Willi Carlisle: Peculiar, Missouri
Long time listener, first time caller.
Most of my days are spent translating human to engineer and engineer back to human. The product being a very technical sales job from one to another. No one enjoys it, but it is the dance we dance. Amateur writer status aside, huge music fan. My listening interests lean towards the whatever-the-hell genre Peculiar, Missouri would fit into.
We are lucky here in Tulsa. Not only do we have music history on our side, but we also have the Mercury Lounge, arguably the best 100 cap room in America. Now, if third grade geography beat you up, you might not be aware that Tulsa is in Oklahoma or that Oklahoma is right next to the great state of Arkansas. Besides being one of the most beautiful states in the union, Arkansas is home to some of my personal favorite songwriters. I’ve been fortunate enough to catch all of them, except Willi Carlisle.
We are about 2.4 years into the pandemic. Initially, COVID kicked us all in the proverbial nuts. Then it did something I personally didn’t expect. It made folks more kind. We couldn’t go outside, hug each other, or find toilet paper, but we still had the interwebs. In that period, when we were all trying to get back to some semblance of normalcy, I connected with some great humans. The new old fashioned way: e-penpals. So, talking to people online - mostly about gardening, trays, and the unnamed music genre became how I held myself together. During this time, I also started ramping up the rhetoric about writing music reviews and how I wouldn’t be like most reviewers. I’d tell the good with the bad and if there was only bad, I’d burn it down. There is a line two miles long of industry sycophants poised to write an article about random good looking kids from Oklahoma/Texas and say how they are the best and the next (insert famous songwriter here). A few months back one of those e-penpals emailed me the mp3’s for this definitely not Americana album, with the challenge of 'put your money where your mouth is,' and write a review.
I knew about "Cheap Cocaine," both the song and beer joint staple, but hadn’t really dug deep into Willi’s music. So that brings us to Uncle Bill’s latest, Peculiar, Missouri. If you clicked your way here to see these tunes compared to ones from (insert famous songwriter here) this ain’t the spot. Everything below, while poorly written, is my honest opinion of the album.
This album is to date one of the best of the pandemic-era. In the future, that will be a widely used point of reference for music released in the last couple of years. For now, it’s just a pretentious thing some of us say from up on our high horses. This collection of songs and stories checks the boxes for me: sonically, lyrically, spiritually, socially, and the two most important boxes - goose bumps and tears.
Your Heart’s a Big Tent – Started off with a revival style number. Harmonica and banjo straight ripping. Living in this part of the world, religion is everywhere always. This song challenges the legitimacy and authenticity of a tax-free snake oil business. Needless to say growing up smack dab in the middle of the buckle, I loved this song. Everybody gets in!
Life on the Fence – The most powerful song on the album. This tune is about the need to hide the love one man has for another. Hopefully, this song doesn’t make a lick of sense to future generations as they won’t understand judging love based on something so insignificant as gender. Why? Refer back to number 1. You’ll find yourself singing this chorus full volume.
Tulsa’s Last Musician – Three songs in and you really start figuring what Willi gave us. In the end, this song is a story about society’s need to value art and the trades or risk losing them. This is really starting to feel folksy. Like old school folksy.
Vanlife – Hiding social commentary on class as a silly little song about living in a van? As a music community we have to be a little ashamed that a talent such as this is even touring in a van. When he mentions meritocracy (I had to look it up), you are left wondering how much of that is directed at America and how much is more directly pointed at the music business. I’ve promised myself not to make this about the absolute dysfunction and how ass-kissing directly correlates to “popularity". If only talent mattered, we’d all be eating rainbow stew.
Este Mundo – Part of me was getting worried. We were hitting the halfway mark and I hadn’t heard an accordion. Musicians reading this, put more accordion in your tunes. The only folks that won’t like it aren’t your people.
I Won’t Be Afraid – Slow and finger picky - this is the music of my soul. Funny enough this was the song I thought was a waste of space, initially. Not bad but just one I felt wasn’t up to par with the rest. Maybe it seemed more churchy than I was looking for that day. On the second listen, it started catching. Sixteenth time and it is my favorite song to sing along with on the album.
Buffalo Bill – Very much took me back to being a kid. My great aunt would sing and my uncle played spoons. Fits perfect in this spot. The pace changes on this record are ”chef’s kiss”.
The Down and Back - Songs that are under two minutes are one of the most underutilized weapons in a songwriter’s arsenal. Put a decent shred on that fiddle. This song speaks out against the designated hitter. Over the years, I’ve shared that opinion but have grown past it. A great reminder that a fishing hole is the only redeemable quality of strip mining.
Peculiar, Missouri – A title track that is a spoken story? Are you having a come apart? Aren’t we all after the last couple of years? Are we really just sitting waiting on the end? If this ain’t your thing, you’ve likely struggled with concepts outside of the ideals placed upon you by those hoping to keep you fully disengaged in the much-needed class solidarity. I’d pay big dinero to sit and listen to Willi tell stories for two hours.
The Grand Design – That woodsy sound you want in a bluegrass/mountain tune. We circle back to the questions of existence. This album is looking to hit for the cycle. All we are missing is a Utah Phillips cover.
Goodnight Loving Trail – Well hot damn, speak of the devil. Anytime someone covers Utah, I hope it’s retelling “Moose Turd Pie.” This is a solid second choice though. Accordion and harmonica firmly in the driver’s seat on this cover. The way this tune was produced it feels like one you’d hear around a fire as a part of an old-time wagon train.
Rainbow Mid Life’s Willow – Back in the cave. This feels like the perfect way for a fella from Arkansas to close out an album. Traditional tune with nothing but a fiddle and organ.
In summation, Willi Carlisle put together a collection of songs and stories that create an honest-to-God folk album, a rally the people, middle finger to the man, folk album. From bluegrass style to old fashioned storytelling, the range is absolutely incredible. But if you must label it, it is folk. We all knew it was going to be a folk album.
Can’t wait to finally catch this guy when he rolls back through Tulsa. Support good music. Take care of Willi. Don’t be afraid to speak up against the bad stuff. Help those in need. Tell your friends you love them and give them the biggest hugs.
Find more about Willi below:
