Slithering Beast - Delicious EP (Free for a week!)

Great news for a rainy bluegrass day:  Slithering Beast's new EP Delicious can be downloaded for free from their Bandcamp from now until the official release date of March 5th.  After that you'll be able to get your physical copies from CD Baby and the band.  You'll probably agree with me after listening that this little album has some of the best Slithering Beast songs to date (I'm looking at you "Fool Out of You"). It seems the pedal steel is not nearly as prominent on Delicious, with more focus given to the electric guitar hooks and even some horns. That's not a complaint, just an observation. Give it a listen for free this week and if you are inclined pick up the older albums (I highly recommend these as well) from the Slithering Beast store. Looks like they have a sale on T-shirts right now too at $5 each. You can't beat that. Also, they'll be doing a free in store show on the release date (March 5th) at Ear X-tacy, so come out and get the album in person if you can.

Slithering Beast - Fool Out of You  (from Delicious) (Buy)

Eddie Spaghetti - Sundowner

I will preface this review by saying I love the Supersuckers. However, in spite of the strong compositions (both Eddie's and the cover songs) Eddie just doesn't have the voice to carry some of these slower, more melodic songs. The opening track, "Never Thought I Would" is a catchy alt-country-pop song that I couldn't help but want to hear someone else sing. "If You Fall in Love" is one of the stronger tracks - it could have been a slower Supersuckers tune - filled with the cocksure attitude and the vocals stay in Eddie's comfort zone. Another place where this album shines is "Jesus Never Lived on Mars" which is familiar territory for Eddie - humorous rock and roll with balls. "Marie" is the best storytelling on the album - a gem hidden at the end.

All in all, a good record, but not a great one. If you're a Supersuckers fan it is worth picking up but if not, skip it and wait for the next rock record to come out.

Root Jack - In the Pines

Root Jack is yet another great rock band out of Portland, Oregon (and that list is getting fairly large).  I was first made aware of them by a review of their latest album In the Pines on Nine Bullets and an interview feature with lead singer and songwriter Kris Stuart over at More Cowbelle.  I also discovered through those posts that Kris was formerly in the rock band Moonshine Hangover whose album Mulberry Squeezins I picked up on CD Baby probably five years ago.  While I like that album/band, I much prefer Root Jack's version of rock.  It's slightly Southern flavored, but has a lot of country tendencies too.  Highly recommended if you are a fan of most of the bands featured here.  Check out the links above and the songs below and enjoy.



Root Jack - Pastor of the Pines  (from In the Pines) (Buy)
Root Jack - Another Night  (from In the Pines) (Buy)

The Deep Vibration - Strange Love

My first exposure to Nashville's The Deep Vibration was a couple years ago when they opened for Jason Isbell at the Dame in Lexington.  They came on stage to a small crowd but those of us that showed up early were treated to a great set of original rock/soul/country music.  I picked up their EP Veracruz, (highly recommended by the way) and played it pretty heavily for a few weeks.  I didn't hear anything else about the band until a few days ago when a Facebook post by Andrew Combs clued me in that The Deep Vibration is releasing Strange Love, their first full length album.  After hearing it, it seems Strange Love picks up where Veracruz left off.  Same sort of soul rock songs about love lost which songwriter Matt Campbell's haunting vocals deliver perfectly.  Matt has a unique rhythm to his vocals as well, slightly out of time, yet perfectly in place if that makes sense.  The new album has some pianos and organs on it as well as some horns, but the core instruments (Jeremy Fetzer -Guitar, Jeff Irwin -Bass, Luke Herbert -Drums) carry the weight when it's time for rock and roll (see "Jack the Robber" below).  So check out the tracks below, get their Daytrotter session, and go see them if you get the chance. 

The Deep Vibration - Jack the Robber  (from Strange Love) (Buy)
The Deep Vibration - Tennessee Rose  (from Veracruz) (Buy)
Gillian Welch helped out with vocals on this one.