Author Archives: Bob the Chiropodist

as Willies backing band. The title track (a Fleetwood Mac song) is just to die for!

Why does it take a young upstart to get involved with such legends before the masses (like myself) take note? Perhaps us indie kids need something to get us past the established image in order to actually listen?

Uncut championed Ryan Adams first solo LP Heartbreaker in 2000. I got it on their recommendation and it became an instant favourite amongst the Leeds gang. I dont usually buy what mags tell you (they invariably disappoint) however, the opening track had been on the free Uncut CD for that month. In the intro to Winding Wheel theres an argument about which Mozzer LP Suedehead had come from and that swayed me.

Come Pick Me Up must rank amongst the best break up records ever committed to vinyl steal all my records, screw all my friends I was impressed enough to get the Strangers Almanac LP (1997) by his band Whiskeytown which contains the wonderful Everything I DoNOT the same song as (Everything I Do) I Do It For You by Bryan Adams

His next solo LP Gold (2001) sounded quite different commercial and familiar from the first play. New York, New York and Firecracker are breezy wondrous slices of pop the sound of an artist breaking into his stride. Our pal Morgan could belt out a mean version of Rescue Blues at the time. Its since been slagged off for being MOR/revisionist/unoriginal – but I still stand by it I dare you not to like it!

2001 also saw the last Whiskeytown LP Pneumonia a strangely subdued LP and not a patch on their other stuff..maybe its a grower and I havent given it time.however since writing this Ive listened to it another few times and it hasnt grown yet..

Demolition (2002) was an album of 10 quick demos with the raucous Nuclear and bitchy Cry On Demand that showed expensive production wasnt needed. Hes a prolific songwriter, releasing one or two albums a year since (in fact there were 3 of them in 2003) with tons of tracks on each. He also has a reputation for the varying quality of his live appearances, but as I havent seen him live I cant comment on that one.

Rubin and Cash, White and Lynn, Adams and Nelsonyou know it makes sense!

Bob The Chiropodist 2006 Continue reading →

that, now common place, were unknown to me at the time – Calexico, Vic Chestnut, William Oldham

Calexico take their name from a Mexican border town and their track The Ballad of Cable Hogue sounded like a distillation of that place great stuff.

I wrote to Calexico after hearing them in session on Peel early in 1999 – I loved the story that their early recordings were done on an answering machine and wrote to ask if they were available. Joey Burns replied ..

I had the great pleasure of seeing Calexico at the Leeds Festival (August 2000). It turned into one of the best gigs Ive been to, in a criminally under attended tent Oasis could still pull a big crowd in those days. The wonderful Mojave 3 (if you havent got their Out of Tune CD shame on you!) and the bizarre Dirty 3 played that night too. Calexico however stole the show with their amazing Mariachi band who transported us all from West Yorkshire to South of the boarder, the atmosphere was electric.

If you were looking for a place to start, the track that sums up their sound for me is The Crystal Frontier all pulsating guitars and Mexican horns .wonderful. Burns and Convertino have been involved in many a quality band in the past too including Howe Gelbs Giant Sand (loads of free stuff available from http://www.giantsand.com) and the ABBC Tete a tete CD.

The Ballad of Cable Hogue is available on Hot Rail
Crystal Frontier is available on Even My Sure Things Fall Through

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One definition of ‘Americana’ is “The culture of America” but in musical terms it has become the label for ‘Alternative’ country music…..ie not Nashville cheese or line dancing rhinestone excess.

With excellent magazines like Mojo, Uncut and The Word offering ‘free’ CDs on a monthly basis there’s an opportunity to be introduced to stuff you wouldn’t normally listen to. I say ‘free’ but the mags aren’t cheap – and if … Continue reading →