Sights and Sounds: Neil Cowley Trio, Bad Company, Dailey & Vincent

Happy Monday everybody! I hope all of you bound for SXSW this week have a great time!

Eagle Rock Entertainment to release Neil Cowley Trio 'Live At Montreux 2012' on DVD, CD, Blu-ray, Digital Video, and Digital Audio on April 30, 2013

Eagle Rock Entertainment is proud to announce the release of Neil Cowley Trio Live At Montreux 2012 on CD, DVD, Blu-ray, Digital Audio, and Digital Video on April 20, 2013.


Making their debut appearance at the Montreux Jazz Festival on July 11, The Neil Cowley Trio are virtuoso musicians. Cowley is a consummate live performer with a distinctively English wit and the ability to create a marvelous rapport with his audience, as ably demonstrated on Live At Montreux 2012. The show focuses primarily on their latest album The Face Of Mount Molehill (recorded & later toured with a string ensemble), with a scattering of tracks from their previous releases.

Neil Cowley is a much in demand pianist who cut his teeth on albums by the likes of Brand New Heavies and Zero 7, and more recently played piano on both of Adele’s global bestselling albums 19 and 21, making him quite literally, the most listened to pianist on the planet!

Defined by powerful riffs countered by poignant, delicate passages and witty, whimsical romps, Cowley’s jazz-meets-rock ethic has earned his trio worldwide acclaim, and plaudits from across the musical spectrum. Their debut album Displaced won the 2007 BBC Jazz Award for Best Album and the trio undertook their first UK tour in the same year, going on to perform extensively around the globe, appearing at some of the worlds most prestigious jazz festivals alongside a string of triumphant shows in the US in 2012. Heralded as “strong stirring stuff” by Time Out New York, their most recent recording, The Face of Mount Molehill earned the trio Best UK Jazz Act at the inaugural Jazz Fm Awards.

The line-up on Live At Montreux includes The Trio: Neil Cowley (piano); Rex Horan (bass); Evan Jenkins (drums), with Julian Ferraretto (violin); Helen Sanders-Hewett (viola); Alex Eichenberger (cello); Miles Brett (violin)

Click here to view a video of “Hug The Greyhound” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Szj5_JP1NF0

TRACK LISTING

1) Lament

2) Rooster Was A Witness

3) Distance By Clockwork

4) Slims

5) Hug The Greyhound

6) Kenny Two Steps*

7) Box Lily

8) How Do We Catch Up

9) Hope Machine

10) Meyer

11) Skies Are Rare*

12) La Porte*

13) Fable

14) The Face Of Mount Molehill

15) She Eats Flies

* Not on CD format
   

BAD COMPANY RELEASES FULL SUMMER 2013 ROUTING THAT KICKS OFF

ON JUNE 15 IN RANCHO MIRAGE, CA

40th Anniversary Celebration Includes 13 Co-Headline Dates with Lynyrd Skynyrd



Bad Company has announced the complete itinerary for the band's Summer tour of the U.S. Celebrating their 40th anniversary since forming, the excursion begins on June 15 in Rancho Mirage, CA and will stage 22 dates, ending on August 3 in Orilla, Ontario. The band appeared in June, 2012 at the Sweden Rock Festival, which followed a tour of the Japan and North America in 2010 that staged 21 appearances. Prior, Bad Company toured the U.K. for an eight-date run, which concluded at Wembley in London, followed by ten shows in the U.S. in 2009. In front of the tour, Paul Rodgers shares, "When Mick and I formed the band we were amazed at the instant success. It didn't hurt to have Led Zeppelin behind us, and we wrote some decent songs that still resonate. This one is for the fans."

Bad Company were dubbed a super-group upon the band's formation due to the union of Free's Paul Rodgers (Vocals / Multi-Instrumentalist) with Mott The Hoople's Mick Ralphs (Guitar) plus Free's Simon Kirke (Drums) and King Crimson's Boz Burrell (Bass), who passed away in 2006. Over the next nine years, the band released a string of six albums that sold tens of millions of copies, yielding international hits "Can't Get Enough," "Bad Company," "Feel Like Makin' Love," and many others penned by the main songwriters Paul Rodgers and Mick Ralphs. Original members Rodgers, Ralphs, and Kirke will be joined by guitarist Howard Leese and bassist Todd Ronning (from Paul Rodgers solo band).

Bad Company has inspired many of today's musicians. Most notably, Metal band Five Finger Death Punch who scored a #1 Active Rock hit with a cover of the song "Bad Company". Since 2001, the band has only played 11 isolated performances, and has not staged a tour of The United States and Canada until now.

On 13 of the dates, Bad Company will co-headline with Lynyrd Skynyrd. Paul Rodgers recently shared, "The Skynyrds and I go back to the 70's and the days and nights at the Hyatt House on Sunset in LA aka the Riot House. In the 90's the band introduced me to my wife Cynthia, and that's why I am so damned happy and healthy these years." Lynyrd Skynyrd's Johnny Van Zant offered, "Every member of Skynyrd has been fans of Bad Company from the get go. Personally, Paul is one of my favorite rock singers. We have a deep appreciation for Bad Company’s music and look forward to being on the road with them and sharing the stage.”

DiscLive Network (www.disclivenetwork.com) has partnered with Bad Company. Recordings of all appearances where available will be released to fans the evening of the appearance so that they have the opportunity to walk out of the show with the concert they just attended. These double CD sets, which will be individually numbered and packaged in super high quality DigiPaks commemorating the 40th Anniversary Tour, will also contain an extra "bonus" CD with an exclusive "rockumentary" style interview with Bad Company. Fans may go to www.disclivenetwork.com to reserve their copy today.

The complete itinerary follows, with co-headline dates cited via the notation W/LS:

6/15 Rancho Mirage, CA Aqua Caliente Casino Resort Spa

6/20 Auburn, WA White River Amphitheater W/LS

6/21 Ridgefield, WA Sleep Country Amphitheater W/LS

6/23 Mountain View, CA Shoreline Amphitheater W/LS

6/25 Del Mar, CA San Diego County Fair

6/28 Hammond, IN The Venue at Horseshoe Casino

6/29 New Lenox, IL Community Center

7/05 Hinckley, MN Grand Casino - Outdoor Amph.

7/07 Airway Heights, WA Northern Quest Resort & Casino

7/11 Houston, TX Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion W/LS

7/13 Charlotte, NC Verizon Wireless Amphitheater W/LS

7/14 Bristow, VA Jiffy Lube Live W/LS

7/16 Buffalo, NY Artpark Amphitheater

7/17 Camden, NJ Susquehanna Bank Center W/LS

7/19 Burgettstown, PA First Niagara Pavilion W/LS

7/20 Noblesville, IN Klipsch Music Center W/LS

7/23 Clarkston, MI DTE Energy Music Theater W/LS

7/24 Cincinnati, OH Riverbend Music Center W/LS

7/26 Gilford, NH Meadowbrook Music Pavillion W/LS

7/27 Bethel, NY Bethel Woods Center for the Arts W/LS

8/02 Solomons, MD PNC Waterside Pavillion

8/03 Orilla, Ontario CAN Casino Rama

 

Dailey & Vincent Get Back To Their Roots on 'Brothers Of The Highway';

Award-Winning Bluegrass Band’s New Set To Bow On Rounder May 7


Acclaimed bluegrass group Dailey & Vincent will release their sixth studio album, Brothers Of The Highway, on May 7, 2013. The eagerly anticipated follow-up to 2012’s Grammy-nominated The Gospel Side of Dailey & Vincent features a pair of original Jamie Dailey compositions as well as ten stirring and evocative new interpretations of songs made famous by the likes of Vince Gill, the Louvin Brothers, Kathy Mattea, Bill Monroe, Cody Shuler & Pine Mountain Railroad, George Strait, and Porter Wagoner.


While choosing material for this album, the duo, comprised of Jamie Dailey (voice and guitar) and Darrin Vincent (voice and bass), found inspiration in the words of their friend and mentor Ricky Skaggs, who advised them “You can’t know where you’re going unless you know where you’ve been.”

“I am extremely passionate about this album. It is a reflection of my heart, my soul, and my love for great music,” said Dailey. “When it was time to record this album, Darrin and I knew exactly what we wanted it to be. We both agreed that it was time to record a straight-ahead Bluegrass record consisting of a blend of original songs and songs from the past that we absolutely love. We know where we came from, and we know where we want to go. We feel this record is in step with our musical dreams, and we are excited for people to hear it!"

"Brothers Of The Highway" has been a labor of love for us,” adds Vincent. “We wanted to make an album about the joys of a simple way of life and tell stories through descriptive lyrics about friends, family, and love. I am so proud of this album. From the bottom of my heart, I hope you enjoy these songs as much as we enjoyed performing them for you."

Since they burst onto the scene in 2007, Dailey & Vincent have amassed an impressive array of honors including three consecutive IBMA (International Bluegrass Music Association) Awards for Entertainer of the Year and Vocal Group of the Year, respectively; two Grammy nominations, and the 2011 Dove Award for Bluegrass Album of the Year. The band, dubbed the “rock stars of bluegrass” by CMT.com, has also become a perennial favorite on the touring and festival circuit: they play over 115 shows per year to sold out crowds in the United States and have developed a strong international following.

Dailey & Vincent’s peerless lineup includes the outstanding mandolin playing and lead and harmony vocals of Jeff Parker, the remarkable talents of banjo player Jessie Baker, fiddler B.J. Cherryholmes, and bass singer extraordinaire Christian Davis, as well as the unmatched vocals of Jamie and Darrin themselves.

A number of stellar guests lent their talents to this album, including Johnny Beller (dobro), Molly Cherryholmes (fiddle), Mike Compton (mandolin), Joe Dean (banjo), Jimmy Fortune (voice), Andy Leftwich (fiddle, mandolin, mandocello), and Bryan Sutton (guitar).

“Masters of harmony singing” (No Depression) Dailey & Vincent will be on tour throughout 2013 and beyond.

Dailey & Vincent: Brothers of the Highway
Track Listing:


1. Steel Drivin’ Man (Jamie Dailey)

2. Close By (Bill Monroe/Van Winkle)

3. When I Stop Dreaming (Charlie Louvin/Ira Louvin)

4. Back To Jackson County (Jamie Dailey)

5. Brothers Of The Highway (Doug Johnson/Nicole Witt/Kim Williams)

6. Tomorrow I’ll Be Gone (Wilma Lee Cooper)

7. Hills Of Caroline (Vince Gill)

8. Big River (James Cody Shuler)

9. Howdy Neighbor Howdy (James C. Morris)

10. Won’t It Be Wonderful There (Mildred Styles Johnson)

11. Back To Hancock County (Pete Goble/Leroy Drumm)

12. Where’ve You Been (Don Henry/Jon Vezner)

SXSW Preview: Depeche Mode; Buddy Miller & Jim Lauderdale; John Fogerty; The Coathangers

Over the past several weeks, my inbox has been flooded with invitations and updates relating to SXSW. Sadly I won't be Austin this week, but I still wanted to post some highlights; I'll kick things off with news related to Depeche Mode's first-ever trek to South By Southwest...

Depeche Mode / Photo credit: Accu Soft Co

Depeche Mode Announce Showcase Presented by Yahoo! @ SXSW Music Festival

on Friday, March 15^th

Previously Announced Panel Discussion With The Band @ SXSW To Be Held on Wednesday, March 13^th & Will Be Moderated By

Jason Bentley—Music Director of KCRW in Los Angeles

Depeche Mode's SXSW performance will be available on Yahoo! Music (http://music.yahoo.com) on March 26

Following on the heels of their panel announcement, Depeche Mode have confirmed their first ever showcase at South by Southwest (SXSW) Music Festival on Friday, March 15, 2013. Presented by Yahoo! the exclusive show will take place at Austin’s Brazos Hall with Depeche Mode scheduled to take the stage at 10pm. The concert will give lucky fans an exclusive preview of the band’s new album, Delta Machine, which is due out on Columbia Records on March 26, 2013.

Depeche Mode released news earlier this week that they will also sit down for a discussion moderated by KCRW Music Director Jason Bentley. This unique look inside the legendary band will be held on Wednesday, March 13^th at 5 p.m. at the Austin Convention Center. The discussion is open to all Music and Platinum badges as well as Artist Wristbands

The band’s new album, Delta Machine, was recorded over the last year in Santa Barbara, California and New York City and was produced by Ben Hillier and mixed by Flood. Alongside a standard CD format, Depeche Mode will release Delta Machine in an exclusive Deluxe Edition with four additional new tracks and accompanied by a 28 page hardcover book including photos by longtime artistic collaborator Anton Corbijn. The first single, “Heaven,” was released earlier this month to critical acclaim. Depeche Mode will kick off their European tour on May 7^th in Tel Aviv with North American tour details to be announced in the coming weeks.

FULL RUN OF SHOW & SET TIMES:

Doors 7:00 PM

Feathers
The Neighbourhood
Depeche Mode
ERIC PRYDZ

Here are some other announcements related to SXSW...

BUDDY MILLER AND JIM LAUDERDALE CONFIRM SXSW 2013 APPEARANCES    SXSW MARKS AUSTIN STOP ON MONTH-LONG U.S. TOUR IN SUPPORT OF CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED LP BUDDY AND JIM OUT NOW ON NEW WEST RECORDS "As a duo, Buddy Miller and Jim Lauderdale may have released only one record, the appropriately titled Buddy and Jim, but their 30-plus years of friendship made their show at World Cafe Live on Friday night feel like a long-awaited reunion."  Philadelphia Inquirer "...Jim Lauderdale and Buddy Miller performed a well-crafted, expertly executed set of Americana music that was exhilarating, entertaining, and well, just plain fun." The Huffington Post Critically acclaimed, Grammy® Award winning musicians/songwriters Buddy Miller and Jim Lauderdale will bring their energetic, musically inspiring performances to Austin, TX for the annual South By Southwest Music Festival.  Buddy and Jim, who are taking the spotlight together for the first time in their 30+ year friendship, will play the official Americana Music Association Showcase, the HGTV/Paste Magazine day party, the South by San Jose day party and the New West Records official showcase at the Parish on Friday night with label mates Max Gomez, John Hiatt, Richard Thompson, Steve Earle and The Devil Makes Three (dates and times below.) Buddy and Jim are out on tour in support of their new duets record titled Buddy and Jim, which was recorded and produced at Buddy's home studio in Nashville.  As two of the most prolific writers and in demand musicians, who the The Chicago Tribune recently described as "...couple of Nashville mavericks who've written, sang, played on or produced some of the best records of the last 25 years," the two friends explained during an interview with The New Yorker that"...it took seventeen years to find the three days they needed to record their first album together."  Buddy and Jim has been in the top 5 on the Americana Radio chart 14 weeks since the record debuted, including three straight weeks in the #1 position.   In addition to making music together, Buddy and Jim co-host a weekly radio show that can be heard on SiriusXM Outlaw Country Channel 60 Saturdays 10 pm ET. They also join forces annually for the Americana Honors and Awards show, which Jim hosts while Buddy leads the all-star band.  Both artists have taken home multiple wins over the past several years at the Americana Honors and Awards show.

SXSW PERFORMANCES: 3-14                9:00 pm                     Antones / Americana Music Association Showcase 3-15                12:00 pm                   Stages on Sixth / Paste Magazine Showcase 3-15                4:00 pm                     San Jose Hotel / South by San Jose 3-15                9:00 pm                     The Parish / New West Records Showcase JOHN FOGERTY TO CLOSE OUT SXSW ON A HIGH NOTE: LEGENDARY ROCKER TO PERFORM SPECIAL SHOW WITH HIS BAND SATURDAY, MARCH 16 AT THE ACL MOODY THEATRE IN AUSTIN, TEXAS It’s almost Saturday night. JOHN FOGERTY will close out SXSW this year on a high note with a special performance Saturday, March 16 at 10 p.m. at the ACL Moody Theatre in Austin, Texas. This show with the legendary singer, songwriter and guitarist’s band comes as the excitement is building for the May 28 release of his new self-produced album for Vanguard Records, WROTE A SONG FOR EVERYONE.  A celebration of his iconic songbook, it is a collection of 12 classics and deep tracks from his remarkable canon of hits recorded in collaboration with other artists, plus two brand new solo songs. FOGERTY will also perform Thursday, March 14 at SXSW at Stubb’s as part of theSound City Players, the all-star band assembled by Dave Grohl. This past Tuesday (March 5), FOGERTY appeared with the Sound City Players on“Jimmy Kimmel Live!” playing the classic FOGERTY original “Fortunate Son.” FOGERTY performs a new version of this song with the Foo Fighters on WROTE A SONG FOR EVERYONE. To see the “Kimmel” performance, which took place on Hollywood Blvd in Los Angeles, go here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TODQc2Lu3Js FOGERTY recently appeared at album playbacks for media and tastemakers, talking about each song on WROTE A SONG FOR EVERYONE in sessions moderated by Bill Flanagan (in New York at Iridium) and David Wild (in Los Angeles at Hotel Café). USA Today’s Edna Gundersen, writing about the Los Angeles event, praised the new version of “Fortunate Son”: “The Foo Fighters join in on a fierce, raucous all-too-timely remake of Fogerty's bitter slap at the entitled class” (2/24/13). Read the full piece here: http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/music/2013/02/24/john-fogerty-wrote-a-song-for-everyone-album-preview/1944281/ Billboard’s Thom Duffy noted that FOGERTY “songs like ‘Proud Mary,’ ‘Bad Moon Rising,’ and ‘Fortunate Son’ not only created a soundtrack for those tumultuous years in America, they've transcended that era to define rock n' roll for the ages.” Duffy also said: “As a solo artist Fogerty's songwriting gift has been undiminished, with tunes like the joyous anticipation of ‘Almost Saturday Night’ or the wheels-on-fire celebration of ‘Hot Rod Heart’ from his Grammy-winning Blue Moon Swamp album” (2/14/13). Read the full piece here: http://m.billboard.com/v/News/JohnFogertyTalksJoyf/?KSID=421b4969d216305d2e8658d1205e20e2 WROTE A SONG FOR EVERYONE--performed alongside an array of today’s biggest superstars from the  country, pop and rock worlds--marks FOGERTY's ninth studio solo album since disbanding Creedence Clearwater Revival.  Mixed by Bob Clearmountain, it was recorded in Los Angeles and Nashville except for "Proud Mary" which was recorded in New Orleans with Allen Toussaint and the Rebirth Brass Band.  FOGERTYrecorded “Fortunate Son” with Foo Fighters at their 606 studio using "the" legendary Neve recording console featured in the #1 iTunes documentary Sound City. In an in-studio feature in Rolling Stone (2/14/13), Clearmountain is quoted as saying: “It’s no nostalgia fest. It’s like they’re new songs.” WROTE A SONG FOR EVERYONE tracklisting: 1. Fortunate Son (with Foo Fighters) 2. Almost Saturday Night (with Keith Urban) 3. Lodi (with Shane Fogerty and Tyler Fogerty) 4. Mystic Highway (John Fogerty solo) 5. Wrote a Song for Everyone (with Miranda Lambert feat. Tom Morello) 6. Bad Moon Rising (with Zac Brown Band) 7. Long As I Can See the Light (with My Morning Jacket) 8. Born on the Bayou (with Kid Rock) 9. Train of Fools (John Fogerty solo) 10. Someday Never Comes (with Dawes) 11. Who'll Stop the Rain (with Bob Seger) 12. Hot Rod Heart (with Brad Paisley) 13. Have You Ever Seen the Rain (with Alan Jackson) 14. Proud Mary (with Jennifer Hudson feat. Allen Toussaint and the Rebirth Brass Band) THE COATHANGERS ON TOUR NOW + HEAD TO SXSW LISTEN TO DEREK’S SONG PREMIERED BY SPIN HERE Atlanta’s reigning garage rock daughters, The Coathangers, are set to hit the road and play Savannah Stopover, 35 Denton, Galax Z Fair festivals before making their way down to Austin for this year’s SXSW.  The Coathangers take their devil-may-care attitude and rowdy house-show vibe on a short stint of US dates before crossing over to Europe for a tour with Trail of Dead. Come March 19, The Coathangers release a split 7” with labelmates Nü Sensae which will be the third installment in their series of split 7”s on Suicide Squeeze.  Both new listeners and longtime fans of The Coathangers will be whipped into a frenzy with “Derek’s Song,” a party-banger perfectly encapsulating the quartet’s capacity for sharp hooks and jagged instrumentation - listen on Spin here or on Soundcloud here:https://soundcloud.com/suicide-squeeze-records/dereks-song-by-the-coathangers(please repost / share) SXSW SHOWS WED 3/13: 1:00 PM - Thrasher @ Scoot Inn 12:00 AM – Suicide Squeeze @ Holy Mountain – 617 E 7th Street THURS 3/14: 2:00 PM –Needle Drop/Terror Eyes @ The Museum of Human Achievement - 3600 Lyons Road FRI 3/15: 5:00 PM – Suicide Squeeze/Hardly Art @ The North Door – 501 N IH 35 SAT 3/16: 4:15 PM – Burger Records @ Hotel Vegas Compound – 1500 East 6th Street THE COATHANGERS TOUR DATES 3/7: Savannah Stopover Fest – Savannah, GA 3/8: Bird’s Aphrodisiac Oyster Shack – Tallahassee, FL 3/9: Siberia - New Orleans, LA 3/10: 35 Denton Festival – Denton, TX 3/11: Galax Z Fair – McAllen, TX 3/13 – 3/16: SXSW – Austin, TX 3/17: Spillover Fest – Dallas, TX 3/19: Proud Larry’s – Oxford, MS 3/24: Zwischenbrau - Rostock Germany $ 3/25: Ubel & Gefayehrlich Hamburg Germany $ 3/27: Vera Groningen, Holland $ 3/30: Leipzig Germany, Conne Island $ 4/1: Düsseldorf Germany, Zakk $ 4/2: Bielefeld Germany, Forum $ 4/4: Sankt Hanshaugen Norway, John Dee $ 4/7: Stockholm Sweden, Debaser $ 4/9: Berlin Germany, Astra $ 4/10: Warsaw Poland, Proxima $ 4/11: Wroclaw Poland, Firlej $ 4/12: Munich Germany, Theaterfabrik $ 4/13: Vienna Austria, WUK $ 4/15: Wil Switzerland, Gare de Lion$ 4/16: Zurich Switzerland, Mascotte $ 4/17: Paris France, La Maroquinerie $ 4/19: Manchester UK, Academy 2/3 $ 4/20: Glasgow UK, SW3 $ 4/21: Wolverhampton UK, Slade Rooms $ 4/22: Cardiff UK, The Great Hall 2 $ 4/23: Bristol UK, Academy $ 4/24: Nottingham UK, Rescue Rooms $ 4/25: London UK,  Islington Academy $ $ = w/ And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead Click here for more information on The Coathangers

Inbox Update: Tears For Fears, All Tiny Creatures, Patty Griffin

Happy Friday everybody! Lots of '80s-spawned bands  my blog this week...

Tears For Fears released The Hurting 30 years ago today.

TearsForFears.com just launched today.

All Tiny Creatures / photo: Chris Rosenau

All Tiny Creatures are back with their second album Dark Clock, coming out May 28, 2013 on Hometapes, the Portland-based label home to Matthew E. White, Bear In Heaven & Megafaun. "This is like pop music from an alternate universe," says Thomas Wincek, the founder of the Wisconsin-based four-piece. Hearing the urgent, upbeat, breathy direction of the first single "Quickest Cut," you're transported to a land where every child was raised on a steady diet of Steve Reich, King Crimson, the Beach Boys, and Def Leppard.


The first single, "Quickest Cut," can be heard now over at Paste, who say the record "will feature the band’s signature shimmering electronic pop sound as well as their penchant for Beach Boy-inspired harmonics.Click here to hear the new single. Visit the band's Web site at: http://alltinycreatures.com/

New West Records is proud to announce that Patty Griffin will release her new album, American Kid, on May 7. The album, co-produced by Griffin and Craig Ross, is her seventh and first for New West. It is her first album of mainly new material since the acclaimed Children Running Through in 2007. In between then and now, she made the Grammy Award-winning Downtown Church in 2010 and became a member of Band of Joy alongside Robert Plant.


American Kid, much of which Griffin says "was written to honor my father," returns to typical Patty Griffin territory, which is to say that it features a group of remarkably powerful, personal and unpredictable songs arranged and performed in a style that doesn't entirely repeat anything she's done on her previous albums while drawing on all of them. Yet Griffin's catalog is among the most unified in modern popular music, because her singing is as unmistakable and inimitable as her songwriting.

Griffin has lived in Austin and recorded either in Austin and Nashville throughout her career (she released her first album, Living with Ghosts, in 1996) but American Kid is her first album whose music sounds stylistically rooted in Americana. "It was recorded in Memphis," Griffin says, and adds with a quick laugh, "Part of the reason was the chance to get away from what I'd been doing." The key to that was working with North Mississippi Allstars guitarist Luther Dickinson and drummer Cody Dickinson. The Dickinsons had played acoustic sets opening for Band of Joy and Luther gave Patty lessons on mandolin. "With the Dickinsons, you're constantly seeing people who work to get away from what they're used to."

Co-producer Ross, perhaps best known for his guitar work with Lisa Germano as well as his own critically acclaimed solo albums, is also responsible for the production of an earlier Griffin collection (2004's Impossible Dream). Griffin said she chose Ross because of his ability, as she describes it, "to get the ghost out of the machine." Ross plays -- usually guitar but also bass, mandolin, baritone, omnichord and organ -- on all but two tracks on the album. The other prominent musical contributor, appearing on eight of the twelve tracks, is guitarist Doug Lancio, who has played on just about every Patty Griffin recording since Flaming Red, and produced some of them. Long-time friend and sound engineer, Roy Taylor helps out once again on American Kid, and Plant sings on three songs.

The album's lyrical focal point is Patty's father, a high school science teacher who fought in World War II, lost his father young and his mother almost immediately after he returned from the war, lived for a time in a Trappist monastery, raised seven children, bought Patty's Sgt. Pepper for her birthday and changed her life. Mr. Griffin's impending death sparked the songs. But these aren't songs about death, even though American Kid features ample reference to mortality. American Kid is thematic, not a concept album.


Tracklisting for American Kid:
Go Wherever You Want To Go
Don't Let Me Die In Florida
Ohio
Wild Old Dog
Mom & Dad's Waltz
Faithful Son
Highway Son
That Kind of Lonely
Irish Boy
Get Ready Marie
Not A Bad Man
Gonna Miss You When You're Gone
Griffin and her band will be touring throughout 2013.

Inbox Update: Big Country, Midnight Oil, Parkaimoon

Whew! More big news to share...

Big Country set to return with 'The Journey' on April 30

U.S. Tour includes stop at The Coach House on June 25

Big Country / Photo credit: Andy Labrow

Celebrated Scottish band Big Country has returned with The Journey (April 30th / Megaforce), their first studio album in 14 years, and first with frontman Mike Peters. “When Bruce Watson called and asked me to sing for Big Country, it was something I didn’t need to think twice about,” says Peters, a good friend and a favorite singer of the late Stuart Adamson. “It’s been an incredible honor getting to know the music of Big Country intimately and a pleasure to be around such great musicians. I find singing the lyrics of Stuart Adamson very life affirming.”


Written and produced by the entire band, The Journey is a return to the classic Big Country sound; a shared vision of widescreen guitar melody, harmony and lyric. The lineup features Mike Peters, co-founder Bruce Watson, longtime drummer Mark Brzezicki, bassist Derek Forbes from Simple Minds, and guitarist Jamie Watson. “New music is always in the blood with Big Country, and so it becomes the life blood the band need to evolve,” says Brzezicki. “The new songs, along with the chemistry and timing, felt right.”


Green Day and U2’s hit cover of The Skids’ “The Saints Are Coming”, Adamson’s previous band, sparked Big Country’s reunion. Coinciding with their 30th anniversary, the band’s energy had been renewed, and soon they were performing the Isle of Wight (twice), V Festival, T in the Park, and many of the UK and Europe’s most famous festivals.

“When we are playing, it is as if we never stopped,” says Watson. “But I know we have, I know we suffered a great loss. But you heal…slowly.” I can assure you that Stuart will be there with us every night, in our thoughts, in our words, and in our hearts.”

In 1983, Big Country released The Crossing, the seminal album produced by Steve Lillywhite that broke the band massively worldwide with classic singles “Fields of Fire”, “Chance” and signature song “In a Big Country”. The run of success continued throughout the 1980′s with the release of the their second album Steeltown (1984), which debuted at Number 1 in the UK. They have opened for the Rolling Stones on two separate tours in the 90s, and Mick Jagger has called Big Country “one of the best opening bands we’ve ever had.”

Click here to hear "The Journey," the first single from the new Big Country album.

Catch Big Country on tour in the US this summer, and find them @BigCountryUK , BigCountry.co.uk and facebook.com/inabigcountry .

June 6 - Asbury Park, NJ // Wonder Bar

June 7 - New York, NY // Gramercy Theater

June 8 - Farmingdale, NY // The Paramount

June 15 - Austin, TX // Belmont

June 19 - Solano Beach, CA // Belly Up

June 22 - Agoura Hills, CA // Canyon Club

June 23 - Redondo, CA // St. Rock

June 25 - San Juan Capistrano, CA // Coach House

June 28 - Santa Barbara, CA // Winery

June 29 - Napa, CA // Uptown Theatre

July 9 - Aspen, CO // Belly Up

Speaking of fantastic bands that emerged in the 1980s, now comes word about the upcoming release of Essential Oils, the first double-CD chronology assembled on Australia’s Midnight Oil.The forthcoming collection contains 36 songs, handpicked by the band, and the tracklist covers every one of the band’s 12 studio albums (plus two of their rare 1980s EPs). It will be available April 30 via Columbia/Legacy.
Click here to get more details on Essential Oils.  


Great Big Sea and dada are not the only bands celebrating their 20th anniversary with tours and special shows. Orange County's own PARKAIMOON has also persevered for 20 years. The band played their first offical show on March 12, 1993 at Club Mesa in Costa Mesa. So it's no surprise the group is having a weekend celebration with three shows scheduled: Thursday (tonight!) and Friday night are acoustic shows at Mahe and Quinn's respectively. Saturday night is the 20th anniversay show featuring the full band, and possibly a few guests, at Mahe in Seal Beach.
Visit www.Parkaimoon.com for more details on those shows!

Great Big Sea still going strong 20 years on

Great Big Sea

Where: City National Grove of Anaheim

When: Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Alan Doyle, left, and Séan McCann, right, kick off Tuesday night's set.

Photo courtesy of Kelly A. Swift


Last Saturday (March 2, 2013), dada wrapped up its 20th anniversary tour with the band's 33rd and final stop at The Coach House in San Juan Capistrano.

On Tuesday night, March 5, Great Big Sea launched its own 20th anniversary tour with a tour-opening date at City National Grove of Anaheim, the first of – you guessed it – 33 dates that will take the band across North America. At first look, both trios share little in common musically. But after watching Canadian folk rockers Great Big Sea, it's clear that no matter what the particular musical brand, it takes something special for a band that sails mostly below the commercial music radar to stay together and continue to stray true to its vision 20 years after setting out on its journey...

Below is my review first published in Soundcheck on The Orange County Register site on Wednesday, March 6, 2013:

Canadian folk-rockers Great Big Sea at City National Grove of Anaheim made it clear Tuesday night: No matter what the musical brand, it takes something special for a group that sails mostly below commercial radar to stay together and continue to fully connect with fans for two decades.

"Anaheim, California – the first day of the tour!" Alan Doyle, principal vocalist and one of the band's three multi-instrumentalists, declared early in the night. "Twenty years in the making. Thank you very much."

The export from Newfoundland and Labrador, which performs sea shanties, old folk songs and original rockers with the same firepower that O.C.'s own Fenians and American Wake bring in their approach to traditional Irish music, fused a joyous spirit, stunning harmonies and infectious music-making into a fast-paced concert.

Featuring many of the songs on their aptly titled XX retrospective, GBS was the lone act on the bill and made the most of that spotlight via a 2½-hour performance divided into halves. The first was mostly acoustic, although rousing opener "Ordinary Day" had many in the front section on their feet and moving, while the second portion picked up the pace with more high-octane material.

Original members Doyle (guitar, bouzouki, mandolin), Séan McCann (bodhran, guitar, tin whistle) and Bob Hallett (fiddle, accordion, mandolin, whistles, bagpipes), all of whom contribute vocals and are backed by touring bassist Murray Foster and drummer Kris Macfarlane, were firing on all cylinders. They defied any notion that, since this was the first night of a countrywide tour, things might not be fully in sync.

"The Chemical Workers Song" began with Doyle singing a cappella, his vocals then supported by McCann's precise beat on bodhran before the emergence of full harmonies filled the large theater with a bursting sound. The depth and range of the band's songs was further enhanced by a seemingly endless number of variations on time-honored forms.

Their impressive two-, three-, four-, even five-part vocals meshed with both the material and its old-world instrumentation, with the audience itself (primarily clapping and joining in singalongs) helping give the concert an intoxicating feel from start to finish.

Doyle handled the majority of lead vocals, but McCann made the most of his moments. "England," a beautiful original ballad, featured his tenor soaring over Hallett's haunting whistle. Later, he mined similarly rich territory when he sang the verses in "Safe upon the Shore" alone, his mates' glorious voices entering for choruses. That approach worked again on the new Americana-tinged "Live This Life," during which the troupe conveyed chilling emotions amid a lush arrangement.

The up-tempo rockers later in the set kept the energy level high. "Love Me Tonight," with its mainstream beat, big harmonies and tin whistle layers, segued into a rollicking take on the Celtic-flavored "The Night Pat Murphy Died," anchored by Hallett's blazing accordion. That number had a bit of the Beach Boys' "California Girls" thrown in, and the eclectic set also included a completely reworked cover of R.E.M.'s "It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)," effectively driven by Doyle's mandolin.

And for those seeking to celebrate this night, as well as hoist a glass to Great Big Sea's unlikely stateside rise (they're beloved up north), "Old Black Rum" provided the perfect means to make a toast.


For more information: www.GreatBigSea.com.

Alvin Lee: legendary guitarist dead at 68

Alvin Lee in 1975

I am still numb upon hearing the news about the death of singer-songwriter-guitarist Alvin Lee. Only 68, the virtuoso guitarist apparently passed away in the wake of "unforeseen complications following a routine surgical procedure," according to his Web site. Throughout the day I have received a number of texts and emails from friends who know that I am a long-time fan of the Ten Years After icon. I only had the chance to interview him once, and then subsequently see him shortly after that. I'll never forget the excitement of seeing him play, including how expert he was in using drumsticks on his guitar. The Beatles were my first musical love, but Alvin Lee was my first guitar hero. After seeing a special screening of Woodstock at an art movie house while I was in high school and witnessing his 1969 performance of "I'm Going Home," I signed up for guitar lessons in hopes of becoming a lead guitarist. I never could play like Alvin but I sure have enjoyed listening to his recordings over the years.

Here is a link to read Ben Wener's post about the death of Alvin Lee.

What follows is my preview story on Alvin Lee that was published in The Orange County Register on Nov. 5, 1994. It was a challenge to set up the interview but it was one of my most memorable interviews to be sure...

Alvin Lee: no-frills guitar thrills
ROCK: The blues veteran is on tour fronting a trio and churning out his hits from Ten Years After.


THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
By ROBERT KINSLER

Published: SAT, 11/5/1994

.

When Alvin Lee performs at the Coach House on Sunday and Monday nights, fans of the legendary British blues guitarist may be surprised that he is backed only by a bassist and drummer.


But the stripped-down approach is really a return to form for Lee, best known as the singer-guitarist of Ten Years After. The group turned in arguably the best performance at Woodstock 25 years ago with a fiery version of "I'm Going Home. " Lee is on a U.S. tour for the first time since a Ten Years After reunion trek more than four years ago. He's out in support of "I Hear You Rockin' ," a new album that features Lee's most colorful blues playing and songwriting since the late 1970s.


"It's back to the roots, really. For this record I sat down and listened to some of the original Ten Years After records and thought to myself, `How did we used to record in 1968-1969? ' " Lee said by telephone from San Diego.

"What I've been doing the last few years is making good demos and playing them to the band, and they listen to the tape and we record the songs. I realized what I used to do was sit down with a guitar and play the songs to the band; this way the band is much more involved in the making of the album and can put their own ideas in the songs. " Although Lee ranks as one of the most gifted guitarists to come out of the mid-1960s blues revival in England, he has never found the fame of contemporaries Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page and Eric Clapton.

Yet he remains as committed to his guitar-based style of blues as when he performed with his first band, the Jailbreakers, at age 13 in the early 1960s.

"I Hear You Rockin' " is full of blues-styled originals such as "Boogie All Day" and "Play It Like It Used To Be," as well as furious, straight-ahead songs such as "Keep on Rockin' . " These will remind Ten Years After fans of Lee's classic rockers that earned him the nickname "Speedy Fingers. " Lee also puts his guitar touch on several rock classics, including a near-10-minute version of the Beatles' "I Want You (She's So Heavy). " The recording is especially noteworthy because George Harrison provides a slide-guitar solo.

"George has played on quite a few on my albums; originally he played on my first solo album ("Road To Freedom," 1973) when I did a song of his called `So Sad. ' Then I played on his `Dark Horse' (1974) and `33 1/3' (1976).

"We jam a lot together. George, despite being an ex-Beatle and incredibly famous, is a musician and likes to play. I call him up, `Any chance of slide guitar on a couple of tracks? ' and he comes right over. " Lee's decision to include the Beatles classic came after work on "I Hear You Rockin' " had started.

"Actually, I just happened to be listening to the `Abbey Road' album and you know how your memory makes songs sound bigger in your mind. I remembered `I Want You' sounding very big and very heavy, and when I heard it I was quite surprised it sounded quite light and thought that would be a good one to record. What I tried to do was record it the way I imagined it was. " Lee is happy with the result, adding that Harrison loved the final version of the John Lennon song.

But fans of Lee's original work will be glad to learn that his classic Ten Years After hits such as "I'd Love To Change The World," "Choo Choo Mama" and "I'm Going Home" continue to be included on the current tour.

"There was a period when Ten Years After split up for about a year where I didn't play anything; I was trying to get away from that rock 'n' roll image at the time. I remember one day I went to see Jerry Lee Lewis play in England and he played all country tunes and didn't play `Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On' or `Great Balls of Fire' and I came out of the concert feeling very disappointed," Lee recalled.

"I realize if people come to see me and I don't play my hits they come out feeling as disappointed as I did. The very next night I went back to my band and said, `We're playing `I'm Going Home. ' " Alvin Lee When: 8 p.m. Sunday-Monday Where: The Coach House, 33175 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano Tickets: Tickets, $23.50, are available for both shows.

Ringo Starr exhibit coming to The GRAMMY Museum

Fans of Ringo Starr and The Beatles have plenty of reason to celebrate today! Here is news from my The GRAMMY Museum in Los Angeles...If you have not been to this wonderful museum, sounds like you should plan to sometime between June and November!


First Major Exhibition To Explore The Life Of Ringo Starr


Ringo: Peace & Love To Premier At The GRAMMY Museum® June 12, 2013 and Tour Select Cities Through 2014

Exhibit Also Marks First Major Exhibit Dedicated To A Drummer



LOS ANGELES (March 6, 2013) — The GRAMMY Museum, in cooperation with Ringo Starr, will debut a major new exhibition, Ringo: Peace & Love opening on June 12, 2013. This one-of-a-kind, limited-run exhibit will offer visitors an unprecedented in-depth look at all aspects of Starr’s musical and creative life – as a musician, artist, actor, and as the man the world knows and loves simply as 'Ringo.' It will also aim to propel Starr’s universal message of peace and love.

Ringo: Peace & Love is both the first major exhibit ever dedicated to a drummer and the first to explore the extraordinary career of the 7-time GRAMMY Award® winner. The scope of exhibit spans Ringo’s early life growing up in Liverpool, from Raving Texans turned Rory Storm, from The Beatles, to becoming a solo artist and then to the All Starrs with whom he is on tour now – this unique collection brings together diverse artifacts, rare and never before seen photographs, documents, personal letters and footage.


Ringo: Peace & Love will be located on the second floor and will include:

The drum kit Ringo played at Shea Stadium

The drum kit he played on the Ed Sullivan show

Ringo’s Sgt Pepper Suit

The cape he wore in Help!

The Red Jacket worn during the filming of The Beatles rooftop concert

Personal letters, photographs and documents from the Starkey family and Ringo’s days with the Beatles


It will also be an interactive exhibit, where visitors can take a drum lesson with Ringo.

"I’m honored that Ringo has chosen to work with us to create Ringo: Peace & Love,” said Bob Santelli, Executive Director of The GRAMMY Museum. "We are particularly excited to celebrate Starr’s extraordinary musical legacy with the legions of fans who admire him, as well as to introduce him to a new generation of music lovers.”

Ringo: Peace & Love will be on display in The GRAMMY Museum’s Special Exhibits Gallery through November 2013, after which the exhibit will tour to select cities to be announced soon.

Museum admission is $12.95 for adults; $11.95 for senior citizens (65+); and $10.95 for students with I.D. (ages 6 – 22) and members of the military. GRAMMY Museum members and children 5 and under are admitted free. Located at 800 West Olympic Boulevard, Suite A245, Los Angeles, CA 90015, with an entrance off of Figueroa Street, the Museum resides within the L.A. LIVE campus, at the intersection of Olympic Boulevard and Figueroa Street in downtown Los Angeles. For more information, please call 213.765.6800 or visit www.grammymuseum.org. For exclusive content, join the organization's social networks as a Twitter follower at www.twitter.com/thegrammymuseum, and on Facebook at
http://www.facebook.com/thegrammymuseum.

About The GRAMMY Museum

Paying tribute to music's rich cultural history, this one-of-a-kind, 21st-century Museum explores and celebrates the enduring legacies of all forms of music, the creative process, the art and technology of

the recording process, and the history of the premier recognition of excellence in recorded music — the GRAMMY Award. The GRAMMY Museum features 30,000 square feet of interactive and multimedia exhibits located within L.A. LIVE, the downtown Los Angeles sports, entertainment and residential district.

Through thought-provoking and dynamic public and educational programs and exhibits, guests can experience music from a never-before-seen insider perspective that only The GRAMMY Museum can deliver.

Inbox Update: Toad the Wet Sprocket, Bad Company & Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Joy Formidable, The Cannanes

Happy Monday everybody! Here is the latest news pulled from my inbox.

Toad the Wet Sprocket makes a rare appearance at The Coach House in San Juan Capistrano, CA on Saturday night (March 9). Click here for more details.

Bad Company and Lynyrd Skynyrd have just announced a summertime co-headlining tour that will include 12 dates stretching from June 20 to July 27, 2013. Sadly, the tour is not bound for Southern California. Visit www.BadCompany.com or www.LynyrdSkynyrd.com for more details.

The Joy Formidable

The Joy Formidable are extending their recently announced headline tour to include additional stops along the east coast and southern US.. The band have also confirmed performances at a number of festivals, including the Norman Music Festival in Norman, OK; the Beale Street Festival in Memphis, TN; and the Shaky Knees Fest in Atlanta, GA. The tour begins on March 18 in Santa Ana, CA before hitting up major cities on the west coast, including a March 21 show at the Fonda Theater in Los Angeles. The band are also playing shows in Chicago, Minneapolis, Canada, and others before shows on April 17 at Brooklyn's Music Hall of Williamsburg. For more information, visit http://www.thejoyformidable.com/.

Cult indie band The Cannanes are back with new music. Click here to hear the new song "Crawler." Interested in learning more about the band? Visit The Cannanes' official site here.

Music Worth Buying episodes: Rodriguez, Gary Clark Jr., Jimi Hendrix

Check out the latest reviews on our Music Worth Buying site.

On the latest episode of our show, TJR highlights singer-songwriter Rodriguez  (the subject of the Academy Award-winning "Searching for Sugar Man" documentary) while I champion Gary Clark Jr.'s Blak and Blu.




Also, TJR has a comprehensive audio review of the forthcoming Jimi Hendrix album People, Hell and Angels.

dada's 20th anniversary celebration concludes with impressive set in San Juan Capistrano

dada, from left, Phil Leavitt, Joie Calio and Michael Gurley on March 2, 2013.

dada wrapped up its 20th anniversary tour with a fantastic concert at The Coach House last night, or should I say this morning. Indeed, it was 12:38 a.m. when the band wrapped up its 110-minute, 15-song set at the legendary San Juan Capistrano venue.

Fans of the band had apparently journeyed from as far away at Australia to catch the concert, which is the latest in a string of memorable performances at the venue. Indeed, it was at The Coach House where singer-guitarist Michael Gurley and singer-bassist-guitarist Joie Calio first performed in public together back in 1991 when they opened for Mary's Danish. Once the duo recruited drummer Phil Leavitt a few months later, dada was born.

Even on a night when the trio didn't play some of their most beloved material ("Ask The Dust," "Feet To The Sun," "A Trip With My Dad," "Hollow Man"), it's clear few fans of the band were disappointed. From the wealth of material off the group's 1992 debut Puzzle ("Dim," "Here Today, Gone Tomorrow," "Dizz Knee Land, "Dorina") to more recent stuff (notably a breathtaking version of "Guitar Girl" featuring amazing harmonies courtesy of Calio and Gurley), the group's continuing ability to make each performance unique and a musical odyssey to be shared is the real joy on any given night.

"Thirty-three shows and this is the last one," Gurley said early in the show. "And you guys are here for it."

dada has always had the ability to blend sterling harmonies and unique vocal interplay between all three members with extended jams that fit within the natural journey of those brilliant genre-busting songs. And even on rare covers (this night the audience was treated to a slow and trippy version of the Monkees hit "Last Train to Clarksville") the musicians surprise with unexpected ways a song is arranged and revealed over the course of its run.

"Spinning My Wheels" was delivered with some jazzy chords at the onset, before the song picked up and emerged as a powerful rocker, Gurley ending things with his dazzling fret work. Later, "The Spirit of 2009" proved to be similarly mighty.

Even concert staples such as the aforementioned "Dim" and "Dizz Knee Land" boast an unbridled energy that makes them anything but routine on any given night.

"Thanks for coming with us on this 20-year journey," Gurley said during the set. Indeed, ask any fan and the feeling is mutual.

7Horse, the project featuring Calio and Leavitt was one of the night's opening acts. With Leavitt doing a large share of the lead vocals, the psychedelic blues duo blasted out a very different vibe and sound than dada. Highlights of the set included the upbeat blues-rock tune "Famous Faces" and the driving "Low Fuel Drug Run."

Just as impressive was South Orange County-based quartet The Outsane. The four teens who comprise the outfit delivered a compelling sound recalling a mix of sounds recalling A-Ha to Muse during 35 minutes. The band closed with its original song "Vivid," a jaw-dropping epic that included both guitarists dueling with the skill and craft of veterans. Here is a video of the band performing the song at The Coach House in May 2012.

Inbox Update: Alanis Morissette, Belinda Carlisle, Brent Amaker and The Rodeo

Happy Friday everybody! Here is the latest batch of releases to share...

On April 23, 2013, Eagle Rock Entertainment will release Alanis Morissette: Live At Montreux 2012 on DVD, Blu-ray, and CD


Live At Montreux 2012 is Alanis Morissette’s first live release in 10 years. Filmed in high definition on July 2, 2012, this set features a blend of songs from her most recent album, Havoc And Bright Lights a bevy of her beloved hits: “Ironic,” “Hand In My Pocket,” “You Learn” and “Thank U,” as well as the revolutionary kiss-off “You Oughta Know.” This stop on the Guardian Angel tour (in support of Havoc) was Alanis’ third appearance at the famed Montreux Jazz Festival.

Of course, the sheer poetry and emotional spirit of Alanis Morissette’s music is what’s truly on display here. The genuine, honest soul-baring nature of her songs, carried by her instantly recognizable and absolutely unique vocal style is on evident on Live At Montreux. Alanis is one of the most successful female artists and songwriters of all time, having sold in excess of 60 million albums worldwide. It is plain to see why she has achieved such accolades when you witness a performance like this set at Montreux.

Alanis Morissette: Live At Montreux 2012 features the following line-up: Julian Coryell (guitar); Michael Farrell (keyboards); Jason Orme (guitar); Cedric Lemoyne (bass); Victor Indrizzo (drums).

Click here to view a video of “Guardian”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJYHSfEKGG8

Eagle Rock Entertainment is the largest producer and distributor of music programming for DVD, Blu-Ray, TV, Audio and Digital Media in the world. Eagle works directly alongside talent to produce top quality, High Definition and 3D programs, both concerts and documentaries, including The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, The Who, Queen, The Doors, Jeff Beck, U2, Peter Gabriel, Paul McCartney and Ozzy Osbourne. Eagle is a Grammy Award winning company and has received over 30 multi-platinum, over 50 platinum and over 90 gold discs, worldwide. Eagle Rock Entertainment has offices in London, New York, Toronto, Paris and Hamburg.



Belinda Carlisle, best known to fans worldwide for her hugely successful solo career as well as the lead vocalist/songwriter of one of the most successful female bands of all time, the Go-Go’s, is the latest artist to get the ICON treatment with the release of Belinda Carlisle - ICON on March 19 through Universal Music Enterprises (UMe).

Carlisle was recently inspired to return to the studio where she recorded a new track, “Sun.” The new track is exclusively available physically on this ICON collection as well as digitally available on Best Of, both which brings Carlisle’s biggest hits together on one album. “Sun” will also be available for download as a digital single as well.


The first all-female band to write their own music and play their own instruments, The Go-Go’s, were the first to achieve a No. 1 album, Beauty and the Beat, which featured the hits "We Got the Beat" and "Our Lips Are Sealed." Although The Go-Go’s disbanded in 1985, Belinda Carlisle embarked on a solo career. Her Gold-certified solo album debut, Belinda, was released in 1986 and featured the #3 hit single "Mad About You." Carlisle returned with her second solo album in 1987, releasing Heaven on Earth which shot to Platinum certification within a few months, fueled by its #1 smash single, “Heaven Is A Place On Earth,” the #2 hit "I Get Weak," and the Top 10 "Circle in the Sand." Runaway Horses, Carlisle’s Gold-certified third solo album, was released in 1989 and included the hits "Leave a Light On" and "Summer Rain” all of which are featured on the ICON release.

Carlisle released four other solo albums before going on a musical hiatus, during which Carlisle penned her autobiography Lips Unsealed, which quickly reached the top of the NYTimes bestsellers list. She also launched Belindia, an Indian-inspired home goods textiles company which features designs by Belinda, inspired by her time living in India. Belindia's blankets and throws are produced in association with — and a portion of the proceeds go to — Shuktara Project, a Calcutta-based charity that offers care to abandoned children with disabilities.
In 2012, the Go-Go’s reunited to celebrate the 30th anniversary of their double-Platinum I.R.S. Records debut, Beauty and the Beat, with a remastered and expanded commemorative edition, a successful “Ladies Gone Wild” summer tour, and a new star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Belinda Carlisle: ICON [CD], BEST OF [DIGITAL],

1. Sun [EXCLUSIVE NEW SONG]

2. Heaven Is A Place On Earth

3. I Get Weak

4. Shades Of Michelangelo

5. Leave A Light On

6. Circle In The Sand

7. Mad About You

8. Summer Rain

9. (We Want) The Same Thing

10. Do You Feel Like I Feel?

11. Live Your Life Be Free

Brent Amaker and The Rodeo. Photo credit: Lance Mercer

Seattle record label Fin Records have announced the signing of Brent Amaker and The Rodeo to their roster, as well as their upcoming full length Year of The Dragon, slated for release June 4th. Their fourth full length record, Year of the Dragon will be released on vinyl, cd, and digital download. Full album details, including the artwork, track list, and first single, will be announced soon.

When asked for a note on the upcoming Year Of The Dragon, Fin Records owner Christian Fulghum expressed his enthusiasm by stating, "Working with Brent Amaker and The Rodeo is fun because they are taking all-American Cowboy iconography and cross-breeding it with Krautrock and the Boys from Akron. The songwriting is by turns sly, funny, and subversive. My kind of music.”
Mr. Amaker noted, "This latest LP may just expand your perception of American Western music. We've been on a strange and wonderful trip these past several years and the new songs reflect that. Year of the Dragon is darker than previous stuff and more fully expresses where the band is going. And on top of that, I couldn't be happier to be releasing the next Rodeo LP under the Fin Records imprint. They produce a high quality product and they keep the focus on the artist. It's truly exciting to be part of their family. Now saddle up and get yourself ready!"

Fin Records is an up and coming label that has already given homes to a wide swath of acts ranging across a vareity of genres, from Hip Hop to Noise, to Country, and then some. Recently named "Local Record Label of The Year 2012' by the Seattle Weekly, the two year old label has recently released acclaimed works from the likes of J. Pinder, The Walkabouts, Red Jacket Mine, Long Distance Poison, Davidson Hart Kingsbery and many more.

Brent Amaker and the Rodeo will be playing in Olympia, WA next Friday, 3/8. at the Royal Lounge, and touring through out 2013. Stay tuned.

Marcus Foster impresses at stateside tour kickoff

My review was originally published in The Orange County Register's Soundcheck blog on Thursday, Feb. 28, 2013. A special thank you to Bob Steshetz for the use of his photos taken at the concert.


San Clemente newcomer Gal Musette also stands out at Coach House performance.

Marcus Foster at The Coach House

While The Coach House was well below capacity Wednesday night (Feb. 27, 2013), the energy level of the two acts on the bill gave the show the distinct feel of a sold-out bash on a Saturday.

Marcus Foster, a burgeoning singer-songwriter from the same London scene that spawned Mumford & Sons, somehow blends commanding Chicago blues, authentic folk and blue-eyed soul into his songs, and the mix worked nicely over the course of his 13-song set.

The first part of his showcase featured energetic electric material. Opening with "Shadows of the City," from his November 2011 debut Nameless Path (yet to get a proper stateside release, though it's avaialble for download and the import is reasonably priced on Amazon), Foster used minimal strumming on guitar while singing in a powerful voice. Eventually bass and drums kicked in and the piece evolved masterfully into an uptempo groove.

On the beautiful ballad " I Don't Need to Lose You to Know," offered up during an acoustic portion of his set, Foster and his three-member band displayed their collective skill at moving fully outside of the blues. His tone and the tune's lush arrangement would fit right in on a Dawes or M&S album.

"I Was Broken" was just as potent, but here the song was a nuanced mix of blues and Americana. Foster worked his eletric six-string skillfully, the cut slowly building to a soaring finale with forceful singing that filled the San Juan Capistrano space.

His most powerful moment, however, came with "Rushes and Reeds," which conjured the graceful attrack of Robert Cray but with Foster's vocals adding a unique stamp. As evidenced throughout his set, he never overplays, but rather inserts tasty licks here and there to propel pieces on their natural course.

This being the first night of Foster's first-ever full-band tour of the U.S. (he performs again March 5 at the Troubadour in West Hollywood), it's safe to assume big things may be in store for this talented newcomer.

Brent Samson, left, with Gal Musette

San Clemente's Gal Musette opened with an impressive turn that boasted 26 songs performed over the span of an hour. The singer-songwriter, who plays keyboards and ukulele and gets an assist from singer-guitarist-percussionist Brent Samson, recently celebrated her 15th birthday, yet she's already strong enough to be considered a bona fide top-tier talent in the O.C. music scene.

Inspired by her love of the Magnetic Fields' 1999 opus 69 Love Songs – she's well on her way to completing her own batch of 70 and had the chance to open for songwriter Stephin Merritt and his group in St. Louis and Minneapolis last November – Musette's music has a distinctly European, almost chanson feel.

The audience at The Coach House greeted her material warmly, and although the songs primarily focus on youthful romance and sweet songcraft, the talented duo mixed things up by occasionally getting the audience to clap or snap along. During "Tomorrow Is So Far Away," Samson even used a small cup to serve as a mini snare drum while Musette cooed and played piano.

Elsewhere, Musette used more than plaintive lyricism to carry a tune: there was extended humming on "Some Solemn Summer," while the harmonies with Samson for "October" were sterling. The duo veered into Americana territory on the pretty "Blue Eyed Boy," and the lengthy set ended with the lovely "Catch Me If You Can," Musette's stirring soprano accompanying emotive work on keyboards.

dada brings 20th anniversary tour to The Coach House

dada, from left, Joie Calio, Michael Gurley and Phil Leavitt

Since the release of dada’s groundbreaking 1992 debut Puzzle, singer-guitarist Michael Gurley, singer-bassist Joie Calio and drummer Phil Leavitt have created an array of songs boasting progressive rock musicianship, dazzling vocal harmonies and melodic power pop layered with inspired psychedelic and experimental rock impulses. Adding to the trio’s groundbreaking line of attack are the marathon-length shows that deliver on the promise that every performance is the only one of its kind.

Two decades after the Los Angeles outfit embarked on its singular journey, the trio are celebrating dada’s 20th anniversary with an extended U.S. tour that concludes with a special performance at The Coach House in San Juan Capistrano on Saturday, March 2.

Puzzle was released on September 8, 1992, and it didn’t take long for the band’s sonic imprint to find an audience. The album’s first single “Dizz Knee Land” found widespread airplay on alternative and mainstream rock outlets. The band was soon touring around the globe, opening for the celebrated likes of Crowded House, Depeche Mode and Sting.

“It’s certainly a milestone and an achievement for any band to last 20 years,” said Leavitt, who began thinking about celebrating the band’s anniversary a few years ago. “People always ask, ‘Do you still talk to each other after 20 years?’ So that’s really why I wanted to commemorate it because no matter the size of the career if you can stick together and still have a desire to play music together after 20 years you have accomplished something.”

Dada was founded when Gurley and Calio began writing songs and performing as an acoustic duo. But from the beginning, their approach was unique amidst the onslaught of ‘90s bands with lead singers and mostly generic backing bands.

“Joie and I were both lead singers. But we really found quickly that harmonies were going to be a big strength for us,” recalled Gurley, noting both he and Calio are fans of Simon & Garfunkel’s pioneering harmonies.

He noted that once they recruited Leavitt, they were able to blend the thunderous power of trios such as Cream with the artful harmony-minded songcraft of Simon & Garfunkel.

The success of Puzzle was followed in 1994 by American Highway Flower, featuring the ambitious “Ask the Dust” and astounding “Feet to the Sun,” dada has gone on to create a magnificent discography featuring a half-dozen full-length albums and an EP. The trio has also issued a number of solo efforts and offshoot projects along the way exploring a range of styles including folk, blues, jazz and rock. Gurley and Leavitt were both members of Butterfly Jones while dada was on hiatus in the early ‘00s; Calio has released several solo discs and with X Levitation Cult. Mike Gurley and the Nightcaps are a popular jazz group in Southern California. Additionally, Calio and Leavitt have kept busy recently sharing lead vocal and songwriting duties in 7Horse, a psychedelic blues project.

“The best way for me to crank it up – to let my hair hang down and really rock – is with dada,” Gurley said. “It’s still the best band I’ve ever been in.”

Long-time and new fans of dada all have one thing in common; they are passionate about the band and have a deep connection with its three members.

‘It means everything to us. We would not be going out (on tour) if we didn’t have it,” Gurley said of the bond between dada and its audience. “They’re so informed on everything we’ve ever done. It’s far and few between when you find a casual dada listener. They know everything.”

Leavitt said that 2013 is significant because it will provide Dada the chance to play markets where it has rarely – if ever – performed. Finishing the tour in San Juan Capistrano is fitting too; the Coach House was the first place where Calio and Gurley took the stage together when they opened for Mary’s Danish at the venue back in 1991.

“There is a devoted fan base that I think has an appetite to see us again and for me that’s the only thing; that’s how a band defines itself is by getting out on the road and doing shows night after night,” Leavitt said. “For me to get on a bus and roll out of L.A. and go do 35 shows, that’s what it’s all about. That’s rock ‘n’ roll. I love it.”

Where: The Coach House, 33157 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano

When: 8 p.m. on Saturday, March 2

Tickets: $20
Information: www.TheCoachHouse.com or call 949-496-8930