Buffalo Tom album review

Available on March 8:

Buffalo Tom

Skins

[Scrawny]

Grade: B+

In recent years, we’ve seen several reunions by acts who came to prominence during the early Nineties alternative rock boom (Pavement, the Pixies, STP, Soundgarden, Faith No More). Yet few have actually put out new studio albums like Buffalo Tom.

Early on, the Boston band made noisy, guitar-driven music a la Dinosaur Jr. Their sound later incorporated folk and pop elements and college/modern rock radio latched onto the earnest singles “Sodajerk” and “Taillights Fade.” After keeping a low profile for most of the next decade (except sporadic shows), the trio ended a long recording hiatus in ‘07 with solid album Three Easy Pieces.

Skins is an equally impressive effort, where the lyrics delve into deeper life issues (raising children, immortality). Lead singer/guitarist Bill Janovitz wrote ten tracks, while bassist/singer Chris Colbourn contributed four.

Aggressive rocker “Lost Weekend” finds Janovitz delivering a seething vocal and the intensely brooding “Down” features wicked guitar work. Tanya Donelly (Belly, Throwing Muses) - another prominent ‘90s music maker from New England – adds honeyed vocals to the countrified gem “Don’t Forget Me.” On the ruminative, Tom Waits-styled “Paper Knife,” Janovitz is quietly effective, while the upbeat power pop-leaning “Guilty Girls” could be a summit meeting between a young Elvis Costello and Guided by Voices.

Meanwhile, Colbourn’s melancholy, organ/violin-enhanced “Hawks & Sparrows” charmingly describes a guy that dreams of actress Mia Farrow; his humorous “Miss Barren Brooks” revolves around superficiality and getting stuck in a rut. All told, another fine display of rock authenticity.

Buffalo Tom's U.S. tour dates:

APRIL

8   Boston – Paradise

13 Minneapolis - Varsity Theater

14  Chicago - Lincoln Hall

28 New York City – Bowery Ballroom
29 Philadelphia -- M Room

30 Washington, D.C. -- The Black Cat
MAY

17 San Francisco -- Slim's
18 West Hollywood -- Troubadour
19 Portland -- Doug Fir
20 Seattle -- Chop Suey

David J concert review: Riverside, CA

David J made a rare Inland Empire solo appearance on Friday night.

Backed by Portland avant-goth rock band Adrian H and the Wounds, the founding Bauhaus and Love & Rockets member brought his “night of black cabaret” to Romano’s Concert Lounge in Riverside.

Last week at L.A.’s Million Dollar Theatre, the singer performed The Chanteuse and the Devil’s Muse. It's a new short form play with music, based on his previous Black Dahlia song cycle composed for 2007 indie flick “The Devil’s Muse” (where J portrayed a scientist and served as consulting producer). 

This highly intriguing, yet sparsely attended gig was a trip through dim corners of the past. Some selections dated back 75 years or more. The hour-long, 14-song set kicked off well past midnight with “The Boulevard of Broken Dreams” (not Green Day’s tune, but the Warren/Dubin number from 1934 film “Moulin Rouge,” later popularized by Tony Bennett).

Then J and the group delved into Tom Waits’ “Dead and Lovely,” traditional folk song “St. James Infirmary” (Louis Armstrong made it famous in 1928) and “Black Dahlia” tune “Pretty.”

“I wrote this while staying in King’s Cross [area of London] and watching the people who ended up as streetwalkers. One was murdered,” said J, about the origin of “Candy on the Cross” off his great 1992’s Urban Urbane disc. J emerged from a sheet music stand and did a more intensely dramatic delivery as the bleak song was peppered with crazed, John Zorn-like squeals from the band's sax player. Easily a set highlight.

After the 1930s German ballad “Falling in Love Again (Can’t Help It)” and Philip Glass’ piano dominant “Streets of Berlin,” J delved into his first solo effort “The Etiquette of Violence” for a chilling recitation of “Joe Orton’s Wedding” that recalled pirate music.

“Who Killed Mr. Moonlight” (originally sung by J on Bauhaus’ Burning from the Inside) fascinatingly built from tentative moodiness to full on crashing drums and keyboards. A slower, completely reworked “Bela Lagosi’s Dead” (more wild sax flourishes) retained its mournful sense of doom and J gestured as he sang/spoke it.

J’s latest single - the jumping, rave up rocker "Bloodsucker Blues" – injected more energy into the proceedings.

“This is my first time playing this,” noted the singer, before a punchy, music hall-styled “Spirit” by Bauhaus. For the encores, J went to David Bowie’s Aladdin Sane album for a cool take on “Time,” then Love & Rocket’s “No New Tale to Tell,” reworked slowly with sax, organ and a dramatic lyrical recitation.

UPCOMING SHOWS
3/6 The Echo, LA
3/7 The Casbah, San Diego
3/11, 3/18 Supper Club, LA
3/15, 3/29 The Standard, LA
3/26 Million Dollar Theater, LA
4/15 The Lovecraft, Portland
4/22 El Corazon, Seattle

To check out more info on his various projects, including the collaboration with Generation Bass and the progress of recording forthcoming album Not Long for This World, go to: www.davidjonline.com

    

Josh Ritter concert review: Hollywood

A version of my review ran in the Orange County Register's Soundcheck blog.

Hollywood is usually wild on weekends, but the craziness factor was ratcheted up several notches on Saturday night as parties were held all over town in anticipation of the Academy Awards.You couldn’t get anywhere near the Kodak Theatre because the surrounding area was blocked off, causing traffic snarls. Further down Hollywood Blvd., Drai’s nightclub at the W Hotel hosted Rolling Stone magazine’s celebrity-studded soiree.

Just one block away, some stars could also be found at the packed Music Box Theatre, where Americana singer/songwriter Josh Ritter performed. Actors John Krasinski and Rainn Wilson (NBC’s “The Office”) were spotted upstairs in the VIP balcony section. Both are regular supporters, having introduced a recent New York City gig. Wilson’s book/website Soulpancake features a new Ritter song (“Wild Goose”), which is also included on To the Yet Unknowing World, the musician’s new EP of B-sides (too bad none popped up in the set), remixes and music videos.

Last June, the Idaho native appeared at the venue during the initial tour for enchanting current album, So Runs the World Away, which was my No. 1 pick of 2010. This time around, the 100-minute set was a bit shorter (but no less stunning) and included six different songs.

Appearing solo on a stage festooned with rosebuds, state flags and old fashioned lamp posts, Ritter quietly did “Come and Find Me” (from Golden Age of Radio) on acoustic guitar. Then his four-piece Royal City Band entered, Ritter yelped and it was onto the rollicking “Good Man.” The vocalist sported a wide grin and fans sang along loudly. The high energy vibe continued on “Lillian, Egypt” and a memorable lead guitar solo by Austin Nevins.

Haunting organ swells on the stark “Southern Pacifica” and waltz time piano work on the somber, mummy-come-to-life tale “The Curse,” came courtesy of keyboardist/Ritter producer Sam Kassirer. They were among the newer song standouts.

The group really rocked out during a supercharged “Real Long Distance,” bolstered by Ritter and Nevins’ wicked electric guitar playing. Ritter jumped in the air and let a fan standing in front of the stage strum the instrument. An extended “Harrisburg” had an equally enthusiastic delivery and segued into the usual snatch of Talking Heads’ “Once in a Lifetime” (Ritter’s ad-libbed description of L.A. halfway through did suck out some momentum though). 

Another questionable decision came amid the dramatic, multiple versed “Thin Blue Flame.” Dedicating it to “the people of Libya,” Ritter requested all the lights be turned off and sang unamplified with acoustic guitar. While it added to the song’s intense mood, straining to see and hear it was a chore.

Ritter tends to come up with left-field concert cover choices (in ’10, it was “Moon River” and “Mexican Home,” his contribution to a John Prine tribute album). On Saturday, the first one fans heard was a gentle take on the Velvet Underground’s “Pale Blue Eyes,” featuring everyone on backing vocals.

Elsewhere, “Right Moves” and “Kathleen” were jubilant and life affirming as ever. The latter was prefaced by an odd introduction comparing man touching the moon to having a sexy moment “touching each other” – Ritter’s sly way of getting the crowd to slow dance. An equally romantic “Lantern,” propelled by Kassirer’s percolating keyboard noises, was one of the evening’s highlights.

Come encore time, opening act Scott Hutchison (frontman for Scottish indie folk act Frightened Rabbit) joined Ritter for a charming, upbeat acoustic version of The Everly Brothers’ “Stories We Could Tell” (penned by John Sebastian).

Finally, “To the Dogs or Whoever” found the always gracious, frequently giddy Ritter performing guitar on his knees, singing with infectious energy and having fun with the rapid fire wordplay. It closed the proceedings on a high note and definitely left the audience hungry for more.

(Note: Ritter probably would have played longer, but apparently had to adhere to a curfew to accommodate the venue’s Saturday night dance event that was already going on in the upstairs bistro.)

Josh Ritter photo by Marcelo Biglia, courtesy of Sacks & Co.

Queen reissues coming this spring

Queen's 40th anniversary is now upon us, and the band plans to pull out all the stops to celebrate this historic occasion. "2011 is an important year for Queen," said Brian May "and there will be a lot of activity." Adds Roger Taylor, "I can't believe it's been that long and that we are still around in such a big way. I'm amazed and grateful!" This yearlong event will be marked by a series of releases, re-releases, special limited-edition items and events around the world.


This is a timeless band whose music retains such immediacy and undiminished power that new fans continue to discover and embrace it, along the way inspiring a host of diverse artists from Lady Gaga (who took her name from Queen's "Radio Ga Ga"), and Katy Perry, through to the Foo Fighters. It's worth noting that Queen's videos have collectively generated well north of 300 million views online—a remarkable figure that figures to expand exponentially with the launch of a dedicated Vevo channel this spring, in yet another iteration of the anniversary rollout.

As the centerpiece in the 40th anniversary celebration, Queen's entire 15-album studio catalog is being reissued in a series of deluxe editions. Every note is being tweaked, every piece of artwork is being cleaned, freshened up and resourced, wherever necessary, with the legendary Bob Ludwig doing the remastering, working from the original source material. The albums will be released in three waves, staggered over the next year, with the first wave—comprising the first five LPs—coming this spring.

Each studio album will be released in a new two-CD edition, the first containing the updated, remastered original LP, the second disc packed with rarities—and we don't use the term lightly. Some of these gems have never before seen the light of day, even in crappy bootleg form. To cite a particularly fascinating example, five first-album demos recorded at London's De Lane Lea Studios in December 1971 were pulled from the only existing copy on the planet—an acetate from May's personal archives. Not even his bandmates had a copy.

"A huge amount of work has already been put in behind the scenes to unleash a completely newly mastered set of the original Queen LPs and CDs," May noted. "I know our fans will appreciate the attention to detail, bringing the early albums closer than ever to the magic of the vinyl originals, but with the benefit of up-to-the-minute quality technology."

On April 12, Hollywood will reissue Queen's debut single, "Keep Yourself Alive" b/w "Son and Daughter," on seven-inch vinyl in a limited edition coinciding with Record Store Day. And on April 19, the label will issue the band's Greatest Hits II for the first time in North America. This classic collection includes the rock standards "Under Pressure" and "Radio Ga Ga," plus  many other classics from the second half of Queen's run, including the worldwide smashes "I Want It All" & "Innuendo." Additionally, the "Queen on Vinyl" reissue program will be completed this year with the release of the final five studio albums.

Bonus Tracks on the First Five Studio Albums:
QUEEN (1973)
1. Keep Yourself Alive (De Lane Lea Demo, December 1971)
2. Great King Rat (De Lane Lea Demo, December 1971)
3. Jesus (De Lane Lea Demo, December 1971)
4. Liar (De Lane Lea Demo, December 1971)
5. The Night Comes Down (De Lane Lea Demo, December 1971)
6. Mad The Swine (June 1972)
QUEEN II (1974)
1. White Queen (Live at Hammersmith Odeon, December 1975)
2. See What A Fool I've Been (BBC Session, July 1973 - 2011 Remix)
3. Seven Seas Of Rhye (Instrumental)
4. See What A Fool I've Been (B-side Version, February 1974)
5. Nevermore (BBC Session, April 1974)
SHEER HEART ATTACK (1974)
1. Now I'm Here (Live at Hammersmith Odeon, December 1975)
2. Flick Of The Wrist (BBC Session, October 1974)
3. Tenement Funster (BBC Session, October 1974)
4. Bring Back That Leroy Brown (A Cappella Plus)
5. In The Lap Of The Gods… Revisited (Live at Wembley Stadium, July 1986)
A NIGHT AT THE OPERA (1975)
1. Keep Yourself Alive (Long-Lost Retake, June 1975)
2. Bohemian Rhapsody (Operatic Section A Cappella)
3. I'm In Love With My Car (Guitar & Vocal Version)
4. You're My Best Friend (Backing Track)
5. '39 (Live at Earl's Court, June 1977) TBC
6. Love Of My Life (Live Single Version, June 1979)
A DAY AT THE RACES (1976)
1. Tie Your Mother Down (Backing Track)
2. Somebody To Love (Live at Milton Keynes, June 1982)
3. You Take My Breath Away (Live in Hyde Park, September 1976)
4. Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy (Top Of The Pops, July 1977)
5. Teo Torriatte (Let Us Cling Together) (HD mix) (PHOTO/PRESS RELEASE: HOLLYWOOD RECORDS)

Ted Leo concert review: Riverside, CA

Ted Leo

The Barn, University of California Riverside

Feb. 23, 2011

Local Ted Leo fans got a rare treat on Wednesday night when the acclaimed indie rocker appeared at UCR as part of his first West Coast solo tour in nearly eight years. Performing to a small crowd inside venerable campus performance venue/eatery The Barn, he delivered a rousing 19-song, 75-minute set.

It was a testament to the thought-provoking, often politically-tinged music the New Jersey native and current NYC resident has made for the past decade with longtime band, The Pharmacists (The Brutalist Bricks, which came out last year on Matador/Ole Records, is another solid effort).

Armed with an electric guitar and mostly singing with eyes closed, Leo basically let the music speak for itself. There were traces of early Joe Jackson, Elvis Costello and Billy Bragg, while I thought an old Midnight Oil song (“The Power and the Passion”) described him to a T.  

Among the standouts were “Me and Mia,” “Colleen,” “A Bottle of Buckie” (featuring some whistling and highly melodic guitar work; it got a very enthusiastic response), “One Polaroid a Day” (sung in regular voice, not the lower register heard on Bricks), “Bottled in Cork” and closing frenzy “Ballad of the Sin Eater.”

There were also inspired takes on The Waterboys’ “Fisherman Blues” (a regular inclusion in recent Pharmacists’ sets; Leo even nailed Mike Scott’s ragged howl), Nick Lowe’s jaunty “And So It Goes,” Aimee Mann’s sublime “Freeway” (something he just decided to attempt) and Bruce Springsteen’s “Dancing in the Dark.” Despite declining a few audience requests, Leo relented on the latter tune, giving it a lean and mean treatment.

Photos courtesy of Matador Records    

George Harrison tribute concert free stream/Blu-ray release

In honor of George Harrison’s birth date (February 25), the memorable tribute concert in his honor, CONCERT FOR GEORGE, will be streamed for free for 24 hours that day on GeorgeHarrison.com.

Originally released in High Definition, CONCERT FOR GEORGE will be released for the first time ever on Blu-ray and via digital download on March 22. The 2-disc Blu-ray set will include the complete concert on the first disc, with a second disc containing the original theatrical version featuring concert highlights, interviews with the performers, rehearsals, and behind-the-scenes footage. The second disc will also include a previously unreleased interview segment featuring Ringo Starr, Jim Keltner and Ray Cooper entitled “Drummers.”

CONCERT FOR GEORGE has been certified 8 times platinum by the RIAA since its initial release as a 2-DVD set in November 2003 and earned a 2004 Grammy^® Award for Best Long Form Music Video.

On November 29, 2002, one year after the passing of George Harrison, Olivia Harrison and longtime friend Eric Clapton organized a performance tribute in his honor. Held at London's Royal Albert Hall, the momentous evening featured George's songs, and music he loved, performed by a lineup that included Clapton, Jools Holland, Jeff Lynne, Paul McCartney, Monty Python, Tom Petty, Billy Preston, Ravi and Anoushka Shankar, Ringo Starr, Dhani Harrison and many more.
 

CONCERT FOR GEORGE captures stunning renditions of some of the most significant music of the 20th century, including “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” (featuring Clapton on guitar, McCartney on piano and Starr on drums), “Taxman” (performed by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers) and “The Inner Light” (covered by Jeff Lynne and Anoushka Shankar). Lynne, Harrison’s longtime friend and collaborator, produced the audio elements of the concert, while Clapton oversaw the entire proceedings as Musical Director.

Track Listing

1. Your Eyes - Anoushka Shankar
2. The Inner Light - Jeff Lynne & Anoushka Shankar
3. Arpan - Conducted by Anoushka Shankar
4. Sit On My Face – Monty Python
5. The Lumberjack Song – Monty Python with Tom Hanks
6. I Want To Tell You - Jeff Lynne
7. If I Needed Someone - Eric Clapton
8. Old Brown Shoe - Gary Brooker
9. Give Me Love - Jeff Lynne
10. Beware Of Darkness - Eric Clapton
11. Here Comes The Sun - Joe Brown
12. That’s The Way It Goes - Joe Brown
13. Horse To The Water – Sam Brown
14. Taxman - Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
15. I Need You - Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
16. Handle With Care - Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers with Jeff Lynne & Dhani Harrison
17. Isn’t It A Pity - Billy Preston
18. Photograph - Ringo Starr
19. Honey Don’t - Ringo Starr
20. For You Blue - Paul McCartney
21. Something - Paul McCartney & Eric Clapton
22. All Things Must Pass - Paul McCartney
23. While My Guitar Gently Weeps - Paul McCartney & Eric Clapton
24. My Sweet Lord - Billy Preston
25. Wah Wah - Eric Clapton & Band
26. I’ll See You In My Dreams - Joe Brown

Dennis DeYoung: Music of Styx concert review

My review originally appeared on the Orange County Register's Soundcheck blog and can be viewed at: ocregister.com/entertainment

Nothing compares to the genuine article. 

For the past decade, Styx has featured singer/guitarists Tommy Shaw, James “J.Y.” Young and recurring bassist Chuck Panozzo. Those members were a big part of the Album Oriented Rock band’s late ‘70s/early ‘80s heyday, when five consecutive albums went platinum or beyond.

Yet their current concerts – like the Ontario one I caught at Citizen’s Business Bank Arena in ‘09 with REO Speedwagon and Kansas – are typically shaky at best. At some point, diehard fans that enjoy all facets of Styx’s career inevitably think about founding lead vocalist/keyboardist/principal songwriter Dennis DeYoung, who exited acrimoniously in 1999.

Having concentrated on Broadway (The Hunchback of Notre Dame, 101 Dalmatians) and classical-oriented music projects (the ambitious Music of Styx: Live with Symphony Orchestra album, tour and popular PBS Soundstage program) in the interim, DeYoung recently returned to his rock roots with latest studio effort
One Hundred Years From Now. Among DeYoung’s best solo releases, the highlights include topical tunes (“I Don’t Believe in Anything,” “Private Jones,” “Turn off CNN”) and a love song to his wife (“Breathe Again”).

During an impressive, nearly two-hour show at the mostly-filled City National Grove of Anaheim, DeYoung proved he really does the Styx catalog justice these days.   

Last year, DeYoung recruited new players for his regular touring band. Key among them was amazing guitarist/vocalist August Zadra, known in SoCal for stints in Styx and Journey cover bands (he is still part of Lights: The Premiere Tribute to Journey, the opening act on Saturday night in Orange County). Several tracks originally handled by Shaw on record (“Too Much Time on My Hands,” “Renegade”) were added to the set once Zadra - and his remarkably similar vocal timbre - joined.

The tight six-piece band basically stuck to the Styx classics. They performed in a front of a large backdrop of “Moonlit Merry-Go-Round,” a serigraph by late Chicago realist painter Robert Addison, which adorns One Hundred (Addison also created another visual work familiar to Styx fans: “Paradise Theater”).

Right from the start, DeYoung provided a keen theatrical flair with dramatic gestures and vibrant singing amid the galloping synths of “The Grand Illusion.” Except for various turns at the keyboards, he never stayed in one place too long. On the percolating, driving pace of “Lorelei,” DeYoung climbed up near the drums and mimed air guitar between Zadra and equally adept axe man Jimmy Leahey. The group falsettos were a wonder to behold. Zadra acquitted himself well on the first Shaw spotlight “Blue Collar Man (Long Nights),” fingering the frets so vigorously, a string broke. 

Despite the often grandiose nature of Styx music, DeYoung doesn’t take himself too seriously. “Nobody goes from sublime to ridiculous like this band,” he quipped. There were jokes about Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber and aging (the veteran performer just turned 64 and briefly broke into The Beatles’ “When I’m 64” after a story about first listening to Sgt. Pepper with Styx’s Panozzo Brothers at Chicago State University).

“Mr. Roboto” might be dominated by '80s electronic sounds, but the Kilroy Was Here selection didn’t really seem dated. In fact, lyrics such as “the problem’s plain to see/too much technology” could easily apply today. In Anaheim, it was just plain fun. DeYoung did robotic movements, moved his head in unison with the guitar guys and even brought out the Kilroy mask as a prop.

Inviting ballads like “Desert Moon” (a solo top 10 hit from 1984), an acoustic “Don’t Let it End” and high flying “Babe” (prefaced by a story about how it was written) put the focus on DeYoung’s still supple pipes.

As the band reached the final stretch, a majority of the Grove crowd in the first two tiers were standing and cheering loudly. A mesmerizing, ultra dramatic “Suite Madame Blue” saw DeYoung hold a long sustained note and “The Best of Times” was a true celebration. 

After the quick farewell-themed “A.D. 1958,” and another Beatles nod in “The End,” and the group closed with a truly exalting, fan singalong, “Come Sail Away.”

Dennis DeYoung, City National Grove of Anaheim, Feb. 19. 2011
Setlist: The Grand Illusion/Lady/Lorelei/Blue Collar Man (Long Nights)/Show Me the Way/Mr. Roboto/Desert Moon/Don’t Let It End/Too Much Time on My Hands/Rockin’ the Paradise/Babe/Fooling Yourself (Angry Young Man)/Suite Madame Blue/The Best of Times/A.D. 1958/The End/Renegade/Come Sail Away

Pictured L-R: August Zadra, Dennis DeYoung, Jimmy Leahey. Live photo courtesy of dennisdeyoung.com