Album Review: Ronnie Fauss - I Am The Man You Know I'm Not

by Matthew Martin

I am still trying to figure out where I stand on Ronnie Fauss's new album, I Am The Man You Know I'm Not.  I think that it has very strong instrumentation.  The lyrics, on the other hand, are hit and miss.  That's not to say that this album isn't worth a listen.  There are songs on the album that make it a pretty appealing listen.  As with many singer/songwriters, Fauss strikes both gold and gravel in the same song a few times.  Take, for example, "A Pretty Nice Night for Houston."  He writes some really strong and convincing lyrics.  But, then he writes lines that seem a bit generic and lazy. I won't bias you with any examples- I think you should listen for yourself.  

Enough of the things I don't care for, though.  The opening song, "The Night Before The War" is one of the best offerings on the album.  It's everything a great country song should be.  It's a touching take on the atrocities of war that are hard to fathom prior to being deployed.  We forget about those real people out there fighting our battles for us.  Many times it's easy to think of them as far off characters.  Fauss writes a song that is effective at reminding us that these are real people dealing with real consequences.

This album really hits the ground running, with Fauss writing his best songs in the first 3 tracks.  The album slows down a bit after that with some tracks that I believe Fauss really fell short of that early promise on. He clearly has the ability (from listening to this album, solely) to write and record great country songs.  He falls a bit with songs like "Pistols in the Air."  

Fauss has written an album that, to me, is something of a grab bag of songs.  He has written one of the better songs of 2012 with "The Night Before The War," but missed the mark on cuts like "Pistols in the Air."  I think I Am The Man You Know I'm Not is worth your attention if for nothing more than the first half of the album.  I'm glad that Ronnie Fauss is now on my radar.  I look forward to seeing how he will hone his songwriting skills in the future.  The music is there. The voice is there. The lyrics are almost there.

--------

For another opinion on I Am The Man You Know I'm Not, check out Country California's review here.

Concert Review: The Mountain Goats - Baltimore 10-10-12

by Matthew Martin

I know that The Mountain Goats aren't typical of a lot of the music discussed here on Farce the Music.  However, I don't think that makes them any less relevant.  The lyrics are poignant, the music compelling, and the delivery heartfelt - The Mountain Goats deserve your attention.

After watching the Nats' crushing defeat to the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday, a friend and I drove up to Baltimore to witness the great John Darnielle, aka The Mountain Goats, perform in a small bar called Ottobar.  Opening was Matthew E White. 

Matthew E. White was perhaps a bit too ambitious for my tastes.  On stage there was a horn section of three, a percusionist, a drummer, a steel guitar player, a keyboardist, a bassist, and White.  So, with 8 players filling the tiny stage, they proceeded to play a mix of progressive and jam-band rock.  It was fairly good until they would go off on tangents that just weren't my tastes.  Doesn't mean they weren't talented, because they were.  Just feel that maybe they could take some of the filler out in order to create a more concise sound.  I'll let you judge for yourself here. 

The Mountain Goats came on next and were a relief with only 3 members.  It was a stripped-down (comparatively) set with lots of banter and "hits" from the MGs catalog.  The thing about the MGs is that if you are willing to work past his nasally and sometimes hard-to-deal-with voice, you will be rewarded.  The songs are some of the best short stories you will hear.  If you don't believe me, just look at some of the lyrics.  Just Google them.  Some will floor you.  

After you get past how good the lyrics are, there is the complete satisfaction of seeing them perform these songs live.  John Darnielle plays and sings with complete and utter joy.  It is akin to seeing Craig Finn perform.  Where every word is sung with conviction and every phrase ends with a smile on Darnielle's face.

Then, you have the other members of the MGs- Peter Hughes on bass and Jon Wurster on drums.  Peter Hughes creates great bass lines that are simple, but perfect for the songs that he accompanies.  And, Jon Wurster (also the drummer for Superchunk) is like an "indie rock" behind-the-scenes guru.  These two create a great backdrop for the character studies coming from John Darnielle.

They performed songs from the new album Transcendental Youth (you can get it here for cheap), Tallahassee, The Sunset Tree, All Hail West Texas, and more.  Darnielle, as always, looked comfortable and elated on stage where he could share his songs one more night to a group of approving and adoring fans. 

The final 2 songs of the evening were "This Year" and "No Children."   Never have two very heavy songs come off so triumphant.  The former pertaining to years of abuse from his step-father and the latter about the final unfolding of a marriage.  The crowd sang every word in a joyous and raucous manner, leaving no one standing still.  The 2 songs are, in my opinion, the only way to end any Mountain Goats set. 

It took me over a year to finally "get" the MGs.  That is one of the most annoying things people say, right?  You shouldn't have to "get" an artist.  However, if you put in the time to the MGs, the rewards are plenty.  My challenge to you is this: listen to Tallahassee.  It's a song-cycle revolving around the dissolution of a marriage.  Listen to it once more.  Then, if the MGs come around your neck of the woods, go see them.  Many bands love to be playing, and they show it.  But, there are very few bands that give off more elation and more happy-to-be-alive joy than the MGs.  The Hold Steady may be their only equal.

Concert Review: Shovels and Rope, Washington D.C., 8-22

Shovels & Rope At The Hamilton in D.C. 8/22/2012

by Matthew Martin

Shovels & Rope don't suck.  In fact, they do the opposite of suck.  They prove as much with each song on their first two albums.  And, they prove it even more in a live setting.

Why would I start it this way?  Well, to be honest, there have been a glut of guy/girl duos recently (She & Him, Honeyhoney, The Civil Wars, and even The White Stripes).  Don't get me wrong, I really like The Civil Wars.  But, there is something refreshing about what Shovels & Rope is doing.  

Blending countless genres, Shovels & Rope deliver a talented, raucous live show.  Michael Trent (formerly of The Films) and Cary Ann Hearst switch up duties on guitar, drums, vocals, harmonica, and keyboard.

I showed up to The Hamilton in D.C. right around the time the opener was about to end.  I had a prior engagement, so I can't really vouch one way or the other for this guy- much less remember his name!  Around the time of the show, Shovels & Rope tweeted that around 100 tickets were left for the 450 capacity venue.  I'd say it was even fewer than that by the time they went on stage.  It was pretty impressive considering they had opened up for Jonny Fritz at the same venue a few months ago and there were maybe 75 people total.  

Not sure where the recent fans have come from, but it was a welcome sight for such a hardworking band.  

They opened up with the song that I generally use to convince people to listen to Shovels & Rope-"Gasoline."    What always impresses me about bands like theirs is the amount of sound being cohesively created by two people.  It seems there must be one more hand on stage creating one of the many sounds being heard.  However, you look on stage and see that it is only Trent and Hearst switching up/blending instruments and vocals.

By the time the first 5 songs are done, both are dripping in sweat from the amount of work they are putting into a Wednesday night show.  It was also around this time that those sitting down migrated to the front of the stage.  Every driving, rock and roll song was met with dancing and swaying.  Each slow song was met with relative silence and attention.  Fortunately for those mover-and-shaker types, Shovels & Rope have more quick-paced songs up their sleeves.  Throughout the night they played most of the songs in their 2 album catalog, including what is quickly becoming my new favorite Shovels & Rope song- "Birmingham."

So the show went, with Trent and Hearst playing every instrument.  The chemistry between the two was insurmountable and each word not sung out to the crowd was sung directly into each other's eyes.  While this could be a distraction at times, Shovels & Rope pull it off.  It is a "show" after all.  You are there not only for the music.  You are there for the stage act.  

I'm not implying they are acting out their affection for each other.  I merely mean to say- remember that while the music is the most important thing, pay attention to all facets at a show.  It's easy to see those loving what they do and those trying to love what they do.  Shovels & Rope clearly love what they do and they love who they are doing it with: themselves.  

Get all of their albums here.

Concert Review: Jonny Fritz (The Artist Formerly Known as Jonny Corndawg)

Jonny Fritz at Red Palace in Washington, D.C. 08/07/2012

by Matthew Martin

Seeing Jonny play is something of a spectacle.  Is it serious music?  Is he laughing at the characters in his songs?  Or, merely relaying mundane stories his characters go through in the most sincere way possible?  It would be hard to argue with the last ponder.  I mean, when you hear the character in "Chevy Beretta" you know that you have met that guy.  You have hated that cocky SOB.  But, there was also something about him that endeared you to him.  And it's that precise feelings-at-odds sensation that makes Jonny's music so memorable.

This was the 3rd time in the past year I had seen Jonny.  While I could sense a little road weariness in Jonny's demeanor and banter, I still thought he put on a better show than many musicians- i.e., as much as I love James McMurtry, his frontman skills are slightly lacking.

The show began with a D.C. native Jonny Grave and the Tombstones. Jonny Grave played loud, raucous blues in the style of R.L. Burnside meets Jon Spencer Blues Explosion (think Ass Pocket of Whiskey).  It's very difficult to play this style of music and not have the audience pretty enthralled and dancing.  That's exactly what was happening as the set progressed.  Also, Jonny Grave is quite the front man playing with a chip on his shoulder.  If you don't know Jonny Grave already, I think it's worth your time to look him up and see what you think (here).  

Next was Jonny Corndawg (for the time being).  Bringing with him his backing band (The Almond Brothers Band), Jonny played all of the crowd favorites including "Exercise," "Middle Brother," "Shut Up," and "Silver Panty Liners" just to name a few.  Every song, however comical it may be, was played with utter seriousness and sincerity.  Is that to say that Jonny takes himself too seriously?  No, not at all.  But, he believes in the songs that he writes and the characters they portray.

Half way through the set, he made an announcement.  That announcement being that he would no longer be going by the name "Jonny Corndawg" but would instead be going by his real name, "Jonny Fritz."  I believe this is probably a smart move towards gaining more serious attention.  His songwriting is top notch and this change will likely get him more attention from those who might be put off by a country singer named Jonny Corndawg with an album titled "Down on the Bikini Line."  

As I said earlier, Jonny seemed a little road weary, but it did not detract from the show much at all.  It's hard to go into one of his shows and not come out in a very good mood.  It's fun to see musicians have fun and engage the crowd.  The band had fun.  They are a tight-knit country band and I'm excited for future shows and albums.

Go see Jonny Fritz when he comes through your town.  Go buy his albums.  Give them a listen.  Laugh if you want, that's alright.  There's a lot of humor in the absurd situations that go on day in and day out of our lives.  You have to laugh at them.  As the old Leadbelly lyric goes, "you see me laughin', Lord I'm laughin' just to keep from cryin'." 

I have to think that Jonny's characters might feel the same way.  Or, they don't.  And, I guess that's the beauty of interpretation.