Weeks like this are the ones I live for when it comes to doing this column. There are a ton of compelling new releases. I didn't realize some of these were streeting this week. I feel an Amazon order coming on. I'll have the links at the end of this article. Best you go ahead and jump on a few of these as well.
Johnny Cash
American VI: Ain't No Grave
We are pretty sure this is the final chapter of Cash's collaboration with Rick Rubin. I suppose it's possible there is more. Rubin released a terrific box set of previously unissued material and has now released two posthumous volumes. Very little of what Cash and Rubin did was less than excellent and some of it stands among the best things this icon ever recorded. Rubin hasn't always been on the right side of every moment in his career but he deserves a lot for helping Cash get that great final act. I'll likely have a review of this up soon. In the meantime, would you all please read this excellent review my friend El Bicho has written?
Carolina Chocolate Drops
Genuine Negro Jig
I'm not independently familiar with Carolina Chocolate Drops but I'm hearing some buzz about them. My cursory research indicates they have some blues/roots elements in their sound and seeing how I'm — forgive the blatant self-promotion, dear readers — in the midst of an exhaustive examination of albums and artists nominated for the 2010 Blues Music Awards, that is something that has my attention. I've also found that Nonesuch is one of the few major-mini labels that has etched out an identity for itself and I've found myself enjoying some artists that might have otherwise fallen out of my standard musical ambit. This is on my "to-do" list.
Eric Johnson
Tones
This is a remastered, re-issued edition of Johnson's out-of-print debut. Metalheads and guitar geeks know and respect Johnson. Unlike some of the other players in this genre, Johnson can't be strictly pigeonholed as a "metal" guy. He's an interesting player who stays gone for years at a time and only occasionally emerges. Fans of his work will be glad this one is back in print.
Article comments
1 - Mark Saleski
oh gawd, that Caroline Chocolate Drops disc is fantastic.
2 - Josh Hathaway
It's high on my list. The Cash disc is pretty wonderful, too.
3 - El Bicho
tip o' the hat, Josh
4 - Josh Hathaway
My pleasure. You really captured the essence of a beautiful record.
5 - El Bicho
and thanks for turning me onto CCD. I dig their old time sound
6 - Jordan Richardson
Joanna Newsom is weird and a-fucking-mazing.
7 - zingzing
newsom is one that i've not been able to get into. i've got both her previous full-lengths, and there are some beautiful moments, and i love her quirky voice and songwriting, but the arrangements don't do much for me.
her first one had some great pseudo-pop on it, but the second one... i loved the ambition, but it just didn't pan out for me. there seemed to be little connection between where one (looooong) song started and where it ended. i'm not a lyrics guy by any means, so maybe that's the problem. and van dyke parks had a hand in it, which makes sense (song cycle is one of my favorite albums and it has the same problem that newsome has, except the songs are 3-4 minutes instead of 10+), but damn if that thing isn't a chore.
still, if you like intricately-arranged pop with strange vocals and complex lyrics, she's your woman. it's an acquired taste, for sure. i might yet acquire it.
8 - Tom Johnson
The new Newsom sounds very intriguing from what I've heard online. Couldn't stand any of her previous stuff, but she's singing with what appears to me to be a new-found soulfulness. I also figure with 125 minutes run time, there's got to be a regular album's worth of solid material in there.
On the other side of the conversation, that Carolina Chocolate Drops sounds like a nightmare to me. 30 second clips on Amazon had me pawing to get to the pause button, almost yelling out "Let me out of the trailer, Cletus!" I have a mind for some bluegrass but it clearly isn't the ground they're covering. Maybe "newgrass" is the genre I'm thinking of. This, like I said . . . nightmare.