Hot damn! Just what the doctor ordered. This is serious outlaw, honky tonk, hell raisin’ music. And it should be played loud. All I know is that when I hear that pedal steel, it gets the blood flowing. And there is plenty of steel on Smokin, Drinkin, & Gamblin. Yes, it is very much 1977. That is the golden age of outlaw so ’77 is a good year to target. Craig has that perfect country voice with a bit of twang and a very strong set of pipes.
This came out in January so I am a little late. But this album is so good that it needs to be heard. This is true classic country both in musical stylings as well as the song topics. This is true tear in your beer country. With song titles like Bar Fight, Bullies Win Again, Frail Shadow, End Of The World, etc., you know this is going to be a multi tissue listen. Maybe I like tragic stories or maybe misery loves company, I don’t know. What I do know is this, I Want To Believe is absolutely irresistible.
This gets a WOW right up front. Just stunning song arrangement, writing, musicianship, etc. But then again, we are talking about Paul Kelly. He is the Australian equivalent to Bob Dylan or Bruce Springsteen. Nature is Paul’s 24th studio album and it is a true game changer. I will get back to that shortly.
Very solid third offering from The Nouveaux Honkies. This is a difficult release to classify since they really cover so many different styles from classic country, folk, rockabilly, and rock and roll. The Nouveaux Honkies are comprised of Rebecca Dawkins on violin and vocals and Tim O’Donnell on guitar and vocals. Vocals are certainly their strong suit. Not to say that the other elements are not good, because they are. But what really sets this band apart from the other man/woman duos are the strength and beauty of the vocals. The duo has become smitten with the Smokey Mountains and made Knoxville, TN their home base about two years ago.
This is the first time I have been to the new Union Craft digs and let me say, I am impressed. The venue itself is very industrial and has a nostalgic feel to it. All that metal and austerity is tempered by the positive energy inside. Even with all the cold steel and concrete, the venue is warm and inviting. The staff couldn’t be more accommodating and the patrons all seemed to be quite friendly.
