Cheers

Happy New Year's Eve!

We're gonna take a break from our Favorite Records Of The Year list, to wish all y'all a Happy New Year!  Got a few swell songs below to help you ring it all in.  Hope yr year was swell, and here's hoping for the next 'un.  Our only resolution is to do our damndest to provide some keen tunes for y'all to enjoy over the coming year, whether it be Country, Blues, Trash, or Rawk.  Oh, and maybe post a little more often, but, well, you know...

We'll have our Top Ten Records Of The Year on Monday.  (We know yr just waitin' with bated breath on that...)

But for tonight, here's some nifty little numbers from Tony Rodelle Larson, Mae West, and Jo Ann Campbell to warm yr festive spirits (if the, erm, spirits haven't already done that for you, nudge, nudge, wink, wink..). 

Take care of yourselves,  have a good time, and be good to each other.  See you in a few days with our Top 10 Records of 2010.

Tony Rodelle Larson: Bear Rug (mp3)

Mae West: My New Year's Resolutions (mp3)

Jo Ann Campbell: Happy New Year Baby (mp3) 

Be well.  

Twenty Thousand Roads I Went Down, Down, Down

Goodness gracious, we're stumbling and fumbling, teetering, even, ever nearer to the finale o' this year-end fol-de-rol  Here's Part 3 of our grandiose Favorite Records of 2010.   After this, we've got the Top 10, so things are heatin' up.  If you think we've missed anything, or if we're just full of wind-baggery, let us know.  What great records have we left out?  


Oh, and if you think we've short-shrifted the Honky Tonk, well stay tuned for the Top 10.  Trust us.  


Any guesses as to what's gonna make the Top 10?  Hmmm..


Until then, here's our top 20-11.  Enjoy.  As ever, most of these tunes are ripped from beautiful vinyl.  That's the way god wants it. 



Big Rock Candy Favorite Records of 2010 (Part 3)



20.

The Ding-Dongs: The Ding-Dongs

Mark Sultan: $

Tandoori Knights: Curry Up

We do this every year, but why the hell not?  Now that King Khan and Mark Sultan/BBQ have rather nastily broken up, what do we get?   That's right...more records.  Bloodshot Bill plays peacekeeper here, teaming with Sultan for The Ding-Dongs and hooking up with King Khan on The Tandoori Knights.  Both records are nasty, sweaty, sleaze-fests, as we would expect.  We give a slight edge to The Tandoori Knights, what with the slinky Indian underpinnings.  But only a slight edge, as these records are both essential party records for yr turntable.  Oh, and Sultan's solo record is every bit the equal, as he continues his swamp-grease sock hop adventure.

The Ding-Dongs: Ding-Dong Party (mp3)

Mark Sultan: I Get Nothin' From My Girl (mp3)

Tandoori Knights:  Bucketful (mp3)



19.

Super Wild Horses: Fifteen

Aussie girl-duo, beat beat beat tribal shout and guitar slashed garbage can destruction.   Nasty like yr last girlfriend who wouldn't fuck you when you were a dick, and louder when the neighborhood woke.

Super Wild Horses: Mess Around (mp3)

18.

Puffy Areolas: In The Army 1981 LP

Puffy Areolas: Rock'n'Roll Express 7"

Noise.  Punk-ass punk rawk, nihilistic noise, motherfucker.   Good gravy, this is gloriously unhealthy listening. 

Puffy Areolas: 1981 (mp3)

17. 

John Wesley Coleman III: Bad Lady Goes To Jail

Bad man in jail, arms scarred, red-eyed and shaggy, screw you man, and Jack Oblivian's in the next room laughing,  holding out on the smokes, the bastard.  Bad night, then, goin' up country and coming down covered in motor oil and Memphis mud. 

John Wesley Coleman III: Get High Babe (mp3)

16.

Overnight Lows: City Of Rotten Eyes

Again, what we said earlier:

"Boy/girl snot shit vocals over a bed of seedy guitar scrawl trash and primal pounding. Jump around yr room and smash stuff, cuz yr mom's gonna hate it, and that's why you listen. Bust yr speakers out, cuz that's what they're there for, and the Overnight Lows give you every reason rip yr shit up. Motherfuck a man, this is great shit. "

Overnight Lows: Low Road (mp3)

15.

Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band: The Wages

Hoot hollow moonshine porch pound, squeezed out bottleneck slide gee-tar and feets a stompin' yr Country Blues back to primordial pond. 

Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band: Clap Your Hands (mp3)

14. 

Wheels On Fire: Liar, Liar LP

Wheels On Fire: Cherry Bomb 7"

What we said earlier this year:

"Organ-soaked, and greasy, greasy, greasy, like yr street corner desperate Romeo, tight pants cock hangin' low and ready, gonna take you to the dangerous side of town, where the drinks are hard and the ladies shimmer and shake, smarter than you, and who they go home with is a matter of opinion."

Wheels On Fire: Losin' (mp3)

Wheels On Fire: Broken Up (mp3)

13.

Pierced Arrows: Descending Shadows

More brilliant rawk godhead from Bill and Toody (formerly Dead Moon, fer chrissakes!) .   If AC/DC took better drugs and listened to the Seeds, they might be lucky to half this good.  Essential. 

Pierced Arrows: Tripped Out (mp3)

12. 

The Jim Jones Revue: Burning Your House Down

Great god-a'mighty, satan's pedal down that there e-lectric piano,  turned to 12 and groove me baby straight into flames. 

The Jim Jones Revue: Killin' Spree (mp3)

11. 

Cee Lo Green: The Lady Killer

Yeah.  No apologies.  This is a fuckin' great record.  You know it is. The best Soul record in years, smoother and nastier than yr mom.   Got-damn!  And "Fuck You" is the best song you heard all year. 

Cee Lo Green: Fuck You (mp3) (link removed by request)

Yup...if you dig any of these rekkids, grab 'em at yr local independent record store, or buy direct from the artist.  If you don't like any of 'em, stay tuned.  Maybe you'll groove on the Top 10.

And I Remember Something You Once Told Me, And I'll Be Damned If It Did Not Come True

Oh, hello!  Welcome back to Day 2 of our Favorite Records Of The Year 2010 list.  


God forbid we manage this in one fell swoop.  'Spect it has to do with how keenly we enjoyed each and every rekkid, regardless of chart position.   'Cuz ranking a record is kinda nonsense, really, innit?  But we like our lists, and here we are randomly assigning a number to each record we dug over the past 12 months.  Sigh...

That said, please find enjoyment in the following rekkids, most of which are vinyl rips.  And stay tuned for our final 20 fave rave platters coming up after this.  Good gravy, we're reeling onward...

Here's 33-21...

Big Rock Candy Mountain Favorite Records Of 2010 (Part 2)


33. 

The Piney Girl Country Show: Jesus Wept

Cowgirl on a fuck-you tip.  Fiddle fried and down-home loose gun yee haw.  Nasty and boot-stomped twangette.  

The Piney Girl Country Show: I Was Born In A Thunderstorm (mp3)

32. 

Eddy Current Suppression Ring: Rush To Relax 

Aussie VU-inspired retard rawk,  a lead singer with a glove, but aint no Michael Jackson shit, instead drone and bottle-neck groove, guitar and intonation.  

Eddy Current Suppression Ring: Tuning Out (mp3)

31.

Uke Of Phillips: Peppermint Birdhouse Tea Shanty Shack

Can't figger out when this was originally released...but we aint gonna consider it a re-issue.  A Mississippi Records joint, lower fi than John Darnielle, banged cans in kitchen sink psychedelic swirl down the drain of homemade  hoot yr belly, delicate like a flower and mighty like dripping plaster.

Uke Of Phillips: History Lightning Bug (mp3)

30.

Black Mekon: Broke Into Always On

Sleaze blooze'n'booze deep trash garbage can rawk, baby!  Shitstorm holler and wail, guitar fucker.  And it's even better than all that. 

Black Mekon: Bourbonese Girl (mp3)

29.

Outer Minds: Bloodshot Eyes 7"

Psych-garage, swirled down dirt-encrusted murmer and fey space into black hole clamor.  Tasty!

Outer Minds: Ordinary (mp3)


28.

T-Model Ford: The Ladies Man

It's T-Model Ford!  What the hell else can we say that adds to the mythology?  No sign of slowing down, Ford's the survivor of the vanguard.  And the fact that each album he releases continues to plow deeper into the Delta mud, mean and filthy, well...that's just a bonus.  To all of us.  Frankly, we're all blessed by a new T-Model Ford rekkid.  Indeed.

T-Model Ford: Love Me All Night Long (mp3)

27.














Sin Ropas: Holy Broken

A welcome return.  Still clanky and clamorous,  the whispered good thing, a buzz and desert swept throb. 

Sin Ropas: The Fever You Fake (mp3)

26.

Holly Golightly and the Brokeoffs: Medicine County

Golightly continues her austere exploration of creaky Americana.  The third in a trilogy, or can we expect more?   Regardless...swayback rocking chair ruminations, the pipe smokey mountain vibe and amber fields razed in dark and hidden things.

Holly Golightly and the Brokeoffs: Medicine County (mp3)

Holly Golightly and the Brokeoffs: I Can't Lose (mp3)


25.

Girl Haggard: Country and Eastern

What we said earlier this year:

"...full of alcohol, regret, and defiance, at once sly winkin' and pickup-truck ready, full throttle  tavern-smoked vintage,  loaded and brawlin'.  Lead singer Mandy Allen is the Loretta Lynn of the trailerpark, full of kiss-offs and fuck-ups, a yowling yodel of a voice.  Guitarist Adam Theroux slings off greasy fried chunks of country-seared chug-a-lug. The whole damn mess is the best diner skillet you ever had, flavored, of course, with a hearty dose of bourbon."

Girl Haggard: Modern Lovers (mp3)

24.

Harlan T. Bobo: Sucker

Late-night troubadour, gin matted, husky throated in sweet syrup, the saddest strings attached, a motel and busted gut-shot tv, gaze at the snow, the signal faded.

Harlan T. Bobo: Sweet Life (mp3)


Harlan T. Bobo: Drank (mp3)



23.

The Parting Gifts: Strychnine Dandelion 

Greg Cartwright (The Oblivians/Reigning Sound) and Coco Hames (The Ettes) make a duet record.  How could that go wrong?  Well, it couldn't, of course.  It goes wonderfully right.  Spiked punch a-go-go, sour'n'sweet, organ-noir.

The Parting Gifts: My Mind's Made Up (mp3)


22.

Phosphorescent: Here's To Taking It Easy

Slow-cooked, pork rinded, 70's AM Country outlaw, like yeehaw on a burnt-out transistor, broadcasting in crackle and yawning gap, waves and  water drowned.

Phosphorescent: It's Hard To Be Humble (When You're From Alabama) (mp3)

21.

Kurt Wagner and Cortney Tidwell: Invariable Heartache

Lambchop's Wagner is like yr favorite old sweater, a voice weathered and weary, lyrics of smallness and circumstance.  It fits just right, and surrounds you.  Add the heavenly vocals of Cortney Tidwell, and it's a perfect match.  A Countrypolitan soul mediation, this generation's George and Tammy, if they waltzed like fireflies under stars too distant and held in tentative palms.   One of the loveliest records, should probably have ranked this higher...Sigh.

Kurt Wagner and Cortney Tidwell:  She Came Around Last Night (mp3)

Kurt Wagner and Cortney Tidwell:  Let's Think About Where We're Going (mp3)

Again...none of these records came from a "major" label.  Just sayin'...Please support independent record labels and the record stores that love 'em.  You'd be amazed the good shit yr local record store clerk can recommend to you.   

And A Good Saloon In Every Single Town

Whelp, here we go, consarnit, persnickety turntable be damned!  Here's our first foray into the almighty Big Rock Candy Mountain Top Favorite Records Of 2010!  So sayeth we, and let it be so.

Usually we take some time right here to write a lengthy, long-winded and tedious overview of the current state of music that nobody reads, and nobody cares about.  Folks like what folks like, of course, and no rambling by some anonymous blogger-type (i.e. us) is gonna change anyone's mind.  So, there's that. Let's just say that were tons of great records released this year, as there every year, and most of them have come from Independent labels rather than the "majors".  Many of them have been ignored by Rolling Stone, Spin, Country radio, etc. It's the same old song, of course (pun fully intended).

Most of the records we dig we've found through friend recommendations, live shows and fests, networking through, yes, social networks like Facebook, and, of course, music blogs found throughout the world-wide internets.  I don't believe we've purchased a record through review or airplay from mainstream publications or radio stations in years.

It's why Net Neutrality is such a troubling bill/issue, and one that those of us concerned with the distribution of ideas, both musically and otherwise, should be following this legislation carefully.  It's got nothing to do with political affiliation and everything to do with how large corporations want to regulate what we read on the internet, and how said internet is used.  If you've got the time, please read up on Net Neutrality, and contact yr representative about the issue.  Unless, of course, you want Rolling Stone and Sony music telling you what music you like.  Just sayin'.

Damn, that was actually relatively brief.  For us, at least.

So...on to our Favorite Records Of The Year List, which we naturally will spread over several days.  

There are actually a couple "major label" records on this list, but that's the exception, not the rule.  As you will see.

Please note, of course, that these records are our "Favorites", not some definitive list of  what will matter years from now.  We think these records are pretty swell, and we think they all have staying power.  But at the end of the day...who knows?  If you like what we post here, you'll probably dig these records.  If you're new here...well give 'em a try.  What's it gonna hurt?

Blah, blah, blah...so here's Part 1 of our Favorite Records Of The Year.   No comment on the first (or last) 10 records, just check 'em out, and maybe we'll have more to say about 'em down the line.  The next 10  or so, also posted below,  will have a few pithy comments and an Mp3 attached, as is our wont, and we'll get more verbose as we reach the end.  So keep scrolling down for the mp3 stuff.  Don't like what you see today?  Well, stay tuned...everything changes, always...

Oh, and most of these song samples are ripped from vinyl.  That's just how it is...

So without further ado...#'s 55-34.  Rock'n'Roll, baby.

The Big Rock Candy Mountain Favorite Records Of 2010 Part 1

55. The Black Keys: Brothers

54. Gil Scott-Heron: I'm New Here

53. Moonhearts: Moonhearts 

52. Lions Rampant: It's Fun To Do Bad Things

51. Old Man Luedecke: My Hands Are On Fire

50. The Crusaders Of Love: Never Grow Up

49. Michael Hurley: Blue Hills

48. Cheap Time: Fantastic Explanations

47. Haunted George: American Crow

46. So Cow: Meaningless Friendly

45.















Waylon Thornton: Various Records

Satan's Country artist.  Whether with The Heavy Hands or solo, this cat has released a shit-ton of records this year, putting Robert Pollard to shame, and more than we can keep up with.  You can grab 'em all (for free!) here.   Putting the nasty back into the tribal rhythm 'n' Country, and adding a film of filthy trash sleaze over the proceedings, this is the music yr mother warned you about...and the music yr dying to hear.


Waylon Thornton: Meet Me By The Garbage Can (mp3)

Waylon Thornton: Old Black Shuck (mp3)


44. 














Frazey Ford: Obadiah 

Former mistress of Be Good Tanyas, Frazey Ford is the gauzy, porch-hung sound of dying embers and a night spent with fireflies and crackled embers.

Frazey Ford: The Gospel Song (mp3) 

43. 

Giant Sand: Blurry Blue Mountain

A sound of the desert dying, in rumble and murmer.  The twisted phrase, and the train whistle blowing for nowhere, the rails into the great dark.

Giant Sand: Fields Of Green (mp3)


42. 














The Vermin Poets: Poets Of England

It's Billy Childish.  Need we say more.  Again, it's Billy Childish.   Punk Blooze like god blessed auteur shredded and laid, always, and always, bare...A shouted raw, a raw holler.

The Vermin Poets: He's Taken His Eye Off The Sparrow (mp3)


41. 

 













Hipbone Slim and the Knee Tremblers: The Kneandrethal Sound Of...

Big beat psychotic (not "psycho") rockabilly, fucking Elvis in his grave  and stealing off with the corpse of teenage lust, into the steamy jungle.  Yeah, you know what we mean.

Hipbone Slim and His Knee Tremblers: Primitive Rock (mp3)

40.

Hillstomp: Darker The Night 

Deep in the darkest holler, the  busted strings of the real deep country blues, laid out kicking mud and soil.  Banjo and six-stringer hypnotic, swimming in pools of mountains best left forgotten.

Hillstomp: Banjo Song #1 (mp3)

Hillstomp: Crawdad Hole (mp3)


39.

Amen Dunes: Murder Dull Mind E.P. 

A ghost of sound, in and out of dream, where the muttered of the mind alights on the smallest of weeds, fragile and mighty in circumstance. 


Amen Dunes: Murder Dull Mind (mp3)

38. 

The City Champs: The Set-Up 

Booker T as spy movie, organ groove in beat down noir, last chance saloon with fingers poppin' and skirts are mini rising to heaven, the groove is greasy and the gropes are desperate.  

The City Champs: Drippy (mp3)


37.

Eat Skull: Jerusalem Mall 7"

Scuzzfuzz, bigfluff, lower fi than yr mom in stockings...shooting underwater missives via trashbomb glory racket.  And yet...and yet...tasty candy under the counter.


Eat Skull: Don't Leave Me On The Speaker (mp3)


36. 

Andre Williams: That's All I Need

Andre goes back to his Soul'nR'n'B roots.  Groovetastic, without the garage rock stylings of recent years, this is Williams like he was remembered from the late 50's/early 60's, soulful and slinky.   Still nasty, but with a late-nite vibe,  dancing you to the edge of dawn. Includes a big ol' fuck you to the rock hall o' fame.  What other 74-year old is still so relevant in this day and age?


Andre Williams: That's All I Need (mp3)

35.

The Goodnight Loving: Supper Club

Popped garage goodness, snot scrubbed and twangy jangled.

The Goodnight Loving: It's A Long Way In A Bad Way (mp3)


34.

Nobunny: First Blood

It's Nobunny, innit?  The man performs in a bunny mask and his underwear.  Gimmick aside, he also makes some of the most perfect rawk on the planet...pure adrenaline-laced fuck'n'run, helium soaked and dirty pure pop heaven.  Oh yes.

Nobunny: Aint It A Shame (mp3)

More to come, of course.  In the meantime, check these records out and contact yr local, independent rekkid store for yr gateway to music heaven. 

Out With The Truckers and the Kickers and the Cowboy Angels

Welcome back.  Hope yr holiday weekend was swell and festive.

Due to unforeseen circumstances (trouble with our turntable and digital conversion, to be frank), we're pushing our Favorite Records of the Year list back a day, starting tomorrow.  But fear not!  We've still got some year in review fun for y'all today, in the form of our Favorite Re-Issuses Of The Year!  Hooray!

Re-Issues are tricky, cuz a great many of so-called "re-issues" are just albums you can find anywhere, just re-packaged with a few bonus cuts tossed in.  We can't really keep track of that stuff, and we're not sure they count, anyway.  So, the following 4 records are what we'd consider proper re-issues, things that have either been impossible to find (in non-digital format, if you know what we mean) or are somehow comprehensive in a form not released before. 

Remember, these are our "favorite", and are not meant to cover the whole broad spectrum of tunes released this year.  We'd argue that we do exercise quality control when making these lists, but simply can't account for everyone's taste.  This is what we liked over the year.  We think these records are pretty keen.

Favorite Re-Issues of the Year (in alphabetical order)

1.   Gibson Bros.: Build A Raft 2X LP (Columbus Discount)

This is where it all began.  Don "Basshole" Howland, Jeffrey Evans, Ellen Hoover, and Dan Dow.  Oh my sweet jesus!  I'm gonna let Columbus Discount tell it best:

"ESSENTIAL rock/blues/rockabilly/country/punk/crud! Y'know American music! "The legendary Gibson Bros. need no introduction. "Country" Jeff Evans, Don Howland, Ellen Hoover, and Dan Dow put the flag on top of the whole "twisted versions of obscure country and blues songs" hill. What we have in this Build A Raft 2xLP is a re-issue of the earliest of the Gibson Bros recordings. It's made up 2 LP's. The first LP is a meticulous master for vinyl that follows the original Old Age/No Age cassette format. It consists of a studio side that was recorded many long years ago in the village of Harrisburg by Mike Rep and Tommy Jay, and a live side that features material recorded in '85 at Bernie's as well as excerpts from a grade school Rock'n Roll assembly at Avondale Elementary. The second LP is made up of 6 bonus songs from the Harrisburg sessions, three of which were released on their rare first 7" on the band's own OKra records, the other ones were unreleased until now.

Put all of this together you get the definitive picture of the Gibsons pre-Homestead/SFTRI/Siltbreeze/ITR career! This is where their long and storied journey began... legendary stuff we're peddlin' here.

Gatefold includes some never before seen pictures of the Avondale Elementary performance. Both were LP's mastered for vinyl by John Hull at Musicol recording on his'44 Scully lathe."

If you love Country.  If you love Blues.  If you love Trash.  If you love Scuzz.  If you love Rawk'n'Roll...this double vinyl masterpiece is made especially for you.

Gibson Bros.: Big Pine Boogie (mp3)

2. Syl Johnson: Complete Mythology Box Set (Numero Group)

A relatively obscure Rhythm'n'Soul'n'Blues artist to some ( R'n'B and Soul fans have been singing his praises for years), Syl Johnson gets a spectacularly deluxe treatment from Numero Group.  4 CD's and 6 LP's, plus an exhaustive booklet, the box set is almost as heavy as the music contained therein.  Plenty of wailing and groove, silky tearjerkers and deep bottom stompers.  Johnson has been sampled extensively by Hip Hop artists, and it's easy to see why.  For what it is, this set is very affordable, and the music inside is priceless.  Syl Johnson should have been legendary.  Luckily he's still kickin' and kickin' it, so there's still time.

Syl Johnson: Going To The Shack (mp3)

Syl Johnson: Annie Got Hot Pants Power Part 1 (mp3)

3. Hamper McBee: The Good Old Fashioned Way (Drag City)

We can't define "outsider" art, but we know it when we hear it.  Hamper McBee is  probably not a proper "outsider", but he carries certain tropes...

From the liner notes...

"Here is Hamper McBee, the ginger man of Monteagle Mountain. He's a fine singer, a hard worker, a hard drinker, a wildly funny storyteller, a semi-reformed moonshiner, and a general all-purpose life force in this end of Southeastern Tennessee. Here he is at his best, relaxed, among friends, working his way through a couple of six-packs, sitting in Jake Marlowe's big front room, telling stories and singing his songs in the way that has made Hamper a local legend, and has won him friends from Memphis to Johnson City."

Performing mostly without aid of accompaniment, McBee spins a wealth of tale and  trouble, traditional and dirt-shack ready. 

Hamper McBee: Methodist Pie (mp3)

4. The Range Rats: Self Titled LP (Mississippi Records)

Dead Moon.  Pierced Arrows.   The legendary work of Fred and Toody Cole, plus a variety of other musicians.  Both bands are worthy of praise, and we'll see a Pierced Arrows record later on this week.  But did you know they made a Country record?  Back in 1987?  Yep, sure enough.  Taking their stunning Garage/Punk aesthetic and filtering it through the sepia tones of Western music of days yore, the Coles preceded any of the current alt-country nonsense with a record both raging and hardwood honky tonk floor boot stompin'.  Mississippi Records were kind enough to bring this seminal record back into print on glorious vinyl.  The following song is not the one you're thinking of. 

The Range Rats: Thunder Road (mp3)

All the above records were released on Independent labels.  Please consider supportin' 'em and all the wealth of independent record labels and stores.  Lady GaGa approves this message.  

And Bells Were Ringing Out...

Yup.  Shane MacGowan's birthday is tomorrow (coincidentally, there's also some kinda Holiday folks call Christmas tomorrow, as well.  How 'bout that?).

In honor of both those events, we give you, like we do every year on Christmas Eve, The Pogue's "Fairytale Of New York", our favorite Christmas song.  

Every year we write about why this song has become our favorite, what we think it means, and what current application it might have in current events.  And while we think this may not be a favorite tune amongst certain (but certainly not all) folks in Arizona, it's probably best to just let the song speak for itself this time around.

From the angelic voice of Kirsty MacColl and the mad poet ramble of Shane MacGowan to the whirling dirvish of the band, both manic and pensively delicate in parts, the song is a thing of beauty within the heart of sadness.  And in the end it's all about hope, and the dreams it entails.  Which is pretty good thing, when you think about it.

Most of y'all already know the song by heart, of course, so sing along.  Loudly.

As a bonus, we're gonna put up our current second favorite Christmas song.  A nifty, and hilarious,  little twangster from Robert Earl Keen. 

Thanks again for stopping by.  Here's hoping y'all have a swell Holiday and a Merry Christmas.  Or, at least, survive the weekend.

Best Records of the Year starts next week.

I built my dreams around you...

The Pogues: Fairytale of New York (mp3)

Robert Earl Keen: Merry Christmas From The Family (mp3)

Let's all be good to each other.

We're almost there...

One more Holiday post after this!  Hope y'all had fun, and hope we haven't jumped the shark yet.  We've got some great new stuff this year that we're itchin' to post next year.  If y'all like, stick around after Xmas for our Best Records of the Year list (spread out, in typical Mountain fashion, over five glorious days). And then it's back to doing what we do elsewise (including a big announcement about an upcoming show in...Cleveland!  Cleveland?  Yes, Cleveland.).   

Today we kinda feel like a little rock'n'roll...something to shed yr tasteful Christmas sweater and fist pump to to the big Yuletide beat (with maybe a couple exceptions).

To help us out we've got special guests Billy Childish, Benny Lee, The Wailers, Lord Executor, Snakes, UK Subs, and Dale Watson.  Pretty keen, huh?

Check back in tomorrow for our final Xmas bow...the greatest Christmas song ever written (any guesses?  Cuz if you've been with us for awhile, you already know...so don't spoil it...), and come back for more non-Holiday tastiness over the next year. 

Santa, bring my baby back to me!

Billy Childish and the MBE: A Poundland Christmas (mp3)

Benny Lee: Rockin' Rollin' Santa Claus (mp3)

The Wailers: She's Coming Home (mp3)

Lord Executor: Christmas Is A Joyful Day (mp3)

Snakes: Santa's Gonna Rock (mp3)

UK Subs: Hey Santa (mp3)

Dale Watson: Santa Bring Her Back (mp3)

Enjoy the Holidays.  Thanks for all the comments and e-mails.  Enjoy yrselves...

Here It Is Christmas

Hey, how's it goin'?  We've just about reached the end of our little Holiday shindig.  'Couple more Yuletide posts after this, and then we begin  our Best Records Of The Year list, followed by normal (hopefully more regular) postings.  Gosh, wonder what we'll post on Christmas Eve?  Well before then, we've got two super swell posts for y'all.

So, as the snow is falling here in Chicago, and the Xmas lites spin...we get all weepy and sentimental, such is our wont.  And what better way to celebrate our Seasonal Affective Disorder (no, really...somebody actually came up with that...and, no, we don't actually have that...good gravy haven't you caught the tone of our posts?), then some classic Holiday 3 hanky tearjerkers?  Add in some talky moralisms, and we're sent for a night of Christmas "spirits".   Oh my, yes.

So let's raise a glass of distilled sadness to our terribly concerned friends Hank Snow (whom we actually love dearly, in so many ways), Sonny James, Bobby Goldsboro, Rev. A.W. Nix, Jim Eanes, and Rev. J.M. Gates. 

But, wait, there's more.  We would be remiss in this post to not include the King of the Grand Holiday Weeper, the very man himself, Mr. Red Sovine!  And we've got not one but two (two!)  of his classics, including the very greatest of all (a Re-Post Special), "Here It Is Christmas".  You simply have to hear it to believe it!

Santa's Got a box o tissues and a big ol' bible in his sleigh! (opinions of the artists posted here do not necessarily reflect those of The Big Rock Candy Mountain..egad, just sayin'). 


Hank Snow: Christmas Wants (mp3)

Red Sovine: Is There Really A Santa Claus (mp3)

Sonny James: Christmas Letter (mp3)

Bobby Goldsboro: Look Around You (It's Christmas Time) (mp3)

Rev. A.W. Nix: How Will You Spend Your Christmas (mp3)

Jim Eanes and The Shenandoah Valley Boys: It Won't Seem Like Christmas (mp3)

Rev. J.M. Gates: Getting Ready For Christmas Day (mp3)

And A Very Special Re-Post (and the Greatest Weeper Of All)

Red Sovine: Here It Is Christmas (mp3)

Get out yr hankies, and have a merry, merry Christmas!

Christmas Tree Blues

Finally finished the goddam Xmas shopping...and actually left the house for the last two items.  Damn, it's nice to do Christmas shopping from yr computer...sittin' in a robe, a warm or cold drink in yr hand, no crowds...good times.

Oh, wait, this here site aint about our feelings, or a diary of our day to day..nah, we're here to rawk yr pants off...

Gonna keep it pity over the next few days, and just serve you up some Holiday treats.  For our infamous longer posts and/or stream of consciousness, reeling, slightly drunken descriptions of whatever muzak strikes our fancy, stay tuned for our Favorite Records Of The Year list to take place between Xmas and New Year's.  And, hell, stick around beyond that for more keen posts about all the wide world of Country, Blues, Trash'n'roll, etc. that we talk about all year.

Yuletide tunes, then.  Well, we had Country yesterday...so...How about some Rhythm'n'Blues?  Heavy on the blues (not blooze), but plenty of rhythm to keep y'all jingle bell swinging.

So, who we got?  How about some Bukka White,  Huey "Piano" Smith, Charley Jordan and Sheri Lee, Jerry Clayton, Johnny Staton, and Ray Agee? Every damn song's gonna send you into a hot rhythm and blues frenzy. 

A Reminder:  songs aren't sorted in terms of quality.  Every damn song is quality.  And song titles can be deceiving...So check 'em all out.  You might be surprised.  Don't know the artist?  Maybe it's time you did...

Mrs. Claus wants you to hang yr stockings up in her Christmas tree...(hey, i'm just quoting the lyric..) 

Charley Jordan and Verdi Lee: Christmas Tree Blues (mp3)

Johnny Staton and the Feathers: Ride On Santa (mp3)

Huey Piano Smith and the Clowns: White Christmas Blue (mp3)

Bukka White: Christmas Eve Blues (mp3)

Jerry Clayton: Santa Claus (mp3)

Ray Agee: Merry Christmas, My Love (mp3)

Please support yr local, independent jukejoint this holiday season.  And give a toy to a tot, or a can to the food pantry.  Thanks.

Christmas Cookies!

Ok.  Here we go!  The final few days of our Holdiay hootenanny!  Hope y'all have enjoyed yrselves.  We have.

Just a reminder that following this, we're gonna have our world famous Favorite Records Of The Year List, which we'll manage to stretch out over a week, cuz...well...we're not real good at editing ourselves..

So, as promised, things are gonna ramp up this week, and we've got some Santastic tunes for y'all today.  It's all about the Country 'round these parts, and  we aim to please.

What can we say?  Bob Wills, Dave Dudley, Charlie Rich, Kitty Wells, Jerry Lee Lewis, George Strait (yes...you heard that right), and Ernie Ashworth!  Holy Mistletoe!

Many thanks to "John From Milwaukee" for his assist on this post!

(Please note that we have no religious affiliation, and any tunes that reflect one are merely a result of  the inevitable connotations of how some view the season...)

Santa's a Ho Ho Hillbilly!  Every tune a Holiday hoedown!  Collect 'em all!


Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys: When It's Christmas On The Range (mp3)

Dave Dudley: Old Time Merry Christmas (mp3)

Charlie Rich: Santa Claus's Daughter (mp3)

Kitty Wells: Ole Kris Kringle (mp3)

Jerry Lee Lewis: I Can't Have A Merry Christmas Without You Mary (mp3)

George Strait: Christmas Cookies (mp3)

Ernie Ashworth: I Love A Country Christmas (mp3)

Happy Holidays to everyone, regardless of affiliation.  Take some time to share some love with yr fellow man!

There Aint No Santa Claus

Captain Beefheart (Don Van Vliet).   RIP. 

Captain Beefheart: There Aint No Santa Claus On The Evenin' Stage (mp3)

Just go listen to Trout Mask Replica, Lick My Decals Off Baby, Doc At The Radar Station, Safe As Milk, Ice Cream For Crow, or whatever your personal favorite record is.  And raise a toast to the good Captain!