Some Recent Favorites

It has been a long time since I have been able to sit down and blog a bit about music.  The end of the school year is always so hectic, but that is now past so off we go...

Bonnie Raitt - Slipstream

Several of my music acquaintances have been raving about this one for a while now and I finally got around to grabbing it.  Bonnie Raitt is never less than a good listen and at times she goes far beyond that (Nick of Time).  Slipstream is definitely the latter and to these ears her best release in many years.  Ms. Raitt has always chosen great material to go along with her under rated slide playing and soulful vocals and Slipstream is no exception.  Tracks by Randal Bramlet, Joe Henry, Gerry Rafferty, Loundon Wainwright III, and couple by Bob Dylan make for a very satisfying listening.  In particular, the two Dylan covers are outstanding.  Million Miles and Standing in the Doorway are two of my favorite latter day Dylan songs and both of these cuts are fantastic.

Classy, bluesy, soulful...a more than solid release that you should not hesitate to pick up.  My only complaint is that the vinyl doesn't come with a download.

Chris Robinson Brotherhood - Big Moon Ritual

The Black Crowes singer goes it with a new band during their hiatus and I am digging it.  Chris Robinson has not shied away in the past from picking up the mantle from the Grateful Dead and he has his hippy on to full effect on Big Moon Ritual.  Every track clocks in at 7 minutes or longer so the band has time to stretch out and jam to surprisingly good effect.  Tulsa Yesterday and Roasalee start things off in fine fashion and the rest of the record just keeps the vibe going.  Are the lyrics great?  Nope, but then who cares when the listening experience is so good.  It's a shame so few folks know this is even out.

The Royal Southern Brotherhood

I kind of avoided this at first fearing that it was some kind of Molly Hatchet mash up but I was very much wrong about that.  As soon as I saw the guys involved (Cyrille Neville, Devon Allman, Mike Zito) I knew it would be a good listen and it sure is.  This is kind of bluesy in that swampy NOLA way.  As expected the guitar playing is excellent and the songs and vocals are very strong.  Check out New Horizon, Gotta Keep Rockin' or Nowhere to Hide.  A very strong record from a group that shows a lot of promise.

Tedeschi Trucks Band - Live!  Everybody's Talkin'

Revelator was a really good record.  On this 2-CD or 3-LP set the band gets to stretch out and it makes for an even better listen.  Bluesy and soulful and jammy all mixed up into one really good mix.  Just buy it.

Free Music Alert

Head on over to American Songwriter for a free compilation featuring Rodney Crowell, Todd Snider, Joe Pug, Lucero and more!

Long Time No Post

It seems like forever since I have posted on the blog. It is not for lack of music to write about, more about lack of time to write. The school year is fast coming to an end and I have a bunch of releases I want to comment on so check back soon. Summer is almost here!

Until then you may want to grab the new Uncle Tupelo vinyl releases from Record Store Day if you can find them... outstanding sound and of course just incredible records.

Today Should Be A National Holiday

If you are on Long Island head on over to Looney Tunes in West Babylon.  They still have quite a bit of inventory left from today's releases but it is going fast.

Happy Record Store Day!

The Man Behind The Drums

Asked what band he would want to join, Eric Clapton said The Band.   They were the quintessential American musical group who looking back birthed an entire genre of music.  Robbie Robertson wrote the songs and Richard Manuel was their soul but Levon Helm was their heart.  We've all known this day would come as he has been battling cancer off and on since the late 90's but the news today still hits home really hard.  I've never met Levon, but he has been a big part of my life through his music for over 35 years.

When I was a kid in the 70's it was all about Led Zeppelin and Aerosmith.  Then I saw The Last Waltz on HBO around '78 and my musical journey changed forever.  Who the hell are these old guys (that's pretty funny looking back) and why haven't I heard this music before.  My parents were vast musical wastelands so it was by accident that I heard all of these great sounds.  I was hooked and it led me to so many other great artists over the years, but I kept coming back to the Band time and again.  I was hooked from the first song...



These guys made a sound that uniquely American music and Levon in particular was, for me, the voice. I bought it all from Big Pink right up to The Last Waltz and I've been playing the crap out of them ever since.



One of my big music regrets is that I was too young to ever see them live. I was so excited a couple of years back to catch Levon and his Ramble band a couple of times. It may not have been the same but it was, well it was wonderful. His voice was pretty shot by this point but the joy and love came shining through. My family had been playing Electric Dirt pretty heavily at the time. My son is still singing Tennessee Jed...he thought it was one of his because when Levon sang one he owned it.



I really don't have the ability to put into words how much Levon has meant to me over the years. A true American treasure that won't soon be forgotten. If you don't know this already you have some catching up to do.  Rest In Peace Levon.