This week’s Monday Morning Tape…

…two great live country songs, a few promising debuts, and just a wee bit of glammy indie rock.

Happy Monday.

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Sturgill Simpson – Welcome to Earth (Pollywog) / Call to Arms (live at KCRW)

As if you needed two really good reasons to buy A Sailor’s Guide to Earth...

The whole record is a collective letter to Mr. Simpson’s young son.  These two songs are the bookends of the record.  The first is a shuffling tune about the amazing, scary and wonderful adventure known as parenthood.  The second is a protest song about war and all of its attendant financial and moral problems.

His singing can be a little unintelligible at times, but the full lyrics for “Call to Arms” are well worth a quick read, even beyond those that reference the former Dear Leader’s headgear.

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Portage – Hold On

Creatures is probably going to be a great record.  It’s due out May 28th.  Here’s the first single.

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Daniel Trakell – Wasted Light

Let’s stay quiet and a little spooky for another two minutes, at least until that big payoff kicks in at the end.

More stuff from Monsieur Trakell here.

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Kyle Craft – Future Midcity Massacre

Dolls of Highland might be the funnest record released so far this year, folks.

RIYL: Freddie Mercury, David Bowie, brilliant weirdos, good music, The Rocky Horror Picture Show

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Tyler Childers – Lady May

Let’s end things with Tyler Childers playing a great unreleased song about a girl.  Country-folk doesn’t get much better than this — can’t wait for this fella’s debut LP…

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Until next week, cheers.