Albums of 2011 - The Top Ten : Number 5 - Josh T Pearson

5 - Josh T Pearson : Last of the Country Gentlemen

Josh T Pearson spent many years in the wilderness following his part in Lift to Experience's 2001 record The Texas-Jerusalem Crossroads, an epic psychedelic rock record. Pearson suddenly quit playing music, disappeared into a series of dead-end jobs, occasionally playing and famously appearing on the cover of the sadly-missed Loose Lips Sink Ships magazine. Along the way it's clear there's been some issues : broken relationships, mental anguish, substance abuse? But suddenly this year, Pearson returned with a new record, detailing intimately what's happened in his life for the past ten years.

A confessional country record, mostly captured live, it's filled with sadness that builds across lengthy and meandering acoustic guitar lines, occasionally accompanied by the swell of strings. The centrepiece of the album is the 13-minute 'Honeymoon's Great!Wish You Were Her', a song full of Pearson's despair and inner troubles, a plea to a woman he's hurt, a long cry begging for forgiveness. It's a magnificent testament to Pearson's talents as a song writer, and is nearly matched by other moments like the anger of 'Sweetheart I Ain't Your Christ' and the troubled self-help of 'Country Dumb'.

It's never an easy listen and isn't a record you'd put on for a chilled night in, hence the appearance at number five in this list. Live, I saw Pearson twice this year, his music interspersed with a series of jokes, he had the audience in the palm of his hand throughout, commanding silence before playing his music. If we need a Hank Williams or Johnny Cash figure for the 21st Century, it's Josh T Pearson. We can only hope there's not another long silence before we hear more new music from him. Last of the Country Gentlemen is a glorious record and an incredible emotional journey that demands your attention.

The month (or so) in gigs

Greetings all, it's been a while eh?

In an attempt to actually make this blog a worthwhile experience I thought I'd round up some recent gig-going experiences in one handy post, even if just to show I've been sooo busy and not able to post.

So, we begin back at the end of October and my first time experiencing one of my favourite bands, Wilco, live. It was at Glasgow's Royal Concert Hall, and pretty much worth the wait. Beginning with a stunning trio of songs - barely without a break - the band couldn't have made a better start. Opening up with the epic closer from new album The Whole Love, it's a brave band who'd begin with a meandering, low-key 12minute acoustic meditation on religion, but that's what Wilco did with 'One Sunday Morning (Song for Jane Smiley's Boyfriend)'. Beautiful stuff, and followed closely by album opener 'Art Of Almost'. A brutal version compared to the album version, it was Wilco at its heaviest, the beats a mix of Krautrock and hip-hop, and building to a dizzying climax courtesy of Nels Cline's virtuoso guitar work. Cline spent the best part of two hours windmilling and changing guitars - sometimes mid-song - utterly lost in his own world while the rest of the band played on around him.

Many other highlights followed: 'Jesus, Etc', 'Handshake Drugs', 'I'm the Man Who Loves You', the songs from The Whole Love becoming beefier, and the classics like 'Misunderstood' sounding as good as I'd hope they always would have this close-up. Wonderful stuff.

Next came My Morning Jacket, a band I had the pleasure to see in the early days at King Tuts, but not since. A band who know how to have a good time live, they were a blast from start to finish, making me pine for that unrealised Muppets soundtrack that Jim James has long promised. Many fine moments, from 'The Way That He Sings', 'It Beats 4 U' and 'Magheeta', to classic closer 'One Big Holiday'. One word: aces.

The Antlers at King Tuts is the third time I've seen the band, and they just keep getting better and better. Aided by a new guitarist, Silberman and co played a mix of tracks from Burst Apart and Hospice, brilliantly capturing a mix of beautiful quiet codas showing off Silberman's incredible voice and blistering sonic excursions that probed the edges of post-rock.

Okkervil River were rollicking, blistering and emotional at Classic Grand. I reviewed new album I Am Very Far on this blog earlier in the year and didn't think it was brilliant. Not bad by any stretch of the imagination, but I must apologise to Will Sheff and the band. After hearing the songs live I realise I was wrong in limiting my praise - Okkervil River are a great, great band.

Finally, the second time this year I've had the pleasure of seeing Josh T Pearson. Still a mix of stand-up comedy and beautiful, bruised country songs, he's an absolute must-see. Pearson claimed he was unwell and apologised for his voice on a number of occasions, but to be honest I couldn't tell. Pearson is a stunning guitarist and vocalist, an unbelievable talent who I really hope continues to release music on - at least - a semi-regular basis. If you've not heard Last of the Country Gentlemen, what's wrong with you? It's one of the albums of the year without a doubt.

And that's it. Still to see Iceage, Korallreven and Malcolm Middleton before the year is out, so I may return with more posts before the year is out. Not promising, mind.

A bunch of stuff I've enjoyed in March.

That there picture is of Josh T Pearson, troubled troubadour, former singer with Texan psych-rockers Lift To Experience, and now country solo singer extraordinaire. He falls into the first of today's categories of....

Gigs I've loved this month: Josh T Pearson at Stereo - a hushed crowd (generally) gathered to hear Pearson play morbid songs of heartbreak and bad times, and he did so beautifully, puncturing the sombre mood with a stand-up routine that had the crowd laughing and entirely at his mercy. Check a wonderful solo performance here. New album Last of the Country Gentlemen might just be one of the albums of the decade.

I also took in the folk-rocking delights of The Decemberists, and the guitar majesty of Deerhunter who had the audacity to open their set at Oran Mor with a brand new song. This bunch are what guitar music should be about: inventive and listenable.

Records I've loved this month: Aside from Josh T Pearson, there's been Jessica Lea Mayfield's Tell Me, wonderful drone rock/jazz metal from Earth with Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light 1, The Dodos back on fine form with No Color, and finally, Kurt Vile with Smoke Ring for My Halo.

Tune in tomorrow for the first review of April....who will it be?