Buddy & Julie Miller

You'd think that a guy whom No Depression appropriately named Artist of the Decade wouldn't warrant mention here, but Buddy Miller and his superbly talented life/musical soulmate Julie Griffin Miller are still hardly household names outside of a relatively small circle of fervent admirers. They deserve more attention, particularly since I think they've just produced a masterpiece with Written in Chalk. It's certainly in the early running for my favorite album of the year.

This is music appropriate for a long drive through open country on a midsummer evening, as day fades gradually into night. It's a mature work, in the best sense of the word. The instrumentation and arrangements are appropriately spare and understated. Two lifetimes of passion and pain fuel these aching harmonies. There is a raw immediacy to these performances, most recorded in their home studio, that cuts like a knife. June, written and recorded on the evening of June Carter Cash's death in 2003, will leave you breathless.

http://www.NewWestRecords.com

http://www.BuddyAndJulie.com

Los Straitjackets

You just gotta love The Further Adventures Of my favorite quartet of masked musical marauders. This is surf music from Mars... monster Dick Dale riffs; Ventures tremolo; Secret Agent Man twang; and some truly badass drumming. The folks at Yep Roc have gone all out for this release with special packaging, comic book superhero artwork and even trading cards! I'd recommend this for driving, but body parts have been known to twitch uncontrollably and unsafe speeds are virtually guaranteed when you crank this up. Flamin'....

http://www.lala.com/#artist/Los_Straitjackets

http://www.straitjackets.com/

Mariza!

This past weekend we had the good fortune to witness one of the most electrifying live performances I've ever seen. It was the last concert in a three-month North American tour by Portugese fado queen Mariza at the wonderful Parmount Oakland. What a stage presence -- captivating, sexy, and totally charming. And the voice... truly amazing in its richness and complexity. Did I mention the extraordinarily talented backing musicians? It was a night to remember. It's almost impossible to capture a personality like that on CD, but new album Terra would be a great place to start for the uninitiated.
Otherwise, if you ever have a chance to see her live, do yourself a favor.....

www.myspace.com/fadomariza

www.mariza.com