Dylan Cover #686 Phil J Gray "Desolation Row" 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 Phil J Gray playing "Desolation Row" 

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 June we highlight live Dylan covers from Phil J Gray 

Thoughts on Original:

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

A magnum opus of early Dylan. A song that is mystical and heated, politically charged while never explicit. One of the more expansive songs he has written and an early indicator that Dylan was on another level lyrically. From Ezra Pound to Bette Davis there are literary references, pop culture bits and a complete fabled world that comes alive in the ears. A true high point when it comes to Bob Dylan songs.

Cover:

 

Thoughts on Cover Artist:

Back in October 2024 we came across Mr. Gray, aka MUSIC MAN and dug his style of straight ahead, live acoustic Dylan covers. Turns out he does a bunch, so all month we will focus on his tunes.

Thoughts on Cover:

Gray takes a bit of Dylan's exhausted defeatism out of the tune with this live cover. An impressive cover as this tune is a beast to take on, and Gray does a good job in his particular style.  

Full Show Friday: Yuck Live In Concert: NPR Music At SXSW 2011

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...Yuck!

This week we go back to the alt-rock of Yuck in 2011. This tour came after their debut release which RtBE reviewed. Check out the pro-shot, pro-sound, set list below. Enjoy!

5:09 - Holing Out 9:13 - The Wall 13:14 - Shook Down 16:57 - Suicide Policeman 21:48 - Get Away 26:09 - Suck 31:03 - Operation 34:55 - Rubber

Album Review: The Hallelujah Ward - Everybody Swoons

The Hallelujah Ward

Everybody Swoons

*** out of *****

The debut full length release from the Milwaukee, WI based trio The Hallelujah Ward, Everybody Swoons, is a twinkling mix of indie rockers as the eight tracks presented here show a band tackling a few different sub genres while buzzingly moving forward.    

Album Review: Bo Dollis Jr. & The Wild Magnolias - Chip Off The Old Block

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

It is of Bo Dollis Jr. & The Wild Magnolias - Chip Off The Old Block

Album Review: Joan Osborne - Dylanology Live

Joan Osborne

Dylanology Live

*** out of *****

Back in 2017 Joan Osborne released a collection directly titled Songs of Bob Dylan, (RtBE highlighted a few in our Monday Dylan Cover series) and her newest release, Dylanology Live features a selection of songs from the follow up tour. Osborne sings with dynamics and a few key guests stop by to help liven up the sound. 

New Single/Video from Electric Litany "Diamonds"

The London based Electric Litany have a new video out for their synth laden tune "Diamonds"

Check it out below:

Album Review: WITCH - SOGOLO

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

It is of WITCH's newest release SOGOLO. 

New Single/Video from Sports Team "Boys These Days"

The London based indie rock outfit Sports Team have a new single/video out for the title track from their new album "Boys These Days"

Regarding the video...

Album Review: Brittany Davis - Black Thunder

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

It is of the sophomore release from Brittany Davis titled Black Thunder. Davis is an exciting up and coming artist to keep an eye on.

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

Dylan Cover #685 Phil J Gray "Positively 4th Street" 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 Phil J Gray playing "Positively 4th Street" 

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 June we highlight live acoustic Dylan covers from Phil J Gray

Thoughts on Original:

From the first time we tackled a cover of this song:
There are two songs I go to when I think of mean, spiteful, angry, hurtful, badass Dylan and this is one of them. Young but full of piss and hate, Dylan sings this tune to obviously someone he can't stand. I really don't care who it is specifically about, because that rarely, if ever, matters in songs, but Dylan rips into them here. It is a good one for any artist to use to lash out at slights (real or perceived). It has never been one of my favorites, but it is hard to deny how powerful this tune is. 

Cover:

Thoughts on Cover Artist:

Back in October 2024 we came across Mr. Gray, aka MUSIC MAN and dug his style of straight ahead, live acoustic Dylan covers. Turns out he does a bunch, so all month we will focus on his tunes.

Thoughts on Cover:
Out of all the covers we are sharing from Mr. Gray this month, this one is the toughest fit for his style. He plays very upbeat, and sings with a palpable radiating positive energy that the meanness of Dylan's words doesn't really match. A solid effort though on a brutal song. 

Full Show Friday: Bikini Kill @ Macondo, Los Angeles, CA 4/25/93

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...Bikini Kill!

Check out the riot grrrl legends from Macondo, Los Angeles California in 1993. Fan shot and original sound. 

Album Review: Eric Johanson - Live in Mississippi

Eric Johanson

Live in Mississippi

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

The blues rocking guitarist and songwriter Eric Johanson's newest release, Live in Mississippi, captures his raucous live sound as the New Orleans based artist mixes up the blues, rock and roll, soul and a touch of voodoo. 

New Single from Nicolette Marie "Only One"

The Nashville based pop artist Nicolette Marie has released a new dance ready track "Only One"

Check out the club focused electro number below:

Album Review: Grateful Dead - Dave's Picks 54 Baltimore, MD 3/26/73

Grateful Dead 

Dave's Picks 54 Baltimore Civic Center 

Baltimore, MD 3/26/73

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

Standard disclaimer: When reviewing any Grateful Dead release at this point, it needs to be noted that a lot of the truly great shows from the band have already been professionally released. (If you are new to the band, check out RtBE's Beginners Guide to The Grateful Dead Part's one and two.) With their vast back catalog on archive.org and all of their previous releases, the band's selections are running thin when it comes to must own, professionally released concerts.

That said, the band still release shows because rabid fans (RtBE included) will listen to everything they put out. So let's dive in...

New Single from The Dirty Nil “Spider Dream”

The Hamilton, Ontario based outfit The Dirty Nil have a new single out, "Spider Dream".

Check out the tune below:

Album Review: Frankie and the Witch Fingers - Trash Classic

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

It is of the new release from Frankie and the Witch Fingers, Trash Classic. RtBE dug their recent live album and loved their previous studio release, Data Doom,  ranking it as one of our favorites from 2023. This one is a bit different, no Afrobeat and more spastic energy, which we like less. 

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

Happy 40th Anniversary to Bob Dylan's Empire Burlesque

Happy 40th Anniversary to Bob Dylan's Empire Burlesque. 

While not considered one of his classic records,  Empire Burlesque has some interesting moments. The biggest issue/stumbling block in re-visiting the record, outside of the hideous cover art, is just how 80's sounding it is. Self-produced by Dylan, he let Arthur Baker (New Order, Afrika Bambaataa) do the final mixing and the result was a very of-the-time sound in 1985.

Dylan Cover #684 Phil J Gray "You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go" 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 Phil J Gray playing "You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go" 

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 June we highlight live Dylan covers from Phil J Gray  

Thoughts on Original:

Arriving just after "Idiot Wind" the breezy "You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go" acts as a breather on Blood on the Tracks, but on it's own it is a gorgeous little number. A poetic love song that feels fresh every time it slips into the ear as the protagonist is in a world of bliss and doesn't want it to end, but knows it always will. Miles away from "Idiot Wind", but just as vital, showing off Dylan's easy charm and flowing word play/vocal style, I mean how cool is the "I’ll look for you in old Honolulu San Francisco or Ashtabula" run through?   

Cover:

Thoughts on Cover Artist:

Back in October 2024 we came across Mr. Gray, aka MUSIC MAN and dug his style of straight ahead, live acoustic Dylan covers. Turns out he does a bunch, so all month we will focus on his tunes.

Thoughts on Cover:

A tune that fits Gray's performance style wonderfully and he does a bang up job. 

Full Show Friday - Prince Live 9/9/88 Dortmund Germany

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...Prince!

Back to 1988 over in Dortmund Germany this week for our Full Show Friday with none other than Prince whose birthday would have been celebrated tomorrow. So we are celebrating a day early. Pro shot, Pro sound, Enjoy!

 

Album Review: My Neptune - Despina

My Neptune

Despina 

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

The debut EP, Despina, from the New Orleans, LA based My Neptune is a bittersweet slice of restrained dream-pop, as the quartet exhales around pensive tunes that vibrate, sway and swell. 

New Single from Darko "Canvas"

South England’s progressive punk outfit Darko have released their newest single "Canvas".

Check out the short, aggressive, filled with changes and tone track below:

Live Review: Craig Finn & The People of Substance Band - Bowery Ballroom, NYC 5/30/25

Craig Finn & The People of Substance Band

Live at Bowery Ballroom 

NYC, 5/30/25

To celebrate the release of his new album, Always Been, Craig Finn decided to throw a party with an all-star backing band at the Bowery Ballroom on Friday night May 30th. The sold-out crowd arrived early, packing the small downtown Manhattan venue.

Live Streaming: John Papa Gros - Live at the 443 Social Club

We are now heading into the new normal with live music. Live shows will need to be flexible and streaming is a great way to keep music going. Streams have become essential for live music junkies like RtBE.  We will highlight various shows/streams/virtual events for your viewing/listening pleasure. 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: John "Papa" Gros at the 443 Social Club

Check out the New Orleans piano maestro and his band live at the 443 Social Club at 7pm. It will be streamed on Afton.tv and you can check it out here!

To get in the mood for the show later, here is some live John "Papa" Gros to pump you up:

 

New Single/Video from Linds Sais "2 Hot Weeks of You"

Canadian pop artist Linds Sais has released her new video and single "2 Hot Weeks of You".

Sais shares, 

Live Review: John Fogerty 80th Birthday Celebration - Beacon Theater NYC 5/28/25

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

It is of the recent John Fogerty show at the Beacon Theater on Wednesday May 28th. He might be 80, but he still rocks out. This was RtBE's first time seeing him and we were not disappointed. 

Support the artist (buy his new album when it comes out) read the review and peep some video below:

New Single from The Wood Brothers "Pray God Listens"

The long running Wood Brothers have released a new single, "Pray God Listens"

Oliver Wood explains:

Album Review: Neil Young - Oceanside Countryside

Neil Young

Oceanside Countryside

** out of *****

Neil Young has been going back through his archives and releasing 'lost albums', and it can be a mixed bag for long time fans (RtBE Included). Is the music good? Yes. Have we heard it all before? For the most part, yes. Are these new albums needed? Not really. Can the artist do what they want? Sure.

Dylan Cover #683 Phil J Gray "When The Ship Comes In" 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 Phil J Gray playing "When The Ship Comes In" 

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 June we highlight live acoustic Dylan covers from Phil J Gray

Thoughts on Original:

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

One of our favorite songs from the early days of Dylan. The purest Irish Folk we felt he ever got, Joan Baez was a fan of this one and told a cool story during No Direction Home, about him being pissed at a hotel attendant and then having this song just spiral out of him. Images of the sea, the salt, the song, raiding/pillaging; a pirate song at heart. When we are looking for pure folk Dylan this one usually finds it's way to our ears.

Cover:

Thoughts on Cover Artist:

Back in October 2024 we came across Mr. Gray, aka MUSIC MAN and dug his style of straight ahead, live acoustic Dylan covers. Turns out he does a bunch, so all month we will focus on his tunes.

Thoughts on Cover:  

Excellent, live energetic, well sung,  strummed with passion, accented with harmonica and nailed all around. It is going to be a fun month of live acoustic covers with Phil J Gray. 

Full Show Friday: Billy Joe Shaver Live at The Texas Music Cafe

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...Billy Joe Shaver!

This week we get our Texas on with Billy Joe Shaver, live at the Texas Music Cafe. Pro shot, Pro Sound, Enjoy!

Kissing Other ppl Share Cover of Dr. Dog's "Where'd All The Time Go?"

The new project from Rachel Baiman and Viv & Riley is Kissing Other ppl and their first release is a cover of Dr. Dog's "Where'd All The Time Go?"

Check it out below:

Album Review: 7Seconds - Change In My Head

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

It is of the new reissue/reimagining of 7Seconds New Wind, now titled Change in My Head. The reimagining was spearheaded by original producer Ian MacKaye.

Check out the album, read the review, and peep some video below:

Sazerwrap 2025

In years past we have delivered a Sazerwrap to catalog our personal New Orleans Jazzfest experience, so we will continue this year. 

We have reviewed some of the shows we caught already and it should be stated: Jazzfest in New Orleans is RtBE's absolute favorite time of the year. 

Live Review: Tedeschi Trucks Band with Buddy Guy - Beacon Theater NYC 5/22/25

Tedeschi Trucks Band with Buddy Guy

Beacon Theater NYC 5/22/25

On an unseasonably cool and rainy May evening, Tedsechi Trucks Band continued their six-night residency at the Beacon Theater on the upper west side of Manhattan. Making this fourth night of the run extra special was that it was the last to have the legendary Buddy Guy and his band opening the show.  

New Single from Jr. Thomas & Eraserhood Sound "Can't Leave You Alone"

Minnesota based singer/songwriter Jr. Thomas teamed up with the Philadelphia production duo Maxwell Perla & Vincent John - AKA Eraserhood Sound for a full album Here is the first single, "Can't Leave You Alone" which delivers some sweet soul sounds.

Check out the track below:

Album Review: Jeffery Broussard & The Nighttime Syndicate - Bayou Moonlight

Jeffery Broussard & The Nighttime Syndicate

Bayou Moonlight

**** out *****

On the opening song, titled "Whatever", off the debut full length Bayou Moonlight from Jeffery Broussard & The Nighttime Syndicate, Broussard sings the phrase "Sit back relax and pour yourself a cup of coffee or whatever, and listen to the great great sounds of zydeco...or whatever". That final 'whatever' is doing a lot of heavy lifting as the outfit have combined to craft an intoxicating mix of blues, soul, Jamaican ska, jazz, swing, gospel, and zydeco, that simply cooks. 

Enjoy Memorial Day, Have a Hardcore BBQ!

Enjoy Memorial Day, have a BBQ!

We wished the Bard a happy 84th birthday recently so we are taking Memorial Day (here in the States) off from our Dylan Cover series. 

Enjoy the unofficial start of summer with a Hardcore'Q

No Redeeming Social Value Style...


Or Murphy's Law Style...

Have fun, stay safe. 

Happy 20th Anniversary to Sleater-Kinney's The Woods

On this day 20 years Sleater-Kinney released The Woods, an amazing album of ripping rock and roll.

This was the last album the band would release before a ten year hiatus when the excellent No Cities To Love emerged (which made our list of best albums of the 2010's). The Woods just may be RtBE's favorite SK album, so let's look back at it...

Happy 84th Birthday Bob Dylan!

No one has ever been better. Happy 84th birthday Robert Allen Zimmerman aka Bob Dylan.

Enjoy a few of his best songs:

Full Show Friday: Megadeth - 07/25/99 - Woodstock 99 West Stage

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...Megadeth!

This week we are going back to 1999 with Megadeth. Bang your head. Pro shot, pro sound, enjoy.

Megadeth - Full Concert Recorded Live: 7/25/1999 - Woodstock 99 West Stage (Rome, NY) More Megadeth at Music Vault: http://www.musicvault.com Subscribe to Music Vault: http://goo.gl/DUzpUF Setlist: 0:00:00 - Holy Wars...The Punishment Due 0:06:41 - In My Darkest Hour 0:12:12 - Reckoning Day 0:16:37 - A Secret Place 0:21:01 - Angry Again 0:24:47 - She Wolf 0:32:03 - A Tout Le Monde 0:36:50 - Almost Honest 0:40:45 - Crush 'Em 0:46:28 - Use the Man 0:50:34 - Trust 0:55:30 - Sweating Bullets 1:00:16 - Symphony of Destruction 1:04:12 - Peace Sells

New Single/Video from Girljockey "Manhood"

The debut single/video from Girljockey "Manhood" has been released. 

Album Review: Little Feat - Strike Up the Band

Little Feat

Strike Up the Band

*** out of *****

The 17th studio album from the long running Little Feat, Strike Up The Band, is a mix of their previous rock and roll sounds and styles, with modern sensibilities. Recorded in Nashville with producer Vance Powell (Phish, Chris Stapleton, Jack White) the group touches on various genres as they roll through American popular music. 

New Single from The Hallelujah Ward "Your Uncertain Shadow"

Milwaukee, WI based indie rockers The Hallelujah Ward have a new single out, "Your Uncertain Shadow".

The new song is about the untimely death of Frightened Rabbit's vocalist and guitarist Scott Hutchison who committed suicide in 2018.

Album Review: Yuno - Blest

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

It is of the debut full length album from Yuno on Sub Pop, Blest. 

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