New Stuff: Texas

This weekend, Austin opens its doors to tens of thousands of people who will attend the big three-day Austin City Limits Festival.  Kings of Leon, Dave Matthews Band, Pearl Jam, Levon Helm and many others will play … but we’re not gonna go.  Tickets are a little pricey, and it’s been sold out for months anyway.  So we’re just gonna sit back and enjoy some new music from around the Lone Star state.  You can join us: pull up a chair, and it’s free.

The best songwriter in Texas, hands down, is Guy Clark.  His new album is Sometimes The Song Writes You, and all I can add to that is “Amen, brother.”  If you ever wanted to know (or not), Guy likes to write his songs on graph paper – you know, the kind with little blue squares.  “It’s just the tactile part of it, I guess,” he says.  “I write in longhand, on graph paper. It kind of keeps you in a straight line.”

MP3: “Sometimes The Song Writes You” by Guy Clark

The second-best songwriter in Texas – and he’ll readily agree with that – is Robert Earl Keen.  His newest is called The Rose Hotel, and it has lots of great playin’, nice singin’ and guest appearances by Greg Brown and Billy Bob Thornton.  Robert’s songs are funny and sometimes very insightful but they’re always keen.  Sorry.

MP3: “The Rose Hotel” by Robert Earl Keen

30 Days Out (From Christmas): Texas

Day Ten – We’re one third of the way through, and thought we’d share some of the holiday music from the Lone Star State.  We have it pretty good here – the indigenous music can encompass country, blues, folk, Tex-Mex, polka and good old rock and roll.  And there is no shortage of true characters to play all this fine music here in Texas.  We will surely visit Texas again on our 30 day countdown, so warm yourself up a big bowl o’ chili or grill some Earl Campbell sausages and cue up these tunes.  Y’all have a Merry Christmas!

MP3: “When It’s Christmas Time in Texas” by George Strait

MP3: “Frosty The Snowman” by Freddy Fender & Flaco Jimenez

MP3: “Merry Christmas Darling” by the Fabulous Thunderbirds

MP3: “Silent Night” by Willie Nelson

MP3: “Feliz Navidad” by Los Lonely Boys

MP3: “Mason Dixon’s On The Line” by Jerry Jeff Walker

MP3: “Santa” by Lightnin’ Hopkins

MP3: “Must Be Christmas” by Brave Combo

MP3: “Please Come Home For Christmas” by Marcia Ball

MP3: “Santa Claus Is Back In Town” by Rusty Wier

Review: Texas Music

 

 

 

Of course you know that the best music in the world comes from Texas, or at least that’s what we Texans believe.  OK … just kidding, but you gotta admit some pretty good stuff comes out of the Lone Star State pretty regularly.  Here is the evidence, judge for yourself:

 

Peace, Love & BBQ is the latest from Texas blues and piano gal Marcia Ball, and although it’s a party from the opening track she’s not afraid to slow it down.  Guests include Dr. John, Tracy Nelson and Terrance Simien.

 

Lovers comes from Bobby Whitlock, former member of Derek and the Dominos, but he and wife CoCo Carmel make their home in Austin now.  This is his first studio album and it’s a blue-eyed-soul extravaganza, with a few cameo appearances by that Willie Nelson guy.

 

Live Cactus! Along with Lone Star Beer, Joe Ely is our other great national resource.  Here he’s mostly acoustic with accordionist Joel Guzman; just close your eyes and imagine you’re in a border town cantina.

 

Kashmere Gardens Mud is the autobiographical track that kicks off Johnny Bush’s album of the same name.  Bush is an acclaimed country writer (“Whiskey River”) and that Willie Nelson guy pops up on a couple of tunes here, too. 

 

Moment Of Forever is a new one by that Willie Nelson guy (man, he’s everywhere!), who is celebrating his 75^th birthday this year.  Title song is a Kris Kristofferson tune and while the album is uneven it has its, ah, moments.

 

Troubadour goes down nice and easy, because it’s by long-time country great George Strait.  In his 28^th year of making music, Strait keeps crankin’ them out.

 

Living For The Sunshine by Jack Saunders is the work of another tried-and-troubadour from our great state.  We blogged on this one last week (April 10) but we like it so much we are sharing another cut from this excellent album.  Thanks, Jack!

 

Come and Take It is an ancient Texas battle cry, and it’s also the newest album from Orange Is In, our little blog’s house band.  Catch them live, they’re playing at a fine establishment near you … that is, if you’re in Texas.  If you’re not, take a listen of our finest new music and we’ll leave the light on for ya’ll.

 

MP3: Party Town by Marcia Ball

MP3: Dice Of God by Bobby Whitlock & CoCo Carmel

MP3: Where Is My Love? by Joe Ely & Joel Guzman

MP3: Kashmere Gardens Mud by Johnny Bush

MP3: Moment Of Forever by Willie Nelson

MP3: When You’re In Love by George Strait

MP3: Nothing At All by Jack Saunders

MP3: House Where You Go by Orange Is In