DECEMBER 11 NEWSLETTER ------------------------------------------------ Yesterday & Today Records P O Box 54 Miranda NSW 2228 Phone: (02) 95311710 Email: [email protected] www.yesterdayandtoday.com.au ------------------------------------------------------ Well this may be a bit of a surprise, so soon on the back of the previous newsletter but I have had a lot in since then that it would indeed be crazy not to do an update. There are some extremely rare additions to the rarities and some wonderful new arrivals. I have also listed a bit more of the non country stuff for those who like a bit more variety. So, please consider this side by side with the October newsletter. For all intents both are active, so please use them accordingly. Our recent in house sale was also a success despite the fact it occurred on the wettest day in memory. To all the hardy souls you deserve a medal. Lance in particular deserves several. The next sale will be February so if you would like an invite please let me know. If you are an out of towner and will be in Sydney at any time by all means give me a call, you are welcome to drop by. POSTAGE RATES : see October Newsletter. LATEST Bob Manning & the Honky Tonk Road Show “Just What I Wanted” $28 This seriously reminds me of Merle Haggard, but a Merle Haggard of the MCA & early Epic period where he wrote & sung some of the best reflective songs he ever did, but songs which may not have had the immediacy of some of his work but ultimately proved to be some of the best things he ever did. Two in particular come to mind in “Footlights” and “What Am I Gonna Do With the Rest of My Life”. Bob Manning has a similar nuance. “Look Away My Darlin’ ” is about a man facing the gallows...figuratively or literally I am not sure....but he is repentant “Tell our boy the wage of sin lies in the ground” Fabulous song. “Linger Longer Lounge” is a barroom mid tempo weepy...the happy hour isn’t happy at the linger longer lounge....”they tell of loves that’s lost, why cheater’s cheat, the lives that’s come undone”.....”the happy hour’s a little different at the linger longer lounge”. Love it!! “Sally’s Antique Store” sees our hero visit to see his little corner of Sally’s Antique Store where all the products of his broken relationship are to found. Okay, it may not be a happy album, but then again the best country music isn’t. What I like about this are the instrumental subtleties. The steel playing of Doug Jones is really admirable. Incidentally Bob is married to Kimberly Murray, well in line for album of the year....maybe they can wrestle off for it. Don’t forget the Kleenex. Roy Sludge “Too Drunk to Truck” $28 This is an exceptional truckin’ album, right in the spirit of Dave Dudley but with more emphasis on the honky tonk side of things. He would be well and truly stuffed if the highway patrolman said “blow into the bag”. The Swedish Cowboy contributes the main review: “Wow! The best truck driving music I have heard in a long time! Great voice, excellent backing from acoustic guitar, electric guitar, stand up bass and lap steel! No drums! No fiddle! No extra musicians! 15 originals and one old rockabilly classic! Really good songs! This one is even better than the Chris Sprague one that came a few years ago. Great truck driving disc!” I would add it looks like Kimberly and Bob may have to go tag team to get an album of the year. This one has been instantly embraced by all who have heard it. Dale Watson & The Texas Two: The Sun Sessions, $28 The Swedish Cowboy also tells the story of the fabulous Dale very well......Dale is as original and excellent as usual. This is 14 original songs (well, he has recorded one of them before) in the style of early Johnny Cash, and they are all very well performed with only guitar, bass and drums.! 14 song in 31 minutes. None of them out stays its welcome. Short distinct songs they way it was done in the 50:s. Another masterpiece from one of the greatest country singers alive! >>>The song he refers to as being done before is “Johnny at the Door”. The slightly ribald sounding “My Baby Makes Me Gravy” proved very popular on his tour earlier in the year,. Incidentally his best of 2011 as it stands is a follows 1. Justin Trevino: Two Of The Usual 2. Kimberley Murray: Another Day Of Lonely 3. Gena Roberts: Shuffle Back To Me 4. Bobby Flores: Fast Company 5. Jody Nix: Bright Lights & Country Music 6. Roy Sludge: Too Drunk To Truck 7. Johnny Bush: Who’ll Buy My Memories 8. Jake Hooker: One Man World 9. Gene Watson & Rhonda Vincent: Your Money And My Good Looks 10. Dale Watson & The Texas Two: The Sun Sessions 11. Connie Smith: Long Line of Heartaches 12. Amber Digby & The Midnight Flyer: Live at Swiss Alp Hall 13. Billy Yates: Just Be You 14. Anthony Wilson: My Friend The Jukebox Gena Roberts “Shuffle Back to Me” $28 Inadvertently missed this this last time. Big Bad John reckons it is the best female debut album he has ever heard. It is classic Texas country all the way with added marks for lack of covers. The instrumentation is excellent and a must for fans of Amber Digby, Miss Leslie, Kimberly Murray and co. Amber Digby “Live at Swiss Alp Hall” DVD $30 After what seemed like an eternity we can report this was worth the wait. Amber has added confidence and her band is a cracker, Damien O”Grady on piano is a standout. Not only is he an exceptional piano player he is also a damn (sorry darn) fine vocalist in his own right and takes the lead on a couple of tracks as well as duetting with Amber on a couple more. A wonderful singer who just gets better. If you have heard her you need to see her as well. Dick Curless “Long Lonesome Road” $28 New cd on the Omni label which has a very nice 29 tracks. Of these I believe only 6 are duplicated from the wonderful Razor & Tie cd (see our rarities section) which leaves 23 tracks that you would only find on the Bear Family box sets. As usual nice sound and notes. I am sure Dick would have approved of the aforementioned Roy Sludge and I am sure Roy took more than an influence from Dick. Guy Clark Tribute Album 2cds $35 This is a really deluxe 2cd set which is in transit...be in next week. It is Just out. There is an excellent song by Peter Cooper about Texas...he hasn’t recorded it yet, but has a great line about Guy Clark being everyone’s favourite Texas songwriter but living in Nashville since 1971. Here are the tracks. It will be worth the wait. The album was produced by Tamara Saviano who is Kris Kristofferson’s manager and who also produced both the Kristofferson and Stephen Foster tributes. The lady knows her stuff. CD#1 1. That Old Time Feeling (Rodney Crowell) 2. Anyhow I Love You (Lyle Lovett) 3. All He Wants Is You (Shawn Colvin) 4. Homeless (Shawn Camp) 5. Broken Hearted People (Ron Sexsmith) 6. Better Days (Rosanne Cash) 7. Desperadoes Waiting For A Train (Willie Nelson) 8. Baby Took A Limo To Memphis (Rosie Flores) 9. Magdalene (Kevin Welch) 10. Instant Coffee Blues (Suzy Bogguss) 11. Homegrown Tomatoes (Ray Wylie Hubbard) 12. Let Him Roll (John Townes Van Zandt II) 13. The Guitar (Ramblin Jack Elliott) 14. Cold Dog Soup (James McMurtry) 15. Worry B Gone (Hayes Carll) CD#2 1. Dublin Blues (Joe Ely) 2. Magnolia Wind (Emmylou Harris & John Prine) 3. The Last Gunfighter Ballad (Steve Earle) 4. All Through Throwing Good Love After Bad (Verlon Thompson) 5. The Dark (Terri Hendrix) 6. LA Freeway (Radney Foster) 7. The Cape (Patty Griffin) 8. Hemingway s Whiskey (Kris Kristofferson) 9. Texas Cookin (Gary Nicholson, Darrell Scott & Tim O Brien) 10. Stuff That Works (Jack Ingram) 11. Randall Knife (Vince Gill) 12. Texas 1947 (Robert Earl Keen) 13. Old Friends (Terry Allen) 14. She Ain t Goin Nowhere (The Trishas) 15. My Favorite Picture of You (Jerry Jeff Walker) Ray Scott – Rayality $28 Ray Scott’s new indie release. His first had some exceptional moments notably “My Kind of Music”. He has a deep voice and handles the ballads as well as the outlaw style upbeat numbers such as “Gotta Quit Drinkin’” . The album had a consistency throughout that was previously lacking. Amy Francis “Balladacious” $28 This due same as Guy Clark. She is a native of San Antonio and recently received a 5 star review in Country Music People. She does country standard with an excellent band led by steel player. Tommy Detamore. There are mixed reactions to this type of thing. The fact they are standards will delight some and also turn some away but the arrangements seem excellent and thus should be well received. Buddy Jewell “I Surrender All” $28 New gospel album that doesn’t mine the usual bunch of tried and true standards. This will have wider appeal. “Jesus, Elvis & Me” was on initial listening something I thought Confederate Railroad had done but I worked it out that their song was Elvis & Andy, but this is of similar ilk.