The Drive-By Truckers create solid music. You would be mistaken to take “solid” as a generic way to describe their music. When I say DBT creates solid music, I am saying that they are making some of the realist real music out there. Their sound is deeply rooted in the southern rock and alt-country genres. The sound is raw and the lyrics are honest. Basically, it is solid.
DBT
There are a lot of under appreciated bands out there, and Drive-By Truckers would be one of those. They have put out a lot of music since the mid 90′s, but it wasn’t until their recent release of The Big To-Do, that they finally got some mainstream media recognition. Appearances on David Letterman and Jimmy Fallon’s late night gigs shined the spotlight on a band that needs to be listened to. If you are looking for music that combines smart storytelling with gritty delivery, well, DBT is for you! Not looking for that sort of thing in music? Well, I would suggest putting a conch shell up to your ear.
KC’s Personal Picks: “This F@*!&%$ Job”, “Drag the Lake Charlie” and “Birthday Boy”
Not digging your current employment? “Working this Job” is for you!
Buy The Big To-Do
Court Yard Hounds – “Ain’t No Son”
I wasn’t quite sure how I would feel listening to 2/3 of the Dixie Chicks. I mean, I am in love with Natalie Maines’ voice and without it I wasn’t sure how it would go. But then I reminded myself that Martie Maguire and Emily Robison were the ones that created the Chicks and they both are incredibly musically talented. Thankfully the sisters deliver with good old rockin’ country. “Ain’t No Son” is a hard driving track that will get you thumping your foot along to the beat. I am still waiting patiently for the Dixie Chicks to release a new record, but in the meantime the Court Yard Hounds satisfy my need for some good country twang.
Check out the Court Yard Hounds performing on The Late Show with David Letterman
Buy the Single
Josh Ritter – “Change of Time”
I really enjoy Josh Ritter. He has established himself as a singer-songwriter that other singer-songwriters look to for direction. His songwriting skill is advanced and his delivery is crystal clear. With his new album, So Runs the World Away, the 33 year-old Ritter serves up another solid track with “Change of Time”. The instrumentation beautifully sweeps across the track and the lyrics are like leaves caught in that breeze. Yeah, I’m deep.
Buy the Single
Gin Wigmore – “Oh My”
Oh my, I enjoy this song. Here are the reasons: 1) Gin Wigmore is a great name. It sounds like it came together in a game of Madlibs or something along those lines. Great name. 2) She is adding herself to the great list of New Zealand exports along with Flight of the Conchords and the Lord of the Rings. 3) Her bad girl image combined with her raspy tone gives me an Amy Winehouse vibe without all of the rehab and baggage.
Buy the Single
As a kid I am sure I would have been allergic to Cross Canadian Ragweed. The name just sounds itchy. Growing up I was allergic to milk, peanuts and the air. Childhood was not so fun. Thankfully, as an adult, I am not allergic to the music of Cross Canadian Ragweed. The band is certainly one of my top 10 favorite band names. The name comes from blending three of the band members’ names, Grady Cross, Cody Canada, and Randy Ragsdale. Bassist, Jeremy Plato, was not included in the naming. Today I will honor him in the naming with…Cross Canadian Ragweed-Plato. There we go. That just rolls off the tongue.
These guys embody the American Red Dirt sound. The Red Dirt genre was birthed in Oklahoma and is not only a style; it is a way of life. Red Dirt blends country, blues, rock, and folk together for a rockin’ good time. The release of Happiness and All the Other Things celebrates 15 years of Cross Canadian Ragweed music. 15 years strong, and yet they have remained a hidden gem in mainstream music. Their fan base is ginormous and when they all come together for a show it is a raging party. Fans of country music may be more familiar with CCR as they often tour with acts like Dierks Bentley. What I have always loved most about these outlaws is that their music is a mix of everything. No one genre truly can define them and each album is a musical testimony to their creativity and talent.
The summer of 2009 brought us CCR’s Happiness and All the Other Things. The album is a great representation of CCR’s music and style. It was welcomed in by devoted fans and is a great welcome to those just coming across the guys. My personal favorites are “51 Pieces”, “Drag” and “To Find My Love”. Do yourself a solid and take a look back at CCR’s entire catalog of music. And for those with really bad allergies, just make sure you have some Benadryl near by. Just in case.
The guys perform “51 Pieces” in a live jam session.
Amazon Music
iTunes Music
lala Music
I hope I am not the only one who finds it easier to drift to sleep aided by the melodic sounds of an old African-American man. Something about the deep tone just sends me into dreamland. Ok, as I type it out, it does sound weird. Thankfully, I have the voice of William Elliott Whitmore to comfort me. Wait just a minute! Whitmore’s not old or African-American? He is in his early 30′s and is Caucasian? I guess I won’t be getting any sleep tonight.
My lack of sleep is actually linked to the fact that I am fixated on Whitmore’s album, Animals in the Dark. I have had the album on heavy rotation for several months now and I must admit it is darn near close to a religious experience. It certainly helps that the tracks often exude an almost southern gospel feel. Each track feels like a mini sermon about life. Those messages are all shared through an incredibly deep-blues style. And when I say “deep” I mean “deeeeeep”. When Whitmore sings I can almost picture him at the bottom of a well covered in mud and muck. His voice is straight up dirty. And not Christina Aguilera “Dirrty”. I mean the salt of the earth kind of dirty. Dirty in a good way. Whitmore may be a thirty something Caucasian man from Iowa, but he is seriously channeling some old spirits when he opens his mouth.
“Mutiny” is a new anthem for revolutionaries everywhere. I can’t help but sing along. I just need to be aware of my surroundings at the time. Standing in front of my local police station is not the best time to be screaming out to “Mutiny”. Although, if that does happen, I can always belt out some “Johnny Law”. And while I sit alone in my cell I would sing along with “Hell or High Water” and “Let the Rain Come In” to bring me some peaceful sleep. Let’s just hope I never end up in jail. You know, to be safe, I will now just hum along to William Elliott Whitmore.
Whitmore’s live studio performance of “Hell or High Water”
Amazon Music
iTunes Music
lala Music
Do you enjoy the deep bluesy sound of William Elliott Whitmore? Then you will enjoy Tom Waits!
