Los Straitjackets “Fury” (1995); “Here Comes Santa Claus” (2002)
It’s hard not to love surf rock instrumentals, harder still when the band playing them exclusively performs wearing Lucha Libre Mexican pro-wrestler masks. It’s an outstanding gimmick, especially for a bunch of guys originating out of Nashville. But Los Straitjackets are a great band first, a great gimmick second.... Read More
American Aquarium “Tough Folks” (2018)
American Aquarium has been a band for 12 years. And, they're also a brand new band starting last year. Founder BJ Barham created American Aquarium in his dorm room at N.C. State back in 2006, but as of their 2018 release, their 7th studio album appropriately titled Things Change, he’s now backed by 4 entirely... Read More
Southern Culture On The Skids “Liquored Up And Lacquered Down” (2000)
Why do I love Southern Culture On The Skids? Well, first the name. Pretty descriptive. It jumped out at me in some music magazine I was reading many years ago, and I thought, yeah, that’s a band I’ve got to check out. That led me to the music, which was way better than I could...... Read More
The Gourds “Gin And Juice” (2001)
I’m not into much Hip Hop. But I can appreciate a good song when it’s done right. The Gourds, a handsome alt-country / progressive bluegrass band out of Austin, take care of that for us here. And if you watch the second short clip, you’ll see the song’s originator can dig it this way too....... Read More
Mike Farris “Mercy Now” (2014)
All I could think to say after first hearing this song was, “What a goddamn voice.” The production is fantastic – the strings, the horns, the organ, the backing singers – but goddamn, that voice is incredible. It belongs to Mike Farris, a guy who had a somewhat notable run in the ‘90’s as the...... Read More
The Blasters “American Music” (1981)
I’ve told this story a hundred times and to be honest I’m not positive it really happened. But I think it did. I’m pretty sure. Yeah, yeah, it did, I’m saying it did. When I tell it, I always say it was about the most rock-and-roll thing I’ve ever seen someone do on stage at...... Read More
The Hellecasters “Mad Cows At Ease” (1997)
Time for another instrumental. The Hellecasters are a trio of fine Fender Telecaster pickers. If you ever thought about playing the guitar this will either convince you to immediately get started, or more likely not to bother.... Read More
Lucinda Williams “Buttercup” (2011)
Some rock singer’s voices are almost so bizarre you wonder how they even had the audacity to step up to a microphone and try in the first place. I mean, what on earth gave Tom Waits the idea that his grotesque growl could possibly ever work in popular music? Or Lou Reed? Or Joe Cocker??...... Read More
Band of Heathens “Trouble Came Early” (2016)
When a group literally brands themselves a band of heathens they better have something besides mere paganism to back it up. A song with an opening chord that sounds plucked right from ‘Street Fighting Man’ is a good place to start. The Band of Heathens are another in a seemingly endless line of quality Americana/roots-rock...... Read More
Bottle Rockets “Happy Anniversary” (2006)
What is a bar band? It’s undeniably hard to describe, even harder to define. But as Justice Potter Stewart famously declared in 1964 speaking then about pornography, I know it when I see it. Or in this case, hear it. The Bottle Rockets are... Read More