Paul Kaplan: "King Of Hearts" (1985/2026) CD Review

Singer and songwriter Paul Kaplan released his first album, Life On This Planet, in 1982. And then he decided to make his second album, King Of Hearts, a live album, an interesting choice, especially as how the album includes all different material from the first album. But, as he describes in the liner notes of the new CD edition, he wanted the sound of an audience singing along. And when you listen to the album, that makes complete sense. It was recorded on February 8, 1985 at Speakeasy in Greenwich Village. It features mostly original material written by Paul Kaplan, who plays guitar and harmonica, and provides lead vocals on these tracks. He is joined by Mark Dann on bass, Kenny Kosek on fiddle, Robin Greenstein on vocals and banjo, Ed Baker on piano and synthesizer, and Larry Cole on bagpipes.

The first track gets right into the music. There is no introduction or anything, no immediate indication that it is a live recording. Yet soon we hear folks singing along, so this must have been a song Paul had been playing out for a while, so that the audience would be familiar with it. The song, "I Will Keep You Warm," is exactly the kind of song we need in these rough days. "I will keep you warm/I'll keep the fire burning/Keep you dry in the storm/When winter is returning true to form/I will keep you warm." Robin Greenstein provides some excellent backing vocal work. And this track includes some really nice work on harmonica. "Let me take your cup and I will fill it/With as much as it can hold." Look out for each other, friends. Keep each other safe in these unsavory times. There is applause at the end of the track. "I Will Keep You Warm" is followed by "Blow, Winds, Blow," the title of this one making me think of King Lear on the heath ("Blow winds and crack your cheeks! Rage, blow!"). But this song has a decidely different vibe. The family of this song is certainly more functional than that of Lear. It's a sweet song full of love for a couple getting married, told from the perspective of their parents. I love the way the song urges them to experience life. "So blow, winds, blow/Flow, rivers, flow/Grow, children, grow." Kenny Kosek delivers some uplifting work on fiddle.

"I'm Feeling Blue" has a delightful, fun, light, jazzy vibe. "I'm not looking for someone else/I don't want to live by myself/But I'm feeling blue lately when I'm with you," Paul sings at the beginning. But we get the feeling, or at least the hope, that these guys will work it out, especially when he sings, "No one but you can make me sigh/No one but you can make me high." This track features a particularly wonderful vocal performance, and some excellent work on fiddle, those elements making this track one of my personal favorites. It is followed by the album's title track, "The King Of Hearts." Paul introduces this one, and it begins with some good work on guitar. There is some humor to this one, as he sings, "He's a royal pain in the neck," a wonderful nod to the fact that the king holds a sword just behind his head in the picture on the playing card. Will a pain in his own neck result? This song has a great classic folk feel, as it tells a timeless story. "I ran out into the road/But all that I could find/Was a golden band from her left hand/That she had left behind, that she had left behind."

While the title of "Blow, Winds, Blow" had me briefly thinking of King Lear, "Take Out The Garbage When You Go" actually does mention a Shakespeare play in its first lines: "You tell me that you're leaving/That our love has lost its glow/Though you were once my Juliet/And I your Romeo." Soon it becomes a delightful, humorous song, as he asks her to please take out the garbage when she goes. This is another song that benefits from an audience singing along. I wonder if he taught the audience the song in an introduction, which was then cut from the final recording, or if the folks already knew their part. This is one you might also find yourself singing along to before very long. Or at least laughing. There is audible laughter from the audience at certain points, as in reaction to the line "My house is filled with smells." And your laughter will likely join that on the recording. This track features some nice work on fiddle. Then "Orphans Of The Storm" has a more somber, serious sound. It's a song about this country, and though it was written many decades ago, it speaks to us right now. "America the beautiful/Certainly has changed/She wears a lot of makeup/But she'll never be the same." The chorus is delivered with a certain power, and it's easy to imagine, say, David Crosby singing it: "We are orphans of the storm/With no father and no mother/We are orphans of the storm/With no home to go to/We are orphans of the storm/With nobody but each other."

Paul Kaplan then gives us a drinking and dancing song, "Wedding In The Village." Amen to that. "Oh ho, won't you come and join the fun/A wedding in the village/A festival for everyone/Oo-wee, the sun keeps coming up/So let's all drink another round/From the loving cup." It's a song that sounds like a celebration, a song that makes us want to introduce ourselves to strangers, and think of everyone as a friend (it's hard to remember that feeling these days, but music is what can help). And I love the traditional folk dance at the end, this song coupled with "Rondeau From Gascony," a traditional song. It feels perfect. Lisa Roth joins the band on tambourine on this track. That's followed by another traditional number, "Heather On The Moor." Paul Kaplan is a perfect voice to deliver it, for he has the ability to tap into that timeless something. He has that quality in his voice. Not everyone does. He delivers a wonderful rendition, inviting us to step into another place outside of the now.

"I Had An Old Coat" feels like a traditional folk song. It has that kind of vibe. Part of it is the audience singing along, making us feel that the song has been around for a long time. And, actually, the story behind this song has apparently been around a long time, even if this specific song hasn't. Again, you'll likely find yourself singing along too. I certainly do each time I listen to this song. "And I sing every day of my life." This track includes some good work on fiddle. That's followed by a traditional number, "The Greenwood Lassie," an Irish song, usually presented as "Greenwood Laddie." This one has a different vibe, for Paul Kaplan plays the cuatro on it, immediately transporting us. The focus then is on his voice, on the lyrics, and he gives us a beautiful rendition. That is followed by "Money," a funny number that had me laughing out loud almost immediately. "Well, here's a tip for you: make money," he sings. Remember, this was the 1980s, that awful time of Reagan, a time of greed. The nation is still suffering because of that despicable person's time in office, and now we have an even worse person in the White House. There are a lot of laughs here. Part of the humor is the way he delivers it, and part of it is a line like "No matter how you get it, they call it legal tender," which is brilliant. And there is a reference to The Merchant Of Venice: "What buys flesh by the pound?" Paul delivers some good work on harmonica too. This song is delightful.

"Phil (For Phil Ochs)" is a pretty, tender song, opening with the line, "Phil, what went wrong? Why are you quiet now?" Phil Ochs was an excellent and influential songwriter who killed himself in 1976. He wrote about the events of his day, songs that were seen as protest songs. We could use his songwriting now, don't you agree? And in this song, Paul sings, "Phil, where's your song? I really need it now." I suppose we'll always need those songs. The album concludes with another somber number, "Just Another War." And, guess what, this country is now involved in another war, this time purely to distract a stupid population from the fact that the president raped children. Yeah, we're in seriously ugly territory now, the country hitting a shocking new low. And that, of course, is not the only war going on. Russia is still involved in its depraved activity, and Israel seems to have gone completely nuts in Gaza. As far as countries go, I've always appreciated Maude's take: "What sense in borders and nations and patriotism?" Here Paul sings, "Governments, flags/Borders all are fleeting/In an hour they disappear/But somehow the drums of war/Never stop their beating/Year after bloody year."

CD Track List

1. I Will Keep You Warm
2. Blow, Winds, Blow
3. I'm Feeling Blue
4. The King Of Hearts
5. Take Out The Garbage When You Go
6. Orphans Of The Storm
7. Wedding In The Village/Rondeau From Gascony
8. Heather On The Moor
9. I Had An Old Coat
10. The Greenwood Lassie
11. Money
12. Phil (For Phil Ochs)
13. Just Another War

This special reissue of King Of Hearts was released on February 1, 2026. This is the first time the album has been made available on CD.

Rick Shea & The Losin' End and Sandy Rogers Band at Maui Sugar Mill Saloon, 3-18-26

"Happy Hangover Day," one guy at the bar said soon after I arrived at the Maui Sugar Mill Saloon last night. Ah, if only. But the venue where I caught music on St. Patrick's Day did not serve alcohol, so I was in no danger of a hangover yesterday. I decided to make up for that during this show, and got there early to get a head start on my drinking. There is always a good selection of beer at this place (for my second beer, I had a green-tinted IPA that was delicious), and that's one good reason to visit this venue. But mainly I was there for the music, of course. It was a phenomenal double bill: Rick Shea & The Losin' End and Sandy Rogers Band. This is the kind of music to help you get back in touch with the best parts of humanity, with the best parts of yourself.

"Mexicali Train"

Rick Shea & The Losin' End opened the show, taking the stage just after 8:30 p.m. Rick mentioned his new album, Smoke Tree Road, saying the band was going to play a few songs from it, including the one Rick chose to begin the night, "Guardian Angel," a sweet number to get things going. By the way, Tony Gilkyson was back on guitar last night. The last few times I saw The Losin' End, Rick had other guitarists sitting in with him. Rick then led the band into "Mexicali Train," a song with a rhythm like a friendly train coming from the past. We wouldn't be surprised if Kerouac stepped off that train and greeted us. Or, more likely, the ghosts of our own pasts. Tony delivered a really nice lead on guitar. That was followed by one of my favorites, "Mariachi Hotel," with a cool vibe, a sound that feels both haunted and wise, and featuring some excellent guitar work from Rick. The band then played another song from the new album, "A Week In Winnemucca." There is such a good feel to this song, and it featured some wonderful work from Tony on guitar.

"Papa Don't Sleep"

"Shelter Valley Blues" is another of my personal favorites, a song I love more each time I hear it. If you haven't yet heard this song, take a few minutes and check it out. You will not be disappointed. The band then dipped into Tony's material with "Papa Don't Sleep," an instrumental number that was a whole lot of fun last night. I especially enjoyed that bit on bass. Rick returned to the new album for "An Irishman's A Laborer At Heart," which was fitting for the day after St. Patrick's Day. Rick mentioned in his introduction to the song that he didn't get anywhere on the holiday except his couch. The song is beautiful, and it gets to me every time I hear it, reminding me of my dad. Jeff Turmes then took a turn at lead vocals, choosing "Don't The Moon Look Real" from his Five Horses, Four Riders album. It's a cool, jazzy number, and Tony's guitar lead last night was something special. "Midnight Shift" is another song that Rick included on his new album, and last night it was dedicated to a woman named Annie in the audience. It was a particularly fun rendition, and afterward Rick said, "That's 'Shift,' it's hard to get that 'f' in there." Rick wrapped up the set with another song from the new album, "One More Night," which is one of my favorites from the disc. Apparently this was the first time the song was played live, and it was wonderful hearing it. "I'm no closer to that dream." Ah, yes. I hope this song finds a regular spot in the band's set lists. The set ended at 9:21 p.m.

"Tingling Blue"

Fifteen minutes later, Sandy Rogers Band was on stage, and Sandy started by introducing the band before then kicking things off with the title track from her newest album, Tingling Blue. The energy was great, seeming higher than usual. There was perhaps a bit more volume too. When she sang, "feel it, feel it," we certainly did. She mentioned how it's been a year since the album came out. Is that possible? Well, not quite, but nearly a year. Still, time is flying. There was a bit of tuning, and once everything was right, the band started "One Of Those Kind," both Dan Janisch and Paul Marshall counting it off together, which was actually adorable. "It's not my song, but it feels like my song," Sandy said afterward. It certainly does! That was followed by "Fool For Love," which had a bright energy, and then "Turn Around," a song that will make anyone happy basically the moment it starts. And don't we all need this sort of thing these days? "Don't know who to trust." Well, we can trust these musicians, this music.

"Run Out Of West"

"This is my favorite song on the new record," Sandy said in introducing "Lonesome Man." "I waited so long/For you to really love me." Those are such beautiful, heartbreaking opening lines. Sandy and her band mates delivered a great rendition of the song last night. They followed that with the always-fun "In Her Auto-mobile," and then "No Antidote." A bit of tuning was necessary before "No Antidote," Sandy saying it was the stage lights knocking the guitar out of tune. Paul joked that the cause was Sandy's body heat. There was that kind of delightful, loose vibe, an undeniable joy, to the set. Some songs always hit the right spot, and "Missouri Blue" is one of those songs, and it was great hearing it last night. It's always great hearing it. Sandy introduced "Let's Ride" by saying she had written it for the film version of Fool For Love, had sent the demo to Altman, who began cutting the film to the demo rather than waiting for the final version of the song. So what we hear in that movie is the demo version. Anyway, last night the song featured one of the set's best vocal performances. Another of the best vocal performances was in "Why Wyoming," a highlight of the set. In "You Lied Your Way," Sandy's matter-of-fact delivery of "And I am madly in love with you" stood out. That was followed by a beautiful rendition of "Wild Bill," a song written by Paul Lacques. Afterward Sandy said, "He wrote that for a play called...," and turned back to Victoria Jacobs, who completed the sentence, "The Curse of Bigness." Some information just refuses to stay with me, so I can relate when Sandy has to turn to Victoria for the title every time she mentions that play. The set concluded with "Run Out Of West," featuring a wonderful, passionate vocal performance. The set ended at 10:43 p.m.

"The Town Where I Live"

Within ten minutes, Rick Shea & The Losin' End were kicking off the final set of the night with "The Starkville Blues," a good, mean tune. Rick followed that with "The Town Where I Live." When he introduced it, he said he could tell the story of the song, "But it's a long story, so I think I'll just play it." Again, it was that kind of a loose, fun night. Tony then sang lead on his "Man About Town," which is such a cool tune featuring delicious, expressive guitar work. And Jeff delivered his great "Early Train." The line "Summer's coming and I love someone" grabs me every time, and last night it hit me differently, the vagueness of the word "someone" seeming darker than usual. That was followed by two songs from the new album. The first, "Georgia Bride," was a song that stood out for me the last time I saw Rick Shea perform, and I was happy to hear it again, this time with Tony Gilkyson on guitar. The second was "El Diablo Manda," and this was the first time the song was played by the band. It was a treat to get to hear this one, and, like "One More Night," it is a song that deserves a regular spot in future set lists. That was followed by a fun rendition of "Hold On Jake."

"Hold On Jake"

The fun continued wih Tony's choice of "Tear It Down," which featured some delicious guitar work and became a wonderful jam. They kept the energy up with "Juanita (Why Are You So Mean)." Then Jeff sang lead on "Things I'm Not Gonna Think About." In this one, he mentions how the news may not be good, and perhaps the trick is to avoid thinking about certain things. That's been part of my strategy for the last fifteen months. Thinking about the horror show in D.C. just makes me angry and depressed, and doesn't cause any harm to the beast in office. There are many things I don't want to think about, preferring to focus on positive things, such as good music. Rick Shea & The Losin' End wrapped up the show with a couple of covers: Hank Williams' "Honky Tonk Blues" and Chuck Berry's "Thirty Days," the latter dedicated to Nubs, the sound man, and featuring plenty of great guitar work. The show ended at 11:50 p.m.

Set List

Rick Shea & The Losin' End Set I

1. Guardian Angel
2. Mexicali Train
3. Mariachi Hotel
4. A Week In Winnemucca
5. Shelter Valley Blues
6. Papa Don't Sleep
7. An Irishman's A Laborer At Heart
8. Don't The Moon Look Real
9. Midnight Shift
10. One More Night

Sandy Rogers Band

1. Tingling Blue
2. One Of Those Kind
3. Fool For Love
4. Turn Around
5. Lonesome Man
6. In Her Auto-mobile
7. No Antidote
8. Missouri Blue
9. Let's Ride
10. Why Wyoming
11. You Lied Your Way
12. Wild Bill
13. Run Out Of West

Rick Shea & The Losin' End Set II

1. The Starkville Blues
2. The Town Where I Live
3. Man About Town
4. Early Train
5. Georgia Bride
6. El Diablo Manda
7. Hold On Jake
8. Tear It Down
9. Juanita (Why Are You So Mean)
10. Things I'm Not Gonna Think About
11. Honky Tonk Blues
12. Thirty Days

Here are a few more photos:

"Mexicali Train"

"A Week In Winnemucca"

"Don't The Moon Look Real"

"Tingling Blue"

"One Of Those Kind"

"One Of Those Kind"

"Fool For Love"

"No Antidote"

"Man About Town"

"El Diablo Manda"

Maui Sugar Mill Saloon is located 18389 Ventura Blvd. in Tarzana, California.

Ben Vaughn, Kip Boardman and Sarah Stanley at Unurban, 3-17-26

Ben Vaughn Duo

If you had told me a week ago that I'd be going out on St. Patrick's Day to see live music that's not Irish at a venue that doesn't even serve alcohol, I would have laughed in your face. But when I learned that Kip Boardman was on the bill with Ben Vaughn and Sarah Stanley at the Unurban, well, that's precisely what I did. Kip Boardman so rarely performs, and it turned out that this was Sarah Stanley's first show in two years, so it was a special evening, to be sure. Ben Vaughn Duo (that's Ben Vaughn on vocals and guitar, and Teresa Cowles on bass and vocals) started the night off, as those two are wont to do, with a short set, kicking things off with "Looking For A Friend" at 7:12 p.m. This is one of the songs that feature Ben and Teresa doing their vocal versions of horns, and this one also had them doing their own fadeout. That was followed by "Apropos Of Nothing," which included a humorous guitar intro and then more good work on guitar later, with Ben playfully indicating that applause was due. And applause was received. The audience echoed him toward the end. Ben then joked with someone in the audience who is apparently obsessed with Jerry Lewis in his introduction to "Jerry Lewis In France." And that song marked the end of the short set. Only ten minutes long, but we knew there would be more from Ben Vaughn Duo later.

Kip Boardman

Kip Boardman was up next, and this time he was on keys. The other times I've seen him perform (the last time being in April of 2024), he played guitar. So this added another layer to my excitement about his set, since whatever he did, it was going to be different from what I'd seen before. He opened the set with "Upon The Stars," the title track from his 2022 album, softly captivating the audience. "I still bear the scars/She's up there dancing upon the stars." He followed that with "Last Mistake," a song from his 2023 album The Good Leave. Such a good vocal performance. And that's one of his main draws, his delivery, which somehow seems effortlessly beautiful and tender and meaningful. "I really want to play this cover," he then told the audience, and apologized for not having it memorized, asking folks to bear with him as he played and read at the same time. That cover was "A Salty Dog," one of Procol Harum's best songs. This is the second Procol Harum song I've seen him cover. In both 2023 and 2024, I saw him play "Homburg." He stopped for a moment, then picked up where he left off, and easily brought us into the world of that song, delivering a special rendition. Kip started to play an original number, but gave up on it after a few moments. "It's going to be good, though, one day," he said, and from what we heard, that seems certain. Kip decided to go back to more familiar material, and delivered a really good rendition of The Band's "Twilight." "How much longer I got, Ben?" he then asked. "You mean in life?" Ben Vaughn replied jokingly. "Yeah," Kip said, going along with the joke. Ben said he didn't have the answer to that, but figured three more songs seemed about right for the set. One of those three was a new one, or "newish," as Kip described it. And the last song of his set was a beautiful rendition of "Waterfall."

Sarah Stanley Trio

Sarah Stanley Trio then took the stage, and it turned out this group was yet another to feature Teresa Cowles on bass. Does anyone have a comprehensive list of bands she plays with? It must be pretty long. Anyway, in this band she played standup bass, which was cool. The third member of the trio was Jay Green on guitar. The trio kicked off the set at 8:14 p.m. with "Down And Dirty," a totally fun song that at one point mentions beer, which felt a bit like a tease to me. For, again, this venue did not serve alcohol. And the beer I downed in my car before heading in wasn't nearly enough to get me where I wanted to be. Anyway, "Down And Dirty" was followed by "Tuesday Girl," and after the first time she sang the line, "She's not your Tuesday girl," Sarah said, "It's Tuesday," suddenly realizing, which was kind of adorable. Jay delivered some nice guitar work. At the end, Sarah added, "St. Patrick's Day Tuesday girl."  Teresa then laid her bass down on the stage for "Love Is For Lunatics," Sarah's voice supported by just guitar and Teresa's backing vocals on that one. "Caught up in some crazy dream/Only you can make me scream/It's undeniable/We're certifiable." Sarah has a great voice, and perhaps her best vocal performance of the set was on "Sunshine." "Sunshine, will I ever see you again/Or do I make the nighttime my new friend?" "Promises" was dedicated to the sound woman's dog, who was relaxing in front of the stage, and at the end Teresa sang the dog's name instead of "Promises." By the way, there was some excellent harmonizing during the set. The set ended with "Let Me Be Me."

Ben Vaughn Duo

Ten minutes later, Ben Vaughn Duo was back on stage, and Teresa Cowles was back on electric bass. There is something about Ben's music, his voice, his approach that makes me happy. Even when he's singing "People It's Bad," the lyrics are delivered with a wink and a smile. That song also featured some nice work on guitar last night, and after that part, he stopped the song to say, "That was the guitar solo," as if to indicate that applause would be appropriate. And the crowd applauded. Because the audience is in on the act, is in on the fun. Ben Vaughn has several songs that feature an audience vocal part, for example. Before one of those songs, "Too Sensitive For This World," Ben mentioned that Mark Fletcher was in the audience, and that the two of them were in a punk band called Sic Kidz in Philadelphia. Ben delivered a particularly good "Too Sensitive For This World" last night, and followed it with the fun "Miss Me When I'm Gone," featuring the return of the Pico Boulevard Horns. "I got high, but I'm still feeling low," he sang at the beginning of "New Jersey Rock 'N' Roll." It's a funny line, obviously, but it's also an honest line, a line many folks can relate to. And that's part of the genius of Ben Vaughn's songwriting. His material is full of lines like that, lines that simultaneously make us laugh and reflect. "That song was so heavy, we ended it on two different chords," he joked afterward. 

Ben Vaugh Duo, with Dan Marcus

"Blind Alley" had been stuck in my head for a good part of the day yesterday, and I was happy to see Ben Vaughn play it last night. There was no guitar on that song, so Teresa's bass was the driving force and heart of the number. And Ben delivered some great stuff on harmonica. "Heavy Machinery" was one of the songs given a cha-cha-cha ending, and after it, Ben mentioned that it was written by Dan Marcus, who was in the audience. He then invited Dan Marcus to come up and sing a couple of songs. Both songs were funny. The first, "The Existential Banana Peel," was dedicated, in part, to Jean-Paul Sartre. And when asking the audience to join in, instead of saying "Everybody," as is usual, he said, "Anybody," which got a big laugh. The second, "Sometimes I Feel Like Richard Nixon," featured these lines: "But you've got it all down on tape/Every little mistake that I ever made." Marcus ended with the line, "I'm going to resign," giving the crowd Nixon's odd victory sign and then walking off the stage while Ben and Teresa finished the song. Not only did he leave the stage, but the venue entirely, Teresa mentioning how she could see him through the window walking down the street. The set concluded with "Walkin' My Way (Back To Your Heart)," which featured some nice whistling by Teresa Cowles, perhaps more than she had intended to do, for Ben repeated the final section. And if you know Ben Vaughn, you know he occasionally likes to playfully milk an ending, so Teresa was in danger of having to do that whistling part multiple times. But Ben showed her a little mercy last night, having her do that final part only twice. The show ended at 9:37 p.m.

The Unurban is located at 3301 Pico Boulevard in Santa Monica, California.

Hello George (2026) Book Review

Hello George is a wonderful new novella by Jon Fried, one half of the musical duo known as The Cucumbers. The book is closely tied to The Cucumbers' new album, As You Heard Me. Though the songs came first, the music is the soundtrack to the book. Each can be enjoyed separately, but certainly you can get even more enjoyment from the book if you are familiar with the songs on the CD (and more enjoyment from the CD if you've read the book). The book tells the story of Barry, a music publisher who is sent an unusual four-song demo tape that he falls in love with. One of the songs on it becomes a hit for country music star George Krott. Yet he knows nothing about the songwriter, Daisy Steinberg, and is determined to track her down and learn all he can about this delightful voice.

It's a book for those of us who fall in love with CDs and records (as we once did with cassettes), who fall in love with a voice on a tape. And if you're the type of person who reads about music, you're exactly the kind of person this book is for. The type of person who wants to know more about music, about a song, about a singer. You might fall in love with this book the way you fall in love with a singer, with a song, with an album. The cassette pictured on the book's cover is also the one featured on the CD cover, and it is the demo tape sent to Barry (which is the music that makes up the first four tracks of the CD).

The story is told from Barry's perspective, so his excitement about these songs becomes our excitement, his journey becomes our own. And even if you are not familiar with the music on the new Cucumbers CD, your head will certainly be filled with some music that you do know. Music fans will be able to relate to many passages in this book, and have an opinion, one way or the other, on something like this: "For many, if not most, the songs that matter are the old songs, the ones that imprint in the raw mud of adolescence and remain stuck in the remnant of that pain and pleasure center. For me, there are always new ones. It comes with the dayjob. Even if I don't love them, or love them despite myself, they take over, they do the job of pushing other songs aside – especially helpful when your marriage is fading out and you're stuck on some old breakup ballad" (p. 19). The old songs certainly do matter, and often they're the ones that get stuck in my head, but for me, it's the new songs that are exciting, that take me to different places, that open up unexpected vistas before me. I assume that's the case for most people who read music blogs, that they're the people who want to hear an artist's new material, who want to hear new artists, new music. Here is another passage music fans will especially relate to: "When you play songs for people, they sound different, as if you're listening through their ears, or what you imagine their ears are hearing. A song you've loved can seem stupid, trite, annoying. This one sounded lighter than air, as if might float up into the sky and just disappear, its sweetness a fading aftertaste" (p. 21). I love turning a friend onto a song, especially when I hear something even more special in the song that I imagine that person is picking up on. But, yeah, every once in a while, I realize that person is not digging it, and the song sounds somehow weaker. That never ruins a song for me, however. I just have to give it a few days, then come at it with my own ears again.

And for music critics (a label I've never applied to myself), there is a great bit of dialogue, where Daisy asks Barry, "Are you a music writer?" Barry replies, "You mean a critic? Nah, too harsh." Daisy then tells him, "You seem like someone who would find something good to say about everything." This is Barry's reply: "If by that you mean that's why I say good things about your work, no. I can be hideously judgmental. I just wouldn't want to say it in public. I picture the poor musicians reading it, suffering from my oh-so-great opinion" (p. 16). Perhaps that's part of why I only review music I love on this blog. Mostly it's an attempt to be positive in an increasingly negative world, to let folks know about some of the excellent music that's out there to help them through the day, but I think there is a bit of not wanting to hurt people's feelings as well. Daisy calls that "sweet," while Barry says it's "cowardly." Maybe it is a bit of both. Certainly there is a lot of shitty music out there. But why focus on that? And this book feels quite positive. Sure, there is a troubled marriage in there, and the country star has a continuing problem with alcohol, but this story is about the love of music. It is a love story of two kinds, really, and it leaves us with a good feeling. 

Hello George was published on February 14, 2026, the same day that As You Heard Me was released.

The Cucumbers: "As You Heard Me" (2026) CD Review

The Cucumbers are a band that I fell in love with when I was in college. I remember going to a CD store at the edge of campus to order their Where We Sleep Tonight album, since all the store's copies had already sold and it was a disc I absolutely had to have in my collection. There was nothing else quite like it (there still isn't). They released a few more albums over the next decade, and then there was a long gap in the band's output, at least as far as new studio recordings were concerned, until 2023's Old Shoes, which was one of my favorite albums of that year. Now the duo of Deena Shoshkes and Jon Fried have a new album out, As You Heard Me. But it's not just a new album. Those who are familiar with The Cucumbers will not be surprised to find them trying something different. The new album is the soundtrack to a novella written by Jon Fried, titled Hello George. The book itself is about music, about, in part, a mysterious songwriter named Daisy Steinberg (yes, the name in blue ink on the cassette in the picture on the disc's cover), and about a music publisher who becomes obsessed with her demo. But, as Deena Shoshkes tells me, it was the music that came first. And so it is the music I'll turn to first.

The album kicks off with "Crop Circle," the first song on the demo tape mentioned in the book. The full title in the book is "There's A Crop Circle On My Daddy's Land," a song fated to become a country hit for another character in the book. Will it also be a hit for The Cucumbers? If there were any justice in the Land of Music, the answer would be a resounding Yes. But, who knows? The song is adorable, fun, a story of young love. "There's a crop circle on my daddy's land/Everybody thinks was made my aliens/Though it's nothing that Billy Joe and I had planned." Here Deena takes the part of Daisy Steinberg. That's followed by "Waiting," which is, as described in the novella, more in the singer/songwriter vein, delivered on acoustic guitar. But, you know, it's The Cucumbers, so it's not going to be as simple as that. There is a beauty to this song, and also there is a bit of a punk edge to it at certain moments. Check out these lyrics: "Autumn will take everything/When the times comes/I don't want to look it up/Or be on guard/I don't want to pull a Tarot card." By the way, in the book this song is referred to as "Impressions Of Chrysanthemums." The book is told from the perspective of a music publisher, who says, about this song, "After a hundred listens I still have no idea what it's about" (p. 5). It's an interesting, strange way for them to comment on their own songs. But don't you love songs that give you a certain something to which you then add your own feelings and experiences?

"Cut It Loose" begins with a good groove, a song more in the pop realm. It is totally delicious. I especially love that bass line. But it isn't just that groove that is so appealing. Deena's vocal performance is adorable, endearing, delightful. "You know what, you know what to do/Cut it loose, cut it loose, cut it loose." This song is ridiculously catchy, and includes finger snaps. When she sings, "let's get this party underway," it feels like the party has already started. There is certain allure in her delivery of that line. The final track of the demo of the story, "Unattainable," is a strange, short piece delivered as spoken word, with interesting pauses, her voice backed by some unusual work on piano. "Reaching for the unattainable/Falling for the unexplainable/Facing the unnameable." It has a sudden ending.

The CD's next four tracks are all songs mentioned in the book, but not as part of the original demo. The first of those, "You Are The Sweetest Dream," has a folk-pop sound. The song feels like a summer afternoon, when thoughts move at their own pace, in their own direction, perhaps to the past, perhaps to an altered version of the present. "Sometimes dreams slip away/And they don't come back." I find those lines so sad, though they're not delivered with any sort of heavy melancholy. In fact, there is positive vibe to this song, her voice even kind of comforting. And the song's guitar hook has a wonderful feel to it, something new but familiar. "You are the sweetest dream/I ever had." One thing I have long loved about this band is its playful quality, and "Delete" in particular demonstrates their humor, in a sort of punk-pop context, an empowering number. "And now there's no word that's as sweet/As delete." Oh yes, there are people and things I would like to delete from my life, or, really, from the world. How do I delete Trump and all his moronic followers? I wish I could do it with my little finger (or middle finger). I love this song. "Weeks and weeks and months of lies/You know he really made a fool of me/Now I'm cleaning my hard drive." At the end, she whispers the final word, "Delete." And he's gone. We know it.

"Only You" is a sweet number, a love song, with a delightful rhythm that will take you back. "You've seen me at your worst and you never complain/It feels so sweet and pure when your hands run down my face/You're my other half, baby/That's why I believe/I want only you to love only me." Then "Statue Of Liberty" has an electronic beat. There is an odd feel to this one, the sound reminding me of a cassette that had been played perhaps too many times, with something sort of warping the sound. But there is something catchy here too, no question about it. "Meet me at the Statue of Liberty/Meet me at the Statue of Liberty/That's where we're gonna kiss/That's where we're gonna kiss/That's where we're gonna kiss." By the way, apparently this album is also available on cassette, which is totally fitting. This song is the final song on the first side of the cassette, that side being labeled "As You Heard Me," which is also the album's title.

"Reeling Feeling" is the first song on the second side of the tape. This side is labeled "More Songs for Barry," Barry being the name of the music publisher in the book. The songs on this side are not mentioned in the book, but, I would guess, are songs that come soon after the events related in its story. This song has a fun groove, with some really nice work on keys at the start, setting the mood, establishing the vibe. And, yes, it's super catchy, particularly the way Deena delivers these lines: "There's a feeling that I'm feeling/And it's got me reeling over you." And also that rhythm. There is more great stuff on keys in the middle, dancing joyously. Ah yes, life is good. That's followed by "Counting," which has a seriously cool vibe, partly established by the work on keys. This track also features some good work on guitar, which has something of a haunted feel at times. And Deena's vocal performance has a certain sexy quality. "If the fog would lift, we could see the stars," she sings at the beginning, which is interesting, for in "Reeling Feeling" she sings, "And all I see are stars above." In the song's chorus, she sings, "I'm counting on you/I'm counting on you/I'm counting on you to count on me." This is one of my personal favorite tracks.

In "Reeling Feeling," Deena sings, "And all I sing are songs of love." Interestingly, that seems to be the case for the music in this second half of the disc. "One Valentine's Day" is a love song with a sweet sound and vibe. "Brought me down to his place the very first chance/Played me his favorite songs and we just danced." Lovely! If I were to play someone my favorite songs, you can be sure some Cucumbers numbers would be included. Things turn a little sad at the end, but she is determined to hold on to the good feelings of the relationship. I think we all need to hold onto whatever good feelings we have in these strange times. That is followed by "River Of Time," a beautiful and moving song, featuring some outstanding vocal work. Check out these lines: "You skipped a rock across its water/We touched and you went on to the other side/I know you're still dreaming/Of all there was/Once you float in heaven/There's no forgetting love." Deena's voice is supported by some seemingly simple work on guitar that is completely effective. This one might have you in tears. It is another of my personal favorites.

"Hello Rainbow" is another unusual and delightful song, which I suppose is not such an unusual thing for The Cucumbers. The echo of "Hello" is ridiculously, improbably adorable, and will help you to fall in love with this track. It's an interesting song that at first just seems kind of cute, but then begins to reveal more is happening. "Won't you rescue me from my sweet gloom/A little hope would probably do." That's followed by "You Won't Even Miss Me." That's how it's listed on the CD case (really, the cassette case pictured on the back of the CD case), though elsewhere it is listed as "You Won't Even Miss Me When I'm Gone." "You have so many girlfriends/Just take me off your list." Those opening lines actually made me laugh out loud the first time I listened to this song. But there is a certain sadness to this song, as she sings the title line. "Love can make you feel/Like the you you were meant to be/And once you made me believe/That you loved me just for me." And suddenly it's over, like she's now gone.

"I'm The Girl" also has a short title on the case, and a longer title elsewhere, the longer title being "I'm The Girl I Warned Your Mama About" (I always squeezed the entire song title onto those relative short lines on the cassette's paper insert, but I remember other people shortening some song titles, especially on Grateful Dead bootleg tapes). It's a sweet-sounding and catchy pop song, told from an unusual perspective, at least the way I hear it. To my ears, the song's narrator is older than her beau, old enough to be friends with the boy's mother. And then this strange woman somewhat perversely enjoys telling her beau, "I'm the girl I warned your mama about/I'm the one I said you're better off without." But she sounds so sweet, I can see how anyone would fall for her charms. This track includes some finger snaps. This wonderful, delightful album concludes with "Forever And Ever," another sweet love song. "All I want to do/Is share my life with you/And help to make your hopes and dreams come true." How great it is to feel that way, and to find someone else feels that way about you. This album leaves us feeling good. Yes, The Cucumbers have done it again.

CD Track List

1. Crop Circle
2. Waiting
3. Cut It Loose
4. Unattainable
5. You Are The Sweetest Dream
6. Delete
7. Only You
8. Statue Of Liberty
9. Reeling Feeling
10. Counting
11. One Valentine's Day
12. River Of Time
13. Hello Rainbow
14. You Won't Even Miss Me
15. I'm The Girl
16. Forever And Ever

As You Heard Me was released on February 14, 2026, which makes total sense.

Cruzados Headline A Great Night Of Rock At Maui Sugar Mill Saloon, 3-14-26

Cruzados

Cruzados is a band that started in the mid-1980s. Posters for the band's current shows indicate it's the group's fortieth anniversary. That's not exactly true, however. The band is both older and younger than that. Cruzados' first album came out in 1985, more than forty years ago, and the band was obviously around even before that, while the current lineup is only six years old, the common piece being bassist and songwriter Tony Marsico. So, really, it's a different band now. The 1980s Cruzados was really good, no question (you probably remember a few of their songs), but this current incarnation of Cruzados is even better. And last night these guys showed just how great they are, delivering an excellent set at Maui Sugar Mill Saloon, on an outstanding bill that also included Mark Knight & The Unsung Heroes and The Blessings. A night of solid rock music.

Mark Knight & The Unsung Heroes

Mark Knight & The Unsung Heroes were up first. A Los Angeles-based band that's been around since 2013. And Mark Knight and drummer Tigg Ketler have actually been playing together for more than thirty years, both having been founding members of Bang Tango in the late 1980s. So there is a history there that can be drawn on, a solid foundation. Just before nine the band members began gathering on stage so that right at 9 p.m. they were ready to go. They opened with "Rusty Bones," the lead track from the group's 2021 album Days Of Dreamers, a great rock number with something of a reggae flavor to one section. Mark then told the crowd he was glad to be at the Maui Sugar Mill Saloon, "our favorite little bar in the valley." The band then played "Truth Always Rises," a song from the most recent release, last year's Sixth Time's The Charm. It's a good, fun song. Remember fun rock music? Then "Hey Mama" was a delicious bluesy swampy rock number, this one featuring a great bass line from Damian Valentine. That was followed by "11:11," another song from the most recent album, which featured a cool moment near the end when both guitars acted as lead guitars. Mark then introduced guitarist Dan Fitzgerald, who was sitting in with the band, saying he basically learned all the songs the previous night.

"Just Go" featured some nice fills on drums and a totally delicious lead by Mark on guitar. It was his guitar work that made that song stand out. That was followed by "Lies." In introducing that one, Mark said a lot of lying has been going on lately, "especially in this country." Indeed. It seems that a significant chunk of the population enjoys being lied to, for millions of people re-elected a known pathological liar (just one of his many faults - in fact, I challenge the entire population to come up with one characteristic of the man that could not be labeled a fault). Anyway, that song contained some good, solid drumming. Mark introduced "Might Be Lonely" as "a little rocker," and it certainly was a rocker, and a catchy one at that. That song featured a cool sort of spoken word section, and just became more and more enjoyable as it went on, ending up being one of my favorites of the set. The band wrapped up the set with another cool number, "Dinner Time," which featured the two guitarists trading licks during the jam, and also included a bit of The Doors' "Roadhouse Blues."

Cruzados

There was an excitement in the air as Cruzados were setting up and tuning. A good crowd had turned out for the show, which was no surprise. Several musicians were in the audience, including Mini Mendez (of Glimmer Stars) and Pat Todd (of Pat Todd And The Rankoutsiders). Tony Marsico asked the crowd, "Anyone want to introduce us?" Of course, someone took him up on that offer, and did a good job, and the band was immediately off into the first song of the set, "On The Tilt A Whirl," which is the lead track from She's Automatic, the band's 2021 album. There was a terrific energy from the start. That was followed by "Rising Sun," a song that, as Tony said in his introduction, is from all the way back in 1983. They delivered a totally fun rendition, featuring a particularly good section where the bass was the lead, leading us in the audience to places of great fun, great joy. And they rocked out on that song. They followed that with "Queen Of The Quake," a song from the band's 2023 release, Land Of The Endless Sun (which somehow I don't yet own a copy of). So much fun. "Wiggle that body down to the ground." I loved watching Loren Molinare seeming to pull notes from his guitar, like ripping them out of the instrument.

They then announced they were going to do some songs that were featured in various movies, starting with "Don't Throw Stones" from the Patrick Swayze movie Road House. The song is featured in the opening scene of the movie, and the band is visible on the stage. How was that song not included on the movie's soundtrack? It's the opening song, for fuck's sake, the song that sets the tone. Anyway, that was followed by "Back To The House That Love Built," a song that was featured in Desperado, the Antonio Banderas film. On the soundtrack to the album, it is by Tito & Tarantula, but was also included on the 2009 Cruzados compilation, Greatest Hits. The band then returned to She's Automatic for "Long Black Car," a delicious rocking number. Toward the end, a drum stick was tossed into the pool table area. It's good to make sure those folks are paying attention. Tony then introduced the band, and they delivered the title track from She's Automatic, a song with a great beat from Rob Klonel on drums. I was particularly happy to hear that one.

"We wrote this song back in 1982," Tony told the crowd in introducing "After Dark," another song that ended up in a movie, this time From Dusk Till Dawn, where it is also by Tito & Tarantula. The band invited a woman from the audience to come up to play the Salma Hayek role. You might recall that Salma does a dance with a big snake. And once the volunteer from the audience was on the stage last night, Tony retrieved a plastic crate that was labeled, "Beware of Snakes." But that prop was quickly dispensed with, and the band launched into that very cool tune. The woman from the audience remained on, or near, the stage, dancing. That was followed by another tune from a movie. This time the movie was Repo Man, and the song was "Reel Ten," an instrumental piece by The Plugz, the band that led to Cruzados. Vocalist Ron Young left the stage for this one, another seriously cool number. Tony commented afterward that it had been decades since they'd last played it. The band then did a couple of songs from those first two records in the 1980s, "Bed Of Lies" straight into "Motorcycle Girl." Both those songs were hits for the band, and I love how it was Rob's work on drums that connected the two songs. The audience wanted more, and the encore was "Johnny Pay To Play," which had a great rock and roll sound, a song inspired by Chuck Berry's "Johnny B. Goode." It was fantastic. The Cruzados' set ended at 11:02 p.m.

The Blessings

And the show was not over. Twenty minutes later The Blessings were on stage. The shortest of introductions, "Hey, guys, we're The Blessings," and the band got right into the first song, "Steer You Wrong," which featured some great stuff by Mike Gavigan on guitar as well as some cool work by Jeremy White on harmonica. "More Trouble Than Fun" followed, that song being one of my personal favorites. "I'm not your clown/The circus just left town." This one too featured some nice work on harmonica. Then "Hangin' On" contained this line, "Leave this city behind before they drag you to hell," which stood out to me. Jeremy, the band's lead vocalist, strapped on his guitar for "Whole Lotta Soul," but almost immediately broke a string and carried on without the guitar. "I promise it'll be all right," he sang, and it was. There still was a whole lot of excellent guitar work by Mike Gavigan. "You'll need a whole lotta soul/To keep the hard times behind you." That was followed by "Is There Anything You Wouldn't Do" and then "Back Home." On "Back Home," there was some cool stuff on harmonica right from the start. This was another of my favorites, featuring some good drumming. And "Uptown Too Long" included a bit of cowbell. Both Terry on drums and Phil on bass had celebrated their birthdays the day before, and Jeremy wished them a happy birthday. Jeremy was going to play guitar on "Tomahawk Inn" (the string had been replaced by Nick Alexander during "Back Home"), but after some trouble tuning it, decided to make do without the guitar and instead delivered some great work on harmonica. That was a particularly fun song. The set ended with "Drink In Her Hand," with Mike at one point holding a note on his guitar for a delightfully long time. It was a really good set, though fairly short, ending a minute before midnight. 

Set Lists

Mark Knight & The Unsung Heroes 

1. Rusty Bones
2. Truth Always Rises
3. Hey Mama
4. 11:11
5. Just Go
6. Lies
7. Might Be Lonely
8. Dinner Time >
9. Roadhouse Blues >
10. Dinner Time

Cruzados

1. On The Tilt A Whirl
2. Rising Sun
3. Queen Of The Quake
4. Don't Throw Stones
5. Back To The House That Love Built
6. Long Black Car
7. She's Automatic
8. After Dark
9. Reel Ten
10. Bed Of Lies >
11. Motorcycle Girl
12. Johnny Pay To Play (encore)

The Blessings

1. Steer You Wrong
2. More Trouble Than Fun
3. Hangin' On
4. Whole Lotta Soul
5. Is There Anything You Wouldn't Do
6. Back Home
7. Uptown Too Long
8. Tomahawk Inn
9. Drink In Her Hand

Here are some more photos from the night:

Maui Sugar Mill Saloon is located at 18389 Ventura Blvd. in Tarzana, California.