Howdy, neighbors!
some of the San Francisco Bay Area's best country & twangcore (and oddball roots and acoustic) bands... The first page contains many other groovy recommendations.
Howdy, neighbors!
This is the third page of reviews looking at some of the San Francisco Bay Area's best country & twangcore (and oddball roots and acoustic) bands...
A-C |
D-L |
M-Z & Links |
Geoff Muldaur "The Secret Handshake" (Hightone, 1998)
Great "comeback" album for former Kweskin Jug Band-member and local (Marin) '60s-survivor/mystery man. With economy and ease, Geoff Muldaur weighs in with a solid, soulful, blues-based album. A few tracks slip into mildly embarrassing hippie boogie blues, but others, such as "Wild Ox Moan" and "Got To Find Blind Melon" approach the sublime. His voice has aged well and his delivery is confident and masterful. Highly recommended!
Old Joe Clarks "Metal Shed Blues" (Checkered Past, 1999)
A well-crafted, seductively off-kilter album, with emphasis on subtle songwriting. This San Francisco combo has expanded into a loping, post-twang sound that brings to mind the best of the unclassifiable rootsy singer-songwriter records of the early 1970s. Mike Coykendall's vocals
immediately invite a comparison with Arlo Guthrie, though the allusive songwriting and self-confidently complex arrangements are more in the neighborhood of Dylan's masterpiece, Blood On The Tracks. The overall tone seems gentle, yet foreboding; loose ends dangle throughout, and the starkly unresolved last line of "Eyes Closed" -- which closes the album --
invites an immediate replay of the whole record. Challenging, lulling, recommended.
Jill Olson "The Gal Who Would Be King" (Eggbert, 1996)
I love this record! This local gal has been in a lot of great bands, from the Movie Stars to Red Meat, and many other folks, including actress Mare Winningham, have benefited greatly from her friendly assist as a back-up bassist. Still, nothing matches the exuberant playfulness of this bouncily Beatles-ed out solo album. The musical hooks are all killer -- pure melodic pop in a countrified backdrop -- and Olson's squeeky-clean vocals are a delight. Besides, anyone with the cheek to cover America's "Sister Golden Hair" and back it up with the one-two punch of her own fab original material (esp. "Oh My God" and "Conquer The World") deserves all the adoration we can heap on her. Probably won't be on the racks at your local K-Mart, but the label still has a few copies on hand.
Jill Olson "My Best Yesterday" (Innerstate, 2002)
This charming local thriftstore cowgirl is back with an album that shows off her sweettooth for treble-heavy melodic pop. The Beatles, Byrds and Belly echo through this bouncy little disc, which nonetheless has an undefinable hillbilly twist. There's also the bright trademark sound of producer Dave Alvin, who is a welcome addition to any team! This charming indie outing has its odd moments, but with perky, memorable tunes like "When You Gonna Love Me Again?" it my also be the kind of record you can't quite get out of your mind. It took me a while to warm up to this one, but now I'm into it.
Red Meat "Meet Red Meat" (Ranchero, 1997)
Well, I guess this is probably the one record most likely to cement my reputation as a too-serious country music curmudgeon. Most folks love these guys, but I find this first album to be a big disappointment, particularly since I'm such a big fan of one of the main Meat grinders, bassist and harmony singer Jill Olson. Mostly, I just don't like the endless novelty-songiness of it all, in particular the low-key redneck/trailer trash stereotypes, which aren't as vulgar here as most twangcore albums, but still drag the material down. Great picking and playing, but the songs don't have enough of an emotional core to reach me as a listener.
Red Meat "13" (Ranchero, 1998)
Again, the band's musical skill is readily apparent, but both the playing and the songwriting seem too broadly drawn, and too into kitschy novelty-isms (chicken pickin' rhythms galore, twangy songs about S&M, job layoffs and going on the wagon...) Produced by Dave Alvin, the record sounds clean as a whistle, and the instruments are all given room to breathe. It's not bad, by any means, but thematically speaking, it does seem to under-utilize depth that the band actually has at its disposal.
Red Meat "Alameda County Line" (Ranchero, 2001)
On another outing with producer Dave Alvin, this time the Meaties choose to emphasize their musical chops a bit more, with plenty of solidly delivered, fat-toned Buck Owens riffs -- less twang, more rhythm. Also, the lyrical attack is less overtly novelty oriented, and more frequently hits home. There are still several funny songs, like Scott Young's genuinely hilarious car repair ballad, "Under The Wrench", but now the goal is more one of humorous wordplay, rather than rigorously enforced dopiness. There are also some timely tunes, such as Jill Olson's "Midwest Blues", and the title track, "Alameda County Line", which both reflect a growing local sense of disillusionment with a Bay Area that's shifted from a haven of alternative culture into a traffic-jammed, wildly overpriced consumerist war zone. The album also features a couple of nice live tracks, tucked away at the end of the CD, that highlight the band's charming live presence. Mostly, I'm just glad to hear these folks taking better advantage of their considerable collective musical chops, and making less of a big deal out of the nudge-nudge, wink-wink brand of humor. Plus, what a treat to hear Jill Olson singing lead once again! Recommended!
Ivan Rosenberg "The Lost Coast" (Gate Music, 2001)
Nice, low-key bluegrass album featuring Rosenberg's able, soulful dobro (er, resophonic guitar...) work, as well as assist from a bunch of pals, including Ben Winship and sweet, Rhonda Vincent-y vocals by Julie Elkins. Not dazzling or flashy, but sweet and very heartfelt... mostly instrumental, but the vocal tracks are equally enjoyable.
Alan Senauke "Old Songs From The Southern School" (Native & Fine, 2002)
A sweet set of Antebellum-flavored old-timey (and moderately bluegrassy) story songs, featuring Berkeley-based picker Senauke and a slew of super-talented pals such as Jon Scholle, Eric & Suzy Thompson, Kate Brislin, Jody Stecher, and others. Senauke, who has been picking and singing in various back-porch bands ever since the early days of the 1960s bluegrass revival, has a very soulful, expressive feel for this material. This wonderful little album (affectionately designed to look like an old Folkways LP) might be easy to miss if you don't know what to look for, but it'll be a gem for those who manage to pick it up. Recommended!
Skeeter Pete & The Sullivan Mountain Boys "Skeeter Pete & The Sullivan Mountain Boys" (CD-R) (Bert Records, 2000)
The minute I started listening to this album, I formed an unreasonably strong affection for this sloppy Bay Area bluegrass outfit... In their (deliberately?) clumsy enthusiasm, these fellas demonstrate a complete and raggedy-ass devotion to the old-time spirit of the music, reminiscent of early-'70s stringband revivalists who knew they weren't gonna measure up to old-timers like Bill Monroe, but figured they'd still give it a try anyway. Instead of perfecting their banjo rolls while at jamming for decades at bluegrass festivals, Pete and his crew just plunged headfirst into the deep end of the pool, with a bellyflop here and a cannonball there, covering some classics (including three by Monroe) and writing some brilliant original material as well. Their no-excuses-offered planketty-planketty DIY approach differs sharply from many of the "insurgent country" types out there who all too often replace sincerity with rough edges and gosh-heck hick stereotypes. In contrast, these guys actually have the ability to connect emotionally with their listeners, and work within -- rather than batter against -- the tradition they're clomping around in. The original songs by banjo player Andy Sullivan are real standouts, particularly the mournful but modern lovers-spat song, "Let's Be Good To Each Other", and the genuinely eerie old-style murder ballad, "Don't The Light Nearly Blind You?" (which wouldn't have sounded out of place on the Dead's Cumberland Blues album...) I dunno if this will work for everybody, but I sure thought it was fun.
Lavay Smith And Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers "One Hour Mama" (Fat Note, 1996)
Great revival of the upbeat postwar R&B sound, from one of the most hard-working members of SF's mid-1990s club scene. Smith's biggest debt is to early Dinah Washington -- not the Dinah Washington of "What A Difference A Day Makes" fame, but the younger Dinah who recorded raunchy blues with Charles Mingus plunking away on the bass behind her. It's a nice goal to aim for, and Smith hits the target right smack in the middle. Fine and mellow, as they used to say -- Lavay and her band were several years ahead of the corporatized zoot suit "swing" revival, and they were also a lot more fun and more interesting than most of the hyperactive, testosterone-soaked outfits who hopped onto that particular bandwagon. If you want a subtler, more soulful and more historically cognizant, take on the old-time swing sound, then this is a record you might wanna look for!
Lavay Smith and Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers "Everybody's Talkin' 'Bout Miss Thing!" (Fat Note, 2000)
The band sounds less rollicking and more swanky 'n' fat than on the last album... kind of taking on a Doc Severinsen sophistication. They still rock, though; it's just that now the sound is more big band specific and a bit less R&B. About a third of the tracks are originals, and pretty good ones at that. And of course the cover tunes are all top-notch, including material originally recorded by Joe Williams, Jimmy Rushing, Helen Humes and Billie Holiday. Rounding things off is a cute New Orleans-ed out version of the holiday chestnut, "Winter Wonderland".
The Smokejumpers "Flat Tear It Up!" (Walking, 1998)
Old-school cowpunk, with a rowdy, raunchy sense of humor... The pace is a bit relentless, and some of the finer points of the songwriting get lost in the rush to the finish line... Then again, maybe being subtle isn't the point here... Veteran punker and plunker "King Teen" is a pretty strong novelty-song writer, and this disc includes some of his best material, such as "My Baby Thinks She's Betty Page" and "I Don't Wanna Be Friends With You No More" ('cause he wants to jump her bones...) On some songs, he overplays his hand (like "I Love You But You're A Lying Sack Of Shit"), but on balance there's some pretty fun stuff here. Lyrically, the breakneck pace detracts from the songs, while musically it lends cred to the whole punker vibe... Think of old Misfits records being covered by Eddie Cochran, and you'll get a sense of what's in store for you here...
The Stairwell Sisters "Recording No. 2: Feet All Over The Floor" (Yodel-Ay-Hee, 2005)
The second album by this SF-Bay Area fivesome is a fine set of squeaky, raspy old-time music with plenty of fiddle, banjo and twang... The songs are a nice mix of older material from the public domain and a half dozen originals written by the band members... These gals -- Lisa Berman on guitar, Martha Hawthorne on bass, Evie Landin on banjo, Stephanie Prausnitz sawing on the fiddle and Sue Sandlin on guitar -- hail from several other local bands and have a nice, relaxed feel as a band. Their new material fits right into the classic old-timey vibe -- if you like your stringband music "crooked" and uncompromised, like, say, Jim & Jennie or the Crooked Jades, this is a fine record to check out... (Available through www.stairwellsisters.com )
Jody Stecher "Going Up On The Mountain: The Classic First Recordings" (Acoustic Disc, 2000)
Amid the 1960s jugband scene, and well into the acoustic revival of the 1970s, '80s and '90s... and heck, right up to the present day, old-timey purist Jody Stecher has walked like a giant. This CD -- a reissue of his first solo album -- will show you why Stecher wins the "my repertoire is more austere than your repertoire" award. Old-timey fans will rejoice at this CD re-release of his first two albums, which were originally out on the tiny Bay Area label, Bay Records. Stecher has long been recognized as a pivotal member of the '60s folk-bluegrass revival, and particularly of the acoustic music scene in San Francisco. These early '70s recordings feature him along with a slew of well-known countrerculture acoustic types, such as John Herald, Eric Thompson, Fred Solokow and, of course, Stecher's long-time partner, Kate Brislin. It's a deliberately arid, high lonesome sound; Stecher tackles the music with a severity that's still unnerving today. He wants to make sure that listeners know this is "the real stuff," and his raw, live-wire delivery rivals that of Bill Monroe at his most intense. There's also a nice back-porch feel to the proceedings, a mix of devotion and informality that up-and-coming acoustic plunkers will strive to revive for decades to come. Recommended!
Jody Stecher & Friends "Snake Baked A Hoecake" (Bay, 1974)
A fine set of twangier-than-thou, hippie bluegrass, with a youthful Jody Stecher delving into Appalachian and Celtic culture, and a bit of Indian drone as well... Features a slew of shaggy Bay Area locals, including Fred Sokolow and Eric Thompson, all pickin' their little hearts out. A nice, fun, innocent little record. A half dozen of these tunes made their way onto the Classic First Recordings collection listed above; the rest of it's worth hearing as well.
Jody Stecher & Kate Brislin "Songs Of The Carter Family" (Appleseed, 2000)
This Bay Area duo has long been a potent force in the old-timey revival scene, and here they capture the plaintive emotional longing of the Carter Family sound, although their take on things may be a bit softer and less desolate (or rowdy) than the Carters themselves. Still, this is pretty sweet and certainly loyal to the material. Nice stuff.
Swingin' Doors "Unhinged" (Self-released, 1995)
City slickers from the Mission District doing their darnest to keep it country. Not that this disc is even remotely still in print, or that it's really all that fab, but it does have one great song, "So Pretty, So Fast", which has a pleasantly singable spin on the whole "The Girls All Get Prettier At Closing Time" theme. Perhaps, someday, when we assemble the perfect Bay Area twang collection, we can put that song in the set.
The Top-Hands "Once In A While" (Star-Tone, 2002)
Amiable, loose-limbed rockabilly, with the same relaxed, easygoing attitude as Big Sandy or the Dave & Deke Combo. These San Francisco cats have a nice sound -- plenty of hot licks, but not as hurried or as aggro as many of those 'billy types can sound. Fun stuff, with plenty of nice original tunes. Also check out their website at http://www.top-hands.com.
The Wags "Living The High Life" (Solana, 1997)
Not quite a twangcore record, this upbeat album is three parts blues, one part country, one part rock, with a dash of nice songwriting on the side. Recommended! Available from the band at
solana@mindspring.com
The Wags "Headin' Down To Henry's" (Innerstate, 1999)
Like their first album, this is heavy on the old style, acoustic-based hokum blues (them's dirty songs, in case ya didn't know...) Oh, don't worry -- it's nothing to hide from the kids, just a little innuendo about "rubbing that thing," and stuff like that. The production touch is lighter this time around, and the performances are getting a bit self-consciously clever, but it's still charming and fun. Recommended!
Frank Novicki & Ben Bonham "The Waikiki Steel Works" (Self-Released, 2001)
Two SF Bay Area locals with a sweet-tooth for good, old-fashioned Hawaiian music... Playing on a variety of vintage guitars and ukes, the duo tears through an all-acoustic mix of classics and originals that recapture the old style. Their perky picking may remind folks of Bob Brozman's early work... definitely worth checking out!
NOTE: This page is a work in progress. If you have suggestions
for bands that are not included here, or are in such a band,
please feel to write me and let me know.
Thanks!
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