Pickathon 2018

[Ojai Sam]

Phil Cook - People Are My Drug (2018)

This is the second solo release for Phil, who also serves as an active member of Hiss Golden Messenger. Pickathon sez:

Cook has performed with childhood heroes including Mavis Staples, Bruce Hornsby, John Prine, Amy Ray and The Blind Boys of Alabama. Cook notes, “I see life on a timeline that includes multi-generations. As someone who has sought mentors my whole life, I am honoring the people who shaped who I am, not only musically, but spiritually, emotionally and personally.” He brings that forward in every note on People Are My Drug.

Cook has firmly planted his roots in his adopted hometown of Durham, NC for the last decade, while simultaneously maintaining a musical presence in the upper-Midwest where he was raised. Cook and his band recorded and mixed in both Wisconsin and North Carolina, finishing the record in ten days. The result is a spiritual tour de force, delivered from the gut with open arms.

Phil's band, the Guitarheels, suits his fluidly rocking Dead-like blues groove perfectly.

on the Sam-O-Meter.

 

[axolotl]

^ He sings with a real rootsy, bluesy, back country vocal vibe.

Phil's voice reminds me of a blend between Leon Russell and Peter Case. Much better vocals than Jerry Garcia. I think even better than Phil Lesh, but what do I know?

 

[Ojai Sam]

Zephaniah OHora - This Highway (2017)

On Friday, August 3, the Galaxy Barn will present nine acts from noon to 2 a.m. The day will open with some traditional country music, Brooklyn style.

Pickathon sez:

Zephaniah OHora is a New York City-based singer-songwriter and a pillar of the burgeoning NYC Country-Western music community. It’s to no surprise Zephaniah has spent years performing classic country with some of the best musicians in New York. From his Western Swing and Ray Price tributes with Honeyfingers, to his Red Simpson era truck driving country collaboration with Jim Campilongo. Right up to the present day where he holds a weekly residency with his group The Last Roundup Boys, performing three hours of Merle Haggard.

OHora turns in a fine album here, although perhaps it relies a bit too heavily on Hag's 1967-1969 period both stylistically and thematically. His voice makes up in subtle emotion what it lacks in raw honky tonk fervor. I'm expecting big things from Zeph.

on the Sam-O-Meter.

 

[Ojai Sam]

Marisa Anderson - Traditional and Public Domain Songs (2013)

Pickathon sez:

Marisa Anderson channels the history of the guitar and stretches the boundaries of tradition. Her deeply original work applies elements of minimalism, electronic music, drone and 20th century classical music to compositions based on blues, jazz and gospel and country music, re-imagining the landscape of American music. Onstage, she is a master storyteller, bringing warmth, wit and insight to her virtuosic compositions and arrangements.

Originally from Northern California, Anderson dropped out of college at age nineteen to walk across the US and eventually landed in Portland, Oregon, where she currently lives. Classically trained, she honed her skills playing in country, jazz and circus bands. She is in demand as a collaborator and composer, contributing to recent recordings by Beth Ditto, Sharon Van Etten and Circuit Des Yeux among others, as well as creating music for short films and soundtracks.

For this album, out-of-print but recently reissued on vinyl, Marisa performed 14 largely familiar songs. She told NPR:

"Traditional And Public Domain Songs is an exploration of the relationship between evangelical Christianity and state-sanctioned violence. I spent a year as artist in residence at KBOO community radio in Portland, researching church songs, patriotic songs, murder ballads and old folk songs. Because the record is an instrumental guitar record, I chose melodies that, to me, stand on their own, transcending their lyrics. I love these songs, but I find myself unable to present them without context."

This inversion of Mickey Newbury's "American Trilogy" succeeds completely, thanks to Anderson's ability to convey passion through both silence and sound.

on the Sam-O-Meter.

 

[axolotl]

^ I dig this one (like) the mostest.

To me, this recounts instrumental works of John Fahey, Leo Kottke, and Peter Lang, as well as Brooks Williams, Bruce Cockburn, and Phil Keaggy.

I would suggest it to anyone who likes instrumental guitar music overall, and to anyone who appreciates "elements of minimalism, electronic music, drone and 20th century classical music [italics mine]" within the context of "compositions based on blues, jazz and gospel and country music."

I would particularly recommend this to Rick B. [ @Unsomnambulist ].

 

[Ojai Sam]

Caleb Klauder & Reeb Willms - Oh Do You Remember (2012)

Caleb and Reeb form half of the Foghorn String Band, Portland, Oregon's finest old time music makers. For this side project, they bring back the duet sound of the early Louvin Brothers, The Blue Sky Boys, The Monroe Brothers and especially, Lulu Belle and Scotty Wiseman. Their raw vocal harmonies are accompanied by sparse mandolin and acoustic guitar. The repertoire runs to traditional songs like "Can I Sleep In Your Barn Tonight Mister", Carter Family favorites like "Sinking In The Lonesome Sea" all the way up to the Louvins' "Are You Teasing Me".

on the Sam-O-Meter. The 30's live again.

 

[Ojai Sam]

The Dead Tongues - Unsung Passage (2018)

Remember Phil Cook of Hiss Golden Messenger a few posts ago? The Dead Tongues is a side project of Ryan Gustafson, another member of the same group. Folk Alley sez:

When most people think of the banjo, they think of bluegrass banjo, with rolls and runs that don't always make the most soothing sound. But the banjo has so much more to offer than that, including deep, dark tones that evoke other worlds, geographically and metaphorically. That's the kind of banjo artists like Valerie June, Rhiannon Giddens, Birds of Chicago, and others employ. It's also the kind that Ryan Gustafson -- under his Dead Tongues moniker -- sprinkles strategically throughout Unsung Passage, sidling it up right next to harmonica, guitar, bass, drums, and... wait for it... flute... you know, like all the best Americana artists do.

That's right: It's Molly Sarlé's ethereal flute that makes the most -- and most unexpected -- appearances on the album, starting with the folk-flourished opening track, “Won't Be Long,” which sets Gustafson's sound somewhere between Bob Dylan and Rayland Baxter. That cut is a perfect representation of how Gustafson's music manages to feel timeless, authentic, and organic, but not stale or overly derivative. There's an easy lonesome in his voice and an easy lilt in his melodies. Those are huge parts of the familiarity and allure, for sure. But there's something else going on here that makes the album immediately appealing.

If anything is a theme of Unsung Passage, it's movement... in time and space, in life and love. Each entry serves as a musical snapshot of an ever-changing emotional and/or physical landscape. Gustafson, it must be noted, is a touring musician who travels the world with various artists and on myriad adventures. He's the kind of guy who heads off to anywhere with a sturdy backpack and a sense of wonder, returning only after he's worn both all the way out. Along the way, or after, he lays his observations and evolutions over melodies and rhythms -- the songwriter's scrapbook.

And therein lies the magic: Gustafson is the musical nomad we all want to know or be, wandering and wondering his way through the world. Generously -- or selfishly, depending how you look at it -- he's telling our stories as much as he is his own. Look no further than “The Broken Side of People Everywhere,” if you doubt that truth.

This is a superb album, old time folk music for the 21st century.

on the Sam-O-Meter. A definite "Album Of The Year" candidate.

 

[Ojai Sam]

Low Cut Connie - Dirty Pictures, Part 2 (2018)

Pickathon sez:

Low Cut Connie was recently called “the essence of what rock n roll should be” by Greg Kot (Sound Opinions / NPR)..and the New York Times has said “their live show is a phenomenon.” They have been a rolling DIY caravan with an explosive live act bubbling under the surface of the music industry for 5 years, building an obsessive fanbase from all walks of life…white and black, straight and gay, young and old…salty lunatics of every persuasion. Even former President Barack Obama is a fan. He chose their anthem of low-brow American life “Boozophilia” for his Spotify Playlist and met with Weiner at the White House in 2016.

on the Sam-O-Meter. Good time rock & roll about people having bad times. Gotta check out part 1 (Good time rock & roll about people having good times).

 

[Unsomnambulist]

Never heard of this group, thanks for posting Sam.

 

[Ojai Sam]

Revel In Dimes - Revel In Dimes (2016)

From the band website:

If the delta blues gave birth to yet another slew of gold records why wasn’t anyone dancing?

After each gig as hired guns in too many New York City bands, this is the question that Eric Simons (guitar) and Washington “Washy” Duke (drums) found themselves asking. Their answer involved meditating over juke rhythms from Junior Kimbrough and R.L. Burnside and covering their tracks with electrified Charlie Patton riffs.

When Kia Warren saw them play for the first time – two guys covering T. Model Ford at full volume on a Sunday at the Surf Lodge in Montauk – their live set stopped her in her tracks. Amid the grooves, there was grittiness to their music that her roots in Gospel and R&B hadn’t yet given her the opportunity to explore. She convinced them on the spot to let her join on vocals for a few tracks, and Revel In Dimes was born.

Multi-instrumentalist Chris “Premo” Waller (bass) joined shortly after picking up an unsolicited “seeking bass player” call. A veteran of New York City’s vast underground music circuit, Waller’s experience playing everything from hardcore punk, to soul, to psychedelic rock enabled him to bring a groove to even the most frenetic jams.
Together, Revel In Dimes is a band that knows where it came from, but refuses to follow the same routes as its contemporaries to get where it’s going. And like the best blues, their music can’t be explained so much as it must be felt.

on the Sam-O-Meter. Junior Kimbrough meets Jefferson Airplane.

 

[Ojai Sam]

Colter Wall - Colter Wall (2017)

Pickathon sez:

Colter Wall is a prairie-born songwriter from Saskatchewan, Canada. Wall’s inaugural EP, Imaginary Appalachia, continues to keep him a non-stop, buzzed-about young artist and has evoked visceral reactions from industry veterans, his musical heroes and peers, as well as a loyal and quickly-growing grassroots fan base. His signature baritone vocal is paired with sparse, beautiful old-soul songwriting inspired by artists like Townes Van Zandt, Blaze Foley, Emmylou Harris & Waylon Jennings.

I would add Johnny Cash and Country Dick Montana as other influences but Colter is definitely his own man. His songs may be filled with images of death, addiction and wandering, yet they are saved from utter blackness by his unshakable romantic streak.

on the Sam-O-Meter.

 

[Ojai Sam]

Bee Bee Sea -Sonic Boomerang (2017)

NPR sez:

On the title track from Bee Bee Sea's new album, you get 10 seconds before the drums kick into a motorik rhythm — a psychedelic speedway rammed through by the frenetic spit of punk. Bee Bee Sea makes a kind of revved-up garage-punk leaked from the mutant brains of Thee Oh Sees and Black Lips — bands with which the Northern Italian trio has toured — with a little bit of The Cramps' psycho-surf and Can's hypno-funk. For the next five minutes, don't take your hands off the wheel — you might fall into a pit of stabbing guitars or heavy tides of rolling bass.

 

[Ojai Sam]

The War And Treaty - Down To The River (2017)

Paste Magazine sez:

Michael Trotter, Jr. And Tanya Blount, the duo known as The War and Treaty, live in Michigan, but their powerful duo vocalizing sounds like it stretches across the entire United States. In songs about personal turmoil and the dread at the end of time, every kind of fear and joy is addressed through gut-stirring and feet-moving anthems like “Hit Dawg Will Holla,” “Set My Soul On Fire,” and the title track. Yet the two can sensually help heal the wounds from those confessional blasts with a sweet ballad like “Till The Mornin’” — they truly live up to the dynamic tension of their moniker.

Trotter, Jr. was a soldier who found a black upright piano in the scorched-out bunker of Hussein while stationed in Iraq; a burden was placed in his heart to create music like this, confronting every evil and rhapsodizing about long-held-off freedoms in this world. His powerful voice got into the media through broadcast talent shows in service to the military; it almost redeemed the loneliness and suffering of being stationed away from all he loved.
Then he met Tanya Blount, a woman he fell crazily in absolute adoration with, and her voice which could bring Sister Rosetta Tharpe back to bang out a rockin’ gospel stormer. Now married, their Johhny Cash and June Carter Cash romantic entwining of vocals, matched with the musicians who helped them create Down By The River, makes the album sound like prime material to bring the Apollo down in its prime.

I think @JazzyRandy , @lpfreak1170, @Zeeba Neighba and @Old Uncle Toe will love this scorcher. They bring as much heat as Ike and Tina in their prime, with the added bonus that they actually love each other. Soul hasn't rocked this hard since Otis was covering the Stones.

on the Sam-O-Meter.

 

[lpfreak1170]

The War And Treaty - Down To The River (2017)

Paste Magazine sez:

Michael Trotter, Jr. And Tanya Blount, the duo known as The War and Treaty, live in Michigan, but their powerful duo vocalizing sounds like it stretches across the entire United States. In songs about personal turmoil and the dread at the end of time, every kind of fear and joy is addressed through gut-stirring and feet-moving anthems like “Hit Dawg Will Holla,” “Set My Soul On Fire,” and the title track. Yet the two can sensually help heal the wounds from those confessional blasts with a sweet ballad like “Till The Mornin’” — they truly live up to the dynamic tension of their moniker.

Trotter, Jr. was a soldier who found a black upright piano in the scorched-out bunker of Hussein while stationed in Iraq; a burden was placed in his heart to create music like this, confronting every evil and rhapsodizing about long-held-off freedoms in this world. His powerful voice got into the media through broadcast talent shows in service to the military; it almost redeemed the loneliness and suffering of being stationed away from all he loved.
Then he met Tanya Blount, a woman he fell crazily in absolute adoration with, and her voice which could bring Sister Rosetta Tharpe back to bang out a rockin’ gospel stormer. Now married, their Johhny Cash and June Carter Cash romantic entwining of vocals, matched with the musicians who helped them create Down By The River, makes the album sound like prime material to bring the Apollo down in its prime.

I think @JazzyRandy , @lpfreak1170, @Zeeba Neighba and @Old Uncle Toe will love this scorcher. They bring as much heat as Ike and Tina in their prime, with the added bonus that they actually love each other. Soul hasn't rocked this hard since Otis was covering the Stones.

on the Sam-O-Meter.

Noted and saved!

 

[Old Uncle Toe]

The War And Treaty - Down To The River (2017)

Paste Magazine sez:

Michael Trotter, Jr. And Tanya Blount, the duo known as The War and Treaty, live in Michigan, but their powerful duo vocalizing sounds like it stretches across the entire United States. In songs about personal turmoil and the dread at the end of time, every kind of fear and joy is addressed through gut-stirring and feet-moving anthems like “Hit Dawg Will Holla,” “Set My Soul On Fire,” and the title track. Yet the two can sensually help heal the wounds from those confessional blasts with a sweet ballad like “Till The Mornin’” — they truly live up to the dynamic tension of their moniker.

Trotter, Jr. was a soldier who found a black upright piano in the scorched-out bunker of Hussein while stationed in Iraq; a burden was placed in his heart to create music like this, confronting every evil and rhapsodizing about long-held-off freedoms in this world. His powerful voice got into the media through broadcast talent shows in service to the military; it almost redeemed the loneliness and suffering of being stationed away from all he loved.
Then he met Tanya Blount, a woman he fell crazily in absolute adoration with, and her voice which could bring Sister Rosetta Tharpe back to bang out a rockin’ gospel stormer. Now married, their Johhny Cash and June Carter Cash romantic entwining of vocals, matched with the musicians who helped them create Down By The River, makes the album sound like prime material to bring the Apollo down in its prime.

I think @JazzyRandy , @lpfreak1170, @Zeeba Neighba and @Old Uncle Toe will love this scorcher. They bring as much heat as Ike and Tina in their prime, with the added bonus that they actually love each other. Soul hasn't rocked this hard since Otis was covering the Stones.

on the Sam-O-Meter.

It's after midnight and I have to get up early tomorrow so I can't listen to it right now. But I spun a couple of previews and it sounds very cool. I'm looking forward to hearing the whole album. Thanks Sam!

 

[Ojai Sam]

Dopey's Robe - Fasting For The Ceiling (2018)

Here is all I can find on this band:

"Plucked from an orchard in Vancouver BC, a toothless puppeteer takes a bite of a poison apple placed on a platter for everyone with a taste that must not be wasted."

 

[Ojai Sam]

Shovels & Rope - Little Seeds (2016)

Rolling Stone listed this one among the "40 Best Country Albums of 2016", saying:

Shovels & Rope's Michael Trent and Cary Ann Hearst continue their exploration of Americana's more experimental corners on Little Seeds, blending folk song traditions with fuzzed-out guitar noise and their inimitable vocal harmonies. Death is also in the neighborhood: On the droning, spoken word piece "BWYR," they address racially motivated violence, then turn deeply personal with the plaintive "Mourning Song" and frenzied "Invisible Man” – both inspired by Trent's father's battle with Alzheimer's. Hearst and Trent still find joy in unexpected places, whether it's a rainy New Orleans wedding in "St. Anne's Parade," or the unsung talents of the Band's Garth Hudson in "The Last Hawk." Album closer "This Ride" ties it all together, cursing the inevitable tragedies and straining to find the beauty that makes it all worthwhile.

NPR loved it too. Sorry, but I'm not impressed. The singing is mediocre, but not bad enough to seem authentic. The songwriting is trite and repetitive.

on the Sam-O-Meter. "Country"? Really?

 

[Ojai Sam]

Hailu Mergia - Lala Melu (2018)

Pickathon sez:

Hailu Mergia was the leader of one of the biggest jazz funk bands in Ethiopia in the 1970s. His band, The Walias Band, reached the pinnacle of success in Ethiopia, eventually being invited to play for the president. Their sound, a mixture of traditional Ethiopian melodies and American-inspired jazz and funk, struck a chord with Ethiopians across the spectrum.

Having achieved celebrity status in his home country, Hailu wanted his band to grow. He arranged a U.S. tour for the Walias band, hoping to find international success. The tour did not match his vision of quick American success, and, met mostly with indifference in the States, the band fizzled.

Hailu decided to stay in Washington DC, where the band had originally landed upon their arrival–and there he has remained. More recently, Hailu Mergia has been driving a taxi, shuttling visitors from the airport to their hotels and houses. What most of his passengers don’t know is that the friendly Ethiopian chatting with them about the weather or the Washington Monument has a full-sized electronic keyboard stashed away in his trunk, and when he’s waiting for customers, he sits in the back seat and practices. He has practiced every day since he came to the United States, not necessarily out of a nostalgia for lost glory, but because his love for music is at the level of a vital need: he cannot go a day without playing.

Given this inspiring backstory, I really wanted to like this one but it's pretty tepid jazz funk. Perhaps it would have more impact if he had opted not to downplay the native Ethiopian textures in favor of 70's synth pop.

 

[Ojai Sam]

Valley Queen - Supergiant (2018)

The Revue sez:

Supergiant is a contemporary rock classic. Of the record’s ten songs, half are perfection. Opener “Silver Tongue” is the appetizer. It echoes of the Deep South in the early ’90s with its heavy rhythms and distorted guitars. While her band mates hammer on their instruments, front woman Natalie Carol soothingly recounts one individual’s struggles to escape the madness, sadness, and expectations that have overwhelmed her. What follows are a trio of songs that form one of the best one-two-three punches of all-time.

“Supergiant” exemplifies what indie-rock should be. It is anthemic yet gritty, rocking yet euphoric. Gerry Doot’s drumming leads the way with his chest-pounding approach while Shawn Morones’ sizzling guitar is reminiscent of one J. Mascis. Carol’s siren-like vocals, though, take the track to another place. They rattle bones and penetrate deep into one’s core, hollering to us that before our time is up we all can be “supergiants on Earth”.

Well, I’m not quite as enthusiastic but this is a pretty good record from a group that bears watching.

on the Sam-O-Meter.

 

[Ojai Sam]

Phosphorescent - Muchacho (2013)

Phosphorescent is one of the key artists at Pickathon this year, getting pride of place as Friday’s closing act on the Mt. Hood Stage. Pickathon sez:

Phosphorescent is the moniker of Matthew Houck, Alabama native, now Nashville resident by way of Brooklyn and Athens, GA. It’s this vast coverage of the American landscape that’s molded and shaped him and his six piece band into the touring and recording force that has now spanned thirteen years, six albums, and enough blood, sweat and tears to fill many a bucket.

The critically acclaimed and stunning breakthrough album Muchacho (Dead Oceans), was released in 2013 to an overwhelming response, and opened up Phosphorescent’s audience to a much wider scale, thanks in large part to the haunting first single, “Song For Zula”, which was named “Song of the Year” by his then hometown NYC radio station WFUV-FM, and named #2 track of the year by Paste Magazine, and eventually used in The Amazing Spiderman 2 the following year. The national praise for Muchacho included “Album of the Year” by both Paste and CMJ, and Top 5 Best of the Year by Rough Trade.

on the Sam-O-Meter. The direction I thought Wilco was going to take.