New Single from Fishbone "All We Have Is Now"

It is great to see the legendary Fishbone pumping out new music. 

Here is their most recent single "All We Have Is Now":

Album Review: Death Valley Girls - Islands in the Sky

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

It is of Death Valley Girls newest release, Islands in the Sky. 

RtBE liked their last full length and we really dig on this new one a lot as well. A touchy more poppy without losing their sound, DVG have a winner with Islands in the Sky. 

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

Dylan Cover #570 Ryan Dart "Million Miles" 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 Ryan Dart playing "Million Miles"

Thoughts on Original:

From the first time we tackled a cover of this tune:

From the barren blues of Time Out Of Mind comes "Million Miles". While not a standout on that album, the song was prophetic, hinting at the fantastic twelve bar blues variations that would dominate his next two releases. When first heard though it doesn't jump out, just feels like yet ANOTHER solid track from the bard.

Cover:

Thoughts on Cover Artist:
This is the first time we are checking out Ryan Dart who is a Americana musician based in Colorado.

Thoughts on Cover:

A very confident and well performed cover of this tune. Dart makes it his own with strong strums, dramatic pauses and excellent singing. A gorgeous acoustic cover of this bluesy jam. 

Full Show Friday: David Guetta - LIVE @ Ultra Music Festival Miami 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...David Guetta!

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.

RtBE wraps up our Full Show Friday Pop Showcase with David Guetta - LIVE @ Ultra Music Festival Miami 2022. Enjoy:

New Single From Desert Sharks "Sleepy Pie"

The Brooklyn based rock outfit Desert Sharks release their newest video for "Sleepy Pie".

The track is from their upcoming album The Tower out on Substitute Scene Records March 31st, 2023.

Check out the tune below:

Album Review: Secret Machines - The Moth, The Lizard, and The Secret Machines

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

It is of the Secret Machines newest release, The Moth The Lizard and The Secret Machines.

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

New Single from Jason Isbell "Death Wish" New Album and Tour Coming Soon

RtBE favorite Jason Isbell has a new album Weathervanes coming in June with supporting tour dates.

You can check out all of the supporting dates and the first single, "Death Wish", which is out now:

Album Review: Screaming Females - Desire Pathway

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

It is of Screaming Females newest album Desire Pathway.

RtBE are massive fans and supporters of Screaming Females with reason; they are one of the best bands out there today. This album is killer. 

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

Album Review: Donald Harrison - Indian Blue

Donald Harrison 

Indian Blues

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

The fantastic Tipitina's Record Club newest offering is a re-release of a criminally under-appreciated, Indian Blues by Donald Harrison. Originally released in 1992 to mixed reviews, now a gorgeous gun-smoke gray double vinyl houses this unique mix of jazz, New Orleans Black Masking Indian chants, funk and R&B complete with new packaging and original linear notes from Lee Jeske. 

If you have seen the HBO show Treme, there is a storyline regarding Delmond Lambreaux trying to fuse his high brow, NYC influenced jazz with his NOLA roots. While the viewer never gets to hear the full results, this is them, as the character was based on Harrison himself who consulted on the show. Harrison took his work with Art Blakely's Jazz Messengers and his upbringing as the son of Big Chief Donald Harrison Sr. and combined them with immense success.

These songs are enchanting and energizing, mysterious and open; a meld of styles that completely works on every level. With a supporting cast of Dr. John, The Guardians of The Flame Mardi Gras Indians and jazz professionals like Cyrus Chestnut (piano), Phil Bowler (bass), Carl Allen (drums), Howard "Smiley" Ricks (percussion), and Bruce Cox (tambourine). The record moves through the influences, at times blending, at times separating, but always engaging. 

Donald Harrison Sr. is a large presence on the album as well, singing lead vocals on three tracks as he raised Donald Jr. in the Black Masking Indian tradition. Opener "Hu-Ta-Nay" drops the listener directly into a full fledged Indian practice session (with smooth sax) that is soaring. A killer opening as Dr. John and Harrisons sax work do the lead call to the background response. 

The whole double album should be experienced as each song shines bright, whether it is the latin flair of "Hiko Hiko" which gives the classic New Orleans tune some spice before breaking mid-song into a gorgeous piano stroll or the moody version of "Indian Red" which takes the wild man out of it and substitutes smooth bass work and moody atmospherics. Harrisons horn work is everywhere, slick and confident the leader of this unique collection directing everything with an air of grace. 

The dynamic "Uptown Ruler" moves in many different directions but always flows towards freedom with exciting horns piano and percussion. The tight flowing "Big Chief" is a fast moving track which gets cooled out by Harrison's sweet horn as it seamlessly slides into "Walkin' Home" before "Shave'Em Dry" gets some swagger on to end the record with a smile and a strut. 

Jeske's excellent linear notes equate the album to walking between stages at New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival and picking up flavors from all that makes New Orleans great, which is true, but there is also a larger sound that links it all. It all started here, in the swamps, fields and specifically at Congo Square in New Orleans, Harrison and crew instill the songs with sophistication without ever sacrificing the soul of the music.    

This album has been an RtBE favorite for years and this gorgeous vinyl only makes the experiment that much sweeter.  A joyful mix of New Orleans sounds throughout history, Indian Blues by Donald Harrison is a dynamite listen from start to finish. 

__________________________

Join the record club, buy the album and peep some video below:

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!

2011 Mardi Gras Parade

Marching Bands Down Canal St.

Mardi Gras Pirates from 1930's

1910 New Orleans Mardi Gras

To help you get in the mood, here are some applicable tunes starting with the fantastic Professor Longhair:

You can also tune into WWOZ to get the flavor of the city today or any day. Have a great and safe day everyone. 

New Single from Brass-A-Holics, "Mardi Gras in New Orleans (Bar Room) Bounce"

A new single from New Orleans based outfit the Brass-A-Holics with very appropriate timing, it is titled "Mardi Gras in New Orleans (Bar Room) Bounce"

Add it to your Mardi Gras play list for tomorrow. Check it out below:

Dylan Cover #569 Virginia Kettle (Merry Hell) "Dark Eyes" 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 Virginia Kettle (Merry Hell) playing "Dark Eyes"

Thoughts on Original:

From the first time we tackled a cover of this tune:
"Dark Eyes" is the sparse album closer on the mixed bag Empire Burlesque. That record has lots of interesting songs, but falls into that dreaded period called "the '80's". The production was modern at the time and almost instantly sounded dated. The bootleg release Springtime in New York rescues a lot of these songs, showing that other takes of these tracks prove there was still strong songwriting and performing from the Bard during this era. One song that did not need rescuing is "Dark Eyes" a stone cold stunner from/for any decade; a lesser known great song from Dylan.  

Cover:

Thoughts on Cover Artist:
This is the first time I have heard Virginia Kettle from the English folk rock band, Merry Hell.  

Thoughts on Cover:

A dynamite straight ahead acoustic cover that really hits home. Performed for Dylan's 80th birthday, this is a real present to us all. 

Full Show Friday: The Weeknd - Coachella 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...The Weeknd!

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.

Just last year The Weeknd headlined Coachella, here is his set. Enjoy:

Album Review: Galactic - Tchompitoulas

Galactic 

Tchompitoulas

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

Over the years Galactic has morphed styles and genres as the New Orleans group easily moved between being the focus, or supporting act, to many of the cities brightest. That gamut running style continues on their newest EP, creatively titled Tchompitoulas. 

The 6 song outing touches on different genres as the group flexes their musical muscle and invites more friends to join in. Galactic anchors the sound but shift with ease, the opening "Big Whiskers" is the only cut with just the core band, (Robert Mercurio, Jeff Raines, Richard Vogel, Stanton Moore, Ben Ellman, Shamarr Allen) and it pumps deep funk and ripping guitar riffs. 

The first guest on the scene is Eric Biddiness as the MC drops his flow all over the hip hop beats (which owe a debt to "No Diggity") on a track titled "Making Cents". Galactic always work well backing MC's and this is no exception, the muted trumpet's add a nice touch. Speaking of trumpets, Eric Gordon blows his way excellently into the EP's instrumental title track, perhaps the strongest effort here. 

The other big highlight is the pop showcase for Anjelika Jelly Joseph titled "Float Up" which allows the vocalist to shine brightly over the r&b influenced beats. That style sticks around, as does Joseph who duets with Afro-Cuban vocalist Cimafunk, blaring through the funky track "Ready For Me". 

The group wraps up with second line percussion and modern day electro blues as Glen David Andrews maps out the lines from "Ny to Nola" with prisons and pain linking the two great towns. A quick joint, Tchompitoulas is another feather in the cap for the fluid group as they stay on the forefront of modern New Orleans music and beyond. 

_____________________

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

RIP Huey "Piano" Smith

Huey "Piano" Smith passed away at his home in Baton Rouge, he was 89. Here is some info on his life from nola.com. 

Smith was instrumental in helping to create and shape the New Orleans R&B sound that is at the foundation of rock and roll.  He played with all of the greats of the era from Little Richard to Lloyd Price and beyond. 

RtBE have always enjoyed Smith and his whimsical songs, I can personally remember hearing "Sea Cruise" way back in my youth on a friends jukebox in his basement. It played all sorts of silly one off's but something about that song stuck out.  Then, years later I found out that the record company stripped out Smith's vocals and had Frankie Ford sing over them. Smith had his fair share of injustices and bad luck in the industry like many black artists, but his tunes will always live on.

 

The album I go back to the most is Rockin' Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu. I have no idea where I downloaded it from years ago, but it is a breezy 33 minutes and covers almost all of his hits. That said, you can still dig deeper and enjoy his bouncy sound. 

Let's celebrate his life by listening to his music:

 

Album Review: Black Belt Eagle Scout - The Land, The Water, The Sky

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

It is of Black Belt Eagle Scout's newest album The Land, The Water, The Sky. 

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

Bloody Falls Release New Video for "Dancing With Flames"

The Valkeakoski, Finnish based metal outfit Bloody Falls release their newest single/video for their song "Dancing With Flames" off of their newest EP, Dying is Easy.

Check out the chugging, slamming, head-banging track below:

Album Review: Quasi - Breaking the Balls of History

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

It is of Quasi's new album Breaking the Balls of History. 

Reviewed Quasi back in 2010 and think this album is at least as good if not better than American Gong. 

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

Dylan Cover #568 James & Robert Mercer "Spanish Harlem Incident" 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 James Mercer & Robert Mercer of the Dylan tune "Spanish Harlem Incident"

Thoughts on Original:

From the first time we tackled a cover of this tune:
Easily one of my favorite early songs of Dylan's career, I love the sing-song playing of this tune and it's hints of his musical repertoire opening up.  "OnTheCliffsOfYourWildCatCharmsI'mRiding" combined is such a sweet phrase and how he strung it out it is fantastic.  You can see a young Bob becoming infatuated with a woman he saw, being inspired to write a tune that is filled with primal lust and sexiness.  A song I have always wanted to learn to play and cover...but that is for another post...    

Cover:


Thoughts on Cover Band:
This is the first time we are checking out James Mercer & Robert Mercer together, James main act is The Shins.

Thoughts on Cover:

A straight ahead solid cover of a dynamite little love/lust song from the Bard. Well, it is close to Valentines day....

Full Show Friday: SZA - Halloween 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...SZA!

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.

Here is a full set from SZA back at VEVO HALLOWEEN 2017.

Enjoy:

Happy 30th Anniversary to Dinosaur Jr's Where You Been

Today marks 30 years since the release of Dinosaur Jr's mid-career highpoint Where You Been. 

Dino Jr. are a long time RtBE favorite, we see them every year (at least once) and go back to all of their albums often. Back in 2016, I ranked all of the Dinosaur Jr. releases up until that point for Glide Magazine, you can check it out here, this was what was written regarding Where You Been.

2.         WHERE YOU BEEN (1993) Continuing with that sense of freedom Mascis keeps the great tunes rolling on this alternative classic. Here the choruses just state the facts as J sings in his slacker style and solidifies the tracks. “What Else Is New” is a theme song for this band while “I Ain’t Sayin’” soars through the cosmos to close. The two blinding standout tracks are the dynamic “Get Me” and the instantly catchy riffs of “Start Choppin”. The whole disk is full of top notch tracks and would top this list if not for…. 

1.         YOU’RE LIVING ALL OVER ME (1987)

As you can see, RtBE thinks VERY highly of this album, it is a guitar rock gemstone of an album. The band is planning some very special anniversary shows later this year which RtBE will be attending. 

Let's take some time to enjoy the album itself. There are so many classic tunes on it, you should listen to the whole thing, but here are three jams:

New Single from Mickelson, “Only Grey Matter Boiling In My Head”

US alternative folk/rock artist, Mickelson is back with the brand new single: “Only Grey Matter Boiling In My Head” and news of a fresh run of UK Dates.

The new single sees the San Francisco songwriter teaming-up with XTC legend Colin Moulding, who provides the track with its wandering bassline and production. 

Check out the tune and tour dates below. 

MICKELSON - UK TOUR: FEBRUARY 2023

14 - Worcester, Marr's Bar

15 - Birmingham, Flapper

16 - Leeds, The Grove Inn

17 - Glasgow, The 13th Note

18 - Meifod, Penylan Studios

22 - London, What's Cookin'

23 - Ramsgate, Red Arrow Music Club 

24 - Folkestone, The Chambers @ 8:00pm

25 - Brighton, The Folklore Rooms

26 - Swindon, The Victoria

TICKETS ON SALE HERE:

http://www.mickelsonmusic.com/tour

Miesha and The Spanks Release New Video for "It's My Year"

The garage rocking, Calgary based Miesha and The Spanks have a new video for their most recent single "It's My Year"

The tune has a bit of Dead Weather meets The Go-Go's and sports a great video to boot. The full length, Unconditional Love In Hi-Fi is slated for release 14th April 2023

Album Review: Oddisee - To What End

Oddisee

To What End

*** out of *****

The Washington D.C. based MC/producer Oddisee's newest release, To What End is a mix of extended vocal stanzas, easy rolling beats and live instrumentation. The laid back hip hop vibe is sometimes at odds with Oddisee's message, as he has a lot to say on heavy topics. 

The album opens with the aptly titled "The Start Of Something" where he rhymes about mixed emotions, professional malaise, families, truths and much more, over strings and a mid-song piano break which ends up severing things into more of a two-songs-in-one feel. "How Far" is a sweet jam but wraps up before really kicking in while "Many Hats" is a smooth, 70's funk inspired ode around electro keys and is one of the best full efforts here. 

Self produced by Oddisee, he also brings in live instrumentation onto the tracks with support from Ralph Real (keys), Dennis Turner (bass), Olivier St. Louis & Saint Ezekiel (guitar) Jon Laine (drums) Fredeka, Felix Herbst, Johan Lenox & Don Carn (strings). "Already Knew" uses those strings as a focus with a electrified fiddle solo, highlighting the jam while "All I Need" pumps electro keys and beats with guest Olivier St. Louis helping out as well.   

The guests begin to pile up as the album progresses. "Choices"  featuring Phonte, BeMyFiasco and Kay Young is a great excursion in a vein that resembles The Pharcyde in tone, and that is before that band is directly quoted in "Ghetto To Meadow" featuring Freeway. A spoken word vibe overtakes "More To Go (feat. C.S. Armstrong)" while "Bartenders" vibrates with boom-bap drum, bass and odd singing sampled into sounds by co-producer Dunc. 

The alternative hip-hop and laid back style continues for the modern R&B influenced "Work To Do (feat. Bilal)" while "Bogarde (feat. Noochie)" feels like an experimental jazz beat re-worked over a bragging chorus going hard. "The Way (feat. Haile Surpreme & Saint Ezekiel)" is a more cohesive get down jam that recalls "I Like It" from DeBarge (or maybe more accurately Wreckx-N-Effect) while closer "Race" sends us back to the opening effort, digging into the need to keep on fighting in the rap game.  

The long play has lots of sonic nooks and crannies to explore and Oddisee and guest lyricists have lots to say. To What End asks questions, searching, with no real answers as Oddisee continues to dig through life.

_________________________________

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

Les Claypool Revives Fearless Flying Frog Brigade for Tour

The Colonel is back, as Col Les Claypool and the Fearless Flying Frog Brigade take to the skies once more. 

(Image credit: Jim Bennett/Getty Images)

While not the original lineup, Claypool has brought in some high profile friends and will be playing again live with two sets of material, the second of which being Pink Floyd's Animals in it's entirety again. The tour takes it across with country with some killer opening acts (including RtBE fav Fishbone). 

RtBE are big Frog's fans, still listening to the the two live releases and the studio album Purple Onion often. I was lucky enough to catch a few stops on the original tour, including Irving Plaza and House of Blues Las Vegas, so I have seen Animals live and it is a good time. This tour should be a tripped out adventure as well.  

Tickets are on sale now and to get in the mood, here is some music from the OG Frog Brigade: 

Unredeemer Release New Video for "Shewolf and an Oak"

The Finnish metal outfit Unredeemer have released a new video for their single "Shewolf and an Oak". Check it out below.

The heavy as hell, rumbling track is off of their upcoming EP World Become Flesh.  Bang your head accordingly:

Dylan Cover #567 Avett Brothers "Tangled Up In Blue" 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 Avett Brothers performing "Tangled Up In Blue" 

Thoughts on Original:
From the first time we tackled a cover of this track:
Wow. The song that never ends, the tune that might just best sum up Dylan, if that is remotely possible. Dylan constantly toyed with this song (check out the Rolling Thunder and Real Live version's if you haven't yet) and even he knows it can't stay stagnant in one form for long, so covering it is a good bet.  Needless to say it is in the top 5 greatest songs he ever wrote if we were ranking them...hmm.

Cover:


Thoughts on Cover Artist:
RtBE have reviewed the Avett's in the past, they are fine, but we never really got into them. 

Thoughts on Cover:

A very upbeat cover that gets after it and includes the 80's influenced female backing vocals. While it never truly soars, it is a fun live version of this fantastic song. 

Full Show Friday: Taylor Swift • 1989 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...Taylor Swift!

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.

The reigning queen of pop, and has been for sometime.  Her 1989 Tour remastered. 

Pro Shot, Pro Sound. Enjoy:

Album Review: Neil Young with Crazy Horse - World Record

Neil Young & Crazy Horse

World Record

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

The most impressive aspect of Neil Young's 42nd album (15th with Crazy Horse backing him) is the free flowing nature and rich sound which suite the old folkies perfectly. Recorded live and mixed to analog tape at Rick Rubin's Shangri-La studio in Malibu, California. World Record isn't a great Neil Young and Crazy Horse offering, but it is a enjoyable and excellent sounding reminder of what this outfit does best, plug in and play with freedom and feeling. 

Album Review: White Reaper - Asking For A Ride

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

It is of White Reaper's newest release, Asking For A Ride. For a quick summation, the first sentence of the review covers it:

"Take a random handful of both early 80’s hard rock and power pop, toss that in a blender, garnish with a slice of Blink-182 and the resulting cocktail would be called White Reaper."

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

Album Review: King Tuff - Smalltown Stardust

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

It is of King Tuff's newest release, Smalltown Stardust. A definite departure for the grungy rocker who embraces folk, pop and hippy vibes this go around. 

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