September 2010 Newsletter ------------------------------------------- Yesterday & Today Records P.O. Box 54 Miranda NSW 2228 ph: (02) 95311710 Email: [email protected] Web: www.yesterdayandtoday.com.au ------------------------------------------------ Postage: 1cd $2/ 2cds $3/ 3-4 $6.50 We can sometimes sneak 5 in for that rate. ------------------------------------------------------ PRE CHRISTMAS SALE. I have had 3 walk in sales in the last 12 months & they have all gone well. Next one will be 20th November and promises to be the best yet with a big buying trip in the interim. It is INVITATION only so if you would like to come please let me know. It will be worth your while believe me. ------------------------------------------------ Please read on. Lots of great new cds & bargains. If you haven’t ordered in a while this is the chance to remain on our mailing list. Thank you! If sending a cheque for any sale item please call first. A) Mark Chesnutt “Outlaw” $30 B) Shane Worley “Honky Tonk History” $30 Two similarly themed albums, mostly covers of outlaw period classics but both with originality to make them worthwhile. Worley has previously done a Haggard tribute albums and continues with a great cover of “Is This the Beginning of the end”, a Wynn Stewart song that appeared on an early Haggard album. He also does a finetake on “Heart Don’t Stop Stoppin’ on Me Now”, from Vern Gosdin & Max D Barnes. Producer Mike Headrick is of course a hero in our annuls and he shines on guitar throughout. Shane even does an Alan Jackson song, and does an extremely fine job on “House With No Curtains”. Worley is also a fine writer as evidenced by “Every Waylon Needs a Jessi”, about the guy who sees it as a time to settle down. “Mooney Had His Back” is a song by Mike Headrick about Waylon and his great steel guitar player, Ralph Mooney. Great. Worley is a superior vocalist who has the ability to turn any song into his own. One of the most popular independent artists we have ever sold. Chesnutt hit the ground running with his “Too Cold at Home”. Instantly he proved himself to be one of the greatest vocalists in country music history. He became somewhat unfashionable though, but only to the turkeys that are supposedly running the major labels in Nashville. He now treads the independent route as well. Firstly this is produced by Dwight’s early mentor, Pete Anderson. There is a real surprise as Mark does a duet with the fabulous Amber Digby on a rather obscure Dr Hook song (co-written by Denis Loccoriere and Shel Silverstein). Its is “A Couple More Years” and even though a big Dr Hook fand I never really liked this much, BUT Ches and Amber give it a life it never had. Amber is the perfect foil for Chesnutt. Chesnutt’s vocal is an absolute delight. It is not the same song. It is magically transformed by two of the best vocalists you’d ever hear. If you hear this and don’t get goosebumps call the coroner. Chesnutt shines on two Kristofferson songs, the oft covered “Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down”, again a song that seemingly can be adapted to the singers’ style as evidenced by the likes of Ray Stevens and Johnny Cash having hits with it, and the equally grand “Lovin’ Her Was Easier (Than Anything I’ll ever Do Again)”. The first is taken at a slow pace with a wonderful sparse acoustic backing. The latter is the consummate love song, perhaps a bit too wordy to have been a single but too good to have not been. Waylon is however his hero and “Freedom to Stay” is a big vocal that the great man would have approved of. So there they are folks. Two great singers. Two great albums. Some familiar songs but that is what style is, taking something and turning it into your own. A tie!! Johnny Rodriguez “Some of Mine Some of Theirs” $30 Johnny sounded great on that duet album with Johnny Bush, that came out a year or so ago. BUT, I am still trying to figure out his non appearance on the last few tracks. I need not wonder of anything sinister as this album is a beauty. Johnny also steers clear of re-doing any of his hits. This is all new material which includes a great swing number in “Where’s My Baby Now”. “On the Other Side” was written by Linda Hargrove, seemingly for Johnny as the lyrics relate to his darker side. “Vestida De Blanco” is the album’s Spanish song and it is a beauty. It is followed by the only song Johnny actually wrote “Hello Love, goodbye”, which I guess makes the album’s title a bit confusing but this is a nice ballad that you could imagine being tailor made for Merle Haggard. “Broken Heartsville” is a song of a guy drowning his sorrows. Some nice covers, especially his version of “The Lord Knows I’m Drinking” and a slow version of Joe South’s “Don’t It Make You Want to Go Home” which Rodriguez turns into a country classic, it is like hearing the song for the first time. Great Marty Robbins’ inspired take on “Sonora’s Death Row”. Great album. Recorded in Abilene Texas with assumably a bunch of local musicians who are great. Justin Trevino & Amber Digby “Keeping Up Appearances” $30 The two favourites of Yesterday & Today Records together for the first time on a duets album. They have never sounded so good. What a line up of musicians…Bobby Flores/Jake Hooker/Dickey Overbey/ T Jarrod Bonta. They work superbly together and to have seen them perform together in Australia was an honour and a privilege. Justin drops his voice a little and Amber soars. It is as perfect as you’d expect. I feel sorry for those who think the Nashville scene is good. Amber is worth a thousand Taylor Swifts and Justin two thousand Toby Keiths. This album is as good as any Porter & Dolly, as good as any George & Tammy. Just do yourself a favour. You won’t regret it. Hank Williams III The Rebel Within $30 Hank 3 as he is known is the consummate bad boy. When he sings “Getting Drunk & falling Down” you know he is not singing about something he read. Great opening number as he tells about his lifestyle and his friend “Misery”. The title song really moves with breakneck banjo, slap bass and steel. “Drinkin’ Ain’t Hard to Do” has a classic feel..you get the feeling he has done personal research on his songs. “Karmageddon” is a weird little number. “Lost in Oklahoma” is probably the most traditional sounding number, until you listen to the lyrics that are definitely Hank 3. Seems this completed his contract with Curb records. Where he will turn up next is anyone’s guess! Hank Thompson – “Hank the Hired Hand” $35 2cds This is a mix of hits and radio transcriptions and on the second cd features an interview Hank did on a French radio show in 2001. Very eloquent and featuring more transcriptions plus snippets from artists who influenced him over the years. Some of the radio transcriptions are great especially “River Road Two Step”. This is on the El Toro label. Also on he label (we have on order) is the only cd by Wayne Walker, a successful songwriter. Plus Rockin’ Bonnie & the Rot Gut Guys “ Cocktail Jubilee”, a sensational female rockabilly singer. Fabulous. Brennen Leigh –“The Box” $30 This is the 3rd album by Brennen and this comes on like a classic Emmylou style album. She has a great voice and it is a country album, in which most of the songs are written by the singer. They have a classic feel about them. She harmonises well with Jim Lauderdale on the title track, about a box of treasures she kept to remind her of an old love…it has a refrain that appears throughout the song “I can’t bring myself to throw the box away’. Instantly great. “Something Borrowed” has a driving bluegrass feel. Nice dobro from Texas steel man & producer, Tommy Detamore. “What’ll I Do” is one of only two songs not written by Brennen. Co-writetn by Waylon soundalike Wendel Adkins it is far removed from an outlaw song which you might expect prior to hearing. “Distracted’ is a great country weeper, with some great steel guitar from the aforementioned Tommy Detamore. “Travelling On” is a co-write with Sunny Sweeney. Her songs are all good. Her singing is great and fine guest musicians such as Bobby Flores, Ronnie Huckaby on piano and of course Tommy Detamore. Re-read the opening line and take it on board. This album is great. Gary P Nunn – Taking Texas to the Country $30 Gary P and the Texas Bunkhouse band feature a mix of original songs but also include 4 songs by Levi Mullen and one Levi/Gary P cowrite. Tony Booth The Other Side of Life $30 Tony Booth is superb. This is straight out of the Ray Price shuffle school. He originally was on Capitol Records and I would highly recommend his 2 on 1 Capitol cd listed below. I’d also recommend his cd with Darrell McCall and Curtis Potter. “All That She Could Take” is a great new song co-written by producer, the brilliant Justin Trevino and Darrell McCall’s daughter Guyanne. Consummately produced by Justin as well as featuring harmonies by Justin and Amber Digby. “Perfect Place” is a great country weeper…”if a lonely room kills memories I’ve found the perfect place”.