Mark Stuart, the voice and vision of acclaimed alt-country group Bastard Sons of Johnny Cash, is gearing up for the release of his new CD, Bend In The Road, due out August 18 on his own Texacali Records with distribution by Nashville-based Dualtone Music. In addition, after three successful albums and thousands of gigs fronting Bastard Sons of Johnny Cash, a moniker for which the Man in Black gave his permission and his blessing, Stuart and his crew are driving on under a new name: Mark Stuart and The Bastard Sons, a tag that more accurately reflects the tone of Stuart's music and the direction of his expressive and confident songwriting.
Bend In the Road is very much a vehicle of change, and for that reason Stuart chose to kick things off with a cover of Billy Joe Shaver's "I'm Just An Old Chunk of Coal," on which Stuart sings "I'm just an old chunk of coal/I'm going to be a diamond someday." The song resonated with Stuart when he moved to Texas, from the west coast more than two years ago, and best describes his mindset amidst personal and professional changes.
The record kicks into gear with the bluegrass-tinged "Restless, Ramblin' Man," an ode to wanderlust, fueled by driving mandolin and banjo. Stuart revs the engine and shifts into overdrive on back-to-back rockers "Love Comes A Callin'," and "Power of a Woman." The latter, with its country-blues shuffle, reminiscent of "Exile On Main Street"-era Rolling Stones, and a testament to the power of a woman's love, is a stark contrast to one of the later tracks, "Gone Like A Raven," a cautionary tale of love's hard lessons learned.
While Bend In The Road is predominantly an upbeat outing, an uplifting musical journey for these difficult times, it is not without its more reflective moments. "Lonestar, Lovestruck Blues," and the album's final track "Carolina," reveal a man at the crossroads, torn between the lure of the road and the allure of life's darker side, and the constancy of home.
Throughout Bend In The Road, one gets the sense that Stuart is indeed busy transforming that old chunk of coal into something "pure-blue perfect." Each song its own chapter in the story, and pushing him farther along.
Stuart, produced Bend In The Road, along with his longtime production partner and engineer, Alan Mirikitani at the latter's Dawwghouse Studios in Burbank, Calif. The pair teamed up previously on Mile Markers, BSOJC's 2005 release and on several projects for other artists. Bend In The Road highlights Stuart's stellar arrangements and his ability to bring a collection of songs into a flowing, sonically spacious, musical tapestry underscored by the use of keyboards, accordion, dobro, fiddle, pedal steel, banjo and mandolin, in addition to guitars, bass and drums.
To further emphasize the emotional and musical nuances of each song, Stuart recruited some of his peers -- top-notch musicians who have played with Lucinda Williams, Eric Clapton, Bonnie Raitt, Dwight Yoakam, Merle Haggard, Buck Owens and the Bastard Sons of Johnny Cash.Mark Stuart and The Bastard Sons are currently on tour across the US and will head to Europe at the end of July. The US tour will continue in mid-August followed by a return to Europe in the Fall.
Mark Stuart and the Bastard Sons
On Tour in U.S. and Europe
June 5 Ft. Worth, TX Longhorns Saloon 9:00 PM
June 10 Las Cruces, NM Hurricane Alley 9:00 PM
June 11 Phoenix, AZ Rhythm Room 9:00 PM
June 12 San Diego, CA Tio Leos 9:00 PM
June 13 Norco, CA Saddle Sore Saln. 9:00 PM
June 14 Los Angeles, CA Redwood Bar 4:00 PM
June 16 Burbank, CA Joe's Great American Bar 9:00 PM
June 25 El Paso, TX Whiskey Dick's 9:00 PM
June 30 Cedar City, UT The Grind 9:00 PM
July 1 Salt Lake City, UT Liquid Joe's 9:00 PM
July 3 Boise, ID Neurolux 9:00 PM
July 4-5 Alpine, WY Bull Moose 9:00 PM
July 11 Lincoln, NE Zoo Bar (Festival) 3:00 PM
July 18 Austin, TX Continental Club 10:00 PM
July 26 Crappone sur Arzon, France Country Rendez-Vous Festival 2:00 PM
July 31 Oslo, Norway Buckley's
Aug 5 Sandefjord, Norway Draaben
Aug 7 Halben, Norway Down on the Farm Festival
Aug 8 Moss, Norway Kirkeparken Blues Fest
Aug 15 Luckenbach, TX Luckenbach Dance Hall 9:00 PM
--More dates to be announced soon--
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