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3/16/2024 Hannah Connolly (from the album Shadowboxing
Hannah Connolly (from the album Shadowboxing available as a self-release) (by Danny McCloskey)
Hannah Connolly ‘touches down in Reno’ as her future thoughts are captured in “Reno”, the first cut on her recent release, Shadowboxing. A-list songwriting flows from track to track on the album. Hannah Connolly providing a backstory for the songs recalling that ‘I had a lot of lyrics piling up. In order to have some more time to write, I took off work for three days. I literally pretended like I was going into the studio, but it was actually the extra bedroom where my fiancé and I had recording equipment set up. We wrote almost three songs a day for a few days which was really fun. All of the sudden it was like, ‘Whoa, there’s so much coming out here’. Many of the cuts on Shadowboxing were co-written by Jordan Ruiz, who produced Hannah’s debut, From Where You Are, an introspective album that drew heavily from the death of her younger brother to a drunk driver in 2015. Recording at Jon O’Brien’s studio in Idyllwild, California, the songs on Shadowboxing have an easy flow, noticeably born in Folk music while stretching the sound. “Rushing By” tumbles on a dreamy groove and “Bags Are Packed” relies on the strength of its guitar strums to provide rhythm as Hannah Connolly starts out with a shout to declare that she is “Tired of Trying”. The Shadowboxing title track walks through the night on a shimmering soundscape as “Stuck in Place” confronts indecision while Hannah Connolly asks questions in “Brothers in the Same Dream”, picks up the pace when she finds strength in “Golden” and meanders along echoey rhythms sailing across “The Party’s Over”. (by Danny McCloskey) Listen and buy the music of Hannah Connolly from AMAZON For more information, please visit the Hannah Connolly website The Blog Tags widget will appear here on the published site.
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3/16/2024 Horace Whisper & the Empty Hand (from the album Cowboy 100
Horace Whisper & the Empty Hand (from the album Cowboy 100 available as a self-release) (by Douglas DuPont)
Gather ‘round yon tin of baked beans being heated barehanded over campfire, for it is time to get hip to Pennsylvanian D.I.Y. Alt Country/Americana outfit Horace Whisper & the Empty Hand. Their first offering comes in the form of a spirited, mission statement of an extended-player, Cowboy 100. Opener “The Cowboy” sets the tone with a tale of a contemporary cowboy going about his business, but with the boom-chicka-boom pulse of the tune we can’t help but feel that something sinister is afoot, and “The Cowboy” is, in fact, either running from or chasing after something greater than themself. We’re instantly floored by Jarrett Krause’s saxophone operating in tandem with Kirby Jayes cool vocal drawl, bleeding reverence for Country singers of yore. Once Alec Ebeling’s drumming and Tosh Chambers’ upright bass join the party, it’s apparent that you’re in good hands for the duration of this tender EP. Chris Beaulieu lends a mean banjo to these songs, and Derrick Beattie provides the requisite pedal steel. Second track “Play the Dead” reflects on the bohemian experience of taking music on the road. What at once sounds almost grisly and harrowing is remembered through rose-colored glasses. This is exposition and character development achieved through gothic writing. The song details a life-milestone being reached when one finally starts to appreciate the Grateful Dead, and even knows which songs they’d want a cover band to play. Tertiary cut “Giant Eagle Jackie” is a beautifully subversive love song that still sounds snug in the country canon. Horace Whisper & the Empty Hand’s special blend of countrified Alt Rock is well-equipped for waltzy penultimate song “Hold Me Up”. The closing number is a cover of Weird Daryl & the Dusty Winds’ “I Found the Lord in Horses”, tying a bow on this excellent debut outing from Horace Whisper & the Empty Hand. According to a press release, ‘the horse is a metaphor for the human soul’. This checks out given that vulnerable songwriting makes the best of alt-country and americana so tenacious. Cowboy 100 is recommended for enjoyers of Wednesday, Slim Cessna’s Auto Club, Johnny Cash, Drive-By Truckers, and Wilco. (by Douglas DuPont) Listen and buy the music of Horace Whisper & the Empty Hand from Bandcamp For more information, please visit the Horace Whisper & the Empty Hand website The Blog Tags widget will appear here on the published site.
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3/16/2024 Lisa Bastoni (from the album On the Water
Lisa Bastoni (from the album On the Water available on Sweet Odine Music) (by Lee Zimmerman)
Lisa Bastoni weighs in heavily when it comes to the familiarity factor. Granted, her name isn’t all that well known, even though she can claim considerable credibility with her multiple nominations for various New England area Folk and Roots awards and, more specifically, her 2019 win at the prestigious Kerrville Folk Festival competition. A veritable renaissance woman — in addition to making music, she’s a teacher, painter, videographer, and single mom — she has a gift for sharing imagery and observations that are well connected to everyday life. As a singer and songwriter, Bastoni draws on multiple influences. There are hints of Joni Mitchell, Sara Jarosz, Norah Jones, and other bastions of female expressionism implanted within her songs. While some might interpret this as adherence to a somewhat generic sound, Lisa Bastoni can claim her own gift in terms of crafting elegiac melodies and sharing expressive sentiments that resonate even on first hearing. The music is irresistibly alluring, and given the sparkle and sheen that emanates from any number of these entries — “Right Side of the River”, “Starlight”, “Only Goodbye”, “Honeymoon In Disneyland”, and “Out at Sea” among the many — they allow for that instant engagement, a Folk-like caress that also brings to mind the consistent strains of most singer/songwriters of a classic caliber. Not that Bastoni does it alone. Producer Sean Staples deserves credit for helping to craft the rich arrangements, while a stellar group of backing vocalists — Mark Erelli, Kris Delmhorst, Rose Cousins, and Naomi Sommers — enforce the fact that New England artists are in a league of their own. Bastoni herself is responsible for all the songs, with occasional collaboration with Staples and, on one track — “Let’s Look at Houses” — with Willi Carlisle. All in all, On the Water can be considered quite an accomplishment, an album that boosts Lisa Bastoni’s resume and deserves to bring her the wider recognition she genuinely deserves. Suffice it to say — if one can pardon the pun — On the Water flows quite smoothly. (by Lee Zimmerman) Listen and buy the music of Lisa Bastoni from AMAZON For more information, please visit the Lisa Bastoni website The Blog Tags widget will appear here on the published site.
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3/16/2024 Eliot Bronson (from the album Talking To Myself
Eliot Bronson (from the album Talking To Myself available on New Pain Records) (by Lee Zimmerman)
A onetime member and chief architect of the Atlanta-based band The Brilliant Inventions, a group that became a staple of the local music scene, Eliot Bronson has done quite well for himself since releasing his solo debut Blackbirds in 2011. He’s won several major awards, both on his own and with his aforementioned ensemble, but he’s never felt the need to speak louder than his tender tones might dictate. That’s clearly the case with the appropriately titled Talking To Myself, Bronson’s most emphatic effort yet. That said, it still retains the hushed happenstance and quiet, contemplative melodies that have marked his music since early on. Delicately defined, earnest and evocative, it’s nothing less than a gorgeous set of songs, all richly layered within a tender tapestry of solitary suggestion and atmospheric ambience. Every offering is equally affecting, whether it’s the quietly convincing statement of fact shared in “Somewhere Other Than Where We Are” or the softly subdued admonishment of “Take This the Wrong Way”. In fact, it’s that understated expression that underscores the majority of these tracks, from the curiously inquisitive “Are You Still Mean” to the lonely lament that marks “Alone #2”, the uncommonly beautiful and beguiling ballad “What I’ve Done WIth My Life”, and the spectral sigh shimmering through “Sorry”. So too, Bronson’s vocals seem to soar with angelic overtones, adding an uncommon luster to these gentle designs. Sometimes it seems that it’s the quietest voices that create the greatest volume, and in Eliot Bronson‘s case, that soft-spoken approach speaks decidedly. He may claim to be talking to himself, but what he has to say is certainly worth hearing. Granted, it may require the need to lean in and listen, but once absorbed, the emotion he imparts is consistently compelling. (by Lee Zimmerman) Listen and buy the music of Eliot Bronson from AMAZON For more information, please visit the Eliot Bronson website The Blog Tags widget will appear here on the published site.
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3/16/2024 Dion Interview
Wandering Between Eras and Influences…
Dion Discusses His Amazing Evolution from Teen Idol to Blues Superstar and the Paths In-Between (by Lee Zimmerman) Very few artists can claim to have been part of the complete evolution of modern popular music from Rock and Roll’s early beginnings in the 1950s through the vital scene that continues today. However, Dion DiMucci can claim to have done just that. In the process, he’s also managed to reinvent himself several times, starting from his seminal career as the chief namesake of the Doo Wop group Dion and The Belmonts, whose early chart-toppers “Teenager In Love”, “Runaround Sue”, “The Wanderer”, “Ruby Baby”, “Donna the Prima Donna”, and the like made them one of the most successful singing groups of the late ‘50s and early ‘60s, through to his comeback hit “Abraham, Martin and John”, his immersion in Christian music and most recently, a series of Blues albums which has given him a new musical trajectory entirely. Along the way, he’s reaped any number of honors, including a GMA Dove Award in 1984 for the album I Put Away My Idols. When he returned to making secular music in the late 1980s with his album Yo Frankie, critics who had dismissed him early on as little more than a teen idol heaped praise on his efforts, while acknowledging the influence he’s had on generations of other musicians. In 1989, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, followed by his honors from the Grammy Hall of Fame for the song “Runaround Sue” in 2002. He even managed to form a new band, Little Kings in 1996, featuring Scott ‘Top Ten’ Kempner and Frank Funaro of the band The Del Lords, and Mike Mesaros of the Smithereens. Naturally then, he’s not only attracted a new legion of fans, but also maintained the ongoing reverence and devotion of some of today’s most influential musical icons, among them Bob Dylan, Pete Townshend, Joe Bonamassa, Brian Setzer, the late Jeff Beck, John Hammond, Van Morrison, Joe Louis Walker, Jimmy Vivino, Billy Gibbons, Sonny Landreth, Paul Simon, Samantha Fish, Rory Block, Patti Scialfa, Bruce Springsteen, Paul Simon, Boz Scaggs, Eric Clapton, G. E. Smith, Keb’ Mo’, Marcia Ball, Mark Knopfler, Peter Frampton, and Rickie Lee Jones. It’s more than reverence and respect in fact. Each of those individuals have eagerly made guest appearances on his recent albums and become enthusiastic participants in the process. Indeed, at age 84, Dion remains as vital and involved as ever. He’s overcome his obstacles, including a heroin habit that sidelined him early on in his solo career. Before that, he narrowly averted certain death when he turned down a seat on the airplane chartered by Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper (JP Richardson), and Richie Valens following a concert in Clear Lake, Iowa on February 2, 1959. Holly, Valens, Richardson, and pilot Roger Peterson were killed when the aircraft crashed into a cornfield five miles northwest of Mason City shortly after takeoff. Turning to the present, with ten albums released since the turn of the century, Dion can claim a remarkable track record that shows no sign of slowing down. The word ‘comeback’ no longer applies because in truth, Dion’s never gone away. His new album, Girl Friends, marks his third consecutive album on the Keeping The Blues Alive Records label, following 2020’s Blues With Friends and 2021’s Stomping Ground. Those two albums included liner notes written by Bob Dylan and Pete Townshend, respectively, and featured musical contributions from the various artists mentioned above. For its part, Girl Friends finds Dion keeping company with any number of stellar female artists throughout the album’s twelve tracks, eleven of which were composed by Dion and Mike Aquilina, along with one track written by Dion and the late Scott Kempner. The all-star guest list includes Susan Tedeschi, Carlene Carter, Rory Block, Shemekia Copeland, Debbie Davis, Randi Fishenfeld, Sue Foley, Danielle Nicole, Christine Ohlman, Maggie Rose, Joanne Shaw Taylor, and Valerie Tyson. It also finds Dion singing with a passion, purpose, and vitality that’s absolutely as essential as ever. Dion himself co-produced the album along with Wayne Hood, both of whom worked together on his two previous efforts. In her liner notes, Darlene Love writes ‘I’ve been a huge fan since I was a young girl. In fact, when I sang ‘He’s a Rebel’ I was singing about outsiders like Dion. I’m a bigger fan today’. Happily, too, that fandom has more to draw on than ever. A new musical based on Dion’s life story, recently debuted at the Paper Mill Playhouse in New Jersey and is expected to arrive on Broadway later this year. It’s already received raved reviews, and yet despite all. His triumphs, Dion remains remarkably humble and down to earth. When The Alternate Root recently had the opportunity to interview him by phone from his home in Boca Raton, Florida, we were struck by his gracious and personable attitude and the sheer enthusiasm he maintains for. his work. Lee Zimmerman: You must have an amazing phonebook given the way you gather these other artists for these projects of yours, not to mention the fact that on your last album, you had Bob Dylan and Pete Townsend doing the liner notes. There's a book by the photographer Richard Avedon, which was called What Becomes a Legend Most. I know you've written a book, but that would have been a great title for your book. Dion: That's funny that you mentioned Richard Avedon. He took some photos of me back in the day. And he apologized to me. LZ: Really? Why? Dion: He called me up one day, and he said, ‘You know, you're about the only person I got wrong’. He was thinking I was like a teenage idol or something. He kind of lumped me in with a bunch of people. And then later on, he started appreciating some of the songs I was writing and my later albums, and he got in touch with me, and he said, ‘You know, I got it all wrong’. LZ: That's hilarious. Especially because I can't think of another artist who made such a successful transition from the pioneering days in which you started through to your hit “Abraham Martin and John” in the 1960s, through to your Christian albums, and now with these Blues albums. It’s truly impressive the way you were able to effectively wander through each of these genres and find success. Dion: No one ever asked me to seriously think about what I wanted to do. As a kid, I was so insecure, because you had all these people just telling you what to do. Like they knew something you didn't know. And I was listening to them, but I also had the sense— well, I would say half the sense — because I told them ‘let me do “Ruby Baby” and then I'll do the song you want me to do’. So, it was like one for you, one for me. LZ: Well that makes sense I suppose. So now you are firmly entrenched in the Blues. Out of curiosity, what started you on that trajectory? Dion: Let me do a “Run Around Sue” and I'll do something that you want me to do. That’s the way it worked. When I was at Columbia Records, I was sitting on a piano bench with Aretha Franklin. I was very young, and we were both sitting in an arranger’s office and he had a piano and they were giving they were giving her Al Jolson songs and they were giving me Al Jolson songs. Oh my god. So, I was I was sitting on the bench with her and I started singing, and John Hammond Senior, who was maybe five feet away from us — his office right across the hall — came in and basically said to me, ‘do you have a flair for the Blues?’. This was like 1961. He gave me a Robert Johnson album, The King of the Delta Blues and he gave me some Furry Lewis, Fred McDowell, and Lightnin’ Hopkin albums. It was exciting to me to listen to the roots of what I loved. It was always down inside me, but it just never really landed. So now I know what the center of my being is. I was doing an interview on NPR in the early 2000s, just around the turn of the century, with Terry Gross. I was telling her a little about my upbringing and how I navigated into my music and my journey, and I was punctuating the stories with songs. And a lot of them were Blues things. It was like John Lee Hooker stuff and Jimmy Reed stuff, and my friend, Richard Gardner from New York, called me and said, ‘you have to do an album with these songs but I kind of brushed him off. Then they had a repeat of the interview and he called me again. LZ: You must have followed his advice. Dion: I did an album, Bronx in Blues. I went into the studio and I recorded maybe 14 songs with my guitar in two days and it got nominated for a Grammy. The funny thing about it is that I was listening to this record in my truck, and coming home after I recorded the 14 songs with only my guitar, and I was thinking, ‘wow, this stuff comes out of me so easily. I don't even have to think about it. This is like in the center of my being’. I just feel like I'm roller-skating. like, I caught a wave, you know? And that's how I knew. That's when I first discovered what I was about. Would you believe it? After all these years! LZ: You also did a Rock and Roll tribute album, Heroes: Giants of Early Guitar Rock, but it seems that of late you've really immersed yourself in the Blues with quite the consistency. It seems you’ve found your muse. Dion: I really did and I made a bunch of great friends, or maybe I had a lot of friends and I made some new ones. You know, it's a funny thing. What happened to me during the lockdown was that I wrote some of the best songs of my entire life. I wrote like 30 songs. I couldn't have planned that if I tried. I went in and recorded 14 of them right at the beginning of the lockdown. Joe Bonamassa said he’d like to play on it. So that’s what sparked it all, After I heard that, I knew I could make a great record. But I also saw how limited I was in imagining what these other artists could contribute to a track that I could put together. So I started calling Jeff Beck and Mark Knopfler and Eric Clapton and Peter Frampton — just all these great Blues players — Sonny Landreth was another. I was having such a good time. They were saying yes. And they loved doing it. And in fact, I think they were playing better on my records than on theirs. It’s amazing. LZ: That put you on a roll and you haven’t stopped since. Dion: I just kept it going because it was so much fun and it came so easily. And I'll be honest with you — with the last two albums, Blues with Friends and Stomping Ground, I worked with Marcia Ball and Ricki Lee Jones and Samantha Fish and I had such a good time that I thought I should do a whole album with women. In fact, I could write some songs for them, maybe have some back-and-forth dialogue, you know? So that's what I started doing. I wanted to make it interesting. I had a great time working with these girls, man. It was just great to have that feminine genius. LZ: You should get some sort of award as the number one feminist of the year or the decade or something like that. Maybe NOW, the National Organization of Women, will give it to you based on the concept of this new album alone, you certainly deserve the recognition. So, getting back to the original question — do you have all these people in your phonebook? Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, Bruce Springsteen…Is it a matter of you just picking up the phone book and giving a call and saying, ‘hi, Bruce, this is Dion. You wanna be on my album?’ Dion: Well, yes. It’s kinda like that. For example, with Van Morrison — every time he comes to Florida, he calls me. We did a gig together and we became friends way back. My wife would say, ‘That's our guy!’ She has ten CDs of his in the car. LZ: So, with all these famous friends, is there anybody you haven't met? Who you would like to meet or to work with that you haven’t worked with already? Maybe one of the Stones or a Beatle? Dion: You hit it. Somebody asked me that yesterday. They asked, ‘is there anybody that you would like to work with? And I was thinking, well, I'd love to work with The Rolling Stones. It’s a little bit of a pipe dream. But hey, I might as well dream big’. LZ: Don’t rule it out. It just seems like the admiration and respect that these iconic individuals have for you is beyond measure. So, do you do you ever look back at this career of yours, and think about all you’ve accomplished? Maybe think, ‘wow, that's pretty impressive. That's me’. In other words, are you ever in awe of yourself? Dion: I don't know. I don't think I can gather that kind of impression of myself. I think if I ever really felt like that or thought of myself like that, I'd be stepping into insanity. The other day, I was with a friend of mine, and he says, ‘you know, everybody knows who Dion is’. And I said, if I ever walked around thinking everybody knew who I was, that would be what’s called insanity. Give me a break. Someone once asked Keith Richards, ‘how does it feel to be a living legend?’ He said ‘the legend part is easy. The living part is hard’. LZ: That sounds like something Keith Richards would say. Dion: To be honest with you, I'm a humble guy. Because what applies to the cab driver applies to me. What applies to the electrician applies to me. Whatever applies to just any regular person applies to me. I'm not above anyone else. The human experience applies to us all, and it hits us all the same It doesn’t matter who you are. LZ: It’s very obvious that you have a very humble persona. But then again, it's kind of dazzling to those of us who look at your career and listen to your music, because your music literally transcends the whole evolution of rock and roll. And my gosh, what a fortunate thing that you didn't get on that airplane that took the lives of Buddy Holly and Richie Valens and the Big Bopper. Dion: That's an interesting thing. Because I miss those guys — Buddy Holly, Richie Valens, JP Richardson, the Big Bopper. I miss them on a lot of levels. I live my life kind of wanting to make them proud. I remember Buddy Holly telling me, ‘I don't know how to succeed. But I do know how to fail and that comes from trying to please everybody’. If he hadn’t told me that I probably wouldn't have done “The Wanderer” or “Run Around Sue”. LZ: Nevertheless, there are few people who transcend the whole evolution of popular music like you do, sir. You've kind of seen it all. Dion: Yeah, you know, when I think back, it's amazing sometimes. I sometimes feel like Forrest Gump. I knew Sam Cooke and Jackie Wilson. I knew Little Richard and his mom. I remember hanging out in his dressing room. I knew Chuck Berry. I recall sitting in Jerry Lee Lewis’ dressing room and asking him questions because he seemed so elusive to me. I wanted to know things about him. He would talk to me and it was great. So, I really feel very blessed. I remember I was doing an interview with Dave Marsh at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and he said to me, ‘you're the only guy from the ‘50s, who’s remained relevant’. And I started arguing that point with him, but I lost. So, I came home and I told my wife and she said, ‘well, what are you going to do about it?’. So, I started writing. LZ: By the way, your wife of 60 years must be very proud of you. I can't think of a better way for a husband to ingratiate himself with his wife than to record an album with all these lady singers. Dion: I'll tell you a funny story. There's one song in there called “Don't You Want a Man Like Me”, which is in the category of a bragging rights kind of thing. I'm doing it with Rory Block and she's so involved. She's so into this song. She sounds like Meg Ryan in When Harry Met Sally. I'll have whatever she’s having. LZ: Wow! Dion: She really takes it to a climax, and I’m like, Oh my God!’. And then her husband comes over to me and he goes, ‘I wouldn't play this for your wife’. LZ: That is hilarious. So, when you when you do these all-star albums, do you have to make a special effort to put these other artists at ease? They're probably a little awestruck and intimidated, maybe thinking, ‘Oh my god, we’re doing this with Dion! He’s a legend!’. So what do you do to set them at ease? Dion: No, I didn't get that feeling from anybody. But Eric Clapton did say ‘you were part of my musical make up. So, when he went into the studio to do his part, he was in in England. It was during the lockdown. So, he sent me his contribution, his part, and after I listened to it, I called him back, and I said, ‘Eric, you sound like you’re 19 years old on this. Wow’. And he said, ‘Dion, I stood up when I played’. Which means that he sits down when he’s recording his albums. I don't know. LZ: They’re on their best behavior for you. Dion: I feel real good about that. It really makes me feel good. LZ: One would think so. On this current album, were you in the studio recording at the same time with these women? Dion: Some of them. A lot of them actually. Like with Sue Foley, we did the whole song in harmony with each other. And when we finished, she said ‘you're gonna have to take me out here and there’. She kind of directed me because she said we sounded like the Everly Brothers because it was so in tune with each other. She was probably right. LZ: Was there anyone who wasn’t available that you wanted to work with? Dion: I did call Emmylou Harris but she wasn’t going into the studio anymore. Actually, there’s a lot of women that I'd really like to work with. I’d love to record with Chrissie Hynde. And there’s this girl, Maggie Rose from Tennessee, who is so good. I heard her on the Blues cruise. LZ: So why not do a part two? Dion: You might be right there. I might do another album. LZ: So, what are your plans now? Do you still tour? Dion: We're putting together something to get out there with the people. I love writing. I love creating. But I like doing shows too. It's a lot of fun. And the way I feel now is like I'm at the top of my game, and I can enjoy being in front of the people more. So it's like a plus for me, you know? LZ: And you have the Broadway show as well, right? The Wanderer. What’s the status of that? Dion: That'll be opening in the fall. And, man, it's a play that cannot be denied. It’s some story, I'm telling you — the early street Rock and Roll history and the gangs. It’s like the young Sopranos and the punk scene combined, and there’s the love story and there’s betrayal and overcoming adversity, achieving victory and there’s a lot of laughs in-between. It’s a good play. I really enjoyed it. I've always been about taking people on a trip. Stevie Van Zandt and myself kept the play on track. I didn’t write it but they wanted me there. We kept the songs in the same groove so it would connect with the audience. Rock and roll and theater is kind of like a shotgun marriage. But it can be done. It's been proven. So that's what we did. LZ: Did you have final say on who played you? Dion: Yeah. I'm very much involved in it. But didn't write it and I didn't put it together. The director did that. I said just keep it genuine. But I tell you, they know what they're doing. This is a whole different ballgame. This isn't rock and roll. And I love it. To be in a rehearsal hall room, a big room with like, 30 young people full of talent like that. It just keeps you young. Listen and buy the music of Dion from AMAZON For more information, please visit the Dion website The Blog Tags widget will appear here on the published site.
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3/16/2024 The Black Crowes (from The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion (Super Deluxe))
The Black Crowes (from The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion (Super Deluxe))
With their second album, The Robinson Brothers, with their band The Black Crowes in tow, clearly came into their own. They took their classic Brit Rock influences, specifically, a conglomeration of The Stones and The Faces, and turn the clock forward to incorporate the sounds of Southern Rock ala Lynyrd Skynyrd. With this long overdue triple CD/4 LP set, fans get the opportunity to explore the Crowe’s early efforts, a ragtag sound as indebted to attitude as much as aptitude. The Robinson boys were born rockers, and The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion aptly proved the point. Of course, the title of the album referenced both legacy and largess, sharing the fact that their instincts were primed from the get-go. So, while the original album and its essential songs — “Sting Me”, “Remedy”, “Thorn In My Pride” et al are all that are really needed for the casual collector, a second disc of outtakes and B-sides, as well as a third CD culled from a 1993 concert in Houston Texas enhances the enjoyment. As evidenced by the live tracks in particular, the band had emerged fully formed early on. Despite an obviously unhinged performance and a total sense of abandon, they clearly made a formidable impression, winning over new fans and followers in the process. It may sound sonically unstable but the delivery is decisive regardless. The unreleased tracks are interesting, but not much more. The Crowes’ verve and versatility are demonstrated by well-intended covers of Ann Peebles’ “99 Pounds”, Ry Cooder’s “Boomer’s Story”, and Dylan’s “Rainy Day Women # 12 & 35”, but by and large the other tracks pale compared to those that made the official cut. Still, it’s intriguing to hear how these other efforts fit the final tapestry. Naturally, being a box set, extra accoutrements are absolutely mandatory, and in this case, the package includes a series of lithographs and a mini notebook with seemingly hand-written notes and typed lyrics to the songs. It’s less than compelling when justifying the purchase price, which suggests the packaging was designed solely for the completist in mind. As The Black Crowes fly, it’s merely a cool collectable. (by Lee Zimmerman) Listen and buy the music of The Black Crowes from AMAZON For more information, please visit The Black Crowes website The Blog Tags widget will appear here on the published site.
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3/9/2024 Western Swing Authority (from 12 to 6 Central
Western Swing Authority (from 12 to 6 Central on Curve Music) (by Bryant Liggett)
Western swing music is flat out hip. That marriage of Country & Western to Big Band Jazz that is the aforementioned is a load of old school grooves, with Canada’s Westen Swing Authority remaining prime example of the genre imported. Their latest in 12 to 6 Central drops textbook examples of the music that Bob Wills and Spade Cooley brought to the world, while even swaying into a world of loungey Blues. The first notes of have subtle Gospel undertones until you realize it’s a drinking song from the first verse, as “New Favourite Whiskey Song” reveals you can’t lose when you’re talking about booze’. The first four cuts, which includes the sultry vocal, crying in your beer, cut “The Heartache” lean into straight up Roots Rock and in this geographical case Northern Americana, great cuts that are simply warming up the dancefloor, with the Western Swing Authority kicking into full gear with “Full Moon of Love”. The swing continues with “Who Walks in When I Walk Out”, the jazzy “I’m Dreaming”, and the super swinging and downright rowdy “Happy Chickens”. “Milk Cow Blues” proves that Blues is the base for everything, and “Let’s Have a Natural Ball” has all the ingredients that make this music so great. Peel back the onion to reveal Western Swing Authority is cocktail lounge and pre-war Jazz, where fiddles and pedal steel fit on a sawdust dance-floor or dim jazz club. Western Swing Authority’s latest prove that the music of Bob Wills and Cab Calloway were not that far from each other. (by Bryant Liggett) Listen and buy the music of Western Swing Authority from AMAZON For more information, please visit the Western Swing Authority website The Blog Tags widget will appear here on the published site.
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3/9/2024 Tom Rush (from the album Gardens Old, Flowers New
Tom Rush (from the album Gardens Old, Flowers New available on Appleseed Records) (by Lee Zimmerman)
Tom Rush is widely credited with helping usher in the era of the modern Singer/Songwriter and bringing Folk music to a wider, more mainstream, realm. After all, his resume speaks for itself. He covered songs by any number of up-and-coming artists and, in turn, gave folks like Joni Mitchell, Jackson Browne, James Taylor, David Wiffen, and Murray McLauchlan their first taste of greater recognition. He, in turn, wrote the classic “No Regrets”, a song that deservedly became a standard and has been covered by any number of other artists ever since. Now at age 83, it’s clear that Rush hasn’t lost his magic touch. Some six years after his last offering, Voices, he’s still creating melodies that are as effortlessly appealing as his earlier work. His enthusiasm is evident as always, and the easy, affable embrace shared in songs such as “Won’t Be Back at All”, “Sailing”, “Glory Road”, and “Gimme Some Of It” — the latter an adaption of an obscure traditional tune — make it clear that Rush’s joy in making music remains unfailing and undiminished. Not that he’s wholly engulfed in euphoria — there’s a palatable sense of ache and melancholia wafting through certain tracks like “If You Will Love Me” and “Toy Boat Song” in particular. So too, Rush’s Folk roots are also in full flourish. “One More Time Around the Sun” is a hearty sing-along that would be well-suited to a late night gathering at a favorite neighborhood haunt. Like his other elder contemporaries — Arlo Guthrie, Judy Collins, Tom Paxton, Arlo Guthrie, Eric Andersen, and yes, a certain wizened Mr. Dylan, Tom Rush proves that with age comes a certain knowing sensibility. The carefree strains of “It All Comes Down to Love” demonstrate the fact that age needn’t be any deterrent as far as affairs of the heart are concerned. ‘I’m old and gray, I never ever thought I’d be this way’ Rush confesses, before boasting ‘I’m old and wise’. He is indeed. Songs such as “Siena’s Song”, “To See My Baby Smile”, and “The Harbor” come across as tender lullabies of sorts, each with a carefree, comforting caress that effectively sum up the enduring power of this poet and minstrel’s grace and wisdom. Even a song such as “I Quit”, a not-so-fond farewell, makes it clear he’s confident enough to take his own well-seasoned stance. Engaging and inspired, Gardens Old, Flowers New proves his prowess still in full bloom. And in turn, we’re all the better for it. Indeed, it’s hard to imagine a more rewarding encounter. (by Lee Zimmerman) Listen and buy the music of Tom Rush from AMAZON For more information, please visit the Tom Rush website The Blog Tags widget will appear here on the published site.
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3/9/2024 Kitchen Dwellers (from the album Seven Devils
Kitchen Dwellers (from the album Seven Devils available on Kitchen Dwellers/No Coincidence Records) (by Danny McCloskey)
Finding new experiences to spark your muse can be tough at times. The inspiration for Seven Devils, the recent release from Kitchen Dwellers, went deep for authors, tagging the works Dante’s Epic Voyage and The Divine Comedy as source material for the storylines. Musically, Kitchen Dwellers mix and match genres, rhythms, sonics, and styles as the string band backs the songs. While the playing is loose and the melodies memorable, there is a depth the instrumental passages that course across Seven Devils. Kitchen Dwellers’ Torrin Daniels recalled ‘we started recording this album with less music written than we ever have. That is to say, we went into the studio with just pieces and parts of music. Fragments of song, rather than fully formulated ideas. The album was recorded at GBP Studios in East Lansing, Michigan and was recorded, produced, mixed, and mastered by Glenn Brown (Billy Strings, Greensky Bluegrass). Glenn has a way of working the music out of you in a way that is all his own - creating songs out of nothing. Many tunes on this record have been written as a result of improvising and trying out different ideas. And that is how we recorded this album - long nights and early mornings full of bouncing musical ideas off of one another in circles around the room’. The road plays heavily in the storylines of Seven Devils when the workings of heart are buried like the lost love discussed when Kitchen Dwellers are joined by Lindsay Lou in “The Crow and The Raven (III)” while Oregon rain considers train rails to reconnect two lovers for “Seven Devils (Limbo)”. The album title was a name on the map that Kitchen Dwellers found while touring, the band’s Max Davies explaining ‘something I found throughout our travels as a band. Not only are there several places in the Carolinas that hold this namesake, but also along the Northwest Pacific coast as well. Even beyond this is the 'Seven Devils' mountain range, located in western Idaho along the Snake River. Not only is this name found in many places, but it appears to also come from many sources. Some are Biblical in nature - i.e. the seven demons cast out of Mary Magdalene - while others hold Native American origins. The lyrics of the song pull references from all of these stories’. Lindasy Lou returns for the male/female vocal volley in “Here We Go (IV)”, “Pendulum (V)” as the instruments take the lead for “Meaghers Reel” while “Unwind (Paradiso)” rides a fast-track groove and Seven Devils exits on an extended, full version of the title track. (by Danny McCloskey) Listen and buy the music of Kitchen Dwellers from AMAZON For more information, please visit the Kitchen Dwellers website The Blog Tags widget will appear here on the published site.
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3/9/2024 Laura Jane Grace (from the album Hole in My Head
Laura Jane Grace (from the album Hole in My Head available on Polyvinyl Record Co) (by Danny McCloskey)
The Punk Rock bite that Laura Jane Grace has used as a vocal attack fronting Against Me!, the band she founded in the late 90’s, is alive, well, and in your face for her recent solo release, Hole in My Head. Relying on the force of guitar strums, Hole in My Head showcases razor sharp chords over a classic Rock’n’Roll beat when Laura Jane Grace assures “I’m Not a Cop” while a non-stop acoustic guitar chord accompanies her for “Cuffing Season” as slow determined string scratches create marching cadence in “Give Up the Ghost”. An electric backing supports the vocals with guitar, drums, and bass (courtesy of Drive-By Truckers Mike Patton). The song topics continue a Laura Jane Grace word arsenal attack for environmentalism, social critique, and candid self-exploration that she has patented over the course of a career. Laura Jane Grace heads back into her past for “Punk Rock in Basements” as gentle chord clangs create a sway for “Tacos & Toast” with the wagon roll continuing across “Keep Your Wheels Straight”. While most of Hole in My Head provides a more reflective sonic for Laura Jane Grace, the title track reminds you she is keeping her day gig. (by Danny McCloskey) Listen and buy the music of Laura Jane Grace from AMAZON For more information, please visit the Laura Jane Grace website The Blog Tags widget will appear here on the published site.
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