Bob Dylan - Beyond Here Lies Nothin'

The band steals the show and makes this single a joy to dance to. The lyrics are pure nihilism, but done in a loving way. If that sounds like a contradiction, you’ve just discovered the magic of Dylan. “Beyond here lies nothin’, nothin’ but the moon and stars.” And a great rock and roll band. Bob Dylan

It was 40 years ago today:


It was 46 years ago today:

Neil Young – Get Behind The Wheel

Three American pastimes, rock and roll, driving, and double entendres are on masterful display here. “You know she loves those long, slow curves, so take her for a spin.” The guitar drives, the band rocks, and Neil is practicing his bar pick-up lines. Shoutouts for Light A Candle & Just Singing A Song. Neil Young

It was 40 years ago today:

Black Lips - 200 Million Thousand (CD)

Waking up in 1965 to brand new music is always a great pleasure for me, and I mean that as a great complement. Everyone who knows me here at home knows my love of and pride in the garage band collection I have circa 1963-1967. Anytime I discover another group from that era, I am grinning from ear to ear and driving everyone crazy with the loud tunes. What I love most about that era is the idea of rock music was still developing & everything didn’t sound “perfect”. It has energy, often high-energy, pre-Monkees rock and roll. They were willing to let what some players would consider mistakes stand, because recording was both expensive and immediate. What’s even more intriguing about this CD is it was recorded in the 21st century. I love it, and can’t recommend one individual cut because they all have special qualities. For example, I’m listening to “No matter what they say, he can’t be the Jack Johnson of today” with the drummer and rhythm guitar keeping a garage beat, while the lead guitar sends aural enhancements that fit perfectly in the 1965 groove. Many groups try to sound like this, Black Lips make it sound natural. I’m in heaven. Black Lips

Booker T Jones – Potato Hole (CD)

A long-time dream of mine is to find rock players who have a small enough ego to release instrumental rock albums with other players the way jazz players do. Perhaps because jazz has always been about the music, with small audiences, that limits the rock players who have the tendency to think “big arenas”. It does happen occasionally (Santana comes to mind), but not often enough. Booker T has played as a session for many great artists, as well as fronting his own band, so he has the mentality I’m talking about. My dream has come true here. We have Booker T Jones with the Drive-By Truckers and Neil Young playing to their hearts and my hearts delight. No vocals necessary.

This CD has everything one would want from a great rock album. Pound It Out does exactly that – opening the album loud & proud. She Breaks brings in the funky side of rock with a dancing bass line. Hey Ya is a straight-ahead guitar/drum dance with the organ taking on OutKast’s melody. Native New Yorker returns to the loud riffing rock that gets us up and moving with a steady stream of aural candy. Nan is a slow down and look at the world through the eyes of love tune, beautiful and dreamy. Warped Sister is the sole filler. Get Behind The Mule is an instant favorite, perhaps because we’re all familiar with the Tom Waits tune. It’s this tune that makes me wish for more rock players tackling instrumentals. I get a lot of instrumental albums here playing rock tunes, but they usually recreate rock as easy listening elevator music. This group plays it for real, for those of us raised on rock and roll. Reunion Time is simply wonderful, instantly reminding me of 1967 era rock with tons of soul. I hear everything from Jimi starting off the tune to Otis sitting on the dock of the bay, with a touch of little green apples thrown in for good measure. The title tune, Potato Hole is blues funk with the distinct purpose of filling the dance floor and sweating Woodstock 69 style. Space City ends the CD with a promise of more to come, either in this life or the next because Booker T reaches the heavens with his organ on this exquisite tune from the Trucker’s 7th album. 12 stars out of 10 for a Sunday afternoon bbq/dance. I’m hoping this is the first of many rock-based instrumental cds by true rock musicians. Booker T Jones

Philippe Saisse w/ Angélique Kidjo - Assante Sana

Jazz with a full dance beat, extremely tasty! Angélique fronts the ensemble with vocals moving through the spheres. Her back-up singers sway the tune and the players even further beyond the stars. Half way through the tune the guitar starts bringing us back to earth gently. Definitely a 3 minute trip worth recreating over and over. Shoutouts for a sublime sweet tea tune entitled Billy’s Blues and an exciting, rollicking jam called Roppongi Blues. Saisse the composer of all the cuts on this CD, which is exciting because each track has its own distinct flavor, Saisse does not sit still waiting for us to catch up with his stylings. Philippe Saisse

The Rippingtons – Pastels On Canvas

The smooth jazz of this classic ensemble is enhanced by some brilliant acoustic Spanish guitar work on this track. Tasty playing for some delicious relaxation. Every member gets a chance to add their own flavor which creates a true feeling of improvisation. Shoutout for the beautiful I Still Believe.
The Rippingtons

Matthew Montfort - Michelle’s Star

Matthew plays a scalloped fretboard guitar, a new instrument for me. It’s sound is similar to a sitar, and many of the tunes on this CD sound as if they were from India. I am choosing to highlight Michelle’s Star because it brings the same tonality to a western-sounding melody in a beautiful way. The CD is good for relaxing with a cool drink, perhaps even Sangria (another tune from the album) after cleaning up after a loud raucous bbq. Matthew Montfort

Michelle’s Star live:

Wynton Marsalis - Sassy

Wynton nevers fails to win over my soul with his playing. Sassy is my favorite track because of its playfulness. It also plays with themes established elsewhere on the CD. I will admit to taking the 12 instrumental tracks and reburning them as a single 65 minute CD. As much as I enjoy poetry, it was distracting for my enjoyment of the music. Perhaps it will work better as a live performance. Shoutout for A Train, a Banjo, and a Chicken Wing, which has some masterful slow blues trumpet singing. Wynton Marsalis

Wynton Marsalis - Cornet Chop Suey:


Wynton Marsalis – Portrait Of Louis Armstrong:


Wynton Marsalis Septet - The Holy Ghost

Wynonna Judd – That’s How Rhythm Was Born

“Ooh wee!” The sheer joy in the phrase is obvious, and the Texas Swing of her backing band allows Wynonna to give me a full meal of Boswell Sisters music in three minutes. “They praised the Mighty Forgiver. They washed their sins in the river. Cold water made 'em all shiver. That's how rhythm was born!” Wynonna doesn’t stop in Texas, tho. She’s willing to share another full meal, from New Orleans; Women Be Wise (“don’t advertise your man”). She doesn’t sit still, in a few minutes she returns over the border to Texas to revisit the fun of Stevie Ray in full party form with a truly hot band to make a tasty dessert of The House Is Rockin'. Wynonna Judd

Melody Gardot - Who Will Comfort Me

The finger snapping and sweet moan make me ready to hear “These Boots Are Made For Walking”, but Melody takes it a step further. She’s not walking out, she’s walking inwards to her weary soul. “Got a hold on my heart that keeps me bound when the whole wide world is free.” The band keeps the music from getting weary, with some hot bass and trumpet keeping everything afloat. “My home is a wreckage, a family drowned, implied in poverty.” Visiting the depths while being raised high – so high in fact, that by the end the blues have raised the narrator to laughter. Excellent composition. Shoutouts for Your Heart Is as Black as Night,
Melody Gardot

Indigo Girls – The Fleet Of Hope

“The fleet of hope is so pretty when she’s shining in the port
and the harbor clings to the jetty for protection and support.” The narrator is looking up at the horizon on the beach, and shares her poetry with music and beautiful harmony. “Though I stopped breathing I still believe I should try. Maybe a boat in search of lost treasures will pass by.” There is a deep hope in this song, a prayer almost for a continuance of all that the narrator has experienced. I love the opening vision of the fisherman standing like the narrator, he with a pole, and her with a book, “we will have caught on to something by the end of the day, but mostly we think about the one that got away.” Along with the deep hope is also a subtle look at the apparent despondency of it all. “Out in the choppy waters the sharks swim and play. You’re all washed up when Poseidon has his day.” Honest and beautiful poetry, with honest and beautiful music to bring the poem life. Shoutout for the great playing and vocals Second Time Around (“I’m just a little bit off these days”). Indigo Girls

Lisa Ekdahl – Give Me That Slow Knowing Smile

If you woulda told me just 5 years ago that’s I’d enjoy songs that had whistling in them, I woulda chuckled and asked you to find someone else to bug. I think of whistling and songs and I’m back in Mayberry territory in my head. Kinda funny that I ended up living in a town that looks and acts a lot like Mayberry. I digress. Point is, Lisa starts this CD off with a whistle, and it fits perfectly. Been a few others this year like that, so I’m going ahead and accepting the kiss-shaped whistle as a serious instrument in modern music.

“I’m on my hands and knees searching every corner for my lost heart and soul.” Lisa’s pouring out her pain while at the same time knowing that there will be people scoffing at her search. That’s what this song is about – not her personal pain, but the scoffers. And she does it with some wonderful musicians. The bass playing dueting with the organ player is sublime, and the percussionist knows how to hold back and when to let loose. Dreamy. Shoutout for the more acoustic flavors of One Life (“I don’t care if someone says I’m foolish, cause while I’m here I’m singing from my heart”). Lisa Ekdahl

Nicole Hart – Heart Trouble

The upbeat blues music sparkles out of the speakers with joy and solid emotion when this cut begins. I was prepared for some bleeding blues, and was instead treated to a full-throated belly laugh when Nicole began ripping into this old Martina McBride song. “The way you treat me baby, cheat and tell me lies. Guess I shouldn’t care at all, still I sympathize, ‘cause you’ve got heart trouble.” Now, read that again, and replace it wth “Hart trouble.” Great fun. You don’t wanna be carryin’ on married to a woman who’s promising trouble. That’s a bit tongue in cheek, ‘cause I imagine most women are promising trouble to their wandering philanderers. But you just need to hear the way she slowly pulls out the double-meaning “heart” to enjoy the artistry of Nicole and her great band. Good work. Shoutout for the slow riding Percy Mayfield duet You Were Lyin' To Me. Her partner on this tune is Albert Castiglia, who also adds some tasy guitar pickin’. Nicole Hart

Jenny Gillespie - Shells

“I wouldn’t ask you to wonder about God. So we watched the planes take off over the ocean. And the waves, docile until punched by the wind.” Beautiful images planted against a strumming guitar and a voice. The story is about trying not to look back as plans are made for a future the narrator is not looking forward to at this point in time. All the thoughts are kept in her head as she walks with the person she should be talking to. Perhaps is, about more trivial ideas. What I like about this song is how true it is – we keep our deep thoughts to ourselves even while hanging out with those we care deeply about. Jenny Gillespie

Go to folder - FileFactory.com

Tara Simmons - When You Say That I Don’t Care About You

“When you say that I don’t care about you I just turn the light inside me out.” Blunt, but powerful. In short, stop being an emotional cripple, life is too short. Put that to music and you have Tara Simmons, who also has no aversion to getting me to get up and dance around the room. Eccentric background music makes for a bit of fun at a party. Somewhere between a ticking clock and a glockenspiel. The melodies of her songs are pure pop, the background seems to be whatever is handy at the time, but always feels appropriate. Shoutouts for the wonderful Shake (“silly girl, you should have known this would all blow over fine”), and Silent (“I can’t speak or sing”). For more fun, look for some of her older tracks, like Ballet and Everybody Loves You. Tara Simmons

Go to folder - FileFactory.com

The Killers - Spaceman

"It's all in my mind!" When the CD came out last year I listened once and nothing stood out. My fault for not listening closer. This single (which includes 2 new cuts) stands out and makes for a fun mix in a Friday night party. The songs starts off in the ether, and soon the rock bombardment starts with a short story. “I thought I could leave this star-crossed world, but when they cut me open I guess I changed my mind.” Intriguing story & a lot of fun to dance to! A big thanks to The Killers for releasing the song as single to bring emphasis to it. “The public don’t dwell on my transmission ‘cause it wasn’t televised.” LOL!!! I like the way they make the frivolity so serious-sounding. The single does make me want to go back and re-visit the CD (as soon as I can find it). The two b-sides are fun to shoutout; another fast dance Four Winds (“squatters made a mural of a Mexican girl”), and the cool-down dance Tidal Wave (“on Saturday night they’re running for the shadow”). The Killers

Alex Ray and the Last Place – Between The Stars

“I’ll lie here, a dream between the stars. I’ll imagine we’re not that far away.” Whimsical, just like the music. Light and easy to listen to, these guys have allowed me to relax for a few before I set down to the busy task of preparing everything that needs to be done tomorrow. “I’ve got a head that’s full, a mind that won’t sleep, and one trick left inside.” Would go good with a glass of wine, but I settled for tea and it was just as good. “I’ve got a grin that I can’t hide.” Alex Ray and the Last Place

Go to folder - FileFactory.com

Prince – Lotusflow3r

What a show! You will seldom hear me complain that a song isn’t long enough, but the guitar work on some of these cuts is just so dang tasty I hate to hear them end. But end they do, and a few songs later another great guitar lick comes up. Dreamer, followed by Back to The Lotus, perhaps fulfills the thirst most of all, and these two cuts end of the first CD in this 3 CD set. Before going on about the music, I have to say that it’s very cool of Prince to be offering this set to his fans at the low cost of $2 for 3 CD’s. Maybe because of the low cost, the set is only available at Target. No matter, it can be ordered from target’s on-line store.

Okay, to the meat. The album opens with a fun party starter, From The Lotus, an instrumental jazz-tinged ditty with otherworldly effects followed by Santana-like guitar and some funky bass. The leads directly to Boom, a slow rock and roll cut that would fit right into an arena show. This is the song I mentioned earlier that I hoped would continue longer. Seamlessly followed by The Morning After, the first cut that has flavors of Prince’s hits from the 80’s, this jam is just as tasty as any of those. “We can jam, baby, all night long”. The song ends too soon and melds directly into a slow soul-funk beauty called 4Ever. Colonized Mind slows us way down with wailing solos “genetically disposed to rule the world.” We also get a peek into Prince’s spirituality at this point in the party; “without God it’s just the blind leading the blind.” Wonderful, slow build to some great solo efforts. The dance floor is lit up again with the pure funk of Feel Better, Feel Good, Feel Wonderful. Love Like Jazz follows with a bachelor-pad jazzy beat tune, real easy to dance to. 77 Beverly Park is even quirkier, with an almost acoustic trip down a river in Italy or Greece with guitars inviting the sun to settle on the kisses of lovers. Wall of Berlin brings out the funk-rock side of Prince with “reality is only in my mind.” Philosophy while dancing, why not? The party comes roaring back to life with $. And I’ve already discussed the guitar flavorings of Dreamer. All in all, a totally fun album – every song has its own flavor, and we are treated to many flavors here. “It was just a dream – call me a dreamer too.” I have no problem recommending this as a set to purchase for your next party.

And the above only covers the first set. Set 2 goes by the nickname of Mplsound, and starts right off pulling people up to the dance floor with (There'll Never B) Another Like Me. Big ego? Maybe, but who cares? The music is great. 3 high energy dances in a row, then a beautiful, slow, soulful dance U're Gonna C Me. The second hour of the party is just as much fun as the first, with a shoutout going to Better With Time. Aren’t we all? The second set ends with fast popping pure pop of No More Candy 4 U. Half way through he announces “too many haters on the internet”, but don’t worry, it’s still done in fun.

The third set continues the party with the same production values and perfectly performed music and brings on a new vocalist, Bria Valente. “Spiritual humor”. Another good balance of dance floor show-off styles and slow dances. Amazingly, all tasty also. My favorite composition is Immersion, “welcome to the place much faster than time. True reality is the only peace you’ll find.” It’s nearing the end of the party, so these beats give us time to reflect on how great the party has been. We end with Elixer, the title tune of this 3rd CD. It’s a slow ending to the party, performed with harmonic perfection. Prince

Peter Buffet and Akon – Blood Into Gold

“When I go to sleep at night, I wonder why I don’t feel the pain from where the sun is shining bright.” This song will receive it’s official debut at the UN tomorrow night. Blood Into Gold is a socially themed song that talks about the human slavery and bondage that is going on in every nation in the world. I love the line that asks me to look at “all that you own through the blood of another.” So much of what we are able to buy here so cheaply is because of the sweat-shops around the world. How often do we stop and reflect on that fact?

The UNICEF produced video shows just how far-reaching and severe the problem is, and is being performed to bring attention to the predicament. March 25th is being called the ‘International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade.’ The day will culminate with a full concert directed by Nile Rodgers in the United Nation’s General Assembly Hall featuring the talents of Akon, Peter Buffett, Audrey Babcock, Angela Brown, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Izaline Calister, Toumani Diabaté, Danny Glover, Gilberto Gil, Bill T. Jones, Sarah Jones, Salif Keita, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Emeline Michel, The Marley Brothers, CCH Pounder, Stephanie Benson, Phylicia Rashad, Noah Stewart, Randy Weston and others with choreography by Gabri Christa.

“Can you open your heart, will you give me your hand? Can you look in my eyes? Will you see who I am?” The theme for the concert is Breaking the Silence, Beating the Drum. “Who will hear when someone cries?” Peter Buffet and Akon



Anything

Peter Bjorn and John - The Feeling

“Been waiting for signs. Last time we got high we thought we had the puzzle worked out.” Been there. A bit of wine brings clarity to everything. Until the next morning. These guys capture the moments with humor and enough loudness to make this a fun Monday morning wake-up song, hungover or not. Some parts of the song are percussion-based, other parts are vocal harmony based, all parts are done with joy and energy. Shoutouts for It Don’t Move Me (“please put Chester’s books and magazines away”) and Living Thing (“I usually aim to please”), which both boil over with energetic dance beat performances. I Want You and Blue Period Picasso are slower dances. I really love the creative lyrics of Blue Period Picasso, which takes on the persona of a painting looking out at its audience. 4 out of 5 is a dirge, which I usually don’t like; but the harmony of this attracts my ears to re-listen over and over. The CD as a whole has a different sound than anything else out there, which is most likely what makes it so attractive. I know it will sit by my player for a lot of fun this summer. Peter Bjorn and John





Instant Recall (where have I heard those guys before?):