Rock Torch

Suzanne Santo of honeyhoney recommends Eddie South and Radiohead

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Suzanne Santo and Eddie South

Suzanne Santo and Eddie South

Suzanne Santo’s recommendation: “One of my favorite musicians of all time is a jazz violinist from Louisiana named Eddie South. I only have one record called Eddie South: The Dark Angel of the Fiddle: The Complete Standard Transcriptions that I listen to over and over. It is an instrumentally driven compilation (sans vocals) of the most gorgeous violin playing I have ever heard. He gave the instrument a dark yet delicate voice that I have yet to hear anyone else recreate. His gifts as well as his struggles as an African American musician in the late 20’s and 30’s are a true inspiration to me.

The other artist/album I can never get enough of is Radiohead’s In Rainbows. That record takes me through a gauntlet of emotions that leave me either wanting to go for a run, get it on or quit music and become an assassin. I come from the “mixed tape/cd” era where I want to feel a little bit of everything when I listen to music.”

Suzanne SantoAbout our guest author, Suzanne Santo: Suzanne Santo was working as an actress and tinkering in music when Ben Jaffe, a musician who recorded music for TV and film, went to one of Santo’s solo gigs. From there, the duo formed the band honeyhoney and were quickly signed to Kiefer Sutherland’s Ironworks music label. (Kiefer went on to star in and directed their video for Little Toy Gun.) Given Santo’s killer looks and the band’s history with mass media, it may be easy to write the group off as simply a solid band that aspires to end up on sitcom soundtracks. But that’d be a huge mistake. The band’s latest record, Billy Jack is layered with banjos and acoustic guitars, evoking equal parts of Gram Parsons, Rickie Lee Jones and Buffalo Springfield. This is roots music with a modern twist, complete with tight arrangements and Santo’s heartfelt vocals. Amazingly, the band is able to walk the mainstream line (they opened for Christina Perri on her tour) and still keep their head in the Dust Bowl. Be sure to check out their rollicking live shows on these upcoming tour dates.

MP3: Turn That Finger Around by honeyhoney from their album, Billy Jack

Tim Easton recommends Gillian Welch, Lucinda Williams and The Rolling Stones

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Tim Easton and Gillian Welch

Tim Easton and Gillian Welch

Tim Easton’s recommendation: “A long list here because it’s all the classics plus those that came before them. I could sum it up in the way the Rollings Stones interpreted “I Used To Love Her” and sold our American music back to us with new attitudes of freedom and complete liberation. I love the band that I see on any given night that is putting it out there, going for it in whatever style they know best. I love the emotional honesty of Lucinda Williams, and I stand in awe of the relaxed and precise delivery of Gillian Welch and David Rawlings. I love the Velvet Undergound, but who doesn’t? I saw a band called The Feelies when I was in college and I’m pretty sure they moved me to write songs too. My parents played classical records and I’m certain it moved me as a child as it does now. Then American classical music came along, otherwise known as Jazz, and you don’t stop.”

Tim Easton’s album suggestions: “Definitely Soul Journey by Gillian Welch. It seemed to be an album even she couldn’t get over for a while! Also, Lucinda William’s Car Wheels on a Gravel Road will inform any songwriter or artist on how to be honest and strong at the same time. With the Stones, it’s Beggars Banquet for me. I love the folk music in the middle of the rock and roll.”

Tim EastonAbout our guest author, Tim Easton: You don’t have to go further than Tim Easton’s 2006 release, Ammunition to learn about his extreme street cred in the alt-country/singer-songwriter community. The collection features production from Jayhawks’ co-lead Gary Louris and backing vocals from Lucinda Williams and Tift Merritt. Big time enough for ya? Yeah, we thought so. Fast forward five years and three Independent Music Awards later, we find Easton (who is originally from Akron, OH), releasing not one but TWO solid records: the electric, band backed Beat the Band and the acoustic collection, Since 1966 | Volume 1, both being released on Easton’s own Campfire Propaganda label. Easton puts on a fantastic show and tours often, so be sure to support this A-level indie and check his tour page.

MP3: Daily Life by Tim Easton from his album, Beat the Band

Lydia Loveless recommends The Fever

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Lydia Loveless and The Fever (Lydia Loveless photo: Paula Masters Travis)

Lydia Loveless and The Fever (Lydia Loveless photo: Paula Masters Travis)

Lydia Loveless’ recommendation: “As a 13-year-old growing up in the butt crack of nowhere, I really had never heard anything like The Fever before the day I heard them blasting out of my older sister’s bedroom. It sounded like John Lennon mining for diamonds with the seven dwarfs as his backing band. Geremy Jasper’s voice and lyrics were a big turn-on for me. The first time I saw them live was when I realized that the bands I idolized weren’t necessarily other worldly rock stars. I’d recommend starting with their album Red Bedroom. That’s where I started, and it’s worth it for the song Put it On You alone.”

More about The Fever

MP3: Gray Ghost by The Fever

Lydia LovelessAbout our guest author, Lydia Loveless: We first heard about Lydia Loveless when her album, The Only Man made a Donewaiting.com top albums of the year list. That album won her an 8 out of 10 rating from Spin as well as praise from The Chicago Tribune and Uncut magazine. Our interest in Lydia then moved closer toward mild obsession when she got signed by Bloodshot Records, the label that put out recordings by alt-country heroes Whiskeytown, The Old 97s, Alejandro Escovedo and Neko Case. Her latest effort, Indestructible Machine (CD Pre-order | Amazon MP3s) is a fantastic follow-up (Spin has already weighed in with another 8 out of 10 glowing review), full of the signature cowpunk that delighted on the debut. There’s plenty of straight talk, humor and a bunch of ‘explicit’ labels to boot. This twenty-one year old firecracker is on tour now. See her live, grab a brew and get ready to stomp your feet off.

MP3: Can’t Change Me by Lydia Loveless

Ben Nichols of Lucero recommends Joey Kneiser

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Ben Nichols of Lucero and Joey Kneiser

Ben Nichols of Lucero and Joey Kneiser

Ben Nichols’ recommendation: “I went through my whole itunes library looking for what moved me the most. It was a tough choice. Some things I skipped over because they were too well known or too obvious, others because as much as I love them I don’t listen to them often enough to feel right writing about them. Made a list and narrowed it down to about 15 artists and bands that really hit me where it counts, from the Constantines to The Faces to The Night Marchers to Warren Zevon. But the record that has honestly been the most moving to me and the most listened to in recent times is All Night Bedroom Revival (available for free download) by a guy named Joey Kneiser. Joey Kneiser is best known as the lead singer for Tennesee-based band Glossary. This is a solo record however and I believe Joey plays everything on it. It’s mainly acoustic guitar with a few overdubs but never sounds like it’s missing anything. People discuss “brilliant songwriting” all the time and usually that just isn’t the proper description of whatever they are talking about… but that is exactly what these songs are. Bruised Ribs, The Big Ocean, and Funeral Flowers are three of the most moving on the record. Joey takes the best elements of Rock & Roll songwriting and combines them with the more thoughtful and emotional singer/songwriter style of doing things and comes up with exactly the right mix. Not too simple and not too complicated. Brilliant songwriting.”

MP3: Bruised Ribs by Joey Kneiser

MP3: The Big Ocean by Joey Kneiser

More about Joey Kneiser and Glossary

Ben NicholsAbout our guest author, Ben Nichols: Ben Nichols fronts Lucero, an alt-country band that was formed in Memphis in the late ’90s. The band has been a critics favorite and has a backstory that can only be described as Wilcoesque. Their early albums have won the praises of critics and they have a steady following, but success was limited by the flailing music business. They’ve put out killer albums only to have their labels fold but they’ve persevered by starting their own label and putting on killer live shows. Ben also put out a solo record, The Last Pale Light in the West which was inspired by Cormac McCarthy’s novel, Blood Meridian. Be sure to check Lucero webstite to check the Lucero live dates and listen to album audio streams.

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