photo: Mahkaila Lusch |
Monday, November 20, 2023
An interview with Paul Rodgers
Christmas album roundup: Jon Pardi, Cher, Matt Rogers
Jon Pardi
California native and past Stagecoach performer Jon Pardi provides an excellent country soundtrack for the holidays. On the fun, honky-tonkin’ “Beer for Santa,” Pardi sings about ditching cookies and leaving St. Nick “a koozie full of cheers” instead. The twangy, horn-laden “400 Horsepower Sleigh” features a gang chorus. An upbeat and jaunty “All I Want for Christmas is You” features fine fiddle and pedal steel work. Then there’s the laid-back, reggae-fied “Merry Christmas from the Keys,” where Pardi describes “all the hippies in their tie-dyed tops.” It’s quite a hoot. Other highlights include a blazing take on Buck Owens’ “Santa Looked a Lot Like Daddy,” with an ad-lib ending; the Sixties country vibe of “I’ve Been Bad, Santa,” where Ashley McBryde collaborator Pillbox Patti provides come hither vocals; the fine forlorn ballad “Reindeer”; old timey piano-led “Swing on Down to Texas” and Counting Crows’ earnest “A Long December.”
Before recording her first holiday album, Cher bolstered her vocals with a coach. Wise move: her singing is robust as ever. Back in 1963, Cher sang backup on the Darlene Love/Phil Spector classic “Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home.” The pair reunite here on a terrific remake. Michael BublĂ© and Cher’s vocals soar during his elegant ballad “Home.” Cyndi Lauper adds welcome vocals to the Erasure-styled dance tune “Angels in the Snow” and the joyous, soulful “Put a Little Holiday in Your Heart.” Cher and Stevie Wonder exude happiness as he sings and plays harmonica on “What Christmas Means to Me.” Elsewhere, there are forays into hip-hop, EDM (an infectious “DJ, Play a Christmas Song”; the inviting “Christmas Ain’t Christmas Without You”); “Run Rudolph Run” just plain rocks and a surprising cover of The Zombies’ “This Will Be Our Year” fits well.
Concert review: OMD, Tears for Fears, New Order, Human League, Devo, others at Darker Waves Festival, Huntington Beach, Calif.
The Darker Waves Festival made its debut on Saturday in
Huntington Beach with an amazing lineup that most fans of late ‘70s and ‘80s
alternative music would consider ideal. Tears for Fears and New Order top-lined
the bill, along with the B-52’s, Devo, Echo and the Bunnymen, Soft Cell, Psychedelic
Furs, OMD, Human League, Violent Femmes, X, English Beat, the Chameleons, Clan
of Xymox, and others. photo by George A. Paul
All told, 33 acts – ranging from new wave, alt-rock and darkwave
to punk, goth and beyond - performed across three stages during the 12-hour,
sold out event. The two main stages were spread far apart on sand at each end
of the festival. A smaller center stage was located on the parking lot.
Early arrivals could play retro upright video games such as
Donkey Kong and Ms. Pac Man in the mini arcade tent. Judging by the number of t-shirts
and red energy dome hats spotted, a majority of people were there to see New
Order and Devo.
Tears for Fears, still touring for 2022’s stellar album
The Tipping Point, was definitely among the stronger performances. Roland
Orzabal and Curt Smith opened with acoustic guitar-based ballad “No Small
Thing” – the first of six newer songs. “The Tipping Point” was compelling, with
dramatic dual vocals; the Smith-led earworm “Break the Man,” totally sublime. Longtime
enthusiasts were rewarded early with the 1-2 punch of big hits “Everybody Wants
to Rule the World” and “Sowing the Seeds of Love,” which prompted loud
singalongs. Orzabal admitted to the crowd that there were bands on the lineup
they admired and were jealous of, singling out Echo & the Bunnymen (whose
own set sported a guest appearance by The Doors guitarist Robby Krieger). He obviously
had fun doing the nonsensical bits at the end of “Seeds” too. Later, “Mad
World” proved riveting.
“It’s nice to be playing by the seaside,” said New Order
singer/guitarist Bernard Sumner. The influential electronic rock band often
opens its regular concerts with the wistful 1993 single “Regret.” But seeing it
performed here was perfect for those who recalled a music video the Mancunians shot
that same year in conjunction with the TV series “Baywatch” on the sand at
Venice Beach. New Order’s solid set was highlighted by Sumner’s riveting guitar
solo during “Love Vigilantes,” the musicians’ intense interplay amid
“Ceremony,” Gillian Gilbert’s stately keyboard washes on “Your Silent Face,” as
well as Sumner’s melodica interludes and the updated intros to “Subculture” and
“Bizarre Love Triangle.”
photo by Justin James/Darker Waves |
Although a “farewell” label was added to current Devo
tour ads, both keyboardist/singer Gerald Casale and lead singer/keyboardist Mark
Mothersbaugh insisted that’s not necessarily the case in recent interviews.
Good news there. The core original members (along with guitarist/singer Bob
Mothersbaugh), still manage to rock like nobody’s business, even into their 70s.
The shrewd use of video and theatrics adds to Devo’s unique visual presentation.
Starting with the frenetic “Don’t Shoot (I’m a Man)” off 2010’s underrated Something
for Everybody, Devo delivered taut new wave renditions of the manic
“Peek-A-Boo,” major hit “Whip It,” and a crazed “Uncontrollable Urge,” where
Mark Mothersbaugh tears away at his and the guys’ yellow disposable outfits while
singing. Somehow the routine never gets old no matter how many times you’ve
seen it.
photo by MC Dub/Darker Waves |
Phil Oakey, Susan Sulley and Joanne Catherall’s vocal harmonies were pristine as ever during the Motown-influenced “Mirror Man,” the idyllic synth strains of “Open Your Heart” (among five tracks played from major 1981 album Dare; a Pac-Man game was shown on a backdrop), luxurious ballad “Human,” a fun “(Keep Feeling) Fascination,” and the soulful “Tell Me When.” Oakey frequently mixed it up with the ladies onstage. An extended take on signature hit “Don’t You Want Me” prompted a loud singalong as more people than could fit in the Tiki Stage area tried to get a glimpse.
Before Blossoms appeared at Darker Waves, people on Facebook engaged in wishful thinking that the band would reprise its Smiths karaoke set with Rick Astley from Glastonbury over the summer. That didn’t pan out, but the Brits’ own tunes were quite memorable in their own right. One of a handful of younger artists on the bill, they came across like a breath of fresh air.
Lanky long-haired singer Tom Ogden constantly roamed the stage. He and the
other six musicians’ full-bodied, effervescent pop/rock sound fared best during
“There’s a Reason Why (I Never Returned Your Calls),” the chiming guitar-led “Honey
Sweet” off the 2016 eponymous debut album, an infectious “Oh No (I Think I’m in
Love)” – where they stopped on a dime at one point - and the funky “Girlfriend,”
complete with pedal steel and cowbell. Thoroughly enjoyable.
Violent Femmes is celebrating the 40th
anniversary of the classic eponymous debut album – Craft Recordings just
released a highly-recommended expanded reissue with demos, 45 single B-sides,
and live cuts – on tour by performing it from start to finish. In Orange
County, they replicated the same order. The platinum-certified release
conveniently contains Eighties college/modern rock radio staples “Blister in
the Sun,” “Add it Up,” “Kiss Off,” and “Gone Daddy Gone.” The alt-folk band
initially battled sound problems with the acoustic-leaning setup (including
barbeque grill used as percussion), but it didn’t detract much from a highly
entertaining set. Leader Gordon Gano even broke out the violin for “Good
Feeling.”photo by George A. Paul
Soft Cell, just Marc Almond for touring purposes while
musical partner as Dave Ball recovers from an injury sustained last year, did three
tunes from successful 1981 debut album Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret (now available
in a deluxe expanded edition). He also touched upon other Soft Cell releases
including last year’s long-awaited reunion album Happiness Not Included.
Aided by two male backing singers, he gamely tried to drum up audience
excitement, but people were really chatty, seemingly unfamiliar with the
non-hits or more likely, waiting for the Psychedelic Furs to follow on that
stage. Once Almond and company finally got around to Soft Cell’s big hit cover
medley “Tainted Love/Where Did Our Love Go,” the energy level increased and continued
for the naughty “Sex Dwarf” at the end.
Texas goth rock duo Twin Tribes impressed with a transfixing early afternoon set, particularly during The Cure-like allure of “Shadows” and “Fantasmas,” a sinister-sounding “Heart & Feather” and crystalline “Still in Still.”
Special thanks to C3 Presents for their help.