Romeo Void: "Live '81 - '85" (2026) CD Review

Romeo Void released three studio albums and an EP in the early 1980s, and had hits with "Never Say Never" and "A Girl In Trouble (Is A Temporary Thing)." Word was that their live shows were better than their studio releases, but a live album wasn't released until 2023. Titled Live From Mabuhay Gardens November 14, 1980, it was released on vinyl as part of that year's Record Store Day list, and also on CD. Now we are being treated to a second live album from the band, and, yes, this too is a Record Store Day release. Titled Live '81 - '85, it will be released as a double LP tomorrow. And it was released on CD today. The double album has one more track than the CD, that being "Myself To Myself." So if you want that song, you have to get in line tomorrow. According to the Record Store Day website, only 1,200 copies will be available, so I wish everyone luck. The band is made up of Debora Iyall on vocals, Peter Woods on guitar, Frank Zincavage on bass, Benjamin Bossi on saxophone, Larry Carter on drums, and Aaron Smith on drums. The liner notes include several photos, and I love that Peter Woods is wearing a Monkees shirt in one of them. The tracks here come from four different shows: 7/2/81, 10/25/82, 1/29/85 and 2/5/85. But they are not presented in chronological order.

The album starts with several songs from the October 25, 1982 show in Ann Arbor, Michigan. There is a short introduction: "The band you've all been waiting for. From San Francisco, California, Romeo Void." The band launches into "In The Dark," and Debora very quickly seduces us with her vocal performance. "Night is cool, your breath is hot/Sheets cover us, inside we soak/We crawl for what we want." The song has a cool, dark vibe. And I'm digging that work on sax, particularly near the end. That instrumental section is so good. That's followed by "Flashflood," a song from the band's second album, Benefactor, the saxophone playing a prominent role in establishing its atmosphere and vibe. Listen to the way Debora delivers the title line, "In your flashflood." The power, the emotion there is captivating, so alluring. It's easy to fall under this band's spell. And the saxophone reaches out during the instrumental section toward the end.

"Shake The Hands Of Time" was also on Benefactor. It's a delicious punk number. I love Debora's delivery here, the attitude behind it, the style reminding me a bit of some of Jim Carroll's work, actually. Everything about this song is cool, the track featuring some great stuff on sax and a good rhythm. "You gotta get that jerk off your mind, yeah!" There is a powerful ending, the crowd then understandably erupting with applause. The steady rhythm of "Not Safe" helps this song take hold of us. This song is from the 1981 EP Never Say Never. "I'm not sorry," Debora shouts. This track contains some interesting stuff on saxophone. And then I love the saxophone work at the beginning of "Undercover Kept." This song from Benefactor has a different feel, with more of a pop element, and a sort of spoken word delivery at times. "The drinks aren't stiff/I know what is/Here comes Henry/He's watching my baby/Why don't you give up on me?" Wow, this track will remind you of just how fucking cool this band was. This group should have lasted longer than it did.

We hear someone shout, "White Sweater" and the band goes right into that song, which features some wild, passionate work on saxophone at the beginning. So damn good! We hear the rowdy, excited crowd shouting out some other things in a soft moment early in the track. Then the drums drive the song into a faster section, and the track builds in power, a force that carries everything it touches along with it. And then suddenly, bam, a brief pause before the groove takes over again. And in that moment, in the release of that moment, the crowd cheers. This song was on the band's first LP. It's followed by "S.O.S.," a song from Benefactor. It has some beautiful, kind of mesmerizing work on saxophone at the beginning, almost like something you'd expect from a violin or maybe clarinet. "Try to stay sober." Ah, no chance of that these days. Here Debora is haunting, holding us with the charisma you might associate with Jim Morrison. I wish I could have seen this band in concert. They did have a couple of reunions, but for whatever reason I missed them.

Every song so far has been great, and now we get one of the band's biggest numbers, "Never Say Never." Everyone knows this one, even people who might not recognize it by name. The audience, of course, recognizes it the moment the band begins it. This song is just so fucking cool. "Slumped by the courthouse with windburnt skin/That man could give a fuck/About the grin on your face/As you walk by, randy as a goat/He's sleepin' on papers/But he'd be warm in your coat/I might like you better/If we slept together/I might like you better/If we slept together." Yeah, now you remember. That's the last song from the October 25, 1982 show. The next song, "I Mean It," comes from the July 2, 1981 show in Albany. This is a song from the band's first album, and it's dark, slow, sexy. "Curled in your neck, arching my back, I taste you again/In any embrace, there certainly is a limited view." There is some great stuff on saxophone here. Even that instrument has a hypnotic quality. But especially check out the guitar work here. This is the only song from that 1981 show.

Then we move to 1985, first to the February 2nd show in Berlin for "Billy's Birthday," a song from the band's 1984 record Instincts. It's a good song, perhaps not as exciting as what has preceded it, but still featuring some excellent work on saxophone and a good vocal performance. If you listen on headphones, you'll hear another voice speaking in your left ear at times. The disc then switches to the London show from January 29, 1985 for "Just Too Easy," another song from Instincts. This one has more power. "It was just too easy to break your heart," Debora sings. And we know she is telling us the truth. We feel it wouldn't be difficult for her to break any heart she wished broken. Then it's back to the Berlin show for "Say No." It's interesting that this album goes back and forth between these two shows. This song is also from Instincts. There is a terrific energy to this song. The kind of song that will knock you down if you get in its way. I love that instrumental section in the second half, particularly the saxophone. And then we go to London again for "Instincts," the title track to the band's 1984 LP, which has a mellower vibe as it starts, the saxophone setting the tone. Check out the song's first lines: "I don't trust my eyes/They're so easily swayed/Beauty is anxious to be seen a certain way/To be soothing to conceal the problems of the day." Those are some excellent lyrics. And the style of the song helps to place the focus on the lyrics.

The rest of the tracks are from the Berlin show, beginning with one of the band's hits, "A Girl In Trouble (Is A Temporary Thing)," a song from Instincts with more of a pop flavor which is obvious from the beginning. This is a song that remains relevant. Here is a taste of the lyrics: "There's a way to walk that says 'Stay Away!'/And a time to go around the long way/A girl in trouble is a temporary thing." There is  a good groove, and, yes, as you're expecting by now, some cool work on saxophone. Debora introduces the band before "Out On My Own," and when she introduces herself, I realize I've been mispronouncing her name all these years (the accent is on the second syllable). Anyway, this song is another of the disc's highlights. There is a tremendous energy and intensity, both to the music and to her vocal performance. "As the years went by I learned not to cry/I walked away with my head held high/I can remember when I thought it was good/And I remember when they left me, it was for good." This is fantastic, and just gets better and better. I love that drumming, the bass line. And the song takes off into a whole other world toward the end. A stunning number.

A delicious rhythm is established at the beginning of "Six Days And One." This is another gem, which is clear from the beginning. Again, how did this band not soar for another decade after this? This track is tremendous, even before Debora comes in on vocals. It grabs you and does not let go. "And I find as I add up these long days without you/Distance equals loss plus time." That excellent rhythm is at the core, and Debora's vocal performance is one of great need. She opens herself here, her veins spilling their contents before us. And the band takes us beyond any barrier we thought stood before us. This is an incredible track, another of the disc's highlights. The CD (but not the record) concludes with "Chinatown," a song from Benefactor. It's a fun number with a good energy. "It's a history lesson, my money's missing/It's how I get my pleasure." Well, I tell you, this album is giving me a tremendous dose of pleasure. If you already love this band, obviously you're going to want to add this album to your collection. And if you're not yet familiar with this band, this disc will cause you to fall madly in love with these guys.

CD Track List

1. In The Dark
2. Flashflood
3. Shake The Hands Of Time
4. Not Safe
5. Undercover Kept
6. White Sweater
7. S.O.S.
8. Never Say Never
9. I Mean It
10. Billy's Birthday
11. Just Too Easy
12. Say No
13. Instincts
14. A Girl In Trouble (Is A Temporary Thing)
15. Out On My Own
16. Six Days And One
17. ChinaTown

Live '81 - '85 was released on CD on April 17, 2026 through Liberation Hall.

Rock The Plaza: Concert To Save The Historic Plaza Theatre In Palm Springs (2025) CD Review

The Plaza Theatre opened in Palm Springs in 1936, its first event being the film premiere of Camille, the George Cukor film starring Greta Garbo and Robert Taylor. And that was just the beginning of its storied existence. But of course no matter how much history a building has, at some point it will require renovations. On November 11, 2022, a special concert was held to raise money to fund the needed renovations for the Plaza Theatre. That concert featured Alice Cooper, Joshua Homme and Paul Rogers, among other artists. And now, renovations completed and the venue back in business (Lily Tomlin and John Waters will be there this week), an album of that concert is being released. A double album on vinyl was released as part of Black Friday Record Store Day, and the CD is coming out December 5th. The house band for the event included Spike Edney on keyboards and vocals, Brian Ray on guitar and vocals, Pete Thorn on guitar and vocals, Jon Button on bass, Matt Sorum on drums and vocals, Teddy Andreadis on keyboards and vocals, Eric Singer on drums and vocals, Sheryl Cooper on backing vocals, and Vanessa Amoros on backing vocals.

The album kicks off with Alice Cooper performing "No More Mr. Nice Guy," a song from the 1973 record Billion Dollar Babies. He delivers a good rendition, even if his vocals are a bit rough at moments. The lyrics that always stand out to me are these: "I went to church incognito/When everybody rose/The reverend Smith, he recognized me/He punched me in the nose/He said, 'No more Mr. Nice Guy.'" Alice Cooper follows that with "I'm Eighteen," from the 1971 album Love It To Death. "Well, I've got a baby's brain, I've got an old man's heart." I loved this song when I heard it growing up, but it is somehow even more powerful now, more meaningful hearing it from a different perspective, and I hope that teenagers and people in their early twenties are still getting exposed to it now, reminding them that their brains are not quite fully developed (something it seems they are unaware of). "I'm eighteen/I get confused every day." At the end of the song, he jokes, or clarifies, "Now, I was singing 'eighteen,' not 'eighty.'" It's crazy that Alice Cooper isn't all that far from eighty now. 

Alice Cooper next gives us "Under My Wheels," a song from Killer. It's interesting that he chose all early 1970s songs. This one is probably the wildest, most exciting of the songs he plays here, and it features some excellent guitar work and some good backing vocals. "Okay, this is a sing-along," he then says in introducing "School's Out." "If you don't know this song, you never went to school." Indeed. Who didn't love this song? It was the title track to Alice Cooper's 1972 record. That was the year I was born, and when I was in high school, we were still blasting it and shouting it. And he delivers a strong rendition here, with some outstanding stuff on guitar. Toward the end, the song segues into Pink Floyd's "Another Brick In The Wall, Part 2." You know, the "We don't need no education" song. On the CD case, it is listed as "Another Brick In The Wall." And then he goes back into "School's Out." There is some fantastic energy here. "Thank you," he says at the end. "Let's save this theatre."

Joshua Homme, from Queens Of The Stone Age, delivers a fun rendition of David Bowie's "Let's Dance," the title track to his 1983 record (what a good year that was for pop music, the year of Syncronicity, War, She's So Unusual, Sports, Rebel Yell, Colour By Numbers and Murmur). Joshua does a great job with the song. He certainly has the vocal chops for it. Joshua, by the way, was born in Palm Springs. He then takes things in quite a different direction, covering "Somethin' Stupid," a song recorded by Frank Sinatra. Nancy Sinatra had joined Frank on his 1967 recording of the song, and here Joshua Homme is joined by Orianthi. They give us a wonderful rendition. Matt McKenna joins the group on acoustic guitar, delivering some excellent work.

Orianthi performs a cool rendition of "These Boots Are Made For Walkin'," her voice containing all the necessary attitude. Orianthi is then joined by Brian Ray on vocals for the duet of Sonny & Cher's "I Got You Babe." It might seem an odd choice, but remember, Sonny Bono was the mayor of Palm Springs for four years. And, besides, it's a wonderful song. Who can dislike this song? The crowd is clearly digging it. That's followed by Joshua Homme covering Gerry Rafferty's "Right Down The Line," this track featuring some nice work on both keys and guitar, as well as a good, prominent bass line. That in turn is followed by "I Sat By The Ocean," a Queens Of The Stone Age song from that band's 2013 album, ...Like Clockwork. It was also released as a single. This one too includes a strong bass line, which is part of the song's appeal.

Paul Rodgers is introduced as "One of the greatest throats in all of rock and roll," which is wonderful. He starts with an excellent rendition of "Can't Get Enough," which was Bad Company's first single and the lead track on the band's self-titled debut LP. I need to revisit those Bad Company albums. I listened to this music a whole lot when I was growing up. And listening to this song now, I find it totally holds up. After the song, Paul tells the crowd, "We all love Palm Springs, and we all love this particular theatre." He follows that with a cover of Sam & Dave's "I Thank You." I especially like the second half of this rendition, when things get looser. That's followed by "Feel Like Makin' Love," a single from Bad Company's second LP, 1975's Straight Shooter (which was the first Bad Company album that I got). This is a really nice rendition, and I love his vocal work here. Plus, the song still has the power during the chorus that I recall from my childhood. "Yeah, nice singing," he tells the crowd just before the end of the song. But what is particularly impressive is Paul Rodgers' singing on this one. This track is one of the disc's highlights for me.

Then, interestingly, we get the second David Bowie cover of the album, "Rebel Rebel," here performed by Jay Nailor. He is backed by Joby Pritzker on acoustic guitar, Bernt Bodal on bass, and Eric Singer on drums. Jay delivers a good, energetic rendition. Alice Cooper then covers The Who's "My Generation," doing the stutter and all. This song still totally rocks, which, of course, you'd expect anyway in Alice Cooper's hands. This is a very cool rendition. The disc concludes with Paul Rodgers singing "All Right Now," Free's big hit, and another excellent rock song. For those who might not recall, Free was the band Paul Rodgers was in before Bad Company. This song was a staple of the Massachusetts rock radio stations I listened to while growing up, and it always hit me just the right way. I'm glad to find it still does. There is a section toward the end with vocals over a steady pounding on the drums. This is a great way to wrap up the album.

CD Track List

1. No More Mr. Nice Guy - Alice Cooper
2. I'm Eighteen - Alice Cooper
3. Under My Wheels - Alice Cooper
4. School's Out/Another Brick In The Wall, Part 2 - Alice Cooper
5. Let's Dance - Joshua Homme
6. Somethin' Stupid - Joshua Homme and Orianthi
7. These Boots Are Made For Walkin' - Orianthi
8. I Got You Babe - Orianthi and Brian Ray
9. Right Down The Line - Joshua Homme
10. I Sat By The Ocean - Joshua Homme
11. Can't Get Enough - Paul Rodgers
12. I Thank You - Paul Rodgers
13. Feel Like Makin' Love - Paul Rodgers
14. Rebel Rebel - Jay Nailor
15. My Generation - Alice Cooper
16. All Right Now - Paul Rodgers

Rock The Plaza: Concert To Save The Historic Plaza Theatre In Palm Springs was released on vinyl on November 28, 2025, and is scheduled to be released on CD on December 5, 2025 through Omnivore Recordings.

Ronnie D'Addario: "Written By" (2025) CD Review

Ronnie D'Addario is a songwriter and musician who is known for his solo work (he started recording in the 1970s) and also for his work with Tommy Makem. It's on the Tommy Makem albums that I first heard his playing when I was a teenager getting into the folk scene. At this point, Ronnie is also known because of the work of his sons, Brian and Michael, better known as The Lemon Twigs. The new album, Written By, features The Lemon Twigs (they also produced the album). It was put out on vinyl as a limited release on Black Friday (as part of Black Friday Record Store Day), and will receive a CD release in early December. In addition to The Lemon Twigs, this album features some special guest artists, including Todd Rundgren and Sean Ono Lennon. As the album's title promises, all the songs were written by Ronnie D'Addario. Some of the songs are ones that Ronnie had recorded and released on earlier discs and is now revisiting, while other songs had never been recorded before. By the way, Ronnie D'Addario also has a song on the new two-disc Raspberries tribute, Play On.

The album opens with "Intromental," and as its title suggests, this track is an instrumental intro, featuring some sweet guitar work by both Ronnie D'Addario and Brian D'Addario. Brian also plays both bass and mandolin, and Michael is on drums. There is a pleasant, uplifting folk vibe to this piece. Michael D'Addario then sings lead on "A Very Short Dream." Ronnie and Brian provide backing vocals, and the harmonies are a big part of the track's appeal. Also, Kaitlin Wolfberg plays violin on this track, adding to the song's beauty. "Some days you feel as though/You've been 'round forever/Other times it seems/Like a very short dream." Oh yes, and sometimes it somehow feels like both simultaneously, though mostly it is like a very short dream, much too short. Why do we waste so much of our little time? These lines, in particular, stand out: "One day you're mapping out/Big plans for the future/Next you're thinking about/Dreams that didn't work out." This song, by the way, was the title track to an earlier Ronnie D'Addario album, released in 2015.

Darian Sahanaja (of the Wondermints and Brian Wilson's band) sings lead on "Be Like Him," while Ronnie provides backing vocal work. Brian plays several instruments on this track, including electric piano, organ, marimba, bass, guitar, chimes and drums. Probyn Gregory plays trumpet. This is a totally catchy song. "If you want to help somebody else/Don't forget to first work on yourself." That's followed by "Not Today." There is a certain Beatles influence heard on this track. Michael sings lead on this one, and plays drums. I especially like the drumming on this one. Brian is on piano, guitar, bass and synthesizer. No one other than the brothers performs on this track. "I gave it everything I had/You let it end/Now you feel bad."

Special guest Todd Rundgren sings lead on "I See The Patterns," with Ronnie on backing vocals and organ. Kaitlin Wolfberg joins again on violin, and Cameron Carrella plays trumpet. The track begins with some nice work by Brian on piano. It's a song about a problematic relationship, which the guy is now bringing to a close. "One defining day/You're gonna say to yourself/Why am I alone/Without the only good thing that I had/Why? Where was I when it went bad?" And it's about hoping that she'll one day understand just what her behavior has cost her. I suppose everyone is in that position at some point, though I wonder if any of us actually learns if that moment arrives for the other person. This song was on Ronnie's A Very Short Dream album. That's followed by "5th Of July." Like "Not Today," this track is all Lemon Twigs. No one other than brothers Brian and Michael performs on this one. And it is another strangely catchy song. "No light in the sky/I sit and cry/5th of July." This track features some nice moments on guitar. And that "sha la-la la-la" vocal part at the end is wonderful.

Mac DeMarco joins The Lemon Twigs on lead vocals for "Love's Won Me Over," a thoughtful, slower number. Ah, may love win everyone over before too long. "I'm at a loss in this world alone/I'm at a loss goin' it on my own/So at a loss - that was me before/Felt like a loser, but not anymore." This track contains some soothing harmonies. Then Matt Jardine joins Ronnie on vocals on "Don't Wait For Yesterday," a song that was the lead track on Ronnie's Time Will Tell On You. "Don't hold out hope that/He'll return/Don't you ever learn/He took all you had to give/Forget him. Start to live." And the song's narrator offers his own love. This is a sweet, gentle pop song (it feels like something The Beach Boys could have recorded). Ronnie delivers some nice work on organ. And actually he plays all the instruments on this track.

Brian sings lead on "My Old Self Again," a song I'm guessing a lot of folks will be able to relate to, especially in this time of anxiety and depression. It's about looking at yourself and suddenly not recognizing yourself, and wondering just how the darkness took over. "Who is this dark stranger/Consumed with gloom and anger." There is also the question of how related a certain amount of madness can be to one's creativity. "Who is that old tired/Lost soul once so inspired/It might have been there lurking/Inside my head just waiting/When something bad set it off." This is a fascinating and fantastic song, one of my personal favorites. Ronnie had included it on A Very Short Dream. Kaitlin Wolfberg is on violin on this track, and Cameron Carrella is on trumpet. Then special guest Sean Ono Lennon sings lead on "So That's How It Is." He is a perfect choice of vocalists, for there is something of a Beatles vibe to this song. Ronnie is on backing vocals, and also plays guitar, bass and organ. "So that's how it is/I can't believe it's come to this/You're not saying, 'Stay. Don't go'/Nothing so/That's how it is." Both Kaitlin Wolfberg and Cameron Carrella play on this track too. And, yes, it is another of the disc's highlights. I love that guitar work at the end.

Ronnie is on lead vocals for "Tree Stumps," and also plays guitar and bass. The song begins with some really nice work by Brian on piano. This track also features guest Katie Sheele on oboe, that instrument giving this song a delightful, timeless sound and helping to make this track yet another highlight. "Tree stumps lined along the ground/Look like tombstones all around." That's followed by "Heavenly Night." This track is all Lemon Twigs, all the instruments played by Brian and Michael. It kind of eases in, and then picks up a wonderful energy on the chorus. "Got a heavenly night/It's a night to be shared/And the setting is right/Love's in the air." It all comes down to love, doesn't it? Why else are we here? That chorus makes me happy. The album wraps up with a good, delicious rock song, "If I Were You," with Ronnie on lead vocals. Both Ronnie and Brian play guitar on this one, and there is some excellent guitar work here. I'm digging Brian's work on bass too. "Man, if you're asking me to tell you true/I'd keep her away from me if I were you/But since you asked what I would do/That's what I would do." A fun way to end the album.

CD Track List

1. Intromental
2. A Very Short Dream
3. Be Like Him
4. Not Today
5. I See The Patterns
6. 5th Of July
7. Love's Won Me Over
8. Don't Wait For Yesterday
9. My Old Self Again
10. So That's How It Is
11. Tree Stumps
12. Heavenly Night
13. If I Were You

Written By was released on vinyl on November 28, 2025, and is scheduled to be released on CD on December 5, 2025 through Omnivore Recordings.

Warren Zevon: "Epilogue: Live At The Edmonton Folk Music Festival" (2025) CD Review

Los Angeles recently held a tribute concert to Warren Zevon, and a CD tribute album is scheduled to be released in January. And for the Black Friday version of Record Store Day, a special Warren Zevon double album is being released. Titled Epilogue: Live At The Edmonton Folk Music Festival, this album contains Warren Zevon's set from August 9, 2002, which happened to be his final concert performance (apart from a short set on David Letterman's show). So historically it's an important show. But it also happens to be a really good show. It features a few of his most beloved songs, including "Lawyers, Guns And Money," "Poor Poor Pitiful Me" and "Werewolves Of London," along with some other gems. It was not a full-band show, but rather a duo show, with Matt Cartsonis joining Warren Zevon on acoustic guitar, electric guitar, dulcimer, banjo, fiddle and backing vocals. This release also contains special liner notes written by Matt Cartsonis, with him sharing his memories of the show and of his time with Warren Zevon. If you don't manage to get a vinyl copy of this release on Black Friday, no worries, for it is also being released on CD in early December. 

The set opens with "Lawyers, Guns And Money," a great song from a great album, Excitable Boy. In this duo setting, the song has a more intimate feel, and somehow those opening lines are even more striking here: "Well, I went home with a waitress/The way I always do/How was I to know/She was with the Russians too?" And it is still a lot of fun, a song that is completely engaging. "Yes, I'm down on my luck," he sings, and we all kind of feel it these days. That's followed by "I Was In The House When The House Burned Down," with Warren Zevon delivering some nice stuff on harmonica at the beginning. And speaking of strong opening lyrics, check out the lines which start this one: "I had the shit 'til it all got smoked/I kept the promise 'til the vow got broke/I had to drink from a loving cup/And stood on the banks 'til the river rose up/I saw the bride in her wedding gown/I was in the house when the house burned down." There is a fantastic energy to his vocal performancer, and there is more good stuff on harmonica throughout the track. This song comes from Life'll Kill Ya, released in 2000. It is one of my personal favorites from this live recording.

There is then some stage banter, which is presented as a separate track and given the title "I Don't Play Too Many Festivals." Warren Zevon certainly shows his sense of humor, telling the crowd: "I feel privileged to be able to play this Edmonton Folk Festival. I don't play too many festivals. I don't play too much folk music. And I don't really go outdoors very much." The audience laughs, of course. He also introduces Matt Cartsonis, who came up from Los Angeles. "I don't know exactly how you feel about Los Angeles up here. I don't really care." Nice! He then delivers a cover of Joni Mitchell's "A Case Of You," a song from her fantastic Blue album. It is a beautiful love song about a love that is already over, and its opening lines contain a reference to Shakespeare's Julius Caesar: "Just before our love got lost/You said I'm constant as the northern star." "But I am constant as the northern star" is a line that Julius Caesar says in the first scene of the third act, just before he's killed. "If you want me, I'll be in the bar" is a funny line that I think of whenever I'm at a place I'm not all that interested in being. But those are not the lines that especially stood out to this Edmonton crowd. Not only is Joni Mitchell from Canada, but this particular song mentions her country: "I drew a map of Canada/Oh, Canada." Perhaps that influenced Warren's choice, perhaps not, but that line gets a cheer from the Canadian audience. Warren Zevon delivers a wonderful rendition. "I could drink a case of you." That leads straight into "Detox Mansion," a song from Warren Zevon's Sentimental Hygiene, released in 1987. "Now I'm doing my own laundry/And I'm getting those clothes clean." There is a somewhat humorous delivery of that line, particularly the word "clean." There is also a great energy to this number, even an intensity to the playing. "Well, it's tough to be somebody/And it's hard not to fall apart," he sings here. Indeed. And, perhaps surprising in a duo setting, this song becomes a sort of wild jam. That helps make this track one of the disc's highlights.

"Hit Somebody! (The Hockey Song)" comes from My Ride's Here, which at the time was Warren Zevon's new album, having been released just a few months before this concert. Before he starts the song, someone in the audience shouts something to him. He responds, "Say what, you love me?" He then jokes, "Then I will test your love." At the song's first mention of hockey, there is an audible cheer. Aw, Canada. This song also mentions Canada directly: "What else can a poor boy from Canada do?" "But he wasn't that good with the puck/Buddy's real talent was beating people up/His heart wasn't in it, but the crowd ate it up." Warren is on piano for this one. He also plays piano on "Werewolves Of London," always a favorite. This is a playful rendition. At one point he sings, "Werewolves of Edmonton again." And I love his surprisingly straightforward delivery of "Hey, I'd like to meet his tailor" here. Warren Zevon is clearly having a good time with the song. At one point he comments wryly, "Folk music," then adds, "English folk music."

Warren Zevon remains on piano for "For My Next Trick I'll Need A Volunteer," a song from Life'll Kill Ya. I love the humor of Warren Zevon's music. Check out the opening lines from this song: "Well, I can saw a woman in two/But you won't want to look in the box when I'm through." So, any volunteers? "I can pull a rabbit out of a hat/I can pull it out, but I can't put it back/I can make love disappear," he tells us. This track also features some good stuff on harmonica. The next song, a short number titled "A Tune With No Name," was composed by Matt Cartsonis, his only composition on this album. It's a cool banjo instrumental tune. Some folk music for the folk festival crowd. There is some playful banter at the end of the track. "We're going to play a brand new song for ya," Warren then tells the audience. "I just wrote this a few weeks ago, and I thought it would utilize Matthew's extraordinary banjo pyrotechnics." The song is "Dirty Life And Times," and indeed it features some good work on banjo. "This is not on any album," Warren adds. But it would end up on 2003's The Wind, Warren Zevon's final studio album. This is yet another of the disc's highlights. "And sometimes I wonder what tomorrow's gonna bring/When I think about my dirty life and times."

"Poor Poor Pitiful Me" is a song from Warren Zevon's self-titled 1976 album, a song that was a big hit for Linda Ronstadt. It's a song that first finds him laying his head on railroad tracks before learning the train doesn't come through anymore. That's rough. I'm digging this folk rendition, with Matt on fiddle. In this version, Warren sings, "I met this girl in West Edmonton" instead of "West Hollywood." That's followed by "Play It All Night Long," a song from Bad Luck Streak In Dancing School, with Matt again on fiddle. "Grandpa pissed his pants again/He don't give a damn/Brother Billy has both guns drawn/He ain't been right since Vietnam." This is a fantastic song, with a sort of urgency to the vocal delivery. The disc concludes with a traditional number, "Canadee-I-O." "We've gone to reasonably great lengths to learn a real folk song for you," Warren tells the audience in the song's introduction, adding that he learned it from listening to Nic Jones. He delivers a beautiful, passionate vocal performance.

CD Track List

1. Lawyers, Guns And Money
2. I Was In The House When The House Burned Down
3. "I Don't Play Too Many Festivals"
4. A Case Of You
5. Detox Mansion
6. Hit Somebody! (The Hockey Song)
7. Werewolves Of London
8. For My Next Trick I'll Need A Volunteer
9. A Tune With No Name
10. Dirty Life And Times
11. Poor Poor Pitiful Me
12. Play It All Night Long
13. Canadee-I-O

Epilogue: Live At The Edmonton Folk Music Festival is scheduled to be released on vinyl on November 28, 2025, and on CD on December 5, 2025 through Omnivore Recordings.

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.

Cavestomp! The Garage Rock Festacular! Presents A Torrent Of Talent! Volume One! (2025) Vinyl Review

Record Store Day had a particularly good selection of releases this year. And if you didn't want to get up at four or five in the morning to wait in line for some new records, I completely understand. The good news is that some of those records are still available at various record stores, and are certainly worth taking the time to hunt down. One such release is Cavestomp! The Garage Rock Festacular! Presents A Torrent Of Talent! Volume One! that was released through Org Music. Cavestomp is a series of special concerts that started in the late 1990s featuring great garage rock bands. Recordings of some of those performances have been released, and this record collects songs from performances from 1997, 1999 and 2007. Some of the bands you know, but others might be less familiar to you. All should be heard.

Side 1

As the album starts, Peter Zaremba (of The Fleshtones) delivers a brief introduction of The Hate Bombs, which includes the line "Don't you believe that nothing good ever comes out of Orlando," which made me laugh. And then, bam, the fun begins. The Hate Bombs have a fantastic energy as they perform "She Bit Me," a song released as the flip side to the band's "Ghoul Girl" single. The song includes howls and fiery guitar work, and has a power capable of tossing you against the walls of your home. And it's over so bloody quickly. Then Jake Cavaliere of The Bomboras joins them for "Wrong Place, Wrong Time," a song from The Hate Bombs' Hunt You Down album. On the compilation's record jacket, the band for this track is listed as "The Hate Bomboras," a combination of the two bands' names. The energy is high on this track too, and I imagine the crowd at this show must have found itself in a joyous frenzy, where a brain leaps out of its skull and flies up into the rafters, crashing into other free-range exploding brains.

Near the beginning of this recording of "Let's Talk About Girls," we hear "Oh yeah" at just the time that we're saying the same thing, because the song feels so good, so right. This is The Chocolate Watchband, one of the bands you probably know. It's such a cool track, particularly that vocal performance. And yeah, let's talk about girls. At one point the word "girl" is amended to "women," as in the original rendition from The Chocolate Watchband's No Way Out album, released in 1967. "I got to love 'em all, not just a few." What a project that would be! That's followed by "All Black And Hairy" from The Gravedigger 5. It sounds a bit like what the Rolling Stones might have been if they'd stuck with garage rock, the vocals having something of a Mick Jagger thing happening. After the line "I knew I was free," he repeats, "Free," and it's almost frightening, the twisted joy in the delivery of that word.

The Hentchmen come on like they have to fit their entire set, and all its energy, into the span of two minutes. The song is appropriately titled "Life Story," and it is one impressive display of spirit. These guys are here to rock and tear things apart. And I'm digging that loose work on keys. It feels like the instrument is going to blast apart at any moment. Things are held together by sheer determination, the band staying like three seconds ahead of possible destruction. It's a fantastic performance! Then The Mooney Suzuki gives us "Heart Attack Blackout," which comes on strong. "You make me want to holler/You make me want to shout/You're giving me a heart attack blackout." Oh yes! The audience could sing those very lines to the band, for I'm guessing the music is making them holler and shout. This is solid rock and roll with a punk energy.

The band Lyres is introduced, and the song "7" begins with a good beat, this one more closely showing its blues roots. It's very cool and raw. I like how the beat remains at its center, a place they can return to when needed. The band released this song on a single in 1995. The final song of the first side of the record is "Monk Time" a song that was included on the 1966 album Black Monk Time. All the tracks on this compilation are great, but this one in particular stands out as a highlight. This song is a driving force designed to pummel any obstacle, real or imagined. Holy moly! The lyrics are delivered as a wild rant, and in this version, they tell us, "We haven't been anywhere in thirty years and all of a sudden we're here," this right before commenting, "James Bond, who was he?" The original version mentions the Vietnam war, "Why do you kill all those kids over there in Vietnam?" But here Gary Burger changes it to simply, "Why do you kill all those kids over there?" The first side concludes with Lenny Kaye (known for his guitar work in the Patti Smith Group, and also for the original Nuggets compilation) telling the crowd, "It's a nugget if you dug it" and "This music is alive and well."

Side 2

As on the first side, Peter Zaremba introduces the first band on the second side of the record as well, The Brood, a group from Portland, Maine. They perform "Come On, Come On" (here listed as simply "Come On"), a wild, raw, totally delicious song that was on the band's Beyond The Valley Of The Brood album. "When you left me, I almost died/But since that day, I've done nothing but cry." I especially love the drumming on this track, but there is also a really good guitar lead. That's followed by The Secret Service doing "Biff Bang Pow!" (here listed as "Biff! Bang! Pow!" which makes me think of the old Batman show, which I loved). "Biff, bang, pow!/Gonna scream and shout." This is a song that The Creation included on the 1967 LP We Are Paintermen (the same record that features "Making Time"). The Secret Service included the song on the compilation Power And Volume. The live version here moves at good clip, and features a delicious jam. Maybe things start to disintegrate toward the end, but no worry, for that beat will carry us through.

From The Mosquitos we get "Let's Stomp," perhaps a theme song of sorts for this album. "Hey baby, get your stompers on." This is one of my personal favorites, with its early rock and roll flavor and that great bass line. The record moves then into another dance song. Yes, from the Stomp to "The Flop," this one from The Swingin' Neckbreakers. It was included on the band's Kick Your Ass album. Obviously the song has a playful title. And how is the dance done? "All you have to do is swallow your pride," we are instructed. I love it! I love the humor of this one. "Flop flop floppity flop." Then "54/40 Or Fight" (here listed as "54 40 Or Fight") has a hardcore punk energy, so just hold on, if you can. This song is by Dead Moon, who included it on the 1989 album Unknown Passage. "I've got a queasy feeling in my guts/Can't you see that I've had enough/Everybody sets me off/Man, I'm over the edge." There is a haunted element to the vocal delivery, as if death is lingering at the edge of the stage. It's like these guys believe if they rock hard enough, the spectre will flee, and by the end perhaps it has.

"No More" from The Greenhornes feels like some great jam right out of the late 1960s, though actually it's from a 1999 album titled Gun For You. So there. Things are explosive, yet joyful, everyone living right on the edge. I'm digging that work on keys. That's followed by "Run Better Run" by The Cheepskates. This is a totally fun song, one you might know. It was the title track of The Cheepskates' 1984 album. "I see your face in every mirror/I see you walking up and down the street/I know it's you that's been following me." This one too features some cool stuff on keys. And then there is a song you almost certainly know. "Sometimes Good Guys Don't Wear White" by The Standells (here titled "Good Guys Don't Wear White"). If you aren't familiar with the song, you surely know the band. Their "Dirty Water" is played at the end of Red Sox games at Fenway. "Sometimes Good Guys Don't Wear White" was included on the Dirty Water album, and also found a spot on The Best Of The Standells. On this track, we can hear the crowd singing along with the title line. This is great! And it features a strong vocal performance. "Good guys, bad guys, which is which?" This excellent compilation concludes with The Sonics giving us a great rendition of "He's Waiting," a song that was included on the 1966 LP Boom.  "It's too late (it's too late)/You lied (you lied)/Now you (now you)/Will cry (will cry)." This is wild, with a phenomenal vocal performance and some great stuff on guitar. This track is just bloodywonderful!

Record Track List

Side 1

1. She Bit Me - The Hate Bombs
2. Wrong Place, Wrong Time - The Hate Bomboras
3. Let's Talk About Girls - The Chocolate Watchband
4. All Black And Hairy - The Gravedigger 5
   
5. Life Story - The Hentchmen
6. Heart Attack Blackout - The Mooney Suzuki
7. 7 - Lyres
8. Monk Time - The Monks

Side 2

1. Come On - The Brood
2. Biff! Bang! Pow! - The Secret Service
3. Let's Stomp - The Mosquitos
4. The Flop - The Swingin' Neckbreakers
5. 54 40 Or Fight - Dead Moon
6. No More - The Greenhornes
7. Run Better Run - The Cheepskates
8. Good Guys Don't Wear White - The Standells
9. He's Waiting - The Sonics

Cavestomp! The Garage Rock Festacular! Presents A Torrent Of Talent! Volume One! was released on April 12, 2025 through Org Music.

Clarence White: "Melodies From A Byrd In Flyte 1963-1973" (2025) Vinyl Review

It's that special time of year again, friends. Days are getting warmer. Baseball season is in swing. And we have our wish lists for Record Store Day written out and ready to go. There are some excellent selections this time around, including Melodies From A Byrd In Flyte 1963-1973, a collection of great tracks from Clarence White, known for his work in The Kentucky Colonels and The Byrds. This record includes early bluegrass songs, as well as tracks from his time with The Byrds. These are mostly instrumental numbers. The first side features Clarence White on acoustic guitar, the second side on electric guitar. On each side, the songs are arranged in chronological order. The album includes liner notes by John Delgatto, and is presented on clear white vinyl. It was previously available on CD and digitally as The Lost Masters 1963-1973, released in 2023.

Side A

This collection begins, as you'd expect, in the bluegrass realm, with an Eric Weissberg tune, "No Title Yet Blues," a song that would be included on the 1963 record New Dimensions In Banjo And Bluegrass by Eric Weissberg, Marshall Brickman & Company. Clarence White was part of the "Company," along with Gordon Terry on fiddle. The version included here is from a March 1963 rehearsal for that album. This isn't one of those fast-paced bluegrass numbers, but rather a more thoughtful piece. But still, there is some strong playing, particularly by Eric Weissberg on banjo and by Clarence White on guitar. That's followed by a faster-paced guitar instrumental, "Fire On The Mountain," with Clarence White joined by Roger Bush on rhythm guitar. This contains some impressive and very cool playing. It is listed as a "Guitar Instruction" on the record jacket, and it's clear he has a lot to teach us.

"(Now And Then There's) A Fool Such As I" is a sweet number, with a nice, easygoing vibe that makes me think of players on a porch or in someone's back yard, picking away as the day passes into night, though time somehow never really passes. Things are good whenever music like this is playing. This song was written by William Trader, and the track features, in addition to Clarence White, Tut Taylor on dobro, Roland White on mandolin, Gary Carlson on rhythm guitar, and Victor Gaskin on bass. The track comes from a studio rehearsal from 1964. The record then jumps ahead to 1967, for the first of the record's tracks written by Clarence White, "New Soldier's Joy." This is largely a guitar piece, with Clarence delivering some great stuff, though at a certain point the other musicians take over, and we are treated to leads by Bob Warford on banjo and Roland White on mandolin.

"Yesterday's Train" is a song that was included on that untitled 1970 Byrds album. The version included here comes from a Byrds rehearsal held in May of 1970, and is the first track to include vocals. Gene Parsons is on vocals and rhythm guitar. This track also includes harmonica, though no harmonica player is listed on the record's jacket. This version, unlike the one on that untitled album, has a brief introduction on guitar. "Yesterday's train is rolling/Can you touch it through the mist/Did you meet someone on yesterday's train/Could you tell it with a kiss." That's followed by "Sally Goodin Meets The Byrds," a fun bluegrass number composed by Clarence White that would be included on The Byrds album Byrdmaniax, there under the title "Green Apple Quick Step." This track features Eric White Sr. delivering some delicious work on harmonica. Skip Battin's bass line makes me smile, its delightful simplicity. This track seems to be coming to an end at around the minute and forty-five second mark (which is approximately the length of "Green Apple Quick Step"), and then we get some more guitar work. The first time I listened to this record, I thought it might be something separate.

"Casper Creek" (also known as "Banjo Dog") is another fun tune, written by Gene Parsons, who delivers some really good work on banjo. Clarence White plays both mandolin and rhythm guitar on this track. The first side ends with a tune recorded just days before Clarence White's death, "Alabama Jubilee," and it's a great one. The group of musicians playing here is outstanding, and includes Herb Pedersen on rhythm guitar, Byron Berline on fiddle, Alan Munde on banjo, Lee Sklar on electric bass, Roger Bush on acoustic bass, Ed Green on drums, and Roland White on mandolin. I especially love Byron's work on fiddle. Holy moly! This track certainly sounds like a jubilee, like a celebration, seeming to promise the good times were only beginning and were never to end. Oh, if only.

Side B

The album's second side, the electric guitar side, opens with a cover of Bobbie Gentry's "Ode To Billie Joe," turning the song into a seriously cool jam, with a great, loose feel. There are no vocals to this rendition, Clarence's electric guitar taking on what would be the vocal line. Gene Parsons is on drums on this track, and on most of the tracks on this side. I've always liked this song, but it was never one I would have thought as particularly cool. Well, this recording presents a fresh view of this song. This recording is from July of 1967. Then we get a Roustabouts recording of the Buck Owens song "Buckaroo," an instrumental tune composed by Bob Morris. The Byrds also covered this song, and you can hear their version on Live At The Fillmore February 1969. There is some wonderful work on this track. Plus, this is just one of those pieces of music that elicit a smile from anyone who listens. The Roustabouts, by the way, were a country band that Clarence White was a member of. Dennis Mathes is on pedal steel, Bo Wagner is on drums, Jim Alley is on bass, and Richard Arlen is on rhythm guitar.

Clarence White was a member of another country band, Nashville West, with Gib Guilbeau on rhythm guitar, Gene Parsons on drums, and Wayne Moore on bass. That group also had a song titled "Nashville West," putting them in that category with Bad Company, I See Hawks In L.A., They Might Be Giants and several other bands who had songs sharing their band names. The version of "Nashville West" included on this record comes from January of 1968. It's another cool, but short jam. By the way, The Byrds also recorded this song. That's followed by a Byrds track, "Byrd Jam" (which is also known as "White's Lightning"). This one fades in, so was already in progress, and the band is rocking here. This one was composed by Clarence White and Roger McGuinn. And it fades out, making me wonder just how long the full jam is, where it ends up going, and also where it came from.

"Around The Barn" has vocals, but the track's full personnel is not listed on the jacket, just Clarence White on guitar and Gene Parsons on drums. The lyrics are simply repetition of the song's title, along with some goofiness. This is just fun, and I love it. It comes from a jam session in March of 1969. This fantastic record concludes with "I'm On My Way Home Again," recorded during a rehearsal with the Everly Brothers in April of 1969. It includes some banter at the beginning about how the song should go, with some suggestions. And we learn this is the first take. Gene Parsons and Gram Parsons also play on this track. Gene Parsons is not on drums here, but instead on banjo. Bob Rafkin is on drums, and Jerry Scheff is on bass. Don Everly and Phil Everly are on vocals. The Everly Brothers released this song on a single in 1969. This track is perfect for those who need a reminder of just how damn good the Everly Brothers were.

Record Track List

Side A

1. No Title Yet Blues
2. Fire On The Mountain
3. (Now And Then There's) A Fool Such As I
4. New Soldier's Joy
5. Yesterday's Train
6. Sally Goodin Meets The Byrds
7. Casper Creek
8. Alabama Jubilee

Side B

1. Ode To Billie Joe
2. Buckaroo
3. Nashville West
4. Byrd Jam
5. Around The Barn
6. I'm On My Way Home Again

Melodies From A Byrd In Flyte 1963-1973 is scheduled to be released on April 12, 2025 (Black Friday) through Liberation Hall.

Eramus Hall: “Lost And Found” (2024) Vinyl Review

Eramus Hall was a Detroit-based funk and soul band that released only two albums during its existence. The first, Your Love Is My Desire, which came out in 1980, was re-issued earlier this year through Org Music and Westbound Records, and on yellow vinyl no less! The band’s second album, Gohead, was released in 1984. And that was it, at least until Black Friday, when Lost And Found was released. This record contains rarities and previously unreleased tracks, and the music is presented on transparent smoky vinyl. I do wish there were liner notes letting us know which tracks are the rarities, and which were previously unreleased. But that is of little matter. What is important is that the music is wonderful. The band is made up of Joe Anderson on bass and vocals; Charmie Currie on soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone and vocals; Michael Gatheright on piano, keyboards and lead vocals; Grady Smith on trumpet and vocals; William Tillery on alto saxophone and vocals; James Wilkerson on trumpet, flute, percussion and lead vocals; Marvin Williams on guitar and vocals; and Ronald Wright on drums, percussion and vocals. The record contains mostly original songs.

Side A

The record opens with “Determination,” written by Michael Gatheright, Grady Smith and Marvin Williams. After an interesting and brief opening moment on guitar, it becomes a smooth, cool number, with some disco elements, particularly in some of the percussion work. “Love has its doors open for you/Opened wide, asking you to come through.” Isn’t that what we all want to hear? And we learn that determination is the key. Things then get fun and funky with “Dance To Our Music,” written by James Wilkerson and Ronald Wright. This is exactly what I was wanting when I put this record on. “So come on, everybody, yeah, and dance, dance, dance, dance.” It would be difficult to keep from dancing while this song is playing. Everything about it is working perfectly. I love the beat, love the bass, love the work on keys, love the vocals, everything. And these guys jam on it for a bit. “And when you dance to our music, we put you in the mood.” Oh yes, no question. This track is a total delight, my favorite of the first side of the record.

“Life Has Meaning” grabs me with that intro, in part because I’m not sure what direction it’s going to take, and I’m curious. After that previous track, I’m on board with whatever these guys decide to do. Soon this one takes on a steady beat, one to dance to, and features some bright work from the brass section. It also includes some delicious tangents. I love the drumming throughout the track, but especially during that instrumental section. The band then takes us back to that smoother place with the first side’s final track, “Nice, Smooth, Easy,” a title that seems to describe the music perfectly, as well as the attitude. At the beginning it is almost like a chant of those three words, or mantra, delivered with several shades of cool. How can you help but dig the track? And it turns out to be a love song. “She looks as beautiful as the light of the morning sun.”

Side B

The second side opens with a delicious, fun dance number, “Do The Rock.” When I looked at the track list for the first time, I thought this was going to be a cover of the Tim Curry song, but that is called “I Do The Rock” (why does no one cover that song?). Interestingly, this song came out the same year that the Tim Curry record came out, 1979. This song, written by Rudy Robinson and James Wilkerson, was released as a single. There’s not a whole lot of lyrical content to this one, but that is okay. That’s not what it’s about. “Everybody’s coming close together/Just do, just do the rock.” Okay! I’m not sure how to do the rock, but no matter, my body just wants to move and groove to this track. That’s followed by a cover of “Who’s Makin’ Love,” written by Homer Banks, Bettye Crutcher, Don Davis and Raymond Jackson, and originally recorded by Johnnie Taylor. “Who’s making love to your old lady while you were out making love?” They give us a great, heavy, funky rendition, the bass at the heart of the action, just as it should be, and featuring some great drumming.

“Mr. Softy” has a kind of adorable opening, like we’re about to enter Mr. Rogers’ land of make believe or something. Then a great groove takes over. “Got chocolate, vanilla, strawberry too/Any kind of flavor that tastes good to you.” Yes, it’s a song about ice cream, and that opening was actually a variation on the Mister Softee ice cream truck jingle. This is silly and delightful, and it’s making me wish an ice cream truck would drive by. I’d love some soft-serve vanilla right about now. The song is over all too soon. The record concludes with “Better Days,” another fun, playful, funky number. “Better days are coming around,” they tell us. And soon they ask, “Who can say tomorrow won’t bring those better days?” I’m not sure. But it’s hard to disagree with the next line, “One thing for sure, you know the sun will rise.” I worry that this country is heading toward pretty bad days, toward a much worse place, but I’m determined not to take that ride down. Instead, I’m going to let music like this keep me up.

Record Track List

Side A

1. Determination
2. Dance To Our Music
3. Life Has Meaning
4. Nice Smooth Easy

Side B

1. Do The Rock
2. Who’s Makin’ Love
3. Mr. Softy
4. Better Days

Lost And Found was released on November 29, 2024. By the way, the track list on the Record Store Day website is incorrect. It lists “Hard Luck” and “Beat Your Feet,” and not “Nice Smooth Easy,” “Who’s Makin’ Love” or “Mr. Softy.” I’m not sure what “Hard Luck” is, but “Beat Your Feet” was the flip side to “Do The Rock” and it is oddly just a variation of “Do The Rock,” where instead of shouting “Do the rock,” they shout, supposedly, “Beat your feet,” though actually it sounds like they’re singing “Beat your meat,” which makes much more sense.

Johnny Bragg: “Let Me Dream On” (2024) Vinyl Review

This year I just couldn’t bring myself to get out of bed early enough to stand in line outside the record store on Black Friday, even though the list of releases for that day was pretty damn fantastic. But I still managed to get a few gems. One of the records I was particularly excited about was Johnny Bragg’s Let Me Dream On. If you’re not familiar with Johnny Bragg, he was the leader of the band The Prisonaires, which in 1953 had a hit with “Just Walkin’ In The Rain,” released on Sun Records and featuring Johnny’s gorgeous vocal work (Johnnie Ray had an even bigger hit with it a few years later). The band’s name, by the way, was because its members were all incarcerated. Johnny Bragg had been in prison in Tennessee since the mid-1940s, when he was a teenager. He had always insisted on his innocence, and his sentence was commuted in 1959 (though he’d soon be back in prison for violating parole). Several other recordings were made by Johnny Bragg, including many that were never released. That is, until a few weeks ago when Let Me Dream On came out. The record contains fifteen of the tracks from tapes that had been stored in a shed for decades, tapes that included rehearsals, alternate versions of songs, and live recordings. Most of the songs included here were written or co-written by Johnny Bragg.

Side A

“Sometimes I’m lonely, sometimes I’m blue,” Johnny Bragg sings at the beginning of “Take Away The Heartache (Let Me Love Again),” the album’s first track. Oh yes, we all have those moments. And we need to have that one special person to call out to in those times. And then Johnny Bragg pleads, “Take away the heartache/Kiss away the pain/Make my life worth living/And let me love again.” Then one letter is changed, and he sings, “Let me live again,” a line delivered almost as an afterthought that first time. He turns in a beautiful, moving performance. How was this left unreleased for so long? “Take Away The Heartache (Let Me Love Again)” is followed by “She’s Mine,” a fun, lighter number, a love song that begins with some advice: “Gather around, fellas, let me tell you a thing or two/Get you a girl who will be true to you.” He then describes that special woman, who, as he admits, is a plain woman. “Believe me, fellas, that’s where it’s at.”

“Is It True, Darling’?” finds him asking his woman if another man has taken his place, if the rumors are true. “If I did something so wrong/Please forgive me, forgive me/If I did something so wrong/I beg you to forgive me, darling.” Hearing that earnest, passionate vocal delivery, I can’t imagine any woman would deny him that forgiveness he sought. But he still has trouble believing that she would move on, and at the end is asking, “Is it true, darling, is it true?/I got to know, I got to know/Is it true, is it true, is it really true?” That’s followed by “I’ll Never Forget You.” He announces the song’s title at the beginning, and his vocal performance is supported by nice work on piano and bass. “With all of my heart, I believe we will meet again/And when we do, this is what I recommend/Let’s love one another.” Then “I Saw It Coming” is a track that seems like a rehearsal, the lyrics delivered a cappella as he keeps time with some tapping, some snapping. “I made a big mistake, and I know I got to pay/You know how the story goes when you’re poor/But if I ever get on my feet again/I will think twice next time who’s my friend.” And he offers this warning: “What happened to me, it could happen to you.” It’s a powerful track.

“Baby, if this is but a dream/I’m satisfied with dreaming,” Johnny Bragg sings at the beginning of “If This Is A Dream (Let Me Dream On),” this one also delivered a cappella. And what a moving performance! This is one of the best of the record. He sings, “If this is a dream, I pray it lasts forever,” then “If this is a dream, please let me dream on,” which is the song’s final line and gives this collection its title. That song is followed by “It Isn’t Right,” his vocals supported by cool work on organ, giving the song a certain energy. But it is still his great vocal performance that drives the song. “Oh my darling, you know I’ve been true/And there’s nothing I wouldn’t do/If I knew it would bring you back to me.” I believe him. And listen to the way he delivers that last line, “I would cry, but I don’t have any more tears.” The first side then ends with a delicious rock and roll number, “Rock It, Shake It,” which features some nice work on keys. “It’s even got the old folks on their feet.” Hey, am I old now? Oldish, I suppose. “All I want to do is to rock all day,” Johnny Bragg sings in the second half. Me too. After a short nap, of course.

Side B

The second side opens with “Hurt And Lonely,” a song that was written by Johnny Bragg and Dorothy Wade, and one which Johnny Bragg would release as a single. Some cool guitar work gets this one going, and as with the first song on the other side, this one uses the word “lonely” in its first line: “I was hurt, hurt and lonely/When my friend took my love from me.” This is a slow, beautiful number with a heartfelt, passionate vocal performance. And that performance makes this one of the album’s best tracks. That’s followed by “I’ve Got To Stop Trying.” The vocal work here is also outstanding. “If I’m with someone new/My heart is still with you/I can’t pretend I’m gay/I just don’t feel that way/I’ve got to stop trying/To find someone new/I’ve got to start finding/My way back to you.” This is so pretty, so sweet, and is another of my favorites. Then “It’s Been A Beautiful World (Since I Found You)” features some really good guitar work. “Once my life was so lonely, sad and blue/And heaven only knows, dear, what I went through.”

Johnny Bragg starts rocking again with “Let’s Rock, Let’s Roll,” a song he wrote with Leon Luallen. This one contains some fun stuff on keys. It’s the sort of song you expect from Little Richard. Seriously, I wouldn’t be surprised to learn he covered it at some point. There is a great energy, like a party you feel the has been going on for a while, and will go on for a great while longer. “Let’s bop, let’s flip, let’s flop, let’s walk, let’s stroll, let’s sing.” That’s followed by “If It’s Over.” Here he sings, “If it’s over, tell me so/I can’t hold you if you want to go.” This might be the album’s best and most moving vocal performance, and that’s saying something. His vocals are supported by good stuff on keys. We wonder if maybe he’s fooling himself when he sings, “Someday things I know will change/Darlin’, you’ll come back and be mine again.” And at the end, he says he’ll wait for her. Sweet, but sad. This track is another of the record’s highlights.

This record contains a live recording of “You Know It Ain’t Right,” a song written by Deadric Malone (Don Robey), and recorded by Joe Hinton (and several other artists). There is the feeling of a party as this version by Johnny Bragg begins, and the song emerges from that atmosphere. You might find yourself clapping along and echoing “Know it ain’t right” (or, “No, it ain’t right”?). This is a totally enjoyable track. The record ends with another cover, “How Great Thou Art.” Johnny Bragg delivers it in his own special way, taking a more intimate approach, giving an honest performance. It then builds from there, becoming powerful.

Record Track List

Side A

1. Take Away The Heartache (Let Me Love Again)
2. She’s Mine
3. Is it True, Darlin’?
4. I’ll Never Forget You
5. I Saw It Coming
6. If This Is A Dream (Let Me Dream On)
7. It Isn’t Right
8. Rock It, Shake It

Side B

1. Hurt And Lonely
2. I’ve Got To Stop Trying
3. It’s Been A Beautiful World (Since I Found You)
4. Let’s Rock, Let’s Roll
5. If It’s Over
6. You Know It Ain’t Right
7. How Great Thou Art

Let Me Dream On was released on November 29, 2024 through Org Music.