Back to Thee
On this Valentine’s Day 2026, in this strange and unpredictable time, tunes like this can keep the soul grounded. There is beauty, calm and kindness out there.
“Back to Thee” by the Bros. Landreth – just gorgeous.
Yesterday’s Burn
Oh, the availability of music today. Virtually every recorded piece of music available to us at any time. On these tiny computers in our pockets. Adding music here and there over the days, weeks and months. Cool tunes are heard, saved, and stashed on the back burner of a library or playlist. Forgotten until that day somewhere down the road when it sneaks out in a random shuffle, striking your senses and washing over you again.
All that to say, holy shit, I forgot about this great tune!
Silly of me that I haven’t jumped further into the music of Michael and Tanya Trotter, aka The War and Treaty. “Yesterday’s Burn” comes from 2023’s Lover’s Game, which I will now add to my “Need to Listen To” playlist on Apple Music. Or Spotify. Or maybe Tidal if I resubscribe for a month – because I’m a maniac with these streaming services, and aren’t we just spoiled rotten as music lovers…
Ick’s Pick: Lucinda Williams’ ‘Blessed’
March 1st is not only day one of my favorite month (I’m in Arizona, so that means Spring Training games, a beer festival, and ideal weather), but it’s also release day for Blessed, the great new album from Lucinda Williams.
Lucinda’s 10th studio album has many folks likening it to a return to form of her stellar ’98 album Car Wheels on a Gravel Road. I’ve had a few runs through it, and – as always, it seems – I’ve gravitated to the slower burning, wistful tracks. “I Don’t Know How You’re Living”, “Born to be Loved”, “Convince Me”…
But the true stunner of a tune that stops me in my tracks is the album finale: “Kiss Like Your Kiss”. This love’s done and gone, Jack, and nothing will ever be the same…
There’ll never be a spring so perfect again
We’ll never see a yellow so rich
The grass will never be quite as green
And there’ll never be a kiss like your kissThat’s only the first verse. It’s a thing of beauty and may be one of the best songs I’ve ever heard Lucinda sing (right there with “Blue” for me). This song alone is worth the price of admission.
A version of the song actually appears on an episode of True Blood, and includes Elvis Costello on vocals. You can find this version on True Blood: Music From The HBO® Original Series Volume 2.
The Blessed version doesn’t include Costello’s co-vocals, and as much as I admire and respect Elvis, the song rises even higher without him. This is Lucinda’s moment, and Costello only dilutes the exquisiteness of it, in my opinion. Just wait till you hear the Blessed version, that’s all I gotta say.
Blessed is another strong collection from a tried and true original still at the top of her game. Top to bottom, it can’t top Car Wheels, but moments like “Kiss Like Your Kiss” elevate it to a level that’s damn close.
- Buy Blessed on Amazon.
- Listen to “Buttercup” and “Blessed” on Lucinda’s web site.
Justin Townes Earle sings “Harlem River Blues” on Letterman
In my recent Best of 2010 post, I crowned “Harlem River Blues” by Justin Townes Earle as my song of the year. Last night, Justin made his network television debut on Letterman. With Jason Isbell on guitar, and Paul Shaffer providing the organ riffs, Justin blazed through this great song in his one-of-a-kind fashion. He has some kind of style doesn’t he? Dressed like a Depression-era accountant or college professor, Justin stands straight & stoic as he sings, pivoting from one direction to another. Truly a unique guy, and so different from the performing style, look and feel of his old man, Steve Earle…
If you haven’t heard the album of the same name, I recommend picking it up. Harlem River Blues is available on Amazon for just $5.
Video: Dave Rawlings Machine at Amoeba Records
Another killer live in-store video from Amoeba Records. Dave Rawlings Machine stopped by for a few songs. In this case, DRM consists of Dave Rawlings, Gillian Welch, and a few friends from the great Old Crow Medicine Show.
You wanna go back to basics for some stripped down vintage American music? Look no further.
If you like what you hear, I recommend his record, A Friend Of A Friend
Enjoy: Dave Rawlings Machine at Amoeba Records – Feb 4, 2010
dave rawlings machine – “ruby”
I heard this on Sirius-XM’s The Loft today. There was something familiar about it. Something earthy and 70’s, Eagles and country-tinged Stones (it would make a great Keef tune), maybe some Gram Parsons… the harmonies seemed familiar too.
It was the Dave Rawlings Machine. The song was “Ruby”. And by the end I was singing along to the great harmonies. Looking DRM up tonight, I found that Dave Rawlins has worked extensively with Gillian Welch and Old Crow Medicine Show. In fact, that’s why the harmonies sounded familiar – it’s OCMS providing them.
Check it out.
Dave Rawlings Machine: Ruby
Visit DRM’s Site.
Review: Works Progress Administration, “WPA”
Glen Phillips’ brand of Southern California folk-rock has always flirted on the edge of its bluegrass and country and western roots. In the years since Toad the Wet Sprocket closed up shop, his songwriting has danced closer and closer to those roots, and with 2000’s Mutual Admiration Society – pairing Phillips with members of Nickel Creek – it seemed to come to the forefront. Taking that collaborative spirit to the next level, Works Progress Administration consists of Phillips and his MAS cohorts Sean and Sara Watkins (Nickel Creek, Fiction Family) with Luke Bulla (Jerry Douglas Band, Lyle Lovett), Benmont Tench (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers), Greg Leisz (Joni Mitchell, Bill Frisell), Pete Thomas and Davey Faragher (Elvis Costello and the Imposters).
The group’s debut record, WPA, is a slice of modern Americana with strong pop sensibilities. Recorded over the course of five days, the recording itself feels very alive and immediate thanks to the production of Jim Scott (Wilco, Tom Petty). There is a dynamic that showcases the collective beautifully and shines a light on the real star of the show: the 12 well crafted songs that make up the album.
”Always Have My Love” is easily one of the strongest tunes that Phillips has written in the past 10 years. It’s followed by the equally stellar “Good as Ever”, with Sara Watkins providing her angelic voice to bolster Glen’s vocal. Sara takes the lead for the gut-wrenching cover of Ray Davies’ “I Go to Sleep”. As strong as these songs are, “I Could End This Now” (mp3) is easily my favorite track of the bunch. It manages to take the bluegrass mélange and adds just a touch of soul resulting in a stormy mid-tempo ballad.
WPA is not without its faults. The rave-up of “Paralyzed” and the hoedown of “Wedding or a Wake” seem awkward by comparison to the rest of the material. The record’s lowest moments come at the plodding “Who’s Gonna Cry for You” and “Remember Well”. Despite these small missteps, this record is a must for fans of the group’s respective origins.
Buy WPA: Amazon
Links: Official Site | on Last.fm | on MySpace | on Facebook | on Twitter
On Tour: Works Progress Administration
The music collective known as Works Progress Administration is heading out on tour to support their self-titled debut, which is to be released on September 15th.
At the core of Works Progress Administration (or WPA, for short) is the trio of ‘Founding Directors’ Glen Phillips (Toad the Wet Sprocket), Sean Watkins (Nickel Creek, Fiction Family) and Luke Bulla (Jerry Douglas Band, Lyle Lovett). In addition to the base is the group of ‘Executive Board Members’ consisting of Sara Watkins (Nickel Creek), Benmont Tench (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers), Greg Leisz (Joni Mitchell, Bill Frizell), Pete Thomas and Davey Faragher (Elvis Costello and the Imposters). The collective explains the origin of their name…
Works Progress Administration takes its name from FDR’s 1939 New Deal initiative, which put millions to work making buildings, bridges, theater, art and music. The original WPA was rooted in the values of community and creativity, and helped to keep the fire of human dignity burning through the darkest years of the Great Imposters.
Eschewing the usual “supergroup” clichés, WPA appears to be a truly community driven project with collaboration at every level. Vocal duties are shared across the board with each core member contributing lead vocals. The lead-off track “Always Have My Love” is an catchy uptempo number featuring Phillips lead vocals and layers upon layers of fiddles and pedal steel that give the track a depth that can sometimes be lacking in modern Bluegrass / Alt-Country recordings.
You can download “Always Have My Love” at the groups official site for the price of an email address (link)
Links: Official Site | on Last.fm | on MySpace | on Facebook | on Twitter
Click through for the groups tour dates…
Video: Old Californio – “Chilao”
I stumbled upon Old Californio’s YouTube page tonight, and they just uploaded a bunch of sweet video action from a recent in-studio performance at SoCal’s KPFK.
If you don’t have their Westering Again album, which came out earlier this year, youse a fool baby. Buy It.
Here’s a kickass tune called “Chilao” which isn’t on the album but I sure wish it was! It sums up everything I love about these guys: the earthy Southwest vibe, the unique arrangements and instrumentation… Gah! I love ’em!
