Keller Williams - Laugh 2002

Singer, songwriter, and guitarist Keller Williams isn't a performer whose music is easy to fit into a cookie-cutter category. He has a style all his own and doesn't seem to mind if others have trouble placing a label on it. That strategy must be working for him, since he has completed half a dozen full-length offerings for his fans. If one tries to categorize Williams' music they might call it a mixture of styles: a little bluegrass, a little reggae, a little jazz, a little funk, and more than a few dashes of jam band, all stirred into something he loves to share. Maybe a taste for the latter comes from working on recordings with the jam band String Cheese Incident. Williams does have a band of his own that features drummer and percussionist Dave Watts and bassist Tye North. The songs on this album,Laugh, have some interesting titles that might prepare listeners ahead of time for Williams' often tongue-in-cheek type of lyrics. A few of the tracks on this album are "God Is My Palm Pilot," "Freeker by the Speaker," "Kidney in a Cooler," "Alligator Alley," and "Bob Rules." The last offering on this album is "Freeker Reprise," a 16-minute jam session. AMG.

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Fistful of Mercy - As I Call You Down 2010

Fistful of Mercy is entirely too aggressive a name for the ramshackle trio of Ben Harper, Joseph Arthur, and Dhani Harrison, a group of neo-hippies whose respective circles conjoined so they decided to strum some acoustic guitars together and see what happened. What happened was a collection of nine pleasant folk-rock tunes tinged with a little blues and a lot of softly psychedelic twists reminiscent of Dhani’s dad, George. The melodies may recall the elder Harrison but the overall feel is uncannily CSN at their softest, the harmonies always gentle and the tempos never moving any faster than a lazy stroll. The mellow vibes are appealing in their own lackadaisical way, but as the short LP approaches its conclusion it’s hard not to wish there was just a little more discipline, perhaps enough to sculpt these pleasant sounds into full songs. AMG.

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Beat Farmers - Live at The Spring Valley Inn 1983

The Beat Farmers enjoyed a cult following throughout the 1980s and early '90s until the untimely passing of lead singer/drummer/guitarist Country Dick Montana in November 1995. He was just 40, and he collapsed after a massive heart attack at the Long Horn, a bar in Whistler, British Columbia, in western Canada.

Montana, a former record store owner, and past president of the Kinks Preservation Society fan club, formed The Beat Farmers in San Diego in 1983, influenced on the one hand by country and blues music, but on the other by the first wave of punk rock bands to come out of Los Angeles. The group began to attract a following at San Diego and Los Angeles-area clubs, satisfying a need for roots-based rock & roll before most people even knew the need existed. Over the years, Montanacollaborated with a wide range of Los Angeles-based musicians and singers, including Mojo Nixon,John Doe from the group X, Rosie Flores, the Bangles, Los Lobos, Katy Moffatt, blues singer/pianistCandye Kane, and ex-Blasters guitarist Dave Alvin.

The Beat Farmers formed in August, 1983 when they played a series of shows at the Spring Valley Inn in San Diego, and later played a local bar, Bodies. By March of 1984, they were signed to Rhino Records for a one-off deal, and with a $4,000.00 budget, recorded Tales of the New West, their debut, which was released in January, 1985. They began their first U.S. tour and signed a seven-record deal with Curb Records. In December, 1985, Buddy Blue left the band and was replaced by guitarist/mandolinist Joey Harris, who had worked earlier with Montana in a precursor to The Beat Farmers, Country Dick & the Snuggle Bunnies. Around the time of their first U.S. tour, the band also begins to tour in Europe, where the passion for blues-rock, roots rock, and country rock runs higher than in parts of the U.S. The group's album, Pursuit of Happiness spurred the single "Make It Last''" which got airplay on more than 40 country & western stations. But once country radio programmers had a chance to hear the rest of the album, they quickly dropped the single, since many of them felt the rest of the album was too rock & roll oriented.The Beat Farmers discography is more extensive than most people would think, because a number of recordings are hard to find or out of print. The original group consisted ofMontana on drums, guitar and vocals, Jerry Raney on guitar and vocals, Buddy Blue on guitar and vocals and Rolle Dexter on bass. The group's albums include Tales of the New West (1985, Rhino), Glad 'n' Greasy (1985, Rhino),Van Go (1986, Curb Records), The Pursuit of Happiness(1987, Curb Records), Poor and Famous (1989, Curb Records), Loud and Plowed and...Live!! (1990, Curb Records), Viking Lullabys (1994, Sector 2 Records),Greatest Hits (1995, Curb Records), and Manifold (1995, Sector 2 Records).

In 1989, Montana and Harris joined Mojo Nixon and Dave Alvin from the Blasters to form the Pleasure Barons, a group that specialized in "lounge" music. A year later, Montana went into the hospital for thyroid surgery and continued to visit the doctor's office for cancer treatments. In the midst of all of this, the group grew dissatisfied with its relationship with Curb Records, and they attempted to get out of their seven-album contract around the same time they discovered a live album, Loud and Plowed and...Live!! has been released without their knowledge. In between national tours, Montana occupied himself with other projects in the Los Angeles area, including the Incredible Hayseeds, Country Dick's Petting Zoo, Country Dick's Garage, and the Pleasure Barons.

In 1993, The Beat Farmers recorded their first album for Sector 2 Records (an Austin, TX label), in Vancouver, Canada, Viking Lullabys. The record was released in August, 1994 and the band toured in earnest once again to support the release. While working on a second album for Sector 2, Curb Records released a Greatest Hits album, again without the band's consent. The Beat Farmers' last album, Manifold, was released on September 19, 1995, but was released two weeks earlier in San Diego to coincide with the Street Scene, an outdoor festival there. The group toured the U.S. in September and October, playing venues in Texas, the midwest, and New York City.

On November 8, 1995, Montana suffered a massive heart attack three songs into the band's set at the Long Horn in Whistler, B.C. The remaining Beat Farmers decide to dissolve the band on November 11, 1995.

Despite his risqué stage antics and bantering with his audiences, whom he often sprayed with beer,Country Dick Montana was a gentle soul who, after shows, would make his way around a club, shaking hands, signing autographs, and chatting for a few minutes with all who took the time to say hello. Since Montana's death in 1995, guitarists Joey Harris and Jerry Raney have gone on to form their own bands, continuing to some extent the roots rock tradition of The Beat Farmers. At their live shows, the group was unique for the way Montana would get out from behind his drum set to step out front and center and play guitar as well.

In 1996, Bar None Records of Hoboken, N.J. posthumously released The Devil Lied to Me, a long-awaited Country Dick Montana solo album. A star-studded affair with regionally and nationally famous musicians from the Los Angeles area,Montana is joined on this excellent release by roots chanteuses Katy Moffatt and Rosie Flores, as well as talented live performers like Mojo Nixon and ex-Blastersguitarist Alvin. Highlights include Alvin's "Rich Man's Town,"Paul Kamanski's "Indigo Rider," a cover of Tom Petty's "Listen to Her Heart,''" and the originals "King of the Hobos,''" as well as a tribute to amateur rappers -- and there are many of both in San Diego -- "Bum Rap." A new studio project, the Sven-Erik Seaholm-producedFulmination, appeared in 2009 from Furrow of Love Recordings. AMG.
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Maria McKee - Life Is Sweet 1996

For most of her career, Maria McKee has never deviated from country-rock, but Life Is Sweet is a bold departure from her trademark sound, taking her into new sonic territories. Although the loud, distorted guitars are the first noticeable change, it soon becomes apparent that the thing that makes the album sound so different is its latent progressive rock influences. Throughout the album, McKee weaves complex, layered arrangements that interweave strings, guitars, and keyboards. Appropriately, her melodies are more convoluted than ever before, yet they never become too obtuse. Lyrically, she has become more cryptic and angry, but that is all part of the plan -- Life Is Sweet is McKee's bid to be taken seriously as an artist. For some reason, that means she has constructed a hybrid of the prog rock arrangements that dominate the first half of the album and the confessional songwriting that is prominent on the second. Fortunately, the results sound better than they read, primarily because beneath all of the bombastic arrangements, McKee has retained her keen sense of songcraft. Still, with its art rock tendencies and naked ambition, Life Is Sweet may not appeal to fans who have become attached to McKee's country-rock. For those willing to accept her pretensions, it is a frustrating but rewarding album. AMG.

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Lettuce - Outta Here 2002

Lettuce is the group that began the careers of several noted "jam band" musicians: Eric Krasno ofSoulive, Adam Deitch of the John Scofield Band, Adam Smirnoff of the Squad, Jeff Bhayshk of Kudu,Ryan Zoidis of Rustic Overtones, and Eric Coomes, now a Los Angeles-based producer. Outta Hereis essentially a reunion project featuring these players and several special guests, including trombonistFred Wesley, Soulive organist Neal Evans, and John Scofield himself. Toni Smith also contributes an alluring R&B vocal on "Twisted." Although the album is overly reliant on funk clichés, there are some captivating moments, mostly toward the end of the disc. The groove on "Nyack" is something else -- so good that a bonus live version closes out the disc, giving the listener a good sense of what the band does on stage (hint: it cooks). Keep the disc playing and you'll hear a 45-second snippet of horns and drums getting down as well. AMG.

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Kurt Vile - Smoke Ring For My Halo 2011

Philly-based singer/songwriter Kurt Vile lit up the indie rock radar in 2009 with his cynical, lo-fi, classic rock-meets-N.Y.C. proto-punk Matador debut. Fans of the visceral, D.I.Y. fuzz-folk that dominatedChildish Prodigy may be taken aback by the production upgrade on Smoke Ring for My Halo, but the cleaner sound doesn’t mean that the floors aren’t still filthy. Channeling everyone from the Dead toMellow Gold-era Beck to Lou Reed, Vile comes off as malcontent, but there’s an oddball warmth behind his laconic sneer that echoes the late slacker comedian Mitch Hedberg; for every “I wanna write my whole life down/burn it there to the ground” ("On Tour"), there’s an “If it ain’t workin’, take a whiz on the world” ("Runner Ups"). Sweeter and a little more soulful than Prodigy, Halo leans harder on the urban folk side of Vile's disposition (the album opens with a straight-up love song), but tracks like the churning “Puppet to the Man” and “Society Is My Friend” pick up where Prodigy stompers like “Freak Train” and “Overnight Religion” left off. Vile's guitar work remains predictably strong, especially on the fingerpicked “Peeping Tomboy” and the shimmery title cut, but it’s his efforltess, serpentine melodies and amiable, burnout wisdom that keep the listener so enthralled. In an age where angst is delivered with the subtlety of a laser light show, it’s nice to hear some good, old-fashioned, smokin’-and-drinkin’-cheap-beers-on-the-porch-with-your-friends-style pessimism. [The two-disc, deluxe edition of Smoke Ring for My Halo adds six bonus cuts to the set, including "The Creature", "It's Alright", "Life's a Beach", "Laughing Stock", "Downbound Train" and "(so outta reach)". AMG.

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E-I-E-I-O - Land of Opportunity 1986

This smashing debut recording by the one of the worst-named bands in Wisconsin history (if not all of rock & roll) is economical at ten songs, but there are no clunkers on board. E-I-E-I-O's Land of Opportunity takes its inspiration from rockabilly and roots rock, but is not confined by the stifling mannerisms of those genres. Vocalist and songwriter Steve Summers' rich melodic voice often comes close to a country-esque yelp, but never gives in to stereotypical nostalgia, even with nearly all of the songs' subject matter somehow relating to travel. Guitarists Rob Harding and Mike Hoffman (who left the band before the recording of That Love Thang) are razor sharp, especially on the breakneck "Go West Young Man." Summers and the band's other songwriter, bassist Richard Szeluga, rarely co-wrote songs, and their individual tastes keep the album's perspective interesting and fresh. The compact disc release added two songs from the "Go West Young Man" 12" single. AMG.

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Cosmic Rough Riders - Enjoy the Melodic Sunshine 2000

Every time you want to dismiss this Scottish quintet as harmless, winsome fluff, they disarm you with depth of feeling and substance. This LP is well titled: there's a real sunniness to these folks that's completely unforced. It's so surprisingly welcome. When so much of rock tries to beat you into submission, you find yourself playing Enjoy the Melodic Sunshine nearly everyday. Like some throwback California sun 'n' surf morning that never existed, the glistening harmonies, '60s light-pop touches, and over-earnest but well-mannered, tender lyrics send the cynic in you fleeing in disbelief that you'd fall for this. But fall you do. Mind, it starts slow, if OK. The opening "Brothers Gather Round" and "The Gun Isn't Loaded" are more Gordon Lightfoot than pretty Byrds and the more pastoralTeenage Fanclub, and the next few cuts only start to warm up for the nuggets down the road. Beginning with the gushing verses of "Revolution (In the Summertime)," the second two-thirds begins to soar on its own momentum. In particular, "You've Got Me" is as lithesome and sweet a love song as you've heard in eons, so sincere and heartfelt it beckons to your more valiant impulses. Likewise, "Melanie" draws you into the melodrama, cursing the JFK customs agents that sent the singer back, when his longed-for is here. Even when they interject a tiny note of callousness in "Sometime" -- fending off hints of marriage with a thoughtless "let's live for today" -- they redeem it by promising "Sometime/I might change my mind/But 'til I do/I'll be right here with you" -- set to a tune so breezy and grabbing, it's made for singing along. One is equally seduced by the pristine pangs of "Have You Heard the News Today," wherein a '60s bridge like "I really didn't like her style/And then I looked in her eyes" is placed within a diving riff and descending chord melody that's a knockout. This bunch has the tunes, they have the delicate appreciation for all that is small wonder in the bright light of one's stare, and a pleasant air that's bound to stop you dead. AMG.

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Gear Daddies - Let's Go Scare Al 1998

A jangly guitar band that was greatly influenced by the Byrds' harmonies but had tougher lyrics, the Gear Daddies attracted some attention in the late 1980s and early '90s. Let's Go Scare Al, one of their best albums, is a fine representation of their attractive, melodic sound and above-average lyrics, which are often clever and humorous in a world-weary way. Especially thought-provoking is "Statue of Jesus," which finds a man questioning whether or not religion is really making life's difficulties any easier. Meanwhile, the Gear Daddies are content to simply be funny on "Drank So Much (Just Feel Stupid)." Country is an obvious influence on the folk-rockers (as it was on the Byrds), and they don't hesitate to employ touches of the Nashville sound on twangy cuts like "She's Happy," "Heavy Metal Boyz" and the lonely "Strength." Fans of this type of music owe it to themselves to search for this CD. AMG.

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Fruition - Just One Of Them Nights 2013

True to its name, this Portland, Oregon quintet combines rock, bluegrass and folk to blend into an earthy and fulfilling whole. Two guitars and a mandolin bring the rustic backwoods to their sound and they sure can pick when they open the throttle as on the appropriately named “Boil Over” and “The Wanter.” But the band is smart enough to realize that speedy fingers are only a means to an end and all the high octane fret burning doesn’t amount to much without top shelf songs. They have written a batch of them here, of which the moody “Blue Light” finds the swamp rock lurking under the surface and the lovely and lively “Mountain Annie” flows like a burbling country brook. The latter features a chorus perfect for audience sing-alongs as the melody soars, riding on an effortless interplay between acoustic guitar and mandolin. Recorded with $20,000 raised through fans and family with a successful Kickstarter campaign, the album has a live and homey feel, perfectly suited to its rootsy traditions.
This is Americana of the highest order, driven by charming three-part harmonies that never feel forced. Mimi Naja, who contributes piano along with her sprightly mandolin, also shines as a tough, husky voiced lead vocalist, a role she inhabits all too seldom on these eleven tunes. She sings and plays keys on the sweet “Whippoorwill” and the closing “I’ll Get Back Home,” a beautifully moving ballad that brings drama to this wonderful set, and like the best albums, leaves us wanting more. Hal Horowitz

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Exene Cervenka and The Original Sinners - Sev7en 2006

Exene Cervenka, bless her heart, still loves punk rock and is still wailing more than a quarter century after she helped found one of the finest American bands of the 1980s, X. While X has forsaken writing and recording new material these days, Cervenka continues to have plenty to say and true to form she isn't about to keep quiet; Sev7en is her second album with her band the Original Sinners, and it finds her in enjoyably rough and rowdy form. Not unlike X, the Original Sinners split the difference between punk and roots rock, though Jason Edge's and Dan Sabella's guitars lean more strongly toward the blues than the thrashabilly explosion that was/is Billy Zoom's style (the cover of the Gun Club's "Ghost on the Highway" marks a clear reference point), and there's a bit more open space and less violence in the group's attack (with acoustic guitars popping up on a few tracks). But the Sinners work up an impressive and sympathetic ruckus behind their frontwoman, and Cervenka's blend of street level poetry ("Last Dance," "Tavern") and surreal but pointed social commentary ("Lonesome War," "History Now") is as keen and compelling as ever. Exene is also singing great these days, revealing a technical skill that sometimes evaded her in X's early days but still shouting out with a feral passion. Sev7en isn't quite going to make you forget Wild Gift or Under the Big Black Sun, but the lyrical mind that helped make those landmark albums is as fierce and agile as ever, and you don't have to be a punk nostalgia junkie to dig this stuff. AMG.

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