Sol

New Releases:

Phish - Chicago '94 (6 CDs) - Two shows from Phish's 1994 tour from two separate stops at the UIC Pavilion in Chicago that year, June 18 and November 25. Paul Languedoc's stereo soundboard mixes re-mastered by Fred Kevorkian carry the power of these special shows to listeners' ears eighteen years later. The shows are presented here with new artwork by longtime collaborator and Chicagoan Jim Pollock. Chicago '94 contains nearly six hours of music performed at both shows for a total of 43 songs, including material from the UIC sound checks. The 6-CD boxed set is essential listening for any Phish fan.

Coming Soon:

The Recipe - Stir the Pot CD

Last Week:

Old Crow Medicne Show - Carry Me Back CD - Carry Me Back is the band's fourth studio album and features 12 brand new tracks that sonically span the band's career while still pushing them forward in new directions as musicians and songwriters. The album was recorded at the legendary Sound Emporium studios in Nashville (O Brother, Where Art Thou?; REM's Document; Robert Plant and Alison Krauss's Raising Sand).

Carry Me Back was produced by Ted Hutt (Gaslight Anthem, Dropkick Murphys, Flogging Molly). Hutt pushed the band in a whole new way that they hadn't been pushed before. "Ted Hutt asked us to really dig deep as artists, as songwriters, to get to the heart of the matter of these songs and, especially, not to settle for anything less than their greatness," recalls Ketch Secor of the band. Secor is also very proud of the result of the band's songwriting efforts on the album, saying "For me, Carry Me Back is all about the songs, how they line up, intertwine, switch partners, and promenade home. Each of these songs was an accident waiting to happen."

Widespread Panic - 10/31/2007 Asheville Civic Center (3 CDs)- WSP busts out a bunch of covers for the first time at this special Halloween show! 1: Welcome To My Nightmare > Chilly Water, Ribs And Whiskey, All Time Low > Hatfield > Machine > Barstools and Dreamers, Tickle the Truth, Johnny Appleseed > Ain't Life Grand
2: Enter Sandman > Fishwater > Bust It Big > Jack, Slip Kid > Drums* > St. Louis > Driving Song > Time Is Free > Driving Song, Pilgrims > Imitation Leather Shoes
E: Bright Side of Life > Children of the Grave

Widespread Panic - A History Lesson: New Year's 1997 CD - 12/31/97 Fox Theater, Atlanta, GA. Widespread Panic's 7th MultiTrack Archive Release. Recorded at The Fabulous Fox Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia on December 31, 1997, with the 6 original members; John Bell, John Hermann, Michael Houser, Todd Nance, Domingo Ortiz, and David Schools. 'The Vault 'series highlights the band's early live performances with fully mastered sound board multi-track recordings.

History Lesson New Year's 1997, Widespread Panic's first set of the New Years performance presents a 'history lesson' on the band's formation, sequentially introducing each band member on a song that uniquely represented the time frame at which he joined the band.

Widespread Panic - Colorado Springs 10/20/1998 (3CDs) - Disc 1:
1. Goin' Out West 2. Radio Child 3. Ride Me High 4. Disco 5. Airplane 6. C. Brown 7. Holden Oversoul 8. Sleepy Monkey 9. Postcard
Disc 2: 1. Climb To Safety 2. Tall Boy 3. Walk On 4. Nobody's Loss 5. Blight 6. Chilly Water 7. Impossible
Disc 3: 1. Drums 2. Big Wooly Mammoth 3. Chilly Water (Reprise) 4. End Of The Show 5. Ain't Life Grand

Upcoming Events:

*July 26-29 - FloydFest - Floyd, VA

*Aug 9-11 - The BIG What? - Prospect Hill, NC

Aug 9-11 - Festival of Gnarnia - Beech Mt, NC

Aug 23-26 - Camp Barefoot - Bartow, WV

*Look for the HGMN Booth at these events

Video of the Week:

BIG Something with Greg Dalton (guitar) from Chasing Edison performing "Amanda Lynn" live at the Visulite Theatre in Charlotte NC 7/21/2012

Thanks for reading! Treat yourself to some good music this week. Look for us at FloydFest!
- Lee Crumpton

New Additions:

The Mantras - Dharland CD - The Mantras' music is an explosive combination of funk, fusion, & rock n roll. They have just released their third album titled "Dharland." The album consists of nine tracks (including fan favorites Magillicuddy and Five Roads) recorded by Harold Thompson at Blackwater Studios in Virginia between December '09 and Jan. 2010. The album was mixed and mastered by Chris Mitchell at Flying Eye Studios - Chris is renowned for his work with bands such as The Dead and Acoustic Syndicate in the past and we couldn't have asked for a better team on recording this album! It is available for purchase through our friends at Home Grown Music Network. $9.99

Coming Soon:

March 16 - The Disco Biscuits - Planet Anthem CD pre-order
Drive By Truckers- The Big To Do CD/LP

April 6 - John Butler Trio- April Uprising CD
Dr Dog - Shame Shame CD
Delta Moon - Hellbound Train CD
Kaki King - Junior CD/DVD
Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings - I Learned the Hard Way CD/LP
Martin Sexton - Sugarcoating CD
Stanton Moore - Groove Alchemy CD/DVD

Last Week:

Cornmeal - Live in Chicago, IL Vol 1 CD - In the winter of 2000, a band stepped on stage for the first time and called themselves Cornmeal. For the next six years, Cornmeal performed each and every Wednesday in Chicago to small yet loyal crowds. Throughout the winters of 2007-2009, Cornmeal returned to Chicago to pay homage to that tradition. This album is for the fans as a thank you for all the years of dedication, for believing in Cornmeal, and for creating a wonderful community for them to come home to. The album was recorded live throughout the winter of 2009 at Martyrs' in Chicago, IL. Unlike Cornmeal's three previous albums, Live in Chicago, IL Vol. I captures the band in its raw, intense format, bouncing through song after song of fast paced, fierce originals and extensive improvised jams that showcase the immense talent and connectivity that have gained them so much fan appeal from coast to coast. Cornmeal is: Chris Gangi on upright bass, Dave Burlingame on Banjo, Allie Kral on fiddle, Kris Nowak on Acoustic Guitar, and John Paul Nowak on Drums.

Formed over 10 years ago, Cornmeal has grown from humble beginnings into a nationally recognized live music institution. 10 years together is no simple task these days, especially when the last five have seen the band spending over half the year on the road. Heavily influenced by American roots and folk music, Cornmeal blends lightning fast tempos and impeccable harmonies into an unrivaled live performance that continues to expand upon the five-piece acoustic-electric groups' vast musical repertoire. While steeped in the tradition of roots music, Cornmeal continues to forge their own path, pushing the boundaries of bluegrass, Americana and folk for a whole new generation of music lovers. With a rapidly growing fan base and ever-evolving stage show, Cornmeal challenges the recipe of the bluegrass sound and live performance, quickly propelling them into the national spotlight. $14

Great American Taxi - Reckless Habits CD - In the past five years, Great American Taxi has become one of the best-known headliners on the jam band circuit. Their uninhibited sound is a swinging concoction of swampy blues, progressive bluegrass, funky New Orleans strut, Southern boogie, honky tonk country, gospel, and good ol' fashioned rock 'n' roll. Great American Taxi was born when singer, guitarist, and mandolin player Vince Herman of Leftover Salmon joined keyboard player and singer Chad Staehly for a superstar jam to benefit the Rainforest Action Group in Boulder, in March of 2005. "We put together a dream band of the best local musicians for a one-off gig," Herman recalls. "It worked so well we had to do it again, and again, and again." Great American Taxi quickly evolved into one of the best country-, rock-, and bluegrass- influenced jam bands in the land, masterfully blending acoustic and electric instruments into music they call "Americana Without Borders."

The 13 tracks on Reckless Habits gleefully stretch the boundaries of American roots music with a nod to both tradition and the future. The title track, Staehly's salute to Gram Parsons, is a good example, a song that's as country as it is rock. It's a rousing honky tonk tune, with Carbone's fiddle and Sless's pedal steel kicking up the sawdust on a Saturday night dance floor. The titles of several Parsons songs appear in the lyrics, and there's a definite Cosmic Cowboy vibe to the band's expansive playing. Staehly's "American Beauty" tips its hat to the Grateful Dead and features an extended jam by the ensemble with Sless shining on pedal steel; Herman's acoustic and the subtle twang of Jim Lewin on electric add intertwining guitar parts. Herman's "Cold Lonely Town" is a slow R&B tune that describes life during the long Colorado winters. The Black Swan Singers add smoky doo-wop asides and CoCo Brown's thrilling gospel-inflected melismas to Herman's poignant vocal. Producer Tim Carbone described its swampy, laid-back vibe as "'A Day in the Life' meets Gram Parsons in the high desert." $14.98

Upcoming Events:

April 15-17, 2010 - Wanee Music Festival - Live Oak, FL

April 22-25, 2010 - Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival - Pittsboro, NC

Video of the Week:

The Mantras - Funky Jank Patrol live at the Get Down 2009

Thanks for reading, and have a great week!
Lee Crumpton

New Additions:

Shaggy Wonda - Real World Shaker CD - This up and coming four-piece out of Bloomington, IN is quickly spreading their brand of rock, blues, and funk. Shaggy Wonda's second studio release, 'Real World Shaker', spans a wide spectrum of musical feels from riff rock to groove to smoky blues. The passion put into their lyrics and compositions is the catalyst for the high energy live performances that have won over fans at the many clubs and festivals they have played. This hard working blue collar band puts a modern spin on a rock n roll attitude rooted in decades past comparable to bands such as Black Crowes and Gov't Mule. Shaggy Wonda's influences are diverse and numerous and the result is a truly unique sound that has something for every music listener. $10.99 Also available: Not Bad for Tuesdays CD $10.99

Sol - Freedom CD - Sol performs a mix of Funk, roots Reggae, deep Blues, and psychedelic Rock. Sol is known for his work with blues & roots pioneers of Music Maker, many whose work inspired the beginnings of rock n roll. The latest CD release, Freedom, showcases Sol's unique blend of styles and talented musicians. Freedom has been called "an instant favorite" and "one of the top 15 CDs of the year!" $9.99 Also available: Volume: Blue CD $13.98

Vampire Weekend - Contra CD / LP - Like the first album, Contra was produced by keyboardist Rostam Batmanglij and is the realization of a whole and unique musical vision that sees the band stretching out and adding new textures, instrumentation, and rhythms into their sound. Primarily recorded in New York with a springtime sojourn to Mexico, Contra feels altogether fresh, joyous, and like nothing else but is immediately recognizable as the sound of Vampire Weekend. CD $14.98 / LP $16.98

Charlie Hunter - Gentlemen, I Neglected To Inform You You Will Not Be Getting Paid CD - Features the jaw-dropping guitarist alongside drummer Eric Kalb (Deep Banana Blackout, Sharon Jones, John Scofield), and a new horn section including trombonist Curtis Fowlkes (Jazz Passengers, Lounge Lizards, Bill Frisell), trombonist Alan Ferber (Don Byron, Kenny Wheeler), and trumpeter Eric Biondo (Antibalas, TV on the Radio). Hunter is widely considered the authority on the seven and eight-string guitar, and continues to stun audiences with his ability to simultaneously bust out tasty bass parts, melodic leads, and swinging rhythms. $13.98

Coming Soon:

January 19 - Perpetual Groove - Heal CD
Danny Barnes - Pizza Box CD
South Memphis String Band - Home Sweet Home CD
Old Crow Medicine Show - Greetings from Wawa CD
RJD2 - Colossus CD

February 2 - The Disco Biscuits - Planet Anthem CD

Last Week:

Boogie Husters - Boogie Hustlers CD - On their third album, the Boogie Hustlers have once again found a way to seamlessly merge various genres of music into a sound that is uniquely their own. Strikingly different from the band's previous album True Colors, their newest self-titled release Boogie Hustlers is a bare bones, back to basics, beautiful blend of classic soul and rock n' roll teamingwith emotional, heartfelt songs about love and life. From the driving road anthem "9 Deep" to the mellow masterpiece "Down the Line", this eclectic album proves to be their best yet. $12

Shpongle - Live from the Roadhouse 2008 DVD - As an artist, it's always good to challenge yourself... and the thought of translating all the complex layers in a shpongle album into a live show with a band gave me a panic attack... and still does! Pretty early on I realized the secret would be to bring in musicians far better than ourselves... and lots of them! Two weeks before the show the band had never even met each other, even though I had recorded some of them individually in my studio for previous Shpongle albums. We all rehearsed in a darkened room, with no air or daylight, getting to know each other by smell alone... and perhaps sound. Reams of manuscript paper littered the floor, everyone wore ear plugs, and all I could think was "What the hell am I doing?" . We didn't know if we would ever repeat the performance, so recorded it for posterity... Surely only an idiot would actually release their first ever gig though, right? We hope you like it... it was made with love, sweat and laughter.... Welcome to Shpongleland! $16.98

Buckethead & Friend - Enter the Chicken (re-release) - The ever mysterious and amazingly talented guitarist and theme park manager Buckethead has opened the doors to his famed Bucketheadland once again, and this time he has asked his friends to help him provide the thrills and chills to his guests. Complete with brand new bonus track Shen Chi, Enter the Chicken is ready to take listeners on another sonic loop. Also on board are the vocal performances from many of today's brightest musical talents including Saul Williams, Efrem Schulz (Death By Stereo), Maura Davis, Azam Ali (300 Soundtrack) and Serj Tankian himself. These artists as well as the others that are featured on the album were hand picked by Tankian and Buckethead to ensure that each song takes the listener on a unique musical voyage. The 12-track adventure is filled with sonic twists and turns that will leave listener's ears delighted and their mouths overflowing with enthusiastic comments. $11.98

Upcoming Events:

April 15-17, 2010 - Wanee Music Festival - Live Oak, FL

April 22-25, 2010 - Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival - Pittsboro, NC

Video of the Week:

Shaggy Wonda - Sweet Rose Moonshine CD

Thanks for reading, and have a great week!
Lee Crumpton