The dB's "That Time Is Gone"

I love a good reunion, don’t you? When we heard that the original members of the dB’s, Peter Holsapple, Chris Stamey, Will Rigby and Gene Holder were getting back together for their first album in 30 years, we were over the moon. And at long last, Falling Off The Sky, comes out today. Actually, it is the first new dB’s album in twenty five years, but the first in three decades with the original lineup, the guys responsible for the early '80s classics Stands for deciBels and Repercussion. The dB’s formed in the summer of 1978. The path they walked paved the way for what would become the indie explosion that is upon us today.

Photo Credit: Stephanie ChernikowskiAfter disbanding, they pursued their own muses quite brilliantly; Chris Stamey produced albums for Alejandro Escovedo, Le Tigre and Whiskeytown. Peter Holsapple recorded solo albums, did three CDs as a member of the the Continental Drifters, and worked as sideman with R.E.M. and Hootie and the Blowfish. In 2005 there was a series of reunion shows, and then the dB’s decided to make a new album. Falling Off The Sky was produced by the band members at their own pace without a deadline. Production help came from Mitch Easter and Scott Litt. All the dB’s except Gene Holder visited us during our Spring Music Fog Marathon at Threadgill’s, and laid down one of the hot tunes from the new album, “That Time Is Gone.”

- Jessie Scott

Mike Stinson "Late for My Funeral"

There is a magic to the craft of songwriting, how the words come, how the music gets married to it. And there is the mystery to how the rest of it all works; getting it heard, getting it published, making the most out of it. Dave Goodwin is throwing the first annual Big Sky Songwriters Festival in Big Sky, Montana August 15th through the 19th. He is assembling some premier folks for workshops, panels and performances, including Kostas, Bruce Burch, James House, Suzi Ragsdale, Walt Wilkins, Kevin Welch, Dustin Welch, John Bohlinger, and Jon Pousette-Dart. Industry leaders will be on hand as well for sessions on publishing, and other music biz topics. There is an early bird rate in place and there are surprisingly affordable accommodations.

Speaking of amazing songwriters, it is about damn time that we got to record Mike Stinson. He is a Virginian by birth, after 18 years in LA, he relocated to Houston, Texas around three years ago. It was a move that was to spur his creativity, evident as he is recording his fourth album in Austin with legendary roots producer R.S. Field. Throughout, he has been writing simple, and simply beautiful, songs. You might know Dwight Yoakam’s version of Mike’s tune “Late Great Golden State.” The new album is coming soon, in the meantime, allow us to tide you over with one of the songs that will be on it. We filmed Mike during the Spring Music Fog Marathon at Threadgill’s WHQ in Austin this past March. Here is a solo rendition of “Late For My Funeral.”

- Jessie Scott

The Hobart Brothers & Lil' Sis Hobart "Ballad of Sis (Didn't I Love You)"

Hell yeah, I love it when women rock. It seems to me most people don’t know that side of Susan Cowsill. The early stuff with The Cowsills takes precedence, in all its pop glory. Susan rocked hard with the amazing Continental Drifters. I was among the lucky that got to see them bring it on one night at the Austin Music Hall in Austin, TX during SXSW years ago. It was like watching Fleetwood Mac, only hip. We loved the beautiful, poignant Susan Cowsill stuff that we got to film almost two years ago at Americana Fest. But now comes a new incarnation.

Susan is well met in the latest chapter of her very varied career. The Hobart Brothers & Lil’ Sis Hobart bring her together with Jon Dee Graham and Freedy Johnston. Glory day, this is fun stuff. OMG, I Googled, and came up with a different Hobart Brothers with the slogan ‘Performance Welding Products. That is about perfect.

The three powerhouse singer-songwriters got together in an Austin backyard back in 2010. They started to reminisce and write songs about their early days working in restaurants, and thus, they named themselves Hobart after the commercial dishwasher found in restaurant kitchens. They wrote ten songs with a span of subjects for what was to become this album. Here is one of the tunes, “Ballad of Sis (Didn't I Love You)," from the album, At Least We Have Each Other, done up Music Fog style, from the Spring Marathon at Threadgill’s during SXSW. Let’s rock out for a Friday!

-Jessie Scott