April. That's Merlefest month. I'm looking forward to one of my
favorite festivals of the year. I look forward to this like I looked
forward to Christmas when I was young.
There were no house concerts in April, but on May 8th Topsoil is
presenting another sold out show. This time I'm having Tom Sauber, Brad
Leftwich and Alice Gerrard. June 18 will be Fred Eaglesmith.. Tickets
for that will go on sale at the beginning of June probably. Email me to
get on my mailing list.
Here's the playlist for April. Remember to listen to Topsoil live every
Sunday from noon-3pm at 88.7FM (or on the internet at
www.wxdu.duke.edu).
Cheers.
Steve Gardner
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
www.topsoil.net
===================================================================
WXDU-Fm 88.7
Durham, NC
Steve Gardner, "Topsoil"
E: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
April Roots Report
1. Terry Allen - Salivation - Sugar Hill
[Nobody is more alternative country than Terry Allen. In fact, Terry is
an alternative to just about anything! Contained in this CD is nearly
an hour of the best songs that Terry has written and performed since
1979's "Lubbock on Everything."]
2. Kelly Willis - What I Deserve - Rykodisc
[Kelly still hasn't made an album that really shows how incredible she
really is. This one comes close, but I still think she has a better one
in her. With that said, though, this is still one of the best CDs of
the year. I expect to see this on many topten lists at the end of '99.]
3. Grayson and Whitter - The Songs of Grayson and Whitter 1928 to 1930 -
County
[Here's a great reissue from a duo that heavily influences country and
folk music even to this day. I'm sure you've heard some of these songs:
Handsome Molly, Rose Conley, Train 45, Tom Dooley. A great companion to
this CD would be Ralph Stanley's recent tribute to Grayson and Whitter
called "Short Life of Trouble."]
4. Lilly Brothers and Don Stover - Have a Feast Here Tonight - Prestige
Folklore
[This is a very nice reissue package of bluegrass done straight up.
What you get here is 23 songs by this brother duet (Everett and Bea
Lilly) along with Don Stover on banjo. This is actually a one CD
compilation of two old Lilly Brothers CDs "Bluegrass Breakdown" and
"Country Songs."]
5. Tara Nevins - Mule to Ride - Sugar Hill
[Tara was in a band called the Heartbeats and is currently in a rock
band called Donna the Buffalo. On "Mule to Ride" she flies solo (but
with a *lot* of helpers) and produces a great album of new oldtime
music. One of my favorite parts about this CD is that we get to hear a
lot of singing from her husband, Jim Miller, who has been a favorite of
mine ever since I heard him on the albums by the Wandering Ramblers and
Dirk Powell's solo album. Other guests include Ralph Stanley, Don
Rigsby, Paul Brown and many others.]
6. Tom, Brad and Alice - Been There Still - Copper Creek
[Wow, the triple threat! Brad is one of my top 3 living oldtime fiddlers
today and Alice, of course is a great singing. I really love Tom's banjo
playing (and fiddling) too which I was introduced to through a tape he
made with Dirk Powell. Don't be fooled into thinking this is a CD of
oldtime instrumentals, though. There are a few, but the real theme of
this album is singing...and it's GOOD singing! One of my favorite cuts
is an oldtime take on the Stanley Brothers favorite "Little Glass of
Wine." Highly recommended. They'll be doing a house concert for me on
May 8.]
7. Dirk Powell, Tim O'Brien & John Herrmann - Songs From the Mountain -
Howdy Skies
[This is the best CD of new fangled old-time music I've heard in a few
years. Together, these three musicians have succeeded in putting a
soundtrack to the book Cold Mountain, written by local author Charles
Frazier. This CD is only sold as a companion to the paperback version
of the book. Check major retailers such as Borders and Amazon.com if
you have problems finding it. Both the book and the CD are well worth
the search.]
8. Steve Earle and Del McCoury - The Mountain - E Squared
[I wasn't so sure Steve Earle had the voice to pull off a good bluegrass
album...well, boy was I wrong! This CD not only kicks butt, but it is
one of the best bluegrass CDs I've heard in at least a year. This is a
top-notch bunch of original songs with a crack band and it deserves to
be heard by many.]
9. Charlie Poole - Legend of Charlie Poole Vol 3 - County
[Another great reissue of Charlie Poole's oldtime stringband music. I'm
especially excited to hear an old version of the song "Goodbye Booze"
which I only heard recently from a recording by the Blue Ridge Mountain
Minstrels.]
10. Jimmy Murphy - Electricity - Sugar Hill
[I can't imagine anything beating this album out for reissue of the
year. I had no clue who Jimmy Murphy was, but upon hearing this I
realised that I (and many others) have been missing one of the greatest
country songwriters and singers. "I Get a Longing to Hear Hank Sing the
Blues" should be the new national anthem.]
11. Big Sandy and the Fly-Rite Boys - Radio Favorites - Hightone
[Gawd, I sure do love this. Big Sandy (with new piano player) have
stepped back and added more rockabilly into their mix. It's terrific!
It's only 6 songs, so now I'm wanting more. I sure do miss seeing them
on a regular basis when I lived on the left coast.]
12. Carl Sonny Leyland - I'm Wise - Hightone
[If you like nearly any form of non-classical piano (i.e. rockabilly,
swing, jazz, blues, boogie woogie, etc) then this is the CD for you.
Carl plays in Big Sandy's Fly-Rite Boys. I was especially impressed
with his singing and songwriting.]
13. Darrell Scott - Family Tree - Sugar Hill
[A second release from one of my favorite songwriters and singers.]
14. Backsliders - Southern Lines - Mammoth
[I sure am glad to see this sucker out. For a while there it was touch
and go, but don't fear any longer, Chip Robinson is back with a new
rockin' and twangin' band. They are my favorite local band and so when
a bunch of Backsliders slid off in different directions I was holding my
breath, waving chicken bones, crossing my fingers and praying they'd get
back together. One of those things worked.]
15. Bare Jr - BooTAY - Epic
[This album has clocked in as my favorite rock release of 1998. It is
awesome. It rocks hard and the twang is barely audible. Think Uncle
Tupelo's "Factory Belt". I've dug out a shoehorn the size of Tennessee,
however, and wedge this sucker into my shift whenever possible. It is
just TOO good to pass up. It's nice to feel the ol' blood pumping again.
Update: Bare Jr is starting to take off on hard rock radio. I hope they
become the most popular band in the world.]
16. Various - Pearls in the Snow - Kinkajou
[This is a tribute to Kinky Friedman. Like most tribute albums some of
it is good, some is great, some is bad and some is boring.]
17. Hazel Dickens, Carol Elizabeth Jones and Ginny Hawker - Heart of a
Singer - Rounder
[The female three tenors of bluegrass.]
18. Biller and Wakefield - Hot Guitars of Biller and Wakefield - HMG
[Steel and Electric guitar instrumentals. Three songs have vocal
performances by either Big Sandy or Dave and Deke. Fans of Jimmy Bryant
and Speedy West take note. This CD has been on the rock playlist for
WXDU for many weeks now. It's nice to see so many people enjoying such
a fine album.]
19. Lydia Mendoza - Vida Mia - Arhoolie
[A great great CD of traditional hispanic music sung mostly with only
guitar accompaniment. I absolutely love this CD.]
20. Carbines - Jukejoint Girl 7" - Oil Rig
[This 7 inch record only gives you a glimpse of the vocal strength of
the Tift Merritt, the lead singer and songwriter for the Carbines. This
is the only recording of the Carbines, except for one cut on the Garden
Place compilation, but hopefully we'll here more from her soon. If
anyone ever deserved to be a *star* it is Tift. She conjures up images
of Emmylou Harris mixed with Maria McKee, along with a large helping of
...something...else.]
21. Tony Furtado and Dirk Powell - Tony Furtado and Dirk Powell -
Rounder
[A CD of all instrumental compositions between Tony Furtado (noted
banjerist and slide guitarist) and Dirk Powell (fiddle, cajun accordian,
banjo, piano, and more). The outcome is very nice with enough stylistic
changes throughout the CD to hold your attention. Good stuff.]
22. Jerry Wicentowski - Lucky Break - Wizgrass
[Independently produced bluegrass CD from this guitarist/financial
planner. The album also features Tim O'Brien, Byron Berline, Andy
Statman, Mark Hembree and Scott Vestal. Jerry didn't write any of the
songs on the CD, but his choices for material are nice.]
23. Doug and Taylor Rorrer - Tradition - Flying Cloud
[A new CD from Doug Rorrer and his son Taylor. This is an album of fine
guitar based bluegrass and oldtime picking. As with Doug's last album
he's gotten together some great guests.]
24. Quirks - Demo CD - Quirks
[This is just a 4 song EP, but it makes me wish I lived in CA long
enough to take in one of their shows. Great instrumental tunes from
America and beyond.]
25. Charles River Valley Boys - Comin' From the Ball - Prestige Folklore
[Another nice bluegrass reissue from Prestige. This time they focus on
the Charles River Valley Boys (with Bill Keith, Jim Rooney and Tex
Logan. It's a good CD of mostly traditional bluegrass. Ya gotta love
anything with Joe Val on it...or at least I do.]
26. Skip Gorman - A Cowboy's Wild Song to His Herd - Rounder
[Yeah! My favorite living cowboy singer released his third CD for
Rounder. The thing that propels Skip past many other singers of Western
music is that he always seems to be more influenced by the range, rather
than Hollywood.]
27. Bill Kirchen - Raise a Ruckus - Hightone
[Bill's back with another album of twangified rig rockin' guitar based
country tunes.]
28. Rex Allen - The Last of the Great Singing Cowboys - Bloodshot
Revival
[Bloodshot records kicks off their new label of country reissues with
Rex Allen. Now, if there's a style of country music that I like the
least (and there is) it would be western songs, and I'm talking those of
the Hollywood variety. Rex does fall into that camp, although I admit
this CD is pretty darn good. At the very least I'm happy Bloodshot has
taken it upon themselves to release some of these old transcriptions. I
hear a Spade Cooley reissue is out now (or soon), as well.]
29. Frog Holler - Couldn't Get Along - ZoBird
[This band hails from Philly, PA. I hear they know those whacko guys in
Marah. That's a good thing in my book. This CD is lotsa fun.]
30. Sixty Acres - Banjos and Sunshine - Dren Records
[This is quite a good CD of roots rock. Great singing and songwriting
as well as some fine instrumental backup (which includes a theremin!)
You can find out more about the band on their website:
www.sixtyacres.com]
Questions? Comments?
Cheers.
Steve Gardner
--
Steve Gardner - Topsoil: A Century of Twang - Sun. 12-3pm
WXDU 88.7FM Durham NC and on the Net at www.wxdu.duke.edu
* [EMAIL PROTECTED] **** www.topsoil.net *
