Big Head, Lupe and Sweet Baby James

It’s been rather boisterous and blustery on the Island since the holidays. Not really boisterous but I was going for alliterative effect. I ended up with a busted wing as a result of an altercation with several very persistent moms and their desire to get the last Official NASCAR Dale Earnhardt vs. Richard Petty Speedway Showdown slot car race track at Toys’R’Us. While I suffered a fractured radius I was able to proceed to the register with my prize. To the victor go the spoils!
And the weather has been, to say the least, interesting. Colder than usual with lots of precipitation. It figures, tons of snow in the mountains and me unable to ski.
To add insult to injury, I’m dealing with a dearth of high quality CDs to review. Not to worry, if my sources are correct we should have a few noteworthy discs from new as well as established artists being released over the next few months.

James Taylor – One Man Band (13 Nov 07, Hear Music)
I’ve loved James Taylor’s music since I first heard Sweet Baby James and Mud-Slide Slim on my brother’s stereo way back when. And I’ve been fortunate to see him perform several times. He’s one of the best, a consummate entertainer.
James Taylor’s long and distinguished career as one of the original singer-songwriters has been marked with great peaks and deep valleys. He was institutionalized for depression and struggled with heroin addiction for decades. Those elements combined with his love for performing and recording have taken a toll on his personal life as well. He’s been married several times. On the upside Paul McCartney & George Harrison worked on his first album, he wrote some of the most memorable songs of the 70s, he’s sold more albums than Carter has little pills, has a bridge named for him in the Carolinas, appeared on an episode of The West Wing and sang the National Anthem at Game 2 of the '07 World Series. Through all of this Taylor has kept his sense of humor (One fan shouts, “Go Red Sox” as James takes the stage and in the liner notes under Special Thanks he’s written, “…with apologies to Joe Torre.”)
One Man Band is a collection of some of Taylor’s greatest tunes, spanning his entire career, stripped down and performed live at the historic Colonial Theatre in Pittsfield, MA. His voice is in fine form and as usual he’s accompanied by some of the best in the business.
He opens with a stellar, solo acoustic version of Something In the Way She Moves from his 1968 self-titled Apple release continues with Never Die Young accompanied by Larry Goldings on piano. He never misses a beat, a quip here and there, a little bit about the next song, just enough to engage the audience, never rambling, he wants to play his music and it’s all here folks; Country Road, You’ve Got Friend, Shower the People, Sweet Baby James, Carolina In My Mind, Fire and Rain and my favorite, Copperline. He finishes, as he’s done every time I’ve seen him, with a short, simple, solo acoustic version of You Can Close Your Eyes from Mud Slide-Slim and the Blue Horizon.
Oh, I almost forgot, this disc contains a concert DVD as well.

Lupe Fiasco – The Cool (18 Dec 07, Atlantic)
I’ve been quite selective when it comes to Rap/Hip-Hop music. If the truth be known my favorite songs in that genre are Ian Drury’s Reason’s To Be Cheerful Part 3, The Magnificent Seven by The Clash and Deborah Harry rapping at the end of Blondie’s Rapture. Additionally, I really liked Rapper’s Delight and Run DMC’s version of Walk This Way. By the way, Run DMC's recording accomplished two very significant things;
1) It brought Rap/Hip-Hop to white kids in the suburbs
2) It resurrected Aerosmith’s career propelling them, once again, to the stratosphere of Rock stardom.
Call me old fashioned, but I can do without the artists talking about bitches & ‘hos and popping caps in asses. The misogyny, homophobia and general sociopathic behavior that is the focus of a Gangsta Rap is wasted on me.
You don’t get this with Lupe. You get good grooves and thoughtful lyrics with a social conscience. Born and raised on the tough, west side of Chicago Fiasco, whose birth name is Wasalu Muhammad Jaco, focused on literature, comic books and skateboarding instead of hustling drugs and joining gangs. And even though he was influenced by the harder Gangsta style from California he abandoned it for songs with a less negative message. He focuses on musical production and lyrical content instead of creating an image of excess, bravado and shameless self-promotion. Native Chicagoan Kanye West gave him his big break and he’s been in good company ever since (Jay-Z helped produce his first album Liquor & Food.)
The Cool is part editorial part Hip-Hop Opera part R&B and all solid tracks. This what happens when intelligent people have access to the resources to create their art.
By the way, if Rap/Hip-Hop with a conscience sounds interesting to you please check out Seattle's own The Blue Scholars as well.

Big Head Todd and the Monsters – All the Love You Need (4 Nov 07, Big)
In the summer of ’95 I was stuck in the ice for two weeks on a tug boat north of Point Barrow. Not much to do except give an ice report every four hours, listen to music, watch the polar bears on the ice flows and play poker every night. I had a copy of Strategem and it received a daily spin or two. It was during that period that I developed my appreciation for the music of Big Head Todd.
The eleventh album by Boulder’s rockers All the Love You Need is free if you want to download it from their website. I‘m not sure how I ended up with a copy. I think it was sent as a bonus from one of the music magazines I subscribe too, Paste, maybe? Anyway, it rocks from the bluesy opener Her own Kinda Woman to anthem-like Beautiful Rain.
A quick comment on the fairly recent changes that have been made in the distribution of music: It’s about frigging time. For too long too many lesser-deserving people have made tons off the sweat & blood of the artists. With few exceptions the major record companies have operated in a predatory manner. They preyed on the talent and they preyed on the consumers. Genrally speaking we’ve been limited to two or three good tracks in amongst ten tracks of filler for an exorbitant price and, due to pressure to play certain artists on the radio, a strangle hold on access to anything unique or independent. Hopefully the new model of music distribution (i.e., artists distributing their own creations) will turn the music industry on its ear and major record company execs will be forced to abandon the limo for public transportation. Thank God for Radiohead & Madonna (just for the record I’m not a big fan of the music of either of the previously mentioned but the big acts have to lead the way for change to happen. Radiohead & Madonna have done just that.)
Back to All the Love You Need. I’ve always liked the Big Head sound, but I’d have to say the boys have hit a high mark with this disc. My favorite cuts are Cruel Fate, with a nod to the southern rock sound of the 70s and Fortune Teller, up-tempo rockers that'll get your foot tapping.
In case you’re interested, according to Wikipedia, Blue Sky is being used by Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign. Funny, I figured the boys would be Obama supporters.

More to follow...

Christmas Music

You’ll probably notice that I used the “C” word, not exactly proper behavior in this politically correct time. God forbid I exclude a group by talking about the end of the year holiday that my family celebrates (oops, I said God, apologies to those of you who recognize a different supreme being/force/energy or none at all.) Any way…I did not grow up celebrating Kwanza, Hanukkah, Solstice or Festivus so it’s more of a challenge for me to recommend selections for those holidays. And since this is my blog I’m making a conscious choice to talk about Christmas music. It doesn’t mean that I have any less respect for those of you who choose to celebrate Kwanza, Hanukkah, Solstice, Festivus, etc.

At this time I should tell you that my intention for this week’s article was to compile a comprehensive list of the best Christmas music available, a daunting task. I can’t help it. My obsessive compulsive disorder compels me to approach all my projects this way. Fortunately for me my ADD kicks in shortly after I begin the task and as I get distracted I save myself a lot of work.

As many of you have determined there is an abundance of Christmas music for sale. Some choices are great and some not so much. (I have this vision, courtesy of the Ghost of Christmas Special Past, of Cher singing O Holy Night like it was Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves.)

Here’s a breakdown of Amazon’s ten, best selling Christmas CDs.

Noel – Josh Groban (9 Oct 07, WEA/Reprise)
13 tracks of standard Christmas tunes by the Grammy winning, mega-talented, classical cross-over artist. Unfortunately he sings the tracks like he’s performing selections from Tosca. His voice is great but it’s a little stiff. It lacks the warmth of Andy Williams or the jolliness of Burl Ives. Christmas songs should feel like they are being sung by people wearing sweaters standing in front of an appropriately decorated hearth. Not by a guy wearing a tux standing on a stage above a symphony pit. Sorry Josh but it’s a little too formal for my liking.

Let It Snow - Michael Buble (19 Oct 07, WEA/Reprise)
Buble’s EP of six Christmas songs is nicely produced and he’s approached it with his trademark, swinging sound. While he’s closer to the sweater and hearth scenario mentioned in the Groban review, I have this visual of Mr. Buble holding a brandy snifter and a cigarette ala Dean Martin.

A Christmas Celebration – Celtic Women (3 Oct 06, Manhattan Records)
This is nice and these gals can sing. I particularly like Ding Dong Merrily On High and Christmas Pipes. I have to warn you. Some numbers lean a bit toward a New Age style (think Windham Hill.)

One Chance – Paul Potts (19 Sept 07, Sony)
Not really a Christmas album. It’s mainly an opera greatest hits disc with a few Christmas tracks (O Holy Night and Silent Night.)

Christmas Song - Mannheim Steamroller (9 Oct 07 American Gramophone)
Has Mannheim Steamroller, aka Chip Davis, ever done anything beside Christmas albums? Just kidding, they did a Halloween disc a few years ago. These tracks, mostly instrumental, are a melding of orchestral and electronic instruments and it’s way too syncopated for me. It’s like a Miami Vice Christmas album.

James Taylor at Christmas – James Taylor (2 Oct07, Columbia)
I love James Taylor. I’ve seen him numerous times. He’s a great songwriter, wonderful musician and a consummate performer. With the exception of River, Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas and Who Comes This Night James misses the mark due to his arrangements. His blues-up approach to Jingle Bells is really bad. This is not what I look for in a Christmas album!

The Lost Christmas Eve - Trans-Siberian Orchestra (12 Oct 04, Lava)
I didn’t know Meatloaf did a Christmas Album!

Wintersong - Sarah McLachlan (17 Oct 06, Arista)
Sarah has done a nice job here. She has the right voice for Christmas songs. I like her take on some of the more traditional songs. She dresses them up a little but stays true to old forms, mostly. Song For A Winter’s Night is my favorite track.

The Christmas Collection - Il Divo (25 Oct 05, Sony)
Again, the classical crossover guys singing Christmas songs like the libretto from an opera, they show emotion in the presentation, but it’s too over-the-top for Christmas music. Stick to Puccini fellows.

I don’t wish to be critical (well actually I do), but I have a very specific idea of what good Christmas music should sound like and I’m sad to say that most of these miss the mark. I’m a little disappointed, but not surprised, that the record labels have taken advantage of their big attractions by having them do a Christmas album. Just because you sing great Opera or Jazz doesn’t mean you can sing Christmas songs.

My picks: for Christmas Music:

White Christmas – Bing Crosby (1 June 95, MCA)
Older recordings show their age but Bing is great!!!

The Christmas Song - Nat King Cole (27 Sept 07, Sony)
Who does a better version of The Christmas Song?

A Jolly Christmas from Frank Sinatra - Frank Sinatra (18 Sept 07, Capitol)
The Chairman of the Board shows how it’s done.

A Very Special Christmas – Various Artists (25 Oct 90, A&M)
How can anyone trim the tree without Bon Jovi singing Back Door Santa?

Complete Christmas Collection – Vienna Boys Choir, London Symphony Orchestra, Royal College Of Music Chamber Choir et al. (13 Aug 91, Sony, 4 CDs, out of print)
It picked this up at Costco years ago and it is one of my favorite Christmas sets. It has excerpts from The Nutcracker and Messiah as well as lots or traditional Christmas songs including my all-time fave O Come O Come Emanuel.

December – George Winston (25 Oct 90, Windham Hill)
Amazing solo piano versions of Christmas classics!!!

A Winters Solstice (multiple volumes) – Various Artists (1985-, Windham Hill)
New age recordings of traditional and very old school Christmas music.

Christmas Remix : Holiday Classics Re-Grooved – Various Artists (21 Oct 03, Six Degrees) If you liked the originals by Bing Crosby and Mel Torme but felt they needed a little more drum & bass then this is your Christmas record.

With the exception of the last two sugestions I’m pretty traditional. I do appreciate new versions of the older songs, but stick to the basic format & melody. The original arrangements are good and performers who choose to depart from that formula do so at their own peril. Like the man says, “If it ain’t broke…”

Please enjoy the holiday season, regardless of how you choose to celebrate and permit me to extend my best wishes for a great New Year!

More to follow…