Texas Music Journal » Album Reviews

Josh Grider – Live at Billy Bob’s

John South — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 15:00:45 +0000

Checking out the website for Josh Grider, you find that he loves writing songs and he loves playing for people. This was evident as he was tapped the first winner of the Live at Billy Bob’s Texas Recording Contest. He beat out 41 other contestants. Given the quality of the talent participating in the event, one can appreciate that this was no small feat.

Grider wrote all of the songs on this Live at Billy Bob’s album which from first track to last is quite a treat. The opening track, South of the Border, opens the album with a rhythm that pulls you in quickly, particularly with the brief rest in the refrain that has you hanging on for the next note. From there, the album just gets better with mixtures of styles, rhythms and tonalities.

Slow again uses great rhythms, balladic lyrics, and Grider’s melodic delivery that treats the listener to some real Texas ear candy. Stumbling on the Edge of Greatness has a much more complex lyrical pattern that borders on almost too busy, but when the song hits the refrain, Grider pulls the song together with his vocal craft and rhythmic variations. Overall the song comes together in the end; but it’s complexities may be a bit much for some listeners.

War with Myself opens and ends with amazing a cappella harmonies. It also features accomplished acoustic work in the instrumental solos. The lyrics are telling in that if “you are war with yourself, you’re bound to lose”. True words.

Meet in the Middle features the vocals of Josh and Kristi Grider. Her mountain timbre contrasts well with his melodic voicing. This is one of the top three tracks on the album.

City of Crosses brings us a different variation on Grider’s musical delivery. With droning violin and dark percussion in the background, Grider tells a darker story of having left the City of Crosses and yearning to go back, where he hopes redemption will be waiting for him – the lyrics are deep with the music creating a sombre, almost yearning, scene.

Josh Grider defines the characteristics of the country sound in Texas. In fact, by the end of the first track, you realize that you are listening to one of the future stars in Texas music.

For further information about Josh Grider, visit his website at www.joshgrider.com or check out Grider and the other great musicians at Smith Entertainment’s website, wwww.smithmusic.com. For more details on the album, or Grider, contact Dawn Gardin at dawn@smithmusic.com.

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Little Girl – Big Words

John South — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 02:37:41 +0000

Early Morning Hours

When I opened the package from Emmeline’s team containing her debut EP, “Early Morning Hours”, out popped a neat little piece of marketing swag proclaiming, “Emmeline – little girl – big words”. Not to criticize the marketing, but it missed the mark. It should actually have read, “Little Girl – Big Talent”! As I cranked up the first cut of Emmeline’s debut EP, “The Story”, I was certain that listening to this disc was going to be a pleasant experience. From the first cut to the last, Emmeline took me on a journey, offering me a peek into her love, her pain, and the musical soul that drives this level of music.

The opening piano riff of “The Story” (played by Emmeline) catches you right away. When the cymbal work of Guy Cramer and the vibes of Kevin Hood join in, you’re hooked. The soft jazz working with her powerful lyrics reminds me of some of my favorite Diana Krall tunes. Add in a strong dose of Tom Waits’ work on “Blue Valentine”, and you have a feel for the cut.

Emmeline’s voicing is superb. Her sultry singing draws you into Miranda’s story of love lost with her husband in the grave. We also meet Sebastian, who is fighting his own demons. They are two lost souls, each wondering if they’re “gonna get it back again”. Emmeline paints an exquisite musical picture of the pain and suffering of these two.

“Give a Damn” takes us in another direction, much lighter than the opening offering. However, the message is still strong and clear. The singer’s pain has come from the realization that the love of her life is not focused on her; in fact he “…doesn’t give a damn about [her].” Emmeline shows us the versatility of her singing and her lyrics. The rhythmic progression of the song emphasizes her awakening.

“Where the Light Is” is an awakening story, one where the singer realizes that she and her friend are no longer traveling on the same road. She sees “where the light is”, but her friend is unable to see it. Again, Emmeline provides us powerful lyrics. She changes pace through the song to emphasize the pain she is feeling. The outro brings the song to a sad, but inevitable conclusion.

“Not that Girl” opens with a piano and percussion riff that tells us that we’re going back to a Tom Waits- like-song. However, throw in a touch of Marilyn Monroe at the end of each refrain , and you have the mixture of power, syncopation, and desire that this song exudes. Nevertheless, there is conflict – the tug of lust from across the room versus the singer’s values that prevent her from doing anything, as she’s “…not that girl.” The track is supported by strong trumpet work from Brittany Hendricks.

“Exit” reflects a singer-songwriter offering that one could hear in many of the cafés around Texas. With Josh Cooley at the guitar, Emmeline keeps up a quick beat, but the story reflects another case of love that’s reached the end of the line. It’s like she has made up her mind to “Exit” the relationship and has to run before she changes her mind.

“I Could Be Good” reminds me a lot of the work of another fantastic Texas singer-songwriter, Terri Hendrix, another great storyteller. The song epitomizes the singer’s being “a little left of center”, but “living out loud”. It’s a fun song where the pacing and verse constructs add to the overall interest of the piece.

The last track, “A Hundred Years”, opens with a great line that seems to me to reflect directly on Emmeline: “I like to think that I walk with purpose”. Nicely, the song ends the EP with hope for the future, rather than the love lost and desperation of the earlier tracks.

Emmeline’s debut work points to a promising future. She is able to take us down into the depths of despair with people whose futures are uncertain, their present unbearable. Through musical portraits of love lost, love that’s reached its end, and love about to blossom, we see the breadth of emotion that Emmeline has brought into her songs. She has a great voice, strong lyrics and talented delivery that provide a wonderful experience for her audience.

Emmeline’s tour schedule can be found at www.emmelinemusic.com. In addition, you can hear her music in a number of sites on line:

www.myspace.com/emmelinemilesmusic
www.facebook.com/emmelinemusic
www.reverbnation.com/emmeline
www.youtube.com/emmeline
www.twitter.com/emmemusic

Austin Produces Different Texas Music with Stereognosis

Sam Moore — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 23:51:05 +0000

By Tamara Loggins

Stereognosis is perhaps one of the most eclectic bands I’ve ever had the pleasure of coming across. This musical group is comprised of about 16 musical artists from different genres and hailing from all over the globe. Each brings a unique musical style and, when combined with the others’ styles, creates something even more mind blowing and intriguing.

Aaron Hermes of Stereognosis

“The Hybrid” is an interesting mix of insane drum beats, rhythmic guitar riffs, angelic vocals, and Middle Eastern musical stylings intermingled with violin, electric bass, and whole slew of different types of instruments. At times, it even seems that the group draws some its musical inspiration from Latin America. To make this band all the more unusual, they even have a beat boxer, Blake Lewis (former winner of American Idol) adding in his own style to the music.

When I first read the little excerpt explaining what kind of music this is on CDBaby, I didn’t know what to make of it. I couldn’t fathom mixing “urban western beats with traditional Middle Eastern” ones. But this group not only makes it fathomable, they completely transport you to another world.

Truly, you must purchase this album. I don’t think there’s another one more worthy of being placed on your CD shelf. My only complaint is that it’s far too short for my liking. If only it lasted for an extra 2 hours.

To find more information about the band and their CD, visit their website at: http://www.stereognosis.com/about-stereognosis

Jaffe Debuts Strong with Suburban Nature

Sam Moore — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 15:06:30 +0000

By Tamara Loggins

Sarah Jaffe delivers an eclectic folksy, indie rock record packed with memorable tunes and soft lullabies. She opens with the sad power ballad, “Before You Go.” The song is heavily instrumental based with Jaffe’s vocals complementing the sorrow of the song with her emotionally stirring vocals.

The album continues drawing in with songs about vulnerability, love and love lost. Jaffe’s lyrics accompany unique instrumental stylings in every song, making each one all the more intriguing. Her style is similar to indie rock favorites Lizzie West, Feist and Cat Power; however, her vocals evoke a power all their own that makes her stand out.

This is truly a standout debut album and should be purchased immediately by every Folk/Indie music fan. For more information on Sarah Jaffe and her debut album, go to: http://www.sarahjaffe.com/.

Texas Indie Group Gets Inspiration from Film

Sam Moore — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 15:59:45 +0000

By Tamara Loggins

Shaolin Death Squad integrates hard rock riffs, mild-paced melodies, and Serg Tankian-styled vocals to create their powerful third album, Five Deadly Venoms.

What makes this band so interesting is how they use piano solos, in the style of Tim Burton’s go-to-guy, Danny Elfman, intermingled with System of a Down musical stylings. At first, I wasn’t sure the two could be combined, but after hearing the opening track, “Romanza,” I fell into a deep infatuation. It’s terribly easy to get be transported to the world these guys create with their music.

The concept of the album was inspired by the movie Five Deadly Venoms by Chang Cheh. These guys combined the movie inspirations with their insanely intriguing musical style to create an album worth a slot in your CD collection.

For more information about this independent Texas band and to purchase their CD, go to: http://www.shaolindeathsquad.com/.

Pink Elephant Explains the Pros and Cons of Love

Sam Moore — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 16:41:40 +0000

By Tamara Loggins

R&B singer N’Dambi’s newly released debut album, Pink Elephant, is as soulful as it is sensual. The singer delivers ‘70s-esque rhythms, seductive vocals and semi taboo lyrics about love and aspirations and all the troubles that come with them.

She goes from singing about the work that love requires in order to survive in “What It Takes,” to displaying her displeasure of being with a man who’s already spoken for in “Daisy Chain.” Her style is reminiscent of Lauren Hill’s work, and truly, it felt like N’Dambi was strumming my pain with her finger.

Those who enjoy the musical stylings of Eryka Badu and Indie Arie would be hard pressed to find a more intriguing, soul-filled album than N’Dambi’s.

N’Dambi was raised in Dallas, after her parents moved the family from Memphis. She grew up with many gospel influences from her church.

To check out N’Dambi and purchase her CD go to: http://ndambionline.com/.

San Marcos Band Releases Strong Debut Album

Sam Moore — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 02:12:38 +0000

Devil’s Hollow, a Texas band hailing from San Marcos, delivers a pounding self-titled debut album filled with bluesy lyrics, rock ‘n’ roll guitar solos, country-esque rhythms and funky beats reminiscent of ‘70s groove music.

The CD opens with “The Charm,” a song filled with heartfelt lyrics and a smooth country beat, then moves on to their more funky-blues oriented tracks, such as “Time and Tell” and “Ketchup’s Boogie.” This album makes you want to both dance and throw up your rock symbols while head-banging.

With sexy beats, great lyrics and rockin’ guitar riffs, what more could you ask for in a debut album? This album should make its way into every blues-rock fans collection.

To check out the band and buy the CD, visit: http://www.reverbnation.com/devilshollow

Brian Cutean In Austin – CD Release Guitarred and Feathered

Fri, 07 May 2010 17:02:01 +0000

Brian Cutean was a mainstay of the the Austin music landscape in the 80’s and early 90s regularly featured at places like Chicago House, Maggie Mae’s, The Cactus Café, The Other Side, Folkville and other venerable venues. Now based in the Pacific Northwest, he performs, writes and tours, making a Texas trip once a year in spring.

The Austin concert this year is celebrating his new wordless guitar album, Guitarred and Feathered, just released this March. The concert is Sunday May 16 at Café Caffeine, 909 W. Mary. The concert is from 4:30-7pm and all ages are welcome. Tickets are $5 – $10 sliding scale and no one will turned away for lack of funds. Brian will be accompanied by long time sideman, Austin bassist Robert Vignaud.

After five albums and nearly 30 years of award-winning songwriting, performing wordplay, metafables and stories, the Oregon troubadour’s wordless guitar music is music for mindheartsouls to sing along with. The new recording is one guitar, a whirl of musical ideas and the sound of hands, wound wires and wood. A breather from a world shrill with opinions, instant message me-me-me blogs and 24 hour news chatter, Guitarred and Feathered is universal in every language and the stories it tells belong to everyone.

The album is already getting airplay from more than thirty radio stations around the globe and appeared as album of the week on Amarillo’s High Plains Public Radio in April. Host Johnny Black wrote: “This week’s A-List CD comes to us from a truly original singer/songwriter, Brian Cutean. His new album, Guitarred and Feathered is entirely instrumental and consists of amazing finger-style guitar compositions.”

QTN’s website is www.QTNRG.org. Songs from Guitarred and Feathered are posted for listening at myspace.com/QTNstrumentals. To contact Brian for interviews, more information, or a review CD, email QTNZYME@yahoo.com.

More Words About Wordlessness:

“Guitarred and Feathered soars with a vast array of interesting, creative ideas that are beautifully presented. I quickly forgave Brian for omitting his uniquely brilliant wordplay as his guitar dances, contemplates and jests with QTN magic.” – Mike Meyer, KMHD-fm, Oregon Public Broadcasting

“Guitarred & Feathered is a pleasant surprise from Brian Cutean. Many singer/ songwriters’ ability as musicians are often overshadowed by their focus on writing and singing. This instrumental album shows another side of this musician who can really play guitar and does it well. The album does not sound like he is trying to showcase that talent as much as trying to write great songs where the guitar is the voice instead of his singing voice. Plenty of fine playing too… Highly recommended.” – Terry Currier, Owner, Music Millennium Records

“Brian is one of those rare guitarists who possesses a ‘signature touch’ that can be recognized in a moment. That touch makes no secret of his love affair with the guitar and it bubbles up in each delightful composition on this CD…A splendid piece of work that will always be a jewel in my collection.” – Kelly Mulhollan, Musician, from Still on the Hill

“Brian QTN is a wandering wordplay troubadour whose crafty lyrics and verbal punnery deflects attention from his soulful and sprightly guitar work. At times soothing, at times jaunty and whimsical, QTN’s solo guitar is like a soft feather bed that tickles your sweet spot while welcoming you home.” – Lisa Lepine, ProMOTION

“QTN is the guitarist with one foot in the groove!” – DE Knight, Seraphic Park

Jimmy Needham Prepares Release of Third Project

Sam Moore — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 16:05:18 +0000

By Bianca Montes

The soothing and vibrant vocals of Houston-based singer/songwriter Jimmy Needham are set to infect your ears and your spirits May 18 with the release of his third studio project, Nightlights.

I was instantly captured as a listener by the funky guitars and smoking key section in the album opener, “Moving to Zion.” Needham’s music is quick to exhilarate his listeners with a light and airy tone and deeply moving lyrics.

“The goal of this record is to break down walls and help me achieve my mission in the same sense those old spiritual songs did in the past,” Needham said. “If people can take something positive away from this album, that’s all I can ask for.”

Filled with a modern and carefree spirit reminiscent of a sunny day, stand-out selections “Being Small” and the pop-classic remake of “How Sweet it is (to be Loved by You)” are just a few classics on this album rich in glory.

When Needham slows down for his semi-autobiographical song, “The Reason I Sing,” the raw talent of the artist is beautifully complemented by an emotional texture of a jazz guitar and well-placed trumpet. If you were to listen to this song, and all you were able to hear was the music, you could easily be wrapped up in an amazing guitar section and lost in a serene state of mind. But as you take in the lyrics and the motive of what drives Needham to sing, you are left reflecting a bit more than just the words.

Comparable to a mix between Michael Bublé and Jason Marz, Needham still manages to establish his own sound and individuality in this honest collection of work. Ending on a raw note, “Nightlights” strips away the instruments and singing and takes a moment to just speak to its listeners. Delivering another solid project to his collection, Needham has left us with a soulful collection of poetry.

Earl Bailey – Guitarist and Innovative Educator

John South — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 03:24:27 +0000

By John South

Evenings in Plano are generally fairly quiet, not that Plano is the small, sleepy bedroom community it used to be. But on most evenings, outside one particular house, one can hear the distinctive low frequencies of guitars and the thumping of a drum machine that signal that you have reached the studio of a music teacher.

This is not the studio of just any teacher though. As you enter the studio, you hear two of the students playing a chord progression in G major; another is improvising over the progression. In front of the small class, sits the teacher. He alternates from helping the students stay in time with the drum track, providing his own improvisation, and assisting one the students who doesn’t have a chord properly shaped. All watch as his large hands float across the fretboard.

Earl Bailey has taught many students from his studio–many who were learning to play their first instrument, others who were accomplished musicians with other instruments, and some with college degrees in music. He starts each student with the same fretboard chart – where he shows them the five easy areas to memorize. If a vacancy occurs in a class, the new student starts with the same blank fretboard chart with the more experienced students assisting in initial education.

How did Earl Bailey become a music teacher?

Bailey, originally from Oklahoma City, fell in love with rock guitar when he saw Def Leppard on MTV in 1981. He spent four years perfecting the air guitar, even after his mother bought a guitar from a pawn shop sometime in 1982 or 1983. He never learned to play that guitar, as its warped neck and the lack of an amp never allowed him to determine if it actually worked.

Bailey says, “I didn’t realize until years later that it was that guitar that gave me hope that one day I’d have a real guitar. The first guitar I bought was an Aria Pro II Les Paul copy in 1984. I paid for it by mowing lawns and with my allowance. But, my official start date was September of 1985 when I got my first amp, a Crate 110. A friend showed me how to play “Rock You Like A Hurricane” from the Scorpions. I took it from there.”

Bailey bought books and tapes, and learned whatever anybody would teach him. The key to his early success was the fact that he played every day for several hours at a sitting. He even competed in guitar contests after only playing for six to nine months – no wins but he gained great experience.

Bailey continues, “I took two lessons in my third year. That is where I learned the major scale and some basic arpeggios. I played in some garage bands in high school like CYRUS and CAPTAIN BLOOD. I played in some talent shows but the garage bands were just that…garage bands. After high school I played in a reggae band called DUB FACTOR.”

In 1991, Bailey moved to Texas to attend the Art Institute of Dallas for its music and video business program. Bailey says, “Around this time I was doing a lot of recording of my own music, going to school 20 hours a week, playing in a metal band called X-MAN, studying kung-fu, doing tournaments, and discovering who I was as a person and a musician. My solo project was called SHAOLIN. “

In 1994, Bailey released a local consignment album called “Year of the Dog.” Six years later, he compiled another album under a project simply called “EARL”. The album that resulted from this effort was titled “Harder Than It Seems.”

“I met my teacher Philippe Willem in 1998. I studied with him for 3 years alltogether. That is where I learned how music really works, “ Bailey tells us. “He encouraged me to teach, telling me that by teaching I would always continue to learn. That is the main reason why I teach to this day! I will always be a student.”

What has 11 years of teaching and 25 years of guitar playing taught Bailey?

“The problem today is that there is too much information,” Bailey says, “It’s hard to know where to begin. “ He quotes Ralph Waldo Emerson, “’There are many methods, but few principles. The one who can grasp principles can successfully select their own methods. ‘ That is how I teach.”

There are many guitar methods on the market today. Some go into extreme detail showing you one scale after another. But, they don’t teach you the principles behind the scales. That is where Bailey focuses his students – learn the principles, then practice what you have learned, and experiment to find your own voice.

What do his students think about Bailey’s teaching method?

Jerry Fitzpatrick is an architect that has been studying with Bailey. “Earl Bailey is a unique talent, aside from his mastery of music theory and guitar. Earl has the ability to teach. Sounds easy, but not so! Earl is one of the few who can immediately “dial-in” on a student’s level of experience and understanding, tailoring his response, while the student feels supported and encouraged. Watching him relate to students of all levels (and ages) is amazing. Everyone leaves feeling confident that their individual goal as a musician is entirely possible. You leave, knowing “I can do this.” Amazing teacher, kind person, talented musician! You can’t find better and you are blessed to study under him.”

What is the next phase in teaching for Bailey?

This year represents a new direction in teaching the guitar for Bailey. He is bringing his method of teaching out to people who can’t join him in the studio. The first phase is to provide a set of backing tracks against which students can practice improvising. He illustrates his concept of learning scale principles by keeping all of the tracks in G major (Em). The tracks allow you to practice all seven degrees of G major as well as the three pentatonic options. Each of the tracks provides a different feel for the music, but allows a player to fully express their feeling in the music.

The backing tracks are available from iTunes (http://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/earlsguitar/id338743929).

The backing tracks are only the first phase of this project. Bailey is recording a video to work in conjunction with the backing tracks. The video will be on the market shortly, but the backing tracks are available now. They are valuable for budding, as well as accomplished guitarists.

The Bailey guitar method cuts through the confusion that most other guitar methods provide as the meat of their lessons. However, whether sitting in class or using the video and backing tracks, in the end, it’s up to the student to have the desire and fortitude to learn how to play. Bailey sums it up, “For those who want to learn to express themselves honestly through the guitar, there is a better way. I know not everyone wants to be enlightened. But music is a beautiful language that allows us to communicate with each other without saying a word. “

You can learn more about Earl Bailey by checking out his website (http://www.earlsguitar.com) or by going to his Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000116710452#/profile.php?v=info&id=100000116710452).

The Truth Is

John South — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 01:11:04 +0000

By John South

On the back porch of a house in a small Texas town, a little girl sat and dreamed of playing guitar and being a singer. She made up songs – singing through the day. She listened to the music of Joni Mitchell – she wanted to be just like her, to sing just like her. She also found inspiration in the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. Jeanie Sliva grew up loving music – any music other than country music.

Then, as fate would have it, a friend invited her to travel to Nashville; that’s when she “heard” country for the first time. Actually she had heard country music all her life, she heard it in a different way. She realized that she had a new musical direction to explore.

In 2000, Sliva concentrated on a song for a group like Boys to Men. She spent an entire year working on the song and received a single song contract. She had a bite from Sony in NY for Mandy Moore, but the song went no further.

The question they asked, however, shocked her, “Do you have anything else?” Sliva learned a very valuable lesson at that point in her music career – the importance of having a song catalog. She has dedicated herself since to developing her craft and her songs.

Sliva tells us that she learned another very valuable lesson from her early experience in Nashville. She went into the process of writing country songs thinking that writing country was easy. She found that that certainly wasn’t the case. It fact, she found the writing of country to be humbling.

Having fallen in love with Nashville, the city as well as the music, Sliva took advantage of many of the opportunities to learn about the craft. She has attended several of the songwriter workshops offered in Nashville which she has found extremely insightful about the craft of writing music. She has also attended the pitches to producers to see what others are writing.

The song critiques were the hardest part of writing songs for Nashville. Though she felt she had a pretty good product, Sliva found through her first song critique how difficult writing a quality country was going to be. Nashville offered up its own version of tough love. But she persevered and rewrote, and rewrote. The efforts are reflected in her new album, Truth Is…

One of the efforts that Sliva has found fulfilling in her effort to develop her craft is to join organizations like the Austin Songwriters Group and the Nashville Songwriters Association International where she is a member of the North Texas Chapter. In each organization, she finds the kind of social networking, learning and inspiration that helps her move forward in her craft.

How do you describe Sliva’s music? Is it country? Is it pop? Is it folk?

If you look at her current musical influences, K. D. Lang, Alison Krauss, Rosanne Cash, Lucinda Williams, and Keith Urban, you would think that she is country; however, like most Texas musicians, Sliva is the amalgam of many different musical approaches. You hear a lot of country, but you still hear the Joni Mitchell and Lucinda Williams influence. You also feel the pop influences of the Beatles, the Stones and others from her earlier musical development. Overall, though, you hear a well-developed musical talent.

Sliva’s new album, Truth Is…, illustrates how much the combination of a hardworking songwriter, a group of talented musicians and impressive producer can accomplish. Each track is well-polished with each vocals and instrumentation supporting each other. The producer, Patrick McGuire out of his studios in Arlington, TX, assembled the perfect set of musician for Sliva’s album:

Rocky Dribble – acoustic and electric guitars, banjo
Milo Deering – dobro, fiddle, mandolin, acoustic guitar, pedal steel and lap steel
Lou Carfa – acoustic and electric bas
Brent Dacus – drums, percussion
Roland Elbert – piano
Joey Carter – piano, percussion
Brad Neher – piano and B3 organ

Supporting Sliva and the instrumentalists is Andrea Wallace providing the backup vocals.

The album, itself, is well-composed – each song supporting the others. Sliva brought together 12 significant examples of her work. The opening work, The One You Keep, starts off with a guitar riff that immediately draws you into the song and the album. The song provides a good foundation for what is to follow.

Softer, the second track, Take You There, provides an intimate conversation between the singer and her love. You really feel like the singer is talking directly to you. The chorus is the vocal equivalent of the singer reaching out to take you by the hand and walking with you down to the place that she finds special.

Stolen Moment highlights the yearning of one who can’t quite catch the heart of the one she desires. This is another example of Sliva’s softer works. It is highlighted by the steel work of Milo Deering which really emphasizes the yearning in the singer’s heart.

Sweet Memories is one the best offerings on the album. From the lyrics to the instrumentation this song really highlights the qualities of the artists. The fiddle and steel work help to develop the emotion of the singer. You feel her pain, her desire to really hold on to someone that she’s lost.

The fifth track, I Can’t Let It Go, follows with some of the same emotion that Sliva developed in Sweet Memories – love lost. You can feel the pain in the singer’s heart as she continues to reach out to her lover trying to recapture the lost love.

Beautiful Girl is one of Sliva’s more recognized pieces. It won the September, 2006 “Song of the Year” competition in the Pop category. The song reminds you of your early days of being in love, when you could not keep your girl out of your mind, or out of your heart. An interesting aspect of this song is that the reference to “beautiful girl” is how you view her beauty in your mind. She may not have that Swedish model kind of beauty, but in your heart she is someone that you can’t live without – “there’s no one like her in this whole wide world. “

I’d Give Anything also explores the love the artist feels for her love. She is reaching out try to find a way to bring her love back. You’ll enjoy the production work on this track. In combination with the melodic tones of the singer, the producer has added in harmonics and strong reverb in parts of the song to really emphasize the sense of loss.

Your Choice presents a sharp approach to the music led by the percussionist and fiddle work. Each instrument is played with something of a staccato attack to illustrate the singer’s hurt as she’s tries to pull the pieces of her life back together after her lover made his choice. The fiddle, in particular, guides you through the work, taking you up and down with the singer’s emotion.

Truth Is is a very elegant song, again, one of the best tracks on the album. Lyrically very romantic, it reminds you of the classic country tunes that graced the halls of the Ryman Auditorium in the day. With the exquisite piano work of Roland Elbert and the heart wrenching steel work of Milo Deering, Sliva presents a strong performance with lyrics and music that opens her heart and pain to the listener.

The album finishes strongly with Heart of Gold, an acoustic version of I Can’t Let It Go, and Heaven Bound. Each shows another dimension of the musical talent of Sliva. In the first two songs, she shows the difficulties of love, being in love and staying in love. In Heaven Bound, Sliva changes directions slightly by taking us through an internal journey of searching for self. The answer is not just religion, but in how we treat our fellow man. Andrea Wallace adds a strong spoken part in the middle of the song that drives the point home, “Coretta Scott King quoted her husband at a speech in 2003 where she said, Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” That’s where the “Truth Is.”

Overall, Truth Is is an excellent debut album for Sliva. Her songs take us through the emotional thread of love – love found, love struggling and love lost. McGuire blended the elements of Sliva’s song in a manner that each instrument and each voice adds something to the composition. When asked what she thought of the finished album, Sliva just smiled (that same proud smile that you give your child when they accomplish something great). Anyone listening to Sliva’s album will get that same sense of pleasure.

You can learn more about Jeanie Sliva on her MySpace site, and on Sonic Bids. The album is available on iTunes and at CD Baby.

Welcome Home Shelley King

John South — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 20:44:30 +0000

Shelley King, 2008 Official State Musician of Texas, presents us with a new offering, Welcome Home, that that not only highlights the flexibility of her vocal talent, but also underscores the craftsmanship that she and the Subdudes (John Magnie, Tim Cook and Steve Armedée) put into each and every song. One factor of craft that really standouts out in this recording is King’s minimalist approach to instrumentation. She doesn’t overpower a song with excessive instrumental support. In fact, the title song opens with a simple acoustic strum that supports the power of the vocals (which are absolutely awesome). The wailing undertones provided by the accordion and percussive support of the other instruments paints a picture of old time gospel that is quite engaging.

Another minimalist song is King’s, “I Remember”. Basically using vocals, drums, and a touch of harmonica, King draws you into the energy of the song. The crispness of the recording allows the listener to feel every bit of the drum work. Each element balances the other perfectly.

Where fuller instrumentation is provided, King ensures that a musical balance is maintained. This balances allows her to take us on a musical journey that includes gospel numbers (Welcome Home, Grain of Sand), south Texas zydeco influenced melodies (Everything’s All Right), bluesy numbers (I Can’t Make It Easy), country-influence (How You Make Me Feel, Falling Fast) and even a reprise of “Welcome Home” that emphasizes the old-timey nature of the song through a simulated early radio sound. Each number supports the next in the album, though they may be of completely different styles.

“Summer Wine” is a song that has received international air play already. However, there are many songs on this album that should be getting radio time. A song like “Asking Too Much” exudes the Texas sound. A beautiful melody is supported with great vocals and accordion work; one finds themselves transported into a Texas frame of mind. “Grain of Sand” has a folksy gospel sound that draws you into the song with the deep bass vocal backup and the excellent organ work.

King shows the flexibility of her talent in this album. Going beyond the fact that she was the first woman selected for the post of Official State Musician of Texas, in Welcome Home, King shows that she is a master song craftsman; perfect instrumentation for the mood of her songs, supported by a fantastic cast of musicians. This is definitely an album to pick on your holiday gift list!

Welcome Home

www.shelleyking.com

Summer Wine (Shelley King)
I Remember (Shelley King)
Welcome Home(Shelley King,
Everything’s All Right (Shelley King, Theresa Andersson)
Asking Too Much (Tim Cook, Steve Strickland)
How You Make Me Feel (Shelley King, Floramay Holliday)
I Can’t Make It Easy (John Magnie, Shelley King)
It’s Starting to Rain (Shelley King)
Falling Fast (Shelley King)
Grain of Sand (Shelley King)
Welcome Home Reprise (Shelley King)

Welcome Home is available from iTunes, Amazon, and CD Universe along with King’s albums, Call of My Heart (1998), The Highway (2002), Rockin’ the Dancehall (2004), Armadillo Bootleg #1 (2008). Lemonade Records (lemonade_records@yahoo.com), based in Austin, was created by artists far the support of artists. Operating in a fiercely competitive environment, Lemonade Records is a lean and mean outfit which combines the functions of a traditional record label with artist booking, show and media promotions and national and international tour services. Lemonade Records, P.O. Box 33097, Austin, TX 78764 (512-386-6355).

Album Review: David Cline presents Big Slick

Rick Matos — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 23:15:48 +0000

If you’ve ever wondered what Texas music to play on poker night, well, Hold’em there cowboy. The Texas Music Journal has just run across David Cline, a Texas Hold’em music maniac.

Cline has put together a wild card set of Hold’em songs on a Texas-sized chip, songs that any player with a few holes in his pocket can relate to. Down to earth, homegrown lyrics are highlighted by solid country licks and chops on guitar, bass, harp, fiddle, steel guitar, drums, keyboard, dobro, clarinet and banjo along with gospel choir backup vocals, twangs and other “thangs”. It’s almost guaranteed you’ll pick up a beer or two and catch yourself tapping along before you’re done.

I never thought there were so many things to sing about in Texas Hold’em. His songs are full of Harleys, honeys, beer, poker, chips, antics, wins and losses. Cline spins yarns of no rent, torment and lament, but he is not about to stop the flop. He’ll take you a few turns down the river and then deal out another flop before you can even say, “I’m all in”.

Now, this collection is not for the faint-of-heart fly-by-night gambler nor is it for the dead-eye poker-faced gambler. It’s for those players out for some serious fun, because you can’t take yourself too seriously in Hold’em. If there’s one message that Cline can testify to it’s that the luck is in the cards. So, gather up your buds, grab a beer, shuffle and let Cline deal out the fun.

And, yes, I’m a Hold’em player… ‘nuff said.

Cline has done more than just produce this one album. He’s put together a total of seven country music albums and one gospel album. He also has numerous other songwriting and entertainment awards to add to his credits. David’s music is now being played on XM Radio, Internet Radio as well as AM & FM radio stations all over the United States and Europe. In January of 2004, a song he wrote, entitled “Good Ole Country Music & Western Swing”, hit number one on the European Country Music Charts. He topped the Worldwide Mainstream Indie and Major Charts as most independent played artist in November of 2002. Over the years, there have been numerous articles written about David, and his music in local papers and national trade magazines. Magazines like Truckers News, Road Star, Road King and The Trail Rider. Most recently there has been a full two-page featured article written about David in the May/June issue of the National RV Companion Magazine.

More information about David Cline can be found at his website: www.davidcline.com. Copies of the album as well as digital downloads can be purchased at CD Baby.

Tracks:
1. Darned Ole Casinos
2. Friday Night Poker Game
3. Big Slick
4. Texas Hold’em
5. Brand New Friends
6. Texas Hold’em Championship Bracelet
7. I’m All In
8. Bad Beat Blues
9. Lady Luck
10. That Almighty River
11. The Gambler
12. Ace in the Hole
13. All the King Georges

Performers:
Lead Vocals: David Cline
Bass: Jerry Hancock, Kevin Bailey, Kerry Huckaba
Harmonica: Kevin Bailey
Lead Guitar: Ron Ramirez, Jerry Matheny, Milo Deering
Fiddle: Milo Deering, Steve Story
Key Board: Ron Dilulio, Brad Neher
Clarinet: Joe Auenson
Steel Guitar: Junior Knight, Milo Deering
Drums: Billy Joe Freeman, Warren Dewey
Dobro: Milo Deering, Mitchell Smithey
Banjo: Kevin Bailey
Background Vocals: Benita Arterberry, Kevin Bailey

Executively producers: David and Becky Cline
Song production and engineering: Paul Osborne (Audio Dallas Studios, Dallas, TX) and Phil York (Yorktown Digital, Irving, TX)
Mastering: Phil York (Yorktown Digital, Irving, TX)
Circle Wire Records (Seagoville, TX)
Cline Acres Pub

Album Review: The Snakecharmers – Been Gone Too Long

John South — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 04:05:44 +0000

The Snakecharmers formed in 2002 as a family affair. Marie Angell, Will Blumentritt and their son Eric Blumentritt brought together diverse musical backgrounds to form an incredible blues sound. The missing element for the band was a lead guitarist that could feel the music and integrate into “the family”. They found that in the person of Larry Meeker, a saxophonist by early training who turned to the guitar in a big way; his skill is demonstrated throughout Been Gone Too Long. In many ways, he is the glue that brings the sound of the Snakecharmers together.

So how does a blues band come to be called The Snakecharmers? Angell answers the question by recalling how a pet corn snake became very excited when the band played – sounds reasonable! Actually, the band name and the album cover are the two things that drew us to the album; both are intriguing. The cover art is well done with an old steamer trunk as the main element. Done in brownish hues, the cover depicts the idea of the album, Been Gone Too Long.

Marie Angell came from rock, disco backgrounds in music. However, with songs like “Hoochie Mama” and “Ain’t Nothin’ But the Blues”, we see that she has evolved into quite a blues singer. Her sultry approach to the latter song creates a picture of earlier days in the blues when people would gather around the porch, open a few beers on a hot summer night and sing what they felt in their souls. It’s a good way to open the album.

Will Blumentritt has been in music for roughly 30 years performing in bands since high school. For many years, they played for others, but reached a point where they were able to do the music that they wanted to do. Blumentritt brings his technical and managerial skills into play in the production of the CD.

Eric, the younger Blumentritt, is “intense”, as Angell describes him. She tells us that he is steeped in music. He watched Raffi videos as a child, studying the drummer. He took a trip through Reggae before coming across a Grateful Dead album at age 15 or 16. From that he developed a blues, almost country, approach to percussion.

Eric takes music further than just performing a song. Being a history major, he has studied music from the 20s and 30s up through psychedelic rock. Angell tells us, “He doesn’t just learn a song; he studies it. He tries to find ways to improve a song. He is a musician’s musician.” This dedication to the music is highly evident on Been Gone Too Long. His dynamic use of the drums to punctuate the beat when needed is as well done as his ability to softly and subtly apply the cymbals to add a bluesy feel to a song.

Larry Meeker met the team at a musicians’ meet-up group. He rarely attends those types of events, but fate brought them together. They had gone through a lot of guitar players before meeting Meeker. When they had a chance to play with him, they realized that their search was over. Now he is a part of the team; one whose ideas are incorporated in the CD.

The band is more than a group of four individuals. Angell tells us that “…each brings something unique to the CD. Really, this is a unit”. This unity shows as the album is a well balanced, well written, and well produced work.

As stated above, the opening volley, “Ain’t Nothin’ But the Blues” is a great opening number for the album. Hearing Angell’s voice for the first time, singing in a low, slow, sultry gait leaves the listener wanting to hear more. Supporting the song is the hot harp work of Alan “Otis Futhermucker” Gould. His solo in the middle of the piece gives the song a steamy New Orleans sound. David Coronado adds guitar to complete the picture. Overall, this is one of the best tracks on the album and is one of the best opening numbers heard on album in a while.

Angell laughs as she tells us that “Hoochie Mama” was written as a goof. When meeting with a group of other women writers, they agreed that they all love their kids, but sometimes they want to be “Hoochie Mamas”! This led to a fun song that is often requested as the band plays in the Houston area. It starts out with a fast paced guitar intro that breaks into Angell singing that she “…wants to be a Hoochie Mama.” The song is a good example of Texas blues. It’s easy to see why this song is so often requested.

“Big, Big, Love” was inspired by a couple that Angell saw exhibiting a big public display of their love. She says, “They had that kinda love that drives you crazy.” The song again has a strong dose of harp in the middle that again gives it a strong New Orleans influence. This song shows the versatility of the band in delivering a big sound to support well developed lyrics.

Angell tells us that she is partial to the bass. In songs like “No Mercy”, “Been Gone Too Long” and even “Just a Little Kiss”, the songs begin with a bass intro giving them an intriguing hook. Several other songs start with either vocal intros (without instrumentation) or even with a drum intro (“Half a Cup”). This style of songwriting supports the blues image that the band is portraying. More importantly, its simplicity hooks the listener into the song early.

The title track, “Been Gone Too Long” has a haunting bass and guitar opening. By the time Angell opens with “Baby…” we are really anticipating that sultry vocal. This song really exemplifies Meeker’s guitar work. The song sounds almost psychedelic in parts, 60s rock in others, but with a strong blues underpinning throughout. The drum work of Eric Blumentritt really shines in this track.

Highlighting these tracks doesn’t do full justice to the album. Overall, this is an album and band one can enjoy listening to. Angell tells us that the band will be recording their next work next year. In the meantime, they are thinking about pre-publishing a song or two to whet everyone’s appetite. They are anticipating more instrumental work, but with a mix of musical styles. We can hope that they bring more of their blues, even perhaps more roots blues work, into the new album. We will be watching for the new work when it comes out.

We are not the only ones who appreciate the music of The Snakecharmers. The band has been nominated in the Blues category by the Houston Press for their 2009 Music Awards. Voting begins with the July 2nd issue and will continue through the Music Awards showcase July 26th. The winners will be announced July 30th at Warehouse Live.

Further information about The Snakecharmers and their music can be found at their website: www.snakecharmers.net.
Copies of their album can be purchased at Amazon, CD Baby and on iTunes.

Tracks:

1. Ain’t Nothin’ But The Blues
2. No Mercy
3. Can’t Trust A Heart
4. Big Big Love
5. Been Gone Too Long
6. I Wanna Do Right
7. Move on Blues
8. Half a Cup
9. Just A Little Kiss
10. (I Wanna Be A) Hoochie Mama

Performers:

Marie Angell: Vocals, keyboards
Will Blumentritt: Bass
Larry Meeker: Guitar
Eric Blumentritt: Drums
Alan “Otis Futhermucker” Gould: Harmonica
David Coronado: Additional guitar
Tracy Wilson: finger snaps/hand claps

Produced and arranged by The Snakecharmers in association with Troy Warren and Tracy Wilson.
Recorded and mixed at Absolute Sound Studios by Troy Warren (Houston, Texas).
Sound engineers: Tracy Wilson, David Coronado, Troy Warren

Singers/songwriters or bands that would like their album reviewed their albums can send 2 CDs and their contact information to our office (Texas Music Journal, 8920 Pocono Dr., Plano, TX 75025).

Anna Thomas’ stunning first outing: Splash of Red

Ryan Michael Galloway — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 01:47:31 +0000

I’ve been following the development of North Texas performing songwriter, Anna Thomas, for almost a year now. She has just released her first EP, Splash of Red, a locally produced venture. I have to say, I’m completely impressed.

Usually when you listen to a small regional release, you find yourself having to make a lot of excuses for shortcomings in the music, production and arrangement. Not so on this one, where the recording and production contain both elegant simplicity and intelligent complexity—all in just the right measure and at just the right time. To sweeten the deal, there isn’t a lame cut on the whole release. The big leaguers don’t even do that most of the time.

I had a feeling come over me when I first listened to this CD, and I can remember the exact moment I last had the same feeling. It was when I put Steely Dan’s Aja on the turntable for the first time and listened to it through some pricey headphones. The texture was perfect; the music engaging, snarky and just challenging enough (I mean all of that in a good way), with little musical surprises that made you feel like the artist was letting you in on something, if you would just listen. Splash of Red hit me just like that.

Anna must be an old soul. I haven’t told you yet that she is merely 13 years old. That means she’s just getting started, which excites me no end. If this is how she’s starting her career, my God, she will be a joy to watch if she decides to continue to develop her art.

The lyrics are very sophisticated for anyone’s age. You could compare her sound to Coby Calais, but she does some more interesting turns in her voice that I haven’t heard anywhere else, and her advanced musical and lyrical tendencies surpass the pop star category. The teens may get pulled into it, but I see her demographic as older and a bit more discerning than even, say, the average light jazz listener. This may limit Ms. Thomas’ following a bit, but mark my word, if she sticks with it her following will be rabid for her sound and her future releases.

Finally, some credit goes to a few people helping Anna perfect her sound and her recordings. This is not to take away one ounce of her talent, but every picture needs a great frame—and she has more than one. Front and center is Matthew Gaskins, a remarkable musician with a Masters Degree out of North Texas University. That’s impressive enough, but Mr. Gaskins is more phenomenon than mere musician. He has not only mastered a number of instruments—including his voice—but understands the holistic arc of a production and its arrangement. He collaborated with Ms. Thomas on the arrangements of all the songs, and produced Little Red and My Circle.

The songs Bleached, Trace of Light, and Break Apart were produced by Salim Nourallah, one of Mr. Gaskins colleagues. Mr. Nouralla’s production style on all of the instruments and vocals appears to be, “If it doesn’t need it [an effect], then don’t use it.” The dry, minimalist result is stunning, but only because Ms. Thomas is good enough to pull it off. I’ve been encouraged to try the same approach on my own material, and the idea scares me to death! Maybe after hearing Splash of Red, I’ll get inspired to try it myself.

Behind the scenes is another remarkable person, Ms. Thomas’ father, Scott Thomas. Scott is a wonderfully flashy bassist who was generous enough to play on my last EP, Rock the Big House Down. If Mr. Thomas is a “stage dad,” he’s a very gentle one. He’s been smart enough to stay out of the way of his daughter and her collaborators, only recommending ideas in the most gentle way, and letting the art develop like a mushroom instead of a project.

If there is room for improvement, it will be in Ms. Thomas live delivery. Having said that, a recent performance demonstrated that she is on an improving trend as we speak. It has nothing to do with the quality of her singing, which is confident and convincing the majority of the time. It more has to do with the “selling” of her songs, which starts from the minute you begin to introduce the number and follows through to the final notes. It’s all headed in the right direction though, and one of the more interesting developments has been watching her weave her very dry, understated humor into her act. I think once people “get” her and she works into a really comfortable zone, that we are going to be completely blown away. That’s as opposed to mostly blown away, which is where we are now.

Album Review: Mike Darnell – The Promised Land

John South — Wed, 20 May 2009 15:00:04 +0000

Mike Darnell brings us an offering of the “flues” as he calls it – a combination of Folk and the Blues. Like much of Texas music, it’s really the confluence of the many events, people and music that have impacted Darnell. He moved around the country as a youth and was impacted by folk and rock that he heard.

Darnell counts “…Buffalo Springfield, The Byrds, Stephen Stills, Neil Young, Jackson Browne, Jim Messina, Roger McGuinn, Dan Fogelberg, Paul Simon and Bob Dylan…” as musicians that early on influenced him. You can hear a bit of each of these in his music. His album features songwriting that tells a story and provides rich instrumentation from a small number of instruments.

Vocal harmonization plays an important part in Darnell’s music. “Baby, It’s A Long Way Home”, “Old 982”, “The King of Barataria”, “Delia” and “Slow Down” all feature exceptional vocal work from the likes of T. C. Smythe and Gary Taylor (http://www.myspace.com/smytheandtaylor), Richard Gaudette, Mark Gillick, and Bill Aspinwall (see the Texas Music Journal article on Aspinwall & Friends, “Free Range Trout”). With a small number of instruments and the excellent djembe and cajon work of Peter Gruezmacher, each artist makes a big contribution to each song.

Speaking of Bill Aspinwall, Darnell tells us in his biography how he, Mike Crippen, and Bill began playing together. “With the turn of the century and new interest in music, I ventured out to take a few lessons and meet some other players. It was at an informal gathering of guitar pickers (Guitar Circle) with similar musical intentions that I met Mike Crippen and Bill Aspinwall. Similar musical backgrounds yet distinct styles drew us together and we began to meet more often to trade songs. And these guys knew their way around the fret board! We each began to write songs and with the encouragement from our Guitar Circle friends and families we played a few gigs. The trio, “Big Lizard Boys”, was born. In 2005 we recorded the album, “Pick Yourself Up”, engineered and co-produced by Houston music legend, Jack Saunders.”

Darnell has two previous albums, “The Last Mango in Harris” and “It Takes Two to Mango” which he self-recorded and produced. “The Promised Land” was engineered and co-produced by Lloyd Daniel of Songbrush Sound. As in Bill Aspinwall’s “Free Range Trout”, Daniel shows why musicians like Darnell refer to him as “The Dalai Lloyd”. He is a master of producing the best with musicians.

Each track on the album emphasizes the musical influences in Darnell’s past. Two tracks take us back to the musical storytelling of an earlier age. “Old 982” tells us the story of the wonderful old locomotive as it retired from a lifetime of service to be placed on display in Houston’s Hermann Park in 1957. The essence of this song is the final move of the locomotive to Union Station: “she’s come back to where it started…can’t you hear the whistle blowing.”

Another interesting story is “The King of Barataria”: the story of Jean Lafitte and the privateers that operated out of the Bay of Barataria at the turn of the 19th century. It is an interesting part of American history and Darnell does the story well through his lyrics and instrumentation. Kristen Jensen’s fiddle work in this song and in “Slow Down” provides interesting dimension to the instrumentation hinting at a touch of southeast Texas, a touch of swamp and even a touch of emotion with its wailing undertone.

The title track, “The Promised Land” provides us hints of Seals and Croft and perhaps a bit of early Simon and Garfunkel. An interesting aspect of this track is the accordion work of Don Magdill which provides a musical counterpoint to the flues vocal and guitar work with zydeco style emphasis. The overall effect works well.

Another interesting track is “Delia” featuring the harmony vocals of Bill Aspinwall. The song is the tragic tale of a woman leaving town for Hollywood: “It’s a long from nowhere to Hollywood. Talk’s so cheap and the money sounds so good. Don’t believing everything you’re told, everything that glitters isn’t gold. “ The song has strong guitar work that emphasizes the tragic nature of the song.

Overall, “The Promise Land” is an album that highlights Mike Darnell’s attention to lyrical detail and his ability to draw the most out of a minimalist approach to instrumentation. His folk and blues influences shine throughout the album. “The Promise land” delivers on the promise of good music and good musicians.

Further information about Mike Darnell and his music can be found at his website:

www.mikedarnellmusic.com

“The Promise Land” is available at MyTexasMusic.com. At My Texas Music, one can also purchase Mike’s previous albums, “The Last Mango in Harris” and “It Takes Two to Mango”, as well as the Big Lizard’s Boys, “Pick Yourself Up”.

Tracks:

1. Baby, It’s a Long Way Home**
2. Cold Wind
3. Old 982**
4. The Promise Land**
5. Rainbow’s End
6. Mr. T
7. Boquillas
8. The King of Barataria**
9. Delia **
10. Slow Down **
11. Ike
12. Gus’ Blues

(Notable Tracks denoted by **)

Performers:

Mike Crippen: Banjo
Richard Gaudette: Harmony vocals
Walter Bryant: Bass
T. C. Smythe and Gary Taylor: Harmony vocals
Don Magdall: Accordian
Mark Gillick: Harmony Vocal
Peter Gruezmacher: Cajon and Djambe
Bill Aspinwall: Harmony Vocal
Kristen Jensen: Fiddle
Lloyd Daniel: Electric Guitar

Co-produced and recorded by Lloyd Daniel, Songbrush Sound, Tomball, Texas. Daniel also supplied some fine guitar work on “Slowdown”.

Singers/songwriters or bands that would like their album reviewed can send 2 CDs and their contact information to our office (Texas Music Journal, 8920 Pocono Dr., Plano, TX 75025). We try to get the album reviewed within 5- 7 days of receipt. That gives us time to review the music and contact the artist for short interviews related to their music. As all albums are peer reviewed, we have two people review every album then compare and contrast notes.

Album Review – Bill Aspinwall “Free Range Trout”

John South — Sun, 17 May 2009 15:00:43 +0000

Bill Aspinwall offers us an album that crosses a number of Texas musical styles including folk, pop and blues. He has brought together a talented set of friends to produce an album that highlights their versatility and creativity including Gibson, the dog and Satchmo, the cat (highlighted in “Mister Crippen’s Banjo”). This is the first of two albums that we will be reviewing that were recorded by Lloyd Daniel at his Songbrush Sound studios near Houston.

Aspinwall was born and raised in Boulder, Colorado, but has been a traveler most of his life, having lived in Ohio, Illinois, California, Florida, Texas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma. Now residing in Austin and Houston, his music is a corollary to the historical development of Texas music. He combines the experiences of many places and different musical styles to express a musical statement that is truly his own.

The oneiric opening track sets the stage for an interesting musical experience. “Restoration” provides an illusion of being underwater. Aspinwall describes it as a dream-like state where we are being liberated from an underwater prison. As we transition into an angelic telecaster riff calling us to freedom, the count down into the title track begins. This opening sets us off on a fun musical journey.

The guitar is the integral force in Aspinwall’s music. Even as he shows his versatility with the instrument, he brings into the compositions string artists who compliment his playing style. Mike Crippen is a true artist with his fingers dancing across the banjo and lead guitar. There is Bill Dessens (http://www.riverroadboys.com) on pedal steel guitar … there is just something about a pedal steel master that adds real Texas soul to a song. And, Bill Dessens is a master of the pedal steel, having been inducted into the Western Swing Society Hall of Fame in Sacramento, California, the Pioneers of Western Swing Hall of Fame in Seattle, Washington, the Western Swing Music Society of the Southwest Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and the Texas Western Swing Hall of Fame.

T.C. Smythe and Gary Taylor (http://www.myspace.com/smytheandtaylor) add their musical flair to various songs on the album. Smythe and Taylor recently were awarded Vocal Duo of the Year at the 2009 Texas Music Awards, quite an accomplishment among a group a talented nominees. Smythe adds strong vocal support on “Second Chance” and “Mr. Crippen’s Banjo”. Taylor plays the background guitar work on an unusual part of the album.

T. C. Smythe’s vocal work on “Second Chance” highlights her ability to deliver a strong performance on a complex melody. Combined with Bill Dessens’ pedal steel work, “Second Chance” is a memorable track. It’s easy to see why both artists have been recognized by their fellow performers and fans as outstanding musicians.

In the latter half of the album, there appears a recorded commercial from around 1950 featuring a disk jockey named Cowboy Nate. I could tell you the story about Cowboy Nate, the song “My Rose” and why both are important to this album, but, paraphrasing Paul Harvey, you’ll have to wait to hear “the rest of the story”. Watch the Texas Music Journal; this story is worthy of an article on its own. After reading it, you will understand why this album would be missing something without the commercial and the track “My Rose”.

In “My Rose” the fiddle work is provided by another member of the River Road Boys, Clyde Brewer. Clyde is known in many of the music circles in Texas. Like his friend and fellow performer, Bill Dessens, Clyde has been inducted into numerous Halls of Fame – the Western Swing Society Hall of Fame in Sacramento, California, the Texas Western Swing Hall of Fame, the Golden Spike Country Music Hall of Fame in Utah, the Pioneers of Western Swing Hall of Fame in Seattle, Washington, and the Western Swing Music Society of the Southwest Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City. Additionally, he was recently inducted in the International Country Music Hall of Fame.

Aspinwall is a member of the Houston Association of Acoustic Musicians (HAAM) (http://www.myspace.com/haam2) and the Houston Songwriters Association (HSA) (http://www.houstonsongwriters.com). Within these organizations are many fine musicians and songwriters. The HSA honored Aspinwall with two awards in one year: Songwriter of the Year (2005) and Song of the Year (2005).

The Song of the Year, “Fractured Lives”, was co-written with Tracy Timpanaro and is featured on “Free Range Trout”. Adding to solid lyrics that tug at your heart strings, Mike Darnell (http://www.mikedarnellmusic.com/) provides the heartbeat to the song with his djembe work and adds good backup vocals. Jack Saunders (http://www.jacksaunders.com/), who has been a strong part of the Texas music scene since the 1970’s, contributes outstanding guitar work for the track. This is one of the more notable tracks on the album.

Another musician featured on the album is Lena Shammas. We are hoping to reprint an article written by Bill Aspinwall on Lena. In addition to being a good songwriter, Aspinwall is quite adept at writing. Lena’s story is an intriguing one and he tells it well.

The production work of Lloyd Daniel at Songbrush Sound is impeccable. He balances each instrument and voice in way that highlights their part of the song while allowing the listener to hear the important contribution each makes. With this album and the next one we review, Mike Darnell’s “The Promise Land”, we see that Daniel is as much a master of the science of sound engineering as he is a master of the art of producing the perfect sound for a song.

“Free Range Trout” is Aspinwall’s first solo effort, but obviously, he draws upon more than just his outstanding songwriting abilities. He engages the talents of many notable Texas musicians to provide the musical development of his ideas. Like the free range trout, this album traverses many streams of musical themes; but, in the end, highlights the talents of Aspinwall & Friends.

“Free Range Trout” can be purchased at MyTexasMusic.com.

Track Listing

1. Restoration
2. Free Range Trout**
3. Hole in My Pocket**
4. Second Chance**
5. El azur del invierno
6. Fractured Lives**
7. Goin’ Back to Chalmette**
8. Mr. Crippen’s Banjo**
9. Cowboy Nate
10. My Rose
11. Open Arms
12. In Winter Knows
13. Little Cat**
14. Waiting Here for You

** Notable tracks

Performers

Bill Aspinwall – vocals, acoustic and electric guitars, bass
Mike Crippen – banjo and guitar
Willie B – electric guitar
Lisa Canida – vocals
Tony Kozel – bass
Dave Corbett – drums
Mike Darnell – mandolin, djembe and back-up vocals bongos
T. C. Smythe – duet vocals and harmonies
Gary Taylor – Guitar
David and Kelly Hanshaw – harmonies
Bill Dessesns – pedal steel guitar
Lena Shammas – vocals
Jack Saunders – baritone & resophonic guitars and bass
Little Terry Rogers – Harmonica
Kelly Lancaster – mandolin
Cowboy Nate – radio ad
Clyde Brewer – fiddle
Jen Rathbun – piano
Rev. Dr. Otis Futhermucker – harmonica
Kat Rose & Molly Wear – harmony vocals
Sandy Warren – harmony vocal
Tony Ryan – bass

Recording Engineer – Lloyd Daniel, Songbrush Sound

Singers/songwriters or bands that would like their album reviewed their albums can send 2 CDs and their contact information to our office (Texas Music Journal, 8920 Pocono Dr., Plano, TX 75025). We try to get the album reviewed within 5- 7 days of receipt. That gives us time to review the music and contact the artist for short interviews related to their music. As all albums are peer reviewed, we have two people review every album then compare and contrast notes.

Album Review: Connie Mims “Go Deep”

John South — Sun, 10 May 2009 15:00:08 +0000

At the recent Texas Music Awards, Connie Mims was named Songwriter of Year. Though that is an honor in itself, Connie also found herself that afternoon among a quintet of Houston songwriters, all excellent musicians and performers. This year, Connie stood out among that elite group of peers as the one selected to be Songwriter of the Year.

Behind that award is a career of songwriting and performing that started in 1973 with the acoustic group Wheatfield and the pop-rock group St. Elmo’s Fire. Connie has performed in historic venues like the Armadillo World Headquarters and L.A.’s The Troubadour. In addition, she appeared with Wheatfield in the PBS television series, “Austin City Limits”.

Connie has also performed as a songwriter and vocalist in radio ads for clients such as HEB and Casa Ole. Along two other notable women in Texas Music, Tish Hinojosa and Toni Price, she appeared in the classic Blue Bell Ice Cream commercial known as “Texas Musicians”.

Connie is not just a recipient of awards and accolades. She works hard to give back to the music community. She co-founded and facilitates The Woodlands Songwriters Association. She is also a member of the Houston Association of Acoustic Musicians (HAAM) and servers on the Board of Governors for the Texas Chapter of the Recording Academy (GRAMMYS). She teaches the craft of songwriting as part of the GRAMMY Career Day Program and the Kerrville Folk Festival Foundation Professional Development Curriculum for Teachers.

Even with all of this experience, as Connie crossed the stage in Palestine, Texas to receive her award this past April, it was evident that Connie was very excited about winning Songwriter of the Year. Fortunately for us, it’s not the culmination of her musical career because we will see much more from Connie in the future.

In her recent album, entitled “Go Deep”, Connie provides an intimate view of the rollercoaster ride through love’s rough and tumble road. Each song paints a view of wounded love, empowerment or hope of the future of love. Connie is a great storyteller, using melodies and instrumentation that enhance the message of each song.

In this album, we feel the pain of a woman who has made the decision to move on after failed love in songs like “Anywhere My Heart Goes”, “Maybe by Topeka”, “The Same” and “Hole in My Heart”. In each, however, hope peeks out through the veil of pain. We are left with the feeling that the journey forward will be a long one. In “Anywhere My Heart Goes”, Connie provides a nice Texas country sound with excellent pedal steel guitar work from Cameron Parsons. The song is structurally interesting in its use of a technique where the verses flow directly into the chorus without pause or transition. It works beautifully, emphasizing her message throughout the song.

Connie’s songs of empowerment show that one can overcome the pain of failed love if you’re willing to take your life by the reins. In “Cowgirl Up”, she’s ready to do the town up in style and “…drive those cowboys wild.” In “Lose My Light”, she lets us know that a heart is made to love, to find the light in the darkest night. In “Go Deep”, she admonishes that “In life, in love, in all that you dream of, Go Deep”.

In the title track, “Go Deep” presents the message that one has to “plunge” deeply into whatever is important to you whether love or life:

But he’s got to go deep, and look beyond the surface
Go Deep, find that higher purpose
In life, in love, in all that you dream of
Go deep.

Connie provides songs of hope for the future of love in “That’s the Way My Love Is” and “My Wedding Day”. The latter song is one of my favorites on this album. It paints a wonderful picture of all the emotions that flow not only as a mama and daddy have to deal with giving their daughter away, but also with the girl transitioning from her days as a “…tomboy in a tree” to her new life as the bride of her childhood friend.

The accordion work of Chip Dolan and violin work of Eleanor Whitmore enhance a song that shows strong South Texas influences. A brilliant touch was a brief outro where Connie leaves us with the tender thought of Daddy giving his little girl away:

Daddy puts a penny in my shoe

Another song that really jumps out for me is “Walking it Home”. The song has a wonderful bluesy sound utilizing the skill of keyboardist Riley Osbourn and harp player Tommy Dardar. The spunkiness of our songstress is highlighted in “You’re either coming with me, babe, or you’re walking it home.” Punctuated with excellent harmonica and keyboard solos, this track is a keeper.

With this album, Connie illustrates her virtuosity across multiple Texas musical styles including blues, country, and pop-rock. The production by Jack Saunders is flawless, highlighting the important elements of each song. The artists each enhance the feelings and thoughts that Connie was trying to portray.

This is definitely an album to include in your collection of Texas musicians. Connie is a shining example of the craft of Texas songwriting…and a well deserved recipient of Songwriter of the Year.

More information about Connie Mims can be found HERE.

To order her album, go to iTunes or MyTexasMusic.

Track Listing (Notable Tracks are designated with **)
1. Anywhere My Heart Goes (Connie Mims) **
2. Maybe by Topeka (Connie, Gordon Payne)
3. The Same (Connie Mims)
4. My Wedding Day (Connie Mims) **
5. Cowgirl Girl (Connie Mims, Gordon Payne)
6. Walking it Home (Connie Mims) **
7. That’s the Way My Love Is (Connie Mims and Mark Beets)
8. Hole in My Heart (Mark Beets) **
9. Lose My Light (Jack Saunders)
10. Go Deep (Connie Mims) **

Musicians
Connie Mims – Vocals, Acoustic Guitar
Rick Richards – Drums
Jack Saunders – Bass, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, 12-string guitar, Baritone Guitar, Mandolin, Vocals
Riley Osbourn – Keyboards
Cameron Parsons – Pedal Steel Guitar
Rankin Peters –Bass
Tommy Peters – Acoustic Guitar
Larry Ratajczak – Keyboards
Eleanor Whitmore – Viola, Violin
Chip Dolan – Accordion
David Spencer – Slide Guitar
Derek O’Brien – Guitar
Tommy Dardar – Harmonica
Mark Beets – Vocals

Produced by Jack Saunders

We welcome your comments about the artist and the album.

If you know of any singers/songwriters or bands that would like us to review their albums, we would be happy to do so. They should send 2 CDs and their contact information to my office (Texas Music Journal, 8920 Pocono Dr., Plano, TX 75025). We have set a stiff goal for ourselves to have reviews for CDs on the website within 2-5 days after receiving the CDs. That gives us time to review the music and contact the artist for short interviews related to their music. We use 2 CDs as we peer review the material and then compare and contrast notes.

Album Review – Blues Rockers: For Adults Only

John South — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 16:30:31 +0000

This album has been out for a while, but it is notable from several aspects – production value, the songwriting, and the performance. The versatility of the singer/songwriters comprising the Blues Rockers is evident in the diversity of compositions presented. From the heavy rock aspects of “Democracy” and “Window Pain” to the exquisitely heart-wrenching story in “Appletown” to the bluesy “Dreaming” and “Coins and Lace”, the musicians illustrate how flexible they can be at developing and performing their work.

The album is superbly produced. It’s obvious that attention was given to each track to get the exact sound that they were looking for. The mix is bang on; which had to be particularly difficult given the different styles adopted by each song.

One of the verses of “Coins and Lace” highlights the bluesy nature of the song and the skill of the songwriter to weave a tapestry of loneliness and despair:

They say that time heals all wounds
But time can’t erase
The emptiness I fell inside
Or the loneliness I face.
Why can’t I get you out of my mind
And go on with the race.

Interestingly, I’ve had the pleasure to hear many of these songs performed as solo performances by Mudcat Reames and other notable Texas singer/songwriters like Billy Ewing from Milford, Texas. In particular, I’ve heard the evolution of the songs “Appletown”, “Walk With An Angel” and “I’m Not Crazy” from their delivery in this album to the way they are performed today. Whether offered in a highly produced studio setting or on a 12’ x 12’ outdoor stage in Ennis, Texas, these enduring songs are strong enough to hold their own.

Track Listing
1. Buy Now and Pay Later
2. Walk With an Angel**
3. Love Sickness
4. Dot Com
5. Coins and Lace**
6. How Times Have Changed**
7. I’m Not Crazy
8. Democracy
9. Appletown**
10. Window Pain
11. Dreaming
12. Too Late**

**Notable Tracks:

Wayne Folse – Guitar and Lead/Background Vocal
Arthur Folse – Drums and Percussion
Keith Folse – Percussion and African Rain Stick
David Gray – Bass
Michael “The Mudcat” Reames – Lead Vocal, Guitar and Blues Harp

Special Guest: Jannsen Lohmeyer – Keyboard and Synthesized Strings
Produced by Rhonda Lohmeyer, Ryan Panepinto, Reames and Folse
Executive Production: Hurricane Records

Copies of the album can be obtained by emailing Michael Reames (mereames@hotmail.com).

Further information on Michael Reames can be found at:
http://www.myspace.com/michaelquotmudcatquotreames

[Artists if you would like your album reviewed by the staff of Texas Music Journal, send 2 copies to the Executive Editor, John South, 8920 Pocono Dr., Plano, TX 75025. All albums are jury reviewed by singer/songwriters. Please provide contact information so that we can obtain additional supporting information for the reviews. All musical genres are welcomed. CDs cannot be returned, but we promise all artists a fair and quick review. ]