Uncommon Music - Sorting Music 0 comments

Written By: Nichole Wagner

My dad had all his albums arranged more or less alphabetically. A tattered red spiral notebook had a semi-complete listing for easy reference. Simple, yet remarkably effective for his 2,000 piece collection.

However, we live at opposite ends of the obsessive-compulsive spectrum. I need categories, sub-categories and sorting devices. With the digitization of music and the advent of iTunes, my music collection consists of over 600 artists, 3,000 records and some 260,000 songs. There's also nearly 2,500 physical CDs, several hundred vinyls and a hodge-podge of 8 tracks, 45s and cassettes. All this music requires a better organization method.

You'd think that taking a hint from record shops would be a good start. Start with genres and go from there. It would be great, except for making the decision of where a particular piece of music fits. What, besides drums, exactly separates bluegrass from country? What makes folk rock different from alt-country? And isn't there a fatal flaw in making categories so large that it encompasses Patsy Cline and Taylor Swift? Under the umbrella of "country" one could have country rock, country blues, country gospel, Nashville-style country, traditional country, pop county, folk country, Canadian country… you get the picture.

And what about the artists that fall bend their genres. For example, Bonnie Raitt started with the blues, swung through rock and landed somewhere in the sea of pop. Jenny Lewis' solo work would probably fit more neatly in the land of country but Rilo Kiley is something loosely referred to as "alternative" or perhaps "indie rock." There are too many categories, even for my tastes. So much for that idea.

Then I tried sorting by general geographical regions. Texas, East Coast, California, Southern California, Northwest & Canada, UK, Tennessee and Mountains.

It made for some strange bedfellows. Cyndi Lauper and Bruce Springsteen dominated the East Coast. Tennessee needed to be divided into Memphis, Nashville and a Nashville-outskirts to catch the country outlaws. Texas can be divided into two subgroups - natives like Willie Nelson, Lyle Lovett and Joe Ely and transplants such as Shawn Colvin, Patty Griffin and Asleep at the Wheel. California becomes a dumping ground for any other artist that doesn't easily fall into another category and couldn't realistically fit in a category with the SoCal sounds of Jackson Browne, the Eagles and Linda Ronstadt. Groups like the Pretenders ended up in the UK file though Chrissie Hynde is technically from Ohio. Another failed approach.

Moving along to loose associations. Starting with the artists I had the most CDs of: Emmylou Harris, Fleetwood Mac, and the Beatles. Emmylou is closely related to Gillian Welch, Dolly Parton and Patty Griffin. Drawing out the spiderwebs futher brings Nanci Griffith, Loretta Lynn and Bonnie Raitt into the fold. Fleetwood Mac can easily be grouped with the Eagles, Warren Zevon, Jackson Browne, and Tom Petty. But having first heard Nanci Griffith when she opened for Jackson Browne and I heard about Jackson Browne long before I was listening to Fleetwood Mac there was already a problem. It got bigger when I took into account the artists like Tegan and Sara, Brandi Carlile and Grace Potter & the Nocturnals - all of which I discovered in happy accidents.

I’ve known people to sort their albums by label, decade, year, producer and just about every other device under the sun. They’re all ineffective. It’s looking more and more like Dad had it right.

Uncommon Music - SXSW 2009 and Beyond 0 comments

Written By: Nichole Wagner

It's that time of year again and the music portion of SXSW kicks off this Wednesday.

Even without a badge, there's loads of free or nearly free shows to enjoy if you're in Austin this week. KGSR has shows at Auditorium Shores on Lady Bird Lake, and the morning broadcast from the lobby of the Four Seasons.

Numerous artists are playing side shows around the city and there's the annual Million Musician March for Peace on the 21st.

But, if you're sitting out for this year's festivities there's still plenty to be excited about in the musical world.

Lineups for the Telluride Bluegrass Festival have been released and with artists like Jenny Lewis, Conor Oberst, Elvis Costello, David Byrne, Three Girls & Their Buddy (Shawn Colvin, Emmylou Harris, Patty Griffin and Buddy Miller) and Todd Snider as well as perennial favorites like Sam Bush, John Cowan and Tim O'Brien it very well may be the best TBF in years.

Bonnaroo and Coachella lineups are also out and Thirsty Ear in Santa Fe has been moved from the perpetually rainy Labor Day weekend to the hopefully more sunny month of June.

On the album front, only months after Peace Queer, Todd Snider will release The Excitement Plan in June. According to YepRoc Records, Loretta Lynn makes a guest appearance on one of the tracks. Yes, the Coal Miner's Daughter singing on a Todd Snider album.

Slaid Cleaves, Po'Girl, Scott Miller the Greencards and Jill Sobule all have new records coming out within the next few months and Patty Griffin's gospel album reportedly will hit shelves the 19th of May. Brandi Carlile is also apparently planning a release for sometime in the near future.

Uncommon Music - Gurf Morlix - Last Exit To Happyland 0 comments

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Written By: Nichole Wagner

Gurf Morlix is the musical equivalent of a Swiss Army knife. He produces, writes, sings and plays just about every instrument known to man.

If his name doesn’t ring any bells, there’s a good chance that you haven’t been looking through the liner notes of your favorite albums by Slaid Cleaves, Mary Gauthier, Ray Wylie Hubbard and of course Lucinda Williams.

His latest album, Last Exit to Happyland calls on the skills of a few musical friends but easily stands on its own as a thoughtfully created piece of work.

The album, filled with songs about people “headed for the reckoning day,” opens with the tune “One More Second” before moving to the first of two New Orleans inspired songs.


“Walking To New Orleans” is the story of a Big Easy resident arriving home to the destruction of Hurricane Katrina. The other is “Drums of New Orleans,” to which Ruthie Foster adds her sublime wailing.

“Music You Mighta Made” is a tribute to Morlix’s buddy and Austin folk legend, Blaze Foley with mutual friend Barbara K of Timbuk3 providing supporting vocals.

Ian McLagan and his late wife Kim (who passed away in a car accident in 2006) also get a heartfelt nod in “Voice of Midnight” which features Patty Griffin.

Patty, who also appears on two other tracks, “She’s A River” and “I Got Nothin’”, offsets Gurf’s gravel-filled growl perfectly.

Last Exit to Happyland will be released on Rootball Records on February 17.

Uncommon Music - Neko Case's Middle Cyclone 0 comments

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Written By: Nichole Wagner

Queen of ethereal alt-country, Neko Case has spent the last few years bouncing between her solo career and her part-time gig with the New Pornographers.

Her latest, Middle Cyclone, provides a whirlwind of poetry and floating vocals as only Neko can create.

She appears on the cover ready for battle: crouched atop a vintage car, sword-drawn, fiery red hair tucked behind her.

The album starts with "This Tornado Loves You," a slightly frenetic semi-love song and the warning-filled "The Next Time You Say Forever."

"People Gotta Lotta Nerve" is poppy and about as close to Neko ever gets to a dance tune with the reprise, “But I'm a man man man man man man man eater/But still you’re surprised ‘prised ‘prised when I eat ya.” It’s the perfect choice for the first single.

"Polar Nettles," "Vengeance is Sleeping" and "Magpie to the Morning" have the oozy, hypnotic sound of tracks off "Fox Confessor Brings the Flood" while "Red Tide" and "Fever" are delivered more directly.

Neko manages to take ownership of the two covers, Harry Nilsson’s "Don’t Forget Me" and The Sparks’ "Never Turn Your Back On Mother Earth," both of which are executed with the highest level of individuality.

The album was made mostly in a barn on a farm in Vermont with help from her usual band of merry music makers including Kelly Hogan, Jon Rauhouse and various member of the Sadies, along with some new faces: M. Ward, Sarah Hammer and Garth Hudson.

The final track, which Neko has referred to as the “post album chill-out section” is the 32-minute long "Marais La Nuit" (loosely translated as the Marsh at Night) consisting of a looped tape of some near-by frogs is an interesting choice but easily skipped.

Uncommon Music - The Truth According To Ruthie Foster 0 comments

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Written By: Nichole Wagner

With her sixth album, "The Truth According to Ruthie Foster," the native Texan serves up a batch of tunes all seeped in her delicious blend of soul, blues and folk.

Much like the 2007 release, "The Phenomenal Ruthie Foster," she gives various styles a whirl and solidly hits just about every mark.

The gentle acoustic guitar picking in "Joy on the Other Side" and the super funky rhythm running throughout "Truth!" make them two of the must-listen tracks.

"I Really Love You" and "Dues Paid in Full" do the best job of showcasing Ruthie’s stunning vocal abilities and range.

The opening track, "Stone Love" and the covers of "A Nickel and a Nail" and "(You Keep Me) Hangin’ On" all manage capture the sound of the 70s without becoming over-the-top in the nostalgia department.

The only place this album really falls apart is in the cover of Patty Griffin’s "When It Don’t Come Easy." The complaint is not that the song is particularly bad but how close it hovers to the original, leaving the listener to imagine how great it might have been.

"The Truth According to Ruthie Foster" hits store shelves tomorrow. If you’re in Austin, try to catch the launch show at Antone’s or check her website and extensive list of tour dates to see when she’ll be in your town.

Uncommon Music - Mother Truckers - Let's All Go To Bed 0 comments

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Written By: Nichole Wagner

The Mother Truckers combine the songwriting and singing talents of Josh Zee and Teal Collins with a sound somewhat reminiscent of Gram Parsons and the Fallen Angels if they had gone electric and been listening to Steve Earle.

Their latest album, “Let’s All Go To Bed,” opens with the explosive “Dynamite” and the rift-laden “Streets of Atlanta” before drifting into a more country sound on “Never Miss My Baby” and “Quite Night.”


While “I’m Coming Over” and “Can’t Sleep in Tucson” could easily find a home on just about any rock radio station, the cover of Billy Joe Shaver’s “When I Get My Wings” and the other gospel tune “Soul’s Journey Home” showcase Teal’s vocal range and abilities.

The title track jumps with a catchy chorus and a Johnny Cash-style train rhythm on the verses.

Featuring Teal on the ukulele, both “I’ll Meet You There” and a “”Tiger’s Eye” are a slight, but welcome departure from the rest of the guitar-laden album.

“Let’s All Go To Bed” is available on Funzalo Records and the video for “Dynamite” can be seen on YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_dJ0dqq-l4).

Uncommon Music - Mary Beth D'Amico - Heaven, Hell, Sin and Redemption 0 comments

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Written By: Nichole Wagner

Reminiscent of Lucinda Willams crossed with perhaps Joni Mitchell and a touch of Kathleen Edwards, Marybeth D'Amico's first full-length album contains smart songs and woven tales that rise beyond the level of the average.

For example, A Love Story chronicles the courtship of two young people, both of whom have been raised in fundamentalist families, perhaps in New Zealand as Marybeth suggests . Where I Lay My Baby Down is the lament of a mother who has just buried her child but could just as easily be about any death.


On the more non-fictional side, Ohio is based on the tale of Kenny Richey, a man who was jailed on death row for 21 years for a crime he didn’t commit. Save Your Soul was inspired by the fallen Evangelical preacher, Pastor Ted.

Others such as The Journey, Oblivion and Back On My Feet are more open to interpretation dealing with the challenges we all face daily.

Recorded in Texas with help from Lloyd Maines, Richard Bowden, David Webb, Paul Pearcy and producer Bradley Kopp, Heaven, Hell, Sin and Redemption is available on both iTunes and at CDBaby.

Uncommon Music - Scott Miller's "For Crying Out Loud" 0 comments

Written By: Nichole Wagner

Scott Miller’s latest recorded effort with the Commonwealth titled For Crying Out Loud, to be released next year brings finished versions of songs from the Appalachian Refugee demos that were sold in small batches earlier this year to help finance the making of a full album.

Some immediate standouts are Sin in Indiana which came from various names Scott found while traveling through the midwest and a belief that New Orleans is so crazy because all of the sin from the midwest gets dumped in the Mississippi and the uptempo Claire Marie.

Digging deeper reveals Double Indemnity and Let You Down, both written with Doug Lancio, whom Scott met while touring with Patty Griffin last summer. Doug contributed slide guitar and mandolin in addition to producing three of the tracks.

The heartfelt I’m Right Here, My Love was written in tribute to Scott’s in-laws after the passing of his wife’s father. It also spotlights a beautiful duet vocal from Patty.

The two covers, Wildcat Whistle by Brad Deaton of the Taoist Cowboys and Tom T. Hall’s I Can’t Dance blend in perfectly with the rest of the album, the later featuring backing vocals by Tim O’Brien.

The first thousand copies are being released early in an individually numbered limited edition run available from either the website or at live shows.

Uncommon Music - Christmas Albums 0 comments

Written By: Nichole Wagner

Unlike most easy listening radio stations and large department stores, I don’t start the holiday music until about a week before Christmas. And it’s not that I don’t love Brenda Lee, but I can only take so much rocking around trees and decking the halls before the songs start to sound like week-old fallen snow. So turn off the radio and spend your holidays with something slightly different.





Cyndi Lauper - Merry Christmas, Have A Nice Life!
Perfect for tree decorating, cookie baking or anything else that you might be doing this season that could use a few extra dance steps. She gave the standards like Silent Night a face lift while leaving room for the more quirky Minnie and Santa and Christmas Conga.











John Prine - A John Prine Christmas
Day before Christmas and Fourth of July notwithstanding, John’s favorite holiday is Christmas as he shares in his litany of Christmas Credentials which include eating an ornament at age three, getting his first guitar, and getting married to his high school sweetheart the day after Christmas. His gift suggestions? A cuckoo clock or a snow globe. Or you could go with the six original tracks on this album.

Kate and Anna McGarrigle - The McGarrigle Christmas Hour
When your family includes Rufus and Martha Wainwright and you can call on friends like Emmylou Harris, Lily and Dane Lanken and Chaim Tannenbaum Christmas becomes a very musical time indeed. The semi-eclectic French Canadian duo invite listeners back into their home for another hour of beautiful tunes. The best songs are the Il Est Ne, Spotlight on Christmas, the cover of Jackon Browne’s The Rebel Jesus and Emmylou’s version of O Little Town of Bethlehem.


Asleep at the Wheel - Merry Texas Christmas, Y’all
Ray Benson and the gang swing through the holidays with songs like Jingle Bell Boogie, Merry Texas Christmas, Y’all and Christmas in Jail. There’s also the classics like Feliz Navidad featuring Tish Hinojosa and Pretty Paper with who else, Willie Nelson. Ray also narrates his own version of the poem T’was the Night Before Christmas with forlorn music deprived cowboys at the ranch that are rescued by busses, semis and ten limousines carrying the likes of Willie, Waylon, ZZ Top, Jerry Jeff Walker, Delbert McClinton, and the ghosts of Bob Wills, Tex Ritter, Buddy Holly, Janis Joplin and Stevie Ray Vaughn.





Jill Sobule - It’s The Thought That Counts
Always ready with the unconventional take on anything, Jill brought holiday music to a new place with this six song set that includes Robert Earl Keen’s Merry Christmas From The Family and Jesus Was A Dreidel Spinner (the later was replaced with the former on the 1995 release of You Sleigh Me, a compilation of alternative Christmas songs)







Some other various favorites:
Emmylou Harris - Light in the Stable
Gene Autry - The Complete Columbia Christmas Recordings
Johnny Cash - A Johnny Cash Christmas DVD
Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers - Once Upon a Christmas
Willie Nelson - Pretty Paper
Chris Issak - Chris Issak Christmas

And some holiday singles worth a listen:
Carolyn Wonderland - Blue Lights
Lyle Lovett - Christmas Morning
Bonnie Raitt with Charles Brown - Merry Christmas, Baby
Loudon Wainwright III - Suddenly It’s Christmas
Loretta Lynn - Country Christmas
The Pretenders - Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas and 2000 Miles
Tom Waits - Christmas Card From A Hooker in Minneapolis and Ruby’s Arms (both of which mention Christmas though are not exactly what you’d call carols)

Uncommon Music - Radio Shows 0 comments

Written By: Nichole Wagner

What do Bob Dylan, Alice Cooper and Tom Petty have in common?
Other than the obvious answers (they're all rock stars, they're all
men, they're all unconventionally sexy) they all have their own
radio shows.

There's something about getting inside these brilliant people's
slightly twisted minds while listening to some superb music that is
enlightening and quite amusing.

They've got their own brand of slightly-stoned humor and on
occasion there's some social commentary mixed in with the tidbits
that only they could share.

It doesn't seem like either Tom Petty or Bob Dylan would be prime
candidates for a radio show. After all, both have the reputation of
mumbling and rambling incoherently on-stage but somehow they
get it together when the "on-air" sign lights up.

Alice Cooper actually masquerades as a honest-to-goodness radio
DJ on his FM syndicated "Nights with Alice Cooper". There's the
obligatory stories and call-ins, quizzes and giveaways. There's a
good chance of learning random facts such as Alice's run for
president, love of golf or time on the road.
He's on weeknights, check your local listings at his show website.

If falling asleep with Alice in your ears isn't enough, you can wake
up with him too. Breakfast with Alice is on Sunday mornings.

Dylan's Theme Time Radio Hour is on Wednesdays all-day on XMX
(Ch. 2). His themes are random and include shoes, days of the
week, baseball, coffee, cars, and jail. Each show, Dylan picks
songs and stories that match the theme. Fun stuff.

Tom takes a cue from Dylan for his XM show, Buried Treasure.
Basically, he dips into his record collection and bootleg archive and
spins things you've never heard and never will hear again. He
narrates his choices with wit and quirk. It's on all-day Thursdays
on XMX (Ch. 2).

If you're not exhausted after hours of Tom, Bob and Alice, Marty
Stuart and Bill Anderson also have XM shows.

Also, Roger McGuinn runs his Folk Den with MP3s and guitar tabs
for some great gems from the folk world.

Uncommon Music - Acting Musicians 0 comments

Written By: Nichole Wagner

Buck Owens may have sang it first, but musicians often dip their toes momentarily into the acting world. Some do it well, some don't and they come up with some really creative roles to play. I'm not talking about walk-ons where they play themselves but honest-to-goodness roles.

Tom Petty

Yes, I'm talking about Tom again. But there's so much to say about him. For instance, he's got a recurring voice role in "King of the Hill" as "Lucky," the fortunately unfortunate guy who lives off an injury settlement seen kneeling in the picture above. He fits in perfectly and it's absolutely hilarious.

To be fair, as much as I love Tom, his role in "The Postman" wasn't as great. Though his music videos usually rock, but that's another topic.

Dolly Parton

Wow. She's a BUSY lady, between all the music and charity she does she's got time to act.

Currently she's playing Miley's aunt on "Hannah Montana" and while this does come super close to qualifying as a walk-on there's enough basis for having the character be Dolly Parton that it counts. It is a show about a pop star.

Not into the Disney channel? No problem, Dolly's been on "Reba" as a real estate agent, and if I'm not mistaken she had a role on Bette Midler's sitcom.

And then there's the movies. She started as Doralee Rhodes, secretary and co-conspirator with Judy Bernly (Jane Fonda) and Violet Newstead (Lily Tomlin) in the boss-napping escapades in "9 to 5".

She played the brothel owner, Mona Stangley, in "The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas," she was Shirlee Kenyon, a wildly popular talk radio personality in "Straight Talk," and the hairdressing cut-up Truvey Jones in "Steel Magnolias."

I won't count the more true-to-life (as in she plays some sort of musician/singer) roles she had in "Rhinestone," "A Smokey Mountain Christmas," or "Unlikely Angel." Her cameo on "Beverly Hillbillies" also doesn't count, sorry.

Bette Midler

Like Dolly, Bette usually does the music for the films she's in. And like Dolly, she's incredibly talented and absolutely side-splittingly funny. Unlike Dolly, she doesn't portray herself or a character like herself very often.

She started a string of fantastic movies in 1979 with "The Rose," loosely based on Janis Joplin, and really I don't think anyone else at the time would have been capable of capturing that role, which excuses it from the aforementioned playing herself rule.

She plays Barbara Whiteman in Disney's first ever "R" rated release, "Down and Out In Beverly Hills," and that same year she was the "kidnapped by K-Mart" Barbara Stone in "Ruthless People."

In 1987 as Sandy Brozinsky, she and Shelley Long were chased by every government agency and a variety of other bad-guys in "Outrageous Fortunes" before playing Lily Tomlin's twin, Sadie Ratliff (and Lily Tomlin's twin, Sadie Shelton) in "Big Business" the next year. Of course, there's "Beaches," but as C.C. Bloom she essentially plays herself with a different name. However, this does not take away from the fact it's a funny then sad classic with one of those theme songs that everyone knows.

In the 90's her plan for eternal life was foiled by meddling children in "Hocus Pocus," she traveled overseas entertaining troops as Dixie Leonhard in "For The Boys" and she schemed with Diane Keaton and Goldie Hawn in "First Wives Club." Finally, she's the dead Mona Dearly in "Drowning Mona" and writer Bobbie Markowitz who becomes an unlikely convert in the remake of "Stepford Wives."

Some honorable mentions:

Jenny Lewis

Child-star turned rocker without all the drama? Can it be? Yup, she managed.

She's got a ton of TV roles, she played Shelley Long's daughter in "Troop Beverly Hills," and she was Haley in "The Wizard."

Lyle Lovett

He's in the Texas Film Hall of Fame right alongside Kris Kristofferson, Matthew McConaughey and Sissy Spacek. Who knew? It was actually for his soundtracks, but he does act, kinda.

He had a small role on "Mad About You," was Sheriff Carl Tippett in "The Opposite of Sex," Wade in "Bastard Out of Carolina" and Detective DeLongpre in "The Player." He had a handful of small parts in films like "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" and "Cookie's Fortune."

Cyndi Lauper

She's not the world's most notable actress, but her accent and hair alone make her great. And she's got an Emmy in 1995 for her role as Marianne Lugasso on "Mad About You."

In her first real film, "Vibes" she played Sylvia Pickel, a crazy psychic hired to find a hidden treasure. If you get past the 80s special effects it's a funny movie. She was in "Life with Mikey" and "The Opportunists" and has a bunch of voice roles in kid's shows. They're pretty cute.

Patty Griffin

Yes, I had to mention her too. But with good reason. Her resume isn't as long as the other people on this list but there's hope with her role in "Baghdad, Texas" set to come out... well, soon. Maybe.

Until then, she's got one whole line as Sharon in "Elizabethtown" (though "Long Ride Home" and her version of "Moon River" are featured) and she played Nicole Baker in Matthew Barney's super weird art film, "Cremaster 2."

Finally, she has a starring role in the short film, "Signed First Edition" which is not only funny but it has a twist at the end.

Uncommon Music - Concert Films 0 comments

Written By: Nichole Wagner

The live concert video is an art form, to capture a performance on tape without losing the energy and atmosphere of a show is next to impossible. Yet, once in awhile the stars align just so and the outstanding concert recording is born. Here are some favorites.

The Band - Last Waltz
Maybe the gold standard in concert videos, directed by Martin Scorsese, it was the last performance of The Band. The guest list alone makes it worth watching with names like Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Ringo Starr, Van Morrison, Ronnie Wood, and Muddy Waters. Emmylou Harris and The Staples Singers are in segments that were filmed separately from the main concert.

Nanci Griffith - One Fair Summer Evening
With Nanci at the peak of her onstage rambling, she shares stories about blue moons, Woolworth’s stores and anonymous tall blonde dictators who swipe red bricks from the streets of Houston.

Anderson Fair, where it was filmed is small enough to make the viewer feel like perhaps they could be sitting in the audience. The delightful lack of audience “reaction” shots adds to the effect.

Pretenders - Isle of View
While it is a little strange to see Chrissie Hynde and company sitting down in a more or less acoustic show, it also makes the songs more interesting and gives a new layer to seeing the Pretenders. And of course, she’s in top vocal form and the strings section on songs like “Criminal” and the cover of “Creep” are fun to listen to.

Tom Petty - Live at the Olympic
It’s a bit bouncy, in order to represent all of the Heartbreakers, but it still decently portrays the Tom concert experience. The songs are nearly entirely from The Last DJ, with the exception of a few hits at the end, like Mary Jane’s Last Dance, You Wreck Me, and I Need To Know. On the special features, catch “Fun in the Desert” which is essentially Tom being goofy and riding a motorcycle around the set of the Last DJ commercials.

Fleetwood Mac - In Concert (1982)
Yes, The Dance is a much more accessible film, but it lacks a certain amount of spontaneity. Yes, there are a few moments of true emotion but the overall feel is scripted. Not this concert from the Mirage tour, (though technically it was two shows spliced together, a fact that is glaringly obvious in Sisters of the Moon.) Some of the best moments include Mick Fleetwood’s facial expressions during his drum solos, the version of the often overlooked Blue Letter and the vocals from Stevie Nicks on Rhiannon.

Cyndi Lauper - At Last Live!
It’s almost disturbing how much energy this woman can put forth in a concert. She’s jumping all over the place and going into the audience and practically hanging from the rafters -- all while hitting all the notes in the songs. It’s not nearly as much fun as seeing her in person, but only because there’s a lot less storytelling on the DVD than at a live show. Luckily, those stories can all be found on the “Driving with Cyndi” extras.

Talking Heads - Stop Making Sense
Of course, any movie with David Byrne involved is going to be a little unusual. This one has some neat elements, including the first few moments of the show with Byrne bringing out his boombox, the lack of audience shots and performer close-ups and the appearance of the “big suit” during Girlfriend is Better. It’s also a great reminder of all the songs you loved to hear but sometimes forget about.

Uncommon Music - Super Extended Albums 0 comments

Written By: Nichole Wagner

There is a plague afflicting the music industry...

The symptoms include:

* An overwhelming need to release an album in as many different variations as possible.

* He with the most adjectives at the end of the title apparently wins some sort of prize.

* Instead of the regular grouping of tracks, album cover and some liner notes, there’s an extended super-deluxe version somewhere or a USB-stick that gives the buyer super-exclusive access to top secret, from the bottom of the vault, we’d tell you what it is but we’d have to kill you material.

Without vinyl singles, artists need some way to get their babies that didn't make the 12 song cut out to the people. With illegal downloading (which is not a new concept, just a new method) the record companies need another way to line their pockets.

Whichever way you look at it, it's the most dedicated fans that are getting the short end of the deal as we end up buying multiple copies of the same album.

We pre-order an album from our local indie record store only to find out that if you pre-order the album from iTunes there is one more track. So you keep the first order so you can have a hard copy and order from iTunes to get the song.

But then you see that Barnes and Nobles has yet another version that has two more songs not on either the normal release or on the iTunes release.

Three weeks later, the record company decides to release a two disc extended version with video and demo tracks or another few songs or something called a "B-side" for a single that wasn't even released.

Now the dedicated fan has four copies of the same album, and has about five new songs and a music video. The record company has the profits from three more sales. Tricky.

This is how I ended up with seven copies of Patty Griffin’s “Children Running Through”, three of Fleetwood Mac’s “Say You Will” and why I’m currently mad at Lyle Lovett, Bruce Springsteen and Tom Petty. Well, actually I’m mad at Tom for a few reasons, but releasing an expanded “Highway Companion” is one of them.

However, there are the few artists out there that really do it right: take the New Pornographers and their “Challengers” album. Everyone bought the regular old album and then offered separately for approximately three bucks was two blank CD-Rs, a blank DVD-R and a snazzy slip-box that had room for the previously purchased regular old album.

It’s not instant gratification, but we’re still downloading happy new stuff months after the release. It’s like a little present straight from the band every few weeks. It’s enough to make one feel all warm and fuzzy. No one is left out because they didn’t want to buy the album multiple times with various “extra” tracks and no one is stuck with 15 copies that they have to copy to their computer and combine into one CD to put in their car. Less work, more music, happy listeners.

Uncommon Music - Ballad Of Sally Rose 0 comments

Written By: Nichole Wagner

One of the first concept albums in the country genre is Emmylou Harris’ “Ballad of Sally Rose,” from 1985. It is also possibly the most overlooked of her thirty-album career

With help from friends like Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt, Vince Gill and then-husband Paul Kennerly, Emmylou tells the sings of Sally Rose, the girl from South Dakota who leaves home to become a rock star. By the second song, Sally has made her way to Tupelo and has joined up with an unnamed male musician to “play Rhythm Guitar and sing the third.”

Despite her best intentions efforts, the third track finds Sally falling for the frontman and the gentle “Heart to Heart” cements the feelings.

The mystery musician perishes in a wreck along the highway in “Bad News” leaving Sally to pick up the pieces in “Timberline” and go on to shine with her “red-hot dynamite band” in “Long Tall Sally Rose.” Even with her success, she hasn’t forgotten the “White Line” that took her baby.

The last few tracks reiterate her longings with lines like “I stepped into the light you left behind / I stood there where all the world could see me shine / Oh I was on my way to you to make you mine / But I took the longest road that I could find.” She goes on to buy a radio station, KSOS, to carry his torch. The closing number, “Sweet Chariot” is aching with bitter acceptance of Sally’s loss.


If the entire story of girl meets rock star, joins him on tour only to have him meet his tragic and untimely end strikes you as oddly familiar, the not-so-subtle reference to Joshua Tree seems fitting. While Ms. Harris has never said that the narrative of Sally is a modification of her own history it does draw some parallels.

“The Ballad of Sally Rose” is a stand-out in Emmylou’s discography as the first album that she wrote or co-wrote (with Kennerley) all the tracks and as a great mix of upbeat tunes paired with ballads. While it is currently only available on vinyl or import CD a few tracks were included on the Songbird box set released last year.

Uncommon Music - Unauthorized Autobiography? You Be The Judge! 0 comments

Written By: Nichole Wagner

From the unauthorized to the autobiography, books about musicians can be amazingly good reads while others are just a waste of trees. Of course there are several reasons for this varying degree of quality.

The artist may not want to talk to the author which often leads to a book filled with lots of rehashing of common knowledge and a few anecdotes from the kid who sat next to the kid the artist babysat when they were three. Because they know all about the artist's innermost thoughts and secrets.

THE AWFUL...

Gram Parsons - Hickory Wind (Ben Fong-Torres)
Really, they missed the point. And I hate to say that of Fong- Torres because he usually does a very good job. It's almost like the Grievous Angel DVD. It's really just a cleaned-up version of
Gram's life that reads like it's been through the PR censors more than twice while basically ignoring essential characters (Emmylou, Phil Kaufman) and skipping the juicy stories about insane wives and life on the road.

Stevie Nicks - Lady of the Stars (Edward Wincentsen)
It's not only ancient but even at the time it was written, it was inaccurate. It's predecessor, Rock's Mystical Lady is just as bad. From random speculations to stating the insanely obvious (she wears platform shoes and black chiffon AND she was a member of Fleetwood Mac... no... really?) Even the rumors are laughable. If you're going to gossip at least find something relevant... it's NOT that hard.

Linda Ronstadt - It's So Easy (Mark Bego)
Pure, unadulterated sugar-coated gossip. I doubt there's a single thing in this book that Linda hasn't freely spoken about at some point or another. For some reason it still glosses over relationships and scandals trying to make them seem like big news the author knows about but isn't at liberty to share. It's like a kid on the playground shouting "I know something you don't know!"

Really, I've found all of Bego's biographies (he has one on Bonnie Raitt, Jackson Browne, Billy Joel and so on) to be lacking.

THE NOT SO BAD...

Carter Family - Will You Miss Me When I'm Gone? (Charles Hirshberg and Mark Zwonitzer)
It's a little slow, but it does a great job giving insight to one of American music's royal families. All of A.P.'s little quirks are discussed in an endearing way and the scenes are set so that you
feel like you're sitting on the porch watching it all happen. Unfortunately it is a big story to tell in one book and it sort of unwinds in an awkward way. Still it's informative with lots of cute
stories and just about every country music star is represented in some way. Plus there's some great tales of the little Carters (June, Helen and Anita) growing up.

Fleetwood Mac - Storms: My Life with Lindsey Buckingham and Fleetwood Mac (Carol Ann Harris)
Really, this book only covers a short period of time, albeit a highly interesting period. Written by Lindsey's sometimes girlfriend during the Rumours sessions, there's enough details but it's
important to remember that everyone's minds were a little clouded back then. Some of it sounds dramatized and both Lindsey and Stevie get a good helping of not-so-sneaky criticisms. It's a semi-insider's view of a crazy time. Even with the slanted view it's interesting enough for a big fan to read and try to decode.

THE ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL...

Loretta Lynn - Coal Miner's Daughter and Still Woman Enough (Loretta Lynn)
Pull up a chair and enjoy some peanut butter fudge. These books literally feel like you're sitting down in the back of a bus or hanging out in the kitchen while Loretta tells you every story she
can think of about her life. From the Kentucky coal region, married at 12, a mother at 13 and a country music star at 26 she's not afraid to let down the barriers that many stars surround
themselves with. She tells of the embarrassing teenage years, of her difficult marriage to Doo, her mental breakdowns and addiction to pills and just about everything inbetween.

Dolly Parton - My Life and Other Unfinished Business (Dolly Parton)
Like Loretta, Dolly will say just about anything that pops into her head (though she does keep a lot more private than Loretta does). This book also proves that she's not the dumb blond she's
sometimes accused of being. However the absolute best thing about this book is that it's available in an audio format with Ms. Parton herself narrating.

Hard Core Troubadour: The Life and Near Death of Steve Earle (Lauren St. John)
Again, what makes this book so good is the truth, no matter how unflattering or unfortunate it may be is told. No tiptoeing or detouring around drugs, arrests and every other aspect of Steve's life. But because Steve and family contributed, it's not gossip but more in acceptance that everyone already knows that he's no Boy Scout.

Kinky Friedman - Texas Hold 'Em: How I Was Born in a Manger, Died in the Saddle, and Came Back as a Horny Toad (Kinky Friedman)
While not purely a musical biography, but it's close. Plus, it's funnier than a car full of clowns. There's a little bit of everything: music, politics, satire, religion and a good helping of Kinky's
escapades with the "Hillybilly Dali Lama," Willie Nelson.

Uncommon Music - The Whispertown 2000 0 comments

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Written By: Nichole Wagner

After years of playing in living rooms and clubs, The Whispertown 2000 is finally ready to make their grand debut with their first “real-deal” album, “Swim,” on Acony Records.

What sets their music apart from the thousands of other L.A.-based bands is the delightfully quirkiness quality of the lyrics and phrasing. Each song leaves the listener with a few memorable lines and a snippet of tune that they’ll carry around the rest of the day.

Though the album is full of acoustic guitar and harmonicas, they don’t attempt to be country crooners or traditional folkies. Instead, they plant their feet firmly in those jumbled genres of Americana and indie.

Lead-singer and guitarist Morgan Nagler is backed by Vanessa Corbala and brothers Casey and Tod Adrian Wisenbaker. The multi-talented artists swap roles often, bouncing between vocals, guitars, drums and a variety of percussion instruments during live sets.

Some of the best tracks from Swim contradict each other in style. There’s the bouncy song about the end of the world, “103” which starts the album before transitioning to the slightly depressive “Done with Love” and “Pushing Oars.” “Erase the Lines” and “Lock and Key” move along with memorable harmonies while “From the Start / Jamboree” jumps right back to the folk-country sound. The wistful ballad, “Atlantis,” features the backing talents of Gillian Welch, David Rawlings, and Jenny Lewis.

Equally catchy and charming is their previous album, “Livin’ In A Dream” which is available on iTunes and at their live shows.

Uncommon Music - Todd Snider's Peace Queer 0 comments

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Written By: Nichole Wagner

Todd Snider’s new album, “Peace Queer” is a halfway hit. Luckily, especially since it’s available as a free download (until October 31), the good more than compensates for the bad.

The comic folkie shines with the first few tracks. “Mission Accomplished (You Gotta Have Faith)” uses Todd’s trademark lyrical wit in a parody of George Michael’s song “Faith.” “The Ballad of Cape Henry” documents the last battle of a wounded sailor with a catchy chorus and backing vocals by Patty Griffin.

Patty is also featured on the remake of CCR’s “Fortunate Son” has been stripped down to an arrangement that could have come straight from an antiwar protest circa 1970. The only problem is Todd’s version lacks all of the goosebump-causing conviction needed to make it a standout.

Stuck on the Corner (Prelude to a Heart Attack) is the rock song wedged between the bluesy “Dividing the Estate (A Heart Attack)” and the spoken word “Is This Thing Working?” which garners belly-laughs when done live but falls short on the recorded version. “Is This Thing On?” is the same story of a high school bully set to music.

The instrumental “Ponce of the Flaming Peace Queer” includes a message from Todd saying that while he shares his opinions, he doesn’t share them because they’re smart but “because they rhyme” and not to change the listener’s mind about anything but to ease his own mind about everything.


Even with the shortcomings of some songs, “Peace Queer” is worth a listen, especially for those than understand Todd’s slightly odd brand of humor. Download it at ToddSnider.net

Uncommon Music - Austin City Limits 0 comments

Written By: Nichole Wagner

After 34 seasons, Austin City Limits is the longest running live concert television show. Beginning as a humble local venue to showcase local Texas artists, the series has grown to feature a wide variety of musical styles and genres.

The new season began last week with an encore showing of R.E.M. but new shows begin this week with Bettye LaVette and Pinetop Perkins. Other episodes will feature acts such as Lyle Lovett (with his friends John Hiatt, Guy Clark, and Joe Ely), Jakob Dylan, My Morning Jacket, Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, Carolyn Wonderland, and Aimee Mann.

Filmed at a studio located on the University of Texas (though it will get a new home downtown) the intimate concerts are broadcast nationwide on PBS. Select shows are subsequently released on DVD through New West Records.

The full schedule as well as showtimes can be found on the PBS website.

Fans can also take a free tour of the taping studio on Fridays at 10:30am.

Uncommon Music - Jenny Lewis' Acid Tongue 0 comments

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Written By: Nichole Wagner

The sophomore effort from Jenny Lewis, Acid Tongue is reminiscent of the 70s from the beginning.

The yellow sleeve with the repetitive design lists the tracks and varied guests on the back foregoing lengthy liner notes. Inside there are four Polaroid style photos and the classic Warner Brothers label graces the disc.

Like her first album, there’s no Pro-Tools or other studio magic employed to perfect vocals or guitar licks. Unlike Rabbit Fur Coat, the music is less catchy on the first listen. Instead of masquerading as a long-lost Loretta Lynn record, it’s more of an early Linda Ronstadt album: more variety, less predictability and still not quite pop.

Some of the songs that are most likable are ones that have been floating around the Internet for awhile like See Fernando and Carpetbaggers which had been on YouTube as a duet with Johnathan Rice but on the album features Elvis Costello on vocals.

Other tunes like Bad Man's World, Trying My Best to Love You and the unapologetic Acid Tongue sound better and better after a few spins.

The unlikely standout track is The Next Messiah, which at nearly nine minutes combines three different songs without reaching into the realm of jam-band repetitiveness.

Overall, it works because it’s everything we like about Jenny Lewis but it’s not a repeat performance of what worked in the past for her with either the Watson Twins or Rilo Kiley.

Uncommon Music - Townes Van Zandt 0 comments

Written By: Nichole Wagner

Townes Van Zandt is one of those musicians that you don’t know that you know.

His song have been covered by Emmylou Harris, Lyle Lovett, Nanci Griffith, Bob Dylan, Alison Krauss and Robert Plant, Guy Clark, Steve Earle and Willie Nelson did a little tune of his called “Pancho and Lefty.”

A little bit like the Texas version of Gram Parsons, Townes grew up in a wealthy family and headed off to college in the 60s. He left school, partially to become famous and partially due to the onset of mental health problems that would plague him the rest of his life.

He began singing and playing the coffee shops, though he focused more on his songwriting than the recording or performing of the songs. These songs include “If I Needed You,” “Snowing on Raton,” “Tecumseh Valley,” “Colorado Girl,” “To Live is To Fly,” “White Freight Liner Blues,” and “Rex’s Blues.”

His circle of friends was made of other singer-songwriters like Guy Clark, Billy Joe Shaver, and Steve Earle (who would name his oldest son after Townes). Steve has declared that Townes was "the best songwriter in the whole world and I'll stand on Bob Dylan's coffee table in my cowboy boots and say that."

Like many of his contemporaries, Townes was a heavy drinker and heroin user which unsurprisingly added to his unpredictable nature and his early death in 1997 at the age of 52.

The 2004 documentary film about Townes called “Be Here To Love Me” features first-hand accounts from both his family (all three ex-wives and his children) and friends like Guy Clark, Emmylou Harris, Steve Earle, Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson.