Americana Boogie new releases for the week of Feb. 12th… Kelly Willis & Bruce Robison, Mary Gauthier, Roger Knox, Otis Taylor

MARY GAUTHIER
Live At Blue Rock (CD Baby)

“People have been asking for a live CD for a long time and I just knew that I wasn’t ready yet,” admits Gauthier. “It took 10 years of trench work. Of bein’ out there, banging my head against all the things an artist has to bang against. Indifference. Poor attendance. Situations that are over your head. Every night, curve ball, curve ball, curve ball. But stagecraft cannot be taught. You have to be onstage to learn it. So after 10 years of doin’ it, I got good at it.” 

ROGER KNOX & THE PINE VALLEY COSMONAUTS
Stranger in My Land (Bloodshot)

Stranger In My Land is a collection of songs originally written by Aborigine artists who were Knox’s peers and predecessors. It is powerful and moving material, heartbreaking and hilarious, downtrodden and uplifting, suffused with longing, alienation, resilience and hope; universal themes arising out of largely unexplored context. Guest vocals and instrumental performances from Bonnie Prince Billy, Kelly Hogan, Dave Alvin, Sally Timms, Andre Williams and perhaps the last known recording from Charlie Louvin (“Ticket to Nowhere”). All this star power is backed The Pine Valley Cosmonauts and the Sadies. (from Bloodshot)

KELLY WILLIS & BRUCE ROBISON
Cheater’s Game (Premium)

She is the queen of post-modern cred-country. He is the singer/songwriter with #1 records cut by the Dixie Chicks, George Strait, and Tim McGraw. Together they are the first couple of Texas music, and, they have finally recorded together. They follow in the tradition of couples making kinetic music of all stripes. Not just Johnny and June and Tammy and George, Waylon and Jesse, but also X s roots-steeped punks John Doe and Exene Cervenka. That merging of songs and life, knowing and dreaming adds depth and frenzy to the music.  (from Amazon)

Also new this week…

ANDERS OSBORNE –Three Free Amigos (Alligator)
BILLY JOE SHAVER – The Complete Columbia Recordings (Real Gone Music) (3 LP’s remastered to 2 CD’s)
OTIS TAYLOR –My World Is Gone (Telarc)
DUSTIN WELCH – Tijuana Bible (Super Rooster)

Coming out soon… THE SLIDE BROTHERS, ROBBEN FORD, BOB CHEEVERS, SAMANTHA CRAIN, AL STAEHELY & THE EXPLOSIVES, ANDERS & KENDALL, EMILY GRACE BERRY, EMMYLOU HARRIS & RODNEY CROWELL, THE JAMES HUNTER SIX, HADDEN SAYERS, JOAN ARMATRADING, WAYNE HANCOCK, THE MAVERICKS, PHIL LEE, GURF MORLIX, SON VOLT, BOZ SCAGGS, ERIC CLAPTON, THE BLACK LILLIES … more new releases

Here’s the best Americana and roots-type music releases for the week of February 12th, 2013 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. Also check out the Freight Train Boogie podcasts featuring mostly songs from new Americana releases. Playlists with players and iTunes links are posted at FTBpodcasts.com.

Here’s a link to this week’s Americana Music Association Americana Airplay Chart

Bill Frater
Freight Train Boogie