Author Archive
Rachel Fuller’s In The Attic: A Musical Showcase of Talent
Author: Butler Bad
Rachel Fuller is the long time, significant other, heterosexual life partner of Pete Townshend from the legendary rock band The Who. Several years ago, she released an album that was not as well received, critically and commercially, as she had hoped and was looking for a way to connect to a wider audience. Thus “In the Attic” was born.
It started with a web cam in the home studio (always a risky proposition) with her and some folks talking about music and occasionally playing some tunes. In 2006-2007 when The Who decided to tour again (Exactly how many farewell tours have they pulled off?), Rachel got the idea to take a traveling studio to the various festivals The Who played and invite other artists, who played the festivals, to come in and chat, perform a song or two and stream it over the miracle of the World Wide Web. This worked well for the European leg of the tour and had gained quite a following. As The Who made plans to tour North America, a new plan was needed as the logistics and expense of shipping and traveling in the studio were apparently prohibitive. Read the rest of this entry »
read comments (0)The Jayhawks
Author: Butler Bad
The Jayhawks are the harmonizing alt/country, rootsy, rock, with a touch of pop/folk band that emerged from Minneapolis, Minnesota in the mid 80’s. Considered by many to be one of the forefathers of the then bourgeoning alt/country scene.
Formed in 1985 and co-helmed by Gary Louris and Mark Olson, The Jayhawks released their self titled debut on the indie label Bunkhouse Records. In an attempt to snag a major label deal, the band recorded a set of demos, and then due to tragic and unforeseen circumstances, Gary temporarily left the band. Upon his return, the collection of demos was fashioned into their sophomore release Blue Earth. Read the rest of this entry »
The Avett Brothers
Author: Butler Bad
The Avett Brothers are the folksy, rocking, alt/country with a tinge of bluegrass band from North Carolina. With such a diverse pedigree, is it any wonder the Rick Rubin took notice, signed them to his label, and produced their major label debut “I and Love and You”?
As mentioned, I and Love and You is the major label debut but actually finds The Avett Brothers in the double digits for their release total. They have released numerous albums as well as EP’s and live albums. Read the rest of this entry »
Joe Pug: One of the 2010 Gems!
Author: Butler Bad
Joe Pug is a singer/songwriter who originally hails from Maryland but began his unique musical career in Chicago. He has toured at length since 2008, has opened for Steve Earle, M. Ward, and Josh Ritter and has also played the New Port Folk Festival and Lollapalooza. Nothing in the short career of Joe Pug has followed the normal trajectory of a musician.
His path to music was not as direct as other artists; he began playing guitar in grade school and formed a band in the 6th grade. Firmly believing the mark of a band was original writing, he began writing songs. This was coupled with early ambitions of being a playwright. He left home and attended the University of North Carolina for several years and abruptly left to continue his pursuit of music. His ideas for a play ultimately were flushed out in his first EP “Nation of Heat”. The songs were surreptitiously recorded in a Chicago studio with the aid of a friend who permitted him late night access to the cancelled studio sessions of other musicians. Read the rest of this entry »
25 More Albums You Should Own
Author: Butler Bad
Greetings music lovers,
Today’s blog is about 25 albums you should own and has the following parameters:
- Album must have been recorded/released prior to 1990
- No duplication of artist
- No live albums or greatest hits (kind of an all encompassing copout to include either)
- Listing of my favorite track from said album (This is not so much a parameter but a mere bonus for your reading pleasure)
Twenty Five albums you should own! (In no particular order):
| Artist | Album | Song |
| U2 | The Joshua Tree (1987) | With or Without You |
| Bob Dylan | Oh Mercy (1989) | Most of the Time |
| Bruce Springsteen | Nebraska (1982) | Nebraska |
| Paul Simon | Graceland (1986) | You Can Call Me Al |
| James McMurtry | Too Long in the Wasteland (1989) | Angeline |
| Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers | Hard Promises (1981) | The Waiting |
| Guns N’ Roses | Appetite for Destruction (1987) | Mr. Brownstone |
| The Eagles | Hotel California (1976) | The Last Resort |
| Pink Floyd | Wish You Were Here (1975) | Have a Cigar |
| Robert Earl Keen | No Kinda Dancer (1984) | Rolling By |
| Eric Clapton | Journeyman (1989) | Running On Faith |
| The Who | Quadrophenia (1973) | Love Reign O’er Me |
| Elton John | Madman Across the Water (1971) | Tiny Dancer |
| Metallica | And Justice For All (1988) | Dyers Eve |
| R.E.M | Document (1987) | It’s the End of the World As We Know It and I Feel Fine |
| The Pixies | Surfer Rosa (1988) | Where Is My Mind |
| John Mellencamp | Scarecrow (1985) | Minutes To Memories |
| The Band | Music from the Big Pink (1968) | The Weight |
| Van Morrison | Moondance (1970) | And It Stoned Me |
| Lynyrd Skynyrd | Pronounced Leh-Nerd Skin- Nerd (1973) | Simple Man |
| Beastie Boys | Paul’s Boutique (1989) | Shake Your Rump |
| The Traveling Wilburys | Vol. 1 (1988) | Congratulations |
| Warren Zevon | Bad Luck Streak In Dancing School (1980) | Play It All Night Long |
| Townes Van Zandt | Townes Van Zandt (1969) | Lungs |
| The Rolling Stones | Let It Bleed (1969) | Gimme Shelter |
| Jackson Brown | The Pretender (1976) | The Pretender |
So, there you have it, another list of musical bliss. Take your time, check them out and let me know what you think.
Great music awaits!
Audioslave is the hard rocking, metal edged super group that is ¾ Rage Against the Machine (Tom Morello, Brad Wilk, and Tim Commerford), and ¼ Soundgarden (Chris Cornell) that formed in 2001 on the heels of the breakup of the afore mentioned Rage Against the Machine. The fortuitous paring of the band was craftily handled by none other than producer Rick Rubin who did indeed produce the first two albums for the band. Read the rest of this entry »
Drive-By Truckers: Dripped in Southern Charm and History
Author: Butler Bad
The music of the Drive-By Truckers is a pounding mix of southern rock and alt/country. From a musical perspective, they are one of the few current bands that have and utilize three guitarists. They also generously share the writing and vocal responsibility between Patterson Hood, Mike Cooley, bassist Shonna Tucker, and from about 2002-2007 (former) guitarist Jason Isbell. All four have pretty distinct sonic styles and really make the music interesting. Read the rest of this entry »
The Black Crowes
Author: Butler Bad
It might be difficult to understand or recall the brilliance of The Black Crowes because they have been out of the spot light for quite a while. While they continue to make great music, they do not get the radio play they did in the halcyon days of their youth.
While the brothers, Chris and Rich Robinson, formed The Black Crowes in 1984, it was not until 1990 that they released their debut album “Shake Your Money Maker”. The cornerstone of their debut was the rocking cover of Otis Redding’s “Hard to Handle”. Their sound was unabashedly reminiscent of The Rolling Stones and classic bands such as “Humble Pie” and “The Faces” before Rod Stewart started hawking the “American Songbook” to your mother! Read the rest of this entry »
2011 Sneak Peak: Music You Should Be Waiting For!
Author: Butler Bad
Editors note: We have been backed up with quality posts and this one slipped through the cracks hence the dated references to some of the titles which have already been released. So, without further ado, back to Butler…
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Another year has come and gone and we are in the early stages of a new year. Out with the old and in with the new! Today, I give you a sneak peak at some of the highly anticipated releases of 2011. So sit back and let your music pants go crazy as you peruse this fine list of music to come. Read the rest of this entry »
2010 Year In Review Part Deaux: Texas Music You Should Be Listening To!
Author: Butler Bad
As the saying goes, there must be something in the water! There is something about the Texas music scene that defies typical musical conventions. This, of course, comes as no surprise to the millions of Texas music fans. The variety of music that hails from the great state is as expansive as the West Texas plains. While Austin is known as the “Live Music Capital” of the world, there are plenty of fertile musical breeding grounds in Texas.
Today, I will WOW you with some of the musical greatness that came from or had ties to Texas in 2010. This is not meant to be a comprehensive list, it is just a few of the albums that I have had in heavy rotation over the course of the last year.
| Artist | Album | Observations |
| Old 97’s | The Grand Theatre Vol. 1 | Dallas band gets back to their roots and write good music without trying to be anything more than they are. After 17 years it is good to see them comfortable in their own skin. |
| Spoon | Transference | Not as much of gloss and a lot more rock is what make this album great. Not shying away from the darker textures, Spoon creates a less poppy album and the laxity of Transference is the strength of the album. |
| Reckless Kelly | Somewhere In Time | A fine album of cover songs to their one time mentor Pinto Bennett. |
| Roky Erickson & Okkervil River | True Love Cast Out All Evil | Concise production shapes the sorrow of the Austin icon Roky Erickson’s life and ultimately the optimism of his return. |
| Court Yard Hounds | Court Yard Hounds | 2/3 of the Dixie Chicks show that sometimes less is more. Jakob Dylan adds his dusky dulcet tone for a quick duet. |
| Alejandro Escovedo | Street Songs of Love | The fierceness of the guitar and the bombastic instrumentation belie the emotional elements of the lyrics. |
| Arcade Fire | The Suburbs | Currently Canadian, Butler boys do hail from the sterile Houston suburb known as the Woodlands. This is a great album and also made my 2010 Year in review. |
| Ryan Bingham | Junky Star | Former rodeo star hits the big time with Golden Globe and Oscar win and a current Grammy Nomination for his work on the “Crazy Heart’ soundtrack. His 3rd album is no fluke either. His whisky and cigarette vocals are the perfect vehicle for his forlorn tales. |
| Randy Rogers Band | Burning the Day | One of the hardest working bands in the state. Over 200 dates over the past years. Still time to record and release their 5th album. |
| Norah Jones | …Featuring Norah Jones | The list of collaborators is what makes this album genius. You have the rap community represented with Talib Kweli Q Tip, and Outkast, the rock genre is fortified by Foo Fighters, and Ryan Adams is a genre chameleon so several are covered with his efforts. Also, Willie Nelson adds his own brand of greatness. |
| Walt Wilkins | Agave | A true Texas troubadour. No one does it better then Walt. The words of a poet delivered honey sweet with a calm, familiar feel. Need to see him live if you ever have the chance. |
| Tommy Alverson | Texas One More Time | With a twinkle in his eye, and a beer in his hand, Tommy makes music that makes you feel fine. When Tommy sings, it feels like a warm summer night and for that moment you are carefree. Highly recommend you see him live, you won’t regret it. |
| Six Market Boulevard | Running On Seven | I caught these boys live one Sunday afternoon at a local barbeque joint. Nice, strong debut album. |
| Mike Ryan | The First One | Great voice, laid back attitude, and interacts with his fans. Ballsy covers of Lenny Kravitz and Conway Twitty. Need to see him live to fully appreciate his brand of greatness. |
| Bruce Robison | From the Top | Amazing songwriting that has made many country artists famous. This album finds him paired with Rodney Crowell and it is an effort steeped in simplicity. When you write as well as Bruce, you don’t need to add a lot of fluff. |
The Black Keys just two dudes from Ohio making sweet, sweet music!
Author: Butler Bad
Today we will dissect the musical catalog of the Black Keys. I just can’t say or write enough about the music these two dudes put out. Pure musical genius and a little slice of heaven to boot! If you listen or buy one album today, make it something from their catalog. Read the rest of this entry »
2010 Year In Review: Music You Should Have Been Listening To!
Author: Butler Bad
Well, 2010 was quite the year! Everyone got a little older but ladies, you don’t look it! In spite of continued political divide, the yet to rebound economy, and little oil spill in the Gulf, 2010 was a pretty great year in music. Not for the industry as a whole (canceled tours, decline in both digital and CD sales, etc…), but in terms of the output from various artists it was a pretty fine year. Hell, the Beatles finally capitulated to the masses and released their catalog on iTunes! Back the Brinks truck up boys, we are cashing in!
Here is my annual review of what I thought, and thereby, was good in the world of music in 2010. If it did not make the list, it means I did not get a chance to listen to it, or it sucked. It is entirely possible that some music got by me this year. It is more likely that the music I did not listen to was not listenable and therefore sucked. Read the rest of this entry »
Jay Farrar
Author: Butler Bad
Jay Farrar is the incredibly gifted singer/songwriter/musician who has been part of the creative process for two influential bands (Uncle Tupelo, Son Volt). He has also had a nice solo career and most recently ventured out with Ben Gibbard (Death Cab for Cutie) on the soundtrack for “One Fast Move or I’m Gone”.
Musically he is just as adept in the sparse folksy acoustic of Americana music or the powerful roar of rock and roll. In addition to the guitar, Farrar also knows his way around the harmonica.
Jay Farrar Discography:
- Sebastopol (2001)
- ThirdShiftGrottoSlack (EP 2002)
- Terroir Blues (2003)
- Live EP (2004)
- Stone, Steel, & Bright Lights (2004)
Upon the demise of Uncle Tupelo, Farrar formed Son Volt and released three albums before going on a six year hiatus. Upon return in 2005, Farrar was the only original member of Son Volt and the newly designed band released an additional four albums.
In 2006 Farrar and Anders Parker created Gob Iron and released one album while he was in the process of recording another Son Volt album.
Farrar’s distinctive vocals are the glue that holds all of his music together. While he has respectable writing and musical skills, it is his voice that puts the energy and emotion into the songs. At times, it is low and deeply emotive, conveying the world weary troubadour. Others times, it is painfully hidden behind the weirdly tuned guitar.
Top Five Jay Farrar Songs:
- No Rolling Back (Terroir Blues)
- Damn Shame (Sebastopol)
- California (Terroir Blues)
- Feel Free (Sebastopol)
- Station to Station (ThirdShiftGrottoSlack)
Check out Jar Farrar at www.jayfarrar.net
www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9UNSyisYG8
www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9N4fDkSLUE&feature=related
Great music awaits!
The Strokes
Author: Butler Bad
The Strokes are the hip, happening New York band that careened on to the music scene in 2001 with their garage rock debut Is This It. They packed the one, two punch of critical acclaim; their debut recently was listed as one of the top 50 Albums of the Decade by Rolling Stone Magazine, and commercial success. Read the rest of this entry »
Temple of the Dog: Andrew Wood we hardly knew you!
Author: Butler Bad
One of the albums that are in rotation this week is Temple of the Dog. I’ve owned the album for close to twenty years and I never seem to grow tired of it. I realize part of that is the nostalgia for the time in which the album was released, part of it is the musical energy and excitement that was breaking out in the Seattle music scene, and part of it is that it is just a really great album. Read the rest of this entry »
Mike Ryan: New on the Texas Scene
Author: Butler Bad
Well, it is Friday and it has been a few days since I last posted a blog. Part of that is due to my hectic vacation schedule of lying in bed, watching T.V., drinking beer, and attempting the occasional home project. The other part is due, in no small part, to my incredible laziness the last couple of days. However, it has not been a total waste of a few days. Read the rest of this entry »
Fistful of Mercy
Author: Butler Bad
This is the first blog I have done about a band who has not released any music to date.
Fistful of Mercy is the latest band to get the super group moniker attached to them. This is, often a dubious title as the sum is never equal to the parts. Fistful of Mercy is comprised of Ben Harper, Joseph Arthur, and Dhani Harrison. Their album, As I Call You Down, is scheduled to be released in October. Read the rest of this entry »
Zac Brown: Pass the Jar
Author: Butler Bad
Zac Brown and his rowdy band of musical brothers did a benefit concert for the Georgia Theatre, a cultural haven of the Athens music scene that burned down in 2009, and released it as a live album entitled Pass the Jar. The album is a two disc set that is accompanied by a DVD of the concert. Zac’s music is typically fun in nature and drenched in the good time vibe. The concert exemplifies that vibe and the diversity of the cover songs reflects his deep appreciation for music in general. Read the rest of this entry »
The Sweet Spot!
Author: Butler Bad
As I’ve gotten older, I find myself with more time to listen to music than when I was younger. Part of this is due to the advent of portable music players, the evolution of digital files, and the technology that allows music to be played on computers. The stability of a job provides the disposable income for concerts, an excessive catalog of music, and multiple playing options.
The afore mentioned job also allows me time to listen to music. When I am in my office, music is constantly playing. The sanctuary of my truck is also a musical haven. The drive to work, the drive home, and the many miles that I drive weekly all afford another level of listening. This is also the opportunity that I have to expose my children to music that is in fact played with instruments and songs written by genuine artists. Read the rest of this entry »
Zac Brown Band: Pass the Jar
Author: Butler Bad
Zac Brown and his rowdy band of musical brothers did a benefit concert for the Georgia Theatre, a cultural haven of the Athens music scene that burned down in 2009, and released it as a live album entitled Pass the Jar. The album is a two disc set that is accompanied by a DVD of the concert. Zac’s music is typically fun in nature and drenched in the good time vibe. The concert exemplifies that vibe and the diversity of the cover songs reflects his deep appreciation for music in general. Read the rest of this entry »