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James McMurtry
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James L. McMurtry, along with his Austin-based band, James McMurtry & The Heartless Bastards, is a self-described “rock & roots” guitarist and singer-songwriter, drawing on elements of alt-country, folk and old-fashioned texas rock.
The son of novelist Larry McMurtry, James was born in Fort Worth, Texas in 1962, and grew up in Virginia. James McMurtry’s seventh studio album, Childish Things, was released on Compadre Records in the fall of 2005. As writer L.E.Brady notes, “The album includes McMurtry’s statement on American decline -
We Can’t Make It Here - his most unabashedly political number yet.”
Just Us Kids— released in 2008, is McMurtry’s ninth full-length album. While he insists that “the majority of the songs are not political,” it’s also clear that he’s not even close to abandoning his burgeoning role as a searing political gadfly. The core band throughout is McMurtry on guitar, his longtime road band The Heartless Bastards (bassist Ronnie Johnson and drummer Daren Hess) and “guest Bastard” Ian McLagan (The Faces) on keys.
So, roll over Kate Smith — this “God Bless America (pat mAcdonald Must Die)” bears no resemblance to the ubiquitous Irving Berlin chest-thumper; it’s a scorched-earth cataloging of the old-boys’ club glad-handing, cronyism and “belly up to the trough” feeding-frenzy of corporate and state war profiteers. “Cheney’s Toy” juxtaposes the Hollywood hubris of the Bush administration against images of Guantanamo and a brain-damaged U.S. veteran. “The Governor” probes the roles of class and wealth in the solving and prosecution of crimes, and “Ruins of the Realm” sorts through the fallout and detritus of a cynical, unilateral approach to global “mapping.”
The son of novelist Larry McMurtry, James was born in Fort Worth, Texas in 1962, and grew up in Virginia. James McMurtry’s seventh studio album, Childish Things, was released on Compadre Records in the fall of 2005. As writer L.E.Brady notes, “The album includes McMurtry’s statement on American decline -
We Can’t Make It Here - his most unabashedly political number yet.”Just Us Kids— released in 2008, is McMurtry’s ninth full-length album. While he insists that “the majority of the songs are not political,” it’s also clear that he’s not even close to abandoning his burgeoning role as a searing political gadfly. The core band throughout is McMurtry on guitar, his longtime road band The Heartless Bastards (bassist Ronnie Johnson and drummer Daren Hess) and “guest Bastard” Ian McLagan (The Faces) on keys.
So, roll over Kate Smith — this “God Bless America (pat mAcdonald Must Die)” bears no resemblance to the ubiquitous Irving Berlin chest-thumper; it’s a scorched-earth cataloging of the old-boys’ club glad-handing, cronyism and “belly up to the trough” feeding-frenzy of corporate and state war profiteers. “Cheney’s Toy” juxtaposes the Hollywood hubris of the Bush administration against images of Guantanamo and a brain-damaged U.S. veteran. “The Governor” probes the roles of class and wealth in the solving and prosecution of crimes, and “Ruins of the Realm” sorts through the fallout and detritus of a cynical, unilateral approach to global “mapping.”
Top Albums
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Just Us Kids
James McMurtryBuy- Download Album
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- 7digital $7.77
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- Buy Album
- Amazon $11.99
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Where'd You Hide the Body
James McMurtry Buy- Download Album
- Amazon MP3 $8.99
- 7digital $9.99
- iTunes $9.90
- Buy Album
- Amazon $16.95
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Too Long in the Wasteland
James McMurtry Buy- Download Album
- Amazon MP3 $8.99
- 7digital $9.99
- iTunes $9.90
- Buy Album
- Amazon $6.99
- eBay Search
Top Tracks
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We Can't Make It Here
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Childish Things
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Just Us Kids
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God Bless America (Pat mAcdonald Must Die)
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Hurricane Party
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Freeway View
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See The Elephant
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Ruby And Carlos
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Choctaw Bingo
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Off and Running
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Restless
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No More Buffalo
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Shoutbox
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Ninja1980 wrote:
Strap them kids in, give 'em a little bit of vodka and cherry coke... We're going to Oklahoma....
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jetydo wrote:
Here's a live James McMurtry track from 1998: http://yearsagotoday.blogspot.com/2009/11/11-years-ago-today-james-mcmurtry.html
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madamimadam wrote:
Digging Joe's new live CD/DVD. Great stuff.
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madamimadam wrote:
I saw him and the Bastards in Alexandria, Virginia a week ago, just before he left for Europe. He puts on a really great show. The Washington Post review: http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postrock/2009/10/james_mcmurtry_live_last_night.html
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freddybentos wrote:
I'll be going to see James and the Bastards in 2 weeks in Dublin.
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DeanMurdoch13 wrote:
How is he not more popular?
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houserpanic wrote:
I don't want to get old and die!
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mamafanfan wrote:
no small town bullshit!
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seitenundsaiten wrote:
absolutely great stuff.
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NOOBSTERpots wrote:
Choctaw Bingo HELL YEAAAAAAHHHH!
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mamafanfan wrote:
Great song writing, We Can't Make it Here anymore!
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Yoknapatawpha1 wrote:
AGREED Warlock. James Jams
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Warlock1963 wrote:
We Can't Make it Here - what a track!
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philmfan wrote:
This boy can sure write the hell out of a song now, can't he?! Then he turns right around the PLAYS and SINGS the hell out of it, too! And them boys playing with him are right there behind him the whole damn time! Does it get any better than this? I'm not sure, but then again I ain't never been to any other planets so I suppose it could be possible, though I wouldn't bet on it.
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marybeth-damico wrote:
I got "Just Us Kids" in the end and I love it.
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tedcathigh wrote:
Could quite easily imitate Lou Reeds voice. Anyway, cool.
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marybeth-damico wrote:
Can anyone recommend which James McMurtry CD to start with?
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sevenlittlepigs wrote:
cool stuff
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Henryjete wrote:
ja klasse
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aNinymouse wrote:
Terry is fantastic~
Videos
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Events
- Feb 9 James McMurtry Club Congress, Tucson AZ, United States
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Feb
10
James McMurtry
Rhythm Room, Phoenix, AZ, Phoenix, United States
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| 1 attendee
- Feb 12 James McMurtry McCabe's Guitar Shop, Santa Monica, Los Angeles CA, United States
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Recent Activity
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giorgos54, Radoime, geraldseligman and 3 other people added James McMurtry to their libraries. yesterday afternoon
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LeftyMama tagged James McMurtry with austin, alt-country and singer-songwriter. Saturday evening
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LeftyMama, piaresquared, Corbin74 and 19 other people added James McMurtry to their libraries. Saturday evening
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VickyBN1 tagged James McMurtry with ‘singer-songwriter’. last month
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VickyBN1, cardsfan35, janosloan and 2 other people added James McMurtry to their libraries. last month
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LadyPatience tagged James McMurtry with folk, americana and country. last month
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RandyB1961 connected James McMurtry to the group Americana Artist Of The Week. last month
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thebillyb, paulawalker, bkschreiber and 3 other people added James McMurtry to their libraries. last month
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casadegus tagged James McMurtry with 00s, texas, folk and 2 other tags. last month
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tc1185, radioacrata, arkitrekker and 24 other people added James McMurtry to their libraries. last month
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Groups (9)
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Americana Artist Of The Week
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Americana
661 members
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Honest Tunes, jambands AND roots music
152 members
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SlowestSound
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Avant-Beard
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