Author: falconi5

A place for musically minded folk to get together and share ideas, reviews, and basically spread the word.

Music Podcast Review: The Walker Lukens Song Confessional ded

The premise is deceptively brilliant. Gussy up a cool looking trailer into a space where people can enter and bare their souls confession style, drag the trailer around the country to music venues, festivals and other haunts where music fans tend to mingle, and chop it up with folks that have a story to tell. Once the story is told, the transcript is turned over to one of the many talented, mostly Austin based, songwriters. They, then, have four hours to write a song using the bones of the story that was just told. And then, once written, the song is professionally recorded to be pressed to a seven inch vinyl record and presented to the storyteller.

A year and a half in the making Walker, along with fellow musician Zac Catanzaro, have partnered with Austin radio station KUTX to gather the best of the Song Confessional tales into a one of a kind weekly podcast.

Episode 1 features a somewhat bizarre set of circumstances where the narrator experiences death first hand over the course of a bus ride and a road trip from Fort Worth to Austin. We won’t go into any more details, you can enjoy it for yourself by clicking on Walker himself below.

The song generated for episode 1, “Don’t Let Me Die in Waco,” written by Austin based Croy & The Boys, is a good ol’ Jerry Jeff Walker style Honky Tonk sing-along with the band tune. It is stellar, and Bad Boy Croy only needed one hour to write it. Texas Longhorns will love the song, Sooners and Aggies will be mildly amused, and Baylor Bears will be downright pissed.

And, while your in the listening mode, check out Croy & The Boys latest record, Howdy High-Rise.

Five Cool Albums: Five New Records Released Today (November 8, 2019)

Clearly, we are entering into the dog days of music releases. The dreaded  Christmas releases are upon us, George Michael even has holiday record out from the grave, and the overall pickings are somewhat slim as we anxiously await the release of the new Who album. Here are five nice ones culled from a limited  herd.

Simply Red – Blue  Eyed Soul

M0ney must be too too tight to mention for Mick  Hucknall  and the boys for them to feel that this release needed to see the light of day. Rolling that ball right down the blue-eyed soul alley, if nothing else this one delivers on what it promises. With a Darryl Hall Philly touch and a whole lot of Stax soul flourishes and immaculate grooves, the opener, “Thinking of You,” could be be the theme song for the next ghost busters movie. Sneak this one on in the middle of a Christmas party and no one will notice.

Blood Shot Records – Too Late To Pray: Defiant Chicago Roots

Launched way back in 1994, Bloodshot Records is celebrating their 25th anniversary in style with an album release that gathers many of the labels stars to celebrate their Chicago roots. Robbie Fulks, Freakwater, Kelly Hogan, and of course, Jon Langford all show up, and in style. Stay to the end of the party and you will be rewarded with the best version of Leonard Cohen’s “Tower of Song” your ears will ever have the pleasure of hearing courtesy of the Handsome Family. If you could only listen to one record label for the rest of your life Bloodshot records should be your jam.

Lucy Dachus – Historian

Much like the opener, “Night Shift,” Lucy Dachus’ second effort for Matador Records, Historian, is a slow burn that will reward the listener with multiple spins. The ebb and flow texturing of the songs with accompanying horns and strings are perfectly complementary to Lucy’s Velvet voice. Listen to this one at least twice and you will be hooked.

Tahiti 80 – Fear of An Acoustic Planet

Very much in the California Noir mold along with the likes of The Thrills, Best Coast, Conor Oberst among others, this band from the south of France consistently delivers Laurel Canyon beach vibes. The opener, “1000 Times” could be a “Shadow Captain” era CSN song, and “Seven Seas” would have fit quite nicely on Al Stewart’s “Year of the Cat” record. This one is a great escape to the island record.

Taylor Hawkins and the Coattail Riders – Get The Money

Taylor Hawkins, Drummer for the Foo Fighters, can be forgiven if he hasn’t put a record out in over three years. He has been a little busy. With his latest, Get The Money, all of his influences and musical loves come to the forefront. The Police, Hawkins is heavily influenced by Stuart Copeland, the majestic choruses of Queen, most notably present on “Don’t Look At Me That Way,” as well as a bit of Prog dusting in the Genesis mold, all come into play here with astounding results. Joe Walsh, Nancy Wilson, Chrissie Hynde, and Roger Taylor are just a few of his famous friends that join in on the fun. This one is a fun journey to the past without a nostalgic bone in its body.

 

Classic Album Review: Alice Cooper – Welcome To My Nightmare

A Cosmo Crane review originally published on the Cool Album of the Day website. For more reviews like this make sure to check them out.

Part Psycho Circus, part Jerry Springer show, part Quentin Tarantino shock-fest, Alice Cooper’s Welcome to my Nightmare album and subsequent tour was, depending on your point of view, either ridiculous or brilliant. The ultimate answer is of course given the benefit of historical perspective, that the album is ridiculously brilliant. Released in 1975, the album was Alice Cooper’s first post band break-up outing and is by far the best solo record of his decades long career.

Giving up the comfort of a consistent touring band and going to ax person by committee was certain to be a calculated risk. It was going to be hard to improve on Billion Dollar Babies, his previous album that included the hit songs “Elected,” and “No More Mr. Nice Guy,” and was the bands biggest seller to date, and the future of the entire enterprise without guitar muse and songwriting partner Glen Buxton was anything but certain. The new direction was going to turn the theatrical knobs up to 11, and incorporated many of the shock and awe elements from prior albums along with songs that were a bit more visceral in nature dealing with psychological horrors of the mind right alongside the physical ones.

The album was a top 10 seller, largely on the strength of the songs “Department of Youth,” “Welcome to My Nightmare,” and the somewhat controversial for the time “Only Women Bleed,” a song that reached the top ten, and was protested by various women’s groups due to the subject matter that dealt with spousal abuse. The song was also somewhat of a departure for Cooper in that no song he had previously recorded was as political or thought provoking. The fact that it was also a ballad, also served to put the Alice Cooper coven of fans on notice that a change was coming, and they were not necessarily going to like what the future had in store.

A concept album centered around the nightmares of the main character Steven, Welcome to My Nightmare, much like a Broadway play, was expressly written for the stage, and a tour was launched shortly after the release date where the record was performed mostly in its entirety. With production duties handled by long-time collaborator and Cooper Muse Bob Ezrin, the record has the feel of a real concept album in the Tommy mold, and is best digested in one sitting. The mix of rockers like the standout “Department of Youth,” and the guitar heavy anthem “Devils Food,” are intrinsically interspersed with the somewhat creepy “Steven,” a song that seems to share some DNA with the theme from exorcist, with the far off calling of Steven’s mother downright chilling, and the equally scary “The Awakening,” all kicked off in fine macabre fashion with “Welcome to my Nightmare,” a song that goes from a whisper to a scream to set the stage for what we are about to experience. Welcome to my nightmare I think you’re gonna like it. I think you’re gonna feel you belong.

To say that Welcome to My Nightmare marked the end of Alice Cooper’s commercial appeal may be stretching things a bit. After all, his live shows are still immensely popular; he has his own radio show, and has recently been elected to The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. But in reality, the album did mark the creative zenith of his career with subsequent albums Lace and Whiskey, Zipper Catches Skin, Dada, and Hey Stoopid, never even coming close to the artistic marvel that was Welcome to My Nightmare.

Much like anchovies on a pizza, an Alice Cooper show is something everyone should experience at least once. On recent tours, he has assembled a top notch band that includes Orianthi, the Aussie guitar goddess that was scheduled to play “Beat It” on the ill-fated Michael Jackson comeback tour that never was, and he has not lost a bit of his energy, strutting around the stage and striking poses that would make Mick Jagger jealous.

As a rock icon, Alice Cooper is one of the best. Welcome to My Nightmare is not Blood on the Tracks, and it certainly is no Tommy or Quadrophenia. It is what it is, a glorious shock jock guilty pleasure sort of a listen, one that should be consumed with gusto every Halloween.

So turn out the lights, lock the door, place the candy on the porch on a self-serve chair, and put the record on the stereo, at maximum volume of course. The candy may not last past the second set of kids, but your retro time warp back to 1975 will make you a better person, sooth your soul, and your ears will thank you.

Track Listing

  1. “Welcome to My Nightmare” (Alice Cooper, Dick Wagner) – 5:19
  2. “Devil’s Food” (Cooper, Bob Ezrin, Kelley Jay) – 3:38
  3. “The Black Widow” (Cooper, Wagner, Ezrin) – 3:37
  4. “Some Folks” (Cooper, Ezrin, Alan Gordon) – 4:19
  5. “Only Women Bleed” (Cooper, Wagner) – 5:49
  6. “Department of Youth” (Cooper, Wagner, Ezrin) – 3:18
  7. “Cold Ethyl” (Cooper, Ezrin) – 2:51
  8. “Years Ago” (Cooper, Wagner) – 2:51
  9. “Steven” (Cooper, Ezrin) – 5:52
  10. “The Awakening” (Cooper, Wagner, Ezrin) – 2:25
  11. “Escape” (Cooper, Mark Anthony, Kim Fowley) – 3:20

Personnel

  • Alice Cooper – Vocals
  • Bob Ezrin – Synthesizer, Keyboards, Vocals, Fender Rhodes
  • Vincent Price – Special Effects, Vocals
  • Dick Wagner – Electric and Acoustic Guitar, Vocals
  • Steve Hunter – Electric and Acoustic Guitar
  • Josef Chirowski – Synthesizer, Keyboards, Vocals, Clavinet, Fender Rhodes
  • Prakash John – Bass
  • Tony Levin – Bass
  • Pentti “Whitey” Glan – Drums
  • Johnny “Bee” Badanjek – Drums

Classic Album Review: Mink Deville – Cabretta

A Bernie Sparrow review originally published on The Cool Album of the Day website. For more reviews like this make sure to check them out.

Willy DeVille is a rock star. Just look at him.  If you saw Bryan Adams or Elvis Costello walking down the street they could be mistaken for a mechanic, college professor, or accountant, certainly not for rock stars. But Willy Deville, looking like a slightly less road worn version of Keith Richards with a few less battle scars, could only be mistaken for the front man for the seminal post-punk band Mink DeVille and a rock star of highest order of which he is both.

Willy Deville was a product of the 60’s, from the West Village New York City. Very much influenced by the urban street scenes of his youth the young Willy grew up listening to Fred Neil, street Doo-Wop group groups, Motown, Phil Spector records, as well as Stax soul sounds, Simon and Garfunkel harmonies along with a vast rainbow of street sounds he absorbed growing up in  this urban environment.

Billing himself and his band as Mink Deville, Willy soon became a fixture at the famed CBGB’s night club that gave birth to the Ramones, Blondie, The New York Dolls, as well as a host of other iconic musical artists that were largely responsible for bringing that punk, softened just a bit to appeal to the general public, sensibility that would become hugely popular.

With the release of his debut album Cabretta in 1977, the Rock Star very quickly established himself as a force to be reckoned with Rolling Stone reviewing the album by saying “Cabretta is one of the best albums of the year, with the charm of its’ popular rock &roll urban rhythm and blues of the 50’s and 60’s, between The Drifters and Phil Spector.”

That Phil Spector sound was largely created by Jack Nietzsche, the arranger back in the “Wall of Sound” days that was the producer of the album, and the rest was from the musical collage of sounds that Willy absorbed from his youth.

The record just oozes cool with every track starting effectively with the opening track “Venus of Avenue D” that would have been a great Velvet Underground song with a daring street snarl, and danger lurking around every corner saxophone serving to set the urban mood. We are told that The Venus of Avenue D is the queen of his block, and who are we to argue?

We walk further down the musical street and run into “Little Girl” that is a straight on Phil Spector girl-group inspired song that could have been the B side of “Leader of the Pack”, and “Mixed Up, Shook Up Girl” is a piano based, bongo and maraca’s exquisitely sounding song that showcases the range in DeVille’s voice along with his skill in delicately turning a phrase and changing tempo at will.

“Gunslinger” is another punk influenced song from the Lou Reed urban songbook, and “Cadillac Walk” is one of my desert island songs with a distinct Dire Straits on uppers feel to it. And the coolness continues.

The true diamond in this sea of jewels is “Spanish Stroll”.  DeVille lowers his register a little bit here throws in a bit of Mariachi Spanish influence, and delivers a tour de force story of Mr. Jim with his finger on his eyebrow and left hand on his hip, he’s such a lady killer’ he thinks he’s so slick, and of course, he does the Spanish Stroll.

I won’t even tell you anything about the last two songs on the record.  By the song titles alone, “She’s So Tough” and “Party Girls” you inherently know they are good. And they are, extraordinarily so.

Willy Deville went on to record seven critically admired yet criminally ignored albums under his own name, including Miracle with side-man and producer Mark Knopfler, as well as five additional records with Mink Deville.

The “Rock Star” Willy Deville passed  away in 2009 due to complications from pancreatic cancer after doctors discovered it after providing the musician treatments for hepatitis –C. He was 58 years old.

Always the pragmatic optimist Willy was ultimately realistic about his legacy.  When considering how he would be viewed after his death he told an interviewer “I have a theory.  I know that I’ll sell more records when I’m dead.  It isn’t very pleasant, but I have to get used to the idea.”

A music critic also wrote, “Willy DeVille is America’s loss even if America doesn’t know it yet.”

I’m not sure that truer words have ever been spoken.

— Bernie Sparrow San Francisco, California USA

Track listing

Unless otherwise noted, all songs by Willy DeVille.

  1. “Venus of Avenue D” – 4:57
  2. “Little Girl” (J.Barry,E. Greenwich,P.Spector) – 4:19
  3. “One Way Street” – 2:50
  4. “Mixed up, Shook up Girl” – 3:44
  5. “Gunslinger” – 2:09
  6. “Can’t Do Without It” – 3:15
  7. “Cadillac Walk” (John Martin) – 3:14
  8. “Spanish Stroll” – 3:38
  9. “She’s So Tough” – 2:30
  10. “Party Girls” (Willy DeVille, Rubén Sigüenza) – 4:30

Personnel

  • Willy DeVille – guitar, harmonica, vocals
  • Thomas R. “Manfred” Allen, Jr. – drums
  • Steve Douglas – saxophone
  • Louis X. Erlanger – guitar, background vocals
  • The Immortals – background vocals
  • Max Bowman
  • Val Heron
  • Mike Johnson
  • Bobby Leonards – piano, keyboards
  • Allen Rabinowitz – background vocals
  • Rubén Sigüenza – bass

Links

Listen to the full album below

What We’re Listening To Wednesday: October 6, 2019.

Here are just some of the songs and artists that worked their way into our ears this week:

Temples – Hot Motion

Released late September this record has been spinning pretty consistently at Rock is the New Roll HQ. Their third full-length record after an absence of almost three years, this one is full of Marc Bolan influenced energy. “Your either on something” is the cream of an excellent crop.

Avett Brothers – High Steppin’

From their new one Closer Than Together the Avett brothers 20 years in are growing up in front of our very ears.

Ride – Clouds of St. Marie

One of our favorite songs of the year, Ride their album, This Is Not A Safe Place is their best release since 1992,

The Dirty Denims – Ready, Steady, Go

With her Joan Jett by way of Debbie Harry vocal swagger Mirjam and the boys rock this town with a blend of AC/DC and Kiss inspired Rock as well as Roll. We are becoming big fans of this band.

Hazel English – Shaking

This Aussie now living in California delivers some fine dreamy Jangle Pop on this one. A fine put the top down and cruise tune if there ever was one.

Stoney LaRue – Hill Country Boogaloo

Everything great about the Texas hill country is name checked here from Lone Star Beer to Gruene Hall and the Guadalupe River.

Evan Felker and Carrie Rodriguez – Whiskey In Your Water

With his band The Turnpike Troubadours pretty much imploding Evan Felker is taking off in his own direction here with a classy duet featuring Carrie Rodriguez.

The Rhyolite Sound – Margaritas and Cocaine

Hailing from Las Vegas these guys play what they call desert Honk Tonk. Nothing sets me straight like cheap women and beer. Mojave Gold is our Tonk record of the year.

Five Cool Ones: Five Cool Ones: Five New Albums Released Today (November 1, 2019)

We are now officially in the dog days of record releases. But fear not, we aren’t just going to sit on our ears waiting for the new Who album to come out. Here are five really cool records released this week.

Micky and the Motorcars – Long Time Comin’

One of the best Texas Honky Tonk bands in the game today, on this, their 6th record to date, the band is is in dark night of the soul Tearjerker ballad mode with “Alone Again Tonight,” and “Run Into You,” wallowing in my baby left me tears on “All Looks the Same,” and generally down in the dumps lamenting a lost love on “Break My Heart.” This is, sit in the corner, next to the jukebox, wallowing in your own misery my baby left me Honky Tonk splendor.

The Mavericks – Play The Hits

News flash! Raul Malo can sing. And he does it here in exquisite fashion. In places when he keeps the arrangements close to the bone like he does on “Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain,” he shines, and things get even better when The Mavericks get jiggy with the arrangements like they do on “Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way” to spectacular results.

Michael Kiwanuka – Kiwanuka

This guy keeps keeps getting better and better with each subsequent release. Here, on his latest album following up the highly excellent 2016 release Love & Hate, Michael Kiwanuka lays down a palate of Afro-Rhythms, Soul, and Funk along with an Indie Pop sensibility. This Danger Mouse co-produced gem should land towards the front of many year end best-of lists, including ours.

Miranda Lambert – Wildcard

With her latest album, Wildcard, Miranda Lambert seems to be walking on the wild side after a much publicized public divorce. Ditching her old producer in favor of Jay Joyce who twirled the knobs for Brothers Osbourne, Brandy Clark, and Ashley McBryde, there seems to be a bounce in her step that wasn’t there before. There is a bit of Swamp Funk on “Holy Water,” and 80’s Rock on “Mess With My Head.” This is a diverse and textured record that will reward with multiple listens.

Grace Cummings – Refuge Cove

The big whiskey soaked voice emanating from Australian Grace Cummings comes across like some sort of devil spawn from the loins of Patti Smith and Melissa Etheridge. Part pastoral folk, part beat poet, this one is an eclectically pleasing Scott Walker sort of listen. Let it grow on you.