Jul 24, 2018
Jul 23, 2018
Live Review / Tyler Childers / Austin, TX
 |
| ©Fernando Garcia |
by Robert Dean
Despite my friend’s Doug’s best efforts to give me alcohol poisoning last night at The Scoot Inn, I managed to enjoy a hell of a night thanks to Tyler Childers and his band.
Ripping through tracks off of his debut record, Purgatory, Childers and his band proved why the show was sold out, with folks standing on the outside, trying to grab a ticket to get inside Austin’s hottest (it was 105 last night) gig.
Staring out into the crowd with those low-slung eyes, Childers always appears to be searching for something, calling out to a void that could swallow him whole. Through his prayers to the outer world, the crowd fed off Childers relentless psychic energy and last night, we saw the entertainer people in and out of the country world are falling love with, much like his mentor, Sturgill Simpson.
“Feathered Indians,” “I Swear To God,” and his biggest tune, "White House Road” all made their appearance into the set, while lots of tracks off the Red Barn record popped up in the setlist, too. Not gonna lie, I was waiting for “Nose On The Grindstone” but can’t win em’ all.
 |
| Photo by Jurae Danielle from Floores' show |
Through my adventures of being a drunken mess, I managed to sneak into the green room and talk to Tyler’s band. This the part where I would typically look at my notes and tell you a whole bunch of facts about their time on the road, and their bond as friends. But, thanks to a lot of Jameson, I accidentally deleted my notes last night, because I’m a remarkable journalist.
 |
| Photo by Jurae Danielle from Floores' show |
But, what I do remember is how absolutely sweet those dudes were. What a sincerely, nice, group of humans, especially Tyler’s drummer, Rod Elkins. It was apparent throughout the set that his band, known as The Food Stamps, are a UNIT. They play with precision and execution that is perfection. It made my heart happy to know these were the guys Tyler came up with, the guys from West Virginia he paid his dues with instead of some jobbers from Nashville.
If there’s a night you want at a country show, it’s outdoors on a hot night in Austin, Texas. The weather was perfect, the Lonestars were cold, and we were ready to ride with Tyler Childers and his band. It was exactly what you hope for when you lay the cash down for a show: an experience you’ll be telling folks about for a time to come. We’ll see Tyler Childers grow into the larger venues like Stubbs and ACL soon enough, but for those who were lucky to experience those songs last night, this was one of the nights where we can say, “I saw them way back when.”
Thanks for that, boys. Come back to Austin anytime. This time, I promise I won’t delete my notes while drunk.
Who the hell am I kidding? I totally will. That shit was awesome.
*editor's note - not edited*
Jul 22, 2018
Jul 21, 2018
Archives: I'm Sorry, This Exists ft. Glen Campbell, Chris Brown, Hunter Hayes
ORIGINALLY POSTED APR 22, 2013
I'm Sorry, This Exists: April '13
 |
| Hunter Hayes Varsity Jacket |
 |
| Brantley Gilbert Hair Bow |
 |
| David Allan Coe drawing by convicted murderer, Robert John Bardo |
 |
| Brantley Gilbert accidentally racist car flag |
 |
| Chris Brown ugg boots |
 |
| This grammatically incorrect t-shirt |
 |
| Gary Levox fan art |
 |
| "Jesus Take the Wheel" coffee mug |
 |
| Kid Rock "Feel Like Makin' Love" Condoms |
 |
| This morbid Kurt Cobain "27 Club" prayer candle |
 |
| Lee Brice "Hard to Love" boyshorts |
 |
| Luke Bryan painted glass |
 |
| Romance novel based on a James Otto song |
 |
| Hunter Hayes "I want to make you feel wanted" boyshorts |
 |
| Velvet Glen Campbell "printed with actual black velvet + a squirt of manly musk" |
 |
| Garth Brooks thong ...friends in low places, indeed! |
Jul 20, 2018
Giant Novelty Check Printer Shutdown Slows Country Singer Charitable Donations
Country singer charitable donations have slowed to a dribble in Nashville, possibly due to the closure of Progressive Printing. The company, who specialized in oversize novelty checks mounted on corrugated plastic or cardboard, was bought out by Exacraft Mail and Print Solutions in Brentwood and will be combined into that location in a few weeks.
In the meantime, hospitals, homeless shelters, and other funds have seen sizable drops in their contributions. Charles Jones of "Toothbrushes for Arkansas" told us he expects donations to be down by 34% when figures come out in August. "It's the damnest thing," said Jones. "I can't for the life of me figure out the connection between our drop-off and the lack of photo-op-ready, comically large, not actually cashable checks."
Usually, somewhere between $900,000 and $3 million dollars are collected and given to nonprofit organizations by country music superstars during the months of June-August. Charity softball games, bake sales, and charity-specific concerts have been non-existent this summer. Some say the shortage of the showy, symbolic checks is to blame.
"I've seen some social media posts saying that country singers won't give a dime to a relief center if there's not a camera on them," related Cherry Givens of "Kane Brown Fans Literacy Fund." "But I'm not that cynical… can you imagine?"
John Reynolds, COO of "Guns for the Incarcerated" suggests country singers order their preposterously gigantic, camera-friendly checks from Amazon until Exacraft's check printing service is up and running.
Jul 19, 2018
The Office Country Reaction Gifs 3
What's your favorite Turnpike Troubadours song?
What it's like to listen to a Lori McKenna album
When your office-mate complains about you listening to Cody Jinks all the time
Why isn't your song on country radio?
When a Luke Bryan song starts
Male country singers get plaques for their #1 songs;
Female country singers get...
Still better than going to a Kane Brown concert...
If you like Mitchell Tenpenny
Album Review / Lori McKenna / The Tree
From my perspective, Lori McKenna is the best working songwriter whose last name isn't Prine. She has a gift - and 'gift' seems like the biggest understatement ever - for conveying real, lived-in emotion. She doesn't paint a picture; she paints you into the picture. You're there.
No matter your particular station in life - when Lori sings, you're a broken-hearted husband, a loving mother, a thankful child. I'm almost convinced it's voodoo.
The Tree is McKenna's latest foray into messing with your feelings. Family is front and center across the eleven songs, and again, it doesn't matter what you bring to the experience - Lori's plucking you from your existence and plopping you down in her stories.
"People Get Old," the album's first single, builds a world around its simple title. The passage of time and the certainty of aging are well worn themes to be sure, but you haven't felt them like this. The imagery - dad's cut sleeved t-shirt, turning off all the lights int the house like her dad did - doesn't just set the scene, it sets the mood. Lori's vocals pull you the rest of the way in, and suddenly you're reminiscing the past and pondering the future right alongside her.
"You Can't Break a Woman" tells a philandering mate how little his drinking and running around matters anymore. She's still there, but she's not there for him to hurt. Even though the message is to the lover, you're the titular woman. She hasn't left yet, but she's long gone.
Though a lot of The Tree's songs lean on shading and expertly arranged simple prose, Lori can wordsmith with the best of them. On "The Lot Behind St. Mary's," McKenna flexes her lyrical muscle. It's a longing and nostalgic look back to a couple's more innocent times. I'd pick a line or two to include here, but really, the entire thing is incredible. The most devastating thing about this song is what she doesn't explicitly tell us. When it hits you…
There's some joy to be found on The Tree - celebrating the small things and the everyday heroes (mom!). There's also a lot of struggle to go around - much like life. McKenna's brilliance is her searing honesty. Her ability to absorb the listener into the song is without equal.
Give this album your full and undivided attention, but prepare yourself. This isn't a record of pat platitudes and mindless entertainment. It demands of you. I don't get "in my feelings" much, but if you really listen to this album and don't go there, you missed out.
----
The Tree is out 7/20 on all platforms.
Jul 18, 2018
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
LinkWithin
