Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, Ray Price: "Big Hits Live" (2021/2025) Vinyl Review

One of the special records released on Black Friday in 2021 was a live album by Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard and Ray Price titled Big Hits Live. This record contains music from the final stop of their "Last of the Breed" tour, that tour named for the double album they had released in March of 2007. And it was in March 2007 that this live recording was made. Only 1,400 copies of Big Hits Live were released in 2021, so not a lot of folks were able to get a copy. I did not get one then. But now it is getting a wider release, giving everyone a chance to add this record to his or her collection. And it is certainly worth owning.

Side A

The album kicks off with "Miles And Miles Of Texas," a fun, energetic number done by Asleep At The Wheel, with Ray Benson on lead vocals. Asleep At The Wheel released this song as a single in 1976, fifteen years after the original version by Jim McGraw And The Western Sundowners, and had a hit with it. This version features some nice work on pedal steel, and has such a cheerful vibe. Then Ray Price sings "Make The World Go Away," a song he released as a single in 1963. The crowd reacts with excitement when it starts, but then the audience noise fades from the mix so that we can hear the performance. This is a sweet rendition, featuring strings. "Say the things you used to say/And make the world go away." Oh yes! That's followed by "For The Good Times." The audience cheers on the song's first line, "Don't look sad," the moment folks recognize the song. It was written by Kris Kristofferson, but Ray Price had a huge hit with it. "But life goes on and this old world will keep on turning/Let's just be glad we had some time to spend together." Lines like that make me think of the brevity of this whole experience, something that's been on my mind a lot lately anyway. Ray Price delivers a strong vocal performance here. Hold that special someone close while you can, friends. It will be over before we know it, before we're ready.

Merle Haggard then gives us "Silver Wings," a song from his A Portrait Of Merle Haggard album. I wish I'd seen him in concert. The world lost him in that foul year of 2016, a year that took many great musicians from us and elected a rapist to lead this country. It's a year we're somehow still trapped within. Anyway, this track features some really nice work on harmonica. It's a beautiful song. That's followed by "That's The Way Love Goes," a sweet number from Merle Haggard. I love his delivery of the line "You say, honey, now don't worry so much," almost like spoken word. The warmth, the compassion, the honesty in his voice are wonderful and striking. This track also features some good stuff on guitar. The first side then concludes with Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson performing Haggard's "Okie From Muskogee." Some lines are humorous with Willie Nelson being involved, lines such as "We don't smoke marijuana" and "And we don't let our hair grow long and shaggy." It is after that line that Willie Nelson comes in. It must have been something to be at this show, to get to see all three of these folks. The only one I've had the privilege of seeing is Willie Nelson, who delivered an excellent set last year at the Hollywood Bowl.

Side B

The second side of the record opens with Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard covering Townes Van Zandt's "Pancho And Lefty." While I was not fortunate enough to see Merle Haggard in concert, I did see Townes Van Zandt once at a small club, and that was a treat. Merle and Willie released their own studio version of this on a 1983 album, this being its title track. And on this live album they deliver a really good rendition. The crowd responds with much deserved applause at the end. That's followed by "Always On My Mind," one of those songs that never fail to affect me. "Little things I should have said and done/I just never took the time." Regrets are terrible, particularly regarding love. "Tell me, tell me that your sweet love hasn't died." Maybe there are second chances. Certainly there are in the land of song. Willie Nelson is just so damn wonderful, and we believe him when he promises, "I'll keep you satisfied."

"Mama Tried" is a song I first heard done by the Grateful Dead. You know, that band turned me on to a lot of great music and great artists, including Merle Haggard. "Mama Tried" wasn't the only Haggard song they covered. It's such an excellent song, and this is a really good rendition, with the right amount of energy and featuring some nice stuff on pedal steel. Then all three singers perform "I Gotta Have My Baby Back," a wonderful song that is one of the record's highlights. "Oh baby, come on home/Without my baby, I just can't go on." And this track features saxophone, including a nice lead. That's followed by "Sing Me Back Home," another Merle Haggard song that the Grateful Dead covered. Those old tapes often had me in tears. This is one of Haggard's best songs, and he delivers an excellent rendition here. It is so moving. "Make my old memories come alive." Oh yes, this music does that, doesn't it? So many songs the Grateful Dead performed dealt with death in one way or another. Getting us prepared, I suppose, or taming the beast before we had to face him.

"Crazy" is one of Willie Nelson's most well-known songs, though it is the Patsy Cline rendition that most people know. Here is a great chance to hear Willie perform it, along with Ray Price. "Worry, why do I let myself worry?" The record then concludes with another great Willie Nelson tune, "On The Road Again," and the line "making music with my friends" stands out perhaps more than usual. Merle Haggard delivers a good lead on electric guitar on this one. The song has such a great feel about it, doesn't it? And, despite how terrible and distracted drivers have become, it makes me want to get out on the road again.

Record Track List

Side A

1. Miles And Miles Of Texas - Asleep At The Wheel
2. Make The World Go Away - Ray Price
3. For The Good Times - Ray Price
4. Silver Wings - Merle Haggard
5. That's The Way Love Goes - Merle Haggard
6. Okie From Muskogee - Merle Haggard/Willie Nelson

Side B

1. Pancho And Lefty - Willie Nelson/Merle Haggard
2. Always On My Mind - Willie Nelson
3. Mama Tried - Merle Haggard
4. I Gotta Have My Baby Back - Willie Nelson/Merle Haggard/Ray Price
5. Sing Me Back Home - Merle Haggard
6. Crazy - Willie Nelson/Ray Price
7. On The Road Again - Willie Nelson

This vinyl reissue of Big Hits Live is scheduled to be released on July 11, 2025 through Top Hat Tunes and MVD Audio. And apparently, a DVD of the concert was released through MVD in 2023 (I need to get a copy of that at some point).

I See Hawks In L.A. at Harmony Room, 6-27-25 Concert Review

I See Hawks In L.A. playing "White Cross"

There were several indications that last night's Hawks show at the Harmony Room was going to be something special. First off, it was held at a cool, rather unusual venue, one that was started in 2020 (yes, a venue that actually opened during the pandemic rather than closed - imagine that). I hadn't been there before, but I'd heard some good things about it prior to last night's show. It was a decent-sized hall, part of a church, located upstairs, and had an inviting, laid-back vibe. A friendly staff, and - this is particularly unusual - the place actually encouraged folks to bring their own snacks and drinks if they wished. Otherwise, there were concessions, including wine and beer (Rob Waller would comment on that during the show). I got there early and went right in to grab a seat up front, then went outside to hang out in the courtyard while the band finished its soundcheck. It was not long before other Hawks fans started showing up. We're an early bunch. Another indication that it was going to be a special night was the scheduled opening set by Victoria Jacobs. She has been writing and recording new material, some of which she performed solo at a house concert back in September, and we were eager to hear more of it.

"Without You"

At 8:11 p.m., while the house lights and music were still on, Victoria Jacobs took the stage. While her set in September had been a solo affair, this time she was billed as Victoria In The Jimsonweed and was joined by Aaron Bakker on electric guitar. The stage, by the way, had some green glittery strips as part of its backdrop. There were also strings of vinyl records hanging next to the speakers on both sides of the stage. And, partially because it was attached to a church, the place reminded me of some of the folk venues I used to frequent back east in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and that is part of what gave it a welcoming air for me. The house lights soon dimmed and the music was shut off, and Victoria was introduced. She and Aaron opened the set with "Without You," a song in which she sings, "Trying to live my life without you/It's not easy to do." For those who don't know, Victoria was married to Paul Lacques, who died in January of 2024. Her new songs are paths through grief and memory, songs of love, of loss, of moving forward without letting go of the past. These are excellent and tender songs. Interestingly, Aaron Bakker's electric guitar gave that opening number more energy, a sort of rock and roll energy. "Without You" was followed by "Santa Fe," a beautiful song. "Just two lonely souls howling at the moon." Paul Lacques is still a tremendous presence at Hawks shows, and obviously also during Victoria's set, and probably everyone in the room had known him. After that song, Victoria introduced Aaron Bakker, and said he was on the first recording she did after Paul's death.

"Shed Those Tears"

Her set also included "Sympathy," "Shed Those Tears," "Star-Filled Night" and "Misery." In "Shed Those Tears," just before the end she repeats, "It's okay, it's okay," before concluding the line, "to cry," which is the last line of the song. And that's something about these songs, the way they are so life-affirming and surprisingly positive. "Star-Filled Night" had a particularly cheerful sound. And in "Misery," she sang, "Misery loves company/Go love someone else." There was a strong energy to that song, and Aaron delivered some great stuff on electric guitar. Then in "Winding Stream," she sang, "You gotta trust love will find a way." And in "Forever Shine," she sang, "Grateful for all our moments together/Grateful for all the love we knew." This is music to pull us all through our personal and collective troubles and put things into perspective. For the final song of her set, Aaron left the stage, and Victoria performed it solo. A beautiful conclusion to a wonderful set of music. Her set ended at 9:07 p.m.

"Live And Never Learn"

Less than fifteen minutes later, she was behind the drum kit, and I See Hawks In L.A. kicked off the set with "Live And Never Learn," a perfect choice in these strange times. And for a Friday, with its lines, "I try so hard to do what's right/That won't get me through Friday night." Dan Wistrom was kind of in the dark in his spot stage right, but delivered some really nice work on pedal steel from there in the shadows. Rob Waller then remarked about Victoria's ability to just switch to drums after such a great set, and mentioned the venue. "Dan says this is the closest he's ever played to his house," Rob told the crowd. And that was part of it too. It was a neighborhood thing, another reason folks felt so at home at this venue. They then followed "Live And Never Learn" with "White Cross," which also follows it on the band's 2018 album. Dan switched to electric guitar, delivering a very cool lead. After that lead, Rob Waller introduced Dan as "The pride of Glendale, California."

"My Parka Saved Me"

One of the many treats of the set was "To The Snow," a song from the band's first album, and one they don't play very often. I can't recall the last time I saw them do it. It's been years. It was great to hear it again. "That song's about twenty-five years old," Rob said afterward. Dan then switched back to pedal steel for "Might've Been Me," a fun song from the band's 2021 album On Our Way. There was a good amount of joy on the stage, and after that song Rob talked a bit about what he loves about the venue. That was followed by another song from the first album, "A Dog Can Break Your Heart Too," one that highlights the band's excellent harmonies. Some folks were really tickled by this one, laughing a lot during the song's first section. Rob then playfully asked Victoria if she had any good Chicago stories, leading into "My Parka Saved Me." This one also had folks laughing out loud, especially on "It was my brother's parka," when the backing vocals make that adjustment following Victoria's clarification. It's a song I love, and part of its great appeal is the way the lead vocals and backing vocals interact, and when the backing vocals go rogue, "And we drank for free all through high school/All the booze I could ever drink."

"Poour Me"

Another treat was "Jug Of Misery," a song that Rob performed at a solo show last September and which has not yet been included on any official release. (If you want to hear it, Rob performed it at the end of an episode of my podcast.) The band delivered a really nice rendition last night. After it, Rob commented, "That's the thing about misery - it goes on a little longer than you want it to." That was followed by a particularly good and fun version of "Ohio." "I was poisoned by the California dream." It was then that Rob commented on the venue serving alcohol, saying he'd sung in a lot of churches and he'd sung in a lot of bars, and that this place was kind of both. Paul Marshall then sang lead on "Salvation," and the first time in the song that he sang the word "salvation," he gave a look up at his surroundings. This is a song that was great from the time the band introduced it in concert, but it has really come into its own lately, with the last couple of times they've played it being the best. It's reached a different level. That was followed by "Poour Me," which featured some excellent stuff on pedal steel.

"Raised By Hippies"

If you drive in Los Angeles (and probably anywhere these days), honking and swearing at other drivers is part of the experience. Lately, I've been trying to refrain from honking, challenging myself to see if I can get anywhere without becoming infuriated. Twice I've been able to do it. Last night was not one of those times, though on the way to the show, I blasted my horn at only one guy. He was getting off at an exit, and at the last second cut back in front of me, forcing me to slam on my brakes (no one in Los Angeles has any idea what a solid white line means). The point is there are a lot of assholes out there, and every time I'm on the road, a certain I See Hawks In L.A. song gets in my head. That's "Stop Driving Like An Asshole." I wasn't sure if the show being at a church would keep them from playing that one, but I was hoping to hear it. And, yes, they did it, and it was delightful, as always. They followed that with another fun number, "Raised By Hippies," and then "California Country." The line "The traffic jam started down in Glendale" received a cheer from someone in the audience, which made Rob smile. They wrapped up the set with "Hippie On The Road." What a great bass line. This was a fun, high-energy rendition, and at the end, the audience was eager for more. But there was no encore last night. The show ended at 10:29 p.m.

I See Hawks In L.A. Set List

1. Live And Never Learn
2. White Cross
3. To The Snow
4. Might've Been Me
5. A Dog Can Break Your Heart Too
6. My Parka Saved Me
7. Jug Of Misery
8. Ohio
9. Salvation
10. Poour Me
11. Stop Driving Like An Asshole
12. Raised By Hippies
13. California Country
14. Hippie On The Road

"Without You"

"Live And Never Learn"

"My Parka Saved Me"

Harmony Room is located upstairs at St. Barnabas Episcopal Church, 2109 Chickasaw Ave., in Eagle Rock, California. The next scheduled Hawks show is on August 23rd at McCabe's in Santa Monica. See you there!

J. Edmond: "Isolated Dew" (2025) CD Review

Jeremy Edmond was performing and recording as Jebb, and in the spring of 2020 he released a song titled "Isolated Dew." You remember that time. It was when the pandemic was hitting hard, and isolation was the name of  the game. We were all going a little mad, understandably. Now it's five years later, and apparently the pandemic is over. Jeremy, now recording under the name J. Edmond, has revisited the song, now titled "Some Way," on an EP titled Isolated Dew. Joining J. Edmond on this disc is A. Michael Collins on drums, bass and backing vocals. There are also special guests on various tracks.

The EP opens with "Some Way," which eases in. Many of the lines are the same as the song "Isolated Dew," but there are some changes too, some rearrangement of lyrics and a different vibe. Perhaps the biggest change is the loss of that section where he sang, "Hey, I'm losing it/Hey, I'm fine/Hey, I'm losing it/My Mind." Because now we've gone through that, and there is a more positive bent, at least regarding that subject. Another major difference is in the musicians who join him on this rendition. Paul Chastain (of Velvet Crush) plays bass on this track, Danny Henry is on keyboard, and Fernando Perdomo is on slide guitar. If you're familiar with Fernando Perdomo's work, you might be wondering where he found the time to take part in the recording of this song, since he's in the middle of a year-long project, releasing an album of new original material every month, and also recorded a new album with Matt Tecu. I've come to the conclusion that there are just more hours in his days than in the days of everyone else. Another difference in this version is in the vocal approach to the song's final lines. Tommy Hayes then joins J. Edmond on saxophone on "Search Lights," making his presence appreciated from the beginning, delivering some nice work that helps set the track's cool tone. There is something of an early 1980s rock vibe to this track. "Man, I'm not sure if I'm glad to meet you/Work's hard, quitting's easy." A. Michael Collins plays both bass and drums on this one. The second half features an excellent, energetic saxophone lead. The overall feel of this track takes me back to my youth.

J. Edmond slows things down a bit then with "City Walk." This track contains a passionate vocal performance, and much of this track's power is within that performance. Some lines stand out for me, such as "You poison me with pictures" and "Life hits harder/When you're alone" and "Starting to hate the game." I love the way it builds in power. This is a song with a yearning, and with hope, but also with darkness. Stephen Peter Rogers plays lap steel on this track. This song was released as a single in 2024, the first to be delivered under the name J. Edmond. Released with "City Walk" was "M. Paserebye," and that song is included here too. This one is all about the vocals and guitars, and contains some really nice guitar work. "Do you ever just let life pass you by?" The EP then concludes with an instrumental version of "Some Way," with all the same musicians as on the first track. Actually, it's not fully an instrumental version. There are vocals in that section in the second half, the "Learn a new skill/Get up that ladder" part.

CD Track List

1. Some Way
2. Search Lights
3. City Walk
4. M. Paserebye
5. Some Way (Instrumental)

Isolated Dew was released on June 26, 2025.

Couldn't Be Happiers: "Couple(t)s" (2025) CD Review

"So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,
 So long lives this, and this gives life to thee."

That is the rhyming couplet that concludes Shakespeare's famous Sonnet 18 (you know, the one that begins "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?"), those lines being about the sonnet itself, and how it will continue to keep that person alive so long as people read it. Songs can do the same thing. Couple(t)s is the playfully titled new album from Couldn't Be Happiers, that title a combination of the words couplets and couples, the band being led by the married couple of Jodi Hildebran and Jordan Crosby Lee. The album is also organized by couples, with two songs sharing a common theme or style paired together. The album contains all original material. Both Jodi and Jordan provide vocals on this album, and Jordan plays acoustic guitar and electric guitar, while Jodi plays drums and acoustic guitar. They are joined by Doug Davis, who plays a wide range of instruments, including electric guitar, acoustic guitar, bass, mandolin, organ, piano, melodica, Mellotron, omnichord, drums, and percussion, and also provides some backing vocals. There are other guests on various tracks.

The album opens with a sweet, cheerful love song titled "Come Back Tomorrow," its rhythm being a big part of its positive vibe. Corky McClellan plays drums on this track. There is the joy of New Orleans in the sound, and this track features the horn section of Kenny Butler on trumpet, Rob Yingling on saxophone, Bernie Hall on trombone, and Urshawn Matthews on sousaphone. And the chorus likewise has a bright sound, and feels familiar. There is a good chance you'll be singing along before the end: "Come back tomorrow, baby/Come back tomorrow, baby/Come back tomorrow if you can." This is a song of summer, of freedom, of those youthful moments when the world seems to open before you. There are times when we can relive those feelings, and music like this certainly helps. "Baby, let's go somewhere new." Jodi sings lead on this one. Jordan then sings lead on "When I Die," a song that looks forward to looking back, opening with these lines: "When I die/I hope the tally shows/That I had more friends/Than I had foes." Yes, it's about death, sort of, but it's really more about life, and there is a light feel to it, with lines such as "That I gave more pennies/Than I ever took away" and "I hope I let more folks change lanes/Than I cut off." This song is a good reminder to be decent to folks, at least as often as possible, hoping the world will be a little better for your having been in it. And it too is a love song, with Jordan singing, "I hope that I made you laugh/More than I made you cuss/When I die/And you think back on me/I hope that I made you happy/More than I made you crazy." If we can't make the world a better place, we can at least make that one special person's world better. Right? This track is one of my personal favorites.

A decade or so ago, there was a bill on the ballot here in California that was purported to ban the plastic bag. Of course, it did nothing of the kind. And anyone who was paying attention knew that ahead of time, for the bill was supported by grocery chains and the like. What actually resulted was thicker bags that the grocery stores charge customers for. It was a way to make money, not to save the environment. And now thicker plastic bags end up in the trash, which means more plastic, not less (please read the damn bills before voting, folks). On this album, Couldn't Be Happiers give us "Plastic Bag Odyssey (I'll Never Die)," a song from the perspective of a plastic bag, with Jodi on lead vocals. "I'll never die, I'll never die/I'll be here long after you're gone/Watch the world burn/See what else goes wrong/I'll never die." There is something strangely adorable about this song, even as it describes the trouble the bag seemingly joyfully causes. Jodi also sings lead on "Tear It Down,"  a song with an especially lively and powerful chorus. This is another one you might sing (or shout) along to. This track features good work by Jack Gorham on accordion, that instrument helping set the song's atmosphere. "There may be no happy beginning/And the ending won't be a happy one/So while we're here, let's cause a scene/Might as well, 'cause no one cares." "Plastic Bag Odyssey" and "Tear It Down" are a pair of protest songs. "Well, let us eat, sleep, work, drink/Eat, sleep, work, drink/Eat, sleep, work, drink/Eat, sleep, work, drink/'Til we die, die, die, die, die."

Jordan sings lead on "Devil's Tramping Ground," a pleasant-sounding pop-folk number that looks back to a time when he danced "'til the break of day." There is something unexpectedly playful about this song. "I'm going round, round, round in my tramping ground/Thinking of those I dragged down, down, down/Kicking beer cans and rubber wrappers out of my way." Probably the line that will stand out for many people is this: "My job is so exhausting." It's a line a lot of folks will immediately relate to, though their work is likely different from that of the character in this song. Corky McClellan plays drums on this track. That song is coupled with "Pretty Polly," which features Jodi on lead vocals. This one has a more somber sound and atmosphere, and includes some nice stuff by Rick Nathey on pedal steel. After a minute or so, it kicks in, and it too contains lines about doing down. "You took me down this road/Down a deep dark hole/That deep dark hole/Ain't black as your soul." This one also contains a reference to Macbeth: "Pretty Polly, Pretty Polly, something wicked this way comes," referring to a line one of the witches delivers just before Macbeth enters the scene. And the song ends with a variation of that line: "Something wicked down there lies." Both songs are character songs, songs that tell a story.

The second half of the album progresses in a similar way to the first half, beginning with a couple of love songs of sorts, both of which feature Jordan on lead vocals. The first of the two, "King Of Austin," has some early lines that stand out: "The rent was high/So were you/And the dishes in the kitchen sink/But you rose higher than the market." This track also contains some strong harmonies. "Only one of us could do the driving/All hail the king of Austin." This is also some good work on acoustic guitar. "Don't talk as much/We've both grown soft/And we've lost some hair/But if I ever need/Help to hide a body/I know who would be there." Ah yes, important information to have. The second of the two love songs, "Wherever You  Go," contains the word "love" in its opening line: "I fell in love on a weekend getaway." The song's main line is one that I remember from The Adventures Of Buckaroo Banzai Across The Eighth Dimension, but which predates that film by quite a lot: "Wherever you go, there you are." In the film it was "No matter where you go, there you are." Anyway, this is a totally catchy and sweet song. It features some really good vocal work, and ends up being another of my personal favorites. "Or lying with your head upon my chest/Or standing in aisle three, obsessing on your grocery list/I'll love you wherever you go."

Jodi sings lead on "Weatherman," a song that features some great stuff from Rick Nathey on pedal steel. "I've been working twice as hard/For nearly twice as long/But I've gotten half as far/Told I don't belong." The song is about inequality between the sexes in career advancement, focusing on one particular woman. And there is some humor in its chorus: "I'm just waiting on the weather/I'm just waiting on a sign/I'm just waiting on the weather/Man to die." Dustin Foley plays drums on this one. "They say life's not fair/Neither is the weather." That's followed by "I Got You," a fun song about doing what makes you happy, what makes you feel good, what feels right to you, in spite of bigoted attacks from right-wing imbeciles. I love that it opens with lines about crossdressing: "You just found out that it feels pretty nice/Wearing the clothes of your wife/Some say you're confused." This is a song that offers support and friendship. "Life is hard enough out there/Without the need to go and get wound up/Over all the little things/And now you've found as part of growing up/It's all small stuff." Oh yes! That's it exactly. Jodi delivers some nice work on harmonica on this track, and then sings lead on the next verse, a pro-choice verse. I also appreciate that there is a plea for people to put down their guns.

"Brown Mountain Lights" is a song that first seems to fit in that great tradition of folk songs about people who struggle to make a better life, including lines about working in a mine, but there is also a mysterious element to this one, or an explanation for a mystery. On this one too, the two take turns singing lead on different verses. "You can bet/That soon you and I/Will dance through the night/Light up the mountain side." This is such a pretty song. It includes nice work on mandolin, and a beautiful vocal section near the end. That's followed by "Lydia's Bridge," another ghost story that immediately gets us thinking of work, with the percussion like hammering on metal, creating an interesting atmosphere. It's a slow number, with Jordan singing lead, and is another of the album's highlights. Pete Pawsey plays banjo and lap steel, and adds ambient noises. "We're all doing the best we can/Trying to make it through in a life that we don't understand/Terrified of watching it all slip right through our hands."

CD Track List

1. Come Back Tomorrow
2. When I Die
3. Plastic Bag Odyssey (I'll Never Die)
4. Tear It Down
5. Devil's Tramping Ground
6. Pretty Polly
7. King Of Austin
8. Wherever You Go
9. Weatherman
   
10. I Got You
    
11. Brown Mountain Lights
12. Lydia's Bridge

Couple(t)s was released on June 13, 2025.

Jim Self: "My America 3: My Country" (2025) CD Review

Jim Self is a tuba player who has played on hundreds of movie soundtracks. Perhaps he is most beloved for his work as the musical voice of the spaceship at the end of Close Encounters Of The Third Kind. He has also put out many albums as band leader. He released his first My America album back in 2003, when we still had a country that we could recognize. Sure, the inarticulate George W. Bush was president then, but we had no idea that things could get much, much worse. The second volume, My America 2: Destinations, was released twenty years later. Joe Biden was president then, but we were still somehow in the grip of the guy who occupied the White House before him. Things were weird, for sure. But, holy moly, a year later this country decided to re-elect a rapist who had been convicted on thirty-four felony charges. Sounds preposterous, doesn't it? But in office right now is a criminal. It no longer feels like my America, except of course when I'm listening to music. Now Jim Self has released his third volume in the My America series. No waiting two decades this time around. Titled My America 3: My Country, this album features music from the country realm, but done in Jim Self's special way. People might not think of the tuba as a country music instrument, but those people haven't yet heard this album. Joining Jim Self on this release are Kye Palmer on trumpet and flugelhorn, Bill Booth on trombone and euphonium, Phil Feather on saxophone and flute, Steve Marsh on tenor saxophone and clarinet, Chis Woods on fiddle, Doug Livingston on pedal steel, John Chiodini on guitar, Steve Fister on dobro and slide guitar, Bill Cunliffe on piano, Mike Valerio on bass, Ken Wild on bass, Joe La Barbera on drums, and Brian Kilgore on percussion. Kim Scharnberg did the arrangements.

Though this album is almost entirely made of covers, Jim Self opens it with an original composition titled "Chompin' At The Bit." Yup, he's written a country song. As you might guess from its title, there is a playful, light vibe to this piece, with Jim Self's fluba as the lead voice. It features some good work by Doug Livingston on pedal steel, and by Chris Woods on fiddle. There is some lively work by Steve Fister on electric guitar, and a wonderful lead on fluba, a special instrument that Jim Self invented. Also, there is the sound of a horse at the beginning, as well as partway through the track and at the very end. That's followed by a track titled "Wabashed," an interesting combination of "Wabash Cannonball" and "Orange Blossom Special," two songs named after trains. As it starts, it is like a train slowly moving out of a station, the tuba and drums setting it in motion. And soon we get the familiar theme of "Wabash Cannonball," and everything feels right. Then we find ourselves switching trains, for the musicians begin to pick up steam as they go into "Orange Blossom Special." This is so much fun. There is plenty of great stuff on fiddle. Where it gets even more interesting is when the saxophone takes over, and we are more firmly in jazz territory. The train is now swinging and grooving, and we get some delicious stuff on piano. We are even treated to a drum solo. What more could you want? Well, how about a delightful section where the tuba and fiddle interact? There is a big finish to this track, because it completely deserves it.

I doubt there is a single person out there who doesn't like Dolly Parton. And if there is, I don't want to meet him. On this album, Jim Self performs one of her best songs, "Jolene," with a gentle, thoughtful delivery on fluba of what would be the vocal line. And to make sure things don't get too serious, he throws in a bit of  The Bee Gees' "Stayin' Alive" at the end. On My America 2: Destinations, Jim Self covered Jimmy Webb's "By The Time I Get To Phoenix," and here he gives us Webb's "Wichita Lineman." This is a pretty and earnest rendition featuring some really nice work by Kye Palmer on flugelhorn. Things then get fun again on "Rocky Top," a song I love. When I was in high school, I dated a girl whose parents had a bluegrass band, and this was a song that they turned me onto. Jim Self delivers a lively rendition, one to get your fingers snapping and your toes tapping. There are wonderful, playful little touches throughout the track, and there is a good lead on bass.

"Crazy" is one of Willie Nelson's most well-known compositions, famously done by Patsy Cline. Jim Self delivers a gentle, easygoing, beautiful rendition. On this track, he is joined just by John Chiodini on guitar, and the two give a memorable and wonderful version of the song. Then we get "The Devil Went Down...," a version of Charlie Daniels Band's "The Devil Went Down To Georgia" that is combined with "Sweet Georgia Brown." The musicians are clearly having a good time here. There is some strong work on fiddle, as you'd expect, and also some really nice stuff on saxophone, which you might not expect. And of course there is plenty of great stuff on tuba. It is a lively and exciting and fun recording. This is one of my favorite tracks.

If you're going to do an album of country songs, there has to be at least one Hank Williams song. Jim Self chooses "Your Cheatin' Heart." And he delivers an interesting rendition, its first section slowed down and delivered with a compelling darkness. It then takes on a Latin dance rhythm, before returning to that darker region. Who would have guessed where this track would take us? What a wonderful ride, leading up to a playful final moment. Another artist who has to be represented on an album of great country material is Johnny Cash, and Jim Self delivers "Folsom Prison Line," a combination of "Folsom Prison Blues" and "I Walk The Line." There is also a little nod to "These Boots Are Made For Walkin'" in there. This track is a lot of fun, and features some really wonderful work on piano. I love Jim Self's work, particularly near the end. Why didn't the aliens in Close Encounters deliver a bit of "I Walk The Line"? And check out that crazy ending.

"Sixteen Tons" was written by Merle Travis, and is always a delightful number to cover. Jim Self delivers a cool rendition, the album's only track to feature vocals. Not all the lyrics, mind you, but just the line "Sixteen tons." There are some other playful touches here too, and the whole thing begins to feel like a party of some sort. We can certainly use a celebration in this country. Jim Self and company then wrap things up with a cover of Don Gibson's "I Can't Stop Loving You," a song that Ray Charles had a big hit with. This rendition features some really nice work on piano, in addition to Jim Self's moving work on tuba. What a sweet way to conclude the album.

CD Track List

1. Chompin' At The Bit
2. Wabashed
3. Jolene
4. Wichita Lineman
5. Rocky Top
6. Crazy
7. The Devil Went Down....
8. Your Cheatin' Heart
9. Folsom Prison Line
10. Sixteen Tons
11. I Can't Stop Loving You

My America 3: My Country was released on June 13, 2025 on Basset Hound Records.

Missy Raines & Allegheny: "Love & Trouble" (2025) CD Review

Missy Raines is an accomplished and celebrated singer, songwriter and bass player from West Virginia, working in the bluegrass realm. She was the first woman to win the International Bluegrass Music Award for best bass player. That was in 1998, the year she released her first album, My Place In The Sun. Since then, she's received the award another nine times, and has gained other accolades for her work. Her new album, Love & Trouble, features a mix of covers and original material. Her band, Allegheny, is made up of Ellie Hakanson on fiddle and vocals; Tristan Scroggins on mandolin, tenor guitar and vocals; Ben Garnett on guitar and vocals; and Eli Gilbert on banjo. There are also a few guests on certain tracks.

The album opens with an original number titled "Yanceyville Jail." Though it is an original composition, the song has the feel of a traditional tune, opening with these lines: "I've been in hard liquor and soft red clay/And I've been in some trouble here today/Roll and tumble, tooth and nail/I ain't going to the Yanceyville jail." Soon the song kicks in, and features some nice work on banjo. I also love these lines: "Well, I've been hog-tied and upside down/And I've had a nice tour of your quaint little town." This track has a delicious, energetic instrumental ending. Missy Raines follows that with a traditional number, "Claude Allen," one of those classic bluegrass numbers about death. This is a track that features some fantastic vocal work, wonderful and appealing harmonies. There is also good stuff on mandolin. And perhaps we find ourselves traveling to a different time with that fiddle, and mourning for our own time.

"Cold Wind" is a song written by Roy McMillan and included on the 1973 Roy McMillan And The High Country Boys album High Country. The song opens with these lines: "Who's that knockin' at my door/Hard times, hard times, hard times." Oh yes, this is a song that feels perfect for our strange and ugly times, not just because of its lyrics, but because it is delivered with great joy and energy. We need that. "Let the cold winds blow and the hard times go/And I ain't gonna worry no more." It's difficult to let go of the worry, but avoiding the news has certainly helped me these days. Of course, whenever a bluegrass number sings of the end of worry, we can't help but think of death. Anyway, this is a really wonderful rendition. It's followed by a cover of Nathan Bell's "Coal Black Water," which has a more somber sound, though not as raw as Nathan's original recording. "This world isn't fit for beast or human/But we live like men and work like women/And hope for better for our sons and our daughters/Who are born just to drown in coal black water." There is a great section toward the end, where the vocals are layered on that chorus. There is a power to this recording. I sometimes wonder if it's too late to turn things around, but music is what gives me hope that we can do it.

"Anywhere The Wind Blows" was written by Kathy Kallick, and was the title track of The Good Ol Persons' 1989 album. Kathy Kallick and Laurie Lewis join Missy Raines on vocals for this one. They and Ellie Hakanson take turns at lead vocals, helping to make this track stand out. The banjo work also helps in that regard. "What if someone faced you every day/Took the best and worst and still she stayed/Would you tend that garden come what may/Or would you still find something wrong." That's followed by "Stop 88," an original composition. It feels like the motion of a great vehicle moving uphill, an encouraging sound. "Can't run too fast, might leave the track/Get tangled up in the switchback." Tristan Scroggins takes over lead vocal duties on "Future On Ice," a song written by Jerry Crutchfield and Edria Humphrey, and originally recorded by Jimmy Martin. He does a great job with it. Deanie Richardson plays fiddle on this track.

"Scraps From Your Table" was written by Hazel Dickens, who included it on her 1980 album, Hard Hitting Songs For Hard Hit People (a great title). The version included here is wonderful, moving at a good pace, and featuring Ellie Hakanson on vocals. That's followed by "Eula Dorsey," an original song written by Missy Raines and Tony Rackley. It relates the tale of an immigrant to the United States, working in a strange land. I wonder, does anyone even want to come to this country anymore? Once upon a time, this country welcomed people to its shores, or at least claimed to. Now it sends out its own version of the Gestapo to round up people who even look like immigrants. Well, this song's story turns violent, its lyrics delivered with a striking passion. "Another morning came and went/One more bruise upon her face/She walked softly in his presence/But could not still his rage." The album then concludes with a good rendition of Earl Klugh's "Vonetta," the only instrumental track, taking us into jazzy territory and featuring some excellent work on fiddle as well as some seriously cool work on bass.

CD Track List

1. Yanceyville Jail
2. Claude Allen
3. Cold Wind
4. Coal Black Water
5. Anywhere The Wind Blows
6. Stop 88
7. Future On Ice
8. Scraps From Your Table
9. Eula Dorsey
10. Vonetta

Love & Trouble was released on May 16, 2025 on Compass Records.

Lisa Mann's Northwestern All-Stars: "The Great Women In Blues" (2025) CD Review

Groove Now is a special concert series held in Basel, Switzerland, focusing on the blues. In 2023, bass player and singer Lisa Mann put together a great group of musicians from the Pacific Northwest to perform at that concert series, the theme of their show being "The Great Women In Blues." The group included Louis Pain on organ, Ben Rice on guitar, Jason Thomas on guitar, and Jimi Bott on drums. Joining that group was the incredible vocalist Terrie Odabi, based in Oakland. And now that show has been released as The Great Women In Blues. The disc contains just over an hour of music, so I'm guessing it's not the complete show. But I don't know. I also don't know if the songs have been rearranged at all, as the tracks fade out at the end, making that a possibility. What I do is the music on this disc is absolutely fantastic.

The album opens with "Wade In The Water," delivered a cappella by Terrie Odabi. She gives us just a brief, but wonderful and captivating, taste of the song, then tells the audience a bit about the music. She also sings a bit of "Swing Low Sweet Chariot," and talks about what those songs meant to the people singing them originally, how those songs helped. This track functions as an introduction to the night. Terrie Odabi then leads the band in a strong rendition of "I Sing The Blues," a song written by Earl Bridgeman and Philip Wootten, and performed by the great Etta James. The band jams here, and that jam features some particularly good work on guitar. It's great that the band gets opportunities to stretch out on several of the songs during the set. While there is a lot of wonderful stuff on guitar, it is Terrie's powerful, passionate vocal performance that is the driving force of this rendition. "I want to sing the blues for you, baby, all night long." And that leads to a bit of "Wang Dang Doodle," just the repetition of the words "All night long," which are included in the Etta James rendition, but here delivered in the way those words are sung in that Willie Dixon number. She ends by telling the crowd, "I want to sing the low-down, the low-down, the dirty, filthy, nasty, dirty blues for you." Oh yes!

"I Don't Hurt Anymore" was written by Donald Robertson and Jack Rollins, and recorded by country singer Hank Snow. That same year, it was recorded by Dinah Washington, who took it in a different direction and had a rhythm and blues hit with it. The version here was inspired by that Dinah Washington rendition, and features Lisa Mann on vocals. She delivers some excellent work, with a couple of playful touches. This track also contains some delicious work on organ, as well as some really nice stuff on guitar. That's followed by The Staple Singers' "Why? (Am I Treated So Bad)," which was the lead track from that group's 1966 album Why. These guys ease into it with a nice instrumental section, that spoken word part about trouble on the bus from the original recording being cut here. What we get instead is some captivating work on guitar, and then Terrie Odabi comes in, singing the title line. This is a very cool rendition.

Next up is Sister Rosetta Tharpe's "That's All," which was an adaptation of Washington Phillips' "Denomination Blues." These guys deliver an excellent rendition. "We gotta get more love and understanding/Every day of our lives/And that's all." No argument from me! This track contains some outstanding work on guitar, and another passionate vocal performance. That's followed by "Let The Juke Joint Jump," a song written by Vasti Johnson, and covered by Koko Taylor on her Force Of Nature album. "Say you want to party, have a good time." Oh yes, we do. And this song ought to be of some help in that endeavor, with its groove, and with its energetic vocal performance. Approximately halfway through the track, they bring things down. "I came to have a good time," Terrie tells the crowd. She gets the audience engaged, though it takes a bit of teasing and cajoling and prompting. Soon those folks are singing, "Let the juke, juke joint jump."

The song "5-10-15 Hours" was written by Rudolph Toombs, and originally recorded by Ruth Brown. Lisa Mann gets this one started on bass, and right away it's clear this band is going to have some fun with this song. The track features a delicious, sexy, raw vocal performance by Lisa Mann, and a wonderful lead by Jason Thomas on guitar. There is a playful spoken word section in the middle, in which Lisa tells the crowd, "I like the idea of making love for five, ten or fifteen hours, but you know what, it's just not practical." And then she sings, "Wont you give me five, ten, fifteen minutes of your love." That's followed by "Ball And Chain," which was written and recorded by Big Mama Thornton. The first version of this song that I heard was that by Janis Joplin, which was probably the same for a good number of people who are reading this. This rendition begins with some strong, expressive guitar work. And oo-wee, what a vocal performance! "Why you want to do these mean things to me/You know, you know I love you, baby/And I'm sick and tired of being in misery." The guitar is unleashed, allowed to fly and soar and tear into the fabric of our shared reality. This is a tremendous rendition.

"So Good To My Baby" was written by Rose Marie McCoy and Leroy Kirkland, and recorded by Big Maybelle. The band is swinging here, delivering a totally delightful version of the song. Things then get a bit mellower at the beginning of the Etta James song "I'd Rather Go Blind," a wonderfully soulful number. These guys give us such a great, powerful, moving rendition, certainly a highlight of the disc. The album concludes with Willie Dixon's "Wang Dang Doodle," which was teased a bit earlier. A lot of folks have covered this one, including Koko Taylor. The first version I heard was performed by the Grateful Dead. And like the Dead, the band jams here. "Did you have fun? Did you have a good time?" she asks the crowd. And she gets the audience singing "Pitch a wang dang," while she sings "All night long." That's a cool section. And the energy is fantastic after that. At the end, there are band introductions.

CD Track List

1. Wade In The Water
2. I Sing The Blues
3. I Don't Hurt Anymore
4. Why? (Am I Treated So Bad)
5. That's All
6. Let The Juke Joint Jump
7. 5-10-15 Hours
8. Ball And Chain
9. So Good To My Baby
10. I'd Rather Go Blind
11. Wang Dang Doodle

The Great Women In Blues was released on May 23, 2025 on Jay Ray Records.

Old Californio at Claremont Craft Ales, 6-21-25 Concert Review

Old Californio playing "Knockin' On Your Screen Door"

This weekend, Claremont Craft Ales celebrated its thirteenth year in business. And if that seems an odd milestone in particular to celebrate, well, this brewery apparently celebrates every year that it remains in business. And why not? For its annual celebration this time around, the brewery hired one of southern California's best bands, Old Californio, to perform yesterday evening. Great music and great beer, that  guarantees a wonderful time for all. Before the band even began setting up, I started with the brewery's triple IPA, deciding to jump right in, but it arrived in such a tiny cup that it looked more like a shot. Even at House Of Blues, I'd never been handed a beer so small. When I questioned the bartender about the size of the cup, I was told it was because the beer was so strong. Well, right, that's why I ordered it. Anyway, it was delicious, though as I was walking back to our table, a little splashed out on my hand, and I thought, "Well there goes two dollars." The place had tables inside as well as outside, but outside is where the band was going to be playing, so that is where we settled in. There was a second, smaller bar in a different section, and also a pizza oven and a burger truck outside. Basically almost everything one could want. The place was crowded, inside and out, and the "normal line," as it was labeled, remained quite long inside, so it was to the smaller bar that I next went and where I ordered the 13th Anniversary Lager. No line at all, and a normal-sized cup. And by then the band was setting up. 

"Mother Road"

After some tuning and whatnot, and more drinking on my part - this time a beer called Truism (an interesting name, in the vicinity of truth, or the belief of truth) - the band was introduced just after 5 p.m., and the guys kicked off the show with "Mother Road," a fun number with the right energy, and featuring some good stuff from Jon Niemann on keys. Rich Dembowski then thanked the crowd, and wished everyone a "Happy Saturday evening." He and his band mates were guaranteeing everyone a happy Saturday evening with their music. "Mother Road" is on Westering Again, and they followed that with another song from that album, "Harmony." Their vocal work is always so good, and you might expect it to be particularly remarkable on a song titled "Harmony," and you wouldn't be wrong. Woody Aplanalp delivered some excellent stuff on guitar, receiving applause from the appreciative crowd. That was followed by "Keep On Rollin'" with its great sweet sound, its vibe working so well in the sunlight.

"Because"

This band has a whole lot of great original material, but also delivers its own excellent takes on some well-known songs by other artists, and yesterday gave us a phenomenal rendition of "Ring Of Fire," featuring a delicious jam. These guys really own this song. They followed that with "Destining Again," one of my personal favorites from the band's 2023 album Metaterranea. Rich playfully introduced the song as "off our last album, which skyrocketed up the charts then tanked completely." It's a wonderful song, and if you haven't heard it, I recommend picking up a copy of that album. The band then delivered another cover, The Beatles' "Because," a song that features their beautiful harmonies, and also included a pretty jam yesterday. They followed that with a really good rendition of their "City Lines." "Take the time to look around and see who you are." And then we were treated to "Midnight Moonlight," a song I first heard on the Old & In The Way album. This is another cover that I love seeing the band perform. That was followed by "I Won't Cry," a song included on the band's 2022 album Old Californio Country. Listening to that song, you can't help but think that these guys are southern California. Everything we love about this place is present in this band's music. They wrapped up the first set with another song that was included on that album, "The Cuckoo," a song I think I first heard sung by Janis Joplin. The first set ended at 6:03 p.m., with Rich telling the crowd that they were going to take a break and have a beer with us. At that point, we were in the shade and everything was right with the world.

"Willin'"

 

Just after 6:30, they opened the second set with a cover of Little Feat's "Willin'," a nice way to ease into the set. The song featured some wonderful work on keys. That was followed by "Old Kings Road," a song from Metaterranea, a song that always feels so good. The band then jammed on "Allon Camerado," that song having a great energy. "Lyre Of Orpheus" followed. "Lately I feel like I'm not really here at all/Life, it seems, is just one long summer day beneath a shady tree." And when it seemed the song was ending in a gentle and pretty way, Jason Chesney set it back in motion on bass. "Chilao" followed, this song featuring a sweet, pleasant jam. This is what life is all about, isn't it? "We may never ever want to come down." Things then got a little funky with their cover of John Prine's "Knockin' On Your Screen Door." This was a lot of fun. Jason then introduced "Warmth Of The Sun" by telling the crowd, "This snappy little number used to feature Justin on the tambourine." He added that since drummer Justin Smith didn't have a tambourine, we should keep our eyes on him and see what he comes up with. Justin Smith always comes up with great stuff on drums, and can make do with whatever might be on hand, whatever might be within reach, everything always flowing smoothly and wonderfully. "Warmth Of The Sun" is a great, bluesy rock number, and was a highlight of the set.

"I Lost It"

Toward the end of the show, the band focused on covers, delivering a great rendition of Lucinda Williams' "I Lost It," a song from her 1980 album Happy Woman Blues. It's a fun song, and after it, Woody changed his string. His band mates joked about cutting his pay, since he had been playing only five strings. "We're going to have a big meeting about this." They then delivered a seriously fun rendition of "Kansas City Southern," written by Gene Clark. Rich introduced the band, and they then gave us an energetic rendition of Neil Young's "Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere." That was followed by the delightful "Styrofoam," which featured a fun jam, Woody and Rich engaging in a little back-and-forth on guitar at one point. They wrapped up the show with "Lie To Me," one last fun jam, with each member getting a chance to shine. Jason, before his lead, said his hands were cramping up, but of course he still delivered some wonderful work. I'm not sure these guys are capable of delivering anything less than excellence. The show ended at 8:05 p.m.

Set List

Set I

1. Mother Road
2. Harmony
3. Keep On Rollin'
4. Ring Of Fire
5. Destining Again
6. Because
7. City Lines
8. Midnight Moonlight
9. I Won't Cry
10. The Cuckoo

Set II

1. Willin'
2. Old Kings Road
3. Allon Camerado
4. Lyre Of Orpheus
5. Chilao
6. Knockin' On Your Screen Door
7. Warmth Of The Sun
8. ? (I forgot to write the title down)
   
9. I Lost It
10. Kansas City Southern
11. Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
12. Styrofoam
13. Lie To Me
    

"Mother Load"

"Harmony"

"Harmony"

"City Lines"

"The Cuckoo"

"Kansas City Southern"

Claremont Craft Ales is located at 1420 N. Claremont Blvd, in Claremont, California.

Matt Tecu + Fernando Perdomo: "Getting Warmer" (2025) CD Review

Fernando Perdomo is in the middle of an incredible year-long project in which he releases a new album of original material every month. You'd think that would be enough to keep him busy, but he has managed to find the time to record an album with drummer Matt Tecu. Titled Getting Warmer, this disc features all original material, composed by the two musicians. This album follows the duo's 2024 release, Art. The two also performed on 2023's Abbey Road Reimagined: A Tribute To The Beatles, which Fernando Perdomo also produced, and Rebecca Pigeon's excellent Songs Of L.A., released in 2024. But most folks will remember them from their work in the 2018 film Echo In The Canyon, where they are members of the Echo In The Canyon Band. On this new album, Matt Tecu plays drums, percussion, scratching guitar and mouth bass; Fernando Perdomo plays guitar, bass, keyboards, electric sitar and percussion. And they have a couple of special guests on key tracks.

The album kicks off with "Low Hanging Fruit," which has a great driving rock sound. This is one of the tracks to feature a special guest. Rami Jaffee, whom you know from his work in Foo Fighters and The Wallflowers, plays organ on this track, delivering some cool stuff. This tune is a solid jam, one that seems designed to call us together, to get us on board, and to give us an idea of what might lie ahead. And it is fun. Then "Between The Sheets" establishes a cool, sly, and soulful vibe at its very start. This one will take you back to some of the best sounds and vibes of the 1970s, those seductive sounds from the years before sex became dangerous, and with some interesting touches that set it apart from albums from that period. It's all incredibly appealing.

"Club Lingerie" is the name of a club on the Sunset Strip, one that no longer exists. Here the beat is front and center, commanding our attention from the beginning, and driving us into the night scene. There is a wonderful combination of sounds here, some pop, some fuzz, some industrial, all working quite well together. There is something alluring about this track, making us feel a bit younger than we are. "Koko Sal" also begins with its beat, but goes in quite a different direction, with a more cheerful sound and vibe. This one feels like summer, feels like being outdoors, and having all the time in the world that the longer days seem to promise. Or at least that's how it felt when we growing up, like time was endless. And that's how this track feels. I love it. That's followed by "The Destiny Inn," which is also the name of an actual place in Los Angeles. This one has an electronic sound as it starts, and soon takes on a soothing, easygoing vibe. There is something relaxing about it, but also something that seems to invite a bit of romance. Perhaps a rendezvous at the motel? It ends up being another of the disc's highlights.

Then we get a track titled "Foreign Correspondent." I need to revisit the Alfred Hitchcock film at some point. This track too has something of a relaxed vibe, inviting us to slip into its world and let it take care of us, which of course is appealing. This one features some pretty work on guitar. It is followed by "Deflowers," which has a fun pop sound with a delightful, youthful energy and some delicious work on bass. Partway through, it takes on a funkier sound, becoming even more enjoyable. At times, this one feels like it should have lyrics, like it's the instrumental version of a hit song. Then that is followed by a song that does have vocals, "Tarte A La Creme." That's special guest Cheyenne Crowe, who delivers the lyrics in French, in a spoken word manner. I don't speak French, but there is almost always something appealing in hearing the language, especially when spoken by a female voice. The music here has a dreamlike quality. At the end, the instruments drop out, leaving just the voice for a moment. This is the album's only track to feature vocals.

Things get kind of funky with "Sweat Weather," a wonderfully playful title, the opposite of sweater weather. We're often in sweat weather here in Los Angeles, and certainly are now. I suppose depending on what you're doing, sweat weather could be anytime, for there is something sexy about this music. Rami Jaffee again joins the duo on this track, this time on Mellotron. The album then concludes with its title track, "Getting Warmer." It is indeed getting warmer here in L.A., though when I hear the phrase "getting warmer," I think of the games of childhood, when you've hidden something and let the other kid know whether he was getting warmer or colder. So in that respect, this is a positive thing, for we're getting closer. There is a slow, cool approach to this track, which makes perfect sense, for sometimes when it's hot, we can't move fast. We can hear the sizzling here, and we can feel it.

CD Track List

1. Low Hanging Fruit
2. Between The Sheets
3. Club Lingerie
4. Koko Sal
5. The Destiny Inn
6. Foreign Correspondent
7. Deflowers
8. Tarte A La Creme
9. Sweat Weather
10. Getting Warmer

Getting Warmer was released on March 28, 2025.

RSL: "Welcome To Keyser" (2025) Vinyl Review

RSL is the trio of Anthony W. Rogers, Jay Stickley and Bart Lay, all of whom live in Keyser, West Virginia. You might know Anthony W. Rogers from his solo albums (such as 2023's High Five) and his project Babyflow. And if you do, you've also heard Bart Lay's work, for he plays drums on One Day (A Journal) and High Five. The trio's new album, Welcome To Keyser, which was released on vinyl, looks back to a specific place at a specific time, and the tales told within these tracks are ones that many of us can relate to, even if our place might be different, and our time slightly different too. I grew up in a small town in Massachusetts, and the people and events presented here are certainly familiar. Anthony W. Rogers plays guitar, bass and keyboards, and provides vocals; Jay Stickley plays guitar, keyboards and percussion, and provides vocals; Bart Lay plays drums and percussion, as well as various electronics, and provides vocals.

Side A

This album opens with "Roll On Potomac," which has a wonderful, appealing, pleasant folk rock sound, a sound that itself takes us back to the early 1970s, particularly that great vocal performance, and the song's story takes us back even further, to the youth of the previous generation. The song tells the story of a town "halfway 'tween steel and D.C." I love the way this track grows, its sound and its passion building. I also appreciate the way the backing vocals provide support, like the people of the town joining in, perhaps representing "friends who couldn't make it to today." It ends with the line, "It's gonna be just fine," a line we need to hear and desperately want to be true these days. And, really, it's up to us. Then "Keyser Crew" has more of a rock sound, with a punk element to the vocal approach. After the line, "Cops can't see me 'cause my headlights aren't on," there is the sound of a police siren, indicating just how wrong he was. As this song looks back, there is a youthful energy, as if taking us to that time; yet simultaneously, there is within that sense of looking back a bit of distance and wisdom, so putting us in two times at once. We all did some crazy stuff back in our youth, and if we were caught, there were always other kids to blame it on. This one also ends with a line that stands out, "I'll never be through," a line that colors our experience of the rest of the song, and brings the two times together.

There is something of a 1970s rock thing happening in "Keyser Girls 2," fitting for its subject, for this one too is about the past. Its first lines take us back to high school: "I walked 'cross the playground/High school began." And I love these lines: "Back in the days when we made it all up/Like a radio signal to a mountain top." Then after a fun instrumental section (that even includes hand claps), the line changes to the present: "Now it's today and we make it all up" (the lyrics sheet has that line as "when we make it all up," but I've listened to it several times, and I'm pretty sure he is singing "and" there). That's followed by "Summersong," which starts with some dark whispering. That odd beginning sets the tone for the track, for this one doesn't then settle into any normal realm. And that whispering occurs again later in the song, then with references to The Beatles: "Here comes the sun, little darling." This song ends rather suddenly with a depressing final line, "As my dreams of tomorrow extinguish today."

"The Playground Stage (Ass Kick Tag Song)" has an ominous vibe, which is interesting, because it's about kids on a playground. But that is a part we tend not to think of too much in our reminiscing of youth, how kids could be awful to each other, how games got violent sometimes. "'Cause they're teaching/Learning the sadistic ways/To enjoy it/The suffering." I can't help but assume the kids that were assholes on the playground have grown up to be Trump cult members and ICE agents. There is a heavy edge to this one. The first side then concludes with "Coming Undone." Here is a taste of the lyrics: "Coming undone/He comes riding the blue unicorn/Orange barrels in a rounded form/Trying to grab as much of himself/Before he comes back down." Coincidentally, a topic at work two days ago was our old acid days (well, perhaps not so old for some involved in the conversation), and how music always played an important role in those trips. But "Gone are the days I could go so far/Responsibility keeps my feet on the ground." Things begin to fall apart, and time unravels, that final section featuring some good work on drums.

Side B

The second side opens with an instrumental piece titled "Potomac Valley Jecho (Interlude)," which has a somewhat contemplative air, lost in thoughts or memories, or rather one persistent memory, presented in striking colors, like the golds of a bell ringing or leaves falling. That's followed by "Somebody Someday," its first lines being "If somebody wants to be somebody/Somebody's got to pay." This song, especially the vocal work, takes me back to some of the music I heard while growing up in the 1970s, which is the point. When growing up, we all talked of leaving, and most of us did. But I am surprised by just how many people remained. "They're mapping out tomorrow/But way back home/They're not looking for tomorrow." That leads straight into "Never Before (The Legend Of Roy Plummer)," which has a harder sound, coming on with a jarring force. There is more of a raw edge to this one. "People are never who you think they are/Like you've never seen them before." We probably all know some people who went wrong and came to bad ends. I do. Not a close friend, mind you, but a kid who lived down the street from me, who ended up getting stabbed to death. By the way, a special insert is included in the record's liner notes, a copy of a newspaper article about Roy Plummer, who shot himself following a standoff with the police. He is a guy that both Jay Stickley and Anthony W. Rogers knew when they were young; apparently Jay was friends with him. There is a wild energy to this song, and within this song is the idea that anyone in those circumstances could have gone in that direction.

"Always The Same" tells the story of a different character, one most of us can likely recall from early in our lives. "Then Johnny got older/And he became cooler/With every beer he pulled from the case/We all laughed/But no one seemed to notice/The times he fell down on his face." And the backing vocals singing "Everybody knows everybody" is great because of the two meanings: "Everybody knows, everybody" and "Everybody knows everybody." Both are true to a certain extent in a small town. This is another song to end with a memorable line: "Things don't change." I'm beginning to think that they really don't. That's followed by "Sad Song In Your Heart," a track with an unusual vibe, an electronic sound combined with vocal work that has a 1970s feel. "I got out at 25, realized I wasn't going to die/So that's when I came alive." Ah, I suppose a sad song in one's heart is much better than no song at all.

"Floating Down" opens with these lines: "Back in the daze of disconnection/We'd make our own days fun/Be talking face to face/Or call me on the telephone" (you see, kids, when we were growing up, we'd talk to someone face to face, which is not the same thing as Face Time on your mobile phone). This track has some good rock elements, and then a smoother, softer sound for the chorus, which works with the word and idea of "floating." It is a song that celebrates one's friends, those special folks who were with us in the beginning and are still with us. The record concludes with "Keyser Girls 1." Interestingly, "Keyster Girl 1" acts as a sort of reprise of "Keyser Girls 2." Go figure. It's a different version of the song, and there is a feeling of celebration here too, celebrating the girls and their memories. We probably all have specific girls in mind as we listen to this track, and in listening and remembering, we are also celebrating our own youth.

Record Track List

Side A

1. Roll On Potomac
2. Keyser Crew
3. Keyser Girls 2
4. Summersong
5. The Playground Stage (Ass Kick Tag Song)
6. Coming Undone

Side B

1. Potomac Valley Jecho (Interlude)
2. Somebody Someday
3. Never Before (The Legend Of Roy Plummer)
4. Always The Same
5. Sad Song In Your Heart
6. Floating Down
7. Keyser Girls 1

Welcome To Keyser was released on May 10, 2025 on Wildflow Records.