Sunday, July 23, 2006

Don't mess with Texas


Speaking of Mr. Earle, how about the collaboration he did with the shit-hot Del McCoury Band. "The Mountain" from 1999 is a pretty great album from start to finish. As a side note, I've been told that during concerts, the Del McCoury Band changes broken strings mid-song with NASCAR pit stop-like precision and speed, without missing a beat. If that's not badass, I'm not sure what is these days.
"Texas Eagle" , "Carrie Brown"

Rank and File's main members were the Kinman Brothers, who were actually in late '70s LA punk band The Dils, before they relocated to Austin, TX and hooked up with Alejandro Escovedo and started a new band. Their first album Sundown from 1982 is some pretty good cowpunk. I don't know if you would call them troubadours, but everyone's got a different definition and something to hide. I always have trouble getting past the production techniques that almost everyone used in the '80s (who decided that recording drums like that was cool?), but the songs speak for themselves.
"Amanda Ruth" , "The Conductor Wore Black"



....And some Texas Blues (after a few beers we may kick into the blues...)
Mance Lipscomb - "Shake, Shake Mama" , "One Thin Dime" , "Take Me Back Babe"

Lot's of great stuff from Texas, now how 'bout Rhode Island, Alaska, and Wyoming?

P.S. as I type this up, a commercial for Dell Computers just came on the tv, and it uses the 13th Floor Elevators song "You're Gonna Miss Me" that was the topic of one of the first posts on this blog. weird shit.

3 comments:

No Name said...

Hendo what you doing up so early on a Sunday? I totally agree on the Rank & File production point. The songs are good but the tinniness or whatever really gets in the way. Makes you wish they had some alt. mixes. My vote for next time is somewhere in the Esat like Maine or New Hampshire. That should provide for a few trips to the LP store.

pasd137 said...

i had to sin and go to work sun. morn'. new hampshire's a good call, they got the queers, but after that, the record store will have to be my trusty guide. i would love to hear a lot of 80s albums remixed to get a fuller sound

shrimpcracker said...

find that shit on vinyl then boys. CDs were and continue to be a sham.

What do y'all think about introducing some Top 10s to this here blog?

Hendo, start yer engine..