Friday, April 29, 2016

Full Show Friday: Ms. Lauryn Hill 2014 Rototom SunSplash

We search the murky back waters of youtube to find full concerts and post them to the site weekly, come back every seven days to help us 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...Ms. Lauryn Hill!

Every April we have a special showcase for bands who are playing this years Jazzfest in NOLA. Today we will focus on Ms. Lauryn Hill who will be headlining the Congo Square Stage TODAY!  

Ms. Lauryn Hill brings her set to New Orleans today in what is sure to be a well attended closing set on the Congo Square Stage at the Fairgrounds. Today's Full Show Friday comes from her 2014 tour, and her show at the Rototom Sunsplash festival, a reggae fest that takes place in Spain.

Enjoy:

Thursday, April 28, 2016

Second Weekend of NOLA Jazzfest Starts Today

Today marks the start of the second weekend of America's Best Festival as New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival adds an extra day with Thursday Performances.  

We mentioned it last week, but you can stream the concert and highlights from WWOZ if you can't be there. RtBE will be partaking like always and are excited to see many local and touring artists. 

Here are a few youtube clips from last weekend:
Janelle Monae doing one of the many Prince Tributes-

Michael McDonald doing "I Keep Forgetting":

Van Morrison 

And Pearl Jam, who was introduced by Steve Gleason. playing "State Of Love and Trust" we still can't believe we missed this....oh well:

Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Live Review: Bruce Springsteen & The E-Street Band 4/23/16 Brooklyn, NY

Bruce Springsteen & The E-Street Band
4/23/16 Barclay's Center
Brooklyn, NY

With the American section of Bruce Springsteen & The E-Street Band’s tour coming to an end tickets for Saturday Night's Brooklyn Show were in high demand as fans of multiple generations were in attendance to sing and dance along with the energy-abundant rockstar. This tour is celebrating 1980’s double album The River as the group plays all 20 tracks as well as Springsteen classics.
 
The real treat came right away however as the band strolled out on stage, under purple lights, and after a brief discussion went directly into “Purple Rain” paying musical tribute to the recently departed Prince. From one showman to another, Springsteen mentioned that Prince “was the best” and that he was “humbled” whenever he saw him live. Nils Lofgren’s solo was an excellent combo of tribute/inspired by and the whole group (clad in various levels of purple) truly nailed a rock and roll moment.

After playing the outtake “Meet Me In The City”, which was written and recorded during the same sessions, The River rolled out. Bruce mentioned that this album was crafted during a time that he was trying to find out who he was and would be going forward. It is a mix of deep reflective ballads and Jersey Shore party rockers that don’t always mesh perfectly, but that juxtaposition is what makes for an engaging listen and live show. 

Sonically the highs of Springsteen's vocals and Jake Clemons saxophone along with the low bass of Garry Tallent and drums of Max Weinberg were clear all night but mid level guitars got a bit muddy when Lofgren, Steven Van Zandt, Soozie Tyrell, and Springsteen (along with the keys of Roy Bittan and Charles Giordano) all were attacking the tracks. 

Highlights from The River were, the upbeat “Hungry Heart” (complete with Boss Crowd Surfing) a dramatic “Fade Away”, the Weinberg led power of “Crush on You”, a slow dance fueled “I Want To Marry You” and the epic title track. The crowd may have wandered a bit during songs like “Point Blank” and “Jackson Cage” but for the most part the sold out house were note for note with the band. While performing this album with grace and spirit would be more than enough for 95% of touring performers, this is Springsteen we are talking about and that was just the appetizer.

After mentioning Brooklyn was his mom’s hometown the Boss dove into his classic tracks with the crowd singing to “Badlands” “Because The Night” and “Thunder Road” with wild abandon. The house lights came on and the band kept it rolling with one of the best arena rock songs ever written as “Born To Run” reverberated around Barclay Center. It still wasn’t over as the legendary front-man pumped out an energetic “Rosalita” a soulful “10th Ave Freeze Out” and crowd participation favorites “Dancing In The Dark” and a cover of The Isley Brothers “Shout” which concluded the over three and a half hour show.
Simply a mammoth set from a world class performer and band, dedicated to a recently deceased peer and a magical night of revisiting the past and being more than prepared for the current and future of rock and roll.

Tuesday, April 26, 2016

Album Review: The Dandy Warhols- Distortland

The Dandy Warhols
Distortland
*** out of *****

The self proclaimed "odd rockers" from Portland, OR, The Dandy Warhols have now come out with their ninth studio album Distortland and it is more of the same from the band that has now been at it since 1995. If you are a fan of the bands folk-electro mix of indie rock then this one will slide in nicely next to the back catalog of the band, if you've never been a fan, move on.

The band, Courtney Taylor-Taylor - vocals, guitars, Peter Holmström - guitars, Zia McCabe - keyboards, Brent DeBoer - drums, are locked in their wandering lazy freakout style so much so that Distrotland can sound derivative, but the band is always wandering to the next sonic venture.

The synths open the disk via "Search Party" with a pulsing rhythm while "STYGGO" takes up the dance vibe with its doo-doo-doo's and hand claps. The best track on the disk is  "You Are Killing Me" which seems to blend everything that the Dandy's do best into one effort. It flirts with a chugging tense riff/dream-pop mix while delivering the clearest vocal from Taylor-Taylor on the album.

Not everything works though as "All The Girls In London" goes for barroom rave up but feels more like a half baked experiment and "Semper Fidelis" is muffled in all the wrong ways with submerged vocals and dull musicianship.

With titling the album as a pun to their hometown the band continues to claim the trendy northwest city as home and this disk will satiate longtime fans and maybe even newcomers to the City of Roses.
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Support the band, buy the album, peep some video:

Monday, April 25, 2016

Dylan Cover #231 Buddy Guy - Lay Lady Lay

In this ongoing Monday Series we will be exploring various artists versions of Bob Dylan song's. Today's tune is a cover by Buddy Guy playing "Lay Lady Lay"
Every April our Dylan Cover Series focuses on artists playing The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. This year Buddy Guy will headline the Blues Tent on Saturday April 30th

Thoughts on Original:
From the first time we addressed a cover of this tune:
Excellent track and the first time the world heard Dylan's new singing style, which would only last for Nashville Skyline. This song is the standout track from this album, it is a classic and so simple, yet sweet and timeless. One of Dylan's best tracks, this phase was the the closest to "country" he ever got and "Lay Lady Lay" is an overall fantastic piece of music.
Cover:

Thoughts on Cover Artist:
Buddy Guy is a stone cold legend. He is a blues master, if you like Electric Blues you can't help but love Guy. One of our favorite performances of his was captured for the film Festival Express, that is worth checking out if you haven't.
Thoughts on Cover:
A really excellent cover that also showcases Anthony Hamilton vocal work. This one is smooth, fluid and I am sure Bob would love...well you can never be sure with Bob, but this one is a gem. 

Friday, April 22, 2016

Full Show Friday: Steely Dan Live in 2008

We search the murky back waters of youtube to find full concerts and post them to the site weekly, come back every seven days to help us 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...Steely Dan!


Every April we have a special showcase for bands who are playing this years Jazzfest in NOLA. Today we will focus on Steely Dan who will be headlining the Acura Stage TODAY!  

While we wish we could be down there enjoying the first weekend of Jazzfest, we unfortuantly can not be as we will be heading down next week. We figured we would pick a headliner from today to focus on so Steely Dan it is, they will be playing in only a few hours.

RtBE has never really been fans of the band (a bit too smooth for our tastes) but this is a fine show from their 2008 tour. This night was Cincinnati on July 13th 2008. Full set list below.

Enjoy:


Setlist:
Intro (Everyone's Gone To Movies/ The Fez)0:37 The Royal Scam 7:15 I Got The News 14:08 Show Biz Kids 19:30 Everything You Did 26:35 Two Against Nature 30:46 Hey Nineteen 37:10 Godwhacker 44:05 Babylon Sisters 50:52 New Frontier 57:26 Gaucho 1:03:06 Glamour Profession 1:08:52 Parker's Band 1:16:15 Josie 1:19:39 Aja 1:25:48 Band Intros 1:34:10 Peg 1:39:06 Fm 1:43:31 Kid Charlemagne 1:51:10

Thursday, April 21, 2016

Jazzfest Starts Tomorrow! Stream it on WWOZ

The best festival in the United States starts tomorrow as the first weekend of New Orleans Jazzfest gets underway. 

RtBE will be down next weekend to bask in the sunshine, music and positive vibes from all the locals, we can not wait. For this weekend though, we will be streaming some of the artists on WWOZ. Here is the fantastic radio channels lineup for bands to stream during the fest. 
Some of our favorites are on there like Meschiya Lake & the Little Big Horns, Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings and the Treme Brass Band so give them a listen when they play the fest. We will post some video below to get you in the grooving mood. 

Wednesday, April 20, 2016

Album Review: Autolux- Pussy's Dead

Autolux
Pussy's Dead
*** out of *****

The Los Angeles art pop trio took a long time between albums (last release was 2010) and have become the first band released on Danger Mouse's Columbia Imprint, 30th Century Records with their newest album, Pussy's Dead. The band, Eugene Goreshter (lead vocals/bass), Greg Edwards (guitar/vocals) and Carla Azar (drums/vocals), take their time moving between soundscapes and mellow sonic textures as the 10 tracks roll out.

The dreamy-electro-pop of Pussy's Dead, usually floats out into the ether but Autolux has the added bonus of one of the best drummers working today in Azar keeping things tethered. While the groups tracks aren't earth bound by any means, her deft playing adds a solidness that is crucial, keeping this album much more engaging than if someone just average was manning the kit.

Two of the more intriguing tracks are "Hamster Suite" and "Listen To The Order" but both go after it in different fashions. "Hamster Suite" lyrically dreams and musically moves between metal screeches and organic grooves in art rock fashion, swelling and retaining a tension. "Listen To The Order" repeats and repeats while eerily breaking down and popping back up with images of violence in a tighter fashion.

The overarching issue is that energy can wane and lyrically there aren't lots of standout tracks. The opening duo of "Selectallcopy" and "Soft Scene" just float by without lasting memory while efforts like "Brainwasher" gets falsetto and pushes the dance vibe outward but never truly buys into it. "Change My Head" goes for drama and dynamics but it just feels like electro-wind and bombast, never resonating. One thing that does standout is the album art which is simple yet still striking.  

Produced by BOOTS the disk does contain an easy appeal tonally but also wanders around aimlessly at times ending up a mixed bag with a few moments of magic. Those moments always seem to coalesce with the drumming of Azar adding another level of mystery and reward over more and more listens.  
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An interesting disk, but we wanted a bit more energy injected into it. Support the band, buy the album and peep some video:

Tuesday, April 19, 2016

Live Review: Dandy Warhols & Seratones 4/13/16 Bowery Ballroom

Hey all, got a new review up @glidemag which you can read Right C'here!!!
It is of the Dandy Warhols show from last Wednesday, 4/13/16 at the Bowery Ballroom. The house was packed and I have never seen the venue have zero people in the basement just hanging out while the headliner plays....the groups fans were really engaged.  

That said while the bands headlining set was fine, we were much more surprised/impressed by The Seratones. A Shreveport, LA band that cooked from the beginning to the end of their opening set. We were super impressed and can't wait to check out their album coming next month.  

Here's some video from both bands 4/12 set: 

Monday, April 18, 2016

Dylan Cover #230 Mavis Staples & Jonny Lang "Gotta Serve Somebody" Live

In this ongoing Monday Series we will be exploring various artists versions of Bob Dylan song's. Today's artists, Mavis Staples & Jonny Lang doing a live cover of "Gotta Serve Somebody" 



This month we have a special focus on Artists who will be playing the 2016 Jazzfest in New OrleansThis one is a twofer as Mavis Staples plays on 5/1 in the Blues Tent and Jonny Lang plays on  4/24 also in the Blues Tent

Thoughts on Original: 
From the first time we tackled a cover of this tune:
This powerful call of hellfire and brimstone rained down from the mountaintop as Dylan proclaimed his faith proudly, and this was the first song that most of the public heard confirming the fact that Bob did indeed "Go Jesus".  It is point and fact with its belief and message.  You gotta serve somebody...can't be simpler then that when it comes to faith can it?  The original has a driving beat and a propulsion to it that sounds urgent, but not as urgent as Bob sings, reinforcing the proclamation through his powerful lyrics and leaving no man or woman on the sidelines...he brings everyone into this spiritual battle, and whatever your beliefs it is impossible not to feel Bob is committed as he runs through the verses and chorus.  
 Cover:

Thoughts on Cover Artists:
Mavis Staples is a legend, we can't wait to catch her at Jazzfest and when she opens up for Dylan in Queens. We have never been huge fans of Jonny Lang, but we are pretty sure we caught him back in the day when the youngster was coming up.
Thoughts on Cover:
The fest starts this weekend so we were excited to find a cover with two Jazzfest participants to kick off this week and cover #230. Perhaps our favorite thing about this cover is that these two artists decided to play THIS song over all others in front of the Presidents...pure Boosh and ballsy move. Not the best cover, but soulful and on point for the moment.

Friday, April 15, 2016

Full Show Friday: The Revivalists 2/5/14 Breckenridge, CO

We search the murky back waters of youtube to find full concerts and post them to the site weekly, come back every seven days to help us 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...The Revivalists!

Every April we have a special showcase for bands who are playing this years Jazzfest in NOLA. Today we will focus on The Revivalists who will be playing the The Gentilly Stage Friday April 29th.

Today we are going for one of New Orleans own as The Revivalists take over our Full Show Friday in anticipation of Jazzfest. While RtBE have yet to catch them live that is going to change this year as they are scheduled to play ShortyFest and we hope to be attending that.

Today's show is from their 2014 gig at Three20South in Breckenridge Colorado. The group has a classy, jamband feel to it as this one camera, soundboard recording displays. Full Setlist is below, Enjoy:

Concrete (0:15), Not Turn Away (6:05) > Shake, Shake, Shake (10:45) > Not Turn Away (12:45) > Common Cents (13:40), Monster (21:54), When I Die Band Introductions (26:25), When I Die (28:11), When I'm Able (33:08), Keep Going (36:56), Stand Up (43:48), Elementary (47:35), Straw Man (56:10) > Jam (1:00:28) > BTBD (1:01:24), Bulletproof (1:09:12), Criminal (1:13:21), Catching Fireflies (1:19:36) Encore: All In The Family (1:30:15)

Thursday, April 14, 2016

Album Review: Violent Femmes- We Can Do Anything

Violent Femmes
We Can Do Anything
**and1/2 out of *****

For a quirky band, not releasing an album in 16 years then putting out one that so closely resembles their past work (if watered down) was odd, but We Can Do Anything also reminds that even when the Violent Femmes are average, they are still worth a listen.

While Gordon Gano and Brian Ritchie ever recording new music is a bit of a shock the music contained really isn't; rambling acoustic, upbeat tracks make up the short release. Backed by drummer Brian Viglione the group stays true to their original style throwing it back right from the start with "Memory". This track is the best one here in that classic Femme style, strumming/skittering strumming with Gano's pleading lyrics and an infectious bouncing acoustic bass from Ritchie closing along in clunky offbeat fashion.

"I Could Be Anything" brings back the childlike vibe that is present from the cover art while disk closer "I'm Not Done" dips back into the bands country touches to end the album. In-between those two tracks the band messes around with adult "Issues" (even rhyming tissues) and "Untrue Love" which deals with, untrue love, shockingly, neither very successfully. Musically the group gets the most out there with "Holy Ghost" incorporating loops, backward tapes and electronics before falling back into an acoustic offering.

All of this is simply passable but the band puts an interesting twist onto the album with their most beautiful/simple/direct song of their career, that is credited to Gano's sister, titled "What You Really Mean". While the band made a successful career on the offbeat, this song stands out with an honesty and truthfulness that adds to the bands back catalog. When they tour, sure you want to hear all the old hits, but this track should make the setlist going forward if not much else from We Can Do Anything does.  
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Yesterday we returned to the early 70's, today the 80's both albums were never really needed in the grand scheme of things but it is good for the players and we wouldn't mind catching either group live.

Support the band, buy the album and peep some video below:



Wednesday, April 13, 2016

Album Review: Santana- Santana IV

Santana
Santana IV
** out of *****
The Backstory: A few years ago Neal Schon was talking about getting back to his teenage roots and recording with Carlos Santana. Santana went one better suggesting that they get back together the "Woodstock" lineup of the group for one more go at it. These players, Santana, Schon, Greg Rolie, Mike Carabello, and Michael Shrieve hadn't recorded together since Santana III (hence this title). Over the last few years the parties have been jamming (along with Karl Perazzo, Benny Rietveld and Ronald Isley all from Santana's current band) and IV is the distilled offering of those sessions.   

The Result: A mixed bag and an odd overall feel.

You can't fault the group for trying, and there are a few legitimate magic in the air moments here, but there are also wandering, languid offerings that seem to just take up space. It is not expected that a group of players around 70 years old can claim their teen energy but the sterile production and lengthy tracks (that dip into all of Santana's original touch points) adds a sense of  soullessness to IV.
 
Opener "Yambu" immediately tries to set the tone of 1974, but lacks that extra oomph and drags a touch, "Come As You Are" does the same thing at the close with more of a Caribbean vibe. "Shake It" picks that energy up in pop metal fashion, but also shows one of the albums reoccurring issues, strange background vocals. In this case a left channel deep Spanish vocal that is out of place and "Freedom In Your Mind" has what seems like the whole group chiming in for sing song sounds and a few of the singers should have clearly bowed out, completely out of tune.

There is a nod to Santana's newer pop fans with "Love Makes The World Go Round", the blues on "Blues Magic", "Suenos" slows it down while "Caminando" gallops back up. At 16 songs the disk runs very long and wandering while going nowhere. Instrumentals like "Fillmore West" could have been cut, but IV is clearly for the players, happy to be playing together again.   

While those songs might not be perfect, they clearly rekindle what Santana became famous for...then there is "Choo-Choo". A horrendous misstep complete with electric beat and old-man-creepy-cliche lyrics, one of the worst songs released this year; the track single-handedly took a star off this rating. It is paired with an instrumental, "All Aboard", but nothing can save this train wreck.  

IV is a case where the single states it all; after an skeevy "sit on my lap" spoken word intro, the band dives into a self referential jam titled "Anywhere You Want To Go" that will bring a smile to boomers faces, being the best track on this release. Longtime fans may enjoy this, but after listening to it a few times (once?) will probably reach for Abraxas or better yet Live At The Fillmore 1968.
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Kinda had higher hopes for this one, support the band, buy the disk and peep some video below:

Tuesday, April 12, 2016

Glide Review: Bleached- Welcome The Worms

Hey all got a new review up @glidemag which you can read Right C'here!!!
Judging by the clicks, many of you missed when we reviewed Bleached's excellent new album a few weeks ago, but our Daddies over at Glide didn't and they went ahead an posted a refreshed copy on their site.

This album cooks, it is catchy, you can sing and think along with it. Welcome The Worms is a winner all around so go read the full review, support the group and peep some video:

Monday, April 11, 2016

Dylan Cover #229 Irma Thomas "Forever Young" Live

In this ongoing Monday Series we will be exploring various artists versions of Bob Dylan song's. Today's artist, Irma Thomas doing a live cover of "Forever Young" 


This month we have a special focus on Artists who will be playing this years Jazzfest in New OrleansIrma Thomas plays on 4/29 on the Acura Stage

Thoughts on Original:
"Forever Young" is a classic. A track that Dylan released two different versions of on Planet Waves, and a song tons of artists use to close out sets or play encores. Without doing research it has to be one of the top 5 most covered songs of his, and yet it was never one of RtBE's favorites. It is a great song, Bob has always treated it a bit sterile though and this is a flaw in Dylan; artists would give their whole careers to write a song like this and he treats it like an out take, Last Waltz not withstanding.
Cover:

Thoughts on Cover Artist:
Irma Thomas is a fantastic singer a gospel legend and someone we always try to catch at Jazzfest. That will be the same case this year as we are planning on attending the 29th. 
Thoughts on Cover:
A really perfect song for Irma to cover and this version is amped up even higher because of the joy the backing band has in playing it. That rev up at the finale is exuberant; a  joyous ode and a great cover.

Friday, April 8, 2016

Full Show Friday: J. Cole Made In America 2014

We search the murky back waters of youtube to find full concerts and post them to the site weekly, come back every seven days to help us 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...J.Cole!
Every April we have a special showcase for bands who are playing this years Jazzfest in NOLA. Today we will focus on J.Cole who will be headlining the Congo Square Stage Saturday April 24th.  

RtBE is actually kind of surprised that J.Cole was asked to play, let alone headlining at the festival this year, it makes us very happy that the festival doesn't just rely on the old classic artists and is evolving. 

While we have not listened to J.Cole's music until this, good friends of ours who enjoy hip-hop have and give him a thumbs up. This show is enjoyable with many musical breaks to go with Cole's rhyming. Theatrical and energetic, seems a perfect way to close out the Congo Square Stage in a few weeks, so enjoy the show, full set list below:

1. Be Free - 00:00:00
2. Enchanted - 00:03:45
3. Land of the Snakes - 00:06:52
4. Blow Up - 00:09:24
5. Nobody's Perfect - 00:11:46
6. Work Out - 00:17:17
7. She Knows - 00:22:21
8. Lit w/ Bas - 00:28:35
9. Kenny Lofton - 00:33:26
10. Lights Please - 00:36:28
11. In The Morning - 00:38:12
12. Can't Get Enough - 00:40:44
13. Crooked Smile - 00:44:57
14. Power Trip - 00:50:29

Thursday, April 7, 2016

RIP Merle Haggard

Merle Haggard passed away yesterday, his birthday, he was 79 years old.
RtBE is not going to try to pretend to be an expert on Mr. Haggard, so I will direct you to the NY Times Obituary for the full scoop on the man. I will just take a second to talk to you about how we came to know his music.

Quite simply, it was through The Grateful Dead. When I was introduced to the Dead by my good friend Matt, I was given a few tapes that he thought I would like. Not the normal Cornell 77 or the studio albums, Matt knew me better and threw over 8/16/91 with it's eerie "Scarlet>Victim>Fire" loose ass bass and first set "Dark Star" as well as 8/27/72 which has become known these days (and then really) as Sunshine Daydream and probably still is our favorite Dead show.

It is on this tape that we first really heard a Merle Haggard song as out of the spaceyness of "Dark Star" Bobby sang Marty Robbins "El Paso" and while that juxtaposition was oddly endearing, the following "Sing Me Back Home" is All-World as Jerry and Donna sing the hell out of the classic Haggard song:


Hot Damn, it still brings chills. Sure, we had heard Okie before but always thought it was a bad joke, this time it sunk in that the man wrote great songs. I should also make mention that Haggard was the first artist who I technically reviewed for Glide Magazine (which apparently has been cut off). He opened for Bob Dylan back in 2005 and we (coincidentally with the same Matt from above) had the pleasure of seeing him in Newark, he and his band were great. Sure Merle has passed on, but his spirit and songs will forever live on.


Wednesday, April 6, 2016

Album Review: Kaada/Patton- Bacteria Cult

Kaada/Patton
Bacteria Cult
***and1/2 out of *****

Two artists with a flair for the different and dramatic team up for a second time, releasing their first studio album since 2004's Romances as Norwegian composer John Kaada pairs with American vocalist Mike Patton. Bacteria Cult is an instrumental menagerie of sound that floats around the shadows, seeps through the cracks and rises to the heavens.

While Patton might bring in a more "rock" audience, this affair is Kaada's primarily as his orchestration and composing seems to be the foundation/first floor/second floor with Patton adding vocal backing as furniture to a house. A track like "Dispossession" pairs Kaada's deep swells with Patton's powerful vocals, but rather then standing separate, they intertwine into one common sound and this happens often throughout the album. 

"Black Albino" provides very dramatic swells and it is clear both of these artists are happy to work with the grandiose. "Peste Bubonica" goes for the breathless and eerie while "Papillon" is more whimsical if also to repetitive.  

The album improves towards the end where the weirdness factor gets cranked. "A Burnt Out Case" finds Patton standing out with a few vocal shouts, surrounded by more diverse sounds while "Imodium" takes found sound and makes it elegant.

The dramatic closer "Fountain Gasoline" is a journey with lots of nooks and crannies fittingly ending the disk. While there isn't a particularly standout track, or song that will worm its way into your ear, the overall feel of the disk is comfortable yet exploring and a success for this pair of ever evolving artists. 
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Buy the album, support both artists and stream it/peep some video below:



Tuesday, April 5, 2016

Album Review: Black Mountain- IV

Black Mountain
IV
***and1/2 out of *****
The all over the map rock band Black Mountain returns with their first studio album in 5 years titled IV and while it is technically their 5th release (counting the Year Zero Soundtrack) it is a complete piece of art that just may be their best album yet.

Hailing from Vancouver, British Columbia the group roars from the north with mega riffs, loads of synths and deep drums. Production, handled by doom/metal guru Randall Dunn captures the band in deep chasms and cosmic outer space ways, most surprisingly it is the delicate numbers that stand out. Playing to their strengths the five piece opens with an epic dual vocal dreamscape called "Mothers of the Sun" that is huge in every direction and wins the day.

"Defector" stays in this cosmic swirl, recalling Pink Floyd while the dual vocals of Stephen McBean and Amber Webber play off each other and the stars. "(Over And Over) The Chain" keeps pushing the sonic boundaries (and space analogies) with its organ, meaty riffs and nearly nine minute black hole run time. 

The band still dips its toes into all forms of rock, with the punkish distortion of "Florian Saucer Attack", the indie-pop of "Cemetery Breeding", 70's cock rock swagger of "Constellations" and the acoustic based "Line Them All Up". However, all of these tracks are linked by the electro synths which color everything here; in the end making this record less jumbled than possibly imagined.

The synth work goes into overdrive for the digital swirling of "You Can Dream" that unfortunately is the weakest track here as it over relies on the elctro-phase shifts, rather then using them more as accentuating tones. Overall though Black Mountain's IV is an adventurous, big rock record that recalls various eras in the genres past while still looking towards its future.  
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Support the band, buy the album and peeps some video:

Monday, April 4, 2016

Dylan Cover #228 Grace Potter "I Shall Be Released"

In this ongoing Monday Series we will be exploring various artists versions of Bob Dylan song's. Today's artist, Grace Potter doing a live cover of "I Shall Be Released" 


This month we have a special focus on Artists who will be playing this years Jazzfest in New OrleansGrace Potter plays on 4/22 on the Gentilly Stage

Thoughts on Original:
From the first time we tackled a cover of this song:
"I Shall Be Released" has been covered by too many artists to count and with reason; it is a masterpiece.  A simple song that will forever be etched in Rock Legend as it ended perhaps the best concert in recent pop music The Last Waltz. The Band are always connected to the tune as Dylan wrote it during those amazing days playing with the group up at Big Pink in the Catskills and the group released it on their first album. Gospel in nature the song is about salvation that can be certain, and each listener (and performer) can add their own personal feelings into the sketch, perfect for covering, especially live.    
Cover:

Thoughts on Cover Artist:
Grace Potter has been around the Jam scene for a long time it is kinda surprising RtBE has not caught her live yet.
Thoughts on Cover:
Not the best quality of recording or video to go by as it is at the end of a live set, this come down is tough to judge, but if we were in the audience I am guessing we would have thought it was one of the highlights of her set. We are guessing Grace may stop by this show to help out on this number.  

Sunday, April 3, 2016

Happy Opening Day!

I see great things in baseball.  It's our game - the American game.  It will take our people out-of-doors, fill them with oxygen, give them a larger physical stoicism.  Tend to relieve us from being a nervous, dyspeptic set.  Repair these losses, and be a blessing to us.  
~Walt Whitman

(Somehow this post got lost, but here it is) Like last year, the year before, the year before that, the year before, the year before that we wish you a Happy Opening Day!

Opening Day should be a national holiday, plain and simple. The Mets kick off on Sunday, but tomorrow is the real opening day. Winter is gone (at least officially) and  Baseball can not come soon enough. Here's hoping your favorite team wins, unless you're a Nats fan, let's go Mets!

Who knows, maybe it is the Cubbies year. We know the ghost of Steve Goodman is rooting for them. 

Here are some more baseball inspired tunes to start the magical day, when we are all in first place:



Friday, April 1, 2016

Full Show Friday: Pearl Jam 10-16-2014 Detroit, MI

We search the murky back waters of youtube to find full concerts and post them to the site weekly, come back every seven days to help us 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...Pearl Jam!

Every April we have a special showcase for bands who are playing this years Jazzfest in NOLA. Today we will focus on Pearl Jam who will be headlining the Acura Stage Saturday April 23rd.  

Well last year we missed one of our all time favorites with Phish, and this year we are missing another when Pearl Jam plays the best festival in America. So RtBE figured we will kick off our Full Show Friday April Focus on bands playing NOLA Jazzfest with the fantastic Seattle rockers. We found an amazing fan created video from their October 16th 2014 show from Detroit MI.

It is MEGA, full setlist below stop reading and click play...Enjoy:

SETLIST

SET ONE

00:00:00 Intro
00:00:36 Release
00:05:20 Oceans
00:08:06 Nothingman
00:12:15 Go
00:15:08 Mind Your Manners
00:17:45 Wanna Be Your Dog
00:18:21 Corduroy
00:25:06 Lightning Bolt
00:31:48 Amongst The Waves
00:37:03 Even Flow
00:47:03 Light Years
00:51:45 Got Some
00:55:04 Dissident
01:00:46 Black Red Yellow
01:02:18 Stranglehold
01:04:52 Lukin
01:05:46 Not For You
01:12:13 Once
01:20:53 Rearviewmirror

01:29:18 ENCORE 1

01:35:31 Man Of The Hour
01:39:38 Imagine
01:43:57 Last Kiss
01:47:28 Comatose
01:49:53 State Of Love And Trust
01:53:03 Black
02:01:41 Better Man
02:09:18 Guitar Smash

02:10:34 ENCORE 2

02:11:48 Do The Evolution
02:15:37 Wasted Reprise
02:17:38 Life Wasted
02:21:38 Detroit Rock City
02:22:05 Spin The Black Circle
02:25:02 Alive
02:32:19 Kick Out The Jams
02:34:58 Baba O'Riley
02:39:29 Indifference
02:45:30 Credits