Americana Boogie: New music this week from Marty Stuart, Wacos & Paul Burch, Joe Pug, Jack White & more…

Here’s a few new Americana and roots-type music releases for the week of April 24th, 2012. Click the artist or album links to find out more. The artist’s names link to their websites and the CD title links go either ” target=”_blank”>Amazon or CD Baby for easy ordering. The Freight Train Boogie podcasts feature mostly songs from new releases. Playlists with players and iTunes links are posted at FTBpodcasts.com.

MARTY STUART
Nashville 1: Tear the Woodpile Down (Sugar Hill)

Who would have thought the most radical thing you could do these days in Nashville would be to actually play country music? Think about it. This new album, of mostly originals, is just what the doctor ordered. Recorded with his touring band and a few guests like Buck Trent and Kenny Lovelace this is pure country. The closing stunner is a cover of Picture From Life’s Other Sidefeaturing Hank III. (Village Records)

THE WACO BROTHERS & PAUL BURCH
Great Chicago Fire   (Bloodshot)

A Chicago band known for its muddy work boots, anarchic stage shows and fondness for committing musical “pure butchery” (the New York Times’ words, not ours) may seem an odd match for the stylish craft and classicism of a Nashville songwriting treasure, but that’s just what came to be on the Great Chicago Fire. Great Chicago Fireis a happy collaboration borne out of label mates, Paul Burch, a progenitor of the ‘90s Nashville Lower Broad scene, and the Waco Brothers, the Lenin-esque statue in the Square where the avenues of punk, country and rock-n-roll intersect, sharing pitchers of Guerro’s margaritas in Austin, TX at SXSW. (from Bloodshot)

Various Artists
Mercyland: Hymns for the Rest of Us  (Mercyland/Tone Tree)

“When I was a young boy, my mother played me the music of Mahalia Jackson, which introduced me to the reality of a bone chilling, soul-stirring music that made everything else pale in comparison,” says Mercylandproducer and writer Phil Madeira. “ These were joyous odes that sang of the love and the dignity of all humanity. He set out with an initiative to affirm the common ground and positive qualities of faith. In a spacious conversation through song, artists The Civil Wars, Shawn Mullins, Buddy Miller, The Carolina Chocolate Drops, Emmylou Harris, Mat Kearney, North Mississippi Allstars, Dan Tyminski and other. Emmylou Harris said “Not all hymns are found in the pocket on the back of the church pew. Here are some for your consideration from folks who set up their tent out in the left part of the field.” Mullins’ track “Give God The Blues” could be the thematic centerpiece of the album with “God don’t hate the Muslims /God don’t hate the Jews /God don’t hate the Christians/ but we all give God the blues…”

Also new this week…

RANI ARBO & DAISY MAYHEM – Some Bright Morning (Signature Sounds)
ETTA BRITT – Out of the Shadows (Wrinkled)
CARRIE HASSLER – The Distance (Rural Rhythm)
WARREN HAYNES – Live At The Moody Theater (Stax)
EVIE LADIN BAND – Evie Ladin Band (Evil Diane)
JOE PUG – Great Despiser (Lightning Rod)
JACK WHITE – Blunderbuss ( Third Man/Columbia)

Bill Frater
Freight Train Boogie