This weeks Rock of Love was….eh. Not terrible. Not Great. I probably wouldn’t write about it at all, but I really do need a break from fantasy football sites, so here we are.

Before we get into this week’s recap, I have learned a few things about two of the remaining girls. This is probably old news for you die-hards but it was all new to me:

First: “Blowjob” Brandi M. does porn? (NSFW Link) Really, this comes as no surprise….I pretty much assumed that all the R.O.L. girls were employed in some form of the adult industry, and yet I am a little shocked each time. To think, Sunday evening I was telling my wife that Brandi might be taking over Jes’ role as my favorite girl in the house (but not taking over as hottest…Jes owns that), and then here I am today looking at pictures of her with spooge on her face. I guess the “M” in Brandi M. stand for “money shot”. Oh well, if he is smart, that is Brett’s dick I am looking at.

Second: Turns out Lacey is the front-whore for a metal/industrial band called Nocturne. I think it’s funny that the VH1 people have made sure that they edit out any mention of the bands name. I took one for the team here folks. Yes, I listened to all the songs on their myspace profile so that you wouldn’t have to. The Autopsy report: Horrible….I’m not even saying that to be snarky…nope. It is completely generic….a cheap man’s Kidney Thieves, if I were to make a comparison.

Okay, on with the show.

This week started with the syphilis six having to make a cd cover for Brett’s new cd. Teams are: Jes, Sam and Looney Lacey versus Heather, Brandi M. and M.I.A. The deal is that they are to make a mock cover for a Brett Michael’s cd. Two girls from each team will model and the third is the creative director. Winning team models get a tandem date and the creative director gets a solo, thus setting the stage for maximum drama, and this went right where it was supposed to…bitches in their underwear gettin’ it on. Almost. Bradi’ M. decides it will be a good idea to dress as a dude. I disagreed. So did Brett. Jes, Sam and Looney win with exactly what you would expect from a collection of girls whose most creative moment probably came during a two for thirty solo dance and left a sticky spot on their inner thigh:

So Looney and Sam get to tag-team Brett, with Jes having to take it all herself. Shenanigans cries Lacey! She runs off to tell Brett the whole predictable cd cover was her idea. Doesn’t matter. She gets no solo time with the B-man. It’s her damned fault though, she showed she was willing to share back in the infamous foursome of episode two (or was it three?). Looney and Sam go to some restaurant where Sam screams that the sun is hot Lacey is a complete nut case, while Lacey is in the pisser. That date ends and the solo session with Jes involves a long motorcycle ride and ends with a suck face session on the beach. Cameras cut, Jes gets busy sucking something else. All in all, the whole date portion of this week was boring, unless we end up with some Jes taking it in the grill pics hitting Oh No They Didn’t soon.

During the dates, Brandi M_oneyshot and Heather realize the stupidity of putting jeans and a fake goatee on Moneyshot, and set put to make things right before elimination. They may have been a day late and a dollar short, but what they lacked in good timing, they made up for with enthusiasm. Stripper makeup, stripper boots, no tops and a Polaroid camera…one would get the feeling they might have done this a time or ninety. Afterwards, they stick the pictures on the outside of Brett’s bedroom door. If dude had anything left in the jewels after the twosome and the solo, I’d imagine he ran a batch behind the bedroom doors.

While Brett is drooling over the pictures, M.I.A. comes out dressed in, what I assume is, the sexiest outfit she brought with her. I am sure she thinks she is hot in it, but to me she just looked like an old woman trying too hard to look young. The real bitch of it is that she ain’t even old….yeah, that’s bad….no sex, no appeal, no ass. You lose.

And lose she did. Mia gets the axe, and I’ll see y’all next week.

This weeks songs:

I know some of y’all are gonna wanna hear the horror for yourselves. Lacey’s band: Nocturne - My Bitch
They sound like a more vanilla, less talented version of the Kidneythieves: Kidneythieves - Taxicab Messiah
This track goes out to the Brandi M./Heather photo session: Spoon - I Turn My Camera On
With the relevation that Brandi M. gets paid to suck cock, I dedicate this song to her: Poison - Fallen Angel

———————————————————————-

I am really excited about today’s guest blog entry. It comes from my
friend and professional writer John Allman. Hope y’all enjoy it.

———————————————————————-

UNKLE
WAR STORIES
(SURRENDER ALL)
FILE UNDER: Ambient electronica that rocks.

When was the last time you remember hearing a great song by The Cult?

It would likely be 1989 when, ?Sonic Temple, was released. Ian Astbury was *it* at the moment. His voice, propelled by Billy Duffy’?s guitar, commanded college playlists.

How odd then to hear not one, but two, stand-out Cult songs on a 2007 album not released by the band.

You can thank Unkle, the British trip-hop act, whose superior new album `War Stories’� spotlights not only Astbury but a handful of British and American vocalists that deserve to be heard.

Unkle, formed in the mid-1990s by James Lavelle and Tim Goldsworthy, has gone through many incarnations since its inception, but the music hasn’?t suffered.

In fact, on the new `War Stories’,� the band’?s third full release, Unkle blends electronica and AOR rock to near perfection.

The irony shouldn’?t be lost. This is, after all, one of the first bands signed to Mo’ ?Wax, the seminal U.K. label that helped put “?trip-hop”� in our lexicon. This is the band that once included DJ Shadow in its ranks and who routinely collaborates with 3D, aka Robert Del Naja, of Massive Attack.

Though Lavelle and Goldsworthy parted ways in 1995, Lavelle has continued by recruiting an ever-changing lineup of superior vocalists and musicians.

Nowhere is this more evident than `?War Stories’,� which boasts contributions by Astbury, 3D, Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age, British garage rock heroes The Duke Spirit, Los Angeles-based Autolux and guitarists Jeordie White, aka Twiggy Ramirez from the Spooky Kids, and David Catching, one-half of Homme’?s side project Eagles of Death Metal.

It’?s an A-list affair that does not disappoint. If anything, the album’?s solid arc is wholly refreshing in today’?s radio-ready-single market. There really isn’?t a throw-away track here.

The theme of the album, appropriately, is conflict. From physical fighting to spiritual combat to the betrayal many feel by their elected leaders, `?War Stories’� effectively conveys a time of upheaval and self-reflection.

One of the strongest tracks is ?Burn My Shadow, which features stellar vocal work by Astbury. It’?s a haunting song reminiscent of the Cult’?s 1985 release, Love.

The must-see video [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSsMGNwYDdg] adds a more literal interpretation of self-destruction or suicide.

But the lyrics hint at something deeper; “I burn my tomorrows/and I stand inside today/at the edge of the future/and my dreams all fade away”,? and given the album’?s title, they may convey the fading support and declining influence that both England and the United States have experienced because of the Iraq war.

Restless, the lone contribution by Homme, is a better song than anything off Queens of the Stone Age’?s current release, Era Vulgaris.

The Duke Spirit rev-up on ?May Day, which will make you long for more of vocalist Liela Moss’?s smokey rasp.

Another standout track ?Persons & Machinery, featuring Autolux is also one of the most pointed on the album. The lyrics could be referring to either U.S. President George Bush or Britain’?s former Prime Minister Tony Blair:

?We’re all getting so tired of you
The things you say
The things you do

Oh please just follow your great plan though
We’ve all had it
We’ve had it
We’ve had it with you.

Despite its political influences, this is the perfect after-hours chill album. It’?s never too aggressive, and would compliment a gathering either as a listening showcase or as a background soundtrack for good conversation and lots of libation.

Unkle - Burn My Shadow (feat. Ian Astbury)
Unkle - Restless (feat. Josh Homme)
Unkle - May Day (feat. The Duke Spirit)

For those seeking more Unkle, here are some great sites to explore:

Band and album info: http://unkle-war-stories.info/

Lyrics: http://www.alwaysontherun.net/unkle.htm

Jason Isbell posted an outtake from the A Blessing and A Curse studio sessions on his myspace profile yesterday. I can certainly see why the track did not make the final tracklisting. Seemingly more Black Rebel Motorcycle Club than Drive-by Truckers it offers a drastic departure from the familiar DBT sound. I wonder if this type of sound will make an appearance on Jason’s next studio effort. I must admit, I hope so.

Jason Isbell - Drop the Weapon

————————————————————————————————-

Today’s guest blog comes from one of my fellow Lucero message board cohorts, Christopher Klibowitz. Remember how I said we are an awesome group of people on that message board? Well, this guy is the exception…….I’m kidding…He is the perfect example of the awesomeness over there…Anyhow, hope y’all enjoy it.

————————————————————————————————-

I’ve been accused of a lot of things in my life, and being a music snob ranks on the top of that list. What can I say? Music is important to me, it’s part of the way I was raised. Shit, I’m named after the bassist from Yes, for Christ sake.

Growing up, my father instilled me with a couple things. First, how to treat a woman, and second, an appreciation for music. Alternatively, my mother taught me to know Milwaukee like the back of my hand, and also how to treat a lady. Needless to say, my parents are awesome people.

Music falls into 4 categories; Shite, good, great, and the best ever. So before you call me a snob, hear this; everyone has different lists for the 4 categories. EVERYONE. I respect that and all joking aside I take it seriously that I respect this. What makes a band fall into a category for everyone is different, and changes over time. People’s lists also rarely stay the same. Your favorite band from years ago might be shite now, and you might be late to the party and no longer think something is shite, but rather, the best ever. Shit happens. I ain’t gonna judge you.

So that being said, I don’t agree with Barry (Music Snob reference #1: the film High Fidelity) that it’s criminal not to own Blonde On Blonde, but if I’m telling you that it’s criminal that you don’t, then I’m basing it on your lists, or what I know of them. Every mix I’ve ever made for someone was either to learn their lists, or based on their lists.

Anyways, I’ll be simple here and bestow upon you a Top 5 list. A Top 5 what, you might ask? No idea, really. This is something I’d started writing months ago, long before life ran me over in the best ways, and thought it’d be perfect for this. So make it the Top 5 Band I Want to Write a Blog About.

1. Lucero

Hear/See them here

Lucero is a band that seems to find everyone exactly when they need Lucero to find them. Why? Because it’s pretty simple. Ben Nichols is a lyrical genius, that’s why. Ok, maybe that’s a little over the top, but their lyrics tell it like it is,. Yeah, getting dumped sucks. And drinking helps. Driving past her house, we’ve all done it. Everything he writes, guys can related to, somehow. Maybe not every song, but that one song man. And girls, shit, I think they just like to think he’s that fucking broken up over them. They can relate too, that maybe they wish their past loves were like that too.

Really, Lucero girls and Lucero boys are perfect for each other. All the girls want Ben, and all the guys ARE Ben.

And even if you can’t relate to the lyrics, which I find it hard to believe is true for anyone, then the music kicks ten kinds of ass, so there’s no excuse. You can say you don’t like them, but your time is a comin’.

2. Decibully.

“Tables Turn” MP3

There’s something inherently Milwaukee about bands from Milwaukee. I’ve listened to them across the world, and they never sound so good as they do driving down Fond du Lac Avenue. On the never ending list of Milwaukee bands, which would take too long to list and inevitably contain bands that share so many band members with each other it’s like a sick family tree, Decibully ranks the top to me.

The first time I saw them, was with a friend who was having a rough time of life. We went down to the Cactus on the pretense of their typical (mem. of Promise Ring/Camden) disclaimer to attract more people by throwing in extra names you may have heard of, because on whole, their calendar may as well be in a different language most months. When we saw all 9 or whatever of them on that little stage, back when they had a female backup singer for those keeping track, and they played like they feel it in every bone, as one entity instead of 9 different people, it simply made everything else seem small that night and while my friend’s problem didn’t magically disappear, he was too awestruck to care for an hour and a half, and sometimes that’s all you can ask for. Well, that and 3 pitchers of Riverwest Stein.

3. The Beatles

There’s no picture or songs/videos because I’m afraid of Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson. If you need to hear them, ask your dad to borrow some.

You either love the Beatles or you love the Rolling Stones. Bullshit. Don’t even get me started. Besides, I like the Faces (Music Snob reference #2: Rod Stewart’s band that launched him to super stardom and eventually easy listening heaven) better than the Stones. There, I said it..

In the grand scheme of things, the only problem I see with the Beatles is that they didn’t beat Peter Gabriel to the name “Genesis” because to rock and roll, that’s the best name for them. Gabriel then could have used “The Band I’ll Turn Over to Phil Collins To Ruin In A Catchy 80’s Kind Of Way”.

The Beatles just paved the way. They are the influence for everything since, even if it was just “we want to not be the Beatles”.

4. The Hold Steady

“The Swish” MP3

Either you can get over the way Craig Finn “sings” or you can’t. You really wish you could. If you ever went to high school at least. He summed it up best when I saw them in Buffalo, NY:

“Our new album follows roughly the same formula as the first two; these guys play some kick ass rock n’ roll while I talk bullshit over the top.”

They are just good. The talk about the stupid things no one ever cares to talk about, and seriously NO ONE is more into playing live than they are. They wave their hands and sing along and bounce about like they are in the crowd. Go see them right now, if you never have.

On a sidenote; Great music, and bands, lead you to more. One of my other favorite bands of late, were a local opener for said Buffalo show. Handsome Jack just dropped a new album and it’s incredible. Obviously a group of kids who’s parents drowned in heavy doses of Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath and Thin Lizzy as children.

5. Skull Time (the band formerly known as Wolfbite.)

“Rest Easy” MP3

I’d like to preface that these guys knocked AC fucking DC off my list. AC/DC is still the greatest rock and roll band of all time, but these guys represent everything rock n’ roll needs right now. Enough said. Don’t listen to them if you like your face, because it’ll be rocked off. Born as a new project from old bands, these guys opened for messes of people and now get to headline the very same diveholes around town, inevitably on the same night as a Decibully show. Can we get some more volume on the monitors down here? If that’s not reason enough to check them out, then check out the lead singer’s answer to MKE when asked the strangest experience he’d ever had bartending:

“I was growing a moustache on a dare and wanted to do the Paul McCartney look. A guy sitting at the end of the bar for a while was getting belligerent. Finally, I had to tell him to leave because it was closing time. He snatched up his tip money and shouted, ‘F— you, you Paul McCartney-looking motherf—–!’ which was great, because that was exactly what I was going for.”

There you go. Hope that’s a couple bands you know and a couple you don’t, and what some dude on the internet has to say about them all. Until next time.

————————————————————————————————

Today’s guest blog comes from a friend of mine. Almost a year ago he also did a guest blog on Jesse Sykes and the Sweet Hereafter.

————————————————————————————————

Long been written off by many. PRONG is back with yet another album. Power Of The Damager ! Somehow Tommy, inbetween his stint with Danzig and Ministry, has found time to write another album. I admire Tommy for sticking it out and trying to keep it alive. He has always been in my top 5 “guitarist that will crush your face” list.

Hell most of you slept on the last album Scorpio Rising, and that album had alot of good tunes on it. I would imagine alot of folks will miss out on the new album also. There just no promotion behind it that Ive seen. I just happen to come across it while looking for shit to download. So let this be a download lesson kiddies. Sometimes it is a good thing.

Now for the songs. Much like the last album there are only a hand-full of what I would consider quality tunes. The rest are kinda just filler to me. And for you old school fans of Prong, gone are any elements of the industrial feel some of the older stuff had. The opener Looking for them gets the ball rolling. Tommy sounds a little angrier than usual and the guitars are still “in your face”. Pure Ether reminds me of some older Prong. Mainly due to Tommys vocal approach. By the time you get to The Banishment you start to remember why you were a Prong fan to begin with. Cant stop the bleeding pretty much is my favorite song on the album. I could see this one being played on the radio.
All in all I dont thing the run of the mill fan will be disappointed. Its just as good as anything else thats been released this year. Im going to include some Scorpio Rising tracks as well for those of you who slept through 2006.

From the new album Power of the Damager:

Cant Stop The Bleeding
Looking for them
The Banishment

From the album Scorpio Rising:

All Knowing Force
Reactive Mind

I’ve been a fan of Penny Arcade since its inception, and the evolution of the thing has been amazing to watch. Two snarky guys with a real talent for humor started with a casual webcomic that has now become a staple of the genre. Now they have an undeniably successful annual charity for kids in hospitals at Christmas (plus related black-tie event) and a series of the most massive and popular gaming conventions ever, the Penny Arcade Expos.

PAX ‘07 just wrapped up and while I was again unable to attend, they’ve provided a bevy of second-hand tales and media to sort through and enjoy. Normally I wouldn’t post any of that here, but there’s this one bit… it’s a guy singing and playing an acoustic guitar and I figure that’s the best sheep costume I’ll ever find.

So here you are go. Jonathan Coulton’s “Re:Your Brains”. Enjoy. With some fava beans and a nice chianti, if you like.

(It’s about the Xbox game Dead Rising, I think.)

———————————————————————————————–

Note from Autopsy IV: Hey guys and gals. I am taking the remainder of this week off from ninebullets to prepare for my fantasy football drafts. I have lined up some guest posters for the week and provided they actually come through then you will get to read some posts from a different voice for the week. If they don’t come through the site will be silent. See y’all next Tuesday.

———————————————————————————————–

We are (if I may say so myself) a pretty awesome collection of people over on the Lucero message board. No drama, no flame wars and real conversations…a message board anamoly to be sure. Well, each month we all submit tracks and one kind soul arranges it all and puts the comp up for all of us to download. This month’s d/l link is about to expire and I thought I would let y’all see what we do over there.

Tracklisting:

• Slobberbone - Bright Eyes Darkened
• Leeroy Stagger - I Break Hearts
• Southern Culture on the Skids - Soul City
• Decibully - Tables Turn
• Against Me! - Tonight We’re Gonna Give It 35%
• Chino - When You’re Not Around
• Lawnchair - Broken Down
• Clutch - Cypress Grove
• Th’ Legendary Shackshakers - Swampblood
• Neko Case - In California
• fIREHOSE - Mannequin
• Black Angels - Bloodhounds On My Trail
• The Nightwatchman - Maximum Firepower
• The Slackers - Keep It Simple
• Railbenders - Whiskey Rain
• Joe Strummer - Without People, You’re Nothing
• Adams House Cat - Runaway Train
• Against Me! - Wagon Wheel
• Asskickers - Trees
• Bayside - Megan
• Jay Farrar - Candyman
• Clutch - 10,000 Witnesses
• Dollar Store - Believe
• Alcohol Stunt Band - Gold Paint
• Jape - Floating
• Jerry Jeff Walker - I just Dropped In…
• Mulehead - One Of These Days
• Peeping Tom - Your Neighbood Spaceman
• Rise Against - Tour Song
• The Secret Machines - Nowhere Again
• Sugar - A Good Idea
• Chris Crofton - Thong Song
• UNKLE - Restless
• Armchair Martian - Whipping Boy
• Wrinkle Neck Mules - Liza
• Scott H. Biram - Graveyard Shift

This look like something you wanna listen to? It’s available for a few more days right here.

Chris Cotton and the New Hokum 3’s are a bad ass blues outfit outta California. They are trying to raise the funds to put out a new cd. Last week Chris sent out a myspace bulletin asking people to commit to buying a copy of the cd once it’s out and got 110 commitments pretty quickly. He needs 140 more. I decided to post his bulletin here to raise a little awareness.

I need 250 people to commit/and buy my new album in advance for me to be able to Mix, Master, And duplicate my new album. It is done being recorded onto analog tape and is completely unmixed. The financier’s up to this point of the album is a friend of mine, and myself, and both of us are done as far as money goes.
I approached many people I know with $ and presented a business plan that was very well thought out and developed throughout the stages of production and they all came back with different versions of the same answer:
“I think your proposel and budget are very conservative, and realistic; even promising; although I am not comfortable loaning out money to my friends in general because of past situations…”
Fair enough. I am a very simple business person and I see things in a very simple way. I make money, and I pay my expenses. Nothing more or less.
I want to try and do something a little different though. I want to find 250 people who own my past albums that are willing to absolutely commit to purchasing my new album and doing it in advance.
What are the perks of this small investment of $15 that will not be realized for several months?
I will promise that:

1. You will receive a copy of the album within one week after I get them back from the duplicators. I will personally mail them to you.
2. You will be thanked in the liner notes(because you will have sent me a check that cleared for your cd before I take the design work to the distributors).
3. I will cover the cd shipping out of my own pocket so the total cost of your investment is $15.(USA only, send me 20 if you live outside of here to cover airmail and fill out those extra forms).
4. If you have friends you want to buy these first ever copies for, I will thank you with sharpie on the cd if you buy more than one. No Limit.Actually 250 limit.

Thats all I need to finish the album.
I wont ask anyone to send me anything until I have 250 orders, period. So all you have to do to commit is to send me an email, pass this along to people that you know have my record(s) or people who may care, and send me an email to this address:
chris@cottonchris.com
please place this in the title line: I Want the new record.
In the body just tell me how many copies you can commit to purchasing in advance, and your name and thats it.
When I get to my goal I will send everyone an email telling them where to mail the check to.
Thanks for your support,
Christopher Cotton

Chris Cotton and the New Hokum 3’s - 44 Pistol Mama
Chris Cotton and the New Hokum 3’s - Dying Crapshooter’s Blues
Chris Cotton and the New Hokum 3’s - Morgan City Mississippi

Designated Driver. Music to my ears when the show is across the bridge. The wife volunteered to do the driving duties, so I broke the seal on a bottle of Beam early for this show. Gone solo or not, Isbell, in my opinion, is still part of the Trucker family and half a bottle deep is the best way to start a night at the rock show. Common decency dictates the whole deal. The last time the Truckers were in town, they played to a packed Jannus Landing, and on the way to the show I wondered how that would translate for Isbell. The crowd was significantly reduced compared to the Jannus show, but it was still bigger than most for an artist touring on their debut cd.

Jason and his band took the stage with the familiar Jack Daniels bottle in hand, and in that single moment I knew everything was gonna be okay. Opening the show with “Brand New Kind of Actress”, the same track that opens the cd, gave me a moment of worry. Ever since I saw Social Distortion play their new cd track by track, in order, and then walk off stage, I have worried when a show opens with the first track from the current album. Five minutes later, though, all my worries were squashed as Jason started picking the familiar opening riffs of “Decoration Day”….and the crowd went wild. From there, the band played a good mix of songs from Sirens, spiced with DBT familiars, and a few covers to round out the set. The crowd favorites were obviously Jason’s old DBT tracks “Outfit” and “Never Gonna Change”. Walking in, I wanted to hear two songs, my very favorite Isbell song, “Goddamn Lonely Love”, and my favorite track from the new cd “Try”. He managed to get both into the set, so I went home drunk and happy.

In closing, I would like to type a few lines about the band itself. Ever since Jason went solo, I have wondered about the 400 Unit. Was it really Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, or was it Jason Isbell and a revolving cast of players that were gonna heretofore be known as the 400 Unit? While I will not pretend to actually know anything beyond what anyone can see, standing out in front of a stage and watching them play, they certainly seemed to be a band and not a front guy with some hired guns. They were tighter than I expected them to be, and guitarist Browan Lollar even got to take over lead singer duties during a rather spirited cover of The Talking Heads’ “Psycho Killer”. Speaking of Lollar, whew, did Jason find himself a gem in that guy! That kid has got so much stage presence and charisma oozing out of him that I found it hard to watch the rest of the band at times. Oh yeah, and the boy can play the fucking hell out of a guitar as well.

All in all, I was really happy with Jason’s creation. I hope he keeps this lineup for the next cd and I look forward to hearing what Jason does now that this has his undivided attention.

Jason Isbell - Brand New Kind of Actress
Jason Isbell - Try

Drive-By Truckers - Never Gonna Change
Drive-By Truckers - Goddamn Lonely Love

Pictures of the show are available here.

In Florida August nights are hot and I don’t mean wear a pair of shorts hot. I’m talking wear as little clothes as possible and you’re still gonna sweat hot. It’s a fact that we’ve come to live with. Rain offers no solace, instead it adds to the stifling humidity. This is Florida and these are our August nights. The Mofro boys come from Jacksonville and they know this. This particular Friday night was not an unfamiliar site for Floridians. Afternoon thunderstorms turned into night mug. We had a hurricane out in the Caribbean projected to come just close enough to the Gulf to allow the weathermen to practice their hunkerdown speeches and Mofro playing under the ol’ Oak trees that cover the Skipperdome. Sweat, affordable beer, fried foods and a swampy soulful blues band from J-ville following the hyper-sweaty dirty blues outfit that is Tampa’s own Nervous Turkey made this seem like a perfect Florida storm. A Florigasm if you will.

As I said last week, I had never seen the Mofro boys live before and as the sold out crowd began to filter in I soon realized I was definitely in the minority but it seemed like a welcoming enough crowd. I settled in at the front of the stage to watch the Nervous Turkey boys. I have seen Nervous Turkey two other times in bars with acoustics as poor as my grammar. Seeing them in the Skipperdome sealed the deal for me. I love these guys. They play a brand of blues that makes me wanna drink and there’s nothing wrong with that. For the bulk of the show I was completely taken in by Mr. Locke but as their set was winding down I took a look around. The crowd had probably tripled in size and a lot of them were just as enthralled with these fellas as I was. If you get a chance do not pass on seeing Nervous Turkey, I guarantee that you’ll have a good time.

Next came the reason for the evening. A bead of sweat slowly ran the length of my back as the band took the stage and began to tune up. “It’s been too long Skipperdome” were the first words from Mr. Grey’s mouth. The crowd response was exactly as it should have been. The opening instrumental quasi-jam band number with Grey announcing his band gave way to Florida:

Now skyscrapers and superhighways / are carved through the heart of Florida / Building sub-divisions while the swamps are drained / makin’ room for people and amusement parks / It’s like watchin’ someone you love die slow / Yeah they’re killin’ her one piece at a time / I know some fools who think I should let go / but they never seen Florida through my eyes

It was here I really began to appreciate both the honesty of these guys and the connection they have with the crowd. I would really like to think that the connection with Florida based crowds is a lot closer to the bone than it is with outta state crowds but something tells me I should not be so naive. Blogcritics put it so perfectly I am just gonna quote them direct:

Like shamans, the charismatic Grey and his sinuous band build their modestly structured, unprepossessing songs into small volcanoes of emotion, with the audience supplying half the energy.

It wasn’t some low key soul show mind you. No, No, No. The funk of tracks like “How Junior Got His Head Put Out“, “Nare Sugar” and “Ho’ Cake” most definitely proved to be crowd favorites and caused more than a few folks to break out in fits of spontaneous dancing. In the end I left feeling less like I went to a show and more like I had just witnessed an event. Do you know what I am saying? I know it sounds cheesy but I just feel like I am devaluing the the night if I just call it a show. I dunno, maybe it’s the heat talking.

Mofro - Florida
Mofro - Ho’ Cake
Mofro - How Junior Got His Head Put Out
Mofro - On Palastine

Pictures from the show can be found here.