Texas Music Round-Up: Texas Music Mailorder Catalog

RED STICK RAMBLERS
Made in the Shade
Made in the Shade succeeds by foregrounding the simple pleasures -- the song and the dance -- that motivated almost all our American musical ancestors to pick up their instruments in the first place.

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V/A
Goin' Home Tribute to Fats Domino
You couldn't ask for a better tribute to Fats Domino's musical legacy than this... the ratio of hits to misses is surprisingly good for this type of endeavor, everyone involved understands the greatness of the Fat Man's catalog, and the roster of local (New Orleans) and national acts is absolutely first-rate. The result is slightly uneven, but what large gathering of performances from across the pop and rock spectrum isn't?

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MARY GAUTHIER
Between Daylight and Dark
If anything, Gauthier surpasses her past work with this stunning live-in-the-studio effort that captures a wide range of scenarios. In a world glutted with Americana singer-songwriters, many plagued by a dilettantism that prevents them from plowing too deeply into the dark side of the human condition, Gauthier reaffirms--magnificently--her ability to do that and much more.

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MILES FROM NOWHERE
Bloodline
With the first single, "Bloodline" and such rocking tunes as "When I Get Mean" and "I Can't Win" the record is making some noise for this hard-rocky country band.

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SHOOTER JENNINGS
The Wolf
It begins with an eerie bit of original autobiography called "This Ol' Wheel," as Jennings, invoking the same no-frills sound of his earlier albums, barrels through a collection of largely self-penned numbers. He invokes the waltz-tempos his dad used so effectively on "Old Friend," creatively punctuated with pedal steel and Mariachi horns. "A Little More Time on You" remains the simplest sort of country lament, even with the R&B horns. It's true that Shooter hasn't achieved stardom close to Waylon's. Yet he's cultivated an audience by ignoring Nashville's smarmy trendiness and carving his own niche. Come to think of it, that's also what Waylon did.

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LEGENDARY SHACK SHAKERS
Swampblood
With Swampblood the Colonel JD Wilkes takes the muddled influence of his new home in western Kentucky, pours it through the funnel of eerie south Louisiana bayou culture, and shakes it up 'til it explodes with the thick swamp blues of Slim Harpo.

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BILLY BOB THORNTON
Beautiful Door
A collection of twelve tracks, BEAUTIFUL DOOR, is a lyrical, sonic story about life and death, beginnings and ends. A blend of roots rock, country, and folk, the musical genres Billy Bob Thornton has always loved most, BEAUTIFUL DOOR is the follow up album to his third solo release in 2005, HOBO -- and like HOBO, BEAUTIFUL DOOR is a collection of songs Thornton intended to have listened to as an "album," in its entirety. "The album had to have a sequence. And even if it's not an A+B+C song type of story-- BEAUTIFUL DOOR is still a sonic landscape that both musically and lyrically flows from one track to the next."

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THE SADIES
New Seasons
Seldom does a band-of-brothers grow creatively like the Sadies, now a decade into their tenure as the reigning kings at the psychedelic post-punk/surf/twang crossroads. Dallas and Travis Good astonish newly on New Seasons, not with the lovelorn "What's Left Behind," where the crystalline guitars sound simultaneously woven together and tumbling crisply away from each other, but also with their persistently gorgeous, laconic vocal harmonies throughout Seasons.

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THE BRIDGE
The Bridge
In the time honored tradition of cosmic American rock 'n' roll music, The Bridge uphold the freewheeling, adventurous, ever soulful spirit of legendary bands like Little Feat, The Grateful Dead, The Black Crowes and Los Lobos. Having built a rabid fan-base along the Eastern seaboard with consistently sold out shows in cities like Baltimore, Washington, DC, Philadelphia, Richmond and Asheville, The Bridge have taken their music to the next level over the course of 2007, playing upwards of 200 shows, including tours in all corners of the U.S. and appearances at major rock festivals like All Good and Wakarusa. With their new album highlighted by standout tracks such as "14 Days," "Easy Jane" and "Flats of the Old Avenue," The Bridge are on the verge of joining the esteemed ranks from whose lineage they emerge.

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ROBERT PLANT & ALISON KRAUSS
Raising Sand
The musical collaboration of the decade, Raising Sand is the sound of two iconic figures stepping out of their respective comfort zones and letting their instincts lead them across a brave new sonic landscape. Despite hailing from distinctly different backgrounds, Alison Krauss and Robert Plant share a maverick spirit and willingness to extend the boundaries of their respective genres. This spirit, expertly honed by producer T Bone Burnett, has resulted in an album pitched three steps beyond some cosmic collision of early urban blues, spacious West Texas country, and the untapped potential of the folk-rock revolution.

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TIM KREKEL ORCHESTRA
Soul Season
Jamming up the Stones' slinky rhythms and Stax-style horns with earnest, pop-smart tunes, this ex-Jimmy Buffett cohort comes off as a less rawboned Delbert McClinton (for whom he's written) with a gift for blue-eyed soul best exemplified by the glorious "Be With You."

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RYAN BINGHAM
Mescalito
From his bordertown upbringing to his years on the Southwestern rodeo circuit, Bingham's poignant songs, sung through his whiskey-soaked voice, reflect his experiences and the wisdom he has gained from them. His songs are raw, honest and born out of a genuine soul. From the opening track "Southside of Heaven" to the bluesy slide of "Bread & Water" to the Mexican-flavored "Boracho Station", Bingham's songs come straight from the heart. His influences blend seamlessly with his own style creating a traditional sound that also sounds fresh and original. Bingham has the unique ability to transport audiences into the center of the place from which they came. - antiMUSIC reviews

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DWIGHT YOAKAM
Dwight Sings Buck
Most of the songs on Dwight Sings Buck are faithful recreations of Owens' originals. Owens' songs wouldn't tolerate stiff, note-for-note duplication, however. Yoakam manages to sound like he's channeling Owens at his peak, while his band eerily summons the spirits of Don Rich and the rest of the Buckaroos with classics like "My Heart Skips a Beat", "Cryin' Time", and "Above and Beyond". - PopMatters.com

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LEVON HELM
Dirt Farmer
...his first solo studio release in 25 years represents a rich return to his Southern roots. With co-production and musical support from daughter Amy (of Ollabelle) and multi-instrumentalist Larry Campbell (long a mainstay of Bob Dylan's band), Helm gives organic unity and rough-hewn vitality to a selection of Cajun fiddle waltzes, country blues, hardscrabble folk, and some more contemporary material (from the likes of Steve Earle and Buddy and Julie Miller). Following his recovery from throat cancer, Helm's voice has a slightly different timbre, but his phrasing is unmistakable as the same vocalist who sang "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" and "Rag Mama Rag." With Amy providing harmony and duet vocals and Levon's drumming evoking his signature work with the Band, Helm takes material from a variety of sources and makes it all his own. --Don McLeese

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CROSS CANADIAN RAGWEED
Mission California
Their 4th studio album on Universal Records South titled, mission california., not only holds true to their signature sound but also delivers a few surprises including multiple appearances by Lee Ann Womack. Fans new and old alike are sure to get what they've been waiting for with Cission California.

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JIM LAUDERDALE
The Bluegrass Diaries
Following two albums recorded with the legendary Dr. Ralph Stanley and 2006's solo effort, Bluegrass, Lauderdale's latest exploration of the genre, The Bluegrass Diaries, is one of his finest albums, easily ranking among the standout releases in a very strong year for country music. - Slant Magazine

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TONI PRICE
Talk Memphis
Margaret Moser from the Austin Chronicle says, "Talk Memphis is Toni Price's best album since 2001's Midnight Pumpkin. Not that Price puts out bad or mediocre LPs. That's never been an option for the sultry vocalist who's stolidly refused to compromise the homey vision of her music. Naturally a lack of touring has limited Price's national profile, but that's only made the singer a wonderful discovery for those who mine her rich blues and roots-rock. Though she's departed Austin for new digs in California, Talk Memphis is a total Austin production right down to longtime producer Derek O'Brien. Evoking the geography of its title, the album Stax the deck with the soulful undertones that have always been her stock-in-trade, burnished with the Texas Horns' powerful punch and tip o' the Stetson to McLemore Avenue. As always, Price's exquisite ear for songs matches her sublime alto to crystalline perfection. To that end, she plucked gems including Jeff Barry's "Am I Groovin' U," Nick Ashford and Valerie Simpson's "Runnin' Out," Isaac Hayes' "Leftover Love," and Allen Toussaint's "Mean Man" from the treasure chest of unplundered covers. Likewise, Jesse Winchester's title track, Booker T. and Eddie Floyd's "Sorry About That," and a page from Ann Peebles' songbook "Ninety-Nine Pounds" are matchless and blend seamlessly with homegirl Wendy Colonna's "Right Where I Belong." Yet Price is a creature of habit, staying well within the safety of Gwil Owen's songs such as "Sunflower," "Gravy," and "The Power." San Diego may now claim Price, but with Talk Memphis, Austin gets the credit."

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TOM GILLAM
Never Look Back
Blending the edgier side of alt.country & Americana with bombastic '70s style guitar rock, Gillam, along with his band Tractor Pull, have crafted the perfect follow up to 2005's successful and critically acclaimed release "SHAKE MY HAND".

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MARY CUTRUFELLO
35
Mary Cutrufello is back...and back in Texas! Seven years after moving to Minnesota, and three years after being sidelined with vocal nodes, Cutrufello returns to the Lone Star state with this rockin' CD that showcases her songwriting, her guitar playing, and her once-again powerful voice. Recorded mostly in Minnesota (lead vocals were done in Austin, where Willy Braun of Reckless Kelly stepped in to share the microphone with Mary on a raucous cover of Springsteen's "Take 'em as They Come."), the record features a cast of Twin Cities heavyweights, as well as the Wallflowers' Rami Jaffee. TRACK LISTING: Bring On the Night / Take 'em as They Come / American Rain / (I'll Still) Love You Forever / Out of the Fire / If You Don't Want Me No More / Sonic Girls / Honey Chile / Panhandle Wind / Down to the River

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WILL KIMBROUGH
Will Kimbrough (EP)
Essentially a folk record, EP showcases Kimbrough's slide, flattop guitar and banjo work, and most of all, his warm voice and literate songwriting. Recorded mostly at home, with floorboards creaking, birds singing, cars passing, and children sneaking by, EP is Will Kimbrough's most intimate work yet.

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BILLY JOE SHAVER
Everybody's Brother
Spiritual songs have long been a strength of Billy Joe Shaver, the Texas songwriter championed by such stalwarts as Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, and Kris Kristofferson. Here, Shaver and producer John Carter Cash (son of Johnny and June) balance songs of sin and salvation with those of love and loss, as a reflection of how the deaths of his beloved mother, wife, and son have reinforced his religions faith. Guest vocals from John Anderson, Marty Stuart, Tanya Tucker, Kristofferson, and Cash (in a 1970 duet) enhance rather than compete with Shaver's rough-hewn vocals, while the American Indian instrumentation of Bill Miller on the title track deepens the spiritual resonance. For all of the stately reverence of "When I Get My Wings," Shaver displays his more rollicking, raucous side as well, particularly on "If You Don't Love Jesus" ("go to hell"). --Don McLeese

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GORDY QUIST
Here Comes the Flood
Gordy Quist is hitting his stride with the release of his second solo album, "Here Comes The Flood". Gordy likens this release to "...a soundscape catalog of the ride I'm on. The slice of Americana I've been served. Highways, Heathens, Gypsies, Demons. Austin, Kerrville, Sydney, Nashville... The best songs I've written at a time when I'm playing in the best band I've been in." By far one of the best releases of 2007 - MyTexasMusic.com

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CHIP TAYLOR & CARRIE RODRIGUEZ
Live from the Ruhr Triennale
Fiery and feisty, swinging and ringing loud and clear, the old man and his muse are truly hitting on all cylinders here, and you undoubtedly have to return to any of their earlier duet recordings to hear so natural and unpretentious a pairing of talents and voices as you'll hear on this captivating new disc. Live From The Ruhr Triennale offers highlights galore, as Taylor and the irrepressible Rodriguez intertwine on Merle's "Today I Started Loving You Again"; Taylor's quiet gospel "Oh Set A Light", "Laredo", and "Must Be The Whiskey"; the duet's ageless "Once Again One Day You Will Be Mine" and a kick-ass hoedown on Chuck Berry's "Maybellene". With Bill Frisell, Greg Leisz, David Piltch, and Kenny Wollesen supplying the driving dynamics and laid back grooves as needed, even Buddy Miller shows up for "Wild Thing".

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JOHN FOGERTY
Revival
John's new album is a triumph, with a sound that is at once timeless yet urgently rooted in this time and place. The lyrics recall a continuous conversation with America, a reminder of John's unmatched ability to resonate with people from all walks of life. With a voice that can cut glass and inspire generations, and a band that sounds like it came to tear the roadhouse down, 'Revival' is not just a great John Fogerty album -- and a great rock album -- it's an essential musical work by an artist without peer, that will certainly stand as one of the most compelling albums of 2007.

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BLEU EDMONDSON
Lost Boy
...There's heart, soul, and substance in this CD and great sound too. It'll grow and grow on you, or at least it has with me.
...Bleu Edmondson doesn't sing rock and roll; on Lost Boy he bleeds it. Don Ford (Americanaroots.com)

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