The Coolest Allman Brothers Tribute I've Ever F*cking Seen...
Brett Underhill...I don't know who you are, but I like the cut of your jib. This is absolutely fucking brilliant. Great job with this video. You absolutely nailed all the looks in all the periods. The little things, too: Oakley nodding his head, Derek Trucks slide hand working it's magic...all killer. Love the nods to different songs and album covers: 'Liz Reed, Dreams, Ramblin' Man, Eat a Peach. The montagne of Gregg with the house lights on him was damn good.
I love this because a fan took the time to do it. That is what we fans are for. We didn't make the music, but we write about it, we create around/with it, we talk about it, we listen to it incessantly and then we share it with other fans.
Inspiring and just plain cool...
I'm a massive Allmans fan and love all the nuances in here and appreciate the time spent against this. Can you spot all the hidden bits?
6149 Turn-Ons: Paul Pena is one of the THE hidden folks in the lore of music
In 2000 I was living in Boston, MA. I was still listening to terrestrial radio back then. Boston has a long history of pushing boundaries in radio. I grew up listening (from over in good ol' New Hampshire) to WZLX, WBCN and many, many college radio stations. Between all of those, I felt like I was in prime position to be turned on to any new sounds and any sounds that were older, but new to me. By 2000, radio was changing and Boston radio was no exception. Even though corporate had crept in and changed the experience, discovery was still happening.
I was driving home from work one day on RT.128. I had the dial pegged to 92.9 WBOS. I was cruising along when I heard a song that forced me to pull the car into the breakdown lane and listen. That had never happened to me before while I was driving. Right from the outset this song popped out of the dashboard and grabbed my attention. It was just so damn alive and real that I felt compelled to give it my undivided listening attention.
That song was "Gonna Move" by Paul Pena. Wow. As soon as it was done, I exhaled and then got back on the road and made a bee-line for the record shop. I bought Paul's album and sped off, racing home to listen. Little did I know, but this guy was a native son, born in 1950 in Massachusetts. Little did I know that this guy had a lot of rock and roll history on him. Little did I know that this album would be one of the coolest finds I had in the first decade of the new century...and it was almost 30 years old even though it was a new release.
I'll let this 2000 promo vid tell Paul's story. I hope that after watching it you want to know more about and listen to more of, Paul Pena. His story is fascinating and effects your listening in a warm and rewarding way.
This is the album in question, "New Train". Here is the excellent allmusic reveiw. In it they said:
New Train sounds fresh, essential, and invigorating, even 27 years after it was recorded, establishing this as one of the most magnificent, previously missing albums of that, or any, era.
Please pause to have a listen...
Here is a 2001 live performance on Conan O'Brien. Paul does his version of "Jet Airliner". Of course you know the Steve Miller version...now hear the writer tell the tale HIS way...because the story in the song is Paul's.
Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi are big Paul fans having covered him in live shows many times. Here is Derek and crew doing the song that pulled me over, "Gonna Move":
Reducing the Clutter: CDs & Concert T's (WWJD...What Would Jerry Do?)
Recently I wrote a post, a Part II actually: The CD Conundrum: Coasters or Collector's Items (what to do with my 1,000+ CDs). Not only was it a savvy use of the word 'conundrum' in a post title, the resulting conversation proved to be a cathartic exercise well worth taking.
The post was really about two things: my changing music consumption habits and my desire to jettison my physical CD collection. There were a number of comments from faithful 6149'ers on how their own consumption habits are changing (streaming versus buying music is a polarizing topic to say the least). There was also a lot of discussion on what role the physical CD plays now and, if there is a want to shed them, what the hell to do with them all?
The latter subject is the one I want to talk about. It fits in well with a subject I am thinking a lot about right now: "reducing the clutter". What the hell am I talking about here? Reducing the clutter has been a central theme of my life as of late. My efforts to reduce the clutter has been a success from the big philosophical things to the little bullshit-y things. I'm focusing on what what I am most passionate about and interested in, eliminating unnecessary variables from choice and decisions, changing patterns and getting stuck into the new work I am involved in. That is the big picture stuff. I am cutting a swath through the little bullshit, too...like my CD collection.
The (pending) elimination of my CD collection is not the only physical clutter I am trying to reduce. I have a ridiculous collection of concert T-shirts, too. I haven't worn some of them in years. Between my moves from Boston to Florida to Sydney, Australia and to London...that is 8+ years of lugging plastic and cloth all over this big ol' globe. Now that I have potentially solved my CD conundrum, I had to make a move on the T's. I didn't want to throw them away...I just couldn't. Instead, I found a way to, as they say, re-purpose them.
I found this service called UBlanket. You send them 20 of your fave T's and they turn them into a blanket for you. I looked at a number of other similar services and this seemed to be the best. The cool thing is that you send them the shirts and they take pictures and post them online. You get to crop the design to your satisfaction and then you click and drag your "panel" into the frame and decide the layout of your T's / blanket.
I was their first international order. Once we sorted out some logistics, my fave Ts were in the mail headed for the chop shop. Once they were posted online, I designed my masterpiece. It should be here within the next couple of weeks. In the meantime, here is a pic of the design I came up with:
If you are like me and have an unhealthy emotional attachment to Rock & Roll schwag, like concert T's, that marked seminal moments in your life (and who doesn't, right?)...Ublanket may be a good option for you.
Funny, as I type this I am wondering if I actually reduced clutter or if I just consolidated it.
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Let's step into the way-back machine, circa 1987. I was in high school. I had a VHS copy of "Rolling Stone Magazine 20th Anniversary" special (yes, VHS...this was the 80's). The video was chock-full of interviews with people from the heyday of the mag back in the 60's, straight up to the video darlings of the mid 80's. One of the interviewees was Jerry Garcia. There was one thing Jerry said that struck sparks in my young mind (I am paraphrasing): "we all want to live a clutter free life". That had an impact on me back then as it does now.
I didn't know it at the time, but Jerry was revisiting a comment he made many moons ago when Haight Ashbury was alive and well with the Hippie ideal and the freewheeling fever of Fillmore gigs, free will and fucking. He and the rest of the Dead were being interviewed by Harry Reasoner, of CBS...the straight press. Funny...when you watch this, who looks like the real freak? The interviewer or the interviewee? Truly...one man's normal is another man's strange.
Here is that video: Harry Reasoner's The Hippie Temptation. If you haven't seen it, it is worth the viewing. The Jerry/clutter comment I am referring to happens at 1:20.
Reducing clutter...it makes me think of a song from one of my fave rave albums of the year, 'Brothers', by The Black Keys. The name of the song is, "Tighten Up". Reducing, tightening...yeah, that sounds right. It is a song so fixated in the now, but leans so heavily on influences of the past. It has a deep, sticky, dewey groove with a buzz & fuzz vibe layered on top. I love it. I love the whole damn album. Here is a double-whammy for you: the official video for the track and a live performance on Letterman.
If you have this album and downloaded it...you fucked up. Bite the bullet and go buy it on vinyl. The difference is staggering. If you don't have it already...and don't own a record player...don't be a fuck-up. Bite the barrel and invest in a turntable. Get with it...this is 2010, for Keith's sake!
Neil Young "still sees the vista & hears the muse" and is making new Le Noise in September
If you look over the the left hand side of this blog you will see a statement next to my "about me" picture. It says, "I've got my own row to hoe". That was adapted from a Neil Young song, "Thrasher". This quite possibly is my favorite song of all time. It isn't the music or the melody that appeals so much to me. What appeals to me most is the message I get from that resonates: You own yourself, own up to the outcomes of your decisions and focus on the "now".
"I've got my own row to hoe". Every time I read/say that...I feel good. I also feel good about the upcoming release from Neil in September: Le Noise. Here we have Neil, own his own terms, a solo outing that showcases his soft-sonic, yin-yang, acoustic-electric 1-2 punch. This has been Neil's secret weapon over the years. His sound cuts such a wide swath in between these sonic boundaries that he cannot (will not) be pigeonholed or hamstrung by genres, opinions, labels...or, hell, even himself.
I don't think Neil reinvents himself, either. He is in constant flux. He doesn't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows because he doesn't give a shit which way it blows. If it blows him in one direction or the other...so be it. He will makes sounds once he touches Terra Firma.
Fortunately for us, he touched down in Daniel Lanois capable hands. Lanois produced the new album and coaxed, from all accounts, another Neil classic. Pop & Hiss, the LA Times Music Blog, had a write-up on a sneak-peek listening session they attended. Here is a cool bit:
What’s striking about “Le Noise” is the way it both summarizes and distills Young’s singular approach to music, predominantly just Neil and a guitar: his big, white hollow-body Gretsch electric slashing and burning for most of the tracks, a couple built around picked and strummed acoustic instruments. Both are recorded and amplified -- literally and metaphorically -- by Lanois’ signature soundscapes that loop vocals, and enhance the guitars’ bass notes through distortion boxes, synthesizers and other electronicsThe songs bristle with energy -- anger, passion, love, self-doubt, regret, hope -- emotions that seem all the more pure expressed without percussion, keyboards, strings or other instruments, just by Young’s voice and guitars.
Hot Damn! I can't wait for this. Neil is going to release this in a variety of formats, too. Says Neil:
It will be available in Vinyl, CD and I tunes in the first edition, followed by Blu-Ray, and an APP for I-Phone and I-Pad a month or so later. The app will be free. It gives you an interactive album cover. Forgive my use of the word “album”. I am old school. When you buy the songs/movies from I- tunes they show up in your app. Peace ny
I will be buying all of the above (except for CD). I'm down with the Blu-Ray. I bought the Archives Vol.1 on Blu-Ray without owning a player. I picked upa PS3 to bring it to life. The archives is all I use it for...that a few concert films and my BR copy of "Almost Famous".
I stumbled on a music news website called "TwentyFourBit". Aside from them being a kindred alpha-numeric-blog-titled-music-site spirit, they had some good Neil intel on the new album. One particular post had five vids of Neil performing songs from Le Noise on his current Twisted Road tour. Jump on over to 24Bit to see the post with all five vids. I included one here of a song called, "Love and War". This one hit bone for me.
Speaking of cool Neil websites, the coolest on the web, Thrasher's Wheat, was recently the subject a not from Ol' Shakey himself:
THRASHER'S WHEAT UNDER FIRE, August 17, 2010
It has come to my attention that the negativity on this site has caused the founders to wonder whether it is worth it to continue. They have been moderating and trying to bring fans the news for nearly two decades. This is the most respected site on the net for this type of activity. Let me take this opportunity to thank you for your interest in what I am doing. There is always negativity with any internet endeavour. Now it has perhaps worn you down. It is alright to say goodbye. You have done some folks a great service for a long long time and I appreciate the effort you have shown. Always someone will be negative. Don't dismay. Whether you choose to continue or just hang it up and get on with your life is up to you. Just know that I have appreciated your efforts, tried to stay out of your business and watched you from afar through other's eyes. As for myself, I still see the vista. I hear the muse. I continue. Godspeed. Thank you. Mahalo. Neil.Very cool that Neil acknowledge a Champion effort by a very dedicated fan site. What I absolutely loved, what made me sit up straight and feel oh so damn good about Neil was the message he left in there for all of us fans:
"I still see the vista. I hear the muse".
Damn straight, Neil. Damn fucking straight.
You can read all about all the scuttlebuttin' over on TW's site.
As if it needed to be said...thanks for stopping by and Keep on Rockin' in the Free World, 6149'ers.
The Power of Influence: Nailing That Cover Tune to the F*cking Wall
Guitar heroes have made their name on claiming classics as their own: Hendrix with "All Along the Watchtower" and Clapton with "Crossroads" are two obvious examples that come to mind. There are infinite examples of those who have tried intentionally to do this or those who stumbled into greatness. This, brothers and sisters, is a time honored tradition that I hope never dies.
How cool must it be to be a musician and say, "that song...that song I love so much...I need to play it...I need to try and play it my way without stepping on it's toes. I am on fire to put my stamp on that tune for others to hear".
Damn...I wish I could play the guitar.
As I said in a previous post, it is a not so fine line between influence and emulate. I stated that influence is "you with a twist" and emulate is "you trying not to be you". That post was brought on by a podcast I heard where Mick Fleetwood talked about how the early Fleetwood Mac (the Peter Greene Fleetwood Mac) was heavily influenced by the blues. Based on some listening, I suggested that the Early Mac were in the emulate camp (have a read of that post to get the entire argument).
The point is that the versions that Hendrix and Clapton claimed as signature songs are not replicas, they are representations of the orignal...with a twist. What got me thinking about all of this? I was working with an artist named Peter Parcek. We just put Peter's album out this past May. I have known Peter for close to two decades, If you want to know more about him or hear his new album, 'The Mathematics of Love", go here (his story is a rich and connected one).
Peter is bluesman...but not your typical bluesman. He casts a very wide net when it comes to influence: from Buddy Guy to Django Reindhart to Carnell Dupree to Roy Nichols to David Gilmour and back around to the blues with Otis Rush. I was watching one of his live in-studio videos the other day. I've seen it before, but I got transfixed. Again, full disclosure...I work with Peter. This is not an advert for him...this is in appreciation of his tremendous skill as a guitar player of which the videos here prove true.
When I was watching this video, I thought of my post on influence and emulate and then I thought of Blind Lemon Jefferson. Now I am certainly not suggesting that Peter pulls a Hendrix or a Clapton here (Peter would cringe at the thought). What I am suggesting is that you kick-back and enjoy seeing one man carry on in that time honored tradition of laying down a representation of an original...with a twist.
In other words, Peter nails these cover tunes to the fucking wall. Enjoy.
(Peter Parcek vids courtesy of The Alternate Root)
Peter Parcek's version of "See that my grave is kept clean"
Blind Lemon Jefferson's original version of "See that my grave is kept clean"
Peter's blazing take on the Fleetwood Mac/Peter Green classic, "Showbiz Blues"
The original Peter Greene barnstormer, "Showbiz Blues"
Front Burner Music in 2010: Fave Raves & Future Sounds
As far as my tastes go 2010 has been a great year for music thus far. This year I have made a concerted effort to cast a wider net and explore a broader selection of sounds. For the past couple years my ears have been tuned into the deep south where the roots of the blues and classic soul find deep Earth. It has been a rowdy, fun and educational ride, but this year it was time to get back on the new(er) sound scene.
I have two playlists that are constantly being topped up with new purchases. One is called "New New 2010". This is where all new albums from "newer" or more current artists go. The other is "New Old 2010". This playlist is occupied by "older" artists re-releases or albums from older artists that I am just getting around to sinking teeth into.
Both lists keep true to two of my music listening filters. One is: don't stray too far from my beaten path of preferred sounds, Basically, what that means is don't buy shit I know I wont't listen to. I am using Spotify and other streaming sources to vet curiosities. When I get a new album I apply another filter: I listen to the album back to front at least 10 times (not necessarily in a row). I am applying this last one to Robert Randolph's new album right now (it's gonna need it...yikes!).
Here are some 2010 albums that haven't come off the boil yet for me (in no particular order):
- The Black Keys: Brothers. Vying for top spot as my fave rave for 2010. Crunchy, blues, hooky songs with an ever present looming, soulful feel lurking in the shadows of each tune (vinyl)
- The Drive-By Truckers: The Big ToDo. Neck and neck with "brothers" to fave rave. Great storytelling on this...a true ballsy rockshow record (vinyl)
- Tom Petty & The Ass-Kickers: Mojo. Shit, this band got even tighter in 2010. Mike Campbell owns this record. Glad Petty got his blues on. It paid off (vinyl)
- Derek Trucks Band: Roadsongs (Live). Figures. Since I loved "Already Free", I knew this would work for me. Trucks is genius...and there is so much more left. I can't wait.
- Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings: I Learned the Hard Way. Wow...they made a classic Staxian-soul album without sounding dated. Great party starter.
- Ray Lamontagne & The Pariah Dogs: Loved the fact that Ray took over on the knobs. Looking forward to the next to see what Ray comes up with.
- The Hold Steady: Heaven is Whenever. From the get-go, this album sounds big and full-on. I love the action in it...feels like it pushes and pulls me along.
- Dawes: North Hills: This one surprised the hell out of me. I love the Topanga canyon vibe on it. The album is not overwhelming and that is why I like it. It knows who it is.
- Bettye Lavette: Interpretations of the British Songbook. I am a sucker for Bettye. She wrings every last drop of emotion out of every song and syllable. She burns.
- Arcade Fire: The Suburbs, I am a convert here. Maybe I didn't give Neon Bible enough time, but this album is under my skin. The NYT article pushed me over the edge.
- Jeff Beck: Emotion and Commotion. Another artist that won me over in 2010. His playing on this stunned me. My friend Kip calls him The Professor. School i in...
- Peter Parcek: The Mathematics of Love. I know (and work with) this man and he is a fucking guitar master. Check him out here and here. You won't be sorry...
- Others from the "New Old" list: Bonnie Raitt (first three albums - Bonnie Raitt,Taking My Time, Give it Up), Johnny Winter ("Johnny Winter"), Tammy Wynette ("Your Good Girl's Gone Bad"), Django Reinhardt ("Anthology 1934-1937), Delaney & Bonnie ("Home"), Mike Bloomfield ("Live at the Old Waldorf"), Jerry Jeff Walker ("Ridin' High"), Guy Clark ("Dublin Blues"), Albert Collins ("Frozen Alive"), Jimmy Rodgers ("Chicago Bound"), Mississippi Fred McDowell ("The Best of "), Leon Russell ("Carney")
There are plenty...plenty...of other albums I bought and listened to, but all of those have many plays.
The rest of 2010 looks ripe for cool releases. Here are the ones on my radar:
- Neil Young: Le Noise (Sep 28th)
- Mavis Staples: You Are Not Alone (Sep 14th)
- Robert Plant: Band of Joy (Sep 14th)
- Ronnie Wood: I Feel Like Playing (Sep 27th)
- Bob Dylan: The Whitmark Demos (Oct 19th)
- Kings of Leon (Oct 19th)
- Justin Townes Earle: Harlem River Blues (Sep 14th)
- Jerry Lee Lewis: Mean Old Man (Sep 7th)
- Jimmy Barnes: Rage & Ruin
- JJ Grey & Mofro: Georgia Warhorse
- Grace Potter & The Nocturnals: Grace Potter & The Nocturnals
- Eric Clapton: Eric Clapton (Sep 27th)
- Ryan Bingham & The Dead Horses: Junky Star (Sep 7th)
- Jamey Johnson: The Guitar Song (Sep 14th)
I'm going to give those last two a go. I'll stream them and but them if they make the cut. The other album I am looking forward to is the collaboration between Elton John and Leon Russell. I am not a massive Elton fan, though I love his Tumbleweed Connection and Honky Chateau albums (best experienced on vinyl). Leon Russell, though...I love this cat. I got to see him for the first time here in London a few weeks ago and he cemented himself in my mind as a legend in music lore. If this album delvers on a Tumble Weed / Leon Self-Titled album level...we are in for a stone cold treat.
Here is the first song off of this new one titled, "The Union".
What have you been listening to in 2010? What is on your shopping list?
Music Critics: Separating the Shine from the Shit with the right mix of Profession & Passion
I am enjoying Ray Lamontagne's new album, "God Willin' & The Creek Don't Rise", a lot. I am down with Ray's sound, and as a fellow New Hampshirite, I'm down with Ray's scene as well. I've seen him live three times. I saw him in London back in September 2009 just a few days after I movedhere. I met him during the day outside the Royal Albert Hall. I walked up to buy my ticket at about three in the afternoon and Ray was by the stage door. He was cool enough to shoot the bull with me for a handful of minutes.
Click here to download:
music-critics-separating-the-shine-from-the-shit-with-the-right-mix-of-profession-passion-fFhdeDdbiDonvvBDcJon.zip (207 KB)
Like I said, I am enjoying Ray's new album a lot. What I am not enjoying are the review's on Ray's album. It is not that I disagree with the reviews themselves (opinions are good), rather it is the way the album is being reviewed (formulaic blah is bad).
It appears to me that Ray is experimenting with this album rather than worrying about how many he sells. He got small on this album. He jettisoned his long time producer Ethan Johns and had a go at spinning the producer knobs. He recorded the album in five days at his home studio. He chose to bring in a band and give them playbill credit on the album. Yes, I think Ray is all about curiosity and learning rather than critical acclaim?
I watched a short video interview with Ray from PBS (sorry, the embed wouldn't work). At 2:50 in the video, he talks about his role as a producer. What I love about the statement he makes is how excited he is about the prospect of learning from this album. I love this because he is putting his music artist leotard on and stretching himself...testing his boundaries...finding his driving wheel.
The critic community is mixed on this one. Some praise Ray for forgoing the production hand-holding from Ethan Johns (he did wonderful job helping to shape Ray's sound on Ray's first three albums). Some say he should have kept John's on. Not a lot of the focus is on the inent behind the choice to self-produce. The criticism asks wether he should or shouldn't have done this and how the album underachieved or came up short. Most of the reviews I have read are criticizing the product without considering the intent?
Music critic. Hmm, let's think about that for minute. Music critic. Go ahead, take a sip off of your beer, lean back and think about that...music critic.
Alright, where were we? Ah yes...music critic.
First of all, let's start with the word "critic" itself. I don't like it. I think it implies a negative. If we are to use Uncle Webster as our guide, the definition's parts add up to a sum that leans towards the negative (captious, trivial or harsh judgments; faultfinder). The neutral parts, "evaluates" and "analyzes", they at the very least imply an objective point of view. I think an objective point of view is important when writing about the artist or artist's music, specifically.
I don't really think that music critics enjoy faultfinding. Actually, I think that critics, the good ones, approach their work with an objective ear and without the jaundice of critique for critique's sake. The last part is my issue with critics...everybody's a critic. It's true. There is so much average, critical writing out there that you have no idea how to separate the shine from the shit.
Secondly, the "shine and the shit"...everybody's a critic. Anyone with a keyboard and blogging platform can wax un-poetically on album releases. Hey, I'm a punter with a keyboard, too (though I don't write straight album reviews) and I enjoy expressing and enjoy people who express themselves via blogging, etc. Where I think it goes pear-shaped is when the punters think that critique means picking a side...negative or positive...thumbs up or thumbs down...2.5 stars or 4.5 stars...just to be relevant.
Opinionated is one thing, choosing sides is another. When people do this, I believe the tendency is to look for a negative, or an angle, to show what is missing or lacking or where the artists fucked up with a zig rather than using a zag. Having a strong opinion or taking a stance is great, it makes for good reading. The trick is not critiquing for critique's sake.
Still with me? If you are still reading this long windbag post, you have the right to be asking..."does he have a fucking point to this or is he just trying to sound like an intellect". The answer to both parts respectively is yes and no. So, here you go...I enjoy album reviews most when they present a blend of the objective and subjective.
In my opinion, the best blend of these two worlds...objective (profession) and subjective (passion)...is a review that kicks an outcome biased by the need to point thumbs north or south to the curb and focuses on telling us what it is and how it feels. If I am reading one of your reviews for the first time and you are being objective about the music, you keep me on the page. If you can hit me in the gut, if you can connect with me as a music fan, if you can write something so damn honest that I start nodding my heads saying, "fuck yeah", then you keep me as a follower.
I want to read reviews that tell me about the music...objectively. Tell me about the songs and the structure and sounds and the instruments and the songwriting...talk about this objectively. In my album review utopia, this would become the part of the review that focuses on the music on it's merits.
After that I want to know about the subjective experience with this music. As a music fan, I want to know that your relationship with the music is or artist is...how you were affected. This is why I would follow you and continue to read your reviews. This is the part where we start to separate the shine from the shit.
I don't think it is fair to cast critics as full of shit or faultfinders. I like your work, critics...honestly. I like people who review music for a profession and because of their passion for music. I don't like it when the professionals mail it in or err towards faultfinding. I am not a fan of the punters who act like half-assed critics. They write reviews biased by the already loud and sloppy public opinion. Write reviews as a passionate music fans talking about a connection with and not a correction of other people's work.
Focus on the blending of profession and passion and I will read everything you write.
Any thought on this. Am I full of shit? Maybe I am being pedantic...preferring reviews to critiques. Do you read reviews? If so, what "pros" do you read? What are some of your fave punters/blogger album review-ers? Does anyone do a good job at "the blend" without resorting to stars and thumbs?
My music mate, Kip is a huge fan of Robert Chrisgau (I'm with you, Kipster). I'm a Lester Bangs man, myself (check out his purging of the mind and soul on Van Morrison's "Astral Weeks". Whew.). I like David Fricke and Rob Sheffield, too.
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I found this funny. On Ray's site, one of the posts said, "It's official. Critics love 'God Willin' & The Creek Don't Rise'. The posting went on to say:
As Ray LaMontagne & The Pariah Dog's sit happily atop the iTunes and Amazon album charts, we are happy to share even more positive reviews for the amazing new album God Willin' & The Creek Don't Rise. From trade magazines like American Songwriter to regular newspapers like the Daily News, critics can't stop praising the new album. Take a look at each review below!
Now, if they didn't include American Songwriter ( a site I very much enjoy reading and frequent often), I would have thought they were being tongue-in-cheek. Have a read of the review by American Songwriter and see what I mean). Who on Ray's team posted this?
Here are all of the reviews that are posted on Ray's site.
Delaney & Bonnie's Southern Soul, Rollicking R&R: If they haven't already, they 'gonna get you some day'
One of those weird, cosmic, connect-the-dots, WTF thingies happened to me last week. It was just after dinner and I was checking out a twitter list that I created (it is chock full of music bloggers and journalists). I decided I needed some foreground music for this. I dropped an album on to the turntable that I have been obsessed with since picking it up a month ago at a used record shop in Paris.
So there I am, rousting along to side two of the legendary, shit-hot...no, white-hot..."On Tour with Eric Clapton" from Delaney & Bonnie & Friends when a tweet from Jim Fusili, Wall Street Journal rock journo (@wsjrock), caught my eye ("cue the weirdness").
Fusili had just posted an article on Delaney & Bonnie...the spookiness ensued. Fusili's article was about the grandiose re-release of this very same album. Love that cosmic timing. Rhino records has re-released this set as a sprawling 52 track, 4 CD set with over three hours of unreleased greasy, gut-bucket, southern soul rollicking rock and roll. It only comes in physical format, but box it comes in a box shaped like a roadie's case...cool for for collectors, if anything. Funny though, it adds a wrinkle to my post last week on only buying downloads and vinyl. I'll have to make a "cool boox sets" clause for situations like these.
I have to admit, I am late to the party on Delaney & Bonnie. Yes, I listen to them and never flip the dial when they come on the box, but I never really got into them. I think it has something to do with when I was younger and first heard about them. I was still learning the about the folks and the lore of the sweet-spot period of rock and roll in the late '60's / early 70's and, unfairly, I locked D&B away as an Eric Clapton side project. in my "wax-on, wax-off" learning phase, the big-stars made bigger impressions on me. Back then, I didn't understand that Clapton was just one many stars and not the star in this constellation of "Friends".
This wasn't you average band; which is why it was so damn good: Delaney & Bonnie, Clapton, Carl Radle, Jim Gordon, Bobby Whitlock, Jim Price, Bobby Keys, Tex Johnson and at times, Rita Coolidge, George Harison and Dave Mason. Eeeeh Dogeee...that deck was stacked. You've got the future Derek & The Dominoes in there, future Stones horns stalwarts and other superstars in their own rights. Yeah, no wonder...
I don't hink it would be possible to trace back the lines of influence back to Delaney & Bonnie. Do yourself a favor...let them influenced your listening flavors.
The rerelease had me wondering what was thought of the original. I jumped over to allmusic to have a look at what they had to say about the album. It was short and sweet and packed a wallop. here are some highlights:
"[Clapton] rises to the occasion with dazzling displays of virtuosity throughout, highlighted by a dizzying solo on "I Don't Want to Discuss," a long, languid part on "Only You Know and I Know," and searing, soulful lead on the beautifully harmonized "Coming Home." Vocally, Delaney & Bonnie were never better than they come off on this live set, and the 11-piece band sounds tighter musically than a lot of quartets that were working at the time, whether they're playing extended blues or ripping through a medley o fLittle Richard songs....One only wishes that Atlantic Records might check their vaults for any unreleased numbers from these shows that could fit on an extended CD."
Well, what do you know...this lucky bastard's wish has come true! For more on the Rhino re-release, go here. Check out Fusili's article on D&B as well as Rolling Stone's write up. You can get more history on the band as well as current thoughts from Bonnie Bramlett (Delaney has since moved on to the great gig in the sky).
After all of this dot-connecting, opened YouTube and went a searchin'. Here are some of the choice vids I pulled up. Enjoy...
Comin' Home: Damn, I love this song. That riff is so crunchy and snarly and, of course, the harmonies are spot on.
Poor Elijah / Tribute to Johnson: So, so, down home cool. This song deserves a hot day, cold beer and friends trying to sing the harmonies together.
Come On Into My Kitchen: You have to listen to this, just because "Brother Duane" Allman is playing slide. Brother Duane is one of the top three "what if" cases in R&R history. Listen to Duane lay that slide think and greezey.
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Only You Know and I Know: More foot stompin' w/Brother Duane and Brother Gregg...
I Don't Want to Discuss It: And then there is this humdinger with Clapton, George Harrison, Dave Mason, Bobby Keys, et all, ramblin' along side D&B. Sick Boogie...
"I Feel Like Listening": @RonnieWoodShow is Now Taking Requests. Here are mine...
Last week I stumbled across the Ronnie Wood Radio Show. Hot DAMN! This is a great radio show put on by the man himself. In a previous post I called Ronnie and the show: the ultimate "surprise guest" at gigs, the perennial last-one-to-leave-the-party and now he has his own radio show where he gets to spin some of the coolest fucking R&R yarns ever heard. Damn straight...
In one week I plowed through all 19 episode (1 hour each). I blabbed endlessly on Twitter about it. I even asked via Twitter if we, the fans, could submit requests. Those who man the @RonnieWoodShow twitter profile gave the go ahead to send them in. Why thank you...don't mind if I do. You should submit yours, too. Feel free to add your picks at the bottom of this post and I'll shout them out. Or, just go straight to the source.
I picked 12 songs. Depending on the storytelling or in-studio guest, each episode runs 10-12 songs. I picked songs that aren't obvious picks or obvious artists. I picked songs that I think Ronnie could "get behind" (a frequently used Ronnie-ism) and that his fans could, too. I also threw in two bonus Ronnie tunes that I love.
Hey, if the whole list made it on an episode...cool. If one makes it on an Episode...cool. If none make it and Ronnie still does his thing...cool. If he feels like playing, we feel like listening. Cool...
These 12 bow-down tracks are in my collection. These tracks only sit on the front burner and never come of the boil. (I added links to tracks for streaming if I could find them online)
My bow-down playlist picks:
- Dan Penn: Zero Willpower (Dan Penn is one of the unsung heroes of soul music. He wrote towering songs that will live longer than any of us)
- Black Merda: Cynthy-Ruth - (WHY? Why don't more people talk about these soul/funk brothers? This shit'll stick to your ribs)
- Delaney & Bonnie: Poor Elijah - Tribute To Johnson (What a tour this must have been...southern, soul and rocking and roll)
- Was (Not Was): Crazy Water (This tune is a 4:49 party!)
- The Fabulous Wailers: Wailers House Party (when people think a group called the Wailers...most often it isn' this Wailers...but it SHOULD be)
- Buddy Miles: Train (The opening to this song feels like sinewy, bicep muscle flexing in slow motion...Buddy was a MONSTER!)
- Fat Domino: Honest Papa's Love Their Mama's Better (This, this, song ranks up there with the best R&R songs ever...listen to that rollicking beat and rolling piano. Fats rules)
- Lonnie Mack: Wham! (Lonnie mack brought it all into focus... under appreciated slinger, fo sure)
- Eddie Bo: The Hook & Sling - (Another New Orleans funk master..."hook it...now, sling it girl...SLING it"!)
- Candi Staton: I'd rather be an old man's sweetheart (than a young man's fool) - (Candi pleads here case and I'm buying it. She's in my top 3 Soul Sister Singers)
- Junior Wells: Snatch it Back and Hold it (Killer opener from one of the all-time best blues albums...on Delmark, no less. He had such attitude)
- Traffic: Medicated Goo (A good old fashioned medicated groove...this is another bonafide party starter)
My two Ronnie picks:
- Infekshun (Gimme Some Neck is bow-down Saturday night party album and this tune sets the tone)\. Just got this one on vinyl)
- When the whip comes down (off of Sucking in the70's, this live version has a classic Ronnie solo)
Check out these links for more Ronnie:
The Ronnie Wood radio Show (Episode 20, the latest, is now live)
Ronnie's new website
Ronnie's new album (out September 27th...the line forms behind me), "I Feel Like Playing" (happy you do, Ronnie)
