Modern Acoustic

Eilen Jewell sings Loretta Lynn at the Lizard

2009-07-04T10:46:00.005-04:00

I love those shows that you hear about at the last minute and then, after much back and forth whether you should go or just head home, you decide to go to the show, and you are rewarded and proved to have made the right choice.
All of this happened this week when, after a little waffling, I found myself waiting in line at the Lizard Lounge to see the wonderful Eilen Jewell and band. I've written about her many times, including a review of her latest album, "Sea of Tears," which is still my favorite album of the year. (My review is here.)
Anyway, while waiting in line -- and waiting for my wife to meet me for the show -- ended up chatting with some really nice, equally excited fans as well as the always-smiling Johnny Sciascia, bassist in Eilen's band. In fact, Johnny informed me that the band just learned that one of its songs from the new album will be on HBO's popular vampire show "True Blood," which is really a big deal. He believed the episode will air sometime this month, so we'll have to watch out for that.
OK, on to the music: First up was the Brewer-Miller Band (or is that Miller-Brewer?). Whichever it is, they are something to hear. Two great local guitarists -- Lyle Brewer of Sarah Borges' Broken Singles and Jerry Miller from Eilen's band -- were backed by Eilen's drummer Jason Beek and Sciascia, and they basically kicked ass, trading leads back and forth for a set of country-rock tunes. Some of them I recognized, though I cannot come up with song titles here. All I could do was shake my head at the amazing sounds coming from the guitars. Miller has the classic country licks, while Brewer adds an extra southern rock twang to his playing.
A short break later, Eilen made her way on stage backed by her aformentioned band and proceeded to play 15 or so Loretta Lynn tunes. The band was billed as Butcher Holler, the town (actually Butcher Hollow) that Lynn lived in Kentucky. It must have been some contractual reason why they couldn't perform under their own name... not sure there.
Now, I don't know many (if any) Loretta Lynn tunes by name. I know Eilen covered Lynn's "The Darkest Hour" on "Sea of Tears," which was great live. But Eilen sang each of Lynn's tunes as if they were her own, and the band followed suit playing the tunes with class, and humor, and reverence. It was a wonderful evening.
The band finished off right around 1:30 a.m. with a couple of Jewell jewels including "Fist City," which is just a blast. Lyle Brewer joined the band for the final songs, and completed a great night. Spotted in the crowd: Sarah Borges and her drummer Rob Dulaney.
I didn't have my camera because I came from work, which was a damn shame. So here is a YouTube take on "The Darkest Days." Please check Eilen and her band out when you get a chance. They are awesome.

Sarah Borges on tour

2009-06-29T09:13:00.006-04:00

I've blogged about this before, but Sarah Borges and her band of merry men, the Broken Singles, are such a fun bunch I had to post again. When they go out on tour, they take their video camera with them and chronicle the life of a rock band on the road. In their latest video, they fly from Boston to Tampa and then to Seattle where they meet up with their tour van. We see them silkscreening their own T-shirts in their hotel room, meet up with bassist Binky's mom at a radio recording stop and watch as drummer Rob Dulaney excruciatingly tries to get comfortable in the back of the van after hurting his back at a party.
We all may have dreamed of being in a band and taking off across the country on a tour -- thinking wouldn't it be great to be seeing the country and living wild and free. Well, of course, it's not really like that. There are miles and miles of driving, bad food, bad hotels, and little sleep. But Sarah and the Singles seem to revel in all of it, and we are better for it.
Here's the video:

Jenny Lewis at the House of Blues

2009-06-11T09:16:00.010-04:00

(image from Seattlesoundmag.com)

Somwehere around the fourth song, a dude in the audience yelled out "I love you, Jenny!" Which prompted another dude to yell-respond "Join the fucking club!," which got a laugh from the crowd around him.
And that pretty much summed up the Jenny Lewis fans in the audience, a mix of indie dudes and chicks -- and a few of older semi-geezers (me included!) -- who came to hear the singer's mix of country, gospel and rock tunes. And let it be said, Jenny Lewis is the complete package. Yes, she can rock a T-shirt and jeans like no other, and her stage presence -- with her dancing and posing onstage -- keeps all eyes focused on her, but more than all that she can flat-out sing. Her range on her albums is amazing, but that she can do it all on stage is even more impressive. Her voice commands attention whether she's standing solo singing a gospel number or surrounded by the full-on rock 'n' roll crunch of her tight and versatile band. Playing for more than two hours, Lewis played a generous portion of her new album, "Acid Tongue," a few choice morsels from "Rabbit Fur Coat," a couple of Rilo Kiley numbers ("Silver Lining," played solo) and, by my count, two new tunes (one called "The Big Wave.")
Here are a couple of highlights: She opened the show in force with "See Fernando," immediately showing off a band that is creative and powerful, and incredibly versatile. A pair of women percussionists, Danielle Haim and Barbara Gruska, also played crankin' guitar on certain tracks. The guy next to Jenny, Johnathan Rice, was playing the part of a young Neil Young on acoustic and had a great voice. And Farmer Dave Scher, who was an opening act as well, played all sorts of guitars, from lap steel to electric to some weird lap instrument. Other songs included "Rise Up With Fists!!," "The Charging Sky," and the Willbury's "Handle with Care" from the "Rabbit Fur Coat" album. She really took off on the electric tunes from "Acid Tongue." "Carpetbagger" and "Jack Killed Mom" were killer (he, he) and "The Next Messiah" was massive, with each part building and building to rock climax. Awesome. She also did beautiful renditions of "Pretty Bird," one of my favorite tunes from the new album, and the tune "Acid Tongue," which was one of three encores.
This is why you buy a ticket to a concert instead of sitting in your living room listening to the stereo.
For a professional take on the show from the Boston Globe, click HERE

Setlist:
See Fernando
The Charging Sky
You Are What You Love
Pretty Bird
Carpetbaggers
Sing a Song for Them
Jack Killed Mom
Trying My Best to Love You
Happy
Rise Up With Fists!!
Just Like Zeus
Handle With Care
The Next Messiah

Encore:
Silver Lining
Acid Tongue
The Big Wave
Born Secular

I didn't bring my camera this time because the last time I went to the HOB, to see Derek Trucks, they wouldn't allow it in. But here's a video of "Acid Tongue" posted from the show.

In Praise of Neil Young

2009-06-10T09:19:00.003-04:00

(Reprinted from Modern Acoustic magazine, Issue 25, June 2009)
The ultimate Neil Young career retrospective is finally here. Years in the making, months in the start-and-stop release, this first collection highlights the years 1963-1972 and features an unprecedented 10 Blu-ray discs-worth of Neil classics, previously unreleased material, alternate takes and live cuts, from his earliest days with the little-known band the Squires through his classic “Harvest” album. This series – the latter years edition(s) still to come – according to press material, is the “definitive, comprehensive, chronological survey of his entire body of work.” At a cost around $200, you will have to be the biggest of Neil fans to own it.
However, the release of the retrospective does present a good time to discuss Neil Young’s place in the pantheon of popular music.
He is, in my opinion, one of the top 5 American songwriters in pop music history. There is Dylan, Lennon and McCartney, Paul Simon, Springsteen. And then… Neil Young? He is surely right up there. I’m not talking about number of hit songs, but quality of output, longevity, versatility and passion.
His longevity alone qualifies him. Music lovers can recite with ease the stages of Neil’s career: folk-rock pioneer with Buffalo Springfield in the ’60s; the loner rocking in early ’70s; his on-again, off-again musical love affair with Crosby, Stills and Nash; his guitar-hero frenzy with power trio Crazy Horse; and his laid-back country acoustic side. In his four-decade past he’s compiled album upon album of songs now forever referred to as classic rock – from Springfield’s “Mr. Soul” to CSNY’s “Ohio” to “Tonight’s the Night” with Crazy Horse and “Like a Hurricane.”
These stages were not a bunch of side projects, but a full-blown part of Neil Young’s musical spirit. And each stage, no matter which he chose, felt like a perfect fit for his talents.
Yes, his music took some unexpected turns. There was an electronica album (“Tron”), a rockabilly album (“Every-body’s Rockin’ ”), and a jump blues album (“This Note’s for You”). Each seemed like a detour down some dirt road to nowhere. But at the time, they were what felt right to him and he didn’t give a darn what anyone else thought. If he had to go the trip alone, so be it.
In the mid-’80s, I went to see him in concert during the “This Note’s for You” tour. In an interview beforehand, he warned his fans that he was only going to play his “blues stuff.” Yet those at the show came expecting to hear “Cowgirl in the Sand,” “Hurricane,” etc. As promised he hardly played any of his hits, and the crowd was not pleased. Finally, as an encore, he played “Tonight’s the Night” and fans roared with approval.
That desire to follow his heart has lead Neil to some pretty tough places, including battles with CSN over commercial success, and with critics over perceived poor material. But that’s what makes Neil great. His whole musical existence is to play what moves him. Luckily a lot of what moves Neil, moves others as well.
His work with Crazy Horse on 1979’s “Rust Never Sleeps” through 1989’s “Rockin’ in the Free World” inspired the grunge movement so much that Pearl Jam basically made him an honorary member. In 1992, at a time when folks started to worry Neil might be washed up, he delivered a stellar acoustic sequel to his 1972 hit album “Harvest,” called “Harvest Moon, which sweetly celebrated of aging and his love for his wife.
In fact, the latter album’s song “You and Me” talks directly to the “Harvest” song “Old Man”: Old man sittin’ there/Touch of grey, but he don’t care /When he hears his children call.
The song is sung with an elegant simplicity, yet it captures the phrasing and style of the original and echoes the tune without stealing from it. It’s genius songwriting.
Neil’s lyrics run the gamut from very personal, simple messages (“Only Love Will Break Your Heart”), to political rants (“Rockin’ in the Free World”), to complex story songs (“Cortez the Killer,” “Pocahontas”), each played with equal earnestness.
And Neil’s electric guitar playing, while not the most sophisticated or flashy, has reached legendary status for the way he maniacally hunches over his axe and stomps around the stage shooting out wailing solos. His acoustic playing is more subtle, but just as heart-filled.
As he’s gotten older, he’s returned to genres he loves, with varying degrees of success. 2005’s “Prairie Wind,” made after Neil came back from a brain aneurysm. And just as we thought he might again be was slowing down, he followed that up with the scathing “Living With War,” which was filled with songs blasting George W. Bush in a fury of electric guitars.
The former was praised by critics, while the latter was dubbed a Grumpy Old Neil album.
Now at 63, he’s released another rocking album, “Fork in the Road,” inspired by his Linc Volt electric car. Like it or hate it, this is a perfectly fitting album for him. It’s about what he is absolutely passionate about: cars, politics, going green, and rock ’n’ roll.
As usual, if you don’t care to take the journey, he’s OK to go it alone.

Our favorite Neil songs, and the album the songs come from:
1. Needle and the Damage, Done, “Harvest”
2. Tonight's the Night, “Tonight’s the Night”
3. Pocahontas, “Chrome Dreams”
4. Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere, “Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere”
5. Down By the River, “Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere”
6. Cortez the Killer, “Zuma”
7. Tired Eyes, “Tonight’s the Night”
8. The Loner, “Neil Young”
9. A Man Needs a Maid, “Harvest”
10. Country Girl (I Think You’re Pretty), CSNY’s “Deja Vu”
11. Comes a Time, “Comes a Time”
12. Don’t Let It Bring You Down, “After the Goldrush”
13. Cowgirl in the Sand, “Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere”
14. Helpless, CSNY’s “Deja Vu”
15. I Am a Child, Buffalo Springfield’s “Last Time Around”

Issue 25, June 2009

2009-06-10T09:12:00.003-04:00

That Magic Moment - Our favorite musicians tell us why they do what they do
What would it be like to be standing on stage bathed in the warm glow of blue and green spotlights, looking out on a crowd of people waiting eagerly to hear your songs? You start playing, picking out chords to your most personal of tunes, the one you wrote when you were in that private place and time where the words and music came together. And then the band kicks in behind you – the drums tap out the beat, the bass follows, and then guitar, keyboards, and other instruments. There is a swelling of sound, a surge of energy and then…
What comes next? What does it feel like? We haven’t had the opportunity (or the skill!) to know the pleasure or the terror of what comes next. But it is something that has always intrigued us: Can you feel it when everything is going right? You surely know when things are going wrong, but can you hear it when you are in that Magic Moment when it is all perfect?
Modern Acoustic asked some of our favorite musicians to describe that Magic Moment to us – when they really knew why they do what they do: why they spend hours on end putting their most personal of feelings to music; why they are willing to travel great distances for potentially little pay and small crowds; how they are able to get up in front of those people and perform as if the whole world was listening.
It is a feeling that those of us who have never done it may have a hard time understanding, but we believe, with a little help from our friends, we’ve captured some of that Magic in our four-page feature.
Someone we didn’t hear from (but sure would have loved to!) was Neil Young. What makes Neil tick? We’re not quite sure, but we do know that he loves what he does – and that it should be celebrated. His long-awaited retrospective box set is finally out and that gives us reason to rejoice in his four-decade-long career and see him for what he is: one of the best songwriters in pop music history. Where would you place him in the pantheon of rock, folk and pop music? Can you think of anyone else who has covered so much ground for so long? Also, we offer up our favorite Neil tunes, and a list (one we don’t completely agree with) of the best living songwriters.
To read the Magic Moments, click HERE.

MA5- Songs
Songs that helped us survive this issue.
1. “Knuckleball Catcher,’’ not available yet, Gillian Welch. YouTube is the only place you’ll find this, but it’s worth the search.
2. “From My Own True Love (Lost at Sea),” “Picaresque,” The Decemberists. Their story songs just hit a nerve.
3. “Ain’t No Grave,” “Shaken by a Low Sound,’’ Crooked Still. We keep coming back to this album. Fantastic.
4. “James!,” “Grand,” Erin McKeown. Waiting (im)patiently for the new album.
5. “Loretta,” “Rear View Mirror,” Townes Van Zandt. After seeing Steve Earle, we had to go back and listen again.

Erin McKeown's house parties

2009-06-05T08:42:00.003-04:00

In the past couple of years musicians who have decided to free themselves from the corporate structure of the music industry have come up with creative ways to finance their albums. One way they've done this is by offering their fans special deals in exchange for some help with funding. This has included exclusive meet-and-greets, autographed items, special concert seating, and even personalized house or backyard concerts for top donors.
Well, Erin McKeown has taken her house concert idea to someplace totally new: her house. Erin is offering up a series of concerts at her own house in Western Mass., and is inviting fans to join her over the Internet. In what she is calling Cabin Fever, Erin will play four shows from various places in her yard, all with different themes, and is asking people to pay $10 per show to stream it live on her site. A cost of $30 will get you all four shows. This is all to benefit the recording and release of her new album "Hundreds of Lions."
She writes: "In the grand tradition of barn-raisings and house-rent parties, Erin McKeown is inviting you into her living room, onto her porch, into her river, into her yard and asking you to lend a hand... just as farmers needed their neighbors to help raise the roof and musicians have sung for their supper."
Here's how it works. You sign up with a credit card on her site and then the day of the show, you log in with a password and watch the show live. If you aren't available that day, you can still view it at your leisure afterward.

Here is the info and schedule for the four shows:
Tuesday, July 7 - 7 p.m.: An intimate, acoustic candlit evening in Erin's living room, plus a tour of her house
Thursday, July 16 - noon: An interactive, all-request electric set from Erin's riverside porch
Wednesday, July 22 - 5 p.m.: Erin performs classic cover songs about water of all sorts from a rock in the middle of her river.
Sunday, July 26 - 3 p.m.: The new album performed in sequence by Erin and band, from her front yard
Rain Location: They'll broadcast from the inside of Erin's Sprinter Touring Van.

I love the idea that musicians are coming up with unique ways to share their music and give fans a chance to feel closer to the artist and to being a part of the creative process.
When I first got the email, I thought I was being invited over to Erin's house to hear her play live. That was exciting. But this makes more sense as a funding idea since fans can still feel some of that intimacy, but the reach for the artist is far wider than having fans who live in geographical proximity stop by... and it saves on cleanup!
Seriously, if this is the future of the music industry, it is so much better for consumers than going to some big box store and plunking down $18 for a CD, with most of the cost going to some fat cat label executive. At least you know you know where your money is.

I don't know what the quality of the broadcast will be. The technological aspect of this may be the tough part, though streaming video is getting better and better very quickly.
My guess if Erin's idea goes off without a hitch, there will be a lot of artist's following suit. And if so, I will be a happy music fan.

Check out the video preview:

Steve Earle and Joe Pug at Berklee

2009-06-01T08:38:00.005-04:00

Friday night I had the chance to experience a performance that symbolizes all that is right about music and the music business. Steve Earle is one of those performers who is the reason folk music exists and thrives. Earle said he learned his musical outlook from the great Townes Van Zandt, Earle's idol and mentor and whose songs he covered on his latest album: Be true to yourself and sing what is true to you. And Earle has followed that.
Before we get to the Earle specifics, let me say a few words about Joe Pug, since I was invited to this show to see the young folksinger from Chicago. Pug, a lanky dude, got up on stage with a guitar and a harmonica and no backup. He has been compared to John Prine, Josh Ritter and M. Ward, though I would say he's not quite there yet. He seems to have a good sense of humor -- a reference to how he travels to gigs was humorous -- but he could more stage presence. To say his influences included Bob Dylan would be an understatement. In fact, one of his numbers could have been called "A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall Jr." But Pug is his own self too. "I Do My Father's Drugs" speaks to a generation that will be left to pay the bills of their parents. And his CD title song "Nation of Heat" is catchy. A little more seasoning could make Pug a name to listen for in the future.
As for Earle, well, I went to the show with the following knowledge. He is a straight shooter, not afraid to speak his mind. He spent much of the Bush years railing against the government (for good reason!) and he is married to country hottie Allison Moorer.
What I didn't know was about his love and dedication to the spirit of folk music, of following your heart on a musical journey, no matter where it leads. His set was littered with songs of his hero, Townes, but also with his own tunes, both political and satirical. At one point he stated that he though the country felt different now that Barack Obama is president. He said he voted for Obama and he was happy with what Obama was doing... right now, but he reserves the right to change his mind. He mentioned clean coal, and how he disagreed with Obama on it's potential use. He was funny, engaging and told some great stories about his relationship with Townes Van Zandt, especially about the first time Earle played in front of Townes in a down-and-out Texas bar. Townes kept shouting at him to play the "Wabash Cannonball."
As far as songs he played, well, I'll defer to Mark at whatilikeissounds.blogspot.com, who provides an almost-complete setlist:

Where I Lead Me (TVZ)
Colorado Girl (TVZ)
?? Unknown
Fort Worth Blues
Pancho & Lefty (TVZ)
Brand New Companion (TVZ)
Tom Ames' Prayer
More Than I Can Do
Valentines' Day
Hometown Blues
My Old Friend the Blues
Someday
Mr Mudd and Mr Gold (TVZ)
City of Immigrants
Soldiers' Joy (instrumental)
Dixieland
The Mountain
Lungs (TVZ)
To Live is to Fly (TVZ)

Encore:
Marie (TVZ)
Sparkle & Shine
Copperhead Road

(TVZ = Townes Van Zant cover)

For more pics, click HERE
Below is a video I shot during the show. It's a long, rambling explanation of his love for Townes. Awesome. If you know the name of the tune, let me know.

The community of No Depression

2009-05-09T10:29:00.005-04:00

It's been a while since I posted, what with major job issues, etc. But I just have to spend a few minutes talking about the new No Depression website. First let me say that I really miss the magazine version. It was one of the few publications that went for substance over style (take that, Rolling Stone and Paste). The interviews were always interesting and the album reviews weren't always trying to please the artists. But being in the print business (newspaper), I understand how hard it is to keep a publication afloat, and where this is all heading no one really knows. I want to say damn the Internet, but of course I use it as much as anyone -- even for reading my own newspaper!
But to the ND website. At first I thought I would have very little interest in the "community" idea. Yeah, we could post our favorite shows and listen to others rattle on about this and that, but I just didn't think I'd find it that interesting. But I was wrong.
The ideas, the ruminations and the information about "alt-country" music (whatever that is!) has become a great jumping-off point for many interesting and relevant conversations. My favorite spot is the forum where such topics include "Funniest Live Moments," talk about the new Dylan album (see, not just alt-country), and a question about whether house concerts are the savior for acoustic music.
I've even used the space to post my own question for musicians to answer for my next issue of Modern Acoustic.
If you haven't checked out the site lately or at all, you should. It may not offer the same experience as sitting down with the latest copy of No Depression the magazine, but it still has the same alt-country (whatever that is!) feel.

In a conversation of Neil Young's best songs was this great video... Enjoy!

Derek Trucks at the House of Blues

2009-04-06T09:13:00.005-04:00

I have been waiting patiently for other bloggers to chime in, to deliver a setlist, pictures from the Derek Trucks show last Thursday at the House of Blues in Boston. I was there, and Derek put on a great show. The problem is, I'm not a huge fan so I don't know the song titles, players etc. So I was looking for some help.
Here's some things I do know: Derek Trucks may be the last of a dying breed of guitar gods -- guys who just stand up there and play without the bullshit theatrics or corny pop songs -- he isn't even his own band's singer.
The band was superior: The singer Mike Mattison has a soulful, gravelly voice who must have the patience of a saint, for standing there during all the lengthy solos. Kofi Burbridge on keyboards and flute is a dynamo. Bassist Todd Smallie, Yonrico Scott on drums and Count M'Butu on percussion are solid. For this show, Susan Tedeschi, his wife and who is also from Norwell, joined the band on a number of songs on backup vocals and Jaimoe, the Allman Bros. drummer, played on a few tunes. His Jassz Band was the opener, a funky mix of soul and jazz.
The new House of Blues is a nice place to see a show IF you are able find a good spot for viewing. It has an expansive floor space and a balcony above that, which is a great place to watch from IF you can get along the rail. If you don't get the rail, you will not see. The acoustics in the place are dynamite so if you don't care about "seeing" the show, you can still enjoy the sound. There is an awesome VIP area (which I did not get into), which starts on the same level as the balcony and slopes upward and is straight-on to the stage.
So the songs... He did a totally out there, great version of "My Favorite Things" and a blow away version of "Anyday," the Derek & the Dominoes tune.
I finally found the setlist and luckily for me, it was attached to the actual whole show available for download. Click HERE to go there.

Here it the setlist:
Get What You Deserve
I'll Find My Way
These Days Is Almost gone
So Close, So Far Away
Don't Miss Me When I'm Gone
I Know
Down in the Flood
Already Free
Done Got Over
My Favorite Things
Anyday

Encore:
We're A Winner
Sweet Inspiration

PS Sorry for the rushed post... my life is kind of in upheaval at this time. Will try to be more attentive to this blog in the future, but it may be a while before I get my act together.

Bill Fagley at Toad

2009-03-16T08:47:00.004-04:00

Bill Fagley's CD Release Party at Toad on Sunday night was a blast -- lots of friends and family on hand to hear the tunes from his debut CD, "You Don't Care," played live. Billy appeared to be having the time of his life up on stage in front of many of the folks who backed him in his musical endeavors, including his parents, co-workers, and various hangers-on. His emotion-filled songs were flushed out by the able members of Josh Ritter's band -- Zack Hickman on bass, Austin Nevins on guitar, Sam Kassirer on keys and Liam Hurley on drums.
Check out the video below:

Issue 24, March 2009

2009-03-12T09:08:00.003-04:00

WINTER THAW - Our CD review special Skating, skiing, sledding, snowflakes quietly descending on fields and trees, icicles sparkling in the sun ... shoveling, falling on black ice, heavy boots, gloves, hats, below freezing temperatures for a dozen days straight...
OK, you get my (snow) drift: Winter, as beautiful as it can be, is a long drag of a season. What is fun and even inspiring in November and December basically sucks by February and March – and don’t get us started about this past January.
But we New Englanders are a hearty sort (so they say) and we know how to make the best of the coldest, most miserable months of the year.
Yeah, for us it’s finding ourselves a warm club, a Guinness, and a killer band. Give us Johnny D’s on a Saturday night with Sarah Borges and the Broken Singles ripping it up on stage. Throw in some sweet potato fries and don’t bother sending out a search party.
We actually did that recently and we’re much better for it. The next day it was nearly 50 degrees and our whole attitude changed.
Hearing music thaws the brain. So this issue we set out to melt our winter blues with a slew of new tunes.
There are lots of new albums coming out, and some that have been out for a bit that we hadn’t caught up to yet.
Tops on our list is Eilen Jewell’s “Sea of Tears,” due in April. And Sarah’s new album, “The Stars Are Out,” is out this month.
Another group, who we have not seen live yet, is Sometymes Why, a trio of women who play in other bands we like. Their new album, “Your Heart Is a Glorious Machine,” is a treat. We also love to “find” albums by musicians who many have not heard of yet. So we are offering some info on the music of Seattle songwriter Ali Marcus; singer Marybeth D’Amico, who lives in Germany; and a Nashville group called the Bittersweets.
Take a listen, and come and find us when the snow melts.
To read the full issue, click HERE.
To read the reviews online, click HERE.

MA 5 - Songs
Songs that helped us survive this issue.
1. “Drunken Angel,’’ “Car Wheels on a Gravel Road,” Lucinda Williams. We don’t know why, it just always pops into our heads.
2. “Rain Roll In,” “Sea of Tears,” Eilen Jewell. Bringing back that great 12-string Byrds sound.
3. “Melt Your Heart,” “Rabbit Fur Coat. Jenny Lewis. Just a sweet tune.
4. “Mission in the Rain,” “Reflections,” Jerry Garcia. Makes us want to see California through his eyes.
5. “Goodbye, San Francisco,” “Goodnight, San Francisco,” The Bittersweets. Continuing our Bay Area jag.

Kris and Kathleen

2009-02-20T09:40:00.007-05:00

It was a good week for Modern Acoustic, we got out and caught a couple of fun shows this week: Kris Delmhorst played a solo show at Passim last Sunday and Kathleen Edwards was at the Paradise on Wednesday. Both shows were more laid back than rocking, which made for a chance to really listen closely to their lyrics. I'm usually one to focus on the actual music but I really dug just paying attention to what their songs were saying.
That's not to say that the music was secondary, because it's not. They both play with melody and harmony in such beautiful ways. Kris has a deep voice, but surprisingly hits high notes with a gorgeous softness. Kathleen can sing softly, but she can belt it as well, and when she does her cute Canadian accent really is accentuated.
Neither show was the kind that you say "I will remember forever," though. Kris played solo most of the night, until the end when she brought local singer Jennifer Kimball up on stage to sing with her. The show was nice, but I missed the extra guitar that Mark Erelli or Jabe Beyer provided when I've seen her in the past. As far as Kathleen's show is concerned, I saw her almost exactly a year ago when she brought a full band. This time she had keyboardist/guitarist extraordinaire Jim Bryson and another guitarist with her. Without the drum and the bass, the show wasn't quite as rockin'. Also missed Bryson's pedal steel which he didn't bring his time.
Neither of these are necessarily complaints since it gave me a different perspective and way to listen to these great artists. So in all, a great week.
Below are a couple of videos I shot of the two shows. For more pics from the shows, click HERE.

Across the Universe: the Beatles reign

2009-02-07T08:47:00.006-05:00

My wife is a big fan of Julie Taymor and is working on the props for "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe," so we spent this morning re-watching Taymor's movie "Across the Universe." For those who haven't seen it Taymor uses Beatles songs and characters from the songs to piece together a story about the history of the '60s. The movie itself is only partially successful: Some of the characters are a little wooden (hello, Evan Rachel Wood), and the movie really doesn't inspire much connection to the characters. But there are some great scenes -- including one in which soldiers in only their underwear are carrying the Statue of Liberty through the jungle while singing "She's So Heavy" (below). Taymor uses each Beatles song to help tell part of the story, and for the most part it works fine; in fact, sometimes surprisingly well. And there are some great cameos by Joe Cocker, Bono and Eddie Izzard that are fun as well.
What really stands out though, and not that this hasn't been said before, is how great the Beatles songs are. The film just drives home the point that there is no band or band's music that has influenced this country more than the Beatles. And please, let's put this Beatles vs. Stones argument to rest. I love the Stones, but there really is no comparison. Some might argue that Elvis in the '50s had a similar influence. I can't argue that since I wasn't there, and others might bring up Dylan. Both are individuals (I did say band), but I would also say that Dylan had a huge effect on a certain group of people and his music was a huge influence, but it does not come close to the cultural impact the Beatles had.
All this, I'm sure has been said, dissected and analyzed before. But in watching that film, and the way Taymor layed out the songs -- even in some of its wild artificiality -- it just made me appreciate the Beatles that much more.
Just my thought for the day.

Sarah Borges -- live

2009-02-06T07:36:00.001-05:00

Thought I'd write a little companion piece to my guest blog at Mainstream Isn't So Bad... Is It? By the way, if you haven't seen Sean's always cool music blog, you should check it out. He always is posting new and upcoming bands. It's a great way to keep informed.
So on his blog, I wrote about Sarah Borges' new album The Stars Are Out, which drops on March 24. I wrote that post a few days before I caught her at Johnny D's in Somerville. By the way, consider this a big plug for Johnny D's, one of my favorite hangs when I need a music fix. The food is great, and the venue is set up perfectly for a show.
As for Sarah and her band the Broken Singles, they still bring it. They played a good portion of their new songs, but also delved into their two previous albums for songs like "Daniel Lee," which was smokin', and "Modern Trick," one of my favorites.
According to Sarah, this was the first gig at Johnny D's with new guitarist Lyle Brewer. He is a nifty guitar player, playing some really hot licks and some nice subtle touches as well. I have to say I did miss former guitarist Mike Castellana's pedal steel, which always added some country flavor to the songs.
But this is a bar band that knows how to party. The hometown crowd was totally into it -- even Sarah's dad was there. I was able to nab a couple of decent photos from the show, the one above shows Sarah rocking her little green dress, and below, she and Binky, her bassist, are down on the floor playing each other's instruments.
In all, a really fun time.
To view all my pics from the show, click HERE.

A little clip from the show

No bad news

2009-01-26T08:48:00.003-05:00

Don't bring me bad news, no bad news
I don't need none of your bad news today

Those are the opening lines of Patty Griffin's song "No Bad News," one that I was looking forward to hearing when I purchased tickets to see the "Three Girls and Their Buddy show at the Orpheum Theatre in Boston on Feb. 22. Patty, Emmylou Harris, Shawn Colvin and Buddy Miller will be performing, singing harmonies on each other's songs and genuinely having a fine time. And to make things even better, I won a backstage meet & greet with the artists after the show. Now, I have never won anything my entire life so this is very cool. I'm not a big one to shake hands and drool over stars, and don't figure to do it here, but it is exciting to win a chance to say hi.
Now, of course, the "bad news." The Oscars are that night, something I didn't realize when I bought the tix in December. I really don't care a lick about the Oscars, never have, ... except it's my job to care. My day job as an editor in the Arts section of the newspaper makes the Oscars a big deal in my life. I'm hoping some miracle happens that cancels the frickin' awards show or maybe one of the musicians comes down with a cold and they have to reschedule... that would work too. Argh! Stay tuned to find out how this all plays out. For now, enjoy this clip from the tour (this may be my only chance to see them).

More banjo

2009-01-14T10:19:00.003-05:00

Hanukkah has come and gone. There are so many great thing about this family celebration -- the food, the songs (including the not-quite traditional "Mule Train" (see below for 2007's version), and the great Hanukkah CD swap that my sister Wendy organizes. To me, the key to a good CD swap is coming up with a theme each year. One year it was the Voice Crush, performer's voices who just kill me. This year though I went with a banjo theme -- songs that have a banjo in it.
Here is my list:
"Ain't No Grave," Crooked Still
"My First Lover," Gillian Welch
"Cluck Old Hen," Kris Delmhorst
"Old King," Neil Young
"Sister Rosetta Goes Before Us," Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
Are You Walking & A' Talking With the Lord," The Sacred Shakers
Casimir Pulaski," Sufjan Stevens
"Swimming Pools," Thao
"1234," Feist"
"A Year From Now," Blanche
"Jezebel," Iron & Wine
"Squeeze Box," The Who
"Born to Hum," Erin McKeown
"Cumberland Blues," the Grateful Dead
"O Mary Don't You Weep," Bruce Springsteen

Bone of Song

2009-01-11T20:02:00.004-05:00

Two posts in a day? What next! Yes, that's right. I just had to share this beautiful drawing my daughter Natalie did for me for Hanukkah. It's her interpretation of Josh Ritter's "Bone of Song." It's so exciting to see her develop her artistic skills and also share of the whole family's love for Josh's music.
To see a bigger image click on the image above or click HERE, it really deserves being viewed in a larger format than I am able to here.

Hello Dolly

2009-01-11T10:03:00.003-05:00

OK, I realize that for serious fans of country music, this post will sound incredibly lame because for them, Dolly Parton is and has always been an integral part of the genre. I am not afraid to admit that I am incredibly late to the party and that I have just begun to explore the greatness of her music, but growing up in the Northeast in the '60s, we only knew of Dolly for her "unique physical attributes" and her kind of goofy persona. And I probably would not have thought twice of her if I hadn't fallen for Mindy Smith's album "One Moment More" a couple of years ago. Mindy did a version of Dolly's "Jolene" that was stunning. When I learned that it was a Dolly Parton song and that Dolly sang backup on the song, I had to search out the original version, which is fabulous. And recently when listening to the radio, the DJ mentioned that Dolly had covered the song "Shine" by Collective Soul (a song I'm not particularly fond of) and that it is "awesome." My brain just couldn't figure out how Dolly Parton would cover that song and what it would sound like. Well, if you haven't heard it, check out the video below. The song is a bluegrass bombshell. Her voice is amazing and the band rocks the 'grass like you've never heard. My name is Rich, and I'm a Dolly Parton fan.

Been gone so long

2009-01-04T12:37:00.002-05:00

It seems like forever since I have had anything worth writing about. December seems like a blur. There were shows to see, but there were also colds to catch, family matters to take care of, and of course the holidays to survive.
I finally resurfaced last night at Atwood's in Cambridge. I had not been there before, and despite the cold I braved the night and am glad I did. Atwood's is a cozy neighborhood bar with apparently great food (though I did not partake). On stage were five lovely voices -- Anne Heaton, Aoife O'Donovan, Rose Polenzani, Laura Cortese and Jennifer Kimball. They took turns, trading lead vocals while the others supplied soaring harmonies and back-up musical accompaniment. The stage was fairly dark, and my camera failed to produce anything worth posting, but I was able to pilfer this photo from Nicole Soriano's Facebook page. Nicole (who I don't know) apparently put the whole show together so we have her to thank.
My resolution for the new year is to get to more shows and learn to use my camera to get better pics... and to write a lot more. Talk again soon. Happy New Year.

The Other Side

2008-11-30T10:51:00.007-05:00

On a recent trip into Boston, my daughter and I stumbled across this cafe for lunch. Being the Josh Ritter fans that we are, we had to stop in, get lunch and grab a couple of snaps to share with others.
How do you know it's a college hangout? On the brunch menu: "The Blue Ribbon Breakfast" consists of 2 scrambled eggs, beef knockwurst, biscuit and a PBR on draught. $8.99.
The place is a little expensive for students, but the food is yummy.
Their MySpace page is HERE.

Josh Ritter's "Other Side"
Say the West is a story we made up to erase
Conestoga wagons left tracks you can see from space
From the Northwest passage to the Great Divide
Everybody's looking for the other side

I'm still waiting for the whiskey to whisk me away
And I'm still waiting for the ashtray to lead me astray
I twist the culdesacs into one way signs
I ain't going round in circles on the other side

So at night I sit and watch for stars to stay
They wink and then they're gone down the Milky Way
But when You're left in the middle of the Midwest sky
Everywhere you look is the Other Side

Listen to the full album, "Golden Age of Radio," HERE.

Are music blogs under fire?

2008-11-24T09:44:00.006-05:00

SPECIAL REPORT
Can't We All Just Get Along? - Music Bloggers Are Loved By Some, Vilified By Others. It's Time to Figure This Out.

Everything is free now,
That’s what they say.
Everything I ever done,
Gotta give it away.
Someone hit the big score.
They figured it out,
That we’re gonna do it anyway,
Even if doesn’t pay.

Gillian Welch’s lyrics in “Everything Is Free” elegantly – with just enough vitriol – sums up the paradox of the music business right now. As the commercial record industry tumbles and fumbles, artists find themselves in a quandary: The Internet is currently the best way for their music to be heard (besides constant touring), but it also brings the danger of tunes being pirated and passed around without
proper royalty payments.
Besides iTunes, Amazon or Rhapsody, one of the best ways to get songs heard or create a buzz online is through postings from any of the thousands of music bloggers worldwide – music fans with a passion for passing along their favorite artists through their opinions and reviews to other music fans.
Some musicians embrace bloggers as a legitimate way to increase their audience, others feel that by authorizing free postings they are giving their work away without compensation. Bloggers believe they are doing a service to musicians, as well as fans, by filling in the publicity gaps left by a struggling music industry.
“Putting music on blogs is a great thing,” says Seattle-based singer-songwriter Ali Marcus. “If folks are worried about illegal downloading, it’s possible to stream music. That seems like the best of both worlds to me. But I say if you want to listen to my songs, I’m not going to stop you.”
But all musicians do not agree, and both sides have reasonable arguments. In fact, Modern Acoustic got into some hot water earlier this year with Michelle Shocked when we posted a short video clip on YouTube of her concert that we shot. We obliged her “request” to take down the clip and it was followed by some healthy – and civil – discussion on the pros and cons of such postings.
Abiding by the wishes of the artists and their labels is tantamount to the survival of the music blog community. Many of the smaller, independent labels embrace bloggers as a legitimate way to promote their artists, while the major labels – Warner, Sony and Universal – and the Recording Industry of America (RIAA), the trade group that represents the U.S. recording industry, are not as supportive.
Smaller labels regularly send out tracks or full albums to bloggers in hopes they will post them or write about a band to create buzz. There are cyber PR firms that specifically target blogs for their clients. Modern Acoustic, in fact, is constantly receiving both CDs in the mail and downloadable tracks from band representatives hoping to get their artists heard. (Note: we currently do not post MP3s on our blog, mostly due to time constraints, but we absolutely believe it enhances the blog experience.)
“I draw the line at whole albums [for posting],” says Laura Seach, head of digital PR at Ninja Tune, an independent British record label, in an interview with The Guardian newspaper, “but if someone posts one track, that’s great. The promotional opportunity is huge. We run campaigns now trying to get bloggers posting about our artists. You can’t underestimate how important blogs are.”
Cara West of Compass Records in Nashville agrees: “It is my experience that bloggers don’t have any interest in hurting a band’s music sales. If they like them enough to write about them they are more interested in helping the band succeed, [and] most will even put a link to the band’s website, record label, MySpace page or Amazon where the full album is available for purchase.”
Some record labels are now including bloggers’ comments in their press notes. Flora Reed, head of publicity for the Western Mass., label Signature Sounds says bloggers “are becoming more important as the world of print media gets smaller. The more respected blogs are becoming a real source for press quotes for our artists’ press kits.”
John Furnari, founder of the digital marketing firm bigMETHOD, explains how crucial bloggers have become using the sudden rise of client the Vermont roots-rock band Grace Potter and the Nocturnals as an example: “For a long stretch leading up to their major label release, the marketing for the band was really concentrated on two fronts – touring and direct communication with bloggers. The blogosphere was very receptive to the music at a time when they were only really known in the Northeast. And so you’d start to see the band getting crowds in towns they’d never been before, which led to even more discussion on the blogs about how incredible these live shows really were. … There is an important synergy between consistent touring and directly connecting with influential voices in the audience.”
But not everything is roses in the music blogosphere. The problem arises from the numerous bloggers who post unauthorized songs on their sites. Hype Machine is an index site set up to search nearly 2,000 music blogs for free tracks. (The site itself does not post tracks.) Type in Led Zeppelin or Jenny Lewis, for instance, and most likely you will find links to posted MP3s that are free for download. You can bet that for a good number of these tracks authorization has not been granted.
So who looks after the artists’ best interests? The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) is a U.S. law that gives copyright owners, such as artists and labels, the right to serve a “takedown” notice to web hosting companies when a copyrighted work is being distributed illegally. The law demands those companies such as Blogger or YouTube to take down content immediately in response to a notice, without checking the claim for reasonableness or accuracy, or considering the fair use rights of users. If the host doesn’t abide by the notice, it subjects itself to copyright liability lawsuits.
It appears both the major labels and the RIAA monitor the Web vigorously to try to stop bloggers from posting unauthorized tracks. Emailed inquiries to the major labels for comment went unanswered.
In recent months there have been a rash of takedowns on a number of blog postings, especially on Blogger, an arm of Google and the hosting company of choice for many music bloggers (WordPress is another).
Google spokesman Jason Freidenfelds, who was reached by email, originally wasn’t aware of the numerous takedowns, but when pointed to links of various affected sites, he did acknowledge the occurrence, responding “when we are notified of the existence of content that violates our Terms of Service, we act quickly to review it and determine whether it violates these policies. If we determine that it does, we remove it. But if a blogger would like to dispute a takedown, they can file a DMCA counter complaint (at www.google.com/blogger_dmca.html).”
While some of the takedowns are justified for the posting of unauthorized tracks, bloggers are baffled by the way it is so coldly being carried out.
First, they say, most of their sites carry a proviso saying “If you represent an artist or a label and would prefer that I remove a link to an mp3, please email me and I will take it down immediately.” Secondly, they say, it is one thing for a hosting company to take down their music link, but to obliterate whole posts, which include their personal writing is taking their personal property.
Here is what is left in the place of the taken-down posts:
“Blogger has been notified, according to the terms of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, that certain content in your blog infringes upon the copyrights of others.”
Coxon, who runs the blog To Die By Your Side out of England, has had multiple postings taken down. He writes: “It appears I may be a marked man. Someone has me in their sights and they’ve fired off a couple of warning shots. Having been blogging for nearly three years without getting into trouble, I’ve now had two posts removed in two weeks. Someone took offense to the tracks I’d posted, contacted Blogger directly and had the entire posts removed and deleted. Slightly heavy handed of them I feel but it’s their prerogative. Had they contacted me directly, I would have had no problem removing the tracks while leaving my reviews and opinions intact.”
And he is not alone: Other blogs which have suffered recent takedowns include 17 Seconds, Everybody Cares, The Vinyl Villain and Cover Lay Down.
On the latter blog, Boy Howdy (as he is known) posted this after his site was taken down: “The Blogger takedown comes just hours after I received a very nice thank you from the label rep who arranged for me to have those songs available for all of you.”
And Sean of Mainstream Isn’t So Bad (mainstreamisntsobad
.com), who blogs from Western Mass., and has also had posts featuring authorized tracks removed says, “I post music that is sent me and always notify who sent me it that it’s up for them to check out. I don’t think [bloggers] know exactly what is happening.”
So is there a war on bloggers? “Absolutely,” says bigMETHOD’s Furnari. “However, it would be more accurate to say that the charge is led by the RIAA then to say it is led directly by the labels. … We’ve been in a position on many occasions where one of the major labels has hired us to reach out to bloggers, and simultaneously the RIAA is out delivering cease and desist letters to anyone posting tracks from that artist.”
Furnari also confirms that the war has escalated lately. “I believe the RIAA is turning their attention away from P2P (peer-to-peer file sharing) and concentrating on the blogs. They are going after the source, putting pressure on Blogger and WordPress to remove infringing content.”
“The blame,” continues Furnari, “is shared by the RIAA for not understanding that this strategy won’t begin to work after 10 years of failure, and by the few bloggers who don’t have any respect for the artists whatsoever and have been overstepping their bounds by posting full albums, or twenty-track bundles on a frequent basis.”
For now, bloggers must take this under consideration or risk their blogs’ existence and integrity.
Steve of Teenage Kicks, who was also served a takedown notice on his blog, sums it up best: “The followers of this blog … will be happy, I hope, to know that the blog is going to continue. … Looking back over the past year’s achievements, it seems a travesty and a shame to let it all go to hell over strong-arm tactics by the very people who should be supporting me.” Figuring out who that is may be the key to keeping the blogs viable.

Issue 23, Dec. 2008

2008-11-24T09:33:00.004-05:00

The Shining - Don't Be Scared, It's Just Our Faves of '08
Another year has gone by.
As we get older, they seem to fly by faster than ever before. We see our kids growing older, becoming well-balanced, truly amazing teens with ambition and interests; we see ourselves collecting wrinkles and grayer hair at a somewhat alarming rate.
Capturing all that goes by in a single year is tough. You go to work, come home, maybe go on a vacation or two... and then the year is up.
So it’s time to spend a few minutes remembering what we’ve done for the last 12 months. And since we’re a music magazine, we’ve spent this issue remembering the shows we’ve seen and the CDs we heard.
So here it is, our fourth annual end-of-the year Favorites Issue.
As you’ll read, we had a little trouble choosing our favorite CD of the year, so we awarded two our top honor. “Honeysuckle Weeks” by the Submarines (we loved them even before they got famous from their iPhone ads) and the pleasant end-of-the-year surprise, Jenny Lewis’ “Acid Tongue.”
And as favorite performer, well, it was tough to top Kathleen Edwards rocking out at the Paradise.
For all of our year’s favorites, check out Pages 6-7.
We are also really excited about our first-ever Special Report, an in-depth look at music blogs and the music industry’s love-hate relationship with them. We talk to musicians, label reps and the bloggers themselves to suss out where they fit in the Circle of Musical Life.
And finally, as we put the finishing touches on this year, we also find ourselves looking ahead to next year, and the change in this country’s leadership.
Not to get all political, but we sure are glad we will have a new president, and the choice of Barack Obama brings hope for a change of philosophy in the way the US is led.
With this, we dig deep inside our iTunes playlist to bring you songs that mirror our new hope.
Peace to all.
To download the new issue, click HERE.

MA5 - SONGS
Songs that helped us survive this issue.
1. “Pretty Bird,’’ “Acid Tongue,” Jenny Lewis. Hauntingly wonderful.
2. “A Man Needs a Maid,” “Harvest,” Neil Young. Not getting ideas, just an amazing tune.
3. “No Bad News,” “Children Running Through,” Patty Griffin. It’s fun to hear her rock out.
4. “Better,” “Begin to Hope,” Regina Spektor. The more I listen to this album, the more I love it.
5. “Ain’t No Sunshine,” “Ain’t No Sunshine,” Bill Withers. Just one of the all-time great songs.

Facebook, Sacred Shakers

2008-10-07T09:35:00.003-04:00

I'm settling back in after finally birthing Issue No. 22, and am working on a bunch of new things before launching into the next issue. It usually takes me a good month of down time from the magazine to get myself psyched to start on the next one. But this time it's a little different because the end-of-year issue is always fun. Choosing favorites of the year is always difficult, but it's fun to go back and listen to albums that got you cranked up months ago, even if they've faded a little since. I've already started working on the cover, which is a little surprising that it came so easily so quickly.
I've also launched a Facebook page. I know, like I need another thing to keep updated. I like it though. It's more interactive than MySpace and I'm hoping to draw in more readers to the magazine as well as make some new friends. You can find me by searching for Modern Acoustic, or just click on the link at the right.
I'm also excited about seeing the Sacred Shakers in a week or so. If you've never heard of them, you may know Eilen Jewell. If you don't know her, well, then you've got some listening to do. Eilen is one of my favorite artists. She's got this twangy country sound and an incredible energy. Her band is great too, and they are joined by a host of top New England rockabilly players to make up the Sacred Shakers. The music is made of old gospel and country tunes with a danceable beat. It's awesome. They are playing a new Boston place called the Beehive, which I have not been to yet. So I'm psyched. Below is a clip of the Eilen Jewell band I took in the dance tent at the Green River Festival this summer. The video's a little unsteady because the floor was made of plywood and with people dancing I was being bounced along.

Jesse Sykes & the Sweet Hereafter at Great Scott

2008-09-27T10:57:00.006-04:00

There's not much better than seeing Jesse Sykes and her band the Sweet Hereafter in a tiny club. Last Thursday they were at Great Scott in Allston, a club I had never been to before and barely knew existed. I must not have been the only one, because the turnout for this show was pretty damn minimal, maybe 100 people. That's depressing. But no matter the crowd, the show was pretty great. Jesse had her problems with the sound and while it seemed to effect her mood (she was a bit grumpy), it didn't effect the music, which was intense. She played a lot from her recent album, "Like, Love, Lust...," which is filled with snaky, electric guitar licks from Phil Wandscher, who, live, really gives his whammy bar a workout. Sometimes his sound was delicate, sometimes it was roaring. Jesse's voice is amazing and smoky, and the rest of band lends a hand with supple backing vocals. The group was augmented by a young pedal steel player, who on the quieter songs added nice touches; on the rocking tunes, he kind of got lost in the mix. The sound was a big problem all night for Jesse. She had trouble with her acoustic; she was constantly asking the sound guy to turn up her vocals. That was kind of too bad. Rumors were also whispered that maybe she and Phil, who are romantically linked, may be having some issues. Hopefully, just rumors... Anyway, a fun night. The openers were Mike Fiore, a singer-guitar player with really nice sound and songs. I'm going to check him out more. And Marissa Nadler, an artsy folk-rocker in the Regina Spektor mode.
For more photos from the night, click HERE. Below, a video from the show.

Issue 22, Sept. 2008

2008-09-25T09:16:00.005-04:00

Summer Picks: From festivals to clubs – even to Symphony Hall! – we were there
Summer has come and gone again, bringing its share of hot days and sultry nights. It also brought – as usual – great opportunities to catch live music at outdoor festivals and indoors at steamy clubs.
Our purchase of a new and more powerful camera also brought hopes of better images from these shows. While we’re still trying to figure out all the features of the camera, we were able to capture some of the great moments of what we saw.
We made two trips to Western Mass., one to catch the Great American Hoedown known as the Green River Music Festival, one of our favorite festivals. There we caught up with Crooked Still, now sporting a new lineup that includes cellist Tristan Clarridge and fiddle player Brittany Haas; we also caught Mavis Staples, the Greencards, and Lucinda Williams (a first for us!); plus a fabulous after-hours set by the foot-stompin’ Eilen Jewell band.
On our second trip out west we took in the Swell Season, the amazing Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova, as well as Josh Ritter playing solo as the opener. The show was intimate and warm despite downpours scattered throughout.
And speaking of Mr. Ritter, his performance at Symphony Hall with the Boston Pops orchestra was a real treat. He and his band, decked out in suits, were in top form for the occasion.
We also visited clubs like T.T. the Bear’s, a great college hang, to see young and hip Thao and her band, the Get Down Stay Down. You actually don’t go to see and hear her, you go to take part in her show as she bounces, bounds, and bobs along to her songs and you have little choice but to follow suit.
We stopped into the Bank of America Pavilion (not one of our favorite venues) to catch the amazing Ryan Adams and the Cardinals, who mixed ’70s-style guitar jams with alt-country accents to soaring effect.
We’re breathless just remembering all the fun we had this summer and can only hope that the fall will be half as fun.
To download the new issue, click HERE. To read CD reviews in the issue, click HERE.
To view photos, click HERE. For videos, click HERE.

MA5 - Songs
Songs that helped us survive this issue.
1. “You, Me & the Bourgeoise,’’ “Honeysuckle Weeks,” The Submarines. What? An upbeat, bouncy song? Impossible.
2. “We Both Go Down Together,” “Picaresque,” The Decemberists. They go down, we follow.
3. “Shady Grove,” “The Pizza Tapes,” Grisman/Garcia/Rice. Spontaneous and just plain fun.
4. “I Envy the Wind,” “Essence,” Lucinda Williams. Great to hear this song live at Green River.
5. “Modern Trick,” “Diamonds in the Dark,” Sarah Borges and the Broken Singles. In honor of guitarist Mike Castellana, who is leaving the band in favor of family. Hopefully, we’ll hear from him again soon.