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Twin Town High (vol. 8) |
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Kiss me, I’m Tom Hallett
Wednesday 14 March @ 14:46:49 |
 Hiya and Happy St. Pat's to regular readers and casual browsers alike. Though the icy, mountainous terrain of coastal Alaska is a long way from the scruffy, lovable streets of St. Paul, or even the rolling green hills of old Eire itself (though many a Paddy has come through this here town and commented on the scenic similarity to the Old Country here when the weather's turned a bit towards the warmer side), I'm still constantly amazed at the one glaring constant between 'em all--the massive diversity in nationalities, beliefs and musical styles all balled up in one specific geographical locale.
 So rather than just review a random Irish nugget or flashy new-fangled tribute outfit this year, I've decided to toss out a peek at a trio that's made up of just such an amalgamation of world-travelers, soulmates and kindred musical spirits who just happen to be from three distinct backgrounds. This is the real stuff, not meant for once-a-year show-goers or prudish traditionalists, either. Check it out for yourselves. Me, I'm goin' out to a live gig, where I'm sure I'll get a taste of that spirit inherent in this record and a hundred more like it ...
The Greencards
Veridian
2007
Dualtone Music Group
Though their press kit dubs their sound "Celtic-influenced new-grass," there's a whole lot more to The Greencards than that simplified description suggests. Brought together by a love of old-school Americana standards and a propensity to jam 'til the dawn's early light on "various tiny stringed instruments," angelic-voiced Aussie balladeer Carol Young met up with accomplished multi-instrumentalist/fellow Aussie Kym Warner and ended up meeting English fiddler Eamon McLoughlin at an impromptu Texas recording session.
From there, their musical wheels greased by their common love of true-blue, from-the-gut pickin' an' hollerin' (not to mention crooning, sawing and stomping), the trio set out to both forge a fresh, inspiring take on a musical style that had originally come to America from their respective homelands (and parts thereabouts) and to reverently capture the original ideals behind that music, as well.
Viridian, the band's third release, is their strongest yet. Previous accolades including winning opening spots for the likes of Bob Dylan and Willie Nelson, score Best New Band at 2004's Austin Music Awards, and capturing the New/Emerging Artist category at 2006's Americana Awards. But I could tell you all day that they count among their fans the likes of Buddy Miller and Rosanne Cash, and that folks like Kim Richey helped with some of the songwriting tasks on this release, and it still wouldn't do justice to the music.
Kicking off with the smoky, intriguing bedroom ballad "Waiting on the Night," it's clear right from the get-go that vocalist Young has a unique, original set of pipes that just might set the curtains on fire if she doesn't get outta the house and out where she can shake her hips and romance the night away. The lonesome, fiddle-driven "River of Sand" (co-written by Kym Warner) recalls a Red Dirt Girl-era Emmylou Harris, while the dreamy, traveler's shanty "All the Way from Italy" (also co-written by Warner) tells the tale of the author's ancestors making their ways from Europe to Australia, and Young captures the ancient ode to ancestral origins as if she herself were on the journey.
The bouncing, clattering "When I Was in Love with You" (the only track penned solely by McLoughlin) puts a Celtic roadhouse spin on the standard love-gone-wrong song that showcases McLoughlin's admirable vocal abilities and manages to make heartbreak lyricism fit snugly up against impossibly upbeat, toe-tappin' fiddling. "I Don't Want to Lose You," one of two Kim Richey compositions here, brings out Young's deepest, innermost bittersweet emotions with the soft cry of her fellow bandmates augmenting an authentic slice of true Americana that might just give writer Richey a run for the money as it is.
The album winds down with the silly, danceable "Mucky the Duck," which takes full advantage of the band recording in one big open room, rather than in stuffy solo booths, and at last gives a hint of the mighty power this outfit must display in a live setting. A class act, and music that should be filling Nashville's airwaves--oh wait, this is REAL country! Check 'em out at thegreencards.com.
ROUND THE DIAL'S TOP TEN IRRITATING DJ MOMENTS (Cont'd from 03/07/07)
6) Thrash Metal Dude: This drunken buffoon usually likes to stagger up to my booth around 9:30 p.m., when the last of the old duffers are still nursing their last drinks of the evening. I don't mind playing a little Megadeth or even a mellower Metallica cut at this point in the evening, but does it always have to be GWAR doing "Poopy Britches"?
Needless to say, the day crowd runs shrieking from the bar and the TMD spills his beer on himself or pisses his pants and then leaves in shame, me blasting Anal Cunt or Sludgepacker to a bewildered bartender then switching to Abba just to avenge myself.
7) Old-School Dancing Lady: This one loves, loves, loves Bob Seger's "Betty Lou's Gettin' Out Tonight." And Toby Keith. And Gretchen Wilson. It's at this point when I purposely play GWAR to end my own (and the rest of the bar's) misery. Sorry, granny, but I KNOW you have that Seger album on 8-track at home. Betty Lou. Brrrrr!
8) Obscure Live Recordings Guy: This one (it IS always a guy!) likes to sidle up to the booth and act all friendly ("Can I buy you a beer?" Me: "Naw, they're on the house, thanks. I take tips, though." Him: "Oh." Not putting tip in jar.) He starts out asking if I like Pink Floyd and ends up pur-dee pissed off that I don't have the third post-Syd Barrett lineup of Floyd live at The Isle of Wight or some shit, then professes no interest at all in my gigantic collection of Syd Barrett songs. What a podunk.
9) The War Between The Bar-Sides Folks: Yes, since I'm listed in the paper as "All-Request," I sometimes get two very different crowds of people sitting on opposite sides of the bar and continually running up to me to foil the requests made by people sitting across from them. For instance, the side closest to me will run up with a request for Sweet's "Love Is Like Oxygen." Fine. No prob---I've even got the long-play version. As soon as the song starts, however, some clown from the other side will jog up and beg for Ah-Ha, or Wham! or Culture Club. Guess who's hearing four cuts in a row from the new Van Morrison album? Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!
10) The Bar Owner: Owners don't usually hang out in the bars they own--unless they work there--during the evening hours. At least, that's been my experience. Last time the owner of a club I deejayed for came in after dark, it was his birthday and he wanted to hear Jimmy Dean's "Big John." I played him that, and as he came walking towards me to thank me, he fell and hit his head on a table really hard. He's old and was very drunk, so I was thinking, great, I just killed my boss. What could I do? I played "Birthday" by the Beatles as his barmaids helped him stagger upstairs to sleep it off. The next day, he remembered nothing of the previous evening. I however, am scarred for life. Be very, very careful with Jimmy Dean--he has powers that go beyond music and breakfast sausage, kiddies ...
That's it for me this week, folks. Tune in again here, same time, same page, for more of the same. Until then--make yer own damn news.
If you have local music news/gigs/events/CDs you'd like to see mentioned in this space, or you'd just like to trade pots of gold, send replies to: Tmygunn77764@yahoo.com. ||
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