Tag Archives: Possessed By Paul James

Election Season Podcast Picks

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“Summer in Portland, everything’s fine.”

Well, we made it through what we hope is the worst of Protest Season. Now it’s Election Season, and we’ve put together this collection of songs to celebrate any and all commentary on the sorry state of our nation. MAGA? Um, no.

But before we let some of our favorite alt-country authorities put in their two cents, we share a song from the great new album by our pals Wanderlodge. “River Don’t Care” from the record Cypress Mountain Drive is an example of how deftly Kris Stuart and Matt Cadenelli can take someone else’s song, make it their own, and take it to a whole new audience.

Make no mistake, though — there are plenty of terrific originals on the new record. Learn all about it in the short film posted above.

We also share a song from Lydia Loveless’ fantastic new album as well as cool new cuts from Otis Gibbs, Brent Cobb, Karen Jonas, Orville Peck, Matt Woods and a scorcher called “Born To Lose” by Chicago’s David Quinn, featuring the smoldering slide guitar of Laur Joamets (Drivin’ N Cryin’, Sturgill Simpson).

New to our podcast ears, we present music from Victoria Bailey, Waxahatchee, Tennessee Jet and Juliet McConkey. And don’t miss the beautiful and sad video below for the song “American Tears” by Silver Lake 66.

We end things on a bit of a somber note, recognizing the passing (way, way too soon) of the great Justin Townes Earle, who in recent years moved to Portland and became part of the fabric of our community. His sudden and shocking death left a hole in our hearts that will never be filled. RIP, JTE.

So give it all a listen, then get out there and VOTE! Here’s the songlist for our Election Season Podcast Picks:

River Don’t Care, Wanderlodge
The New OK, Drive-By Truckers
American Tears, Silver Lake 66
Down To The Well, The Long Ryders
All American Singer, Zephaniah OHora
Say My Name, Lydia Loveless
Born To Lose, David Quinn
Nine Foot Problem, Otis Gibbs
Skid Row, Victoria Bailey
Keep ‘Em On They Toes, Brent Cobb
Sweet Mess, Jaime Wyatt
Legends Never Die (with Shania Twain), Orville Peck
Stray Dogs, Tennessee Jet
Can’t Do Much, Waxahatchee
Heat, TK & The Holy Know-Nothings
Disappearing Girl, Juliet McConkey
Pink Leather Boots, Karen Jonas
Sunshine, Matt Woods
I’m So Good At Absolutely Nothing, Possessed By Paul James
Learning To Cry, Justin Townes Earle

Midsummer Podcast Picks

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Konrad Wert, aka, Possessed By Paul James unleashing his energetic musical maelstrom on the crowd at the Wildwood MusicFest and Campout. Photo by Anne Marie for Local Hero Media.

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

Folks who follow this show know how connected our podcast team is to the Wildwood MusicFest & Campout in Sheridan, OR, USA. Our co-hosts Mike Lee and Eric Kotila serve as masters of cermonies at the annual event, and the team records interviews with the festival’s various musical acts throughout the weekend.

Sadly, this year’s festival — like so many across the country — had to be canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We deeply missed spending time with all our friends and so many of the scheduled acts who have become great friends over the years.

One friend we especially missed at Wildwood this year was Konrad Wert, the guitar-strumming, fiddle-playing, foot-stompin’ singer who labels his act Possessed By Paul James. Ready to celebrate the release of his terrific 2020 album As We Go Wandering, the congenial and inspirational Mr. Wert was forced to cancel his early summer tour plans, including a trip to our neck of the woods in the Pacific Northwest.

We were bummed to miss seeing PPJ in action, and that’s why we feature a song from the new record to kick off this collection of Midsummer Podcast Picks. The track “In the Dark of Morning” is part of a large batch of new music featured here, along with new songs from Courtney Marie Andrews, Great Peacock, Charley Crockett, Lydia Loveless and the indomitable Matt Woods.

We also draw a few picks from some of the our favorite records from 2020 so far, including cuts from Jaime Wyatt, Hill Country, Lilly Hiatt, Margo Price and Joshua Ray Walker. The crew also did some excellent mining to find great songs from S.G. Goodman, Vincent Neil Emerson, Sarah Gayle Meech and Kaitlin Butts, who will be part of this weekend’s virtual Braun Brothers Reunion (click here to see the incredible talent lined up for that event).

And speaking of virtual festivals, scroll down to watch the virtual Wildwood festival — hosted by our own lovable podcast co-host Mike Lee. It’s a fun celebration of the festival that helped salve some of the deepest wounds caused by this pandemic.

But before we leave you, we had to share a couple of songs to let you know that, yes, Portland, OR, USA is still standing. The overblown descriptions of fire and destruction as portrayed by the national media and swallowed whole and parroted by conservatives across the country were nothing but another massive lie perpetrated by the current President of the United States and his “homeland security” henchmen.

Donald Trump’s a true instigator, as described by the great Portland-based singer Fernando, who panders to the grievance merchants at the center of the latest incendiary classic by Mike Cooley and his band Drive-By Truckers.

So, lots to digest here, folks. Better get started. Here’s the playlist for our Midsummer Podcast Picks:

In the Dark of Morning, Possessed By Paul James
It Must Be Someone Else’s Fault, Courtney Marie Andrews
Palomino Gold, Hill Country
Love Is Not Enough, Lydia Loveless
What Else Would You Have Me Be? Lucero
I’m Looking For Blue Eyes, Jessi Colter
Goodbye Queen, Jaime Wyatt
Fool Somebody Else, Charley Crockett
Tomorrow’s All We Have, Matt Woods
Space And Time, S.G. Goodman
Willie Nelson’s Wall, Vincent Neil Emerson
White River, Kaitlin Butts
All I Ever Do, Great Peacock
Brightest Star, Lilly Hiatt
True Instigator, Fernando
What Happened To Our Love? Margo Price
Boat Show Girl, Joshua Ray Walker
Somebody’s Gonna Cry, Sarah Gayle Meech
Shotgun Betty, Sarah Shook
Grievance Merchants, Drive-By Truckers

February Podcast Picks

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Caitlin Sherman has a new record, Death to the Damsel, coming out soon.

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

Seattle’s Caitlin Sherman’s been on our radar for some time. We first picked up the signal when she sang backups on The Swearengens album Waiting On The Sunrise, and later found her at the center of things in the killer alt-country band Evening Bell. Gifted with a beautiful voice and a talent for songwriting and performing, she never fails to deliver the goods.

That’s why it’s no surprise her breakout new solo album, Death of a Damsel, has industry folks buzzing ahead of its release. We kick off this month’s Podcast Picks with “War For You,” a rollicking romp from the new record. Sherman is just one of a bevy of our favorites who are delivering new records in the coming months, and we preview a bunch of them in this month’s picks.

You’ll hear new stuff from a few of our longtime faves such as John Moreland, Caleb Caudle, Possessed By Paul James, Lucinda Williams and Reckless Kelly, and terrific songs from rising stars such as Whitney Rose, Sammy Brue, Aubrie Sellers, Kelsey Waldon and Marcus King.

There’s a bit of playfulness when Lilly Hiatt name drops our hometown of Portland, OR, USA, and the usual wit and wisdom from our favorite Canadian Cowboy, Corb Lund — both have highly anticipated records coming soon. And the serious business is well handled on cuts from three of the best records of last year offered by Sturgill Simpson, Tanya Tucker and Ian Noe.

So dig right in. It’s our Podcast Picks for February — here’s the playlist:

War For You, Caitlin Sherman
Rollin’ On, Jesse Daniel
P-Town, Lilly Hiatt
Remember To Breathe, Sturgill Simpson
Believe Me, Angela, Whitney Rose
Self-Hatred featuring Derek Trucks, Marcus King
Thoughts and Prayers, Drive-By Truckers
Hard Luck, Tanya Tucker
I Only See You With My Eyes Closes, Reckless Kelly
Crash Test Kid, Sammy Brue
Lucky Charm, Aubrie Sellers
Barbara’s Song, Ian Noe
You Can Have It, Kelsey Waldon
Without You, The Steel Woods
Pearl Snaps, Jason Boland and the Stragglers
In Times Between, John Moreland
Your White Stained Dress, Possessed By Paul James
Man Without A Soul, Lucinda Williams
90 Seconds of Your Time, Corb Lund
Better Hurry Up, Caleb Caudle

TMFWP at Wildwood MusicFest: Possessed By Paul James live in The Raven’s Roost

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Konrad Wert is a family man and an award winning educator, but when he hits the road to bring the music of Possessed By Paul James to the masses, he’s a one-man wrecking ball. Just give him a microphone, a guitar (or a fiddle or banjo) and a hard surface to stomp his foot, and he will bring down the house.

He’s also pretty darn good around a campfire. He showed that late night at this past summer’s Wildwood MusicFest & Campout in Willamina, OR when fully engaged a rowdy after-hours crowd and even invited a number of folks to join him in song.

Konrad Wert, aka Possessed By Paul James, performing at the Wildwood MusicFest & Campout. Photo by Anne Marie for Local Hero Media.

During the festival, he stopped by The Ravens Roost to sing a few songs for That Much Further West Podcast, including this performance of “Right Where We’re Supposed To Be,” captured exclusively for the podcast by Local Hero Media.

Check it out and be sure to visit the Possessed By Paul James website to learn when Konrad is coming to your town and how you can pick up his fantastic records. We wholeheartedly endorse this fantastic artist and thank him for taking time to visit us in the Roost.

 

TMFWP Special: 2017 Wildwood MusicFest Preview

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Henry from Hillstomp will be rocking your world at the Wildwood MusicFest & Campout this coming weekend in Sheridan, OR. Image courtesy of Chad Lanning Photography (chadlanningphoto.com)

Stream or download 2017 Wildwood MusicFest Preview: Wildwood 17 Preview

It’s that time again, our favorite time of year! The crew at That Much Further West Podcast is gearing up for this weekend’s Wildwood MusicFest & Campout in Sheridan, OR, and to help psyche you up for the event, we’ve put together this playlist to introduce or reacquaint you with the acts that will be performing.

We’re especially thrilled this year to have some of our favorite bands from years past and several new Wildwood performers who have been guests and/or friends of ours for many years. For example, kicking off the playlist is Countryside Ride, a traditional country band we’ve been friendly with for a long time. They’re fresh out of the studio and share a few new songs from an upcoming release, to be heard exclusively on this special episode of the podcast.

Other newcomers to the festival have been regularly featured on the podcast or exclusive guests in the past, bands like The Easy Leaves, Jenny Don’t & The Spurs and The Mutineers. The brilliant Caleb Klauder was a guest on our show several years back, and we were thrilled to see this internationally renowned singer and picker scheduled for this year’s festival.

Conrad Wert is a one-man band known as Possessed By Paul James.

We also get to dip into some uncharted waters with bands such as Tango Alpha Tango, featuring the stunning guitar work of Nathan Treub — a local player who carries a reputation as one of the best young songwriters in Northwest rock. Festival goers will not want to miss seeing this guy in action.

So let this playlist be a primer for your weekend ahead, and follow along as we buckle up for another wild weekend of fun and music at the Wildwood MusicFest & Campout.

Here’s the playlist:

All You’ll Ever Be (Is All You’ve Ever Been), Countryside Ride
I Hope He Breaks Your Heart, Countryside Ride
15 Horses, Hillstomp
Lucy’s Lament, Hillstomp
Further From Shore, The Hooten Hallers
It’s Hard To Trust Your Baby, The Hooten Hallers
Devil And The Deep, The Easy Leaves
Midnight Song, The Easy Leaves
I Gotta Girl, Tango Alpha Tango
Kill & Haight, Tango Alpha Tango
Coming On Strong, Caleb Klauder & Reeb Willms
Innocent Road, Caleb Klauder & Reeb Willms
Aura Vista, Vaudeville Etiquette
Tipping Point, Vaudeville Etiquette
Break Your Fall, The Mutineers
Ace, The Mutineers
Prairie Fire, The Riverside
Don’t Rock The Boat, The Riverside
A Lovely Conversation, The Harmed Brothers
Better Days, The Harmed Brothers
Ain’t No Living, Matt Woods
Johnny Ray Dupree, Matt Woods
Call Of The Road, Jenny Don’t and The Spurs
She’s To Blame, Jenny Don’t and The Spurs
The Woods, Robert Sarazin Blake
Our Winter In New York, Robert Sarazin Blake
Hurricane, Possessed By Paul James
Shoulda’ Known Better, Possessed By Paul James
This Little Pig, Shovelman
Navigate, Shovelman

Veterans of the festival, The Harmed Brothers are back by popular demand. Photo by Anne Marie for Local Hero Media.

 

TMFWP Special: Fifth Anniversary Podcast Picks

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An idea comes to life: Eric Kotila (left) and Mike Lee launched That Much Further West Podcast five years ago as a live internet radio show, broadcast from the Hawthorne Theater Lounge in Portland.

Stream or download Fifth Anniversary Podcast Picks: 5th Anniversary Podcast Picks

It began as a simple idea: a couple of burly, bearded buddies sharing their love of rock, punk and country music with friends and other folks far and wide. What Eric Kotila and Mike Lee launched five years ago as a live internet radio show has evolved into what we today call That Much Further West Podcast.

Much has changed over that time. The show is no longer broadcast live from a public place — instead, it has been taped for the last three-plus years in the comfy confines of The Helm, our subterranean lair in North Portland. We also have a dedicated website
(where you are right now) that serves as a hub for episodes, playlists, specials and reviews. And the team has added Phil Favorite as a co-host and producer and Anne Marie as photographer to help bolster our efforts to produce quality, original content.

The boys, live from The Helm (left to right): Mike Lee, Eric Kotila and Phil Favorite. Photo by Anne Marie for Local Hero Media (www.localheromedia.com)

Despite the many changes, mostly for the better, the spirit of the show remains the same. We’re here to turn you on to the music that we love and also the music of the amazingly talented guests we’ve had on the show for the last five years.

To celebrate, we’ve compiled a collection of tunes that represents the tip of the iceberg of what we’ve been listening to and sharing with you over the past five years, and hope to continue to share going forward.

We owe a deep debt of gratitude to the many artists who have volunteered their time and energy to be guests on the show. By one count we’ve had as many as six members of the Oregon Music Hall of Fame visit and perform in The Helm, and that’s just scratching the surface. Rising national stars such as John Moreland and Aaron Lee Tasjan also have stopped by as we’ve compiled more than 80 episodes live from The Helm.

We’re also indebted to the many friends whose interest, enthusiasm and support have fueled our efforts. Special props to Christopher Sohler for his rock-solid stint as our contributing photographer, and to Mary Atwood for her behind-the-scenes, “hostess with the mostest” contributions.

We also can’t thank enough our sponsors — Secret Aardvark Trading Co. and Cloud City Gardens — for their above-and-beyond generosity in making each podcast taping a special treat for our guests.

And last but far from least, a special thank you to Jean Kotila and Ruby Kotila for welcoming us into their home on podcast nights and putting up with our shenanigans. We greatly appreciate it.

So there you have it. A big thank you to you all. And if you’re still wondering what all this is about, just push the play button above. You’ll hear the following:

30 Days, Root Jack
1964, Hearts Of Oak
Tears Don’t Matter Much, Lucero
Right Time, Nikki Lane
Life Is Beautiful, Willy Tea Taylor
Humble Narrator, Two Cow Garage
Dog Bumped, Tim Barry
Midwestern Guys, Lydia Loveless
With Love From Brushy Mountain, Matt Woods
Captain And Tennille, Drunken Prayer
Anchor’s The Way, The Calamity Cubes
Shoulda Known Better, Possessed By Paul James
Whole Damn Bottle, Copper & Coal
The Travelin’ Kind, Tom VandenAvond
Beautiful, Fernando
Ain’t Going To The Bar Tonight, American Aquarium
Deep Red Bells, Neko Case
Better Days, The Harmed Brothers
Somebody Loves You, Austin Lucas
Fire Away, Chris Stapleton
Hurtin’ On The Bottle, Margo Price
Keep It Between The Lines, Sturgill Simpson
Always On The Ride, Richmond Fontaine
Elephant, Jason Isbell

Right at home: Goon squad and co-hosts, protecting the booze at The Helm.

March Podcast Picks

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Konrad Wert, aka Possessed By Paul James

Stream or download Podcast Picks: Podcast Picks 3-14-16

Ah, the modern troubadours — we love them here at That Much Further West Podcast. Last week we had handful of our favorite road-dogs roll through our hometown of Portland, Oregon, U.S.A., and we celebrate some of them here with this latest batch of podcast picks.

Kicking things off is Possessed By Paul James, who was in town for a show at The White Eagle with support from The Harmed Brothers (also featured here). Look for Possessed By Paul James all this week at the South By Southwest music conference in Austin, TX, where he has a handful of shows playing alongside some of the greats of Americana, including Lydia Loveless and Hayes Carll (he, too, featured here). PPJ is a force of nature — a one-man folk wrecking crew. Check him out live. You won’t be disappointed.

This month’s picks also include new songs from Sturgill Simpson, the Cactus Blossoms and an exclusive track from Meridian, a Portland band led by Darrin Craig, best known for his work with local bluegrass stalwarts Jack Straw. And speaking of local bluegrass, we share a song from the new album by Left Coast Country, a band we discovered busking out front of Mississippi Studios before a Sturgill show in late 2014. Since then, the lads of LCC since have established themselves as a local bluegrass powerhouse.

The troubadours keep passing through this month’s playlist with songs from Bryan McPherson, Tim Barry and the godfather of all living folkies, Guy Clark. And to wrap things up, we offer a song by Morgane Stapleton from the album “Southern Family,” a new project curated by red-hot Nashville producer Dave Cobb. On “You Are My Sunshine,” Mrs. Stapleton takes center stage while her celebrated husband Chris Stapleton plays a support role with backing vocals and guitar. It’s one of several excellent tunes on a record full of artists we love here at the podcast, including Jason Isbell, John Paul White and Holly Williams.

So dig in, download or give it a stream. It’s this month’s podcast picks! Here’s the playlist:

Heavy, Possessed By Paul James
Tuscaloosa, Caleb Caudle
Lucky To Be A Sad Man, Huck Notari
Under The Axe, The Harmed Brothers
Brace For Impact (Live A Little), Sturgill Simpson
Stoplight Kisses, The Cactus Blossoms
The Magic Kid, Hayes Carll
Go On Lovin’, Dori Freeman
Fought The Blues And Won, The Deslondes
Mason Dixon Waltz, Left Coast Country
The Guitar, Guy Clark
Hearts In Boxcars, Bryan McPherson
Church Of Level Track, Tim Barry
The Flame In The Flood, Chuck Ragan
Ohio, Meridian
You Are My Sunshine, Morgane Stapleton (with Chris Stapleton)

 

Episode #17 Hijinx From The Helm

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The Man In Black, Johnny Cash

Episode #17 Hijinx From The Helm

Our fearless hosts celebrated Johnny Cash’s birthday last week by convening in The Helm for another taping of the podcast and a chance to share some great music with y’all. We laughed, we cried, we drank and in the end barely made it to the finish line. But we made it, and here it is in all its ragged glory.

Listen to the show and you’ll learn about Philly’s thrifting prowess, Mike’s ability to work 19-hour shifts without the benefit of caffeine or cocaine, and Eric’s love for live sing-alongs, especially with Possessed By Paul James. But wait, there’s more! . . . some political banter (“haters gonna hate”), a conversation about who was the best singer in The Band, and a tribute to the late, great comedian Harold Ramis.

The boys have been plotting for future episodes and getting ready for our March showcase featuring The Evangenitals at Alberta Street Pub in Portland on March 13. But this week, without an interview to share or a band to feature, our fearless hosts plowed forward with a playlist that includes honky-tonk heroes, kickass country up-and-comers, great friends and rock-and-rollers from across the alt-country landscape.

So kick back, dial it in and enjoy. Here’s the playlist:

Cocaine Blues, Johnny Cash
Never Comin’ Home, Scott H Biram
We Welcome You Home, Possessed By Paul James
Life Ain’t Fair And The World Is Mean, Sturgill Simpson
Ooh Las Vegas, Root Jack
When You See Me, The Harmed Brothers
Devastate, Amanda Shires
O, Jolene!, The Hooten Hallers
The Last One To Leave Seattle, Waylon Jennings
Love Is A Long Road, Del McCoury Band
The Weight, The Band
Rasputin & Me, Scotland Barr & The Slow Drags
Wanna Be Your Mama, The Damnations TX
Ten Mile Grace, The Weight
Drink ‘Til We’re Gone, Lucero
Two More Bottles Of Wine, Emmylou Harris
Righteous, Ragged Sons, Lee Bains III & The Glory Fires
Deadman’s Blues, Matt Woods
Little Drunk Fists, Slobberbone
St. Mary’s (Live), American Aquarium
Ain’t No Grave, Drunken Prayer