Jim Lauderdale

The Hodgepodge: If You Were Stranded on an Island & Had to Pick One Country Record…

Josh50 Comments

ATOZ_JKT

After a long holiday weekend here in the United States and the unofficial end of summer, there hasn’t been too much happening in the world of country music. This comes a week after all the hoopla surrounding the 50th CMA Awards and who was in and out in terms of nominations. In addition the much-talked about Sturgill Simpson Facebook rant took place and was a topic that was beaten to death. Needless to say I didn’t feel like rehashing this again. With nothing else to really talk about, I decided to try out something I’ve been wanting to give a shot with The Hodgepodge for a while. That is an Ask The Readers Hodgepodge. It’s quite simple: I pose a question to you the readers and in the comments below we will discuss what our answers would be to the question. Sometimes it will be a yes or no question, but most times it’ll be something a little more detailed like today. The first Ask The Readers Hodgepodge will start with an age-old question involving numerous subjects, but this time country music.

If you were stranded on an island for the rest of your life and you had to pick one country album to bring with you, what would it be?

Some guidelines:

  • It can also be Americana/Folk/Roots Rock because we cover those in addition to country music and I know some only follow the blog for these sub-genres.
  • The album cannot be a greatest hits album, box set, compilation, covers album, live album or soundtrack. Double albums are fair game though, but it must be released at the same time and not separately.
  • You can have the album in any format you please (you get one outlet on the island to plug in your CD player, record player 0r MP3 player, although good luck getting your record not to warp with all of the sunlight)
  • The album you pick doesn’t necessarily have to be what you consider the greatest country album of all-time, although it can be. It’s more your favorite album.
  • There are no wrong answers here! (Except if you pick a Sam Hunt album because I would think being stranded on an island would be a hard enough life without his music)
  • Feel free to throw in your picks for other genres too. This is a topic to have fun with!

 

Now with all of the guidelines out of the way, I will give my answer. I haven’t decided as of this writing what one album I would pick, but rather a list I would highly consider from for my one pick. Those albums would be:

  • Sturgill Simpson – Metamodern Sounds in Country Music
  • Jason Isbell – Something More Than Free (of course my first two on the list are Country Perspective’s album of the year winners)
  • Chris Stapleton – Traveller
  • George Strait – Strait From The Heart
  • George Strait – Ocean Front Property 
  • Alan Jackson – Don’t Rock The Jukebox
  • Waylon Jennings – Dreaming My Dreams
  • Dwight Yoakam – Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc. 

It’s your turn now! Be sure to weigh in below.

Upcoming/Recent Country & Americana Releases

  • Whiskey Myers will be releasing their new album MUD tomorrow. My review of it will also be out soon
  • St. Paul & The Broken Bones will be releasing their sophomore album tomorrow, titled Sea of Noise.
  • Next week Amanda Shires’ new album My Piece of Land will be released.
  • Australian country artist Kasey Chambers just released a new EP Ain’t No Little Girl and her new album Dragonfly will be released on January 20, 2017 (shout out to reader Melanie for giving me a heads up!)
  • It was just announced this week Jim Lauderdale will be releasing a new album titled This Changes Everything on September 30
  • A promising up and coming artist named Paul Cauthen will be releasing his debut solo record My Gospel on October 14. He’s the former frontman of Americana band Sons of Fathers.

Throwback Thursday Song

Willie Nelson – “I’d Have To Be Crazy” – This is one of my all-time favorite Willie Nelson songs and one of my favorite country love songs. For the eagle-eyed, yes Sturgill Simpson covered the very same song on his debut album High Top Mountain. It is also great and does Willie justice.

Non-Country Suggestion of the Week

Carly Rae Jepsen – “Cry” – Yes, it’s the same artist that sang “Call Me Maybe.” But she’s moved on to much better music! Her last album Emotion was pop music at it’s best and recently she released the B-Sides EP for it. I recommend both if you listen to pop music, but this song in particular is fantastic off the EP. It reminds me of the best of 80s pop and would undoubtedly be a hit in that decade of music (think Heart or Pat Benatar).

Tweet of the Week

Laughing at Blake Shelton’s current terrible single is always appropriate, but especially when it’s struggling on the chart.

Some Thoughts on Kelsea Ballerini’s Album

kelsea-ballerini-is-meh

I’m not sure why you bought the album either, Danyelle. And it does sound pop, Victoria.

The Americana Airplay Chart Rundown [December 7]

Josh1 Comment

Josh Ritter Sermon Over The Rocks

This is The Americana Airplay Chart Rundown. Every week I’ll post the top 40 from the Americana Airplay chart, which is obtained from AmericanaRadio.org. From the site: “The Americana Airplay chart represents the reported play of terrestrial radio stations, nationally syndicated radio shows, satellite radio and internet stations who have agreed to submit weekly spin counts. For more information please visit www.americanamusic.org.”

The goal of this feature is to track and monitor the current most popular music in the Americana realm, as I believe it’s starting to take on a bigger importance in the world of music, especially concerning the current state of country music. In addition it will bring some new names to the site that haven’t been covered here before and could lead to more Americana coverage. It’s also a place to discuss anything going on in the Americana genre at this moment. Be sure to weigh in on the chart in the comments below.

  1. Josh Ritter – Sermon On The Rocks [Up 3]
  2. Dave Alvin & Phil Alvin – Lost Time [Down 1]
  3. Jason Isbell – Something More Than Free (Grade: 10/10) [Down 1]
  4. Joe Ely – Panhandle Rambler [Down 1]
  5. The Black Lillies – Hard To Please (Grade: 9/10)
  6. The Bottle Rockets – South Broadway Athletic Club (Grade: 8.5/10)
  7. Los Lobos – Gates Of Gold 
  8. Nathaniel Rateliff and The Nightsweats – Nathaniel Rateliff and The Nightsweats 
  9. Corb Lund – Things That Can’t Be Undone (Grade: 9/10)
  10. Jim Lauderdale – Soul Searching [Up 3]
  11. Patty Griffin – Servant of Love [Down 1]
  12. Chris Isaak – First Comes The Night [Up 2]
  13. Don Henley – Cass County (Grade: 10/10) [Down 1]
  14. The Wood Brothers – Paradise [Down 3]
  15. Ryan Adams – 1989
  16. Tim O’Brien – Pompadour
  17. Steve Martin & Edie Brickell – So Familiar
  18. The Dave Rawlings Machine – Nashville Obsolete
  19. Lindi Ortega – Faded Gloryville (Grade: 9/10) [Up 1]
  20. Various Artists – Cold & Bitter Tears: The Songs of Ted Hawkins [Up 3]
  21. Billy Gibbons – Perfectamundo [Down 2]
  22. Chris Stapleton – Traveller (Grade: 10/10) [Down 1]
  23. Lucero – All A Man Should Do [Down 1]
  24. Jeffrey Foucault – Salt As Wolves
  25. Glen Hansard – Didn’t He Ramble 
  26. Turnpike Troubadours – Turnpike Troubadours (Grade: 10/10) [Up 1]
  27. Cox Family – Gone Like The Cotton [Up 3]
  28. Webb Wilder – Mississippi Moderne [Down 2]
  29. Bart Crow – The Parade [Up 3]
  30. Jason Boland & The Stragglers – Squelch (Grade: 8.5/10) [Down 1]
  31. Cody Jinks – Adobe Sessions (Grade: 9/10)
  32. Shinyribs – Okra Candy [Down 4]
  33. Shawn Colvin – Uncovered 
  34. Shawn Mullins – My Stupid Heart [Up 1]
  35. The Damn Quails – Out of The Birdcage (Grade: 8.5/10) [Down 1]
  36. Kacey Musgraves – Pageant Material (Grade: 9/10) [Up 2]
  37. Samantha Fish – Wild Heart [Up 2]
  38. Shovels & Rope – Busted Jukebox Volume 1 [New]
  39. Amy Helm – Didn’t It Rain [Down 3]
  40. Shemekia Copeland – Outskirts of Love [Down 3]

The Americana Airplay Chart Rundown [November 30]

Josh

Dave Alvin & Phil Alvin Lost Time

This is The Americana Airplay Chart Rundown. Every week I’ll post the top 40 from the Americana Airplay chart, which is obtained from AmericanaRadio.org. From the site: “The Americana Airplay chart represents the reported play of terrestrial radio stations, nationally syndicated radio shows, satellite radio and internet stations who have agreed to submit weekly spin counts. For more information please visit www.americanamusic.org.”

The goal of this feature is to track and monitor the current most popular music in the Americana realm, as I believe it’s starting to take on a bigger importance in the world of music, especially concerning the current state of country music. In addition it will bring some new names to the site that haven’t been covered here before and could lead to more Americana coverage. It’s also a place to discuss anything going on in the Americana genre at this moment. Be sure to weigh in on the chart in the comments below.

  1. Dave Alvin & Phil Alvin – Lost Time 
  2. Jason Isbell – Something More Than Free (Grade: 10/10)
  3. Joe Ely – Panhandle Rambler 
  4. Josh Ritter – Sermon On The Rocks
  5. The Black Lillies – Hard To Please (Grade: 9/10)
  6. The Bottle Rockets – South Broadway Athletic Club (Grade: 8.5/10)
  7. Los Lobos – Gates Of Gold [Up 1]
  8. Nathaniel Rateliff and The Nightsweats – Nathaniel Rateliff and The Nightsweats [Up 3]
  9. Corb Lund – Things That Can’t Be Undone (Grade: 9/10) 
  10. Patty Griffin – Servant of Love [Down 3]
  11. The Wood Brothers – Paradise [Up 2]
  12. Don Henley – Cass County (Grade: 10/10) [Down 2]
  13. Jim Lauderdale – Soul Searching [Down 1]
  14. Chris Isaak – First Comes The Night [Up 2]
  15. Ryan Adams – 1989 [Up 4]
  16. Tim O’Brien – Pompadour [Down 2]
  17. Steve Martin & Edie Brickell – So Familiar [Down 2]
  18. The Dave Rawlings Machine – Nashville Obsolete
  19. Billy Gibbons – Perfectamundo [Up 6]
  20. Lindi Ortega – Faded Gloryville (Grade: 9/10) 
  21. Chris Stapleton – Traveller (Grade: 10/10)
  22. Lucero – All A Man Should Do [Down 5]
  23. Various Artists – Cold & Bitter Tears: The Songs of Ted Hawkins [Down 1]
  24. Jeffrey Foucault – Salt As Wolves [Up 2]
  25. Glen Hansard – Didn’t He Ramble [Down 2]
  26. Webb Wilder – Mississippi Moderne [Down 2]
  27. Turnpike Troubadours – Turnpike Troubadours (Grade: 10/10)
  28. Shinyribs – Okra Candy
  29. Jason Boland & The Stragglers – Squelch (Grade: 8.5/10) [Up 1]
  30. Cox Family – Gone Like The Cotton [Down 1]
  31. Cody Jinks – Adobe Sessions (Grade: 9/10) [Up 5]
  32. Bart Crow – The Parade [Up 2]
  33. Shawn Colvin – Uncovered [Down 2]
  34. The Damn Quails – Out of The Birdcage (Grade: 8.5/10) [Down 1]
  35. Shawn Mullins – My Stupid Heart
  36. Amy Helm – Didn’t It Rain [Up 2]
  37. Shemekia Copeland – Outskirts of Love
  38. Kacey Musgraves – Pageant Material (Grade: 9/10) [Down 6]
  39. Samantha Fish – Wild Heart [New]
  40. Steve Forbert – Compromised

The Americana Airplay Chart Rundown [November 23]

Josh1 Comment

Dave Alvin & Phil Alvin Lost Time

This is The Americana Airplay Chart Rundown. Every week I’ll post the top 40 from the Americana Airplay chart, which is obtained from AmericanaRadio.org. From the site: “The Americana Airplay chart represents the reported play of terrestrial radio stations, nationally syndicated radio shows, satellite radio and internet stations who have agreed to submit weekly spin counts. For more information please visit www.americanamusic.org.”

The goal of this feature is to track and monitor the current most popular music in the Americana realm, as I believe it’s starting to take on a bigger importance in the world of music, especially concerning the current state of country music. In addition it will bring some new names to the site that haven’t been covered here before and could lead to more Americana coverage. It’s also a place to discuss anything going on in the Americana genre at this moment. Be sure to weigh in on the chart in the comments below.

  1. Dave Alvin & Phil Alvin – Lost Time 
  2. Jason Isbell – Something More Than Free (Grade: 10/10)
  3. Joe Ely – Panhandle Rambler 
  4. Josh Ritter – Sermon On The Rocks [Up 2]
  5. The Black Lillies – Hard To Please (Grade: 9/10) [Down 1]
  6. The Bottle Rockets – South Broadway Athletic Club (Grade: 8.5/10) [Up 1]
  7. Patty Griffin – Servant of Love [Down 2]
  8. Los Lobos – Gates Of Gold [Up 1]
  9. Corb Lund – Things That Can’t Be Undone (Grade: 9/10) [Up 1]
  10. Don Henley – Cass County (Grade: 10/10) [Down 2]
  11. Nathaniel Rateliff and The Nightsweats – Nathaniel Rateliff and The Nightsweats [Up 1]
  12. Jim Lauderdale – Soul Searching [Up 1]
  13. The Wood Brothers – Paradise [Down 2]
  14. Tim O’Brien – Pompadour [Up 7]
  15. Steve Martin & Edie Brickell – So Familiar [Up 4]
  16. Chris Isaak – First Comes The Night [Up 14]
  17. Lucero – All A Man Should Do [Down 3]
  18. The Dave Rawlings Machine – Nashville Obsolete [Down 3]
  19. Ryan Adams – 1989 [Down 2]
  20. Lindi Ortega – Faded Gloryville (Grade: 9/10) [Down 2]
  21. Chris Stapleton – Traveller (Grade: 10/10) [Down 5]
  22. Various Artists – Cold & Bitter Tears: The Songs of Ted Hawkins 
  23. Glen Hansard – Didn’t He Ramble [Down 3]
  24. Webb Wilder – Mississippi Moderne [Up 2]
  25. Billy Gibbons – Perfectamundo [New]
  26. Jeffrey Foucault – Salt As Wolves [Down 2]
  27. Turnpike Troubadours – Turnpike Troubadours (Grade: 10/10) [Down 4]
  28. Shinyribs – Okra Candy [Up 4]
  29. Cox Family – Gone Like The Cotton [Down 2]
  30. Jason Boland & The Stragglers – Squelch (Grade: 8.5/10) [Down 2]
  31. Shawn Colvin – Uncovered [Down 6]
  32. Kacey Musgraves – Pageant Material (Grade: 9/10) [Down 3]
  33. The Damn Quails – Out of The Birdcage (Grade: 8.5/10) [Down 2]
  34. Bart Crow – The Parade
  35. Shawn Mullins – My Stupid Heart [Up 4]
  36. Cody Jinks – Adobe Sessions (Grade: 9/10) [New]
  37. Shemekia Copeland – Outskirts of Love [Down 4]
  38. Amy Helm – Didn’t It Rain 
  39. Kevin Gordon – Long Gone Time [Down 3]
  40. Steve Forbert – Compromised [New]

The Americana Airplay Chart Rundown [November 16]

Josh2 Comments

Dave Alvin & Phil Alvin Lost Time

This is The Americana Airplay Chart Rundown. Every week I’ll post the top 40 from the Americana Airplay chart, which is obtained from AmericanaRadio.org. From the site: “The Americana Airplay chart represents the reported play of terrestrial radio stations, nationally syndicated radio shows, satellite radio and internet stations who have agreed to submit weekly spin counts. For more information please visit www.americanamusic.org.”

The goal of this feature is to track and monitor the current most popular music in the Americana realm, as I believe it’s starting to take on a bigger importance in the world of music, especially concerning the current state of country music. In addition it will bring some new names to the site that haven’t been covered here before and could lead to more Americana coverage. It’s also a place to discuss anything going on in the Americana genre at this moment. Be sure to weigh in on the chart in the comments below.

And we have a new #1 for the first time in months!

  1. Dave Alvin & Phil Alvin – Lost Time [Up 1]
  2. Jason Isbell – Something More Than Free (Grade: 10/10) [Down 1]
  3. Joe Ely – Panhandle Rambler 
  4. The Black Lillies – Hard To Please (Grade: 9/10) [Up 3]
  5. Patty Griffin – Servant of Love [Down 1]
  6. Josh Ritter – Sermon On The Rocks [Down 1]
  7. The Bottle Rockets – South Broadway Athletic Club (Grade: 8.5/10) [Down 1]
  8. Don Henley – Cass County (Grade: 10/10) [Up 1]
  9. Los Lobos – Gates Of Gold [Down 1]
  10. Corb Lund – Things That Can’t Be Undone (Grade: 9/10) [Up 1]
  11. The Wood Brothers – Paradise [Down 1]
  12. Nathaniel Rateliff and The Nightsweats – Nathaniel Rateliff and The Nightsweats 
  13. Jim Lauderdale – Soul Searching [Up 2]
  14. Lucero – All A Man Should Do
  15. The Dave Rawlings Machine – Nashville Obsolete [Up 3]
  16. Chris Stapleton – Traveller (Grade: 10/10) [Up 12]
  17. Ryan Adams – 1989 [Up 9]
  18. Lindi Ortega – Faded Gloryville (Grade: 9/10) [Up 2]
  19. Steve Martin & Edie Brickell – So Familiar [Down 2]
  20. Glen Hansard – Didn’t He Ramble [Down 4]
  21. Tim O’Brien – Pompadour [Up 3]
  22. Various Artists – Cold & Bitter Tears: The Songs of Ted Hawkins [Up 5]
  23. Turnpike Troubadours – Turnpike Troubadours (Grade: 10/10) [Down 10]
  24. Jeffrey Foucault – Salt As Wolves [Up 6]
  25. Shawn Colvin – Uncovered [Down 6]
  26. Webb Wilder – Mississippi Moderne [Down 4]
  27. Cox Family – Gone Like The Cotton [Up 11]
  28. Jason Boland & The Stragglers – Squelch (Grade: 8.5/10) [Up 1]
  29. Kacey Musgraves – Pageant Material (Grade: 9/10) [Down 4]
  30. Chris Isaak – First Comes The Night [New]
  31. The Damn Quails – Out of The Birdcage (Grade: 8.5/10) [Up 1]
  32. Shinyribs – Okra Candy [New]
  33. Shemekia Copeland – Outskirts of Love [Up 6]
  34. Bart Crow – The Parade [Down 3]
  35. Ashley Monroe – The Blade (Grade: 7/10) [Down 12]
  36. Kevin Gordon – Long Gone Time [Down 3]
  37. Jason James – Jason James 
  38. Amy Helm – Didn’t It Rain [Down 3]
  39. Shawn Mullins – My Stupid Heart [New]
  40. The Statesboro Revue – Jukehouse Revival (Grade: 8/10) [Down 19]