Monday, March 17, 2008

Music Monday

Yes, I'm still alive. (C: A combination of travelling and the flu has gotten me down, but I'm back to normal--er, back to what qualifies as normal in my life. I'm digging out of task hell right now but hadn't posted in like forever, so at least wanted to get a "Music Monday" post up...




Today's album goes back a bit, but not quite as far as I did with my last MM post. The choice for this week is George Strait's live album "For The Last Time: Live From The Houston Astrodome."

It was recorded during Strait's set at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo in 2002--the last year it was held in the Astrodome before it was torn down. Strait has a long history with the HLSR, and even talks about it in a monologue on the record.

Before I bought this record I knew who Strait was but wasn't very familiar with his work. It caught me right from the beginning--the crowd goes wild when his band starts an instrumental Texas swing version of "Deep In The Heart of Texas".

Strait is one of those artists that does a quality recording whether it's live or in studio. His voice never varies, and he doesn't lose it on any of the high or low notes. He does some new stuff and some old stuff, and you can tell he's really having a blast with the concert.

If country music doesn't completely turn you off (and it does some people, I know), this disc is definitely worth a listen. It's one of my all-time favorite CDs.

Anyway, that's it for today boys and girls. Good to be back in the posting mode.

More later...

4 Comments:

Sue said...

I'm so far out of the loop. How is it I know what's going on in the primaries, but I had no idea the Astrodome was torn down?

I like George, by the way.

Daniel said...

Strait was really big back in the early/mid eighties. He sold a TON of records. Not always one of my favorites but definitely honored the traditions of western swing a la Earnest Tubb and Bob Wills. I always like this song by him: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1iZcIaRH4UY Speaking of Texas music, I don't know if you followed the major events of this year's South by Southwest (SxSW) shows and events (tech and film as well as music) in Austin, but it's been pretty darn amazing...country is just the beginning, and alternative music is the focus, but nothing is left out. Check out http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/page/news/49331-guide-to-pitchforks-sxsw-2008-coverage for more info on this big event that my brother is a regular at every year (along with 100,000++ others). I have also written about the event a little on my blog today at http://www.hypermean.com/blog.

snowelf said...

Isn't he the

"in all the world, you'll never find
a heart as true
as mine..."

guy?

I don't mind him so much. ;D

Glad you're feeling posty again, Jim! :)

--snow

jtj3 said...

Sue, sorry you're out of the loop...but don't feel bad. Had I not heard this record, I doubt I would have known!

Dan you're right on the money about Strait honoring his roots...in fact, Bob Willis' last album is called "For The Last Time," so Strait's choice of titles seems an homage.

Snow, that's the one! Er, glad you don't mind him. You'll still be my friend even if I like country, right? (C: And yes, "posty" describes how I feel now...