Friday, November 29, 2013

Full Show Friday: Gorgoroth Black Mass Krakow 2004

Last year we searched the murky back waters of youtube to find full concerts and posted them to the site monthly.  That was all well and good but this year RtBE is upping the ante with a show every week to celebrate Full Show Friday's.  These shows are of varying quality and may not be here for long so enjoy them while you can...As always, please support the artist every which way, but especially by seeing them live (if they are still playing)...This week...Gorgoroth! 

It is upon us!  BLACK Friday! Time for the most evil Norwegian Black Metal I have ever heard. Granted not a huge fan of the genre but RtBE researched a few bands after enjoying the documentary Until The Light Takes Us.  
Gorgoroth takes the cake (having a Tolkien name only helps them in my book). The video might not be the safest for work if you have to be slaving away on this day, but it sure gets to the point with severed animal heads and naked crucified bodies...in fact check out this tidbit from Wikipedia regarding this exact show:
On February 1, 2004, during a concert being recorded for a DVD in Kraków, Poland, the band displayed sheep heads on stakes, a bloodbath of 80 litres of sheep's blood, Satanic symbols, and four naked crucified models on stage. A police investigation took place with allegations of religious offence (which is prosecutable under Polish law) and cruelty to animals.[27] Though these charges were considered, the band was not charged as it was ruled that they were unaware of the fact that what they were doing was illegal, although the concert organiser was eventually fined 10000zł in 2007 as he knew about it and neither informed the band that it was against the law nor intervened.[28] The whole controversy led to the band being dropped from the roster of the Nuclear Blast Tour and the footage of the concert being confiscated by the police.[29] Following this controversy – and with Gorgoroth also having achieved a larger degree of worldwide recognition through Nuclear Blast's distribution facilities – the contract between both parties was bilaterally terminated. Gorgoroth further secured a reputation as a band with a vehement anti-Right Hand Path agenda, of which certain employees in the company were alleged to have felt uneasy due to their own personal beliefs.[11]

Holy cow that is straight out of Metalocalypse... Jokes aside this is pretty badass shit all around, crank it. METAL!!! BLACK METAL!!! Enjoy...or Die!!!


Nathan Explosion is impressed:

Setlist:
1. Procreating Satan 04:49  
2. Forces of Satan Storms 04:58  
3. Possessed (by Satan) 05:12  
4. Bergtrollets hevn 03:18  
5. The Rite of Infernal Invocation 03:27  
6. Profetens åpenbaring 04:23  
7. Of Ice and Movement... 04:15  
8. Ødeleggelse og undergang 04:16  
9. Blood Stains the Circle 02:50  
10. Unchain My Heart!!! 04:51  
11. Revelation of Doom 03:05  
12. Destroyer 04:21  
13. Incipit Satan 05:12  

Thursday, November 28, 2013

Happy Thanksgiving from RtBE!

Happy Thanksgiving From RtBE, to celebrate here are some awesome highlights from The Macy's Day Parade....from 1986.
Intro:

Since we normally talk about music here, hope about a marching band?

Now Here Is He-Man.  Oh hell yes, this float kicks ass!

Ok, skip to a 1:10 here and you will get a ton of the parade in some damn good quality.

Ahhh 1986, what a year, we give thanks this year to all the great music and everyone who takes the time to read this microscopic dot on the interweb.

Enjoy every sandwich all.

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Stuffing You Full of Gospel for Thanksgiving

Going along with our Paramount review from yesterday we are continuing on the reissue path with this Holiday treat from NPR.
You can stream the full 4 CD's (!!!!) of the newly released I Heard The Angels Sing, from Nashboro. From the product description:
a vital part of the fabric of American music, can finally be heard. Begun by Ernie Young in Nashville, TN, at the height of gospel's "golden age," Nashboro was arguably the greatest, most prolific and longest-living gospel record label. Initial recordings were made on site, overseen by Young himself. Those early Nashboro sides have all the excitement, energy and drive of far better-known indies from the 1950s such as Chess and Sun (indeed, Nashboro was parent to the infamous, blues-busting label Excello).
The songs are all brief, getting to the point, Young's patented sound, then fade out, I am sure the live versions went on and on. Some stand out tracks (all though we are still sifting through them all) are the passionate "Trouble of This World's Condition" by The Chosen Gospel Singers, the mixed gender vocals of "Give Me Some Flowers" by Sullivan Pugh, the groovy "I'm Battling" by The Sensational Pioneers and the swinging Trumpets of Joy doing "I Need The Lord To Guide Me".   

Ethel Davenport's tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is stirring as well, opening the final disk I just wish it went on longer when it hit its "spiritual phase". This is a piece of history that focuses on amazing voices and soulful singing, Americana in the tubes.

You can purchase the collection here and peep a few youtube clips from tracks featured on the disks below:

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

NYPL Blog Post: Review of "Exploring The Rise and Fall of Paramount Records" LIVE at NYPL

Hey all, got a post over on NYPL blogs.  Give it a gander below:

Review of "Exploring The Rise and Fall of Paramount Records" LIVE at NYPL

It is a review of the fantastic event held by LIVE From The NYPL focused on the new Paramount Records Third Man are releasing. The event was an immediate sellout due to RtBE favorite Jack White speaking at the event along with Greil Marcus, Daphne Brooks, Dean and Scott Blackwood.

It was a super cool night that had a distinct "PBS, Record Nerd Vibe" but that is exactly what I was looking for. The review is long so I won't say too much more, would rather embed some of the songs that were highlights, you can watch the full talk at the bottom of my blog post.

Homer Quincy Smith "I Want Jesus To Talk To Me"
Sweet Papa Stovepipe "Mama's Angel Boy"

Monday, November 25, 2013

Dylan Cover #114 Lady Lamb the Beekeeper "All I Really Want To Do"

Continuing our Monday's Dylan Cover Series.  This cover is by Lady Lamb the Beekeeper and it is of  "All I Really Want To Do". 

Thoughts on Original:
(From the first time we talked about a cover version of this song)
This song made Dylan leaving the "cause" and "topical songs" behind easier for his hardcore fans to swallow, because really, how can anyone dislike this song?  Simple, playful, loving, sly..."All I Really Want To Do Has it All". Oh and he left nothing behind, in fact he opened up a world of music for the world to experience, be inspired from, and enjoy, long after he is gone.
Cover:

Thoughts On Cover Artist:
This is the first we have heard of Lady Lamb the Beekeeper, but we like her voice, can find more information out here. Seems she is a NYC based singer/songwriter making it pretty big so far. Best of luck Aly Spaltro.
Thoughts On Cover:
Stated and obvious this cover has more to do with the Sonny & Cher cover version or The Byrds version of this song but the track works well, Miss Spaltro has a host of help on this track and the Spector-y wall of sound vibe works real nice and is produced wonderfully. Her husky voice adds bottom to the track and overall it is a pleasant listen this Monday AM.
Grade: B    

Friday, November 22, 2013

Full Show Friday: Lynyrd Skynyrd San Fran, CA Winterland 1975

Last year we searched the murky back waters of youtube to find full concerts and posted them to the site monthly.  That was all well and good but this year RtBE is upping the ante with a show every week to celebrate Full Show Friday's.  These shows are of varying quality and may not be here for long so enjoy them while you can...As always, please support the artist every which way, but especially by seeing them live (if they are still playing)...This week...Lynyrd Skynyrd!
Here is some pretty amazing old footage from the original Skynyrd lineup playing Winterland in San Fran in 1975. The Concert Vault has more info on it, you can read it while you listen/watch the cool black and white video. If you only know "Freebird", give this a listen, you may be surprised. Pro Sound, Semi Pro shot, Enjoy this Southern Guitar Boogie on a Friday.

Lynyrd Skynyrd

Winterland (San Francisco, CA)

Apr 27, 1975

  1. 1 Whiskey Rock-A-Roller / I Ain't The One 08:40
  2. 2 The Needle And The Spoon 05:08
  3. 3 I'm A Country Boy 05:08
  4. 4 Gimme Three Steps 05:43
  5. 5 Don't Ask Me No Questions 03:53
  6. 6 Saturday Night Special 05:53
  7. 7 Railroad Song 05:16
  8. 8 Call Me The Breeze 07:05
  9. 9 Sweet Home Alabama 06:16
  10. 10 On the Hunt 07:21
  11. 11 Freebird 12:59
Allen Collins - guitar
Ed King - guitar
Artimus Pyle - drums
Gary Rossington - guitar
Ronnie Van Zant - lead vocals
Leon Wilkeson - bass, background vocals

By the time Lynyrd Skynyrd played this sold-out show at San Francisco's Winterland ballroom, they had become the unmistakable kings of Southern Rock. Spearheaded by charismatic frontman, Ronnie Van Zant, the group had taken southern boogie from the swamps and brought it to the masses.

There is an enormous amount of energy and power in the multiple guitar mix of the band, and that is clearly apparent when they launch into solos on these songs. The group had built a solid following via AOR radio by 1975, and songs like "Sweet Home Alabama" and "Free Bird" had given the band enormous crossover appeal. The group was coming off two hugely successful albums, its debut (pronounced leh-nerd skin-nerd) and 1974's Second Helping, and they had recently replaced original drummer Bob Burns with Artimus Pyle.

This show was recorded during the band's tour promoting their 1975 album, Nuthin' Fancy, and it features Lynyrd Skynyrd at the top of their game. It was also one of the last shows featuring their original three-guitar lineup, as Ed King left the band midway through the tour. Skynyrd confidently played its brand of riff-driving Southern fried rock boogie to near capacity crowds on this entire '75 tour.

Poignant songs like "The Needle And The Spoon" are balanced against established Skynyrd rockers such as "Saturday Night Special" and "Gimmie Three Steps." Songs like "Whiskey Rock-A-Roller", J.J. Cale's "Call Me The Breeze", and "Sweet Home Alabama" are played here in their early forms—many of these classics would re-emerge as part of the must-do repertoire of so many country artists.

The band ends the show with a predictable but crowd-pleasing, version of its radio anthem, "Free Bird." Sadly, the band would change drastically when some of its members, including lead vocalist Ronnie Van Zant, would die in a plane crash two years after this show was recorded.

Thursday, November 21, 2013

Album Review: Summoner -Atlantian

Summoner
Atlantian
*** out of *****
The stoner rock rumbles along with Summoner's newest release, the 8 song Atlantian. Beefy riffs rumble and slam into crisp cymbals and snares as the band takes it's time spreading out over the metal. The band stays away from slamming going more for an atmospheric rout with their metal, the group is heavy without being messy.

The duel guitars of AJ Peters and Joe Richner are at the forefront with tracks like "The Prophecy" and the title track. "Horns of War" is a disk highlight with its multiple parts but it never feels pieced together, rather flowing and stomping. Vocally it is impossible to not equate Black Sabbath era Ozzy (with less range) to the bands frontman and bassist Chris Johnson. That late 70's sound seeps into the mammoth "Under The Crystalline Sky" then the band reaches back to the trippy 60's with the mystical instrumental "Changing Tides". "Into The Abyss" puts the thudding hammer down as the drums slam via Scott Smith as the band rumbles. 

The 4 piece from Boston are firmly implanted in that stoner metal crop of rockers and have put fourth a grantie solid collection of tunes any fan of the genre can get behind. The style is also welcoming allowing for newcomers to the genre to start head banging alongside long time fans. 
_______________________________________________________________
I love Bandcamp. Can find so many artists on there. We just stumbled across Summoner, stopped because of their artwork and dug their sound so figured we would review it.

Go here to stream the album or buy it. More from the artist here. Peep some video below:

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Album Review: The Record Company -Feels So Good

The Record Company
Feels So Good
*** out of *****

Rollicking bluesy rock flows out of The Record Company on their Feels So Good EP, the second release for the band. A deep blues feel mixes with a polished vibe as the LA trio beats out voodoo in confident fashion. 

Chris Vos (Vocals/Guitar), Alex Stiff (Bass/Vocals) and Marc Cazorla (Drums/Vocals) hit all the classic blues touchstones (lonely dogs, dusty rave ups and hard days) but with the production there is a sheen in places where extra grime may tend to normally reside. This has helped the band get their tunes in various shows and movies helping expand crossover appeal much in the vein of Robert Randolph or Gary Clark Jr (but without the soloing).     

"Feels So Good" Starts thing and works with powerful strides, while "Roll the Bones" bumps the low-end. "Baby, I'm Broken" turns up the distortion and harmonica adding a fuzzy tone to things while "Hard Day Coming Down" burns with an impressive acoustic guitar and hand claps. "Darlin' Jane" ends the EP on "Willie and The Hand Jive" tip as the band puts together gang choruses and funky bass line.

The band has a style that reminds of UK's The Heavy, but with a greater roots feeling, just don't be surprised if the opener "Feels So Good" is everywhere much like "How You Like Me Know?" by this time next year. The title track alone is worth a listen but this band seems to be cooking all over with Feels So Good, get in on the action.  
_________________________________________________________________
Pretty solid blues rawk here. Focused more on the songs then anything else, they are solid if not re-writing the blues, but then again no one needs to do that.

Support the Band Here and Peep some Video below:
"Feels So Good"
 

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Album Review: The Melismatics -Rising Tide

Hey all,

Got a new review up on Glide.

You can read it Right C'here!!!
It is of The Melismatics newest release Rising Tide. A poppy rock disk from the Minnesota veterans. Not much more to add apart from what is already written.

You can support the band here, buy the disk here and peep some video below:
"Rising Tide"


Monday, November 18, 2013

Dylan Cover #113 Lou Reed "Foot of Pride"

In this ongoing Monday Series we will be exploring various artists versions of Bob Dylan song's.  Today's tune is a live cover by Lou Reed doing his version of "Foot of Pride". 

Thoughts on Original: 
A mighty deep cut that was left off of Infidels and saw the official light of day on the amazing Bootleg Series 1-3. Dylan has said of Infidels that the songs "hung around too long" and there has been issues with the final mix and Mark Knopfler has never been happy with it. Even long time fans are split on it and I am sure a future Bootleg series will show up with all of the unreleased recording surrounding that disk, putting it in a new light the way the recent series did for Self Portrait. Anyway, "Foot of Pride" is Dylan at his jumbliest, his most rambling self. He is incoherent one stanza and his blindingly beautiful profound self the next; in a sense it is quintessential Gemini Dylan. It is hard to say it is a great song, but it is a good summation of the man and his style, if never one of our favorites.        

Cover:

Thoughts on Cover Artist:
We paid our respects to Lou a few weeks ago, and it is true we were never much a fan of the substance of his work. We appreciate his style, his "piss-people-off-becuase-why-the-fuck-not" work ethic but overall the man never really did it for us.However we mentioned that a few times already so...

Thoughts on Cover:
That said, this is our favorite thing Lou has done. He takes a Dylan song which was probably unknown to at least 80% of the crowd at the Garden during Bobfest and plays the hell out of it, actually caring (it seems) what his voice sounds like for once. The band certainly helps, Booker T, The MG's, G.E. Smith, all top notch keeping Lou on his game and the song chugging along. We love covers that use the original as inspiration then go above and beyond and when they end up this good you gotta give them love.
Grade: A+

Friday, November 15, 2013

Full Show Friday: De La Soul Live In Belgium 1997

Last year we searched the murky back waters of youtube to find full concerts and posted them to the site monthly.  That was all well and good but this year RtBE is upping the ante with a show every week to celebrate Full Show Friday's.  These shows are of varying quality and may not be here for long so enjoy them while you can...As always, please support the artist every which way, but especially by seeing them live (if they are still playing)...This week...De La Soul! 
Not sure about a lot of things with this video, but it seems like it was a TV taping (with retarded video effects thrown in) of a De La Soul show from their 1997 tour behind Stakes Is High. I am pretty sure that we caught the band on this same tour when they played NYU. We love the group and that album but honestly that was the last one we were really into from De La. We made need to go back and check out AOI and the like but for now enjoy some club bumping hip hop from some of Long Islands finest.

Watching of the video itself may not be needed because of the dumb effects but listening to the tunes is great on this Friday. We particularly dig the move from "Me Myself and I" into "Ego Trippin' (Part Two)" into "Oodles of O's" that is a fun segue section of some of their best jams.

Here is the show, Enjoy:

Thursday, November 14, 2013

Album Review: Lee Ranaldo and The Dust -Last Night On Earth

Hey All,

Got a new review up on Glide.

Read it Right C'here!!!
It is of Lee Ranaldo and The Dust's newest release, Last Night On Earth.We previewed a song a while back and it turned out to be the best of the bunch. The album is good and our style, but not super memorable or as good as the last release from Lee which we really dug.

The last sentence of our review is our sum up and question I guess...

Support the band here and peep some video below:



Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Live Review - Voodoo Experience 11-1-13, City Park, New Orleans, LA

Hey all,

Got a review up on Glide.

You can read it Right C'here!!!

It is of our 1 day at the Voodoo Experience this year.

Thanks to Shane at Glide for hooking me up, Thanks to Leslie for some amazing pics, more here. Also a special thanks to the Voodoo arraigners for giving me something to vent about.

Every time I go to New Orleans I find it harder and harder to put into words how amazing it is but this year Voodoo organizers dropped the ball on stage setup and I had to call them out on it. I don't mind the promoters skewing younger, especially at Voodoo, but when the music infringes on other acts and artists eat each others sound it isn't good for anybody; Sound bleeding has to go!

Otherwise I had a blast. lots of new acts I never saw before, Shovels and Ropes were probably me new favorite, but PJ saved the day when things wrapped up. The food was amazing, no lines anywhere. On a side note to that, I have no idea why they weren't selling day passes for Friday but were for the other days, I haven't heard a good reason yet.

There are videos all over, peek a few below:



Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Album Review: The Black Crowes -Wiser For The Time


The Black Crowes
Wiser For The Time
** out of *****

Back in the late fall of 2010 The Black Crowes embarked on their Say Goodnight To The Bad Guys Tour as the band was looking at (another!) hiatus from playing live. The band was on a creative and performing high as the group and decided to make the shows 2 sets one acoustic, one electric that flex the bands musical muscles and satisfied long time fans as covers, deep cuts and favorites all were showcased.

The group has moved pretty heavy into the jamband world with each show being unique in playing and song selection. This has allowed the Crowes to work closely with nugs.net to release the majority of their live performances directly to the fan base via sound board recordings. However, after the bands elongated run at New York City's Best Buy Theater, the shows from that stand never were made available, with the rumor being an official live release would showcase those amazing nights of music. Wiser For The Time is that release and an odd one at that.

Being offered in a predominately vinyl format (also digital, but no CD's) the band made this a fan's focus rather then a widespread showcase of the nights. Also by combining the 4 night run into one release (granted a long one) the ebb/flow of a particular setlist and performance becomes altered.

This may have been the bands most diverse and strongest lineups, so the range on the album is excellent. On the first (acoustic) set of playing, "Downtown Money Waster", "Garden Gate" and "Better When Your Not Alone", all work in their own unique skins. The highlight of the first batch of tunes comes in the form of the Crowes covering "Hot Burrito #1" and "Hot Burrito #2" by The Flying Burrito Brothers.

When the band turns up the electricity the group energy bubbles up. "Tied Up and Swallowed" and "A Conspiracy" are both great, but the highlights here are the immaculate "Title Song" and "No Speak No Slave" whose intro sends chills up the spine. Closing with a cover of Little Feat's "Willin'" the band let it all hang out, but the energy doesn't seem exhausted.

There isn't a version of any song here that makes it a must own, or reinvents it in a way fans were dying for, yet all are professionally done. Quality wise things aren't crisper or alive then any of the downloads offered. The packaging also leaves a lot to be desired, which leads to the question of why this was released? 

Having seen one of the shows showcased here I can speak directly to the power the band brought to NYC and the dynamic playing Luther, Chris, Rich and the boys (and girls) displayed during this run, I just don't think that translates to this release unfortunately.
  
____________________________________
Wiser For The Time is Ok, but wouldn't it have been cooler to offer 4 shows in their entirety, even on vinyl, or keeping this special collection then just posting all the shows on Nugs.net after the fact? This mix/release cuts the overall vibe The Black Crowes achieved during this incarnation, I guess you just had to be there.  This reminded us of another release we felt the same way about.  Anyway...

Support the band here, buy the album here and peep some video from this run of shows here:     
"Title Song"

"Better When Your Not Alone"

Monday, November 11, 2013

Dylan Cover #112 Ryan Hunter "With God On Our Side"

In this ongoing Monday Series we will be exploring various artists versions of Bob Dylan song's. Today's tune is a live cover by Ryan Hunter playing "With God On Our Side"
Thoughts on Original
From the first time we talked about this on Veterans Day as well:
Perhaps the most poignant and lasting song Dylan has written and that speaks volumes. Lyrically it is perfect, using history, the warping of religion and politics to get across the point that man will rationalize anything, even war. Only played live 30 times since it's debut at Dylan's historic Town Hall show the song has added weight and meaning when it is played.  Morality and War, Religion and Righteousness, all just words when it comes down to it hold life inside those letters. Musically stark Dylan uses his impressive lyrics to express the confusion perfectly, should be mandatory listing in every history classroom.   
Cover

Thoughts on Cover Artist
I have not heard of Ryan Hunter before but this is some fine singing and playing. Turns out he fronted a Post-Hardcore band from Long Island called Envy On the Coast. I had not come across them but that doesn't matter, the solo performance here is not the best quality of video, but very good sound makes it presentable.
Thoughts on Cover
This is some pretty powerful singing as the song tackles all of this emotional topics and Hunter does a dynamite job expressing them, rising and falling over the simple guitar strumming. Vocally powerfully matching the ripping lyrics and musically stark this is a dynamic performance worthy of a listen if not incredibly original rendition...then again that really isn't always he best road to take.
Grade: A- 


Friday, November 8, 2013

What's That Birdsmell? Ben Bridwell Solo

We haven't heard much from RtBE favorite Band of Horses lately, but thanks to Charles Moss at Hidden Track we found out Horses Front-man Ben Bridwell has a small, understated tour under way.
Also linked from that site are some new songs that may or may not end up as BoH tunes, we already love "Throw My Mess Around" after only a few listens. It is great to hear them working Ben working these tracks out. One of our favorite shows in recent memory was the band's unprecedented Hammerstein Ballroom gig where it felt like you were with the band through thick and thin as they were just having a blast.

I am sure these shows were and will be even cooler on such a small scale. Here's hoping that new BoH album is out next year. You can stream some the tracks below as well or check out his soundcloud page:



Full Show Friday: Bullet For My Valentine Live 3-12-13

Last year we searched the murky back waters of youtube to find full concerts and posted them to the site monthly.  That was all well and good but this year RtBE is upping the ante with a show every week to celebrate Full Show Friday's.  These shows are of varying quality and may not be here for long so enjoy them while you can...As always, please support the artist every which way, but especially by seeing them live (if they are still playing)...This week...Bullet For My Valentine!

We tried something new this week with Full Show Friday, a band we were not familiar with. Bullet For My Valentine are a metal band from Wales (with a cool name) who have been rocking (on a major scale) since 2005. This show was pro shot with pro sound from earlier this year.

While pretty for a metal band they do seem to be more inspired by The early 80's rockers like Iron Maiden etc. The full setlist from the show can be found here, the band is a little too polish for our tastes but you may be different, Enjoy the metal:

Thursday, November 7, 2013

La Luz in Serious Accident, You Can Help

Last month we came across one of our favorite records of the year with La Luz's It's Alive.
Unfortunately Hardly Art informed us that the band was in a serious accident on Tuesday Night, below is all the information and an opportunity for you to help out if you can:
Last night on their way back to their native Seattle from a show at Boise's Korah Shrine, rising surf band La Luz were in a severe accident that totaled their van, destroyed their gear, and incurred injuries to the band members. As a result, they've been forced to bow out of their remaining tour dates with of Montreal, starting with tonight's performance at Neumos. For those who feel compelled to help the band get back on their feet, we've set up a Paypal account for laluzdonate@gmail.com; fans can simply click here to gift them whatever amount they desire. 100% of the donations will go the band as they seek to pay medical bills and purchase a new van, new equipment, and new merch.
We really like their tunes, some video is below, here's wishing for a speedy all around recovery for the group. God Speed Ladies.

Album Review: Deafheaven -Sunbather

Deafheaven
Sunbather
*** out of *****

This is an odd one. Deafheaven are a metal band (you can quibble about putting the words, dark, post or shoegaze in front of that word) who provide some exceedingly strong musical passages over a deliberately scream-o singing style. The two are pretty much polar opposites on Sunbather, an album that can be in the same breath glorious and frustrating.

The brainchild of George Clarke and Kerry McCoy (who bring in other musicians to round things out once everything is written) Deafheaven have toyed with lots of different metal styles but things hear are long, drawn out, exciting sonic adventurers mixed with short blissful/experimental breaks. The opening "Dreamhouse" is a perfect summation of things; uplifting in its heaviness as drums pummel (Daniel Tracy is killer), guitars shine while the ride ebb's and flows for over 9 minutes.

After the inspiring opener, a pattern forms as the long play rolls out (and this was obviously meant to be listened to straight through), down/experimental short tune, long metal outing, down/experimental short tune. "Irresistible" is a piano breather, before the title track traverses peaks and valleys. "Windows" takes a found sound experimental approach to the lyrics/vocals with both a drug deal and a pastor preaching captured; it would have been very interesting to see them use this technique over one of their metal numbers.   

The singing style of Clarke is pure throat wrenching all the time, zero let down. While an interesting sonic addition to things for a song, or pieces, it really losses it's impact over the course of the LP's hour run time. Lyrics are non existent, you will need to read the lyric book to have any idea what is being projected and that is a detriment as music like this screams (well not literally) for vocal augmentation to raise it where it belongs.

The closer "The Pecan Tree" is a monster which slams into a dark start and moves to lush arraignments to finish, the music all over is alive and pulsing, but the vocals are a tough pill to swallow, while an interesting curiosity to start they don't hold up with the playing for the long haul.

______________________________________________________________________
I wanted to like this more then I do. The concept style and experiment fits neatly with what I go for. I am not against these kind of vocals wholesale, but in this case the blending of the styles just doesn't work and with music this damn good I think it is a shame. Those 3 stars are all for the playing. 

Support the band here, buy and stream the album here, and you can peep some video below:
"Dreamhouse"

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Album Review: Blind Boys of Alabama- I'll Find a Way

The Blind Boys of Alabama
I'll Find a Way
*** and1/2 out of *****

The Blind Boys of Alabama are on a roll and winning 5 Grammy's since 2000 yet when it came to taking their next step they were faced with not having a record contract. After meeting with management behind the scenes a fairly unlikely collaboration started up between the group and former indie-folkie turned Grammy winner himself Justin Vernon (Bon Iver). The group was so impressed with the beginnings that they decided to self fund the project before Sony caught wind of the demos and offered them a multiple year recording contract. Upon first listen it is obvious why Sony would bite, I'll Find a Way will probably be taking home more trophies come Grammy time.

The disk does what you would expect a collaboration between these two to do, it offers Gospel tinged tunes with indie pop indulges and experiments. Not all work but most are enjoyable and there is a clear respect for craft here.The title track is a perfect blending of styles both new and old, the group forms the underpinnings while Shara Worden from My Brightest Diamond puts in a showstopping lead vocal performance. The track is an obscure one from Detroit songwriter Ted Lucas, but this may go down as the definitive version.  

Vernon's production is nuanced as each sound matters, such as the creaking rocking chair to start "Take Me To The Water". "I've Been Searching" picks up a bit of a reggae groove while "Jubilee" vocally pumps the holy energy. The cover of Bob Dylan's "Every Grain Of Sand" is inspired but an odd drum progression keeps it from soaring.  

Of the tracks that don't really work, "There Will Be No Peace (Until God Is Seated At The Conference Table)" is the most frustrating because the vocals of both the Boys and Casey Daniel from White Hinterland are gorgeous. The backing clicks and odd music just doesn't mesh and elevate the tune as high as it should go. "I'm Not Waiting Anymore" has the opposite issue as the music is engaging with minimal horns, sketchy sounds and light marching drums but Sam Amidon's vocals just don't hold up.   

The mid level gospel works are a professionally excellent as songs like "My God Is Real", "God Put A Rainbow", "I Shall Not Be Moved" and "Take Your Burden To The Lord And Leave It There" all have a down home roots vibe that is wam and comforting. Overall the disk is joyful without being celebratory, an impressive contridution from all parties involved.

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Well done all around and gives us a new found respect for Vernon. Support the Artist here, buy the disk here and peep some video below:
Making of Album:

"I'll Find a Way"

 

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Live Review: The Black Crowes 10-26-13 Terminal 5, NYC

Hey All, Got a new review up on Glide.

It is of the recent Black Crowes and Blind Boys of Alabama Show from Terminal 5 a few weeks ago in NYC.

We were excited to catch the Blind Boys of Alabama for the first time and were very glad we did as they were the highlight on this night. The group sounded glorious and strong, and their choice of covers was just sensational. They didn't do much (if anything) from their new album but that didn't matter, the performance was great.

Not so much for the Crowes. They just seemed a bit tired and to be going through the motions as their most recent hiatus looms. I don't think Jackie Greene is a great fit for the band, when Rich Robinson started playing lead the songs seemed to just work better, "Thorn In My Pride" being the best example.

I will have more from both of these bands in the next couple of days, so stay tuned. Peep some video in the meantime:

 

Monday, November 4, 2013

Third Man Co-Releasing Paramount Records in a Damn Cool Way Also Speaking @ NYPL

Our man crush on Jack White is known in these parts (Cue Handmaiden from Game Of Thrones: "It Is Known!") and the love keeps going as he digs through the past unearthing songs, collections and just plain cool stuff to unleash on the world (for a price of course). When this 800 Song Archival release was announced it seemed pretty bold. Now Jackie boy chatted with David Fricke and opened up more about the project.
That is pretty bad ass.

I particularly love one of Jack's answers and David's Response:
You have so many pieces of America involved in this one thing: a company that's going out of business, looking to stay afloat, so they decide to go into the record business.
Basically the reverse of what's happening in the record industry now.

This is pretty spot on, I have been thinking a lot of the music industry the last few months, and am currently reading David Byrne's amazing book (thanks Tom). I hope to go into it in much greater depth (hopefully by the end of the year) but until then listen to some old timey tunes:
Charlie Jackson "Cat's Got The Measles"

Ida Cox "Mama Doo She Blues"


In an added twist which we just found out about this AM White will be speaking on this Paramount release in a few weeks here at NYPL. To say we are more then a little pumped to see him, Greil Marcus and others wax poetic on this topic would be an understatement.

Dylan Cover #111 The Lumineers "Boots Of Spanish Leather"

In this ongoing Monday Series we will be exploring various artists versions of Bob Dylan song's. Today's tune is a live cover by the The Lumineers of the Dylan tune "Boots Of Spanish Leather"
Thoughts On Original:
From the first time we did someone covering this tune, here are my thoughts:
One of the first Dylan songs that really bowled me over.  I know on the Times They Are a-Changin' there are a ton of epic songs but this was the track that stayed with me the longest.  It is ghostly in it's presentation and still just as dynamic now as when he wrote it back in 1963.  My favorite show I have seen Dylan play live was back in 1999 at the RPI Fieldhouse.  The whole night was great, my favorite backing band of his since The Band, a tiny venue and a setlist that was magical.  One of the major highlights was "Boots of Spanish Leather", I need to break out that bootleg this week and re-live that great night.
Cover:

Thoughts on Cover Artist:
With the new radio friendly folk group revival The Lumineers join the crop of singer/song writers/performers who have found success stripping down. I haven't caught them live but they sound fine. Not dull or offensive but not earth shattering either.  
Thoughts on Cover:
Simple, plain, direct, honest. This is a pretty perfect acoustic 1 person cover with delicate playing from Wesley Schultz on guitar and vocals taking over the solo aspect of this song. Nothing changed, just a rock solid version.
Grade: B-

Friday, November 1, 2013

Full Show Friday: Big Gigantic Hangout Music Fest 2011

Last year we searched the murky back waters of youtube to find full concerts and posted them to the site monthly.  That was all well and good but this year RtBE is upping the ante with a show every week to celebrate Full Show Friday's.  These shows are of varying quality and may not be here for long so enjoy them while you can...As always, please support the artist every which way, but especially by seeing them live (if they are still playing)...This week...Big Gigantic!

For the month of October we will be highlighting bands that will be playing this years Voodoo Experience, this is an Encore for the start of November as the fest is underway now! Big Gigantic play the festival tomorrow, so if you are there check them out!


We linked to a Big Gigantic album a while ago and we can see their rise in popularity as the jam-electro craze carries on. This video is not pro shot and far from pro sound, but you can get idea of the style and show. In reality you should be down at Voodoo anyway instead of listening to this...but enjoy if you can't get the real thing tomorrow: