5

EXTRA
Saturday, August 16, 2014
OLD CROW MEDICINE
SHOW
“Remedy” (ATO)
“Give me that old-time
music, Lord make it hot,”
Critter Fuqua pleads on
“Doc’s Day.” Old Crow
Medicine Show delivers
on that request in spades
on “Remedy,” but the veteran septet as usual also
spikes its string-band
attack with some heavy doses of rock-and-roll attitude,
whether it’s the rambunctious humor of “Brushy Mountain Conjugal Trailer” or the Dylanesque bite of “Mean
Enough World.”
Speaking of the Bard, Dylan contributes to another fine
cowrite, “Sweet Amarillo.” (The first collaboration with
Old Crow’s Ketch Secor, “Wagon Wheel,” became a country and pop hit for Darius Rucker.) The accordion-laced
waltz, along with “Dearly Departed Friend” and “The Warden,” points up how Old Crow is just as compelling when
it slows the breakneck pace and softens the edge.
Billboard
Country Singles
1. Rude, MAGIC!
2. Stay With Me, Sam
Smith
3. Fancy, Iggy Azalea
feat. Charli XCX
4. All About That Bass,
Meghan Trainor
5. Am I Wrong, Nico &
Vinz
6. Problem, Ariana
Grande feat. Iggy Azalea
7. Maps, Maroon 5
8. Chandelier, Sia
9. Bang Bang, Jessie J,
Ariana Grande & Nicki
Minaj
10. Boom Clap, Charli
XCX
1. Burnin’ It Down, Jason
Aldean
2. Dirt, Florida Georgia
Line
3. American Kids, Kenny
Chesney
4. Drunk On A Plane,
Dierks Bentley
5. Bartender, Lady
Antebellum
6. I Don’t Dance, Lee Brice
7. Meanwhile Back At
Mama’s, Tim McGraw
feat. Faith Hill
8. This Is How We Roll,
Florida Georgia Line feat.
Luke Bryan
9. Somethin’ Bad,
Miranda Lambert Duet
With Carrie Underwood
10. Leave The Night On,
Sam Hunt
Top Albums
1. Guardians Of The
Galaxy: Awesome Mix
Vol. 1, Soundtrack
2. NOW 51, Various
Artists
3. 1000HP, Godsmack
4. They Want My Soul,
Spoon
5. 5 Seconds Of
Summer, 5 Seconds Of
Summer
6. Hypnotic Eye,
Tom Petty & The
Heartbreakers
7. The Breeze — An
Appreciation Of JJ Cale,
Eric Clapton & Friends
8. Frozen, Soundtrack
9. In The Lonely Hour,
Sam Smith
10. Somebody To You
EP, The Vamps
Adult Contemporary
Singles
1. Stay With Me, Sam
Smith
2. All Of Me, John
Legend
3. Best Day Of My Life,
American Authors
4. Counting Stars,
OneRepublic
5. Am I Wrong, Nico &
Vinz
6. Story Of My Life, One
Direction
7. Happy, Pharrell
Williams
8. Not A Bad Thing,
Justin Timberlake
9. Dark Horse, Katy
Perry feat. Juicy J
10. Me And My Broken
Heart, Rixton
—Nick Cristiano, The Philadelphia Inquirer
Country Albums
GASLIGHT ANTHEM
“Get Hurt” (Island)
The Gaslight Anthem’s
transformation is so complete that the first half of
the new album, “Get Hurt,”
sounds like it came from an
entirely different band.
The New Jersey quartet,
led by Brian Fallon, built
its major-label reputation
on revved-up, Springsteendrenched indie-rock anthems, with Fallon’s voice often
straining from emotional intensity.
But most of that is on hold on “Get Hurt.” The opener,
“Stay Vicious,” blends heavy-metal guitar riffs and stomping verses, though Fallon does try to console freaked-out
fans singing, “I still love rock and roll and I still call somebody baby.”
On “1,000 Years,” while Fallon channels a bit of The
Hold Steady, the rest of the band seems to channel Pearl
Jam, circa “Ten.” There’s a lot of early Pearl Jam references
throughout “Get Hurt,” as Fallon finds more of an Eddie
Vedder-esque croon rather than his usual Springsteen-y
howl, especially on the title track.
“Stray Paper” seems to capture the latest version of
Gaslight Anthem best, aided by producer Mike Crossey,
best known for his work with bands that use a range of
styles, like Arctic Monkeys and The 1975. It takes the usual
cadences of Fallon’s vocals and places them in new surroundings, the approach they use for the winding “Helter
Skeleton” and the restrained, but ambitious “Underneath
the Ground.”
“Get Hurt” works as a transition album for Gaslight
Anthem, a way to break out of a specific, successful style
and spread their musical wings. They don’t always soar,
but they will soon.
1. Crash My Party, Luke
Bryan
2. Just As I Am, Brantley
Gilbert
3. Platinum, Miranda
Lambert
4. Here’s To The Good
Times, Florida Georgia
Line
5. The Outsiders, Eric
Church
6. NOW That’s What I
Call Country: Volume 7,
Various Artists
7. Kuntry Livin’, Big Smo
8. Cole Swindell, Cole
Swindell
9. Based On A True
Story ..., Blake Shelton
10. Riser, Dierks Bentley
R&B/Hip-Hop Singles
1. Fancy, Iggy Azalea
feat. Charli XCX
2. All Of Me, John Legend
3. Black Widow, Iggy
Azalea feat. Rita Ora
4. Anaconda, Nicki Minaj
5. Happy, Pharrell
Williams
6. 2 On, Tinashe feat.
ScHoolboy Q
7. Don’t Tell ’Em, Jeremih
feat. YG
8. Wiggle, Jason Derulo
feat. Snoop Dogg
9. Loyal, Chris Brown
feat. Lil Wayne & Tyga
10. Studio, ScHoolboy Q
feat. BJ The Chicago Kid
— Matt James, PopMatters.com
PRAWN
“Kingfisher” (Topshelf
Records)
Prawn is a fairly low-key
indie emo group, and “Kingfisher,” the band’s sophomore release, is amazing.
This LP is carefully constructed and pushes all the
right emotional buttons to
great effect, balancing its
angst-ridden lyrics with a
sound that’s as clear as glass. “Kingfisher” is absolutely
fabulous and a thrilling discovery, regardless if you accidentally stumble across this or not. Every dorm room
should come equipped with this album, along with the
standard food and lodging, such a revelatory and emotional disc this is.
Tapping into the anguish of the young, this album reels
you in seductively, and it’s hard to find any fault with it.
R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
Alternative/Modern
Rock Singles
1. Riptide, Vance Joy
2. Dangerous, Big Data
feat. Joywave
3. Fever, The Black Keys
4. My Sweet Summer,
Dirty Heads
5. Stolen Dance, Milky
Chance
6. I Wanna Get Better,
Bleachers
7. A Sky Full Of Stars,
Coldplay
8. Back To The Shack,
Weezer
9. Come With Me Now,
KONGOS
10. Bad Blood, Bastille
5
CD REVIEWS
TOP 10s
Top Singles
THE ROANOKE TIMES
1. The New Classic, Iggy
Azalea
2. Trigga, Trey Songz
3. Xscape, Michael
Jackson
4. Codename: Ego
Stripper, Ces Cru
5. Love In The Future,
John Legend
6. G I R L, Pharrell Williams
7. Nobodys Smiling,
Common
8. Because The Internet,
Childish Gambino
9. Get On Up: The
James Brown Story
(Soundtrack), James
Brown
10. Testimony, August
Alsina
DILATED PEOPLES
“Directors of Photography” (Rhymesayers)
I n t h e e i g h t ye a r s
between this and Dilated
Peoples’ last proper full
length, the hip-hop landscape has shifted.
To illustrate just how
far the scales have tilted in
favor of disposable pop rap
with or without an associated dance move, one only needs to look towards Nas and
Nick Cannon’s subtle-as-a-hammer-to-the-knee screed
against corporate rap, “Eat dat watermelon.” “Directors
of Photography” helps to tilt the balance back towards
thoughtful, well-crafted hip-hop, and while it doesn’t quite
scale the heights of Dilated Peoples’ early 2000s heyday,
it proves a welcome return for the group.
— Kevin Catchpole, PopMatters.com
MARSHA AMBROSIUS
“Friends & Lovers” (RCA)
On her second album,
this Liverpool-to-Philly
expatriate vocalist-composer known for co-penning Michael Jackson’s
“Butterflies” (among other
hits) is in a romantic, emotional, erotic vein recalling
R&B great Millie Jackson
— without the raunch. If
Jackson is a hot trumpet, Ambrosius is a subtle tenor
sax that can blare at a moment’s notice.
As she did on her soulful, gut-wrenching “Late Nights
& Early Mornings,” Ambrosius — who played last year’s
Henry Street Heritage Festival — paints a sumptuous
scene for romance.
The aching chord changes and quiet-storming
whoosh of “Cupid (Shot Me Straight Through My
Heart)” and the Teena Marie-like “La La La La La” signal
that Ambrosius is up for a good, ruminative chat about
loss and love. On “Friends & Lovers,” when Ambrosius
pitches woo with her husky voice and poetic but explicit
lyrics, the slow jams reveal a singer as emphatic as she
is vulnerable.
An eerie, sensual mash-up revolving around a Sade
hit (retitled “Stronger”), a steamy duet with gruff Charlie Wilson, and several sexed-up interludes help make
Ambrosius’ sophomore effort a marvel of modern carnal
soul.
— A.D. Amorosi, The Philadelphia Inquirer
AMANDA X
“Amnesia” (Siltbreeze)
On “Amnesia,” their
debut album, Amanda X
create noisy, low-fi songs
that revel in contrast. Distorted guitars vie with
clear, emphatic vocals;
chaos wriggles against control. The trio of guitarist
Cat Park, bassist Kat Bean,
and drummer Tiff Yoon
play with grungy intensity on “Guatemala” and “Tunnels” — think ’90s bands like the Breeders or Scrawl.
But the unison singing and traded lead vocals sweeten
songs such as “Nothing Wild” and “Things Fall Apart,”
which hint at the Raincoats (the British punk band Kurt
Cobain loved).
“I know, baby, you’re trouble,” begins the chorus of
“Trouble.” There’s a pause before it continues with “But
for now I want you to stay,” and the tone is more resigned
and knowingly conflicted than desperate and naively
pleading. The reference points for Amnesia may come
from a few decades ago, but Amanda X doesn’t sound
nostalgic.
— Steve Klinge, The Philadelphia Inquirer
— Zachary Houle, PopMatters.com
OLD FIDDLERS CONVENTION WINNERS
OLD TIME FIDDLE
1. Eddie Bond, Galax, Va.
2. Jake Krack — St. Albans, W.Va..
3. Tessa Dillon — St. Albans,
W.Va.
4. Kilby Spencer — Galax, Va.
5. Joe Furtado — Front Royal, Va.
6. Kitty Amaral — Elk Creek, Va.
7. Corrina Logston — Nashville,
Tenn.
8. Nate Leath — Charlottesville,
Va.
9. Richard Bowman — Mt. Airy,
N.C.
10. Erika Testerman — Lansing,
N.C.
DOBRO
1. Pammy Davis — Pleasant
Garden, N.C.
2. Tony Joines — Millers Creek,
N.C.
3. Doug Smith — Medway, Ohio
4. Jordon Roberson — Stoneville,
N.C.
5. Donnie Scott — Mt. Airy, N.C.
6. Wayne Willis — Portsmith, Va.
7. Jake Joines — Millers Creek,
N.C.
8. Robert Ellis — Mocksville, N.C.
9. Maggie Anderson —
Woodlawn, Va.
10. Josh Hazelwood — Dobson,
N.C.
MANDOLIN
1. Cory Piatt — Springfield, Tenn.
2. Greg Jones — Mt. Airy, N.C.
3. Opie Poindexter — Blacksburg,
S.C.
4. Rodney Hodges —
Walkertown, N.C.
5. Todd Hiatt — State Road, N.C.
6. Ricky Ellis — Bedford, Va.
7. Tyler Tuttle — Wilkesboro, N.C.
8. Nicolas Goad — Stuart, Va.
9. Ryan Blevins — Marion, Va.
10. Taylor Baker — Winchester,
Va.
BLUEGRASS FIDDLE
1. Crystal Shipley — Kingsport,
Tenn.
2. Daniel Greeson — Jamestown,
N.C.
3. Glen Alexander — Charlotte, N.C.
4. Carson Peters — Piney Flat,
Tenn.
5. Rebekah Campbell — Ballard,
W.Va.
6. Carley Arrowood — Union
Mills, N.C.
7. Henry Mabe — Walnut Cove,
N.C.
8. Jeff Michael — Mocksville, N.C.
9. Meade Richter — Bristol, Tenn.
10. Debbie Gitlin — Walkertown,
N.C.
DULCIMER
1. Sharon Boyd — Colonial
Heights, Va.
2. Hunter Walker — Beckley,
W.Va.
3. Dot Christenson — Lexington,
KY
4. Lois Hornbostel — Bryson
City, N.C.
5. Phyllis Gaskins — Port
Republic, Va.
6. Kendra Ward — Bidwell, Ohio
7. Tim Thorton — Shawsville, Va.
8. Clarence Roberts — Galax, Va.
9. Dick Lamb — Keezletown, Va.
10. Don Neuhauser —
Charlestown, IN
BLUEGRASS BANJO
1. Lyndwood Lunsford —
Cascade, Va.
2. David Carroll — Bedford, Va.
3. Johnathan Dillon — Wirtz, Va.
4. Brennen Ernst — Mt. Airy, N.C.
5. Eric Hardin — West Jefferson,
N.C.
6. Sam Gutheridge — Fairlee, MD
7. Timothy Mills — Riner, Va.
8. Stevie Barr — Galax, Va.
9. Burke Jessee — Wytheville, Va.
10. Andy Lowe — WinstonSalem, N.C.
CLAWHAMMER BANJO
1. Josh Ellis — Galax, Va.
2. Brein Fain — Stuart, Va.
3. Madison Shepherd — West
Jefferson, N.C.
4. Jim Lloyd — Rural Retreat, Va.
5. Kelley Breiding — Mt. Airy, N.C.
6. Eric Hill — Fries, Va.
7. Cody Jackson — Austinville, Va.
8. Trish Fore — Galax, Va.
9. Victor Furtado — Front Royal,
Va.
10. Robbie Anders — Galax, Va.
3. John Goad — Rogersville, Tenn.
4. Ted Turner — Fort Chiswell, Va.
5. Kim Allison — Johnson City,
Tenn.
6. Amy Ellis — Bedford, Va.
7. Becky Massey — Clairsville,
Ohio
8. Tyler Williams — Johnson City,
Tenn.
9. Lindsey Nale — Galax, Va.
10. Lynne Powell — Mocksville,
N.C.
Cove, N.C.
13. Drive Time — Timberlake,
N.C.
14. Tyler Williams Band —
Johnson City, Tenn.
15. Common Ground — Bedford,
Va.
OLD TIME BANDS
1. Whoopin’ Holler String Band —
Marlinton, W.Va.
2. Crooked Road Ramblers —
Galax, Va.
3. Bowdacious — Galax, Va.
DANCE
1. Kenny Monahan — Ivanhoe, Va. 4. Dry Hill Draggers — Ferrum,
AUTOHARP
Va.
1. Ronnie Burroughs — Keysville, 2. Julie Shepherd-Powell — Big
5. Blue Ridge Mountain Ramblers
Stone Gap, Va.
Va.
— Galax, Va.
3. Kathy Delp — Galax, Va.
2. Penny Kilby — Mouth of
4. Mitchell Robinson — Galax, Va. 6. Sweet T and The Twisted
Wilson, Va.
Lemons — Fincastle, Va.
5. Dawson McKay — Crockett,
3. Frederick Douglas — Pickens,
7. Slate Mountain Ramblers —
Va.
SC
Mt. Airy, N.C.
6. Marsha Todd — Mt. Airy, N.C.
4. Vicki Boyd — Laurel Fork, Va.
5. Gerald Anderson — Troutdale, 7. Delbert Dunford — Wytheville, 8. The Cabin Creek Boys —
Lansing, N.C.
Va.
Va.
9. New River Bound —
8. Glenn Wimmer — Rocky
6. Bobbi Roberts — Galax, Va.
Christiansburg, Va.
Mount, Va.
7. Lois Shumaker — Olin, N.C.
10. The Pilot Mountain Bobcats
8. Judy Pagter — Standsville, Va. 9. John Perry — Independence,
— Westfield, N.C.
Va.
9. Virgil Adams — Galax, Va.
11. Tune Town Oldtime Band —
10. Libby Kahn — Independence, 10. Laura Boyles — Galax, Va.
Marion, Va.
Va.
12. Roan Mountain Hilltoppers —
BLUEGRASS BANDS
Roan Mountain, Tenn.
1.
Exit
109
—
Hillsville,
Va.
GUITAR
13. Virginia Creepers — Fries, Va.
2.
High
Voltage
—
Pfafftown,
1. Jack Hinshelwood — Abingdon,
14. Bow Benders — Galax, Va.
N.C.
Va.
15. The Railsplitters — Big Stone
2. Zack Arnold — West Jefferson, 3. Cross Roads — Cana, Va.
Gap, Va.
4. Sons of the South Bluegrass
N.C.
3. Wayne Henderson — Mouth of Band — Statesville, N.C.
BEST ALL AROUND
5. The Coyote Ugly Band —
Wilson, Va.
PERFORMER
Kingsport, Tenn.
4. Steve Kilby — Mouth of
Eddie Bond — Fries, Va.
6. Kickin’ Grass —
Wilson, Va.
Christiansburg, Va.
5. Wayne Dye — Galax, Va.
YOUTH OLD TIME FIDDLE
6. Presley Barker — Trap Hill, N.C. 7. The Country Boys — Mt. Airy,
1. Kitty Amaral — Elk Creek, Va.
7. Henry Boitnott — Roanoke, Va. N.C.
2. Andrew Vogts — Chadds Ford,
8. John Marler — Statesville, N.C. 8. Southern Gentlemen —
Penn.
9. Ted McAllister — Fincastle, Va. Collinsville, Va.
3. Byan Lakey — Thomasville,
9. Wound Tight — Wirtz, Va.
10. Greg Wilson — Fries, Va.
N.C.
10. The Loose Strings — Galax,
4. Ruth Shumway — West
Va.
FOLK SONG
Jerferson, N.C.
11.
New
High
Country
Boys
—
1. Leslie Dunbar — Eagle Rock, Va.
5. Libby Harbour — Wilkesboro,
Mocksville, N.C.
2. Ashley Nale — Galax, Va.
N.C.
12. The Grassifieds — Walnut
YOUTH BLUEGRASS FIDDLE
1. Annabelle Watts — Philpot, KY
2. Isabella Gorman —
Charlottesville, Va.
3. Marissa Colter — Clemmons,
N.C.
4. Eli Smith — Fayetteville, N.C.
5. Sara Biesack — Melbourne, FL
YOUTH MANDOLIN
1. Liam Percell — Deep Gap, N.C.
2. Eli Wildman — Roanoke, Va.
3. Austin Tate — Marion, Va.
4. Fiona Burdette — WinstonSalem, N.C.
5. Luke Morris — Galax, Va.
YOUTH CLAWHAMMER BANJO
1. Madison Shepherd — West
Jefferson, N.C.
2. Lucas Hall — Troutdale, Va.
3. Victor Furtado — Front Royal, Va.
4. Brittany Osborne — West
Jefferson, N.C.
5. Mason Wagnor — Glade
Valley, N.C.
YOUTH BLUEGRASS BANJO
1. Luke Smith — Fayetteville, N.C.
2. Blake Lanning — Lexington, N.C.
3. Chris Poole — Thomasville, N.C.
4. Clay Russell — Troutdale, Va.
5. Adam Bishop — Riner, Va.
YOUTH GUITAR
1. Pressley Barker — Traphill, N.C.
2. Nick Weitzenfeld — Check, Va.
3. Zack Arnold — West Jefferson,
N.C.
4. Danielle Yother — Pickens, S.C.
5. Carson Peters — Piney Flats,
Tenn.
YOUTH BANDS
1. Cross Ties — Mt. Airy, N.C.
2. Gravel Road — Pilot, Va.
3. Undecided — Chadds Ford,
Penn.
4. Highway 21 — Elk Creek, Va.
5. Never Seen — Fayetteville, N.C.