Show Me the Way Home, Honey

The Howlin' Brothers - Trouble

Size: 80,7 MB
Time: 34:28
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Country Blues, Bluegrass, Americana
Label: Continental Europe
Art: Front

01. Pour It Down (2:39)
02. Boogie (2:12)
03. Night And Day (2:17)
04. Monroe (3:10)
05. World Spinning Round (2:53)
06. Troubled Waltz (3:40)
07. Sing A Sad Song (2:53)
08. Pack Up Joe (2:29)
09. Love (2:46)
10. Hard Times (2:41)
11. I Was Wrong (2:44)
12. Louisiana (2:37)
13. Yes I Am! (1:21)

Often, progressive bluegrass gets mired in its own ambition, seeming affected whenever it asserts its roots or tackles the present. That's not the case with the Howlin' Brothers. How does this Nashville trio sidestep such pitfalls? It's through sheer kinetic joy, a quality that was evident on their 2013 debut, HOWL, but thrives on its 2014 sequel, Trouble. Once again, Brendan Benson -- a colleague of Jack White who is known for his exceptionally well-crafted power pop records -- produces the band and he favors a crackling live feel, emphasizing the Howlin' Brothers' loose, natural chemistry that, in turn, suggests their versatility. Unlike so many bluegrass groups, chops aren't the priority for the Howlin' Brothers -- they prefer groove and feel, to bounce ideas off each other and their various guest musicians. This doesn't mean they can't solo -- they can and they do often throughout Trouble -- but Benson and the band accentuate interplay, which means this is a visceral record, engaging just as music. Also, this emphasis on instrumentation allows the band to wander away from bluegrass -- "World Spinning Round" is straight-up honky tonk, as is "Troubled Waltz," while "Louisiana" brings the group down to the bayou and the opening "Pour It Down" would be a blues-rocker with other instrumentation -- and it also gives it a tangible, pleasurable quality as a record that demands several listens. Those revisits reveal that in addition to sounding good, Trouble is exceptionally well constructed, with the group crafting roots songs that allow the trio to casually showcase its knowledge and skill. Those songs provide the structure for the album and, presumably, a killer live set, but the nifty thing about Trouble is that it swings and sparks like a concert and it retains that energy on repeated plays. ~Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Trouble

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Posted by kamane

Oznake: Howlin' Brothers, Country, Bluegrass

James King - Three Chords & The Truth

Size: 95,6 MB
Time: 40:17
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Country, Bluegrass
Label: Rounder Records
Art: Front

01. The Devil's Train (3:16)
02. Jason's Farm (3:37)
03. Chiseled In Stone (4:07)
04. Highway To Nowhere (2:35)
05. Talkin' To The Wall (2:46)
06. He Stopped Loving Her Today (3:54)
07. Blue Blue Day (2:03)
08. Riding With Private Malone (4:31)
09. Things Have Gone To Pieces (3:55)
10. Sunday Morning Christian (2:59)
11. Shadows Of My Mind (3:16)
12. Old Five And Dimers (3:11)

All Hail King James

The title of bluegrass storyteller James King’s latest disc comes from a quote by the legendary country songwriter, Harlan Howard. A good country song, Howard explained, was “three chords and the truth.” Now that’s just bullshit. Country music has always been as authentic as a three-dollar bill. Johnny Cash did not really served time in prison. Tammy Wynette never stood by her man. The lack of reality is a good thing. A good country song requires magic and imagination. King takes on 12 solid country tunes from the past written by masters such as Hank Williams and Billy Joe Shaver and originally recorded by mavens as George Jones and Vern Gosdin, and King does them bluegrass style.

The results showcase King’s vocal talents. He has a warm tone that sounds a bit smoky, as in the Great Smoky Mountains. Okay, so technically he’s a Virginian, but the results are pure Appalachian. Remember, there’s no reason to get too hung up on bona fides. He sings in a quiet manner, pronouncing each word carefully and with a slight twang. He’s ably aided by his pals Dudley Connell and Don Rigsby, who are also members with King in the group Longview.
The bluegrass musicians behind him—fiddler Jimmy Mattingly, banjoist and harmony fiddler Ronnie Stewart, mandolinist Jesse Brock, bassist Jason Moore, and guitarist Josh Williams—make sure not to step out in front of him. They propel the music without getting in King’s way.

While the similarities between country and bluegrass are clear, King and company illustrate the differences in their delivery. Consider their superb rendition of David Ball’s ghostly “Riding with Private Malone”. King emphasizes the details of the tale such as “had her shining like a diamond” or “the buttons on the radio didn’t seem to work quite right” to embellish the narrative. The backing vocalists take on the chorus and let their voices ring together like a bell to add beauty to the simple tale. The instrumentalists keep the pace moving forward like a steam train, fast enough to propel the listener without ever being a distraction. Compared with Ball’s original which was more in a country singer-songwriter vein, King’s version sounds almost like chamber music.

King and company turn all of these country classics into sweet bluegrass. Some, like Don Gibson’s “Blue Blue Day” and Cal Smith’s “Jason’s Farm” seem born to be turned into bluegrass. They fit the new form like a glove. And while some, like Shaver’s “Old Five and Dimers” may seem more forced, King’s rendition reveals the Georgia side of the Texan Billy Joe’s past. King slurs the lyrics into two-word phrases so that “good luck” becomes “gooluk” and such, which suggests the meanings of the terms lie in their Southern geography.

Although modern country audiences probably won’t enjoy this album, “the old farts and jackasses” Blake Shelton famously referred to certainly will. The takes the old school back to an older school to a tradition that hearkens back to the Scotch-Irish music of King James’s time. James King’s melodious bluegrass honors its folkloric roots. ~Steve Horowitz

Three Chords & The Truth

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Posted by kamane

Oznake: James King, Country, Bluegrass

Carolina Chocolate Drops - Genuine Negro Jig

Styles: Neo-Traditional Folk, Piedmont Blues, Contemporary Country, Neo-Traditionalist Country, Country Blues, Modern Acoustic Blues, String Bands
Label: Nonesuch
Released: 2010
File: mp3 @320K/s
Size: 89,0 MB
Time: 38:41
Art: front

1. Peace Behind the Bridge - 2:35
2. Trouble in Your Mind - 2:56
3. Your Baby Ain't Sweet Like Mine - 3:00
4. Hit 'Em Up Style - 3:57
5. Cornbread and Butterbeans - 3:10
6. Snowden's Jig (Genuine Negro Jig) - 3:52
7. Why Don't You Do Right? - 3:37
8. Cindy Gal - 2:28
9. Kissin' and Cussin' - 3:21
10. Sandy Boys - 2:25
11. Reynadine - 2:37
12. Trampled Rose - 4:37

Personnel:
Dom Flemons - 4 String Banjo, Drums, Foot Percussion, Guitar, Jug, Throat Singing, Vocals
Rhiannon Giddens - 5 String Banjo, Fiddle, Kazoo, Vocals
Justin Robinson - Autoharp, Beat Box, Fiddle, Foot Percussion, Handclapping, Vocals
Sule Greg Wilson - Frame Drum, Percussion, Tambourine

Notes: Carolina Chocolate Drops are one of the last exponents of Piedmont string’n’jug band music, an African-American rural style dating back to the early 20th century from the Piedmont Plateau, essentially the foothills of the southern Appalachian Mountains.
For the most part this album’s an unashamedly foot-stomping countrified fiddle-and-banjo racket, and with it the trio reclaim what is usually assumed to be exclusively hillbilly property. But this historic black style is mountain music with something more, as these 12 tracks show how it fits between the European quadrilles and the Anglo/Celtic folk that came across the Atlantic and the rural blues and ragtime jazz that grew out the American South, informing so much contemporary music. And in the hands of the Carolina Chocolate Drops this history lesson is far from dry.
The relatively youthful threesome learned their craft from original Piedmont players and swap instruments – banjo, fiddle, jug, harmonica, guitar, snare drum and kazoo – with ease, and although they all sing, the guys, Dom Flemons and Justin Robinson, leave most of the vocals to the opera-trained Rhiannon Giddens. Cleverly, the group mix traditional songs with original compositions and a couple of surprising covers, allowing them to honour the past, then subtly nudge it forward linking it to the modern music they grew up with.
Of the former, Cindy Gal, Cornbread and Butterbeans and Sandy Boys are joyous jigs, with lyrics about life in general, while Snowden’s Jig and the stunning, a cappella Reynadine show the pensive, bluesy side of the original style. New song Kissin’ and Cussin’ arranges the mountain instruments into what becomes an intriguing contemporary ballad, while their turning of Tom Waits’ Trampled Rose into syncopated country blues adds yet another layer of poignancy to an already heart-wrenching number.
The big surprise, though, is the pickin’, fiddlin’ and slappin’ version of Blu Cantrell’s Hit ‘em Up Style, which totally countrifies an urban classic to create a tune that would be just as at home in hoedown as any blinging city nightclub. It’s the highlight of an extraordinary and stylish album. ~ Lloyd Bradley 2010

Genuine Negro Jig



• Carolina Chocolate Drops - Dona Got A Ramblin' Mind
• VA - Violin, Sing The Blues For Me: African-American Fiddlers 1926-1949

Oznake: Contemporary Country, Piedmont Blues, Modern Acoustic Blues, String Bands, Carolina Chocolate Drops, folk, Country

Elizabeth Cotten - Freight Train and Other North Carolina Folk Songs and Tunes

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 35:03
Size: 80.2 MB
Styles: Folk, Country, Appalachian
Year: 1989
Art: Front

[1:41] 1. Wilson rag
[2:46] 2. Freight train
[2:12] 3. Going down the road feeling bad
[1:14] 4. I don't love nobody
[0:57] 5. Ain't got no honey baby now
[2:33] 6. Graduation march
[2:15] 7. Honey baby your papa cares for you
[2:11] 8. Vastopol
[3:49] 9. Here old rattler here / Sent for my fiddle sent for my bow (Sent for my fiddle sent for my son) / Georgia Buck
[2:19] 10. Run...run / Mama your son done gone
[3:03] 11. Sweet bye and bye / What a friend we have in Jesus
[4:43] 12. Oh babe it ain't no lie
[2:51] 13. Spanish Flang Dang
[2:23] 14. When I get home

Dan Baker - Pistol In My Pocket

Size: 76,3 MB
Time: 32:44
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Alt. Country, Folk, Americana
Label: Dan Baker
Art: Front

01. Pistol In My Pocket (2:06)
02. Threw Me Down The Well (3:21)
03. Never Alone (2:32)
04. What I'm Looking For (3:40)
05. Up On The Roof (2:09)
06. Down In The Canyon (4:39)
07. One Of Them (3:50)
08. She's Not Gonna Call (2:30)
09. Coming Home (5:08)
10. Not Gonna Say It (2:44)

Dan Baker was living in Chelsea MA, during the recording of his new record. A small city on the outskirts of Boston, Baker describes the city as "A place littered with factories, oil tanks, and pot holes! surrounded by great heaps of salt and scrap metal". Being influenced by his surroundings Baker wrote many songs about the town, one even making it onto the record, the title track "Pistol in my Pocket", Baker states, "That song came about from a conversation I had. I was talking to the clerk at the 7-Eleven down the street. He was telling me about all the times his store had been held up! at one point he said pistol in my pocket and I guess that just got stuck in my head".
The city of Chelsea, luckily for Baker, is also where 1867 Recording Studio is located. A former Masonic Temple, the studio boasts 60 foot vaulted ceilings with walls still equipped with their masonic images and moldings. Baker knew he had found the right place so he called in his band and they got to work. The recording process was fairly straightforward; they all set up in the middle of the temple/live-room and cut everything live.
The result is Dan Baker's third record, "Pistol in my Pocket". A record that finds Baker more matured and in command of his craft. With songs of betrayal and revenge as well as songs of love-lost and love-regained. A small record with a big punch: gritty, raw, but heartfelt and nostalgic, and much like Baker's first two records you'll be hanging onto every word. This is a great record, with everything you've come to expect and more from this great New England based singer/songwriter.

Pistol In My Pocket



• Jack Klatt and the Cat Swingers - Mississippi Roll •
• John McGale - John McGale & Friends Of The Devil •

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Posted by kamane

Oznake: Dan Baker, folk, Country, Americana

Jack Klatt and the Cat Swingers - Mississippi Roll

Styles: Western Swing, Old-Timey, Ragtime, Traditional Country and Folk
Label: Independent
Released: 2012
File: mp3 @320K/s
Size: 109,0 MB
Time: 47:21
Art: front

1. Life's a Drag (But Not Mine) - 3:21
2. Turn Your Money Green (feat. Charlie Parr) - 2:58
3. Delia (feat. Spider John Koerner) - 2:42
4. Cincinnati Flow (feat. Dakota Dave Hull) - 2:56
5. Deeper Blues (feat. Cornbread Harris) - 6:31
6. Goin' Back Home - 2:27
7. Sweet Mama Hurry Home (Or I'll Be Gone) - 2:37
8. Place Your Bets - 3:14
9. Rope Stretchin' Blues (feat. Charlie Parr) - 3:07
10. Cocaine Blues - 3:07
11. Ezekiel (feat. Spider John Koerner) - 3:13
12. Must Have Been the Devil - 2:22
13. Mississippi Roll - 1:49
14. Step It Up and Go - 3:20
15. Do You Think About Tomorrow? - 3:31


Personnel:
Spider John Koerner - 12 String & Vocals
Charlie Parr - 12 String & Vocals
James Samuel Conrbread Harris - Piano & Vocals
Dakota Dave Hull - National Guitar
Jack Klatt - 6 String & Vocals
Sabyre Rae Daniels - Ukulele & Vocals
Patrick Harrison - Accordion & Washboard
Josh Granowski - Upright Bass
Kip Jones - Violin
Mike 'Razz' Russell - Mandolin
Jim Tenbensel - Trombone

Notes: Jack Klatt, native of Minnesota's Mississippi river banks, has traveled far and wide through the highways and bi-ways of America, Europe and Canada with his guitar always near by. A self-taught musician and lyricist with eyes and ears wide open, always eager to soak up songs and stories. Klatt has sang in countless barrooms, cafes, living rooms, theaters and street corners all over the world, entertaining folks with his boisterous finger-picking style and whiskey worn voice, continuing the troubador tradition of folks like Utah Phillips, Blind Willie MacTell and Towns Van Zandt.
In 2009 Klatt settled down in Minneapolis, formed a band and founded the Cat Swingers. Soon enough he found himself performing around 100-150 nights a year perfecting his crafts of performance and songwriting.
In 2011 Klatt received a Minnesota State Arts Grant to record a collaborative album with a number of veteran Minnesota legends including Spider John Koerner, Dakota Dave Hull, Cornbread Harris and Charlie Parr. Mississippi Roll has since garnered praise all the way from California to the UK.
With a solo album under his belt you can expect to see him back on the road, with or without his Cat Swingers, rollin' through a town near you.

Mississippi Roll



• John McGale - John McGale & Friends Of The Devil •
• John Fahey - Vanguard Visionaries •

Oznake: Jack Klatt and the Cat Swingers, Old-Timey, Country, folk

John McGale - John McGale & Friends Of The Devil

Size: 137,3 MB
Time: 59:38
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2005
Styles: Electric/Acoustic Blues, Rock, Folk, Country
Label: JCM
Art: Front

01. Lay Down Sally (Feat. Jimmy James & Robby Bolduc) (4:54)
02. Rock Me (Feat. Gina Seram) (5:34)
03. Blue Suede Shoes (Feat. Jerry Mercer & Breen Leboeuf) (5:40)
04. Riverboat Fantasy (Feat. Pete Dawg) (4:12)
05. Spooky (Feat. Nelson Carter) (3:33)
06. Superstition (Feat. The Buzz Band & Mannix) (4:32)
07. Fiddle Session (Feat. Jonanthan Moorman) (5:25)
08. Chicken Cordon Blues - Dirty Saxophone Blues (Feat. Eric Khayat) (9:13)
09. That's Alright Mama (Feat. Jim Zeller) (5:16)
10. Brother Louis (Feat. Angel) (3:32)
11. Hooked On A Feeling (Feat. Jonathan Moorman) (3:23)
12. Green Green Grass Of Home (Feat. Nelson Carter) (4:20)

Featuring performances by Jerry Mercer (April Wine) Breen LeBoeuf (Offenbach) Jimmy James, Jim Zeller, Angel, Jonathan Moorman, Nelson Carter, Eric Khayat, Gina Seram, Robby Bolduc (Offenbach) Pete Dogg and Manix. This is an exciting Live Cd recorded at a nightclub in the Montreal area and features these artists in relaxed and "no-holds-barred" performances. Refreshing and energetic versions of some classic songs on this one!

John McGale & Friends Of The Devil



•
Jim Kweskin - Enjoy Yourself (It's Later Than You Think) •
• Bootleg Blues - Bootleg Blues •

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Posted by kamane

Oznake: John McGale, Acoustic Blues, folk, Country, rock

Scott Palmer - Ruckus

Size: 85,0 MB
Time: 36:37
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Electric/Acoustic Blues, Country Rock, Folk Rock
Label: Scott Palmer
Art: Front

01. In The Pocket (2:22)
02. Percolate (2:25)
03. All In Stride (4:18)
04. The Someday Blues (4:05)
05. Tough Scuffle (3:31)
06. Bustin' At The Seams (2:51)
07. Devil May Care (2:50)
08. Good Ol' Boy (3:19)
09. The Whole Darn Thing (2:07)
10. Look Away (3:30)
11. Leave It To Me (2:49)
12. Spit In Your Eye (2:25)

Gritty original lyrics are the centerpiece to this album recorded in southern Illinois, near the Kentucky boarder. This album is chalked full of passion and fire. Recorded in just eleven days, a group of approximately a dozen gifted musicians bring a heart-wrenching intensity to the performance and delivery of these twelve songs; so much so that the listener is hard-pressed not to feel the sincerity and truth that runs throughout this songwriter's poignant depictions. Lead instruments range from stellar acoustic and electric guitar work, to outstanding harmonica and trumpet performances. The percussion throughout the disc is creative and inventive with a steadiness that creates a perfect foundation for this project to build upon. This recording possesses an almost live feel and dynamic, while maintaining a tightness only found when skilled musicians are completely immersed in their creative process. Definitely a rare gem that any music lover will be glad to have stumbled across. Do yourself a favor and pick this one up.

Ruckus



• The Even Dozen Jug Band - Jug Band Songs Of The Southern Mountains •
• Bjorn Berge - Live In Europe •

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Posted by kamane

Oznake: Scott Palmer, Acoustic Blues, folk, Country

Hans Theessink - Next Morning At Sunrise

Styles: Acoustic Blues, Folk, Country
Label: Autogram
Released: 1970
File: mp3 @Vbr ~319K/s (from Vinyl)
Size: 43,8 MB
Time: 19:12
Art: front

1. Rubber Dolly - 1:58
2. Death Letter Blues - 2:50
3. Baby Please Don't Go - 2:23
4. Honey Babe Blues - 2:45
5. The Cuckoo - 3:18
6. Next Morning At Sunrise - 2:34
7. Nine Pound Hammer - 3:20

Personnel:
Hans Theessink - vocals, mandolin
Harry Tulp - vocals, guitar, mouthharp
Toon Engelbertink - violin

Notes: We've already had an American in Paris, but a Dutchman in Vienna? And one who has dedicated himself, body and soul, to American blues and roots music? Okay, Hans Theessink (pronounced Tay-sink) did not pick the easiest way to do this, but he has done so with a certain degree of single-mindedness.

Like others of his generation, in the early 1960‘s a love of the Blues took hold of the man whom Bo Diddley described as "one helluva guitar player", and it has not let go since. Above all, the country blues with its earthy and heartfelt sound impressed Hans Theessink and played a major role in his development as a musician. His roots are unmistakenly in the blues, but has also been influenced by countless other aspects of roots music. This musical variety has become a trademark of Hans Theessink, who as a songwriter has succeeded in building bridges to the present in addressing issues which reflect the reality of the here and now.
Hans is probably Europe's bluesexport Nr.1 - one of the top blues and roots musicians worldwide who has entertained audiences around the globe during a musical career that spans over more than 35 years. The world's leading bluespaper - US magazine Blues Revue wrote: "Hans Theessink is an international blues treasure. He is one of the world's pre-eminent country pickers and his warm baritone expresses blues".

Theessink's first recording was an EP in 1970. Since then his music has continually developed and so far Hans has released 20 albums, a songbook, a blues-guitar instruction video and a DVD. His CDs are guaranteed award winners. "Banjoman", the tribute project to Derroll Adams, that Hans produced with Arlo Guthrie, was recently nominated for a Grammy.
In 2004 Hans got the Austrian Amadeus award for "Songs from the Southland", a tribute to the music of the American South - a constant source of inspiration and companion on his musical journey. A Danish Music Award for best bluesalbum followed in 2005. His most recent CD "Bridges" - a recording with the new Hans Theessink Band, is again nominated for the Amadeus in the category best Blues-, Jazz-, Roots-, Folk-album. Hans' latest work is a DVD "Live in Concert" - "A Blues & Roots Revue" - it shows the Hans Theessink Band in action + lots of other special features. Hans' productions are known for their excellent sound quality and are also in big demand in HiFi circles.

Through his unmistakable guitarwork, sonorous baritone voice and stage presence, Hans has attained a status which is unique for a European. He has performed at many of the most prominent North American music festivals such as the "New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival", the "Chicago Blues Festival", the "Kerville Folk Festival", the "Toronto Soul & Blues Festival", the "Kansas City Blues & Jazz Festival", the "Edmonton Folk Festival", the "St.Louis Blues & Heritage Festival", the "King Biscuit Blues Festival", the "Woody Guthrie Festival" and the "Ultimate Rhythm and Blues Cruise" to name a few.

Hans Theessink has become one of the most sought-after artists of the international blues scene. He is more or less constantly "on tour" and plays an average of 200 concerts a year - a modern day troubadour and entertainer who keeps on spellbinding audiences all over the world with his rich and emotional sounds. ~ theessink.com

Next Morning At Sunrise



• Tom Feldmann - Lone Wolf Blues •
• Frankie Chavez - Frankie Chavez •

Oznake: Hans Theessink, Acoustic Blues, Country, Holland, folk