There just might be a bit of West Texas in all of us, it is just a lot more front and center with Caleb Coy.

Caleb Coy announced a new Kickstarter campaign to fund his next album just yesterday.  If you are interested in great lo-fi (or maybe not so ‘lo-fi’ for the upcoming album) folk country, then this is your chance to get in on the ground floor.  Its an ambitious endeavor to get recording time, vinyl pressings and essentially a full package album (with PR) made these days and in exchange of being part of the process, you can make it actually happen!  I guess that is the idea behind it, you are donating to get the rewards of great music…its pretty simply really.  Visit the campaign HERE.  Watch the video below.

Take a listen to one of my favourites from his Yer Bird Records released album “Wild Desert Rose”, the track “Rambler’s Lament”.

~Smansmith

Just thinking about this album today as they are announcing the long list for the Polaris Prize today (keep an eye out here).  If you are unaware, the 2011 Polaris Prize is the ‘best’ Canadian album to be released between June 2010 and May 2011 as chosen by music editors, sites, critics in Canada.  Slowcoustic is considered one of those Canadian music types and I voted for my favourite albums and this band may have been among the list….I ain’t gonna tell.

One Hundred Dollars new album “Songs of Man” is a strong contender for reaching at least the long list of the Polaris, but unfortunately I don’t see a more country/roots type band winning for some reason.  All I can say is that I hope that the whole process isn’t just an exercise in voting Arcade Fire for the top spot (despite it being a good album as well).  Lets all hope we see $100 represented today on the announcement for the competition to Canada’s ‘best’ album of the 2010/2011 season.  That is all I am going to say on this subject (at this time).  ;-)

One Hundred Dollars’ ‘Songs of Man’: While you can expect a bit of a country experience from One Hundred Dollars, you also get a bit of retro rock, folky moments all mixed together into a rambling rootsy album.  This may sound wishy washy and almost a bit thrown together, but it isn’t – it feels quite well assembled in all reality.  If a slightly tamer Janis Joplin decided to become an outlaw country act, then One Hundred Dollars should be on your listening “long list”.

Enjoy Black Gold as your song of the day:

“Black Gold” from One Hundred Dollars album “Songs Of Man”

Find more/purchase: Website, Outside Music, Facebook and Zunior (purchase).

~Smansmith

Don’t know much about Nebraska – drove through it once and spent the night at a small low rent chain motel on the outskirts of Lincoln.  Saw lots of corn fields (from the side of the road), a truck with a personalized license plate with “Hunters” on it and endless 2 door coupes with “support our troops” magnets.  Not to say that it was the essence of “Midwestern”, that is just the impression it gives off.  As mentioned we did stay for a bit in Lincoln, and it was a sweet little town.  I quite liked it and always joke with my wife that we would move there because it seemed like an honest but growing town, plus we got a good cup of coffee the morning we left.  I don’t know where I was going with this, oh yeah, moving to Nebraska…

Jon Crocker has some nice folk tunes – “Moved to Nebraska” is from his new album “Farewell, America!” and I think I kinda like it.  You gotta like a guy who isn’t afraid of the banjo AND mandolin.

Jon Crocker

Song of the Day:

“Moved to Nebraska” (mp3)

Bonus #1:

“Alabama Hills” (mp3) – a bit more uptempo for you diehard SLOWcoustic folks…
from “Farewell, America!”
(Greydawn Records)

More On This Album

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Bonus #2:
Jon Crocker
“I Just Can’t Say No” (mp3)
from “The Dust Will Settle”
(Bluetint Records)

More On This Album

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If you happen to enjoy Mr. Crocker – visit him on his Website and even MySpace.

So I am not one to shy away from my “roots” (no pun intended).  So it is time to represent with some old school tunes (that aren’t actually that old) – but the tracks are from one of my “hometown” bands, the Wailin’ Jennys.

I am a previous resident of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada (I’m a “pegger”) and the Jennys are definitely one of the best exports that the city has had (take that Burton Cummings).  I always think that I even know them due to this.  Despite never officially meeting Annabelle Chvostek, Nicky Mehta, and Ruth Moody, I have seen them from a distance at best.  Actually, I am a friend of a friend of one of the members (The Moody sisters are friends with my sister/brother in law – so how many times removed is this????).  Regardless, the ladies not being hard on the eyes are also not so hard on the ears.  This can be heard starting from their debut breakout album “40 Days”, they have followed up with the great “Firecracker” and just yesterday a nice little live recording “Live at the Mauch Chunk Opera House”.

The tracks included below are a Celtic laden lament (Long Time Traveller) to an almost Egyptian accented Southern barn burner (Deeper Well) – if you are a roots folk fan, you can not go wrong with TWJ.

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The Wailin’ Jennys
“Deeper Well” (mp3)
from “Live at the Mauch Chunk Opera House”
(Outside Music)

More On This Album

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The Wailin’ Jennys
“Long Time Traveller” (mp3)
from “Firecracker”
(Jericho Beach Music)

More On This Album

I think the music speaks for itself, so enjoy your Wednesday with some of my root’s roots.  See what I did there?

Visit The Wailin’ Jennys on their great Website and on MySpace.
Pick up a copy of the albums (or a shirt??) directly HERE.

~Smansmith

p.s.  You might want to check out my other home @ You Crazy Dreamers for a feature on The Wailin’ Jennys member Annabelle Chvostek.