Friday, April 11, 2008

Something You Don't Hear Everyday

Ok, after this I'll move on from Chameleon. But this is just a damn fine album and it's one of those I think that came along at a time when I needed it.


Just a guy and some strings and look how well it turned out. No bells or whistles. If you're really good at something, it shows, and you don't need bells, or whistles, or amps, or anything else to prove it. Good work stands on its own.

One of the favorite things about this album is a chance to hear Tim play the banjo. I think I've seen him play it live once, although I'm sure he does now and then. But it's not something you see or hear often.

The fourth track on the release is my favorite. On Red Dog In The Morning, Tim is playing an Ome minstrel banjo (oh I would love me an Ome). Son of Mando had a lesson on one of these Ome cuties back a year or two at IBMA. The way of old time playing is a little more of a percussive strumming with the hand in the position of a claw, hence the term, "clawhammer". I love the sound. It's at home somewhere deep down in my heart.
So just Tim, and just an Ome. Just one intrepid voice that was born to sing this tune it wrote, and an instrument that only people who don't know much still make fun of.
I don't want to transpose the lyrics here but please give it a listen. I'm not sure what this tune is about, but it's got a bit of a march to it, and a dark feel, "It's a Red Dog in the morning/Black dog in the afternoon....When you see me a-comin/Raise your flag away up high/Put that greenwood on the fire/I'll see your smoke when I pass by."
Go on now and let it under your skin. However you take your quiet moments this weekend, I hope it includes some good music, your own or someone else's.

4 Comments:

At April 13, 2008 1:54 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Tim was great tonight (as always) But you would expect me to say that, wouldn't you?

The big surprise of the night were the Carolina Chocolate Drops. They were SENSATIONAL! Absolutely incredible.

I told Tim that you said "howdy." That's such an incredible series, if you don't buy tickets at LEAST several weeks in advance, it'll be sold out.

Tim sang "Megna's" tonight. BTW, Megna's wasn't a place, it was a truck. Ya gotta remember TimBob and I are a bit older than y'all. Just like Tim, when I was kid, there was a guy who would come around our neighborhood in a 1940's vintage GMC 3/4 ton pickup truck selling fruits and veggies. It was between the time when people grew most of their own (during WWII in particular) and the rise of the Megalomarts.

I am exhausted. I was up at 5:50 AM yesterday to take 'Nita to solo and ensemble competition (she kicked butt, again- both "superior" ratings) and I'm lucky to be home in one piece.

The Carolina Chocolate Drops are playing a show in Granville tomorrow at 2:00PM for only five bucks. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!!!!

Now I gotta get to bed before I get any loopier. TTFN

 
At April 13, 2008 3:37 PM, Blogger Mando Mama said...

OH I wish I'd known about the show in Granville earlier. I found out about the Chocolate Drops a few weeks ago trolling around YouTube for "black string bands". They are damn good.

As I suspected, Megna's is so far A's favorite tune on the album. She asks for it over and over. She says it makes her hungry. ;-)We get the truck thing, but I think there was a Megna's grocery by the time I was going to school in Wheeling. Times change! Of course, nothing in Wheeling is what it was. My high school is shutting down after 160 years. I can't bring myself to go down just for that when I haven't gone back for any other reason, but it's still a little sad.

MM

 
At April 15, 2008 10:47 AM, Blogger Kelley Grant-Kelley said...

Okay, okay, you've convinced me - my copy of Chameleon is on the way! You're slowly but surely turning Mr. Ipsissimus and I into bluegrass fans
Ipsi.

 
At April 16, 2008 5:25 AM, Blogger Mando Mama said...

HA!hahahahahahahaaaaa. Welcome to the dark side...

Then again, y'all are pretty versatile and easy-going folk. The bluegrass stuff is probably a dormant characteristic.

 

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