What’s the Matter, James McMurtry (from the New West Records release The Horses and the Hounds)
Even in the shittiest of years – and the past two years have been beauts – new music from James McMurtry is always a bright spot. In fact, given the songwriter’s infrequent album releases – The Horses and the Hounds is his first album in seven years – it’s a blessing that he arrives to provide a musical respite from a troubled world.
“If It Don’t Bleed”, written from the perspective of someone in the back half of live, counsels that we should make our lives count. “So run another rack, pour another shot,” McMurtry sings, adding “you don’t get it back so give it all you got while you still got a more or less functional body and mind”.
“Operation Never Mind” arguably hits a little close to home these days, the tale of military operations of the secretive kind. “We won’t let the cameras near the fighting, that way we won‘t have another Vietnam,” he sings.
McMurtry takes to the road with a pair of barroom rockers. The album title track chronicles a truck driver who makes his home on the road. “Sister says to come on back for Christmas, mama’s wondering why I never come around,” he confides, “lord I’ve been running for so long I just can’t find a way back home.”
“What’s the Matter” is a brilliantly entertaining tale of a musician dealing with discontent on the home front while on tour.
The phone’s on the dash, the goddamned thing
It’s one of those times when I know it’s gonna ring
Don’t want to answer, but I got no choice
There’s something bad wrong I can hear it in your voice
Things only escalate from there. “I don’t know what to tell you, don’t know what to say,” he says exasperatedly, “how’m I gonna fix it, I’m a thousand miles away”.
The feisty and mostly spoken word “Ft. Walton Wake-Up Call” is another standard for the McMurtry cannon, right alongside his classics “Red Dress” and “Levelland”. A mostly spoken word tirade lambasts, well, pretty much everything. “Twitter’s on fire, my stocks all tanked,” he complains before admitting what’s really got him going – “but what’s really getting to me is I keep losing my glasses.”
The Horses and the Hounds is yet another strong outing from an artist who never disappoints. It is everything we’ve come to expect from him – vivid storytelling and hearty rock and roll.
Not Gonna Lie, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram (from the Alligator Records release 662)
I’m a bit late to the Kingfish party. Given he’s only 22 years old and has just released only his second album, however, maybe I’m not late at all – Ingram is just getting started. 662 , the area code for his hometown in Mississippi, ripples with muscular guitar and songs. While there is plenty of electric guitar blues, such as “That’s What You Do” (with the lyric “there ain’t no shortcut, that’s what you do for the blues”), I’m drawn to the more rock-oriented tracks like “Not Gonna Lie”, the bruising “Long Distance Woman”, and the soulful bonus track “Rock & Roll”.
Elsewhere, Ingram shows off his acoustic chops on the love gone wrong “You’re Already Gone” while his bluesy guitar is joined by a horn section on “That’s All It Takes”, giving the song some tasty R&B swagger.
Ingram brings it all home with “Something In the Dirt”, a somewhat autobiographical tale of growing up in the birthplace of the blues. “I was born here in Clarksdale, lived here since my birth,” he sings, “well there’s magic in the music, must be something in the dirt.”
Red Roses, Jeremy Pinnell (from the Sofaburn Records release Goodbye L.A.)
Kentucky singer-songwriter Jeremy Pinnell sings country the way it is supposed to be sung. I mean when, in “Wanna Do Something”, he sings “You wanna hear about life just listen to an old Jones song” he leaves doubt about his conviction about it.
The authenticity rings out particularly strong on the weathered lament of “Never Thought of No One” and the truck drivin’ “Doing My Best”. The songs capture characters who lead simple lives and try hard, even if they don’t realize their ambition. “I ain’t doin’ no good, I’m just doing my best,” he sings on the latter.
A close listen reveals the wondrous quality/some special qualities in Pinnell’s writing. “Red Roses”, in particular, features country instrumentation but has pop cross-over appeal. There’s a soulful quality to the song that is intoxicating. One could easily hear someone like John Legend wrapping his voice around it, singing “And the roses aren’t as red as they used to be, but they are in memory.”
If you’re looking for some true country music, you’d be hard-pressed to find much better than Jeremy Pinnell.
Living in the USA, Son Volt (from the Transmit Sound release Electro Melodier)
Jay Farrar has never been one to pull his punches. Much of Electro Melodier was written and recorded over the course of the past year, so the Covid pandemic and our age of social unrest, political discord, and the specter of climate change, frame many of the songs. The results reinforce Farrar’s stature as one of our most thoughtful and intelligent contemporary songwriters.
“Living in the USA”, a somewhat stinging indictment of a country in turmoil, is a quintessential example:
This land of freedom, all can live the dream, they say
With voices crying out and sirens wailing away
Money flows through every back-channel door
Cash crowns the king, there’s no limits anymore
Yet, Farrar still injects hope, or at least a desire to find hope, in the chorus, asking “Where’s the heart from days of old? Where is the empathy? Where’s the soul?”
As that lyric suggests, Farrar often challenges the listener to face up to difficult realities and recast them in a more positive light. “Lucky Ones”, a soulful celebration of deep friendship, opens with a warning “Still the lucky ones with everything to lose if we don’t chase away these blues” before Farrar declares “life is good with you around, the weight of the world is nowhere to b? found.”
He takes it a step further with the rousing “The Globe”. A universal call to arms, Farrar proclaims:
People all around the world
Understand what’s bad and good
Now’s the time to show up
Last time to wake up
You can sense it on the street
Pushing back at authority
The sense of hope, not to mention the candor, extend to the love song “Diamonds and Cigarettes”. While the chorus acknowledges a rough road travelled – “all the hard lessons with no regrets, we’re still diamonds and cigarettes” – he shares a sentiment of perseverance:
Never let the drumbeats tell you different
Or rattle your core
Time heals what it can
Till you’re over the barrel no more
Farrar has a way with words that is both direct and impactful. In the case of Electro Melodier, it takes the form of an especially potent rock album.
Living In Between, Gary Louris (from the SHAM/Thirty Tigers release Jump For Joy)
There’s always been a heavy pop element to Gary Louris’s compositions, even when he and the Jayhawks were helping define what is now known as Americana. On what is only his second solo album (the first dates back to 2008), Louris leans into Beatles-esque – and more specifically McCartney style – pop in all its glory.
There is a gentle urgency to songs like opener “Almost Home” and “New Normal”, with some musical tension to counter-balance the catchy melodies. That contrast manifests itself further on “Living In Between”. A hearty “la la la” chorus gives the song a genteel charm while Louris tries to make sense of overwhelming times. “I am just a simple man in a complicated world,” he sings.
The sentiment continues on the subdued “White Squirrel”:
Ever feel like a square peg in a round hole
Like a broken spoke, a constant pretender
A by-stander who never gets the joke
Those desiring a Jayhawks touch will gravitate towards “Too Late the Key” and “Dead Man’s Burden”, two songs that Louris originally wrote for that band. Both have the warm, organic feel that is a Jayhawks’ hallmark, the latter an eight minute opus that embodies the melodic and lyrical ambition that have marked the songwriter’s career.
Only Stupid Kids Get Bored, The Northern Belle (from the Die With Your Boots On Records release The Women In Me)
They call if Nordicana and it is something to behold. The breadth of Americana-style music emerging from Norway has, to a degree, established that country as Far East Nashville. The latest release from Northern Belle is another Nordicana gem that, courtesy of some notable guest appearances, beautifully celebrates the local music scene.
The Women In Me finds songwriter Stine Andreassen in a reflective mood. “I had a talk with all the women in me, they can’t follow this narrow path,” she sings on the title track, a song restrained yet quietly empowering. “Two Rhythms” is a tribute to her late grandfather with a notable John Prine reference, “pop by John Prine’s club, try the vodka ginger ale”.
The album includes several collaborations that showcase the breadth of Norway’s musical talent. Stand-outs include “Only Stupid Kids Get Bored”, which features instrumentalists Orions Belte on a song that blends a sashaying pop melody with assertive percussion and hints of sea shanty on the chorus. The equivalent of a Norwegian super-group – with Darling West, Ida Jenshus, Louien, Malin Pettersen, and Signe Marie Rustad joining Northern Belle – transform Sufjan Steven’s “Chicago” into a moving ballad of nostalgia and regret.
The group close out the album with a moving cover of John Prine’s “Summer’s End”, a wonderful tribute to the late singer-songwriter and a fitting capstone to The Women In Me.
My Story, Robert Finley (from the Easy Eye Sound release Sharecropper’s Son)
It’s easy to focus on Finley’s story – the rare occurrence of true talent emerging from a reality tv show. That, however, doesn’t do him justice. One of his key differentiators on the show was performing his original songs, tales from his own life that he infused with personality, passion, and raw energy.
I’m gonna tell my story
As long as the Lord allow
I know it won’t make no difference
But I’m gonna tell it anyhow
Sharecropper’s Son, his latest album, sparkles with more of his tremendous talent. Musically the collection is rooted in blues but with plenty of R&B swagger. The songs offer a glimpse into his life story, , rich with detail and candor. Yet even in their darkest moments, they filled with passion and hope.
You’re never too young to dream
Never too old to live
Reach out and hug the ones you love
Cause it’s never too late to give
It all comes together in an inspired – and inspiring – collection. There’s a joy and gratefulness that is exhilarating, not to mention catchy as hell.
We got to teach
Our children how to fly
So they can reach those stars in the sky
Cause it’s one thing I know
That dreams do come true
That’s why I told my story
So you can start dreaming too
Speed Limit, Tim Easton (from the Black Mesa Records release You Don’t Really Know Me)
Don’t let the laid back musical style fool you – Tim Easton has some things on his mind. And he let’s his feelings be known on the outstanding You Don’t Really Know Me. He sets the stage with the opening title track, taking someone to task as he reminds of the importance of getting to know someone fully before making judgements. He also cautions about jumping to conclusions, singing “It takes more than one mistake to define a lifetime.”
“Speed Limit” and Peace of Mind” form something of a spiritual center for the album. The former preaches finding one’s path but doing so at a measured pace. “I can’t worry about tomorrow, yesterday is just a waste of time,” he sings before considering “When the pain of staying the same outweighs the strain of making changes.”
“Peace of Mind” beautifully counsels:
Nobody wants to wake up angry
Nobody wants to go to bed insane
Nobody really wants you to suffer
Nobody wants anybody to be in pain
For whatever you truly want for another, you may have yourself someday
You Don’t Really Know Me is a perfect blend of melody and meaning.
Way of Heart, Willie Nile (from the River House Records release The Day The Earth Stood Still)
The Day The Earth Stood Still finds Willie Nile in fine anthemic form. Whether he is spitting out political commentary or singing the praises of love, Nile infuses his songs with a contagious enthusiasm.
On the political front, Nile doesn’t shy from biting commentary. Opener “The Day The Earth Stood Still” reflects on the Covid lockdown as Nile implores, “offer up some kindness, compassion if you will, and remember well the way it was the day the earth stood still.”
The singer is less benevolent, however, on the fiery “Blood On Your Hands”, a stinging indictment of greed and indifference. There will come a time when the whip comes down,” sings guest vocalist Steve Earle, “when the pauper is king and the king becomes a clown.”
Nile channels the Rolling Stones, circa Some Girls, on the rocking “Expect Change” and “Time to Be Great”. Both songs offer perspective and encouragement on how to cope with troubling times.
He turns his attention to love and relationships on the celebratory “Sanctuary” and the uplifting “The Way of the Heart”. The latter is an appropriate album closer, building from a gentle beginning to a rousing chorus that finds Nile proclaiming:
The way of the heart is the way of the river running home,
the world is gonna turn, the flame will always burn
The way of the heart is the reason the mountain waits alone,
and why I’m coming home to you.
First Yoke (live), Daniel Romano’s Outfit (from the You’ve Changed Records release Fully Plugged In)
Describing Daniel Romano as prolific just doesn’t do him justice. No sooner have I dug into this summer’s live album then he released a new studio offering, continuing his torrid pace of sharing 2-3 (or more) albums a year. For now, though, I’m sticking with the appropriately titled live outing Fully Plugged In.
Anyone who has seen Daniel Romano and his Outfit over the past few years (well, in the before times) knows the fury of the group’s performances. While the age of Covid has taught us that there is nothing that replaces the energy of being “in the room”, this live album from early 2020 captures some of the energy that Romano and company bring to the stage.
The album leans heavily towards songs from his later albums although he does pull out an electrified version of his early country gem “The One That Got Away”. Otherwise, it’s a full on rock assault, most notably the back-to-back of “Anyone’s Arms” into “First Yoke”. Set closer “The Pride of Queens”, a tribute to the Ramones, is another gem, right down to the ending musical quote from that group’s “Teenage Lobotomy”.
About the author: Mild-mannered corporate executive by day, excitable Twangville denizen by night.