Monday, December 31, 2018

Dylan Cover #357 Joe Cocker "Dignity" Live

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 Joe Cocker playing "Dignity"

Thoughts on Original:
"Dignity" is a straight ahead song which Dylan battled with during the recording of Oh Mercy with Daniel Lanois. In lesser hands it might not mean much, but these are Dylan's words and things seem weightier, but it also isn't mind blowing or particularly tied to Dylan which makes it a good candidate for covering.

Here is what Dylan talked about the tune in Chronicles Vol 1. (taken from wikipedia.org)
It was originally recorded with Dylan accompanied by Brian Stoltz and Willie Green. Though they managed to complete a polished performance, producer Daniel Lanois suggested something more ambitious with a Cajun band. Curious to see what Lanois had in mind, Dylan agreed to recut the song. The next evening, a session was held with Rockin' Dopsie and His Cajun Band, but the results were disastrous. The group experimented with different keys and tempos, but according to Dylan, everyone was frustrated with the results.
Dylan still preferred the original version recorded the previous day, but neither he nor Lanois considered it finished. As the session continued into the early morning hours, the group gave up and began playing old standards like "Jambalaya", "Your Cheatin' Heart", and "There Stands the Glass". The next day, they listened to every take of "Dignity" recorded with Dopsie and his band, and all of them were rejected. "Whatever promise Dan had seen in the song was beaten into a bloody mess", Dylan recalled. "Where we had started from, we'd never gotten back to, a fishing expedition gone nowhere. In no take did we ever turn back the clock. We just kept winding it. Every take another ball of confusion." "Dignity" was set aside, never to be revisited for the remainder of the sessions.
Cover:


Thoughts on Cover Artist:
This is our second time using Cocker in this series and the first time was an even deeper cut from Dylan.

Thoughts on Cover:
A quick "shuffle" and fairly straight ahead cover of what was still a fairly new song from Dylan. Joe Cocker def loved covering everyone and Dylan was a treasure trove for him. This is a version from later in his career, but we wanted to use it because of the murder on New Years Eve. Some said Dignity was the first to leave...Have a Happy and Murder Free New Years Eve.

For December RTBE dipped into some Dylan songs which we have not featured in this series yet and we are over 350 at this point, thanks for spending it with us and as always thanks for reading. 

Friday, December 28, 2018

Full Show Friday: Gov't Mule - Dark Side of the Mule at Christmas Jam 2018 Asheville, NC

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...Gov't Mule!

But this isn't your typical Gov't Mule show (we will post one of them soon), this is from 2018's Christmas Jam in Asheville where Mule tackle the music of Pink Floyd titled Darkside of the Mule. This is pretty cool, a good way to end the year, and you know Woody's spirit is happy Warren and Matt are keeping his Blue Floyd dreams alive (along with guests and back up singers).

Pro shot, Pro Sound. Enjoy:


Thursday, December 27, 2018

Album Review: Bad Sports - Constant Stimulation

Bad Sports
Constant Stimulation
** out of *****

The Texas trio Bad Sports fourth full length album on Dirtnap records is a more restrained version of their punky rock and roll sound, and that isn't an improvement. Constant Stimulation finds Orville Neeley (guitars / vocals), Daniel Fried (bass / vocals) and Gregory Rutherford (drums) in a more reflective mood dealing with relationship malaise and a sense of isolation around the noise.

Opener "Giving In" kicks things off and is the albums high point with it's grooving bass line and clanging guitars and powerful drumming; the group never tops the feeling of the giving up and giving in. Bad Sports then move into more power pop territory, with splashes of Morrissey for the remainder of the album. The straight ahead bar rocking of "Don't Deserve Love" beats the title phrase into the ground just to ram the obsessive/obvious point home before "All Revved Up to Kill" plays like a Cheap Trick outtake with a slightly harder edge.

Lyrically there is a sense of aloofness like on "Comes Close" which discusses just missed love while the warbling distorted riffs on the ballad "Everything We Wanted" feels woah-is-me self pity before the albums longest tracks all arraigned as Constant Stimulation's centerpiece.

"Gains and Losses", "Ode To Power" and the title track all run around 4 minutes. "Gains and Losses" shines an unflattering light on growing up dealing with debt and paying rent, "Ode To Power" is a dreamy oh/ah backing vocal urge to just veg out while the title track is the best of the bunch with breaks and motoring drums/riffs but can't fully break out of it's morose shackles.

"Easy Truth" inserts some acoustic guitar work to shake things up a bit with snarling singing and "Cardboard Suits" pushes a strong bass forward around scratching guitars and an early 80's pop sense of doom but the punk/power pop Bad Sports seem to be going through a questioning time in their career and things never explode or dig their claws in during their Constant Stimulation
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Support the artist, buy the record, stream it below or on bandcamp and peep some video:


Wednesday, December 26, 2018

Album Review: Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit - Live From the Ryman

Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
Live From the Ryman
** out of *****

Jason Isbell is an amazing songwriter as his recent run of outstanding records (Southeastern, Something More Than Free and The Nashville Sound) has placed him at the center of the Americana scene with southern version of Bruce Springsteen small town tales. He is also a whip crack live performer who can solo and move in/out with his longtime live band The 400 Unit. Unfortunately the combos newest release, Live From the Ryman does not prove the live part of that assertion and the songs all sound better on the studio efforts.

Having seen Isbell multiple times the performer puts energy and class into his playing, but one of the coolest things is how he mixes in covers and his Drive-By Trucker tunes to give a complete overview of things. Live From the Ryman dos not contain any of that, instead you just get note for not recreations of his recent songs which is fine just not very essential.

In truth the only tunes which deviate much from the originals are "Last of My Kind" which contains delicate solos from most of the band members, the bombastic ending of "Cover Me Up" and the punchy opening "Hope The High Road".  The rest are just fine live versions and even these small changes to the originals are never must hear. This is professional yet completely inconsequential and dull; had we not already mentioned them, this album would have been included in 2018's biggest let downs

The artwork is perhaps the best part of the vinyl and while it is highly recommend to see Isbell live, skipping this record and just re-listening to the studio originals is probably the best bet. The 400 Unit may have a great live album in them, but Live From the Ryman is not it.     
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Support the artist, buy the record and peep some video below:

Tuesday, December 25, 2018

Merry Christmas from Rock The Body Electric

Have a Happy One on @RockBodyElec:

Here is our favorite Christmas song for the Holiday Season, sing it Clarence!


And a bonus tune as a stocking-stuffer because we are in the giving spirit. Here is Albert King trying to get Santa the respect he deserves...


Enjoy the holiday and as always, thanks for reading.

Monday, December 24, 2018

Dylan Cover #356 Hey Carmen "Must Be Santa" Live

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 Hey Carmen playing "Must Be Santa"

Thoughts on Original:
In 2009 Bob Dylan released Christmas In The Heart and unleashed his version of the rollicking "Must Be Santa" and it's killer video upon the world.

Based on a German drinking song, "Must Be Santa" was concocted by Hal Moore and Bill Fredericks and first released in 1960. Dylan's version is a blast in a polka style tossing in Presidents into the mix. While technically not an original for this series...who cares?   

Cover:


Thoughts on Cover Artist:
This is our first time coming across Hey Carmen who posts cover versions of tunes to her youtube channel.

Thoughts on Cover:
So great. Merry Christmas everyone.

For December RTBE will be be dipping into some Dylan songs which we have not featured in this series yet and we are over 350 at this point, so look for some deeper cuts coming.

Friday, December 21, 2018

Full Show Friday: Cheap Trick 1988 Live In Sydney Australia

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...Cheap Trick!

This week we go back to 1988 and find Cheap Trick down under, touring on the back of their Lap of Luxury album which was their comeback, hitting number on the strength of their ballad "The Flame". This was RtBE's first exposure to Cheap Trick back in the MTV days but it is the bands end run after this tune which makes the group worthy of checking out, "Surrender" is a hell of a tune.

Pro Shot, Pro Sound, Full Set List with timing below. Enjoy:


Recorded Live At Selena’s, Sydney, 1988. The Illinois power-pop quartet , Cheap Trick are showcased here at the peak of their career. Just Got Back - 0:00:54On Top Of The World - 0:03:24Dream police - 0:09:01If You Want My Love - 0:13:27Clock Strikes Ten - 0:17:40Big Eyes - 0:20:54Never Had A Lot To Lose - 0:25:36Ain't That A Shame - 0:29:02Bass Solo - 0:35:06Guitar Solo - 0:36:19California Man - 0:38:44The Flame - 0:42:46Don't Be Cruel - 0:49:08I Want You To Want Me - 0:52:26Surrender - 0:56:49Auf Wiedersehen - 1:01:20

Thursday, December 20, 2018

Album Review: Glorietta - Glorietta

Glorietta
S/T
*** and 1/2 out of *****

The first and possibly only effort from the Texas group Glorietta arrives from the players Noah Gundersen, Matthew Logan Vasquez, Kelsey Wilson, David Ramirez, Adrian Quesada, Jason Robert Blum who came together after a drunken jam session and this 'friend record' came about with people helping out on each others songs. The tunes roll out with ease as light drums, acoustic and electric guitars all mix as if the group plugged in around duct taped microphones in a communal living room and got down to business with smiles all around, which is exactly what happened on the lo-fi recording style.

"Losers Lament" is just that as the album introduces us to the players who were organized around Vazquez who organized the proceedings and acted as the link between most of the artists who had not even met each other before. The band woke up on the first morning and rallied around Gunderson's acoustic based "Lincoln Creek" harmonizing with ease about tough life on the road. Other acoustic numbers are the haunting "Sinking Ship" which finds Kelsey Wilson taking on lead vocals while the bright ditty "Easy Come Easy Go" injects a smile into the proceedings.

Gunderson steps to the front again on the brilliant "Golden Lonesome" which is a gem while Vazquez also invited his friend Nathaniel Rateliff to join the party and he stayed a few days to help out "Friends" which lyrically describes Rateliff and Vasquez's first meeting and "I Know" which is the outlier track here, an easy funky number which receives a punked up ending. "Mindy" is a hard rocking riff but noticeably less successful, not really moving anywhere, before album closer "Las Estrellas" wraps things up with a delicate West Texas ballad. 

The dramatic and echo laden "Someday" is at once both light and weighty with gorgeous supporting harmonies and growing old lyrics while "Hard Way" is a twangy Texas rocker that sounds ready for prime time. This is an excellent snapshot of a time these friends and new acquaintances got together to record a solid album of tunes in an organic setting. Enjoy Glorietta the way it was meant to be, with friends old and new.
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Support the band, buy the record, stream it on bandcamp or below and peep some video:

Year In Review 2018 - Top Ten Albums Part 3 (5-1)

Another great year is finishing up for @RockBodElec and we wouldn't be a proper music site if we didn't end the year with a "Best Of" list, so RtBE Presents the Best of 2018 Top Ten Albums numbers 5-1:


In the instance that RtBE has reviewed the album either on the site or somewhere else we will link to that review and just give a quick summation; click on the name and title and you can read our full opinion. RtBE worked with the Glide Team to give input on their Top 20 so you can expect some overlap if you already have seen that list.

Again the focus here is on full albums, not singles, but full releases you can slap on and listen all the way through. We know these are a dying breed, but it still is the way we consume music, no shuffle or singles for us.

Today we end our top ten, in retrospect it was a year deep with excellent releases but perhaps not an all-time classic which will be remember as a great 10 years form now. That said all of these albums are better then our top 10 last year and probably the year before that. Click that Read More button to see what albums we liked the best in 2018.

Wednesday, December 19, 2018

Two Brand New Raconteur Songs

The Raconteurs are gloriously back in the saddle and making new music. They just recently released their first new songs in 10 years via Third Man Records Vault Series. RtBE has been spinning the double A-side 45 for a few days now and really dig on it.

The band released videos for both songs today. The tunes are a bit less full throttle rock and roll like Consolers of the Lonely, and are a touch closer to odd bluesy of Broken Boy Soliders. Both will sound great live and RtBE will be traveling the globe to catch them as they are one of the best live acts when they are motoring.

Here are " Now That You're Gone" and "Sunday Driver", Brendan Benson and Jack White lead respectively, but the best thing about the Rac's is that they truly are a group as their sound (on "Sunday Driver" especially) recalls the rhythm section of Patrick Wheeler and Jack Lawrence band The Greenhornes a ton.   





RtBE can not wait for the full length and tour dates. Keep on keepin' on until then.

Album Review: SethGriff - Prettyboi Talk

SethGriff
Prettyboi Talk
**and1/2 out of *****

The newest EP from the Atlanta underground hip hop artist SethGriff is first solo effort titled Prettyboi Talk and it is a short sampling of braggadocios, flexing and eerie sparse beats.

The street hits hard as SethGriff's topics of rhyming focus solely on bitches, people talking shit and doing drugs. The slow piano and stutter beats are intermingled with machine gun and cash counting machines on the opening track "Hittin" produced by Kyber. Hypnotic in a grimy way the tune sets the table for the remaining tracks.

The EP keeps the theme of simple repeating fills in almost metronome fashion and deeper bass as the Cobis produced "All This Shit" is a natural musical extension of "Hittin" as SethGriff stays on the same topics with fierceness. Tension rises with slipping bass lines and deep hits on "Wait" produced by Scythe before the ominous feeling returns with "Bad Habits" wraps things up as Prettyboi Talk closes on the same theme it started with the D Moneybags produced effort.

For a brief four song EP produced by four separate individuals Prettyboi Talk is remarkably flowing in theme, tone and texture. While SethGriff has a talented clipped flow his rhymes are fairly standard but as he grows his palette will expand, but as it stands his first EP is worth a listen. 
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Support the artist, check out the album and stream it below:
 

Tuesday, December 18, 2018

Year In Review 2018 - Top Ten Albums Part 2 (10-6)

Another great year is finishing up for @RockBodElec and we wouldn't be a proper music site if we didn't end the year with a "Best Of" list, so RtBE Presents the Best of 2018 Top Ten Albums numbers 10-6:


In the instance that RtBE has reviewed the album either on the site or somewhere else we will link to that review and just give a quick summation, just click on the name and title and you can read our full opinion. RtBE worked with the Glide Team to give input on their Top 20 so you can expect some overlap if you already have seen that list.

Again the focus here is on full albums, not singles, but full releases you can slap on and listen all the way through. We know these are a dying breed, but it still is the way we consume music, no shuffle or singles for us. You can view the first part of this feature, the just misses and let downs as well.

Today we start our top ten, in retrospect it was an incredibly solid year of releases with a ton of records that were great. While few are All-Time classics the top level of releases are deep. However, there isn't a very wide range in the 2018 top ten; it's mostly rock and roll of various levels as opposed to even last year which was noticeably weaker but wider. Click that 'Read More' button to get started with #10-6 today.

Friday, December 14, 2018

Full Show Friday: Vince Staples Live 2016

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...Vince Staples!
This week we return to 2016 with a set from Vince Staples who had established himself on the scene. Back in 2014 when Mr. Staples was an up and coming rapper who was just starting to gain national attention in the hip hop community and beyond RtBE reviewed his first EP Hell Can Wait. Our favorite tune from that is the second one performed here, "'65 Hunnid".

There is no question he has skills, we just have never really been blown away by him.

Pro Shot, Pro Sound by NPR, Full Setlist and timing below. Enjoy:


SET LIST 0:25 - Lift Me Up 4:35 - '65 Hunnid 5:54 - Fire 8:40 - Birds & Bees 10:10 - Dopeman 12:20 - Hang N' Bang 13:39 - CNB 17:31 - 3230 22:00 - Hands Up 25:56 - Jump Off The Roof 29:14 - Norf Norf 33:52 - Señorita 36:45 - Blue Suede

Thursday, December 13, 2018

Live Review: J Mascis 12/7/18 Rough Trade, Brooklyn,

Hey all, got a new review up @glidemag which you can read Right C'here!!!

It is of J Mascis recent live show at Rough Trade which took place last Friday night. It was the start of his birthday weekend and some Sonic Female's were in the house to celebrate:


RtBE are huge fans of Dinosaur Jr. and J and it was fun to have the whole RtBE staff catch this show together on the festive Friday night in the frigid city. Drinks were had, lyrics were mumbled and J was the best we have ever seen him solo.

Support the artist, read the review and peep some video from the show below:


Year In Review 2018 - Favorite Live Show

The live show is a slippery thing. There are lots of variables at play, most having little to do with the performance itself. Does the venue have enough bathrooms? Is it going to rain? What day of the week is it on? Did I have a shitty day at work before hand? Did tickets cost waaay too much? All of this effects one's opinion of a live show before the band even tunes up and with reason, but when the stars align, there is no place RtBE would rather be than in the moment of magic occurring spontaneously from the stage.
Live Music Has No Equal!
Taken By The Fantastic Megan Donohue
While obviously we can't see every show that is out there, we try to get out often to catch live music. Sure there are a few left in the calendar year, but for now, here is a listing of the best concerts we were fortunate enough to have caught in 2018.

There are links to show reviews in the titles, also because who doesn't love arbitrary rankings, one show at the bottom took the top prize as RtBE's 2018 Favorite Live Show. This year was better than most as some excellent concerts were left off this list. Click that "Read More" button and get started

Wednesday, December 12, 2018

Album Review: IDLES - Joy as an Act of Resistance

IDLES
Joy as an Act of Resistance
***and1/2 out of *****

The English group IDLES second release Joy as an Act of Resistance follows up their breakthrough 2017's Brutalism with a mix of emotions, societal topics and tensions/releases in extremely intriguing fashion. The Bristol five piece (Joe Talbot Adam Devonshire Mark Bowen Lee Kiernan Jon Beavis) take on racism, spiritual emptiness and fury with thoughtful angular songs which veer more towards post-punk and art rock.

Opener "Colossus" is a good example of the band willing to through out the standard punk playbook and experiment. The track begins with a slow burn as lyrics about catholic guilt, and the shadow of the father sun and holy ghost all weigh heavy until the song literally stops. Then, a barnstorming slamming closure drives the number to it's completion. Willingness to break out of the two plus minutes sing a longs separates IDLES from other punk bands.

The album is bookend by experimental sounds as "Rottweiler" plays with loops feedback and builds. "Never Fight A Man With A Perm" goes after toxic masculinity with the rock hard screams of "Concrete to Leather" before the rolling bass and drum led "I'm Scum" plainly states that we don't need a new James Bond. Those bass and drums keep pumping while buzz guitars swarm like hornets on "Danny Nedelko" which clearly spells out how hate takes root and while exuberantly calling for unity and one of the best tracks on the solid album.

"Love Song" deals with modern relationships and carrying a watermelon, which when paired with the groups Solomon Burke cover of "Cry To Me" proves the band are fans of Dirty Dancing but the lighthearted feel is not very prevalent on the record. "June" is an ominous thudding depressing look at one of life's hardest losses, lead singer Joseph Talbot's death of a daughter during childbirth. It is a topic many other bands would never approach, or would do so with fury and anger while IDLES meditate on it in discomfiting fashion successfully.

Father sons and male roles/emotions are dealt with directly again on "Samaritans" which starts dull before a mid song guitar break and a scream of "I kissed a boy and I liked it" propels the song to new social and sonic levels. The main truth of everything IDLES are singing about on this record can be found in "Television" where Talbot spits out the simple but often disregarded mantra "Love yourself, love yourself".

All of the best punk makes you think and Joy as an Act of Resistance joins those ranks, while moving more into wide vistas which sadly punk can be limited to. IDLES are fast making a name as must hear for fans of adventurous rock and roll of any genre.
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Support the band, buy the album, stream it on bandcamp or below and peep some video:






Tuesday, December 11, 2018

Year In Review 2018- Top Ten Albums Part 1: The Just Misses and Let Downs

Another great year is finishing up for @RockBodElec and we wouldn't be a proper music site if we didn't end the year with a "Best Of" list, so RtBE Presents the Best of 2018 Top Ten Albums Part One: The Just Misses & Let Downs:

In the instance that RtBE has reviewed the album either on the site or somewhere else we will link to that review and just give a quick summation, just click on the name and title and you can read it. As always RtBE worked with the Glide Team to give input on the their Top 20, so expect some overlap.

Again the focus here is on full albums, not singles, but complete releases you can slap on and listen all the way through. We know these are a dying breed, but it still is the way we consume music, no shuffle or singles for RtBE.

Today we are going to focus on the "Just Misses" of our top ten and unfortunately the "Let Downs" released this year. Obviously these are just our personal preferences, feel free to voice your opinion in the comments. Expect installment 2 (#10-6) soon, but for now click on the green "Read More" below:

Monday, December 10, 2018

Dylan Cover #354 The Jeff Healey Band "When Night Comes Falling From The Sky"

In this ongoing Monday Series we will be exploring various artists versions of Bob Dylan song's. Today's tune is a cover by The Jeff Healey Band playing "When Night Comes Falling From the Sky"
Thoughts on Original:
In the fog and haze of 80's Dylan comes one of his most perplexing songs, "When Night Comes Falling From The Sky". The lyrics are some of his best from this period, but holy god of your choice...the production was the cheesiest of his career. Empire Burlesque had a few flops on it, and it is hard not to say this track is one of them, just check out the original video for it.

What saves this song from the scrap heap is the balls out awesome version on the amazing Bootlegs Series 1-3 which was recorded with Steven Van Zandt and Roy Bitton from The E-Street Band. This yet again shows that Dylan could not pick out his best work when it came time to release it officially from the studio sessions. While the Bootleg version isn't perfect, the vocals in particular are recorded low but sung so strongly it is exciting, it makes the listener examine the tune without the "Disco Dylan" cheese playing in their ear. A song which is perfect for interpretation, and one that should probably get a definitive version at some point as it it is one of Dylan true hidden gems. 

Cover:


Thoughts on Cover Artist:
Coming across Jeff Healey for the first time like a lot of people in 1989 cinematic classic Road House, it was clear that Healey had a lot to offer. His focus on interpreting covers during his early run with The Jeff Healey Band is what he is most known for, outside of Road House, and he did justice to all of them. Unfortunately he passed away in 2008, but he left behind a large collection of Jazz, Blues and Rock records.

Thoughts on Cover:
Starting off, this could be a cover of "All Along The Watchtower" but Healey goes deeper and plucks the 80's Dylan out of the fireplace where his letters to you are burning. It is a good, if a bit too sterile of a cover holding pretty close to the original, even complete with background vocalists and conga drums. Healey has time to solo though, placing his excellent sound upfront, and that is the reason to check out his cover of this over looked track.

For December RTBE will be be dipping into some Dylan songs which we have not featured in this series yet and we are over 350 at this point, so look for some deeper cuts coming.

Friday, December 7, 2018

Full Show Friday: Albert King & Stevie Ray Vaughn 1983

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...Albert King and Stevie Ray Vaughn!

Filmed for the In Session television show exactly 35 years ago (from yesterday), two blues legends go to town over the course of an hour and half. Stevie is giddy to be jamming with one of his idols and Albert seems to be having a hell of a time making his guitar sing along with SRV. It should be noted bass player Gus Thornton is laying down a hell of a solid groove throughout as well.

 RtBE highlighted In Session (also from '83) a few months back and in doing so found this gem as well, perhaps we will do a monthly spotlight in the future...for now though, just put it on and let it roll...

Pro shot, Pro sound, enjoy:


Set list 1:17 - Albert King - Born under a bad sign 9:30 - SRV/Larry Davis - Texas flood 29:40 - T-Bone walker - Call it stormy Monday 39:50 - Albert King - Match Box Blues 47:30 - Tampa Red - Don't you lie to me 57:48 - SRV - Pride and Joy 1:03:45 - Ray Charles - I'm Gonna Move To The Outskirts Of Town

Thursday, December 6, 2018

Album Review: Cremalleras - Mercado Negro

Cremalleras
Mercado Negro
*** out of *****

The lo-fi punk duo Cremalleras consists of Violeta and Daniel on guitar and drums respectively and their second full length on the Thrilling Living label is Mercado Negro which has raw sound running through their busted up speakers into your headphones.

The blasting opener "Arruinaremos tu Vida" is a minute of aggression setting the pace before the title track yelps and speeds out of the box with sing along ready chants. The driving "Craneos" features the hardest drumming on the record from Daniel and is also doom laden in comparison to the the other scathing offerings.

"Seres incomprididos" sounds as if a literal buzz saw is playing along with the shouting Violet and "Cuarto sin ventanas" only tones down that buzzing slightly while making industrial punk sound vital. The brief yelps color "Pandemia" which flies at a break neck pace before the slamming "La peste" continues the hyper speed onslaught, tossing in some breakdowns for good measure. Burners "Me decia" and the old school sounding "Fando del vagon" (think "Small Man Big Mouth" from Minor Threat) wrap up the brief torrid album from Cremallares.

All of the songs are super brief slamming with hostility and desperation and fading out before sticking around to long to become stale, the whole album is a little over twelve minutes. While there might not be a ton of music on Mercado Negro, the songs presented are effective and The Monterrey Mexico based duo are a trip of lo-fi punk fit for dirty basement shows and late night riffs.
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Support the band, buy the album, stream it below or on bandcamp and peep video:



Album Review: King Tuff - The Other

King Tuff
The Other
***and 1/2 out of *****

The opening title track of King Tuff's newest album is a bleak mournful meditation on loneliness and spiritual emptiness while searching for "The Other". It starts a transitional album for Kyle Thomas (aka King Tuff) as he evolves from rock and roll party man to wanderer looking for something more, that allusive Other which he feels his songwriting comes from.   

The idea of death and more importantly something else beyond current perception is what Thomas is searching for throughout the record. "Infinite Mile" is a solid snap shot of this as he mixes up lyrics about walking into oblivion, androids, crushing darkness and overloads of information with down home harmonica and an organic groove. "Birds of Paradise" continues this style but in much more cliched lyrical fashion which distracts from the powerful sounding music, while "Psycho Star" goes with depressing lyrics about the futility of man around a laid back 70's funky groove complete with wah-wah and bumping bass for a much better overall result.   

This searching and scanning while dipping into his own world can lead to mixed results but its a journey worth taking with Thomas who played everything minus drums and saxophones on the record which was mixed by Shawn Everett (War on Drugs, Alabama Shakes)

The swagger isn't all gone from Tuff's persona as "Raindrop Blue" has a pulsing groove, electric flourishes and a sexual confidence flowing through it but more indicative of the direction he is taking is found in the tracks "Circuits in the Sand" and "Thru the Cracks". Both of these are swirling mixes of psychedelic pop but whose lyrics are ominous about the fleeting feelings of pleasure in our current digital/disposable society.

Thomas doesn't offer any answers, it seems as if his journey is just beginning but the sounds and songs are a strong new direction for him to travel in. King Tuff joins the list of other artists who have questioned themselves, relationships and the meaning of it all during these depressing few years with The Other; it will be interesting to see where it takes him.   
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Support the artist, buy the album stream it on bandcamp or below and peep some video:

Wednesday, December 5, 2018

Album Review: Soy Pablo - boy pablo

Soy Pablo
boy pablo EP
*** out of *****

After going viral with the video for "Everytime" Soy Pablo found instant success and began touring the world as a five piece band. However, the singer/songwriter responsible is the Norway based Pablo Muñoz who writes and records all of the parts for the albums. Now comes the boy pablo EP and it is an engaging slice of dance ready, upbeat indie rock.

The seven songs prove Muñoz has a real ear for pop rock candy as "Feeling Lonely" starts the grooving right off the bat with it's dance ready music over an ode about lost cell phones and love. Lyrically the drama between relationships is the at the heart of his writing and the confusion rears it's head for the short warbling guitar lines of "wtf" while dreaming about his baby propels "t-shirt".

"Sick Feeling" is a swirling mix of retro r&b and modern indie issues while "Losing You" is a standout on the short EP with it's nod to English eighties pop, and soulful grooves, all around a disco sheen; the production and upbeat spirit shines bright.

Never afraid of going for big and dramatic Muñoz swallows and projects a Paul McCartney Wings era vibe on a few tracks here. "Limitado" increases the swells and ooh's and aah's while closer "tkm" strolls through the same fields, getting a bit dragged down by the pomp and circumstance, but manages to rescue things with a great guitar line which swells up half way through and delivers to the finish line.

Muñoz is a true talent who is just starting out and for once it is nice to see something which went viral have substance and quality behind it; Soy Pablo is one to watch. 
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Support the artist, buy the record and peep some video below:

Album Review: Jim James - Uniform Clarity

Jim James 
Uniform Clarity
**and1/2 out of *****

Earlier this year Jim James released his best solo record yet with Uniform Distortion. The album returned him to fuzz buzzing guitars, excellent relaxed singing and a sense of confusion perfect for these turbulent times. Now comes Uniform Clarity and it does exactly what is implied by it's title, it strips away the feedback, backup singers and drums, leaving just James with his vocals and acoustic guitar playing the same songs.

This choice to repeat himself is a bold one, even down to the album art work. The companion album allows the listener to hear Jim deliver these songs unfettered while producer/engineer Shawn Everett (Alabama Shakes, The War On Drugs) just turned on the microphone and capture the strings, varied singing and blank space around the songs. The spotlight shines bright on the song writing and at times that isn't the wisest choice.

Without the added instrumentation and support the songs feel fine just not very memorable. A few songs do increase their appeal though. While the original "You Get To Rome" is a loose rocker, the acoustic version has a down home back porch twang with inspired singing. The biggest improvement between the two releases is clearly "Yes To Everything" which puts the focus on James self examining lyrics which are the best on the album. 

For the other releases things are simply fine, but never illuminating to the writing process or the recording style, just acoustic versions of songs; James clearly loves Dylan, but this is no Bootleg Series. His singing is direct and while it can soar gloriously, it can also sound silly at times such as on "No Use Waiting". The intimate nature of the project seems to have inspired him to try different enunciation with pretty goofy results on that tune while original banger "Better Late Than Never" does showcase some excellent delicate guitar playing.

There are two tracks which close out the album that are not on the original that deserve mentioning. The breathy "Too Good To Be True" which is remorseful and blue while "It Will Work Out" is more upbeat, a solid take on relationships, brightly ending the record and leaving one to wonder why it wasn't included on the original album as it seems tailored made for big guitars? 

Where Uniform Distortion was able to vibrantly scuff up the edges, Uniform Clarity shows these tunes warts and all. Fans will be happy to spend the time with James but for most listeners a curious listen will be enough to support the original.
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Support the artist, buy the record and peep some video below:


Tuesday, December 4, 2018

Live Review: Bob Dylan 11/27/18 Beacon Theater, NY, NY

Hey all, got a new review up @glidemag which you can read Right C'here!!!


It is of RtBE's Personal Favorite himself Bob Dylan live at the Beacon Theater with his excellent touring band. We write about Dylan a lot so we will look to someone else for a second.

Lee Ranaldo of Sonic Youth broke the strict no picture rule, but said it best:


Dylan will never be pinned down, even when he is dead there will be debates and shifting memories/recognition. This concert and the last one we caught of him (think this makes around 22nd or so time seeing him) were both top notch, some of the best of his we have ever seen.

Hopefully there will be reams of Never Ending Tour high quality releases in the future as I want to re-hear these unique versions of songs. Some video below from 2018 which may or may not stick around youtube.

Year In Review 2018 - Best Album Art

We kick off our Year in Review section of 2018 with a favorite feature in the Best of... area, Album Art. Like in years past we will be choosing our Best Albums of the Year, a few we were underwhelmed with and our favorite show. Today we are starting out by judging books (records) by their covers (vinyl sleeves, jackets, digital pics, etc). We are going to support the creative minds behind the Best Album Art Work of 2018.
The biggest gripe RtBE has with digital music is not the quality (that has been massively improved) nor the disposal nature of it (still a problem, but whatever), it is the lack of amazing album covers and art work.

Sure there may be great artists out there but seeing it on a screen, in iTunes or elsewhere is nothing compared to holding an LP cover or even a CD booklet with pages of lyrics, pictures etc. Thankfully the rise of vinyl is helping this dilemma but it is still not enough. The hours we spent staring, actually holding, examining tons of covers while listening to music can not be adequately recorded, it added new dimensions to the sounds. You were connected to album in a more physical way, things were deeper, more evocative...Anyways...
By the way, RTBE is PUMPED for the Deadwood Movie

Monday, December 3, 2018

Galactic Purchases Tipitina's

In some really cool news for the best music city in the country Tipitina's Uptown in New Orleans was just sold to the local funk band Galactic.

RtBE have written about, reviewed  their albums and seen Galactic a bunch and have also caught shows in the legendary venue as well.

It is nice to see the fantastic spot stay in local musicians hands (and foreheads).

To celebrate the band will be playing a New Years Eve show at the venue, but for our purposes here is the group rocking out on the stage back in 2010 performing "Gossip" with Cyril Neville:

Dylan Cover #353 Jordan Bickhart "I and I" Live

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 Jordan Bickhart playing "I and I"

Thoughts on Original:
Every time an Infidels song shows up in this series we mention that these songs stuck around too long in Dylan's head to be truly great, yet that extra marination adds a unique level to all of them. "I and I" is the song on Infidels which the rhythm section of Sly and Robbie is most noticeable. The most reggae Dylan ever got with lots of word play, self pity and of course his Gemini nature. Sly and Robbie are also the stars of the original recording as the groove drive things. The coming out of Christianity Dylan still rants like a preacher, but this time more like a fallen one. The opening line is dramatic but the scene shifts so often it is hard to grasp just where he is going. An enigma of a track, and one that can be redone quite a few ways.

Cover:


Thoughts on Cover Artist:
Jordan Bickhart is an acoustic based folk singer. He posts cover versions of tunes and originals on his youtube page.

Thoughts on Cover:
Taking the reggae out of it, Jordan puts a straight ahead driving strum into things on his acoustic guitar. Powerful and more direct then the original and broken down to a fiery mix messaged number. 

For December RTBE will be be dipping into some Dylan songs which we have not featured in this series yet and we are over 350 at this point, so look for some deeper cuts coming. 

Friday, November 30, 2018

Full Show Friday: Joe Russo Almost Dead 1/12/18 Capital Theatre

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...Joe Russo's Almost Dead!
Some months our Full Show Friday's will focus on specific artistsyearsvenues, festivals or some combo of it all. This month we focus on the gorgeous Capital Theatre over the years. 

The Capital Theatre in Port Chester, NY was a popular stomping ground throughout the 70's and 80's for musicians with a sprinkling during the early 90's tossed in. It was refurbished by Peter Shapiro and opened again in 2012 with a Bob Dylan concert to re-christen the venue to rock and roll once again. 

RtBE has caught some great shows since the venue reopened and will be going to more in the near future. This month the focus for Full Show Friday's will be on some of the dynamite shows throughout the "Cap's" history. 

We are closing the month with a beast of a show, the full night of Joe Russo's Almost Dead from earlier this year up at the Cap. Not much to say as anytime JRAD play it is an amazing night of music, updating Grateful Dead tunes with palpable energy, sprinkling in a few other songs and jamming out with the best of them. (It is a good weeks for fans of the Dead here at RtBE check out our Rose Grove Band live review as well)

Full set list with almost too much info below. Enjoy:  


Set One (9:04PM - 10:27PM):
01. Jam ->
02. Brown Eyed Women ->
03. Jack Straw >
04. Jam ->
05. The Wheel @ ->
06. Estimated Prophet ->
07. The Other One # >
08. Shakedown St $ ->
09. Here Comes Sunshine Jam

Set Two (11:08PM - 12:39AM):
01. Rosa Lee Mcfall % (TH)
02. Throwing Stones ^
03. Atlantic City & ->
04. Slipknot! * ->
05. Franklin’s Tower >
06. Slipknot! * ->
07. Help On The Way ->
08. Slipknot! + ->
09. Feel Like A Stranger @@ >
10. Jam ->
11. Let It Grow
Encore: 
12. Touch of Grey

@ - With “Girl From Ipanema” (music by Antônio Carlos Jobim and Portuguese lyrics by Vinicius de Moraes. English lyrics by Norman Gimbel) and “Dear Prudence” (The Beatles) teases (MB) 
# - With a Purple Haze Tease (SM) & a variation (a really fast variation) on a Love Supreme (John Coltrane) jam (Band)
$ - With a Brown Eyed Women Tease (SM), and The Wheel, China Cat Sunflower and Here Comes Sunshine Teases (TH)
% - First Time Played by Almost Dead, Charlie Monroe cover
^ - By Request for Joe’s sister on her birthday, with a Brown Eyed Women Tease and a Cats Under the Stars Tease (TH)
& - Not played since Ogden Theater, Denver, CO 2017.04.28, a gap of 29 shows / 8.5 ish months 
* - Short snippets...
+ - Full Song
@@ - With a “Your Kiss Is On My List” (Hall & Oates) Tease (MB/Band) (I think. Will try to confirm when I speak with MB)

Pre Show Music: Cap Funk Mix
Set Break Music: The In Sound From Way Out (Beastie Boys)
Post Show Music: Life During Wartime (Talking Heads)
Poster: Colortest

Joe Russo - Drums, Vocals
Tom Hamilton - Guitar, Vocals
Scott Metzger - Guitar, Vocals
Marco Benevento - Keyboards, Vocals
Dave Dreiwitz - Bass

Show #136
Night One of Three
SOLD OUT ~ THANK YOU!