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Giveaway: Scott Miller

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That’s right: we haven’t even closed the Hayes Carll contest, and we already have another great giveaway. I’m pretty tickled by this one. Scott Miller, of V-Roys fame, is releasing a new solo album. Check out the charming video for the first single, “Lo Siento, Spanishburg, WVa — A Story of the Real Americana”.

 

 

How can you not love that closing chorus?

Now, the goodies. We have two prize packs to give away, one men’s and one women’s, that contains Scott’s CD, a T-shirt and a FREAKING KAZOO. A kazoo, y’all! How great is that? Each winner will get to choose the shirt style and size of his/her choice from Scott’s nifty shop.

All you have to do is drop a comment below with your favorite of the 50 United States of America – and your preference for men’s or women’s shirt. One man-style and one woman-style winner will be chosen at random. We’ll give y’all until August 3, 2011 at 5 PM EST to enter. Winners will be announced on August 4.

Scott Miller Official Website

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July Video Challenge: Mariachi El Bronx, Cell Mates

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The Bronx , though named for one of the boroughs of New York City, are actually from Los Angeles. There have two wildly different incarnations: as The Bronx, they are a punk/hardcore band; as Mariachi El Bronx, they are a mariachi band. This video is for one of their mariachi songs. To quote the YouTube description, “Light-up suits ahoy!”

http://youtu.be/S1uihI8UOM4

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Slow Jams

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A couple of weeks ago, James Leg posted this video to Facebook as a “guilty pleasure”:

 

 

I’ve always liked this song, too, and hearing the soulful groove of it again reminded me of the early ’80s when I often listened to 93.1 WZAK. They had a late-night, slow-jam show called “For Lovers Only”. This was the theme song:

 

 

I was a big admirer of Jeffrey Osborne at the time, and though I don’t specifically remember hearing this song on “For Lovers Only”, I’d be willing to bet it turned up in the playlist at least once.

 

 

I do, however, very clearly remember hearing this racy number from Kwick on the program (remember, I was about 10 years old at the time):

 

 

And you can’t do slow jams without including the late, great Teddy Pendergrass. (And it gives me an excuse to put his handsome face in the feature image.)

 

 

Thus ends another edition of Why April is the Way She Is.

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Giveaway: Hayes Carll

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First, check out this video:

Freaking adorable, and a great pairing of vocals between Hayes Carll and Cary Ann Hearst. The song, “Another Like You”, is off of Carll’s latest album KMAG YOYO (& Other American Stories).

Now here’s the really good part: You could win a copy of KMAG YOYO (& Other American Stories) on warm, delicious vinyl. Just drop a comment below with your favorite opposites-attract pairing for a chance to win. Deadline is July 28, 2011 at 5 PM EST. A winner will be chosen at random and announced on July 29.

Hayes Carll Official Website

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Feel Bad For You, July 2011

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A review of Deep Blues Festival 2011 is forthcoming… but since I spent most of yesterday trying to recover from it (so you know it was good), the review isn’t here yet. But the Feel Bad For You July mix, featuring contributions from the usual band of rabble rousers and miscreants, is here. Please enjoy responsibly.

Download

Song: T.V.A.
Artist: the everybodyfields
Album: Half-Way There: Electricity and the South
Submitted by: Brad Kelley
Comments: To me, this song is almost perfect. Great lyrics about a real historical event from the area I grew up in (I’m sure my relatives would have taken this view), great harmonies and picking, and it really sets a mood.

Title: Let it Ride
Artist: Buffalo Killers
Album: Let it Ride (2008)
Submitted By: Popa2unes
Comments: Buffalo Killers, guitarist and vocalist Andrew Gabbard, bass guitarist and vocalist Zachary Gabbard and drummer Joseph Sebaali. The band was formed in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 2006

Title: “Everywhere With Helicopter”
Artist: Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit
Album: Sing For Your Meat: A Guided By Voices Tribute (2011)
Submitted by: The Second Single
Comments: A fantastic, original take on a Robert Pollard classic.

Title: Ex Ballerina
Artist: The Gadjits
Album: Today is My Day (2002)
Submitted By: Ryan (Verbow)
Comments: The Gadjits started out as ska-punk proteges of Tim Armstrong (Rancid) but by their third album developed a more pop/rootsy rock sound. This song reminds me of what its like being in your early to mid teens when you fall for someone for the dumbest reasons. It could be called Ex Girlfriend or Ex whatever and you’d still know what he’s talking about.

Title: Ghost
Artist: Damion Soumi
Album: What a Wonderful Game (2009)
Submitted By: Autopsy IV
Comments: local(ish) artist I just found out about.

Title: Two Against One
Artist: Danger Mouse and Daniele Luppi featuring Jack White and Norah Jones
Album: Rome (2011)
Submitted By: @mikeorren
Comments: Inspired by Italian film soundtracks.

Title: Indivisible
Artist: The Dirtbombs
Album: We Have You Surrounded (2008)
Submitted By: April @ Now This Sound Is Brave
Comments: I have a friend who believes Mick Collins is the perfect man. I’m not about to argue.

Title: The Fifty Percenter
Artist: Rich Hopkins & Billy Sedlmayr
Album: The Fifty Percenter (2001)
Submitted By: toomuchcountry
Comments: I can’t believe the year is half-over. Recognizing that reality, I’m submitting the title track from Rich Hopkins’ 2001 release. Hopkins was the iconic guitarist for Tucson’s The Sidewinders (later known as The Sand Rubies). His guitar talents continue on this release. With vocals from Billy Sedlmayer, the combined sound is a more subdued, polished, even versatile sound than when Hopkins was with The Sidewinders/Sand Rubies. Yes, I submitted a track by The Sidewinders last month. Yes, I got good feedback. Yes, the song title fits this month. No, I won’t apologize for going back-to-back on Hopkins-related music.

Title: Smokey Factory Blues
Artist: Albert Hammond
Album: The Free Electric Band (1973)
Submitted by: Erschen
Comments: He’s best known for his hit It Never Rains In Southern California but I’m really liking this track.

Title: One Hand in the Furnace
Artist: Wrinkle Neck Mules
Album: Let the Lead Fly (2009)
Submitted By: Simon
Comments: Favourite track from my favourite Wrinkle Neck Mules album, apparently a new album’s due end of the year – looking forward to that.

Title: Land It
Artist: Vulture Whale
Album: self-titled (2007)
Submitted by: Corey Flegel
Commentary: So I’ve totally submitted this song to this mixer group before. I don’t care, it’s my favorite song ever…I know a lot of folks who feel this way too…This list includes some of my favorite music snob friends and some members of some of my favorite bands.

Title: Western Town
Artist: Kill County
Album: The Year of Getting By (2010)
Submitted By: Slowcoustic
Comments: Always a sucker for a slowed down jam with a bit of country twang. Kill County has been an out of nowhere kick in the teeth for me and I can’t get enough of this album (what should have been a top 10 of 2010 if I had only heard them earlier). This is what I consider real country music and its frickin’ great.

Title: 3 AM
Artist: 13ghosts
Album: unreleased
Submitted By: TheOtherBrit
Comments: Possibly my favorite song I’ve heard this year. Hoping it appears on their new album coming out this month.

Title: Helter Skelter
Artist: Matt Jorgensen +451
Album: Another Morning (2008)
Submitted By: BoogieStudio22
Comments: I’ve been on a bit of jazz bender recently, so I thought I’d toss something a bit different into the FBFY mix this month.

Title: Glory Bound
Artist: Martin Sexton
Album: Black Sheep (1996)
Submitted By: Phil Norman | @philnorman | www.bluemoonshineband.com
Comments: I’m making a mistake I’ve gotta make, and then I’m glory bound.

Title: Ragged But Right
Artist: Riley Puckett
Album: from a long time ago
Submitted By: Truersound
Comments: original and best version of this song

Title: Family Tradition
Artist: Hank Williams Jr.
Album: Live and Drunk (bootleg; year unknown)
Submitted by: Adam Sheets

Title: Grandpa Carl
Artist: The Warped 45s
Album: Matador Sunset (2011)
Submitted By: Rockstar Aimz
Comments: A song about bootlegging booze from Canada to Detroit during
prohibition. This is an up-and-coming alt country band from Toronto.
I saw them open for the Drive-By Truckers about a year and a half ago.

Title: Look At Miss Ohio (Live)
Artist: Blind Pilot
Submitted By: Cowbelle78 / morecowbelle.net

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You, You Make Me Angry

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It was informal poll time again on the Twitter last weekend. Inspired by one of the tracks on the Southern Independent, Volume One compilation, “Road Bound” by Bob Wayne (“I hope you like the taste of dirt and that ring on my right hand”), I chose “Best Songs about Kicking Someone’s Ass” as the theme. I think this poll may have been even more popular than the “Songs about Fornicating” poll. Take from that what you will.

By far, the most popular choice was Loretta Lynn’s “Fist City”, submitted by @AdamSheets08, @TwangNation and @MarioEGarcia.

 

 

Judged on speed of vote, @ptgrw would win “The Angriest” title. He submitted “Someone’s Gonna Get Their Head Kicked In Tonight” by The Rezillos, “Take It Out On You” by Skafish and the top of “my Hate Paradeâ„¢”, Ministry’s “Flashback”.

 

 

Though angriest by virtue of most submissions would have to be @TwangNation whom, besides “Fist City”, submitted “The Fighting Side of Me” by Merle Haggard, “Five Minutes Alone” by Pantera, “Street Fighting Man” by the Rolling Stones, “Fight Song” by Marilyn Manson and “Punch Fight Fuck” by Hank Williams III.

 

 

@AdamSheets08, who also submitted “Saturday Night’s All Right for Fighting” by Elton John and “Fight, Smash, Win” by Street Sweeper Social Club, took things in a different direction with Phil Ochs’ “I Ain’t Marching Anymore”.

 

 

My favorite vote was from @popa2unes – who also put in a vote for “Street Fighting Man” – for the Stray Cats’ “Rumble in Brighton”.

 

 

The submission that made me laugh out loud was @MarioEGarcia’s vote for “Escape (The Piña Colada Song)” by Rupert Holmes.

 

 

Worst Song about Kicking Someone’s Ass was submitted by @maryoung (who also submitted “A Boy Named Sue” by Johnny Cash and “Kiss With a Fist” by Florence and the Machine in the not-worst category): “Break Stuff” by Limp Bizkit. And you can look that up yourself because I’m not posting it here.

And the rest:

@rufus_ – “Beat on the Brat” by the Ramones, “Knoxville Girl” by the Lemonheads and “Shady Grove” by Fairport Convention

@jesXsmith – “No Wow” by the Kills

@thevidalia – “Man U” by the Giraffes

@billysezvinyl – any song from Nick Cave’s Murder Ballads

@nowthissound – “Have to Get It On” by James Leg

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Blacklisters

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Those guys in the photo are called Blacklisters. I don’t know much about them other than that they’re from Leeds, England, they’re hardcore, they just signed to Brew Records and they’re new song “Swords” was a great way to start my morning.

 

 

You can download that song, and a few others, for free from their Bandcamp site.

 

Blacklisters Official Website

Brew Records Official Website

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July Video Challenge: I Spit Roses, Peter Murphy

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I found this one while I was looking for something else (specifically, Skinny Puppy videos) and of course I had to share. There are some beautiful visuals and Mr. Murphy (formerly of Bauhaus, aka, per Wikipedia, the “Godfather of Goth”) is in fine vocal form. Apparently he also has a new record out! It is called Ninth, and you can listen to a few songs from it at his MySpace.

 

Peter Murphy - I Spit Roses [Official Music Video]

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Things We Don’t Do Enough Of

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We don’t cover enough hip hop. And it’s not as though I don’t listen to it. Mos Def’s The Ecstatic has been one of my go-to albums for the last couple of weeks.

 

 

And the Ohio angle isn’t a tough one here at all. You may already be familiar with Chip Tha Ripper.

 

Chip Tha Ripper – Light One Up from illRoots.com on Vimeo.

 

And do you know Stalley? Because he’s worth your time.

 

Stalley – The Autobiography from Stalley330 on Vimeo.

 

So, hip hop: I should do more of that.

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Support Your Friendly, Neighborhood Rooster

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We love DIY bands to pieces here at NTSIB since we’re DIY ourselves. And like most DIY bands, we’re broke-ass broke, so we understand their plight. Our friends in the Imperial Rooster aren’t on a label, not even a little one, so while they have released their new album Decent People, it pretty much only consists of 1s and 0s at this point. So, they’ve gotten themselves up a Kickstarter campaign to help them release the new album on vinyl and CD.

And they have some exceptional prizes, from the rad Rooster T-shirt to test pressing vinyl to a show at your house to, my personal favorite, a personal music mix from drummer Dusty Vinyl (he’s got great taste in music, y’all). There are even more great incentives than I’ve listed here. And if you follow NTSIB and have seen our other posts about the Imperial Rooster, you know they’re a band worth backing. So, stop on over at the Rooster Kickstarter page and pledge what you can. Even if it’s only a dollar. They’ll love you for it, and so will we.

The Imperial Rooster @ Kickstarter