Here’s the video for the song “You Can Move Back Here” that I wrote about way back when. It’s a nice complement to the feeling of homesickness and melancholy from the song. More info via Trash Aesthetics here.

P.S. Swedesplease has the best music from around the world for the month of July up now here.

Dan Bryk is a tinkerer. His Facebook page describes various technical endeavors including this recent one: “rewiring the TV/DVD/itunes-through-airport extreme/old-mac-running-boxee/stereo”. At the moment he’s working on reinventing the wheel. His version of the wheel anyway. Which for him is the standard age-old pop song. Like the wheel, there’s little one can do to reinvent pop. But for Dan each clever turn of phrase, jangly guitar, layer of odd instrumentation, and overdubbed vocal is a revelation. And with every release he continues to upgrade, update, and redefine what is possible from the simple pop song.

Dan’s new record is called Pop Psychology. He’s done a soft release himself, but is still looking for the right label to release it (Bar/None, Parasol, and Ernest Jenning are you listening?). Fortunately for you it’s available from Bandcamp in any number of different formats (mp3, Flac, Lossless, etc) here. I’ve written often of Dan Bryk and this release is a great addition to his already stellar catalog of cult classics (here, here, here, here).

I’ve chosen the song “Alleged Career” since its themes of failure, false dreams, jealousy, and the ever elusive goal of indie rock superstardom are something I think we’ve all pondered. Dan was recently looking for help on the RIYL section of his latest press release and if I can be so bold I’d suggest Ben Folds, Chris Stamey, a little bit of Sloan and a dash of The Posies during the heavier moments. Show Dan I’ve at least got a little juice left and buy the new record here as a download.

My Alleged Career

Bonus:

BBW (Chunky Girl)
Summer Heroine (via Triangle Rock)
She Doesn’t Mean A thing To Me Tonight
Mark Turmell V2.0

I honestly don’t know where I’ve been on the new Owen Temple record. His criteria for appearance on Songs:Illinois are many (”the force is strong with this one”): he’s an Austin singer songwriter with debts to Guy Clark, Steve Earle and Townes Van Zandt, he is #1 on the Euro Americana chart, and he’s net savvy enough to give away his new record for free.

“Golden Age” is a song about his old Austin stomping grounds (O Henry’s Back Forty) and its demise when the new Hilton went up downtown. Usually you’ve got to take my word on an album with just one song as a sample of its wares. But with Dollars and Dimes you’re free to download the whole thing here courtesy of Owen Temple. In return you should check him out on tour this summer

Golden Age

As I sit here listening to Allen Toussaint’s excellent new record The Bright Mississippi I realize I’ve selected the only jazzy song from the new Peter Mulvey record to share with you. Perhaps I was influenced by the New Orleans vibe of Toussaint. Or perhaps I needed a pick me up. Either way “some People” has got a jauntiness that sets it apart from the other fine (yet typical singer-songwriter fare) found on his new record Letters From A Flying Machine. Peter is another of the amazing artists being represented in the states by Signature Sounds Records. What may set Peter apart from his contemporaries is the fact that he’s been recognized as an outstanding acoustic guitar player as well as a singer and writer.

“Some People” is clever and funny with both political and philosophical musings. In the end when all is said and done the song is very zen. Peter will be on the road all summer including a particularly arduous and lengthy spell when he’ll be traveling (guitar and all) on his bike.

Some People

Bonus songs:

Shirt
Old Simon Stimson
Charlie

At this point, after being in the music blog racket for a number of years, I don’t have any misconceptions about my role. I have a small blog that will never break out traffic wise because I choose not to write about the band of the minute. But I’ve really taken this approach a step too far lately by purposefully trying to write about bands that stump Elbo.ws and Hype Machine. One such artist is the British singer songwriter Ian Williams. A quick search on both sites reveals no other post about this British artist.

The new EP by Ian Williams has just been released by Adventure Club Records. Although Ian is originally from Wales he makes his home now in Leeds and is part of that city’s americana/alt-country movement. Here’s the “Amputation song” from Bible Black Heart. I think you’ll see why this gently strummed, richly sung song deserves time on songs:Illinois.

Amputation Song

I’ve been waiting on a couple big releases. Amazingly two of the three that I’ve been drooling over have a connection to the small label Ramseur Records. The first is the new one from the Avett Brothers (they may have now moved on to a major label but they are still managed by the folks at Ramseur) and and the second is the new record from Paul Burch & WPA Ballclub that is out Aug. 18 on Ramseur. The third is the new one titled Cotton by Sam Baker (but more on that in a few weeks).

Still Your Man is the new one and though I can’t vouch for the whole thing from the notes accompanying the record it sounds promising. Paul Burch set out to make a record with it’s own distinctive yet classic sound (think Sam Phillips of Sun). Paul Burch’s early records on the now defunct label Checkered Past are underground americana classics. I’ve fallen off the bandwagon a bit since those early records but I’m climbing back on!! Here’s the title track:

Still Your Man

I’ve flirted with a “Bluegrass Tuesday” and toyed with a “Honky-Tonk Friday” (even if it doesn’t always end up on a Friday). So it shouldn’t come as complete surprise tha I’m considering a “Blue Monday”. There’s a chance this may be the first and last “Blue Monday” post since I’m not the biggest fan of modern electric blues (despite my stay at Alligator Records). But I heard this song by Detroit bluesman Harmonica Shah and thought it deserved to be heard. It’s from his new record on Electro-Fi called If All You Have Is A Hammer, Everything Looks Like A Nail.

Blues is unlike any of the other prominent genres in its ability to tell a story. The format gives you the time and the space to address nearly any concept, theme or story idea. The best (people like Otis Taylor, Corey Harris) can convey a lot of emotion and knowledge in simple three bar blues jam. I think Harmonica Shah does that as well on this one, especially since he’s from the Detroit area and has seen the economic devastation first hand.

Blues For Ford, Chrysler and G.M.

Rick Shea’s brand of meta-physical roots music is apparent in the title track of his new record “Shelter Valley Blues”. I may not fully comprehend all the references and allusions, but with lines like “I walked into the fire slightly stoned and slightly wired to lose myself in mescaline and booze, now I’ve got no recollection of my death or resurrection” it’s pretty clear this is not simply a song or an album about typical Nashville country themes.

Pre-order this July 21st release here.

Shelter Valley Blues

P.S. All posts of late are slightly abbreviated due to the onset of summer (finally!) in Chicago. Music still rocks, even if my prose falters.

Probably despite his best efforts eveything Loudon Wainwright III touches of late turns to gold. Examples include his children’s success (Rufus and Martha), his soundtrack work, his solo stuff, and even his acting (he was pretty great in a short cameo as a an OBGYN in Knocked Up). Loudon Wainwright latest undertaking is tackling the Charlie Poole (Trailer) story.

This song is a Loudon original that tells the story of Charlie Poole’s trip to NYC to record his first record for Columbia Records. High, Wide And Lonesome - The Charlie Poole Project is due out at the end of summer. There will be a documentary film as well.

Way Up In NYC

I’ve said it before but it bears repeating. Brooklyn is the home of some pretty kick ass alt-country/honky-tonk bands. I’ll Be John Brown is one of the latest additions to a thriving scene. Their new self-titled CD is out now and available from CD Baby here.

The band’s song “My New South” reminds me of some of the cowpunk from the 80’s (like some of the stuff by The Dead Milkmen). The band definitely infuses their twangy country with equal parts punk rock energy. “My New South” is the band’s dream vision of what the South could be like with lines like “billboards will be kindling”, “people of all colors will be all better bowlers and you’ll rarely see a cop”, “courtesy will be a cash crop and the last Walmart burns to the ground”.

The band has what sounds to be a great show coming up at the Living Room on July 4.

My New South