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Post by Slam_Bradley on May 8, 2020 12:20:51 GMT -5
Top songs of 2019
#33 - Tom Russell - When the Road Gets Rough
It's been a while since I've really liked a new Tom Russell album. Last one I really listened to a lot was 2011's "Mesabi." I thought his album saluting Ian and Sylvia was fine. And just was never able to generate a lot of interest in 2017's "Folk Hotel." But this new album, "October in the Railroad Earth" is really quite good with at least a half dozen songs that really hit with me.
This one is Tom talking about the travails of life on the road as a musician. In particular as a musician who isn't traveling in the huge bus and hitting stadiums but traveling by car and van to play small venues.
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Confessor
CCF Mod Squad
Not Bucky O'Hare!
Posts: 9,627
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Post by Confessor on May 8, 2020 17:54:03 GMT -5
Top songs of 2019 #33 - Tom Russell - When the Road Gets RoughIt's been a while since I've really liked a new Tom Russell album. Last one I really listened to a lot was 2011's "Mesabi." I thought his album saluting Ian and Sylvia was fine. And just was never able to generate a lot of interest in 2017's "Folk Hotel." But this new album, "October in the Railroad Earth" is really quite good with at least a half dozen songs that really hit with me. This one is Tom talking about the travails of life on the road as a musician. In particular as a musician who isn't traveling in the huge bus and hitting stadiums but traveling by car and van to play small venues. That album title is from a Jack Kerouac poem...
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Post by Slam_Bradley on May 11, 2020 10:21:03 GMT -5
Top songs of 2019 #33 - Tom Russell - When the Road Gets RoughIt's been a while since I've really liked a new Tom Russell album. Last one I really listened to a lot was 2011's "Mesabi." I thought his album saluting Ian and Sylvia was fine. And just was never able to generate a lot of interest in 2017's "Folk Hotel." But this new album, "October in the Railroad Earth" is really quite good with at least a half dozen songs that really hit with me. This one is Tom talking about the travails of life on the road as a musician. In particular as a musician who isn't traveling in the huge bus and hitting stadiums but traveling by car and van to play small venues. That album title is from a Jack Kerouac poem... The title track is an homage to Kerouac.
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Post by Slam_Bradley on May 11, 2020 10:21:58 GMT -5
Top songs of 2019
#32 - Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit - Something to Love
This is actually fairly deep track on Isbell's most recent album. Just when you think you've found all the good stuff another great track comes up.
Love the message of this song. Find something that you love to do. Make art. Create. Enjoy.
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Post by Slam_Bradley on May 12, 2020 9:39:20 GMT -5
Top songs of 2019
#31 - Junior Brown - Highway Patrol
I'm a little surprised there isn't more Junior Brown on the list given the amount I listened to him leading up to and following seeing him in concert. But it looks like this will have to do.
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Post by impulse on May 13, 2020 9:20:14 GMT -5
@draketungsten By chance have you been able to digest any more of those songs, or should I stop waving the Megadeth flag in your face? I've been listening to a lot of Gojira lately. Really creative band, but after a while I need something with a more traditional song structure and 4/4 time signature as a palate cleanser.
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Post by Slam_Bradley on May 13, 2020 10:14:34 GMT -5
Top songs of 2019
#30 - Marty Robbins - El Paso
Marty is back with what I would contend is his signature song. This is really the quintessential new Western song and went a long way toward keeping cowboy music alive, if not exactly kicking. Great story written and performed by a true great.
Also, I was Today years old when I found out Robbins had a TV show in the mid 60s.
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Post by Slam_Bradley on May 14, 2020 10:33:06 GMT -5
Top songs of 2019
#29 - Whitey Morgan and the 78's - Honky Tonk Hell
This was the opener on Morgan's most recent album "Hard Times and White Lines" which dropped toward the end of 2018 and got a lot of play by me last year. There's a whole lot of fake outlaws out there, but Morgan and the band are legit old-school outlaw country.
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Post by Slam_Bradley on May 15, 2020 9:23:37 GMT -5
Top songs of 2019
#28 - Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit - Molotov
I think this was my first favorite song off Isbell and the Unit's most recent album. It's a look back at the fact that life doesn't always go the way that we think that it will. And maybe that's okay. It's more okay with Isbell's incredible lyrics.
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Post by Deleted on May 17, 2020 22:02:29 GMT -5
@draketungsten By chance have you been able to digest any more of those songs, or should I stop waving the Megadeth flag in your face? I've been listening to a lot of Gojira lately. Really creative band, but after a while I need something with a more traditional song structure and 4/4 time signature as a palate cleanser. I got side-tracked on a Rory Gallagher kick, and on working on my music-playing program, but I finally got around to giving all of your recommendations a fair chance. What I'm keeping: Washington is Next Killing Is My Business In My Darkest Hour Polaris Train Of Consequences Dread And the Fugitive Mind - a stand-out Back in the Day - yes, this song does very well what it set out to do Dialectic Chaos / Today we Fight Dystopia - it's nice to hear something like this being made as recent as 2016 Time: The Beginning and End - I'm not sure what to do with this. I kinda like it, but there's a voice in my head saying "is this really for you?" I've realized that more than most bands, the closer I listen to these songs, the more I like them. I was going to cut Killing Is My Business, Polaris, and In My Darkest Hour, until I actively listened to them. Mustaine has a lot of musical ideas I like, but they're often mixed in the same song with what I consider generic thrash ideas. Sometimes the generic parts seem less generic with a closer listen, though. I'm sure I'll get around to sampling some more on my own. I'll keep Gojira on my radar too. I haven't heard of them before. If I had a time machine, would I go back and kill baby Hitler? No, I'd go back to 1985 and tell young Drake to not be so quick to turn the dial when Scott Loftus on WVVX introduced another Megadeth or Slayer song.
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Post by impulse on May 17, 2020 22:20:50 GMT -5
@draketungsten By chance have you been able to digest any more of those songs, or should I stop waving the Megadeth flag in your face? I've been listening to a lot of Gojira lately. Really creative band, but after a while I need something with a more traditional song structure and 4/4 time signature as a palate cleanser. I got side-tracked on a Rory Gallagher kick, and on working on my music-playing program, but I finally got around to giving all of your recommendations a fair chance. What I'm keeping: Washington is Next Killing Is My Business In My Darkest Hour Polaris Train Of Consequences Dread And the Fugitive Mind - a stand-out Back in the Day - yes, this song does very well what it set out to do Dialectic Chaos / Today we Fight Dystopia - it's nice to hear something like this being made as recent as 2016 Time: The Beginning and End - I'm not sure what to do with this. I kinda like it, but there's a voice in my head saying "is this really for you?" I've realized that more than most bands, the closer I listen to these songs, the more I like them. I was going to cut Killing Is My Business, Polaris, and In My Darkest Hour, until I actively listened to them. Mustaine has a lot of musical ideas I like, but they're often mixed in the same song with what I consider generic thrash ideas. Sometimes the generic parts seem less generic with a closer listen, though. First, what a happy coincidence that I was checking in on the forum when you happened to respond. Second, nice! Glad you liked them. And dang, 10 songs made the cut? Not too shabby if I say so myself. But seriously, glad you enjoyed so many. I can suggest a few more I think you'll like based on this list, but I think I've bombarded you enough for now. I'll just suggest one more for now. Die Dead Enough. I mentioned it in my list and realized I forgot to link it. I really think you'd enjoy just diving in at this point. You've liked something from pretty much all of their major eras. I also understand your point about a lot of the songs seeming to have some generic thrash elements, but in fairness, they were not familiar or generic at the time as Megadeth largely pioneered the sound. Also agreed on there being more below the surface. Yeah, Gojira is interesting. They were too heavy for my tastes for a long time, but I've learned to appreciate them. They are really creative and utilize unusual time signatures. Their vocals are harsh, but with a lot more melody than a lot of others. I'd recommend listening to two songs.. "Stranded" and "Flying Whales." If neither does anything for you, you'd be well served to just move along. I've also personally said something very similar re: a time machine. I wouldn't want to change history. I'd want to go back and see it, specifically at a lot of concerts. Your music machine is also really cool!
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Post by Slam_Bradley on May 18, 2020 10:22:25 GMT -5
Top songs of 2019
#27 - Guy Clark - Stuff That Works
I really love this track off what is probably my favorite Guy Clark album, "Dublin Blues." Clark waxes poetic about the good normal stuff that just makes life better. The stuff that works. It's typical Clark in that it is just a lovely song with great lyrics.
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Post by Slam_Bradley on May 19, 2020 10:52:29 GMT -5
Top songs of 2019
#26 - Johnny Cash - Bridge Over Troubled Water
Cash puts his signature on this Simon & Garfunkel classic and I personally like it better. This was off American IV which is one of those albums that really stuck with me and shaped my music listening for decades.
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Post by Slam_Bradley on May 20, 2020 10:29:03 GMT -5
Top songs of 2019
#25 - Tom Russell - Highway 46
For me this was the standout track on Russell's most recent album. An ode to the Bakersfield sound and the influence of southern California country music built around Highway 46 which was the lifeline of Bakersfield. It's also the road most famous for James Dean's head-on collision. Russell wears a lot of his influences on his sleeve and this one coming relatively soon after the death of Merle Haggard hits home.
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Post by Slam_Bradley on May 20, 2020 13:36:32 GMT -5
I hadn't noticed there is a Google Doodle today for Iz Kamakawiwo'ole's 61st birthday. Bruddah Iz's version of "Over the Rainbow" is by far my favorite.
R. I. P. and Happy Birthday to a great artist.
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