Fiona Apple joins Watkins Family Hour on upcoming album Vol. II

Fiona Apple Joins Watkins Family Hour On “(Remember Me) I’m The One Who Loves You” From Upcoming Album Vol. II due out August 19, 2022. Vol. II features guests Jackson Browne, Lucius, Madison Cunningham, and many more. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Watkins Family Hour is a collaborative musical project founded by musicians and siblings Sara Watkins and Sean Watkins and traditionally held at the beloved Los Angeles club Largo. Since the first Watkins Family Hour show in 2002, the duo has released three studio albums, debuting with their self-titled album in 2015, following with Brother Sister in 2020, and, most recently, releasing Vol. II in August 2022. Sean and Sara recorded Vol. II at Los Angeles’ East West Studios in early 2022 alongside a stacked roster of longtime and new Family Hour collaborators, including Fiona Apple, Jackson Browne, Madison Cunningham, Lucius, Jon Brion, and more. As with their debut, the band will tour in support of Vol. II, bringing the Watkins Family Hour experiences to stages far and wide. Vol. II will be released August 19, 2022. (Watkins Family Hour, 2022)

The group shared “(Remember Me) I’m the One Who Loves You” from Vol. II; a track that features former Family Hour touring band member, longtime fixture at Largo, and wholly singular artist in her own right, Fiona Apple. Watkins Family Hour’s “(Remember Me)” kicks off with long-time Heartbreaker Benmont Tench’s honky-tonk piano and ends with Greg Leisz’s slinky pedal steel; the two enveloping a smile-inducing performance crowned by Sara, Sean, and Fiona’s three-part blend in the song’s iconic choruses. “I first heard this Stuart Hamblen song while going down an Ernest Tubb rabbit hole,” remembers Sara. “It’s hard for us to resist a country shuffle with attitude like this one. It’s our favorite kind of thing to sing with Fiona Apple.”

Fans can hear “(Remember Me) I’m the One Who Love You” now and read the premiere on Consequence of Sound. Check out WFH’s previously-released Tune-Yards cover “Hypnotized,” and pre-order or pre-save Vol. II ahead of its August 19 release date.

Vol. II follows Watkins Family Hour’s sophomore album Brother Sister, which they released as the COVID-19 pandemic began taking hold of the globe and, in turn, shut down the live music industry. That record was, serendipitously, a quieter affair, showcasing the musical interplay between Sara and Sean that keeps the Family Hour heart beating. In many ways, it is also a successor to Watkins Family Hour, the self-titled 2015 album that introduced the band to a broader audience and sent them, along with some of their closest collaborators, out on the road to tour.

As both Sean and Sara continue to work on their own solo music, as well as with their other bands like Nickel Creek and I’m With Her, Watkins Family Hour remains an invaluable resource and respite for them both, offering a familiar but ever-evolving space to test new ideas, meet new collaborators and, most importantly, have a good time doing what they love.

“It’s been really exciting to be part of this thing that is happening and growing and enables us to dig deep into this musical community,” Sean says. “The consistency has been invaluable to both of us, as musicians.” Sara adds, “But also, in life, the Family Hour has been and continues to be a huge part of making us feel anchored in the crazy city of Los Angeles.”

Vol. II track list:
The Way I Feel Inside (Ft. Lucius)
Hypnotized
Pitseleh (Feat. Madison Cunningham)
Thanks a Lot (Ft. Jon Brion)
The Late Show (Ft. Jackson Browne)
Tennessee Waltz (Ft. Benmont Tench)
She Left Me Standing on the Mountain (Ft. Willie Watson)
We Were Meant to Be Together
On the Outside (Ft. Gaby Moreno)
(Remember Me) I’m the One Who Loves You (Ft. Fiona Apple)
Grief and Praise (Ft. Madison Cunningham)

Catch Watkins Family Hour on tour:
August 13 – Lexington, VA – Lime Kiln Theater
August 14 – York, PA – Susquehanna Folk Festival
September 16 – Cincinnati, OH – Longworth-Anderson Series at Memorial Hall
September 17 – Nashville, TN – Americana Fest
September 18 – Indianapolis, IN – The Toby Theatre
September 20 – Ann Arbor, MI – The Ark
September 21 – Kent, OH – Kent Stage
September 22 – Ft. Wayne, IN – Clyde Theatre
September 23 – Bay Harbor, MI – Great Lakes Center for the Arts
September 24 – Chicago, IL – Old Town School of Folk Music
September 25 – Chicago, IL – Old Town School of Folk Music
November 13 – Beaverton, OR – The Reser

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Americana trailblazer Jim Lauderdale announces new album Game Changer

Jim Lauderdale’s new album Game Changer will be out August 26, 2022. That Kind of Life (That Kind of Day) is the new single from the album. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

In a flurry of steel guitar and raucous drum beats, Americana renaissance man Jim Lauderdale kicks off Game Changer—his 35th full-length album—with “That Kind Of Life (That Kind Of Day),” a rollicking ode to what Jim calls “the sentiment and wishes for others to have a good life.” Lauderdale had the instrumental twin guitar/steel hook in his head when he sat down to write “That Kind Of Life.” American Songwriter premiered the track and called it “a message of the times, delivered like only Lauderdale can in a blended Americana fuse.” Fans can listen to “That Kind Of Life (That Kind Of Day)” now and pre-order or pre-save Game Changer ahead of its August 26 release. (Jim Lauderdale, 2022)

In addition to the exciting news of Lauderdale’s new album, he has also just been named a 2022 nominee for the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. Lauderdale, along with eleven other of his contemporaries, will be celebrated at the Songwriters Hall of Fame Gala in October where the Class of 2022 Hall of Fame inductees will be announced.

Operating under his own label, Sky Crunch Records, for the first time since 2016, Lauderdale recorded Game Changer at the renowned Blackbird Studios in Nashville, co-producing the release with Jay Weaver and pulling from songs he had written over the last several years. “There’s a mixture on this record of uplifting songs and, at the same time, songs of heartbreak and despair—because that’s part of life as well,” he says. “In the country song world especially, that’s always been part of it. That’s real life.”

At any given time, you are likely to find Jim Lauderdale making music, whether he is laying down a new track in the studio or working through a spontaneous melody at his home in Nashville. If he is not actively crafting new music, he is certainly thinking about it. “It’s a constant challenge to try to keep making better and better records, write better and better songs. I still always feel like I’m a developing artist,” he says. This may be a surprising sentiment from a man who’s won two Grammys, released 34 full-length albums, and taken home the Americana Music Association’s coveted Wagonmaster Award. His forthcoming album Game Changer is convincing evidence that the North Carolina native is only continuing to hone his craft.

Catch Jim Lauderdale on tour:
August 13 – Maggie Valley, NC – Songwriting Camp
August 26 – Nashville, TN – Grand Ole Opry
August 31 – Nashville, TN – 3rd & Lindsley album release show
September 11 – Bristol, VA – Bristol Rhythm and Roots
September 13-17 – Nashville, TN – AmericanaFest
September 24 – Nashville, TN – Tommy Emmanuel’s CMA Theatre
September 25 – Nashville, TN – Tommy Emmanuel’s Guitar Camp
October 7 – Augusta, GA – Summer Series
October 8 – Pelham, TN – Cave Fest @ The Caverns
October 12 – Jacksonville Beach, FL – Blue Jay Listening Room
October 13 – Live Oak, FL – Suwanee Roots Revival 2022
October 21 – Pomeroy, OH – Songwriter Weekend Fur Peace Ranch
November 3 – Los Angeles, CA – Outlaw Country West 2022

 

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Highly anticipated restaurant Carriqui announces opening date

Potluck Hospitality announces Carriqui opening date for September 2, 2022. Image courtesy of Don B. McDonald Architect, used with permission.

Potluck Hospitality is excited to announce that the highly anticipated 380-seat restaurant Carriqui will be opening to the public at Pearl on Friday, September 2, 2022, offering lunch and dinner service seven days a week. Named after the green jay of South Texas, the flightpath of the carriqui is the inspiration for the menu, which showcases South Texas foodways—from the Rio Grande Valley to the Texas coast and north to San Antonio. Such menu items include fresh seafood from the Gulf, Rio Grande-inspired botana platters, pit-cooked barbacoa and brisket, a masa program, and a robust cocktail and beverage program. (Potluck Hospitality, 2022)

Led by Executive Chef Jaime Gonzales, Carriqui is opening in the historic building formerly home to Boehler’s Liberty Saloon and Liberty Bar. The restaurant features three different main dining spaces: The Carriqui House, The Rock House and Courtyard & Back Porch. Private dining options for large groups and parties will also be available.

Business hours:
Open seven days a week
Sunday through Wednesday: 11a.m. – 10p.m.
Thursday, Friday and Saturday: 11a.m. – 11p.m.

Carriqui
239 E Grayson St.
San Antonio, TX 78215

Founded in 2022, Potluck Hospitality conceives, operates, manages, and partners on culinary and experiential brands in San Antonio, TX. Potluck Hospitality concepts include Best Quality Daughter, Brasserie Mon Chou Chou, Carriqui, Food Hall at Bottling Dept., Ladino, and Stable Hall (coming 2023). Potluck’s team is made up of chefs, designers, strategists in culture-crafting, brand, and finance that all share a love of food and gathering. Potluck Hospitality’s name pays tribute to memorable experiences with great food, great music, and great company–where everyone has something to contribute. Being together, sharing meals, and communally experiencing music is elemental to what it means to be human.

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Taco Cabana launches new limited-time menu items and Hatch Chile Margaritas

Taco Cabana celebrates Hatch Chile season with a new limited-time Hatch Chile Margarita and a full platform of new menu items. Photo: Taco Cabana, used with permission.

Launching August 17, 2022, for the first time in the company’s history and in celebration of Hatch Chile season, Taco Cabana is offering all-new Hatch Chile Smoked Pulled Pork menu options at all Taco Cabana locations in Texas. Guests can enjoy Tacos for $3.19, a three-pack of Street Tacos served with Hatch Chile Ranch for $4.99, a Breakfast Bowl for $5.49, and a Crunchy Burrito served with Hatch Chile Ranch and tortilla chips for $8.59. Items are available for a limited-time only and while supplies last. (Taco Cabana, 2022)

Following the launch of Taco Cabana’s Margarita Headquarters, guests 21 years of age or older can enjoy the perfect complement to the new Hatch Chile food items – a refreshing frozen margarita with a kick, the all-new $4 Hatch Chile Margarita. The spicy tequila beverage will be this season’s rotating flavor offered alongside Taco Cabana’s 12 permanent margarita options available for $3 each all-day, every day.

“Hatch Chile season in Texas is a tradition, one that Texans look forward to every year. For the first time in Taco Cabana’s 40+ year history, we wanted to celebrate Hatch season with an exciting new Hatch Chile platform showcasing both food and beverage items. We’re introducing a Hatch Chile Breakfast Bowl, a Crunchy Burrito made with tortilla strips and adding to our recent Margarita Headquarters launch, a one-of-a-kind Hatch Chile Margarita. Guests can also enjoy Hatch Chile flavors with Taco Cabana favorites like street tacos and tacos served on our warm flour tortillas made daily in-restaurant.” – Ulyses Camacho, Taco Cabana’s Chief Operating Officer

Taco Cabana’s limited-time Hatch Chile menu options can be ordered in-restaurant, via online ordering for front counter and curbside pick-up, in the drive-thru, or by mobile order when using the MY TC!® App or ordering online. 

Taco Cabana, a subsidiary of YTC Enterprises, LLC, was founded in 1978. The brand specializes in Tex-Mex-inspired food including enchiladas, fajitas, quesadillas, flautas, tacos, flour tortillas, and a selection of made-from-scratch salsas and sauces. Restaurants feature open-display cooking, a selection of bottled beer and signature tequila margaritas, patio dining, drive-thru windows, curbside pick-up, delivery, and catering. As of August 8, 2022, Taco Cabana operates 143 company-owned restaurants in Texas.

 

Movie adaptation: ‘We Have Always Lived in the Castle’ by Shirley Jackson

Movie poster for the movie adaptation of ‘We Have Always Lived in the Castle’ by Shirley Jackson Photo: google

Shirley Jackson was one of the most brilliant and influential authors of the twentieth century. She is widely known for her supernatural stories and novels, including the well-known short story The Lottery and the best-selling novel “The Haunting of Hill House.” (Shirley Jackson, 2022)

“We Have Always Lived in the Castle” is a 1962 mystery novel by American author Shirley Jackson. The novel is written in the voice of eighteen year old Mary Katherine ‘Merricat’ Blackwood who lives with her sister and uncle on an estate in Vermont. Six years before the events of the novel, the Blackwood family experienced a tragedy that left the three survivors isolated from their small village. It is the story about a perverse, isolated, and possibly murderous family and the struggle that ensues when a cousin arrives at the estate. The movie adaptation is available to stream on Peacock, Amazon Prime, and Roku, among other services. (amazon, Wikipedia, 2022)

We Have Always Lived in the Castle is an American mystery thriller directed by Stacie Passon and written by Mark Kruger. It stars Taissa Farmiga, Alexandra Daddario, Crispin Glover, and Sebastian Stan. The arrival of a cousin with ulterior motives threatens the claustrophobic and isolated world of two sisters and their uncle.

 

Photo: amazon

Television adaptation: Heartstopper by Alice Oseman

The television adaptation of Alice Oseman’s Heartstopper graphic novel is now on Netflix. Photo: amazon

Heartstopper is a young adult LGBTQ+ ongoing graphic novel and webcomic series written and illustrated by British author Alice Oseman. The novel follows the lives of shy and softhearted Charlie Springs and rugby player Nick Nelson who sit next to each other in class one morning. A warm and intimate friendship follows, and that soon develops into something more for Charlie, who does not think he has a chance. Nick is struggling with feelings of his own and as the two grow closer and take on the ups and downs of high school, they come to understand the surprising and delightful ways in which love works. This coming-of-age story has been adapted into a television series and is now streaming on Netflix. It has received critical acclaim and has already been renewed for a second and third season. (amazon, 2022)

Heartstopper is a British coming-of-age romantic comedy television series on Netflix. Written by Alice Oseman herself, the series primarily tells the story of Charlie Spring, a gay schoolboy who falls in love with classmate Nick Nelson, whom he sites next to in school. Starring Joe Locke, William Gao, Yasmin Finney, Corinna Brown, and Kizzy Edgell, it also explores the lives of Tao, Elle, Tara, and Darcy.

New book release: ‘Shattered’ by James Patterson and James O. Born

Detective Michael Bennett is back in ‘Shattered,’ the new novel in the series. Photo: amazon

James Patterson is one of the best-known and biggest-selling writers of all time. His books have sold in excess of 375 million copies worldwide. He is the author of some of the most popular series of the past two decades – the Alex Cross, Women’s Murder Club, Detective Michael Bennett and Private novels – and he has written many other number one bestsellers including romance novels and stand-alone thrillers. Inspired by his own son who was a reluctant reader, he also writes a range of books for young readers including the Middle School, I Funny, Treasure Hunters, Dog Diaries and Max Einstein series. James has donated millions in grants to independent bookshops. James O. Born is an award-winning crime and science-fiction novelist with over twenty published novels and a career law-enforcement agent. They are co-authors of the new Michael Bennett novel “Shattered.” In the 14th novel in the series, nothing can tear Detective Michael Bennett away from his new bride, except the murder of the woman who was his partner and best friend. (amazon, 2022)

“Shattered” – NYPD master homicide investigator Michael Bennett and top FBI abduction specialist Emily Parker have a history. Working case after case, each can predict the other’s next move. So when she fails to show at FBI headquarters in Washington, DC, Bennett risks venturing far outside his jurisdiction. The investigation he undertakes is the most brilliant detective work of his career and the most intensely personal. A portrait begins to emerge of a woman as adept at keeping secrets as forging powerful connections. A woman whose enemies had both the means and the motives to silence the real Emily Parker—and her protectors.

Book review: ‘Down to the River’ by Anne Whitney Pierce

‘Down to the River’ is a family saga set in the late 1960s in Cambridge, Massachusetts against the backdrop of the Vietnam War. Photo: amazon

Anne Whitney Pierce is a life-long Cantabrigian and the author of two books, “Galaxy Girls: Wonder Women” (1993) and “Rain Line.” (2000) She has taught in the graduate writing program at Emerson College in Boston. Her short fiction has appeared in the Virginia Quarterly Review, The Chattahoochee Review, The Boston Globe Magazine, Kansas Quarterly, Crosscurrents, The Southern Review, among others. Her work has been included in the O’Henry Prize Story Collection and has won several awards, including the Nelson Algren Award, the Willa Cather Fiction Prize, the Paterson Fiction Prize, New Voices Award and a Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers Award. Her new book “Down to the River” is a family saga set in the late 1960s in Cambridge, Massachusetts against the backdrop of the Vietnam War. (amazon, 2022)

“Down to the River” – The story starts with a Prologue where Chickie and Hen’s story begins. Chickie is Minerva’s nickname and Hen is short for Henry. They are first cousins born in 1951 and their fathers are identical twins named Naylor Potts (Nash) and Remington Potts (Remi). The twin brothers grow up as entitled, Harvard-educated, golden boys, heirs to an old, but dwindling family fortune. With the passage of time, family money begins to disappear and their lives begin to fall apart. The first chapter begins in 1966 with Nash and Remi in their mid-forties and partners in a sporting goods store in Harvard Square. The twins’ marriages are in trouble. Their youngest children, Chickie and Hen, are coming of age during the turbulent urban wilderness of the late 1960s— school bomb threats, racial tensions, war protests and demonstrations at Harvard and beyond. With all hell breaking loose at home, and any semblance of “parenting” hanging ragged in the wind, Chickie and Hen are left mostly on their own. Suddenly freed from old rules and restrictions, they head out onto the streets of Cambridge, which become their concrete playground, tumbling headlong into a world of politics, sex, drugs, rock and roll.

What was it like to come from a privileged family in the Boston area during the turbulent sixties and seventies? Anne Whitney Pierce gives readers the saga of the Potts family who seem to have it all but deep down, they face the same internal struggles and dark family secrets as everyone else. The family is born with money but eventually that goes away and their troubles grow against the background of a country that is besieged by riots, war, and general uncertainty. From the children who are facing college life and a possible Vietnam draft to the parents whose marriages are in trouble, nothing is as it seems from the outside looking in. The author describes the lives of the characters through the years so the character development is deep and complex. Language wise, it is an easy read but it is tough to get through some of the grimmer parts. This just goes to prove that life is not always smooth sailing and how we get through the tough times determines and shapes our character. Readers familiar with the area, specifically Cambridge, will no doubt feel a tough of nostalgia, especially if they grew up in the Vietnam era. Anne Whitney Pierce does an excellent job of bringing one family’s history to light and her writing style makes for an interesting novel. “Down to the River” may make some readers uncomfortable but it is a portrait of one family’s experiences during a troublesome era that just might mirror society’s present-day struggles. It is recommended for readers who appreciate family life fiction mixed in with historical fiction.

“Raised to be God-fearing, if not religious, both Violet and Faye came to think of all this – their lives as silent, fettered wives and mothers – as the tradeoff for marrying well.”

*The author received a copy of this book for an honest review. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Upcoming new horror movie: Camping Trip

Camping Trip – far from COVID, far from safe. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Fuica Film Pictures and 8Cube are delighted to share the new trailer and poster for their upcoming horror movie Camping Trip. Camping Trip stars Leo Zola (Leonardo Fuica), Caitlin Cameron, Hannah Forest Briand, and Alex Gravenstein and is directed by Leonardo and Demian Fuica, who both make their English language feature-length directorial debuts. The sinister thriller will be available on Digital Download in the USA & Canada (via Gravitas Ventures) starting August 19, 2022. (Gravitas Ventures, 2022)

Camping Trip – In the summer of 2020, two couples decide to go on a COVID era camping trip after months of being in lockdown. The freedom of nature and the company of their best friends offer the group a rare sense of normality, but though secluded, they are not alone. Nearby, during a botched drop off, two goons decide to go rogue; inadvertently, implicating the campers. What started as a fun-filled vacation quickly turns into a test of loyalty and survival. Suddenly the pandemic is the least of their worries.

The film was shot during the height of the pandemic in 2020, meaning requiring strict health and safety procedures were required, but this was not the only obstacle to overcome. Shooting was also forced to halt for a day when a scene sounded so real to the nearby member of the public, the police were called.

 

Camping Trip movie poster. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Musician interview: a conversation with Jacob Jolliff

Jacob Jolliff’s new album The Jacob Jolliff Band is available now. Courtesy photo, used with permission

Known for his stunning cross-genre virtuosity and his collaborations with musicians from across the musical spectrum, acoustic musician Jacob Jolliff recently announced the release of his album The Jacob Jolliff Band via Adhyâropa Records. Featuring tight vocal harmonies as well as the customary instrumental fireworks of a collaborative ensemble made up of fellow young stars, this album marks a major milestone in Jolliff’s evolution and the arrival of an authority on bluegrass mandolin. The Jacob Jolliff Band is available now for purchase. (Adhyâropa Records, 2022)

With his new album releasing today, I recently asked Mr. Jolliff a series of questions regarding his background and musical inclinations and this is what he had to say:

Sandra Cruz: You are known as a mandolin player. Do you play another instrument? Which one would you like to learn to play, if any?
Jacob Jolliff: I’ve mostly focused on the mandolin for the last 25 years. I play a bit of guitar, piano, and I sing. I’m finally moving in to an apartment that has a piano, and I’m really looking forward to practicing that!

SC: You have played with many notable musicians; who is your favorite?
JJ: I’ve been lucky to play with a lot of incredible musicians in my life—here are some that have had a huge influence:
—My dad, Bill Jolliff. My first gigging, recording and touring experiences were with dad, and his musical sensibilities have a big impact on me to this day.
—Alex Hargreaves. Alex is one of the best fiddlers in the world and we grew playing together, went to college together, and lived together in NYC. He’s been a huge influence.
—Tony Trischka and Béla Fleck. I’ve been lucky enough to perform with Tony and Béla, and they’re both huge heroes of mine.
—Some other peers of mine that have impacted me musically are: Wes Corbett, Stash Wyslouch, Mike Barnett, Grant Gordy, Lee Dynes, Mike Robinson, Sierra Hull, Michael Daves.

SC: Do you see yourself playing music many years down the road? Would you ever retire?
JJ: Yes! I hope to play my whole life!

SC: Do you prefer playing in front of big audiences or smaller, more intimate venues?
JJ: I like it all! It’s more dependent on who I’m playing with, and the level of attention of the crowd! I’ve really enjoyed everything from house shows to Red Rocks!

SC: What type of music do you listen to on your leisure time?
JJ: Lots of stuff! I’ve been particularly in to Sonny Rollins, Mulgrew Miller and Jason Isbell these days!

SC: Is there anything you would like your fans to know about you? Any messages to them?
JJ: Come to a live show! That band really brings it live!

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