A FINAL GOODBYE

As 2012, draws to a close, let's take a final look back at some of the names in music who we said goodbye to this year.

January 2-Guitarist Larry Reinhardt (Iron Butterfly, Captain Beyond)

Etta James

January 8-Singer/Pianist Dave Alexander

January 14-Drummer Robbie France (UFO)


January 20-Singer Etta James

January 20-Singer Therese Hanserot (Destiny)

January 25-Guitarist Mark Reale (Ratt)

February 11-Singer Whitney Houston

Whitney Houston

Davy Jones

February 25-Guitarist Dee Cernile (Sven Gali)

February 29-Singer Davy Jones (The Monkees)

March 3-Guitarist Ronnie Montrose (Montrose)

March 8-Blues guitarist Bugs Henderson

March 12-Drummer Michael Hossack (The Doobie Brothers)

March 14-Guitarist Eddie King

April 17- Singer/Guitarist Brian Jack (Child’s Play)

Levon Helm

April 18- Radio/Television personality Dick Clark

April 19-Drummer Levon Helm (The Band)

April 19-Multi-instumentalist Greg Ham (Men At Work)



April 23-Bassist John Christopher Ethridge (Flying Burrito Brothers)

May 1-Guitarist Charles "Skip" Pitts (Isaac Hayes)

May 4-Adam Yauch (Beastie Boys)

May 13-Bassist Donald "Duck" Dunn

May 17-Singer Donna Summer

Donna Summer

May 18-Drummer Peter Jones (Crowded House)

May 20-Singer Robin Gibb (Bee Gees)

May 25-Drummer Mark McConnell (Sebastian Bach, Blackfoot)

May 26-Bassist John Harrison (Hawkwind)

June 4-Singer Herb Reed (The Platters)

June 5-Singer Bobby Durango (Rock City Angels)

June 8-Guitarist Bob Welch

Bob Welch

June 12-Drummer Dennis St. John (Neil Diamond)


June 15-Drummer Tim Mooney (American Music Club, Sun Kil Moon)


June 19-Manager Gerry Bron (Uriah Heep, Motorhead)


June 30-Guitarist Ivan Sekyra (Abraxas)

July 16-Keyboadist Jon Lord (Deep Purple)

July 24-Singer Larry Hoppen (Orleans)

July 27-Singer/songwriter Daryl Cotton

July 27-Singer/songwriter Daryl Cotton



August 7-Guitarist Stuart Swanlund (Marshall Tucker Band)



August 12-Guitarist Gary Cox (Artful Dodger)


August 15-Bassist Bob Birch (Elton John Band)






Bill Tillman

August 15-Saxophonist Bill Tillman (Blood Sweat and Tears)

August 31- Bassis Rob Grant (Sarasin)

September 2-Guitarist Mark Abrahamian (Starship)

September 5-Songwriter Joe South

September 21-Keyboardist Benjy King (Patty Smyth, Scandal)

September 25-Singer Andy Williams

September 27-Guitarist/Keyboardist Simon Oberender (Trillium, Beyond The Bridge)

September 27-Singer  R.B. Greaves ("Take A Letter, Maria")

Big Jim Sullivan

October 2-Guitarist Big Jim Sullivan



October 2-Singer Marjorie Lane



October 3-Singer Kathi McDonald

Nick Curran

October 6-Guitarist Nick Curran (Fabulous Thunderbirds)



October 15-Guitarist Rick Chadock (White Sister)



October 22-Singer/Guitarist Terry Allen (Elysium)





Bill Dees

October 24 Songwriter Bill Dees

October 26-Guitarist Jo Gunne (Fuzzbox)

October 28-Guitarist Terry Callier

November 9-Singer Major Harris (Delfonics)

November 14-Fiddler and bones player Martin Fay (The Chieftains)

November 17-Singer Billy Scott (The Prophets)

November 20-Guitarist Michael Dunford (Renaissance)



Michael Dunford and Annie Haslam

November 24-Producer/Manager Chris Stamp (The Who)

December 1-Robert J. Cavanaugh (My father-I'll miss you, Dad)

December 1-Singer Dee Harvey

December 6-Drummer Ed Cassidy (Spirit)



Ed Cassidy

December 9-Singer Jenni Rivera

December 12-Sitarist Ravi Shankar

Decedmber 13-Vocalist Keith Deen

December 24-Singer Ray Collins (The Mothers Of Invention)

December 29-Guitarist Mike Auldridge (The Seldom Scene)

MEET ME IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT

STEVE FORBERT

"GET YOUR MOTOR RUNNING"

Although I will be posting a review for Steve Forbert’s Sept. 11^th release of Over with You, his first studio album in three years, I just listened to Steve’s new live album, Get Your Motor Running and wanted to put a quick mention of it out here for any fans who might not be aware of it.

The album, recorded at The Temple Theater in Meridian, MS., is so far available only from Steve’s website.

 

Those of us who follow Forbert know that live albums from the singer are nothing new. Steve often releases solo concert performances either via compact disc or download, and often treats fans to occasional free downloads throughout the year.

 

Any live album from Forbert takes you places the studio albums do not go, and Get Your Motor Running is no exception.

 

While many of Steve’s performances feature only his unique voice, reliable guitar and trusty harmonica, here Forbert shares the spotlight with The Queen City Fever Band (Clay Barnes, Lead Guitar/Clay Ames, Bass/Adam Box, Drums).

 

As one might expect, this union brings new life to Forbert’s songs. The arrangements of Forbert’s songs in this full band setting are natural, not forced, and the performances give the impression that this is how the songs were originally conceived, although in some cases this is actually how they evolved over the years.

 

You would think this was a band that has been playing together for decades, and you will find yourself tapping your toe along with Forbert and band, as they bring some old favorites back to life while keeping the heart and soul of each song intact.

 

There are some interestingly arranged cover songs (“Born To Be Wild” and “Heartbreak Hotel”), and on both tunes, Forbert reworks these songs into Americana gems, giving them his own unique style and sound.

 

Fans who only remember the late seventies and early eighties classics (“Goin’ Down To Laurel,” “Romeo’s Tune”) may want to give this a listen as well as look for the new studio effort.

THINKIN'

GOIN' DOWN TO LAUREL

DON'T STICK YOUR HEAD IN THE SAND

CRACK THE SKY "OSTRICH"

 

 

 

 

With Ostrich, Crack the Sky once again offers up an unbelievable album that few people are likely to hear, returning with one of their best albums in years. This band is one of the best kept secrets in rock music, and have delivered a collection of pop/rock songs that sting while making you smile. The lyrics are full of satirical, smirky commentary that are wrapped in up tempo-yes, you can dance to it!
 

CTS continues to explore different sounds with each CD, and this one is no different, with a funkier sound (in a good way) than their previous recordings. Although I commend the band for extending their range and experimenting on recent recordings, this record is a return to their fun, upbeat style that fans fell in love with.

The songs are compelling, the musicianship is tight and rocking, and the production work is absolutely flawless.

CTS albums require more than just passive listening, and a few of them require some multiple spins and downright work on the listener's part as they can be dense, multilayered, intricate and thought-provoking. Nevertheless, they are always rewarding.

John Palumbo, having either hit a manic phase or attempting to get our attention via the back door, has penned some excellent tunes that the band delivers on. The chops and the creativity that made you a fan long ago are still there, with clever lyrics, tons of guitar, excellent bass and drums, and even horns!

Ostrich has it all! Sterling production, peerless instrumentation, intelligent/provocative songwriting-this remarkable band once again shows their ability to shift gears while keeping their artistic integrity intact.

 

 

BIG ELEPHANT

 

 

HAMMER TIME

GLASS HAMMER-"PERILOUS"

Over the last few years, Glass Hammer has been steadily earning the title of the US's premier progressive rock band.

After liking the last CD (Cor Cordium) so much, and having seen Jon Davison fronting Yes over the summer, I decided I was enough of a Glass Hammer fan to order an autographed copy of the new CD, Perilous, direct from the band's website.

 
This is the third CD with the current lineup, and the level of musicianship and production value sets a new standard for the band, who have worked together for longer than any other incarnation of the band and their sound is starting to show the benefits.

The album continues in the stylistic vein of their last few records, and shows the band upping the ante just a little.

While my first inclination might be to draw comparisons to Yes-there are similarities due to the common lead singer and the overall style of the music-let me make it clear that this sounds like a Glass Hammer record.

This is a brilliant piece of music, multi layered, full of different textures and nuances. The emotions and ideas in the lyrics ebb and flow with the music, and Davison's voice fits quite well, soaring and hitting all the right notes, evoking memories of classic seventiess prog.

This is a solid concept album-one musical idea in thirteen movements with a definite story to tell with a beginning, middle and climactic end.

The band set out to make something epic, without being afraid to allude to their influences while developing a sound that is undeniably their own.

They pulled it off!



 

NOT SO JAGGED ANY MORE

ALANIS MORISSETTE
HAVOC AND BRIGHT LIGHTS

Alanis Morissette will probably not earn many new converts with Havoc and Bright Lights, but she will keep her devoted fan base pleased with this smart, sturdy collection of tunes.

In the four years since 2008's Flavors of Entanglement, which set a high water mark in Morissette's catalogue, the artist has experienced marriage and motherhood, resulting in a decidedly less anxious set of tunes.

Her new perspective is at times deceptively unengaging and soft at the core, revealing lyrical and melodic treasures upon repeated play. Morissette invokes themes of interconnectedness and universality, rewarding listeners with poetic ears.

She still rocks hard when she wants to, blistering with righteous anti-misogyny, proving Morissette can still make men cower if the spirit so moves her.

The production proves to be a flaw of the record that seems to make Morissette's voice border on bland, burying it down in the mix and giving the songs an unwelcome slickness and sheen.
Those looking for a retread of Jagged Little Pill will not find it here, but long time fans probably won't be disappointed.

GUARDIAN

WOMAN DOWN

ANGELS AND DEVILS

JOHNNY SANSONE-THE LORD IS WAITING AND THE DEVIL IS TOO

In the wrong hands, the blues can become too much of a cliché, but in the right hands, the artist is able to tap into something elemental.

The latter is the case with Johnny Sansone's The Lord Is Waiting And The Devil Is Too-the album’s themes demonstrate his understanding of the world's dark side and the eternal struggle to find the light of salvation. The ten tracks provide a raw look at life near the crossroads, where the choices one makes shape the future for a long time to come.

Sansone teams up with Anders Osborne (producer, guitar, background vocals and other instruments including cowbell, which there probably needs to be more of) and drummer Stanton Moore, compiling ten stripped down and disturbing songs that initially seem too dark and primal for casual listening, but if you stick with it, the album’s songs paint pictures of characters who are at once fragile and strong and how circumstances make them do desperate things.

Musically, the album goes from a raucous New Orleans romp to slow-cooked blues, with Osborne’s production creating space for Sansone’s growl and harmonica, foregoing a bass guitar, resulting in lean and hard arrangements.

 

The mix showcases Sansone’s excellent harp playing skills, equally adept at both diatonic and chromatic and willing to get dirty with them when appropriate. The harp rips and shreds when it takes center stage-on one instrumental (“Corn Whiskey”), his harp has the aggression of a bare knuckle punch, at times feeling like a frenzied guitar feedback solo, at others literally criying the blues.

 

The lyrics set the album’s tone, with bleak imagery and undertones of menace-it is probably for the best that Sansone get this stuff out of his system, and we all get the benefit of his exorcism.

This is blues-influenced roots-rock at its finest, and sadly the record seemed to come and go without getting its due.

YOUR WISE MAN DON'T KNOW HOW IT FEELS

 

IAN ANDERSON "THICK AS A BRICK 2"

 

In 1972, Ian Anderson wrote and recorded the Jethro Tull Progressive Rock classic album Thick As A Brick . The lyrics were credited at the time to the fictitious child character, Gerald Bostock, whose parents supposedly lied about his age to enter him in a poetry contest. The record instantly became a number one Billboard Chart album and enjoyed considerable success in many countries of the world.

So, forty years on, what would Gerald Bostock aged fifty in 2012 be doing today? What might have befallen him?

 

The anniversary part two album will examine the possible different paths that the precocious young schoolboy, Gerald Bostock, might have taken later in life through alter-ego characters with song-section identities illustrating the hugely varied potential twists and turns of fate and opportunity.

 

Not just for Gerald but to echo how our own lives develop, change direction and ultimately conclude through chance encounters and interventions, however tiny and insignificant they might seem at the time.

This is a hard album to review in any objective way. Most people who are likely to buy the album are also likely to think it should have never been made in the first place. However seeing as it actually HAS been made, the main question that people should be asking is how good is it?

In my opinion it is actually pretty good, but only if you allow yourself to get really objective about it. It in no way lives up to its predecessor,  a beloved classic of the genre, that doesn't really need a sequel both because it worked on its own and because it was a deliberate send up of concept albums themselves. But then no one realistically expected it to.

With moments energetic and heavy, there is a mixture between tasteful moments, humour and whimsical silliness and a lot of flute work. Structurally, the album does not follow the same formula as the original album, specifically it isn't just one giant song from start to finish, although as it is still a concept album it does flow together a bit more than just a standard album would.

Overall; if just being related to the original Thick As A Brick isn't enough for you, or if you don't feel too upset about the lack of Martin Barre, then by all means give it a shot.


MAKING OF THICK AS A BRICK 2


 

THICK AS A BRICK 2 (excerpt live)

THICK AS A BRICK 2

 

EXIT XS

INXS OFFICIALLY SAY GOODBYE

INXS has confirmed that it's calling it quits.

The Australian group announced on Monday night that it had decided to bring the curtain down on a career that's lasted 35 years and 11 studio albums, including six that sold platinum or better in the U.S.

"We understand that this must come as a blow to everybody, but all things must eventually come to an end,"  founding members Tim, Andrew and Jon Farriss, Kirk Pengilly and Garry Beers said in a statement. "We have been performing as a band for 35 years, it's time to step away from the touring arena. Our music will of course live on and we will always be a part of that. We would like to express our heartfelt thanks to all the friends and family that have supported us throughout our extensive career. Our lives have been enriched by having you all as a part of the journey."





 

 
In the statement, Jon Farriss noted that Inxs took pride in continuing after the tragic loss of frontman Michael Hutchence in 1997: "It's been 35 years for Inxs as a live touring band and unbelievably it's been 15 years ago since we lost Michael. We lived for each other in the trenches and we loved each other. It was the six of us against the world and then suddenly and inexplicably we were but five. We were lost right at the moment we were on top." But, Andrew Farriss added, "We never took a soft option, it was the adversity, the challenge and the struggle that forged us into the live working band we became. And this was as big as it could possibly get when it came to a challenge, and in the end we decided for a whole bunch of reasons to march forward. To us there was no other option, families always move forward."

 Inxs manager Chris Murphy added that, "They believed unconditionally in each other and they also believed unconditionally in the music. People fade, sometimes way too early -- that is life whether we like it or not. To live to 80 plus is a life well lived. To lose Michael so young was a tragedy for all of us. But with this band, their legacy, their music was just so damn good, it was always destined to live beyond all of us."
Inxs has worked with several singers since Hutchence's death, including Canadian J.D. Fortune, who was chosen during the 2005 TV reality show "Rock Star: Inxs." The group was most recently fronted by Ireland native Ciaran Gribbin, and Andrew Farriss had declared that "this particular lineup of Inxs is really -- we're on a winner, I think, with this one. It's looking really, really positive."


FULL STORY HERE

IF THREE WERE FIVE

BEN FOLDS FIVE
THE SOUND OF THE LIFE OF THE MIND

Someday maybe someone will explain to me why  Ben Folds Five only has three members. I would have thought that after a thirteen-year hiatus the band would have found those two prodigal sons.

But the North Carolina based piano-based, indie-rock trio are back with a new album after more than a decade, and this fourth record fits neatly into the combined "Five" and solo catalogue very nicely, with songwriting that is a  natural evolution from the most recent solo record and a sound that picks up right where the third album left off.

Folds has always been the main songwriter, arranger, lyricist, and producer of the "Five"'s records, so it's no surprise that the songwriting on this album feels very much in the vein of his last solo record.

What bassist Robert Sledge and drummer Darren Jesse really bring to the table is a rough, powerful energy that brings a certain edge to Folds' songwriting.

The songs on this album are deep, from the lyrics to the arrangements. There's a certain charm to the less developed ideas that songwriters are willing to put on their records in their early years, and The Sound of the Life of the Mind is far more polished than those earlier efforts, rarely letting loose and going elbows-to-keys on the piano.

This is no longer a trio in their 20's, and while the album would have benefitted from more high-tempo songs, the album reflects the band a decade older rather than a repeat their first record for the sake of nostalgia and records sales.

All in all, well worth checking out!

ERASE ME

THANK YOU FOR BREAKING MY HEART

BRIGHT LIGHTS, WHAT THE HECK HAPPENED?

GARY CLARK JR.
"BLAK AND BLU"

After having teased us for so long with the Bright Lights EP, Gary Clark Jr drops Blak and Blu, his first full-length proper album.

Sadly, in his attempts to appeal to a broader audience, the long awaited full length disc is a tangled genre-bending affair that slides back and forth between blues, slickly-produced pop and urban music. If you liked the EP, some songs will certainly appeal to you, but about half of the album sounds to me to be a bid for radio airplay and commercial success.

I am not judging Clark for wanting commercial success,  but the result, while well done, does not work together well as a cohesive album. This album makes a strong argument for downloads. The thirteen songs, a potpourri of different genres, does not appear to have put together with continuity or much of a running order in mind.

What was great about Bright Lights was Gary’s amazing guitar playing and clean mixes, as opposed to this collection, heavily produced with many backing tracks and a little too much of everything.

 

While Gary is first and foremost a blues artist, with this album he is marketing a more accessible style of music, more reminiscent of a Bruce Springsteen album than someone who has the chance to be this generation's Hendrix.

Having listened to the EP extensively, my expectations for this album may have been set too high. There are tracks on this album very much worth listening to, and new listeners will probably be impressed by the skills on display. For me, the album falls victim to the heavy handed production and pop-radio influences.

The variety does showcase Gary as a multi-talented artist, and there are some great songs here but instead of trying to appeal to every taste Clark shoud stick to the formula that got him here.

BRIGHT LIGHTS

AIN'T MESSIN' 'ROUND

SHAKEN, NOT STIRRED

With a new James Bond movie starting this weekend, the debate will start again on who is the best actor to play James Bond.

Since music is the point of this blog, I thought I would do a piece on the best James Bond theme song.

But I decided I'd rather hear your comments on your favorite Bond song.

So since it was far too late to try to set up a linky tool and get the word out, I'm going to write my piece, and hopefully you'll leave a comment with your favorite, and maybe even a word or two explaining it.

For the record-my favorite is number three on the list below.

The list below represents the top ten James Bond theme songs.

Before you start the debate, this top 10 ranking is based on actual performance on the weekly Billboard Hot 100 chart through the tally dated Oct. 13, 2012.

Songs are ranked based on an inverse point system, with weeks at No. 1 earning the greatest value and weeks at No. 100 earning the least.

 

 

1. "A View To A Kill" Duran Duran, Hot 100 Peak: 1 Peak Year: 1985 from the Bond film "A View To A Kill"

2. "Nobody Does It Better" Carly Simon, Hot 100 Peak: 2 Peak Year: 1977 from the Bond film "The Spy Who Loved Me

3. "Live And Let Die" Paul McCartney & Wings, Hot 100 Peak: 2 Peak Year: 1973 from the Bond film "Live And Let Die"

 

4. "For Your Eyes Only" Sheena Easton, Hot 100 Peak: 4 Peak Year: 1981 from the Bond film "For Your Eyes Only"

5. "Goldfinger" Shirley Bassey, Hot 100 Peak: 8 Peak Year: 1965 from the Bond film "Goldfinger"

6. "Die Another Day" Madonna, Hot 100 Peak: 8 Peak Year: 2003 from the Bond film "Die Another Day

 

 

 

7. “Skyfall” Adele, Hot 100 Peak: 8 Peak Year: 2012 from the Bond film "Skyfall"

8. "Thunderball" Tom Jones, Hot 100 Peak: 25 Peak Year: 1966 from the Bond film "Thunderball"

9. "All Time High" Rita Coolidge, Hot 100 Peak: 36 Peak Year: 1983 from the Bond film "Octopussy"

 

 

 

 

10. "You Only Live Twice" Nancy Sinatra, Hot 100 Peak: 44 Peak Year: 1967 from the Bond film "You Only Live Twice"

 

 

I was a little surprised that "Goldeneye" (Tina Turner) did not make the list over Madonna (although it did chart well in the UK).

 

What about you? Any surprises that did not make the list, or in the order? What's your favorite Bond song?