The Yawpers are well on their way to being your favorite band. Their association with Bloodshot Records makes comparisons to Scott H. Biram a given but The Yawpers have a full band behind their sound. Biram is pretty rowdy by himself and The Yawpers up the ante on “American Man.”
The record is aggressive and unashamed. It has punk sensibilities but was conceived on a back porch, the twang is unescapable but when the band twirls into a slide guitar romp like on “Kiss It” you won’t be trying to classify them as county for long. They sound like a 70s arena rock band on “9 to 5” and prove they can tie their melodic songs to their aggressiveness. They channel a little Ryan Adams on steroids for “Tied” where they practice their sing lyrics/shout chorus technique. One of the most distinguishing things about this group is the sound of lead singer Nate Cook’s vocals, not particularly his singing voice but more his shouting voice. Some singers just sound great when they yell their way through parts of songs, this is one of the big keys to the Foo Fighters’ success. The pedal isn’t always on the throttle though, on “American Man” you’ll find the band slowing it down and embracing what is great about country music. The band works hard on dynamics in their songs and it obviously pays off. They are also putting a fresh spin on the “americana” genre, they aren’t the first to do it but they are one of many pulling it in a new direction.
Key Tracks: “Tied” “Kiss It” “9 to 5”
Another 4 star album by Wilco…. yawn. Wilco has build such a reputation of greatness that the only thing they could do to surprise their fans is to put out a bad record. “Star Wars” isn’t that bad record. While it isn’t the glistening gem that 2011’s “The Whole Love” was, it is still a great rock record.
America’s best living band lets the guitars loose a little more this time around. The “Kicking Television”-esque “Pickled Ginger” is a prime example. The crystal clear guitar playing on “The Whole Love” is replaced by a dirty and sloppy distortion here. Keep in mind it is very intentionally sloppy sounding. The catchy “Random Name Generator” is another guitar rager as is “More…” for the most part. Tweedy and co. still have their slower tunes mixed in like “You Satellite” and the excellent closer “Magnetized.” The final track on the record is trademark Tweedy, excellent lyrics with just enough instrumentation to carry the song. After the abrasive and shocking instrumental opener “EKG” clocking in at just over a minute (but is still somehow great) “Magnetized” just makes tons of sense at the end of the album and closes it out perfectly.
To summarize: If Wilco puts out a record you should buy it. They continue to prove their greatness even with the absence of radio play for the most part. They still are noteworthy on every level, they simply make really good and relevant records. You can pick some being slightly better than others but overall every single one gets the thumbs up to buy.
Key Tracks: “Random Name Generator” “Magnetized” “Pickled Ginger”
Dan Mariska and his band passed through St. Joe last year, hitting The Rendezvous with touring partners See Through Dresses from Omaha. Dsoedean provided local support for the weekday show that was a rare treat. Two true touring bands that were carrying vinyl with them turned out to be something not worth missing.
Mariska’s vinyl was particularly intriguing. Having nice cover art is one thing but this 12-inch record had a screen-printed jacket on both sides. On a flat pink sleeve the cover image and the back (including the songs) were printed in red and white ink with some nice use of half tones for the shading as well. This easily makes it one of the most distinct record sleeves you’ll see. It is also hand numbered 155/300 letting you know just how exclusive it is. The record itself was on pink vinyl to match the record sleeve of course as well. Also included was a lyric book with all the liner notes completing a well put together album package.
It’s easy for a vinyl geek to get wrapped up in all this as I did but luckily the album is pretty solid as well. It’s pure power-pop with clean humming guitars and hook-laden songs. Big Star and Nada Surf are obvious influences that can be heard all over the album. The bouncy “Get Down with the Frown” is a clear highlight along with the driving 70s-style grove on “Forward to Mess.” The sprawling “Real Life” focuses on lyrics and reaps of regret but the album is called “Bummer Songs” after all. What more would you expect? The album really isn’t a bummer though. The upbeat mix of songs seems to be a pretty solid cure for the blues in all reality.
Rating: B-
Carrie Nation & The Speakeasy is a band that works their asses off. They are road warriors living out of vans and chasing a dream at all costs. They’ve become nationally known by simply hitting the road and have managed to build a following. When they stopped at the First Ward House on a Sunday night they actually drew a decent crowd given the circumstances. Sundays are always tough; Sundays in St. Joseph are extremely tough.
As it turns out, what motivated me getting out of the house to see the band on a Sunday was largely the fact that I knew they would be selling vinyl. They didn’t disappoint, carrying two different releases on vinyl. One was on colored but I opted for the newer of the two albums instead. “Hatchetations” had a cool cover and after taking a peek at a friend’s copy they just bought, I decided I needed one as well. As an added bonus I would later find out that the digital download card unlocked a couple extra songs not on the record and a complete split album they did with a band named Cletus Got Shot.
The group is best described as bluegrass but a solid horn section gives them a New Orleans vibe at times. On most songs they show their Split Lip Rayfield influence and succumb to speed bluegrass, which tends to wear thin quickly. The Speakeasy is clearly at their best when sticking to mid-tempos and letting the horns sooth the spaces in the songs. Songs like “Promised Land” hit the speed-grass nail on the head while more jazzy numbers like “At Least It Fits You” give the listener a nice break from the assault.
Rating: C+
The Warden is an East Dallas band that plays upbeat country music with electric guitars. It’s perfect for a bar environment but comes across a little hammy on record. Every song seems to be leading to some punchline trying to get a cheap laugh. The humor fits the song subjects as most songs gravitate toward alcohol, bars, playing shows and fights.
On “Salvation” an oddly bouncy tale of a rough touring life is unfolded. The song is delivered with a sly Texas twang with lyrics like “There is a gag order, so I can’t tell you no more” and “I just bought a bag of Parliaments and there went all my money.” The drums furiously pound on this song and most tracks on this record like “Deny Deny Deny” with its catchy chorus and story of a life of dodging responsibility. On “Our Town” a couple different vocalist take turns at the mic and it helps break the monotony for one of the strongest songs on the record. The singing on much of the record is largely the same, a twangy conversational tone with the same inflections on words song after song.
Overall the musicianship is good, The Warden creates some good electric country grooves but go for the easy lyric and cheap joke a little too often. This is possibly a result of still having a little too much angst running in their blood, a little more age may take some of the low points of the record and create a better balance for the band later on.
Key Tracks: “Our Town” “Livin’ In The EDT”
This is the blue-collar record of the year. The Bottle Rockets have really always been a blue-collar band. They have sung about the glory of sports, the bliss of Sundays and the torture of going to work. “South Broadway Athletic Club” finds them finding bliss in loving your dog and noticing that Monday comes around far more often than the roughly 15% of the days it is supposed to.
On “Dog” you’ll find Brian Henneman slinging words together in a cheeky way about loving his dog and not caring if you love it. Sure this approach is hammy but it fits in the blue-collar way in the grand scheme of the songs. “Monday (Everytime I Turn Around)” is the rocking opener that any 40 or more hour a week worker can relate to and it is written in the “Bottle Rockets style” that we have become accustomed to over the last couple decades. “Big Fat Nothin'” is another workingman’s anthem that concentrates on the glory of just sitting on your ass. As if the point wasn’t already made, “Building Chryslers” is ode to having to earn a living but this time the guitar squeals and finds more crunch than some of the more country sounding songs. They do stretch beyond that topic on the rocker “I Don’t Wanna Know” and backwoods love song “Smile” that is shockingly smooth and sweet with its acoustic strums.
The Bottle Rockets know who is buying their records and they are providing a soundtrack for them (us.) After all, we need a tune to sing in our head while we are building Chryslers and thinking about how it’s Monday every time we turn around.
Key Tracks: “Monday (Everytime I Turn Around)” “Building Chryslers” “Smile”
Matthew Coman explores some folk ambitions on his new album “Crooked Moon.” Whether it is the country tinged “I’d Love To Stick Around” or the Dylan-esque “Not Talking Anymore” you can feel the singer/songwriter in Coman thriving. “Ol’ Danny” is another story song that examines reaching for something that may be just out of reach paired with vivid imagery like “records spread out on the floor.” The song also features a banjo prattling through the song to make it stick out as one of the album’s best moments. Not to be pigeonholed, Coman gets into a rootsy jam on the album opener “Walk Down.” He later indulges into a head-shaking bluesy groove on “Post-Apocalyptic Driving Song” that pushes the limit more than anything else on the record.
He still thrives when the throttle isn’t quite on the floor like on the lyrical Pandora’s box that is “Not Talking Anymore” or simple songs of devotion like the sweetness of “I Just Can’t.” Some slower songs like “Shallow Grave” and “Love To Call My Own” find the ravenous inner-Coman reaching for something more and hitting an emotional nerve. This album represents Coman better than anything else he has released, mixing his country side with blues and even some hard rock, all the parts that makes him what he is. The dominant language here is alt-county, folky songs but don’t be fooled, Coman never lets any tempo wear too thin through the 14 tracks and creates a solid sampling of the different gears he has.
Key Track: “Not Talking Anymore” “Ol’ Danny” “I Just Can’t”
Photo by Heather Kirchhoff
Under The Big Oak Tree at the Wyeth-Tootle Mansion in St. Joseph, MO during the photo shoot for their Tuning Fork Magazine cover. Photo by Heather Kirchhoff
I didn’t want this album to happen. Finn’s first solo record after a career’s worth of work with The Hold Steady was simply mesmerizing. The perfect mix of humor, positivity, negativity and acceptance made “Clear Heart Full Eyes” better than any Hold Steady record. Now Finn returns from the triumph with a new album and it seemed there was nowhere to go but down.
Finn actually holds his ground with “Faith In The Future” though. It is endlessly interesting in many of the same ways. He has a way of painting a picture with his lyrics that gives a vivid insight to a small piece of a puzzle but he tends to never reveal the whole story. On “Sarah, Calling From A Hotel Room” you never get told exactly what is going on but what you do find out makes your imagination run wild. “Going To A Show” has a repeated chorus making it one of the most intoxicating songs on the album. “Maggie I’ve Been Searching For Our Son” and “Newmyer’s Roof” spit out lines of their stories so fast you’ll find it hard to keep up. This actually helps the record survive repeated listens as it tends to reveal more layers the more you concentrate on certain lyrics. “Christine” is beautiful in its simplicity and is one of many songs completely unique from it fellow tracks on the record. It is a wide sampling that can vary but the record still holds together very well. This album is simply one that you can’t listen to just once, in fact just like Finn’s debut solo album; I just can’t stop listening to it.
Key Tracks: “Christine” “I Was Doing Fine (Then A Few People Died)” “Newmyer’s Roof” “Going To A Show”
Vocals On Top 