The New York City based pianist/songwriter/indie-pop artistYify Zhang has a new video for the single "Hallelujah"
Photo: Kevin W. Condon
Zhang had this to say about the track:
"Writing "Hallelujah" felt like a channeling experience. The song came out of nowhere. At first it was just the haunting few notes of the intro. I looped it over and over again until the words came. And when they did, the song became a confessionary tale. "Hallelujah" is a quiet anthem celebrating female triumph, killing all that dulls our power and spirit until we can live our fullest, unrestrained selves."
It is of Slang's debut release, Cockroach In A Ghost Town.
This is some interesting rock that harkens back to the Alternative hey-day. It is a touch, poppy, a touch industrial, a touch all off-putting in a good way, like the title alone it conjures up images, not always soothing ones.
Back in 2020 Bonny Light Horseman's self-titled debut was some of the best Americana/folk RtBE has been lucky to listen to. Now the the trio of Anaïs Mitchell, Eric D. Johnson, and Josh Kaufman Have announced their second full length Rolling Golden Holy.
RtBE loved their debut and rated it high in our look back at 2020. The new album comes out in October with a tour to accompany it, but the first single, "California" is released today. Enjoy:
From the first look at the popping album art you can tell the creativity is flowing on the debut, from Toronto's Surfrajettes. Not only do they have one of the coolest names for an all-female, surf rock instrumental outfit, their album is designed as a musical 'all-skate' down at your local rink.
The Los Angeles based hard rock outfit Plastic Rhino have released their new single "Scream So Loud" off of their upcoming album Terminus.
From the band:
"'Scream So Loud' is about how us ladies are beyond over and done with toxic male dominated energy in our lives. From having things "Mansplained" to us over and over, to men in general doubting our talents and efforts in contributing to society. We are constantly questioned whether we have the knowledge on certain subjects we talk about, as well as our talents and power."
In this ongoing Monday Series we will be exploring various artists versions of Bob Dylan song's. Today's artists, floydion doing a cover of ""Most Likely You'll Go Your Way And I'll Go Mine""
Thoughts on Original: From the first time we tackled a cover of this song: It's that thin, that wild mercury sound. It's metallic and bright gold, with whatever that conjures up. Those are the phrases that Dylan himself used to describe the sound that he wanted on Blonde on Blonde. Safe to say he got it and perhaps never more so than on "Most Likely You Go Your Way And I'll Go Mine". That whirling organ that sounds like it may actually take flight, the tempo, the cutting lyric, hot damn this song is a joy. RtBE actually got to see him open a show way back with this one and it was a hoot, not as good as the original, but a gem to see live and hear anytime.
The closest I ever got to the sound I hear in my mind was on individual bands in the Blonde on Blonde album. It's that thin, that wild mercury sound. It's metallic and bright gold, with whatever that conjures up.
Cover:
Thoughts on Cover Artist: floydion aka Gerry van der Laan is a singer songwriter from Amsterdam who posts covers to his youtube channel. We found him and really dug his singing style and wanted to showcase him this month. Thoughts on Cover:
This one is a stunner and the reason for this monthly showcase of floydion. We randomly found this while searching for Dylan covers on youtube and loved it whole heartedly. He takes an upbeat, spinning off the rails Dylan original and slows it down with gorgeous acoustic playing and vocals that are super heartfelt and soaring. He even infuses the lyrics with a more personal tone than the original.
Covers like this are the reason RtBE continues this series as these reinventions are so cool to find and listen to. Enjoy the monthly focus on this lesser known artist.
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: Digable Planets - Live from City Winery DC
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...Aretha Franklin!
It is time for "The Queen of Soul" to jump into our Full Show Friday series. This is the official audio and video of this historic concert. Full set list below.
Pro shot pro sound, enjoy:
Aretha Franklin - Full Concert
Recorded Live: 3/7/1971 - Fillmore West (San Francisco, CA)
More Aretha Franklin at Music Vault: http://www.musicvault.com
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Setlist:
0:00:00 - Respect
0:03:57 - Call Me
0:08:52 - Love The One You're With
0:13:30 - Bridge Over Troubled Water
0:21:01 - Share Your Love With Me
0:25:04 - Eleanor Rigby
0:27:43 - Make It With You
0:32:36 - Don't Play That Song
0:36:15 - You're All I Need To Get By
0:41:02 - Dr. Feelgood
0:49:08 - Spirit In The Dark
1:04:44 - Spirit In The Dark (Continued)
1:14:06 - Reach Out And Touch (Somebody's Hand)
Southern Louisiana's Heavy Rock/Metal band 4MAG NITROUS have signed with SODEH Records. Their album ELECTRIC CONCEPTION will be released on the label and they have also delivered a new video for their "Pillars of Strength" single.
This is a week late, but we wanted to wish a happy thirtieth anniversary to the most successful of Los Lobos albums, 1992's Kiko.
On May 26th 1992 the band released this album and while they had success in the past, this was the one that really sealed the deal as it spans Americana, Chicano, Rockabilly, Blues, Tejano, Roots and Psychedelic rock. In truth this band can do it all and is wildly underrated when it comes to their range, scope and success as songwriters/musicians.
While RtBE dug their last album, when we reach for Los Lobos it is usually Kiko or their first album that gets played the most often. That said, any and everything we have heard from the band we have enjoyed. Here is hoping they keep rolling along.
To celebrate 30 years of Kiko, buy the album and enjoy a few songs below:
The Morning Forty Federation were scheduled to play a late night Sunday show at the Maple Leaf Bar to wrap up the second weekend of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, but like lots of shows this year it was canceled because of Covid. Thankfully, Forty member Ryan Scully had his solo project primed to take over the slot as the Rough Seven ripped their unique mix of noise rock, gospel vocal passion, and avant-garde jams into the uptown club, taking over the time slot.
Having just played the night before at BJ's in the Bywater, the group was primed and flowing. The fill in set found them without vocalist Meschiya Lake, but her absence allowed the band to flush out their noisier tendencies even more. Scully told everyone to breath, stretch and get ready to get their asses kicked by the band as the group stuck to the same set list as the previous night, opening with new rager "Orange Potatoes".
The wah-wah effects of Rob Cambre's guitar and the pulsing keys of Ratty Scurvics rang out powerfully as the feedback dripped into "Had A Home". "Golden Parachute" had some ragtag slamming as Stoo Odom and Mike Andrepont pushed the group forward while Rick Hukill's trombone joined the fray.
The elegant emotion of "Meltdown" was on full display as was the title track from the groups first album Give Up Your Dreams. The ballad "St. Anthony" had a harder edge as the group banged into the changes before a cataclysmic rendition of Etta James "I Would Rather Go Blind" saw Scully yelling and flailing, flinging himself all over the stage with furious abandon.
That thrashing caused some haywire with the pedals and connections onstage, leading to a mini set break as vodka sodas were delivered to the stage and an impromptu gypsy jazz inspired "Shitting In A Bucket" broke out. The band vamped with the avant-garde jazz based Odom, Cambre and Scurvics (who were all playing the Maple Leaf for the first time) slashing in experimental style before the issues were fixed.
The break energized the front man, as Scully lead the charge into the highlight of this night, a new garage rocker called "Where's My Phone". The straight ahead tune was a contorting journey, taking many volatile turns as Scully and Cambre traded riffs and the low end pumped up before dipping back into soft feeling, then reprising the garage noise clanging for a soaring final time.
The band kept the fuzzy raucous sounds cooking for "Preacher By Day" and ended the set with their blisteringly emotional cover of Christina Aguilera’s "Beautiful" as all in attendance joined in. Every time the band plays live they need to be experienced as they twist emotions, rock hard as hell and deliver affecting, soul replenishing vibes while teetering on the edge of total collapse, screaming out into the humid New Orleans night.
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Simply put the Rough Seven are one of RtBE's favorite bands of all-time. They got it all, and while the sound isn't great in this video, you can check out this full show while it is up on Youtube:
It is of The Who's live show on Thursday May 26th at MSG in NYC.
I went in not knowing setlists or what The Who Two were doing this tour and was simply blown away. RtBE have written about The Who in our Masters series and hold them in super high regard, but seeing them live these days has not been a major priority...this show might have changed that.
Starting with a half hour straight of Tommy and ending with Quadrophenia?! 8,395 person orchestra??! Amazing. Daltrey was in fine voice and Pete was engaged throughout, this was a killer night of wide ranging rock.
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 Slim Stevens featuring Fenton, Monson and Kilby of "The Wicked Messenger"
Thoughts on Dylan Original:
From the first time we tackled a cover of this song: A breezy musical number (only 2 minutes long) with some biblical lyrics which actually foreshadow Dylan's religious musical phase that would arrive in the late 70's/early 80's "The Wicked Messenger" has a cool bass line to match the acoustic guitar. Like most of John Wesley Harding there is a mellow mood that tends to play down the lyrics and even masks the fire and brimstone a bit. The song has seemed to pop up every few tours and can usually be found towards the ends of sets, playing the roll of up-tempo-get-down track. Live versions certainly have improved the tracks standing in my mind from the original.
Cover:
Thoughts on Cover Artist: This is the first time we are hearing Slim Stevens and crew. Thoughts on Cover:
There is a bit of a bland folk vibe to tart this cover, as if the folk mass band decided to get a bit crazy, but the backing ooh's add a bit of a haunting dimension to the song as Stevens sings it fairly straight ahead.
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...Tame Impala!
Here is Tame Impala with a fan made video of the outfit's 2022 The Slow Rush Tour captured at the Barclay's Center.
6:04 Aionwell Lab Intro8:22 One More Year13:44 Borderline17:46 Nangs19:38 Mind Mischief (studio version)25:34 Breathe Deeper32:55 Posthumous Forgiveness40:00 Elephant (Intro)40:46 Elephant 45:13 Lost In Yesterday49:35 Apocalypse Dreams57:56 Mutant Gossip1:00:20 Let It Happen (Intro)1:01:22 Let It Happen1:09:33 Feels Like We Only Go Backwards1:13:52 Half Full Glass of Wine1:16:08 Is It True1:18:59 Glimmer1:21:12 Eventually1:29:35 Happy Birthday Jam1:30:19 Runway, Houses, City, Clouds1:36:58 Kevin’s Guitar Solo1:37:55 The Bold Arrow of Time Outro1:39:44 New Person, Same Old Mistakes1:48:09 The Less I Know The Better1:52:50 One More HourBONUS TRACKS2:01:33 The Moment2:05:40 On Track
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: Warren Haynes Acoustic at Suneagles Golf Club
Head on over to Volume.com to check out this pre-recorded solo acoustic set from the great Warren Haynes.
To get in the mood here is a solo acoustic song from him:
