Megan Reilly "Throw It Out"

Megan Reilly is a Memphis-native with a grounding in both the languages of Irish fatalism and Southern Gothic. She has just released her first album in six years. It's  called The Well, connoting both a dark and scary place, and one that is rich with depth and possibilities.

Megan began writing at age sixteen. At twenty-three, she moved to New York City, and was shepherded in her new hometown by Steve Shelley of Sonic Youth. He acted as her guide into the New York music scene and introduced her to guitarist Tim Foljahn. That duet was soon to lead to a full band - Steve Goulding on drums, Tony Maimone on bass, and Eric Morrison on piano. The group recorded Megan's first full-length Arc of Tessa, which was hailed by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, No Depression and others. Her second album in 2006, Let Your Ghost Go garnered more acclaim. It has been a long time between albums, and though they are luscious to dig into, it's the video that grabbed us. Impossibly well-cast, and utterly impenetrable. It is one of the songs from The Well, vast and deep, "Throw It Out."

-Jessie Scott

 

Otis Gibbs "Detroit Steel"

Yay, driving season is here. It is great to jump into the car and follow your heart to friends and family, or just to explore. I am glad gas prices are coming down a bit. In doing some research, on this day in 1942, gas rationing was put in place, with non-essential vehicles only getting 3 gallons a week. Can you imagine? What does that translate to, around 60 miles a week? Just goes to show how different our living and working pattern is these days. Ah, to be able to walk to work, or take public transportation…but that is another story.

Otis Gibbs has today’s tune from his album Harder Than Hammered Hell, which came out back in February. The import version is available as of today on Amazon. It is Otis’ sixth album, and it’s the fourth release to come out on his own indie label, Wanamaker Recording Company, the East Nashville endeavor he started in 2008 with long-time partner Amy Lashley. The album title comes from a comment about digging in frozen ground, by a seventy-year-old friend and co-worker with whom Otis worked as a tree-planter in Indiana. Otis feels that is also an apt description for the creative process today. In the meantime, it’s time to take a drive! Here is “Detroit Steel,” let’s go!

-Jessie Scott

Lydia Loveless "Can't Change Me"

A good cup of coffee is imperative first thing in the morning. And woe, the grinder on my coffee maker was making this whirring, whimpering noise. Avanti - to the internets for information! The consensus was to unplug it, turn it upside down, and clear it all out with a chop stick, so as not to damage the wheel of the burr grinder. And voila, success! This morning I am a happy camper for two reasons, I don’t have to buy a new machine, and there is a place to do research which actually provides meaningful information. So while I sip my brew this Monday morning, let’s dig in. What can I say, I am a woman of simple pleasures.

I recall being deliriously happy when I took the shrink wrap off the Lydia Loveless album almost a year ago. I love when you hear new music, and ‘get’ it instantly, when that connection is clean and pure and total. Lydia Loveless simply rocks. She was raised on a farm in Coshocton, Ohio, her dad owned a country music bar, which meant there was often a house full of touring musicians. She struck out on her own to Columbus, OH where she immersed herself in the punk scene. I love when the worlds of country and punk collide! We have been trying to get Lydia Loveless in front of the Music Fog cameras since the Indestructible Machine album came out. When we found out she was coming to Austin to play SXSW, we knew we were going to do a session with her at last! She and her band, Ben Lamb - upright bass, Parker Chandler – drums, and Todd May – guitar, brought us a whip smart set. Here is the Music Fog recording off “Can’t Change Me” from the Spring Music Fog Marathon at Threadgill’s in Austin.

-Jessie Scott

Hurray for the Riff Raff "Look Out Mama"

Happy Mother’s Day! I was in New Orleans visiting the kids a few weeks back, when the subject came up of Mother’s Debris. For the uninitiated, Mother’s Restaurant is a NOLA institution. You go through the line to order your food, and let me tell you, you spend the whole time as you shuffle down trying to decide what you are going to order. It is really hard! One of my favorites there, though, is the roast beef po’ boy sandwich. The “debris” moniker comes from the pieces that fall into the pan gravy during the roasting process, making for well-seasoned crispy bits and a huge mess dripping down your face while you are eating it. So I was talking about this feast, and the kids heard me wrong, and thought I was saying Mother’s Day Brie, speaking of gooey messes dripping down your face, and that is what I got this Mother’s Day. I do love that, and I hope if you are a mom, that there is a modicum of comfort and joy for you and a hot mess, in the best possible way.

In our continuing campaign to discover cool music, we present the band Hurray for the Riff Raff. Their new album Look Out Mama just came out a couple of weeks ago. It was recorded in Nashville and produced by Andrija Tokic, who worked with the Alabama Shakes. The song we bring you today is the title track, “Look Out Mama,” led by the band's writer, lead singer and primary creative force, Alynda Lee Segarra. She is a Puerto Rican runaway who grew up in the Bronx until she was 17, then she bounced around for years riding the rails before landing in New Orleans. I think that is a really good fit.

- Jessie Scott

Shooter Jennings "The Deed & The Dollar"

I had a scary time a couple of nights ago. My mouse froze, the fan started whirring on my computer, and I shut it down as fast as I could. The only problem was, then I couldn’t get it to reboot afterwards. You know the deal when you go to the doctor if you are sick, and all of a sudden your symptoms go away in the office while you are waiting to see him? Well, it was just like that. I brought my computer to the Geek Squad, and it magically came back up. “What’ja do,” I asked, totally bewildered. He said there was nothing wrong with it. Not wanting to trust this was just an anomaly, I got a terabyte hard drive and am now backing up while I still can. I never back up my computer, do you? This is fair warning, and my public service notice for the weekend. Whether hard drive, on a cloud or whatever, back your stuff up.

I think it is generally a good idea to get out of one’s routine sometimes to do things differently. That’s what Shooter Jennings did when he up and moved to New York. No matter where you grew up, New York is a different deal. It is a fast city, and like a fast river you just jump in and ride it, or should I say you let the current carry you at its pace. There is something freeing about this, and really you can’t fight it anyway, you just have to go with it. Juxtaposed against the concrete and steel, the roots music movement there keeps getting stronger. And Shooter is part of the fabric of it. Very cool! You know he was just on the road with Cody Canada and The Departed for the Magical Misdemeanor Tour , I’ll bet that was fun. Shooter’s new CD Family Man came out in March. On it, there is a loving homage to Drea DeMatteo called “The Deed & The Dollar.“ This is the Music Fog version, filmed during our Spring Music Fog Marathon at Threadgill’s WHQ in Austin, Texas.

- Jessie Scott