Not much new music has got me up and going lately. Most of what has though certainly couldn't be considered Texas, Americana, or country music. Maybe I spend too much time watching the OC, but the Thills, Killers, Kings Of Leon, Yeah Yeah Yeah's, Walkman, Rooney, and Pete Yorn have been blaring out of my speakers in place of what is usually every album on the Sugar Hill Records label. That being said there are things I am looking forward to hearing for the first time. Some may already be out, I just haven't listened them yet, and others are on the horizon about to be released.

Of course my most anticipated album is the new one from Jack Ingram. I have no idea when it is coming out (maybe sometime this spring), but I do know it will have a couple of tracks he has been playing live for awhile. I have really been enjoying the West Texas ballad Out On The Great Divide.

One album out now that is worth having is the new one from Randy Rogers Rollercoaster. I hear the new one from Tift Merrit is good, but I have yet to listen. Willie Nelson's latest, It Will Always Be, is pretty good also. One I need to listen to yet unexplicably haven't is Hayes Carll Little Rock. I still contend that I was the first person to spin Hayes Carll on the radio so I'll launch into that story now.

During the summer of 2002 Compadre Records sent me a copy of Brewed In Texas which was a record of nothing but drinking songs. Not a bad start. So I give it a listen. I already was familiar with most of the stuff on there like Sangria Wine, Una Mas Cerveza, Horseshoe Lounge, etc., but a couple of tunes I hadn't heard before stuck with me. One Bud Wiser by John Rich (because I thought it wasn't worthy of being the cd), Forget Thinkin' (my introduction to Beaver Nelson which I was happy about), and Barroom Lament by the aforementioned Hayes Carll.

I don't know if it was because it was the last track on the record, the stripped down feel, or the "I'm singing this song while I live it" attitude, but Barroom Lament really appealed to me. When I am listening to a record I have never heard before and hear a track I like I always listen to again right after I finish it the first time. Sometimes maybe three or four times in a row. This doesn't happen much though because I rarely like things on the first listen, but that is exactly what I did with Barroom Lament.

I then made a mental note to do a little research online about Hayes when I had the chance in the near future. I found his website easily and listened to a few of the samples he had on there and then sent him an email asking him about his record plans and something else incredibly important I'm sure. At the time I was filling in for a friend of mine, Will, as the host of his three-hour weekly Americana music show on KRTU 91.7FM in San Antonio. So Hayes responded to my email and sent me a burned copy of his upcoming record Flowers & Liquor to play for the masses. When I got it I was very impressed. I remember calling Will and doing some type of gushing about some new guy the kicked ass, but in a mellow way. I ended up spotlighting the record on the show that week and playing about half of it. I still have the burned copy he sent me (as well as the store bought version) and it is still one of my faves. So I hope his new one, Little Rock, is just as good.

Moving on...I have the new Reckless Kelly record Wicked Twisted Road, but I haven't listened to it yet. Reckless is another one of my favorite bands, so I need to put that in the hi-fi soon because I have had it for a month.

I dug Rodney Crowell's latest Earthbound, but I'm not sure how "new" that one is. If you ever have the chance to see Rodney live, don't pass up the opportunity. Especially if Will Kimbrough is opening and/or playing guitar with him. You won't regret it. I saw him a few months back and it was one of the best shows I have seen at Gruene Hall. Speaking of Will Kimbrough, I hope he has something new coming out soon.

Todd Snider's East Nashville Skyline was on my imaginary Top 10 of 2004 list as was Live In Aught Three by James McMurtry although live albums are not usually eligible for my imaginary Top 10 list. James' Out Here In The Middle from 2002's Saint Mary Of The Woods was the cornerstone of my The Very Best Of James McMurtry album. James is one of those artist I didn't like at first, but gave a second chance to because my buddy Will liked him so much and I am life-changingly glad that I did.

So to recap...

Not that much awesome brand new stuff out there

And people I want new records from...

Will Kimbrough
James McMurtry
Scott Miller
Darrell Scott
Walt Wilkins
Robert Earl Keen
Ryan Adams
Rhett Miller/Old 97's (I hear there is a bastardized version of a new Old 97's record coming soon)

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