Derek Hoke - Goodbye Rock N' Roll out 3/16

Derek Hoke is a son of the south working out of Nashville, and his latest record "Goodbye Rock N' Roll" is a real country album. It's a flashback oasis in the middle of a pop-country desert. The songs are instantly familiar and there isn't one single Nickelback crunchy guitar riff on the whole album to ruin it (I'm looking at you, Jason Aldean, Craig Morgan, etc). In fact, the pedal steel takes the instrumental spotlight on most of the tracks. The album has a throwback feel and sound, like Luke the Drifter-meets-Buddy Holly. The songwriting, which I'm assuming is all Hoke's; no info readily available), is excellent, as are the vocals. Very good production on the album. You won't need to use the skip when you put this disc on. You can download the album from Hoke's bandcamp site for $5, or get the disc from Electric Western.
For those of you lucky enough to be going to SXSW, Hoke will be there too.
TOUR DATES
3/17 - SXSW - Electric Western Records Party @ The Hole In The Wall - Austin, TX
3/18 - SXSW - TBA
3/19 - SXSW - Flipnotics Coffeespace Cafe @ 4pm - Austin, TX
3/20 - SXSW - Thunderbird Party @ 5pm - Austin, TX

Check out these two tracks from the album:
"Still Waiting" - Derek Hoke
"Goodbye Rock N' Roll" - Derek Hoke
And here is a righteous video of another album cut: :"Where'd You Sleep Last Night?"

Reno Bo -Happenings and Other Things

Happenings and Other Things is the debut album from Reno Bo (the band and the man) and it is stuffed full of radio friendly rock and roll. The guitar hooks are definitely catchy and the production as a whole is very clean without sounding too slick. I hear a lot, and I mean a whole lot, of Tom Petty influence in every song. Listen to "Off Your Back" and Petty's "Zombie Zoo" and you'll definitely hear the similarities in overall sound. Not one song of the eleven sounds like filler. It's a nice experience these days when you find an album that is enjoyable from start to finish and you don't have to skip every other track. Reno Bo is playing SXSW and will be touring throughout 2010 so keep an eye on his website for details. Highly recommended if you like Tom Petty (and who doesn't?). Check out the two tracks below. You can download the whole album, in your choice of digital format, from the band's bandcamp website for $5, or get the disc from the label, Electric Western Records.

"Off Your Back" - Reno Bo
"Shine" - Reno Bo

Here's a video I found of Reno doing a track off the album at a party:

Classic Bluegrass from the Stanley Brothers

Three great videos with passable sound quality. Everyone knows Ralph after the O Brother explosion around the turn of the century, but how about brother Carter? Great vocals but taken too soon. he's playing the guitar with the huge pickguard. The other guitar player is George Shuffler, considered to be the father of flatppick guitar crosspicking. Enjoy!

SAY IT AIN’T SO!!! ear X-tacy Owner to “Address Potential Changes”

SAY IT AIN’T SO!!! ear X-tacy Owner to “Address Potential Changes”

The Only Sons - Steel Hearts

Not exactly a new album, but since I didn't have a blog when it was new I figure it's fair to mention it now. Steel Hearts is the latest release (Spring 2009) by Murfreesboro, TN outfit The Only Sons. I've posted my favorite track off the album below, but you can download the whole album for free from the band's website. If you are the type of listener who needs to label a band as country or rock or this or that you may have a hard time with this album. It has country songs, and it has rock songs. Not country-rock, not alt-country, but pure Rock-n-Roll Songs that stand in the hallway smoking cigarettes and whistling at Country Song's girl as she walks by. That's not to say that the country songs aren't good, but the electric guitar in the rock numbers just do it better for me. The best thing about a free album is usually the price, but that isn't the case with Steel Hearts. It's a very solid album with a handful of very good songs that are growers, and three or four that are becoming favorites. The album was released on Sophomore Lounge, home of Slithering Beast and State Champion. The Only Sons are playing February 13th with Slithering Beast at Third Street Dive in Louisville.

Drew Blood - The Only Sons (Buy Here)

Another Free Drive-By Truckers Track

Head over to the website and sign up for the email list and you'll get a link for a free download of "Birthday Boy" from the new album The Big To-Do. My favorite lyric so far: "Let Miss Trixie sit up front, let her wipe your nose." Also note that the Truckers are playing Buster's in Lexington on April 10th with Langhorne Slim opening.

Copper Ridge - "One Shot of Foolish Pride"

I found this song years ago on Garageband.com by chance. It is by far the best song I ever discovered there. It is a great pure country song. The guitar playing is slightly behind the beat giving it a little Willie Nelson feel. I couldn't find a web page for the band, but you can see the profile at garageband.
One Shot of Foolish Pride - Copper Ridge