Kelly Willis And Bruce Robison: “Our Year” (2014) CD Review

Kelly Willis and Bruce Robison both have had successful careers as solo artists and songwriters. Bruce’s material has been performed by the Dixie Chicks, George Strait and Tim McGraw (who all scored #1 country hits with his songs). Kelly Willis had a role and performed in the film Bob Roberts. She also had a song in the film Thelma And Louise, and recorded with Jay Farrar. The two teamed up in marriage nearly a decade ago, but apart from a holiday record did not put out an album together until last year (Cheater’s Game). Their new album together, Our Year, is an excellent album of folk and country. The songs are mostly covers, including tracks by T. Bone Burnett and The Statler Brothers. They alternate lead vocals duties, but of course harmonize so well together.

Our Year opens with “Departing Louisiana,” a song written by Robyn Ludwick, Bruce Robison’s younger sister. Bruce Robison sings lead on this sweet, delightful tune, which features Eamon McLoughlin on mandolin. The opening lines are: “Departing Louisiana/There ain’t nothing here for me/But my old man, he don’t see it quite like me.” As I mentioned, Bruce and Kelly’s voices blend beautifully, particularly on the line “Sleep don’t come in Louisiana.” For some reason, even just the way they sing that one line brings me a smile to my face. There are also nice touches on harmonica. (Robyn Ludwick’s original version can be found on her 2005 release, For So Long.)

Harmonica kicks off “Motor City Man,” a groovy, fun country tune, which Kelly Willis sings lead on. Here is a taste of the lyrics: “Now high school plan, be a Motor City man/Working night or day/’Cause no matter who you are, you got to have a car/In the USA.” Yes, it’s a good song to be listening to while on the road. This one was written by Walter Hyatt.

"Carousel"

“Carousel” is a wonderful, mellow tune whose rhythm feels like an old horse slowly trotting across the plains, which is such an interesting feel, considering the song’s title. It’s like a carousel that’s about to be retired – it still moves steadily, only more slowly than it once did.  “Comes a time when music has to stop/It’s the end of the ride/You step off the carousel/And say goodbye.” And the carousel metaphor for the world itself gives a delightfully sad image of the world, of life, of relationships. “The world just goes around and round and round/It’s such a crazy game/But people love a carousel/And no one is to blame.” Nice, eh? Bruce sings lead on this one, and co-wrote this song with Darden Smith. There is also some really nice work by Eamon McLoughlin on fiddle.

Kelly sings lead on “Lonely For You,” which is more of an upbeat country rock tune. This is a fun song, with some nice work on harmonica and fiddle. In this song she tells the guy to ignore any rumors about her, that she’s only lonely for him. It has an interesting ending, becoming mellow, even thoughtful, as it fades out. Kelly co-wrote this one with Paul Kennerley.

T Bone Burnett

Bruce and Kelly do a wonderful rendition of T Bone Burnett’s “Shake Yourself Loose.” On this one, they each sing lead vocals on a verse, Kelly taking the first verse. Kelly turns in a particularly excellent vocal performance on this track. There is also some nice work on steel guitar by Geoff Queen. T Bone Burnett’s original version can be found on his 1986 self-titled album.

"Harper Valley PTA"

“Harper Valley PTA” might seem like an odd choice of covers, though I suppose hypocrisy has never really gone away, even if the PTA has. (Does the PTA still exist? I don’t actually know.) Anyway, Bruce Robison and Kelly Willis do a really good job with it. As you might guess, Kelly sings lead. By the way, if you’ve never seen the film that was based on the song, consider yourself lucky.

One of my favorite tracks is “Anywhere But Here,” a song that Bruce co-wrote with Monte Warden. This is kind of a beautiful tune, with some wonderful work on fiddle. “Any life that was worth living/Any moment without fear/It’s getting harder to remember anywhere but here.”

The Zombies

Our Year concludes with the title track, “This Will Be Our Year.” This is an absolutely gorgeous and moving rendition of the Zombies song. Their voices sound perfect together, full of love and hope. “This will be our year/Took a long time to come.” Oh yes, I love this song.

CD Track List

1. Departing Louisiana
2. Motor City Man
3. Carousel
4. Lonely For You
5. Hangin’ On
6. Shake Yourself Loose
7. Harper Valley PTA
8. Anywhere But Here
9. I’ll Go To My Grave Loving You
10. This Will Be Our Year

 Our Year is scheduled to be released on May 27, 2014 through Thirty Tigers and Premium Records.

Alanna Gurr And The Greatest State: “Late At Night” (2014) CD Review

Late At Night is the second full-length album from Alanna Gurr And The Greatest State, a band based in Guelph, Ontario. This album is a delightful mix of folk and country, with some early 1960s pop elements present on a couple of tracks (particularly “Golden Coast”).

The first thing that strikes me is Alanna Gurr’s voice. There is something youthful and innocent, almost childlike about the way she sings “Swimmer,” which works in a truly interesting way with the lyrics, especially lines like “I’m not a kid no more.” It’s a sweet, mellow tune to open the album. “Take me out and throw me in…let’s see if I can swim” We all reach that point, where we have to find out what we’re capable of.

“By My Side” has a cool, kind of early 1960s feel to the groove at the beginning, then with touches of country. This is a truly pretty and wonderful tune, and the line “Yeah, you’re always by my side” has such a comforting feel to it. The backing vocals added to that line are a nice touch. This song makes me happy, and is one of my favorites from this album.

The repetition of the title line in “Hell Or High Water” - “That I would walk through hell and high waters for you, babe” - has a strong, peculiar effect. After a few times through, other voices join her, adding to the strength and power and earnestness of the line. And the sweet, sad tones of the pedal steel beneath the vocals give the song a mellower, more wistful feel. It all works to such a strong effect on the listener.

I love Alanna’s vocals on every track, but perhaps my favorite vocal performance on the album is that of “It’s Been A Long Time.” While still maintaining its warmth and honesty, her voice also has a bit of a cry at moments. Here is a taste of the lyrics: “I know your touch and I know your hands/Better than I know my own/And I know your stories, and I know your songs/When I hear them, I feel at home/But it’s been a long time since I’ve seen my love.”

“Golden Coast” is much closer to pop, and I suppose that’s at least partially why it was chosen as the album’s first single. It has a bright feel, with 1960s pop elements to its rhythm, which makes it fun. There are even hand-claps in this one at one point. But it is the delightful “ooh ooh” backing vocals that really make me love this track. There are some wonderful lyrics. I’m particularly fond of these lines: “I left my pictures in a tear-stained note/Remember me however you want/But I know that I’ll be remembering you” and “Well, tonight I’m going to drink to you/Then I’ll probably just drink a few more.”

"Weight Of Love" begins as pure folk, with a nice traditional feel, then takes on more of a country vibe when the other musicians come in for the instrumental sections. There is a sad sweetness and a sweet sadness to this tune. It's about a couple who haven't seen each other in a while. “Even though I’m in your heart and you’re in mine.” And at the end, she sings, “Will you think of me and the love we've had/So when you think of me, it won't be so bad/And when I think of you and all the love we knew/And when I think of you, it won’t be so sad.”

"Trouble" has a gorgeous, kind of darker vibe that really pulls me in. The song builds just right so that when the electric guitar takes a short but glorious lead spot, you are ready and eager for it. (I wish it went on a bit longer.) This is one of my favorite tracks. "And we all can toast to getting what we want."

Late At Night concludes with "Thunder Rolls," a nice, mellow song in which Alanna sings, “I’m tired of waiting/I’m tired of asking/When are you going to go and leave me now?” That leads to such a pretty instrumental section. The other instruments then quite down before her vocals return. That’s something I really appreciate about these recordings. Her voice is allowed to tell these stories, to be the most prominent element when it needs to be. It’s not competing with other sounds. Yeah, I'm kind of in love with her voice.

CD Track List

1. Swimmer
2. By My Side
3. Hell Or High Water
4. It’s Been A Long Time
5. Golden Coast
6. Weight Of Love
7. Trouble
8. Thunder Rolls

Musicians

Alanna Gurr performs lead vocals and plays guitar. The Greatest State is Joseph Gallo, Jr. on bass; Micheal De Paola on drums; and Matt Monoogian on pedal steel, guitar and vocals. Joining them on this release are Gordon Auld on vocals; Jessy Bell Smith on vocals; Daniel Romano on organ, guitar and vocals; Ian Romano on drums and vocals; and Raven Shields on vocals.

Late At Night was released on April 22, 2014 on Missed Connection Records.

Eddie Kendricks: “Love Keys” (1981/2014) CD Review

Recently several records from David Ruffin’s solo career were issued on CD by Real Gone Music. And now for good measure we get the release of fellow Temptation Eddie Kendricks’ Love Keys, his 1981 record. Eddie Kendricks is known for his voice, the way he’d hit that falsetto. He sang lead, for example, on “The Way You Do The Things You Do” (one of my favorite songs).

This marks the official CD debut of Love Keys. Sure, there are some cheesy elements to some of the tunes on this album. This isn’t his best work, but there are still some really good tunes here. I’m particularly fond of “Bernadette” and “Looking For Love.” And yeah, some of these songs make me want to go rollerskating, especially “You Can’t Stop My Loving.” This was one of his final albums. Eddie Kendricks died of lung cancer in 1992.

Love Keys opens with “(Oh I) Need Your Lovin’,” a song with a nice funky dance groove, and featuring Eddie’s smooth vocals. “I just can’t wait to rush into your arms/Oh I need your lovin’/Oh I, I just can’t wait to be near you.” The horns give the song a more interesting feel. I particularly like the saxophone solo.  “(Oh I) Need Your Lovin’” was released as a single, and reached #41 on the R&B chart. It was written by Brian Holland and Eddie Holland.

Some disco elements are prominent in “I’m In Need Of Love,” giving this one a fun feel right from the start. Eddie Kendricks begins this one by singing, “I don’t need a new automobile/I’d rather have a home-cooked meal/I don’t need a new pair of shoes/I need someone to talk to when I’ve got the blues.” (Oh man, I do need a new pair of shoes. Being broke sucks.) I love the sexy spoken-word moment: “Come on, baby/Come on, sugar.” “I’m In Need Of Love” was written by Lou Courtney.

Lou Courtney also wrote “I Don’t Need Nobody Else,” which was released as a single. It has a mid-tempo groove and kind of a cheesy vibe, but with a sweet promise of fidelity.

“Old Home Town” is a love song that begins with the lines, “Oh, you’re so damn sweet to come home to/You’re just like an old home town.” Interestingly, this one has a bit of a country vibe to it which sets it apart and keeps it from feeling too sugary sweet. “Old Home Town” was written by David Pomeranz.

“Bernadette” is a lot of fun, with a good rhythm and nice backing vocals, including some deep bass vocals which come as a surprise partway through the song (“Come on and thrill me, Momma”). There is some nice stuff from the horns, though they never really lead this song. The vocals have that honor. This is my personal favorite track. It was written by Stuart Mitchell.

“Hot” is just pure fun, with a quick pace and a simple beat. I love the way the horns work with the vocals on this one. It's a playful tune. But, yeah, the spelling of “H-O-T” (in the line "H-O-T, hot as can be") is definitely cheesy, no question.

"Looking For Love" is one of the album's strongest tracks. I dig those little funky touches on bass. Plus, there are some nice touches on keys, particularly in the instrumental section. “We’re looking for love, I know/Looking everywhere we go/Taking it fast, taking it slow.”

CD Track List

1. (Oh I) Need Your Lovin’
2. I’m In Need Of Love
3. I Don’t Need Nobody Else
4. Old Home Town
5. Bernadette
6. You Can’t Stop My Loving
7. Never Alone
8. Hot
9. Looking For Love
10. In Love We’re One

Love Keys was released on CD on April 1, 2014 through Real Gone Music.

Patti LaBelle And The Bluebelles: “The Complete Atlantic Sides Plus” (2014) CD Review

The Patti LaBelle music I heard while growing up was her 1970s and 1980s pop output, stuff like “New Attitude” and “Stir It Up,” and of course “Lady Marmalade,” from the band LaBelle. I had never heard that band’s earlier material. But before they became LaBelle, they were Patti LaBelle And The Bluebelles, and put out some great music in the 1960s. The Complete Atlantic Sides Plus collects forty tracks recorded between 1964 and 1969. A lot of these are covers of well-known hits such as “Unchained Melody” and “Yesterday.” There is also some original material. And there are a few previously unreleased tracks on the second disc.

This is the best stuff I’ve ever heard from Patti LaBelle. I was always impressed by her voice, but was never much of a fan of her 1980s material. This two-disc set includes nearly two hours of music. There are liner notes by David Nathan.

Live Tracks

The Complete Atlantic Sides Plus opens with five live tracks recorded in July of 1964. (The sixth song from their set has been lost.) The first song is a surprise – the Irish ballad “Danny Boy.” I don’t think I’ve ever heard a doo-wop or soul rendition before. The live set also includes “Down The Aisle (The Wedding Song),” which had been a hit for the group the previous year. It’s a slow, pretty song.

“Patti’s Prayer”

“Patti’s Prayer” was co-written by Patti LaBelle, and it’s an incredibly gorgeous song, due mainly to her powerful vocal performance. I’m particularly fond of the chorus, when their voices blend so well. This is an excellent track, one of the collection’s highlights. I also really like “You Forgot How To Love,” as it has another strong, impressive vocal performance.

“Unchained Melody”

It makes sense for this group to cover “Unchained Melody,” a song that demands some serious vocal chops. And yes, the vocals are excellent on this rendition, but I wish they were allowed to carry the song more. There is a bit too much production in this version, and it takes away from the vocals. They also do a pretty good version of “Groovy Kind Of Love.”

There is a pretty innocence to the vocal approach at the beginning of “Try To Remember.” And then Patti really belts it out at certain key moments. The other women’s vocals have a playful quality (especially on “follow, follow, follow”).

They cover “People,” a song that always makes me think of Barbra Streisand, and I despise Barbra Streisand. So it’s just impossible for me to enjoy this song.

The Beatles’ “Yesterday”

“Yesterday” is one of the most covered pop songs, and Patti LaBelle And The Bluebelles do a wonderful rendition of it. The best moments are when their vocals blend. At those times, this version is absolutely gorgeous. I could, however, do without the others echoing Patti on “game to play” and “hide away.”

They do a pretty nice version of “More.” By the way, if you haven’t seen Mondo Cane, you should definitely check it out.

“Over The Rainbow”

But probably the best track on the first disc is their wonderful and delightful cover of “Somewhere Over The Rainbow.” This track boasts such an incredible vocal performance, standing out even among all the other excellent vocal performances in this collection. This is a tremendous rendition, with a great amount of emotion and soul.

The first disc ends with a very cool and fun version of Curtis Mayfield’s “Family Man,” another of my favorite tracks.

“Always Something There To Remind Me”

The second disc opens with “Always Something There To Remind Me.” The first version of this song I ever heard was that by Naked Eyes. I loved, and still love, that version, and it wasn’t until years later that I learned it was a cover (hey, give me a break, I was a child) and began hearing much earlier renditions. The version by Patti LaBelle And The Bluebelles is interesting. It begins slowly, then kicks in with a wild pace and energy. And yeah, I definitely dig it.

“Take Me For A Little While” is another really cool track on the second disc. It builds nicely, with some great peaks and valleys. “Every time you put me down, I love you more/I feel so helpless.” “Dreamer” is one of the most interesting tracks on this release. It was also the title track of the band’s 1967 Atlantic LP.

Original Material

In addition to “Patti’s Prayer,” there are a few other songs written by band members. “I Need Your Love” is an original tune, written by Nona Hendryx. She also co-wrote “Wonderful,” a groovy tune that producer Don Davis co-wrote. This collection also includes “Loving Rules,” which Sarah Dash wrote.

Previously Unreleased Tracks

This collection includes four tracks that were previously unreleased, including “How Can You Throw My Love Away,” “Forget It,” “Never For Me” and “When Joe Touches Me.” “Forget It” is a fun song with a good energy, written by Teddy Vann and Calvin White. My favorite of the previously unreleased tracks is “Never For Me.” “I’m going to make you my prisoner of love for all eternity.” Oh yes!

CD Track List

Disc 1

1. Danny Boy (Live)
2. That’s How Heartaches Are Made (Live)
3. Down The Aisle (Live)
4. One Phone Call (Live)
5. Where Are You (Live)
6. Patti’s Prayer
7. Groovy Kind Of Love
8. All Or Nothing
9. Who Can I Turn To
10. You Forgot How To Love
11. Unchained Melody
12. Ebb Tide
13. He
14. Try To Remember
15. People
16. Yesterday
17. More
18. Over The Rainbow
19. I’m Still Waiting
20. Family Man

Disc 2

1. Always Something There To Remind Me
2. I Don’t Want To Go On Without You
3. Take Me For A Little While
4. Tender Words
5. Dreamer
6. Oh My Love
7. I Need Your Love
8. He’s My Man
9. Wonderful
10. How Can You Throw My Love Away
11. Dance To The Rhythm Of Love
12. Pride’s No Match For Love
13. He’s Gone
14. (1-2-3-4-5-6-7) Count The Days
15. Forget It
16. Never For Me
17. Loving Rules
18. Suffer
19. When Joe Touches Me
20. Trustin’ In You

 The Complete Atlantic Sides Plus was released on April 1, 2014 through Real Gone Music.