Possessed by Paul James

Austin Chronicle Review/Feature - Austin Chronicle

Austin Chronicle Review/Feature - Austin Chronicle

Saving Country Music

- Various

Saving Country Music

- Various

http://brooklynhellbetty.com/2013/10/29/possessed-by-paul-james-there-will-be-nights-when-im-lonely/ - Various

http://www.rollogrady.com/possessed-by-paul-james-there-will-be-nights-when-im-lonely/ - Various

http://www.beat-surrender.com/2013/10/29/possessed-by-paul-james-there-will-be-nights-when-im-lonely/ - Various

http://www.beat-surrender.com/2013/10/29/possessed-by-paul-james-there-will-be-nights-when-im-lonely/ - Various

We can no longer keep up with all the press:) However here are a few recent links:
http://www.austinchronicle.com/blogs/music/2013-10-29/first-listen-possessed-by-paul-james/

- Various

We can no longer keep up with all the press:) However here are a few recent links:
http://www.austinchronicle.com/blogs/music/2013-10-29/first-listen-possessed-by-paul-james/

- Various

We can no longer keep up with all the press:) However here are a few recent links:
http://www.austinchronicle.com/blogs/music/2013-10-29/first-listen-possessed-by-paul-james/

- Various

THERE'S A LOT TO KEEP UP WITH BOTH DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL. HERE ARE JUST A FEW OVER THE PAST YEARS!!

I wanted to revisit this post today because it was just announced the the album won the Independent Music Awards award for Best Alt-Country Album Of 2010 and I felt that should earn it a rerun for those that missed it the first time. One time I said something about Possessed By Paul James and I feel this would be a good time to quote it, “a lot of people won’t get Possessed By Paul James but those that do will have found a musician who’s albums they’ll be listening to for years to come and that’s a special thing.”

Congragulations to Konrad and all the Hillgrass Bluebilly folks.


The last time I wrote about Possessed By Paul James I was relatively sure no one outside of my little Deep Blues circle had any idea who he was. Flash forward a couple of years and a stint on the last Revival Tour, and people on my alt.country/punk-folk circle have at least heard of him and a few lucky ones have seen him live.

Possessed By Paul James is one Mr. Konrad Wert, currently living in Texas but hailing from my home state of Florida. His past two albums, Possessed By Paul James and Cold and Blind, coupled with his live shows have garnered him a cult following as rabid as any, and one I am proud to call myself a part of. That said, the albums have also fallen into the “love ‘em or hate ‘em” category. It’s an issue I can relate to because for the longest time I loved Cold and Blind but found Possessed By Paul James utterly unlistenable. That was, until I managed to catch him live 2 times at the Deep Blues Festival 3 years ago.

Konrad is best understood if you’ve seen him live, that’s an undeniable fact, but it’s become less of a requirement with each album, and now with Feed The Family I think he’s managed to make an album accessible enough that the live show isn’t a requirement for those with a slightly more confined musical palate. Feed the Family captures everything that makes Possessed By Paul James great without spending too much time in that challenging area that requires knowing him live to be able to truly “get it”

So, what does that get you? For long time fans, the stomps, vocal quakes and yelps are still present. For the potential newly indoctrinated (slash Konard live virgins), said stomps, vocal quakes and yelps are mixed more into the background, with Konrad’s picking and passion out front for display. The results are a surprisingly restrained sound that manages to capture the immediate and passionate nature of Konrad’s music. I think with all that said, it’s clear that this is seriously some Essential Listening. If you’ve heard PBPJ before and didn’t like it, listen again ‘cause this is easily the best album he’s recorded to date, as well as a done deal for a slot on the 9B Top 10 of the 2k10.
March 31, 2011

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Possessed By Paul James: Feed The Family (Hillgrass Bluebilly, 2010)
After watching the whole movie The Folk Singer a couple of times and the scene where Konrad Wert sings the song Shoulda’ Known Better a dozen of times, I knew I had to properly introduce my heart to Possessed By Paul James’ music. A good place to start is his new album Feed The Family that came out just a couple of weeks ago (oh and the movie is stunning and extremely highly recommend to everyone. You don’t even need be a big fan of PPJ beforehand to enjoy it).

Feed The Family is a wonderful album that demands your attention. It’s almost impossible to use this as a background music, because this has more soul than the Hitsville box sets and it will cause a beautiful havoc in your heart. The man is singing his heart out and you better listen to what he has to say. This is passionate and pure music ranging from energic bluegrass blues to absolutely beautiful folk songs. It may not be the most easily accessible record of the year, but it’s certainly one of the most rewarding ones.
-One Chord World Press

Possessed by Paul James
Feed The Family
Record Label: Hillgrass Bluebilly Records
Review by Kaleb Bronson
December 2010
Absorbing the true musical spirit of his father and grandfather, Konrad Wert transforms himself into Possessed by Paul James and does so with a fine-tuned form on his newest album release “Feed the Family,” a more polished yet creatively raw album of realism

Seeing Possessed by Paul James live is one feat that is unbeatable, his transformation from a genuinely kind-hearted and caring man into the maniacally controlled and beast-like man of musical charm is out of this planetary realm. His sound is like no other, mixing instrument switches continuously and fluctuating his style through a gamut of skill sets and mini-freak-outs. “Feed the Family” is Possessed by Paul James’ most crisp album yet, like the first nibble of a fresh fall apple, or a drive through the thick morning fog. Each t - Various Sources

THERE'S A LOT TO KEEP UP WITH BOTH DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL. HERE ARE JUST A FEW OVER THE PAST YEARS!!

I wanted to revisit this post today because it was just announced the the album won the Independent Music Awards award for Best Alt-Country Album Of 2010 and I felt that should earn it a rerun for those that missed it the first time. One time I said something about Possessed By Paul James and I feel this would be a good time to quote it, “a lot of people won’t get Possessed By Paul James but those that do will have found a musician who’s albums they’ll be listening to for years to come and that’s a special thing.”

Congragulations to Konrad and all the Hillgrass Bluebilly folks.


The last time I wrote about Possessed By Paul James I was relatively sure no one outside of my little Deep Blues circle had any idea who he was. Flash forward a couple of years and a stint on the last Revival Tour, and people on my alt.country/punk-folk circle have at least heard of him and a few lucky ones have seen him live.

Possessed By Paul James is one Mr. Konrad Wert, currently living in Texas but hailing from my home state of Florida. His past two albums, Possessed By Paul James and Cold and Blind, coupled with his live shows have garnered him a cult following as rabid as any, and one I am proud to call myself a part of. That said, the albums have also fallen into the “love ‘em or hate ‘em” category. It’s an issue I can relate to because for the longest time I loved Cold and Blind but found Possessed By Paul James utterly unlistenable. That was, until I managed to catch him live 2 times at the Deep Blues Festival 3 years ago.

Konrad is best understood if you’ve seen him live, that’s an undeniable fact, but it’s become less of a requirement with each album, and now with Feed The Family I think he’s managed to make an album accessible enough that the live show isn’t a requirement for those with a slightly more confined musical palate. Feed the Family captures everything that makes Possessed By Paul James great without spending too much time in that challenging area that requires knowing him live to be able to truly “get it”

So, what does that get you? For long time fans, the stomps, vocal quakes and yelps are still present. For the potential newly indoctrinated (slash Konard live virgins), said stomps, vocal quakes and yelps are mixed more into the background, with Konrad’s picking and passion out front for display. The results are a surprisingly restrained sound that manages to capture the immediate and passionate nature of Konrad’s music. I think with all that said, it’s clear that this is seriously some Essential Listening. If you’ve heard PBPJ before and didn’t like it, listen again ‘cause this is easily the best album he’s recorded to date, as well as a done deal for a slot on the 9B Top 10 of the 2k10.
March 31, 2011

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Possessed By Paul James: Feed The Family (Hillgrass Bluebilly, 2010)
After watching the whole movie The Folk Singer a couple of times and the scene where Konrad Wert sings the song Shoulda’ Known Better a dozen of times, I knew I had to properly introduce my heart to Possessed By Paul James’ music. A good place to start is his new album Feed The Family that came out just a couple of weeks ago (oh and the movie is stunning and extremely highly recommend to everyone. You don’t even need be a big fan of PPJ beforehand to enjoy it).

Feed The Family is a wonderful album that demands your attention. It’s almost impossible to use this as a background music, because this has more soul than the Hitsville box sets and it will cause a beautiful havoc in your heart. The man is singing his heart out and you better listen to what he has to say. This is passionate and pure music ranging from energic bluegrass blues to absolutely beautiful folk songs. It may not be the most easily accessible record of the year, but it’s certainly one of the most rewarding ones.
-One Chord World Press

Possessed by Paul James
Feed The Family
Record Label: Hillgrass Bluebilly Records
Review by Kaleb Bronson
December 2010
Absorbing the true musical spirit of his father and grandfather, Konrad Wert transforms himself into Possessed by Paul James and does so with a fine-tuned form on his newest album release “Feed the Family,” a more polished yet creatively raw album of realism

Seeing Possessed by Paul James live is one feat that is unbeatable, his transformation from a genuinely kind-hearted and caring man into the maniacally controlled and beast-like man of musical charm is out of this planetary realm. His sound is like no other, mixing instrument switches continuously and fluctuating his style through a gamut of skill sets and mini-freak-outs. “Feed the Family” is Possessed by Paul James’ most crisp album yet, like the first nibble of a fresh fall apple, or a drive through the thick morning fog. Each t - Various Sources

Austin Chronicle
January 2006
by Audra Schroeder

The notion of a one-man band sounds crazy. And in terms of logistics, it's not, well, natural. When the late Hasil Adkins set out to play every instrument himself because he thought Hank Williams was on his recordings, he kicked a big ol' hole in the space/rock continuum. Rock & roll, hillbilly, country, and blues were forced to fight it out. There's a growing handful of Austin musicians who took that cue and are doing it for themselves. "One-man band" is an all-inclusive term, but each musician has a different way of playing, a different sound, a different story. A different way of getting their kicks.

Among the handful of soused baseball fans, Konrad Wert looks like a younger version of Tom Waits: hat dipped low over one eye, suspenders clinging to a worn T-shirt. We sit at the Horseshoe Lounge in South Austin, where the jukebox spins Otis Redding and shuffleboard is the preferred recreational sport. He offers a story with all the Waitsian traits: God, religion, and revelation in a half-empty bar. But his story is true. The 29-year-old guitarist grew up in the swamps of Immokalee, Fla., and his family was Mennonite Amish.

"Music was church," he says. "It was four-part hymn singing; piano was secular. It was an instrument made by man, so they felt the only way to sing and praise God was with the voice. But it was a multilingual church service – Creole, Spanish, and English – so it sounded really crazy. And in terms of my music, there are a lot of roots."

Wert is part of a handful of local musicians who do it for themselves. In his live shows, he goes by the name Possessed by Paul James, and to hear him try to describe his music is an exercise in primality. There's grunting, growling, melody, balladry, oppression, dirt, grit, love, taxes, death. While he mainly played guitar in his teens, pop and rock music weren't allowed in the church.

"There was definitely a lot of me listening on a Walkman," Wert smiles.

He received a grant during college and lived in Northwest Africa, where he studied art and music and started seeing the world outside the church. He moved around to D.C., California, Central America, and briefly lived in Arlington, Texas, busking wherever he could. It was when he was living in a van in New Mexico and met his current girlfriend that the music started kicking in.

"She was so far away from all those aspects of the church," he says. "I started listening to punk; it was the final kick in the ass. And so music has really been a way to connect with people and have a conversation. Not to channel a political or social issue, but something greater."

He's definitely channeling something. Or someone. See, he got the stage name through an accident with the family tree, a combination of his grandfather's name (Paul) and his father's middle name (James).

"And the possessed comes ...," Wert pauses and laughs. "I would get a video camera to see what I looked like when I played at home. And when I would look back at it I would think, 'What the fuck is going on?' And when I played with bands, people would say I looked kind of crazy onstage, like, in a concerned way. But I'm just channeling something higher. A song like 'Nightmare Waltz' [from his self-titled CD], it's a love ballad, but it's the ugly beauty of it, and I connect with that, with the beauty of the ugliness. People have used the word primal, and I've started to appreciate it."

Wert's setup includes banjo, guitar, fiddle, and an old trunk he picked up from a junk collector, which he stomps on. He sings through a regular mic, but during many of his country and trad-blues type songs, his voice dips into an unintelligible growl or yelp before crawling back to a croon.

"Possessed is just ... possessed by Richie Havens, possessed by experiences," he says. "[My grandfather] Paul Wert lost his job as a chicken delivery guy when he worked for Weaver's chicken. Tyson bought him out. So he drove his Ford into a fucking freight train, and he survived. He was committed to a mental hospital, did shock therapy. Music's very feeling motivated."

Other songs like "No Windows" and "The Warden's Wife" paint a picture of dusty, small-town desperation under his plaintive lyrics.

"People say, 'Oh, it's just a white boy doing the blues,' but it's gotta be more than that, because, especially from the church perspective, if you have that on your fucking back, you're gonna have a lot of similarities with those folks. It's a universal feeling, that oppression. There's the roots blues that comes from the black community and the roots blues that stems from the poor, urban, white community. There's a huge fucking bridge there, between punk and blues."

Possessed is definitely the appropriate word for Wert's music, if not an ironic one given his upbringing.

"I'm just glad I get to throw my hat in there," he says. "You know, a Mennonite Amish kid from Florida, you hav - Various Sources

Austin Chronicle
January 2006
by Audra Schroeder

The notion of a one-man band sounds crazy. And in terms of logistics, it's not, well, natural. When the late Hasil Adkins set out to play every instrument himself because he thought Hank Williams was on his recordings, he kicked a big ol' hole in the space/rock continuum. Rock & roll, hillbilly, country, and blues were forced to fight it out. There's a growing handful of Austin musicians who took that cue and are doing it for themselves. "One-man band" is an all-inclusive term, but each musician has a different way of playing, a different sound, a different story. A different way of getting their kicks.

Among the handful of soused baseball fans, Konrad Wert looks like a younger version of Tom Waits: hat dipped low over one eye, suspenders clinging to a worn T-shirt. We sit at the Horseshoe Lounge in South Austin, where the jukebox spins Otis Redding and shuffleboard is the preferred recreational sport. He offers a story with all the Waitsian traits: God, religion, and revelation in a half-empty bar. But his story is true. The 29-year-old guitarist grew up in the swamps of Immokalee, Fla., and his family was Mennonite Amish.

"Music was church," he says. "It was four-part hymn singing; piano was secular. It was an instrument made by man, so they felt the only way to sing and praise God was with the voice. But it was a multilingual church service – Creole, Spanish, and English – so it sounded really crazy. And in terms of my music, there are a lot of roots."

Wert is part of a handful of local musicians who do it for themselves. In his live shows, he goes by the name Possessed by Paul James, and to hear him try to describe his music is an exercise in primality. There's grunting, growling, melody, balladry, oppression, dirt, grit, love, taxes, death. While he mainly played guitar in his teens, pop and rock music weren't allowed in the church.

"There was definitely a lot of me listening on a Walkman," Wert smiles.

He received a grant during college and lived in Northwest Africa, where he studied art and music and started seeing the world outside the church. He moved around to D.C., California, Central America, and briefly lived in Arlington, Texas, busking wherever he could. It was when he was living in a van in New Mexico and met his current girlfriend that the music started kicking in.

"She was so far away from all those aspects of the church," he says. "I started listening to punk; it was the final kick in the ass. And so music has really been a way to connect with people and have a conversation. Not to channel a political or social issue, but something greater."

He's definitely channeling something. Or someone. See, he got the stage name through an accident with the family tree, a combination of his grandfather's name (Paul) and his father's middle name (James).

"And the possessed comes ...," Wert pauses and laughs. "I would get a video camera to see what I looked like when I played at home. And when I would look back at it I would think, 'What the fuck is going on?' And when I played with bands, people would say I looked kind of crazy onstage, like, in a concerned way. But I'm just channeling something higher. A song like 'Nightmare Waltz' [from his self-titled CD], it's a love ballad, but it's the ugly beauty of it, and I connect with that, with the beauty of the ugliness. People have used the word primal, and I've started to appreciate it."

Wert's setup includes banjo, guitar, fiddle, and an old trunk he picked up from a junk collector, which he stomps on. He sings through a regular mic, but during many of his country and trad-blues type songs, his voice dips into an unintelligible growl or yelp before crawling back to a croon.

"Possessed is just ... possessed by Richie Havens, possessed by experiences," he says. "[My grandfather] Paul Wert lost his job as a chicken delivery guy when he worked for Weaver's chicken. Tyson bought him out. So he drove his Ford into a fucking freight train, and he survived. He was committed to a mental hospital, did shock therapy. Music's very feeling motivated."

Other songs like "No Windows" and "The Warden's Wife" paint a picture of dusty, small-town desperation under his plaintive lyrics.

"People say, 'Oh, it's just a white boy doing the blues,' but it's gotta be more than that, because, especially from the church perspective, if you have that on your fucking back, you're gonna have a lot of similarities with those folks. It's a universal feeling, that oppression. There's the roots blues that comes from the black community and the roots blues that stems from the poor, urban, white community. There's a huge fucking bridge there, between punk and blues."

Possessed is definitely the appropriate word for Wert's music, if not an ironic one given his upbringing.

"I'm just glad I get to throw my hat in there," he says. "You know, a Mennonite Amish kid from Florida, you hav - Various Sources

TERRELL'S TUNE-UP: LIKE A MAN POSSESSED April 2008
The Santa Fe New Mexican:

Here’s a backwoods, back-to-basic music treat. Working under the stage name of Possessed by Paul James, songwriter Konrad Wert is a one-man band, playing guitar, banjo, fiddle, and a foot-operated percussion instrument called a stomp box. But the most significant part of his music is his voice. As evidenced on his latest album, Cold and Blind, when he gets going, he sounds like (you had to have seen this coming) a man possessed.

Possessed by Paul James joins that loud, rowdy pantheon of blues-shouting, one-man bands like Richard Johnston, John Schooley, Scott H. Biram, and Bob Log III. But Wert is creakier and more country than these others, though just as wild. He’s like some lost Lomax field recording come to life.

Although Cold and Blind is on a European label (the irrepressible Voodoo Rhythm Records from Switzerland), Possessed by Paul James is American through and through. He was born and raised in an Amish-Mennonite family in Immokalee, Florida. According to some accounts, his dad was a preacher. “Paul James” is a combination of his father’s and grandfather’s names. Wert spent some time in Colorado; these days he lives in Kerrville, Texas, and has a day job as a special-education teacher.

The important thing is that Wert sounds as if he’s emerged from some primordial swamp where every shadow might be a demon. As he shouts and yelps, which he does on the title song and on “The Gallows,” you can imagine him as some sinner in the hands of an angry God.

“I didn’t see much flashiness as a kid in the family or within the church community,” Wert said in an interview in Whoopsy magazine. “We couldn’t dress for Halloween, no dancing, no secular radio, sacrifice for others so they can grow, etc., etc. So, you see, when you get a chance to sing, man, ...YOU FUCKING SING.”

And when Wert plays his fiddle at what seems like 1,000 miles an hour, as he does on “Sweet Mary Alice,” it’s hard not to think about Stephen Vincent Benét’s poem “The Mountain Whippoorwill (Or, How Hill-Billy Jim Won the Great Fiddlers’ Prize)” — and Charlie Daniels’ song “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” — about the country boy working his bow like a maniac to save his soul in a contest with the devil.

Wert is explosive on crazed stompers like the ones mentioned above. There are some softer, slower songs here, like “Vodka and a Fight” and “Ferris Wheel” that aren’t as impressive. But I guess you have to catch your breath sometimes. Even when you’re possessed.
----------------------------------------------
The Daily Texan April 2008
PPJ review/Cold and Blind:

You'll Like It If You Like: Tom Waits, John Lee Hooker, Nick Cave

Present-day country and blues artists have seemingly lost their genuine level of appeal, but local grunge crooner Possessed by Paul James has simply refused to jump on that bandwagon. He brought March to a close with the release of his sophomore effort, Cold and Blind, which in its entirety will sting you into enlightened emotional euphoria.

There is an undeniable connection that Possessed by Paul James' music makes with every listener blessed enough to know its captivation; no matter your preference for a genre, the fact stands as tall as ever.

The titletrack opens the disc doleful of love, numb in its endless series of trials and tribulations, but determined nonetheless to stick with it; or perhaps trapped unintentionally by love's cycle, promising joy and ending in heartache. This is the basic premise that the effort on a whole follows, maintaining a truth about life that comes from a tired and worn old soul.

Tears will then spill in undeniable awe when "The Gallows" is revealed. Epic doesn't even come close to describing this one's gut-wrenching fiddle intro, after which it goes into a passionate fit about old Larry, who stole some bread and is hanging with a smile while his child starves and his wife is crying. His new disc illustrates poignant traits that inspire from Southern roots aiming to give listeners a fuller life.
-J.Payne
----------------------------------------------
Wisconsin Rapid Tribune
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
For the Love of Music

Over my aforementioned trip, I happened to hit the end of South by Southwest, a music festival that takes place every year in Austin. I love music, in pretty much every form and fashion. I am pretty sure there isn’t a genre in existence that’s not represented on my iPod; I feel that life is a lot more enjoyable with a soundtrack.

The festival takes place across 80 stages throughout downtown Austin; we went to Hole in the Wall, a bar close to the University of Texas - Austin campus. We were there to see one of Katie’s favorite artists, Possessed by Paul James.

Konrad Wert, the one-man band that is Possessed by Paul James, sits on stage with a stomp box (which is pretty much exactly what it sounds like, with a microphone and a tambourine attached - Various Sources

TERRELL'S TUNE-UP: LIKE A MAN POSSESSED April 2008
The Santa Fe New Mexican:

Here’s a backwoods, back-to-basic music treat. Working under the stage name of Possessed by Paul James, songwriter Konrad Wert is a one-man band, playing guitar, banjo, fiddle, and a foot-operated percussion instrument called a stomp box. But the most significant part of his music is his voice. As evidenced on his latest album, Cold and Blind, when he gets going, he sounds like (you had to have seen this coming) a man possessed.

Possessed by Paul James joins that loud, rowdy pantheon of blues-shouting, one-man bands like Richard Johnston, John Schooley, Scott H. Biram, and Bob Log III. But Wert is creakier and more country than these others, though just as wild. He’s like some lost Lomax field recording come to life.

Although Cold and Blind is on a European label (the irrepressible Voodoo Rhythm Records from Switzerland), Possessed by Paul James is American through and through. He was born and raised in an Amish-Mennonite family in Immokalee, Florida. According to some accounts, his dad was a preacher. “Paul James” is a combination of his father’s and grandfather’s names. Wert spent some time in Colorado; these days he lives in Kerrville, Texas, and has a day job as a special-education teacher.

The important thing is that Wert sounds as if he’s emerged from some primordial swamp where every shadow might be a demon. As he shouts and yelps, which he does on the title song and on “The Gallows,” you can imagine him as some sinner in the hands of an angry God.

“I didn’t see much flashiness as a kid in the family or within the church community,” Wert said in an interview in Whoopsy magazine. “We couldn’t dress for Halloween, no dancing, no secular radio, sacrifice for others so they can grow, etc., etc. So, you see, when you get a chance to sing, man, ...YOU FUCKING SING.”

And when Wert plays his fiddle at what seems like 1,000 miles an hour, as he does on “Sweet Mary Alice,” it’s hard not to think about Stephen Vincent Benét’s poem “The Mountain Whippoorwill (Or, How Hill-Billy Jim Won the Great Fiddlers’ Prize)” — and Charlie Daniels’ song “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” — about the country boy working his bow like a maniac to save his soul in a contest with the devil.

Wert is explosive on crazed stompers like the ones mentioned above. There are some softer, slower songs here, like “Vodka and a Fight” and “Ferris Wheel” that aren’t as impressive. But I guess you have to catch your breath sometimes. Even when you’re possessed.
----------------------------------------------
The Daily Texan April 2008
PPJ review/Cold and Blind:

You'll Like It If You Like: Tom Waits, John Lee Hooker, Nick Cave

Present-day country and blues artists have seemingly lost their genuine level of appeal, but local grunge crooner Possessed by Paul James has simply refused to jump on that bandwagon. He brought March to a close with the release of his sophomore effort, Cold and Blind, which in its entirety will sting you into enlightened emotional euphoria.

There is an undeniable connection that Possessed by Paul James' music makes with every listener blessed enough to know its captivation; no matter your preference for a genre, the fact stands as tall as ever.

The titletrack opens the disc doleful of love, numb in its endless series of trials and tribulations, but determined nonetheless to stick with it; or perhaps trapped unintentionally by love's cycle, promising joy and ending in heartache. This is the basic premise that the effort on a whole follows, maintaining a truth about life that comes from a tired and worn old soul.

Tears will then spill in undeniable awe when "The Gallows" is revealed. Epic doesn't even come close to describing this one's gut-wrenching fiddle intro, after which it goes into a passionate fit about old Larry, who stole some bread and is hanging with a smile while his child starves and his wife is crying. His new disc illustrates poignant traits that inspire from Southern roots aiming to give listeners a fuller life.
-J.Payne
----------------------------------------------
Wisconsin Rapid Tribune
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
For the Love of Music

Over my aforementioned trip, I happened to hit the end of South by Southwest, a music festival that takes place every year in Austin. I love music, in pretty much every form and fashion. I am pretty sure there isn’t a genre in existence that’s not represented on my iPod; I feel that life is a lot more enjoyable with a soundtrack.

The festival takes place across 80 stages throughout downtown Austin; we went to Hole in the Wall, a bar close to the University of Texas - Austin campus. We were there to see one of Katie’s favorite artists, Possessed by Paul James.

Konrad Wert, the one-man band that is Possessed by Paul James, sits on stage with a stomp box (which is pretty much exactly what it sounds like, with a microphone and a tambourine attached - Various Sources

Goddeau/Magazine Over Muziek Andere
Possessed By Paul James ::
Cold And Blind

In de wereld van de muziek regent het singer-songwriters, waardoor het er uiteindelijk gewoon op neerkomt om heel overtuigend en heel eerlijk over te komen als je wil opvallen. Wij hebben er even op moeten wachten, maar met Possessed By Paul James is het eindelijk nog eens zo ver.

ImageDe Texaan Konrad Wert is nu nog een onbekende, maar hoe lang dat nog gaat duren is maar de vraag. Met zijn one man band Possessed By Paul James komt hij immers in het vaarwater van groepen als Two Gallants en Black Diamond Heavies terecht en vervaardigt hij bezeten rock-'n-roll met niets meer dan zijn stem, afgewisseld met een gitaar, een banjo, een viool en een voetdrumstel. Daarbij klinkt hij even wild als Jerry Lee Lewis, maar wel met dat verschil dat Wert zijn viool voor een gitaar aanziet waar Jerry Lee Lewis zijn piano even roekeloos als een gitaar bespeelde. Werts motieven zijn cliché als de pest, maar dwingen hem er wel toe om zijn ziel bloot te spelen. En het is daar dat hij in uitblinkt: het regent immers hellevuur wanneer hij met zijn labiele stem een tekst als "Falling In And Out Of Love, Among The Broken Hearted" in een liedje als "Cold And Blind" oprochelt. De Paul James waarnaar verwezen wordt in de artiestennaam, is niet toevallig een legendarische bluesgitarist uit Canada.

Tegenover Werts explosies staan er evenveel implosies. Daar is "Vodka And A Fight" een mooi voorbeeld van: het nummer is even ingetogen als opener "Cold And Blind" uitbundig is, maar dankzij Werts labiele stem en zijn typische instrumenten twijfel je er niet aan dat je nog steeds naar dezelfde troubadour aan het luisteren bent. In het nummer verzoekt hij zijn geliefde vriendelijk om hem te kruisigen, wat meteen een goed idee geeft van hoeveel inspiratie hij uit zijn gebroken hart haalt. In "Love's Disease" noemt hij de liefde op zijn beurt heel consequent "The Sickest Disease".

Wie Wert naar zijn grootse inspiratiebron vraagt, krijgt Tom Waits als antwoord, maar een dergelijke referentie moet men met een stevige korrel zout nemen. Zijn stem klinkt nu eenmaal minder doorleefd. Niet dat deze vaststelling roet in het eten gooit, want met een nummer als “Ferris Wheel” slaagt hij er -- al jankend -- wel degelijk in om hetzelfde soort blues uit te stralen. Bovendien doet het nummer denken aan gezellige Ierse caféfolk, wat Possessed By Paul James meer eigen karakter geeft.

Dat Wert er met Cold And Blind perfect in geslaagd is om een live-gevoel te bewaren, heeft uiteraard veel met dat folkgehalte te maken. Wanneer hij zijn plaat speels opent met een gemoedelijke “One, two, three…” en een geamuseerde lach zit je als luisteraar meteen in de ideale sfeer om optimaal van Cold And Blind te kunnen genieten. Een liedje als “Ferris Wheel” -- waarin Wert even letterlijk de bedelaar uithangt -- versterkt dat gevoel nog meer. Combineer dat nog even met effecten waarbij Werts stem vervormd wordt om de muziek ouder te laten klinken (“Take Off Your Mask”) en het kan niet verbazen dat het resultaat er mag wezen.

Dat hij tijdens de finale met "Fiddle Run" nog net iets verder gaat door zich in een wilde mix van zijn typische instrumenten zonder veel gezang te storten, rondt het geheel niet te gratuit af. Het bewijst dat Wert met Cold And Blind nog lang niet aan het einde van zijn kunnen is, en dat er nog potentieel in overvloed is om in de toekomst te verrassen. Niet dat dat een noodzaak is, want het is al een hele prestatie op zich om met een plaat als Cold And Blind te debuteren. Ondertussen maken wij er liever geen geheim van dat Possessed By Paul James tot nog toe onze grootste en meest aangename verrassing van het jaar is.
Jurgen Dignef
16 mei 2008
----------------------------------------------
Meer Possessed by Paul James op KindaMuzik: http://www.kindamuzik.net/artiest/possessed-by-paul-james

Toekomstmuziek: Possessed by Paul James
Een jongeman kruipt hoestend en brullend uit het moeras van Florida naar boven. Het is Konrad Wert die onder zijn artiestnaam Possessed by Paul James een opzwepende, genre-overschrijdende plaat maakt. Inderdaad, om bezeten van te raken.
Tekst: Dirk Verhoeven
Wie is hij?
Konrad Wert groeide op bij een Amishgezin rond de Everglades in Florida. Wert mat zichzelf een artiestnaam aan die verwijst naar zijn vader en grootvader. Vervolgens is hij met niet meer dan gitaar, banjo, viool en een gehavende gitaarkist op pad gegaan en opgepikt door het label Voodoo Rhythm.

Wat doet hij?
Wert ofwel Possessed by Paul James treedt als eenmansband op, hoofdzakelijk in grauwe kroegen in het zuiden van de Verenigde Staten. Hij brengt folk- en countryliedjes ten gehore, maar doet dit met een punkinstelling. Zijn plaatje Cold and Blind is live en zonder nabewerking opgenomen. Wert jaagt zichzelf in bijna elk nummer als een wolf op: hij gilt en jankt om zichzelf op gang te brengen.

Wat maakt hem zo goed?
Een grote bak le - Various Sources

Goddeau/Magazine Over Muziek Andere
Possessed By Paul James ::
Cold And Blind

In de wereld van de muziek regent het singer-songwriters, waardoor het er uiteindelijk gewoon op neerkomt om heel overtuigend en heel eerlijk over te komen als je wil opvallen. Wij hebben er even op moeten wachten, maar met Possessed By Paul James is het eindelijk nog eens zo ver.

ImageDe Texaan Konrad Wert is nu nog een onbekende, maar hoe lang dat nog gaat duren is maar de vraag. Met zijn one man band Possessed By Paul James komt hij immers in het vaarwater van groepen als Two Gallants en Black Diamond Heavies terecht en vervaardigt hij bezeten rock-'n-roll met niets meer dan zijn stem, afgewisseld met een gitaar, een banjo, een viool en een voetdrumstel. Daarbij klinkt hij even wild als Jerry Lee Lewis, maar wel met dat verschil dat Wert zijn viool voor een gitaar aanziet waar Jerry Lee Lewis zijn piano even roekeloos als een gitaar bespeelde. Werts motieven zijn cliché als de pest, maar dwingen hem er wel toe om zijn ziel bloot te spelen. En het is daar dat hij in uitblinkt: het regent immers hellevuur wanneer hij met zijn labiele stem een tekst als "Falling In And Out Of Love, Among The Broken Hearted" in een liedje als "Cold And Blind" oprochelt. De Paul James waarnaar verwezen wordt in de artiestennaam, is niet toevallig een legendarische bluesgitarist uit Canada.

Tegenover Werts explosies staan er evenveel implosies. Daar is "Vodka And A Fight" een mooi voorbeeld van: het nummer is even ingetogen als opener "Cold And Blind" uitbundig is, maar dankzij Werts labiele stem en zijn typische instrumenten twijfel je er niet aan dat je nog steeds naar dezelfde troubadour aan het luisteren bent. In het nummer verzoekt hij zijn geliefde vriendelijk om hem te kruisigen, wat meteen een goed idee geeft van hoeveel inspiratie hij uit zijn gebroken hart haalt. In "Love's Disease" noemt hij de liefde op zijn beurt heel consequent "The Sickest Disease".

Wie Wert naar zijn grootse inspiratiebron vraagt, krijgt Tom Waits als antwoord, maar een dergelijke referentie moet men met een stevige korrel zout nemen. Zijn stem klinkt nu eenmaal minder doorleefd. Niet dat deze vaststelling roet in het eten gooit, want met een nummer als “Ferris Wheel” slaagt hij er -- al jankend -- wel degelijk in om hetzelfde soort blues uit te stralen. Bovendien doet het nummer denken aan gezellige Ierse caféfolk, wat Possessed By Paul James meer eigen karakter geeft.

Dat Wert er met Cold And Blind perfect in geslaagd is om een live-gevoel te bewaren, heeft uiteraard veel met dat folkgehalte te maken. Wanneer hij zijn plaat speels opent met een gemoedelijke “One, two, three…” en een geamuseerde lach zit je als luisteraar meteen in de ideale sfeer om optimaal van Cold And Blind te kunnen genieten. Een liedje als “Ferris Wheel” -- waarin Wert even letterlijk de bedelaar uithangt -- versterkt dat gevoel nog meer. Combineer dat nog even met effecten waarbij Werts stem vervormd wordt om de muziek ouder te laten klinken (“Take Off Your Mask”) en het kan niet verbazen dat het resultaat er mag wezen.

Dat hij tijdens de finale met "Fiddle Run" nog net iets verder gaat door zich in een wilde mix van zijn typische instrumenten zonder veel gezang te storten, rondt het geheel niet te gratuit af. Het bewijst dat Wert met Cold And Blind nog lang niet aan het einde van zijn kunnen is, en dat er nog potentieel in overvloed is om in de toekomst te verrassen. Niet dat dat een noodzaak is, want het is al een hele prestatie op zich om met een plaat als Cold And Blind te debuteren. Ondertussen maken wij er liever geen geheim van dat Possessed By Paul James tot nog toe onze grootste en meest aangename verrassing van het jaar is.
Jurgen Dignef
16 mei 2008
----------------------------------------------
Meer Possessed by Paul James op KindaMuzik: http://www.kindamuzik.net/artiest/possessed-by-paul-james

Toekomstmuziek: Possessed by Paul James
Een jongeman kruipt hoestend en brullend uit het moeras van Florida naar boven. Het is Konrad Wert die onder zijn artiestnaam Possessed by Paul James een opzwepende, genre-overschrijdende plaat maakt. Inderdaad, om bezeten van te raken.
Tekst: Dirk Verhoeven
Wie is hij?
Konrad Wert groeide op bij een Amishgezin rond de Everglades in Florida. Wert mat zichzelf een artiestnaam aan die verwijst naar zijn vader en grootvader. Vervolgens is hij met niet meer dan gitaar, banjo, viool en een gehavende gitaarkist op pad gegaan en opgepikt door het label Voodoo Rhythm.

Wat doet hij?
Wert ofwel Possessed by Paul James treedt als eenmansband op, hoofdzakelijk in grauwe kroegen in het zuiden van de Verenigde Staten. Hij brengt folk- en countryliedjes ten gehore, maar doet dit met een punkinstelling. Zijn plaatje Cold and Blind is live en zonder nabewerking opgenomen. Wert jaagt zichzelf in bijna elk nummer als een wolf op: hij gilt en jankt om zichzelf op gang te brengen.

Wat maakt hem zo goed?
Een grote bak le - Various Sources

Possessed by Paul James CD Reivew
Whoopsy Magazine #5 July 2005
by Johnny Mack

"Break it! Smash it! Fuck it up! Love it! Hold it! Squeeze it! That's what you do when you listen to this shit. Man, when have I been this excited by one guy? Yeah I'm a jaded old fuck but I still want my rocks off? This strange creature comes from the depths of the Florida swamps ripe with raw power not seen by many. A rediefined mix of blues, old timey folk, southern wickedness and fire! FIRE DAMN IT!

Fiddle, banjo, guitar, a diddly bo (stringed thingy), bells and yell. Like Billie Holiday and Doug Kershaw made a speed baby at the crawfish boil! (I got to use all these exclamations cause that's how it blows up all over)!This here dude works at Bouldin Creek, but would be better off rippen it up around the globe, tearing your ass out with all his wild antics and cornbread-fed soul purity. Some people just knock yer face in the dirt. He be one 'em!

...Git it now! This is too excitin to not hear. 'Konrad' takes a tasty dish and serves it up with some hot fever! Gut-kicken' down home wacked out blues destruction! Holy Lord, eat me!"

(excerpts of WHOOPSY MAGAZINE CD review written by Johnny Mack)

-----------------------------------------------
Austin Chronicle Texas Top 10: December 2005
by Audra Schroeder

1) Jana Hunter, Blank Unstaring Heirs of Doom (Gnomonsong)

2) Spoon, Gimme Fiction (Merge)

3) My Education, Italian (Thirty Ghosts)

4) Paul Wall, The People's Champ (Swishahouse/Atlantic)

5) Baby Robots, Chartorseau (Ant Lunch Musick)

6) Possessed by Paul James EP

7) Attack Formation, Somebody as Anybody (Australian Cattle God)

8) The Crack Pipes, Beauty School (Emperor Jones)

9) The Weird Weeds, Hold Me (Digitalis)

10) ST 37, Future Memories (Four/Four)

-----------------------------------------------
WHOOPSY MAGAZINE
Excerpts from PPJ Interview
by Becky Hayes

Konrad, you sing "different"- and you dress kind of different too. Tell about your Amish/Mennonite background and how it influences your style as a musician.
..."Possessed by Paul James is meant to channel the growls of angry, passionate people that have had such 'shunnings' in life, be them religious or otherwise. I dress dark and sometimes paint my face in shows because it's a possessive power that you're trying to tap into. It's the roots of women and men that have had no choice but to TAKE IT (teeth kicked in, thrown out on the streeet, fuckin house blown up by a bomb, church kicks'em out for not wearing black shoes,etc.) I'm trying to get that for the sake of expressing it. It feels iright."...
..."I didn't see much flashiness as a kid in the family or within the church community . We couldn't dress for Halloween, no dancing, no secular radio, sacrifice for others so they can grow, etc. etc. So you see when you get a chance to sing man...YOU fuckin' SING..."
-----------------------------------------------
Reloaded Magazine
by Dave Roybal

...Austin is quickly becoming ground zero for relatively new one-man blues bands.. such as Possessed by Paul James (Konrad Wert). Konrad is the child of a Mennonite preacher who has busked his way from Florida to Central America possessed by the dueling voices of Paul James.

Is the one man band the last option for the control freak or an issue of economics?
Konrad- I was playing the fiddle for some bands, and I started this other band with some friends and it was going pretty well, but then unfortunate bullshit started happening and it was too much work without any fun. I've been doing the one man band for three months and my roots in Austin only go back about two years, so I was mainly busking on Congress first Thursdays to make some scratch.

How do you define yourself and how do people react to you?
Konrad- Personally, a lot of the music I got into is more rooted in all the Americana bluegrass traditions. I grew up in south Florida and then moved up to Virginia where I started picking up the fiddle. Now I'll throw down fiddle, mando, banjo and git and then do a stomp box...

- Various Sources

The Onion Feb. 07

"One-man band Konrad Wert grew up in a Mennonite family, raised by preacher father and a piano player mother, which accounts for both the baptized-in-fire-soul and musical versatility heard in his gritty Old World music. Wert's mix of blues and vintage folk howls with a sense of explosive freedom and latent rage-not unlike an Amish kid emerging from the wilderness to discover America -that instills his simple guitar/fiddle/stomp-box arrangements with unusual passion. Having toured Europe on the strength of his self-titled LP for Italy's Shake Your Ass Records, Wert most recently abandoned Austin and retreated once again into the Colorado mountains to write another batch of soul-baring songs. Opening: Andy Klier, Ralph White, Paleo."
----------------------------------------------
DT Magazine SXSW March 2007
Jacob Payne

Those who have not witnessed the energy and stamina of blues and grunge artist Possessed by Paul James should take note, and pronto. The one-man band, responsible for crooning, stomping, jingling, and playing guitar, fiddle or banjo, all while mesmerizing audiences with his contorted emotional appeal, has been away from the Austin scene for some time. But recent dates in and around this city's annual festival can only lead the avid fan to speculate if these sparse gigs signify this musician's long-awaited return for good.
Konrad Wert has been up in a secluded Colorado cabin haplessly churning out the material for his second and third albums. Late last summer, the man simply vanished leaving all in wonder, and without even a goodbye or, more likely, a three-fingered salute. As it turns out, his sudden departure was a result of personal reasons and, therefore, excusable. Though the tension cannot be denied, which leaves many with an insatiable need for the growl.
If you are one of the lucky ones who have seen this individual perform in the past, you already know the sheer magnitude of such an occasion.
----------------------------------------------
KVRX Local Live Vol. 11: Assacre to Zookeeper
Darcie Stevens

Time to dive into Austin's musical wealth. And KVRX knows it. In this 11th installment of the college radio frequency's Sunday night program, the glorious (Peter & the Wolf, Possessed by Paul James) and the not-so (Cry Blood Apache, the Moaners, Ghostland Observatory) are caught on disc, while a companion DVD courtesy of Texas Student Television rounds out. See double Tee Double! Performances from 2003 to 2006 revolve around the Hold Steady's prefame jitters, Smog's uneasy ooze, and Paul James' freak-out, repeating only Pompeii's emo-rific "Pythons, Awake!" from CD to DVD. A successful compilation should cover all bases, and after years of experience, KVRX masters the mix. We're gonna go listen to Zookeeper's closer, "Modern Living," on repeat now. "None of the hits all of the time."
----------------------------------------------
SLOWBOAT FILMS Nov. 2007
Mark Littler

Beginning in Jan. 2008 we will begin shooting the feature film 'The Folk Singer' with Slowboat Films of Frankfurt Germany.

SYNOPSIS:
THE FOLK SINGER - A Tale of God, Love & Redemption - Troubled by religious demons, anger, doubt and the need to supply for his unborn child folk blues singer Jon embarks on a gruesome month long tour through Texas. Armed with nothing but a fiddle, a banjo and a beaten up suitcase, Jon hits the road. Throughout his journey he crosses paths with musical peers, religious mavericks as well as his aging mother who attempts to rekindle family ties but inevitably has to accept that Jon's journey is a solitary one. The road leads him from small town bars and Honky Tonks to the Mexican desert where it comes to a final clash between Jon and his demons.
----------------------------------------------
KVET Last Musical Discovery
Nov. 2007
Chris Mosser

The kids were at Grandma's for an extended Christmas visit, and so an extremely rare night on the town for the wife and I on Friday night...like we did in the pre-kid era, we hit some cocktails, a movie (I Am Legend, which was quite good, at the new 6th Street Alamo Drafthouse, which was very good), and then did some random bar-hopping. After a couple of miscues, we ended up at the Hole In The Wall on the drag for the first time in a long, long time, where we very randomly came across the stylings of Konrad Wert of Kerrville, who performs under the name Possessed By Paul James. Now, this is not your usual KVET sort of stuff...it's very much a primal, swampy Southern sound, very spiritual, very dark, very beautiful. No true child of the South can miss the value of this music, as unusual a performer as Konrad may be. This is the kind of stuff you have to take in live to get the full effect, and the next Possessed By Paul James show scheduled near Austin is happening on January 12 at The Oaks in Manor, a show which will be caught on film for a new folk music documentary called The Folk Singer. Have a look at - Various Sources

The Onion Feb. 07

"One-man band Konrad Wert grew up in a Mennonite family, raised by preacher father and a piano player mother, which accounts for both the baptized-in-fire-soul and musical versatility heard in his gritty Old World music. Wert's mix of blues and vintage folk howls with a sense of explosive freedom and latent rage-not unlike an Amish kid emerging from the wilderness to discover America -that instills his simple guitar/fiddle/stomp-box arrangements with unusual passion. Having toured Europe on the strength of his self-titled LP for Italy's Shake Your Ass Records, Wert most recently abandoned Austin and retreated once again into the Colorado mountains to write another batch of soul-baring songs. Opening: Andy Klier, Ralph White, Paleo."
----------------------------------------------
DT Magazine SXSW March 2007
Jacob Payne

Those who have not witnessed the energy and stamina of blues and grunge artist Possessed by Paul James should take note, and pronto. The one-man band, responsible for crooning, stomping, jingling, and playing guitar, fiddle or banjo, all while mesmerizing audiences with his contorted emotional appeal, has been away from the Austin scene for some time. But recent dates in and around this city's annual festival can only lead the avid fan to speculate if these sparse gigs signify this musician's long-awaited return for good.
Konrad Wert has been up in a secluded Colorado cabin haplessly churning out the material for his second and third albums. Late last summer, the man simply vanished leaving all in wonder, and without even a goodbye or, more likely, a three-fingered salute. As it turns out, his sudden departure was a result of personal reasons and, therefore, excusable. Though the tension cannot be denied, which leaves many with an insatiable need for the growl.
If you are one of the lucky ones who have seen this individual perform in the past, you already know the sheer magnitude of such an occasion.
----------------------------------------------
KVRX Local Live Vol. 11: Assacre to Zookeeper
Darcie Stevens

Time to dive into Austin's musical wealth. And KVRX knows it. In this 11th installment of the college radio frequency's Sunday night program, the glorious (Peter & the Wolf, Possessed by Paul James) and the not-so (Cry Blood Apache, the Moaners, Ghostland Observatory) are caught on disc, while a companion DVD courtesy of Texas Student Television rounds out. See double Tee Double! Performances from 2003 to 2006 revolve around the Hold Steady's prefame jitters, Smog's uneasy ooze, and Paul James' freak-out, repeating only Pompeii's emo-rific "Pythons, Awake!" from CD to DVD. A successful compilation should cover all bases, and after years of experience, KVRX masters the mix. We're gonna go listen to Zookeeper's closer, "Modern Living," on repeat now. "None of the hits all of the time."
----------------------------------------------
SLOWBOAT FILMS Nov. 2007
Mark Littler

Beginning in Jan. 2008 we will begin shooting the feature film 'The Folk Singer' with Slowboat Films of Frankfurt Germany.

SYNOPSIS:
THE FOLK SINGER - A Tale of God, Love & Redemption - Troubled by religious demons, anger, doubt and the need to supply for his unborn child folk blues singer Jon embarks on a gruesome month long tour through Texas. Armed with nothing but a fiddle, a banjo and a beaten up suitcase, Jon hits the road. Throughout his journey he crosses paths with musical peers, religious mavericks as well as his aging mother who attempts to rekindle family ties but inevitably has to accept that Jon's journey is a solitary one. The road leads him from small town bars and Honky Tonks to the Mexican desert where it comes to a final clash between Jon and his demons.
----------------------------------------------
KVET Last Musical Discovery
Nov. 2007
Chris Mosser

The kids were at Grandma's for an extended Christmas visit, and so an extremely rare night on the town for the wife and I on Friday night...like we did in the pre-kid era, we hit some cocktails, a movie (I Am Legend, which was quite good, at the new 6th Street Alamo Drafthouse, which was very good), and then did some random bar-hopping. After a couple of miscues, we ended up at the Hole In The Wall on the drag for the first time in a long, long time, where we very randomly came across the stylings of Konrad Wert of Kerrville, who performs under the name Possessed By Paul James. Now, this is not your usual KVET sort of stuff...it's very much a primal, swampy Southern sound, very spiritual, very dark, very beautiful. No true child of the South can miss the value of this music, as unusual a performer as Konrad may be. This is the kind of stuff you have to take in live to get the full effect, and the next Possessed By Paul James show scheduled near Austin is happening on January 12 at The Oaks in Manor, a show which will be caught on film for a new folk music documentary called The Folk Singer. Have a look at - Various Sources

NINE BULLETS Best Albums of 2008
12/30/08
#7. Possessed By Paul James - Cold and Blind

Easily the wife’s favorite album of the year, she even tried to convince me that it need to be mine or sex would be withheld. Needlessto say, I am gonna be a little tense for a while. In all seriousness,though, seeing Possessed By Paul James was surely my favorite show ofthe year. As I said in my original piece on the album, “Cold and Blindfeatures Konrad incorporating fiddle, banjo, guitar, mandolin, stompbox, the occasional diddly boe, grunts, hollers and a kind honesty thatyou rarely hear, but once you do, cannot deny.” and seeing him live makes you realize just how genuine that is.
----------------------------------------------
I-94 Bar Zine
COLD AND BLIND - Possessed By Paul James (Voodoo Rhythm)
Oct./08

Let's make something clear, Konrad Wert is Possessed by Paul James.

Reading about Texas musician Konrad Wert's background, the guy has the lineage to be singing the folk blues. Raised in a Mennonite Amish family, where both parents were a preacher and a piano player, it is clear that Wert absorbed the death trip inherent in the art form of blues. However, what makes Wert's music authentic is a raw vocal style and deep understanding of the music itself. Wert songs spins tales of people lusting, drinking, fighting then seeking redemption and grace.

When I first heard "Cold and Blind", I was struck by the attention placed on the live recording / production. The low-fi approach emphasizes the elements of Wert's strumming, percussive instrumentation and his passionate voice. As a result, the formula is successful. Purists might argue that at best Wert is just a diligent student of Harry Smith's Anthology of Folk Music; however, if you look closer Wert understands the primal, ecstatic beauty that is inherent in "hillbilly" - Depression era music.

Cold and Blind is full of many highlights. Some of the more memorable tracks include "Fiddle Run" with the song title's charging instrument, tambourine and stompbox. Lyrics range from "I love you!" to seconds later "I hate you!". Confused? Sounds like someone is need of marital counseling.

On "Love's Disease", a beautiful guitar line is combined with a melancholic fiddle, to create a mournful mood. Here the spaciousness of recording technique really brings out the original elements of Possessed By Paul James. Another track such "Come to The Water" employs finger picking guitar and the same percussion as "Fiddle Run" with great effect. Defintely rowdy, the song gets your feet stomping. On the sixth track, "Ferris Wheel" displays a more "pop" element but is able to retain the rural aspect of his roots.

Possessed By Paul James or, more specifically, Konrad Wert is really on to something with his approach towards music. Cold and Blind is album that demonstrates a unique talent who is following his vision and sees the transcendent power of blues in a digital age. - Arthur S
*****
----------------------------------------------

MUSIC LIVE ON THE INTERNET
Sept. 26th 2008

Here in London, the sun is shining for once and I have a very entertaining 'Music Lives On The Internet' interview for you care of Autopsy IV at ninebullets.net.
Last piece of music that got your heart racing?
"Then there's the new Possessed By Paul James....it's just so, organic...so personal...so, inaccessible...a lot of people are not gonna get that album but those that do know they've got an album they are gonna listen to for the rest of their lives and there is very little more exciting than that."
Last gig that made you say "Wow"?
"While it may have been a truncated set I would have to say Possessed By Paul James' set at this years Deep Blues Festival. At the end of that I had to go all cartoon and insert wench into my jaw and ratchet it up off the ground and back into my face. It was amazing....It was like watching a man give birth to song.

----------------------------------------------
PSYCHEDELIC & ACID FOLK MUSIC
Voodoo Rhythm Rec. Cold And Blind (US,2008)****'
August 2008

Once in a decade or even longer a new artist appears within a dust folded style with an inevitable need to express himself here, finding no place else, doomed to freedom (after his community related choice ; with the Amish you either go for personal freedom or confirm until death their conservative society, I am not sure which sort of choices exist within the Mennonite family, in which singer/instrumentalist "Possessed by Paul James" was raised-).
I met a black guy on the streets just yesterday who missed his stop on the last bus back, because he was too drunk to notice and now he asked me the way home. He said he liked drinking because it is his freedom because his grandfather still was a slave. I wanted to say to him that there also exist a freedom of choice to stop soon enough or at least not to drink the heaviest Belgian beers because they're dangerous, but what could I say more, - Various Sources

NINE BULLETS Best Albums of 2008
12/30/08
#7. Possessed By Paul James - Cold and Blind

Easily the wife’s favorite album of the year, she even tried to convince me that it need to be mine or sex would be withheld. Needlessto say, I am gonna be a little tense for a while. In all seriousness,though, seeing Possessed By Paul James was surely my favorite show ofthe year. As I said in my original piece on the album, “Cold and Blindfeatures Konrad incorporating fiddle, banjo, guitar, mandolin, stompbox, the occasional diddly boe, grunts, hollers and a kind honesty thatyou rarely hear, but once you do, cannot deny.” and seeing him live makes you realize just how genuine that is.
----------------------------------------------
I-94 Bar Zine
COLD AND BLIND - Possessed By Paul James (Voodoo Rhythm)
Oct./08

Let's make something clear, Konrad Wert is Possessed by Paul James.

Reading about Texas musician Konrad Wert's background, the guy has the lineage to be singing the folk blues. Raised in a Mennonite Amish family, where both parents were a preacher and a piano player, it is clear that Wert absorbed the death trip inherent in the art form of blues. However, what makes Wert's music authentic is a raw vocal style and deep understanding of the music itself. Wert songs spins tales of people lusting, drinking, fighting then seeking redemption and grace.

When I first heard "Cold and Blind", I was struck by the attention placed on the live recording / production. The low-fi approach emphasizes the elements of Wert's strumming, percussive instrumentation and his passionate voice. As a result, the formula is successful. Purists might argue that at best Wert is just a diligent student of Harry Smith's Anthology of Folk Music; however, if you look closer Wert understands the primal, ecstatic beauty that is inherent in "hillbilly" - Depression era music.

Cold and Blind is full of many highlights. Some of the more memorable tracks include "Fiddle Run" with the song title's charging instrument, tambourine and stompbox. Lyrics range from "I love you!" to seconds later "I hate you!". Confused? Sounds like someone is need of marital counseling.

On "Love's Disease", a beautiful guitar line is combined with a melancholic fiddle, to create a mournful mood. Here the spaciousness of recording technique really brings out the original elements of Possessed By Paul James. Another track such "Come to The Water" employs finger picking guitar and the same percussion as "Fiddle Run" with great effect. Defintely rowdy, the song gets your feet stomping. On the sixth track, "Ferris Wheel" displays a more "pop" element but is able to retain the rural aspect of his roots.

Possessed By Paul James or, more specifically, Konrad Wert is really on to something with his approach towards music. Cold and Blind is album that demonstrates a unique talent who is following his vision and sees the transcendent power of blues in a digital age. - Arthur S
*****
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MUSIC LIVE ON THE INTERNET
Sept. 26th 2008

Here in London, the sun is shining for once and I have a very entertaining 'Music Lives On The Internet' interview for you care of Autopsy IV at ninebullets.net.
Last piece of music that got your heart racing?
"Then there's the new Possessed By Paul James....it's just so, organic...so personal...so, inaccessible...a lot of people are not gonna get that album but those that do know they've got an album they are gonna listen to for the rest of their lives and there is very little more exciting than that."
Last gig that made you say "Wow"?
"While it may have been a truncated set I would have to say Possessed By Paul James' set at this years Deep Blues Festival. At the end of that I had to go all cartoon and insert wench into my jaw and ratchet it up off the ground and back into my face. It was amazing....It was like watching a man give birth to song.

----------------------------------------------
PSYCHEDELIC & ACID FOLK MUSIC
Voodoo Rhythm Rec. Cold And Blind (US,2008)****'
August 2008

Once in a decade or even longer a new artist appears within a dust folded style with an inevitable need to express himself here, finding no place else, doomed to freedom (after his community related choice ; with the Amish you either go for personal freedom or confirm until death their conservative society, I am not sure which sort of choices exist within the Mennonite family, in which singer/instrumentalist "Possessed by Paul James" was raised-).
I met a black guy on the streets just yesterday who missed his stop on the last bus back, because he was too drunk to notice and now he asked me the way home. He said he liked drinking because it is his freedom because his grandfather still was a slave. I wanted to say to him that there also exist a freedom of choice to stop soon enough or at least not to drink the heaviest Belgian beers because they're dangerous, but what could I say more, - Various Sources

Most recent clippings as of 2009 are currently being collected. Feel free to review past and present since 2006.

---------------------------------------------

Forest Gospel
Jan.2009
Possessed by Paul James
Cold & Blind
(2008, Voodoo Rhythm)
File Under = Intensely soulful blues/folk
While
the rest of us content ourselves on oxygen, Konrad Wert seems to be
sustained by coals and lighter fluid because as Possessed by Paul
James, Wert breathes flames. I don’t mean that as any kind of
exaggeration either, it only takes a single spin of Cold and Blind
to feel the heat bleeding through the speakers. Wert’s pseudonym suits
him well. ‘Possessed’ is definitely adjective I’d use to describe
Wert’s maniacal delivery, though who Paul James is, I’m not sure.
According to Wikipedia Paul James could be anything from gardner to a
sportscaster to (most likely) a Canadian blues guitarist. Cold and Blind
is a deeply rooted blues album soaked in a heavy batch of nostalgia.
Wert takes on guitar, banjo and violin all with the percussion at his
feet and also all by his lonesome. However, where similarly
multitasking musicians tend to slow up to juggle their instruments,
Wert blazes forward like an obsessed demon, spitting and hollering all
along the way. Often coming off as Tourettes patient, Wert’s
spontaneous outbursts only serve to underscore the immediacy of Cold and Blue's
songs which are often punctuated by the applause of a live audience.
The record sounds like it was recorded on Skip James’ back porch,
filled to the brim with the ghosts of past blues luminaries. Wert’s
voice and guitar never fails to stretch the recordings to their limits,
pushing and pulling against the equipment as if the sound intended to
break free of the speakers its played on. It is really quite an
experience. Amongst the knee slappin’ there is heavy dose of folk
balladry that cuts you straight to the core. Possessed by Paul James is
nothing if not emotive. A magical, transportative record; Cold and Blind
feels like some ancient unearthed genius that’s aged in a way that
makes it all the more vibrant and contemporary. I feel like I'm all
over the place here but that is the nature of the record I guess -
definitely a keeper.
-Mr. Thistle
www.forestgospel.com

----------------------------------------------

RAZORCAKE
POSSESSED BY PAUL JAMES:
Cold and Blind: CD
Feb. 09

Some pretty damn good ........Texas blues and folk stuff on the Swiss label of Lightning Beat Man. Not as blown-out as most of the Voodoo Rhythm output and, in my opinion, this
is a good thing. Some bluesy stuff and a real folk feel on some tunes;
there is some really pretty stuff in places on this disc. At times,
there are even a few tunes that wouldn’t be out of place on one of the
Roky Erickson acoustic records. That is about the highest praise I can
give. Just a great collection of tunes sung with heart and soul. Check
this great songwriter out. –Mike Frame (Voodoo Rhythm)
www.razorcake.com

----------------------------------------------

Austin Chronicle/Off the Record
Jan. 2, 2009
by Austin Powell

The Chronicle Music Poll has followed the industry's paradigm shift into the Digital Age. Due to social networking sites such as MySpace, not to mention the local Land Development Code, Section 13-2-864 (see "Violators Will Be Punished," Sept. 12, 1997), the concert poster as advertisement has largely gone the way of the PDF, and the poll committee, with profound regret, has removed the category from this year's ballot. Other categories to get the pink slip include Novelty Band, Horn Player/Section, Strings Player/Section, and Instrument Equipment Store, though all of them are still in the running for the annual "Best of Austin" issue. Cast your ballot before Jan. 31. The remaining categories, with OTR's picks:

...ROOTS-ROCK: James McMurtry

FOLK: Possessed by Paul James

LATIN TRADITIONAL: Grupo Fantasma... - Various Sources

Most recent clippings as of 2009 are currently being collected. Feel free to review past and present since 2006.

---------------------------------------------

Forest Gospel
Jan.2009
Possessed by Paul James
Cold & Blind
(2008, Voodoo Rhythm)
File Under = Intensely soulful blues/folk
While
the rest of us content ourselves on oxygen, Konrad Wert seems to be
sustained by coals and lighter fluid because as Possessed by Paul
James, Wert breathes flames. I don’t mean that as any kind of
exaggeration either, it only takes a single spin of Cold and Blind
to feel the heat bleeding through the speakers. Wert’s pseudonym suits
him well. ‘Possessed’ is definitely adjective I’d use to describe
Wert’s maniacal delivery, though who Paul James is, I’m not sure.
According to Wikipedia Paul James could be anything from gardner to a
sportscaster to (most likely) a Canadian blues guitarist. Cold and Blind
is a deeply rooted blues album soaked in a heavy batch of nostalgia.
Wert takes on guitar, banjo and violin all with the percussion at his
feet and also all by his lonesome. However, where similarly
multitasking musicians tend to slow up to juggle their instruments,
Wert blazes forward like an obsessed demon, spitting and hollering all
along the way. Often coming off as Tourettes patient, Wert’s
spontaneous outbursts only serve to underscore the immediacy of Cold and Blue's
songs which are often punctuated by the applause of a live audience.
The record sounds like it was recorded on Skip James’ back porch,
filled to the brim with the ghosts of past blues luminaries. Wert’s
voice and guitar never fails to stretch the recordings to their limits,
pushing and pulling against the equipment as if the sound intended to
break free of the speakers its played on. It is really quite an
experience. Amongst the knee slappin’ there is heavy dose of folk
balladry that cuts you straight to the core. Possessed by Paul James is
nothing if not emotive. A magical, transportative record; Cold and Blind
feels like some ancient unearthed genius that’s aged in a way that
makes it all the more vibrant and contemporary. I feel like I'm all
over the place here but that is the nature of the record I guess -
definitely a keeper.
-Mr. Thistle
www.forestgospel.com

----------------------------------------------

RAZORCAKE
POSSESSED BY PAUL JAMES:
Cold and Blind: CD
Feb. 09

Some pretty damn good ........Texas blues and folk stuff on the Swiss label of Lightning Beat Man. Not as blown-out as most of the Voodoo Rhythm output and, in my opinion, this
is a good thing. Some bluesy stuff and a real folk feel on some tunes;
there is some really pretty stuff in places on this disc. At times,
there are even a few tunes that wouldn’t be out of place on one of the
Roky Erickson acoustic records. That is about the highest praise I can
give. Just a great collection of tunes sung with heart and soul. Check
this great songwriter out. –Mike Frame (Voodoo Rhythm)
www.razorcake.com

----------------------------------------------

Austin Chronicle/Off the Record
Jan. 2, 2009
by Austin Powell

The Chronicle Music Poll has followed the industry's paradigm shift into the Digital Age. Due to social networking sites such as MySpace, not to mention the local Land Development Code, Section 13-2-864 (see "Violators Will Be Punished," Sept. 12, 1997), the concert poster as advertisement has largely gone the way of the PDF, and the poll committee, with profound regret, has removed the category from this year's ballot. Other categories to get the pink slip include Novelty Band, Horn Player/Section, Strings Player/Section, and Instrument Equipment Store, though all of them are still in the running for the annual "Best of Austin" issue. Cast your ballot before Jan. 31. The remaining categories, with OTR's picks:

...ROOTS-ROCK: James McMurtry

FOLK: Possessed by Paul James

LATIN TRADITIONAL: Grupo Fantasma... - Various Sources