Ten for Your Seven a Mix Tape for Strangers Oct 25

Last week Shayne Morrison and I were pondering the mysteries of today's current music business while we were at the Mean Eyed Cat waiting for Tressie Seegers' show to start. We didn't come to any startling conclusions except to say that the paradigm had really shifted and it wasn't just our underwear riding up.

On CBS Sunday Morning this Sunday (Oct 25) they had a profile of Adele. As I was watching it I realized I'd seen her on Saturday Night Live the week before. Now that's major label marketing at its best. Here's a 20-year old singer from the UK with adequate chops, getting major exposure and being prepped to sell a gazillion albums. But I have to say that I've heard more interesting singers right here on MySpace right here in Texas.

And that is one way the business is changing. The major labels can certainly get an artist out onto the airwaves through their old contacts who need product to consume every bit as much as the labels need them to consume it; but there is definitely an underground of small studios, smart artists, and websites such as Facebook, MySpace, YourTexasMusic, and CDBaby that give folks access to markets they couldn't possible get before and allow the artist to build a fan base and actually make a living.

In the past people needed the labels to discover artists for them. The labels were aggregators who scoured the country for obscure acts worth promoting. Today you only need a computer to do the same thing and someone you trust to point out acts worthy of consideration.

That's what we're doing with Ten for Your Seven: A Mix Tape for Strangers. We're scouring MySpace checking out acts and putting up songs we like. So, here for your consideration are this weeks picks.

Elizabeth Lee--Michael Fracasso
I love songwriters who tell stories and Michael can tell them. Elizabeth Lee is a compelling song of betrayal with lots of well turned phrases.


River of Sin--Flatcar Rattlers
This is definitely a party song and I like it. It's a nice counter-balance to the load of spiritually oriented songs we've had lately. The singer is basically saying I'm gonna live my life, have fun, and then head south.


Gone Mad—Monkeyshyne
It is time for a little head rattling rock and roll. How can you resist a thumping guitar, a nice melody, and a memorable chorus? You can't. So, turn it up and sing along.


Six Months--Hurts to Purr
Up above I talked about singers who had good voices. Well, here's one. Liz has a great voice, plays the piano and makes you wonder why she's not on Saturday Night Live because this song is as good as anything I've heard recently on the show.


Swept Away--Jon Dee Graham
This is the week for wordsmithing singer songwriters. Jon Dee has a strong gravely voice and a way with words. The opening lines create one of the most compelling visual images I've heard in a long while. Give this one a good listen.


My Only Love—Spivey Crossing
A lovely traditional love song and another female voice that is worth listening to and she's right here in Texas right under your nose.


Roberta--Snits Dog and Pony Show
Now we get down to some good old funky blues. This one should have you tapping your toes and wondering when you can get to a Snits show.


Send Me Home—Radiobox
I really love this good old fashioned power ballad with clean lines all the way around. There are some great vocal harmonies on the chorus. It makes me want to see these guys live.


What you Want--Dixie Witch
I picked this song because I have a secret affinity for ass-kicking southern rock. I'd never heard of these guys before they became our friends. Then I'm at the Big Easy on Saturday and there's the bartender wearing a Dixie Witch baseball hat and I realize they're already pretty popular. Well, I don't care. I like the song. Sometimes I feel like Rip Van Winkle waking up after a long sleep.


Big Coat--Wire Tree

Same goes with this song. Brianne the daughter recommended it and they have a gillion friends but they deserve it. This tune is really worth your consideration.

Ten for Your Seven: Oct 11

When we started this list several weeks ago, I imagined it would be hard to find enough different songs each week. That was wrong. The issue is way too many good songs. Still, I have folks pitching in watching their specialties and sending along suggestions. This week, Pharaby (the mom) joins the team to give us some blues tunes.

As I warned last week, we're going to run this thing right through every category because I like every category and I think they all have something to recommend them. I suppose the thing that strikes me is that how different these songs are and they're all using the same 12 notes.

So, open up your mind and breathe. We're back this week's Ten for Your Seven, a mix tape for strangers. They'll be featured on our player all week long at yourtexasmusic.

The Animal Cliché Song, Dano

My entire family loves word play and this song is one continuous play with words. I think it works for adults and well as children which is Dano's primary audience. I think I agree with him that grabbing a bull by the horns doesn't really sound like intelligent plan.

The Sick and the Nurse, The Fall Collection

How many songs can we write about being in and out of love? Millions. Will they ever get old? No. Not as long as there are youngsters with guitars falling in and of love. I love the drums on this one.

Runnin' Naked, Greezy Wheels

I wasn't really a hippie, but I am old and I did have long hair and I like the sentiment of this song. The only way to be completely loose and free you gotta be running naked. If you don't run with me I'll find someone who will.

Radar Love, Adrian and the Sickness

I still have the original album for the first version of this song by Golden Earring. Adrian's version works every bit as well. The Moontan cover was scandalous I tell you. Scandalous.

Dusty Bibles Lead to Dirty Lives, Onion Creek Crawdaddies

My Yankee buddy Steve Arkin introduced me to bluegrass for which I will forever be grateful. Just to plug him he used to play for Bill Monroe. Don't know who that is? Look it up. Onion Creek rocks it out similar to Blue Highway/Allison Kraus/Ricky Skaggs.

Rock the Big House Down, the Anti-Simon

This is classic power rock with memorable riffs and rhythmic bass lines on the guitar. Throw in a little organ for emphasis along with some backup singers and you've got a song you can dance to.

Sugar Daddy, Miss Marcy and Her Texas Sugardaddies

Straight rockin' blues--slow and easy. Miss Marcy has that old time sound and its really good. Great voice.

Heaven in Your Arms, My Brave Love

A great country love song by Michele Wismer. She does the singing as well. You probably should catch this while you can because I have a feeling about these folks that they won't stay undiscovered indies.

The Flame, John Pointer

Clean, brilliant guitar work with a rockin' beat. This song has real intensity and movement. Pointer's voice matches the clarity of his guitar work. I love harmonics.

It's a Long Road Home, Deadman

We'll end this on a slow note to send you home safe and happy. I suppose there are worse things to say about a singer than that he sounds like Josh Ritter. Nice contemplative song.

Ten for Your Seven: A Mix Tape For Strangers

I, John (the dad), grew up in the era of Top-40 radio. So, I like hearing different types of songs. Most people these days climb into their music holes, pull the audio dirt in over them and never let another musical style come near. This makes for a thin existence in my view.

I like diversity. Kid Rock and Eminem and Uncle Kracker make as much sense to me as Jimmy Dale Gilmore and Josh Ritter and Bob Schneider. They help create a really nice aural tapestry, providing a richly textured soundtrack to my life. This is why when I'm listening to songs for this list I seldom look at the little category listing each band has to select when they join MySpace.

My children seem to have inherited this trait, which is why Brianne (the daughter) brings us Office Suite Part 1 and Milk on this week's list. It is unlikely you'll ever hear these songs on radio, which is too bad. We're all the poorer.

So, with that said, here's this week's Ten for Your Seven, a mix tape for strangers. They'll be featured on our player all week long at yourtexasmusic.

Office Suite, Part 1, The Matthew Show

This song provides a manic, edgy view of life in cubeland. In a world where no one does anything of consequence everything in life becomes something of consequence. As the song says, someone jacked the printer paper, where'd you put it now. The door stays open but the seats stay filled.

Milk, Spies Like Us

Everyone should have a daily dose of Ska. Milk is a bovine product that is rich in calcium and this song is rich in humor and fun.

Crawfish Funk, Ernie Durawa

This reminds me of Little Feat, but that it probably like my father saying that someone reminded him of Valentino. Luckily, the curious can go to Little Feat's MySpace and see what I mean. Anyway, this is some funky rhythm. Oh, yeah, and Ernie was the drummer with the Texas Tornados.

New Wave Outlaw Politic, Cattywompus

Southern Rock lives and it is a good thing. They really had me deep when the drum started double-timing.

Troubles with Doubles, Clap!Clap!

Sounding a little like the B52s leavened with The Cure, this one made me want to dance, and that is not something you want to see unless you're exceptionally well lubricated.

We All Know, She Craves

Kick ass. This one moves at a hyper pace, great guitar sound and clean drums. This is fun. It made my head bob.

Not One, Not Called Common

It starts off nice and simple and then just keeps building. I like songs where the sound is carefully layered on and builds in intensity.

When You're Down, Monahans.

We're going to slow it down through to the end of the tape. This is a nice contemplative song, and as Brianne (the daughter) will tell you, I'm a sucker for guitar/folky songs. This is a good one and I like the singer's voice.

A cover of Victoria Williams, Psalms, All God's Children

We have to have our weekly dose of spirituality. There is absolutely no reason you can't enjoy Cattywompus, Clap!Clap!, She Craves, or Not Called Common and then slow down and enjoy something as beautiful as this song. Their my space site says it is sung by Ram, and I think she does a super job and I'd like to meet her someday and hear these people play, live.

Beautiful Dreamer, Sarah Elizabeth Campbell and The Banned

This Stephen Foster tune is dedicated to my mother who died in 1968 at the tender age of 49, which seemed a little old at the time, but with the distance of my current age it was nothing at all. She played this on the piano and I'd sing. Here you go mom, enjoy.

Autumn at the One World

Back when I was writing about music for a living there were times when I used to sit in clubs and stadiums and concert halls and wonder why in the world I was there. There just seemed to be so much atrocious stuff flying around. I imagine there still is, but I don't really care anymore. I just ignore it. And when I do run across it I just shake it off. Life's to short to get bent out of shape about a bad song.

What I've found as a replacement is music that comes to me in an entirely different fashion. Rather than being pushed by AR men, it comes via family and friends and just word of mouth. This gives the music a context that is largely missing in the public scramble to be the next big thing. Seeing music played by people you know and like has a lot to recommend it.

Last night (Wednesday Oct 1) I had the pleasure of sitting in the audience at One World Theatre with Tressie Seegers and Shayne Morrison and my partner Larry of LosSenderosStudio to see Autumn perform to support her new CD, Velvet Sky.


It was a great evening all the way around. We were greeted at the door by Autumn's mother and aunt and her younger sister did the introduction to start the show. Walt Wilkins did his first turn working as a backup singer along with his wife, Tina who has done it a time or two on her own.


The music was terrific, I had a good time and I suggest that people ought to listen to Autumn. The show felt like a house concert which is a great thing, because you felt connected to the artist in a way you miss at bigger venues.

During this show she did an excellent version of Walt Wilkin's Up and On My Way as well as Autumn's own Lessons. On her MySpace player Sam Baker joins her. Walt did the honors last night since Sam is off galavanting around Europe. It is a terrific song.

Autumn has an excellent voice and plays a nice piano which is not a complement of the piano but her playing of same. She ended the show with Sugarcane, which is a great song as well.

It will be interesting to watch Autumn's career to see how she does over the long haul. I suspect she'll do well. At least I hope she'll do well. She has a really nice smile to complement her music and takes the time to talk to all of her fans. Big pluses all the way around.