Velvet Crush: “Pre-Teen Symphonies” (2016) CD Review

Velvet Crush is a rock band from Providence, Rhode Island, getting its start in 1989, and releasing its first full-length album in 1991. Probably Velvet Crush’s most popular album is Teenage Symphonies To God, released in 1994. Leading up to that album, the band recorded some demos, which are included on Pre-Teen Symphonies, along with some live tracks from November 1994. These tracks were previously available on the band’s own label, Action Musick, on Melody Freaks and Rock Concert. Now they’re available to a wider audience through this new compilation by Omnivore Recordings, with liner notes by drummer Ric Menck. Most of the songs were written by the band’s three members, Paul Chastain, Jeffrey Underhill and Ric Menck.

Melody Freaks

The first eight tracks of this compilation were previously included on Melody Freaks. These are demos of songs which, in large part, would end up on Teenage Symphonies To God. The disc opens with “Hold Me Up,” which would be the lead-off track on that album, and would also be released as a single. It’s a good, solid tune, with lines like “Time down the road/Nothing much to show/Suffer as the days/Linger on and on/Miles and miles away/You hold me up when I'm gone.” That’s followed by “My Blank Pages,” which also follows it on Teenage Symphonies To God. The lines that always stick out for me are “All I do, all I say, never close enough/All I do, all I know, doesn’t mean that much.” (Interestingly, those lines would be changed slightly on the album to “All I think, all I say, never close enough/All I know, all I do doesn’t mean that much.”)

“Time Wraps Around You” has a mellower, sweeter sound, and is one of my favorite tracks. This song would also be included on Teenage Symphonies To God. “This time wraps around you/And I'll wrap around you/You know I'll stay.”

“Turn Down” is one of only two songs on this CD not written by the band. It was written by Darren Cooper and originally recorded by his band, Three Hour Tour, and included on the Valentine’s Day seven-inch. It’s one of those positive, peppy-sounding pop songs, with the line “We’ll take something bad and turn it around.” And it works. I was in kind of a shitty mood the first time I put this disc on, and this track brought a smile to my face.  Of course, it’s followed by a song titled “This Life Is Killing Me,” a harder, rawer rock number that seemed more fitting to my mood that night with lines like “It's your saving grace, but it's not saving me” and “I can’t go out, the sky is closing in on me.”

There is a bit of 1960s jangly folk-pop to the sound of “Weird Summer,” another tune that would be included on Teenage Symphonies To God. It’s one of those tunes you can’t help but like. “Star Trip” kicks right in, without that intro on the album version. By the way, joining the band on the Melody Freaks tracks are Phil Hurley on guitar, Mike Deneen on keyboards, Mitch Easter on guitar and David Gibbs on backing vocals.

Rock Concert

The second half of this disc is from a concert the band did in Chicago in November 1994, and features live versions of some of the songs from the first half of the CD. These tracks were previously released as Rock Concert. The first track is “Window To The World,” an energetic rock number with plenty of guitar. Tommy Keene had joined the band at this point, adding another guitar and voice. This song was the lead-off track to the band’s first full-length release, In The Presence Of Greatness. It’s followed by “My Blank Pages,” with the lyrics to those lines I mentioned earlier delivered as they are on the album.

Also from In The Presence Of Greatness they do “Ash And Earth,” but most of the songs are from Teenage Symphonies To God, including “Time Wraps Around You,” an energetic rendition of “Atmosphere,” “This Life I Killing Me” and “Hold Me Up.” This CD ends with its second cover, “Remember The Lightning,” written by Ron Flynt and originally recorded by 20/20, included on that band’s first album. Velvet Crush does a really good, fun rendition. There isn’t much stage banter between songs, just some thanks and very brief song introductions (like “This song is called ‘Atmosphere’”).

CD Track List

1. Hold Me Up
2. My Blank Pages
3. Time Wraps Around You
4. Not Standing Down
5. Turn Down
6. This Life Is Killing Me
7. Weird Summer
8. Star Trip
9. Window To The World
10. My Blank Pages
11. Ash And Earth
12. Time Wraps Around You
13. Atmosphere
14. This Life Is Killing Me
15. Hold Me Up
16. Remember The Lightning

Pre-Teen Symphonies was released on July 22, 2016 through Omnivore Recordings.

Lawrence Blatt: “Longitudes & Latitudes” (2016) CD Review

I think it would be great to be able to travel over the entire world (well, there are a few places I would avoid), but sometimes traveling in our minds is the most we can manage. And that’s not so bad, particularly when the method of transportation is vibrant and interesting music. The new album from guitarist Lawrence Blatt, Longitudes & Latitudes, features mostly original material that Blatt wrote in various locations all over the planet. In the liner notes, he includes not only the name of the town where each piece was composed, but its longitude and latitude position. And these tunes do vary in style and feel, as influenced by – and perhaps evocative of – the places where they were composed. So each track is like a journey in itself. Some journeys are jubilant, like “I.M.A.,” others more meditative, like “The Places Left Behind.” Lawrence Blatt is joined by several talented musicians on this release, including Kelly Park on piano, Sam Bevan on bass and Jeff Haynes on percussion.

Lawrence Blatt opens the album with “Two Shades Of Sunshine,” a tune written in Makawao, Hawaii. As you might expect, this track has something of a relaxed and pleasant feel, though the alto saxophone rises high above the groove. That’s Premik Russell Tubbs on sax. “Two Shades Of Sunshine” is followed by the CD’s title track, “Longitudes And Latitudes,” the only track for which Lawrence does not give a specific location. Rather, he simply states “World” as the place where this one was composed. (No one can argue with the accuracy of that.) This one too has a relaxing feel, and is dominated by guitars, though at one point approximately halfway through the percussion takes prominence (and why not, as that’s Jeff Haynes on percussion). Will Ackerman, who produced the album, joins Lawrence on guitar.

Florence is a place I would love to visit, and it’s where Lawrence Blatt wrote “A Place In Your Heart,” a sweet and romantic tune that is like a magical and comforting breeze gently lifting us and carrying us away. “Hyde Park Bench” then just as gently brings us back down to Earth. As you probably figured from the title, this one was composed in London (though I suppose you might have guessed Los Angeles or Chicago or even – dear lord – Utah). This is a sort of duet with guitar and saxophone, and is quite pretty.

On “Two Steps Down The Line,” a tune written in Blatt’s hometown, San Francisco, Lawrence plays synthesizer as well as guitar, and Melecio Magdaluyo joins the band on alto saxophone. That track is followed by one of my favorites, “I.M.A.” (which stands for Indianapolis Museum of Art, where it was written). This track is an energizing, uplifting and pleasant journey, featuring Premik Russell Tubbs on woodwind. I love the joy to the music. Marc Shulman is on electric guitar, Sam Bevan on bass and Jeff Haynes on percussion. “Upon Griffy Lake” is the only track on this album to include vocals. That is, there is a voice, but no lyrics, and so without words, that voice is actually less constrained in expressing a joy, and there is a sense of freedom to the vocals. Blatt didn’t move all that far from the Indianapolis Museum of Art for this one, as the Griffy Lake Nature Preserve is located in Bloomington, just slightly southwest of Indianapolis. That’s Noah Wilding on vocals, by the way. Also joining Blatt on this track is Eugene Friesen on cello, an instrument I always appreciate.

My absolute favorite track on this disc is “Noches De Barcelona,” which not only features some wonderful work on guitar, but also some excellent playing on violin by both Charlie Bisharat and Lila Sklar. This tune is fun and beautiful, and switches gears partway through, going in a delightful new direction, with the violins really being the focus. And then there are some great touches from the horn section of Jeff Oster on trumpet and Jim Rothermel on alto saxophone. What more could you ask for? It’s followed by another of the CD’s highlights, “Flying Over Elis Island.” (No, I’m not sure why Ellis Island is spelled with just one l.) It eases in with some pretty work on guitar by Lawrence Blatt. Blatt is then joined by Charlie Bisharat on violin before the song kicks in to become a happy, bright number. Jim Rothermel adds some wonderful stuff on clarinet. And check out that bass by Sam Bevan.

This album concludes with a sweet, delicate rendition of “Over The Rainbow,” delivered on ukulele by Lawrence Blatt like a lullaby. This is the only song on the album that wasn’t written by Lawrence Blatt, but he does give a location for its composition: Lawrence, Kansas. This is a playful choice on his part, as the song was written in Los Angeles, though both songwriters – Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg – were originally from the state of New York.

CD Track List

1. Two Shades Of Sunshine
2. Longitudes And Latitudes
3. A Place In Your Heart
4. Hyde Park Bench
5. Open Fields And Running Water
6. Two Steps Down The Line
7. I.M.A.
8. Morning in Beerse
9. Upon Griffy Lake
10. The Places Left Behind
11. Park Lane
12. Noches De Barcelona
13. Flying Over Elis Island
14. Slow Walk Past The Bank
15. Over The Rainbow 

Longitudes & Latitudes was released on August 9, 2016.

Michael Gamble And The Rhythm Serenaders: “Michael Gamble And The Rhythm Serenaders” (2016) CD Review

Michael Gamble is a bass player and band leader with a sincere love for swing music. He runs the Lindy Focus annual swing celebration in Asheville, North Carolina, which brings together musicians and dancers for what sounds like one hell of an end-of-the-year bash. Following last year’s celebration, Michael Gamble And The Rhythm Serenaders recorded their first album at the Isis Restaurant And Music Hall, and did it live, without any overdubbing or processing, giving the music a great, spontaneous, living groove. This self-titled debut album is now available, and there is a tremendous amount of joy on these tracks. Most of these tracks are instrumentals, but the band is joined by vocalist Laura Windley on several tracks, and drummer Russ Wilson sings on a couple of tracks as well.

Right from the opening of the first tune, “Back In Your Own Back Yard,” this CD transports you to another decade, and consequently all your personal troubles in this decade disappear. Vocalist Laura Windley (of Mint Julep Jazz Band) does an incredible job of capturing the spirit of the music, or rather breathing it, living it, and in the process transferring it to us, thus raising our spirits. This track features Gordon Au on trumpet and Lucian Cobb on trombone, plus some nice smooth work on electric guitar by Jonathan Stout. “Back In Your Own Back Yard” was written by Dave Dreyer, Billy Rose and Al Jolson. It’s followed by a groovy swing instrumental version of “I Never Knew” and then a fun version of “Slidin’ And Glidin’,” featuring some great conversations among the instruments. This is one of my favorites. Then the piano comes in as if to say, “Hey guys, relax, things are good.” And indeed they are.

Things keep moving with Benny Goodman’s “Seven Come Eleven,” whose title reminds me of the Grateful Dead’s “Candyman,” which has the line, “Seven come eleven, boys, I’ll take your money home.” I really dig Michael Gamble’s bass here, and also love James Posedel’s work on piano. They follow that with another Benny Goodman number, “Pick-A-Rib,” which Goodman wrote with Lionel Hampton. Each instrument gets a chance to speak on the theme, and the results will have you smiling and tapping your feet. Another really fun number is “Sweets,” with a delicious, constant groove on bass and drums.

“There’ll Be Some Changes Made” is one of the tracks where drummer Russ Wilson provides vocals, and it also features some great work on horns. I’ve heard a lot of versions of this song over the years, and this one is definitely worth checking out. “Nobody loves you when you’re old and grey/There’ll be some changes made today.” Josh Collazo is on drums, and has a delicious featured section toward the end. Things then relax a bit for a rendition of Billie Holiday’s “Fine And Mellow,” featuring Laura Windley on vocals. It’s a great, bluesy jazz number about a man who’s no good, and yet when she starts singing about specific things about him, her voice becomes full of love. Oh, isn’t that the way? Laura does a wonderful job here. “Love will make you drink and gamble/Make you stay out all night long.” Laura also sings “He Ain’t Got Rhythm,” a song written by Irving Berlin for the musical On The Avenue. Ah, the story of a sad, lonely man never sounded so cheerful. He may not have rhythm, but the band certainly does, and you probably will too, as you bop along to this tune. I love those horns toward the end. Then Russ Wilson returns to the vocal microphone for a rousing “Who’s Sorry Now.”

Another of my personal favorites is “Woke Up Clipped,” written by Ben Webster. It has a great, cool vibe, and is a delight. This version is fairly faithful to the original, and that is just fine. The band also turns in a good rendition of “What A Night, What A Moon, What A Boy,” with Laura Windley on vocals. Then “Crazy About Lester” includes a short drum solo by Josh Collazo, and some nice work on guitar. The CD concludes on a mellower note, with a romantic rendition of “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes.”

CD Track List

1. Back In Your Own Back Yard
2. I Never Knew
3. Slidin’ And Glidin’
4. Seven Come Eleven
5. Pick-A-Rib
6. A Mellow Bit Of Rhythm
7. Sweets
8. There’ll Be Some Changes Made
9. Fine And Mellow
10. Bug In A Rug
11. He Aint’ Got Rhythm
12. Who’s Sorry Now
13. Woke Up Clipped
14. Rose Room
15. What A Night, What A Moon, What  A Boy
16. Crazy About Lester
17. Scottie
18. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes

Michael Gamble And The Rhythm Serenaders was released on August 12, 2016 on Organic Records.

Bob Weir at The Wiltern, 10-10-16 Concert Review

Bob Weir performing "I Know You Rider"

Recently Bob Weir released an album of original compositions, his first such release in, well, a long time. Titled Blue Mountain, it’s quite a bit different from his other records, much more firmly in the folk and country realm. And it’s wonderful. This is a CD I loved the first time I listened to it, and love more each time I return to it. Bob Weir is doing a short tour to support the CD, only nine dates in eight cities. I’m fortunate that Los Angeles is one of those cities. Joining Bob Weir on this tour are Josh Kaufman, Steve Kimock, Bryan Devendorf, Scott Devendorf, and Jon Shaw. Aaron Dessner was original scheduled to be part of the band for this tour, but had to cancel due a family emergency. Monday’s show at the Wiltern was the third stop on the tour, and the last west coast show.

I had never been to The Wiltern before, and I was struck by how friendly the staff was, at least all the folks I came in contact with. Apart from the parking attendant. That guy was a dick. But I don’t know if the garage is even associated with the Wiltern. Could be a different set of employees. And while I’m on that, $25 seemed like a lot to pay to park in that little garage, and then to be told I had to squeeze my wagon into a compact spot when there were plenty of larger spots available. What a dick. But everyone else I talked with was really nice, very relaxed. And the venue itself was nice as well. It’s not as pretty or ornate as Pantages, but has something of that vibe, and is more intimate. And the general admission floor area has a few different levels, so even if you’re toward the back, you could have a good view (provided a basketball player didn’t plant himself in front of you, of course – and there is one of those wandering about, I am told, but I didn’t notice him at this show – geez, I’ve been in parentheses long enough that I can’t recall what the hell this sentence is really about – ah, no matter).

My friend and I picked a spot maybe halfway back, and I stood with my left foot on the white tape that indicated the aisles. I find that as I get older space is becoming more and more important to me, and having people surrounding me is less and less attractive. When we came in, one of the employees was putting tape on the floor in a weird spot on the side, and she told me it was for the tapers. I didn’t think the tapers would want to be there, and certainly none of them went to that spot, as far as I could tell. But the tape on the floor reminded me of that Lars von Trier film Dogville, in which the whole set is basically indicated by tape on the floor. It gave tonight a somewhat surreal feel to me, as the reality of the walls created by the tape was dubious at best, unless we believed in it, and I definitely began to believe in it. Plus, the usher near me enforced the walls’ reality. Which I appreciated.

At 7:38, someone stepped onto the stage, putting the set lists in place. It’s still a bit odd, the band working from a set list. But of course, it isn’t that band, is it? It’s one member. But still, even at the Dead & Company shows they have a set list. It takes a bit of getting used to, doesn’t it? At 7:53, Bob Weir came out on stage and started the show by himself, with just his acoustic guitar. He opened with “KC Moan.” Nice start, but it was remarkable how noisy the audience was. Bob Weir then started strumming the next tune, and it wasn’t until the vocals started that most people recognized the song as “Loose Lucy.” Bob’s voice sounded great, by the way. And behind him above the stage was a screen with imagery of fields and so on. The audience sang along with “Loose Lucy,” and they were excited, exuberant in their delivery of “Yeah” and – of course – “Thank you for a real good time.”

Bob then talked about how fifty or so years ago a fifteen-year-old wanted to run off and be a cowboy, and so did, and that then led to “Blue Mountain,” the title track of the new CD, the first song of the night from the album. And it sounded so good, performed solo by Bob.

The band then came on for “Cottonwood Lullaby,” another song from the new album. By then, the crowd had settled down a bit. There was a loony near me who just couldn’t stop yelling pointless comments, but eventually he was able to turn his comments inward, or find that special calm within his particular brand of storm. Whatever it was, he did finally shut the fuck up. And I figured he’d be in some other sphere for the second set anyway, no way was he going to be able to remain in one spot without the music transfixing him. Following “Cottonwood Lullaby” was “Lay My Lily Down,” one of my favorites from the new CD, and the song that gave us the night’s first bit of jamming. This was a great version, I always appreciate the banjo, and it was followed by an absolutely wonderful version of another favorite of mine, “Only A River,” with a river being shown on the screen behind the band.

The line from “Ghost Towns” that always grabs me for some reason is “Love comes and goes.” Something about his deliver, I suppose. Bob followed that with a somewhat relaxed “El Paso” and then concluded the first set with “Gonesville,” featuring some great guitar during the jam. The first set ended at 8:52 p.m.

When they came back on stage at 9:35 p.m. for the second set, my friend Jon and I tried to guess what they’d open with. We were both wrong. They started with “Me And My Uncle,” and stretched it out a bit, following it with “Jack-A-Roe.” That was good, but the second set really started to get going with “West L.A. Fadeaway.” They sort of eased into it, teasing it a bit, with a nice intro, and it was all accompanied by some trippy images on the screen. This was a truly excellent rendition of “West L.A. Fadeaway,” bluesy and sweet. At moments, Bobby would suddenly shift into focus for me, and things would get more real, if only briefly. So it was best to turn attention to the increasingly psychedelic images being projected on the screen, a healthful dose of the unreal to remind you where you stand. The audience sang along, but ahead of Bob, and I wondered a moment later if I didn’t hear it correctly, but then here they did it again – are they singing along with the album version playing in their heads? – things were getting weird, no question. This was a delicious version of “West L.A. Fadeaway.”

John Mayer then came out on stage to join in on guitar and vocals, something that had been a topic of discussion during the set break (and even before the show), rumors and detective work (hey, isn’t that his amp on stage, not being used?). Just try to keep that guy away. I love that he is clearly in this for the joy of it. He’s here because there’s nowhere else he’d prefer to be, and his energy transferred immediately to the crowd as the band went into “Jack Straw.” This was an excellent “Jack Straw,” and maybe I was a bit out of it, but there was a moment where I thought the song had ended and they were drifting toward something else, but it was back to “Jack Straw” that they went. Fantastic version, really, probably the high point of the show. And during the jam Bob switched to electric guitar. Bob switched back to acoustic for “Morning Dew.” Joining the band for this song was Matt Berninger on vocals for certain verses and sections. For a moment in my head I heard myself yammering from the future, having already written the review and letting myself know I could read it later (though when I got home, I found that wasn’t exactly the way it went or was to go, but no matter). They ended the second set with “I Know You Rider,” with Bob fooling with the lyrics a bit, coming in a bit early with the “headlight” line before correcting himself and singing “The sun’s gonna shine in back door someday.” It was a fun version. The second set ended at 10:36 p.m.

A minute later Bob came back on stage to perform “Ki-Yi Bossie” solo, introducing it by telling us we’d gone back to the range. Amy, the woman in front of me, had mentioned she wanted to hear that one before the show, and was understandably excited when he started it. It’s probably the most playful tune from the new album, and I love the line “I was looking for salvation, but nothing caught my eye.” The band, including John Mayer and Matt Berninger, then joined him again, and Bob introduced the band (with Mayer then introducing Bob). Bob stayed on acoustic guitar, and they went into “Peggy-O.” They then wrapped things up with my all-time favorite song, “Ripple.” The perfect ending to an excellent night. I couldn’t have asked for more. The show ended at 10:58 p.m.

Set List

Set I

1. KC Moan
2. Loose Lucy
3. Blue Mountain
4. Cottonwood Lullaby
5. Lay My Lily Down
6. Only A River
7. Ghost Towns
8. El Paso
9. Gonesville

Set II

1. Me And My Uncle
2. Jack-A-Roe
3. West L.A. Fadeaway
4. Jack Straw
5. Morning Dew
6. I Know You Rider

Encore

1. Ki-Yi Bossie
2. Peggy-O
3. Ripple 

I didn't take my camera with me because I knew I'd be dancing and didn't want to worry about it. So I tried a few shots with my phone, but I just can't get that little bugger to focus properly. It seems to have no interest in following my instructions. But hell, here are a few shots anyway.

"KC Moan"

"I Know You Rider"

"Ki-Yi Bossie"

"Ripple"

Driving my friend home, the familiar turned strange, and the munchies really overcame me, so by the time I got to my place, I was interested only in snacking. First I ate all the rest of the cheese in the apartment (except the cream cheese), finishing off a giant bag of shredded cheddar, sharp, some of it falling onto the floor, and the counter, and into the sink, before moving on to a box of Mike And Ike, and then a bag of Mike And Ike (I hadn’t known that particular candy came in bags, but there it was). Still not satisfied, I made myself a peanut butter sandwich. Then I looked for more candy, finding a bag of M&Ms and eating them before devouring some peanuts. By then, I was systematically finishing off everything I had in the cupboards. It was like a little late-night project: clean the cupboards by eating everything they contained. And you know, it’s disappointing when these projects are left only partially completed.

The Robert Kraft Trio: “I Gotta Have You” (2016) Single Review

The Robert Kraft Trio is composed of Robert Kraft on vocals, JD Pendley on guitar, and Lindsay Greene on bass and backing vocals. They are based in Austin, where they have a Friday evening residency at the Continental Club Gallery, a spot they’ve held for something like five years. From what I can gather, their sets are dominated by cool, relaxed covers of songs like “Witchcraft,” “Crazy Heart” and “Lilac Wine.” But for their new single (out on vinyl), they’ve chosen two original compositions, both written by Robert Kraft: “I Gotta Have You” and “I Want To Show You.” Joining the trio on this release are Robb Kidd on drums and percussion, and David Boyle on organ. David Boyle also produced the record.

“I Gotta Have You” (sometimes titled “Gotta Have You”) is a groovy tune about wanting to yield to that “sweet temptation.” “Just a little flirting/I don’t see what it’s hurting/There’s something shining in your eyes/I’ve got to have you.” Those smooth vocals by Robert Kraft make doing the wrong thing sound so right. This song features some nice work on organ, and also a good lead part on guitar.

The flip side, “I Want To Show You,” is a somewhat livelier number, its sound seeming to be influenced by both classic R&B and 1970s vibes. It has a bright, happy feel. “When the last light of the day/Turns to blue and fades away/I want to call you, I want to tell you, I want to show you.” Though, as the song goes on, we learn that he can’t share these things with that special someone, for an undisclosed reason. “Share all the pretty things with no one else but you/And even though it can’t be so/I want to show you.” I like that the reason isn’t made clear, as it allows the listener to perhaps connect more easily with the song, plug in his or her own reasons.

This single is available on vinyl now. Apparently, a full-length album is in the works, so we should be hearing more from this trio soon.

Paul Kelly & Charlie Owen: “Death’s Dateless Night” (2016) CD Review

Paul Kelly continues to impress and move me, as well as surprise me, with each new release. His latest, a collaboration with Charlie Owen titled Death’s Dateless Night, features mostly covers of some well-known and beloved songs, plus a couple of originals. Even though the songs are mostly covers, the album has a very personal feel. The general atmosphere of this CD is comforting and friendly, and perhaps that’s due to the fact that these songs are all songs that Paul and Charlie have been asked to perform at funerals. That is their common link. An unusual concept for an album? Definitely. But this is Paul Kelly, who recently put out an album of Shakespeare’s sonnets. One of Shakespeare’s sonnets, by the way, Sonnet 30 (not one Paul included on that album), is printed in the liner notes of this CD. The last lines of that sonnet are: “But if the while I think on thee, dear friend,/All losses are restor’d and sorrows end.” And that really is the message and feel of this album.

They begin this album with “Hard Times” (often titled “Hard Times Come Again No More”), written by Stephen Foster. The arrangement is kept simple, with Paul on vocals and Charlie on piano. This arrangement invites the listener to sing along. “'Tis the song, the sigh of the weary/Hard Times, hard times, come again no more/Many days you have lingered around my cabin door/Oh, hard times come again no more.” It’s a beautiful opening to this album, and Paul and Charlie follow that with a Townes Van Zandt song, “To Live Is To Fly.” When I stop to count my blessings, I definitely number among them the fact that I did get to see Townes Van Zandt in concert. This is an excellent song, and I love this rendition. “Living's mostly wasting time/I'll waste my share of mine/But it never feels too good/So let's don't take too long/But you're soft as glass/I'm a gentle man/We got the sky to talk about/And the world to lie upon.” Charlie plays both dobro and piano on this track, while Paul is on guitar.

“Nukkanya” is one of the original compositions written by Paul Kelly. It was originally included on his 1994 album Wanted Man. This new version begins with a bit on harmonica, and features Charlie on dobro. Greg Walker joins them on harmony vocals. I actually like this version more than the original. There is something more intimate and sweet about it. This album’s other original tune is “Meet Me In The Middle Of The Air,” a song that was originally included on the 2005 release Foggy Highway. That earlier version was delivered a cappella, with Paul backed by The Stormwater Boys. On this new version, Paul’s vocals are accompanied by Charlie on dobro. It’s a gorgeous song, with lyrics partly inspired by Psalm 23. Compare Paul’s lines “I will lay you down in pastures green and fair/Every soul shall be restored” to these from the psalm, “He makes me to lie down in green pastures;/He leads me beside the still waters/He restores my soul.” Interestingly, the two original songs were both the closing tracks of the albums they earlier appeared on.

“Don’t Fence Me In” might seem like an odd choice of songs for this album, but the version here is sweet and gentle, with Charlie on lap steel and with backing vocals by Memphis and Maddy Kelly. And it actually quite quickly became one of my favorite tracks. It’s a delight. And it’s followed by a sweet rendition of Leonard Cohen’s “Bird On The Wire.” Leonard Cohen is the best songwriter, without question, and I’m always excited (though occasionally a bit nervous) to hear how other artists will interpret his material. Leonard Cohen has changed the lyrics to “Bird On The Wire” a bit over the years, but Paul and Charlie go back to the original set of lyrics, those heard on Songs From A Room. They do an excellent job, keeping it simple and serious. Paul is on guitar and Charlie is on piano. I love Paul’s vocals here. This is definitely one of the better covers of this song that I’ve heard.

Memphis and Maddy Kelly join Paul and Charlie again on “Let It Be,” and I think it’s their presence that helps make this rendition something special. I also really like the gentleness of the approach. Charlie plays synthesizer on this track. The CD then concludes with Hank Williams’ “Angel Of Death,” with Charlie on guitar. “When the angel of death comes down after you/Can you smile and say that you’ve been true/Can you truthfully say with your dying breath/That you're ready to meet the angel of death.”

CD Track List

1. Hard Times
2. To Live Is To Fly
3. Pretty Bird Tree
4. Pallet On Your Floor
5. Nukkanya
6. The Parting Glass
7. Meet Me In The Middle Of The Air
8. Don’t Fence Me In
9. Bird On The Wire
10. Good Things
11. Let It Be
12. Angel Of Death

Death’s Dateless Night was released today, October 7, 2016.

Yusuf/Cat Stevens at Pantages Theatre, 10-6-16 Concert Review

Three films had a huge impact on me during my childhood. Star Wars made me love movies; Time Bandits made me appreciate movies; Harold And Maude made me love and appreciate life. You can probably guess which of those three became my favorite film. A big part of that movie and its impact was the music by Cat Stevens. A soundtrack wasn’t available, so I bought several Cat Stevens albums and put together my own soundtrack on a Maxell cassette, and in the process became a huge fan of Cat Stevens’ work. Of course, I was already familiar with “Morning Has Broken,” “Moonshadow” (which I learned at camp), and “Peace Train.” Those are all good songs, but my favorites were “Trouble,” “I Think I See The Light” and “Tuesday’s Dead,” among others.

Well, last night I finally got to see Yusuf/Cat Stevens in concert. He did the first of a two-night run at Pantages Theatre in Hollywood to conclude his “A Cat’s Attic” fiftieth anniversary tour. When I arrived a little after 6:30 p.m., there was a line around the block, which surprised me, as L.A. people are generally not early arrivers. But the line moved quickly, and soon I was inside. The music that played over the speakers before the show included some Cat Stevens songs, such as “Kitty” and “The Laughing Apple,” and also, interestingly, included that section from Tchaikovsky’s “Piano Concerto No. 1” that plays in Harold And Maude when Harold’s mother goes for a swim in the pool. What a nice touch, and a treat for those Harold And Maude fans who arrived early. Most people, however, did not arrive early, or even on time. The concert was scheduled to start at 8 o’clock, and at 8:08 there was an announcement that due to trouble getting everyone in, the show would start at 8:30 p.m.

Right at 8:30, Cat Stevens took the stage, beginning the show solo with “Where Do The Children Play?” Partway through the song, the curtain was lifted to reveal his band: Eric Appapoulay on guitar and Kwame Yaboah on bass and percussion. It also revealed the set, which was an attic at night, a bright moon above. He followed “Where Do The Children Play?” with “Don’t Be Shy,” one of two songs specifically written for Harold And Maude, and then talked a bit about the set. “This is London, back in the ‘50s and ‘60s. It’s where I grew up.” The set had a relaxed and inviting, even warm, vibe about it. Cat mentioned how in his youth he wanted to be an artist (you can see some of his artwork on his album covers), and about loving West Side Story, particularly for Natalie Wood. He then did a cover of that musical’s “Somewhere,” which he performed solo. He followed that with just a bit of The Beatles’ “From Me To You,” also solo, but stopped and actually put on the record of that song for a moment, which was a little odd.

The band returned during “Here Comes My Baby,” and Cat Stevens changed the line “You’re forever talking on the phone” to “You’re forever texting on the phone,” which got a laugh from the crowd. At this point, the last people were still arriving and finding their seats. Come on, Los Angeles, you can arrive on time like the rest of the planet!

The first version of “The First Cut Is The Deepest” that I ever heard was Rod Stewart’s, which was a big hit in the 1970s. It wasn’t until recently that I finally purchased Cat Stevens’ New Masters, the 1967 album that features that track. And of course I love Cat Stevens’ version. He played it last night, and followed it with a couple of songs from Matthew & Son, his first full-length album. Eric switched to electric guitar for both songs, and that instrument sort of overpowered Cat Stevens at moments during “I Love My Dog.” (Yusuf/Cat Stevens said it was the “funky version.”) Eric switched back to the acoustic guitar for “Northern Wind,” another tune from New Masters.

After “A Bad Night,” Cat Stevens talked about collapsing and about contracting tuberculosis, which led to a turning point in his career and life. That led to my favorite song, “Trouble,” a song which always makes me cry, even when I’m just at home listening to the CD. So of course this wonderful live performance quickly had me in tears. It was the first, but not last, song of the concert that brought tears to my eyes. He then did “Katmandu” solo, which was also great. He switched to a black acoustic guitar for “I Wish, I Wish,” another of my favorites, and then introduced the band, saying that Eric was on guitar and Kwame was “on everything else.” He ended the first set with two more songs I love: “Miles From Nowhere” and “On The Road To Find Out,” both from Tea For The Tillerman. He was basically going in chronological order (obviously, with some deviations), sharing stories and songs from his career and life. The first set ended at 9:25 p.m.

When he returned to the stage at 9:45 p.m. for the second set, he entered through the window of the attic set while a recording of “Tea For The Tillerman” played. (It’s a very short song, and it’s another that was featured in Harold And Maude.) He then sat at the piano for “Sad Lisa.” Before the show, I had met some of the folks seated near me, including a woman named Lisa, who told me that a relative of hers had once pointed out the song to her, saying the title was like her. And between sets, a guy I’ve worked with, who happened to be seated two rows behind me, mentioned he hoped to hear “Sad Lisa.” So the energy around me when the second set started was pretty good. If you include the recording of “Tea For The Tillerman,” then eight of the eleven tracks from that album were played at the concert. I was surprised he didn’t play “Hard Headed Woman,” but was really happy to hear “Into White.” And when he started “Father And Son,” suddenly everyone’s phones and cameras came out to capture the moment. And yes, this was another song that brought tears to my eyes. How could I help it?

Folks sang along with “Moonshadow,” a song I was taught by camp counselors at Project Adventure in Massachusetts when I was eight years old. They also taught us Joni Mitchell’s “The Circle Game.” Perhaps it’s telling that I have no clear memories of any of the activities, just the music they played for us in the evenings. Right before the end of “How Can I Tell You,” there was this delicate, vulnerable moment in Cat’s vocals that nearly made me cry. He returned to the piano for “Sitting,” a powerful song from Catch Bull At Four. After sipping from a cup, he made this observation: “American tea is not the same as British tea.” He introduced “Boy With A Moon & Star On His Head” by saying none of it really happened. The line “And love is all he said” got a big cheer. This was a really great crowd, by the way. They were very appreciative and respectful, and totally into every moment of the show. It’s a joy to attend a concert with folks like that.

“I’m going to skip Foreigner because it’s just so complicated,” Yusuf/Cat said before going into “Oh Very Young,” a song from Buddha And The Chocolate Box (and also included on Greatest Hits). And then from Numbers he played “Novim’s Nightmare.” Though he didn’t talk quite as much during the second set as the first, he did tell us about a near-death experience in the ocean in Malibu, a story which led to a cover of “People Get Ready” and then “Be What You Must,” from Roadsinger. (He didn’t play anything from either Izitso or Back To Earth.) He did talk a bit about people’s reactions to his religious conversion, saying he felt rejected, and so he walked away from it all. He then played “Roadsinger,” and followed that with “If You Want To Sing Out, Sing Out,” the other song specially written for Harold And Maude.

From An Other Cup, he played “Maybe There’s A World,” leading directly to a bit of The Beatles’ “All You Need Is Love.” The second set concluded with “Peace Train.”

Chris Cornell joined Cat Stevens on backing vocals for “Wild World,” the first song of the encore, a song that got the audience to its feet. (For those who might not recognize his name, Chris Cornell is a member of Soundgarden and Audioslave.) That was followed by “Another Saturday Night,” with, as Cat Stevens mentioned, “slightly adjusted” lyrics, such as “Another fellow told me he had a business that looked just fine” and “I got no money ‘cause I ain’t got paid.” He then played “Mona Bone Jakon,” which was great. Afterward he said, “Don’t ask me what it means.” Folks shouted out various requests. One guy near me shouted, “Tuesday’s Dead,” but Yusuf responded that it had too many chords. I would have loved to hear that one. Instead, he played “Morning Has Broken,” which during the set break the woman next to me had said was her favorite. Kwame moved to keys for that one. And that was the last song of the night. The show ended at 11:05 p.m.

Set List

Set 1

1. Where Do The Children Play?
2. Don’t Be Shy
3. Somewhere
4. From Me To You
5. Here Comes My Baby
6. The First Cut Is The Deepest
7. I Love My Dog
8. Matthew And Son
9. Northern Wind
10. A Bad Night
11. Trouble
12. Katmandu
13. I Wish, I Wish
14. Miles From Nowhere
15. On The Road To Find Out 

Set 2

1. Sad Lisa
2. Into White
3. Father And Son
4. Moonshadow
5. How Can I Tell You
6. Sitting
7. Boy With A Moon & Star On His Head
8. Oh Very Young
9. Novim’s Nightmare
10. People Get Ready
11. Be What You Must
12. Roadsinger
13. If You Want To Sing Out, Sing Out
14. Maybe There’s A World >
15. All You Need Is Love
16. Peace Train

Encore

1. Wild World
2. Another Saturday Night
3. Mona Bone Jakon
4. Morning Has Broken

Here are a few photos from the show:

"Where Do The Children Play?"

"Moonshadow"

"Wild World"

"Morning Has Broken"

This was one of those magical nights. I spoke with several people after the show, and everyone had basically the same reaction. If he tours again, I would definitely want to go see him again. It would just be a question of affording the tickets. By the way, a portion of the price for each ticket went to charity.

The Pantages Theatre is located at 6233 Hollywood Blvd. in Los Angeles, California.