Windfarm

Not the best post, not the last post, but kind of both for a while

2011-09-24T06:00:00.000-07:00

So the old Windfarm has been pretty inactive these days, for various reasons, among those chiefly the day job and living in a cultural desert. Thanks to both of my readers for hanging out the last 3-plus years. It's a bit sad to me that I have fallen off of writing so much in such an amazing year for new music (seriously, please check out Death of a Decade by Ha Ha Tonka). Nonetheless, rather than be that blog that just stopped abruptly, I wanted to put something up as a placeholder of sorts. I'll probably still post from time to time when Jason Aldean puts out a new country rap song, but otherwise, why keep just putting up music calendars in a place without music (Marfa excepted, of course)?

I still use Twitter under the Windfarmtx name, actually more lately than ever before, and you will no doubt find me talking an embarrassing amount about things like college football. I'll still tweet about the occasional good local show, but like everything else on twitter, each will fade into obscurity an hour or so after it is posted. For everyone's benefit, no doubt.

In the meantime, as I said, not the best post or the last post, but sort of, solely on account of this video. I'm not the first to tell anyone about it, but these three and a half minutes basically summarize everything that Windfarm was around for in the first place. Easily the best musical moment of 2011.

El Cosmico: Trans Pecos Festival of Music and Love

2011-09-21T17:32:00.000-07:00

So it's probably a bit late for you to make a last second trip to Marfa for the music festival starting at El Cosmico tomorrow, but I had to post about it just because the poster is pretty cool. If you go, stick around for the Sunday charity breakfast benefiting Marfa Public Radio.

New Mt. Inadale release & release show - ((sounder)) 7"

2011-09-19T21:30:00.000-07:00

Austin based Mt. Inadale Records is pumping out the releases these days like mixtapes. Just a few short months after the Monahans/Sad Accordions EP, the label is introducing a 7" blue vinyl from ((sounder)), the music project of Mike Aho.

Track listing:
1. We'll Turn the Coffins into Gardens
2. Don't Bring it to Life

The release will be on baby blue vinyl with a limited pressing of 500 copies. The songs were co-produced and mixed by Matt Wignall (Cold War Kids). Art by Travis Millard. Pre-orders are going out this week!

This Saturday, 9/24, Austin folks should catch a Mt. Inadale deluxe release party, featuring both ((sounder)) and Sad Accordions, for a double release show of both the ((sounder)) and Sad Accordions vinyl. It's also a rare opportunity to see Sad Accordions in Austin. The show is at Mohawk. Doors at 9, show at 10 PM. Cover $6/$8.

Explosions in the Sky - Marfa, Sept. 15th (FREE SHOW!)

2011-09-12T14:35:00.000-07:00

Austin instrumental rock band Explosions in the Sky will be making a long awaited return to West Texas this Thursday, Sept. 15th. The band will play a free show at Vizcaino Park in Marfa, with opening act Twin Sister. The band has been on tour recently supporting their latest record, the outstanding Take Care, Take Care, Take Care. EITS shows in west Texas are typically few and far between, so don't miss out on the opportunity to catch them this time. The show is free, and reports say "Doors at 7 PM" although, I'm not sure when the music actually starts.

Check out the recently released music video for "Be Comfortable, Creature," created by Paul Logan.

Be Comfortable, Creature from Explosions in the Sky on Vimeo.

Music at the Permian Basin Fair

2011-09-10T10:12:00.000-07:00

I really dropped the ball on promoting this, but the Permian Basin Fair this year (Sept. 9-17) is bringing in a couple of solid concerts this weekend and next. Admission is $10 for adults. Come out for some good music and stick around for a corn dog.

First of all, tonight, Sept. 10th, Turnpike Troubadours will be playing at 9:30 PM. These guys are really blowing up all over the radio, and recently sold out their first show at Gruene Hall. Plus, their albums Diamonds and Gasoline is a really solid listen.

Photo credit Jon Voight

Turnpike Troubadours - "Whole Damn Town"

Next week, on Sept. 17th, Reckless Kelly will be playing the fair at 7 PM. RK are long term stalwarts of the Americana/Red Dirt scene, and will be releasing their new record Good Luck and True Love on Sept. 13th.

Reckless Kelly - "Crazy Eddie's Last Hurrah"

West Texas area music calendar - August-September

2011-08-21T20:44:00.000-07:00

Odessa/Midland
8/26 - Eli Young Band - Dos Amigos
8/27 - Jamey Johnson - Dos Amigos
9/3 - Charlie Shafter - Lone Star Bar
9/10 - Turnpike Troubadours - Permian Basin Fair
9/15 - Granger Smith - Rockin' Rodeo
9/17 - Reckless Kelly - Permian Basin Fair
9/17 - Dierks Bentley - Rockhounds Baseball Park
9/22 - Styx - Chapparral Center
9/23-24 - Lone Star Music Fest - Midland, feat. Cody Canada & the Departed, Wade Bowen, Kevin Fowler, Chris Knight, No Justice, & more
9/29 - Kyle Park - Rockin' Rodeo
9/30 - Stoney Larue - Dos Amigos
10/15 - Josh Abbott - Dos Amigos
10/16 - Darius Rucker - Dos Amigos
10/27 - Bush, Chevelle, Filter - Dos Amigos

Alpine/Marfa/Big Bend
8/25 - Deke Dickerson & the Ecco-fonics - Railroad Blues
9/2 - JP & the Gilberts - Railroad Blues
9/4 - Joe King Carrasco & the Crowns - Railroad Blues
9/9 - James McMurtry - Padre's
9/15 - Explosions in the Sky, Twin Sister - Vizcaino Park in Marfa (FREE)
9/22-25 - Trans-Pecos Festival of Music & Love - El Cosmico; feat. Patty Griffin, Barbara Lynn, Erika Wennerstrom, Adam Bork, Amy Cook, Ben Kweller, Tift Merritt, the Black Angels
10/8 - Del Castillo - Railroad Blues
11/11-12 - 1st Annual Jimmy LaFave Songwriter Rendezvous - Lajitas Golf Resort & Spa; feat. Jimmy LaFave, Sam Baker, Slaid Cleaves, Kevin Welch, Malcolm Holcomb, Gretchen Peters, John Fulbright, Ray Bonneville, Will Kimbrough

Lubbock
8/25 - Jason Boland - Blue Light
8/27 - Reckless Kelly - Wild West
8/31 - Thrift Store Cowboys - Blue Light
9/16 - Rodney Parker & 50 Peso Reward - Blue Light
9/22 - John Evans Band - Blue Light
9/23 - Ray Wylie Hubbard - Blue Light
9/25 - Dirty River Boys - Blue Light

San Angelo
9/15 - Two Tons of Steel - The House of Fifi Dubois
9/22 - Turnpike Troubadours - Blaine's
9/24 - Los Lonely Boys - San Angelo Coliseum

Abilene
9/21 - Mindy Smith - Moody Coliseum
9/23 - Guy Clark - Paramount Theatre

Richard Buckner - Our Blood

2011-08-02T09:34:00.000-07:00

Today marks the release of Richard Buckner's Our Blood, his first release in 5 years. Buckner has received a great deal of praise throughout his career, and the hiatus has no doubt been tough for his loyal fanbase.

Richard Buckner - "Traitor"

The beauty of having a new release from Buckner is that we have the chance to hear from him in interviews. As an artist who rarely, if ever, talks while performing, it is fortunate that he has been quite generous with the interviews he has done leading up to this record. You can find a number of them out there, although this one from Magnet Magazine is one of the better ones I have seen. In it, you can find a brief summation of the reasons behind his 5 year gap between albums.

To put in perspective how long ago Meadow was released, the vinyl resurgence among indie labels was not yet very far along and it was available only on CD and mp3. Therefore, Our Blood is, to my knowledge, his first full-length album available on vinyl. It was worth the wait.

Rodney Parker - Live in the Living Room

2011-07-27T18:17:00.000-07:00

(photo credit Adam Neese)

Denton-based Rodney Parker & 50 Peso Reward have been gaining steam for some time now, touring the Texas circuit for a number of years, and as of late, taking over the airwaves as well. Parker's single "The Apology" is the latest to find its way into the Texas Music Chart, and follows on the heels of "Guitars," which has seen a tremendous amount of airplay in the past year.

Reports indicate that the follow-up to Parker's 2010 EP The Apology, Part 1, will see a release just before the end of this year, and Part 2 will reportedly be a full-length record. In the meantime, however, Parker is releasing a stripped down live record, Live in the Living Room. Spanning 13 tracks, this album was recorded...you guessed it...in the band's living room. Using no amplification, they played and recorded these songs in front of a small audience and, showcasing their strong musicianship as a touring band, the band chose to release the record as is, with no overdubs or alterations.

This record should provide an interesting contrast to the band's typically supercharged electric show and hopefully will tide fans over until the next installment of The Apology later this year. 50 Peso die-hards will also be pleased to find that material for this album stretches all the way back to the band's 2005 debut, Blow the Soot Out, and follows with select tracks from subsequent releases. In addition, the album features two unreleased songs, "Skin and Bones" and "Where the Bright Lights Glow Me." Parker & the Pesos continue to prove themselves as one of the top emerging bands in the regional Americana scene, and this release should do nothing but help their profile as they continue the drive toward greater notoriety.

Rodney Parker & 50 Peso Reward - "Skin and Bones"

Track Listing for Live in the Living Room (Release date 8/2):

1. Firefight
2. Highway Blues
3. Guitars
4. Ghost
5. Where the Bright Lights Glow Me
6. Bring Me My Gun
7. The Ship
8. Atlantic City
9. The Apology
10. I'm Never Getting Married
11. Tell Me What It Is
12. Skin and Bones
13. 10 lb. Test

Pre-Order the record at Lonestarmusic.com or iTunes (or basically any other major retailer, for that matter).

Sad Accordions/Monahans Split 12" giveaway

2011-07-18T05:54:00.000-07:00

Austin based Mt. Inadale Records recently offered up its second release as a label, this time with releases from Austin bands Monahans and the Sad Accordions. The 12" vinyl split features two songs from each band. For Monahans, the release follows last year's 2010 Recordings, with the outstanding "Bridge Commander" and the instrumental "Stationed." For the Sad Accordions, this release follows on the heels of the band's 2011 digital EP the colors and the kill. The band's contributions to this release are the previously unreleased "Denial Takes the Train" and "Sweet Cocaine." The bands complement each other very well, and while their respective "sounds" differ to a reasonable extent, they blend together nicely on this record.

This release is an excellent listen throughout, and features the added bonus of a digital download of all four songs, which I appreciate, because my record player always skips when I try to use it in the car.

GIVEAWAY
Mt. Inadale has been kind enough to provide me with a promo copy to give away through the blog. Follow the instructions below and, after the deadline, I will randomly select one winner to receive a free copy of this release.

Here is how you enter:
1. First, check to see if you live in the U.S. I apologize for the inconvenience, but due to postal fees, I can only mail within the United States.
2. Next, send me an email at windfarmblog (at) gmail.com. (of course, replace the "at" with @)
3. In that email, include your state of residence
4. Also in that email, tell me who is the famous country/folk songwriter that is from the town of Monahans, TX
5. I will close the contest at 11:59 PM on Monday, July 25th, so make sure to get your email in by then.

Of course, none of your personal information (not even your name), will ever be posted on the blog.

Preview: The Lusitania, Kentucky Knife Fight in Midland, 7/19

2011-07-16T05:42:00.000-07:00

It remains rare that Midland/Odessa gets a quality indie-rock show through town. No offense to the metal or punk fans, as I do appreciate them supporting their own form of independent music, but it's just not my thing.

Thankfully, our all-ages venue in the area, The Pine Box (510 S. Big Spring St., Midland, TX), is fairly open to most any music style. This Tuesday, July 19th, brings an outstanding show through town, featuring El Paso band The Lusitania, along with St. Louis based Kentucky Knife Fight.

If you have followed this blog much in the past, you know I have long been a champion of The Lusitania's work. Their latest release, last year's Rain & Rivers, was an outstanding effort, and since its release, the band has spent a good deal of time out on the road supporting fellow El Pasoan Jim Ward, of At the Drive-In, Sparta, & Sleepercar notoriety. In fact, after a short run of their own through the Midwest, they will connect again with Ward for a few more weeks of shows.

Kentucky Knife Fight brings a style of music that combines a diverse array of musical styles. Their Facebook describes the sound as combining "bluegrass, blues, and punk," which actually all present themselves fairly clearly upon a few listens. I might have had difficulty singling out those three influences on my own, so it was nice that they did the work for me. Either way, definitely worth checking out.

It's a Tuesday night in Midland, folks, what else do you have to do?

UPDATE: Here is the facebook page for the event. Tons of bands playing. So many that I am too lazy to look them all up.

The Lusitania - "Your Style" (kinda sorta NSFW, just sayin')

If your geography is conducive to such a thing, you can also catch these two bands, plus Estelline, at the Blue Light in Lubbock on Wed., 7/20.

Ha Ha Tonka - Mile Marker Session

2011-07-15T14:18:00.000-07:00

One of the best albums of the year thus far has come from the still relatively unknown Bloodshot Records band Ha Ha Tonka, with their record Death of a Decade. The band will be headlining at the Denver Underground Music Showcase next weekend, which in my opinion is one of the better festivals around for discovering new talent without the oppressive crowds or horrible parking.

Of course, the UMS appearance doesn't do me a ton of good this year because I now live 12 hours from Denver. What is helpful is the fact that the Denver Post blog Hey Reverb recently posted a Mile Marker session with Ha Ha Tonka that includes live versions of three of the band's best songs for free download.

Go here to download the tracks. And if you like what you hear, check out the full album Death of a Decade, as I think you will be pleased at the strength of the album as a whole. And if you are in Denver, by all means, check this band out live next weekend.

Ha Ha Tonka - "Usual Suspects"

Texas Forever

2011-07-14T20:14:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow night closes the book on one of the great network TV series of recent times. Friday Night Lights was fortunate to see 5 seasons, and tomorrow will be the series finale, and I think the expectations for this episode are fairly high. Many who have never watched the show may still think it is just a show about football, and while that is partially true, the football games have come to hold decreased significance as the seasons have progressed. Rather, it has been a show about small town life (including, of course, the dominance of football in said small town) with strong characters and largely realistic story lines. While it isn't possible to close out every story line, nor would that be what anyone wants, I think we're all hoping for some degree of closure.

I'll be pulling for old No. 33.

3 Albums with West Texas Roots That You Should Be Listening To

2011-07-10T20:10:00.000-07:00

Amanda Shires - Carrying Lightning

Amanda Shires' music career up to this point exemplifies the concept of "paying your dues." That is, she has worked tirelessly to establish herself as not only an outstanding musician, but also as one of the more promising songwriters on the Americana touring circuit. Simply put, her time to receive wider notoriety is now. Shires' musical background is widely available online, so I'll skip the recap, as her current album is really the element of interest here. Texas Music magazine recently referred to Carrying Lightning as the Car Wheels on a Gravel Road of Shires' career, a Lucinda Williams reference that carries some serious weight. The album has received additional praise from the likes of SPIN, The Wall Street Journal, and Texas Monthly, because, well, it is that good. Lightning finds Shires defining her voice as a songwriter and provides us with a first look at the great potential her musical career holds.

"Ghostbird" (feat. Neal Casal)

Explosions in the Sky - Take Care, Take Care, Take Care

Explosions in the Sky is a band comprised of 3/4 West Texans, although in actuality the band itself hails from Austin. Nonetheless, the influence of the West Texas landscape in EITS' music is hard to ignore. Take Care, Take Care, Take Care finds the band in top form for their sixth studio release, and as an overall composition, is among the band's best work to-date. The single "Trembling Hands" finds the band introducing vocal loops into a song, a rarity in EITS' work, although they appear not as lyrics but as an additional layer of instrumentation. Another rarity for the band is playing shows in West Texas, yet the band is crossing that boundary as well, with a show booked in Marfa for September.

"Trembling Hands"

Estelline - Estelline

Among Lubbock's newest up-and-comers, Estelline have been establishing their name in the local scene for a few years now. This spring found the band releasing their first album, a self-titled effort that suggests that the legacy of great original music in Lubbock continues to grow. At 15 songs, the band lays everything out on the table, and by-and-large, they deliver with a very strong record. Among the strongest are "William Jones" and "Jaylynn," which perhaps best showcase the talent of the band and suggest the emergence of a sound that is their own. Future work will no doubt be the ultimate test of the band, but for a first album, Estelline has an excellent start.

"Jaylynn" (acoustic on the Todd Klein show, AM 580)

Old 97s: Hitchhike to the (2nd) Grand Theatre

2011-07-04T04:12:00.000-07:00

In honor of the release of the Old 97s' ninth studio album tomorrow, The Grand Theatre, Vol. 2, I spent some time compiling my personal ranking of all of the band's studio albums. I have included the new album in my ranking, thanks to the availability of the full stream on KXT.org.

I liken my ranking all the Old 97s' albums to asking a parent of 9 to rank their kids in order. Not that the Old 97s albums are like my children, but I have a hard time talking poorly about any of them. And in that respect, being low on the list here doesn't really mean an album was bad, but rather, just not as good, in my mind, as the ones ahead of it. Thus, the lowest ranking album here ranks well above a great deal of other music for me. I made a concerted effort to have no ties, because if I did consider them, then why bother making the list to begin with?

For those of you already skeptical of my competency, credentials, or qualifications to rank the band's catalog, I can only say that I have been a fan since I was 16, which was some time ago (pre-Fight Songs, to be specific), and I have followed the band and its releases throughout that period. On that note, I welcome you to discuss/challenge/argue the rankings in the comments section below.

9. Blame It On Gravity

Somebody had to be last, right? I do not dislike this album by any means, but I simply do not go back and listen to it a great deal. I love "The One" and "Color of a Lonely Heart is Blue" as well as a few others. It was a close call between this and number 8, but my reasoning is explained below.

8. Drag It Up

EDIT: See first comment below re: inaccuracy. ~~Drag It Up~~ would have been the easy choice for last, given that the band was reportedly barely talking to each other during its making, and the fact that I do not feel the record is an outstanding listen all the way through. That said, "Won't Be Home" is easily one of the best 97s songs of all time, and even more importantly a staple of the live show. Other notable tracks include "No Mother" and "Valium Waltz."

7. The Grand Theatre, Vol. 1

The first installment of The Grand Theatre was hailed by many as the band's finest work in years. While I generally agree with that statement and enjoy the album, it has not become a favorite of mine. "Every Night is Friday Night (Without You)" and "Champaign, Illinois" are among the best tracks, and most definitely stand alongside the band's best work.

6. Satellite Rides
Here is where the rankings got a little tricky. What it came down to was a comparison of my personal favorites on this and the next album on the list. I still remember hearing Rhett play "Designs On You" solo at Trees in Dallas before the album came out, and that song probably remains my favorite on the album. Satellite Rides is a great record from start to finish, with other favorites being "Rollerskate Skinny" and "Up the Devil's Pay."

5. Hitchhike to Rhome
The record that started this whole thing. Pretty awesome the band is still around 8 albums later. The songs on this record are pure classics to me: "Hands Off," "If My Heart Was a Car," and "Desperate Times." I have told the story before, but a formative music memory of mine is the first time I heard Rhett play "Wish the Worst" in Dallas with the entire Gypsy Tea Room singing along.

4. Fight Songs
Fight Songs holds a place for me that is tied as much to the time of its release as anything else. It is one of the first new releases I remember being truly excited for. That is, I remember the promo for it and thinking how much I couldn't wait for it to come out, followed by making a special trip to buy it the first week it was out (pre-download days, kiddos). Nostalgia aside, it is a great album, although perhaps poppier than even the band wanted it to be. As much as anything, this album is #4 because of the fact that it has my two favorite Murry songs: "Crash on the Barrelhead" and "Valentine." Pure gold.

3. The Grand Theatre, Vol. 2
"Hey look, it's the new guy." Yes, it may seem a bit premature to rank the new album this high, but I think the songs on this record are incredibly strong. Maybe I do have a bit of "new car fever" over it, but by and large, I think this one is going to have great lasting power. The first three songs are near-perfect, and the rest of the album follows closely behind. I put it at #4 after a couple of listens, and a few more later, it moved to #3. This record stands as a real testament to the band's relevance in indie music, and I hope they see some great success with it. Perhaps it will vault them to the higher level of notoriety they have long deserved.

2. Wreck Your Life
In my estimation, this was the album that firmly established Old 97s' sound. I have to emphasize that this album's rank is not about nostalgia. It is simply a legendary album. Besides the obvious crowd favorite "Victoria," it is filled with amazing songs like "Dressing Room Walls," "Bel-Air," "Old Familiar Steam," and "The Other Shoe." Now out with bonus tracks as a reissue, this album is an essential for any fan.

1. Too Far to Care
I could go on forever about this album, but for the time being, I won't. Perhaps you can expect a more detailed exposition on it next June on its 15th anniversary. In short, Too Far to Care changed everything for me. Start to finish, I maintain it is among the best albums ever made.

Ryan Adams & Mandy Moore Collaboration & more

2011-06-30T13:55:00.000-07:00

I don't post a lot of breaking news type of posts because, well, why would I? Nonetheless, I was pretty excited about these songs. In their first official collaboration together, Ryan Adams and Mandy Moore have recorded the song below, "Empty Room" to go on a tour-only 7" with a b-side of "Nutshell," an Alice in Chains Cover. "Tour only" in this case means European tour, at least as of now, so I suppose those of us here in the U.S. will have to get by with the digital versions of the songs. Thanks to Stereogum for the heads up.

Ryan Adams & Mandy Moore - "Empty Room"

Ryan Adams - "Nutshell"

Old 97s - Lubbock, TX, 6/11/11

2011-06-30T07:24:00.000-07:00

The Old 97s came to Lubbock Texas for (according to my records) only the 2nd time in their 18 year tenure as a band. Even more surprisingly, they came to the typically "Texas Country" venue, The Blue Light. Of course, they could not return to the venue they played the first time, Liquid 2000, as it closed long ago, and the building has since been torn down and made into the new Buddy & Maria Elena Holly Park.

The Blue Light is a venue that, to a large degree, has a built-in crowd, although not necessarily built-in appreciation of good music. That is, it doesn't matter what dog and pony show is playing on any given night, because everyone and their dog seems to show up and pony up the cover charge [you're welcome]. Thus, throughout the night, I watched as countless nightclub-goers came to the entrance with small-town-big-city hair and heels, or alternatively, pressed western shirts and belt buckles, only to be turned away because the show was sold out.

Speaking of the sell-out, the Blue Light is easily the smallest venue in which I have ever had the chance to see the Old 97s, so I won't complain. In fact, the sound was well done and the show went off without a hitch as far as I could tell. What was interesting was watching the crowd dynamic and trying to figure out in what capacity many of the attendees actually knew of the Old 97s. Were they huge fans of The Break-Up? Perhaps they got engaged using the song "Question" as a soundtrack? Maybe they thought Old 97s were a hack Johnny Cash cover band? The young demographic suggested that maybe some were Tech students originally from Dallas whose parents listened to the Old 97s when they were growing up.

It is hard to say where everyone came from, but the crowd produced an interesting evening of music for sure. Opener Brandon Adams & the Sad Bastards got an excellent response, and in spite of the odd choice of covering a Whiskeytown song when opening for Old 97s, it seemed many of the attendees were actually fans of Adams as much or more than the 97s. Sarah Jaffe was the second opener, and received a good response, although the noisy Blue Light was not exactly the ideal forum for her music.

Old 97s took the stage to an energetic crowd, quickly breaking into a couple of numbers off of their most recent record, The Grand Theatre, Vol. 1. [Stream The Grand Theatre, Vol. 2 at KXT.org] What was unclear throughout the night was how many of the fans actually knew any of the music. Not that concertgoers are required to know the words to all the songs, but early on it was evident that the crowd was most responsive to the fast paced rockers. In that respect, long time fan favorites such as "Stoned" and "Wish the Worst" were met with little enthusiasm, whereas a Dallas or Austin show would have found a packed room vigorously bellowing "Picked up the phone book and called all your friends/I just wanna know where you've been.'"

In short, the band recognized that this was a "college town" crowd, and they went with it. Clearly they have learned to just go with the flow after 18+ years in the business. That is, they acted like they couldn't be happier to be there, talked about drinking, talked about West Texas, and overall kept the crowd interested. Less seasoned bands might have pouted at the crowd's lack of overall knowledge of their catalog, but the 97s showed no such lower lip. The band has tended in the past to pull at least a song from each of their albums, although I believe on this night they neglected the material from Satellite Rides on the setlist.

Rockers "Won't Be Home" and "Timebomb" drew the crowd into the scene most resembling a singalong that was to be found all night, the former of which I found odd because it is on one of the lesser-listened-to albums, although I suppose it is still among their best songs in its own right. Surprisingly, the show did not see Rhett or Murry play "Question" or "Valentine" acoustically, yet the band did a customary encore and promised to return to Lubbock in the future. You can bet I'll be there with all my bros when that day comes.

Setlist:
The Grand Theatre
A State of Texas
Niteclub
Stoned
W. TX Teardrops
Lonely Holiday
Champaign, IL
Victoria
Please Hold On While the Train is Moving
Doreen
Crash on the Barrelhead
Big Brown Eyes
(new) Bright Spark (See What I Mean)
Wish the Worst
Smokers
Every Night Is Friday Night (Without You)
Won't Be Home
Four Leaf Clover

Encore
Jagged
Barrier Reef
Dance With Me
Timebomb

Seriously, check out the stream of The Grand Theatre, Vol. 2 at KXT. The record will be out July 5th on MP3 and CD, supposedly to be followed by a double vinyl with both Grand Theatre releases at some point.

West Texas area music calendar - July-August

2011-06-29T10:09:00.000-07:00

Email me with corrections/additions if you've got them.

Odessa/Midland
6/29 - Bart Crow Band - Graham Central Station
7/4 - Texas Tornadoes - Firecracker Fandango, Downtown Odessa
7/7 - Roger Creager - Rockin' Rodeo
7/13 - Bleu Edmondson - Graham Central Station
7/15 - Pat Green - Graham Central Station
7/19 - The Lusitania, Kentucky Knife Fight - Pine Box
7/20 - No Justice - Graham Central Station
7/23 - Jody Nix - Stardust
8/26 - Eli Young Band - Dos Amigos
8/27 - Jamey Johnson - Dos Amigos
9/17 - Reckless Kelly - Permian Basin Fair

Alpine/Marfa/Big Bend
6/30 - Follow that Bird - West Texas Utilities Building
7/4 - The Hickoids, Rice Moorehead - Padre's
7/8 - Cass McCombs - Crowley Theater; presented by Marfa Book Co. & Ballroom Marfa
7/8 - James McMurtry - Railroad Blues
7/15 - David Garza - Padre's
7/22 - Dale Watson - Railroad Blues
7/23 - Dale Watson - Thunderbird Motel
8/5 - The Resentments - Padre's
8/5 - Doug Moreland - Railroad Blues
8/6 - The Resentments - Railroad Blues
8/6 - Doug Moreland - Padre's
9/2 - The Warm Guns - Padre's
9/2 - JP & the Gilberts - Railroad Blues
9/9 - James McMurtry - Padre's
9/15 - Explosions in the Sky, Twin Sister - Vizcaino Park in Marfa

Lubbock
6/29 - Union Specific - Bash Riprocks
6/30 - Rod Picott - Blue Light
7/9 - Rob Baird - Wild West
7/20 - Lusitania, Estelline, Kentucky Knife Fight - Blue Light
7/28 - James McMurtry - Blue Light
7/29 - Turnpike Troubadours - Blue Light
8/25 - Jason Boland - Blue Light

Abilene
9/23 - Guy Clark - Paramount Theatre

Gillian Welch - Conan O'Brien, 06/28/11

2011-06-29T06:38:00.000-07:00

Great performance on Conan last night from Gillian Welch (accompanied by Dave Rawlings), performing "The Way It Goes" from her new record The Harrow and the Harvest.

Bon Iver - Bon Iver

2011-06-21T21:14:00.000-07:00

Similar to all the other music blogs, I don't want to make too big of a deal out of the first album from Bon Iver when talking about the new record. Let me sum up their reviews of the new album briefly:

Woods. Wisconsin. Cabin. Winter. Woods. Wisconsin. Justin Vernon. Cabin. Winter. Cabin. Winter. Woods. Wisconsin. For Emma. Cabin. Winter. Cabin. Winter. Woods. Wisconsin. Cabin. Winter. Cabin. Winter. Woods. Wisconsin. Cabin. Winter. Beards. Cabin. Winter. Snow. Woods. Cabin. Winter. Woods. Cabin. Winter. Woods. Cabin. Winter. Woods. Cabin. Winter. Woods. Mono. Wisconsin. Cabin. Winter. Wisconsin. Cabin. Winter. Wisconsin. Cabin. Winter. Wisconsin. Cabin. Winter. Emma. Wisconsin. Woods. Deer meat. Cabin. Winter. Beard. Woods. Wisconsin. Cabin. Winter. Woods. Wisconsin. Cabin. Winter. Cabin. Winter. Woods. Alone. Wisconsin. Cabin. Winter. Cabin. Winter. Woods. Wisconsin. Cabin. Winter. Cabin. Winter. Woods. Wisconsin. Cabin. Winter. Beards. Cabin. Winter. Woods. Cabin. Winter. Woods. Myth. Cabin. Winter. Woods. Cabin. Winter. Woods. Cabin. Winter. Woods. Mono. Wisconsin. Cabin. Eau Claire. Winter. Wisconsin. Cabin. Deyarmond Edison. Winter. Wisconsin. Cabin. Winter. Wisconsin. Cabin. Winter. Emma. Wisconsin. Woods. Deer meat. Cabin. Winter. Beard. Woods. Wisconsin. Cabin. Winter. Woods. Wisconsin. Cabin. Winter. Cabin. Winter. Woods. Wisconsin. For Emma. Cabin. Winter. Cabin. Winter. Woods. Wisconsin. Cabin. Winter. Cabin. Winter. Woods. Wisconsin. Cabin. Winter. Beards. Cabin. Winter. Snow. Woods. Cabin. Winter. Woods. Cabin. Winter. Woods. Cabin. Winter. Woods. Cabin. Winter. Woods. Mono. Wisconsin. Cabin. Winter. Wisconsin. Cabin. Winter. Wisconsin. Cabin. Winter. Wisconsin. Cabin. Winter. Emma. Wisconsin. Woods. Deer meat. Cabin. Winter. Beard. Woods. Wisconsin. Cabin. Winter. Woods. Wisconsin. Cabin. Winter. Cabin. Winter. Woods. Alone. Wisconsin. Cabin. Winter. Cabin. Winter. Woods. Wisconsin. Cabin. Winter. Cabin. Winter. Woods. Wisconsin. Cabin. Winter. Beards. Cabin. Winter. Woods. Cabin. Winter. Woods. Myth. Cabin. Winter. Woods. Cabin. Winter. Woods. Cabin. Winter. Woods. Mono. Wisconsin. Cabin. Eau Claire. Winter. Wisconsin. Cabin. Deyarmond Edison. Winter. Wisconsin. Cabin. Winter. Wisconsin. Cabin. Winter. Emma. Wisconsin. Woods. Deer meat. Cabin. Winter. Beard.

It's good to know that the music writers of the world are so good at moving on. Pitchfork gave the new album a 9.5, which, to put that in perspective, compares to the 6.2 they gave Led Zeppelin IV, the 5.3 they gave Abbey Road, and the 4.0 they gave Nevermind. Further, apparently Stereogum loves this album so much they already named it the top album of the year (so far). Fleet Foxes came in at #19 this year. Really?

The fanfare surrounding this album is similar to the last National album, except the critics mostly slammed that album early on and then realized later how brilliant it was, and subsequently pretended they hadn't slammed the album. Hopefully it is not a bad sign for Bon Iver that the critics were fawning over this album before the cover art was released.

By the way, the album is really good.

Cass McCombs - Crowley Theater, Marfa, TX - 07/08/11

2011-06-20T07:53:00.000-07:00

The awesome folks at Ballroom Marfa and Marfa Book Company continue to promote great music in West Texas, this time bringing Cass McCombs for a show at Crowley Theater on July 8th. McCombs is a bit hard to classify, maybe indie rock singer songwriter? (Which of course tells you almost nothing about his music.) All you really need to know is that he's worth giving a listen. Austin artist Pink Nasty will open the show, which is only $10, so give them a listen and mark your calendars for the show.

Poster by Jillian Tamaki and Jon Han.

It's Here

2011-06-06T22:48:00.000-07:00

Totally worth the wait.

West Texas area music calendar - June-July

2011-06-02T08:25:00.000-07:00

Email me with corrections/additions if you've got them.

Odessa/Midland
6/2 - Granger Smith - Rockin' Rodeo
6/3 - Dirty River Boys - Graham Central Station
6/16 - Thieving Birds - Rockin' Rodeo
6/17-18 - Texas Country Music Festival feat. Charlie Robison, Wade Bowen, Randy Rogers, Roger Creager, & others - Graham Central Station
6/18 - Roy Orbison Music Festival - Wink, TX
6/29 - Bart Crow Band - Graham Central Station
7/15 - Pat Green - Graham Central Station
7/19 - The Lusitania, Kentucky Knife Fight - Pine Box
7/23 - Jody Nix - Stardust
9/17 - Reckless Kelly - Permian Basin Fair

Alpine/Marfa/Big Bend
6/2-6 Fest Out West - Lajitas, featuring Reckless Kelly, Cody Canada & the Departed, Butch Hancock, Hayes Carll, The Trishas, Randy Rogers & Wade Bowen, Micky & the Motorcars, & John Evans
6/2 - The Lower Dens - West Texas Utilities Building. Presented by Marfa Book Co. & Marfa Public Radio

6/6 - The Lonesome Heroes - Padre's
6/17 - Doug Moreland - Railroad Blues
6/18 - Ghosts Along the Brazos - Thunderbird Motel
6/20 - Paleo - Padre's
7/4 - The Hickoids, Rice Moorehead - Padre's
7/8 - Cass McCombs - presented by Marfa Book Co. & Ballroom Marfa
7/8 - James McMurtry - Railroad Blues
7/15 - David Garza - Padre's
7/22 - Dale Watson - Railroad Blues
7/23 - Dale Watson - Thunderbird Motel

Snyder
6/7-6/11 - Western Swing Festival feat. Leon Rausch, Johnny Bush, Jody Nix, & more
6/17 - Jake Kellen - Belle Opry House
6/25 - Brandon Adams and No Dry County - Belle Opry House
7/15-16 - Jody Nix - Scurry County Rodeo Dance

San Angelo
6/17 - Jody Nix - Stagecoach Saloon
6/17-18 - Texas Country Music Festival feat. Wade Bowen, Randy Rogers, Roger Creager, & others - Graham Central Station
6/23 - Pat Green - Midnight Rodeo

Lubbock
6/2 - Butch Hancock - Rockin' Box 33
6/3 - Coppola, Dry Heaves, Cleanly OHM, Ivory and Ash - Jake's
6/3 - Gary P. Nunn - Blue Light
6/4 - Blue Light Backyard Blowout - Rodney Parker & 50 Peso Reward, Brandon Adams & the Sad Bastards, Thrift Store Cowboys, Dirty River Boys, Red Shahan
6/7 - Jason Isbell - Blue Light
6/8 - Meat Puppets w/ One Wolf - Blue Light
6/9 - Patricia Vonne - Buddy Holly Center
6/10 - Patricia Vonne - Rockin' Box 33
6/11 - Old 97s - Blue Light
6/18 - JAB Fest - Josh Abbott, Hayes Carll, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Whiskey Myers, Charlie Shafter, William Clark Green, Daniel Markham - Lonestar Amphitheatre
6/25 - Collin Herring - Depot O Bar
6/28 - Okkervil River - Jake's
6/30 - Rod Picott - Blue Light
7/20 - Lusitania, Estelline, Kentucky Knife Fight - Blue Light
7/28 - Turnpike Troubadours - Blue Light

Abilene
6/3 - Butch Hancock - Java Jax (Sweetwater)
6/10 - Cody Canada & the Departed - Lucky Mule
6/16 - Pat Green - Lucky Mule
9/23 - Guy Clark - Paramount Theatre

Nathaniel Rateliff - New 10" EP

2011-05-30T07:00:00.000-07:00

Denver artist Nathaniel Rateliff appears to be gaining a good deal of notoriety in Europe, and as a result, seems to have spent as much or more time touring there as in the U.S. Find a recent interview with British blog There Goes the Fear here.

Since I have posted about 47 different youtube videos of him performing "Shroud," I thought it might be nice to post this clip of his recent performance of "We Never Win" on Later... with Jools Holland. Rateliff returns to the U.S. in early June for a string of sold-out shows opening for Mumford & Sons.

Word on the street (i.e., the internet) is that Rateliff will also be releasing a 10" vinyl EP of live recordings, half from the Daytrotter Barnstormer Tour in 2010 and the other half from the Notting Hill Arts Club in London in February 2011. The record is being co-released by Daytrotter and Communion Records. While Rateliff apparently already played a record release show for this EP in London on 05/26/11 (or 26/05/11, I suppose), no information has been released as to when/if it might be more widely available to those of us who do not live in London. Given that Daytrotter vinyl tends to sell out ridiculously fast, I expect the window for buying this record will be quite narrow.

UPDATE: Communion has a purchase link up here for the time being.

Tracklisting for the EP (source):

Communion Side:

Early Spring Till
This
Bumps and Bruises
You Should’ve Seen The Other Guy

Daytrotter Side:

Pounds and Pounds
Whimper and Wail
Brakeman
Shroud

Finally, while the U.S. release of In Memory of Loss does not include "Shroud" or "Pounds and Pounds," both are available on the recent Record Store Day 7" from Rateliff. Should you be so inclined, you can still find a few copies of it for fairly cheap on Ebay.

Preview: Old 97s - The Blue Light, Lubbock, 6/11/11

2011-05-29T09:15:00.000-07:00

To my knowledge, Old 97s have only played Lubbock one time ever, and that was over 10 years ago at a birthday bash for KTXT radio, long before Texas Tech decided that Lubbock didn't need good radio. Please correct me if I am wrong about any or all of that information above, because I am quite literally just going by the seat of my pants on that info.

UPDATE: I found the link to a listing of that show - it was April 1st, 2000, at Liquid 2000, with a lineup of bands that are mostly no longer in existence. The venue is no longer in existence either, having been torn down to make a park for the Buddy Holly statue (which is controversial in and of itself, but not something I'll get into here).

What I do know is that the band is finally making a return appearance, on June 11th, at (I can't believe I"m saying this) the Blue Light. While the venue has a long history of catering to the fraternity and sorority crowds, which most often means Texas Country bands, I have to give the BL credit for keeping original live music going in Lubbock more consistently than basically any other venue. Further, they have been bringing in some very quality acts as of late, and in fact, will host Jason Isbell and the Meat Puppets, respectively, the same week that Old 97s are playing.

Enough about the Blue Light though, Old 97s are my favorite band of all time. By my estimation, I have seen them 10 times, stretching all the way back to August of 1999, which I know is less than 1 a year, but hey, I lived in Lubbock for 3 years, Boulder for 4, and now Odessa for 1, and they are not exactly regulars in any of those places.

The band will be releasing The Grand Theatre Vol. 2 on July 5th (New West), so I expect they'll be introducing some new material into the mix at the Lubbock show. However, if I know anything about the 97s, it is that there will be no paucity of the classics on the set list. The problem is really that they now have too many classics to fit into one show, but beggars can't be choosers. I am also excited about the fact that the Blue Light is one of the smaller venues I have ever seen the band play.

Lubbock, these opportunities don't come around that often, so don't miss out.

Notable West Texas Musicians

2011-05-28T08:07:00.000-07:00

I often forget just how many musicians originate from West Texas, although admittedly few stick around very long once they make it, leaving various places of origin to claim a piece of the fame because such-and-such went to 7th grade in their town. That is, it is difficult to define where people are actually from. Thus, I am working off of a fairly broad base in terms of establishing someone's residency in a town. Some of the following only spent time in West Texas, so yes, the list is fairly arbitrary.

Further, establishing the borders of West Texas are difficult to define. I define it here as a rough line from about Vernon to Abilene to San Angelo to Del Rio. No, it isn't exact, nor even straight, for that matter, but I am working off of my own general conception of what should qualify.

Please comment regarding additions/edits, and I will change the list accordingly. I know that "notable" is a subjective thing, but probably your cousin Billy from Sweetwater doesn't count. It gets increasingly tricky in regard to what is considered notable in this day and age, so I have been a bit conservative and haven't listed very many artists from the last decade or so.

You can find additional musicians at the West Texas Music Hall of Fame.

Terry Allen - Lubbock
Jerry Allison - Lubbock
Tommy Allsup - maintained a studio in Odessa
Ryan Bingham - Midland/Odessa
At the Drive-in - El Paso
Carl Bunch (drummer) - Big Spring
Guy Clark - Monahans
Sonny Curtis - Meadow
Mac Davis - Lubbock
Jimmy Dean - Plainview
Joe Ely - Lubbock (born in Amarillo)
Explosions in the Sky - 3 members originally from Midland
Radney Foster - Del Rio
Lefty Frizzell - Big Spring
Bobby Fuller - El Paso
Larry Gatlin - Odessa (born in Seminole)
Susan Gibson - Amarillo
Jimmie Dale Gilmore - Lubbock
Pat Green - Lubbock
Woody Guthrie - Pampa
Butch Hancock - Lubbock
Tommy Hancock - Lubbock
Micah P. Hinson - Abilene
Buddy Holly - Lubbock
Waylon Jennings - Littlefield
Virgil Johnson - Odessa/Lubbock
Bobby Keys - Lubbock/Slaton
Buddy Knox - Happy
Bob Livingston - Lubbock
Los Lonely Boys - San Angelo
Lloyd Maines - Lubbock
Natalie Maines - Lubbock
Delbert McClinton - Lubbock
Richie McDonald - Lubbock
Hoyle Nix - Big Spring
Jody Nix - Big Spring
Gary P. Nunn - Brownfield
Roy Orbison - Wink/Vernon
Lee Roy Parnell - Abilene
John Rich - Amarillo
Dan Seals - McCamey
J.D. Souther - Amarillo
Sparta/Sleepercar - El Paso
Ernest Tubb - San Angelo
Tanya Tucker - Seminole
Don Walser - Brownfield/Lamesa
Don Williams - born in Floydada
Bob Wills - Turkey

Dawes - Nothing Is Wrong, 6/7/11

2011-05-27T08:43:00.000-07:00

I am beyond excited for the new record from Dawes, entitled Nothing Is Wrong, set to be released on June 7th (ATO). I bought their first album North Hills on a whim about a year and a half ago, and while it was a slow builder for me, it has probably been the album I have listened to more than any other over that time period.

Beyond great songwriting, it is tough to say exactly what makes me love this band so much. They have definitely got the fraternal harmonies going for them, in a way that only people who share 25% of their DNA can. However, for me I think it is more of the mood that they convey in their music. They sing about home and the West and all of the things that I idealize excessively, so I suppose you could say that I am their target demographic.

Dawes - "If I Wanted Someone"

What I have not yet figured out is just how big these guys are going to get from this record. In a past decade of radio dominance, "When My Time Comes," off of North Hills, would have catapulted them to megastardom. However, in the oversaturated market of today, they remain a bit under the radar, but with a growing popularity, especially after the recent touring as part of Middle Brother. What remains to be seen is whether they will be able to crack the mainstream market with a few radio hits, perhaps becoming the flagbearers of American rock a la Tom Petty, or if they will rather take the path of becoming "indie big" a la the Avett Brothers or Wilco. Yes, I know Wilco seems more than indie big, but if you have doubts, I can take you to a room full of seventy-five 18-20 year-olds in Odessa, and you'd be lucky if 2 of them had heard of Wilco. Yet I digress...

You can find various tracks around the web from the new album, including a few free downloads. KUT recently featured "Time Spent in Los Angeles" as their free song of the day on iTunes. You can also get a free download of "If I Wanted Someone" off of the band's Web site, where you can also pre-order the new record. Don't expect for this to be the last you hear from me about this album.

Of course Odessa made the list

2011-05-11T14:09:00.000-07:00

Just ran across this post from Buzzfeed, which compiles pictures of 75 abandoned theaters around the country. And wouldn't you know, Odessa makes an appearance with number 29. Also included on the list are theaters in McLean, Big Spring, and Sierra Blanca, TX. Noticeably absent are the Palace Theater and Texas Theater in Marfa, which according to this article, are still inhabited in varying capacities, but no longer in use as theaters. So I guess they are technically not abandoned, and thus, not eligible.

Can you guess which is the Palace & which is the Texas?

Marfa Public Radio internship opportunities

2011-05-10T11:49:00.001-07:00

The good folks at Marfa Public Radio have recently announced that they are accepting applications for college interns. I have to imagine this would be a fantastic opportunity for someone so inclined to do such an internship, and you would get to live in an awesome area of West Texas. MPR done an amazing job reporting on and providing support for the recent wildfires, so you would no doubt be working for a fantastic organization with an eye toward issues ranging in scope from a local to an international level.

Check out the details here.

Preview: Rodney Parker - Rockin' Rodeo, Midland, 05/12/11

2011-05-09T08:22:00.000-07:00

This Thursday, May 12th, catch Rodney Parker & 50 Peso Reward at the Rockin' Rodeo in Midland. RP & 50PR is one of the better Americana bands around, with an ever-growing catalog of great original music, so don't miss out on the chance to see them locally.

I have not heard an official release date yet, but expect The Apology: Part II from the band in the relatively near future, which should stand a great chance of elevating their status even more, given the radio success they have had with "Guitars," off of the first Apology album.

West Texas area music calendar - May-June

2011-05-01T12:29:00.000-07:00

Odessa/Midland
5/7 - Easton Corbin - Dos Amigos
5/12 - Rodney Parker & 50 Peso Reward - Rockin' Rodeo
5/12-14 - Crude Fest - Midland - Jason Boland, Turnpike Troubadours, Josh Abbott, Chris Knight, Reckless Kelly & more
5/19 - Rob Baird - Rockin' Rodeo
5/21 - Los Lonely Boys - Centennial Plaza
5/21 - Jody Nix - Stardust Club
5/26 - Cory Morrow - Rockin' Rodeo

6/18 - Roy Orbison Music Festival - Wink, TX

Alpine/Marfa/Big Bend
5/10 - Butch Hancock - Padre's
5/14 - Turnpike Troubadours - Railroad Blues
5/29 - Bob Livingston - Railroad Blues
6/2- Fest Out West - Lajitas, featuring Reckless Kelly, Cody Canada & the Departed, Butch Hancock, Hayes Carll, The Trishas, Randy Rogers & Wade Bowen, Micky & the Motorcars, & John Evans
6/17 - Doug Moreland - Railroad Blues
7/8 - James McMurtry - Railroad Blues

Snyder
6/7-6/11 - Western Swing Festival feat. Leon Rausch, Johnny Bush, Jody Nix, & more
6/25 - Brandon Adams and No Dry County - Belle Opry House

San Angelo
5/7 - Mike McClure - Blaine's
5/13 - Jody Nix - Stagecoach Saloon
5/20 - Doug Moreland - Blaine's

Lubbock
5/6 - Joe Ely - Cactus Theater
5/14 - Thrift Store Cowboys/Estelline - Bash's in the Depot
6/7 - Jason Isbell - Blue Light
6/8 - Meat Puppets w/ One Wolf - Blue Light
6/11 - Old 97s - Blue Light
6/28 - Okkervil River - Jake's

3 albums I wish you were listening to

2011-04-09T10:03:00.000-07:00

Ha Ha Tonka - Death of a Decade

I've been interested in Ha Ha Tonka for a while, and have generally liked their stuff, but I have not owned a full album of theirs until Death of a Decade. This album brings it all around for me. Further proof that Bloodshot Records still knows what they are doing.

Songs of note: "Made Example of" and "Lonely Fortunes"

Dolorean - The Unfazed

For one reason or another, Dolorean fell off my radar the past few years. They are back. Al James is simply brilliant. Partisan made a great decision putting this record out.

Songs of note: "Thinskinned" and "Hard Working Dogs"

Middle Brother - Middle Brother

I approached the record as a big fan of Dawes & Deer Tick, but not a lot of familiarity with Delta Spirit. Thus, while the odds were in the record's favor, I still had reservations about how well they could pull off an entire record without drifting off into some John McCauley-led debauchery halfway through.

That said, I gave the record a couple of listens on the way down to SXSW, and while I liked a number of tracks, I didn't completely connect with the record as a whole. Enter the Partisan Party at SXSW, where Middle Brother & Johnny Corndawg brought the house down in one of the better performances of the festival, and I grabbed a spot on the Middle Brother bandwagon. This album is strong all the way through.

Songs of note: "Mom and Dad," "Blood and Guts," and "Someday" (and basically every other song)

SXSW 2011

2011-03-24T06:26:00.000-07:00

Saw an amazing amount of good music last week in Austin (list of bands on my facebook). I won't be writing about the shows this year due to time constraints, but I can tell you that this picture below, taken at Auditorium Shores (thanks DP), explains basically everything you could ever want or need to know about SXSW. You should be able to click to enlarge it to take in the full greatness.

West Texas area music calendar

2011-03-10T18:25:00.000-08:00

Odessa/Midland
3/18 - The Band Perry - Dos Amigos
3/25 - Josh Abbott - Dos Amigos
3/26 - Jody Nix - Stardust Club
4/8 - Stoney Larue - Dos Amigos
5/12-14 - Crude Fest - Midland - Jason Boland, Turnpike Troubadours, Josh Abbott, Chris Knight, Reckless Kelly

Alpine/Marfa/Big Bend
3/11 - Matt Skinner - Lost Horse Saloon
3/12 - Alex & Bonnie Whitmore - La Kiva
3/12 - Matt Skinner - Gage Hotel
3/15 - Fergus & Geronimo - Padre's
4/11 - British Sea Power, A Classic Education - Padre's
4/17 - Yacht & Straight Gaze - Padre's
4/24 - Mumford & Sons, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, & Old Crow Medicine Show - Railroad Revival at El Cosmico
5/11 - Butch Hancock - Padre's
6/2- Fest Out West - Lajitas, featuring Reckless Kelly, Cody Canada & the Departed, Butch Hancock, Hayes Carll, The Trishas, Randy Rogers & Wade Bowen, Micky & the Motorcars, & John Evans

Snyder
3/11 - Shawn Fussell - Belle Opry House
3/18 - Zach Edwards - Belle Opry House
3/25 - Jody Nix - WTC Coliseum Annex Barn

San Angelo
3/10 - Butch Hancock - Blaine's Pub
4/29 - Ray Wylie Hubbard - Angelo Food & Wine Festival

Lubbock
4/2 - Rodney Parker & 50 Peso Reward - Blue Light
4/8 - Turnpike Troubadours - Blue Light
4/12 - The Felice Brothers - Blue Light
3/10 - Scott H. Biram - Jake's
6/28 - Okkervil River - Jake's

Railroad Revival Tour in Marfa - 4/24

2011-03-09T08:43:00.000-08:00

Continuing with the theme of Marfa having the best music offerings per capita in the state, or perhaps the country, a number of the biggest bands in the country will be stopping by next month...by train.

Yes, the Railroad Revival tour will be making a stop at El Cosmico in Marfa on April 24th, Easter Sunday, in case you were wondering, with a show featuring Mumford & Sons, Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros, and Old Crow Medicine Show. The Marfa show will be the 4th of six stops on the tour, preceded by Oakland, San Pedro, and Chandler, and followed by Austin and New Orleans. Tickets are on sale today, March 9th.

I can only wish them the best of luck, as I once took the same train line from California to Texas, and what might have been a 24-hour drive by car turned into a 58 hour trip by train. Yes, you read that right - fifty-eight. That was from the Bay Area to San Antonio. Long story short, passenger trains on this line must yield to freight trains, who own the tracks, and so at various times we had to take a side rail and wait for a freight train to come through. At certain points, I recall sitting on a train going nowhere for upwards of 2 hours at a time in the middle of the New Mexico desert. I can only hope that the logistics of this situation have been accounted for.

Perhaps they are buying supremacy on the tracks, as tickets for the show will run you between $55 and $203. Sure, it's a real privilege I suppose to see these bands in such a small place, but folks, that's pricey. Let's remember that when Bon Iver played Marfa, tickets were $2.

Then again, if you hadn't heard, Mumford is about the biggest band in the country following their Grammy bump. If you haven't checked out their record Sigh No More, you probably should. It's brilliant. Maybe we should consider $55 a deal.

(UPDATE 3/10: Marfa sold out already. Guessing the Marfa show is going to be a lot of Austin people who couldn't get tickets there.)

Butch Hancock West Texas shows

2011-03-08T12:19:00.000-08:00

West Texas music ambassador Butch Hancock will be playing two area shows this week. Having just had the chance to see him play with the Flatlanders earlier this year, I can assure you that seeing Butch live is an essential for any and all west Texas music fans. Hancock is of a songwriting pedigree that many songwriters aspire to, and while he has avoided the spotlight for the most part over his career, his craft has not dulled over time. Rather, he remains a productive and relevant songwriter, and perhaps most importantly, maintains a consistent presence in West Texas.

See him in Alpine and San Angelo this week:

Railroad Blues, Alpine: Wednesday, March 9th - 8 PM, $10
Blaine's Pub, San Angelo: Thursday, March 10th - 9:30 PM

And while we're on the subject, here's Butch's cover of Townes' "Dollar Bill Blues."

2011 Ramble Creek Day Party - 03/18/11

2011-03-06T03:20:00.000-08:00

Perhaps my favorite day show from last year, the amazing folks at Ramble Creek Recording Studio will once again be providing a fantastic lineup for their 2011 day party. This year's show includes the talents of a diverse group of bands, including west Texas' own Thrift Store Cowboys and One Wolf. Last year's party was the model of a perfect SXSW day show -- great atmosphere, great music, and great people. See the schedule below and see you there!

The Ashes (Austin, TX) - 12:15pm
One Wolf (Athens, GA/Lubbock, TX) - 12:55
The Georgian Company (Austin, TX) - 1:25pm
Collin Herring (Austin, TX) - 2:05pm
Thrift Store Cowboys (Lubbock, TX) - 2:40pm
Graham Weber (Austin, TX) - 3:25pm
Seryn (Denton, TX) - 4:00pm
Brian Martin (Hot Springs, AR) - 4:55pm
Monahans (Austin, TX) 5:30pm
Telegraph Canyon (Ft Worth, TX) - 6:15pm

Find all the information you need about the show at the Facebook Event Page.

Show poster by Greg Vanderpool.

Monahans - ACL Satellite Set

2011-02-18T07:07:00.000-08:00

Last October (2010), Austin-based Monahans performed an Austin City Limits Satellite Sets session at the now-former ACL studio. Sources in attendance reported that it was an amazing show, and now, we can all see and hear it ourselves, as KLRU has posted the performance online. Below are the performances of "Diamonds" from the 2010 Recordings and "I Run to You" from 2009's Dim the Aurora.

Check out the main page for the session here to find video of additional performances.

Please note that videos may not play in Google Reader or other blog aggregators.

Watch the full episode. See more ACL presents Satellite Sets.

Turnpike Troubadours interview & Midland show preview, 2/24

2011-02-16T07:26:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite new bands to emerge last year was Oklahoma-based Turnpike Troubadours. I was first drawn in by their first radio single, "Every Girl," but have since come to appreciate a good deal of the band's catalog. The good news is you can give their latest album, Diamonds and Gasoline, a listen free of charge, as the entire record is currently streaming in full on the audio section of their Web site.

Picking right up where "Every Girl" left off, the band's new single "7 & 7" is all over the airwaves right now, and I also recommend "1968" and "Whole Damn Town" for new listeners. Perhaps most importantly, Turnpike Troubadours seem to keep their focus on the songwriting, such that the song itself stands as the central element in their music, with just the right instrumentation backing the tracks. The band has clearly benefited from the Texas and Oklahoma music scenes opening up more diverse sounds, as they are by no means your run-of-the-mill bar band. Rather, I expect to see a lot of great things to come from them as they continue to pick up steam.

While I missed the band the last time they were in town, they'll be returning to the Permian Basin for a show at the Rockin' Rodeo in Midland on Thursday, Feb. 24th. The information I have about the show is limited, partly on account of the fact that the Rockin' Rodeo isn't well known for keeping their Web site or their Facebook or their Myspace consistently up to date.

The band was kind enough to take a few minutes to do an email interview with Windfarm. Check it out under the video below:

Windfarm: Can you describe the Turnpike Troubadours sound for readers?

Turnpike Troubadours: I think of it as singer/songwriter music that spent too much time in the Honky-Tonks.

WF: Artistically, who would you cite as major influences?

TT: There are hundreds of people, Robert Earl Keen, Townes Van Zandt, Jerry Jeff Walker, The Band, Old 97's, Jason Boland and the Stragglers, The Great Divide, and Mike McClure just to name a few.

WF: What can a listener expect from a Turnpike Troubadours live show?

TT: We always have a good time on stage, there are nights when the crowd is dancing on the bar and being rowdy. We are pretty accustomed to the road house kind of environment and love it when people have a good time.

WF: As a band that spends a good deal of its time on the road, what are your favorite venues to play?

TT: Cain's Ballroom in Tulsa, Iron Horse in Wichita Falls, Wormy Dog, Mercury Lounge in Tulsa, Gruene Hall, Roxie's Roost in Tahlequah, Cheatham Street, the ones that have a story or two behind them are always the best.

WF: Where do Turnpike Troubadours fit in regard to the Red Dirt music scene?

TT: If you are our age and from Oklahoma you can't help but be influenced by the Stillwater guys. Its nice to be included. We are trying to do our own thing now and just hoping its on par.

WF: Your song "1968" references an important time in our country's history. Would you be willing to talk about the significance of that song?

TT: Martin Luther King, Jr. and Bobby Kennedy both were assassinated that year. The song is about the idea of someone else coming along in present-day with their regard for the common man, hopefully it happens.

WF: What can we expect from Turnpike Troubadours in 2011?

TT: We are booked up solid throughout this year and I plan to do another album by this summer. We have new songs and are ready for it.

WF: What albums (recent or older) have been on your playlist the past few months?

TT: Steve Earle's Transcendental Blues has been stuck in my player for 5 months. My stereo literally won't eject it.
Also, check out:
John Fullbright- Live at the Blue Door
Jason Eady- When the Money's all Gone
Rodney Parker- The Lonesome Dirge/ The Apology
The Felice Brothers- The Felice Brothers
Corb Lund- Losing Lately Gambler
Mike Mcclure- Halfway Out

James Vincent McMorrow - Early in the Morning

2011-02-04T14:16:00.000-08:00

Perhaps the most promising new artist I've heard thus far in 2011, Ireland's James Vincent McMorrow is quickly rising through the ranks, likely to become one of the more buzzed about new acts at SXSW this March. McMorrow recently released Early in the Morning on Vagrant Records, an 11-song LP. Well, the U.S. release was only in January 2011, while the U.K. release stretches back to March 2010. As such, he only recently came onto my radar. However, a number of listens and plenty of having his songs stuck in my head later, I'm pretty sure it's going to continue to build into one of the better albums of the year with continued time.

As my good friend noted, the album exhibits shades of Bon Iver in a number of ways, as has been detailed by a number of other blogs, yet I don't find it overly influenced by the group. I hear similarities to Fleet Foxes as well in the album's vocal harmonies, but yet again, I don't think the influence is overkill. While possibly classified in the recorded-in-a-cabin-in-the-woods-core genre (although in McMorrow's case, it was the beach, not the woods), the album's strength lies more in the solid songwriting than in any similarities to currently popular artists. That is, I don't want to overdo the comparisons, as I think this album stands on its own as a fantastic work that deserves a listen without being overly concerned about who it sounds like.

The album begins with maybe its strongest track, "If I Had a Boat," a slow builder that should reach out and grab many first time listeners. Songs that follow, including "Sparrow and the Wolf" and "Breaking Hearts," provide a quick indication of the consistency of the album throughout. Early in the Morning most importantly has the feel of a record made by an artist in just the way he wanted it made, and I think this element is among its greatest strengths. This is the album that many aspiring artists envision they could make if they just had the right setting and enough time. While in reality such lofty aspirations are much easier said than done, in McMorrow's case, he has found the perfect elements to bring that much-desired artistic ambition to fruition. See him at SXSW next month if you want to hear him before all the cool kids catch on.

James Vincent McMorrow - If I Had A Boat

Download the full album from James Vincent McMorrow on iTunes here.

Estelline - Lubbock album release, Feb. 11

2011-02-03T16:50:00.000-08:00

Photo credit: Jesse Whitley

I'm beginning to feel relatively unsurprised these days when another great indie band comes out of Lubbock. As much as folks love to talk about what a horrible place it is, the area continues to produce awesome music, and Estelline is yet another example.

Estelline has been building up their name around the Lubbock area for a good bit now, but next Friday, February 11th, will finally see the band release their first record, a self-titled endeavor, at Bash Riprocks in the Depot. Check out an acoustic version of "William Jones" below, and please head over to their Myspace page to hear 5 songs from the new album.

The band's songs are quite strong for a first album, or for any album really. What I like most about them is that, while they don't take a wildly unconventional approach to their brand of rock music, the distinctive voice of frontman Kenny Paul Harris brings them an instant appeal. Songs like "I'm a Monster" highlight the strength of Harris's voice, as well as the band's deft use of dynamics. It's loud and soft just as rock music should be. Most importantly, Estelline harnesses elements of West Texas in such a way that exhibits their unique musical perspective, and hopefully foreshadows a good deal more great music to come.

I was first introduced to the band last September opening for Thrift Store Cowboys, and have been looking forward to this album release ever since. Please go check these guys out. While it tends to be inevitable that good bands in Lubbock eventually move to Austin, the scene is building such that maybe a few more will continue to stick around. Either way, go to the show or pick up the album. Preferably both.

DeVotchKa - "100 Other Lovers" Video

2011-02-02T19:24:00.000-08:00

Review: The Flatlanders - Cactus Theater, Lubbock, 01/29/11

2011-01-30T13:48:00.000-08:00

Saturday night at the Cactus Theater in Lubbock featured "An Evening With the Flatlanders," and that is just what the crowd got, with close to a 2 hour performance from Joe Ely, Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Butch Hancock. I heard a decent amount of confusion about why advertised opener and local Brandon Adams didn't play, but word was that he was pulled fairly last minute in the interests of making the night for the Flatlanders alone.

Ely kicked off the night with the group's "Right Where I Belong," and the song progression from there followed the songwriter-in-the-round style. The night's musical backing was relatively simplistic, in that it was provided only by Ely, Gilmore, and Hancock themselves. This left Ely to do most of the guitar solos, producing a sparse, yet intimate show from the three. The setlist included all three playing a number of Butch Hancock songs as well as some of their own. Whether a result of not playing with a band or simply wanting to play more offbeat material, the band ventured into some less well known tracks, and avoided altogether standards such as "Tonight, I'm Gonna Go Downtown" and "South Wind of Summer."

Gilmore made a point of playing what he termed "a request to himself," with a cover of his son Colin Gilmore's song "The Way We Are," which also appears on the most recent Flatlanders' album. The stories between songs were as enjoyable as the music itself, including Gilmore's statement (and I paraphrase): "I don't believe in miracles, so when one happens it really freaks me out." Similar quips were found throughout the night, with a good deal of banter passed between the performers.

Surprisingly, few requests were yelled out over the course of the night, and so the artists mostly handpicked songs of their choosing. Among those selected was a cover of Townes Van Zandt's "White Freightliner Blues," a song oft-covered by the band and also performed on Gilmore's 1988 solo album Fair and Square. Although the trio said goodnight without announcing the previous song as their last, they returned for a two song encore, featuring the near mandatory "Bluebird" and "I Had My Hopes Up High." Overall, the show was a great night of music and stories from the elder statesmen of Lubbock music.

Please let the folks at the Cactus Theater know that they need to bring in more local and national acts to use the amazing space they have. It's a great space and Lubbock needs more quality live music, and possibly less musical theater.

Nathaniel Rateliff - Mile Marker session

2011-01-28T20:38:00.000-08:00

Photo credit: John Hendrickson with heyreverb.com

Oh man, what I would give to be in Denver right now kicking back a 5 Barrel and listening to this guy.

Easily one of the best music blogs in the country, the Denver Post's Reverb just released their Mile Marker session for Nathaniel Rateliff, featuring an acoustic session with Nathaniel and backing vocals by Julie Davis and Joseph Pope. Mile Marker is roughly Denver's equivalent of Daytrotter, except much more like Daytrotter when it was relatively new. That is, they have very few sessions up right now.

In short, they've got 4 free Nathaniel Rateliff recordings up for you, so it's probably a good time to check them out. When you go listen, check out Amazon, because they've got the full album from this band for $5, but probably just through the end of January. Rumor has it that the band has a 7" with "Shroud," "Pounds and Pounds," and "This" for sale on tour, but not yet to the masses of us who don't live on the band's tour route. I'm holding out for catching about five of his shows during SXSW though, so I can wait for now.

Mile Marker - Nathaniel Rateliff by StealThisTrack

West Texas area music calendar - 01/26/11

2011-01-26T12:49:00.000-08:00

It is surprisingly hard to find reliable information about upcoming shows in West Texas. I try to check all of the usual suspects as far as venues go, but as it turns out, a lot of them are notorious for not updating Web sites. Many thanks go to those who have written me with details on shows. Please send corrections or additions as you have them.

As for Odessa & Midland, I don't know what's going on but I can't find much of anything in the way of upcoming shows. Not even bad ones. What's the deal?

Odessa/Midland
2/24 - Cody Canada & the Departed - Dos Amigos
2/24 - Turnpike Troubadours - Rockin' Rodeo
3/18 - The Band Perry - Dos Amigos
3/25 - Josh Abbott - Dos Amigos
5/14 - Crude Fest - Midland - Jason Boland, Turnpike Troubadours, Josh Abbott & others

Alpine/Marfa/Big Bend
2/17 - Jason Boland - Railroad Blues
3/4 - Balmorhea - Building 98 (and that's Balmorhea the band, show in Marfa)
3/4 - Soul Track Mind - Railroad Blues
3/4-3/6 - Texas Independence Day Music Fest - Lajitas, featuring Butch Hancock, Claude Butch Morgan and many more
3/9 - Butch Hancock - Railroad Blues

4/11 - British Sea Power, A Classic Education - Padre's
4/17 - Yacht & Straight Gaze - Padre's
6/2- Fest Out West - Lajitas, featuring Reckless Kelly, Cody Canada & the Departed, Butch Hancock, Hayes Carll, The Trishas, Randy Rogers & Wade Bowen, Micky & the Motorcars, & John Evans

Snyder
2/25 - George Ducas - Belle Opry House

Big Spring
2/26 - Jody Nix - The Stampede

San Angelo
2/28 - Aaron Watson - Midnight Rodeo
3/4 - Jason Boland w/ Turnpike Troubadours - Midnight Rodeo
3/10 - Butch Hancock - Blaine's Pub
4/29 - Ray Wylie Hubbard - Angelo Food & Wine Festival

Lubbock
2/18 - Whiskey Folk Ramblers - Bash Riprocks
2/19 - Jason Boland - Wild West
2/19 - John Evans Band - Blue Light
2/25 - Eli Young - Wild West

3/8 - Birds & Batteries - Bash's on Main
4/2 - Rodney Parker & 50 Peso Reward - Blue Light
4/8 - Turnpike Troubadours - Blue Light
3/10 - Scott H. Biram - Jake's

The Flatlanders - Cactus Theater show preview

2011-01-23T20:50:00.000-08:00

The Flatlanders continue to write the narrative to an incredibly successful music career, and perhaps among their most honorable qualities is the fact that they still return to Lubbock for shows year after year. The trio of Joe Ely, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, and Butch Hancock has remained a quite successful force in both their individual and collective careers, maintaining steady touring and continued artistic output. I've had the pleasure of seeing them a few times in the past decade, and the live shows are always worth it, with the in-between-song banter being as good as the music itself.

The show is Saturday night, Jan. 29th, at the Cactus Theater in Lubbock. Show time is 7:30 PM. At last check, tickets were very limited, with only single floor and scattered balcony seats available, but check with the Cactus for details.

Image credit: Steve Gullick

Hayes Carll - Tonight Show performance, 01/21/11

2011-01-22T09:17:00.000-08:00

The Hayes Carll performance on The Tonight Show last night turned out to be a bit of a Who's Who for the Texas/Red Dirt music scene. Featured in the lineup were Travis Linville, a well respected guitarist who also does great solo work, as well as Houston-turned-Austin-rocker John Evans, on baritone guitar.

With the new album and his connection to the movie Country Strong, Hayes Carll looks to have strong prospects for a very successful 2011, and this was a great way to start.

Note: Video won't play in Google Reader, but should work fine on Windfarm itself.

The 3-1-11 on new records from Slim & DeVotchKa

2011-01-18T07:57:00.000-08:00

Great news for us all that two stalwarts of the Denver scene will be releasing albums this spring, and on the same day, to boot.

First, Slim Cessna's Auto Club will release Unentitled on Alternative Tentacles March 1, 2011, just ahead of another appearance at SXSW. First indications of the album came from this interview with Reverb, and since then, presale pages have begun to crop up for the record. Please catch one of this band's shows if you haven't already.

For Denverites who aspire to perform with Munly, be advised of this recent announcement on his Facebook page:

It is time to introduce the next chapter of Lupercalia. The Lupercalians are looking for new band members (primarily percusionists) to present this new group of characters. Please let us know if you are interested by writing us here.

Another of Denver's more notable bands, DeVotchKa will be releasing their fifth studio album on the same day. Anti- Records has recently announced the release of 100 Lovers, which promises more of the DeVotchKa + WaveLab studios magic of previous releases.

Finally, for the Denver music fans amongst you, Westword recently published a fantastic interview with David Eugene Edwards of Wovenhand.

The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger, Laura Gibson - Padre's Marfa 1/20

2011-01-17T08:24:00.000-08:00

Marfa continues to amaze with its offering of the upcoming show on Thursday, Jan. 20th, at Padre's featuring The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger and Laura Gibson. If The GOASTT is a name unfamiliar to you, you are likely to be a bit more familiar with the key members, Sean Lennon, who is, yes, that Sean Lennon, and model Charlotte Kemp Muhl. An eccentric bunch, the band should fit quite well with the aesthetic of Marfa.

Check out their recent performance on Jimmy Fallon below. French horn, anyone?

Laura Gibson is an artist I am relatively unfamiliar with, but whom I have noticed along the way primarily because of her striking vocal resemblance to Denton's Bosque Brown. Her work, along with Big Bend artist Trevor Reichman should make for an amazing night of music for only $10.

HC - KMAG YOYO EPK

2011-01-14T08:50:00.000-08:00

Yes, that's way too many acronyms. Nonetheless, check out the Electronic Press Kit for Hayes Carll's new record, KMAG YOYO (& Other American Stories). Record is out Feb. 15th, 2011.

In addition, Hayes just announced on his Facebook that he'll be playing the Tonight Show one week from tonight, on Friday, January 21st. Well deserved.

Norah jones cover of "Loretta" with Gillian Welch & Dave Rawlings

2011-01-07T11:17:00.000-08:00

Wow, how have I missed this all these years? Just found out in the latest issue of Texas Music Magazine that Norah Jones put this Townes van Zandt cover on her most recent album. With Townes' immense song catalog, I expect we have plenty more years of new artists reinterpreting his work. He remains obscure to the mainstream on a certain level as the guy who wrote "Pancho and Lefty," but he will no doubt be remembered and respected for his songwriting long after the popular artists of today are forgotten.

Justin Townes Earle on Letterman

2011-01-05T08:27:00.000-08:00

Check out Justin Townes Earle on David Letterman tonight (01/05). He'll be making his network television debut playing the title track off of his most recent release Harlem River Blues. You can download the album on Amazon for $5 right now.

Update: Here's the video from the performance, featuring Jason Isbell on lead guitar.

Thrift Store Cowboys/Driftwood Singers - show preview, 1/7/11

2011-01-02T11:12:00.000-08:00

As anyone who has seen this blog has no doubt heard me drag on about, the live music offerings in Midland/Odessa at times leave a bit to be desired, especially after one moves here after living within walking distance of multiple venues bringing in national touring acts. That said, we still get good shows here every so often.

Friday, January 7th, will feature a great lineup of local and national bands at the Pine Box in Midland, TX (510 S. Big Spring St., Midland, TX 79702). Normally a hardcore/metal venue, the Pine Box also occasionally brings in acts outside of those genres, with this show being a perfect example.

Headlining the show will be Los Angeles, CA, americana/folk touring act The Driftwood Singers. This band brings a sound from a different time, reminiscent of the type of band you might have expected to tour across West Texas during the Dust Bowl. I honestly can't find a ton of information about them, but they have gotten some attention from the well-regarded Captain's Dead blog. They also have a digital EP for sale on Bandcamp, where you can also stream most of their songs. As little rain as we've had, you could almost say they are coming back through during another dust bowl, with the primary difference being that in the first Dust Bowl people weren't still leaving their sprinklers on all night.

Second, a band that I talk about frequently, Lubbock based indie/roots band Thrift Store Cowboys will share the stage. TSC toured the country from September through November in 2010 in support of their amazing new record Light Fighter, so it's nice to be able to catch them back here in West Texas. The band hasn't played Midland/Odessa in some time, so hopefully a few folks still know who they are around here.

The line-up also features locals Jackson's Lost Cause and Asher Noel. I must admit I appreciate a show like this because I wasn't familiar with either of these artists, but am liking what I hear from them online so far. Who knew that Odessa had anything other than metal bands? I assumed it must, but I didn't really know where they were hiding out.

Jackson's Lost Cause brings a blues influenced rock to the lineup. Check out "If I Could Hide You In My Memories" on his Myspace.

Asher Noel is an act that one listens to and has an initial thought of "this guy lives in Odessa?" I mean this in a good way, because the songs are well written, but also somewhat off the beaten path with electronic sounds thrown into the mix. Definitely looking forward to hearing him perform live.

The show starts early, at 7:30 PM, so don't miss out by getting there late. Cover charge is $7, and the show is all ages. Spread the word - we need to support great local shows like this one!

West Texas area music calendar - 1/1/11

2011-01-01T23:11:00.000-08:00

As always, I'm glad to post updates/corrections/additional shows/details if you've got them.

Odessa/Midland
1/7 - Thrift Store Cowboys, The Driftwood Singers, Jackson's Lost Cause, & Asher Noel - The Pine Box Midland
1/8 - Joe Nichols - Dos Amigos
1/15 - Wade Bowen - Dos Amigos
1/15 - Jody Nix - Stardust Club

Big Spring
1/8 - Jody Nix - The Stampede
1/29 - Jody Nix - The Stampede
2/26 - Jody Nix - The Stampede

Alpine/Marfa/Big Bend
1/14 - Del Castillo - Railroad Blues
1/20 - Ghost of the Saber Tooth Tiger, Laura Gibson, Trevor Reichman - Padre's
3/4 - Soul Track Mind - Railroad Blues
3/5 - Texas Independence Day Music Fest - Terlingua, featuring Butch Hancock (looking for more details on this)
6/2- Fest Out West - Lajitas, featuring Reckless Kelly, Cody Canada & the Departed, Butch Hancock, Hayes Carll, The Trishas, Randy Rogers & Wade Bowen, Micky & the Motorcars, & John Evans

Snyder
1/8 - Granger Smith - Belle Opry House
1/15 - Bart Crow - Belle Opry House

Lubbock
1/15 - Del Castillo - Cactus Theater
1/15 - Josh Abbott w/ Brandon Rhyder - Wild West
1/19 - Reverend Horton Heat - Tequila Jungle
1/22 - Stoney Larue w/ Granger Smith - Wild West
1/22 - Rodney Parker & 50 Peso Reward - The Blue Light
1/29 - Reckless Kelly w/ Wade Bowen - Wild West
1/29 - The Flatlanders - Cactus Theater\

2/2 - Thrift Store Cowboys - The Blue Light
2/3 - Corb Lund - The Blue Light
2/5 - Rob Baird - The Blue Light
2/18 - Whiskey Folk Ramblers - Bash Riprocks
2/24 - George Ducas - Bash Riprocks

San Angelo
1/14 - Jody Nix - Stagecoach Saloon and Dancehall
1/26 - Roger Creager - Graham Central Station
1/28 - Dale Watson - Blaine's Pub
2/18 - Aaron Watson - Midnight Rodeo

Windfarm 2010 All-America Music Team

2010-12-31T08:00:00.000-08:00

In an attempt at doing something other than a traditional "best of 2010" list, I've taken a bit of a different route, and instead, listed my favorite albums in the form of an All-America Team. What you'll find are not necessarily the best musicians at every position, but players from my favorite albums of the year broken out by position. Thus, many great musicians get ignored, although my main concern was including at least someone from each of my favorite albums this year.

Yes, I also know some of these are a stretch, but I couldn't just have 14 first team vocals, so there are a few picks that aren't necessarily full time on the instrument they are assigned to. Next year hopefully I can solicit votes from readers and bloggers alike to get a better compilation for this list.

Most Valuable Musicians
Every member of The National - High Violet

First Team
Vocals: John McCaulley III, Deer Tick - The Black Dirt Sessions
Harmony Vocals: Julie Davis & Joseph Pope III, Nathaniel Rateliff - In Memory of Loss
Guitar: Justin Townes Earle - Harlem River Blues
Bass: Murry Hammond - Old 97s - The Grand Theatre: Part I
Drums: Brian Moen, Peter Wolf Crier - Inter-Be
Banjo: Munly Munly - Munly & the Lupercalians - Petr & the Wulf; Slim Cessna's Auto Club - Buried Behind the Barn
Keyboard: Benjamin Tanner, Dylan LeBlanc - Pauper's Field
Pedal Steel: Jon Graboff, Ryan Adams & the Cardinals - III/IV

Second Team
Vocals: Win Butler, Arcade Fire - The Suburbs
Harmony Vocals: Ryan Monroe - Band of Horses - Infinite Arms
Guitar: Seth Avett, The Avett Brothers - Live Volume 3
Bass: Reid Perry, The Band Perry - self-titled
Drums: Julian Harmon, The Morning Benders - Big Echo
Banjo: Winston Marshall - Mumford & Sons - Sigh No More
Keyboard/Piano: Eric Earley, Blitzen Trapper - Destroyer of the Void

All-Texas Team
Vocals: Will Johnson, Centro-matic/South San Gabriel - Eyas
Guitar: Daniel Markham, One Wolf - One Wolf II: Secret of the Wolf
Pedal Steel: Colt Miller, Thrift Store Cowboys - Light Fighter
Bass: Brooks Kendall, Jr. - Rodney Parker & 50 Peso Reward - The Apology, Part I
Drums: Rob Sanchez, Monahans - 2010 Recordings
Banjo: Glen Farris - Doug Burr - O Ye Devastator
Keyboards: Adi Kanlic - The Lusitania - Rain & Rivers

Other First Teamers

Autobiographer: Keith Richards - Life

Documentarian: Gandulf Hennig - Merle Haggard: Learning to Live With Myself

Live experience: singalong of "When My Time Comes" - Dawes - Fox Theatre, Boulder 06/19/10

Shameless Self Promotion: Windfarm - "The Proud Colorado Mountains of Townes Van Zandt" (Hey, I spent a lot of time on that post, so why not give it one more mention?)

Venue: Hi-Dive, Denver, CO

Song of the Year: "Red, Red" - Doug Burr - Specifically, the moment the drums come in on this song is the best musical moment of 2010 for me.

Close second place for song of the year: "Christchurch Woman" - Justin Townes Earle

Radio station: 1410 AM, KRIL, Odessa, TX

Record store find: Vic Chesnutt, Little (vinyl first printing)

TV show(s): Southland, Modern Family, Hard Knocks, Friday Night Lights, Dexter, Eastbound & Down, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, No Reservations, Human Target

Magazine Interview: "The Lost Lennon Tapes" - Rolling Stone

Sports blog: Feinstein on the Brink

Odd Celebrity Sighting: Vijay Singh on Pearl Street in Boulder (might have been 2009)

Best Daytrotter sessions: Nathaniel Rateliff - 06/21/2010; Dawes - 07/08/2010

Non-fiction book: Welcome to Utopia - Karen Valby

Album I rediscovered: The Dark - Guy Clark

Person who deserves Supporting Actor Nomination: John Hawkes in Winter's Bone

Best pick-up truck ever: This baby blue Chevy Scottsdale I saw at HEB -

The Wild and Wonderful Whites of West Virginia - film review

2010-12-30T09:21:00.000-08:00

It has been years since I saw the 1991 cult documentary Dancing Outlaw, a film that sparked a great deal of interest in the American South, paving the way for films like Searching for the Wrong Eyed Jesus and Seven Signs down the line. The trials and tribulations of Jesco White are fascinating, although ultimately the film paints a picture of an oft-forgotten America that is stuck in a holding pattern of poverty, violence, and substance abuse.

The Wild and Wonderful Whites of West Virginia picks up with the entire White clan approximately 17-18 years following the release of Dancing Outlaw. While Jesco White remains a cult hero of sorts to fans of the original movie, what hasn't changed is the culture in which he lives. In fact, this movie is a sobering and stark depiction of the effects of deep seated poverty in rural America.

In short, the movie breaks down the White family tree, detailing the lives of Jesco's siblings, nieces & nephews, cousins, and even his mother. What you find is a family history addled by the effects of addiction. Pharmaceutical abuse is a major undercurrent throughout the film, and its effects upon the family have been devastating. Prison time, deaths, and violence are commonplace in the family, to the point that many of the family members seem to known nothing other than such events. Of the entire clan, Poney White, who moved his family out of West Virginia entirely, is the only one who is shown to have achieved any level of stability.

Jesco White, sadly, is but a shell of a drug abused body, noting himself that years of gasoline huffing have left his cognitive abilities very limited. The gregarious mountain dancer who has been the hero of hipsters and frat boys alike over the past two decades has seen few, if any, benefits of his famed status. He is a tragic figure who in his 54 years of life has become a poster child for the exploitation of the impoverished. Those who have profited off of his personality have the distinct benefit of being able to leave when they are finished filming, yet Jesco and his family remain trapped in a neverending cycle of problems. White continues to live in rural West Virginia, where he is likely to live out the remainder of his life. Even if he or his family could see profits from their fame, the poverty cycle is too deeply ingrained for money to have beneficial effects, as it almost certainly goes right back out the door in the purchase of various drugs.

It's certainly your prerogative to take what you wish out of this film, but the sad truth is that this intriguing sideshow is in fact a portrait of real people. The Whites are representative of a sizeable segment of American society, and serve as a reminder to us all that no matter how great the opportunities many of us have, a substantial portion of the country is never exposed to education or the benefits provided by modern society. Sadly, it's not as though these people are so isolated that they can live "off the grid," as their rural lifestyle has been greatly affected by the availability of black market pharmaceuticals while programs to help them deal with the resulting large scale addiction are virtually non-existent, or at-best, ineffective and underfunded. The White family is concurrently hard to watch and hard not to watch, and while I think the film is a realistic depiction of them and a valuable reminder of the effects of poverty, it also remains an unsettling portrait of those who have fallen through the cracks in our country.

Jimmie Dale Gilmore & Butch Hancock - NYE in Marfa

2010-12-29T18:20:00.000-08:00

Padre's in Marfa has West Texas' best New Years Eve show this year, as far as I can tell. Padre's is a relatively new venue in the region, but that hasn't stopped it from becoming a great stopover for some of the best musical talent in the country. This NYE show is no exception, bringing native West Texans, and 2/3 of the Flatlanders, Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Butch Hancock (Yes, Butch finally has a Web site) to the Padre's stage. Opening the show is the fantastic Colin Gilmore, a long-time favorite of mine and an excellent performer and songwriter in his own right.

While the show itself is a bit of an early one, with a 7 p.m. start time, the musical lineup is so strong that I'd go see these performers at 7 a.m. if I had to. Check out Padre's Web site for more details. Advanced tickets available.

Doug Burr - Daytrotter session 12/29/10

2010-12-29T16:56:00.000-08:00

Great to see one of my songwriters continuing to get the attention his work deserves. A new Daytrotter session for Denton, TX, based artist Doug Burr was posted today, and if you've been hiding under a rock for the last year, this is your chance to check him out finally. Check out the session here. Free download and lossless format downloads available.

Image via Daytrotter.

Monahans - 2010 Recordings

2010-12-15T12:00:00.000-08:00

Today, Austin-based Monahans releases the final track in a 10-month project, known as the 2010 Recordings, in which the band has released a new free download every month since March. This great collection of new material followed on the heels of 2009's magnificent Dim the Aurora. Quite a brilliant plan, both artistically and from a marketing standpoint. You've gone to great lengths to get everyone's attention with the release of a new LP, so why not keep their attention?

Many independent bands often have long periods between albums, and there are always plenty of excuses to explain such times. What better way to make yourselves stay productive than to commit to a project like 2010 Recordings? Not only does it force you to keep the creative juices flowing in the realms of writing and recording, but it's also an innovative medium through which to distribute your music. I don't know that Monahans is the first to release a record in such a manner, but I can't think of any other artists that have made such a concerted effort to release an album of new material in this manner. Sure, plenty of bands release b-sides and various outtakes for download, but 2010 Recordings stands far superior to such ventures.

While they were at it, Monahans decided to go big on the final track, "Seabirds," although they still only subtly mention on the download page that Sinead O'Connor provides back-up vocals on the track. This on the heels of Robert Plant recording a version this year of "The Only Sound That Matters," a track from a previous project of some of the members, Milton Mapes. It's been a pretty good year for Monahans, and largely because they just keep making the music they want to, and releasing it the way they want. Don't pass up the opportunity to pick up this great collection of songs from Monahans while it is still available.

I guess the thought I'm left with is, why stop now?

Will Johnson - Marfa Book Company, 12/02/10

2010-11-22T07:22:00.001-08:00

For obvious reasons, West Texas doesn't get the volume of high quality shows that one can find in Austin, but that's not to say that we don't get some amazing shows here and there that equal anything you might find on the I-35 corridor. Case in point, on Thursday, Dec. 2, Will Johnson will be in Marfa to play a show at the Marfa Book Company along with supporting act Candles (thanks to showlush for the heads-up on this one).

I started to say "Will Johnson, of Centro-matic fame," although these days I think it may be more accurate to say "Will Johnson, of Will Johnson fame." We've spoken previously of his live performances at the Ramble Creek SXSW party and his solo house concert tour with Anders Parker, both of which were simply awe-inspiring shows. In short, this is an opportunity West Texans shouldn't pass up. Hope to see you there!

Two Birds with One Stone: Fallon and Springsteen

2010-11-17T07:56:00.000-08:00

Two thoughts to pass along. First, Springsteen was on Fallon last night. If you missed it, check out Hulu, because it was amazing. Not convinced? Well what if I told you that he played two songs with the Roots as his backing band? Yes, it was amazing. The interview was great. Hope you catch the re-run or the online version.

Secondly, through all the Conan/Leno business, a really funny thing happened. Jimmy Fallon became the best late night host on network TV. It's too early to compare him to Conan's new TBS venture, but the important comparison I think, is that his show is far more entertaining than Letterman now. His quirky humor has basically made it such that every night is like an SNL episode. Sure he cracks up at some of his own jokes, but that's what is so funny about Jimmy Fallon in the first place. Jimmy Fallon laughing in the middle of skits with Will Ferrell basically saved SNL in the 2000s in my opinion. I honestly did not think I would like him as a Late Night host, but I have been proven very wrong on that thought.

I don't know that he'll ever be in a position to take Leno's spot (and doubt he would want to), but as long as he can keep doing what he is doing in his current spot, I'll be more than happy. I used to love Letterman, but his humor is just a formula. Same thing night after night. What I love about Fallon is you just don't know what he's going to do or say next. I don't expect late night talk shows to be this funny, but he consistently is.

Here's, um, Neil Young performing Willow Smith's "Whip My Hair Back and Forth" with a very special guest from the 1980s.

Arcade Fire - Suburbs and SNL Performance

2010-11-17T07:48:00.000-08:00

Well don't I feel uncool. It's taken me over 3 months to give the Arcade Fire's Suburbs a listen. This is a product of being busy and also not really ever getting into Neon Bible that much.

Apparently I just needed a little spark though, and this past weekend's SNL was just the thing. Check out the performance of "Sprawl II" below. Going back to the record, I can't believe how good it is, and to think, it's been sitting on my iPod for months. Nonetheless, I know there's also not much new that can be said about the album at this point, but you should definitely give it a listen if you haven't.

West Texas area music calendar - 11/14/10

2010-11-14T14:05:00.000-08:00

Odessa/Midland
11/18 - Bart Crow - Rockin' Rodeo
11/20 - Casey Donahue - Dos Amigos
11/24 - Stoney LaRue - Dos Amigos
11/26 - Aaron Watson - Dos Amigos
11/26 - Bleu Edmondson - Graham Central Station
12/01 - Michael Martin Murphey, "The Murph" - Ector Theatre
12/03 - Jody Nix - Stardust Club
12/9 - ZZ Top - Ector County Coliseum
12/16 - Micky & the Motorcars - Rockin' Rodeo
01/07 - Thrift Store Cowboys and the Driftwood Singers - The Pine Box, 510 S. Big Spring St., Midland

Alpine/Marfa
11/19 - Ray Wylie Hubbard, Band of Heathens - Alpine Art Walk
11/19 - Ray Wylie Hubbard - Railroad Blues
11/24 - Sock Hop with the Royal Butchers - Ballroom Marfa
12/02 - Will Johnson - Gallery at Marfa Book Company
12/03 - Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears - Padre's
12/04 - Soul Track Mind - Railroad Blues
12/18 - Max Stalling - Railroad Blues

San Angelo
11/19 - Charlie Robison - Graham Central Station
11/24 - Chris Duarte - Sealy Flats Blues Inn
12/17 - Max Stalling - The House of Fifi Dubois

Lubbock
11/19 - The Lusitania, Estelline, Colt Classics - Bash's on Main
11/28 - The Satin Peaches, Coppola, and Naked Pictures - Bash's on Main
11/30 - Birds & Batteries - Bash's on Main
12/09 - Thrift Store Cowboys, Brandon Adams and the Sad Bastards - The Blue Light

Snyder
11/20 - Jamie Richards - Belle Opry House
11/26 - Mo Robson - Belle Opry House
12/04 - Paul Eason - Belle Opry House
12/10 - Blue Broussard - Belle Opry House
12/17 - Zach Harmon - Belle Opry House
01/01 - Jeremiah Houston - Belle Opry House

As always, send me show info if you've got it, with all relevant details. The above shows are basically just a quick sampling of what's going on. Call venues before traveling.

Mostly Texas country I know. That's why you need to email me with other events.

BBC Documentary - Hotel California: L.A. From the Byrds to the Eagles

2010-11-10T20:39:00.000-08:00

L.A. music blog Aquarium Drunkard recently brought to my attention to a 2007 documentary done by the BBC that highlights the development of the Los Angeles music scene in the late 1960s. Hotel California: L.A. From the Byrds to the Eagles is currently available on Youtube, although I'm not entirely sure exactly how long that will last. In short, the film covers the early idealism of the country and folk-rock scene that emerged in Laurel Canyon, but which transformed into a corporate and money-driven scene in a relatively brief period of time.

I know what you're thinking after reading the title - "I hate the f***in' Eagles." Of course I can't argue about such an opinion. In fact, the documentary is very straightforward in presenting criticisms of the Eagles from a number of different musicians for their approach to music. Despite the title's mention of the Eagles, I should emphasize that the documentary covers a great deal of musicians before the Eagles, including Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young (in various groups and solo), the highly regarded Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, Jackson Browne, Gram Parsons, and others. In the style of recent documentaries on Gram Parsons and Townes Van Zandt, the documentary makes great use of many of the musicians and industry folks who were involved in the scene at that time. The result is a film that thoroughly documents an extremely fascinating time in American music. And as I always try to mention when applicable, the video even contains a bit of a West Texas connection in featuring J.D. Souther, who was raised in Amarillo.

The film is currently available on youtube in 7 parts, starting with the one below:

New Hayes Carll! KMAG YOYO (& Other American Stories) out 02/15/11

2010-11-10T07:15:00.000-08:00

Great news! New Hayes Carll Album, KMAG YOYO (& Other American Stories) will be released Feb. 15, 2010. And no, I don't have any idea what the title means. Preorder is available now here (or click the image).

64 Years of Nix Music - Big Spring Stampede, 11/13/10

2010-11-05T19:29:00.000-07:00

I wish I had more time to give this event a proper write-up, as it fully deserves it, but having had a number of things going on at work I wasn't able to do so. Nonetheless, I'll tell you what I do know:

This Saturday, November 13th, the Nix family celebrates 64 years of music at their very own venue, the Stampede in Big Spring, Texas. The venue was established by West Texas Swing icon Hoyle Nix, and is maintained today by his son Jody. Hoyle Nix may be best known to the mainstream for writing the song "Big Balls in Cowtown," which was recorded by Bob Wills and George Strait, among others. The family has quietly maintained perhaps the most important musical legacy in West Texas, so I must recommend you make the effort to check out Jody Nix and the Texas Cowboys at the Stampede. Entrance is $15.00, and you can make reservations at 432-267-2060. Catch Jody Nix at one of his other regional dates if you don't live within driving distance of Big Spring.

Image Source: Vance Lane

"Oh My Sweet Carolina" - Ryan Adams w/ Mandy Moore

2010-11-01T21:14:00.000-07:00

Apparently it's just a soundcheck, but still simply amazing. Not sure if it will stay posted forever, so watch it while it's hot. Via RodBlackhurst.

The National - Terrible Love

2010-10-23T11:22:00.001-07:00

By law, I am required as a music blogger to post this new video of The National's alternate version of "Terrible Love." It's funny how back in May, critics were announcing a gloom and doom of how the National's High Violet was a huge letdown and that their ability to become the biggest band in the universe was now in question.

Turns out now that after High Violet had some time to soak in, folks seem to be back in the mode of talking about how The National are the coolest band ever. They are having some serious difficulty finding a place to play where they don't sell out.

To throw in a bit of West Texas relevance to this whole story, the band even spent some down time hanging out in Marfa recently. Check out the pictures posted to their Twitter here and here and here.

As a NYC by way of Cincinnati success story, I feel like the National is the band that so many people who move to New York want to be. In the last 4 or 5 years, I'd be willing to bet that possibly hundreds of aspiring artists have moved to the city with the expressed intent of becoming the next National. Amazing how that works, and probably how so few are willing to to put in the years that they have to get to that point.

Bummer that I wasn't even close to being able to catch any of the band's recent tour dates. You can bet I would have been at the recent Denver show if I was still living in Boulder, but alas, some things weren't meant to be. At least I can rest assured knowing every other Colorado blogger was there.

The Lusitania - Your Style

2010-10-18T22:14:00.000-07:00

I hope you've taken the time to check out The Lusitania's new record Rain and Rivers. It's definitely worth your time and money, so if you haven't, maybe this great song and music video will persuade you. (Lyrics are very slightly NSFW, especially if you work in a church)

West Texas area music calendar

2010-10-06T11:30:00.000-07:00

Lots of great shows coming up around West Texas the next few weeks. Here are a few good ones I know about. Send West Texas area music listings to windfarmblog(at)gmail(dot)com if you want your show listed on Windfarm.

Go see Lucero in Lubbock this Sunday if you can. They are one of the better touring bands who regularly visits the Hub City, and even better, The Lusitania will be opening.

Lubbock
Oct. 8 - Hayes Carll - Blue Light
Oct. 10 - Lucero, The Lusitania - Bash Riprocks
Oct. 12 - Thrift Store Cowboys - Blue Light (CD Release)
Oct. 15 - Wovenhand - Bash Riprocks

Midland/Odessa
Oct. 14 - Eli Young Band - Dos Amigos
Oct. 21 - The Deftones - Dos Amigos

San Angelo
Oct. 15 - The Derailers - Steel Penny Pub

Abilene
Oct. 16 - Rodney Parker & 50 Peso Reward - Lucky Mule Saloon

Alpine/Marfa
Oct. 7 - Dale Watson - Padre's
Oct. 8 - Jon Langford - Railroad Blues
Oct. 8 - The Gourds - Padre's
Oct. 9 - Jon Langford - Padre's
Oct. 15 - The Derailers - Railroad Blues
Nov. 3 - Monotonix - Padre's
Nov. 19 - Ray Wylie Hubbard - Railroad Blues
Dec. 3 - Black Joe Lewis - Padre's

The Lusitania - Rain and Rivers

2010-10-05T11:14:00.000-07:00

El Paso-based The Lusitania have been making the rounds touring across Texas and the Southwest for the past few years, steadily making a name for themselves with great songs and high energy performances. Their quality is apparent in the fact that they have found the support of fellow El Pasoan Jim Ward, known for his work with At The Drive-In, Sparta, and Sleepercar.

The Lusitania are yet another promising band in the canon of West Texas music. Out of a seemingly sparse landscape, great music continues to emerge, and not just run-of-the-mill music, but that which could hold its own in any major music market in the U.S. right now.

Rain and Rivers, produced by Ward and Gabe Gonzalez, was recorded at Clap of Thunder Studios in El Paso and is being released on Civil Defense League Records. You can download or buy a physical copy of the record here. The record finds the band re-recording some previously released material as well as putting a good deal of new material to tape as well.

Rain and Rivers offers new versions of Lusitania staples such as "Wolves," "Bottle Neck Blues," and the Bukowski-esque "Spoils of War," as well as the previously vinyl-only songs "Down the Tracks" and "Tributaries." Beyond that, however, you'll find a number of great new songs. "Your Style" far and away stands out as my early favorite, and I find myself either playing it on my ipod or singing it aloud in not always appropriate places. However, this new song doesn't stand alone, as the growling rocker "'Til My Heart Gives Out" fits perfectly in the Lusitania's catalog, adding some great vocal harmonies into the mix for depth. Alternatively, the album's second song, "A Line in the Sand" is more uptempo and should be a fantastic song for the live show.

The Lusitania have put in a lot of dues touring the last few years, and the release of R & R will only bolster their efforts. The album is a solid full-length effort that should be appreciated by fans both old and new. These guys are deserving of a great deal of success, and this album is a good step toward getting their names out. Spread the word.

Hayes Carll - The Blue Light Lubbock, 10/08/10

2010-10-04T18:48:00.000-07:00

Live singer/songwriter music in West Texas tends to be in the Texas Country/Red Dirt vein and rarely includes artists with a broader Americana appeal. However, if you're patient, some great acts will come through the region eventually.

In this case, one of the best up-and-coming roots rockers on the circuit, Austin-based Hayes Carll will be at the Blue Light in Lubbock this Friday, Oct. 8th, 2010. I've seen Hayes a number of times, and his shows are always well worth the money. Not only is he a great songwriter, but perhaps even better, he is a great storyteller between songs. Who knows how much of that he'll be doing given the sometimes loud Blue Light environment, but I suspect you'll get a great show nonetheless.

Last I heard, Carll was in the process of working on a new record, although I've heard no details about that release. Hear "Drunken Poet's Dream" by Carll and cowriter Ray Wylie Hubbard in the video below. And please check him out at the Blue Light this Friday.

Cory Morrow - Brand New Me

2010-10-04T07:59:00.000-07:00

Living back in West Texas, it's inevitable I'll end up covering a bit more music that would roughly be defined as "Texas Country," although I still consider it essential to cover only those that I consider to be truly solid artists.

Cory Morrow is an elder statesman of the current Texas Country scene, so to speak, although he never quite saw the fame that others in the genre have seen. Regardless, he has continued to make good records, in spite of dealing with some very tough personal times along the way. As the press release for his new album Brand New Me notes, Morrow says this "the first sober album I've ever made."

Part of the reason I have long respected Morrow's music are his vocal melodies. In a musical landscape where many new songwriters think anyone who can write about beer and Texas is a songwriter, Morrow understands that true song craft revolves around a lot more. Brand New Me is introspective in many respects, all the while maintaining a very positive energy and a strong redemption theme. His melodies remain strong and his songwriting more refined than ever - as good or better than 2002's Outside the Lines, a record I have long considered his best.

Morrow may not necessarily be out to break down musical boundaries, as the record is a fairly straightforward mix of country and rock, but it is solid throughout on account of the always top-notch production abilities of Lloyd Maines. Rather, Brand New Me is more about personal development and the transition to a new existence, a narrative that Morrow no doubt adds to each day.

The theme of redemption that runs throughout the album provides a picture of a Cory Morrow who is thrilled to still be making music after the trials and tribulations of past years. "Second Chance" and the album's title track are upbeat songs that exemplify that theme best on the record, although one needs to listen to the entire album to understand the more complete story. The slower and more introspective "The Way I Do" and "Never Made it to My Lips" may be the best examples of Morrow's strengths as a songwriter, standing out among the 14-song album with their strong arrangement and production.

While sometimes improperly classified as being run-of-the-mill Texas Country music, Morrow continues to write good songs that likely deserve more attention than they receive. The story of Brand New Me is not one of completion, but rather one of new beginnings, and as such, I suspect you'll hear plenty more great music from Cory Morrow.

Thrift Store Cowboys - Light Fighter

2010-09-23T20:02:00.000-07:00

After four long years of waiting, with only a live recording from the Taos Solar Music Festival and a 7" vinyl split in between, Lubbock-based Thrift Store Cowboys are set to release their fourth LP, entitled Light Fighter. The 12 song effort shows a great deal of growth from TSC since the band's last record, Lay Low While Crawling or Creeping, and clearly indicates to long-time fans that the band's continued touring has done a great deal for them in refining their sound.

Best of all, the band has recently made the album available for digital download now, ahead of the Oct. 12th physical release date. You can go to this link to get a copy on iTunes right this second. In short, I like every song on this album. However, some high points should be pointed out. If there was ever a TSC song that deserves to be a hit, "Bright Fire" is the one. This song is among the best the band has ever done. Additionally, there is the song "Nothing," a tune that has been in the band's live show for years now, but which the recording brings a whole new life to. Amanda's two songs "Scary Weeds" and "Lean Into the Sway" will each stay with you as well, and they exhibit her continued progression as a songwriter both as a member of TSC and as a solo act.

The album artwork above is by Dirk Fowler, Lubbock's renowned concert poster artist who was recently featured on Texas Country Reporter. Fowler designed the band's last record as well, and continues to support local West Texas music even when he is doing work for national acts.

If you're new to the TSC game, then check out the free track "One Gentle Inch to Nine Violent Miles," a song that displays how far the band has come from their roots rock origins. It's also the lead track on Light Fighter.

TSC are going to be on tour all fall supporting the release of the album, but to highlight a few shows, they'll be doing a short run through Texas right around the album release.

All shows below are with These United States:

Oct. 12 - The Blue Light - Lubbock
Oct. 13 - The Golden Light - Amarillo
Oct. 15 - Hole in the Wall - Austin
Oct. 16 - Fitzgerald's - Houston
Oct. 17 - Hailey's - Denton

These are but a sampling of the band's upcoming tour dates. I encourage my old Denver friends to check the band out next week (Sept. 30) at the Hi-Dive. Otherwise, keep an eye on their tour dates for a show near you.

Turnpike Troubadours

2010-09-22T21:03:00.000-07:00

Sadly, a good deal of "urban" West Texas is pretty suburbanized and not as much Wild West as some would like to think or believe. It's a place where people go to Olive Garden for Italian food instead of a mom and pop place that's much better. Similarly, radio is mostly Top 40 country.

However, the nice thing about the strength of the Texas music scene is that because of the strong live music circuit, sometimes independent artists actually make it onto the radio here. I credit 96.1 in Midland with breaking away from the Top 40 mold just enough to introduce me to Oklahoma-based band Turnpike Troubadours. It took a bit of searching to figure out who it was singing the song I kept hearing on the station, but I finally turned up that it was these guys.

The sound of this band is a little country, a little bluegrass, and a little rock, but the most important characteristic I hear in their sound is potential. They've got something really good going with their song "Every Girl," which you can hear on their Web site or their myspace. Personally it gets stuck in my head for the better part of a day after I've heard it.

The band looks like they tour pretty consistently around Oklahoma and Texas. Check out their latest album Diamonds and Gasoline if you like what you hear. I'm just getting acquainted with their material myself.

West Texas folks you can check out Turnpike Troubadours:

Oct. 9th at Hoot's Pub in Amarillo
Oct. 23 at the Blue Light in Lubbock

(Image credit Justin Voight from Turnpiketroubadours.com)

Nathaniel Rateliff - "Shroud"

2010-09-18T08:32:00.000-07:00

My favorite song thus far from Denver-based Nathaniel Rateliff for some reason didn't make it onto their debut record, although even more oddly, "Shroud" was included on their U.K. release of In Memory of Loss. I tried to download the track through Amazon MP3 U.K., but apparently they put regional restrictions on the download, so you can't get it in the U.S.

All that said, Rateliff's Web site indicates that the song will be released in some form in the relatively near future, although no official date has been established. In the meantime, you can hear the new version of the song in the video below:

Dirk Fowler - Texas Country Reporter

2010-09-14T19:42:00.001-07:00

Texas Tech professor Dirk Fowler has been making concert posters for close to a decade now, at least as well as I remember, and during that time, he has come to be quite popular, making posters for national acts like Wilco, No Doubt, DeVotchKa, and the Raconteurs. Perhaps more importantly, he continues to support local music in West Texas and has brought a good deal of attention to many area artists through his poster art. Check out his Web site, or his Gigposters.com profile to see his amazing work. I was especially excited to see this recent clip featuring Fowler and his letter press printing on Texas Country Reporter. (It is no secret how well-liked he is on account of the fact that 106 people have already shared the link to this video on facebook.)

Rodney Parker & 50 Peso Reward - The Apology: Part 1

2010-08-29T16:56:00.000-07:00

I love being surprised when good artists announce a new record release for the immediate future, rather than going through the whole process of announcing records 6 months or more in advance. We've been hearing about a new Arcade Fire for over a year, and now that it's out I haven't even listened to it yet. The new EP from Rodney Parker & 50 Peso Reward I found out about earlier today and I've listened to it about 3 times through already.

What I gather from the internets is that Parker & 50 Peso decided to release their new material in a series of EPs rather than wait to assemble a full LP, and thus, The Apology: Part 1 is the first installment in that process. For the time being at least, you can stream the entire EP at Lonestarmusic.com, although I expect that won't be the case forever. My first impressions are that the band has assembled a very solid and well-produced 5-song set.

The lead-off track, "Guitars" sets the tone for the entire EP, as the crunchy guitars lay a solid common groundwork for all of the songs. I don't wish to pigeonhole this band per se, but if forced to give it a label, I might say the sound on this record was a bit like a project from Robert Earl Keen and the E Street Band. "River Song" and "Megaphone" stand out immediately as favorites of mine, although there is not a weak song on the record. The album also draws upon a past strength of 50 Peso Reward, which is the diversity of drum sounds and rhythms - something that puts them head and shoulders above many other Texas acts.

In short, the 5 songs are a much appreciated addition to an already outstanding catalog for RP & 50PR, and the anticipation for the second installment can begin now as far as I'm concerned. More importantly, this release is needed to keep the band at the forefront of the Texas music scene, a scene which at times settles for clichéd and dull music, two characterizations that in no way describe Parker & 50 Peso. Rather, this is a band that deserves far more attention than many of the acts that dominate the airwaves, so please give them a listen and spread the word.

West Texas folks can catch Rodney Parker & 50 Peso Reward two times in September:

Friday, Sept. 24 - The Blue Light - Lubbock, TX
Saturday, Sept. 25 - The Golden Light - Amarillo, TX

Having just moved to Odessa, I am aware that the band has played Dos Amigos before, although I don't know how well they do at the venue. Hopefully we can expect to see them here in the near future.

Nathaniel Rateliff - In Memory of Loss

2010-08-28T05:53:00.000-07:00

This album should be nothing new to anyone that reads Windfarm, and while I've mentioned it a number of times, I am just now getting around to reviewing the record, four months after it came out. Denver based Nathaniel Rateliff released In Memory of Loss on Rounder Records at the beginning of May, and has received a good deal of acclaim nationally for it, so you likely don't need my opinion to sway you one way or the other.

I find it hard to describe the record without going way overboard with wordy descriptions, but it projects a somber tone throughout, buoyed by well placed lyrical phrasing and nearly impeccable harmonies. A couple of months ago, H. and I drove through the Kiowa National Grasslands in northeastern New Mexico while listening to this album, and I don't know that I'll ever be able to listen to the record again without it conjuring those stark and vast landscapes in my mind. In Memory is a soundtrack to loneliness that for some reason perfectly fit with that landscape. The lyrics are such that they seemingly could have been written a hundred years ago in that very place and setting, and you wouldn't question their authenticity.

As I've mentioned before, some of Rateliff's best material didn't even make it on to this record, apparently because they are slated for a follow-up release in some form, supposedly in the relatively near future. If you have not done so, I highly recommend you check out "Shroud" and "Pounds and Pounds" from the band's Daytrotter sessions (here and here). Those sessions are free, but I can't recommend strongly enough that you pick up a copy of this amazing full length record.

Catching up

2010-08-27T11:39:00.000-07:00

Windfarm got quoted by the Guardian UK Web site. In their discussion of Dylan LeBlanc, they quoted a line from Derek's SXSW review of LeBlanc.

This interview with Justin Townes Earle has a lot of the new music from his upcoming album Harlem River Blues. Very different stuff from the last albums. I really like the title track.

New free track from Thrift Store Cowboys, off of their upcoming LP release Light Fighter.

Monahans recently posted the 6th track in their 2010 Recordings series. The songs are free. Check them out.

Yes, it's old news, but Arcade Fire went number 1 on Billboard a few weeks ago. Let that soak in a bit. I love it that indie bands (are you still indie when you hit #1?) continue to rewrite the way the music business works.

Shamelessly liking radio country - The Band Perry

2010-08-26T20:30:00.001-07:00

Started hearing this song "If I Die Young" from The Band Perry a good bit on the radio a few weeks ago, thinking it was going to blow up, because I have to say I thought it was pretty good and refreshing for country radio. Turns out that didn't really happen, at least as far as I can tell, because I haven't heard it at all the past few weeks.

Admittedly, it is awkward when you start your band name with the words "The Band," unless of course we're actually talking about The Band. If you want to mention them to a friend, you'd have to say, "Hey, have you heard that band The Band Perry?" Kind of awkward huh?

Well, at least one of the brothers has badass hair. Yeah, you know the one I'm talking about.

Don Williams Lubbock concert - 10/5/10

2010-08-17T18:40:00.000-07:00

Lubbock, TX has hit the lottery, it appears, as Don Williams has chosen it for one of his "after retirement" concert dates. As you may or may not know, Williams played a farewell tour approximately 4 years ago accompanied by the announcement that he was retiring from public life. H. and I were lucky enough to catch him in Denver on that tour, but fortunately for us all, he is putting together a short tour in recognition of his induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Williams may be playing Lubbock because of his West Texas roots, specifically that of being born in Floydada. The dates he has picked are limited and mostly regionally confined to the American South. Williams is often forgotten as one of the great country music artists of yesteryear, but his catalog is truly amazing. DO NOT MISS the chance to see him live. Williams is a true icon in his genre.

Williams will be playing October 5th at the Citibank Auditorium in Lubbock (Details here). For details on his other (mostly) October tour dates, check out his Web site.

Munly & The Lupercalians release date

2010-08-12T14:16:00.000-07:00

After a tip from a good friend and some recent searching, finally some news about the release date of the latest record from Denver band Munly and the Lupercalians. Scheduled for release on Sept. 21, 2010, and entitled Petr & The Wulf, the record is the first in a series of albums detailing the fictional town of Lupercalia. Update: Now available on iTunes.

As I've found, the band is not often the first to make announcements about themselves. Rather, I almost always stumble upon updates accidentally. At one point the album was reported to be a double album, although the recent announcement suggests this record will be a single with continuation of the story in future releases.

While Munly's label Alternative Tentacles does not yet have the album for sale in the store, it is posted for presale here and at various other places on the web. It appears that the release will be available on CD and LP, as well as mp3 download.

Below is an abbreviated description of the album pulled from this press release:

The first installment in a multi-album set describing The Kinnery of Lupercalia, Petr & The Wulf is the correct telling of a story about which most have been woefully misinformed. This truth is courtesy of Munly (known as both a solo artist and as the co-frontman of Slim Cessna's Auto Club) and his extremely talented backing band, The Lupercalians (which includes Daniel Granbois of Slim Cessna's Auto Club and Tarantella). [...]

The record begins with Petr, "the last of the Northrops," who tells how he will bring his people back to greatness by rescuing Grandfater from the Bedlam. The Three Wise Hunters let all know that they can be hired to rid the land of whatever menace is present. The Wulf tells of his love for the Northrops despite their continued refusal of his offerings.

Munly writes, "Hopefully you will accept the current Lupercalians offering with open heart and understanding mind."

Having caught the Lupercalians performance to a packed house at this year's UMS, I am very excited about this record. Not to mention the fact that it has been 6 years since the brilliant album from Munly & the Lee Lewis Harlots, with very few updates about new material during that span. The wait should soon be over.

Best news yet - KRIL 1410 AM

2010-08-07T06:43:00.000-07:00

Getting settled in Odessa, and what should we find? Perhaps one of the best country music stations of all time. And even better, it is on AM radio. 1410 KRIL plays tons of great classic country and mixes in modern stuff as well. Sure you'll hear Kenny Chesney from time to time but you're much more likely to hear the Hag or one of the Georges. As an added show of quality, the DJs actually talk about the music and have great stories about some of the songs, instead of what most country stations have, which is contests for Vegas trips or promos for foam parties.

Surprisingly, the station even has an internet stream, which you can find here.

don't know where I'm going...

2010-08-04T18:12:00.000-07:00

Perhaps in U.S. cultural terms, I may be headed to the exact opposite of Boulder, CO. I'm packed up and headed to Odessa, TX. Clearly not heading there for live music but rather following a job and moving back closer to family. As much as I loved living near Denver, I think this move is going to be for good.

So what does Odessa offer as far as music/culture? Great question, I'm glad you asked.

It's not all that uncommon for people to have no idea where or what Odessa is. Friday Night Lights ring a bell? Yes, that's the one. Indie icons Explosions in the Sky hail from nearby Midland. Also, Guy Clark and Roy Orbison came from Monahans and Wink, respectively, Hoyle Nix established western swing in Big Spring and all around West Texas, and of course there's Larry Gatlin, Odessa's own hometown boy. "All in the gold, in California..."

It's not hard to criticize the much lesser presence of live music in the area, but in my new home, it's all going to be about finding the diamonds in the rough. Oddly enough, I have had two great musical experiences in my life in Odessa.

The first time, on the same night that my ex was getting married (My advice - never go, even when you're invited), I took the trip to Odessa to see Modest Mouse play at Dos Amigos. The show was literally played in the middle of a rodeo arena in the back of the venue. This was around the time of Good News for People Who Love Bad News, and it was an awesome show, not to mention much better than going to a wedding you don't want to be at.

The second time, a small group of us made the trek down from Lubbock to see Anathallo and the Colour Revolt play a tiny little honky tonk called Earls II. Pretty crazy place to see two indie bands, but it's one of those places where, when the right person promotes the show, the indie kids just show up. Promoters in this area come and go, but most of the time, someone gets up the energy/courage to start hosting shows again and the shows do fairly well, because the kids want to see live music so badly. Hoping I can play a very small part in making good shows happen from time to time.

But wait, there's more. As it turns out Odessa is a bit less than 3 hours from Marfa, the tiny town in deep West Texas that has turned into a substantial artist community. Unbelievably, this little town has hosted shows by Bon Iver, Jeff Tweedy, The Secret Machines, Yo La Tengo, Califone, Yeasayer. The list goes on and on. This place truly is an oasis when it comes to music offerings in the middle of the desert. In addition, Railroad Blues in nearby Alpine has a solid regular music calendar as well.

My musical landscape is changing, not ending. The blog will probably also change a bit. Expect general interest material about the West Texas region in general. This may include, but is not limited to Midland/Odessa, San Angelo, Lubbock, Marfa, Alpine, and Terlingua. I won't make any broad and bold statements about what will come of Windfarm in the next few years, but I hope to promote arts and culture in West Texas as much as time will allow.

Any West Texans who run across this blog, please feel free to pass along West Texas music events to me.

I sure know where I've been

2010-08-03T17:53:00.000-07:00

The time has come. My days in Colorado have come to an end. My four years in Boulder have exposed me to some of the amazing offerings of the Denver music scene, and I expect I will miss it more than I can really comprehend now. Here I take a moment to reflect on Denver music and my experiences with it.

The live show I was most excited about before moving here that did not let me down:
This honor far and away goes to Slim Cessna's Auto Club. The band continues to develop and I simply can't say enough about how amazing their live show is. Munly puts on an amazing show as well, but plays very rarely. Don't turn down the opportunity to see either of these bands.

Best Colorado act that emerged while I was here:
Nathaniel Rateliff has been around the Denver scene for some time, but only this past May has he really hit full stride. I still haven't gotten around to reviewing his album, but it is awesome.

Best act that emerged while I was here:
The Avett Brothers. I tagged along with a friend to check these guys out at the Boulder Theater 3 1/2 years ago or so and I've not been the same since. Have caught them a number of times in various venues and they remain one of my favorite national acts. They went from playing the Boulder Theater to a 3/4 full crowd to selling out two nights in a row in quite a short time. Hearing them open with "Left on Laura, Left on Lisa" the very first time is still one of my favorite music memories.

Best venue:
Hi-Dive in Denver. No contest. These folks bring in the bands that are going to blow up way before most anyone has ever heard of them. Sometimes they book bands that blow up between the time the show is listed and when the show happens. Fleet Foxes, Cold War Kids, The Morning Benders. The list goes on and on.

Best Boulder venue:
The Fox Theatre. A fantastic mid-size venue that brings in great indie bands on a regular basis. The Boulder music scene supports bluegrass and jam bands and electronic music most strongly, but I've seen plenty of great shows here. Bon Iver, Band of Horses, Lucero, DeVotchKa, Dawes. After it's recent merger with the Boulder Theater, hopefully both will keep going strong.

Best music store:
This is such a toss-up, because I really love them all. Twist and Shout is an enormous indie record store in Denver, but you can be rest-assured that you will spend half your paycheck there. It is not unlike Waterloo in Austin, but I think it has more square footage overall.
Albums on the Hill is a strong standby for Boulderites. They've rearranged a good bit recently and are bringing in lots of new and new used vinyl. Finally, at the beginning of the year, Bart's CD Cellar closed down - quite a sad time for the vinyl collector, as they brought in lots of new merchandise regularly. However, the original owner, Bart, has opened Bart's Music Shack on the far west end of Pearl St. It's a small store, but they focus on quality over quantity, so I highly recommend stopping by when you have the chance. Unfortunately it's more a of a destination place now, compared to the convenient location of the other store, but take the extra time and go visit them.

Best site in Boulder with historical significance that no one really knows about:
The apartment balcony where Townes Van Zandt fell/jumped off of while in college at CU. I realized during my last year here that this balcony was just a few short blocks from where I had worked for the past 4 years. I often went out of my way to walk by, trying to imagine the exact circumstances and how the fall might have actually happened. So many college kids have lived in the apartments since, likely not knowing and not caring of the significance of their residence. Well I think it's pretty cool.

What I'm going to miss a lot:
Picking up my copy of the Denver alt-weekly Westword every Thursday. Between this magazine and the Denver Post Reverb blog, the city covers and promotes its music scene very well. Needless to say there is no alt-weekly where I'm going, and the coverage of the music scene by the newspapers is minimal.

The festival you will hear mentioned alongside SXSW more and more:
The Underground Music Showcase (The UMS). Now in its 10th year, this festival is turning into a fantastic event that does very well to utilize the South Broadway area of Denver. I wouldn't be surprised to see it go city-wide in the next 5 years, in order to bring in some of the larger venues in town. Currently the festival is run by the Denver Post folks, and with the right management, it could begin to employ a full-time staff, similar to SXSW. You should check out this festival soon. It is a steal for the money considering the amount of great music it offers.

Denver has got an amazing thing going with its music scene, and I will miss it a great deal.

One place of no musical significance, but still an important first for me - below is where I got hit by a car on my bike toward the end of my time in Boulder. The car was coming out of the alley, and I was on the sidewalk because the street was a dead end, coming from the right in front of the bluish/grayish garage, and we basically met in the middle, 'neath that old Georgia pine. Luckily neither of us was going to fast, so no long term damage.

Merle Haggard - Learning to Live With Myself

2010-07-21T21:45:00.000-07:00

During a recent lull in summer television, I found myself watching a brand new documentary on Merle Haggard, from the American Masters series on PBS, entitled Learning to Live With Myself. I started out with relatively low expectations, but they were raised a good bit when I saw that the director was Gandulf Hennig, the same person who made the Gram Parsons documentary Fallen Angel, of which I was a big fan.

If you look up Hennig's IMDB profile, you'll see the aforementioned documentaries are the only two films he has made (that have made it onto IMDB at least). For a German national, who apparently now lives in Nashville, Hennig has an amazing ability to capture the lives of American musicians in a way that few other people can. He compiles interviews with a wide spectrum of people and his storytelling is simply perfect in its continuity and completeness. (Note: embedded video below may not show up in Google Reader).

Watch the full episode. See more American Masters.

The documentary follows Haggard through his traumatic early life, largely a result of the death of his father when he was 9 years-old, and moves through his troubled early adulthood into becoming a country superstar. They do a beautiful job of portraying the somewhat contradictory roles he filled, being an outlaw of sorts, but also becoming a conservative icon following the release of "Okie From Muskogee." Not only does the film chronicle Haggard's life in depth, but it also stands as a detailed record of the important role California country music, specifically the Bakersfield sound, played in the diversification of country music in the 1960s and beyond.

Not unlike the Fallen Angel documentary, the strength of this work is in the wide breadth of interviews that were conducted. Keith Richards, Dwight Yoakum, Kris Kristofferson, and Marty Stuart are but a few of the stars who contribute to the film, but maybe even more importantly, family members and childhood friends were also interviewed, providing a very strong and detailed picture of a man who doesn't often reveal his public life. Hennig truly succeeded in his endeavor by gaining Haggard's confidence on a level such that there are many candid moments in his interviews with the artist.

One of my favorite moments in the film comes when it was discussed how Dick Clark one time told Haggard, near the peak of his mainstream success, that if he simply recorded a few pop music songs he could literally be one of the biggest stars on the planet. Haggard reportedly told Clark very simply "That's not who I am." Rather, Haggard took it upon himself to promote American roots music, recording songs with the Texas Playboys and releasing an album of Jimmie Rodgers songs.

This film far exceeded my initial expectations and is highly recommended to anyone with an interest in Haggard or in the history of country music in the United States.

I don't know how long it will be available, but apparently you can watch the entire film online at the PBS Web site here (or click the link below the video above).

UMS 2010 Preview

2010-07-14T14:45:00.000-07:00

The time has come once again for Denver's best music festival, The UMS, taking place on South Broadway from July 22-25. It's like CMJ without the hassle, like SXSW but with less butt sweat. In short, it's well worth your time. I've put together a short list of the bands I most want to see. In my past experience, there will be someone good playing almost all the time, so this is but a sampling of what the UMS has to offer. You can still by a $30 pass that will get you through the entire weekend of music up through July 21st, so don't delay any longer!

While some of these set times are close together, the beauty of this festival is the proximity of all shows to one another. You can make it between the most distant venues in probably 10 minutes at the most, while it's less than 5 minutes between most.

These United States - Friday, 11 PM @ the Hi-Dive
(Photo credit Sarah Law)

The UMS has been working the last few years to bring in national headliners, and These United States will be a fantastic act to headline Friday night. I've recently become quite a fan of this band on account of hearing their Daytrotter sessions, and have since bought their most recent LP Everything Touches Everything. The band should have a new record out for their performance at the UMS, which should result in the Hi-Dive being packed wall-to-wall for their
set.

Munly & the Lupercalians - Saturday, 10 PM @ the Hi-Dive (Photo credit Gary Isaacs)

Munly shows have been quite rare around Denver as of late, and I believe his last two shows have been on New Years Eve with the Auto Club, so the chance to see him at the UMS should not be missed. Munly's double album continues to have no release date, but I expect that he'll be playing mostly material from that record at his showcase this year.

Thrift Store Cowboys - Saturday, 11 PM @ the Skylark Lounge (Photo credit Logan Caldbeck)

Having recently celebrated their tenth year as a band, TSC theoretically could have played at the UMS every year of its existence, but since the festival started out with locals only, and TSC hail from Lubbock, Texas, it just wasn't meant to be. However, now that they're both 10, their parents arranged a play-date for the two. TSC will have lots of new material to play from their soon to be released LP Light Fighter.

One Wolf - Saturday, 7 PM @ the Skylark Lounge

Another great Lubbock band, One Wolf plays their first UMS this year as well. With two great albums under their belt, and plenty of time honing their live show, this will be a set you don't want to miss.

Paper Bird - Thursday, 11:55 PM @ the Hi-Dive; Friday, 7:30 PM @ CarToys Stage (Photo credit Gary Isaacs)

I have somehow gone four years in Colorado without getting to see Paper Bird, but I continue to hear great things about them. Hopefully their two appearances this year will finally give me the chance I need to catch their show.

Amanda Shires - Saturday, 9 PM @ Walnut Room Pizzeria

As 1/6 of the aforementioned Thrift Store Cowboys, Amanda Shires has come into her own as a songwriter with her recent West Cross Timbers. She basically lives on the road, so when it comes to handling a live crowd, Amanda is among the best. Don't be surprised to see a member or two of TSC backing her up on this gig as well.

3 reviews and a story

2010-07-13T11:35:00.000-07:00

Band of Horses - Infinite Arms

This album is poppy, but not in a bad way. If I was going to represent it visually, the album would be a plate (the album) with 12 southern biscuits on it (the songs), all covered with honey (the harmonies). I use this example partially jokingly because the harmonies on this album are THICK. They work though. There is no "Funeral" on this album, but in my humble opinion, you only get to write one song like that in your lifetime (with a few exceptions, of course). The songs are recorded such that they don't really get heavy even when it seems like it is a heavy part, but I have no doubt that a song like "Dilly" will sound amazing (and will be plenty hard-hitting) live, because I was lucky enough to hear them play it a few months ago. Don't expect to rock out to this album, but it's a great listen.

The National - High Violet

It seems most bloggers and critics were expecting this to be the album that conquered the world, and they were disappointed that it didn't. Even if it didn't, I think "Bloodbuzz Ohio," "Afraid of Everyone," and "Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks" are amazing songs that anchor a very strong album overall. Not unlike BoH above, some want the National to write "Fake Empire" again and again, except more mind-blowing every time. The National seem to just want to make good music, and I think they've done it again here.

If you haven't already, check out their Letterman performance of "Afraid of Everyone", featuring Sufjan Stevens.

Deer Tick - The Black Dirt Sessions

I'm a bit of a latecomer to Deer Tick, having picked up their first two albums in late March. I don't know exactly what to think of them sometimes. From what I know, the band tours constantly, parties hard, and they continue to write great songs. At times it seems like their outward image is an inside joke, where they appear to be an out of control rock band, but they can't say that's what they are doing because it would ruin the image. That's not for me to decide, and it doesn't really matter as long as they write good songs. In short, I like the second half of this album better than the first, with the exception of the second song "Twenty Miles," which is among the best on the record. Besides that opinion, though, I will never again be able to think about this album outside of this one experience:

Approximately a month ago, just after TBDS was released, H. and I were driving through rural west Texas, on a small Farm-to-Market road between Muleshoe and Morton, to be specific (see map below). Basically you see little more than some farm vehicles and meet cars maybe every 5 miles. In short, very little traffic. It just so happens we had been listening to this album, and had just reached the final song "Christ Jesus," which if you haven't heard, is, well, typical Deer Tick. Less than a minute after the song started, we came upon a semi-truck that had written on all sides "Jesus Christ is Lord, not a swear word." The trucks appear to have their origin with these folks (I pasted a picture below), although that is somewhat beside the point. It was a pretty odd experience, feeling a bit like two universes collided in the middle of nowhere and we were the only ones who saw it. So yeah, that's what I'll always think of when I hear this record.

View Larger Map

A picture of a similar truck that I found here.

Halsted - Life Underwater

2010-07-12T08:30:00.000-07:00

As I am sure is the case for many of you, I typically have enough new music to listen to from artists I like and from bands recommended to me by friends that I don’t often seek out even more new music from the countless blogs that are pushing someone new every day. Every now and then there are exceptions, and I am in the right mood to check out something that wasn’t even on my radar previously. That said, I am most drawn to bands that send me links with a good concise press release and who don’t sensationalize themselves with a bunch of industry speak.

Halsted, based out of San Francisco, was a band whom I had never heard the name of, much less listened to. You know how sometimes your friend says – “hey do you like the band so & so?” And you, trying not to sound out of touch, say “I’ve heard the name, but I don’t know their music.”

Maybe that’s just what I do, for some odd reason, but I couldn’t have even said that much about Halsted. I also hadn’t heard of the previous release by the band’s principle songwriter, Ryan Auffenberg, who released a record in 2008 entitled Marigolds.

So all that roundabout description is to let you know that I basically knew zero about this band before I pressed play. Typically this situation results in listening to 45 seconds of 2-3 songs, then stopping the music, deleting the mp3s, and playing something else. As it turned out with Halsted, I liked what I heard, and before I knew it, I’d listened to the entire album a few times through. I'm still listening to the album regularly a month later.

Often a band’s first record sounds like it was made from a recipe. Songwriter: 1) writes song, 2) finds bassist, drummer, and sometimes lead guitarist, 3) records songs with band, making them sound just like they sounded before, except with bass, guitar, and drums in the background. This is not the case with Halsted. Each song on Life Underwater sounds carefully crafted and well arranged, and the influences of this band appear to be diverse. At times the band brings up impressions of Wilco or the Gin Blossoms, although the resemblance to those bands is not overpowering.

The album is strong for its duration, although the current favorite for me is "Rising Tide," a mid-paced rocker that I have to imagine sounds great live. "White Hot City Lights," "Sellout," and "Knock on Wood" are additional high points, although there is seemingly a song for every mood on this album, such that any song may emerge as a favorite depending on your situation at the time. The album's tone sound is generally upbeat and filled with strong guitar arrangements throughout. In short, I am thoroughly impressed with Halsted, and look forward to hearing the band progress, as their sound is well-developed for a first record and indicates a promising future.

Check out "Rising Tide," among other songs, on their Myspace page. Life Underwater will be released on Ashbury Records tomorrow, July 13th.

Sometimes the world throws you a curveball

2010-07-09T13:41:00.000-07:00

Believe it or not, Kenny Chesney will be recording a version of Guy Clark's song "Hemingway's Whiskey" for his new album, which he also plans to name after the song.

That's right, this guy:

Since I consider Clark one of the great living songwriters, it's not surprising for this to happen really, and KC even wins a few points in my book for recording the song. I hope it does well and gets the airtime it deserves. No word yet whether Clark will return the favor by recording "She Thinks My Tractor's Sexy."

Happy 4th

2010-07-04T09:44:00.001-07:00

Old 97s covers EP & free live EP

2010-06-30T15:42:00.000-07:00

A somewhat surprising announcement from the Old 97s this week - they will be releasing a 4 song covers EP, entitled Mimeograph, next week. The album will be available for download on Amazon (and elsewhere probably) and physical copies apparently will be available only through the band's Web site or at live shows.

The track listing will be as follows:

"Rocks Off" - Rolling Stones
"For The Girl" - The Fratellis
"Driver 8" - R.E.M.
"Five Years" - David Bowie.

The band also just announced that you can get three live recordings for free if you Like the band on Facebook. Check out the "Notes" section on their facebook for details. The three tracks are "St. Ignatius," "Victoria," and "Four Leaf Clover."

New Justin Townes Earle cover art

2010-06-25T12:27:00.000-07:00

It's only an album cover, but I'm already getting excited about this record. Harlem River Blues will be released September 14th on Bloodshot.

via JTE facebook:

Book review - Everything Ravaged, Everything Burned, by Wells Tower

2010-06-25T07:11:00.000-07:00

There has got to be some level of self-fulfilling prophecy at work when you give a kid a name that simply sounds like they should be a notable person. Case in point is the author Wells Tower. You may or may not have heard of him, but the name instantly intrigued me when I first heard it. It sounds equally like it could be the name of a Louis L'Amour book or of a downtown skyscraper. I have seen Tower's name around here and there for years, but never really thought too much of it. I first read his work in Outside Magazine, where he is a contributor of various non-fiction pieces. I've been impressed with that work, but had not previously read any of his fiction, although it has appeared in well-respected publications such as Harper's and McSweeney's.

Over the last month or so, I've been making my way through his first book, a collection of short stories titled Everything Ravaged, Everything Burned. I don't often seek out short story collections, but having liked his previous magazine work, it seemed reasonable to give this one a try.

What I found was an extremely engaging set of short stories that take a wide range of perspectives and engage a number of topics. It's hard to summarize such a collection in any cohesive way, but the book literally ranges from teenage angst to Viking pillaging. Yes, you read that correctly. For what it's worth though, I found myself instantly drawn in to each story, no matter how different each is from the last.

Sometimes short stories have the tendency of not establishing any characters or theme early enough in the work and when you finish you don't know what you've got. With Tower's work, I often found myself wishing that each story were a full book. For that reason, I hope to see a full-length book from him in the near future, and I expect with his talent that it can't be too far away. Also, did I mention how cool I think his name is?

Ok, go watch this video because it's funny

2010-06-24T07:38:00.001-07:00

Turns out Zach Galifianakis is hilarious to me even when he doesn't say a single word and barely even changes his facial expression.

Book review - Lean on Pete, by Willy Vlautin

2010-06-23T06:29:00.000-07:00

I don't spend a lot of time reviewing books, although in some cases, I try to give mention to authors that don't necessarily get as widespread attention as they deserve. In this case, it's as much about helping a musician in his second career as author as anything else. Willy Vlautin, who recently published his third book Lean on Pete, leads a double life as lead singer of the rock band Richmond Fontaine. I've seen the band play live once, and honestly have never really gotten into them, but I think more than anything, I respect the artistic output of Vlautin and try to support such artists when I'm able.

Lean on Pete follows 15 year-old Charley Thompson on a number of life-changing journeys. The story begins with Charley and his single father living in Portland, but progresses quickly as his search for employment finds him working for a racehorse owner, who owns, among other horses, a relatively successful racehorse named Lean on Pete. The story moves quickly and tends not to dwell on any one situation for an inordinate amount of time. Rather, I think the pace is very appropriate in depicting the actions and perceptions of a 15 year-old boy making decisions about situations well beyond his years.

Vlautin's writing tends to explore the lives of quite troubled individuals, and this book is no different. His previous books The Motel Life and Northline fit very well along with Lean on Pete, and none of them have an abundance of feel-good moments. The writing is clear and moves fast, such that you can probably finish the book in a day, and likely will want to as you follow Vlautin's troubled characters through plenty of tough spots in their lives.

When I saw Richmond Fontaine live about four years ago, Vlautin's first book had just come out, and he was still much better known for his music. However, in recent years his profile as an author seems to have increased a good deal and he appears to be moving forward with that endeavor with some reasonable success. I most definitely look forward to continued great work from Willy Vlautin.

New Nathaniel Rateliff Daytrotter session

2010-06-22T09:51:00.000-07:00

I know the non-Denverites amongst you may be resistant to hearing me rave about Denver's best new act, but I honestly believe you are all going to know about Nathaniel Rateliff before too long. His debut album In Memory of Loss has been out for around two months now and I continue to listen to it on a regular basis. You'll hear more about that album when I get around to my backlog of album reviews.

For now though, you should know that Daytrotter just posted a new session from Rateliff, and as usual, it is free to download. Check out the session here.

The four songs in this session are absolutely representative of Rateliff's amazing work, and his phenomenal backing band shows through on the tracks as well. "Brakeman" is one of my favorites of Rateliff's from his full length, and this version is outstanding as I would have expected. You'll also find a new song that is not on In Memory, entitled "Pounds and Pounds." I think I've heard the song live once before, and it's fantastic. Did I mention the download is free?

Rateliff recently played the Daytrotter Barnstormer tour, and my hope is that recordings from those shows will be available for download at some point in the foreseeable future. I have recently come to realize that I may not have the opportunity to see him again live before we move from Colorado, but at least he's put out two Daytrotter sessions and a full-length record that I can continue to try to make all my friends listen to. Just start listening now so I don't have to start hassling you about it.

Also, have I mentioned that Nathaniel looks a LOT like Daniel from Thrift Store Cowboys? If there is any way I can get them together for a picture at the UMS, I think the world may explode.

Image by Johnnie Cluney via Daytrotter.

Dylan LeBlanc - "If Time Was For Wasting"

2010-06-21T10:54:00.000-07:00

One of the better unexpected surprises at SXSW this year came from seeing Shreveport, LA, singer/songwriter Dylan LeBlanc play at the French Legation Museum. (Derek's write-up of that performance.) What was amazing was that this young songwriter didn't even have an album out at the time, although it had recently been announced that he signed with U.K.-based Rough Trade Records.

The wait for some recorded material for purchase is partially over, as Rough Trade recently released a 7" single of "If Time Was For Wasting" with b-side "Jack," as well as an iTunes download of the songs and a new music video, embedded below.

LeBlanc's full-length record, Pauper's Field, is set to be released by Rough Trade on August 23rd.

Dawes - Boulder, CO, 06/19/2010

2010-06-20T09:05:00.000-07:00

Saturday night brought Southern California band Dawes to Boulder's Fox Theatre for the first time. As lead singer Taylor Goldsmith noted, he played Boulder a number of years back with his former alternative rock band Simon Dawes, who opened for Band of Horses at the Fox. Having heard some of the old Simon Dawes material, I'm quite pleased with the direction the current band's material has taken, as their debut release last October is still in regular ipod rotation for me.

The crowd numbered about like one would expect for a buzz band on their first time through town, with maybe 150-200 people in attendance. As impressed as I am with this band right now, I have to say that thoughts definitely ran through my mind about how 5 or 10 years down the line I expect to be telling people about how I saw Dawes before they got huge.

Besides playing most of the tracks from their album North Hills, the band played a number of new songs that I look forward to hearing on a new release in the near future. Additionally, one of the best surprises of the night came with the band's cover of John Prine's "Pretty Good." They recounted that they played the song recently at Bonnaroo, where Prine also played, and were honored to have heard that he told an interviewer that he was glad to hear a new band {i.e. Dawes} was playing the song. I half expected they were going to say they got to hang out with him at the festival, but they were simply excited that he had even heard their name. Goldsmith was equally appreciative to the crowd throughout the night, expressing a good deal of gratitude for the enthusiastic audience that seemed to be made up about half of people singing along and half of people whose friends brought them, and who were soon to become new converts to the band.

I'll not try to hide the fact that, no matter how much I love their entire album, I was most anticipating "That Western Skyline" and "When My Time Comes," the latter of which initially drew me to the band. Neither song disappointed live, and "When My Time Comes" might have even exceeded my expectations, ending with Goldsmith initiating a singalong from the audience. They could have played the song a second time and I wouldn't have complained one bit.

If you are looking for new material from Dawes, you can get a live show download from a Daytrotter concert last fall at this link. On that download you'll find a couple of new songs as well as a number of other good recordings of songs from North Hills.

All in all, Dawes is a young band with barely more than one album's worth of material, but their incessant touring over the last year has made them into an extremely well-seasoned act that packs quite a punch in their live show. They have no doubt benefited from that experience, and they look to be doing all the right things to become a long-term fixture on the national circuit.

Mind blown

2010-06-17T08:20:00.000-07:00

So I've been way off the radar for the past 6 weeks or so, but I will be back more regularly soon. I'm sure you're all anxiously awaiting the day.

But seriously, I had to take a second to post about this, because I can't even really wrap my head around it yet.

To summarize, one of Austin's best bands right now, Monahans, contains members who were once in a band called Milton Mapes. The band put out some fantastic material, my favorite being Westernaire, which I just so happened to mention on Windfarm about a year and a half ago.

It's an amazing album, and the news today (full press release here) is that a song entitled "The Only Sound That Matters," off of the aforementioned Milton Mapes album, will be covered by Robert Plant on his upcoming album Band of Joy.

Yes. Robert Plant. The guy who was in that band. The biggest rock band of all time. Yeah, that Robert Plant. I can't even bring myself to type out the name of the band because I think my head would explode. Listening to the track today, it makes total sense. Should be a perfect fit.

I highly recommend that you track down a copy of Westernaire, and I don't know about you, but I'm definitely going to have to check out Robert Plant's new record this September as well. In the meantime, check out Monahans' 2010 Recordings, a project where they are releasing one new song a month through their Web site as a free download.

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