Amidst Turmoil and a Short Turnaround, Stoney LaRue Readies the Release of “Us Time”
When I first heard that Stoney LaRue was releasing a new record, I thought the timing couldn’t be worse. After putting together a decade-long career of releasing records every other year or so, now he decides to release a new album less than a year after his latest record Aviator, and while the headlines about domestic abuse charges are still fresh in people’s minds. Even with a month off after the incident to press the restart button on his personal life, why not let a little more distance grow between the recent events and his last record before asking the still jilted public for a second chance?
But now that the details for the new album entitled Us Time have been revealed, releasing the album may be about the best thing Stoney could do to get fans, the public, and himself to focus back on the music, blow some steam out, and hopefully get a career and a life that before the recent legal problems was considered by many to be commendable, back on track.
Us Time is not your typical studio release. It is an album of mostly covers assembled through requests Stoney made from his fan base to suggest songs for him to cut in the studio, along with some of Stoney’s fan favorites never released in studio form. The 11 songs on Us Time include Gary Stewart’s “Empty Glass,” Van Morrison’s “Into The Mystic,” Glen Campbell’s “Wichita Lineman,” as well as notable Stoney tracks like “Oklahoma Breakdown,” and “Feet Don’t Touch The Ground.” Though fans may be used to hearing these songs live or on LaRue’s Live at Billy Bob’s record, a studio version has never been released. The album also includes a new LaRue song called “Easy She Comes,” and many pictures of Stoney hanging out with fans.
As the title implies, this is a record for the core fandom of LaRue. It’s not exactly a covers album, but it’s not exactly a big original, once-every-two-years release. Whether it was meant to come out now at this time, or was expedited because of recent events, Stoney is doing his best to turn the focal point back to the music, not just as a PR move, but for himself and his fans.
“I am excited, honored, blessed and extremely elated that I get this opportunity to work with the people I do and that the fans gave me their ideas on what they wanted to see from me on this record. It is their record and I am honored to be the voice,” says Stoney. “There is so much that went into this project and I am very proud of it. I mean, how often do you also get to have your fans on the cover of your project! That is very special and means a lot to me.”
Domestic abuse will never be forgivable for some. And for other Red Dirt and Texas country fans, it may take more than a new album to mend fences. But Stoney wants fans to know he’s trying.
“I am ready to get back to what I love to do, performing for all my loyal and supportive fans,” Stoney said in a recent statement. “I have felt the love from so many while I took this much-needed hiatus to re-center myself over the past month or so. This journey has taught me a lot about myself, and for this, I am very thankful. I also wanted to apologize for the canceled shows, but I assure you that you are going to see the best me possible. I am honored to have your support during this very important time in my life. I have learned a ton and now ready to do what I do love to do. Play music for my fans. I look forward to seeing you all as we head back out on the road in September. I truly appreciate all your concerns and encouragement during this chapter in my life.”
**Pre-Order Us Time through Amazon
Us Time Track List:
1. “Box #10”³
2. “Into The Mystic”
3. “Feet Don t Touch The Ground”
4. “Us Time”
5. “Oklahoma Breakdown”
6. “Empty Glass”
7. “Til The Morning Comes”
8. “Easy She Comes”
9. “Seven Spanish Angels” feat. Cody Canada
10. “Train to Birmingham”
11. “Wichita Lineman”
James
September 7, 2015 @ 8:23 am
Some of these tunes are songs that really let you see how much emotion and heart Stoney can pour into a song (think Box #10 and Train to Birmingham, released on a prior acoustic album). I’m really looking forward to this one. It really was an unexpected surprise for me, and I agree that it was a good move for Stoney to try to move on.
Two tracks are already available for download with the pre-order, Easy She Comes and Seven Spanish Angels (w/ Cody Canada). I’ve been waiting for Easy She Comes for years.
the pistolero
September 7, 2015 @ 8:45 am
This sounds like it’s gonna be really good. I’ve always liked “Oklahoma Breakdown,” “Feet Don’t Touch the Ground,” and “Empty Glass.”
VERY interested to hear what Stoney’s covers of “Wichita Lineman” and “Seven Spanish Angels” sound like.
BrettS
September 7, 2015 @ 8:52 am
Wow, great news to hear he’s moving on. The previews on the pre-order sound damn fine. Stoney’s music was the first stuff I started listening to out of the red dirt / Texas scene. I’ve been hooked ever since to the genre. His acoustic recordings of ” empty glass ” and ” train to Birmingham ” are two of my all time favorites.
RD
September 7, 2015 @ 9:01 am
Seven Spanish Angels… I can’t imagine any other version approaching the Ray Charles / Willie Nelson version….
Matt
September 7, 2015 @ 9:24 am
Of course domestic abuse is terrible, but if you’re going to completely demonize Stoney LaRue’s music for it then you better never listen to George Jones, Hank Williams or virtually any hard living country legend. Be careful of the stones that you throw.
Eric
September 7, 2015 @ 3:25 pm
Hard living =/= abusive behavior.
Real hard living means treating others decently even while pursuing a rough lifestyle for oneself.
James
September 7, 2015 @ 8:59 pm
And likewise, this was Stoney’s first and only arrest.
Eric
September 7, 2015 @ 9:06 pm
Right, I’m not accusing him of any type of evil mentality just due to one incident. However, it’s important that we do not twist the meaning of “hard-living” into something violent.
Allen
September 7, 2015 @ 10:59 am
If Stoney is going to release studio tracks of songs he’s previously done acoustic, I really hope he records Crystal Eyes. I have 3 versions of it from bootleg acoustic sessions and it is hands down my favorite songs he’s sang.
Megan Conley
September 7, 2015 @ 12:37 pm
Good news, looking forward to hearing this!
Mike in Winston
September 7, 2015 @ 12:43 pm
Yea go get ’em Stoney, one chord song is good!
Fuzzy TwoShirts in Space
September 7, 2015 @ 5:37 pm
Greetings SCM: As I type this I am hurtling through the vacuum of space next to a very space-sick Liberace. We are not too far removed from our destination at this point. When we land I will inform you of its suitability for colonizing a new world free of bad music. Should the planet prove unsuitable, I will return home.
Eric
September 7, 2015 @ 5:55 pm
What is the speed at which your ship is moving relative to Earth, and how many miles have you traveled according to the measurements from your ship?
Fuzzy TwoShirts in Space
September 7, 2015 @ 7:07 pm
I can’t tell you, Eric. I didn’t have any fancy materials with which to build this ship. (we barely made it out of the atmosphere.) The speedometer quit working due to the strain…
The planet Devil Anse said was habitable is 12 light years away. A light year is six trillion miles. six times twelve equals 72. in order to travel 72 trillion miles in four days we’d have to travel 18 trillion miles a day, that’s 0.75 trillion miles an hour, not including time spent on Coruscant or other stops. We’re probably two light-years away from the destination, give or take several hundred thousand. In the time it took me to write this message the Earth moved approximately 574 and a half thousand miles per hour. That’s nine and a half thousand miles a minute. It took me about five minutes to type this, and there’s no telling how long it takes to transmit through space, but while I was typing the Earth moved just less than 48 thousand miles.
My math is not exact, I’m a crackpot inventor, not a professional physicist. These numbers are only approximate and I rounded a fair bit. Hope this helps you understand space travel.
Eric
September 7, 2015 @ 8:33 pm
Sorry to hear about your speedometer…
But 0.75 trillion miles per hour? That’s 3.35*10^11 meters per second! So you found a way to not only beat the speed of light, but do so by a factor of more than 1000.
Congratulations, you have discovered a real-life wormhole! That should open up the possibility of time travel, perhaps to the Golden Age of Country Music…
Fuzzy TwoShirts in Space
September 8, 2015 @ 5:45 am
Sorry Eric, but I think you missed a part of my calculation. I left on the third. In order to have arrived yesterday I would have had to be going 0.75 trillion miles in an hour. I’m still quite a ways removed from my destination. But I will leave you with a link to an article from earlier this year that helped make my journey possible.
http://www.techtimes.com/articles/49360/20150428/nasa-may-have-accidentally-discovered-faster-than-light-travel.htm
Also, off-topic but sleeping in space is messing with my head. I had a dream that SCM celebrated a dragon festival or something, and anyway the comments section existed in physical form, and commenters had to actually stand in line to leave comments. And Clint and Acca Dacca were there, and they couldn’t get along…
Nadia Lockheart
September 7, 2015 @ 8:17 pm
As much as I personally think Stoney LaRue got off a little easy with a misdemeanor charge, his personal life doesn’t change that I’m looking forward to new music from him.
I first happened upon his music while scoping it out on YouTube around the time “Aviator” was released, which was a very solid album. Since then, I’ve tried to peruse as much of his earlier discography as possible, and “The Red Dirt Album” struck me as my personal favorite.
the pistolero
September 8, 2015 @ 7:01 am
That one is my favorite as well, Nadia. Favorite songs from it are “Down in Flames,” “Idabel Blues,” and “Solid Gone.”
TX Music Jim
September 8, 2015 @ 8:21 am
I wish Stoney nothing but the best. I’m looking forward to the record. He’s got a ton of talent and hopefully the personal life is in a better place than it was.
Cobra
September 8, 2015 @ 5:48 pm
Already in my pre-order shopping cart.
therhodeo
October 16, 2015 @ 11:37 am
I’m hoping this album grows on me because so far its not great. So much distortion on the guitars. Velvet had great layers to the sound but this is like a crappy pop rock version of Crazy Horse.
Mike W.
October 16, 2015 @ 11:43 am
Yeah, I somewhat agree. It feels very “thrown together” to be perfectly blunt, which, hell it may have been, but the great organic feel of the last couple albums that really turned me into a huge fan of Stoney Larues works seems to be gone from this album.
It’s not a bad album, but it’s also a step down from Velvet and Aviator.
therhodeo
October 16, 2015 @ 11:48 am
Definitely. The last 2 feel well arranged and produced (not in a negative way).