Full Show Friday: Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton - Live at Massey Hall - Dec 5, 2017

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...Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton! 

This week we head up to Canada and Massey Hall for Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton set from December 2017.

Pro Shot, Pro Sound, Full Setlist Below. Enjoy: 

Planets - 2:05 Nihilist Abyss - 6:15 Our Hell - 10:58 Detective Daughter - 15:07 Minefield of Memory - 20:07 Legend of the Wild Horse - 25:29 Doctor Blind - 30:35 Fatal Gift - 34:35

Happy 25th Anniversary to Bob Dylan's Time Out Of Mind

25 years ago today Bob Dylan released what seems like his 15th comeback album, Time Out Of Mind. The album features strong Dylan and as the rumor goes it was his 'facing death album', but aren't they all, all the time? 

The 1990's were a strange decade for Dylan, starting with the odd Under The Red Sky, then a return to folk songs and a fine, if semi dull live set for the MTV Unplugged series. Not much was expected from Dylan who continued to roll along performing solid concerts on his Never Ending Tour, and drifitng along. Then, out of the bleak Minnesota winter, came TOOM and critics/fans/newcomers to Bob were all blown away, from the opening notes of the ominous "Love Sick", Dylan is in haunting form. 

While Bob deserves full credit so does Daniel Lanois who worked winningly with him on the excellent Oh Mercy in 1989. The style, recording tone, and overall retro-ish sound found within TOOM would spark Dylan's creative drive for the next decade and beyond. Dylan has mentioned he didn't like working with Lanois, and the truth is Lanois is the last producer Dylan ever worked with, having self produced every record since under pseudonym Jack Frost. That said it is hard to fault the results on this effort.

The song-writing, to go along with the sound, is staggering. Songs like "Standing In The Doorway", "Not Dark Yet", "Tryin' To Get To Heaven" and "Cold Irons Bound" are all majestic, dark, questioning and endless. These are some of the strongest song Dylan ever wrote and the band playing them do a fantastic job setting the music to his strong words, as does Lanois, capturing of it all.

 

The album is a definite mood piece, one that runs a little long with a few filler tracks ("'Til I Fell in Love with You") and falters a bit at the end with the oddly Broadway-ish hokum of "Make You Feel My Love" and the rambling "Highlands", which is cool musically, but lyrically so scattered it ends the album fairly limply. 

That said, TOOM alerted the world to a resurgence from the Bard and signaled his culture imprint was far from over. A few years later he would release an even better album, but that is for a different post...

For now let's celebrate Time Out Of Mind in the best way possible, by listening to the songs. 

 

    

Happy 30th Anniversary to Alice In Chains Grunge Masterpiece Dirt

Alice In Chains released the quintessential grunge album 30 years ago today with Dirt. 

No other Seattle album quite had the grit, grime, pain, anguish and death that epitomized the scene as the Layne Staley, Jerry Cantrell, Mike Starr, and Sean Kinney crafted record did. 

Produced by the band, the pain and heroin addiction seeps through with each song as the drug is front and center throughout the tracks. Never glorified, but heroin is constantly a weight around everything, dragging things into the dirt or lower. 

The heavy, churning riffs, amazing guitar tone from Cantrell and Staley's vocals match up so well as the dirty low end moves things along; as this was clearly the bands best effort, adding to the Northwest's takeover of music in the early 90s. 

Celebrate the album in the best way possible, by listening to it loudly.   

Album Review: Joe Rainey - Niineta

Joe Rainey

Niineta

**** out of *****

The opening track of Joe Rainey's full-length debut for 37d03d Records, is titled "jammer from the slammer" and features a Pow Wow singer delivering his craft from lockup. Niineta moves from their as the vocalist builds layers of soundscapes along with producer Andrew Broder (Fog). 

The partnership between Rainey and Broder results in an interesting amalgamation of audio efforts throughout the full-length effort. Rainey is a member of the Red Lake Nation of Ojibwe people and has been recording pow wow gatherings most of his life. Working with Broder, Rainey sings and samples, interweaving electronica with the spiritual chants, forming a new artistic whole.  

Perhaps the the most stark entry is "easy on the circle" which begins with a joking comment before absolutely earth shaking drums and bass fall into a thunderous march. Whooshing synths enter the context, then eerie piano before chanting vocals take over and drive the song forward all the while those bomb dropping drums continue their death march; it is a powerfully affecting number. 

"no chants" has spiritual metal feeling of acts like Sun0))) or Lightning Bolt using brutal low end with complementing chants while "b.e. son" vibrates on a lighter level with layers of singing/chanting, strings and warbling production. "can key" has the cleanest Pow Wow vocals with also a spoken word piece placed in the center before a swelling dramatic string finale. "turned engine" featuring Allie Bearhead begins soothing before turning cataclysmic where as elongated closer "phil's offering" goes full on on repetitive EDM in spirit for the eleven minute complete with rain water extended outro.  

Not everything works perfectly "bezhigo" is overloaded with so much sounds, from samples of pow wow singing to distorted synths, strings and industrial clanging, it can never settle down while the circular drumming/sampling of "ch 1222" clashes with the piano and soothing singing.  However, experiments like the almost hip-hop groove of clapping/chanting/swelling "jr. flip" is worth all the mixing and matching of styles. 

Niineta can be a soft tone poem or a raging war cry as the songs bend and shift the singing and sounds in fascinating ways. Avant-garde, experimental and interesting Joe Rainey and Andrew Broder have crafted a listen that will make you sit up and take notice. 

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What a cool random bandcamp find. Support the artist, buy the album and peep some video below. 

Album Review: The Grateful Dead - Dave's Picks 43: Late 1969

Grateful Dead

Dave's Picks 43

November 2, 1969 Family Dog, SF CA and December 26, 1969 at McFarlin Memorial Auditorium  University Park, Texas

**** out of *****

The eye grabbing headline to this most recent Dave's Pick release is that this music comes straight from Owsley "Bear" Stanley personal stash. The tapes were found by archivist David Lemieux in the "banana boxes" that had sat untouched for years in the groups vault. The release covers two shows in late 1969 (November 2, 1969 at the Family Dog and December 26, 1969 at McFarlin Memorial Auditorium in University Park, Texas) as the band moved from their acid test phase of Live/Dead into the acoustic based, song focused, cosmic cowboy years of Workingman's Dead and American Beauty.  

The fact that these tapes exist and the recording is this high quality is a testament to Bear, Lemieux and the whole Dead team. While there are the expected glitches/wear and tear, the overall sonic quality is fantastic. The one complaint is the releases sequencing, with the time limit of CD's both shows are split and forced to be on each of the three discs. Once obtained, the sequencing can be adjusted when not listening to the CD's themselves. 

As for the playing, the band is clearly trying stuff out, but in good spirits. The electric Family Dog show starts the release and after the sound starts to settle down, the playing on "Cold Rain and Snow" is legit with organ work sounding bright. Pigpen clearly shines early, taking the vocal spotlight as once again organist Tom Constanten plays some wonderful fills. Constanten was a short lived member of the band, but this release (as well as many others from this period) proves his worth to the San Francisco based outfit. 

A rare cover of George Jones' "Seasons of My Heart" gets an airing but the vocals and interplay from Lesh's bass and Garcia's guitar are all better on the slower "Mamma Tried". Pigpen flexes his harmonica work and blues singing on the shuffling "Next Time You See Me" before a quickly paced delivery of "Good Lovin'" and a return to slow shuffling blues of "Big Boss Man" as Pigpen continues that front-man delivery. While Pigpen wasn't long for this world, this release is an early example of how the band was moving beyond their need to toss Pigpen out to play front man for hours, as their song writing, singing, and playing was evolving quickly.    

Dave's Picks 43 then moves to an acoustic arraignment with some fun banter about Phil not showing up on time, starting the Texas portion. The highlight of this section is a fantastic rendering of "Little Sadie" with great interplay between Weir and Garcia. "Long Black Limousine" and "I've Been All Around This World" stretch out the acoustic interlocking riffs and vocals while another lesser played tune by the band "Gathering Flowers for the Master's Bouquet" ends this disk on a pretty note. 

The second disk starts back in San Fran with a huge "Dark Star" which slowly rolls out, lasting over a half hour. After a slow, unhurried start with Pigpens percussion shaking, the first verse meanders in after ten minutes. A bit of creaky singing from Jerry arrives before the song falls completely apart, only to reconstitute around a Garcia and Constanten led jam that cooks. This is all before the sound morphs into the "Tighten Up" jam the band sometimes played these years. The second verse comes in and while the song isn't smooth sailing, it is very adventurous and version of "Dark Star" clearly worth checking out. 

The following "St. Stephan" is a bit disjointed but all players lock in for the William Tell Overture section and really kick it up for a super strong version of "The Eleven" with Lesh holding it together as Garcia reaches a soaring climax. The following "Death Don't Have No Mercy" is a gem and finds Garcia soulfully vocalizing, leaving it all out there; this four song run is the highlight of this release. The jarring shift is then back to the acoustic show with a very slow, long and drawn out "Black Peter" and a very rough vocalized "Uncle John's Band" to end the disk poorly after such creative electric playing.

Phil arrives in Texas in time for the third CD as the electric portion of 12/26 crackles with excellent sound and upfront, bright vocals during "Casey Jones". "Hard To Handle" is a bit disjointed with Pigpen urging them to get it together, which they do during a cool "China Cat Sunflower">"I Know You Rider" pairing. Lesh's bass sounds great but "High Time" drags too much while Constanten's organ again highlights a "Texas tune" this time, "Me and My Uncle".

The second "Dark Star" on this release is almost as eye opening as the first, while not being as far out or experimental. The band keeps this version smoother, but also drop into another gorgeous "Tighten Up" jam before closing on a strong note. Both versions are delightful and worth hearing, proving the band was constantly pushing boundaries and experimenting. The release closes with a very rough vocal take on "New Speedway Boogie" and a final Pigpen highlight to wrap up the late '69 collection, a pumping "Turn On Your Love Light".   

This is a Dave's Picks that should appease Dead Heads of all stripes as there are moments of psychedelic freak-out, gorgeous singing, acoustic intimacy, rare tunes, phenomenal interplay and more. While other shows from this era have been released before and may be held in higher regard, Dave's Picks 43 is a great snapshot of the band evolving during the formative shows of late 1969. 

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

(This is not the official audio from Dave's 43)

New Single/Video from Raelyn Nelson Band "Free"

The Raelyn Nelson Band have released their newest song "Free", complete with a video that is a tribute to none other than Britney Spears. 

The granddaughter of Willie Nelson, Raelyn's music is a country rock mix that struts and swaggers.  Check it out below:

Phish Announce NYE Residency in NYC at MSG

Once again the legendary jamband Phish will end the year at their home away from home, Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Ticket requests are open now and the band will undoubtedly pull out the all the stops as they play the Garden in December. RtBE will certainly be in attendance, as we were at their re-scheduled shows back in April. 

Here is some video of a past NYE Run highlight, "Tweezer" from 12/30/2019

Album Review: Todd Snider - Live: Return of the Storyteller

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

It is of Todd Snider's most recent album Live: Return of the Storyteller. 

Snider is completely at home onstage and this live album, taken from his 2021 tour, finds Snider in a more reflective element then on past live albums from the road dog. 

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

New Single from Zambian Legends WITCH titled "Waile"

Years back a friend burned a CD of the Zambian band WITCH for RtBE and we loved it. Now it turns out that band is releasing a new single title "Waile".

The Zamrock legends We Intend To Cause Havoc always had a cool mix of the Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix Experience and pysch-rock with the band turning up the more disco tendencies in the 80's. Two original members are still in the group, original lead singer Emmanuel ‘Jagari’ Chanda and Patrick Mwondelathe. 

Check out the newest single "Waile" below, from Mwondelathe regarding the single:

“Waile was one of the songs that I brought to the WITCH when I joined in 1978” continues keys genius Patrick Mwondela. “While it was played live often back in the day, it was never recorded until the new formation of the band picked it up 43 years later during a rehearsal on an island in Kenya, where the band embraced it and made it their own. A few months after that, they gave it a new lease of life by recording it in Lusaka’s legendary dB Studios (site of the original WITCH 70s recordings). Sang in my native language Luvale, the subject matter is a nostalgic wailing for home of ancient African tribes that would eventually settle in Zambia.”

Dylan Cover #549 Rod Stewart "Love Minus Zero/No Limit"

In this ongoing Monday Series we will be exploring various artists versions of Bob Dylan song's. Today's tune comes from Rod Stewart and is a cover of "Love Minus Zero/No Limit".

Thought's on Original:

From the first time we tackled a cover of this tune:
A personal gateway song, the first Dylan love offering that truly spoke to me was "Love Minus Zero/No Limit". It is an easy song to like, with it's sweet melody and one that gets deeper and deeper the more you contemplate the lyrics. Dylan uses some insane imagery to put true love into words with surreal phrasing that delivers the goods in a way that is tough to describe. In one sense, this is peak Dylan, moving with grace, describing things uniquely and just out of reach.  

Cover:

Thoughts on Cover Artist:
RtBE offices are split on Stewart, some love, some not so much...Have written about him in the past...

Thoughts on Cover:

Could be our least favorite cover in this whole series, so overly dramatic for a song that doesn't need it. 

Live Streams: Healing Appalachia - Galactic, Margo Price and many more

We are now heading into the new normal with live music during the Covid-19 era. Live shows will need to be flexible and live streaming is a great way to keep music going. Streams have become essential for live music junkies like RtBE. Things are (hopefully) improving on the pandemic front but live streams will be an option for artists during the foreseeable future. We will highlight various shows/streams/virtual events for your viewing and listening pleasure and as a way to help out the artists. You can check out our weekly Full Show Friday series for concerts from the past and as always, please support the artists any which way you can.

Today we highlight: Healing Appalachia Benefit with Galactic, Margo Price and many more

Tonight and tomorrow the Healing Appalachia Benefit is happening and you can stream the event over on Mandolin.  

To get in the mood here is live video from Margo Price. 

Full Show Friday: Charlie Parr Live 4/8/2021 Eau Claire, Wisconsin.

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...Charlie Parr! 

This week we are stripping it down for some solo acoustic blues/folk with Charlie Parr live from April 8, 2021 live stream from Pablo Center at the Confluence in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.

Pro shot, Pro Sound, Enjoy:

Live Review: Dinosaur Jr. and Ryley Walker 9/16/22 @ Joy Theater, NOLA

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

It is of Dinosaur Jr. and Ryley Walker Live from the Joy Theater in New Orleans, Louisiana. 

So cool that I got to catch one of my favorite bands, down in one of my favorite cities. It was a great show from a trio that is shockingly still on top of their game. 

Support the artists, read the review and peep some video below of "Mountain Man" from the show:

Album Review: Burna Boy - Love, Damini

Burna Boy

Love, Damini

**and1/2 out of *****

From the title on down Burna Boy wants to get personal on his newest release Love, Damini.  Using his given name (Damini Ogulu) is only the first hint as the afro-fusion artist moves on from his previous efforts which tried to take over the world to now scaling back and letting listeners see the real, wounded Mr. Orulu, on the mixed bag, long running effort. 

The South African male choral group Ladysmith Black Mambazo bookend the album joining on the opening "Glory" and the closing title track. On "Glory" Ogulu begins the personal pain journey the album will take with the odd couplet, "Like back when my dawg died/Felt my heart split apart like apartheid" one of a few jarring world problems/personal juxtapositions on the album. Another comes at the end of the Khalid accented "Wild Dreams", a gorgeous song which awkwardly ends with the line "Remember, Martin Luther King had a dream and then he got shot" a halting record scratch moment before the complete misstep self help of the guest laden "How Bad Could It Be". 

Outside of these oddities the long album feels tired, exactly as Burna looks on the cover art.  A perfect summation of Love, Damini as a whole is "It's Plenty", a song that seems to scream world beat anthem, but ends up more of a sluggish exhale with Burna never committing to the outro exclamation of "For this life I dey, I want to be celebrated/Don't wanna waste my days/I want to spend them on enjoyment". The low level of energy doesn't work with the joyful lyrics and this lackadaisical malaise drips into the  the album weighing down offerings like "Rollercoaster" which wants to soar but never ignites and the dour "Vanilla" which brings back smooth sax and dance urging afro-beats, yet feels hollow.    

Much better is the ultra smooth "Jagele" which uses killer afrobeat to move and slink around Burna's style while "Cloak & Dagger" is also a standout with guest J Hus delivering engaging verses around killer beats produced by Telz, Danitello, and MdS. The combo joint with Popcaan "Tori-Ann Singh" is a winner but literally ends too soon, as does the infectious "For My Hand" with Ed Sheeran. "Science" enhances the dance beats, interesting guitar lines and excellent vocals from Burna highlight both "Whiskey" and "Solid". 

While far from his best work, Love, Damini has enough interesting beats, lyrics and tunes to keep the head bopping and ear engaged as Burna Boy journeys through his life and many musical worlds. 

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

Album Review: No Age - People Helping People

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

It is of No Age newest release People Helping People. 

The last time RtBE checked in on No Age was for An Object.  This is more of the same of that...

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

Album Review: Gogol Bordello - Solidaritine

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

It is of Gogol Bordello's newest album Solidaritine. 

This is the most punk/hardcore offering the band has put out yet, but then again, these are punk/hardcore of times...

Also it was just announced that they will be playing a three night run to end 2022 at Brooklyn Bowl.  

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

Album Review: The Murlocs - Rapscallion

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

It is of The Murlocs newest release, Rapscallion, the bands sixth studio offering. 

Part of the Melbourne scene and consisting of members of King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard and more, the group wallows in '60's Nuggets era sounds. 

Support the artists, buy the album, read the review and peep some video below:

Dylan Cover #548 The Dead Weather "New Pony"

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 Dead Weather playing "New Pony"

Thoughts on Original:

Street Legal is a messy mid-life Dylan outing that is odd for many reasons. "New Pony" is probably the first of those oddities, coming on the heels of album opener "Changing of the Guards". This slow, drawn out blues based number lazily rides the country with over done backing vocals helping Bob and the old nag along. The tune brings in a saxophone and conga drums as it fades out. A fairly forgettable song on a fairly forgettable album. 

Cover:

Thoughts on Cover Artist:

RtBE have loved The Dead Weather from the first time we heard them, which was live back in 2009. One of the instant attractions was that they covered a long lost Dylan tune. The quartet, Jack White on drums, Allison Mosshart from The Kills, Dean Fertita from Queens of the Stone Age and Jack Lawrence from The Raconteurs and Greenhornes are formidable. Each of their albums (Horehound, Seas of Cowards and Dodge and Burn) have been good in slightly different ways. 

Thoughts on Cover:

This leather jacket clad, swaggering outfit, took a below par Dylan effort and pumped it full of sexual energy as all four DW's slap their imprint on it. A bad ass cover, and probably the best ever of this nearly forgotten Dylan tune. 

Full Show Friday: Christone "Kingfish" Ingram 2021 XPoNential Music Festival Camden, NJ

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...Christone "Kingfish" Ingram!

Today we showcase one of the best modern day blues players around with Christone "Kingfish" Ingram's set from the 2021 XPoNential Music Festival in Camden, NJ.  RtBE caught Kingfish this spring at the Apollo and he was a monster live.

Proshot, Pro Sound, Enjoy:

Album Review: Jennifer Hartswick - Something in the Water

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

It is of Jennifer Hartswick newest release, Something in the Water. 

Some strong singing supported by funky and jazzy vibes on this one. Recorded with Christian McBride and a host of talented musicians.   

Support the artists, buy the album, read the review and peep some video below:

Album Review: Los Peyotes - Virgenes

Los Peyotes

Virgenes

*** out of *****

The long running Buenos Aires based Los Peyotes rev up the psych-garage rock on their newest offering Virgenes. The Argentinian retro looking rockers shake rattle and roll with abandon on this charged up collection. 

The band, Pablo Bam Bam - Drums and Screams, Zelmar Garín- Lead Fuzz Guitar and Screams, David Peyote - Vocals, Guitar and Maracas, J.R Lemons - Farfisa Organ and Screams, Oscar Hechomierda - Bass and Screams, are digging in the '60s Nuggets crates to recreate the sounds of one hit wonders from that bygone era. The vibrant organ, banging drums and "Yeah Yeah Yeah" shout-a-long's kick things off on "La Gente Es Una Mierda" and the band never look back. 

The garage rock formula is deployed throughout with the bass intro and weird Latin tinged psychedelia ending to "Soy La Droga" while the guitar solo highlights "Peyolove". The rumbling drums propel "El Hombre De Dos Cabezas" while tempo changes speed up/slow down "Soy Asi" before album closer "Nada Pude Ver" rings with a haunting organ line. 

The track "Terrorista De La Musica" is a good summation of the band with its marching swagger, before getting good and spacey to wrap up. The best track here is when Los Peyotes rev it up with fast punk guitar and drumming on "No Puedo Aguentar Mas" upping the excitement level with it's energy and brevity. 

The band shifts to more '60's pop rock in a Monkees vein for mid album songs "Mi Chica" and "Mi Planeta Rosa" and while not as successful as the outfits harder efforts they are a sweet change of pace. As is the funky Latin lines of "Cumbia Del Dolor" with its warbling wah-wah and the punchy surf punk of "Dame Dinamita". 

Veterans of retro garage rock, Los Peyotes keep the party pumping throughout the lively Virgenes. 

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

Album Review: Flogging Molly - Anthem

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

It is of Flogging Molly's newest release, Anthem. 

More solid Celtic rock form the Irish/American veterans. 

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

Album Review: Angel Olsen - Big Time

Angel Olsen 

Big Time

***and1/2 out of *****

Big Time, the sixth studio album from Angel Olsen was written and recorded at a very trying time in the singer/songwriters life. After finally coming out to her family, in less than a month both parents would die and she would be in the studio crafting this new release.   

The raw emotions seep into the songs which were recorded and mixed with co-producer Jonathan Wilson at his Fivestar Studios in Topanga, California. They are imbedded with a mix of Laurel Canyon '70's singer/song writer as well as weepy Nashville Americana and big band brass. One thing is for certain, these trying times have brought out powerful songs from Olsen. 

None are better than the opening "All The Good Times" which deals with the end of a relationship around slowly swelling sounds (a theme throughout the record) as rich bass, layered vocals and drums lead to horns and grandiose production for dramatic effect. Steal guitars and tambourines color the Neil Young, California in the seventies sounding "This Is How It Works" and the title effort, both of which use plinking pianos, tambourines and fluttering vocals from Olsen. 

Angel's vocal styles can shift dramatically from track to track, sounding like a completely different artist. "All of The Flowers" is bland with New Age sounding instrumentation but Olsen's vocals are floating and light, matching the tone of the music. However, on the more complete "Right Now" her vocals grab a root rock vibe as the song builds to a huge finale that incorporates stomping drums and nightmarish flights of sound.   

"Go Home" continues those dramatic theatrical feelings and sounds as Drew Erickson's piano, organ, and string arrangements climb to the rafters around the marching percussion and shouting brass injections. Olsen works best on the album when those large scopes, dramatic music and issues are addressed, on the more art/pop softness of "Dream Thing", the drifting blasé backing track feels lost and wandering in an unaffecting manner. 

Better are super dramatic personal offerings of the string laden efforts "Ghost On", "Through The Fires" and the breathy finale "Chasing The Sun" all of which border on overly melodramatic, but rise above on the strength of Olsen's vocals and lyrics. At times reminiscent to Sturgill Simpsons A Sailors Guide To Earth, combing the large and small  sounds, Big Time reaches for the title area and mostly nails it. 

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Support the artist, buy the album and peep some video:

Live Review: Earthless 9/9/2022 @ Market Hotel Brooklyn, NY

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

It is of the killer show from Earthless and Peace Sign on Friday night at Market Hotel in Bushwick Brooklyn. 

Having been a fan of Earthless for years (dating back to when we first heard them in 2013) it was a pure joy to finally catch them live, doing their thing in a tiny club on Friday night. 

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

Album Review: Built To Spill - When the Wind Forgets Your Name

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

It is of Built To Spill's newest release, When the Wind Forgets Your Name. 

Support the artist, buy the album, read the review and peep some video below:

New Single/Video from P.U.R.E “Y.I.T. (YALL IN TROUBLE)"

The Suffolk, VA lyricist P.U.R.E has released his newest single with a new video titled "Y.I.T. (YALL IN TROUBLE)"

With the Marvin Gaye inspired bass line and musical backing it is an easy rolling track. Check out the video below:

Dylan Cover #547 Carson McKee "Simple Twist of Fate" Live

In this ongoing Monday Series we will be exploring various artists versions of Bob Dylan song's. Today's tune comes from Carson McKee and is a live cover of "Simple Twist of Fate"  

Thoughts On Original:
From the first time we talked about a cover version of this song:
Well the classics just keep coming in this series, now here is "Simple Twist of Fate" what a gem of a song.  Impeccable lyrics, gorgeous phrasing, just a great great song that is hard not to enjoy even if people are not fans of Dylan.

Cover:

Thoughts on Cover Artist:

This is RtBE's first time checking out Carson McKee.

Thoughts on Cover:

A fantastic live acoustic rendition during the pandemic. Accompanied by cicadas in a park in Crown Heights, McKee, plays and sings with passion as he delivers of a well worn tune with ease and grace.  Great cover. 

Live Streams: Victor Wooten & The Wooten Brothers from City Winery Atlanta, GA

We are now heading into the new normal with live music during the Covid-19 era. Live shows will need to be flexible and live streaming is a great way to keep music going. Streams have become essential for live music junkies like RtBE. Things are (hopefully) improving on the pandemic front but live streams will be an option for artists during the foreseeable future. We will highlight various shows/streams/virtual events for your viewing and listening pleasure and as a way to help out the artists. You can check out our weekly Full Show Friday series for concerts from the past and as always, please support the artists any which way you can.

Today we highlight: Victor Wooten & The Wooten Brothers

The amazing bassist Victor Wooten teams up his his brother for a live stream from City Winery in Atlanta, GA tonight. Catch it on Mandolin. 

To get in the mood here is some live music from the family band:

New Single/Video from DJ Criminal "Mountain Tops" Featuring Slug, Blueprint and Jennifer Charles

The newest single from DJ Criminal features Slug, Blueprint and Jennifer Charles and it is titled "Mountain Tops". 

It is from the recently released full length The Smugglers Candle. 

Check out the video here:

Full Show Friday: Pantera - Live 9/9/97 Electric Factory Philadelphia, PA

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...Pantera!

Exactly 25 years ago today Pantera played the Electric Factory in Philly and here is the video to prove it. 

Fan shot and live sound, but it is damn good. Put's you right at the show. Full setlist below. Enjoy:

Pantera - (live) Electric Factory Philadelphia,Pa 9.9.97 (Hi8 Master) 0:01 Jack Daniels If You Please- David Allen Coe 1:05 Intro (Good Friends And A Bottle Of Pills) 3:35 Fucking Hostile 6:41 Mouth For war 13:20 Becoming 18:32 Sandblasted Skin 26:26 I Can't Hide 30:08 I'm Broken 37:55 Suicide Note Pt. II 42:39 War Nerve 47:45 This Love 57:40 Some random riffs 59:30 Domination 1:04:16 Hollow 1:06:48 Cowboys From Hell (first part) 1:08:45 Cat Scratch Fever (Ted Nugent) 1:09:38 Cowboys From Hell (last part incl. solo ) 1:14:45 Cemetary Gates 1:22:40 Walk 1:29:30 A New Level

ÅRABROT Release Cover of Nancy Sinatra's "Lightning's Girl"

ÅRABROT, a Norwegian noise-rock band, have released a new single, a cover of Nancy Sinatra's "Lightning's Girl" from their upcoming covers EP, titled Heart, due out in December. 

Check out the very Dead Weather sounding cover below:

Album Review: Good Looks - Bummer Year

Good Looks

Bummer Year

**and1/2 out of *****

The debut release of the Austin, TX based Good Looks is a throwback to classic/indie rocking ways of the mid 80's and early 90's. Bummer Year uses shimmering guitars and yearning vocals to deliver a warm sound through the speakers singing about everything from loneliness to Republican voters. 

The band, Tyler Jordan - Rhythm Guitar and Lead Vocals, Jake Ames - Lead Guitar, Anastasia Wright - Bass Guitar, Phillip Dunne - Drums, Paige Renee Berry - Back-up Vocals, have an easy rolling feel to it throughout the seven tracks. 

The minimal guitar strums and slow building opener "Always Automatic" recalls a Tom Petty with twang feeling as the group gel before the understated start of "21" incorporates rumbling drums leading towards a soaring finale. The band flashes some serious The War On Drugs love with the swelling FM sounds of "Balmorhea" as those mid 80's radio friendly vibes will make Adam Granduciel smile. 

Things are extremely muddied lyrically on the title track which is a very Texas focused number about good hearted Trump voters who will get your back in a bar fight, fireworks on the beach and distorted beliefs. It is a weird twist on the "can't we all get along" hippy vibe of bygone eras before talking about not voting because the rich have it all and instead starting revolution in the streets; conflicted verse to verse, but at least it has pretty guitar sounds. The gorgeous backing vocals and George Harrison-like guitar twinkling of the shiny "First Crossing" is much better, but it is on the final two closers where the band seem most comfortable.   

Both of the final two songs call to mind mid-career Replacements efforts as "Vision Board" chokes with a thick fuzzy bass and light punk appeal before the upbeat rocking of closer "Walker Lake" which wraps up with some of the best guitar work contained on the album. Good Looks have their influences out front and center on their debut Bummer Year, singing their retro rocking tunes from their sunny Texas porch with ease.     

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

New Song From The Pixies "Dregs of Wine"

The Pixies have released a new tune "Dregs of Wine" from their forthcoming album Doggerel.

It is the first Pixies track co-written by guitarist Joey Santiago. Since the band reunited they have been pretty solid, RtBE dug Head Carrier quite a bit, gaining honorable mention as one of our favorites from 2016. 

Listen to "Dregs of Wine" below:

Album Review: Rokia Koné - BAMANAN

Rokia Koné

BAMANAN

***and1/2 out of *****

One of the vocalists of the feminist super group Les Amazones d’Afrique, Rokia Koné used the downtime during the pandemic to revisit singing she recorded years ago. An unlikely partnership with Irish producer Jacknife Lee (U2, R.E.M, Taylor Swift) took flight and the duo crafted something new, a Mali based vocalist whose modern organic/electro beats/sounds could be enjoyed by a wider audience titled BAMANAN.    

Opener "Bi Ye Tulonba Ye" begins with soft swelling sounds around Koné's sweet voice as the pulse grows, increasing organic instrumentation which leads to a swirling sound, allowing Koné's voice to drift away. This sense of atmospheric beats and strong vocals runs throughout the record.   

The roiling "Shezita (Take a Seat)" weaves an intoxicating dance-ready effort that measures the electronic with the organic while "Kurunba" pushes things to a galloping upbeat pace; both are highlight offerings. While the songs run long and could use some trimming for a bit more effectiveness, most stay in the same vein of light pulsing, swelling mid sections increase bass and synths before a soft outro.  

Group vocals move into a deep bass bump and powerful vocals from Koné on "Anw Tile "(It's Our Time)" while a slow intro morphs into swelling backgrounds with twinkling electro piano during "Soyi N'galanba". "Dunden" brings back group vocals and an oft kilter funky dance bass, before album closer "Mansa Soyari" pulses and plucks around Rokia's yearning vocals. 

Koné saves her most powerful voice for "N'yanyan" which just uses an electro piano to express her pain and concern. Koné recorded the song in one take, right before power in the city went out and a coup d’etat began in Mali. 

Even if you do not know the lyrics meaning, the power of the vocals and the interlocking of the production/instrumentation make for a joyful listen that touches on all aspects of emotions. Rokia Koné

BAMANAN is an affecting and effective album and a well crafted solo debut. 

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Support the artist, buy the album, peep some video below: