forgive me pretty baby

this one definitely fits into the "country enough" category for me. oh, and I love Tom Waits. This song is essentially the world I live in, right at the woods' edge, just near where the tracks cut through, looking on to the party as it winds down in the middle of the night. It's much better out there. Quieter too.

Tom Waits- The Long Way Home

buy it here

18 wheels of love

Yep, it's another DBT post but whatever they're amazing. I had kind of a low day and felt generally kinda slumpy and then I recieved a very nice e-mail and it made me smile and think of this song.
Sometimes love is like a truck. A really big truck. Hope everyone is having a good week.

Drive By Truckers- 18 Wheels of Love

buy it here

brief post

feeling a little sentimental tonight...this is Kelly Willis with "Time Has Told Me"

Kelly Willis- Time Has Told Me

buy it here

in no condition

my mind is fried tonight so I'm in no state to post any significant commentary or insight on anything. instead, I'll let Lyle do the philosophizin' with this little bit of country zen.

Lyle Lovett- The Truck Song

buy it here

sometimes songs are too much

Goodbye. I hate that word. I hate saying it, and most of the time I just don't. That pisses a lot of people off. While that's understandable, it doesn't make me feel bad about the way I am...I'd just much prefer to never have to really say goodbye to anyone. Doesn't everybody? Yes. Deep down. Right? So, I feel like I'm going through some real heavy stuff right now personally and that always ends up being projected on anything I'm doing, saying, writing, or--as it happens--listening to. Patterson Hood's songs always resonate with me (in fact, all of the 'Truckers do), but this one is particularly like me. For such a rough and tumble, hard drinkin', hard livin' and tourin' group they sure have a boatload of elegant songs. And how bout that bass line?
A perfect "drinking alone" song. But then...I guess I have a lot of those.

Drive By Truckers- Goodbye

buy it here

I get lonely...I get down...

First of all, this has been my favorite album for the last couple of months. I always forget about posting it because I listen to it so much I guess I just figured that I had before. The Gourds are most known for their bluegrass cover of "Gin and Juice" always (inexplicably) mislabeled as Phish. While they share the same stoner/jambandy vibe at times (just check out the picture...pretty sure they live in that van...still in the Jewel years...yeeeeiiikes), these guys are so much weirder. I mean, you can't even make out any of the words, and when you do it makes little logical sense. But when taken together with the music it's abstract art. You get it. That's what's so fantastic about this song in particular. It's heartbreaking and full of hope. This has definitely been my song of late. And God bless Texas.

The Gourds- Pill Bug Blues

buy their music here (get them out of the van)

Carrie Rodriguez

I really enjoyed the last few records she made with Chip Taylor, but always felt like they were lacking something...just falling a little short somehow. This, Carrie's first solo record, sounds fantastic and--for some reason--has stuck with me longer than her collaborations. At any rate, here's the track, "50's French Movie" which has this great groove to it and a sax out of nowhere. I had a roommate who at one point was completely obssessed with classic French film. If Carrie came over to hang out, this is the song she'd write about Bill. God Bless Mr. Bungeroth, I miss you buddy.

Carrie Rodriguez- 50's French Movie

buy the album here.

New York City

Many of you may know that I live in Manhattan, an island that, per square mile, probably has the least amount of country listeners, lovers, or just plain observers in the entire nation. Way to go Landon. I went to eat tonight at one of the two country bars that I know of in the city and they couldn't even get through three standard country radio tunes without throwing a Bon Jovi or Dave Matthews song in the mix. Irritating. But the barbeque was good and they do serve sweet tea, so a boy can hardly complain. At any rate, this Gram Parson's song has been running through my brain lately and I thought I'd share it with my two readers. This is BR-549 covering "Big Mouth Blues" and it's live. Lord knows, New York City's got a lot to do with it.

BR-549- Big Mouth Blues

buy the album here

Bruce Robison

So I was just home in Texas for a few days and found out that this man released a new cd a while ago...apparently back in April. He's one of my favorite songwriters (penning "Angry All the Time" "Travelling Soldier" "Desperately" etc) so when he releases a new batch of songs, it's an event. There's a tenderness in his music that is utterly uncommon. His music resonates deep. A true craftsman.

Buy the cd here.

Bruce's website.

Bruce Robison- All Over But the Cryin'