Most of the podcasts I create for my blog exclusively showcase New Mexican artists and recordings. Songs in the Key of Nuevo Mexicano strays from that formula, with only one 505-based musician, Joe West, and one former Santa Fean act, Beirut. But all eight tracks are themed on the land of enchantment. The performers range from minimal wave icons Oppenheimer Analysis and Jeff & Jane Hudson to cowboy king Roy Rogers to Austinite alt.country silver fox Dale Watson. Listen to the podcast below or visit the original blog post for the full track list.
joe west
V.23 No.17 | 4/24/2014

Karolina Turek
Four Up
Nativity of noise
Whether you’re craving sounds of the Gathering of Nations, queer Nativity, alt.country plays themed on the Théâtre du Grand Guignol or ’90s psych-rock, Four Up has you covered. Now with A/V!
V.21 No.30 | 7/26/2012
Flyer on the Wall
Bonanza
This tea-stained flyer announces the Friday, July 27 performances of a trio of local Americana favorites: The Porter Draw, Joe West and The Saltine Ramblers. The show happens at Low Spirits (2823 Second Street NW) at 9 p.m.—admission is $5. (JCC)
V.19 No.33 | 8/19/2010

Anne Staveley
Spotlight
Time-Traveling Transvestite
Joe West is Xoë Fitzgerald in a New Mexican sci-fi rock opera
This is a story about love, so we know from the outset to expect tragedy. But, as the cross-dressing, folk-singing antihero of Xoë Fitzgerald: Time-Traveling Transvestite teaches us, that’s no reason to give up on a good cause.