Artist: BLUEHEELS
Album: LESSONS IN SUNDAY DRIVING
Label: BLUEHEELS
Release Date: 10 JUN 2008
Website: n/a
Myspace: www.myspace.com/blueheelsrocknroll

The pride of Neenah, Wisconsin returns, and from the sounds of things, their debut was no fluke. Robby Schiller has the best adenoidal sneer this side of Willie Nelson, and songwriting chops to boot.

Standout tracks include #3, 4, and 5: the blistering rocker "Keep Yer Mouth Shut," the organ driven "Lion and the Lamb," and the country waltz "Desperate," which might be the best trio of back-to-back-to-back songs on any 2008 release. Worth the price of admission alone.

"Lion and the Lamb"

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Artist: HAYES CARLL
Album: TROUBLE IN MIND
Label: LOST HIGHWAY
Release Date: 08 APR 2008
Website: www.hayescarll.com
Myspace: www.myspace.com/hayescarll

Album cover seem familiar? Sort of The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan done up Texas-style, isn't it? Not entirely inappropriate. A freewheelin' collection of alt.texas.country.folk.americana what-have-you, Trouble in Mind ranges from the explicitly Dylanesque ("A Lover Like You") to humorous Todd Snider-evoking ditties ("She Left Me For Jesus"). Even the album's cover songs are well chosen: a solid version of Tom Waits' "I Don't Wanna Grow Up" and "Bad Liver and a Broken Heart"--not the Tom Waits tune this time, but a lesser known Scott Nolan song. A leading contender for album of the year.

"Wild as a Turkey"

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"A Lover Like You"

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Artist: CENTRO-MATIC / SOUTH SAN GABRIEL
Album: DUAL HAWKS
Label: MISRA
Release Date: 07 APR 2008
Website: www.centro-matic.com
Myspace: www.myspace.com/centromatic

A double album featuring one disc from both of Will Johnson's bands (Centro-matic and South San Gabriel), Dual Hawks has a little something for everyone. The Centro-matic side picks up where the outstanding Fort Recovery (2006) left off. The South San Gabriel disc, meanwhile, is a bit more introspective and meandering, but pleasantly so. Two great albums for the price of one is a deal in our book. Try these on for size:

Centro-matic - "Quality Strange"

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South San Gabriel - "Kept on the Sly"

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This disc has been sitting on our desk for nearly a year now. We included two cuts on Cheezeball Mix #16, back in May, and another on Cheezeball Mix #17 in September, but the album still hasn't seen the light of day. So we've changed tack. Instead of waiting for a firm release date to sing its praises, we're going to go ahead and holler.

Give "Last Man Standing" a listen:

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Artist: GRAHAM LINDSEY
Album: WE ARE ALL ALONE IN THIS TOGETHER
Label: SPACEBAR RECORDINGS
Release Date: 18 NOV 2008
Website: n/a
Myspace: www.myspace.com/grahamlindsey

Not to be confused with a certain hypocritical republif*ck from South Carolina, Graham Lindsey is a rough-and-tumble, Montana-based musician with a sharp tongue and a sharper ear. We Are All Alone in This Together is nearly flawless.

Here's "Shit on the Shovel." Have yourself some:

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