August 2012 Newsletter ------------------------------------ Yesterday & Today Records P.O.Box 54 Miranda NSW 2228 Phone: (02) 95311710 Email:[email protected] www.yesterdayandtoday.com.au ------------------------------------------------ Postage Australia post is essentially the world’s most expensive service. We aim to break even on postage and will use the best method to minimise costs. One good innovation is the introduction of the “POST PLUS” satchels, which replace the old red satchels and include a tracking number. Available in 3 sizes they are 500 grams ($7.50) 3kgs ($11.50) 5kgs ($14.50) P & P. The latter 2 are perfect for larger interstate packages as anything over 500 grams even is going to cost more than $11.50. We can take a cd out of a case to reduce costs. Basically 1 cd still $2. 2cds $3 and rest as they will fit. Again Australia Post have this ludicrous notion that if a package can fit through a certain slot on a card it goes as a letter whereas if it doesn’t it is classified as a “parcel” and can cost up to 5 times as much. One day I will send a letter to the Minister for Trade as their policies are distinctly prejudicial to commerce. Out here they make massive profits but offer a very poor number of services and charge top dollar for what they do provide. Still, the mail mostly always gets there. But until ssuch times as their local monopoly remains, things won’t be much different. ----------------------------------------------- For those long term customers and anyone receiving these newsletters for the first time we have several walk in sales per year, with the next being Saturday August 25th. If interested let me know. For interstaters in Sydney please feel free to call if you would like to drop by. Always sales feature a lot of things that don’t get to go into newsletters and we are getting new stock in all the time. So please, if you have 25th free it is more than worth your while. Always a good day rain or shine. 1 Book OF Lists We are always on the look out for customers best of lists. Well it doesn’t have to be best ofs...you can do worst of or whatever. This month we have an excellent list. Please submit yours for inclusion in future newsletters. Honest John’s List 1. Frankie Miller – When Gas Was Only Thirty Cents a Gallon (Heart of Texas) see current releases... 2. David Allan Coe – The Mysterious Rhinestone Cowboy (Columbia) 3. Webb Pierce – Wondering Boy (Decca) 4. Ray Price – Heart of Country Music (Step One) see rarities section 5. Max D Barnes – Rough Around the Edges (Ovation) see rarities section again. Max has only ever had 2 lps and 1 cd and we have 2 1 copiesof the cd left....probably never to get anymore. 6. Bobby Bare – This is Bare Country (Mercury) 7. Waylon Jennings – Dreaming My Dreams (RCA) 8. George Jones – Alone Again (Epic) rarities section...out of print 2 on1 9. Lawrence Reynolds – He Comes from Alabama (Country Discovery) 10. D L Menard – Cajun Saturday Night (Rounder) 11. Tom T Hall – The Storyteller (Mercury) 12. Tony Booth – The Other Side of Life (Heart of Texas) 13. Johnny Bush – Talk to My Heart (Watermelon) 14. Emmylou Harris – Thirteen (WB) one of 2 Emmylou albums never on cd 15. Johnny Rodriguez – Introducing (Mercury) 16. Carl Smith – Silver Tongued Cowboy (Hickory) 17. Mel Tillis – California Road (RCA) 18. Bobby Bare – As Is (Columbia) 19. George Jones – My Favourites of Hank Williams (United Artists) 20. David Allan Coe – Rides Again (Columbia) 21. Conway Twitty – Honky Tonk Angel (MCA/ Decca) 22. Faron Young – That Young Feeling (Mercury) 23. Little Jimmy Dickens – Big Songs By (Columbia) 24. Kimmie Rhodes – West Texas Heaven (Justice) 25. Willie Nelson/ Ray Price – Run That By Me 1 More Time (Lost Highway) 26. Kenny Serrat – Love & Honor (MGM) 27. Roger Miller – A Trip in the Country (Mercury) 28. Tom T Hall – Faster Horses (Mercury) 29. T Jae Christian = The Vanishing Breed (Universal Sounds) see new releases for T Jae’s great new album “I Wish I Was Home” 30. Johnny Bush & Darrell McCall – Hot Texas Country (Step One) 31. Willie Nelson – Tougher Than Leather (Columbia) 32. Mel McDaniel – Gentle to Your Senses (Capitol) 33. Ray Price – Talk to Your Heart (Columbia) 34. Don Williams – Volume One (JMI) 35. Conway Twitty – Linda on My Mind (MCA/Decca) 36. Mickey Newbury – Frisco Mabel Joy (Elektra) 37. Willie Nelson & Kimmie Rhodes – Picture in a Frame (Sunbird) 38. Marty Robbins – I Walk Alone (Columbia) 39. Mickey Newbury – I Came Home to Hear the Music (Elektra) 40. Willie Nelson – Yesterday’s Wine (RCA) Wow, this is a list and a half. Many of these have never been on cd though some tracks are represented on cd boxes and the like. Some are in the rarities section and lo & behold the Frankie Miller is a new release. Rest assured John holds a similar feeling about today’s so called Nashville country as I do so this is a great traditionalist 2 list....Mickey Newbury is a bit out there for my tastes but then again that is a minority. Would love to sit Honest John down with the Swedish Cowboy. It would be a battle to the end with ‘great album except for the 7th track’ being a much featured part of the conversation. LATEST & NEW ARRIVALS Blake & Kendall Barnes “Welcome to Barnes Country” $28 Blake and Kendall Barnes are a father & daughter duo. Kendall is 13! Now, I know what the cynics might say and I must admit being one prior to hearing this album but that changed moments after it started. They really don’t do duets starting with a track from Blake and then Kendall and so on. Blake’s opening “My Baby Turns the Lights on Uptown” may be the best opening track you will hear all year. The Swedish Cowboy reckoned it took five seconds to fall in love with this and I think I agree. Production is by the wonderful Justin Trevino and the opening steel guitar by Dicky Overbey will hook you immediately. Blakes voice is classic country all the way and you can tell his nuances have a little Jones in them. Justin and the wonderful Amber Digby provide backing vocals. What sets Kendall apart is the wonderful expression she gets in her vocals. It indeed reminds of Brenda Lee. She shines on “A Tear Dropped By” and her version of Dolly’s early “Dumb Blonde” is simply fabulous. Blake’s version of Leon Payne’s “Things Have Gone to Pieces”, a tale of things still having the chance of getting a little worse, is a a show stopper. Goose bump stuff and there is even a tickle of a Mel Street influence in there. Ray Griff’s “Better Move It On Home”, previously done by Porter and Dolly. is a duet. Kendall is simply fabulous in this upbeat number which almost has a rockabilly feel to it. The only duet as such, which normally would be something to lament, but not the case on this album. The material is great. Whilst many are covers they are certainly ones that are not that familiar. Such a case is Harlan Howard’s “Imagination Is a Wonderful Thing”, handled beautifully by Blake. “Ain’t Had no Lovin’” , sung by Kendall is a knockout. Such expression; it sets here apart. The name Jerry Chesnutt in the songwriting credits always excites “On the Back Row” is superb and Blake is abetted superbly by Amber Digby on this gem....as he sits in the back row of the church as he watches his love wed another man. “Nobody But a Fool”, one of the many Bill Anderson gems recorded by Connie Smith is another showcase for Kendall, and I might add has a great steel guitar solo. 13 tracks and I love them all. 6 by each and one true duet. Individually and collectively, this has album of the year written all over it. Every track a gem. Kimberly Murray & Bob Manning “One Night Only!: The honky Tonk Roadshow” $28 The title of this is a tad misleading as it seems to me to indicate a live album but it is a studio album by this fairly recently married pair and a duet album which harks back to the classic country albums of Porter & Dolly, Loretta & Conway/Ernest etc, but includes a selection of choice solo tracks as well. Classic retro styled cover.The tracks are all originals. The songs are great. Kimberly does the lead on “Blame This Mess on You” about a woman scorned...who sits alone at the table made for two...”I’ll have to tip the waitress & blame this mess on you”. “From Wher I Came”, was surely on a Haggard album, but no Bob wrote it. He captures the reflective style of Haggard as well as anyone....yep even the man himself. Classic themes appear throughout. “Cheatin’ Side of Life” features Justin Trevino’s name in the credits. Some great exchanges with Bob painted as the ultimate heel.....with his begging “don’t tell my wife”. “When I’m Drunk” is a classic tale of regret sung by Kimberly Murray. “Bunkhouse Breakdown”, the album’s second last (of 13) tracks is a classic country instrumental which leads to the bluesy finale, “The Devil Makes No Change”. The product of their singular talent is reflected in this gem. Benny Berry “Bugle Ann” $20 Benny is a true an enigma. Mike Headrick, who most will know is my pick as the greatest producer in modern country history actually told me that he is probably Benny’s greatest friend but does not really understand him.