Jon Dee Graham at 14 Below in Santa Monica

It was a last minute thing, but Maria was on a mission. She had once admonished Jon for smoking on stage (she has asthma) and being the good person that he is, he put out his cigarette. So, we left my parents party early with a no smoking themed t-shirt in hand (and a book for his son) and headed out to 14 Below, a little club in Santa Monica. After we parked our car, we ran into Jon. He didn’t remember us from that San Diego night, but he sure remembered the smoking incident when Maria reminded him. We had a great talk; chatted about why he was playing this place (Alejandro Escovedo will be there next month so it must be okay), ACL (they are doing an anti-ACL concert which Deb and I are going to) and his son (more operations but they finally took their first family vacation this year) who suffers from Legg-Perthes Syndrome, a degenerative bone disease. He loved the book and laughed a lot at the shirt.

14 Below is an interesting place. You walk into a bar and that appears to be all there is there. But, a back room sports a small club with limited seating along the walls and a very deep stage. The sound seemed good, although with only an acoustic guitar and vocals it is hard to tell for sure. Jon played for close to an hour, sticking mainly to his new CD, “Full”. At the end of his show, he said goodnight and started to pack up his guitar when someone from the audience of about 15 yelled, you need to do an encore. A quick discussion with the sound guy turned into two more songs, including a beautiful Spanish song, “Volver”. Jon Dee Graham is one of those songwriters out there that just hasn’t gotten past the Austin crowd and that is just so sad. He is very talented writing both sad distraught songs and beautiful love songs. And his gravelly voice makes you feel all the pain and joy. If you don’t own a Jon Dee CD, you really should pick one up.

World Party at the Coach House

With his shaggy hair and so English humor and attitude, I couldn’t help but think of Jeff Lynne Friday night as Karl Wallinger took the stage with World Party. Of course what these two really have in common is their ability to create classic pop songs that leave you humming on your way out of the club. And Friday night, song after song was a classic. They were all perfect pieces of rock with plenty of energy and smiles from the band to compliment (I have never seen such a happy band… except for the bass player who seemed overly focused on playing). What makes Karl and World Party stand out though is his focus on the world and how we are messing it up. But with all the sociopolitical warnings, there is always a positive message about loving yourself and the world. The current band is very solid and we were treated to wonderful guitar, violin and accordion solos throughout. And the bass sound was as tight as I’ve ever heard it at the Coach House (the Rickenbacker bass guitars may have had a bit to do with it). Karl was in great spirits and seemed to really appreciate the great ovations the crowd was giving him (several standing ovations during the night from a place where people generally don’t stand until it is time to leave). And we were treated to a real encore. They turned on the music, turned up the house lights and had actually pulled the microphones off the stands when Karl and the band decided to return. It was a fun evening full of hits that never were from a band that should be playing a much bigger place.

Gary Jules at the Troubadour

Every time I go to the Troubadour I have so many memories: The KSCA party, Wild Colonial Christmas shows, the crowd going crazy and demanding an encore from Peter Hammill (sorry, I had to do an obscure one). Sunday night it was Gary Jules’ turn to stand on the stage where Elton John’s career took off thirty plus years ago. Gary is at a turning point in his career. He has gone back to being an indie. A year an half ago I caught Gary at the Hotel Café and raved about the new music he was about to record. Well, most of it is gone (for now). So, it’s a whole new batch of songs (although “Witchita” which you can also get on the Hotel Café Live CD survived) but the same beautiful and intelligent style that has made Gary’s music so appealing. His 80 minute set focused heavily on the new material and on first listen sounds as good as anything he has done. He did get in a few oldies including “Barstool” and of course “Mad World”.

Okay, so now for the fun stuff. It seems his slide guitar player (I can never remember his name, but damn he is so good) got a gig with Shakira. Well, the band, Gary specifically, was teasing him throughout the night (maybe it had to also do with the fact that he left his cell phone on and during a slide solo it started to feed back). Right near the end, he said something that could have been in bad taste, but we were in the balcony and not one hundred percent sure what it was that he said. Maria, though was absolutely sure he had knocked a fellow Columbian and she would have none of that. “I want to talk to him” she said. Well, she knows I love to chat with artists after the show so she figured it was her turn and how could I refuse her. I actually got a kick out of it and I know I had a big grin on my face as she told Gary off. Gary, very gracefully explained to her that he was very lucky to have this slide player and that they were just teasing him about playing in the big time; nothing personal about Shakira. Gary then said I’ll have him come down and explain it; which he did. He was also very nice (and again one hell of a slide guitar player; almost worth going to see Shakira for). It was all lots of fun and Maria felt a bit embarrassed but happy that they are all such nice guys and that Shakira’s reputation is still intact.

Brett Dennen opened the show. My God is this kid out of junior high yet? And then he starts to sing. Imagine a mellow Jack Johnson sound but more reggae and the voice of an an an adult. The music was okay, but the voice will stick with you. It was southern and earthy and potent.

Jim Bianco was the second opening act and will be playing piano part time with Gary on his 2 week tour of Europe (he played on several of Gary’s songs during our show). Jim has a sort of jazzy crooner approach to his music. Some of it gets bluesy and sometimes it sounds right out of the 40’s or maybe 50’s (really, I’m not that old). He seemed to lack the energy of Gary or Brett (at least on this night), but he was in good humor, joking about how stupid he was opening with two new songs and then proceeded to play yet another new one.

A very memorable night at the Troub. Now… when are the Wild Colonials coming back?

August 12th Play List

This is what I get for waiting for a few weeks to update my play list. There is just so much good music to play for you all and… well here is what I’m adding this week.

Tunisia – two false idols (2006)
This CD originally showed up in my progressive rock mailbox, and although the music is very sophisticated, it really is more singer/songwriter than prog rock. So, here it is: A little proggy, but a fine effort from Ben Craven. You can find out more about Tunisia at: www.tunisiamusic.com .

World Party – Dumbing Up (2006 or 2000 depending where you live)
Karl survived an aneurysm and is now back touring. This CD released back in 2000 (or maybe 2001) in England, finally gets a U.S. release, making it immediately one of the best CDs of the year. For the full story go to http://www.worldparty.net/worldparty.html

Bruce Cockburn – Life Short Call Now (2006)
Bruce is one of the best songwriters performing today, and this is another fine release by him. As always there is a mix of political, social and personal lyrics on the CD. He continues to play around a bit with his love of jazz and this time adds a full string orchestra to the mix; making for some very beautiful moments.

Counting Crows – New Amsterdam – Live at Heineken Music Hall February 4-6 2003 (2006)
I’ve always loved the Counting Crows music, but have always thought that Adam Duritz tried too hard in concert. So, I’m always a bit leery of their live CDs. But Adam and the band are in good form here. If you’re a fan, you’ll enjoy this collection.

Los Lonely Boys – Sacred (2006)
I almost didn’t pick up this CD. It has been so hard for me to get past the fact that they rocked so hard a few years ago at the ACL Festival, and although I loved the first CD, I thought the touring after they started to become popular seemed to lack the emotion we saw the first time around (wow, that was one long sentence… sorry). But, I did pick it up and I’m glad. Some horns on the opening track, “My Way”, signal that this is going to be an interesting follow up. And it is. This is a fine CD that leaves no doubt that the brothers LLB are red blooded Texicans. Moving from Stevie to Carlos, many of the songs seem made for live guitar jams (well of course). But they are also well written and interesting. If you liked the first CD, I think you will enjoy this one too. On these hot days of July, listening to this CD makes me feel like I’m sitting in a Texas bar sweating and rockin’.

Golden Smog – Another Fine Day (2006)
This Mid West super group has put out a very strong pop classic. It is probably closer to the Jayhawks than Wilco and truthfully, at times it is closer to the classic pop from early 70’s bands like Bandfinger, Paul McCartney or Emitt Rhodes than the alt-country scene. I love this CD and am going to have trouble keeping it out of the CD player.

Alice Peacock – Who I Am (2006)
This is a beautiful CD with some nice arrangements (it never hurts to have Daphne and Lea from The Section Quartet behind you). Piano based, Alice balances her pop styling with songs about personal growth and self discovery. Alice is on Myspace at http://www.myspace.com/alicepeacock .

Nils Lofgren – Sacred Weapon (2006)
He is one of rock and rolls great guitar players (what does Bruce call him? The Godfather of the rock ‘n roll or something like that?) This is a beautiful album though, with wonderful songs about love and life and great guitar licks in between. If you’ve never given Nils much thought other than his role in the E Street Band, you should give this CD a try. And check out his website at http://www.nilslofgren.com .

Bob Schneider – The Californian (2006)
If “The Californian” sounds like a live CD, it is because it almost is. Recorded in just 4 days, this CD succeeds and fails because of it. For such a fast recording, the production is excellent. There are no bad songs on this CD, but, for a Bob Schneider CD the diversity of sounds seems less than usual. It is almost as if we are being given a glimpse into a week in Bob’s musical life. That week is very rock and roll with no ebbs and flows. This CD is pretty much straight ahead and that is where it suffers. Maybe I’m being a bit hard on Bob, but he is so talented you hope for perfection with each CD. I know that this will be one of the CDs I listen to the most over the course of this year, but Bob can do better. Vanguard picked up several of Bob’s older CDs along with this one. So, if you have holes in your Bob Schneider collection, now’s the time to fill them. And do pick this one up because beyond my harsh words, it is an excellent CD. Bob’s website is: http://www.bobschneidermusic.com/ . Oh, and one more thing… Mud House is easily one of the best party songs you’re going to hear all year. It may not be as good as a live version, but trust me, not only will you be hooked, but you can take this one over to your 20 something friends and they’ll love it too!

Steven James Band – Get Up & Run (2006)
Do you remember the days when groups like R.E.M., Guadalcanal Diary and Big Country ruled? The Steven James Band feels like the younger brother of these bands. And that is a welcome relief from all this “Modern Rock”. This is a solid indie album worth checking out. http://www.stevenjames.com/

Spoon – Gimme Fiction (2005)
My cousin’s son, Adam, has been bugging me to check out Spoon for some time now. He loves this band, and for good reason. These guys have all the talent needed to make it big. There is a strong 60’s pop influence, but they are not in any way retro. There is lots of flair, lots of energy, lots of power… lots of fun. Do not miss this band.

Tom Petty – Highway Companion (2006)
Rolling Stone called him the most consistent performer over the last 30 years (or something like that), and you just can’t argue with that. This is another good CD from Tom. Jeff Lynne is behind the scenes (although when Jeff produces you can not really call it “behind”, since his style is so up front). Just buy it. You won’t be disappointed.

Alec Gross & The Districts - Win?orLose? (2006)
Anyone who creates a song called, “Joni Mitchell Was Right”, gets included on my play list, no questions asked. But seriously, this is that fun Southern tinged rock that we all know and love. You’ll tape your feet while listening and feel really trapped in your car because you can’t get up and dance. For more info on Alec and his Districts you can go to either http://www.alecgross.com or http://www.myspace.com/alecgrossandthedistricts .

And of course, along with these new adds, we have more music from Dave Manning, Aya Peard, Tina Dico, Jen Chapin, Melissa McCelland, Etienne de Rocher , Jill Sobule, and Kristy Kruger . You can hear all of this and more at: http://www.live365.com/stations/thepromiseradio .

Thanks for listening,

Bruce

The Section Quartet with Sam Phillips

I knew it was going to be one of those evenings, highs and lows, good and bad, when the asshole, I mean doorman at Largo informed us that Jessie, being underage would not be allowed to sit at the bar and that we would have to sit at a dinner table. “Since when”, I asked. “Uhmmm, since always”. Asshole. But he gave us a nice table that we shared with a very interesting couple. She was originally from Arkansas but now lives in L.A. He is a resident of New Zealand and a piano player making a CD. We had some great conversations about producers and music and… It was fun. After dinner I asked how they met. We got that immediate “looking at each other” bit, that couples sometimes do, and I knew it was going to be a cute story. They met… years ago in Yahoo’s Adrian Belew room and fell in love. How romantic is that? But talk about a long distance relationship.

Okay so after our second dinner of the night (did I mention that the doorman is an asshole?) Sam comes out with Eric (the leader of the Section Quartet) and starts to sing. I can’t believe it! I can’t believe it! I still can’t believe it! She sang… You all know that I’ve been asking Sam to play it for the last two years. I even asked Eric to convince Sam to play it. And if you read my post from Sam’s last performance with her band a couple of years ago, you may remember that she had it on her set list that night and didn’t play it. Well tonight she opened with it. It being, “I Need Love”! I don’t believe she has performed it live in 10 years (someone correct me if I’m wrong). Now, back to the good and bad. Part way through the first chorus, she stopped singing and apologized. She found it foolish (I can’t remember the exact word she used) for her to be up there singing to us words like, “I need love”. And maybe that is why she hasn’t song the song in so long. Or maybe it is because she doesn’t sing notes that high anymore and she had a little trouble with them. Nevertheless, she finished up the song, which had a nice mid tempo beat and beautiful violin (it actually is that other violin like instrument that Eric plays) behind it. The song, which originally was so upbeat, still works at a slower pace. I was a very very happy camper. My daughter kept looking up at me as she was singing. She could see the big smile on my face. Jess did some great sketches of Sam and the Quartet. I will post some when she gets them scanned or redrawn for me. Sam was in a very happy/funny mood, telling a story about a woman driving with a hairdo that looked like she had a candle on her head and just basically joking around throughout the short set. The rest of her 5 song set is a blur. I was just so happy. And I swear as she started to sing “I Need Love” she looked at me and smiled. Okay, so I was just at that point where the artist may or may not be able to see me, but… The other highlight of this 5 song set was “Sister Rosetta Comes Before Us” (I may have screwed up the title… sorry). I remember hearing that one last year and it sounded good. It seems to be a bit more upbeat now and, well, it is getting me so excited about the upcoming release (it’s going to be a long wait).

As the Section Quartet was setting up on the stage, someone yelled out to the owner of Largo (who was about to introduce them), “We want more Sam”. And he says, “Stranger things have happened”. And sure enough, about half way through their set, Sam returned to perform 3 more songs. The most interesting of which was “When You’re Down”, mainly because it was now only backed with strings. The last band version of that song was so rockin’. This version was more subdued but still excellent.

The Section Quartet put on another amazing show. One of the highlights of the show was the Sex Pistols, “God Save The Queen”. When they do songs like this or “London Calling” or songs by Tool or Muse or even Iron Maiden (they did all of these last night), they rock better than most bands out there today. I’ve talked about the Section Quartet many times and I never get tired of seeing them in concert.

Sam left early so I didn’t get to talk to her, but Eric and Daphne hung around, as they always do. Eric took credit for “I Need Love”, telling me he pushed Sam into playing it. Thank you Eric! The Section have just signed with Decca and are going to put together a new CD. Meanwhile, they have released an EP on ITunes. The current work load caused Daphne to have to say “No” to Alejandro Escovedo, who asked her to join his tour. I’m sure that doesn’t happen to him a lot. Otherwise no new news from Sam. Hopefully she’ll keep playing live throughout the year.

July 17th Play List

Aya Peard – Aya Peard (2006)
Her dreamy voice makes you want more than the three songs here. And her eclectic version of “Running with the Devil”, shows you that there is more here than a pretty voice and good production. Aya has a myspace page at http://www.myspace/ayapeard .

Dave Manning – Mobile Home Girl (2002)
His voice may remind you of Tom Waits and his main instrument is a piano, so the comparison gets even deeper. But Dave’s music is much more homespun. Bouncing between humorous stories and more straightforward songs about small town life, Dave brings his strong song making craft to a style that would probably be called country had he switched to guitar. The piano, though, gives the music a more emotional, personal ring. And something tells me he is a lot of fun in concert. You can buy his CDs at CDBaby; http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/davemanning .

Grant-Lee Phillips – nineteeneighties (2006)
Unlike Mathew Sweet’s latest tribute to the 60’s, Grant’s tribute to the 80’s really works. He has taken all of these great songs and slowed them down and then stripped them down. What you have left are… the songs. And they do work. This CD will take you back, but you won’t feel like you’re rehashing the 80’s. Instead you are seeing it in a new light. http://www.grantleephillips.com/

Richard Butler – Richard Butler (2006)
This is a nice way to segue: From Grant’s interpretation of the 80’s, to the first solo CD from the leader of the 80’s Psychedelic Furs. I first started hearing this CD on XM’s The Loft. It didn’t really grab me. But when I sat down with the whole CD, it seemed to make sense. You can hear some of the darkness from the early days, but it is not overwhelming. I found myself drawn into this CD. It doesn’t happen often enough these days.

Tina Dico – Live Session (2006)
If you read my review of her live show several months back, http://thepromiselive.blogspot.com/2006/03/tina-dico-at-hotel-cafe.html , you know where this review is going… Her solo versions of songs from “In The Red” and “Far” are worth the few bucks (You can only get this at ITunes). They’re worth much more than that actually. These 6 songs leave you wanting to hear everything she’s done, solo. She is touring right now. Do not miss her!

July 4th Play List

Wild Colonials – Life As We Know It (2006)
It has been so long: Just way too long for this new Wild Colonial music to finally appear. The 5 song (if you buy it on ITunes) EP is the first of 4 EPs that will ultimately make up the “Life As We Know It” CD. This first set tells us nothing about the current WC sound. I believe I’ve heard all of these songs in concert (and it has been something like 5 years since they have graced the Southland with a concert). Nevertheless, it is great music that I’ve already listened to over and over and… well you get the idea. For those of you who have no idea who The Wild Colonials are, imagine this: Irish vocalist with the lead instrument being the violin, but with a strong rhythm guitar, a healthy dose of, well, most everything and finish it off with sad sad songs that will tear your heart out. Angela can bend a note like Billie Holiday. Actually, I’ve seen a jazz version of WC and it is scary how good she is in this genre; better than her rock and techno work. Check them out at: http://www.wildcolonials.com/ .

Jen Chapin – Ready (2006)
Jen not only has a gift for songwriting, like her dad Harry, but has his desire to make the world a better place. This is a good CD and deserves your attention. For all the info go to her site at http://www.jenchapin.com .

Allison Moorer – Getting Somewhere (2006)
One of the great voices in alt-country, Allison is back with a CD produced by new hubby, Steve Earle. Not as guitar laden as her previous effort, this CD still rocks when it needs to and the softer songs will send shivers up your spine. The CD opens with Allison singing, “I’ve got a lot of work to do” and ends with her hoping that it is worthwhile, singing, “I have to believe I’m getting somewhere”. I think she is.

The Raconteurs – Broken Boy Soldiers (2006)
This is Jack White’s little super group adventure. And… It is a good CD. Had this occurred before the White Stripes, it would have done well, but wouldn’t have created the critical stir that Jack and his sister have. As is typical with WS, the music wanders around different styles, but overall is classic rock and roll. I’m glad I listened.

Elvis Costello and Allen Toussaint – The River in Reverse (2006)
Elvis and a horn section. Need I say more? Another good CD from one of the best.

C.C. Adcock – Lafayette Marquis (2004)
I saw C.C. open for Lucinda Williams last year and just loved the show. I really didn’t expect much from this CD and it actually ended up in the “to listen” pile for some time. Big mistake. This is an excellent CD, filled with the energy of the Violent Femmes done New Orleans style.

WDST – 25 th Anniversary (2006)
A very nice collection from a station I had never heard of until recently. There are so many AAA hits on this CD, it was hard not to buy. You can get it online at ITunes or go to the station web site and order it.

New Music

There is no doubt that the shorter the move, the more painful it is. But, the move is pretty much complete and I am totally disorganized (okay those of you who know me are saying, “How can you tell”?). So… Here is all of the music I’ve been promising. It is playing as I finish writing all of this (There is so much I just couldn’t write about everyone). So check it out. It will be playing daily over the next week. Thanks for listening to The Promise.

Bruce Springsteen - We Shall Overcome – The Seeger Sessions (2006)
Even though I am a big Springsteen fan, I was truly surprised by this CD. I expected to listen to it a couple of times and then move on, knowing that Bruce created a fine compilation of Pete Seeger songs. But this CD really grabbed me. I love the power of the big (really big) band. I love the sloppiness yet proficiency of this series of first or nearly first takes. The joy and enthusiasm just overwhelms you. This CD will continue to get heavy play on my CD player for some time to come. Having said all of this, I must add this thought… I wonder if Bruce is second guessing himself right now. With powerful political CDs by Neil Young and T-Bone Burnett (not to mention the new Elvis Costello), is Bruce wondering if he should have made this a more political CD. To do a Pete Seeger tribute and avoid the more political songs is the only negative aspect of this CD. In any other year, it wouldn’t have matter.

T Bone Burnett – The True False Identity (2006)
It has been way too long a time since T Bone released a CD; but it is well worth the wait. This is one powerful CD. With almost no hints of his early country days, this CD is empowered by driving rhythms and mostly talk singing. It is an attack on our current state of affairs; from our imposter president (“cowboy with no cattle, warrior with no war, they don’t make imposters like John Wayne anymore”) to the spiritual mess that is being hoisted upon us (“on the seventh day God created evolution”). But it isn’t all politics. On what must be his answer to Sam Phillips latest CD and tour, “I’m Going on a Long Journey Never to Return”, T-Bone takes a few swipes at his ex, but also seems to share responsibility for the breakup of their marriage. This is a must have CD. It challenges you to think: Think about this different style of music, today’s political climate and even your spiritual self.

Neil Young – Living with War (2006)
If you haven’t heard about this album, it is because the powers that be want to keep the status quo and do not really want to risk life as we know it by playing something as politically aggressive as this powerful piece of work. This is a full frontal attack on the president, politics in general and the war in Iraq in particular. This is Neil at his sloppiest best; full of grungy guitars and huge choruses. If you didn’t know where Neil stands on the subjects of the day, there will be no doubt after listening to this potent weapon. Hopefully someday this CD will be very dated. But for now, it is a torch for those who oppose the war and current administration.

Gomez – How We Operate (2006)
These are some of the most imaginative and innovative musicians on the scene today. Their music is intelligent and fun, powerful and accessible. For those of you who are fans, it is more great stuff from a band that really kicks ass in concert.

The Watson Twins – Southern Manners (2006)
This 8 song CD is like a dreamscape, softly floating out of your speakers. It isn’t really alt-country and the gospel tag that was added to them during the Jenny Lewis tour doesn’t really describe them either. Imagine two Natalie Merchants singing in harmony. Well, that doesn’t really describe them either. So maybe you should just check them out yourself. After the intensity of T-Bone and Neil’s CD, this is a welcome diversion.

Alejandro Escovedo – The Boxing Mirror (2006)
Since getting ill (hepatitis c) a few years back we weren’t sure if there would be another CD from Austin’s favorite songwriter, let alone a challenging one. But you knew that this would be a special CD when John Cale was signed on to produce.

Mark Knopfler and Emmylou Harris – All the Roadrunning (2006)
It was only a matter of time before Mark moved completely into the country/alt-country arena. And if you’re going to have a partner in crime, it might as well be one of the great country singers of all time. Who knew that Mark’s deep haunting vocals would work so well with Emmylou’s sweet twang? But it does. This seems to be more of a Knopfler CD, with Emmylou singing harmonies and taking lead vocals on some of the songs. It works very nicely though as it extends Mark’s trip through the south.

Jon Dee Graham – Full (2006)
Rhett Miller – The Believer (2006)
Ben Harper – Both Sides of the Gun (2006)
Calexico – Garden Ruin (2006)
Drive-By Truckers – A Blessing and A Curse (2006)
Matthow Sweet and Susanna Hoffs – Under The Covers Vol. 1 (2006)

Gilmore Girls Live

Okay, the title is a bit of a joke but… When David Palmer had his favorite Phillips on stage, you couldn’t help but think about how cool the Gilmore Girls is to have Sam doing the music and Grant to show up occasionally and sing. So yes, it was a David Palmer show, but David loves to sit in the background playing his piano (and man can he play) letting his friends front the band. And so after two beautiful solo numbers by David, up came Sam. The two of them did a couple of songs together and then the rest of the band joined in: Jay and Patrick from her band, a guy named Paul (sorry, can’t remember his last name) on bass and one other guy playing a little but cool keyboard. After 4 songs taken from her last two CDs, the highlight came: A new song called “Signal”. On first listen Sam seems to be singing about being at a crossroads; waiting for a signal. It’s a wonderful song that fits very nicely into what she has been doing for the last couple of years. Grant Lee Phillips then joined the group as Sam moved to backing vocals and then left after one song. Grant then led the band for about 5 or 6 numbers which included singing some covers by Bowie and a powerful version of Neil Young’s “After the Gold Rush”. My daughter has school today, so we left before the second half jam began. Last time I saw the show, the jam was very very cool.

We only got to talk to Sam for… 20 minutes. When I sat down afterward, I was blown away at the time. It was such a fun conversation. Even Grant had trouble pulling her away. The big highlight? Her next CD is in the can! She is label shopping right now. Expect to hear it early next year. It was completely produced by Sam this time (T-Bone oversaw the mix of Boot…). Along with “Signal”, “When You’re Down” and “Sister Rosseta” (Not sure of the exact title) are in the collection.

Off topic here… If you’re wondering why John Mayer played guitar with T-Bone on the Leno show, it is really very simple. His guitar player couldn’t make the show and someone recommended JM.

Bruce Springsteen at The Greek Theater, Los Angeles

So many things went racing through my head as I watched Bruce Springsteen and his 17 piece band perform last night at the Greek. I was reminded of the power and fun of watching Lyle Lovett and his Large Band playing in Austin last year; all top notch musicians and everyone taking solos. Memories raced back to the earlier days when Bruce and the E Street Band would finish off their sets playing a half hour of dance music with everyone up dancing and singing along. The chandeliers reminded me of The Last Waltz; a film/concert that washed across the musical landscape bringing us great music from so many different directions. And here was Bruce, doing all of that and even more.

There is an old theory: Put two drummers on stage and you will have one powerful performance. You could probably add a theory that says: Put more than a dozen people on stage and you don’t really need the extra drummer. So, take that theory and then add BRUUUUCE and it was an evening to remember. We were up dancing and singing along throughout the two and a half hour performance. Bruce was a bit leery about getting an L.A. crowd to sing along, and early on we didn’t disappoint him. But after a few tasty remarks about just how bad we were, the crowd built up some energy and by the time Jacobs Ladder came around, even the record company stooges, were singing along.

Most of the music was from the Seeger Sessions CD, but Bruce would throw in a song of his own every so often. With a unique band like this you can’t just play the songs straight up, even if they fit that way. If I Should Fall Behind was done in a waltz tempo, giving it a mid 1900’s feel. Ramrod was reshuffled with a Cajun beat. Even Johnny 99 was reformatted to fit the full band.

Probably the biggest star of the evening (outside of Bruce) was the horn section. Many of the songs, even the more folk ones, ended up as New Orleans Dixieland jam sessions with the horn section providing the power. With some powerful gospel influences thrown in, Bruce pretty much covered twentieth century Americana; although with more power than most of the original writers of these fine songs could have ever imagined.

It was a great evening all around. Bruce shows are always a time to renew friendships and make new friends (A few friends of mine actually ended up in the same row, just 4 seats away. How funny is that?). It is and always will be as much a musical experience as it is a communal gathering. I took my brother-in-law to the show. He has been a Pete Seeger fan for over 40 years. He loved it. I don’t think he was prepared for a Springsteen performance (and I know he wasn’t prepared for my Springsteen friends who are all Springsteen all the time, when there is a tour). If you have the chance to see this show somewhere, do go. You will have a great time. I promise.

We're Moving

We’re moving the studio. What I mean to say is, we are packing up and moving these computers across town. It has been very time consuming getting this all together and that has kept me from updating the station. The actual move will be sometime this week or next. I will try and do it as far off hours as possible. Meanwhile, Starting today (Tuesday) at around 8:53am Pacific Coast time, I am going to start playing everything from my current digital library. That’s 5000 songs with no repeats!

As soon as everything is back together, I’ve got new music from Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young, Calexico, T-Bone Burnett, Drive-By Truckers, Gomez, The Watson Twins, Ben Harper, Matthew Sweet and Susanna Hoffs, Rhett Miller and more.

Thank you all for listening to The Promise and for your patience during the move.

This Weeks Play List

Jeremiah Lockwood – American Primitive (2005)
What a fascinating CD. Jeremiah’s music is so totally unique and yet it is steeped in the many traditions of Americana: Traditional Blues, folk, bluegrass all are here. Experience it yourself at: http://www.jeremiahlockwood.com/home.html

Traveling Wilburys – Vol 1 (1988) Vol 3 (1990)
It all started at Penny Lane Records in Pasadena. They had a Russian import of the 2 Wilburys CDs. When I tried to buy it I found out that it had already been sold; however they couldn’t find the cover (they keep the actual CDs behind the counter). I got a nice, “thanks for finding it”. No finders fee, nothing. But then the guy in charge says, “We have Vol 3 in stock”. Okay, cool. He finds it for me and off I go, generally happy with at least buying the real thing. Of course, listening to this fun CD made me want Vol 1 even more. So, on to Ebay I went and 12 hours later I was the owner of both Traveling Wilburys CDs. These aren’t important CDs. And maybe if they weren’t out of print I might not have cared as much. But, they are a reminder of how much fun rock and roll can be. The word on the Internet is that George was working on a box set when he died and that now his son has picked up the project. Someday these unimportant and yet essential CDs will be available once again.

Skydiggers & Cash Brothers – Skydiggers Cash Brothers (2005)
The Skydiggers and the Cash Brothers are both integral parts of the Canadian alt-country scene. It has been several years (at least) since the Cash brothers left the Skydiggers to start up their own successful band. Late last year they got back together to do this low cost reunion type acoustic CD. Listening, I felt like I was in a big overstuffed chair. The feel here is comfortable and relaxed as the main songwriters from each band trade off compositions and vocals. I believe this is only available on their websites. Do check it out.

Rufus Wainwright – Poses (2001)
While I’m writing this, my IPOD starts playing “Dead Skunk”; the first single from Rufus’ father, Loudon. That has nothing to do with this, just thought it was funny. Anyway, Stacey, http://chewingtheclef.blogspot.com/ recently reviewed this CD on her blog and I was so taken by the review I decided it was time to own a Rufus Wainwright CD. After listening to Poses for the first time, I couldn’t help but feel like I had just come out of a Broadway play. That is not to say that these are “Broadway tunes”. Okay, maybe they are, but they are really good “Broadway tunes”. I’m not one to sit down and listen to a musical but I can see myself enjoying this on a rainy day, like today, or a cold night in front of the fireplace. It is soothing, yet edgy. And his voice is just so beautiful and inspired. The bonus track, “Across the Universe” demonstrates this perfectly. Thanks Stacey.

Janis Ian – Billie’s Bones (2004)
Janis Ian has been making music now for 40 years! Her outspoken nature has served her music well throughout the years. This CD takes an interesting and successful move into country. It isn’t a full blown country/alt-country CD, but that feel permeates it. There is a wonderful duet with Dolly Parton which highlights this new direction. But… Janis Ian is and has always been one of the greatest singer/songwriters we have. And it shows in the excellent CD. “Billie’s Bones” deserves so much more attention then it received. Please, go support Janis at http://www.janisian.com/

Toad the Wet Sprocket – Dulcinea (1994)
I spent most of the 90’s listening to women (this would be a good place to put in an ex joke, but…) and Glen Phillips and his band were so popular it was easy to just ignore them (I still can’t believe I ignored a band that derived their name from a Monty Python skit). I do remember seeing them during the “Rock The Vote” tour. I was there to see 10,000 Maniacs but came away in awe of T-Bone Burnett. And why didn’t I get the hint that I should have been listening when Glen said to the crowd how excited he was to be in the same building as Sam Phillips (she didn’t perform that night)? So, here I am, years later listening to their CDs for the first time. But you all already know about them: Great production, lush arrangements, beautiful tunes. Listening to Dulcinea is an overall enjoyable experience. I guess I’m going to have to listen to the rest of them.

Tina Schlieske at The Mint and Kristy Kruger at Genghis Cohen.

So it was like this… There's this singer with a voice as powerful as a small atom bomb. But she lives/tours in Minnesota. What are the chances she'll find her way out to L.A. And there is this woman with long hair and a kazoo who captured our attention in Austin with her unique style and who's last CD was one of my biggest and happiest surprises last year. But she lives in Dallas. What are the chances she'll find her way out to L.A. But last night Tina Schlieske was the opening act for the monthly Sin City concert at The Mint and Kristy Kruger had her CD release party at Genghis Cohen's. If that isn't a big enough coincidence, when I saw Kristy in Austin, she was one of the opening acts for a Texas version of Sin City.

Okay, here's the plan: Tina is going on at 8PM and Kristy goes on at 9PM "Sharp". An email to Shilah, who runs the Sin City shows confirms that Tina will be on no later than 8:15. The Mint is 2.5 miles from Genghis Cohen. I CAN DO THIS!

The evening started out great; finding a parking space a block from The Mint. The staff there is very friendly and obviously love the music. Stephanie, my bartender that night, was bouncing around and couldn't wait for the music to start. On Stephanie's suggestion I had the Filet Mignon Slider; a burger made with fresh ground filet mignon and piled high with, uhmmm, stuff. What a treat, and it stayed with me all night.

Sin City is a alt-country/Americana showcase and Tina Schlieske doesn't exactly fit. But man can she sing; which is probably why she was added to the show. Opening with just her singing over her guitar, the song slowly built until the whole band (which includes her sister Laura on backing vocals… Okay, it is a family thing 'cause her sister has a great voice too!) was cooking on all burners and Tina's voice was exploding on top of it. Tina's songs are rock with some white soul and a bit of country thrown in. It's a very Midwestern sound and it works well around her soaring vocals. The performance, which ran about 45 minutes, focused on music from her current CD "Slow Burn"; one of my favorite indie releases last year. For someone who has several CDs out, she seemed a bit timid when talking to the audience (called us "Ladies and Gentleman" several times), but her performance proved that the CD isn't a fluke. She's got the talent. Tina can be found at: http://www.tinabsides.com/default.asp

With one song left in Tina's show, I ran out of The Mint, http://www.themintla.com/ , and jumped in my car for the long 2.5 mile drive down Fairfax to Genghis Cohen; http://www.genghiscohen.com/ . I gave myself 15 minutes, but there was plenty of traffic on Fairfax on a Friday night. Arriving only a few minutes late, I was still able to get a seat before Kristy started. The place was packed. I've never been to GC when it was filled up. The poor waitress (don't know her name, but she is always there. You can't miss her with her blond pigtails and artwork all over her back) was covering the entire room. There were 3 shows there that night, and not everyone was there to see Kristy, but they were a good and sometimes enthusiastic audience. Kristy opened with a story, actually a nightmare, about what could happen to her this night. It was a multi-part dream in which everything that you couldn't imagine would go wrong; finishing up with the sound guy cutting off the sound and calling her a bitch. Luckily for her and us, none of it came true. With her 4 piece band behind her (Upright bass, acoustic guitar, steel guitar and for the last half of the set banjo), Kristy ran through most of her new CD, (I love this title!) "Songs from a dead man's couch". She played acoustic guitar throughout, sang into a bullet for about half of the show (gives it a 40's quality) and not only pulled out a harmonica for the closer, "Gold Rush", but even got the kazoo out. Her sound is hard to pinpoint. Take a bit of the current Sam Phillips, throw in a dash of Tom Waits, it's a bit jazz with a country beat, and all singer/songwriter. The new songs seem to be about the loneliness of the road and about striving to find "gold". Kristy Kruger is young and strong. And she will need to be because she is taking the road less traveled and we are all very grateful for it. Find out more about Kristy at http://www.kristykruger.com/ and you can get her new CD at http://cdbaby.com/cd/kruger4 .

On my way out the door I heard one of her band members say they were headed out to Largo to see Jon Brion. It was only 10pm… Hmmm…

This Weeks Play List

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band – Hammersmith Odeon London ’75 (2006)
So, now it is official: We are playing music from this heavily bootlegged concert, considered by many to be one of the great E Street shows. The energy, the excitement, the risks, they are all here. It is a great show and worth having in your collection, even if you now also own the DVD.

Melissa McClelland – Stranded in Suburbia (2004)
When I saw Luke Doucet in concert, Melissa was his partner on stage. She is also his new partner in real life and they were just so cute together on stage. Melissa has a great voice (you don’t get to sing backup on a Sarah McLachlan tour without the pipes). It might be easy to compare her songs to Avril Lavigne, but there is so much more. Listening to the songs, this appears to be a woman who knows how beautiful she is yet is still insecure. She puts on a tough outer exterior, but is scared on the inside. I believe she has a CD coming out this month in Canada. I can’t wait to see the growth over the last 2 years. You can find out more at Melissa’s site: http://www.melissamcclelland.com/

Beth Orton – Comfort of Strangers (2006)
To be honest, I first discovered Beth upon hearing “Central Reservation” from 1999. I loved the moody atmosphere of the CD and the single, “Stolen Car”. Nothing she did before or has done since has been quite like it. For many casual fans that meant disappointment. Well, it has been 7 years and it is time to put that behind us (myself included here). This new CD from Beth Orton does not have the atmosphere, and I don’t know if I’ve changed more than she has, but I love it that way. I was really surprised at how I found myself not wanting to take this CD out of my player. There are great melodies and rhythms here to keep your foot taping and your mind thinking. This may become my favorite Beth CD.

Jim Wolf – No Sleep What-so-ever (2005)
Indie artist Jim Wolf has some great tunes on this new CD. I really enjoyed it. There is a strong pop sense here with good production. Worth checking out at: http://www.jimwolf.com .

Tina Dico at The Hotel Cafe

It was a cold and rainy night as I walked up to the Hotel Café. Okay, this is Hollywood, so when I say cold and raining, I really mean low 50s and drizzling. But I was the first in line so I stood under the doorway and listened to Astrid Swan I believe (I could be completely wrong here) as she did her sound check; sounded like Fiona Apple as her voice was filtered through the walls. I was all prepared for an evening alone; had my IPOD with me. But shortly after I arrived three people rolled out of a car and became my new best friends. Ed, Amanda, the guy with the hat (sorry, I just can’t remember his name) and I had a fun filled pre concert conversation, talking about everything from gas explosions (guy with hat works for Gas Company) to Chucky Cheese (Amanda used to be a rat). As the line grew, we were talking about gas blowing up in your face and this guy behind us tells us about his burns. Someone asked what the gas was and he said, “Petroleum Ether” (or something like that). I couldn’t resist, “Was that the last time you did freebase”? “Uhmmmm, actually it was hash oil”. Okay, enough nonsense.

The doors opened and in we went. If you haven’t been to the remodeled Hotel Café, they did a great job. You enter from the back now and there is a big lobby area where you can sit at cocktail tables and drink (there is a second bar too). You then go through double doors into the old room. They have widened the room by about 1/3 and instead of 2 rows of tables; there are now 5 or so rows. The capacity on the wall says 189, but that probably includes the back lobby where you can’t really hear the music. They did not change the stage one bit and yes, the red curtains are still there.

We sat down at the front table against the wall and awaited the opening act, Kristin Hoffman. Kristin is, according to her bio, classically trained. Part way through the first song you figure out that her instrument was her voice. One of the highlights of her performance was her cover of Joni Mitchell’s, “Case of You”. She hit all of the low and high notes. It was very impressive. There were a couple of really good songs in the set also, but it seemed like her voice lacked the emotion required to pull off this kind of music. Ed thought her piano playing on her right hand was a little heavy handed. Overall I enjoyed her show though. As she sang, you could hear the rain beating down on the side of the building (this time it really was rain) and Kristin commented on how cool it was and that it was like being in a cave. Yes, a cave filled with beautiful female voices.

And then it was Tina’s Turn. You can not start out a discussion of Tina Dico live without talking about her statuesque beauty. All legs, blond hair and the sweetest smile, this native of Denmark is as beautiful as she is humble. What you realize when she smiles is that she probably knows that she is beautiful, but that this is her art and that is what is important about the evening. The music isn’t about a producer making some beauty the next big thing, it is her personal life and she wants to share it with us.

And then she starts playing and wow! She played the guitar (a Gibson Hummingbird, which just sounded so good) with confidence and sang with the kind of emotion you get from sitting all day in an unfurnished flat in London with no money and only your music to get you by. Most of the evening was dedicated to her new CD, “In the Red”. No band was needed for this music: You can see that the songs are really that good. For her encore she dipped into her past for a couple of songs. One of the funny moments was when this guy yelled out an old song. She told the crowd that last night in San Diego someone yelled out that song and she said, “I’m sorry, I don’t really think I know that one well enough. Next time”. And the guy in the crowd said, “No problem, I’ll see you tomorrow in Hollywood”. So, there he was and so, as she promised, she sang it. For those wondering, she did not sing any Zero 7 songs (unless I missed one).

It was a great show that lasted about 45 to 50 minutes. Afterward we hung out in the lobby. The doorman said that after he let all of the people waiting in line for Jose Gonzales in, we could buy tickets. He assured us it wouldn’t sell out. So the 4 of us talked for about an hour. I slipped over and chatted with Tina for a few minutes. She really is so sweet. At about 10:30 the gang left. We said goodbye, never to see each other again. And I waited another 20 minutes. It became apparent that the line outside was continuing to grow and when I peaked my head into the room, it was packed all the way to the back of the bar. They were sold out (at least the fire marshal would probably say so) even as they continued to let people in. At just before 11, with no music started, I decided that as much as I wanted to see Jose, it was time to leave. I could barely see the stage and the sound in the back of The Hotel Café is usually overshadowed by talking. With Jose Gonzales, you really want to be right there: The music is so intimate. Maybe next time. He is playing at the Echo tonight, but I can’t see driving out to L.A. again.

Jill Sobule and Julia Sweeney at Largo in Hollywood

A funny thing happens when you combine a SNL alumnus with one of music’s most interesting, humorous, A.D.D. songwriters. In fact lots of funny things happen. Which is what we got last night at Largo as Jill brought up Julia Sweeney for a bit of fun on stage. The way it worked was very simple. Jill and the band (Adam Levy on guitar and Dave Carpenter on stand up bass) would play a song and then when it ended, the band would continue playing and Julia would tell a story that related to the song. So, when Jill sang Angel/Asshole, Julia talked about a guy she dumped (not to mention throwing up all over him). This went on for 4 or 5 glorious songs/monologues. There are always plenty of laughs at a Jill Sobule concert, but it went into overdrive with Julia doing her one woman act. Still, there are few people in the world as quick and funny as Jill and during the encore Julia was stumped when Jill made her come up for an unrehearsed story after singing “Under the Disco Ball” a story about a young gay man. Julia didn’t know what to say until a man in the audience yelled out, “Have you ever dated a gay man?”. Julia laughed and said, “Yes, but neither of us knew it”. It was a fun funny evening and those of us in So.Cal. may be lucky enough to see it again in the near future.

Opening the show was Adam Levy. Adam is best known as Norah Jones guitar player, but has played on everyone from Tracy Chapman to Amos Lee. And, yes he is a good guitar player. But what really got me, were his vocals. He is a cleaner/deeper/softer Jon Dee Graham. I can’t believe that he hasn’t been singing on his CDs. His songs, even when they were about doing the wash, sounded so special and important you were ready to cry. I look forward to hearing more from him down the road.

This Weeks Play List

Lots of music to add this week, so I’ll keep the comments short…

Grant Lyle – Grant Lyle (2006) An indie artist. He sent me some mp3s that I liked. You can hear more at http://www.grantlyle.com/music.htm

KT Tunstall – Eye to the Telescope (2006) Another one of the hot new artists you may be hearing a lot about this year. Very very good CD.

Elvis Costello (Live with the Metropole Orkest) – My Flame Burns Blue (2006) Not many artists take the risks that Elvis does. And when it works, it works real well. You start by enjoying the jazz remakes of a few of his songs, but even the new songs sound great. Yes, it is a jazz CD. But it is also an Elvis Costello CD. My favorite on the CD has to be the samba raved-up version of “Clubland”.

Etienne de Rocher – Etienne de Rocher (2006) Thanks to Mike for raving about this one. I really don’t know how to describe this guy. The first thing that came to mind was how much I kept thinking about Beck (not that he sounds like him). This is one talented guy who shouldn’t be on an indie label for very long. http://www.etiennederocher.com/

Willie Nile – Streets of New York (2006) I saw Willie at the “Light of Day” concert in Hollywood a few months ago and loved his music right off the bat. You can hear everything from Dylan to Springsteen in his influences. An excellent CD.

Hem – No Word from Tom (2006) This is the first time I’ve heard these guys. This is an odds and ends type CD based on performances over the last 5 years or so. Think Cowboy Junkies and you have a good idea how special they are. But I bought this CD just because of one song, REM’s “South Central Rain”. What a great version.

Sia – Colour The Small One (2006 – U.S. Release) This is the official U.S. release with a couple of new songs and 2 more versions of “Breathe Me”. Neither are as good as the original release, but well worth the listen.

Saint Etienne – Tales From Turnpike House (2006) A concept album for the new millennium. This one is about the people living in this apartment complex. The music at times takes you back to the days before the Beatles and Stones took over the world. At the same time they can have a very techno feel. This is a fascinating CD.

Slacktone – Slacktone (1997) I heard “The Bells of St Kahuna” in concert and realized for the first time how good surf music can be. These guys are as tight as any prog rock band. Best surf music I have ever heard.

Luke Doucet – Broken (and other rogue states) (2005) This may be the breakup CD of the year (maybe the new millennium). There are lots of songs about cold and broken hearts (or lack there of) and, well, I just love this CD. His future wife, Melissa Mclelland sings backup vocals on many of the songs. He is the indie poster boy of Canada. Someday… Buy this CD! http://www.lukedoucet.com

Beaver Nelson – Motion (2004) We saw Beaver in Austin last year and picked up this CD (yes I am way behind on my listening). A very enjoyable CD… but I have run out of time. http://www.beavernelson.com

Jenny Lewis at the Glass House in Pomona

An art center, right in the middle of Pomona: Who would have thought it was possible. This is a very cool alternative to driving all the way into L.A. Although, if I’m in the OC at 4pm, it ain’t gonna happen. I was able to adjust my schedule this week and work at my client’s in Chino Hills Wednesday, so I lucked out this time.

The Glass House is an old furniture warehouse, according to Bill. It is one big open space with a stage in the corner; allowing for a wide viewing angle. At the back of the building, there is a small upstairs area with a few seats. Although it would have been a comfortable and reasonable place to watch a concert, we were afraid of how the sound would be, so back down we went; into the crowd. We figured it was heavily a Claremont College crowd. And what a wonderful crowd it was. Maybe the best I’ve been in since the last Springsteen show. It was so uplifting to me to know that there were young people today who come to concerts to hear the music. Even if… well, we’ll get to that in a minute. I think I was the oldest or second oldest in the crowd. We found 2 others who looked our age. Otherwise the crowd was pretty much not at drinking age yet (I understand it is a 16 and over club). The thing was, they were respectful. There was little talking during the show, lots of enthusiasm for all of the songs from all of the acts and it was just obvious that they were really there to hear the music. How refreshing that was.

Opening the show was Whispertown 2000. So, before I say what I have to say about their performance you should know that it was their first show and Morgan was sick. She actually came out and immediately sprayed something into her mouth. You expect that when an artist is sick they have trouble hitting notes. But what you forget is that it also can affect their hearing. I’ve been listening to their site on Myspace and am now sure that is what happened because, well, Susie and I kept looking at each other with painful looks on our faces as Morgan kept hitting notes that should be made illegal (and may be in some parts of the world). It was really painful. No. It was really really painful. I can’t even begin to talk about the music itself because it was just so hard to get past the vocals that night. Listening to songs on their website, I can see how they could go so wrong. She/they do not produce typical melodies and if you miss some of those notes, it’s like hitting a gravel patch off the side of they road; you’re in deep trouble. The crowd was very supportive though. Some even started clapping along with one of the songs.

Michael Runion was the second act on the bill. He did a fun solo set playing music that reminded me of Jack Johnson. The lyrics sounded pretty interesting too. He is someone I am going to keep an eye on. Probably the highlight of his act though was his back and forth dialog with the audience. He is a very funny guy and had the audience laughing out loud at some of his off the cuff comments. I’d love to see him in a small club sometime.

Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins started the show in very dramatic fashion: With the band already on stage, they started singing the a capella opening to their CD, “Run Devil Run”. Slowly the three of them walked onto the stage, continuing to sing without microphones. As they hit the last note of the song, Jenny strummed her guitar creating a huge amount of feedback. It wasn’t what she had in mind, but this was opening night of the tour. Actually, sound was a problem all night for all three groups. Jenny apologized, they got the sound levels figured out, and off she went singing about God and religion and life in the big city. I love the new CD and they focused on it throughout the night; playing only a few songs outside of it. There were no Rilo Kiley songs, which seems to show how strongly she feels about this CD. Although I enjoyed the show, she really didn’t add to the songs. This is the first night of the tour so maybe it will take a bit of time and maybe I’m expecting too much; but I do like to see the artist push beyond the limits of the studio when they are in concert. One new song stood out, “Jack Killed Mom”, a funny rollicking blue-eyed soul/country song that turned into a gospel like rave at the end. During the encore they did an a copella version of “I met him on a Sunday”. The standout piece of the evening was the title track from “Rabbit Fur Coat” which she sang accompanied only by her guitar. It is a very powerful, semi-autobiographical song about growing up in Hollywood. The band, is comprised of a couple of Rilo Kiley members along with Michael Runion on bass and Jonathan Rice on guitar. Rice did a nice job playing lots of acoustic solos. Overall it was a good show and a fun evening.

This Weeks Play List

Jenny Lewis and The Watson Twins – Rabbit Fur Coat (2006) The voice of Rilo Kiley creates this excellent closer to country than alternative CD. Her pragmatic look at God and religion is so refreshing. She’s not angry and she sure isn’t kissing butt as she lays out her life to be examined. Will easily make my year end best of list.

Calexico & Iron and Wine – In The Reins (2005) A great collaboration between these two bands. Hopefully this won’t be the last.

The Gousters –The Gousters (2005) An independent release featuring, again a collaboration, Walt Cronin and Zander Schloss, bass player of “The Circle Jerks”. I love how this CD changes styles; sometimes a strong country feel, sometimes it almost sounds like Jon Dee Graham. There is some good stuff on this indie CD. You can find out more at: www.thegousters.com .

Surf Music in San Diego

My college radio station, KCR has put out a benefit CD to help buy needed equipment for the radio station. As part of this effort, we threw a CD release party at The Whistle Stop in San Diego. The CD contains music from 11 surf bands located in Southern California. So, of course, we showcased three of them for our party. Although I liked all three bands, I really need to talk about the last band of the evening, The Slacktones. I was not prepared to be wowed by a “surf band”, but these guys did it. For those of you who don’t follow surf music, there are two things that all good surf bands have in common; a fast and tight drummer and a great lead guitarist. I hadn’t really thought about the latter until I watched these guys play; and Dave Wronski from the Slacktones is amazing. His songwriting is creative, pushing the limits of surf and yet still maintaining a surf sound. And the guitar playing was so fast and accurate and inventive. I really didn’t expect to walk away with a band’s CD, but there I was, asking which CD had that great song with the soft section in the middle (that would be, “The Bells of St. Kahuna”… and what a fantastic song that is). It is almost like going to a jazz concert except that it may be more melodic and the chances of hearing the theme to Hawaii 5-0 are better (they did a nice job on it, although it was no where near the highlight of the evening). It was a fabulous evening and we, the alumni, were able to collect over $800 for the station.