Lubbock Review Archives
Release Me
Review of: Lyle Lovett
(Curb/Lost Highway) Release Me, Lyle Lovett's not so subtle message to his record label, counts as his last release on Curb Records. After 27 years, Lovett wanted out... This is an album of mostly covers. A couple of these tunes appeared on Lovett's read more...
The Grifter's Hymnal
Review of: Ray Wylie Hubbard
(Bordello Records) The Grifter's Hymnal serves as the follow-up album to Ray Wylie Hubbard's 2010 release A: Enlightenment B: Endarkenment. The Oklahoma-born read more...
Live In The Living Room
Review of: Rodney Parker & 50 Peso Reward
(Smith Entertainment) Texan Rodney Parker and his band 50 Peso Reward just released Live In the Living Room. This acoustic collection includes songs from the group's three studio albums. The live performance was actually recorded in Parker's living room in front of read more...
Hard Dollar
Review of: Hadden Sayers
(Blue Corn Music) The Hadden Sayers story represents the mean life struggling artists endure such as bad deals, neglect and poverty. The 13 songs on Hard Dollar proves Sayers prefers to undertake matters in the right way, not the easy way. The Texas born read more...
Songs And Stories
Review of: Guy Clark
(Dual Tone Music) Guy Clark's Songs And Stories was recently recorded live at the Belcourt Theatre in Nashville. This collection culls Clark's most memorable material. The backing band on this album includes Kenny Malone (drums), Bryn Davies (bass), Shawn Camp read more...
Last of the Country Gentlemen
Review of: Josh T. Pearson
(Mute Records) Josh T. Pearson's father was a Pentecostal preacher, but after a rough childhood Josh turned to "the Devil's music". In 2001, Pearson traveled to Europe with a group called Lift to Experience where they found deep appreciation for their music. read more...
The Grand Theatre Vol. 2
Review of: Old 97s
(New West Records) The Old 97s formed in Dallas, Texas, during 1993. The Grand Theatre Vol. 2 counts as their 9th studio album. These 13 songs were intended to be a double album--with Vol.1, but the group decided to release the sessions seperately. A read more...
Photographs
Review of: Robert Ellis
(New West Records) New West Records just released Photographs by Houston, Texas, native Robert Ellis. The 22-year old Ellis recently revealed how Photographs originated: "I came up with the concept before I came up with any of the songs, actually. read more...
Live At Antone's
Review of: Ruthie Foster
(Blue Corn Music) Texas native Ruthie Foster contends as one of this generation's finest singers. Her voice is often compared to Ella Fitzgerald, Mavis Staples and Aretha Franklin. Foster's songwriting also deserves honorable mention. Her six solo albums contain a wealth of read more...
Junky Star
Review of: Ryan Bingham & The Dead Horses
(Lost Highway) Marc Ford exposed me to Ryan Bingham’s music. Ford produced Bingham’s debut release Mescalito. The read more...
A. Enlightenment, B. Endarkment (There is no C)
Review of: Ray Wylie Hubbard
(Bordello Records) Ray Wylie Hubbard is an Oklahoma native who later moved to Texas and fell in with the likes of Waylon Jennings, Doug Sahm,
Live at The Old Quarter Houston, Texas
Review of: Townes Van Zandt
(Fat Possum) The Holy Grail of Townes Van Zandt albums...during this July 1973 performance Van Zandt operated and the apex of his powers. With only his acoustic guitar
Roadhouse Sun
Review of: Ryan Bingham
Roadhouse Sun Ryan Bingham Lost Highway By James Calemine “We’re playing rock and roll. This ain’t no country band,” Ryan Bingham told me as he sat in a club in Luckenbach, Texas, waiting for soundcheck for that read more...
Monte Montgomery
Review of: Monte Montgomery
(Thirty Tigers) I first heard of Monte Montgomery back in 1999, by way of a nice guy in Texas who worked in some capacity for Jerry LaCroix. He sent me some Monte music and I was hooked. I had never heard anyone “go up side a guitar” like Monte. Especially read more...
With Roots and Wings
Review of: Angel Band
Angel Band With Roots and Wings Appleseed APRCD-1108 For Nancy Josephson, the long arm of the South stretches all the way to the Canadian border. Northern bred, the summers of her youth were spent traversing the backroads and byways of her parents' read more...
Live From Austin, Texas
Review of: Doug Sahm
Live From Austin, Texas Doug Sahm New West Records By James Calemine This essential CD/DVD retains the glory of Sir Doug Sahm. Born November 6, 1941, in San Antonio, Texas, Sahm--a guitar prodigy (and superb fiddler)--was invited to join The read more...
Song of America
Review of: Various Artists
Song of America Various Artists 31 Tigers Records By James Calemine This 50-song, 3 CD collection tells the story of America through songs from the year 1492 through modern times. Song of America contains a diverse line-up of artists read more...
Blood Meridian Or the Evening Redness in the West
Review of: Cormac McCarthy
Blood Meridian Or the Evening Redness in the West Cormac McCarthy Vintage Books By James Calemine ...A classic volume of southern literature... Blood Meridian Or the Evening Redness in the West ranks as one of
Mescalito
Review of: Ryan Bingham
Mescalito Ryan Bingham Lost Highway By James Calemine This CD ranks as one of the best releases in 2007. Recorded at Compound Studios in California, Ryan Bingham's Mescalito proves this young man is a musical force. Ex-
Angel In Disguise
Review of: Leon Russell
Angel In Disguise Leon Russell MRI Records By James Calemine Angel In Disguise contains 11 new Leon Russell songs. Russell's prodigious discography proves his influence and talent read more...
Red Dirt Marijuana & Other Tastes
Review of: Terry Southern
Red Dirt Marijuana & Other Tastes Terry Southern Citadel Underground By read more...
Taking The Long Way
Review of: Dixie Chicks
The Dixie Chicks Taking The Long Way (Columbia) Since the release of their last album, 2002's Home, the Dixie Chicks have been ridiculed, scorned, banned from country radio and called out onto the carpet a gazillion times read more...