AN UNCLE DADDY CHRISTMAS [2010]

"Who's (your) Uncle Daddy?"

Turns out Uncle Daddy are TJ Stafford once again.  Same talented group of musicians they've always been, though. From the band's Tumblr, timestamped June 2013:

We’ve outgrown our name. In lieu of going with just a symbol that I was actually pretty stoked on, we’ve decided to move forward by coming full circle (stay with me), and using my name. The band itself hasn’t changed, the music hasn’t changed outside of the natural changes that musical evolution brings, and the Uncle Daddy vibe you’ve come to know and hopefully love will continue to abide much as the Dude does.

As TJ Stafford, they've released two really rockin' singles this year (above and below) and they promise an album is on the way but back in 2010 under their previous bluegrass backwoods inbred inspired moniker, they recorded and released an exceptional Christmas album.  HERC had read about it on Stubby's House Of Christmas and ordered it the same day.  A few days later, HERC had his favorite Holiday album of 2010.  It's rootsy and different from the gitgo with a terrific version of the instrumental "Dance Of The Sugarplum Fairies" and continues through the remaining nine traditional Christmas songs including an equally refreshing acoustic take on "Carol Of The Bells".   A couple of lasses, Savannah and Caitlin, assist on a few songs to great effect but it is front man, the once and future namesake of the band, TJ Stafford, that shines, eschewing the twangy and oftentimes hick-ish vocal tendencies one often hears with music like this.  

One last thing HERC wanted to post before he sends this one off to the publisher, a stupefyingly good EP of covers the band released in 2012 including WTF?! takes on "Sabotage" by Beastie Boys and George Michael's "Father Figure". Other artists given the Uncle Daddy treatment include D'Angelo, Wiz Khalifa and the mighty Led frickin' Zepplin.  If you're thinking Hayseed Dixie, all hillbilly and Hee Haw, think again.  This is sexy and swaggering and sounds unlike anything else.  HERC's looking at you Mumfords and Lumineers.