Fred Andrews "This Side of Crazy"

I have been driving by Franklin Barbecue just off I-35 at East 11th Street in Austin at lunch time for the last 6 months, seeing this incredible line waiting to get their daily meet. Franklin’s started as a well-respected food cart in 2009, and when this building became available, they jumped at the chance of having a brick and mortar establishment. They opened right around SXSW 2011, if I recall correctly, and there were lines from the start. There is a total buzz on this place; Bon Appétit magazine named them best in the country during the summer. Now you know I love my Q, but I was having a hard time looking at the people waiting for two hours to eat. Then I tried some brisket and some smoked sausage, quite heavenly. Still I think it is a tad crazy to wait that long to get your lunch.

Steamboat time is upon us. Music Fog is not attending this year, but I am on the mountain with fond memories. Last year, we had the honor of doing another edition of the Gondola Concert Series™ where we bring our cameras and audio recording gear, tweet for a contest winner to take the ride with us, and grab a game artist to serenade us. Last year, Fred Andrews was our ski-lift crooner. Now it happens that Tuesday was the release date for Fred Andrews and Honeybrowne’s new album This Side Of Crazy. Take the virtual ride with Fred, as he does a solo version of the title song from the brand new album.

- Jessie Scott

Foster & Lloyd "It's Already Tomorrow"

Today’s the day I head up the hill to MusicFest at Steamboat Springs. Only this year, the weather seems a tad weird. I always relish the twinkling Christmas lights set amidst the majestic pines and the blanket of snow. Talking to Steamboat resident and dear friend Brian Smith at the beginning of the week, he said he was just wearing a sweatshirt, as the temperature was an unusual mid 40s! He also said that there were more people breaking bones this year, as opposed to just bruising when skiing, as the deep snow acts as a buffer. The snow this year is not yet that deep. Here is the 10 day forecast, with plenty of daytime melting going on. That said, this is your friendly yearly reminder that if you are attending MusicFest, you’ll need to pack more than a thermal shirt or a sweatshirt. It is a whole lot colder than it is in Texas, and it will be dropping into the teens at night.

Thinking back a year, it was after a session we did with Radney Foster at MusicFest 2011, that he told us he was in the process of doing a new Foster and Lloyd album, the first in 20 years. He ran back to his room and grabbed a home burned CD and played us some tracks. Wow! I was stoked that we could extend an offer to Foster & Lloyd two months later to play for the Music Fog cameras at Threadgill’s during SXSW. Coming up this year in early March, Radney is getting ready to do a new acoustic recording of his breakthrough solo album, Del Rio Texas 1959. Check out the details here. But let us back track to last March at Threadgill’s, “It’s Already Tomorrow," the title track from the most recent Foster & Lloyd CD.

- Jessie Scott

Low Cut Connie "Rio"

I usually don’t make New Year resolutions, but since I have spent the last few nights dancing to the music of Willie Nelson, Mingo Fishtrap, Walt Wilkins and Garrett LeBeau, I think that sets the tempo for the year.  Dancing is feel good fun, and I think the best exercise is seamlessly woven into your life. There is already plenty of music to dance to in mine, but I hope to find a bar or two that has an 80s night!

Photo: Emad Hasan

‘Tis the first day of music discovery here and yeah you can dance to it. Long Tall Sally and Short Fat Fanny ain’t got nothing on Low Cut Connie, I’ll bet she’s built for speed too. There are no women in this band, so I am not casting aspersions.  Uh-oh, the name of the album is Get Out The Lotion, so you might as well assume the position while you are at it. There are five tunes from the album for you to sample on their website, and their two songwriters bridge the pond; New Jersey's Adam Weiner and Birmingham, England's Dan Finnemore. It makes for boozy, swampy, hip shaking stuff. That’s Adam on the piano ala Jerry Lee,  and Dan on the drums, along with guitarist Neil Duncan on his Les Paul and bass player Russell Salib. Here is a somewhat lo-fi video of the song “Rio.” Hope we can give them the magic Music Fog treatment one of these days! 

- Jessie Scott