Episode #11 featuring Sarah Gwen

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Sarah Gwen

 

Episode #11 with Sarah Gwen

Woo-hoo! We’re up and running with the new website! And psyched to share Episode #11 featuring the great Portland singer-songwriter Sarah Gwen live from The Helm. Fresh off her brilliant performance at the That Much Further West Podcast Showcase at Alberta Street Pub, Sarah stopped by our podcast taping for an interview and to perform a couple of a beautiful original songs.

Turns out Sarah’s as lovely and fun to be around as she is talented, and we all had a blast hanging around The Helm, drinking beer and whiskey and sharing stories. Really a fun time for the TMFWP crew.

And if you local Portlanders like what you hear from Sarah, check her out with her band tonight (Jan. 23) at Dante’s.

We also put together a great songlist of some more of our favorite songs from 2013. We think you’ll enjoy the listen. Here’s the playlist:

Righteous, Ragged Songs, Lee Bains III & The Glory Fires
Let Me In, Austin Lucas
Wichita Skyline, Drag The River
Greedy (Live in The Helm), Sarah Gwen
Interview with Sarah Gwen
Miss Her (Live In The Helm), Sarah Gwen
Boy Crazy, Lydia Loveless
Songs We Used To Sing, Possessed By Paul James
Done With You, Jack Rabbit
Nobody Gives A Damn About Songs Anymore, John Moreland
Stars & Gutters, Two Cow Garage
Different Days, Jason Isbell
Mayberrry, I Can Lick Any Sonofabitch In The House
The GB Shuffle, Arliss Nancy
Long I Ride, Robbie Fulks
Paradise, Jamestown Revival
The Whole Damn Bottle, Copper & Coal
Wasted Life, Lauderdale
Family Home, Great Peacock
Deadman’s Blues, Matt Woods
Six Bottles Of Wine, The Ganges River Band
One More Thing I Wished I’d Said, Amber Digby
Cut Em Loose, Leroy Powell & The Messengers
Dancing and Vodka, David Ramirez
Drink You Back Again, Ocean Carolina

 

 

Review of Ron Rogers and the Wailing Wind

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Ron Rogers And The Wailing Wind (2013, Civil Defense; www.civildefensemusic.com)

Like any great bar band, Ron Rogers and The Wailing Wind are groove merchants. They never fail to deliver that special, sneaky musical something that gets toes tapping and backsides wiggling.

And on their new, self-titled CD, they prove equally adept at capturing the groove in the recording studio. Right from the start of the first song, “Hard Working Hands,” the band settles into that fluid place where rhythm, tempo and tone melt together and begin to seep into the listener’s bloodstream.

Credit Rogers — the Portland band’s lead vocalist and guitar player — for his ability to ingrain the groove in the varied, soul-soaked Americana music he writes. There’s a swampy, gravelly, back roads quality that runs throughout his work. It’s all over this new CD, just like it was on the band’s previous release, 2011’s stunning Country & Eastern (2011).

Four songs into the new disc, it’s hard not to get lost in the hypnotic groove and excellent, southern-fried storytelling that are the hallmarks of Rogers’ work. Just then, during the later moments of “Kid Stormy Weather,” the song takes a left turn down a dream-like path paved in tremolo and delay.

From there, the listener travels into a revival world of saints, sinners, preachers and anti-heroes, where salvation awaits the wanting but where Satan is always lurking around the corner, waiting for another shot at the soul.

While the songs feature enough curious characters and musical quirks to keep listeners on their toes, the band doesn’t stray much from its signature sound, with the pedal steel guitar and Rogers’ electric holding the spotlight. On “Rad Johnny,” Rogers and steel player Dave Grafe trade licks with playful ease. All the while, drummer Chris Bond and bassist Don Campbell hold down the groove with a smart, uncluttered approach.

Several of the songs on Ron Rogers And The Wailing Wind rank among Rogers’ best. Tunes like “When My Baby Gets Down,” “Haywire” and “Soul Salvation” are instantly recognizable after just one listen and demonstrate best how a great bar band operates: lay down the groove, load up the dance floor, then burn the place down.

— Phil Favorite
That Much Further West Podcast

Review of Drag The River

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I’m not a music critic. I’m not a musician. I am just one lucky SOB who has been working in venues and with bands for better part of my adult life.

— Mike Lee
That Much Further West Podcast

Drag The River (2013, Last Chance Records)

I first head Drag The River in the summer of 2001. I was managing the Bluebird Theatre in Denver, Colorado and we were hosting a 30th birthday party for Luke Schmaltz (lead singer of the seminal Denver punk band, King Rat). The band tapped to play was Drag The River. I had not heard the band yet and judging by the cast of characters assembled on stage and in the crowd I was ready for a punk rock show. I mean, for Christ sake, I had seen every single member over the previous year in their separate punk bands.

I was too busy to notice the pedal steel sitting on stage. I suppose from the first note plucked I was definitely intrigued. I am not sure if it took a full song to be all in and wanting to leave my post at the bar and set up in front of the stage with a large glass of bourbon and a smile.  The show was epic. The party was an epic adventure with many stories still told to this day.

I bought the Hobo Demo’s cd the band had at the show and it was in heavy rotation over the next couple of months (or the past dozen years). Listening to that album made me feel like I had suddenly been given a road map following a lifetime of roads traveled listening to old country with my step dad and the punk rock I ingested later in life.

Here I sit over a dozen years later and once again I am wearing out the newest release from Drag The River. A 10 song, self-titled recording released on Last Chance Records. The EP is everything I have come to expect from a Drag The River record. The songs rock. They twang. They are punk. They are country. The lyrics will make you slam whiskey; hug a friend and drunk dial an ex in less than 30 minutes.

In my life, the punk rock heroes picked up acoustic guitars and slowed it down with charged songs about living, family, addiction, the road and so much more. The gentlemen in Drag The River (Jon Snodgrass and Chad Price) can hold their own with anybody in that group while bringing their own humor, stories and the ability to rip out a scorching rock tune with plenty of twang. They are steady. They are part of home base. I suspect 12 years from now I will find as much solace in this new EP, Drag The River as I do in the original recording.

Interested in learning more about Drag The River? Go to www.dragtheriver.com for show dates, merch and music information. They will be on tour this winter with Cory Branan.

The music can also be purchased at Last Chance Records www.lastchancerecords.com

For more info about their other projects look up:

Jon Snodgrass: Armchair Martian / Jon Snodgrass / Scorpios

Chad Price: All / Chad Price

JJ Nobody: The Nobodys

Review of Copper & Coal

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Copper & Coal (2013, self released)

The women of Copper & Coal present a striking vision on stage. With their beautifully detailed evening gowns and towering presence, they demand your attention even before the first note of music is played.

Their voices, though, prove even more arresting.

Check out “Kentucky Blue” (www.reverbnation.com/copperandcoal/song/18224686-kentucky-blue) from their new self-titled debut. A short line of steel guitar opens the ears to the signature sound of Leslie Beia and Carra Stasney harmonizing in a pitch-perfect union that recalls the best of old Nashville.

No auto-tune needed here, folks. These ladies can really belt it out, which they demonstrate throughout this 10-song collection produced by local country legend Caleb Klauder.

Having common roots growing up in their native state of Michigan, and a shared love of country music, the vocal duo came together at Beia’s regular Monday night gig at the Landmark Saloon in Portland. Almost instantly, they found they were on to something special and drew the attention of some of the finest local players — all standing at the ready to back them up.

Branching out, Beia and Stasney were determined to produce a recording to share with a growing audience. Klauder answered the call and along with engineer Jordan Leff helped create this collection of classic-style tunes that would have sounded great on country radio in the 1950s and every era since.

Copper & Coal also gave Stasney and Beia a chance to flex their formidable songwriting chops. The disc features just one cover song, Dolly Parton’s “Dagger Through The Heart,” which fits nicely among the nine others (included seven written by Stasney specifically for the project).

And they hit all the right classic-country notes with songs of longing, drinking, honky -tonking, heartbreak and cheating. Buoyed by terrific performances on fiddle (Luke Price), steel (Gary Newcomb, Russ Blake) and mandolin (Klauder), the music takes the listener back to a time when content mattered and talent trumped all.

An impressive debut, Copper & Coal is sure to draw in new fans to a classic stye of country music, and also bodes well for an act just starting to take off.

— Phil Favorite
That Much Further West Podcast

Episode #10 with new Root Jack!

Kris Stuart (L) of Root Jack with our own Mike Lee

Kris Stuart (L) of Root Jack with our own Mike Lee

 

Episode #10 new Root Jack!

By PHIL FAVORITE

Merry Christmas everybody! Thanks for dialing into That Much Further West Podcast. We’re very pleased to be able to share some of our favorite tunes from this past year on this latest episode, and also a brand-new cut from Root Jack’s upcoming full-length release.

Rise Again, a smoldering riff-riddled rocker, is presented here as Exhibit A for why we think Root Jack’s new album, “Oasis Motel,” will be one of 2014’s best listens and most talked about records. Our pal Kris Stuart, Root Jack’s leader, was kind enough to share the final mixes with us so we could share them with you! And that is what we plan to do in the coming weeks ahead of the record’s release. So stay tuned for more new killer tracks from Root Jack.

From the playlist, you’ll see we tried to balance some of this year’s more notable releases from the Americana sphere along with a number of cuts local to our scene here in our homebase of Portland, Ore. Many of the tunes were simply favorites from the past few years that we really dig and thought you’d enjoy.

Here’s the playlist . . . hope you like the show! Happy Holidays, y’all.

That Much Further West (show theme), Lucero
Rise Again, Root Jack
Caroline Williams, Band of Heathens
Fox In The Hen House, Rachel Brooke
Bartender’s Blues, Countryside Ride
Parted Ways, Heartless Bastards
Some Days, Sturgill Simpson
Tin Star, Lindi Ortega
Kiss The Bottle, Lucero
Good Time Gal, Copper & Coal
Penny, The Honeycutters
Up On The Hill, The Resolectrics
Kristin & Billy, Slim Cessna’s Auto Club
Hail Hail, Shovels & Rope
No One Alive, Wilkinson Blades
Sweet Roseanne, Kristin Hirsch
Can’t Be Satisfied, Hillstomp
Antique Hearts, American Aquarium
Barricades, Son Volt
Hot Denver #1, Denver
Ruby, The Black Lillies
No Honky Tonks, The Bastard Sons Of Johnny Cash
I Can See You Are Always So Sad, Drunken Prayer
Stockholm, Jason Isbell
Sweet But Bitter Life, Possessed By Paul James

 

Episode #9 featuring the Deer Lodge George Jones Tribute

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Episode #9 Deer Lodge George Jones tribute

By PHIL FAVORITE

Welcome back to the blog everyone. Super stoked to share this week’s episode featuring songs from the great new tribute to country legend George Jones compiled by producers Ezra Meredith and Bert Sperling of the Deer Lodge. The project, which features 30 songs on two CDs — more than 20 of which were recorded at the Deer Lodge studio in Portland — is due to be released locally in Portland toward the end of December, and we at That Much Further West Podcast are beyond thrilled to be able to share so many of the tunes in this week’s episode.

We invited Ezra and Deer Lodge recording artist Nate Wallace of Hearts of Oak (who has a track on the tribute) to join us in The Helm for the recording of the episode, and Mike, Eric and I had a great time hanging with these two fine gentlemen. Both are super talented dudes: Nate’s an awesome songwriter who I greatly admire as both an artist and a friend, and Ezra’s an extremely musical engineer with an tremendously deft touch in the studio and phenomenal taste in music. Big thanks, dudes, for taking some time for us. Good whiskey, good times.

So, how to describe the Deer Lodge? Well, it’s both a record label and physical plant. From the outside, the place looks like your typical unassuming single-family suburban home. But beyond that streetscape lies a three-pronged musical monster: the basement of the home serves as the recording studio space; the garage is a clubhouse complete with a bar with running taps and is decorated as a tribute to great music and culture from the 60s and 70s; and the backyard features a covered stage and a performance space for shows hosted during the summer months.

Over the past several years, I’ve become a quite of fan of the music coming out of the studio, with records from Drunken Prayer, Hearts of Oak and the Meredith Brothers in steady rotation. But I’m simply blown away that Ezra and Bert managed to bring this compilation from conception to fruition in just six months.

The project features a number of personal friends and many of local Portland acts that I’ve come to admire over the last few years. It also has several artists and bands I’d never heard before, which makes it a rewarding listen in multiple ways. So cool.

I’m sure you’ll agree once you give the new episode a spin, so without further adieu . . . After the show theme (Lucero’s That Much Further West), here’s this week’s playlist:

Songs from Deer Lodge, A Tribute To George Jones

White Lightning, Sassparilla

Still Doing Time, Lewi Longmire with the Portland Country Underground

The Race Is On, Water Tower

When The Grass Grows Over Me, Tyler Stenson

Walk Through This World With Me, Copper & Coal

The Grand Tour, Keeter & Ali

Seasons Of My Heart, The Tumblers

He Stopped Loving Her Today, Stephanie Lynn

Tennessee Whiskey, Brush Prairie

The Ghost Of Another Man, Shawn Smith

Wings Of A Dove, Fernando

We’re Gonna Hold On, Hook & Anchor

The Battle, Meredith Brothers

If You Couldn’t Get The Picture, Bert Sperling

Must’ve Been Drunk, Hearts Of Oak

Golden Ring, Neon Renaissance

The Door, Owen Grace

I Just Don’t Give a Damn, Gabe Rozell

Selfishness In Man, Drunken Prayer

Man, what a great collection of music. Be sure to look these artists up to learn more about their music and when they’re playing out live near you. And Portlanders, look for me at the George Jones Tribute record release celebration at The Landmark Saloon on Dec. 20. Stay tuned for more news about the worldwide distribution of the double disc and for more music from the tribute in coming episodes.

Thanks again for tuning in! Enjoy the Episode.

 

Episode #8 with AP Dugas of The Ganges River Band

AP Dugas

AP Dugas

Episode #8 with AP Dugas

By PHIL FAVORITE

What a great couple of sets Saturday night at Landmark Saloon in Portland by The Ganges River Band. Killer mix of original tunes from the band’s self-titled debut album and classic country covers. They even delivered a cool version of No Expectations by the Rolling Stones . . . one of my all-time favorite tunes.

Big thanks to AP Dugas for taking a little time out after the show to tell the band’s story — there’s a lot classic rock, southern rock and punk in his background. Interesting how a rocker from the heat and humidity of Houston, Texas, winds up a rising country star in the rainy Pacific Northwest.

With last week’s holiday pushing us all to the brink with work and family, Mike, Eric and I decided to do another all-music episode this week. We compiled a rib-stickin’ mix of rock and country to tide you over until we hit The Helm again this week for more vulgar merriment and holiday fun.

Big shows coming up with Drunken Prayer’s CD release at Dante’s here in Portland this coming Saturday night, and our Podcast showcase at Alberta Street Pub with Wilkinson Blades and Spirit Lake on Dec. 12. Locals can check out the Live PDX page here at the website for more show listings

But in the meantime, we hope you enjoy this week’s show. Here’s the playlist.

That Much Further West (show theme), Lucero

Van Gough, Two Cow Garage

Dead Man’s Blues, Matt Woods

Mayberry, I Can Lick Any Sonofabitch In The House

Arizona Death Song, Jackrabbit

Western Town, The Lonesomes

Driver Pull, Tim Barry

The Crease, Arliss Nancy

The Dalles, Bad Assets

Turn Up The Bottle, Whitey Morgan and the 78s

I Still Believe, Frank Turner

Six Bottles Of Wine, The Ganges River Band

Interview with AP Dugas of The Ganges River Band

I Am Your Man, The Ganges River Band

Tennessee, American Aquarium

Somebody Loves You, Austin Lucas

The Closer You Get, Lucero

Whiskey Bent and Hell Bound, Hank Williams Jr.

One Steals The Load, Emily Herring

Am I That Lonely Tonight, Justin Townes Earle

32 Mouths Gone Dry, Slim Cessna’s Auto Club

Tickin’ Bomb, Shovels & Rope

Missouri Boy, The Hooten Hollers

Women Without Whiskey, Drive-By Truckers

 

• A few thoughts about this Episode . . . maybe a one long stream of consciousness rant? . . . Have you heard a better song than Dead Man’s Blues by Matt Woods this year? What a powerhouse that young man is . . . Arizona Death Song by Jackrabbit never fails to hit that hole in the heart left by the loss of anyone you’ve loved. Powerful stuff . . . This episode marks the first time on the podcast that we’ve played a song from my band, The Lonesomes. Eric was nice enough to suggest and Mike to pick Western Town, a song I’m extremely proud of because it was co-written with my dear friend and guitar partner Mark Dybvig. If you’ve never seen the band, we’ll be playing the “second Thursday” Podcast showcase in January at Alberta Street Pub with the very cool Sarah Gwen. . . . Which brings me to a thought that’s kind of been bugging me about the show . . .

• There’s a bit of a hubbub these days regarding the lack of female voices on mainstream country radio, which got me thinking, “Hey, the podcast isn’t doing much better.” We have a few of our favorites that we’ve shared, like our friends Carra Stasney and Leslie Beia from Copper & Coal; Lydia Loveless, who has a kickass new CD out; and this week our old pal Emily Herring, whose greatness transcends all stereotypes and boundaries. A few more as well (Kate Mann, Shovels & Rope, Neko Case); so many great female voices out there. But one only has to look at this week’s songlist to see it might be time for a more concerted effort to get the ladies in our musical lives a little better representation. Let’s see if I can back that up in the coming weeks.

OK, keeping it kind of short this week. We have tons of great stuff brewing in the coming weeks, so please stay tuned! Thanks for coming along for the ride. Always a good time. Cheers!

Episode #7 with the Willy Tea Taylor interview

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Willy Tea Taylor

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Episode #7 with Willy Tea Taylor

Ah, yes, it’s great to be back and excited to share Episode 7 with all of you. Here to bring healthy dose of bonus information to go with the latest show, which features an interview Eric did about a month back with the great Willy Tea Taylor.

Willy T. and his world-class beard were in Portland in October to play a show with the Harmed Brothers and he came by The Helm to sit down for a chat with Eric and strum a few tunes. We also have a Trio Bravo from our favorite bartender, Matt Doran from the Hawthorne Theater Lounge (or as we like to call it, the bar that no one will name). Always great to see and hear from Matt, who’s just about the nicest guy in town.

So let’s get started, shall we? Here’s the playlist for Episode 7.

That Much Further West (show theme), Lucero

All I Need, Root Jack

When You See Me, The Harmed Brothers

Mountain, The Deep Dark Woods

All I Know, Lydia Loveless

Wichita Skyline, Drag The River

Frenchy, Drunken Prayer

Get The Wheels A Rollin’, J.B. Beverley

The Trial, The Sadies

Songs We Used To Sing, Possessed By Paul James

Blue Eyes, Riviera

Trio Bravo from Matt Doran

I Hope He Breaks Your Heart, American Aquarium

Birmingham, Shovels & Rope

Life Is Beautiful, Willy Tea Taylor

Inteview with Willy Tea Taylor

Open Range, The Drew Landry Band

Words, The James Low Western Front

Episode #6 — The All Music Episode

Episode #6 "All Music"

Welcome back to the blog, folks. Philly here, kicking back in front of the computer enjoying an “all music” version of the podcast. Our team of burly ogres ran into some technical difficulties during our weekly recording of the podcast, which forced our hand into providing you with a shenanigans-free episode. I’m sure this will come as a welcome relief to many of you, and hey, it’s all about the music, right?

Well, expect us back in all our vulgar glory soon. But for now, let’s enjoy some great music. This week’s playlist has tons of terrific stuff local to our scene here in Portland, plus lots of cool songs both new and old from the world of alt-country. So let’s get started, shall we.

Here’s this week’s playlist:

That Much Further West (show theme), Lucero
Chinatown, James Sasser
Whisky Bottle, Pat Macdonald
Soul Salvation, Ron Rogers & The Wailing Wind
Katherine Belle, American Aquarium
Tell The Ones I Love, Steep Canyon Rangers
16 Days, Whiskeytown
Brazil, Drunken Prayer
Somewhere In My Heart, The Volebeats
Pastor of the Pines, Root Jack
Bloody 98, Blue Mountain
Roll On The Rusted Days, Howlin Rain
Stopping By, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
Walking Out The Door, John Doe
Everybody Run, Digger Barnes
Where They Say You Been Livin’, Tom VandenAvond
Troubadour, Arliss Nancy
Bikeriders, Lucero
My Great Gatsby, Two Cow Garage
Looks Like I’m Up Shit Creek Again, Nora O’Connor
Hurricane, Possessed By Paul James
Doreen, Old 97s
Watch Me Fall, Uncle Tupelo
Perfect Day, Lou Reed

Episode #5 with the Austin Lucas interview

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Austin Lucas

 

Episode #5 with Austin Lucas interview

Back in the saddle after a week away. For this week’s podcast, we’re celebrating the birth of Eric and Jean’s beautiful baby girl, Ruby, and cranking up some great music to share with you all.

Nice to think we were able to rally back after missing just one week; it’s like it never happened! And right up to the moment Ruby arrived, Eric was busting his ass to bring you a great interview with Austin Lucas while Mike and I were hitting some key shows around town, including the Harmed Brothers CD release show at Mississippi Studios here in beautiful Portland.

We reconvened last week in The Helm to crank out Episode #5 and raise a glass to the wee one and her rock star mother. So, let’s see what we came up with.

Here’s the playlist for this week:

That Much Further West (show theme), Lucero

Stubborn Blood, Mulehead

Starting All Over Again, The Sadies

Go West, Austin Lucas

I Need You To Tell Me Who I Am, John Moreland

I Made A Mess Of This Town, Scott Miller & The Commonwealth

Mantle In ’56, Two Cow Garage

Mexican Blanket, Scotland Barr & The Slow Drags

Dealth Of The Life Of The Party, Drag The River

Change The Locks, The Silos

Colorado Cool-Aid, Johnny Paycheck

There’s a Heartache Going ‘Round, John Paul Keith

TRIO BRAVO (three songs picked by Daisy Fulgham, supercool wife of Jackrabbit singer Tony Fulgham)

Can’t Make It Through the Night, Deadstring Brothers

You Can’t Be Told, Valerie June

I Am Your Man, The Ganges River Band

 

Interview with Austin Lucas

Top Dollar, Whiskeytown

Jesus Was A Wino, Lydia Loveless

Sweet But Bitter Life, Possessed By Paul James

When You See Me, The Harmed Brothers