Ben Gilmer & The Sidearms - Heart That Burns

I'm way behind on this one, and I'm not going to make excuses.  I'm posting my favorite song off of the rather short eight track album.  If you are a fan of classic Rolling Stones style country-rock, chances are you'll enjoy this so do yourself a favor and check it out.  I honestly don't know the best way to purchase the album, so contact Ben through his myspace page and see if he can point you in the right direction.

Ben Gilmer & The Sidearms - Wildcat (from Heart That Burns)

6 Day Bender - E'ville Fuzz

Coming straight out of Charlottesville, Virginia is a band with the best name I've heard in a good while, 6 Day Bender. Due to a slight failure in electronic communications I never got around to featuring the band when I first stumbled across their music last year. Fortunately, the new album E'ville Fuzz found it's way to me this year. The band is made up of Luke Nutting (banjo, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, vocals), Clayton Avent (electric guitar, acoustic guitar, cello, vocals),
James Keenan (bass, harmonica), and Corey Gross (drums, percussion). A pretty typical country-rock outfit, right? Well, yeah, but where 6 Day Bender differs from the masses is that they hit that mark that everyone else is aiming for but falling short of. The banjo, when used, sounds like it is necessary for the mood of a lyric and not just an addition at the end of the recording session to cater to the "folk" fans.  The songwriting cover all the topics I want from a rough country band, and the guitars, bass, and drums, are just ragged enough to do justice to the vocals of Luke and Clayton.

Since I didn't post anything last year, I'll put up a couple tracks from the new album and the self-titled debut.  E'ville Fuzz features the electric guitars a little more prominently and tends to lean toward pure rock than the debut album.  The musicianship sounds more evolved, as you would expect.  In the end, each album is simply a different side to the same proverbial coin.  You can buy either/both albums and other 6DB goodies here.


6 Day Bender - Wartime (from 2008 S/T debut) (Buy!)
6 Day Bender - Kick Out the Fire (from 2008 S/T debu)

6 Day Bender - Clover (from E'ville Fuzz) (Buy!)
6 Day Bender - Miss Linda (from E'ville Fuzz)


 Check out the video of Deliverance off of E'ville Fuzz from the 6 Day Bender youtube channel.

Cross Canadian Ragweed with Jason Isbell on Guitar

From the show at Iroquois Amphitheater here in Louisville this past summer.

In My Basement Room: Best of the First Year

I started this blog a little over a year ago.  I've neglected it much of that time for more serious responsibilities, but I still think it is in its infancy and has some room to grow.  Over the next few weeks I'll be getting back on track with the quick reviews of albums I happen upon and posting notes about shows I make it too.  I've reached my five-sentence-per-post limit so download my comp, The Best of the First Year.

Of course, be sure to check out an artists website if you like what you hear.  Order up one of their albums and go see a show if they come through your town.

Drive-By Truckers on 91.9 WFPK's Live Lunch

A few weeks late, but still worth mentioning.  The Drive-By Truckers played 91.9 WFPK's Live Lunch series before their show in Louisville last month.  You can also download a free track if you are a fan of DBT on Facebook.

Slithering Beast @ Third Street Dive - Saturday 10/30

Slithering Beast is playing at Third Street Dive this Saturday night.  $5 will get you in the door and a guaranteed good time.  The guys are working on a new album that is set to be out in January so you may hear some of the new songs along with some of the classics.  I've also posted a couple more upcoming dates and I am looking forward to the Nick Dittmeier (of Slithering Beast)/Ryan Davis (of State Champion) solo acoustic shows next month.

Hallooween Show!!!

Saturday, October 30th @ Third Street Dive Louisville, KY

440 South Third Street , $5 21+ starts at 10pm

Friday, November 12th @ the Dragon Pub Frankfort, KY
103 W. Main Street, 21+ starts at 9 pm

 Friday, November 26th @ Sunergos Coffee House Louisville, KY
306 W. Woodlawn Ave ( solo acoustic show w/ Ryan Davis of State Champion)
free!!! starts at 7 p.m.

A Couple Local Festivals

A quick note to make sure you aware of a couple local festivals coming up.


Highlands Fest
September 25, 2010
1:00PM – 11:00PM
 Louisville Highlands
900 Block Baxter Avenue
(FREE!!)


Check the lineup and schedule here.  Take note of Hambone at 1:30 on the south stage.

Cropped Out Fest
Friday, October 1 through Sunday, October 3
American Turners Club
3125 Upper River Road, Louisville
$18 day tickets, $30 weekend

Check out a bunch of lineup, schedule, and ticket info posted over at The Decibel Tolls.
State Champion plays on Sunday if you can only make it one day.

Simon Fagan

I want to a quick feature today on Irish artist Simon Fagan. The song I've posted below is my favorite off of his latest album, Outside Looking In. It's probably a little more pop than I usually prefer, but I still dig it. It's a good song on a good album. Simon has a free EP available for download in exchange for an email. Check it out and see what you think, and buy his latest from his bandcamp if you dig it. If you are in Toronto, he has a few dates coming up there pretty soon. If you aren't, well, check out Simon's videos on his website instead.

Simon Fagan - Damn Honey

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.

Jim Lauderdale: Patchwork River

I first heard Jim Lauderdale a few years ago on an album with Ralph Stanley's Clinch Mountain Boys (Lost in the Lonesome Pines). I really liked the album and Jim's voice and delivery on the songs. For whatever reason, primarily the fact that I never got to see him live and this was before I knew of independent radio, that was the only album of Jim's that I ever bought. I saw him occasionally on televised music specials and I would see his name credited as a writer or backing vocalist on other albums from time to time.
Jim has an new album out on the Thirty Tigers label called Patchwork River, and you can hear much more of his blues influences coming through instead of the country/bluegrass tendencies I am more familiar with. There's some soulful blues guitar backing Jim's great vocal on "Patchwork River", one of the album highlights for me. There's one chord in the verse that makes the song. There are also some traditional country songs featuring great harmony ("Between Your Heart and Mine") thrown in that make the album really listenable all from start to finish. Jim sounds right at home in this style, and if this is album is any indication of the sound of some of his past albums I've missed, well, I have a lot of catching up to do. You can listen to two complete tracks below and buy the album here. Check out Jim's tour dates on his website, and listen to his monthly broadcast concert Tennessee Shines.

Jim Lauderdale - Patchwork River
Jim Lauderdale - Winnona