Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real - Wasted

Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real is a new band on my radar, but Wasted is their second full-length album. Immediately recognizable on the first play of the disc is the nasally vibrato in the lead vocal. Yes, it's excellent.  Yes it's familiar. No, it isn't Willie. But Lukas is Willie's son.
Lukas lays claim to the songwriter's triple crown on this album: he writes the songs, sings them as well, and also plays all the guitars. As you would expect, there is no good genre with which to characterize Lukas' music. A little country, soul, and a lot of rock.  Maybe a sprinkling of jazz, and a dose of the blues. Check out "Heart of the Matter," my favorite after first listen. This is one of the best songs I've heard this year.  Highly recommended.

Lukas Nelson and POTR - Heart of the Matter

And check out a performance of the title track "Wasted."

Sons of Roswell - Is There Is EP

Here is a free album from Muscle Shoals rock and roll band Sons of Roswell.  It was produced by Jason Isbell (that's your bit of trivia).  Check it out and throw a few dollars their way if you like it.

Download

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.

Let's Not Forget: Southern Bitch

Today's post is a little collage in homage to the now defunct rock'n'roll band Southern Bitch that used to play a lot in Athens, GA a few years ago.  They put out two albums, Snake in the Grass and Strong Medicine, and those can be found on Amazon or you can download them from Itunes or Myspace.  I'm not sure if you can still get physical copies from the band directly.  Thankfully, Sloan Simpson over at Southern Shelter has recorded and archived a few of Southern Bitch's live shows and made them available for downloading or streaming.  I've posted one track here, but he has tons more so go check them out.

Southern Bitch - Snake in the Grass (Live @ 40 Watt, 11/5/04)

I also found a few Youtube videos.  The first are a live performances and the third is a little interview piece with singer/guitarist Adam Musick from a few years ago.

Free Music: Shooter Jennings - Missed the Boat: A Collection of Demos & Rarities

Here's a nice little collection of tunes from Shooter Jennings and the price is perfect too.  He put this up for download on his website a couple weeks ago, but I'm just now getting around to listening.  Gotta salute Shooter for offering this up for free, because there is some stuff on here he really could have commercialized on, especially the "Good Old Boys" (Dukes of Hazard theme) cover.  You have to sign up for the mailing list or what not, but then you'll get the link for the download.  Sign up here.

Patrick Sweany - That Old Southern Drag

Patrick Sweany is a name that I was unfamiliar with when his latest album, That Old Southern Drag, showed up in the mail, but after giving it a listen I'm clearing off a spot in my good CD rack in the  listening room.  If I had to label it I'd call it bluesy soul music, or soulful blues music, somewhat akin to The Black Keys.  And that's not a huge surprise considering he's toured with and collaborated with Dan Auerbach for years.  The vocals are worn and rugged and blend excellently with the dirty blues rock guitar riffs Patrick lays down.  Put this on and let it play through and it is guaranteed to grow on you.  The album won't be out until February, but you can get it for $10 if you preorder from Nine Mile Records.  No tour dates listed for Louisville yet, but the year is young, so let's keep our fingers crossed.

Patrick Sweany - Heavy Problems (Peavey Rage)  (from That Old Southern Drag) (Buy)

Patrick Sweany - Frozen Lake  (from That Old Southern Drag) (Buy)

Arliss Nancy

I ran across these guys thanks mainly to a review of their newest EP, Truckstop Roses by Front Porch Musings. They immediately became a favorite of mine. Arliss Nancy is on Death to False Hope Records, a grassroots label that helps bands promote their music for free. Most of the albums on DTFH can be downloaded on the pay-what-you-want-principle, and you should check out their entire catalog.  This is one of the first times that I have agreed with a band when they say they are similar to Lucero.  I can definitely hear the influence.  Throw them a few bucks and download the new EP and the full length debut Dance to Forget.
Arliss Nancy - Wrong or Right (from Dance to Forget)

Free Band of Heathens download

The Band of Heathens have a cover of "Sin City" available for download here. All it will cost you is an email address.

Chase Fifty Six - Allatoona Rising

Chase Fifty Six is a Georgia band that plays Georgia rock, a perfect blend of unapologetic country lyrics, dirty rock and roll guitars, and vocal deliveries that leave no doubt that the singer has lived the words he's singing. Their latest album, Allatoona Rising, out on Dirtleg Records, is packed with eleven such examples. Stories about useless women, trailer parks, and love, sometimes all in the same song, are common themes on the album. I'll be catching Chase Fifty Six if they ever make it close enough. Until then, you can buy the album here. Check out the two tracks below to get a feel for the album.
Chase Fifty Six - Worst Thing
Chase Fifty Six - Goodbye Princess

Reno Bo - "There's a Light"

Reno Bo, whose new album I featured here, is premiering the video for the single "There's a Light" next Tuesday, April 20th. I'm not much of a music video fan, but this one is animated by Reno himself and is pretty neat. Stylistically, it reminded me of a Schoolhouse Rock bit. If your into videos, good music, and/or art, sign up for Reno's mailing list and you can win signed and numbered prints of the artwork. Also check out Reno's Facebook and Twitter. Electric Western Records (Reno's label) will be releasing still images of the video leading up to the release date. You will be able to buy the single directly from Reno's Bandcamp upon release. I suggest picking up the whole album. It really deserved to be heard.

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:

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)