Posts Tagged ‘Tennessee’

MOLLY TUTTLE – ” …but I’d rather be with you “

Posted: December 6, 2020 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
Tags: , , , ,
0

There’s something comforting about the sound of familiar music. No matter how dark the outside world may seem, we can huddle by ourselves and play our favorite songs for consolation and reassurance. Nashville’s Molly Tuttle has taken this a process a step further. The multi-talented singer-songwriter and instrumentalist taught herself how to use Pro Tools digital audio workstation to record and engineer while stuck at home alone. She then sent them to producer Tony Berg in Los Angeles, who employed session musicians to fill in the parts from their home studios. The result, “…but I’d rather be with you” is a lovely, low-key, intimate affair.

In March 2020, Tuttle experienced the devastating tornado that tore through much of East Nashville, followed by the global pandemic. While sheltering at home, she found solace by revisiting favourite songs in an attempt to “remind myself why I love music.” An idea for an album emerged, to be recorded with Los Angeles-based producer Tony Berg (Andrew Bird), despite being over 2,000 miles apart. 

http://

Tuttle’s list is esoteric and reveals the pleasures of having catholic tastes. She chose a wide range of material, including one track each from the National, the Rolling Stones, Arthur Russell, Karen Dalton, FKA Twigs, Rancid, Grateful Dead, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Harry Styles, and Cat Stevens. Tuttle keeps the arrangements simple and uncluttered. She plays flawlessly here without ever showing off. The same thing is true for her voice. She lets it sparkle and shine when the song calls for it, such as on her version of the Stones‘ semi-psychedelic “She’s a Rainbow” or in the giddy moments of falling love as on Arthur Russell’s “A Little Lost”.

Released August 28th, 2020

MARGO PRICE – ” That’s How Rumours Get Started ” Best Albums Of 2020

Posted: December 6, 2020 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,
0

The 5 Best Roots Releases From July 2020

Margo Price’s album is the work of a singer ready to shake up preconceived notions. The Nashville musician has been doing that all along to a degree, but That’s How Rumors Get Started is a conscious—and sometimes self-conscious step out from under the shadow of all the “bright future of country music” buzz that surrounded her previous solo work. That’s How Rumors Get Started is Price’s third LP as a solo artist, after three previous albums fronting the Nashville band Buffalo Clover. If that group had a shaggy late-’60s blues-rock bent à la Big Brother and the Holding Company, Price certainly leaned more toward the sound of fiddles and pedal steel guitar on Midwest Farmer’s Daughter in 2016 and All American Made in 2017. The latter even featured a duet with Willie Nelson. This time around, there’s as much blustery rock and hard-edged soul as there is country twang. Margo Price has paid her dues, both professionally and personally. Whereas she honours those challenges, she rejects singularity as the underlying factor in defining her music and identity. In That’s How Rumors Get Started, Price reimagines Americana’s sound as well as her position within the genre.

Some of that change is probably due to Price’s old pal Sturgill Simpson, who produced the album and assembled a band to play on it, in place of Price’s usual road band. On the other hand, the mix of sounds is more in line with what Price presents onstage in concert. When it works here, she demonstrates a certain amount of breadth as a performer. Yet it doesn’t always work. There’s a difference between upending expectations and contrarian posturing, and the song writing on That’s How Rumors Get Started isn’t consistently sharp enough to strike the right balance. Price goes for broad strokes on these 10 songs, musically and lyrically.

“That’s How Rumors Get Started”, an album of ten new, original songs that commit her sky-high and scorching rock-and-roll show to record for the very first time. Produced by long time friend Sturgill Simpson (co-produced by Margo and David Ferguson), the LP marks Price’s debut for Loma Vista Recordings, and whether she’s singing of motherhood or the mythologies of stardom, Nashville gentrification or the national healthcare crisis, relationships or growing pains, she’s crafted a collection of music that invites people to listen closer than ever before.

Margo primarily cut That’s How Rumors Get Started at Los Angeles’ EastWest Studios (Pet Sounds, “9 to 5”). Tracking occurred over several days while she was pregnant with daughter Ramona. “They’re both a creation process,” she says. “And I was being really good to my body and my mind during that time. I had a lot of clarity from sobriety.”

While Margo Price continued to collaborate on most of the song writing with her husband Jeremy Ivey, she recorded with an historic band assembled by Sturgill, and including guitarist Matt Sweeney (Adele, Iggy Pop), bassist Pino Palladino (D’Angelo, John Mayer), drummer James Gadson (Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye), and keyboardist Benmont Tench (Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers). Background vocals were added by Simpson on “Letting Me Down,” and the Nashville Friends Gospel Choir, who raise the arrangements of “Hey Child” and “What Happened To Our Love?” to some of the album’s most soaring heights.

http://

Margo Price and her steady touring band – Kevin Black (bass), Jamie Davis (guitar), Micah Hulsher (keys), and Dillon Napier (drums) – will perform songs from That’s How Rumors Get Started at dozens of shows with Chris Stapleton and The Head & The Heart this spring and summer, in addition to festival appearances and more to be announced soon.

“That’s How Rumors Get Started” follows Margo’s 2017 album All American Made, which was named the #1 Country/Americana album of the year by Rolling Stone, and one of the top albums of the decade by Esquire, Pitchfork and Billboard, among others. In its wake, Margo sold out three nights at The Ryman Auditorium, earned her first Grammy nomination for Best New Artist, and much more.
Released July 10th, 2020

New album, “That’s How Rumors Get Started” out now

MARGO PRICE – ” Perfectly Imperfect at the Ryman “

Posted: December 3, 2020 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
Tags: , , ,
0

Margo Price’s take on classic sounds is at once familiar and daring, an infectious blend of Nashville country, Memphis soul, and Texas twang. The release is a beautiful summary of Margo’s triumphant three-night run at The Ryman Auditorium in May 2018, and features guest appearances from Emmylou Harris, Jack White, and Sturgill Simpson.

A note from Margo: “Two years ago today I headlined the Ryman and it was something I had dreamed of since I was a little girl. We did three nights in a row and recorded all of them. I am so excited that we are releasing it – the recordings are rough and the performances are raw, but there was a magic there and the band was on fire. We played unreleased songs, alternative album versions and lots of special guests. I hope it moves you.”

http://

A great country voice, great songs, great guests. It makes me whish I could have been at the Ryman on that night.

AARON LEE TASJAN – ” Tasjan! Tasjan! Tasjan! “

Posted: October 28, 2020 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
Tags: , , ,
0

Aaron Lee Tasjan, aka ALT, is a songwriter and guitarist and performer. I’d stay away from him if I were you. Big trouble. It’s tough to take Aaron Lee Tasjan seriously when he calls himself a folk singer. Though the shaggy-haired, 30-year-old Nashville transplant is perfectly capable of quieting a room with storytelling songs and acoustic fingerpicking, there’s a whole lot of other music in his repertoire—not to mention on his resume. His incisive electric guitar playing landed him prime glam rock gigs, first with Semi Precious Weapons, then a latter-day line-up of the proto-punk New York Dolls—both far better known for the flaunting of fabulous rock ‘n’ roll androgyny than for anything remotely folk-leaning.

He also secured a spot in the hard-edged roots rock outfit Drivin’ N Cryin’. The solo work that Tasjan’s committed himself to since—including his magnetic New West Records debut Silver Tears—makes use of his slouching self-awareness, bohemian intellect and wicked wit, as well as his fondness for psychedelic eruptions, sophisticated studio pop flourishes and easy twang. He’s wagering that the Americana scene, no matter its traditionalist rep, has room for such motley impulses. We’re excited to announce the new Aaron Lee Tasjan album, Tasjan! Tasjan! Tasjan!, is on its way! The fourth full-length album from the enigmatic Nashville songwriter will be released February 5th, 2021. 

The debut single from the album, “Up All Night,”  is equal parts alternative pop and glam rock stomp. 

Releases February 5th, 2021

JULIEN BAKER – ” Little Oblivions “

Posted: October 24, 2020 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
Tags: , , , , ,
0

Julien Baker has announced her third full length album titled “Little Oblivions”, which is set for a February 26th 2021. Released via Matador Records. In addition to the album announcement, Baker also shared the first single off the new record, titled “Faith Healer” coupled with a music video directed by Daniel Henry.

In Baker’s own words: Put most simply, I think that “Faith Healer” is a song about vices, both the obvious and the more insidious ways that they show up in the human experience. I started writing this song two years ago and it began as a very literal examination of addiction. For awhile, I only had the first verse, which is just a really candid confrontation of the cognitive dissonance a person who struggles with substance abuse can feel — the overwhelming evidence that this substance is harming you, and the counterintuitive but very real craving for the relief it provides. When I revisited the song I started thinking about the parallels between the escapism of substance abuse and the other various means of escapism that had occupied a similar, if less easily identifiable, space in my psyche.

There are so many channels and behaviours that we use to placate discomfort unhealthily which exist outside the formal definition of addiction. I (and so many other people) are willing to believe whomever — a political pundit, a preacher, a drug dealer, an energy healer — when they promise healing, and how that willingness, however genuine, might actually impede healing. ‘Little Oblivions’ is the third studio album by Julien Baker. Recorded in Memphis, TN, the record weaves together unflinching autobiography with assimilated experience and hard-won observations from the past few years, taking Baker’s capacity for storytelling to new heights. It also marks a sonic shift, with the songwriter’s intimate piano and guitar arrangements newly enriched by bass, drums, keyboards, banjo, and mandolin with nearly all of the instruments performed by Baker.”

Releases February 26th, 2021

LIZ BRASHER – ” Painted Image “

Posted: October 18, 2020 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
Tags: , , ,
0

Liz Brasher a singer songwriter based in Memphis, Tennessee, Brasher’s upbringing is central to her music and specifically to her album “Painted Image“. Raised in a religious Dominican family, they were active Baptist church singers in Charlotte, North Carolina. Brasher herself studied theology at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago but was soon drawn to secular music. This pursuit created familial tension resulting in excommunication. However, her exposure to religion, biblical texts, and sacred music directly informed her music. Brasher’s disconnect from strict dogmas also showed her the value in creating music that defined her as an individual.

http://

Liz Brasher came in and knocked out a new song ‘Sad Girl Status’ in less than a few hours. She was an absolute joy to work with and has one hell of a voice. We had some time left over, so I blocked off a stairwell in the building and had (studio manager) Blair Davis and (assistant engineer) Spenser Frazier help set up a PA speaker to use the space as a chamber. It sounded so, so great. There isn’t a single digital reverb on that song.”

Released January 13th, 2019.

JEREMY IVEY and The EXTRATERRESTRIALS – ” Waiting Out The Storm “

Posted: October 16, 2020 in MUSIC, CLASSIC ALBUMS
Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
0

As the follow up to Jeremy Ivey’s 2019’s debut, the much acclaimed “The Dream and the Dreamer”, his new album Waiting Out the Storm takes a topical turn with songs that allude to the malaise that’s seeping the nation in the wake of our current political maelstrom, a concurrence of natural disasters, the Covid pandemic, and the growing resolve of the Black Lives Matter movement and the racism found in its stead.

It’s not a preachy record by any means, but it does stir some sentiments and speak to those issues and concerns that have forced Americans to wake up and take notice, no matter which side of the divide they happen to be on. “Yeah, it was actually written before my first album was released, but these kind of things have been making headlines for a while,” Ivey suggests when asked about the origins of his stirring new songs. “Racism, violence and greed have been the backbone of civilization for some time.” Ivey adds that he’s injected his own insights into this material, suggesting that he’s been more than a mere outside observer. “Yes, I’ve lived inside each one of these stories,” he affirms somewhat obliquely. “I’ve seen Walt Disney, Al Capone and Oprah hanging out with Warhol.

I’ve seen the queen of doom wringing her hands and holy meat walking down the street. I’ve seen the shattered windows of clinics and prostitutes in steel-toed boots too. It’s all truth.” Given that Ivey seems resigned to a more pessimistic perspective, suffice it to say he views things from a decidedly bleak point of view. “Our country has lost every bit of morals and dignity, but maybe our country never had that in the first place,” he insists. “We need to wake up and start treating each other the way that we want to be treated, because if that doesn’t happen, you think this pandemic is bad? There will be a great judgment on this world and everyone in it if we don’t take this kind of thing seriously. When one person kills another person, and it’s known publicly, and no one is tried or punished for it, the end is near. Things could get much worse.”

http://

I can’t say enough great things about this album and this man. These songs are a very realistic view of our world. The pictures Jeremy paints are both sad and hopeful. He truly is a word smith for our times… I can’t wait for all the great things yet to come his way. Recorded with his group The Extraterrestrials, and produced by his wife Margo Price and with  contributions from members of her backing band, the album is, he says, was the result of the pair’s ability to work well together and remain, as he describes it, “relaxed and focused.

The Band: Jeremy Ivey – guitar, vocals, harmonica, piano, synth The Extraterrestrials are: Evan Donohue – guitar, vocals Coley Hinson – bass, vocals Alex Munoz – guitar, lap steel Josh Minyard – drums, percussion Special guests: Margo Price – vocals, percussion Dillion Napier – drums, percussion Micah Hulscher – organ, piano, synth, electric piano Dexter Green – vocals and additional arrangement on Movies.

Released October 16th Production – Margo Price Co-production – Jeremy Ivey and The Extraterrestrials

CRISTINA VANE – ” Old Played New “

Posted: July 26, 2020 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
Tags: , , ,
0

Cristina Vane is a songstress and slide guitarist based in Nashville and specializing in blues, country blues, folk, and rock. Her background in Europe allowed for a unique formation of flavours in her musical inspirations, and this eclectic nature carries through into her work. “Old Played New” is a tribute to the delta blues artists that have shaped my sound, including Son House, Skip James, Charley Patton and others. With 5 cover songs from various artists and one original on the track list, it is also my first solo guitar record. I am so happy with how Brook Sutton captured these live takes at The Studio here in Nashville, and so happy to share it with you.
I have gleaned so much as an artist and a person from the music that these talented folks made. Blues music is rooted in the African American experience and now more than ever, it is important to highlight once again how much black culture has contributed to our society, especially in the field of music. I hope to honor the memory of these artists and pay tribute to the cultural debt I owe them at large, coming in from a different background and partaking in this music.

http://

Slide guitarist and singer-songwriter Cristina Vane has known the lighter and darker sides of Venice. SoCal’s sunshine noir ripples through her music- a blend of folk and blues, angst and elation. [..] Since becoming enchanted by the blues, she’s developed an almost encyclopedic knowledge of the musical genre, expertly rattling off idols like Skip James, Mississippi John Hurt, and Blind Willie Johnson.

LIZA ANNE – ” Bad Vacation “

Posted: July 25, 2020 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
Tags: , , ,
0

With her bold and bracing new album, “Bad Vacation”, Liza Anne hasn’t just shaped her liberation, she’s completely reinvented it. The record is defiant and thoughtful, showcasing a remarkable confidence as it tackles destructive habits and finds Liza at her most self aware yet. “I was writing what I needed to hear,” Liza explains. “I was writing what I needed to feel. I was quite literally writing a stronger, more empowered version of myself into existence.”

The songs here represent an audacious sonic leap forward for Liza and her band, mixing accomplished full-throttled art rock anthems with playful new wave jams and power pop earworms. Produced by Micah Tawlks Kyle Ryan and co-produced by Liza and Justin Meldal-Johnsen, arrangements are poised and fierce to match, fuelled by muscular guitar hooks, retro synthesizers, and wry, incisive and insightful lyrics.

http://

Bad Vacation marks a remarkable development in her sound and vocal performance – a collection that calls to mind everything from St. Vincent and Sleater-Kinney to Kate Bush and Talking Heads.

Released July 24th, 2020

BECCA MANCARI – ” The Greatest Part “

Posted: July 19, 2020 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
Tags: , , , ,
0

Image may contain: 1 person, closeup

Expanding beyond the homespun rootsiness of her critically acclaimed debut to incorporate a grittier, more experimental palette, Becca Mancari’s captivating new collection, ‘The Greatest Part,’ lives in a liminal space between grief and joy, pain and forgiveness, sorrow and liberation. The record, produced by Paramore drummer Zac Farro, marks a significant sonic and emotional evolution, balancing unflinching self-examination with intoxicating grooves and infectious instrumental hooks fueled by explosive percussion and fuzzed out guitars. The lyrics are raw and gutsy to match, peeling back old scars to explore the emotional and psychological turmoil Mancari weathered growing up gay in a fundamentalist Christian home, while at the same time examining the ties that continue to bind her to the family she loves. Though personal reflection is nothing new for the Nashville-based songwriter, ‘The Greatest Part’ finds Mancari digging deeper than ever before, excavating new layers of her psyche in an effort to make sense of where she’s been, where she’s headed, and most importantly, who she’s become.

“This record was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to write,” she explains. “At the same time, it was also the most freeing.”

Born on Staten Island to an Italian/Puerto Rican family with strict religious beliefs, Mancari spent much of her childhood wrestling with issues of identity and belonging. After college, she set out on her own, following the wind from Appalachia to Arizona, from south Florida to India, drifting in search of purpose and community. Mancari eventually found both in East Nashville, where she garnered widespread acclaim for her strikingly honest song writing and emotionally riveting performances. ‘Good Woman,’ her 2017 debut, was a critical smash, praised by NPR for its “exquisite self-awareness” and hailed as one of the year’s best by Rolling Stone, who lauded its “confident vocals [and] spacious, hazy production.”

http://

Songs from the record racked up millions of streams on Spotify and helped land Mancari dates with the likes of Margo Price, Hurray For The Riff Raff, Shovels & Rope, Natalie Prass, and Julien Baker among others. On top of her solo work, Mancari also teamed up with Alabama Shakes frontwoman Brittany Howard and fellow songwriter Jesse Lafser to form the supergroup Bermuda Triangle, which earned similarly glowing reviews as they performed sold-out headline shows across the country and landed festival slots from Newport Folk to XPoNential.

Released June 26th, 2020
Older Entries
Newer Entries