
Friday, March 5 · Zanzabar
2100 South Preston Street · 10:00pm

Yardsale, the self-proclaimed “second most rootin’-est,
tootin’-est band in Louisville”, may just be on its way to becoming
Louisville’s first most rootin’-est tootin’-est band with their new
album, Knock Alley West. Following up 2008’s acclaimed live
EP Yardsale This Week, the group pulled out all the stops for
Knock Alley West and nearly doubled the size of their band – and
consequently, their wardrobe. The end result is a unique sound,
equal parts twang, Exile-era Stones, and pop, that can only be
described as “Yardsale-esque” (unless you use the description in the
first part of the sentence, of course.)
Featuring live favorites such as the country stomp of “Dream of
Amarillo”, the balls-to-the-wall “Until I Can’t Remember”, and the
apocalyptic “Mississippi’s Flooding”, Knock Alley West is evidence
that more than just personnel and wardrobe are evolving within
Yardsale. Recorded in Louisville at Downtown Recording, the album is
easily the best sounding recording the group has put out to date, to
say nothing of the quality of the songwriting and performance, and
features contributions from a number of Louisville favorites -
Catherine Irwin (Freakwater), the Sandpaper Dolls, Neil Hulsewede
and Jordan Forst (Adventure).
The new album caps off a year of that saw Yardsale’s profile grow
higher thanks to numerous acclaimed live performances such as an
opening slot for Scott Miller and the Commonwealth, a stop at at
Cincinnati’s Midpoint Music Festival, as well as a track (“Down
Below”) on Sonablast Records’ Louisville Lullabies.
Most recently Yardsale’s core lineup of Jacob Lee (guitar,
harmonica, vocals), Kirk Kiefer (bass, vocals), Colin Garcia (drums,
vocals), Chris Scott (guitar, vocals), and Andrew Rhinehart
(keyboard, guitar, mandolin, vocals) was augmented by a new member,
Ellen Cherry (backup vocals) as well as a horn section, the
Huckleberry Horns (Elmer White and Melanie Dillman). There are no
signs of slowing down, with plans for regional touring and a major
promotional push for Knock Alley West to start off 2010.
Already of note - they group performed on WFPK's Live Lunch and will
have a tune on this year's Louisville is for Lovers. Be
thankful that the group is so good looking and their music so
arresting – you’re going to be seeing and hearing a lot of them.