Medleyville

Iggy and the Stooges
House of Blues — Atlantic City, N.J.
Aug. 27, 2010

"We're the f---ing Stooges," Iggy Pop (above) announced after this evening's first two songs, and his choice of words was noteworthy. No, not due to the gratuitous F-bomb, but because technically this was a performance not by "The Stooges" — the name under which Pop's group released two grimy slabs of proto-punk (1969's self-titled debut and 1970's Fun House) — but instead a concert by "Iggy and the Stooges," as the reshuffled band was billed later.

Continue reading "PACKED WITH POWER" »

Posted by Medleyville at 08:22 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Los Lobos, Jim Wolf, The Dandy Warhols and Jerry Castle

* Los Lobos -- Tin Can Trust (Shout! Factory)

The final line in "27 Spanishes," the last song on Tin Can Trust (out now), pretty much sums up Los Lobos' approach to their new album: "Now they all hang out together and play guitars for kicks." For its first Shout! Factory release, the band keeps its collection of eclectic instruments on the shelf and focuses on guitars instead. Extended solos highlight two of the best tracks, "All My Bridges Burning" and a cover of the Grateful Dead's "West L.A. Fadeaway." The band really fires on all cylinders during "Do the Murray," a lively, bluesy instrumental.

Continue reading "QUICK SPINS: August 2010" »

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Sting with the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra
Bethel Woods Center for the Arts -- Bethel, N.Y.
July 30, 2010

Sting’s quest to reinvent himself reached new heights in an invigorating concert July 30 at Bethel Woods. Backed by the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra, he presented a 24-song set in a relaxed and balmy open-air concert that was both intimate and compelling.

Continue reading "SPANNING HIS VAST CATALOG" »

Posted by Medleyville at 08:13 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Mark Olson, The Constellations, The Blue Shadows and more

* Mark Olson -- Many Colored Kite (Rykodisc)

Jayhawks founder Mark Olson is in a mellow mood throughout his latest solo album, Many Colored Kite (due July 27). That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but the stripped-down disc eventually falls into a sleepy rut. Kite does have its standout moments, though, most notably "Little Bird of Freedom" and "Scholastica."

Continue reading "QUICK SPINS: July 2010" »

Posted by Medleyville at 09:50 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Witty veteran band continues to evolve

Devo's new album is an ambrosia salad filled with razor blades, a milkshake made from a hornets' nest, a pie-in-the-face to all things conventional and artificial. Something for Everybody (Warner Bros.) is the band's first studio release in 20 years, but this album – full of snappy drum beats, shredding, quirky synthesizer treatments and plucky guitar riffs -- is one of the Akron, Ohio-bred band's best and most consistent efforts since 1982's Oh No, It's Devo!.

Continue reading "DEVO -- SOMETHING FOR EVERYBODY" »

Posted by Medleyville at 08:47 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

John Mellencamp, Black Robot and more

* John Mellencamp -- On the Rural Route 7609 (Mercury/Island/Universal)

If there's any doubt remaining whether John Mellencamp is one of rock’s best singer/songwriters of the past 30 years, then On the Rural Route 7609 (due June 15) should take care of that.

Continue reading "QUICK SPINS: June 2010" »

Posted by Medleyville at 08:30 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Edgy, unrefined effort comes up a little short

Fans of The Jam, take note: Former leader Paul Weller's new solo album, Wake Up the Nation (Yep Roc Records), harkens back to his days when he was an angry young man eschewing punk rock nihilism for a more focused social commentary.

Continue reading "PAUL WELLER -- WAKE UP THE NATION" »

Posted by Medleyville at 08:45 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Reissued Bunkhouse debut shows band’s honky-tonk side

In the 1990s, The Jayhawks were prime progenitors of "alt-country" or "roots rock," labels that often came to describe singer/songwriters or folk-leaning bands who dabbled in twangy guitars or dared sport cowboy shirts without a hint of hipster irony.

So it should shock no one that their newly reissued, long out-of-print 1986 Bunkhouse Records debut contains a traditional country feel.

Continue reading "THE JAYHAWKS -- THE JAYHAWKS" »

Posted by Medleyville at 05:20 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Hoodoo Gurus, No Second Troy, Otis Redding and more

* Hoodoo Gurus -- Purity of Essence (Virtual Label/ADA)

Australia's underrated Hoodoo Gurus (who reformed in late 2003, in case you haven't heard) live by that old saying "if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it."

Continue reading "QUICK SPINS: May 2010" »

Posted by Medleyville at 09:47 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Guitar great never seems to hit a wrong note

On Emotion & Commotion (Rhino), his first album in seven years, legendary guitarist Jeff Beck weaves his way through new and familiar compositions ranging from bold to bluesy to melancholy. Embellished with solid orchestral arrangements, the songs soar with a passionate range of emotion and intensity that pervade the album like a testament from a rock 'n' roll evangelist.

Continue reading "JEFF BECK – EMOTION & COMMOTION" »

Posted by Medleyville at 09:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Carrie Rodriguez, Christine Ohlman, British Invasion collection

* Carrie Rodriguez -- Love and Circumstance (Ninth Street Opus)

She may not be as well-known as Allison Moorer or Patty Griffin, but fellow alt.country-leaning singer Carrie Rodriguez packs the pipes and personality to tackle a collection of cover tunes, just like Moorer and Griffin did in recent years.

Continue reading "QUICK SPINS: April 2010" »

Posted by Medleyville at 06:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Jimi Hendrix, Texas Tornados, Old Man Luedecke and The Postelles

* Jimi Hendrix -- Valleys of Neptune (Experience Hendrix/Legacy)

Each new posthumous Jimi Hendrix release makes it seem entirely possible that whenever the man plugged in his guitar, a tape machine was rolling to capture whatever he played.

Continue reading "QUICK SPINS: March 2010" »

Posted by Medleyville at 08:18 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Minimalism makes for an intriguing project

For his daring all-covers album, Scratch My Back (EMI), Peter Gabriel reworks classic as well as lesser-known works, and the former Genesis frontman does so with good intentions.

The end result is a grand success and noble failure at the same time.

Continue reading "PETER GABRIEL -- SCRATCH MY BACK" »

Posted by Medleyville at 10:48 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

In the months leading up to his death in September 2003, ailing country icon Johnny Cash recorded the final album of his acclaimed Rick Rubin-produced American Recordings series. Medleyville's George Henn and Mike Madden have the lowdown on The Man in Black's last effort, American VI: Ain’t No Grave, which is due Feb. 23 -- three days before what would have been Cash’s 78th birthday.

Continue reading "DISC DISCUSSION: JOHNNY CASH -- AMERICAN VI: AIN’T NO GRAVE" »

Posted by Medleyville at 09:15 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Band's best live album gets deluxe treatment

There's no disputing that 1969 was a year of major triumph and tragedy for The Rolling Stones.

Brian Jones left the group in June ’69 and was replaced by guitarist Mick Taylor. Less than a month later, Jones was found dead in his swimming pool, his mysterious death deemed by a coroner to be a drowning while under the influence of alcohol and drugs.

On July 5, two days after Jones' body was found, Taylor made his concert debut with the Stones during a free concert before 250,000 at London's Hyde Park. The band’s subsequent attempt at a freebie on Dec. 6 at California's Altamont Speedway, though, was marred by chaos and violence, most notably the stabbing death of a black teenager in the crowd.

But between the Hyde Park and Altamont gigs, the Stones rocked New York during a two-night stand in late November '69 at what was then a relatively new fourth edition of Madison Square Garden, resulting in one of the best concert albums by any rock band ever. In celebration of the 40th anniversary of Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out!, ABKCO has given the album the deluxe reissue treatment, and it's a must for any serious Stones fan.

Continue reading "THE ROLLING STONES -- GET YER YA-YA'S OUT! THE ROLLING STONES IN CONCERT" »

Posted by Medleyville at 10:32 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

John Wesley Harding and the English UK
Riverside Gardens Park -- Red Bank, N.J.
July 24, 2009

On his new track "Top of the Bottom," British singer/songwriter John Wesley Harding offers a tongue-in-cheek , mostly farcical chronology of his career’s ups and downs. A true-to-life version of it would have to mention that with his current release, Harding is re-emerging from the longest break of his two-decade recording career.

Continue reading "IN WITH THE NEW" »

Posted by Medleyville at 08:30 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Attention to quality dampens spirit

The growth of young rock musicians always is a fascinating thing to watch unfold -- especially acts that take a few albums to really catch on. The classic case is Bruce Springsteen, who had to wait until album No. 3 for the masses to fully embrace him.

Denmark's The Blue Van is at that point now, and as its new album’s title would suggest, it's time to Man Up and try to reach the next level.

Continue reading "THE BLUE VAN -- MAN UP" »

Posted by Medleyville at 03:06 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

A "drunken promise" made by John Doe to Yep Roc label mates The Sadies planted the seed for them to make music together. The end result is Country Club, and Medleyville.us staffers Chris M. Junior, George Henn and Mike Madden share their thoughts on the album.

Continue reading "DISC DISCUSSION: JOHN DOE AND THE SADIES -- COUNTRY CLUB" »

Posted by Medleyville at 02:27 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Original lineup tosses in a few surprises

The mid-1990s were a great time for talented, passionate acts, and one such band from that era was Knoxville, Tenn.-based Superdrag. Best known for "Sucked Out," Superdrag released four acclaimed full-length albums and shifted lineups a few times before splitting in 2003.

Following a successful reunion tour in 2007, the original lineup hit the studio to record the recently released Industry Giants (Superdrag Sound Laboratories), on which Superdrag doesn't exactly attempt to reinvent the wheel.

Continue reading "SUPERDRAG -- INDUSTRY GIANTS" »

Posted by Medleyville at 08:12 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Dezen carries on with unadorned, personal songs

Running down Alex Dezen's busy past few years, you could be forgiven for thinking he was on his way out of the music business.

His Brooklyn, N.Y.-based band, The Damnwells, seemed poised for a breakthrough before it lost its major-label record contract and, later, also lost a couple of members not long after its sophomore LP was released in 2006. The singer/songwriter was recently married and moved to Iowa, where he is enrolled in a writers' workshop at the local university.

But with the sudden release of One Last Century earlier this month, Dezen proved The Damnwells still are alive, even if the "band" is basically a vehicle for his songs at this point (only bassist Ted Hudson remains as a full-fledged member, and a slew of guest musicians contribute to the disc).

Continue reading "THE DAMNWELLS -- ONE LAST CENTURY" »

Posted by Medleyville at 12:48 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Medleyville.us staffers Chris M. Junior, George Henn and Mike Madden attempt to wrap their heads around the latest studio album by this rootsy yet unconventional quintet from Austin, Texas.

Continue reading "DISC DISCUSSION: THE GOURDS -- HAYMAKER!" »

Posted by Medleyville at 03:07 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Showing signs of newfound maturity

Chalk it up to all those hell-raising anthems they have penned over nearly two decades. Or the fact that their front man, in a don’t-even-think-about-taking-us-seriously move, long ago dubbed himself Eddie Spaghetti.

Whatever the case, let’s just say that the Supersuckers had pretty much established themselves as the band perhaps least likely to grow up in a hurry someday. But darn if the Seattle's favorite hillbilly punks haven't done just that in the five years between albums (not counting an EP and live releases).

Continue reading "SUPERSUCKERS -- GET IT TOGETHER!" »

Posted by Medleyville at 08:36 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

AC/DC
Wachovia Center -- Philadelphia
Nov. 17, 2008

AC/DC has made headlines of late as much for its music as its business decisions. The venerable hard-rock act struck a deal with Wal-Mart to make the department store the exclusive retailer of its hot-selling new CD, Black Ice; it has remained one of the few major acts that refuse to allow its material to be sold at online destinations such as iTunes; andit has signed on for its own version of the popular Rock Band video game.

At this stop on its first full-fledged tour in eight years, AC/DC proved that while it may be navigating new music-biz models these days, the business of being a live band remains remarkably unchanged.

Continue reading "LOUD AND PROUD" »

Posted by Medleyville at 01:45 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

King Crimson
Nokia Theatre Times Square – New York
Aug. 17, 2008

Flying under the radar of a summer filled with mega-tours (The Police being one) was the definitive progressive-rock group King Crimson, touring in tribute to its 40th anniversary as a group.

The Crimson lineup has changed through the years, but the one constant has been 62-year-old founder/guitarist Robert Fripp (above), who once again assembled a stunning lineup of expert musicians to interpret the band’s catalog of noncommercial songs.

Continue reading "SENSORY STIMULATION" »

Posted by Medleyville at 06:01 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

The Police
PNC Bank Arts Center -- Holmdel, NJ
Aug. 3, 2008

For the fourth-to-last show of The Police's lengthy reunion tour, 56-year-old Sting (above) looked his usual sculpted self in a skin-tight, long-sleeved shirt, but also sported a scruffy, gray-speckled beard that showed he is a long way from his days as a pinup and movie star.

Continue reading "STILL A POWERFUL FORCE" »

Posted by Medleyville at 08:23 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Medleyville staffers Chris M. Junior and Donald Gavron go over the latest solo album by one of British rock's most respected musicians.

Continue reading "DISC DISCUSSION:
PAUL WELLER -- 22 DREAMS" »

Posted by Medleyville at 05:58 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Guilt-free pleasure from veteran indie rocker

There's an old saying about guilt being counterproductive. Beck's new album, Modern Guilt (DGC Records), has paid no attention to this corollary.

Continue reading "BECK -- MODERN GUILT" »

Posted by Medleyville at 08:43 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Another round of high-energy tunefulness

It has been an eventful five years for the Boss Martians since their last album. The quartet has shuffled its rhythm section, been embraced by Little Steven Van Zandt's garage-rock empire and even recruited Iggy Pop to co-write and appear on a track on its new MuSick Records disc.

But as the Martians' new Pressure in the S.O.D.O. (a reference to a neighborhood in the band's hometown of Seattle) shows, little has changed musically. And while that doesn't make for much variety, that's still largely a good thing.

Continue reading "BOSS MARTIANS -- PRESSURE IN THE S.O.D.O." »

Posted by Medleyville at 08:32 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Star guests contribute to uplifting results

Soul legend Al Green always has put his best foot forward in the recording studio. He's an institution for his songs of positivity, spirituality and just plain heart and soul.

With his latest offering, Lay it Down (Blue Note), the Rev. Green gets a little help from some contemporary R&B powerhouses to collaborate and pay reverence to his legacy.

Continue reading "AL GREEN -- LAY IT DOWN" »

Posted by Medleyville at 06:14 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Traffic-esque effort adds to impressive body of work

Steve Winwood's ninth solo album, Nine Lives (Wincraft Music/Columbia Records), is a strong set of musical arrangements featuring songs that confront an uncertain world. Musically, there also is more than a passing echo to Traffic, Winwood's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band.

Continue reading "STEVE WINWOOD -- NINE LIVES" »

Posted by Medleyville at 11:04 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

The Black Hollies/The Insomniacs
Maxwell's -- Hoboken, N.J.
Feb. 17, 2008

The Black Hollies' new album contains ditties about changing seasons, flowers and candles, stately, sprawling chateaus, and even odes to ballerinas and (gasp) perishable fruits.

Onstage, they're not afraid to boast the blazer-and-turtleneck look and, on a given night, multiple ascots. And while quite possibly an homage, their name cops that of a revered '60s hitmaking group.

Continue reading "TWO WELCOME THROWBACKS" »

Posted by Medleyville at 08:54 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Misery continues to be the band's specialty

Nada Surf's fifth album kicks off with "See These Bones," a mini-epic that finds singer/guitarist Matthew Caws resigned to mortality ("You'll be dust") as morose verses build to a sweeping chorus (not to mention a killer pun: "Look alive! See these bones").

The track serves a quick reminder that few acts mine misery better than the New York trio, and an instant indicator of where the band is headed for the duration of Lucky (Barsuk Records), perhaps the moodiest and broodiest release yet by Caws, bassist Daniel Lorca and drummer Ira Elliot.

As for whether it also rates among the band's best, that depends on the listener's threshold for doom and gloom.

Continue reading "NADA SURF -- LUCKY" »

Posted by Medleyville at 02:59 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Rewarding music and unique CD packaging

Last October, Radiohead released its new album on the Internet with a risky pay-what-you-choose option, and the marketing strategy apparently was a major success. But despite the numerous downloads, In Rainbows (TBD) also made a splash this month in its physical form, selling enough CDs to hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart.

No matter the form, it's a rewarding collection of music from a band still at the top of its game.

Continue reading "RADIOHEAD -- IN RAINBOWS" »

Posted by Medleyville at 09:39 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Once again, I, Gary Pig Gold, lived the year with ears wide open, forever scouting far under the socio-musical radar for sounds that may just have passed you by over the past twelve months and counting.

So, here then is a Top 10 of sorts, respectfully listed, as always, in strictest alphabetical order.

Continue reading "TEN YOU MAY HAVE MISSED IN 2007" »

Posted by Medleyville at 04:24 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Dark, atmospheric and monotonous

If nothing else, the debut disc from Lucinda Black Bear boasts what has to be one of the most accurate titles in indie rock history. Which is to say that, yes, 'Capo My Heart' and Other Bear Songs (Eastern Spurs) not only contains cuts that touch on taming said wild beasts, but also embodies the pretentiousness that its name suggests.

Continue reading "LUCINDA BLACK BEAR -- 'CAPO MY HEART' AND OTHER BEAR SONGS" »

Posted by Medleyville at 08:42 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Bruce Springsteen is back with the E Street Band for his latest studio album.

Is Magic the same ol' Boss, or does Springsteen have some new tricks up his sleeve? Medleyville.us staffers George Henn, Mike Madden and Michael Corby hash it out.

Continue reading "DISC DISCUSSION: BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN -- MAGIC" »

Posted by Medleyville at 09:44 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

1980s package tours can be intriguing prospects, but not always for the best reasons.

Before the sensible concert-goer plunks down his cash to see some bands who were in their prime in a time when synthesizers ran wild, MTV was a tastemaker and the Internet was years from being dreamed up by Al Gore, a few key questions often come to mind: Who exactly is in the band, anyway? Can they get through a song without being winded? And, most importantly, can they still play?

With this in mind, Medleyville checked out the Rockin the Colonies tour this week at Jenkinsons in Point Pleasant Beach, N.J., featuring The Psychedelic Furs, The Fixx and The Alarm. Here is a handy
breakdown of each act (in the order in which they played):

Continue reading "REVIEW: ROCKIN THE COLONIES" »

Posted by Medleyville at 05:57 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Some very familiar names have joined forces to honor the late June Carter Cash. George Henn and Mike Madden have the lowdown.

Continue reading "DISC DISCUSSION -- ANCHORED IN LOVE" »

Posted by Medleyville at 05:48 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Veteran singer makes his lyrics count

"I got a big mouth," Ian Hunter warns on the lead track to his latest album. To Hunter's credit, when he has chosen to open it lately, he has made it count.

Continue reading "IAN HUNTER -- SHRUNKEN HEADS" »

Posted by Medleyville at 11:08 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Stretching the boundaries of progressive rock

Porcupine Tree's ninth studio album, Fear of a Blank Planet (Atlantic/Lava), is a tour through the malaise of the 21st century, featuring songs that illustrate a culture overtaken by distractions and boredom.

Continue reading "PORCUPINE TREE -- FEAR OF A BLANK PLANET" »

Posted by Medleyville at 08:45 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Well-chosen covers are in line with singer's sensibilities

Patti Smith's unique imprint on rock 'n' roll and the early New York City punk scene cannot be denied. Her influence on countless female rock singer/poets is indelible, and her recent induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame was long overdue.

That said, she isn't resting on her laurels with Twelve (Columbia), an all cover-tunes project.

Continue reading "PATTI SMITH -- TWELVE" »

Posted by Medleyville at 09:52 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Band's soul-searching third album has its moments

Two Cow Garage has made a firm commitment to slogging it out in clubs across the country, having played hundreds of mostly low-profile dates annually in recent years.

Continue reading "TWO COW GARAGE -- III" »

Posted by Medleyville at 09:04 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Grant-Lee Phillips -- Strangelet

Less than a year from releasing his last album, nineteeneighties, Grant-Lee Phillips returns with Strangelet (Zoe). Chris M. Junior and Mike Madden have the lowdown.

Continue reading "DISC DISCUSSION" »

Posted by Medleyville at 08:26 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Texas band takes steps in the right direction

The old expression "With age comes wisdom" can be a curse rather than a blessing within the parameters of rock 'n' roll.

Continue reading "GRAND CHAMPEEN -- DIAL T FOR THIS" »

Posted by Medleyville at 08:16 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

A legend-to-be establishes his trademark sound

The long-awaited first release from Neil Young's archive series is a rough-honed gem that will be a welcome delight to his legion of aficionados.

Continue reading "NEIL YOUNG AND CRAZY HORSE -- LIVE AT THE FILLMORE EAST" »

Posted by Medleyville at 05:11 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Mixed-bag effort offers flashes of the past

The Who is undoubtedly one of the premier bands and concert acts in rock history, and arguably only The Beatles and The Rolling Stones can compare in terms of influence and quality of output.

Roughly 24 years after its last new album, The Who is back with Endless Wire (Universal Republic), and it’s difficult to judge it within the context of the band’s history.

Continue reading "THE WHO -- ENDLESS WIRE" »

Posted by Medleyville at 09:14 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Rapper's comeback effort has its ups and downs

Arguably one of this fall's most anticipated album releases, no matter what genre, is Jay-Z's comeback album, Kingdom Come (Roc-A-Fella), and with it he is looking to reclaim his throne as rap's kingpin.

That leads to the question: Was it worth it for him to go back on his word and come out of retirement?

Continue reading "JAY-Z -- KINGDOM COME" »

Posted by Medleyville at 09:22 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

An aptly named CD for a promising band with a tragic story

Rock's multi-death travel tragedies include the 1959 airplane crash that claimed Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper, as well as the 1977 plane crash that killed singer Ronnie Van Zant and other Lynyrd Skynyrd members.

Lesser-known acts have lost personnel while on tour, too.

Continue reading "THE EXPLODING HEARTS -- SHATTERED" »

Posted by Medleyville at 09:24 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Fox's Celebrity Duets is over. In case you missed it, here is a brief overview of the series.

Continue reading "CELEBRITY DUETS WRAPUP" »

Posted by Medleyville at 08:47 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Evan Dando is back, and he's revived the Lemonheads name. George Henn and Mike Madden take a look at the group's new studio album.

Continue reading "DISC DISCUSSION -- THE LEMONHEADS" »

Posted by Medleyville at 07:52 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Sept. 21, 2006

This Fox competition is down to five contestants, with two being let go this week before next week's series finale. Here's what happened in the fourth episode:

Continue reading "CELEBRITY DUETS, Episode 4" »

Posted by Medleyville at 10:38 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Sept. 14, 2006

The third round of this Wayne Brady-hosted Fox singing competition is in the books. Here's a recap:

Continue reading "CELEBRITY DUETS, Episode 3" »

Posted by Medleyville at 10:12 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Sept. 7, 2006

The second round of this Fox series is in the books, and here's what went down:

Continue reading "CELEBRITY DUETS, Episode 2" »

Posted by Medleyville at 10:35 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Rhett Miller
Riverside Garden Park -- Red Bank, N.J.
Aug. 4, 2006

When one thinks of summertime, the thoughts and imagery of vacations come to mind. In the rock music community, a vacation may encompass a musician leaving his or her usual backing band and forming a touring band to perform solo material.

But there are other times when an artist just has to bask in his or her own solitude. That was the case on this particular summer night for Rhett Miller as he continues his touring apart from The Old 97's and in support of his most recent solo effort, The Believer (Verve Forecast).

Continue reading "IT'S MILLER'S TIME" »

Posted by Medleyville at 09:59 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Radiohead leader takes the minimalist route

Ardent admirers of Radiohead will not be disappointed by Thom Yorke's first solo record, The Eraser (XL), which is a solid effort but far from sublime.

Continue reading "THOM YORKE -- THE ERASER" »

Posted by Medleyville at 09:03 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Uneven effort has its share of appealing, memorable moments

Judging by Soul Asylum's first album in eight years, The Silver Lining (Sony Legacy), little would seem to have changed since the band was last heard from.

If only that were the case.

Continue reading "SOUL ASYLUM -- THE SILVER LINING" »

Posted by Medleyville at 09:44 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Diamond Dave guests on instrumentally ambitious effort

To many, the idea of bluegrass musicians mining the early Van Halen catalog undoubtedly sounds like a joke. After all, is it really feasible to meld bare-bones, blue-collar, esteemed American roots music with arena-schlock material originally sung by a man fond of wearing pants with the rear end cut out?

Continue reading "VARIOUS ARTISTS -- STRUMMIN’ WITH THE DEVIL: THE SOUTHERN SIDE OF VAN HALEN" »

Posted by Medleyville at 09:15 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Crafty guitar work, oblique lyrics add up to a meaningful disc

Television guitarist Tom Verlaine's first solo recordings in 14 years will give his fans reasons to rejoice.

Continue reading "TOM VERLAINE -- SONGS AND OTHER THINGS" »

Posted by Medleyville at 09:06 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Tommy Keene/The Figgs/Seth Tiven
Maxwell's -- Hoboken, N.J.
June 16, 2006

An unofficial Tommy Keene (above) itinerary for the past decade would read like this:

Release critically praised but modestly selling indie album every three or four years. Follow it up by hitting the road with backing band to support the disc on a short tour of small clubs. Perform tight and often smoldering shows, even if the club is half full on many nights.

Continue reading "INSPIRED AND REWARDING" »

Posted by Medleyville at 10:15 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Skills remain intact, but most songs don't measure up

In the 1982 film Fast Times at Ridgemont High, teen ticket scalper Mike Damone (masterfully played by Robert Romanus) sings a medley of now-classic Cheap Trick songs to a female fan who's on the fence about purchasing seats to the band's upcoming concert.

Had the movie been made today, Damone probably would have included only one or two of the 12 tunes found on Cheap Trick's Rockford (Cheap Trick Unlimited/Big3 Records), an overall mediocre effort.

Continue reading "CHEAP TRICK -- ROCKFORD" »

Posted by Medleyville at 10:32 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Pearl Jam/My Morning Jacket
Continental Airlines Arena -- East Rutherford, N.J.
June 3, 2006

Those fans who entered Continental Airlines Arena on June 3 to check out the opening set by My Morning Jacket received more than advertised.

Pearl Jam singer Eddie Vedder (above) kicked the night off by treating the early arriving crowd to a solo-acoustic performance of Bruce Springsteen's "No Surrender." Vedder then introduced My Morning Jacket and joined the group for a version of The Band's "It Makes No Difference."

Continue reading "ROCKIN' THE SWAMPS OF JERSEY" »

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A textured, vivid disc that ranks among his best

Paul Simon has triumphantly set foot (musically, that is) in the 21st century with his first album of new material in six years.

Continue reading "PAUL SIMON -- SURPRISE" »

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All-star bar band has a load of fun

There's always room for a good collaborative effort, and with their second joint venture, Put the Hammer Down, The Yayhoos are out to do a whole lot of sharing.

Continue reading "THE YAYHOOS -- PUT THE HAMMER DOWN" »

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A meaningful album done quickly and effectively

Neil Young's Living with War (Reprise) proves unequivocally that the man dubbed the godfather of grunge also is the godfather of the protest song.

Continue reading "NEIL YOUNG -- LIVING WITH WAR" »

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Vocal restraint, production values minimize overall effort

Former Dire Straits frontman Mark Knopfler and country/folk music legend Emmylou Harris have been working (when their busy schedules allowed) on an album for the past seven years, and the end result, All the Roadrunning (Nonesuch), finally saw the light of day last month.

At first glance, this may seem an odd pairing -- and it is.

Continue reading "MARK KNOPFLER AND EMMYLOU HARRIS -- ALL THE ROADRUNNING" »

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Alejandro Escovedo -- The Boxing Mirror

He's healthy again, and that also means Alejandro Escovedo is back to making music. Staffers Chris M. Junior and George Henn pull no punches in their comments about Escovedo's latest effort, The Boxing Mirror (Back Porch).

Continue reading "DISC DISCUSSION" »

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Writer-at-large and Three Chord Monte radio host Joe Belock goes to Austin, Texas, every March during the South by Southwest music festival/conference and scours the city's clubs. Here's a summary of what he checked out in 2006.

Continue reading "SXSW '06: JOE BELOCK'S RECAP" »

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If the spirit displayed by the Gulf Coast musicians featured in the two Ponderosa Stomp shows at this year's South by Southwest music festival/conference is any indication, the region will no doubt fully recover from Hurricane Katrina.

Continue reading "SXSW '06: PONDEROSA STOMP" »

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A troubled soul manages to hold his own

Comebacks by 1960s icons/drug casualties with long histories of mental illness, declining talents and other troubles should be approached with caution. One too many rambling “performances” from Sky Saxon or expensive tickets to watch Brian Wilson read a teleprompter and bang on an unplugged keyboard will make any diehard a little gun-shy.

And so, Roky Erickson's four appearances during this year’s South by Southwest week in Austin, Texas, were cause for tempered enthusiasm.

Continue reading "SXSW '06: ROKY ERICKSON" »

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Stripped-down Minus 5 packs verve and volume

The Minus 5
Southpaw -- Brooklyn, N.Y.
March 26, 2006

The Minus 5 has always boasted a loosely constructed cast of members and contributors, but revolves around two constants: bandleader Scott McCaughey (above), who formed the collective of mostly Seattle-based musicians in the mid-1990s as a side project as his previous band, the Young Fresh Fellows, was winding down; and his two-pronged gift for churning out measured, wry, observational guitar pop as well as full-on garage rockers (not unlike one of his major influences, Ray Davies of The Kinks).

Continue reading "LESS IS MORE" »

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For both acts, older material still scores with fans

Coldplay/Richard Ashcroft
Continental Airlines Arena -- East Rutherford, N.J.
March 25, 2006

Every few years, music seems to birth a new band from England that is hailed as the beginning of the next British Invasion.

Continue reading "A U.K. DOUBLE PLAY" »

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Guest artists dominate spotty solo outing

After roughly two decades with now-disbanded Run-DMC, Darryl McDaniels (DMC) has finally gone solo, even if he is not quite ready to go it alone.

Continue reading "DMC -- CHECKS THUGS AND ROCK N ROLL" »

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Sights, sounds and observations from Austin, Texas -- March 17

* Judy Collins concluded her interview with radio personality Pete Fornatale by singing a moving version of "Amazing Grace."

* Chrissie Hynde took issue with the oversized, animal-hide covered chair she was provided for her interview with Bill Flanagan, at one point sitting on the floor before she parked herself in a cloth-and-metal chair like those available for the audience.

* Teddy Thompson was in fine form on KGSR-FM (107.1), performing "I Should Get Up" in advance of his evening set at Eternal.

* Street marketing at its most effective: Nearly, if not all, of the streetlight posts along Sixth Street had red posters pushing The Back Room, the new Editors album, due March 21.

* "This is set for Dave." -- Rodney Crowell, after stopping his first song at Parish to raise the microphone stand. Crowell had been introduced by writer Dave Marsh.

-- By Chris M. Junior

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Sights, sounds and observations from Austin, Texas -- March 16

* "If you try too hard, you're not going to get there." -- Neil Young talking about the songwriting process during his keynote conversation.

* "We have the cream of the crop." -- Sam Moore, referring to the stars on his upcoming album, Overnight Sensational, which features Bruce Springsteen, Eric Clapton, Sting and others.

* Justin King dazzled the Driskill Hotel crowd during a Sony artists showcase with his percussive fingertapping guitar work, also showing he has solid tunes to go along with impressive chops.

* Catherine Wheel singer Rob Dickinson flashed a sense of humor prior to his solo acoustic set at Friends, saying he was the lead singer of Iron Maiden (that distinction belongs to Bruce Dickinson).

-- By Chris M. Junior

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Sights, sounds and observations from Austin, Texas -- March 15

* Curt Kirkwood of Meat Puppets fame performed an awful version of "Lake of Fire" on KLBJ-FM (93.7), his off-key voice as bad as his cheap-sounding guitar.

* Albie Monterrosa, Soto and James Guerrero of the New Jersey band deSol looked and sounded animated in the convention center during the afternoon despite a long drive to Austin that ended around 6 a.m. that morning.

* "I think peer-to-peer [file distribution] is great -- it's great for everyone . . . but it has to be monetized. Monitizing [peer-to-peer] is what we have to do." -- Martin Mills of Beggars Group during the panel Billboard's Indie Label White Paper.

* The notorious Beatle Bob looked foolish as always as he did something that resembled dancing combined with air drumming while next to the Mother Egan's stage during a set by The Silos.

-- By Chris M. Junior

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Thompson proves the apple doesn't fall far from the tree

Teddy Thompson
Feb. 22, 2006
Mercury Lounge -- New York

The life of a famous musician's kid must be bittersweet. When said parent is successful, it often equals money, little responsibility and media attention based solely on who your father or mother is (see Nicole Richie).

But when your goals are to follow in your parent's footsteps, all of a sudden the expectations start to rise and the criticism can be harsh. Teddy Thompson, son of Richard and Linda Thompson, set out to attract some attention of his own during a recent show at New York's Mercury Lounge to promote his second album, Separate Ways (Verve Forecast).

Continue reading "HERE COMES THE SON" »

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Southern rock, soul highlight self-released album

Most of the time, life as a musician is not as glamorous as one might think. For every pop star profiled on an episode of VH1's The Glamorous Life, there are many who can barely put enough gas in the tour bus to get to the next gig.

While some cry over Internet piracy and lost sales, others beg to have people hear their material. These are the themes Nashville, Tenn.-based singer-songwriter Will Hoge (above) ponders on his third studio long-player, The Man Who Killed Love.

Continue reading "WILL HOGE -- THE MAN WHO KILLED LOVE" »

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Poor pacing plagues the entire show

Cake/Tegan and Sara/Gogol Bordello
Hammerstein Ballroom -- New York
Jan. 20, 2006

"Now tickets to concerts and drinking at clubs,
Sometimes for music that you haven't even heard of.
And how much did you pay for your rock 'n' roll T-shirt
That proves you were there,
That you heard of them first?
How do you afford your rock 'n' roll lifestyle?"

-- Cake, "Rock 'N' Roll Lifestyle" (1994)

With its song "Rock 'N' Roll Lifestyle," Cake snidely skewers the idea of concert-goers eagerly shelling out money for tickets, booze and T-shirts at inflated prices. It was a highlight, if also a potentially bite-the-hand-that-feeds anthem, from the band's debut album in 1994, when the Sacramento, Calif., band was playing clubs so tiny that its fans needn't have worried about leaving a show with too light a wallet.

So naturally, the thousands of people who forked over 34 bucks (and many of whom could not swill $7 beers fast enough) to see Cake's package tour in New York made for quite a sight. Of course, these days the band has five albums and a handful of alterna-rock hits to its credit, and enough of a loyal following to fill concert halls for the third installment of the Unlimited Sunshine tour.

Continue reading "THE UNLIMITED SUNSHINE TOUR" »

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Varied, passionate and among Wynn's best works

Rare is the mention of Steve Wynn that does not include a corresponding nod to the Dream Syndicate, the acclaimed post-punk group he led up until its demise in the late 1980s. While that band would make an admirable anchor for just about anyone's indie-rock resume, the "former Dream Syndicate frontman" tag does not begin to do Wynn justice -- not after the solid solo career he has carved out, and especially not when the music he is making with his current backing musicians is so vital and vibrant.

Continue reading "STEVE WYNN & THE MIRACLE 3 -- ...tick...tick...tick" »

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Dion revisits his roots during hometown gig

Dion
Joe's Pub/New York
Jan. 9, 2006

Neil Diamond isn’t the only New York-bred veteran rocker who's put the acoustic guitar at the forefront of his latest album.

So has Dion, who performed material from his CD Bronx in Blue (Dimensional Music Recordings) on the eve of its official release during a solo show at Joe's Pub in Manhattan.

Continue reading "WANDERING THROUGH THE BLUES" »

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Reflecting on a life shaped by rock 'n' roll

In his music, Tom Petty can be vague or specific in his lyrics, and he also can tell a good story. Petty can be just as general, detailed and engaging when talking about his life, too.

Continue reading "CONVERSATIONS WITH TOM PETTY" »

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It's time to recap the best discs of the year, and here are the picks from Medleyville staffers.

Continue reading "TOP ALBUMS OF 2005" »

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They're the songs that, despite one's best efforts, enter the brain and take up unoccupied space for a long time. Chris M. Junior reveals the five hits from 2005 that he secretly hoped to hear on his car radio.

Continue reading "GUILTY PLEASURES OF 2005" »

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Robert Pollard and band let it all hang out one last time

Much like the band's career itself, the final Guided By Voices performance was an exercise in excess and stamina. As captured on the concert DVD The Electrifying Conclusion (Plexifilm), the group's swan song from New Year's Eve 2004 in Chicago proved a fitting finale for the legendary indie-rock heroes.

Continue reading "GUIDED BY VOICES -- THE ELECTRIFYING CONCLUSION" »

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Lone core members maintain quality, variety of past efforts

It has been a long journey for The Mendoza Line, in terms of both geography and output.

Continue reading "THE MENDOZA LINE -- FULL OF LIGHT AND FULL OF FIRE" »

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Styles, performances clash on latest star-studded effort

In the case of Carlos Santana, apparently you can't teach an old guitarist new tricks.

Continue reading "SANTANA -- ALL THAT I AM" »

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Stripped-down approach is very rewarding

There's Neil Diamond the entertainer, whose gaudy shirts and concert showmanship often rival that of Elvis Presley during his bloated jumpsuit era.

Then there's Diamond the singer/songwriter, whose discography isn't without glitz, bombast or even cringe-worthy sentiment (the Barbra Streisand duet "You Don’t Bring Me Flowers," anyone?).

But it is restraint, not overkill, that runs throughout Diamond's 12 Songs (Columbia) -- and the quality of the material matches the performances.

Continue reading "NEIL DIAMOND -- 12 SONGS" »

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Self-effacing yet assured; flawed yet memorable

Marah, a band always long on critical acclaim yet lacking mass appeal, ventured toward commercial success with the polished power-pop sounds of its third album and mellow narratives of its fourth.

It never materialized.

Continue reading "MARAH -- IF YOU DIDN'T LAUGH, YOU'D CRY" »

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Having fun with classic youth-targeted tunes

For many youngsters of the 1960s and '70s, the late Bruce Haack’s music was a gift of sorts. Apparently, plenty of musicians who grew up singing along to it are all too eager to return the favor to a new generation of listeners.

Continue reading "VARIOUS ARTISTS -- DIMENSION MIX: THE SONGS OF BRUCE HAACK AND ESTHER NELSON" »

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Big Star -- In Space

Roughly twelve years since making an unexpected return to the concert stage, the legendary power-pop band Big Star has released a new studio album on the Rykodisc label. Staffers George Henn and Chris M. Junior share their thoughts on the CD.

Continue reading "DISC DISCUSSION" »

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The dB's
Maxwell's -- Hoboken, N.J.
Sept. 19, 2005

The dB's are perhaps most famous for not being famous at all. That is, there is a prevailing feeling that the band should not have had to settle for being critically acclaimed cult favorites, unlike, say, early 1980s college-rock contemporaries (and future multi-millionaires) R.E.M.

Continue reading "A HOBOKEN HOMECOMING" »

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Star power amounts to nothing

There is no shortage of classic rock credentials in The Jones Gang. The core of the group is drummer Kenney Jones (The Small Faces, The Faces and The Who), bassist Rick Wills (Peter Frampton, Foreigner and Bad Company) and singer Robert Hart (Bad Company).

But impressive resumes only matter so much.

Continue reading "THE JONES GANG -- ANY DAY NOW" »

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