Rob Nichols

Roots Rock: Jayhawks back together, Truth and Salvage Co. to Indy, and Webb Wilder to the Hall of Fame

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→ The Band Perry (with former Seymour, now Indianapolis resident) Thom Daugherty on guitar) will get two high-profile TV gigs later this month. The group appears on Ellen on the 27th, and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on the 28th.

The Jayhawks

→ The classic Jayhawks lineup of Gary Louris, Mark Olson, Marc Perlman, Tim O’Reagan and Karen Grotberg has been recording together for the first time in 15 years. Acccording to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, the album “…is essentially done. Louris is currently holed up in Tucson, Ariz., working on the final mix of the record at a friend’s studio, Wave Lab.” (read full story) Reissues of the group’s Hollywood Town Hall and Tomorrow the Green Grass albums come out Tuesday (January 18).
→ Truth & Salvage Co., which includes ex-Old Pike singer/songwriter Tim Jones, returns to Indianapolis for a gig at Radio Radio on February 19th. Last year’s show at Birdy’s earned the top spot on my list of best shows of 2010. We’ll have an interview with Jones closer to the Radio Radio gig.
“She Really Does it for Me” LIVE at Sun Studios
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFdKFsGdaUM]
→ Social Distortion’s Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes is also out on Tuesday. It rocks appropriately – Mike Ness and the band done good.
Listen toSocial Distortion – Hard Times And Nursery Rhymes
→ Roots-rocker Webb Wilder will be inducted into the Mississippi Musicians Hall of Fame at a ceremony Tuesday (January 18) night. A native of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, Webb will be in good company alongside inductees such as Muddy Waters, B.B. King, Tammy Wynette, Conway Twitty, the Staples Singers, Sam Cooke, Bo Diddley, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Elvis Presley.
Long a rock cult favorite, and owner of one minor radio hit, the Associated Press described Wilder’s stage performance as “a glorious amalgamation of grunge chords, killer grooves, Screamin’ Jay Hawkins theatrics, a healthy sense of humor, and great pop melodies.”
Wilder’s most recent studio release is entitled More Like Me.
“Human Cannonball” LIVE
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6KPBn-tj9c]

New album for Duke Tumatoe; Chad Mills opening for Zac Brown Band duo

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Singer/songwriter Chad Mills is part of the Redbud Tree House Concert Series this Sunday, January 16 at Radio Radio in Indy’s historic Fountain Square District. He will open for Levi Lowrey and Clay Cook, both members of the Zac Brown Band, who are on a tour between dates with the ZB band.
Indianapolis bluesman Duke Tumatoe’s new album, I Just Want to Be Rich comes out January 18 and he will preview the release with a show at Rathskeller in Indianapolis this Saturday, January 15. He will also be at the Players Pub in Bloomington on February 4.
Hear I Just Want to Be Rich

Roots and rock albums on the way: Todd Snider, Lucinda Williams, Drive-By Truckers, more

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Some strong roots-rock albums will arrive over the next few months. Todd Snider’s song/spoken word set sounds interesting and odd, the Drive By Truckers will offer greasy R&B and new stuff by Lucinda Williams and Hayes Carll will start Americana fans vibrating.
January 11
Rusty Bladen – One Live Night – The Hoosier roots-rocker channels his inner Tom Petty with his full band, the Designated Drivers, in a live recording captured at a historic theatre in Scottsburg, Indiana.
January 18
Social Distortion – Hard Times And Nursery Rhymes – Mike Ness growls some rock for ya.
February 1
Todd Snider – The Storyteller – Live songs and musings from the East Nashville boy genius.
February 15
Drive By Truckers – Go-Go Boots – Featuring songs recorded concurrently with last year’s The Big To-Do. DBT’s Patterson Hood told knoxville.com that Go Go Boots has more of an R&B vibe to it than The Big To-Do. I call it our rhythm and blues murder ballads record. Its about as different as it could be and still be the same band.

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Indiana Album: Mike Reeb – "Breaking"

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For a good album to elevate to great, especially for local or undiscovered talent, finding a unique sound while embracing familiar influences becomes important. Some (Lenny Kravitz, Oasis) took that idea to a near-breaking point, while others don’t go far enough, and we are left with music that doesn’t find it’s way into our heart and guts.
Lafayette’s Mike Reeb does a fine job of blending his influences and own sound on his new album Breaking. A record filled with images of melancholy and heartbreak, Reeb casts his bright pop and rock music into the mix to keep it engaging.

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Best of Indiana: Roots-Rock in 2010

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At Rockforward, we live right in the middle of Indiana,  and fan our reach outward from Indianapolis.  Here’s the best of what we heard this year from (mostly) Hoosier roots-rock artists.
2010 Local Roots Rock/Americana Album of the Year
Cara Jean Wahlers/”Goodnight Charlotte” – How did this quiet, intelligent, duet-like release from an acoustic guitar player and cello player get to the top of my roots-rock/Americana list full of worthy candidates?  Especially coming from a guy (me) who unabashedly enjoys the gritty side of loud guitars, drums and a sweet Hammond B-3?  It happened because this is a deserving place for “Goodnight Charlotte”, as Wahlers’ and Grover Parido’s cello quietly cuts into your heart with hauntingly beautiful music and lyrics that evoke black and white movies.

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