#29 on the 2010 Musical Bacon Calendar

A Storm – A Tree – My Mother’s Head by Bobby Bare Jr.

Bobby Bare Jr. is one of my favorite performers on the planet. I’ve seen him at least nine times over the last seven years. Consequently, I am always excited when he puts out a new album. I had heard him play a few songs from this album before the album was released earlier this year, and those acoustic renditions he played on the small stage at the Sunset were just enough to leave me wanting.

Now, A Storm – A Tree – My Mother’s Head isn’t his best album, but it would be hard to outperform the perfection that is The Young Criminals Starvation League. Also the usual name bestowed upon his backing band, TYCSL is hands down one of the best albums of the decade. For this new album, Bobby doesn’t credit TYCSL. It’s his first full length without them. I’m not sure if it’s the absence of that name for the backing band (the backing band has always been a rotating cast of characters), or the fact that a tree literally crashed into Bobby’s mother’s house and landed on her head, but this album is definitely his most rocking.

Being from Nashville, Bobby has a twang in his voice that is infectious, and a way with words that is unmistakably related to his father, Bobby Bare — a famous country act in his own right — and their long-time family friend Shel Silverstein. This album has some great stories, some very loud moments, and some quiet finger picking tunes as well. Give it a listen, and join me down in this world of Southern Rock.

__________________________________________

30. 03 to TEN by Knathan Ryan
31. In This Light On This Evening by Editors