This Weekend: South by Southeast Louisiana
Robert Ellis is a Houston-bred, Nashville-based songwriter who is playing an early 6 p.m. show Sunday, March 9 at Mud and Water.
For heaven’s sake, if you like music at all, go see this show.
In a few years time, Robert Ellis has done a remarkable amount of shape shifting. First, he mastered classic country standards before establishing himself as a standout, writing and performing his own country songs.
At 22 years old, he branched out into songwriter purist territory on his New West Records debut, 2011’s Photographs, a record with dueling sides of retro-flavored honky-tonk and straightforward folk songs.
His versatility earned him significant street cred in both oeuvres. American Songwriter named Photographs one of its top albums of 2011. Ellis seemed poised to grow into a staying force in whichever genre he chose to pursue. He instead put both categories in his suitcase and made his own road, enlisting the help of nouveau Nashville producer Jacquire King (Tom Waits, Kings of Leon, Norah Jones) and recording an album that respects both traditions while betraying their conventional framework at every turn.
Ellis’ new release Lights From The Chemical Plant is a beacon for all those roots, country and folk artists who venture to create something new but tend to misplace the essence of the traditions they leave behind. Ellis is the rare artist who can gather the finer points everywhere he goes and call them up effortlessly as the occasion dictates. Ellis delivers street philosopher vignettes worthy of Paul Simon in his prime, and often resembles a more forceful and impassioned Willie Nelson in his delivery. His longtime backing band is every bit his equal.
Lights not only showcases a fluency in songwriting that is staggering for a 24-year-old, it also announces his arrival as one of the select few modern artists capable of creating a wholly individual brand of music by never resting on the comfortable and familiar.
In my opinion, this could be one of the best shows to hit Baton Rouge this year.
Also on the bill are fantastic local world/power folk/soul stalwarts Minos The Saint and Small Houses, an indie folk outfit out of Athens Georgia, both of whom merit more attention than I have been able to offer here.
Also deserving of attention is a show the night before (Saturday, March 8) at Mud and Water, where Birmingham’s Belle Adair, return to Baton Rouge with support from Denton Hatcher and Daphne Lee Martin.
Oh and don’t forget Friday night, too, where Jimbo Mathus will perform at Mud and Water with the Deslondes, a Nola country/swamp/soul band including members of Hurray for The Riff Raff.
I am strongly considering pitching a tent under the bridge and calling it a weekend. See you out there.
Watch a performance from Robert Ellis below:
