{"id":2245760,"date":"2024-05-16T08:11:02","date_gmt":"2024-05-16T12:11:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/monte-warden-and-the-dangerous-fews-jackpot-is-the-most-compelling-album-of-the-year-2\/"},"modified":"2024-05-16T08:18:12","modified_gmt":"2024-05-16T12:18:12","slug":"monte-warden-and-the-dangerous-fews-jackpot-is-the-most-compelling-album-of-the-year-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/monte-warden-and-the-dangerous-fews-jackpot-is-the-most-compelling-album-of-the-year-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Monte Warden And The Dangerous Few&#8217;s &#8216;Jackpot!&#8217; Tops the Charts!"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fmonte-warden-and-the-dangerous-fews-jackpot-is-the-most-compelling-album-of-the-year-2%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2245760&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>At 12, living in a remote area with limited TV\u200b options, PBS\u200b was\u2062 a clear \u200dfavorite, offering a musical escape with &#8220;Austin City \u2064Limits.&#8221; \u2064The journey from The Wagoneers to Monte Warden\u200c and The Dangerous Few&#8217;s &#8216;Jackpot!&#8217; marks a compelling evolution. The album seamlessly blends various musical styles, showcasing the band&#8217;s talent and \u200bmusical prowess, making it a standout release of the year. Growing up at 12 in a remote area with sparse TV choices, PBS and &#8220;Austin City\u2062 Limits&#8221; \u2063provided a musical refuge. \u2064The transition \u200bfrom The Wagoneers to Monte Warden and The Dangerous \u2062Few&#8217;s\u2063 &#8216;Jackpot!&#8217; signifies a captivating progression. The album harmoniously fuses diverse musical genres, highlighting the\u200c band&#8217;s\u2064 skill and musical finesse, earning it the spotlight as a remarkable release of the year.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"article-content\">\n<p>When I was 12 years old, we lived in the middle of nowhere. We didn\u2019t have cable, the rabbit ears brought in only two television stations, and the mountains around us meant the network station from the nearest sizable town only came in intermittently. Alas, the PBS station was clear as a bell, and <em>somewhere<\/em> between that station\u2019s dusty documentaries and mind-numbing news reports on textile factory strikes in Bolivia, I had only one respite: the much-beloved music showcase \u201cAustin City Limits.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>It first saw The Wagoneers <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=xYuXByM3oks&#038;t=3s\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">blow the roof off on \u201cACL\u201d in 1988<\/a>, and well, if you know about Monte Warden and The Wagoneers, you know. At that time in the late \u201980s, they were being fast-tracked for commercial success. The Wags were signed to Herb Alpert\u2019s influential label A&#038;M while Warden was still a teenager, and to give you an idea of what that meant, only three country acts were ever signed to A&#038;M: Waylon Jennings, Gram Parsons, and The Wagoneers. However, to call The Wagoneers a country act is a bit reductive, as they distinctly harked back to the early days of rock and roll.<\/p>\n<div class=\"fdrlst__b89e9-paragraph-2-long d-flex justify-content-center\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; \" id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-1181913882\">\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-1379703300879-0\" class=\"mb-30\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"fdrlst__b89e9-ec6e81a7fee64c15945b79f0aeda5678 fdrlst__b89e9-paragraph-2\" id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-ec6e81a7fee64c15945b79f0aeda5678\"><\/div>\n<p>On and off the stage, Warden is fanatical about his love of Elvis, and there\u2019s a distinct possibility that he might be the foremost authority on the music and life of his fellow Texan Buddy Holly. The Wags had stumbled onto a sound that was at once fresh and absolutely iconic Americana; I took notice when I was 12 years old and never forgot about The Wagoneers, and I\u2019m very far from being the most notable fan. For instance, when Robbie Robertson of The Band died last year, a tribute to him in Variety <a href=\"https:\/\/variety.com\/2023\/music\/news\/robbie-robertson-appreciation-band-maria-mckee-1235696378\/\">casually mentioned that he was a fan of The Wagoneers<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Of course, there\u2019s a reason why, despite the early success, you probably don\u2019t know much if anything about The Wagoneers. It\u2019s a tale as old as the music industry: A&#038;M records was sold not long after their first album, their sophomore record flopped, the band broke up, and heading into the \u201990s, Monte Warden\u2019s personal and professional career took more twists and turns than Ted Kennedy driving home from an office party.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Hitting the Jackpot<\/h2>\n<p>While I invite you to check out The Wags\u2019 records, that\u2019s not why I\u2019m exhuming this underappreciated bit of music history. It turns out this is just the backstory for maybe the most compelling music story of the year. It turns out Monte Warden has done some living and listening in the last 35 years, and at age 56 he\u2019s back with one of the most interesting and surprising records of this year, or any year, for that matter.<\/p>\n<p>The album is \u201cJackpot!\u201d by his band Monte Warden and The Dangerous Few, which is a monumental achievement. I\u2019m hard-pressed to think of a record that so effortlessly and pleasurably blends so many different musical styles. Jazz, bossa nova, country swing, gospeI \u2014 I swear there\u2019s even a\u2026 <em>polka<\/em>? <\/p>\n<div class=\"fdrlst__b89e9-9df0dbab546928208f53695d7345f4a4 fdrlst__b89e9-paragraph-6\" id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-9df0dbab546928208f53695d7345f4a4\"><\/div>\n<p>It\u2019s quite the musical evolution from The Wagoneers because The Dangerous Few is essentially a jazz band, and an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/you-cant-make-this-up-disgraced-former-fbi-agent-peter-strzoks-wife-melissa-hodgman-named-acting-director-of-the-division-of-enforcement-for-the-sec\/\" title=\"You Can\u2019t Make This Up: Disgraced Former FBI Agent Peter Strzok\u2019s Wife, Melissa Hodgman, Named Acting Director of the Division of Enforcement for the SEC\">incredibly talented<\/a> one at that. Brent Wilson, The Wags\u2019 incredibly tasty guitar player, is also in the Few, and it appears he also has a shocking talent for the stand-up bass, which is remarkable considering it\u2019s a far different instrument than his native Stratocaster. Mas Palermo, longtime drummer for the Wags and expert producer, is also on the skins here. Rounding out the usual suspects are horn player Erik Telford and keyboardist Nick Litterski, both of whom bless the album with wonderful hooks and melodies that weave in and out of the vocal line, but somehow neither man manages to overplay. <\/p>\n<p>A word must be said for Warden\u2019s co-songwriter and the album\u2019s co-producer \u2014 his wife, Brandi Warden, who aside from being the former manager of Willie Nelson\u2019s studio has a string of her own hit country songwriting credits and is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/dear-hollywood-be-more-like-trace-adkins\/\" title=\"Dear Hollywood: Be More Like Trace Adkins\">country music royalty<\/a>. (Her father wrote songs for everyone from Johnny PayCheck to Garth Brooks, and her uncle was an engineer at Sun Records in Memphis, where he helped record classics such as \u201cGreat Balls of Fire,\u201d \u201cWhole Lotta Shakin\u2019 Goin\u2019 On,\u201d and \u201cFolsom Prison Blues.\u201d) And naturally, Monte himself is fronting the band, clutching his battered early \u201960s Martin guitar, his strumming hand keeping perfect time with the new <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/a-century-later-rhapsody-in-blue-remains-an-iconic-piece-of-american-history\/\" title=\"Gershwin's 'Rhapsody In Blue': An Iconic American Gem, A Century On\">jazz rhythms<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Of course, the best band in the world can\u2019t do much with bad material, but The Dangerous Few has got the songs. The first single is an effortlessly danceable slice of \u201960s lounge jazz recorded in one take, \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=k_tbwjtxrVc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Waxahachie Hoochie Coo<\/a>,\u201d which <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/MonteWarden1\/status\/1790490317071757802\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">is already charting<\/a>. (Speaking of \u201960s lounge jazz, Hollywood take note \u2014 this record is begging to be put on film and TV soundtracks set in previous decades.) Aside from getting listeners to move their feet, the song is notable for its amusing lyrical approach. You\u2019re hooked from the first lines, \u201cThere\u2019s a chick down south of Dallas\/She go by Waxahachie Alice,\u201d and from there, it spins out into a series of amusing \u2014 but tasteful! \u2014 innuendos.  <\/p>\n<p>Other standout tracks include \u201cDesperately,\u201d a pretty radical take on the massive George Strait hit that Monte originally penned with his buddy Bruce Robison, and the wild new arrangement only seems to highlight what a perfectly conceived song it was in the first place. \u201cLovesong Every Day\u201d is reminiscent of \u201cGentle On My Mind\u201d-era Glen Campbell in the best possible way. \u201cIt Was But A Small Affair,\u201d is an absolutely timeless entry into the American standards songbook that features an incredible vocal performance by Warden. The song could have easily spun out; instead, it\u2019s a perfect exercise in artistic restraint and yearning.<\/p>\n<div class=\"fdrlst__b89e9-36afc31f0f7d717f2f92a1bca317da65 fdrlst__b89e9-paragraph-10\" id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-36afc31f0f7d717f2f92a1bca317da65\"><\/div>\n<p>The title track has a great Latin beat and horn hook in the verse reminiscent of Warden\u2019s old boss Herb Alpert. It sounds like it came from an alternate universe where Elvis was talked into dipping his toe into the \u201960s boss nova fad for his Vegas show. The final track, \u201cSteadfast Love,\u201d is a track that could have easily been recorded by the gospel quartets of the \u201950s and the most straight bit of Americana on the record. Notably, the Wardens\u2019 20-year-old son, Brooks, makes an appearance. A confirmed Tennessee Ernie Ford fanatic, his <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/monte-warden-and-the-dangerous-fews-jackpot-is-the-most-compelling-album-of-the-year\/\" title=\"Monte Warden and The Dangerous Few's 'Jackpot!' - The Album of the Year\">bass-baritone background vocals practically make<\/a> the song.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Unique and Fun<\/h2>\n<p>Of course, the story here isn\u2019t that Warden has suddenly resuscitated his career with this latest Dangerous Few record. Warden never really went away after The Wags first broke up. His <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=hgiKndfHqK4\">unjustly obscure 1994 solo record<\/a> was so good that the U.K.\u2019s influential New Musical Express named it one of the 100 best U.S. albums of the 20th century, and The Washington Post named it one of their albums of the year. He paid the bills by writing songs for other <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/fun-things-to-do-in-orange-county-this-weekend-2\/\" title=\"Exciting activities in Orange County this weekend!\">top country artists<\/a> such as Travis Tritt, Patty Loveless, George Jones, and the aforementioned George Strait.<\/p>\n<p>What makes \u201cJackpot!\u201d a remarkable record is that it\u2019s the product of a musician who is still burning to do something meaningful and original well into his career, long after others would have taken the easy way out. The re-formed Wagoneers still pack legendary Austin honky-tonk The Broken Spoke every month, and his other gig at the incredible Parker Jazz Club downtown with The Dangerous Few has sold out every month for the last few years. Everyone from Herb Alpert to Robbie Robertson has sung his praises, he\u2019s a two-time inductee to the Texas Music Hall of Fame, and he\u2019s a legend in an Austin music scene that has produced more than a few legends. He\u2019s got nothing to prove.<\/p>\n<p>Yet he still cranks out an album this special, albeit with the help of a bunch of other incredibly talented musicians who deserve far more credit than I\u2019m giving them here. It\u2019s a record that manages to be unique and sophisticated, while still feeling familiar and fun, and it demands to be heard, even if getting heard is not easy in an era where the most valuable tool for music promotion is, God help us, TikTok.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cJackpot!\u201d is <a href=\"https:\/\/thedangerousfew.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">on sale<\/a> and available on streaming Friday.  <\/p>\n<div class=\"fdrlst__b89e9-b2ef647206f87fd7c1751a033ca901ed fdrlst__b89e9-after-post-content\" id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-b2ef647206f87fd7c1751a033ca901ed\"><\/div>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\">    \t\t\t\t\t   \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>At 12, in the remote countryside with limited TV, only two fuzzy channels via rabbit ears, and sporadic network reception from the distant town. Luckily, PBS came through crystal clear, offering a glimpse of the world beyond<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":274,"featured_media":2245761,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Screenshot-2024-05-15-at-4.02.43%E2%80%AFPM.png","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2245760","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Screenshot-2024-05-15-at-4.02.43%E2%80%AFPM.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2245760","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/274"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2245760"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2245760\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2245761"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2245760"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2245760"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2245760"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}