Couch by Couch West: it started out as a tongue-in-cheek backlash against the rising tide of babble that always inundates the online music community around South by South West time. But while the whole thing started out as a joke that masked the fact that many of us were envious of the people who were going out to Austin to take in some great live performances, CXCW turned into a viable entertainment option of its own, complete with exclusive performances from unknown and name acts alike (Neko Case didn’t play SXSW this year, but she and her dog Liza did serenade CXCWers). NTSIB found more than a couple of acts that made us sit up and say, “We’ve got to get them on the blog!”
One of those bands was the Imperial Rooster. Playing from a porch in Espanola, New Mexico, the Roosters showed up early and often at CXCW. Here they are in their CXCW performance of “The Ballad Of Lightning Bill Jasper”:
Their first album, Old Good Crazy Poor Dead, spans the spectrum from raucous novelty songs (“Pigfork”) to heart-tearing, Southern gothic ballad (“Uranium Mole”). Rooster music is loose and full of heart, and we heartell they put on a mean live show. (And Shooter Jennings likes ’em, too.) Stream or download a couple of my favorite tracks from OGCPD below.
Your Friends Think I’m The Devil by The Imperial Rooster
Never Cold Again by The Imperial Rooster
The Imperial Rooster has a new album coming out sooner than later, and we’ll be keeping you apprised of those goings on.
The Imperial Rooster @ ReverbNation
The Imperial Rooster @ Facebook
Wow, that ‘Never cold’ track is really something else. I really like how it picks up towards the end. Something about this kinda music, is that when I hear music like this- I never have any idea how to categorize it, or even really describe it to people. Especially a song like ‘Never Cold’, which seems to throw Blues, Gospel, and Klesmer into a blender and then pour it over some swamp rock into a Tom Waits collectible shot glass…or something…..Good work with “Heart-tearing Southern Gothic Ballad “
Thanks, Alley! And “Tom Waits collectible shot glass” may be the best phrase I read all day.
The gospel rage of the vocals toward the end of “Never Cold Again” floor me every time.