http://www.countrystandardtime.com/blog/outskirtsofcountry/ Comments on the country music scene by Rick Teverbaugh Copyright 2009, Country Standard Time Sun, 30 Aug 2009 03:35:06 GMT Sun, 30 Aug 2009 03:35:06 GMT 120 http://www.countrystandardtime.com/blog/outskirtsofcountry/entry.asp?xid=457 http://www.countrystandardtime.com/blog/outskirtsofcountry/entry.asp?xid=457 Rita Hosking has one of those voices that just seems to get directly at both the heart of the song and of the listener. Her vocals don't so much command attention as they just invite you in with such warmth and sincerity as to make assent seem like the most natural thing to do. Her new album is titled Come Sunrise and from that song... Country Music Blog Sun, 30 Aug 2009 03:28:00 GMT http://www.countrystandardtime.com/blog/outskirtsofcountry/entry.asp?xid=442 http://www.countrystandardtime.com/blog/outskirtsofcountry/entry.asp?xid=442 Blending is the key element for the Canadian folk/roots band The Wailin' Jennys. If you aren't already familiar with the group, up front they are Nicky Mehta, Ruth Moody and Heather Masse. Part of the blending is the obviously gorgeous harmonies. Yet just as important is the blending of the different musical backgrounds and interests that serve as a cornerstone to the music just as much if not more than the vocals.... Country Music Blog Mon, 10 Aug 2009 02:15:00 GMT http://www.countrystandardtime.com/blog/outskirtsofcountry/entry.asp?xid=441 http://www.countrystandardtime.com/blog/outskirtsofcountry/entry.asp?xid=441 I have always admired Red House Records. From artists I've spoken with who spent time on the label it seems a place that encourages creativity above sales and quality above quantity. That belief will be documented in this article and the next. Today the focus is on The Pines and the upcoming release Tremolo .... Country Music Blog Wed, 05 Aug 2009 08:43:00 GMT http://www.countrystandardtime.com/blog/outskirtsofcountry/entry.asp?xid=439 http://www.countrystandardtime.com/blog/outskirtsofcountry/entry.asp?xid=439 I first became familiar with jug band music through my affection for the Lovin' Spoonful. I backward traced John Sebastian and came upon the Even Dozen Jug Band and also found Maria Muldaur and David Grisman. Now Muldaur has announced an album, Her Garden of Joy , for Oct. 6 on Stony Plain Records. The disc will be composed of jug band music.... Country Music Blog Fri, 31 Jul 2009 05:21:00 GMT http://www.countrystandardtime.com/blog/outskirtsofcountry/entry.asp?xid=435 http://www.countrystandardtime.com/blog/outskirtsofcountry/entry.asp?xid=435 I had a lot of debate about what to do about Bonnie Bishop's album Things I Know , which is coming out on Aug. 11. It didn't have anything to do with whether this music deserves to be heard as you'll find out in a graph or so. It had more to do with my own perception of exactly how far do the "Outskirts" of this country town extend?... Country Music Blog Tue, 28 Jul 2009 10:20:00 GMT http://www.countrystandardtime.com/blog/outskirtsofcountry/entry.asp?xid=427 http://www.countrystandardtime.com/blog/outskirtsofcountry/entry.asp?xid=427 John Fogerty publicly displayed a love for country as far back as 1973 when he released The Blue Ridge Rangers . The album really wasn't bad. I especially liked Jambalaya, Workin on a Building and She Thinks I Still Care . There was just one major problem with the disc, he played all the instruments himself. Whether it was ego or just that he didn't have a lot of country cred at the time, it still kept the album from being better than it should have been.... Country Music Blog Tue, 21 Jul 2009 11:53:00 GMT http://www.countrystandardtime.com/blog/outskirtsofcountry/entry.asp?xid=425 http://www.countrystandardtime.com/blog/outskirtsofcountry/entry.asp?xid=425 Throughout my musical life I've been plagued by bands that were under appreciated, at least to my ears. They produced enough good songs that they should have been constantly on the radio and at or near the top of the charts. The groups that come to mind from my earlier days are; The Band, Cracker and one of my all-time favorites, Poco.... Country Music Blog Sun, 19 Jul 2009 07:43:00 GMT http://www.countrystandardtime.com/blog/outskirtsofcountry/entry.asp?xid=424 http://www.countrystandardtime.com/blog/outskirtsofcountry/entry.asp?xid=424 It took me a good bit of time to figure out how to explain exactly why I feel so strongly about Kate Redgate and her recently released album Nothing Tragic . After about the fourth time through the disc it hit me what I liked - everything. Redgate spent her youth in Illinois and has spent a significant amount of time in the Midwest.... Country Music Blog Wed, 15 Jul 2009 09:33:00 GMT http://www.countrystandardtime.com/blog/outskirtsofcountry/entry.asp?xid=420 http://www.countrystandardtime.com/blog/outskirtsofcountry/entry.asp?xid=420 There are previews and then there are distant previews and I will admit this is the latter. One of my all-time favorite singer/songwriters is Radney Foster. I don't recall when I first became aware of the Del Rio, Texas native but it was around the time he released the album named for his hometown. He was outstanding when he teamed with Bill Lloyd but has been even better as a solo artist.... Country Music Blog Mon, 13 Jul 2009 02:33:00 GMT http://www.countrystandardtime.com/blog/outskirtsofcountry/entry.asp?xid=409 http://www.countrystandardtime.com/blog/outskirtsofcountry/entry.asp?xid=409 As previously mentioned, I believe Jay Farrar has produced the most consistently pleasing work out of the Uncle Tupelo split. I quickly fell in love with Trace and from a content and presentation standpoint, the new American Central Dust is the closest Son Volt or Farrar as a solo artist has come to recapturing that. With just over 24 hours spent with the disc it feels solid end-to-end without any unrealized potential from any of the 12 songs.... Country Music Blog Tue, 07 Jul 2009 15:02:00 GMT http://www.countrystandardtime.com/blog/outskirtsofcountry/entry.asp?xid=408 http://www.countrystandardtime.com/blog/outskirtsofcountry/entry.asp?xid=408 Without an appreciation for traditional country instrumentation and without a feel for humor's place in music, it would be hard to wrap your ears around The Sweetback Sisters and their new release, Chicken Ain't Chicken on Signature Sounds. Fortunately I have no trouble with either and I will offer that this is one of the best discs I've heard this year.... Country Music Blog Sat, 04 Jul 2009 08:10:00 GMT