Music fans were recently surprised (and delighted) with the surprise release of a new album from groundbreaking band X, a stunning new album from rising country songstress Whitney Rose, as well as a terrific collection featuring '80s great Game Theory. I also celebrate a latter-day classic from the super group Action Skulls.
The cover artwork for "ALPHABETLAND" pulled from an original painting by Wayne White, who was set designer on 'Pee-Wee's Playhouse' for many years.
Artist: X Title: ALPHABETLAND (Fat Possum Records) You might like if you enjoy: X, John Doe, early punk rock Tell me more: Listening to the new X album ALPHABETLAND, it's unbelievable to think this marks the Los Angeles quartet's first new album with their original lineup in 35 years. Released without advance notice on April 23, the music is explosive, raw and powerful, offering up that same potent spirit that marked the essential titles featuring singer Exene Cervenka, co-singer/bassist John Doe, guitarist Billy Zoom and drummer D.J. Bonebrake spanning from 1980's Los Angeles to 1985's Ain't Love Grand! Kicking things off with the driving title track, the signature co-vocals from Cervenka and Doe shimmer in unison over the driving rhythm. The anthemic "Free" soars, its run enhanced by some edgy lead guitar lines from Zoom. The infectious rocker "Strange Life," rapid-fire "Delta 88 Nightmare" and haunting "Angel On The Road" are early standouts. The wonderfully melodic "Cyrano DeBerger's Back" (enhanced by a dance groove and Zoom's saxophone play), raw punk rock blast "Goodbye Year, Goodbye" and poetic spoken word finale "All The Time in The Year" cap this welcome return from one of L.A. great bands. Information: xtheband.com.
Artist: Whitney Rose Title: We Still Go To Rodeos (McG Recordings) You might like if you enjoy: Emmylou Harris, Carlene Carter, Alice Wallace Tell me more: Country songstress Whitney Rose is back with her latest and decidedly strongest album to date, the wonderful We Still Go To Rodeos. The new album was produced by Paul Kolderie, whose first-rate resume covers the celebrated and far-flung ranks of Radiohead, Uncle Tupelo, Lou Reed, Pixies and Morphine. More importantly, all of the dozen cuts on We Still Go To Rodeos were penned by Rose; the diversity and force of that songwriting certifies the early promise displayed on 2015's Raul Malo-produced Heartbreaker of the Year that served to introduce the talented Rose. The Austin-based artist's rich and seductive soprano has an alluring radiance, equally deft at commanding uptempo country rockers ("In a Rut," "I'd Rather Be Alone," "Better Man"), mid tempo material ("Believe Me, Angela," "Don't Give Up On Me") and nuanced ballads ("Home With You," "A Hundred Shades of Blue," "Through the Cracks"). The musicianship across the disc is truly stellar; guitar great Gurf Morlix (Lucinda Williams, Warren Zevon), drummer Lisa Pankratz (Dave Alvin, Billy Joe Shaver), bassist Brad Fordham (Jerry Jeff Walker, Dave Alvin) and other notables bring a wealth of command to add to the obvious power of the project. Information: whitneyrosemusic.com.
Artist: Game Theory Title: Across the Barrier of Sound: Postscript (Omnivore Recordings) You might like if you enjoy: Game Theory, The Three O'Clock, Big Star, the Loud Family Tell me more: History is filled with immensely talented top-tier artists who earned the well-deserved accolade of the music press and a dedicated cult following without scoring much-deserved commercial success. Such was the case with Davis, California-spawned Game Theory, a band led by singer-guitarist Scott Miller that released some of the most eclectic and impressive albums of the 1980s. Following Miller's tragic death at the age of 53 in April 2013, Los Angeles label Omnivore Recordings began issuing a series of deluxe reissue editions of a parade of masterworks from Game Theory; now the band's final chapter (1989-90) never previously showcased outside of some rare tour dates is chronicled via the marvelous just-released Across the Barrier of Sound: Postscript. In addition to Miller, this late edition version of the troupe featured bassist-singer Michael Querico (of The Three O'Clock fame), Gil Ray (guitar, keyboards), and Jozef Becker (drums). Across the Barrier of Sound: Postscript features a total of two dozen tracks including a score of terrific demos, live tracks and home recordings. The compilation opens with a powerful home recording of the Beatles' "All My Loving" where Miller sings the first verse completely a cappella. The driving rocker "My Free Ride," wistful home demo of "Go Back To Sleep Little Susie (Aerodeliria)," psychedelia-laced "Forget All About It" and jangle pop jewel "Inverness" are early collection highlights on the collection. The dreamy pop of "Water," acoustic baroque sortie "Even You," the probing "Some Grand Vision" and fiery acoustic home demo of "Idiot Son" hit their mark with equal potency later on the disc. Among the other winning selections on the fantastic disc is a live version of the Monkees' classic "The Door Into Summer" and radio session recording of Miller covering Alex Chilton's Big Star favorite "Back Of A Car." Information: OmnivoreRecordings.com. LATTER-DAY LOST CLASSIC
The cover artwork for "Angels Hear" was designed by celebrated actress/artist Angela Cartwright.
Artist: Action Skulls Title: Angels Hear (CD Baby) You might like if you enjoy: The Bangles, the Jayhawks, Barnes & Barnes, the Cowsills Tell me more: Exploring that sonic sweet spot where Americana, power pop, garage rock and alt rock meet, the debut LP from Action Skulls (Angels Hear) is a gem that somehow escaped more widespread attention when it was released in September 2017. A bona fide super group, Action Skulls' featured John Cowsill (a veteran of the Cowsills as well as a current member of Mike Love's The Beach Boys), Bill Mumy (one half of Barnes & Barnes, as well as a famed actor known for several appearances on the original "Twilight Zone" and role as Will Robinson on "Lost in Space"), Vicki Peterson (lead guitarist of the Bangles) and the late Rick "the bass player" Rosas (an in-demand bassist for the likes of Neil Young, Joe Walsh, Buffalo Springfield and Jerry Lee Lewis who passed away from lung disease prior to the release of the disc). This wonderful 11-track album is filled with songs that are intimate, uniformly beautiful and tap into the best strains of classic Laurel Canyon stylings. The jangly Paisley Underground album opener "Mainstream," soaring "If I See You in Another World," Baroque pop "Faith Waltz," country-flavored "Feed My Hungry Heart" (bolstered by some killer harmonies) and stunning album closer "The Land of Dreams" resonate as much today as when the album was released. Although the physical edition appears to no longer be available, listeners can get the wonderful album via digital / mp3 online. Information: amazon.com.
Lots of exciting music-minded news to share going into the weekend! Robert Kinsler There continues to be well-deserved excitement about The Rolling Stones' new track "Living In A Ghost Town" (released yesterday, it is the first new original song we've heard from the band since 2012!). Here it is, enjoy!
THE 14 ORIGINAL SONGS ALSO INCLUDE MUSICAL CONTRIBUTIONS FROM JEFF BECK, RORY BLOCK, JOE BONAMASSA, SAMANTHA FISH, BILLY GIBBONS, JOHN HAMMOND JR., SONNY LANDRETH, JOE MENZA, PATTI SCIALFA, BRIAN SETZER, STEVIE VAN ZANDT, JERRY AND JIMMY VIVINO, JOE LOUIS WALKER
FIRST SINGLE “BLUES COMIN’ ON” FEATURING JOE BONAMASSA
As one of the very few first-generation rock ‘n’ rollers still seriously pursing new avenues of expression, Dion’s Bronx soul is very much in evidence on this new album, a full-tilt blues offering. The blues songs therein are not “covers” nor Dion’s versions of blues standards. These compositions are, in fact, blues originals, destined to become classics in their own right. He came up with the music and words for twelve of them and finished those with co-writer Mike Aquilina. The two exceptions are “Hymn To Him” which Dion wrote with Bill Tuohy and “Kickin’ Child,” written with Buddy Lucas.
To tell those stories, Dion recruited help from a few notable friends and admirers.He thought, “I needed to round up the best guitarists and musicians alive and pick them from every generation, every variation of blues.” And that’s just what he did, surrounding himself with those who feel the blues spirit as he does.
The album’s guests include the cream of the contemporary scene’s blues-rooted slingers including Jeff Beck, Billy Gibbons, Joe Bonamassa, Brian Setzer, Sonny Landreth, Samantha Fish, John Hammond Jr., Joe Louis Walker, Rory Block , Jimmy and Jerry Vivino, vintage guitar guru Joe Menza as well as icons Stevie Van Zandt, Patti Scialfa, Bruce Springsteen, Van Morrison and Paul Simon.Yes, that’s a whole lot of star power but each participated not because of his or her marquee appeal but because of what each could add musically. The result is one reflective of nuanced devotion to the blues rather than a gratuitous display of individual virtuosity. It’s very much Dion’s album and those bold face names participating are most convincingly there for him.
For this outing, Dion worked with producer Wayne Hood in whose Florida studio the basic tracks were recorded. “From the first day, I was at home. We hit it off like brothers on a mission. We caught the same vision and sound and off we went.” Over the course of the last part of 2019 and the first part of 2020, the album began to take shape. Dion had the songs and the collaborators began to reveal themselves. As Dion tells it, he ran the album’s first track, “Blues Comin’ On,” past Joe Bonamassa. He noted, “It’s funny how a song evolves. For me it usually starts with a few words. In this case it was “If I didn’t know better" I wanted to sing those words, so I wrote a song around them. Joe Bonamassa is a monster and took the song to a whole new level.” Joe would be the first of many of Dion’s Blues With Friends co-conspirators.
Ever the no-nonsense sage, Dion bottom lined just what makes Blues With Friends a project for the ages: “Great songs, great guitarists. What more do you need?” he asks.
Dion’s Blues With Friends will be released on June 5th through Keeping The Blues Alive Records, a new label started by Joe Bonamassa and his manager Roy Weismanand is an offshoot of Keeping The Blues Alive Foundation, Bonamassa’s non-profit that aims to conserve the art of music and the rich culture and history of the blues. The label’s objectiveis to provide a platform for musical talent in blues and blues-rock based music and to help encouragethe careers of extraordinary musical talent. 10% of all profits from the label will be donated back to the Non-Profit for promoting music education to students and schools in need. The album will be preceded by a staggered release of album singles as follows:
April 24 – “Blues Comin’ On” with Joe Bonamassa
May 1 – “Hymn To Him” with Patti Scialfa & Bruce Springsteen
May 8 – “Bam Bang Boom” with Billy Gibbons
May 15 – “I Got Nothin’” with Van Morrison & Joe Louis Walker
May 22 – “Can’t Start Over Again” with Jeff Beck
May 29 – “Song For Sam Cooke (Here In America)” with Paul Simon
In addition to the aforementioned “Blues Comin’ On,” Dion provided some analytical introspection for the album’s other thirteen tracks, all guests on guitar unless otherwise indicated.
“Kickin’ Child” (with Joe Menza) “I was the first rock-and-roll artist signed to Columbia Records, but they thought rock was a passing fad and wanted me to be the next crooner of standards from the Great American Songbook, but I wasn’t going there. I recorded what I wanted, and it mostly stayed in the vault. I first wrote and recorded this song in 1965; Tom Wilson produced a version of it. In 2017 I released an album with “Kickin'’ Child” as the title track but it wasn’t where I wanted it, so I re-recorded in here. Joe Menza knew where I wanted it to go.”
“Uptown Number 7” (with Brian Setzer) “I wanted to write an old-fashioned gospel number in the style of the Golden Gate Quartet. I wanted this one to be about moving forward in the spiritual life… having a goal... facing temptations along the way. So, I put it all on a train, because that’s what New Yorkers do if they want to get anywhere: they take the train. I can never leave well enough alone, so one day I tried the melody in a minor key. I loved the way it turned out and that’s what you’re hearing.”
“Can’t Start Over Again” (with Jeff Beck) “My earliest influences were country blues, especially Hank Williams. Any money I earned I took to the neighborhood record store, where the owner used to razz me about my “hillbilly” tastes. I guess I still have that hillbilly inside. For my last album I wrote a song called ‘I Can’t Go Back to Memphis,’ but I go back there with this number. It’s about love and loss and heartache, the classic themes. I believe it's a true blues song. I asked Jeff Beck to play something on it, he said yes! What can I say, it's Jeff Beck.”
“My Baby Loves to Boogie” (with John Hammond Jr., harmonica) “John Hammond and I go back to the ’60s at the Gaslight coffee house in Greenwich Village. I’ve always admired John. He’s a dear friend. I played him this song and he said he heard harp on it. Well, friends, now you could hear exactly what he was talking’ about. It sounds like “Boogie Beyond.”
“I Got Nothin’” (with Van Morrison, vocals, and Joe Louis Walker, guitar) “You know when you sit down and you want to write a song, but nothing comes to mind? I was having one of those days. So, I went with the feeling and this is what I got. I got nothin’, and nothing is enough! It’s more than enough, actually, when you’re singing it with Van Morrison and Joe Louis Walker complemented us perfectly.”
“Stumbling Blues” (with Jimmy Vivino and Jerry Vivino, sax) “This is one of those melodies that came out of nowhere and it feels like it’s been drifting on the wind since the beginning of time. It’s built on a classic blues progression. I didn’t really hear it till I was sitting in Van Morrison’s dressing room and he asked me to play something new. For whatever reason, I knew while I was singing it that it was something extraordinary.”
“Bam Bang Boom” (with Billy Gibbons) “This is another song that started as phrases I wanted to sing. ‘I stepped into love.’ The lyric does a good job of describing what happened when I first met Susan. We were both teenagers. She was new to my very Italian neighborhood in the Bronx and she was a redheaded transplant from Vermont. Bam bang boom! Billy Gibbons was a joy to work with on this. There’s nobody like him.”
“I Got the Cure” (with Sonny Landreth) “The blues aren’t always about being down and out. When you aren’t crying, you’re bragging about what you can do. It’s what I did in songs from ‘The Wanderer’ to ‘King of the New York Streets’ to “Gangster of Love.’ Here I go again.”
“Song for Sam Cooke (Here in America)” (with Paul Simon, vocals) “I wrote this tune back many years ago. At first I just had the melody and the refrain ‘Here in America.’ A friend suggested I use an episode from my memoir about walking southern streets with Sam Cooke in 1962. I finished the song, but it felt too personal, so I put it aside. Then in 2019 I saw the movie Green Book and after that I couldn’t shake the song. My friend Paul Simon wanted to record it what he was hearing on the tune; it’s a story we both share. Thank you Paul. Rest in peace, Sam.
“What If I Told You” (with Samantha Fish) “Same old story: suspicion. The challenge is to make it new and fresh and I think I did. If I put out the same amount of energy and emotion that Samantha Fish put into this song, I wouldn’t be able to walk for three weeks. EPIC!!!”
“Told You Once in August” (with John Hammond, slide guitar on right, Rory Block, slide guitar on left and vocals) “One of my favorite guitars is a little Cordova travel model that I bought for practically nothing. One day I was fooling around on it and I got this sound that reminded me of those old backwoods Appalachian blues recordings. I tried to capture the slow anger of a man who gradually realizes he’s been done wrong by his woman.”
“Way Down (I Won’t Cry No More)” (with Stevie Van Zandt) “It started with a rhythm. It got me and wouldn’t let go. My dear friend Stevie Van Zandt just rocked it with his grit and nasty grunge guitar. We had a lot of fun in the studio and then we went out to eat to celebrate.”
“Hymn to Him” (with Patti Scialfa, vocals, and Bruce Springsteen, guitar) “I first recorded this song for my 1987 gospel album Velvet & Steel. But songs are never finished... I kept hearing this with Patti’s voice, so I asked her to help me remake the song. When she started singing and layering her vocals down, I got a big surprise. Bruce walked into the studio with his guitar and asked to play a solo. They made it something sublime.”
Joe Bonamassa along with his long-time manager, Roy Weisman, have taken the next step by creating a new record label,Keeping The Blues Alive (KTBA) Records. The label is an offshoot of Keeping The Blues Alive Foundation, Joe Bonamassa’s non-profit that aims to conserve the art of music and the rich culture and history of the blues, recognized as a true American art form. KTBA Records’ objectiveis to provide a platform for musical talent in blues and blues-rock based music and to help promotethe careers of extra ordinary musical talent. The label works synergistically with the non-profit’s mission of supporting musicians to continue the legacy of the blues. 10% of all profits from KTBA Records will be donated to the non-profit.The labelis an important step in the co-evolution of the music and the business of making it. It represents another of Bonamassa’s continuing efforts over the last 25 years in supporting the artistic community. It reflects the philosophy of paying it forward just as so many others did for Joe in the hope of paving the way for blues-rock stars in the future. www.KTBArecords.com
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Larkin Poe "Keep Diggin’” with new single
GRAMMY® AWARD-NOMINATED SISTER DUO UNVEIL LATEST TRACK FROM EAGERLY AWAITED NEW ALBUM
“HOME SWEET HOME” LIVE STREAM SERIES CONTINUES ON MAY 2
SELF MADE MAN ARRIVES VIA TRICKI-WOO RECORDS
FRIDAY, JUNE 12
Larkin Poe photo credit: Aloysius Lim
GRAMMY® Award-nominated sister duo Larkin Poe have announced today’s premiere of “Keep Diggin’,” the latest track from their much anticipated new album, SELF MADE MAN. The track is available now at all DSPs and streaming services.
“Some songs feel like they want to be written; they almost seem to spin together of their own accord like a tornado and move with their own momentum — “Keep Diggin’” was one of those songs,” explain Rebecca and Megan. “The taste for gossip comes standard issue for most folks and especially for those of us born and raised in the south - as our aunt Stella May used to say: “if you don’t have anything nice to say, come sit next to me”. ‘Keep Diggin’ is a playful warning to those with loose lips: don’t always believe everything you hear."
SELF MADE MAN arrives Friday, June 12 via the band’s own Tricki-Woo Records; pre-orders are available now, with all pre-orders joined by instant grat downloads of “Keep Diggin’” and the album’s previously released singles, “Holy Ghost Fire” and “She’s A Self Made Man.”
SELF MADE MAN sees the multi-instrumentalist sister duo, comprised of the Atlanta-bred, Nashville-based Rebecca and Megan Lovell, pushing their music and message towards hitherto unexplored terrain, inspired by their epic world travels yet still powerfully rooted in the creative heritage of their beloved American South. Songs like the gothic gospel “Holy Ghost Fire” manifest a key aspect of the southern tradition, presenting a sense of celebration and renewal amid the common struggles of existence, offering a way to move through trying circumstances.
SELF MADE MAN – which follows 2018’s chart-topping, GRAMMY® Award-nominated fourth studio album, VENOM & FAITH – was self-produced by Larkin Poe, like its predecessor, with “our good buddy and engineer” Roger Alan Nichols at his Nashville studio, Bell Tone Recording. From the thunderous power of the album-opening “She’s A Self Made Man,” through the nostalgic “Tears of Blue to Gold” and fierce Chicago blues of “Scorpion,” to the front porch jubilation of “Easy Street,” the album is ambitious in both its eclectic, energetic sound and its resolutely welcoming mission, its universal lyrical approach fueled by tradition, invention, and Larkin Poe’s remarkable ability to touch the hearts and souls of their fellow humans worldwide.
“This is, in a lot of ways, is the first lyrically uplifting record we’ve made,” Megan Lowell says. “People can go through terrible things. People can weather immeasurable sorrow and hard times, and yet we can still come out on the other side, pull ourselves together, and thrive. This record reflects some of the joy and positivity that we ourselves feel and appreciate.”
“She’s A Self Made Man“ first arrived last month and is available now at all DSPs and streaming services. With its playfully pointed gender twist, the track both gives the LP its title and serves as an anthem for Larkin Poe, kicking off the proceedings with a big riffed assertion of their current intent and amplified artistic power. An official companion video, directed by Robbie Klein (Florida Georgia Line, Justin Timberlake, Maren Morris), is streaming now via YouTube.
The premiere of “She’s A Self Made Man” was met by immediate critical acclaim, with American Songwriter writing, “Murky blues ooze off chunky riffs, delivering something ominous on ‘She’s a Self Made Man.’ It goes deep. It’s melodious and mucky. It’s a punch to the gut.” CLASH named the “biting, fantastically emphatic new single” as its “Track of the Day,” noting, “Its crunching guitar palette is augmented by flashes of sterling Americana, hearkening to their Nashville base.” “She’s A Self Made Man” “kicks all kinds of ass,” raved Classic Rock. “If delta blues had a baby with punk, and raised it on beefy rock ‘n’ roll, it might have turned out like this. Tune in, get involved...”
“Holy Ghost Fire” followed and like its predecessor, was greeted with worldwide applause from the likes of Classic Rock, which named it among their “Tracks of the Week,” writing, “This one’s got a subtle gospel-y hoodoo to it – with its early blues flavours and harmonised chorus cries of ‘testify’ and ‘smoke risin’ higher’ – but make no mistake, it rocks hard. The sound of people who’ve clearly listened to their share of Son House and Zeppelin, Aerosmith and the like.” A special lockdown performance video, directed, shot, and edited by Rebecca and Megan with assistance from Tyler Bryant, is streaming now via YouTube.
Larkin Poe recently initiated their “Home Sweet Home” Live Stream Series of online concerts. Single show tickets and discounted “Home Sweet Home Tour Passes” for all shows are available now exclusively via Veeps.com. A portion of all proceeds will benefit United Way Nashville to assist the community with the double effects of the recent tornado and current pandemic. “Home Sweet Home” kicked off earlier this month with “Best of Tip o’ The Hat,“ and continues on May 2 at 4:00 pm ET with “The Hits,” an hour-long event featuring the best-loved and most enduring Larkin Poe songs. Upcoming concerts include “Blues Classics“ (May 16), unique “Happy Hour Shows” for bothEuropeand North America (May 30) and a special “Requests Show“ (June 6).
30 – Happy Hour Show 2 (North America) – 7:00 pm ET
JUNE
6 – Requests Show – 4:00 pm ET
# # #
Meanwhile, Larkin Poe still hope to celebrate SELF MADE MAN with an array of North American and European live dates, currently scheduled to begin August 14 at Whimmydiddle in Hamilton, OH, followed by select headline shows and festival shows into October.
In addition, Larkin Poe has announced rescheduled dates for their eagerly anticipated tour of Europe and the United Kingdom, with shows now slated to begin February 3 at Dublin, Ireland’s Vicar Street and then travel through mid-March. Previously purchased tickets are still valid at the rescheduled dates. Complete details and ticket information can be found at www.larkinpoe.com.
LARKIN POE
ON TOUR 2020
AUGUST
14 – Hamilton, OH – Whimmydiddle #
15 – Cockeysville, MD – Hot August Music Festival #
16 – Thornton, NH – White Mountain Boogie N Blues Festival #
27 – Philadelphia, PA – Theatre of Living Arts
28 – Boston, MA – Royale
29 – New York, NY – Webster Hall
SEPTEMBER
8 – San Francisco, CA – The Independent
10 – Los Angeles, CA – Fonda Theatre
19 – Telluride, CO – Telluride Blues & Brews Festival #
Chatham County Line’s ninth studio album, Strange Fascination, is out today on Yep Roc Records; listen here.
In celebration of the release, the band released the video for “Station to Station” (featuring Animal on drums), which No Depression notes “is a classic ramblin’ man song,” and further remarks, “They knew we needed this music now, and they unwittingly gave us what could perhaps be a theme song for these times in closing track “Nothing.”
Of the title track, INDY Week touts that “It finds the bluegrass band in a Wilco mood, with a melting acoustic arrangement and a caressing vocal line evocative of “Jesus, Etc.,” and it’s altogether lovely.”
Produced by Dave Wilson and the band, Strange Fascination was recorded at Mitch Easter’s Fidelitorium Recordings in Kernersville, NC, and marks a turning point in their 20-year career that “has organically grown and blossomed into one of the most distinct and progressive acts in the realms of modern traditional string and acoustic music” (Garret Woodward). The album was mixed and engineered by Chris Boerner (Hiss Golden Messenger, The Foreign Exchange).
For the first time in the band’s recording history, Strange Fascination features drums on every track, a notion that they will translate to the live stage with the addition of drums to their live shows. “You know the banjo is a drum in and of itself, “say Dave Wilson, “we thought what better way to greet the next decade than to add drums to the stage.”
A staple of the Raleigh, North Carolina music scene for two decades, the band is comprised of Dave Wilson (guitar/vocals/songwriter), John Teer (mandolin/fiddle/vocals), and Greg Readling (bass/pedal steel/piano).
