Railroad Earth!

It was nice to hear a good bluegrass band. I guess most bluegrass bands form or revolve around one or two people. It's as though good banjo or mandolin players are prayed upon by average guitar and bass players, with the end result being a sub-par bluegrass band. Railroad Earth is not your typical bluegrass band. Are they a little jammy? Yes. Do they attract smelly hippies? Yes, but that's fine by me. It was an uplifting show. I must say that the songs i prefer don't always emit sunshine and smily faces. But it's impossible to listen to sad bastard music all the time. I'll bet anything that a comatose National fan would have shaken at leg at last night's show.

Long Way To Go - Railroad Earth

Hard Livin - Railroad Earth

Another reason to love Georgia..

Bloodkin's new album is pretty darn solid. What is strange, however, is that all of Bloodkin's albums sound just about the same and I never get tired of listening. Here are a few tracks if you're interested.

Ghost Runner - Bloodkin

Summer In Georgia - Bloodkin

Update

Well, it seems Patterson Hood really was sick during last week's show in Charleston. The guy had/has walking pneumonia, and the Drive-By Truckers just cancelled a week's worth of shows because of it. But i'm still not convinced it would have been a good show but for the illness.

Show recap

What a weird night. First, I walk into the Music Farm to see Bloodkin playing in front of a packed house. Bloodkin plays in front of 30 people, not 500. Even lead singer Daniel Hutchens seemed to recognize something was off (or on). The vibe seemed to move from "we're so lucky to be here" to "this should have been ours."

And maybe it still can be: Bloodkin just released a new album titled "Baby, They Told Us We Would Rise Again." I haven't listened to the album in its entirety, so i will save the shitty review for later. The general buzz, however, is that the new album is damn good. Good enough, I presume, to earn an opening gig for the Drive-By Truckers.

Here is a short clip of the classic "Can't Get High."


Then the Drive-By Truckers take the stage after a very long intermission. It was immediately apparent that lead singer Patterson Hood was off. My buddy and I thought he was hammered, but Patterson later claimed he was recovering from the flu. Either way, he was mentally absent the entire show. And midway through the set he fell straight to the ground. He played it off nicely, the band laughed, and a roadie ran out with a chair, which is where Patterson spent the remainder of the show.


The real band leader of the night was guitarist Mike Cooley. His voice is too dramatic and seems contrived, which is unfortunate because i'm sure it's genuine. So the show wasn't great or even good; it was just interesting.
Here is a short clip that sums it up:

Hall & Oates

You're welcome.

KUROMA

KUROMA is the brainchild of Hank Sullivant. (ex-Whigs, ex-MGMT). He also helped produce the yet to be released Gift Horse album. I remember seeing this guy around Athens when i lived there from 2003-2005. Here is an interesting video. I love NYC, so i love this video.

Kuroma - New Music - More Music Videos

Fleet Foxes singer has solo project

Lead singer Robin Pecknold has launched a solo project called "White Antelope." Check out the myspace page HERE

DC comes to Charleston

DEAD CONFEDERATE ANNOUNCE POURHOUSE SHOW FEBRUARY 5th
Psych rock comes to Charleston - Dead Confederate is pleased to announce their appearance at James Island's Pourhouse. The band will bring along good friends and fellow Athenians, Twin Tigers. Tix available at www.etix.com As always, for the inside scoop on Dead Confederate's tour, be sure to visit the WRECKING BLAHG for additional photo and video coverage from the road. DEAD CONFEDERATE AT THE POURHOUSE FEB 5 Feb 5 - Charleston, SC - Pourhouse with fellow Athens band, Twin Tigers

WRECKING BALL FEATURED IN BEST OF 2008 LISTS Dave Schools - Widespread Panic , Stockholm Syndrome
Schools by Weiand
Albums
1. Dead Confederate - Wrecking Ball
2. Jimmy Herring - Lifeboat
3. Jeff Beck - Performing This Week... Live at Ronnie Scott's
4. Howlin Rain - Magnificent Fiend
5. Dungen - 4

Wrecking Ball by Dead Confederate was named one of the best albums of 2008 in Hear Ya , Pampelmoose , Rollo & Grady , and Sonic Itch , as well as Athens, GA's own Flagpole .

"…this swirl of classic rock, Southern snarl and alternative grunge makes for a powerful, goosebump-raising gold mine of a record." - Flagpole

"They have an emotional delivery that will have you thinking of Nirvana or early Radiohead - think "Creep." Their sound deserves to be heard in an arena." – Hear Ya

Listen to their songs HERE

The Tallest Man on Earth

The Tallest Man on Earth was brought to my attention by SiriusXMU. It's a one-man band featuring Kristian Matsson from Leksand, Sweden. This guy claims to draw inspirado from: Bob Dylan, bob hund, Skip James, Feist, Bascom Lamar Lunsford, Roscoe Holcomb, Velvet Underground, Son House, Charley Patton, Henry Thomas, Dock Boggs, Nick Drake, Billie Holiday.

Bob Dylan is the obvious comparison. But as Paste.com states, "The Tallest Man doesn’t sit meekly at Dylan’s feet; he stands atop his forebear’s shoulders. Maybe that’s why he’s so tall."



The Tallest Man on Earth: Where Do My Bluebird Fly from shoottheplayer.com on Vimeo.

In this video he simply walks the streets playing and singing. Very cool.

The Tallest Man On Earth: Stepstone (Traditional) from shoottheplayer.com on Vimeo.

All-Time Favorite

"People worry about kids playing with guns, and teenagers watching violent videos; we are scared that some sort of culture of violence will take them over. Nobody worries about kids listening to thousands - literally thousands - of songs about broken hearts and rejection and pain and misery and loss."- Nick Hornby (High Fidelity)

But we love songs of misery, because misery enjoys company. My all-time favorite band of misery is the Zombies. Their best known hits are "Time of the Season" and "She's Not There." The real soul churners, however, are the lesser knows singles and b-sides. The lyrics are yearning, but the music is often uplifting. A combination that perfectly balances hopefulness and nostalgic remorse. Music can damage, but it can also save.

Just Out of Reach - The Zombies