Oh lord, to hear a voice, but let it fade and wallow,
Sometimes it's hard to let it go.
Oh lord, to find the words, but keep them in and swallow,
One day the top is gonna blow.
What I miss most about freelance writing, other than the massive $50 I got per story (which seems like a grand fortune these days), was the chance to listen to a new band on a weekly basis.
Sometimes it was a blessing, and other times a curse. I wrote on more than my share of stereotypical 'jam bands' and unoriginal acts (ie. the Dave Matthews Cover Band). But every now and then I'd unearth a true gem, a band I'd never heard of, that would turn into a new favorite. That's exactly what happened with Railroad Earth.
When the "O Brother Where Art Thou" soundtrack became so huge in 2002/2003, it paved the way for an influx of bluegrass influenced acts. Some were gimmicky, some just outright sucked, and a handful were truly incredible.
If you cross-bred Bob Dylan, "American Beauty" era Grateful Dead, and a pile of bluegrass instruments, it'd probably sound a lot like Railroad Earth. The New Jersey six-piece (maybe the only good thing to ever come out of Jersey?) combines, bluegrass, folk and some other worldly influences. They started playing together informally at 'pickin' parties' and cut a 5-song demo. The demo tape turned into an amazing debut album, and the band immediately became must have at bluegrass festivals across the country. I love their lyrics, love the music, and the band is incredible live. It's been great to see them evolve over the years and all five of their albums are worth having.
Here's a piece I did back on the band back in 2003: http://archives.postandcourier.com/archive/arch03/0303/arc03131042369.shtml
The Middle-Eastern influence on "Seven Story Mountain" is really cool. And I think the lyrics are amazing. Just a driving, gorgeous song about perseverance. It's unbelievably fitting on a cold, rainy Sunday morning while faced with compiling ten weeks worth of work over the next three days!
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Track 18: "Rastaman Chant" by the Derek Trucks Band
I think it was 1997 at Music Midtown in Atlanta (whatever happened to that festival, by the way?) when I first saw the Derek Trucks Band live. He was only 18 at the time and I was absolutely floored by his band and especially his guitar playing. I immediately became a fan and think Derek Trucks is one of the most gifted musicians on the planet.
The guy's been fronting his own band since about age 12 and has been a member of the Allman Brothers Band (his uncle, Butch Trucks, is one of the founding members) for the past several years. But it's been really cool to see how his own band has evolved over the decade that I've been listening to them.
Here's a link to a story on Trucks back in 2002 http://archives.postandcourier.com/archive/arch02/1202/arc1226918842.shtml
Trucks' slide guitar is obviously rooted deeply in the blues, but his band has always been adventurous. and through his band I discovered jazz legends like John Coltrane and Miles Davis. The band's latest two albums "Songlines" and "Already Free" are both fantastic and have sort of cemented the band's direction in world-soul music, but they literally touch on everything-- Middle Eastern, Indian, jazz, Latin music, blues, soul, gospel, and Southern rock--in creating their own sound.
I saw the Derek Trucks Band do a New Years Eve show at Charlotte's Visualite Theater in 2000>2001, and that show still ranks pretty highly for me. At the stroke of midnight they launched into this slow building song that eventually erupted before winding back down. The groove and melody literally stuck in my head for a good month or so.
I knew the song sounded familiar and it wasn't until I heard the Bob Marley version (Marley wrote the song) of "Rastaman Chant" play on the PA before a concert almost a year later that it hit me.."so THAT's the song that the Derek Trucks Band did at New Years."
I've seen the DTB several times since, but "Rastaman Chant" was regrettably not part of the playlist. So when the band released "Soul Serenade" in 2003, I was elated to see that "Soul Serenade/Rastaman Chant" was track 1. (For the sake of being able to meet You Tube's 10 minutes or less requirement for video uploads, I had to cut the "Soul Serenade" intro to this tune.
Hopefully the groove and melody will be stuck in your head for a month or so as well...
The guy's been fronting his own band since about age 12 and has been a member of the Allman Brothers Band (his uncle, Butch Trucks, is one of the founding members) for the past several years. But it's been really cool to see how his own band has evolved over the decade that I've been listening to them.
Here's a link to a story on Trucks back in 2002 http://archives.postandcourier.com/archive/arch02/1202/arc1226918842.shtml
Trucks' slide guitar is obviously rooted deeply in the blues, but his band has always been adventurous. and through his band I discovered jazz legends like John Coltrane and Miles Davis. The band's latest two albums "Songlines" and "Already Free" are both fantastic and have sort of cemented the band's direction in world-soul music, but they literally touch on everything-- Middle Eastern, Indian, jazz, Latin music, blues, soul, gospel, and Southern rock--in creating their own sound.
I saw the Derek Trucks Band do a New Years Eve show at Charlotte's Visualite Theater in 2000>2001, and that show still ranks pretty highly for me. At the stroke of midnight they launched into this slow building song that eventually erupted before winding back down. The groove and melody literally stuck in my head for a good month or so.
I knew the song sounded familiar and it wasn't until I heard the Bob Marley version (Marley wrote the song) of "Rastaman Chant" play on the PA before a concert almost a year later that it hit me.."so THAT's the song that the Derek Trucks Band did at New Years."
I've seen the DTB several times since, but "Rastaman Chant" was regrettably not part of the playlist. So when the band released "Soul Serenade" in 2003, I was elated to see that "Soul Serenade/Rastaman Chant" was track 1. (For the sake of being able to meet You Tube's 10 minutes or less requirement for video uploads, I had to cut the "Soul Serenade" intro to this tune.
Hopefully the groove and melody will be stuck in your head for a month or so as well...
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Track 17: A nod to Norah Jones
Yes, I love Norah Jones.
Back in 2002, in the early days of my freelance writing period, I did a story on 8-string jazz guitar player Charlie Hunter. Though Hunter's stuff rightfully belongs on my Ipod (his instrumental cover of the entire Bob Marley "Natty Dread" album is stellar) I'll always like him for introducing me to Norah Jones.
He had just released the album "Songs from the Analog Playground," his first album ever (or since) to feature vocalists. And two tracks (covers of Roxy Music's "More than This" and Nick Drakes "Day is Done")on the record were sung by Norah Jones--who at the time no one had heard of. I was immediately hooked.
Here's a link to that story, with a brief mention of Norah: http://archives.postandcourier.com/archive/arch02/0902/arc0905749604.shtml
Jones' debut album "Come Away with Me" was a mega-hit. It was number one on the Billboard Charts, won a Grammy for Album of the Year, and has been certified diamond--10 million records sold. I think this woman is one of the most gifted talents on the planet.
Her honey-smoky voice is just so sexy, and I became a fan since I first heard her back in 2002. I love how she's taken her influences and made her own sound tinged in jazz, country, bluegrass and even a little bit of rock and soul. The girl can flat out play--piano, keys, guitar--I saw her band play a few years and was hugely impressed by how well they could play live. And,not to belittle her talents in anyway, she is absolutely, drop dead gorgeous.
So on a chilly Sunday morning, drinking coffee (a perfect back drop for her music), I decided to dedicate the next installment of my Ultimate Playlist (again) not to one specific song, but an artist.
"Ruler of My Heart" with the Dirty Dozen Brass Band
Ruler of my heart, robber of my soul,
where can you be...I wait patiently
This track is on the Dirty Dozen Brass Band album "Medicated Magic," a great album with all sorts of guest stars (Dr. John, Widespread Panic's John Bell, Robert Randolph). This is just one of those songs where the instant I heard it became an all-time favorite.
hopefully this link will play the full song for you:
http://popup.lala.com/popup/2162009313542173316&ei=EfUbS8DFGZKYtgej6aHYAw&sa=X&oi=music_play_track&resnum=1&ct=result&cd=2&ved=0CAgQ0wQoADAA&usg=AFQjCNHE6qbA49i2xSmX6G4r4t4lAoPwzw
"The Tennessee Waltz" (live)
I remember the night and the Tennessee Waltz
Now I know just how much I have lost
Yes, I lost my little darlin' the night they were playing
The beautiful Tennessee Waltz.
"The Tennessee Waltz" is just a beautiful song in that sad bastard sort of way. It's been covered by all sorts of folks (Otis Redding, Emmylou Harris, Del McCoury, Sam Cooke). She just sings the hell out of this one.
"Even Though"
With the release of her latest album, "The Fall," which just came out in November, Jone's keeps pushing her sound. I just love the bass line groove of this song and the sort of atmospheric guitar effects.
Back in 2002, in the early days of my freelance writing period, I did a story on 8-string jazz guitar player Charlie Hunter. Though Hunter's stuff rightfully belongs on my Ipod (his instrumental cover of the entire Bob Marley "Natty Dread" album is stellar) I'll always like him for introducing me to Norah Jones.
He had just released the album "Songs from the Analog Playground," his first album ever (or since) to feature vocalists. And two tracks (covers of Roxy Music's "More than This" and Nick Drakes "Day is Done")on the record were sung by Norah Jones--who at the time no one had heard of. I was immediately hooked.
Here's a link to that story, with a brief mention of Norah: http://archives.postandcourier.com/archive/arch02/0902/arc0905749604.shtml
Jones' debut album "Come Away with Me" was a mega-hit. It was number one on the Billboard Charts, won a Grammy for Album of the Year, and has been certified diamond--10 million records sold. I think this woman is one of the most gifted talents on the planet.
Her honey-smoky voice is just so sexy, and I became a fan since I first heard her back in 2002. I love how she's taken her influences and made her own sound tinged in jazz, country, bluegrass and even a little bit of rock and soul. The girl can flat out play--piano, keys, guitar--I saw her band play a few years and was hugely impressed by how well they could play live. And,not to belittle her talents in anyway, she is absolutely, drop dead gorgeous.
So on a chilly Sunday morning, drinking coffee (a perfect back drop for her music), I decided to dedicate the next installment of my Ultimate Playlist (again) not to one specific song, but an artist.
"Ruler of My Heart" with the Dirty Dozen Brass Band
Ruler of my heart, robber of my soul,
where can you be...I wait patiently
This track is on the Dirty Dozen Brass Band album "Medicated Magic," a great album with all sorts of guest stars (Dr. John, Widespread Panic's John Bell, Robert Randolph). This is just one of those songs where the instant I heard it became an all-time favorite.
hopefully this link will play the full song for you:
http://popup.lala.com/popup/2162009313542173316&ei=EfUbS8DFGZKYtgej6aHYAw&sa=X&oi=music_play_track&resnum=1&ct=result&cd=2&ved=0CAgQ0wQoADAA&usg=AFQjCNHE6qbA49i2xSmX6G4r4t4lAoPwzw
"The Tennessee Waltz" (live)
I remember the night and the Tennessee Waltz
Now I know just how much I have lost
Yes, I lost my little darlin' the night they were playing
The beautiful Tennessee Waltz.
"The Tennessee Waltz" is just a beautiful song in that sad bastard sort of way. It's been covered by all sorts of folks (Otis Redding, Emmylou Harris, Del McCoury, Sam Cooke). She just sings the hell out of this one.
"Even Though"
With the release of her latest album, "The Fall," which just came out in November, Jone's keeps pushing her sound. I just love the bass line groove of this song and the sort of atmospheric guitar effects.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Track 16: A triple shot of Sourwood Honey
I love Thanksgiving. It's by far my favorite holiday. And I always look forward to heading back to my hometown of Columbia, SC for an extended weekend with great family, great friends, and great food.
And with the exception of Clemson's football team getting a massive beat down from USC (that's the University of South Carolina for all you readers from the other 49 states), Thanksgiving 2009 was indeed a good one.
I can't say enough about how grateful I am to my parents and extended family for shaping my entire life, but this post, these songs, and how I feel about this band is really for my friends.
I've been fortunate enough (fortune being completely subjective if you know any of my pals) to have maintained great friendships with a handful of quality folks since middle school. Some go back to elementary. And some I just can't even remember not being friends with. So Thanksgiving is always a good excuse to hang out with some of my most favorite people on the planet, drink beers, and just enjoy life.
I can't tell you exactly how many times I saw Sourwood Honey. More than a handful of shows at the old Rockafella's in Five Points in Columbia, several times while I was in college at Clemson, and a few times when I was living in Charleston. After seeing the band play at the St. Patrick's Day Festival in Five Points in 1998 (I am sorta guessing the date) I wrote a review of the show for a college non-ficiton writing class. The teacher gave me some great feedback on it, and that more or less gave me the idea that I wanted to try to write about music. And for about seven very low-paid years of my 20s I did just that.
I fucking love this band (sorry for the F-bomb, mom). And I can say with no doubt that they are a very big reason my idiot friends and I are all so into music and concerts. Sourwood Honey was part of the soundtrack to my high school and college years. And they more or less gave us all a first-hand introduction to improvisational rock.
But at the heart of it all were some great songs tinged in Southern rock. The dual front-men Ryan Goforth and Chris Conner were gifted songwriters and Conner's voice was amazing. Herbie Jeffcoat's guitar playing sounded like a hybrid of Duane Allman and Dickey Betts (probably a reason the Allman Brothers would become a favorite band of mine), and the rhythm section always gave this band such a vibrant pulse.
1. "Folk Song"
There's still some places in this world
where there are no trucks and trains,
and it's a hell on Earth for some,
but a heaven for a man that likes the beat of a slow pace
This was usually Sourwood's set closer. And it normally began with Chris and Ryan on acoustic guitars with the band gradually joining in. I love this studio version, though.
2. "Never Said..."
I never said it was easy to love me
This tune is arguably the band's masterpiece from their first album. The piano intro (played by Les Hall whom I met when he spent the night at our house with my older brother when I was in 5th grade) is just gorgeous. And the way the keys play against Jeffcoat's guitar (which smolders on this tune) adds a lot of great touches. And Chris Conner just sings the hell out of this song.
3. "Miss Misery"
Close my eyes, don't walk on my burying ground,
she'll be there when they lower me down,
tellin' you how much she misses me
This is another song that always killed live. Great lyrics and again some scorching guitar licks. Tell me you haven't been dumped before and can't agree with a line like "fuck my soul, 'cause I don't need it no more."
I could've easily posted about 4 or 5 more songs from Sourwood Honey ("All My Relation" "Anna Lee"). And I sincerely wish I could go back in time and see this band again. Especially whenever the last time I saw them was, so I could make myself remember every note of the show.
Sadly, Chris Conner died in November 2007. My heart goes out to the family and friends he left behind, but I'll be forever thankful for the music that he left behind. I'll play both of these records at least a couple of times a year to maintain sanity, and today was one of those days.
Herbie Jeffcoat still gigs around Columbia a ton and fronts the Herbie Jeffcoat Project. Les Hall toured with Howie Day and did a stint with Phish's Trey Anastasio. I actually did a story on him for jambands.com back in 2005 (http://www.jambands.com/features/2005/06/07/the-many-moves-of-les-hall-from-howie-day-to-trey), though I haven't kept up with what he's been up to lately. And I have no idea what the rest of the guys in the band are up to.
But if it's any consolation to any of the band members from Sourwood Honey, thank you all for being in one of my favorite bands of all time.
"Sometimes the honey sounds so sweet."
(p.s. sorry for the lame 'videos,' but my knowledge of iMovie is rudimentary at best.)
And with the exception of Clemson's football team getting a massive beat down from USC (that's the University of South Carolina for all you readers from the other 49 states), Thanksgiving 2009 was indeed a good one.
I can't say enough about how grateful I am to my parents and extended family for shaping my entire life, but this post, these songs, and how I feel about this band is really for my friends.
I've been fortunate enough (fortune being completely subjective if you know any of my pals) to have maintained great friendships with a handful of quality folks since middle school. Some go back to elementary. And some I just can't even remember not being friends with. So Thanksgiving is always a good excuse to hang out with some of my most favorite people on the planet, drink beers, and just enjoy life.
I can't tell you exactly how many times I saw Sourwood Honey. More than a handful of shows at the old Rockafella's in Five Points in Columbia, several times while I was in college at Clemson, and a few times when I was living in Charleston. After seeing the band play at the St. Patrick's Day Festival in Five Points in 1998 (I am sorta guessing the date) I wrote a review of the show for a college non-ficiton writing class. The teacher gave me some great feedback on it, and that more or less gave me the idea that I wanted to try to write about music. And for about seven very low-paid years of my 20s I did just that.
I fucking love this band (sorry for the F-bomb, mom). And I can say with no doubt that they are a very big reason my idiot friends and I are all so into music and concerts. Sourwood Honey was part of the soundtrack to my high school and college years. And they more or less gave us all a first-hand introduction to improvisational rock.
But at the heart of it all were some great songs tinged in Southern rock. The dual front-men Ryan Goforth and Chris Conner were gifted songwriters and Conner's voice was amazing. Herbie Jeffcoat's guitar playing sounded like a hybrid of Duane Allman and Dickey Betts (probably a reason the Allman Brothers would become a favorite band of mine), and the rhythm section always gave this band such a vibrant pulse.
1. "Folk Song"
There's still some places in this world
where there are no trucks and trains,
and it's a hell on Earth for some,
but a heaven for a man that likes the beat of a slow pace
This was usually Sourwood's set closer. And it normally began with Chris and Ryan on acoustic guitars with the band gradually joining in. I love this studio version, though.
2. "Never Said..."
I never said it was easy to love me
This tune is arguably the band's masterpiece from their first album. The piano intro (played by Les Hall whom I met when he spent the night at our house with my older brother when I was in 5th grade) is just gorgeous. And the way the keys play against Jeffcoat's guitar (which smolders on this tune) adds a lot of great touches. And Chris Conner just sings the hell out of this song.
3. "Miss Misery"
Close my eyes, don't walk on my burying ground,
she'll be there when they lower me down,
tellin' you how much she misses me
This is another song that always killed live. Great lyrics and again some scorching guitar licks. Tell me you haven't been dumped before and can't agree with a line like "fuck my soul, 'cause I don't need it no more."
I could've easily posted about 4 or 5 more songs from Sourwood Honey ("All My Relation" "Anna Lee"). And I sincerely wish I could go back in time and see this band again. Especially whenever the last time I saw them was, so I could make myself remember every note of the show.
Sadly, Chris Conner died in November 2007. My heart goes out to the family and friends he left behind, but I'll be forever thankful for the music that he left behind. I'll play both of these records at least a couple of times a year to maintain sanity, and today was one of those days.
Herbie Jeffcoat still gigs around Columbia a ton and fronts the Herbie Jeffcoat Project. Les Hall toured with Howie Day and did a stint with Phish's Trey Anastasio. I actually did a story on him for jambands.com back in 2005 (http://www.jambands.com/features/2005/06/07/the-many-moves-of-les-hall-from-howie-day-to-trey), though I haven't kept up with what he's been up to lately. And I have no idea what the rest of the guys in the band are up to.
But if it's any consolation to any of the band members from Sourwood Honey, thank you all for being in one of my favorite bands of all time.
"Sometimes the honey sounds so sweet."
(p.s. sorry for the lame 'videos,' but my knowledge of iMovie is rudimentary at best.)
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