| Corb
Lund and The Hurtin’ Albertans, from Edmonton don’t you know, are taking
the roots and country music world by tornado after having recently been
awarded with not only two gold records at the same time for two different
albums (denoting the first time this has ever happened for an Albertan
artist) but a 2006 Juno for Roots & Traditional Album of the Year and
the 2006 Canadian Country Music Awards’ Roots Artist of the Year for their
album, "Hair In My Eyes Like A Highland Steer", a record that was just
released in the USA today. Jeff Sylvester and Dustin Delfs won "Album
Design of the Year" for this album and Ron Kitchener won "Manager of the
Year" proving that these guys are surrounded by a fine stable of cowhands
indeed. They were also recently nominated for four Western Canadian
Music Awards including Entertainer of the Year, Outstanding Independent
Recording, Outstanding Roots Recording and Songwriter of the Year.
Corb’s video for “Hair In My Eyes Like A Highland Steer” also held the
#1 spot in the Australia Country Music Channel Countdown this summer and
Corb and the boys appear in the Universal Pictures' horror flick "Slither"
which is coming out on DVD on October 24th. All in all, a stellar
year for Corb Lund!
This
eclectic folk and alternative country band is a relatively new discovery
for me but I’m delighted that as of their fourth album I’m finally in the
know thanks to my new friend Tracy who raves about them! The foot-stompingly
clever quartet consists of nonconformist band leader and tall, handsome
vocalist Corb Lund (a former bull rider on the rodeo circuit and member
of metal/punk band The Smalls), string bassist Kurt Ciesla, drummer Brady
Valgardson and Grant Siemens on guitar, banjo, dobro and lap steel.
Their
infectious music is infused with everything from “western swing to Waylon-esque
country rock to ragtime to acoustic blues”, not to mention a walloping
dollop of humour. Canadian cowboy icon Ian Tyson and folk legend
Ramblin’ Jack Elliott contributed guest vocal performances on Hair In My
Eyes Like A Highland Steer which also highlights musical feats “by producer
Harry Stinson, steel player Scotty Sanders (Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson),
guitarist Kenny Vaughn (Lucinda Williams, Marty Stuart), fiddlers Stuart
Duncan (O Brother, Where Art Thou?), Tammy Rogers (Dead Reckoners, Reba
McEntire) and Gordon Mote (Porter Wagoner) and master yodelers Ranger Doug
and Too Slim.”
The
opening track “Hair In My Eyes Like A Highland Steer” is a sassy, danceable
number laden with animal images and featuring those master yodelers mentioned
above. Ramblin’ Jack Elliott accompanied Corb on the amusing true
story of “The Truck Got Stuck”. “Always Keep An Edge On Your Knife”
passes on grandfatherly wisdom while concocting the perfect atmosphere
for a barn dance with its banjo picking, piano tinkling and fiddle flapping.
Ian Tyson lends his voice on the lovely cowboy ballad “The Rodeo’s Over”,
one of my favourite tracks on the album. I also love the rockabilly
influence and lap steel guitar in “Hurtin’ Albertan”, an excellent hip
twister that gives a nod to the CB radio. Makes me want to
go out and buy a new pair of cowboy boots right now! Yeehaw!!
“Well
Saskabush is pretty; yup she’s pretty flat
and
lord knows I’m a prairie boy so I’m pretty used to that
but
farmers facin’ off with gophers; man it ain’t the same
as
bein’ home at the Saddledome for the Oilers at the Flames
the
roads get better every time I cross that Saskatchewan line
I
tip my hat and it’s good to be back on mountain standard time
Hurtin’
Albertan with nothing more to lose
Too
much oil money not enough booze
East
of the Rockies and west of the rest
Do
my best to do my damnedest and that’s just about all I guess”
The
string bass is terrifically prominent on “Big Butch Bass Bull Fiddle”,
another great rockabilly number that’ll make you want to take a twirl.
“All I Wanna Do Is Play Cards” is literally what this country rocker is
about and “The Truth Comes Out” is an excellent poignant, poetic ballad
about “the disappearing country and the critters who always seem to lose
in the end”. Corb calls “Counterfeiter’s Blues “Dissident Western”
but I call it the perfect symbiosis of folk and blues. “Good Copenhagen”
recalls powder-sniffing cowboys who should have stuck to weed and “Trouble
In The Country” sketches the struggles of rural life. The penultimate
track on the album, “Little Foothills Heaven” is a more old-fashioned country
(kinda Boxcar Willie) than the rest and my least favourite song.
The album closes with a reprieve of “The Truck Got Stuck Blues” featuring
Ramblin’ Jack Elliott talking about his old Fords and Model T’s.
It’s easy to understand why Hair In My Eyes Like A Highland Steer has been
so successful and I have to say I haven’t had this much crossover country
fun since O Brother, Where Art Thou?
You
can see Corb Lund and The Hurtin’ Albertans live this week with guest Elliott
Brood at Elixir on Thursday, September 21, 2006 so be sure to take advantage
of this wonderful opportunity as it might not happen again for a long time!
www.myspace.com/officialcorblund
and www.corblund.com.
Christine
Bode
c.bode@partyinkingston.com |
