Cheatin' Vs. Hangovers

Still time to vote in poll off to the side!  What do you want our next Top 50 list to be?  Cheatin' songs or Hangover songs?  Speak now, or no complaints down the line.  And if you wanna be a judge, and help keep us honest, let us know!

So here's a quickie sampler of what y'all got to choose from.  Two stone cold classics from each option.

You should everything by Kris Kristofferson, of course. The man's a legend.  And, in "Sunday Morning Coming Down", he might have composed the greatest hangover song of all time.

Dan Penn, often with Spooner Oldham, crafted some of the great  slow-burn Southern Soul songs of the '60's.  He certainly deserves a full post of his own. In lieu of James Carr's version of  "Dark End Of The Street", we're gonna tease you with Penn's take on his own creation.  'Cuz it's really fuckin' great.  All the cheatin' and all the fearful consequences lingering..

Of course...more to come.  So vote in the goddamn poll, already!   It's right there..to your left.  Which deserves it's own Top 50 List??? 


Kris Kristofferson:  Sunday Morning Coming Down (mp3)

Dan Penn: The Dark Side Of The Street (mp3)

Please support your local, independent morning regret.

Six Pack of Love

Gettin' ready for our favorite season, Autumn, and a post of one of our new-found favorites, but figgered we'd offer up a quick little 6 Pack (plus one) for yr weekend record shopping...erm...listening enjoyment.

But first...We want your opinion!  After the world-wide success of our Top 100 Drinking Songs, we think it's about time for another definitive list, one in which there can be no argument!  So, we're thinking of two options...Top 50 Cheating Songs or Top 50 Hangover Songs.  What do you think, faithful readers?  Which list is most appealing?  Of course we'll be looking for a few good women and men to help us judge, and we'll be looking for a ton of suggestions, whichever the pick is,  so keep that in mind.  Here's the deal, we need you vote in the poll to the left to help us decide which list it'll be.  Once the poll closes, we're gonna start begging y'all for judges and song suggestions.  Feel free to start either of those options now, of course.

Alright, alright.  That done let's kick out a little vinyl goodness in the form of our semi-regular Six Pack series, where we select some random killer tunes culled from our vinyl collection.  You know the drill.  So let's go. (oh, and we might have a bonus track...cuz that's how the kids roll these days...). 

Mountain faves Del Reeves and Billie Jo Spears team up for a truckin' and truck stop love song.  You just know we're all over this shit.  And how about Tom T. Hall givin' it up for a little sanctified lust?  Mmmm hmmm.   

Jim Mize has a new 7" out which features maybe the best song of the year, "Drunk Moon Falling".  We're not gonna give that to you.  You should really own that record (it's cheap!).  But the B-Side, "I Won't Come Back Again" is pretty fuckin' fantastic too.  And it's only a teaser to how great the A-Side is.  Seriously, if you buy the 7", which you deserve as a music fan, and can prove that you've got it (shame on you for not owning a record player), we'll send you an mp3 of the title song.  It's well worth yr goddam time.  Oh, and Mountain favorite John Paul Keith plays on the track...so you know it's good.

Jack Oblivian...well, damn.  It's Jack Oblivian.  Can we preach his glory more on this site.  Just listen to the goddam track and go out and grab the catalog.  It's worth it.  This is from a 7" put out by Vice Records.   

We have no idea who the Coal Diggers are.  They're a polka band that we found a random record for in the bins.  If you find one of their records, grab it, dammit.  The song is a brilliant distillation of  a band on the edge of alcoholic indulgence.

And then we've got a psychedelic "God" song from a record commemorating the ultimate "Jesus People" experience, "Jesus Sound Explosion".  Just sit back and revel in the early 70's attempt at "hipster nowness".  The song is pretty fuckin' great, all divine soul groove.  Also, for fans who ever read all the "christian" Archie comics...you know who you are.

Finally, it's our boy Robert Mitchum, waxing road weary and boozy.  We love Mitchum as an actor, he's one of our fave raves, but on his musical recordings, he's transcendent.   A Country tramp, an Exotica beatnik, a man with a past and future uncertain.  Damn, he's a swell hobo in spangled Hollywood lights, aint he?

So, that's seven songs in this Six Pack.  Well, don't tell us we aint generous.  Call it a Baker's Dozen in "take home" lingo. 

Evey song is a classic.  Collect 'em all.  Why be selective?

Del Reeves and Billie Jo Spears: Baby, Ride Easy (mp3)

Tom T. Hall: The Little Lady Preacher (mp3)

Jim Mize: I Won't Come Back Again (mp3)

Jack Oblivian: The Lone Ranger Of Love (mp3)

The Coal Diggers: Don't Throw Beer Bottles At The Band (mp3)

Armageddon Experience: One Way (mp3)

Robert Mitchum: Gotta Travel On (mp3)

Please support yr local, independent One Hour Motels.  Good times.  

American Honey

So. Apparently we're sponsored by LL Bean.  Ugh.  'Spect some of the longtime readers here have been waiting for me to weigh in.  Won't go on a rant...but suffice to say Harry McClintock's version of "Big Rock Candy Mountain", from which we took our name, probably was not written in the spirit of selling trendy outdoors clothing for well-to-do, white weekend warriors.  It's a hobo song, fer chrissakes!  Well, this is our world now, I guess.  I'll be quiet about the issue now.  But, I'm just sayin'...

Now that that's done, we wanna revisit one of our favorite local bands, who have a new EP out that's pretty fuckin' amazing. 

Last year we covered a record by The Black Oil Brothers.  Here's what we said then:

"The Black Oil Brothers create an amalgam of Country and Blues not beholden to contemporary "alt" whatever, forging their sound from a deeper well, stripping away the trappings of contemporary naval-gazing to find a purer sound. Strapped to the concrete acreage of the big, big city, the Black Oil Brothers find the wide open spaces of beyond, and the smallness of life lived in overgrown yards and back porches lit by fireflies.  Regret and bad choices made in the midnight hour, then. The kind of Country Blues record we love so dearly."

We didn't focus enough, of course, on the Delta Blues aspect of their sound, and with their new EP, American Honey, featuring the astonishing vocals of Bethany Saint-Smith (or here), The Black Oil Brothers tromp and stomp further into the muddied bottom, sinking their acoustic strum'n'snake oil holler into a midnight last call desperation, dancing loose-stringed and meditative with sex and whiskey running slow and fast, the final nod, the heavy lean, the sweep-me-off my feet, I'm lighter than air and these planked floorboards can't keep me steady.

While the Black Oil Brothers (Tony, Tony, and Timmy) do that voodoo that they do (and it is a hypnotic voodoo)...this new EP introduces  a new element in one Ms. Bethany Saint-Smith.  I'm gonna let one of the Tony's (Manno) tell you how this came to be:

"We met Bethany when we went to NYC for a string of shows a few years back.  She was running sound at Niagara, a bar in the Lower East Side, that we played the first night out there. She took to us immediately, and literally called a bunch of friends while we were playing and packed the place halfway through our set.  We became fast friends and her and her gang followed us around to our other shows that weekend. We ended up jamming at one of the shows, and realized that she has one HELL of a voice pretty quickly. So we kept chatting and chatting, and finally she flew out here last year and we fired through a bunch of tunes in my apartment over a weekend of doing nothing but smoking and drinking a lot of Jack Daniels and Wild Turkey American Honey (hence the name).  We got around to fixing up the tunes, adding some percussion, and decided to put it out.  Bethany has a band out in NYC called Bethany Saint-Smith &the Gun Show, and she also sings for a Rockabilly band called (shit, I forget the name at the moment-she just joined).   She's a firecracker of a chick, and has become a close friend of mine.  We went out there to play with her last December and did a few of these songs, and that solidified our relationship. "

He's right.  Saint-Smith has got a voice equal parts straight-no-chaser whiskey and  straw-dry huskiness, low-murmured and deep, deep soulful, the voice of yr loss and the consequences of yr bad strayin' self.  She's got you in the wee small hours.  Of the night, and of your slow sun risin' morning regret. 

Together, the Black Oil Brothers and Bethany Saint-Smith create a burning ember of a torched rickety shack, hard stomped, dusty caked, risin' flooded porch Blues. 

This record is easily gonna be in our top records of the year.  Pretty high up, actually.  

You can grab the new EP for free right here.  But there is an option to send them a little cash.  Wouldn't hurt, really, would it? 

From the new EP, American Honey:

Bethany Saint-Smith and The Black Oil Brothers: Hold The Knife (mp3)

From the previous Black Oil Brothers record, Long Way From The Delta: 


Black Oil Brothers: Wednesday Afternoon (mp3)

Black Oil Brothers: Robert From Hibbing (mp3)

As ever, please support yr local, independent...whatever.  True small businesses could use yr support these days. 

Rockabilly Boogie

Hey hey, all y'all. We'd like to introduce a new contributor to this here little corner of the world. "Big J" knows a whole lotta shit that we don't, from Rockabilly to Metal to Punk, and all points in between. We think he's gonna be a big addition to our aesthetic. And we think y'all are gonna dig what he's got to say and share. He's gonna start us off with a little Six Pack of his own, to give you a little teaser. Check it out, and give Big J a warm welcome to The Mountain!


We'll start this six pack off with a wild, wild rocker by Johnny Carroll & His Hot Rocks. I like this version better than the one used in the movie Rock, Baby Rock It. Next up is a little boogie-woogie country number by Pee Wee King. Weep with Glen Glenn as he waits for his gal to show up. Then we've got a tune by Vince Taylor ( later covered by The Clash) and another by the mysterious Phantom ( later covered The Cramps). Finally there's Inspector Tuppence and the Sexy Firemen. Lousy name, great song!

Johnny Carroll and His Hot Rocks: Wild Wild Women (mp3)

Pee Wee King: Catty Town (MP3)

Glen Glenn: One Cup of Coffee (MP3)

Vince Taylor: Brand New Cadillac (MP3)

The Phantom: Love Me (MP3)

Inspector Tuppence and the Sexy Firemen: I Guess It Must Be Love (MP3)

Road Hog

Well.

Perhaps it's inspired by a friend's recent road trip along the entirety of Route 66.  Perhaps it's with the waning of summer and the desire to hit the road.   Perhaps we're trying to make amends for our time away.

Whichever, we've got a nifty little mix for y'all today.  And it's road songs...all road songs.  And, yeah, it's a little heavy on the truckin' songs, but what can we say?  We're all about the truckin' 'round these parts, and we'd be curious to discover if anyone's got a larger collection of the damn things than we do (we're pretty seriously obsessive). 

But it aint all just 18-Wheeler fetishism.  We got some draggin', some locomotin', some shout-outs to The Fuzz, and some odes to movement in general.  Oh, and some of the tunes may contain sexual innuendo.  Do what you will with that.  We missed a couple thousand great tunes, but how long do you really want to spend downloadin' this sucker?  'Sides,  its leaves us open to a part 2, 

We'll be back to posting about, you know, actual bands shortly.  And we've got a special request coming up.  So stay tuned. 

For now, pop this sucker in yr 8-Track, and hit the highways before it's too late!

The Big Rock Candy Road Hog Mix
(Download link follows track listing)


1. Hot Wheels (Stan Farlow)
2. Trucker From Tennessee (Link Davis)
3. (I Want To Be A) Truck Driver's Sweetheart (Marcie Dickerson)
4.  Bennies and Beer (Chinga Chavin)
5. Change Gears On That Thing (Hasil Adkins)
6. Speed Traps, Weigh Stations and Detour Signs (Dave Dudley)
7. Ford And A Shaker (James Gallagher)
8. Hot Rod (Roy Hogsed)
9. Roll On Down The Highway (The Donnas)
10. Harley Davidson (Mick Harvey and Anita Lane)
11.  Hell's Angels (Johnny Bond)
12. Rocket 88 (Jackie Brentson/Ike Turner)
13. Night Train (John R.)
14. The Golden Rocket (Hank Snow) 
15. Hey Truckers (Andre Williams and The Sadies)
16. Truck Drivin' Outlaw (Denis Olson)
17. Lookin' At The World Through A Windshield (Del Reeves)
18. Don't Drag No More (Susan Lynne)
19. Highway Patrol (Junior Brown)
20. Beaver On My Lap and a Bear On My Trail (Ferlin Husky)
21. Highway Man (Howlin' Wolf)
22. Ride On Josephine (Bo Diddley)
23. Windfall (Son Volt)
24. '57 Chevrolet (Billie Jo Spears)
25. I've Got A New Road Under My Wheels (Tommy Duncan/Bob Wills)
26. Grudge Run (Dick Dale)
27. This Train (Elder Samuel Patterson and the Christian Crusaders)
28. Diamonds On My Windshield (Tom Waits)
29. Hitch Hiking Girl (Red Sovine)
30. Hard Hard Traveling Man (Dick Curless)
31. 18 Wheeler Fever (Scott H Biram)
32. Drive That Rig To Glory (Craig Donaldson)
33. White Line Fever (Merle Haggard)
34. Outro-Mad Road Driving

BRCM-Road Hog Mix (mp3)

Please support yr local, independent, diesel mechanic.  

Milwaukee's Best

Whelp.  We just spent a great weekend in Milwaukee, WI with our buddy and long-time reader John (from Milwaukee), and Andy from the radio show Zero Hour Radio.  Some great food/cook-outs, and some great music all weekend long.  We even came back with 50+ records (damn our suitcase was heavy), that's gonna please y'all down the line.

We'd especially like to thank the great staff of WMSE (97.1), who were incredibly supportive and friendly, and put out just about the best free-from radio all y'all gonna hear (and it streams live on the internets, dammit!).  They put on the Radio Summer Camp all weekend long, with great bands (like, oh, I dunno, Jack Oblivian with John Paul Keith and the One Four Fives), culminating with a day long  free fest downtown on Sunday that featured, among others featured down below, The Carolina Chocolate Drops (who we bought a "commemorative kazoo from) and the chicken-hurlin' Southern Culture On The Skids.   

If y'all missed it, and wanna hear our interview, followed by the Jack Oblivian/John Paul Keith interview, go all clicky click here. 

Now, for the music portion of our "show".

We wanna draw yr ADD-addled digital listening selves to a few bands who played the free WMSE-sponsored fest, Backyard BBQ on Sunday.  We think they're fantastic bands that all y'all will dig, and we hope to cover further down the line.

First up is the .357 String Band, who kicked out the punk-bluegrass  (think they call it "Street-Grass") like nobody's business, reminding us, in a very good way, of Bloodshot's early years with The Riptides, The Meat Purveyors, and most especially Split Lip Rayfield.  They don't sound anything like those bands, of course, but they're carrying on the tradition of punk-inspired country that's been sorely lacking these days.

Next we've got Jonathan Burks (and his band), who do a Miller-lite buzzed-out snarl of boozed-up Country trash and LoudonWainright- style observation and snark.  The man loves his drinking song like no other, and we're keen to see where he goes from here.  Oh, and if you visit his site, you'll get a nice surprise,  but be generous, folks, be generous.  Man's gotta have beer money, dontcha know.

And finally, we've got The Ragadors.  Damn.  Saved the best for last.  We don't know what the following two tracks are actually titled, as they provided a sampler of their upcoming LP without a track listing.  Doesn't matter, cuz these cats make a fuckin' hell of a racket, all Blues-trash surge and wail, deep and heavy bottom with a guy up front who's voice comes from the very Devil.  This is a band to keep yr eyes on, and we'll have a longer post on these guys when their full-length comes out this Autumn.  They promised it'd be on vinyl (oh, and cd, too, of course), and we're seriously jazzed.  But for now, revel in this surging racket of rawk! 

Thanks for a great weekend, Milwaukee!

.357 String Band: Milwaukee, Here I Come (mp3)

Jonathan Burks: Drunkard's Remorse (mp3)

Ragadors: Untitled #1 (mp3)

Ragadors: Untitled #2 (mp3)


Check out WMSE.  Independent, Frontier Radio, and well worth it. 

Six Pack In The City

Good Times!

Got another hot rockin' round of our Six Pack special today.  Soon, we'll get back to covering actual individual artists.  How about some Abner Jay next week?  Yr wish is our command.

Before we dive into our semi-regular round of vinyl goodness, we've got a special announcement!

This Friday we're venturing out to Milwaukee for a weekend of booze and music with some good friends.  While there, we're gonna be a guest on the great free-form radio station, WMSE, 91.7 FM ("Anti-Established in 1981").     The show is called  Zero Hour Radio, and it's hosted by "Andy" who has his own site with archives of his fantastic shows, and , coincidentally, was a contributor to our very own Top 100 Drinking Songs (remember that?).  The show streams live on the internets, and will be this Friday from 12-3 in the afternoon (Central Time, kiddies).  So why should you check it out?  Well, besides me, Andy will be doing his usual brilliance, spinning the best in trash, garage, beat-soul, etc.  Our favorite reader (and WMSE DJ), John (from Milwaukee) will be on hand as well.  Oh, and there's a rumour Jack Oblivian and/or John Paul Keith might join us for a short while (enabling an Oblivians set, you betcha).  And finally, well, I'll be there, possibly presenting my best records of the year, so far.  It's gonna be a fun show, and all y'all should tune in!  Again, this Friday, on WMSE (that's the link to the online stream), from Noon-3.  (And if you're feeling particularly snarky, they have a phone number you can call in to for requests and whatnot....just sayin').

Now for another Six Pack o' tunes from our vinyl treasure trove.

First up is a slow funk burner, "Tire Shop Part 1" from the recently passed King Lee of New Orleans, with Quintron on all "instruments".  It's pretty fuckin' great, and perfect for your summer low-ridin' enjoyment.  Get it here, cuz you're gonna need it. 

We move from New Orleans to Tex-ass and John Wesley Coleman III's "Donkey Song", a slab of western-tinted fuzz'n'snot.  From the killer record "Steal My Mind".  More on Coleman later. 

On to Oregon for The Range Rats, and the tune "Thunder Road" (not the one your thinking of). The band is Fred and Toody from Dead Moon/Pierced Arrows.  It's a Country record, made back in the day and finally getting a release.  It's exactly as great as you think it is.  Hunt for it...cuz it's on Mississippi Records.

Moonshiner and tale-teller Hamper McBee's got some crazy ass backwoods folk shit going  on.  From his record "The Good Old Fashioned Way" , recorded back in the late 70's, and finally seeing release on Drag City.  This record is pretty much a must for any fan of "outsider" music (whatever the hell that is), Country, or great storytelling in general.

You probably already know who Tandoori Knights are.  If not, you will soon.  It's a Rolling Stones cover.  It's on Norton.  'nuff said.

And from Chicago, we've got the hollerin' garage-soul blues of Big Whiskey.  "Howl For Me" is pure swamp adrenalin.  Pogo 'til you're sore.

Collect 'em all and enjoy!  It's all vinyl and all good!  See you on the radio!


King Lee (w/Quintron): Tire Shop Part 1 (mp3)

John Wesley Coleman III: Donkey Song (mp3)

The Range Rats: Thunder Road (mp3)

Hamper McBee: Methodist Pie (mp3)

Tandoori Knights: Gomper (mp3)

Big Whiskey: Howl For Me (mp3)


Please support your local, independent, free-form radio station.

Shed His LIfe

7 Inch Alert!

Recently got a rekkid from the amazing Fast Takers, outta Portland, Oregon.  We get a lotta shit round these parts, mostly indie-pop and hip-hop 'n' techno (honestly, does anyone read this site?). A modicum of it's pretty killer, and most of it's...well...not exactly in keeping with whatever style(s) we try to achieve here in our humble internet abode.  The labels we really love are probably too smart to send us anything, cuz we're gonna buy it anyway.

The Fast Takers, on the other hand, know exactly what kind o' noise we like, and we're keen to pick yr ear about how great their new 7" is.

We don't normally do this, but here's a couple of quotes from their "one-sheet" (we think it sums it up better than we could...): "Yes, we were named after a Manowar song."  and "Yes, our lead singer is sexy, blind, and Mexican." (so, take that, Arizona).  We questioned them on that last quote, and here's what drummer Eric clarified: "Long story short is that Hernan (the singer) indeed has a pretty severe vision impairment. All in all it makes for a unique and often fearless stage show   Most folks don't know what to make of him stumbling around. they think its either the long hair or the drink.  In a tight stage setup, I find my drums/cymbals are definitely "in-play". Alas, he's closed the set with at least one unexpected dismount from the end of the stage.  I've suggested putting him on a safety-tether more than once -- no insurance and all..."

Do you need to know more?

Ok, then.

The Fast Takers make the kind of of buzzing, garbage-smeared, sonic-shaved balls-out rock'n'roll that many so-called "punk" bands can only dream about in their wettest sheet-soaked dreams.  Yup.  Fuzzed-out  garage blast-off, with the perfect nihilistic snark and snot-drenched vocals.  Methinks  I detect a touch of glam, but, shhhhhh, don't tell anyone.  It's a dirty alley fuck'n'run, all sleaze and empty kleenex-box release, and yr crawling back to yr crib like the wasted whore you know you are.

This is one of our fave rave 7"'s of the year.   Check out their site to order this waxed-off piece of trash.

One of the songs is off their new 4-song 7".  The other is a demo for an upcoming (fingers crossed) release.  Figure it out.

The Fast Takers: Shed His Life (mp3)

The Fast Takers: Spiritual Bleeder (mp3) 

Please support whatever you want.  Just try to avoid the corporate muckity mucks.

Via Chicago

So.  Here's the deal.  Besides being away for a bit of time, we've been accused (possibly rightly so...) of slagging off on our current hometown of Chicago.  We had a bit of a meltdown on the facebook in regards to our fellow city-folk not showing for a show, and a more recent one-on-one dissent (possibly alcohol-fueled) with one of our favorite local folks in regards to the state of Chicago music, the Blues, in particular.  While we will not apologize for our stance on the current state of Chicago Blues (it sucks), and the current state of Chicago music in general (a faded shadow of it's former glory), we feel we haven't been completely fair in terms of our adopted home-town. It's a pretty great place to be.

So, to follow, and with apologies, we present a little Chicago mix for yr listening pleasure. Some oddities here and there, some tunes you may already  know, a slightly damaged tune by Merle Haggard, and one song (J.T. IV's "Waiting For The CTA") which is a perfect spot-on ode to one of Chicago's greatest triumphs and failures.  If you've been here, that song is your life.

'Course, this is only a small sampling of songs about The City With Big Shoulders, but these are some of our fave raves.

Enjoy.  We'll be back in business before you know it.

Via Chicago (a tribute to Hizzoner, Da Mare)
(mp3 link follows track listing)

1. Wine-O From Chicago (Howard Crockett)
2.  Chicago Breakdown (Doctor Ross)
3. Chicago Bound (Jimmy Rogers)
4. The Sidewalks Of Chicago (Merle Haggard)
5. Slow Down Chicago (Canasta)
6. O'Leary's Cow (Johnny Horton)
7. Chicago (Frank Sinatra)
8. Richard Daley Blues (Scott Dunbar)
9. Waiting For The CTA (J.T. IV)
10. Chicago USA (Sun Ra-Nu Sounds)
11. Chicago Serenade (Jimmy Smith)
12. What Chicago Took From Me (Moe Bandy)
13.  Chicago Now! (The Fall)
14. I Used To Work In Chicago (Tin Ear Tanner)
15. Oh! Chicago (The Yayhoos)
16. The Woman Downstairs (Handsome Family)
17. North To Chicago (Hank Snow)
18. Little Ol Wine Drinker Me (Dean Martin)
19. Chicago Breakdown (John Schooley)
20. Via Chicago (Wilco)

Via Chicago (mp3) 

Thanks for stopping by.

Please support your local, independent record stores (like Reckless, Dusty Groove, Dave's, Saki, Jazz Record Mart....)

Couple More Miles

Hey, we're back!  And we've got a corker for ya'll today.

We covered the Ten Foot Polecats back a while ago, where we gushed and grovelled at the feet of the mighty, hypnotic punk blues stomp these three cats laid on us both live at the Deep Blues Fest and on their debut record/demo Sterno Soup.

Well, now they've got a new record, I Get Blamed For Everything I Do, on the killer label Hillgrass Bluebilly.  It's easily one of our best records of the year.  Oh, and they're about to start a tour (coming to Chicago May 23rd! Hallelujah!).

The trio features Jay Scheffler on vocals and "harp", Jim Chilson on guitar, and Dave Darling on drums.  Sounds simple enough, don't it?  Yeah, well, this aint yr mom's version of the Blues, SUV-style wankery and "smooth grooves".  Oh no, no, no.  This is the scary Blues that yr mom warned you against, the kind that'll put hair on yr palms, make you go blind, and turn you to the devil and his evil ways.

The record kicks off with a couple of defining tunes.  "Chicken Headed Man" is a T-Model Ford (who they've played with) joint that the Polecats own, paying both homage and laying down a gauntlet, beat this, motherfucker.  Chilson's guitar is a surging travelouge of juke-floor shanty hypnosis,  Scheffler intones a bourbon-braised bbq yowl, and Darling is tribal Spam, spare and primordial.  They follow this burner up with "So Good To Me", a swaying, gauzey, mud-bottom drone of a love letter ("you make me want to be good...so good to you baby"), late-nite booze pleading and booty call-ready.

The template is set, and the record rockets on from there.

Travel is a common theme, with tunes like "Tears On My Windshield" (a Mississippi raver),  "Couple More Miles" (a lights on the empty highway, 2 A.M.,shimmered ,hypnotic and menacing beauty..."you can't do what I do/and expect everybody to like it"), and one of our favorites, "Big Road", which races like smokestack lightning past lakes and rivers lit with oil-stained fire.

Tracks like the "I'm Going Crazy", "Bar Hoppin",  and  "Dryspell" are the logical conclusion to the mystery of where Punk and Blues met, and what crossroads they found themselves at, each song a raging, amps to 11 swirl of R.L. Burnside meets Howlin' Wolf meets Hank Williams meets The Sonics meets Billy Childish.   Yet doesn't sound like any of 'em, leastaways not any of 'em by themselves.

Throughout the record guitarist Jim Chilson gives a fuckin' clinic on the greasy, fried frenzy 6-string dragger, from meditative, open-spaced Southern back-road space-blues like "So Good To Me", "Brokenhearted", and "Couple More Miles" to tight-fisted trashcan clap-trappers that take up the rest of the record.  He's a man to watch, as he feels each groove, seemingly in his very soul, sweating out each electified, gutter trash, shattered string-fest.  And Jay Scheffler's vocals are a revelation, channeling Howlin' Wolf in his most primal and menacing, a glass-gargled whiskey glass of Blues 'n' Booze need and desperation, alternately pleading and demanding, full of the vinegar of life and the very love of loss.

Goddamn!

The Ten Foot Polecats are the logical heirs to the Fat Possum legacy, a trio of white boys from Boston,  trapped in the body of a couple hundred years of  Mississippi groove and holler.  Damn.

We've poured through and obscene amount of records this year, already, and can say definitively that if you only buy two records this year, you'd have to have catl's "With The Lord For Cowards..." and The Ten Foot Polecats' "I Get Blamed For Everything I Do".  Not kidding, no hyperbole, just pure certitude on how great this record is.

Again, The Ten Foot Polecats are on tour, and if they're coming to you town, you owe it to yourself to check 'em out.  We'll be at the Chicago show (the good lord knows Chicago needs it). 


Ten Foot Polecats: Big Road (mp3)

Ten Foot Polecats: Bar Hoppin' (mp3)

Please support The Ten Foot Polecats, dammit!  You won't be sorry.