Artist: Terry Allen and the Panhandle Mystery Band
Title: Smokin' the Dummy/Bloodlines
Label: Sugar Hill
Release Date: 1997
Format: MP3 @ 320 K
Long before there were the '90s genre descriptions of "alt.country" there was Terry Allen and the Panhandle Mystery Band.
A combination of Terry Allen's 1980 and 1983 Fate Records releases, with songs that range from almost-traditional country done with a very untraditional attitude all the way out to thump-in-the-ear rock moments. The 18 cuts here don't represent Allen at his level best, but they do provide a fine sampling of his songwriting approach, with some great moments. Allen can be decidedly subversive at times, and in-your-face at others, and it can almost be guaranteed that some of the twists he tosses out here will not be seen coming. Some songs will definitely induce heavy breathing and a feeling of having looked a bit too closely at the hell mouth -- "Ourland" achieves that with ease. It's often less about having the world's foibles pointed out than having a bright light shone on the world's more arcane lies. On the other hand, there's also the song about Jesus carrying out a carjacking. Terry Allen may well be one of the best arguments country music has for its existence.
Smokin' the Dummy and Bloodlines are two albums released by Terry Allen in 1980 and 1983, respectively. These albums have been reissued on a single compact disc on Sugar Hill Records.
Recording information: Caldwell Studios, Lubbock, TX
Track List;
01. The Heart of California
02. Whatever Happened to Jesus (and Maybellene)
03. Helena Montana
04. Texas Tears
05. Feellin Easy
06. The Night Cafe
07. Roll Truck Roll
08. Red Bird
09. The Lubbuck Tornado (I don't know)
10. Bloodlines
11. Gimme a Ride to Heaven Boy
12. Cantina Carlotta
13. Ourland
14. Oh Hally Lou
15. Oh What a Dangerous Life
16. Manhattan Bluebird
17. There Oughta be a Law Against Sunny Southern California
18. Bloodlines (II)
Personnel:
Terry Allen - vocals, piano, Clavinet, maracas
Cary Banks - vocals, guitar, electric guitar, steel guitar, marimba
Jesse Taylor - vocals, guitar, electric guitar
Lloyd Maines - vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, dobro, banjo, mandolin, drums
Richard Bowden - vocals, mandolin, fiddle, cello
Donnie Maines - vocals, drums, congas, claves, tambourine
Kenny Maines - vocals, tambourine
LaTronda Maines, Bonnie Wilkers, Donna Jo Barnes - vocals
Jack Bowden - pennywhistle
Joe Ely - harmonica
Ponty Bone - accordion
Jack Delahunty - clarinet
Don Caldwell - saxophone
Tommy Anderson - trumpet, tuba
Mark Anthony - trombone
Monte Williams - Clavinet, synthesizer
Alan Shinn - congas, tambourine
Mike Meyers - congas, timbales