Live Streams: Dinosaur Jr. Seven Night Run @ Music Hall of Williamsburg

We are now heading into the new normal with live music during the Covid-19 and beyond 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.

Tonight: Dinosaur Jr. Seven Night Run @ Music Hall of Williamsburg

Starting tonight, you can stream all of Dinosaur Jr's seven night run at the Music Hall of Williamsburg in Brooklyn via nugs.net. 

RtBE will be in the house for two of those shows, and we are very much looking forward to the deafening roar of one of our favorite bands. To get in the mood, check out some live video of them below:

Full Show Friday: Brittany Howard - The Palace Theater St. Paul, MN 9/19/19

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...Brittany Howard!

Live from St. Paul's Palace Theater in 2019, here is Brittany Howard from 2019's Jaime tour (whose studio album we really dug, even ranking it in our top 50 of the decade).

Pro shot, pro sound, set list below. Enjoy!

SET LIST "He Loves Me" "Georgia" "Stay High" "Presence" "The Breakdown" (Prince cover) "Tomorrow" "Short and Sweet" "You're What I'm All About" "When Something Is Wrong With My Baby" "Baby" "Goat Head" "13th Century Metal" - Encore - "Bring Your Love To Me" "Revolution" (Beatles cover) "History Repeats" "Run To Me"

Live Stream: The Hold Steady @ Brooklyn Bowl Friday Night 12/1

We are now heading into the new normal with live music during the Covid-19 and beyond 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.

Tomorrow Night: The Hold Steady - Massive Nights @ Brooklyn Bowl 12/1

The Friday night edition of The Hold Steady's yearly Massive Nights celebration will be live streamed from Brooklyn Bowl tomorrow night via FANS. 

RtBE will be in the house, but if you can't make it, grab that live stream.  To get in the mood, here is some Hold Steady to get you pumped. 

New Single from Bourbon House "Runnin' Hot"

The Wisconsin based Bourbon House have a new single out on Fretbar Records titled "Runnin' Hot"

Check out the heavy rocking joint below:

RIP Shane MacGowan

Shane MacGowan has died, he was 65. 

The front man of The Pogues (amongst other musical endeavors) was a rebel poet, a world class addict with a Sarlacc Pit of a mouth, and a special symbol to punks with a tinge of the Irish blood (RtBE included). It is amazing he lived to this age with all the abuse he gave his body, yet by extending his life and career, it allowed me to see him at his best and at his worst. 

Let's get the worst out of the way first, it was the inaugural Guinness Fleadh at Randall's Island in 1997. Young and excited, I took a bus up with a crew of feisty NYC friends and drunks, a good chunk of whom grew up in Ireland. Having never seen MacGowan he was the clear must see on this day, which hosted a ton of RtBE favorites (Black 47, John Prine, Steve Earle etc.). 

Getting a few beers loose then getting close to the stage for his set with the Popes, excitement ran high in the crowd, probably for MacGowan as well as he was completely blitzed, slurring, unintelligible and making it only through a few songs before passing out and being carried off stage while bleeding. Obviously not the best performance, it lived up to the myth and since there were other bands to check out I always will remember it fondly.

I was also lucky enough to catch a reunited Pogues a few times and that was something I never thought I would get to see. Shane got new teeth, and the band was excellent, never better than the first time I saw them in 2006, which I wrote happily wrote about. Seeing him waltzing under the fake snow in NYC was something I will never forget. 

MacGowan used to frequent (and get thrown out of) bars I have drank at in Belfast, I have covered his songs in my band, and there has always been that flicker of disturbed glee behind his lyrics and slurred performances. He had that special something, he was the real deal, and if anyone would want you to raise a pint to him when he is gone it is Shane MacGowan, so please do so and play his tunes loud today:

Album Review: Bob Dylan - Shadow Kingdom

Bob Dylan 

Shadow Kingdom

**** out of *****

For the unaware, Bob Dylan has been on his Never Ending Tour since 1988, having logged more live shows than most artists half his age. Playing approximately 100 shows a year, the legendary Bard has managed to keep his amazing back-catalog fresh to fans by reinventing them onstage with new melody's rhythms and lyrics each tour. 

When the Covid pandemic closed it all down, Bob went dark, not playing anywhere, or doing any live streams...so his fans thought. It was announced that he would present a streaming event titled Shadow Kingdom: The Early Songs of Bob Dylan. Rabid Dylan disciples (RtBE included) salivated over this and loved being able to see it during those dark days; it was one of our favorite streams of 2021.

Now comes out the real story, those young musicians in fancy French locales playing Dylan's songs live?  Not the case. It turns out that Bob booked some studio time in LA and recorded with long time friends (including T-Bone Burnett and Don Was) and studio musicians to produce an album of a few of his older songs in laid back fashion, without drums. The film by Alma Har'el was released for downloading right after it premiered in 2021, Shadow Kingdom as a standalone album was not released until 2023. 

While it technically is his first album of studio recordings (maybe live recordings?) since the underwhelming Rough and Rowdy Ways, it is much less of an event as some of these songs are almost sixty years old. That said, their unique presentation here feels more like a second coming of Dylan's Unplugged sessions from back in 1995.

It feels like a live album as the musicians, (Bob Dylan – vocals, guitar, harmonica, Jeff Taylor – accordion, Greg Leisz – guitar, pedal steel guitar, mandolin, Tim Pierce – guitar, T-Bone Burnett – guitar, Ira Ingber – guitar, Don Was – upright bass, John Avila – electric bass, Doug Lacy – accordion, Steve Bartek – additional acoustic guitar) seem to be working out these arraignments of classic tunes on the fly.  

There is a ramshackle feeling to some of the songs, specifically, "Most Likely You Go Your Way and I'll Go Mine", the slower "Queen Jane Approximately" and the wobbly version of "The Wicked Messenger" which is pretty cool, almost falling off the rails. This feels lower stakes for Bob, as if he just recorded a concert/rehearsal session. Nothing earth shattering, but lots of things to love, including new lyrics on many efforts including "When I Paint My Masterpiece", "To Be Alone with You" and "Watching the River Flow". 

Not everything works well, the slowed, drawn out "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue" is a slog, and the reworking of "Tombstone Blues" in slower, softer fashion is a complete miss. The absence is drums is not felt that often, but giving both of these songs some percussion would have definitely improved things. 

That said, this is a spry 80 year old, looking back at his tunes (as he does every tour) and breathing new life into them in various ways. That alone is enough to sing it's praises, but when things go correctly, like on the revving "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight", the chugging "Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues" which uses great pedal steel work, or the off the cuff feeling of "Pledging My Time" which deploys dynamite harmonica, the songs and musicians should be applauded. 

    

A cool addition to the Bard's catalog, Shadow Kingdom is an intriguing listen from start to finish. 

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

Album Review: Mikaela Davis - And Southern Star

Mikaela Davis

And Southern Star

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

For her sophomore release, And Southern Star, Mikaela Davis has broadened her sound and scope; embracing weirdness while staying centered on seductive vocals and satisfying songs, crafting an exceptionally stout listening experience. 

The album certainly has an evolution to it, just compare and contrast the opening "Cinderella" with closer "Leave It Alone". The opening effort is an easy grooving number led by Davis' harp that tells a story of broken down love in Americana tradition with weepy pedal steel and strong vocals. The closing effort starts in that fashion, lulling you in before taking launching off to excellently jammed out guitar riffs and synths before crashing into the digital abyss, only to rise back up like a modern day Velvet Underground smoker with a revved up tweaked out finale.  

Those two sides of the same coin show Davis' breathe and depth as an artist as she and her bandmates, Davis (harp/vocals), Alex Coté (drums), Cian McCarthy (guitars/vocals), Shane McCarthy (bass/vocals) and Kurt Johnson (steel guitar) present a strong folk rock base, but expertly get loose and way out there when needed. 

The multiple strings add a unique dimension to the groups sound as harp, acoustic/electric/pedal steel guitars all intertwine winningly, most notably on the upbeat country galloping of "Home In The Country" and the slower ballad, "One of These Days" which adds a deep bass layer to the bottom of the goodness. The poppy offering of "Promise" recalls a Fleetwood Mac vibe while "The Pearl" is the most stripped down for Davis' vocals and harp to shine through. 

"Saturday Morning" floats on a softer, jazzier side of things before swelling while a piano intro morphs into some really cool distorted guitar work that sounds like a mix between synths and horns, which may all be in play as well. This sense of adventure in the music really comes alive at the close of And Southern Star as "Don't Stop Now" takes political activism lyrics and pairs them with a swaggering rock vibe, strong drums, a great guitar solo and even flute work.   

A dynamite offering from all involved, Mikaela Davis And Southern Star solidifies Davis as a star in the jamband world and beyond. 

________________

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

 

Album Review: The Replacements - Tim (Let It Bleed Edition)

The Replacements

Tim (Let It Bleed Edition)

***** out of *****

Anytime a beloved album gets a remix/remaster/even re-recording there is a sense of a money grab to it, and fans will usually unanimously agree the original was better. While that might be the case for most re-releases, Tim (Let It Bleed Edition), from the indie rock icons The Replacements is the exception to the rule as the album's new mixes, remasters, live show and outtakes are a treasure trove to fans and will open up new ears that the original album may have skipped right by; this is what a special edition re-release should be.  

Always a cult-ish Midwestern outfit, The Replacements didn't help themselves by delivering sloppy live shows and lo-fi production, even to their main stream albums and Tim was the biggest offender on that front; muddied and muddled it never went to the next level on the back of Let It Be like it should have. The clear focal point of this Let It Bleed Edition is the new mix from the legendary Ed Stasium (The Ramones, Talking Heads) which brings out new sounds, cleans up the production, and makes the record sound vividly alive, and better than the original. 

From the opening notes of "Hold My Life" the distinction between Stasium's mix and the original is blatantly obvious, all the instruments have space, but don't lose their bite. Drums and cymbals sound much crisper, bass is textured and gone is the dark, muddy, overall sound; it is pretty amazing to hear songs from the Stasium remix right after the originals. The remix adds new layers to songs bringing out instrumentation that was buried, a guitar solo from Bob Stinson shows up miraculously in an elongated "Little Mascara". 

The power in "Dose of Thunder" and The Heartbreakers inspired punk rock of "Lay It Down Clown" is booming out of speakers as is the ripping vocals and riffs on "Bastards of Young", but just as effecting is the softer numbers like "Swinging Party" and the stark "Here Comes A Regular". Both are super evocative in their remixed state, gaining even more nuance and feeling. The whole record should be re-examined as this version of Tim puts it the conversation of the best record The Replacements have ever released.     

If this new mix was the only thing released it would still get high marks, however the Let It Bleed Edition has three other disks. The original Tim is remastered here as disk two and while it is nice to have, the new mix still towers over it. Disk 3 showcases outtakes and alternate versions, opening up Paul Westerberg's writing process a bit and also importantly includes early versions of "Can't Hardly Wait" which Westerberg hoped to get on Tim. The final disk is a live show from the Cabaret Metro, recorded in 1986. This recording isn't soundboard perfection, but with The Replacements that was never the point, it was the experience, and on that front it delivers.

There will always be debates about re-masters and if fans should stick with the original, or embrace new sounds. One remix that RtBE always liked better than the original was the Iggy Pop version of The Stooges Raw Power, it is the only version we now listen to, but RtBE also didn't grow up with the original. 

As someone who has always appreciated The Replacements with a bit of distance, there is no question, this is the version of Tim we will now go back to and discard the original, but long time fans may like the lo-fi murkiness the band delivered back in 1985 and that is OK, just let it be and while your at it, let it bleed. 

__________________

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

New Single from elfrenchiesmok "Better Dayz"

The Canadian hip hop artist elfrenchiesmok has released his new single, "Better Dayz".

Check it out below:

Album Review: Willie Nelson - I Don't Know A Thing About Love: The Songs of Harlan Howard

Willie Nelson

I Don't Know A Thing About Love: The Songs of Harlan Howard

**** out of *****

The seventy third (!) solo album from the American country legend Willie Nelson is I Don't Know A Thing About Love: The Songs of Harlan Howard. This focus on Howard's songs is apt as Howard gave Nelson his first job as a songwriter for the publishing company Pamper Music.

The rich sounding record was produced by Nelson's longtime partner Buddy Cannon and the backing band consists of Wyatt Beard – background vocals, Melonie Cannon – background vocals, Jim "Moose" Brown – piano, synthesizer, B-3 organ, Wurlitzer, Mike Johnson – steel guitar, James Mitchell – electric guitar, Larry Paxton – bass, tic tac bass, Mickey Raphael – harmonica, Bobby Terry – acoustic guitar, electric guitar, Lonnie Wilson – drums. Nelson's voice is more restrained, but still in amazing fashion for a 90 year old habitual smoker of multiple substances. 

Also of note is Nelson's guitar playing as many songs on the album, including the weepy ballad "The Chokin' Kind" and "Beautiful Annabel Lee", deploy some excellent, jazz like solos from Nelson's unmistakable sounding acoustic guitar, Trigger.  

Paxton's bass and Wilson's drums push along both "Excuse Me (I've Think I've Got A Heartache)" and "She Called Me Baby" with energy, making the exit before the tears flow directly into the beer, while the piano, straight ahead strums, and Raphael's evocative harmonica colors the sad "Life Turned Her That Way". These old tunes and even older singer come alive with emotion throughout the album, traits country artists 70 years younger than Nelson would kill for. 

The title tune is a beautiful mix of musical styles as Americana, waltzes around with flamenco flair and lyrical beauty. Less successful is the opening "Tiger By The Tail" which finds Nelson's voice being flanked by background vocals and overshadowed, sounding odd, but the rest of the album finds the braided one in fine form, especially on the stout "Streets of Baltimore" and sorrowful "Too Many Rivers". All the players come together beautifully, ending the album on a highpoint with their down and out take, with deep bluesy influences running throughout the classic "Busted".    

Just over a half hour of timeless country tunes, played with supreme confidence and relaxed professionalism, Willie Nelson's late career top notch output continues with his tribute album to an old colleague and friend, I Don't Know A Thing About Love: The Songs of Harlan Howard

_________________________

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

Dylan Cover #608 Augustines "Mama, You Been On My Mind"

In this ongoing Monday Series we will be exploring various artists versions of Bob Dylan song's. Today's tune is a cover by Augustines playing "Mama, You Been On My Mind"

This month we are doing another special focus in RtBE's Dylan Covers series.

In the past we have highlighted The Byrds, Coulson-Dean-McGuiness-Flint, The Hollies, Joan Osbourne, Mountain, Betty LeVette , Reggae Covers and many more.

For November and December we highlight covers from: Chimes of Freedom: The Songs of Bob Dylan Honoring 50 Years of Amnesty International

Thoughts on Original:

From the first time we tackled a cover of this tune:
An early hidden gem of Bob's writing "Mama, You Been On My Mind" finds him getting poetic, melodic and rhythmic with his words. From the opening 'Sun Cut Flat' phrase Dylan is in top gear, talking to the woman he is thinking about with clarity, fleeting desire and a smirk. Often performing the tune with Joan Baez in those early days the tune took on an add dimension as a duet. A great song that should get even more love then it does.

Cover:


Thoughts on Cover Artist:
This is the first time RtBE has heard about Augustines. 

Thoughts on Cover:

An acoustic, straight ahead, sweet cover from the band that is pleasant and enjoyable. 

Full Show Friday: Urgehal - Live @ Forest Fest, Chevenez 16 July 2022

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...Urgehal! 

It is upon us! BLACK Friday! In a tradition we started years ago it is time for the most evil Black Metal ever; because really it is the perfect soundtrack if you are hitting the brutality of shopping on this day. Granted we here at RtBE are not fans of the genre (or shopping) but have researched a few bands after enjoying the documentary Until The Light Takes Us.

Here we go again...lets' bang our collective heads to the black metal outfit Urgehal, live from last year! 

Enjoy...or Suffer!

Feral Family Release New Single, "Deep Cuts"

The Leftfield Yorkshire based rockers Feral Family have released their latest single “Deep Cuts”, taken from their forthcoming debut album Without Motion (Out in Jan 2024).

About the song, lead singer Jaime Lowe states:

“”Deep Cuts” reflects being hurt deeply, the struggle to cope with the pain, and the desire to move on. Time may be a great healer, but those scars don’t always necessarily fade. The song contemplates the reasons behind the suffering and expresses a hope to find closure and healing with time. It also explores the thin lines between emotional vulnerability and strength, highlighting the internal conflict of trying to navigate through difficult experiences ."

Check it out below:

Happy Thanksgiving from RtBE!

Have a Happy Thanksgiving. Make sure you spend some time over this holiday doing what is truly important...Watching The Last Waltz:

For the gear heads reading this, here is an excellent run down of all the equipment used for this historic show.

Since it is a holiday here in the USA, also make sure to enjoy your time with loved ones and family. As a famous man once said, "Enjoy Every Sandwich"...especially the leftover turkey, mashed potato, stuffing and gravy ones on potato rolls...

The last few years we have thrown it back to Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parades of the past and this years no different.

Here is the 1999 Thanksgiving Day Parade, now go get stuffed! 

The K's Release New Video/Single "Heart On My Sleeve"

Earlestown, UK based indie rockers The K's release a new video/single for "Heart On My Sleeve".

Regarding the song, frontman Jamie Boyle says:

““Heart On My Sleeve” is a reflection of my tendency to self-destruct or push people away whenever I have any feelings of insecurity or vulnerability, and how I hide behind a persona to try and distract from the fact that I feel this way. It’s the most honest song I’ve written to date, and I think most people will be able to relate to the honesty and the feelings that inspired it.”

Check it out below:

Live Review: Bob Dylan - NJPAC 11/20/23

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

It is of the recent Bob Dylan live show at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark. 

Almost exactly a year ago we caught Bob and his band at the Beacon doing basically the same show, and this time in New Jersey things were much better. 

RtBE are still not fans of Rough and Rowdy Ways, and this show didn't hold a candle to the one we saw in 2018 (let alone 2001 or 1997) but going in with low expectations lent itself to a fun night of music as his singing, and more impressively his piano playing, were on point and much better than last tour. 

It also should be noted NJPAC is a fantastic venue.  If you can see any musical performance there you should, it is acoustically perfect.  

Check out the review and since phones were locked up there are no pics or video (yet) from the show online, here is a different version of the opening song, 

New Video from Shaddow, "Worldwide Party"

A new video from Shaddow for the tune, "Worldwide Party". 

Check out the multi-talented artists video below:

The Rolling Stones Announce Tour, Playing New Orleans Jazz Fest

On the back of Hackney Diamonds, The Rolling Stones announced another world tour today, with a stop at New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.

They have tried this twice in the past, so hopefully the third time is the charm for the Stones and JF. RtBE will certainly be there. 

Here is a tune to get you in the Stones mood:

Album Review: The Polyphonic Spree - Salvage Enterprise

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

It is of the first Polyphonic Spree since Yes, It's True back in 2013 (we reviewed that one too, and it even made our year end review), this one is titled Salvage Enterprise.   

If grandiose, positive pop is your bag, give the Spree a shot.

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

 

Dylan Cover #607 Mark Knopfler "Restless Farewell"

In this ongoing Monday Series we will be exploring various artists versions of Bob Dylan song's. Today's tune is a cover by Mark Knopfler playing "Restless Farewell"

This month we are doing another special focus in RtBE's Dylan Covers series.

In the past we have highlighted The Byrds, Coulson-Dean-McGuiness-Flint, The Hollies, Joan Osbourne, Mountain, Betty LeVette , Reggae Covers and many more.

For November and December we highlight covers from: Chimes of Freedom: The Songs of Bob Dylan Honoring 50 Years of Amnesty International

Thoughts on Original:

From the first time we covered this song (which was a twofer)
 Since we took last week off there is a two-fer today with "Rambling Gambling Willy" which is a gorgeous little number about someone I would like to have a beer with before we get "Restless Farewell".  One of Dylan's many tunes based off of a old Irish folk song, this time it is "The Parting Glass".  Lyrics seem bittersweet as time often is, and I always go back to the version he and his crack band played at the Frank Sinatra's 80th Birthday Party, you can see the video here.  I always loved that version, with the added strings, and I am intrigued why he chose to play that song for Frank Sinatra's 80th birthday, when every other performer was doing Sinatra tunes, odd all around.  Far from his sweetest song, but you can sense that Irish longing, behind lines and phrases which makes Liam covering it ideal.    

Cover:


Thoughts on Cover Artist:
Mark Knopfler has a long connection to Dylan, producing his albums, playing with him, fairly recently touring with him and RtBE was lucky enough to catch that tour. Obviously he is famous for Dire Straits, who RtBE digs a bit, and he has a long career.  
  
Thoughts on Cover:
This is a really great cover, with layers of acoustic strings, a Celtic/Irish influence and a soft setting that works for Knopfler's understated vocals. A really great cover. 

Darkbird Cover The Replacements "Androgynous"

The Austin, TX based Darkbirds recently released a cover of The Replacements "Androgynous"  

About the cover, lead vocalist Kelly Barnes states: 

"At a Darkbird record release show Brian and I performed our own intimate version of "Androgynous" by The Replacements as we are serious fans and the subject matter couldn't be more relevant right now. A few months later he sent me a simple recording of us rehearsing it with the message "we should record this and put it out," and as I listened, I agreed as our performance truly relays our affection for such a timely, raw and genuine song in our own raw and genuine way, so we did it"

Check it out here:

Full Show Friday: Big Audio Dynamite - Live on Meltdown 1987

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...Big Audio Dynamite!

This week's Full Show Friday is a televised performance from Big Audio Dynamite back in 1987 on the British show Meltdown. 

Pro shot pro sound set list below. Enjoy!

C'mon Every Beatbox 

V. Thirteen 

Limbo the Law 

Medicine Show 

Sightsee MC

 BAD

Live Streams: JRAD Tonight and Tomorrow in Pennsylvania

We are now heading into the new normal with live music during the Covid-19 and beyond 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 is: Joe Russo Almost Dead - 11/16-17 Live in Pennsylvania 

Back to back nights, nugs.net are live streaming JRAD shows from the Keystone state. Check them out here.

To get in the mood here is some live JRAD:

Album Review: People Museum - Relic

People Museum

Relic

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

The sophomore effort, Relic, from the New Orleans based People Museum is an indie rock revival as sounds bubble up and circulate around dynamite vocals.

Consisting of trombonist Jeremy Phipps, lead singer Claire Givens, drummer / keyboardist Aaron Boudreaux and bassist / tuba player Charles Lumar II the group play with dynamics as they weave throughout Relics thirteen songs. After the brief, opening sonic swirling of “Home” which shouts out their love of their hometown New Orleans, “Sinking” knocks it out of the park with keys, skittering drums, and Givens monumental vocals.

After that the album moves into a distinct electro/pop phase as “Wherever I Go” uses deep bass and trombone hits to move folks onto the dance floor. “Sleep” maneuvers the sounds up and down with receding and swelling synths while the digital/dance ready “Saturn Rings” keeps the good vibes going. Less successful is the modern pop/over the top “Back To Myself” and the stuttering EDM influenced “Coast”.

The new wave inspired “Whole Heart” bumps with bass and synth in winning fashion while the snapping, scale climbing of “Fountain” is pleasant in its lightness. Relic starts on a high note and finishes up on one as well as the title track is fantastic. It is all based around a deep vibrating groove that continues to ebb and flow until a triumphant finale; the track could be an indie film all in itself and will certainly be used theatrically.

Relic concludes with the dramatic ballad “Lie For You” as Givens vocals once again take center stage. People Museum have woven a unique tapestry of evocative sounds, dance ready pop, and theatrical extravagance with Relic as they continue to explore their unique sound.

___________________________

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

The Twilight Singers Release Animated Video for "Number Nine"

To help celebrate The Twilight Singers massive vinyl box set release, the band have released an animated video for their song "Number Nine"

The video was created by Dos Rios Films dosriosfilms.com and Hobby Creative Studios wearehobby.com.

Check it out below:

Album Review: Christone "Kingfish" Ingram - Live In London

Christone "Kingfish" Ingram

Live In London

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

RtBE had the privilege of recently catching Christone "Kingfish" Ingram and his band live, but if you live somewhere he is not playing, you should instantly purchase Live In London.  Even for someone who has seen him recently, this capturing of a live show at The Garage in London is a staggering reminder of this artists talent, as Kingfish deploys all of the skills that make him one of the most exciting young bluesmen in the business.

The live album kicks off in killer fashion with the clean electric blues in a Robert Cray influenced style as Ingram's understated singing and mind blowing playing starts the show via "She Calls Me Kingfish". "Fresh Out" let's Kingfish's touring band get in on the act as Paul Rogers plays bass, Chris Black is on drums, and DeShawn Alexander plays keys, and it is the keyboard break on this tune that is the star, along with Kingfish's fierce guitar work. 

An early album highlight is "Empty Promises" which sports a massive solo from Ingram to start and never looks back; a dynamite showcase of his talents. When the instrumental workout "Mississippi Night" rolls around things are going on fifty plus minutes and the one clear detriment starts to show up, there is just too much presented on the album. Live in London is a long running double album that loads up on songs when perhaps more editing would have been prudent.    

Less songs presented would put a better focus on his talents, yet it is hard to argue when the solo acoustic duo of "Been Here Before" and "Something In The Dirt" arrive and add a new dimension to the blues man's style. However, songs like "You're Already Gone" and "Listen" don't add a ton to the album. It is also odd that "Not Gonna Lie" gets faded out as the band seems to still be jamming, if that was the case, why include it at all? 

Outside of song selection or length, it is hard to argue with much else from Live in London. "Rock and Roll" uses a clean piano intro and soft singing to build to a mega solo, and "Outside Of This Town" has an "Higher Ground" influenced bass and drum foundation to extendedly jam off of. Two mega tunes later on the album are "Midnight Heat" which is loaded with heavy funk and a healthy dose of the blues while set closer "662" boogie-woogies with abandon, injecting some '50's rock and roll swagger into the bands performance, wrapping up a huge live album on a high note.      

Overall, Live In London shows off all of the aspects of what makes Christone "Kingfish" Ingram such a blues must see live. While a more streamlined, single live album would pack a more effective punch, the sheer talent of Kingfish shines through elevating this slightly overloaded live album. 

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

New Single/Video from J. Mascis "Can't Believe We're Here"

One of RtBE's all-time favorites J. Mascis has a new tune and star studded, lo-fi video out today, "Can't Believe We're Here". 

He has a new solo record coming out soon titled What Do We Do Now.

Check out the first single below:

Album Review: Jesse Kivel - Life and Death at Party Rock

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

It is of the newest full length release by Jesse Kivel titled Life and Death at Party Rock.

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

Dylan Cover #606 Blake Mills & Danielle Haim "Heart of Mine"

In this ongoing Monday Series we will be exploring various artists versions of Bob Dylan song's. Today's tune is a cover by Blake Mills and Danielle Haim playing "Heart of Mine"

This month we are doing another special focus in RtBE's Dylan Covers series. In the past we have highlighted The Byrds, Coulson-Dean-McGuiness-Flint, The Hollies, Joan Osbourne, Mountain, Betty LeVette , Reggae Covers and many more.

For November and December we highlight covers from: Chimes of Freedom: The Songs of Bob Dylan Honoring 50 Years of Amnesty International

Thoughts on Original:

From the first time we tackled a cover of this tune:
Shot of Love found Dylan beginning to get back to more secular music after his gospel phase and "Heart of Mine" is an odd song that is cliché as hell but also loose and spastic Dylan. The fact that this version was released on Shot of Love is why the Bootleg series exists and the reason fans can become frustrated with his albums, as he himself stated: 

In an interview taken in 1984, Dylan admitted that "Heart of Mine" was "done a bunch of different ways ... but I chose for some reason a particularly funky version of that—and it's really scattered. It's not as good as some of the other versions, but I chose it because Ringo and Ronnie Wood played on it, and we did it in like ten minutes." 

Being that Dylan himself couldn't decide on how the song should actually be constructed, it makes it ripe for other artists to interpret, that is if they can get past the cheesy, "don't do the crime if you can't do the time" line...

Cover:


Thoughts on Cover Artist:
This is our first time hearing Blake Mills and Danielle Haim, together but have heard them both separately. 

Thoughts on Cover: 

A cool cover that stays pretty straight toward the originally but has a few wooly edges and moments when things could ramble off the tracks.  A fun version. 

Full Show Friday: Margo Price - Glastonbury 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...Margo Price!

Back to Glastonbury 2017 for Margo Price's set at the festival today.

Pro shot, Pro sound, Enjoy:

Rocket Share New Single "Future Memory"

Los Angeles-based Rocket have shared the second single off their debut EP, Versions of You. The single is titled “Future Memory”.

Vocalist Alithea Tuttle shares that she: 

“wrote it shortly after a childhood friend had passed away as a young adult. I was struggling with the fact that it was deeply affecting me even though I didn’t know him very well at this stage in our lives. We were close as children and he had recently come back into my life but passed away before any of us were able to learn more about who he had become. I felt almost guilty for feeling so moved by his passing but visited his grave and wrote this song. It’s not the most profound, but it helped me accept that he would be the stuff of future memories.”

Check out the single below:

Album Review: Mutoid Man - Mutants

Mutoid Man

Mutants

*** out of *****

The newest effort from Mutoid Man mixes up hard rock, metal, and punk while delivering the head banging goods as Mutants oozes out over the ten heavy tracks. 

The power trio of Stephen Brodsky: vocals, guitar Ben Koller: drums, percussion Jeff Matz: bass, vocals, piano, have all played in other high profile metal outfits (Brodsky and Koller in Converge and Matz High on Fire) and their talents are on display as they kick out no nonsense rock with abandon. 

Throwback in a sense that all that matters is the songs ferocity, the group attack each track with Koller and Matz laying the ground work while Brodsky's vocals and guitars lead the charge. Opener "Call of the Void" hits classic hard rock tropes and sticks to lyrics like "Hell resides within/Looking to surprise/All the helpless souls" while "Siren Song" marches directly ahead presumably with boots, long hair and an all black outfit. 

The group is constant with their style and substance as the warped bass of "Graveyard Love" is Motorhead influenced with it's combo of punk/metal while Koller's fantastic drumming (which is a standout throughout the album) dominates "Frozen Hearts". The melodic metal with a punk edge of "Broken Glass Ceiling" flashes great riffs and a monstrous ending while "Memory Hole" is a chugging behemoth of stoner rock and aggression that deals directly with revisionist history. 

The highlight tracks switch up the sounds just a touch with "Unborn" mixing and matching a noisy then extended musical intro as more guttural vocals take over with laser like guitars. "Siphon" adds speed metal like flashes and prog changes to an all ready dexterous mix of sound. The pounding groove metal of "Demons" is also a blast while  album closer "Setting" is a theatrical, over the top, metal  journey that is pleasant and powerful at the same time. 

True metal/punk/hard rocking professionals, Mutoid Man slam home with power on Mutants, a solid slice of bombastic bad ass sound.

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

MMTH Drops New Video for "Muscle Memory"

The Aurich, Germany based band MMTH have released a new video for their song Muscle Memory. 

It features weightlifter Irakli Chanturia and you can check it out below:

Album Review: Gov't Mule - Peace...Like A River

Gov't Mule

Peace...Like A River

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

When the great James Brown passed away, jamband fans anointed Warren Haynes the hardest working man in show business as he seemed to be everywhere; writing, recording, and playing, all the time. The Covid lockdown must have been madness on Haynes, and to bust out of that, he and his main band Gov't Mule shacked up in Waterford, CT's Power Station New England to simultaneously record two albums, last years excellent, blues focused, Heavy Load Blues, and this years Peace...Like A River. 

Gov't Mule, (Haynes [guitar, vocals], Matt Abts [drums], Danny Louis [keyboards, guitar, and backing vocals], and Jorgen Carlsson [bass]) have hit the end of this section of their career which started in 2009 with Carlsson joining (Carlsson left the band after this release) and this record is a fine coda to those years. Peace...Like A River has all the trademarks of the group, stout low-end, blazing guitar work, soulful vocals and keys, yet there is also a knotty prog-rock sense at times, jazz influences and a whole lot of classic rock touch points.  

Unlike a lot of Mule releases which work as hard driving blues and cover efforts, this record is weighty, with lyrical themes reoccurring; it isn't a background album. Haynes and company dig in from the start with "Same At It Ever Was" acoustic strings, layers of guitar and Haynes sweet vocals float out. The track twists and turns, moving into heavy rock land for stanzas as well as smoother passages. Nothing on Peace...Like A River, is straight ahead and easy, and that starts here. 

The most "classic Mule sound" happens next as Billy Gibbons joins on the very ZZ Top sounding blues based "Shake Our Way Out", "After The Storm" is heavily influenced by The Doors, while Mule channels their Pink Floyd love into "Made My Peace" which uses prog-rock phrasing, wah-wah and huge vocal displays from Haynes. This tune also brings in the title theme as Peace and River show up lyrically throughout the album, tying the works together.  

There is a whole hell of a lot to tie together, these songs run long, and overall this is a double album, clocking in at around 76 minutes there is a ton to digest and it can be a bit overwhelming. Efforts like "Peace I Need" and "Your Only Friend" are fine, yet bloated with strings and extra riffs/solos. The best of the bunch is the funky “Dreaming Out Loud,” featuring Ivan Neville and Ruthie Foster. The keys, rich bass, and slick guitar lines work wonderfully, standing out from the more bobbing and weaving tunes around it. 

Another guest, Billy Bob Thornton shows up with lead vocals on the most experimental track here, the spoken word "The River Only Flows One Way" which uses off kilter percussion and has a spiritual successor "Just Across The River" as the journey continues. The adventure concludes in a big way via the deep bass, slinky keys and excellent horn runs in "Long Time Coming", wrapping up the album in lyrical fashion while "Gone Too Long" acts like searing guitar driven encore.       

There is a lot to digest on this overstuffed, yet never dull album and Gov't Mule may have been more successful if they paired it down to more of a single record, but for fans of Haynes and company, this record will bear fruit for years to come. There is feeling that these songs sat around too long and were overly thought-out, yet there is also a sense that Peace...Like A River, is the best album this formation of the Mule has ever released lurking just under the flowing river of sound. 

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

New Single From Zahn, "Apricot"

The Berlin based noise/art rock band Zahn has released a new single "Apricot".

About the track, the band states:

"Being in a band often entails profuse sweating, whether it's under the stage lights, lifting heavy gear, sitting on a sweltering bus without air conditioning or the anxiety-induced perspiration before a performance. For many rockers, being intoxicated is a vital element of a show. With ZAHN we're approaching this in a different way – we’re pursuing an altered state of consciousness by pushing ourselves to the limit in a sauna – Apricot is a sober yet sensory and psychedelic sauna experience."

Check it out here and grab their new album from bandcamp:

Album Review: Ian Sweet - Sucker

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

It is of the newest release by Ian Sweet titled Sucker

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

Dylan Cover #605 Joan Baez - Seven Curses

In this ongoing Monday Series we will be exploring various artists versions of Bob Dylan song's. Today's tune is a cover by Joan Baez playing "Seven Curses"

This month we are doing another special focus in RtBE's Dylan Covers series. In the past we have highlighted The Byrds, Coulson-Dean-McGuiness-Flint, The Hollies, Joan Osbourne, Mountain, Betty LeVette , Reggae Covers and many more.

For November and December we highlight covers from: Chimes of Freedom: The Songs of Bob Dylan Honoring 50 Years of Amnesty International

Thoughts on Original:

An early tune from Dylan that lives and breathes the European folk song tradition as breathed through his lungs. The distrust of authority, the bleakness/unfairness of life, the anger and retribution all feel so natural. Dylan's harshness here seems connected to "Masters of War" as the pain and suffering flows through the end of the bitter tale. 

Also this is a great read about the song. 

Cover:


Thoughts on Cover Artist:
Joan Baez is a legend as a folk artist and activist. Needless to say she is a huge reason Dylan became the man that he did.

Thoughts on Cover: 

Acoustically played and flutteringly sang, Baez's natural timbre makes the cursing a little less mean, but this cover song still packs a punch.