Local artist G. Rode returns with his third album under the Mystikos Quintet moniker, ably assisted this time by new member and DJ/producer (and well-known man-about-town) Kyle Hodges. Defining his output as "jazztronica," Rode continues his liberal use of samples and live creations involving flute, horns (an especially beautiful muted trumpet on "Travelers Rest"), organ, and a vast variety of keyboards, as well as flourishes of electric, acoustic, and even slide guitar flavorings. Coming off as a sort of modern-day Quincy Jones "jack-of-all-grooves," Club Dub A Go Go delivers on its promise of uncluttered club-friendly tunes that could keep one slinking around the dance floor all night long. Kicking things off with a nice disco beat and female vocals repeatedly chanting "You've got the love I need," "Bring Me What Ya Got For Me" builds on its dance floor friendliness by adding a variety of percolating keyboard hooks and groovy bass lines. "You Find Out What's Inside" follows with a slightly slower groove propelled by beautiful single guitar chords and more keyboard hooks than you can shake a booty at, all underpinned by male voices chanting, "Whoo! Oh, oh, yeah," in a nicely seductive fashion. "The Revelator" takes a "Psycho Killer" (Talking Heads) -like bass line and pins it to a sample from Son House's version of "John The Revelator," yielding a spare, bluesy, funky treat. "Palmetto State Of Mind" recalls Ramsey Lewis in his prime, with jazzy organ and flute taking the lead. Adding even more variety to the mix, and alluding to Rode's background in the folk- and roots-rock genres, "Mr. Bendo" takes a turn with an airy 1960's melody, while "Goin' On" concludes things by capturing some great funk-rock seventies grooves, featuring a choppy rhythm, electric guitar, and sax. And don't be surprised to hear samples from these songs pop up in other places, as music licensers have reportedly come-a-calling, hoping Rode's addictively catchy grooves can pump up whatever product offerings they may have in mind. All in all, this is another superb outing (his third in three attempts!) from the talented Mr. Rode.

In 2005, Hayes Carll's Little Rock became the first independently released CD to make the top spot on the Americana charts. Far from resting on such a laurel, Carll's follow-up, Trouble In Mind, is an album that surpasses Little Rock in every way imaginable. Now with major-label help, Carll was able to recruit such musicians as Darrell Scott, Will Kimbrough, and the Flying Burrito Brother's Al Perkins to lend fine musical support to his latest release. But as good as the music is, with it's generally acoustic, roots-rock feel and clean production, it is Carll's lyrics which makes him really stand out from the crowd. Rivaling Ryan Adams in his ability to pair memorable phrases with everyday details, Carll serves up one lyrical gem after another. Speaking of his life on the (low-paying) road, he sings, "Pills in the tip jar/ Blood on the strings/ Ah, lord, I thought I'd never see these things," conveying both the singer's sense of delight and of his disappointment in the situation in the same breath. Describing a relationship with the lines, "I've got a lover, she's as wild as Rome/She likes to lay naked and be gazed upon/. . . She gives me roses and a place to lean/A drunken poet's dream," his words resonate both visually and emotionally. In "Girl Downtown," Carll gives this plain-spoken, finely-observed portrait: "There's a girl downtown with freckles on her nose/Pencils in her pockets and ketchup on her clothes/She's a really nice girl, pretty as a plate/The boys call her Katie when they ask her on a date/And who knows, Katie, maybe you could be the one." And his lyrics are usually filled with humor, as in the album's concluding number, "She Left Me For Jesus," where Carll sings, "She's given up whiskey/ And she's taken up wine/She prays for his troubles/She forgets about mine/I'm gonna get even/I can't handle the shame/Why, the last time we made love/She even called out his name. . . .She must think that I'm stupid/That I don't have a clue/Why, I bet he's a commie/Or even worse yet, a Jew." And the chorus laments, "She left me for Jesus/And that just ain't fair/ She says that he's perfect/How can I compare/She says I should find him/And I'll know peace at last/But if I ever find Jesus/I'm kickin' his ass". With every song containing both musical and lyrical goodness, Trouble In Mind is a disc that just keeps giving and giving.