All Eyes Out For You

Best music week of the year?

You can pretty much take your pick of Big Fall Releases tomorrow - though, admittedly, most of them will fly under the radars of the general listening public.

For my part, I expect three of tomorrow's releases to land on my Top 10 list this year (and thanks to NPR, I've heard all of them):

• Robert Plant - Band Of Joy:  Let's see, what's the best way to land in my Top 10?  Hire Buddy Miller to produce and play guitar?  Nab Patty Griffin as your backup singer?  Take the whole enterprise out on the road and blow my feeble mind?  How 'bout all of the above?  I'll admit this record doesn't always rise to the insanely high expectations I had after seeing the band in July, but it's still a fantastic record.  Some will call it a lesser sequel to Raising Sand, but it stands pretty well on its own merits.  However, any failure to capture this band live on disc - complete with the radically reworked Zeppelin tunes - will be chalked up to a missed opportunity.
• Mavis Staples - You Are Not Alone:  I'll admit that I would've love to hear Joe Henry produce this one.  Wilco's Jeff Tweedy fills those shoes, with no real track record to indicate what he'd do.  It is to his great credit that he filled the studio with Mavis' white-hot road band.  The song selections are generally pretty fantastic.  Some will complain that, at times, this record does not capture Staples at her soul-shoutin' best.  But it does capture her still at the height of her powers unafraid to sometimes put that shoutin' aside in favor on contemplative interpretations.  Nuanced and beautiful, this one is a keeper.
• Justin Townes Earle - Harlem River Blues:  There hasn't been much dissent in critical circles that this album represents the fulfillment of the promise Earle showed on his previous two records.  Diverse, focused and showing even greater depth than his terrific Midnight At The Movies, JT Earle is obviously poised for great things.  And oh yeah - that has to be one of the best album covers of the year.  (UPDATE: GET HARLEM RIVER BLUES FOR $2.99 FROM AMAZON'S DIGITAL STORE -- TODAY ONLY!)

Hopefully, there will be plenty more to say about these records over the coming weeks as they dig a groove in my brain through repeated listenings.

And hey, what about this album due next week?

Justin Townes Earle in Houston this weekend

Probably the best low-key release so far this year is Justin Townes Earle's Midnight At The Movies.  Earle will be back in Houston this Sunday, hot on the heels of South By Southwest for one last date before he hooks up with Jason Isbell for a short national tour.

So make sure to catch him at The Mucky Duck (two shows: 6pm and 9pm) with special guest Amy LaVere.  I'll be there, and I believe our good buddy John C. will be there with his entire clan.

Country Standard Time has a really nice article on Earle here.

UPDATE:  The Houston Press' Craig Hlavaty gives the record a big thumbs up and catches one of Earle's sets at SxSW.

And all the rest...

...and possibly some of the best.

In the wake of all the U2/Neko Case - here and elsewhere - you very likely missed some marquee releases from some under-the-radar artists.

Buddy & Julie Miller - Written In Chalk

Okay, if you've been reading my blog, you probably did notice this one.

Justin Townes Earle - Midnight At The Movies

Just as solid as his debut, still doing Daddy proud but following his own path. 

Brigitte DeMeyer - Red River Flower

Brady Blade returns as drummer and producer and brings along his usual contingent of Buddy Miller compatriots (Buddy guests on two songs).  On DeMeyer's last album, the musicians were the main attraction; on this one, DeMeyer is front and center.

Tift Merritt - Buckingham Solo 

I've been sorely remiss in not mentioning this one, just released last week.  Tift alone on guitar and piano.  Uh, yep, you NEED this album.

A very strong late winter for new releases.  Better hit that record store quick!

Justin Townes Earle - 'Midnight At The Movies' (due Mar. 3)

A few weeks back, faithful reader and good buddy John C bestowed upon me a copy of Justin Townes Earle's first full-length album The Good Life.  A pure bred honky-tonker, Earle doesn't sound too much like his old man but shares his knack for memorable lyrics (plus the occasional fingerpicked heartacher).  It's a winner.

So it's a great treat that Earle's next album Midnight At The Movies is due on March 3 on Bloodshot.  You can download a couple of tracks from the record here and here.  Earle will be supporting the record with a ton of tour dates, including a co-headlining tour with Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit.  Though that bill doesn't have any Texas stops, Earle will be dropping in at The Mucky Duck in Houston only two months after his last show there (NOTE: it's not on Earle's official schedule, but I generally trust the Duck's listings).  

That would seem to indicate the January show was a hit - here's hoping it becomes a regular stop on his itinerary.  At least until Earle inevitably graduates to bigger venues.