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Arkansas Review Archives

Women & Work

Review of: Lucero

(ATO Records) Lucero sends a musical love letter to Memphis on their latest release Women & Work. This collection counts as the group's 8th album. Lucero streamlines musical lineages of Memphis like Sun Records,


This Wheel's On Fire

Review of: Levon Helm & Stephen Davis

(William Morrow & Company) "It's a wicked life But what the hell, Everybody's got to eat."          --"Goin' To Acapulco"


True Soul: Deep Sounds From The Left of Stax

Review of: Various Artists

(Now-Again Records) The Arkansas label Now-Again Records release True Soul: Deeps Sounds From The Left of StaxVolumes 1 & 2 contain 60s and 70s Soul, Funk, Disco, Party-Rap and Boogie read more...


Ghost On The Canvas

Review of: Glen Campbell

(Surfdog Records) Glen Campbell was diagnosed with Alzheimer's during the recording sessions for his latest album Ghost On The Canvas. Campbell crafted this collection as a farewell, followed by one final tour. Born in Arkansas, Campbell learned to play read more...


This May Be My Last Time Singing

Review of: Various Artists

(Tompkins Square) Tompkins Square's latest release is an amazing 3-CD set titled This May Be My Last Time Singing: Raw African-American Gospel On 45RPM 1957-1982. Tompkins Square released this official statement regarding this rare package: Get read more...


Woman To Woman

Review of: Shirley Brown

(Concord Music Group) Born during 1947, in West Memphis, Arkansas, Shirley Brown's first single--"Woman To Woman"--sold a million copies in eight weeks. The Concord Music Group reissues this classic soul album with bonus tracks on September 13. Brown read more...


Ramble at the Ryman

Review of: Levon Helm

(Vanguard) This recording captures Levon Helm's band live at the Ryman Auditorium on September 17, 2008. The group that night included Helm, Larry Campbell, Amy Helm, Teresa Williams, Brian Mitchell, Erik Lawrence, Clark Gayton, Jay Collins, Steven Bernstein, Paul Ossola, read more...


Premium Country

Review of: David Adam Byrnes

(Better Angels) It used to be that country radio didn't split between its roots and its desire to keep soccer moms happy.  A pop tune with a pedal steel is still a pop tune - just ask the Carpenters.  These days we can often forget we are listening to a country read more...


How To Become Clairvoyant

Review of: Robbie Robertson

As Robbie Robertson hits his late 60s, it is easier now to see his career in stages.  The most famous era was his time in The Band.  After The Band's breakup in read more...


Keys To the Kingdom

Review of: North Mississippi Allstars

(Songs of the South Records) “Take reassurance in the glory of the moment and the forever promise of tomorrow. Surely there is light beyond the darkness. As there is dawn after the night.”


One More Day

Review of: Joe Pitts

(Kijara) On his new release Arkansas native Joe Pitts comes out of the chute kicking with the most excellent “Lowdown, Mean and Dirty,” a blues rocker that hints at shades of Gov’t Mule. Just a couple of minutes into the album Pitts takes his first read more...


Panic In the Streets

Review of: Widespread Panic

(Zomba Video) On April 18, 1998, Widespread Panic’s Light Fuse Get Away album release performance in downtown Athens, Georgia, set the attendance record for at read more...


Onward And Upward

Review of: Luther Dickinson/Sons of Mudboy

(Zebra Ranch) Three days after Memphis luminary Jim Dickinson died, his oldest son


Boy Meets Girl

Review of: Stax Records

Boy Meets Girl Classic Soul Duets Stax/Concord Music By James Calemine Stax/Concord Records just released these 18 classic soul duets. Most of the artists compiled on this CD ranks as soul legends such as


Electric Dirt

Review of: Levon Helm

Electric Dirt Levon Helm Vanguard Records By James Calemine As a follow up to Levon Helm’s award-winning


Modbilly

Review of: THE BOXMASTERS

(Vanguard) I was so thrilled to receive the new release from those hip youngsters, known all over as The Boxmasters. Their debut album was excellent, as was their 2008 Christmas release, but I must admit, Modbilly eclipses even those slabs of wax. Modbilly once read more...


Dixieland Delight

Review of: Clay Travis

As we head into the off season, now that the recruiting season is over (mostly), there might be no better time to pick up and read Clay Travis's


Christmas Cheer

Review of: THE BOXMASTERS

(Vanguard) Those wacky Boxmasters are back again with their second release inside of a year, and boy howdy, is it ever a stone cold gas, man. The boys wrap all of their British Invasion influences in a shroud of Hillbilly Country, just like they did on this read more...


More Dirty Laundry: The Soul of Black Country

Review of: Various Artists

More Dirty Laundry: The Soul of Black Country Various Artists Trikont By James Calemine The genius of this collection resides in defying musical prejudices. This CD proves black artists appreciated and recorded songs by white country musicians. read more...


Boots, Buckles and Spurs

Review of: Various Artists

(Legacy) “I grew up dreamin’ of being a cowboy/ And loving the cowboy ways Pursuin’ a life of my high ridin’ heroes/I burned up my childhood days...” -Willie Nelson. “My Heroes Have read more...


The Imus Ranch Record

Review of: Various Artists

(New West) Bekka Bramlett has a mystical effect on me. She always has, even as backing singer for Faith Hill, or dueting with Sam Moore, Billy Burdette or Joe Cocker. But like her mother before her, soul sensation Bonnie Bramlett, and her daddy Delaney for that matter, she read more...


Boys Will Be Boys

Review of: Jeff Pearlman

Boys Will Be Boys: The Glory Days and Party Nights of the Dallas Cowboys Dynasty by Jeff Pearlman Harper Books Jeff Pearlman's new book neatly summarizes the shift to the modern era of the Dallas Cowboys.  The early history of the team isn't read more...


Billy Bob Thornton & The Boxmasters

Review of: Billy Bob Thornton

Merrimack Hall, Huntsville, Alabama Friday, August 1, 2008 Merrimack Hall in Huntsville, Alabama is a beautiful, intimate, 300-seat theatre and concert hall that has been going strong for a little over a year. In fact, I believe the first show they read more...


Deep Cuts

Review of: Tony Joe White

Tony Joe White Deep Cuts Swamp Records Tony Joe White, quite simply, is one of the most underappreciated musical forces of the last 50 years.  This doesn't mean that people haven't read more...


THE BOXMASTERS

Review of: THE BOXMASTERS

(Vanguard) It seems like these days everyone is imitating whatever the flavor of the month is in any given genre of music, and it is truly a rare and original thing to come across something totally fresh and original. I guess that’s why the new double read more...


Mojo Man/Arkansas Rockpile

Review of: Ronnie Hawkins

Mojo Man/Arkansas Rockpile Ronnie Hawkins Collector’s Choice Music By James Calemine                    “He was the most read more...


The Very Best of Outlaw Country

Review of: Various Artists

(Legacy) The thing that sets this compilation apart from the plethora of others that are always being flooded into the market is the fact that it brings together Southern rockers and “outlaw” country artists on one excellent CD. It could be used as a read more...


Dirt Farmer

Review of: Levon Helm

Dirt Farmer Levon Helm Dirt Farmer/Vanguard Music By James Calemine Turkey Scratch, Arkansas native, Levon Helm’s voice epitomizes the American music storyteller. Of course, Helm sang some of


The Woodstock Album

Review of: Muddy Waters

The Woodstock Album Muddy Waters Chess/MCA Records By James Calemine Recorded in two days at Levon Helm's studio in Woodstock, New York, during February 1975, this album marked Muddy Waters' last session for Chess Records after 27 years of read more...


Song of America

Review of: Various Artists

Song of America Various Artists 31 Tigers Records By James Calemine This 50-song, 3 CD collection tells the story of America through songs from the year 1492 through modern times. Song of America contains a diverse line-up of artists read more...


Beautiful Door

Review of: Billy Bob Thornton

(New Door/Universal) Billy Bob Thornton is the real deal. His music and songwriting are just as special to me as his movies, and the new record may just be his best yet.


Killers From Space

Review of: James Luther Dickinson

Killers From Space James Luther Dickinson Memphis International Records By James Calemine Recorded at Zebra Ranch in Independence, Mississippi, during February and March of 2007, Killers From Space marks another interesting release by read more...


Runnin' With The Big Dogs

Review of: Mike Shropshire

Part of [beating Texas] is that old Okie inferiority complex. There’s no better cure for that than whipping Texas’s butt. -Barry Switzer, former Oklahoma coach In 1929 at the height of the Great Depression, the Texas-Oklahoma game was moved read more...


The Bluegrass Sessions

Review of: Merle Haggard

The Bluegrass Sessions Merle Haggard McCoury Music By James Calemine Merle Haggard's new release, The Bluegrass Sessions, upholds his reputation as one of America's finest musicians. After 40 years, Haggard continues to record read more...


Billy Bob Thornton Rocks Myrtle Beach

Review of: Billy Bob Thornton

Billy Bob Thornton The Fabulous Boxmasters House of Blues North Myrtle Beach, SC August 16, 2007 Not only is Billy Bob Thornton my favorite read more...


Black Snake Moan

Review of: Craig Brewer

Black Snake Moan Craig Brewer-Director Paramount Vantage By James read more...


Come Early Morning

Review of: Joey Lauren Adams

Come Early Morning Joey Lauren Adams-Director The Weinstein Company


Red Dirt Marijuana & Other Tastes

Review of: Terry Southern

Red Dirt Marijuana & Other Tastes Terry Southern Citadel Underground By read more...


The Complete Recordings

Review of: Robert Johnson

The Complete Recordings Robert Johnson Columbia Records By James read more...


Ultimate Gospel

Review of: Johnny Cash

(Columbia Legacy) I have been a Johnny Cash fan my entire life. Seriously. Ever since my dad turned me onto his old 78 RPM records like “The Wreck of The Old 97” and of course “Folsom Prison Blues,” I have loved the man's work. Cash was read more...


Live At The Summit Club

Review of: Johnnie Taylor

Johnny Taylor Live At The Summit Club Stax Records R & B great Johnny Taylor existed on the classic Stax/Volt roster. Born in Crawfordsville, Arkansas, in 1938, Taylor began performing in Memphis after honing his vocal skills in gospel read more...


Portraits and Songs From the Roots of America

Review of: Various Artists

Enclosed within the new Music Maker book titled Portraits and Songs From the Roots of America rests a CD featuring 22 different Music Maker artists. This collection reveals some of the country’s most neglected Southern musicians who remain pioneers and vital sources read more...


The Man, His World, His Music

Review of: Johnny Cash

(Sanctuary) Watching this DVD is a little like looking at home movies. Actually, a lot of it is old home movies. And the fact that many of us children of the sixties and seventies felt like Johnny Cash was a part of our family, causes it all to make sense. read more...


Ragged Old Flag

Review of: Johnny Cash

Originally released on Columbia Records in April 1974, Ragged Old Flag consists of twelve original Johnny Cash compositions. In the liner notes, Cash revealed, “I got so excited writing the songs in this album that you’d think I just started in read more...


Cradle To The Grave

Review of: Liquid Groove Mojo

Liquid Groove Mojo Cradle To The Grave (Miracle Records) Man, oh man, these guys are good. Say you long for the tasty slide of Duane Allman? Well don’t we all? Joe Pitts seems to really channel Skydog at times on slide, read more...


American V: A Hundred Highways

Review of: Johnny Cash

Johnny Cash American V: A Hundred Highways (American/Lost Highway) Let me just start by saying that this is a beautiful album. I just can’t stop listening to it. I am, like many others, a huge Johnny Cash fan. Have been my read more...


Lonesome In Black - The Legendary Sun Recordings

Review of: Johnny Cash

This definitive collection features Johnny Cash's recordings for the Sun Records label from 1955-1958. These stark classics serve as a strong foundation to Cash's undeniable legacy. Born in Kingsland, Arkansas, John R. Cash joined the air force and spent his early years read more...


Wildcat Tamer

Review of: Dale Hawkins

(Mystic Music) The problem with "revival" records from "oldies" artists is that they usually fall into two categories. Either the recordings try to meticulously recapture their old sound with an almost sterile purity, or they are a shameless read more...


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