Brighter Than Creation’s Dark – Drive-By Truckers
If you haven’t heard all the raving about the newest Drive-By Truckers’ release, Brighter Than Creation’s Dark, then you haven’t been paying attention! This one’s getting lots of positive press. Patterson Hood, Mike Cooley and Shonna Tucker have written the 19 songs on this 75 minute long album, which has exceeded even my expectations and I expect a lot.
I’ve been pretty much obsessed with this band since I first heard them on a scratchy cassette tape on a road trip in ’04. Got home and quickly educated myself on Southern Rock Opera (I grew up down there; it wasn’t hard to grasp!). I marinated in The Dirty South
Gracey’s Favoritest CDs in 2007
I am still listening to Icky Thump (White Stripes) and enjoying it more each time, so maybe that’s my favorite album of 2007. I really think Jack White brings something unexpected to the table every single time and you gotta respect that. This whole CD is full of innovative creations of the non-typical sort. Check out “CONQUEST”!!! People who think your music collection is a little “country heavy” will appreciate this one. It’s just fun. Read the full article »
Alison Krauss and Robert Plant – Raising Sand
The cover actually says Robert Plant/Alison Krauss. I’m thinkin’ Alison should have gotten top billing here. It’s really her album. I am still pleased with my purchase, but I’d read some promo-hype and was expecting more. I just feel slightly duped somehow.
Knowing that Raising Sand had “Nothin’” by the late, great Townes, the most perfect lyricist ever, and a cover of Rowland Salley’s “Killing the Blues” (which you’ve heard John Prine sing) was all it took to sell me anyway. Alison and
Robert do a very sweet, slowed-down version and are quite properly ‘swinging the world by the tail’ on this one. Read the full article »
My Night at the Fox in Boulder on a Damn Thursday
Jason Isbell is an outstanding performer.
He took charge of the stage and his band, the 400 Unit, and put on quite a show from the very beginning. By the second song, I had forgotten that he had ever consorted with any Truckers at all. Starting out his performance with "Down in a Hole" (which I always thought was called “Trouble” before I bought the album) was brilliant and surprising. Then he jumped right into "Try". ("You can’t make a woman sleep alone, but you try don’t you? You can’t make her stay her ass at home.")
Steve Earle Plays Nice!
Steve Earle is one of the most entertaining wordsmiths still slinging his guitar around these days. He got it honestly, learning from the likes of Townes Van Zandt and Guy Clark. A little younger than Guy, seems Steve is keeping up with the times on Washington Square Serenade.
All the latest music magazines are talking about Steve Earle and Washington Square Serenade this month. And rightly so. This album is surprisingly good and I had trouble being surprised, having read reviews before I caught a good listen. I was a devotee of Steve from back in the day. (I’ve torn my house up this weekend looking for that lost copy of El Corazon. I know it’s around here somewhere.)