Live From Studio One…..A Month of Great, Scottish Musicians and Bands who we revere and consider as great friends of Another Country.
It’s going to be big, noisy and very exciting and it all starts this Friday with Woodenbox. Many of you will remember their session from a couple of years back and since then they’ve managed to lose a ‘fistful of fivers’ and keep things simple with a one word moikor. They’ve also given birth to a fab new album, tracks from which they will play this Friday as well as an interesting cover version which they’ve rustled up for us. Woodenbox embrace a great country tradition of putting horns on their records. There have been some old and new records with a similar vibe, Johnny Cash, The Mavericks and recently Phosphorescent and Iron and Wine. It’s a tradition we like very much and anyone who has ever seen The Last Waltz knows that sometimes you just need to create a big roots stew….we’ll broadcast this particular casserole in the second half of Friday’s show.
As ever though we’ll make sure you hear the best of the new things out there. I’m pleased to say we’ll continue to enjoy the new offering from Patty Griffin, we’ll reflect on a wonderful Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell concert in midweek and we’ll make some introductions too. Has anyone out there heard Valerie June yet? Believe me you will very soon. New things too from Houndmouth, Blue Rose Code and Kacey Musgraves. We’ll celebrate some wonderful country from Marty Robbins and Lee Ann Womack and heck I’d imagine we’ll surprise you with the odd thing or two too. It all kicks off at five past eight on BBC Radio Scotland.
Sounds like a great show. Really lloking forward to getting the new Patty Griffin lp. Emmylou and Rodney – what can you say. Country Royalty.
I always enjoy the live sessions and new music, but I’m especially eager to hear your thoughts on Emmylou & Rodney. I enjoyed a great evening in their company last week—a masterclass, no less.
Patty Griffin is another artist that I have The AC to thank for discovering, and her new album dropped onto my doormat earlier this week. It’s fantastic, and on heavy rotation at home at the moment, alongside Caitlin Rose’s new offering and “Old Yellow Moon”. It’s fair to say I have broad musical tastes, but of late I have very much been keeping it country.
Down the pub earlier this week I had to oppose a claim that there’s no decent new music being produced these days, as well as a separate view that so much new music is simply derivative and therefore somehow of lesser value. I couldn’t disagree more on both counts… If you seek it out—and listen to discerning radio shows such as The AC—then there is a wealth of great music being released. If anything, there’s more than I can keep up with! I also struggle with the view that music constantly has to push new boundaries. For me, it always comes down to the quality of the song itself, and how this speaks to me within—or even irrespective of—its genre. Each to their own, I guess, but here’s to another two hours of music tonight that will doubtless illustrate my perspective!