IT’S frustrating for a musician to feel like he’s working in a vacuum. That’s what happened to Paul Burch, a rootsy singer/songwriter who was raised in the rural areas outside Washington, D.C., and now lives in Nashville.
Feeling like he was on a musical path to nowhere, the honky-tonk traveler was ready to quit recording.
But the 40-year-old ended up touring with Ralph Stanley, who looked forward to hearing Burch’s set every night. He went to London to play with Laura Cantrell on John Peel’s show, and discovered the radio legend was a fan of his. Then, he became pen pals with Dire Straits’ Mark Knopfler, who ended up recording some of Burch’s new album, “East to West,” at his studio in London. Knopfler and Stanley both appear on the new disc.
Burch celebrates his new album at Mo Pitkin’s House of Satisfaction (34 Avenue A; [212] 777-6550) tomorrow.
TONIGHT: Another honky-tonkin’, rootsy singer/songwriter, Jim Lauderdale, who’s penned songs for stars such as George Jones and George Strait, brings Americana treats to Southpaw (125 Fifth Ave., Park Slope, Brooklyn; [718] 230-0236). The artist, who recorded the Grammy-winning album “Lost in the Lonesome Pines,” with Ralph Stanley (see above), just released two discs, “Country Super Hits, Vol. 1” and “Bluegrass.”
TOMORROW: The first-ever DFA DJ Tour will hit the renovated Polish club Studio B (259 Banker St., Greenpoint, Brooklyn; [718] 389-1880) with James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem, Juan Maclean, Markus Lamkin and Tim Sweeney.
The dance party will inaugurate the new disc, “DFA Remixes Chapter 2,” which ups the ante on songs by Nine Inch Nails, Goldfrapp and other bands, and to celebrate the DFA label’s fifth anniversary.
TOMORROW plus: Heavy Trash, with Jon Spencer and Matt Verta-Ray, is breaking out the old-school raucous ‘n’ roll backed by the Sadies (who are opening) at Maxwell’s (1039 Washington St., Hoboken, N.J.; [201] 798-0406) tomorrow and the more unlikely Joe’s Pub (425 Lafayette St.; [212] 967-7555) on Sunday.
MONDAY plus: The end is really near. Why else would reggae-minded vocalist H.R. reunite with Bad Brains, the hardcore act that was formed by Dr. Know in 1979 and disbanded with a thud in 1995, for three final shows at CBGB (315 Bowery; [212] 982-4052) on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday?
WEDNESDAY plus: Just like the Killers’ songs on “Sam’s Town,” the music of Britain’s Badly Drawn Boy, whose new “Born in the U.K.” is out on Oct. 17, has been inspired by the Boss, but BDB is better at it.
His love for Bruce Springsteen goes back years, and the influence is only one element of BDB’s Britpop tunes. Although at one New York show a few years ago, he departed from his own set list to attempt a tribute, he could only tap out random bits of Springsteen songs on the piano.
And the quirky Badly Drawn Boy, a k a Mancunian songwriter Damon Gough, has written some consistently amazing songs since his debut disc, 2000’s “The Hour of the Wildebeast,” but he was daunted when faced with creating his fifth album in five years. So he gave himself a rest, then some marching orders. He went to the studio with the goal of creating a song a day and ended up with more than 160. BDB can be a train wreck live, but sometimes he’s a charming train wreck. He brings a band to the Hiro Ballroom (Maritime Hotel; 88 Ninth Ave.; [212] 625-8553) on Wednesday and Thursday.
THURSDAY: Playlist is all about Jon by Jon Lang-ford, who sails into Southpaw with his Ship & Pilot and fellow Mekons warbler Sally Timms.