Gillian Welch

I have very strong feelings about the music of Gillian. Her music stands in open spaces crying out to be heard. The guitar of David Rawlings wraps around her heart-wide-open lyrics and wails and makes them even more heartwrenching. If she had been around 50 years ago she would have been as famous as famous can be. But take a minute and give this music an honest chance. Its worth your time. That country gospel sound could do you some good. If you like Emmylou Harris, the new Jenny Lewis disc or anything like that, this may be for you.

Gillian Welch - Rock of Ages
Gillian Welch - Time (The Revelator)
Gillian Welch - Orphan Girl

And according to this article, she's going to be guesting on the next Bright Eyes album. (Via Chromewaves)

Hey Brotha, Can You Spare Some Covers?

I thought I'd reward those of you who have managed to stick around through my local music (which isn't going away yet) with a good covers day post.


Ben Lee and Ian Ball (of Gomez) - Life During Wartime (Talking Heads Cover)
If you take your Talking Heads quite serious, then this cover is not for you. It sounds like Ben and Ian were just having one heck of a time. They strip it down to two acoustics and a lot of hollerin'. Its a good time.


Sam Bush - Is This Love (Bob Marley Cover)
The mandolin king breaks it down Kingston style! He still sounds southern as a spam cake but its complete with the full organ and great bass work as the original classic.

Built To Spill - Freebird (Lynyrd Skynyrd Cover)
A completely unironic cover that has all the guitar that made men in mullets cry during the 70's and men in mullets scream out requests in the 80's through today. How can you NOT love this song?

Charlie Hunter Quartet and Norah Jones - Day Is Done (Nick Drake Cover)
This version has a sexy swagger to it that you just dont equate with Drake. Charlie's bass strings thumping away just make this song work and Norah's piano and smoky voice makes you feel like taking a cold shower by the time the song is done.

Jeff Buckley - When the Levee Breaks (Led Zepplin Cover)
For some reason, this studio demo hasn't seen the light of day yet. Jeff is in his usual form...one of the only singers who can sing Robert Plant as good as Robert could. Proof that we still have more Buckley songs waiting in the wings and ready to be released...keep your eye out for more Buckley covers in the future...

Local Music #3 - Blackout Gorgeous

Next in our line of Kansas City/Lawrence area bands is Blackout Gorgeous. Their music is a crazy mixture. From Hip-hop to jazz to classical to straight up rock, anytihng good can be considered an influence here. Dual vocals between Tim Wurtz and Erin Keller make things interesting. Erin is an experienced jazz and classical singer while Tim is more straight up. They manage to blend into something quite beautiful. Check out this list of influences quoted from their Lawrence.com page:
Blonde Redhead, Talking Heads, Flaming Lips, Tortoise, The Stone Roses, Radiohead, Saul Williams, Pink Floyd, Air, Bjork, Portishead, Sage Francis, UNKLE, Isotope 217, Wilco

Makes you curious, doesn't it? Check them out this Saturday night at The Hurricane with Anvil Chorus. And buy their record. And go to their Myspace page. And check out a couple of tracks while you're here.

Blackout Gorgeous - Prism
Blackout Gorgeous - Soundtrack

Let Me Tell You How It Will Be...

For everyone else who wrote big checks this morning - Nickel Creek, Glen Phillips, John Paul Jones and Pete Thomas, as well as the Beatles, feel your pain.

Mutual Admiration Society - Taxman (Live)

Buckethead

I can't stand Axl Rose. His voice, to me, is one of the most obnoxious sounds ever witnessed before. However, when the new Guns 'n Roses album is released (or should I say, "if") I will give it a spin for one reason. Buckethead. Half mythological creature, half man...all bucket. He plays the guitar worthy of Guitar Center fanboys admiration. We should all be more like Buckethead. This track by Colonel Claypool's Bucket of Bernie Brain tells his story, including why he waers a bucket, and then features the bucketman himself laying down some seriously tasty licks. They're finger lickin' good.

Colonel Claypool's Bucket of Bernie Brain


By the way, this makes me furious.

This Post Needs No Explanations

Chances are you enjoyed the brilliantly inspired collaboration album "In the Reins" by Iron and Wine and Calexico that came out last year. All of the songs, however, were versions of songs by Sam Beam. Solo versions exist of them all. And here they all are.

Iron and Wine - In the Reins (Solo Acoustic) Zip File

Unexpected Stuff...

I actually was just logging on here to make a completely different post but I was so entirely distracted by the song that came on that I decided that it must be heard. A couple of years ago I got the opportunity to go see Rufus Wainwright play live in Lawrence and had a heck of a time. He played one particular song that caught my attention and everyone else's too due to the amazing vocal range and heartfelt performance. It was called "Liberty Cabbage" and entirely captivated the entire room. When it ended I noticed my eyes were a bit damp and that it was the same for many other people around. So here it is. Enjoy.

Rufus Wainwright - Liberty Cabbage