[FairRetailRecordings] #0100 -- The Flatcar Rattlers -- Barn Roof

#0100

FRR has made to #100 and today we're featuring the same band that got things going for us, The Flatcar Rattlers. Here's to another hundred. Thanks for listening.

Artist: The Flatcar Rattlers

Date: 2009.07.03

Venue: Jovita's

Track: Barn Roof

Enjoy. And support your local music scene.

[FairRetailRecordings] #0099 -- Cory Branan -- Wayward And Down

#0099

Artist: Cory Branan

Date: 2010.04.12

Venue: The Mohawk

Track: Wayward And Down

Enjoy. And support your local music scene.

[FairRetailRecordings] #0098 -- Joe Purdy -- Cowboy Song

#0098

This is not the Thin Lizzy song but it's still a damn good song.

Artist: Joe Purdy

Date: 2010.03.20

Venue: The Gibson Guitar Showroom

Track: Cowboy Song

Enjoy. And support your local music scene.

[FairRetailRecordings] #0097 -- Hayes Carll -- Spring Wind

#0097

This is one of my favorite covers Hayes used to do (it's a Greg Brown song), back when he played places like Freiheit, in the middle of summer, solo, without a cover charge. Ah, how far he's come (or gone).

Artist: Hayes Carll

Date: 2006.08.30

Venue: Freiheit Country Store

Track: Spring Wind

Enjoy. And support your local music scene.

[FairRetailRecordings] #0096 -- Butch Hancock -- Dry Land Farm

#0096

A little late but nevertheless.

Artist: Butch Hancock

Date: 2006.07.14

Venue: The Cactus Cafe

Track: Dry Land Farm

Enjoy. And support your local music scene.

[FairRetailRecordings] #0095 -- The Devil Makes Three -- For Good Again

#0095

The studio version of this song came on in the car a couple of days ago and I was struck by how much difference a few word changes could make. The studio version is much more PG than what you'll find here and I have no idea why they didn't keep the more edgy wording for the record. Wooing the soccer mom demographic? Doubtful.

Artist: The Devil Makes Three

Date: 2008.08.27

Venue: Stubb's BBQ (Inside)

Track: For Good Again

Enjoy. And support your local music scene.

Alt-512's Monthly Album Reviews & Recommendations [Condensed Version]

We said a while ago that Kevin Russell of the Gourds has long been one of our favorite ENTERTAINERS. That hasn't changed, of course and we'd like to take this opportunity to plug his latest record, under the moniker Shinyribs, called Well After Awhile [out May 18th on Nine Mile Records].

In addition to always keeping the arrangements interesting [remember the tubas on "Sam Morgan"???], Shinyribs manages to walk that fine line as only Kev Russell can between potent spirituality/soul that springs from the lyrics/phrasing and the wit/humor found on the likes of "Country Cool" and "Poor People's Store".

From "Country Cool":

I don't like giving my dollars to China for this plastic paradigm

But I'll give 'em all to Mexico and Milwaukee twelve aluminum cans at a time

Our favorites on this record include the aforementioned "Poor People's Store" and "Country Cool", "Fisherman's Friend", "Who Built The Moon", "(If You Need The) 442" and "East Tx Rust" which to us feels a little like Elvis' funky version of Chuck Berry's "Promised Land" and even features a verse from perennial alt-512 favorite Ray Wylie Hubbard.

Some other notes:

-Anytime anyone can work the phrase "sexy funeral" into a song [as Kev Russell does on "(If You Need The) 442"], we are in. No questions asked.

-"Poor People's Store" gets a lot of Roger Miller-esque mileage out of a ukuele + (bongos?) + tambourine + bass + vox arrangement on a very cleverly crafted succinct, statement of a song.

-We have no idea who did the art on Well After Awhile nor do we have any idea who did the artwork on Jon Snodgrass and Cory Branan's S/T but there are similarities. Thats all we're saying. 'Nuff said? Let's move on.

With nary a weak spot on this record, Well After Awhile is definitely going to find a spot in our favorite records of 2010.

East Tx Rust:

[FairRetailRecordings] #0094 -- Todd Snider -- Looking For A Job

#0094

Seems like a lot of my friends are in transitional phases with their jobs (many looking to leave, some leaving already for better things and others leaving due to cuts). Well, whatever the reason, everyone here at FRR HQ wishes you the best in your endeavors and we wish you the happiness and satisfaction that can only come from telling the boss to take this job and shove it (or whatever the politically correct 2010 version of that is). We always take solace in these words from Snider's Looking For A Job:

......

boomtown work ain't hard to come by

boomtown workers are

you might be the one running the show but

that don't mean you're in charge

......

I was looking for a job when I found this one
don't need the work like you need the work done
you look like you're under pressure
I was already looking for a job two weeks ago when I met you, remember?

......

Artist: Todd Snider

Date: 2008.04.16

Venue: Cheatham Street Warehouse

Track: Lookin' For A Job

Enjoy. And support your local music scene.

[FairRetailRecordings] #0093 -- Tumbledown -- A Texas Trilogy

#0093

A compilation of everyone's favorite old standards sped up and squished down into two and a half minutes by punks from Washington state.

Artist: Mike Herrera's Tumbledown

Date: 2010.04.12

Venue: The Mohawk

Track: Home On The Range>Deep In The Heart Of Texas>Amazing Grace>Home On The Range

Enjoy. And support your local music scene.