Classic Rock Bottom

by "this ain't country" RJ

It's pretty bad when you have to explain yourself before you even get started, but here goes.  I love classic rock and plain old rock music.  But I also like classic country music.  What I've really been into lately lies somewhere in between.  It's not rocked up at all, but you absolutely will not hear it on today's country music radio stations.  I prefer to think of it as singer songwriter.  You remember those folks, don't you?  Folks like Bob Dylan, Jackson Browne, James Taylor, Jim Croce, Harry Chapin, Tom Waites and Harry Nilsson.  That just names a few. Remember, they wrote and sang their own songs.  And the vast majority of those songs were not at all rocked up.  

Today it's known more so as Americana.  And remember, Americana artists, unlike today's country music, have no problem dropping the occasional F-bomb.  So wear headphones for your protection.  Anyway, I'm gonna go off the beaten path here and offer you up something different to listen to.  You may not like it, and that is definitely up to you, but if you love a good story then you do yourself a disservice by not at least giving this a chance.  Either way, here goes nothing.

James McMurtry is from Fort Worth, Texas.  According to Wikipedia, he is an American rock and folk-rock/americana singer, songwriter, guitarist, bandleader and occasional actor (Daisy Miller, Lonesome Dove). He performs with veteran bandmates Daren Hess, Cornbread, and Tim Holt.  And his father is Novelist Larry McMurtry (Terms Of Endearment and Lonesome Dove).  Let's face it, his songs are about American life and it's characters.  The characters aren't always on hundred per cent honest, but the songs are.  I'm really loving his stories here.  There are a couple of guest performances on the album.  Benmont Tench (Tom Petty & The Hearbreakers) appears on  How'm I Gonna Find You Now and Carlisle's Haul and Derek Trucks plays Slide Guitar on Forgotten Coast (not featured here, though it is a good song).  

1. Copper Canteen

2. How'm I Gonna Find You Now

3. Carlisle's Haul

4. South Dakota

5. Long Island Sound

John Moreland is an American singer-songwriter from Tulsa, Oklahoma.  He actually started off in punk and hardcore bands.  But his father's love for Steve Earle eventually steered him to the Americana genre.  Moreland pretty much handles all the duties on his albums.  He mixed and produced this album.  He recorded it in his parents home in Bixby, Oklahoma.  And from what I read, he even makes and packages and distributes his own music.  The inside of the cd digipak says "This is a record about home.  Whatever that is".  This man's voice exudes the pain that his lyrics convey.  All I can say is listen to the lyrics.  They are fantastic.

6. Hang Me In The Tulsa County Stars

7. Cleveland County Blues

8. Cherokee

9. Losing Sleep Tonight

10. American Flags In Black & White

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James McMurtry--Thumbs in the middle

This was headed towards thumbs down territory because it all started to sound the same during the second song. It started off ok, but then it became background music. But then it wasn't background music no mo' when the last song was playing and I had to bump up the rating because he mentioned the Mets. Otherwise, this is definitely not a buy for mw.

John Moreland--Thumbs in the middle

I would say "see above" but he didn't mention the Mets. Both these half albums sound the same, and they both turned into background music, both times I listened. They're not horrible songs by any means but, even though I tried, I just could not remain focused on either of this picks this week.

Well, at least you didn't hate 'em.  I think you are a little more willing to listen and even possibly like this stuff, more so than the other regular listeners.  Which is good because my next post may be two more, at least one for sure.  Then maybe I'll get back to straight up rock.

JAMES HEAVENS TO McMERGATROIDS ... Two Thumbs Down and who are the Mets?

OK, I'll bite, this isn't Country, but rather, its Americana.  First track seems fine but its the same acoustic rhythm all the way through, not much in the way of chorus or catchy lyric.  Second song at least fixes the lyrical catchiness issue, but not the chorus.    Third track finds me drifting off...  Did he just sing "Ducky Man"?  Freakin' Crabbers who cuss really piss me off also! OK no they don't, its just 7 minutes long for unknown reasons.  I just got nothin' for this 4 minutes too long tune.  Forget Crabber who cuss, this guy mouth needs washed out with soap!  Soap Poisoning is in his future!  South Dakota and the Long Island Sound sound like thew same looooooonnnnnnnnggggggg song.  Not for me...

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