One Upright Bass, A Couple of Bicycles, and A Fine New Americana Band

It’s the dog days of summer and Virginia band The Steel Wheels are about to embark on an epic journey traversing 3 states. Touring is not new to this band– a quick perusal of their concert calendar shows that they’re on the road more often than off, but this tour is a little bit different. Instead of a van, the Steel Wheels are using their own muscle and metabolism to get from show to show. They will be completing a several hundred mile tour of the mid west completely by bicycle. Oh, and they’re also bringing along an upright bass. On a bike. Crazy.

This is the Steel Wheels’ third annual SpokeSongs tour– a pedal-powered journey that’s taken them through mountains and plains, cities and small towns, and now, they set out on a 3 state journey through Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois.

Besides being exceptionally brave and exceptionally athletic, The Steel Wheels are also just a straight up exceptional band. Their newest full-length, Red Wing, broke into the top 10 on the Americana charts. Their blend of old timey/new timey goodness combined with a straight up phenomenal live show gains fans across the board. The Steel Wheels hit that sweet spot where musicianship, energy, talent, and good songwriting collide. Give this track a listen and you’ll see what I mean:

Nothing You Can’t Lose

Read about their adventures in their own words here: http://www.spokesongs.blogspot.com/

Steel Wheels SpokeSongs Tour Dates:

8/4/1011 Ann Arbor, Michigan: The Ark
8/5/2011 Marshall, Michigan: Dark Horse Brewery
8/6/2011 Kalamazoo, Michigan: Bell’s Brewery
8/7/2011 Benton Harbor, Michigan:The Livery
8/8/2011 South Haven, Michigan: The Foundry
8/9/2011 Fennville, Michigan: Tuesdays in The Park Concert Series
8/11/2011 Chicago, Illinois: Browning House Concert
8/12/2011 Chicago, Illinois: Piece Brewery& Pizzeria
8/13/2011 Valparaiso, Indiana: Private Event
8/14/2011 Goshen, Indiana: SpokeSongs Closing Bash!

www.thesteelwheels.com

Brother Harmonies and Fiddle Licks: New Twilite Broadcasters Album Out Today

With so many young acts pushing the boundaries of what it means to be “Americana”, it’s interesting to find a band that prizes remaining within its boundaries. And North Carolina duo, The Twilite Broadcasters, do just that. Early country, a little bit of bluegrass, a touch of Old Time– this band sticks close to the real roots of Americana. Adam Tanner and Mark Jackson are wildly accomplished musicians, deftly switching up fiddle, mandolin, guitar, and vocal leads, the two musicians give the world assurance that the world of traditional American music is still flourishing. And yet, they don’t come across as overly flashy or show offy– each note is perfectly placed, understated even. Not to say they don’t really cook on their up tracks– their fiddle tunes are superbly foot stomping and their mandolin solos are alight with energy and vim.

For me though, the most remarkable of their talents is their brother harmonies– taking a leaf from The Louvin Brothers and other country classics, The Twilite Broadcasters employ potently sweet close harmonies that add poignancy to each track. And, considering the success of the new Chris Thile/Michael Daves duo album, maybe this is the start of a revival. I wouldn’t mind that at all.

Check out this cookin’ mandolin track (bonus points for switching up the gender roles here. Love it.):

Where is my Sailor Boy

And “Lorene”, an old timey slow jam about a lady who won’t return your letters.

Lorene

Their new album The Trail of Time is out today. Hit them up here: http://twilitebroadcasters.com/

A track for the end of winter, the beginning of spring

The Hourglass Waltz

This is the last track from Boca Chica’s Lace Up Your Workboots. This track reminds me of both winter and spring. I wrote it during an icy Pittsburgh winter, but the bird songs at the end really push it into spring territory.

Photo Credit: Rebecca Chiappelli

Valentine’s Day Release: Emma Hill and Her Gentleman Callers’ Meet me at the Moon

Happy Valentine’s Day. This post is best viewed by all of you out there who may be feeling a little disgruntled by the international holiday of love. In fact, it’s really for all of you who secretly revel (at least a little) in the misery of it all.

I’ve got the album for you: Emma Hill & Her Gentleman Callers. They are from Portland via rural Alaska and are quite a promising young Americana act. A little bit Whiskeytown, a bit Be Good Tanyas, they excel in the art of writing pretty, heart-achey songs.

This album follows only 6 months after their last release, Clumsy Seduction.

It comes out today! Check out this lovely track:

All That Might Have Been

www.emmahillmusic.com

Emma Hill & Her Gentleman Callers Release Valentine’s Day Record

And here’s an early V-day present for y’all– an early download of an excellent, gorgeous, twangy track:

All That Might Have Been

Enjoy!

Pretty Lady Playlist

It’s been a long time since I rapped at ya, but either wordpress or my trusty HP laptop has been failing me. Or maybe it’s the beginning of the robot revolution. Whichever, it seems to have relented enough to post a Wednesday playlist. Just don’t blame me if your headphones try to strangle you tonight. At least you’ll have a good soundtrack to go out on.

Astrud Gilberto. How I love her voice. Can you believe that they almost didn’t use her as a singer? Just because of a tiny tendency to go a bit sharp. Whatever dudes. At least you made the right decision in the end.

Corcovado (Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars)

Pittsburgh favorites, The Harlan Twins. Nice job with this one, Carrie Battle (also of Juston Stens & the Get Real Gang fame (of Dr. Dog fame (how many nested sets of parentheses can one sentence legally have?)))

White Light

Angie Mattson. LA former model and she of the smoky dark voice. Love the guitar tone in this one.

Mary

Wanda Jackson. Because, Wanda Jackson! She can kick Elvis’s ass any day.

Rock Your Baby

And Samantha Crain. Just cause.

Religious Wind

Edges of Americana

Oftentimes the term “Americana” is used as a catch all phrase.  It can often refer to to “edge of country” kinds of music like The Drive By Truckers or Jill Andrews– acts that are definitely not mainstream country, but twangy all the same.  It also encompasses old time, bluegrass, zydeco, and “folk” (whatever that means anymore).  And then there’s the more indie side of things— the Wilcos, the Jayhawks,  and Iron & Wines.  But when the Wilcos of the world make an album like Yankee Hotel Foxtrot that gets all experimental fuzz on us, do they have to turn in their Americana card?

I personally tend to like the artists that don’t fit neatly into musical categories.  Here are a few artists that sit on the edge of Americana…

ANGIE MATTSON (pictured above)

L.A.-based singer/songwriter Angie Mattson has a more pop-py background than most Americana artists– she’s toured with indie icon Suzanne Vega  as well as with Melissa Ferrick and Uh Huh Her (L Word actress Leisha Hailey’s band, for the uninitiated).  Her albums are dark. Very dark–  with big dark guitars and dark, sultry lyrics. She has a smoky, room-filling voice and a out front sexuality not too common among Americana acts.  Her music sounds dusty, like it just cantered into town on a stolen horse and it’s going to bust up your saloon before it’s through.

Her new album, which comes out today, is called Skeleton Arm.  Check out these two excellent tracks and make your own decisions on the Americana/Not Americana question.

Friends and Weapons (dig that guitar tone!)

and

Cool Water (it’s a hit!)

(Buy her album here)

JOANNA NEWSOM

When she first appeared on the indie scene four or five years ago, I remember reading her press bio and seeing that she was being trained up as a classical harpist but was led astray by a love for bluegrass and Appalachian music.  On the surface, that sounds a bit strange because, upon first hearing Joanna Newsom I will bet that very, very few people think “bluegrass!”.   The dreaminess of her music and the peculiarity of her voice are really what hit you in the face first. But if you take a look and a listen to this video, is it so hard to see the hand of Maybelle Carter in Joanna’s harp music?

GREAT LAKE SWIMMERS

Though banjos, accordions, and upright bass color the music of Canadian indie act, the Great Lake Swimmers never really get twangy.  The angelic voice of singer and bandleader Tony Dekker keeps things ethereal.  Poetic.  Evocative.  Smart.  Good stuff.

Gorgeous video, too…

I suppose though, in the end, labels are just something fun to argue about over beers and the only distinction that needs to be made is is it worth listening to?

What’s your take?

In Praise of the Big Town, the Small City

Today one of my favorite bands, Lohio, is setting off on tour in support of their brand new album, Family Tree. Taking a look at their schedule, you’ll notice a lot of small cities on the list– Louisville, Kentucky; Bloomington, Indiana; Ypsilanti, Michigan; Athens, Ohio etc, etc…

LOHIO TOURDATES:

Sep 22 :: Case Western :: Cleveland, Ohio
Sep 23 :: Rhumba Cafe :: Columbus, Ohio
Sep 24 :: WFPK Live Lunch :: Louisville, Kentucky
Sep 24 :: Zanzabar :: Louisville, Kentucky
Sep 26 :: Cosmic Charlies :: Lexington, Kentucky
Sep 27 :: The Union :: Athens, Ohio
Sep 28 :: Savoy :: Ypsilanti, Michigan
Sep 30 :: Northland College :: Ashland, Wisconsin
Oct 1 :: The Bishop :: Bloomington, Indiana
Oct 3 :: The Brillobox :: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Small cities and big towns can be the bread and butter of a touring band. There’s a thrill in playing New York City or Chicago, but there’s a loneliness too, and the knowledge that there are quite literally hundreds of other events going on at the same time as your lowly indie show. In a big town, you’ve got statistics on your side– there are probably only a handful of other events happening. People are more likely to be excited to see your band. You’ve got a better shot at getting excited high school kids out and sometimes you manage to avoid the blase, seen-it-all attitude of a bigger place. And becoming known as a good place for bands to play can be a real boon for a local music scene. All around, it’s a win.

Plus, it’s easier to build a following through old-fashioned word-of-mouth. Keep coming back to the same small city and it will treat you right.

Frontier Ruckus, a newish discovery of mine, is Michigan band that plays gorgeous, moving Americana type music with horns and some pretty gut-wrenching lyrics.  They’re on Ramseur Records, the queen of hard touring indie labels. They have the small cities thing down as well.  Here’s an excerpt of their (extensive) touring schedule:

FRONTIER RUCKUS TOURDATES:

Sep 23  :: Dante’s Bar :: Frostburg, MD
Sep 24 :: Thunderbird Cafe :: Pittsburgh, PA
Sep 25  :: Beachland Tavern :: Cleveland, OH
Sep 26 :: Birdy’s ::  Indianapolis, IN
Sep 28 :: Woodland’s Tavern :: Columbus, OH
Sep 29 :: The Southgate House Parlour :: Newport, KY
Sep 30 :: Cosmic Charlies ::  Lexington, KY
Oct 1 :: Subkirke :: South Bend, IN
Oct 2 :: Starry Nights Festival :: Bowling Green, KY

And have a listen to this incredible song as well:

Nerves of the Nightmind

The Fruit Bats are on the the indie powerhouse label, Sub Pop and have put out some incredible records. And their schedule includes a lot of not-quite-beaten path stops like Morgantown, West Virginia; Carrborro, North Carolina; Oxford, Mississippi, as well as the standard Seattle/Portland/Dallas kinds of places.

Check it:

FRUIT BATS TOUR DATES:

Oct 2 ::Garfield Artworks :: Pittsburgh, PA
Oct 3 :: WVU Creative Arts Center :: Morgantown, WV
Oct 4 :: Cat’s Cradle ::  Carrborro, NC
Oct 5 :: Orange Peel :: Asheville, NC
Oct 6 :: Workplay Theatre :: Birmingham, AL
Oct 7 :: Square Room :: Knoxville, TN
Oct 8 :: 529 :: Atlanta, GA

-

Pittsburgh is shakin’.

The Pittsburgh music scene is making a lot of noise these days. Some notables:

Expansive indie rock boys Mariage Blanc have finished their new album. I’ve heard it and it’s awesome. It will be released into the world on October 8th at the Brillobox. Show up early kids, this one will sell out.

Indie folk pop act Lohio also has a new album coming out this month. And Lohio and Donora area also setting off on a tour next week, hitting up Cleveland, Columbus, Athens, Ypsilanti, Bloomington, Louisville, Lexington, blah, blah, blah, check out all the dates here.

Pittsburgh’s favorite 1970s rock band, The Harlan Twins, are recording a new album with Josh Kretzmer at the Mariage Blanc studio.

Nik Westman and the Central Plains are also recording, this time with Jake Hanner at Play On Recordings

AND Boca Chica is recording as well. 7 basic tracks are done, a few more to go….

Oh! Small Cities has become The Slow Reel. This is a new song, as played at Howler’s last weekend, captured on a shaky cam…

*photo credit: Square America*

An Ode to Transportation

There are a lot of iconic songs about getting from one place to another. Moving from place to place plays a larger-than-average role in the musician’s mind because musicians spend a hell of a lot of time getting from one gig to another.

Musicians are adaptable creatures. Here’s some varying ways the kids are getting around these days:

By jet:

Flying from gig to gig is not necessarily the provenance of highly-funded major label artists. Take indie Americana musician Emma Hill. She was just interviewed on NPR this morning for her enterprising use of the all-you-can-fly Jet Blue pass. The folksy Alaskan singer/songwriter is taking to the air for more than 22 dates this month and next in support of her brand new album Clumsy Seduction. Check out the NPR spot here. And then listen to this track off the new record: One Glass Too Many

By bike:

I’ve written before about The Steel Wheels yearly bike tour, but this seems to be an idea whose time has come. Kentucky indie folk cellist Ben Sollee is currently bike touring with a cello and a full drum kit. Ballsy!

By train:

There are a lot of songs about hopping freight trains, and I do actually know a small number of old timey and crusty types who do this for real, in 2010. But you do run the risk of mashing up your guitar on the dismount. And it’s not for the faint of heart. An alternative to that is that the mostly-reliable Amtrak train. Andru Bemis, Michigan folk artist extraordinaire, is the champion of cross-country Amtrak touring. Check him out, playing “Huck Finn”, a song about Huck Finn.