Album Review: Sons of Bill - Love & Logic

Charlottesville Virginia is fast becoming a major music town and one of the reasons is Americana Rock band Sons of Bill. The trio of brothers (James, Abe and Sam Wilson), along with Seth Green and Todd Wellons, have just released a new album Love & Logic. I was able to listen to the album from the Garden & Gun First Listen, and it looks like the band retains their roots rock style with a hint of Tea Leaf Green grand sweeping sound. Don't worry, there's still plenty of power ballads, pedal steel, and catchy lyrics reminiscent of previous work. "Road to Canaan" is my favorite track, with "Lost in the Cosmos (Song for Chris Bell)" a close second; but the new style is in spectacular display in "Bad Dancer". Listen to the end because "Hymnsong" is classic Sons of Bill. Pair with Charlottesville brewery Three Notch'd Brewing Company. Cheers.

Hill Country Live Wildfire Benefit Concert - featuring Sons of Bill & Dalla Wayne

On Monday January 30th Hill Country BBQ will be hosting a fundraiser to benefit Bastrop, Texas wildfire victims. This show will bring together amazing young bands, from Charlottesville, VA the Sons of Bill, from Saskatchewan, Canada The Deep Dark Woods, local favorites Ruthie and The Wranglers, and host Dallas Wayne from Sirius/XM and Heybale!, who lost his house in the Bastrop Wildfires this past September. Tickets are $20and the show starts at 7PM.

Funds raised from this star studded evening in Washington, D.C. will be administered by United Way Capital Area of Texas (UWCA) and the Bastrop City Council. Texas residents have witnessed the worst wildfire season in Texas history. A Bastrop County Long-Term Recovery Committee has formed to begin planning for meeting needs in the county. Natasha Rosofsky from UWCA is acting co-chair, and is an advisor to the Hill Country Live Wildfire Benefit, along with Debbie Bresette from the UWCA and Kay Garcia McAnally from The Bastrop City Council.

For those that cannot attend, checks can be sent directly to United Way Capital Area, 2000 E. MLK Jr. Blvd., Austin, TX 78702-1304 with a note that the donation is designated for the victims of the wildfire in Bastrop County.

Peyton Tochterman - "A New World"

Charlottesville based Peyton Tochterman has had a fair share of bad luck over the past few years - with band issues, cancer, and a broken neck when Kenny G.’s grand piano fall on his head. Yet its a A New World, figuratively and literally, for the artist as Tochterman finds a local mentor, refines his songwriting, and releases a new CD.  With the assistance of Charlottesville folk icon Ellis Paul; production help from Sam Wilson of Sons of Bill; and Dave Matthews’ recording studio, Haunted Hollow Studios, A New World elevates Tochterman into Americana main street. The CD starts with the soft vocals and beautiful arrangements of "Smile", continues in the same vein with "Blue Eyes", and eventually overwhelms the listener with the haunting of lost love in "Johnsburg". Stacey Earle lends her voice to a more upbeat message in "Need Me Or Not" right before "Sure Thing" which further showcases Tochterman's new songwriting prowess. There's plenty more in this effort - check out A New World - its a new favorite in our iPod.

Help Kickstart a CD - A Mortal Planet-CD Fundraising Campaign

Musicians are continually finding creative means as indie artists to finance the resources needed to record new music. Recording studio time is not cheap. The Greencards have their Buy a Brick program; others have used house concerts as pledges. Now through Kickstarter.com, musicians can create campaigns to raise the necessary funds in exchange for in-kind gifts from the artist. These may include concert tickets, CDs, posters, or even a house concert - in exchange for a set contribution. Our pal, Peyton Tochterman just released his A Mortal Planet-CD Fundraising Campaign. He hopes to raise $4,000 and is about a quarter of the way with a month remaining. Fellow Charlottesville musicians, Sons of Bill, are actually over their target - but there is still almost two weeks left for their campaign. Musicians do reach their goal;  as evident by the Jamie Mclean Band and Caroline Herring. Support local music and take a look.

CD Review: Sons of Bill - One Town Away

After seeing the Sons of Bill last month, their management sent us a download copy of their latest CD, One Town Away. And after listening to the tracks, it is even more apparent that SOB is the East Coast version of Cross Canadian Ragweed or The Randy Rogers Band or Reckless Kelly. Part alt-country and part southern rock, this CD incorporates tight instrumentals with excellent songwriting. Some of my favorite lyrics are "when you don't fit in at church and bars - you bite your lip and hide your scars" and "Hank Williams may have been a love sick drinker, but being a love sick drunk don't make you Hank". Most of the songs are actually part love songs - or at least describe the consequences that result from broken love. See "Broken Bottles", "One Town Away", "Charleston", "So Much For The Blues". In fact the last may be my favorite - great harmonies - and "throw my ass back at the door" - they're getting closer to Townes - just cut out the GD.

The first track, "Joey's Arm", is an honest look at the South; get your bass and steel guitar on for "Going Home" - on a song that rambles down Route 29. The tragedies at Virgina Tech and perhaps Columbine must have influenced "Never saw It Coming" - which portrays the band's ability to produce a sophisticated tale with social implications. This is a powerful song. "Rock and Roll" is self explanatory - with great guitar work - even though they claim not "to play rock and roll" - is this a true story? They slow it down in "Charleston" - love the pedal steel with the soft vocals. You know, this may actually be my favorite song; I want to go to Charleston and to Battery Park. The CD ends with "The Song Is All The Remains" - another song that shows that this band is tight, fast or slow. This is a great country ballad: "think you can find redemption in the highlights of the stage" - "when the show is over and once again you're all alone" - "you hope God is still listening". Another powerful song.

What a great CD - one of the tops of 2009; go out and get One Town Away. Or go see the Sons of Bill live.

Sons of Bill & Memphis 59 - The State Theatre

A couple of weeks back at the Dewey Beach Music Conference, we became fans of the Levee Drivers, a rock band at our Bucks County, PA. At the time they informed us that they were opening for the Sons of Bill at The State Theatre on October 16th. We added the show to our MyJoog calendar, but when we arrived the Levee Drivers were absent - apparently the band couldn't get a confirmation from the venue. Instead, local rock band, Memphis 59, was warming up. Not a bad replacement, we had heard of this band and exchanged emails, but never saw them live. And they can rock. I am confounded how I missed their performances at the Mid-Atlantic Band Battle held in my own backyard at Jammin' Java. The nucleus of the band is frontman Scott Kurt, bassist Richard Lewis, and drummer Chris Zogby. These are real rock songs - listen to "Black and White TV" or "In Spite of Me" or "Knock Me Out" - and not the power-pop that is prevalent nowadays. I'm looking forward to their collaboration with Justin Trawick at The Clarendon Ballroom for the Pink Jams! fundraiser November 18th.

The Sons of Bill also turned out to be an incredible rock band. I had always heard them referred as a country band - but that is a mistake. This is a rock band, albeit one with roots influences. Yea, they cover Billy Joe Shaver and site Townes Van Zandt as an influence - but listening to the electric guitar, keyboards, bass, and percussion - these guys can rock. The three Wilson brothers; James, Sam and Abe grew up listening to their father playing old country and apparently blues tunes and eventually inherited his guitars and talent. They are based out of Charlottesville, but have a nice regional following along the east coast. Many of these fans were in attendance this night - singing every song and cheering their favorites. Mine was their version of Blind Willie Johnson's classic "Let Your Light Shine" - the best version since The Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band. Plus we are fans of any Shaver cover. And Sam Wilson can play the heck out of the electric guitar. What's also nice is that the three brothers alternate fronting the band - with James taking most of the leads, but Sam and Abe contributing their own songs as well. From mid-November through the rest of the year Sons of Bill is touring with Robert Earl Keen starting with a quasi hometown show at The National. How can you pass on that combo?