Ricky Skaggs - Country Hits: Bluegrass Style

Ricky Skaggs - Country Hits: Bluegrass Style
2011, Skaggs Family Records

What makes a musical legend?  Perhaps you could start with being the head of an eight-time International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) Instrumental Band of the Year (Kentucky Thunder).  Somewhere in there you could add fourteen GRAMMY Awards, 8 ACM Awards, 8 CMA Awards, and have twelve consecutive albums receive GRAMMY nominations.  Or perhaps it would take no less than someone such as Chet Atkins declaring that you personally saved country music.  Somewhere in there your persona will take on a life of its own.  So it is for Ricky Skaggs.  Skaggs seems to never make a wrong move musically, but his latest album is a real treat.  Country Hits: Bluegrass Style revisits his country hits of the 1980's and early 1990's, putting a bluegrass spin on some of Skaggs' most requested songs. 

Skaggs sets off with an incredibly catchy and danceable take on "Heartbroke".  The instrumental work beneath the surface is absolutely superb, and the entertainment value is high.  Skaggs sails through the vocals in an easy-going fashion.  "Honey (Open That Door)", one of Skaggs' most requested songs, is done up in classic country style, with guitar work Chet Atkins himself would be proud of.  "Cajun Moon" blends old school country and Zydeco in a classy arrangement you'll find it hard to shake.  Skaggs sounds a lot like Hank Williams on the Flatt and Scruggs penned "Crying My Heart Out Over You".  Sweet and full of sorrow, Skaggs creates a masterful arrangement decorated with amazing vocal harmonies.  "He Was On To Something (So He Made You)" shows Skaggs' more subtle side on guitar, in a sweet arrangement that washes over you like water.

"Highway 40 Blues" is a sweet homage to life on the road where Skaggs and his band find a moment of instrumental perfection.  This leads into the virulently catchy "Uncle Pen", a celebration of country music with vocal harmonies that will send chills down your spine.  Skaggs takes listens for a brilliant, high-speed romp on "Country Boy".  Anyone who has ever slung a guitar or banjo over their shoulder will be absolutely in awe of the instrumental work here, which blends speed, precision and musicality and takes the listener to dizzying heights in a true "WOW" moment. 

Skaggs begins winding down with the classic-style country ballad "I Wouldn't Change You If I Could".  This sweet rendition is memorable; reverent to the original but with more of a home grown feel.  "Don't Get Above Your Raising" is a catchy and fun mid-tempo number; fun fluff that you can dance to without working too hard.  Country Hits, Bluegrass Style closes with "Somebody's Prayin'", a sweet number steeped in the blended history of gospel and country.  Skaggs' unadorned voice lends to the simple beauty of the song, and is the perfect to say "until next time."

Rather than simply drop a compilation of recordings his ardent fans already have, Ricky Skaggs makes the classy choice to re-interpret his biggest country hits in bluegrass style.  For some of the songs presented on Country Hits: Bluegrass Style the jump isn't so large, but Skaggs breathes new life into old songs and in the process reminds us all why his is one of the most revered names in country music.  Don't be surprised if Country Hits: Bluegrass Style becomes the 13th consecutive Skaggs album to be nominated for, and ultimately brings home his 15th GRAMMY Award.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more at www.rickyskaggs.com or www.myspace.com/rickyskaggs.  Country Hits: Bluegrass Style is available from Amazon.com as a CD or Download.  The album is also available via iTunes.

The O's - Between The Two

The O's - Between The Two
2011, Idol Records

Texas rockers The O’s avoid the sophomore slump on Between The Two, getting back to their musical roots in a set of twelve modern yet classic sounding tunes.  Drawing on influences as diverse as Elvis Presley, Hank Williams and The Everly Brothers, The O’s put the finishing touches in place with the help of GRAMMY winning producer Stuart Sikes (Loretta Lynn, Cat Power, The White Stripes).  With over 300 shows on two continents under their belts, The O’s move forward into 2011 with the sort of momentum only hard work and talent can bring.

Between The Two opens with "We'll Go Walkin'", a wonderfully coherent Americana blend of country and folk with a distinctive pop sensibility.  It's a love song that's a bit outside the box.  You can't help but tap your toes to this one, and you'll be humming the chorus for days.  "Wrecking Ball" is a well-crafted tune about living on the edge of disaster.  It's a poignant number for the modern age, when for most families disaster is only one paycheck away.  "In Numbers We Survive" is an infectious mix of bluegrass and folk that gets stuck in your head and stays there.  There's an edgy insistence in the arrangement that's compelling.

"Tryin' To Have A Good Time" is a light listen, not so much for analysis as for pure enjoyment.  The theme is all about planning to have a good time, but the song will get your feet moving and features outstanding guitar work.  "We Are Young" is a perspective on growing up from one who is looking up at the road leading to the mountain.  There is something of a melancholy feel here, but the musical aesthetics are great.  "Time For A Change" is a catchy number with a positive vibe and is very enjoyable.  "Sunshine" is somewhat confounding for meaning.  It's a love song, to be uncertain, but for or to who is never really clear. 

"Pushin' Along" rides great composition and musicianship.  The overall output is solid, but as an instrumental work it would be sublime.  The O's fall into something of a lull, re-emerging with the wonderfully upbeat and happy "Everything's Alright".  The picking here is tremendous, and the bouncy feel to the song will have crowds on their collective feet.  "No Troubles Left At All" is a downbeat number with a great outlook.  It's a love song that opines on how great life is with her by his side, no matter what else may come.  It's a sweet sentiment that avoids cliché.

Between The Two has some highs and lows, but generally stays on an even keel as a better than average album overall.  The O's seem to have an ear for aesthetics, crafting arrangements that do more than just wrap around the melody line.  As musicians, you'd be hard pressed to find a more solidly connected ensemble.  The chemistry here is palpable.  Just as in any other band, not every song works perfectly, but even the misses are worth tuning in for.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about The O’s at www.wearetheos.com or www.myspace.com/wearetheos.  Between The Two is available from Amazon.com as a CD or Download.  The album is also available on iTunes.

Review: Carrie Rodriguez - Love And Circumstances

Carrie Rodriguez - Love And Circumstances
2010, Ninth Street Opus

Over the past decade Carrie Rodriquez has gone from being a top notch session violinist to one of the most talented and sought after performers of Country music; the main reason being that Rodriguez eschews the plastic tendencies of commercial country radio for a sound that's true to her own tastes and history. We first became familiar with Rodriguez because of 2008's She Ain't Me, an album that sounded good at the time and simply gets better with age. Rodriguez's 2009 release, Live In Louisville, was so good it wound up in our Top-20 albums of 2009. After eight albums in as many years, Rodriguez returns in 2010 with Love And Circumstances, a cover album featuring songs from some of the best country and folk singer/songwriters of the past forty years.

Love And Circumstances opens with "Big Love" (Ry Cooder/John Hiatt/Nick Lowe/Jim Keltner), a song of hope and yearning that's full of a pragmatic beauty. The song has a rootsy Americana feel that should make it a commercial success. On "Wide River To Cross" (Julie & Buddy Miller) Rodriguez uses her warm voice to invoke the determination of someone making the long journey home after a long time away. It's a gorgeous melody that's moving in its simplicity and grace. "Eyes On The Prize" (M. Ward) has a classic country story song feel that jibes well with Rodriguez's easy vocal style perfectly. Rodriguez captures a sense of tragic hopefulness on "Waltzing's For Dreamers" (Richard Thompson), adding her distinctively mournful violin into the mix as well.

"I'm Not For Love" (Sandrine Daniels) is a heartbreaker, written from the perspective of one who's been burned too many times. Rodriguez highlights the song with a voice that emotes tragic beauty and a world-weary mien, and Bill Frisell's guitar work completes the sound. Rodriguez hits gold with her take on Merle Haggard's "(Today) I Started Loving You Again". The dark textures of her voice wrap around the melancholy feel of the medley in this song, creating a sense of time and place that is palpable. One of the highlights of the album is Townes Van Zandt's "Rex's Blues". Aside from her voice, Rodriguez has an inspired energy in this song that shines through every nook and cranny. Whatever the inspiration, it burns beneath the surface but you can't fail to hear it. The most moving song on Love And Circumstances is Rodriguez's interpretation of the Hank Williams classic "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry". Rodriguez invests the song with a believable sense of loss, and the bluesy guitar interplay is a nice touch. Rodriguez closes with "La Punalada Trapera" (Sosa Tomas Mendez). It's a gorgeous tune, and the weight of the story is meted out in the deliberate guitar work that fills out the song.

Carrie Rodriguez always produces compelling listening experiences when she steps into the studio. Love And Circumstances is no exception. The choice to immerse herself in classic songs and hidden gems from the pens of others is a brave one, forcing Rodriguez to find chemistry with the voices of the creator of each song. Carrie Rodriguez manages to make each song on Love And Circumstances her own without abandoning the character of each song. The musicianship is top-notch as always, and it would be hard to say that Rodriguez has ever been in finer voice. Love And Circumstances is a keeper.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Carrie Rodriguez at http://www.carrierodriguez.com/ or www.myspace.com/carrielrodriguez. Love And Circumstances is available as either a CD or Download from Amazon.com.

Review: Steve McCormick - Lowlights And Footnotes

Steve McCormick - Lowlights And Footnotes

2008, Steve McCormick

I have to admit that the United Kingdom isn't exactly the first locale to pop into my head as a place to find great Country or Americana music. Steve McCormick doesn't claim to be either of those things, although Waylon, Hank and Merle have had a fair amount of influence on his songwriting (as have Randy Newman, Leonard Cohen, Tim Buckley, The Squeeze and even AC/DC). The Carlisle, Cumbria native released his debut album in late 2008 entitled Lowlights And Footnotes to critical accolades and a slow-growing but significant amount of worldwide airplay. Lowlights And Footnotes was mastered by Simon Heyworth (Tubular Bells, George Harrison, Nick Drake) and is played entirely by McCormick with the exception of Pedal Steel Guitar, provided courtesy of Dave Midgely.

Lowlights And Footnotes opens with Another English Cowboy, rocking right down to the roots of Country in a diatribe about not fitting the country mold. You'll be driven to dance and sing along to a song that could chart on American Country Radio if given the chance. McCormick gets a bit of Southern Rock flavor on the mid-tempo If Only She Were Lying. McCormick gets a bit trite in the chorus here, but the arrangement is a great listen. Making Light (Of Being Kept In The Dark) brings a touch of British humor to the honky-tonk on a mid-tempo number that walks the line between classic Country and the Eagles brand of California Country. On I'm Alright, Jack, McCormick celebrates his state of being at the expense of a friend who's down in the dumps, all set against a vibrant classic Rhythm & Blues fueled Honky Tonk sound. Back To The Booze hits the R&B fueled Country sound another try with a kicking guitar solo in the middle to really spice things up. McCormick lights the lamp with a song that might just be a party anthem in the States.

McCormick sounds a bit like Lyle Lovett on The Other Man, pointing out that no matter which point you are in a triangle, the other guy is always The Other Man. The song is well written, with a plaintive, Tex-Mex country ballad feel. My Woman Doesn't Give A Damn deals with stereotypical country heartbreak with uncharacteristic wit and panache. Like much of the rest of the album, McCormick is a classic story-teller. When he's funny it's not because he's trying to be funny, but because real life is sometimes dotted with humor and wit. Black And White Photographs is about family, memories and how gateways to the past often pave the way to understand who we are. It's moving and heartfelt without sounding sappy and may just be the best songwriting on the disc. McCormick closes out with Living In Loserville is a tongue-in-cheek song about being happy with yourself. It's a great closer for an album that plays the country game without giving over it's essential character to Nashvillian Zombification.

Steve McCormick is a story teller in the vein of Randy Newman (although perhaps no one has the chutzpah that Newman manages). McCormick's songs work because the characters and events he portrays are honest and real; even the fictional ones are written like a good character, and the choices they make are convicted ones. McCormick's stories come to life in songs based in Country Music but ranging from Rock to Tex-Mex and every possible blending of those styles. Lowlights And Footnotes should be the darling of Country Radio. Let's hope McCormick gets the right breaks.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Steve McCormick at www.myspace.com/stevemccormickuk or http://www.stevemccormick.co.uk/, where you can purchase a copy of Lowlights And Footnotes using PayPal. You can download the full album from iTunes, or a free four song sampler from McCormick’s website.

Review: Ray Charles - Modern Sounds In Country And Western Music Volume 1 & 2

Ray Charles - Modern Sounds In Country And Western Music Volume 1 & 2
2009, Concord Records

We're only publishing one review because we want you to pay special attention to this one. Regardless of what genre of music piques your interest, there occasionally comes along a recording that crosses so many boundaries, and is so original or unique that it eventually becomes recognized as a master work. These are the sort of albums that can be re-released multiple times across generations (in this case 47 years later), and still have enough commercial oomph to make significant noise on the album charts. In this case, we have an album that not only retains strong commercial punch nearly 50 years later, but was also the beginning of a revolution in music that has helped father (or grandfather) genres such as Americana while foreshadowing the marriage of Country to genres such as Blues, Rock and Pop. Aside from all of that, Ray Charles also spoke of great changes in the midst of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960's.

On June 2, 2009, Concord Records re-released two of Ray Charles’ classic albums on one CD. Modern Sounds In Country And Western Music Volume 1 & 2. The two albums were recorded in 1962 (February and September, respectively). Volume 1 was released in April of 1962, and is considered by many critics and fans to be Charles’ greatest recorded work. Not only was the album a commercial success (#1 album, 1 #1 single, 2 Gold singles), but it also bent social barriers with the fusion of R&B and Country during the height of the Civil Rights movement. The album also helped Charles to gain wide exposure on R&B, Rock and Country stations, turning the talented performer into a superstar. Volume 2 was rushed to release in October of 1962 based on the success of the first album, featuring 2 top-10 singles and a #1 single (You Are My Sunshine).

Volume 1, in particular, has been lauded by publications after publication as one of the top albums ever created. Blender magazine ranked it #16 on its list of The 100 Greatest American Albums Of All Time. Rolling Stone placed it on the list of its essential Rock Albums in 1997. Stereophile magazine lists Volume 1 on its 40 Essential Albums list, while Time magazine included Volume 1 on its 100 Greatest Albums of All Time. It’s easy to see why. Charles turned his inimitable talents on songs like Bye Bye Love, I Can’t Stop Loving You (#1 single), You Don’t Know Me (Top 10 single) and Hank Williams’ Hey Good Lookin’. With production by Sid Feller (Dean Martin, Peggy Lee, Paul Anka, etc.) and string arrangements by Marty Paich (Sinatra, Streisand, Ella Fitzgerald, Mel Tormé, Aretha Franklin, Michael Jackson, etc.), no stone was left unturned in creating perfect Ray Charles versions of each song.

In response to the tremendous success of Volume 1, Volume 2 was quickly recorded and released in October of 1962, using the same formula that had driven the success of Volume 1. The album included such hits as You Are My Sunshine (#1 single), Take These Chains From My Heart (Top 10 single), and Hank Williams’ Your Cheatin’ Heart (Top 40 single), as well as takes on Don Gibson’s Oh, Lonesome Me and the Chet Artkins/Boudleaux Bryant song Midnight.

Concord Records has done a great job handling these two releases, bringing them together for the first time outside of a box set and in an affordable form. The remaster on both is flawless, and give a great picture of the man, the artist, and the ground-breaking music he was creating at the time. The music is timeless and stands on its own as one of Charles’ greatest legacies, for both its artistic and social impacts. If you want to understand where today’s Americana styles started, with blends of country, rock and blues, look no further than Ray Charles. Without these two albums and the many that followed, the music you’d be hearing today might sound very different. Modern Sounds In Country And Western Music Volume 1 & 2 is a Wildy’s World Certified Desert Island Disc, and practically defines the concept.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Ray Charles at http://www.raycharles.com/. You can purchase Modern Sounds In Country And Western Music Volume 1 & 2 at Amazon.com or download it through iTunes.

Review: Sean McArdle - Northern Charms

Sean McArdle - Northern Charms
2009, Sean McArdle

Sean McArdle has come a long way, both physically and musically, to release his latest effort, the self-released Northern Charms. The former front man of Driving By Braille and Lookout! Records recording artists The Cost, McArdle left his home base in San Francisco to resettle in Washington, D.C. Embracing the universal themes of love and loss, McArdle has crafted a nuanced and elegant collection of songs that walk the ever receding line between Rock and Americana.

Last Words opens on a gritty, subdued note. McArdle's voice plays perfectly here in an unaffected performance that is plainspoken and earthy. Two Brothers comes out in a finger-pick style that bespeaks of a classic 1960's folk/rock style. McArdle invokes sonic images of Nick Drake here, and this may be the best composition on the album. It's a song you could hear other artists picking up and running with. 56th Street reminded me strongly of the songwriting style of Dave Matheson (formerly of Moxy Fruvous). This is classic 1970's AM Radio folk/rock, as if Dan Fogelberg wrote music for Drake or Tom Waits. Other tracks worth noting include The Long Walk, Still Working, the Hank Williams-esque Don't Believe Me and Follow In Kind.

McArdle appears to have undergone a transformation since his Lookout! Records days. Whether the time with Driving By Braille saw many changes or whether it was the cross country move and starting over in a new place, McArdle has found the clarity of introspection on Northern Charms. The lyrical work here is intelligent and coherent. No one is going to mistake McArdle for a poet laureate, but the material is broken down into honest and forthright passages full of truth, observation and emotion. The musical arrangements in general are Americana gothic representations of mood or place full of subtlety and grace. They neither stand out nor fall behind, but act as the perfect counterparts to his lyrical forays. The result is a solid record from start to finish. Northern Charms is not generally the kind of record that will live in your CD/MP3 player constantly for the first few weeks you own it, but it's the sort of album that will become a regular listen for a long time to come.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Sean McArdles at http://www.seanmcardle.com/ or www.myspace.com/seanmcardle. Sean McArdle's music can be heard in rotation in Starbucks stores on PlayNetwork. Northern Charms will be released in the coming weeks. Keep checking McArdle’s web page for availability!

Review: Clipper - Make My Day

Clipper – Make My Day
2007, Clipper

Italian Rock band Clipper is one of the more surprising entries into the Americana market that we’ve received. Citing roots in Rock N Roll, Folk and Country (in particular Hank Williams), Clipper delves deep into the roots of American music. Primarily a duo, Lorenzo and Davide occasionally enlist the assistance of other musicians, but the two have been with Clipper for a long time and stand firmly at the helm. Their most recent CD, Make My Day, provides a solid grounding in classic Americana with a European twist.

Clipper takes on a kind of Grunge-American style tempered by the sort of pop aesthetic practiced by Oasis on Make My Day. Lead singer Lorenzo Romagnoli sounds like a Gallagher on the opening track, The Mean Singer. The Mean Singer has a sort of Punk/Pop vibe running through it. While lyrically repetitive, the music is catchy and pleasant to listen to. Start Breathing is a catchy, jangly guitar-pop anthem that will get stuck in your head from the opening verse. Shopping Mall Blues has a real rockabilly feel to it that is as catchy as the flu; Doom, similarly, has a very viral country sound built around pedal steel guitar and a two-beat rhythm.

Through it all Romagnoli sounds very much like Liam Gallagher imitating Bob Dylan. This doesn't sound rediculous in fact, although it seems like it should. The overall effect is quite entertaining, as if Ringo had took lead vocals on all of the Traveling Wilburies' tunes. My favorite song on the disc is Black Sky Blues. The picked acoustic guitar and slide-guitar accompaniment make this sound like acoustic blues you might hear in a backwoods Kentucky roadhouse. Other highlights include You, Spean Bridge, the traditional Leaving Of Liverpool and Ramblin' Man.

Clipper finds the heart of Rock N Roll that many American rock artists have long forgotten. The definition of radical is returning to the roots, and by that definition Clipper is one of the most radical bands out there. Vocally intriguing and musically sound, Clipper explores the back roads of American music through the eyes of a Brit Pop fan. Make My Day, consequently, is a comfortable album with a classic sound that deserves real attention. Clipper is for real.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Clipper at www.geocities.com/clipperpeople or www.myspace.com/clippersound. You can purchase a copy of Make My Day using PayPal at Clipper’s online store.