Editorial Review

Acoustic interplay generates an electric charge as guest musicians join Marty Stuart and his Fabulous Superlatives for a concert that puts the pedal to the metal of bluegrass tradition. The hometown crowd at Nashville's Mother Church of Country Music (the same stage on which a 13-year-old Stuart made his Ryman debut accompanying Lester Flatt on the mandolin) spurs the band to peak intensity. With stellar support from fiddler Stuart Duncan and banjoist Charlie Cushman--and a guest appearance by master Dobroist Josh Graves--Stuart and band explore and extend the dynamics of bluegrass, from familiar fare such as "Orange Blossom Special" and "The Great Speckled Bird" through the harmony-laden balladry of "Homesick" and the honky-tonk heartbreak of "The Whiskey Ain't Workin' Anymore" and "Hillbilly Rock," with the latter providing the closing kick to a particularly lively evening. Read more

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Reviews (7)

Solid - but wanted more
Marty puts out another solid CD, he's always been one of my favorites.But the CD only has 11 songs, 40-42 minutes.Being a live CD, they could have put another half dozen songs on it.

A sturdy, confident project with raw energy and brash attitude
Playing Time - 42:42 -- It's been a number of years since I caught Marty Stuart live at a bluegrass festival at the Frontier Ranch near Columbus, Ohio. At the time, I thought his show was a little too country with its electric guitars and drums, but he was still very well received by the large crowd in attendance. This live bluegrass album is a very welcome acoustic treat that takes the consummate entertainer back to his professional bluegrass roots that first began after he heard Bill Monroe & The Sullivan Family at the Natl. Guard Armory in Jackson, Alabama in 1970. By 1972 (at age 13), the Mississippi native was playing mandolin and lead guitar with Lester Flatt & the Nashville Grass.Lester affectionately called him "Little Marty Stuart." After seven years with Lester, he spent six with Johnny Cash. Marty's also worked with Bob Dylan, Crystal Gayle, Anne Murray, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Jackson, The Sullivan Family, Travis Tritt and many others.
Great Music
Marty is a wonderful musician and artist. To hear such great music produced live without the help of the studio and electronics is fabulous.This is what music should be, especially country music.Let's get back to being real. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Americana    2. Contemporary Bluegrass    3. Country    4. Neo-Traditionalist Country    5. Pop    6. Progressive Country   

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• Live

Reviews (10)

Classic Seldom Scene
One of their best.Traditional bluegrass with modern influences at its finest. Grateful Dead fans will absolutely love the version of Rider.This is from the original lineup of the 'Scene, with John Starling on vocals and guitar and Tom Gray on Bass.

Good 'grass with a little acid
If you can accept urbanized bluegrass this is the ultimate CD.It's a long way from here to Ralph Stanley but the Seldom Scene impress with the quality of their music.This is a live album, but exceptionally well-recorded (especially since it was made about 1975).Every jack-hammer note of the banjo and painfully high pic of the mandolin comes through sharp, crisp, and clean.Although some may disagree, I enjoy the inane banter of the band and their weak attempts at humor.The SS even poke a little fun at the dead-serious bluegrass traditionalists. Best of the Best
I own every Seldom Scene album that is in current release.I love all of them, but this one without any doubt is my favorite.I particularly enjoy the original lineup with John Duffey and John Starling providing most of the lead vocals.The live club recording is a refreshing departure from the standard studio recording.The vocal and instrumental range on this album is awesome.If you are interested in either Bluegrass or the Seldom Scene, buy this album.You won't be disappointed. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bluegrass    2. Country    3. Pop    4. Progressive Bluegrass   

Editorial Review

Recorded over two nights in September 2000 at Austin's Continental Club, Read more

Features

• Enhanced
• Extra tracks
• Live

Reviews (15)

Fantastic live record with first rate songs and performances
I'm always saying "man, there's nothin' on TV".Well, I was wrong about that, at least once.One night my TV found it's way to a some Opry show and it's Radney Foster doing a live gig.I'd never heard of him -- even though, come to find out, a country-fan friend of mine had been raving about Foster & Lloyd for years.Anyway, that spectacular TV performance led me to ordering this spectacular live CD. His approach reminds me of someone whose work I'm more familiar, John Hiatt -- a HUGE compliment.And, I go through CD's like water, but this one has stayed in my rotation for months now.I'm certain this is one of the best live albums put out by any artist in the past decade. And the songs!"I'm In", "Tonight", "God Knows When".What's more, I drive down the road with my 4-year-old son now often chiming in from the back seat "Now you ready, now you ready, now you ready for the big show?"And, I know exactly what he means.

Texas music at its best
I was and am a big fan of the old group Foster and Loyd and this album brings me back to those time.Eventhough Loyd is not singing with Radney Foster anymore, this album is great.The song "Folding Money" is worth the purchase of this album.This album has a stong Texas feel and makes you want to open a Shiner Bock on a Texas summer night and enjoy the fruits of your labor.

This is a good way to get the essential Radney Foster
Although he never seems to venture into Kentucky so I have never seen him live, I would imagine that a live performance from Radney Foster would be the way to experience his energy and passionate songwriting and performance. Read more

Subjects:  1. Contemporary Country    2. Country    3. Country & Western    4. New Traditionalist    5. Pop   

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Reviews (6)

DAC's quintisential live album
This 1997 release was Coe's first new major label album in ten years!It his his best live album due to overdub tweaking after-the fact to make sure the sound was superb. This is actually more of a southern rock album.One of Coe's finest efforts.Live at Billy Bob's is his 2nd best live album but the musicianship can't compare to this disc. Top notch!

I'm Burning Up The Road
Victoria Johns screamed like Willie, Waylon and Me. Victoria's boyfriend got the love songs like Long Haired Redneck and Would You Lay With Me. Victoria said she likes Take This Job and Shove It, that's where Brett Bodine got the commerical with Johnny Paycheck at his car in 1997. After 6 years, Johnny Died before the movie stars at Nov. 14. The Ride is good when Jeff Green make this and down the parachute after the movie Take This Job and Shove It. If That Ain't Country was hot and Son of the South is hot like The Johns brothers, Edan, Chris and Jason Johns.

Don't get much better.
There is only one criticism of this disc.The fact that it has an ending.You'll be looking for more when this disc comes to an end.Another two hours of the music on this album would be the only satisfying prescription. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Country    2. Country & Western    3. Outlaw Country    4. Pop    5. Progressive Country    6. Singer/Songwriter    7. Traditional Country   

Editorial Review

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Reviews (7)

From a whisper to a scream
A great album.Of course it doesn't capture the pure, raging range of Escovedo's live shows, but it comes close.(And in any event, what one album possibly could?Of the ten best concerts I've ever seen, nine of them were Escovedo, and virtually all of those featured a different instrument line-up, from 7-piece punk ensemble to string quartet.)Besides, the cover of "I Wanna Be Your Dog" is virtually an out of body experience.

the next best thing
this album is only a shadow of what alejandro escovedo is like live. his music is moving...he has a gift that enables him to really touch your soul when you here him. overall, a very good album. if you are lucky enough to have him visit your town, please give him a listen...it will be entirely worthwhile.

too bad about the money, al
really nice disk from austin-based alt.country rocker alejandro escovedo.actually, the alt.country label may be both overly confining and misleading:escovedo started out as a punk (the nuns) and subsequently moved through a variety of bands includingpunk-country (rank&file) new romantic (the troobs) revivalist (buick mckane). his bands often feature strings (as in violin and cello).so what we've got is a middle-aged singer-songwriter with a punk background and string players in his band. uh-huh.Read more

Subjects:  1. Alternative Country-Rock    2. Americana    3. Pop    4. Popular Music    5. Progressive Country    6. Rock    7. Rock/Pop    8. Roots Rock   

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Reviews (4)

A Hot Night In The Juke Joint
I have been a mild fan a Billy Burnette from the beginning. But this is easily the best album he has released. If you want a hot night of rock-a-billy in a juke joint without any crowd noise or overdubs of superfluous background singers, then this is the album for you. It just seems to end up in the CD player everytime I fire up the stereo. No frills, just really fine playing and infectious songs, and it gets under your skin from the beginning to the very last cut. Easily the best buy I've made in the past year.

Listen to this music carefully....
This cd is a gem, and defies easy description as to style. The songs are fantastic...only exceeded by the spartan, yet amazingly warm and full, recording. The interplay between Burnette's Gibson through a Fender Vibrolux and Kenny Vaughn's G&L tele style guitar through a Vox AC15 is just amazing. The bass sounds warm and full. Listen through headphones....You'll love this disc.

From Memphis To Manhattan, No One Does Rockabilly Like Burnette!
Upon my initial listen, I was a little disappointed with MEMPHIS IN MANHATTAN, Billy Burnette's first new release in almost six years. Instead of a proper new studio album, he's chosen to basically record his live show in one take in St. Peter's Church in Chelsea, New York. The sound seemed a tad bit muddy, and Burnette's vocals were almost lost among the over-powering instrumentation. But then I followed the instructions on the back cover and cranked up the volume....and everything feel into place! Anchored by David Roe's pulsating stand-up bass, MEMPHIS IN MANHATTAN is a jumpin' collection of rockabilly classics, both old and new. Burnette is in fine voice throughout, singing from the core of his being....you can just tell these songs, as well as the genre itself, really mean something and matter to him! Opening up the disc is "Memphis Blues." With it's easy sway and goodtime vibe, it sets the mood perfectly for what's still to come (Special mention has to be made of Kenny Vaughn's brilliant lead guitar riffs and George Ricelli's percussive stick work!). Next up is "My Love Will Not Change", another Burnette original. Intense and driving, there's an edgy, almost swampy, quality to the track that just draws you in. Once again, the perfect blend of thwacking drumsticks, thick, meaty bass chords and shimmering guitars blend together in a musical orgy of abandon and high spiritedness....these guys are having a blast, and it shows! Without a doubt, my favorite cut is a cover of Bob Dylan's "Everything Is Broken"....there's just something slinky and sweaty about the track that screams "Classic Rock 'n' Roll!" After addressing a litany of things gone wrong...or "broken"....Burnette practically spits out the choruses of "Ain't no use jivin'/Ain't no use jokin'", "Broken words/Never meant to be spoken", "Take a deep breath/It feels like you're chokin'....everything is broken." with glorious effect. Once again, Vaughn and Burnette's guitar playing is impeccable! After years of performing the song with Fleetwood Mac, it's only natural that Burnette might record "Oh Well" on his own. Putting your own spin on such a signature song can be risky, but Billy Beau totally pulls it off. Stripping the song down to it's bare essence, Burnette foregoes the percussive flourishes that Mick Fleetwood has made the centerpiece of the song for years and instead lets Roe's bass take center stage. Toss in the ferocious jam quality that only two guitars, bass and drums can come up with and you end up with a blistering rocker that both salutes it's blues background and tips it's hat to the early rockers of yesteryear. A brilliant cover of a classic track! Up next is the boppin' beat of "Big Hunk Of Love." With it's frantic riffs and shotgun backbeat, this is Saturday night dance hall music at it's best! I mean, if this track doesn't get you movin', well, it's time for you to leave the party! (Mark my word, Bonnie Raitt could do a KILLER version of this rave-up!) "Faded Love" is the only cut that I still haven't been able to get into. A bluesy ballad, it just kind of plods along. The track features some nice guitar work from Vaughn, but overall it just kind of brings the disc to a screeching halt. Things pick up again with "Can't Wait To Get Back Home", a rockabilly/country hybrid toetapper. This cut's another prime example of where all four of the instruments have come together in perfect harmony, melding in a way that seems easy, clean and second nature. VERY cool! What would a rockabilly collection be without a classic gem like "It's Late?" Though he's been singing his dad's song for years, the younger Burnette still infuses the cut with a sense of innocence, wonder, joy and, yes, even a little naughtiness. There's no real depth to "It's Late" - in fact, it actually comes across in many ways as a simple little jam number - but it's still as infectious as ever, guaranteeing it's place in rock history. Billy's take on it only helps to reinforce that fact. With it's buzzsaw energy and rapid fire delivery, "Tryin' To Get Away" is as much a reflection of Burnette's years playing in LA clubs during the burgeoning New Wave scene of the early 80's as it is his rockabilly roots. The track barrels along, with Burnette's powerful lead vocal at it's core. Another winner! An overview of Burnette's career wouldn't be complete without "Tear It Up" on it, a song he's both recorded and often done live in the past. However, while good, this version just goes on too long, getting a little monotonous by song's end. Far better is the disc's closer, a slightly rocking version of the Everly Brother's "Bye Bye Love." All in all, MEMPHIS IN MANHATTAN is a good overview of Billy Burnette's rockabilly roots, and should hold fans over until his next (and, hopefully, soon!) studio album (As with all my reviews, I have to dock the disc half a star for not including the lyrics). ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Country    2. Jazz    3. Pop    4. Rockabilly Revival   

Editorial Review

Fellow songwriters shower their love on Billy Joe Shaver throughout this concert recording from his 65th birthday bash in Austin. Whereas tribute albums typically feature a variety of performers interpreting the honoree's material, here, many of the Texas troubadours choose to play their own songs influenced by Shaver or ones the rough-hewn renegade specifically requested for the occasion. The birthday boy proves his own best interpreter, opening the album with a hard-charging rendition of "Georgia on a Fast Train" and closing with the raucous resilience of "Try and Try Again" (in which he deals with the death of his wife and his son) and the soulful transcendence of "Tramp on Your Street." The between-song patter highlights the proceedings, with the respect Shaver receives from peers such as Guy Clark and Jimmie Dale Gilmore (who brings tremulous heartbreak to Shaver's "Hearts-a-Bustin'") equaling the awe he elicits from younger troubadours such as Todd Snider and Jack Ingram. As Joe Elysuggests, no one has found "a way of combining the spiritual and the honky-tonk" quite like Billy Joe. Read more

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Reviews (3)

A fitting tribute
I was there that night.The love for the man permeated the theater.Billy Joe has seen his share of hard times, but his faith in Jesus (even in these times when that seems to be a politically incorrect thing to say)and the love of his admiring fellow songwriters has gotten him through.The night after his son, Eddie, died (as Todd Snider, dropping his usual ironic stance so eloquently sings about in Waco Moon), Billy Joe was scheduled to play New Years Eve at Poodie's, a honky-tonk in Spicewood, Texas.Billy Joe was, understandably, devastated.His friend, Willie Nelson, himself a Spicewood resident, got Billy Joe on stage and the two just played songs for each other until three in the morning.No dry eyes in the house.
10 stars if I could
Great, such a tribute for such a poet. There are none better than Billy Joe.

A Tribute to Billy Joe is one of the best CDs out there
I cannot take this CD out of my player. I love the stories that Todd Snider, Jack Ingram, Joe Ely, Robert Earl Keen and all the others tell about their songwriting hero, Billy Joe Shaver.And the songs are incredible!I highly recommend this album! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Americana    2. Country    3. Country Collections    4. Country-Rock    5. Outlaw Country    6. Pop    7. Singer/Songwriter   

Editorial Review

Johnny Cash has long been both country legend and American icon. But once upon a time, in the late '60s, Cash was something more mercurial--pop culture superstar. This 26-song, previously unreleased concert recorded in December 1969 at a Madison Square Garden packed with 21,000 enthusiastic fans from across the cultural and political spectrum documents what's arguably the peak of Cash's career. One story-song slides naturally into the next in a set that not only documents the high points of his already rich and colorful career, but paints a compelling autobiography of the singer and his hardscrabble roots. Whether taking a bold antiwar stance as a "dove with claws" (imagine a post-Lee Greenwood country star being as brave) on "Last Night I Had the Strangest Dream," taking a tough, unflinching look at prison life in a four-song stretch book-ended by "The Long Black Veil" and "Folsom Prison Blues," or examining the plight of the Native American and his own religious beliefs, Cash gives aperformance that underscores the honesty and integrity that made him a conquering American folk hero. The singer's generosity toward his backing musicians and songwriters is also noteworthy, acknowledging Shel Silverstein's presence as the writer of his massive hit "A Boy Named Sue," turning over the show to the Carter Family for a couple slices of Appalachian roots music, and letting the Statler Brothers showcase "Flowers on the Wall" and fellow Sun legend-turned-sideman Carl Perkins rip through an explosive, show-stopping "Blue Suede Shoes." Cash's presence here is more than mere performance; it's a frank reminder that American values remain considerably more complex than nostalgia, apple pie, and flag-waving. Read more

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• Original recording remastered

Reviews (16)

Great Vocals! But No June, and Live Prison Albums are Better!
JOHNNY CASH AT MADISON SQUARE GARDEN is a very decent live album, but his previous two live albums are better, AT FOLSOM PRISON and AT SAN QUENTIN.
This IS Johnny Cash!
Impressive and personal - the music is terrific and Johnny is at his finest.The band sounds great providing full sound backup with that special Johnny Cash touch.Offering a wide variety of talent and selection, I found this CD to be one of the best recording compilations of Johnny's live concert tours besides his live prison concerts at San Quentin and Folsum.June is missing on this one - home tending to the family (due soon!) but the Carter family and Carl Perkins and the Stadler Brothers provide for some great harmony, strong presence and delightful listening.Buy this CD and enjoy many great performances by the Cash gang ... you'll be playing it over and over and over again!It's a genuine wholesome experience you won't want to miss!

Can't say "son of a bitch" on stage.
This previously unreleased concert was recorded on December 5, 1969.Johnny Cash was hugely popular at the time, due to the success of the Folson Prison and San Quentin albums, and the "A Boy Name Sue" single.Cash performed before an enthusiastic audience at Madison Square Garden.It's a great concert, but not as exciting as his prison concerts.Cash seems to have a bit of a cold here (he coughs several times).Cash fans should enjoy this CD. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Country    2. Country & Western    3. Pop   

Editorial Review

Béla Fleck's music is a three-ring circus of stylistic outreach, rooted in folk musics from around the globe, yet tethered to an American improviser's sensibility. Here, the composer and banjo virtuoso is captured in full flight at a concert venue with his core band of collaborators, the Flecktones, featuring multi-reedman Jeff Coffin and the charismatic Wooten Brothers, bassist Victor and percussionist Roy (better known as Futureman). The emotional and technical range the Flecktones routinely explore is showcased in a series of adventurous solo spots: Futureman's sampled percussion and evocations of African vocal traditions on "Ovombo Summit"; Victor's rapid-fire percussive techniques and masterful use of harmonics in a moving improv based on "Amazing Grace"; and Béla's crystalline adaptation of the prelude from Bach's Violin Partita No. 3. Better yet, Fleck augments his presentation with a Justice League of America-styled cabal of master musicians, who, like himself, push the envelope on instruments all too infrequently represented in jazz. Thus, we experience Andy Narell's lithe, sparkling steel drum harmonies on the Americana-inflected pathways of Béla's "Big Country" and on his gorgeous solo turn, "Interlude"; Paul McCandless's airborne, lyric oboe on the reggae changes of "Lover's Leap"; the funky facility of Paul Hanson on "Scratch and Sniff" (as he transforms his bassoon with wah-wah effects until it suggests a synthesizer); and the uncanny emotional impact of Tuvan throat singer Kongar-ol Ondar, who trumps any synth player you've ever heard through his use of multiphonics in the Mongolian vocal tradition. Read more

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Reviews (16)

Everything they do is phenomenal!!
The Flecktones are unique. There is no other way to describe them. Just look through all the reviews of their albums. Live Art. Live at the Quick. Left of Cool. UFO TOFU. Outbound. Little Worlds. Just look at any of these albums and reviews and you'll realize they're always 5 stars. There is a reason. These guys are not only technically fantastic. They are original, inventive, beautiful, fascinating...and you'll find yourself humming the tunes over and over again and playing them constantly in your car. Big Country, Blu-Bop, Sherpa, Puffy...all of us Flecktone-heads can tell you all the tunes but this isn't slickly produced fluff for the mass market. It's difficult,complicated, engaging, interesting stuff. It attracts followers who stick like glue. I've gone to a couple of concerts since discovering him and they are just like the albums. Incredible. Fun. Worth every penny. His music is sort of like classical music for the jazz set. Fleck can improvise and make music with the best of them and attracts Chick Corea, Branford, Hornsby, Derek Trucks, Edgar Meyer, Even Josh Bell and John Williams (the guitarist, not the conductor although he probably has a gig with the Boston Pops in his future if he wants it. He goes way out with Indian, African, Chinese, it must be a hoot to tour with them because they are always trying new stuff and making music from the most unlikely sources.
Improvisation at its Best
`Live at the Quick' is a snapshot taken of a band with all pistons firing.While most people wouldn't necessarily think of a banjo as an explosive instrument, Bela Fleck makes it so.Of course, he can also make it sound so delicate that you think it might just collapse in his hands.The same can be said for the virtuoso bass playing of Victor Wooten, quite possibly the most gifted musician I have ever heard play live (Fleck is another contender).This is a terrific addition to any music collection, particularly if you are interested in improvisation and modern variations on traditional music.

Amazing Talented Musicians Here People
You absolutely must get this CD.It is incredible, the musicians are so talented and the music flows greatly with a very weird sound that is cool if you are into Bela, check it out fans, 5 STARS! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Fusion    2. Jazz    3. Pop    4. Popular Music    5. Progressive Bluegrass   

Editorial Review

Though Dave Alvin's reputation rests with his songwriting, the dynamismof this live recording puts the pedal to the metal and leaves the studioversions of much of this material in the dust. Highlights range from anine-minute medley of Alvin's "Little Honey" andBo Diddley's "Who Do YouLove" to the honky-tonk country of "Highway 99" to the raucous celebration of"American Music" that has been Alvin's anthem since his days with theBlasters. Not sinceCreedence'sJohn Fogerty has aroots rocker mined such a rich vein of Americana, though material such as"Haley's Comet," "Blue Boulevard," and "Wanda and Duane" find Alvin'shard-bitten lyricism growing increasingly dark as it matures. While hishalf-spoken, half-sung vocals lack the nuance of the best of his songwriting, akiller band featuring drummer Bobby Lloyd Hicks and keyboardist Joe Terryprovides propulsive support for his stinging guitar. Read more

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Reviews (9)

Fine electric and acoustic live performances
As a full-time road warrior, it's no surprise that Alvin's confluence of music, philosophy and work ethic is captured so vividly on these live recordings. Steeped in rock, blues, folk, and country, Alvin's decidedly non-Hollywood California viewpoint is born from the grit of a working man's life, and fueled by the endless miles in between countless road gigs. + 1/2 Stars...Alvin Is a First-Rate Songwriter
Dave Alvin has released only two studio albums since his last live album (1996's equally enjoyable Interstate City), but Alvin said in a local newspaper interview before an Omaha appearance that his favorite thing to do is to play before a live audience."There are things that happen when we play live--intense musical things that are just about impossible to capture in the studio for whatever reason." why isn't this guy a star?
in a just universe, we'd already be a little tired of dave alvin and the guilty men: the stadium shows, the pepsi commercials, the halftime gigs at the nba finals... but it's not a just universe, and dave and the lads are playing bars and clubs like the venues at which this live set was taped. the music is a gumbo of rockabilly, r & b, country and folk. the band kicks back for a fiddle-flavored "abilene," but it also channels chuck berry as it tears through "american music." thisrelease is rowdier than "interstate city," alvin's previous live album, and the arrangements are busier, but it's all good. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Pop    2. Rock    3. Rock/Pop   

Editorial Review

These 1963 and 1964 performances from the Newport Folk Festival illustrate the wide range of influences absorbed by flatpicker Doc Watson.Traditional folk, old-time, Piedmont blues, bluegrass, and gospel are all part of his musical equation, as well as the music of Jimmie Rodgers and the Delmore Brothers. Vanguard's 26-song compilation displays Watson's fleet guitar work and his deep, mellow voice (reminiscent of Burl Ives, actually), plus his passion for the material at hand. His 1963 performance was the one that propelled him into prominence. He'd been playing many of these traditionals since childhood, giving the songs a feeling of well-earned authenticity. Read more

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Reviews (8)

Best version of Froggie Went a Courtin' I ever Heard
OK, Never heard of Doc Watson? Well, thanks to my Dad, I have.This is easily his best album.You should hear his version of Froggie Went a Courtin.It is the best.Other songs on this album include Shady Grove, Tom Dooley, Alberta, Groundhog, there's even a duet with his late son Merle who flipped a tractor over on himself.If you love bluegrass, you're sure to fall in love with this album.

This is the one...
The title says it all, really - If you own only one Doc Watson recording,this should be it.Doc's flatpicking (on "Black Mountain Rag, forinstance), his fingerpicking (on"Little Omie Wise", for instance)and his folk/gospel style vocals (on most of the tracks) demonstrate justwhy he's considered one of this era's finest musicians.Doc's range isremarkable, and on this CD you'll find him singing gospel a capella,playing guitar full steam ahead, harmonizing with his mother (really!),playing duets with his son Merle, and yodeling like, well, a guy who knowswhat he's doing.26 tracks here, over an hour of music, a must-have foranyone who enjoys traditional music, bluegrass, folk, acoustic.

One of the best blue grass albums
Getting this album was a trip back in time.My foot hasn't stopped tapping yet. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 60's Bluegrass    2. Appalachian Folk    3. Bluegrass    4. Country    5. Folk    6. Old-Timey    7. Pop    8. Traditional Bluegrass    9. Traditional Country    10. Traditional Folk   

Editorial Review

Shine up your boots and get that hair slicked back because Read more

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Reviews (7)

I HATE country music, but....
Like most people that are actually FROM Nashville, I hate country music, but these guys aren't your typical country band.BR5-49 is the punk rock of country bands.They got all of the humor ("Me n' Opie Down by the Duck Pond," "Bettie Bettie") and catchy sounds ("Hillbilly Thang") that keep most punk bands going.Why can't all country be like this?I can't wait to get their self-titled studio album...

Bettie Page fan turns country
I'm not a country fan.I bought this CD to use portions of the song "Bettie-Bettie" for my desktop Betty Page theme.BUT, I can't stop listening to it.This is a light, fun, swing beat album.I can't say that I'm a country music fan now, but I think I'm going to try some more BR5-49 anyway.

It's okay, but...
The CD has few standouts. Little swing or twang. It's kinda lukewarm. The highlights are their bantering between songs like a true bar band. A couple of times listening to it is enough. Sold my copy and don't miss it. I'm satisfied with their first release. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Country    2. Country & Western    3. Country-Rock    4. Neo-Traditionalist Country    5. Pop   

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Subjects:  1. Contemporary Country    2. Country    3. Country-Rock    4. Pop    5. Singer/Songwriter   

Editorial Review

Joe Ely's self-titled (and currently out-of-print) 1977 solo debut, imbued with his stark, West Texas flatlands milieu, hit many like a Southwest tornado. Since then, Joe Ely has become an admired cult figure who epitomized alt country and Americana years before those terms existed. Each decade, he's been captured onstage, beginning with 1980's Read more

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Reviews (18)

Best Live Album
I won't try to top the other reviewers - they're right! I do believe this is the finest live album ever.
Not Enough Stars in the Universe to Rate this Album
As a son of the South Plains that was transplanted to VA, I grew up on stories of Joe and the Lubbock gang, Tornado Jams, Stubbs-the original, etc. Unfortunately chances to see Joe, to say nothing of Jesse or Lloyd, are always few and far between in these parts, but thankfully Live @ Antone's captures this group, along with Teye and the incredible Joel Guzman, at their very best. No studio accurately captures the energy and furry with which this group plays, and if this album doesn't give you chills then you may want to check your pulse. Chances are that if you're reading this then the songs are familiar and there's no need to go into detail. All that really can be said is, BUY THIS ALBUM!

Stunning CD!!!
I've been a casual listener of Country music for the last decade or so. I've generally preferred artists like Dwight Yoakum and Mary Chapin Carpenter, "tweeners" that don't always get the airplay on today's country radio airwave stations (thankfully, satellite radio has solved that, with channels like XCountry on XM Radio). Every so often over the last few years I'd hear a song by Joe Ely and make a mental note to keep an ear out for more of his stuff. A few weeks back, I heard the live version of Gallo del Cielo on XM Radio ... it was the first time I'd ever heard the song and loved it. Literally the next day I got an e-mail from Amazon for Joe Ely's Millenium Collection (you know the old "based on your past purchases, we thought you might like this" e-mail). I bought that CD and, after reading several of the reviews here, rolled the dice and bought Live at Antone's. I can't recall ever buying two CDs at once for an artist I was previously unfamiliar with. It was an excellent move!!! I've probably listened to the Live at Antone's 30+ times already, and it gets better and better.From the opening song on, this album flat-out impresses. Gallo del Cielo is a classic "crank the volume and sing along and I don't care what the people in the car next to me think" song. Ranches and Rivers, Road Goes on Forever, All Just to Get to You, Me and Billie the Kid, Up on the Ridge, Everybody got Hammered ... they're all wonderful songs, perfect for his voice, and accompanied by a top-notch band. If you like to roll the dice every once in a while and take a reach on a new (to you) artist, start with this CD. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Americana    2. Country    3. Country-Rock    4. Pop    5. Progressive Country   

Features

• Live

Reviews (12)

Kristofferson at his ever-lovin' best...
I've always been in awe of Kris Kristofferson. It's not the heartfelt worship one feels for Cash, nor the friendly sort of camaraderie evoked by Willie, nor even the "I hope he's on our side or we're gonna lose" respect I'll always have for Waylon. No, it's certainly not the same thing at all, but it's just as strong in its own way...and the reasons for it are right here on this album.
Kris's songs have been with me all my adult life
I loved Kris's songs when I first heard them in my twenties. They helped me through difficult times, sometimes making me cry and others times just identifying with that something deep in your soul. I have bought Kris's last two CDs and love them both. I'm so glad he's continued to "tell it like it is". In the early years he "told it" more on an individual basis. Now the problems of this world are huge and he sees it and is not afraid to say so. Honesty, integrity and soul are in all his songs, and this CD proves he still has these marvellous qualities. He's the kind of guy I'd like to sit down and listen to as he talks of his take on the world today. I hope he puts out more CDs. I will most definitely be a buyer.

You just cant hide a fire
The last Kristofferson songs I owned (and I have them all)are on vinyl-and thats how long its been. Then a lot of groove, base line and back beat came in between, so recently I was looking for something fresh.As every one knows you cant really go back - except for the "walking Contradiction" that is.Read more

Subjects:  1. Contemporary Country    2. Country    3. Country & Western    4. Pop    5. Progressive Country    6. Singer/Songwriter   

Editorial Review

Guy Clark approaches songwriting the same way he approaches fishing--if what he comes up with is too meager, he throws it back; only the best specimens are considered "keepers." Fifteen of those specimens are featured on Read more

Features

• Live

Reviews (8)

A "LIVE" masterpiece
This CD is an ablolute "must have" for fans of Texas music and/or Guy Clark.If you are not a fan of either now, you will be a fan of both after listening to "Keepers."You will understand why native as well as naturalized Texans describe their state more as a state-of-mind rather than a geographical location.Its sort of a Zen thing.Enjoy!

Not a keeper
One of life's greatest joys is a Guy Clark performance. Though I left Nashville shortly before the one recorded here, I listened to Mr. Clark play every dive in town for 20 years, sometimes sick, sometimes overly fortified with alcohol, and he was always the consummate showman. As such, the idea of a live recording was very appealing to me. The result, however, is a little disappointing. Texas Without Being There
Guy Clark is the unofficial music ambassador for the great state of Texas.His songs are simple and straightforward tackling the always tough relationship department and lightweight subjects like eggs, tomatoes,chili,trainsand his home state. ( "Texas 1947", "Texas Cookin" & "South Coast Of Texas" )He's also intelligent when it comes to a live recording, putting together a great band which includes brilliant sideman - Verlon Thompson.Guy is definitely ON this night balencing songs, stories and laughter.The album literally brings Texas to my home until I can make the next visit.The purists seem to like his first two LP's found on "Essential", the critics pick is "Boats To Build", but the real Guy Clark is "Live" and this one is for the "Keepers". ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Alternative Country    2. Country    3. Country & Western    4. Country-Folk    5. Outlaw Country    6. Pop    7. Progressive Country    8. Singer/Songwriter   

Features

• Live

Reviews (1)

Great CD you will play over and over again
While in Austin, Tx on a business trip, I happen to see Darryl Dodd live and bought this CD then.Since then, I have played it over and over again.I was actually surprized that I enjoyed so many songs on it.I loaned it to a friend and never got it back so here I am buying another one.I am very excited to have found his CD's on Amazon - now I can keep up with his new releases! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Contemporary Country    2. Country    3. Country & Western    4. Honky Tonk    5. Neo-Traditionalist Country    6. Pop   

Features

• Explicit Lyrics
• Live

Reviews (2)

Laugh Out Loud
This is the first Rodney CD I owned and if it isn't his best, it is a close second (to "Hanging With Rodney" his first CD).Great to listen to on road trips or anytime you are in the mood to really laugh.This is the same guy on the TV show "Rodney" where you can see some of his tamer material on network TV.One of the best comedy CDs ever.

Not his best, but still good.
Unlike his first CD, which was great, this one seems rushed.The material wasn't quite complete.Still though a good effort, and a good listen. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Comedy    2. Contemporary Country    3. Country Comedy    4. Pop    5. Spoken / Comedy / Radio Shows    6. Spoken Word Comedy