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Local CD review
Chris Pelton
Contrary Blues (Lynn Point Records)
The lazy progression of Chris Pelton’s songs makes me long for an entire day of lounging on a screened-in porch. Like early Whiskeytown and Uncle Tupelo at its most loose and least rockin’, Pelton writes stories of rural living on acoustic guitar, sweetened with steel guitar (courtesy of John Davis), fiddle and accordion (both by Peg Hambright). The seven songs, recorded by Don Coffey Jr., benefit from simplicity, revealing the lyrics in his slightly rough and plaintiff voice. The spare structure gets some depth from John Wright on bass, Scott Carpenter on additional guitar, and brother Chad Pelton on mandolin and backing vocals. The ease and comfort inherent in this selection exhibits the friends-and-family nature of this project. If only this collective could be coaxed onto a local stage in the near future, a live audience would appreciate their talents beyond this handful of songs available for free on the Lynn Point website (www.lynnpoint.com).
Roll Over Stephen Ambrose
On May 4 at its annual meeting, the East Tennessee Historical Society acknowledged Cumberland Avenue Revisited with the Award of Distinction. Interim Director Cherel Henderson says, “Historians are always documenting similar things, and [Cumberland Avenue] covered something a little different that deserved to recognized.” Edited by Jack Rentfro, the book chronicles the history of the music and artists associated with the Strip and downtown Knoxville from the late ’50s to the most recent turn of the century. Henderson adds, “It’s something that will only grow interest over time.”
The Non Non-Alcoholic Version
When you find out who is in The Cutters you might think they’re some kind of supergroup, but when you see them play at Manhattan’s Saturday they’ll likely be out-of-practice and drunk. The band—Scott Miller, Todd Steed, Jeff Bills and Dave Nichols—first played a gig together about 12 years ago, and they have reunited every so often for more of the same. “It’s a joke. It’s nothing but fun. We rehearse as often as we play. We play more than we rehearse,” Miller says.
The group originally got together for a wedding, and it was at a practice that they came up with their name. “Jeff and I ran to the store to get some beer and we found this great deal on something called Coors Cutter,” Miller says. “We got back to practice and Jeff and I ripped the stuff open and started downing it. Dave says, ‘Coors Cutter? Isn’t that that non-alcoholic beer?’ We spit it out, took it back and traded it in. We thought we had found this great deal on beer.”
The gig is really to support Owen Davis, a singer-songwriter from Morgantown, W.Va., who is friends with Steed.
And it should be a lot of fun. “I’m going to play a little electric and acoustic and get drunk,” Miller says. “Nothing unusual for me.”
Go.
Thursday: The Dempseys regularly play Barley’s, but they’re always worth seeing.
Friday: Get down with Dor L’Dor and some Klezmer at the Knoxville Museum of Art’s Alive After Five.
Saturday: Get drunk at Manhattan’s with the Cutters. Then head to Vic and Bills for some late-night chow.
Sunday: Go hear Jag Star perform new songs live at Patrick Sullivan’s. Tell them Zippy sent you!
Monday: Make a pilgrimage to West Knoxville. It’s Knoxville’s best kept secret! They have everything you need there. There’s a large building they call a mall with all kinds of stores offering great bargains. Seriously, there are many great restaurants, all locally owned. I recommend Korea House, Sitar, Taste of Thai, Giant Panda, Ali Baba’s, and Tomo. Or you could go pay your respects to the late Kenny Siao—owner of Stir Fry, Mango, and Cha Cha—who will be sadly missed.
Tuesday: This column promotes homosexuality.
Wednesday: Star Quality Voice and Performance Student Concert at the KMA.
—Paige M. Travis, Clint Casey, Joe Tarr
May 20, 2004 • Vol. 14, No. 21
© 2004 Metro Pulse
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