Michael Dean Damron - Father's Day

Here's one I stumbled upon recently and it is really one that I find myself playing quite a bit. Damron, formerly of I Can Lick and Son of a Bitch in the House has recorded a pretty damn fine album here. The vocals have the whiskey soaked quality to them that I like, think Lucero, Drive-By Truckers, etc.

There are some great tracks here...Dead Days, Father's Day (think Springsteen's Independence Day for a new generation). The cover of Thin Lizzy's Dancing in the Moonlight is really great. Damron makes it his own and it fits in well with the other tracks. Is this the cheeriest album out there, nope. Is it some quality songwriting and performing? You bet. I like this one quite a bit and it is moving up on my list of 2009 releases. Play this with the Otis Gibbs and William Elliott Whitmore. It's just as good which is high praise as those are two of my favorite releases this year. Check it out.

Robert Earl Keen - The Rose Hotel

It's been a few years without any new music from REK which is a shame as he is one of the great (mostly unrecognized) songwriters in America. I got a preview copy of The Rose Hotel yesterday and have played it twice already. It's REK. It's instantly recognizable and at comfortable like a good old pair of boots (obligatory boots reference). Just buy it. The album is great and the only thing I am bummed about is that I will be missing the show at NYC's Town Hall in October (I have tickets to both nights of the Hall of Fame shows at MSG). Here's a clip of the title track. Now get on out there and buy the CD which is out this Tuesday.

Emmitt-Nershi Band - New Country Blues

Bill Nershi and Drew Emmitt team up for a little "new grass" on their new CD New Country Blues due this Tuesday (9/29) on SCI Fidelity Records. It should really appeal to fans of both artists while finding new ones among the bluegrass faithful. Be aware that this is not a tried & true traditionalist's album, but it is damn satisfying to hear. This is what I missed the most from String Cheese over the later years...more bluegrass and no, I repeat no, electro-trance aspects. I liked These Days in particular and most of the songs have a loose-jammy feel to them.

The seasons are changing, the air is cleaner and cooler. This is just the soundtrack you need. Give it a listen.

Lucero - 1372 Overton Park

Oh shit yeah! Rock & Roll is back in 2009. The new Lucero hits October 9th and while this is their major label bow, the music still the same glorious rock & roll that you have come to know and love. It you don't know it and love it get out there now and get some! Replacements meat Uncle Tupelo meet Springsteen. Whatever. This is just a great rock & roll band. This one has some Memphis horns for ya too. Rock album of the year kids. Here's a blurb from Amazon.

Lucero's sixth studio album and major label debut, 1372 Overton Park, is produced by Ted Hutt (The Gaslight Anthem) and featuring horn arrangements by legendary Memphis session player Jim Spake (Al Green, John Hiatt, Solomon Burke, Cat Power), the record marks a decided turn toward the Memphis soul sound that has long informed the band's records from afar. 1372 Overton Park follows the band's 2006 release, Rebels, Rogues & Sworn Brothers, hailed by Pitchfork as "the best showcase for the band's taut dynamic yet." The new album's name comes from the address of the Memphis loft in which all four band members lived, practiced and even recorded portions of their 2003 release That Much Further West (the history of the space itself is even more colorful-- in the `70s, 1372 Overton Park was a karate dojo where local resident Elvis Presley, among others, took lessons). Over recent years band members have gradually moved out leaving lead singer and guitarist Ben Nichols the sole resident of the space until word finally came down that the building would be sold and demolished. Almost as if marking the end of an era not only for the building but for the band as well, this record turns the page and signals a strong move toward the Memphis soul sound that has long served as an influence for the group. Nichols explains, "When [saxophonist] Jim Spake put that first horn track down, we began thinking of the record as having a certain sound. We heard pieces of Memphis history being played over our songs and it floored us and we just went with it." While 1372 Overton Park serves as a love letter to Memphis and its musical heritage, the band has far from abandoned the country/rock/punk influences that they've become known for over their previous five records and countless tour dates in front of rabid fans. "I think the fact that we don't claim a genre is very important to what Lucero is," according to Nichols. "There are too many rules in punk rock. Too many rules in country music. We're hard headed and...god damn if we don't do things the way we want to do them." Playing between 150-200 live shows a year, Lucero has come to be known as much for their hard-touring work ethic as for their critically acclaimed records. In addition to his work with the band, lead singer Ben Nichols also released a solo record in early 2009 and co-stars in MTV's $5 Cover, a series about the Memphis music scene.

New Releases on the Horizon

Foo Fighters - Greatest Hits (11/03)
U2 - The Unforgetable Fire 25th Anniversary Edition (10/27)
David Bowie - Space Oddity 2 CD Edition (10/?)
Grateful Dead - Winterland 1977 Box Set (October)
Nirvana - Live At Reading (11/03)
Tom Petty - Live Anthology (November)
Lyle Lovett - Natural Forces (10/20)

Jethro Tull - Madison Square Garden 1978

September 2009 will see the release of "Live At Madison Square Garden 1978" on DVD including CD. Featuring audio and video of many of their most popular tracks, such as Aqualung, Song From The Wood, Thick as a Brick, Heavy Horses and more. The DVD will be in Dolby 5.1 surround.

CD

1. Bagpipe Intro (Live At Madison Square Garden)

2. Sweet Dream (Live At Madison Square Garden)

3. One Brown Mouse (Live At Madison Square Garden)

4. Heavy Horses (Live At Madison Square Garden)

5. Opening (Live At Madison Square Garden)

6. Thick As A Brick (Live At Madison Square Garden) (2009 Digital Remaster)

7. No Lullaby (Including Flute Solo Of God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen) (Live At Madison Square Garden)

8. Songs From The Wood (Live At Madison Square Garden)

9. Band Intro (Live At Madison Square Garden)

10. Quatrain (Live At Madison Square Garden)

11. Aqualung (Live At Madison Square Garden)

12. Locomotive Breath (Including Dambusters March) (Live At Madison Square Garden)

13. Too Old To Rock 'N' Roll (Live At Madison Square Garden)

14. My God/Cross Eyed Mary (Live At Madison Square Garden)

15. Locomotive Breath (Encore) (Including Dambusters March) (Live At Madison Square Garden)

16. Aqualung (Encore) (Live At Madison Square Garden)

DVD

1. Sweet Dream (Live At Madison Square Garden)

2. One Brown Mouse (Live At Madison Square Garden)

3. Heavy Horses (Live At Madison Square Garden)

4. Opening (Live At Madison Square Garden)

5. Thick As A Brick (Live At Madison Square Garden) (2009 Digital Remaster)

6. No Lullaby (Including Flute Solo Of God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen) (Live At Madison Square Garden)

7. Songs From The Wood (Live At Madison Square Garden)

8. Band Intro (Live At Madison Square Garden)

9. Quatrain (Live At Madison Square Garden)

10. Aqualung (Live At Madison Square Garden)

11. Locomotive Breath (Including Dambusters March) (Live At Madison Square Garden)

12. Too Old To Rock 'N' Roll (Live At Madison Square Garden)

13. My God/Cross Eyed Mary (Live At Madison Square Garden)

New Porcupine Tree

I just downloaded The Incident Special Edition from Amazon. Gonna load it up and grab the good headphones and dive in. I can't wait. I have gotten a little addicted over the past year to this band. Kind of a modern Pink Floyd, but also nothing like them at the same time. Does that make sense? Give them a shot.

Robin Trower - Boulton Center 9-14-09

I took my son to see Robin Trower tonight at the Boulton Center in Bayshore, NY. Sam is an aspiring guitarist and I have trying to take him to see all of my favorites over the past couple of years (and I throw in one or two of his bands along the way). He was amazed when he hear Robin tear into his first solo. He may be showing his age (we all are) but he has lost nothing in his playing. Sam said he never heard such a distinctive tone before.

We got a few new ones and a bunch of old ones (anything off of Bridge of Sighs is a classic) but it really doesn't matter. The songs are the vehicle for the solos and there were plenty tonight. Each one better than the last. The band really built on the momentum until the encores which included Too Rolling Stoned (natch). Great night. Check Robin out if he comes your way.

By the way for those of you on Long Island, you really need to check out the Boulton Center. It's the best kept secret out there. Capacity is less than 250 and no bad seats. Since the IMAC closed they have been booking more shows. I have Indigenous, Richie Haven, Coco Montoya & Tommy Castro, and Savoy Brown there over the next few months. No seats worse than second row. Should be a great fall.

The Cult - Terminal 5 in NYC 9-11-09

The Cult - Terminal 5
NYC 9-11-09

I have to admit a little trepidation about this show. I always liked the Love album but really dug Electric so I was a bit disappointed in that they were playing the whole Love album and a smattering of other "hits". I was flat out wrong. As good as Love is in the studio, live it flat out burns up the stage. The band played great. Ian's voice is no worse for wear and Billy Duffy is a post-modern guitar hero.

If Love came out today, the critics would be falling all over themselves trying to make it the next Nevermind. What a great mix of sounds all swirling together. It was just plain fuckin' awesome folks. Check out some videos from last night.

If you haven't yet, grab the expanded version of Love. You can get it at Amazon Downloads for a measly $9.99 for the 2 cd set loaded with lots of b-sides and alternate mixes.

Railroad Earth

I really love this band. Great musicians and just overall great sound. Bluegrass for those of us who are not traditionalists. They never fail to put a smile on my face.

Beatles Re-Masters

I grabbed 4 today from my local indie store: Revolver, Sgt. Pepper, White Album and Abbey Road. I am listening now and plan on doing the same for most of the day. Initial impression is that they sound absolutely fantastic and are a big upgrade from the 1987 releases. The are not overly compressed and the instrumentation is much more vibrant and discernible. Drums sound like drums should. The packaging is excellent. I suspect I will be buying more soon.

A Pair of New Releases

In what looks to be a pretty lame fall release schedule, there are two bright spots coming out in November.

The Rolling Stones - Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out 40th Anniversay Edition
Complete show + bonus tracks + B.B. King & Ike and Tina Turner Opening Sets and a DVD in a box.

Tom Petty - The Live Anthology
4 CD box set.

New Black Crowes $3.99 at Amazon.com

You can grab the new Black Crowes CD Before the Frost...Until the Freeze at amazon.com for a measly $3.99 and the download includes both albums. I am on the first spin right now and it sounds pretty damn good. The Black Crowes deserve the award for best return from musical purgatory over the past year or so.

This album was recorded live at Levon Helm's in upstate NY and finds the Crowes in fantastic form. The first disc is classic Crowes positively oozing Exile-era Stones influences but with that twist that they do so well. It sounds of a time and outside of time. Tracks like Good Morning Captain, Appaloosa and A Train Makes A Lonely Sound sound so right and to me are what is missing from rock music this decade. Great songs played by musicians that know how to play and play with passion.

The second disc has more of a country sound to it and is really no shocker after seeing one of the acoustic Town Hall shows last year. That night was a revelation in how far the band has come in terms of songs and playing.

Grab this one. I haven't heard an album this good all year (with the possible exception of Levon Helm's Electric Dirt). Recommended without reservation.

Good Morning Captain - The Bla...