Influences - acoustic jimmy page, electric bob dylan
what sets us apart - According to Lars Erikson....what sets us apart is a "very honest and driving, in rhythm and attitude, essentially positive. It cheers you up without being silly. I find it cool, at times brilliant, fun and funny, a combination of serious and amusing. The guitarplaying is great, with lots of variation and personal touch, and so is the working on the songs. It is a good mixture between driving rhythm and more calm songs.
As with many other artists, you find the same kind of rhythm in the different songs returning, but there is nothing wrong with that, it's only familiar and nice. Makes you wanna dance. The songs are mature, because the man who composed them is mature; he's not a kid who, no matter how brilliant he may be, can't get away from his immaturity. The album is cozy, perfect for a car trip or for being played over and over again, weekend after weekend, on a local pub somewhere in Wyoming.
Many lines get stuck in your head (and so do the riffs). He comes some: "Dancing drinking and crying, lonesome lovesick and blue… smoking laughing and lying, to myself, the world and to you… found the keys to life my friend but I dropped them underneath my bar stool", "oh Lord, why did you give so many so few?", "if it's good enough for you, it's good enough for me".
At times I think the songs deserve a better recording, but they still come along great. Sometimes the whole thing reminds me – I don't know why - of a great street band, unknown, unrecorded, but oh so great. There is something classical about this album."
Jahamericana makes me feel like a grifter in a movie who's been getting kicked around a while, but has stumbled on something that will change his life. The perfect con, the perfect-imperfect woman, news of a rigged horse race. It leads you to feel that feeling good about life is a guilty pleasure. That salvation isn't always far from a barstool. I wish people heard J's songs when they saw me walking down the street. It'd bee a hell of a soundtrack, the right soundtrack.
Village records folks like Jahamericana too:
"Blending more styles than we can list here Shogren somehow ties it all together for his own unique sound. Thoughtful and larger than life songs set to a hard acoustic background make for some exciting listening. He's traveled the world and the stories are plentiful in these grooves. At the end of the day though it's Americana at its best." VILLAGE RECORDS
And do these $10 tickets need to be purchased in advance?? If so, might you pick one up for me as I will not be making it over the hill until that weekend?? Of course, I'll pay you back, and perhaps even buy you a tasty PBR ;-)
hey J! No unfortunately not (peace & love)...but I was on P3lab yesterday!and Im going on a small germany tour in aug, so im doing great! how are ya doing? you in Sweden now, have ya celebrated midsommar? hoppas allt e bra, tim
You got F*in good tunes, demos or not! Have a great midsummers eve, I WILL picture you humming "Deny me" while doing the "små grodorna", just like me;) Take care! P. :>D
Thanks for being friends. if your ever in Minnesota, come up and see us sometime in the good ol' stomp'n mahtowa. We'll hook you up. Great songs!!! peace, colleen
You know I want that Viking stinkface picture posted in the group...Dont make me do it, cuz I will, cuz i'm crazzzzzy that way. WTF..are you going to play the beach or what, mofro?
Howdy J Shogren! I wanted to drop you a note to thank you for taking the time to accept us as your friend, and listening to our music. We appreciate the gesture and are grateful that you enjoyed our tunes enough to add us to your community of friends. After all, having people connect with our music is why we do this. I hope you'll come by often to say hello and let us know what's happening with you, and when you have a spare moment, please visit our brand new webpage at www. crosstimbersbluegrass. com there you can listen to more of our music and find out more about us. Feel free to sign the guestbook! (And if you have any ideas about how we could improve the webpage, be sure to let us know)
All my best and thank you again, Matt (the bass player) Cross Timbers
