Jace Everett – Bad Things Elektra/Atlantic (True Blood Soundtrack)
Me and the misses started watching the new HBO series, True Blood, a steamy, sexy tale of a small southern town where normal folk intermingle with vampires. That might sound shite, but actually it’s a good programme, and apparantly has done great business Stateside. The opening credits are brilliant, flashing scenes of the south, all set the tune of Jace Everett’s Bad Things. It’s hardcore country with sexy vocals and some scintillating guitar. Everett was born in Evansville, Indiana but grew up in Texas before moving to Nashville. In 2005 he signed with Epic Records but his career has never really taken off. His latest album, Red Revelations, was released a couple of months ago on the small Weston Boys label and includes Bad Things. Hopefully this will result in a higher profile and can kick start his career.
Recommended downloads: I haven’t heard Red Revelations, but from the True Blood OST I enjoyed the Charlie Robison country track, Good Times and the first half of Wayne Hancock’s version Brand New Cadillac. Once the trumpet solo starts, all momentum is lost. I’m not the confrontational type, but I would love to see The Train fall out with his trumpeter.
Lloyd Maines is the man behind the knobs for the Texas tonkers sixth studio album, and again the pair have come up with the now familiar brand of honky tonk swing. When Wayne "The Train" Hancock came on the scene a decade or so ago, he was a breath of fresh air. His songs and style were so retro you'd have been forgiven for thinking that Hank was still in Shreveport and Webb Pierce was still dreaming of a swimming pool. Six albums later and it's hard to retain that freshness. The music is still pretty much the same, which is good because he'd be lambasted if he changed, but to me, the quality of the songs isn't as outstanding. Don't get me wrong, there are some fine moments here, but nothing like Thunder Storms And Neon Lights, 87 Southbound or No Sleep Blues.
On the positive side, the trumpet seems to have gone, and if you like pure hillbilly music, then Hancock is still about the best around. The highlights here include the up-tempo Throwin' Away My Money, the tale of betrayal and jealous revenge, Your Love And His Blood and Moving On My Mind. I just didn't warm to the title track, the jazzy Midnight Stars And You or the Hawaiian sleeper Tropical Blues, all of which lacked any oomph. There's plenty here that's okay and probably good in isolation, but as an album it just doesn't compare to his first couple of releases, and there's no killer track. While I'm being a grump I might as well admit that I don't think much of the album cover. I still love him though, and his live shows are absolutely mind-blowing.
Lucky Tubb is the great nephew of the legendary honky tonk singer, Ernest Tubb. Ernest was one of the biggest stars in country music history who amassed no fewer than 82 hits between 1944 and 1979. Poor ol’ Lucky is going to enjoy about 82 hits fewer than that, not because he’s bad, in fact he’s good, very good, but he suffers from the modern day syndrome of being too country. Let’s be honest, his Uncle Ernie would be laughed out of Nashville nowadays with his chiselled looks and un-CMT vocals delivery.
The fact that Lucky won’t be the darling of the Nashville scene, will no doubt suit him fine. He comes from the Wayne Hancock, Hank III school of hillbilly, happy to tour the bye-roads of small town America in the tradition of the likes of Tubb and Bill Monroe. The other thing to consider is that he isn’t just making a living as an uncle Ernest tribute singer, Lucky Tubb is very much his own man. He’s lived a troublesome life and has his own story to tell. He’s toured as opening act for Dwight Yoakam, Ray Price and Hank III but on this listening, I think he’s gonna be the headliner pretty soon.
Damn the Luck is Tubb’s second album, following Generations, six long years ago. This latest release was recorded live in the studio in just one day! The Modern Day Troubadours are Tubb on vocals and rhythm guitar, Natalie Page Monson on fiddle and harmony vocals, Jericho Renshaw on lead guitar, Casey Gill on slap bass and Steve England on pedal steel, dobro and mandolin.
The album evokes the sounds and smells of lost highway juke joints, ala Wayne Hancock but without that bloody trumpet, that seems to get more and more airplay. What I love about this album is that you can’t see the seams between the songs written 50 years ago and the ones written today. Lucky himself wrote six of the eleven songs, and there’s a quartet of vintage family numbers. Not Ernest, but his Uncle Douglas who wrote three of them between 1952 and 1956, and another relative, Ronnie Wade wrote one in 1957.
As soon as the album kicks off with Used Up Love I just knew I was going to love it. Huntsville sees him in prison (he actually spent 5 years behind bars, including time in Huntsville) where “some Mexican wants to make me his wife – but I don’t think so”. You’ll enjoy the lyrics and you’ll drool over Renshaw’s gittar. Bakersfield pays tribute to the sound that put the city on the map with Renshaw and England taking top honours again.
I could hear a bit of Chet Atkins in Renshaw’s picking on The World Is A Monster which along with Sweet Mental Revenge sees country music’s infamous dark side come to the fore. It ain’t all neon signs and parties with hillbilly gals in denim shorts and cowboy boots.
I love the chugging rhythm of Keeping Time, with it’s Drifting Cowboys lonesome sound and some great honky tonk vocals from Tubb. It’s Your Wagon is fine up-tempo hillbilly with The Modern Day Troubadours showing what a fine country band they are – Casey Gill’s bass driving the whole thing along.
Honky Tonkin’ isn’t the Hank Williams classic, but is an enjoyable slab of hillbilly with Gill again sounding right on the money - “Got my baby by my side, and Bob Wills on the box”. There’s more hot picking on Annie Don’t Work No More with Renshaw’s rocking guitar and the backing vocals giving it a real rockabilly feel. The way he signs “rrrrrrock” is superb. The CD closes with the title track, a honky tonker which along withy Annie, is the highlight of a fabulous album.
The only youTube clip I could find is the one below, and although it only runs for about a minute it gives a glimpse of what they sound like live.
