Mitch Ryder: “Detroit Breakout!” (2019) CD Review

A couple of years ago I saw Mitch Ryder And The Detroit Wheels at the Simi Valley Cajun And Blues Festival, and their set was a highlight of the weekend and reignited my passion for this band. Then late last year, Mitch Ryder released a Christmas record, Christmas (Take A Ride), one of the more enjoyable holiday albums of recent years. Now Mitch Ryder is rocking again, letting loose with Detroit Breakout! This album finds him covering some classic rock and soul numbers, with special guests on each track. The album’s title, of course, brings to mind the 1966 Mitch Ryder And The Detroit Wheels LP Breakout…!!! (the album that included “Devil With A Blue Dress”).

This disc opens with a new rendition of “Devil With A Blue Dress,” a song that was a huge hit for Mitch Ryder And The Detroit Wheels in the sixties. As back then, the song is paired with “Good Golly Miss Molly,” and it rocks, with a true rock and roll sound, and plenty of good guitar work from special guest James Williamson (from The Stooges). Mitch Ryder follows that with a version of “Cool Jerk,” a song that was a hit for The Capitols in 1966. This version is fairly faithful to the original, and features Wayne Kramer (of MC5) on guitar and Brian Auger on piano, and it is their work which elevates this rendition to something special.

I am from Massachusetts, so “Dirty Water” holds a special place in my heart (they still play it at Fenway). It was originally recorded by The Standells, who were from Los Angeles, not Boston, but no worries there. Mitch Ryder’s rendition here is quite a bit different from the original, apparent right from its opening, with that screaming guitar. Mitch Ryder puts his own spin on this one, with the help of Sylvain Sylvain (from the New York Dolls) on guitar and backing vocals. The guitar is certainly more prominent, wailing above that delicious rhythm. Mitch also changes the river, moving it from the Charles to the Detroit, thus taking the song away from Boston. But I still enjoy it. Another track that really rocks is “Have Love, Will Travel,” which features Paul Rudolph (of the Pink Fairies) on guitar and backing vocals. This one has a solid and glorious and raw garage rock sound, and it’s a whole hell of a lot of fun. That’s followed by “(I’m Not Your) Steppin’ Stone,” a song that was a hit for The Monkees (one of my all-time favorite bands). Of course, this song was originally done by Paul Revere And The Raiders. There have been some interesting covers of this one over the years, including versions by Sex Pistols, Minor Threat and Johnny Thunders. Mitch Ryder really sinks his teeth into it, finding the song’s pulse and ripping it open, letting the tune loose. This version owes something to the punk versions, and features Walter Lure, who played with Johnny Thunders in The Heartbreakers, on guitar and backing vocals.

Mitch Ryder delivers a cool, unusual take on “Dream Baby (How Long Must I Dream),” featuring Cherie Currie (of The Runaways) on backing vocals. This is certainly a bit of a departure from Roy Orbison’s original version, having more of a raw sound. There is even some panting audible toward the end. I really dig this version, and like it more each time I listen to it. That’s followed by “(Sittin’ On) The Dock Of A Bay,” a song I love. Mitch Ryder does a good job with it. Here he is joined by Arthur Adams on guitar and backing vocals. Arthur echoes Mitch, and adds some other vocal riffs throughout the track. Mitch Ryder offers a jumping rendition of “Bad, Bad Leroy Brown.”  He is clearly having a good time with this one, and that means a fun time for us too. This track features Joe Louis Walker on guitar and backing vocals.

Mitch Ryder gives us his takes on a couple of Sam Cooke tunes. The first, “You Send Me,” features some really nice work by Linda Gail Lewis on piano. Mitch’s vocals have a sweet, endearing quality here. The second is a fun and lively rendition of “Twistin’ The Night Away,” with Joe Louis Walker again joining Mitch on guitar and backing vocals. I particularly enjoy his guitar lead halfway through the track. Perhaps the oddest choice of songs to cover on this album is Pete Seeger’s “If I Had A Hammer,” but Mitch’s rendition fits right in with the rest of the tracks on this disc. It has a swinging soul groove, and features some wonderful work on piano by Linda Gail Lewis, who also provides backing vocals. This track is a delightful surprise. Linda Gail Lewis joins Mitch again for the album’s closing number, “Shout.”

CD Track List

1. Devil With A Blue Dress
2. Cool Jerk
3. Dirty Water
4. If I Could Turn Back The Hands Of Time
5. Have Love, Will Travel
6. (I’m Not Your) Steppin’ Stone
7. Dream Baby (How Long Must I Dream)
8. (Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay
9. Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)
10. Bad, Bad Leroy Brown
11. You Send Me
12. Twistin’ The Night Away
13. If I Had A Hammer
14. Shout

Detroit Breakout! was released on June 14, 2019 on Cleopatra Records.

Rod Picott: “Tell The Truth & Shame The Devil” (2019) CD Review

Rod Picott is a singer and songwriter from New England who is currently based in Nashville. His new album, Tell The Truth & Shame The Devil, features all original material, written or co-written by Rod Picott. If you ever needed proof that an album could have power with just a voice and a guitar (and sometimes a harmonica), here it is. Nothing else is needed here. Nothing is lacking. These songs are compelling, potent, and engaging, with lyrics that speak to the human condition, and so should speak to all of us. These songs feel both incredibly personal and universal. In addition to writing and performing the songs, Rod Picott recorded and engineered the album.

The album opens with “Ghost,” which actually begins with a rain sound effect. As always, I could do without that sound effect, and it strikes me as particularly unnecessary here on an album as stripped down as this one. Well, that being said, this is an excellent song, with some seriously good lyrics and a passionate vocal performance. Check out these lines: “I’m the punchline of my own joke” and “And the louder I yell, well, the more I’m filled with doubt” and “Now I’m alone and lonely, can’t say I’ve done my best/I could lie to myself, but I know goddamn well what comes next.” It’s a powerful and effective song. Perhaps it’s hitting me so hard because I’ve been feeling down for nearly three years now, and am not anywhere near where I expected to be at this point in my life. If you like Elliott Smith’s work, I think you’re going to love this song. I certainly do. “Ghost” is followed by “Bailing,” which paints a vivid picture of a time and place, and of a person who seems to struggle against both. “Just a poor man’s kid in a thrift store shirt/So I did what I did just to hurt.” His vocal delivery is intimate, but then I love when he suddenly raises his voice for “Route 95 shining like a diamond.” This is an album that deserves all your attention. Don’t just have this one on in the background. This track also features some good work on harmonica. Rod’s vocal delivery also has an intimate quality on “Mama’s Boy,” like he’s drawn us close to tell us a story. This song was co-written by Slaid Cleaves.

The harmonica at the beginning of “Spartan Hotel” is gorgeous and moving. This track features more beautifully intimate vocal work. There is humor to this one, with lines like “But if he could, he’d charge you twice” and “You don’t need luck to get lucky around here,” both of which made me laugh the first time I listened to this disc. “A Beautiful Light” also features some beautiful harmonica at the beginning. Something about the sound of this one makes me feel relaxed. I think it’s because of the song’s honesty. Check out these lyrics: “I guess a man will hold onto trouble when it’s all he knows” and “Now they’re a poor man’s punchline to a rich man’s joke” and “It’s a forty-hour week until you lose your heart/And you want to cut out the darkness with a knife.” But perhaps the line that pulls it all together is “There’s a thousand lousy songs that paint the hard life in a beautiful light.” “Beautiful Light” was written by Rod Picott and Ben de la Cour. That’s followed by “A 38 Special & A Hermes Purse,” another powerful song with some excellent lyrics. I am moved by these lines, which open the song: “I’ve spent half of my life fighting old ghosts/The other half trying to keep the gun out of my mouth/You wanted the truth, well, there it is.” And I love this line: “Every dream that comes true carries a curse.” If I were to quote every meaningful line from this song, I’d be writing the entire thing. These days, the depressing songs seem more appropriate, more right, more true. Don’t they?

Another highlight of this album is “Sunday Best.” This song is sweet and sad and kind of funny and human and real, everything you might want from a song. And it reminds me of my childhood, when once a week we pretended to be religious. I always suspected it was nonsense, even to my parents, particularly as there was never any joy to it for them. Here is a taste of the lyrics: “Stood in line/Crossed our hearts/And prayed that the whole thing/Didn’t come apart/The good dishes came out/And the silver did too/And everyone stopped cursing/For a couple of hours.” The album then concludes with “Folds Of Your Dress.” Check out these lines: “Wish I could find a place to hide/In the folds of your dress/Because right now I’m a goddamn mess.” Life is short, and getting shorter, and I want to just hide sometimes from whatever is coming next, to feel safe in a woman’s embrace, that place where the outside world doesn’t matter or even exist. There is a moment or two when Rod Picott’s vocal delivery reminds me of Greg Brown. This track ends with the rain sound effect again, and I can’t figure out why this would be included. Apart from these sound effects, I absolutely love this album.

CD Track List

1. Ghost
2. Bailing
3. Mama’s Boy
4. Mark
5. Spartan Hotel
6. Too Much Rain
7. A Beautiful Light
8. A 38 Special & A Hermes Purse
9. 80 John Wallace
10. A Guilty Man
11. Sunday Best
12. Folds Of Your Dress

Tell The Truth & Shame The Devil is scheduled to be released on July 19, 2019.

Russ Tolman and Dime Box Band at The Federal Bar, 7-7-19 Concert Review

Russ Tolman performing "Yuba City"

I’ve come to really love and appreciate these Sunday morning concerts at The Federal Bar, and to rely on them for an enjoyable break from the current horror show plaguing our nation. The Mimosa Music Series features not only good folks on stage, but good folks in the audience, and good folks serving the mimosas. A comfortable, friendly atmosphere is created every time. If you’ve attended any of these shows, you know exactly what I’m talking about. Today the series continued with an excellent double bill of Russ Tolman and Dime Box Band, both of whom have new releases out now.

Dime Box Band was on first. At 11:35 a.m., Mimosa Music Series host Gary Calamar introduced them, and they got right into it, kicking off their set with “All Of Nothing,” the lead-off track from their new album, Happy, which was released on July 1st. It’s a good, upbeat tune featuring some nice harmonies. After that song, lead vocalist Kristi Callan joked about the early hour, and how she knew some of the audience was out very late last night. Dime Box Band had played a late set at Cinema Bar, and several people in attendance at The Federal Bar had been at that show too. Dime Box Band’s set focused on the new album, and they followed “All Of Nothing” with “What Went Wrong,” a sweet country tune featuring some good stuff by Lyn Bertles on fiddle and by James Nolte on electric guitar, and then “As The Crow Flies,” its sound having a positive, uplifting vibe. From the new album, they also played “Keystone,” a song about the pipeline, and “Happy,” the album’s title track. In introducing “Happy,” Kristi mentioned that she appreciated the addition of planes to the pictures of the Revolutionary War, following another crazy and ignorant comment from Donald Trump. “Why not be happy, right?” And indeed, I love the humorous, playful approach in responding to and dealing with some of Donald Trump’s bullshit (but it’s difficult to maintain that positive attitude for very long). “Happy” featured a good lead on violin. And speaking of Trump, Dime Box Band also played “Everybody Lies,” with Kristi dedicating it to “those out there who tend to lie sometimes.” That one is a fun country number. They followed that with a cover of “Amanda Ruth,” a song written by Tony Kinman and Chip Kinman, and one that The Everly Brothers included on Born Yesterday, an excellent album. It’s a great rocking song, and Dime Box Band did a wonderful job with it. They concluded their set with “Cotton Pickin’,” a song from the band’s 2008 release, Five And Dime Waltz. Their set ended at 12:19 p.m.

Dime Box Band drummer Nick Vincent had mentioned that it’s Ringo Starr’s birthday, and when Gary Calamar returned to the stage to introduce Russ Tolman, he too mentioned it, saying that Ringo Starr had asked for everyone to say “Peace and love” at noon today. It was 12:32 p.m., and Gary pointed out that we missed the moment, but could say it anyway. Why not? Then Russ Tolman took the stage. “Good evening,” he said. “Or afternoon. Or morning.” He then got right to the music, opening his set with “Los Angeles,” the lead-off track from his new album, Goodbye El Dorado. This featured some nice work on accordion. “Los Angeles, I beg you please/Take care of her.” Both Dime Box Band and Russ Tolman opened their sets with the lead-off tracks from their new releases, but Russ Tolman then followed his with his album’s second track, “Kid.” “So this is the new album I have,” he said before starting that song. And indeed, his set featured the album’s music played in order. “Kid” featured some good work by Kirk Swan on electric guitar, particularly toward the end. That was followed by “North Hollywood Dream,” a sweet song that mentions Lankershim Blvd., the street The Federal Bar is on. You can’t get much more local than that, eh? But my favorite line is “You’re finally in L.A., let the dreaming begin.” The album is all about California, mostly about Los Angeles, and if there is one thing that all residents of this great city agree on, it is that driving on the 405 highway sucks. In “405,” Russ sings, “Morning noon or night/Any time you drive, the traffic’s never light/Four Oh Five, you’re really gonna piss me off.” This one featured some good work on keys. After “Goodbye El Dorado,” the title track, Russ joked, “If it was vinyl, we’d be flipping over the record.” And indeed, that was the fifth of ten tracks (not including the disc’s final three tunes, which are listed as bonus tracks). “Goodbye El Dorado” was followed by “Yuba City” and then “California Winter.” “Do You Like The Way” is a fun number. I am particularly delighted by the line “Do you like the way you look in this song.” He followed that with another of the set’s highlights, “Almost Heaven,” a pretty song. Before the last song of his set, “Take It Easy, Take It Slow,” Russ thanked the audience, saying, “It’s been fun.” He then quickly added: “For me. I don’t know about for you.” Oh yes, it was certainly fun for me. “Take It Easy, Take It Slow” is a favorite of mine. The encore was “Satellite Bar,” one of the songs listed as bonus tracks on the CD, a fun rock tune. “Good night,” Russ said afterward. He then quickly corrected himself: “Or goodbye. It’s nap time.” The show ended at 1:30 p.m.

Russ Tolman’s Set List

1. Los Angeles
2. Kid
3. North Hollywood Dream
4. 405
5. Goodbye El Dorado
6. Yuba City
7. California Winter
8. Do You Like The Way
9. Almost Heaven
10. Take It Easy, Take It Sow

Encore

1. Satellite Bar

Here are a few photos from the show:

Dime Box Band performing "What Went Wrong"

"What Went Wrong"

"Mountain"

Russ Tolman performing "Goodbye El Dorado"

"Do You Like The Way"

"Almost Heaven"

"Satellite Bar"

The Federal Bar is located at 5303 Lankershim Blvd. in North Hollywood, California.

Roy Schneider & Kim Mayfield: “Reckless Saints” (2018) CD Review

Though Roy Schneider and Kim Mayfield have been performing together for a decade, it wasn’t until 2018 that the married couple put out their first official album. Reckless Saints features mostly original material, with just one cover. Roy Schneider plays acoustic guitar, electric guitar, dobro, bass, banjo, ukulele, harmonica, and percussion. Kim Mayfield plays acoustic guitar, ukulele, mandolin, and percussion. You might think they had everything covered between the two of them, but this album features some special guests, including Gurf Morlix on one track.

The disc gets off to an energetic start with “Jump In,” and I’m totally into this song the moment it begins. It’s a fun bluesy gem with some cool work on harmonica. It moves quickly, a perfect rhythm and sound for a song about being traveling musicians out on the road. “Did we make any money/Do we know anybody/Who might let us sleep on their floor.” “Jump In” was written by Roy Schneider, and is followed by “Walkin’ On A Wire,” which has a more serious sound. “’Cause if I quit walking, I will fall.” Charlie McCoy joins them on harmonica for this one, and Keven Aland is on violin. Both deliver some wonderful work. I love the ending, with fiddle and percussion, and wish that section went on a little longer. These first two tracks also feature the work of Daniel Friedberg (known as Freebo) on bass.

Then Kim Mayfield sings lead on “If I Die Tomorrow,” which has a seriously cool and somewhat haunting country sound. Keven Aland is again violin, and I love his work here, which soars like a newly departed spirit suddenly discovering its ability to fly. This track also features some really nice stuff on electric guitar. “If I die tomorrow/Will I overcome all fears/The way I always wished I could/Through all my trials and tears.” “If I Die Tomorrow” is one of my personal favorites. That’s followed by “Subjugated Love,” a tune that seems designed to get you dancing. It has a delightful rhythm and is a lot of fun. Plus, it has some enjoyable lyrics, such as these lines: “Well, you’re giving me the creeps/And I just can’t sleep no how.” There is a cool little jam in the second half, featuring some excellent stuff on piano and fiddle. Dan Fidanze is on piano, and Keven Aland is again on fiddle. I’m guessing this tune would be a highlight of Roy Schneider and Kim Mayfield’s live performances. Then “Poison Arrow” has a pretty and engaging folk sound with some nice vocal work. This line stands out for me each time I listen to this track: “Got to shoot down anything that ain’t what we all know.”

“Ring Around The Moon” is another of my favorite tracks. I love its sweet, beautiful sound. This is the first track on the album composed by Kim Mayfield, and she also sings lead on it. “Hot summer, restless winter/We spent most of those days together.” I love the way that violin comes in, rising in a spiral up at us. J. Robert Houghtaling plays violin on this one. “I hope your life was good to you/I hope you thought about me too.” I love the way Kim pauses slightly before the second line. Then the guitar comes on strong to kick off “Angels Along The Road.” “Didn’t know which way to go/But he knew he couldn’t look back/Didn’t really understand what he’d done/But he had to hit the road alone/One eye peeled for trouble/One looking out for angels along the road.” Thomas Callahan plays bass on this track, and Roy adds some good touches on harmonica.

“Buddha Baby,” Kim Mayfield’s other composition on this release, has a comforting country sound, with Rob Pastore joining the duo on pedal steel. “My expectations got in the way.” Then “Runaway Train” comes in with a force, and features J. Robert Houghtaling on fiddle. “Let me off of this runaway train/I want off of this runaway train.” Oh yes, I think we can all relate to that need. Then “After The Storm” has a pleasant folk vibe. The line from this song that stood out for me the first time I listened to this album was “For those who go crazy right out of the gate.” There is also a bit of whistling to this one. The disc then concludes with its one cover, “Election Day,” a song written by Blaze Foley. This is a cool rendition, and it features special guest Gurf Morlix on vocals and electric guitar. Tim Coletti is on bass. “Hey, Mr. Policeman, please don’t take my stuff/It cost me too much money, and it probably ain’t enough/To get me through election day.”

CD Track List

1. Jump In
2. Walkin’ On A Wire
3. If I Die Tomorrow
4. Subjugated Love
5. Poison Arrow
6. Ring Around The Moon
7. Angels Along The Road
8. Buddha Baby
9. Runaway Train
10. After The Storm
11. Election Day 

Reckless Saints was released on November 2, 2018 on Shiny Gnu Records.

Hardcore Anxiety: A Graphic Guide To Punk Rock And Mental Health (2019) Book Review

I think everyone I know suffers from anxiety these days. It’s difficult to avoid it, what with all the gun violence and children dying in cages and a moronic racist president with dreams of dictatorship and a thoroughly corrupt political party and the destruction of our environment. Not to mention whatever personal problems one might have on top of all that. And every day it seems things are getting worse. To maintain any kind of stability, many of us turn to music. And sometimes the absolute best music to turn to in these screwed up times is punk. Punk has been there for us for decades, helping us get through those terrible Reagan years, and now it is helping us survive these dark days of Donald Trump. Hardcore Anxiety: A Graphic Guide To Punk Rock And Mental Health is a graphic novel by Reid Chancellor, tackling the subject of mental health as it relates to punk music. Well, it’s not really a novel, because it’s not fiction. This is a personal account of a musician who suffered from depression and anxiety, and works through it with the help of music.

While it is a personal story and history, it is also one that Reid Chancellor recognizes is shared by many others. In fact, he directly addresses the reader early on, saying just that: “If you are holding this book then these bands and themes are as much a part of your life as they are mine” (p. 6). The book is also offered as a helping hand, with Reid writing, “I hope this book helps you understand that no matter what you aren’t alone and you can make it out alive” (p. 7). Reid himself is a character in the story, as he finds that playing in bands wasn’t fulfilling his dreams or expectations. Interestingly, one of the first drawings of him in the book (the one in which he is identified) has him looking directly at us, as if for help. And soon we learn why. He reads this message on a bathroom wall before a gig: “If you’re in a local band you should kill yourself” (p. 18).

It is a personal history, but it is also a history of the music, the two intertwined. The book gets into some of the influential punk bands, offering bits of biographical information, particularly as it relates to the subject of mental health. For example, in the section about The Ramones, Reid focuses on a 1976 interview the band gave in which they talked about writing about mental health. In one panel, Johnny Ramone says, “It’s kinda like our therapy, you know?” (p. 11). Oh yes, we know. Listening to punk music can be like therapy too, when you allow it to move your body and release energy and emotion, whether it is anger or frustration or despair or joy or whatever. And in the section on Black Flag, Reid focuses on the song “Nervous Breakdown,” commenting, “From the beginning mental health played a strong role in punk and hardcore” (p. 27). He mentions some of the troubles certain musicians have had in relation to mental health, focusing on artists like Bad Brains and Iggy Pop and Hüsker Dü.

Reid Chancellor also addresses the question of what exactly it means to be punk rock, and the concern that many people have probably had over the years of whether they are faking it, whether they are frauds. I love that Reid imagines himself (and draws himself) as a member of the Ramones, wondering, “Do you just put on a leather jacket and then you are part of the club?” (p. 36). It is a question of identity, both as you relate to yourself, and as you relate yourself to the larger punk culture, whatever that might mean. I appreciate the humor he shows in his take on his own life. One of the bands he was in was One Step, and Reid writes: “One Step always played hard. For 2 people or 200. We never played for 200 people though. So we’ll never know” (p. 75). Another example is when his fiancée calls the wedding off, she tries to cheer him up by saying, “But hey we can still get Taco Bell tonight if you want” (p. 104). My favorite line, however – and one that I think a lot of people will be able to relate to – is, “I had spent so much of my life miserable that I had no idea what I’d be like if I wasn’t” (p. 160).

Hardcore Anxiety: A Graphic Guide To Punk Rock And Mental Health is scheduled to be published on September 10, 2019 through Microcosm Publishing. Now I want to listen to some of the bands that Reid Chancellor was in.

Eliza Neals: “Sweet Or Mean” (2019) CD Review

Things are pretty strange out there, with a third of this country still under the twisted spell of a narcissistic rapist pretending to be president. Who are these people, and why are they? The idea of running into one of them is depressing and frightening. It is a good thing we have people like Eliza Neals to raise our spirits, to keep our blood pumping, to remind us that there is actually life out there. And on her new release, an EP titled Sweet Or Mean, she is joined by fellow blues rocker Popa Chubby (Ted Horowitz) on guitar. Two incredible forces working together like this means the CD is going to have a lot of power, a lot of attitude, a lot of energy. The tracks on this EP are all originals, written or co-written by Eliza Neals. In addition to Popa Chubby, this disc features Dave Keyes on keys, Chris Gambaro-Vega on bass, and John Medeiros Jr. on drums. This release follows 2017’s 10,000 Feet Below.

The EP opens with “Pawn Shop Blues,” which comes on strong, Eliza’s vocals having a fiery energy that jumps out of your stereo speakers. This is a fun, lively tune that features a horn section. Ian Hendrickson is on saxophone, and Michael Leonhart is on trumpet. But it is that electric guitar that really soars and drives this song forward.  That’s followed by “Blackish Gray,” which describes the color of the sky. I love the worn quality of her voice when she sings of making love all night. That is undeniably sexy. This song has a strong pulse. “Bitten By The Blues” is another fun one, with some classic vibes, and a great energy. This song is about someone who is into rock and roll but falls for the blues, and enjoys both musical realms. Indeed, this feels like Eliza Neals through and through. She is rock, she is blues. “Bitten by the blues/But I still love rock and roll/Please don’t make me choose/They both saved my soul.” This track mentions some famous musicians, such as Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix. As it fades out, it sounds like they’re about to start the song again, you can hear it being counted off.

“Livin’ With Yo Mama” has a more traditional blues rock sound and rhythm. It seems that blues just bursts forth from within Eliza Neal, all rough and wonderful. Plus, there is plenty of great guitar work here, the track becoming a good blues jam. “Livin’ With Yo Mama” is a song that Eliza Neals had recorded before. She included a very different rendition of it on her 2012 album, Messin’ With A Fool. “Livin’ With Yo Mama” is followed by “Knock Knock Knockin’,” an acoustic track that rocks and moves and grooves just as strongly as the electric tracks. I am seriously digging this tune, and it might actually be my favorite track of the EP. “I love running naked in the night/I love skinny dipping when the moon is right.” The disc then concludes with a second rendition of “Pawn Shop Blues,” this one with a great bar band sound, as indicated by its parenthetical title, “Roadhouse.” This one is without the horn section, but is still a whole hell of a lot of fun.

CD Track List

1. Pawn Shop Blues
2. Blackish Gray
3. Bitten By The Blues
4. Livin’ With Yo Mama
5. Knock Knock Knockin’
6. Pawn Shop Blues (Roadhouse)

Sweet Or Mean is scheduled to be released on July 4, 2019.

Chris Stamey: “New Songs For The 20th Century” (2019) CD Review

I am always interested in whatever Chris Stamey is working on, from The dB’s to his solo career, from his albums with Peter Holsapple to his guest appearances on the albums of other artists, and his work as a producer. His new double album, New Songs For The 20th Century, is an unusual offering. For this one, he has composed new songs that sound like standards from the past century. And to give the songs even more of a standard flavor, Chris Stamey has invited several different vocalists to deliver the lyrics. So this two-disc set really feels like a collection of standards. The music is a combination of jazz and pop, with both male and female lead vocalists, and plenty of excellent guest musicians, including Branford Marsalis and Bill Frisell. This is a good opportunity to leave the present behind (something that certainly holds a lot of appeal for most of us), and enjoy some damn fine music.

Disc 1

The first disc opens with “Manhattan Melody (That’s My New York),” which is so cool right from the start. This is a bright jazzy pop number featuring Django Haskins on vocals and the incredible Branford Marsalis on saxophone. Ah, that sax sounds so good, particularly during the delightful lead section in the second half of the track. There is also some really good work by Jim Crew on piano. This tune almost makes me feel positive about New York. Almost. That’s followed by a mellower number, “It’s Been A While,” with Django Haskins again on vocals. There is a nostalgic quality not only to the sound, but in the lyrics, as he’s looking backward to a perhaps better time after running into someone from his past. Doing that always makes us take stock of our present lives, doesn’t it? And it offers an opportunity to make comparisons. This track too features some good work on saxophone, this time by Elijah Freeman. Stephen Anderson is on piano, and delivers a cool lead halfway through.

Caitlin Cary sings on “I Don’t Believe In Romance,” a pretty song that features more nice work by Stephen Anderson on piano. I love his lead part that begins around the halfway mark. There is also a good bass line to this one. Will Campbell is on sax, and there is some wonderful work from the string section. This one has a catchy element, and has really grown on me, becoming one of my favorite tracks of the first disc. As with many of the songs on this release, the lyrics feature someone looking into the past. “Those days are gone, like yesterday’s songs/I hear the words you say/But nothing could make me sway.” Bill Frisell plays guitar on “What Is This Music That I Hear,” a song that mentions Gershwin in the present tense, taking us back to that time with its lyrics as well as with its sound. “And Gershwin is five thousand miles away.” This track features some excellent stuff by John Brown on bass, and Will Campbell provides another good lead on sax. Kirsten Lambert provides a gentle, sweet vocal performance.

Accomplished vocalist Nnenna Freelon joins Chris Stamey on “Occasional Shivers,” her performance having both a sexy and wistful quality. “I must admit, when I’m near you/I still feel occasional shivers.” This track has a gorgeous, late-night vibe. Will Campbell is on saxophone, and there is also some good work from the string section. That’s followed by “On The Street Where We Used To Live,” which has kind of a bright feel, though lines like “There’s the bookstore where we first met, now a new internet café” and “On the street where we used to live, nothing remains” are completely depressing. This has been on people’s minds lately, how the quirks of different cities are disappearing, and everything is turning indistinguishable. Streets are losing their identities. Sure, some of this could be called progress, but it’s so sad when you look for your past and can’t find it anywhere. This track features some cool percussion and a good vocal performance by Brett Harris.

“Your Last Forever After” is one of the disc’s most beautiful and moving songs. This one struck me the first time I listened to this album, and I love it more each time I listen to it. It features a memorable vocal performance by Caitlin Cary. Here is a taste of the lyrics: “I am your last forever after/I am your first glimpse of the moon/I am the memory you’ve forgotten/Your sudden déjà vu.” Josh Moore provides harmony vocals on this track. That’s followed by “There’s Not A Cloud In The Sky,” a fun, cheerful tune featuring an excellent vocal performance by Ariel Pocock. And check out Stephen Anderson’s work on piano. The first disc concludes with another of its most compelling tracks, “I Am Yours,” featuring Millie McGuire on vocals. I saw her perform this song with Chris Stamey back in February at The Federal Bar. It’s a gorgeous song, and was one of the highlights of her set at that concert. This is an excellent track to wrap up the first CD.

Disc 2

The second disc, labeled “Volume 2,” then opens with another song featuring Millie McGuire on vocals, “I Fall In Love So Easily.” This is a gorgeous, romantic piece, with Stephen Anderson accompanying Millie’s delicious vocals on piano. Elijah Freeman adds some nice work on sax. This was another that Millie performed at that concert in February. That’s followed by “Beneath The Underdog,” a song with a very different feel. It opens with some cool work by Matt Douglas on saxophone, with hand claps backing him. And soon the song develops a kind of funky, lively rhythm. Providing vocals for this one are Marshall Crenshaw, Don Dixon and Django Haskins. Sometimes this song strikes as me as a tune that could be in a musical. “In-tox-i-cho-cli-fi-ca-tion” also could be from a musical, though it has a different style. It’s kind of a goofy tune, a love song to chocolate, with Django Haskins providing the vocals.

“The Woman Who Walks The Sea” is a mellow tune with a relaxed vibe. Kirsten Lambert provides the vocals, and Jim Crew is on piano. “Lover, Can You Hear Me?” is a passionate, romantic number featuring Skylar Gudasz on vocals. Here is a taste of the lyrics: “And the day stretches out like it will never end/Far away from the reverie of night/But I pray that the dusk will bring you back again/To my arms.” That’s followed by “Pretty Butterfly (In My Dream),” a sweet song sung by Millie McGuire. This track features Mark Simonsen on vibes, and Laura Thomas on violin. The lyrics to this one also touch on night and day, and relate the coming of night to the return of a lover: “When the night has wrapped its arms around me/And the day’s a distant memory/I know you’ll be back again.” “And I Love Her” is another sweet, pretty tune, this one with Kirsten Lambert on vocals. I love her performance here. This track also features some wonderful stuff by Will Campbell on saxophone, and by Jim Crew on the piano, giving it a late-night vibe.

A few of the songs on this release mention famous musicians from earlier times. I noted that “What Is This Music That I Hear?” mentions Gershwin. So does “Unpredictable”: “Unpredictable, like April showers/Like a Gershwin tune.” However, this one takes place a little later, as the people in this song are seeing Jules et Jim, which was released in 1962. Then “I Lost Track Of Time” mentions Benny Goodman. Django Haskins sings this one. “And I lost track of the time/Back when you were mine/I wish I could somehow find/A way to make the hands rewind.” Again, there is a yearning to return to an earlier time that is present in many of these songs. The second disc then concludes with “Occasional Shivers.” It is listed on the CD as a reprise, but it’s actually the full song again, but with a different singer. This time Presyce Baez takes on the vocal duties. And Dave Finucane is on saxophone.

CD Track List

Disc 1

1. Manhattan Melody (That’s My New York)
2. It’s Been A While
3. I Don’t Believe In Romance
4. What Is This Music That I Hear?
5. Occasional Shivers
6. On The Street Where We Used To Live
7. On An Evening Such As This
8. Your Last Forever After
9. There’s Not A Cloud In The Sky
10. Dear Friend
11. Insomnia
12. I Am Yours

Disc 2

1. I Fall In Love So Easily
2. Beneath The Underdog
3. In-tox-i-cho-cli-fi-cat-tion
4. In Spanish Harlem
5. The Woman Who Walks The Sea
6. For A Muse
7. Love, Can You Hear Me?
8. Pretty Butterfly
9. I Didn’t Mean To Fall In Love With You
10. Life Is But A Dream
11. And I Love Him
12. Unpredictable
13. I Lost Track Of The Time
14. Occasional Shivers (Reprise)

New Songs For The 20th Century was released on June 28, 2019 through Omnivore Recordings.