Tag: Friends & Neighbors

On ‘The Tonight Show,’ Amanda Shires and Jason Isbell Perform “The Problem”

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The best songwriters use all the tools at their disposal to craft their music. Among tools like instrumentation, timbre, and arrangement is story, a sometimes-overlooked device for writing incredible music. Amanda Shires is no stranger to story and demonstrates her aptitude as a writer in her emotional single, “The Problem.” The song tells a specific story, but not in an “on-the-nose” fashion; instead, it feels like a memory, slightly faded and filled with more feelings than information. Upon the single’s release, Shires stated, “This song is about making tough decisions and not having to go it alone.”

Delivered as a conversation between Shires and husband Jason Isbell, “The Problem” has a dreamy quality due to its winding melody and a cloud of reverb glowing over the studio production. With a similar atmosphere and feeling as The Beatles’ “Strawberry Fields Forever,” it acts as a testament to Shires’ knack for skillfully navigating lyric, tonality, and instrumentation to spin a narrative with a brooding unrest beneath the surface. Take a moment to hear one of the best writers in roots music today with this live performance of “The Problem” on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.

Photo credit: Alysse Gafkjen

Nathaniel Rateliff Offers “Redemption” for Justin Timberlake’s Film, ‘Palmer’

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After the album And It’s Still Alright bolstered Nathaniel Rateliff’s profile in 2020, the singer-songwriter turned his attention toward previously uncharted territory. In the final stages of production for the feature film Palmer, Rateliff was charged with the task of writing a song for the soundtrack. That song, “Redemption,” was released in December and sets the stage brilliantly for what promises to be a beautiful story of growth, love, and, yes, redemption.

Coming exclusively to Apple TV+ on January 29, the film stars Justin Timberlake and tells the story of a small-town high school hero turned ex-convict. In a humble return to his roots, the protagonist falls into an unexpectedly beautiful, guardian-like relationship with a neighbor boy, whose individuality reaps unwarranted discrimination from other children and the boys’ own parents. The trailer alone is enough to jerk a tear from the eye, but when paired with Rateliff’s proclivity for powerful songs, the film’s teasers soar to profound emotional heights.

A testament to the touching story, Rateliff recounts, “When I was first asked to write a song for Palmer I was told what the film was about and where the song was going to be used. The melody and the opening line came to me immediately.” Check out the trailer for the Apple Original film, Palmer, and watch the video for “Redemption” below.

Photo credit: Danny Clinch

Jalan Crossland Revives “Moonshiner” on a Historic Wyoming Stage

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In this must-see live video bluegrass and Americana veteran Jalan Crossland plays it lonesome at the Lincoln Theater in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Crossland, who has been releasing music since 2000, is a champion-level instrumentalist, but he mixes several techniques to shape his mountain sound on his song “Moonshiner.” Listen for a little flatpicking here and there, some fingerpicks like a Scruggs-style banjo player, and clawhammer thrown in for good measure on the strings of his banjitar (or ganjo, if you prefer).

The sound that comes from Crossland’s hands matches the gritty timbre of his rich voice, which seems to emanate from deep within and pour out like smoke from a fire. “Moonshiner” is from one of the instrumentalist’s earliest albums, dating all the way back to 2004. Performing solo inside one of Wyoming’s most beautiful and historic venues, he brings a skill and prowess to what is otherwise folk music, and the result has a magnetism that few others can achieve. Watch the striking performance from our friends at Western AF below.

In This Protest Song, Sheryl Crow Suggests a “Woman in the White House”

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Have you been missing a good protest song in your life? Sheryl Crow is here to save the day. In August, three months prior to the presidential election, Crow released a music video for a reimagined and rearranged rendition of her song, “Woman in the White House.” The track is grittier than when she originally recorded it as a 2012 B-side and has a more of a blue-collar, down-to-business attitude about it.

Meanwhile, its music video is wrought with images of protesters of today juxtaposed with images from years past. As a result, it paints a stark contrast between the grainy black-and-white footage from women’s suffrage protesters of the early 20th century and the crystal-clear images of modern protests against sexism, racism, and inequality. Images of picket signs run across the screen proving that there are many changes still to make, one hundred years on from early suffrage movement. Watching the video now instills a sense that a fresh perspective is what our great country deserves, and maybe, as Crow suggests, “a little female common sense” is just the thing we need down on Pennsylvania Avenue.

Photo credit: Dove Shore

Remember When Dolly Parton Took a Bluegrass “Shine” to This Rock Anthem?

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The queen of country music is celebrating a milestone birthday on January 19. Her majesty, Dolly Parton, turns 75 this year, and to celebrate the music that has won awards and our hearts alike, we’re deep-diving back to the distant year of 2001. Like Dolly herself, “Shine” comes from a record that was born in mid-January — one that features a little bit of everything, from original compositions and old traditionals to cleverly reimagined cover tunes like this one. That diverse album, Little Sparrow, earned a pair of Grammy nominations and a win for her vocal performance on “Shine.”

Although this 1993 rock radio staple was originally recorded by Collective Soul and written by its lead singer Ed Roland, Dolly and the all-star backing band in the video give the song a fresh breath of bluegrass energy and acoustic attitude. It’s a seemingly unlikely cover, yet Parton pulls a unique bluegrass diamond out of what seems like a through-and-through rock and roll song. Upon Little Sparrow’s release in 2001, Parton stated, “I’ve been trying to think of how I can sing it without all the rock stuff; it sounds spiritual and all that, and the melody lent itself well to some bluegrass harmonies. I figured we’d kick it around and if it didn’t work, we wouldn’t put it on. But it worked out great.”

As unbelievable as it may be, here is the TL;DR: Dolly won a Grammy for a cover of a Collective Soul hit. Watch the music video below and enjoy our Essential Dolly Parton Playlist in honor of her 75th birthday!

 

Courtney Marie Andrews Delivers ‘Old Flowers’ to Tiny Desk (Home) Concert

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Things have been trending straight up professionally for Courtney Marie Andrews, who earned widespread attention for the 2018 album, May Your Kindness Remain, and concluded 2020 with a Grammy nomination for her newest album, Old Flowers. Born from the close of a long-term relationship that left Andrews feeling alone and vulnerable, the album walks through the heartbreak and loneliness that she experienced in a way that is not contrived, but honest and real. In recognition of her accomplishment, she landed a Grammy nomination for Best Americana Album.

About this collection of songs, Andrews said, “Old Flowers is about heartbreak. There are a million records and songs about that, but I did not lie when writing these songs.” Although introspective records like these can be heavy to bear, critics praised the release, calling it triumphant, beautiful, and graceful. (She’s also on our BGS year-end recap.) Hear outstanding songs like “Burlap String,” “It Must Be Someone Else’s Fault,” “If I Told” and “Ships in the Night” from this brilliant and bold writer on NPR’s Tiny Desk (Home) Concert below.

Photo credit: Sam Stenson

WATCH: On Acoustic Guitar, Katie Pruitt Covers Brandi Carlile’s “Turpentine”

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Katie Pruitt may be a new kid on the roots music block, but she is quickly making a name for herself as a gifted writer and gripping vocalist. Her debut record, Expectations, was released on Rounder Records in 2020, and although the year didn’t allow for touring, she remains hard at work sharing her music. Last summer Pruitt began a series of cover videos to pay homage to the gay women whose careers fueled her own hopes and aspirations. Titled the “Out of the Closet Series,” the videos offer Pruitt’s renditions of songs by Tegan and Sara, Indigo Girls, and in this final installment, Brandi Carlile.

About the cover series, Pruitt says, “I picked a collection of songs by gay women in particular who have inspired me to be transparent in my music. I think representation is huge… If it weren’t for people like Indigo Girls, Brandi Carlile, Courtney Barnett, and Tegan and Sara, I don’t think I would have been brave enough to be as honest as I was on Expectations.” Pruitt’s bravery and honesty are exactly what have earned her acclaim from outlets like NPR and Rolling Stone, just to name a couple. If you haven’t yet heard it, treat yourself to Katie Pruitt’s Expectations, and watch this lovely performance of Brandi Carlile’s “Turpentine.”

Photo credit: Alysse Gafkjen

LISTEN: Barry Gibb and Jason Isbell Share “Words of a Fool”

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Legendary artist Sir Barry Gibb of Bee Gees fame has now fulfilled one of his greatest artistic visions. Gibb, the sole remnant of the pop music paradigm, is a self-avowed lifelong bluegrass and country music fan, and his new album bears testament to that affinity. The record, titled Greenfields: The Gibb Brothers Songbook, Vol. 1, offers twelve Gibb brothers classics reimagined with voices from across the bluegrass and country music realms. Guests include Brandi Carlile, Tommy Emmanuel, Jason Isbell, Alison Krauss, Dolly Parton, and Gillian Welch & David Rawlings, to name only a few.

The magnitude of creative power is manned by none other than Nashville producer Dave Cobb, whose expertise and track record ensure that the new album will be nothing short of magical. Remembering his late brothers, Gibb says the collection is something that “Maurice and Robin would have loved… for different reasons.” To promote the January 8 release, Gibb shared an insightful trailer for the album, in which he details the influences, goals, and parts of the recording process that created Greenfields. Watch the trailer and listen to “Words of a Fool” featuring Jason Isbell below.

Photo credit: Desiree Prieto

WATCH: Yola Takes Her Tiny Desk (Home) Concert Outside

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Taking NPR’s Tiny Desk (Home) Concert series to the socially distanced outdoors, much-loved artist Yola offers outstanding acoustic versions of three songs from her breakout album, Walk Through Fire, as well as a song from her debut EP. The Bristol-born (that’s Bristol, England) singer-songwriter is as vivacious as ever, yet the outdoor setting of her home concert channels a different, more personal presentation. Yola accompanies herself on guitar, joined by gifted guitarist Jordan Tice (also a member of the band Hawktail). There’s not much one can do to strip down the power and energy of Yola’s songs, but the two paint the them in a somewhat gentler light.

The second song on the docket is from Yola’s 2016 EP, and in the song’s introduction, she describes the newfound relevance of the song in light of the ever-growing Black Lives Matter movement and our nation’s struggles with the global pandemic. The song, titled “Dead and Gone,” speaks on the impossible struggle that she has felt as a Black woman in a world wrought with racism and sexism. Yola’s delivery is a powerful statement on pretense, one that needs to be heard now more than ever. Watch the full Tiny Desk Home Concert here.

 

Behind the Scenes of Two Tyler Childers Videos That Surprised Us in 2020

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Tyler Childers is, as we all know, an outstanding singer and songwriter. His particular brand of country has been demanding attention for years, as people can’t get enough of the down-to-earth Kentuckian’s sound. After the release of two very different videos in 2020, however, it may be argued that music isn’t Childers’ only strong suit. In July 2020, he put out a sweet music video for the title track of his Grammy-nominated record, Country Squire, proving yet again he has a way when it comes to the art of storytelling, both on stage and on screen.

In “House Fire,” we saw that Childers can pull off the more traditional videos that are, let’s say, more serious in nature. In “All Your’n,” his creative streak rose to the top as he plays nearly every role in a video about an interesting hallucination. But in “Country Squire,” he joins his wife and his band, the Food Stamps, in glorious Wallace and Gromit-style animation. The unexpectedly charming animated video was directed by renowned comic book artist Tony Moore and depicts the feel-good story told in the song. See the behind-the-scenes clip below.

Then in September, Childers dropped a stunning surprise album called Long Violent History, using his platform to play Appalachian music while taking on tough topics brought to the fore in 2020. Of the title track, NPR’s Ann Powers wrote, “It’s a lament grounded in bluegrass fiddle and that fundamental African import, the banjo. Presenting himself as a confused ‘white boy from Hickman’ who once understood how the protests might feel like unnecessary trouble, Childers artfully bends perspective at the ballad’s center, realizing that for all the times he’d belligerently questioned authority, he’d never felt like he might lose his life.”

A description on a behind-the-scenes clip on his YouTube channel reads, “Long Violent History is a collection of instrumental pieces intended to create a sonic soundscape for the listener to set the tone to reflect on the last track. 100% of net proceeds from Long Violent History go to support the Hickman Holler Appalachian Relief Fund.” The accomplished singer-songwriter provided an equally potent testimonial video, explaining his reasoning for the record. Because Childers rarely grants interviews, the video provided his fans a firsthand account of his artistic integrity. It also positions him as a compelling public speaker, should he decide to pursue that path in 2021. Take a look below.

Photo credit: David McClister