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.
The bandstand prophets of the Texas saloon must preach to
their flock with conviction. They must reach a common ground and the message
must be genuine. Their converts must know their musical guides have travelled
the same roads and the mud drying on their boots has the same mix of bravado
and despair. We don’t step up to the pine to drown our sorrows but to confide
in our brothers and sisters with a round of shots and boots stomping on the
dance floor in front of our roadhouse preachers.
The Ft. Worth-based Vandoliers certainly seem up to the task with their latest effort, “Forever,” on Bloodshot Records. They guide us through the ups and downs of modern American life of not only the Texan but every hard-working, blue-collar soul in this country. We don’t take jet-away vacations but long road trips with our crew, enjoying all the local flavor of the places our wheels roll through. We hate our jobs but find pride in our hard work and reward ourselves plenty with the sinful pleasures of our wild world.
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
