The desert is bereft of forgiveness for those who choose to inhabit the shifting land. I don’t speak of those residing in concrete and glistening glass, monolith cities who survive on borrowed hydration and whirring A/C units. No, I am talking about the desert rat. The sidewinder who shifts through the land leaving little trace of existence.
These vagabonds have no archetype. They are devoid of country or nationality and these travelers stand hard with an edge against the wind and sand. They move underground, live in the shadows and embrace the freedom of the chilled night air in the deserted corners of our earth.
The life in the desert makes people adapt to survive, to grow and to learn. “Deserted,” a collection of nine songs by the Mekons is a great capsule of desert life. A genre-bending sonic excursion led by well-seasoned guides who can transform their musical experience into a Saguaro cactus blossom or a scorpion sting.
Matty Charles, proud new papa, outside Landmark Saloon ahead of Episode #92 of That Much Further West Podcast. Photo by Anne Marie for Local Hero Media.
Late last year, singer-guitarist-songwriter Matty Charles pulled off an impressive double. Around the same time he and his life and musical partner Katie Rose welcomed a newborn son into the world, Matty introduced a new band, The Jackson County Kills, to the musical community here in Portland, OR, USA.
And while his life has been mostly domestic in the meantime, the talented Mr. Charles has been squeezing in occasional gigs with the JCK and creating quite a buzz. The band’s danceable country rock has arrived on the scene like a breath of fresh air at the same time the venerable Landmark Saloon has returned regularly scheduled music to its tiny stage.
That’s exactly where our team gathered last week to record Episode #92 of That Much Further West Podcast, when Matty signed on as our special guest to help us get caught up on all he has going on.
Matty Charles sharing the goodness at Landmark Saloon for Episode #92 of That Much Further West Podcast. Photo by Anne Marie for Local Hero Media.
We learned of a 7-inch single in the works and a regular “Whiskey Wednesday” slot for The Jackson County Kills that may include an occasional cameo from new mama Katie. We also learned about Matty’s musical upbringing here in Portland and the subsequent travels that carried him from New York City to Santa Fe and San Francisco to finally resettling in his hometown.
He also shared wonderful stripped down performances of some of the songs that have made him a stalwart in our local folk and country scene. And we managed to squeeze in a few recorded songs, one from his solo album “Back At Your Door” and a pair from the stunning Matty Charles & Katie Rose record “Catching Arrows.”
So settle in for a fun ride — just press play! Here’s the playlist:
Caution, Matty Charles Love’s Lost Quarter (Live at Landmark), Matty Charles I Belong To Heaven (Live at Landmark), Matty Charles What I Want, Matty Charles & Katie Rose Glorieta (Live at Landmark), Matty Charles Hey, Pretty Birds, Matty Charles & Katie Rose
Matty Charles fronts The Jackson County Kills at Strum Guitars in Portland, with Kevin Major on drums and Bryan Byrnes on guitar.
Tylor & The Train Robbers are set for a big year in support of their new album,“Best of the Worst Kind,” due in April.
As lineups for the Northwest’s big summer music festivals are being revealed, a familiar name continues to pop up, included among several impressive billings.
Tylor & The Train Robbers, the Idaho-based country rock four-piece fronted by singer Tylor Ketchum, is on the bill at three of the festivals on the That Much Further West Podcast radar: The Jackalope Jamboree in Pendleton, OR in June; the Wild Hare Country Festival in Canby, OR in July; and the Braun Brothers Reunion — the annual three-day event hosted by members of Reckless Kelly and Mickey and the Motorcars — in Challis, ID in August.
Here in Portland, OR, USA, we won’t have to wait that long to catch Tylor and the band. They have back-to-back shows scheduled, headlining March 12 at Landmark Saloon and opening for fellow Idahoans Jeff Crosby & The Refugees at Mississippi Studios on March 13.
The shows will provide a great preview of the Train Robbers’ new record, Best of the Worst Kind, due for release on April 26. We open this month’s podcast picks with “Hide Your Goat,” one of a dozen fresh cuts that make up the new record. We’re stoked to be able to share the tune and to catch the band as they roll through town.
Clara Baker’s new record, “Things To Burn,” hits the streets March 8.
Speaking of hot releases, we also share a tune from the new record by avant-folk artist Clara Baker, who celebrates the release with a show at The Old Church in Portland this Saturday, March 2. Born of the bleak, frozen woods of the Midwest, “Doubt” illustrates Baker’s ability to mix measured, lyrical expression with lush instrumentation and arrangements reminiscent of Bon Iver.
Maybe it’s inspiration from Baker, who knows why? But we get pretty folky with this month’s picks, including great songs by Taylor Kingman, James Low, M. Lockwood Porter and Emma Hill. We also were influenced by some of the great shows we’ve witnessed recently, including recent Portland performances by Blackberry Smoke and Drunken Prayer.
We also include great new songs from Robert Ellis, Hayes Carll and Son Volt, and re-stamp our country card on the strength of some fine tunes from Little Sue, Miller & Sasser, Whitney Rose, Dee White, Charles Wesley Godwin and wrap it with a stunning new tune from breakout Country Soul singer Yola.
It’s all there just for y’all, so crank it up!
Here’s the track list for our March Podcast Picks. Enjoy!
Hide Your Goat, Tylor & The Train Robbers Mind of Its Own, Miller & Sasser I’ll Keep Ramblin’, Blackberry Smoke Ain’t No Grave, Drunken Prayer I Called You Up To See If You Were Dead, Taylor Kingman Down To You, Little Sue The Stars Don’t Care, The James Low Western Front Doubt, Clara Baker None’ya, Hayes Carll The 99, Son Volt Stumbling Toward The Dawn, M. Lockwood Porter Just Good Night, Michigan Rattlers Going To California, The Lil’ Smokies Don’t Knock On My Door, Emma HIll Nobody Smokes Anymore, Robert Ellis You Don’t Own Me, Whitney Rose Crazy Man, Dee White Coal Country, Charles Wesley Godwin Ride Out In The Country, Yola
World Gone Wild by Ron Rogers & The Wailing Wind (2019, self-released)
By Phil Favorite That Much Further West Podcast
Before he sank his feet into rich soil of the Pacific Northwest roots rock scene, Ron Rogers survived a spell working a variety of music business gigs in Los Angeles.
In that time he saw the best and worst of the industry, spending countless hours in the studio as an engineer, working for labels in various roles, and all the while working to perfect his craft as a songwriter and guitarist.
But nothing he experienced in L.A. or since moving to Portland has washed clean the Texa-delic blood he was baptized in as a younger man, and which infuses the sound of his band, The Wailing Wind, and their current album, World Gone Wild.
The band’s third album is a delightful throwback to the late ’60s, when Texas-based bands made bold musical statements on par with anything that came out of the Summer of Love scene in San Francisco. But unlike the wild head trips of The 13th Floor Elevators and the would-be hippy anthems of the Sir Douglas Quintet, Ron Rogers & The Wailing Wind deliver an upscale, more straightforward psychedelia that’s built for modern clubs and is perfect Internet radio.
It’s colorful, it’s danceable, and it rocks.
Credit goes to the whole cast of characters who make up the The Wailing Wind. Drummer Chris Bond and bassist Don Campbell provide the luscious groove, and a rotating lineup of lead guitarists including Chris Viola, Grant Cumpston and Mark Bowden deliver the twists that turn the record into a thrill ride.
But it’s the presence of backup singer Deborah Giles that adds a whole new element to the Wailing Wind sound. She joined the band after release of the band’s eponymously titled 2013 album, and has been riding shotgun alongside Rogers at the front of the band ever since.
Sometimes bold, often haunting, Giles’ voice is the perfect foil to Rogers’ creaking-door tenor.
Her presence is felt right off the top with the album opener “Ride On Baby,” which sets the trippy tone from the get-go. On “Slave Boy,” Rogers shows off his talent for clever wordplay, where the protagonist (antagonist?) proclaims, “I can wear these chains and shackles, and make you think they’re the latest style.”
The ride is mostly wild throughout but well balanced by some sweeter moments, including the tender ballad “Let Me Know.” But eventually all roads lead to Texas, where the “Flames of Waco” and “Beulahland” reveal a history both somber and foot-stomping.
Just goes to show, you can take the boy out of Texas, but you can’t take Texas out of the boy.
Open Seas by The Resolectrics (2018, Self Released)
By Phil Favorite That Much Further West Podcast
It seems unlikely that a rock band with such a distinct vocal sound could survive the loss of their main singer, much less carry on and thrive.
But The Resolectrics have slimmed down and muscled up.
Their new album Open Seas picks up where its predecessor High Water left off but adds some classic British Invasion sunshine and guitar-driven fireworks to the Southern Delta R&B sound that helped the band stand out in Portland’s crowded indie rock scene.
Known originally for a three-part vocal attack and a musical sound that centered on keyboards, The Resolectrics now perform as a trio with original guitarist Tate Peterson and drummer John Becher sharing the vocal spotlight once commanded by departed keyboardist Ben Morse.
The personnel change hasn’t seemed to change the band’s philosophy — blended vocals remain at the center of the musical strategy. You hear it right off the top of Open Seas, with Peterson and Becher launching into the wild and rowdy “Elevator Blues,” a song that captures and raucous spirit of the band’s live shows and will be instantly recognizable to fans of the band’s debut.
But things start to shift from there. Layered guitar parts vary not just in sound but also in style on “Only Blind,” where a watery slide guitar hints at the psychedelic explorations that unfold as the album progresses.
On “In My Garden,” the band invokes The Beatles at their experimental best with soaring harmonies set against a mix of bouncy piano, fuzzy guitars and a lead vocal melody pulled right out of the Summer of ’67.
A few other tracks on Open Seas show the band taking a big leap forward.
On the record’s instrumental title cut, Peterson demonstrates a controlled excellence that speaks to his remarkable abilities as a guitarist and arranger. For the album’s final cut, “Cosmic Embrace,” the band cooks up a tune that is equal parts Beach Boys, The Band and Led Zeppelin.
Despite exploring these varied and classic sounds, The Resolectrics never stray too far from their American R&B roots. “No Reservations,” “Charlene” and “Got Your Letter” will have you tapping your feet with that instant familiarity that has been the hallmark of the band’s sound.
The mix of styles all comes together on the ambitious and triumphant “I Love You,” a standout track destined to be among the best songs you’ll hear all year.
It’s a long way from Belividere, Illinois to the Pacific Northwest. But when singer Wes Youssi (pronounced YOW-see) wants to get in the right head space for writing his particular brand of traditional-style country music, he lets his mind travel back to that place from his childhood that holds so many warm feelings and fond memories.
The process has served Youssi well, inspiring the kind of songwriting that has earned him plaudits from near and far following the release of one of the best-loved records of 2018. Down Low, the first full-length record by Wes Youssi & The County Champs, has connected with the kind of audience Youssi only could have dreamed about upon its release last January.
Youssi has become a key player in Portland’s burgeoning country scene, which is why we were thrilled to have him join us at Landmark Saloon as the guest for Episode #89 of That Much Further West Podcast. Over the course of an hour, he shares details about the making of the album, his songwriting process, his journey from the Midwest to the West Coast, and how he came to eat a cockroach as part of a personal growth exercise.
Wes Youssi — solo and live at Landmark Saloon in Portland. Photo by Joshua James Huff
He also shares live, solo acoustic performances of the some of the songs that have will have Down Low on many lists of the year’s best records. With a throwback style in the tradition of Hank Williams and Jim Reeves, Youssi has connected with listeners and critics who long for a simpler, more direct sound that once held sway before the bombast, beats and bedazzled jeans of modern country music took over Nashville and terrestrial country radio.
You can listen to or purchase songs from Down Low and also its predecessor, the three-song Devil Woman EP, at Wes’ page at Bandcamp, and search the internet to read a rave review or two of Down Low. In the meantime, kick back and dial up this latest podcast episode to learn more about the man behind the music. And be sure to scroll down to see a video performance referred to during the interview.
Here’s the playlist from Episode #89 of That Much Further West Podcast:
Cadillac Man, Wes Youssi & The County Champs Crazy Train (Live at Landmark) Ready To Run (Live at Landmark) Devil Woman (Live at Landmark) Into A Bottle (Live at Landmark) Green Dream, Wes Youssi & The County Champs
Stream “Elevator Blues” by The Resolectrics: Elevator Blues
The Resolectrics —Portland’s singular roots rock and soul power trio — are ready to release their long-awaited sophomore album, Open Seas, due to hit record store shelves and internet streaming on Sept. 21. But they’re making the album available in CD form at select shows as the summer winds down.
The lads were kind enough to share the album’s opening track, “Elevator Blues,” as an exclusive stream for listeners of That Much Further West Podcast in conjunction with Vortex Music Magazine. With Bob Dunham’s bouncy bass line and a radio-ready vibe, “Elevator Blues” is a solid introduction to The Resolectrics’ ever-evolving sound, where twin vocals and hot guitar licks blend seamlessly with a deep, commanding groove.
The song also makes a clear connection to the Memphis-style soul sound that marked the band’s debut record, High Water. Featuring the vocals of guitarist Tate Peterson and drummer John Becher, it’s a rowdy rave-up that gets down and dirty with the help of guest David Lipkind on harmonica.
But folks should expect a few more twists and turns on Open Seas, as the band adds a dose of melodic, classic rock, pop and psychedelia to the mix.
Having built a solid following around the Northwest thanks in part to a heavy schedule of regular gigging from Central Oregon to the Oregon Coast and up into Washington, The Resolectrics appear poised to make a case as the party band of choice as the college rock radio season kicks in this fall.
The band will celebrate the arrival of Open Seas at a record-release party on Oct. 13 at Secret Society in Portland.
Chuck Westmoreland, back in Portland after a Southeast/Midwest tour supporting his killer new album, “Long Winter Rodeo.” Photo by Anne Marie for Local Hero Media
Over the past few years, Chuck Westmoreland has emerged from Portland’s crowded indie rock scene as one of the West’s leading voices in Americana and country. His amazing new record, Long Winter Rodeo, and the incredible reviews that followed have all but cemented Westmoreland’s position as a top-notch, must-see, must-hear singer-songwriter.
Chuck Westmoreland, live at Landmark Saloon for Episode #88 of That Much Further West Podcast. Photo by Anne Marie for Local Hero Media
That’s why we were so psyched have him as a guest for Episode #88 of That Much Further West Podcast. Recorded live at Landmark Saloon, Chuck goes deep with our hosts as he discusses the making of the new record, his re-emergence after an eight-year hiatus as a singer and performer, and how revisiting his roots in East Texas inspired much of the vivid imagery captured in the songs on Long Winter Rodeo.
He also shares a handful of live performances to the delight of our team and the folks in attendance. One listen and it’s easy to understand — with this voice and these songs, Mr. Westmoreland has the chops to match the hype.
Chuck has a big show with is band coming up Thursday, July 26 at The Fixin’ To in Portland, and you can follow his exploits (reviews, show dates, updates) at his website.
For now, enjoy this latest podcast, Episode #88. Here’s the playlist; all songs by Chuck Westmoreland:
Hole In My Grave Prisoners (Live at Landmark Saloon) Long Winter Rodeo Mama Be Eternal (Live at Landmark Saloon) Slaughtered (Live at Landmark Saloon) Denim Tears
Welcome back for our second installment of podcast picks, aimed at getting your ears ready for the 2018 Wildwood MusicFest & Campout, set for July 20-22 at Roshambo Art Farm in the beautiful Willamina/Sheridan area of Oregon.
With the festival just days away, we thought we’d kick off this session with The Resolectrics, Portland’s powerhouse R&B-tinged rock trio with a set scheduled for Saturday afternoon at the festival. This will be the band’s second performance at Wildwood, and this year’s set comes with the promise of a new album due in the fall.
Knowing the rollicking fun this band inspires, they’re an easy “must see” pick for our podcast team. Based in the classic rock and soul of the 60s and 70s, The Resolectrics take it to new heights by mixing in some psychedelic guitar and killer harmonies for a sound that’s all their own.
And they’re just one reason why this year’s festival is a can’t-miss for lovers of music from all over the spectrum. Check out the live performance of “Easier To Go” from the group Five Letter Word (video below), the classic country of “Weight of The World” by Western Centuries, and the wonderful, exploring horns on “Aynotche Terebu” by Tezeta Band. High quality stuff in a variety of styles — that’s what Wildwood is all about.
So give this latest set of picks a listen and put a check next to your “can’t miss” picks for the festival. We’ll see you down there.
Here’s the playist. Enjoy!
Up On The Hill, The Resolectrics Easier To Go (Live), Five Letter Word City Girls, Jeff Crosby & The Refugees The Skinner, Alder Street Locks, Cedar Teeth Nights & Weekends, The Singer and the Songwriter Weight Of The World, Western Centuries The Newest St. Louis Toodle-oo, High Step Society Southwest Texas, The Lostines Wishing Well, Jaime Wyatt Capitol Hill Country Blues, Gravel Road Talkin’ Bout Teamwork, Mo Phillips Kinder Than Most, MAITA
The Night, Liz Cooper & The Stampede Aynotche Terabu, Tezeta Band Build Myself A Woman, The John Dough Boys Could Be Better, The Get Ahead The Government Is The Mafia, Ezra Bell Keep The Home Fires Burning, Sarah Shook & The Disarmers Wanderin’ Again, The Turkey Buzzards Nebraska 2, Bart Budwig
Years by Sarah Shook & The Disarmers (2018, Bloodshot)
100 Words on Years By Mike Lee That Much Further West Podcast
How do you avoid the sophomore slump when your debut album punched through the country music scene in 2017? You craft 10 country songs infused with a frantic punk rock energy spinning a carousel of earnest lyrics about love, whiskey, heartbreak, redemption and two middle fingers up at the music establishment. Years expands where Sidelong left off teaching a lesson of all thriller and no filler. Tight, well crafted songs with an efficiency of rhythm, melody and lyrics that had me reminiscent of the mighty, Los Angeles, cowpunk legends, X!
Sidelong was the setup and Years is the knockout punch.
Catch up on all things Sarah Shook and the Disarmers on their Facebook page or through Bloodshot Records. WEST COAST PEOPLE be sure to catch the band in July as they hit the left coast and play our favorite festival, Wildwood Music Fest & Campout July 20-22, 2018.
