Cliff Brown Jr.: Guitar, Bass, Keys, Vocals, Drums, Etc..
David Hess, aka Dirty Baby: Guitar, Vocals, Etc..
Friends, Contributors and Amazing Musicians:
Roberto Sanchez (Milton Mapes, Monahans): Drums, Percussion
Cully Symington: Drums
Chad Shaw: Bass
Kullen Fuchs: Trumpet, Piano, Sounds
The Grooveline Horns: Horns
Britton Beisenherz: Bass
Peter Stafford: Recording, Etc..
Darwin Smith: Recording, Etc..
Sounds Like
Texas Platters
BY CHRISTOPHER GRAY
King Tears
Rope Chair Needle
Some might mistake Austin quartet King Tears for goths: They're named after a local mortuary, and their debut takes its title from three common methods of capital punishment. Yet there's not a single murder ballad here; even "Heaven or Hell" turns out to be about a difficult relationship instead of any afterlife destination. Conveniently positioned between Moonlight Towers' fuzzy pop and Milton Mapes' grizzled Americana – Towers' James Stevens recorded the album; Mapes' Greg Vanderpool did the cover art – Rope's nine songs are cut from the same rustic cloth. Steady, unforced tempos, and well-placed banjo and harmonica, lend an unmistakable air of Big Pink to the proceedings. "Beg Me to Follow" invites the Grooveline horns inside for some shambling fireside Stonesery, and "Comin' Around" choogles along like John Fogerty bumping into the Faces at last call. If some songs (the title track) are a little too soft-focus at times, their unflagging amiability grants them the necessary leeway. This is music meant for relaxing on the porch, with a tall glass of lemonade or something stronger, whiling away the lazy summer hours in the shade. Indeed, Rope Chair Needle offers precious little to cry about at all.
Discography ::
Down In Luck Ep (2003)
Recorded at Half-A-Warehouse, with Darwin Smith.
This is where their record label gets it's name.
The EP title comes from a homeless woman holding a sign which read::
"Down In Luck."
Rope Chair Needle (2005)
Recorded at The Bridge Studios with James Stevens.
The Title of RCN comes from the common sight of road-side chaingangs
working along the roads and in the fields of Brown's native state
Alabama.
Almost There Records::
Who's Who (2004)
"Legal Matter"
King Tears covers The Who's "Legal Matter"
From their 1965 debut album My Generation.
Turn 1 (2005)
"Socialist Worker"
B-side from the King Tears Rope Chair Needle Sessions.
"May love ever possess you, may peace come into your heart.." If you can name the man behind that quote then you most likely have this record in your collection.
Sgt. Hetfield wants to show you that Blood is all you need (except a pint or two)! Watch for the new Beatallica single "All You Need Is Blood" on May 20th.
"I believe that imagination is stronger than knowledge -- myth is more potent than history -- dreams are more powerful than facts -- hope always triumphs over experience -- laughter is the cure for grief -- love is stronger than death."
Hey there guys. How's things? This is my holiday note to all my "friends". Pass it on!
* May we be blessed with the awareness in ourselves and in our country to make things better than they have been. Let us acknowledge our own power to transform ourselves and our global position. If we are diligent in our efforts, we WILL change things. I believe the PEOPLE (you and me) are waking up. May we never turn away from our responsibility to ourselves and our neighbors. May we unite in goodness until it overwhelms everything else. *
Happy Solstice to you. May you all find happiness and peace for this season and beyond.
