Dan Friese: “Somewhere Brighter” (2021) CD Review

Dan Friese is a singer and songwriter based in Oregon, mixing some blues and psychedelic elements into his folk music. In 2020, he released his debut EP, Happiness, and later that year followed it with his first full-length album, Jane Songs. His new album, Somewhere Brighter, features all original material, and is largely a true solo album, with just a few guests playing on certain tracks. Those guests, by the way, are the same folks that accompanied him on Jane Songs. There is a strong sense of mood to this material, and the lyrics are striking in their honesty and fearlessness. His lyrics were what drew me to his previous release, and he continues to offer excellent lyrics that contain surprising and memorable phrases, as well as lines we can all relate to.

The album opens with “False Memories,” a short, dreamy instrumental piece, with hints of conversation in the background, words that we can’t quite hear. Not being able to pick out precise words certainly helps in capturing the sense of false memories. An interesting and unusual way to begin the album, and we can’t help but wonder if it is to color how we receive all the tracks that follow. Then the opening lines of “Scenery” are “I learned to bleed/To treat this all like scenery/But it keeps coming around/What I see/Don’t always match reality,” compelling lines. This is a song for these uncertain and unsettling times, when many folks are anxious. “What we need/Is a break from all this misery/But it keeps coming around.” The song itself has a rather gentle and soothing vibe, and even includes some nice, cheerful whistling toward the end. It is as if the song itself wishes to provide that much needed break.

Irina Markevich joins him on violin for “Paint,” delivering some beautiful work right as the song begins, creating a dreamy mood. This is a song that seems to address art as life, life as art, the marketing of both, and whether any of it is worth it. Here is a taste of the lyrics: “You know where your heart is/But that ain’t gonna pay/God is just an artist/And this world is just some paint.” Then check out the opening lines of “Timeline”: “When I was young, I didn’t know/What to do, so I did as I was told.” This track also features some really good work on guitar. But lines like “Something inside is awake/And I can’t keep living/Like it’s not gonna fade away” are what make me really love his music.

“Ebb And Flow” establishes a cool groove, and features some catchy work on keys. Bill Bambach plays bass on this track. “Sometimes we know/Sometimes we don’t/And when this living’s hard/It covers up the good parts.” Those lines get right to the truth of things, don’t they? It’s difficult to keep that from happening, and that might be part of why people are so angry these days. The good parts are obscured or shrouded, to the point where they cease to have a positive effect on us. And check out these lines: “And when your love is far/There’s something about that graveyard/Put my feet up to the stars.” Those are lines you can lose yourself in. That’s followed by “Rise And Shine,” a short, pretty guitar track that also features some whistling. It has a relaxed vibe, like a morning stroll in a well-lit forest.

“The Middle” was released as a single, and is one of the album’s strongest songs. Lately, I’ve been hearing a lot about how we need to reach out to those with opposing viewpoints and meet somewhere in the middle. Normally, I would completely agree, but it feels like we can’t meet in the middle now, in part because the middle ground seems to be gone, and only a deep, dangerous chasm remains. In this song, Dan Friese sings, “You’d meet ‘em in the middle/But the middle’s dead/No, we don’t talk/Just lose our heads.” But the lines that really stand out for me are these: “We demonize/We criticize, dehumanize/Don’t realize/All the lies twisting our minds/And if we let our fears/Turn to hate, it’ll turn into tears/If you could lend your ear/And listen to me like I’m someone/That you hold dear.” That really is the trick, I think, what he says in those last couple of lines. Trying to keep something like that in mind is how I manage to drive to work without losing my temper, thinking of other drivers as friends, or at least people that I like.

“Disgraceful” has something of a bluesy vibe, and features some nice work on harmonica right at the beginning. The opening line is a variation on that traditional opening blues line, with Dan singing “You wake up early in the morning.” This is a song about how people aren’t earning their worth, and about how asking for a living wage is seen as being greedy. This one ends rather abruptly. But the next song, “Time To Sing,” addresses a similar, related theme. “We’ll fight for position/And work ‘til we’re old/It’s not healthy/And we’re all bound to lose.” This is another of the disc’s strongest tracks, and features some good work on guitar. It reminds us that we really do need to make time for the things that should matter, to enjoy this short life.

“Greener” features a pretty, gentle sound on guitar, and a heartfelt, intimate vocal performance. “And fear starts surrounding/It makes/It makes you doubt everything.” Bill Bambach plays bass on this one. It is another of my personal favorites. I love that harmonica work near the end. That’s followed by “Shine A Light,” which also mentions fear: “Reality fades/It’s replaced with my fears/Those rational days/Have been dead, gone and faded/For years.” Fear and anxiety seem to be constants in our world these days, and need to be addressed. This song, in its brief time (just under two minutes) also addresses the brevity of life: “This life that we’re living/Takes its toll on everyone/But it’s all we’re given/And pretty damn soon/It will be done.”

Irina Markevich returns on violin for “Caverns,” her work on the beginning lifting us up, like a memory that is better than reality. This song addresses the uncertainty and noise of life, while that violin does its best to soothe us, to calm us, even to guide us. “We wait so long/To find some answers/Find some meaning.” Then fear is mentioned again in “I Hope It Stays”: “I felt a fear I can’t describe.” But in this song he has come through it. He is singing from a calmer place. The album concludes with its title track, “Somewhere Brighter,” which urges us to make some effort, to make some decisions. Eric Carne joins him on drums for this track, and there is also some really good work on harmonica toward the end. This song develops an uplifting sound as it goes. “I’m on my way/To somewhere brighter.”

CD Track List

1. False Memories
2. Scenery
3. Paint
4. Timeline
5. Ebb And Flow
6. Rise And Shine
7. The Middle
8. Disgraceful
9. Time To Sing
10. Greener
11. Shine A Light
12. Caverns
13. I Hope It Stays
14. Somewhere Brighter

Somewhere Brighter was released on October 1, 2021.

John Mayall: “The Sun Is Shining Down” (2022) CD Review

Known as the Godfather of British Blues, John Mayall has been delivering great blues for sixty years. And he’s had some talented musicians accompanying him from basically the very beginning. His band The Bluesbreakers has counted among its members such admired and accomplished musicians as Eric Clapton, Peter Green, John McVie and Mick Taylor. And he continues to attract gifted musicians to his projects. His new album, The Sun Is Shining Down, features work from special guests like Melvin Taylor, Buddy Miller and Scarlet Rivera. This album also features a lot of original material, written by John Mayall. Yup, he’s still writing excellent songs well into his eighties. The band is made up of John Mayall on vocals, organ, piano and harmonica; Greg Rzab on bass; Jay Davenport on drums; and Carolyn Wonderland on rhythm guitar. The Sun Is Shining Down was produced by Eric Corne and John Mayall.

The album gets off to a fine start with “Hungry And Ready,” a hopping, rocking blues number written by John Mayall and featuring a vibrant horn section keeping things lively. Ron Dziubla plays saxophone, Mark Pender is on trumpet, and Richard A. Rosenberg is on trombone.  And special guest Melvin Taylor joins him on guitar. In addition to some great guitar work, this track features some good stuff on harmonica, particularly in that instrumental section in the middle, with the guitar and harmonica taking turns leading things. And lines like “You know, I’m hungry and ready, ready to go again” show that John Mayall has no intention of slowing down. A perfect track to launch this album. That’s followed by another original tune, “Can’t Take No More.” Now that title is a line that many of us have been saying for several years now. This track features a seriously groovy and cool bass line. There is a terrific amount of energy on these tracks, and again, I love that horn section. Marcus King joins the band on guitar for this track. “It’s time to tell you, baby/Yeah, it’s time to close that door/We once had a good thing going on/But I just can’t take no more.”

The album’s first cover is Bobby Rush’s “I’m Good As Gone” (here titled “I’m As Good As Gone”), a song touching on one of those perennial blues themes, leaving a woman who has mistreated her man. “Because I’m leaving you, baby/Yeah, I’m tired of you doing me wrong/Come daylight in the morning/I tell you I’m good as gone.” This track features special guest Buddy Miller on guitar, who of course delivers some excellent work. Plus, this track features some great work from John Mayall on organ. Then violinist Scarlet Rivera joins John Mayall for “Got To Find A Better Way,” and makes her presence appreciated immediately. She might still be best known for her work with Bob Dylan, but Scarlet Rivera has played with a lot of artists during her career, including Tracy Chapman and Indigo Girls, and has released several of her own albums as well. This song has a good groove, and seems to address the state of things in its opening lines: “It’s a troublesome time/I don’t know what to say/Things have fallen around us/Did we lose our way/Got to find me an answer/We’ve got to find a better way.” Scarlet Rivera delivers some beautiful work, as you’d expect. This is one of my personal favorites. “The answer is out there/But we can’t be too sure.”

Things then get kind of funky with a good cover of Bernard Allison’s “Chills And Thrills.” Mike Campbell joins him on guitar on this fun track. “Oh baby, you know I’m on my way/You give me chills and thrills that I just can’t even explain.”  Oh yes, there is nothing like the excitement of coming home to that special someone after an extended absence. I dig that work on keys. Billy Watts plays rhythm guitar on this track. And speaking of that special someone, that song is followed by “One Special Lady,” an original tune, in which he describes the woman he’s looking for, and also jokes about his age in the line “All my friends are saying that it’s not too late.” I love the playfulness about this track, which features more good work on organ. Jake Shimabukuro joins the band on electric ukulele on this one, and that jam toward the end is fantastic. Then we are treated to a cover of “A Quitter Never Wins” that begins with some strong work on harmonica. “It seems like nowadays nothing was ever meant to last/One day you’ve got it all, then it disappears so fast.” This track features great work on harmonica throughout. “Yes, I know you want to quit me now, baby/But a quitter will never win.” I wonder if those lines ever kept a relationship intact.

“Deep Blue Sea” is a seriously cool tune that John Mayall originally recorded for the album USA Union. This new version features more fantastic work from Scarlet Rivera on violin, as well as some delicious stuff on piano. “My loving woman and me lying in the sand/We’re on a holiday out in a foreign land.” Sounds perfect, doesn’t it? This is another of my favorite tracks, just a total delight from beginning to end. That’s followed by the last of the album’s covers, “Driving Wheel,” a classic number written by Roosevelt Sykes. Melvin Taylor joins the group on guitar, delivering some fantastic work during that extended instrumental section. This track also features the horn section. The album concludes with its title track, “The Sun Is Shining Down.” On this one, Carolyn Wonderland gets a chance to play lead guitar. This track has a pleasant, easygoing vibe, and is a song about taking stock and looking around and seeing that life is good. It has a playful element, as he sings, “It’s been a long, long journey/And I ain’t got time to quit/Things are going so good so far/Not bad for some old Brit.” Indeed.

CD Track List

1. Hungry And Ready
2. Can’t Take No More
3. I’m As Good As Gone
4. Got To Find A Better Way
5. Chills And Thrills
6. One Special Lady
7. A Quitter Never Wins
8. Deep Blue Sea
9. Driving Wheel
10. The Sun Is Shining Down

The Sun Is Shining Down was released on January 28, 2022 on Forty Below Records.

Jackie Bristow: “Outsider” (2022) CD Review

Jackie Bristow is a singer and songwriter originally from New Zealand and now based in Nashville. Her new album, Outsider, is her fifth full-length release. It features all original material, written or co-written by Jackie Bristow, the title track and theme stemming from her many moves, from New Zealand to Australia to Los Angeles to Austin and now Nashville. Her journey and experiences are captured and conveyed on these tracks. She has a lot of musicians helping her out on this album, including Mark Punch, who not only plays several instruments, but also co-wrote some tracks and produced and mixed the album. The album features some excellent vocal work, and Jackie Bristow gets some assistance from folks like Rick Price, Camille French and Kristen Rogers (you probably know Kristen Rogers from her work with Lori McKenna).

The album opens with “Livin’ For Love,” which begins with the question, “Are we living for love, or digging for the money?” Soon she asks, “Do you ever question the emptiness you feel inside?” It is a song about choices, about decisions, about one’s path, and I love the presence of banjo. That’s Mark Collins on banjo. “I choose love,” Jackie Bristow sings partway through this track. I think it’s a choice many of us have been making in these years of insanity and the pandemic. What better choice is there? And what better motivation is there to get up in the morning? Or, for that matter, to go to bed at night? Rick Price, Kristen Rogers and Mark Punch provide the backing vocals. That’s followed by “Shakin’ My Bones,” which was written by Jackie Bristow and Mark Punch. With a title like that, I was expecting a rather light number, perhaps something to dance to, and so was surprised when it began as a mellow, somewhat haunting tune, with some interesting guitar work and beautiful vocal work. “Desert sun is screaming loud/Its orange blood, its wild heart/Feel the calm before the storm.” And again, I like Marc Collins’ banjo work, which feels an integral part of the song’s structure. But it is perhaps that work on electric guitar by Mark Punch that especially makes this track something special.

“Without You” is an unabashed love song. It opens with acoustic guitar supporting her voice, and there is something intimate in her delivery at the beginning, like a nighttime confession: “I’ve been thinking of you/And I’ve been dreaming of you/‘Cause I’ve been struck by love/It went straight to the heart/And it makes no sense/And I have no defense.” This song features more nice work on banjo, this time by Dan Dugmore, who also plays pedal steel on this track. This track also features a string section, which offers some striking work at key moments. Alicia Enstrom and David Davidson are on violin, Kristin Wilkinson is on viola, and Sari Reist is on cello. This one was released as a single. It is followed by “Outsider,” the album’s title track, on which she sing “I’m never on the inside with the hip crowd.” Ah, but it’s all a matter of perspective, isn’t it? This one has some pop elements. Kristen Rogers, Camille French and Mark Punch provide the backing vocals. At the end, Jackie Bristow repeats, “I found my peace.” This one was written by Jackie Bristow and Mark Punch. Then “Tennessee You Call Me Home” has an interesting, soulful vibe. It suddenly opens to another level, with the presence of horns and that great backing vocal work joining her on the line “I’m coming home.” There has always been something immensely appealing in songs about heading home, and perhaps more so in the last couple of years than ever before. No matter which place is home in a particular song, we think of our own homes. Jackie Bristow sings, “Tennessee, I’m coming home,” but I’m thinking of Massachusetts. Mike Haynes is on both trumpet and flugelhorn, and Sam Levine plays saxophone on this track. Clayton Doley adds some really nice touches on organ.

On “Fool For You,” Jackie Bristow’s voice is supported by piano at the beginning. She sings “I know you love the intimacy,” and indeed we do. There is an intimate quality to her vocal work here that is engaging and appealing. Her voice then takes on an edge as she sings “You say it’s just a little bit of fun/You don’t want to hurt no one.” Nomad Ovunc is on piano. Then some pretty guitar work begins “California,” and the song just becomes more beautiful as it goes, with that pedal steel work by Drew Taubenfeld and that great blending of voices. There is something soothing about the sound of this song. “And we see a brighter shore/It’s up ahead, an open door.” That’s followed by “Surrender,” another track that gently grabs us, and includes some interesting backing vocal work, which is also done by Jackie Bristow. Here is a taste of the lyrics: “And I can’t control everything/Life has its ups and its downs/Oh, and we float down the river/Oh, let me surrender.” As she sings the appealing lines about floating down the river, her voice carries that sense. We can imagine her on a river, and her voice helps quiet our busy minds too, helps us let go, at least for the length of this wonderful song. Viktor Krauss joins her on upright bass, electric guitar and synthesizer for this one.

There is a positive bent to “Never Too Late,” as Jackie Bristow tells us “It’s never too late to start over.” Her voice might just provide the encouragement we need. Then as “Rockin’ Chair” begins, her vocals are supported by some nice work by Mark Collins on banjo. “There’s magic in the wind/It’s a gentle, peaceful feeling/Giving me some healing.” Ah yes, that is something we are all needing these days. Time is flying, and so many things seem to require our attention all at once, that what we really need is to take a break, set everything aside, at least for a time. To seat oneself on a rocking chair, breathe, and relax. Joe Davies adds to that relaxed vibe with some nice work on pedal steel. “Rockin’ Chair” is followed by “Wild Cat,” which begins with some good work on guitar. I also really like the percussion, which is part of the heart of this song. Thomas Gallatin is on drums and percussion. This track also features some gorgeous, seductive vocal work. “You’re my sweet romance/And you’re my lucky charm/The fire in my heart/You put me in a trance.” Mari Kreken and Tor Egil Kreken of Darling West provide backing vocals. The album concludes with “Easy Road,” which also mentions going home. “And I begged, borrowed and stole/Just to find my way back home.”

CD Track List

1. Livin’ For Love
2. Shakin’ My Bones
3. Without You
4. Outsider
5. Tennessee You Call Me Home
6. Fool For You
7. California
8. Surrender
9. Never Too Late
10. Rockin’ Chair
11. Wild Cat
12. Easy Road

Outsider is scheduled to be released on March 4, 2022 through Mesa Bluemoon Recordings.

Peggy James: “The Parade” (2022) CD Review

The Parade, the new album from Peggy James, finds the singer and songwriter revisiting some of her earlier material, as well as delivering several new songs written in 2021. All songs, both old and new, were written by Peggy James. In addition to the vocals, she plays acoustic guitar on this album. Jim Eannelli plays basically everything else on this release, including electric guitar, acoustic guitar, bass, keyboards and drums. There are a couple of guests on a few tracks.

The album opens with one of the new songs, “I Go With Me,” which begins with lines that many folks can relate to: “I’m getting the itch again to move away/To a place where nobody knows my name.” She then sings that her troubles will follow her, no matter where she goes. “And running away doesn’t do me any good/Because wherever I go, I go too.” The desire to leave one’s self behind can be strong. But how is one to accomplish this feat? Not by changing locations, as she tells us here. Ana Vafai adds some beautiful work on violin to this track. That’s followed by “Willow,” a sweet-sounding country song that touches upon a similar theme, troubles within and looking for a way to move past them somehow, with Peggy James singing “But I just can’t find no peace of mind/There’s a hole inside of me too deep to fill.” She delivers a pretty, heartfelt vocal performance, part of what makes this one of my favorite tracks. “And I’m here among the living/But I don’t feel alive.” John Calarco joins Peggy James on drums for this one.

“Thousand Reasons” is one that she is revisiting. It previously appeared on Crossroad Moment, where it is listed as “1,000 Reasons.” This one also features some seriously pretty vocal work, as on the lines “Breaking all the rules I’ve been making/Everything that can be shook is shaking,” lines that I love. On Crossroad Moment, “1,000 Reasons” is followed by “Guardian Angel,” and so it is here. This new version has a different sound at the beginning, with the guitar being part of the focus as it supports her vocals. Here is a taste of the lyrics: “The hour is lonely/The hour is late/And all I’ve got left is my soul/Fragile as glass, so easy to break/You must be so tired/If angels can be/I know that I’m tough/But please don’t give up on me.” Sometimes the idea of a guardian angel helping us, or even just lovingly watching and listening, is comforting and soothing, particularly in these days when much of the population seems to have become unhinged. And speaking of that, Peggy James gives us an excellent new song titled “Hard Times” about the state of things. Check out these lines, which begin the song: “People today are taking sides/Holed up in their trenches/Waiting for a fight/When you’re filled with anger/Reason’s out the door/Everybody’s talking/Nobody’s listening anymore.” Yup, that’s just about the size of it. And it’s difficult to keep from turning to anger when you feel a significant portion of the country is basically awful and unreachable. I mean, how do you even begin to talk to people who support Trump, particularly when they refuse to believe that truth is truth? So I am just as guilty of succumbing to anger as others. These lines are especially striking, particularly in light of the pandemic, which should have brought the nation together: “What will it take to bind us all together/Hope to God it’s not another 9/11.” But this song is wonderfully hopeful. “But if we hold on tight/From sea to shining sea/We’ll find a way to get back to our sanity.” I certainly hope so, but I think it’s going to take certain people (Donald Trump, Mo Brooks, Madison Cawthorn, Rudy Giuliani, Donald Trump Jr.) being held accountable and imprisoned before sanity will return. This song is definitely a highlight of this album. John Calarco plays drums on this track.

“Best In Me” is another excellent new song. “Looking back down the road that I’ve been traveling on/There were so many twists and turns, and sometimes I got lost/But if I never took some of those turns/I might not be with you right now.” I think about that very thing rather often, all the various events that led to the moment when I met the love of my life, all the things that had to be in place beforehand. And there is the question of who we’d be without having met our significant others, for as Peggy James sings here, “Because you bring out the best in me.” This is a beautiful song. That’s followed by “So Subtle,” an older song that she is revisiting here. Interestingly, it is also from Crossroad Moment. Four of the five songs she has picked to revisit are from that album. This one has a sweet, cheerful vibe. A love song with lines like “I can tell by the messages you’re sending me/I’m either headed for heaven or for catastrophe.” Then “Joan Of Arc” is the one older song not from Crossroad Moment. It is the title track from another early release. This song has a striking and memorable couple of opening lines: “You are the king/Of the death of everything.”

Ana Vafai returns on violin for “Indoor Cat,” which has an unexpectedly haunting vibe. John Calarco is on drums. “It’s been a long and hot, dry summer/We could use some rain/The forecast says it’s coming.” The final of the older songs revisited here is the title track from Crossroad Moment. This version seems to have more of an easygoing vibe, partially by cutting the intro from the original rendition. This track features one of the album’s best vocal performances. “And if it turns out fine/I might make you my counselor full time/How did you get to know me so well/I never told you all those things about me.” This track has such a cheerful vibe, and it also features Ana Vafai on violin, and John Calarco on drums. The album concludes with its title track, a lively number and another of the disc’s highlights. “The parade is over,” Peggy James repeats at the end.

CD Track List

1. I Go With Me
2. Willow
3. Thousand Reasons
4. Guardian Angel
5. Hard Times
6. Best In Me
7. So Subtle
8. Joan Of Arc
9. Indoor Cat
10. Crossroad Moment
11. The Parade

The Parade is scheduled to be released on CD on February 18, 2022. It was released digitally on November 19, 2021.

Massy Ferguson: “Joe’s Meat & Grocery” (2022) CD Review

Massy Ferguson is a band based in Seattle, mixing rock and country elements in their energetic original material. The band is made up of Ethan Anderson on vocals, bass and flute; Adam Monda on guitar, vocals and harmonica; Fred Slater on keyboards; and Dave Goedde on drums. They’ve been around for approximately fifteen years, and have put out half a dozen albums in that time. On the band’s new album, Joe’s Meat & Grocery, they are joined by Steve Gale on drums and percussion; Darren Loucas on dobro; Iain Sloan on pedal steel; Ken Stringfellow on vocals, guitar, percussion and keyboards; and Kelly Van Camp on harmonica. This album features mostly original material. And if the cover’s artwork looks familiar to you, it is because it is quite similar to the cover for Violent Femmes’ Why Do Birds Sing? (though the music here is certainly different).

The album begins with “Miles Away,” a strong song with a vibrant rock vibe. Check out these lines, which open the song: “Yeah, some folks say it’s lying/As they turn the other cheek/But you can’t expect greatness/When the leadership is cheap/You take what you’re owed/And you give what you can spare/Just be honest with yourself/And the rest just might be fair.” Those lines certainly speak to us in these uncertain times. The song kicks in immediately after those lines, becoming an excellent driving song. And I love that harmonica work in the second half. That’s followed by “Save What Couldn’t Be Saved.” These days it feels like a lot of folks are struggling, a lot of folks are angry, and so the troubled characters at the center of the story of this song will likely speak to a wide audience. “It was his drinking and the fits of rage/Trying to save what couldn’t be saved/Trying to sleep in the bed that he made/Already one foot in the grave.”

“Fire Of Life” has a hopeful vibe as it starts with these lines: “I’ve got the fire of life/I’ve got the guiding light/And I know I’ll stop thinking that you were right/‘Cause I don’t need your advice.” Then nearly a minute in, it takes off, picking up the pace. Something about this song reminds me of Uncle Tupelo. Certainly good company. Then “I Don’t Know Why” has a somewhat sadder tone at its start, and its opening line grabs me: “I don’t know why I am always making everything so hard.” Yeah, these guys are adept at crafting opening lines that are engaging. This song, like the previous track, soon kicks in. As it goes on, this song continues to build, becoming more of a rock song halfway through. The repeated phrase is “I don’t know why,” which is perfect in these strange times. “Nothing ever seems to go right.” “Backspin” also has a rock energy, with a strong, pounding beat.

“Off To See Rose” has more of a folk and country vibe at its core. “Watching crowds of people as they pass/Sitting here barefoot in the grass/So I go off to see Rose.” I love this track’s ending. And it leads straight into “Sister Roll Up,” which has a raw, haunting vibe and a certain power, and features some great work on harmonica. “The water is rising.” Then “Leave If You Want To” has a great country rock sound, and a lot of energy. “I don’t see why the things I say, like ‘Good luck,’ don’t feel right/You know that you won’t make it all that far.” Then a strong country current runs through “Off My Mind,” a song that features some nice work on pedal steel. That’s followed by “The Road Ahead,” which is a good song despite its use of that weak “self”/“shelf” rhyme. “The road ahead/It’s deep, it winds, it’s caught up in the wild life.”  Then “The Hard Six” has a totally catchy and cool rhythm. I seriously dig that bass line. This track features more great energy. The album concludes with “You Don’t Bother Me.” Its opening lines are ones I assume everyone can relate to: “We drink a lot/More than we should.” We started drinking heavily in 2016, didn’t we? And the pandemic certainly hasn’t helped things. This is one of my personal favorite tracks, a mellower number. “I’ll follow you down to hell and back again/Because you don’t bother me at all.”

CD Track List

1. Miles Away
2. Save What Couldn’t Be Saved
3. Fire Of Life
4. I Don’t Know Why
5. Backspin
6. Off To See Rose
7. Sister Roll Up
8. Leave If You Want To
9. Off My Mind
10. The Road Ahead
11. The Hard Six
12. You Don’t Bother Me

Joe’s Meat & Grocery is scheduled to be released on February 4, 2022.

Legendary Shack Shakers: “Cockadoodledeux” (2021) CD Review

One of the early albums from Legendary Shack Shakers was playfully titled Cockadoodledon’t. And the band’s latest album, Cockadoodledeux, plays on that title. The band has gone through several personnel changes over the years, and this album finds some earlier members returning, although Joe Buck (Jim Finklea), one of the main musicians on Cockadoodledon’t, does not play on it. Chris Scruggs returns on pedal steel, Nathan Brown on electric guitar, and Todd Anderson on upright bass. In addition to the returning members, this disc features a lot of special guests, including Jello Biafra, Jack Martin, Stanley Walker, Josh Coffey and Melissa Bogle. So it is like one great, delicious country western party that we’re invited to listen to. The album contains mostly original material, written by J.D. Wilkes. The current lineup for the band is J.D. Wilkes on vocals, French harp, banjo, piano, accordion, organ and percussion; Gary Siperko on electric guitar, acoustic guitar, slide guitar, 12-string guitar, B-bender guitar, baritone guitar and mandolin; Fuller Condon on upright bass and backing vocals; and Preston Corn on drums, percussion, mandolin and backing vocals.

Though most of the songs on this album are originals, the album opens with a seriously cool rendition of “Rawhide.” I think the first time I ever heard this one was in The Blues Brothers. That’s a damn fine version too, but this one features Jello Biafra on vocals. So there. Of course, this is a song that Dead Kennedys also covered, so Jello Biafra is well-acquainted with it. This version is great fun, and has a bit of a goofy ending. Then we get into the original material, beginning with “Tickle Yore Innards.” And it should be clear from the title that this band does not take itself too seriously. This track features some wonderful work on fiddle. Former band member Morgan Jahnig joins on vocals, along with special guests Stanley Walker and Bob Prather. That’s followed by “They Won’t Let Me Forget (All The Things I Can’t Recall),” another playful title. This is a delightful country number told from the perspective of a guy who got drunk and did some questionable things, things of dubious legality. “They said I punched some cop in the face and made him fall.” But we soon learn why: “Well, I’ll take their word that I might have had one too many/After all, there’s about three days of missing time/But I’d just like to see if they’d do any better/If the love of their life told ‘em she was living a lie.” This track features some nice work on harmonica.

“Godforsaken Town” is one of those typical country songs about pentagrams, meth labs and cock fight clubs. Didn’t we all grow up in towns like the one described here? Sure felt like it at times, anyway. “The deputy just passed me by, but now he’s a-turning around/Oh, get me out of this godforsaken town.” Jim Caugill joins the band on trumpet for this one, and Patrick Carrico plays guitar. I also like the accordion here. That’s followed by “U-Can-B-A-Star,” which is a rockin’ and hoppin’ number along the lines of “Johnny B. Goode,” featuring some good work on guitar and keys. And, yeah, I have to mention the title. I know it’s done for humor, so I can deal with it, but in general I think using the letter “U” in place of the word “You” should be punished by twenty lashes with a strip of barbed wire.

“Port Arthur Boys” is a total delight. I love that jazzy vibe. This track features some great stuff on strings, and some completely fun work on keys. In addition, Ted Borodofsky sits in on clarinet for this one, adding some fantastic touches. I also love the vocal work here. “Well, those New York City cats/Just found out where it’s at/With a new kind of noise/Jump and jive was their style/But mile after mile/They’ll be western swinging new Port Arthur boys.” This is one of my personal favorites. It comes to a rather sudden conclusion. That’s followed by another fun tune, “Secret Mountain.” There is a joyful sound to this song. Former members Mark Robertson, Rod Hamdallah and Brett Whitacre return on upright bass, electric guitar and drums respectively for this track. The whole vibe of this song is so cheerful that at first I wasn’t paying attention to the lyrics. But suddenly a line caught my ear: “The entire family was found dead.” Talk about contrast. I love it, and I love this song. And then I dig that pedal steel work on “I Told You So.” “Well, I ain’t afraid to say when you’re wrong/And to point out when I’m right.”

The album’s second and final cover is “I Don’t Remember Loving You,” a title that I adore. This song fits so well among the original songs on this album, with lines like “Well, I don’t remember loving you/You might talk to my doctor/He drops by each day at two/Well, I get a funny feeling when I look into your eyes” and “You say I quit my job and then I drunk myself insane/You said that I ran down the highway screaming out your name/Well, that’s not the sort of thing I would do.” Ah yes, sometimes a woman can drive a man insane. This song was written by Harlan Howard and Bobby Braddock, and originally recorded by John Conlee. That’s followed by another humorous song, “Punk Rock Retirement Plan,” which in a way is about growing up, I suppose, about giving up punk and moving into country music, which of course is perfect for a country album released on Jello Biafra’s label. “He likes to square dance instead of slam dance.” I enjoy both punk and country, but hate both of those dances. This song shares a somewhat common theme with “Port Arthur Boys.” Then we get “Triple-Timer,” a fast-paced country number about a less-than-faithful woman, featuring some excellent work on guitar. Special guest Jack Martin plays dobro on this one. Things then conclude with “Farewell Ye Rovin’ Eyed Girls,” the song that gives this wonderful album its title. Actually, it sounds more like he’s singing “cockadoodle adieu.” This track is a waltz, of sorts, and has a sweet vibe, a perfect ending to this completely enjoyable album.

CD Track List

1. Rawhide
2. Tickle Yore Innards
3. They Won’t Let Me Forget (All The Things I Can’t Recall)
4. Godforsaken Town
5. U-Can-B-A-Star
6. Port Arthur Boys
7. Secret Mountain
8. I Told You So
9. I Don’t Remember Loving You
10. Punk Rock Retirement Plan
11. Triple-Timer
12. Farewell Ye Rovin’ Eyed Girls

Cockadoodledeux was released on November 5, 2021 on Alternative Tentacles Records.