William Elliott Whitmore - Field Songs (2011)

Field Songs unfolds like the musical score to a film on agricultural life. I can't help but think of digging my hands in the dirt, hammering cracked barn siding and tilling long stretches of soil on a rusted-out tractor. With this album as my soundtrack, such a life almost sounds appealing. The vivid imagery speaks to Whitmore's ability to channel so much soul, old-timey grit and emotion with just his unique voice, banjo or acoustic guitar and crickets, birds and frogs as backup singers. Field Songs is even more simplistic than Animals In The Dark, Whitmore's fantastic 2009 release, which is fine from my perspective. It also helps that Whitmore seems like a genuinely likable and humble guy—someone I'd really enjoy sharing a Black Star sixer with on a front porch somewhere where the stars glow like floodlights. The title track (below) is probably my favorite, but in truth, I could listen to the whole album over and over without interruption. For additional individual highlights, check out: "Everything Gets Gone" and "Not Feeling Any Pain."

The man will be playing Slim's in San Francisco on September 23rd with James Vincent McMorrow. Should be an amazing show.

NightraiN's Shummer Short List

William Elliott Whitmore - Animals In The Dark. Absolutely fantastic vocals on this one. With tracks like "Lifetime Underground," "Hell Or High Water," and "Old Devils" leading the way, Animals In The Dark plays like a beloved album from a long-gone era.



Murder City Devils @ The Great American Music Hall. What a show this was: Drunk performers, beer showers, a surging crowd, and all the songs you would demand from one of the hardest rocking, hardest partying bands of the last decade.





The Builders and The Butchers - Salvation Is A Deep Dark Well. Fantastic sophomore album that induces the head to bob, toes to tap, and the body to shake. Solid from beginning to end, this unique sounding band puts together an album that matches the enthusiasm and energy of their live performances.


Fires Of Rome - You Kingdom You. My album of the year so far. Great rock n roll tunes that both impress and entertain. Love the tracks "Damn Lament," "Love Is A Burning Thing," and "Bronx Bombardier." Party Time!

Auto-tune(ing) The News. Addicting and very quotable, shortaaay... "What you trying to say about Iowa?"... Should Auto-Tune continue to produce? "My brain says 'NO,' but my body says 'YES!'"... and making fun of Sean Hannity (The Real Angry Gorilla)... "surely you jest, I'm under cardiac arrest!" Damn good stuff, shortay!

William Elliott Whitmore - Animals In The Dark (2009)

It took me exactly 15 seconds of the song "Old Devils" to know that I loved this album. I know how ridiculous it sounds to judge an entire album on 15 seconds of one track, but to clarify, I should admit that I didn't start listening to this album blind to Whitmore's style and skills. When a friend recommended I check him out about 3 years ago, because of my passion for The White Buffalo, I listened to "Midnight" off of Ashes To Dust, and was convinced it was either an old black man singing (thinking Keb' Mo'-ish), or Tom Waits. Regrettably, at the time, Whitmore's music, for whatever reason, didn't make it into my regular rotation, and I kinda forgot how amazing he is (AND, I'm a complete idiot for missing his stop in San Francisco last month). Anyway, Animals In The Dark is a mixture of folk, americana, blues, old-timey, (my current favorite music genre/descriptive term) and soul that just captivates the shit out of me, because Whitmore's voice is a layer-cake of passion, struggle, heartbreak, enthusiasm, and grit. Everything is so simplistic on this album, its absolutely brilliant. The approach consists of Whitmore's remarkable, deep, rough, bluesy, soulful to the point of gospel, "I gargle gravel with Mark Lanegan" voice, and a guitar or banjo, occasionally accompanied by perhaps some drums, foot-stomping, organ, strings, or the like, as a rhythmic backdrop. With every listen I get more and more enamored with tracks like, "Lifetime Underground," "Hard Times," "There's Hope For You," "Who Stole The Soul," and, of course, "Old Devils."

For a video introduction to Whitmore, check out this lil video shot on his farm in Iowa.