Routes and Branches Play List 09/24/11

The number of new releases that I have listened to this year has already outpaced last year and we are just beginning to see the fall swell before the holidays. With so many new releases each week it is hard to keep up with them in just two hours of programing, so this week I tried to play some of the new discs that hadn't made it into a show yet. They include Will Hoge, Pieta Brown, Jason Boland & The Stragglers, Ruth Hill, Lydia Loveless and Wilco, all of which have great new tunes that deserve airplay. I'm looking forward to seeing what else arrives in the mail box!!


Artist-Song-Source

3pm
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss - Gone, Gone, Gone - Raising Sand
Wilco - Born Alone - The Whole Love
Kasey Anderson & The Honkies - My Baby's A Wrecking Ball - Heart Of A Dog
JJ Grey & Mofro - Orange Blossoms - Brighter Days
Jason & The Scorchers - Land Of The Free - Halcyon Times
Pieta Brown - Mercury - Mercury
Flatbed Honeymoon - Sweet Chicago - The Traveler
Dave Alvin & The Guilty Women - River Under The Road - Dave Alvin & The Guilty Women
The Band Of Heathens - LA County Blues - One Foot In The Ether
Jason Boland & The Stragglers - Farmer's Luck - Rancho Alto
Drive By Truckers - Perfect Timing - Brighter Than Creations Dark
Steve Spurgin - Fire On The Kettle - Past Perfect

4pm
The Holy Goats - Next Round - Next Round
Ry Cooder - El Corrido De Jesse James - Pull Up Some Dust And Sit Down
Bearfoot - Midnight In Montana - American Story
New Riders Of The Purple Sage - Barracuda Moon - Where I Come From
Ruth Hill - Larry's Guitar - The River Beneath Me
Lydia Loveless - How Many Women - Indestructible Machine
Nikki Lane - Can't Be Satisfied - Walk Of Shame
Kasey Chambers - Devil On Your Back - Little Bird
Greg Brown - I Don't Know Anybody In This Town - Freak Flag
Robert Earl Keen - Play A Train Song - Ready For Confetti
Robert Rolfe Feddersen - Get A Rope - Get A Rope
Will Hoge - Too Old To Die Young - Number Seven
Catherine Maclellan - Snowbird - Silhouette

Routes and Branches Play List 09/17/11

I had two new CDs that really stood out this week. First I was surprised to see Hugh Laurie's face on the cover of a CD in my mail box. I, like many others, would more readily associate Laurie as the main character on the TV show "House" not a musician releasing a new CD. As he writes in the liner notes of his new album "Let Them Talk" Laurie says "Let this record show that I am a white, middle-class Englishman, openly trespassing on the music and myth of the American south." He may be a white Englishman trespassing on the music of the American south, but he is not the first Englishman to do so and I'm sure he won't be the last and like the ones before Laurie comes through with the chops. A Piano player from the age of 6 Laurie was truly moved to have played piano for one of his idols, Dr. John. Laurie asked Joe Henry to produce this album and he collected an all star cast of musicians to play on it including Jay Bellerose-drums, Kevin Breit-guitars, Mandolin & Mandocello, Greg Leisz- guitar, Lap-steel, Weissenborn, & Mandola, David Piltch-Upright Bass, and Patrick Warren-Field Organ, Autoharp, Accordion and Keys. What an excellent album that I'm sure I will enjoy for years to come.

The second artist to catch my ear this week comes from closer to home,Portland, Oregon. I'm referring to Kasey Anderson and The Honkies new CD "Heart Of A Dog". I was a fan of Anderson's last album "Nowhere Nights" and I feel that this new disc picks up where that album left off with several strong new songs two of which I played on the show today.

Artist-Song-Source

3pm
Hot Tuna - Mama Let Me Lay It On You - Steady As She Goes
Robert Earl Keen - Ready For Confetti - Ready For Confetti
Ray Bonneville - Good Times - Bad Man's Blood
The Band Of Heathens - Hurricane - Top Hat Crown & The Clapmaster's Son
Payton & Crazywater - I Come From Texas - I Come From Texas
Sarah Pierce - Cowgirls Ride - Bring It On
James McMurtry - Just Us Kids - Just Us Kids
Catherine Maclellan - Stealin' - Silhouette
Sarah Lee Guthrie & Johnny Irion - Never Too Far From My Heart - Bright Examples
Dan Zanes And Friends w/ Joan Osborne - Everybody's Going To Be Happy - Little Nut Tree
Dan Zanes And Friends - The Farmer Is The One - Little Nut Tree
Guy Clark - If I Needed You - Songs And Stories
John Doe- Walking Out The Door - Keeper

4pm
Hugh Laurie - St. James Infirmary - Let Them Talk
Hugh Laurie w/Dr. John - After Your Gone - Let Them Talk
Marcia Ball - That's How It Goes - Roadside Attractions
The Dirt Daubers - Trucks, Tractors & Trains - Wake Up Sinners
Ry Cooder - John Lee Hooker For President - Pull Up Some Dust And Sit Down
Lewi Longmire Band - Save Yourself - Tales Of The Left Coast Roasters
Kasey Anderson & The Honkies - Mercy - Heart Of A Dog
Kasey Anderson & The Honkies - Kasey Anderson's Dream - Heart Of A Dog
Southern Culture On The Skids - Undertaker - Zombified
Blitzen Trapper - Taking It Easy Too Long - American Goldwing
Whitehorse - I'm On Fire - Whitehorse
Robert Earl Keen - I Gotta Go - Ready For Confetti

Routes and Branches Play List 09/10/11

One of my favorite songwriters, John Prine, is coming to town this week to play a sold out show, so I choose to make his new album "In Person & On Stage" my feature disc on this afternoon's show. It is a great recording of John doing what he does best, sing songs and tell stories. If you are planning on attending John's show then this disc is a must have as a memento.

Artist-Song-Source

3pm
John Prine - Spanish Pipedream - In Person & On Stage
John Prine w/Iris Dement - In Spite Of Ourselves - In Person & On Stage
Jonell Mosser - When He Gets Home - Fortunes Lost, Fortunes Told
Imelda May - Eternity - Mayhem
Ollabelle - One More Time - Neon Bluebird
Slaid Cleaves - Horseshoe Lounge - Sorrow & Smoke
Slaid Cleaves - Green Mountains & Me - Sorrow & Smoke
Blitzen Trapper - Love The Way You Walk Away - American Goldwing
John Prine - Bear Creek Blues - In Person & On Stage
John Prine - Saddle In The Rain - In Person & On Stage
Gary Nicholson - Lone Star Blues - Texas Songbook

4pm
Steve Forbert - Stolen Identity - Place And The Time
Matt The Electrician - All I Know - Accidental Thief
Hoots & Hellmouth - Returning To Pieces - Face First In The Dirt
Mary Gauthier - Sideshow - The Foundling
Dave Alvin - Manzanita - Eleven Eleven
John Prine - Paradise - In Person & On Stage
Neil Young - Are You Ready For The Country - A Treasure
The Band Of Heathens - Hurricane - Top Hat Crown & The Clapmaster's Son
Dar Williams - The Easy way - Promised Land
Joan Osborne - Sweeter Than The Rest - Little Wild One
The Jayhawks - High Water Blues - Mockingbird Time
Drive By Truckers - Gavity's Gone - Ugly Buildings, Whores & Politicians
John Prine - Angel From Montgomery - In Person & On Stage

Routes and Branches Play List 09/03/11

Labor day weekend so it's time for our annual show dedicated to the working man and related Americana songs. There are of course many songs that would fit into this show and I'm always looking to add to my collection of tunes, so If I didn't play a good tune that you would recommend for next year please let me know about it. With that said, here is this year's list.


Artist-Song-Source

3pm
Dave Insley - God Loves The Working Man - Here With You Tonight
Dave Alvin - Gary Indiana - Eleven Eleven
Tom Russell - Tulare Dust/They're Tearin' The Labor Camps Down - Tulare Dust
Merle Haggard - Workin' Man Blues - The Best Of Merle Haggard
Levon Helm - Growin' Trade - Electric Dirt
James McMurtry - We Can't Make It Here - Childish Things
John Hiatt - Detroit Made - Dirty Jeans And Mudslide Hymns
Tim O'Brien - Workin' - Chicken & Egg
David Lindley - Do You Want My Job - Twango Bango Deluxe
Mark Stuart & Stacy Earle - Boss Is Watchin' - Town Square
The Holmes Brothers- Edge Of The Ledge - Feed My Soul
Ry Cooder - No Banker Left Behind - Pull Up Some Dust And Sit Down

4pm
Los Lobos - Tin Can Trust - Tin Can Trust
Ryan Bingham - Hard Times - Mescalito
Caleb Klauder - Satisfied Mind - Western Country
Nanci Griffith - Cotton's All We Got - The Loving Kind
Johnny Cash - Cotton Fields - The Legend
Old & In The Way - Muleskinner Blues - Breakdown
Keb Mo - We Don't Need It - The Reflection
Grant Peeples - Better Jobs Down In Richmond - Pawnshop
Wayne Hancock - Working At Working - Viper Of Melody
Hank III - Workin' Man - Damn Right Rebel Proud
Dale Watson - Truckin' Man - Best Of The Hightone Years
Steve Earle - Six Days On The Road - Essential Steve Earle
Railroad Earth - Elko - Elko
Merle Haggard - Are The Good Times Really Over - Country Legends: The Working Man

Routes and Branches Play List 08/27/11

I had Shoebox Letters a band from Portland into the studio this afternoon to play some live music on the radio. The have a classic Americana/singer/songwriter groove and it was a pleasure to have them stop by and play us a few of their tunes. Dennis Winslow creates interesting songs which tell stories of life as he sees it. Their sound has a warm inviting feel with lovely harmonies.

This is also the weekend of our big downtown block party called the Eugene Celebration. I spent most of the first hour this afternoon featuring artists who have played or are going to play at the Celebration this year. I am looking forward to many of the acts that are scheduled to perform on Sunday including The Stagger & Sway, The Whopner County Country Allstars, Poor Man's Whiskey and Dave Alvin. It will be interesting to see who Dave Alvin has touring with him this time around. He's calling the band "The Guilty Ones" leaving the genders of the band out this time around.

It's a fun weekend and I hope that all of my listeners found some live music to enjoy, I know I have.

3pm.
Dave Alvin - Murrietta's Head - Eleven Eleven
Hillstomp - Poor Black Mattie - After Two But Before Five
The Whopner County Country Allstars - City Limits - It's Too Loud
Indigenous - Things We Do - The Acoustic Sessions
The Stagger & Sway - River Road - Break Til You Bend
W J McEachern - Way After Dark - Knee Deep
Michael Kevin Daly - Love Is The Best Recipe - Boundless
Sassparilla - Devil - Ramshackle
Poor Man's Whiskey - Mexico - Roadside Attraction
Eilen Jewell - I Remember You - Queen Of The Minor Key
Amos Lee - Buenos Tardes Amigo - Live From SoHo

4pm.
Shoebox Letters - Looking For Lightning - Live in The KRVM Studio
Shoebox Letters - Ain't Enough Tears - Live in The KRVM Studio
Shoebox Letters - Tell Me - Live in The KRVM Studio
Buddy Miller - Cattle Call - The Majestic Silver Strings
Holmes Brothers - You're The Kind Of Trouble - Feed My Soul
Moreland & Arbuckle - White Lightnin' - Just A Dream
Hayes Carll - Stomp And Holler - KMAG YOYO
Drive By Truckers - Bob - Brighter Than Creations Dark
Ray Bonneville - Bad Man's Blood - Bad Man's Blood
Mark Alan Stansberry - Journey Of Life - Americana: The Journey Of Life
James McMurtry - Dry River - Saint Mary Of The Woods
Dave Alvin - Two Lucky Bums - Eleven Eleven

Routes and Branches Play List 08/20/11

Most weeks my show is made up of what I have been listening to during the past week which is the case with today's show. I started with Poor Man's Whiskey because I'm looking forward to seeing them next week at the Eugene Celebration. Calexico and Amos Lee put on a great show here in Eugene this past week so I had to include them. Fast Rattler was also in town this past week and although they didn't care for the sound system mix and ended up playing without it, they performed great and it end up a wonderful evening of acoustic music.
Eilen Jewel and Misner & Smith will both be coming to town in this next week so I previewed a couple of their tunes as well. Misner & Smith will be performing live in the KRVM studio on Thursday afternoon. Be sure to tune in.


Artist-Song-Source

3pm
Poor Man's Whiskey - Brain Damage/Eclipse - Darkside Of The Moonshine
Poor Man's Whiskey - Whiskey In Heaven - Darkside Of The Moonshine
Water Tower Bucket Boys - Goatheads - Sole Kitchen
Fast Rattler - Wolverine Talking Blues No.14 - Linger On
James McMurtry - We Can't Make It Here - Childish Things
Gary Nicholson - A woman In Texas, A woman In Tennessee - Texas Songbook
Gary Nicholson - Fallin' & Flyin' - Texas Songbook
Rob Wasserman & Tom Morello - Ease My Evolutionary Mind - Note Of Hope: A Celebration of Woody Guthrie
Calexico - Two Silver Trees - Carried To Dust
Amos Lee - Windows Are Rolled Down - Mission Bell
Guy Clark - Maybe I Can Paint Over That - Songs And Stories

4pm
John Doe - Don't Forget How Much I Love You - Keeper
John Hiatt - I Love That Girl - Dirty Jeans And Mudslide Hymns
Misner & Smith - Greyhound Days - Live At The Freight & Salvage
Misner & Smith - Poor Player - Live At The Freight & Salvage
Shoebox Letters - Commotion - Raise A Ruckus
Nell Robinson - Red Clay Creek - On The Brooklyn Road
Ollabelle - Record Needle - Neon Blue Bird
Eilen Jewell - Warning Signs - Queen Of The Minor Key
Eilen Jewell - Queen Of The Minor Key - Queen Of The Minor Key
Jonell Mosser - When He Gets Home - Fortunes Lost, Fortunes Told
Nikki Lane - Gone, Gone, Gone - Gone, Gone, Gone
Ana Egge - Driving With No Hands - Bad Blood
Steve Earle - Waitin' On The Sky - I'll Never Get Out Of This World Alive
Drive By Truckers - Carl Perkins' Cadillac - Ugly Buildings, Whores & Politicians

Routes and Branches Play List 08/13/11

What a year for new releases. It seems that every week I'm listening to another album that I want to add to my favorites for the year list and this week I had two albums to add.
Guy Clark's new album called "Songs And Stories" is an excellent recording of a perfomance at the Belcourt Theatre in Nashville, with Clark warmly surrounded by his musical family -- his longtime sidekick and co-writer Verlon Thompson, along with Shawn Camp, Bryn Davies and Kenny Malone. I saw Clark and Thompson perform together last year at The Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival in San Fransisco and this recording takes me right back to that day. Releasing just months prior to his 70th birthday, "Songs and Stories" is further evidence why Clark is a member of The Songwriters Hall of Fame, with craftsmanship that young writers study and seasoned writers admire.

The second album that I totally fell in love with this week is also a live recording, this time from the Horseshoe Lounge in Austin, Texas with Slaid Cleaves and friends performing two discs worth of Cleaves' songs. I have never seen Cleaves perform, but I'm sure that each show is a very special evening if it is anything like what this album presents.

There is nothing that compares with seeing your favorite musician perform their songs live, but these two performers have found a way to capture as much of that live performance feeling and save it for eternity.


Artist-Song-Source

3pm
James Lee Stanley & Cliff Eberhardt - Love Me Two Times - All Wood And Doors
Guy Clark - L.A. Freeway - Songs And Stories
Slaid Cleaves - Drinkin' Days - Sorrow & Smoke
John Prine - Saddle In The Rain - In Person & On Stage
Jeff Bridges - What A Little Bit Of Love Can Do - Jeff Bridges
Shoebox Letters - This Ain't Gonna Be Like That - Raise A Ruckus
Poor Man's Whiskey - Three Years Gone - Darkside Of The Moonshine
Indigenous - Now That Your Gone - The Acoustic Sessions
The Whopner County Country Allstars - Another Time, Another Place - 7 - 10 Split
Dave Alvin - Harlin County Line - Eleven Eleven
Old & In The Way - Pig In A Pen - Breakdown

4pm
Railroad Earth - Old Man And The Land - Elko
Fast Rattler - Rocksalt And Nails - Linger On
Fast Rattler - Linger On - Linger On
Emmylou Harris - The Road - Hard Bargain
Tedeschi Trucks Band - Simple Things - Revelator
Joe Ely - Circumstance - Satisfied At Last
Kasey Chambers - Train Wreck - Little Bird
Gillian Welch - The Way It Goes - The Harrow & The Harvest
John Hiatt - Don't Wanna Leave You Now - Dirty Jeans And Mudslide Hymns
Neil Young - Southern Pacific - A Treasure