Friday, April 25, 2025

Gabriel Latchin Trio: "The Man I Love" (2025) CD Review

I've said it many times, but you can never go wrong with Gershwin. It's always a good idea and a good time to cover a Gershwin song. Well, the Gabriel Latchin Trio gives us an entire album of Gershwin material on The Man I Love. The trio, made up of Gabriel Latchin on piano, Joe Farnsworth on drums, and Jeremy Brown on bass (the same group that gave us 2023's excellent Viewpoint), delivers some of the best known and beloved songs by George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin, including "Summertime," "'S Wonderful" and "I Got Rhythm."

The album opens with an outstanding rendition of "Summertime," which begins gently, lovingly on piano. There is even a bit of a haunting vibe in those opening moments. Then Jeremy Brown leads the group into the main section of the song, and things begin to pop and sizzle. Oh yes, everything is working here. This is a song that I first fell in love with when I was twelve or thirteen and heard the Janis Joplin version. I've heard many recordings of it in the years since then, and this new recording by Gabriel Latchin Trio still feels fresh and alive. Gabriel Latchin's piano work is wonderful, and in the second half there is a really good lead on bass. That is something about Gershwin: this material rarely, if ever, feels out of date. This song was written for Porgy And Bess.

I was visiting my family in Massachusetts a few weeks ago, and my mom and I decided to watch films from an Audrey Hepburn boxed set that she has. We started with Funny Face, which features music by George and Ira Gershwin, including "How Long Has This Been Going On?" The scene with this song is good, but I've always felt that the song quite transcends the movie, the play, the story. And here Gabriel Latchin Trio delivers a thoughtful, introspective, yet warm rendition. It has a delicious late-night vibe. Then Gabriel Latchin selects another song from Porgy And Bess, "It Ain't Necessarily So." This is a very cool rendition, featuring some delightful work on bass. The piano seems to strut about, well aware of how cool it is. This is a fun number whose lyrics remind us to not take the stories of The Bible literally (this is, of course, an instrumental rendition). The trio then returns to Funny Face for "'S Wonderful," a song that never fails to make me smile. These guys capture the vibe of the song perfectly. The piano work is spirited, cheerful and totally hip. This song too is much better than the musical in which it appears (and, don't get me wrong, I do really like Funny Face). It is here that we get the album's first drum solo, so there is more reason to appreciate the trio's rendition. The drum work throughout the track helps give this rendition its snappy feel.

While many Gershwin songs were written for various musicals, some of these songs also ended up inspiring films themselves. "Embraceable You" is one such song, with a 1948 movie named after it. There is a great romantic air about this recording, which I greatly appreciate. In these dark days when the United States has turned to fascism, many of us just want to focus on our loved ones. What better way to spend one's time than embracing that special someone? For love is still the most important thing. This music puts you right in that moment. That's followed by "They All Laughed," another song that inspired a movie title. If you haven't seen the Peter Bogdanovich film They All Laughed, I highly recommend checking it out. It's another film to star Audrey Hepburn, by the way (and also Ben Gazzara and John Ritter). The song, however, was written for the 1937 film Shall We Dance. There is a pretty opening section, and then the tune kicks in to become a fun number. There is a delightful energy to this rendition. It's a lively, hopping track, the piano seeming to dance. It includes a good bass lead. And then we get the album's title track, "The Man I Love." This song too inspired a movie title, the 1947 movie The Man I Love, though twenty years earlier it was included in the musical Strike Up The Band. The version here has a good deal of pep, and we get that sense right away, as it opens with drums. There is a strong rhythm throughout the track.

One of my favorite Gershwin songs is "Someone To Watch Over Me." And, guess what, there is a movie named after this song too. It came out in 1987 and stars Tom Berenger and Mimi Rogers (in the movie, Sting performs the title song). The song was written for the 1926 musical Oh, Kay! This song gets in my head all the time, and I often find myself whistling that opening section, which is cut from several versions, but is included here as a piano solo. The other musicians come in after that. This is a wonderful rendition, feeling like it grows naturally from that first section. I love the way it builds. This is one of my personal favorite tracks. It's followed by another of my favorites, a lively rendition of "Love Walked In" that begins with some great stuff on drums and features some excellent drumming throughout. The trio is cooking here. This is the second track to feature a drum solo, and, sure, my love for this track is due partly to that drum solo, but this is a totally enjoyable and exciting rendition from beginning to end. And, yes, there is a movie named after this song. The trio wraps things up with another lively number, "I Got Rhythm," one to get you off your seat and moving around. This rendition is a lot of fun, and it too includes a drum solo. This album makes it perfectly clear why Gershwin music continues to be so beloved.

CD Track List

  1. Summertime
  2. How Long Has This Been Going On?
  3. It Ain't Necessarily So
  4. 'S Wonderful
  5. Embraceable You
  6. They All Laughed
  7. The Man I Love
  8. Someone To Watch Over Me
  9. Love Walked In
  10. I Got Rhythm

The Man I Love is scheduled to be released on May 9, 2025.

Thursday, April 24, 2025

Vicki Peterson And John Cowsill: "Long After The Fire" (2025) CD Review

The Record Store Day list of releases was especially good this year. I was able to get most of my top choices, including Long After The Fire, the excellent new album from Vicki Peterson and John Cowsill. It is presented on the most appealing shade of clear green vinyl you can imagine, and the packaging includes a gatefold. I suppose the only two records I really wanted but was unable to get were the Bad Livers' Delusions Of Banjer and the seven-inch from the Ben Vaughn Combo (am still on the lookout for those). Anyway, if you were unable to grab yourself a copy of the Vicki Peterson and John Cowsill record, it is now also available on CD. The songs here were written by John's brothers Bill Cowsill and Barry Cowsill, and the album is dedicated to them, to their memory. It is, as they say in the liner notes, "our love letter to them." I was fortunate to get to hear some of these songs when Vicki Peterson and John Cowsill opened for The dB's recently. It was that performance that made their record one of my top Record Store Day choices. Joining Vicki Peterson and John Cowsill on this album, as at the concert, is Paul Allen, who plays electric guitar, acoustic guitar, bass, baritone guitar, keyboards, drums and percussion, and also provides some backing vocals. Paul Allen also produced and engineered the release. John Cowsill plays drums on most of the tracks, and also keyboards and harmonica; Vicki Peterson plays mandolin, bass and electric guitar on certain tracks. Also joining them are Dave Pearlman on pedal steel, and Jimmy Calire on keyboards. Two tracks feature the backing vocal work of Will Cowsill.

The album opens with "Fool Is The Last One To Know," a song written by William Cowsill and Ralph Boyd Johnson, and originally recorded by The Blue Shadows, who included it on the 1993 album On The Floor Of Heaven. It begins with these lines: "Now I am just a working man/And I've done all that I can/To keep you in your ribbons and your bows." It has a delightful country vibe that makes me happy even as John sings, "Now your touch is growing cold." Has being a fool ever sounded so good? This song describes a small country town where word quickly gets around. I grew up in a small town, and know just what he's talking about. This track also features a strong lead by Paul Allen on electric guitar.  Jimmy Calire is on keyboards on this track. That's followed by "Vagabond," which has a wonderful melancholy to its sound, heard in part in John's wonderful vocal performance, as well as in Dave Pearlman's pedal steel work. "There's a place to sleep every now and then/It's usually in the county jail." It's clear he has compassion for this character, but maybe wishes he could give him a helpful kick in the tush. "You don't have a place that you can call your own." Geez, I feel that way too because I'm renting. "Vagabond" was written by William Cowsill.

"Come To Me" establishes a strong sense of atmosphere at the start, and I dig that percussion. Vicki sings lead on this one, delivering a gorgeous vocal performance, like a hand reaching out to us in the darkness. "If you're feeling that you lost/And your thinking has lost its worth/Well then, come to me/Baby, now you can come to me/Give it another try." I love the warmth and hope in her voice. The song then begins to rock in its other section, before easing back into the main section. "If you're thinking times are bad/And your feelings have all been sad." Well, yeah, I think we can all relate to those lines in these dark days. At one point, the track seems to be ending, but it then picks up again for an instrumental section that rocks. I especially like that guitar work. This song was written by Barry Cowsill, and it is one of my personal favorites. It was released as a single in February. It is followed by "Is Anybody Here," another song from the Blue Shadows album On The Floor Of Heaven. It was written by William Cowsill and Jeffrey Hatcher. There is strength and passion and need in John's voice as he asks, "Is anybody here to hear this song?" His voice reaches out and cuts through to us. Later he sings, "Can anybody see what's going on/'Cause everybody knows the right from wrong." I'm not sure that's true anymore. My views on a lot of things have changed in recent years. I sadly find I am much more cynical and pessimistic, and expect very little from people. The only time my latent optimism is sure to kick in is when I"m listening to music like this. That's when I feel the better parts of humanity on display, and glad that they are still present, still kicking.

"Sound On Sound" is an exciting song, coming at us with a good deal of force, with something of a new wave element to it. I love it. Vicki plays electric guitar on this one, delivering some great stuff. This track has a full, loud sound. They rock on this one, even delivering some well-placed screams. "Sound On Sound" was written by Barry Cowsill, and it is one of the tracks to feature the backing vocal work of Will Cowsill. Then we get "Don't Look Back," also written by Barry Cowsill. This is a song that was included on The Cowsills album II X II. Paul Allen plays drums on this one, and it's the drums that start this version off. Vicki sings lead. There is a kind of sweet aspect to the sound, and this track features some wonderful blending of the two voices. "We will miss you when you go away from here/We know you will miss us too/Don't let all your sadness through/And don't look back." John delivers some moving work on harmonica. I also really like the bass line on this one. That's Vicki Peterson on bass. Vicki also sings lead on "You In My Mind," which is another song originally recorded by The Cowsills (sort of). It was released as a single, then titled "You (In My Mind)." This is a lively rendition, with a great deal of cheer, particularly in the chorus: "I got you you you in my mind/All through through through the changing line/You've been true true true all this time/I've got you you you in my mind." Jimmy Calire plays keyboards on this track, delivering a cool lead. There is also a good lead on electric guitar. This song was written by William Cowsill.

"A Thousand Times" has a delightful country sound. Vicki Peterson plays mandolin on this track. "I told you no a thousand times/Don't try to make me change my mind/You see I'm happy where I am." This one too contains some beautiful harmonies, and Dave Pearlman delivers more great stuff on pedal steel, helping to make this another of the album's highlights. It was written by William Cowsill and Mark Abramson, and was originally included on The Blue Shadows' On The Floor Of Heaven. Dave Pearlman also plays pedal steel on "Embers," his work prominent right at the beginning, helping to set the tone. This song was also recorded for On The Floor Of Heaven, but apparently was written quite a while before that. This song gives the album its title, in the line "The embers keep burning long after the fire." Of course, any mention of fire in Los Angeles these days brings with it some strong emotions. This track features some nice work by John on harmonica in the second half.

"Downtown" has a steady, strong rock rhythm. It's interesting to me how downtown still carries a certain meaning, a certain appeal, even when the downtown section of Los Angeles is not really at all like the downtown areas of other major cities. In this song it holds more appeal than in reality. "Well, the valley's getting to me/I've been working all the time." Those are lines that will be appreciated by my girlfriend, who still wishes we lived downtown rather than in the valley. This one was written by Barry Cowsill. Then "When Hearts Collide" is a softer, slower, more thoughtful number, a love song written by Barry Cowsill, who included it on his As Is album. Barry also sang it at Vicki and John's wedding, so it obviously has special meaning for them. "Two separate worlds in a lonely abyss/And when we hit, how could we miss." I also love these lines: "I'll cover you up like an old oak tree/My branches bend, they surround you." This is the other track to feature the backing vocal work of Will Cowsill. The album concludes with another moving number, "Ol' Timeless," also written by Barry Cowsill and also recorded by him for As Is. Vicki sings lead on this one, giving a particularly passionate performance. "Move me down the road/I don't mind the pain/'Cause the gates I'm passing through have no set boundaries." The song ends with this line: "There's a lot of work ahead for me tomorrow." The line is repeated for emphasis. It is a fitting final line, don't you agree? I suppose there is a lot of work ahead for us all.

CD Track List
  1. Fool Is The Last One To Know
  2. Vagabond
  3. Come To Me
  4. Is Anybody Here
  5. Sound On Sound
  6. Don't Look Back
  7. You In My Mind
  8. A Thousand Times
  9. Embers
  10. Downtown
  11. When Hearts Collide
  12. Ol' Timeless
Long After The Fire was released on CD on April 18, 2025.

Wednesday, April 23, 2025

Lead Belly: The Man Who Invented Rock & Roll DVD Review

I first became aware of Lead Belly because of a radio program titled "Lightfoot To Lead Belly." I was intrigued by the unusual name, a nickname coming from his surname Ledbetter. Huddie Ledbetter's name and work are known widely in the music world, but somehow the general public is still largely ignorant of the man and his great impact on music. The documentary Lead Belly: The Man Who Invented Rock & Roll, which was just released on DVD, should help in changing that, in making folks more aware of the man's incredible contribution to music. At least, I hope it does. The documentary was directed by Curt Hahn, and features interviews with musicians like Odetta, Harry Belafonte, Arlo Guthrie, Joan Baez and Pete Seeger, as well as with family members and others who are able to fill in some of the biographical details.

The film opens with a shot of Janis Joplin, who in an interview, is being asked if she recalls the first record she bought. She answers that it was a Lead Belly record. That should be enough to gets folks interested in Lead Belly, right? There then appear on the screen quoted lines from several well-known artists, including Van Morrison and George Harrison, regarding Lead Belly's impact and importance. Pete Seeger, in footage from 1964, demonstrates the 12-string guitar, saying that he learned to play the instrument from Lead Belly and referring to him as the "king of the 12-string guitar." There is, by the way, a compilation of Lead Belly's music titled King Of The 12-String Guitar, and I'm curious who was the first person to call him by that title. As for the title of the documentary, I'm not sure it's accurate to say that Lead Belly invented rock and roll. Certainly, he had enormous influence on some of the folks at the beginning of rock and roll. But those interviewed for the film don't say he invented it outright. Rather, at best it is implied, as in the section about how Lonnie Donegan recorded skiffle versions of Lead Belly's songs, directly influencing The Beatles. In particular, it is the song "Rock Island Line," which became a big song. Lead Belly also had a lot of influence on Jerry Lee Lewis and other early rock and roll stars. But did he invent it? The movie doesn't really say so, apart from its title. Interestingly, this movie is also known under a different titled, Lead Belly: Life, Legend, Legacy.

So what kind of music did Lead Belly play? Mostly, he was considered a folk musician, but there is a wonderful moment in the film where B.B. King mentions how he didn't understand why people called Lead Belly a folk singer rather than a blues singer. Others indicate that he played a little of everything. While his influence on the music world is perhaps his most important contribution and holds great interest for any music lover, his life is equally fascinating. After all, here is a man who sang his way out of prison at least once, and possibly twice (there are conflicting reports about that second time). And he believed it was John Lomax who was responsible for getting him out. The documentary includes lots of great stuff about the relationship between John Lomax and Lead Belly, and includes interviews with members of the Lomax family, as well as old footage of the two of them, some of which is embarrassing and even shocking to watch now.That Life magazine article is particularly shocking, especially its title. Regarding the disintegration of their relationship, it is mentioned that the whole partnership lasted only some six months. Yet, that is an important part of his life. And what a fascinating life he led. There was a movie made about his life. Titled Leadbelly, it came out in 1976, interestingly the same year that the great Woody Guthrie movie Bound For Glory was released. Woody Guthrie and Lead Belly played together. Oh, to have gotten the chance to see that! Some footage from Leadbelly is included in this documentary.

At one point in the documentary, Arlo Guthrie says his earliest memory is standing next to Lead Belly. A little later Arlo has this to say: "What a resource now, to go back and listen to some of those songs. You can find the roots of a lot of music that we hear now. You can find the inspiration for a lot of musicians now." I do hope that people will do just that, go and listen to some of those recordings, and begin to recognize how those recordings have shaped the contemporary music they enjoy. There is quite a bit of music in this documentary, and people will likely recognize most, if not all, of the songs. Songs such as "Rock Island Line," "Midnight Special," "Cotton Fields," and, of course, "Goodnight, Irene." Larry Richmond (of The Richmond Organization) lists some of the artists who have recorded Lead Belly's "Cotton Fields," and those include The Beach Boys, Buckwheat Zydeco, Charley Pride and Johnny Cash. The documentary includes a seriously cool segment where the names of artists who have recorded Lead Belly's material come onto the screen, one after another in quick succession, eventually forming an image of Lead Belly's face. Again, the music world knows Lead Belly. It is time everyone else did.

Lead Belly: The Man Who Invented Rock & Roll was released on DVD on April 11, 2025. The DVD includes two different trailers for the film.

Monday, April 21, 2025

Little Richard: "Try Some Of Mine: The Brunswick Recordings" (2025) Vinyl Review

Elvis Presley is referred to as the King of Rock And Roll, but there are at least two other people more deserving of the throne, those being Chuck Berry and Little Richard. Sure, Elvis rocked early on, but he was quickly tamed, in part by his film work. Little Richard did movies too, but even that couldn't make him go soft. The man was rock and roll, through and through, from beginning to end. He even released an album in 1971 titled King Of Rock And Roll, because he knew. Record Store Day brought us the release of Try Some Of Mine: The Brunswick Recordings, an EP collecting both sides of three singles released in 1968 (ignore the sticker on the plastic wrap that says '86), remastered and including an alternate mix of "Baby Don't You Tear My Clothes." There are no liner notes, but the album is presented on a beautiful clear pink vinyl.

Side A

The first side opens with its title track, "Try Some Of Mine." The song begins with some very cool work on electric guitar, and then kicks in, featuring a funky groove, and including horns and some nice backing vocal work. It is Little Richard's voice at the center and heart of the track. At first, there is a surprisingly intimate quality to his delivery, and then he belts out the lyrics, just as we'd expected and hoped. "If the love you've got can't do the job/Try some of mine and your problem is solved." There is no doubt in his voice. On the single, "Try Some Of Mine" was paired with "She's Together," but what follows "Try Some Of Mine" here is "Can I Count On You," the flip side to "Soul Train." "Baby, can I count on you to see me through/Give me every bit of your loving/I'm gonna love you all through the night." Music and love will see us through. Those are the two things I'm counting on these days. This track contains a totally delicious bass line. "I just do the best I can," he tells us. Oh yes, we can hear it. This song was written by Anthony Matthews. The first side then concludes with "Soul Train." At the beginning, Little Richard calls us all aboard, and we are eager to follow his direction. This one too features some really strong bass work. It has a delicious funky rhythm, and features horns. "Baby's got the loving I need/She fills the very air I breathe." "Soul Train" was written by Floyd Smith and Carl Wolfolk.
 
Side B

The second side opens with "Stingy Jenny," and right away we are treated to some great stuff on keys, setting the tone. This is a fun one, in which Little Richard sings, "She said, I got what it takes/But it breaks my heart to give it away/She said, I got it what it takes/People begging for it every day/You know, I've been saving up for such a long, long time/To give it away, babe, would be a crime." And I'm surprised to hear him clarify that he's really talking about money. Hmm, I'm still not sold on that. On the single, that song was paired with "Baby Don't You Tear My Clothes," an old blues number that here is credited to Little Richard and J.W. Alexander. This record contains an alternate mix of the song. It contains some cool work on both guitar and keys, that stuff making it clear this is a late 1960s recording. It's a sound and style that I love. And of course it features an energetic vocal performance by Little Richard. "We can fuss and we can fight, baby, all night long/Now baby don't you tear my clothes." This version is slightly longer than that on the original single release. The EP concludes with "She's Together," the song paired with "Try Some Of Mine" on the single. This one was written by Don Covay and Little Richard. It's another fun, high-energy number, and as the backing vocalists echo Little Richard's "Yeah," we can't help but join them. "She's a little piece of leather/But she's well put together." By the way, Donnie Elbert recorded a song called "Little Piece Of Leather," in which he sings, "She's a little piece of leather/And she's well put together." He put that out on two singles, one in 1965, one in 1972. Little Richard's song came out in between those two. Anyway, there is a delicious section with some prominent percussion on this recording. "She may be little, but she's got what it takes/To shake a man like a mighty earthquake."

Record Track List

Side A

  1. Try Some Of Mine
  2. Can I Count On You
  3. Soul Train

Side B

  1. Stingy Jenny
  2. Baby Don't You Tear My Clothes (Alternate Mix)
  3. She's Together

Try Some Of Mine: The Brunswick Recordings was released on April 12, 2025 through Org Music, as part of Record Store Day.



Sunday, April 20, 2025

Old Californio at The Buccaneer Lounge, 4-19-25 Concert Review

Lately I've been learning about all kinds of cool, smaller venues out east of Pasadena, in an area where many Los Angeles residents refuse to tread, strangely and erroneously believing that land to be far away. Last night I went to The Buccaneer, a bar in Sierra Madre, to see Old Californio. This band is responsible for my going to quite a few of these places, actually. These guys don't play out all that often, so whenever they do have a gig, I try to make it, wherever it is (their next one is in Claremont). Certainly it's worth the extra couple of minutes in travel time. If you haven't seen Old Californio yet, I highly recommend taking the time to get familiar with the band's music. This is one of the best groups in southern California, delivering a mix of excellent original material and some incredible renditions of other artists' songs.

Last night, The Geraldos opened the show at 9 p.m. with a good set of covers. The Geraldos and Old Californio have shared several bills over the years, including last year at The Mayan (another of those cool venues east of Pasadena, though sadly this one is no more). They opened with "Brand New Cadillac," and their set also included a really nice rendition of "Happiness Is A Warm Gun," a version of "Funk 49" that featured a good jam but ended prematurely, a fun version of "Summertime Blues" and a fantastic rendition of Neil Young's "Down By The River." Their set ended at 9:46 p.m.

As The Geraldos did, Old Californio put out a sheet with the intended set list. As I took a glance at it, drummer Justin Smith warned me not to put too much credence in it. And while The Geraldos largely stuck to their planned set (just dropping "Ohio"), Old Californio parted from it on the very first song. I'm not sure they've ever stuck to a set list. Certainly not at any of the shows I've been to. This is a band that likes to feel things out, let the course of the evening sort of determine itself. I've even seen at least one show where a planned two sets became one long set. The first song on the written set list was "Lyre Of Orpheus," but the band decided to open with a totally delightful cover of "Fine Artiste Blues," setting a very different tone. That song featured some really nice stuff by Jon Niemann on keyboard. That was followed by "Old Kings Road," the lead track from Metaterranea, the band's most recent album. In the introduction for that song, lead singer Rich Dembowski mentioned that the album "quickly descended into oblivion." If that's true, then it is a crime that the music-buying public is guilty of, for it's a great album. This band deserves a wide and devoted audience. One reason is their vocal work, which was highlighted on their cover of The Beatles' "Because" last night. These guys put their own wonderful spin on the song, heard in that delicious rhythm, but it is their vocal performance that makes this song a standout of any set where they include it. "Did you guys write that?" someone playfully shouted out afterward. "Yeah" was the response.

In "Come Undone," another song off Metaterranea, they sing, "Everything comes undone by design." Seems that way, doesn't it? And maybe we can find some comfort in that. "Believe what you will, believe what you like." This band always makes me feel good, and it was around this point in the set when I realized just how happy I was. And that is something in these weird days. That was followed by "Allon Camerado," which featured some really great drumming and just an overall cool vibe. This was a particularly good rendition last night, with some wonderful peaks and valleys, making for an interesting ride. And that's what we're after, right? There was some banter about which album the next song is on. The song, "Lyre Of Orpheus" (yes, the song that was going to open the night), for the record, is from Songs From The Sea Of Cortez. There was a really good jam at the end, which led straight into a cover of "Ring Of Fire." Even if there weren't many other reasons to catch this band in concert, just seeing them perform "Ring Of Fire" is enough. Seriously. You think you know this song, but just wait until you see Old Californio deliver it. I love what these guys do with it. Last night, the song featured some great work on keys and some phenomenal work by Woody Aplanalp on lead guitar. It was a fantastic rendition.

Rich introduced "City Lines" as a song "off our first album, unless I'm corrected," jokingly referring to the earlier disagreement about which album "Lyre Of Orpheus" was on. "City Lines" is on Westering Again. But actually, wasn't there at least one album before that? Didn't Along The Cosmic Grass come out a few years before Westering Again? So, maybe he should have been corrected. No matter. This was a sweeter number that still found its own ways to rock and to groove. "I turned to my lover, said 'Let's get lost.'" Ah, yes. This song featured some exceptional work by Jason Chesney on bass. Last night, if I heard correctly, they sang, "Roll down your windows and turn off your phone." And that line expresses the very feel of this band so well. This song was a highlight of the set. That was followed by "Saint Cecilia." "Since it's Easter tomorrow, we're going to do a song called 'Saint Cecilia,'" Rich said in the song's introduction.This song is a softer, slower number, and it featured some gorgeous, impressive vocal work. I also loved that moment at the end when Woody and Jason kind of answered each other.

The rest of the set focused on covers, beginning with Neil Young's "Hawks & Doves," which featured some dueling guitars at the end, which was cool. After that one, Rich commented, "It's a hard time to be proud of the USA." Indeed. Who would have guessed this country would eagerly embrace fascists? In my most cynical moments (and I've had many), I never would have thought this would happen. That was followed by "Midnight Moonlight," a song I was particularly excited and happy to hear. It was a totally fun jam, a great one to dance to. It was a song that was included on that wonderful Old & In The Way album, and is a song that I saw Jerry Garcia Band do back in the early 1990s. That was followed by "The Cuckoo," which Old Californio included on the 2022 album Old Californio Country. Rich then announced they would do two more songs, decided because the amount of wine left in his glass would last the length of two songs. A guy behind me suggested refilling his glass. "This is an old song off of... one of our albums," Rich then said in introducing the next song, "Just Like Joseph Campbell," continuing the earlier joke. The band wrapped up the set with covers of Gene Clark's "Kansas City Southern" and New Riders Of The Purple Sage's "Lonesome LA Cowboy." (Yes, there was another song, presumably because there was more wine.) It was a great set, no question, but we wanted a little more, and the band gave us a ridiculously fun number to finish the night, "Styrofoam," which had been recorded by both Loose Gravel and The Charlatans. Jason mentioned beforehand, "You know, we used to play this song a long time ago," and went on to clarify that they would just do the first verse over and over. Well, last night the song included a fun jam with a cool lead on bass, and some back-and-forth with Woody and Jon. What a treat! The show ended at 11:54 p.m.

Set List

  1. Fine Artiste Blues
  2. Old Kings Road
  3. Because
  4. Come Undone
  5. Allon Camerado
  6. Lyre Of Orpheus >
  7. Ring Of Fire
  8. City Lines
  9. Saint Cecilia
  10. Hawks & Doves
  11. Midnight Moonlight
  12. The Cuckoo
  13. Just Like Joseph Campbell
  14. Kansas City Southern
  15. Lonesome LA Cowboy

Encore

  1. Styrofoam

The Buccaneer Lounge is located at 70 W. Sierra Madre Blvd. in Sierra Madre, California.

Saturday, April 19, 2025

AC/DC at Rose Bowl Stadium, 4-18-25 Concert Review

AC/DC’s Power Up album (written as PWR UP) came out in 2020, but the band was unable to tour then. Remember Covid? Apparently there were also other forces at work making a tour impossible at that point. And so it wasn’t until 2024 that the Power Up tour began in Europe. And now the North American leg of the tour is underway. The third stop was Pasadena, the band delivering a high-energy show last night at the Rose Bowl, performing songs from the latest album (which is now five years old) and from throughout the group’s career.

Opening the show was The Pretty Reckless, a band led by vocalist and former actor Taylor Momsen. It was three songs into the set when Taylor completely seduced the crowd with “Follow Me Down.” “Follow me down to the river,” she sang, luring us into what was certain to be mischief. She knew at that point she had the crowd in her hands and paused, letting the audience understand in that moment that they were hers, before the song returned to its heavier elements. And during “Witches Burn,” she played the crowd like a snake charmer. After that, she got the audience shouting “I’m going to hell,” in honor of AC/DC, and later told the audience she was just like them. “I’m a fan of rock and roll. I’m a huge fan of AC/DC.” Her set ended at 7:53 p.m.

It was a cloudy and cool evening in Los Angeles, and several women wore fur coats against the chill or just for fun, some of bright, electric colors. But mostly what was seen was a sea of black clothing. T-shirts, sweatshirts, jackets, all black. The most prominent and notable exception to the expanse of black was the light-up devil horns that many folks sported, some flickering, some a solid glow, depending on the setting they chose. The horns were AC/DC merchandise, the band’s name printed on each horn. They were available for sale, but judging from the scene in the parking lot before the show, most people had purchased them at previous concerts. They had come prepared.

Right at 8:30, the scheduled start time, a cheer went up from the crowd. But, no, the house music continued another moment, just to tease everyone. At 8:31 p.m., the screens lit up with an image of a car racing along the streets toward the venue and right to the stage. The entire crowd was on its feet, all those red horns shining in the darkness. The band took the stage and, without any preamble or tuning, launched into “If You Want Blood (You’ve Got It),” a song from the band’s Highway To Hell album. Guitarist Angus Young, the one remaining original member who still tours, was in red shorts, a matching red hat and jacket, over a white shirt and tie. Yes, Angus, who turned seventy recently, was still wearing a variation of the outfit he’d chosen decades ago. And while perhaps there is something a bit silly, even risible, about that, I suppose we’d be disappointed if he abandoned his outfit, even at this age, for it was part of the experience, part of the show, just as integral an element as the music itself. I started listening to AC/DC in the late 1970s when I was a child and Bon Scott was the band’s singer. Even then, it was Angus who was the focus. He was the one on the cover of my cassette copy of High Voltage, the first AC/DC album I ever got, a gift from my grandfather when I was six. And he, even in those first few moments of the show, was giving me everything I wanted. And Brian Johnson, who took over on vocals after Bon Scott’s death in 1980, was strutting about the stage like some familiar and friendly hoodlum from the neighborhood. And we all just knew that he could still carry through on that threat, drawing blood. It was a fantastic opener. “How have you been?” Brian asked the crowd after that first song. There wouldn’t be a lot of banter during the show, but there was a bit at the beginning. The band, by the way, in addition to Angus and Brian, was made up of Stevie Young on rhythm guitar and backing vocals, Chris Chaney (from Jane’s Addiction) on bass guitar and backing vocals, and Matt Laug on drums.

They followed “If You Want Blood” with “Back In Black” and the crowd erupted the moment it started, both as a way of showing their excitement over hearing that popular song and to announce that they too were back in black. This song was the title track from the band’s 1980 record, the first to feature Brian on vocals. Brian was clearly having a great time, and he and Angus were the focus for the crowd. Angus was dancing up there as if age couldn’t possibly diminish a hard blues rock soul. These guys still rock.

“Demon Fire” was next, with that great guitar lick, like sliding down some underground passageway to hell. This is a song from the Power Up album, the first of only two songs they’d play from it over the course of the show. The band seemed to fly through the number and gave it a big finish. As they began “Shot Down In Flames,” the large screens on either side of the stage showed flames surrounding the band members. And Angus did that special dance of his down the thrust stage. Still so damn good. After that, he took his jacket off, for though it might have been a cool night, it was nothing but fire and electricity on stage. And he began that great opening to “Thunderstruck” on guitar. The crowd chanted “Thunder,” and as the song kicked into gear, the lights came up on the audience for a moment, a way of acknowledging everyone there was a part of this thing. That was followed by “Have A Drink On Me,” another song from Back In Black. Right before the band started that song, a guy came down the aisle, announcing his cold beer for sale, like at a baseball game. But I was pretty sure that it would be us paying for the drinks, not Brian, regardless of what he was singing.

As “Hell’s Bells” began, a large bell was lowered over the stage, with the band’s name in red letters printed on it, the song summoning all sorts of creatures to the festivities. That was followed by “Shot In The Dark,” the second and final number from Power Up, and then “Stiff Upper Lip,” the latter having a cool kind of spoken word delivery of those first lines. While Brian’s voice did struggle at times throughout the concert, it didn’t matter. He and the rest of the band were giving it their all. I love that song,” a guy near me said after “Stiff Upper Lip.” He was not alone in that. “Highway To Hell” followed, and I was suddenly seven years old again, hearing the song for the first time and completely excited by it. On the song’s title line, the lights shone on the crowd, again indicating we were all on this ride together. And Brian stepped out onto the thrust, among all those glowing horns, while Angus ran around with horns of his own at that point. He was dancing again at the beginning of “Shoot To Thrill,” driving the energy up another level. There was something almost magical about seeing Angus do that dance out on the thrust into the audience, a thrill itself, and “Shoot To Thrill” ended up being a highlight of the set. The song seriously rocks.

“Sin City” followed, it being a song from Powerage. Oh yes, sin always sounds so good, doesn’t it? I’m almost thankful to religion for providing that concept for us to enjoy, for us to play with. There was a great bass line to the song, and Angus began to hunt the crowd, to stalk it. The crowd cheered in response. As the group started “Rock ‘N’ Roll Train,” an AC/DC train appeared on the screens. After that song, Angus stepped off stage for a moment to make a guitar adjustment and then the band ripped into “Dirty Deeds Done Dirty Cheap.” “Call me anytime,” Brian sang, and we in the audience felt that, yes, we could rely on these guys, and on this song. “We’ll have ourselves a ball.” Angus delivered a good guitar solo at the end of that one. That was followed by “High Voltage.” And, truly, it’s all about high voltage rock ‘n’ roll with this band, always has been. And I’m glad I got to experience it in concert. On this song, Brian engaged with the audience, a bit of call and response. This song was a whole lot of fun.

Angus began “Riff Raff” on guitar, the song like a great force rumbling up from the deepest caverns and bursting forth to tear a hole in the fabric of our reality, all done to a delicious driving beat. Where do you go from there? Well, to one of the band’s most popular songs, the crowd-pleasing “You Shook Me All Night Long.” This song was everywhere in 1980. And beyond, for that matter. Who doesn’t love this song? The energy was extremely high at the Rose Bowl at that point. That was followed by “Whole Lotta Rosie,” which has always been one of my personal favorites. It’s so fun, and a perfect choice to follow “You Shook Me.” They wrapped up the set with “Let There Be Rock,” which tells the best creation story. “Let there be drums/And there were drums.” Amen! “And the music was good and the music was loud.” Oh yes, indeed! Here the band jammed, Angus standing at the end of the thrust stage, the rhythm supporting him almost like a mantra or something, and becoming the pulse of the audience. The section of the thrust upon which he was standing began to rise, and confetti burst into the air. But that was not the end. Angus next went up the stairs at the back of the stage and there performed a guitar solo, the screen behind him then showing an image of a stack of Marshall amps. It was one hell of a good guitar solo, and Angus periodically checked in with the audience, who howled out for more. He obliged. All told, the song was twenty-one minutes of rock and roll heaven. Holy moly!


The set ended at 10:31 p.m., and two minutes later the band was back on stage for the encore. “T.N.T.” is the song that started it all for me when I was a kid, and it was a treat to get to see it performed live. That was followed by “For Those About To Rock (We Salute You).” Several cannons were positioned onto the upper level of the stage where Angus had performed his guitar solo. The cannons were aimed at the audience, or, rather, above the audience. And yes, on “Fire,” the cannons fired. And if all that wasn’t enough, there was a fireworks display to top it off. The show ended at 10:45 p.m.

Set List

  1. If You Want Blood (You’ve Got It)
  2. Back In Black
  3. Demon Fire
  4. Shot Down In Flames
  5. Thunderstruck
  6. Have A Drink On Me
  7. Hell’s Bells
  8. Shot In The Dark
  9. Stiff Upper Lip
  10. Highway To Hell
  11. Shoot To Thrill
  12. Sin City
  13. Rock ‘N’ Roll Train
  14. Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
  15. High Voltage
  16. Riff Raff
  17. You Shook Me All Night Long
  18. Whole Lotta Rosie
  19. Let There Be Rock

Encore

  1. T.N.T.
  2. For Those About To Rock (We Salute You)

Friday, April 18, 2025

Marina Rocks: "S.O.S. Texas" (2025) CD Review

Now more than ever this country needs some strong female energy, some strong female voices, because things are all messed up, perhaps even beyond what we expected, beyond what we imagined when that rapist was allowed back into the White House. Basically we need a woman to take this country by the throat and shake it until all the garbage bleeds out and the bastards fall to their knees. We need a woman to rock this country. Marina Rocks has just released an excellent new album which should certainly help. Titled S.O.S. Texas, it features all original material. Not just Texas, but this whole country is clearly sending out a distress signal. Will anyone receive it? Will anyone help this damned sinking vessel?  Marina Rocks plays some mean guitar, but that's not all. She also plays keyboards, drums, percussion and bass on this album. She is joined by Lloyd Maines on acoustic guitar, mandolin, acoustic slide guitar and bass. There are a few other musicians who join her on various tracks.

The album opens with "It's All Messed Up," which comes at us with a sense of urgency, which we feel in that rhythm, even before that compelling first line, "Well, she called him one night, she said I think I'm going to die." And things are in motion. Aden Buebeck plays bass guitar on this one. Check out these lines: "She had a squirrel in her purse, she had evil in her eye/He had his hands on the wheel, he was holding on tight/But he never would have guessed what she'd do that night." Interestingly, that isn't the first line to feature the word "squirrel," but it is the one that especially stands out. What an image. And in a strange way we come to identify with that animal, trapped in a situation over which we have no control. "Hang on, hang on, hang on," she urges us partway through. And then she asks, "Are you going to be good little sheep?" As this song progresses, we feel more empowered, more energized by her vocals, but the guitar work, and by the end we are ready to go out and so something. For the song now seems to address larger concerns, the warped state of this nation, and of the world. "It's all messed up," indeed. This is a great rock song to open the album

Then we get "S.O.S." The term "SOS," meaning the distress signal, as I understand it, doesn't actually stand for anything. But as Marina Rocks puts periods after each letter, she clearly intends the letters to stand for something, perhaps "Same Old Shit," as in the Dutch Melrose song. This song is about music and the ridiculous demands on a songwriter. The songwriter is told, "Come on and write another, yeah, write another tequila love song" and "You see, you're not quite this and you're not quite that/Hey, how would she look in just a cowboy hat," the latter delivered as a sort of cool spoken word. Another line that stands out is: "He's going to whitewash the truth so he can buy up the world." This song is seriously cool and biting, feeling like the needed slap to music executives who don't give a shit about music and are moved only by money. And it features some really good guitar work. Then the first lines of "The Hollywood Sign" are delivered a cappella: "I was driving down Mulholland/When I saw the Hollywood sign/Will you meet me, will you greet me/Where the clouds and the rainbows shine." Many of the lines are delivered as spoken word, as she is telling us a story. It feels like a personal story. "I was lost in the city of angels/And so I lay there on the ground/Rain was pouring in my face/And I heard a deafening sound/My heart was beating fast with pain/And I really thought that I could die." That last line reminds us of the opening lines of the album's first tracks. I suppose thoughts of death abound these days. Many songs take place in Los Angeles, but not many take place in L.A. in the rain. This track features Gary Weldon on harmonica. He delivers some beautiful work. That lead in the middle is particularly wonderful. And Alex Rodriguez joins Marina Rocks on fretless bass guitar. "You see, repetition clouds reality/And you'll find that maybe you're wrong."

"I Don't Know" is a cool instrumental tune, its first section promising something wonderful to follow, as it gathers its energy, and gathers us in, preparing us for the ride. But we soon realize we are already on the ride. It was happening from that opening moment. This track too features excellent guitar work. In fact, that work is the main thrust of the piece. As the track seems to end, we feel it is much too soon, and indeed, it starts to take off again after that, though only briefly before suddenly coming to a close. "How did we ever get this way?" Marina then asks at the beginning of "One More Song," and I can't help but apply that question to the country as a whole. This track has a good bluesy vibe at the start, and then opens into something bigger, something more encompassing, with some sweet folk elements. This one features mandolin, and has a positive, uplifting feel to it. Pat Manske is on percussion here. "Hey, don't you tell me the secrets of my life/That should be, that should be up to me/That should be, that should be up to me." As a songwriter, she promises, "I won't ever lie to you," and we know that to be true. We hear it in every notes she sings.

A good rhythm is established immediately on "Mind's Eye," a song that begins in a phone booth, one with a seat. I'm not sure when was the last time I saw a phone booth. They've largely disappeared, as everyone is expected to own a cell phone these days. Oh, I sometimes long for the days of rotary phones, for no one told me to "download an app" on my phone then. "I wrap my arms around her/That's all that I can offer." This track features a totally catchy guitar part in the middle, and there is a bit of a jam at the end. That's followed by "Slap Happy." As it begins, it feels like it is already in the process of building toward something, and her first line,"Say yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah," feels like it could be in the middle of a jam. This has an interesting effect, dropping us into the middle of some action, some movement. "She wouldn't let me die if I tried," she sings here, then adds, "She is my 'shero.'" "Shero" is, obviously, not a real word, but a female hero is what we desperately need. This track contains some really great stuff on guitar.

"Starlight" is the album's second (and final) instrumental track. It has a gentler vibe as it begins, almost like a lullaby for someone at the end of a rough day, the music helping to put the troubles into perspective, easing us out of the day so that tomorrow will be open to being better. The album wraps up with a second version of "One More Song," and so we again are asked, and again wonder, "How did we ever get this way?" The vocals are even more at the fore in this version. The song's final line, "Everybody needs one more song," is delivered a cappella, and we feel like song here is equated with day, with breath. We need one more moment, one more breath, just a little more life. We are not ready for this whole thing to be over, not yet.

CD Track List
  1. It's All Messed Up
  2. S.O.S.
  3. The Hollywood Sign
  4. I Don't Know
  5. One More Song
  6. Mind's Eye
  7. Slap Happy
  8. Starlight
  9. One More Song (Re-wind)
S.O.S. Texas was released on April 4, 2025.