Citylightz are a indie rock/hip-hop outfit from Birmingham Wolverhampton in the West Midlands and have released a few well received EP's and live recordings.
Their newest song is titled "My Life" and can be heard here:
Friday, February 26, 2021
Full Show Friday: Ariana Grande - Sweetener World Tour
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...Ariana Grande!
Each January RtBE does a Jazz showcase and judging by the clicks, people just aren't as into it as we are. To make up for that, in February we go pop during our Full Show Friday series to blatantly attract page views.
This week we showcase Ariana Grande on her Sweetener World Tour, fan shot videos edited together:
Thursday, February 25, 2021
New Dinosaur Jr Song, Album Sweep It Into Space Coming in April
The excellent Dinosaur Jr. have a new album coming out at the end of April titled Sweep It Into Space.
The first single "I Ran Away" is a doozy and continues in the bands successful guitar rock vein. Produced by Kurt Vile the album will be a spring treat to look forward too.
Here is "I Ran Away":
Album Review: Palberta - Palberta5000
Palberta
Palberta5000
*** out of *****
The New York based Palberta's eighth release is powerfully titled Palbert5000 and it expands the bands sound by moving slightly from short punchy numbers to increasing the pop sweetness. While the new elongated efforts hit a few road bumps, the group do an intriguing job of popping up their sound while maintaining the off kilter post punk of previous efforts.
The trio of Nina Ryser, Anina Ivry-Block and Lily Konigsberg deftly switch instruments (bass, drums, guitar) and vocalize gloriously. The pristine singing, at times perfectly locked in, at others jagged on purpose, is consistently wonderful throughout. With this album the band mentioned wanting to dive fully into their love of pop music and the production is fantastic with each instrument ringing clear.
Brief songs (which the band specializes in) like the opening "No Way", the upbeat shout along exhilaration of "Hey !" the weird odd ball "Eggs n' Bac'" and the excellent angular "Never to Go" are all winners. Each track instantly feels vital with dance rhythms and quirky riffs, diving in and driving out of the sound. It is when the band tries to stretch their formula out where weaker results occur.
Both "Big Bad Want" and "Fragile Place" are examples of knockout original ideas that are pushed beyond two minutes and they just go nowhere. "Big Bad Want" is a bass driven get down post punk arrow strike, but repeats it's vocals ad nauseam and never moves off it's one thought; it makes the 3:44 run time feel like an eternity. "Fragile Place" starts out stunningly with twitchy, funky, rising sounds around a marching drum and pristine vocals, but never arrives at anywhere exciting. If both were paired down they would be highlights.
A major plus however is that the band always seems to be having fun, whether it is throwing every sort of instrumentation into "In Again" or smiling through the best track on the record "Summer Sun" the energy is infectious and rescues a one note offering like "Corner Store", rising it up to an almost pop punk anthem level.
The record wraps up with two longer dance laden grooves that recall Sleater-Kinney's newest pop move The Center Won't Hold as "All Over My Face" and "Before I Got Here" as both blissfully bop and bounce their way with shoulder shaking feeling. Both are fine examples of the bands newer sound yet neither possess that extra injection to really zing forward.
There are moments on Palberta5000 where the band can seem like a modern day re-imagining of The Raincoats for a new millennium raised on glossy pop of the modern digital age and while Palberta are clearly enjoying themselves, the record never truly locks in full to post-punk or pop with bright moments but lacking an overall cohesion.
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Support the band, buy the album on bandcamp, stream it below and peep some video:
Wednesday, February 24, 2021
Live Streams: Billy Strings Deja Vu Experiment - Final Show
With live music on lock down (like everything else currently in New York City) live streams and old concerts have become essential for live music junkies like RtBE. While this current state of pandemic separation is in order we will highlight various shows/streams/virtual events for your viewing and listening pleasure and you can always check out or weekly Full Show Friday series for concerts from the past. Please support the artists any which way you can.
Today we highlight: Billy Strings Deja Vu Experiment
Tonight is the last of six shows from Billy Strings at the fantastic Capitol Theater:
To get in the mood, here is a tune from Billy and the band, covering the Grateful Dead, something he will probably do tonight as well:
Album Review: Tash Sultana - Terra Firma
Hey all, got a new review up @glidemag which you can read Right C'here!!
The review is of Tash Sultana's newest album Terra Firma.
A definite throw back 90's r&b sound through a lot of this record, neo-new jack swing. Some pretty wild album art as well that doesn't really fit the music, but is striking on it's own.
Support the artist, buy the album, read the review and peep some video below:
Tuesday, February 23, 2021
Live Streams: Nikki Glaspie's (Delayed) Fat Tuesday Party
With live music on lock down (like everything else currently in New York City) live streams and old concerts have become essential for live music junkies like RtBE. While this current state of pandemic separation is in order we will highlight various shows/streams/virtual events for your viewing and listening pleasure and you can always check out or weekly Full Show Friday series for concerts from the past. Please support the artists any which way you can.
Today we highlight: Nikki Glaspie's Fat Tuesday Party
Delayed from last week due to violent weather, tonight Nikki Glaspie and crew throw down in New Orleans like fashion at The Far Out in Austin Texas.
To get in the mood here is Nikki banging the drums:
Live Streams: Alicia Renee aka Blue Eyes
With live music on lock down (like everything else currently in New York City) live streams and old concerts have become essential for live music junkies like RtBE. While this current state of pandemic separation is in order we will highlight various shows/streams/virtual events for your viewing and listening pleasure and you can always check out or weekly Full Show Friday series for concerts from the past. Please support the artists any which way you can.
Today we highlight: Alicia Renee aka Blue Eyes
In a few hours, on the balcony of the New Orleans Jazz Museum, Alicia Renee aka Blue Eyes will be performing.
You can catch it on the Offbeat Magazine's Facebook page at 5pm CST. To get in the mood here she is singing "A Change Gonna Come" live:
Album Review: The Hold Steady - Open Door Policy
Hey all, got a new review up @glidemag which you can read Right C'here!!
It is of The Hold Steady's newest album Open Door Policy.
RtBE are huge Hold Steady fans and in truth, this record seems to be lacking something, but the fact that they are still an active band overrides any critical opinions as we are waiting desperately to see them live again. Hopefully at the Brooklyn Bowl in November, if not before.
Support the artists, buy the album, read the review and peep some video below:
Monday, February 22, 2021
Dylan Cover #467 Rosanne Cash, Shawn Colvin, Mary Chapin "You Ain't Going Nowhere" 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 Rosanne Cash, Shawn Colvin, Mary Chapin performing "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere"
Thoughts on Original:
From the first time we addressed this cover:
A great song, and one that sounds so simple. It always felt to me that these are the kind of songs Dylan has seeping out of his pores, with lines like "Tailgates and Substitutes" that anywhere else would sound foolish yet here works wonders. The musical backing from the original Band version is loose and matched fantastically with the lyrics. I am sure it wasn't as easy going as it sounds on the final version, but what a gem of a track.
Cover:
Thoughts on Cover Artist:
RtBE enjoys all of these folk/country/rock artists
Thoughts on Cover:
This is such a smooth, well played live cover. The vocals from Cash Colvin and Chapin are simply pristine while the group harmonies and dynamics are perfect. Great guitars, great words, great singing voices; a top notch performance of this fun sized Dylan tune.
Friday, February 19, 2021
Happy 30th Anniversary to Dinosaur Jr's Green Mind
Can it really be 30 years already since Dinosaur Jr released Green Mind?!?
Today marks the anniversary of the bands first major label release and also their first album without the original trio. When we reviewed their catalog back in 2016 for Glide Magazine we had it ranked 3rd on our list of albums from the band, that seems right. When we went back and celebrated the band turning thirty we focused on "Thumb", what a tune...best use of flute in rock and roll...suck it Tull!
With one of the top 5 album covers of all-time, Priscilla, 1969, a photo by Joseph Szabo, Green Mind is full on woolly rockin' Dino...err...or basically a J Masics solo record. Anywhichway it is a dandy, so slap it on today and rock out.
Full Show Friday: AJR - Neotheater World Tour Minneapolis 2019
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...AJR!
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Each January RtBE does a Jazz showcase and judging by the clicks, people just aren't as into it as we are. To make up for that, in February we go pop during our Full Show Friday series to blatantly attract page views.
This week we showcase AJR live stream from 2019 Minneapolis:
Thursday, February 18, 2021
Live Streams: Garcia Peoples
With live music on lock down (like everything else currently in New York City) live streams and old concerts have become essential for live music junkies like RtBE. While this current state of pandemic separation is in order we will highlight various shows/streams/virtual events for your viewing and listening pleasure and you can always check out or weekly Full Show Friday series for concerts from the past. Please support the artists any which way you can.
Today we highlight: Garcia Peoples feat. Macrodose Visuals
Part of the Blue Note live streaming series is tonight's performance from Garcia Peoples.
Live Streams: Billy Strings Deja Vu Experiment
With live music on lock down (like everything else currently in New York City) live streams and old concerts have become essential for live music junkies like RtBE. While this current state of pandemic separation is in order we will highlight various shows/streams/virtual events for your viewing and listening pleasure and you can always check out or weekly Full Show Friday series for concerts from the past. Please support the artists any which way you can.
Today we highlight: Billy Strings Deja Vu Experiment
Six shows from Billy Strings at the fantastic Capitol Theater begin tonight:
To get in the mood, here is a tune from Billy and the band, covering the Grateful Dead, something he will probably do tonight as well:
Live Streams: Ecstatic Music: Bell Orchestre – A Performance Film
With live music on lock down (like everything else currently in New York City) live streams and old concerts have become essential for live music junkies like RtBE. While this current state of pandemic separation is in order we will highlight various shows/streams/virtual events for your viewing and listening pleasure and you can always check out or weekly Full Show Friday series for concerts from the past. Please support the artists any which way you can.
Today we highlight: Ecstatic Music: Bell Orchestre – A Performance Film
The Belle Orchestre is debuting a film tonight which you grab tickets for here. The description of the event is as follows:
Bell Orchestre comes together in the beautiful Canadian countryside to make this unique concert film. Bell Orchestre consists of six musical mavericks, including Arcade Fire members Sarah Neufeld and Richard Reed Parry, who, on their critically-acclaimed first two albums, have shifted the boundaries of instrumental music. The group cites such diverse influences as Talk Talk, Lee ‘Scratch’ Parry, and Arvo Pärt, which come together to form a contemporary sound, as if Debussy had composed his fragile impressionism with the knowledge of the ecstatic possibility of a pop concert. This concert is generously underwritten by the Arthur F. & Alice E. Adams Charitable Foundation. 2020-21 Kaufman Music Center presentations are online, filmed in safe, socially distanced locations observing health and safety protocols, and streamed to the safety of your home.
To get in the mood for the event, here is some music from the group:
Wednesday, February 17, 2021
Album Review: Alabama Slim - The Parlor
Alabama Slim
The Parlor
*** out of *****
Sometimes music takes extra effort with words meticulously parsed, notes played hundreds of times until they are just right...and sometimes you can lay down a damn good blues album in just over four hours. Such is the case with Alabama Slim's newest offering The Parlor.
Slim entered the New Orleans studio and with the help of with his longtime friend Little Freddy King, and together with the help of, Jimbo Mathus (Squirrel Nut Zippers) on piano/organ, Matt Patton (Drive-By Truckers) on bass, and Artie Dean drums/producing, out strolled this simple, direct, fantastic sounding blues offering.
Opening with the lighting and thunder of "Hot Foot" the players ease into things, but a quick uptick follows as King takes over lead vocals for the Texas shuffle of "Freddie's Voodoo Magic". Slim himself feels more at ease with the slower smoldering numbers like "Rob Me Without A Gun" and "All Night Long" but the players around him can push the tempo up with ease.
Slim and company also put their own spin on a few classic blues tunes. "Rock with me Momma" is a unique twist on John Lee Hooker's "I Got My Eyes On You", "Someday Baby" is a solid effort and Patton's bass leads the groove wonderfully on "Rock Me Baby".
While all of these tracks lead to a timeless feeling of the album, one song destroys that illusion, placing The Parlor directly in 2021, "Forty Jive". The almost spoken word take cuts down the former President as the upbeat organ lead shuffle keeps things lively. The record ends on slower sturdy footing for Slim as he wraps up with "Down on the Bottom", and that is where Slim excels with his gritty blues.
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Randomly Neil did an interview with Alabama Slim over at Glide.
Support the artist, buy the album and peep some video:
Live Streams: PhilRad
With live music on lock down (like everything else currently in New York City) live streams and old concerts have become essential for live music junkies like RtBE. While this current state of pandemic separation is in order we will highlight various shows/streams/virtual events for your viewing and listening pleasure and you can always check out or weekly Full Show Friday series for concerts from the past. Please support the artists any which way you can.
Today we highlight: PhilRad
Phil Lesh joined Joe Russo's Almost Dead on December 29th 2014 at the fantastic Capital Theater, and tonight it will be streamed for the masses:
To get pumped here is JRAD playing live:
Tuesday, February 16, 2021
Album Review: Paul Leary - Born Stupid
Hey all, got a new review up @glidemag which you can read Right C'here!!
It is of Paul Leary's new solo album Born Stupid
Leary is the main guitarist for The Butthole Surfers and this is a wacky album. Weird circus music around warped vocals and striking lyrics.
All On A Mardi Gras Day!
Today is Fat Tuesday so live it up (safely and masked up). If you are lucky enough to be in the Big Easy enjoy yourself (safely and masked up). If you are anywhere else, party like you are in NOLA (safely and masked up). Laissez les bons temps rouler!
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| 2011 Mardi Gras Parade |
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| Marching Bands Down Canal St. |
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| Mardi Gras Pirates from 1930's |
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| 1910 New Orleans Mardi Gras |
You can also tune into WWOZ to get the flavor of the city today or any day. Have a great and safe day everyone.
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