Ok, so there really wasn’t a gun show, but a show did go down with the release of Brian Douglas Phillips’ second full-length album Gunnison. It has been nearly three years since the release of the last album Bullets and Bones so all of us BDP fans were super excited for the unveiling.
Opening up the night was Houston-based musician James Caronna and band. I have heard his name and seen it on bills for a couple years now but never had the pleasure of hearing his music until that night. For some reason his music sounded to me like a slightly happier early Radiohead; a sweeter-tasting Pablo honey if you will.
Next up was the set we had all been waiting for: Brian Douglas Phillips. I actually went to high school with Brian and he gave me my first guitar lessons (for ten bucks an hour). I can’t remember exactly but he was probably voted “Most Talented” or “Most Likely to Become a Rock Star” in one of those cheesy yearbook polls. Nevertheless it has been cool to see him grow as a musician, establish his own studio in Austin (Rattle Trap Studio), and begin to accomplish his musical dreams. Joining him on the stage were his brother Blake Phillips on drums, Nate DeLacretaz on pedal steel guitar, George Henderson on bass, and Jaimee Harris on vox.
Brian describes his music as Americana/country/folk, but I think it can be boiled down to simply “America.” He is undoubtedly headed into a new frontier with Gunnison, traversing both the placid and the perilous of the American West. Let him take you on the journey.
Brian Douglas Phillips is “going straight for the kill” with Gunnison:
In addition to his new songs, Brian delighted the long-time followers in the audience with a couple numbers from Bullets and Bones - ‘Fill Me Up’ and ‘New Body Boogie.’
David Ramirez, close friend and creative comrade of Brian, really closed the show. I’m a big fan and am always amazed how just one man and his guitar can change every heart in the room. I was happy to hear my two favorites – ‘Arithmetic’ and the hauntingly beautiful ‘Argue with the Gates of Heaven.’
Jump on the bandwagon at
http://www.myspace.com/Briandouglasphillips
Gunnison is also available on itunes and CDbaby
Brian Doulgas Phillips is also on facebook and twitter
