Day: June 21, 2023

New album release: Blood Brothers – Dallas Burrow

Dallas Burrow paints a full circle picture of his home with the first song “River Town” from his upcoming Jonathan Tyler-produced album Blood Brothers. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Dallas Burrow, a Texas-born Americana artist rooted in the tradition of his home state’s songwriting heroes, built a career on both sides of the Atlantic with his 2019 debut Southern Wind. It reached Number 25 on the UK Americana Chart and Number 4 on the US Alt-Country chart, paving the way for a string of cross-country shows alongside fellow road warriors like Charley Crockett. For Burrow—a lifelong explorer who had spent his 20s on the move, chasing his muse across most of America and Europe while rubbing shoulders with luminaries like Bob Dylan and Dr. John—being so far away from home felt natural. Even so, he began missing the stability of his new life back in Texas, where he had built a family and gotten sober. His second album, 2021’s Dallas Burrow, marked both a symbolic and literal homecoming for the songwriter, who recorded the material with modern-day legend Bruce Robison in the rural Texas countryside. His new album Blood Brothers finds Burrow telling the story of his musical roots, his father’s influence on his craft, and his own personal journey as a songwriter; all in his signature, gravely baritone. (IV-PR, 2023)

“River Town,” the opening track from his upcoming album Blood Brothers, rides a pulsing country backbeat and is dressed up with a fiddle, organ, electric guitar, and producer Jonathan Tyler singing harmonies. It tells the true story of Burrow’s small-town Texas upbringing, the leaving, and the coming back to start a family. “After getting in a little trouble, doing a lot of traveling, fast living, and soul searching—and finally meeting my wife and starting to settle down a little—in the end, I realized just what a beautiful area it was to live after all, and the perfect place for us to raise a kid,” he says. The Bluegrass Situation premiered the single, diving more into the backstory.

Fans can hear “River Town” at this link and watch the video for Burrow’s previously-released single, “Out My Window” here. 

With Blood Brothers, Burrow wanted to chase something a little more refined and a little more polished than his previous two efforts: Southern Wind and Dallas Burrow. With the creative vision and technical talent of producer Jonathan Tyler, Burrow took everything he had learned from the last two album cycles, plus a lot more experience on tour, and brought a new outlook—not to mention what he calls “some of the best songs I’ve ever written”—into the recording studio, crafting his best work to date. Existing fans of Burrow’s will find his instantly recognizable songs sung in his signature gravelly tone, but there are hints of something deeper afoot. Musically, the pair of Burrow and Tyler chased down new tones influenced by everything from Stax to Muscle Shoals to New Orleans, but lyrically, Burrow’s journey through his own history and influences steals the show. “The songs on Blood Brothers tell about where I’m from, where I’ve been, what I’ve done, and what I’ve seen,” he says.

Blood Brothers track list:
River Town
Starry Eyes
Devil’s Tongue
Out My Window
Motel 6
A Lot of it Was
Only Game in Town
Blood Brothers
Mr. Mudd and Mr. Gold
X Old Flames
Wild Bill
You Go On Ahead
True Believer

Catch Dallas Burrow on tour:
June 23 – San Antonio, TX – The Lonesome Rose
June 24 – San Marcos, TX – Cheatham Street Warehouse
June 30 – Houston, TX – The Mucky Duck
July 7 & 8 – Red River, NM – Motherlode Saloon
July 21 – New Braunfels, TX – Freiheit Country Store
Jul 22 – Luckenbach, TX – Luckenbach Dancehall
July 29 – Hunter, TX – Riley’s Tavern
August 2 – La Grande, OR – Union County
August 3 – Portland, OR – Topaz Farm
August 4 – Sisters, OR – The Belfry
August 5 – Carson City, NV – Nashville Social Club
August 6 – Arbuckle, CA – Burgie’s
August 7 – Bakersfield, CA – Pyrenees Cafe
August 9 – Santa Cruz, CA – Moe’s Alley
August 10 – Los Angeles, CA – Zebulon
August 11 & 12 – Lake Havasu, AZ – Jermey’s Juke Joint
August 13 – Mesa, AZ – Roosters Country
August 25 – Kingsbury, TX – 1281 Sherrill Rd
August 26 – New Braunfels, TX – Riley’s Tavern
September 8 – Driftwood, TX – Wings Over
September 22 – La Grange, TX – Bugle Boy
September 23 – Boerne, TX – Salvador DOBBS
September 30 – Red River, NM – Motherlode Saloon
November 25 – New Braunfels, TX – Riley’s Tavern

 

Diversifying your plate: tips for introducing new foods to your diet

Woman in purple eating. Photo: Andrea Piacquadio/Pexels, used with permission.

We often stick to the tried and tested when it comes to our dietary habits. However, opening up your taste buds to new flavors not only broadens your culinary horizons but gives you a range of health benefits. Here are five strategies to break the monotony and introduce new foods to your diet effectively.

Start Small: Embrace Baby Steps

Introducing new foods into your diet can feel like a culinary adventure. To make this journey smooth and enjoyable, it’s essential to start with small servings. Our palate sometimes needs time to adjust to unfamiliar flavors and small portions can make this adjustment period more manageable.

Imagine you’ve stumbled across a tantalizing lamb burgers recipe, and you’re eager to give it a try. Go all-in and prepare a full meal around this new dish; or you could consider starting with just a mini burger or two, pairing them with familiar side dishes. This step-by-step approach allows your taste buds to familiarize themselves with the new flavors gradually, enhancing your chances of developing a liking for the new food.

Pair With Favorites: Use The Trojan Horse Method

Pairing new foods with your all-time favorites can be a smart way to experiment. This technique not only enhances the flavor profile of your dishes but also makes the unfamiliar, more familiar.

You might love your grilled chicken and use it regularly in your salads. So, when introducing a new vegetable like kale, pair it with your grilled chicken salad. The familiar taste of chicken can help mask the bitterness of kale, aiding your taste buds to get accustomed to it.

Explore Cultural Dishes: The World Is Your Oyster

Every culture has a unique culinary repertoire that can open a whole new world of flavors. Exploring international cuisines not only widens your food choices but also exposes you to a range of nutritious options.

Japanese cuisine, for example, is known for its use of seafood and fermented foods that are excellent for gut health. On the other hand, Mediterranean cuisine utilizes a plethora of fresh vegetables, legumes, and olive oil, which are renowned for heart health. So why not try a traditional Greek moussaka or an Indian lentil curry and bring the world to your kitchen?

Engage Your Senses: Make Eating A Mindful Activity

Mindful eating is a powerful strategy to accept new foods. Paying attention to the colors, smells, and textures of your food can enhance your overall eating experience.

Think of it as a sensory exploration. Say, for a new fruit like dragon fruit, observe its vibrant color, feel its leathery skin, smell its fresh aroma, and then take a bite. This sensory engagement can make the unfamiliar food more appealing and enjoyable.

Be Patient: Accept That It’s A Process

The journey of diversifying your plate is a gradual process. It’s completely natural to not like a new food the first time you try it. Research suggests it may take up to 15 times of trying a new food before you develop a liking for it. So, don’t give up on the first try.

Remember, every step you take towards introducing new foods to your diet is a victory. And over time, your palate will grow to appreciate the variety, leading to a more nourishing and satisfying eating experience.

To sum it up, introducing new foods to your diet doesn’t need to be a daunting task. By following these tips, you can gradually expand your culinary landscape, making your meals not just healthier, but also more interesting and enjoyable.

Collaborative Post