THE SNAKEHEALERS – CURE ALL

Feb 122013
 

Since one day in the real world equals about one week in the internet world, there is a chance there are people finding this music scene who’ve never heard of Suburban Home Records. Despite how things played out at the end of SHR, the story of this musical scene can not be told without SHR being mentioned repeatedly. It should be. Virgil Dickerson gave a lot of bands a voice they would have struggled to achieve otherwise and brought them a fan base that was, at one point, willing to throw money at anything bearing a Suburban Home Record imprint on the case.

A little band called The Takers was the beneficiary of that built-in fan base when SHR signed on to release/distribute their debut cd, Taker Easy. Taker Easy was a jangly, modern take on outlaw country with no shortage of ‘getting drunk songs’, and I suggest you pick it up. As bands are known to do, The Takers couldn’t find a common ground and ultimately disbanded with barely a whimper outside of Florida.

Out of the ashes of The Takers, Devon Stuart and Chad Smith formed The Snakehealers. The Snakehealers possess that same spirit The Takers had, but wrap it in a more rocking sound. A sound which allows Devon to spread his wings a little more, moving out of the drinking and drugging lyrical realm and into more mature songs, a point he chooses to make himself in “Maybe It’s Mutual”, when he sings, “This ain’t a song about whiskey, this ain’t a song about losing control….” There was no doubt when he was in The Takers that Devon could pen fantastic lyrics. With a little time, he’s grown into someone who can pen fantastic songs.

I’ve had the privilege of watching this band become The Snakehealers. I was present of one of their first shows. I’ve offered my unadulterated opinion on what they were working on and I’d like to think there were moments when they took that opinion to heart, and Cure All honestly exceeded all of my expectations.

I think, if they can keep this ship together, this bigger sound will suit them better and offer them more play in their music. I think, if they can keep this ship together, nobody will miss The Takers anymore.

I think Cure All is Essential Listening.

The Snakehealers – Easy Young, Easy Old
The Snakehealers – Roadside

The Snakehealers on Facebook, Buy Cure All

MICHAEL DEAN DAMRON – NAH, DEATH I’MA COMIN’ FOR YOU

Jun 272012
 

Michael Dean Damron is one of those rare artists that makes it obvious the he lives his music. Whether it’s with I Can Lick Any SOB or his solo work he leaves it all out there for you and me. Sometimes it ain’t pretty and sometimes it’s hard to stomach but that’s because the man writes about real life and doesn’t leave out the viscera. I’ll be completely honest and admit upfront that not every song in his rather large repertoire appeals to me lyrically but that’s where the real magic is with MDD, because, you see, I can’t even turn off his music when I don’t agree with him. There’s something about him, his writing, his blood and guts approach to music makes me keep right on listening no matter what.

Nah, Death I’ma Comin’ For You only proves to me that MDD can do no wrong. Ten new tracks and every last one of them a keeper. As is his style, Mr. Damron drags us all over the emotional spectrum with this one. From the nostalgia with “Mama Song” to the wry angst of “Creakin’ Ol’ Bones” the roller coaster gathers speed throughout the album to finally coming to halt punctuated with the epitaph for our nation “The Day America Died”. The formula here is a simple one though, so simple that most artists these days miss it, and it’s honesty. Not being a poet or a songwriter I imagine that even though it’s a simple concept, at the same time, it’s not easy to pour yourself out in every song and still have anything left. I frankly don’t know how anyone does it but I am damn glad MDD keeps doing it over and over.

It doesn’t get any better than this as far as music goes. Nah, Death stands a very good chance of being my favorite album of the year. You have probably guessed already that this is Essential Listening and if you did you’d be right. If you donated to the Kickstarter you already have these tracks in your greedy little hands and know what I am talking about but if you haven’t then you’ll be happy to know that Mr. Damron has very graciously given us permission to stream Nah, Death right here on 9B for you! So click the little cassette tape thingy, pour yourself some whiskey, and get ready to be amazed.

Stay tuned for the live half of this release…

Michael Dean Damron on Facebook, Buy Nah Mr. Death… Ima Comin’ for You!!

THE PORTER DRAW – CALIFORNIA WIDOW

Jun 212012
 

There was a time when you could have asked me to name something about Albuquerque and I would have shrugged my shoulders and mumble something about deserts. That was before I started watching Breaking Bad.

There was a time you would have asked me about the Albequrque music scene and I would shrugged my shoulders and mumbled something about Boris McCutcheon (who is excellent btw). That was before I’d started listening to The Porter Draw.

The Porter Draw are Ben Wood (banjo), Russell Pyle (guitar/vocals), Joshua Gingerich (guitar/harmonica/vocals), Dandee Fleming (bass), and Joey Gonzales (drums) and their album, California Widow, has been criminally uncelebrated since coming out last December. If you’re a fan of Doc Dailey, then you’re gonna like what these guys are doing. The band does an excellent job of fusing an old-country feel to a new blugrass sound to make something they like to call “aggressive country.”

I couldn’t have labeled it better myself other than to call it Essential Listening.

The Porter Draw – Davey
The Porter Draw – One Day
The Porter Draw – Athens

The Porter Draw’s Official Site, The Porter Draw on Facebook, The Porter Draw on Spotify, Buy California Widow

SHOOTER JENNINGS – FAMILY MAN

Jun 132012
 

It’s no secret that over the years ninebullets.net went from being huge Shooter Jennings fans to Shooter being one of our favorite punching bags. We don’t write very many negative reviews ‘round these parts, but when we do, the odds suggest that it’s probably a Shooter album we were writing about. In hindsight, it was starting to get mean spirited, but I honestly did not like those albums.

Family Man seems to have found Shooter a lot more centered in his life and the songs reflect that, while his sound has begun to drift back to that of his earlier albums. The album opens with “The Real Me,” which starts off with a classic country sound before breaking off into a chorus that’s a playful turn of words. To be honest, I didn’t like this song at first but after a few listens it’s begun to be one of my favorite tracks on the cd. Up next is a pretty contemporary tune, “The Long Road Ahead”, which features Tom Morello (Rage Against The Machine) and Eleanor Whitmore (The Mastersons). This song has been one of my favorite songs on the album from first listen and shows no signs of relenting. “The Deed and The Dollar”, the debut single off the album, is a touching tribute to Shooter’s wife which shows a more tender side that’s not seen too much in music these days. Some of the other standout tracks on the album include “Summer Dreams”, which would have been at home on any 80′s country radio station, and “The Family Tree”, which almost has a mid-70′s Jimmy Buffett feel to it.

My favorite song on the cd has to be “Daddy’s Hands”, which came along right at the perfect time. It’s no secret that my Dad’s sick and this song basically describes my reality right now and, if I’m being honest, when things aren’t going so well with him it’s difficult for me to listen to it.

In the end, the only song on the album that I outright dislike is “The Black Dog”, and everytime I listen to the album I wonder how it made it into the track listing. I guess what I’m saying is that the ninebullets.net pendulem has swung back into the “pro-Shooter” camp and hopefully he won’t put out an industrial-rock album next.

If he does, at least we’ll have The Family Man, an album that I believe is Essential Listening.

Shooter Jennings – Daddy’s Hands
Shooter Jennings – The Long Road Ahead
Shooter Jennings – The Family Tree

Shooter Jennings’ Official Site, Shooter Jennings on Facebook, Shooter Jennings on Spotify, Buy Family Man

THE OWSLEY BROTHERS — COBALT

Jun 112012
 

Last week I had the following Facebook conversation with one of the guys who books shows here in the Tampa Bay area:

Him: you up on The Owsley Brothers? JUNE 9 @ New World Brewery
Me: Never heard of them.
Him: check them out, think you would like
(30 minutes later)
Me: Checking them out now. I think you were right.

Remember when The Black Keys were big, loud and dirty as hell? When they were still recording in basements and closed down factories? Ever wonder what they would have been like had they not abandoned that sound as they matured?

If so, meet The Owsley Brothers. Coming out of Freeport, Florida this trio of Jerad Reynolds (Guitar/Vocals), BWise (Guitar) and John Tally (Drums) have a sound that seems to possess the groove of the modern Black Keys and the brash noise that made people like them to begin with.

Cobalt is one of those rare albums that had me the instant this huge drum and guitar beat broke into the acoustic intro 0.22 seconds into the opening track. Then, this fat ass keyboard comes in to carry the backbeat and I was fucking sold. From there the album unfolds into 13 tracks of muddy guitars and vocals with enough reverb to make Jesus and Mary Chain jealous, and feedback and drums as big as a Montana sky. With a sometimes indie, sometimes bluesy garage rock and the occasionally straightforward rock and roll sound, Cobalt never gets repetitive but always rocks.

Needless to say, this album is the latest entry into the ninebullets.net Essential Listening club. Check it out:

The Owsley Brothers – Hot Mess
The Owsley Brothers – Crooked Path
The Owsley Brothers – Cold Cold Blood

The Owsley Brothers’ Official Site, The Owsley Brothers on Facebook, Buy Cobalt

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