DVD: Kinky Friedman, "Live from Austin, tx"

/ ARTIST: Kinky Friedman / TITLE: "Live from Austin, tx" / GENRÉ: Musical film / FORMAT: DVD /

A very good friend of mine, like me, a former skinhead and unlike me, a man of great musical skill used to play with a Swedish country band and he usually knows what I like and sometimes comes with a few pointers, like "you might like this".

As he has been talking of Kinky Friedman for ages, I was glad when I found this DVD at the brilliant FolkÅRock record store in Malmö.

Before I had watched this DVD, I had actually never heard his music, but I did know that Kinky is jewish, a loudmouth, highly intelligent and of some musical skill. In other words, a darling of the alt country left wing environment.

Now, though it is true I don't like everything my buddy advices me to listen to, I don't share his love for Faron Young, as for an example, he is guilty of making me check out Townes van Zandt, for which I'm ever grateful. Kinky, I'm sad to say, is another addition to the list of performers I find overrated. Yes, I said it, it's time to start roasting sacred cows.

The music is ok, but nothing special. This show was recorded in the 70's and the appearance of the band is not the only thing flowerchild-hippie-longhair-wanker thing about them, parts of the music is more Woodstock than Muskogee. True, there's a few decent tunes on this disc, mainly the more rock & roll/R&B sounding stuff, but I can't say I particularly like the music.

The thing which really disturbs me with Kinky, though, is not his music, but his lyrics. Some of the tunes try to be funny, but aren't exactly above the level of oi! music's most overrated act, Splodge and some of it tries to be political, but only ends up as a load of crap.

To be honest, I don't see how his lyrics are "alternative" in any way. Now, there are obvious sides to American culture that aren't very nice, but I'm a Swede and it's not up to me to slander the USA, but Kinky is American and if an American wants to criticize his country, it should be his right to do so, but also his duty to present serious criticism. On this, Kinky fails, big time.

Kinky manages to put his childish humor lyrics together with "criticism" of American culture in a way that it neither becomes funny nor serious criticism. He most of all comes across as a middle class intellectual who wants a better society, but ends up blaming the working class instead of the bosses and big government. I don't buy that bullcrap. If you're not working class, got musical and intelligence gifts and want a better world, you ought to make yourself a servant of the people and sing like Woody Guthrie, instead of making fun of the very people that should drive the change.

Nope, Friedman, you don't fool me.

Some of the tunes are musically alright, so I'm not gonna slaughter this DVD totally, but it's actually that bad in my ears that it only gets 34,7% in rate of satisfaction.

Valerie June, "Pushin' against a stone"

/ ARTIST: Valerie June / TITLE: "Pushin' against a stone" / GENRÉ: Folk / LABEL: Sunday Best / FORMAT: CD /

I first acquainted myself with miss June's talent on the Letterman show and decided that I must buy her CD, which came out earlier this year. When I caught her on the Letterman show, it was said that it was her debut on telly and I watched a few clips on youtube with her and all of a sudden, things just took off in number of viewers on youtube, as well as "likes" on facebook. I think miss June has the ability to become a crossover act and earn respect outside the narrow circles of folk crowds.

Anyway, the first thing that hit me while seeing her on the telly was the obvious beauty of the woman, second, I liked her voice and thirdly, I really loved her music. The tune she played was Workin' woman blues, which made me, while recommending a mate of mine to check her out, make the comment that this is what Townes van Zandt would sound like if he was a young african american woman.

Such a remark, after having listened to her whole album, is still valid, but it doesn't cover all of her abilities, because miss June has a unique expression of music. Still, while she may not live up to van Zandt's intelligence and emotion in lyrics, she comes pretty close and does communicate, at times, the same feeling I get while listening to Townes.

Another cool thing about miss June, which sets her apart from ordinary folk singers is her eclectiveness. She doesn't sing pure folk, american way, but puts rich offerings of african american culture in her brew. You can hear blues, as well as gospel, soul and west african folk music in it all and, perhaps influenced by another fave act of mine, the Carolina Chocolate Drops, brings in a soft hip hop flavor with a few electronic beats to some tunes.

Valerie June is cool, gifted and in every sense a blessing to all non-orthodox fans of american music, country fans and blues fans alike will like this.

Easily one of the best albums of the year so far. Don't miss her and remember where you read about her first!

A pretty good record like this gets a whoopin' 83,6% in rate of satisfaction!

Johnny Cash, "Hymns by..."

/ ARTIST: Johnny Cash / TITLE: "Hymns by..." / GENRÉ: Country gospel / LABEL: Legacy / FORMAT: CD /

For a long while, I've been in doubt whether I should review my absolute favorite performers, performers like Johnny Cash and Townes van Zandt. These people were that talented that my words simply wouldn't do them justice.

However, when it comes to Johnny Cash, the man together with Nathan Abshire, that made me discover American people's music, I think there's a lot of revisionism going on. Punks and skinheads, the scene I have belonged to and whose music I still listen to, have claimed him. Even out and out anarchists listen to the late master.

It's easy to see why. When you belong to a subculture as hated as skinheads are, then the outcast anthems of Johnny Cash are well appreciated. I am a labor man myself which I have stated when I reviewed Dock Boggs and although I'm not politically active, nor agitate, I appreciate the songs about social justice that only Johnny Cash could pen.

But, like Dock Boggs, Cash had another side than the social rebel's, he was a Christian. So am I.

Of course, everyone who has seen the Walk the line movie, will know how he started out as a singer of gospel songs and tried to cut a record deal as a gospel singer for Sun records. Which failed.

I have always thought that Cash brought a bit of gospel feeling into his rockabilly and country stuff. On this record, which gathers hymns performed by him between 1958 and 59, one can almost say that he brings a country/rockabilly attitude to his gospel music.

Must've come as a shocker for those who had thought of him only as a rebel. Today, Christianity means being a rebel in a world that has fallen into the sinful depths of fornication and consumption.

True, there are performers of gospel music who are better than Cash, I am thinking primarily of The Louvin Brothers, but Cash brings his Cash-ness to it all.

Of course, Cash's music is timeless and so is the message on this record. Christianity remains, however unpopular it is to say so, the way, life and the truth. The lyrics are thoughtful and not written by someone who wants to cash (no pun intended) in on the gospel scene. They reflect the living faith that mr Cash had on earth, which lead him to his social convictions. He still has this faith today, I'm certain, as he watches over all his fans on earth from Heaven.

I am sure that this little CD is one of the most relevant things Cash ever recorded, some of the tunes being his own, some being written by other and a few timeless classic and this part of his legacy should not be forgotten.

Cash shouldn't be made a rebel that refused to conform to society's norms alone. He had this side to him, true, but it was fed by a stronger conviction than provocation for provocation's sake. It was fed by the conviction that us Christians must make moral choices, love our neighbors and not fall into the trap of conventional sins.

This is one of the records in my collection that I value the most. It's a real gem of a plastic disc.

A perfect record like this get 100% in rate of satisfaction!

Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell, "Old yellow moon"

/ ARTIST: Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell / TITLE: "Old yellow moon" / GENRÉ: Country music / LABEL: Nonesuch Records / FORMAT: CD /

To be honest, I haven't heard too much by Rodney Crowell before, so I can't really say anything about his input on this disc as compared to previous works.

Emmylou, on the other hand, has aged beautifully and I don't just mean her looks, she's still got a great voice and is anything but just a pretty singer. If she was, she wouldn't keep on doing her thing for as long as she has lasted and I consider her as great as Loretta Lynn. She impresses me as much when she does love songs as when she covers Townes van Zandt and though there are no Townes covers on this disc, she does touch a few serious subjects too and there's a strain of melancholy on quite a few numbers on this disc.

Merle Haggard was absolutely right in paying tribute to her on the record he released the other year. Emmylou means class.

That being said, this record, which is full of various flavors of country, bluesy stuff, waltzy stuff and ballads, isn't exactly groundbreaking. I know, I am an old fart and a jackass in disguise as a middle aged European geezer and I like the old stuff better than the new stuff on the country circuit. Most of the stuff being produced nowadays is utter shite. But then again, every age has had it's rebels and it's old farts and jackasses whom have considered the new stuff to be anything but country.

I like it, but to be objective, this isn't as good as the hype says. It sounds like country should sound according to me and country is supposed not to be the music for geeks like me, but for dancing on a Saturday night tavern over a few bottles of Budweisser and I suppose that much of the music on this record is danceable, it's just that it sounds like stuff you've heard a zillion times before. I wish some cool kid could make a record sounding groundbreaking, yet drenched in tradition.

Lyrically, you get a cocktail of love songs, as well as songs about drinks and drugs, even coffee and one tune about a bull rider.

I like this record, but I'm sure that Emmylou could pull something better off, therefore, not a perfect rate.

I wouldn't say it's a must-buy, rather, listen to the record first at Spotify and if you like it, support the artists by purchasing it!

I'll give this disc 61,8% in rate of satisfaction.

Frank Hutchison, "Complete recorded works in chronological order, volume 1, 1926-1929"

/ ARTIST: Frank Hutchison / TITLE: "Complete recorded works in chronological order, volume 1, 1926-29" / GENRÉ: American folk music / LABEL: Document Records / FORMAT: CD /

Who says Sham 69 invented street punk? Frank Hutchison had a lot of punk attitude, despite this record  being made with only acoustic guitars, fiddle, harmonica and banjo. Hutchison was a working class man, like so many other of the musicians in his time, he befriended black musicians (but had no qualms with performing a black face routine) and his lyrics are punk too.

But what made me think of punk when I listened to this record is the fact that Hutchsion performs with an enormous speed at some tunes, it's "faster, louder" 50 years before it's time. Some of the rag-times on this album could easily have been made by some punk combo, if they had been recorded with electrical instruments and drums.

On this album, you get, which is logical, as it is the beginning of his complete works, a showcase of his enormous repertoire. You get a lot of blues numbers that could've been recorded by black performers, the quality of the guitar play is that good, only his voice, which I find mediocre and his least quality in music, give him away. He sounds like a southerner trying to pass as a New England man.

You also get, apart from proper blues numbers, early country tunes, singing-free rag-times where Hutchison shows his great techniques with the guitar, pre-bluegrass and talking blues numbers.

I really like the Document Records project of re-releasing on CD a lot of old-timers that would otherwise be left as the luxury of anal 78-collectors. Yeah, record-collecting has it's charm, but at some time it has to be about the music and not about rarity, so let the collectors collect vinyl and let us ordinary fans of American music listen to these CDs.

No mess, no fuss, just pure impact. If you like old-time American music, you'll love this album, I think Hutchison was one of the best performers of his time and this little record should have a place in the collection of every true fan of the genré(s).

The only thing I'm slightly miffed with is the fact that the bio, as usual, is bloody short. I'd love to read more about him.

Get this record!

A great record like this gets a great rating. 94,3% in rate of satisfaction.

DVD: Merle Haggard, "Live from Austin, tx"

/ ARTIST: Merle Haggard / TITLE: "Live from Austin, Tx" / GENRÉ: Musical film / FORMAT: DVD /

It was a bit of a let-down that three of my favorite Hag songs weren't included on this one, namely Branded man, Okie from Muskogee and The fightin' side of me. But Merle is forgiven, cos included is a number of other great tunes, like Workin' man blues.

This DVD captures one of the greatest country music performers of all time (who continues to make great albums to this day) and it captures what is so special about the Hag. He is, as I see it, the missing link between the 1950's-60's Bakersfield sound and the 1960's-70's outlaw sound. He incorporates part of both sounds, the brutal guitars from Bakersfield, as well as the bluesiness of the outlaw scene and lyrically, he is just as credible when he sings about love, as when he sings about a prisoner waiting to be electrocuted.

Another great quality of Haggard's is the fact that he can play his music with a few guitars, bass and drums, as well as with a bigger band, as on this DVD, with strings, piano and saxophone. If the 60's demanded that you played down to the bare essentials and the late 70's got back to bigger bands (this recording is from 1978), Merle does both things just as good. He plays his Workin' man blues just as credibly when he is backed up by his band, as he does when he does it with an acoustic guitar.

But Merle also surprise us by playing the fiddle on a few tracks and does it surprisingly well. Again, we're in for a surprise, as Haggard plays a few western swing numbers, as well as old time feeling country tunes and proper blues.

But even though the musicianship alone makes the Hag one of the greatest country performers of all time, his lyrics is what makes him stand out as unique. No one has captured the daily struggle of the white (not that it matters), protestant (again, not that it matters), blue collar working man (which matters) nor the sentiments of jailbirds like the Hag has. Commies can rant all they want about proletarian culture, but the fact is that none has come as close to describing working class reality like mr Haggard.

New West Recordings should have a lot of credit for publishing these DVDs and this particular DVD is one of the better and is recommended not just to fans of old country, but also to fans of Taylor Swift, if they want to discover what country once was, as well as to fans of music in general, as the Hag is strong enough to appeal to all music lovers.

This is a near perfect DVD. Had my other three fave tunes been included, it would've reached highest rating, but now I give it 95,6% in rate of satisfaction.

Buy this DVD!!!

Film: "Country Strong"

/ TITLE: "Country Strong" / GENRÉ: Drama / FORMAT: DVD /

OK, let's have it! This is a romantic drama, the kind of flick you want to see with your girlfriend and not the type of movie I'd usually give a fair try. However, this film comes with a twist in the form of a great country music soundtrack which is perfect if you wish to make your girlfriend discover your own passion for country music. And although a romantic drama, it should be stated that some of the drama in this movie could've been written by the late Townes van Zandt himself.

Anyway, you know a flick is going to be great if it opens with a Merle Haggard cover. OK, Silver wings is not one of my fave tunes by the Hag, but far from his worst and to be honest, I think Merle Haggard is one of those artists that keep on making good tunes.

As I said, it starts with a Hag cover, as played by a young singer-songwriter, "Beau" (played by Garrett Hedlund) in a small honky-tonk. The next setting of the film, we get to see him driving to the rehab, where he works and in which a super-star of country music, Kelly Canter (played by Gwyneth Paltrow) is receiving care. They share their love of music and fall in love with each other too, though there is no sex scenes this far into the movie. He plays a few of his songs to her and she likes the music. She likes it that much that she, after having been written out too early from rehab in order to go on a tour, she convinces her hubby, Jimmy (played surprisingly well by Tim McGraw) that Beau should be the opening act.

At starters, Beau doesn't want to go. He likes playing in his honky-tonks and doesn't crave for fame. Finally he is convinced and it wouldn't be much of a flick if he didn't, would it?

Now for the catch! On the tour, a young, former beauty queen, who wants to start a career in country music, but freezes of stage fright every time she's supposed to go on, is to follow. This girl, Chiles Stanton (played by the beautiful Leighton Meester) has a beef with Beau, but you get the feeling that the feelings Kelly have for Beau are shared by Jimmy for Chiles.

What follows is a sort of A star is born for the early 21st century, only this time it's centered around four individuals and give the flick some time and you'll see how things change emotionally.

This is not just another romantic drama. It has a dark undertone that makes it an intelligent flick. Then, to us fans of country music, it has another dimension to it as well, which I think makes it worth watching. It's almost a comment on the country music scene of today, where Beau is the old fart and jackass and Chiles the typical pop-country starlet with no respect for the roots of the genré. At one stage, Beau is called "the new Townes van Zandt", whereas Chiles ask who Townes van Zandt is. That says something, not just about this movie, but about the country scene of today as it is.

I really liked this flick a lot more than I thought I would and I do not understand why it didn't run on Swedish cinemas.

It's not a masterpiece though and some times it gets a little bit predictable.

But all in all a good film with a good soundtrack. I'll give it 78,3% in rate of satisfaction! See it!

Willie Nelson, "Live from Austin, Tx"

/ ARTIST: Willie Nelson / TITLE: "Live from Austin, Tx" / GENRÉ: Musical film / FORMAT: DVD /


Much has happened in the world since I last wrote on country music on this blog. For starters, Blake Shelton made his infamous "old farts and jackasses" statement and, very sadly, a legend passed away, none other than George Jones.

The two things can be seen as two sides of the same coin. The old timers are getting old and soon there will be no "old farts" remaining in country music and as the young generation takes other, there will be what Merle Haggard called "too much boogie-woogie" and not much traditional country. Even Dwight Yoakam is getting old.

Anyway, I often say that other people got Joy Division and Morrissey, I've got Buck Owens, but performers like Willie Nelson comes pretty close too.

This DVD/CD is a live recording of Nelson's music, spanning most of his career as it looked when he recorded this in 1990. You got all the faves on it, tunes like On the road again and Always on my mind, as well as some tunes from the start of his career like Crazy.

I've got straight edge and am no big fan of drugs, that goes without saying. Still, I think Willie Nelson, does a good job at singing, with his distinctive voice, whether it's christian music like the tunes on his Troublemaker album or the druggier stuff like his recent duet with rap legend Snoop Dogg, he always delivers.

Anyway, you don't get any open drug propaganda on this vid, but you do get music that breathes of the 70's drug-fuelled music and a couple of "far out" treatments of instruments.

But maybe this is Nelson's grandeur? That he can consume that much ganja and still remain active as a great artist. Artists who consume ganja quite often degenerate and their music becomes intolerable. Not so with Willie Nelson.

Fact is that Willie, despite being a junkie, sounds as good live as on record, something many artists of today can't manage. Over all, the band and Nelson makes a good impression of a bunch of lads and lasses who've enjoyed playing this kind of music and done it for a long time.

On this piece of recording, you also get a duet with Shelby Lynne, whom I hadn't heard before, but who's got a great voice.

I really liked this vid and would recommend it to anyone who likes country music and to fans of Willie Nelson, it's a must-have.

A vid as good as this gets a good review, 81,3% in rate of satisfaction!

DVD: "Elvis, the king of rock'n'roll"

/ ARTIST: Elvis Presley / TITLE: "Elvis, the king of rock'n'roll" / GENRÉ: Musical film / FORMAT: DVD /

This wonderful DVD has been in my collection for a while, but I haven't watched it until now.

What you get on this disc is a collection of TV performances and parts of his movie acting career where he sings. This means that some of his best stuff, the stuff he did at Sun records, before he got a chance to be on the telly, stuff like my all time fave Elvis tune, Mystery train, isn't included. That's a pity, I'd love to see someone unearth old amateur films of his performances from the mid-50's, if they exist.

There are 30 numbers apart from two bonus material-press conferences on this disc. Most of the stuff is from his hey-day, the 50's TV performances and his many films from the 60's. This fact means that you get a lot of material which harks back to the days when the establishment tried to tame him and make "safe" numbers about teddy bears, but, sure enough, Hound dog and Heartbreak hotel are included.

You also get a few cuts from his comeback in 1968, as well as some of his 70's stuff. Now, I like the schmalzy side of Elvis too, his ballads and his teddy bears, but there is something wrong when he performs with a big band. Rock'n'roll was meant to be played with guitars, bass and drums. Not, as I said, with a big band and a million background singers. Most of the stuff made by the king in the 70's is just the antithesis to what one appreciates in Elvis. The one big exception vein Suspicious minds, of course. You can try to tame Elvis and give him a rhinestone jacket, but in the end, a rebel remains a rebel and Elvis was, as top UK punk band What A Riot put it, "born a rebel".

When Elvis performs Suspicious minds, a tune that will go down in music history as one of the best tunes ever made by any human being, you can glimpse a bit of 50's Elvis, dancing, singing and joking. Top quality! It doesn't get much better than this!

Apart from the "true" numbers, you get some of the most joked about Elvis tunes too, like Are you lonesome tonight?, which I won't comment and In the ghetto.

The ghetto tune has been ridiculed, but I don't find that funny. Sure, Elvis was rich and famous by the 70's, but he had a background in deep poverty and knew what he was singing about. I appreciate Elvis, cos he was very much an antithesis to the pot-smoking hippies at the time (sorry, Willie Nelson, you still rule!) who didn't know what they were singing about, but trying to make a stance as radical as possible. The fact that Elvis, icon of another generation, takes his time to write a protest song, which he pulls off with full credibility in my book, speaks more to his favor more than any MC5 tune.

If you're an Elvis fan, you're gonna like this. True, there's a zillion Elvis clips on youtube, but this a movie and well worth the investment. Any Elvis fan should have it in his or hers collection.

A great DVD like this naturally get's a high rate of satisfaction, 96,7%, to be precise!

Jerry Lee Lewis, "The best of..."

/ ARTIST: Jerry Lee Lewis / TITLE: "The best of" / GENRÉ: Rock & roll / LABEL: Crimson / FORMAT: CD /

To my generation, those born in the 70's, too young to have experienced the first wave of punk and too old to fall for all the shite on the pop charts, we have to settle for retro. Myself, I like old school punk, old school country and old school rock & roll.

The problem with retro when it comes to soulful music like all those three genrés, is that you can't really appreciate how groundbreaking it was when it first shook society.

Sure, punk was rebellious, but them kids were wearing designer clothes that ordinary folks couldn't afford and the anarchist message was very much a middle class pose.

No, I don't think any musical genré has shook society to the extent that early rock & roll did. Here you have a nice, well-mannered nation who listens to Jim Reeves (that being said, I bleeding love Jim Reeves) and all of the sudden two southern kids appear on the charts. One shakes his hips in obscene ways and another kids sings about what the first one symbolize with his fits. To top it off, he sets fire to his piano. What ever punk did, it had nothing on Jerry Lee Lewis, not even the first wave of real punk. I'd much rather fight Jimmy Pursey of Sham 69 in a fist fight than that mean old geezer Jerry Lee Lewis. Gary Hodges of the 4-skins is a different kettle of fish entirely, though. I think the only genré that has ever come close to the impact of early rock & roll is oi!.

Well, enough the manners of that old rebel that will surely go to his grave a rebel and let's talk music, cos, at the end of the day, that's what matters!

Not surprisingly, what you get on this record is the best of Jerry Lee. According to the bloke that put the record together, at least. There's a load of covers on this album and I would've wanted to see the Big Bopper's Chantilly Lace being covered too. If anyone doubts that this is one of Jerry Lee's best covers, just get on youtube.

The record is a bit predictable, with other words. You get great tunes like Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin On and Great Balls Of Fire. Great tunes and well established ones of his career.

Maybe precisely cos it's full of lack of surprises it makes this a good record. Not a perfect record, but a good record. Perfect to give to those of your relatives that were young in the 50's or to anyone interested in the ear and to be honest, that's what Best of's are for.

As I said, there's a load of covers, some better than others. I was surprised that, his voice being so different from the original singer, Jerry Lee could make such a brilliant version of Malcolm Yelvington's rockabilly classic Drinkin' Wine Spo-Dee-o-Dee. It's better than the original and the best cover on the album, the worst being a piss-poor version of Hank Williams Sr's You Win Again.

Jerry Lee has never had the voice of other greats of the era, but with the voice he had, he managed to put across the spirit of youth rebellion like no other and irregardless of what you think of his personal qualities, at least he's one of the best piano players in the industry and that piano and voice is backed up by a driving drum sound.

I really liked this record and it get's a whoopin' 91,3% in rate of satisfaction!

Merry Christmas!

I would like to take my time to wish all my readers a merry Christmas. This is one thing which unites us both sides of the pond, the Christian traditions, that is.

I've actually never been to the states, so I don't know about what goes on there Christmas time, but Churchgoing in Sweden, where I'm at, is in a steady decline.

Myself, I belong to the Evangelical-Lutheran Church which used to be the state Church, meaning you was born into the Church and for centuries, it was obligatory to be a member and no other congregation were legal. Back in those days, Churches were full of worshippers, today, I am, as a confessing Christian, something of an odd guy out. I pray several times a day, morning prayer, evening prayer, meal prayer at every meal and if there's something I'm grateful for or if  I want something good to happen to my neighbor, I turn to God. I know this is no silly thing, cos God usually replies, not with words, I don't have the benefit of direct communication in that sense, but in the sense things usually turn out alright. I also try to go to Church on every Sunday and major festivals. Usually, we're about 20 people, most of the others twice my age and that in a town of 30000 inhabitants with only one parish! No wonder people think I'm strange!

I think the reason behind this is, besides from the massive atheist propaganda in popular culture, the fact that people in Europe have a welfare state and as a labour man, I'm proud of that welfare state. The problem isn't the welfare, but the fact that people don't connect the fact that they have plenty and that the plenty has been given to them by a reason. They buy the satanic lie that they are their own benefactor and don't need to thank God for their blessings, nor share with Christ's minor brethren!

But why am I writing this?

Because I want to turn the tide and get rid of this thing called "xmas" or "holiday season" and put Christ back in Christmas!

Atheists in this country usually turn to the argument that Christmas really is a pagan festival of winter solstice and what we really celebrate is that light comes back to the world. So what? Isn't the important thing that Christ, who is the light of the world WAS born into this world? Days are unimportant, what's important is that Christ is alive and loves us.

So, again, I say, let's put Christ back in Christmas. What we have to celebrate is something beautiful and just as we let Christ's light shine through us when we love our neighbor or give thanks to our heavenly Father, let's make everyday Christmas! Let's live in unity with our neighbors and keep that charitable spirit all over the year and be our brother's keepers!

Christmas is a beautiful celebration, let's not forget the "Christ" in it and turn it into an orgy of consumption and commercialism!

So let's pray for a good Christmas for everyone and that we can turn the satanic tide in Sweden, as well as elsewhere and make as many people as possible believers when Christ returns triumphantly!

Merry Christmas to all my readers and your families!

Hacienda Brothers, "What's wrong with right"

/ ARTIST: Hacienda Brothers / TITLE: "What's wrong with right" / GENRÉ: Western Soul / LABEL: Proper Records / FORMAT: CD /

Country music has always adapted to some extent to popular music of the times it's in. I'm no fan of Taylor Swift's latest hit, but just like some old timers tomorrow won't simply hear a watered down country version of Avril Lavigne, but a genius, I am sure country purists at the time thought western swing was sacrilege, cos it didn't sound like the Carter family, whereas Willie Nelson, who is seen as one of the most "true" names in country music of today, did a brilliant western swing album the other year.

This record is a strange being, it has adapted to a sound that is far from modern. What you get is "western soul", a 60's Motown soul version of country.

I, as one who likes both soul and country could deem this record useless, but I won't. These geezers are soulful, fact is that they're the best white soul artists I've heard, far more soulful than Dexy's Midnight Runners.

It might sound strange to record soulful numbers with steel guitars, accordions and a southern brogue, but it's actually a stroke of genius, cos soul music and country music has a lot in common. Both genrés are often about heartaches and blue moods and The Hacienda Brothers manage to combine this into excellence.

There is not much more to say. A good, but in no way a perfect record. If you like country and if you like soul, you'll like this record. It's a good little gem of a CD and I would recommend everyone to get this.

I'll give it 78,8% in rate of satisfaction.

Film: "G.I. Blues"

/ TITLE: "G.I. Blues" / GENRÉ: Drama / FORMAT: DVD /

For starters, this film was made with full cooperation with the US Armed forces and at times it feels like a recruitment film more obvious than the Rihanna flick. Some might have a problem with this and to some extent, I agree with that worrying, cos war is no funny stuff. Still, I respect anyone willing to lay down his life for his friends and family, as the gospel says, no one has bigger love than anyone willing to do so.

The other thing, as this is an Elvis film, is that it's full of music and at times, you feel like watching a Bollywood movie. I don't mind, though, together with Hank Williams sr, Townes van Zandt and to some extent Wille Nelson, Elvis remains one of the best musicians ever and in his genré, he's still the king. No one has ever made better rock & roll than he did. In fact, the reason I bought DVD was not cos of the plot, but cos of the chance to hear him sing.

The plot, then?

Well, Elvis plays a young southern army man stationed in Germany and goes under the name "Tulsa 'Tulse' MacLean" and together with a few mates of his, he plans to start a night club in Oklahoma when he returns back home from European service. Only problem is that they need money to do so and they decide to make a bet.

In Frankfurt am Main, there is a place called Café Europa, where a young and stunning redhead dancer called "Lili" performs. She is sexy as feck, but cold like an iceberg on the inside. No man has ever taken her home. Our heroes raise 300 dollars to bet that Tulse can get lonely with her for a full night. At first, Tulse refuses, but he's talked in to it and after performing a song at Café Europa, he starts to melt Lili's heart and follow her home, but it gets an abrupt end when he discovers she has a room mate.

Anyway, they go on a date the next day and feelings start to arise. I'm sure you can guess what happens later. Tulse gets a bad conscience for seducing a woman he starts to fall in love with and things get complicated.

To be honest, most of the acting isn't that good and to today's audience, I'm sure it stands out as a bit schmalzy. Still, it's a decent flick and it's packed with good music. The funny thing is that according to the film makers, German gals are crazy about US troops, but there is no indecency, no filth and Lili never strips.

As I said, a good flick, not the best Elvis film I've ever seen, but decent. I'll give it 68,4% in rate of satisfaction.

Various Artists, "Hear my back door slam"

/ ARTIST: Various Artists / TITLE: "Hear my back door slam" / GENRÉ: Blues / LABEL: Bakhåll / FORMAT: CD /

Before I start writing this review I must come clean, I like blues, but it's one of the many genrés of music I like that I know the least of, being a newcomer to the genré. Something which can only be blamed on the Eslöv City blues festival that has sparked an interest in the genré for me.

To me and all newcomers, this is a wonderful compilation put out by a Swedish record label called "Bakhåll" and I couldn't resist buying it, not only cos I want to support the scene in Sweden and the fact that it was ridiculously cheap, it cost me about €5, no, cos what you get here is the perfect introduction to the genré.

On this little darling, you get 20 of the best known American blues singers doing some of their best numbers. BB King, Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Robert Johnson, they're all here. Then add the fact that you get a good little brochure with facts about the performers that is highly welcomed for people like me, people who consider starting a blues record collection. The brochure is in Swedish, though, which might make it less usable for non-Swedes.

Why should one buy a compilation of blues then? You get a load of different styles of blues, some with bands and some just an acoustic guitar on them, "but doesn't all blues tunes sound the same?", my punk and skinhead mates ask me. No, they don't, they all bring the performers soul into the music which make every number stand out. Even if you're not a blues die-hard, you should respect the legacy of the genré. Most tunes on this compilation comes from the 50's and sure, not much groundbreaking has been done since then, but blues has gone on, through r&b, to influence everything from rockabilly over the mod music of the 60's to punk. There's a straight lineage of influence from that time till the present.

As I said, this record makes one want to start a collection of blues vinyl. Every tune on this album is a killer! The tunes, apart from those of the superstars of the genré that stand out are the tunes of JB Lenoir and Jimmy Reed, both of whom I'll check out more stuff by.

I really liked this compilations and it get a bloomin 96,7% in rate of satisfaction

Day two of the festival

I saw three acts today, whereof the middle one was the best and everyone else faded in comparison. Therefore, I start with them.

The second band I saw was Black River Bluesman & Bad Moon Hudson and, as I hinted above, was blown away.

This duo, guitar and drums, like the White Stripes, only better, played a modern version of blues, like Danko Jones, only better. They had a brutal sound to them, very raw and primitive guitarplay, a much needed kick up the arsehole of hippies who play endless guitar solos. To that, add a vocalist who sounds like count Dracula and could easily find employment in a psychobilly band. There's not much to say, they were simply brilliant. I think they come very close to the feel of blues ages ago, the same spirit that you could experience in clubs in Chicago when the migrants from the south had a day off and would go out clubbing. I think. I wasn't there, in Chicago, that is.

I had always thought that us from Skåne, the south of Sweden, that is, had the best voices for singing blues and the right feeling in us, but I must admitt, theese Finns come a long way close to excellence.

Black River Bluesman & Bad Moon Hudson's gig was one of the best I've experienced, all categories included. 90,2% in rate of satisfaction.

The third act I caught was John Primer & CPH Slim Band. Primer has worked with Muddy Waters and received Grammy nominations, which make him a legend. One could argue that what he played was blues by the numbers and a bit boring, but then again, the best gig I've ever been to was with the Warriors in Oslo ten years ago or so and I wasn't disappointed because they played numbers like Working class kids or Violence in our minds. If you've helped to define the genré of music you play, then you're entitled to go down memory lane.

It was a perfect gig in some respects, a real crowd pleaser, still, as an amateur in the blues field, I wasn't really that satisfied. I would have wanted something that stood out from the classical stuff.

78,3% in rate of satisfaction.

The first act I caught today was also the weakest. YO Combinations played a mix of blues with funk and southern rock. I liked it a bit, but not that much. They played a lot of covers and two of their own numbers, their own being their weakest.

Apart from that, there was nothing wrong with their craftsmanship. They know how to handle their instruments, I really liked the guitarplay at times.

 

58,3% in rate of satisfaction.

Day one of the festival

So, I went to the Eslöv city blues festival yesterday and I got tickets for tonight's show as well.

I am not really that into blues. I like it, but it's not a passion. It is however, the basic foundation of all African-American music and as this blog is about American culture, I think it's ok to review it here.

Friday's show started with two short plays by a free theatre group. I saw the first one and was not really that convinced it had something to do with blues, so when I discovered there was a geezer sitting in the café room playing electric guitar, harmonica and singing, I decided to give him a listen instead of watching the second play. I think his name was Christian, but I ain't too sure. I really liked his music, though. I think it had a country feeling to it's bluesiness and I got thinking along the terms of Townes van Zandt, even though this bloke first of all wasn't as good as Townes and, secondly, had his own sound. I really liked his guitar playing though.

As the clock approached 9 pm, the headliners of the night entered stage, The Big Bang Group. This group celebrated their 25th anniversary as a band this year an had, for that purpose, invited a lot of mates from throughout their career that they had enjoyed playing with. There was a few oldies, like vocalist and harmonica playing Bill Öhrström, as well as young vocalist Susanne Eriksson. All their guests were hugely talented though and even if I really liked Erikssons singing, it's unfair to say that one was better than the other.

Credit must also go out to guitarist of the day, Mange. The usual guitarist of the band had called in sick yesterday and just a few hours before the gig, they had called Mange and asked if he wanted to play with them as a stand-in and he agreed.

Together, they made one heck of a show! The basics of all the music was blues, but the band and their guests then went on picnics in jazz, as well as r&b/soul. I really liked the r&b-ish stuff. Sure, I can listen to a bit of jazz, as well, but I have a soft spot for r&B and soul, there's no denying that!

One of the highlights of the show was the Fats Domino tune Blueberry hill. Ulf Johansson Werre, who sang it, made a real crowd pleaser of a scat-singing at the end of it, which he evloved into a "Jojk", a Lapplandian singing style, that is.

Some tunes were in English and some in Swedish, but they were all good!

I enjoyed myself thuroughly throughout the show yesterday and am looking forward to tonight's show. Not sure I'll watch all of it, as I must get up early and go to church in the morning, but I'm really pleased that my little town can arrange a good festival like this one.

Big Bang Group made one heck of a great show and gets 81,3% in rate of satisfaction!

The Eslöv city blues festival

Just reminding people of the Eslöv city blues festival.

Programme in English avaiable here!

I went last year and had a blast, watching the band Cajun Peppar, was reason enough to go and I believe this year will great as well. I've naturally got my tickets for it.

So, if you're in the area in late October and would like to catch some good blues acts, come to the festival!

Film: "Rio Grande"

/ TITLE: Rio Grande / GENRÉ: Western movie / FORMAT: DVD /

Alright, to start off, this film is probably very politically incorrect and won't go down well in some quarters. But then, again, films reflect their time and what politically correct today might be incorrect at another time and this film is full of evil native americans (who are obviously called "in'juns") and a stereotypical irish-american seargeant, who likes his drink and fights and don't think too much.

The other thing which really struck me about this film, which is from 1950, is how much plot and drama there is to it. Western movies were to that generation what action flicks were for me, growing up in the 80's/90's and John Wayne, who does an excellent job at playing the lead character, Kirby York, was to them what Arnold and Sylvester was to my generation. It's all boys movie, this one. The women are beautiful, the US cavalry rides good, shoots lethally and party hard, whereas the native americans are genuinely evil and can't shoot.

But the big difference between this movie and today's action movies is of course the plot. When you watch an action movie today, like the Bourne trilogy, you get loads of shooting and spectacular stunts, but not much of a plot. This film was made at a time when you hadn't the same budget or technique for special effects and so, the plot and amount of drama is important and you get action as well as a very and genuinely good seeing-experience.

The other thing which stands out in this movie is the fact that it's full of good late 40's/early 50's Americana music and even if you don't like the plot, at least you can watch the film for the music in it. And if you don't like that kind of music, why the hell do you read my blog?

The story goes as follow, colonel Kirby York, with the US cavalry has trouble fighting native americans of the apache nation. The apaches keep making deadly attacks against the fort commanded by colonel York and then they retreat into Mexico. York is sickened tired with this and wants to move into Mexico and them apaches down and kill the lot of them. He asks for reinforcements, but is in for a rude awakening when first his son, whom he hasn't seen for fifteen years, arrive as a volunteer and then his estranged wife appears at camp, with the intent of bringing her darling baby boy home.

You get, as I've said, a lot of plot to this movie and there is a romantic undertone in the drama all the way, but there is also action with a few fights and skirmishes before it all ends in the anticipated showdown with the apaches.

Wayne plays the usual character he always plays, a man of duty, but also of morals. He doesn't like what the decisionmakers in DC are up to, but he defends his country's interests.

I loved this movie and if you're into western movies, you'll love it too. There is no room, however, for the revisionist western fan, this is traditional, good vs evil.

I'd recommend it to all my readers. A good flick like this lands a flippin 78,3% in rate of approval!

Film: "King Creole"

/TITLE: King Creole / GENRE: Drama / FORMAT: DVD /

There is plenty of bs going on concerning films starring Elvis Presley. They're bad. He can't act. He sings all the time. I haven't seen many Elvis films, but I think the criticism is a bit unfair.

Sure, there's a lot of singing going on, but who sists down to watch an Elvis film without expecting him to sing? And as for his acting, hardly any oscar-winning skills, but he ain't THAT bad either and as for the film's qualities, I think there are some. It's a good story, actually, far better than many modern Hollywood flicks.

The story takes place in New Orleans. Elvis plays a guy called Danny Fisher, who lives with his sister and father, a father who can't seem to keep a job, which means Danny has to work as a bus boy in gents clubs owned by a guy called "Maxi", who owns every club in the red light district cept a place called King Creole.

One morning, Danny saves one of the girls from a beating by a drunk customer and comes too late to the last day in school which means he can't get his diploma. Instead of studying yet another semester, he drops out of school and ends up working with petty criminals led by a geezer called "Shark". They start shoplifting in a warehouse where Danny is the decoy, he goes into the shop singing, while the other lot nick jewlery. In this shop he meets a young girl called Nellie, whom he starts to date.

Through out the film, Danny is torn between the two women, the good christian girl Nellie and the girl he saved from a beating in Maxi's club, "Ronnie".

Anyway, words gets out that Danny can sing and he lands a job at King Creole. He is an instant smash and Maxi wants Danny back to one of his clubs, where he wants him to sing. Meanwhile, Shark has started to work for Maxi and when the two of them plan a robbery involving someone dear to Danny, the stage is set for conflict...

I liked this movie and I would recommend it to all Elvis fans. If for no other reason, then for the fact that it's full of classic Elvis tunes. And, as I said, the acting isn't really that bad and the storyline is good.

All in all, a good movie with good music, it gets a definite 82,7% in rate of satisfaction!

Willie Nelson, "Heroes"

/ARTIST: Willie Nelson / TITLE: Heroes / GENRE: Country music / LABEL: Legacy / FORMAT: CD /

This is Willie Nelsons latest CD and the fact that it's full of interesting collaborations, including the fact that the three big names of old school country, that is Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson and Merle Haggard, are present on this disc is reason enough to buy it.

However, it's hardly groundbreaking. Willie is like Cock Sparrer, you get what you get on album after album. There are plenty of good tunes on this one, but no On the road again and no You were always on my mind. There are, however, songs with a message and songs about broken hearts, something Willie does good, cos, remember that he was a short haired singer of romantic songs once, before he turned out to be a long haired rebel.

If this record is like most other stuff he's turned out over the last few years, I would still recommend everyone to buy it and support one of the last greats of country music. I compared him to Cock Sparrer before and another trait he shares with oi! is the fact that he combines staunch patriotism with criticism of the system. He shows you can love your country and it's traditions and still be mad as hell about what the leaders of men get up to. The next last tune on the disc, Come back Jesus, shows that clearly.

I really liked Willie's reggae album and his collaboration with Toots Hibbert of the Maytals fame. When I picked this record up, I noticed on the back that he was going to collaborate with rapper Snoop Dogg. For a minute, I feared there would be some dreadful nu country, where Willie would rap. Fortunately, that didn't happen. If he went reggae on his other album, this is Snoop going country. Gangsta rap meets outlaw country. The tune itself is one of the worst tunes on the album and one can clearly hear why Snoop raps and doesn't sing normally.

Well, what could Willie and Snoop have in common? Duh!

Unfortunately, there are a few drug-glorifying tunes on this album that I, as a straight edge guy and as someone with mates that have died from overdoses, simply can't endorse. I see no reason to glorify that shit and those who do so through music should be held accountable for all the drug-related deaths there is.

Fortunately, Willie doesn't only sing about drugs. Best songs on this album are, as usual, his songs about broken hearts, whereof The sound of your memory and Just breathe stand out as the finest.

I think this is an okayish album that delivers the goods, but hardly anything groundbreaking. It gets 58,3% in rate of satisfaction!