04.26.06 (MusicPortal.com) Country singer JULIE ROBERTS is set to release her next album, entitled "Men & Mascara," on June 27th via Mercury Nashville Records. With her poignant Blues-soaked voice, Roberts quickly became a favorite of fans and fickle music critics alike upon the release of her self-titled debut album in 2004. Spotting her talent early, CMT selected Roberts to be the first artist ever to appear on "In The Moment," that music network's hour-long documentary on the making of a star. Roberts' debut was certified gold and led to two Horizon Award nominations from the Country Music Association, as well as a Top New Artist nomination and a Top New Female Vocalist nomination from the Academy Of Country Music Awards, as well as a Breakthrough Artist nomination from the CMT Awards. She delivered two memorable performances on The Tonight Show With Jay Leno, and was chosen over artists in all musical genres to sing the "Good To Go" theme song of the television show Good Morning America. "It's been amazing," she says of her success. "We've played so many places and I've been to so many places. But I haven't really had time to sit back and reflect on all we've done." With her debut disc, Roberts was Country music's Cinderella, a stunning blonde from Lancaster, South Carolina who stole everyone's heart with her honest music, cover-girl looks, exuberant personality and irresistible laughter. And now with her second album, Roberts proves she's in it for the long run. "Men & Mascara," produced by Byron Gallimore (Lee Ann Womack, Faith Hill), is an impressive collection of songs. After touring non-stop for two years, Roberts has honed her signature vocal style and developed a newfound confidence that she unleashes on her sophomore release. That self-assurance allowed her to rise to the level of Gallimore's musical direction, which included twice the number of musicians as her first album and introduced the fiddle to Roberts' music, as well as more steel guitar and mandolin. "It shows my maturity as an artist vocally and artistically, because I wrote on it," says Roberts, who co-penned four songs in 'First To Never Know,' 'Smile,' 'A Bridge That's Burning' and 'All I Want.' "I think it's a step up, the next step." In terms of musical progression, it's more of the same, only better. "I've been getting a great response to my first record on the road, people singing my songs and telling me, 'Don't change your next record much. We love it.' So I knew I wanted it to be a lot of the same," she says. "My mindset didn't change that much. I started looking for songs that meant something to me, just like I did for my first album. Every lyric I sing has to mean something to me." Roberts... [full story]
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04.24.06 (MusicPortal.com) T BONE BURNETT T Bone has emerged from a self-imposed 14-year hiatus as a recording artist to release two highly-anticipated collections of music simultaneously on May 16th: "The True False Identity," his first album of new original songs since 1992, and "20/20: The Essential T Bone Burnett," a 40-song retrospective spanning Burnett's entire career of music-making. Burnett says of his extended break: "After the last record (1992's "The Criminal Under My Own Hat"), I felt I could write some new songs and go around the track again, but I didn't feel that I would get anywhere. The road had become too difficult. Music had come completely apart for me. But more importantly, I didn't have anything I wanted to say. It all seemed pointless, so I decided to explore some of the other ideas that were coming my way. I needed freedom. I needed time to find another way into playing music again." It is no coincidence that T Bone Burnett is releasing both a retrospective and a new album on the same day. In his revelatory liner notes for 20/20, he has written: "This is the way I wanted to close the book on these songs from a dead man, and open the book on the new life I am beginning after forty years of wandering in the desert." An enigmatic sentiment coming from a man whose solo work has always been filled with droll humor, sardonic wordplay and keen cultural observations. But, for T Bone Burnett, the past is prologue and The True False Identity is the fulfillment of an artistic vision that's been forming in the back of his brain for decades. As Burnett explains, the aim of "The True False Identity" is to "erase the nonexistent line between comedy and tragedy. In the theater, you hear laughter and gasps at the same moment. Some people are amused by the same thing other people are appalled by." As he continues: "The tragedy and the comedy is that reality has been devoured by image management. Today, you can say anything you want and you can do anything you want. Then, you can say you didn't say it or didn't do it, and no one will remember or know the difference or believe anything other than what he or she wants to believe." The musical genesis of "The True False Identity" has its roots in the records T Bone Burnett and his musicians immersed themselves in while recording. Burnett acted as DJ for those sessions, spinning records and videos between takes. "We were listening to Bo Diddley, Howlin' Wolf, The Carter Family, and a lot of Haitian music," he says, "so the axis this music turns on is some kind of line drawn from New Orleans through Mississippi and Tennessee to Haiti."
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04.12.06 (MusicPortal.com) Two of Pop/Rock's darlings -- MATTHEW SWEET and SUSANNA HOFFS of THE BANGLES -- have joined voices in celebration of one of the most important eras in Pop/Rock music. Featuring 15 of the duo's favorite tunes from the 1960s, "Under The Covers Vol. 1" combines popular hits and obscure gems from such important names in music as The Beatles, Bob Dylan, The Beach Boys, The Who, Neil Young And Crazy Horse, The Zombies, The Mamas And The Papas, The Left Banke, The Bee Gees, The Marmalade, Fairport Convention, Love, The Stone Poneys, and The Velvet Underground. Sweet and Hoffs, each with a stunning and highly distinguishable voice of their own, mingle melodies and tones for new, unique harmonies that truly reflect the sounds of the time. Shout! Factory will release Under The Covers Vol. 1 on April 18th for the suggested retail price of $15.98. Matthew Sweet and Susanna Hoffs have always been fans of each other's work, performing guest vocals at each others concerts aÊfew times throughout the years, and collaborating with comedian Mike Myers as members of Austin Powers' on-screen band Ming Tea in Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery and Austin Powers in Goldmember. Now Sweet and Hoffs explore a classic era of pop music together for the first time, on Under The Covers. The down to earth feel of the record reflects the ease of the sessions; recorded entirely at Sweet's home facility, Lolina Green, the work was a true labor of love, done, as they both put it, "purely for the fun of it!" The newly formed duo wanted to start with a few of their favorite, though lesser known tracks: "She May Call You Up Tonight" by Ô60s baroque rock band The Left Banke, "The Warmth Of The Sun" by The Beach Boys, and the melancholy ballad "Who Knows Where The Time Goes?" by British folk-rock group Fairport Convention, among others. They also threw in a few more well-known songs from the era; Neil Young's "Cinnamon Girl," Pete Townsend's "The Kids Are Alright," and John Phillips' "Monday, Monday" were on the short list. Sweet and Hoffs, both Lou Reed fans, also added "Sunday Morning" from The Velvet Underground & Nico. Of course no '60 music collection would be complete without a selection from The Beatles, so the Sweet/Hoffs consensus was "And Your Bird Can Sing" from Revolver. And, one exception to the rule requires mentioning; the Bee Gee's "Run To Me," actually came out in 1971. A '60s pop primer of sorts, Under The Covers Vol. 1's 15 songs span a wide range of genres -- from rock to folk to pop -- but all have that unmistakable '60s vibe. It's obvious that Sweet and Hoffs have put their own stamp on these covers, individually and collectively, but have done so with a sense of respect and admiration for the original versions and composers. On Under The Covers Vol. 1 Sweet and Hoffs pay homage to arguably the most important decade in pop music by inserting their own musical personalities and unique harmonies for a fresh and new sound.
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04.10.06 (AP) Keith Urban won video of the year and Carrie Underwood of "American Idol" was the only double winner at the Country Music Television awards show Monday. Urban performed the song for his winning video, 'Better Life,' with a displaced choir from the Gulf Coast and scenes from the hurricane-damaged region. "We just wanted to present a better tone for 'Better Life,' and I had been down to New Orleans and was struck by a combination of things - how much has been done and how little has been done," Urban said. "We just wanted to bring a little more awareness back to the cause down there." Underwood, launched her career last year after winning "American Idol," took home honors for breakthrough video and female video for her inspirational hit 'Jesus, Take the Wheel.' "This is my very first acceptance speech so I made a list," Underwood said before thanking everyone from God to "American Idol." "Music videos are a huge tool," she said after the ceremony for the awards, chosen by fans. "Fans love them because they add a new dimension to the song, and we love them because it's just another way to get (the music) out there. For my first video to win two awards tonight was amazing." Another song with a strong spiritual theme, Brad Paisley's duet with Dolly Parton 'When I Get Where I'm Going,' won for inspiring video. Bon Jovi and Sugarland singer Jennifer Nettles won collaborative video for 'Who Says You Can't Go Home,' and Kenny Chesney won the male video award for 'Who You'd Be Today.' "I think everybody has lost somebody before they were meant to, and Shaun Silva and I did this video to help us all remember those people," Chesney said. Rascal Flatts won the group/duo video award for 'Skin (Sarabeth),' about a girl with cancer. "I think this song took on a life of its own," said Jay DeMarcus of Rascal Flatts. "It became almost bigger than we are, honestly. We were just the voice behind it." Billy Currington won hottest video for his R&B-flavored hit 'Must Be Doin' Somethin' Right,' and Sophie Muller won video director for the Faith Hill-Tim McGraw duet 'Like We Never Loved At All.' Dwight Yoakam paid tribute to his friend and mentor Buck Owens, creator of the twangy "Bakersfield sound" and longtime "Hee Haw" host, who died of a heart ailment March 25th. Yoakam called Owens the "best friend country music could ever ask for" and an inspiration to thousands of musicians. Owens pioneered the California Country/Rock sound that flourished in the 1960s with such groups as The Byrds, he said. Hank Williams Jr. received the Johnny Cash Visionary Award for his contributions to country music, joining such previous winners as Loretta Lynn, Reba McEntire and The Dixie Chicks. "My father changed and molded country music. Johnny Cash changed and molded country music. Waylon Jennings changed and molded country music," Williams said. "I'm just a guy that is another carpenter in a long line, and there's a lot more new ones here tonight." The son of the legendary Hank Williams began his career performing his father's songs, but in the 1970s forged his own identity by fusing Country music with the... [full story]
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[Folk News: March 2006]
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