HILLBILLY WINOS: Live from the Living Room

Hillbilly Winos

Live from the Living Room

© 2002 Hillbilly Winos (656613769829)

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An alternative country/blues band featuring edgy songs with a lot of heartfelt playing. "Tuneful and lyrically intriguing, Hams songs compare favorably to Steve Earle and Uncle Tupelo." Kevin McKeough, Chicago Tribune

tracks

1 Asphalt Skin
2 The Grind
3 Spirit Dance
4 This House
5 Poncho and Lefty
6 Rochelle
7 John Dillinger
8 On the Road
9 Drunk On the Moon
10 Second Best
11 105
12 Fire and Ice
13 Water in the Fuel
14 In the Morning

notes

Hillbilly Winos are an alternative country band featuring edgy songs with a lot of heartfelt playing. Acoustic instruments including Guitar, Dobro, Violin, Mandolin, squeeze box, harmonica and percussion.


"Tuneful and lyrically intriguing, Hams songs compare favorably to Steve Earle and Uncle Tupelo."
Kevin McKeough, Chicago Tribune


AltCountryTab.com Review (Great Britian)
Review by: Doug Floyd

"The Hillbilly Wino's are a three piece made up of Jeff Ham, Matt Teolis and Kent Arnsbarger who are supplemented by 'Honorary wino's: Steve Doyle on dobro, Jim Teolis on upright bass and Ludmilla Ludkovsky on violin. They have been around for three years or so, touring mainly in the Chicago and Northern Indiana area. Essentially the conduit for the writing of Ham, this is a great record with which to establish the credentials of a new band. The Wino's combine country rock and folk in a manner rather reminiscent of John Mellencamp's "Scarecrow" and "Lonesome Jubilee" period albums, with particular accent on the twang as well as a number of examples of stunningly delicate and honest song writing. Though you would never believe it from the excellent production, this album was recorded (as the title states) live in the living room of Jeff Ham on a Roland digital hard disk recorder. The sound of this album hits you pretty straight between the ears, there is a wasted back-road country feel with sparse use of slide dobro and occasional fiddle bringing just the right tone of lonesomeness to the dealings. With attention paid to melody and pace, every song nuzzles into the memory banks like a faithful old hound after just one or two listens. A similarity to fellow Indiana songwriter Mellencamp cannot be ignored but there is also a taste of Steve Earle there too, especially with the presence of "John Dillinger" a story song very much in the Earle mould.

The set starts up with a fairly pedestrian "Asphalt Skin" a pleasant enough tune, but maybe not dynamic enough for the entry level song, but ?The Grind? more than makes up for it. A startlingly bleak contemplative narration of the being stuck in a rut (boy do I know that feeling) and what a man would do to get out of the daily grind of the title. ?Spirit dance? assumes a ragtag country blues air, with dobro and guitar duelling it out at the end,but in an ever so laid back manner. Songs like ?This House?, "Rochelle", "Second Best" and "Fire and Ice" vie for the best ballad honour, featuring some warm and tender lyrics:

"Sky bleeds the sun
and the moon shows her face
She lets down her hair
and the stars fall in place"

..and some gracefully gentle accompaniment holding the songs up to just the right amount of light.

There are three well chosen covers on the album alongside the eleven originals, Tom Waits? "Drunk on the Moon", which maintains the essence of the original while stamping a carefully considered freshness upon it, Fred Eaglesmith's "105 & Water in the Fuel" and a very satisfying reworking of Townes van Zandt's legendary "Poncho & Lefty".

This album will stay on constant rotation in this house for months, it is as honest and simple as you could care to hear, the band has obviously spent some time honing these songs into such fine form. "Fire and Ice" is probably the best of the set in that it exemplifies what makes a great song work - pure and simple is often what is best and this one is so fragile that you fear it may just break. Well worth checking out if you like your music on the dusty desert-road side of alt.country." - Doug Floyd


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Need to know more? Visit our web site to listen to live songs, listen to ALL the tracks on the CD, watch movies of the Winos, and a WHOLE LOT MORE!!! Click the link above to our site. THANKS!!!

reviews

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  • a very good blend of music, with excelent feeling.
    author: Brett Nover

    I was given this CD, buy my father in-law, He's Jeff's mail man. I had it for about 3 years before I really listened to it, once I did, It has been in my regular cd line up and has stayed there for 2 years and still going strong! I cant believe I put this great peace of work on the back burner!. I cant say enough about it this CD, it kicks!! It has such a blend of musical style, it stands apart from even the most sucessful bands... excelent album

  • This is for those torn between true country and good old rock n roll !!
    author: Dana Thatcher

    This CD is really gruff in a great way !! It catches you and keeps it's grip !! Read the lyrics while you listen - they strike a cord ! It is very original yet can appeal to the everyday Joe! I am country and my husband is very rock n roll... But we agree this is a perfect fit for both..Very happy with it ! Nice change of pace ! We recommend it !

  • You're delighted to have these songs continue on in your head after the CD has s
    author: Christine Snyder

    Having seen the HB Winos in person several times, I bought this CD for their cover songs. But I have found their original works taking me on a journey of the soul that pleases and haunts and stays with me. This CD is the one I play the most and I seem to hear something new each time. A remarkable CD from a remarkable trio. There is definitely more than corn in Indiana! This CD is a must have!

  • Satisfying blend of melancholy mood and hopeful music. Maybe even inspirational!
    author: Illene Thomas

    Playing the CD repeatedly. I find the music comforting, in a hopeful, emotionally driving way. The lyrics are melancholy-and I do like melancholy.

  • GREAT CD, GRABBED ME BY THE HORNS AND NEVER LET GO!
    author: PARKJAGMAN
  • Haunting soulful tunes; solid CD throughout
    author: Don Glossinger

    There is a need in music to classify. Quite naturally a way is needed to describe a song or artist in order to communicate to others what the sound is like, but to label this CD as alternative country music, and let it go at that, would be to sell it very short. I love this CD and have eclectic musical taste. This is definitely a crossover. Fans of Blues, Folk, and Rock are likely to enjoy this work as much as die hard traditional Country Music fans and Alternative County Music fans. The haunting soulful tunes are well constructed and obviously born of real experience. That experience is fully communicated with every note played and sung. All the tracks hold up, and the production quality is excellent.

  • Great Music "From The Living Room"
    author: Jack Gubanc

    The Hillbilly Winos have obviously listened to a great deal of quality blues/roots music. Their own songs are based on the premise that "less is more" with quality lyrics and instrumentation. Their covers of songs by Townes Van Zandt, Tom Waits and Fred Eaglesmith due justice to those artist songs and indicate the HB Winos know top-notch music when they hear it. This album illustrates that you do not have to be from Austin, Nashville or New Orleans to play and record great Americana music, but you can reside in Indiana and do it also!

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