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.

The Only Sons - American Stranger

I posted about the upcoming album American Stranger from The Only Sons a few weeks ago when I wrote about singer/songwriter Kent Goolsby's solo album release.  Well, the release date is just around the corner and the band is actually having an album release party tonight in Murfreesboro, TN.  If you like Kent's solo album or The Only Sons last release, Steel Hearts, (both of which are still available for free download on their website), you'll enjoy this one too.  You can stream the entire album over on bandcamp if you want to test drive it. 

The Trappers: Good music from Salt Lake City

The Trappers is a great band out of Utah that blends country and rock as well as anyone does.  The hooks in the songs are ridiculously catchy, but not corny.  Vocally, musically, and lyrically they remind me an awful lot of Scott Miller & the Commonwealth.  Their self-titled debut album is full from start to finish with solid alt-country tunes and I've posted a couple below for you to check out.  I also found a Youtube video of The Trappers doing "Freight Train" live at an outdoor festival in SLC with snow coming down.  If your a fan of Sons of Bill, American Aquarium, or Scott Miller you're guaranteed to dig The Trappers.



The Trappers - Solid Ground  (from The Trappers) (Buy)

The Trappers - Ain't No Reason Why  (from The Trappers) (Buy)

Yardsale - Hit It and Quit It

Yardsale has resurfaced from their indefinite hiatus long enough to record an album, Hit It and Quit It, and release it as pay-what-you-want on their bandcamp.  The album was recorded in one day five hours over last summer when the band could get together and has no overdubs, so it's basically a live album without the drunk dude requesting "Freebird" every other song.  I personally think the band sounds much better here than on the live EP Yardsale This Week from a couple years back.  There's plenty of interesting stuff to check out on the album.  A Yardbirds cover, a The Band cover, and some older Yardsale stuff too.  So if you are a fan, drop a few bucks in the electronic tip jar and enjoy.

Upcoming Local Shows of Note

There are a bunch of shows this weekend so you’ll have to make some choices. Here are some of the better one's you could make.

Friday, January 28th
Loretta Lynn with Joey + Rory @ Louisville Palace

Saturday, January 29th
Bodeco & Hambone @ Headliner’s

Saturday, January 29th
Slithering Beast & Shadwick Wilde @ Mag Bar
The Mag Bar
1398 South Second St.
 Louisville, KY 40208
$5 and show starts at 9 







Sunday, January 30th
Langhorne Slim & Bobby Bare, Jr. @ Zanzabar

Bodeco

Being a somewhat recent transplant to the Louisville area I have missed a lot of good local acts from years past.  Such was the case with longtime Louisville favorites Bodeco until one fan sent me an email urging me to get on the ball and check them out.  I have since done so and I'm glad I did.  Bodeco, fronted by guitarist/vocalist Rick Feather, plays a dirty sort of blues with a lot of rockabilly guitar flavor thrown in and capped with sandpaper-rough vocals.  They have a handful of albums that have been released over the last twenty years, but their latest effort is the Soul Boost EP from 2009, from which I've featured a killer track below.  Coincidentally, you can also catch Bodeco live at Headliner's along with Hambone and Johnny Berry later this month.

Bodeco - Hush Hush Naughty Baby  (from Soul Boost EP) (Buy)

Lucero: Acoustic Live at WESN

I forget where I found this originally a few years ago, but it was probably on the Lucero message board at one point.  A couple of the tracks popped up on shuffle this week and I wanted to share it for those that don't have it.  This is a 2002 recording of a radio show they did for WESN in Bloomington, IL.  It is primarily Ben singing and playing songs with the rest of the band harassing him in between songs.  It is a really good recording and there are some great acoustic versions of the older Lucero songs here.  Highly suggested if you are even a casual Lucero fan.
Get it here!

Caleb Stine - I Wasn't Built for a Life Like This

I was unfamiliar with Baltimore songwriter Caleb Stine before hearing his fifth (and current) album I Wasn't Built for a Life Like This, but he's now definitely on my "Pay Attention To" list.  The thing I enjoy most about this album is that it is simply Caleb with his guitar and his songs, but he draws you in with excellent songwriting and just enough vocal inflection, tempo fluctuation, and chord changes so that no song feels repetitive.  He reminds me a lot of Richard Buckner, so check out Caleb if you are a Buckner fan.  I've posted the title track below for you to check out as well as a video of Caleb doing another track off the new album.  I challenge you to really listen and enjoy the lyrics.  You can download them here.
 

Caleb Stine - I Wasn't Built for a Life Like This  (from I Wasn't Built for a Life Like This) (Buy)

Caleb Stine - My Service Isn't Needed Anymore

Free Music: Bobby Bare. Jr. - A Storm, A Tree, An Acoustic EP

 Bobby Bare, Jr. has a five-song acoustic EP that you can download for free in exchange for signing up for his newsletter.  It's a good chance to check out some of Bobby's tunes and consider coming to his show at Zanzabar on Jan. 30th.