Mike McCarroll – Honky Tonk Dreams

Mike McCarroll – Honky Tonk Dreams
2010, Mike McCarroll Productions

Mike McCarroll was indoctrinated into music at an early age, dancing around the kitchen with his mom to Elvis Presley’s “Hound Dog” and “All Shook Up” as a toddler.  It wasn’t until enlisting in the army during the Vietnam War that McCarroll picked up a guitar and began to have a sense he could create music.  In the 1960’s and 1970’s it was rock n roll that lit McCarroll’s lamp.  By the late 1970’s McCarroll had made the jump to southern rock, and in the 1980’s was reborn of country music.  The birth of the alternative country movement awoke something in McCarroll that had been there all along.  He began to write country/rock tunes for his own enjoyment, and by 2008 he had released his debut album, the critically acclaimed At The Crossroads.  McCarroll returned in 2010 with Honky Tonk Dreams, refining his outlaw country sound and putting appealing distance between himself and the commercial country pack.

Honky Tonk Dreams opens with “Cash Crop”, a low key southern country-rock tune that explores the difficulties faced by small time farmers and the lengths they must at times go through to survive.  The farm’s new lifeblood grows in line between the rows of corn.  McCarroll sounds like a cross between Paul Gross (Due South, Men With Brooms) and Garth Brooks on “The Devil In The Mirror” while exploring the dark, unknown side of human nature.  “Honky Tonk Dream” finds McCarroll channeling the spirit of Jerry Reed in a good-time tune that looks forward to the weekend as a way to get through the week.  “I Had It All” is a song of heartbreak, lamenting a love lost and the fact that he let her slip away. 

“If The Devil Brought You Roses” is a stellar mix of country, rock and blues.  McCarroll, in character as a less-than-ideal man, asks for another chance, or at least one more roll in the hay.  This mid-tempo creation is as catchy as anything you’ll hear on country radio, but the level of personality and commitment in the performance offered here is striking.  This song will stick with you.  “It’s All About You” is a kiss off, country style.  The title takes on a double meaning in a tongue-in-cheek turns that’s highly entertaining and fun.  “Merle Haggard Jack Daniels & Me” is all about drinking, classic country music and the sort of brotherly commiseration that can only occur at your neighborhood bar.

McCarroll stands up for Indie artists everywhere on “Pop-Style Cookie-Cutter Formula”, informing pop/country music executives what they can do with the songs they want him to play.  The honky-tonk arrangement is laced with the rebellious feel of early rock n roll.  “Southern Pride” is an ode to southern rock and some of its greatest purveyors.  McCarroll takes another shot at the music industry here, lamenting labels’ determination to essentially ignore a market for which there is still significant interest.  Along the way McCarroll references some of his own influences, including The Allman Brothers, Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Charlie Daniels Band, the Atlantic Rhythm Section and the Charlie Daniels Band.  “Waitin’” is a bit of light-heard, mid-tempo country fun.  “Waitin’ On The Whiskey To Work” takes a slightly darker turn about drowning your sorrows.  This isn’t a light drinking tune; it’s a serious, all hands on deck get drunk and forget song.  “What You Gonna Do” finds McCarroll back in the honky-tonk, leaning dangerously close to early rock n roll with a musical blend with elements of Garth Brooks, Hank Jr. and Jerry Lee Lewis.  This is a potential country hit, being the most commercial tune on the album without the air of trying to be.

Mike McCarroll takes a lifetime of musical influences and channels it through his own quintessence to create a sound that is simultaneously modern and classic.  Picking up the mantle from gentlemen such as Hank Williams Jr. and Garth Brooks, Mike McCarroll does his own thing, his way.  McCarroll has a way of blending intelligent lyrics, the irreverent spirit of rock and roll and first class musicianship into songs that are eminently listenable and call you back again and again.  McCarroll’s attitude toward the pop/country ways of Nashville virtually assures that Honky Tonk Dreams probably won’t get the airplay or national attention it deserves, but is a fine example of the sort of great music that happens on the fringes of Nashville once the bills have been paid.  Honky Tonk Dreams is one of the finest country albums to surface in 2010.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5) 

Learn more about Mike McCarroll at www.mikemccarroll.com.  Honky Tonk Dreams is available as a Honky Tonk Dreams or Honky Tonk Dreams from Amazon.com.  Digital versions are also available via iTunes.

The Branders - The Branders

The Branders - The Branders
2009, The Branders

Denver, Colorado seems to be a hotspot for country and country-derivative music these days. The latest such band to come to our attention is The Branders, a duo consisting of singer Tarrah Speer and guitarist Dennis Gronbeck. Blending traditional country and rock n roll around Speer’s sultry voice seems to be a winning combination for the Branders, who celebrated 2009 with the release of their self-titled debut EP.

The Branders opens with the delightful honky-tonk country of "I've Been Thinking". Tarrah Speer has a sultry, soulful voice that will have you picking up your two-step boots and heading for the dance floor. "Real Cowboy" is pure Rock N Blues, and Speer will remind listeners of a young Michelle Malone but with a slightly more lyric voice. "Three Years" is a rueful look back over the three years since a relationship has ended that goes from the cusp of marriage to a chasm of days numbering in the thousands. "I Want You" is an upbeat love song with honky-tonk sensibility; a great dance tune built around a big hook and solid songwriting.

"Fall" has a solid early rock/country feel that's full of strong vocal harmonies and a classic country feel. "Makes Me Stay" explores the intangibles in relationships, zeroing in on that little bit of magic and how it can overcome all of the pressure of the outside world. The Branders close out with "Burn", an aggressive, guitar-oriented rocker about a woman scorned. The bluesy rock arrangement contrasts nicely with Speer's lyric alto voice. The theme of the song appears to be fighting back in the face of domestic violence.

The Branders are a pleasant surprise, both more country and more rock n roll that you might expect up front. The Branders is sonically pleasing, full of well-written songs and featuring the memorable voice of Tarrah Speer. One might imagine that The Branders still have some growing to do. It may be worth checking out whatever comes next for The Branders.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about The Branders at www.myspace.com/thebranders. The Branders is available through Amazon.com as either a CD or Download.

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: Scott Cook - This One's On The House

Scott Cook - This One's On The House
2009, Scott Cook

Scott Cook calls the road home, but Edmonton is a home base if anyplace is. Cook left his job as a kindergarten teacher in Taiwan nearly three years ago and has spent the time since on the road playing his music and living out of his van. Cook's debut album, i(2007) made the college radio Top-10 in Canada and has kept Cook in gigs ever since. Cook's latest, i, expands Cook's range to include Country, Soul and Roots music, and muses on his time on the road as well as the human element of love, loss and recovery. The album features contributions from many of the bright lights of the Edmonton music scene and is likely to introduce Cook to a slew of new listeners.

Cook opens This One's On The House with "Carving Stone", a paean to the temporary nature of life on the road, whether it be work, leisure, relationships, or the road itself. The song is presented in the style of a classic country ballad, full of melancholy grace and a gritty world view. The whole thing turns into a wonderful musical parable, as a sort of virtual cycle of life plays itself out throughout the song. "This One's On The House (The Hobo Song)", details the philosophy that goes with living at the leisure of the world around you. Cook shows himself to be a deft poet with an ability to deliver his songs in easy-on-the-ears musical arrangements that owe their lineage to the likes of Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard and Charlie Pride.

Cook's "Ramblin' Kind", which sounds like it should be a Folk/Country classic, is an original tune that at the very least should see Cook covered by artists in both genres. Cook pulls back on the Country influences here for a more straight forward sound, allowing the simple beauty of the song to shine through. "If It Won't Break Your Heart" is part contemplative ballad and part Slow Jam, like Brad Roberts singing Isaac Hayes. It's a rather intriguing tune, defying classification even as it skates familiar fault lines between styles. "Day After Tomorrow" is pure contemplation, rumination on the facts and philosophies of war from the perspective of one thoughtful soldier who has more questions than answers. The song is reflective in its clarity and thoughtful in its beauty. Cook closes with the bluesy "This Old World's Got It's Secrets To Keep", an ode to the constancy of the mysteries of life. Cook expresses the gritty determination and understanding of one who has always lived by the currents of the world ("Don't ask yourself if you want to die on the road. Just ask yourself if this is the world you want to die on"). It's a brilliant close to an album steeped in the wit and wisdom of one who has built his life around the highways and byways of the world.

This One's On The House establishes Scott Cook as one of the better traditional-style Country singer/songwriters working in Nashville or otherwise. Cook still lives the lifestyle of a road-warrior, speaking with a grit and authenticity that is rarely captured anymore, much less lived. Scott Cook doesn't hit on every tune on This One's On The House, but when he does hit it's pure magic.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Scott Cook at http://www.scottcook.net/ or www.myspace.com/grooverevival. You can purchase This One's On The House as either a CD or DVD from CDBaby.com.

Review: Andy Miller - Photographs Of The Sun

Andy Miller - Photographs Of The Sun
2009, Andy Miller Music/Wrought Iron Records

Americana is a term often used and rarely defined and has been used to describe such a wide range of music it almost becomes meaningless. It’s a melting pot of styles that’s become something of its own sound and can include Jazz, Blues, Rock, County, Classical and just about any other musical side dish you can mention. This is Andy Miller’s playground. The New York City (formerly of the Left Coast) based singer-songwriter has played almost every style of music in his career, and acknowledges influences as diverse as Skip James, Jimmie Rodgers, Kris Kristofferson, Tom Waits, Merle Haggard and Bob Dylan. His debut solo EP, Photographs Of The Sun, keenly displays this mix in troubled-but-struggling-to-be-brilliant fashion.

Photographs Of The Sun starts slowly, with Miller showing off his guitar skills on Hard Time Killing Floor Blues. The performance is decent although Miller ambles a bit without the constraint of the structure imposed by other players. The biggest problem with the song and the album in general, is the recording quality. Significant hiss or background noise can be heard throughout the song (and at various points throughout the album), detracting from the overall experience. Technical issues aside, Miller spends about half of the album with little direction or focus. Dancing On A Strangers Grave gives them impression from the title that real energy goes into the song, but it just never materializes. The end product sounds lost and directionless. Miller gets in the game with Formative Years, a Glory Days tune that's well written but could use the tension and support of additional instrumentation/personnel.

Miller falls back to the energy sapped approach for So Long and Spring Secrets, getting stuck in awkward lyrical turns and arrangements with little verve, but turns the corner on A Place To Rest My Weary Head. Miller has created a catchy, endearing folk tune that starts as a portrait of a family member that turns into a self-portrait. The anti-heroes here are two restless spirits in search of a home. Make Me Down A Pallet On Your Floor plays with the same theme; the song is well played and has a good melody, but could also use additional tension/instrumentation. Miller stays on a roll with Granddad's Blood, a song about the legacies that aren't always readily visible. In this case it also becomes something of an excuse for less than grand behavior. Miller does get a bit bogged down in the repetitive chorus at times, but in general has created a compelling song. The pendulum swings back the other way on the last three songs. My Troubles Will End and What About Me suffer from the sort of directionless, energy-starved approach that Miller opened with. The closer, Lord, I'm Coming Home, just isn't a great last impression to leave. With voice front and center, Miller dances about something vaguely related to the key the song is written in. It's painfully evident; and even if an artistic choice will turn off casual listeners.

Andy Miller is two artists on Photographs Of The Sun. One is a competent songwriter with an intriguing if not pretty voice; the other has a hard time getting out of his own way. As with many developing artists, I suspect the material here spans some time and may reflect different points in his development as a songwriter. At his best, Miller is a decent songwriter, but the production on Photographs Of The Sun is less-than-stellar. This does not leave a good impression on listeners in general, and certainly doesn't give Miller a chance to show himself at his best. Photographs Of The Sun is like a work in project. Andy Miller may be on the road to someplace interesting, but there's a lot of miles ahead yet.

Rating: 2.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Andy Miller at http://www.andymillermusic.com/. Photographs Of The Sun can be downloaded from Amazon.com or iTunes. No online outlet was noted for CD copies, although they do exist.

Review: Rosanne Cash - The List

Rosanne Cash - The List
2009, EMI/Manhattan Records

The List is something of a legend. When it became clear Rosanne Cash wanted to follow in her father's footsteps as a performer, Johnny Cash gave her a list of 100 songs to learn as her musical education. The list contained some of the greatest songs of the twentieth century from across all genres (Country, Jazz Blues, Folk, Bluegrass and even Pop). Rosanne Cash has considered doing a covers album for a few years now, and ultimately decided to go back to her musical roots as laid out by her Dad. The List, coming October 6, 2009, contains twelve songs from that venerable document, and is one of the most highly anticipated albums of 2009.

Cash opens with Bill Halley's Miss The Mississippi And You done in a luscious jazz arrangement. Cash shows elements of her Dad in her voice amid some subtle and thrilling guitar work. Motherless Children (Gary Davis) gets a Country/Blues treatment that's extremely well done. Cash is in her best and most affecting voice here. Bruce Springsteen makes a cameo on Don Gibson's Sea Of Heartbreak; a classic song of loneliness. Springsteen is the biggest surprise here, offering up an unusually reserved vocal performance that is a brilliant counterpoint to Cash's voice.

You know that no such List would forget Hank Williams. His Take These Chains From My Heart gets covered here in magical fashion. Rosanne Cash is on her game; and Ol Hank and Johnny would both be very proud of this rendition. Cash plays I'm Movin' On (Hank Snow) as a wonderfully slinky blues tune that is absolutely addicting. I remember hearing the refrain of this song repeatedly as a child on television commercials for Time-Life collections back when they were only available on LP. The song is an enduring one, and Cash keeps the spirit of the original firmly alive while giving it new life. Heartaches By The Number (Ray Price) features Elvis Costello on backing vocals in a tried-and-true rendition that stays very close to the original.

Perhaps the highlight of the disc is Long Black Veil. Mistaken identity, murder and an illicit love affair don't add up quite the way you'd expect in this classic tune that offers observations from beyond the veil. Cash is reverential in her reader of the Danny Dill/Marijohn Wilkin classic made famous by Lefty Frizzell. Wilco's Jeff Tweedy sits in. Up next is a Hank Cochran tune made famous by Patsy Cline; She's Got You has been covered by some many people over the years that the names blend into relative anonymity. Cash brings a fresh sense to this classic in a lush, weaving arrangement you won't soon forget. Bob Dylan's Girl From The North Country is up next in an arrangement that isn't too far removed from the one used by Dylan and dad Johnny back in 1969. If you're not familiar with this tune, you'll note some of the similarities between this song and Simon & Garfunkel's Scarborough Fair. Dylan borrowed a line from Scarborough Fair after learning a lot of British Folk music while staying in London. Cash covers Merle Haggard with the help of Rufus Wainwright on Silver Wings. It's a mellow pop/country arrangement; not my favorite version of the song but not bad. Cash says goodnight with Bury Me Under The Weeping Willow as if she were born to sing the Carter Family classic. It's a brilliant way to close out the disc.

The List is bound to be a popular release this year, and helps explain a lot about Rosanne Cash's musical choices over the years. With eighty-eight more songs that were passed down from father to daughter, don't be entirely surprised if a volume II follows down the road. For now, The List is an estimable collection of classic songs that should be a balm for the soul of fans of classic country music.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Rosanne Cash at http://www.rosannecash.com/. The List drops on October 6, 2009. You can pre-order your copy through Amazon.com. Expect wide availability both on the net and at bricks and mortar, as well as via download. Cash will debut the material from The List on WNYC's Soundcheck on September 23, 2009 at 2:00 PM EDT. You can watch the live webcast here.

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: Merle Haggard - Legendary Performances (DVD)

Merle Haggard – Legendary Performances
2008, Shout! Factory

Merle Haggard is a legend. Not your garden variety legend. Regardless of how brutally honest he’s been about his own life over the years, there’s a mythology that follows him like mist after breath on a cold morning. Haggard was in and out of detention centers/prison in his teens and early 20’s. He was at several of Johnny Cash’s San Quentin concerts as a mandatory guest due to a robbery gone bad. Cash’s inspiration plus exposure to inmates who would later be executed convinced Haggard to straighten his life out, and within a couple of years of his release Haggard was ascending the country music charts in the United States. Haggard remains revered even today for an outlaw streak that helped to revolutionize country music. The Bakersfield (California) sound, which Haggard helped introduce (along with artists such as Buck Owens) was alt-country’s answer to the over-produced honky-tonk then in vogue in Nashville.

Haggard was on to something. Between 1966 and 1987 Haggard racked 38 #1 hits, 4 Grammy Awards, 15 Academy Of Country Music Awards, and 6 Country Music Awards. Haggard was elected to the Nashville Songwriters Hall Of Fame in 1977 and to the Country Music Hall Of Fame in 1994. There will always be artists who try emulate Haggard’s style or his sound or his outlaw stature, but there will never be another Merle Haggard. Shout! Factory offers up a collection of 15 of Haggard’s most riveting performances from the heart of his career (1968 – 1983) entitled Legendary Performances.

Legendary Performances includes offerings from Country Music Holiday; Billy Walker’s Country Carnival; the Porter Wagoner Show; Pop! Goes The Country; the CMA Awards and an iconic performance of San Antonio Rose from Johnny Cash’s 1983 Christmas Special. Highlights include Mama Tried; The Fightin’ Side Of Me, Okie From Muskogee; Workin’ Man Blues and That’s The Way Love Goes. Truth to tell, there’s not a throwaway pick on the DVD. Haggard fans old and new will love this, and it’s refreshing to see an all-around performer in action. Many of the current denizens of Nashville stand to learn a lot from a guy like Haggard.

Rounding out what is already a musically gratifying experience are two superb extras. The first is an interview with Merle Haggard from 1981 that fans will love, and the second is his 1994 induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame. Shout! Factory did this one right. Hardcore fans will of course complain about their favorite song that was omitted from the collection (38 #1 hits plus an amazing deep catalog exist here), but for a basic best of collection that features some iconic performances, it doesn’t get much better short of doing a whole box set. Legendary Performances is aptly named!

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Merle Haggard at http://www.merlehaggard.com/. You can purchase Legendary Performances at Amazon.com or wherever music/music videos are sold.