I Like It

The SteelDrivers

I am starting to get a little amped up for Grey Fox in July and was listening to the new SteelDrivers CD Reckless.  I was a little concerned that there would be a let down in the future without the vocals of the amazing Chris Stapleton.  Those fears were unfounded if Gary Nichols continues to sound like he does in this video.  Good stuff indeed.

The Black Lillies - 100 Miles of Wreckage

Cruz Contreras (formerly of Robinella and the CCstringband) formed the Black Lillies along with Tom Pryor (pedal steel), Jamie Cook (drums), Robert Richards (bass) and Trisha Gene Brady (vocals) back in 2008 and they released their debut album, Whiskey Angel, in 2009.  In April they released their sophomore effort 100 Miles of Wreckage.  The new album is everything that their fine debut was and more.  There is no doubt that this one gets the Oldrockr1 Seal of Approval for 2011 and I expect it to be on my best of at the end of the year.

Americana is a big tent for music in 2011 and the Black Lillies most definitely belong there.  Touches of country and bluegrass abound.  There is also some very fine pedal steel playing courtesy of Mr. Pryor.  I love the mournful sound it gives The Arrow.  There is a bit of a melancholy feeling to the record which was recorded by Sparklehorse drummer Scott Minor that may be the result of the suicide of Sparklehorse founder Mark Linkous during the recording.  The record is not, I repeat not, a downer; rather there is a sense of loss that pervades the album.

Styles merge and flow throughout the disc.  One surprise for me was the track Tall Trees which  starts out as a lovely acoustic track and it turns slowly into a country jam track with some good old fashioned gospel along the way.  That's at least how I would describe it.  Doesn't much matter what it is, what matters is how good it sounds.

2011 is shaping up to be another excellent year for music from off the beaten path.  The Black Lillies have released a standout for this or any other year.

Greg Smith and the Broken English - The Losing Hand

There has been a pretty good pile of releases in my ReviewShine inbox lately.  Greg Smith and the Broken English's newest e.p. "The Losing Hand" is a really good example of what is so great about music today.  So many artists now have the ability to get their music out with being beholden to a major.  Leave the pop music to the masses.  This is intelligent music that is both well written and performed.  Intelligent music for intelligent people.

Greg Smith is a singer-songwriter currently based in Brooklyn who writes songs of struggle and pain that could hardly be described as upbeat, but The Broken English move many of these songs along with strong playing that at times departs from the typical folk singer approach.

The title track is a stand out as is Spare Me Eliza.  Good stuff here.

The Belle Brigade

There seems to be a resurgence of the California sound of the 70's of late.  The Decemberists have channeled the Laurel Canyon sound on their latest and now The Belle Brigade have released this self-titled album.  This one is a little less Neil Young (circa Harvest) and a whole lot more Fleetwood Mac.

The Belle Brigade is a brother-sister duo and they have that whole late-70's vibe going strong.  Loads of crisp harmonies and some stellar production make this an enjoyable listen.  While Fleetwood Mac immediately springs to mind sound wise, the lyrics themselves lack the emotional weight of anything off of Rumours.  Even so I have to say I like this quite a bit.  "Where Not To Look for Freedom" in particular impresses me as does "Losers".

All told a solid release that has that wonderful, breezy sound that you don't get to hear too often anymore.

Losers


Where Not To Look For Freedom