Jack White Announces 'Supply Chain Issues' Tour Dates

One of RtBE's all-time favorites, Jack White has announced a wide ranging tour for the spring and summer of 2022.

It is being described as the 'Supply Chain Issues' tour and full dates can be found here. Very excited for his early stop in Brooklyn. 

Jack will be supporting two new albums next year and it should be a hell of a year for the constantly evolving artist. To get in the mood here is a tune from Jack:

Full Show Friday: Greensky Bluegrass 2018 Levitate Music Festival

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...Greensky Bluegrass!

The jam-grass outfit have a new album coming out early next year, but here is a show from 2018 at the Levitate Music Festival. 

Pro Shot, pro sound, enjoy:

Live Review: The Hold Steady Live at Brooklyn Bowl 12/3/21

The Hold Steady

Live @ Brooklyn Bowl

12/3/21 Brooklyn Bowl, Williamsburg, NY

For their triumphant return to their hometown of Brooklyn, New York, and this years version of Massive Nights, The Hold Steady were in a celebratory mood from the beginning.  

The chugging "Hornets! Hornets!" opened the Friday show as the band (Craig Finn - vocals/guitar, Tad Kubler - guitar/vocals, Galen Polivka - bass, Bobby Drake drums, Franz Nicolay - keys vocals, Steve Selvidge - guitar, vocals) were all smiles taking to the stage for the third night of the four night run. The joyous feelings exploded through the crowd as hand claps and sing-along's were loud and proud for "Stuck Between Stations".

The theme of the night and these last few years "it only gets harder" rang out with extra feeling in "Hurricane J" while Drake banged hard and straight ahead for the fan favorite "Chips Ahoy!" as Selvidge flashed some Eddie Van Halen tributes on the fret board. The three piece "Horn Steady" joined the band to add brass for two separate run of tunes during the main set. The first was highlighted by "Sequestered In Memphis" and the second had a dynamite version of "Banging Camp" with huge bass, killer riffs and massive energy. 

The confetti flew for the always successful "Hoodrat Friend" while Kubler and Selvidge went toe to toe slinging solos on "Most People Are DJ's". The horns returned for a third time to wrap up the night as the encore saw a pumping version of "Entitlement Crew" blare out before "Killer Parties" ended the evening on a thankful not. 

The band has been itching to play their home base for months and this years version of Massive Nights was a sold out success. It had something a little extra special this go around as the band and the fans have been through so much between 2020 and 2021, the fact that we were all in this together to celebrate delivered happiness for all involved.   

______________________

Support the band, see them live and peep some video below:

Year In Review 2021 - Favorite Albums Part 1 (Honorable Mentions and Let Downs)

Another year is finishing up and @RockBodElec wouldn't be a proper music site if we didn't end the year with a "Best Of" list, so RtBE presents 2021's Favorite Albums Part 1 (Honorable Mentions and Let Downs):

In the instance that RtBE has reviewed the album, either on this site or elsewhere, we will link to that review and just give a quick summation; click on the name/title and you can read our full opinion. RtBE worked with the Glide Team to give input on their Top 20 so you can expect some overlap if you already have seen that list.

Again the focus here is on full albums, not singles, but long playing releases you can slap on and listen all the way through. We know these are a dying breed, but it still is the way we consume music, no shuffle, Spotify or singles for us.

These are the albums that just missed out on being included in our top ten favorite for the year. After that we have s few albums from artists we dig that we were let down by. 

Like all of our lists or 'best of'' these are meant to start conversations more than end them...

Album Review: Amyl and The Sniffers - Comfort To Me

Amyl and The Sniffers

Comfort To Me

**** out of *****

The four piece Melbourne, Australia based pub rock/punk band Amyl and The Sniffers sophomore release raises the stakes. Comfort To Me is a self assured blast of energy that should break the group onto the world stage. 

Live Streams: Katelyn Tarver - Live From Relix Studios

For the last year live music was on lock down (like everything else in New York City). Live streams and old concerts have become essential for live music junkies like RtBE. Things are improving on the pandemic front in this city, but live streams will be an option for 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 always check out or 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: Katelyn Tarver - Live From Relix Studios

You can check out Katelyn on the Relix Twitch Channel.

To get in the mood here is a tune from Miss Tarver:

Live Streams: A Tribute To Professor Longhair

For the last year live music was on lock down (like everything else in New York City). Live streams and old concerts have become essential for live music junkies like RtBE. Things are improving on the pandemic front in this city, but live streams will be an option for 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 always check out or 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: A Tribute To Professor Longhair

Live from The Funky Uncle Presents: A Tribute To Professor Longhair from Buffa's in New Orleans tonight.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by The Funky Uncle (@funkyuncle.live)

The event is streaming and a benefit, so not only will it be great music, it will be for a good cause.  

To get in the mood, here is some Fess:

Year In Review 2021 - Favorite Archival Releases

Each year the music industry dips into the past to deliver box sets, live albums, re-masters and outtake collections to sell to the music loving masses (present company included). This look back will round up some of RtBE's favorite archival releases from the past year. 

Usually these releases can fall into the money grab category, not really adding much outside of revenue for the label and (hopefully) the artist. Every now and then though some spectacular collections are unearthed and are worth any price. 

RtBE includes live albums in this year end review as well, since they were recorded in the recent or distant past and fall into archival release status. 

With the increase in vinyl interest and enhanced Record Store Days to help smaller sellers, there seem to be more and more archival/live releases each year, we are sure to miss a lot of them, but the quality and abundance is exciting. 

These were our favorite archival and live album releases of 2021, click the link in the title for full length reviews. 

Album Review: Marissa Paternoster - Peace Meter

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

It is of Marissa Paternoster's newest release Peace Meter.

RtBE are big fans of Paternoster since the first time we saw her live and had the pleasure of interviewing her. She was vital for four releases in our ranking of the top fifty of the previous decade. Safe to say we really dig her. This collection is totally different from her past songs and a cool deviation for a solo release. 

Support the artist, buy the album, read the review, stream it on bandcamp or below and peep some video:

 

Year In Review 2021 - Best Album Art

We kick off our Year in Review section of 2021 with the first feature in the Best of... area, Album Art. Like in years past we will be choosing our favorite albums of the year, a few that were underwhelming and our favorite live shows, all posted in the next few days. 

Today we are starting out by judging books (records) by their covers (vinyl sleeves, jackets, digital pics, etc) with the Best Album Art Work of 2021.

The biggest gripe RtBE has with digital music is not the quality (that has been massively improved) nor the disposal nature of it (still a problem, but whatever), it is the lack of amazing album covers and art work.

Sure there may be great album art out there but seeing it on a screen, in iTunes or elsewhere is nothing compared to holding an LP cover or even a CD booklet with pages of lyrics, pictures etc. Thankfully the rise of vinyl is helping this dilemma but it is still not enough. The hours we spent staring, actually holding, examining tons of covers while listening to music can't be adequately recorded, it added new dimensions to the sounds. You were connected to album in a more physical way; things were deeper, more evocative...Anyways...

Live Streams: Kendall Street Company - Live from Relix Studios

For the last year live music was on lock down (like everything else in New York City). Live streams and old concerts have become essential for live music junkies like RtBE. Things are improving on the pandemic front in this city, but live streams will be an option for 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 always check out or 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: Kendall Street Company - Live from Relix Studios

Check out the show on Relix Twitch channel. 

To get in the mood, here is a tune from the band:

Dylan Cover #508 Subterranean Street Society "Dark Eyes"

 In this ongoing Monday Series we will be exploring various artists versions of Bob Dylan song's. Today's tune is a cover by Subterranean Street Society playing "Dark Eyes"

Thoughts on Original:
"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 our first time hearing Subterranean Street Society. 

Thoughts on Cover:

A very cool cover that uses powerful vocals and minimal instrumentation. 

Live Streams: Hot Tuna Acoustic and Electric - Live @ The Capital Theater

 For the last year live music was on lock down (like everything else in New York City). Live streams and old concerts have become essential for live music junkies like RtBE. Things are improving on the pandemic front in this city, but live streams will be an option for 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 always check out or 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: Hot Tuna Acoustic and Electric - Live @ The Capital Theater

The long running act bring their talents to the Cap tonight, grab tix here. 

To get in the mood here is a throwback tune from 1973 from an electric version of the Tuna:

Live Streams: The Hold Steady - Massive Nights from Brooklyn Bowl

For the last year live music was on lock down (like everything else in New York City). Live streams and old concerts have become essential for live music junkies like RtBE. Things are improving on the pandemic front in this city, but live streams will be an option for 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 always check out or 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 Hold Steady - Massive Nights

For the Friday night version of this years Massive Nights run, Fans will stream The Hold Steady live from Brooklyn Bowl at 9pm tonight. 

RtBE will be in attendance and we can not wait. To get in the mood here is some live music from the band. 

Full Show Friday: Spoon - Live @ Brooklyn Steel 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...Spoon!

A new record is due out early next year, but today we are revisiting a set form the Austin based band back in 2017 at Brooklyn Steel. 

Pro shot, Pro sound, full set list below. Enjoy:

Do I Have To Talk You Into It 5:52 - Inside Out 10:59 - I Turn My Camera On 16:02 - WhisperI'lllistentohearit 20:14 - Don't You Evah 24:25 - Do You 28:00 - I Ain't The One (prelude) 33:15 - I Ain't The One 38:05 - Anything You Want 42:22 - Can I Sit Next To You? 46:37 - My Mathematical Mind 54:40 - Don't Make Me a Target 59:09 - The Underdog 1:02:29 - Rainy Taxi 1:06:38 - Black Like Me

 

New Single from Leyla McCalla, Signs with Anti Records

The New Orleans based artist Leyla McCalla has released her newest single "Fort Dimanche". You can listen to it, and the story behind it, below. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Leyla McCalla (@leylacello)

RtBE have been fans of McCalla since we first heard her. Her last solo album was our favorite record of the year in 2019 and she was spotlighted on our best albums of the previous decade list. 

Anti is a solid label and RtBE are happy she will be working with them in the future.  

Live Streams: Toubab Krewe - Live at Relix Studios

For the last year live music was on lock down (like everything else in New York City). Live streams and old concerts have become essential for live music junkies like RtBE. Things are improving on the pandemic front in this city, but live streams will be an option for 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 always check out or 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: Toubab Krewe - Live at Relix Studios

This afternoon at 2pm Toubab Krewe will be playing live at the Relix Studios in NYC. It will be viewable here.  

We caught the band waaaay back in 2006 at Joe's Pub and they put on a good show. I have also checked in periodically on them over the years and they always bring it live.

To get in the mood here is a tune from the band: 

Album Review: Christone "Kingfish" Ingram - 662

Christone "Kingfish" Ingram

662

**** out of *****

The young blues phenom Christone "Kingfish" Ingram has delivered the rocking goods with his sophomore release 662. 

The follow up to his excellent 2019 full length debut, 662 opens up the singer/song writer/guitar slingers sound even wider, while remaining firmly rooted in his southern blues style. His direct mentions to his home on the title track and the rolling "Something In The Dirt" or to the history of his sound on the strutting funky "Too Young To Remember" show off Ingram's stout songwriting talents.  He takes the blues direct feeling and continues the no frills approach while putting his own spin and worldview into the genre like the best before him. 

His turn of phrase on album highlight and future theme song "She Calls Me Kingfish" is smile inducing while the smoother heart broken picking of "You're Already Gone" and the horn accented "That's All It Takes" both cool things down with a delicate blues touch. Things ramp up with fierce electric guitar work on the jumping "My Bad", the stomping riffs of "Long Distance Woman" and dynamite dripping solo of "Your Time Is Gonna Come" as Ingram proves he is at the top of his six string game and can hold his own with the best of them. 

The most unique offering is also the most powerful as "Another Life Goes By" tackles today's biggest societal problem working as Ingram's plea to stop the racial violence and bigotry in this country. The tune subs out drums for a programmed beat while keeping his guitar solos understated to focus on his singing and the message of his emotional lyrics; this is an avenue Kingfish should continue to explore. 

On his highly rated debut Kingfish performed a duet with Buddy Guy, a kindred spirit who has blazed an electric blues path for the protege to follow along. With 662 Ingram has cemented his  own foundation with a supremely solid collection of heavy blues rockers that cook with energy and wisdom beyond the young artists years. 

______________________________________

Support the artist, buy the album, stream it on bandcamp or below and peep some video:

Album Review: Leo Nocentelli - Another Side

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

It is of Leo Nocentelli's first solo album, Another Side.

The album arrives 50 years after it was first recorded, read the amazing journey of the album here. 

Support the artist, read the review, buy the album, stream it on bandcamp or below and peep some video:

Album Review: The War on Drugs - I Don't Live Here Anymore

The War on Drugs

I Don't Live Here Anymore

**** out of *****

On The War On Drugs last effort, 2017's A Deeper Understanding, Adam Granduciel found a perfect combo of 80's AOR sound and personal connection with his singing/lyrics to break through resulting in one of the best albums of the decade. That record took the Bruce Hornsby, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen mid-80's pop ethos to modern production extremes and for I Don't Live Here Anymore those talents get pushed even further while feeling as if there is a transition to a next phase in the recent effort. 

The first mention for any War On Drugs album should be the production and sound, as layers of pianos, guitars, strings, programmed beats and drums meld to create a lush pop rock environment that rings with delight. The album was co-produced by Granduciel and engineer Shawn Everett and apparently re-mixed mastered and recorded multiple times over the last few years. The final product simply sounds wonderful as speakers and headphones illuminate a world of sonic delights in each track. 

Granduciel and Everett really perfected their sound at this point and if anything, this go around gives into a few more artsy experimentation's. "I Don't Wanna Wait" employs electronic dance beats underneath the swirling sounds and vocal effects before transforming into a big rock number to close while "Victim" keeps the electro beats pumping with repetition with squirreling noise rock guitar/keys splashes at points. 

One of Granduciel best tricks is letting a song breath on its own, most of the tracks reach the six minute mark and few feel overburdened or drawn out. While openers "Living Proof" and "Harmonia's Dreams" both work well it is at the end of the record that things come into better focus. 

For the title track "I Don't Live Here Anymore" (featuring Lucius) Granduciel takes a big step, he let's someone else into his sonic world. Lucius sings back up and expands tWoD sound even more. Lyrically he pulls direct lines from Dylan's "Shelter From The Storm" while recalling dancing with someone at a Dylan show to "Desolation Row". These are major steps for an artist who crafts his own singular sound/lyrical world and revels in it yet the direct Dylan references can feel oddly jarring. 

This sense of openness continues with "Old Skin" which sounds like a composite of ten Springsteen efforts and Rod Stewart's "Young Turks" rolled into one mega tune and then "Wasted" pulls it all together, a dynamite 80's pounding affair that blisters from the start with confidence rather than a reclusiveness. "Rings Around My Father's Eyes" is the theme of the album, a transitional work about growing up, growing out, growing apart and aging and probably should have ended the record with a powerful statement, but "Occasional Rain" wraps things up and feels tacked on. 

Granduciel is clearly moving in a direction where he is pairing his filtered layered sound with an organic sense of humanity. I Don't Live Here Anymore is a good step along the journey, no matter where The War On Drugs ends up.

___________________________________

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