Xenia Rubinos - Live on KEXP 2013 / Rosslyn Jazz Festival 2017

 Xenia Rubinos - Live on KEXP 2013

 

Xenia Rubinos - Rosslyn Jazz Festival 2017 - Part 1

 

 Xenia Rubinos - Rosslyn Jazz Festival 2017 - Part 2

 

When Xenia Rubinos took the stage at Brooklyn’s Public Records last week, she was moving through performance elements that only a true diva could channel. Arms flailing high above her frilly white dress, Rubinos sang “Ay Hombre,” a high drama anthem from her genre-defying album Una Rosa, with such conviction, it reverberated throughout the room. Minutes earlier, Puerto Rican drag queen Vena Cava had posed as Rubinos, performing her own rendition of songs from Una Rosa with a similarly urgent fervor. Cava, like the artifacts on display at the event, was among the album’s many inspirations.
A day before the show, Rubinos spoke about her recent obsession with high femme figures like drag queens and Ranchera singers. “Do you see that bra hanging up?” she asked over Zoom from her Brooklyn apartment, nodding to a white bra enshrined on the wall behind her. “I’m playing with a lot of movement and costume right now.” This sort of lively exploration is all over Una Rosa. A departure from Rubinos’ jazz and funk-infused albums, the album embeds ’90s R&B, bolero, and Caribbean rhythms like rumba and salsa within synth-heavy arrangements kissed with Auto-Tuned vocals, creating a richly textured soundscape. Whether it’s the rewriting of José Martí’s “Yo Soy Un Hombre Sincero” on “Who Shot Ya?” or the reimagining of traditional Puerto Rican Christmas songs on “Sacude,” these collage-like moments tell a multilayered tale about identity, memory, and loss.
Writing and recording Una Rosa was a kind of spiritual reckoning for Rubinos. After the critical success and touring behind 2016’s Black Terry Cat, many of the demons she had long pushed aside finally resurfaced. She was burned out and still processing her father’s passing, entering into what she called the deepest depression of her life. In early 2020, she reluctantly returned to the studio with her partner and longtime collaborator Marco Buccelli, disillusioned at first. “I was like a ghost, I was not there,” she said. That initial disconnection fueled her experimental side, and Rubinos eventually found her way back to music. “When I finished the takes on ‘Did My Best,’ the hairs on my arms and legs stood up,” she said. “And it just hit me like a flood, like, whoa! This is healing.”
Una Rosa was inspired initially by the images and sounds that have stuck with Rubinos throughout her life. She refers to her memory as a “magic box of things that changes throughout time,” and using these objects as a springboard, she mapped out the album’s narrative focus. The first half is rich and vibrant, while the latter is more introspective and lithe. Rubinos’ raw vocal cuts and sharp lyricism enliven characters like la diva tragica (tragic diva) on “Ay Hombre” and the working-class woman on “Working All the Time.” In this way, Una Rosa isn’t just about Rubinos but also strives to capture the complexities of the Latinx experience through a format reminiscent of a novela.  From: https://pitchfork.com/features/moodboard/xenia-rubinos-una-rosa-interview/

 

Salyu X Salyu - I Want to Talk to You

S(o)un(d)beams is one of the greatest albums you never heard from 2011: a collaboration between mainstream(ish) J-Pop singer Salyu – noted for her extraordinarily powerful upper register and her Quentin Tarantino connection – and avant-garde Japanese pop icon Cornelius. 
It’s a fun and imaginative investigation into the human voice: sampling, layering and looping Salyu’s voice and keyboards (mainly). At times, it recalls early 80s close harmony vocal trio The Roches, obscure noise minimalists Miu Mau and Ode To Joy (the Muppets version).
Surrounded by the colour and detritus of Goma’s Future Beauty Japanese fashion season, Cornelius (guitar) and Salyu (keys, vocals) – backed by a light jazz-pop troupe that includes Yumiko Ohno of Grand Royal act Buffalo Daughter – bring S(o)un(d)beams into glorious, vivid life.
It hardly matters half the crowd don’t understand the language: these songs are structured around vowel sounds and dissonant consonants, not words. The vocal acrobatica is skillfully played out in front of our disbelieving ears. The dissonance is offset by the beauty. The jazz licks merge with traditional Japanese wind chimes and a well-placed finger snaps
The opening song S(o)un(d)beams is six minutes of glorious ebb and flow: three voices, the left, right and centre channels switching and double backing upon one another with adroit confusion, drums and bass a low throb. Likewise, the more upbeat and mischievous YouTube cult hit Just Friends welcomed in by a metronomic pulse, taken over by handclaps and vocals.
There’s something almost childish in the pleasure that salyu x salyu derive from the constant interaction of voices, nicely offseting more solemn moments like Sailing Days – think slowly drifting spring landscapes – and the clearly clinical (yet often spontaneous) execution of songs like first encore, the ballad Hostile To Me. Let's Dance in Rain Boots is haunting and beautifully spaced, as is the unexpected and totally wonderful Roches cover (Robert Fripp’s guitar parts expertly covered by Cornelius).
Towards the end, the band step it up a pace and layer the funk on with the sound collage, with Slave and Mirror Neurotic. Cornelius cuts loose on the joyful and fat psychedelic guitar – sparking off the evening’s only serious bout of dancing from a couple of hardy souls down the front. A most extraordinary and invigorating evening. Shame she didn’t play her take on Heroes And Villains – she’d have totally brought the house down. Magical, nonetheless.  From: https://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/feb/02/cornelius-presents-salyu-x-salyu-review

Yes - America (Simon & Garfunkel cover)

Wouldn’t it be strange if you discovered that back in early 1970s, Genesis had covered Bob Dylan? Or if Emerson, Lake & Palmer had recorded a Buffalo Springfield song? Progressive rock and folk rock may not seem like natural musical partners, but the English prog-rock outfit Yes had other ideas. Just six months after they released their biggest single to date, “Roundabout” in January 1972, they issued a single of their cover of Simon & Garfunkel’s 1968 song “America.” If you’ve ever heard Yes’ majestic, meandering take on this classic and been confused as to how it came to be, the reasons are actually straightforward. They may still be surprising to many of the band’s fans nonetheless.
Right around the same time that Yes was forming in London, Simon & Garfunkel released their fourth studio album Bookends. The duo had already established themselves as a marquee recording act, and the popularity of some of their songs, such as “Homeward Bound” and “I Am a Rock,” extended into the UK and continental Europe. The fourth single from Bookends, “Mrs. Robinson,” was a No. 1 hit in the U.S. and Simon & Garfunkel’s biggest hit to date in the UK, reaching No. 4.
Simon & Garfunkel’s trademark harmonies were an important part of the duo’s appeal, and they were a key factor in bringing the initial lineup of Yes together. Early in their work together, lead vocalist Jon Anderson and the late bassist Chris Squire bonded over their love of Simon & Garfunkel’s harmonizing. Simon & Garfunkel’s approach informed Yes’ vocal arrangements in their early years, as well as in the decades that followed.
It should hardly be surprising, then, that Yes featured “America” frequently in their early setlists. They were playing the song live before they released it as a standalone single in 1972, and they continued to include it in their live shows afterwards. As a result, “America” ranks as Yes’ 19th most-played song in live performances, according to setlist.fm, and it has been their most frequently performed cover song by a wide margin.
In a 2014 interview with Songfacts, Squire indicated he didn’t think there was anything strange or surprising about Yes doing their version of “America.” He said, “When Yes first formed, Simon & Garfunkel were very prevalent hitmakers at the time and both myself and Jon Anderson were big fans of them. That’s why we covered the song ‘America.’”
To be sure, Yes’ version has a distinctly different arrangement and feel than the original. Squire noted there was a strategic element to the band covering a familiar song and putting its own stamp on it. He told Songfacts, ”I always thought that was quite a good clue for audiences when we were starting: If you took somebody else’s material, and then put your own treatment to it, then the audience would recognize more what you did; what the style of the band was because they were already familiar with the tune from the original artist.” Part of what makes a song recognizably Yes are varied tempos and styles and longer run times. Whereas the original runs three-and-a-half minutes, the full version of Yes’ cover expands to 10-and-a-half minutes. Even the single edit clocks in at 4:12.
While their cover of “America” should have given Yes’ fans a strong hint they liked Simon & Garfunkel, a close listen also reveals that at least one member was also a big fan of a classic Broadway musical. At the 1:44 mark of Yes’ long version of “America,” Squire plays the melody from the chorus of the song “America” from West Side Story on his bass. At minimum, it’s a clever mashup of two well-known songs with the same name, but there may be more to Squires’ bass lick than just that. Yes recorded a cover of “Something’s Coming” from West Side Story and released it as a single in the Netherlands in 1972.  From: https://americansongwriter.com/the-story-behind-yes-remake-of-simon-garfunkels-late-1960s-classic-america/

Rosalie Cunningham - Strawberry Fields Forever (Beatles cover)

Rosalie Cunningham - Strawberry Fields Forever. Fun facts: this was something she did with her dad (you see them together in the cafe near the end). He’s a professional (folk?) musician and huge Beatles fan. He plays drums and made the vid (with lots of childhood footage of Rosalie), and she played essentially every other instrument and mixed it herself.  From: https://www.reddit.com/r/psychedelicrock/comments/yshs9o/rosalie_cunningham_strawberry_fields_forever/ 

Rosalie Cunningham’s intriguing career story began at the age of just 12 when she first picked up a guitar with serious intent. “Even before then,” she says, “I was picking out melodies on the piano and writing little songs, but developing a real interest in the guitar was the catalyst to forming my first band at school, Suzie’s Lip, when I reached 13.”
The eldest child of a musician/journalist father and yoga teacher mother, Rosalie grew up with her three siblings in an environment where music was constantly in the air. Fascinated by The Beatles, Slade, Syd-era Pink Floyd, Bowie, Small Faces, Genesis and Black Sabbath, her creativity first reached the wider public in 2007 when she founded her first professional band, the all-female, Gothic-psychedelic outfit Ipso Facto, releasing three singles and a mini album, supporting Magazine and The Last Shadow Puppets on tour, and becoming the new darlings of the UK and European festival circuit.
After Ipso Facto’s split, Cunningham immersed herself in the session world, guesting with numerous bands and artists, and appearing on TV programmes including ‘Later… With Jools Holland’, ‘BBC Electric Proms’ and NBC’s ‘Jay Leno Show’ in the USA, however, the burning urge to cultivate her own music was never far away.
In 2011, wearing her psychedelic influences even more proudly, her next move was to launch the internationally acclaimed band Purson. Purson frequently toured the UK, Europe and North America – with the likes of Kiss, Ghost and Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats – and featured regularly on BBC 6 Music. 
After writing what became Purson’s posthumous single, ‘Chocolate Money’, Cunningham recorded and issued a 50th anniversary cover of The Beatles’ ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’ as a YouTube exclusive, with her father, Mark, and then entered a self-imposed “musical hibernation” before re-emerging with her eponymous album like the visionary solo artist she always was.  From: https://www.highresaudio.com/en/artist/view/b782dd28-2da1-4071-aaa5-932286b615d3/rosalie-cunningham

"Strawberry Fields Forever" is a song by the Beatles, written by John Lennon and credited to Lennon–McCartney. It was released on 13 February 1967 as a double A-side single with "Penny Lane". It represented a departure from the group's previous singles and a novel listening experience for the contemporary pop audience. While the song initially divided and confused music critics and the group's fans, it proved highly influential on the emerging psychedelic genre. Its accompanying promotional film is similarly recognised as a pioneering work in the medium of music video.
Lennon based the song on his childhood memories of playing in the garden of Strawberry Field, a Salvation Army children's home in Liverpool. Starting in November 1966, the band spent 45 hours in the studio, spread over five weeks, creating three versions of the track. The final recording combined two of those versions, which were entirely different in tempo, mood and musical key. It features reverse-recorded instrumentation, Mellotron flute sounds, an Indian swarmandal, and a fade-out/fade-in coda, as well as a cello and brass arrangement by producer George Martin. For the promotional film, the band used experimental techniques such as reverse effects, jump-cuts and superimposition.
The song was the first track the Beatles recorded after completing Revolver and was intended for inclusion on their forthcoming (as yet untitled) Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Instead, under pressure from their record company and management for new product, the group were forced to issue it as a single and they followed their usual practice of not including previously released singles on their albums.  From: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strawberry_Fields_Forever  

Hack-Poets Guild - Hemp & Flax

Hack-Poets Guild are a trio, but not in the traditional ‘folk’ sense. These three singers and creative minds have used their individual and unique knowledge of music and balladry to create a new experience in the British folk song canon. Teaming up with producer and musician Gerry Driver, they have created the 12-song album, Blackletter Garland, “twelve fascinating interpretations and original compositions that tell intricate tales of birth, love, conflict and death”, as their website boasts, consisting mainly of re-worked broadside ballads from the 17th and 19th century (plus a few very fitting originals). 
The trio could be considered a supergroup. Lisa Knapp has been popular since her highly esteemed debut, Wild & Undaunted, released in 2007. Having since performed with some of the biggest names in British folk, Lisa has achieved that pedestal herself and continued to release a mixture of original and reinterpreted traditional songs, often using modern production techniques to enhance some of the more esoteric material. 
Nathaniel Mann is a proper renaissance man in every sense of the term, his work spanning multimedia and genres. With experience in film, broadcast, research, production and curation, his most reminiscent work to that of Hack-Poets Guild is his group Dead Rat Orchestra, who perform traditional-style songs with custom-made resonant meat cleavers. Well worth checking out. 
Finally, Marry Waterson needs scant introduction. The daughter of Lal Waterson and co-creator of landmark albums, The Days That Shaped Me and Hidden, she has the sensibilities of folk singing coursing through her, and the ability to deliver sincerity and sharpness to anything she sings – traditional or original.
It’s not uncommon for albums by folk musicians to contain a variety of original and traditional material, however, the Hack-Poets Guild have found a perfectly balanced mix between the two, including songs with lyrics loosely based on the themes of the original texts, in some cases even blending both original and traditional lyrics in one song. With this approach, the different sources blend without friction and keep the album fresh and inviting with every progressive track.  From: https://tradfolk.co/music/reviews/blackletter-garland-hack-poets-guild/ 

Polly Panic - Losing Form

If you are here then you have at least some interest in Polly Panic's strain of cello art Rock. To introduce you a little more... I am Polly Panic, my normal name is Jenette Mackie, my Alter Ego is Polly Panic. She can say things that I can't, and she most certainly can do things that I can't. I have done Polly Panic on and off for 15 years. There was a period of about 2 years when I kind of gave up pursuing Polly Panic as a career and way of life. I was too overwhelmed and discouraged to keep going. What I thought was meant to be, was not panning out the way that I dreamed. The other part of it was that I had a hard road to travel in recovery from Alcoholism. It did paint the early years of Polly Panic... shows that I would not remember having played the next day, shows cancelled because I was too drunk to play. Unfortunately during this time I was not healthy, and I did not attract healthy people to be a part of Polly Panic either. Makes sense right? I was pretty sure that I could not do the laundry without alcohol, not to mention play shows and travel. Turns out shows are better when you are not blacked out!! Who would have thought? I finally quit drinking (It has been 11 years). Then you just have the problem of how to live without alcohol. I have spent quite a bit of time battling depression, in all its swampy fury. I am sad to think of how many years I lost to that deep sadness and inability to function. After I quit drinking and thought I had quit music, I moved to South America, thinking that I could find my real life in another place, with another way of life. Turns out life is life no matter where you are. BUT. I found myself dragging my cello around with me from bar to bar in Cotacachi, Ecuador, singing my heart out. The audience would always be completely involved, this gringa playing an instrument they did not know, singing in a language they didn't know either. I had some painful and deeply personal things happen, so I returned to the U.S. again... lost. But I keep playing and slowly built Polly Panic back up. Regardless of the results, THIS is what I am good at. It is what I do. I still get overwhelmed and mentally defeated at times. I do my best to battle it and take it easy on myself. And enjoy the actual act and art of music making. EVERY SINGLE person that listens to Polly Panic is precious to me. I try to be as honest and open as I am able, because I believe that is what is so needed in art and in life(especially now).  From: https://www.pollypanic.net/ 

 

Elton John - Philadelphia Freedom

Elton John: “In America, I’ve got ‘Philadelphia Freedom’ going up the charts again. I wish the bloody thing would piss off. I can see why people get sick and tired of me. In America, I get sick and tired of hearing myself on AM radio. It’s embarrassing.”
Bernie Taupin wrote the lyrics to most of Elton John’s songs, but Elton would occasionally suggest titles. Elton requested a song with the title “Philadelphia Freedom” in honor of his friend, the tennis player Billie Jean King. At the time, there was a professional tennis league in America called World Team Tennis, and in 1974 King coached a team called the Philadelphia Freedoms, becoming one of the first women ever to coach men. Taupin had no obligation to write lyrics about King, and he didn’t – the song was inspired by the Philadelphia Soul sound of groups like The O’Jays and Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, and also the American bicentennial; in 1976 the US celebrated 200 years of independence.
Elton John and Billie Jean King became good friends after meeting at a party. Elton tried to attend as many of her matches as he could, and he promised King a song after she gave him a customized track suit. Elton and Billie Jean King would become icons of the gay and lesbian community, but at the time, they were both still in the closet, since athletes and entertainers faced a backlash if they revealed their homosexuality. Elton was often answering questions about why he hadn’t settled down with a girl, and King avoided the subject as best she could, but was forced to come out in 1981 when a former lover sued her for palimony. King was married to a man up until her outing, and Elton was married to a woman from 1984-1988. On the single, it said this song was dedicated to “B.J.K.” (Billie Jean King) and “The Soulful Sounds Of Philadelphia.”
This song was a huge hit in America, following up another #1 single from Elton John, his cover of “Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds.” Elton dominated the charts at this time, but it didn’t always make him happy, as he felt he was being overexposed. Running 5:21, this was one of the longest dance hits of the ’70s. A few months earlier, a national radio programmer declared that he would no longer play any Elton John song over 4 minutes long because they were screwing up his playlists (Program directors liked short songs because they could play more of them. Elton’s opuses like “Daniel” and “Funeral For A Friend” had a way of screwing up the “14 Hits In A Row” format). Elton knew this would be a hit, and was happy to screw the programmer by making it long, knowing he would have to play it anyway. Elton said this was “one of the only times I tried to deliberately write a hit single.”
On May 17, 1975, Elton become one of the first white performers to appear on the TV show Soul Train, which was an honor for him. He performed this song and “Bennie And The Jets.” Depending on where he was performing, Elton would sometimes alter the lyrics of the song, swapping “Philadelphia” for his present location. He would only do it if he could make it fit, so “Cincinnati Freedom” was a go, but Cleveland didn’t get customized.  From: https://powerpop.blog/2020/03/26/elton-john-philadelphia-freedom/

Far From Alaska - About Knives

Following their 2012 EP Stereochrome, Brazilian band Far From Alaska have released a first studio album, modeHuman. The band are made up of experienced names from the music scene in Natal (north-east Brazil) and although they have been together for only a couple years, they have already played at the Planeta Terra Festival in São Paulo and the FIFA Fanfest for the 2014 World Cup. Their music is a punky hybrid of grunge, stoner rock and garage rock with vocals in English by Emmily Barreto, and no Samba to be found.
The album was recorded in Rio de Janeiro, produced by Pedro Garcia (former drummer of the rap-rock musical group Planet Hemp) and mastered in Seattle by Chris Hanzsek, who has previously worked with Soundgarden. Although funk music is blossoming in the favelas, modeHuman is a slab of approachable and energetic hard rock. “Politiks”, for example, has some scorching guitar playing (Rafael Brasil) and an interesting use of technology. Possibly what differentiates Far From Alaska from lots of other heavy rock bands is their willingness to experiment: “About Knives” and “The New Heal” have some surprising synth work; “Dino vs. Dino” has a frightening electro break about halfway through; and “modeHuman, Pt 1” and “Monochrome” use electronics to broadly consider machine humanisation.
The band are also definitively versatile, with lap steel (Cris Botarelli) on “Rolling Dice”, and “Mama” even tries out some Wurlitzer piano. “Rainbows” suddenly transforms itself from hard rock into pop. At times they sound like a female-fronted metal version of the Red Hot Chilli Peppers, so perhaps funk is a distant influence after all — in particular, “Communication” has some distinctive bass (Edu Filgueira). Far From Alaska clearly appreciate rocking out with abandon, and it seems likely that the band excel in live performance. “Tiny Eyes” and the excitable “Deadman” have some great drumming courtesy of Lauro Kirsch, “Another Round” builds its own mayhem around a very feminine vocal, and “Thievery” has a determined, catchy chorus. This is an ambitious and interesting debut.  From: https://www.popmatters.com/189445-far-from-alaska-modehuman-2495573852.html

 

The Luck of Eden Hall - Metropolis

Gregory Curvey, co-founder of psych-rock stars The Luck of Eden Hall has helped produce a sensational string of releases for over 20 years. Jason Barnard speaks to Curvey as he is about to embark on a pioneering tour of the UK:

You and the band have many fans over here in the UK, helped by the great support from Keith at Fruits de Mer. How does your following compare on both sides of the Atlantic?

It’s hard for me to keep track of. The only tools I have to work with are Facebook and Bandcamp, and I know there are a lot more people out there. Reverbnation had a world map of fan’s locations, but I cancelled my account when they tried to charge me money for a service I didn’t ask for. There are way too many sites out there that claim to help bands, but really don’t, and the last thing you want to do is join their Pro version and bleed more money every month. I think it’s best to put that money into more product and albums.
I’m forever in debt to Keith at Fruits de Mer. He’s really given TLoEH a lot of exposure over the past seven years. Good god, almost a decade already. Mega Dodo, Shindig and Prog magazines, radio and all of the blogs like Strange Brew have been pivotal in keeping the buzz going as well, and I thank you very much for your valuable support. It’s harder in the States, but we have some very solid support here too. Just, no label support, which makes a big difference. Not only do I work with Fruits de Mer and Mega Dodo Records in the U.K., but Headspin Records in the Netherlands is responsible for putting out those really high quality LPs and now Vincebus Eruptum in Italy will be releasing Make Way For The Mighty Machines as one side of their Psychedelic Battle Vol 4 LP this October. I wouldn’t mind getting something going in Germany too. I’ve approached a few labels in the States, but everyone’s usually already booked way into the future, or broke. It certainly would be a lot easier to tour here at home and I hope I can get the right connections to make that happen. We’ll see what the future holds.

You and the band have recorded a 23 minute epic ‘Make Way For The Mighty Machines’. Your last album ‘The Acceleration of Time’ had shorter rockier psych tracks. Is the long form a new direction for the group?

Yeah, that track was specifically composed for the Vincebus Eruptum release. Last August I moved from Chicago to Detroit, and the initial due date to submit the track was in January. I was freaking out because not only did I have to tear down and pack my studio then set it back up, but I had to get my new house ready to move in to, and it needed a lot of work just to be a livable space for my family. I also had to paint and tile a room in our new basement just to have a temporary space for recording. All of that work took a couple months, which left me four weeks to work on the track. Then my recording studio computer had a melt down and my ancient recording software refused to work anymore, which meant I had to buy a new computer and recording software a couple weeks before Christmas. Those were stressful times. Anyway, I had hummed a bunch of ideas into my phone’s recorder, but hadn’t done anything else. Since the rest of the guys were still over three hundred miles away in Chicago, and I didn’t have any time to waste, I dove in and started recording as soon as the studio was up and running, which ended up being in mid January. None of the ideas I’d hummed into the recorder blossomed, but in between all of the mental weeds I found a flower, which developed into Mighty Machines. In February Davide at Vincebus Eruptum told me the release date had been moved back and I breathed a huge sigh of relief. The track had been recorded, but the extra time gave me a chance to produce it properly. I’ve been going back to Chicago to rehearse for TLoEH’s gig at the Kaleidoscope Eye Music Festival in September and Lofgren told me he has a few songs ready for our next album. I definitely have enough songs for an album.

How many songs have you already written for the next The Luck of Eden Hall album and what sound/themes do they have?

I probably have fifteen songs, a handful of which have lyrics. One’s about a pretty girl on a motorcycle. One’s about a lady that gives candy to the neighborhood children. One’s about white trash. One’s about the struggle of making it to tomorrow. I’m a music man and lyrics are hard work, so I tend to wait until a song’s nearly finished to complete the lyrics, but those four songs are done. As for the overall sound, it’ll be more of the same sounds and production that I’ve been developing. Mellotron for certain, and I’ve climbed up another rung on the guitar playing ladder this past year, so maybe I’ll highlight some more solos, I don’t know. We’ll see where it all goes once we start laying down tracks. The Acceleration of Time is going to be hard to follow up.

What projects should we look out for you and The Luck of Eden Hall?

Keith at FdM has asked TLoEH to contribute a song for a 2018 release he has planned. I plan on submitting versions of Elected by Alice Cooper and maybe As You Said by Cream. I hope one of them will make the grade. Plus, I’m hitching up with Icarus Peel and Crystal Jaqueline for a couple of days during my stay in the U.K. and who knows, maybe we’ll get a little recording in. We recently worked on a track together that I composed titled Empyrean House. Also, I recently got my hands on and restored an old Harmonium, which has been really inspiring, and I’m thinking about doing an acoustic, electricity free project including Harmonium, Double Bass, Guitar and Drums. My friend Tom Negovan has an old Edison recorder and it would be really fun to record a track on it. I’m not sure if I can get him to come to Detroit from California, but we’ll see. Either way, the Harmonium project will happen in one form or another.
Wouldn’t it be fun to be able to set up in a park, without any amplification, and play a TLoEH set? I think about packaging waste and environmental issues a lot and hate the thought of making more landfill. I remember coming back home after spending some time in India, where people lived happily in small homes made out of cow dung with banana tree leaves for a roof, and realizing how much stuff we all have and how much of a burden it all can be. I actually sold my Marshall half stack and a bunch of guitars when I returned, and up to that point in my life, I had held on to every guitar and instrument I’d ever owned. In time we have to let go of everything, but I still really love making music and I don’t want to stop. Making music makes me happy and I’m truly honored that my music makes you happy too. 

From: https://thestrangebrew.co.uk/interviews/curvey-the-luck-of-eden-hall/

Indigo Girls - Live Foxboro, MA 1991 / Live Mountain View, CA 1994

 Indigo Girls - Live Foxboro, MA 1991

 

 Indigo Girls - Live Mountain View, CA 1994

 

Indigo Girls became the preeminent group to come out of the neo folk movement of the late 1980’s and became staples on college radio while also becoming critical darlings and having a degree of mainstream commercial success.  The years 1987-1993 are the peak years for the Indigo Girls commercial success, especially with the mainstream.  These years are also when the Indigo Girls stuck closest to the traditional folk rock framework they were so obviously inspired by, although they increasingly grew experimental within those confines even during these early years.  Another note about the list is that Indigo Girls has a pretty devoted fan base and often the “fan favorites” are not the same as the official singles released by the group, so for the purpose of this list I have chosen to exclude the official singles and use some of those fan favorites and deeper album tracks.  So, if the Indigo Girls you know best from 1987-1993 are songs like “Closer To Fine”, “Tried To Be True”, “Galileo” and “Ghost”, here are ten to hear again:

1. “Welcome Me” – From the album Nomads Indians Saints
“Welcome Me” takes the traditional folk, alt rock flourishes and beautiful vocal harmonies of their hit eponymous album and infuses it with a sense of dusty, lonely desert nights.  You can almost see the blazing stars spinning overhead as the days and years come and go as the song’s protagonist deals with the trials of life.  Whether the hardships are that of a young Native man on a rite of passage to be accepted into adulthood or a pioneer woman at the end of her life waiting for the embrace of death to ease to her burdens or some other story altogether is up to the listener, but regardless the song has a stark beauty and emotional power.

2. “Jonas & Ezekiel” – From the album Rites of Passage
“Jonas & Ezekiel” is a punky folk rocker that draws from both Biblical imagery and Native American lore to raise the question of how to right past wrongs and addresses how the ghosts of the past can inhabit the problems of the present.  The way the Indigo Girls weave together various musical and narrative influences into a unique and seamless work makes “Jonas & Ezekiel” an underrated classic.

3. “Prince of Darkness” – From the album Indigo Girls
A plea to a higher power for strength to rise above the darkness and evil of this world and a defiant declaration to be a light to others and an agent for change.  Few pop/rock groups so directly address such a positive religious sentiment.  Indigo Girls not only address it, but they seem sincere in their intentions and lack the preachiness and self-righteousness that often accompanies such attempts.  “Prince of Darkness” is a statement to the titular character that his reign over their life is over; that they will be a force for good in the world but it plays like an excellent addition to the folk rock canon.

4. “You and Me of the 10,000 Wars” – From the album Nomads Indians Saints
Gentle and intimate, Emily Saliers’ “You and Me of the 10,000 Wars” is a reflection back on all of the good and bad times experienced in a committed relationship.  The genius of the song is that it could be the relationship between lovers, a parent and child, old friends or a person and their God (which the Biblical allusions within the song seem to hint at).  However, in the end it doesn’t matter who the song is about because the message of reconciliation and commitment comes through regardless.

5. “Chickenman” – From the album Rites of Passage
If there is such a thing as folk/punk then the Amy Ray written “Chickenman” is a prime example of it.  Full of the bluster, roar and energy of her beloved Husker Dü, while having the busk and scratch of a classic barnyard stomp “Chickenman” is both unusual and great.

6. “Southland In The Springtime” – From the album Nomads Indians Saints
Hailing from Athens, Georgia, Indigo Girls have always have always had an open love affair with the beauty, culture and conflicted history of the American south and “Southland In The Springtime” is their love letter to their home.  Warm, pastoral and nostalgic, “Southland In The Springtime” is a minor gem.  I’ve always loved the line: “When God made me born a Yankee he was teasing/There’s no place like home and none more pleasing/Than the southland in the springtime”.

7. “Nashville” – From the album Rites of Passage
“Nashville” has long been a crossroad between the north and south, the east and the west; a key point for the railroads, the armies of the Civil War, and modern country music.  “Nashville” is a place where dreams are born and die, where hopes rise and fall, and the Indigo Girls capture the emotional push and pull of the city well on this warm, but slightly sad, ode to the city.

8. “I Don’t Wanna Know” – From the album Strange Fire
Indigo Girls’ Strange Fire is their actual debut album but was not given a full American release until after the success of their eponymous second album.  “I Don’t Wanna Know” is one of the standout tracks from it, written by Amy Ray with local folk and blues musician Michelle Malone; one of very few Indigo Girls songs that are not covers that have an outside songwriting credit.  “I Don’t Wanna Know” is an interesting song in that it doesn’t sound all that different from a lot of songs that Amy Ray would write for Indigo Girls on later albums, but it does have more grit and blues influence than almost anything else that is written by Amy Ray on Strange Fire.  Whether that is a coincidence or it is because of the influence of Malone is up for debate, but either way “I Don’t Wanna Know” is an early gem and a blueprint for the direction Ray would often take her songs.

9. “Secure Yourself” – From the album Indigo Girls
In a real sense Indigo Girls have spent much of their career serving as a spiritual and religious center for the liberal left, championing a love of God through a love of others that is inclusive and is shown through action.  However, this quest for improvement and rightness with a Higher Power is a real thing for them and begins within themselves.  Thus, a beautiful, searching song like “Secure Yourself” is about getting yourself right with God first.  It’s because of this understanding that changes in the world have to start within one’s self that makes the message of much of the Indigo Girls music so honest, powerful and heartfelt.  A message made more divine because of the perfect, near angelic harmonies between Ray and Saliers on this song.

10. “Kid Fears” – From the album Indigo Girls
“Kid Fears” is a brooding and meditative number about growing up and the loss of innocence.  It begins somber and understated, allowing room for the excellent interplay between the voices of Ray and Saliers.  As the song builds the tension increases, until “Kid Fears” reaches it cathartic climax when the Indigo Girls are joined by Michael Stipe of R.E.M., who provides an excellent counterpoint vocal that serves to help cut the tension and find release.  It is a subtly powerful song that shows that Indigo Girls were superb singer and songwriters almost from the beginning.

From: https://alternativealbumsblog.wordpress.com/2018/01/24/ten-to-hear-again-indigo-girls-1987-1993/

 

Gary Wright - Extraction - Side 2

01 The Wrong Time
02 Over You Now
03 Too Late To Cry
04 I've Got A Story

Gary Wright, former keyboardist/songwriter/vocalist for Spooky Tooth, released two fine albums in succession after the initial breakup of the band, with `Extraction' coming out in 1971 and `Footprint' the next year. While critically acclaimed, they were not commercial successes at the time, in spite of the quality of the material. They now get a second chance, and fans of great rock music have reason to rejoice.
Wright formed a touring band in the wake of Spooky Tooth's demise, calling it `Wright's Wonderwheel' (which featured, among others, future Tooth and Foreigner guitarist Mick Jones). Most of that band played on 'Extraction', although the name Wonderwheel was not credited (however,they did release a single called 'I Know', and recorded an unreleased album). `Extraction' differed markedly from the trademark Spooky Tooth sound; the songs were generally more up-tempo, with more focus on lead guitar than the heavy organ sound of his previous band. In addition, the production was very bright and clean, with individual instruments very discreet and well separated. It was sonically impressive on vinyl back then , and remains even more so on CD today. Featuring some truly outstanding songs such as Get on the Right Road, I Know a Place, Too Late to Cry and his own, more rocking version of The Wrong Time, which was also covered on the Wright-less Spooky Tooth Album `The Last Puff'. To me, this and `Footprint' feature Gary's most powerful vocal performances, largely devoid of the falsetto often used in Spooky Tooth recordings.  From: https://www.amazon.com/Gary-Wrights-Extraction-Wright/dp/B07VPRTRY9 

Whippersnapper - John Gaudie

Whippersnapper were a four-piece acoustic band formed by Dave Swarbrick, Chris Leslie, Kevin Dempsey, and Martin Jenkins in Northamptonshire during 1983. Although none of the others could quite compare with Swarbrick's long experience or near-legendary status, each of the others brought something substantial to the table at the outset of the group's history -- Chris Leslie was a musical instrument maker as well as an experienced violinist (who had Swarbrick's playing as a model); guitarist, singer, and percussionist Kevin Dempsey had played in Dando Shaft, and had experience with Latin music as well as Celtic and English folk repertory; and multi-instrumentalist Martin Jenkins had played with Matthews Southern Comfort and was also an ex-member of Dando Shaft, as well as a Bert Jansch alumnus. As a result, the group's work was highly anticipated by folk enthusiasts, as a unique all-acoustic supergroup. The group made its debut in January of 1984 at the Burnt Post in Coventry and subsequently played the Cambridge Folk Festival, a performance that was captured on video as well.
Their music was a deceptively complex brand of progressive folk, driven by the presence of four full-fledged virtuoso players. Whippersnapper spent most of their first year honing their sound and repertory, which started out fully formed, drawing on the songbags of all four members. As a result, their debut album, when it came time to do it -- recorded for their own Whippersnapper label -- came together very quickly. The Promises long-player was recorded in December of 1984 and in stores just about eight weeks later, and well received by fans and critics. A second LP, Tsubo, didn't appear until 1987, and it was similar in form and structure to the first. A third studio album was intended, but in the interim the quartet issued These Foolish Strings, a compilation of four years' worth of live recordings. The fourth album, Fortune, was released in early 1990, and also marked the end of Swarbrick's involvement with the group. The group continued as a trio of Leslie, Dempsey, and Jenkins, and Leslie and Dempsey recorded the LP Always with You, released in 1996. Dempsey eventually teamed up with Swarbrick anew, while Leslie joined one of the latter-day lineups of Fairport Convention.  From: https://www.parsifal.be/product/cd/world-folk/whippersnapper-promises/ 

The Be Good Tanyas - Rain And Snow

Listen to the Be Good Tanyas and you'll have a vision of three feisty angels who rely on faith to negotiate a world that breaks their hearts. Though they aren't quite British Columbia's answer to Courtney Love - the subtle bluegrass-gospel-folk hybrid they make puts paid to any screeching - theirs is a very confident, modern approach to a very traditional sound.
But tonight, Frazey Ford, Samantha Parton and Trish Klein are nervous. "Holy crap, there's lot of you here," says Ford, her soft features fixed by fear. Parton peers through her long fringe and sighs deeply into the microphone, apparently worn out before she's begun. The outbreak of jitters could be down to the length of time it's taken the band to follow their last album, Chinatown. Ford tells us their first new material for three years will appear in October. "It should have been out a long time ago, but we're lazy," she says. "Great procrastinators. Especially me." Still, she's unrepentant. "I believe you have to live life to write about life." It's the life - and searing honesty - in their songs that has taken the Be Good Tanyas from tree planting in the Kootenay Mountains to the vanguard of the new bluegrass movement. They sing about dead dogs, junkies and death with gothic sparseness, and turn traditional country songs into tales of contemporary urban despair.
Though the band is very much a three-headed hydra - backed by Mark Beaty on double bass and John Raham on drums - the personalities behind the rich harmonies are distinct. Klein is a gifted musician, but so painfully shy it almost feels wrong to watch as she plays bluesy harmonica and ekes out haunting chords from her electric guitar. Ford is the earth mother with the luminous voice, struggling with her wrongs in In Spite of All I've Done and bunching her dress at the hip as she tears through a lively version of Neil Young's For the Turnstiles.
Parton is the Robbie Williams of the band. She dances like no one is watching and is quick with an anecdote. "I've got sweaty legs," she says, reaching for a towel. "That's what I used to tell my mom when I wet the bed. 'Mom, my legs are sweaty!'" But when Parton sings Don't Fall, her fear of relationships is palpable. A new song about addiction has her swallowing back her tears. The Little Birds, from the Be Good Tanyas' classic debut, The Blue Horse, cheers her up, though she makes a mess of the lyrics. "We were walking through the lobby today," says Ford, bursting into giggles, "and we said, 'People pay money to see us?'" Intimate, chilling but always entertaining, they are the only ones who wonder why.  From: https://www.theguardian.com/music/2006/jul/19/popandrock

The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band - Some of Shelly's Blues / Prodigal's Return / Rave On / Mr. Bojangles

The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band began in the 1960s as a southern California folk rock band. They had limited success before temporarily disbanding in 1969. After renegotiating their contract with Liberty Records, they were given more artistic freedom, and the changes were immediately apparent in 1970’s Uncle Charlie & His Dog Teddy, which saw the band moving in a more country direction.
Country rock bands originating from California were nothing new, but the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band took things a step further by incorporating into their music instruments that were closely associated with bluegrass and country music, and featuring them prominently. While blending of genres is commonplace today, it was quite revolutionary in 1970. The eclectic Uncle Charlie & His Dog Teddy is equal parts country, bluegrass, folk, and rock. It features both original music and cover versions of other artists’ work, as well as reinterpretations of old folk songs that had long been in the public domain. At times, particularly when the band starts to harmonize, the sound is something akin to the Beach Boys with banjos. 
The Uncle Charlie referenced in the album’s title was a relative of producer Bill McEuen’s wife. He was born in Texas in 1886 and performs a brief folk song “Jesse James”, recorded in 1963, on which he plays harmonica and gets his dog Teddy to howl along. He also gives two brief interviews, which are mildly interesting on the first listen.
A number of well known names appear among the songwriting credits: Michael Nesmith of The Monkees wrote the bluegrass-flavored opening number “Some of Shelly’s Blues”, which became a minor pop hit, and “Propiniquity”, which is one of my favorites on the disc. Kenny Loggins wrote another the album’s singles, the more rock-oriented “House at Pooh’s Corner” which name-drops several of the characters from A.A. Milne’s well loved children’s stories. The album’s biggest hit and the band’s best known song to this day is their cover of Jerry Jeff Walker’s “Mr Bojangles”. It didn’t garner enough attention from mainstream country outlets to make the country charts but that may have been due to the way the record and the band in general were marketed. It certainly sounded country enough, even by 1971 standards, to have fit into the country radio format.  From: https://mykindofcountry.wordpress.com/2014/10/03/album-review-the-nitty-gritty-dirt-band-uncle-charlie-his-dog-teddy/ 

Rubber Tea - Desert Man

From a Fading World - Rubber Tea. This fantastic young German group continues to impress. On their second album, it's immediately evident that the band is willing to push their boundaries further. Their flirtation with Canterbury becomes more pronounced, and their delightful singer exudes a newfound boldness. Right from the start, the saxophone emerges, leading us into a melodic journey reminiscent of the pride Caravan would feel if they had produced it. While the group's style is labeled as neoprog, don't expect just another Marillion clone; instead, you're greeted with a remarkably mature band that effortlessly navigates styles evoking Camel, Caravan, Beardfish, Pink floyd, Big big train, Phideaux, Khan and King crimson. Attempting to describe this eclectic mix is a challenge in itself. The songs seamlessly blend together, creating a captivating flow throughout the album, prompting you to check your CD player to track your progress. Their ability to transition from tranquil subtlety to intricate complexity is admirable, never compromising the underlying melodies. The enchanting vocals complement the music flawlessly, never overshadowing the instrumental prowess. There's ample room for musical exploration, allowing each track to evolve organically. This marks yet another triumph for the burgeoning German band, deserving of wider recognition.  From: https://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=11437 

The Byrds - For Free (Joni Mitchell cover)

In the past year, I accidentally picked up The Byrds' 1973 reunion album Byrds from the library. I had never heard of it before. After having enormous success as the kings of L.A.'s Sunset Strip rock clubs, The Byrds toured the U.S. and U.K. and topped charts on both sides of The Atlantic with hits such as 1965's Mr. Tambourine Man and Turn, Turn, Turn.
Before long, Gene Clark, at one point the group's main singer and songwriter, departed... Crosby also left (was fired, actually)... then Gram Parsons came, saw, and conquered, before leaving as well. By 1973, The Byrds had lost much of their mid-60's lustre. Crosby, of course, had struck gold doing harmonies with Crosby, Stills, Nash and sometimes Young. Gene Clark's solo career had failed to take off, despite some stellar efforts shortly before and after this reunion album.
There were high hopes for the reunion album, which featured all of the original Byrds - Roger McGuinn, Crosby, and Gene Clark on guitar and vocals, Chris Hillman on bass, vocals, and mandolin, and Michael Clarke on drums. Yet the album apparently came and went without much notice being paid by music critics or the general public.
Listening to it for the first time, I was pleasantly surprised. It's a great album, particularly Gene Clark's four contributions - two songs he wrote, Full Circle and Changing Heart, and two Neil Young songs he brought to the project: Cowgirl in the Sand and (See The Sky) About To Rain.
How could such an album slip through the cracks? Supposedly there were a few negative reviews - people missed the Rickenbacker and Dylan songs translated into folk-rock and three- (or sometimes four-) part harmony - and a tour supporting the album's release was cancelled. Still, I was baffled as to why such a great album wasn't appreciated at the time (or since, for that matter).
Then I found this Rolling Stone review by Jon Landau (later a producer/manager for Springsteen). It does seem unnecessarily mean-spirited, dismissive, smarmy, and cynical, even by Landau's standards. Remembering how influential Rolling Stone was at the time, pre-Interweb and such, I wondered if this review could have single-handedly sunk the fortunes of this fine album.  From: https://newmusictoday.blogspot.com/2016/03/x.html 

Leon's Creation - Until You Were Gone

San Francisco in the late 1960. The hotbed of psychedelic and rock culture. The Dead, Joplin, Jefferson Airplane and a host of others all gaining mainstream acceptance for their acid tinged work. But the City and the surrounding Bay Area had so much more going for them. A liberal political outlook and a large African American and Latino population, meant that musical and cultural reference points were wider and more easily assimilated there than (Almost) anywhere else in the United States.
Two of the biggest groups to emerge from this scene were Santana and Sly and The Family Stone, with their melting pots of sound that took in jazz, soul, rock and latin influence. For a while they were two of the biggest acts in the United States and scores of local bands tried to follow in their footsteps. They were hard acts to follow and very few got to the stage of making a 45, never mind a whole LP.
One of the best to do just that were Leon’s Creation, whose debut LP “This Is The Beginning” Acid Jazz are reissuing here. A native of San Francisco, Leon Patillo, led the group, whose multi racial line-up echoed that of his heroes on the local scene. Self contained and gigging locally they made their debut album at the tiny Studio 10 who also custom pressed the album in extremely limited numbers
The music is a perfect blend of acid soul, mixed with hippie sentiments that will get you dancing on the uptempo numbers such as the title track, ‘Back Roads’ – with its glorious harmonies and the soaring ‘Power’. More thoughtful numbers such as ‘Until You Were Gone’ or ‘Love’ will touch your soul. So impressed was Carlos Santana that he eventually asked Leon to join his band.  From: https://www.acidjazz.co.uk/product/leons-creation-this-is-the-beginning/

Spirit - Life Has Just Begun

Many consider Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus, released in 1970, to be Spirit’s finest hour, though I still find their initial self titled album to be their crowning moment. Nevertheless, Spirit, a nearly mythical band, arrived at the apex of experimental classic rock, lacing their music with jazz, rock, folk, and bathing all of that in the waters of psychedelia.
While not well thought out, Twelve Dreams was intended to be a sort of science fiction concept album, with the twelve songs supposedly representing, or being visions drawn from twelve actual dreams, though the construct was so loosely developed that most listeners were unaware of this attribute at all. Without a doubt, the album, and for that matter, the three previous albums by Spirit were miles ahead of their time, with the band’s vision so original that there was absolutely no precedent for almost all of what the band was laying down, meaning that far too many missed out because the music didn’t click immediately, or wasn’t as cohesive as the radio friendly hits, “Animal Zoo” and the gorgeous “Nature’s Way” … both very good, yet representing only a narrow portion of Spirit’s vision. This notion was not lost on the band either, as Randy California wanted to dive into his more loose experimental aspirations, while Jay Ferguson was in favor of more commercially acceptable material, hence the far and differing presentations on this release.
One of Spirit’s most enduring features is that none of their material ever sounds dated or self indulgent, and all of it comes across crisp and clean, sounding as remarkable today as it did so long ago. If anything, Twelve Dreams was Spirit’s apotheosis, Spirit’s merger of everything they had developed and learned over the years, especially from playing live, which they did relentlessly during the 60’s, finding the key to getting inside of any musical style and almost matter of factly making it their own, and I haven’t even mentioned “Mr. Skin” yet, or the bewildering and exciting “Morning Will Come,” a song that in my option nearly foreshadowed the coming of glam rock.
It was Neil Young’s producer David Briggs who managed to bring this album to completion, where despite the tripped out album jacket, is a very atmospheric album … but of the atmosphere of this planet. Briggs was swept away by Spirit’s jam oriented fuzzed out psychedelia meshed with tinges of jazz, where he managed to allow guitar prodigy Randy California to soar in time with the drumming of his stepfather Ed Cassidy, and the vocals of Jay Ferguson were not stepped on, where things got streamlined, and the magic leached out due to an equality for all involved, resulting in the creation of a stunningly well rounded endeavor that will not be forgotten.
*** The Fun Facts: Referring to the album’s title, Dr. Sardonicus “Mr. Sardonicus” was a 1961 horror film relaying the story of Sardonicus, a man whose face has becomes frozen in a horrifying grin while robbing his father’s grave to obtain a winning lottery ticket, and the Doctor who is coerced into treating him. The ‘Twelve Dreams’ represents the twelve songs on this album. Risus Sardonicus, known as a rictus grin is an actual medical condition, manifesting a abnormal sustained spasm of the facial muscles that appears to produce the effects of grinning.  From: https://www.psychedelicbabymag.com/2018/02/from-vault-spirit-twelve-dreams-of-dr.html

High Places - Canada

High Places showed up in 2008 pegged as a Brooklyn act, but they never seemed very metropolitan. If anything, their innocent, home-recorded songs felt pastoral or coastal-- concerned more with breaking out of the city rather than toiling in it. That escapist tendency, mixed with their sonic primitivism and hopeful outlook, was refreshing. Even if their style wasn't exactly groundbreaking (we'd heard others combine global polyrhythms, hip-hop beats, and field recordings before), their approach was unique. In part because of Rob Barber's ragged production, High Places made those sounds feel roomy and lived-in.
While a good record, 2008's High Places was primarily an extension of what the band established with their singles collection 03/07 – 09/07. The sound was slightly glossier, but mostly it was vocalist Mary Pearson once again cooing over Barber's fractured arrangements. With High Places vs. Mankind, though, all that is out of the window. If you count High Places as their first true album, then their latest is a classic sophomore change-up-- a departure in both style and temperament. Far from the doe-eyed innocence and sunny bliss of their earlier work, High Places are darker and much more somber here, and their approach to recording and presentation has changed.
The biggest difference is the band's mood. High Places used to stress resiliency and optimism, but now they seem resigned to life's disappointments. On early track "On Giving Up", Pearson, who once radiated childlike hopefulness, sings solemnly of loss: "Though I have cried so many times before, it's all because I feel everything that's gone." Similar themes of heartbreak and fear exist throughout the album, and there's a notable change in the way the band sounds, too. Instead of the earlier sample-heavy style, Barber incorporates more live instrumentation, and as a result High Places feel more like a band. There are still loops and dance elements, but the focus is often more on heavy post-punk guitar-and-bass lines that enhance the overall gloomy vibe.
It's a surprising turn for the group, and whether or not you like them more as sunny optimists or somber realists is a matter of taste. The more pressing question is how this shift affects the quality of the songs. Mostly it works, but there are also songs here, especially the instrumental ones ("The Channon", "Drift Slayer") that aren't very memorable. Even a few of the more pop-focused cuts tend to skimp on melody, and it makes me think that in the band's desire to overhaul, they lost a bit of their initial spark. Still, the album is encouraging because it shows a talented young group unafraid of growth. Even if this isn't their best collection of songs, it takes nerve to try something so different.  From: https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/14103-high-places-vs-mankind/

Second Hand - Hangin' On An Eyelid

“Hangin‘ on an Eyelid”  is a brilliantly unique track from Death May Be Your Santa Claus (1971)  a challenging masterwork by British progressive rock band Second Hand. Second Hand were formed in 1965 by teenagers Ken Elliott, Kieran O’Connor and Bob Gibbons who went on to record three studio albums between 1968 to 1972.  Second Hand are considered by many critics to be one of the most underestimated and under appreciated progressive bands of their time. Personally I always thought they were as good as any of the prog bands around at the time.  They were experimental, complex and challenging and as it turns out, quite timeless.  From: https://tracksthatmakemarksdotcom.wordpress.com/2015/04/27/second-hand-hangin-on-an-eyelid/

Half Past Four - Shake Your Head

Half Past Four play original progressive rock. The antithesis of today's soul numbing repetitive motifs in pop music, Half Past Four offers something innovative to new music listeners and something familiar to those who have grown up loving the intricacies, driven melodies and exceptional musicianship of their influences: early Genesis, King Crimson, Frank Zappa, Mr.Bungle and many many others.
The current songwriting line up of Half Past Four was conceived in April 2005 and born in September 2005 opening for Russia's insane music star Chizh at the Opera House. They began their road to prominence playing a monthly "session" at the local pub Miguel's Club 329 (hosted by perennial music supporter Miguel who boasts a platoon of huge music star friends including Jose Feliciano and ex-roommate Joni Mitchell).
While their ground-breaking demo recording Half Past Four (2006) was collectively described by fans as "an uncanny masterpiece", Half Past Four began a career that has included scoring the Billy Zane "Zomedy" Horror Movie "The Mad", playing many cool venues with lots of great new progressive bands, and finally recording their first full album entitled Rabbit in the Vestibule which will be released early 2008 with much expected fanfare.
Despite several band line-ups imploding after many years of being part of a dynamic music scene (past band incarnations have occured since 1999), Half Past Four continues to produce constantly challenging and intriguing music with their signature approach to songwriting; complex time signatures, unusual and humorous lyrics, pronounced and magnetic keyboard and bass arrangements and pulsating guitar solos.  From: https://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=3929  

Los Lobos - The Giving Tree

It was the fall of 1990. MTV was serving up the last gasp of hair metal, grunge was bubbling under the surface, and blues-rock was having a moment. Somewhere in that mix, Los Lobos quietly dropped The Neighborhood. It didn’t storm the charts but it became a hidden gem for those paying attention. This was an album that spoke to the margins, the in-between spaces of mainstream music and cultural heritage.
For many, Los Lobos meant La Bamba. Maybe you were one of those kids in the late ‘80s with the song on a cassette you recorded straight off the radio. Lou Diamond Phillips made Richie Valens a household name, and Los Lobos became Grammy regulars. But they weren’t a flash in the pan. By 1990, this East L.A. band had been honing their craft for over a decade, blending traditional Mexican folk with rock, blues, and experimental textures that defied easy categorization.
The Neighborhood wasn’t your typical blues-rock record. David Hidalgo’s voice pulls you through a landscape of sounds that’s hard to pin down. There’s Tex-Mex accordion on “The Giving Tree,” a Bo Diddley-style groove on “I Walk Alone,” and baritone sax grinding through “Georgia Slop.” Each track feels like a new chapter in a story about place, history, and identity.
The whole thing feels like a soundtrack for the American southwest—desert highways, street fairs, and smoky backrooms. You wouldn’t guess they’re from East L.A. based on the sound alone. If you’d told me they were from Texas or New Mexico, I’d believe you. Their ability to absorb and reinterpret regional styles is part of what makes this record feel so expansive.
The instrumentation deepens this sense of place. Hidalgo’s accordion riffs often tug at the edges of the song’s structure, giving moments of warmth and melancholy. Tracks like “Emily” and “Take My Hand” reveal the band’s range, seamlessly weaving in folk traditions that pull listeners beyond the boundaries of conventional rock.
Levon Helm from The Band shows up on a couple tracks, adding his unmistakable voice and mandolin to “Emily” and “Angel Dance.” John Hiatt lends harmonies that feel earthy and familiar. Meanwhile, producer Mitchell Froom creates subtle layers with atmospheric textures, balancing intimacy and depth. Even with these guest appearances, Los Lobos never loses their grounding. The sound remains cohesive and timeless, dodging the overdone reverb and sterile production common in early ’90s rock albums.  From: https://www.digmeoutpodcast.com/p/los-lobos-the-neighborhood-90s-rock 

Alabama Shakes - Don't Wanna Fight

Alabama Shakes are about to release their second album, Sound & Color, a follow-up to Boys & Girls, their irresistible 2012 debut. Boys & Girls upturned the lives of Howard, guitarist Heath Fogg, bassist Zac Cockrell and drummer Steve Johnson. Before that, they were another dressed-down rock-and-blues band in their hometown of Athens, Alabama, not above doing covers in a local venue called Yesterdays, or afternooning at old people’s homes. Then one of their songs, the brash, catchy Hold On, became an online and radio hit. Their debut LP sold a surprise half a million, all of this hauling them out of Alabama and sending them… well, everywhere else.
They gigged in front of millions on Saturday Night Live and toured the US, Europe and Australia. They were a star turn of the UK festival season in 2012 then played at the Grammys in 2013, where they were nominated in three categories. Apart from a short break last year, for Howard to write songs for the new record at her kitchen table, and for Fogg and Johnson to tend to newborn kids, Alabama Shakes have been “road-dogging” ever since their breakthrough. It’s Howard’s phrase. “Road, road, road,” she explains, “then a few days back home to sleep, then road, road, road.”
When you’ve become popular by being very definitely from a place (and Alabama Shakes are very definitely from Athens, Alabama; the music they make channels the bluesy sound that has defined the region’s output since the days of Aretha), the challenge is to carry that sense of place through all the other places that popularity takes you. How to summon some authentic “heart of Dixie” in front of lagered-up campers in Perthshire, as the band will do when they travel to T in the Park this summer? Or on stage at the White House, where they played for the Obamas two years ago? It’s something they think about a lot.
They still dress down to perform, usually wandering on stage in hoodies and home-wear, something that can be read as affectation. But it’s an honest effort, I think, to retain a sense of themselves as the underdog band they once were. Gigging at Islington Assembly Hall in February (the night before I meet them, the venue just a few turns up the canal), this quartet slunk out and picked up their instruments as if they were still jobbers who hardly expected to be listened to, not headliners for whom everyone in the room had paid £40 to see. What else? Howard has a charm-like tattoo on her arm – a thin line tracing the shape of Alabama’s borders. “So that I could die in London or Paris or wherever,” she says, “and when they’re wrapping up and cleaning my body they’re gonna know.”
We’re outside the pub again, to escape the jazzy 60s music, and so Howard can smoke. “I never thought I’d be a singer when I started this habit,” she says, frowning at her cigarette. “I was 15. Ugh.”
She is tall, bespectacled, wrapped in an oversize leather coat she calls her “Trading Places jacket. In that movie everybody was wearing shit like this. Look at the sleeves!” Back in 2012, she had lots of wild curls, but the hair, now, has been buzzed into a compact wedge. It started falling out in the studio, she says, after a botched effort at straightening it. Howard is mixed race, inheriting from her African-American father a frizz that will fight to the death against being chemically messed with.
She is stocky. Without my prompting she alludes to being on a diet more than once. I bring this up because Howard does, though I have definite reservations. Nobody ever asks Jay-Z to account for his height, Chris Martin his skinniness. Howard’s shape, like her thick-rimmed specs, like her being “the only rock’n’roll brown chick”, as she once put it, all help to make her an unusual and intriguing frontwoman. But most of her appeal, trumping even that tremendous, cig-roughened voice, lies in her habit of going absolutely bananas on stage.
Lit by devil-red spots, Howard will fold herself over her guitar, riffing, howling, as if in critical pain. “I call it ‘the spirit world’,” she says, when I ask where she goes in these moments. “Latching on to a feeling, riding it, trying not to come out of it. You stop thinking, you’re just performing – that’s the spirit world.” She isn’t much of a one for microphone patter. “Sometimes between songs I have nothing to say. It’s not because I’m not appreciative of the applause, the love. I’m just still on it, and I’m trying to keep on it.”
As a woman fronting a band, she says, “you’re expected to be a darling up there. Like, ‘Look at that sweet little thing! Singing her songs about lurve.’” Howard shoots me a look: nope. “I’m a human being,” she says.  From: https://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/mar/29/alabama-shakes-interview-sound-color-festivals