a personal message

Okay, so I frustrate a lot of people from time to time. I can be a very trying person to be friends with...I know this. I had one of those moments today when I was talking to someone and this song popped up on the old "party shuffle" play. This came off an Irish compilation and actually had a lot of great tracks on it. This goes out to people who love me. God bless.

Darren Hanlon- Don't Stop

buy it here

Steve Goodman

I've been listening to a lot of this guy recently and fairly astounded by his ability to adapt and tell a story on stage. Most known as a songwriter (penning "City of New Orleans" and "You Never Even Call Me By My Name" to name a few), he made his bread performing constantly...and you can really tell. He sometimes borders on novelty, but don't let that detract...it's his honest humor and midwestern dryness that can take you by surprise. Though the quality varies, his live recordings are all well worth their coin, often with just Steve and his guitar. A tribute disc was also recently released on cd that's worthy of a spin or two.

Steve Goodman- Vegamatic

buy it here

Billy's myspace project

My good friend Bill Bungeroth (who gets a lot of attention around here) is rolling out a song a day on his myspace page for your listening pleasure. Oh, and they're all pretty good too. Bill and I used to live together so these songs really take me back to those days. Normally when you live with musicians a.) they aren't very good and b.) that gets annoying. This was obviously not the case with Mr. Bungeroth. These are the songs that would literally score my dreams for the time I lived in the front bedroom at World Headquarters. Thanks for the tunes, Bill...here's to many more.

Bill Bungeroth- Fancy Lamp

also, dig his excellent band City Electric

Mule TRAAAAAAAAAIN! (GETONYERE!)

So this is Tennessee Ernie Ford and he's most known for the song "Sixteen Tons" but this little ditty is also on his greatest hits collection and it's such a beautiful trip to weirdsville that I have to post it. My friend Michael and I were listening to records one day when he came up with a "you gotta hear this" moment. He puts this song on and instantly we're both acting the song out. Actually, we're not really acting the song out so much as we're imagining what it would've been like to be in the studio when ole Ernie did his thang. Priceless. Some things we noticed...check the adlibs after the whip-cracks (I'll skin you rawhide! I believe is one...though they're indiscernible. Also, the contempt when he talks about bringing the settlers their pills. Very strange. And, of course, the wildly modulating voice. This guy was apparently a radio announcer before he got into music and this song is a good example of what radio announcers dreamed about back in the day. Also, apparently all radio announcers had to look like Errol Flynn.

Tennessee Ernie Ford- Mule Train

buy it here

What I Really Mean...

Robert Earl Keen is the kind of guy that likes to put out live albums. That's good because he happens to put on a great show. His last, Live at the Ryman, was sort of panned...at least in all the reviews I read. That's definitely unfair, because this is a great set of songs and a top-notch band including Danny Barnes on banjo throughout. The recording itself is also fantastic and it's nice to hear REK rocking it at the mother church. Here's one of my favorite songs (from the album and ever)

Robert Earl Keen- What I Really Mean

buy it here

Old Crow and this Big Iron World

I'm nearly all recovered from the ridiculous weekend I had in Chicago with Devin and my fellow Straights. We all drank too much and hung out and dressed in drag and raised some money for the cause, you got me? At any rate, these guys came up on multiple occassions so for everyone's benefit I'll post them. The first album that was released nationally from these boys came out on the same day as Kanye West's The College Dropout. I remember my roommate and good friend Bill and I went to Tower Records at midnight on that Monday/Tuesday, he picked up Kanye and I picked out Old Crow Medicine Show. I had no idea that both records would be as important as they were...but I did wonder which one I would be listening to longer. You win, Old Crow. The new album is called Big Iron World and it's just as good if not better.

Old Crow Medicine Show- I Hear Them All

Buy it here

City Electric

I know I've talked about my buddy Bill before, but I should mention that his band is playing this Saturday in Chicago so if you're there and you want to see a fantastic group of musicians who couldn't be better at living and doing what they do, then...go see them silly!

myspace has some of their songs