“Here’s to all you crazy dreamers, dream your crazy dreams, don’t let them slip away, there’s more to life than living day to day.”
Another artist YCD recently wrote about will be performing at The Hotel Cafe this Saturday, stop by and check her.
Recent Post on YCD Leerone
From Leerone:
Please join me for an early evening at the Hotel Café this Saturday night. I’m performing with an awesome string quartet!! My set starts at 7pm sharp!
1623 1/2 N. Cahuenga Blvd. (between Hollywood and Sunset)
Los Angeles, 90028
For my local Los Angeles people, Tom Schraeder is coming to town this Sunday, November 2nd at The Hotel Cafe. YCD wrote about him at the start of the year and if you haven’t had a chance to catch him live or buy his album now is the time to do so. Please come out and support him. Start learning the words to “When You’re Not Around” so you can sing along. Loved the EP Tom, can’t wait for the second half 
A review courtesy of smansmith:
Lying Through Dinner by Tom Schraeder
Well this 5 track EP from Tom Schraeder definitely has a lot in it for only being 13 minutes long! We run the gambit of the full band twang of Alt Country (Don’t Look Back) to late night crooning (Sorry My Dear) to a bar closing sing along (When You’re Not Around). This release has it all and I mean it – this in fact could be the “Coles Notes” of Tom Schraeder. While I tend to shy from raukin’ in the local tavern, I believe Schraeder is no stranger to this, but can shy away and keep the attention of the indie-melancholy in the very next breath.
While I don’t want to compare Schraeder to early Ryan Adams, I can’t shake the feeling that Adams may have tainted me for the sound. I believe there is huge talent here and I also feel Adams and his ilk may have stolen the gaze of the crowds from some real artists like Schraeder, engulfed it all, then left a landscape of not quite country road kill. Don’t take this as negative towards Schraeder’s performance on “Lying Through Dinner” in the least (or even RA as he has his moments), but I feel the EP needs its other half and I ask that you forward it immediately.
One of my favorite songs FM Radio/Sunshine
News from Joshua James ( a little late, but better late than never):
Love to all of you first and foremost, we hope that you are all well. We are happy to announce that on September 23rd, Joshua released a 3 song EP digitally through iTunes called “Crash This Train / The Garden” EP. The song debuted at #1 on the itunes folk charts thanks to all of you’all out there showing support! There had been some clamoring for this song for quite a stretch of time, and we decided to go ahead and get it out there. The EP features a band version of “Crash This Train”, a new song called “The Garden”, and an acoustic verison of “Crash This Train” that Joshua recorded at his house. The “band” version of “Crash This Train”features the lovely Lex Land on back-up vocals who was out opening for Joshua on his summer tour. For any folks that have already ventured over to iTunes to buy the EP, we sincerely thank you!
Joshua was recently in Los Angeles putting some of the finishing touches on his 2nd full length album. We are all excited about releasing this record and will be getting it out there early in 2009. It is has been quite a journey getting the right songs down, etc, we are thoroughly excited… There will be an extensive Spring tour that Joshua and crew will be embarking on as well, so think “Spring, Spring, Spring!!!”.
As for the “holiday offer”… Some of you may already know about the holiday EP that Joshua and friends released last year called “Fields and Floods”. It is an album that Joshua recorded at his house which includes a group of holiday songs and one original “winter storm”, furthermore, we believe you might be missing out if you don’t have it. Throughout the months of November and December we are offering a free “Fields and Floods” EP (FREE FREE!!) to anyone purchasing a copy of “The Sun Is Always Brighter” on either CD or Vinyl. We have vinyl folks — it is deluxe 180 gram vinyl and includes an additional 7 inch record with the tracks “Winter Storm” and “Lovers Without Love”. Also a free download of the “The Sun Is Always Brigher” in high resolution MP3 format included with vinyl. So if you’re looking for a hard copy of “The Sun Is Always Brighter” November and December is the time to get one! Excellent gifts as well including an extra stocking stuffer
“Fields and Floods” EP with purchase.
And finally, we have the privilege to introduce to you an artist Joshua has been working with named “RuRu”. RuRu is a 16 year old singer-songwriter that wooed Joshua’s heart by playing around the utah frontier. Joshua and his accomplice of life, Mckay Stevens, sequestered RuRu earlier this year at Joshua’s home studio and recorded a debut album for this young maniac wonderboy. The album was named “Elizabeth” after RuRu’s mother who passed away a couple years ago from cancer. It is quite a compelling album with a depth of life experiences and emotions.You can go to Joshua’s label site Northplatte Records to learn more.
Thank you all for the continued support!!!! We wouldn’t be able to do this without you!
sincerely singing,
Joshua and brothers.
Within the songs of Justin Jones are stories from a life lived long enough to know heartache, loneliness, addiction, and lost love. But the 29-year-old Virginia native has not lost touch with a youthful spirit that imbues his music: raw excitement, romance, and optimism.
That description is from the MySpace page of Justin Jones & The Driving Rain. It pretty much hits the spot for an artist among many in the today’s jungle of Alt-Country/Americana artists. While that description would be used by many I am sure, it just might be a bit more true for Justin.
From North Carolina as a youth to the Washington D.C. area currently, Jones has been performing his style of true Americana to his growing audience. The 15 years of transition engulfing North Carolina to D.C. include his roots playing guitar for whiskey soaked ears to successful tours throughout the I-95 area (for you Americans who know the area!). While Justin currently records with his “Driving Rain”, he was a lone performer until at least 2002 and his move to Washington. The move brought more performing and need for the inclusion of talent – talent he found to assist in filling out his sound – notably on his “Love Versus Heroin” album from 2006. This album is ridiculously good for you “new country” fans. The album worth it for the song “Dying With You” alone!
While I get ahead of myself, we can’t forget Justin only official solo release “Blue Dreams” which is described as both “Blues” and “Hillbilly Soul” – quite a description I must say, and also a great solo and mostly acoustic album. Although I do often appreciate the lone performer more often, his group efforts are just soo strong. This is most recently assured by his 2007 release “… and I Am The Song of the Drunkards” which definitely picks up where “Love Versus Heroin” leaves off. The albums are full of up tempo country/bluegrass to the ballad crooning heart-breakers.
For the up and coming info, Jones is working on the next album out at the legendary Sunset Sound studio with producer Jamie Candiloro (from R.E.M. and Ryan Adams fame). They will be in the studio this week, so we can hope for quick and successful sessions in order to get us more of this great sound in the new year.
I have included a track from last years “… and I Am The Song of the Drunkards” and a solo effort in the form of a Bob Dylan cover for “Boots of Spanish Leather” (recorded with Jones on guitar and Candiloro on piano).
Visit Justin on his website, pick up a copy of Blue Dreams, Love Versus Heroin or …And I Am The Songs of the Drunkards over on CD Baby.
~Smansmith
And so my country tastes continue. The Wrights are husband and wife Adam and Shannon and are now based in Nashville and have just released an album of covers of some of their favourite songs. Recorded live with no overdubs or editing in just a week in their basement using some old microphones this has been on constant repeat since I received it. They are both amazing singers in their own Wright (see what I did there?) but when they harmonise, man it’s as sweet as some of that old cherry pie these kind of country folk eat. (no more stereotypical commenst I swear) Whereas their self titled 2007 EP has a more contempary sound to it, In the summertime takes these old songs from the likes of Tim carrol, Roger Miller and Steve Fromholz and not only gives us a fresh interpretation of them but gives them an opportunity to show off their amazing vocal talents when the songs are stripped down so much. Obvious comparisons to be made are Gillian welch and David Rawlings or perhaps Thad Cockrell and Caitlin Cary but some of these songs wouldnt have gone a miss on the Robert Plant and Alison Krauss album of last year especially the tracks In spite of me or Del McCoury’s bluesy bluegrass I feel the blues moving in. This is my favourite kind of country music, I love it. It may be an obvious choice to put the title track up but it really does show off their harmonies magnificently. Rewind is from last years E.P. Enjoy.
I came across Travis Linville just recently while listening to my friend Shauns radio show on Totally radio. Shaun is the man behind Gilded palace of sin promotions here in Brighton and recently had the brilliant Hayes Carll playing (A show I should NOT have missed 
) Well anyway, for the last couple of years Travis has been the lead guitar player in Hayes’ band and that’s how Shaun came to play him on his show. Before that he played with the Burtschi brothers. Kindly Travis sent me his debut album Hometown blues and his most recent album See you around which was recorded live in October 2007. The former is a briliantly produced album with influences from Honky tonk to a more modern country pop sound but my favourite track being the western swing sounding Here she stands which is like stepping back in time to the country sound of the 1950’s but he also plays it on the other album solo acoustically.
The latter is just a gem. Guitar picking to die for especially on the opening track new light and lightening quick on the instrumental Doc’s guitar but is prominant throughout. If you like good solid country folk played majestically then buy this album, you will not go wrong. If I was some kind of writer I would no doubt be able to write a much bigger piece than I have but I’m not and so you’s will just have to make your own stuff up, Enjoy
Sometimes when I buy a new album I play it but often halfway through a track will fast forward to the next track and so on just to get a quick feel for it. In Peter Brodericks case I found this quite difficult as it’s so diverse and ever changing. The first track Games, starts with a multi layered choral track which is all Peter but leaves you wondering if you have picked up the correct Peter Broderick country folk album. However, by the second track, And it’s alright, you know you have. A lush hynotic track with just an acoustic guitar and Peters layered vocal before building to a song of absolute beauty, think Jose gonzalez and some Bon Iver mixed together and you are somewhere close. It carries on throughout mixing country folk with choral and classical sounds and I think it works perfectly.
Originally from Portland, Oregan he released his acclaimed debut and mainly instrumental album Float last year which is mainly piano led. A multi instrementalist who has worked with M Ward and Dolorean in the past he last year joined the Danish outfit Efterklang but in that time has found time to release this his new album, Home. I’m still divulging it and have listened to it only about half a dozen times but felt compelled to write a small piece here. Signed to the fantastic UK label Bella Union this is an album you must check out. Enjoy.
