Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears - I'm Broke


Ainsley has returned to continue dropping jam sandwiches. This time he takes us to the funky town of Austin, That's Texas Baby. Thanks Ains, and keep feeding the hungry.

The year is 2010, but the message is timeless. Everywhere you look, people are struggling to find jobs, put food on the table, and scrape together a few bucks to keep the landlord happy. Times are tough throughout the country and Black Joe Lewis wants to make sure you know that Austin, TX is no exception.

For those of you unfamiliar with the sweet sounds of Austin's Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears, I would run (not walk) and grab yourself a copy of 2009's Tell 'Em What Your Name Is! and partake in a funk-tinted epic that at times plays like James Brown backed by The Family Stone.

I really could have picked any song off of Tell 'Em to act as an introduction to The Honeybear's particular brand of the blues, but I'm Broke's simple, yet universal, message makes it a clear standout. Whether it reads to you as an outcry against the socioeconomic situation of southern blacks, an ode to burger-flippers and small time hustlers, or simply a well-crafted outlet of recession-induced angst, Black Joe doesn't care. As long as you're nodding your head, shaking your ass, and screaming in unison (particularly at about the 3:20 mark), he knows that you're hearing him.

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