The Greek Theatre - Byrd of Prey

Two and half years have passed since I reviewed the previous The Greek Theater album, Broken Circle, but in truth it’s felt like half that time as I’ve consistently found myself living in the sumptuous sixties progressive psychedelic swirl the band create. Hence, When Seasons Change makes for a hotly anticipated follow up from the Swedish duo behind this undeniably authentic trip into a sound from days gone by. Enticing names like The Byrds, Roger McGuinn and The Moody Blues form the memory, imagery and atmosphere that unfolds as you wander through this poised and languidly passionate voyage. Comprising Sven Froberg and Fredrick Persson as permanent members, the two-some have surrounded themselves with a revolving door of equally engaging talent and a selection of songs that feel unbelievably natural in a way that most acts can only dream of. Followers of Rikard Sjöblom’s solo and Gungfly output will find a readily available home here that I’d be as bold as to suggest outstrips their more feted rival, with the ability of The Greek Theatre to glide you into a sixties laced, seventies honed environment something that will see many cast envious glances in their direction.
What is also exciting to hear is the skill of album sequencing being used to quite stunning effect, the ebb and flow of When Seasons Change almost as engrossing as the songs that create it. Opening cut “Twin Larks” is an acoustic strumming display of flute, joy and summer, that gives way to the altogether more pointed drive of “Laurence Of Laurel Canyon”, where the snare pops in marching style and the bass dollops great spoonfuls of syrupy but never over sweet goodness down from the skies. As the surprisingly caustic guitar tracks from channel to channel in the speakers/phones on “The Post-Factual Jam”, so a darker, more insidious intent swipes into view but it’s followed by more flute and sweet vocals that wouldn’t be out of place on an expertly negotiated Justin Hayward slice of persuasion. And so the journey continues, with intentions swapped, moulded and interchanged with seeming ease - the short “Open Window” a soothing seduction that still grasps melodic sway, while “The Streets You Hold” funks it up just enough to detour the attack round the houses and straight back onto the open road. With “The Cabooze” an echo of piano chords and fuzzed up, flute laden guitars, and “Sail Away (Part Two)” so tender it barely whispers as it flitters past, the amount of terra firma being expertly traversed is quite breathtaking. Especially when you consider that it is all done so organically and with such little fuss.  From: https://www.seaoftranquility.org/reviews.php?op=showcontent&id=22319

K's Choice - A Sound That Only You Can Hear

As both a solo artist and the front woman for K’s Choice, Belgian rocker Sarah Bettens has long been a staple in the LGBTQ music community, even before she officially came out more than a dozen years ago. Around that same time, Bettens put K’s Choice on hold and settled into a domestic life with her now-wife and two step-children. The couple has since adopted two more kids and Bettens has regrouped with K’s Choice, most recently for The Phantom Cowboy. But something else happened a few years back: After earning her U.S. citizenship, Bettens became a firefighter.

So… the obvious question would be, why a firefighter?

[Laughs] That is not what I thought you were going to ask. I thought it would be about the album.

Oh, I’ll get to that. But first things first. Firefighter. Go.

I had a high need of doing something that had nothing to do with music and was very different in nature. There are a couple of things I felt… you could probably call it a mid-life crisis… things I never really got to do. I never got to go to college and have that experience. Everything got very serious very quickly with the band, so I always had a little bit of a feeling that I missed out on something. It’s hard to do hobbies with music and get into any kind of routine of playing soccer on Sundays, stuff like that, because I was gone a lot of the Sundays. There are just all these things that sound very small — and they are, in a way. But, put together, I felt like there was something I still had to do that I couldn’t find in my music career.
I don’t know how I first came up with it, but it sounded exactly like what I wanted to do. The part I really like about my band is that I hang out with a bunch of guys and that comes easily for me. And being part of something bigger than yourself — I liked the public service aspect of it, I liked the physical aspect of it. And what I really liked about it was that it was outlined, as in 24-hour shifts and when it’s done, it’s done. My life has been a long series of self-starter events and I was craving something that was more defined. I have to show up, do a good job, and then it’s over. I applied after becoming a citizen. I got an interview and was hired. I remember calling my now-wife and saying, “Shit! I got hired.” [Laughs] It was so incredibly exciting. I went to rookie school with a bunch of 25-year-old guys learning new things, and things that didn’t come naturally for me. It was challenging. It still is. I completely fell head-over-heels in love with it.

Okay, so there are some parallels between that and music, but do you have to switch gears — mentally or otherwise — going between firefighter and musician?

Yeah. I’ve been so used to that. That comes naturally to me, too. Coming on and off tour, there’s no bigger gear switch than that. We have four kids so, when I go on tour, it’s about as big a shift as there is, especially coming off tour. You’ve been hanging out with a bunch of guys and your family’s been moving on without you. That’s been a real art in itself — coming in and going out and realizing that they’re doing just fine without you in the two weeks that you’re gone. So, my life’s been that, a constant packing and unpacking of bags and adjusting. People will say, “Oh, but it’s such a long flight to Belgium.” And I’ll say, “Yes. But I’m alone in peace.” I don’t mind those nine hours at all.

You have this super-domestic life with your wife and kids and day job. Which really is as rock and roll as it gets, right?

[Laughs] I would agree with that. Yes. Absolutely. That’s my brother’s song and I loved it so much when I heard it. I thought it was so fun to write a song with that kind of music and really still be talking about your kids. And it’s true: It takes a lot of strength to be a parent. It takes a lot of coolness. You’re just not the most important thing anymore. You’re just trying to keep everything afloat. And that’s about as big a challenge as anything that I’ve ever done. When you try to do it well and feel like it’s working, that’s about as cool as it gets, to me.

I talked to Brandi Carlile about this a few months back… I lot of female artists I love got soft after parenthood. Not her. And not you. This new record is one of your most rocking.

Kind of the opposite with this one. Getting into your everyday routine of being a mom and how incredibly unglamorous that is outside of your Facebook pictures. Then you want to feel like, “I’m not just that. I’m a little bit more than that. I have some things left to do.”

Yeah yeah. You get to remind yourself of that other side of you.

You have to feed it. It’s important to be a great parent. But, in order to be a great parent, you have to feel great in your own self. It can’t be all about making sure the kids are happy every second of every day. You have to be a fulfilled person yourself. That’s what your kids see and that’s who they look at. I don’t believe you can be a great parent if you’re miserable. It’s a balancing and it keeps life interesting.
Those are things I still want and need in my life. Even though it takes me away from my kids sometimes, luckily they have two moms. So, there’s another one and they’re very happy and very safe, even when I’m gone. Then I come home and I feel fulfilled in my life. I’ve done things that I enjoy doing and I want them to see that, as well.

It seems like, if you’re getting what you need away from them, then you can really be present when you are with them.

I can relax hard, sit down and have a beer. But I can only do that because I work very hard the rest of the time.

Talk to me about the overarching themes on this record. Because the family stuff is there, but you’re stepping outside of yourself on some things.

It’s the first time my brother and I have written together. We sat in the same room and it made for, musically, a very different record. And I think the music very much inspired the direction we ended up going with the lyrics. We had no preconceived notions of what we wanted the record to be about. On the musical part, we knew what we wanted to do. Somehow, when I started writing lyrics, there was a little bit of assertiveness to it — more than in other records. Less poetic imagery, maybe, and more just straightforward “This is what I want to talk about.” The music demands that.

We’re of a certain age now when there’s no time for BS.

[Laughs] Yes. I like that you said “of a certain age.” Yeah, you take yourself a little less seriously. I don’t take my career less seriously. But not every word in every song has to be the deepest truth ever written anymore. I want to write a fun record. I want everyone to jump up and down when they hear it. That’s the kind of music I want to make. I still want to talk about meaningful things, but it doesn’t all have to be about me, anymore. It can float a little more. At some point, you really learn to cut through a lot of bullshit. “This is the art. This is what I want to talk about. And there it is.”
I used to think the stars had to be aligned in a certain way and the light has to come through my window at a certain angle, and I have to have at least five hours ahead of me of nothing, and be in just the right space for, “Okay, I think I might be able to write a song today.” This time, it was like, “Well, you’re here. We gotta write. It’s 9 o’clock. Let’s go.” That was super-freeing, too. Why did I take my own songs so seriously? It’s still just a flipping song, at the end of the day. I appreciate that people appreciate it and I’m very grateful for the connection, that there’s an understanding of what I’m trying to say. That’s a special feeling and I understand that. Still, it’s just a flipping song. It’s not a novel. It’s not a life-and-death situation. None of us are trying to fit into boxes anymore. “Let’s see what the trend is.” If I really cared about trends, I’d get some major cosmetic surgery and a boob job and turn straight again, and probably sell a lot more records. Obviously, none of those things are an option, so…

From: https://www.kellymccartney.com/2015/10/16/suffer-no-fools-an-interview-with-sarah-bettens/

The Dear Hunter - City Escape

The Dear Hunter started out as a solo project of songwriter-multi-instrumentalist-vocalist Casey Crescenzo, releasing their first album, Act 1: The Lake South, River North, in 2006, which then grew into a full progressive rock band in subsequent albums, chronicling a continuing story in the Act Series of albums (so far, 5 albums over a ten year period). There have also been other musical projects and EPs in between those albums. Their latest album, Antimai, is separate from those previous works, and I was pleasantly surprised at how fun this new album is. It is predominantly lively, upbeat, and quite accessible. They incorporate much soul, R&B, latin, pop, jazz, and rock into the mix, with liberal use of funky horns and tuned percussion, yet the result is still undeniably prog rock. This is a concept album that chronicles a world where society is set-up in concentric rings, with the outer rings occupied by the poor and industrial sectors moving inward to the more luxurious and powerful inner rings. The album consists of 8 tracks, each corresponding to one of the rings and highlighting features of that sector. But you don't need to know or care about the concept or story to enjoy the album, as it is quite wonderful from start to finish. One of the best and longer tracks, Ring 5 - Middle Class, features multiple sections, starting with a catchy pop opening, a slower middle section, then a jazz-funk Steely Dan-esque closing section. Ring 4 - Patrol, is somewhat reminiscent of the Alan Parsons Project with its a funky beat and cool pop style. Ring 3 - Luxury starts off with some clever Hamilton-style rap vocals before leading into subsequent sections. Casey Crescenzo's vocals are very enjoyable, and quite versatile, working well in a variety of styles and moods. The album flows well and all the tracks are very well done, featuring a variety of vibrant styles, dynamics, and instrumentation, in addition to very fine vocals. One minor complaint is that it ends a bit weakly, as I was expecting a buildup to a big finish, but the album ends rather meekly and abruptly, without any real conclusion. Overall, this is a wonderful, very enjoyable album, one of the best of 2022.  From: https://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=3330

Ebb - Dark Lady

The picture may look as if this is a standard looking release, but here the CD is at the rear of a 48-page full-colour A5 landscape glossy book which provides us with the lyrics, numerous photos, and an insight of what makes this art/prog/folk/rock collective really tick. What we have here is a continuation of the 'Krystal Svava' mythos they started in their EP 'Death & The Maiden'. It is somewhat based an old dying ex- army musician and his housekeeper cum part time sex worker they knew, mixed with that of a new friend, David, also an old soldier and ex-musician living in Scotland. The band are based around Erin Bennett (lead vocals, guitar, trumpet), and comprise Kitty Biscuits (backing vocals, percussion, spoken word poetry), Anna Fraser (drums, percussion), Bad Dog (bass), Susan Dasi (backing vocals, synths), and Nikki Francis (Hammond, piano, synths, saxophone, flute, clarinet). Yes, we have a band which are nearly all-female, which is unusual in any style of music but certainly rare within anything remotely thought of as prog where women are generally allowed to be lead singers but rarely anything else (yes, I am fully aware of bands like Eternal Wanderers, but there are very few like that).
The album commences with the sound of an orchestra warming up and getting ready for the performance and is quite unlike the rest of the material, but somehow it is also quite fitting in that it allows us to know that whatever comes next will be unexpected, and that is certainly the case throughout. It is a heavily layered and arranged album, and one never knows what to expect, and by concentrating on different musicians it is possible to clearly understand just how much impact each of the players is having on the rest of the band. Erin can really crunch when she wants to, sing sweetly or with real power, while behind her Anna is never content to sit within any particular pattern or style, moving all over the kit when the time is right, keeping it restrained at others. Bassist Bad Dog is in many ways the cornerstone as he can keep it simple or provide great complexity, moving right up the neck for counterpoint melodies, linking with both Anna and Erin which then allows the others to add their own layers. At times we have piano which is simply beautiful and delicate, at others swathes of keyboards and orchestration, while various woodwind and brass instruments come in when the time is right. There are times when they are quite Floydian, others more direct, and yet others where folk is an important aspect with a feeling that Mostly Autumn have also been an influence, yet it also feels somewhat deeper, stronger, with a real connection. This really is a wonderful release, and it is great that the physical version really does justice to the music contained within. Well worth discovering.  From: https://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=12717  

Edwin Starr - Funky Music Sho Nuff Turns Me On

Edwin Starr made his name with War, the thumping chorus of which became the chant of protesters against America’s involvement in Vietnam. The success of the song eclipsed his other achievements, although his soul and disco anthems brought him modest success, especially in Britain, and kept him on a frantic touring schedule which may, in the end, have contributed to his death. Originally penned as a Temptations number for their LP Psychedelic Shack, Starr’s lyrics for War were intended as a plea to end the inter-gang rivalries that sparked the Chicago and Los Angeles Riots of 1968. But when campus demonstrators adopted the song and demanded it be re-released as a single, Motown baulked at the idea: opposing the Truman Doctrine was not part of the Temptations’ easygoing image. So Starr performed War by himself.
Born Charles Hatcher in Nashville in 1942, Starr moved with his family to Cleveland, Ohio, early in life, and there, as a teenager, he led his band, the Future Tones, to a record contract with a local label. They managed one single before Starr was drafted into the US Army, where he spent three years entertaining troops across Europe. On leaving the army he moved to Detroit and played with the Bill Doggett combo, taking his new name from his manager’s hackneyed prophesy: “Kid, one day you’re gonna be a star!”
He toured continuously for two years before releasing his first single with Detroit’s Ric-Tic Records, a low-budget Motown copycat. Agent Double-O-Soul achieved moderate success and struck a particular chord in England, where underground dance clubs picked it up. He followed up with Stop Her On Sight (SOS), and stayed on the books when Ric-Tic was swallowed by Motown. In 1969 he gave them the foot-stomping Top 10 hit 25 Miles, followed by I’m Still a Strugglin’ Man. In 1970 he reached his apogee, the simple but effective words of War carrying the song to number one in the US and keeping it in the charts for 13 weeks: “War has shattered many young men’s dreams / We’ve got no place for it today / They say we must fight to keep our freedom but Lord / There’s just got to be a better way.”
The single sold 3.5 million copies in the US by the end of the year, and has sold a further 1.5 million since. It was banned by the BBC during the 1991 Gulf War and by Clear Channel Communications, America’s largest radio network, in the wake of September 11, 2001. It was covered by Bruce Springsteen, who used it, in blatant opposition to the American attack on Iraq, to launch each concert on a recent tour of Australia. It is currently banned from American airwaves again. Starr’s attempt to capitalise with another anti-Vietnam song, Stop the War Now took him only to No 26 in the American charts. His last major soul single, in 1974, was Funky Music Sho’ Nuff Turns Me On.  From: https://www.thetimes.com/article/edwin-starr-r7zfrsz5lvm

Crooked Still - Sometimes in This Country

Neo-bluegrass group Crooked Still combines four musicians with distinguished backgrounds and connections. Singer Aoife O'Donovan, a graduate of the New England Conservatory, is also a member of the Wayfaring Strangers. Cellist Rushad Eggleston, the first string student admitted to the Berklee College of Music on a full scholarship, also performs with Fiddlers 4 and Darol Anger's American Fiddle Ensemble while also leading his own Wild Band of Snee. Banjo player Greg Liszt, a Ph.D. candidate in biology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, also plays with the Wayfaring Strangers and the Jake Armerding Band. And double bassist Corey DiMario, also a member of the Lissa Schneckenburger Band, has played in prestigious venues around the U.S. with such notable performers as Liz Carroll and McCoy Tyner. The four came together as Crooked Still in September 2001 when O'Donovan was asked to assemble a group for an informal concert at the New England Conservatory. Over the next few years, they developed a following in New England before releasing their debut album, Hop High, in February 2005. Their second release, Shaken by a Low Sound, followed a year later.  From: https://www.allmusic.com/artist/crooked-still-mn0000332973#biography

Bad Company - Simple Man

There’s a particular scene in the award-winning 2000 Cameron Crowe film, Almost Famous. In that playful scene, “band aid,” Estrella Starr (played by Bijou Phillips) peers out the window of a hotel room and announces (excitedly) to her frolicking female companions, “Simon Kirke from Bad Company is by the pool!” Not only did the band’s co-founding drummer get a nod with that memorable quote, but the film’s fictional group, Stillwater, also bared a strikingly close stylistic resemblance to Bad Company — and for good reason. Straight out the gate, Bad Company achieved global notoriety as a supergroup, comprised of Mott the Hoople, Free and King Crimson alumni. And at the time the motion picture’s storyline would have taken place, during the early to mid-‘70s, Bad Company was revving up as one of the biggest bands in the world. Birthing such FM staples as “Bad Company,” “Can’t Get Enough,” “Movin’ On,” “Good Lovin’ Gone Bad,” “Feel Like Makin’ Love” and “Shooting Star,” the first two Bad Company LPs, Bad Company (1974) and Straight Shooter (1975) were stylistic companion records, and both enjoyed Top Ten, multi-platinum success. But with album #3, Bad Company stepped a smidge outside the “zone.” Arriving in stores worldwide 45 years ago today (February 21, 1976), Run with the Pack also was a chart-busting million-seller.
As if wrapped by Reynolds, the shiny silver packaging was eye-catching — the front cover image of papa wolf watching on as mama wolf nurses her pups. The inner gatefold photo depicted the band members holed up in a tiny apartment, surrounded by booze bottles, with a Bugs Bunny cartoon playing on the TV. Musically, the self-produced ten-song set oozed the signature Bad Company mystique. Down and dirty, sweet and soulful, bluesy and beautiful, each track is a bullet point highlight.
The record kicks off in fine fashion with a pair of tunes penned by co-founding guitarist, Mick Ralphs — the gritty and chunky, “Live for the Music,” coupled with “Simple Man” — a powerful track that smacks of such previous B.C. classics as “Bad Company” and “Feel Like Making Love.” Owning the notable line, “Freedom is the only thing that means a damn to me,” the song is polished by a convincing performance from co-founding frontman, Paul Rodgers, and accented by Ralph’s seemingly Neil Young-inspired guitar work.
Bursting with bona fide cock-rock swagger, “Honey Child” is brought to life by the punchy, defibrillator-like basslines of the late Boz Burrell. This one, when placed next to Rodgers’ slow and sultry, gospel-tinged heartbreak ballad, “Somebody Love Me,” makes for another magical yin and yang scenario. Orchestrated magnificently, the piano-driven, riff-heavy title track was one of the record’s mightiest moments. But, it can be argued that the shiniest gemstone of this musical treasure trove is Rodgers’ masterpiece breakup ballad, “Silver, Blue and Gold.” The lyrics — engaging. The melody — enchanting. In fact, it could be said that if Run with the Pack housed only ONE single track, this should be the one.  From: https://v13.net/2021/02/bad-company-run-with-the-pack-retro-album-review/