I'm really loving bluesgrass and country at the moment, and I've only really started getting into it in the last six months. Anyone with half a brain has of course heard the excellent O Brother Where Art Thou soundtrack, but as content as I was with that for a short while, I really needed more.
Trouble is remembering those names. It's easy with current bands and pop/rock legends because they're blathered about constantly on TV, radio and in magazines. Whilst with Bluesgrass and country you've got similarily named dudes with bands that look like they've been spawned by one of Amiga Power's legendary random name generators. 'Tumbleweed Whisky Boys', or something like that. So like a less talented Mark Lamar I'm going to post stuff I like and where possible links to online streamers. If only to remind myself when I inevitably forget the names.
First off a country and bluesgrass primer that also has a number of classics and greatness from soul, reggae, bebop and 50's rock is 'Theme Time Radio Hour - With Your Host Bob Dylan'. It's a superb compilation that Dylan has crafted from his fabbo radio series heard on Radio 2 and Radio 6. It also has the odd wildcard like Seven Nation Army.
Wiki-fun:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theme_Time_Radio_HourAnd it's here, today, that I first heard a song that blew me away. I can't stop thinking about it and have played it four times already this morning in the music library. It's 'Cool Water' by Sons of the Pioneers.
Sons of the Pioneers are a country group that started in 1933 by the excellently named Leonard Slye. Much like Last of the Summer Wine original members have died off and been replaced, and somehow they're still going. You may have heard their Tumblin' Tumbleweeds at the start of Big Lebowski. But it is Cool Water that has captured my heart. It's about a man and his mule, looking for water in a deadly dry desert. As he is plagued by mirages and haunted by voices that try to seduce him into giving up and crawling off to die in a hole somewhere, he begins talking to his mule about their quest for water, cool water. Water. Water. Cool water.
It's utter bliss and makes you thirsty just listening to it. Like some sort of sonic John Ford vision. I'm going to get a Sons of the Pioneers compilation after payday and see how their other stuff measures, but I have high hopes. And when I get home I'll see if I can find a performance on the net that I can share here.
But for now, it's back to work and listening to Bob's golden oldies. Any suggestions or talk about bluesgrass and country, please post on this thread.
Thang yew.
Cool water. Water. Water. Cooool water.