New Boots and Contracts

Mar 30

[video]

Mar 27

“China, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq” —

The only four countries that executed more of their citizens than the United States did last year.

The good news is that an increasing number of states are starting to ban the death penalty.

(via jimray)

(via jimray)

Mar 21

buddyhollystuff:


Waylon Jennings, Buddy Holly and Tommy Allsup - Jan 31, 1959 Photo courtesy Buddy Holly online

buddyhollystuff:

Waylon Jennings, Buddy Holly and Tommy Allsup - Jan 31, 1959
Photo courtesy Buddy Holly online

(via countryandwestern)

[video]

Mar 20

Mar 10

Listen Up!

Man, I just love Rdio. Such a great way to find new music. Here’s what I’ve found over the last couple of weeks that I liked enough to keep listening to.

Cover of Agnostic Hymns & Stoner Fables

Agnostic Hymns & Stoner Fables by Todd Snider

Great. Best record this week. One of America’s great songwriters. A little rough around the edges, by turns funny and reflective.
Cover of Metal Moon

Metal Moon by Dirty Ghosts

Good, good stuff. Rock music. Not at all typical, but also not weirdly affected or gimmicky. Looking forward to more.
Cover of Wish I Was Here

Wish I Was Here by Micatone

Love this. I’d never heard of Micatone; I found them scrolling through Rdio’s new releases. Sort of loungy, a little hint of Morcheeba on some of the songs.
Cover of New Multitudes

New Multitudes by Jay Farrar, Will Johnson, Anders Parker, Yim Yames

Another group takes a stab at writing music for some of Woody Guthrie’s stacks of lyrics. Good stuff. Different enough from the Billy Bragg/Wilco Mermaid records that it’s interesting to compare them. Highlight: Angel’s Blues
Cover of Release Me

Release Me by Lyle Lovett

Lyle is leaving Curb records, where he’s been his whole career. It seems weird to go out on an album of covers (well, there are two originals), but also makes some sense. From what I’ve read he’s thinking about what direction he might want to go, and sinking a bunch of effort into writing might have seemed like a waste of time. It’s okay, though, because he’s *great* at covering songs. Everything on this record is satisfying if not revelatory.
Cover of Wrecking Ball

Wrecking Ball by Bruce Springsteen

Mostly good, though very heavily produced. Some odd choices, but overall it feels like Springsteen is trying to figure out where he stands in the landscape of American music and doing some experimenting. I imagine most people who like him in general will like this, and anyone who doesn’t like him won’t think much of it.
Cover of Start the Revolution Without Me

Start the Revolution Without Me by the Kaiser Chiefs

Pretty good. I think I like Kaiser Chiefs better when they sound like the Jam than when they sound like the Beatles, but they are good at stretching out a rock song.

Mar 08

countryandwestern:

Do not get in Hag’s face about microphones.

countryandwestern:

Do not get in Hag’s face about microphones.

(Source: terraplane14)

Mar 03

Saturday afternoon.  (Taken with Instagram at Lennon Rehearsal Studio)

Saturday afternoon. (Taken with Instagram at Lennon Rehearsal Studio)

Mar 02

Greg Cook hugs his dog Coco after finding her inside his destroyed home in East Limestone, Ala., on March 2.  (via Early season tornado outbreak)

Greg Cook hugs his dog Coco after finding her inside his destroyed home in East Limestone, Ala., on March 2. (via Early season tornado outbreak)

Sandra Fluke: The Recent Personal Attacks are an Attempt to Silence the Voices of Women -

sandrafluke:

I thank the thousands of women and men, including members of Congress, Georgetown University students and faculty, and total strangers of all political stripes across the country who have offered kind words and support following recent egregious personal attacks.

We are fortunate to live in a…