Bman's Blues Report

MISSISSIPPI-BRED SINGER PAUL THORN CRAFTS AN ORIGINAL SET OF ROCK ANTHEMS FOR HIS NEW ALBUM, TOO BLESSED TO BE STRESSED , OUT AUGUST 19 ON PERPETUAL OBSCURITY/THIRTY TIGERS Heralded songwriter follows up his most successful release to date — plus his AAA radio airplay-winning contribution to the Jackson Browne tribute disc — with 10 feel-good numbers that already have audiences singing along MONROE COUNTY, Miss. — Paul Thorn ’s new album  Too Blessed To Be Stressed  stakes out new territory for the popular roots-rock songwriter and performer. “In the past, I’ve told stories that were mostly inspired by my own life,” the former prizefighter and literal son of a preacher man offers. “This time, I’ve written 10 songs that express more universal truths, and I’ve done it with a purpose: to make people feel good.” Which explains numbers like the acoustic-electric charmer “Rob You of Your Joy,” where...

PAUL THORN’S NEW ALBUM, WHAT THE HELL IS GOIN’ ON?, SHIPS MAY 8. RELEASE TO BE CELEBRATED WITH LIVE WEBCAST ON STAGEIT.COM NPR All Things Considered, Bob Edwards Show and kudos from Lefsetz Latest effort features songs by a who’s who of songwriters: Buddy Miller, Elvin Bishop, Lindsey Buckingham, Rick Danko & Bobby Charles, Wild Bill Emerson, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Foy Vance, Donnie Fritts, Paul Rodgers and Eli “Paperboy” Reed, to name a few. TUPELO, Miss. — Paul Thorn will celebrate his new album What the Hell Is Goin’ On? (Perpetual Obscurity/Thirty Tigers, May 8) with a live webcast on StageIt.com (performance portal at http://bit.ly/IGYBI8 ) on Tuesday, May 8 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. During the event, the critically acclaimed singer-songwriter will discuss and play tracks off his new album from Watson’s Icehouse in Tupelo, Miss. All proceeds from the webcast, which allows fans to donate whatever they feel is a fair amount, will be given by Thorn to St. Jude’s Chi...

Been listening to the new release by Paul Thorn , What The Hell Is Going On and it's pretty cool. It opens with Lindsey Buckingham's Don't Let Me Down Again . Snake Farm , a Ray Wylie Hubbard track really conjures up the swamp with cool grinding guitar, driving beat and slide work. Buddy and Julie Millers Shelter Me Lord has great gospel backing vocals and interesting slide guitar riffs. The recordings best track, Elvin Bishop's What The Hell Is Going On? is a blues driver and Elvin himself shows up to play some slide! Wild Bill & Martha Jo Emerson's Bull Mountain Bridge takes mid America by the horns featuring Delbert McClinton and sounding a bit alt country...certainly destined for airplay with the hook and guitar. Big Al Anderson,Shawn Camp and Pat McLaughlin's Jukin' is a cool track with a boogie beat that will get you dancin. Donnie Fritts and Billy Lawson's She's Got A Crush On Me is a great tune in ballad form and will likely get ai...

PAUL THORN TURNS TO TOP SONGWRITERS ON NEW CD TITLED WHAT THE HELL IS GOIN’ ON? Album, out May 8, features songs by Lindsey Buckingham, Buddy & Julie Miller, Elvin Bishop, Rick Danko, Allen Toussaint, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Eli “Paperboy” Reed and others TUPELO, Miss. — For his forthcoming album Paul Thorn, who is certainly no slouch as a songwriter himself, turned to some of his favorite songwriters. The new release, titled What the Hell Is Goin’ On? and due out on Perpetual Obscurity/Thirty Tigers on May 8, boasts writers both well-known and less well-known: Lindsey Buckingham, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Allen Toussaint, Buddy & Julie Miller, Elvin Bishop, Rick Danko of the Band, Paul Rodgers and the rest of the band Free, Donnie Fritts and Billy Lawson, Wild Bill Emerson, Foy Vance, Eli ‘Paperboy’ Reed, and the trio of Big Al Anderson, Shawn Camp and Pat McLaughlin. Thorn has developed a deep set of musical influences. But these influences didn’t come about until he was ful...

PAUL THORN’S WHAT THE HELL IS GOIN’ ON? DUE MAY 8 On new album, Thorn tries something fun and different — covering songs he loves by other songwriters TUPELO, Miss. — Paul Thorn took an unexpected detour on the road to recording a follow-up to his most successful release, 2010’s Pimps and Preachers . After writing many discs of semi-autobiographical tunes that have drawn comparisons to John Hiatt and John Prine, the critically acclaimed singer/songwriter — hailed as the “Mark Twain of Americana” — decided to do an album of covers. “I wanted to take a break from myself,” he reveals, “do something different, and just have fun.” The collection, entitled What The Hell Is Goin’ On? (due May 8, on Perpetual Obscurity/ Thirty Tigers ), finds Thorn putting his own gritty rock stamp on some of his favorite songs. There are some names familiar to Americana fans (Buddy Miller, Ray Wylie Hubbard), some lesser-known (Foy Vance, Wild Bill Emerson) and some surprises. ...