Jimbo Mathus calls his unique mixture of blues, country and rock “Catfish Music”, and is a popular performer at every Juke Joint Festival, as he is a former resident of Clarksdale. Messengers Pool Hall, where he performed on Saturday night, is possibly the oldest continuously-operated juke joint in Mississippi. Mathus is about to release his latest album White Buffalo.
Indie-country-rappers Rehab had a show at Juanita’s in Little Rock on March 6, and the Tuesday date didn’t hold down the crowd at all. Keep up with all things Rehab at www.rehabmusic.net, or follow them on twitter at www.twitter.com/RehabMusic.
The most recent artists to sign with Average Joe Entertainment are also one of country’s best-loved and most venerable groups. Montgomery Gentry are well-known, of course, and bring an older and more traditional approach to their music than many of their labelmates. The eleven tracks on Rebels on the Run celebrate the traditional rural lifestyles of simplicity, hard work, hard play, wild fun, patriotism and love of home. Particularly outstanding is the first single “Where I Come From”, a celebration of small-town America where doors can be left unlocked and where everybody knows each other. Equally charming is the Charlie Daniels feature “I Like Those People”, which seems to be a tribute to the residents of “Where I Come From”. The tightly-knit concept continues with “Simple Things”, and the title track “Rebels on the Run” fondly recalls a cantankerous young life from the nostalgia of nowadays. Rebels on the Run is a worthy addition to the legacy of Montgomery Gentry, and won’t disappoint their fans, young or old.
The most recent artists to sign with Average Joe Entertainment are also one of country’s best-loved and most venerable groups. Montgomery Gentry are well-known, of course, and bring an older and more traditional approach to their music than many of their labelmates. The eleven tracks on Rebels on the Run celebrate the traditional rural lifestyles of simplicity, hard work, hard play, wild fun, patriotism and love of home. Particularly outstanding is the first single “Where I Come From”, a celebration of small-town America where doors can be left unlocked and where everybody knows each other. Equally charming is the Charlie Daniels feature “I Like Those People”, which seems to be a tribute to the residents of “Where I Come From”. The tightly-knit concept continues with “Simple Things”, and the title track “Rebels on the Run” fondly recalls a cantankerous young life from the nostalgia of nowadays. Rebels on the Run is a worthy addition to the legacy of Montgomery Gentry, and won’t disappoint their fans, young or old.
The most recent artists to sign with Average Joe Entertainment are also one of country’s best-loved and most venerable groups. Montgomery Gentry are well-known, of course, and bring an older and more traditional approach to their music than many of their labelmates. The eleven tracks on Rebels on the Run celebrate the traditional rural lifestyles of simplicity, hard work, hard play, wild fun, patriotism and love of home. Particularly outstanding is the first single “Where I Come From”, a celebration of small-town America where doors can be left unlocked and where everybody knows each other. Equally charming is the Charlie Daniels feature “I Like Those People”, which seems to be a tribute to the residents of “Where I Come From”. The tightly-knit concept continues with “Simple Things”, and the title track “Rebels on the Run” fondly recalls a cantankerous young life from the nostalgia of nowadays. Rebels on the Run is a worthy addition to the legacy of Montgomery Gentry, and won’t disappoint their fans, young or old.
The Kentucky Headhunters have made a name for themselves combining various indigenous popular music styles of North America in a unique way that somehow remains country, and their new album Dixie Lullabies continues the seamless blend of rock, country, pop, blues and soul for which they are known. Of course there are country songs, but even they have a fairly agressive edge. And there are soul songs like “Tumblin’ Roses”, teenage rock songs like “Les Paul Standard” and even contemporary Christian songs like “Just Believe.” The final tune, “Recollection Blues”, has a 1930’s jazz mood about it, complete with brushes on the drums. Dixie Lullabies is certainly not a record for country purists, but for those who are interested in the ways that country, bluegrass, blues, soul, jazz, gospel and rock are related, it is fourteen tracks of Americana heaven. Dig in!
The Kentucky Headhunters have made a name for themselves combining various indigenous popular music styles of North America in a unique way that somehow remains country, and their new album Dixie Lullabies continues the seamless blend of rock, country, pop, blues and soul for which they are known. Of course there are country songs, but even they have a fairly agressive edge. And there are soul songs like “Tumblin’ Roses”, teenage rock songs like “Les Paul Standard” and even contemporary Christian songs like “Just Believe.” The final tune, “Recollection Blues”, has a 1930’s jazz mood about it, complete with brushes on the drums. Dixie Lullabies is certainly not a record for country purists, but for those who are interested in the ways that country, bluegrass, blues, soul, jazz, gospel and rock are related, it is fourteen tracks of Americana heaven. Dig in!
The Kentucky Headhunters have made a name for themselves combining various indigenous popular music styles of North America in a unique way that somehow remains country, and their new album Dixie Lullabies continues the seamless blend of rock, country, pop, blues and soul for which they are known. Of course there are country songs, but even they have a fairly agressive edge. And there are soul songs like “Tumblin’ Roses”, teenage rock songs like “Les Paul Standard” and even contemporary Christian songs like “Just Believe.” The final tune, “Recollection Blues”, has a 1930’s jazz mood about it, complete with brushes on the drums. Dixie Lullabies is certainly not a record for country purists, but for those who are interested in the ways that country, bluegrass, blues, soul, jazz, gospel and rock are related, it is fourteen tracks of Americana heaven. Dig in!
New young country diva Katie Armiger certainly has the image of a nice girl, but on her new album Confessions of A Nice Girl, it is clear that Armiger is a nice girl who has been hurt and is becoming tough. Even the sunny opening track “Best Song Ever” has an ambiguity between whether it is to be taken at face value or sarcastically, and songs that follow like “Nice Girl”, “Cry Cry Cry”, “Ain’t Gonna Happen”, “Scream” and “Ain’t So Sweet” are all about a girl who might have once been “sweet and nice” but who has been hurt to the point of fierce resistance. Perhaps the saddest song of the album is “Leaving Home”, in which Armiger explains to her mother that she has to leave to pursue her dreams of country stardom. Ultimately, with Confessions of a Nice Girl, Katie Armiger has burst onto the country scene with an album of stark originality and conviction.
New young country diva Katie Armiger certainly has the image of a nice girl, but on her new album Confessions of A Nice Girl, it is clear that Armiger is a nice girl who has been hurt and is becoming tough. Even the sunny opening track “Best Song Ever” has an ambiguity between whether it is to be taken at face value or sarcastically, and songs that follow like “Nice Girl”, “Cry Cry Cry”, “Ain’t Gonna Happen”, “Scream” and “Ain’t So Sweet” are all about a girl who might have once been “sweet and nice” but who has been hurt to the point of fierce resistance. Perhaps the saddest song of the album is “Leaving Home”, in which Armiger explains to her mother that she has to leave to pursue her dreams of country stardom. Ultimately, with Confessions of a Nice Girl, Katie Armiger has burst onto the country scene with an album of stark originality and conviction.
