Calexico - Calexico Sampler 2017

Band / Artist: Calexico
Year: 2017
Genre: Americana, Indie, Country

My Review:
Okay, so after years of seeing this band come up in connection with others I was listening to, like Iron & Wine or Wilco, I finally saw this sampler and decided to give them a listen. Its GOOD, but I don't think its quite my cup of tea.

That being said, I know it is quality music, and I know that it carries a lot that people would enjoy, so I wanted to share this short sampler album with you all. If you enjoy this country indie sound, then love this and give them support.

Alright, back to cleaning house in the middle of the frozen night. I've got a walls worth of drywall to remove.

Calexico - Calexico Sampler 2017

Head For the Hills - Potions & Poisons

Band / Artist: Head For the Hills
Year: 2017
Genre: Bluegrass, Country, Indie Folk

My Review:
Here is a nice, well composed album of Chill Bluegrassy music, with that country flair that always makes me think about my Grandfather, and lyrics that have a pleasant amount of wisdom and introspection. I really like that they have earthy voices, and seem to come at their music from a raw perspective.

Here is the description of the album from their website.

Potions and Poisons is the fourth album of original music from Head for the Hills, the Colorado based post-modern bluegrass outfit of Adam Kinghorn, Joe Lessard, Matt Loewen and Sam Parks. There’s no reinvention of the wheel here--no computer programmed banjo rolls or digitally arpeggiated fiddle lines. Instead we find Head for the Hills at the peak of their powers of musical alchemy, building little worlds of sound from the detritus of bluegrass, jazz, hip hop, folk and soul. Potions and Poisons is a look at the darker side of love, lust, and life; an examination of our affinity for and aversion to the things that make us fragile but human. Recorded at home in Colorado with the band’s go-to engineer, Aaron Youngberg (Cahalen and Eli, Martha Scanlan, Grant Gordy and Ross Martin), the record features appearances from Bonnie Paine (Elephant Revival) on vocals and washboard, Erin Youngberg (Uncle Earl, FY5) on vocals, and a lush string section. Potions and Poisons is the most Head for the Hills record yet, and in the great tradition of bluegrass (and soul and folk and old time music), it delivers some bitter pills, but the ten new original songs are more than a survey of the human condition. This is reflective but buoyant music, restorative and full of vibrancy.

Enjoy it
Head For the Hills - Potions & Poisons

Jon E Erkkila - Be True To Yr Crew

Band / Artist: Jon E Erkkila
Year: 2011
Genre: Country, Acoustic, Folk

My Review:
Some good acoustic folk-country tunes that are reminiscent of what the train kids play in the french quarter. This guy hails from Flemington, NJ, where apparently there is a pocket of music called the Flemington Folk Scene.

He uses an acoustic guitar and a banjo, and does a pretty solid job with each. The recording quality is really solid, and the playing is soothing and technically skilled.

I don't have much more for this one, I have a report I need to finish up writing. Hope y'all enjoy.

Jon E Erkkila - Be True To Yr Crew

The Foggy Mountain Boys (Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs - Untitled mix)

Band / Artist: Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs, The Foggy Mountain Boys
Year:1948-1970
Genre: Bluegrass, Country

My Review:
As far as old country bands go, Flatt and Scruggs were the big time thing. Lester Raymond Flatt (Born: Duncanâs Chapel, Tennessee, June 19, 1914) was a skilled guitarman, and Earl Eugene Scruggs (Born: Flint Hill, North Carolina, Jan. 6, 1924) a talented banjo man. They formed a wonderful partnership for a good deal of time (1948–1970), and then went on to run their own projects. During that time, they had 24 other people involved in their group at different times.

I can't speak from the experience of age in this, but I'd say that were they from the hipsters era, we'd call them sellouts (no disrespect). They were involved in so many hollywood projects and were huge for touring, though that was a different era for music. They have a lot of skill, and bring on a very homegrown southern feel, despite how much public broadcast work they did.

Lester Flatt died in 1979, and Earl Scruggs passed away in March of last year. This is a collection of tracks from various recordings of live shows. Hopefully you enjoy it.

Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs - Untitled mix

Austin Leonard Jones - Sundowners

Band / Artist: Austin Leonard Jones
Year: 2011
Genre: Country, Folk Rock, Indie Rock, Folk

My Review:
Some modern folk/country with a bit of a marcy playground feel, as well as a few moments of old westerns. Not that it sounds anything like any of these, but it reminded me of new Beck, and some things from the Wingdale Community Singers. Its a good, more contemporary album lyrically, and I swear I heard a ukelele in there somewhere. Give it a few samplings, and hopefully something about it will sing to you.
 
Austin Leonard Jones – Sundowners