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July 3, 2011

ramsay midwood


i'm drawn to the South. it started with dixie jazz and a few books; Amstrong, Harper Lee, Cole Porter, Gone with the Wind, Gershwin, and The Mississippi Rag. but i've deviated since then, not too far though, into marshland and rootsy folk blues. 


the South still pulls me. but now purely for its swampy gospel-laced blues for inspired barflies and wide spaced bluegrass. music with laid back, quiet, and languid vocals. Ramsay Midwood is everything South. his surroundings are clearly evident in his music; he was raised in Arlington, Virginia, the son of a tuba-playing father and a mother interested in folk and roots music. there's so much i love about this little heard of Texan. his sound is a drunk lazy country romp, perfect to go with a thirsty summer evening and a big waiting sky. the South comes alive in his vocals like a smoked-out bastard murderer, staggering into a diner in the purple small hours.


Shoot Out at the OK Chinese Restaurant 'is decidedly lo-fi and feels as authentic as a country preacher stoned on truth serum', says a reviewer.  








July 2, 2011

trampled by turtles



Trampled by Turtles does bluegrass the way it's meant to be. old school and quiet. their new album Palomino has some beautiful compositions complete with the heart-breaking ballad 'Widower's Heart' and the country number 'Victory'.

here's what my favourite reviewer has to say about them:  

Palomino is a brilliant record that balances furious energy, calming ballads, frantic finger-picking, three-part harmonies, and startlingly good songwriting. 

Dave Simonett - guitar/vocals
Ryan Young - fiddle 
Erik Berry - mandolin/vocals 
Dave Carroll - banjo, vocals 
Tim Saxhaug - bass/vocals



Trampled By Turtles - Widower's Heart from HearYa.com on Vimeo.


what a lovely video!