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I don’t know Kasey Anderson. When his songs come on shuffle, sometimes I notice them and other times I don’t. But when I do…dang, they ring true- honest, ripped of all pretense or false pride- all that stuff Steve Earle is always going on about what makes a song or a songwriter important- I was just watching the excellent Ron Sexsmith movie on HBO Canada and Earle, man he says stuff that sounds so freaking profound without even seemingly to focus on what he’s saying. Anyway…

Kasey Anderson is pretty cool, too: he has a great Tumblr site (whatever Tumblr is) http://kaseyanderson.tumblr.com/ called Lost in the Supermarket that always has something of interest- a video from prime-time E Street Band, an exchange from an interview, sometimes just a random picture. He seems like a musician that I could actually stand spending time with…not that he could stand being around me.

He also has a new EP that he is giving away free.  On Textiles on Main Street. Kasey covers Bruce Springsteen, Robyn (honestly, I have no idea who that is!), Lyle Lovett, Tom Waits, and Townes Van Zandt- all of whom I do know. Well, not know…

I have absolutely nothing bad to say about the EP other than it is over too soon. Lots of what used to be called rock ‘n’ roll guitars on this one.

http://www.kaseyanderson.com/news/textiles-on-main-st is the link that will get you there. After you listen to this one, spend some money on one of his albums. He looks like he could use the dough.

Thanks for visiting Fervor Coulee. Donald

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 I had a hard time determining my final ballot for this year’s Polaris Music Prize. As I assume do the other jurors, I take my responsibility as a Polaris juror seriously and hate to think that any ballot is just five names entered at random or on a whim.

After the ‘long list’ was revealed last week- and I found that only one of my ‘top 5’ albums made the list of 40- I had a lot of listening to undertake. Of course, this is also one of my busiest times of the year as a school teacher and administrator, so it was a challenge to find time to concentrate on listening to albums I had previously either passed over as a result of my roots-centric focus or only listened to casually.

The full Polaris 2011 Long List is posted here http://www.polarismusicprize.ca/2011/ and while one would think that such a list is pretty comprehensive and would be generally accepted as [- why can’t I come up with the word I want? Generally accepted as appropriate, a commonly agreed upon set or selection….what is the word I need??? Carrying on] that some type of consensus has been reached (as it is drawn from some 200+ ballots), the discussions within the Polaris Juror list these past several days revealed the widespread and individual nature of its members- we are far from one mind about what is Canada’s best album of the year.

I spent this past week listening to albums on the long list, ones that I hadn’t heard (or really listened to) the first time around: Austra, Rural Alberta Advantage, D-Sisive, Land of Talk, The Weeknd, Women, The Luyas, Little Scream, Buck 65, Ron Sexsmith, Tim Hecker, Dirty Beaches, Hooded Fang, Stars and many more. I couldn’t believe how uninspiring and plain boring and redundant some of those albums sounded to these old ears. Obviously, I am missing something lots of my Polaris colleagues aren’t. Still, Tim Hecker, Land of Talk, Ron Sexsmith, and Austra impressed enough that they received considerable additional listening before I finalized my ballot. But stuff like D-Sisive…I just don’t get. When cussing serves as the strongest argument an artist can make within an artistic statement, one needs to go back to the junior high playground.

Unless I discovered something totally surprising this week, moving from # 5 on my first ballot to #1 on my short list ballot was going to be Luke Doucet & the White Falcom’s Steel City Trawler, and that is how things turned out. I’m no longer sure I know what rock is, but I’m fairly certain this eleven track slice of brilliance qualifies.

“Thinking People” reminds me a little of Ray Davies and The Kinks and “The Ballad of Ian Curtis” captures the steely warmth of Joy Division’s sound in a way I wouldn’t have expected. “Sundown” is just a great song (DUH!) and even reinvented as a power chord-rich slice of pop it works. “Love and a Gentle Hand” is the best Cheap Trick song I’ve heard in a decade. “Hey Now” makes me think a little more everytime I hear it- I’m not always sure where it is going to take me, but it takes me places- the past, missed opportunities of last month, confrontations avoided and the wrong ones chosen. It is a gentle song that speaks volumes. “Magpies”, too- “All I see are the stepping stones. I don’t see the body for the bones.” Not sure what it means to everyone else, but I know what the phrase means to me.

So, that is my #1 album (now that the others I voted for have fallen to the wayside) and my recommendation to all readers of Fervor Coulee- give Luke Doucet’s Steel City Trawler a listen.

After that, I had lots of tough choices- had to dig deep and came up with six albums fighting
for four spots. There were lots of good albums on the Long List to select from…and even more that were near unlistenable as far as I’m concerned…but a few finally rose above others. I actually lost a couple minutes of sleep while considering ballot slot #5- Austra vs One Hundred Dollars and went into last night (the ballot deadline) still not final on that decision. As it turns out, by the time I hit Submit on my final ballot, things had changed considerably.

Timber Timbre’s Creep On Creepin On had been solidly on my ballot all of last week, but kept slipping down and eventually fell off as I spent more time with other albums. And I really enjoyed that one, even bought the album with my own hard earned money.

At number 2 I dropped in Shotgun Jimmie’s Transistor Sister; it is an album I shouldn’t love as there is nothing rootsy about it at all- it is all over the place, but all the places make stellar listening. Every year through Polaris deliberations I discover an artist (or two) and their albums that I have not only never heard of before but whom I would never have found independent of my Polaris commitment. Transistor Sister is one of those recordings. I’m not sure if it is about anything, but the words and sounds just flow with such energy that I can’t stop listening to it.

One Hundred Dollars’ Songs of Man is the rootsiest album on the Long List and one that I briefly considered for my original ballot; I was certainly pleased to see it appear on the Long List and it was an easy fit for #3 on my final ballot. The more I listened this week, the more impressed I became. Simone Schmidt has a beautiful voice, the kind of voice you are pleased to find on an album in your uncle’s basement- you’ve never heard it before, no one has ever mentioned her to you, but from the first time you hear the sound you know you’ve been invited into select group of admirers. I loved Forest of Tears a couple years back and this one is even better. The album holds up to listening and is very impressive in all ways- the production- which reminds me a little of Louise Burns’ Mellow Drama (see below)- has that open, hollow sound that I find so appealing.

Austra’s Feel It Break was my #4 album. Comparisons have been made to Kate Bush and I definitely hear the connection, but there is an aural straightforwardness around this release that makes it even more striking. The music is complex and multi-layered- a bit art school- but it doesn’t feel or sound contrived. It takes me back to the 80s without the embarrassment of the hair and pant styles. The album has a consistent overall sound, but every song is just different enough to tie things together into a listen that keeps the listener alert for the next fabulous interlude.

Louise Burns is a Vancouver-based artist that I know little about, but I’ve fallen for her album Mellow Drama. Had I spent even more time with it, it may have moved up on my ballot from #5. It has a rich sound, full and vibrant, but the emotion isn’t lost. She (and it) reminds me a little of the music of the Cocteau Twins and Tarnation- simultaneously very spacy and earthy. She’s coming to Olds July 2 to Track’s Pub. Hmm…I wonder if I can convince my wife to go for a drive…

That is likely my final input into the Polaris Music Prize 2011 because I don’t expect to ever be invited to participate in the final jury process that determines the winner. But I imagine I’ll share my thoughts on the final ten nominees when they are announced in ten days.

Thanks for reading Fervor Coulee. I hope you are finding material and music of interest. Donald

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I love WDVX- for most of the past ten years, I’ve been listening to my favourite little Knoxville station (on-line) on a regular basis. Some years I listen more than others, and in all honestly I haven’t been listening too much of late. But this week I’ve fallen back into a very good habit.

As I’m typing, Charlie and Alex are hosting The Bluegrass Special, one of the finest bluegrass shows I’ve ever listened to. I’ve listened to Alex progress from an exuberant yet poised child to a fine young broadcaster, and Charlie is always in fine voice. They play the finest mix of bluegrass I’ve found on the Internet- it suits me and my tastes just fine.

But, WDVX is much more than bluegrass. For me, WDVX is a connection to East Tennessee- a place I’ve never visited but have always longed to see- in my wilder dreams, I imagine going on a teaching exchange to Knoxville or Sevier County, spending some time in the Smokies, dropping in for a Blue Plate Special or a show at The Shed, and volunteering at the station that started in a camper. Heck, a week in a Sunset Cottage would do me well.

And it is hard to find a better selection of Americana music, all brought by hosts- like Red and Grace and Tony and Freddy and Nita…- with charm and wit. When I’m listening to WDVX, it is almost like I’m spending time with a family branch I’ve never met. I feel at home.

I tell you all that to tell you this- WDVX is listener supported radio, and Charlie and Alex just mentioned that they’ll be doing a one-day fundraiser June 29. Drop over to www.wdvx.com and give them a listen. If you like what you hear over the next week, reach into the wallet and make a donation. I have done so frequently in the past and will endeavor to do so this time out as well. They have fine incentives if you need some encouragement.

Thus ends this unsolicited message in support of WDVX.

Thanks for visiting Fervor Coulee. Donald

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Well, I can’t find the link on the Sugar Hill Records site, but the always reliable The Bluegrass Blog tells me that in celebration of today’s release of Reason & Rhyme, Jim Lauderdale’s new bluegrass album, Sugar Hill is offering up a download of “Love’s Voice.” Hopefully this link to TBB will get you near your download: http://tinyurl.com/3wlr2a2. It’ll cost you an email address. A link to my review of the album (from Fervor Coulee Bluegrass) is posted down below thereabouts…

Thanks for visiting Fervor Coulee. Donald

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In today’s Red Deer Advocate Roots Music column, I review the latest from AKUS. The review is posted below. Personally, I would like to hear more bluegrass from the band- my kind of bluegrass- but am wise enough to know that that isn’t likely to happen; it is better to appreciate what the band does than lament what the band doesn’t perform.

While Krauss’s own work with Robert Plant briefly threatened to eclipse Union Station’s substantial glow, all who have some understanding of the band and its workings were confident that they would return as strong as ever, and they have.

Looking forward to their early July concert in Edmonton…although I wouldn’t mind better seats! Wanna trade?

Thanks for visiting Fervor Coulee. Donald

Alison Krauss & Union Station Paper Airplane Rounder

It has been six years since we’ve heard new music from this top-drawing bluegrass band and while such a stretch might prove commercial suicide for some, the hiatus has allowed the band members to take care of themselves and rejuvenate while exploring side projects.

The quintet returns with an impressive collection of 11 songs, most of which will sound familiar to those who appreciate their uplifting sound.

Krauss and her Union Station mates- and AKUS is truly a band, not a backing unit for a featured performer- further refine the acoustiblue parameters that they have established and explored over the past fifteen years since So Long, So Wrong. The acoustic instrumentation is, as expected, exemplary in its tone and execution and while some of the songs- it could be argued- have a similar calm and sedate sound, there are enough lively moments to maintain momentum.

“My Love Follows You Where You Go” and “Lay My Burden Down” are the most dynamic pieces on which Krauss sings lead; the band pushes things a little, allowing Krauss to sing in a fuller voice than she does elsewhere. Krauss’s signature is the plaintive, yearnsome qualities she conveys vocally in romantic and decidedly anti-romantic settings and these are always appreciated.

The album’s cornerstone song may be an evocative rendering of Richard Thompson’s “Dimming of the Day” on which Krauss’s breathlessly communicates the love that grows with absence.

While much of the music of Paper Airplane is only distantly related to traditional bluegrass, the album does have its share of unrestrained moments. “Dust Bowl Children” is one of three songs to feature the aggressive tenor of Dan Tyminski in the lead position, and each of these songs is better than the one that came before.

Beyond their instrumental and vocal harmony mastery, what is remarkable about Union Station is that they can take an album’s worth of songs from outside writers- only bassist Barry Bales shares a co-writing credit on the album- and make them completely their own. You hear and feel their anguish, their questioning, and their hopes in every note.

Singularly, the songs are arrestingly enjoyable. Collectively, the cohesive flow of Paper Airplane amounts to one majestic performance.

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I’ve posted- over at Fervor Coulee Bluegrass- a review of Reason and Rhyme, the album from Jim Lauderdale that will be released next week. http://www.countrystandardtime.com/blog/FervorCouleeBluegrass/entry.asp?xid=761 will get you there. It is an uneven album, in my opinion, but has much to recommend it and I have enjoyed listening to it for the past couple weeks. Its flaws, while apparent, only detract momentarily and don’t overwhelm the release.

Thanks for visiting Fervor Coulee. Donald

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A few weeks ago- I don’t actually remember when- I received in the mail an album that made no impression on me when I opened the envelope. Oops.

Last week I finally got around to listening to Manitoba’s Kayla Luky’s fourth album The Time It Takes. O, my. What a refreshing surprise. In my ignorance, I had never heard of this wonderful vocalist and musician and all of a sudden she is a new favourite. I’ll write a full review in my first column of July, but I needed to share some of my enthusiasm. A gorgeous sound.

http://www.kaylaluky.blogspot.com/ has three songs streaming. Give her a listen- think Paula Frazer meeting Neko Case  in a converted grain elevator recording studio.

Thanks for visiting Fervor Coulee. Donald

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A Blazing Gurf- Gurf Morlix & Blaze Foley: Duct Tape Messiah- The Hideout, Red Deer June 12, 2011

A sixty-minute film to sum up a life is more than most of us will get, but it seems a bit inadequate for a life that was as obviously full as that lived by Blaze Foley.

Complemented by a superior set of lyric-centric post-hippie, country music from Gurf Morlix, for the past week Blaze Foley: Duct Tape Messiah has been touring the roots venues of Alberta. Marred as it was this night by a sound system that seemed to be working against itself, the movie expanded on the many stories we’ve heard recently about the Texas songwriter who was killed in 1989.

Fifty or sixty like-minded folks- many devotees of Morlix, several others in attendance by little more than chance- gathered in a Gasoline Alley eatery along Alberta’s busiest highway this Sunday evening to watch a documentary about a singer most had never heard of a year ago. I didn’t know Blaze Foley, of course, but I can’t help but wonder what the might have thought about such an event. From what I have learned about the towering troubadour, I suppose he most likely would mutter, “Where the hell is Red Deer?”

To be featured this week at Toronto’s NXNE, Kevin Triplett’s Blaze Foley: Duct Tape Messiah is an impressive creation. Interviews with family members- siblings, his mother- friends and songwriters- including Morlix, Mandy Mercier, Ky Hote and many others- his soul mate Sybil Rosen, as well as admirers including Merle Haggard place Blaze Foley’s seemingly contradictory behaviours in context. A defender of those facing injustices- a character trait that ultimately led to his death- had its foundation in the erratic and violent actions of his father, an abusive man according to Foley’s sister.

The many interviews weave into a solid fabric that tells Foley’s tale. Providing extra depth and insight are archival photos from throughout Foley’s life, handwritten lyrics, and brief bits of colourful animation. While the interviews provide the background and the visuals absorbing detail, the unearthed performances of Foley- in Austin television studios, on assorted stages, and on recordings- provide the substance. He was most obviously more than the drunken poet, in the words of Townes Van Zandt, “Who only gone crazy once. Decided to stay.”

Through the remembrances of those who knew him best, the film reveals Foley to have been both a self-saboteur and a victim of unparalleled circumstances. The stories told by Morlix about Foley during previous live shows sketched the outline- Blaze Foley: Duct Tape Messiah completes the portrait.

Here’s a guy who seriously considered converting to Judaism while ordering sausage for breakfast. A man who lost one album’s master tapes when his car was broken into and hundreds of copies of another album to a raid by federal agents. Through no fault of his own, his most endearing- and enduring- song “If I Could Only Fly” was about the only song Willie Nelson recorded in the 80s that wasn’t a hit.

The missed opportunities and bad fortune are not unique to Foley, but they are amplified with the knowledge that he never got that next chance that might have turned out differently: the man made Van Zandt’s career trajectory appear comparatively well-executed. The documentary appeared to appeal equally to those who thought they knew most of the stories already and those who entered the roadhouse having never heard of Mike Fuller.

What did I take from the film? While I realize Blaze Foley wasn’t the greatest singer who ever darkened an Austin dive’s doorway, I came away with a greater appreciation for his gently awkward voice and finely crafted words. His first song- the first bleeding song the guy wrote- is as beautiful as anything I’ve heard. “Livin’ in the Woods in a Tree” is a personal song capturing his love for Sybil and their carefree life in a treehouse, but its images and sincerity provide universal appeal.

I’ve heard “If I Could Only Fly” sung by Foley (and others) any number of times, but the sparseness of the performance captured in Blaze Foley: Duct Tape Messiah reveals an innocence of spirit that brings to mind Nick Drake at his most exposed. And I love the story shared about Foley helping Van Zandt get through “If I Needed You” one night on stage.

As stated earlier, it was unfortunate that a film that rivals Be Here to Love Me was provided an exhibition less than ideal. The sound was horrible, frequently rendering the artistry of Foley’s lyrics indiscernible. Audience members were leaning forward, searching for the nugget that was every word and were too frequently left wanting. While one appreciates the efforts it took to bring the production to the city, one hopes the film has a better fate elsewhere. It certainly deserves such.

Outside of a screening of Blaze Foley: Duct Tape Messiah, the closest many of us will ever get experiencing Blaze Foley may be through an evening with Gurf Morlix. Morlix’s affection for his friend comes through in every conversation, and his performance in Red Deer on Sunday evening was certainly a suitable tribute.

Morlix performed about a dozen Foley songs in his hour-long set, each punctuated by his recollection of experiences with Foley starting in 1977. Several of the stories were poignant and all of them were humourous.

Having caught Morlix a couple times as both a sideman for and on a co-bill with Sam Baker, as well as fronting his own outfit at a Calgary fest a half-dozen years or more ago, I was very much looking forward to hearing him run through his interpretation of the Foley songbook.

He didn’t disappoint.

Even more than usual, Morlix’s guitar playing was spectacular, each note delicately but assuredly picked. The sound was significantly better for Morlix’s performance than it had been for the movie, and again the audience was hanging onto every word spoken and sang.

I’m not a Foley expert and I don’t know every one of his songs. Morlix’s renditions of “Clay Pigeons,” “For Anything Less,” and “Baby Can I Crawl Back to You” were quite impressive, equalling the performances contained on his tribute album Blaze Foley’s 113^th Wet Dream. “If I Could Only Fly” silenced the house. “Cold Cold World” brought the evening to a close on just the right notes, while Morlix’s own “Music You Mighta Made” contained clever echoes of Foley’s music…at least, to my ears.

As Morlix sang “Cold Cold World,” perspective was delivered. Had Blaze Foley not died in 1989, there is no telling what he might have accomplished. As past behaviour is most frequently the best indicator of future behaviour, Foley’s future- had he not stood up for his friend Concho- might not have been as rosy as some may like to imagine. Dying as Foley did short of his 40^th birthday, we are left with a legacy of accomplishment magnified by its unrealized potential. But, imagine if it had turned out differently.

Maybe Blaze Foley would have stopped getting in his own way finally finding a modicum of success. Maybe Blaze Foley would be a household name outside of Austin and outside of select CKUA-listening Alberta homes. Maybe Blaze Foley would be as well-known as Jerry Jeff Walker, Lyle Lovett, and Ray Wylie Hubbard.

Maybe. But not likely.

A blazing grace, indeed.

Thanks for visiting Fervor Coulee. Donald

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Since the 9513 rolled up the sidewalk, I’ve not been exploring the many links they had/have as frequently as I was a few months ago. Still, when I think of it I still bounce over to Farce the Music. Their album cover parody series is a favourite although most of the commercial country album jokes go over my head; I’ve never heard of many of the artists featured. This week a set of “Americana” albums were featured http://www.farcethemusic.com/2011/06/americanaroots-rock-parody-album-covers.html One of these made me roar and a couple inspired a giggle- that’s a .500 average, which is darn good. Give them a peek. Thanks for visiting Fervor Coulee, Donald

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Visit www.google.ca today- June 9- and have some fun stumming.

Donald