Me And The Devil

So, here we go.  The next few posts are gonna be focused on the mighty bands playing at The Robert Johnson Birthday Tribute show we have the privilege of being a part of .  It's gonna be a rockin' good night, and we'll expect to see all of you there!

Today's guests are the phenomenal Me And The Devil, a rollickin' hard-stompin' combo, guaranteed to bust yr ass and take you to the very crossroads.  But don't take our word for it.  Guitarist and vocalist extraordinaire Tony French was kind enough to answer a few questions for us.  And, as ever, there's a nifty tune at the end for yr enjoyment.

A Big Rock Candy Mountain Interview with Me And The Devil

Big Rock Candy Mountain: Who are y'all, and what do you do?

Me and the Devil:  We are Me and the Devil and we play the blues!  Live acoustic music is what we are all about, keeping the old stuff alive and creating new songs.  Our line up is Tony French - Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitar; Mark Verbeck - Lead/Slide Gutiar, Vocals;  Eric McCabe - Harp, Vocals;  and Cody "Goose" Siragusa-  Upright Bass.

BRCM: Tell us about yr personal relationship with the Devil.

MATD: Funny thing about that, we tried to sell our souls to the devil but he said he already owned them.

BRCM: What/Who are yr influences? 

MATD:  Our main influence is pre-war american roots music when blues, folk and country were more entwined.  Bluesmen like Robert Johnson, Son House, and Leadbelly. Folk/Country musicians like Jimmy Rodgers, Woody Guthrie and The Carter Family.  We are an acoustic band but we also have a good dose of first generation electric blues in us from cats like John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters and Howling wolf.  I could go on and on on this one.   

BRCM: What song best defines Me and the Devil?

MATD: Probably our song Devil in her eyes, it's just a 3 chord song about a no good woman.

BRCM:  Drink of choice for Me and the Devil?

MATD: Whatever anyone else is buying.

BRCM: Yr playing the Robert Johnson birthday tribute show here in Chicago.   What does Robert Johnson mean to Me and the Devil?  

MATD: First off that's where we got our name from, his song Me and the Devil blues.  Robert Johnson is such an important figure for many reasons first is his talent as a musician and songwriter. He had a truly unique quality to his sining and playing, almost haunting.  To me he also represents all the other bluesmen of that era that never got lucky enough to be recorded, he's that mythic bluesman who sold his soul to the devil, lived hard and died young.

BRCM: Have y'all been to the Crossroads?  If so, who did you meet there, and what did you sell?  What did you get in return?

MATD: I was just there a couple of weeks ago, it was a bit strange I found myself standing there thinking wow this is a real place.  Of course I always knew it was a real place but like Robert Johnson it's so mythic it's almost hard to believe it's real.

BRCM: Y'all are Chicago-based.  How does Chicago treat yr brand of  Blues? 

MATD: We always get a great response from audiences but I wouldn't say we're really in the Chicago "blues scene".  The tourist type blues clubs have a formula for success and white boys playing acoustic ain't it.  There is a lot of great roots music going on in the city these days though, we end up playing with a lot of different types of bands from alt-country to rockabilly to bluegrass. 

BRCM: How many angels can dance on the edge of yr guitar pick?

MATB:  Never use picks............or angels.

BRCM: How do you approach yr songwriting?  Which comes first, the lyric or the groove?

MATB: I usually have a rhythm and chord structure and then put lyrics to it but sometimes I'll come up with a lyrical hook then write the music and the verses.  Normally when I bring a new song to the band it's just a skeleton of a song with my rhythm guitar and vocals then everybody jumps in and does their thing and it turns into a complete song.

BRCM: What can we expect from Me and the Devil at the Robert Johnson birthday hootenanny?  And, following that, what's next for Me and the Devil?

MATB: Expect the unexpected! When people think of acoustic music they think mellow and we are anything but mellow. 

Next up on our schedule after the Robert Johnson Birthday show is another exciting show for us, we are opening for T-Model Ford at Reggie's Music Joint on June 1st!

Still not convinced?  Well, check out the following...

Me And The Devil: Tiger Man (mp3)

And, as ever, please support yr local, independent record stores, bands, and live shows!

Shake A Tail Feather

Oh, boy.  Here we go again. Another round of  The Greatest Song Ever Written (At Least For Today),   where we highlight a song, for the sake of the song.  No wordy exposition.  No Mountainesque rambling.  The song is the star.  Of course, we always encourage folks to support the artists' (or their legacies) involved.

Today's Greatest Song Ever Written (At Least For Today) was composed by the very mighty Andre Williams for The Five Du-Tones.  The rest is history, of course, from covers by Ray Charles and Ike and Tina Turner, amongst others.

But the original is the one...A nasty slab of fried-out soul groove and holler, shake yr ass like the morning will never come, and all you've got is sex, sweet sex, baby.  Oh, yes.  This is yr weekend groove, baby, and don't waste it.  'Cuz the sun's gonna come up, and where will you be?


The Five Du-Tones: Shake A Tail Feather (mp3)

Ike and Tina Turner: Shake A Tail Feather (mp3)

Andre Williams: Shake A Tail Feather (mp3)

Please support yr local.   Record Store Day is tomorrow!  Get some bacon-fried wax!  

The Beginning...

So, here it is...The Big Event.  The Black Oil Brothers!  Illinois John Fever!  Me And The Devil!  Woodrow Heart!  At the Abbey Pub!  In Chicago Illinois!  May 7th!  Oh, yes!


It's gonna be a killer show.  Book yr flights, trains and buses now.

We're proud to be a small part of this, in conjunction with The Black Oil Brothers and Hellhound Trail Booking, so come on out...

More to come on each artist...just had to give all y'all an advance notice...

Trouble In Mind

Howdy, happy troopers.  We're back in fine style today.  So much so, that we're almost giddy.

Trouble In Mind is a record label, run out of Chicago, no less,  by Lisa and Bill Roe, who y'all already know from the mighty band (and 'Mountain fave) Cococoma.  Trouble in Mind has been releasing some killer records over the past couple of years, featuring bands like The Liminanas, Wheels On Fire, The Hex Dispensers, Ty Segall, The Mean Jeans, The Fresh & Onlys, Charlie and the Moonhearts, and many, many more.  

They've got a new batch of rekkids out, and Lisa and Bill were kind enough to answer some questions for us.  We'll talk about the new records, and give you a taste, at the end, but for the moment, let's let Lisa and Bill speak for themselves.

The  BRCM Interview with Trouble In Mind Records

  

Big Rock Candy Mountain: Y'all have been on the radar for quite some time now as the band, CoCoComa.  What was your motivation in starting the Trouble In Mind record label?  

Bill: It’s something I’d always wanted to do for many many years... I guess it really started to become a reality when Lisa was pregnant with our daughter Ronnie. CoCoComa was going on ‘maternity hiatus’ & we were really uncertain if we’d even be able to continue the band after she was born (we knew we’d be busy as first-time parents, just unsure as to HOW busy). Finally deciding to start the label was a sort of way to keep music in our lives I guess...

BRCM:  "Trouble In Mind" , as a song, has quite a pedigree.  Was this taken into account when naming the record label?  Do you have a favorite version of the song?

Lisa: I’m not the biggest “blues” fan it the world, so for me it’s never been about a direct connection to the song. We actually went through a lot of ideas for a label name, knowing we were looking for something that seemed to fit with the visual aesthetic we had in mind. Somehow “Trouble In Mind” seemed to fit despite the musical and film connections.  If I had to guess, Bill’s favorite version of the song is probably by Jerry Lee Lewis, seeing as Bill does, or at least used to carry a picture of him in his wallet.

Bill: Still do!

BRCM:  You have a history of graphic design.  Trouble In Mind has a very unique aesthetic approach, seemingly "less is more".  The singles have a very minimalistic packaging.  What is your philosophy towards this end?  

Bill: (Allow me to get nerdy for a second) - When I thought about how our releases were gonna look, I definitely took a long look at our singles collection... the ones that really stood out to me were the ones that were packaged in “factory sleeves” (or PACS: “Period-Appropriate-Company-Sleeves”)... Stax Records, Motown Records, Stiff Records, Atlantic, White Whale, etc... I just thought that visually it was a striking aesthetic. Plus I noticed that everytime I came across one, I pulled it out to see what was on the inner label... so I guess really I wanted people to interact with our records while browsing through record racks... They’d see the sleeve & wonder which record it was & pick it up & look at it. I’ve definitely gotten a lot of good feedback on the design (which is always encouraging) - it’s nice to hear people say that they pick up our releases no matter what ‘cause they see the sleeve & buy it cuz they know it’s good.

Lisa: We were particularly drawn to the sleeves that were from the 60’s which often times seemed like out of touch label artists trying to appeal to the youth market which is sort of one inspiration for the sleeve design that Bill came up with.

BRCM: Trouble In Mind's output over the past (almost) 2 years has been mostly 7" singles/ep's.    Recently you've ventured into full length  records.   How did this come about?  Did you feel strongly about the artists that you wanted to release a full length, or was this a natural transition in the life of the label?

Lisa: Yeah, going into the label initially we thought just singles...which we still plan to keep on churning out, but LP’s are exciting on another level.  It’s kinda like going from dating to being married or something. The opportunity came because we were so in love with The Limiñanas music that strictly from a fan point of view we wanted to hear more more more.  So luckily they agreed to do their debut LP with us, which we are eternally grateful for.  And from there we’ve gotten to put out 2 more amazing debut LP’s by The Wrong Words and The Paperhead and we have lots more in the works. Wax Museums second record which is SOOO GREAT and The Night Beats which rules as well. Both will be coming out in late June.   Then not to go too far into the future, but, we are going to be releasing Mikal Cronin of Moonheart’s debut solo LP for which we’ve heard about ¾ of and with out a doubt it is going to seriously blow minds. He was in studio with Ty Segall and Eric Bauer (the guy that recorded Ty’s last couple of albums) last week and we really think this is going to show Mikal in a new light.

Bill: It’s true - Mikal’s solo LP is seriously gonna rule! Don’t forget the Estrogen Highs LP we’re gonna do soon! (seriously loved their ‘Friends & Relatives’ LP from earlier this year - if you haven’t picked it up - you should!)

BRCM: The inevitable vinyl question.   Your releases have been vinyl-only (with the digital download code for i-pod users).  Do you feel that vinyl is the best way to hear your releases?  Do you believe that the "single" is alive and well,  and you're reflecting the current market, or are you trying to make a statement  about how we listen to music?  

Bill: Well, the single has always been “alive & well” for myself & many others... I just think in alot of cases it’s the perfect format for listening to music on vinyl. DEEP grooves for maximum sound, 2-4 songs so you don’t get tired of a band over the course of a side, PLUS bands (I would hope) are more inclined to put their “A-material” on a single, so the song quality should be top notch! I really don’t prefer singles to LPs or vice-versa... I have PLENTY of both believe me (ha ha)... I wouldn’t say we really know what reflects the current market - don’t care really... we just like vinyl!

BRCM: Your roster of releases is rife with bands from all over the map, both musically and geographically.  Many of these are, what the generic music press would call, "hotly tipped " bands or artists.  How do you convince these bands that a release on Trouble In Mind  is a net plus?  

Lisa: Well, we haven’t begged anyone...not that we wouldn’t, I guess? Typically, we have said “Hey, we like your band. We want to put something out.” And 90% of the time people have said yes. Most every band is already a friend so that might help?  We know we are lucky to get to work with so many great bands and it’s something we don’t take lightly. We do whatever we can to have the bands benefit somehow from releasing a record with us.

BRCM: Do you have a favorite release?  Or is this like asking a parent who their favorite child is?

Lisa: Every single new record becomes my favorite. This is sort of the way it has to work for us since both of us have to agree absolutely 100% that we are in love with the songs or it doesn’t get released.

Bill: Yeah, the 100% thing is sometimes annoying (as I’m sure Lisa will agree) - there’s definitely been bands that one of us has been “They’re totally awesome - we NEED to release this!” & the other just doesn’t feel it at all. Despite that, I definitely feel like it’s helped us keep our focus & keep the quality of releases top-notch.

8.  A quick sidetrack...You've mentioned that CoCoComa is on "indefinite hiatus".  And that you've got a new project called  "The Marble Vanity".  Is there anything you can tell us about the new project?  What should we expect from y'all moving forward, band-wise?

Lisa: In a way it’s been a long time in the making all though the LP came together very quickly.  Bill and I listen to all kinds of music (Bill more than myself) but over the past 3 or 4 years we’ve really become enamored with baroque pop with a lot of the records we love being “studio projects” namely The Millenium, Sagittarius, The Clique then also things like Harumi, That Pretty Things with Phillipe DeBarge record (and The Zombies and The Left Banke of course) and throw in some psych-sploitation and an INDEX rip for good measure.  This winter in Chicago was exceptionally brutal and so we had A LOT of time cooped up in our apartment. At the same time our friend Andrew (formerly of The Hipshakes) was just out of grad school with no job and no apartment so he was staying with us for a bit.  We just started demo-ing stuff out as sort of a fun exercise like “Can I write a song that sounds like the Pretty Things’ “Hello, How do you do?” The answer is NOT REALLY, but the result turned out kinda cool in it’s own way. So as it went on we were kind of like “Hey, a lot this isn’t half bad” and it took this weird turn into something of a concept album which gave it some focus. Then we brought in our “ringer” (Emma from Hollows) who is a classically trained pianist and flautist to play harpsichord and flute to give it that final baroque touch. (SIDE NOTE: Be warned there are bongos on at least 2 songs!) It was lots of fun to make at least.We plan to play at least one live show this summer so watch out!

Bill: It’s our “twinkle-ding-dong” record!

BRCM: Trouble In Mind has 4 brand spankin' new releases out right now.  2 of 'em are LP's.  2 of 'em are 7" singles/ep's.  What can you tell us about these?  

Bill: Well, first off we have 

TIM022: The Wrong Words s/t debut album. GREAT great pop group from San Francisco. The guitarist & drummer, Josh & Layla used to play in a band called ‘White Music’ that we were going to release a single by (but they broke up)... Luckily Josh got back in touch when they formed Wrong Words & sent us more songs (which we loved) that became the single we released last Fall & the start of the LP. Sounds similar to Nick Lowe or Gentleman Jesse, but definitely with their own twist. Plus let’s not forget the RIPPING guitar work! 

Then we have...

TIM023: Alex Cuervo 4-song solo EP. Alex had mentioned something (on Facebook I believe - ha!) about working on solo material & I immediately emailed him about hearing it (since I am a huge Hex Dispensers fan). He sent me 6 songs that were all amazing (4 of which appear on our EP)... we hope to release a whole solo LP someday soon (right Alex?!?!?). It’s definitely in the ballpark of Hex Dispensers, but more new-wavish... Gary Numan, Sigue Sigue Sputnik, Adam & the Ants (and some Danzig too - ha!).

TIM024: The Paperhead s/t debut LP is one we’re particularly proud of. These guys sent us this WHOLE completed album out of the blue under the recommendation of Jeffrey Novak (who produced it). They said ‘maybe we’d hear a single or something’ - Ha! We both were immediately blown away by the whole thing & decided right then that we needed to release the LP. These guys are all under 20 years old - so talented! Psych-pop like early Pink Floyd, Soft Machine, July... PSYCHEDELIC! 

Lastly (but not leastly) we have...

TIM025: Jeffrey Novak 4-song solo EP - Jeff & I had been in contact re: the Paperhead LP & he was telling me about all the things he had on deck for release: a 2nd solo LP on In The Red, Cheap Time’s 3rd album (which is already done & is AMAZING, btw) & then a fully completed THIRD solo record which he said he was going to not release. He asked if I wanted to hear it (and I of course said ‘yes’)... we liked it & I asked if we could use 4 of the songs as an EP. That’s sort of when the whole “Solo Series” idea came into being. 

We have a few more people that have agreed to do EPs which I’ll keep under the hopper for now... gonna be great though.

BRCM: What can we expect going forward from Trouble In Mind?  

Lisa: As we mentioned LP’s from Wax Museums, Night Beats and Mikal Cronin though more are in the works.  More singles and more “solo series” EP’s. We have lots of promised things that I think we’ll not talk about till we actually have tracks, but we’re pretty stoked to get to continue to put out stuff by brand new bands that people might not know so well, but also established artists that we are personally fans of.  Having a label is SOOO much work but it’s rewarding in so many more ways than just being in a band. 

Bill: Ditto.

Hooked yet?  Well, you should be.  We feel like Bill and Lisa pretty much laid out why you should care, but if not, they were kind enough to allow a couple or so tunes  for yr enjoyment.  But here's our humble take...

The four new records run a glorious gambit. From the EP's:, the scrunge-out Kinks-sleaze of Cheap Time's Jeffrey Novak to the surging splatter-punk grind of Hex Dispenser's Alex Cuevo.  (both part of the aforementioned "Solo Series").  

The LP's, from The Paperhead and The Wrong Words , deserve their own posts, of course.  Magnificent, and swirling psych 'n' trash (depending n which record yr listening to), filtered through a blender of guitar abuse and  nasty joy.  Each record is completely different from the other, the great thing about Trouble In Mind, but each with a defining vision, and, ultimately, tailor-made for yr Spring and Summer bump'n'grind, hatchback doors open, beer or Mai Tai in hand, and delicious.  

Trouble In Mind is an independent record label, puttin' out some great records.  Please keep that in mind when you download the following samples...if you like the tunes, the records are even better (and they come with download codes).  Keep that in mind, so to speak!

The Paperhead: Back To Those Days (mp3)


The Wrong Words: Summer's Gone (mp3)

Jeffrey Novak: Back At The Bottom (mp3)


Alex Cuevo: 2 Broken Fingers (mp3)

Again...Please support independent labels.  The above tunes are available for purchase, with a nifty record attached.  Something you can hold in yr hands and enjoy beyond an mp3 or cd.  If you don't have a record player, they come with a download code...so you get the best of both worlds.  How keen is that?

Six Pack by Six West

 Big news!  Mark yr calendars for May 7th at the Abbey Pub in Chicago IL. for a little mini-fest in celebration of Robert Johnson's birthday (yes, his birthday is probably the 8th, but it'll be the 8th by the time we're done with the show, so settle down).  The event is co-sponsored by yours truly, The Big Rock Candy Mountain,  in conjunction with main man Tony of The Black Oil Brothers.    Full lineup will be announced shortly, but if you're a fan of this here site, you're gonna be jealous if you don't make it.  Just sayin'.

We're gonna have some actual record reviews and whatnot shortly, including a review of the nifty new Exene Cervenka record, and an interview with one of our favorite record labels.  Just in case y'all thought we forgot.

But today, we'd like to welcome back our world famous Six Pack series.  Six nifty little tunes plucked from our lovely vinyl collection, unadulterated by filtering systems or whatnot.  If it pops and crackles, well, that's just a bonus. And, hey, these are meant to be teasers.  We always encourage folks to check out the bands and their rekkids. 

So whatta we got today?  Oh man, we got some tasty shit. Let's start off with Australia's The Ooga Boogas (featuring members of Eddy Current Suppression) and a slightly Pavement-esque ramble of a tune, keeningly lovely, sad, and funny (from the 7" single of the same name).  "Party Life" by King Hannibal starts off with the line "...You know there was a pimp by my house the other day...".  And it slow-soul burns from there (from his record "Truth").  Then we've got Rob K. (of the Workdogs) and one-man trash king exraordinaire Uncle Butcher with a nasty bit of garbage blues stripper sleaze, "Cat Walk" (taken from their collaboration, "Dictionary of Cool"). 

Breathe for a moment, and then dive into the campfire country sounds of Texas Tea, and their tear-in-my-beer hoedown, "Whiskey and Wine", off their rarities collection "Fire Sides/Last Drinks".   Then, a little Hank Snow never hurt anybody, and his record "Tales Of The Yukon" is a fine example of his Western-via-Canada storytelling, particularly his cautionary tale, "The Face On The Barroom Floor".  We've all been there, I'm sure.

Finally, a bit of  Franco-style pop-psych, courtesy of The Liminanas.  More to say on this band, and their new record shortly.  But it's a fucking great song and record, so there's that.

As ever, the following tunes are in no order as far as quality goes.  Check 'em all out! 

Six Pack by Six West

Ooga Boogas: Sentimental Stranger (mp3)

King Hannibal: Party Life (mp3)

Rob K. and Uncle Butcher: Cat Butcher (mp3)

Texas Tea: Whiskey and Wine (mp3)

Hank Snow: The Face On The Barroom Floor (mp3)

The Liminanas: Chocolate In My Milk (mp3)

Please support yr local independent retailers.  Please consider buying record...they're pretty nifty, sound great, and encourage bands to take a chance that corporately-funded cd's just can't match.

Oklahoma Hills

Hey, now!

Since the last one was a gangbusters success, we're gonna do another in our series called, conveniently, The Greatest Song Ever Written (At Least For Today).  Again, this is where we highlight a song, for the sake of the song.  No wordy exposition.  No Mountainesque rambling.  The song is the star.  Of course, we always encourage folks to support the artists' (or their legacies) involved.

Boasting on of the best Country and Western (stress on the Western) melodies this side of Hank Snow, "Oklahoma Hills" might have been written by Woody Guthrie.  Or possibly his cousin Jack Guthrie.  Google-sleuths can determine for themselves. 

A jaunty, swingin' little Western number, time lost and travellin' long.  Featuring one of the greatest choruses ever written.  Takes you back, and stomps yr boots on the dust-scarred wooden floor. Yodel yr horse on down the trail between the canyon and the valley.  Lay yr blanket out under stars shining only for you.

Jack Guthrie: Oklahoma Hills (mp3)

Hank Thompson: Oklahoma Hills (mp3)

Johnny Bond: Oklahoma Hills (mp3)

Marvin Rainwater: Oklahoma Hills (mp3)

The Mountain is a strong supporter of independent kickers, pickers, and cowboy angels. 

A Night Goes Through

One of the things about doing a site like this, one that has been around a long time, by blogging standards, is that we get a decent about of press inquiries about coverage.  Some of these inquiries are absurd (no, we don't want a copy of the new Lady Gaga or Justin Bieber records, thank you very much), some are kinda awesome (thanks to all our favorite record labels for noticing us).  But most of the inquiries are from unsigned or fledgling artists, folks who are trying to get a foothold into the music scene, who are looking for a way to get their music heard, and who have labored with love over their records.  We haven't been very good about covering some of these artists, but we're gonna make a conscious effort to improve on that, and do our best to spotlight bands and artists that deserve wider  coverage.

And we're gonna start with a stunner, a record that blew us away, and has demanded many repeated listenings.  The record is called "A Night Goes Through", and it's by Barry Brusseau.

We spend a lot of time encouraging folks to support independent music, and you don't get better or more independent than this.  

"Sittin' back and drinkin in the cold breeze, I close my eyes
And listen to the sound, of cars go rushin' by
The sun is in my face, it sits low in the sky
Autumn is the place where summertime can die"

Before we dive into the tunes themselves, a little something about the man and the album.  Brusseau contacted with an offer I couldn't refuse...a copy of his brand spankin' new vinyl record.  Well, we can't have enough of those, so I greedily agreed for him to send it along.  Glad I did.  It's one of the most beautifully packaged albums in recent memory.  More on that in a moment.

"We're only halfway home, I wouldn't leave you alone
Looking warm and stoned, now we just let go"

Brusseau made his early musical bones in punk bands The Jimmies and The Legend of Dutch Savage.   Feeling a pull in a different direction, Brusseau began composing quieter and more personal songs, playing them out on demos and even open mic nights, perfecting the songs through each experience.  Putting aside 50 bucks a paycheck for over two years, he began  to record and assemble "A Night Goes Through" for an eventual vinyl release.  The full story, and it's a very good one, can be found here, at his website.  It's definitely worth checking out, particularly for anyone looking to branch out into recording for themselves.

"And we made our plans,
and we made our demands
But it's here I stand
a disappointed man
We set our sights so high.
In The Blue Flame Sky
Forgot these dreams could keep,
forgot these dreams could fly."

What Brusseau produced is nothing short of  genius.  Really.  No hyperbole involved.  A shimmering hymn of midnight moon and morning dew.

In Brusseau's words:

" I grew up loving records. Coming home after buying one, and reading everything inside and out. Holding it while listening, and letting my imagination run wild. I decided that’s what I wanted to do, make the kind of record I would have loved to get...  Now the heart of this record is the music, but the soul of it is in the senses of sight and touch. It's really hard to achieve the same aesthetic in any other medium."

From the beautiful and haunting cover by Rachel Blumberg to the heavy stock lyric cards (a card for every song, accented by hazed and pinholed photos), to the heavy vinyl, to the sleeve, every tactile experience is heightened before you even pop this on the turntable.

And then there's the music itself.  Which makes everything come together beautifully.  And beauty, even the dark kind, is what defines this record.

"Well you don't think you burn as bright, as bright as I,
But from the morning till the night, you burn up the sky
The sordid sins, of the splendid sinners
Let them all come on in"

Let's get the reference points out of the way first:  Richard Buckner, Jackson C. Frank, Nick Drake.   Add to to that a strong New Zealand streak, particularly Peter Jefferies and his brother Graeme Jefferies (Cakekitchen, in addition to his solo work). 

But a great musician is not, of course, their influences.  They are themselves.  And Barry Brusseau is very much his own voice.

"If I run away will it fade away?"

The record is very much, as it's title suggests, a midnight to six am listen, inviting you into a warm room, your favorite chair facing the window, a bottle of whiskey on the table, and a broken heart mending with each beat.  Brusseau's voice: a lowered, single malt bartione,  whispering in yr ear from behind, urging you into the stars fell night, taking you through the small hours with each hushed prayer. Each whispered line a reflection of headlights on broken pavement.

"Why'd I even agree to come, agree to come
It was probably cause I'm drunk, cause I'm drunk
I haven't shaved my face in months, not in months
The coffee table's mine, can I put my feet up one more time?"

Musically, the record picks and trips and gorgeously wanders, at times stripped and naked, at times delicately baroque.  Each passage is a Koan, a heart-broken melody, strung and neon-lit, the fireflies and the fading campfire, the salvation in yr crackled AM leading home, or at least to the fizzled motel in the end of the world.

"I am tlll and frayed, I'm shaking in and out
And I see the woods, and the rust
Relax, your voice will come sit back and feel the sun
The colors bright and blue, and the warmth"

What is crafted, what you hear,  and what is communicated... a singular vision, a man in the forgotten hours, and the forgotten years, laid bare, a vision of the smallness and grandness of the in-between time, a moment of slipping and catching, while the world is sleeping.  And, while the world is sleeping Barry Brusseau is breathing a sound of the moment between waking and dream.

"Float so high I hear angels sing, hear them sing
Float so high I hear angels sing.  Got stars all over their wings."

We've avoided listing individual songs in this review.  Each tune demands its own experience, and to single out a single missive does the record injustice, as we believe you will find your own way through to a favorite track that speaks into yr ear.  We've quoted many of the tunes throughout, and feel that welcomes you into the record.   If we've failed, let us know. 

The following songs were ripped from the vinyl, and at a low bit-rate.  We want folks to feel like they've heard something from the record without feeling like they own the record.  The phrase "labor of love" is bandied about quite a bit, but, in this case, it's true.  You can buy the vinyl here.  (it includes a download card, so you can have the vinyl and the mp3's all in one).  Christ, it's only $10.  You can also download the record from that site as well, if you're not keen on the whole "vinyl" thing.  Our dream is to help sell out the entire vinyl stock that Barry Brusseau has pressed, even realizing he takes a loss with each record sold.

This is your chance to support a truly independent artist, and to hear one of the most heartbreaking albums  of this year, and years past, and years to come.  C'mon people! 

"It's the simple songs that make the night go through
The effort it takes is small and true
Honey why can't this song be like you"

Barry Brusseau: Thrift Store Buzz (mp3)

Barry Brusseau: A Night Goes Through (mp3)

Seriously, please consider buying this record.  You won't be disappointed.  And you'll be supporting a true independent artist.  Thanks.

C'mon Through Carolina

So...here's a new feature we're gonna try 'round these parts.  We make no guarantee how often we're gonna do it, nor are we gonna apologize if we end up doing it quite a bit.  So, there's that.

For lack of a better title, we're gonna call it "The Greatest Song Ever Written (At Least For Today)"  Catchy, innit?   Essentially, while we're listening to rekkids or whatnot, a song'll catch our ear and cause us to dance around the place like an idjit, or maybe just sit back, sip a whiskey and revel in the sadness or the beauty or the sheer brilliance.  Any number of reasons, really, why a tune will strike our fancy.  Maybe it just makes us laugh.  And maybe the song doesn't really ask for any more explanation than to be heard.  So, these will be, ideally, short 'n' sweet.  Let the song be the post, as it were.  As ever, we encourage ya'll to support the artists involved.

Our first entry is a ragged and glorious little stomper from the mighty American treasure, Tom House.  The song is a ragin' barnburner, and just wait 'til the got-damn fiddles kick in.  You'll be hollerin' down yr hallway, kickin' in doors and swingin' off the stars!
 
Tom House: C'mon Through Carolina (mp3)

Please support back porch music and its musicians. 

Wasn't Born To Follow

Written by Carole King and Gerry Goffin, with The Byrds version featuring prominently in the film, Easy Rider,  "Wasn't Born To Follow" is a William Blake via Henry David Thoreau composition of mystical vision and lost canyons, a statement of the solitary and the natural, turned and tossed by restlessness and tranquility.

For all it's metaphysical lyrical quality, the base music itself is, at heart, rooted and roaming.  A sound of disappearance and open space.  There's no wonder that this tunes translates so well to a Country sound, as evidenced by its numerous covers.  Obviously, The Byrds have the seminal version, the one we all know.  But Uncle Tupelo (from a live bootleg) and The Sadies do it fine justice as well (oh, and there's a really nifty Memphis-esque Soul version done by Dusty Springfield...hunt it down)

Somewhere in the great American desert a parched and dusted Harley still flies with the wind...

Oh, I'd rather go and journey where the
Diamond crescent's flowing
And run across the valley
Beneath the sacred mountain
And wander through the forest
Where the trees have leaves of prisms
That break the light up into colors
That no one knows the names of

And when it's time I'll go and wait
Beside the legendary fountain
Till I see your form reflected
In its clear and jeweled waters
And if you think I'm ready
You may lead me to the chasm
Where the rivers of our visions
Flow into one another

And I'll stay awhile and wonder
At the mist that they've created
And lose myself within it
Cleanse my mind and body
And I know at that moment
As I stand in that cathedral
I will want to dive
Beneath the white cascading water

She may beg and she may plead
And she may argue with your logic
Mention all the things I'll lose
That really have no value
Though I doubt that she will ever
Come to understand my meaning
In the end she'll surely know
I wasn't born to follow

Uncle Tupelo: Wasn't Born To Follow (mp3)

The Sadies: Wasn't Born To Follow (mp3)

Western Stars

Hey, look!  A new design at the Mountain!  How exciting.  'Course, it's a work in progress, so we'll be tweaking over the next week or so.  And, hey, if you don't like this design, check out our mirror site over a wordpress.  It's probably a good idea to bookmark that link anyway, in case the man takes us down 'round thisaway.  Just sayin'...


Whelp, it's just about that time for another one of our world famous "mixes".  These should probably deserve their own national holiday, I 'spect, in light of their sheer, well, you know, awesomeness. Yep.

We started off as a country site, and country is still our primary love, dontcha know.   So, there you are.  And here we are. 

And, yes, we do have a peculiar fascination with late 60's and early 70's countrypolitan  music, especially it's interest in the Southwest as a mecca.  And, yes, we're obsessed with Moe Bandy, Dean Martin,  and Hank Thompson.  Thanks for askin'. 

A Big Rock Candy Mountain Western Stars Mix
(Link to mp3 follows track listing, of course)

1. Get A Little Goner (Marti Brom)
2. She Came Around Last Night (Kurt Wagner and Cortney Tidwell)
3. Take Your Foot Out Of The Mud...(Walter Daniels)
4. Love Revival (Mel Tillis)
5. False Friends At The Bar (Jim Ringer)
6. Big City Hooker (Stan Farlow)
7. Let The Church Roll On (Lucille Barbee)
8. Laying Out All Night (Tony Joe White)
9. Calling All Cows (The Blues Rockers)
10. Hello Saturday Morning (Lee Hazlewood)
11. Grinnin' Like A Possum (Bawlin' Like A Hound)  (Boots Faye and Idaho Call)
12. Watermelon Time In Georgia (Lefty Frizzell)
13. Down On The Farm (Big Al Downing)
14. Rio Grande (Mitchell Torock)
15. The Train With The Rhumba Beat (Johnny Horton)
16. The Devil In Mrs. Jones (Billy Larkin)
17. Lovin' Country Style (Big Bill Lister)
18. Night Life Queen (Hank Locklin)
19. Heaven's Just A Sin Away (Kelly Willis)
20.  A Girl Don't Have To Drink To Have Fun (Wanda Jackson)
21.  Bright Lights And Blonde Haired Women (Hank Thompson)
22.  I Just Can't Leave Those Honky Tonks Alone (Moe Bandy)
23. Houston (Dean Martin)
24. Is Anybody Going To San Antone (Charley Pride)
25.  Here You Come Again (Billie Jo Spears)
26.  My Benny's Wearin' Off (Tom Hyatt and the Black Mountain Boys)
27.  Some Of Shelly's Blues (The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band)
28.  Honky Tonk Queen (Bobby Hankins)
29.  Pale Moon (Hal Lone Pine and Betty Cody)
30.  West Texas Waltz (Emmylou Harris)
31.  Waltz Across Texas (E.T....hidden due to some cranky label anality...but you know who it is)
32.  Don't Let The Stars Get In Your Eyes (Skeets McDonald)

Western Stars Mix (mp3)



Please support yr local, independent honky tonk.  If you don't have one, make yr own.  Nuthin' beats a Saturday night hoedown!