May Podcast Picks

Portland’s Golden Promise (l to r): Erik Clampitt, Scott Pettitt, Lucas Jones, Jason Fleming and Sean Burke. Photo by Joel Gaddis

Stream or download May Podcast Picks: May ’20 Podcast Picks

New albums from several of our favorite national artists (Caleb Caudle, Jason Isbell, Western Centuries, etc.) have helped sustain us through the past few months of the COVID-19 pandemic, but nothing can replace the joy of watching our favorite local bands tear it up in our favorite local bars.

The podcast’s first pandemic casualty happened nearly two months ago, when a scheduled podcast episode featuring local honky tonk band Golden Promise had to be cancelled. Talk about bad timing — Golden Promise’s debut album, Long Days, Sleepless Nights, hit the streets just as local Portland bars and businesses were closing and social distancing measures firmly put in place.

So for our May Podcast Picks, we kick it off with a handful of our favorite local bands. Batting leadoff is “I Ain’t Drunk” from Golden’s Promise’s debut. It’s designed to launch you with style into a weekend of isolation drinking.

We also have great new songs from former Podcast guests Chuck Westmoreland and the Harmed Brothers, tunes from local faves Jenny Don’t & The Spurs, Roselit Bone and Richmond Fontaine as well as great new songs from Lucinda Williams, American Aquarium, Jaime Wyatt, John Baumann, Whitney Rose and John Anderson.

We also share another stunner from Tanya Tucker’s award-winning record from last year, While I’m Living; we pay tribute to the late John Prine; and eventually wrap things up with a classic from the one-off album from 15 years ago by The Drams.

So if you can, take The Drams advice — get “Unhinged” this weekend and crank up our May Podcast Picks! Here’s the playlist:

I Ain’t Drunk, Golden Promise
The Serpent and The Swan, Chuck Westmoreland
All The Same, The Harmed Brothers
Nobody’s Crying Over You, Jenny Don’t & The Spurs
Laughlin, NV, Roselit Bone
You Can’t Rule Me, Lucinda Williams
$87 and a Guilty Conscience That Gets Worse The Longer I Go, Richmond Fontaine
1000 Cities Failing (Part 1), The Sadies
A Better South, American Aquarium
By Your Side, Jaime Wyatt
Lightning On The Mountain, Kyle Nix
This Country Doesn’t Sound The Same, John Baumann
In A Rut, Whitney Rose
Ghost Town, Sarah Shook & The Devil
I’m Still Hanging On, John Anderson
Illegal Smile, John Prine
The Wheels of Laredo, Tanya Tucker
Here’s To You, The Silos
Unhinged, The Drams

Springtime Podcast Picks

Brian Mathusek and Merry Young make up the powerhouse folk-blues duo The Mutineers. Photo by Anne Marie for Local Hero Media.

Stream or download Springtime Podcast Picks: Springtime ’18 Podcast Picks

Spring has sprung in the Pacific Northwest, and despite the usual string of cloudy days, the occasional sun breaks promise brighter days ahead!

The Mutineers tearing it up in The Helm just before they hit the road. Photo by Anne Marie for Local Hero Media.

To keep the good vibes flowing, we present our Springtime Podcast Picks. And to lead things off we have podcast favorites The Mutineers, who tore it up this past weekend at the Treefort Music Festival in Idaho and are south to California for a run of shows the next few weeks (tour dates). If you like high energy folk and blues, you can’t go wrong with The Mutineers, a heavy-touring outfit with ties all over the country.

Festival season is well underway, and a couple of artists shared on this playlist are coming off big-time star turns at South By Southwest in Austin: Sarah Shook and Billy Strings. Shook and her band The Disarmers leaked the second song from their upcoming record “Years” and we share it here, a fun and snotty little number called “New Ways To Fail.” Mr. Strings released his ambitious bluegrass album “Turmoil & Tinfoil” last fall, and we include the lead track after hearing reports of his turning SXSW on its ear with a string of mind-blowing sets.

We also include songs from several artists who will be coming to Portland this spring with dates that are circled on our calendars. In fact, Lindi Ortega was here last night playing Mississippi Studios. Looking forward to upcoming shows by Whiskey Myers and Courtney Marie Andrews, whose new album on Fat Possum records is ready to set the world on fire.

And a quick note of congratulations to our friend Jamie Stillway on her sensational new album “City Static,” out now on Fluff & Gravy Records. Jamie is a world class guitar picker known for her work on acoustic and steel-top resonator guitar, but she’s expanded her palette to feature compositions inspired by picking up a Telecaster electric. Take a listen to the moody and groovy “August” included in this round of picks.

Lots of other incredible tunes from artists new and old included here, so dig in and enjoy! Here’s the playlist:

Break Your Fall, The Mutineers
New Ways To Fail, Sarah Shook & The Disarmers
The Comeback Kid, Lindi Ortega
On The Line, Billy Strings
The Rebellious Sons, Ray Wylie Hubbard
Stone, Whiskey Myers
I’ve Hurt Worse, Courtney Marie Andrews
Gin, Smoke & Lies, The Turnpike Troubadours
Cold Apartment, Warm Girl (Someone Tell Me How), Brad Parsons
Oom Sha La La, Haley Heynderickx
The Trial, The Sadies
I’ll Keep Ramblin’, Blackberry Smoke
August, Jamie Stillway
Nashville 1972, Rodney Crowell
I Want Love, Chris Stapleton
Avoiding Catatonic Surrender, Tim Barry
Fulton County Jane Doe, Brandi Carlile
Me and You, Willie Nelson
Madeline, BJ Barham
Tonight, You’ll Be Breaking My Heart, The Swearengens

February Podcast Picks

Canada’s finest: The Sadies’ new record, “Northern Passages,” features a cameo from indie-rocker Kurt Vile.

Stream or Download February Podcast Picks:  February ’17 Podcast Picks

It was Episode #65 of That Much Further West Podcast when Portland’s alt-country laureate, Willy Vlautin of Richmond Fontaine, was asked what was the most impressive band he had shared a bill with over his 20-or-so years of gigging.

Without hesitation, Vlautin responded, “The Sadies.”

While Richmond Fontaine celebrated a memorable farewell in 2016, The Sadies continue to bring it to the people. Renowned for their mix of country, rock and psychedelia, the Canadian quartet have released their 10th studio album, “Northern Passages,” and we kick off our February Podcast Picks with “The Elements Song,” a big slice of what makes them great. The record is a joyous mix of big soundscapes and smaller, ear-catching buzzes that have been hallmarks of the band’s finest work. The album also features a lead vocal cameo by indie-rocker Kurt Vile, so be sure to make time to give the whole thing a good listen.

Also featured on this month’s podcast picks are brand-new songs from a number of our genre-leading favorites, including Son Volt, Nikki Lane, Two Cow Garage, Dr. Dog and Tift Merritt. You’ll also recognize the unmistakable voice of Chris Stapleton from his days of fronting blue grass kingpins The SteelDrivers. Also, a song from podcast-team favorite Karen Jonas, who knocked ’em dead at the Ameripolitan Awards in Austin this past week.

Included as well are plenty of new voices to the podcast, including Roger Hoover, Whitney Rose, Derek Hoke, Justin Wells and Shawn James. We also share a fun tune from the new record by Dale Watson and Ray Benson, legends in their own right who came together for a new record called “Under The Influence” under the moniker “Dale & Ray.”

And we close out with a song from Hip Hatchet, who has our new president squarely in his sights with the title cut from his new EP, “Hellhound In The House.” You can read podcast co-host Mike Lee’s 100-word review of the EP and stream all three of the songs here.

In the meantime, give this month’s podcast picks a listen! Here’s the playlist:

The Elements Song, The Sadies
You Put The Hurt On Me, The SteelDrivers
Oh, How Times Have Changed, Roger Hoover
Analog, Whitney Rose
Sinking Down, Son Volt
Shadows Through A Canyon, Fort Defiance
Southern Moon, Derek Hoke
Whiskey And Dandelions, Karen Jonas
The Same, Cody Jinks
Brand New Flag, Two Cow Garage
Going Down Grinnin’, Justin Wells
Jackpot, Nikki Lane
Both Sides Of The Line, Dr. Dog
The Ballad of Dale and Ray, Dale & Ray
Delilah, Shawn James
It’s Alright If You Sleep Around (Featuring Kate Mann), Joshua James and the Runaway Trains
Heartache Is An Uphill Climb, Tift Merritt
Hellhound In The House, Hip Hatchet