Danny Federici, best known for his work as keyboardist in the E Street Band, died last night in New York after a long battle with cancer. Please take a moment to remember him and send some positive thoughts to his family and friends.
Wailin’ Jennys @ The Triple Door (Seattle, WA 15 Apr 08)
The combination of food & live music is right up there with raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens. The Triple Door in Seattle takes talented acts, wonderful acoustics, excellent seating, great service and food (from Wild Ginger’s kitchen upstairs) and turns it into the consummate dinner theater experience.
I’ve always wanted to see an evening show at the Triple Door, to take advantage of the full range of features. I caught a Nada Surf acoustic “matinee” at the Triple Door a few years ago, courtesy of my good friend John, but the kitchen wasn’t available for that event. When my good friend John called to say he had four tickets for the Wailin’ Jennys I said yes immediately (in truth I ran it by my wife first.)
This was my second Jennys’ show in the past two months, four overall, and even though the sets were shorter than I’d seen in past shows the music was top shelf! The girls looked and sounded as good as ever. The vocals were as crisp and clear as a fall day. The arrangements were perfect and the musicianship was as good as I’ve ever seen or heard in recent memory.
I’ve commented before on Heather Masse and Jeremy Penner (9 Feb 08), the newest Jennys. Heather’s songwriting skills and vocals are a welcome addition. Jeremy’s amazing fiddle and mandolin round out the Jennys sound.
Highlights for me: the Gillian Welch penned One More Dollar, an a capella version of Leadbelly's Sylvie (at the February Harrison show it was scrapped due to giggles), Glory Bound Ruth's non-denominational Gospel song, and the encore of One Voice, the Jennys' anthem, and the a capella, no amplification, Parting Glass.
Emmylou Harris will perform at Woodland Park Zoo this summer. And the Black Crowes will appear at the Puyallup Fair.
More to follow...
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Danny Federici and The Wailin’ Jennys
Monday, April 14, 2008
The Dalai Lama speaks. Dave listens.
Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds @ Key Arena, Seattle, WA, 11 Apr 08
Friday night’s concert was a fundraiser for Seeds of Compassion The evening began around 4:30 PM with a discussion between the Dalai Lama, Ann Curry (Dateline NBC) and Dave Matthews.
The chairs were set on the stage. The large projection screens were in place. The Dalai Lama received a thunderous, standing ovation as he took the stage. During introductions Dave Matthews received a similar response from the audience. His Holiness donned a crimson visor to shield his eyes from the stage lights and the conversation began.
As a precursor to his question for the Dalai Lama Matthews began with a little bit about his background and how music affects his life. He finally asked if there was a correlation between compassion and music. His Holiness replied that a compassionate approach to any activity or action is more beneficial than doing something without compassion.
Anne Curry’s question of, “How can we have compassion toward our enemies?” Got the dialog moving along and allowed the Dalai Lama to expand on his ideas and share his perspective. I saw him Saturday as well and was able to have a better grasp after hearing him a second time. Here’s what I took away from Friday and Saturday.
Friday night’s concert was a fundraiser for Seeds of Compassion The evening began around 4:30 PM with a discussion between the Dalai Lama, Ann Curry (Dateline NBC) and Dave Matthews.
The chairs were set on the stage. The large projection screens were in place. The Dalai Lama received a thunderous, standing ovation as he took the stage. During introductions Dave Matthews received a similar response from the audience. His Holiness donned a crimson visor to shield his eyes from the stage lights and the conversation began.
As a precursor to his question for the Dalai Lama Matthews began with a little bit about his background and how music affects his life. He finally asked if there was a correlation between compassion and music. His Holiness replied that a compassionate approach to any activity or action is more beneficial than doing something without compassion.
Anne Curry’s question of, “How can we have compassion toward our enemies?” Got the dialog moving along and allowed the Dalai Lama to expand on his ideas and share his perspective. I saw him Saturday as well and was able to have a better grasp after hearing him a second time. Here’s what I took away from Friday and Saturday.
- Have compassion for your enemies, forgive them. That doesn’t mean to forget what they’ve done or to stop protecting yourself from further harm. Create dialog to help solve problems. You may find you are more alike than different. His Holiness suggested having world leaders, who are at odds with each other, vacation together with their families; prepare and share meals with each other, the kids play together, the spouses talk and the leaders spend a few days getting to know each other before discussing issues.
- We are just one in six billion but we have a responsibility to take care of ourselves. Wise selfishness is taking care of yourself, if you are healthy and approach life with compassion that affects those around you in a positive manner. Foolish selfishness is indulging with disregard for the effect on others and the consequences of those actions. It lacks compassion and gives off negative energy.
- All of the world’s problems are manmade. If we created them then we should be able to solve them. And when the Dalai Lama says manmade he means “men” made them, not women. The Dalai Lama learned compassion from his mother’s affection. He feels that women, due to their inherent nature to care for little ones, have more capacity to be more compassionate than men.
They talked for close to an hour. Then we had a break while they set the stage for Death Cab for Cutie. We decided to go to the Center House and get some refreshment. Unfortunately we returned in time to hear the lion’s share of Death Cab’s last number. It was good, a mostly acoustic rendition of Brothers on a Hotel Bed.
The roadies arranged the stage for the final event. Two chairs with a coffee table separating them and one mic set up on an oriental carpet (Is it PC to say oriental when referring to a carpet?) After a bit Dave and Tim showed up. They began with a long, almost haunting intro to Bartender on the barely lit stage. The 16 song set was full of between song banter, Dave confessing his nervousness during the Q&A part of the show and sharing some about the compositions themselves. I can’t remember when I’ve heard a more full sound from two guitars. Who needs a band when you have Tim Reynolds standing next to you?
The highlights: Bartender, Cry Freedom, Betrayal (Tim Reynolds one-man demonstration of just how much you can do with an acoustic guitar and a few effects), Everyday, Dancing Nancies and the encore Lie In Our Graves.
More to follow…
Sunday, March 30, 2008
The Boss Barely Slams the Back Door
In the 50s British & other European radio stations broadcast regular programs featuring American Blues, R&B and Country & Western in addition to the new sound from the states, Rock’N’Roll. British teens were hearing the very roots of American Rock’N’Roll at a time when all but the most die-hard music fans in the United States remained ignorant of the genre’s origins. Weaned on a steady diet of American roots music, teens in the United Kingdom formed their own bands, mimicked what they were hearing on the radio and eventually moved forward to export their own version of Rock’N’Roll. The resulting effort was known as the British Invasion (circa early 1960s.)
Back Door Slam – Roll Away (Blix Street, 26 Jun 07)
Back Door Slam is an updated version of the British Invasion story. According to their own website this talented, power trio from Isle of Man was, “Brought up on a potentially overindulgent appetite of Everything Blues,” and thank the lord that they decided to share their sound with the rest of us. From the first drop of the needle it’s evident, these guys mean business. Come Home, builds from the bass line, adding drums and then guitar, by the time Davy Knowles starts singing it’s like the whistle on a southbound freight train telling everyone to get the hell out of the way. And when these guys get rolling you won’t want to stop them.
The group is young but they write and play with a misleading level of maturity. You’d swear Gotta Leave, a bluesy number about moving on, was written and performed by seasoned veterans. Nope, Davy Knowles wrote it and Back Door Slam serves it up like they’d spent two decades on the road with John Mayall. Their treatment of Outside Woman Blues borrows just enough from Eric Clapton to let you know it isn’t Cream. (Note: “Gonna buy me a bulldog, watch my old lady while I sleep” Call me old-fashioned, but I don’t think I’d want to be with someone distrustful enough to require a guard dog to assure fidelity.)
Just when you think the boys are limited to a blues treatment of Rock’N’Roll, they offer songs like Stay, Too Good For Me and the title track Roll Away. The acoustic arrangements betray their folk influence and demonstrate vast range & great depth.
Tasty licks, hooks that grab you first time ‘round, searing solos, soulful vocals, tightly executed, meticulously produced, excellent songwriting and musicianship, I can’t list any favorite tracks because every song is great. This is how records should be made.
Bobby Bare – Sings Lullabys, Legends and Lies and More (RCA 24 Jul 07)
Most of you know Shel Silverstein as the author of Where the Sidewalk Ends and other children’s books. Did you know he was a cartoonist for Playboy? Or that he wrote many songs including several number one country hits.
Back in the early 70s Bobby Bare asked Shel Silverstein to write a few songs for him. Silverstein returned with a dozen newly penned compositions along with two older songs. Bare recorded them as Sings Lullabys, Legends and Lies in 1973, what some would call Bobby Bare’s best album. This is a remaster of the original recording. The newer version has a second CD with 16 tracks of Silverstein penned, Bare performed collaborations recorded after the Lullabys sessions. The set is a sampling of Bare’s bawdy, irreverent approach to music as one of Country & Western’s original outlaws. A word of caution; Bare’s loose treatment of Silverstein’s offbeat humor is most definitely not politically correct and it’s not for everyone. I doubt that you’ll find it patently offensive, but it may make you cringe a little. Anyway, if you listened to country music radio in the 70s like I did, (don’t act surprised folks I listened to everything and still do) then you will feel a certain familiarity, maybe even comfort, like running into an old high school chum that you haven’t seen for years.
My favorites, Numbers and Tequila Sheila.
Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band @ Key Arena, Seattle, WA 29 Mar 08
Springsteen was the hottest ticket and one of the biggest concert draws for nearly two decades. Last night’s show at the Key was a testament to his popularity. Backed by his just as popular E Street Band he ran through two and a half hours of old and new compositions before a house, packed to the rafters, of bouncing baby boomers. Hey, we may dance like pudgy, middle-aged, rhythmically-challenged, white men, but at least we’re still dancing.
The band took the stage around 8:30, sans keyboard player Danny Federici, who is undergoing treatment for melanoma, and Mrs. Springsteen, Patty Sciafla, who is “protecting the fort” both for and from his three teens. Max dropped the beat on one of my faves Trapped (a Jimmy Cliff tune that was recorded for the USA for Africa: Live Aid album) and they barely took a breath for the next three songs: Radio Nowhere, Lonesome Day & No Surrender. The roadies and guitar techs had their work cut out for them trying to keep up with the 58 year old Springsteen and his bandmates. While The Boss may have lost a little spring in his step he hasn’t lost much. Everyone looked good, a few more wrinkles and pounds, a little less hair, but for the most part, healthy. The Big Man, Clarence Clemons, was the exception. Not to be disrespectful, but Clarence spent as much time in an elegant, wingback chair to the side of the stage as he did standing up. In the old days there was a lot more interaction between The Boss and The Big Man. Rest assured, even though Clarence moved slowly he can still blow that horn!
You can keep your shredders, cheddars and bangers of headers because Nils Lofgren can tear up a fret board like nobody’s business. There were few time where he was able to stretch his legs and he went for a stroll with a capitol “S”! Wow can that guy play guitar.
The 24 song set featured eight tracks from the band’s latest release, Magic (Esion reviewed 26 Oct 07) and three each from The Rising, Darkness On the Edge of Town, & Born to Run. The highlights of the show for me: Reason to Believe, She’s the One, Tenth Ave Freeze Out, and Rosalita, which he’s played three times in the past 54 shows.
More to follow…
Back Door Slam – Roll Away (Blix Street, 26 Jun 07)
Back Door Slam is an updated version of the British Invasion story. According to their own website this talented, power trio from Isle of Man was, “Brought up on a potentially overindulgent appetite of Everything Blues,” and thank the lord that they decided to share their sound with the rest of us. From the first drop of the needle it’s evident, these guys mean business. Come Home, builds from the bass line, adding drums and then guitar, by the time Davy Knowles starts singing it’s like the whistle on a southbound freight train telling everyone to get the hell out of the way. And when these guys get rolling you won’t want to stop them.
The group is young but they write and play with a misleading level of maturity. You’d swear Gotta Leave, a bluesy number about moving on, was written and performed by seasoned veterans. Nope, Davy Knowles wrote it and Back Door Slam serves it up like they’d spent two decades on the road with John Mayall. Their treatment of Outside Woman Blues borrows just enough from Eric Clapton to let you know it isn’t Cream. (Note: “Gonna buy me a bulldog, watch my old lady while I sleep” Call me old-fashioned, but I don’t think I’d want to be with someone distrustful enough to require a guard dog to assure fidelity.)
Just when you think the boys are limited to a blues treatment of Rock’N’Roll, they offer songs like Stay, Too Good For Me and the title track Roll Away. The acoustic arrangements betray their folk influence and demonstrate vast range & great depth.
Tasty licks, hooks that grab you first time ‘round, searing solos, soulful vocals, tightly executed, meticulously produced, excellent songwriting and musicianship, I can’t list any favorite tracks because every song is great. This is how records should be made.
Bobby Bare – Sings Lullabys, Legends and Lies and More (RCA 24 Jul 07)
Most of you know Shel Silverstein as the author of Where the Sidewalk Ends and other children’s books. Did you know he was a cartoonist for Playboy? Or that he wrote many songs including several number one country hits.
Back in the early 70s Bobby Bare asked Shel Silverstein to write a few songs for him. Silverstein returned with a dozen newly penned compositions along with two older songs. Bare recorded them as Sings Lullabys, Legends and Lies in 1973, what some would call Bobby Bare’s best album. This is a remaster of the original recording. The newer version has a second CD with 16 tracks of Silverstein penned, Bare performed collaborations recorded after the Lullabys sessions. The set is a sampling of Bare’s bawdy, irreverent approach to music as one of Country & Western’s original outlaws. A word of caution; Bare’s loose treatment of Silverstein’s offbeat humor is most definitely not politically correct and it’s not for everyone. I doubt that you’ll find it patently offensive, but it may make you cringe a little. Anyway, if you listened to country music radio in the 70s like I did, (don’t act surprised folks I listened to everything and still do) then you will feel a certain familiarity, maybe even comfort, like running into an old high school chum that you haven’t seen for years.
My favorites, Numbers and Tequila Sheila.
Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band @ Key Arena, Seattle, WA 29 Mar 08
Springsteen was the hottest ticket and one of the biggest concert draws for nearly two decades. Last night’s show at the Key was a testament to his popularity. Backed by his just as popular E Street Band he ran through two and a half hours of old and new compositions before a house, packed to the rafters, of bouncing baby boomers. Hey, we may dance like pudgy, middle-aged, rhythmically-challenged, white men, but at least we’re still dancing.
The band took the stage around 8:30, sans keyboard player Danny Federici, who is undergoing treatment for melanoma, and Mrs. Springsteen, Patty Sciafla, who is “protecting the fort” both for and from his three teens. Max dropped the beat on one of my faves Trapped (a Jimmy Cliff tune that was recorded for the USA for Africa: Live Aid album) and they barely took a breath for the next three songs: Radio Nowhere, Lonesome Day & No Surrender. The roadies and guitar techs had their work cut out for them trying to keep up with the 58 year old Springsteen and his bandmates. While The Boss may have lost a little spring in his step he hasn’t lost much. Everyone looked good, a few more wrinkles and pounds, a little less hair, but for the most part, healthy. The Big Man, Clarence Clemons, was the exception. Not to be disrespectful, but Clarence spent as much time in an elegant, wingback chair to the side of the stage as he did standing up. In the old days there was a lot more interaction between The Boss and The Big Man. Rest assured, even though Clarence moved slowly he can still blow that horn!
You can keep your shredders, cheddars and bangers of headers because Nils Lofgren can tear up a fret board like nobody’s business. There were few time where he was able to stretch his legs and he went for a stroll with a capitol “S”! Wow can that guy play guitar.
The 24 song set featured eight tracks from the band’s latest release, Magic (Esion reviewed 26 Oct 07) and three each from The Rising, Darkness On the Edge of Town, & Born to Run. The highlights of the show for me: Reason to Believe, She’s the One, Tenth Ave Freeze Out, and Rosalita, which he’s played three times in the past 54 shows.
More to follow…
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Satisfied with Two Shoes and Warpaint
Two Shoes - The Cat Empire (Velour Records 6 Oct 07)
Sure this is an older album, according to my resources it was originally released in Australia on 10 Oct 05, and while I first heard Sly several months ago I didn’t get a chance to hear the whole disc until recently. So the music is new to me and certainly worth the space on my humble blog.
Cat Empire is a sextet from down under who has taken the sound from the Ska resurgence of the late 70s and turned it on its ear. They prefer to lean toward a Latin approach instead of relying on the more tradition Reggae-based sound (the disc was recorded in the same studio as Buena Vista Social Club.) I other words, they’re more like The English Beat than The Specials. Although their vocal style, with lots of slang and heavy Aussie accents, most closely resembles Ian Dury & the Blockheads. Any way it’s brilliant!
My favorites: The Car Song has a full R&B sound, similar to the recordings Ray Charles shared with us. Sly is an up-tempo story infatuation with a walking bass line, starts & stops in just the right places and a perfect vocal delivery. If you’re sitting still after 8 bars of this tune you need to check your pulse because you’re probably dead! Saltwater is the most traditionally pure Ska tune on the disc.
If you’re looking for something to get you out of your chair and shake the dust from your bones then buy this CD and play it loud. Your neighbors will thank you.
Warpaint – The Black Crowes (Silver Arrow 3 Mar 08)
Call me old-fashioned, but I interpret the process of reviewing music to include listening to the songs. It looks like Answer.com agrees. Their definition of review: To examine with an eye to criticism or correction. Maxim’s choice to assign Warpaint 2½ stars without hearing a single note has sullied the reputation of music critics the world over. They should be lashed to the mainmast, striped to the waste and flogged repeatedly for their transgressions. Sorry, I digress.
The hiatus Chris and Rich Robinson took a few years back to pursue their own projects (Chris’s New Earth Mud & This Magnificent Distance and Rich’s nearly solo Paper) gave them the space they needed to explore their own musical direction as well as mature as songwriters and performers. While the work from that period gave us some very good songs, something was missing. Eventually the boys discovered what all of us suspected. To create a full sound Chris needed Rich’s musicianship as much as Rich needed Chris’s vocals. It’s all about balance people!
Warpaint is the first studio recording from the Brothers Robinson since 2001’s Lions. The sessions for the CD benefited from that time of exploration and was worth every minute of the wait. For those of you who pigeon-holed The Crowes as an American knock off of The Stones or The Faces, think again. This album demonstrates a range and creativity that Black Crowes fans have been aware of for years.
The boys have assembled a collection of tracks that will make their mamma & daddy proud. Drawing once again from their influences of Blues, R&B, C&W, Gospel, Rock, Folk & Bluegrass, Chris and Rich Robinson demonstrate a thorough knowledge and complex understanding of all who have come before. They take that knowledge, run it through the Crowe songwriting process and yield eleven great tunes. I love every cut on the disc from the opening rocker Goodbye Daughters of the Revolution to the folky Whoa Mule. My favorites: Oh Josephine, a soulful lament of things not turning out quite the way they planned, and God’s Got It a bluesed-up treatment of the Reverend Charles Jackson’s Gospel tune.
This is a must for any Crowe fan and highly recommended for lovers of great music.
Satisfied – John Sebastian and Dave Grisman (Acoustic Disc 6 Nov 07)
There’s a lot to be said for “one take” style recordings. First of all you get more of a performance based tune as opposed to an engineered sound, so it’s closer to what you’d hear in a live setting. Secondly, there are no overdubs, pitch correction or speeding/slowing of the track so the artist must rely solely on delivery & musicianship. Lastly, it’s a bit like eavesdropping and slightly voyeuristic. When listening to the stripped-down performance, warts and all, I can’t help but having the feeling that I’m privy to something I’m not supposed to hear. It definitely appeals to the naughtier angels of my nature.
Dave Grisman and John Sebastian are undisputed masters of their craft. They’ve been performing since the Dead Sea was sick. The two have played with everyone. And I do mean everyone. On Satisfied, a “one take” recording, you get a guitar, a mandolin, a banjo, an occasional harmonica and some vocals showcasing the nearly 100 years of musical experience represented by Dave & John. Combine that with one part Folk, one part Blues, one part Jazz, a sprinkling of Country & Bluegrass and apply liberally to a few public domain songs, some blues and country standards, several compositions by the masters themselves and you have a good disc of tunes to help you unwind after a long day of adding value to an unappreciative, soul-sucking corporation. The one drawback, and it’s just a slight detraction, Sebastian’s vocal isn’t quite as strong as it once was. Let’s not forget that he sang Summer In the City over 40 years ago.
I got a kick out of John admitting, via the liner notes, to being in uncharted territory when it comes to “Acoustico-Dawg” recordings (i.e., one take recording.) He asked the recording engineer to turn up his guitar and was told to play louder instead. I love it.
This is a CD any guitar player, or musician for that matter, would enjoy. Its approach can be appreciated for what it is, simple and pure. Not unlike me.
More to follow…
Sure this is an older album, according to my resources it was originally released in Australia on 10 Oct 05, and while I first heard Sly several months ago I didn’t get a chance to hear the whole disc until recently. So the music is new to me and certainly worth the space on my humble blog.
Cat Empire is a sextet from down under who has taken the sound from the Ska resurgence of the late 70s and turned it on its ear. They prefer to lean toward a Latin approach instead of relying on the more tradition Reggae-based sound (the disc was recorded in the same studio as Buena Vista Social Club.) I other words, they’re more like The English Beat than The Specials. Although their vocal style, with lots of slang and heavy Aussie accents, most closely resembles Ian Dury & the Blockheads. Any way it’s brilliant!
My favorites: The Car Song has a full R&B sound, similar to the recordings Ray Charles shared with us. Sly is an up-tempo story infatuation with a walking bass line, starts & stops in just the right places and a perfect vocal delivery. If you’re sitting still after 8 bars of this tune you need to check your pulse because you’re probably dead! Saltwater is the most traditionally pure Ska tune on the disc.
If you’re looking for something to get you out of your chair and shake the dust from your bones then buy this CD and play it loud. Your neighbors will thank you.
Warpaint – The Black Crowes (Silver Arrow 3 Mar 08)
Call me old-fashioned, but I interpret the process of reviewing music to include listening to the songs. It looks like Answer.com agrees. Their definition of review: To examine with an eye to criticism or correction. Maxim’s choice to assign Warpaint 2½ stars without hearing a single note has sullied the reputation of music critics the world over. They should be lashed to the mainmast, striped to the waste and flogged repeatedly for their transgressions. Sorry, I digress.
The hiatus Chris and Rich Robinson took a few years back to pursue their own projects (Chris’s New Earth Mud & This Magnificent Distance and Rich’s nearly solo Paper) gave them the space they needed to explore their own musical direction as well as mature as songwriters and performers. While the work from that period gave us some very good songs, something was missing. Eventually the boys discovered what all of us suspected. To create a full sound Chris needed Rich’s musicianship as much as Rich needed Chris’s vocals. It’s all about balance people!
Warpaint is the first studio recording from the Brothers Robinson since 2001’s Lions. The sessions for the CD benefited from that time of exploration and was worth every minute of the wait. For those of you who pigeon-holed The Crowes as an American knock off of The Stones or The Faces, think again. This album demonstrates a range and creativity that Black Crowes fans have been aware of for years.
The boys have assembled a collection of tracks that will make their mamma & daddy proud. Drawing once again from their influences of Blues, R&B, C&W, Gospel, Rock, Folk & Bluegrass, Chris and Rich Robinson demonstrate a thorough knowledge and complex understanding of all who have come before. They take that knowledge, run it through the Crowe songwriting process and yield eleven great tunes. I love every cut on the disc from the opening rocker Goodbye Daughters of the Revolution to the folky Whoa Mule. My favorites: Oh Josephine, a soulful lament of things not turning out quite the way they planned, and God’s Got It a bluesed-up treatment of the Reverend Charles Jackson’s Gospel tune.
This is a must for any Crowe fan and highly recommended for lovers of great music.
Satisfied – John Sebastian and Dave Grisman (Acoustic Disc 6 Nov 07)
There’s a lot to be said for “one take” style recordings. First of all you get more of a performance based tune as opposed to an engineered sound, so it’s closer to what you’d hear in a live setting. Secondly, there are no overdubs, pitch correction or speeding/slowing of the track so the artist must rely solely on delivery & musicianship. Lastly, it’s a bit like eavesdropping and slightly voyeuristic. When listening to the stripped-down performance, warts and all, I can’t help but having the feeling that I’m privy to something I’m not supposed to hear. It definitely appeals to the naughtier angels of my nature.
Dave Grisman and John Sebastian are undisputed masters of their craft. They’ve been performing since the Dead Sea was sick. The two have played with everyone. And I do mean everyone. On Satisfied, a “one take” recording, you get a guitar, a mandolin, a banjo, an occasional harmonica and some vocals showcasing the nearly 100 years of musical experience represented by Dave & John. Combine that with one part Folk, one part Blues, one part Jazz, a sprinkling of Country & Bluegrass and apply liberally to a few public domain songs, some blues and country standards, several compositions by the masters themselves and you have a good disc of tunes to help you unwind after a long day of adding value to an unappreciative, soul-sucking corporation. The one drawback, and it’s just a slight detraction, Sebastian’s vocal isn’t quite as strong as it once was. Let’s not forget that he sang Summer In the City over 40 years ago.
I got a kick out of John admitting, via the liner notes, to being in uncharted territory when it comes to “Acoustico-Dawg” recordings (i.e., one take recording.) He asked the recording engineer to turn up his guitar and was told to play louder instead. I love it.
This is a CD any guitar player, or musician for that matter, would enjoy. Its approach can be appreciated for what it is, simple and pure. Not unlike me.
More to follow…
Friday, March 14, 2008
Brother Earl Kane
It doesn't seem possible that it's March already. In like a lion, out like a lamb, not unlike the way I make love. I know, I know, too much information. Any way…
I spent a great week skiing in Canada and even though I’m a die-hard Trailer Park Boys fan, my application for political asylum was denied. I'm excited nonetheless because The Boss arrives at The Key with The E Street Band toward the end of the month and, praise be to the gods, baseball begins soon. In addition, I have tickets for Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds at The Key. Evidently His Holiness, the Dalai Lama, has agreed to play bass for the set. Then Big Head Todd & The Monsters invade The Showbox. For those of you who haven’t heard their new release, All the Love You Need, what the hell is wrong with you?
I’m beginning to see a few new (to me any way) blog-worthy discs begin to trickle in so I hope to resume posting with regular frequency.
Brothers of a Feather – Chris and Rich Robinson (Eagle Records, 10 July 07)
The Brothers Robinson, aka The Black Crowes, never cease to amaze me. First, they demonstrate their knowledge and appreciation of music by including some covers of lesser known folks songs from the 70s on this disc (I had the same, “knock me over with a feather” feeling when I found out that Page & Plant listened to Joni Mitchell’s music backstage during their monster tours in the 70s.) Second, the boys have a knack for taking the basic elements of Rock’N’Roll and tweaking it just enough to make you think they invented it. Brothers of a Feather really emphasizes the latter. This is a great album!
The CD is a result of an abbreviated tour Chris & Rich did back in 2006 just before the reassembled The Black Crowes. The tracks for this disc were culled from a three night stint at the Roxy in LA (no, not Lewiston-Auburn.) Even though the songs are stripped down, mostly acoustic renditions, Chris’s vocals are as soulful as ever and Rich shines with his guitar work. Included in the set are four Black Crowe songs, several unreleased Robinson compositions, two from Rich’s solo album Paper and several covers.
The highlights: Cursed Diamond – a Crowe concert staple from Amoirica, Over the Hill – penned by Scottish folkie John Martyn, Roll ‘Um Easy – A favorite of mine from Little Feat’s Lowell George, Leave It Alone – An overlooked song from Rich’s solo album Paper (Chris’s harmony gives it just the kick it needs to make it a great song), and they finish the night with a great version of Thorn In My Pride from The Black Crowes' Southern Harmony release.
This is a must for any fan of The Black Crowes and I’d recommend it, without reservation to people who appreciate Rock’N’Roll.
Earl Greyhound – Soft Targets (Some Records, 6 Aug 06)
This is the first full length recording from a Brooklyn power trio with a huge retro sound reminiscent of the psychedelic rock from the 70s. While they don’t reveal their musical influences on their website or Myspace, I detect strains of Zeppelin, Hendrix, The Kinks and The Beatles, among others. It’s the heavier side of Rock’N’Roll with great vocals.
The ‘in your face’ energy of S.O.S and guitar lick focus of Monkey, could have these two tracks easily fitting on any Led Zeppelin releases. Two Weeks and It’s Over have a poppy sound that demonstrates the bands range. Good has a similar feel to the work from The Beatles Revolver release.
Soft Targets wouldn’t make good background music for an afternoon tea, but if you’re looking for a soundtrack to clean the house or just plain rock out, this is the disc!
Kane Welch Kaplin - Kane Welch Kaplin (Compass Records, 11 Sept 07)
Kieren Kane has been around the music biz for a couple of decades. Certainly long enough to get fed up with the type of albums the big labels were releasing. He and a few friends started their own company so they could make the kind of albums they wanted. This disc is a testament to the high quality of music you can get from an independent label. I should warn you; do not listen to this CD if you like great song writing, excellent musicianship and crisp harmonies.
Kieren Kane, Kevin Welch and Fats Kaplin, along with Kieren’s son Lucas handling percussion, have put together a collection of what some would call Roots music, Americana if you will. Using the influences of Country & Western, Folk, Bluegrass, Blues & Gospel they load us in an old pick-up truck with a quart bottle of Pabst Blue Ribbon (concealed in a brown paper bag) slam the door and go for a long ride in the country on a dusty back road. It’s perfect!
My current faves are Highland Mary, Red Light Blinking, That’s What I Got and Zagnut.
I defy you not to like this CD.
More to follow…
I spent a great week skiing in Canada and even though I’m a die-hard Trailer Park Boys fan, my application for political asylum was denied. I'm excited nonetheless because The Boss arrives at The Key with The E Street Band toward the end of the month and, praise be to the gods, baseball begins soon. In addition, I have tickets for Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds at The Key. Evidently His Holiness, the Dalai Lama, has agreed to play bass for the set. Then Big Head Todd & The Monsters invade The Showbox. For those of you who haven’t heard their new release, All the Love You Need, what the hell is wrong with you?
I’m beginning to see a few new (to me any way) blog-worthy discs begin to trickle in so I hope to resume posting with regular frequency.
Brothers of a Feather – Chris and Rich Robinson (Eagle Records, 10 July 07)
The Brothers Robinson, aka The Black Crowes, never cease to amaze me. First, they demonstrate their knowledge and appreciation of music by including some covers of lesser known folks songs from the 70s on this disc (I had the same, “knock me over with a feather” feeling when I found out that Page & Plant listened to Joni Mitchell’s music backstage during their monster tours in the 70s.) Second, the boys have a knack for taking the basic elements of Rock’N’Roll and tweaking it just enough to make you think they invented it. Brothers of a Feather really emphasizes the latter. This is a great album!
The CD is a result of an abbreviated tour Chris & Rich did back in 2006 just before the reassembled The Black Crowes. The tracks for this disc were culled from a three night stint at the Roxy in LA (no, not Lewiston-Auburn.) Even though the songs are stripped down, mostly acoustic renditions, Chris’s vocals are as soulful as ever and Rich shines with his guitar work. Included in the set are four Black Crowe songs, several unreleased Robinson compositions, two from Rich’s solo album Paper and several covers.
The highlights: Cursed Diamond – a Crowe concert staple from Amoirica, Over the Hill – penned by Scottish folkie John Martyn, Roll ‘Um Easy – A favorite of mine from Little Feat’s Lowell George, Leave It Alone – An overlooked song from Rich’s solo album Paper (Chris’s harmony gives it just the kick it needs to make it a great song), and they finish the night with a great version of Thorn In My Pride from The Black Crowes' Southern Harmony release.
This is a must for any fan of The Black Crowes and I’d recommend it, without reservation to people who appreciate Rock’N’Roll.
Earl Greyhound – Soft Targets (Some Records, 6 Aug 06)
This is the first full length recording from a Brooklyn power trio with a huge retro sound reminiscent of the psychedelic rock from the 70s. While they don’t reveal their musical influences on their website or Myspace, I detect strains of Zeppelin, Hendrix, The Kinks and The Beatles, among others. It’s the heavier side of Rock’N’Roll with great vocals.
The ‘in your face’ energy of S.O.S and guitar lick focus of Monkey, could have these two tracks easily fitting on any Led Zeppelin releases. Two Weeks and It’s Over have a poppy sound that demonstrates the bands range. Good has a similar feel to the work from The Beatles Revolver release.
Soft Targets wouldn’t make good background music for an afternoon tea, but if you’re looking for a soundtrack to clean the house or just plain rock out, this is the disc!
Kane Welch Kaplin - Kane Welch Kaplin (Compass Records, 11 Sept 07)
Kieren Kane has been around the music biz for a couple of decades. Certainly long enough to get fed up with the type of albums the big labels were releasing. He and a few friends started their own company so they could make the kind of albums they wanted. This disc is a testament to the high quality of music you can get from an independent label. I should warn you; do not listen to this CD if you like great song writing, excellent musicianship and crisp harmonies.
Kieren Kane, Kevin Welch and Fats Kaplin, along with Kieren’s son Lucas handling percussion, have put together a collection of what some would call Roots music, Americana if you will. Using the influences of Country & Western, Folk, Bluegrass, Blues & Gospel they load us in an old pick-up truck with a quart bottle of Pabst Blue Ribbon (concealed in a brown paper bag) slam the door and go for a long ride in the country on a dusty back road. It’s perfect!
My current faves are Highland Mary, Red Light Blinking, That’s What I Got and Zagnut.
I defy you not to like this CD.
More to follow…
Saturday, February 9, 2008
The Wailin Jennys at Harrison Memorial Hall, 8 Feb 08
My lovely Ms. Esion (a.k.a. the brains of the outfit) and I decided to take some time away from the hustle & bustle of daily life and venture north to our Canadian oasis, Harrison Hot Springs. We love to soak in the pools, graze at the buffets and lounge around with nothing to do and all day in which to do it. I must confess that the main reason we decided to make the trip was to see one of our favorite bands, The Wailin Jennys.
The Wailin Jennys are three amazingly talented, stunningly attractive women (+ Jeremy Penner, the phenomenal fiddler who looks a bit like Tim Robbins.) They have the voices of angels (words alone cannot describe the harmonies), possess a captivating stage presence, are thoroughly proficient with a wide array of musical instruments and they write and perform some of the best music I’ve heard in the last ten years.
This was our third Jennys’ show in two years. The performance last night at Harrison Memorial Hall was phenomenal!!!! Jeremy and Heather are the latest additions to the Wall of Sound. It’s not actually a Wall of Sound in a Phil Spector sense of the term. It’s more like a fence of sound. A functional, sturdy, aesthetically pleasing fence built from sustainable material protecting your organic tomatoes from deer and keeping your pound-rescued dog from wandering into the road. Sorry, I digress…
The girls (+ Jeremy) took the stage at the Harrison Memorial Hall a few minutes past 8 PM. The modest hall was set up café style with candle lit tables for 240+. The sell-out crowd (no surprise) was treated to a great first set including my favorite song of the night, Glory Bound, a Gospel tune from Firecracker featuring Ruth on the banjo. After 50 minutes of captivating music the Jennys took a short break and let us stretch our legs and grab some refreshments.
The girls (+ Jeremy) returned and gave us a choice between a Huddy Leadbetter, better known as Leadbelly, composition and one penned by County music god, Hank Williams, Sr. They started with an a capella version of Sylvie, but after two false starts (Heather got the giggles) they abandoned Leadbelly for the Hank. They handled the skip with graceful ease. While it was refreshing to see that the Jennys are indeed mortal, I was slightly nervous of a repeat for the next few songs. Maybe it was my concern for the newest Jenny and fellow Mainer-in-exile, Heather. In my humble opinion Heather’s voice compliments Ruth & Nicky better than any of the previous iterations of the group. Cara and Annabelle are both talented musicians (oh if I could play guitar like Annabelle) but The Wailin Jennys 3.0 is my favorite version. I don’t see a need for a service pack up-grade.
The second set featured another highlight for me, Beautiful Dawn from 40 Days. After another 50 minutes of wonderful songs the girls (+ Jeremy) returned for an encore with One Voice from 40 Days and finished as they have every time I’ve seen them, with an a capella, unamplified version of the old Irish tune, Parting Glass, also on 40 Days .
Another spectacular performance!!!
If you don’t have anything by The Wailin Jennys drop whatever you’re doing and order any/all of their CDs from the Jennys' website. You can thank me later.
The Jennys Myspace site, just in case you want to hear and see them.
http://www.myspace.com/thewailinjennys
More to follow…
While I have you, check out the following Seattle bands (Gosh I love Myspace):
Fleet Foxes – Folk-based, multi-part harmonies
Grand Archives – Folksy-Countriesque-Rock with a Pop feel, great harmonies
Kay Kay and His Weathered Underground – Rock with Folk, Pop, R&B and Jazz influences. I love this guy’s voice.
The Wailin Jennys are three amazingly talented, stunningly attractive women (+ Jeremy Penner, the phenomenal fiddler who looks a bit like Tim Robbins.) They have the voices of angels (words alone cannot describe the harmonies), possess a captivating stage presence, are thoroughly proficient with a wide array of musical instruments and they write and perform some of the best music I’ve heard in the last ten years.
This was our third Jennys’ show in two years. The performance last night at Harrison Memorial Hall was phenomenal!!!! Jeremy and Heather are the latest additions to the Wall of Sound. It’s not actually a Wall of Sound in a Phil Spector sense of the term. It’s more like a fence of sound. A functional, sturdy, aesthetically pleasing fence built from sustainable material protecting your organic tomatoes from deer and keeping your pound-rescued dog from wandering into the road. Sorry, I digress…
The girls (+ Jeremy) took the stage at the Harrison Memorial Hall a few minutes past 8 PM. The modest hall was set up café style with candle lit tables for 240+. The sell-out crowd (no surprise) was treated to a great first set including my favorite song of the night, Glory Bound, a Gospel tune from Firecracker featuring Ruth on the banjo. After 50 minutes of captivating music the Jennys took a short break and let us stretch our legs and grab some refreshments.
The girls (+ Jeremy) returned and gave us a choice between a Huddy Leadbetter, better known as Leadbelly, composition and one penned by County music god, Hank Williams, Sr. They started with an a capella version of Sylvie, but after two false starts (Heather got the giggles) they abandoned Leadbelly for the Hank. They handled the skip with graceful ease. While it was refreshing to see that the Jennys are indeed mortal, I was slightly nervous of a repeat for the next few songs. Maybe it was my concern for the newest Jenny and fellow Mainer-in-exile, Heather. In my humble opinion Heather’s voice compliments Ruth & Nicky better than any of the previous iterations of the group. Cara and Annabelle are both talented musicians (oh if I could play guitar like Annabelle) but The Wailin Jennys 3.0 is my favorite version. I don’t see a need for a service pack up-grade.
The second set featured another highlight for me, Beautiful Dawn from 40 Days. After another 50 minutes of wonderful songs the girls (+ Jeremy) returned for an encore with One Voice from 40 Days and finished as they have every time I’ve seen them, with an a capella, unamplified version of the old Irish tune, Parting Glass, also on 40 Days .
Another spectacular performance!!!
If you don’t have anything by The Wailin Jennys drop whatever you’re doing and order any/all of their CDs from the Jennys' website. You can thank me later.
The Jennys Myspace site, just in case you want to hear and see them.
http://www.myspace.com/thewailinjennys
More to follow…
While I have you, check out the following Seattle bands (Gosh I love Myspace):
Fleet Foxes – Folk-based, multi-part harmonies
Grand Archives – Folksy-Countriesque-Rock with a Pop feel, great harmonies
Kay Kay and His Weathered Underground – Rock with Folk, Pop, R&B and Jazz influences. I love this guy’s voice.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
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...
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...
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