Southern Culture On The Skids "Roadside Wreck"

Time was I fancied myself a vampire. It was when I worked the overnight hours at WNBC. The lack of sunlight, the oddity of New York City in the 80’s, coupled with those wonderful Ann Rice novels - all worked to seduce me into the fantasy of eternal existence. Even though vampires have become big business on the screen, I have moved on from the undead to the reanimated dead. Zombies are happening! Why do we love our classic books being rewritten with Zombie participation? The 2009 novel Pride & Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith infuses the Jane Austen story with a zombie epidemic. War of the Worlds, Huckleberry Finn, The Wizard of Oz, Dracula, Robin Hood and Alice in Wonderland, have been redone with zombie content. There are the halloween zombie walks, of course, with the appropriate costumes. I might just go as a Zomb-Bee Gee this year. We have the month to decide! And we have music to get us in the mood while we do.

Zombified is the new CD from the Chapel Hill, North Carolina outfit Southern Culture On The Skids. The album was originally released in Australia as an eight song EP back in 1998, the Zombified Extended Release has five more tunes, and is now a full LP.  SCOTS asks, “Have you got your Emergency Zombie Preparedness Kit ready and standing by??” Of course that might just include picking up on the limited run of blood red vinyl LPs. You can shop for it all at the Skidmart. Though this song is not on the new album, just to get you in the spirit of the season, so to speak, we dug up this rare early Southern Culture On The Skids video, “Roadside Wreck.”

-Jessie Scott

Carolyn Wonderland "Judgement Day Blues"

The first time I saw the name Carolyn Wonderland was on a Stubb’s marquee back when I first started going to SXSW. I would travel from gig to gig, sometimes only seeing one or two songs from an artist before I moved on to the next. I used to jump taxis, hitch rides, walk, pedicab, whatever it took to get to the next thing highlighted in yellow on my schedule. So I had plans, and didn’t detour to go see Carolyn play, though I was totally intrigued by her name. That year, back at work, I did some research. She is from Houston, she is an evocative guitar player, with an expressive voice. She is fun, she is serious, and she rocks. Now you know I like that.

© Todd V. WolfsonFour years ago, I had Carolyn come to Threadgill’s back room to tape an audio segment for X Country. I booked her back to back with Bonnie Bramlett (yes, of Delaney and Bonnie.) I don’t know if anything came out of that, but I wanted them to know about each other. Same thing with Joe Ely and Jason Eady that year, I booked them back to back, and that yielded some gigs for Jason to open for Joe. LOVE that! It was a joy and a pleasure to bring Carolyn Wonderland back this March, during the Music Fog Marathon at Threadgill’s. Carolyn is an Austin treasure, and always delivers an exceptional show. Also, a 'not to miss' is the Christmas show she does with Guy Forsyth, which, thankfully, was recorded and released last year under the title Fireside Songs For The Soul.

Today marks the release of Carolyn’s new album Peace Meal, her follow up to 2008’s album, Miss Understood. We go back a bit further for today’s song, which is from 2003’s Bloodless Revolution. Here is “Judgment Day Blues” with Cole El-Saleh and Rob Hooper.

 -Jessie Scott

Michael Fracasso "Elizabeth Lee"

Back in the saddle in Austin, savoring the few days in New Orleans. It has been a mighty fine run of music this last week. On Thursday in Bywater, we went to see Kermit Ruffins rip it up at the dive bar, Vaughan’s Lounge.  Kermit keeps the NOLA tradition alive, mixing up R&B, Jazz and Dixieland to a joyous packed house. Friday night found us at the Dale Watson show at the legendary Rock N’ Bowl, Texas Two-Stepping with a cast of characters of every description. Dale was particularly relaxed and in fine spirits. It was great to see him in a different city. This was my first time back to Rock 'n' Bowl since they reopened on Carrollton Avenue in 2009. Good to see New Orleans having some normalcy and the hope for a better future.

Then last night, at my School Night Sessions at Threadgill’s, we were happy to welcome a song swap from Michael Fracasso and John Fullbright. What a night! Beautiful songs, beautiful voices, and a very appreciative audience. And why not? John Fullbright is biding his time, growing, writing, becoming. One day, he will be an overnight sensation. Michael has been at it since he left his native Ohio for the bohemian folk scene in New York City in 1979. In 1990, he moved to Austin, where he was able to make a home for his  sophisticated yet earthy music. We filmed him at the Cherokee Creek Music Festival in May. He touched our hearts, and turned our blood to ice water with this, a mill murder ballad. It can be found on his latest CD, Saint Monday, his eighth, which came out in April. This is the Music Fog version of “Elizabeth Lee.”

-Jessie Scott