Blue Lou's Top 10 in Music 2013

Music is my comfort and joy.  It is my medicine.  I have enjoyed many genres of music since I was very young.  It is the soundtrack to life.  These are my favorite releases of 2013.  Of course it is blues heavy but not all blues.  You may be surprised at my favorites of the year.  Listen with me now to the best of 2013.  Enjoy the musical journey.


10.  Buddy Guy - " Rhythm & Blues"

Buddy Guy is the torchbearer for incendiary blues.  He is the Godfather of it.  Buddy Guy is what Jimi Hendrix would be if he had lived longer.  "Rhythm & Blues" shows that Guy's blazing chops are still in fine form.  The Chicago Blues are alive and well, thank you very much, thanks to Buddy Guy and his wonderfully young seventy-seven year old soul. Lots of good ones here and some very interesting guest appearances:  Kid Rock, Keith Urban, Beth Hart, Steven Tyler, Joe Perry and Brad Whitford from Aerosmith, and Gary Clark Jr.   Buddy's still got it.

9.  Tinsley Ellis - "Get It!"

Atlanta bluesman Tinsley Ellis' instrumental release "Get It!" is old school.  Blues, surf, chicken pickin', Southern rock all on a fun and at times intense release that showcases Ellis' guitar brilliance and his various influences.  This one shines. 

8.  Moreland & Arbuckle - "7 Cities"

I swear Moreland & Arbuckle are straight out of North Mississippi.   Turns out they're from Kansas.  How does this hot Hill Country Blues-Roots-Rock trio not come from the Delta?  Blues is universal.  So is very good music.  Aaron Moreland on cigar box guitar absolutely kills it on "Tall Boogie".  Check them out for yourself.

And maybe the most interesting cover for 2013 for "7 Cities" is Moreland & Arbuckle covering Tears For Fears'  "Everybody Wants To Rule The World", seen and heard here:

7.  Tedeschi Trucks Band - "Made Up Mind"

Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks' super group maintains excellence with "Made Up Mind".  Beautiful vocals from soulful Tedeschi, brilliant slide guitar from Trucks, a big horn and percussion section, funky, bluesy, rock and soul all mesh to form a near perfect CD.  Check out one of the Tedeschi Trucks Band shows if you get a chance - brilliant!

6.  The Avett Brothers -  "Magpie and the Dandelion"

A lot has been written about The Avett Brothers in the last couple of years.  Audiences have found their live shows riveting and lively.  They have an extremely loyal following.  And no wonder!  Superb song writing, beautiful harmonizing, masterful musicianship, great chemistry all abound in this North Carolina band.   Roots, folk, bluegrass, rock, country all rolled into one to create a great American sound.   This release harkens to some of their earlier efforts and has a very earthy feel to it. 

5.  Shawn Holt and The Teardrops - "Daddy Told Me"

Shawn Holt is the son of the late, great Magic Slim (Morris Holt).  Magic Slim's band, The Teardrops, back Shawn on this debut effort, and man does it sizzle and pop.  Gut wrenching blues with tight and heavy guitar licks, big on the Chicago gut bucket sound.  Thick and swirling with his legendary father's influences, Shawn Holt hits a home run with this one, featuring some blues standards and some great originals.  (Favorite lyrics, from "Hold You Again", "My tears are my only friend...")

4.  The Civil Wars  -  "The Civil Wars"

Simply the best duo in any music genre today.  Haunting harmonies,  virtuoso musicianship, deep soulful and heart-wrenching songs... and they are not speaking to each other?  Joy Williams and John Paul White comprise The Civil Wars and yet they have been uncivil to each other since Williams took a "maternity leave" from touring late in 2012.  Yet they still managed to record a deep, melancholy and reflective self-titled CD.  Even the artwork for the cover is bleak.  This release features a fantastic cover of Smashing Pumpkins' "Disarm".

Their future is not bleak though.   We can only hope that they work out their differences.  They are simply phenomenal.

3.  JJ Grey & Mofro  -  "This River"

JJ Grey & Mofro hail from Jacksonville and their sound is decidedly Southern.  Rock/blues/soul/funk and a little jam band thrown in for good measure.  Sprinkles of the Muscle Shoals sound and Stax Records are heard.  Grey's voice is gritty and honest.  His lyrics reflect a great wit with a slower pace, then he gets funky and you must boogie.  One of my favorite songs of the year is the title cut "This River".   I love this release; was played constantly over the summer when I was down on Watts Bar Lake on the Tennessee River.

2.  Southern Hospitality  -  "Easy Livin'" 

Southern Hospitality.  That says it all.  This Southern Super Band is made up of regional stars of Southern music.  On this debut release they blend blues, soul, funk, swamp, Southern rock, gospel and reggae all into a giant tasteful biscuit of Southern Love.  Shades of Little Feat, Dr. John, and CCR all echo in their gritty Southern soulful sound, yet it is still fresh and tasteful.  You feel Memphis and New Orleans all over this release.   Get me some sweet tea and butter my biscuit 'cause this is one the best releases of any genre in 2013.  Bonus:  this release was produced by Tab Benoit.  Win.

1.  The Wood Brothers  -  "The Muse"

The Wood Brothers are Oliver (guitars) and Chris (upright bass) along with percussionist- instrumentalist Jano Rix.  The brothers grew up listening to blues and roots music, which is the base of their sound now, forming a Folk-Blues-Roots trio that conveys the Americana musical form to perfection.  Solid, witty and thoughtful songwriting paired with extraordinary musicianship provided for my favorite release of the year.  Reflective ballads, country blues-based boogies, strong stories reflect in their songs.  Fantastic chemistry and professionalism are conveyed in their recording and live shows.  Oliver carries the weight with an earthy vocal style that harkens to a simpler time while remaining contemporary.  His style eases the soul and captivates the mind.  The Wood Brothers are simply one of the best Amercian bands recording and performing today.  If you haven't had the pleasure of listening to them or enjoying one of their live shows, do yourself a huge favor and indulge.  You will find your muse.

Pulling Out All The Stops: A Pulled Pork Primer

Pulled pork BBQ.  I love it but I've never cooked any... until now.  Time to get busy.

Got a couple of small bone-in Boston butt pork shoulders at my local butcher shop with one goal in mind: smoked pulled pork BBQ.  I've researched the methods, studied cooking times, stocked my wood piles, checked my schedule... I'm ready.  Gonna smoke some Boston butt on my day off from work.

Smoking day; time to prep.
First step: set out my 5+ lb chunk of pork to apply seasonings and rub.  I used regular yellow mustard to slather all over the pork first, then applied a commercial spice rub, Bad Byron's Butt Rub, which is very similar to my own homemade rub with a bit more black pepper.  This is then covered with aluminum foil and can be refrigerated overnight if possible.  I was a bit pressed for time so I put my rub on the Boston butt then started to get my smoker ready.

first mustard, then spice rub

Second step: Lit my charcoal chimney using hardwood chunks instead of briquettes for a quicker better fire start, apple and hickory woods used for smoking the meat after fire gets going.

Third step: Once the cooking area of the smoker is up to around 225°F degrees, I start smoking the Boston butt pork shoulder roast.  At proper temperature, the pork should take 1 1/2 hours per pound to fully cook.

starting charcoal as pork rub sets on Boston butt

lump hardwood charcoal in the firebox

split hickory wood and whole short cut apple wood chunks

5+ lb Boston butt pork shoulder

Steady steps: Now I've got the smoker temperature steady at 225°F, adding wood every hour or so while also turning the meat quarter turns every hour.  The scent of the mostly apple wood smoke is tantalizingly welcome - I want to bathe in it! Wow - it is sweet and inviting.  Always great to use fruit woods in the smoker.  I know the neighbors like it.

apple and hickory wood smoke - succulent and sassy

Extra step: Added a special guest to my BBQ, say hello to Chubby Bologna.  Smoked bologna is quite a treat and very easy to add to your smoke deck if you have the room.  Just get a loaf of your favorite brand, open it, put it on the back end of the smoker and turn it every 45 minutes.  A 1 lb loaf will cook in about 3-4 hours.  Easy, delicious, different.

bologna and Boston butt on the smoke deck

Important step: After smoking the Boston butt for around 7 hours and the bologna for about 3 hours, I check the internal temperature of the pork to make certain that it has fully cooked. Using a meat thermometer, I insert it into the meat and the internal temp should be 204°F.  When the desired temperature was reached, I removed the pork to a large tray and covered in foil.  I let it sit for about an hour to cool off so I could pull the pork and remove the bone.  I have already removed the bologna about an hour earlier and wrapped it in foil also.  I check on it and it is still hot!

still hot; beautiful pink smoke ring

Final step: The pork falls apart easily using first some forks then just my hands.  It is still a bit hot but the aroma and the beautiful smoke ring have me motivated and so does my hungry family.  Anticipation gives way to taste tests.  Light on the seasoning, heavy on the smoke, which is just right.  Side of smoked bologna, a couple of bottles of my favorite commercial BBQ sauces.  I'm ready to eat.  So is the clan.  Succulent, juicy, perfect.  I have to say it was the most tender pulled pork I have ever tasted.  And I smoked it!  Another method marked off the list.  I'm ready to tackle beef brisket.  But that is for another time... for this one, I pulled out all the stops - and made damn near perfect pulled pork BBQ.



Bonus step: beer pairings.  There are several really good beers to pair with smoked pulled pork. The best ones I've tried are:

1.  Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Märzen - a German smoked beer that pairs perfectly with any smoked meat.
2. Yazoo Pale Ale - locally brewed pale ale that also pairs well with many dishes.
3. Downtown Grill and Brewery Alt - nice German-style beer that lends itself nicely to hearty meats and roasted dishes.
4. Sprecher Black Bavarian - a black lager, tasty, light enough for many foods, dark enough to have some flavor.   

Musical step: I always have my iPod on when I'm on my deck attending my grills and smoker, listening to an eclectic mix of tunes.  During this smoking the music that moved me was:

1. Alabama Shakes - Boys & Girls
2. Johnny Winter - Roots
3. Tab Benoit - Medicine
4. The Black Keys - El Camino
5. Sean Costello - Sean's Blues