the local voice - Hill Country Records

Issue #94½ · December 3-10, 2009 · Read at Maximum Volume · www.TheLocalVoice.net · Oxford, Mississippi
TLV # 94½
Table of
Contents
Last November Live at Two
Stick on Saturday,
December 5th (p. 1)
With a diverse brew of quirky yet memorable pop
rock music accompanied by honest and thought provoking lyrics, Last November has an ever-growing
internet presence, coupled with word-of-mouth buzz
from devoted fans, that is quickly pushing this young
Atlanta-based band to true heights.
Lead singer and guitarist Luke Pilgrim began performing at the early age of eleven, and quickly began
honing his songwriting skills. By the age of fifteen, he
had completed writing, recording, and producing what
would become Last November’s debut album, All the
Gory Details. It was released independently in 2005,
then picked up by Southern Tracks Records, an independent label founded by legendary music publisher Bill
Lowery in 2006. All the Gory
Details was welcomed in the
music industry with open arms,
receiving rave reviews, garnering
multi-formatted airplay on over
200 national radio stations, and
features on television on shows
such as MTV’s The Real World.
Pilgrim and Last November
headed back into the studio in 2007 to write and record
their sophomore album for Southern Tracks Records,
Over the Top or Under the Weather. Recorded and
mixed at the renowned Southern Tracks Studio in
Atlanta, (home to such artists as Pearl Jam, Stone
Temple Pilots, Train, The Bravery, and Bruce
Springsteen), Over the Top or Under the Weather had
some heavy-hitting names behind it. Pilgrim’s talents
flourished under the guidance of platinum-selling producer Steven Haigler (Brand New, Fuel, Oleander,
Pixies, As Tall as Lions) and mastered by Rodney
Mills (Butch Walker, Pearl Jam, Drive-By Truckers,
Lynyrd Skynyrd), as his music matured with intricate
melodic vocals, edgy guitar inventions. His experienced songwriting revealed new vulnerability and
openness. “When I was in high school, I used to sit
around with my friends with acoustic guitars and sing
songs from Brand New’s album Deja Entendu,” says
Pilgrim. “Working with Steven Haigler was a pretty surreal experience for me and the guys in the band.”
Released in the spring of 2008, Over the Top or
Under the Weather proved to be the perfect follow up
to Last November’s first album. “The Bumper Sticker
Song,” the first single and music video off the album,
captured the attention of the band’s impressively growing fan base. “The song is about finding someone who
can love you in spite of your flaws, weird hang ups, disorders, and overall neuroti obsessive nature,” shares
Pilgrim. “I actually get emails from people asking if I
really have A.D.D. or O.C.D. and I usually just tell them,
those are only a couple of my
many disorders.” Other songs on
the album, including “Jesus had
Breakfast in Bed,” and “Butter Me
Up,” rock the crowd, while
“Sunday Afternoon” creates a
lush landscape of baroque pop
that is both hauntingly catchy, and
intelligent.
Most recently, Last November
was nominated for a 2008 New
Music Weekly Award for “New Top 40 of the Year.” They
also released their latest single and music video entitled “Seventeen at Three in the Morning,” a power pop
ballad that is quickly becoming the anthem for every
teenager in America.
The single is currently being played in heavy rotation
on over 65 radio stations nationwide, with numbers
growing daily.
Last November is a band that cannot be stopped.
They have already shared the stage with bands Plain
White T’s, Cake, Pink, Train, The Working Title, The
Bravery, The Almost, Mute Math, Family Force 5,
Interpol, They Might Be Giants, Chris Cornell, and
more. Last November plans on touring nationally to
promote Over the Top or Under the Weather throughout spring and summer 2009, and have a national high
school tour in the works.
Local Entertainment
Calendar (p. 2)
Capgun Coup Live at
Proud Larry’s with
Cursive on Tuesday,
December 8th (p. 3)
Oxford Music Guide (p. 4)
Good Paper Live at Taylor’s
Pub (p. 4)
The Reviews Live at Two
Stick (p. 4)
Oxford Bar Guide (p. 5-6)
Dexter McCluster Named
to SEC Community
Service Team - Ole Miss
wide receiver also a good
guy (p. 7)
Belly Dancing at the Juke
Joint with Eric Deaton
Live at Rooster’s Blues
House on Saturday,
December 5th (p. 8)
Brief History of the Shruti
Box - part of Eric
Deaton’s sound on Smile
At Trouble (p. 8)
The Roots: Pure and
Genuine Religion by Pat
Ward (p. 9)
Comix & Puzzles (p. 11-15)
Puzzle Solutions (p. 16-17)
ENTERTAINMENT CALENDAR:
sponsored by
December 3-10, 2009
Advertise your events in The Local Voice: [email protected]
THURSDAY 12.03.2009
Ajax Diner: TYLER KEITH (10:30 pm)
Boure: 2-for-1 Margaritas all day (at the
bar)
Burgundy Room/OVPC: $3 House
Wine, Wells & Imports and $2 Bellinis
Frank & Marlee’s: DUELING PIANOS
(8:30 pm)
Illusions: Ladies’ Night
Proud Larry’s: MOON TAXI
Red House: Thirsty Thursday (½ Price
Drinks; 4 pm - close)
Rib Cage: $2.75 Landshark Draft Pints
Rooster’s: MARSHALL DREW BAND
Taylor’s Pub: TREY LYONS
Two Stick: CADILLAC FUNK ($2
Wells)
Varsity Grille: Ladies’ Night: 3-for-1
Wine & 2-for-1 Martinis; 7 pm-close
Volta: Half-price Margaritas
FRIDAY 12.04.2009
Burgundy Room/OVPC: 2-for-1 Wells,
House Wine & Domestics (10 pmclose)
Frank & Marlee’s: DUELING PIANOS
(8:30 pm)
Illusions: First Fridays spons. by Delta
Sigma Theta
Proud Larry’s: PAPA MALI, RAMBLE
HORSE
Rooster’s: MERCURY BOULEVARD
Taylor’s Pub: GOOD PAPER (Super
Happy Hour 3-5 pm, 2-for-1 everything)
Two Stick: THE REVIEWS - VOX
Press Fundraiser ($2 Domestics,
Late-Night Sushi 10 pm until)
Varsity Grille: 2-for-1 Wells, Wines &
Domestics; 7 pm-close
WOXD 95.5: Local Mail Radio Show
6-7 pm
SATURDAY 12.05.2009
Frank & Marlee’s: DUELING PIANOS
(8:30 pm)
Maker’s Market: Art Market located
inside The Lyric (11 am - 6 pm)
Rooster’s: ERIC DEATON TRIO
Taylor’s Pub: GOOD PAPER (Super
Happy Hour 12-3 pm: 2-for-1 everything)
Two Stick: LAST NOVEMBER ($3
Imports, Half-Price Bloody Marys
11:30 am-2:30 pm)
Varsity Grille: Half-Price Scotch, $3
Shots; 7 pm-close
2 THE LOCAL VOICE #94½
Cover by Becky Long
Volta: Half-Price Margaritas
MONDAY 12.07.2009
Boure: Happy Hour all day (at the bar)
Burgundy Room/OVPC: $1 Miller Lite
& High Life
Frank & Marlee’s: $1 Pabst Pints, $3
Jager Shots
Funkys: $2.50 22 oz. Coors Light,
$1.50 Miller Lite
Illusions: Penny Pitchers & 25¢ Wings
Library: Monday Night Football
Proud Larry’s: Lazy Mississippi
Mondays $2 Pints
Rib Cage: $1.75 Bud Light Longnecks
Rooster’s: $2 Pitchers & 25¢ Wings
Taylor’s Pub: $2 Coors Light & Coors
Longnecks
Varsity Grille: $1 Domestics, Half Off
Appetizers; 7 pm-close
Volta: Half-price Margaritas
TUESDAY 12.08.2009
Boure: $2 pints all day (at the bar)
Burgundy Room/OVPC: 2-for-1
Domestics
Frank & Marlee’s: $5 Pabst Pitchers,
$3 Rumple Minze Shots
Funkys: $3 Wells, $1.50 Coors & Miller
Lite
Illusions: Game Night with $2 Wells &
Domestics
Proud Larry’s: CURSIVE, CAPGUN
COUP (2-for-1 Wells, Domestics,
Burgers)
Red House: Ladies’ Night (3-for-1
Drinks)
Rib Cage: $1.75 Miller Lite Longnecks
Rooster’s: TUESDAY NIGHT SHOWCASE - Bands T.B.A.
Taylor’s Pub: 2 Burgers & A Pitcher of
Coors Light for $12, $5 Vodka
Specials
Two Stick: Trivia Night ($5 to play, win
cash)
Varsity Grille: $2 Drafts; 7 pm-close
WEDNESDAY 12.09.2009
Boure: $1 off wine all day (at the bar)
Burgundy Room/OVPC: Ladies’ Night:
3-for-1 House Wine and 2-for-1
Bellinis
Frank & Marlee’s: Ladies’ Night: $3
Blue Moon Pints, $1 Off Wells, $2
Miller Lite for the guys
Funkys: Ladies’ Night: $15 All-YouCan-Drink Daiquiris, $1.50 Coors &
email us: [email protected]
Miller Lite for all
Illusions: KARAOKE (2-for-1 Vodka &
Cran, Sex on the Beach, $5
Pitchers, no cover)
Red House: Nathan’s Special: 2 hot
dogs, fries & a pitcher of Coors Light
for $10
Rib Cage: $1.75 Budweiser
Longnecks
Rooster’s: KARAOKE (Ladies’ Night:
3-for-1 Drinks)
Snackbar:
KEVIN LARKIN
&
FRIENDS
Taylor’s Pub: 16 oz. Whiskeys $5
Two Stick: $1 PBR, $1 High Life
Varsity Grille: ½ Off Whiskey; 7 pmclose
WOXD 95.5: Local Mail Radio Show
6-7 pm
THURSDAY 12.10.2009
Boure: 2-for-1 Margaritas all day (at
the bar)
Burgundy Room/OVPC: $3 House
Wine, Wells & Imports and $2
Bellinis
Frank & Marlee’s: DUELING PIANOS
(8:30 pm)
Illusions: Ladies’ Night
Proud Larry’s: CHARLIE MARS
Red House: Thirsty Thursday (½ Price
Drinks; 4 pm - close)
Rib Cage: $2.75 Landshark Draft Pints
Two Stick: $2 Wells
Varsity Grille: Ladies’ Night: 3-for-1
Wine & 2-for-1 Martinis; 7 pm-close
Volta: Half-price Margaritas
EVERY SUNDAY
Betty Davis BBQ (Open 8 am - 10 pm)
Big Bad Breakfast (Open 8 am - 3 pm)
Honey Bee Bakery (Open 9 am - 2 pm
- Now serving brunch!)
Illusions Sports Bar & Grill (Open 11
am - 4 pm All you can eat Buffet)
Main Squeeze (Open 12 pm - 5:30 pm)
The Orchard night church on The
Square upstairs @ Rooster’s, 7 pm.
Proud Larry’s (Open for brunch)
Rib Cage (Open 11 am - 2:30 pm)
Rooster’s Blues House (Open 11 am 8:30 pm) The Orchard meets every
Sunday night at 7 pm upstairs at
Rooster’s.
Two Stick (Open 5-9 pm)
Waltz On The Square (Open for
brunch)
phone: 662-232-8900
© 2009 The Local Voice - Rayburn Publishing
Capgun Coup Live at Proud
Larry’s with Cursive on
Tuesday, December 8
Capgun Coup was born amidst the banality of suburban Nebraska circa 2004. Post high school
graduation, Sam Martin and Greg Elsasser, the driving creative forces of Capgun Coup, willingly dove
head first into poverty in order to pursue music,
bidding farewell to the possibility of financial stability. Their 2007 debut release Brought to you by
NebraskaFish, much of which was written while
the pair were still in high school, garnered them
respect, a Team Love Records reissue, and multiple national tours. Capgun Coup’s current lineup
consists of Martin, Elsasser, Jesse McKelvey,
Eric Ohlsson, and uni-monikered bassist
Roadie. The quintet took brief refuge at the Bemis
Center for Contemporary Arts in Omaha, NE,
where they had studio space as part of the musician residency program. Their new songs, which
combine surf-rock guitars and beautifully dissonant vocals, are far more cohesive and mature
than anything on NebraskaFish. Somehow
McKelvey’s spastic guitar playing, Ohlsson’s
drumming, and Roadie’s bass lines manage to
bring together the creative tornadoes that reside
in the heads of Martin and Elsasser. As Capgun
Coup continues cementing their place in the independent music scene it has become clear that the
band will cope with the pains of poverty in order to
pursue something much larger.
-Written by the party dude
The Local Voice #95
Newspaper & PDF Coming December 10th
SUNDAY, DEC. 6: WRITERS’ DEADLINE
TUESDAY, DEC. 8: AD DEADLINE
Telephone us at 662-232-8900
reserve your space and help us continue on
Oxford’s Favorite Entertainment Newspaper.
Moon Taxi @ Proud Larry’s THU 12/03
The Reviews @ Two Stick FRI 12/04
www.myspace.com/moontaxi (Lyrical, Visual, Rock)
“Nashville’s Moon Taxi redeem the notion of a ‘jam band.’ Moon Taxi
synthesizes divergent elements into a cohesive, concert-ready
rush.”
thereviewsband.com (Rock)
A three-piece that pays homage to traditional rock n’ roll styles,
influences range from country blues to 70s punk to modern rock,
with particular emphasis on performing high-energy live shows.
Marshall Drew Band @ Rooster’s THU 12/03
Eric Deaton Trio @ Rooster’s SAT 12/05
Drew’s songs are “refreshingly devoid of the trends and gimmicks
flooding the airwaves...instead shot through with themes and emotions that have always been vital to the human experience.”
His music is deeply rooted in the hill country aesthetic; stripped
down, full of drone, rhythmically propulsive and relentlessly
bent on in inducing trancelike behavior in his listeners.
Trey Lyons @ Taylor’s Pub THU 12/03
Cursive @ Proud Larry’s TUE 12/08
www.myspace.com/marshalldrew (Folk Rock)
www.myspace.com/thetreylyons (Acoustic, Outlaw Americana)
Some of Trey’s most obvious influences include Townes van Zandt,
John Prine, and Todd Snider. He loves requests, so bring a list!
Mercury Boulevard @ Rooster’s FRI 12/04
www.myspace.com/mercuryboulevard (Blues, Rock)
Pop, rock, funk, and blues, with rock influences of the Black
Crowes and Rolling Stones, psychedelic Hendrix, and pop favorite
John Mayer, you can hear Mercury Boulevard’s unique sound.
Papa Mali @ Proud Larry’s FRI 12/04
www.myspace.com/ericdeaton (Blues, Funk, Rock)
www.myspace.com/cursive (Indie, Rock, Punk)
Mama, I’m Swollen was released in March and the band made
their network television debut on the Late Show with David
Letterman that month. Cursive has been touring steadily since the
album’s release, playing SXSW and all across the country.
with Capgun Coup
www.myspace.com/capguncoup (Indie, Surf, Punk)
Their songs combine surf-rock guitars and beautifully dissonant
vocals with spastic guitar playing and bass lines that manage to
bring together creative tornadoes.
Kevin Larkin @ Snackbar WED 12/09
www.papamali.com (Funk, Soul, Psychedelic)
www.mayhemstringband.com (Acoustic, Bluegrass)
According to legend, Thunder Chicken is the moniker for a kind of
fortified wine that helped Papa Mali evolve, from his early years as
a crazy music-freak kid with a 6-string slung over his shoulder to
the swamp-funk-hoodoo-slide-guitar-choogler he’s become.
Come out to Snackbar for Kevin’s solo acoustic set and
see why he was named Favorite Stringed Instrumentalist in
The Local Favorites awards this year!
with Ramble Horse
Charlie Mars @ Proud Larry’s THU 12/10
www.charliemars.com (Rock)
www.myspace.com/ramblehorse (Jungle, House)
Trippy and sometimes serene, Ramble Horse is a local project by
Kip Ramble, Bijan Dhanani, Tedo Stone, Adam Swafford, and
more.
Good Paper @ Taylor’s Pub FRI 12/04 & SAT 12/05
www.myspace.com/goodpaperband (Rock, Pop, Blues)
“Guitar, bass, drums, keyboard, vocals playing together. A tornado
in a blender. A T-Rex chasing a dream. All of us have been
punched in the face, but we don’t sound like a punch in the face.”
Local crooner Charlie Mars hit the airwaves hard with his most
recent recording, Like a Bird, Like a Plane, with the song
“Listen to the Darkside” featured on Showtime’s hit show Weeds.
Get your shows listed in TLV’s Oxford Music Guide
and our website www.TheLocalVoice.net
Call 662-232-8900 or email [email protected]
The Reviews at Two Stick
Friday 12/04
Good Paper at Taylor’s Pub
Friday 12/04 and Saturday 12/05
Good Paper is back and ready to roll! Ben Skelton has returned from a
two year solo tour in Africa. While residing in Senegal, he managed to save
the world from a wolf/mother/vampire. Rob [Mortimer] and Scott [Doler] have
managed to stick together through thick and thin, bad and good, tough and
tight. The three smartest people in the world are now back together to dominate religion, music, politics, Greeks, doctors, film makers, and pool cleaning.
The Reviews are one of the
most energetic and well-practiced up-and-coming bands in the
Oxford area. With originals like
“Basement,” which rocks, and
covers like The Ramones’
“Sheena Is a Punk Rocker,” they
bring an awesome energy to
every stage they grace.
The lineup consists of Caesar
Isaac on bass & vox, Nick
Spiller on guitar & background
vox, and Tracy Morin on drums.
This Friday night, they’ll be at
Two Stick. Come out and see
what The Reviews are made of—
you’ll be glad you did!
Drink Specials
Smoking Patio
No Cover
Billiards
Ajax Diner
118 Courthouse
Square
232-8880
Bouré
309 North Lamar
Boulevard
234-1968
The
Bungalow
14 Thacker Road
259-2622
Burgundy
Room
1112 Van
Buren Ave.
236-6872
The Library
With a beautiful concrete bar
adorned with festive colored
lights, Bouré boasts skilled
bartenders and an impressive wine selection. A freshly
muddled mint julep and
some good company are all
you need to sip in style.
Proud
Larry’s
The Burgundy Room provides an intimate, welcoming space for imbibing,
catching some live music, and just plain
hanging out. The balcony is a great
place to spend pleasant fall evenings.
Order an appetizer from downstairs,
add drinks and friends, and you have
the perfect recipe for a good time.
Frank & Marlee’s
1210 Harrison
Avenue
259-2442
Funkys
Pizza & Daiquiri Bar
1012 Jackson Ave.
259-2881
Illusions
2110 West
Jackson Avenue
236-1299
Irie
Known for its excellent soul
food, Ajax after hours is an
Oxford gem. A laid-back
atmosphere beckons locals
and sometimes celebrities to
try their famous Bloody
Marys. Occasional live
music.
Just as cute and cozy as its name
implies, this off-Square gem offers lovely,
intimate dining spaces, tasteful modern
decor, and some of the best prices
around. Sure to be a neighborhood
favorite, the bar boasts $3 wells, $2
domestics, and a $3 bar menu featuring
tasty eggrolls, mac & cheese croquettes,
BBQ quesadillas, and mini corndogs.
122 Courthouse Square
259-2500
“An Oxford original” promises
to fill the bar with good fun,
great food, and dueling pianos.
The newly renovated space will
feature two levels of dining,
outdoor seating, and a casual
menu of delicious made-toorder food at affordable prices.
Funkys combines the best of two of
America’s favorite cities—New Yorkstyle pizza slices and New Orleansstyle daiquiris. The bar offers a variety of refreshingly flavored daiquiris,
several screens for watching Ole
Miss kick ass, and Monday Night
Football drink specials.
Illusions is one of Oxford’s
largest and most upscale
clubs, and its on the west
side of town. Illusions offers
posh VIP rooms, LOTS of
pool tables, plenty of dancing, and FREE transportation. That’s right, free. Just
call ahead for a ride.
Irie’s rustic but sleek interior, laidback atmosphere, seafood at fair
prices, and 25 beers on tap make
this Jamaican-influenced eatery a
welcome newcomer. Irie uses a
charcoal grill on many of their fish
and meats…And the hushpuppies
are great too!
oysters
Dancing
Live Music
Games
Pets OK
You might run into some famous
athletes at The Square’s biggest
sports bar, which boasts dozens
of big screen TVs broadcasting all
the games. A huge venue for
bands and DJs, a patio bar,
and the occasional mechanical bull, The Library has it all.
120 South
11th Street
234-1411
One of Oxford’s famous music
bars, with one of the best sound
systems and sound men around,
Larry’s hosts touring bands as
well as locals. An intimate setting
with a cozy patio, along with great
food and service makes Larry’s
an Oxford tradition.
211 South
Lamar Boulevard
236-0050
Tucked in the alley behind The
Lyric, Red House is an homage
to Mississippi’s musical heritage.
Enjoy a cold beer among photos
of blues legends and cool concert posters. Don’t forget to try
one of Oxford’s favorite burgers
while catching some live music.
Red House
302 South 11th
Street
234-0089
The downstairs bar at The Rib
Cage makes anybody feel at
home, while the smiling bartenders
serve up cold drinks at great
prices. Grab your friends and go
play some darts or Golden Tee.
Don’t miss out on one of the best
238-2929 spots in town for acoustic music.
Rib Cage
311 South Lamar Boulevard
Rooster’s is Oxford’s Blues
Club. They host some of the
area’s and the country’s best
blues bands. Rooster’s is the
see-and-be-seen spot where
you can dance the night away.
Grab a beer and people watch
from the huge upstairs patio.
Rooster’s
Blues House
114 Courthouse
Square
236-7970
One of Oxford’s newest locales is
also one of the most stylish. Great
wine, beer, food (often served
later than most kitchens), and
superior service make Snackbar a
perfect getaway from The Square.
Snackbar also has live acoustic
music on Wednesday nights.
Snackbar
721 North
Lamar Blvd.
236-6363
Taylor’s brings a bit of New Orleans
to Oxford with its fleurs de lis and
friendly pub atmosphere. Look for
Mills during Happy Hour and ask him
to tell you a joke. You’ll feel so at
home at Taylor’s you’ll
wonder why you ever drink
anywhere else.
Taylor’s Pub
1101 Jackson
Avenue
234-2155
Oxford’s original sushi bar has an eclectic mood and casually elegant style.
Tuesday Trivia is always popular and
live music frequently draws in a crowd
and Two Stick is lets their bands play
Ave. well after closing time. But did we mention the food? Two Stick is “Oxford’s
Favorite Asian Food” for a reason.
Two Stick
1107 Jackson
236-6639
Varsity Grille
308 South Lamar
281-1922
Revel in Varsity Grille’s “urban upscale”
atmosphere, which promises an outstanding menu, gregarious staff, daily
drink specials, and a casually refined dining experience. Enjoy a rotating menu of
seasonal specials and house dishes
and a selection of moderately-priced
wines, mixed drinks, and martinis.
Volta
Taverna
710 North Lamar
236-1871
Waltz
1110 Van Buren
Avenue
236-2760
6 THE LOCAL VOICE #94½
Volta has some tasty Mediterranean
food, including wraps, gyros, and
Greek pizzas. The atmosphere is quiet
and relaxing, perfect for those who
want to actually have a conversation at
a bar. Enjoy half-price margaritas every
Monday, Thursday, and Saturday.
With specials like $4 wells, $3 drafts,
and $2 domestics (plus nightly martini specials), Waltz is the place to be
if you want big city style at small
town prices. Waltz will feature live
music from K.C. & The Lugnuts and
lots of delectable dishes.
© 2009 Rayburn Publishing
Get listed
in TLV’s
Oxford Bar
Guide
and our
website
www.
TheLocalVoice
.net
Call us at
662-232-8900
or email
thelocalvoice@
thelocalvoice.net
Dexter
McCluster
Named To
SEC
Community
Service Team
BIRMINGHAM, ALA. (OMSI) – Ole Miss'
Dexter McCluster was distinguished
Wednesday on the SEC Football
Community Service Team. The conference highlights a student-athlete from
each school who gives back to their
community in superior service efforts.
A senior captain from Largo, Fla.,
McCluster regularly speaks and participates in reading programs at Oxford
area schools. He
is a volunteer with
the annual National
Student-Athlete
Day
Community Service Project
and the “As We Grow”
S u m m e r
F i t n e s s
Program.
In
March,
McCluster took part in
the "Arts for the
Angels" charity per-
7 THE LOCAL VOICE #94½
© 2009 Rayburn Publishing
formance for Angel Ranch, with all proceeds going to benefit temporarily displaced children who are in the protective
custody of the Mississippi Department of
Human Services. During game week at
the 2009 AT&T Cotton Bowl, he also visited with children at Scottish Rite
Hospital in Dallas.
On the field, McCluster leads the
Rebels with 903 rushing yards this year,
and needs 97 yards to become just the
fourth Rebel all-time to rush for 1,000
yards in a season. McCluster set the Ole
Miss single-game rushing record earlier
this season with a 282-yard, four-touchdown outburst against Tennessee.
Belly Dancing at the
Juke Joint with Eric Deaton
Live at Rooster’s on Saturday, Dec. 5th
OXFORD, MISS. (TLV) - Expect more than a
typical blues record when you listen to
Eric Deaton’s latest effort Smile at
Trouble. Your first clue is the sort of
Hindi/hillbilly hybrid scene on the front
cover: a multi-armed figure (think a cross
between some guy getting arrested on Cops
and the Hindu god
Shiva) with a snake
wrapped around his
waist and the Sanskrit
mantra “mani padme
hum” written of the steps
of a trailer.
The next hint that
Deaton is up to more
than just the blues comes
on the first track, “Alap,”
a droning Indian-inspired
instrumental. Twangy strains of the sitar
are right at home with Deaton’s achy
refrain: “I’m so tired of cryin’, things are
lookin’ up at last.” His use of a shruti box,
a simple Indian hand-pumped instrument,
provides the rich droning tapestry he
weaves throughout the album.
In “Marrakesh Moan” he offers the line
that gives the album it’s name: “Smile at
trouble and walk on by.” This track, like the
others, pulses fluidly, languidly marrying
the sounds of the East and the West.
Similarly, the instrumental “It Must’ve Bentonia”
manages to be distinctly
southern as well as otherworldly.
Somehow the juxtaposition of these seemingly
dissimilar forms of music
works beautifully, inspiring listeners to consider
the possible connections
between the Blues and
Hindu music. Both the
Blues and Hindu music
(which is mostly songs of praise and devotion to one of the millions of deities) are
steeped in age-old mythology: from
Robert
Johnson’s
devil
in
“Crossroads
Blues”
to
Hindu
songstress Mirabai’s passionate odes
to mischievous god Shiva.
Whatever Deaton’s reasons or inspiration for this album, it’s so interesting (and
refreshing) to hear the Blues paired with a
genre other than rock-n-roll. Produced by
Jimbo Mathus with assistance from
Deaton and Justin Showah, the album
was engineered at Delta Recording in
Como and mixed by Winn McElroy at
Money Shot in Water Valley. Mathus and
Showah also play on the album along with
Kent Kimbrough, Tyler Rayburn, and
Charles Gage. Equal parts Indian drone
and Hill Country moan, Smile at Trouble
gives Deaton’s already impeccable musical sensibilities a new depth and resonance.
“Smile at trouble
and walk on by.” -Eric Deaton
A Brief History of the Shruti Box
The origins of the shruti box can be traced back to the Chinese
sheng, an ancient wind instrument still in use today, which makes
sound when air passes through small bamboo reeds. These freereeds were later to influence a new family of Western instruments,
including the harmonica, accordian, and harmonium.
Christian Gottlieb Kratzenstein (17231795), Professor of Physiology at
Copenhagen, was credited with
the first free-reed to be made
in the Western world after
winning the annual prize in
1780 from the Imperial
Academy of St. Petersburg. The
new metal reeds were used in the
harmonium, a foot-operated bellows instrument invented in Paris in
1842 by Alexandre Debain. The harmonium proved to be very popular in
small chapels and churches as it was
smaller and much less expensive than the
pipe organs of the day.
A later version of the harmonium was developed which
enabled the bellows to be operated by hand, and which featured
a smaller keyboard and less stops (the small knobs pulled out to
create a sustained note). This lighter, more portable instrument
was taken by travellers to India where it was adopted by the
native musicians and further refined to suit the folk and classical
music styles. The keyboard was finally removed to make a new,
smaller instrument designed solely for the purpose of producing
sustained notes and chords to accompany singers and musicians.
It was called the sur-peti and later became known as the shruti
box.
In the 1960s travellers to India began bringing shruti boxes
back to the West. The poet Allen Ginsberg was one of the earliest well-known players to use it
to accompany his poetry readings. Since then the shruti box
has slowly crossed geographical boundaries and musical
genres to become a true world
music instrument.
THE LOCAL VOICE #94½ www.TheLocal Voice.net 8
Pure and Genuine
Religion
This week at Rooster’s we looked at the verse that
clearly shows us what God means for our relationship
with Him to look like. It begins with stillness and worship, but it doesn’t end there.
In James 1:27, we learn that “Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for
orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let
the world corrupt you.” To be honest, this is a pretty big
claim. It says that our religion isn’t based on meeting our
Bible study quota for the week and it isn’t based on how
many times we go to church in a given year and it isn’t
about how many theological arguments we can win.
James says that true religion pushes us outside ourselves
and towards those who need to know God’s love the
most.
Not only is this a part of our life of faith, but it’s a
major milestone of Jesus’ life. The word for “care for” in
James 1:27 is the Greek word episkeptomai. It’s the same
word that Zecheriah uses in Luke 1:68 when he says that
in Jesus “the Lord...has visited and redeemed his people.”
This means that the work that God calls us to do as our
religion is the exact same work that brought Jesus to us in
the first place. The love that has made a difference in the
lives of all of those who follow Jesus is the same love that
we are called to share with the world.
Readings this week:
James 1
Luke 1
Psalm 10
Deut. 16:9-12
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Luke 1:67-80:
67
Then his father, Zechariah, was filled with the
Holy Spirit and gave this prophecy:
68
"Praise the Lord, the God of Israel,
because he has visited and redeemed his
people.
69
He has sent us a mighty Savior
from the royal line of his servant David,
70
just as he promised
through his holy prophets long ago.
71
Now we will be saved from our enemies
and from all who hate us.
72
He has been merciful to our ancestors
by remembering his sacred covenant—
73
the covenant he swore with an oath
to our ancestor Abraham.
74
We have been rescued from our enemies
so we can serve God without fear,
75
in holiness and righteousness
for as long as we live.
76
"And you, my little son,
will be called the prophet of the Most High,
because you will prepare the way for the
Lord.
77
You will tell his people how to find salvation
through forgiveness of their sins.
78
Because of God's tender mercy,
the morning light from heaven is about to
break upon us,
79
to give light to those who sit in darkness and
in the shadow of death,
and to guide us to the path of peace."
80
John grew up and became strong in spirit.
And he lived in the wilderness until he began
his public ministry to Israel.
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12 THE LOCAL VOICE #94½
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LIGHT ----
Magic Maze
SCRAMBLERS
Stickelers answer
answer
121 is the next number. The sequence is the squares
of the first six odd numbers.
1. Order
2. Confuse
3. Flashy
4. Mirror
CryptoQuip answer
If a fish could work as a waiter, I suppose it would like
people to tip the scales.
Super Crossword Solution for TLV #94
Word Search Solution for TLV #94
Today’s Word:
IRONY
CryptoQuote answer
“An idealist is a person who helps other people to be prosperous.” -Henry Ford
Magic
Maze
THINGS TAXED
SCRAMBLERS
answer
1. Outside
2. Argue
3. Number
4. Nutty
Today’s Word:
DANGEROUS
Stickelers answer
There are 18 different sets of parallel lines in a cube.
Don’t forget the diagonals!
CryptoQuote answer
“It is a sin against hospitality to open your doors, and shut
up your countenance.” -Author Unknown
CryptoQuip answer
If a desktop publisher were looking at the wrong font,
maybe he’d say “You’re not my type.”
Here are the correct
answers - sorry!
16 THE LOCAL VOICE #94½
© 2009 Rayburn Publishing
Super Crossword Solution for TLV #94½
We inadvertently printed the wrong answers for Barton Segal’s
Cinema Stumpers
in TLV #94.