Muruch

Muruch.com Official Announcement!

2009-01-02T12:30:00.002-05:00

This will be my last post at Blogger. Muruch has moved to http://www.muruch.com and I will soon redirect Blogger to the new site.

I have already changed the rss feed (http://feeds.feedburner.com/muruch) with the new site address, so that should automatically updated email subscriptions, Google Reader, Livejournal, Bloglines, Hype Machine, and Elbo.ws. If you subscribe through any other feed reader or website, please make sure they are using the correct feed.

Thanks again for your patience and please help promote Muruch.com!

Muruch.com (Unofficial Announcement)

2009-01-01T13:10:00.003-05:00

I'm not officially switching until I get the go ahead from webdesigner & host Mr. Toad, but I noticed that a few blogs are already linking to Muruch's new domain. So I might as well let you readers know that Muruch.com will be this blog's new home.

The contents of the blog have already been copied there, but the template is temporary, the links within reviews still come back to blogspot, and I haven't changed the syndication feeds yet. I'll post here one last time once the move is official just to keep you all informed, but feel free to change your bookmarks, blogrolls, links, etc. I won't be posting any reviews or mp3s on Blogger after this.

Anyone who subscribes through email, Feedburner, Hype Machine, Elbow, Livejournal, Bloglines, or Google Reader won't have to do anything. Each will be automatically updated once I change the site url at Feedburner.

Thanks for your patience! And please link the crap out of http://www.muruch.com!!! I need to drive the traffic up so it will show up on Google searches and such. :)

Hiatus

2008-12-24T15:21:00.002-05:00

Things will be quiet here for the rest of this week, possibly longer. I will be offline for most of the holidays, and more importantly the wonderful Song, By Toad is working to transfer Muruch to its own domain.

I have several reviews ready to publish, but don't want to risk them in the hostile atmosphere on Blogger. So I'll hold them until the new site is ready. Please be patient, and don't forget about me. Soon Muruch will be at its new home...with much more to read and download. :)

Elsewhere: My Top 5 Blogs O' The Moment

2008-12-19T12:10:00.002-05:00

Last March, I posted my first Top 5 Blogs O' The Moment. Though I still enjoy those blogs, only one can still be considered a true favorite. So it's time for an updated list...

1 Cover Lay Down

Cover Lay Down was #4 on my previous list, since they were a relatively new blog at the time. But in the past year, I've been increasingly impressed by Boy Howdy's eloquence and sincerity, as well as the gorgeous songs he chooses to share. His heartfelt love for folk music kept the blog going even as his reviews were unfairly deleted by Blogger, and he handled the attacks with the grace and maturity I've come to associate with his writing. Cover Lay Down continues the tradition of No Depression Magazine*, which is the highest compliment I can give to any music blog.

2 Song, By Toad

As you can tell by my recent reviews, I like most of the bands signed to Song, By Toad Records. But it's not so much the music on the Song, By Toad blog that draws me as the refreshingly blunt manner in which Matthew writes. I'm a fan of honesty and sarcasm, and Toad has an abundance of both. He also encourages and receives enthusiastic and sometimes volatile feedback from his readers, which make the discussions found in the comments as interesting as his posts.

3 Wears The Trousers

Wears The Trousers is more of an online music magazine than a simple blog. They offer music news, release dates, and exclusive interviews in addition to their in-depth reviews. They shine the light on female musicians of all genres, from a decidedly British perspective.

4 Speed of Dark

Speed of Dark is written by a mother and daughter team ("Alt-gramma" and "Indie Mom"). They tend to like indie-rock more than I do, but I love music blogs that actually describe the sound of songs as opposed to just offering mp3s or quoting lyrics.

5 Pop Go The 80s

I don't know who writes this blog, but I adore them. Every post is devoted to a single song from the 1980s. Despite the often cheesy nature of the era, the content of the blog is intelligent and informative. We're given rare glimpses into the history of the artists as well as the songs themselves. If not for the limited genre, Pop Go The 80s would be my favorite music blog.

*Honorable mention to the newly revamped No Depression. The now defunct print version was by far my favorite magazine, and their website is quickly becoming a favorite online destination.

Butch Walker: Sycamore Meadows

2008-12-19T09:54:00.004-05:00

Butch Walker's fourth album Sycamore Meadows is inspirationally upbeat considering it was written and recorded after a wildfire destroyed Walker's home, possessions, and the masters of every recording he'd ever made. For this art born of tragedy, Walker abandoned the swaggering glam rock style of his previous album in favor of intimate acoustics and infectious pop-rock. The album features guest vocals by Pink.

I just wanna walk away from the ashes
& take the fact that I've been burned
& maybe let you know I'm still standing
& if you miss it again, miss it again
I'm around...

The opener "The Weight Of Her" (which I first posted in October) is a catchy guitar driven pop-rock song reminiscent of Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers. "Going Back/Going Home" strips down to the singer-songwriter sound of Letters, but the romantic optimism of youth has evolved into the seasoned, often jaded wisdom of experience. Walker recounts the decadence and downfalls of a rockstar lifestyle, which produced within him a new found appreciation for the simplicity of his hometown.

"Here Comes The..." is a pretty, soaring pop number, but seems a waste of guest Pink's powerful voice. The big retro pop brass and handclaps of "Ponce de Leon Ave." are far more interesting. "Ships in a Bottle" may appear to be a post-breakup wallower on the surface, but the lyrics were really inspired by the loss of Butch's home and belongings. The stand out track is "The 3 Kids in Brooklyn", which churns guitars flavored with a delicious dash of Southern Rock twang and culminates in a cacophonous choir of vocals.

~~Butch Walker - The Weight of Her~~ (mp3 removed) *

*mp3 posted w/ permission of Original Signal Recordings

Butch Walker Official Site
Butch on MySpace
Butch's Blog

Buy @ Amazon

Camille O'Sullivan: Live At Olympia

2008-12-18T12:40:00.002-05:00

Irish singer Camille O'Sullivan is one of the few singers whose live albums are even better than her studio releases. This year she followed up her astounding Live At Spiegeltent set with Live At Olympia, which was recorded live at Dublin's Olympia Theatre in December of 2007. Camille once again covers Waits, Bowie, Briel, Weill, and Cave. But this time she also transforms songs by Radiohead, Nina Simone, and Eanna Hickey. O'Sullivan has shared a stage with Amanda Palmer and is often confused with French singer Camille, but her powerful voice and utterly unique style should be earning her international recognition of her own.

Camille begins with a cover of Tom Waits' "Take It With Me". Despite the somber tone of the tune, it reveals a softer facet of Camille's voice than we've heard before that recalls Holly Cole's version of "I Don't Wanna Grow Up" on Temptation. But no worries, O'Sullivan soon reminds of us of the demented circus from which she emerged by unleashing her throaty wail on a big brassy rendering of Jacques Brel's "The Bulls", delivering a swaggering cabaret version of Waits' "Misery Is The River", and conjuring up the frenetic energy of a psychotic carnival on "Moritat Vom Mackie Messer" (Weil/Brecht's Threepenny Opera origin of "Mack The Knife").

A wistful take of Radiohead's "No Surprises" is followed by a sultry croon of Nina Simone's "Sugar In My Bowl". The latter initially seems far too restrained, but gets an awesome Diamanda Galas treatment toward the end. Camille then tackles a pair of David Bowie songs: "Suffragette City" and "Rock 'N' Roll Suicide". These relatively tame covers are nice, but O'Sullivan's strength lies in the brilliantly bizarre tracks mentioned above as well as whiskey-soaked ballads like Nick Cave's "People Ain't No Good".

Camille has always been very generous in allowing me to post her mp3s, but the licensing issues are a bit murky since this is a covers album. Considering the trouble I've had lately with even 100% legal mp3s, I'm not taking a chance on this one. You can hear samples at the links below.

Camille O'Sullivan - Official Site (Buy CD)
Camille O'Sullivan - MySpace

Blogger Battle Update: Victory is mine!

2008-12-18T10:39:00.000-05:00

I'm very happy to report that my counter claim with Blogger was successful, and both of the wrongfully "deleted" posts (see this post) have been reinstated.

Yesterday, I sent an email to Blogger regarding the two posts that were "deleted" (suspended really) due to the false infringement claims by IFPI. I said that I hadn't bothered to file a counter claim on the second deleted post since Blogger broke their promise of reinstating the first one despite no legal action being taken within the required waiting period. I ended with "Blogger's continuing censorship of my writing due to false infringement claims has finally destroyed what little trust I had left in your company. After seven years at Blogspot.com, I am looking for a new host for my 100% legal music blog."

Obviously I reached the cold heart of Google. ;p Today I received this reply from Blogger:

"Thank you for bringing this to our attention; we apologize for the further inconvenience you've experienced with some of the content rights issues on your blog. When we receive a DMCA notice, by law we are required to comply with these notices or we would be subject to a claim of copyright infringement, regardless of its merits. We've informed IFPI that we've received reports on their removal requests where the content complained of was apparently previously approved by the rightsholder. We have asked them to confirm with content owners that they have not authorized specific uses of their content before submitting removal requests to us. You should contact the PR company you work with and make sure that they've communicated to the record label that they've given permission for the distribution of certain songs on music blogs. It is the record labels and/or their representatives that instruct IFPI and similar trade associations on the content they want taken down. With that being said, we have restored the following posts back to your blog. They are stored as draft versions, therefore you will need to republish them online."

I removed the mp3 links from the posts and added notes about the false claims before re-publishing them. I really don't know if my victory will prevent Blogger from deleting future posts. Despite their apparent warning to IFPI about verifying their claims before filing removal requests, Blogger has made it clear that their priority is to protect themselves from legal action. So as long as IFPI keeps asking for posts to be removed, I suspect Blogger will keep removing them without verification. At least now I know counter claims work and that Muruch won't be deleted before it gets transferred to its own domain (which will hopefully be at the end of this month).

Muruch's Top 21 Albums of 2008

2008-12-15T09:33:00.005-05:00

Muruch has moved to Muruch.com & My Top 21 Albums of 2008 list is now located there.

It's that time of year again! Following are my Top 21 Albums of 2008. I just couldn't bring myself to eliminate one to make the number even. Oh well, I'm odd anyway. Putting the albums in order proved to be a more difficult task than choosing what albums to list this year, particularly the Top 5. I've included some new commentary and brief quotes from the original reviews. Click on the album titles to read the full reviews.

*Honorable mentions to the 2007 self-titled debut of The SteelDrivers and Interference's 2003 self-titled release. I heard the albums for the first time this year and each would have made the list had they been new releases.

Muruch's Top 21 Albums of 2008

21. Joshua James: The Sun Is Always Brighter

"...vocals and melodies remind me a little of Xavier Rudd, minus the dramatic quake of Rudd's didgeridoo." - This was the biggest surprise for me. I thought I had my Top 20 ready to publish until I listened to Joshua's album again. There's such a warmth to his songs that I just couldn't leave it off the list.

20. Joey+Rory: The Life of a Song

"...pretty country of the authentic variety, not the bastardized modern use of the word" - Despite the troubles surrounding my review, this is still a very happy album for me and it's the kind of country music I grew up with.

19. Nikka Costa: Pebble to a Pearl

"...she hasn't lost any of her vocal fire or funked up instrumental flourishes" - Robust retro soul and funk fun from a spitfire with a huge voice.

18. Rose Polenzani: When The River Meets The Sea

"...gentle breezes of Americana...Rose's voice has an elegant, seraphic quality" - Organic music uplifted by an angelic voice.

17. Kira Lynn Cain: The Ideal Hunter

"...haunting susurrations glide across winding piano, ominous upright bass, and orchestral strings." - One of my more obscure picks (my review is currently the only result for a "Kira Lynn Cain" search on Hype Machine). This moody little album would slide comfortably into a Twin Peaks episode.

16. Sharon Little: Perfect Time For A Breakdown

"...Sharon's robust voice belts out eleven tunes inspired by cross-country train journeys." - Why Sharon's big gorgeous voice isn't all over the place is mystery to me. Love the album, and she was great in concert, too.

15. Jonatha Brooke: The Works

"... previously unreleased material from The Woody Guthrie Archives" - I feel a little guilty pushing this one out of the top 10. I originally had The Works much higher on the list, as it is unquestionably a brilliantly written (particularly the lyrics penned by Woody Guthrie) and executed album.

14. Rachael Yamagata: Elephants...Teeth Sinking Into Heart

"...full of heartbreak and subtle beauty interspersed with...infectious guitar and handclaps" - Part elegant melancholia, part supercatchy pop-rock. This two-disc set may have been higher on the list had it been released earlier in the year. I loved the songs even more after witnessing Rachael's astonishing performance at Mountain Stage's 25th Anniversary Show.

13. Golden Animals: Free Your Mind & Win A Pony

"...blends Morrison's desert sage vibe with a modernized Mamas & Papas mellow choral pop style and a dash of The Cramps swamp psychobilly grind." - The Doors have been one of my favorite bands for most of my life, so I can't resist Golden Animal's swaggering homage.

12. Melody Gardot: Worrisome Heart

"...the elegance of a classic by Chet Baker or Nina Simone." - Melody's velvet purr and unique phrasing melt perfectly over slinky torch songs and more subtle jazz arrangements. The stand out track on the album "Love Me Like A River Does" is one of my favorite songs of the year, and another of Melody's songs was recently featured on Putumayo Presents: Women of Jazz.

11. John Mellencamp: Life, Death, Love,
& Freedom

"... moves away from the signature Southern pop-rock sound of his past hits in favor of the more interesting blues grind he's only hinted at before." - A sadly overlooked, great album. I suppose Mellencamp's age, embarrassing association with 1980s pop radio, and the commercialization of his previous release have made a lot of younger people automatically ignore him. Yet, as I said in the review, the bluesy Life, Death, Love, & Freedom is his best work to date.

10. Nik Freitas: Sun Down

"...songs embrace classic elements of Paul Simon, Bob Dylan, The Beatles, and David Bowie without losing relevance to the present." I'm surprised all of the "indie" heavy best of lists have ignored this lil gem.There's just something about the songs on this album that make me happy. Nik's laidback Paul Simon jams with The Beatles vibe is a pleasure to hear.

9. Pianafiddle: Or Something Like That!

"...wide variety of genres from bluegrass, jazz, classical, old time, ragtime, blues, Celtic, and klezmer - sometimes within a single tune" - Such a joyous little piece of work by a local WV piano and fiddle duo that improvises jazz and bluegrass tunes. It's probably the most obscure on my list, yet one of the reviews that seems to have sold the most albums.

8. Smithsonian Folkways: Classic Piano Blues

"...the "barrelhouse" category: a rough blend of blues and ragtime" - Classic Piano Blues seemed out of place on this list, since the Smithsonian Folkways compilation features songs originally released decades ago. But it's one of the albums I've listened to most often this year and one I adore more than I can say. This kind of swaggering piano blues is probably my favorite genre of all.

7. Bell XI: Flock (re-release)

"...mix of airy vocals and polished electro-rock" - Months after seeing Paul Noonan strut around Mountain Stage, I still daydream about adding him to my Irish boy collection. I debated on whether to include Flock on this list, since it was originally released in 2005. But it was re-released by Yep Roc Records this year and it is probably the CD I've listened to the most in 2008. There are pretty soft ballads, cool indie tracks, and most importantly a disco number about marshmallows ("Flame").

6. She & Him: Volume One

"...splendid retro pop confection...I will be absolutely shocked if this album isn't on my best of 2008 list" - Such a popular "indie" pick, what's become of me?! Oh well, it's another album that was played many a time in my house this year. For all the excitement long before the album was actually released, She & Him seem to have suffered at least a partial blog hype backlash. But my love for Zooey's voice and retro pop music remains strong. It may not be the most artistically brilliant album of the year, but it's certainly one of the more pleasant listens on the list.

5. Damien Dempsey: The Rocky Road

"...the astounding potency of Dempsey's vocal grants the haunting classic even more integrity and beauty" - The Rocky Road is such a timeless album, that I may wonder later why I didn't place it at the top of the list. This is Damo's third consecutive year on my top list: Shots was #3 in 2006 and To Hell Or Barbados was #2 last year.

4. Kasey Chambers & Shane Nicholson: Rattlin' Bones

"The flawless beauty of this album is almost beyond my comprehension." - The competition this year was fierce. I'm disgusted by the neglect of this astounding work in the music blog world. I can only find a couple of other music blogs that said even a few words about it, and only a handful of others that just posted mp3s. What gives? Rattlin' Bones has fiery barnburners and heartbreaking ballads, beautiful harmony and instrumentation, and intelligent lyrics. Yes, it's country, but it's also a masterpiece.

3. The Felice Brothers: The Felice Brothers

"...a burning tumbleweed rolling through a ghost town" - For most of the year, I thought for certain that The Felice Brothers would easily take the top of the list. "Greatest Show On Earth" remains my favorite song of the year, but the album as a whole just doesn't have quite as strong a hold on me as my #1 and #2 picks. Though my top three choices here are really interchangeable, as I love them all almost equally. The Felice Brothers' album is one that I've been impressed with and thoroughly entertained by each time I've listened to it. It also seems to have been my most popular and definitely my most complimented review of the year.

2. Xavier Rudd: Dark Shades of Blue

"...the astounding quality of his songs make me wonder if future generations might consider Xavier Rudd to be the greatest artist of this era" - As much as I love Rudd's music, I didn't expect this album to beat out Felice Brothers. But this album is so good it puts me in a trance. This is Xavier's second year on the Muruch list: White Moth was my #12 in 2007. Listening to Dark Shades of Blue, I am once again in awe of Rudd's talent. I love his voice and instrumentation, the heart he so obviously pours into his lyrics, and the unusual way he arranges his songs. He is truly an artist, and also seems to be a genius when it comes to musical innovation.

1. Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band: The Whole Fam Damnily

"...inebriating concoction of swamp stomp and backwoods pluck" - I almost put The Whole Fam Damnily in the #2 spot until I realized that I love more songs on the disc than any other release this year. This is the second time that the Rev has made my year end list: Big Damn Nation was #5 on my 2006 list. The Whole Fam Damnily is an album that I love to the point of giddy excitement from beginning to end, no matter what mood I am in when I listen to it. These are songs that resonate with me, that represent where I come from in a way that is both humorous and poignant. The Big Damn Band makes music like no one else.

Blogger Battle Update: Muruch May Be Moving

2008-12-12T17:11:00.003-05:00

I had hoped to post about my victorious counter claim in two days when my Joey+Rory review is scheduled to be reinstated. But I just received another bogus infringement claim on mp3s I had permission to post, so instead this entry is to notify readers that Muruch will probably be moving soon.

I'm hoping to move Muruch to its own domain, but it will depend on whether a free hosting deal I've been offered works out and if I can get some help setting it up. If not, I'll transfer to a another free blogging service. Either way, it shouldn't effect feed subscribers, just bookmarks and blogrolls that use the url of the actual blog.

Following is a recap of my counter claim saga for anyone who hasn't kept up along with some updates:

A few months ago, Blogger began deleting posts on several music blogs due to copyright infringement claims (many of which were unverified). My Joey+Rory review (re-posted here) was deleted in October without any advanced warning or notice afterward, despite my having permission from Sugar Hill Records (the copyright holder of the recording) to post the mp3 in the review. I could only assume this was due to a false infringement claim, so I mailed a counter claim to Blogger in November documenting what happened and showing that my authorization from the label for the mp3. It was a frightening process, as I had to take responsibility for any legal fees, but Sugar Hill's support gave me courage.

Weeks went by with no response from Blogger, so I emailed them at the beginning of December asking for the status of the counter claim. Coincidentally, after I commented on WireTap Magazine's article regarding this matter, I finally received an email from Blogger. They initially said that they hadn't received my counter claim, then they said they really didn't know if they had received it due to a backlog of counter claims. They requested that I email a copy of my counter claim to them, which I did.

Blogger responded again saying that they would forward my counter claim to the complainant, and that the deleted post would be reinstated if said complainant did not take legal action within 14 days. Sugar Hill assured me that their authorization would prevent such legal action, so I was relieved that my counter claim seemed to have been successful and have since been waiting for the review to be reinstated

After several requests and finally a strongly worded demand from me, Blogger finally revealed that it was the IFPI that filed the infringement claim against me. I informed my contacts at Sugar Hill, and it would seem the complaint was due to breakdown in communication between Sugar Hill Records (who gave me authorization), the U.S. licensing company (Welk), and their UK distributor (EMI), who is represented by IFPI. Sadly, even the record label admits they have less power than the enforcement organizations. So while their authorization protects me from legal action, it didn't prevent IFPI from filing another claim against me or Blogger from deleting another review.

I emailed IFPI directly and offered my full cooperation in hopes of preventing future conflicts, but have so far received no response. Instead, I received a second takedown notice today from Blogger due to another complaint filed by IFPI regarding the two Sam Phillips mp3s I posted this week (Blogger also deleted that post without warning). The mp3s weren't even hosted on my server, they were on the website of the PR firm Toolshed, who represent Nonesuch Records (Phillips label) and gave me permission to post the mp3 links. Both Toolshed and Nonesuch Records were apologetic, but they seem as powerless as Sugar Hill against EMI (their distributor) and IFPI. So I don't think I'll be able to file another counter claim.

I personally don't think it's right to boycott artists over mp3 issues, so none of this will change who or what I review on Muruch. Regular readers are already accustomed to my publishing major label reviews without music, and I will continue to post mp3s by independent artists who are free to do what they want with their own music. However, I will no longer post mp3s by artists represented by Sugar Hill Records, Toolshed, Nonesuch Records, or any other artist, label, or company involved in these Blogger deletions until they can give me some assurance that I will be protected from IFPI infringement claims.

I urge any music bloggers who have had legal posts (containing mp3s with permission from the record label or other copyright holder) deleted by Blogger to file a counter claim (instructions here). The language of Blogger's content policy is intimidating, but all you need is to include a copy of your authorization email from the label. At least one other blog (Patch Arcadia) has had a post reinstated after filing a counter claim, so it is definitely worth fighting when you have a clear case. But my days as the legal blogging poster child for this Blogger battle are over, and I'm moving on.

I had originally planned to stick it out with Blogger, because Muruch has been hosted by them for seven years and I really feel the fault here lies with the music industry. But since Blogger's content policy states that repeat claims may result in the entire blog being deleted, I feel I have no choice but to move Muruch elsewhere. As I said, it will either be transferred to another free blogging service or its own domain. Stay tuned.

DVD: Merle Haggard: Legendary Performances

2008-12-10T18:27:00.002-05:00

The thing I love most about Shout Factory! is that the company seems to have just as eclectic taste as I do. They release indie CDs and DVD sets of cult tv shows like My So-Called Life and Freaks & Geeks, then they hook up with the Country Music Hall Of Fame and Museum Archive Series to release a DVD of Legendary Performances by classic country singer Merle Haggard.

The Merle Haggard: Legendary Performances DVD collection features vintage live performances spanning two decades of the musician's career, with clips originally broadcast on shows like The Porter Wagoner Show, Billy Walker's Country Carnival, and the CMA Awards.

To be honest, I once again confused Merle Haggard with Waylon Jennings and was most interested in this DVD because I was a fan of The Highwaymen (Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson, and Waylon Jennings). But while Haggard was also part of the "Outlaw Country Movement" and often collaborated with Nelson (who has a brief cameo on the DVD), he was not a member of the group. Oh well, we all make mistakes, right? I do like Haggard's music, and the genre in general.

Mistaken identity aside, this is a very enjoyable DVD for anyone who likes classic country music. The visual quality and especially the audio quality are excellent considering the age of some of the clips. Included are the introductions and dialogue between Merle and the hosts of the various shows he sang on. I have to say that my mother (who is in her sixties) adores these kinds of old performance clips and I grew up on this kind of classic country sound, which probably has an influence on my opinion of the disc. But whether you like Merle Haggard or not, it's worth watching to see Porter Wagoner's blonde pompadour and comically colourful Spaghetti Western suit.

The full track list for the DVD is below, but some of my favorites are "Branded Man", "Mama Tried", "I Started Loving You Again" (my favorite Merle Haggard song), and "Workin' Man Blues".

DVD Contents:

"Branded Man" from Country Music Holiday (1968)
"The Bottle Let Me Down" from Country Music Holiday (1968)
"Swinging Doors" from Country Music Holiday (1968)
"Mama Tried" from Billy Walker's Country Carnival (1968)
"I Started Loving You Again" from Billy Walker's Country Carnival (1968)
"I Take A Lot Of Pride" In What I Am from Billy Walker's Country Carnival (1968)
"The Fightin' Side Of Me" from The Porter Wagoner Show (1970)
"Okie From Muskogee" from The Porter Wagoner Show (1970)
"Daddy Frank (The Guitar Man)" from CMA Awards (1972)
"Workin' Man Blues" from Pop! Goes The Country (1974)
"Movin' On" from Pop! Goes The Country (1975)
"The Roots Of My Raising" from The Porter Wagoner Show (1977)
"Ramblin' Fever" from Pop! Goes The Country (1977)
"That's The Way Love Goes" from CMA Awards (1983)
"San Antonio Rose" from Johnny Cash Christmas Special (1983)

Extras:
Merle Haggard Interview (1981)
Merle Haggard's Hall Of Fame Induction (1994)

Merle Haggard DVD Trailer (video)
Merle Haggard - Mama Tried (video)
Merle Haggard - Okie From Muskogee (video)

Buy DVD @ Amazon

Sam Phillips: 2 New Mp3s

2008-12-10T11:39:00.003-05:00

Looks like this one was sent to Fingertips before me, but I always think the more the merrier when it comes to good music. I'm excited to be able to share "Sister Rosetta Goes Before Us" and "Don't Do Anything" by Sam Phillips, from her album Don't Do Anything.

I first heard the raspy croon of Sam Phillips in the early 1990s when her catchy ditty "Baby I Can't Please You" was featured on the Melrose Place soundtrack. After a decade of obscure releases and working as composer for Gilmore Girls, Phillips was thrust back into the singer-songwriter spotlight with her lovely 2004 album A Boot and a Shoe.

Though I haven't yet heard Don't Do Anything in its entirety, the following two songs indicate that Phillips has greatly matured as a performer as well as a songwriter. Her weathered voice is perfectly suited to this old-fashioned cabaret style of music.

"Sister Rosetta Goes Before Us" is particularly captivating, and is a kind of tribute to the 1930s electric guitar playing gospel and blues legend Sister Rosetta Tharpe. Though Phillips wrote the song, it first appeared as a beautiful rendering by Alison Krauss and Robert Plant on their 2007 collaboration Raising Sand - an album produced by Sam's ex-husband T-Bone Burnett.

~~Sam Phillips - Sister Rosetta Goes Before Us~~ (mp3 removed)
~~Sam Phillips - Don't Do Anything~~ (mp3 removed)

*The above mp3s were hosted on the website of PR firm Toolshed Media with permission from Nonesuch Records and the links were posted here with Toolshed's permission as representatives of Nonesuch Records. The links have been removed due to another erroneous infringement claim by IFPI.

Sam Phillips Official Site

Buy @ Amazon

Mountain Stage: Joan Osborne, Rachael Yamagata, The Low Anthem, Todd Burge, Johnny Staats & Robert Shafer

2008-12-08T21:56:00.002-05:00

Last night I attended Mountain Stage's 25th Anniversary show featuring Joan Osborne, Rachael Yamagata, The Low Anthem, Todd Burge, and Johnny Staats & Robert Shafer. It was a remarkable show, though more for the occasion than the concert itself.

The event sold out before I could get tickets, so I have to thank Joan Osborne's representatives for putting me on the guest list. I also think that the people who work the ticket and merchandise tables at Mountain Stage deserve a round of applause, because the crowd was huge and some ladies were being unnecessarily rude to the very nice man watching the "will call" table when I arrived.

In celebration of Mountain Stage's 25th anniversary, The Food Network's "Ace of Cakes" created a special black, white, and grey five-tiered cake featuring the show's logo that was put on display in the lobby before the show. I'm not familiar with the show, but apparently one of the chefs is from WV and is related to one of the Mt. Stage band members. The audience did not get to taste the cake, but the crew were nice enough to provide punch and cookies for us to celebrate after the show.

It was quite a nostalgic evening for everyone involved. Compared to the show's 25 years, my own experience as an audience member seems limited. But I couldn't help but think back over my own history with the program. The first time I attended Mountain Stage was in August, 1997, when I was still in high school. Like many locals, I was introduced to the show through a good friend and wondered why I hadn't heard of it before. The performers that night were Joan Baez, Sinead Lohan, Laura Love, Duke Robillard, and Dar Williams. I fell in love with the show then and don't have the time or room here to recount all of the amazing performances I have seen there since then.

Some of the most memorable sets I witnessed were by Sinead Lohan, Holly Cole, Cowboy Junkies, Vic Chesnutt, Dayna Kurtz, Natalie Merchant, Kami Lyle, Saw Doctors, Fisher, a then unknown Norah Jones, Odetta, Martina McBride, Bell X1, Samoa Wilson, Zap Mama, Ani Difranco, Anaïs Mitchell, Eleni Mandell, and Sylvie Lewis, Amy Correia (twice), Peter Mulvey and Cathie Ryan (twice), Laura Love (twice), Joan Osborne (twice), and Joan Baez (twice). The second time I saw Baez perform was for Mountain Stage's 20th anniversary show five years ago. Joan was excellent as always, but I recall that the night was plagued with techinical difficulties. I'm happy to say that last night's 25th anniversary concert went much more smoothly.

The show is always general admission, so I was fortunate to nab a seat just a few rows back from the stage. Host Larry Groce began by thanking several people and organizations who had helped Mountain Stage over the years, and brought a few of them out on stage. Among them were local singer George "The Earl of Elkview" Daugherty (an old friend of my husband's), local artist Charlie Hamilton - who painted the huge, colorful painting that always adorns the stage - and the elusive broadcast engineer Francis Fisher (whose disembodied voice is heard at every Mountain Stage). Also present was Deni Bonet, former singing partner of Mountain Stage vocalist Julie Adams and one of performers at the very first Mountain Stage concert in 1983. Bonet sang with the band and performed a song of her own in the first hour of the concert. Groce also acknowledged the recent passing of Odetta, and later house pianist Bob Thompson played a special instrumental tribute to her.

Thanks to the Mountain Stage Blog, I knew before the show that local singer-songwriter Todd Burge had been called in to replace Kathy Mattea. Mattea, who was apparently one of the most frequently schedule guests on the show, had to cancel her scheduled performance due to an illness in her family. The extremely amiable Johnny Staats & Robert Shaffer went first and were a crowd pleaser. Their hyperspeed mandolin and guitar playing was impressive, though they sounded much prettier when they slowed it down. I especially enjoyed their rendition of "Sweet Georgia Brown".

I hadn't heard of The Low Anthem before last night, but I really like them! The trio are multi-instrumental wonders who ran around the stage exchanging instruments in between songs. Their sound is mostly very pretty, soft indie-folk, though they did play one stage rocker. I'll have to track down their album. They're cute as buttons, too. Next up was Todd Burge. I really hate to say anything negative about him, because he seems like the nicest guy, but this was the second time I've been bored by him at Mountain Stage. I did like his song "I Believe This I Believe", but other than that....just not my thing. Overall, I found the first hour of the show lackluster and had trouble staying awake. But the second hour more than made up for it.

After some house band performances, Rachael Yamagata took the stage. I expected her smokey alto to be a highlight of the night, but I had no idea just how good she would be live. After the show, every single person I encountered was raving about Rachael's set. She began hidden behind the piano while she sang the somber "Elephants" from her new album Elephants...Teeth Sinking Into Heart (which I can tell you now will be on my best of '08 list) and belted out the emotional older tune "Be Be Your Love". Then she moved to the center of the stage and blew everyone away with an astounding, chill-producing performance of "Sunday Afternoon", during which she wailed until I thought her throat would fall out. The song was so long (I didn't notice since her performance was so riveting) that apparently it was to be her last, but the crowd was so responsive that Groce asked her to play one more. She ended with a thunderous take of "Faster". If there was a star of Mountain Stage's 25th anniversary show, it was Rachael Yamagata.

Though I loved Yamagata's music before and certainly after the show, I was mostly excited to see Joan Osborne. I've been a fan of Osborne since her debut Relish was first released, and I saw her perform at Mountain Stage years ago when she was promoting her How Sweet It Is album. I remembered Joan's appearance and performance then as being funky, sexy, and vocally powerful. So it was a bit of a shock when she stepped on stage last night dressed as a school marm - high lace color, long floral print skirt. I only mention it because it was apparently symptomatic of her entire persona mellowing out over the years. Granted, she began with my least favorite song on Little Wild One ("Rodeo") followed by an even lower key version of the album's title track. So it may have merely been a matter of song choice or at least my own preconceptions of those particular songs. It just seemed like the spark had gone out of her or something. That is, until she hit the chorus of "Halllelujah In The City" and finally unleashed her voice. Then I finally heard and saw the Joan I knew and loved.

By the time she covered Jump Little Children's "Cathedrals", all was right with the Osborne world. In my review of Joan's album, I said "I hope I get to hear Joan sing this one live someday, because I can only imagine how much more powerful her voice will be without so much production smoothing it down." I was absolutely right. When singing "Cathedrals" in person, Joan's voice was gorgeous, emotive, and supernaturally strong. It was by far the best performance of the night, and what I'll remember most about the concert. She ended with a rousing rendition of "Bury Me On The Battery", followed by an encore of "To The One I Love".

Everyone returned to the stage for one of the show's better group finales, a cover of Tom Petty's "Won't Back Down". In the post-show lobby, I met a very gracious and humble Rachael Yamagata. She seemed surprised that we all liked her performance so much, and said she would come back to Mountain Stage (I hope so!). I introduced her to the wonder of the silver sharpie (her album cover is black), a wonderful little trick I first learned of from The Rescues. I passed several members of the Mountain Stage family on my way out, but I always feel weird introducing myself as "the blog girl" so I merely waved at them.

I think the concert would've been better with a more significant booking like Joan Baez or Mavis Staples, and I was obviously disappointed by the first half of the show. However, in the end I was very happy with the night and it was nice to relive so many great memories I have of the venue. Here's to another 25 (or 100) years of Mountain Stage.

Mountain Stage

Listen to Mountain Stage on NPR

Muruch Mountain Stage Reviews

Eagleowl: For the Thoughts You Never Had

2008-12-05T16:43:00.004-05:00

Eagleowl are another interesting Edinburgh band on the Song, By Toad roster. Their five song EP For the Thoughts You Never Had will be released December 15th. Eagleowl is comprised of Clarissa Cheong on double bass, guitarist Bartholomew Owl, and violin and ukulele player Malcolm Benzie. The band has performed with A Hawk and a Hacksaw, Field Music, Woodpigeon, and The Twilight Sad.

Each member of the trio contribute vocals, and their sweet harmonies balance out the dark, low-fi folk sound of their songs. The all too brief opener "Sleeptide" softly blooms from haunting a capella vocals into a gentle folk strum. "Blanket" glides in on wafts of strings anchored by the deep bellow of Clarissa's double bass. Other tracks range from mostly instrumental dirges to slightly peppier pub folk-pop.

Eagleowl - Blanket (mp3) *

*mp3 hosted on the website of Song, By Toad Records & & the links are posted here w/ their permission

Eagleowl on MySpace

Buy Mp3s @ Amazon

Buy CD @ Song, By Toad Records

Muruch's Top 10 Books of 2008

2008-12-04T17:31:00.003-05:00

I've reviewed several books on the blog this year, and read many, many more. During the summer, I was averaging two or three novels a week. My visit to Transallegheny only fed my bookworm addiction. Most of the books I read in 2008 were classics, but there were a few noteworthy new releases. Following are my top 10 favorites of the year with some quotes from my reviews. Click on the book titles to read the full review.

Muruch's Top 10 Books of 2008

1 The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

"...one of the most brilliant and emotional books I've ever read. The book is narrated by the personification of Death, and tells the story of nine year old orphan Liesel Meminger in World War II era Germany. It's like Anne Frank Meets Joe Black...The morbid presence of the sarcastic and poetic Death foreshadows the novel's journey from playfully poignant tales of Liesel's book thievery to heartbreaking sorrows as the Nazi empire's terror invades Liesel's personal life."

2 The Vanishing Act Of Esme Lennox by Maggie O'Farrell

"...beautifully written, enthralling piece of Gothic fiction that effortlessly weaves together the emotional and riveting threads of one family's multi-generational tale...Esme Lennox, who is being discharged after over six decades in an asylum...taken back into the past to be properly introduced to the intriguing Esme and learn the appalling truth behind her banishment....realistic characters and suspenseful drama wrapped in eloquent prose..."

3 The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer & Ann Burrows

"...a delightful, intelligent, and often emotional novel...serendipitous correspondence between a London writer and various inhabitants of one of the Channel Islands recently freed from German occupation in the post-war 1940s...so joyous that I found myself cheering for these fictional people I had unwittingly become so invested in."

4 Undiscovered Country by Lin Enger

"...successfully captures the melancholy and dramatic atmosphere of Hamlet, yet the plot is fast paced with characters that are both interesting and human. The novel is so well written that it would be just as compelling even with no allusions to the Bard's tale...it's Jesse's inner turmoil as well as his interactions with his vixenish mother and possibly villainous uncle that are most riveting."

5 The Outlander by Gil Adamson

"...so wonderful to find this kind of rare story that is well written and still moves along at such an exhilarating pace...young protagonist Mary Boulton, a widow of her own making who is being pursued through a rugged 1903 wilderness by the vengeful twin brothers of her dead husband...surely destined to become a classic..."

6 The Resurrectionist by Jack O'Connell

"...a brilliant and unique fable...weaves intense emotion and themes of tolerance into the fantastical dual plots...The story of druggist Sweeney and his comatose son Danny's residence at the mysterious Peck Clinic alternates with the fanciful world of persecuted circus freaks held within the pages of Danny's favorite comic Limbo."

7 The Age Of Dreaming by Nina Revoyr

"...full of 1920s intrigue and glamor, at times recalling Sunset Boulevard, Chaplin, and even L.A. Confidential...aging and all but forgotten Japanese actor Jun Nakayama, a relic from the silent film era who is enjoying a life in obscurity in 1964 until his peace is disrupted by a young writer...intertwined into the present day (1960s) of Jun's golden years is a 1920s murder mystery filled with stars and seduction."

8 The House At Riverton by Kate Morton

"...revisits the scandalous past of the wealthy Ashbury family in the years preceding and following World War I. The book captures the wartime drama and family secrets of Atonement as well as the spectacular, romantic 1920s atmosphere of The Great Gatsby, and mixes in the English country estate, class divides, and gossip of Gosford Park."

9 Mister Pip by Lloyd Jones

I neglected to review this one, probably because a disturbing scene toward the end of the novel ruined the otherwise jubilant tone of the book. But it was a necessary evil of sorts, as the story does involve a military occupation. But what drew me most into the book were the humble natives who were introduced to Great Expectations by an ethusiastic school teacher.

10 Swim to Me by Betsy Carter

This one I'm surprised I didn't review, as I recall it was quite charming and reminded me a little of Big Fish. The story of a girl who runs away to work at a mermaid park in Florida wasn't as good as it could have been - it's quirkiness was a little too self-aware at times, while other passages lagged - but it was mostly a fun, bright read.

*Honorable mention to The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Brontë ("...beautifully written, poignant, dramatic, and romantic novel by the tragically overlooked other Brontë sister"). I only discovered the classic novel this year, and no one else I know seems to have read it.

Labelle: Back To Now

2008-12-04T17:01:00.001-05:00

The name Labelle may not be familiar to younger readers, but you've probably at least heard the Moulin Rouge cover of their song "Lady Marmalade". The trio, which featured Sarah Dash and Nona Hendryx, was named after and led by powerhouse vocalist Patti Labelle. They originally formed in 1960 as The Bluebelles, enjoyed a successful run as Labelle in the 1970s, and split to pursue solo careers in 1976. The three women recently reunited to record Back To Now, the band's first full-length album in over three decades. I've always like Patti Labelle's big voice, and the album was released by Verve Records with production by Wyclef Jean and Lenny Kravitz. So I was disappointed that - with a few exceptions - it wasn't the grand return it should've been.

The catchy chorus of the opener "Candlelight" is one of the few hints of classic glam-funk Labelle, but the verses of the song drop into bland ballad territory. "Roll Out" is a car wreck driven by Wyclef Jean, such a mess that I almost didn't bother reviewing the album. Patti Labelle's voice does not need that kind of Auto Tune electro-polish crap. And I think the title "Superlover" is enough to convey the cringe worthy nature of the tepid ballad that follows.

The album starts to get back on track slightly with "System", though it would've been so much better if the ladies had been allowed to wail earlier in the song. The bombastic cover of Mother's Finest's "The Truth Will Set You Free" is finally what I wanted to hear from this reunion and proves my opinion of the preceding tracks. These women are just as capable of howling funk music now as they were in the '70s, so there is no reason for the other songs being so tame.

The second half of the album is better than the first. "How Long" is the kind of soaring ballad I've come to associate with Patti Labelle, and the final cover "Miss Otis Regrets" is so absolutely stunning I wish Labelle had recorded an entire album of standards.

I was not granted permission to share an mp3, but you can hear samples at the links below.

Labelle Official Site

Buy @ Amazon

Nightjar: The Moth Trap

2008-12-03T16:52:00.003-05:00

Nightjar is another band signed to Song, By Toad Records that I love. Seems the Edinburgh music scene is a little more Appalachian than Scottish at the moment. Nightjar in particular would fit in well with Old Crow Medicine Show, Felice Brothers, and The Avett Brothers. Their rustic six-song EP The Moth Trap will be released on December 5th, and features Kris Drever.

The opener "The Hanging Tree" is my favorite on the EP, though it's difficult to narrow it down to just one track. After a serene instrumental introduction, the song transforms into a peppy banjo and violin whirlwind that ebbs and flows with gritty vocal verses. The quiet quiver of "Dancefloor" follows.

"Poor Man's Song" is a haunting banjo pluck that Kris Drever recently covered on his own album Black Water. "Sweet Annie Lee" leans more into a Dylanesque folk style, while the quirky bluegrass number "Salesman Song" would surely be a hit at Mountain Stage.

Nightjar - Poor Man's Song (mp3) *

*mp3 hosted on the website of Song, By Toad Records & & the links are posted here w/ their permission

Nightjar on MySpace

Buy Mp3s @ Amazon

Buy CD @ Song, By Toad Records

Amanda Palmer: Rebellyon

2008-12-03T12:19:00.000-05:00

In case you missed my original post about Amanda Palmer's Leeds United belly battle with her record label, she has posted an update to her own Blog. She talks about The Rebellyon website some fans have made to support her, the frustrating details of her contract with Roadrunner Records, and the bizarre way the label seems to have forgotten what kind of artist she is despite the fact they released all of the Dresden Dolls albums.

Amanda Palmer - Leeds United (YouTube Video)

Muruch Review of Who Killed Amanda Palmer?

Odetta: 1930-2008

2008-12-03T11:29:00.001-05:00

I don't often post here when celebrities die, but I was sad to hear about the recent death of Odetta due to heart disease. When I attended the legendary singer's performance at Mountain Stage several years ago, I didn't know much about her. Since then I've learned that Odetta was best known for her involvement in the Civil Rights Movement, and that she counted among her fans Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin, Joan Baez, Martin Luther King, Jr., Rosa Parks, and JFK. History aside, Odetta gave one of the most powerful and captivating live sets I've ever witnessed and I'm sorry that I won't have the opportunity to see her again.

Meursault: Pissing On Bonfires/Kissing With Tongues

2008-12-01T17:15:00.003-05:00

Meursault are a Scottish band so loved by Song, By Toad that he signed them to his own label for the release of their debut Pissing On Bonfires/Kissing With Tongues. I foolishly dismissed his ravings about the Edinburgh band as yet another "indie-rock" act that I wouldn't be interested in. It was not until Music For Kids Who Can't Read Good mentioned that Meursault plays banjo and ukulele that I finally downloaded some of their songs. Then I gave myself a good kick.

Meursault - I assume named after the protagonist of The Stranger by Albert Camus - are led by singer-guitarist Neil Pennycook. Chris Bryant and Callum MacLeod provide the aforementioned banjo and ukulele, while Fraser Calder plays cajon (a beatbox also enjoyed by Jacob and Lily).

My opinion of the album, as always, seems contrary to the majority of reviews I've read. I'm not too fond of the overtly electronic style of "Salt Part 1", "A Few Kind Words", or "Lament For A Teenage Millionaire".

Yet I adore the refreshingly bizarre blend of electro-rock clang and folk delicacy on songs like the instrumental "Statues of Strangers", the atmospheric title track, and "Salt Part 2". "The Furnace" is a particularly stunning backwoods disco, and "A Small Stretch Of Land" as well as the finale "Oh Neighbourhood!" are beautiful simplicities.

Meursault - The Furnace (mp3) *

*>*mp3 hosted on the website of Song, By Toad Records & the links are posted here w/ their permission

Meursault on MySpace

Buy Mp3s @ Amazon

Buy CD @ Song, By Toad

No Holiday Music Here

2008-11-28T14:46:00.003-05:00

I'm already receiving emails containing Christmas music. Regular readers may have noticed in previous years that I haven't posted holiday music here. I won't be posting any kind of holiday music this year either, so please don't bother submitting or requesting Christmas songs. No offense intended to anyone, it's just not my thing. :)

Jacob and Lily: The Cathedral

2008-11-25T16:26:00.002-05:00

Jacob and Lily are Canadian folk duo Karla Adolphe and Caleb Friesen. Their 2006 debut The Cathedral features a pretty blend of ethereal pop, folk and Americana, with exotic flourishes courtesy of world percussion instruments. The album was recorded in a theatre, restaurant, church, and the artists' homes to capture the band's organic sound. Like Rose Palenzani, I discovered the music of Jacob and Lily when they were named finalists in the Mountain Stage NewSong Festival - Jacob and Lily were chosen to perform at live at the venue.

The opener "I'll See You Off" is an unusually beautiful and haunting piece of Americana, while "Ruby" is a more standard and catchier folk tune. The chill-producing keens and piano ballad beginning of "Build A Tower" give away to a hypnotic display of percussion. It as well as the slightly softer strings of "Lucky Stars" show that Karla's voice has a range and power to rival Erika Wennerstrom of Heartless Bastards.

"Hush" is the perfect title for one of the quieter ballads on the album, as Karla's voice is an angelic whisper over the gentle instrumentation with the exception of the occasional wail. The rest of the songs may not stand out as much individually, but the whole is unique and lovely.

Karla recently released a solo album, and Jacob and Lily are working on a new album to be released in 2009.

Jacob and Lily Official Site

Buy @ Amazon

Buy @ CDBaby

Amanda Palmer: Leeds United Video

2008-11-22T19:03:00.001-05:00

Former Dresden Dolls singer Amanda Palmer has posted a new YouTube video for "Leeds United", one of the stand out tracks on her debut solo effort Who Killed Amanda Palmer?. Amanda's lastest newsletter said that Roadrunner Records wanted her to re-cut the video so that shots of her belly wouldn't be included, because they thought she looked too fat?! She's slim! And even if she wasn't, they should know by now that not only is Palmer a non-conformist when it comes to image, but that a big part of why we fans love her is because she is a champion of self-acceptance and oddity.

Amanda Palmer - Leeds United (YouTube Video)

Muruch Review of Who Killed Amanda Palmer?

Stereophonics: Decade In The Sun

2008-11-21T17:00:00.003-05:00

Decade In The Sun is the new "Best Of" collection by Welsh band Stereophonics. I've never understood why they aren't as well known here in America as they are in the UK. Their music is just as catchy yet infinitely more interesting than more popular imports like U2, Oasis, and the dreaded Coldplay. The Stereophonic's strength lies in the way lead singer Kelly Jones's throaty vocals anchor their soaring arena rock anthems.

it takes one tree to make a thousand matches
it only takes one match to burn a thousand trees

The opener "Dakota" is a 1980s synth-rock influenced number, "The Bartender And The Thief" is a hyperspeed grinder, "Local Boy In The Photograph" is a nostalgic wailer, the infectious falsetto of "Superman" reminds me of a more ominous "Turn Your Camera On", and "Traffic" is as close to acoustic as the boys get.

There are the more recognizable tunes - the atmospheric quasi ballads "Just Looking", "Maybe Tomorrow", and "It Means Nothing", the retro hum of "Have A Nice Day", my personal favorite "A Thousand Trees", and of course the theme to BBC's The Office "Handbags And Gladrags". There are also two new songs - "My Own Worst Enemy" has a harder edge without losing momentum, while "You're My Star" has a languidly hypnotic quality.

I was given permission to share any mp3 except the new songs. I had a very hard time choosing between "A Thousand Trees" and "Handbags And Gladrags", but ultimately had to go with my favorite.

~~Stereophonics - A Thousand Trees~~ (mp3 expired)

* mp3 posted with permission of The Stereophonics' PR company The Music Syndicate. Contact them via their website if there is any dispute over their right to give me authorization.

Stereophonics Official Site
Buy @ Amazon

Anais Mitchell & Rachel Ries: Country E.P.

2008-11-20T15:38:00.002-05:00

I've been meaning to post about the new Anais Mitchell and Rachel Ries Country E.P., and this seems an appropriate time since the duo will be performing at the Songs: Illinois house concert this weekend. Mitchell and Ries wrote two songs each, and the other track is a Louis Ledford cover. I'm a big fan of Anais Mitchell, whose album The Brightness was #2 on my Top of '07 list and her performance at Mountain Stage was my favorite concert of last year.

Had this been a full-length album, I would have devoured and raved about it long ago. But as I've said many times, I generally find EPs annoyingly short and rarely give them a second listen. And while the 7" vinyl record that came with this particular EP is charming, I personally would have preferred a full-length CD instead. A five-song CD coupled with a three-song LP seems an ill fit both for Luddites like me who still actually listen to albums and the mp3 crowd who download individual tracks. However, this is about as good as an EP gets and I at least respect the artistic vision of the set.

Of course, once I listened to Country E.P., I kicked myself for waiting so long. I should've known it would be so beautiful. Unusual and pretty harmony floats through the dusky opening ballad "O My Star", Rachel's throaty lilt takes center stage on "MGD" and the speakeasy number "Grace The Day", and Anais' quirky croon shines on "Come September" and the wistful finale "When You Fall". Both singer's voices are perfectly suited to this old-fashioned style, and the delicate old-timey instrumentation is lovely.

I was not granted permission to share an mp3, but you can hear samples at the links below.

Anais Mitchell Official Site

Buy @ Amazon

Muruch on LastFM

2008-11-19T12:15:00.001-05:00

I have once again downloaded the LastFM media player plugin (formerly known as Audio Scrobbler). You can check out what I've been listening to on LastFM, and I've also added a widget on the sidebar of this blog to show my recently played songs.