Album Review : John Prine : In Person & On Stage
Jun 30, 2010 Album Reviews
After a thirty second guitar and mandolin intro, an aging male voice sings, “I am an old woman..”, the opening line from a song he wrote as a young man some 40 years ago to an overwhelming response from the crowd.
I think that really says all you need to know about John Prine’s latest live album, In Person & On Stage. The man still has it, and the songs still ring true to the listeners on all accounts.
This release gives all we can ask for in a live album from a legend. Newer songs, different arrangements of classic tunes, a cover tune, great back up musicians, and a few well placed guest appearances.
I love when older artists release these live records, we get to hear old songs with a new voice. On this record we get a greatest hits live of sorts with “Late John Garfield Blues”, “Spanish Pipedream”, “Paradise”, and the aforementioned “Angel From Montgomery”.
In addition he put three tunes off of his latest solo effort, Fair and Square, including a dedicated to his wife version of “She is my Everything”.
Interspersed throughout the album are entertaining stories that help explain the songs and give the live versions even more meaning. My favorite on the record is his story prior to “Bottomless Lake” about his father planning weekend trips and his mother complaining about his driving. When an artist has been doing this as long as Prine, they have some really good stories to tell.
As for the guests on the album, Iris Dement, Emmylou Harris, Josh Ritter, Sara Watkins, Kieran Kane, Kevin Welch, and Fats Kaplin show up on this one. The standouts for me are Harris who helps Prine deliver what I think may be my favorite version of “Angel from Montgomery” ever and Ritter sitting in on “Mexican Home” which he contributed to the just released Prine tribute, Broken Hearts and Dirty Windows both add something wonderful to this release.
A final thing that needs to be mentioned about this recording is the excellent backing band of Jason Wilber (guitars and mandolins) and Dave Jacques (bass guitars). They give an understated and tasteful performances adding to the songs without taking away from them.
Overall this is an absolute must have for Prine fans casual and fanatic. I am glad to have gotten a copy and it will certainly find a regular place in my rotation. I love all the performances on this record and really how can you go wrong with 14 live Prine songs?
You can get a copy of this album lots of places but I suggest you go right to Prine’s label, Oh Boy Records and get it there and take a look around at the other stuff they have to offer. Later today or tomorrow I will finally get around to reviewing that tribute album as well.
Tags: album review, emmylou harris, Iris Dement, john prine, Josh Ritter
Album Review : Jackie Greene : Till the Light Comes
Jun 28, 2010 Album Reviews
In the much anticipated (at least by me) follow up to Giving Up the Ghost, Greene returns with another home run of an album. I personally enjoy everything he has ever released, but he seems to have really gotten into a groove with his last three efforts.
Till the Light Comes offers everything you could want from a Greene album, some rockers, a few folkier tunes, great lyrics, superior musicianship and a feeling of satisfaction when you finish listening.
With the help of his new found Deadhead fans this will undoubtedly be his best selling release and it’s great to see him getting this kind of success albeit about 6 years too late in my opinion. I am glad that he did not seem to forget who he is and pander to that audience.
This is an album that you can listen all the way through without skipping a single track which is a rarity in the day of iTunes. It’s always refreshing when relatively young artists embrace the methods of the past and release a good album.
There are a few definite standouts on this record as with any release. “1961″ is a ballad that tells the story of a man who gets a woman pregnant and does not know it in 61. It follows their lives and that of their son until the son finds the man on his dying bed. It’s a goose bump inducing tune.
Another track that I am taken with is ” Spooky Tina”, an upbeat tune that describes the narrator’s desire to be with the not so desirable sister of a girl that everyone wants.
One last phenomenal track is “Medicine”. This is a backlash towards the practice of over-diagnosing and over-medicating every little mental issue people can come up with a name for. I love this song because it reflects the way I feel about the subject matter. Sometimes being blue is just a part of life and it often allows us to see things in a different light that leads to an improved life. As Greene puts it “I don’t want your medicine, creeping around fucking with my head”.
With American Myth, Giving up the Ghost, and now Till the Light Comes, Jackie Greene has delivered as good as a three record run as we’ve seen in the last decade. Add in the two EP’s he’s released in that time and he just keeps serving up great music on a pretty regular basis. Also the fact that he has yet to reach his 30th birthday makes me happy to know that I should be growing old while listening to new releases from him.
You can find out more on Greene and order the new record which is officially released tomorrow on his website, www.jackiegreene.com, where he has been streaming full versions of the songs from the new one all week.
Tags: album review, Jackie Greene
Youtube Clips : For Father’s Day
Jun 20, 2010 Youtube Clip
Tomorrow is Father’s Day, and I thought I would look up some videos that are about dads that I like and share them with all of you. Some of them are from the perspective of the child and some of them are the dad looking at his children. Anyways Happy Father’s Day to my dad and to all the dads out there.
“A Face Among the Crowd” Jackie Greene
“Things I Wish I’d Said” Rodney Crowell
“Your Dad Did” John Hiatt
“Happy Father’s Day” Ronny Cox: it’s a Jonathan Byrd song but this is the only version of it I could find on Youtube and I just love this song.
“Father and Son” Cat Stevens
“Missing You” Todd Snider
“Garbage Man” Greg Klyma
There’s a ton more out there, but these are a few that I like and could find on Youtube. Once again Happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there.
Tags: cat stevens, greg klyma, Jackie Greene, John Hiatt, jonathan byrd, Rodney Crowell, ronny cox, todd snider, Youtube Clip
Album Review : Ricky Stein and the .44 : In the Red (EP)
Jun 18, 2010 Album Reviews
For the second time this week here I am singing the praises of an up and comer from Texas. This time it’s Ricky Stein and his band The .44. Based out of Austin, The .44 delivered a fine ep with in In the Red, last month.
I spent the better part of a week trying to come up with who Stein reminds me of, because these songs feel familiar. I couldn’t do it, the songs are comfortable like you already know them but, not a rip off of an obvious influence. The .44 cross a lot of paths in just four songs and each one is damn good.
In a time when most good Rock n’ Roll records are made by men of at least 40 years old, Stein and the .44 are here to reassure us that Rock can still be a young man’s game. “All the Same” is a kick ass Rock n’ Roll song, there is no other way to put it. At one point the narrator is going to St. Louis to start over and the conviction in the song makes you believe that it’s as good as place as any other to reinvent yourself.
“Now or Never” is a song about a self induced sense of a lurking ultimatum. I think we have all felt the way the singer does in this one, knowing it’s “Now or never, again”.
To end the record, Stein shows that he is not just a balls out rocker and can really write a great tune. “Out on the Road Somewhere’ is Stein searching for something and not really being sure where and how to find it.
In the Red is a great follow up to Stein’s debut release from last year, Crazy Days. This ep does a great job of showing the maturation in his songwriting as well as how well the .44 has come together as a band, after starting off as just his backing band for live shows. You can find out more about Stein on his website here.
I hear he is making his way to Ohio this summer so I hope to catch a show and possibly have him on the podcast.
Tags: album review, ricky stein
Album Review : Ben Glover : Through the Noise, Through the Night
Jun 17, 2010 Album Reviews
I have read people compare Glover to Ryan Adams and that seems apt, especially when it comes to vocal quality. Glover’s voice gives a frailty to some of these songs that really pushes their mood to another level.
I had never heard of the Irishman before receiving this record, his second to date. Recorded in Nashville in late 2009 Through the Noise, Through the Night, was good enough to prompt to buy his first release, The Week the Clocks Changed.
There are a number of killer tracks on this album, starting with the opener. “Full Moon Girl”, written with Mary Gauthier, which follows the life of a down and out girl who works whatever job she can to make ends meet and embellishes her relationship with her boss to make herself feel better. A great sounding track that was extremely well written.
My next favorite is “Hat”, the story of a man finding a cowboy hat washed up on the shore and deciding to put it on. He goes on to attribute any future positives in his life to the hat. A great idea for a tune.
Finally, “A Little Less Blue” stood out among the rest of the songs on the album. In a story of lost love the line “I’ll cover your name with another tattoo” really made ears perk up.
I wish a larger portion of the Americans who make the pilgrimage to Nashville to make a record came away with a product this good.Glover delivers a great record with many ups and downs emotionally. At times it seems slightly overproduced and makes me long to hear him in a stripped down environment, but that probably comes more from my personal tastes than actual quality.
I think this album is only currently available as a download but the hard copies will hit the market in August of this year. You should check out Ben Glover on his website and I will be attempting to see him live the next time he tours American soil for sure.
Tags: album review, ben glover, mary gauthier, ryan adams
Album Review : Lincoln Durham EP
Jun 15, 2010 Album Reviews
It’s guys like this that make me wish someone would offer me a job in Austin, so I could uproot my family and move there (not that I have an serviceable skill mind you). This ep is a teaser to a debut album that is supposed to hit the shelves sometime this year. Four songs of all kinds of gritty, bluesy, roll down the window and sing along fun.
It’s no surprise that Ray Wylie Hubbard has signed on to produce young Durham’s record. The talent is overfilling the cup. Slide guitar, harmonica, a hellacious backbeat and vocals that would make Muddy Waters proud. Not to say this is a straight blues recording as Durham definitely has that Texas country charm intertwined with his whiskey drenched delta sound.
I would try to single out my favorite tracks, but with only four it is nearly impossible. “Livin’ This Hard” starts the disc out right with a hard rock n’ roll sound that gets you in the right mood.
“Georgia Lee” tells the story of a rough southern woman who wears a tattered dress and plays “Hoochie Coochie Man” on a guitar “blessed by Muddy’s hand” .
The next song ” How Does a Crow Fly” slows the tempo down a little and shows that Durham is no one trick pony. It really showcases his songwriting ability with lines like “I met a girl white as snow, I turned her a shade of grey”.
The last track on the short disc also tells of a man who loves the old blues. “Reckoning Lament” references Robert Johnson’s verse and Fred McDowell’s slide guitar by name. You can really hear Hubbard’s influence on this track as it would have been quite comfortable residing on his last release A. Enlightment B. Endarkenment (Hint there is no C).
I have listened to this disc a dozen times through since receiving it yesterday and have not tired of it yet. On top of that I have viewed every Lincoln Durham video available on Youtube today. This kid is the real deal and my only complaint is that this is only four songs. Oh one more petty complaint, when his record comes out I will already have four tracks of it, so there won’t be a whole album of new ones.
If I lived in Texas, I would be going to see him as often as I could while he is still playing solo in bars just so I could soak in the feel. Learn more about Lincoln Durham on his website here.
Here is a promo video for “Reckoning Lament”. It’s just Durham and his guitar and it is fucking great.
Tags: album review, fred mcdowell, lincoln durham, muddy waters, ray wylie hubbard, robert johnson, Youtube Clip
Podcast, Episode 2: Peter Cooper and Eric Brace
Jun 11, 2010 Podcasts
As promised, here is the second installment of the Broken Jukebox podcast with guests, Peter Cooper and Eric Brace. Had a ball with this one and the guys play five songs along the way.
Check us out on iTunes and leave a review. To download just right click the download button and save link as.
Tags: eric brace, peter cooper, Podcasts
Concert Review : Peter Cooper and Eric Brace
Jun 11, 2010 Concert Reviews
I spent my entire weekend last week enjoying the music of Eric Brace and Peter Cooper. I attended two shows and in between recorded the second episode of the Broken Jukebox podcast (which should be posted this weekend) with them. The weekend was great, I got to hear some amazing songs, spend time with my wife and friends, meet some new people, and catch shows at two venues I had never been to before.
On Friday the wife and I dropped off the kids and began the four hour drive to Louisville, Kentucky. Despite the heat and the traffic, the drive down was a blast. We listened to some fun tunes all the way down as we cruised the highway. We arrived at The Rudyard Kipling with about ten minutes to spare.
The venue was interesting looking from the street, it looked almost like something you would see in a film about the Alamo. It was a large brick wall with an opening that led around the building on a nice wooden deck to the side where you went inside. Once inside the place was divided nicely. You walked in and to the right to the bar which was open and pretty large. If you were going the show you took an immediate left to a closed off room with quite a few tables and a small stage. On a busier night this set up would have been great for separating those wanting to hear the music and those who were only there to drink. It also allowed for the venue not to lose bar patrons because of the cover charge.
The show opened with a local kid, Sam Hadfield, solo on an acoustic guitar. He played an entertaining set, considering that the crowd was very small and he was there to open. His originals were good, and he covered “Tom Ames Prayer” and “Stack-O-Lee” which is always a good thing in my book. The highlight of his set was the songs he finger picked on the guitar, which he was very talented at. I think the set was about twenty minutes.
After a very short break Cooper and Brace took the stage. I had never seen Eric Brace before, having only been introduced to him recently through their joint record, You Don’t Have to Like Them Both, that was released in 2008. I was however very familiar with Peter Cooper.
I was immediately enthralled with the show, they started out with “Wait a Minute” and the harmony vocals were completely mind blowing. If I took nothing else away from my weekend spent with these two it would be that they may have been put here to sing with one another. The set was filled with tracks off of their album, a few older Cooper tunes, Last Train Home (Brace’s band) songs, and some very good new material from them both. Unfortunately the venue had another show going on and their whole set was over in an hour.
Highlights musically from the Louisville show were, the new Cooper tune, which I think is entitled “Champion of the World”. It is an autobiographical story of him becoming a singer and his daddy being a preacher. Another highlight was the Eric Brace penned “Tranquility Base”, a song full of questions for astronaut, Neil Armstrong. The lyrics and the harmony vocals during the chorus of this songs gave me and my wife goosebumps. They ended the set with their version of a song Cooper co-wrote with Todd Snider, “The Last Laugh” from his album The Excitement Plan. I am a huge Snider fan, but I have to say I think I like their version of the song a little better.
We left Louisville immediately after the show for a drive that seemed much longer the second time around. Although the show was short, it was a great time for the wife and I to get out for the night and the music more than made up for the long drive.
On Saturday afternoon, Mr. Brace and Mr. Cooper made their way to my hometown to do the podcast ( I promise it will be up soon). We all had a great time doing that and I learned quite a few things about exciting topics such as the best lima beans in the world and the best surviving 80′s metal band.
In the evening, my cousin and I headed up to Columbus (only 30 minute drive) to catch the second show of the weekend run. We arrived at The Red Door Tavern about an hour prior to showtime. A much larger crowd turned out for this show than the previous night and the venue was once again great. The place has a great restaurant and Guinness on tap. What more could you ask for? Like the night before the show was held in separate room from the main eating area, but this time there was a bar in the room where we were. The show is hosted by a couple friends of mine, Bob Teague and Chip Kobe who modeled it after the listening rooms you find all over the country. This made for a great house concert feeling in a public place.
There was no opener on this night and we were treated to two outstanding sets of songs from Cooper and Brace. With no time limit the show seemed to be more relaxed, with the in between song banter getting stretched out and the set list very much expanded.
I think they played damn near everything on their album and delved deeper into their respective catalogs as well as breaking out some other killer covers. There were so many highlights to this show that it would really make this column ten times longer ( I know I’m smashing 1000 words already). We were treated to a few more new ones that will be included on Cooper’s upcoming release, The Llyod Green Sessions. Also included in the set were new tracks from the yet untitled new album from the two of them.
Specific songs that stood out were a song about a famous door man in Nashville that Cooper wrote with Don Schlitz, “Hendersonville”, Brace’s song about Johnny and June Carter Cash, Last Train Home’s “Anywhere But Here”, and their covers of Bob Dylan’s “Tonight I’ll be Staying Here With You” and Tom T. Hall’s “I Flew Over Our House Last Night”.
All I can say is that if you get a chance to see these two together live drop everything and do it. I was totally blown away by their on stage chemistry, their song choices and most importantly the amazing harmonies that they delivered. Their album is great, but it really doesn’t do them justice when compared the live environment. Both these shows were like invitations to sit in their living room and listen in on an intimate guitar playing, song singing, whiskey drinking night of fun.
You can find them both on Brace’s record label Red Beet Records . Go to a show, buy them a drink and sit back and enjoy.
Tags: bob dylan, concert review, don schlitz, eric brace, johnny cash, peter cooper, red door tavern, todd snider, tom t. hall
Album Review : Fred Eaglesmith : Cha Cha Cha
Jun 10, 2010 Album Reviews
So I am finally getting around to reviewing the latest release from Fred Eaglesmith. I have to say I am pretty taken with this record even with only a few listens. The sound is new, with Fred adding a Bossa Nova sound to the music and featuring the background singing of the Fabulous Ginn Sisters, but the songs are all Fred.
This album also features a rock base similar to what was on 50 Odd Dollars which is a welcome sound for me. Listening to the record makes you feel like you are watching a movie. One where the antihero, a gunslinger or gambler, is falling love with a woman who can’t decide if she is going to return the sentiment. You can just see multiple scenes in border town bar with Fred and his band as the house band.
Lyrically the record is fantastic, with Eaglesmith delivering some understated vocals that fit the feel of the record perfectly. The backing vocals from The Fabulous Ginn Sisters help add to the haunting, desperate feeling of Fred’s voice and lyrics.
Highlights of this record for me start right at the beginning of the album with “Careless”. Here Fred tells the woman that she has been “careless with his love” and compares himself to a favorite pair of pants that she only wears out to dance. This song sets the tone both lyrically and sonically for the entire album.
The next track that really grabbed a hold of me is “Sliver of the Moon” . Eaglesmith lists things that are around him that are proving that he has fallen for a woman. I think we all have experienced the bliss and fright associated with the realization that the narrator is describing in this song.
“Dynamite and Whiskey” is a tune that just flat out sounds cool. It has a cool rocking beat and Fred almost speaking/ whispering the lyrics with the Ginn Sisters distorted in the background.
One final track that I really enjoy is “Car”. The same scorned man is now seeing the woman of his desires everywhere he looks. The desperation really comes to a head in this song.
About a month ago I posted a list of things that would make me happy in the world of music and one of those wishes has been answered. Cha Cha Cha reminded me why I love Fred Eaglesmith. Once again, Fred has ventured off in another direction musically and he really hit a home run with this one. By far my favorite Eaglesmith record since Bailin’ .
I do have to mention that it was weird not to hear the recently departed Willie P. Bennnett on the album, but I think the addition of the Ginn Sisters did a good job of adding something to the record without being derivative of the past recordings with Bennett.
You can order the record now on Fred’s official site and it looks like it will be available via other outlets next week.
Tags: Fred Eaglesmith, the fabulous ginn sisters, willie p. bennett
Album Review : Evan Harris and the Driftwood Motion : Thick Sticks and Harder Stones (ep)
Jun 7, 2010 Album Reviews
Evan Harris is from my hometown and one would think that would make me a little biased. Actually that was not the case, when first told about him I was skeptical to say the least. I was not willing to listen for the longest time, but when I did man was I impressed.
Harris, like many who walked the songwriting road before him drinks too much and loves too hard. While that may have varied effects on his personal life, these habits make for great themes in his songs. He always delivers very personal lyrics with a gravelly voice that is perfect for the song and this EP is no different.
Recording with a slightly different line up in a very quick manner Thick Sticks and Harder Stones has a down home feel on some tracks and a little bit experimental feel on others. Missing from the recordings is their drummer and added is a female vocalist and piano player. The harmonies Harris and newcomer, Jessica Rabbit create on the album are divine.
My two favorite tracks come right in the middle of the six song effort. Track three, “Cardinals and Swans” chronicles the departure of a lost love. It is Harris at his heartbroken best, both beaten down and pissed off. “Ah Geeze (What a Mess), the fourth track finds Rabbit taking the lead vocals which is a nice change of pace. This song is her convincing a man and herself that they should indeed not be friends for fear of what could come of it. I love the play in the song between her vocals and Harris’ background singing. A great tune and this comes from me, who does not normally like many female singers in this genre.
An improvement on their previous recordings from a technical standpoint is that you can finally hear the vocals clearly. Before it seemed as if Harris was not comfortable with his voice during the mixing process and the great lyrics sometimes got lost among the music. Not this time, Evan’s vocals are right out in front where they should be and he once again delivered a great set of songs for us. My only complaint is that the it is only an EP which makes their third one without a full length album, so it leaves you wanting more.
You can find Evan Harris and the Driftwood Motion on the web here.
Tags: album review, driftwood motion, evan harris
