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: Trampled By Turtles - Live from Red Rocks
The bluegrass/folk outfit Trampled By Turtles are playing Red Rocks tonight and you can stream it for free on Relix twitch channel.
To get in the mood, here is some recent live music from the band:
The Washington state based Sadistik has teamed with producer Kno (CunninLynguists) to deliver this full length offering Bring Me Back When The World Is Cured.
There is a tension to the music matching well with the depression based lyrics as the duo pair perfectly together to give a questioning account of a exasperated/defeatist outlook in the modern world. The pensive beats, light flute samples and warbling backing begin the album on an understated note with the brief "Burning Sons". A breathy chorus is laid around verbally loaded verses as futuristic beats meld with an old school vibe on both "You Don't Know" and "Club 27" while "The Earth Was Empty" goes long and dull with its skittering trap style.
While the beginning of the album is fine with mix of augmented styles, pulsing sounds and breathy choruses just out of focus ("Ghostly Key", "Apple Valley") or overloaded lyrics from Sadistik that border on overkill ("Carnelian") things are fairly straight ahead, however the album improves as it rolls on.
"Mothlight" featuring Natti is a more bombastic offering that has horror movie sounds mixing with blissful swells as the MC's dominate the microphones with confidence leading to an album highlight. The acoustic guitar and stuttering beat is unique on the brief "Neptune Skin" while "Disappear" brings Gifted Gabb and Mibbs onboard to expertly alter the sound and flow.
Sadistik embraces the vacant feelings and pain on the vibrant duet "Rainclouds (Part One)" featuring Lucy Camp as he takes the northwest weather and melds it into his mind before "Rainclouds (Part Two)" extends this motif with a more modern beat.
The best tracks come at the end as "Mulholland Drive" is a neon blasted banging tune that slinks with Sadistik's wordplay and soothing chorus. "Quietus" is a defeated ode to internal pain and dying young while "GODMODE" amps the vibe from the two "Rainclouds" offerings to a higher level. While religion is a background to many lyrics here it comes to the forefront on closer "Serpens (Trial Of Lucifer)" questioning Catholicism and it's teachings directly.
Sadistik and Kno have caught a vibe and sound throughout Bring Me Back When The World Is Cured that compliments both artists. Hopefully this is the first of many collaborations between the two.
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: Cha Wa - Live from Relix Studios
Today in NYC the New Orleans outfit Cha Wa get down at Relix Studios and you can stream the show. RtBE loved Cha Wa's last album and rated it high in our year end review from 2021. The band has gone through some changes, as The Rumble was born out of Cha Wa, but they still get down proper.
Check it out at 7pm EST for free. To get in the mood here is some recent live music from the band.
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: The Black Keys @ Red Rocks
Tonight The Black Keys play one of the best venues in the country, Red Rocks. If you can't be there in person you can stream the show on nugs.net with a subscription.
To get in the mood, here is our review of their last album and a some live video from the band.
What originally seemed like a stop gap release from a band that couldn't tour due to Covid-19, gains more gravitas with last months announcement that founding member Greg Cartwright has decided to dissolve Reigning Sound after twenty plus years of service. Memphis In June now captures the final lineup of the band and the one that basically started it all back in 2001 with Break Up, Break Down.
The group doesn't go back that far in it's repertoire for this live album though as it focuses on newer fare, opening with and highlighting their final studio album, the aptly named A Little More Time With Reigning Sound. Both opener "Let's Do It Again" and "A Little More Time" stay close to the album versions, banging and shaking with garage rock energy and well balanced low end.
The group brings in some guest to add strings as "Never Coming Home" employs Elen Wroten's cello and Krista Wroten's violin to add drama to the Shattered tune while John Whittemore's steel guitar join the strings for "Drowning" and a weepy "On and On".
The organ drenched "She's Bored With You" kicks off a more punkish retro run as Alex Greene's keys wash over the rollicking low end as "Time Bomb High School" blasts ahead and "Reptile Style" is grooving, less frantic than past released versions. "Funny Thing" goes for the slow bass bumping route around twinkling guitars and soothing vocals from Cartwright.
The album wraps up with three newer songs, the first being the duet "Just Say When" which adds Coco Hames vocals to the mix with a return of the string section. "I'll Be Your Man" keeps the strings around for a soothing if lackluster offering before wrapping up the live record with more pedal steel and weeping feelings on "Moving and Shaking". Ending the record on a dour, bittersweet note feels the same way as reading the social media post last month and finding out Cartwright was ending the band, seemingly out of nowhere.
The truth is none of these versions reexamine the originals in unique fashion and the studio efforts are definitive. That said, Reigning Sound were one of the best garage bands of any era so the vibrating live album Memphis In June is a fine parting gift from the outfit.
There is a new video and single from the London based band The Velvet Hands for their song "Holiday In My Head".
Guitarist Dan Able explains the track as such:
“It’s based on our own experience of the doldrums of being skint, working your arse off to be able to afford a postage stamp sized flat, only to have to shave in the kitchen sink because the landlord won’t fix the one in the bathroom. Take that and then put it in lockdown, it felt like the walls were closing in — very claustrophobic. You can’t escape to anywhere apart from your own daydreams. The song is an anthem of escapism in the modern era”.
The New Orleans traditional jazz collective Tuba Skinny's newest offering, Magnolia Stroll manages to be an ode to the city's history while sounding alive and fresh today.
A collection of original songs written by members of the band (Craig Flory: clarinet, Shaye Cohn: cornet, piano, Barnabus Jones: trombone, Max Bien-Kahn: resonator guitar and tenor banjo, Greg Sherman: guitar, Erika Lewis: bass drum, vocals, Todd Burdick: sousaphone, upright bass, Robin Rapuzzi: washboard, kit, Jason Lawrence: six string banjo) the group come together to deliver the sonic beignets with tasty jazz sugar on top.
The upbeat opening "Tricksters Rag" uses a prominent sousaphone to push the rag forward while the slower, more restrained "Chalmette Sunsets" deploys warm horn work. The rumbling percussion, bass and strings mix on a highlight track "Mighty Anchor" which brings in a more string band sound, but also uses Spanish and Caribbean influences creating a strong gumbo of a tune.
Another highlight offering is the popping "Ida Wobble" which has singing cornets/trumpets/clarinets dancing around percussion, guitars and banjos spectacularly. Each track is really strong in this throw back jazz style though as the perfectly titled title track sashays with lazy blowing and the hip, warbling "Minor Fret" feels like a tune Cab Calloway would thoroughly enjoy. A few of the songs are pleasant, without much ear catching impact, ("Elysian Fields" and "Kickin the Rocks") content to just float along through the summer haze of New Orleans.
The production is rock solid as each of the instruments sound rich and full even when harkening back to the 1920's with both "Proximity Effect" and "Pyramid Strut", during which flappers would certainly cut a rug dancing the Charleston. The album ends with a few different styles as Lewis gives a vocal punch to the album on the laugh 'til your dead anthem "Six Feet Down" before the sweet "Diamond Dove Song" while closer "Deep Bayou Moan" ends the record on a contemplative piano ballad note.
These fifteen original tracks from Tuba Skinny could have been written a century ago, but the band produced these new numbers that take inspiration from the classics, spinning a new strut down the New Orleans cracked sidewalks throughout the free flowing Magnolia Stroll.
In this ongoing Monday Series we will be exploring various artists versions of Bob Dylan song's. Today's tune comes from Jordan Bickhart and is a live cover of "Love Minus Zero/No Limit".
Thought's on Original: From the first time we tackled a cover of this song: 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.
50 years ago today Curtis Mayfield released his crowning achievement, the soundtrack to Super Fly.
This is a massive album which syntheses Mayfield's gospel, R&B, soul and funk. A pioneering soul concept album that exceeds and surpasses the movie it was based on. The supreme sound from these songs still influence a wide range of artists to this day.
Enjoy the anniversary by spinning a few tracks from Super Fly.
Nadia Angelini has been releasing strong singles and her newest, "Rise" drops today. This is our favorite that she has released so far, a tune that does what the titles states around Angelini's soaring vocals.
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...Arcade Fire!
Excited about their new album, WE, Arcade Fire took to the streets to play New Orleans at the AT&T Block Party a few months ago when the Final Four was in town.
The Miami based hard rock outfit GEARS has released their newest video and single "Don't Want to Say Goodbye (Nunca Me Digas Adiós)".
From GEARS Member Trip Six:
"What do you do when you turn on the music and drown out the noise in your head? You get lost in the rhythms, the melodies, the lyrics. Any one of those things makes you feel. That’s what the power of music is. It speaks to you and about you. “I don’t want to say to goodbye” is us bringing some of our Miami flavor to the rock genre. You can interpret the lyrics in your own individual way, but at the end of the day this track is about music and how I feel about it. It’s a love unlike any other. It’s at the core of me and I refuse to let it go."
The track is a mashup of styles, check it out below:
Back in 2019 The Black Keys returned after a prolonged burnout induced hiatus to release Let It Rock. In truth, I needed to look that review up because the last collection of originals from Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney was completely fine, serviceable, and instantly forgettable. Their newest collection Dropout Boogie feels like an extension of that same formula, the duo are just putting out perfectly acceptable blues based rock and roll in their patented fashion without the stunning highs of their creative peak (2010's Brothers) or their catchy commercial breakthrough (2011's El Camino).
This isn't a necessarily a bad thing. There are so few rock bands that can fill arenas or amphitheaters these days and The Black Keys certainly can still put asses in the seats. The opening song and first single checks every box that the Keys go for with fuzzy guitar, rock drumming, sealed up with a catchy lyric. Even bringing in co-songwriters Greg Cartwright and Angelo Petraglia can't alter the course for "Wild Child" as it is clearly classic BK's.
Another noticeable collaborator arrives in the form of Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top to play "featured" guitar on "Good Love" and this pairing is representative of the band at this moment. ZZ Top were a sturdy outfit who hit it big, then never really changed what got them there, and the Keys seem to be super content to follow that path.
There are splashes of instrumentation to keep things moving forward like the wah-wah and shaking percussion on the overlong "It Ain't Over" and some Hammond organ from Ray Jacildo on the yearning soul tinged love song "How Long". The blues rock vamping on "For The Love of Money" is something this band can do in it's sleep but still revs the motor while the highlight track "Baby I'm Coming Home" completely cops the main "Midnight Rider" riff but injects some sexy swagger to the proceedings.
Those classic rock homages/rip-offs have been with the band for a very long time, but that blues rock feel is what the band is all about. These days the buzzy rocker "Burn the Damn Thing Down" is par for the course, the group talks about destruction but the tune is nowhere as urgent as the title suggests. The Black Keys are happy to just roll along in their own well earned (and heard many times before) style on Dropout Boogie; another perfectly fine, if fairly forgettable, album.
Bains commented on the song and the labor movement it is based on:
"In all the discussion around the cost of living and economic realities the last few years, I've kept hearing "40 hours a week" in public discourse, particularly from people in power, and have thought how out of step that is - how difficult, if not impossible, it is for so many of us to make it on only 40 hours a week of work. That ideal of the eight-hour day and two-day weekend was fought for and won by working-class people around the turn of the last century against all odds and the powers that be - bosses, politicians, talking heads.
And now, over 100 years after that battle was won, and almost 40 years after country songs like Dolly Parton's "9 to 5" and Alabama's "40-Hour Week (For a Livin')" were seen as celebrations of hardworking Americans, we are living in a time where 40 hours' worth of wages is woefully insufficient to get by in this country for the average person, and where the powerful tell us that working only 40 hours a week is slacking off (while their average employee's work ethic puts theirs to shame, no less).
These are the exact same conditions that our ancestors faced over 100 years ago. This song is a celebration of those heroic movements of working people coming together to demand their fair share, from coalmines to warehouses, from textile mills to offices, from farms to restaurants. Angela Davis says freedom is a constant struggle, and this is a hymn to those whose spirits and bodies remain in that struggle."
Back in June of 2011 Mavis Staples and long time friend/collaborator Levon Helm brought both of their touring bands together to perform and record at Helms studios in Woodstock, NY. The resulting show/playing has finally been released as the fantastic Carry Me Home.
The record was produced by Larry Campbell and both bands were involved. Mavis Staples Band: Mavis Staples - Vocals Yvonne Staples - Harmony Vocals Donny Gerrard - Harmony Vocals Vicki Randle - Harmony Vocals Rick Holmstrom - Guitar Jeff Turmes - Bass Stephen Hodges – Drums and Levon Helm Band: Levon Helm - Drums, Vocals Amy Helm - Harmony Vocals Larry Campbell - Harmony Vocals, Guitar, Mandolin Teresa Williams - Harmony Vocals Brian Mitchell - Piano, Keyboards Jim Weider - Guitar Steven Bernstein - Trumpet Jay Collins - Tenor Sax Erik Lawrence - Baritone Sax Byron Isaacs - Bass Clark Gayton - Trombone.
The full power of the combined outfit is evident from the get go as "This Is My Country" delivers soulful horns, great drumming, guitar, backup vocals and a damn good lyric; this is some righteous protest music. Along with the excellent "I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free" that sense of fighting for equality and respect is delivered with firm grace by Staples who still sounds glorious, but also perturbed she still has to sing songs like these.
The album dips heavily into the gospel roots of both artists as "Wide River To Cross" uses sweet sounds of spiritual healing and the full energy of the band, "Hand Writing On The Wall" adds just a touch of country rock to the gospel while "Farther Along" is a full on hymn. The outfit keeps the gospel feel while dipping more into blues based offerings with the slower guitar work out "Trouble In My Mind" and a pair of organ drenched slow burners "Move Along Train" and "This May Be The Last Time".
Mavis is in fine vocal form throughout (as are the back up singers) but the full outfit truly explodes on "When I Go Away" which is gorgeous combination of everything both of these bands do so well. The bass and drums lead the ominous sounding rendition of Bob Dylan's "Gotta Serve Somebody" before the grand finale of "The Weight" as Levon contributes his strained vocals for the first time, during his last years (Helm died in 2012) Levon's vocals were very few, so it is nice to hear him at all.
Two old friends who brought their backing bands together for a triumphant celebration of soulful, gospel based, roots rock and roll, Carry Me Home is a joyous capturing of fine musicianship from legends of the genre.
Continuing our ongoing Monday's Dylan Cover Series, this week we present The Kennedys performing a live cover of "Chimes of Freedom".
Thoughts on Original: From the first time we tackled a cover of this song: This song is a giant one in Bob's catalog, but it has always been one of the classic Dylan anthems that never really struck a chord with RtBE. For some reason when we talk about Dylan moving from protest singer to full on poetic songwriter, this is the tune that comes to mind. It seems to be stuck between those two worlds and the version on Another Side Of Bob Dylan just doesn't connect on many personal levels. I may be in the minority but this has never been a great Dylan song in my eyes...which in-turn does make it ripe to cover... Cover:
Thoughts on Cover Artist:
This is the first time we are hearing The Kennedys.
Thoughts on Cover:
Fun story to start. Good live cover with playing and harmonies. Figured this was a good one for today, Happy Fourth of July here in the USA.
The United States celebrates it's Independence today, and while the country has deep rooted issues and problems we are dealing (and not dealing) with, it is still the best country mankind has founded in our sordid history. So enjoy the outdoors, hanging safely with friends and living life. What better soundtrack for that is there than The Grateful Dead?!?!
This was played/filmed up at Rich Stadium, home of the Buffalo Bills and captures the Dead in one of their better late period shows, pro audio and video to boot. From the opening "Bertha" to the 1st set closing "Deal" Jerry is just on and seems to be in a great mood, playing and singing with energy, leading the band as only he could. A few personal favorites of RtBE's are in their ("Stagger Lee", "Row Jimmy") adding to us digging on this set.
Not many setlist surprises, just on point playing from the group. The second set starts with their lone hit "Touch of Grey" before the reggae tinge of "Man Smart, Woman Smarter". "Terrapin Station" is always a welcomed second set addition and Garcia takes over for a whirlwind "All Along The Watchtower" and "Morning Dew" mid set combo. RtBE are always a sucker for Brent's work on "I Will Take You Home" as it just melts our hearts and what better encore for the 4th of July then "US Blue's"?
The full set list is below, Enjoy:
Set 1 Bertha Greatest Story Ever Told Cold Rain and Snow Walkin' Blues Row Jimmy When I Paint My Masterpiece Stagger Lee Looks Like Rain Deal
Set 2 Touch of Grey Man Smart, Woman Smarter Ship of Fools Playing in the Band Terrapin Station Drums Space I Will Take You Home All Along the Watchtower Morning Dew Not Fade Away E: U.S. Blues
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: Phil Lesh & Friends - Live from Hartford
A great gathering of Phil and Friends is happening tonight up in Hartford CT and you can stream it from anywhere. This is a dynamite group of friends with Warren Haynes, John Molo, John Medeski, John Scofield and Amy Helm joining Phil to jam out. Grab the stream here.
To get in the mood here is some live Phil and Friends video:
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...Otis Redding!
We go into the 4th of July weekend here in the United States with a full show Friday from one of the best we here have produced. Otis Redding. This show from Paris back in 1966 backed and is a doozy. Pro Shot, Pro Sound, full set list below. Enjoy:
0:00 Intro3:00 Shake7:53 Don’t Mess With Cupid10:43 My Girl 14:18 I’ve Been Loving You Too Long 19:21 Respect 21:14 My Lover’s Prayer24:28 I Can’t Turn You Loose26:50 Satisfaction(I Can’t Get No)/Outro
