Author: Bobby Reed
Waxed - Record Review from Issue #17 Sept-Oct 1998
Split Lip Rayfield – Self-Titled
Although the closing track, “Tiger in My Tank”, includes a few bars of “Dueling Banjos”, there’s not much about Split Lip Rayfield’s debut that one normally associates with traditional bluegrass. The Wichita trio’s name, lyrics and instrumentation all push the envelope of the genre. Former Scroat Belly members Kirk Rundstrom (acoustic guitar, vocals) and Eric [...]
The Long Way Around - Feature from Issue #15 May-June 1998
Handsome Family – Wildwood flowers
You’re against me. You’re all against me! You’ll never get my money! Or my Titanic necklace! –Rennie Sparks “Even when we couldn’t play our fucking instruments, and we sucked, and we were stupid live, we were entertaining — I’ll give you that,” Brett Sparks says, recalling the early days of the Handsome Family. Much of [...]
Miked - Live Reviews from Issue #15 May-June 1998
Slaid Cleaves – Schubas (Chicago, IL)
As evidenced by this entertaining but sparsely attended show, Slaid Cleaves is a songwriter’s songwriter. For this solo acoustic gig, the Maine native interspersed covers and older material with several songs from his recent Philo/Rounder disc No Angel Knows. Cleaves opened the show with the album’s title cut and then headed into the land of [...]
Miked - Live Reviews from Issue #14 March-April 1998
Slaid Cleaves – Schubas (Chicago, IL)
As evidenced by this entertaining but sparsely attended show, Slaid Cleaves is a songwriter’s songwriter. For this solo acoustic gig, the Maine native interspersed covers and older material with several songs from his recent Philo/Rounder disc No Angel Knows. Cleaves opened the show with the album’s title cut and then headed into the land of [...]
Screen Door - Last Page Essay from Issue #14 March-April 1998
One man’s trailer is a radio treasure
A friend had told me about the radio station, but I had to see it for myself. That’s why, last December, I was driving through a snowstorm in the Cumberland Mountains. About 40 miles outside Knoxville, Tennessee, I ejected my Loretta tape and began scanning the lower end of the FM dial. After passing over [...]
Waxed - Record Review from Issue #14 March-April 1998
Free Dirt – Self-Titled
The protagonist in “Rude Pets”, a particularly catchy tune on Free Dirt’s self-titled debut, has a common complaint: “There ain’t nothin’ on the radio/Nothin’ to call my own/Overdosed on classic rock again.” Free Dirt plays solid, melodic grain-belt rock ‘n’ roll — the kind of music rarely heard on the radio nowadays. Falling somewhere between [...]
Town and Country - Shorter Artist Feature from Issue #13 Jan-Feb 1998
Highway Matrons – Mother of all roads
As any aficionado of Americana can tell you, St. Louis was the largest city between Chicago and Los Angeles along historic Route 66. It is fitting, then, that trivia about the “Main Street of America” would provide inspiration for the name of St. Louis band the Highway Matrons. Around mid-century, when Route 66 was bustling [...]
Field Reportings - News from Issue #13 Jan-Feb 1998
Field Reportings from Issue #13
FAREWELL, ANASTASIA: It was an emotional evening at a packed Schubas Tavern on October 21 as Chicago’s alternative country community bid farewell to the club’s talent buyer, Anastasia Davies. During her five-year stint, Davies booked hundreds of great bands, including Blue Mountain, Richard Buckner, Buick MacKane, Calexico, Hammell On Trial, the Honeydogs, Gillian Welch and [...]
Miked - Live Reviews from Issue #12 Nov-Dec 1997
Mike Ireland & Holler – Schubas (Chicago, IL)
Some people claim that size doesn’t matter. If you’re talking about live music, however, audience size is usually considered a key factor. When Mike Ireland & Holler stepped onto the hallowed Schubas stage, there were 10 people in the crowd (not counting the club’s employees). Since its debut album (on Sub Pop) won’t be out [...]
Waxed - Record Review from Issue #11 Sept-Oct 1997
Kacy Crowley – Anchorless
Austin-based Kacy Crowley’s debut, Anchorless, features the same brand of straight-ahead pop-rock purveyed by Sheryl Crow and Joan Osborne. Except that Crowley lacks the melodiousness of the former and the pipes of the latter. The album, which was produced, recorded, and mixed by Dave McNair, contains some nice moments and a few catchy melodies, but [...]
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