Old Yellow Moon feels lived in. The record feels instantly comfortable, like an old pair of shoes that align perfectly with the arches of your feet. Harris and Crowell’s musical partnership dates back a quarter of century to his tenure in her now legendary Hot Band and perhaps more importantly his songwriting contributions to Harris’s ridiculous run of records in the late 1970s. Though the paths of the two singers have crissed and crossed in the ensuing decades, Old Yellow Moon is the first record that features both of their names in the headlining slot.

The feeling of this record is that of a couple of old friends trading songs in a warm living room. Appropriate, since that is pretty much exactly what happened. Harris and Crowell reunited with producer Brian Ahern, who besides being Harris’s ex was also the producer of those early Hot Band records. Together the three turned back the clock with a back to basics sound reminiscent of their glory years. Opener “Hanging Up My Heart” starts the record off with a jaunty number that could have slide nicely onto Elite Hotel, Luxury Liner, or Blue Kentucky Girl. Crowell delivers an ebullient lead vocal on the rocking “Bluebird Wine”, a self penned song that was side 1, track 1, on Harris’s first album back in 1975.

The duo also deliver a couple of more tender moments. Harris’s reading of “Spanish Dancer”, in a typical Emmylou-like fashion, is a cover song that tends to make you forget that the song exists outside of her otherworldly soprano (for those keeping score, the song was penned by Patti Scialfa). That song is followed by the best of the new Crowell tunes, the devastating “Open Season On My Heart” (if anyone hasn’t been paying attention to Crowell’s last couple records, get on that–  his 2000s output has been some of his best work).

A couple of songs on the album’s back-end, “Back When We Were Beautiful” and the title track, address the more topical theme of aging. Harris gives the former song a wistful resignation that is perhaps too believable coming from such elegance. The latter closes the record with a promise:

And now
As I turn back the years
So little I’ve learned
About heartache and tears

But still
I’m making my way
Into the heart
Of an unknown highway

Is Old Yellow Moon is good enough to stack up the pairs ‘classic’ work? I don’t know. I’m just glad they gave us another little slice of heaven.

The set list captured here:

• She’s Got
• All Mixed Up
• Lucky Moon
• Who Calls My Name
• Excited
• Home
• Hard Road

Musically the record is full of foot-tapping, hand-clapping melodies tied together by the banjo riffs of Luke Anderson.  It’s not that the other instruments play any less a part in the overall sound, it’s just there’s something binding about the banjo parts throughout the disc.  A little to the left of this center is an old-timey sound like on Where the Winter Goes.  To the right is a rock-laced Americana sound of songs like Waitin’ On the Sun that reminded me of early Tom Petty or his Mudcrutch alter ego.

I think it’s the stories that really shine on this album, though.  54 Miles tells the tale of a fan going to an EBJ concert (and has a kind of hall of mirrors feel when the band sings about going to see said band).  My Old Pickup Truck could be a bluegrass anthem to well-loved vehicles everywhere.  Talkin’ To John About the Weather gets a little more philosophical when it goes into the difficulty of trying to create the sound of winter when it’s not snowing, or singing about the virtues of whisky when there’s not an open bottle in front of you.  My favorite is probably Sittin’ By the River, which is about, well, just sitting by the river and enjoying what life is sending your way.  Or maybe it’s a metaphor for something deeper and I just never felt the need to probe it any further.  Same thing.

 Eastbound Jesus clearly has a great attitude about their music.  Their first album was called Greatest Hits, Volume 1.  Where this has progressed to on Northern Rock is a record without pretension that’s just a lot of fun, and perfect for your summer listening pleasure.

The framework of his artistry comes from the south. More specifically it is derived from Southern Soul and Blues. Bramblett’s new release “The Bright Spots” is another example of his ability to create songs that are layered in their arrangements. His songs bring different elements and influences together, but these elements are more stratified than mixed. On “The Bright Spots” Bramblett takes the listener to familiar territory, but forges a few new trails along the ride.

The album starts with “Roll”, which uses distorted vocals to give it a rich texture.” John the Baptist” accomplishes the same thing using Loops. The album’s most Blues oriented song is “Whatever that is”, which he sings with rough and gravel like vocal style. The songs on the rest of the album tend to exhibit Southern Soul across a range of tempo. “Trying to Steal a minute” has the broadest appeal and is evocative of Robbie Robertson. It is also a prime example Bramblett’s ability to use a variety of styles that build on each other.

Over the course of his career, Bramblett’s original core of musician an peer group fans has broadened to a wider audience. “The Bright Spots” will certainly add to his fanbase.

‘Ya gotta love Baez’s comment as she steps to the microphone: “These two are two of this country’s greatest songwriters. And I do not know this next song.”

 Shawn Nelson and The Good Buds – Enough

Back in 2011 I reviewed San Juan Street from Shawn Nelson and was enamored of the protagonist perspective in many of his songs along with the variety of musical influences.  So I was happy to see he has an EP out with his band, now known as The Good Buds.  This project has some of that feel, but seems to concentrate on the philosophy of getting by in today’s world when you’re part of the 99%.  It’s not exactly feel good music, but it never crosses the line to melancholy or tears-in-your-whisky music.  And the EP does finish with a nice finger snapping tune, Yea Ya Right, that name checks a lot of Texas music favorites.  The music itself is well crafted and along with a particular style of laid back delivery I found this to be a really compelling listen.  The only disappointment is there are just 4 songs.

 Western Youth – Leaving the Station

This is the debut record from an Austin-based band that struck that vein in my arm where the rock and roll goes.  Part Ryan Adams, part Reckless Kelly or Drive By Truckers, the 5 songs here have you playing air drums on a frequent basis.  Somewhere, Somehow and Black Freightliner are straight ahead roots rock, while Waste Of Time kicks it up a notch with some horns that add another tasty layer on top for when too much is just enough. Should’ve Been Me leans more to a ballad tempo, but with a feedback vamp Crazy Horse would be proud of.  Falling Down explores the alt country side of roots music and is the song I find myself going back to most often.

 Wicked Saints – Don’t Kill the Blackbird

The third EP gem I’ve picked up lately is from LA-by-way-of New-Orleans band Wicked Saints.  There’s a lot of ear candy in these songs.  So the title track has its going down the road feel, but with a sweet banjo groove.  Baby Gray Bird is an acoustic Sunday morning song with a Great Gig In the Sky moan that’s just perfect.  Roll With the Changes starts with an almost chant.  Pavan has this slightly discordant sound that injects not just a sound but a jittery feel to the music.  The info for this collection is that it’s the first seven finished songs from an upcoming LP.  If the rest of that record is anything like this EP it’s going to be a dynamite release.

FEATURED ALBUMS

Waterfall, by Todd Thibaud
Thibaud’s latest album is a bit of a paradox. For all it’s upbeat melodies and potent rock energy, the lyrics are stark and introspective. The songs mostly capture characters reflecting on past mistakes with an air of resignation and anxiety about the future. Despite their unease, however, there is a maturity in their attitudes as they take responsibility for their actions even as they ruminate on the results.

Album opener “What May Come” is a great example. The song begins with a gloriously buoyant guitar riff before Thibaud declares “there’s a bitter taste to the air I breathe.” Yet the song has such an infectious quality that makes you want to play it loud and sing along at the top of your lungs.

“Not For Me” picks up the story, with Thibaud offering this life perspective:

Downtown Sadie is a prophet and a friend of mine
She says that life ain’t no secret, it’s as simple as a ball of twine
Every day’s another layer, every piece another lesson learned
She says the bigger that you make it, the longer you can watch it burn.

Brawny guitars convey the song’s pent-up energy with a touch of electric piano to soften the edges.

“Hollow” is propelled by an irresistible guitar hook, even as Thibaud sings “when the thing you lose is the thing you love and I know without a doubt there’s nothing that I can do.” Horns join in towards the end of the song to give this tale of love gone wrong a jubilant feel.

The frustration reaches a peak on “Wears Me Down.” Bristling guitars and an angry rock beat drive the song as Thibaud declares,

Inside my mother’s eyes, I find no surprise at all just her love unbound
She sees the best in me, I wish that I could agree but I feel like a man going down
And the hounds of failure howl outside my walls

The tempo, if not the sense of regret, slows down on the hauntingly beautiful “Change a Thing.” The song finds Thibaud asking the question that we’ve all undoubtedly asked ourselves as a relationship fell apart: “What if you could, I wonder if you would change a thing.”

Lest anyone think otherwise, there are some moments of joy and contentment in the mix. The title track is a song of love and redemption. “Dark was the cloud over me, warm is the hand that pulled me free,” sings Thibaud against a backdrop of shimmering guitars and an insistent rock beat.

For those in Boston, Thibaud is celebrating the release with a special show at Atwoods Tavern on May 23rd. See you there?

Audio Download: Todd Thibaud, “Not For Me”

Walt Whitman Mall, by Bill Janovitz
While Bill Janovitz wrote many of the songs on Walt Whitman Mall about his experience growing up on Long Island (home of said mall), the stories will undoubtedly ring true to many listeners, regardless of where they were raised. From summer loves and summer jobs to the adolescent desire to escape a “bedroom town that has no heart” – Janovitz captures it all with a perceptive eye. With the passage of time we can all look back on these formative years with both a healthy nostalgia and a bit of wisened perspective.

Album opener “Long Island,” a re-worked version of a song originally recorded for Janovitz’s 2001 album Up Here, starts as an upbeat indictment of suburban life and youthful rebellion. “The town ain’t got the heart you wear on your sleeve,” he proclaims.

The tempo changes mid-song, however, as does the desire to escape.

the Buick’s out in the drive-way now
you want to leave but you don’t know how
It’s summer time and the sun beats down
Your favorite time in your hometown

After a soulful interlude that reinforces the vacillation, the song returns to its original tempo and sentiment. It is a potent contrast that serves to reflect the vagaries of youth.

Fans of Buffalo Tom – the band that Janovitz co-founded and has performed with for over 25 years – will undoubtedly enjoy “Diamonds Down.” The brooding rocker features the intense guitar work that has become a Buffalo Tom hallmark.

At the other end of the spectrum is the elegant ballad “I Know It’s True.” The song finds a man returning home many years after his departure, confronting the loss of childhood friends and innocence. Janovitz’s impassioned vocals and acoustic guitar give the song a powerful sense of melancholy.

The album takes a nostalgic turn with “Heckscher Park.” A cheerful melody propels the song as Janovitz reflects on the big dreams for the future that we all undoubtedly had in our youth. “Feeding the ducks at Heckscher Pond, catching the snow with white coats on,” he reflects, “we could be anyone we want to be today.”

He then imagines a girl from his childhood returning to the pond years later, her young son in tow. The big dreams are no longer her own, they are now projected on her child. It is a fitting portrait of the transition from innocence to experience, and how the cycle renews itself generation after generation.

Audio Download: Bill Janovitz, “Long Island”

Old Brown Shoes, Tallahassee (from the self-released Old Ways)

There is an ominous beauty to Tallahassee’s latest release, a collection of songs whose sense of longing and uneasiness are captured in its expressive musical soundscape. The two songs that bookend this release are prime examples.

Album opener “Old Brown Shoes” finds singer Brian Barthelmes attempting to convince a reluctant companion to leave a small town in search of big city opportunities. “This town is a faded memory, I pray the Lord our souls to keep,” he sings, “I’d rather drown in the deep blue ocean, than drag water in this muddy creek.” Persistent harmonies and a soaring chorus the song do little to mask the song’s pensive feel.

“Where Oh Where,” the gentle closing track, finds the singer re-considering the decision. Having experienced the perceived coldness and contraints of city life, he yearns to return to the simplicity of a small town. A smoldering organ, accompanied by an acoustic and occasional electric guitar, paints a somber musical landscape as Barthelmes pleads, “Please take me back to the country, to the place where I belong.”

Audio Download: Tallahassee, “Old Brown Shoes”

Mr. Starlight, Michael Tarbox (from the self-released Works and Days)
Listening to his music, you’d never know that Michael Tarbox lives in Boston. Since his debut with the Tarbox Ramblers back in 2000, he has demonstrated a mastery of the country blues.

At the heart of Tarbox’s music is his guitar, as raw as it is charismatic. It creates an electricity that courses through every song. Just listen to this smoldering blues-based rocker.

Shake, Lori McKenna (from the Hoodie Songs release Massachusetts)
There are some songwriters who chornicle their own life experiences, exploring the nooks and crannies of their lives. There are other songwriters who create characters and situations which they can explore with detached honesty. Over the course of her career McKenna has proven herself capable with both styles.

“Salt” and “Shake,” two songs from her latest release, fall in the latter category. The songs offer opposing views on a failed relationship. In “Salt”, the protagonist simply walks away; in “Shake” the character is paralyzed and unable to walk away. McKenna inhabits both songs beautifully, singing with an emotion that is as powerful as it is restrained.

Time does not waste itself,
A dream cannot wake itself,
The truth cannot disgrace itself,
An unwritten prayer cannot save the lost soul.
Arms cannot embrace themselves
A heart cannot break itself
And I cannot shake myself from you.

Audio Download: Lori McKenna, “Shake”

Gone Yer Gone, Jimmy Ryan (from the Ruido Grande Records release Readville)
Ryan has a well-earned reputation as one of the premiere mandolin players in New England, well heck, make that everywhere. Alas, he spends so much time recording or touring with other artists that we all too infrequently get to hear new songs from him.

Well, Ryan’s got a wonderful new release that showcases the strength of his songwriting and, of course, his prowess with a mandolin. It’s a mighty fine pickin’ party.

Boston folk: Ryan will be celebrating the release with a special show at Johnny D’s on May 17th.

Audio Download: Jimmy Ryan, “Gone Yer Gone”

Never, Jenny Dee & Several Men of Mystery (from the ep release Jenny Dee & Several Men of Mystery)
For the past several years Jenny Dee has mined the glories of 1960’s girl group pop with her band the Delinquents. While prepping for that band’s new release, however, she followed the muse in a different direction.

Enter Several Men of Mystery, a collection of talented Boston musicians who accompany her on the three tracks with an Americana flavor. Fans of Paul Westerberg should seek out “Looking For Clues,” while those who favor old school country should check out her duet with Roy Sludge on “You Had It All.” As for me, I’m sticking with the twangy pop of “Never.”

Audio Download: Jenny Dee & Several Men of Mystery, “Never”

Heel to Toe, Laura Cortese (from the self-released Into the Dark)

One never knows what to expect with each Cortese release. She follows up 2011’s wonderful symphonic pop release Pine (recorded with The Posion Oaks) with an even more orchestral sound – a collection of songs performed mostly by a string ensemble that is anchored by Cortese’s violin. The genre-jumping just proves that Cortese has a magical touch that can cross musical styles.

Here’s a particular favorite from the latest release. It is a bit of an outlier from the rest of the collection with its fun hoedown vibe, but listen as the other instruments fade to let the strings bring the song to a beautiful conclusion.

Audio Download: Laura Cortese, “Heel to Toe”

Orlando Brown, Autumn Hollow (from the self-released Autumn Hollow)

The Boston rockers hit the mark with an anthem about former football player Orlando “Zeus” Brown, known to many for the injury he suffered when he was hit in the eye with a referee’s flag. They sing of him as a folk hero, a football player respected for his play and who persevered to return to the football field after his injury.

Horns and a children’s chorus join in to give the song a regal quality as the band sings, “Keep playing, keep fighting, do it for us, yeah they do it for us.”

You’ll find plenty more with the band’s blend of Americana, pop and rock on the band’s latest release, produced by fellow Boston rock musician Will Dailey.

Audio Download: Autumn Hollow, “Orlando Brown”

Second Hand Halo, Corin Ashley (from the Murray Hill Records release New Lion Terraces)

To celebrate one of those milestone birthdays, musician and unabashed pop music fan Ashley fulfilled a life-long ambition: to record his music at the legendary Abbey Road Studios. And Ashley didn’t record at just any room within the facility, he booked time in Studio Two — where the Beatles recorded most of their extraordinary work.

Not that Ashley needed the inspiration of the storied studio, his catalogue is filled with wonderful classic pop songs. Well, add another batch to the collection. New Lion Terraces is bursting with the kind of magical pop songs that would undoubtedly bring a smile to Paul McCartney’s face.

Read more about Ashley’s Abbey Road experience in his recording diary here.

Audio Download: Corin Ashley, “Second Hand Halo”

My World, Dave Alpert (from the self-released ep My World)
Although his latest ep takes a more twangy path than his previous acoustic pop and rock releases, Alpert’s core approach to songwriting remains intact: irresistible hooks with lyrics that don’t pull any punches. The title track from his forthcoming ep captures it perfectly as Alpert offers up a sharp social commentary on the materialism and pretentiousness in the world.

You’re a city guy
Spend every weekend high
Out on a limb
Go to the gym right after work
You think your boss is such a jerk
Drink cappuccinos all alone
But way out there you’re on your own

Audio Download: Dave Alpert, “My World”

As a special bonus, here’s Barnstar! taking on the Dawes gem “When My Time Comes.” An enchanting performance of a magical song.

I suppose there are a couple of main points to drive home about this record.  The first is the variety of musical influences Russell showcases, whether intentionally or not.  On Sweeter Than the Scars, the opening cut, I found myself thinking of Leon Russell and that casual feel and delivery.  Song Of Lime Juice & Despair certainly calls to mind Jimmy Buffet, but with a mastery of yodeling that no Parrothead would recognize.  Limpia Hotel is a delightful honky-tonk Hawaiian waltz about west Texas.  And in the intentional category, the band does a cover of Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes hit from the 70′s, If You Don’t Know Me By Now.

The second point is Russell’s ability to turn a phrase.  As someone who chooses to try to write something people will enjoy every week, I can’t get enough of his lyrics.  Take that opening cut, Sweeter Than the Scars, where he observes: “Dreams are about the future—-Songs are about the past—-Sometimes it takes a suture—-To make the feeling last.”  An elegant way of saying hurts so good.  On Take Me Lake Charles he doesn’t just sing about looking forward to the casino, he boasts, “Twenty-one’s coming I can feel it in my bones—-I’ll have to change my name to Savings and Loan.”  In Sweet Potato he leads with a description of personality if I’ve ever heard one, “My lips are chapped—-But they crack with flavor.”

 Gulf Coast Museum is pretty well impossible to categorize.  There’s no one theme that I can discern.  The musical style, while certainly Americana, is broadened by a crack set of musicians that stretch genres with ease.  In the lyrical category Kevin Russell can tell a story of time or place, or just make observations on life.  This isn’t some break-up album or venting at some political or business target.  So at the end of the day what I’m left with is this album is greater than the sum of its parts and a spectacular example of what craftsmanship in music sounds like.

The diverse yet understated sound and atmosphere of “American Kid” is largely due to the fact that Patty Griffin enlisted Luther and Cody Dickinson to provide the music. It was even recorded in the Dickinson’s hometown of Memphis. Luther’s guitar work and Cody’s percussion are the backbone of the album. Griffin apparently met them when North Mississippi All-Stars opened for Band of Joy. Griffin was also joined by Robert Plant on three songs. Their chemistry that began with Band of Joy carries over to these songs with a seamless harmony. “American Kid” was worth the wait. Let’s hope we don’t have to wait another six years for a collection of original masterpieces like these.