"Don't Act Like Your Family's a Joke"

What a week and weekend!  Monday- Two Cow Garage, Wednesday- The Extra Lens (review coming soon from the one and only Andrew), Saturday- #4 Auburn beats #6 LSU; Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit, and Sunday- Auburn is the new #1!!!!!

So, since this is all about music, we'll stick to just that.  And with that, I get to write about an exciting concert in which I saw Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit.  For those of you unfamiliar, Jason played in that band I may have talked about once or twice- Drive- By Truckers.  He was with them at a critical point in their careers and it has been argued by many that he was the best lyricist they had.  Now, I am not particularly in that camp, but I do think he is one hell of a guitarist and his lyrics (and voice) are pretty incredible.  

With that said, I had heard from my Dad that Jason Isbell was just amazing in concert.  My Dad and I have been liking the same music for quite a while now, and share the common thread of being absolutely hooked on DBT.  So, when I found out that Jason was coming up here for a show, I knew that I had to make it for my sake, and for the sake that my Dad might really kick my ass next time he saw me if I didn't.  So, I bought two tickets and got BnW to shimmy out of the serenity of Georgetown and into the craziness that is H Street and the Rock n Roll Hotel.  It was the right decision.

It was a Paste magazine tour which included Langhorne Slim.  Now, I was unfamiliar with Langhorne Slim, but I seemed to be mostly alone at this show.  He was really good as well, playing an alternative country that (and I hate to say this) the Avett Brothers should have become.  So, if you like alternative country, I would be more than sure that you would like this Langhorne Slim fella. 

Now, it was time for Jason Isbell.  To my heart's absolute joy, they started with "Decoration Day," which is one of my favorite songs of his when he was with DBT.  Jason was a great front man in a completely different way than say Craig Finn or Patterson Hood are.  He just demands your attention.  He has no real antics, but there is something about his demeanor that tells you he's there for business, so listen up.  And he had the crowd's attention, that's for sure.  By the time he reached a really great electric version of the beautiful "In a Razor Town," the crowd was completely amped.  Need I mention that he turned "Never Gonna Change" in "Stone Free" half way through?!  Or that he played "The Blue" or "Goddamn Lonely Love" or "Sittin on the Dock of the Bay"???

I tell you, and I mean this, Jason Isbell is an incredible musician.  By all means, he is as gifted as any guitarist out there, and a great lyricist as well.  And then, he sings with a soulful honesty that only a boy from Muscle Shoals area can really grasp.  I was excited enough about this show just to see that missing link from DBT.  But, his music alone can stand on it's own.  DBT was a great starting point for Jason, but you can really hear the difference in the music he makes without them.  Not that one is better than the other, it was just the right move for them to part ways.

To make matters that much better, I got to meet Jason after the show, and jesus, what a guy.  What a humble and completely appreciative musician.  I told him that I was from Pulaski, TN (which is only about an hour North of Muscle Shoals) and we had a great time talking about that.  It was interesting to get to talk with him and I cannot wait until the next time he even comes close to D.C.  I will be there, and you would be a damn fool not to go see him.  This tour is not to be missed!

                                 *Please note that's Jason's keyboardist, not just some creepy Asian dude.

"Where is Woody Guthrie, Man?"

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry for a number of reasons, most of which I will never tell.  But, right now, I'm sorry that there are bands that deserve so much more than they get.  I'm sorry that there are bands (*cough* Coldplay, Nickelback, Kid Rock, etc.) that somehow make it and sell out arenas.  What makes these bands make it and others not, I don't think I will ever quite understand.

Now that I've said that, I will ask you, why the hell have you not listened to Two Cow Garage?!  I mean, this is a band that really just rocks.  There is no other way to put it.  And, I should say, some really bad ass, and friendly, guys.  Ok, so maybe Micah Schnabel and Shane Sweeney don't sing the sweetest of croons, but jesus, they sing with an urgency that demands listening from anyone who hears them.  This leads me to Monday night, the 18th. 

A friend, LH, and I made it to this show at, once again, the Black Cat.  She was pretty awesome to make it to this show with me on a last minute deal.  Anyways, they had two openers, The So So Glows (we did not bother to hear) and Dave Hause.  Dave Hause was pretty good.  A singer/songwriter type deal except he has a punk background and it definitely comes out in his folk outings. 

Then, Two Cow Garage came out and, in front of the 30-40 people that made it out on a Monday night, really put on a very awesome, very energetic show.  I mean, this is what I paid to come see, folks!  This is old school rock'n'roll mixed with just enough punk aesthetic and alternative country to make for a booze fueled rampage any day of the week.  I am a bit worried at this point that I may come off the wrong way to my readers because of comments I have made regarding the other shows that I have seen. It is true that I have used phrases such as: "bad ass," "balls to the wall," "rock n roll."  I really want to differentiate between those shows and this one.  Those shows were fun and they were rock'n'roll in their purest form.  But this show was transcendent for me.  I mean, this was a show where a band that I had known little about 2 months ago really propped themselves up in my top 5 favorite bands (For those of you interested- 1) Drive-By Truckers, 2) Neil Young, 3) Lucero, 4) Dinosaur Jr., and NOW 5) Two Cow Garage).  By the time they got to songs off their new album, e.g. "Lydia" and "Wanted to Be" you could really tell that it didn't matter how many people were there.  They sang with urgency and with a desire to have their story told.  (I want to save some for the album review which I plan on giving when I get my vinyl version of their amazing "Sweet Saint Me" album.) 

They got to the end of the show and did an incredible version of "Can't Hardly Wait" by the Replacements.  I think it's pretty obvious that the Replacements are a huge influence on every band I seem to love.  They also played "Brothers in Arms" from their upcoming album.  At this point you could really tell that this was a band that was having a great time and it didn't matter that there were only 40 people.  It was a Monday night, dammit, and they had songs/stories to tell.  LH had no real experience with Two Cow Garage, but came away with a greater appreciation for them (even though they made fun of her beloved Jacksonville, AL).
I don't know how to end this entry.  I mean, I want to write well enough to make you stop everything and go hear this band.  But, I don't think my words hold a light to theirs.  So, if you want to listen to this band (and for that matter, a whole slew of Suburban Home Records albums) go on over to Suburban Home Records' website and hear them.  Just at least give them a shot.  These guys are awesome, as musicians and as people.  I'll say, again, I'm sorry that these guys aren't as big as I'd prefer them to be.  As Micah sings on the new album, "Where is Woody Guthrie, man, when we need him most?"

"We were working part-time. All. The. Time."

Another night, another concert.  This time was a special one for me as it was my first show at The Black Cat and my cousin, AO, was able to come to the show with me since she was in town!  The show we went
to this Thursday night was a The Henry Clay People headlining show with openers The Dig.

First, I will say that The Black Cat was exactly the right spot to see The Henry Clay People (HCP from here on out).  It was small, intimate, and the sound was great for such a small place.  Attending this show with me were AO, Andrew, and Brown N Wild (BnW from here on).  BnW was a surprise to this one as he had claimed he "had no money."  However, somehow he managed to scrounge up 10 bucks and made it to a great show.

The night started with The Dig who came out playing a pretty good rock set, although they insisted on using a synthesizer which, in my humble opinion, really weakened their sound.  When they decided to put down the synthesizer for a second guitar, they really rocked the place with some no holds barred, balls to the wall rock n roll.  To me, they were much more effective as a rock n roll outfit than a synth-wielding indie band.  However, it should be duly noted that BnW thought they were better than the headliner, HCP.  Don't get me wrong, they were a good band, and in fact were good enough to get a call for an encore from the small crowd there.  For that song, they once again decided to leave the synthesizer for the axe, and it worked wonders for them.

And now for the main event!  HCP came out and immediately caught our eyes with their disheveled look and demeanor.  They ripped through their first song and then had a few technical difficulties.  During this time, the pianist began a great rendition of "Space Oddity" by David Bowie.  I should stop here to say that I have heard that seeing The Replacements in the 80s was like seeing a band constantly on the verge of falling apart, or simply one who just fell apart.  This felt like we were seeing the 2010, much friendlier version of The Replacements.  The guitarist, still somehow able to play all the right notes, was nevertheless constantly looking like he was going to kick the lead singer and knock over the high hat or keyboardist.

Regardless, they rocked.  Simply and undeniably.  They put on a straight up, no frills, bar rock show.  They can definitely hold the attention of a bigger audience, and as far as smaller bands go, I do believe that they will make some pretty decent noise at some point in the industry.  They have the potential to get really big, and they really deserve it.  They have opened up for bands such as Silversun Pickups (second time I have mentioned this band in this blog, wtf?!), Against Me!, and Drive-By Truckers.  This band can feel comfortable with those different bands, and I believe everyone can like this band if they ever gave them a chance.  So, give them a chance for christ's sake!

For the record, BnW came into the show expecting to really not like the band all that much, but just have a good time seeing live music. He was sold, I believe, after they ended with a bad ass version of that tramp song about that girl Wendy.  Andrew looked for a catch phrase after this show, but was unable to find one which he felt would fit the occasion.  AO decided that she might need to broaden her horizons when it came to music after this one.

As I said, this band was on the verge of falling apart all night, but made it so entertaining that it just felt like it was part of their schtick. They were bad ass, they were unrelenting, they were wild, they were having fun, and they were loud.  All of these things make for a great rock n roll show, and they did not disappoint on any level.  They, I hope, will be big, and I will be able to look back and be glad that i was able to see them at such a small, but great venue.

Top 10 for the Nephew

Alright, so I thought about this for a while.  Mainly, because these lists always are so trite and cliche.  But, I decided that I'd do one and if it doesn't come off too lame, maybe I'd do more.  But, one ain't so bad, right?

I recently pre-ordered the new Two Cow Garage record, "Sweet Saint Me," and have been pretty much listening non-stop to it.  Now, as with most records you pick up, I have a few songs that I like immediately more than others.  That doesn't mean the others are sub-par, trust me they are not.  Just means that a few jump out immediately.  One of the songs on the album really got me thinking about songs I wish my nephew could listen to everyday, or at least have a list of these songs and maybe one day decide to check em out on his own.  So, I thought for a few days about what songs I would want him to hear.  However, these aren't necessarily my top 10 songs ever.  These are just songs that every little boy and/or girl should listen to and maybe take a few pointers from them.  So, without further ado, here are the songs I hope he listens to and loves while he grows up (let's not get too sentimental here).

The "Listen to these Songs, Nephew" List


1.  "Jackson, Don't You Worry" by Two Cow Garage- "There's gonna come a time when your little world's coming apart, Cause this whole world is just dying to break your heart."  This song is what made me start thinking about this list.  When I heard that line, I immediately had the thought that "ya know it's true, there are a ton of things that will happen in his life, but it all turns out alright in the end."  When your young those hard times really seem worse than they really are.  So, I hope that the song and the line becomes a sort of comforting blanket for him.

2. "Mom" by Lucero- "The road might take it's own course, but at it's end, Mama we're still your boys."  I guess this one is self-explanatory.  But, just in case, remember that she's always your Mama, and she's done a lot for you.  No matter what you've done, and what you've totally messed up, she is always going to love you in the way only a Mom can.  Only Lucero could make a song so badass about Moms.  I bet Ben Nichols has a "Mom" tattoo.

3.  "Forever Young" by Bob Dylan-  "May you always do for other, and let others do for you."  This one is especially poignant and meaningful for me.  For his first gift from me, I gave him the illustrated book of this song.  So, I will simply let the song speak for itself since I'm sure everyone is very familiar with it.  And not that stupid remake that happened around the Super Bowl with Will.I.Am, ugh.

4.  "Reach for the Sky" by Social Distortion-  "Reach for the sky cause tomorrow may never come."  I would be remiss if I didn't put a song about just sometimes not thinking about the future and just going for it on the list.  And, for that song, only Social Distortion could make it not be wayyyy to sentimental.  This song opened up their comeback album in 2004 and really set the whole mood of the album which came out after a band member had died.  So, yeah.

5.  "Lawyers, Guns, and Money" by Warren Zevon-  "Send lawyers, guns, and money Dad, get me outta this."  Well, we all get one, right?  Hopefully he'll never need the 2nd one, but the other two he will have one free pass from me.

6.  "Bastards of Young" by The Replacements-  "The ones who love us least are the ones we'll die to please." There are probably better Replacements songs to have him listen to, but this one is definitely a great place to start.  And it's quite honestly one of my favorite Replacements songs, so hopefully it'll be a good starting point for him to take up a great band.  Also, everyone needs an angst ridden song every now and then.

7.  "Hey Hey, My My" by Neil Young-  "Hey hey, my my, rock and roll will never die."  This one is kind of a twofer.  Neil Young being one of my favorite artists of all time, and rock and roll being the basis for my love of music.  Also, I think I heard that Kurt Cobain was quite fond of the line, "It's better to burn out, than to fade away."  So, it gets even more cool points.  I hope he likes rock and roll and Neil Young as much as I do.  Fingers crossed.

8.  "A World of Hurt" by Drive-By Truckers-  "It ain't too late to take a deep breath and throw yourself into it with everything you got.  It's great to be alive."  Another one of those songs that really goes deep into the realm of "things get messed up but they always get better."  This song probably does the best at making me feel better about everything, no matter how crazy things get.  And to see it done live was one of the best experiences of my life.  Not to mention, this is my favorite band.

9.  "Atlantic City" by Bruce Springsteen- "Down here it's just winners and losers, and don't get caught on the wrong side of that line."  This song kinda takes on a different point of view of that messed up message.  I mean, all of Bruce's songs are about messed up situations and people, but this one really stands out for me.  The guy in the song is resilient, although you're left wondering what favors he might be doing for whatever questionable guy he met.  It was a close call between this and "Born to Run."

10.  "Outfit" by Drive-By Truckers-  "Don't act like your family's a joke."  What can I say about this song that they don't say so perfectly in the song.  But, if I could sum up everything I would want him to know/do, then man, it would have to be this song.  Just listen.  And then listen again.

Honorable Mention


*  "Stay Positive" by The Hold Steady!-  "We gotta stay positive."
*  "Hard Times" by Ryan Bingham-  "There's nothin' wrong with your last name, so don't be lookin' for people to blame."

We Had Some Massive Nights

Ok, let's start this off by saying that last week I had a miserable sore throat!  I went to the Dr on Saturday to get this checked out and was informed that the silly piece of paper the insurance company assured me would suffice, indeed would NOT suffice.  Therefore, I was forced to pay 200+ out of pocket to find out that I had throat ulcers- your guess is as good as mine...  So, I stay in bed all weekend and wake up Monday morning feeling like I did on Christmas morning (I already saw what I'm getting, but I'm still so excited!!!!).  What could make a miserable week/weekend followed by a dreaded Monday so appealing you ask??  The Hold Steady! of course!!

My good friend Andrew had gotten us tickets, wisely it turned out, ahead of time to this sold out show at the 9:30 Club.  First, if you have never heard of The Hold Steady!, you should stop what you are doing and go listen to "Your Little Hoodrat Friend" right now to get properly acquainted with our unlikely rock'n'roll hero Craig Finn.

Ok, now that that's outta the way, let's get back on track- The Hold Steady! at 9:30 Club...

The evening started with the band Wintersleep who played spacey indie rock (think Silversun Pickups, except the singer's testicles have actually dropped).  They put on a great, rocking opening act which got the crowd even more revved up for the main event.  Andrew and I were able to sneak to the front during Wintersleep as the crowd hadn't even gotten to 1/2 of what it would be by the end of the night.  After a final, long, extremely well played song by Wintersleep which got a massive roar from the enthusiastic crowd, the masses came from the shadows and into the front of the stage.

Now the evening was getting great.  The crowd was absolutely amazing and energetic with not many of those douchebag dudes in painters' hats.  Then, George Cos... No, Craig Finn comes out on stage and immediately gets the crowd in the right mindset with an amazing rendition of "Hornets! Hornets!"

If you haven't been to a Hold Steady show, or have heard nothing about them, then you probably don't know that Craig Finn wants 100% crowd participation, and he constantly was goading the crowd to be louder, to clap louder, to jump higher.  It was incredible.  What ensued for the next 2 hours was complete bliss for both Andrew and me.  And as much as we enjoyed what we were witnessing, it was hard not to believe that Craig Finn and company weren't having twice as much fun.  The set consisted of old and new songs alike, with the majority seemingly coming from "Boys and Girls in America."  I had heard in an interview that the new Hold Steady concert without their old keys player, Franz Nicolay, had turned into more of a jam band type show.  As unappealing as that MAY sound to some, the type of jamming that happened here was completely tasteful.  Not that Phish crap...   Back to the show.

As I said, Craig Finn and company were more revved than the crowd it seemed, and our unlikely rock hero was getting fired up on Diet Coke all night long.  By the time they got to the closing song of their first set, "First Night," I was in no way ready to go home and only wished that it wasn't a Monday night which would soon bring a Tuesday work morning...  Alas, they came back and ripped through an amazing encore which could barely keep the crowd under control.   They ended with "Stay Positive," which just seemed appropriate for one of the best concert experiences I have ever had.

As we were leaving, I looked over to Andrew and he simply said, "Unbelievable."  It seemed the only way to explain the experience of The Hold Steady! live in concert, and I would urge anyone and everyone who has the opportunity to go see them to simply do it.  There is no way you will be disappointed.  Especially when you see a guy who loves his job and life more than conceivable.

I once had a girlfriend tell me, after getting back together, "But, just so you know, I will never like The Hold Steady!"  Last night really put that into perspective....

First Post

Alright folks,

I have decided to start a blog site for my musical experiences, good or bad.  We'll see how long this will continue, but I hope to be somewhat entertaining.  If you think it's awesome let me know, if you think it's absolute shit, please let me know kindly.  I am going to post later about a great show a friend and I attended last night.  I have a multitude of shows at different venues coming up in the next few weeks, so please stay posted for more information on where and when.  I'd love to have y'all come to these shows with me, but if not, I'd love to simply introduce you to bands that are flying under the radar that you probably should know. 

Read it or don't, it's all the same to me!