Nicki Bluhm- Brad Absher and the Superials- more
Nicki Bluhm - Avondale Drive
The pedal steel on opening track "Learn to Love Myself" has a distinct Hawaiian sound and you hear it before anything else; it's a real attention grabber and a departure from the typical steel guitar sound that's normally heard in country and Americana music. Styled the way it is with twangy guitar and a danceable groove the cut reminds of a Mavericks song except from a female perspective. Bluhm's voice recalls any number of singers from the '60s, especially on "Love to Spare" where listeners will enjoy singing along to clever lyrics like "I've got love to share but none to spare right now." The Bobbie Gentry-flavored tune also features background vocalist (and co-songwriter) A.J. Croce knowingly cooing "why?" in a simple one word hook. Bluhm gets a little chameleonic on "Feel" where her vocals and the arrangement approach that of an Amy Winehouse treatment; the cut also has elements of psychedelia and New Orleans funk. "Sweet Surrender" is sublime pop, "Juniper Woodsmoke" is folksy and reminiscent of Allison Moorer as is the slow and remorseful "Leaving Me (Is the Loving Thing to Do)." Bluhm wrote or co-wrote everything on this very impressive outing.
Brad Absher and the Superials - Tulsa Tea
Absher might have been feeling the "ghosts" when he recorded this album at Paradise Studio, built in the '70s in Tia Juana, Oklahoma by Leon Russell. Besides Russell, greats like JJ Cale, Bob Dylan, Bob Seger, Freddie King and Phoebe Snow all recorded there so you might say various sorts of funkiness are part and parcel of the studio's sound. Tulsa Tea opens with the Southern soul of "Be the Luv" and sets the vibe for Memphis on "As Hard as I Can," a Hammond-enhanced plea to stay to a ready to depart lover. Besides vocals Absher also handles lead guitar and his mid-song solo on "As Hard as I Can," with a little bit of misery in the riff, punctuates the song's emotion. Absher's guitar choogles along through "Hard Times," the rockiest cut on the record, again decorated with organ fills. Album closer "Turn it Up" is not as boisterous as the title indicates it might be; "turn it up" is a reference to moving an already hot love relationship to the next level.
The Kenneth Brian Band - Keys to the Kingdom
Here's a very cool set from the Kenneth Brian Band, maybe best described as heartland rock even though the raucous title cut is distinctly Southern rock and "Hard Heart" is a slow, simmering blues. The rest is excellently-performed music that could stand up next to acts like the Black Keys ("You've Got to Live") and Tom Petty ("Rimrock," "War"). Everything here is radio-friendly, including the gentle Americana cut "Love," the hook-filled "Falling Again" and the country rocking declaration of love that is "She is the Night." Brian will be earning new fans by the truckload with
Keys to the Kingdom.
Americana Railroad - Various Artists
Here's a fine tribute to train songs and some of the most famous tunes about the railroad are here; "Train Kept A-Rollin', popularized by Aerosmith, is performed by Gary Myrick, John Fogerty conducts "The City of New Orleans," Dustbowl Revival hops aboard Graham Nash's beloved "Marrakesh Express" and "Mystery Train" gets two renditions, a rollicking take from Rocky Burnette with Mickey Raphael on harmonica and a slower, funkier interpretation from James Intveld. Written by Gene Clark and Bernie Leadon, "Train Leaves Here This Morning" is pure old-style country complete with the great Byron Berline on fiddle, while Dave Alvin presents his own melancholy "Southwest Chief." The train is metaphorical on Deborah Poppink's cover of Curtis Mayfield's "People Get Ready" and of course no train song compilation would be complete without something written by Jimmie Rodgers and here Paul Burch and Fats Kaplin cover the singing brakeman's "Waiting for a Train." Nineteen cuts in all, this nice collection ends fittingly with "I Remember the Railroad" by Stephen McCarthy and Carla Olson.
