Just like with acts such as The .357 String Band, I love it when rough and tumble front-porch pickers get it right. As I’ve said before, here on The Knob, I was getting sick of hearing a ton of alleged punk-flavored string bands act rebellious when they sounded anything but.

I’ve really been enjoying the self titled debut album from Canada’s Moonshine Ramblers (Myspace) lately. To be fair, it’s not a straight-up acoustic or string-based album. The occasional use of drums and even a stratocaster actually give the album a bit of a punch that helps keep the album from veering off into monotony (give “Chicken Skull” a listen for what I’m talking about). Those electro-country touches are nice, but the heart of the album is the ramshackle glory that tracks like the opener, “Way Downtown” provide when the five-piece act gathers around the microphone and belts it all out, together.

LISTEN: “Way Downtown” – Moonshine Ramblers

LISTEN: “Chicken Skull” – Moonshine Ramblers

Traveling a path that has led him from his native Virginia, to NYC and Los Angeles, singer/songwriter Sharif (Myspace / Official) has honed his skills as an emotive performer that sheds all inhibitions with the vulnerable and excellent slice of pop, Kisses & Lies.

The artist known as Sharif, tip-toes a fine line between saccharine and jubilant. That said, most of the 14 songs mercifully fall into the category of the latter on this, his third studio album. Gems such as twangy album opener “Far From You”, and the equally twangy duet with heart-throb hero Rhett Miller, “Dark Side of the Dawn”, are great examples of tunes that would fall comfortably onto a Zach Braff movie soundtrack. Most of the album’s tracks lay on a bed of acoustic arrangements, augmented with sweet harmonies and an even sweeter pedal steel that gives the songs an alt-country warmth that glows.

Lyrically sticking to various forms of love, Sharif doesn’t mind ripping his heart right from his sleeve entirely and simply offering it to the listener, as is. The lack of pretense that flows through the entire record results in an engagingly organic experience.

LISTEN: “Dark Side of the Dawn” – Sharif

Rich McCulley’s  (Official / Myspace) 4th album, Starting All Over Again wastes no time in establishing its identity as a catchy pop-rock record that twangs in just the right spots and even reflects without moping. “Tell Me, I’m Listening”, “Dreams Tonight” and “The Last Song” open the album with a steady tempo that rocks along and provides a proper vehicle for McCulley’s smooth, if not borderline precious, vocals.

McCulley shows off his impressive set of skills by handling an array of instruments that are featured. While the slide and acoustic guitar, along with the dobro belong to McCulley, many of his friends join in the fun as well. Grant Langston and the recently passed-away Amy Farris are among the fine collaborators who lend a helping hand. It isnt difficult for a collection of straight-forward rock tunes to seem stale and formulaic. Not to worry here, as the tight, urgent and brightly melodic arrangement of each song shares top billing with McCulley’s writing. Starting All Over Again is a great example of a Singer/Songwriter crafting an album that elevates him beyond such a benign, utilitarian label. Thanks to not only his handling of so many aspects of the album’s production, but also to his welcoming of talented and helpful artists, perhaps it would be more accurate to describe McCulley’s latest as a true performer’s record. 

Hear Tunes From The New Record at Rich McCulley’s Official Site

I was thrilled when word came that Eef Barzelay was getting the Clem Snide (Official / Myspace) gang back together in 2009, after a break of a few years. While Barzelay’s solo work is solid, it just didn’t have the same zip that I have always recognized in the earlier Clem Snide albums. “Moment in the Sun”, from their 2002 EP of the same name, is a great example of the dry wit that defies mere quirk and actually makes a point while being cleverly direct. With that tune, as well as many others from Clem Snide’s catalog, self-importance is called out and questioned in such a frank manner that it’s foolish not to see it their way. That same candid and wryly comedic spirit is quite evident in their latest record, Meat of Life.

Barzelay’s loose, ramshackle vocals are the perfect passenger for the garage-folk vibe Clem Snide continues to throw down with great success. With each raw electric guitar strum, it’s clear that these guys get exactly what they want to be and make no false steps into reinvention, simply for reinvention’s sake. “Wal-Mart Parking Lot” isn’t merely the stand-out track from the new album, but it is another case of Barzelay targeting a pop-culture touchstone to paint a picture that isn’t exactly what it initially seems to be. When you really listen to Meat of Life, it’s likely that you may see that there are varying levels of quirk that can actually seem to be more logical than whimsical. 

LISTEN: “Wal-Mart Parking Lot” – Clem Snide

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Recently, I have listened to a ton of records where the artist does little more than imitate their ”inspirations” and provide little effort into projecting their own voice, display their own product, or share their own vision. Thankfully, there are records where the artist draws inspiration from various artists and uses those inspirations as tools with which to create and expand and not merely to trace over. Kasey Anderson’s (Official / Myspace) upcoming record, Nowhere Nights, fits easily into that category.

Yeah, there are hints of The Boss and Lucero, but Anderson’s sandpaper snarl and evocative lyrics serve up a fantastic disc that doesn’t seem to have a weak link to be found. Similar to Lucero, Anderson deftly switches up the tempo and expertly alters the mood of the record at various points. ”From Now On” is an understated epic that recalls some of Springsteen’s moodier work. The raw punches of the electric strums lend the song a bit of urgency and diversity. If Anderson were to ever film a video for this song, I would have to imagine that a cold, mist-filled, lonely, urban night would provide the backdrop. The central story of a soldier in “I Was a Photograph” is as sad as it is timely. The record isn’t all mood and melancholy, however. “All Lit Up” and “Sooner/Later” crank the amps up a good bit. Anderson has built a solid catalog of quality Americana, but Nowhere Nights is a true gem that should find its way into many people’s collection.

LISTEN: Kasey Anderson – “Sooner/Later”

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Hey Hey – The Dallas Observer printed a review that I wrote for a local CD release. Sadly, the record isn’t that great, but it’s exciting to be in print!

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Musical fads are a double-edged sword…or are they a blessing and a curse? Either way, with each new “movement”, whether it be Texas/Red Dirt or Freak-Folk or whatever, we see an influx of artists that, thanks to the artists who initially drew the attention of the masses to a certain trendy style, get to bask in the glow of a spotlight, even if their actual talent doesnt necessarily warrant as such. Perhaps the fad that has most flummoxed me in the past couple of years is what I call the “String Band Craze”. For every OCMS, Avett Brothers or Hackensaw Boys there seems to be a million feckless, benign wannabees that send their CD’s out to bloggers because hey, they have a banjo and Pro-Tools on their laptop. Oh yeah, they ALL claim to not only be rootsy-real, but oh so very punk as well. Yeah.   

Well, the new record from Milwaukee’s .357 String Band (Official / Myspace) has thankfully renewed my faith in whatever sub-genre this type of rootsy music really fits into. In fact, I think it’s safe to assume that these guys couldn’t possibly care less about fitting into a certain style or marketing themselves to a new and homogenized demographic that might respond to certain trends that are deemed hip or progressive.

Lightning From the North,.357′s third full-length album is indeed that bluegrass album with a punk heart that so many other records wish they could be when they grow up and are old enough to not only buy lottery tickets, but to also rob the store they’ll buy those tickets from. Crisp but grimey, the authority with which these pickers ply their craft is remarkable. The authentic, boozy and brawling vocals of Derrick Dunn are often augmented by the hillbilly harmonies that are yelped in a backwoods-style call and response with the rest of the band. These 14 songs simply tear it up. Take notes, wannabees.

LISTEN: The .357 String Band – “Lightning From the North”

This week I am highlighting some new and upcoming releases that are exclusively out of my home-state. I know I mention bands that call the Lone Star State home relatively often, but this week I am making it a point to really be obnoxious about it…

This week I have been highlighting all kinds of good stuff from Texas. I can’t think of a better way to end this week than to spread the news on a new release from none other than the Texas Tornados. You will be hard pressed to come up with a band that is more representative of what many consider to be true “Texas Music”.

Esta Bueno (Bismeaux Records), the superb new album from the ultimate Tex-Mex super group, will thankfully come out in March. While Sir Doug has gone on to the great honky-tonk in the sky, he left us with his son Shawn, who ably fills in and carries the torch well. There is even a song that the father-son combo co-wrote (“Who’s To Blame Senorita”) that features the classic sound that is synonymous with the Tornados. Augie Meyers and Flaco Jimenez are back to recreate their legendary fusion of rock, tejano and country, and so is the dearly departed Freddy Fender, by way of 5 unreleased tracks that see the light of day here, finally. Amen.

LISTEN: The Texas Tornados – “Who’s To Blame Senorita”

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This week I am highlighting some new and upcoming releases that are exclusively out of my home-state. I know I mention bands that call the Lone Star State home realtively often, but this week I am making it a point to really be obnoxious about it…

Purgatory Road, the 8th studio album from Marble Falls, TX resident John Arthur Martinez (Official / Myspace) is a well-rounded record that dislays a range of sounds that fit rather easily into the realm of Country music. The album opens with 3 tunes that share an almost foreboding darkness to them. Tales of regret and pain intertwine with smoky electric guitars and excellent fiddle playing give the tracks an edge that is sorely lacking in most of Top 40′s happy-country. “Utopia”, the title track and “Cant Outdrink The Truth” would be more at home in a dark, dangerous roadhouse bar than they would a small town honky-tonk.

Martinez effortlessly changes gears from the heavier sound to a lighter tone. The rest of the album features songs that provide a nod to his heritage “Que No Pueda Ver”, as well as hints of pre-arena filling Garth. What Martinez lacks in sheer vocal range, he makes up effectively with a warm vocal tone that seems to suit each track well, regardless of the tempo or subject matter. Dobro, fidlde, steel and mandolin are strong presences that keep this record from easily being lumped into an overly generic, rock dominated ”Texas/Red Dirt” pile. As with recent records from Danny Balis and Deryl Dodd, Purgatory Road is just good, solid Country.

LISTEN: John Arthur Martinez – “Purgatory Road”

LISTEN: John Arthur Martinez – “Cant Outdrink The Truth”

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This week I am highlighting some new and upcoming releases that are exclusively out of my home-state. I know I mention bands that call the Lone Star State home realtively often, but this week I am making it a point to really be obnoxious about it…

I have actually made a point to tell you folks about Dallas’ Somebody’s Darling (Official / Myspace) before. I am not sure I have too much to add here, but dang it, I just want to make sure that people are getting to know this southern-rockin’ band that’s full of country soul. Once you place their recently released self-titled album from Shiner Records into your CD player, it will most likely not relinquish it’s place for a good while. 

The heart of the band’s sound are the blistering vocals of Amber Farris. Her soulful exuberance is a vibe that distinguishes the band from many others that claim similar overall sounds. While Fariss’ vocals are indeed quite distinctive, David Ponder (lead guitar), Nate Wedan (drums) and Michael Talley (bass) are the ones who give the vocals the proper rocking environment. Without the band’s effective mixing of sweaty Allman Bros-style grooves and country-gold soul, even the greatest vocalist would be left alone and likely unheard.

LISTEN: “Horses” – Somebody’s Darling

LISTEN: “Farewell” – Somebody’s Darling

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