Wow, Rocks Off is a huge fan of Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, but Saturday night this hard-charging band from Muscle Shoals, Alabama got a lesson in Texas big beat. Isbell himself was sitting ... Continue reading "Friday Night: James McMurtry, Jason Isbell at Firehouse Saloon" >
One of the truly gifted Texas songsmiths, James McMurtry has carved a nice, viable career out of great lyrics, stellar playing, hard touring, a good work ethic, and common sense. His last two stu... Continue reading "James McMurtry Can Make It Here" >
photos by Tim Griffin Robert Ellis @ ACL Live Jay Farrar plays his third NYC show in a row at City Winery on Sunday night (10/16). Laura Cantrell opens and tickets are still on sale. Check out a picture of the setlist from Saturday's show below. More Jay dates HERE . The alt-country at City Winery continues when labelmates [...]
We talked to the L.A. band before their big tour with Blitzen Trapper // Follow Owl and Bear on Facebook and Twitter for contests, MP3s, and links that don't make it onto the blog.
An abundance of reasons to venture out to local music venues this evening. Bouncy lady pop/punk with Wild Flag at RecordBar.… [ Read more ] [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]
Remember the early aughts? When the punk-rock resurgence yielded acts like The Hives, The Vines, and The Sounds? Well, Swedish act The Sounds have managed to stay around long past their heyday,... Continue reading "The Sounds, James McMurtry, Jason Isbell and The Rest of This Week's Show Announcements" >
James McMurtry McGonigel's Mucky Duck August 20, 2011 If the decline of the American empire has a soundtrack, it's the music of James McMurtry. Gifted (or saddled) with a somewhat monotone sing... Continue reading "Saturday Night: James McMurtry At The Mucky Duck" >
It's a huge Saturday with shows cinematic, theatrical and fantastic: ► British orchestral rockers Tindersticks this week released a deluxe boxed set of six scores they created for the acclaimed films of Claire Denis. Highlights from the project, "Claire Denis Film Scores 1996-2009," are being staged in seven shows worldwide, and only two in the U.S. Tonight's 70-minute performance at Cal State L.A.'s Luckman Fine Arts Complex will feature material from the acclaimed "White Material" and others, and will be accompanied by a movie-quality montage of scenes from Denis' films. ► Instrumental rock [...]
" Rock and roll is all about sticking it to THE MAN. " - someone, probably from the '60s. I haven't been blogging much lately because THE MAN has been keeping me down. You know THE MAN, the people of authority who make your life miserable. THE MAN (my lesbian landlords) wants the rent. THE MAN (my Indian boss) wants data. The corporate MAN is driving up my oil bills so he can buy another yacht. The political MAN is trying to suppress the working class, per usual, and taxing the bejesus out [...]
I'm a little intimidated by Nathan Bell . He's had a long musical history (records released by Flying Fish - where I worked briefly years ago), his a father is a renowned poet, he writes seriously deep songs, and just exudes many of the elements of the artist's life. It these elements or facets of character that I am missing most in my daily grind writing about music that touches me. But this is the only way I know how to at least capture a bit of that spirit. Nathan Bell has been gone [...]
Toronto, it's over. I'm dumping you. We had a good run, but it's been nearly nine years and one of us has to get on with it. As Jay Farrar says, "When in doubt, move on." I gave you most of my 30s, and you gave me a lot of affection, contentment, and high jinx, but also a lot of heartache. Son Volt - Drown.mp3 Buy : Trace (1995) We got off to a rough [...]
I'm hanging in the Motor City today, still in my pajamas, drinking coffee, recovering from drinking my brother's beer last night, and being very thankful for all of you jokers who read my blog! Thanks for indulging in my vanity. I post the same every year on Thanksgiving, so here we go... This isn't exactly a Thanksgiving song, the third verse perfectly describes the Rockstar family back in the day. I heard James McMurtry perform this song live in 2007 at the El Mocambo in Toronto, and he did the last verse about the [...]
Every year in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park, there is a music festival that brings together hundreds of thousands of people and is a proven success - and it's not Outside Lands. Hardly Strictly Bluegrass is the name, and the free three-day fest is in its 10th year. And judging by the lineup that dropped last night, this may be one of its best years. The names that stand out are frankly shocking gets for a free and ticketless festival: Joan Baez, Elvis Costello and the Sugarcanes, and the Godmother of Punk herself, Patti Smith. Other [...]
James McMurtry is surly, grumpy, and intense, which is why I love him and his music. He played to a criminally small crowd at Lee's Palace last Tuesday, July 13. When I arrived there were about 60 people in the audience, and by show time there were maybe 100 people. Not a great turnout for a place with a capacity of 500. Although there was a lot happening in Toronto that night, including an Old Crow Medicine Show gig at the Phoenix, which may have pulled some people from the McMurtry show. If you went to [...]
Sweet merciful crap, there are so many good gigs in Toronto this month that I could go to one every day of the week, and still miss out on some. Someone needs to get on cloning, pronto, cause I need to be in two, sometimes three, shows at once. If you are in or around Toronto this week here are the shows which I think you should see. Tuesday, July 13 1. James McMurtry - Lee's Palace (529 Bloor) It was a toss up between JM and [...]
Sorry about the lack of posts lately. The man is working me to the bone. Here are two tracks for this fine American holiday. The first is from the second most underrated songwriter in the US (the first being Chris Knight ). James McMurtry - Memorial Day.mp3 Buy : Childish Things (2005) This song is a bit dated, but I think it still kicks fucking ass! The Perceptionists - Memorial [...]
Hey, it's KPIG appreciation week, hippies! Spending time in Zipcars has renewed my appreciation for the spirit of radio, and one likes to believe in the music from Freedom. The Central Coast's home to whatever "Americana" music is supposed to be is now broadcasting in the Bay Area on AM1510. Not since the glory days of KNEW Classic Country (see 1997 here ) has there been listenable radio around these parts (though we will always have a soft spot for Energy 92.7, R.I.P.). I've heard a few songs over [...]
[We wave deliriously to birthday gal Sheryl Crow as we dive into tonight's deep, deep list of show options:] No matter what you think of Editors' stylistic left turn — the U.K. quartet [pictured] set aside the rapturous post-punk dance music of its first two albums for gloomy synth-pop on its new record, "In This Light and On This Evening" — tonight's show at the Wiltern promises to be thrilling. NYC art-rockers the Antlers open, their album "Hospice" having gotten all kinds of critical love for [...]
Ray Wylie Hubbard Texas has a boxcar full of "legendary" singer/songwriters, and folks in other parts of the country may have heard of some of them. Ray Wylie Hubbard has been around for a while, he's kind of an elder statesman of the Lone Star singer/songwriter contingent. Saturday he offered a great little in-store performance at Houston's Cactus Music and Video to showcase his latest album, A. Enlightenment B. Endarkenment (Hint: There Is No C). "The world's worst album title," he cracked, as he launched [...]
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