Tuesday, September 16, 2014

David Bromberg - Use Me : From the Archives #15




2011 Appleseed Records

By Phillip Smith;  July 16, 2011 originally for  BluesRevue.com

David Bromberg, the legendary singer/songwriter/instrumentalist brings it again, this time with a little help from his friends.  With each track sporting a special guest, the idea for Use Me initiated from an invitation from John Hiatt to mess around in his Nashville studio.  From that point on, Bromberg called up a variety of musically talented friends, and asked them each to assist in one way or another in recording a song with him.  The results of this chain of events culminate into a wondrous potpourri of music. 

Bromberg kick-starts the sequence of songs with “Tongue”, a fun bluesy treat featuring Levon Helm on drums, and a tight rhythm section.   A second  track featuring Helm,  “Bring it With You When You Come” is a little more rusty and country-fried, reminding me a bit of Helm’s earlier recordings with The Band.

Keb’ Mo’ lends his talent as producer/guitarist on slow-paced  “Diggin’ in the Deep Blue Sea”, a timely response to the BP Oil Spill of 2010.   Well written and thought out, this one brings attention to the dangers of off-shore drilling, as Bromberg sings “Now the fish can’t swim.  You know the birds can’t fly.  We keep right on pumping ’cause demand is high.”.

“Blue is Falling”, recorded with Tim O’Brien on mandolin and backing vocals is a favorite.  Stuart Duncan on fiddle, accentuates the song as Bromberg seems to channel  Roy Orbison during the chorus.  Another country ditty, “Lookout Mountain Girl”, has Bromberg enlisting the talent of Vince Gill (electric guitar, mandolin, backing vocals).  A track quite danceable and suitable for a Saturday night hoedown in Tennessee.

A pair of other favorites are “Old Neighborhood” and “Use Me”.  “Old Neighborhood”, a track recorded with, and produced by Widespread Panic, is a playful and funky track, with lots of hot guitar licks and soulful keyboards.  Title track, “Use Me”, the grand finale of  the album was produced by Phil and Joe Nicolo, aka The Butcher Bros.  Jim Miades contributes the bass line which adds the somewhat hypnotic groove which makes this one so enjoyable. 

The list of contributors is as impressive as the album itself.  The remaining artists include Dr. John, Los Lobos, Linda Ronstadt, and of course John Hiatt.  Use Me is a nice album to listen to on a rainy Sunday afternoon, or any other time for that matter.
 



Sunday, September 14, 2014

Chris Duarte Group - Concert Photos : Parlor City Pub (Cedar Rapids, IA 9/14/14)



John McKnight, Chris Duarte, Dustin Sargent
Chris Duarte
Dustin Sargent
John McKnight
Dustin Sargent, Chris Duarte
Dustin Sargent

Chris Duarte

Chris Duarte

Dustin Sargent

Chris Duarte, Dustin Sargent

Chris Duarte

Chris Duarte, Dustin Sargent

Dustin Sargent
Chris Duarte


All Photos by Phillip Smith 2014 (c)

Saturday, September 13, 2014

Sena Ehrhardt - Live My Life


2014 – Blind Pig Records
By Phillip Smith; Sep. 13, 2014

Live My Life, the third studio release from Minnesota native, Sena Ehrhardt, is a true gem of an album.  Ehrhardt is backed by a tight new group of musicians fronted by guitarist/songwriter Cole Allen.  To top things off, the legendary David Z returned to his old Minnesotan stomping grounds, being called in to produce and mix.    

Ehrhardt reminds us how great the range is on her voice, as she lets loose on “Stakes Have Gone Up”, an energetic opener, blending contemporary country with blues.  Special guest, Smokin’ Joe Kubek breaks out the slide guitar on “Things You Shouldn’t Need to Know”.  I really like this track.  It reminds me of the early Jefferson Airplane years, with its sexy and sultry vocals riding atop lush bluesy guitar riffs and a splash of psychedelia.  Cole rocks out with intensity, as he throws down the gauntlet with heavy licks and head-banging riffs, ripping it up on “Did You Ever Love Me At All”. This one is blues rock at its best.    

Digging deep, Ehrhardt blows the dust off the old Leon Russell penned classic, “Help Me Through the Day”, recorded by Freddy King.  Modified slightly to switch the point of reference from male to female, this track is performed with perfection.  With Jimi “Primetime” Smith joining in on rhythm guitar and Bruce McCabe on piano, this sounds so good, I wouldn’t change a thing.

Being the amazing singer she is, Ehrhardt has once more outdone herself.  Based on this album, I’d be very surprised if she wasn’t nominated for Contemporary Blues Female Artist for the 2015 Blues Music Awards.     

Saturday, September 6, 2014

Sunken Monkey - Party Scars


2014 – Bumface Records
By Phillip Smith; Sep 6, 2014


The four members of Sunken Monkey, a punk rock band from Burnley, Lancashire that’s been together in one format or another since the mid noughties, are known only as, Spindle (guitar and vocals), Rob (guitar), Adam (bass) and Hendy (drums).  These guys happen to have a knack for making extremely catchy poppy punk songs and Party Scars, their sophomore album, is thirteen tracks of headbangin’ fun.

“After All” breaks out of the gate, in beast-mode, rocking full blast with tasty guitar riffs and vocals reminiscent of Joe Strummer. I love the blending voices of the dual guitars in the fast-paced “Don’t Dodge a Game of Dares”.  This frenzied track is one of my favorites.  Kudos as well to “More Beer Than Blood” a testosterone fueled party anthem laden with unforgettable metal riffs fit for Viking warriors.

Another strong contender is “Pissing in the Wind”.  Starting off with a quirky intro, this breakup song turns into a full metal assault led by Hendy as he furiously bashes the hell out of his drums. Spindle and Rob, teaming up on guitars, add a smidge of thrash to keep it heavy without it being over-bearing. I really like this one.

The music from Sunken Monkey quickly brings to mind bands from the eighties and nineties such as  Blink 182, NOFX, and the Ataris.  When it comes to power pop punk, Party Scars is a quite solid album from start to finish. It’s a pleasing little treat which nicely hits the spot.

Saturday, August 30, 2014

Lana Del Rey - Ultraviolence


2014 – Interscope Records
By Phillip Smith; Aug. 30, 2014

Lana Del Rey’s latest album, Ultraviolence, is one my favorite releases of the year.  Primed with beautifully haunting melodies and angelic vocals, this thirteen track recording is destined to be a timeless classic. 

“Cruel World” kicks this musical journey off, with ghostly echo-filled guitar licks and poetic psycho-dramatic lyrics.  Del Rey, like Pink Floyd, is a master when it comes to dropping radically unsettling lyrics into calming, yet sometimes psychedelic musical settings.

Title track, “Ultraviolence”, disturbingly and insightfully reveals the inner thoughts of one trapped in a tumultuous codependent relationship. The song plays out like a James Bond film theme, with hypnotic vocals lightly accented with ultra-smooth synthesizer music.  I love Del Rey’s playful vocals on “Shades of Cool”, a high ranking song on my list of favorites.  Blake Stranathan lets loose a ripping guitar solo that blows through a wall of chaotic sound.  Then as the dust settles, the listener is gently tucked away into a calming bed of Del Rey’s lulling voice. 

The more I listen to Ultraviolence, the more I want to listen to it.  This album, and Lana Del Rey’s voice is almost as addictive as the underlying subject matter she sings about.    

Saturday, August 23, 2014

Micke Bjorklof & Blue Strip - After the Flood


2013 – Hokahey! Records
By Phillip Smith; Aug. 23, 2014



Whether tackling the blues Texas style, in a Mississippi swamp, or with a taste of funk, Finnish band, Micke Bjorklof & Blue Strip plays with excellence.  Singer/rhythm guitarist/harmonicist Bjorklof is backed by lead guitarist Lefty Leppänen, bassist Seppo Nuolikoski, drummer Teemu Vuorela, and organist/pianist Brian Coogan.  After the Flood is a splendid recording of twelve original songs which are immersed in blues and roots music.

“House For the Blues” energetically gets things started.  Bjorklof sings about tearing down a shaky old barn and building in its place, a house for playing music.  Leppänen tears it up with great guitar licks reminiscent of Stevie Ray Vaughan’s. Then, Bjorkloff tops it off with some howling harmonica.  The ‘wow-factor’ on this track is high.

I love the swampy tones created on “Jack the Black Hat” and “Ramblified”.  Killer slide guitar and superbly haunting backing vocals give the song about Mojo-man Jack the Black Hat an aura of coolness.  Then there’s “Ramblified”: a timeless and outstandingly written treasure.  This one screams traditional country blues.

There’s a funky side to the album too.  “Water From Your Shoe”, breaks out the funk midway through, following a borderline gospel beginning fitting for the church scene from the film, The Blues Brothers.  “Gumbo Mama” is a fun track as well.  Lefty lays down a funky groove while Bjorklof rolls out vocals a la Anthony Kiedis of The Red Hot Chili Peppers on the chorus. 

Industrial percussion and the dark boozy lyrics of “King Alcohol” bring to mind one my favorites, Tom Waits. This one is an unexpected treat.  “Woogie or Die”, takes a walk on the dark-side as well.  A cool revved up intro and ominous unsettling chords set the mood for this heart-racing song about being forced ‘Sopranos style’ to play music for a private after-hours party.  

Micke Bjorklof & Blue Strip is not your ordinary run-of-the-mill blues band.  The songs these guys have to offer are forged from top-notch and original writing, and performed with an excellence in musicianship.  Do yourself a favor and give it a listen.    


Saturday, August 16, 2014

Leroy Miller - Temple


2013 – TML Records
By Phillip Smith; Aug. 16, 2014


I’m not really sure how Leroy Miller’s five song EP, Temple slipped by me last year, but I am so glad it recently caught my attention.  It is downright phenomenal.  Miller masterfully wrote, sang, and played all the instruments on this album, much like Prince did on his first albums.  Temple is lush guitar-centric blues at its best akin to that of George Thorogood and Stevie Ray Vaughan

Miller kicks the album off with “Integrity”, a high-energy track reflecting his preference of maintaining principles and being alone, over being someone else’s stepping stone.  “One Woman One Man”, is blues infused with a lot of soul. The keys give this a little Booker T Jones flavoring while his guitar riffs remind me of fellow MGs guitarist Steve Cropper

When “Going Back Home” starts out, I want to reach over to the dial and turn it up a notch.  Exceptional guitar playing and a traditional blues melody give this track an instant familiarity.  Miller enthusiastically lays down more terrific guitar licks on another fantastic track, “Dead Man Walking”.  Soaked heavily in Texas blues, this western-themed melody is sung from the perspective of one whose cards have been stacked against them since birth. 

Temple is as solid as an EP can get.  Every track shines with splendid performances.  I just wish there were more to hear.

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Saturday, August 9, 2014

Sam Morrow - Ephemeral


2014 – Forty Below Records

By Phillip Smith; Aug. 9, 2014


Ephemeral, the debut album from singer/songwriter Sam Morrow is anything but ephemeral.  Before I had finished listening to the first of ten songs, “War”, I knew this album was something special.  Singing country-flavored roots songs with a sharp edge of truth, Morrow’s voice reminds me a bit of Eddie Vedder’s.  Morrow delves deep into his own experiences, revisiting the often unpleasant obstacles life blindly tosses around like little grenades.              

Setting the tone for the rest of the album, “War”, invites the listener into Morrow’s melancholy world with despairing lyrics about a husband and father who looks to the bottle for happiness.  Morrow shows great range as a vocalist and writer in the heart wrenchingly beautiful song, “Old Soul”, about the hurt of lost love, and the self-destructive thoughts which go along with it.  “Run” seems to pick up where “Old Soul” leaves off, leaving thoughts of self-destruction behind and replacing them with feelings of anger and declarations of love.  I’m really drawn to its haunting melody, fortified with a cool drum cadence and symphonic strings.  In a Tom Waits fashion, Morrow reexamines the broken relationship with booze, after two years of sobriety, in “December”, a song of reconstruction, remembering and longing.  This softly played guitar and violin tune tugs on my heart strings.

Ephemeral is such a beautifully constructed album of brutal honesty, I can’t get enough of it.  Morrow shines as a writer and performer, and I highly recommend this album.

Friday, August 1, 2014

Doug Gillard - Parade On



2014 – Nine Mile Records

By Phillip Smith; Aug. 1, 2014


Parade On, the third solo release from Doug Gillard is a refreshing double-dose of indie-rock.  Gillard is a renaissance man when it comes to music.  Singer/Songwriter aside, he takes on responsibility for performing every instrument on this album (guitar, bass, keys, percussion) with the exception of drums. 

Gillard breaks the seal on the track list with “Ready For Death”.  Here, he cleverly marries sullen lyrics sung from the agonized perspective of one just ready to let go, with a lovely upbeat melody which could easily be mistaken for a long-lost track from Electric Light Orchestra.  Then, as if the dial had been turned from the Seventies channel to the Eighties channel, “Angel X”, with its slightly fast tempo, takes me back to the days when the band Squeeze ruled my stereo. 

I can get lost in the melodically beautiful “Your Eyes”.  Sugary and poppy, it instantly puts me in a good mood.  Other favorites include “Come Out and Show Me”, a throwback to the early Who, and “I Shall Not Want”, which seems to draw more influence from George Harrison.

Gillard masterfully ties these eleven pop-infused songs up in one neat little package, to make Parade On, a damn cool aural treat.


Saturday, July 26, 2014

John Mayall - A Special Life


2014 – Forty Below Records

By Phillip Smith; July 26, 2014


A mainstay in the blues and rock world for nearly fifty years, John Mayall is proof; the blues rests for no one.  Mayall, when just a few weeks shy of his eightieth birthday, headed to Entourage Studios in North Hollywood to record his first album in five years, A Special Life.  Accompanying this legend in the studio for this timeless eleven track album were guitarist Rocky Athas, bassist Greg Rzab, and drummer Jay Davenport.  

Mayall summons the spirit of New Orleans, covering the late “King of Zydeco” Clifton Chenier’s creole-flavored “Why Did You Go Last Night”.  Special guest C.J Chenier, Clifton’s son, jams out on accordion and kicks in on vocals to makes this cut stand out even more, as Mayall cuts loose on the piano. While still on the subject of Louisiana Blues, it’d be a huge mistake to not mention “Speak of the Devil”.  Rocky Athas on guitar sounds absolutely amazing on this one originally recorded by Louisiana native Sonny Landreth.  I’ve been an Athas fan since his stint with Black Oak Arkansas, and think his style blends with Mayall’s very nicely.  Athas also stands out on Jimmy McCracklin’s “I Just got to Know”, handing out lush riffs and tasty licks, as Rzab lays down a cool baseline for him to follow.

Putting the covers aside, Mayall goes deep with a few originals of his own.  Singing about the current state of the world, in the thought-provoking, “World Gone Crazy”, Mayall calls out the governments and religions of the world as the contributing sources of global insanity. Performed in a boogie style on piano with a side of harmonica, and a cool little drum intro from Davenport, this song hits the spot.  Slow and easy, like life in the Mississippi Delta, is how title track, “A Special Life” is delivered.  Mayall dishes out a sweet harmonica melody meticulously poured over a retro bluesy rhythm, as in the fashion of Quincy Jones. 

One couldn’t ask for a better bunch of musicians to back the legendary John Mayall, and this album confirms that.  Chock-full of flawlessly performed blues, rock, and boogie, A Special Life is an album to treasure.
  

Saturday, July 12, 2014

Deanna Bogart - Just a Wish Away…



2014 – Blind Pig Records

By Phillip Smith; July 12, 2014


Deanna Bogart keeps getting better and better.  Her latest release, Just a Wish Away is an instant classic featuring outstanding songwriting and superb performances. Capturing the creativity of Carole King, the spunk of Bonnie Raitt, and the vocal style of Christine McVie, Bogart seizes the listener’s attention quickly. Enlisting bassist Charlie Wooton, and New Orleans’s favorite horn section Bonerama, makes the album even more alluring.

I absolutely love “Back and Forth Kid”.  Beautifully played, this heartfelt song about growing up under lousy conditions sports an instant familiarity, as if it were a song heard a million times before.   “What is Love Supposed To Do” a pretty song of longing and dusting off old memories, also has a certain familiarity to it.  Marty Rifkin on steel guitar brings a nice little smidge of country to the song.         

Bogart breaks loose on Stevie Ray Vaughan’s “Tightrope”, hitting the ivories with full force to give the song new life as a piano-centric tune.  Without SRV’s signature guitar present, my brain took a little time to absorb what the song actually was the first time I heard it.  Going deep, Bogart teams up with Chris Jacobs, taking on JD Souther’s “If You Have Crying Eyes”, from his Black Rose album. Jacobs plays guitar and covers the other half of the vocals in this duet.  The two have great chemistry together, and sound as if they have been performing together for years. 

Sure to be a live staple, Deanna takes a turn to the funky side with Sly and the Family Stone’s “Hot Fun in the Summertime”. Wooton’s bass breaks loose on this track and Bonerama tops it off with their cool blasts of brass. 

Deanna Bogart’s talents are many, and this new album is very enjoyable.  Take the plunge and give Just a Wish Away… a listen.


Saturday, July 5, 2014

Phish - Fuego


2014 – ATO Records

By Phillip Smith; July 05, 2014


Five years have passed since Phish last released a studio album.  The wait, although long, was well worth it.  Fuego, the twelfth studio album from Trey Anastasio, Jon Fishman, Mike Gordon and Page McConnell, is fresh, fun and very easy to connect to.

Title track, “Fuego”, stretches out to just over nine minutes, laced with tasty jams, and harmonizing vocals.  When I hear the intro to “The Line”, a song about stepping up and facing ones responsibilities, I pick up a very retro Sixties vibe reminiscent of Booker T & the MGs as McConnell plays keyboard.  As the song settles in though, it absorbs a more melodramatic overtone.  The quirky “Wombat” gets really weird, dropping references to the late Seventies TV sitcom, Fish and its star, Abe Vigoda.

Gordon lays down a really funky bass line to kick “555” off with.  Heavy doses of keys from McConnell teamed up with Anastasio’s groovy guitar licks and a backing horn section make this a delightful listen.  Another tasty track sporting a little funk and awe-inspiring guitar is “Sing Monica”.  This lifts off like an alt-rock version of the Gap Band’s, “You Dropped a Bomb On Me”, and lands in big bowl of luscious guitar riffs suspended by a chorus of call and response vocals.             

A perfect song to chill out to, “Waiting all Night”, is beautifully soft and melancholy. It reminds me a little bit of John Barry’s “Midnight Cowboy Theme”, sans the harmonica. I really like “Winterqueen” too, another beautiful track with many layers.  For a fleeting moment, when the horn section plays about three minutes into the song, it’s like a lost melody from Chicago.

The ten tracks on Fuego is such a fun listen and so well done.  To borrow lyrics from the final song, “Wingsuit” to describe the album itself, ‘It feels good’.  I am so looking forward to catching the band play live this summer.