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Jason Isbell, Sturgill Simpson, Chris Stapleton, and Other Good Stuff

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Awesome thread, really enjoying most of the artists posted here.

Edited by pacman

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On 6/20/2018 at 8:36 AM, bluto said:

Damnit I feel like thread police on here but Stoney larue? Come the fuck on compared to the generally great stuff on here

I kind of agree.

I've never got the hard on some people have for that guy.  He's not bad, and would make for a fun time in a bar, but that's about it.

I think the same could be said for most "Red Dirt" music and its extensions.

1 hour ago, jimmyjazz said:

I think the same could be said for most "Red Dirt" music and its extensions.

Yeah, I tend to agree.  That's why I've been hesitant to throw artists like Turnpike Troubadours, John Moreland, and Hayes Carll into that label just because they're from Oklahoma or Texas.

Can't blame anyone for tapping into a steady cash flow, and lord knows there are tons of bars that pack 'em in for Red Dirt, but I don't consider it very ground-breaking.  Heard a guy on the radio yesterday (Shad Blair?) who was essentially a JV Robert Earl Keen.  He wasn't BAD but I sure didn't want to go buy his records.  He hits all the hot points with his lyrics, though.

Exactly.  It beats the shit out of country radio, but there's a little bit of a formula to it.  Randy Rogers Band, for example, is my main example.  It's catchy country rock that I'm good with in a casual setting, but I'm not going out of my way for it or holding it up.

Just like Nashville country requires you to mention dirt/gravel roads, beer, girls in cut off shorts and trucks, Red Dirt requires a minimum of 3 Texas references per song, as well as at least one homage to a classic country icon.

1 minute ago, Al_4_ISU said:

Exactly.  It beats the shit out of country radio, but there's a little bit of a formula to it.  Randy Rogers Band, for example, is my main example.  It's catchy country rock that I'm good with in a casual setting, but I'm not going out of my way for it or holding it up.

Just like Nashville country requires you to mention dirt/gravel roads, beer, girls in cut off shorts and trucks, Red Dirt requires a minimum of 3 Texas references per song, as well as at least one homage to a classic country icon.

And toddlers in cages on the border.

Stoney is certainly no Fla/GA Line.....I keed, I   keed  

Small venue beer hall he is a good time tho. I’ll keep him out of the fanboi laureate threads henceforth. 

5 minutes ago, noharleyyet said:

Stoney is certainly no Fla/GA Line.....I keed, I   keed  

Small venue beer hall he is a good time tho. I’ll keep him out of the fanboi laureate threads henceforth. 

I think everyone agrees on that point.

He's just not on the level of the dudes in the thread title.

Edited by Al_4_ISU

If you think Stoney LaRue is up there with Isbell, Simpson, and Stapleton, then post his music here.  There has to be room for disagreement.

I think Lucinda is already drunk, and the show hasn't even started:

 

Apologies if Mandolin Orange has been broached, but yeah
 

Never heard of them but I really like that. And as luck would have it, I'm going to see the Avett Brothers at Red Rocks this Saturday and they are the opening act. Awesome.
On 6/26/2018 at 1:35 AM, AbeFroman said:

Apologies if Mandolin Orange has been broached, but yeah

 

 

  • 2 weeks later...

Am I the only one who doesn’t like that Chris Stapleton / Justin Timberlake song? People are losing their minds over it, like it’s the modern day “What’s Goin On” or something.

I really like JT . . . I think he is a massive talent.  That said, I don't think he has come close to tapping his potential, and I'm afraid he might not ever do so.  He seems so hung up on process and product, it feels like content takes a back seat.  His records sound fantastic.  He works with amazing producers.  But the songs?  I don't recall anything transcendent.  

In a strange way he reminds me of Whitney Houston.  Obviously she was a better singer, world class really, but she never even got close to that kind of Aretha performance that's more or less the standard to make it into the discussion of "greatest".  JT has a similar thing for Michael Jackson and a few other R&B & pop superstars.  He's just not . . . them.

I think the duet he did with Stapleton at the CMA Awards was far better than "Say Something", but it still wasn't quite there.  Of course, the "industry" fell all over themselves about it, because JT was a superstar allegedly out of his element (even though he's from the South) and Stapleton was a relative unknown:

 

9 hours ago, 4th&Five said:

 

So glad this is seeing the formal light of day.  That just smokes, boogies, and shakes.

A lot of people bag on the production on "Sirens", but listening to that through head phones was great.

I think it's his best album, and if you removed "Down in a Hole" and added "Crystal Clear" and "The Assassin" it wouldn't even be that close.

Edited by Al_4_ISU

On 7/1/2018 at 7:06 AM, noharleyyet said:

 

Long live Chris Stapleton

Fuck Bobby Bones

17 hours ago, 4th&Five said:

Agree. Production has never bothered me either. 

I should add the caveat that it's probably unfair to compare to it to other works, as it consisted of many years worth of woodshedded songs, and not written within in the confines of a typical album cycle.

I do think that when he was part of a band, and not expected to be THE songwriter, it was easier to cherry pick the best of the best of his own material.  

Edited by Al_4_ISU

I dont know if these guys have been mentioned yet but i think theyre great.  Someone on shaggy recommended them.  Great sound for anyone. I was shocked to learn that they were white boys

Michael Kiwanuka

 

 

 

 

 

Heh . . . I linked to Michael Kiwanuka on shaggy many years ago.  The thread died.  Absolutely nobody was interested in him.  I think he's fantastic.

We are obviously much more cultured and handsome than the rest of this bunch.  I love him. 

15 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said:

Holy Otis Redding, Batman!

I know.  I wish i could remember who recommended them. 

They have an interesting story.  Brothers from Australia whose parents listened to Otis and others like him.  The guy has a great voice

I'm going to weigh in on Sturgill after seeing him a couple weeks back at the Outlaw Music Festival. 

I'll start with the obligatory preamble that the guy is a legit master and somehow his singing has gotten better.

Now for the nitpicking. The stripped down four piece thing got a little tedious. Sturgill has good guitar chops but not 10-minute jam sesh chops. And I say this as a huge Grateful Dead fan, Galactic fan, Umphrey's McGee fan, etc. That bass player tho - damn he is awesome.

I imagine when Sturgill puts out his next album he will have a big ensemble a la the group he toured "Sailor's Guide" with. 

I feel like an asshole critic at Pitchfork, but I gotta call it like I see it.

Yep.  I have seen Sturgill with a few different band setups now.  His shows before Sailor's Guide when Lars was still in the band were easily my favorite.  

7 hours ago, Post Oak said:

I know.  I wish i could remember who recommended them. 

They have an interesting story.  Brothers from Australia whose parents listened to Otis and others like him.  The guy has a great voice

It was me in the soul thread. 

3 hours ago, 4th&Five said:

It was me in the soul thread. 

My man.  Know anyone else like these guys

In the sorta-soul vein, here's an old grainy video of a couple of friends who took their tour to Japan about a dozen years ago.  I'll just say this is bittersweet and leave it at that.  Recording quality is not good, human being quality is off the charts:

 

Edited by jimmyjazz

47 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said:

In the sorta-soul vein, here's an old grainy video of a couple of friends who took their tour to Japan about a dozen years ago.  I'll just say this is bittersweet and leave it at that.  Recording quality is not good, human being quality is off the charts:

 

Thats good stuff too

12 hours ago, Grandioso said:

I'm going to weigh in on Sturgill after seeing him a couple weeks back at the Outlaw Music Festival. 

I'll start with the obligatory preamble that the guy is a legit master and somehow his singing has gotten better.

Now for the nitpicking. The stripped down four piece thing got a little tedious. Sturgill has good guitar chops but not 10-minute jam sesh chops. And I say this as a huge Grateful Dead fan, Galactic fan, Umphrey's McGee fan, etc. That bass player tho - damn he is awesome.

I imagine when Sturgill puts out his next album he will have a big ensemble a la the group he toured "Sailor's Guide" with. 

I feel like an asshole critic at Pitchfork, but I gotta call it like I see it.

Don't feel bad, that was general concensus at his dallas show last year. Plus he was pissy that night, left early and no regrats

Most days i wake up with a random song in my head.  Sometimes i like it.  Most times its the bane of my morning.  Today was the Rock singing Youre Welcome from Moana.   

Man, Jimmy Dale and Dave Alvin are an absolutely inspired pairing. Both the song and the video are awesome. They've been playing this fairly often on Sun radio and also KNBT out of New Braunfels:

"I’m a wild blue Blaster from a sunburnt California town, and I got a loud Stratocaster that can blow any roadhouse down/You know I’ve been up to the mountain and I’ve looked for the promised land, I’ve been to the Ash Grove and shook Lightnin’s hand, now I’m leavin’ tonight Downey to Lubbock bound.” Jimmie counters “I’m an old flatlander from the great high plains, I like wanderlust and wonder, West Texas wind blows through my veins, but it seemed like California was the place to be for a Hippie Country singer that was me/But I’m leaving tonight, man, I’m Lubbock to Downey bound.”
 

 

1 hour ago, Post Oak said:

Most days i wake up with a random song in my head.  Sometimes i like it.  Most times its the bane of my morning.  Today was the Rock singing Youre Welcome from Moana.   

Happens to me all the time.  I mentioned it to some friends and one said it could be "Musical Ear Syndrome (MES)", and is sometimes a side effect of tinnitus.  I believe I have a mild case of tinnitus, so I looked into it . . . I don't think he was right.  I think MES is mostly prevalent with significant or total hearing loss, which I don't have.  Not even close.

But yeah, I seem to have a nightly soundtrack going on.  Usually it's pleasant enough.  Last night it was an Eddie Money song.  (Not kidding.)  The worst by far happened a couple of weeks ago, when I repeatedly heard the sound of my iPhone alarm going off in my sleep.  It literally woke me up a dozen times or so.  Maddening.

18 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said:

Happens to me all the time.  I mentioned it to some friends and one said it could be "Musical Ear Syndrome (MES)", and is sometimes a side effect of tinnitus.  I believe I have a mild case of tinnitus, so I looked into it . . . I don't think he was right.  I think MES is mostly prevalent with significant or total hearing loss, which I don't have.  Not even close.

But yeah, I seem to have a nightly soundtrack going on.  Usually it's pleasant enough.  Last night it was an Eddie Money song.  (Not kidding.)  The worst by far happened a couple of weeks ago, when I repeatedly heard the sound of my iPhone alarm going off in my sleep.  It literally woke me up a dozen times or so.  Maddening.

Fuck that.  Sometimes i get a random 80s song and im like ok eddie money. I can live with that.

One day earlier this week was Africa by Toto. Still holds up

2 hours ago, Buzzrock said:

 

Isbell could be a twitter personality/comedian if he wanted. His shit is that good and consistently offbeat/weird/funny.

16 hours ago, Post Oak said:

My man.  Know anyone else like these guys

try these guys out.  not quite as soulful but it has been stuck on repeat in my house for a month.

 

On 7/12/2018 at 9:12 AM, Grandioso said:

Isbell could be a twitter personality/comedian if he wanted. His shit is that good and consistently offbeat/weird/funny.

He's so much better than all these people that try too hard.

17 minutes ago, AbeFroman said:

He's so much better than all these people that try too hard.

Totally. You can feel the childlike spontaneity. "CDs nuts." Hahahaa.

He's like the official fishing buddy of Twitter. 

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