Monthly Archives: June 2014

Episode #30 — Some favorites from 2014 so far

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Scott H. Biram

Scott H. Biram

Episode #30 — 2014 Favorites So Far

Well folks, we’ve hit the halfway point of 2014 like a runaway train. It’s been full speed ahead since we launched That Much Further West Podcast, and hard to believe we’re 30 episodes into the new incarnation.

This week we tap the brakes a bit for a quick review of tunes from some of our favorite releases of the year so far — co-hosts Mike Lee, Eric Kotila and Phil Favorite picked a handful of songs that offer a taste of what the show’s been featuring in 2014. Some are recent finds, others are podcast hits we’ve been wearing out most of the year. So if you’re new to the show, this episode is a great way to get caught up on the action as we head into the second half of 2014.

We kick things off with a tune from Scott H. Biram and his excellent album “Nothin’ But Blood,” released earlier this year by Bloodshot Records. Mike wrote a review of the record which you can read here.

Another Bloodshot release is featured on this episode, Lydia Loveless’ “Somewhere Else.” Phil reviewed it when it came out in April; you can read his review here.

We also have a healthy batch of tunes from artists from our hometown of Portland, OR, USA, including songs from Root Jack, The Low Bones, The Delines, Spirit Lake and Jake Ray. There are also tunes from Fluff & Gravy Records artists Hillstomp, Anna Tivel and Sassparilla, all local to us here in P-town and all with excellent records out this year.

The guys made sure to include many of the alt-country’s most popular acts who are out with kickass stuff this year (Old 97s, Hellbound Glory, Drive-By Truckers, Dave and Phil Alvin, etc.), and some of the newer artists who are “arrow up” in the national scene right now (Nikki Lane, John Fullbright, Lee Bains III). And no list of goodies from this year would be complete without tunes from Sturgill Simpson and Matt Woods, two leading lights of alt-country who have been in heavy rotation on the podcast all of 2014.

So here’s the playlist . . . some of our favorites from 2014 so far. We hope you enjoy, and thanks for listening.

Slow & Easy, Scott H. Biram
Right Time, Nikki Lane
Trade All The Lights (featuring Lydia Loveless), Caleb Caudle
Dead Man’s Hand, Root Jack
Edgar Cayce, Adam Faucett
Head, Lydia Loveless
The Weeds Downtown, Lee Bains III & The Glory Fires
Voices, Sturgill Simpson
Stateline, The Delines
Santa Ana Winds, Spirit Lake
Must Be Rain, Jake Ray
Five Dollar Bill, Anna Tivel
Primer Coat, Drive-By Truckers
A Memory Now (featuring Hayes Carll and Evan Felker), Jason Eady
Longer Than You’ve Been Alive, Old 97’s
Cocaine, Sassparilla
Suicide Sal, Karen Jonas
Streets of Aberdeen, Hellbound Glory
Shakedown, Left Lane Cruiser
Meet Me At The Bottom, Hillstomp
The One That Lives Too Far, John Fullbright
No Place To Be, The Low Bones
You’ve Changed, Dave Alvin and Phil Alvin
Lucero Song, Matt Woods

Episode #29 — Summertime Sassparilla

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Kevin Blackwell of Sassparilla

Episode #29 — Summertime Sassparilla

We kick off this week’s episode with a song from local Portland favorites Sassparilla, and really, what could be more refreshing on a hot summer day? “Peaches” is a sneaky, fun rocker from the grungy bluegrass band’s excellent new double album, “Pasajero/Hullabaloo,” which arrived from Fluff & Gravy Records just in time to kick start your summer in style.

And there’s plenty more new music in this week’s episode, including first listens from Shovels & Rope, Denver and Hook & Anchor as well as excellent new releases from John Fullbright, Dave and Phil Alvin and Willie Nelson.

Over the next few weeks, we’ll be gearing up for our favorite annual event, the Wildwood MusicFest & Campout, set for July 18-20 in beautiful Willamina, Oregon. In the meantime, we’ll be hitting the shows and listening to the records that matter most to you, dear reader and listener.

So for now, dig in to the new episode. Here’s the playlist:

Peaches, Sassparilla
High Road, John Fullbright
Sweet But Bitter Life, Possessed By Paul James
Southern Flood Blues, Dave and Phil Alvin
Band of Brothers, Willie Nelson
My Great Gasby, Two Cow Garage
I Never Learn, Karen Jonas
Troubadour, Arliss Nancy
Way To Kansas, Carrie Nation and the Speakeasy
Blessing and A Curse, Have Gun, Will Travel
No Place To Be, The Low Bones
Orange Dress, Kate Mann
The Devil Is All Around, Shovels & Rope
Carry On, Denver
Concerning Spectral Pinching, Hook & Anchor
Knights Ferry, Tom VandenAvond
Winner’s Casino, Richmond Fontaine

Episode #28 featuring The Delines

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The Delines (left to right): Amy Boone, Sean Oldham, Jenny Conlee, Tucker Jackson, Freddy Trujillo and Willy Vlautin

Episode #28 featuring The Delines

We’re not sure if “supergroup” is the best way to describe The Delines, despite the fact that various members have achieved a respectable level of fame with other bands and in other platforms. But with the release of their debut album, an instant country-soul classic called Colfax, The Delines certainly are making their mark. A current string of sold out shows in Ireland and the UK is proof of that.

We were thrilled that our guy Phil Favorite was able to catch up with Willy Vlautin and Amy Boone of The Delines before their final “dress rehearsal” ahead of the tour, a live performance at a jam-packed World Famous Kenton Club in Portland just a few short hours ahead of boarding their flight for Europe. Phil’s been trying (“and failing”) to wear out the new Delines record and has shared a few of the cuts on previous episodes of the podcast. Here, along with the interview, we play a few more as well as a sort of precursor, Richmond Fontaine’s “Post To Wire,” which features Amy’s sister Deborah Kelly on vocals.

Big thanks for Willy and Amy for making time for the interview and sharing their stories from previous road trips, when they met as members of Richmond Fontaine and The Damnations TX, respectively. The two have an obvious chemistry that works beautifully on the new record, and you can sense that when you listen to the interview.

We start this week’s show with a sort of recap of some awesome shows that our hosts Mike, Eric and Phil had a chance to witness last week. The three amigos were all in attendance for the Two Cow Garage show at Dante’s that also had I Can Lick Any Sonofabitch In The House and Root Jack on the bill. Days later, the boys hit a private party featuring Phil’s band, The Lonesomes along with Seattle’s The Swearengens and Portland’s fast-rising, ramshackle country powerhouse Denver. Mercy, what a weekend!

This week’s podcast also has some classic songs from Billy Joe Shaver and Texas Tornados, tunes from new discoveries Adam Faucett and Those Crosstown Rivals, and other kickass stuff from the likes of The Resolectrics, Sturgill Simpson, The Whipsaws and Frank Turner.

So let’s get it on! Here’s this week’s playlist:

Shallow Grave, Root Jack
I Give Up (The Puppy Song), I Can Lick Any Sonofabitch In The House
Annie, Get Your Guns, Two Cow Garage
Cooke City, The Lonesomes
Don’t You Care, The Swearengens
Toledo, Denver
Black Rose, Billy Joe Shaver
Post To Wire, Richmond Fontaine
The Oil Rigs At Night, The Delines
Interview with Willy Vlautin and Amy Boone of The Delines
Wichita Ain’t So Far Away, The Delines
Freddy Fender, Trujillo
Your Man, The Resolectrics
Is Anybody Goin’ To San Antone, Texas Tornados
It Ain’t All Flowers, Sturgill Simpson
Whiskey Farmer, The James Low Western Front
Become What We Are Now!, Adam Faucett
Ichabod, The Legendary Shackshakers
Fire And Brimstone, James Leg
Mind Of Its Own, Miller & Sasser
Little Drunk Fists, Slobberbone
The War, The Whipsaws
No Friend Of Mine, Those Crosstown Rivals
Glory Hallelujah, Frank Turner
Well Lit Highway, Hearts Of Oak
Tonight Ain’t Gonna Be Good, Lucero

Episode #27 — Nonstop From Denver to Seattle

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Champ Bailey (left) stiff-armed by Champion Wilson.

Episode #27 Nonstop from Denver to Seattle

It started innocently enough with a smoking hot new tune from Lee Bains III & The Glory Fires which brought the first reference to Seattle in an episode full of them. Then followed the promise of stories about Colfax Avenue in Denver, and the next thing you know we find ourselves coming back to Denver again and again.

There’s a song by Slim Cessna’s Auto Club, a band which originally formed in Denver more than 20 years ago. There’s the song “Colfax Ave.” by The Delines, which allows co-host Mike Lee to tell us of his days prowling the City of Denver’s notorious strip. There’s even a song by Portland’s ramshackle alt-country powerhouse Denver. Hey, that’s just “The Way It Is.”

Soon enough, we take a turn toward Seattle to recount co-host Eric Kotila’s recent visit to the Northwest Folklife festival. Eric shares a handful of songs from some of the great bands and friends he saw over that long weekend, including The Ganges River Band, Copper & Coal, Jackrabbit and The Swearengens.

And for good measure, there’s a song called “St. Paul” by The Weight, a song called “Nashville” by Old 97s, and song called “New England” by Hearts Of Oak and a reference to “Indianapolis” by way of the Bottle Rockets. Alas, no tunes by the bands Boston or Chicago.

So without further adieu, let’s jump in with both feet. Here’s the playlist for Episode #27.

The Company Man, Lee Bains III & The Glory Fires
Turn For The Worse, The Bottle Rockets
St. Paul, The Weight
Old Number Seven, The Devil Makes Three
Port Authority Band, Slim Cessna’s Auto Club
You’re Still Standin’ There, Steve Earle (with Lucinda Williams)
Colfax Ave., The Delines
New England, Hearts Of Oak
The Rolling Stones Were Right, Alexander Hudjohn
Sleep With A Stranger, Nikki Lane
The Way It Is, Denver
Nashville, Old 97s
Through Eternity, The Ganges River Band
The Whole Damn Bottle, Copper & Coal
Oh Catherine, My Catherine, Widower
Fathers and Sons, Jackrabbit
Tonight, You’ll Be Breaking My Heart, The Swearengens