Dewey Cox vs. Guy Terrifico

The other week I had the opportunity to see the heavily promoted John C. Reilly flick, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story. I had high expectations going in due to the “history of rock ‘n’ roll” subject matter and it’s parody of of the Johnny Cash bio-pic Walk the Line. Unfortunately, the movie was a let down. To many over-used jokes and bad cliches, not to mention the unnecessary male nudity (not that male nudity is ever necessary). The entire time I couldn’t help think about a similar movie is had seen months earlier, The Hard Life and Times of Guy Terrifico.

The Hard Life and Times of Guy Terrifico chronicles the life of a fictional country-rock singer wannabe from Canada. The movie is in a documentary style and features real life stars Merle Haggard, Kris Kristofferson, Levon Helm, and Ronny Hawkins. Guy Terrifico is played by Canadian rocker Matt Murphy who does an admirable job acting and really gets into the role. The music is good too, country-rock in the vein of Gram Parsons with comedic lyrics. The Parson’s connection is extended further as Terrifico was managed by Phil Kauffman, Grams real life manager, who is also through out the film telling the story of Guy.

While Guy Terrifico isn’t an Oscar worthy movie, it is worth watching and I found it to be much more enjoyable then Walk Hard.

++RECOMMENDED++

The Hard Life and Times of Guy Terrifico Trailer

The Black Crowes & Wilco – Willin’ *VIDEO*

The Black Crowes & Wilco, featuring John Popper

Back in the days of Napster (probably about 1999) I was just getting into the Black Crowes & downloaded (via a friend’s computer running AOL ) a ton of stuff including a cover of some song I never heard and assumed was a Crowes original, “Willin.” It was live and featured some other band I also had never heard at the time, Wilco. I listened to this song many, many times from a cd that I burned of Crowes songs that I had downloaded. It got embedded in my brain. Eventually I looked up Wilco and thereby found Uncle Tupelo and a plethora of great music not heard by the masses. I even got into Little Feat some, as Willin’ is their song but to me, no version (and I’ve listened to quite a few) can compare to the Crowes/Wilco versions from the Horde Tour of 1995. Now I don’t know if what I downloaded that day was the exact same version shown here (sounds pretty close, don’t remember a John Popper harp solo), but one could say that on that fateful day I was shown the door to the world of “music they don’t play on the radio.” All of the music I listen to now I have come to, one way or another, from finding this song on Napster.

And who says downloading music has to a bad thing?

South San Gabriel – I Feel To Young To Die *Video*

The members of Centro-matic/South San Gabriel tour frequently but rarely play shows under the South San Gabriel moniker.   Recently they have been and the video below is from one such show were they perform “I Feel To Young To Die” off of the album The Carlton Chronicles.

See also: Dual Hawks post

The Felice Brothers | Frankie’s Gun *VIDEO*

So for the last couple weeks the song that I have been addicted to has been The Felice Brothers’ “Frankie’s Gun” off of their self-titled release this year (a review of which will be posted as soon as I can get past the opening song, “Frankie’s Gun”).  One day last week I just kept hitting repeat and listened to this song for my entire 45 minute commute.  The studio version can be heard at the band’s Myspace page or on that muxtape I posted a couple weeks back.  Below is a video of the band playing the song at SXSW.  Prepare to be addicted to it.

Hayes Carll | Trouble In Mind

Hayes Carll’s third album Trouble In Mind and his first for Lost Highway records, is what you would expect from Hayes; well crafted songs with quality instrumentation. From the opening “Drunken Poet’s Dream” to the closing “amen” on the hilarious “She Left Me For Jesus” Trouble In Mind is fifty minutes well spent. Hayes is a country singer in the Texas troubadour tradition of Townes Van Zant and Ray Wilie Hubbard (who co-wrote “Drunken Poet’s Dream” with Hayes) not to be confused with the “country” coming from Nashville these days. Songs of missed opportunity, lost love, and drinking; once standards of country music, are prevalent on this record yet these themes have a fresh sound while hearkening back to the honky tonks of Texas.

Musically, the sound on this album ranges from the sparse Willing To Love Again (acoustic guitar and slide guitar) to full band numbers while never approaching instrumentation overkill. Helping Hayes on guitar are a pair of well known guitarists Carl Broemel (My Morning Jacket) and Will Kimbrough (Todd Snider). Lyrically Hayes is in top form with the sorrowful “Don’t Let Me Fall”:

Killin’ this pain, outside in the rain/One hand holds a bottle, one hand holds my pain/I don’t know which comes first, I don’t know which is worse/Riding behind or inside a hearse

or the humorous “She Left Me For Jesus”:

She left me for Jesus, and that just ain’t fair/She says, “That he’s perfect,” how could I compare/She says, “I should find HIm,” and I’ll know peace at last/But if I ever find Jesus, I’m kicking his ass.

Rounding out the set of mostly penned Hayes tunes is a great cover of Tom Wait’s “I Don’t Wanna Grow Up.”

Trouble In Mind is a piece of work that has a timelessness quality to it. It’s an album that could have been recorded in the 1970’s or yesterday with songs that will stand the test of time. And while it will largely go unnoticed by the general public, it should be lauded for what it is, country music the way country music should be played.

+++HIGHLY RECOMMENDED+++

Myspace

Homepage

Live Music Archive
Previous Hayes Carll Posts:

Trouble In Mind Preview

VIDEO – Crystal Beach Memories

The Hold Steady | Stay Positive

According to Rolling Stone the much anticipated fourth Hold Steady album Stay Positive will be released in July. The band had been posting pictures from the recording session on their webpage but a picture showing the track listing on a whiteboard had been blacked out to hide the song titles. However they weren’t as careful in this photo; from which the rabid fans on the Hold Steady messageboard have figured out the track listing below.

1. Joke About Jamaica
2. Navy Sheets
3. Constructive Summer
4. Cutters
5. Stay Positive
6. Lord, I’m Discouraged
7. ?
8. Ask Her for Some Adderall (possibly)

out of at least 11 tracks

What also can be gleaned from the band’s photos are possible guests musicians (or maybe just people they met

while recording) such as Les Paul, Marky Ramone, Ben Nichols (Lucero) and possibly Patterson Hood of the Drive-By Truckers (far left on the mixer).

The band has also played some of the new songs out and I’ve compiled those that have made it to Youtube after the jump. These should help pass the time till July.

Joke About Jamaica

Sequestered In Memphis

Lord, I’m Discouraged

Ask Her For Adderall

Hayes Carll – Crystal Beach Memories *VIDEO*

PREVIOUS Hayes Carll post