James Jackson Toth / the Dutchess & the Duke… and B Jay at The Earl tonight
Monday, August 25th, 2008
Tonight (Tues., Aug. 26th) James Jackson Toth of Wooden Wand headlines a show at The Earl, with openers the Dutchess & the Duke and the Good Graces.
James Jackson Toth’s slow trek from the outer limits of folk music into full-blown country songs was inevitable. But no one expected that his transition into a more accessible sound would be so flawless while maintaining the darkness of his more esoteric years. Waiting in Vain does just that. A low and lonesome boom underscores the album’s brightest moments, and song titles such as “The Banquet Styx” and “Becoming Faust” say it all. Toth has a sense of humor that gives depth to his solo debut. But with its subtle sheen of fuzz and slow, waltzing melodies in closing cut “The Dome” makes plain that he wholeheartedly embraces the music without losing sight of his own psychedelic roots.
Seattle duo the Dutchess & the Duke (Jesse Lortz and Kimberly Morrison) open the show.
On Monday night D&D played a short-notice in-store performance over at Vacation Gallery & Boutique on North Highland. For this most recent round of touring they’ve been playing shows as a two-piece. The in-store at Vacation was set up as a test run with their temporary addition to the line-up, Atlanta’s one and only B Jay Womack, (A.K.A. Bobby Ubangi.)
Now before the rumors get started, it’s important to note that B Jay is only playing a couple of shows in Georgia (Athens and Atlanta). He’s being brought on board to be the band’s tambourine man, which leaves one hand free for continual consumption of alcohol during the show.
