up crowd of familiar faces would give the recordings a punch and an urgency that wouldn’t be as lively anywhere else.

The strength of the songs is as clear here as they’ve been on the earlier albums. Barham’s inventive dirty talk about getting it on with the most addictive of lovers is certainly material for a fun live tune. The sheer southerness of Barham’s drawl makes songs that equate ferocious sex to a religious experience just go over perfectly.

The one album misstep – and it’s a big one for me, at least – is that when provided a chance to turn their heartbreak-turned-into-hatred anthem “I Hope He Breaks Your Heart” into a searing, sweaty show-ending catharsis that puts a satisfying finish to the band’s set, they take the easy way out and avoid singing a single note, only allowing the crowd to chant-along. Bummer, man.

Bands inviting the crowd to sing-along to the chorus of a beloved tune is nothing new, but for a band to take their best song, the show ending song, no less, and turn it into a full-length crowd-sized kumbaya moment is odd. To take away Barham’s drunken angst and force that makes the studio version of the chorus so powerful is a crime. Sure, bands love hearing their songs sung back to them by adoring fans. No one wants to rob them of a couple of lines worth of that glory, but for the whole damn song? Imagine the Drive By Truckers not singing a word to “Let There be Rock”, or the Old 97′s letting only the crowd sing to “Timebomb,” and you get the picture.

Regardless of that less-than-satisfactory ending, the rest of the album is certainly one that deserves the attention of any long-time fan, and will provide newcomers a great sampler introduction into the work of American Aquarium. Country rock isn’t anything new these days. But a bands such as American Aquarium that uses energy, clever writing and and an ability to play in a way that seems to force ears to keep listening will always be in demand.

There aren’t many voices out there that are fair or worthy companions to the singular, sultry and smokey groan of Lucinda Williams. The California-dwelling Walter Rose released Cast Your Stone last month, and while it’s a solid album to be sure, it’s tough to deny the magic this song has. Want proof of said magic? As the hypnotic song nears its end, watch your finger veer ever closer to your repeat button, or to your mouse in order to click “play” again. It’s magic, don’t fight it. let it do what it does.

As great as the grit of Williams and the rasp of Rose’s vocals are together, the aforementioned hypnotic nature of the tune may be most attributed to the resplendent steel work of Eric Heywood, an accomplished vet in his own right.

OK, OK, enough chit-chat, I know. Let’s just get to it, right? well, get to clicking below and let the magic happen.

 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