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.

This Weeks Play List

Aqualung – Strange and Beautiful (2005) Matt Hales has created a beautifully produced CD. Like Beth Orton’s “Central Reservation”, the production draws you in but the song writing keeps you there.

Rilo Kiley – More Adventurous (2004) This was a fun CD to listen to. Some of the songs are radio friendly. Many of them take on serious subjects like death and suicide, but from a young prospective. I really enjoyed this a lot.

Bruce Springsteen – Nebraska (1982) This is on sale right now at Tower.com and other places. If you haven’t upgraded your vinyl, this is a good time to do it. 23 years later it still rings true.

Aimee Mann – Batchelor No. 2 (1999) It’s Aimee. She doesn’t put out a bad CD.

Stevie Ray Vaughan – Couldn’t Stand The Weather (1984) How can I be playing all this music from Austin and not put some Stevie in there. Every year when we go to the ACL festival in Austin, we always walk past Stevie’s statue along the way and stop and say hi. What a huge loss it was to the music world when he died.

Surf Report – Supersonic Salvation (2002) If you liked the songs I played from Charlie Can Surf, you’re gonna love this CD. I’m not a surf music aficionado, but this stuff really gets my feet tapping. It also takes me back to my childhood and listening to great bands like The Ventures. The surf’s always up at www.surfreportwebsite.com .

Nuggets – Disk 2 (1998) More music from my childhood. Rhino took an excellent 2 LP set of music from the psychedelic era and turned it into a 4 CD set that is amazing.

Cat Stevens – Tea for the Tillerman (1970) I must be regressing this week. Sorry. For those of you who listen to The Promise for the new music, trust me, there is plenty of new music this week. But as always I try and leave some room for reminiscing. And what a great album this was.

This Weeks Play List

Missy Higgins – The Sound of White (2004/2005) A singer out of Austrialia, with a voice like Fiona Apple, Missy seems destined for stardom. WB appears to be putting some muscle behind this CD so expect to hear way too much of it in the near future; if you aren’t already hearing it. That isn’t to say that it is bad. If you like female singer/songwriters, you are going to like Missy Higgins. This is good songwriting with catching tunes (I’ll leave off the most catching for terrestrial radio stations). You can see more Missy at www.missyhiggins.com .

Jellyfish – Bellybutton (1990) I probably wasn’t ready for this band 15 years ago, but I am now. What a great power pop band this was. Third billed in the band is Jason Falkner (I recently added him to the play list) and that tells you a lot about how much talent is here. It is very easy to compare them to Crowded House. But you can decide for yourself.

Limbeck – Hi, Everything’s Good (2002) I saw them open for the Drive By Truckers and said at that time that I couldn’t hear the lyrics but liked their Americana power pop. The one thing I did notice was that they talked a lot about the cities they traveled to. And so after listening to the CD, everything I heard was correct. They really do like talking about the off beat cities that they’ve been to. The lyrics are at times conversational (which you may or may not like) but they are good enough to raise this band above the ordinary. I even like the packaging of the CD which includes a mini booklet. Each page in the book looks like a postcard with a stamp and a picture and the lyrics to a song. Very cute. And a fun band to listen to. For more info, go to http://www.limbeck.net/ .

Joe Henry – Scar (2001) His name has been around forever, but he’s another artist that has not gotten the attention he’s deserved. Scar is my first real intro to him and I like it a lot. This CD, which I don’t believe is like any of his others is very jazz based with people like Ornette Coleman on sax. I fell for this CD immediately. It is dark with rich textures; my favorite combination. And Joe’s site is: http://www.joehenrylovesyoumadly.com/ .

Patti Witten – Land of Souvenirs (1999) Patti is one of my favorite indie artists (yes, I do have favorites, but I love you all). She is a very talented writer with a wonderful voice that carries her songs about life in the not so big cites along the east coast. This is an older CD that I finally got around to. Please check out Patti at http://www.pattiwitten.com/ and if you like this CD you will love “Sycamore Tryst”.

Drive By Truckers – Alabama Ass Whuppin’ (2002) What can I say that I haven’t already said ( http://thepromiselive.blogspot.com/2005/04/drive-by-truckers-and-limbeck-live-at.html ) . These guys are something to see in concert, and this live CD gives you a taste of that.

Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes – I Don’t Want To Go Home (1976) How could any station that plays as much Bruce Springsteen as I do, not have any Southside in the rotation? Well I don’t know how it happened, but I am correcting it this week. If you listen to The Promise, you are most likely a Springsteen fan and therefore I really don’t need to explain Southside to you. So I won’t. I’ll just say that this is a great album produced by Miami Steve. You know the rest.

This Weeks Play List

Bruce Springsteen - Devils and Dust (2005) We've got the single and I can't wait for the rest of what should be another excellent CD from The Boss.

Jamie Anderson - A Promise of Light (2005) Jamie knows what she is doing, both artistically and promotion wise. She loves to promote that she is a parking lot attendant. Gotta love that. And her promo material attempts to break down where her songs fit in a broadcaster's format. I'm sure her work as a DJ influenced that idea. The bulk of her CD is folk based with much of it being social without being preachy. I think you will enjoy this fun indie artist. Jamie's web site is http://www.jamieanderson.com .

Drive By Truckers and Limbeck live at the Coach House

The Coach House in San Juan Capistrano is a wonderful place to see a concert, except for the sound. They have good equipment and generally do a good job at mixing. But, if you are near the front of the stage and it is at all loud, you will never hear the vocals. The speakers are above the stage and the sound pretty much goes over your head. What ends up happening are that the amps on stage end up blasting the front tables; therefore no vocals. That being said, Limbeck, the opening band, sounded really good. They are, if I have to label them, an Americana Power Pop Band. How’s that for a label? A more rockin’ John Mellencamp would make a good comparison I suppose. With a band like this though, the lyrics will make or break them. I have no clue. They do have a tendency to write about places; and not classic places either. Minneapolis, Virginia, Ohio, and Orange (okay they are a local band) give you an idea of where these guys travel. On a positive note, they have an EP that is acoustic versions of songs from their CD, “Hi, Everything’s Great”. Any band that is willing to re-record their songs in an acoustic setting must have something to say; right? Otherwise, we enjoyed their show and I look forward to listening more closely to their CD.

I have never seen the Drive By Truckers before and have only heard their latest CD which I really like. Deb, if you’re reading this, I think they played ACL last year and we didn’t see them. BIG MISTAKE. These guys (and gal) had the half filled Coach House, rockin’, performing music you just aren’t gonna hear anywhere else. This is a three guitar (plus bass and drums) army and when they are in sync, they blow through you like (oh I better not do that metaphor) radiation from an atomic blast (okay that may be overstating it a bit). But this isn’t just another loud band. These guys are mainly from Alabama and actually have something to say. They are as much Southern as they are dark. So we were all bouncing around to dark tunes about hurricanes destroying towns and people dying of cancer because they can’t afford chemo and of course those “pieces of sh*t” politicians. Unlike some political/social rockers who make happy music and sing about serious subjects (“Born in the USA”, need I say more?), there is nothing happy about most of these songs. They are loud and dark and, and, and irresistible. But what impressed me most about DBT last night was that they also know how to pace a show. They came out blasting with songs from their latest CD, “The Dirty South”. About 3 or 4 songs into the show, they slowly started slowing it down. By the third song in this section they had reached a very mellow point (really, three electric guitars and it was still mellow). They then started slowly building it back up until the finale where they just kicked the doors out of the place. The encore was a mixed bag of music that was interrupted 3 times by a waitress delivering shots to the band (did I mention that they were all swigging on a bottle of Jack throughout night?). They were at least smart enough to know that 2 was their limit on shots and left the last round for after the show I assume. With all the drinking going though, on this is still a no nonsense band. They didn’t talk to the audience much, but there was lots of eye contact and at one point all three guitars and the bass were out on the tables playing their guitars TO the crowd. This was one hot show. If you are anywhere near the El Ray tonight (Friday) GO SEE THEM. They will be up at the Fillmore on Saturday.

This Weeks Play List

Lots of new music this week…

Holly Palmer – I Confess (2004) If you haven’t read my review of her show with Kenny White, start here: http://thepromiselive.blogspot.com/2005/03/kenny-white-and-holly-palmer-live-at.html . I really like this CD. It’s pop enough to lure in the casual listener, but her lyrics are well beyond the typical pop pulp. And what she does with her voice; how she plays with phrasing… it’s just a pleasure to listen to. You can find her music and her sexy photos at www.hollypalmer.com .

Young Dubliners – Real World (2005) I’ve been a Young Dubliners fan for years. They have always been known for their live shows (Mosh pits with 30 year olds floating is a thing to behold). Their CDs never lived up to these shows until their live one a few years back. And with each succeeding CD they have continued to improve. This may be the best yet. A little U2? Lots of Ireland and plenty of rock and roll.

Jon Dee Graham – The Great Battle (2004) My friend Deb saw Jon open for Alejandro Escodevo in Chicago this year and loved him. After listening to his latest CD I can understand why: Good melodies, strong songwriting and a voice that makes you want to clear your throat throughout (okay, that is either a plus or a minus. I love it).

The Devlins – Waves (2005) Another good CD from The Devlins. I know, I just added an old Devlins CD to the play list. Isn’t that always the way. Anyway, this is an excellent CD. 2005 is turning into a good year musically.

Charlie Does Surf – A Tribute To The Clash (2004) Living in Southern California you can’t really go too far without running into something that has to do surfing. And here in the OC we are the home of surf music. But it took a some guys down in San Diego to put together this wonderful grouping of surf bands playing their favorite Clash tunes. The best songs on this CD aren’t the biggest hits. But check it out for yourself. You can get more info at www.rickshawrecords.com .

Joni Mitchell – Hejira (1976). When I was a teen, back in the very early 70’s, Russ Shaw, a friend of the family’s, handed me the Warner Brothers catalog and said, “Pick out all the albums you want”. This was around 1971 or so. What a great time for music that was. I picked around 20 albums. Stuff from Van Morrison, James Taylor, The Grateful Dead, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple and Joni. So began my love affair with probably the greatest woman in folk and rock. I think I love Hejira today more than when it came out. Joni was moving away from the accessible pop and closer to her jazz future. The music on this album is still powerful, almost 30 years later.

John Fogerty – Premonition (1998) It’s John Fogerty Live, playing not only his solo music, but CCR classics as well (finally). What else needs to be said?

Bruce Springsteen – Live in New York City (2001) The live album we always wanted. As close to a full set from The Boss as we will ever get… legally.

Kenny White and Holly Palmer Live at Genghis Cohen

What is it with L.A. traffic? Last week it took 2.5 hours to get into Hollywood. Tonight it took less than an hour. Luckily, I had a plan. With some time to kill, I went to Amoeba Records and picked up Jellyfish’s “Bellybutton” and the Young Dubliners’ “Real World”. It was the first time I’ve ever walked out of there for under $25. Actually, it was the first time I’ve ever walked out of there for under $100 I believe.

Genghis Cohen’s is a cool little restaurant, just down the street from Largo on Melrose and Fairfax. The food smells good. Someday I’ll actually give it a try. The room off to the side where the music’s at is a bit like a church with benches (sort of like pews) and small tables in front of them. You can actually order from the menu and they will bring your food to you. I’d guess the room holds all of 60 people; and it was pretty packed tonight. This was in sharp contrast to Kenny’s last visit. On that night he picked not only the night of the season finale of the Soprano’s but it also a Laker playoff night (that probably won’t happen again any time soon). I was one of 9 people who showed up for that show.

Kenny did about 50 minutes playing songs mainly from his current CD, Symphony in 16 Bars, with a couple from his first CD and one or two unreleased songs. Most of the songs were performed on piano, with Kenny moving over to acoustic guitar for a few before finishing off big on piano with a couple of songs including “My Recurring Dream”, a crowd favorite. I know I’ve said this a million times but… When you go to a Kenny White show, what you get is great piano playing, good songwriting and lyrics so good they remind me of Elvis Costello at his best. Hmmm, this is the first time I’ve made that comparison. I think I like it. Elvis has lots of great one-liners in his songs and so does Kenny. But Kenny’s are more personal, more confessional. There is less anger and more insight. Therapy has been good to him and his songwriting.

There seems to be this movement of singer/songwriters doing folk/jazz based music. Julian Coryell has been moving into it but Kenny has been doing it for several years. If Kenny White is the Torchbearer of this style of music (I know, I’m being a bit over dramatic here), then Holly Palmer is the torch. What you really notice about Holly is her need to take risks. Every song is an adventure. In fact, Kenny told me after the show that this was the first time the two of them have played together as just a duo (Kenny on keyboards and Holly on electric guitar). You could tell they were really playing off of each other; sometimes they missed and everyone laughed. This appears to be something that you might expect at one of her concerts. Holly has no problem finding ways to make you laugh. Sometimes it is as simple (and daring) as the willful withholding of a note. Other times she uses gestures and her eyes to get you to laugh. And you never know what is going to come out of her mouth. At times she is almost talking and then she is singing in someone else’s voice and then this beautiful powerful note seems to come from nowhere and takes over the room. It was amazing watching her walk that tightrope.

One of the signs of a great artist is their ability to sing someone else’s music and make it there own. Holly did that every time. Her version of “Crazy” showed off her vocal abilities without coming off like a Patsy Cline wannabe. As you can see, I was really impressed with her. Listening to her CD “I Confess” on the way home, I could hear how she changed and played with so many of the songs. The CD doesn’t begin to explain just how good she is in concert, but it is a good start.

Holly can be found at www.hollypalmer.com and Kenny can be found at www.kennywhite.net.

This Weeks Play List

Blue Merle – Burning in the Sun (2005) As I have stated before on this site, I came across these guys because Island Records sent me a link to a live performance. The studio CD sounds just as good, if not better.

Michele Albano – I know nothing about this woman, other than from an email requesting that I play her music. If I find out more, I will pass it on. The first song out the door reminds me a bit of Fiona Apple. Hope you enjoy it.

Mark Geary – Ghosts (2005) There doesn’t seem to be a shortage of singer songwriters these days. That is a good thing. My friend Mike pushed this one on me. This may be competing for CD of the year, but it is way too early to tell.

Jason Falkner – Bliss Descending (2004) It’s only 5 songs, but so worth the 10 bucks I paid for it. Everyone I know was recommending this one it seemed. I’m sure all of this CD will make it onto the play list within the next 2 months.

Howie Day – Australia (2000) I love his latest CD, so I had to go back and check out his debut. This is a good CD, but not quite up there with “Stop All the World Now”.

World Party – Egyptology (1997) This is a great CD. How did it get overlooked by EVERYONE. And the song, “She’s the One”… That was a song of the year. What? You don’t own this? Go straight to amazon.com and buy it: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00004YS2M/qid=1112002261/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl15/104-7586264-9295968?v=glance&s=music&n=507846

KGSR – Broadcasts Vol. 6 (1998) What a great collection of CDs from Austin. Volume 6 isn’t the best of the 12, but there are some great moments, including excellent songs by Shawn Colvin, Neil Finn, and John Hiatt.

Bruce Springsteen – In Concert and Blood Brothers. More music from the early/mid 90’s from Bruce.

Kathleen Edwards Live at the Knitting Factory Hollywood

A little rain and suddenly the freeways are a parking lot? It took 2.5 hours to get to Hollywood last night (it should take about an hour with traffic). Luckily I had no doubts about seeing a good show. The only issue was whether we were going to see a show at all. Since I’ve never been to the Knitting Factory I had no idea what their version of 8pm meant. Luckily for us, it meant 9:40. We missed the opening act, but at least didn’t have to wait long for the show since we stepped into KF at 9:20.

The Knitting Factory is a very unique place in Hollywood. There are 3 stages and all three were going on at once last night. As long as the music doesn’t get too quiet and no one goes through one of the back doors (I believe only staff can go through those) during a song, life is good. The soundproofing is impressive. As for the sound quality, I was very impressed. Not perfectly clean, but clean enough for rock and roll. The acoustics are very good also. I actually traded a few words back and forth with Kathleen during the show and I was a good 20 feet from the stage. Normally, even 5 feet away doesn’t guarantee they will hear you. The only negative, besides very few seats, is a low stage and a short performer. It’s maybe 3 feet high. Another 2 feet would have been great. From 20 feet back we were straining just to see her face. And of course, the tallest guy in the audience is right up front and right in the middle. Oh well.

So, the last time we saw Kathleen Edwards was Easter weekend 2 years ago. Kathleen reminisced about that show late in her show; remembering that there were only about 30 people in the audience and some fell asleep. The reality was that it was a midnight show and she played till well after 1am, there were close to a hundred people there, and only one person fell asleep. It was a very vocal crowd that night, with Kathleen trading barbs with a drunken woman and even recommending a change in sexual preference to her. It was all very relaxed and fun. And then she would kick into one of her songs and it all got very serious. It was one of my favorite performances of the year.

Last night was a more focused Kathleen, with her only briefly talking to the crowd until late in the show. Of course, she’s got that great “I’ve been hanging in pool halls/cowboy bars/ for ever” attitude, so when she does say something, its pretty funny and right to the point. She has no problem telling anyone where the f*ck to go.

Okay, back to the music. The show focused heavily on her new CD with only about 3 songs from “Failer” being played. This meant a more rockin’ affair. Many of the songs end with Kathleen pounding on her acoustic guitar while her guitar player is playing classic lead or slide lead guitar. With this jangling distorted rock it was fitting that she closed the night with a Neil Young song, “Unknown Legend”. But there were also a few moments of soft anguish (especially at the end as she sang with just her guitar and someone opened a door from one of the other stages… Oh, that look could kill). She covered a Gram Parsons song about half way through the set (the one that didn’t make it onto the tribute DVD which I understand was released this week) that was so beautiful. I suppose a beautiful Gram Parsons song is a redundant term. Overall, Kathleen Edwards continues to impress in concert. Whether she is rocking hard, or making you want to cry, as my friend Blair said 2 years ago, “She’s the real thing”. Below is the song list, based on her set list (It doesn’t include the encore or Gram’s Song).

Pink Emerson Radio
In State
Independent Thief
Summer long
Mercury
Copied Keys
Hockey Skates
Six O’Clock News
What Are You Waiting For?
Good Things
Back To Me

There were at least 4 other songs not on the set list. She played for about an hour and twenty minutes. Her web site for anyone who is interested is: http://www.kathleenedwards.com .

This Weeks Play List

Kevin Posey - Posey MFG (????) I met Kevin at a Jill Sobule concert where he put on an outrageous set. But behind the theater, is a voice that is soft and sensual and very dangerous. His people sent me a couple of mp3s and I'm gonna play them for you over the next 2 weeks.

Brainpool - Junk - A Rock Opera (2004) This Swedish band has gone against the grain and created a rock opera. The music is all over the map; from 80's pop to 70's progressive. There were a bunch of songs that I really liked on Junk, and you'll be hearing them on The Promise. You can find out more about them at http://www.brainpool.nu .

The Devlins - Drift (1993) I first heard them at the end of the first episode of Six Feet Under. "Waiting" was an amazing song, but true to form, (HBO creators have good taste in music and record companies don't) the album was out of print. So I picked up Drift. This is one of those bands that never got the attention they deserved.

Elvis Costello - Brutal Youth (1994) Speaking of lack of attention, this is an excellent CD that never got the respect from radio that it deserved. Powerful and controversial and worth every penny you will pay for it.

Counting Crows - Across A Wire - Live in New York City (1998) The Crows are one of the favorites on The Promise. Adam and company work really hard in concert, so you are sure to enjoy many of these songs.

Bruce Springsteen - Born In The USA (1984) It's a great CD, and even though it was so overplayed, you can't help but enjoy these classics when they come around.

Bruce Springsteen - Human Touch (1992) So many of these songs (that includes Lucky Town) have been left behind. We won't do that.

If you are in L.A. this week, check out Kathleen Edwards at the Knitting Factory. If not, watch for her tour. She is something else in concert.

This Weeks Play List

Here we go again... :-)

Tori Amos - The Beekeeper (2005) This is a beautiful CD with its only fault being a lack of power. There are plenty of good songs here, but there is nothing that really blows me away. Still I am enjoying it a lot and if you are a Tori fan, you will like it.

Blue-Eyed Son - West of Lincoln (2004?) I was in the bathroom at the Hotel Cafe and saw a stack of these EPs. So, what the hell, I grabbed one. The Hotel Cafe has a reputation for putting on consistently good music and this band was playing there in a week or two. Fortunately for them, and I suppose for whoever is reading this, I can't make any toilet jokes about this. It is good. I may have to check out their full length CD.

Hamilton Pool - Return To Zero (1995) I had purchased another KGSR CD the other day on Ebay and to my surprise when I opened the package, there were two CDs. The second CD was from this band who I had never heard of, but were based in Austin. What a pleasant surprise to find this laid back folkishly countryish band. I know, pretty lame description. So, just listen in and enjoy the beautiful harmonies and excellent production.

Crowded House - I feel Possessed (1989) This is the most expensive used CD I have ever purchased in a store (at least per song). There are 4 songs on the EP, 3 are covers and performed with Roger McGuinn. Buy all of CH's music before buying this. It's good, but not as good as their originals.

Bruce Springsteen Lucky Town and The Ghost of Tom Joad (Do I really need to tell you the dates?) I continue to catch up on Springsteen CDs. Both have never gotten the airplay they have deserved. Enough said.

Various Artists - Nuggets Disk 3 Every so often I've got to throw in a real oldie. This is the kind of stuff that Little Steven likes, so I guess that is as good an excuse as any to play it, right? I've already been playing Disk 1. Disks 2 and 4 will show up somewhere down the line.

And finally, I found myself on Itunes the other day. There has been so much talk about The Futureheads version of Kate Bush's "Hounds of Love", I just had to hear for myself. And if you haven't heard it, listen in. Also picked up some throw away Lou Reed from the Rock and Roll Animal performances.

Live at the Hotel Cafe

So, have you ever gone to a concert not knowing who the opening act was, only to find it is a great band that you love? Actually that is a possible thread if anyone wants to comment. Anyway, what a surprise to find out that Minibar was the opening act last night. I was supposed to see them perform a year ago at an Italian restaurant in Long Beach only to find out that they had cancelled because they had a gig in Austin.

Minibar is a 4 man band consisting of up to 4 vocals with an acoustic guitar, bass, drums and a pedal steel guitar. When they are all singing it is like country rock heaven. Think early Eagles. They aren’t exactly country rock: It is more like mellow modern rock. But with the steel guitar wailing and those harmonies, well it is easy to get confused. And when they kick it into gear, it isn’t all that mellow either. They played for about 45 minutes. I would love to see a full set by them. It was nice to finally to see them live.

I saw Gary Jules a few weeks ago and this set was very similar to the last (although he was missing his pregnant backing singer). The album he is working on is going to be very good; probably better than his first two. Highlights so far include Pocahontas and Little Greenie (although song titles may change as he has already changed at least one of the names in the last few weeks). Pocahontas appears to be about a woman living in L.A. who “believes in radio”. Obviously this is a fictitious character. Another excellent song is called “Wichita”. You can buy a version of this song on the Live at the Hotel Café compilation. I asked Gary why he doesn’t promote this when playing the song and he said that he makes no money on the live CD and “Wichita” will be on the new CD. You’d think he wasn’t happy about the live CD, but when I asked if there was another live CD coming from the Hotel Café he was genuinely enthusiastic, mentioning that they were working on another one. Gary will be back at the Hotel Café next Tuesday and will be with Minibar at the Viper Room on the 20^th. Go see him.

And then Julian came out. When I saw Julian Coryell a couple of weeks ago, it was just him and a stand up bass. This time he had his full band, which, along with the bass included keyboards and drums. And like Gary, his new material may be his best ever. The best way to describe the new material would be to imagine a John Mayer type, but with a jazz base. These are interesting songs (“this song is an argument between someone who believes in God and someone who doesn’t”) with good melodies and then these great jazz and sometimes rock solos. Julian is a great guitar player and he really gets to shine when he has a band behind him (first time I’ve seen him with a band). His upcoming CD is third on my anticipation list (Bruce and Kate fill up the first two slots… which reminds me, they say Kate Bush is just months away from releasing a CD). This was a great set and way to short (45 minutes). Julian will be on tour playing in Aimee Mann’s band this weekend. I’m not sure how many shows that is.

A side note… The Hotel Café seems to have a very unique way of presenting bands. The first show is just after 8 and is usually 45 minutes. The main attraction is then at 9 and goes for anywhere from 45 minutes (A Girl Called Eddy) to an hour and a half (Gary Jules). Then, the closing band plays at around 1030 or 11 for 45 minutes. It is an interesting format.

This Weeks Play List

Lots of music added this week...

Kathleen Edwards - Back To Me (2005) Kathleen's first CD, "Failer" was one of my favorites of the year. So anticipation for this one was very high. And generally I haven't been disappointed. This time out she has turned up the electric guitars and made more of a rocker. So far I love it. For more info, you can go to Kathleen's site at http://www.kathleenedwards.com.

Deena Goodman - Hard to Get To (2004) An indie artist with a voice. Check her out at http://www.deenagoodman.com.

Amy Correia - Lakeville (2004) Amy was vocally all over the map in her 2000 release "Carnival Love". This time out she is sticking with her sultry blues vocal style making this a much more consistent CD. I love them both though.

Patty Griffin - Living with Ghosts (1995) Her first and still one of my all time favorites. Just Patty and her guitar. If you don't have this, go out and buy it; especially if you're feeling depressed.

The Innocence Mission - The Innocence Mission (1989) They were so friendly to us when we met them so many years ago. Maybe it was this hope of good people behind the music that has lead me to meet many artists over the years. "Innocence Mission" is a perfect name for these wonderful artists.

Warren Zevon - Life'll Kill Ya (2000) I'm still missing a couple of his CDs. One of the great American songwriters. Everyone should have plenty of Zevon in their collection.

Tom Waits - Small Change (1976) I saw the tour for this CD way back when and it is still one of the best club performances I've ever seen. This is a great CD and I'm only sorry it has taken this long to get it onto the stream.

Bruce Springsteen - The Rising (2002) Honestly, I had this whole CD on the stream a couple of years ago. Then I made some changes to the stream and it dropped off. I'm getting it all back in though.

Bruce Springsteen - The Wild, The Innocent & The E Street Shuffle (1973) So, I went through all of my Springsteen CDs and realized that there were a bunch that still haven't made it on the stream. So there will be plenty of different stuff over the next several weeks as I catch up.

A Girl Called Eddy Continued

Artists have off nights. Writers are influenced by their moods. All sorts of things can happen. And I hate to leave something negative up when there is a chance that it was just one of those nights. So...

My friend Deb saw A Girl Called Eddy tonight in Chicago. Her opinion, which I respect more than just about anyone I know, was that Erin/Eddy put on a great show with plenty of personality. Maybe we just got an off night. There is no doubt that she has the talent. So, if anyone goes to see her during her current tour, please let me know what you thought of the show.