Where are the Old 97’s? I know they have some tour dates scheduled, but we haven’t seen any new studio stuff since 2004, when they released their debut on New West Records, Drag It Up. The formerly Dallas-based band has released some gems over the years, my favorite still being 1997’s Too Far to [...]

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This would make a great St. Patrick’s day post, but it’s only September, and I’m way too impatient to sit on this show for too long. The date is St. Patty’s Day 1996. The location is Dublin, Ireland. Joe Ely and Bruce Springsteen both find themselves overseas on their latest tours (Joe for Letter to [...]

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Bruce and the band have been pulling out some good ones on the final few shows of the tour. Here’s the Seeger Sessions take on one of my favorites from ‘Devils & Dust’, a great tune called “Long Time Comin”. This one stays pretty true to its original version, more so than any of Bruce’s [...]

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Here’s a great live version of a great indie-country (indiecow? countrindie?) song, sung by a great singer, James Mercer of the Shins. Do enjoy.
James Mercer: Gone for Good (mp3) - live 07 Jan 2004 - studio version comes from Chutes too Narrow

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Thanks to those of you who have followed me from my old web address to another one, and now finally to this one. I promise, this is the last stop! As you can see, I finally got my domain sorted out, and got my Wordpress blog transferred over to it. For you bloggers out there, [...]

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Another random sampling of some music I’ve been particularly enjoying of late.
Though a ton of artists have recorded this Boudleaux Bryant classic, I first heard Nazareth’s version as a kid, then the Everly Brothers (who did the original in 1961). It wasn’t until a few years ago that I finally heard Gram Parsons and Emmylou [...]

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Pioneered by most excellently named band members Eddie Spaghetti, Dan “Thunder” Bolton, and Dancing Eagle on the skins, the Supersuckers have been around and touring their little asses off since the early 90’s. Originally from Tucson, they moved to Seattle and signed with Sub Pop records way back when. They’ve since started their own label, [...]

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1994 saw the release of Red Hot & Country, an AIDS-benefit album offering then contemporary versions of classic country tunes. One of the songs is a great version of Ernest Tubb’s 1937 song, “The TB is Whipping Me”, as performed by Wilco & Syd Straw.
Wilco & Syd Straw: The TB is Whipping Me” (mp3)

Buy Red [...]

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In between 1996’s ‘Being There’ and 1999’s ‘Summerteeth’, Wilco sat down with Billy Bragg and a bunch of Woody Guthrie lyrics to write and record 1998’s “Mermaid Avenue”. The album is a journey through Guthrie’s wildly imaginative, erotic and brilliant words, and the superb musicianship of Bragg and the boys from Wilco.
One of my favorites [...]

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If you have a spare 6 minutes and 32 seconds, listen to this snippet from NPR’s American Routes. It’s a short interview with the Canadian band the Sadies (with some clips of their tunes).
The Sadies are a mix of bluegrass, country, surf and garage rock, among others…here’s a taste:
Listen: The Sadies - FlashBuy: The Sadies [...]

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