Modern Acoustic Reviews

Moving on over

2010-11-30T06:26:00.000-08:00

Hi. Thanks for dropping by. This used to be the site for me to post my CD reviews, but I'm now just posting them on my regular blog, Modern Acoustic at http://modernacoustic.blogspot.com so everything will be in one, easy-to-find place. Check it out.
Thanks.

CD reviews: Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, Jakob Dylan, Pieta Brown, Jackie Greene, Crooked Still, Shannon McNally, In the Cinema

2010-06-15T07:40:00.000-07:00

GRACE POTTER & THE NOCTURNALS
(Out now)
Despite the fact that Grace Potter and the Nocturnals are a killer, must-see live band, their past studio albums have never held up to the promise quite as well.
But with this self-titled release, the group is on the verge of something big.
First and foremost is the band’s change in personnel. Grace has a new bass player, Catherine Popper, and has added a second guitarist, Benny Yurco, to her longtime bandmates guitarist Scott Tournet and drummer Matthew Burr.
The new lineup allows for a fuller – and sexier – sound, and a chance for Grace to step out front even more.
But don’t be led astray, she’s not putting down her Flying V or forsaking her Hammond B3 chores. That is very clear from the first tune “Paris (Ooh La La),’’ which opens with some screaming guitars. It sounds like a ’70s Heart tune on steroids. It’s a great way to introduce her new band and sound.
The best tunes are the hard-rocking numbers, including “Medicine,” “Only Love” and “Hot Summer Night,” which mix the dual-guitar punch with the dual female vocal harmonies. And “Oasis,” another standout, rides along on a trippy ’60s feel.
This is a sexier Grace than we’ve seen before. On “Goodbye Kiss,’’ breakup lyrics are woven into a reggae beat. And ballads “Tiny Light,” the band’s single, and “Colors” are sure to win them some commercial radioplay.
Grace continues to show off her great pipes. She can belt out and lift a song or play it coy and quiet when the mood calls for it, such as on “One Short Night,” an autobiographical tune about an affair.
The band shows its versatility in the album-ending tunes, from the soulful “That Phone” to the scorcher “Hot Summer Night” to the near-country stylings of “Things I Never Needed.”
This is the new Grace Potter. Some of her jam-band fans may not take to her new sound, but it is a good fit for her, mixing bits of ‘70s classic rock and southern rock influences – with a dash of Tina Turner – and melding them into something fresh that showcases the talents of a very talented performer.

JAKOB DYLAN
“Woman + Country” (Out now)
There is something other than his genes that makes Jakob Dylan someone worth following. He has a mysterious look, an interesting voice and a history of decent, if not remarkable, tunes.
And even though it’s pretty clear that this Dylan, now 40 years old, is probably never going to take the world by storm, it’s OK.
“Women + Country,’’ his second solo album since disbanding the Wallflowers, is a warm, enjoyable album. What it lacks in edginess, is made up for in a laid-back appeal worthy of a backyard barbecue on a hot, summer night. In fact, if he was willing to bring his band, we would gladly set up a nice spot on our porch right next to the cooler.
On board for this album is T Bone Burnett as producer and Neko Case as a backup singer. Now you really wish they would stop by, right?
As for the songs, the opener “Nothing but the Whole Wide World to Give’’ immediately sets the tone and pace of the album. Dylan sings in his husky, above-whisper voice as Neko skates along behind him on the chorus. She never takes over a song but always provides a beautiful harmony to his lead.
“Lend a Hand” has a slightly New Orleans sound with trumpet backing and “Holy Rollers for Love” has some dirty guitar backing. Finding a standout tune is difficult, but the album is generally a good listen.
The pacing seems incredibly similar to that of the Burnett-produced “Raising Sand’’ that brought together Robert Plant and Alison Krauss. At times you wish Burnett would just remove the reigns and let them rip.
But as long as you know what you’re getting and not upset about what might have been, “Women + Country’’ will not let you down.

PIETA BROWN
One and All (out now)
Pieta Brown is another child of a famous musician-father, the deeper-than-deep-voiced folkie Greg Brown. And while she didn’t inherit that from her dad, she did get some serious musical skill.
“One and All,’’ which she coproduced with Bo Ramsey, is filled with tales of love and loneliness and everything in between. The album was recorded live and features some standout backing from members of Calexico, Alison Krauss’ band and her frequent collaborator Ramsey.
Her voice (since we’re sure everyone wants to know what it sounds like) has a beauty and seductiveness without being wimpy, reminding us a bit in tone of Edie Brickell on songs such as the opener “Wishes Falling Through the Rain’’ and “Prayer of Roses.’’
Pieta adds an upbeat rhythm to “El Guero,’’ which was also featured on her last album but in stripped-down acoustic form.
Other songs, such as “Faller” and “It Wasn’t There,” offer depth and color.
What the album lacks, as with Jakob Dylan’s new album, is some contrast – some rocking or uptempo numbers or some differing moods. Individually the songs hold up, but as a group, they tend to blur together.

JACKIE GREENE
Till the Light Comes (out June 29)
We spent much of our last issue discussing Jackie Greene and his career so we won’t rehash it again. (To read the last issue, click HERE)
Surprisingly, “Till the Light Comes’’ is young Jackie’s sixth solo album. And despite how much time he has spent recently performing with members of the Grateful Dead and immersed in the jam-band concert scene, “Till the Light’’ continues the path of his last album, “Giving Up the Ghost’’: rock, soul and blues spiced with Jackie’s great guitar riffing. This makes us happy.
Long, noodling guitar solos? Not Jackie. Where he shines is on introspective songs such as “A Moment of Temporary Color” and “Grindstone,” in which he offers his insights on life wrapped in a wide-range of sonic colors.
We are particularly fond of the more muscular numbers like “Medicine,” which has an early Who-like bounce complete with handclaps, and the closing, title track.
But Jackie, who plays a boatload of other instruments on this album, including organ, Wurlitzer, Mellotron, glockenspiel and electric sitar, is just as comfortable with acoustic tunes such as the gentle, almost-country-ish “1961.”
Will Jackie Greene finally get his due as a solo artist? He has from us.

CROOKED STILL
Some Strange Country (out now)
With their fourth release, their second with the current lineup, Crooked Still has secured its place as one of the premiere “newgrass” acts around, along with the Punch Brothers and the Infamous Stringdusters.
Crooked Still broke out after the release of its second album, “Shaken By a Low Sound,” which melded virtuoso playing by Greg Liszt on banjo, Rushad Eggleston on cello and Corey DiMario on acoustic bass with the angelic vocals of Aoife O’Donovan. Eggleston departed after that, and was replaced by Tristan Clarridge on cello and Brittany Haas on fiddle, providing the group a fuller sound.
To our ears, the first album with the new group, “Still Crooked,’’ seemed a little tentative, like the band was trying to figure out what they had going. But on “Some Strange Country,” it’s clear Crooked Still is back in full gear.
The album’s first two songs, “Sometimes in This Country” and “The Golden Vanity,” make a statement. Where the last album is more subdued, this song immediately jumps out at you. Put in your earbuds and listen closely to the enthusiastic interplay between the instruments.
O’Donovan gets her chance to shine on the Celtic-sounding “Distress,’’ where her beautiful soprano glides sweetly and gently over the band’s backing. One of our worries about the earlier makeup of Crooked Still was whether the strong personalities/egos could accept a band concept. This group doesn’t have that issue. The interplay between Liszt, Clarridge and Haas is a joy to hear.
Crooked Still is known for its interpretations of traditional tunes and this album continues that trend offering seven such tunes including Peggy Seeger’s haunting “Henry Lee” and Doc Watson’s “I’m Troubled.” But there are also four originals – including “Locust in the Willow, which gets back to that hyper-grass style we love them for.
Closing out the album is a very cool cover of the Rolling Stones’ “You Got the Silver.” O’Donovan surely gets into this and Liszt’s banjo stands out as a highlight. We like the idea of contemporary rock tunes redone in the Crooked Still style. Let’s hope there is more of this to come.

SHANNON McNALLY AND HOT SAUCE
Coldwater (out now)
Shannon McNally has one of those seductive, Southern-tinged voices that makes you take notice when you hear it. That’s what happened when we first heard the album “Geronimo” years ago.
Since then, we’ve followed her career though have never actually seen her play live.
Originally from Long Island, Shannon moved to LA before taking to the South, first in New Orleans and then in Mississippi after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina.
Her new album, the self-released “Coldwater,” with her new Miss.-based band Hot Sauce and with the guidance of late great producer Jim Dickinson, offers up a slow-burning dose of blues and country. The band adds some saucy guitar licks tossed around Shannon’s sultry voice, which sounds like a sultry Lucinda Williams.
The album is comprised of only eight songs, scant for this modern age of the 12- to 15-song CD, but Shannon makes most of the short count.
Standouts among her five originals are the leadoff track, the bluesy rocker “This Isn’t My Home,” and both “Bohemian Wedding Song” and “Jack B. Nimble,” which bubble along on country-rock beats.
There are also three covers: a sizzling uptempo version of “Lonesome, Ornery and Mean” and the piano-based “Freedom to Stay,” both made famous by Waylon Jennings. The album closes with the third, Dylan’s “Postitively 4th Street,” which seems incredibly out of place here and really the only misstep on a fine release.

IN THE CINEMA
For the Struggle (out now)
Whenever we do CD review packages, we like to include at least one album from a band or musician that few people know. (Hey, Rolling Stone won’t do it, so someone has to!)
So let us introduce you to In the Cinema, a duo of brothers, Ryan and Joe Hughes from Minneapolis, whose album “For the Struggle” is a refreshing mix of what they call “beat-driven folktronica.”
The tunes have a folk guitar and keyboard base which are then layered with synthesizer, drums, samples – and, yes, glockenspiel – to give them an edge.
Ryan is the songwriter in the band, filtering his views on hope, desire and redemption in such tunes as “Shelter, Late at Night” and “Tie Me Up,’’ while Joe drops in the percussive details.
“Theatre ... and the Instinct,’’ one of our favorite numbers, has a driving, drum-filled sound, as Ryan sings about an apparent love gone bad. Blips, buzzes and electronic beats strike a nerve.
Each song provides its own unique personality and sound. The glock adds atmosphere to “Watch the Window,” as bongos do to “Never Leave.”
“For the Struggle” is not your parents’ folk music or your younger sister’s electronica. It is something new and deserves a listen.
And, if you find yourself in need of something to do while listening to this album, the Hughes boys have provided some crayons to color in their CD cover.

CD Reviews: Josh Ritter's "So Runs the World Away,' Patty Griffin's "Downtown Church"

2010-03-15T08:28:00.000-07:00

JOSH RITTER
“So Runs the World Away” (Out May 4)

Through the years we’ve become very familiar with Josh’s stories, both in song and between songs in concert. From “Lillian, Egypt” to “The Temptation of Adam,” he’s proven to be a natural storyteller. So it is no surprise that on his new album, the literary “So Runs the World Away,” the focus turns to tales of cursed mummies and ships seeking new worlds. It is also makes sense that Josh is working on his first novel, called “Bright’s Passage,” due sometime next year. The songs on “So Runs the Word Away,” says Josh, “are larger and more detailed and feel to me as if they were painted in oil on large canvasses.”
As we’ve learned with each new album, Josh constantly moves in new directions, never willing to settle in a style or a sound for too long.
So after the rockin’, brash “Historical Conquests” album, this time we get a much more cerebral one overflowing with imagery set against a palette of sound, rather than the raucous backing of the past, by the newly dubbed Royal City Band of Zack Hickman (bass), Sam Kassirer (keyboards), Austin Nevins (guitar) and Liam Hurley (drums). We also get, for the first time, a female voice, provided by Dawn Landes, backing Josh on some tunes.
The album opens with a 56-second, almost orchestral instrumental “Curtains.” It is followed by “Change of Time,” a love song with an intricate musical layering of instruments similar to “Conquests,” and one of the signatures of Sam as producer. (He’s produced these last two Josh albums, as well as Erin McKeown’s last album, “Hundreds of Lions.”)
Our first taste of Josh’s storytelling on the album is on “The Curse,” about a mummy who is awakened by an archeologist and falls in love with her. The song is mesmerizingly brilliant, filled with lines that make you lean in to your stereo to hear every word: “She asks are you cursed but his answer’s obscured in a sandstorm of flashbulbs and rowdy reporters.” As the mummy grows stronger, the woman grows weaker, and there lies the curse. The spare and delicate backing by band adds to the tension of the song.
The other standout story-song on the album is “Another New World,” a 7-minute, 39-second journey to new lands aboard the ship the Annabel Lee, this captain’s love. Is it possible Josh is using the Edgar Allan Poe love story, “Annabel Lee,’’ as a guide to his own tale? The song is filled with incredible imagery, as if Josh actually took the trip himself.
It’s good to point out that not all the songs on “So Runs the World Away” are contemplative ones. “Rattling Locks” rocks with Josh playing the angry ex, spitting out, “Black hole, black hole how can your two eyes be empty as they look/All along I thought I was giving you my love but you were just stealing it and now I want back every single thing that you took.” This song, which opens with a percussion/guitar growl, will be a showstopper in concert. “The Remnant,” with Josh churning out the lyrics faster than you can take them in, is another beat-heavy, rockin’ tune.
There are plenty more songs to explore on the album. “Southern Pacifica,” the Springsteen-esque “Lantern” and “Long Shadows” are all worthy of the journeys they take you on. “Folk Bloodbath” is a tune that Josh has kicked around for years, but never recorded. It finally sees the light of day, complete with female backing vocals.
“So Runs the World Away” once again expands the art of Josh Ritter. His stories have now taken on a life of their own and galvanized his songs.

Patty Griffin
“Downtown Church” (Out now)

No one should be surprised by Patty Griffin’s latest album, an all-gospel affair titled “Downtown Church.” For those listening closely to her last two albums, there were hints at this direction in a number of those songs.
It is also not stunning to realize how well her voice fits the genre. It may not have been apparent that gospel is in her DNA, but we are fairly certain it is in her soul.
“Downtown Church” is a collection of 14 songs, mostly covers but a few originals recorded in a 160-year-old Presbyterian church in Nashville. Each song is sung in Patty’s distinctive, wonderfully expressive voice and many include guests – ranging from Emmylou Harris to Regina and Ann McCrary, Buddy Miller, and others.
The album opens with Patty singing solo on Hank Williams’ hush of a tune “House of Gold.” But that mood doesn’t last long, as she jumps right into the uptempo Southern rave “Move Up,” with help from the McCrarys, Miller, and Jim Lauderdale. You can just picture the congregation in the church pews in full swing.
She continues to mix traditional tunes (“Wade Into the Water”) with blues (an inspiring “If I Had My Way”). She even contributes two originals, “Little Fire” and “Coming Home to Me,” that meld perfectly with the album’s spirit of redemption and the power of faith.
To our ears, the best tunes are the ones that make us move our body, such as the aforementioned “Move Up” and the snakey R&B-tinged “I Smell a Rat.”
In all, “Downtown Church” may not end up as one of Patty Griffin’s most widely loved albums, but it is clearly a part of her musical personality and it is a genuine expression of her passion.

CD Review: David Rawlings Machine

2009-12-09T06:49:00.000-08:00

David Rawlings Machine - "Friend of a Friend" (out now)
It’s been six long years since Gillian Welch and David
Rawlings have released an album. Their avid fans, us included, have been asking – no – begging for some new music. Yes, we have scoured YouTube for clips of a tune we call “Throw Me a Rope.” We have downloaded various quality concert audio of another unrecorded tune called “Knuckleball Catcher.” And we have gone faithfully to their performances at the Newport Folk Festival, the Big Surprise Tour, and anywhere else within a 100-mile radius.
And yet we kept wondering: Where is the new album? Well, it arrived recently. It wasn’t what we expected, but it was more than a pleasant surprise.
Instead of Gillian at the helm, Dave Rawlings gets a chance to be the frontman of his first Dave Rawlings Machine album, “Friend of a Friend.”
The album continues the duo’s basic sound – a mix of old-timey, country and bluegrass – adding fiddle, banjo, and bass from their friends in the band Old Crow Medicine Show. Dave’s soprano voice takes the lead throughout with Gillian providing the backup. It’s a nice change that works well especially on the slower numbers, like the opener “Ruby.”
You’d expect Dave’s guitar to be showcased, but that really isn’t the case here. He gets a few licks here and there but for the most part, he keeps the band orientation front and center.
Other songs that stand out are his upbeat, Ryan Adams collaboration “To Be Young (Is to Be Sad, Is to Be High),” the hoedown “It’s Too Easy,” and the standard “Monkey and the Engineer.”
The highlight of the album is Dave’s “Method Acting/Cortez the Killer” pairing, a 10-minute dream that bridges the generation gap between Bright Eyes and Neil Young. A great combo. We saw this done live and it really is mesmerizing.
While this album not quite what we expected, it’s nice to hear new tunes from these guys. Let’s hope it doesn’t take another six years for Gillian to come out with her new album!

CD Reviews: Regina Spektor, Erin McKeown, the Avett Brothers, Thao & the Get Down Stay Down

2009-09-28T07:22:00.000-07:00

Regina Spektor - Far
Out now
Regina Spektor albums are like an art gallery. Not a museum gallery, where ancient works depict life as it was, but a contemporary space where each artwork tells a story — maybe about who the artist is or how they view the world politically, socially, environmentally.
In this way, Regina’s songs are snippets of life – hers? others? – in palettes of intense color, wrapped gently in mostly piano-driven arrangement told in a voice that rises and falls in fluttering waves that if it weren’t so beautiful it might be thought of as pretentious.
Her new album, “Far,” continues a path started with her previous work, “Begin to Hope,” which brought her from that Quirky Russian New York Anti-Folk Singer to indie-pop darling. That is to say her songs became a little more accessible to the average music fan. That doesn’t mean she’s now the second coming of Celine Dion. In fact, what makes Regina and her songs so special is her ability to embrace that wondrous quirky side of herself.
The songs on “Far,” like looking at gallery art, need to be taken in individually and given multiple listens. The opener “The Calculation,” a bouncy little love song, is followed by the captivating “Eet” (yes, eet is the entire chorus!) . Each tune tells a story or a snippet of a story, big or small, of a place in time, a relationship, all from her unique perspective. “Wallet” tells of her returning a lost wallet to Blockbuster.
And the album’s single “Laughing With,” deals with the power of God: “No one laughs at God in a hospital/No one laughs at God in a war/ No one’s laughing at God/ When they’ve lost all they’ve got/ And they don’t know what for.” Powerful words, to be sure.
What really makes this album and Regina herself special is her voice, which she uses to gorgeous affect – at once captivating, beckoning and urging you to listen. She can move from a whisper to roar and back like on “Human of the Year.”
A couple of tunes at first seem a little heavy on production. But after multiple listens, you just can’t help loving the robot-like effects on “Mach-ine” and the playful beats of “Dance Anthem of the ‘80s.”
All in all, “Far” takes off where “Begin to Hope” ended. We can only hope that her quirky art will continue.

Erin McKeown - Hundreds of Lions
Out: Oct. 13
Listening to a new Erin McKeown album is like waking up on Christmas morning with high hopes but no idea what is inside those gift-wrapped boxes under the tree. In the past there was some indie-folk and ’40s jazz swing, but most of the time it was a homemade concoction of different genres and styles, masterfully delivered with class and a wink of an eye.
So how does “Hundreds of Lions” fit in? Just fine, thank you. If you liked her previous efforts, “Distillation” and “Grand” especially, “Lions” will make you smile with its wide-ranging mix of sounds. A bass saxophone anchors the delightful, head-bobbing opening track,“To a Hammer,” while Erin’s choppy guitar strum and a moody piano line keep “The Foxes” moving. “(Put the Fun Back in) the Funeral” slinks along in dark places. And the totally fun ditty “The Rascal” hits you right in the feet, with its bouncy piano beat and hand claps. It reminds us a little of Michelle Shocked’s “Jump Jim Crow.”
With each song, the more you listen, the more you hear deep inside as the lyrics, instruments and ear candy – chirps, rattles, whistles – build on each other.
The lyrics focus mainly on relationships and love and life. In the stellar tune “The Lions” Erin sings “There’s a risk/ there’s a twist/ in anything worth doing/ if you’re caught/ doing what’s proper/ you better stop before you ruin it.” The song chugs along with its circus theme but the words prove much deeper, discussing love as a high wire act.
The idea of risk is fitting for Erin. This album was originally meant to be self-financed though a series of Web concerts she called “Cabin Fever.” The idea, both risky and inventive, had her playing four unique concerts from her home and broadcasting by pay subscription live on the Internet. The hope was that freeing herself from a label would allow her and her producer, Sam Kassirer, to take the time to make the best album possible. After the album was completed, “Hundreds of Lions” was picked up by Ani DiFranco’s Righteous Babe label for distribution, which should help in getting the word out.
A final note on “Hundreds of Lions”: Those that buy the physical CD, rather than the digital form of the album, are in for a treat. This is one of the most beautifully presented CDs we’ve seen. The cardboard case, with the silhouette picture of Erin on the front, is beautifully folded with a tuck-in flap to close it. Inside the lyric sheet unfolds several times and is decorated with drawings of lions.
For Erin fans, “Hundreds of Lions” is a gift indeed.

The Avett Brothers - I and Love and You
Out Sept. 29
For a while now, we’ve been hearing about the Avett Brothers. But with so many brother bands out there – the Felice Brothers, the Chemical Brothers – when it’s time to get around to listening, we’ve forgotten which one was which. So on the occasion of their first big-label album, “I and Love and You,” we finally sat down and gave the Avetts a listen, and, of course, now we’re slapping ourselves silly that we have taken so long to come around.
The Avetts – brothers Scott and Seth Avett, who play banjo and guitar, respectively, and Bob Crawford on bass-– have put together folk-rocking tunes that sound like a modern-day album by The Band. This is probably no surprise to the Avett’s avid following which has five independently produced albums of past material.
The songs on the stellar “I and Love and You” focus on the maturity of its members as they hit the age of 30. While the title song plays like a love song to Brooklyn, we’re guessing there might be deeper meaning. “January Wedding” and “And It Spread,” a fabulous breakup/ new-love song, get right to the point.
Most of the tunes feature banjo, guitar and piano; a few are punctuated with drums, and songs, such as “And It Spread” and “Kick Drum Heart,’’ really stand out.
“Ten Thousand Words” features some great guitar picking and “Tin Man” is one of our favorites, with it’s lyrics: “You can't be like me/But be happy that you can't/I see pain but I don't feel it /I am like the old tin man/I'm as worn as a stone/I keep it/ steady as I can/I see pain but I don't feel it I am like the old tin man. “
We can’t wait to see them in October. Viewing some clips of their live shows on YouTube, it is clear that on stage even the mellowest tunes are spiked with their high-energy enthusiasm.

Thao & the Get Down Stay Down - Know Better Learn Faster
Out : Oct. 13
If you were wondering what direction Thao and her two-piece band, the Get Down Stay Down, would take on their new album, the 33-second a cappella opener called “The Clap” gives you a pretty good idea. Here are the complete lyrics: “If this is how you want it OK, OK.”
Yep, the new album, titled “Know Better Learn Faster” is a breakup album, and like most of them it is chock-full of your typical breakup themes. By song titles alone, you get the picture: “Cool Yourself,” “Good Bye Good Luck,” and “Burn You Up.”
But if you heard Thao’s critically acclaimed first album, “We Brave Bee Stings and All,” full of bouncy beats and jittery acoustic guitar strumming, well, you pretty much could have guessed her breakup album
wasn’t going sound like your typical breakup album.
The lyrics may belie her sadness but the beats are still danceable and fun.
Backed by her scrappy duo of Adam Thompson on bass, keys, and additional guitar, and Willis Thompson on drums and percussion, Thao lays down those funky guitar rhythms we fell in love with on her debut. She also had some help from the violin of Andrew Bird and backing vocals of Laura Veirs.
“When We Swam” starts with Thao singing over an electric guitar line, but when she breaks into “Oh, bring your hips to me,” to a fun groove, well, how can you not move to the beat?
The title song shares the pain of her relationship now over. As she says in the album’s notes, “By the time you realize you should ‘know better, learn faster,’ it’s too late.”
As she says in the opening of the last song, “sad people dance too…” Then the bass and drums kick in and off we go.

CD Reviews: Eilen Jewell, Sarah Borges, Sometymes Why, Kasey Chambers and Shane Nicholson, Ali Marcus, the Bittersweets, Marybeth D'Amico, Red Sammy

2009-03-12T06:24:00.000-07:00

EILEN JEWELL - Sea of Tears
Due out April 21
Eilen broke on the scene with her critically acclaimed debut, “Boundary County,” back in 2006. Her low-key, ageless Americana sound was often compared to Gillian Welch. Her second album, “Letters From Sinners & Strangers,” added uptempo grooves to her story songs.
Now, with “Sea of Tears,’’ Eilen and her merry band of men – Jason Beek on drums, Johnny Sciascia on upright bass and Jerry Miller on guitar – pay homage to ’60s and early ’70s rock with a fabulous mix of 12 original and cover tunes.
Miller, an under-celebrated guitarist, may be the true star of this album. His guitar is brought to the forefront of the band’s sound but doesn’t overpower Eilen’s voice or the rest of the band.
On the opener, “Rain Roll In,” he cooks up an old Byrds sound on his electric and on the rocker “Sea of Tears” he offers a blast of ’70s riffs that will make you feel nostalgic. The band’s take on Van Morrison’s “I’m Gonna Dress in Black” feels like the sister track to the Animals’ “House of the Rising Sun” thanks to Miller’s ominous riffs. These songs are a treat.
But don’t for a minute think Eilen takes a back seat to any of this fun. Her voice may not have incredible range, but she makes up for that in feel, delivering the lyrics like she’s lived them. “Shakin’ All Over,” a cover of the Johnny Kidd & the Pirates number, will send “quivers down the backbone,” as the song says, and have you moving to the groove.
Other songs of note are “Fading Memory,” which would have fit nicely on “Boundary County,” a slinky, haunting “Sweet Rose,” Loretta Lynn’s country lament “The Darkest Day,” and “Final Hour,” a song that chugs along on a guitar riffs reminiscent of Stevie Ray Vaughan’s “Cold Shot.”
Eilen and the band -– who also are at the heart of the Sacred Shakers, a larger group of top New England gospel and bluegrass players – has brought old-timey folk music out of the past and into the present. This little sidetrip back 40 years is well-recommended.

SARAH BORGES AND THE BROKEN SINGLES – The Stars Are Out Due out March 24
There’s a time in every young band’s life where a decision must be made: Are you going to forever be a bar band or are you going to reach for something more? The decision could involve a change of musical direction or an altering of the band’s sound toward more general appeal. With “Reach for the Stars,” Sarah Borges’ new album, the name alone may offer a hint to where she and the Broken Singles – bassist Binky, drummer Rob Dulaney and new guitarist Lyle Brewer – are headed.
Yes, Sarah’s charming wit and Boston attitude still shine bright on “Reach for the Stars,’’ but the country twang, including the pedal steel accents, has been replaced by a more rocking pop-punk sound on a number of the tunes.
This is true for the opener and album single “Do It for Free,” which sounds like a rocked-up version of Faith Hill’s Sunday Night Football theme song, including heavy drum beat and driving guitars. A little bland compared to her best work. It is followed by “Yesterday’s Love,” which similarly doesn’t stand out, but could very well draw some radio play.
The third song, “Me and Your Ghost,” finally gets back to the Sarah we love, the ’60s girl group sound she explored on her last CD “Diamonds in the Dust.”
Two covers, the Magnetic Fields’ “No One Will Ever Love You” and the Lemonhead’s “Ride With Me,” fit nicely into her past country-rock style.
I’m a huge fan of Sarah’s and will continue to be. But too many songs like the generic rocker “I’ll Show You How” will make it hard for me to reach for the “Stars” very often.

SOMETYMES WHY – Your Heart Is a Glorious Machine Due out March 10
Sometymes Why’s “Your Heart Is a Glorious Machine” is like listening to a dream.
If you haven’t heard of the group, you know the female singing trio’s separate folk-bluegrass bands : Sometymes Why is the side project of Aoife O’Donovan of Crooked Still, Kristin Andreassen of Uncle Earl, and Ruth Unger Merenda of the Mammals.
This is not a newgrass supergroup album trying to take you by banjo-fiddle storm; instead it the melding of three gorgeous voices in beautiful harmonies in all their stripped-down dreamy glory.
Voice crush? Try voice crushes, because all three of these women can can sing. From the opening notes of “Aphrodisiaholic” to the closing of “The Sound Asleep” nine songs later, these sirens take turns on lead vocals and back-up harmonies. Each song sounds as if they were singing only to you.
Instrumentation takes a backseat, but fits the mood as necessary, a harmonica intro on “Shine It,” some gently picked mandolin on “Diamond,” some nice fiddle on “The Stupid Kiss.”
The standout tracks include a cover of the Concrete Blonde hit “Joey,” where urgency is replaced with an aching awareness, and title track “Glorious Machine,” a lush Aoife-sung tune.

KASEY CHAMBERS & SHANE NICHOLSON – Rattlin' Bones Out now
Husband and wife pairings are generally not held in high regard (think Sonny and Cher, Captain & Tenille), but maybe that image will change with the terrific Kasey Chamber-Shane Nicholson album “Rattlin’ Bones.”
Chambers is an Australian who is well known for her alt-country/folk songs and her critically acclaimed 2002 album “Brickwalls & Barricades.” Nicholson is more of an unknown in these parts, though he has had some success Down Under. The two, have been married for four years and had never written together until this album. I’m guessing we’ll hear more from them because their voices are a great match. In fact, to these ears the two sound better singing together than separately.
Their songs are a mix of country, bluegrass and the blues; the lyrics are filled with sin and salvation; and the tunes are backed by guitar, fiddle and banjo.
From the opening and title track, “Rattlin’ Bones,’’ it is clear these two were made to sing together as they trade leads over a nicely picked guitar.
Chambers unleashes a big country voice on “Sweetest Waste of Time,” and “Once in a While,” a little sticky sweet with its chorus “Only hope that I make you smile maybe more than once in a while,” is saved by some nice banjo/guitar picking.
Highlights include “Monkey on a Wire,” a sinister tune that sounds like it would be right at home on a Gillian Welch album; “The Devil’s Inside My Head,” a romping number with some furious banjo with Chambers and Nicholson trading verses and harmonizing the nightmare chorus; and the electric “Jackson Hole,” which has Nicholson singing through a voice-altering device.

ALI MARCUS – The Great Migration
Out in April
Seattle singer-songwriter Ali Marcus has come a long way, if not literally then figuratively. Her new album, “The Great Migration,’’ is filled with tunes of good and bad relationships, revelations from her cross-country travels, and some fitting songs about tough economic times.
This album stands out as a great step forward – a great migration, if you will – for Ali not only as a songwriter but as an album maker.
Her past works have been filled with similar songs backed only with guitar and harmonica, but here her sweet soprano is complemented on many songs by a full band of Northwest musicians on guitar, drums, bass, and, yes, banjo, which gives them added confidence and vibrancy.
“Virginia Road” jumps right out at you, banjo is replaced by guitar then augmented by Ali’s harmonica. “Wapato,” a foot-stomping , hand-clapping rollick, sounds like it was recorded live at a hoedown in a country dance hall.
Each song has its own unique feel: “Hey John,” about an encounter with a musician and shared bad experiences in Nashville, is played solo, one of the few numbers without any backing; “Recession Blues” is an upbeat number about down times and hitting the road for escape. Other songs like “Poseidon” and “Catastrophe” provide the darker edges of life for those willing to go there.
Finally, “Minnesota.” takes its chorus from a 2008 Barack Obama speech he made in the state: “Read a book to your baby tonight/ Bless her with patience and speed/ Teach her the difference between wrong and right/ Between justice, faith and greed/That's the change we need/Minnesota.” The song movingly captures the hope the now-president has for the country and its people.

THE BITTERSWEETS – Goodnight,
San Francisco Out now
Chris Meyers and Hannah Prater are a good match. He's the primary songwriter, who also plays the guitars and keyboards; she's the lead singer, who makes his lyrics heartfelt and believable. When she sings on the opener, “Wreck,” “Why'd you go and wreck this all?,” you feel her pain and her anger equally. The album's band is rounded out by drummer Steve Bowman of Counting Crows fame. The group got its start in San Francisco, but moved to Nashville to put out this record – hence the title.
Backed by top-notch sidemen, including Patty Griffin guitarist Doug Lancio, Meyers and Prater produce gentle, country-rocking songs that are at once effervescent and, of course, bittersweet. “Is Anyone Safe Inside?’’ delves deeply into questions of relationships both personal and worldly. “When Is the War Over?” asks how we know when we've won or lost. The title track begins with a simple piano and Hannah singing “Goodnight, San Francisco/Goodnight all you lovers, dives, and rags/Get on home, it's getting late.” Goodnight, San Francisco, hello Nashville. Its a nice fit for the Bittersweets.

MARYBETH D'AMICO – Heaven, Hell,
Sin & Redemption Out now
We met Marybeth online when we discovered that we had a mutual admiration for certain female singer-songwriters: Patty Griffin, Lori McKenna, and Kathleen Edwards, and more. As we found out later Marybeth, an American living in Germany, is a singer-songwriter herself and has taken her love for the music and lyrical styles of her musical idols and charged headfirst into writing her own songs.
Her debut album, “Heaven, Hell, Sin & Redemption,” is a wonderful collection of character-driven songs – a restless single mother, a minister involved in a sex scandal, and a true story of a Death Row prisoner in Ohio.
Despite some of the tough subjects explored, this is no downer of an album. The music – mostly guitar, bass, keyboards backed with pedal steel and fiddle flourishes – is catchy and emotion-filled. Like Griffin and Edwards, Marybeth fleshes out her characters, allowing the listener to sympathize, if not empathize, with their fate.
“Every Week,” about a guy who visits a prostitute, is honest and nonjudgmental; the dire song “Ohio,” about a Death Row inmate, is based on a letter an Englishman imprisoned for arson and murder in America sent to the BBC: “There was a fire and a young girl died in Ohio/ I said I wasn’t there, but they don’t care in Ohio/ I’ve been sitting here for 20 years in Ohio.”
Marybeth didn’t start writing and performing her own songs until 2002, after losing her full-time job as a journalist. In fact, maybe it’s the journalist’s eye that catches the essence of her subjects’ struggles so clearly.
Marybeth has proven that her stories deserve to be heard.

RED SAMMY – Dog Hang Low Out now
Adam Trice, leader for Red Sammy, calls his band’s music “graveyard country rock” for its gritty and stark storytelling. And from the first cut, “(Shine) Like an Empty Prison,” well, you get the idea from the song title alone.
Hailing from Baltimore, home of Edward Allan Poe they remind proudly, Red Sammy is Trice on guitars and vocals, Josh Weiss on guitars, Theron Melchior on bass, and Tony Calato on drums.
Trice’s vocals come through in a growly hush, like Tom Waits or Leonard Cohen, in front of a layer of chiming guitars and steady drum beats. A banjo on “Empy Prison” and pedal steel and musical saw on “Cathedral” add texture. The moods are mostly dark and intimate, as the lyrics consistently mine “the daily struggles – work, love and loss – all of us face,” says Trice.
In the end, individually the songs on “Dog Hang Low” are compelling; but as an album, with literally no glimmers of hope or upbeat messages, it’s hard – even for someone who appreciates downbeat tunes – to get too excited about.

CD Reviews: Jenny Lewis, Mark Erelli, the Sacred Shakers, Catie Curtis

2008-09-25T06:40:00.000-07:00

JENNY LEWIS – “Acid Tongue’’
For those eagerly awaiting the sequel to “Rabbit Fur Coat,’’ Jenny Lewis’ critically acclaimed 2006 twangy solo album with the Watson Twins, “Acid Tongue’’ might not completely do it for you. Her new release, while having tinges of her country side, is just as much related to her rocking Rilo Kiley side.
No matter what you think of the new album, you have to admit two things: 1) She’s got one of the sweetest voices, country or rock; and 2) She’s not resting on any laurels from her past.
Lewis takes this album many directions: opener “Black Sand” harkens back to the acoustic “Rabbit Fur Coat.’’ But soon she’s blowing you way with the almost 9-minute, multi-part “The Next Messiah,’’ which hits you with electric guitar (even a little Beatles-esque “For You Blue’’ riff) to a country stomp then back again. “Bad Man’s World” is a tasty, slinky ride augmented with cello and violin.
Guests on the album are many: Chris Robinson of the Black Crowes joins Lewis for some sweet harmony on the title cut. Others who appear are longtime friend M. Ward (on “Pretty Bird”) and Zooey Deschanel (on “Trying My Best to Love You” and “Jack Killed Mom”), and the ever-present Elvis Costello, adding some toughness to the sturdy, country rocker “Carpetbaggers.”
Mood swings are frequent on “Acid Tongue,” but the constant is Lewis’ voice, which is equally triumphant cooing in “Godspeed’’ and rocking it hard on “See Fernando.’’
“Jack Killed Mom,’’ about a typical Jenny sinner/outcast, is one of the most fun songs on the album, with a big sing-along chorus that eerily plays against the songs lyrics.

MARK ERELLI – “Delivered”
Mark Erelli has built a steady and sturdy reputation as both a songwriter and guitarist (he backed Lori McKenna on her recent major-label tour). On “Delivered,’’ he continues to grow his own sound. His songs continue to be passionate looks at the world around him. Album opener “Hope Dies Last” sound dire in its lyrics: “Another suicide bomb at a market in the Middle East/the authorities estimate 28 dead at least.’’ But he ends each chorus, “But all that comes to pass/
hope dies last.’’ On “Volunteers,’’ Mark tells the story of a National Guardsman who sees his life and his job change after 9/11, and how he reconciles it. It’s an antiwar song, but not from the typical angle.
Mark has also added more diversity to the sound of his folk songs. “Shadowland” is a flat-out rocker, with heavy electric guitar lines. “Unraveled” brings harmonica and a Dylan-esque vocal. “Abraham’’ has a Josh Ritter-ish sound, with its organ intro and its introspective lyrics. If you hear it as well, it may be because Zack Hickman, bassist for Josh, produced the album and many of the musicians, including drummer Liam Hurley, pianist Sam Kassirer and guitarist Austin Nevins, provide the solid backing to Mark’s tunes.

THE SACRED SHAKERS – “The Sacred Shakers”
For those familiar with Eilen Jewell and her band (and if you’re not, you should be), you will recognize most of this band if not the sound. That’s because Jewell and band plus a few more of Boston’s best ramblers strip down and dress up traditional gospel tunes in the fun and funky country twang of banjo, fiddle, and upright bass. Each song has its own unique sound as lead vocals gets passed around like a good jug of moonshine. Songs such as “Jordan Is a Hard Road to Travel’’ and “Straighten ’Em” make you want to cry out “Halleluyah!”

CATIE CURTIS – “Sweet Life”
Catie Curtis must be in a pretty good place right now. We know Curtis best for her song “Do Unto Others,’’ about a mentally abusive relationship. So this album is quite an uplifting turn. Listening to “Sweet Life,” with such songs titles as “Happy,” “Everything Wanting to Grow,’’ “Lovely” and “Sing,” well, you just somehow get the feeling life is on the upswing for her. The tunes, too, are upbeat – acoustic guitars and soaring organ – even when the lyrics might delve into tougher themes. In a time when many folk singers are mining darker corners of their mind, Catie’s album is a breath of fresh air.

CD Reviews: Crooked Still, Eef Barzelay, and Drew Emmitt

2008-06-24T07:45:00.000-07:00

Crooked Still, "Still Crooked"
With their last album, “Shaken by a Low Sound,” Crooked Still put themselves on the map as one of the brightest lights in the newgrass movement – taking traditional bluegrass and melding it with contemporary sounds.
The quartet of singer Aiofe O’Donovan, banjo player extraoridinaire Greg Liszt, double bassist Corey DiMario, and eccentric cellist Rushad Eggleston mixed gorgeous vocals with wild and virtuosic playing to create a unique take on old folk and blues tunes.
But it seems clear that there just wasn’t enough room on the stages they performed for the egos and talent in the group. Eggleston departed and Crooked Still had a decision to make: disband or continue on.
They chose the latter, and we’re glad they did. The band is back with two new members, fiddler Brittany Haas and cellist Tristan Clarridge, and a new album.
On “Still Crooked,” the band continues its quest of taking traditional Celtic and blues songs and turning them on their heads. Songs like “Undone Sorrow,” “Florence” and the haunting “Pharoah” feature O’Donovan’s stunningly beautiful vocals folded gently around fiddle, banjo and cello. On “The Absentee,” the band shows they still can get a little wild.
Do they miss Eggleston’s wild-eyed craziness? Well, yes. The crazy-guy cellist added a sense of danger to the music. A song like the Mississippi John Hurt standard “Did You Sleep Well?” could use a little more of that danger.
But we’re pretty sure that with time this version of the band will find it’s own wild-and-crazy personality.

Eef Barzelay, "Lose Big"
More than once Eef Barzelay has disbanded his group Clem Snide and decided to make a go of it on his own. While his decision this time is shrouded in mystery, some of the song titles on his new solo album, “Lose Big” – “Could Be Worse” and “True Freedom,” to name a few – may give some notion of his liberation, from the band or otherwise.
No matter, the Nashville-by-way-of-Israel songwriter still has his patented dry humor in place. Clem Snide was an alt-country-leaning band that packed a bunch of “snide” commentary into the lyrics.
And on “Lose Big,” Barzelay has not wandered to far from that engaging formula. On “Could Be Worse,” he sings over a Neil Young-ish dirty guitar line “Show me the bright side and I’ll look till my eyes catch fire/Please forgive me if you leave me feeling uninspired/ My only pleasure is to make that bubble burst/I can find comfort in the fact that it could be worse.”

Drew Emmitt, "Long Road"
“Lord you know I’ve been so many places/At least I know I have a longer view,” sings Drew Emmitt on the title track to his new CD, “Long Road.
And that simply sums up where Emmit, the mandolin player extraordinaire from the jam band Leftover Salmon is coming from.
The songs on this, his third solo effort, are filled with rollicking bluegrass and steeped in “on the road” experience. Mingling alongside his orginals “Into the Distance” and “Cloud City” are covers of Supertramp’s “Take the Long Way Home,” Marshall Tucker’s “Take the Highway,” and Van Morrison’s “Gypsy in My Soul,” all given the high energy, finger-picking deliciousness of top bluegrass personnel, including members of the Infamous Stringdusters, String Cheese Incident and banjo wiz Alison Brown.
In all, “Long Road” is a fun ride, full of stories of where Emmitt has been and the friends he’s met along the way.

CD Reviews: Kris Delmhorst, Kathleen Edwards and the Waifs

2008-04-18T09:49:00.000-07:00

Kris Delmhorst, "Shotgun Singer"
The soft beat of a drum machine begins followed by some delicate electric guitar lines and suddenly you’re hooked. “Blue Adeline,” the opener of Kris Delmhorst’s “Shotgun Singer,” is that entrancing. The beat, the guitar and some sparse piano mesmerizes as she sings “Blue Adeline, I can see you lying awake in wonder/I can see you running alive with hunger.” It’s an absolutely beautiful song, and a great start to a fine album.
Kris is playing with a lot of new sounds and with more ethereal lyrics on this effort. We hear some electronic sounds throughout “Heaven Holds the Sun,” a darkly sensual number with a great backing beat.
Listening to the album as a whole, the songs seem to blend together with little space in between, but individually each takes you to a new place, even if you don’t exactly know where that is.
Kris’s voice is so versatile that songs like “To the Wire,’’ an upbeat number, and “Midnight Ringer,’’ a beautiful, quiet tune sound equally intriguing.
Love is a constant theme throughout, which could be inspired by Kris’ “new life” as wife and soon-to-be mother. In “If Not for Love” she repeats the lyrics “If not for love, what are you for?” in a voice run through some kind of effect to give the song a slinky, swampy feel.
“1000 Reasons” is as close to a pop song as we get – with handclaps, some fun whistling and electric sounds and a poppy beat that really kicks into a full band sound and even a little calypso-like piano.
The mesmerizing “Freediver” ends the album, and when it’s over, you have to sit in quiet for a moment and reflect on where you’ve been.

Kathleen Edwards, "Asking for Flowers"
You know you’re listening to a Canadian singer when she namechecks former hockey player Marty McSorley in the chorus of one of her songs. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. In fact, Canada has produced a host of fine young singer-songwriting women, including Sarah Harmer, the Wailin’ Jennys, and Dala, among other. And of course Edwards, whose latest release, “Asking for Flowers,” picks up right where her last, the critically acclaimed “Back to Me,” left off. This time, she’s written all the songs herself and it shows in the more personal lyrics. Edwards has made a name writing country-rocking tunes about down-and-outers, and on “Asking for Flowers” you get more of those and more.
The upbeat numbers are the best, including “The Cheapest Key,” which is a sneeringly fun lover’s putdown done. And “I make the Dough, You Get the Glory” the aforementioned song featuring the hockey enforcer, is a great sounding country tune with a chorus that strings together some great lines, including : “You're cool and cred like Fogerty, I'm Elvis Presley in the ’70’s,” and “You’re The Great One, I'm Marty McSorley/ You're the Concord, I'm economy/I make the dough, but you get the glory.”
“Oil Man’s War” tackles her anti-war sentiments; “Oh Canada” offers some not-so-proud feelings about goings-on in her home country; and the title track digs into the emotional disillusionment of a relationship, with the line “Asking for flowers is like asking you to be nice.”
What drives all of Edwards’ tunes is her honest, clear voice and the care she has for her song’s subjects. Her backing band – which includes her husband-guitar player Colin Crips, Tom Petty keyboard extraordinaire Benmont Tench and pedal steel ace Greg Leisz, among others – is stellar too, providing solid and rocking accompaniment.
For more on her recent Boston show: Click here for my review; click here for photos; click here for video clips.

The Waifs, "Sundirtwater"
Australian trio the Waifs – who’s last album, the stellar “Up All Night,” was released in 2003 – have been on hiatus while the sisters Donna Simpson and Vikki Thorn both had babies. They have returned with the 13-song set “Sundirtwater,” which continues their quest to try out varied musical styles while keeping their rootsy base intact.
The album opens with “Pony,” which immediately shows off an electric guitar-and-harmonica blues. It is followed by Vikki’s slinky title track, which has the sound and feel of Peggy Lee’s “Fever.”
Josh’s electric guitar seems to be more prevalent on this album than in the past, but its more tasty than overpowering, which is nice. On Donna’s “Vermillion” he lays down some beautiful licks that nicely punctuate the tune. The album comes alive with the alt-country-sounding rocker “How Many Miles.”
Stylistically, the album is all over the place. An electric organ heats up “Sad Sailor Song,” while “Get Me Some” is a quiet ballad, and “Eternity” sounds like a jumpy James Taylor tune; “Goodbye” has a more commercial pop sound, and on it goes with each song. “Stay” rocks, “Love Let Me Down” slinks.
In all, “Sundirtwater” is a fun listen but isn’t the cohesive, memorable experience that “Up All Night” was.

CD Reviews: Thao Nguyen and Cinnamon Girl: A Neil Young tribute album

2008-02-07T05:37:00.000-08:00

Thao Nguyen, "We Brave Bee Stings and All"
From the opening moments of the first song on the album “We Brave Bee Stings and All,” you will be wondering is this something new from Regina Spektor or Cat Power? Has Erin McKeown or Feist gone off-kilter? And the answer will be no.
You are listening to Thao Nguyen.
That first song is called “Beat (Health, Life and Fire)” and begins with an exuberant drumbeat, acoustic guitar, banjo, and more as she sings “Beat my brow/Beat my chest/Beat the one who loved me the best.” OK, the melody sounds happy enough, but those aren’t exactly love-sweet lyrics. And that’s fine with us.
Thao’s take on relationships are not all warm and fuzzy, but her tunes will keep you moving to the beat. “Bag of Hammers” offers a perky guitar strum before it explodes into a full-on danceable tune.
Each song has its own personality and sound. “Swimming Pools” again features the banjo as a driving force, something we find incredibly fresh and appealing. In fact, the banjo seems to be showing up in many in pop songs (see sidebar). “Geography,” about a long distance relationship, offers a slinky, bluesy electric piano lead over her lyrics: “Oh, geography is going to make a mess of me.” And “Violet” is mostly just Thao and her creative guitar playing.
What’s nice is her songs never fall into predictability and surprising intricacies pop up with additional listening.

"Cinnamon Girl: Women Artists Cover Neil Young for Charity"
We’ve talked in the past about our reluctance to tribute albums. But it was hard to ignore a 2-CD set of Neil Young songs sung by women. The set also benefits a good cause – Casting for Recovery, a breast cancer organization.
What’s neat about this project is that, while there are a few recognizable names – Tanya Donnelly, Jill Sobule, Kristin Hersh, Lori McKenna – many of the singers were new names to us – Dala, Josie Cotton, Julie Peel to name a few – which gave us the opportunity to explore new artists.
For the most part, the women, though not breaking any new ground with the songs, provide strong, rocking versions of Neil’s classic stuff.
Among the highlights are the Canadian duo Dala’s harmonizing on “A Man Needs a Maid,’’ the Watson Twins’ slowed-down version of “Powderfinger,” Brooklyn band Luff’s wonderfully ragged “Tell Me Why,” and Sobule’s down-and-out version of the already down-and-out “Down by the River,’’ which is aided by the fabulous guitar work of X’s John Doe.

CD review: Robert Plant-Alison Krauss

2007-11-26T07:28:00.001-08:00

Robert Plant-Alison Krauss, "Raising Sand"
We’re sure that anyone who has heard about the new Robert Plant-Alison Krauss album, “Raising Sand,’’ has already been through the “wow, what a strange pairing” phase of the former frontman of legendary ’70s behemoth Led Zeppelin and the darling songbird of bluegrass. We admit we were a little taken aback when we first heard about the pairing but are not surprised at how natural they sound together.
Allow us one more aside before we get to the music on this mesmerizing album.
Isn’t it telling that the musicians of the group that influenced future generations of heavy metal bands are performing in such styles as blues, bluegrass and roots music. Plant’s former bandmate, bassist John Paul Jones, is an accomplished mandolin player and has played with the likes of Gillian Welch and members of Nickel Creek. And guitarist Jimmy Page has also dabbled in a variety styles through the years. It makes one appreciate the musicianship on those great Zeppelin albums even more.
As for “Raising Sand’’ – filled with cover songs by Tom Waits, Gene Clark, Doc Watson and Townes Van Zandt, among others – it takes Plant and Krauss out of their usual roles and challenges them. For Plant, singing harmony is something, he has said, is foreign to him. Krauss actually sings songs from a man’s perspective (on the rocking “Let Your Loss Be YourLesson’’). But the true beauty is how their voices mesh.
In the opener, “Rich Woman,’’ their voices, side by side meld in slinky perfection.
On Sam Phillips’ “Sister Rosetta Goes Before Us,’’ Krauss’ gorgeous voice plays gently against Plant’s harmonies.
What makes this album unique is that it is not an Alison Krauss album with guest appearance by Robert Plant or vice versa. This is a duo album, ably guided by the legendary producer T. Bone Burnett, who pushes all the right buttons to bring out the combined beauty in both voices.
The pace picks up on the Everly Brothers’ “Gone Gone Gone (Done Me Wrong).’’ The ’50s beat fits nicely with Plant’s lead vocal. He even offers a low-wattage bit of his signature Zeppelin yelping.
Love song “Please Read the Letter,” written by Plant, Page and others, is likely the single from the album. The two voices mesh together, with Krauss adding some exquisite harmonies.
Every song on the album sounds different. Guitar picking comes and goes, an organ plays gently in the background as Krauss caresses Tom Waits’ “Trampled Rose.’’
Plant has fun with “Fortune Teller,’’ which includes some effects-heavy guitar and handclaps. There’s some fuzzy guitar on the Bayou-crawling “Nothin’.’’ And there’s jaunty fun to be had on the women-done-me-wrong song “Let Your Loss Be Your Lesson’’ sung by Krauss.
The album ends with Doc Watson’s bluegrass ballad “Your Long Journey.’’ It’s really amazing how well Plant’s harmony fits into this Krauss-territory song. He hits all the right notes.
That’s what makes this album so much fun to listen to. Two artists, from completely different backgrounds, find common ground in each song and make them unique.

CD Reviews: Erin McKeown, Joni Mitchell, Iron and Wine

2007-10-03T11:17:00.000-07:00

Erin McKeown, "Lafayette"
We’ve seen Erin live a bunch of times and it’s always fun. But one thing we always wished for was seeing her sporting a full band. Well, if we can’t see it in person, the next best thing is hearing it on an album.
And that’s what “Lafayette” offers. Erin’s live shows are always infused with the wide-eyed energy and the spunk of someone who has fun onstage. But with a full band – including Allison Miller on drums, Todd Sickafoose on bass, and Erik Deutsch on piano and even a three-piece horn section – Erin gets to share that enthusiasm as she highlights 11 tunes that span her five studio albums. The set was recorded live at Joe’s Pub in New York in January 2007.
Among the songs are the jazzy “Thanks for the Boogie Ride”; a heart-breaking “You Were Right About Everything”; one of our faves “James!,” slowed-down and slinky; a horn-filled exclamation “We Are More”; and a rip-roaring, foot-stomping “Blackbirds” closer complete with what we’ve been waiting for – an Erin guitar solo!Now if we could only have been there in person...

Joni Mitchell, "Shine"
When reviewing a Joni Mitchell album, like Bob Dylan, it’s important to try to remove her past accomplishments from your mind. It is a near impossible task to live up to those standards.
That said, on first listen to “Shine,” you can’t help but feeling a little disappointed. Yes, the gorgeous soprano of a voice from years ago has been replaced by a smokier version, and the songs here seemed to have gotten more bitter.
There’s no question she is upset by the war: “Men love war/Is that what God is for?/Just a rabbit's foot/Just a lucky paw/For shock and awe?,” she sings on “Strong and Wrong.” She opens “If I Had a Heart’’ with the words: Holy war/Genocide/Suicide/Hate and cruelty.../How can this be holy?/If I had a heart I'd cry.’’ It is nice to hear that she has something to say, though it wouldn’t hurt to throw in one upbeat song, would it, Joni?
The album’s music is quite beautiful and jazzy as piano mixes with wistful sax. In fact, the album opener, “One Week Last Winter,’’ is a five-minute instrumental with Joni playing most of the instruments.
She even offers up a new, uptempo version of “Big Yellow Taxi,” with accordion and multi-track vocal.

Iron and Wine, "The Shepherd's Dog"
Sam Beam, who is essentially Iron and Wine, first made headlines for his sparse, image-filled albums “Our Endless Numbered Days” and “The Creek That Drank the Cradle.” On those albums, it was mostly him and his guitar with some backing vocals from his sister, Sarah. Since then, he’s expanded his sound, first on “Woman King,” which blew us away (see Issue 6), and then in collaboration with Calexico on “In the Reins.”
On “The Shepherd’s Dog,” one of our favorites of the year, continues on that path with some absolutely beautiful and lush arrangements that fill every song with head-bopping melodies. World music influences mix with jungle beats as well as folk and rock for a mesmerizing sound.
And while it will take many more listens to make complete sense of Beam’s nebulous, mysterious lyrics, he uses his hushed voice as if it’s another instrument. It’s hard to point to a single song as a highlight since the album works best as a whole, but we are especially drawn to “Wolves (Song for the Shepherd’s Dog)” and the uptempo “The Devil Never Sleeps.”

CD Reviews: Sarah Borges, Josh Ritter, Lori McKenna, Eilen Jewell

2007-09-05T06:01:00.001-07:00

MAKING HER MOVE - Sarah Borges, "Diamonds in the Dark"
When Sarah Borges signed with Sugar Hill Records, she joined Americana stalwarts James McMurtry and Robert Earl Keen, bluegrass legends Jerry Douglas and Peter Rowen, and young acts Nickel Creek and the Duhks on a label that’s not flashy, but is incredibly productive and has great taste in music. It is a perfect spot for the Boston 20-something and her bar-band mates, who dabble fit in nicely within the label’s genres.
There’s nothing fancy about Sarah’s style. She takes honky-tonk and rockabilly and infuses it with a blast of Boston-rock energy. As the leader, she is sassy and full of fun. Her debut album, “Silver City,’’ which came out on the small Texas label Blue Corn Music and garnered attention for its rollicking songs like “Daniel Lee” and “Same Old 45.”
On “Diamonds in the Dark,” Sarah continues her rise from unknown to powerhouse performer. Her singing can be both tough (“Open Up Your Back Door”) and tender (“Belle of the Ball’’) and her band, the Broken Singles, provide steady and stellar backup, especially Mike Castellana’s electric and pedal steel guitar work. Bassist Binky and drummer Robert Larry Dulaney lay down a solid, raucous beat, right from the first song and album single “The Day We Met.’’ Tunes like “Stop and Think It Over’’ and “Diabolito’’ bristle with whiskey-soaked rockin’ energy. “False Eyelashes” shows off her honky-tonk side, and she even throws in, among her covers, “Come Back to Me,’’ from the punk band X.
With “Diamonds,’’ Sarah proves she’s got the chops, but even more impressive is that she sounds true whether rocking out or finessing the more country numbers.

GOING UPCOUNTRY - Lori McKenna, "Unglamorous"
When it was first announced that Lori had been lured away from little Signature Sounds to join conglomerate Warner Bros./Nashville to join the likes of the First Couple of Country Faith Hill and Tim McGraw, the Boston folk community was more than a little concerned that they would be treated like a spurned lover straight out of a country song. Would her wonderful quirky voice get lost amid the twang? Would the stories she weaves of small-town life take a detour into bland terrain? Would she exchange her modern mother image for something slicker?
We waited nervously for her first album on the new label.
Well, we can all breathe a sigh of relief because “Unglamorous,” which came out in August, is still pure Lori. Yes, there are some changes, but the core of her songs is intact. The storytelling about family and blue-collar life are still here, and that voice… well, it is front and center, and surprisingly fits in well with her new “country” persona without losing its folk roots.
So what’s different? The songs are backed by a slick band of musicians making the songs sound more glossy than on past albums. Strings are even detected on a song or two, which adds to the new feel.
But for the most part, Lori remains Lori. The single and title song “Unglamorous” feeds the image of her as a real-life hectic mother of five telling of her life of “peanut butter on everything” and “one TV set, no cable.” And her new side is also well represented with songs like “Drinking Problem,” which sounds straight out of the “How to Write a Country Song Handbook” without straying too far from her own personal style. “I’m Not Crazy” perfectly straddles both worlds.
So we can rest easy and throw away our empty whiskey bottles, Lori hasn’t left us for another audience.

FINDING AN UPBEAT GROOVE - Eilen Jewell, "Letters From Sinners and Strangers"
We’ve learned to listen very closely when others offer opinions. And especially when it is the opinion of Jim Olsen, owner of the small Western Mass. label Signature Sounds. In May 2006, he told us about an obscure, young singer named Eilen Jewell (see Issue 10); he was impressed with her old-timey and ageless sound. Within months – no big surprise – she had joined his label.
As much as that was a great move for him, it was an even better move for Eilen. While we don’t spend a bunch of time praising record labels, Signature Sounds deserves every accolade. It supports singer-songwriters from Kris Delmhorst and Peter Mulvey, neo-bluegrass dynamos Crooked Still, and helped launch the ever-successful careers of Josh Ritter, Erin McKeown, and Lori McKenna.
As for Eilen, her first album, the self-produced “Boundary County,” was a nice album of low-key, Americana guitar and fiddle tunes. Her new album, “Letters From Sinners & Strangers,” has the one thing her last was missing – upbeat tunes. From the opener “Rich Man’s World,” and through the ’40s sounding “High Shelf Booze,” the jaunty “Heartache Boulevard,’’ and a cover of Dylan’s “Walking Down the Line,’’ the songs are filled out with the kick of fiddle and harmonica. “How Long” puts a Martin Luther King speech to a wonderfully slinky beat.
Eilen’s band – Jason Beek on drums, Jerry Miller on electric and steel guitar, and Johnny Sciascia on acoustic bass – make the songs snap and sparkle.
That whole uptempo spirit is celebrated on the final track “Blue Highway,” a fun-loving rockabilly-like romp.

A PROGRESSION OF "HISTORICAL" PROPORTION - Josh Ritter, "The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter"
Josh Ritter is a restless sort – restless in that he can’t let his musical vision stand still. On previous albums he’s written country songs of lost souls and hard lives; tapped into poetic verses about love and longing; and created darker, image-driven songs that ask political and philosophical questions. Now, with his latest release, “The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter,” it’s the music, not the lyrics, that lead the way. As he sings in the rocking, beat-heavy “Rumors’’: “I lock myself in with the band but the music’s never loud enough.’’
When we reviewed Josh’s last album, “The Animal Years,” we implored V2 to release the album as quickly as possible. As it was, the label held it back for more than six months, waiting for the right time for them. We didn’t have to beg this time. Josh, who became a “free agent” when V2 went bankrupt, was allowed to shop his completed album to whichever label provided the best deal. The winner is Sony BMG – and Josh fans. The album was released in August and it is a blast to listen to.
“Conquests” is both daring and brilliant.
It’s daring in that it will shock even the most loyal Joshheads. Some will love it, some may not – because it strays even further from the young man who innocently tried to lure Kathleen into his car for a ride. But it also may attract new listeners and maybe even – gasp! – commercial radio.
It’s brilliant because, unlike “The Animal Years,” which mesmerized with its combination of imagery, cynicism, and anger, “Conquests” is much more upbeat, uptempo and fun. Josh’s lyrics, which are still as clever as ever, take a backseat to the beat. The album opens with “To the Dogs or Whoever” with Josh singing in a muted vocal backed by offbeat piano and strumming guitar. Then the song takes off in the chorus with heavy drumbeat, pounding piano and guitars. Trying to catch all the imagery in the lyrics is not easy. The album continues with cooking tunes “Mind’s Eye” and “Right Moves” before the first “singer-songwriter”-type song appears in “The Last Temptation of Adam.’’
“Conquests” continues the progression of a young songwriter and the melding singer and band into one. Gillian Welch always jokes that she and David Rawlings are members of a band called Gillian Welch. This may be true with Josh Ritter as well. His bandmates – bassist Zack Hickman, keyboard player Sam Kassirer, and new drummer Liam Hurley – provide the firepower. Sam also produced the album, adding inspired sonic touches throughout including violin, horns and backing vocals. Check out “Real Long Distance Love,’’ which ends in a blaze all of the above.
We’re not sure what the album’s title actually refers to (‘‘I just wanted something that felt big and cocky but funny,’’ says Josh in a recent interview), but it could be a shortened version of what was originally “The Historical Music Conquests of Josh Ritter” because to our ears we hear some amazing stylistic references to the past: Bob Dylan (we know, it’s there in every album); 1970s Paul Simon in “The Last Temptation of Adam”; John Lennon in “Rumors” (not to mention The Knack in the opening beat!); and the Beatles in the harmonies in “Wait for Love (You Know You Will).’’
There is something fun and new in every song here. It may take multiple listens to get the meaning of Josh’s lyrics but that’s only because it’s so hard to stop bobbing your head to the music.

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