Taproot Radio is a reporting station for the Freeform American Roots Chart and #127, for February 2010 came out today:

1 Johnny Cash: Ain’t No Grave (American)
2 Patty Griffin: Downtown Church (Credential)
3 Ray Wylie Hubbard: A. Enlightenment B. Endarkenment (Bordello)
4 Reckless Kelly: Somewhere In Time (Yep Roc)
5 VA: Crazy Heart (New West)
6 I See Hawks In LA: Shoulda Been Gold (American Beat)
7 Nancy Apple: Shine (Ringo)
8 Tony Denikos: Already Gone (TMC)
9 Pokey LaFarge & The South City Three: Riverboat Soul (Free Dirt)
10 Adam Carroll: Live At Flipnotics (self)
11 Zoe Muth & The Lost High Rollers (Sonicboom)
12= The Chieftains & Ry Cooder: San Patricio (Blackrock)
The Texas Sapphires: As He Wanders (Ike)
13 Will Kimbrough: Wings (Daphne)
14 Matt Harlan: Tips & Compliments (Berkalin)
15= Deadstring Brothers: Sao Paulo (Bloodshot)
Texas Tornados: Esta Bueno (Bismeaux)
16= Johnny Gimble: Celebrating With Friends (CMH)
Kevin Higgins: Find Your Shine (Little Train)
17= Carolina Chocolate Drops: Genuine Negro Jig (Nonesuch)
Amber Digby: Another Way To Live (Heart Of Texas)
Tim Grimm: Farm Songs (Vault)
18= Asylum Street Spankers: God’s Favorite Band (Spanks-A-Lot)
Beautiful Loser Society: The Long Slow Decline ( Pearl Palace)
19= Jack Rose: Luck In The Valley (Thrill Jockey)
The Best of Kenny Seratt (Hillside)
20 Suzi Ragsdale: Best Regards/less of the same (self)

Some Random Comments from Calvin:


It does my heart good to see a Johnny Cash CD, released this many years after his death can top the FAR chart. This last of the Rick Rubin produced CDs goes to some very dark, moody places. But the darkest songs on this CD are also the most captivating. Highly recommended  but be aware of what you’re getting into.
American VI: Ain’t No Grave

There’s at least two other CDs on the list that have a gospel theme to them. On is the Asylum Street Spanker’s God’s Favorite Band, which is a fun romp into tent revival territory. And the other is a slightly more serious collection of gospel tunes from Patty Griffin called Downtown Church. Not only do you get lots of good uplifting tunes on this CD, you get lots of guest artists includng Buddy Miller, Emmylou Harris, and Raul Malo.
God’s Favorite Band
Downtown Church

Ray Wylie Hubbard’s CD, A. Enlightenment B. Endarkenment is still going strong. I’ve been playing it a lot on both the webcast and the live show and it just keeps getting better the more I listen to it.
A. Enlightenment B. Endarkenment

I was happy to see the new CD from the Deadstring Brothers at least making it onto the charts, but I hope they make it higher next month. Their latest CD Sao Palo is some of the best blues-rock you’ll ever hear. Sometimes they take a lot of heat for being “too derivitive” or “Rolling Stone imitators.” But heck, I say you gotta take their music at face value and decide whether you like it or not. And if want some straight up blues rock that’s new and exciting you can’t do any better than the Deadstring Brothers.
Sao Palo

The Freeform American Roots Chart #123 has just come out. Arty Hill continues to be a favorite among FAR reporters. But what really makes me happy is to see Jo Serrapere tie for second. Her CD, Love Going South, is not the usual fare for FAR Chart CDs. It’s much more sultry, and edgy than a lot of CDs we get. On the other hand, Lyle Lovett’s CD debuted at #9 with just a few weeks out. So that’s a very good showing from the Texas Troubador. I was a little surprised that Band of Heathens did not fare better. Maybe next month they’ll move up the charts.

–cp

#1 Arty Hill & The Long Gone Daddys: Montgomery On My Mind (Cow Island) *BL/*CP/*DA/*DG/*GS/*NA/*SH
3 Jo Serrapere: Love Going South (Detroit Radio Co) *BK/*JP/*KR/*SG
3 Tom Russell: Blood And Candle Smoke (Shout Factory) *GM/*RE/*RJ
4 Teri Joyce: Kitchen Radio (Girl Friday) *AG/*KC/*RMT
5 Rosie Flores & The Pine Valley Cosmonauts: Girl Of The Century (Bloodshot) *BF/*KF
6 James Hand: Shadow On The Ground (Rounder) *ATC/*JM/*MM
7 The Starline Rhythm Boys: Masquerade For Heartache (Cow Island) *BR/*JF/*JT/*MT
8 Corb Lund: Losin’ Lately Gambler (New West) *FS/*JH
9 Lyle Lovett: Natural Forces (Lost Highway) *N&T/*RV/*SC
10 Caroline Mark & NQ Arbuckle: Let’s Just Stay Here (Mint) *JR/*MW/*RA
11 James McMurtry: Live In Europe (Lightning Rod) *BB/*WR
12 Fill ’Er Up With… Ethyl & The Regulars (Sweet Crude) *GF/*KD
13 Rosanne Cash: The List (Manhattan) *AB*CR/*KW
14 Shelley King : Welcome Home (Lemonade) *DD/*TR
15 Hot Club of Cowtown: Wishful Thinking (Gold Strike) *AA
16 John Fogerty & The Blue Ridge Rangers Ride Again (Verve)
17 John Gorka: So Dark You See (Red House) *JB/*JMB
18 Band Of Heathens: One Foot In The Ether (BOH)
19 Loudon Wainwright: High Wide & Lonesome (Proper) *JW/*ST
20= Avett Brothers: I and Love and You (American) *DF/*SB
Steep Canyon Rangers: Deep In The Shade (Rebel) *HT/*RW
21= Blue Mother Tupelo: Heaven & Earth (Diggin Music) *HP
Kris Kristofferson: Closer To The Bone (New West) *RH
Chuck Prophet: Let Freedom Ring! (Yep Roc) *DT
Quarter Mile Combo: Motels, Gas & Beer (6 Volt) *TF
22 Robert Earl Keen: The Rose Hotel (Lost Highway)
23= Patty Loveless: Mountain Soul II (Saguaro Road)
Beth McKee: I’m That Way (Swamp Girl)
Shannon McNally & Hot Sauce: Coldwater (self) *JD
24 Matt The Electrician: Animal Boy (self) *CF
25= Delbert McClinton: Acquired Taste (New West)
The Texas Sheiks (Tradition & Moderne) *RL
26= Grant Peeples: Pawnshop (Gatorbone) *HA
Reverend Horton Heat: Laughin’ & Cryin’ (Yep Roc)
Rick Shea: Shelter Valley Blues (Tres Pescadores) *CS
27= Guy Clark: Sometimes The Songs Write You (Dualtone)
Cliff Eberhardt: 500 Miles; The Blue Rock Sessions (Red House) *MB
Augie Meyers: Country (El Sendero) *RF
Two Tons Of Steel: Not That Lucky (Smith Entertainment) *LB
The Wailin’ Jennys: Live At The Mauch Chunk Opera House (Red House) *MF
28= Alela Diane: To Be Still (Rough Trade) *ES
Dave Alvin & The Guilty Women (Yep Roc) *XE
The Beggars: Desert Flower (self) *FH
Fiona Boyes: Blues Woman (Yellow Dog) *TG
Brian Burns: American Junkyard (self) *EW
Kendel Carson: Alright Dynamite (Train Wreck) *MN
Chris Coole: Old Dog (self) *CJ
John Evans: Lollygaggin’ (Image/Smith) *DS
Radney Foster & The Confessions: Revival (Devil’s River) *OO
James Hill & Anne Davison: True Love Don’t Weep (Borealis) *DJ
Jim Hoehn: Royalty Check Hotel (self) *RG
Malcolm Holcombe: For The Mission Baby (Echo Mountain) *TPR
Mars Attacks: Follow Me (Blue Lake) *LG
Chuck McCabe: Creatures Of Habit In A World Of Change (Woodshed) *PP
Darrell McCall: Keeping With Tradition (Heart of Texas) *TB
Morphine: At Your Service (Rhino) *3RC
Munnerlyn & Jeffries: Guitars In Perspective (Old-Pro) *TS
Richmond Fontaine: We Used to Think the Freeway Sounded Like A River (Arena Rock) *R78
Sweetback Sisters: Chicken Ain’t Chicken (Signature Sounds) *BS
James Talley: Journey: The Second Voyage (Cimarron) *EB
VA: The Village (429) *BW
The Wheat Pool: Hauntario (self) *SR

The FAR chart for June has just been released and there’s some interesting things about it. The most obvous observation is that Yep Roc is dominating the roots music scene this month, capturing 3 of the 10 top spots. I very pleased to see Leo Rondeau on the charts this month with his Down At The End Of The Bar CD. While his sound is largely a honky tonk sound, I think he’s got songwriting chps that are well above the average bar band. Also, I’m glad to see Eilen Jewel still has a strong showing on the charts.

1 Dave Alvin & The Guilty Women (Yep Roc)
2 Todd Snider: The Excitement Plan (Yep Roc)
3 Levon Helm: Electric Dirt (Dirt Farmer)
4 Eilen Jewell: Sea Of Tears (Signature Sounds)
5 Leo Rondeau: Down At The End Of The Bar (self)
6 Owen Temple: Dollars And Dimes (El Paisano)
7 Wayne Hancock: Viper Of Melody (Bloodshot)
8 Steve Earle: Townes (New West)
9= Slaid Cleaves: Everything You Love Will Be Taken Away (Music Road)
VA: Man Of Somebody’s Dreams; A Tribute To Chris Gaffney (Yep Roc)
10= Patterson Hood: Murdering Oscar & Other Love Songs (Ruth Street)
Madison Violet: No Fool for Trying (True North)