Album Spotlight: Dalton Domino - Corners

Hailing from Lubbock, Texas, Dalton Domino's latest album Corners come out of the gate and straight into the swamp with the album-opening song "The River". That's both a bold move and a statement. A bold move because most people are expecting a Texas/Red Dirt album. A statement by letting it be known that this is not your run of the mill Texas/Red Dirt album.

Not my usual style, but I'm going to take this one almost song-by-song because it's diverse enough where there is no over-arching statement to be made about the album.

"The River" is a swampy, dark song with interesting instrumentation, replete with strings (or at least synthesized strings). After that the album settles into more of the pocket that you would expect from a Texas artist for a bit with the Southern Rock influenced "Decent Man", the modern Red Dirt of "Corners" and the easy pop country leanings of "July".

"More Than You" is an interesting musical journey. It starts out with the grit and groove of a Ray Wylie Hubbard song. Then it moves to a bluesier feel and ends up almost Motown, horns and all, while not changing the beat or tempo. In its texture, it's sublime.

"Rain" is a subtle, stripped down song about loss. Great in it's simplicity.

The funky guitar tone of "Sixteen Years" drives the verses of this Southern Rock-tinged song.

"Mine Again (I'd Be a Fool)" is the closest thing that comes to a skip-worthy song on the album, but it's really just too catchy to fall into that category. It kind of has a an 80's pop rock feel to it.

With "Sister" Dalton takes us back to the swamp with an almost "Juke Box Hero" verse vibe throughout the entire song. Then he stays there with the album closer "Monster" but brings in a Pink Floyd-like prog element.

Corners is the kind of album that always interests me. Diverse, and you never really know what to expect next. I know that some people want something with a more consistent sound. If so, this album is probably not for you. But, hey, here are a couple of songs, decide for yourself.

Album Spotlight: Chelle Rose: Blue Ridge Blood

Here's the thing about Chelle Rose, you're either going to love her music or hate it. There's not going to be a lot of middle ground. I happen to fall into the former category.

There already have been, and will be more, aesthetically pleasing albums released this year. Rose's Blue Ridge Blood has no soaring vocals or slick production or flashes of instrumental virtuosity. What it does have is grit and groove and Appalachian swamp.

Ray Wylie Hubbard produced Rose's previous album, 2012's Ghost of Browder Holler. Even before I had that nugget of information, I would have said Chelle Rose is what Ray Wylie would sound like as a female.

Blue Ridge Blood is too real to be comfortable, too good to be ignored.

Here is a great interview with Chelle Rose over at Farce The Music.

And here is "Gypsy Rubye" from Blue Ridge Blood:

Albums of the Year: Honorable Mention Edition

First of all, let me make it clear that these are not necessarily the best or most popular or most significant albums of 2015. These are my favorite albums that I have listened to more than once or twice. It's my list.

I'll link to the album spotlights and interviews from this blog. There won't be any commentary in this post.

The list would be shorter if I were genre specific or only listened to mainstream stuff. This is about good music that I like. And I don't listen to much of anything mainstream. I listed my favorite albums of 2015 and came up with 24. This honorable mention list will include the 14 that didn't make the top ten.

The artist's name will link to my posts, the album name will link to the artist's web site.

In no particular order:

Plastic Rhino - Recondition

Jonathan Tyler - Holy Smokes

Lindi Ortega - Faded Gloryville

Frankie Bourne - Californicana

Samantha Fish - Wild Heart

Koritni - Night Goes On For Days

Europe - War of Kings

Striking Matches - Nothing But The Silence

Allison Moorer - Down To Believing

Gretchen Peters - Blackbirds

Butch Walker - Afraid of Ghosts

Brandi Carlile - The Firewatcher's Daughter

honeyhoney - 3

Ray Wylie Hubbard - The Ruffian's Misfortune

Look for my top 10 coming out later this month.

April 2015: A Good Month For Music

Since I've been digging for new music a couple of years now, I don't remember a month where more good music has come out than April 2015.

Here are six albums you don't want to miss, if you like good music.

Halestorm: Into The Wild Life

Delta Rae: After It All

William Clark Green: Ringling Road

Ray Wylie Hubbard: The Ruffians Misfortune

Will Hoge: Small Town Dreams

Randy Rogers and Wade Bowen: Hold My Beer, Vol. 1

Album Spotlight: Ray Wylie Hubbard: The Ruffian's Misfortune

Here's the deal. Ray Wylie Hubbard is a legend of Texas music. He doesn't need me to spotlight his latest
album here on my little blog. But I will anyway, because if one person reads this and gets turned on to Ray Wylie, then it's all worth it.

If you like your music greasy, grimy, groovy, swampy, loose, in the pocket and real, then this if for you.

I'm done with genres, but if you want something, it's country, Americana, roots rock, Southern Rock and sometimes a bit punk. It's Ray Wylie.

I have seen on social media people praising each of the songs on the album, saying that is their favorite. And I can't argue with any of them. There's not a bad song there.

This is another in the long line of music that doesn't exist I'll be featuring here.

Here's a taste of the record with "Chick Singer, Badass Rockin'".

What I'm Loving Wednesday

I'm loving baseball.

I could just leave it at that. Baseball season has started. You either get it or you don't. Here's something I wrote several years ago and tweaked over the years. Take me out to the ballpark.

I'm loving music.

There is so much good music out right now. I'm not loving that most people never hear it because it isn't played on mainstream radio. Ray Wylie Hubbard and Delta Rae came out with new albums yesterday. Let me know when you hear either of them on mainstream radio. Here are my favorite records for the first quarter of 2015. April has already been good. And there is some stuff coming up that I'm excited about.

Being a huge tennis fan, I'm starting to love Simona Halep. She's good. And those legs.

And that's all I've got this week. Enjoy the rest of your Wednesday.