Friends,
I love holiday songs and could listen to them all year long, but I have a rule; no Christmas music until I have digested my turkey and trimmings. Right now I’m listening to Natty and Nice: A Reggae Christmas and Six Degrees Collection: Christmas Remixed. But that’s not why I’m writing. This post has to do with my favorite discs from 2009. Here goes.
The Avett Brothers - I and Love and You (Sony, 29 Sept 09)
I describe these guys as Black & Bluegrass and this is their best release to date. They hold to many Bluegrass traditions, but their live shows have more energy than an atomic bomb and nearly as explosive.
Neko Case – Middle Cyclone (Anti, 3 Mar 09)
Wow! That’s all I can say, wow! Got to see her at Bumbershoot ’08.
Ravi Coltrane – Blending Times (Savoy Jazz, 13 Jan 09)
It has to be tough to live is the shadow of a legend. Ravi shows no signs that it’s a burden. He’s put together a solid combo, isn’t afraid to let them shine and shine they do on this great Jazz disc.
The Black Crowes - Before the Frost/After the Freeze (Red Distribution, 1 Sept 09)
I’ve seen the Brothers Robinson 3 times, including a great show in November of this year. These tracks were recorded live at Levon Helm’s Woodstock studio and performance hall (OK, OK it’s a barn) and truly demonstrates how the boys have matured as songwriters and musicians.
eels - Hombre Lobo: 12 Songs of Desire (Vagrant Records, 2 Jun 09)
Take a blues influenced, retro, rock sound, strip it down, add some distortion, fold in a lot of attitude and you have Hombre Lobo...
Fink - Sort of Revolution (Ninja Tune, 22 May 09)
If Nick Drake lived long enough to incorporate an ever-so-slight Techno pulse into the bottom end of his music, this is what it would sound like.
Grand Archives - Keep in Mind Frankenstein (Sub Pop, 15 Sept 09)
The Emerald City’s own created another disc of perfectly blended harmonies in their version of the Folk tradition.
Mayer Hawthorne- A Strange Arrangement (Stones Throw, 8 Sept 09)Sweet Soulful sounds from Ann Arbor by a geeky looking white guy in a cardigan and Buddy Holly glasses. Buy this record now! One of my great finds from Bumbershoot ’09.
Hoots & Hellmouth - Holy Open Secret (Mad Dragon Records, 2 Jun 09)
A solid sophomore effort from the Philly quartet who provided the best live show I saw in 2009 (the energy from their show could power a city for a week). Mostly, it’s Folk Rock delivered with the fervor of a Pentecostal preacher in a tent revival meeting.
Joe Henry - Blood From Stars (Anti, 18 Aug 09)
I love Joe Henry’s sweet melodies, his jazzy arrangements, his poetic lyrics and his spot-on delivery. What I’m trying to say is I love Joe Henry’s music. He reminds of Tom Waits and Ricki Lee Jones.
Levon Helm-Electric Dirt (Vanguard Records, 30 Jun 09)
A few years back Levon was dealing with cancer and a very rocky financial situation. Hard to believe! This is his second great album since coming back. Who needs The Band to reunite as long as Levon can make a disc like this?
The Lonely Forest-We Sing the Body Electric (Burning Building Recordings, 21 Apr 09)A debut from a young band of straight on Rock from Anacortes, WA .Very, very nice.
Manchester Orchestra-Mean Everything to Nothing (Sony, 21 Apr 09)Atlanta Rockers tearing it up with attitude!
Mindy Smith- Stupid Love (Vanguard Records, 11 Aug 09)Third album and best yet, from this very talented Nashville transplant by way of Long Island. Two things I like about her; she gives me hope for the future of C&W and she’s not Taylor Swift. I saw her at Bumbershoot ’04.
Telekinesis-Telekinesis (Merge Records, 7 Apr 09)Bright, Pop sounds reminding me of the snappy tunes from the New Wave era. A crowd pleaser at Bumbershoot ’09.
Vieux Farka Toure – Fondo (Six Degrees, 12 May 09)
Blues Mali style. His dad did an album with Ry Cooder a few years ago.
Westerly- This Lonesome Town (Westerly, Mar 09)Northwest quartet playing C&W (mostly originals) with catchy hooks, great melodies and honey-sweet harmonies. Saw them at the Kingston Arts & Crafts Festival in June.
Vetiver-Tight Knit (Sub Pop, 17 Feb 09)They pay homage to the Folk tradition with playful, sometimes Jazzy songs. I love this band.
Volcano Choir – Unmap (Jagjaguwar, 22 Sept 09)
A collection of very talented people from Wisconsin including Bon Iver. Slow, somber, Folky tunes.
More to follow...
Friday, December 18, 2009
Sunday, September 27, 2009
So Many Records and Shows...
Friends,
Since my last post I saw some great acts at Bumbershoot '09. The weather sucked and it's the first time in many years that I've not gone every day.
I saw James Taylor at the Puyallup Fair last Saturday. He was fantastic!!!! While walking the fairgrounds before the show I saw a food vendor called "Fried Everything" including fried butter (the snack for those with extremely low cholesterol).
I have included quite a few artists in this post, but these are the discs I have been listening to for the past few months.
More to follow...
Country
Kasey Chambers & Shane Nicholson – Rattlin’ Bones (Sugarhill, 21 Apr 08)
Who says great Country music has to come from Nashville. Aussies Chambers & Nicholson must have been weaned on Bluegrass and C&W.
Charlie Haden & Friends – Rambling Boy (Decca, 23 Sept 08)
Jazz bassist Haden is spot on with a disc of excellent, traditional Country sounds.
Levon Helm-Electric Dirt (Vanguard Records, 30 Jun 09)
Levon’s second album since recovering from throat cancer, a bit more rocking than the first. Reminiscent of the work of his former group, The Band. Excellent!
Mindy Smith- Stupid Love (Vanguard Records, 11 Aug 09)
Third album (and best yet) from this Nashville transplant by way of Long Island. (Bumbershoot ’04).
Various Artists - Country & Western Hit Parade 1945-1950 Dim Lights, Thick Smoke and Hillbilly Music (Bear Family, 9 Dec 08) Bob Wills, Ernest Tubb, Merle Travis and other Country legends take you back to the post-war era.
Westerly- This Lonesome Town (Westerly, Mar 09)
Saw them at the Kingston Arts & Crafts Festival in June. Way too small a crowd for this Northwest quartet playing originals with catchy hooks, great melodies and honey-sweet harmonies. They kick ass.
Folk
Vetiver-Tight Knit (Sub Pop, 17 Feb 09)
While their MySpace site indicates that they play Thrash / Black Metal / Christian Rap that couldn’t be further from the truth. They’re paying homage to the Folk tradition (like their talented contemporaries Bon Iver, Grand Archives, Hoots & Hellmouth) with solid song-writing, musicianship and production. I love this band.
R&B/Soul
Mayer Hawthorne- A Strange Arrangement (Stones Throw, 8 Sept 09)
Sweet Soulful sounds from Ann Arbor by a geeky looking white guy in a cardigan and Buddy Holly glasses. Buy this record now! One of my great finds from Bumbershoot ’09.
Raphael Saadiq-The Way I See It (Sony, 16 Sept 09)
OK, so I’m late to the party on this one. When I first heard this disc from former Tony! Toni! Toné! member I would have bet the farm that this was an unreleased jewel from Berry Gordy’s Mowtown archives. Not so. For those of you pining for songs from one of the most artistic eras in American music, Saadiq has put together something reminiscent of The Impressions, The Miracles, The Temptations and Marvin Gaye. Another great act from Bumbershoot ’09.
World
Dehli 2 Dublin Remixed (Nov 08)
Tasty world beats from a rather eclectic troop of musicians, Celtic fiddle, sitar, lots of Central Asian performers, a DJ and a few rappers all sewn together with a toe-tapping bass & drum bottom that had the entire crowd at Bumbershoot ’09 pulsing to the rhythms.
Rock
Dept. of Energy-Held By Waits (Roam Records, 8 May 07)
I don’t know how I never heard of this Seattle band, but they lit up the EMP’s Sky Church at Bumbershoot ’09 with sound and vision.
The Lonely Forest-We Sing the Body Electric (Burning Building Recordings, 21 Apr 09)
Hailing from tiny Anacortes, WA, they write and play like they’ve been touring the world for decades. Another band shining brightly at EMP’s Sky Church during Bumbershoot ’09. Nicely done!
Manchester Orchestra-Mean Everything to Nothing (Sony, 21 Apr 09)
Atlanta Rockers tearing it up with attitude!
Roman Candle-Oh Tall Tree in the Ear
Chapel Hill Folk-Rockers make great music.
Telekinesis-Telekinesis (Merge Records, 7 Apr 09)
Bright, Pop sounds reminding me of the snappy tunes from the New Wave era. A crowd pleaser at Bumbershoot ’09.
Classic Rock Releases
Van Morrison-Astral Weeks Live at the Hollywood Bowl (Listen To the Lion Records, 24 Feb 09)
Arguably the most influential album Van ever released and it's performed live with some of the original studio musicians. When can we expect a tour around Tupelo Honey, Moondance or St. Dominic’s Preview?
Eric Clapton & Steve Winwood-Live at Madison Square Garden (Reprise, 19 May 09)
Do I really need to say anything at all?
Since my last post I saw some great acts at Bumbershoot '09. The weather sucked and it's the first time in many years that I've not gone every day.
I saw James Taylor at the Puyallup Fair last Saturday. He was fantastic!!!! While walking the fairgrounds before the show I saw a food vendor called "Fried Everything" including fried butter (the snack for those with extremely low cholesterol).
I have included quite a few artists in this post, but these are the discs I have been listening to for the past few months.
More to follow...
Country
Kasey Chambers & Shane Nicholson – Rattlin’ Bones (Sugarhill, 21 Apr 08)
Who says great Country music has to come from Nashville. Aussies Chambers & Nicholson must have been weaned on Bluegrass and C&W.
Charlie Haden & Friends – Rambling Boy (Decca, 23 Sept 08)
Jazz bassist Haden is spot on with a disc of excellent, traditional Country sounds.
Levon Helm-Electric Dirt (Vanguard Records, 30 Jun 09)
Levon’s second album since recovering from throat cancer, a bit more rocking than the first. Reminiscent of the work of his former group, The Band. Excellent!
Mindy Smith- Stupid Love (Vanguard Records, 11 Aug 09)
Third album (and best yet) from this Nashville transplant by way of Long Island. (Bumbershoot ’04).
Various Artists - Country & Western Hit Parade 1945-1950 Dim Lights, Thick Smoke and Hillbilly Music (Bear Family, 9 Dec 08) Bob Wills, Ernest Tubb, Merle Travis and other Country legends take you back to the post-war era.
Westerly- This Lonesome Town (Westerly, Mar 09)
Saw them at the Kingston Arts & Crafts Festival in June. Way too small a crowd for this Northwest quartet playing originals with catchy hooks, great melodies and honey-sweet harmonies. They kick ass.
Folk
Vetiver-Tight Knit (Sub Pop, 17 Feb 09)
While their MySpace site indicates that they play Thrash / Black Metal / Christian Rap that couldn’t be further from the truth. They’re paying homage to the Folk tradition (like their talented contemporaries Bon Iver, Grand Archives, Hoots & Hellmouth) with solid song-writing, musicianship and production. I love this band.
R&B/Soul
Mayer Hawthorne- A Strange Arrangement (Stones Throw, 8 Sept 09)
Sweet Soulful sounds from Ann Arbor by a geeky looking white guy in a cardigan and Buddy Holly glasses. Buy this record now! One of my great finds from Bumbershoot ’09.
Raphael Saadiq-The Way I See It (Sony, 16 Sept 09)
OK, so I’m late to the party on this one. When I first heard this disc from former Tony! Toni! Toné! member I would have bet the farm that this was an unreleased jewel from Berry Gordy’s Mowtown archives. Not so. For those of you pining for songs from one of the most artistic eras in American music, Saadiq has put together something reminiscent of The Impressions, The Miracles, The Temptations and Marvin Gaye. Another great act from Bumbershoot ’09.
World
Dehli 2 Dublin Remixed (Nov 08)
Tasty world beats from a rather eclectic troop of musicians, Celtic fiddle, sitar, lots of Central Asian performers, a DJ and a few rappers all sewn together with a toe-tapping bass & drum bottom that had the entire crowd at Bumbershoot ’09 pulsing to the rhythms.
Rock
Dept. of Energy-Held By Waits (Roam Records, 8 May 07)
I don’t know how I never heard of this Seattle band, but they lit up the EMP’s Sky Church at Bumbershoot ’09 with sound and vision.
The Lonely Forest-We Sing the Body Electric (Burning Building Recordings, 21 Apr 09)
Hailing from tiny Anacortes, WA, they write and play like they’ve been touring the world for decades. Another band shining brightly at EMP’s Sky Church during Bumbershoot ’09. Nicely done!
Manchester Orchestra-Mean Everything to Nothing (Sony, 21 Apr 09)
Atlanta Rockers tearing it up with attitude!
Roman Candle-Oh Tall Tree in the Ear
Chapel Hill Folk-Rockers make great music.
Telekinesis-Telekinesis (Merge Records, 7 Apr 09)
Bright, Pop sounds reminding me of the snappy tunes from the New Wave era. A crowd pleaser at Bumbershoot ’09.
Classic Rock Releases
Van Morrison-Astral Weeks Live at the Hollywood Bowl (Listen To the Lion Records, 24 Feb 09)
Arguably the most influential album Van ever released and it's performed live with some of the original studio musicians. When can we expect a tour around Tupelo Honey, Moondance or St. Dominic’s Preview?
Eric Clapton & Steve Winwood-Live at Madison Square Garden (Reprise, 19 May 09)
Do I really need to say anything at all?
Monday, August 31, 2009
2009 Bumbershoot Preview
Sorry for the short notice. I have been Hella-busy. The asterisks are acts I recommend. See you this weekend.
More to follow....
Saturday, 5 Sept 09
Samsung Mobile Mainstage
Katy Perry http://www.myspace.com/katyperry
She kissed a girl and liked it!
All-American Rejects http://www.myspace.com/allamericanrejects
Rock, production is fine, but can’t really distinguish them from a lot of other bands.
*Old 97s http://www.myspace.com/theold97s
Old school Rock sound leaning toward Rock-a-Billy and Alt-Country.
Sheryl Crow http://www.myspace.com/sherylcrow
Sheryl has left Las Vegas to soak up the sun in Seattle.
Rockstar Stage
Sick Puppies http://www.myspace.com/sickpuppies
Loud, aggressive, angry young man Rock-n-Roll.
*Iglu & Hartly http://www.myspace.com/igluandhartly
Is it Dance, Techno or Hip-Hop? Yes and it’s upbeat and fun!
Gang Gang Dance http://www.myspace.com/ganggangdance
Dance music with a worldly pulse, get on your feet.
OTEP http://www.myspace.com/otep
Loud, aggressive, angry young man Rock-n-Roll.
Fisher Green Stage
*Adrian Xavier http://www.myspace.com/adrianxavier
Reggae
*Mayer Hawthorne http://www.myspace.com/mayerhawthorne
Sweet soulful sounds from a geeky looking white guy.
Wale http://www.myspace.com/wale
Thick and juicy Hip-Hop from DC.
Os Mutantes http://www.myspace.com/osmutantes66
Brazilian Pop.
De La Soul http://www.myspace.com/delasoul
Two decades in the trenches and still churning out smooth Hip-Hop grooves.
Starbucks Stage
Kristen Ward http://www.myspace.com/kristenwardmusic
Local talent sharing singer/songwriter Folk-Rock.
Kim Field & The Mighty Titans of Tone http://www.myspace.com/kimfieldandthemightytitansoftone
Slow and smokey, rough and rowdy Blues from Seattle.
*Massy Ferguson http://www.myspace.com/massyferguson
The self-proclaimed People’s Band rockin’ from Seattle.
Carrie Rodriguez http://www.myspace.com/carrielrodriguez
Folk Rock from a consummate entertainer with great pipes.
Eric Hutchinson http://www.myspace.com/erichutchinson
Catchy Pop tunes, reminds me of Billy Joel.
World Party http://www.myspace.com/worldparty
Rock that pops from the foggy isles.
Broad Street Stage
Everest http://www.myspace.com/everest
Slower, mostly Rock-based songs. Reminds me of Neil Young
Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head http://www.myspace.com/natalieportmansshavedhead
Seattle’s very own Electro-Dance group.
*Low Vs Diamond http://www.myspace.com/lowvsdiamond
Excellently arranged and delivered Rock’n’Roll.
Matt & Kim http://www.myspace.com/mattandkim
Electro-Pop from NY.
UH HUH HER http://www.myspace.com/uhhuhhermusic
Electro-Pop California style.
*The Long Winters http://www.myspace.com/thelongwinters
I love this band!!!! Excellent Rock from one of Seattle’s own.
Northwest Court
The Not-Its http://www.myspace.com/thenotits
Pop for the younger set.
We Are Golden http://www.myspace.com/wearegoldenmusic
Elaborately arranged Rock with great musicianship and vocals.
Cordero http://www.myspace.com/corderonyc
Latin Pop Rock from NY.
Eleni Mandell http://www.myspace.com/elenimandell
Folk Rock. Nice voice.
*Elvis Perkins http://www.myspace.com/elvisperkins
LA Folk Rock phenom.
EMP Skychurch
*Dyno Jamz http://www.myspace.com/dynojamz
To quote EMP, “West Coast cool jazz to East Coast 80s hip-hop”
Hotels http://www.myspace.com/hotels
New Wave, Electro-Rockers from Seattle.
Past Lives http://www.myspace.com/pastlivesmusic
Seattle rockers.
Akimbo http://www.myspace.com/akimbo
In your face Rock from Seattle. Suck it bitches!
The Whore Moans http://www.myspace.com/thewhoremoanssuck
More in your face Rock from Seattle.
*Telekinesis http://www.myspace.com/telekinesismusic
Great Rock sound. I love this band!
Kay Kay and His Weathered Underground http://www.myspace.com/kaykayunderground
Reminds me of Queen’s cabaret approach to Rock.
Sunday, 6 September 09
Samsung Mobile Mainstage
Cold War Kids http://www.myspace.com/coldwarkids
Rockin’ in from LA.
*Yeah Yeah Yeahs http://www.myspace.com/yeahyeahyeahs
If Chrissie Hynde was starting in music today she’d be in this band.
*Michael Franti http://www.myspace.com/michaelfranti
World Beat from the Bay Area. I dare you to sit still.
Jason Mraz http://www.myspace.com/jasonmraz
Smooth, Pop sounds from Southern California.
Rockstar Stage
Rockstar Winner
Maximo Park http://www.myspace.com/maximopark
UK Rock, rather tasty.
Swollen Members http://www.myspace.com/swollenmembers
Hip-Hop from Vancouver, BC
No Age http://www.myspace.com/nonoage
It’s knocking-over-trash-cans-with-a-chainsaw Rock.
MSTRKRFT http://www.myspace.com/mstrkrft
Self-described as Electro-Punk, I’m inclined to agree.
Fisher Green Stage
Kore Ionz http://www.myspace.com/koreionz
“Water for roots. Love of reggae. Fire for rock.” Ya mon…
Dyme Def http://www.myspace.com/dymedefchea
Portland Hip-Hop.
Extra Golden http://www.myspace.com/extragolden
Music from Kenya by way of a Chicago record label.
*Common Market http://www.myspace.com/commonmarket
Do yourself a favor and see these guys, Seattle Hip-Hop.
*Roy Ayers http://www.myspace.com/royayersubiquity
Jazz, Funk & Soul, what more could you ask for?
*Raphael Saadiq http://www.myspace.com/raphaelsaadiq
Soul and R&B with an old school sound.
Starbucks Stage
Handful of Luvin’ http://www.myspace.com/handfulofluvin
Interesting Folk Rock.
The Dusty 45s http://www.myspace.com/billyjoeandthedusty45s
3 chord guitar and a whole lotta shaking goin’on
The Honey Brothers http://www.myspace.com/thehoneybrothers
Canadian quintet playing World Beat Pop tunes.
Sera Cahoone http://www.myspace.com/seracahoone
Somber, Soulful Country from a former Indie-Rock drummer.
Dave Alvin & The Guilty Women http://www.myspace.com/davealvin
A walking, talking lexicon of American Roots music.
Brett Dennen http://www.myspace.com/brettdennen
If Jack Johnson and Tracy Chapman had a child…Funkified Folky Pop.
Broad Street Stage
Hey Marseilles http://www.myspace.com/heymarseilles
Folk music.
Mt St Helens Vietnam Band http://www.myspace.com/mtsthelensvietnamband
Rock’N’Roll
U.S.E. http://www.myspace.com/use
United States of Electronica, need I say more?
Vivian Girls http://www.myspace.com/viviangirlsnyc
NYC punkers
*Holy F**k http://www.myspace.com/holyfuck
Original instrumental electronic Rock.
*The Helio Sequence http://www.myspace.com/theheliosequence
Pop Rockers from Portland.
Northwest Court
Central Services presents the Board of Education http://www.myspace.com/cskids
Kiddie Pop.
Steve Griggs Quintet http://www.stevegriggsmusic.com/
Jazz, but I can’t hear it because he has no Myspace page.
Mark Taylor Quartet http://www.myspace.com/marktaylormusic
Jazz!
Michael Shrieve’s Spellbinder http://www.myspace.com/michaelshrievesspellbinder
Latin Jazz!
Paul Oscher http://www.myspace.com/pauloscher
Blues, Blues, Blues.
Todd Snider http://www.myspace.com/toddsnider
Blues, Folk, Country and Rock.
EMP Skychurch
The Kindness Kind http://www.myspace.com/thekindnesskind
Local Rockers.
*Black Whales http://www.myspace.com/blackwhales
These guys are good, basic Rock’N’Roll.
Parenthetical Girls http://www.myspace.com/parentheticalgirlsband
Chamber Rock from Everett by way of Portland.
Romance http://www.myspace.com/romance
New Wave Rockers from Seattle.
Sleepy Eyes of Death http://www.myspace.com/sleepyeyesofdeath
Electro-Rock from the Emerald City.
D.Black/Spaceman http://www.myspace.com/sportnliferecords
Local Hip-Hop
DJ Spooky That Subliminal Kid http://www.myspace.com/djspooky
No tunes on the MySpace player.
Monday, 7 September 09
Samsung Mobile Mainstage
The Knux http://www.myspace.com/theknux
Hip-Hop from Hollywood , by way of New orleans, California
*The Black Eyed Peas http://www.myspace.com/blackeyedpeas
Saw Fergie a few years ago, this should be fun.
Franz Ferdinand http://www.myspace.com/franzferdinand
Rocking along
Modest Mouse http://www.myspace.com/modestmouse
Issaquah Rock band.
Rockstar Stage
Rockstar Winner
Forgive Durden performing Razia’s Show http://blogs.myspace.com/forgivedurden
Not entirely sure what this is
Dead Confederate http://www.myspace.com/deadconfederate
Hard Rocking boys from Georgia.
Audrye Sessions http://www.myspace.com/audryesessions
“…polished, propulsive rock songs and gentle, stripped-down tunes…”
3 Inches of Blood http://www.myspace.com/3iob
Just exactly what you’d expect from a band called 3 Inches of Blood.
Fisher Green Stage
Macklemore http://www.myspace.com/macklemore
Seattle Hip-Hop
Dehli 2 Dublin http://www.myspace.com/delhi2dublin
Celtic melodies and Indian beats with a little Hip-Hop for good measure.
*The New Mastersounds http://www.myspace.com/newmastersounds
Funky, Soulful, Bluesy.
Janelle Monae http://www.myspace.com/janellemonae
Soul/R&B, Pop, Great vocals!
Vieux Farka Toure http://www.myspace.com/vieuxfarkatoure
Mali sensation keeps the family tradition alive and well.
Sly & Robbie http://www.myspace.com/slyandrobbie
Reggae from Bob Marley’s rhythm section.
Starbucks Stage
Tyler Bryant http://www.myspace.com/tylerbryantmusic
Tyler’s talented, but way too young to play authentic blues.
The Minus 5 http://www.myspace.com/theminus5
Pop-Rockers going strong.
Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears http://www.myspace.com/blackjoelewis
No tunes on the MySpace player.
*The Devil Makes Three http://www.myspace.com/thedevilmakesthree
Fun, bright Country sounds.
*The Cave Singers http://www.myspace.com/thecavesingers
Saw ‘em on the NW stage a few years back. Great music!
Keller Williams http://www.myspace.com/kellerwilliams
Acoustic Funk, Folk, Country and whatever else he feels like doing.
Broad Street Stage
Visqueen http://www.myspace.com/visqueen
No doubt about it Rock’N’Roll.
Say Hi http://www.myspace.com/sayhitoyourmom
Rock and it’s not too bad at all.
Mirah http://www.myspace.com/coldcoldwater
Pop Rock from sultry singing siren.
Akron/Family http://www.myspace.com/akronfamily
Jazzy grooves switch to in-your-face Rock guitar.
Soulsavers http://www.myspace.com/soulsavers
UK Rock somberly
Metric http://www.myspace.com/metric
Yeah, they Rock.
Northwest Court
Anomie Belle http://www.myspace.com/anomiebelle
Electronic, somber approaches to Rock.
Recess Monkey http://www.myspace.com/recessmonkey
Kid focused Pop.
Grand Hallway http://www.myspace.com/grandhallway
Folk Rock with a Japanese influence. That’s what their MySpace page says.
Oren Lavie http://www.myspace.com/orenlavie
Jazzie, electronic background with soulful vocals. Sounds a bit like Nick Drake.
Portland Cello Project http://www.myspace.com/celloproject
This is not your father’s cello band.
Lenka http://www.myspace.com/lenkamusic
Nicely done Pop from Down Under
EMP Skychurch
*Department of Energy http://www.myspace.com/deptofenergy
Great original Rock.
Point Juncture, WA http://www.myspace.com/ptjuncturewa
More Rock from Portland.
The Lonely Forest http://www.myspace.com/thelonelyforest
Anacortes own Rock, WOW! Go see this band.
Champagne Champagne http://www.myspace.com/champagnechampagne
Local Hip-Hop
Wallpaper http://www.myspace.com/wallpaper
Pop & Hip-Hop.
Truckasaurus http://www.myspace.com/teapartiesgunsnvalor
Hippity-Hoppity Techno
Head Like a Kite http://www.myspace.com/headlikeakite
Shoegaze, WTF? Who comes up with these?
More to follow....
Saturday, 5 Sept 09
Samsung Mobile Mainstage
Katy Perry http://www.myspace.com/katyperry
She kissed a girl and liked it!
All-American Rejects http://www.myspace.com/allamericanrejects
Rock, production is fine, but can’t really distinguish them from a lot of other bands.
*Old 97s http://www.myspace.com/theold97s
Old school Rock sound leaning toward Rock-a-Billy and Alt-Country.
Sheryl Crow http://www.myspace.com/sherylcrow
Sheryl has left Las Vegas to soak up the sun in Seattle.
Rockstar Stage
Sick Puppies http://www.myspace.com/sickpuppies
Loud, aggressive, angry young man Rock-n-Roll.
*Iglu & Hartly http://www.myspace.com/igluandhartly
Is it Dance, Techno or Hip-Hop? Yes and it’s upbeat and fun!
Gang Gang Dance http://www.myspace.com/ganggangdance
Dance music with a worldly pulse, get on your feet.
OTEP http://www.myspace.com/otep
Loud, aggressive, angry young man Rock-n-Roll.
Fisher Green Stage
*Adrian Xavier http://www.myspace.com/adrianxavier
Reggae
*Mayer Hawthorne http://www.myspace.com/mayerhawthorne
Sweet soulful sounds from a geeky looking white guy.
Wale http://www.myspace.com/wale
Thick and juicy Hip-Hop from DC.
Os Mutantes http://www.myspace.com/osmutantes66
Brazilian Pop.
De La Soul http://www.myspace.com/delasoul
Two decades in the trenches and still churning out smooth Hip-Hop grooves.
Starbucks Stage
Kristen Ward http://www.myspace.com/kristenwardmusic
Local talent sharing singer/songwriter Folk-Rock.
Kim Field & The Mighty Titans of Tone http://www.myspace.com/kimfieldandthemightytitansoftone
Slow and smokey, rough and rowdy Blues from Seattle.
*Massy Ferguson http://www.myspace.com/massyferguson
The self-proclaimed People’s Band rockin’ from Seattle.
Carrie Rodriguez http://www.myspace.com/carrielrodriguez
Folk Rock from a consummate entertainer with great pipes.
Eric Hutchinson http://www.myspace.com/erichutchinson
Catchy Pop tunes, reminds me of Billy Joel.
World Party http://www.myspace.com/worldparty
Rock that pops from the foggy isles.
Broad Street Stage
Everest http://www.myspace.com/everest
Slower, mostly Rock-based songs. Reminds me of Neil Young
Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head http://www.myspace.com/natalieportmansshavedhead
Seattle’s very own Electro-Dance group.
*Low Vs Diamond http://www.myspace.com/lowvsdiamond
Excellently arranged and delivered Rock’n’Roll.
Matt & Kim http://www.myspace.com/mattandkim
Electro-Pop from NY.
UH HUH HER http://www.myspace.com/uhhuhhermusic
Electro-Pop California style.
*The Long Winters http://www.myspace.com/thelongwinters
I love this band!!!! Excellent Rock from one of Seattle’s own.
Northwest Court
The Not-Its http://www.myspace.com/thenotits
Pop for the younger set.
We Are Golden http://www.myspace.com/wearegoldenmusic
Elaborately arranged Rock with great musicianship and vocals.
Cordero http://www.myspace.com/corderonyc
Latin Pop Rock from NY.
Eleni Mandell http://www.myspace.com/elenimandell
Folk Rock. Nice voice.
*Elvis Perkins http://www.myspace.com/elvisperkins
LA Folk Rock phenom.
EMP Skychurch
*Dyno Jamz http://www.myspace.com/dynojamz
To quote EMP, “West Coast cool jazz to East Coast 80s hip-hop”
Hotels http://www.myspace.com/hotels
New Wave, Electro-Rockers from Seattle.
Past Lives http://www.myspace.com/pastlivesmusic
Seattle rockers.
Akimbo http://www.myspace.com/akimbo
In your face Rock from Seattle. Suck it bitches!
The Whore Moans http://www.myspace.com/thewhoremoanssuck
More in your face Rock from Seattle.
*Telekinesis http://www.myspace.com/telekinesismusic
Great Rock sound. I love this band!
Kay Kay and His Weathered Underground http://www.myspace.com/kaykayunderground
Reminds me of Queen’s cabaret approach to Rock.
Sunday, 6 September 09
Samsung Mobile Mainstage
Cold War Kids http://www.myspace.com/coldwarkids
Rockin’ in from LA.
*Yeah Yeah Yeahs http://www.myspace.com/yeahyeahyeahs
If Chrissie Hynde was starting in music today she’d be in this band.
*Michael Franti http://www.myspace.com/michaelfranti
World Beat from the Bay Area. I dare you to sit still.
Jason Mraz http://www.myspace.com/jasonmraz
Smooth, Pop sounds from Southern California.
Rockstar Stage
Rockstar Winner
Maximo Park http://www.myspace.com/maximopark
UK Rock, rather tasty.
Swollen Members http://www.myspace.com/swollenmembers
Hip-Hop from Vancouver, BC
No Age http://www.myspace.com/nonoage
It’s knocking-over-trash-cans-with-a-chainsaw Rock.
MSTRKRFT http://www.myspace.com/mstrkrft
Self-described as Electro-Punk, I’m inclined to agree.
Fisher Green Stage
Kore Ionz http://www.myspace.com/koreionz
“Water for roots. Love of reggae. Fire for rock.” Ya mon…
Dyme Def http://www.myspace.com/dymedefchea
Portland Hip-Hop.
Extra Golden http://www.myspace.com/extragolden
Music from Kenya by way of a Chicago record label.
*Common Market http://www.myspace.com/commonmarket
Do yourself a favor and see these guys, Seattle Hip-Hop.
*Roy Ayers http://www.myspace.com/royayersubiquity
Jazz, Funk & Soul, what more could you ask for?
*Raphael Saadiq http://www.myspace.com/raphaelsaadiq
Soul and R&B with an old school sound.
Starbucks Stage
Handful of Luvin’ http://www.myspace.com/handfulofluvin
Interesting Folk Rock.
The Dusty 45s http://www.myspace.com/billyjoeandthedusty45s
3 chord guitar and a whole lotta shaking goin’on
The Honey Brothers http://www.myspace.com/thehoneybrothers
Canadian quintet playing World Beat Pop tunes.
Sera Cahoone http://www.myspace.com/seracahoone
Somber, Soulful Country from a former Indie-Rock drummer.
Dave Alvin & The Guilty Women http://www.myspace.com/davealvin
A walking, talking lexicon of American Roots music.
Brett Dennen http://www.myspace.com/brettdennen
If Jack Johnson and Tracy Chapman had a child…Funkified Folky Pop.
Broad Street Stage
Hey Marseilles http://www.myspace.com/heymarseilles
Folk music.
Mt St Helens Vietnam Band http://www.myspace.com/mtsthelensvietnamband
Rock’N’Roll
U.S.E. http://www.myspace.com/use
United States of Electronica, need I say more?
Vivian Girls http://www.myspace.com/viviangirlsnyc
NYC punkers
*Holy F**k http://www.myspace.com/holyfuck
Original instrumental electronic Rock.
*The Helio Sequence http://www.myspace.com/theheliosequence
Pop Rockers from Portland.
Northwest Court
Central Services presents the Board of Education http://www.myspace.com/cskids
Kiddie Pop.
Steve Griggs Quintet http://www.stevegriggsmusic.com/
Jazz, but I can’t hear it because he has no Myspace page.
Mark Taylor Quartet http://www.myspace.com/marktaylormusic
Jazz!
Michael Shrieve’s Spellbinder http://www.myspace.com/michaelshrievesspellbinder
Latin Jazz!
Paul Oscher http://www.myspace.com/pauloscher
Blues, Blues, Blues.
Todd Snider http://www.myspace.com/toddsnider
Blues, Folk, Country and Rock.
EMP Skychurch
The Kindness Kind http://www.myspace.com/thekindnesskind
Local Rockers.
*Black Whales http://www.myspace.com/blackwhales
These guys are good, basic Rock’N’Roll.
Parenthetical Girls http://www.myspace.com/parentheticalgirlsband
Chamber Rock from Everett by way of Portland.
Romance http://www.myspace.com/romance
New Wave Rockers from Seattle.
Sleepy Eyes of Death http://www.myspace.com/sleepyeyesofdeath
Electro-Rock from the Emerald City.
D.Black/Spaceman http://www.myspace.com/sportnliferecords
Local Hip-Hop
DJ Spooky That Subliminal Kid http://www.myspace.com/djspooky
No tunes on the MySpace player.
Monday, 7 September 09
Samsung Mobile Mainstage
The Knux http://www.myspace.com/theknux
Hip-Hop from Hollywood , by way of New orleans, California
*The Black Eyed Peas http://www.myspace.com/blackeyedpeas
Saw Fergie a few years ago, this should be fun.
Franz Ferdinand http://www.myspace.com/franzferdinand
Rocking along
Modest Mouse http://www.myspace.com/modestmouse
Issaquah Rock band.
Rockstar Stage
Rockstar Winner
Forgive Durden performing Razia’s Show http://blogs.myspace.com/forgivedurden
Not entirely sure what this is
Dead Confederate http://www.myspace.com/deadconfederate
Hard Rocking boys from Georgia.
Audrye Sessions http://www.myspace.com/audryesessions
“…polished, propulsive rock songs and gentle, stripped-down tunes…”
3 Inches of Blood http://www.myspace.com/3iob
Just exactly what you’d expect from a band called 3 Inches of Blood.
Fisher Green Stage
Macklemore http://www.myspace.com/macklemore
Seattle Hip-Hop
Dehli 2 Dublin http://www.myspace.com/delhi2dublin
Celtic melodies and Indian beats with a little Hip-Hop for good measure.
*The New Mastersounds http://www.myspace.com/newmastersounds
Funky, Soulful, Bluesy.
Janelle Monae http://www.myspace.com/janellemonae
Soul/R&B, Pop, Great vocals!
Vieux Farka Toure http://www.myspace.com/vieuxfarkatoure
Mali sensation keeps the family tradition alive and well.
Sly & Robbie http://www.myspace.com/slyandrobbie
Reggae from Bob Marley’s rhythm section.
Starbucks Stage
Tyler Bryant http://www.myspace.com/tylerbryantmusic
Tyler’s talented, but way too young to play authentic blues.
The Minus 5 http://www.myspace.com/theminus5
Pop-Rockers going strong.
Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears http://www.myspace.com/blackjoelewis
No tunes on the MySpace player.
*The Devil Makes Three http://www.myspace.com/thedevilmakesthree
Fun, bright Country sounds.
*The Cave Singers http://www.myspace.com/thecavesingers
Saw ‘em on the NW stage a few years back. Great music!
Keller Williams http://www.myspace.com/kellerwilliams
Acoustic Funk, Folk, Country and whatever else he feels like doing.
Broad Street Stage
Visqueen http://www.myspace.com/visqueen
No doubt about it Rock’N’Roll.
Say Hi http://www.myspace.com/sayhitoyourmom
Rock and it’s not too bad at all.
Mirah http://www.myspace.com/coldcoldwater
Pop Rock from sultry singing siren.
Akron/Family http://www.myspace.com/akronfamily
Jazzy grooves switch to in-your-face Rock guitar.
Soulsavers http://www.myspace.com/soulsavers
UK Rock somberly
Metric http://www.myspace.com/metric
Yeah, they Rock.
Northwest Court
Anomie Belle http://www.myspace.com/anomiebelle
Electronic, somber approaches to Rock.
Recess Monkey http://www.myspace.com/recessmonkey
Kid focused Pop.
Grand Hallway http://www.myspace.com/grandhallway
Folk Rock with a Japanese influence. That’s what their MySpace page says.
Oren Lavie http://www.myspace.com/orenlavie
Jazzie, electronic background with soulful vocals. Sounds a bit like Nick Drake.
Portland Cello Project http://www.myspace.com/celloproject
This is not your father’s cello band.
Lenka http://www.myspace.com/lenkamusic
Nicely done Pop from Down Under
EMP Skychurch
*Department of Energy http://www.myspace.com/deptofenergy
Great original Rock.
Point Juncture, WA http://www.myspace.com/ptjuncturewa
More Rock from Portland.
The Lonely Forest http://www.myspace.com/thelonelyforest
Anacortes own Rock, WOW! Go see this band.
Champagne Champagne http://www.myspace.com/champagnechampagne
Local Hip-Hop
Wallpaper http://www.myspace.com/wallpaper
Pop & Hip-Hop.
Truckasaurus http://www.myspace.com/teapartiesgunsnvalor
Hippity-Hoppity Techno
Head Like a Kite http://www.myspace.com/headlikeakite
Shoegaze, WTF? Who comes up with these?
Thursday, January 1, 2009
The Best of 2008
I hope all of you had a wonderful holiday season. My musical faves for 2008...
New discoveries: Bedouin Soundclash (Canadian Reggae), Bon Iver (Somber & Soulful Folk), Cheb I. Sabbah (Traditional Central Asian w/bass & drums), Colour Revolt (Straight on Rock n Roll), Fleet Foxes (Sweet Harmonic Folk), Giant Bear (Country Rock), Grand Archives (Sweet Harmonic Folk), Hoots and Hellmouth (Country Rock), Horse Feathers (Sweet Harmonic Folk, my favorite CD of the year), The Moondoggies (We don't need The Band to reunite as long as these guys are playing), Vampire Weekend (Hard to nail the genre, but it's fun and I like it), West Indian Girl (Psychedelic Pop).
Older bands with great 2008 releases: AC/DC (The best CD they have ever done), The Black Crowes (Solid effort from America's answer to The Rolling Stones), Blue Mountain (Country Rock), Merle Haggard (Merle unplugged), Sun Kil Moon (Mark Kozelek makes great wooden music) , The Waifs (The sisters from Down Under release their best disc yet).
I should mention the two shows I saw in the latter part of 2008 that were not featured in my blog:
Greg Brown-Illsley Ball Nordstrom Recital Hall, Benaroya Hall, Seattle. 17 Oct 08. I met my wife at a Greg Brown show at the Back Stage many years ago and I've been partial to him ever since. He is he consummate entertainer, musician, songwriter and storyteller. He played a wonderful mix of older and newer material. His rich baritone and acoustic guitar delighted a nearly filled hall. If you like folk from a soulful, bluesy perspective go see Greg the next time he's in town. If you're looking for a Greg Brown CD I would recommend Covenant (Red House Records, 8 Aug 2000)
The English Beat-The Showbox, Seattle. 4 Dec 08.
30 years and counting with their last release in 1982 (I have it on vinyl) they've had a lot of time to perfect their craft. It's no secret that Dave Wakeling and his band enjoy playing music. You can see it in the performance. And they are very good at what they enjoy.
I was fortunate to witness the show from a great vantage point, seated by the small bar (thanks John) and I had several good friends with me. It was a fantastic show from the opening chords of Whine and Grine/Stand Down Margaret to my favorite Beat song, Save It For Later We had to catch a boat so we missed the encore, but was told that they played a new song. Could a new English Beat CD be in the works for 2009? One can only hope.
Happy New Year!
More to follow...
New discoveries: Bedouin Soundclash (Canadian Reggae), Bon Iver (Somber & Soulful Folk), Cheb I. Sabbah (Traditional Central Asian w/bass & drums), Colour Revolt (Straight on Rock n Roll), Fleet Foxes (Sweet Harmonic Folk), Giant Bear (Country Rock), Grand Archives (Sweet Harmonic Folk), Hoots and Hellmouth (Country Rock), Horse Feathers (Sweet Harmonic Folk, my favorite CD of the year), The Moondoggies (We don't need The Band to reunite as long as these guys are playing), Vampire Weekend (Hard to nail the genre, but it's fun and I like it), West Indian Girl (Psychedelic Pop).
Older bands with great 2008 releases: AC/DC (The best CD they have ever done), The Black Crowes (Solid effort from America's answer to The Rolling Stones), Blue Mountain (Country Rock), Merle Haggard (Merle unplugged), Sun Kil Moon (Mark Kozelek makes great wooden music) , The Waifs (The sisters from Down Under release their best disc yet).
I should mention the two shows I saw in the latter part of 2008 that were not featured in my blog:
Greg Brown-Illsley Ball Nordstrom Recital Hall, Benaroya Hall, Seattle. 17 Oct 08. I met my wife at a Greg Brown show at the Back Stage many years ago and I've been partial to him ever since. He is he consummate entertainer, musician, songwriter and storyteller. He played a wonderful mix of older and newer material. His rich baritone and acoustic guitar delighted a nearly filled hall. If you like folk from a soulful, bluesy perspective go see Greg the next time he's in town. If you're looking for a Greg Brown CD I would recommend Covenant (Red House Records, 8 Aug 2000)
The English Beat-The Showbox, Seattle. 4 Dec 08.
30 years and counting with their last release in 1982 (I have it on vinyl) they've had a lot of time to perfect their craft. It's no secret that Dave Wakeling and his band enjoy playing music. You can see it in the performance. And they are very good at what they enjoy.
I was fortunate to witness the show from a great vantage point, seated by the small bar (thanks John) and I had several good friends with me. It was a fantastic show from the opening chords of Whine and Grine/Stand Down Margaret to my favorite Beat song, Save It For Later We had to catch a boat so we missed the encore, but was told that they played a new song. Could a new English Beat CD be in the works for 2009? One can only hope.
Happy New Year!
More to follow...
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
A House Stranger than 50 Years of Brubeck
My apologies to those of you in need of music recommendations from a trusted source. Unfortunately my absence was necessitated by a desire to improve my lot in life through education. With the work-load something had to give and it was the blog.
To make up for it I have three gems that you will no doubt want to purchase as Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza or Solstice gifts.
Horse Feathers - House With No Home (Kill Rock Stars, 9 Dec 08)
Out of a stack of new music that I received over the past few days this is the disc that has been played over and over. Sometimes somber, sometimes upbeat, always Folk and always easy to listen to, I like it. Justin Ringle’s compositions are good and this Portland duo presents them well featuring richly layered harmonies, reminiscent of CSN, anchored mostly by a finger-picked guitar, complimented by the occasional mandolin, banjo or whatever else former Norfolk & Western member Peter Broderick wants to add (apparently the man can play anything.) The melodies are very pleasant and the spare arrangements actually contribute to the sound in a Zen-like way. Think of Sam Bush’s Iron & Wine or a slightly less suicidal Bon Iver. My favorite track; Working Poor.
The Moondoggies - Don’t Be a Stranger (Hardly Art, 19 Aug 08)
When attempting to describe the Moondoggies I’ve read references to The Grateful Dead, Moby Grape, The Byrds and some of the other great Rock/Country/Folk groups of the 60s & 70s. No doubt the Moondoggies are worthy of the comparisons, but the only group I think of when listening to Seattle’s Moondoggies is The Band. Like The Band, they have that unrehearsed, casual sound that is very difficult to produce and yet they do it so well. The quartet has been playing together since high school and they have a tight crisp sound. Good songwriting, great harmonies, accomplished musicianship all captured in their fine arrangements. My Favorite track; Ain’t No Lord.
50 Years of Dave Brubeck: Live at the Monterey Jazz Festival 1958-2007 (Monterey Jazz Fest, 5 Aug 08)
So some of the earlier recordings may be limited by the available technology, it’s still a great disc. The only negative comment I can make is out of 50 years of Brubeck performances at the Monterey Jazz Festival they could find only 10 tracks to share? This should have been a box set.
Other artists worth mentioning:
Cheb I. Sabbah – Traditional Central Asian music lots of bass, percussion & Techno effects.
Orgone – If Aretha Franklin, Sly Stone & James Brown went in thirds on a passel of kids this is what their band would sound like.
Hayes Carll – Country with just enough irreverence to make you overlook the clichés.
To make up for it I have three gems that you will no doubt want to purchase as Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza or Solstice gifts.
Horse Feathers - House With No Home (Kill Rock Stars, 9 Dec 08)
Out of a stack of new music that I received over the past few days this is the disc that has been played over and over. Sometimes somber, sometimes upbeat, always Folk and always easy to listen to, I like it. Justin Ringle’s compositions are good and this Portland duo presents them well featuring richly layered harmonies, reminiscent of CSN, anchored mostly by a finger-picked guitar, complimented by the occasional mandolin, banjo or whatever else former Norfolk & Western member Peter Broderick wants to add (apparently the man can play anything.) The melodies are very pleasant and the spare arrangements actually contribute to the sound in a Zen-like way. Think of Sam Bush’s Iron & Wine or a slightly less suicidal Bon Iver. My favorite track; Working Poor.
The Moondoggies - Don’t Be a Stranger (Hardly Art, 19 Aug 08)
When attempting to describe the Moondoggies I’ve read references to The Grateful Dead, Moby Grape, The Byrds and some of the other great Rock/Country/Folk groups of the 60s & 70s. No doubt the Moondoggies are worthy of the comparisons, but the only group I think of when listening to Seattle’s Moondoggies is The Band. Like The Band, they have that unrehearsed, casual sound that is very difficult to produce and yet they do it so well. The quartet has been playing together since high school and they have a tight crisp sound. Good songwriting, great harmonies, accomplished musicianship all captured in their fine arrangements. My Favorite track; Ain’t No Lord.
50 Years of Dave Brubeck: Live at the Monterey Jazz Festival 1958-2007 (Monterey Jazz Fest, 5 Aug 08)
So some of the earlier recordings may be limited by the available technology, it’s still a great disc. The only negative comment I can make is out of 50 years of Brubeck performances at the Monterey Jazz Festival they could find only 10 tracks to share? This should have been a box set.
Other artists worth mentioning:
Cheb I. Sabbah – Traditional Central Asian music lots of bass, percussion & Techno effects.
Orgone – If Aretha Franklin, Sly Stone & James Brown went in thirds on a passel of kids this is what their band would sound like.
Hayes Carll – Country with just enough irreverence to make you overlook the clichés.
Saturday, October 4, 2008
The Fate of SteelDrivers; A Long Lovely List of Repairs
The SteelDrivers – The SteelDrivers (Rounder Records, 15 Jan 08)
I tripped over this band on a sampler included with a music magazine. Their song was track one and I liked it so much it took several tries before I could hear the rest of the disc. If you like your bluegrass really blue and leaning a little bit more to the Country side of the equation then I have a band for you. The Nashville quintet has a resume that reads like a Who's Who in Country music volume. They follow the traditional string and vocal lineup (guitar, banjo, base, fiddle, mandolin & harmonies) and do not stray far from the standard format. Front man Chris Stapleton would be just as comfortable, not to mention effective, using his smokey tenor to lead a Blues band. In fact his soulful delivery and song writing talent play a big part in keeping The SteelDrivers from being just another Bluegrass band.Tammy Rogers, the band's primary harmony vocal, adds breadth and depth by making her fiddle weep, moan and wail. And Richard Bailey's banjo contributes a hearty level of melody and just the right amount of lead. The two Mikes hold down the bottom end. Henderson on Mandolin and Fleming on Bass. My favorite track is If It Hadn't Been For Love.
Dr. Dog – Fate (Park the Van Records, 22 Jul 08)
In the traditional of Arcade Fire, Fleet Foxes and Grand Archives, Dr. Dog takes a little bit of all that's come before, mixes it thoroughly and makes it their own. Is it Folk? Is it Rock? Is it Country? Who cares, it's great music and it transcends genres. Fate is the band's fifth full length release. Dr. Dog was formed in Philadelphia in 2001, but it wasn't until touring with My Mourning Jacket in 2004 that they began to receive recognition. Band members and friends get nicknames like Taxi & Thanks. As near as I can tell there are five talented, multi-instrumentalist in the group and everyone appears to sing. I don't have any standout tracks on the release because I like them all, although Army of Ancients reminds me of The Beatles later work.
Amelia – A Long Lovely List of Repairs (Adrenaline Records 22 Apr 08)
Portland's own Amelia has been touring the West for several years impressing audiences with their blend of Folk, Country, Rock. The band has included members of the Flatirons, The Decemberists and Tin Hat. Right now they are a trio and Teisha Helgerson's sweet vocals will melt the hard of the hardest rogue. It's pleasant music for a rainy day.
Two bands that I have to mention simply because I love their music:
Blue Mountain This trio from Mississippi has been playing Alt-Country since the late 80s and they do it well. I discovered them as a result of an article in No Depression (damn I miss that magazine.) I bought every one of their recordings over the following week. My favorite so far is Dog Days. I love the track Blue Canoe. Give it a spin, you won't be disappointed.
The Coming Grass A quintet from Maine (One step closer to the rest of the world) "playing 70s rock today," Even though they haven't released anything new for quite a while Beauty of a Heart gets regular rotation at my house. Don't Be Wasting My Time & Work It Out are gems requiring no further polish.
More to follow…
I tripped over this band on a sampler included with a music magazine. Their song was track one and I liked it so much it took several tries before I could hear the rest of the disc. If you like your bluegrass really blue and leaning a little bit more to the Country side of the equation then I have a band for you. The Nashville quintet has a resume that reads like a Who's Who in Country music volume. They follow the traditional string and vocal lineup (guitar, banjo, base, fiddle, mandolin & harmonies) and do not stray far from the standard format. Front man Chris Stapleton would be just as comfortable, not to mention effective, using his smokey tenor to lead a Blues band. In fact his soulful delivery and song writing talent play a big part in keeping The SteelDrivers from being just another Bluegrass band.Tammy Rogers, the band's primary harmony vocal, adds breadth and depth by making her fiddle weep, moan and wail. And Richard Bailey's banjo contributes a hearty level of melody and just the right amount of lead. The two Mikes hold down the bottom end. Henderson on Mandolin and Fleming on Bass. My favorite track is If It Hadn't Been For Love.
Dr. Dog – Fate (Park the Van Records, 22 Jul 08)
In the traditional of Arcade Fire, Fleet Foxes and Grand Archives, Dr. Dog takes a little bit of all that's come before, mixes it thoroughly and makes it their own. Is it Folk? Is it Rock? Is it Country? Who cares, it's great music and it transcends genres. Fate is the band's fifth full length release. Dr. Dog was formed in Philadelphia in 2001, but it wasn't until touring with My Mourning Jacket in 2004 that they began to receive recognition. Band members and friends get nicknames like Taxi & Thanks. As near as I can tell there are five talented, multi-instrumentalist in the group and everyone appears to sing. I don't have any standout tracks on the release because I like them all, although Army of Ancients reminds me of The Beatles later work.
Amelia – A Long Lovely List of Repairs (Adrenaline Records 22 Apr 08)
Portland's own Amelia has been touring the West for several years impressing audiences with their blend of Folk, Country, Rock. The band has included members of the Flatirons, The Decemberists and Tin Hat. Right now they are a trio and Teisha Helgerson's sweet vocals will melt the hard of the hardest rogue. It's pleasant music for a rainy day.
Two bands that I have to mention simply because I love their music:
Blue Mountain This trio from Mississippi has been playing Alt-Country since the late 80s and they do it well. I discovered them as a result of an article in No Depression (damn I miss that magazine.) I bought every one of their recordings over the following week. My favorite so far is Dog Days. I love the track Blue Canoe. Give it a spin, you won't be disappointed.
The Coming Grass A quintet from Maine (One step closer to the rest of the world) "playing 70s rock today," Even though they haven't released anything new for quite a while Beauty of a Heart gets regular rotation at my house. Don't Be Wasting My Time & Work It Out are gems requiring no further polish.
More to follow…
Saturday, September 20, 2008
The Black Crowes – Columbia Bank Concert Center, Western Washington Fair, Puyallup Fair, WA
On Monday, 8 Sept 08, I loaded up my mini-urban assault vehicle with lattes & Odwalla bars and with my favorite person in the whole, wide world as co-pilot, we cranked the MP3s and set a southerly course for the Puyallup Fair. We had tickets to see The Black Crowes, America's answer to The Rolling Stones. If you’re a regular reader of the blog/column (blolumn?) you’ll know this was the second time I’d seen the Crowes in the past twelve months. Plus I reviewed their new album, Warpaint as well as one of my favorite releases of 2007, Brothers of a Feather in earlier posts this year. What can I say, I love the Crowes!
The traffic was light thanks to a second bridge over the Tacoma Narrows. We were in Puyallup in less than 90 minutes. Berit and I had an hour before the show so we walked around the fairgrounds, taking in the sights, sounds and smells. We watched people stand in line and pay to be launched skyward in a chair attached to bungee cords, saw 35 million hot tub sales exhibits and nearly as many fried dough booths. We settled on some absolutely yummy scones with butter & jam and just before the show I got a giant Pepsi (basically a 5 gallon bucket with a handle) and some fried veggies. I should tell you that Washington State Code dictates all fair food must spend at least 3-5 minutes in hot grease prior to sale. The sole exception is scones.
As we entered the venue we discovered that the show was now free (I paid $62 for a free concert?) and we could sit anywhere. As Carney took the stage we found seats at the front of the Grandstand and settled in. The boys had a nice enough sound. A hard to pin down style of music, sometimes it was harder edged with a heavy blues influence, at other times it more closely resembleld Glam Rock, like New York Dolls or Queen. In fact the skinny lead singer sounded like Freddie Mercury. On the song Testify he channeled Robert Plant, man could he wail. The guitarist had great chops and the drummer didn’t play so much as attack his kit. Due to a slightly muddled sound mix it was hard to hear the bass player, but he looked like he was quite busy and having a good time. Carney played half dozen tunes and then the roadies began the transition.
The Black Crowes took the stage shortly after bundles of incense were placed at the front corners of the stage. They opened the show with two tracks from Warpaint; Wounded Bird & Evergreeen and we were on our way. The sound mix for the first couple of songs wasn’t good. The bass was way too high, you couldn’t hear Luther’s guitar or Chris’s vocals. By the time they got to the third song, Sting Me, they had sorted it out. Next came one of the evening highlights, Downtown Money Waster into an extended jam finished with Thorn In My Pride.
Chris, who’s been known to be chatty, excessively so at times, said nothing except “Thank you” between songs. The boys rolled from one track to another without delay. The energy was high and the crowd in front of the stage never stopped moving. To top it off it was a gorgeous summer evening with lots of stars overhead. Speaking of stars the boys offered stellar covers of Dylan’s Girl From the North Country and Clapton’s Poor Elijah Tribute to Johnson.
Some drunk cowboy beside me kept shouting for them to play Black Betty as he alternately spit his chaw into an empty beer cup and sipped from a full one. I was waiting for him to mix ‘em up. I knew Leadbelly wrote the tune way back when, that Ram Jam had recorded it in the 70s, but the best version was by Tom Jones. Do you suppose the wrangler thought he was at a TJ concert? If so, I’m glad he didn’t try to throw his undies on the stage. Sorry I digress…
The Crowes added Remedy & Soul Singing toward the latter part and had Jerry Miller from Moby Grape join them onstage for Hey Grandma. There was no encore.
The 90 minute set included 5 songs from Warpaint, a decent mix from their back catalog and three covers. It was a good evening. We followed the green line (the Fair paints colored lines on the pavement to get you back to the correct gate), put the MP3s on and set the compass north back to the island.
More to follow…
The traffic was light thanks to a second bridge over the Tacoma Narrows. We were in Puyallup in less than 90 minutes. Berit and I had an hour before the show so we walked around the fairgrounds, taking in the sights, sounds and smells. We watched people stand in line and pay to be launched skyward in a chair attached to bungee cords, saw 35 million hot tub sales exhibits and nearly as many fried dough booths. We settled on some absolutely yummy scones with butter & jam and just before the show I got a giant Pepsi (basically a 5 gallon bucket with a handle) and some fried veggies. I should tell you that Washington State Code dictates all fair food must spend at least 3-5 minutes in hot grease prior to sale. The sole exception is scones.
As we entered the venue we discovered that the show was now free (I paid $62 for a free concert?) and we could sit anywhere. As Carney took the stage we found seats at the front of the Grandstand and settled in. The boys had a nice enough sound. A hard to pin down style of music, sometimes it was harder edged with a heavy blues influence, at other times it more closely resembleld Glam Rock, like New York Dolls or Queen. In fact the skinny lead singer sounded like Freddie Mercury. On the song Testify he channeled Robert Plant, man could he wail. The guitarist had great chops and the drummer didn’t play so much as attack his kit. Due to a slightly muddled sound mix it was hard to hear the bass player, but he looked like he was quite busy and having a good time. Carney played half dozen tunes and then the roadies began the transition.
The Black Crowes took the stage shortly after bundles of incense were placed at the front corners of the stage. They opened the show with two tracks from Warpaint; Wounded Bird & Evergreeen and we were on our way. The sound mix for the first couple of songs wasn’t good. The bass was way too high, you couldn’t hear Luther’s guitar or Chris’s vocals. By the time they got to the third song, Sting Me, they had sorted it out. Next came one of the evening highlights, Downtown Money Waster into an extended jam finished with Thorn In My Pride.
Chris, who’s been known to be chatty, excessively so at times, said nothing except “Thank you” between songs. The boys rolled from one track to another without delay. The energy was high and the crowd in front of the stage never stopped moving. To top it off it was a gorgeous summer evening with lots of stars overhead. Speaking of stars the boys offered stellar covers of Dylan’s Girl From the North Country and Clapton’s Poor Elijah Tribute to Johnson.
Some drunk cowboy beside me kept shouting for them to play Black Betty as he alternately spit his chaw into an empty beer cup and sipped from a full one. I was waiting for him to mix ‘em up. I knew Leadbelly wrote the tune way back when, that Ram Jam had recorded it in the 70s, but the best version was by Tom Jones. Do you suppose the wrangler thought he was at a TJ concert? If so, I’m glad he didn’t try to throw his undies on the stage. Sorry I digress…
The Crowes added Remedy & Soul Singing toward the latter part and had Jerry Miller from Moby Grape join them onstage for Hey Grandma. There was no encore.
The 90 minute set included 5 songs from Warpaint, a decent mix from their back catalog and three covers. It was a good evening. We followed the green line (the Fair paints colored lines on the pavement to get you back to the correct gate), put the MP3s on and set the compass north back to the island.
More to follow…
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