Pick my Tick
Props to Brad Paisley for releasing "Ticks," the most ostensibly silly — but actually kinda subversive — mainstream country song of the year. The ditty starts out like any other contemporary country tune: dude in the bar picks up a pretty young thing. He'd like to "see her out in the moonlight, kiss her way out in the sticks" and "check [her] for ticks." Paisley, who cowrote the number, is sending up every silly Nashville love song produced in the past few decades. Like past country greats such as Roger Miller, Paisley has fun with tunes like "Ticks" or the snarky "Celebrity," but then will unleash a serious, poignant ballad such as the self-penned "Alcohol" or "Whiskey Lullaby." A duet between Paisley and bluegrass angel Alison Krauss, "Lullaby" is that rare modern mainstream country song that deals unblinkingly with the ravages of heavy drinking and heartache. Rodney Atkins is rather new to the scene and best known for the No. 1 singles "If You're Going Through Hell (Before the Devil Even Knows)" and "Watching You." Singer/songwriter and barely-of-age hottie Taylor Swift hit it big last year with her homage to country star Tim McGraw (the single bears his name) and the subsequent smash "Teardrops on My Guitar."
Brad Paisley w/Rodney Atkins/Taylor Swift, Fri., Sept. 21, 7:30 p.m., Ford Amphitheatre, Tampa, $20-$49.75. —Wade Tatangelo
Born Into the Blues
By the age of 16, John Lee Hooker Jr. had joined his legendary father's band and appeared on the 1972 LP Live at Soledad Prison. But the life of a hard-living bluesman took its toll on the young musician with the famous, inherited name — leading to what his publicity material describes as succumbing to "the demons of drugs, alcohol, divorce [and] incarceration." Hooker Jr. finally got his act together around age 50. His solo debut album, Blues with a Vengeance, came out in 2004 to much critical acclaim, followed by Cold as Ice last year. While Hooker Sr. played the slashing, slide-guitar-driven Delta blues style, Junior offers a more uptown, urbane approach. In addition to a pair of solid releases, he has built a strong rep as a live act by working the international blues fest circuit. Blind Willie James plays blues piano and is a former schoolmate of Ray Charles. This show kicks off Skipper's 27th Anniversary "Happy Hour All Weekend" concert series that includes New Riders of the Purple Sage on Saturday and Basic Rock Outfit with Experimental Pilot on Sunday (see separate entries).
John Lee Hooker Jr. w/Blind Willie James, Fri., Sept. 21, 8 p.m., Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa. $12/15 at the door. —WT
Folk for Everybody
The Everybodyfields' album Nothing is Okay quietly came out last month on tiny Ramseur Records. But it didn't take long after sliding in the disc for us to take a liking to its warm yet idiosyncratic folk-country sound, especially the distinct, expressive voices of co-frontpersons Jill Andrews and Sam Quinn. Like frequent touring partners The Avett Brothers, The Everybodyfields feature young people making music that bridges the gap between old-timey mountain style and the confessional, sensitive fare of contemporary indie singer/songwriters. Local alt-country experts and winner of our Best New Band award, Have Gun, Will Travel complements the headliner nicely, as should the Orlando outfit Baron Von Bear.
The Everybodyfields w/Have Gun, Will Travel/Baron Von Bear, Fri. Sept. 21, 9 p.m., New World Brewery, Ybor City, $7. —WT
