Another book: The Philosophy Of Modern Song by Bob Dylan.
|
@jafant: And reading ;-) .
|
2023 is right around the bend, so newly-announced next-year titles are already popping up. This one is not an LP or CD, but rather a memoir: Don’t Tell Anybody The Secrets I Told You by Lucinda Williams.
For those who don’t know, Lucinda’s father Stanley Miller Williams was an accomplished poet, he reading a poem at Bill Clinton’s second inauguration. Lucinda grew up in a household visited by the likes of Allen Ginsberg. This book oughta be great!
|
Consumer alert! Compass Records and Red House Records are currently running a 50/60% off CD clearance sale. Lots of excellent artists and bands, many in the Singer/Songwriter, Americana, and Bluegrass genres. For instance, the Contraband Love album by Bob Dylan/Levon Helm sideman/bandleader Larry Campbell and his wife Teresa Williams, one of the two albums they have done together. Six bucks, and highly recommended! For the analogue purists in the crowd, the albums are also available on LP, though are not on sale. But the regular price is only $22, cheap for an LP these days.
|
A new boxset chronicling the Carl & The Passions---So Tough/Holland era Beach Boys. Multiple formats, lots of previously-unreleased tracks.
|
Mavis Staples: We'll Never Turn Back LP---15th Anniversary Edition (Anti Records), produced by Ry Cooder.
|
@slaw: Actually Steve, it wasn’t the pressing Michael Ludwig didn’t care for, it was the music. His review of the album was a stark reminder to me that Michael’s musical taste and mine overlap only peripherally. I am a singer/songwriter aficionado, Michael likes Jazz and Electronic music.
From the excellent booklet included in the VMP album, written by David Cantwell (author of Heartaches By The Number: Country Music’s 500 Greatest Songs, and The Running Kind: Listening To Merle Haggard. David has also written for The New Yorker and Rolling Stone Country):
"Iris DeMent released Infamous Angel in 1992. Thirty years later, the album remains among the most singular and fully realized singer-songwriter debuts since the invention of that category in the early ’70’s."
Robert Christgau characterized her "Let The Mystery Be" as "miraculous".
John Prine, on the album’s back cover: "Listen to this music...it’s good for you."
I actually feel sorry for Michael Ludwig; there’s something missing from his soul. No offense intended, Michael ;-) .
The VMP pressing is fine, perhaps done at QRP (Chad has done a number of LP’s for VMP). But the vinyl of the LP is splatter blue, which seems silly to me (I’m not a teenage girl ;-) . The VMP LP actually bears the name Yep Roc Records on it’s center label, so I assume the new LP will differ only in it’s pressing, not it’s mastering. Hope it’s black!
I also hope Yep Roc issues Irises 2nd album---My Life---on LP. It contains her utterly devastating song "No Time To Cry", as heart-wrenching a song as I have ever heard. The album was finally released on LP by Plain Recordings about ten years ago, and could use a reissue in a better pressing. Come on Chad, make room for it ;-) .
|
Yep Rock is issuing all three of the above albums on both LP and CD. The label has national distribution (my local independent stocks the label), but I don’t know about Amazon.
I learned of Iris from Merle Haggard, who recorded her devastating song "No Time To Cry". He was very effusive in his praise of her songwriting abilities (he was a "fair" writer himself ;-) . Other admirers of hers are Joan Osborne and Emmylou Harris, both of whom appear in videos of hers. Another is John Prine, with whom she collaborated and toured. She's a national treasure!
|
Yep Roc has three albums of great interest coming out soon:
- On November 4th, a 30th Anniversary reissue of Iris Dement's startling debut album Infamous Angel. Originally issued on CD only, the album was offered by Vinyl Me Please as their January 2022 Country title, and quickly sold out (I got my copy, did you? ;-). I can't praise Iris enough; she is my favorite living songwriter and singer. Utterly fantastic!
- Also on November 4th, a 10th Anniversary reissue of Tift Merritt's Traveling Alone. I have the album on CD, and will be getting the reissue LP. Tift, another superior songwriter and singer.
- On November 11th, an 11th Anniversary reissue of Dave Alvin's Eleven Eleven album (like alliteration? ;-) . Most of you probably already know about Dave, but if you don't: He emerged as the lead guitarist and main songwriter of The Blasters (with his brother Phil on rhythm guitar and lead vocals), then moved on to the band X, and finally went solo. He has also collaborated with a favorite of mine, Jimmy Dale Gilmore. I haven't heard Eleven Eleven, but intend to.
|
Not being released on LP until February of next year (though already available on SACD), but available as a pre-order now, is The Fantastic Expedition of Dillard & Clark, on Intervention Records.
The album was originally released on A & M Records in 1968 (along with the debut of The Flying Burrito Brothers), the duo forming after Gene Clark left The Byrds and Doug Dillard left The Dillards (his replacement was Herb Pedersen, who later teamed up with Chris Hillman of The Byrds in The Desert Rose Band). Also appearing on the album is Bernie Leadon, long before he was a member of The Eagles.
Great album! Along with the aforementioned Flying Burrito Brothers (of which Chris Hillman was of course instrumental in forming) debut, Dylan’s John Wesley Harding, The Byrds Sweethearts Of The Rodeo (Hillman brought in Gram Parsons to replace the departing David Crosby), and Music From Big Pink by of course The Band, these albums ushered in the new, more Country/Hillbilly direction Rock music took on a cult/hip level. If you don’t think those albums resulted in The Grateful Dead making their 1970 Workingman’s Dead and American Beauty albums, well, you're mistaken ;-) .
|
Well that's interesting @jafant (Rock Of Ages). The original 2-LP set is one of my favorite live albums (along with their collaboration with Dylan on Before The Flood). By the way, in 2013 Capitol Records released an expanded 4-CD/1-DVD boxset of both night's performances, entitled Live At The Academy Of Music 1971: The Rock Of Ages Concerts. Well worth looking for and owning. It will be interesting to see of what the 50th Anniversary Edition is comprised.
|
Coming From Light In The Attic Records in November: a 50th Anniversary Edition of Karen Dalton's legendary In My Own Time album.
|
@reubent: I’ve seen Joan live twice, once with just her guitarist and pianist as accompanists, the other with her (excellent) full band (guitar, piano, bass, and drums). She’s great both ways.
Joan kinda reminds me of the young Maria Muldaur, both great singers with excellent taste in musicians. On her debut album Maria had Ry Cooder, David Lindley, and Amos Garrett playing guitar, Dr. John and Spooner Oldham on piano, Ray Brown, Chris Ethridge, and Klaus Voorman on Bass, and Jim Gordon and Jim Keltner on drums. Damn! A drummer I knew in San Jose was in Maria’s live band for awhile (he’s working with Paul Williams these days). I woulda loved to watch her from behind on the drum riser for an hour a night ;-) .
|
Joan Osborne: Radio Waves. Live appearances taped in various radio stations. Oughta be great, 'cause imo Joan is better live than on recordings. A really good singer, with great taste in material and musicians.
|
I Ran Down Every Dream by Tommy McLain (on Yep Rock Records, LP and CD), his first album in four decades! Produced by C.C. Adcock, with guest appearances by Nick Lowe, Elvis Costello, Augie Myers, Warren Storm, and Van Dyke Parks. How's THAT for hip?!
|
@larsman: Before Cornell put together The Mondo Hotpants Orchestra, he and MHO bassist Frank Roeber had a 3-pc group named The Ragg Brothers. The 3rd member was lead guitarist Kim Muscatel (Cornell played rhythm on an acoustic guitar, like Dan Hicks), the same guitarist who was later in The South Bay Swing Band.
A lot of San Jose’s most interesting musicians (the uninteresting ones formed bands like The Doobie Brothers ;-) passed through The Mondo Hotpants Orchestra, like Kim Winn (my travelling companion to Austin as mentioned above), Gary Dulleck (later the pianist in The South Bay Swing Band), Lyle Pratt (with whom I had been in a band in ’69), Jack Sanford and Larry Stokes (the sax players in The South Bay Swing Band), Joel Crawford (a very interesting guy whom I met in a class at De Anza College. We bonded through our love of The Hollies. He is a fanatic about that group), and of course Cornell’s younger brother Drew, also a member of The South Bay Swing Band. San Jose is a small city ;-) .
So as you can see from the above, though I was never a member of Cornell’s band, I was in bands and groups with a lot of guys who were. For a reason I never understood, he kept Patrick Hennessy---a terrible, terrible drummer (he used Roto-Toms in place of mounted toms ;-)---in his band for years. It’s even more confounding as Cornell was himself a drummer.
|
Oops, above I meant to say The South Bay Swing Band, not Blues Band. Tenor and baritone saxes, acoustic piano (try lugging one of those around in a van ;-), one guitar (a fat-bodied Gibson), electric bass, 4-pc drumset, and singer(s). Fun band! We gigged mostly from San Francisco down to Monterey.
|
@larsman: Small world! I remember Kevin’s name, but can’t picture his face (I’m sure we’ve met, but the 70’s are somewhat of a blur ;-). Donut’s guitarist Paul Skelton was in Hurd’s Mondo Hotpants Orchestra, whom I first saw live at De Anza College in Cupertino. I have all TMHO 45’s and LP’s, and most of Cornell’s CD’s recorded since his relocation to Austin in the late-70’s.
The last time I was in Austin my traveling companion (Kim Winn, formerly a member of TMHO) got up on stage with Cornell at The Broken Spoke and sang a song (Merle Haggard, George Jones, Hank Williams, or Johnny Cash? I don’t remember). I’ve known Kim since 1959, and played with him in numerous bands, the first in 1968. Skelton was playing his old Telecaster, sounding better than ever. For the Dave Alvin fans reading this: Cornell's female drummer left the band to join Alvin's band The Guilty Women.
I never played with Cornell, but was in a band with Cornell’s younger brother Drew, a Jump Blues/Swing band named The South Bay Blues Band (changed to The South Bay Revue after we added a black female vocalist to share the front of the stage with Drew). Drew was of course also a member of The Mondo Hotpants orchestra off-and-on over the years. A giant pothead ;-), and 78 collector.
I saw The Plimsouls live a lot, one of my favorite L.A. bands (along with The Beat, Los Lobos, The Blasters, The Long Ryders, and The Continental Drifters). The last time I saw The Plimsouls live was in the mid-80’s, at a small place on Ventura Blvd. in Studio City named The Garage. My gal (a huge Plimsouls/Peter Case fan) and I got there in time to hear the opening act---whose name I had never before heard---start their set. They began their opening song, and she and I looked at each with mouths agape---they were fantastic! It was Los Lobos, who had not yet recorded their debut English language album. There’s no better place for live music outside of Austin than Los Angeles!
|
@larsman: The gig with The Groovies was when I was in The Donuts, a 5-piece band with 3 guitarists. The main songwriter and lead singer was Chris Hauptman, whose voice is somewhat similar to that of Elvis Costello. He is a very good Pop/Rock songwriter (think Squeeze and Marshall Crenshaw), great chord progressions and melodies, lots of hooks. In San Francisco we played Mabuhay Gardens a few times, and the Keystone in San Francisco & Berkeley. The Groovies loved us, singer Chris Wilson exclaiming "Rock ’n’ Roll"! when our take on Buddy Holly’s "Love’s Made A fool Of You" ended. That song was our only cover; I played the band the version by The Bobby Fuller Four, suggesting it would be perfect for us.
The name started out as a joke. The Donuts were originally a very Pop sounding group with a girl lead singer (Lisa Bosch, now performing around SoCal as a Stevie Nicks tribute singer. She was the donut hole ;-), and had one song with her ("Johnny Johnny") included on the 415 Records sampler album. We moved to L.A. in search of fame and fortune, and started playing around town. We debuted at The Troubadour (just like Elton John ;-), then played Madam Wongs, The Hong Kong Cafe, Blackies, The Starwood, etc. I eventually noticed Lisa sang---not flat, which is not uncommon---but sharp. Very rare (and not good). I suggested we replace her, which is where Chris Hauptman came into the picture.
We did some demos in ’81 with Tchad Blake (Los Lobos, Costello, T Bone Burnett, Richard Thompson, Tom Waits, etc. The big time ;-), he bringing a Nagra portable to our rehearsal room (we also did some overdubs in the room where The Stones recorded "Satisfaction". The room was huge!). He told us he played the tapes of all his recent projects when he was recording The Plimsouls s/t album that came out on Planet Records, and that the only music Peter Case liked was ours. Too bad Peter wasn’t a record label A & R man ;-).
With no record deal secured, Hauptman moved to NYC, guitarist Paul Skelton to Austin (he played on the first Wayne Hancock album), reuniting with our old friend from San Jose, Cornell Hurd (his songs have been recorded by a number of people, including Junior Brown), working in his band until he too succumbed to Lung Cancer (yet another 2-pack-a-day man). The last time I saw Paul on stage was at Threadgills, a clear plastic tube running from an air canister off stage into his nostrils. Grim.
I remained in L.A., playing in all kinds of musical situations. Pop, Singer/Songwriter, Rockabilly, C&W, Blues, Instrumental, Surf, Lounge, even a coupla movie soundtracks. I’ve done some live playing and recording since my move to the Portland area, but the road has about come to an end. A couple of the guys I worked with in L.A. have died (Emitt Rhodes, John Wicks of The Records), as has Evan Johns (3 albums on Rykodisc, but I did his Moontan album on an indi. He was a maniac!). Others have retired. Rock ’n’ Roll is a young man’s game, and those who don’t realize that end up making fools of themselves. Except Dylan, of course ;-) .
|
@djohn: I’ve done the same on a number of my Acoustic Sounds orders (to get free shipping)! They were selling the Groovies’ Shake Some Action LP? (I don’t see it on the site now). That’s funny, ’cause the album is hardly what I would call audiophile ;-) .
The Groovies had a few different era’s, with different line-ups and sounds.
The first era---ignoring the self-released 1968 10" EP Sneakers (which I bought that year, but is now rather expensive)---was 3-albums long (the first on Epic, the second and third on Kama Sutra), when they had a harder, more Stone’s influenced sound. They were at-that-time aligned with the late-60’s/early-70’s bands such as The MC5 (with whom they did a number of shows) and The Stooges. Part of that sound was a healthy dose of "Garage" style.
When those albums didn’t sell, the original line-up dissolved, soon thereafter reforming with only songwriter/lead guitarist/singer Cyril Jordan (great Rock ’n’ Roll name, ay?) and bassist George Alexander remaining. New members were lead singer/rhythm guitarist/songwriter Chris Wilson, drummer David Wright, and guitarist James Ferrell (yes, a 3-guitar line-up, something I love. The pre-1972 Fleetwood Mac, Moby Grape, Buffalo Springfield, etc.). The new Groovies created a very different sound, one which some of their old fans didn’t care for as much. Cyril explained that their new sound (more Beatles than Stones) was one they had always been trying to create but were not able (it’s far easier to sound like The Stones than The Bealtes ;-).
They did some recording at Gold Star in the mid-70’s (lots of covers, and some live-in-the studio demos), those recordings coming out on UK and European labels. Sire Records owner Seymour Stein was a Groovies fan, and had a relationship with Greg Shaw, the owner of a very hip Los Angeles independent label (Bomp Records), who was managing the group (their fan club president was Miriam Linna, original drummer of The Cramps). Greg was very aware of Welshman Dave Edmunds, whose first two solo albums (he had previously been in the group Love Sculpture) had created quite a buzz in the "true" Rock ’n’ Roll community. Greg executive produced the Shake Some Action album, hiring Edmunds to produce it. I’ve never heard anything remotely like it (it combines the group’s and Edmunds’ love of 1950’s R & R, The Beatles very early sound, Phil Spector, and lots of other elements) , and love it to death. I can’t wait to hear what YOU think!
The group lasted for two more albums on Sire (former Charlatans Mike Wilhelm replacing James Ferrell after SSA), Flamin’ Groovies Now produced again by Edmunds, Jumpin’ In The Night by Roger Becherian and Cyril Jordan. Roger is better known for his work with Elvis Costello, Nick Lowe, Squeeze, and Paul Carrack. One of their last shows with that line-up was in the summer of ’81, at a small club in a San Francisco suburb, the band I was then playing in opening for them. I loved ’em, but a guitarist I knew was at the show, and found them to be far too "garage-y" for his liking. But then he liked Progressive, so who cares what he thought? ;-)
The Groovies’ disappeared for years, their latest album (Fantastic Plastic---get it next) being the first in a LONG time. The new line-up sees Cyril Jordan and Chris Wilson reunited, with various drummers (one of them being Prairie Prince of The Tubes) and bassists (George Alexander plays on some songs) used for recording the album.
|
@jafant: 8 CD’s?! Those musta been a coupla damn long concerts (the original 2-LP album is drawn from two live shows) Little Feat played! I’ll be looking for this boxset, thanks.
The evolution of this band is interesting to me. Lowell George was not at all interested in the Jazz Fusion direction in which Bill Payne and Paul Barrere were attempting to take the band, a sentiment with which I can empathize. Little Feat are best remembered by Lowell’s songwriting, which I first became aware of when hearing "I’m Willin’" on Seatrain’s s/t album. A great song done by many, but their version remains my favorite. You never forget your first? ;-)
|
Dang, hip crowd ;-).
Yeah, I’m big on Pub Rock. Like Graham Parker’s first coupla albums. And I just found Taxi To The Terminal Zone by Ducks Deluxe (also produced by Dave Edmunds) on LP.
And The Groovies are actually still limping along. I was in my great local record store (Music Millennium in Portland) right before the Pandemic hit, and I heard them playing on the store’s sound system. I went up to the main counter to see 1- what album of theirs was playing (I hadn’t heard the song before, and I have all their records, dating all the way back to their self-issued 10" Sneakers, bought in San Jose at the time of it’s initial release in 1968), and 2- who had put it on the turntable.
It turned out to be 1- their new-at-the-time Fantastic Plastic album (Cyril Jordan---great Rock ’n’ Roll name!---and Chris Wilson are the sole remaining members, yet they still sound exactly the same), and 2- put on the player by a 25-year old chick (okay, young woman) employee, a huge Flamin’ Groovies fan. She’s a classically-trained pianist (so much for trained musicians being Jazz or Classical snobs ;-), and real cute taboot! Made me wish I had been born later ;-( .
|
Yup @jafant, Edmunds did their Tuff Enuff album, and it’s followup Hot Number. Interestingly, Dave’s partner in Rockpile Nick Lowe had produced Tuff Enuff’s predecessor, T-Bird Rhythm.
Dave and Nick go way back together; Dave had produced (and engineered) the New Favorites Of Brinsley Schwarz album, recorded in 1974 at Rockfield, Dave’s favorite Studio. Nick was the bassist/singer/songwriter in that talent-filled band, and is where his classic "(What’s So Funny ’Bout) Peace, Love, And Understanding" made it’s world debut.
Nick has told the story of going out to his mailbox one day and finding a check from his music publisher. For over a million bucks! Elvis Costello and a bunch of others had recorded the song, finally earning Nick some real money. ;-)
|
@jafant: The Groovies are one of the two or three most revered bands by Power Pop enthusiasts (of which I am), and Shake Some Action their masterpiece. Produced by my favorite 70’s/80’s producer, Dave Edmunds (The Fab T-Birds, The Everly Brothers, The Stray Cats, Dion, Ducks Deluxe).
Edmunds gave The Groovies a very deliberate early/mid-60’s English sound, a cross between The Beatles and The Stones. 3 ringing guitars, lots of harmony vocal arrangements, pounding "neanderthal" drumming (I mean that as a compliment ;-), songs with great chord progressions, sing-along melodies, and hooky choruses. What ABBA might sound like if they were a Rock ’n’ Roll band. Irresistible!
Original pressings of the album (I have both UK and US Sire copies) have a very "dark"/fat sound (the drum sound is very "damped", just as Ringo liked), imo done deliberately to sound retro (Buddy Miller occasionally does the same in his productions). It will be interesting to hear if Kevin Gray has created a more modern sound in his new remaster. Kevin, by the way, is responsible for the series of Beach Boys albums Analogue Productions has issued in the past few years, to great acclaim.
This Groovies reissue is a product from the new reissue label located in Portland Oregon, Jackpot Records (also a retail store). Jackpot also this year released for Record Store Day the very rare 1968 psychedelic album by The Ceyleib People, whose members included Ry Cooder (!), Jim Gordon, and members of L.A. studio band The Wrecking Crew.
|
Scheduled for release on July 29th by Rhino Records is the highly-regarded 1977 live double album of Little Feat, Waiting For Columbus. Copies of the original pressing are plentiful out there, but finding one with Near Mint LP's and cover is not easy. Rhino pressings are variable; hopefully they do an excellent job with this release.
The Jackpot Records reissue of The Flamin' Groovies' wonderful 1976 Power Pop classic Shake Some Action album (produced by Dave Edmunds at Rockfield Studios in South Wales) is now available for a very reasonable $24. Mastered by Kevin Gray from the 2" multi-track analogue (of course; digital did not exist in 1976) tapes.
|
Ben Vaughn's new album, a Record Store Day exclusive. Only 1,000 copies pressed, so show up early to get yours!
|
Jackpot Records is reissuing the 1976 Power Pop classic Shake Some Action by The Flamin' Groovies in May. Produced at Rockfield Studios by my favorite of the 70’s and early-80’s, Dave Edmunds (Fab T-Birds, The Everly Brothers, Carl Perkins, Rockpile, The Stray Cats), and "executive" produced by Greg Shaw, well-respected R & R historian, publisher (the great Bomp! Magazine), and record company owner (Bomp!).
This album blends all The Groovies influences: 1950’s Rock ’n’ Roll, 60’s British Invasion (The Beatles and Stones primarily), 60’s Garage Band (they remain one to this day), and Spector Girl Groups. Edmunds created a very retro-sounding record for this album, not in the least bit hi-fi. But very cool! One of my fave Rock ’n’ Roll albums
Jackpot hired Kevin Gray (Analogue Productions) to master for the release, and pressed the discs at RTI (MoFi) on "Shamrock Green" PVC. I already have original UK and US copies, but am getting this new one too too. Jackpot is local to me in Portland, so no shipping.
|
Joan Osborne: Radio Waves, a collection of live performances done at radio stations. Do a search on YouTube for her and her band's smokin' hot version of "Shake Your Hips". Incendiary!
|
Iris Dement’s debut album on LP, the Country title of the month (January) from Vinyl Me Please. I joined the subscription service just to get the LP (the album was released on CD only in 1992), adding the Irma Thomas album Down At Muscle Shoals (produced in 1967 by Jerry Wexler and recorded with the legendary Fame Studios house band The Swampers, but never released) to my order. Iris herself was involved in the LP’s creation, including new liner notes. Gatefold cover, 180g vinyl.
This album introduced a major musical artist to the world, one of my handful of still-living favorites. Iris is also a favorite of many other superior artists, amongst them John Prine (with whom she collaborated quite a bit before his passing), Emmylou Harris, Alison Krauss, Steve Earle, many others.
|
