Americana

The King Has Gone Home (Brent Cobb, Providence Canyon review)

Posted on by Tim Kuefler

A distinct sound. A fun time. Something for everyone. That’s what this album offers.

 

Brent Cobb – Providence Canyon

released May 11, 2018
******** 8/10

Brent Cobb is an American singer, songwriter and musician who plays country music tinged with Americana, southern rock and outlaw leanings. To-date, he has released three studio albums – No Place Left to Leave (2006) Shine on Rainy Day (2016) and Providence Canyon (2018). Now if you are wondering why the gap between his first album, and his second album, it’s because No Place Left to Leave was recorded on the Beverly Martel label with his established producer cousin Dave Cobb.

During this space of time, Cobb moved to Nashville in 2008, landed a songwriting contract with Carnival Music Publishing, and began writing for prominent artists. Namely, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Kenny Chesney and a whole host of others. When he released an EP in 2012, he was able to leverage it into performances opening for Blake Shelton, Sara Evans, and other well-known artists. And then Cobb landed a spot on Dave Cobb’s compilation record Southern Family. When he finally got onto major label Low Country Sound, he was able to release a major studio record, earning himself a Grammy Nomination and deserved attention.

How’s that for exposition?

Now let’s consider his third record, Providence Canyon.

This album continues the trend of overt Americana notes, and has a distinct conversational tone, often focusing on where he’s been, where he’s going and what he loves about his hometown. Filled to the brim with details about old rifles, fallen friends, and monetizing the freedom of the road, Cobb is just as comfortable crooning about red clay walls (Providence Canyon) as he is reflecting on his time with Willie Nelson (Come Home Soon), and there is a spirituality contained in each track to boot.

Of course there are songs like Mornin’s Gonna Come and Sucker For A Good Time that focus primarily on sleeping around and the consequences of it, like say the reality of running into the girls boyfriend the morning after. Another common theme to be sure, but his presentation has a great indie country flavour, and fits in perfectly with the overall tone of the album.

Another great track is his ode to Wayne Mills, and the first single of the album. King of Alabama is a particularly eclectic tribute to his late comrade and yet another reminder of where Cobb comes from. Which as mentioned features strongly throughout the whole record, but I think it’s less of a thematic tool and more a demonstration of his character and what he cares about.

When we get into the final song, Ain’t A Road Too Long, it’s been quite a journey. But Cobb doesn’t pull his punches here either. This is probably one of my favourite songs as it is an especially haunting exploration about what happens when you life a life on the road. The natural ups and downs, but more importantly, the way an escape form becomes a job.

These are gritty stories that manage to work well across Cobb’s already established choice musical styles, and there is even some funk found in the middle of the album with .30-06. Yet another great track that talks about a wife’s infidelity and a jealous threat using a classic hunting rifle as weapon of choice. That said, I’m also partial to High In The Country and Lorene as they call back to 1970s outlaw country.

Pros: It sets the bar even higher then his last album did, and save a couple weaker tracks, it is a really solid listening experience. King of Alabama and Ain’t A Road Too Long are great 2018 summer songs.

Cons: For whatever reason, the backing vocals and the tone of both If I Don’t See Ya and When The Dust Settles are a little mundane for me, and don’t have any staying power.

Runtime: 34 minutes

Points of Interest: …

This is the kind of album that is immediately enjoyable, but also bears some weight as you spend more time with it, giving it a natural progression and lots of layers to unpeel. But that is the way that Brent Cobb writes, he’s happy to share intricacies of his life, if it means a more intricate song can come out of the labour. Yes, these are well-worn themes, but what makes them inspired comes from the delivery method, Cobb focuses on things he cares about, and so that makes them interesting to the casual listener.

theories Summarized

Okay here are my final thoughts.

If a musician can open up for Chris Stapleton and still retain their stage presence, then that is an artist worth listening to. That, and super producer Dave Cobb is the  voice behind both artists. Brent Cobb’s Providence Canyon is an album of both internal and external geography, and it never sounds preachy on either front. A definite add to your collection.

And speaking of solo artists who just don’t know how to quit what they know, Brendon and I have a Sound Culture video on Caribou’s The Milk of Human Kindness. Dan Snaith is a mathematician, composer and musician that makes electronic music to melt your ears to.

And if you like either of these album reviews or both of them, please like and share the video, and of course, please subscribe to the blog and channel for more awesome theories on the arts! Tomorrow I have some thoughts on Batman Ninja.

Tim!

Compatriot Music (Mary Gauthier, Rifles & Rosary Beads review)

Posted on by Tim Kuefler

An album that addresses the lives of active military members, veterans and their spouses? Sign me up. But don’t be surprised if I’m choking back the tears…

 

Mary Gauthier – Rifles & Rosary Beads

released January 26, 2018
********* 9/10

Mary Veronica Gauthier, better known by her stage name Mary Gauthier, is an American folk and country singer-songwriter.

She was adopted from the very young age of one, but struggled with the idea of being adopted as she grew up. She ran way from home at fifteen, lived on friends couches and in halfway houses, and used drugs for many years. She almost completed a philosophy degree at Louisiana State University, but dropped out her senior year. She then opened and ran a Cajun restaurant for eleven years, which coincided with the birth of her interest in music and success at sobriety after an arrest for drunk driving on her restaurant opening night in 1990.

Fast forward 28 years, 11 albums (8 studio albums) later and a lifetime of experience singing a combination of folk, Americana and country music and we land at Rifles & Rosary Beads. This is a collaborative album which was cowritten by Gauthier and members of the nonprofit, Songwriting with Soldiers, an organization that pairs veterans and active duty service members with professional musicians to tell their stories.

Sometimes healing and sweet, other times sour and full of pain, this album is super powerful and deserves top marks for telling meaningful stories in a poetic way. I’ll admit I had not heard much of Gauthier’s catalogue prior to sitting down with this concept album, but gosh this just incredible to listen to, and I’m a sucker for this kind of music to begin with. Add in a favorable mix of genres, and you have timotheories gold.

Starting off rather sober with the opening track, Soldiering On, this lyric I lifted from the song describes the tone well – what saves you in the battle, can kill you at home. Or better yet, how about this one from The War After the War – who’s gonna care for the ones who care for the ones who went to war.  Gauthier is already a strong writer, but these are real stories we are hearing, featuring the voices of both the military types and their spouses, and all get credit in the liner notes.

Brothers describes a viewpoint of military women looking for equality, whereas Bullet Holes in Sky offers mixed emotions about Veterans Day from a navy veteran. And we get the obvious question of circumstantial death in Still On The Ride because the loss of a friend in war is unshakeable and reverberates for a lifetime.

This is not easy listening, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t beautiful to behold and when layered with a great number of profound and heartfelt stories, Gauthier provides a chilling account of military service and how it impacts everyone in those peoples lives.

This is an important album and filled with love.

The two tracks which exemplify this notion of love best are It’s Her Love and closing track Stronger Together. Both are titled appropriately, with the first demonstrating the healing power of a support system, and the second about the significance of unity, leaving us with the notion that while military life can and sometimes does break us down, it’s through compassion and love that rebuilding happens.

Pros: The authenticity behind the lyrics, and the compassion in the delivery are what drive this album forward and take it from a 7 to a 9.

Cons: The fact that an album like this exists is an amazing thing, but where are the songs specifically calling out against sending people off to war with so much regularity?

Runtime: 44 minutes

Points of Interest:  Mary Gauthier is also an accomplished author, having had short stories published in the book Amplified, and a couple of magazines. Her songs are taught in universities and she is currently writing a book titled The Art of Songwriting.

I’ve said this before, but I cannot stress enough the importance of listening to albums in full, and an album like Rifles & Rosary Beads demands attention, because these stories are what not only snapshots into individual lives, but excellent case studies for understanding the world around us better.

theories Summarized

Prioritizing the needs of those without a voice is such a folk music thing to do, as folk music typically stems from an oral tradition, without a producers voice or even better in a public domain. Now, this music wasn’t constructed in the back woods, but it absolutely is not commercial in nature or classic, and it’s brilliant.

And on the subject of brilliance, Brendon and I have a review of the eponymous debut of alt rock group Weezer from 1994. This is a classic album, and one that also deserves some time and attention if you haven’t listened to it recently, or ever.

And if you like either of these album reviews or both of them, please like and share the video, and of course, please subscribe to the blog and channel for more awesome theories on the arts.

Tim!

Red Cross, Blue Cross (First Aid Kit, Ruins review)

Posted on by Tim Kuefler

What is the difference between a red cross and a blue cross, dear readers? One is a humanitarian organization, which receives all resources through donation, and the other is an insurance company that specializes exclusive in the health sector. It’s the little things that make a difference, after all.

Which is why this album is immediately better then their last.

 

 

First Aid Kit – Ruins

released January 19, 2018
******** 8/10

First Aid Kit is a Swedish folk, indie, americana and country based sister duo of Klara and Johanna Söderberg. They’ve been officially making music since 2007, and now have four albums under their belt. Their first studio-length album may have been 2010’s The Big Black and the Blue, but their international attention came from a cover they performed of Fleet Foxe’s Tiger Mountain Peasant Song which blew up on the internet.

In addition to their studio albums, First Aid Kit (FAK) have also made a couple of EPs, and some other singles over the past few years. Their early exposure to artists like Judy Garland, Billie Holiday, Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, the Louvin Brothers, Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris all played a big part in forming their musical sound, but the soundtrack for O Brother, Where Are Thou? was especially inspiring and a major catalyst for Johanna.

Their newest album, Ruins, was recorded in the early part of 2017 and they slowly released the singles It’s a Shame, Postcard, and Fireworks over the back half of the year. Thank God for that, as these singles are momentous and a welcome addition to the canon.

Track opener Rebel Heat sets the tone, a deep sadness and finality, telling us not to mess around with First Aid Kit or their hearts. Sure it might seem a bit on the nose, at first, but there is a deep pain hidden within these lyrics.

This is even more smartly said when we do get to the finish line. There is a tired sincerity to Nothing Has to Be True, and in the end nothing really matters, except for the moments and these two women who’ve shared them with us.

Pros: These singles are amazing on their own, but when paired together, they really shine and showcase the range of First Aid Kit. Postcard, Fireworks or It’s A Shame, take your pick, excellent songs to move to.

Cons: The second half of the record isn’t quite as strong as the first, and as a result it feels somewhat tacked on, despite the beautiful vocals and intelligent instrumentation.

Runtime: 36 minutes

Points of Interest: Did you know that the name First Aid Kit came from the duo thumbing randomly through a phone directory?

Their strength has always rested in their shared songwriting and harmonious sound. Ruins continues in that strong tradition of enriching tradition and emphasizing the romance of country music. To Live a Life is an excellent example is an excellent worship song of the art of solitude and exactly the kind of thing their heroes would have done.

Taking the road less travelled and sticking to the truth has always been the name of the game, and Ruins doesn’t deviate from that vein of glorious history being rewritten on their lips.

theories Summarized

This is gorgeous music and whether or not it completely devastates with earnest lyrics or not, theSöderberg sisters know how to make dark clouds seem warm and inviting. I hope it wins some new fans to the First Aid Kit brand, and diehards will enjoy it too, but let’s hope that red cross doesn’t turn blue.

Tim!

Take A Polka Doted Waltz Through The Cuban Country, With Some Rock and Jazz, Man (The Mavericks, Brand New Day review)

Posted on by Tim Kuefler

I think some of my favourite things about listening to music are when you can stumble across something you like but can’t believe that you didn’t already know about it. Or to put it another way, when you reconnect with music that you forgot you were a fan of.

 

The Mavericks – Brand New Day
released March 31, 2017
******* 8/10

The Mavericks have been making offbeat country music for just over 20 years, and that’s taking into account the break they took between 2005-2011! Known for their eclectic sound that combines latin and rockabilly influences. I first heard about them back in the 1990s, when I was still voluntold to listen to the country station in my parents house. Remember Here Comes the Rain and All You Ever Do Is Bring Me Down? This is sound of The Mavericks that I still remember sitting in my parents faux wood panel station wagon.

But that doesn’t mean the ninth outing for these guys is out of sync with this generation.

There are high standards in place here.

The opening track Rolling Along reminds me of Ukrainian mountain music and features its share of accordion harmonies. A callback to their early work and very peppy to boot, also it’s about drugs. Just in case that wasn’t obvious. Quickly changing pace for the title track, The Mavericks present us with a more somber tone on Brand New Day, its upbeat though, and features some excellent caterwauling from Miami born Raul Malo. Then we get to hear some horns on Easy as It Seems, which is surprisingly easy going with its message of musical sambas from the 50s.

Then again, that sound does continue through on the next song I Think of You, and later with Ride With Me and closing track For the Ages, but the mixing in of early pop, jazz and true bread and butter are what they are known for. It’s comforting to see a group caring the torch along, without dragging it on the floor.

Staying true to their sound has always been important for The Mavericks, and I think that’s why they choose time and time again to stay independent, nobody messes with the production. They have fun with their music and it comes through – listen to Goodnight Waltz and tell me you don’t think of lounge singers, spaghetti, and cocktails. But with a country twang to it.

This music does not fit into any particular genre. I chose country as the prefacing statement because that’s where I heard it first in my youth, but this music reminds me of so many different things at any given moment, that they are eclectic is the really the best way to put it.

It never reaches a point where I’m listening and re-listening to the lyrics or pausing to reflect on ideas within, but that doesn’t mean it’s not worthwhile.

Mavericks indeed.

 

theories Summarized

Do you want to take a trip through Americana, post-war and pre-war? Well this is your ticket and I wish you well on your journey, I think there is something of a history lesson and a demonstration that it all comes full circle when we listen to music.

An unorthodox or independent-minded person. The definition of a maverick. These gentlemen fit the bill, and that’s my theory for why they have staying power, not because there is something brand new here, but because they are inclusive and adventurous.

Tim!