Shakey Graves

Roll the Bones

Joel Frieders | July 11, 2011

Our friend in sin, Christian, casually slipped this under the syffal.com office door. Seeing as how we don't have an office door, it was pretty sly of that scarred fiend to do so. What he left, besides the weird blood patterns and the smell of meth, was perhaps one of the best reasons why people who are constantly looking for great music KEEP fucking LOOKING.

Shakey Graves is an enigma to us. His bandcamp page says thisRoll the Bones album was released in 1987. Tim was in college at that point and I still hadn't discovered masturbation, so if the 1987 date is in fact true, well, then this dude has a pretty fucking shitty manager/publicist.

But I don't fucking care. This is exactly what I needed in my life this summer. When everything feels so fucking over-produced and forced, Shakey Graves saunters into the room in a pair of biking shorts and sipping a tepid Tab. Dude sits there in front of you and effortlessly plays the most comfortable sounding guitar folk shit you've ever fucking heard. His guitar might be a bit out of tune and he might smell like what you were taught not to smell like, but you stay put.

The effect this Roll the Bones album has had on me these past few days is noticeable.

I've given up speed walking, in favor of sitting on this here rocking chair I've named "rockin' chair", m'hm.

I've put spittoons in every room in the house, even though none of my kids have taken to the chaw just yet, m'hm.

I've removed all fast food from my diet, and in its stead have begun cooking using the sun, rock salt and that vat over there of the cane sugar, m'hm.

I'm a brand new man ya' see, m'hm.

Shakey Graves cured me of my ailments of being a regular piece of shit American music fan. I'm now focused on the important shit, like sittin' a spell, casually alluding casualness, and askin' fer another round using only two fingers placed in the air wiggled twice at the bartender, Shirley I think is her name.

This guy Shakey Graves, and his "lo-fi country" music, is exactly what YOU need in your life to slow you the Fuck down. You're doing it all wrong. You're moving too fucking fast.

Slow the Fuck down. Let ol' Shakey show ya' how, m'hm.