
On the canvas of my mind, I paint the summerself as a towheaded Tom Sawyer, barefoot and fancy free. And though I cannot see into the infinite minds that share my world, it's healthy, I think, to imagine that we all recreate our childhoods as such. But there was little point in going unshod in my suburban childhood. A walk meant pavement, not sidewalks, and on the street, the threat of broken glass or ancient gravel shards was everpresent. Even our own backyard was sparse and prickly, [...]
Ben Lamdin, AKA Nostalgia 77, has been gracing my eardrums with his music for some time now, but did you know he ran the British jazz label Impossible Ark? Well, you do now! In their own words, "Impossible Ark Records is a British record label. Focusing on the work of creative musicians, it has released [...]

The new record Strange Faith and Practice by Jeb Loy Nichols is out in the US on September 8th. Usually I would get an mp3 from the new record to share, but this one is even more under the radar than usual. So I don't have a song from the new one but you should really acquaint yourself with his music below. I like the Boz Scaggs shuffle and prominent bass line in the song "Country Music Disco". In fact this song could serve as the new theme song for [...]
An unusual combination of folk-rock and dub by Jeb Loy Nichols and friends. Really relaxed, laid-back back porch music. This was voted Record Of The Year by Spex Magazine in Germany and was a modest hit in Europe.
An unusual combination of folk-rock and dub by Jeb Loy Nichols and friends. Really relaxed, laid-back back porch music. This was voted Record Of The Year by Spex Magazine in Germany and was a modest hit in Europe.

Ever since I chose teaching as a career, Labor Day has been doubly relevant for me: an annual return to the classroom-as-job-site marked by a national holiday in celebration of the organized workplace. This year, however, after leaving a teaching position that just wasn't working out, and subsequently spending the summer carrying hope from one interview to the next, I find myself in a bit of limbo. Which is to say: for the first time in over a decade, labor day looms, and I don't have plans to be anywhere the day [...]

I heard another older song a few weeks ago that's brand spanking new to me , courtesy of Sirius (where Steve Earle now has his own radio show on Outlaw Country - yipee!). This one is by Jeb Loy Nichols . Jeb made a unique musical journey from Austin, Texas to New York City to London. He's been based out of the UK for some time now. In 2000, he traveled to Jamaica to record Just What Time It Is , a fusion of soulful pop, reggae, and a little country. The studio engineer was [...]