Do You Like Music?
I mean do you really like music? Then you've come to the
right place! This is my music review area dedicated to
spotlighting artists and genres that often get little airplay and are
underrepresented in the mainstream press. Jump to the
bottom of the page to read some of my thoughts on musical genres in
which I am particularly interested.
Please support musicians by attending live performances,
buying CDs, patronizing venues that provide live music, telling your friends
about artists you enjoy, and not participating in illegal file sharing.
I had the pleasure of hearing
Jarrod Birmingham perform at the 2011 Galveston County Fair and
Rodeo. It was a very enjoyable live performance.
"Jesus and Johnny Cash," Birmingam's sophomore album,
underscores the fact that he's the real deal and is here to
stay. The production on this album (save the last track
"Nothing to Prove") is top notch. It's refreshing to hear
a truly great straight up country singer being backed by a
fantastic band making outstanding music. Texas artists
like Birmingham who put out exceptional recordings, who aren't
afraid to play any and every honky tonk and county fair, and who
don't pander to the Nashville cookie-cutter mentality reassure
me that the corporate music machine hasn't completely ruined
country music. "Jesus and Johnny Cash" is a thoughtful
album that will appeal to many people on many levels.
Track by Track
Jesus and Johnny Cash - Birmingham, himself,
confesses that this is a name dropping song. While
that might be a sneaky trick to get airplay, this is a fun
and upbeat song.
That's What Dancers Do - The guitar hook grabbed
me from the get go. Good song and fair warning!
Whiskey Thinkin' - Straight up love 'em and lose
'em, broken hearted, drowning my sorrows song.
Think About You - Yeah, makes me think about
"her" too...
Pure Blue Heartache* - Another fantastic hook and
moving melody. Very danceable!
Nobody Knows - Nice and slow.
December Gone - As a man who's crowding forty, I
can completely relate with another December gone.
"Quit trying to guess the ending and enjoy the show."
Nursing Home Song* - A powerful ballad speaking
in the voice of America's Greatest Generation. GREAT
song!
Live To See Another Day - Followed by one
speaking for today's heroes. Good foot stomping, head
banging beat.
House Of Stone - Birmingham's version of "Another
Brick in the Wall" ((but better)). Very nice
slow song.
There You Are - Nice driving beat.
Damn Good Time* - Another fantastic two-step!
The fiddle player seems to be having a great time... and it
is contagious.
Nothing To Prove - I suppose I shouldn't complain
that a song titled "Nothing to Prove" sounds like it was
recorded around a kitchen table. Caught me off guard
when I first heard it, but after a few times listening to
it... I really like the song and feel it's a great
conclusion to this exceptionally well-done album.
Swampboots -
Everything Ends, Nothing Ends Well (release date: September 9, 2011)
"Everything Ends, Nothing Ends
Well", the debut album by the band
Swampboots, is a wonderfully Americana work of
musical art. The songs on this album make you feel as if
you're on a road trip with a best
friend in an old convertible twisting through the back roads of
America confident that the "short cut" will at least take you
somewhere interesting even if it doesn't lead where you intended
to go. Most of the tracks are acoustic - guitar, fiddle,
piano, drums, and even a little trumpet thrown in for good
measure. It makes for an easy-on-the-ears album that
you will enjoy listening to again and again.
Track by Track
Crowe's Blues - My least favorite song on the
album. If you're buying an online version of the
album, consider unchecking this track before proceeding to
checkout. It brings the whole album down.
Jitka* - A hauntingly beautiful and lonely song.
Little Almond* - "She is a church, solemn and
cold" begins this sweetly-accompanied song. I'm not
sure if the song is about an abandoned building or perhaps a
statue of Mary left behind in the cathedral. Either
way, the song just works. It stands on its own while
compelling the listener to think of deeper things.
After You've Conquered The World - There are not
enough songs in waltz time being written these days.
This one's a winner.
Ice Storm - Acoustic guitar, strings, and voice
blend nicely for another pretty ballad.
Everything Ends, Nothing Ends Well - Aside from
the subject being a little "doom and gloom", this is a good
track. A nice anthem with which to conclude the album.
A catchy compound time sing-along, you'll find yourself
humming along without realizing it. The group singing
does seem to lack vocal vitality. I'm not sure if it's
it's intentional to accompany lyrics like "everything ends,
nothing ends well" or if it is a production shortcoming.
Nevertheless, it remains a good, singable song.
I live near Houston, Texas, which
stands at the crossroads of at least four major cultural regions
in America. From the East we have a strong influence of
the Cajun people. From the Northeast, the culture of
the Deep South can be felt. The central Heartland,
America's breadbasket, let's her influence be felt from the
North Northwest. From the Southwest we are influenced by
the Tejano culture. I shouldn't overlook the
overarching influence of the Bible Belt, either. This area
is rich in many distinct cultures. It is only natural for
me to want to include them all in my music reviews.
Texas Music - Texas
Country, Texas Indie, Texas Punk, Texas Rock, Texas Swing,
etc.
Louisiana Music -
Cajun, Creole, Swamp Pop, Zydeco, etc.
Alternative Country -
Americana, Insurgent Country, Red Dirt, Outlaw Country, etc.
Tejano - Corrido,
Mariachi, Mexican Traditions, Tex-Mex, etc.
Gospel - Black Gospel,
Bluegrass Gospel, Christian Country, Contemporary Christian, Gospel Blues,
Indie Christian, Southern Gospel, etc.
Traditional -
Bluegrass, Cowboy,
Neo-Traditional
Bluegrass, Old Timey, Progressive Bluegrass, etc.
My Home
Main cultural influences converging on my home.
If you enjoy the content on this site, I'd love to know about it!
Feel free to contact me at
brian @ brianberlin . net
You have CDs
to promote. I need CDs to review. It is a match made in
Heaven! Drop your disk in the mail addressed to:
Brian Berlin 630 Oak Glen Drive Kemah, TX 77565
If your CD doesn't have an informative liner, you may want to
include a brief bio or band history that I can use in my review.
Lyrics are nice too.
The genres listed at the
bottom of the page are just guidelines. If what you do doesn't exactly fit, don't worry. I especially love music that doesn't
fit! If
YOU think your music fits into one of my review categories, then you
should know that I'm interested in hearing it. You don't
need to be from Texas, Louisiana, anywhere in particular.
Just get that CD to me!
Please support musicians by attending live performances,
buying CDs, patronizing venues that provide live music, telling your friends
about artists you enjoy, and not participating in illegal file sharing.
