The Latest Shows We've Recorded

Thursday, December 31, 2009

[FairRetailRecordings] #0056 -- Bruce Springsteen -- Hard Times

#0056

We here at FRR HQ are not sad to see 2009 shown the door; not by any stretch of the imagination. Everybody either was or knows someone who lost his or her job or was otherwise impacted by the economic climate. Let's all hope or pray (or whatever you do) that 2010 is a lot better than 2009. Anyway, Stephen Stinkin' Foster said it best and his words come to you via the Boss & the E Street Band....

Track: Hard Times

Enjoy. And support your local music scene.

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

[FairRetailRecordings] #0055 -- The Gourds -- Michoacan

#0055

The perfect segue between our Christmas stuff and our New Year's stuff is the Gourds covering Doug Sahm.

Artist: The Gourds
Venue: Jovita's
Track: Michoacan

Enjoy. And support your local music scene.

Thursday, December 24, 2009

[FairRetailRecordings] #0054 -- Brock Zeman -- The Triple Crown


A song about a bar that has a band every day of the year, even on Christmas. And falling in love with a barfly. Yep, that's a country song, friends. Merry Christmas, y'all. And to all a good night.

Artist: Brock Zeman

Enjoy. And support your local music scene.

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

[FairRetailRecordings] #0053 -- The Gunhands -- Silent Night>Pepe Claus


Let's continue the Christmas spirit with the double-edged foray from the Gunhands. The spiritual of Silent Night and the secular of Pepe Claus. Ah, Christmas in Texas.

Artist: The Gunhands

Enjoy. And support your local music scene.

Friday, December 18, 2009

Some Live Christmas Cheer From alt512

Some Christmas-time cheer in the form of some recent live performances by some of our friends here at alt512 that won't make the cut for the Fair Retail mailings until next year (look at us being proactive).

Merry Christmas, y'all.

First off, Mark Jungers covers a few Christmas classics from 2009.12.17 at Gruene Hall:
Run Run Rudolph:

Merry Christmas Throughout The Year:


A pair of Christmas-time originals from Grub Dog & The Modestos from
2009.12.05 at Jovitas.
Merry Christmas From Your Ex-Girlfriend:

Rocking In My Stocking:

[FairRetailRecordings] #0052 -- Slaid Cleaves -- Merry Christmas From The Family

#0052

Slaid covers Robert Earl Keen to kick off our Christmas coverage here at FRR HQ.


Enjoy. And support your local music scene.

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

The Bird List...An Aggregate Best Of 2009 List

No need to copy or repeat what's already out there. Check out the list over at A Truer Sound.

Here's the top five.
1. Justin Townes Earle Midnight at the Movies
2. Lucero 1372 Overton Park
3. Ryan Bingham and The Dead Horses Roadhouse Sun
4. Buddy and Julie Miller Written in Chalk
5. Dave Rawlings Machine A Friend of a Friend

[FairRetailRecordings] #0051 -- The Spoiled Royals -- Done Going Downtown

#0051

Here's some rock Lonesome George Thorogood & The Delaware Destroyers would be proud to call their own.

We'll start the Christmas-y stuff on Friday.

Date: 2009.09.12

Enjoy. And support your local music scene.

Friday, December 11, 2009

[FairRetailRecordings] #0050 -- Lew Card -- The Curse In My Blood And The Hole In My Shoe

#0050

I really love this song. It says a lot (to me) about why people do the things they do. Sometimes, you don't have a choice.

Artist: Lew Card
Date: 2009.09.10
Venue: Flipnotics

Enjoy. And support your local music scene.

Thursday, December 10, 2009

The Best Of 2009...Official Releases

A bunch of OKOM music bloggers got together this year (at the prompting of A Truer Sound) to compile a consensus best of 2009 official release. Officially, the name of this collective is the Bird List. The compiled results will be released in a few days. I had a peek at the ballots and there are a lot of differing opinions on who had the best record of 2009. Didn't seem to me like there was a clear consensus number one record this year. I anxiously await the results.

In the meantime, here's my list. We had to rank our top 20 records of the year. For me, though, once I got past seven, the ranking really ceased to matter. In reality, Bingham's Roadhouse Sun was far and away the best record of the year. Everyone was just pickin' for second.

Alt512's Top Seven:
Ryan Bingham Roadhouse Sun
Corb Lund Losin' Lately Gambler
Sons Of Bill One Town Away
The Devil Makes Three Do Wrong Right
Leo Rondeau Down At The End Of The Bar
Danny Schmidt Instead The Forest Rose To Sing
Gary Floater A Hero Never Learns - The Songs Of Gary Floater

The Best of the Rest:
Reid Wilson & His So-Called Friends Country Music Revolution
Mike Herrera's Tumbledown Tumbledown
Charlie Robison Beautiful Day
Owen Temple Dollars And Dimes
Ben Kweller Changing Horses
Slaid Cleaves Everything You Love Will Be Taken Away
Peewee Moore The Leaving Side Of Gone
Guy Clark Somedays The Song Writes You
Dustin Welch Whisky Priest
Tom Russell Blood And Candle Smoke
Daddy For A Second Time
Justin Townes Earle Midnight At The Movies
The Gourds Haymaker
Brock Zeman Live @ The Acoustic Grill
The Avett Brothers I And Love And You
James McMurtry Live In Europe
Scott Miller Appalachian Refugee

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Alt-512's Records Of The Decade

Been a helluva a musical decade. It seems like whatever this music is [called] that we all like, OKOM, for lack a better term, really came into its own. The older [living] guys (Terry Allen, Guy Clark, Joe Ely, Billy Joe Shaver, Butch Hancock, et al) really got their dues as they continued putting out some really great new music. The younger guys (REK, Snider, the Robison Brothers, Slaid Cleaves, et al) continued to grew and hone their crafts. And some new/newer acts (Hayes Carll, Corb Lund, Ryan Bingham, et al) clawed their way from obscurity to bring the world some truly amazing records and thousands of amazing live performances. And of course some of the bands that really influenced us in the first decade of the 21st century aren't together anymore (South Austin Jug Band, The Dedringers, The Gougers, The Tennessee Rounders, The Sovines, etc).

As with all of our lists, this one is not in any particular order. With that, I present you with the list of our favorite albums that were released in the first decade of the 21st century. [The noughties?]

Chris Wall Just Another Place
Gary Floater A Hero Never Learns
Sam Baker Mercy
Steve Earle The Revolution Starts Now
The Victrolas Life Like The Movies, Drop The Needle
Jimmy Buffett Far Side Of The World
Scott Miller Reconstruction
Charlie Robison Beautiful Day
Corb Lund Five Dollar Bill, Losing Lately Gambler
Ryan Bingham Roadhouse Sun, Dead Horses
James McMurtry Live In Aught Three, Childish Things
Shooter Jennings Put The O Back In Country
Todd Snider East Nashville Skyline
Adam Carroll Live At Cheatham Street
Bruce Robison Wrapped
Warren Zevon The Wind
Stillwater Pioneers Let's Go Pioneering
The James Hyland Band Place I Call Home
Kasey Chambers The Captain
Reckless Kelly Wicked Twisted Road
Josh Ritter The Historical Conquests Of Josh Ritter
Gurf Morlix Diamonds To Dust
Deadstring Brothers Starving Winter Report
Fred Eaglesmith Balin
Tim Hus Bush Pilot Buckaroo
Danny Schmidt Little Grey Sheep
Brian Keane I Ain't Even Lonely
Mike McClure [Band] Camelot Falling
Verlon Thompson Everywhere...Yet
John Fogerty Blue Moon Swamp
John Prine In Spite Of Ourselves
Johnny Cash American IV
Jack Ingram Acoustic Motel
James Hyland Place I Call Home
South Austin Jug Band Dark And Weary World
Slaid Cleaves Broke Down, Wishbones
Steve Earle The Revolution Starts Now
Houston Marchman Key To The Highway
The Gourds Blood Of The Ram
Hayes Carll Trouble In Mind, Flowers & Liquor, Little Rock
Daddy At The Women's Club
Brock Zeman Hundred Dollar Difference
Sons Of Bill One Town Away
Peter Cooper Mission Door
The Onion Creek Crawdaddies Irons In The Fire
Leo Rondeau Down At The End Of The Bar

Non-Music
Dave Attell Skanks For The Memories
Patton Oswalt Feelin' Kinda Patton, Werewolves And Lollipops
Dave Chappelle For What It's Worth

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

[FairRetailRecordings] #0049 -- The Fundamentalists -- Broad Minded

#0049

Traditional Bluegrass. Nothing like it, especially when it's a cover of a Louvin Brothers song.

Date: 2008.09.11

Enjoy. And support your local music scene.

Monday, December 7, 2009

The Gourds Recent Two-Night Stand At Jovita's [Audio]

We were fortunate enough to capture two excellent Gourds (site) shows over the weekend at Jovita's here in Austin. Links to the audio are below as well as the embedded player for your enjoyment. Almost a no-repeat two-night stand had it not been for Pill Bug Blues. Check out the full write-up over at the Gourds News (Friday, Saturday) for some pics, videos and annotated setlists.

http://www.archive.org/details/gourds2009-12-04.matrix.flac







Friday, December 4, 2009

[FairRetailRecordings] #0048 - South Austin Jug Band -- Long Journey Home

#0048

Continuing the week's theme of getting back home, I present the South Austin Jug Band covering this bluegrass standard.


Enjoy. And support your local music scene.

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

[FairRetailRecordings] #0047 -- Mike Herrera's Tumbledown -- Homeward Bound

#0047

As we head back to Austin from a week plus in Pennsylvania, this seems appropriate.

Venue: Red7

Enjoy. And support your local music scene.

Saturday, November 28, 2009

[FairRetailRecordings] #0046 -- Phil King & Daniel Stokes -- Atlantic City

#0046

A day late. The Flatcar Rattlers have a new CD out. If you're in Austin, you should be able to get it at Waterloo. For now, here's the Rattler's singer (Daniel) and guitar player (Phil) accompanied by Cale Thibodeaux on banjo covering the Boss' Atlantic City.

Artist: Phil King & Daniel Stokes [Flatcar Rattlers]
Venue: Jovita's

Support your local music scene.

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Flatcar Rattlers Debut CD Release

The Flatcar Rattlers (myspace) are celebrating the release of their debut CD this coming Saturday at the Scoot Inn in east Austin. If you're around, go see them. They won't disappoint. If you want a preview, check out the video below or listen to their show from Jovita's this past July.

http://www.archive.org/details/fcr2009-07-03.matrix.flac


Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Friday, November 20, 2009

[FairRetailRecordings] #0044 -- Verlon Thompson -- If The Creek's Too Hight For Crossing


Another one from Verlon Thompson. This is from the Columbus Music Hall in 2004. I'm not sure if this is on any of his records or not...


Enjoy. And support your local music scene.

Thursday, November 19, 2009

The Best Of 2009...Live Shows In and Around ATX

2009 was a weird year. My wife and I joke about how strange (or insert your own adjective here) this year has been. As weird as it was with everything happening, the music in and around Austin was phenomenal.

I know there were more great shows we saw this year (especially SXSW) but here's the immediate list that comes to mind [links to audio of the shows provided where available].

Lew Card's Monday Songwriter Mixers @ The Mean Eyed Cat were a few of my favorites: 2009.04.06, 2009.05.04, 2009.06.01, 2009.11.02
Reid Wilson & His So-Called Friends w/ Earl Poole Ball @ The Mean Eyed Cat 2009.02.26
Corb Lund @ Threadgill's South 2009.09.29
Hayes Carll @
Threadgill's South 2009.05.24
The Devil Makes Three @ Lovejoy's 2009.03.18
Daddy @
Jovita's 2009.03.19
Mark Jungers & Chris Wall @
Patsy's 2009.03.19
AJ Roach, Nels Andrews & Friends @
Flipnotics 2009.06.05
Doug Moreland's Cattlelac's Calf Fry with Ryan Bingham, Corb Lund, Doug Moreland, Jesse Dayton & The Rustlanders 2009.09.26
The Gourds @ Threadgill's South 2009.10.03
Charlie Robison @
Our House Concert 2009.10.18

The Gourds @ Jovita's 2009.12.04 / 2009.12.05
Damon Bramblett @ The Mean Eyed Cat 2009.12.16

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Covers Of The Boss' Atlantic City

Since the first time I heard The Band's cover of Springsteen's Atlantic City, I was absolutely hooked on covers of that song. I love the song, the original from the Nebraska record, I mean, of course. But for some reason, I really love covers of this song. Unlike our list of songs that should cease to be covered, this one should be covered more.

Besides The Band, my other favorite cover of this song is by Hank III which is distinctly more (true) country than any of the other covers I've heard.

Anyway, I was out seeing Phil King and Daniel Stokes (of the Austin band Flatcar Rattlers) last night at Jovita's and they covered it. Never disappoints, this song.



Check out the whole recording here:

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

[FairRetailRecordings] #0043 -- Verlon Thompson -- Cato County

#0042


One of my favorite unsung songwriters is Verlon Thompson who's best known for being Guy Clark's sideman but who is a tremendous songwriter in his own right.  This recording comes to us courtesy of Joshua Cain.


Artist: Verlon Thompson
Date: 2009.02.27
Track: Cato County


Enjoy.  And support your local music scene.



Friday, November 13, 2009

[FairRetailRecordings] #0042 -- Slaid Cleaves -- Texas Top Hand

#0042


Here's another from the dusty back bins.  Slaid Cleaves with Michael O'Connor, Ivan Brown and Rick Richards perform a cover of Don Walser's "Texas Top Hand" from 2004 at the now sadly defunct Little Brother's in Columbus, Ohio.





Artist: Slaid Cleaves


Enjoy.  And support your local music scene.




Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Download Jonny Burke's New EP "The Long Haul" Free

If you liked the Dedringers, you're probably like me and disappointed they broke up earlier this year.  Well, despair no longer.  You can download former-Ringer Jonny Burke's new EP for free from the link below.  Burke's been on the road for a big chunk of 2009 opening for the likes of Ryan Bingham and James McMurtry.  So, maybe you've already seen him and know what a talent he is.  If not, grab a free taste here.


Might want to download this soon as I believe this is a limited time offer.  You probably have until the end of November or so.


Enjoy.


Tuesday, November 10, 2009

[FairRetailRecordings] #0041 -- Charlie Robison -- My Brother And Me


Another one of Charlie Robison from the house concert. This is by far my favorite of his and Bruce's stuff. Glad he did it for us.


Enjoy. And support your local music scene.

Friday, November 6, 2009

[FairRetailRecordings] #0040 -- Charlie Robison -- Photograph


I was really impressed when Charlie Robison played our house concert a few weeks back. Attached, you can find him doing "Photograph".

Track: Photograph

Enjoy. And support your local music scene.