Cure For Gravity: “Cure For Gravity” (2016) CD Review

Cure For Gravity is a rock trio made up of Joe Markert on lead vocals, guitar and keyboard; Chris Gamper on drums and percussion; and Dave Walcott on lead guitar. The band is based in Oakland, and just released a new self-titled album, following the 2012 EP Fallen Stars. Joining them is Dan Feiszli on bass and Casey Cameron on keys. It’s an interesting CD, the tracks combining different musical influences, though largely in the pop realm, at times going in surprising directions and creating an unusual atmosphere.

The first track, for example, “Tonight,” begins as an eerie instrumental journey, with some electronic sounds, and it seems like we’re going to go off on one of those grandiose science fiction-like ventures that progressive rock bands often seem so fond of. You know, where humanity is divided into various sects and must get on a spaceship and find a new world because we’ve fucked this one up beyond repair. But then just when I’m about to lose interest, the song goes in a completely unexpected direction, taking on a sweet tone, as the vocals have a smooth quality for the first line, “Whatcha going to do tonight?” The vocals are delivered with power and emotion, and the song has a pretty pop vibe. And I’m surprised at how much I’m sucked into the world of the song. Louise Nalbandian joins the band on backing vocals.

“Tonight” leads straight into the following track, “Sunspots,” which has a darker rock feel at the start, but which also features a really good vocal performance by Joe Markert. He allows himself to explore his ranges, both vocally and emotionally, without ever getting too wild or self-indulgent, and I think that is a great part of the appeal of the music. This is a voice we want to have guide us through these songs, these realms. This one develops into a good jam. Ray Puzey joins the band on keyboard on this track.

Something about the electronic sounds at the beginning of “Just Like Candy” call to mind certain 1980s music. “Violence on the dance floor/She wants less, but he wants more.” This one too goes in a surprising direction toward the end, the drums leading to an energetic rock section. I also dig the rhythm of “Blackmetal.” These are all good songs, but “Push” is by far my favorite track. The first time I put this disc on, this is the song that made me decide to pay much closer attention the second time through. And actually I ended up listening to the disc again straight away, in large part because of this song. There is something beautiful and moving about this song, in both the vocals and the guitar. “I couldn’t push you/I couldn’t push you away.” Louise Nalbandian again joins the band on backing vocals. I’ve now listened to this song several times, and it is always effective. Toward the end, it kind of drifts off. The CD then concludes with “Killing For The Queen,” in some ways perhaps the most interesting track, beginning with a beat that actually reminds me just a bit of Phish’s “Bouncing Around The Room,” but then building from there into something that is more in line with the sound of Depeche Mode.

CD Track List

1. Tonight
2. Sunspots
3. Just Like A Candy
4. Blackmetal
5. Push
6. Killing For The Queen

Cure For Gravity was released on October 14, 2016. 

A Great Night Of Music at The Hi Hat, 11-4-16

I See Hawks In L.A. performing "Duty To Our Pod"

The Hi Hat is a relatively new music venue in the Highland Park section of Los Angeles, located just a few doors down from what used to be The Peak Show Compound, where I spent some of the best nights of my life. It has plenty of space, a nice large stage toward the back, and a couple of pool tables in the front. The beer is not overpriced, and the staff is friendly. The bartender told me the venue opened in January, so it is still in its first year. The most important thing, however, is that the sound is good. It’s not too loud, and it’s clear enough that you can make out the song lyrics without trouble. And from what I’ve been told by the musicians, the sound is also excellent on the stage. All of this makes for a great experience.

Last night John Isaac Watters continued his residency at The Hi Hat, with an excellent lineup of bands sharing the bill with him. Uncles kicked off the night at 9 o’clock. Oh, that’s another thing I should mention. Uncles were scheduled to go on at 9, and right at 9 they went on. This is something I appreciate more and more as I get older. Who wants to stand around for an hour waiting for the music to start? “And we’re Uncles,” the band said by way of introduction, and they started their good set of energetic rock and pop tunes. In one of their first few songs they sang, “I dream I’m pulling out my teeth,” a line that stood out, a recurring image in nightmares. I really enjoyed this band’s set, and I definitely want to see them perform again. Jacob Metcalf, a singer/songwriter from Dallas, followed Uncles at 9:45 p.m. with a solo acoustic set of mostly original material, including “Sarah Sells Shoes” and “Traffic” (though he also did Willie Nelson’s “Crazy,” introducing it by saying, “Here’s a little Patsy Cline for you”).

John Isaac Watters started his set at 10:36 p.m. (only six minutes later than scheduled), for the first song accompanied by just keys and female backing vocals. “This was the first song I wrote, I think,” he said, and then began “Beauty Came,” a gorgeous song. “Beauty came into my life, but vanished as the sun went down/Had some other place to be/On the other side of town.” “Now we’re going to have a full band situation,” he said, and was joined by musicians on bass, pedal steel and drums, and they went into “Your New House.” The lines that stood out for me were, “I'll tell you softly, I got no reason/To love you like this.” My favorite song from his set, however, was “Are You Nervous Now,” a fantastic song with a great build and some unusual lyrics. Check out these lines: “The cannibal came easy/You weren’t really eating anyone else/You just decided to let them eat yourself.” And this line: “Do you only hear a train wreck when listening alone?” This was the first time I’d heard John Isaac Watters, and I was impressed by his songwriting – his powerful, poetic lyrics. I was also taken by his stage presence; he struck me as a weird, potent cross between Morrissey and Donovan. His set ended at 11:31 p.m.

I See Hawks In L.A. was the one band of the night that I’d seen before, and was the one that I’d come out specifically to see last night. These guys are great, and if you haven’t yet seen them in concert, I highly recommend doing so. They took the stage at 11:46 p.m. and got right into the music, starting their set with “Turn The Airplane Around,” a song from the band’s self-titled debut album, and right away giving the audience that delicious blending of vocals. Rob Waller then mentioned that it was great to play in the neighborhood. “We just kind of rolled down the hill.” After “Ever Since The Grid Went Down,” Rob said, “It’s going down, folks, it’s going down soon.” Then Paul Marshall took over lead vocals on a good country tune. In introducing “Stop Driving Like An Asshole,” Rob said he’d had sort of a rough day, that he’d gotten into a car accident on the 110 during rush hour. “It wasn’t my fault,” he assured the crowd. I thought that was just a funny way of leading into that particular song, but after the show, Rob confirmed that indeed he was in a car accident. That song is a crowd-pleaser, as you might guess, and after it Rob told the audience, “That made me feel so much better.” Paul Lacques, as always, provided some great stuff on lead guitar. He was especially impressive during “Duty To Our Pod,” his guitar work getting appreciative shouts from the crowd. They concluded their set with a fantastic rendition of David Bowie’s “Five Years.” The show ended at 12:31 a.m.

I See Hawks In L.A. Set List

1. Turn That Airplane Around
2. Hope Against Hope
3. White Cross
4. Ever Since The Grid Went Down
5. Truth Is You Lied
6. Stop Driving Like An Asshole
7. Harvest
8. Duty To Our Pod
9. Five Years

Here are some photos from the show:

Uncles

Jacob Metcalf

John Isaac Watters performing "Beauty Came"

"Your New House"

John Isaac Watters

"Are You Nervous Now?"

I See Hawks In L.A. performing "Turn The Airplane Around"

Victoria Jacobs

Paul Marshall

"Stop Driving Like An Asshole"

"Duty To Our Pod"

 The Hi Hat is located at 5043 York Blvd., Los Angeles.

November 2016 Concert Calendar

I started this blog to let people know about all the good music that's out there. I only review CDs that I like. The rest I leave to everyone else. In addition, I try to keep track of where those artists are performing. So here is a list of a few concerts you might be interested in for the month of November, 2016. Most of these are artists that I've reviewed. I will try to add to this calendar whenever I can throughout the month.

November 1, 2016  (Tuesday)
The Buzzcocks  -  Cyprus Avenue, Cork, Ireland
Rebecca Loebe  -   Natalie's, Worthington, OH

November 2, 2016  (Wednesday)
The Buzzcocks  -   Dolans Warehouse, Limerick, Ireland
James McMurtry  -  The Liberty, Roswell, NM
Jeremy Nail  -  Saxon Pub, Austin, TX  -  9:00 p.m.
Over The Rhine  -  Pilgrim Chapel, Kansas City, MO

November 3, 2016  (Thursday)
The Buzzcocks  -   Roisin Dubh, Galway, Ireland
Catie Curtis  -  Hezekiah Stone Coffeehouse, 1089 Stafford St., Leicester, MA
Nina Diaz  -  Rialto Theatre, Tucson,  AZ
Rebecca Loebe  - Uncommon Grounds, Chicago, IL
James McMurtry  -   Club Congress, Tucson, AZ
Over The Rhine  -  Pilgrim Chapel, Kansas City, MO
Henry Wagons  -  Hardy's Bay Club, Central Coast, Australia

November 4, 2016  (Friday)
The Buzzcocks  -   The Limelight, Belfast, Northern Ireland
Tim Gearan Band  -  Atwood's Tavern, Cambridge, MA
Tracy Grammer  -   The Parlor Room, Northampton, MA
James McMurtry  -   Crescent Ballroom, Phoenix, AZ
The Monkees  -  Genesee Theatre, Waukegan, IL
Over The Rhine  -   Old Rock House, St. Louis, MO
Pansy Division  - Soda Bar, San Diego, CA
Henry Wagons  -   48 Watt, Newcastle, Australia
Brooks Williams  -  Pakenham Village Hall, Pakenham, Suffolk, UK

November 5, 2016  (Saturday)
The Buzzcocks  -   The Academy, Dublin, Ireland
Entrain  -  Amazing Things Arts Center, Framingham, MA
Vance Gilbert  -  Simple Gifts Coffeehouse, Nashua, NH  -  7:30 p.m.
Tracy Grammer  -   Earth Room Concerts, Lincroft, NJ
The Howlin' Brothers  -  East Of Austin, Villa Rica, GA
James McMurtry  -   Firecreek Coffee Company, Flagstaff, AZ
The Monkees  -   The Family Arena, St. Charles, MO
Pansy Division  -   Alex's Bar, Long Beach, CA
Patrolled By Radar  -  Ritual Brewing Company, Redlands, CA  -  3:00 p.m.
Ellis Paul  -  Nazareth Center for the Arts, 30 Belvedere Street, Nazareth, PA  -  7:30 p.m.
Pushbuttons  -  Women's 20th Century Club, Eagle Rock, CA 
Henry Wagons  -   5 Church Street, Bellingen, Australia

November 6, 2016  (Sunday)
James McMurtry  -   Moab Folk Festival, Moab, UT
Pansy Division  -   Pride Festival, Palm Springs, CA
Ellis Paul  -  Kennett Flash, 106 West State Street, Kennett Square, PA  -  7:00 p.m.

November 7, 2016  (Monday)
Nina Diaz  -   Multiply LA, Los Angeles, CA

November 8, 2016  (Tuesday)
Nina Diaz  -   Soda Bar, San Diego, CA

November 9, 2016  (Wednesday)
Nina Diaz  -   DNA Lounge, San Francisco, CA
Pansy Division  -   Funhouse, Seattle, WA

November 10, 2016  (Thursday)
Peter Case  -  Cactus Cafe, Austin, TX
Nina Diaz  -   Bossanova Ballroom, Portland, OR
James McMurtry  -   Belly Up, Solana Beach, CA
Jeremy Nail  -   All Good Cafe, Dallas, TX  -  8:00 p.m.
Pansy Division  -   Dante's, Portland, OR
Melvern Taylor And His Fabulous Meltones  -  Toad, Cambridge, MA  -  7:30 p.m.
Henry Wagons  -   Sooki Lounge, Belgrave, Australia
Brooks Williams  -   Trades Club, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, UK

November 11, 2016  (Friday)
Tim Gearan Band  -  Atwood's Tavern, Cambridge, MA
Vance Gilbert  -   Durham Central Park Co-housing Community, 130 Hunt St., Durham, NC
James McMurtry  -   Troubadour, West Hollywood, CA
Carrie Newcomer  -  Club Passim, Cambridge, MA  -   7:00 p.m.
Carrie Newcomer  -  Club Passim, Cambridge, MA  -  9:30 p.m.
Pansy Division  - Bottom Of The Hill, San Francisco, CA
Henry Wagons  -   Caravan Music Club, Oakleigh, Australia
Brooks Williams  -   Milk Maid Arts Centre, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, UK

November 12, 2016  (Saturday)
Vance Gilbert  -   A. Smith Bowman Distillery, Fredericksburg, VA
The Grahams  -  Acme Feed And Seed, Nashville, TN
Gun Hill Royals  -  Cinema Bar, Culver City, CA
Jennifer Kimball  -  Toad, Cambridge, MA  -  7:30 p.m.
Josh Lederman And The Cambridge-Somerville All-Stars  -  The Plough And Stars, Cambridge, MA  -  4:00 p.m.
James McMurtry  -   Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA
Pansy Division  - Viper Room, Los Angeles, CA
Patrolled By Radar  -   Cinema Bar, Culver City, CA
Henry Wagons  -   The Bridge Hotel, Castlemaine, Australia
The Whooligans  -  The Red Leprechaun, Long Beach, CA
Brooks Williams  -   Brixham Theatre, Torbay, Devon, UK

November 13, 2016  (Sunday)
Nina Diaz  -   The Olympic Venue, Boise, ID
Vance Gilbert  -   Buckley Moss Gallery, Blacksburg, VA  -  2:00 p.m.
James McMurtry  -   Terrapin Crossroads, San Rafael, CA

November 14, 2016  (Monday)
Nina Diaz  -    Kilby Court, Salt Lake City, UT
James McMurtry  -   Humboldt Brews, Arcata, CA

November 15, 2016  (Tuesday)
Peter Case  -   Magnolia Motor Lodge, Fort Worth, TX
James McMurtry  - Hi-Fi Music Hall, Eugene, OR

November 16, 2016  (Wednesday)
Nina Diaz  -    Globe Hall, Denver, CO

November 17, 2016  (Thursday)
Peter Case  -   Dosey Doe Music Cafe, Conroe, TX
Catie Curtis  -   Jammin' Java, Vienna, VA
Paul Kelly And Charlie Owen  -  St. Stephen's Uniting Church, Sydney NSW, Australia
James McMurtry  -   Aladdin Theater, Portland, OR
Patrolled By Radar  -   The Ivy Room, 860 San Pablo Ave., Albany, CA
Henry Wagons  -   Southside Tea Room, Morningside, Australia

November 18, 2016  (Friday)
Catie Curtis  -   Tin Pan, Richmond, VA
Mark Erelli  -  Club Passim, Cambridge, MA
Tim Gearan Band  -  Atwood's Tavern, Cambridge, MA
Vance Gilbert  -   Strange Brew, Austin, TX
The Howlin' Brothers  -   EMO's, Austin, TX
Paul Kelly And Charlie Owen  -  St. Stephen's Uniting Church, Sydney NSW, Australia
James McMurtry  -   The Triple Door, Seattle, WA
Willie Nile  -  Iron Horse Music Hall, Northampton, MA
Patrolled By Radar  -   The Lost Church, San Francisco, CA
Ellis Paul  -   Woody Guthrie Museum, 102 East Brady Street, Tulsa, OK  -  7:00 p.m.

November 19. 2016  (Saturday)
Melissa Ferrick  -  The Bull Run Restaurant, Shirley, MA
The Grahams  -   Blue Canoe, Tupelo, MS
Paul Kelly And Charlie Owen  -  Lighthouse Folk Festival, Norah Head Lighthouse, Norah Head NSW, Australia
James McMurtry  -   The Bartlett, Spokane, WA
The Monkees  -   Twin River Event Center, Lincoln, RI
Willie Nile  -  Iron Horse Music Hall, Northampton, MA
Patrolled By Radar  -   Lagunitas Brewing Company, Petaluma, CA  -  3:00 p.m.
Tom Paxton  -  The Tin Pan, Richmond, VA
The Whooligans  -   The Auld Dubliner, Long Beach, CA

November 20, 2016  (Sunday)
Catie Curtis  -   Historic Coopers House, Columbia, MD
Letters To Cleo  -  The Sinclair, Cambridge, MA
The Monkees  -   Bergen PAC, Englewood, NJ
Patrolled By Radar  -   Berryessa Brewing Company, Winters, CA  -  3:00 p.m.

November 21, 2016  (Monday)

November 22, 2016  (Tuesday)
Paul Kelly And Charlie Owen  - St. David's Cathedral, Hobart, TAS, Australia

November 23, 2016  (Wednesday)
Paul Kelly And Charlie Owen  -  St. Michael's Uniting Church, Melbourne VIC, Australia

November 24, 2016  (Thursday)
Paul Kelly And Charlie Owen  -  St. Michael's Uniting Church, Melbourne VIC, Australia

November 25, 2016  (Friday)
Tim Gearan Band  -  Atwood's Tavern, Cambridge, MA
Ellis Paul  -   The Evening Muse, 3227 N Davidson St., Charlotte, NC  -  8:00 p.m.

November 26, 2016  (Saturday)
Vance Gilbert  -   The Sounding Board At The Universalist Church, West Hartford, CT
Josh Lederman And The Cambridge-Somerville All-Stars  -  The Plough And Stars, Cambridge, MA  -  4:00 p.m.
Ellis Paul  -  Eddie's Attic, 515-B North McDonough Street, Decatur, GA  -  7:15 p.m.
Ellis Paul  -  Eddie's Attic, 515-B North McDonough Street, Decatur, GA  -  9:15 p.m.
The Whooligans  -  O'Malley's On Main, Seal Beach, CA  -  9:00 p.m. 

November 27, 2016  (Sunday)
Ellis Paul  -  The Red Dragon Listening Room, 2401 Florida Blvd., Baton Rouge, LA -  8:00 p.m.

November 28, 2016  (Monday)

November 29, 2016  (Tuesday)
The Monkees  -   Isaac Theatre Royal, Christchurch, New Zealand
Over The Rhine  -   The Belly Up, Solana Beach, CA

November 30, 2016  (Wednesday)
The Monkees  -   ASB Theatre, Auckland, New Zealand
Over The Rhine  -   Troubadour, West Hollywood, CA

The Blind Boys Of Alabama: “Atom Bomb” (2005/2016) CD Review

Omnivore continues its series of expanded re-issues of the work of The Blind Boys Of Alabama. In May of this year, we were treated to expanded editions of both 2001’s Spirit Of The Century and 2002’s Higher Ground. And now we get 2003’s Go Tell It On The Mountain and 2005’s Atom Bomb. Atom Bomb includes some traditional gospel music, as well as some interesting choices of covers, with songs written by Norman Greenbaum and Eric Clapton, mixing gospel with other musical realms, as they had done on previous releases. This special expanded edition contains seven bonus tracks, all previously unreleased, as well as new liner notes. The group, at the time of this recording, included original members Clarence Fountain, Jimmy Carter and George Scott, as well as Joey Williams, Ricky McKinnie, Bobby Butler and Tracy Pierce. David Hidalgo, from Los Lobos, joins them on many tracks, and there are some other guests as well.

This CD opens with its title track, “(Jesus Hits Like The) Atom Bomb,” written by Lee V. McCullom and recorded by The Pilgrim Travelers. Oh yes, a song that compares Jesus to a destructive bomb. The first line is “You know now, everybody’s worried about that atom bomb.” With this election, there is a whole lot of other stuff to worry about too. They follow that with these lines: “No one seems worried about the day my lord shall come/You’d better set your house in order/For he may be coming soon/And then he’ll hit like an atom bomb when he comes, when he comes.” Ah, the vengeful, angry Jesus in full-attack mode. The song, with George Scott on lead vocals, also provides a bit of a history lesson.

Then on Norman Cook’s “Demons” the group mixes gospel and rap, with Timothy Parker (of the hip hop duo Blackalicious) joining them on vocals. This track also features Billy Preston on organ and piano, and David Hidalgo on guitar. They then get into more traditional gospel fare with a bluesy version of “Talk About Suffering,” which features some wonderful work by Charlie Musselwhite on harmonica. “Talk about suffering here below/Let’s keep talking about Jesus.” Clarence Fountain provides the smooth and wonderful lead vocals. And I love the way all their voices blend on “Jesus.” John Chelew, who produced the album, adds another voice with the organ.

The Blind Boys Of Alabama deliver an excellent rendition of Norman Greenbaum’s “Spirit In The Sky,” a song that was also a hit for Doctor And The Medics. Charlie Musselwhite joins The Blind Boys on harmonica, and David Hidalgo is on guitar. One of my favorite tracks is “New Born Soul,” with George Scott on lead vocals. This one has a very cool vibe, and of course some excellent vocals. David Hidalgo is again on guitar. “I’ve got a new way of preaching, a new way of teaching/Since the holy ghost took control/Souls are winning, a new beginning/Thank the lord I’ve got a new born soul.” That’s followed by another of the disc’s highlights, “Presence Of The Lord,” a song written by Eric Clapton and originally recorded by Blind Faith. On this track, The Blind Boys are again joined by Billy Preston on organ. These recordings were among the final recorded performances by Billy Preston, who died the following year.

The original album concludes with “Moses,” which is driven by the group’s vocals, accompanied only by some work by Charlie Musselwhite on harmonica and John Chelew on organ. Timothy Parker also adds his voice to the mix.

Bonus Tracks

This expanded edition contains seven bonus tracks, and interestingly they are all instrumental versions of tracks from the original album. I say it’s interesting, because it might seem an odd choice to included instrumental renditions of the work of what is essentially a vocal group. But, as these tracks so clearly show, there is a lot more going on here than just this group’s stellar vocal work, and it’s great to have the work of the musicians featured. The instrumental tracks are “I Know I’ve Been Converted,” “New Born Soul,” “Old Blind Barnabas,” “Presence Of The Lord,” “Spirit In The Sky,” “Talk About Suffering” and “Faith And Grace.”

CD Track List

1. (Jesus Hits Like The) Atom Bomb
2. Demons
3. Talk About Suffering
4. I Know I’ve Been Converted
5. Old Blind Barnabas
6. Spirit In The Sky
7. Faith And Grace
8. New Born Soul
9. Presence Of The Lord
10. Moses
11. I Know I’ve Been Converted (instrumental)
12. New Born Soul (instrumental)
13. Old Blind Barnabas (instrumental)
14. Presence Of The Lord (instrumental)
15. Spirit In The Sky (instrumental)
16. Talk About Suffering (instrumental)
17. Faith And Grace (instrumental) 

This expanded re-issue of Atom Bomb is scheduled to be released on November 4, 2016 through Omnivore Recordings.

The Blind Boys Of Alabama: “Go Tell It On The Mountain” (2003/2016) CD Review

This year’s batch of Christmas releases and re-issues includes a special expanded edition of The Blind Boys Of Alabama’s 2003 holiday album, Go Tell It On The Mountain. If anyone can make Christmas sound both cool and holy, you know it’s The Blind Boys Of Alabama. Plus, on this release they are joined by some great guests, including Solomon Burke, Tom Waits, Chrissie Hynde, Richard Thompson, Aaron Neville, Mavis Staples and George Clinton. Most of the songs are ones you know well, but don’t worry, there is no “Rudolph” or “Frosty” or any of that junk. The Blind Boys Of Alabama, at the time of this recording, featured founding members Clarence Fountain, Jimmy Carter and George Scott, as well as Joey Williams, Ricky McKinnie, Bobby Butler and Tracy Pierce. This expanded edition includes three bonus tracks and new liner notes.

They get things off to a great start with a lively rendition of “Last Month Of The Year,” featuring some good work by John Medeski on organ. The song begins a cappella, which of course is the perfect way to begin any Blind Boys disc. What excellent voices! The band then kicks in, and things get hopping. Has Christmas ever sounded so good? They follow that with “I Pray On Christmas,” a song written by Harry Connick, Jr. and included on his When My Heart Finds Christmas album. So this was a recent song, only a decade old when The Blind Boys Of Alabama released their rendition. This version begins with some cool work on bass by Danny Thompson, and features a fantastic vocal performance by Solomon Burke. There is also more wonderful stuff from John Medeski on organ.

Tom Waits then joins the group for the CD’s title track, “Go Tell It On The Mountain.” The Blind Boys Of Alabama had covered Tom Waits previously, opening their 2001 release Spirit Of The Century with his “Jesus Gonna Be Here.” Here he adds his distinctive, wild, rough vocals to this special, bluesy rendition of the spiritual. I especially dig that section that begins with Tom Waits singing, “Now, people, when I was a seeker…” That’s followed by “Little Drummer Boy,” one of the popular Christmas songs that I’ve actually always enjoyed (in part because when I was nine or so, Joan Jett released a great version of it). The Blind Boys Of Alabama offer an interesting version, featuring a spoken word delivery by Michael Franti, with the Blind Boys echoing him in song. It’s quite different from other versions I’ve heard over the years, but I like it. By the way, Michael Jerome is on drums.

Chrissie Hynde takes on lead vocal duties on “In The Bleak Midwinter,” a song that might not be as familiar as most others offered here. Here is a taste of the lyrics: “In the bleak midwinter/Frosty wind made moan/Earth stood hard as iron/Water like a stone/Snow had fallen, snow on snow/More than you could know/In the bleak midwinter/A long, long time ago.” Richard Thompson plays guitar on this track. That is followed by a delicious a cappella rendition of “Joy To The World,” with Aaron Neville’s lead vocals working in wonderful contrast to The Blind Boys.

Mavis Staples joins the group on “Born In Bethlehem,” a song that The Staple Singers included on their 1961 record Swing Low. The version included here has a great, positive energy, and a good groove to get you moving. It’s loose and fun, like a gospel party, and has a cute moment at the very end. Then country singer Shelby Lynne joins them for “The Christmas Song,” written by Mel Tormé and Robert Wells. It is presented as a duet with Shelby and Clarence Fountain. By the way, in 2010 Shelby Lynne released her own Christmas album, titled Merry Christmas (it does not include “The Christmas Song”).

George Clinton, the Prime Minster of Funk, joins the Blind Boys on “Away In A Manger.” That might sound like a very strange choice, but the result is the best version of this song I’ve ever heard (at least, that I can recall). Guest musician Robert Randolph is on pedal steel. Then Meshell Ndegeocello is on lead vocals and piano on “O Come All Ye Faithful,” here titled “Oh Come All Ye Faithful.” As with “Little Drummer Boy,” the lead vocals are delivered as spoken word. Les McCann is on vocals and piano on Irving Berlin’s “White Christmas,” the first half of which is delivered as scat, the lyrics not being sung until close to the two-minute mark. The original album concludes with a wonderful version of “Silent Night,” without any special guest vocalists. Clarence Fountain takes lead vocal duties.

Bonus Tracks

This expanded edition contains three bonus tracks, all of which were previously released. The first, a gorgeous and moving a cappella rendition of “My Lord What A Morning,” was originally included on the 2004 edition of Go Tell It On The Mountain. The other two tracks – live versions of “Go Tell It On The Mountain” and “Amazing Grace” – were included on the 2005 DVD, Go Tell It On The Mountain: Live In New York. “Amazing Grace,” as on Spirit Of The Century, is done to the tune of “House Of The Rising Sun.”

CD Track List

1. Last Month Of The Year
2. I Pray On Christmas
3. Go Tell It On The Mountain
4. Little Drummer Boy
5. In The Bleak Midwinter
6. Joy To The World
7. Born In Bethlehem
8. The Christmas Song
9. Away In A Manger
10. Oh Come All Ye Faithful
11. White Christmas
12. Silent Night
13. My Lord What A Morning
14. Go Tell It On The Mountain (live)
15. Amazing Grace (live)

This special expanded edition of Go Tell It On The Mountain is scheduled to be released on November 4, 2016 through Omnivore Recordings.

The Legal Matters: “Conrad” (2016) CD Review

The Legal Matters are the trio of Andy Reed, Chris Richards and Keith Klingensmith, folks familiar to the Michigan music scene because of bands like Hippodrome, The Phenomenal Cats, An American Underdog and Chris Richards And The Subtractions. Their new album, Conrad, the band’s second full-length release, features all original material, with each of the three guys contributing songs. They are joined by Donny Brown and Andy Dalton, both on drums. The band’s name, by the way, comes from The Who’s “A Legal Matter,” but don’t expect these guys to sound at all like The Who. They are more pop than rock, and with a focus on the vocals, though there are definitely some 1960s influences on their sound.

The CD opens with “Anything,” written by Chris Richards. This is a sweet-sounding pop tune. Here is a taste of the lyrics: “I want you to know everything/And I’ll be anything you want/Anything you need/I just need you to laugh/This paradox could be/So good for you and me/If you believe all you read.” It’s followed by “I’m Sorry Love,” written by Andy Reed. This is one that has clear 1960s influences in the approach and sound, plus some wonderful blending of voices. But that playful instrumental section is what really gets me interested, and makes me fall in love with this song. Then the other instruments drop out briefly for a section that is just vocals and keys. “I’m sorry love, could you just hang on/And give me one more minute of your time/I’ll trade in my desire to comply/If you give me a reason for the line.”  That playful section is repeated at the very end, leaving me smiling. Absolutely delightful.

There are more 1960s influences on “Minor Key,” which refers directly to The Beatles in the line “We share a love for ‘Let It Be.’” And its first line is a nod to The Beach Boys: “I’m feeling the warmth of the sun.” The band ventures more toward rock with “Short Term Memory,” a song I like more each time I listen to it. “It makes me wonder who’s pulling all the strings/If we all jump off the merry-go-round we can bring back everything.”

The chorus of “More Birds, Less Bees” has a cute, light, happy sound. The title aggravates the grammar hound in me, as it seems like it should be “More Birds, Fewer Bees,” but the line in the song is “she’s talking more birds and less bees.” This song uses the old “self”/“shelf” rhyme, which always bothers me. Something about that rhyme always seems forced. “More Birds, Less Bees” is followed by one of my favorites, “Pull My String,” written by Keith Klingensmith. I particularly love the chorus, the delicious, positive sound of it, though the song is about a man who is lonely after a breakup, dealing with the platitudes people offer as help, like “these things serve to make you stronger.” And he’s not ready to move on. “Pull my string: I still love you/Pull my string: I am right here/Pull my string to hear the same things every day.”

“She called me to say you’re wasting my time,” the main line of “She Called Me To Say,” makes me smile every time I listen to this disc. “Lull And Bye” is a short, sweet, pretty song that is all about the vocals, and might remind you of The Beach Boys. The disc then concludes with “Better Days,” written by Andy Reed. “A memory we’re making could be gone before too long/Well, I never know what to expect/Should I lay down my hand, let’s forgive and forget?” There is a false ending. The song comes back in unnecessarily, which actually works to detract from the its power.

CD Track List

1. Anything
2. I’m Sorry Love
3. Minor Key
4. Short Term Memory
5. More Birds Less Bees
6. Pull My String
7. She Called Me To Say
8. The Cool Kid
9. Hip Hooray
10. Lull And Bye
11. Better Days 

Conrad was released on October 28, 2016 through Omnivore Recordings.

Security Project: “Live 2” (2016) CD Review

Earlier this year Security Project released Live 1, an album of Peter Gabriel material. They’ve now followed it with Live 2, with performances of more Peter Gabriel and Genesis songs. On lead vocals and acoustic guitar is Brian Cummins, and his voice possesses many of the same qualities as Peter Gabriel’s voice. But his performances feel honest, nuanced and full of passion (check out “Wallflower,” for example), rather than simple imitations. Peter Gabriel fans will certainly enjoy this CD, as it gives us a chance to revisit some of Peter Gabriel’s material we might not have listened to in a while. After all, the song selections don’t include big hits like “Shock The Monkey,” “In Your Eyes,” “Sledgehammer,” “Big Time” or “Red Rain.”

Security Project, in addition to Cummins, features Michael Cozzi on guitar and backing vocals, David Jameson on keyboards and Eigenharp, Trey Gunn (from King Crimson) on guitar and vocals, and Jerry Marotta on drums and backing vocals. (Jerry Marotta played drums on several Peter Gabriel recordings, including one of my favorites, that great self-titled 1980 release with “Games Without Frontiers.”) The recordings on this CD are from February and March of 2015, as well as May of 2016. At times I forget this is a live album. First of all, it’s a very good, clear recording. But also, there is nothing messy about these tracks; these are polished performances. And there isn’t much stage banter included, with the focus being on the material.

This CD opens with “Family Snapshot,” a song from that 1980 self-title record. (The first four Peter Gabriel solo albums are all self-titled.) This rendition by Security Project features a really good vocal performance. Near the end, the vocals are delivered nearly a cappella, and those moments are compelling, and will certainly draw you in. That’s followed by “Moribund The Burgermeister,” which is the opening track from what is arguably Peter Gabriel’s best album, the self-titled one from 1977, his first solo record. (It’s the album that also features “Solsbury Hill.”) As with the original, this one features a great, kind of creepy voice on the line, “But I will find out, I will find out, I will find out.” I love it. Also from that album is “Humdrum.”

From what is still probably Peter Gabriel’s most popular album, So, comes “Mercy Street.” (I’m glad Security Project didn’t choose “Sledgehammer” or “Big Time,” two songs I never cared for.) In one of the CD’s few bits of stage banter, the band introduces this song, “This is from me to you, and it proves everybody deserves just a little bit of mercy.” The band delivers a delicate, moving rendition, which is actually quite a bit different from Peter Gabriel’s original version. It’s also somewhat shorter.

While the majority of these tracks are from early in Peter Gabriel’s solo career, Security Project does cover “Father, Son,” from Gabriel’s 2000 release OVO. Then, interestingly, they reach much farther back in Gabriel’s career to his time with Genesis, covering two songs from the 1974 record The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway. They do the first two songs from this double album – the title track and “Fly On A Windshield.” The CD then concludes with “On The Air,” the first tune from Peter Gabriel’s second self-titled album. The audience clearly knows the song, as you can hear them echo “On the air” – one of the only moments when the audience plays a key part in the recording.

CD Track List

1. Family Snapshot
2. Moribund The Burgermeister
3. Humdrum
4. Mercy Street
5. Wallflower
6. White Shadow
7. Father, Son
8. The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway
9. Fly On A Windshield
10. On The Air

Live 2 was released on October 21, 2016.