Here’s a band that gets it.
I remember that being the first thing I thought when I saw this video of The Whiskey Gentry some five years ago. They get it. All of it. The sound, the energy, the performance. It’s all there.
Since then, I have been lucky enough to get to know Lauren and Jason Morrow and the various and sundry gentry that surround them. Tremendous folks all, and it is with much excitement that I have been follow their musical journey and have awaited their latest record, Dead Ringer, which released at the end of March.
Featured this month on Trail Mix is “Looking For Trouble,” a powerful blend of old country tradition and garage rock swagger.
On the mix this month are brand new tracks from two bright new female voices, Lillie Mae and Sarah Shook. Lillie Mae, who cut her teeth on mandolin and fiddle with Jack White’s band, blends old time Appalachia with crunchy rock and roll on her debut record, which was produced by none other than White himself. And Sarah Shook, releasing her first record with her new band, the Disarmers, continues to be all grit and badassery.
And who knew that the guitarist from one of the biggest rock bands in the world had an alt-country streak? Chris Shiflett, long time member of Foo Fighters, joined forces with Dave Cobb, the Grammy winning producer behind the work of Jason Isbell and Chris Stapleton, on West Coast Town, his third solo record. Trail Mix is happy to be featuring “Sticks & Stones” this month.
April’s mix features the return of some long time friends and favorites. Back on the mix are Craig Finn, Malcolm Holcombe, Front Country, Ruthie Foster, Dangermuffin, Andrew Combs, and The Whistles & The Bells.
There’s also an international flair this month.We are featuring a new tune from Orchestra Baobab, a band returning from a longtime recording hiatus. This month, the world music masters, who have been performing in some form or fashion since the 1960s, release their first album in a decade.
Be sure to take a listen to new tracks from Trail Mix newcomers like Cory Branan, Tow’rs, Jessie Smith, Christina Cavazos, Blackfoot Gypsies, and That One Eyed Kid.
Keep yourself tuned in to the Trail Mix blog this month, too. Chats with Jenny Scheinman, The Weeks, and author Peter Cooper are in store, as a visit to the Ralph Stanley Museum in the mountains of Southwest Virginia.
And, of course, get out and buy some of this music. Hit your local record store. Find it online directly from the artist. Get a few of these discs any which way you can, but make sure you do it. These fantastic musicians would appreciate it.
Download April’s Trail Mix here.
[cue id=”73038″]
