Always Say Please and Thank You

Easily the most popular posting on this here blog has been Jay Munly's, Munly & The Lee Lewis Harlots. So for today I offer you his parent band, Slim Cessna's Auto Club...

Slim Cessna and his Auto Club are Colorado alt-country/Americana royalty. Their live performances are the stuff of legend (which I as of yet have been unable to experience). Slim's story telling takes the listener through a variety of American musical landscapes as he invokes elements of big-tent revivalism, singing (and sometimes yodeling) songs about God and the ever tempting Satan. His tongue is firmly in cheek, it would appear, but it doesn't seem to detract from the charm and even conviction of this utterly enjoyable, quirky and rambunctious album. Their is a dark mood deep beneath the album, although not as dark as Mr. Munly's or even The good Rev. Glasseye solo works, but it does lend a nice and sinister edge at times. Slim's knack for compelling story telling as well as diverse musical compositions, make this album a must have.

PS: It was released on Jello Biafra's Alternative Tentacles, which is easily one of the best independent labels around. And they've been around for a long time.

...enjoy...

Through The Trees

Rennie and Bret Sparks are the husband and wife team that make up The Handsome Family. Their particular brand of alt-country (or even Gothic country at times) has an often macabre and murderous storytelling quality to it, which may be why I find it so interesting. This handsome couple have been plying their trade since 1993, while Through the Trees was recorded and released in 1998 after Brett was hospitalized due to a breakdown and subsequently diagnosed with bi-polar disorder. The emotional impact of such an experience can be felt throughout this gem of an album. The first two tracks alone will leave you drained as well as enlightened, simultaneously.

American Gothic