Big Rock Candy Mountain

80 Proof

2013-05-07T08:30:00.000-05:00

Well, shit. Now what?

Been a whole lot of kerfuffle on the on the ol' internets over the last, well, forever (in digital age) about what constitutes "real Country". Professional moron Blake Shelton certainly didn't help matters much in his recent comments. (would love to see him stand boot to boot with Merle Haggard and call him an "old fart" and "jackass"...we can only speculate how that encounter would turn out). This is actually old news, relatively speaking, and plenty of others have called out Shelton over his comments. But, it raises many questions about the machinations of the accepted machinery of Nashville's production line of safe "hats" and Country radio's culpability in the watering down of a very unique tradition into packages of jingoism and tired stabs at rabble-rousing.

At some point, we have a longer post on this matter, and we've never been afraid of kicking up some dust, if need be, but we don't wanna put today's cover star in the crosshairs, as it were, other than an acknowledgement that he's the perfect antidote to both the generic posturing of "contemporary" Country and the suspicious nature of "alt" Country, who's time has long passed.

We can argue "authenticity" until the cows come home, and it's an interesting, if slightly frustrating, argument. But...read on...

So.

Owen Mays is a big man. With a big voice, which he uses sparingly. He's got big ideas, that he channels through the tropes of Country, destroying the safety net as he goes. The "tradition" is there, which finds its home in instrumentation that is both familiar and alien. Alien in a world of bleeps and blips and focused dressing to disguise a lack of songwriting. Owen Mays writes songs...remember those?

Your back porch six-pack shotgun savior, then.

Mays travels a dusty road, full of cratered wagon wheels, the dust a badge of pride, the hard travelin' a mark of a man with a message, the circuit ridin' preacher, demons at his back and the open plains shinin' golden afore. And, so the music...

From the concept of the "old weird America", we've been blessed by a variety of snake charmers and medicine men over the years, and Owen Mays takes his place, crafting tunes both old as the hills and firmly standing in the wide open spaces of now. On the two albums we have (with another on the way soon), "Red Wine and White Lines" and "Nobody Loves You When You're Down" (with the 80 Proof Boys), Mays spins and weaves a hootenanny, dancing you a sad waltz into the lonely night, drinking you under the table, stomping the hardwood floors, and swinging you like a dance-hall partner, shake hands and do-si-do.

As a songwriter, Mays is a keen observer, and can turn a phrase with the best, with a lighting in a bottle level of introspection leavened with a thrill for the "good times". At times lovely, at times sad, at times vengeful, at times lascivious, he takes the human condition and makes it his very own, and invites you to join him on the hayride. Fiddles and geetar, banjo and slapped bass. All the joyous and sad things in life wrapped in a bundle, and pure Country in the way Merle and George and Lefty meant it.

Much talk about the current saviors of male Country, Jamey Johnson, (the mighty) James Hand and Hayes Carll (for differing reasons and differing levels of appreciation), but Owen Mays certainly could stake his claim amongst 'em (or above 'em...yr mileage may vary). (There are so many other great artists in the trenches, that we are guilty of omission...someday we'll get to 'em all...).

One of our favorite new artists, then. The Honky Tonk is open, and Owen Mays is bringin' the hootenanny in spades. He's comin' to yr town soon, so open up yr screen door, bottle up the fireflies and string the lights. Pull out yr favorite bourbon and sway yr gingham dress 'til the early hours.

Owen Mays and The 80 Proof Boys: 80 Proof Nights (mp3)

Owen Mays: Bar Stools, Neon Signs and Old Milwaukee (mp3)

Please support yr local, independent Cowpokes and Ranch Hands.

Beat Fury!

2013-03-29T08:30:00.000-05:00

Here we go.

Another new feature: Essential Comps Everyone Should Own! Great compilation albums essential for every hi-fi! Let's see how long this one lasts!!!

Our first entry is the mighty comp "Beat Jazz-Pictures From the Gone World", on Pesky Serpent Records.

Dig that swing, daddy-o, cuz this a mighty slab o' bongo-beatin', be-bop swingin' down'n'dirty finger poppin' groove and rhythm rebellion, featuring such luminaries as Jack Kerouac, Slim Gaillard, Kenneth Rexroth, Moondog, Sun Ra, Coleman Hawkins, and Bob Dorough.

It's a beat-noir masterpiece of funky jazz, Autumnal groove, caffeinated word-bop and SEX, SEX, SEX!!! Perfect for every party, when the mood gets down and the mellow vibe is needed, slap this fucker on and watch the berets go flyin' as the kids get their freak on! Ya think you've got a mad pad now? Its' about to get even madder!

"Beat Jazz-Pictures From the Gone World" can be found all over the world-wide web (even available on the inferior CD version...we, of course, recommend the vinyl)....Check it out, now, you beatnik funk soul brothers and sisters!

Perhaps our favorite "comp" of all time.

The following is ripped from our vinyl copy.

Roy Glenn: Big High Song For Somebody (mp3)

Ellie Glenn and the 7 Beat Sulks: Let's Make It (mp3)

Please support yr local, independent chin-bearded bongo-beatin' beatnik.

Six Pack

2013-03-05T08:00:00.000-06:00

Hey Now! Rock'n'Roll raconteurs! Where y'all been? Got the holy rollin' spirit deep down, Amen! Sabbatical over, let's kick off with a new installment of the world famous Big Rock Candy Mountain 6 Pack Series!

6 tunes, ripped from vinyl, that are sure to move yr feet and save yr sinnin' soul! Goin' heavy on the sleaze this time, with some salvation worked in, so gird yr loins in yr special, sanctified undepants, we're goin' on trip from Heaven to Hell!

Jerry Jaye kicks us off with a proper, down home honky tonk bootstomper of a life live in the bottle (and drivin', of course, not that we condone that behaviour, of course). Follow that up with a Voodoo Rhythm two-fer, the good lord willin'. A couple of tracks, unearthed grubs from the dirtiest Bloooze'n' Jaysis dirt, to rattle yr bones and shake yr sinner hips, courtesy of The Gospel Pimps and the mighty, mighty, mighty Reverend Beat Man.

If y'all can survive that....take it down to Texas for a little more boozin', courtesy of the seminal Jon Wayne!

Gotta wipe the sleaze of yr chin after all that? Well, get truly sanctified by Reverend Douglas Bell and the Stage Cruisers, and a low-down gospel rave-up to send the Holy Spirit wingin' yr way (and he's comin' on missile, so watch out!).

And, finally, after all our indulgence, a cautionary tale, from our old pal, and fave rave Country artist, Hank Snow. And what would life be like without ol' Hank? Not good. Not good at all.

Enjoy! Buy rekkids! All songs ripped from our library of vinyl! Rock'n'Roll daddy-O!

Jerry Jaye: Drinkin' My Way Back Home (mp3)

Gospel Pimps: Oh When the Pimps (mp3)

Reverend Beat Man: It's A Beat Man's World (mp3)

Jon Wayne: Texas Wine (mp3)

Reverend Douglas Bell and the Stage Cruisers: Nuclear Blast (mp3)

Hank Snow: The Face on the Barroom Floor (mp3)

All songs are from vinyl, which is how god intended it. Support yr local, independent rekkid store!

I'll Be Willin', To Be Movin

2013-01-11T08:30:00.000-06:00

Awwwwwright!!!!!!!! Finally, the culmination of 2012, the Top 10 of the Big Rock Candy Mountain Best Records of the Year, busting out yr eardrums! The finest rekkids, made to make you fuck, fight and forget! Kick it kids, the righteous religion of rock'n'roll lives and breathes, killing yr speakers and screw that pussy indie or Top 40 shit. Preachin' and prayin', put a cape on us (can we get a witness?!), and rise up to holler more!

Take the mic, Mr. Scratch!

The Big Rock Candy Mountain Best Records of 2012, Part The Final!

10. Barry Brusseau: The Royal Violent Birds LP

Another deep Autumn record by Mr. Brusseau (who we wrote about here), like red and orange leaves falling all about, droned and sad. A monumental record, from a supremely talented, independent and idiosyncratic artist. More on Mr. Brusseau and his fledgling label coming up soon.

Barry Brusseau: Plymouth Fury (car ride) (mp3)

9. Owen Mays and the 80 Proof Boys: Nobody Love You When You're Down

Boozed-up, bad-livin' honky tonk glory, like the good lord intended. Mr. Mays is our next post, so we'll have more say then. Gird yr pansy "alt-country" loins, kids, this is the real deal.

Owen Mays and the 80 Proof Boys: 80 Proof Nights (mp3)

8. Outer Minds: Outer Minds LP/ Behind the Mirror LP

Two mighty psych-scuzz platters from Chicago's finest, space is the place with rockets burning stars into oblivion, droned jangled chanted swirly cream universe, free yr mind and explode a million times the Sun.

Outer Minds: Kings and Thrones (mp3)

Outer Minds: Look Behind the Mirror (mp3)

7. Reverend Frost: Bloody Tomahawks 7"/ Every Goddam Thing To Hell LP

Perennial Mountain fave Reverend Frost gives us a proper album and a hell of a 7". Rickety, creaky, jesus on a bender trash galore, Tom Waits meets the Cramps in a rumble, knives pulled, there's gonna blood on the moon tonight, and the horror movie in yr mind is a living thing, greasy and jumpin' jive. The Devil's on yr tail, the road is winding, with only one headlight and the breaks are out, the darkest canyon below, belching fire, and who's yr savior?

Reverend Frost: Every Goddam Thing to Hell (mp3)

6. catl: Soon All This Will Be Gone

What we said in our review:

A trashy glory of of an album, full of strange back road ramble, bruised, bloody, and anglin' for a fight. Nasty, filthy gutter blues, ready to move yr ass and shoot you busted and broken into the night... This is a band, and a record, that wants you to fuck, drink, and get got-damn lowdown... blown-out tire, voodoo-kissed, burn the white-trash porch down ravers, all organ-drenched, harmonica blistered, geetar-fucked, rhythmic groovers, hollerin' and scuzzed, bleeding sweat and kerosene, white lightning and mad dog cocktail. Main man catl his very own self rakes the unholy coals of hell with his mud-stained voice a prophet.

catl: He'll Make A Way (mp3)

5. Dynamite Pussy Club: Church of Yeah!

Holy fuckin' shit!!!! Revved to the red rawk'n'roll, busted speaker trash gospel sleaze, testifyin' the apocalypse, booze broads and hollerin' sanctified gut bucket tear this motherfuckin' roof down. Nothin' was nastier this year, big fuzz wailing soulpunkgarage destruction. We're out of breath listenin' to this holy mess of rawk scuzz!

Dynamite Pussy Club: Testify! (mp3)

4. Ian Hunter and the Rant Band: When I'm President

This was a year when critics rushed to praise a few oldsters who made less than exciting records. Springsteen showed he was a better keynote speaker than his newest bland record (which Rolling Stone named "best record, showing how out of touch they are) would prove. Dylan officially went off the deep end, and not in an interesting way, despite what folks will tell you, and gave us a tiresome rehash (and possibly theft) of tropes we've heard over and over. Neil Young released an un-listenable 2-disc set of tedious hippie jams, looking backwards. The Rolling Stones just looked stupid and their new single was a by-the-numbers turd. Good lord, can anyone over 60 (other than Tom Waits) make an interesting record?

Well, yes, yes they can.

Ian Hunter (you might know him from Mott the Hoople...you know...the classic "All The Young Dudes") is yr man! Wait, come back!

Still urgent, still full of glam situation, horns and plinking shack-styled piano, Hunter knows what moves the spirit, and boogie-fried southern growl, swing a bar band round the rosy, man just wants to rawk and fuck the introspection, it's all about the big sound and the end of the night where yr dancing with yr guy or gal and yr not gonna get fucked over with irony. The gravel voice, the rock'n'roll, the silent sweeper while you clutch the one you love over the big sound. Nobody else came close.

Ian Hunter and the Rant Band: Comfortable (Flyin' Scotsman)

3. James Hand: Mighty Lonesome Man

Honky Tonk. Country music the way you remembered, stripped of Nashville nonsense. The mightiest man, with pedal steel and fiddles and the loneliest whistle. James Hand, whom we have been in love with for years, solidifies his place in the pantheon of Hank, Merle, Lefty, George, and Waylon. They're of a piece, and James Hand carries the tradition.

No pretenses, no nod to "alt", no compromise.

What James Hand does is transcend the expected, delivering a set of pure country gold, lonesome desert, deep-hearted and purely old-school (not a bad thing).

Put yr boots on the hardwood floor, raving up sawdust and dirt, swing yr partner and dance and cry and drink and dance some more.

James Hand: Now Not Later (mp3)

2. Neneh Cherry and the Thing: The Cherry Thing

The most unexpected of records, a jazz "thing", from the daughter of a legend (that would be "Don"), best known for a 90's hit. But, good gravy, transforming how we think about music, and the stuffy preclusions taken.

Deep Soul, punk cover, layered and defiant, furry and sex groove, a helium balloon voice slinking in and out over transcendental soundsoundsound, oh yes.

Sun Ra backing Billie Holiday, when you dream, deep dream the constellation lighting up the walls around yr lonely bed. Wake and feel the tremor of the earth, the moon shining just for you, and you alone, the sound of all yr hopes laid bare, and be, and be, and be.....

Neneh Cherry and the Thing: Dream Baby Dream (mp3)

1. Daddy Long Legs: Evil Eye On You LP

Rock and Roll was informed by the Blues. With that, we give a tip o'the hat to Nick Tosches and Greil Marcus. And where does that leave us? A crossroads, as it were, between the holy Southern jukejoint and the New York transposing, a posture on both ends, a fight between the sacred and the profane. Where white boys, now, mimic and flagellate on a created altar, the battle of Ghost World's "Blues Hammer" and Fat Possum's crate-digging attempt at revival, complete with hip-hop re-workings of the assumed standard, standing in stark contrast to tradition, whatever that is.

A little over a year ago, we attended Norton Record's big anniversary fest in Brooklyn. It was a great festival. On the last night of the fest, a band came on early, and we missed the first half of the set. What we saw of the remaining set blew our minds, and put that band on our radar....what records could we buy from them, this insane band that was suddenly our favorite band in the world? Well, nothing, really, other than an A-Side on Norton's famous Rolling Stones tribute series (they did "Cocksucker Blues"....a great choice). So, we bided our time, listened to other great records, pushed this band into the recesses of our mind, figgering well...at some point they'll release a record, and it 'll probably be pretty nifty.

We had no idea. No idea at all.

What Daddy Long Legs unleashed upon these cynical ears was nothing short of masterwork. A shot in the dark of the deep trembling heart of rock'n'roll, all desperation and harmonica short-fuse mess-around, blowing yr ears, yr speakers, yr very rhythmic pulse, whoopin' and stompin' from the get-go, going deep down into yr soul and pulling you into frenzy, wailing the chug a chug and chug a lug, spilled beer on the barroom floor while you kick and shimmy the slide on down to Satan's very personal lounge, the sound of the damned and the sound of the "we don't give a fuck", because the shack is open 24-7 and we're gonna grind and fuck the latest morning and the deepest night, blow, baby, blow, the train is haulin' and we're in the caboose, the back end of respected society, hootin' it up to the end of the line.

Yeah, it's 3 white boys from Nooo Yawk. And, yeah, they kick yr ass from every direction. Full throttle, nuthin' you heard this year comes even close!

Best Record Of The Year!

Daddy Long Legs: Shackin' Up (mp3)

Hey, support the artists and the labels! Donate to the mighty Norton Records, who got fucked by Hurricane Sandy! A world without Norton Records is no world we wanna live in!

Drivin' Every Kind of Rig That's Ever Been Made

2013-01-01T12:59:00.001-06:00

Day 4 of our Big Rock Candy Best Records of 2012! Things are gettin' serious, all y'all! Heaven and Hell only know what might fall into the TOP TEN, based on the killer rekkids we've got for ya today! Can you handle the excitement? It's all about the Rawk, baby, so kick back, pop a top, Country fans be warned (we'll make ya happy soon), and ramp yr rocking chair up a few speeds, we're rollin'...!

Big Rock Candy Mountain Best Records of 2012, Part 4!

20. Wild Billy Childish and the Spartan Dreggs: Dreggradation LP/ Coastal Command LP

Billy Childish again. Of course. 2 LP's released simultaneously, both bearing Childish's inimitable stamp of punk garage fury (with a hint of mod-era Who, mayhaps?), this time full of very English inside-jokes, mythology, and philosophy. You feel smarter, while still pogoing and banging your head against the brick wall of society.

Spartan Dreggs: Radio Dreggs (mp3)

19. John Wesley Coleman III: Trans Am Summer Blues/ Last Donkey Show LP

One of America's finest songwriters, sleazed backroads country laments, noisome bar band ravers, delicate meandering, big giant handclappin' rawk, lo-fi scuzz transistor, a spilled map mess of everything great in the world.

John Wesley Coleman III: Saturday Night (mp3)

John Wesley Coleman III: Hangin' Around (mp3)

18. Heart Attack Alley: Living in Hell LP

Trashy deepdown blues, green-furred harmonica destruction, vampy swamp-noir vocals, the riverboat on the Mississippi listing dangerously floods-a comin'.

Heart Attack Alley: Don't Waste My Time (mp3)

17. Diamond Rugs: Diamond Rugs

End of the night, last band on earth lookin' for a beer and a lay, racing vintage jalopy horns and pedal steel glory.

Diamond Rugs: Hightail (mp3)

16. The Coup: Sorry To Bother You

Best protest record of the year, yr mind and yr loins on fire, deeply funky, shimmer and shake the end times with the party in full swing Boots Riley yr emcee, floorboards stomped and the downfall of western civilization is a hootenanny, "Magic Clap" the best song you've heard all year.

The Coup: Magic Clap (mp3)

15. Natural Child: Hard In Heaven/ For the Love of the Game

Dirty, dirty rawk'n'roll, snotty like it should be, a little Ian Hunter a little Replacements a little boogie the shack down, crude 70's geetar girls girls girls summer cruising pumping out yr Trans Am.

Natural Child: 8 AM Blues (mp3)

14. Liminanas: Crystal Anis

Fizzy droned summer pop like Stereolab meets Nico meets Ye Ye meets Lee Nancy Serge and Jane, sweet and very sour, delicate and sharp, endless starry night, willow tree aflame with fireflies.

The Liminanas: Salvation (mp3)

13. 10 Cent Fuck Flicks: 8 Songs About Drugs and Sex

Completely fucked up scuzzsleaze songs about, well...fucking and drugs, not subtle but devil may care in short bursts of wicked raunch, filthy low-bottom rawk inspired in jizz-soaked beer-stained urgency, more alive in lowest-common denominator you want this like yr latest fix.

10 Cent Fuck Flicks: Chew You Up (mp3)

12. Left Lane Cruiser and James Leg: Painkillers

The mighty and right Rev. James Leg teams up with god's favorite band, Left Lane Cruiser, for a grooved out, righteous, dirt road workout, filthy and primal, jesus on the lp runout blessing his children on the tribal satan hallelujah fury, fire on the mountain scorched earth below!

Left Lane Cruiser and James Leg: Ramblin' On My Mind (mp3)

11. Chicken Diamond: II

What we said earlier this year:

"Haulin' devil-boogie junk in an Ed Roth jalopy,straight outta France, this is a record that burns, deep hellfire blues and gasoline vapor trail. Chicken Diamond, his very unrighteous self, kicking voodoo sleaze across a dirty horizon, howling and gnashing for your soul, blurred bluespunk, one man prophet, the pedal goes down and it's straight to the cliff of damnation, jeering the whole way. "

Chicken Diamond: Country Song (mp3)

Seriously, support the artists! Fuck the man! Corporate rock sucks!

Ringing In

2012-12-31T08:36:00.002-06:00

Happy New Years Eve! We'll take a break from our Best of 2012 List to wish all y'all a great night and a peaceful day! Here's a few tunes to keep the party going, from early on to the stumbling break of dawn! Enjoy, and behave!

Part 4 of the Big Rock Candy Mountain Best of 2012 List returns tomorrow! We're almost there!

Swing the old year away!

Billy Ward and His Dominoes: Ringing in a Brand New Year (mp3)

Johnny Otis: Happy New Year Baby (mp3)

Jimmy Jules and the Nuclear Sound System: The New Year (mp3)

Cameos: New Year's Eve (mp3)

The Qualities (Sun Ra): Happy New Year to You (mp3)

Blind Lemon Jefferson: Happy New Year Blues (mp3)

Be careful out there!

I'm Drunk and Dirty, Don't Ya Know

2012-12-28T12:29:00.002-06:00

Small technical difficulties with our LP to digital making us late today, but here we are! Day 3 of Big Rock Candy Mountain's 50 Best Records of 2012!

Not much to say, other than encouraging folks to let us know their faves of the year, in case we missed something!

On with it then...

The Big Rock Candy Mountain Best Records of 2012, Part 3

30. Radar Eyes: Radar Eyes

Blip and bleep space travel over Beach Boys fuzz incognito, the last wave on nuclear ground.

Radar Eyes: In Time (mp3)

29. T.Tex Edwards: Intexicated!

Cowpunk castration, a collection of sorts, psycho hillbilly wipe 'em off after shame, stomp and shit-caked boots travelin' gothic sugarcane sleaze.

T.Tex Edwards: Cravin' (mp3)

28. The Golden Boys: Dirty Fingernails

Bar band glory, organ-drenched geetar salvation, last body in the bar looking for love or fucking either one will do, the stink of stale beer and 3 AM hullabaloo.

The Golden Boys: Outta The Dark (mp3)

27. Puffy Areolas: 1982: Dishonorable Discharge

Nasty-ass scuzz, with theme deconstructed out of blown speaker dissolve, cranked-out blown, and blasted fuzzed out vocal disappear.

Puffy Areolas: Not Tonight (mp3)

26. Andre Williams: Night and Day (with the Sadies)/ Life / Hoods and Shades

The legend...3 albums in one year, the very soul of rhythm, hard lived and full of piss, garagecountyrhythmandbluessoulbaby...yes...you cannot fuck with this man!

Andre Williams and the Sadies: I Gotta Get Shorty Out of Jail (mp3)

25. Becky Lee and Drunkfoot: Hello Black Halo

Big stomp deepcountryblues trashgirl fuck you.

Becky Lee and Drunkfoot: Shoot 'em Down (mp3)

24. Holly Golightly and the Brokeoffs: Sunday Run Me Over

More Holly Golightly exploration of old weird america, perhaps her best ever, slicing out cotton fields on fire viewed from creaky boards with history crashing and slipping into god, who has abandoned the shack, the devil alive in fire.

Holly Golightly and the Brokeoffs: Goddamn Holy Roll (mp3)

23. Useless Eaters: C'est Bon LP/ Addicted to the Blade 7"

The last bastion at the end of the world, sharded and angular, sleazed-out full of garbage leavings and lo, a saviour!

Useless Eaters: Receiver (Drop the Bomb) (mp3)

22. Hank Haint: Blackout

Yr best Hank Williams for the new millennium, in rawking chair electric spinning sparks against dying fireflies, the world at it's cowboy end big hat smoldering on wooden planks dreaming of yesteryear.

Hank Haint: Keep On Walking (mp3)

21. The Hussy: Weed Seizure

Psyh-destruction, kaboom, the peace sign shining neon with shards of bellybutton gazing focused into frenzy, toked and twisted into fuzzy blasting aural explosion!
The Hussy: Bang Bang (mp3)

As ever, support the bands and the labels!

Driven By The Snow

2012-12-27T09:28:00.000-06:00

Man, we want that hi-fi system above....

Here we go! Day 2 of the Big Rock Candy Mountain Top 50 Rekkids of 2012! Good times!

Y'all might notice a lack of 7"'s on the list...gonna give 'em their own list eventually.

Also, y'all might notice that we have virtually no major label releases on our list (maybe a couple of exceptions coming up). Oddly, that's not so much on purpose, but more, well, the fact that the "majors" don't really release anything interesting. It's just not in their nature.

The Big Rock Candy Mountain Top 50 Records of 2012, Part 2

40. Eric Burdon & The Greenhornes: S/T

A legend returns, garage band in tow, for typically tart shout-along, taking the piss, no prisoners.

Eric Burdon & The Greenhornes: Black Dog (mp3)

39. Singing Loins: Here On Earth

Busker-influenced (from way before the recent wave of lame pretenders) stomping and back-porch hootin'!

The Singing Loins: Happy Me Up (mp3)

38. Soulsavers: The Light, The Dead Sea

Swirled black as night sinful gospel, fading in and out like am radio crackle, deep beats and symphonic hallelujah if trance was heaven, and we won't tell who does "vocals".

37. Teen: In Limbo

Ronettes meet the Cure, girls in summer fuzzy and sepia, produced by Sonic Boom of Spectrum and Spacemen 3, so that's what you can expect.

Teen: Better (mp3)

36. Spiritualized: Sweet Heart Sweet Light

The sound of psych god moving across the surface.

Spiritualized: Hey Jane (mp3)

35. K-Holes: Dismania

Nooo Yawk no-wave inspired freakout and splatter, geetar frenzy sax destruction deconstructed blown a fuse.

K-Holes: Rats (mp3)

34. Ex-Cult: Ex-Cult

Punk from a garage filled with paint fumes, traded vocal shouty, shambling, stanky, Memphis on fire!

Ex-Cult: Better Life Through Chemistry (mp3)

33. Atomic Suplex: Bathroom Party

Rawk baby, lose yr eardrums the party's started, everyone's naked and fucking toward the end of time, balloons popped into helium madness!

Atomic Suplex: I'm On (mp3)

32. Cowbell: Beat Stampede

DeepBluesCountryFreakbeatR'nB mashemup, timeless.

Cowbell: Oh Girl (mp3)

31. Ketamines: Spaced Out

Psych-fuzzed trash snot, surged with organ and vintage rawk, yum!

Ketamines: Teenage Rebellion Time (mp3)

Please support independent artists and labels. Buy a record or 7". Take a chance and go see a show at yr local dingy club! Fuck arena spectacles!

I've Been Warped By The Rain

2012-12-26T08:30:00.000-06:00

The end of the year insanity continues today with Part 1 of the world famous Big Rock Candy Mountain Top 50 Records of the Year!

One of our favorite quotes this year is by Gyp Rosetti on Boardwalk Empire. We're gonna paraphrase it a tad..."What's that? A list? I got a list. He got a list. He got a list...Everybody got lists!". And so do we, of course.

As ever, we stress that this is our favorite records of the year. We think they're pretty swell, but making a qualitative decision in regards to what is "best", even in this accelerated culture, seems premature. Which of these records will we still be listening to 5 years from now? Who can tell? Most of these records don't appear on the majority of the "major" lists out there, both in print media and in the more widely-read cognoscenti of the interwebs. That's ok. We're not beholden to advertising dollars or bottom lines. We'd like to believe we do whatever small part we can to help push bands and records that folks might like, if given the opportunity. For what it's worth.

Usually we write some annoying, long-assed assessment of the music industry, or whatnot, at this point. Eh. What's the point? Some great records came out this year, and some annoying ones did, as well. While the music industry might be suffering, and justifiably so, music itself is doing just fine, thank you very much. Bands are finding new and innovative ways to market themselves and get their tunes out there into the hands of fans, without the help of suits who view records as commodity rather than art and self-expression. That's a good thing, and a trend to watch, one which can only improve with time and experimentation. And vinyl continues to thrive, and has returned from the realm of hipster snobbery to a medium that folks across all spectrums can enjoy. So, we're generally pretty positive these days. That's enough said, we think.

We've narrowed our records down to 50, which was actually pretty tough (we listen to a shit-ton of music, and are generally grouchily enthusiastic.). If we missed anything, which is inevitable, let us know what yr favorites were!

Without further rambling, then:

The Big Rock Candy Mountain Top 50 Records of 2012, Part 1

50. Bailter Space: Strobosphere

New Zealand space fuzz glory, burn the milky way in rusted tanker, god drunk in slow fire void.

Bailter Space: Blue Star (mp3)

49. Mean Jeans: Mean Jeans On Mars

Super Rawk, burn down the AC/DC crown, lowest common denominator accelerated to the ends of the earth and yr mom thinks this is the best band ever.

Mean Jeans: Don't Stop Partying (mp3)

48. Spider Bags: Shake My Head

Fuzzy fizz, snot flying loose into teenage rebellion, with 60's garage doors shut down and shakin'!

Spider Bags: Friday Night (mp3)

47. The Men: Open Your Heart

Rawk rangers on speed dial, angular buzzsaw ripping wooden toy soldiers raw, tribal rhythm bursting heart attack shout, psych-groove-adelic!

The Men: Candy (mp3)

46. Tindersticks: The Something Rain

Ultimate Autumnal soul, deep rain washed-out forest spouting orange and red, muted by last trumpet keening slow sudden peace.

Tindersticks: This Fire of Autumn (mp3)

45. Bill Fay: Life is People

Startled sparrow in spring, a legend returned with piano plinked in cosmic groove and stillness with all the universe circling now.

Bill Fay: Cosmic Concerto (Life Is People) (mp3)

44. Mind Spiders: Meltdown

Urgent geetar pop showdown, throbbed and organ drenched, a time-elapsed alternate earth top of the pops throwdown, stand on yr stacks cocks out superstar spangle.

Mind Spiders: On The Radio (mp3)

43. Chicken Snake: Trouble on my Doorstep

Scuzzy cowboy corn-shucking, back porch on fire sleazing backroads harmonica and slide, hollerin' the holler 'til the cows come callin' all hot and bothered.

Chicken Snake: I Am A Lonesome Hobo (mp3)

42. Rayon Beach: This Looks Serious

Psych-pop sludge'n' shimmy, dirty spangled revival, surfing oil spilled waves of sound and broiled muddy water.

Rayon Beach: Sister Fever (mp3)

41. Walter Daniels and the Giblets: 10" S/T

Harmonica-dreched trashcountryblues, a living legend, big-footed and stompin', teaching them thar youngun's how god made music, crusted and black bottomed, primordial torn from dinosaur bones and tarpit sludge.

Walter Daniels and the Giblets: The Big Break (mp3)

Part 2 tomorrow! Support the artists!

On the Eve

2012-12-24T08:30:00.000-06:00

As Mr. Sovine famously said, here it is Xmas. Time to celebrate the birth of Shane MacGowan! We made it! Our War on Christmas (tm) has reached it's end for another year.

And don't forget to tune back in Wednesday for the start of our world famous Big Rock Candy Mountain Best of 2012 extravaganza!

Regular readers will already know the two songs we're posting today. They're our two favorite Xmas songs.

One is a very humorous take on family life at Christmas-time. The other is a sweeping epic of love, hope, despair, and the very human condition of dreaming for a better life. We could write (and have written) paragraphs about the songs, but let's just let them speak for themselves.

Have a great Holiday, however you choose to celebrate.

The Pogues: Fairytale of New York (mp3)

Robert Earl Keen: Merry Christmas From the Family (mp3)

Thanks.

Red Nose Santa

2012-12-23T09:38:00.002-06:00

Almost there!

Today's Xmas cookies are courtesy of the mighty Otis Gibbs, the sublime Young Republic, and the wailin' Titus Turner!

Rockin' on a Reindeer!

Otis Gibbs: Crap For Christmas (mp3)

Young Republic: Merry Christmas Again (mp3)

Titus Turner: Christmas Morning Blues (mp3)

Thanks for visitin'. Have a seat and make yrselves at home!

2012-12-22T08:30:00.000-06:00

Well, the world didn't end, so we figger Santa Shane MacGowan's birthday on December 25th is still happenin'.

Gettin' closer to the big day, so let's break out the fruitcake, and slice off a big chunk.

Like Santa, we're all over the map today. A little something for everyone, and everything for all!

2 more days to go!

Santa's got a thing for chimneys!

Dennis Turner: Santa Claus, Santa Claus (mp3)

Ian Fenn: Rockin' Rollin' Christmas (mp3)

Kay Martin and Her Bodyguards: I Know What You Want For Christmas (mp3)

Johnny Houston: Give Me A Kiss For Christmas (mp3)

The Yobs: Another Christmas (mp3)

The Von Bondies: Aint No Chimney in the Big House (mp3)

Charles Brown: Christmas In Heaven (mp3)

Loretta Lynn: Gift of the Blues (mp3)

Be good to each other!

Good Gravy Santa

2012-12-21T08:30:00.000-06:00

Just a few more days until December 25th, the birth of Shane MacGowan. Gonna go a bit crazy over the next few days, as is our tendency, so buckle up yr Santa suits and get the sleigh gassed up.

Before the true insanity, let's take a Holiday stroll down Americana (whatever that is) lane.

We've got The Band (who have some Canadian members) going old-timey on a special night. Chip Taylor examines sibling rivalry for the Yuletide. The seminal Paul Kelly (who is Australian) watches an Xmas celebration from afar, and shares the gift of gravy. And the Trainwreck Riders take their sleigh on a long, dusty path!

Ho Ho Ho!

The Band: Christmas Must Be Tonight (mp3)

Chip Taylor: Bastard Brothers (mp3)

Paul Kelly: How To Make Gravy (mp3)

Trainwreck Riders: Christmas Time Blues (mp3)

Drop a few bucks in the red bucket if you have a chance.

Shut Down Santa

2012-12-19T08:30:00.000-06:00

Just a reminder. Starting a week from today is our world famous Big Rock Candy Mountain Best of 2012 List, where we count down 50 or so of our Top 10 favorite records of the year (yeah, we know...). Stay tuned!

Now, on with the festive show.

Santa's hitting the beach today, waxing his board (heh), and surfing his bag of toys to all points warm and tropical. Special thanks to Untamed Youth, The Surfaris, Lord Douglas Byron, and The Chevelles for helping Santa on his way!

Santa Hangs Ten!

Surfaris: A Surfer's Christmas List (mp3)

Lord Douglas Byron: Surfin' Santa (mp3)

Untamed Youth: Santa's Gonna Shut 'em Down (mp3)

The Chevelles: Come All Ye Faithful Surfer Girls (mp3)

Thanks for stopping by. Please support independent artists and businesses this Holiday Season.

Xmas In The City

2012-12-18T08:30:00.000-06:00

It's time to bake and ice the Xmas cookies. Let's go, daddy-o!

Santa's a rawk'n'roller today, with help from The Jacobites (the late and much-lamented Nikki Sudden's band after Swell Maps), Jukebox Zeros (from a killer free comp by One Chord Progression...grab it now!), and Cincinnati's very own Buffalo Killers.

Santa's got a guitar!

Jacobites: Teenage Christmas (mp3)

Jukebox Zeros: Christmas in the City (Aint too Pretty) (mp3)

Buffalo Killers: Secret Santa (mp3)

Please support the bands, the independent labels, the independent rekkid stores!

Funky Santa

2012-12-15T08:30:00.000-06:00

Howdy.

We debated on whether it was appropriate to do an Xmas post today, due to recent events. After some thought, and discussions with others, we've decided to go on ahead. Figger the world needs as much joy as it can get these days, and we're a small corner tucked away, but hopefully we make at least of few of y'all smile now and again. We're not remotely religious, and the majority of the world doesn't even celebrate the primary focus of our posts this month, at least not on a spiritual level. We're all in this together, though, somehow and in some way. Peace on Earth, indeed.

Now, on to the original post.

Playin' "Captain Obvious" today! A little sumthin' sumthin' to shake the tinsel off yr tree and get yr Santa suit a'quakin'!

Grab yr partner and groove deep down to the funky Xmas stylings of Count Sidney and His Dukes, Funk Machine, Graham Parker and Nona Hendryx (of Labelle), and his lordship, James Brown!

Santa's got a bag full o' Soul!

Count Sidney and His Dukes: Soul Christmas (mp3)

Funk Machine: Soul Santa (mp3)

Graham Parker and Nona Hendryx: Soul Christmas (mp3)

James Brown: Soulful Christmas (mp3)

Be good to each other. We're all we've got.

Shakin' Santa

2012-12-14T08:30:00.000-06:00

More merry madness!

If y'all haven't already done so, head on over to the great Aquarium Drunkard, where they've got a very special Xmas "mixtape", curated by yours truly! Sort of a "greatest" hits, if you will. We're pretty proud of the mix, and think you'll dig it!

Today we're gonna keep boppin' along 'round the aluminum tree with some jumped up Yuletunes courtesy of The Sabres, Paul Bain, and Blue Moon Special.

Rockin', rollin' and wailin' Santa!

The Sabres: A Cool, Cool, Christmas (mp3)

Blue Moon Special: Flying Home For Christmas (mp3)

Paul Bain: Santa Claus Boogie (mp3)

As ever, please consider helping out those less fortunate this year. Why not?

Jingle Twist

2012-12-12T08:30:00.000-06:00

Bells a'jingled. Hope y'all enjoyed the greatest Xmas song ever that we posted yesterday.

Time's runnin' short, so let's get a little stompin' and groovin' today, courtesy of Jimmy Reed, Alabama Red and Sammy Marshall!

Anybody else notice how there a ton of Xmas tunes out there with the same title, but aren't the same song? Just sayin'.

Jimmy Reed: Christmas Present Blues (mp3)

Alabama Red: Goin' Home For Christmas (mp3)

Sammy Marshall: Jingle Mint Twist (mp3)

Thanks for stoppin' by.

A Very Special Xmas Episode

2012-12-11T08:30:00.000-06:00

Now it's starting to feel like a Festive Season!

Today, we're gonna treat y'all to the very greatest Christmas song of all. Courtesy of the master himself, Mr. Red Sovine, Words cannot even describe the brilliance of this song. You have to hear it for yourselves, and stick around for the fantastic ending. We promise it'll be worth your time. The song is dedicated to our buddy Good John over at WMSE.

Del Reeves and Jimmy Martin do their damndest to match Mr. Sovine's brilliance.

If you grab one song from us this joyous season, this is the one you need!

Red Sovine: Billy's Christmas Wish (mp3)

Del Reeves: Christmas Is Lonely (mp3)

Jimmy Martin: Christmas is Everywhere Except in My Heart (mp3)

Thanks.

Holiday Hookup

2012-12-10T08:30:00.000-06:00

Couple of new slabs of fruitcake to stuff down yr stockings today!

The Vanishers welcome guest Ginger St. James to help out on a rollicking cowbilly tune about...well, what else? Nuthin' like a Holiday hookup...

Guitar, Country, and Rockabilly legend Cordell Jackson with a boppin' Xmas tune about them there youngsters and their hip, happenin' Yulesville!

Them bells is swingin'!

The Vanishers with Ginger St. James: Christmas Wish at the End of the Bar (mp3)

Cordell Jackson: Be Bopper's Christmas (mp3)

Thanks.

Rig Ridin' Santa

2012-12-09T08:57:00.001-06:00

The Xmas rig keeps on a' rollin'!

Couple of things...1) Songs are up for a limited time (about two weeks), so grab 'em while you can! 2) We're happy to re-post tunes from previous years' Holiday blow-outs, so if there's a tune you missed from yesteryear, let us know. Re-posts from this year will have to wait til next year. It's just a thing.

Now then...

Some of our tunes come from folks like you, who have been kindly sharing with us over lo these past 7-8 years! Thanks to all of y'all! And sometimes we run across a tune from the interwebs that is absolutely irresistible. Today we're gonna feature both of those instances.

Feller named Thomas M. shared a shit ton of mixes with us yesterday, and filled a bunch of holes in our collection. We're still going through 'em, but two great songs jumped to the top of the giftin' pile. First is the Ramonas' awesomely revved up and pissed off ode to Santa. And then there's Hillbilly Casino's trashbilly ode to a very Southern Santa.

And finally, an Xmas truckin' tune, by Wayne Mayfield, we found over at the mighty Junk Shop Juke Box (which should be an essential daily stop for y'all), which we can't resist sharing here, given our well known obsession with all things truckin'. It's ripped from vinyl, just the way we like it, and it's...well...it's a fascinating little tune (head on over to Junk Shop Juke Box to read their take on the tune). Highly recommended!

The Ramonas: Santa's Got A GTO (mp3)

Hillbilly Casino: Blue Suede Santa (mp3)

Wayne Mayfield: Santa's Trucker (mp3)

As always, please support the artists in any way you can! Go to shows! Buy merch!

Bongo Beatin' Santa Claus

2012-12-08T09:07:00.000-06:00

Back on schedule, with a very, very special Xmas post for all y'all today! "B" is for "Beatnik"! "B" is for "Boogaloo"!

We've posted the mighty, hip, and groovin' Babs Gonzales before, with the essential "Be Bop Santa Claus", and here's two more happenin', hip, and jivin' beatnik Holiday tunes for yr pad!

Following those two finger poppers, Baby Jane and the Blenders weigh in with a screamin' good trashy girl group number sure to light up yr Xmas tree!

And what Christmas would be complete without a spooky little tune about everyone's favorite bad guys hijacking the holidays, courtesy of the "monster masher" himself, Mr. Bobby "Boris" Pickett?

Oh yeah, hepsters, this might be the greatest Xmas ever!

Babs Gonzales: Teenage Santa Claus (mp3)

Babs Gonzales: Rock and Roll Santa Claus (mp3)

Baby Jane and the Blenders: You Trimmed My Christmas Tree (mp3)

Bobby Boris Pickett: Monster's Holiday (mp3)

As ever, please consider donating to yr favorite charity this time of the year. Hell, consider it all year 'round!

Wonderful

2012-12-07T08:30:00.000-06:00

Ooops, was out a little late last night celebrating the Festive Yuletide. But we haven't forgotten y'all. Here's a nifty little tune from Nick Cave and Shane MacGowan to sip a little eggnog to, while preparing for our return to form tomorrow.

Back to the true Yule Insanity tomorrow!

Mistletoe Mess Around

2012-12-06T08:30:00.000-06:00

Good gravy, what if we put all this energy into posting all year 'round? Regardless, it's Xmas! Good times are coming.

Today's yule logs take a decided shift into bar band territory, with some nifty tunes that hang neon bar-lights around their Santa Claus suits. Let's take a listen....

Danny Barnes used to be (or still is) in the seminal Bad Livers. Here, his banjo expertise (of which he is an acknowledge master) is on display in a low-down, beats-driven Christmas lament.

Star and Micey, who we got to see not too long ago, in a great show, go traveling and drinking on a Christmas Eve in one of our great cities.

Marah, who recorded one of our favorite records of all time, "Let's Cut the Crap and Hook Up Later On Tonight", chime in with an Xmas ode to the greatest city in the world.

And Scott Miller, formerly of the V-Roys, lends his Holiday voice in a rather suggestive number, where Virginia finds out there's a Santa Claus, and she's not disappointed.

Santa's a Banjo fiend.

Danny Barnes: All Alone For Christmas (mp3)

Star and Micey: A Memphis Christmas (mp3)

Marah: New York is a Christmas Kind of Town (mp3)

Scott Miller: Yes, Virginia (mp3)

Thanks for stopping by.

At The Christmas Ball

2012-12-05T08:30:00.000-06:00

It's the Holidays, and no sign of snow in sight. Alas.

Gonna have a special Holiday post today, with all the Mrs. Santa Claus' weighing in. Everybody knows Mrs. Claus does all the work, anyway. And how come she doesn't get her own name? "Mrs. Claus"? Someone needs to investigate and find out her real name.

So, it's all deep Blues Ladies today, and one hell of a lineup of powerhouses. Some of 'em are lamenting not having a man at Christmas (whether he's in jail, or unavailable, otherwise, to "trim their tree"), but methinks they're better off without a scalliwag around to mess shit up. Just our opinion.

The mighty Bessie Smith. Bertha "Chippie" Hill. Victoria Spivey. Marry Harris. Damn, Santa's in heap of trouble. This may be the mightiest assemblage of talent we've ever posted in a single sitting.

The Holiday season is filled with the blues. See for yourself!

Bessie Smith: At The Christmas Ball (mp3)

Bertha "Chippie" Hill: Christmas Man Blues (mp3)

Victoria Spivey: Christmas Morning Blues (mp3)

Mary Harris: No Christmas Blues (mp3)

Please consider donating whatever and wherever you can, not just during the Holiday season, but year 'round.