This Weeks Play List

Jose Gonzalez – Veneer (2005) The sticker on the CD describes him as Nick Drake with a Latin guitar. And, yep, that’s it. If you like Nick Drake, you must listen to this CD. It is beautiful and moving, with a sound that is both derivative and yet original. You can put this up front and listen carefully, or play it at your next dinner party and watch how people slowly notice the mood of the music. This is one helluva CD. http://www.jose-gonzalez.com

Eliza Gilkyson – Paradise Hotel (2005) Maybe the next queen of alt-country, this is really my first taste of Eliza; and she tastes very good. The arrangements are simple and yet very expressive. Her voice is so comforting. The songs bounce around between folk, country and straight forward singer/songwriter. And then she covers World Party’s “Is It Like Today”. The song, about God, the universe and everything, fits her songs so well. There is also a fascinating combination of her song Paradise Hotel with Procol Harum’s “Whiter Shade of Pale”. http://www.redhouserecords.com/

Richard Thompson - Front Parlour Ballads (2005) It’s heavily acoustic, but that doesn’t matter. Richard Thompson is one of the great guitar players, acoustic or electric. And he is such a great storyteller, taking you into working class lives and revealing the pain and joy. I can listen to this CD over and over… and have already. http://www.richardthompson-music.com

James McMurtry – Childish Things (2005) Some good alt-country here; with a rockin’ edge. Another good CD for you all to listen to. http://www.jamesmcmurtry.com

Procol Harum – Classics Volume 17 (A Long Time Ago) So, you know that I’m going to segue A Whiter Shade of Pale and Eliza Gilkyson’s “Paradise Hotel”. I just have to. Procol Harum is one of the great bands in rock history. They moved between elegant (“A Whiter Shade of Pale” and “Conquistador”) and rockin’ (“Simple Sister” and “Whisky Train”) then throwing in epic stories like “A Salty Dog”. Every so often I just have to put this CD on and let it take me back to a lost world.

Boz Scaggs – Boz Scaggs (1969) Long before Boz was the disco king (okay, I’m being rude here, but he was so friggin’ popular with the “dance” crowd back then), he was a great representative of the San Francisco blues/rock/funk scene. And listening to this CD for the first time in over 25 years, I found myself enjoying it more today then I did back in the 70’s. There was a driving reason for buying this CD though. I’ve been trying to find an inexpensive version of “Lone Me A Dime” for years. It is a classic blues rock piece that goes into double time at the end and features Duane Allman on some blazing solos. If you haven’t heard this classic, it is worth every penny.

Randy Newman – Little Criminals (1977) He is one of America’s great songwriters. And there is more this CD then the hit “Short People”. Songs like “Baltimore” get into your blood and change your DNA. It is that good.

Nuggets – Disk 4 (1998) This 4 CD set should be required listening for anyone who wants to tag “Rock and roll fan” on to their profile. The two LP set was expanded by Rhino into an amazing collection of music. Hmmm, okay, I’ve probably mention this 3 times before. Enough said.

Catching up on Concerts and stuff

It has been a very busy month so far. I am behind on concerts. I am behind on updating the play list. And it isn't going to get better. Next week I leave for Austin for the Austin City Limits Music Festival; Friday September 23rd thru 25th. As in previous years, I will be writing about the shows and posting pictures. You will be able to find these at http://aclfestival.blogspot.com . Meanwhile, here are a couple of mini concert reviews of Jill Sobule and Lucinda Williams.

Last week I saw Jill Sobule at Largo. Yep another Jill Sobule concert. Jill wasn’t 100% this time. Either tired or distracted, it took awhile for her to kick it into gear. She also forgot a couple of lines from songs. But you gotta love the way she deals with it: “Wait, can I start over?” she asks the crowd. She is so cute. The opening band, which included Dave Carpenter on upright bass joined her on several songs, giving her a full band for the first time in awhile. It was another fun show. We’ll probably go back in October when the next show is announced.

Last Saturday we saw Lucinda Williams. It was a last minute decision and so we had pretty mediocre seats (it didn’t help that we needed 5 seats together). CC Adcock was the opening act and I enjoyed him a lot (although that wasn’t a unanimous decision within my party). It was just him and a stand up bass player who spent most of the show bent over playing the bass almost parallel to the ground. He also had I believe something attached to his hand to hit the body of the bass with to give them a percussion sound. The sound of the two of them was sort of a Cajun mellow Violent Femmes (again I had trouble getting my friends to agree with me on this). I bought his CD and will post about it later.

Lucinda Williams was not the Lucinda we saw in Austin 2 years ago. In fact she wasn’t even the Lucinda I listened to on her new Live in Austin CD. This was a happy Lucinda; a sharing, giving Lucinda. Many of the songs came with stories about who or what influenced the song. Many influences were famous people and the crowd acknowledged them with applause. The largest applause came when she mentioned Paul Westerberg; very unexpected. But it made sense when she thanked the crowd (which she did several times) and said that she loved this crowd because they accepted both her “straight country” and rock and roll songs. I wish we were up closer for this show. It would have been nice to see the “good” Lucinda up close like we saw the “bad” Lucinda two years ago. She played for about 2.5 hours. I found a song list online so I’ll pass it on:

MAIN SET: (1) Ventura; (2) Fruits of My Labor; (3) Those Three Days; (4) Metal Firecracker; (5) Jailhouse Tears; (6) Pineola; (7) Still I Long for Your Kiss; (8) 2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten; (9) Where Is My Love? (10) Righteously; (11) Knowing; (12) Changed the Locks; (13) Come On; (14) Essence; (15) Bleeding Fingers; (16) Joy; FIRST ENCORE: (17) Lake Charles; (18) Crescent City; (19) Bus to Baton Rouge; (20) Well, Well, Well; (21) Get Right With God; SECOND ENCORE: (22) Unsuffer Me; (23) American Dream; (24) West.

This Weeks Play List

This Weeks Play List September 5 2005

Just one addition this week, but there is always lots of new music to listen to on The Promise…

Death Cab for Cutie – Plans (2005) A thank you to Jeanne for turning me on to this band. I love the dark places these guys take me. And at the same time, the melodies put a smile on your face. It’s a great combination that you just don’t see enough these days. The song that really hooked me was, “I will follow you into the dark”, a tale that is half love song half suicide pact and totally beautiful. I have to find a way to see them when I am in Austin later this month. You can get more info on them at http://www.deathcabforcutie.com .

Red Cross Support at CD Baby

CD Baby, my favorite Internet only music store, has gotten together with many of the independent artists they support to donate all proceeds from the sales of their CDs to the Red Cross for hurricane relief. So, buy some music and support the relief effort. Here is the link: http://www.cdbaby.com/group/redcross

Kate Bush CD

Reuters is reporting that Kate Bush, after a 12 year hiatus will be releasing a double CD called "Aerial" on November 8th in the U.S. (November 7th in the U.K.). It is going to be a long 69 days. :-)

This Weeks Play List

Jon Dee Graham – First Bear On The Moon (2005) This is a quickly thrown together release; part revenge, part gotta pay the rent. But, it is Jon Dee Graham and he is fabulous. 5 of the 8 songs are originally from previous CDs and were recorded from a radio broadcast made on the day of, “King George’s coronation”. There are 3 new songs. “Best” and “Betrayed” are very good. I’m not sure about “Jesus of the Freeway”. It’s a strange song, and I’m not really sure what he was going for here. 7 out of 8 is a good ratio, and if you like Jon’s music, do check it out. http://www.jondeegraham.com/

Bill Bryant – drawn from memory (2005) This is a beautiful CD. Bill is an independent artist who writes soft but soul searching songs. He is somewhere between country and folk with a voice that reminds one a bit of James Taylor. http://www.billbryantmusic.com

Various artists - This is Americana – This compilation of “Americana Music” has a little something for everyone: Country, bluegrass, and alt-country. If you were thinking of listening to some of the better bands in this area, this is a great place to start. You will find music from: Tift Merritt, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Alison Krauss, The Jayhawks, Anne McCue, Rosanne Cash, Fairfax, Jay Farrar, Shelby Lynne, Lori McKenna, Lucinda Williams and more. And it’s cheap. I think I paid a buck for it in Austin last year.

The Tom Collins – daylight tonight (2005) This is just good old rock and roll: Led Zep meets the Black Crows. This is the perfect example of how rock and roll is not dead. It’s a good solid album and it deserves your attention. http://www.thetomcollins.com

Anemo – Alanis meets Kate Bush? No, that’s not really fair. This band has a modern style and their vocalist at times sounds like both ladies. But they really do not sound like anyone that I know of. Okay, that’s not exactly right either. “Who Will You” reminds me a lot of Alanis. But that’s not a bad thing, is it? They sent me some mp3s, and I don’t have a lot of info about them. But, they have some nice hooks and I’ve enjoyed the songs I’ve heard. You can get more info at their web site: http://www.anemo.co.uk

Lyle Lovett – Pontiac (1987) What a classic CD this is. It is fun and funny and it constantly is making you tap your foot. I love it!

John Hiatt – Perfectly Good Guitar (1993) I remember September 7 1993 like it was yesterday. PGG had just been released, but I didn’t have time to buy it and make it to John’s performance at the Coach House that night. During the show that evening he played most of the songs from this brand new CD. I loved every one of them immediately. It is so rare in rock and roll to have that kind of moment.

Poi Dog Pondering – Volo Volo (1992) Rock and Roll has always been a regional business. Outside of breakout hits, most bands have followings in different areas, and are unheard of in others. You would think that with the power of the Internet, things would change; and to some degree they have. As the large labels continue to dump artists in record numbers, the small labels, which are filling up the cracks in the system, can’t afford to give strong national support. So, the regional nature of rock and roll continues. Poi Dog, which has a strong base in Austin and Chicago came to me through friends I’ve met on the Internet who live in Chicago and Santa Fe. With their unique sound and fascinating arrangements this is an exciting band to listen to. I wish more people could hear them. I understand this was their last CD before major lineup changes and a move to Chicago. I must say, I really like the Austin version of this band.

ACL Festival snubbing Austinites

I’ve been wondering aloud for months and now I’ve got a rumor to hold on to. According to an informed source, the owners of the Austin City Limits Music Festival have given the local musicians an ultimatum: Play for free or buy a ticket and watch the show. One of the great draws for people outside of Austin is the chance to hear music from one of the riches sources of music in the country. I can go to a dozen cities around the country to see Arcade Fire and Widespread Panic. I don’t need to fly to Austin. On the other hand, the producers of the show are thinking that these local bands are getting lots of publicity and it should be worth playing for free. This is a truly symbiotic relationship and I hope they work this out next year. Otherwise, I’m not sure how much longer I’ll keep going.

Alejandro Escovedo live at the Casbah in San Diego

I’ve been waiting a good 2 years to see Alejandro, and with Deb turning me on to Jon Dee Graham, the anticipation was almost unbearable. But we made it through the evening, and oh what an evening it was…

If you haven’t been to the Casbah, it’s pretty much like all of the other small clubs; fairly clean, minimal number of seats and a small stage. The sound was actually pretty good, except for a buzz that never really went away (or was that me?). The bathrooms… They should make the owners of these clubs use their own bathrooms. Whatever.

Up first was a surprise guest, Mario Escovedo; Alejandro’s younger brother. Actually he’s the baby (13^th of 13). Dumping the band concept, he has been doing the singer/songwriter thing pretty much since their father died last year. The problem is that even though you can hear Alejandro’s voice in his voice, Mario does not have the power or range. He was determined though to not let that stop him. Some of the songs were well written and well song, but others caused him to go outside his limits and I don’t really think he succeeded. He did both new and old songs. It was the older ones that had the most trouble being translated to this new format. One of the more interesting aspects of the show was the little brother’s willingness to talk about his older brother (called “Coach” by those who know him). His stories about hanging in Austin with Coach led Jon to later throw his two cents in, saying: “That’s one of his meanest tricks. Five minutes before the show he’ll look at you and say, ‘You’re going to wear THAT?’”.

After Mario’s show, this older guy steps up on the stage in a cheap suit that really needed to be ironed. Oh my… that’s Jon Dee Graham, isn’t it. With just an acoustic guitar and gravelly powerful voice, Jon held most of us in the audience in awe for the 30 or 40 minutes he was on stage. His great melodies, stellar guitar playing and self deprecating sense of humor (“I feel really stupid playing solos when there are no other instruments playing”) were intoxicating. At the end of the show he begged us, really, he begged us to buy his CDs. “If you buy 2 CDs I can have breakfast tomorrow. If you buy 15 CDs I’ll be able to renew my prescription, which makes me a lot easier to get along with on the bus”. This need for money may have to do with his falling out with his current record label. He was so upset with them, he put together a CD of 8 songs (3 new, 5 live songs from the last 3 CDs) and is pushing that at the shows partially to spite them. So, if you don’t have “First Bear On The Moon”, it should be available at Amazon. Maybe the highlight of the show came a few songs in, when, unable to deal with two idiots at the bar (friends of Mario’s it turned out), he walked to the side of the stage and said, “Hey! Hey! Guys, if you need to keep talking, you can take your drinks outside”. That earned him a big applause from the crowd, because you could hear these two talking all the way across the room.

At about 11pm, Alejandro and band took the stage. Maybe the right word is “covered” the stage. The 7 piece band (Alejandro on guitars, Jon on lead guitar and slide, bass, drums, keyboards, cello and violin) barely fit. I kept waiting for Susan, the violinist to poke the bass player in the eye. And the sound! I really wasn’t expecting it to be that powerful, but when all 7 of them start rocking, the place exploded with energy. If this had been a full house (only about 100 or so showed up making the club about half full) I swear there won’t have been enough fans to cool us down from the energy generated. When you add together his unique songs, great jams (man can Jon play slide guitar!) and amazing arrangements you end up with a one of my club highlights of the year. I never saw him before he got sick, so I can’t compare it. But I can’t believe he was any more powerful than last night. There were plenty of highlights; including a potent version of “With These Hands” and 2 new songs (the producer of the next CD is going to be none other than John Cale). I love the new songs; classic Alejandro stuff. They played about 1 hours and 50 minutes, closing with some covers including “All the Young Dudes” (Ian Hunter and Alejandro have a mutual admiration society going) and I believe a Neil Young song. This was well worth getting home at 2am and being up at 7am to go to work.

John Hiatt and Shawn Colvin Live at the House of Blues Anaheim

Okay, so let’s pretend you are a singer/songwriter and you find yourself at the Hiatt/Colvin show with a to-do list in your hand. What would the short list be? Hmmmm…

1. Pick up the guitar and don’t let go for, uhmmm, I don’t know, 5… 6 years? Watching Shawn play with her elegance and sophistication and with such ease should make most young singer/songwriters decide to switch to piano. Now, if they go see Ben Folds then they’re in real trouble. John is no slouch either on guitar, ripping off acoustic leads like he’s holding a machine gun. But Shawn just makes it look so easy.
2. Take voice lessons. Better yet, get someone else to sing the songs. Shawn has a beautiful voice. And John… well, some brilliant DJ/PD (was it on KSCA or WCR?) once played Don Henley’s version of “Through Your Hands” back to back with John’s (I think it was one of those A-Z things). There was no comparison. John has this wonderfully soulful voice that is so full of emotion.
3. Take some songwriting classes, ‘cause these are two of the best.
4. Get a stronger anti-depressant, ‘cause you just ain’t that good.

So Shawn comes out with her guitar and beret and funky clothing and wows this, I’d say, 70% Hiatt audience. She came to work and must have gone a good 15 to 20 minutes before deciding to have a long chat with the audience. She once again told the story about her touring Europe with Suzanne Vega; segueing into “Polaroids”. But she also came up with a 4 year old story about going to Disneyland that I hadn’t heard before. It probably had something to do with the show being in Downtown Disney and her daughter running on the stage to chat with her. Her daughter later went into the audience and then climbed onto the stage, leading to my favorite line of the evening: “Where is that nanny we hired off the street this morning to watch you?” Musically it was a typical set that lasted about an hour and twenty minutes. But, about two thirds of the way through the set she blessed us with 3 new songs. For those setting your timers, move it forward six months. February is the planned release date of her next CD. The new songs sounded really good. She said it is going to be a very downbeat CD and 2 of the 3 songs fit that mold. She finished her set off with “Killing the Blues” and then “Round of Blues”, but saved the big highlight for the encore: “Four Seasons in One Day”. It was magnificent.

I haven’t seen John Hiatt solo in many many years. He is truly one of America’s great songwriters. And he proved it, not by going back and playing his best songs, but by focusing on the where he is today. It was a good hour into the set before he dipped back into his prime years (1987-1990). Thinking back, he may have slipped one in (I think he performed “Your Dad Did” during the first half), but the first hour was all about the current Hiatt; including lots of songs from the new “Master of Disaster” CD, and the not too old “Crossing Muddy Waters” and “The Tiki Bar is Open”. Although I enjoyed the “Master of Disaster” CD, the live renditions along with the stories behind them, made me want to go back and listen to it again; as John might say, “With new ears”. The second half of the set mixed songs from 1987 and beyond. As the set neared its end, he moved to the piano where you have no choice but to be moved. I believe he is at his most soulful when playing it. He, of course did “Through Your Hands” at the end of this section and closed off the show with “Slow Turning”, which, as always, brought the house down. One of the highlights of the evening was his story about pulling off to the side of the road and watching the space shuttle launch, only to later learn that “Perfectly Good Guitar” was onboard. It turns out that the crew loved “Blue Telescope”; the only song he played on electric guitar this night. John played for almost 2 hours, and if it wasn’t for the pain in my feet from standing, it would have felt like 10 minutes. This was one of those rare evenings were we all (Me, Maria, Susie and her friend, and Shawn’s greatest fan… I can’t remember her name, but she has only been to two concerts since her breast cancer started. And yes, both were Colvin shows) easily got our money’s worth. 1 twisted catholic boy (“it never leaves you”) plus 1 depressed Austinite equals a very happy nearly full HOB.

Shelby Lynne and Bob Schneider Live at the Avalon

Or is it Bob Schneider and Shelby Lynne? Ticketmaster showed Shelby first. The tickets had Shelby on top. So we were very surprised when Shelby walked out on stage first. I’m not sure if she was responding to someone in the audience but she said, “We had a fight and obviously HE won”. With that Shelby and her 3 piece band kicked it into high gear. This was more of a rock and roll show than the one we saw in Austin last year. In fact, the cowboy hat wearing cowgirl was now a work shirt, beret wearing rocker. I got the feeling though that she was not happy about being on first and to reflect it there was this constant and a bit annoying thanking/pointing to the other members of the band after each song. It seemed very insincere. Maybe it was a message to L.A. Whatever, it was all a bit weird. The band stuck mainly to music from the last 2 CDs, but whenever Shelby dug a little deeper, she got thunderous applause from the very small crowd (I was told they were only expecting 300 people). The set did slow down from time to time, but this was not a country set by any stretch of the imagination. Ben, her slide/lead guitar player was wonderful. I last saw him adding amazing sounds to Gary Jules band. Hopefully Gary used him in the studio this year. The band played for about an hour and then went off without an encore.

So the interesting question was: Is this Shelby’s crowd or Bob’s? Very few people left when Bob and the Lonelyland band stepped on stage (to the music of Mr. Rogers Neighborhood). And as they cranked up and crunched out an old Scabs tune, there was no doubt that they owned the place. This was a very straightforward show (maybe because they only played for an hour and a half). Bob kept it very professional (well as professionally as Bob can). That’s not to say that the band can’t play. Sometimes they are just too loose and the song selection is way out there. Bob also has a tendency to throw away lyrics. He sang the songs much straighter tonight. The new guitar player, Jeff Plankenhorn, did a great job on guitar. I don’t believe he was given as many solos as Billy, but he made the most of the ones he got.

The highlight for the evening was a version of “Under My Skin” that I had never heard before. Bob loves to change the style of songs. The original has an upbeat Tom Waits sound to it. This version though was a slow, sultry almost blues style. It was amazing.

The closing song was a new one: “Sons of Ralph”. It’s, uhmmm, a pirate song. It’s basically a list of all the disgusting things we do as the Sons of Ralph. It’s a sing-a-long of course.

In between, were lots of songs from the latest CD and several from Lonelyland. It was a focused and well performed show.

This was my first trip to the Avalon. It is a cool open theater with benches and couches for the privileged few around the outside and upstairs. The rest of us low life sat on the steps leading onto the dance floor. The sound was barely okay, with too much distortion to give it a thumbs up. AND they wouldn’t allow Bob to record and sell his CDs, so I had no copy of the show to take home. That sucked. If you haven’t been to the Avalon, just expect a bigger House of Blues, without the gift shop and restaurant.

This Weeks Play List

Without Gravity – Tenderfoot (2005) For the second week in a row I’m going to rave about a CD; putting it on my early best of year list. The first song to get me hooked was “Country”, which takes some of its melody from Blind Faith’s “Can’t Find My Way Home”, but then takes off in its own beautiful direction. The rest of the CD is closer to Damian Rice then it is to Traffic. This CD has already clocked plenty of time on my player. Maybe the best band from Iceland since… Do check it out. http://www.withoutgravity.net .

KGSR Broadcasts Vol. 2 (1994) I’m not sure if this is my favorite, but is sure was the most expensive to buy (don’t even ask). How could I let it get away, what with a rare Sam Phillips performance on it; not to mention Crowded House doing “Fall At Your Feet”. All of these CDs can be found on ebay.com, but don't expect to find this one easily. For some reason it is the rarest of them all.

Grey Eye Glances – A Little Voodoo (2002) Some time ago a listener was bugging me to check these guys out. He said he was close to the band and to write them and they would send me some music. I did, they didn’t and I pretty much forgot them until I came across their CD a year later and decided to give it a try. Sorry, no amazing story here. I enjoyed parts of the CD. Maybe my expectations were too high. I will play my favorites from this CD and let you all decide. If you really like them, check out their web site, http://greyeyeglances.com or look up their stream on Live365.com .

Jill Sobule – Happy Town (1997) I’m continuing my look back at older Jill Sobule material. Happy Town was her follow up to her self titled CD and the hit, “I Kissed a Girl”. And it continues with the great songwriting, wry lyrics and clever stories that have been her trademark for the last 10 years. Many of these songs can be heard in her current performances. If you live in or around Los Angeles, she is playing pretty much every month at Largo, http://www.largo-la.com . And of course her web site is http://www.jillsobule.com .

Jill Sobule at Largo - August 9th

Yep, another evening of Jill Sobule. With her “no set list” approach to concerts, every evening is different. Tuesday night did not disappoint. Jill wasn’t as uhmmm, hyper as last month, but there is always plenty of energy at her shows. The theme this show, and there was really a theme this time, were women she knew in her life: Margaret, Karen, and a few others I can’t remember. It was a fun set. Late in the show she unplugged, totally, went out into the audience and sang 4 or 5 songs. She later told me her voice was a bit roughed up because of that. It was all fun and, well, typical Jill. Although I didn’t find my way onstage, I got two requests in: “Kathy Lee” (which she is threatening to retire) and “I saw a cop”. Actually, she didn’t finish “Kathy Lee” and skipped a verse in “I saw a cop”. But it was good enough. Jess again drew here. There are two good pictures coming, but this is a scan of Jill sitting right next to us during the audience portion of the show.

Opening the show was Tom Brosseau. I have seen him several times; opening for Jill and also Sam Phillips. He has a beautiful voice with a Roy Orbison falsetto that is breathtaking. His songs are really poems. It is hard to follow them though. Maybe a lyric sheet would make the songs more meaningful. Generally, I just get lost in his voice and lose track of the lyrics altogether. He actually joked around a bit during this show, doing a bit of a white folk version of a NWA song.

This Weeks Play List

Tina Schlieske – Slow Burn (2005) This is one of those “Wow” CDs. Names like Joan Osborne, Shelby Lynne, Bonnie Raitt and even Cher come to mind; and that’s just her voice. The music is a little bit blues, a little bit rock with a touch of country. It is very well produced with good solid songwriting. Inside the CD it says that it was recorded on a shoestring with plenty of alcohol and we are to play it loud. If it really was a shoestring it sure doesn’t sound like it. And there is no alcoholic sloppiness here. As to playing it loud, now that is a good suggestion. On my short list for CD of the year. You can find out more about Tina at: http://www.tinaschlieske.com

Jill Sobule – Things Here Are Different (1990) Long before Jill sang “I Kissed a Girl”, making her a star (at least at all the lesbian gatherings), she released this Todd Rundgren produced CD. There are still remnants of the ‘80s here, but not enough to cover up the beginnings of a great songwriter. None of the songs here are at that level where they just don’t let go of you, like… uhmmm, well, just about everything else she has released. But there are some good songs here. One song that has been haunting me is called “Pilar (Things Here are Different)”. It is about the lack of freedom that women have in Spain: A very moving song. This CD can be had cheap at Amazon.com and is so worth it. And Jill has one of the more fun/useful sites online at http://www.jillsobule.com .

Chad Jasmine – The Greatest of Ease (1999) Paul turned me on to this guy, and, well, I’m not sure what to say. This is a fascinating CD and I need to listen to it more. But I listened long enough to know that it belongs on The Promise. http://www.chadjasmine.net .

Southern Culture On The Skids – Plastic Seat Sweat (1997) What can I say… I just gotta put some SCOTS on every so often. A redneck B52s, the SCOTS are just all about fun. And on that level, they always succeed. http://www.scots.com .

A3 – Exile on Coldharbour Lane (1998) There is so muich more to A3 than just the group that sings the theme song for The Sopranos. Hell, there is so much more to “Woke Up This Morning” than the part you hear on the Sopranos. I don’t play a lot of techno on The Promise, but A3 is an exception. With songs like “U Don’t Dance 2 Techno Anymore”, a song about a girl who ODs in front of the DJ at a rave, A3 combines techno, house, blues, gospel and country sometimes all in one song. And there is power behind the messages, which goes along nicely with the power of the beat. http://www.alabama3.co.uk/

This Weeks Play List

Some stories and ramblings to go along with the song list this week. Enjoy…

Waterline – Long Goners (2005) I only have a couple of songs from this CD. Chris who is half of the due that makes up the core of this band was kind enough to send a couple of mp3s to me. The backup band for this CD is The Goners, often John Hiatt’s band over the last decade, and featuring the great Sonny Landreth on slide guitar. These two songs are pretty hot. I’m going to have to check out the rest of the CD. For more info you can go to http://www.waterlinemusic.com

Lucinda Williams – Live at the Fillmore (2005) Make sure you have your anti-depressants handy when you put this CD into your player. There may be no voice in rock right now that so conveys the heartbreak and pain the way Lucinda’s does. As potent as her studio recordings are, this 2 CD set just burns all the way through.

Gomez – Out West (2005) One of the highlights from the ACL Festival last year was the hour long set by Gomez. I’ve always enjoyed their CDs, but really loved their live set. And this 2 CD package is not a disappointment. There’s lots of energy from this very talented band.

KGSR Broadcasts Vol. 8 (2000) There isn’t a live radio collection that is as consistently as good as the KGSR recordings. They are released every year around November and I always wait with anticipation for my copy. They are all 2 CD sets except for the first one (a single CD) and this one (a triple CD!). The third CD in this set is actually a best of from the first 7 years plus a tribute to Jerry Reed from Eric Johnson. As always, there are too many great performances to mention. Everyone from Patti Smith to Bruce Cockburn is on these CDs with lots of Austinites like Patty Griffin, Alejandro Escovedo and Bob Schneider. All of the KGSR CDs find their way onto to Ebay on a regular basis, if you need to add to your collection. And the next CD will be available online at http://www.waterloorecords.com .

Melissa Etheridge – Melissa Etheridge (1988) A bunch of years back, I put Melissa’s music away. It had hit too close to home and was just too painful to listen to. Over the years I’ve continued to see her in concert and listen to her new music. Last week, for the first time in years, I play this CD. From the opening bass and drums of “Similar Features”, the shivers started. This is one of those great freshman CDs; and it has lost nothing with time.

This seems like a good time to tell my Melissa story. It was a few years back. I was in San Diego with my friend Kim and we had pit seats for Melissa. I was one of maybe 3 guys in the pit (I think they were guys) and Kim and I were having a great time enjoying the show. There was a segment of the show when Melissa took requests. Everyone who had been going to the shows knew when it was (Kim saw her up and down the coast that year). As that moment came near, Kim turned to me and said, “Born to Run”! Yes! What a great idea, we’ll yell that out together. And so we did. But Melissa didn’t hear. But the people around us did and thought it was a great idea (in case you didn’t know, when Melissa did her unplugged on MTV, Springsteen came on stage with her and sang “Thunder Road”). And so a group of strangers around us started yelling “Bruuuuuuuuce”. That caught Melissa’s attention. She came over toward us and said, “What”? We yelled “Born to Run” and Melissa said the following: “ Oh, I see. It is always the boyfriends and husbands. They think, I have to sit through this music. The least she can do is play some Bruce.” Then she looks right at us, points and says, “Well, it ain’t gonna happen”. Then she goes to the other side of the stage and takes a request from someone else. So, Melissa, if you ever read this, you were wrong and you owe us all a Springsteen song. :-) Okay, back to the music.

The Devlins – Waiting (1997) Like so many other people, I discovered The Devlins when I watched the first (or was it second) episode of Six Feet Under on HBO. The closing song for that episode, “Waiting”, was so powerful, that it haunted me for months. Finally the Six Feet Under CD came out and I was able to enjoy this song over and over and over… The full CD, which I recently picked up has a different mix for “Waiting”. Maybe not as good, but it is still a very powerful song. The rest of the CD is good but not nearly as potent. It is very spiritual and this leads to a quandary for me. I guess it is time for a little talk…

Some people may be under the mistaken impression that this stream called The Promise has some religious significance. Apparently there are Christian references on the Internet to the words “the promise”. Well, truthfully, I had no idea when I picked this name. Hey, I’m Jewish, how would I know. But I love that the title can have so many different meanings to people. And that is why I picked it. Its real meaning for me dates back to September 1999. I was at Staples Center in L.A. along with 20,000 of my closest friends to see The Boss. Part way through his set, the E Street Band left the stage and Bruce climbed onto the piano bench to give us a valentine; a song I don’t believe he had ever performed west of the Rockies: The Promise. At that time the box set hadn’t been released and this was such a rare song that it took awhile before we recognized it (the acoustics at Staples suck during softer moments). I’ve been totally in love with the song ever since. And so, when I started this station, it was an obvious choice for a name. There are other reasons for the name, but I’ll leave those for another time. Meanwhile, I’ve ended up playing some spiritual music from time to time. It is weird for me ‘cause I don’t want people to see the station that way, but when music is real good, I’ve just gotta play it. And so I play The Scabs to try and counterbalance things. :-)

Ellen and a software update

First the picture. My daughter, Jess, got a new tablet for her computer and first up was to finish her drawing of Ellen, our favorite bartender. Ellen works at Largo in L.A. and is a triple threat: 1)She's smart and quick 2) she's pretty and 3) she knows baseball. What else could you ask for from a bartender. :-) And if that isn't enough, she is a photographer. You can check out her pictures at http://www.largo-la.com .

Item number two... New software! I spent the day researching and testing and finally found the right software for pushing the song titles from my stream on to Live365's Player Window. So, if it has been a pain for you to go to my website to see what songs have been played, you don't have to do that any more. Next up will be to make the "Last 20" on my website work without the refresh button.

This Weeks Play List

The Knitters – The Modern Sounds of the Knitters (2005) It was a shock many years ago when the members of X and The Blasters threw down their power chords and did acoustic country covers. As we all get older, it now just seems natural that leaders of these great L.A. bands continue to discover their roots (even if their roots now include some old X tunes). They were surprisingly good 20 plus years ago and even though it isn’t a surprise anymore, this is a really enjoyable CD.

Son Volt – Okemah and the Melody of Riot (2005) Sun Volt has returned. Or at least Jay Farrar and a band. One of the leaders in the alt-country world, Jay Farrar has resurrected his rock and roll side and this CD does indeed rock. It is a great sound, with jangling guitars and country melodies and always a feeling that something special is happening.

Jill Sobule at Largo

Okay, I know what you’re saying to yourselves: What is it with Jill Sobule and Sam Phillips? You’ve seen them a dozen times each in the last year. Why? There are so many other acts out there? The answers are rather simple. With Sam, it is her beautiful songs and voice. I could watch the same show week in and week out. Her kind of beauty, inside and out, is just so rare in popular music. With Jill, you just never know what you are going to get; other than a fun show. And she didn’t disappoint last Tuesday.

At one of Jill’s shows, a few months ago, Jill joked about being diagnosed with A.D.D. With her need to change the shows on a whim, and her being able to link bits of dialog into songs that you wouldn’t imagine in a million years, I have to agree with her doctor. Then there is that whole fidgety thing. Almost from the time we walked in to Largo, Jill was wandering around, with guitar in hand, strumming it and chatting with people. Maybe she was just worried someone was going to steal her guitar (it didn’t look like her usual one… I could be wrong). But I’d like to think that she just had so much nervous energy that she needed something to do with her hands, and the guitar seemed like the best way to relieve it.

Opening the show was Posey Manufacturing, which is Kevin Posey and his dancing (and sometimes singing) sidekick. Now I feel really bad here because I do not remember his name. But this is not a man you forget. He has striking looks: The lines of a David Bowie, with the presence of a young Tim Curry. Add to that the obvious hours at the gym and it doesn’t matter that he has a ballerina outfit on with pasties to cover his nipples; you really have trouble taking your eyes off of him. So, here is how it works… Music and some background vocals are piped in. Its eighties Joy Division with some juicy ballads thrown in to change the pace. The sidekick (God I feel bad for not remembering his name) dances around Kevin and the stage. And Kevin, with his dreamy vocals, sings about boys who’ve f*cked him over. This is performance art as much as it is rock and roll. They are putting together a full show (they usually only perform a 3 or 4 songs) which I look forward to seeing some day. With each of these Largo performances they continue to try out different things. This week they took a page from Jill’s book and had an audience member come up to hold a lyric sheet. Unlike Jill they put a horse harness in his mouth and had him sit on his knees while Kevin grabbed his hair and sang. We were laughing as much as we were enjoying the music. As I’ve stated before, Kevin doesn’t need the “Show”, but this is what he wants to do and it is working.

Jill did a solo show for us; which is just fine for me. The solo shows allow her to do whatever she wants. I told Maria, who had never seen her before that Jill can be very political. So, of course, tonight she wasn’t at all. She brought up Karl Rove a couple of times, but just let the name act as the joke. Her focus seemed to be on her love songs. I think the show may have shifted because of the audience. There were a lot of new fans in the crowd and they laughed A LOT at the songs in the beginning. I’ve never heard the audience laugh so loud during her songs. Its not that they aren’t funny, it is just that we have heard them before. That may have been distracting to Jill and she may have shifted her focus after that. Just a thought. I could be totally wrong. We also got a special performance of “Supermodel” with three women from the audience joining her on stage. Jill said that she usually doesn’t perform it because without the band it sounds like Seals and Crofts. Part way through the song she threw in a bit of “Summer Breeze”, just to make her point. During her encore she did “I kissed a girl” and had Kevin and company come up on stage. He was supposed to sing the chorus (“I kissed a girl”), but had trouble. During the middle of the song Jill says, apologizing to the audience, “I didn’t know he was gay”.

It was a fun night. After the show, I had to double check with Jill on the name of a friend of hers who had gone on to porn, therefore giving Jill the idea for a song. I believe this woman may be a distant relative of mine. LOL

Once again, we have artwork from my daughter Jessie.

This Weeks Play List

Collin Herring – The Other Side of Kindness (2005) Jessica turned me on to this Texas based artist. From the opening chords you realize this ain’t no ordinary CD. A little bit Americana and a lot of Alt Country; this CD rocks. With only 10 tracks (and two of those are instrumentals) this is one of those rare CDs that you wish had more songs on it. The Other Side of Kindness has become an instant favorite. For more info on Collin, you can visit his web site at: http://www.collinherring.com

Brandi Carlilie – Brandi Carlile (2005) We saw Brandi open for Shawn Colvin earlier this year and were impressed. There is a simple beauty in her music, probably coming from her years living in rural Washington State. Her voice isn’t really country and it’s not classic rock either. As I was listening to “What Can I Say”, I thought, maybe she is a female Jeff Buckley. This is a very enjoyable CD; one that is going to grow on me a lot over time. http://www.brandicarlile.net/

The Eyeshadows – Hanging out at Largo, waiting for The Section Quartet to take the stage, I met Tansy, the guitar player for this local band. With a punk pop sound, these ladies are fun to listen to. And so, I thought I’d play a bit for you all. http://www.theeyeshadows.com

John Hiatt – Master of Disaster (2005) How do you review CDs from an artist who has so much talent but may have peaked in the late 80’s? I love everything that John Hiatt has created over the years, and it really isn’t fair to compare his new music to classics like “Bring the Family” and “Slow Turning”. But with every new CD, I hope for a masterpiece. Maybe someday we’ll get another one. Meahwhile, “Master of Disaster” is another good CD from John. Recording with some of the North Mississippi Allstars, this is a very rootsy CD; very acoustic sounding and not as bluesy as some of his recent releases.

Jennifer Corday – Driven (2004) The first time I saw Jen, she was fronting a band called “Corday and the Curious”. This was back when Sheryl Crow and Melissa Etheridge were busting open the male dominated ranks of rock; and Jen fit right in with those women. I was impressed not only with her music, but with her charisma; both on and off the stage. She understood that as a local talent, you had to take care of business off the stage as well. So, after her performance she made the rounds, signing people up to her mailing list and just treating everyone like they were good friends. Over the years, her music has matured and her writing has continued to improve. This CD may be her best with lots of stories about lost love. Although that can lead to a dark CD, there is so much hope and drive, that you never feel like she is wallowing in it. If you’re looking for a good time in The OC, or are involved in an anti-smoking campaign for kids, look Jen up: www.corday.net

The Section Quartet, Sam Phillips and Peter Case at Largo

It was another fun night at Largo Tuesday. One of the things I really love about The Section shows are how they feel more like a party at their house than an official concert. We were the first ones in and Eric and the band are just wandering around. Sam sees us and walks up to us: “Welcome to Largo (shakes hand). May I show you to your seats?” “We don’t have seats tonight Sam. We have to sit at the bar.” “Okay, can show you to your bar seats then?” Or something like that. Then Eric comes over and we chat for awhile. The whole band is working the room chatting with friends old and new.

Up first was Andrew Lynch; I hope I have his name right. He only did a few songs on piano, but impressed the crowd. It would be nice to hear more. Maybe next time.

It was then Eric, Daphne, Lea and Richard’s turn. I can’t remember which songs they performed, but the covers included: Radiohead (of course), Alejandro Escevedo, The Clash, The Muse and Jeff Buckley. After about 15 minutes, they brought Sam up on stage. Sam performed two songs: "Edge of the Word" and Tom Waits “Green Grass”. She has preformed “Green Grass” at virtually every Section show this year. Do you think she likes the song? I know I do. It is a beautiful song and she is perfect for it.

The Section then hammered out another song before bringing up Peter Case. I couldn’t believe it when they decided to do a version of the Plimsouls’ “A Million Miles Away”. And it really worked. It is one of the great songs from the New Wave era. He followed with a song called, “I shook His Hand” from his first solo CD. It included some harmonica solos which worked real well with the quartet behind him.

The Section played a couple more songs and then the evening was over. I’m looking forward to more shows this summer. You can find out more about The Section Quartet by going to their web site: http://www.thesectionquartet.com

Oh, and Jess drew a picture of Daphne during the show. She then re-did it on her computer.

A Sort of Concert Review

One of OC's treasures is Jennifer Corday. She has become a perennial winner at the OC Music Awards and has so much spirit and energy when she plays that it is always a pleasure seeing her; even if the gig calls for 90% covers. She puts her own spin on other people's music and yet makes it recognizable enough for the drunks... I mean patrons in the bar. We saw her in an Irish bar in Newport last weekend and had a blast as usual. About half the evening we sat out in the patio while she played in the bar. This meant that we had a view of her back through the window, but where only 10 feet away. At the end of her first set, she suddenly wheeled around and tossed me a percussion devise of some sort through the window. I became her drum machine for that song. But the highlight of any Corday show is her version of "I Will Survive". She does a very funny rap in the middle about getting over the asshole that left her and improving herself through kickboxing and surgery. At some point she usually mentions getting breast implants. Jennifer is NOT known for being well endowed; so this is really a joke line. She then follows it up with "Small ones". But that night we beat her to it with Jessie, Shannon and I yelling "Small ones" right after she said, "I got breast implants". She threw some obscenity at us and laughed and continued on with the show. Poor Maria had never heard this version of the song before. She thought we were being rude. Jennifer's own material is good and has been getting better with every year. Her song "Pie" made an MTV collection a few years back. Her web site, for those who are interested is http://www.corday.net/ .

This Weeks Play List

Richard Thompson – Live From Austin TX (2005) It’s Richard Thompson. What else needs to be said? This was recorded in 2001 on the Austin City Limits stage with just a trio that includes Michael Jerome on drums and Danny Thompson on upright bass. You don’t get much more energy from a mainly acoustic performance than this. And RT’s guitar playing… He is truly one of the greats.

The Bangles – Doll Revolution (2003) They were an important part of the New Wave era; showing that women could rock and create hits. Today, they may not be as relevant as they once were, but these women, now entering their 40’s, still know how to create or recreate solid songs. Their version of Elvis Costello’s “Doll Revolution” is worth half the price of the CD alone.

They Might Be Giants – Flood (1990) They have always been an interesting oddity that I would happen to hear somewhere and enjoy; but never investigate. Then I saw the documentary on them and just fell in love with everything about them. This is a classic CD with songs like “Birdhouse in your soul” and “Particle Man”. It should be in all serious and not serious collections.

Spottiswoode And His Enemies – Building a Road (2005) In reviews of this CD, more often than not, Tom Waits’ name seems to find it’s way in. Maybe it is because Jonathan Spottiswoode likes to mix things up; throwing in horns where they don’t seem to belong and finding unique ways to tell his stories. All of this is good and surprisingly very accessible. You can find more of this wonderful strangeness at http://www.spottiswoode.com .

Mike Scott – Still Burning (1997/1998) The passionate singer and leader of The Waterboys has released a couple of solo CDs. None have gained much notice in the U.S. I was a late comer to Mike’s work, so I’ll leave it up to the long time Waterboys fans to argue the quality of his recordings. I love them all.

This Weeks Play List

The Soundtrack of our Lives – Origin Vol. 1 (2005) I love this CD. Is there something in the water that gives Swedish rock bands such a great sense of melody? Not that I’m an Abba fan, but when you add two and two… TSOOL has a great sound, with great melodies and solid arrangements. Abba they’re not. And thank God. I’m not sure if there is anyone in English speaking nations that is doing this better. Did I mention that I love this CD?

Maria McKee – Peddlin’ Dreams (2005) There are only moments on this CD where you recall the powerful singer who was supposed to lead rock into that dimension some people called “Cow Punk” (the synergy of punk rock and country music). Those days are long gone and this is a kinder gentler MM. It’s a simply produced CD that lets Maria’s softer singing take center stage.

Crowded House – Together Alone (1995) To call a Crowded House CD a classic is redundant. With songs like Private Universe and Distant Sun, it is hard to call it anything else though.

Toy Matinee – Toy Matinee Special Edition (1990/2001) Talk about great songwriting… I guess I have a theme going, excluding Maria McKee. Crowded House and Toy Matinee are two of the greatest songwriting groups of the last 15 years. And TSOOL isn’t far behind. Toy Matinee was the brainchild of the late Kevin Gilbert and Patrick Leonard. Kevin was the main songwriter behind Sheryl Crow’s first CD. He is one of the unknown greats in the business. The music moves from progressive pop, to just pure pop rock and roll. You have probably heard some of the hits from this CD and didn’t even know who they were. So, enjoy as I spin a few of these masterpieces for you.

Paul Thorn Live at Zoey's

What a stroke of luck. Maria asked me to help her son move into his new apartment in Santa Barbara on Saturday. And that evening Paul Thorn was playing in a little coffee shop in Ventura called Zoey’s. We had once again missed a chance to see Paul in Hollywood on Friday because of Wicked, so finally, after 2 or 3 years of missed opportunities, I wasn’t going to let this one go by: Even though we had driven to Hollywood and back on Friday and now Santa Barbara on Saturday. Even though we didn’t have reservations. Even though I had my daughter Jessie with me and the odds of hearing songs like “Viagra Falls” were good. I wasn’t gonna let Paul leave the Southland without seeing him.

Zoey’s is a very cool little place. If you ever find yourself in Ventura, on Main St. (the main strip), check it out. It is a very small coffee/food shop with seating in the very small courtyard. There is a stairwell at the end of the courtyard (when I say courtyard, think 200 square feet… barely a yard) and up the stairs is a small room that fits 50 people. It is so small that Paul was distracted when the bartender at the far end of the room made our lattes.

So we had dinner downstairs. The place is so casual that Paul stopped by our table and asked us if he could borrow our paper (his friends had deserted him and he wanted to keep busy). After a bit of a scare (“We’re sold out tonight”), we found out there were still a few seats left and after finishing our mini pizza’s (cooked on the bbq) up we went for the concert.

Paul is everything I thought he’d be. His Southern self-deprecating sense of humor is not only part of his music, it is a part of everything he says and does. Almost every song had a story and every story had us rolling off our seats. I love to describe him as a trailer park version of John Hiatt, and his “true” stories about trailer park life are so funny and sad at the same time that you’re almost crying while you’re laughing. People always talk about his wonderful songs, but his voice is soulful, his guitar playing is near perfect, and his verbal timing is absolutely perfect.

Paul did two 45 minute sets. The first focused on his classic “Ain’t Love Strange” CD; maybe one of the best unknown classics available at your local trailer part, oops, I mean record store. In both sets he did songs from throughout his career, including the title track from his first CD, “Hammer and Nail” (a song inspired by his ring battle with Roberto “no mass” Duran).

We all had a great time, with Jessie and Maria walking away with signed CDs.

Wicked

I know, this has nothing to do with The Promise, but I thought I'd share...

The traffic in L.A. is getting ridiculous. I left before 5pm Friday night, picked up my daughter and then my niece, and got to the Pantages just minutes before the start of the show at 8pm. Hmmm, I think I’ve done this rant before. Nevermind.

I absolutely love Wicked. We saw it in New York last summer and I was ready to go back the next night. A year later, the play still has that effect on me. The cast was excellent. We didn’t see the original Glinda in New York, but the current one is easily as good. I thought the actress who played Elphaba wasn’t up to the original, but she did a fine job and hit the big numbers when called for. The head of the school was played by Carol Kane, who I love. She did a great job also.

When we saw the play in New York, we were in the 5^th row. Friday night we were in the second to last under the balcony. I think we may have been too close in New York because I don’t remember the lighting being so spectacular. The sound was also excellent. I was worried being under the balcony, but they found a way to get the sound to us with a minimum of echo. I don’t think there is a bad seat in the house for this show.

So, what is it that makes this play so special? Part of it is the main underlying themes about being different and misunderstood. If you grew up feeling that way, you can’t help but be moved by Wicked. But this isn’t just a serious play. There were plenty of laughs throughout with lots of references to the original Oz (when Elphaba shows up at her sister’s house, her sister asks her what she is doing there and Elphaba says, “There’s no place like home”). For those of you who have read the book, my niece Tracey said that it really didn’t follow it at all, but she loved the play nonetheless.

Wicked plays in L.A. through mid July and then returns to So. Cal at the Performing Arts Center in The OC next summer. I can’t recommend this play enough.

This Weeks Play List

The White Stripes – Get Behind Me Satan (2005) The critics are talking like this is a major leap for the band. All that is really going on is that they have replaced the guitar with a piano as the driving instrument in many of the songs. This isn’t anything amazing, but it is very interesting and they do pull it off. The sound hasn’t really changed otherwise. And don’t get me wrong, I really do like this CD.

Frank Carillo and the Bandoleros – Bad Out There (2004) That middle American rock done so well by people like John Mellencamp and Bob Seger, is alive and well here. The music will keep your foot taping and you’ll probably even find yourself humming along in no time. There isn’t a bad song on this CD. For more info, check out their web site at: http://www.frankcarillo.com .

Porcupine Tree Live at The Grove of Anaheim

Okay, this is a bit late, but… well, I’ve been busy.

I have only listened to the latest Porcupine Tree CD, Deadwing. So for me, much of the music was new. But that didn’t matter. In one of those rare evenings, I found that I loved everything they played. PT is where I believe rock was heading before bands got greedy and/or pretentious (greedy and pretentious at the same time… ouch), and then were deserted by both radio and the fans. In the 70’s this band would have been big. Not that this is a 70’s sound… hmmmm, well maybe. The concept (not the sound) is very similar to the first couple of Kansas CDs: Tight sound, great leads, good melodies, complex but assessable music. The sound is a little bit metal, a little bit rock and roll and a lot of… Ambrosia. Or maybe Toy Matinee. That’s the sound the vocals reminded me of. They weren’t the hard intense metal vocals. That combined with superior songwriting, made it easy to just love everything they played. Steven Wilson (lead singer and main lead guitar) is one talented guy. The rest of the members of the band are no slouches either; highlighted by the intense and tight drumming (perfect mic setup according to my audiophile friend Kim) which drove the band. They are coming back in October and I plan on being there.

There was a lot of joking going around during Robert Fripp’s show. This is because what he does best is create soundscapes. And, that is all he did that night. So, near the end of the first piece, some guy turns around and says to us, “this next part is great”. Of course no one has a clue what the next part is, but it isn’t much different from what he has been playing; at least on the surface (more on that in a minute). Finally Kim turns to the guy sitting next to us and said, “Well, what did you expect” and he said, “Exactly this”. But for those who really listened, each song had a feel and a mood. I was able to visualize possible movies that this would have been the soundtrack to. The first piece was dark and scary. It was like a scene where a person was walking through the house and the killer was behind one of the doors. The tension and anticipation could be heard in the music. Maybe not something to thrill fans with, but still very interesting. The other interesting aspect to his show was that he had apparently split his guitar pickups into two sections sending each to a different box, allowing him to create multiple types of sounds at the same time. When you then layer it using loops, it becomes very impressive. 40 minutes of that was quiet enough though.

I am playing a few songs from Porcupine Tree's, "Deadwing" on The Promise. Check it out.

This Weeks Play List

The Clarks – Between Now and Then (June 21, 2005) The Clarks have been recording for almost 15 years, and it shows. This retrospective, due out next week, is packed with solid rock and roll; full of hooks and great melodies. If I were to try and draw comparisons to another band, it would have to be the Greg Kihn Band. In the 70’s, before they hit it big, the Greg Kihn band was the toast of the San Francisco bay area. Their live shows were legend. You would listen to an album and say, “Why hasn’t this band made it”. That’s where the Clarks are right now. You can check them out at: www.clarksonline.com .

The Wallflowers – Rebel, Sweetheart (2005) Jakob continues to create powerful rock and roll. This CD sounds so comfortable; it is easy to take for granted. But as is the case with all great music, it is driven by good meaningful lyrics and a now very solid band.

Peter Himmelman – From Strength to Strength (1991) I guess this is family week, with Bob’s son and son-in-law added to the list. This is a classic; a very spiritual CD with great melodies.

This Weeks Play List

Before I list the new CDs added to the play list this week, I thought I'd direct you to my quicky review of The Mars Volta live performance at the Greek Theatre this week. Check it out here.

Okay, on with the new music...

Shelby Lynne – Suit Yourself (2005) Some 30 years ago Neil Young walked into the studio, got drunk, turned on the tape machine and recorded the brilliant “Tonight’s The Night”. It was raw, emotional and simply recorded. And ever since then, many an artist has decided that what they need to fill out their discography is to record an album that sounds like a first take in a studio. If I had any doubt that Shelby Lynne was recording one of those CDs, it just took a quick look at the CD, with what appears to be typed labels on both the cover and the actual CD. Okay, so we get the point. This is supposed to be a simple and raw CD. And it is. It’s a beautiful CD too. But then, it is hard with a voice like Shelby’s to go very far wrong. Because there is no big produced hook on this CD, you have to give it a few listens to really fall for it. It’s no “I Am Shelby Lynne” and for that matter it sure isn’t “Tonight’s The Night”, but neverheless,it is a good CD.

Shivaree – Who’s Got Trouble? (2005) Compared to 1999’s “I Oughtta Give You a Shot in the Head for Making Me Live in This Dump”, this CD is downright normal. Okay, I have to admit, I only brought up that CD because it is one of my all time favorite album/CD titles. But seriously, Shivaree may have moved closer to the mainstream with this CD, but they are still a unique band with one of the great unknown vocalists: Ambrosia Parsley. She’s part young girl, part sultry torch singer. For me, her cover of Brian Eno’s “Fat Lady of Limbourg” was worth the price of admission. Check them out at www.shivaree.com .

Spamalot – Original Broadway Cast Recording (2005) What can I say? I’ve been a Monty Python fan most of my life and for one of the boys to win a Tony for best musical… Well, we have to celebrate. They’re not dead yet!

Bonnie Raitt – Give it Up (1972) I have been way behind in getting Bonnie onto my stream. She is one of the great women in rock and roll. This album, her sophomore effort already displays the qualities that have made her famous: Her throaty vocals and classic slide guitar.

Tomorrow Tomorrow

Between the Mars Volta concert on Saturday and the Aids walk on Sunday, I had nothing left by the time it came to getting this weeks set out. But I promise... Tomorrow morning there will be a new set of music. Included in that set will be new music from Shelby Lynne and Shivaree and maybe a bit of Spamalot.

I enjoyed reading all of your comments on Sam Phillips' show. Please feel free to comment on any of my posts.

A Little Sam Phillips at Largo

Annie wrote me the other day and said, “I’m back online after a month.” She then began listing concerts that were coming up (Annie’s concert emails are a great source for live shows). And then she said, “And of course Sam Phillips is playing tomorrow.” WHAT! WHAT?

So I packed my daughter, Jessie, in the car and off we went to see Sam. Actually, it was a David Palmer performance (keyboardist for Joe Henry and others) and Sam was only going to sing a few songs. But with Sam in the studio and working on Gilmore Girls this year, I’m taking every opportunity to see her.

The opening act was Mark Goldenberg, who did some wonderful unaccompanied jazz guitar playing. Then David came on and played some amazing songs; covering a wide range of styles, from Elliot Smith to Sonny Rollins. After about 4 songs, he invited Sam to come up and sing. With just his brilliant improvisational piano behind Sam, we got to see a very different Sam Phillips. Sam likes to call herself a torch singer these days, and who can argue with her. But her band has its own unique sound. With David, Sam had a torch piano player behind her. It gave her songs that real jazz torch singer sound: A sound that she’s only flirted with so far. It was stunning. Okay, Sam is always stunning (especially in Black, which she loves to wear onstage), but this was special. It was the jazz side of Sam, and although they are the same songs she plays with the band, they felt so different.

During the performance, Sam would look back strangely at David. I thought it was because of his improvising of her songs, but actually it was because he was humming with the songs; and not the tune of the song. Sam was surprised by it, but seemed to really love it.

Below is her set list. A highlight continues to be Tom Waits’ “Green Grass” from his latest CD. She owns that song now, as far as I’m concerned. She is talking about possibly recording it. I hope so. It really fits the music she is writing.

1. Say What You Mean
2. Edge of the World
3. Green Grass (written by Tom Waits)
4. Reflecting Light

After Sam left the stage, Eric Gorfain (the lead violin for the Section Quartet) joined David, a drummer and a bongo player and proceeded to perform some classic 60’s/70’s styled improvisational jazz. It was really good. It brought back memories of people like Jean Luc Ponty and Chick Corea, who I used to enjoy in the 70’s. David created these wonderful soundscapes that allowed Eric to soar on top of. I can only imagine how good it would have been if they actually had a sound check.

Okay Sam news. The goal for the next CD is fall, but no guarantees. T-Bone’s new CD has been pushed back because of production assignments, so look for it next year. T-Bone’s live tour will be something you’ll tell your grandkids about. Don’t miss it. Gilmore Girls has been picked up for at least one more, maybe two more years. So Sam has a steady job for now.

This Weeks Play List

Gabrielle – Wide (6/14/2005) Gabrielle is part of the New York scene that includes artists like October Project and Sylvia Tosun (both played here on The Promise). And this new CD, to be released in June includes ex-New Yorkers like Julian Coryell. They want us to believe that she carries the spirit of Joni Mitchell and Peter Gabriel in her music. I’m not sure about Joni, but I do hear Tori Amos and Kate Bush. Some of the music on this CD is wonderfully produced with a “world beat” sound. Other songs are just straight singer/songwriter pieces. It makes for a very interesting experience. Just as you’re getting into this moody Middle Eastern thing, she switches to a life in the biz song. It takes a lot of confidence to go into these two very distinct areas, and Gabrielle pulls it off. Her web site is www.mudmusic.com and you should check out her artwork while you’re there. She is a very talented woman.

pinkeye d’gekko – Dry Clothes for the Drowning (2004) PDG, as they like to shorten the name, plays a lively roots rock and roll. I’m sure their live shows are a blast and you can even invite mom and dad. For touring info and such, go to: www.pdgrocks.com .

John Prine – Fair & Square (2005) One of the great American songwriters puts out his first CD since surviving cancer. His voice may not be what it used to, but the talent is still there.

Keren Ann – Nolita (2005) I saw Keren earlier this year at the Hotel Café and fell in love with her music. This is her new CD which continues her European styled vocalist approach to music. Going back and forth between French and English, I close my eyes and think: Claudine Longet wasn’t this good. Keren can be found at www.kerenann.com .

This Weeks Play List

Cowboy Junkies –Early 21^st Century Blues (2005) I remember the first time I heard the Cowboy Junkies: It was their amazing cover of Lou Reed’s “Sweet Jane”. So it was no surprise to me that I would enjoy this CD of covers. Highlights for me include the two Springsteen covers, “Brothers Under The Bridge” and “You’re Missing”. Other than John Lennon’s “I Don’t Want To Be A Soldier”, which is given a rap section, this is all very Cowboy Junkies music. If you’re a fan, you will love this side excursion.

Loudon Wainwright III – Here Come The Choppers! (2005) What a fun CD this is. Where do I start? There is a fantastic song called “Make Your Mother Mad” about how daughters will side with their fathers in a divorce just to piss off mom. Has anyone ever covered this before? I loved it. “Half Fist” is a wonderful tale about Loudon Wainwright the first. I haven’t quite figured out what the idea behind visiting Hank Williams grave the day Mr. Rogers died in “Hank & Fred”, but it makes for fun discussion. And I laughed and related to “My Biggest Fan”, which is self explanatory. The title track is a surreal image that most of us who have lived in Los Angeles can easily picture. If you’ve been down the Miracle Mile, you will love this song. I love this CD. Great home spun songs. He is a superior writer showing off his craft.

Myshkin’s Ruby Warblers – Corvidae (2004) This is strange and wonderful CD. It’s bluesy and yet not at all predictable. It’s an indie release that deserves some attention. You can find them at http://www.myshkinsrubywarblers.com .

Dave Potts – One Night In The South (2003) His voice reminds me of Marc Douglas Berardo, an indie favorite here at The Promise. His folkish songs about the south are engrossing and grabbed me immediately. You can find out more about Dave at http://www.davepotts.com

Martyn Joseph – Whoever it was that brought me here will have to take me home (2004) This CD, actually released in 2003, continues his tradition of great songwriting. It is maybe the best written CD of this week’s additions. It’s that good. Find out more at http://www.appleseedrec.com .

Aimee Mann – The Forgotten Arm (2005) This is a theme CD about addicts and alcoholism and all the pain that follows them and the people around them. It is not a happy CD and is one that asks to be taken seriously. Nevertheless, it is classic Aimee Mann: The departure is only in the constant theme. You’ve got to give credit to Aimee, who is a borderline indie artist, to release a risky CD like this. It will pay off for those who listen to it.

Porcupine Tree – Deadwing (2005) Okay, so once in awhile I need to slip a progressive rock CD in here. There are a couple of songs that fit into The Promise’s play list. If you are into prog rock, this is a not miss CD.

Lene Lovich – Lucky Number The Best of (2004) There used to be a story I loved to tell that described me. It was many many years ago and I was in a record store (no CDs yet) returning a Lene Lovich album. I had gotten it as a gift and asked the clerk if I could return it and get something else. He smiled and said, “Sure, you don’t look like a Lene Lovich fan anyway”. And I said, “Well, actually, I already have it”. I loved the idea that people couldn’t read me: That they couldn’t see that I loved this hip/strange music coming from England. Today, listening to this best of CD it seems so much tamer than 25 years ago. And me? I wish people understood me just a bit better.

Not This Week

Some of you may have noticed that the play list went down over the weekend. Well, that was part of a bigger problem that I spent Sunday night on. We moved our web/mail server to a data center because of a problem with SBC. That coupled with the fact that I'm headed out to St. Louis this morning means that there will be no new set this week. The good news is that there will be lots of new old stuff to listen to. I always overbuild my play list for times like this. This extra section is always filled with lots of older sets that you may not have heard. So, please stay tuned.

Next week, I promise (a little pun there), lots of new music including: Aimee Mann's latest, "The Forgotten Arm", last years release of Martyn Joseph's "Whoever it was that brought me here will have to take me home", maybe a bit of Porcupine Tree, plus indie artists Dave Potts and Myshkin's Ruby Warblers (gotta love that name). And then there is the stuff I haven't even listened to yet!

Shawn Colvin Live at the Coach House

“I hope you like women with guitars” said Brook Ramel part way through her set last night. Luckily we do, ‘cause that is what we got. Brook, along with Brandi Carlisle gave excellent performances; but the night belonged to Shawn, who hasn’t been to Southern California in a few years. “When was I last here?” Shawn asked. “A couple of years ago. You went to Disneyland”, I said (notice I didn’t say yelled? You don’t need to yell when you are within speaking distance ::::big grin:::: ). “I went to Disneyland? Oh yeah I did. Well my daughter is 7 now and…”. And that led to a story about her daughter farting in a Chinese restaurant. The good old Shawn is back, telling wonderfully new stories and singing her songs with a love that hasn’t been there for the last few years.

But Shawn was a bit distracted. You could tell when she first came out and hadn’t even decided what her first song was going to be. Shawn is one of the few artists with the talent and guts to go on stage without a set list. But usually she at least knows what she wants to start with. After a couple of songs she was sort of fumbling around and I said, “Tell us a story”. “Okay. I wasn’t going to tell you this one but…” And then she proceeded to tell us the story of her accident that she had that day. It was her little Ford rental going full force into a Korean woman’s Volvo. Shawn lost, with airbags exploding and, well… She had us in stitches, which luckily for her she wasn’t in. But you could see that some pain was starting to settle in. This may have been the reason for her sitting on a stool throughout the show. And that is all I really need to say about this show. The beauty of a Shawn Colvin concert is that you never know what songs she is going to play (because she doesn’t) and she’s always got great stories to tell you. Her voice is always so beautiful and she is such a good guitar player; even if she denies it (“Please turn down the monitors for my guitar, I don’t want to hear all of my mistakes”).

There were actually very few covers last night. She opened with a Chris Whitley song and did a few other standards: The best of which was probably Merle Haggard’s “White Line Fever”. She seems much happier with herself and her music these days. We only got one new song from the album she is working on though. It sounded good and it will be so nice to have new Colvin material to listen to, someday.

This Weeks Play List

Ryan Adams and the Cardinals – Cold Roses (2005) A return to brilliance for Ryan as he delivers a short double CD that is his best work since Gold. The most prolific writer on the scene since Elvis Costello, hurry and enjoy this now, ‘cause he’s got another one coming in the fall.

Ben Folds – Songs for Silverman (2005) If you are a fan of Ben’s music, you will love this CD. Otherwise, it may take a couple of listens to allow this complex mix of piano based rock and personal lyrics to grab you. With so few piano rockers out there, it is well worth the wait.

Bruce Sprinsteen Live at the Pantages

Rule #1: When deciding which Springsteen show to go to in L.A., never pick opening night. For some reason industry people always end up at that show, and Bruce must know it. The crowd isn’t as alive and the set list is usually pretty straightforward. Although Monday night wasn’t a typical opener for The Boss (there were 4 tour premiers), Tuesday night was one of those special nights. And this wasn’t a “reserved” crowd like Monday night’s, giving him big ovations several times throughout the night. Probably the largest ovation came after a stunning version of “The River” with Bruce on piano. The second biggest ovation was probably for… Nils. Yep, Nils Lofgrin showed up near the end of the show to play acoustic lead on “Waitin’ on a Sunny Day”.

This is the kind of tour that Springsteen fans dream of. He is adding and dropping songs like crazy so far. At least six songs from Tuesday’s show were not on Monday’s set list. He dropped Black Cowboys (one of my favorites on the new CD) but brought back “Racing in the Streets” (he has done this a few times on the tour). Instead of opening with to Reason to Believe (which was moved to the number 2 slot) he sat down at a pump organ and played My Beautiful Reward. It was a less dramatic opening, but was a nice lead-in to the intense Reason to Believe.

Reason to Believe was done with just voice and harmonica with a bullet mic and Bruce stomping on a board that had a microphone attached. The voice and harmonica were processed through a filter that distorted the hell out of it, making him sound like an old blues singer. The screens went to black and white adding to the effect. I think he may have gotten a bit too excited while singing it though. The pounding on the board caused not only the water on his piano to fall (someone spent some time under the piano cleaning up the mess) but the lamp on the piano fell also and broke (“Patti’s gonna kill me”… it was okay though. He got Nils to take the blame). He used the same filter on his voice for Johnny 99 near the end of the show. I think once was probably enough for that effect.

Bruce has been really getting into that falsetto/Roy Orbison thing lately, and he is doing it really well. Several songs ended with sections of him hitting really high notes (for him) as he hummed/yodeled. I gotta say though, his need to do that twang to his voice on some songs continues to be a little annoying. It isn’t him and it only distracts from the song.

Maybe the best parts of these shows are the stories. During Jesus was an Only Son, he would stop and a la VH1 Storytellers, would describe the next section of the song. He did it so naturally though; it felt like it was part of the song. He did 2 boarder crossing songs, The Line and Matamoras Banks. During the later he made his most political speech, asking for a humane immigration law. Matamoras Banks is sung in reverse chronological order, starting with the floating body in the river that never made it across the boarder. The only real shot he took at president Bush was his public unwillingness to agree that evolution happened. During these moments the crowd would try and applaud his words and he would stop them. “Nope, Nope, stop… don’t want to be preaching to choir” (something like that). He then went on to talk about the hate mail he received after the last set of shows; which he enjoyed receiving. His favorite was a box of his records and a dead chicken. He liked that one.

The sound at the Pantages was fantastic. His voice came through crystal clear. You could understand all of his stories without straining and it was actually easier to understand the lyrics on the new songs than when listening to the CD. What a fantastic evening.

The set list, courtesy of brucespringsteen.net (I believe the all cap songs are tour premiers):

1. MY BEAUTIFUL REWARD (on pump organ)
2. Reason to Believe
3. Devils and Dust
4. Youngstown
5. EMPTY SKY
6. Long Time Comin'
7. Silver Palomino
8. THE RIVER (on piano)
9. TOUGHER THAN THE REST (on piano)
10. Part Man, Part Monkey
11. ALL THE WAY HOME
12. THE LINE
13. Reno
14. Racing in the Street (on piano)
15. The Rising
16. Further On (Up the Road)
17. Jesus Was an Only Son (on piano)
18. Leah
19. The Hitter
20. Matamoras Banks

encore:
21. Johnny 99
22. If I Should Fall Behind (on guitar)
23. Waitin' on a Sunny Day (w/ Nils)
24. The Promised Land

This Weeks Play List

Fergus McCormick – Jumping The Gun (2005) There is a lady named Ariel who sends me CDs from the artists that she represents; and boy can she pick ‘em. This is one of the best indie releases I’ve heard this year: Great melodies, good storytelling and well produced and arranged. His bio lists lots of artists who he may remind you of and I can’t argue with it. Check out this singer/songwriter yourself at www.fergusmccormick.org . You won’t be sorry.

And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead – Worlds Apart (2005) This alternative band is wonderfully unique and yet so accessible. There is a sense of humor to go along with the loud guitars and powerful rhythms throughout this CD.

Jorane – the You and the Now (2005) Not too long ago my Google alert for Kate Bush came up with an interview with a French Canadian singer/cellist who goes by the name Jorane. Having the cello as the main instrument was intriguing, but to also have her sound remind the writer of Kate Bush was enough to get me to check her out. What a beautiful unique CD this is. As you might guess, the bass line is the focus of this music. It is soft and moody and although she doesn’t “sound” like Kate Bush, her use of her voice as an instrument does remind you of how Kate works. This CD has been doing a good job of battling for CD player time with Bruce’s new one.

Bruce Springsteen – Devils and Dust (2005) After all the hype what really surprised me about this CD was how well arranged and produced it was: Not that Brendan O’Brien isn’t a good producer. It’s just that with all the comparisons to Tom Joad and Nebraska, I expected a more stripped down record. Most of the arrangements fill the room nicely without distracting from the power of his messages. Listening to this CD got me thinking: What if Bruce had worked with Brendan back in the early 90’s when he did those two solo CDs. Can you imagine how much better they might have been? Anyway, this will not disappoint Springsteen fans and those who don’t follow his music but love Americana singers might love this one also. And with some of the explicate lyrics, Bruce may finally be able to get some of his hero worshipers to see him as more human.

Glenn Tilbrook - Transatlantic Ping Pong (2004) Glenn, for those who don’t know, is half of the songwriting team that makes up Squeeze. He is the half with the Paul McCartney voice. The songs that he just sings purely; they soar. There are several on this, his latest CD. There are also a couple fun songs, including what someday may be a country classic: “Genitalia of a Fool”. If you are a Squeeze fan, you will enjoy this CD.

Maia Sharp – Fine Upstanding Citizen (2005) I saw Maia open for Bob Schneider a few years back and really enjoyed her set. This is the first CD of her’s that I’ve listened to and I really enjoyed it. There is great songwriting going on here with good melodies to carry the songs. The title track is a weird way to end this CD (and actually an interesting choice to name the CD after) but it is very funny and sad.

Los Lobos – How Will The Wolf Survive? (1984) The Wolf (Los Lobos) has survived very nicely, thank you. And so has this, their first major release, 20 plus years later. T-Bone Burnett produced this CD which stands to remind us that the L.A./Southern California sound was and is bilingual. What a great album.