October 2013 Newsletter
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OCTOBER 2013 Newsletter -------------------------- Yesterday & Today Records P O Box 54 Miranda NSW 2228 Ph: (02) 95311710 Email:[email protected] www.yesterdayandtoday.com.au ---------------------------------------------------------- It was pointed out to me that Australian singer Noel Watson passed away this month. I find that it is sad there was no coverage of this as I consider him a singer of great talent who I unfortunately only listened to in recent times. I had been blinded by the success of his version of “Waltzing Matilda”, a song I really don’t like at all. Maybe I can see it is a folk tale and nothing more and resent the fact some have tried to promote it as a national anthem. Let’s face it as such it is just inappropriate. I prefer what I think is termed the Queensland version (where the words “my darlin’ ” are added). But back to Noel Watson. He was a wonderful song interpreter and if I could make a comparison it would be with Tom Waits...if Tom Waits could sing. Noel Watson certainly could. Sadly most are only going to know him for “Waltzing Matilda” but he had much more to offer. He was previously part of the group “Saltbush”. If someone can possibly tape a Saltbush album for me I would be truly grateful. So, to a great singer...Vale Noel Watson. ---------------------------------------------------- Postage rates remain unchanged even though Australia post do not help commerce in this country with their expanding price schedules. So for now it is still $2 for 1cd $3 for 2cd and $8 for 3/4/5cds. Box sets will be a little higher Satchels will be used to maximise quantity sent for minimum cost. Any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask. ------------------------------------------------------------------- This is a long newsletter and there is a lot in it. PLEASE go through it carefully. It is also a continuing thing so please treat it that way. If you know someone else who appreciates the music PLEASE pass it on. These take a lot of preparation and maximum exposure is certainly appreciated. I have aimed to maximise the setting out process to make it easy to read. I think that is the case and I am very pleased with the way it looks. Thank you. Chuck Cusimano – The Tyler Sessions $28 Remember a few years ago now I was reviewing a cd by Claude Diamond and I made an analogy to the music of the great John Prine. I said that Claude was so good if it had of been a case of there but for the grace of God go I he could have been the revered folk country stlist and John Prine the unknown artist we were just discovering. Well skip a few years forward and we have Chuck Cusimano. Every single thing about him is quality and he is so good that you may make comparisons with Merle Haggard and wonder how Merle could be the household name he is and Chuck be the unknown. Maybe that is a bit much but let me tell you Chuck is that good from both a singing and songwriting perspective. I guess appropriately Chuck does a great “Silver Wings on the Jukebox” so a nod to the great man is his cordial way of saying thanks. At the same time “Nashville Runaround” is a pretty self-explanatory tale of Nashville being pretty much a closed shop when it comes to getting great songs covered, relying on their formula style for virtually every single album that is recorded there. Chuck, who may have been doubling for actor Wilfred Brimble, nails the wonderful ballad “Home is Where the Hurt Is” perfectly. Couldn’t be improved upon. One of last year’s most popular albums was Gina Roberts’ “Shuffle Back to Me” on which Chuck wrote every song. He does his own version of “Shuffle Back to Me” and indeed a treat it is. His medium to up tempo soings are as good as his ballads. The opening “A Better Mind to Stay’ sounds like something I’ve heard before, but then again that is a trait of great songs....and that is what we have here. Chuck lives in little place called Springtown, Texas, just north of Forth worth, well 60 miles north. Maybe he should move to Austin for 3 months. They probably wouldn’t let him leave. Max D Barnes – Day After Forever $28 The late MaxD Barnes is for mine the best of the songwriters who sing but are essentially just considered songwriters. This was his only cd and we have the last copies available in the world. Max’s success as a writer is widespread but it is his co-writes with the likes of Vern Gosdin that have placed him at the forefront of that trade, none bigger than “Chiselled in Stone”, which won the coveted CMA Song of the Year. It is therefore no real surprise I guess that vocally he is more than reminiscent of Vern. His masterful handling of the ballad really has us wondering why he only ever made two lps and this cd...all long unavailable. Don’t miss it, we only have a few. BTW, if you don’t belive me...try and find one! Kimmie Rhodes “Covers” $28 One of the greatest female folkcountry albums of all time is Kimmie’s “West Texas Heaven”, a long favourite of Yesterday & Today Records customers (or clients as seems to be the au fait word nowadays). So it was with interest that this 15 tracker was first played. and I must admit going to track 5, “Georgia Lee” a song by Tom Waits from his album “Mule Variations”. As is Tom’s schtick he does these generally unlistenable freeform things that the critics seem to go nuts over (yep...emperor’s new clthes’ syndrome again) but permeates them with some of the most delightfully melodic and sad songs you could ever hear such as “Georgia Lee”....(incidentally “Picture in a Frame’ was on the same Waits’ album) . Now when someone such as Kimmie touches one they get even better. Cast your mind back to her duet album with Willie Nelson, “Picture in a Frame” and the glorious version of that Tom Waits song. Well “Georgia Lee” is just as good, maybe better. The refrain “why wasn’t God watching etc” gives me goosebumps. She is joined on a couple of tracks by Rodney Cowell who contributes vocals on his “Adam’s Song”. You may query a cover of “Yesterday” but she breathes new life into it with an entrancing extended acoustic guitar intro courtesy of son Gabe Rhodes and a mournful steel guitar line from Tommy Spurlock. Compared to this the Beatles’ version is a romp. It works superbly. On the opposite side Towne’s “White Freight Liner’ is given a bluesy rendition with superb harmonica, which unfortunately is uncredited in the notes. Dylan’s “Don’t Think Twice” is given a very “happy” reading with a breezy dobro intro. Jimmy Reed’s “Shame Shame Shame” sounds like it was arranged for Waylon. The last track “With a Little Help from My Friends’ is for mine the only one that doesn’t work. But then again 14 others are fine, and this is definitely one of her albums to have. Peter Cooper “Opening Day” (Red Beat) $28 Peter is the chief music writer for Nashville’s Daily newspaper, “The Tennessean” as well as being an excellent singer songwriter with great taste who performs solo and with label head Eric Brace. (they have been opening for John Prine a lot in recent times so that will give you an idea of to whom they would appeal). He is also a great friend & fan of legendary steel guitarist Lloyd Green, who appears on this entire album to great effect. Apart from Tom T Hall’s “A Million miles to the City” and Bill Morrissey’s “Birches” all songs are by Peter and many have a nostalgic “happy to be alive” theme to them. It is a bit like the anti-political speech..,,where the politician is telling us how bad things are, and you find yourself saying “I really didn’t know that...thanks for telling me”. Only Peter takes a more positive tact. There are some humorous notes as Peter tells us “Lloyd Green plays the same green Sho-Bud pedal steel that’s on all those famous records. Holy Cow!”. Add great artist to his q.v. “The Big E A Salute to Steel Guitarist Buddy Emmons” $28 Make no mistake about it, many consider Buddy the greatest pedal steel guiar player of them all. I know that is the case with Australia’s most high profile player Michel Rose. I can recall his excitement at going to an Everly Brothers concert (at I think the Hilton Hotel) and honestly it was almost a case of “Don & Phil who??”. Buddy toured with the Everly Brothers throughout the 80s and 90s. He made that spectacularly successful series of albums with Ray Pennington on Step One. (PLEASE do yourself a favourand check through this newsletter). Buddy retired in 2007 but is still appparently well; proceeds go to the Country Music Hall of Fame in memory of Buddy’s wife.. This was produced by Steve Fishell, who was for many years part of Emmylou’s Hot Band. On this he gathers some of the best steel guitarists going and on some has vocals guests...great vocals guests ...on some tracks. The 16 page booklet has very comprehensive notes by Steve Fishell followed by a detailed track by track summary.