Needles in the Haystack
Friends 'n' foes, reports of my demise hath been greatly exaggerated. I continue to peck away at the feed of life, exploring a little here and and there, eating tacos and getting out to shows when possible. Finally got to see Christoph Heemann live in Austin last month along with a brilliant solo set by Rick Reed (Heemann wasn't too shabby either) and the Guided By Voices (classic lineup)/Times New Viking gig (TNV was better) here in Dallas. Was thoroughly impressed by a Zanzibar Snails double set I caught a couple weeks ago at Good Records, new release forthcoming on Finland's revered Ikuisuus label. I love the new Purling Hiss record, Public Service Announcement (and anything else bearing the Woodsist stamp lately -- Royal Baths, Ganglians, etc, etc). Purling's gig with Kurt Vile a few nights ago was a fuzzed out guitar rock screamer that didn't disappoint.
What else? The new Swans record is the ALBUM OF THE YEAR -- I recommend the Special Edition 2CD with the awesome Body Lovers like bonus CD featuring a 46 min post industrial noise pscyh freakout that rewards deep listening with layer after layer of shifting instrumental madness. I also really like Neil Young's Le Noise, and that's not just because I saw it performed live back in June. Good songs, good production. I'll be lucky to still be breathing at 70, let alone making good tunes. Also love the new La Otracina, Reality Has Got to Die on Holy Mountain. Fans of recent Circle need it. The new Dead C, properly christened Patience (Ba Da Bing!), is a slow-burner that's coarsely needling its way into the frontal lobe as I type. A fine, FINE follow-up to Secret Earth, me thinks. Sun City Girls' Funeral Mariachi (Abduction) -- their final studio album recorded with the late Charles Gocher -- is measuring up to be the king daddy closing salvo of all the 'Girls' ethno-psych freakouts to date. Very snazzy, indeed. They will be missed. Cloudland Canyon's Fin Eaves (Holy Mountain) is everything I hoped it would be; examiners of the line between modern day shoegaze and vintage electro art rock should be duly bowled over. Daniel Higgs' Say God (Thrill Jockey) is a warbling psychedelic examination of all that is holy in the great mystery we call being. Watain's Lawless Darkness (Season of Mist) is something more abysmal and cursed entirely from these old lords of Swedish black metal. And for God's sake, lest we forget mention the dark folk rock revelries of Sabbath Assembly, whose Restored to One (The Ajna Offensive) is the most original and "classic sounding" record of 2010.
Some random used finds on my last jaunt to CD Source: Giant Sand Provisions (Yep Roc), Jesu Silver (Hydrahead), Grimble Grumble S/T (Bouncing Corp), Woods Songs of Shame (Shrimper).
I finally got around to making a contribution to Marissa Nadler's new album fund, as listed at Kickstarter. This is a great idea, of course, that lots of folks are taking advantage of in this new hands-on do-it-yourself technocratic age. Can't wait to hear the final results!
As some of you know I'm a fiend for pre WW2 country blues and I must send out a big "howdy" to Womblife's Patron Saint of The Blues for forwarding this delectable morsel my way:
Album: White Country Blues 1926-1938
Styles: Old-Timey
Released: 1993
Label: Columbia
File: mp3@320K/s
Size: 167.4 MB
Time: 73:07
Disc 1:
1. Frank Hutchinson/K.C. Blues [3:04]
2. Frank Hutchinson/Cannon Ball Blues [3:23]
3. Charlie Poole With The North Carolina Ramblers/Leaving Home [3:04]
4. Charlie Poole With The North Carolina Ramblers/If The River Was Whiskey [3:07]
5. Cauley Family/Duplin County Blues [2:40]
6. Tom Darby & Jimmie Tarlton/Sweet Sarah Blues [3:01]
7. Tom Darby & Jimmie Tarlton/Frankie Dean [3:13]
8. Riley Puckett/A Darkey's Wail [2:55]
9. Clarence Green/Johnson City Blues [2:59]
10. The Carolina Buddies/Mistreated Blues [3:09]
11. Tom Ashley/Haunted Road Blues [3:15]
12. Roy Acuff & His Crazy Tennesseans/Steel Guitar Blues [2:52]
13. Carlisle & Ball/Guitar Blues [3:01]
14. Carlisle & Ball/I Want A Good Woman [3:21]
15. Cliff Carlisle/Ash Can Blues [2:58]
16. Val & Pete/Yodel Blues (Part 1) [3:14]
17. Val & Pete/Yodel Blues (Part 2) [2:51]
18. Mr. & Mrs. Chris Bouchillion/Adam & Eve (Part 2) [3:16]
19. W.T. Narmour & S.W. Smith/Carroll County Blues [3:01]
20. Charlie Poole With The North Carolina Ramblers/Ramblin' Blues [2:59]
21. Frank Hutchinson/Worried Blues [3:22]
22. Frank Hutchinson/Train That Carried The Girl From Town [3:01]
23. Roy Harvey & Leonard Copeland/Lonesome Weary Blues [2:53]
24. W. Lee O'Daniel & His Hillbilly Boys/Bear Cat Mama [2:19]
Disc 2:
1. Blue Ridge Ramblers/ Jug Rag [2:52]
2. Prairie Ramblers/ Deep Elem Blues [3:19]
3. Clayton McMichen/ Prohibition Blues [3:03]
4. Larry Hensley/ Match Box Blues [2:55]
5. Callahan Brothers/ Somebody's Been Using That Thing [2:48]
6. Homer Callahan/ Rattle Snake Daddy [3:04]
7. Homer Callahan/ My Good Gal Has Thrown Me Down [2:42]
8. W. Lee O'Daniel & His Hillbilly Boys/ Dirty Hangover Blues [2:20]
9. W. Lee O'Daniel & His Hillbilly Boys/ Tuck Away My Lonesome Blues [2:32]
10. Asa Martin & His Kentucky Hillbillies/ Lonesome, Broke And Weary [2:28]
11. Cliff Carlisle/ Chicken Roost Blues [2:32]
12. Cliif Carlisle/ Tom Cat Blues [2:52]
13. Bill Cox & Cliff Hobbs/ Oozlin' Daddy Blues [2:55]
14. Bill Cox & Cliff Hobbs/ Kansas City Blues [2:47]
15. Ramblin' Red Lowery/ Ramblin' Red's Memphis Yodel No. 1 [2:48]
16. Anglin Brothers/ Southern Whoopie Song [2:26]
17. Allen Brothers/ Drunk And Nutty Blues [3:08]
18. Allen Brothers/ Chattanooga Mama [3:35]
19. Smiling Bill Carlisle/ String Bean Mama [2:25]
20. Smiling Bill Carlisle/ Copper Head Mama [2:26]
21. Bill Cox/ Long Chain Charlie Blues [2:47]
22. Bill Cox/ Georgia Brown Blues [2:47]
23. Al Dexter/ New Jelly Roll Blues [2:33]
24. The Rhythm Wreckers/ Never No Mo' Blues [2:39]
Styles: Old-Timey
Released: 1993
Label: Columbia
File: mp3@320K/s
Size: 167.4 MB
Time: 73:07
Disc 1:
1. Frank Hutchinson/K.C. Blues [3:04]
2. Frank Hutchinson/Cannon Ball Blues [3:23]
3. Charlie Poole With The North Carolina Ramblers/Leaving Home [3:04]
4. Charlie Poole With The North Carolina Ramblers/If The River Was Whiskey [3:07]
5. Cauley Family/Duplin County Blues [2:40]
6. Tom Darby & Jimmie Tarlton/Sweet Sarah Blues [3:01]
7. Tom Darby & Jimmie Tarlton/Frankie Dean [3:13]
8. Riley Puckett/A Darkey's Wail [2:55]
9. Clarence Green/Johnson City Blues [2:59]
10. The Carolina Buddies/Mistreated Blues [3:09]
11. Tom Ashley/Haunted Road Blues [3:15]
12. Roy Acuff & His Crazy Tennesseans/Steel Guitar Blues [2:52]
13. Carlisle & Ball/Guitar Blues [3:01]
14. Carlisle & Ball/I Want A Good Woman [3:21]
15. Cliff Carlisle/Ash Can Blues [2:58]
16. Val & Pete/Yodel Blues (Part 1) [3:14]
17. Val & Pete/Yodel Blues (Part 2) [2:51]
18. Mr. & Mrs. Chris Bouchillion/Adam & Eve (Part 2) [3:16]
19. W.T. Narmour & S.W. Smith/Carroll County Blues [3:01]
20. Charlie Poole With The North Carolina Ramblers/Ramblin' Blues [2:59]
21. Frank Hutchinson/Worried Blues [3:22]
22. Frank Hutchinson/Train That Carried The Girl From Town [3:01]
23. Roy Harvey & Leonard Copeland/Lonesome Weary Blues [2:53]
24. W. Lee O'Daniel & His Hillbilly Boys/Bear Cat Mama [2:19]
Disc 2:
1. Blue Ridge Ramblers/ Jug Rag [2:52]
2. Prairie Ramblers/ Deep Elem Blues [3:19]
3. Clayton McMichen/ Prohibition Blues [3:03]
4. Larry Hensley/ Match Box Blues [2:55]
5. Callahan Brothers/ Somebody's Been Using That Thing [2:48]
6. Homer Callahan/ Rattle Snake Daddy [3:04]
7. Homer Callahan/ My Good Gal Has Thrown Me Down [2:42]
8. W. Lee O'Daniel & His Hillbilly Boys/ Dirty Hangover Blues [2:20]
9. W. Lee O'Daniel & His Hillbilly Boys/ Tuck Away My Lonesome Blues [2:32]
10. Asa Martin & His Kentucky Hillbillies/ Lonesome, Broke And Weary [2:28]
11. Cliff Carlisle/ Chicken Roost Blues [2:32]
12. Cliif Carlisle/ Tom Cat Blues [2:52]
13. Bill Cox & Cliff Hobbs/ Oozlin' Daddy Blues [2:55]
14. Bill Cox & Cliff Hobbs/ Kansas City Blues [2:47]
15. Ramblin' Red Lowery/ Ramblin' Red's Memphis Yodel No. 1 [2:48]
16. Anglin Brothers/ Southern Whoopie Song [2:26]
17. Allen Brothers/ Drunk And Nutty Blues [3:08]
18. Allen Brothers/ Chattanooga Mama [3:35]
19. Smiling Bill Carlisle/ String Bean Mama [2:25]
20. Smiling Bill Carlisle/ Copper Head Mama [2:26]
21. Bill Cox/ Long Chain Charlie Blues [2:47]
22. Bill Cox/ Georgia Brown Blues [2:47]
23. Al Dexter/ New Jelly Roll Blues [2:33]
24. The Rhythm Wreckers/ Never No Mo' Blues [2:39]
Notes:
White Country Blues 1926-1938: A Lighter Shade of Blue is an excellent, revealing 48-track, double-disc collection culled from the Columbia, American and OKeh vaults. All of the material on this double-disc set was recorded by country artists that drew heavily from the blues, whether it was incorporating the genre into their own compositions or covering blues and hokum songs. Though there are several stars, such as Roy Acuff, many of the performers on White Country Blues are obscure, especially for listeners whose knowledge of country music stops at Hank Williams. That is one of the many reasons why White Country Blues is invaluable. It's a thoughtfully compiled and thorough historical reissue that presents a wealth of rare, fascinating material. While it might not always be an easy listen, it's remains an essential purchase for any comprehensive country collection.
White Country Blues 1926-1938: A Lighter Shade of Blue is an excellent, revealing 48-track, double-disc collection culled from the Columbia, American and OKeh vaults. All of the material on this double-disc set was recorded by country artists that drew heavily from the blues, whether it was incorporating the genre into their own compositions or covering blues and hokum songs. Though there are several stars, such as Roy Acuff, many of the performers on White Country Blues are obscure, especially for listeners whose knowledge of country music stops at Hank Williams. That is one of the many reasons why White Country Blues is invaluable. It's a thoughtfully compiled and thorough historical reissue that presents a wealth of rare, fascinating material. While it might not always be an easy listen, it's remains an essential purchase for any comprehensive country collection.
Get it courtesy of the On Muddy Sava Riverbanks blog.
Was poking around the Youtube last night, and I stumbled upon this sweet clip of High Rise live in 2002. I was supposed to see them that year, but they had customs difficulties and never made it all the way to Texas. Boo!
Apparently, in more recent times the leader of High Rise, Nanjo Asahita, has basically fallen off the face of the earth. He's still around (he answers his phone occasionally), but he wont play any more live shows or release any new music, so I guess High Rise is officially a disbanded project. That sucks, but it's nice to see lead acid axeman Munehiro Narita and his new band, Green Flames, keeping the High Rise tradition alive and screaming. A very good thing!
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