February 2009 Newsletter --------------------------------- Yesterday & Today Records P.0. Box 54 Miranda NSW 2228 Ph/fax: (02) 95311710 [email protected] www.yesterdayandtoday.com.au Any questions? Please ask. 2008 Albums of the Year TOP 10 1. Miss Leslie – Between the Whiskey & the Wine $30 In the end a very easy choice. I would also rate this and Bobbie Cryner’s self titled albums as the two best female albums we have ever had. This cd is great for 3 reasons: Songs/production/style. Miss Leslie wrote all the songs and a finer bunch of honky tonk songs you would not find anywhere. Originality is something so sadly lacking in today’s music. The production by Ricky Davis, Leslie’s husband is so wonderfully balanced and even though he has played on Dale Watson albums his performances reach a new height on this album. But Leslie has done what no woman has ever done and that is make an entire album in the style of George Jones. Whether up tempo or ballad she (seemingly) unwittingly captures the nuances of the great one. It is that good. 2. Joey & Rory – Life of a Song $30 The more you play it the better it gets. It is an unplugged album but “unplugged” has never rocked more than on “Cheater Cheater” the fabulous track (among many) from this debut album. They harmonise with Don & Phil precision and write songs which always sound new & fresh. Nothing hackneyed. The Rory (the bloke) co-write with Catherine Britt “Sweet Emmylou” proves that whoever is picking Britt’s songs for her should be sacked. An absolute must have. An absolute must have. It needed to be said twice!! 3. Scotty Campbell – “Smokin’ & Drinkin” $30 Scotty is a Canadian but is firmly rooted in the Texas way of things and if (after hearing this gem) I told you he was Dale Watson’s first cousin you would make a strong mental association and not be surprised at all. I don’t think he is related BTW but hell he could be!! There is a great shuffle rhythm from bassist Peter Sisk and drummer Jack Diamond even on the ballads. Campbell has not written as much as on his previous albums but his contributions are the best. The title track and “Stumblin’ Round the Room” are as good examples of honky tonk music as you would ever hear. He is also credited with “Jeannie in a Bottle” and before someone says nay! (as I did), let me say that it is not the song recorded by the great Darrell McCall but a new killer boozy ballad. So good you wish he had done more originals. A great lyric and I think I even prefer it to the other “Jeannie in a Bottle”. 13 songs! 4. Claude Diamond – “On the Loose’ $30 The third album from the man who but for the grace of God and (a self proclaimed) weakness for the perceived better things in life could have been revered like John Prine. In these quarters he is so revered. His songs are of the highest quality and his own interpretations are of the highest level. Many have the theme of bad luck running through them. For example on the hilarious “No Pink Cadillac” in which the singer seeks shelter in a pink Cadillac to avoid the wrath of a “dangerous man” who wanted him dead for fooling around with his wife. Just so happens the Cadillac was stolen. Talk about bad luck!! “Easier Than Mine” is about generational change. “Sweet Memory” is another example on the man down on his luck and has some great lines with delicious irony attached to them. “Sweaty Limbs & Tangled Sheets” needs no explanation but as far as cheatin’ songs go it is a classic. “He Knows About Me” is again full of wonderful self deprecating lines, and develops into Claude’s version of a gospel song. A wonderful songwriter with an equally great delivery. He is the musical equivalent of Robert Redford’s “The Natural”!! 5. Amber Digby – “Passion, Pride & What Might Have Been” $30 The great Amber down at number five!! The competition is stiff. If you notice the above 4 are all writers and Amber has yet to develop in that area. That is not a criticism as nobody sings them like she does and the covers she does are simply without equal in the history of country music. A must have item. 6. Charlie Craig – “The Hitmaker” $28 Responsible for Alan Jackson’s “Wanted” and Keith Whitley’s “I Wonder Do You Think of Me” and has a voice that is right up there with both artists. Apart from his own versions of these 2 gems every other song is of the highest ilk and demands covers. 7.Patty Loveless “Sleepless Nights” $32 Covers, but with the great Patty in charge you know you are getting the best. As always pure country and with featured duets with Vince Gill on the title track and Australian Jedd Hughes on “That’s All it Took” you know it is quality all the way. But her vocal on the Porter/Dolly classic “The Pain of Loving You” is simply breath taking. 8. Jamey Johnson “That Lonesome Song” $30 Second great album from the man with the wonderful deep voice. By the way we would like to tell you why he was dropped from his first major label but we need to think about the kiddies. “Somewhere Between Haggard & Jones” is a superbly clever song as are they all. 9 Hank Williams III “Damn Right Rebel Proud” $32 His 4th country album is chock full of gems….from the laugh out loud “The Grand Ol Opry Ain’t So Grand Anymore” to the scary (at first listen anyway) “Candidate for Suicide” this is a must. It comes in a clean version as well as the standard “explicit” version. ****We have one only Hank III “Damn Right” t-shirt XL for $35. Don’t worry t is new and still sealed. 10.Leona Williams- “New Patches” $30 She continues to put out great album after great album and with the wonderful Justin Trevino at the helm and her own fabulous songs you know it is going to continue that trend. Best Special Project A tie between: Always Lift Him Up: ATribute to the Music of Blind Alfred Reed” $30 West Virginia Hall of Fame legend who has a bunch of songs reflecting the morals and values of the Depression era. He only recorded 20 songs and this album covers 19 with great contributions from Tim & Mollie O’Brien, Kathy Mattea, Connie Smith, Charlie McCoy (a rare but great vocal), Ray Benson, Little Jimmy Dickens plus some fine West Virginia singers though actress Ann Magnuson is probably best on “Why Do You Bob Your Hair, Girls” which show Blind Alfred’s values may be a tad on the prudish side. Songs of the Year $30 Only sold at the Crackerbarrel chain of stores and I can only say the proof of the greatness is in the listening. Why would you want to hear anyone apart from Vern Gosdin doing “Chiseled in Stone”? Well, Randy Travis changes all that. George Jones teaming with Dierks Bentley delivers a great version of “Murder on Music Row” and Trace Adkins knockout vocal on “Sunday Morning Coming Down” reminds us what a killer vocalist he is. Even the ultimate lightweights rise above their station. Jo Dee Messina is superb on Vince Gill’s “When I Call Your Name” and talented new artists (eg Blake Shelton’s “The Gambler”) show all may not be as diabolical as we sometimes paint. But then again there are still the Taylor Swift’s of the world (not on this thankfully) would prove otherwise. Best Reissue Hank Williams “The Unreleased Recordings” Time Life 3cdbox $90 First of 3 sets. All are licensed from the estate of Hank Williams which specifically means Jett & Hank jnr Williams. These are the Mother’s Best Flour shows which were recorded to 16” acetates and they actually sound better than the original MGM recordings. Further more there are tracks he never commercially recorded such as “Cool Water’ and “Cherokee Boogie” plus excellent versions of his classics. This is the first of 3 boxes. Don’t miss it. NEW ARRIVALS Bob Wills & the Texas Playboys “The Tiffany Transcriptions” The Tiffany Transcriptions are simply the best Bob wills recordings. Better than the Bear Family Columbia boxes, better than anything. There is an infectious joy about them that creates the best performances. There were also a different breed of musicians, some of who had come from a jazz background where improvisation was the order of the day and that worked well with Wills. Tommy Duncan on lead vocals was in a class of his own though Wills own vocals were a joy to hear especially on the call and response of “Four or Five Times”. I have this idiotic idea that Bob sounds like Percy Kilbride (aka Pa Kettle) when he sings. I reckon it adds to the appreciation!! The main rhythm section was Bob’s brother Billy Jack on bass and Johnny Cuviello on drums. New musicians in this post war line up included Tiny Moore on electric mandolin (to save money he would only use one lot of strings and not two as is the case with mandolins) and sounded like a jazz guitarist. Lester “Junior” Barnard played in a down home bluesy style that obviously pleased Wills judging by his intros. Listen to his calls on the fantastic “Barnard Blues”.