Various Artists
Austin City Limits Music Festival 2004
Rhino/Warner
 By Kevin J. Hosey

Simply put, this is a compilation of 16 bands who performed on the classic" Austin City Limits" television program in 2004. The program highlights roots, Texas and alternative music of many types, and the selection here varies from country, roots rock, gospel and blues to punk rock, new wave/second wave, funk, acoustic and jam rock. Take your pick, but the better songs include: a great version of "Debaser" by the Pixies, with the band's hard rock/punk rock sound still very exciting and fun; you can feel the crowd pogoing as it chants "Pixies," and Black Francis/Frank Black still sounds a little crazy. Los Lonely Boys display their Texas rock and roll and Tex Mex roots on the crunching "Crazy Dream," a fine, greasy, bluesy guitar and organ paced rocker that shows some debt to the late Stevie Ray Vaughan. The Blind Boys of Alabama deliver an excellent, joyous and upbeat "Walk in Jerusalem" that just leaves one thinking "wow," and the Neville Brothers also contribute outstanding vocals on their "Streets Are Callin,'" which are joined by a smart, tough, funky New Orleans R&B band sound, and the plaintive call of the lyrics stands out more after the damage from Hurricane Katrina. While Phish is not a favorite band of mine, former member Trey Anastasio and his new band provide a molten version of "First Tube," a fast, punchy song with the guitars in jam, progressive, chiming and other styles and swelling to a crescendo with keyboards. Josh Rouse stirs the memories of Paul Westerberg on "It's the Nighttime," good pop rock with a touch of roots rock, while Calexico incorporates some real Mexican and Southwestern US sounds to its intelligent pop rock on "Alone Again, Or," and the Drive-by Truckers play driving Southern rock on "The Day John Henry Died." Heck, even the emo rock of Dashboard Confessional has enough punch on "Hands Down" to sound OK
The Knitters
The Modern Sounds of the Knitters
Zoë/Rounder Records
 by Kevin J. Hosey

About 20 years after their still-fine debut, Poor Little Critter on the Road (which I got to play at our college radio station when it came out), the Knitters, made up of three former members of X (John Doe on vocals and acoustic guitar, Exene Cervenka on vocals and D.J. Bonebrake on drums), ex-Blaster Dave Alvin on guitar and vocals and bassist Jonny Ray Bartel, return for their second studio record, and it is another hoot. There are a couple of original songs here and several covers, including two X songs and one from the Knitters' first album. The Modern Sounds of the Knitters starts with "Easy Goin' Sunday," with twangy electric guitar from Alvin leading the band, and the original "Try Any More (Why We Don't Even)" is another excellent Doe/Cervenka duet, as they sing of giving up on their marriage and admitting they didn't try to compromise or work things out, backed by twangy acoustic country. The band really hits its stride on several old country songs, including "Give Me Flowers for My Grave," chugging roots rock with Alvin twanging away again and Exene singing of wanting things, material and otherwise, now and not when she's dead; Bill Anderson's "I'll Go Down Swinging" has Cervenka knowing her man is cheating on her and planning to do the same, realizing this will kill their marriage (Alvin again adds some nice guitar); "Rank Stranger" appropriately has the sound and feel of an old country song, as Doe sings a lament of loneliness and seeks salvation, and Alvin delivers a good, bluesy electric guitar solo. The two X songs covered are "In This House that I Call Home" and "Burning House of Love;" both are fun but the former stands out with its fast, rootsy sound, and hearing Doe and Cervenka sing together is still fantastic.