Louisiana’s LeRoux: “One Of Those Days” (2020) CD Review

Louisiana’s LeRoux is a band based in Baton Rouge that has been around for more than forty years, though with multiple changes in its lineup along the way. One Of Those Days is the first new studio release from the band in a decade, and it is full of good southern rock and blues tunes, many of them originals. The band is currently made up of Jeff McCarty on lead vocals, Jim Odom on guitar and backing vocals, Tony Haselden on guitar and backing vocals, Rod Roddy on keys and backing vocals, Nelson Blanchard on organ and backing vocals, Joey Decker on bass and backing vocals, Randy Carpenter on drums, and Mark Duthu on percussion. This release features some special guests joining them on certain tracks.

The album opens with its title track, “One Of Those Days.” The exact moment this song had me was on the line “I put on a pair of jeans and Deadhead T,” a line that occurs early in the track. I can’t help but appreciate Grateful Dead references, for they immediately connect me to a larger community, and these days we are certainly in need of that, right? And, like a Dead song, this one has a good jam section, one you can dance to, and with a little nod to CCR on guitar. I seriously dig the percussion on this track. Also, the song’s main line, “It’s just one of those days,” is a line many of us probably find ourselves uttering to ourselves somewhat regularly. “One Of Those Days” was written by Jim Odom and Tony Haselden. It’s followed by a cover of Dustin Ransom’s “No One’s Gonna Love Me (Like The Way You Do),” a song from his Thread On Fire. This tune has a good groove, and the right amount of soul. It’s something of a sweet love song with lines like “That’s why I need you for the rest of my life” and “There ain’t nobody gonna lift me up the way you do.” There are some great backing vocals giving the track something of a pleasant 1970s vibe, and also some wonderful stuff on keys. Then from the moment those drums start, there is no doubt that “Lucy Anna” is one of those great Louisiana songs designed to get us off our asses and dancing around. This is a song that effectively shouts New Orleans to us, and features some lively backing vocals and more delicious work on keys. But it is that groove that really grabs me. This is a ridiculously fun track, written by Richard Ferreira. Leon Medica plays bass on this one.

The opening lines of “Don’t Rescue Me” stood out the first time I listened to this disc: “All my friends don’t know what to do/They say I’m disappearing into you.” And then the title line is directed at his friends, “Don’t rescue me.” Oh yes, sometimes we just want to risk getting hurt, maybe even be devoured by a woman. If we are going to suffer, well, that is some suffering we can all deal with. This one has a heavier, bluesy sound, and was written by Jim Odom. Then “After All” is a slower, soulful number about the end of a relationship. “It ain’t the ending I was thinking of/I’ll be just fine without you, baby/Because after all, we never called it love.” Is that regret I hear in his voice? You get the feeling he wishes he could go back and tell her he loves her, and tell her over and over. This song was written by Randy Sharp.

On the 1983 LP So Fired Up, Louisiana’s LeRoux included a song called “Lifeline,” written by Rod Roddy and Leon Medica. Now the band is revisiting that song with a new version titled “Lifeline (Redux).” It certainly has a different sound than the original. Gone is that introduction, and gone is that 1980s rock sound. This version is a couple of minutes longer than the original, and becomes a decent jam toward the end. Then “Sauce Piquante” fades in, a cool, groovy, funky jam already in progress, so that it feels like we are entering a house where the party is already in full swing, with folks dancing and drinking, and the music having already reached that great place where all the musicians are in that groove. This instrumental track is whole lot of fun, and is another of my favorites. And when it ends, it fades out, so we get the sense the party is continuing. The album then concludes with a slower number, “New Orleans Ladies,” written by Hoyt Garrick. On this track, special guest Tab Benoit joins the band on guitar. Interestingly, Tab Benoit included a version of this song on his 2008 live album Night Train To Nashville, where he was backed by Louisiana’s LeRoux. So there you go. Leon Medica is on bass, and Tim Courville plays drums on this track.

CD Track List

1. One Of Those Days
2. No One’s Gonna Love Me (Like The Way You Do)
3. Lucy Anna
4. Don’t Rescue Me
5. After All
6. Nothing Left To Lose
7. The Song Goes On
8. Lifeline (Redux)
9. Sauce Piquante
10. New Orleans Ladies

One Of Those Days is scheduled to be released on June 24, 2020.

Big Daddy Wilson: “Deep In My Soul” (2019) CD Review

Does the entire world have the blues? Seems like it some days, doesn’t it? Well, often the antidote to the blues is listening to some great blues music. Big Daddy Wilson’s 2019 release, Deep In My Soul, provides us with some soulful blues material, most of it original, written by Wilson Blount. Though born in a small town in North Carolina, Big Daddy Wilson discovered the blues in Germany, and has over the course of the last fifteen years put out several albums. Joining the singer on this latest release are Laura Chavez on guitar, Dave Smith on bass, Steve Potts on drums, Will McFarlane on guitar and backing vocals, Mark Narmore on keys, Brad Guin on saxophone and backing vocals, Ken Waters on trumpet and backing vocals, and Rick Steff on organ. Mitch Mann, Trinecia Butler, and Kimberlie Helton provide backing vocals.

The album opens with “I Know,” a cheerful burst of soul, complete with some delicious backing vocals. I love how they echo the title line. And it’s a love song. “I love you, baby doll, you know you are the one for me/Just the two of us, we don’t need no company.” Well, in these days of the pandemic, company is out of the question, so it’s a good thing she’s the only one you need. He then continues: “Anywhere you want to go, that’s all right with me/‘Cause in your arms, little girl, that’s where I want to be.” Ah yes, indeed. This song, by the way, contains a nod to an earlier studio album, Neck Bone Stew, which was released in 2017. That song is followed by “Ain’t Got No Money,” and being broke never sounded so good. “Ain’t got no money/But I sure got a whole lot of honey for you.” And you know, the song begins in a positive realm, listing everything he has. It’s not really boasting, but rather being appreciative for what he has. And he lists everything he can do for his woman. So, hey, this one deficiency shouldn’t cause too much trouble, right? Well, with unemployment hitting some crazy levels, this is a song a lot of folks can relate to and enjoy.

“Tripping On You” has a bright, kind of funky vibe, capturing that delightful sensation of being excited about someone. We’ve all admired someone from afar, gotten caught up in his or her aura, in that strange promise of what might be, and here Big Daddy Wilson sings of the woman who caught his attention. “I sit and wait for you to pass my way/Got something to tell you, but I’m scared to say it, babe/Somebody rescue me, I’m going crazy/Don’t even know her name, but I love that lady.” This song contains some cool work on bass and more great stuff from the backing vocalists. That’s followed by “I Got Plenty,” a track I’m into from the second it begins with that cheerful, delightful sound. I love that work on keys. This one too is about being broke, but being rich in friends, and is a perfect song for these days of division, worry and anger, offering a pleasant reminder to be the best person you can be. “If you widen out and open up your heart/You will finally see, love is all you need/Keep on living right, everything’s gonna be all right/The sun is going to shine on you.” And his voice is so friendly, that we can’t help but feel that we too have got plenty. This is one of my personal favorite tracks.

In “Hold On To Our Love,” Big Daddy Wilson sings, “So many people make the same mistake/Worrying about something others might say/You love me, girl, I love you/Hold on tight now, baby, that’s all that we can do/Don’t let their voices drive you crazy.” And those wonderful backing vocals seem to bring us all together. This is a sweet love song, in which he sings that he hasn’t been the same since he met his love. That’s a great feeling, isn’t it? Then “Deep In My Soul,” the album’s title track, delivers a good groove. This is a song about being a musician, a songwriter, and how it is not something one can control. The music comes from deep within, and is an essential and integral part of his being. “Behind these songs/Is the story of my life/Behind these songs/Is a whole lot of pain/A whole lot of love/And all the joy that it brings/I got it deep in my soul.” This track features some excellent stuff on guitar, and some really nice work from the horn section. Toward the end, Big Daddy Wilson tells us, “The blues will heal you if you let it, let it touch you way down.” Oh yes, we could all use a bit of that right now.

You know these days that a song titled “Crazy World” is one that is going to speak to all of us. In this one he sings, “You got trouble in the morning/You can’t sleep at night/I know you worry, baby/Something just ain’t right.” Well, those opening lines describe reality for probably the majority of people at this point. Is anyone getting a good night of sleep? This is slower song, delivered with passion, and is another of the disc’s highlights. “If you feel lonely, I’ll stay by your side.” This is certainly a crazy world, and seems to be getting crazier every day. “Voodoo” has a heavier sound, closer to rock, with a strong groove and some good work on keys. “Can’t get this woman, lord, off my mind/What is this stuff, I can’t tell/Could it be, could it be some kind of spell?/I don’t believe in voodoo/But girl, the things that you do/You got me, babe, I’m so confused/Make a preacher want to break all the rules.” The album then concludes with a bit of acoustic gospel, a traditional number titled “Couldn’t Keep It To Myself.” It’s a wonderful and very cool way to wrap things up.

CD Track List

1. I Know
2. Ain’t Got No Money
3. Mississippi Me
4. Tripping On You
5. I Got Plenty
6. Hold On To Our Love
7. Deep In My Soul
8. I’m Walking
9. Crazy World
10. Redhead Stepchild
11. Voodoo
12. Couldn’t Keep It To Myself

Deep In My Soul was released on April 19, 2019 on Ruf Records.

Ellis Paul at Home, 4-30-20 Concert Review

As we make our way through this pandemic, and the more moronic states begin softening restrictions on social distancing prematurely, one thing that eases our anxiety and helps us feel connected and human is music. Several artists are performing online, and these concerts help the musicians as much as they help those of us who are listening. Ellis Paul has been putting on shows from his home nearly every day. Most of them are on Facebook, but Thursdays are for those who have signed up for his Patreon page. Today’s show was made up of all requests. Because he’s been playing so often, we’ve been treated to a wider range of material than usual. Ellis has been digging more deeply into his catalogue on a regular basis, and that means that an all-request show is going to contain nuggets you likely haven’t heard in a while.

However, he opened today’s show with the song we’ve heard probably more than any other Ellis Paul song, “3,000 Miles.” Still, I was happy to hear it, for there is a joy to this song, and hearing it immediately takes us to a better place, mixed with memories of many earlier concerts. By the way, the first few songs on Thursdays are also broadcast on Facebook. Ellis said that not being able to go on the road to play shows makes him feel “like a pilot who can’t fly.” He followed “3,000 Miles” with “How You Say Goodbye,” a cover song included on The Storyteller’s Suitcase. This one too has a bright sound. Plus, it uses plenty of baseball imagery, which I appreciate. Will we get to see any Red Sox games this summer? Who knows? Then, with “Rattle My Cage,” Ellis got bluesy. It was so bloody good to hear this one again. This song was my brother’s request.

Ellis then switched off the Facebook feed and continued on Patreon. It’s odd that the sound wasn’t quite as good there as on Facebook, a bit of an issue with compression. But the song choices were excellent, thanks to the requests of fans. He played “Changing Your Name,” another I hadn’t heard in quite a while. After that song he mentioned that when the pandemic is over and he returns to touring, it won’t be the same sort of schedule that he’d been doing in the past, that he’ll continue to do some online shows and remain home more than before. He followed “Changing Your Name” with “New Orleans,” a beautiful song that has a late-night vibe. People certainly put in some good requests. And Ellis was dressed up for the occasion, sporting a suit. “This is a tie,” he said. “I usually only wear this when I’m getting divorced. This is a special night.”

“Never Lived At All” is a song that has always spoken to me, and one that I’ve been thinking about a lot lately, as I’ve been smacking myself for not more actively sending out my short stories and whatnot. Ellis seems to have worked up a different guitar part for this one, but it’s been a while, and my memory isn’t always to be trusted. “Better to have lived in hope than to never have lived at all.” He then turned the camera around to show us some of the music awards he has won. Quite a few! He played “Seize The Day,” a song that thematically seems to follow “Never Lived At All” quite well. And, yes, it is another song I hadn’t heard in a long while. He then wrapped up the show with “Did Galileo Pray?” Before saying goodbye, he mentioned that he might do a question and answer session next week, if people have questions regarding specific songs. The show ended at 8:25 p.m. eastern time. Tomorrow night he will be back on Facebook, playing traveling songs, and Saturday night will be a night of romantic songs. See you all then.

Set List

1. 3,000 Miles
2. How You Say Goodbye
3. Rattle My Cage
4. Changing Your Name
5. New Orleans
6. Never Lived At All
7. Seize The Day
8. Did Galileo Pray?

Jon Svetkey at Home, 4-29-20 Concert Review

When will this pandemic end? Well, not until all the idiots start wearing masks when they go out (looking at you, bicyclists and joggers). And so it will likely be a while before we get to attend concerts again. In the meantime, musicians are struggling to pay their bills, and are managing in part through online concerts. Club Passim, in addition to providing aid through the PEAR (Passim Emergency Artist Relief) Fund, is helping to host a series of online concerts, in an effort to keep musicians off the streets. They’re safer that way, and so are we. Today, Jon Svetkey (of End Construction and The Loomers) put on a great set from his home, which certainly helped me deal with this twisted reality that has descended upon us. I’ve been digging Jon’s music since those early days at the Old Vienna Kaffeehaus, and this set took me back to better times.

It took me a moment to get the proper window open for the show. The first page I opened did not have the space to leave comments, and interestingly there was like a five-second difference between that page and the one with comments. So I missed the first moments of the first song, which was “Someday,” a good choice of opener. “Do you believe, do you believe there’s truth in lies?/Do you believe, do you believe you’re really alive?” Jon followed that with “If I Met Me At A Party,” and I loved the little shrug he gave before singing “I don’t know.” Of course, we are not meeting anyone at parties these days. After that song, Jon mentioned that he was performing in his basement version of Club Passim, Club Passim being his home away from home. Behind Jon, there was a homemade Club Passim banner, which was made by Jon’s daughter, setting the appropriate mood. And if I weren’t missing Massachusetts enough already, Jon then played “Oh Massachusetts.” I was supposed to be heading to Massachusetts in a week or so, but no longer. I miss Boston. I miss Fenway. And I miss my family. “Oh Massachusetts, here in my heart.”

One thing about these online concerts is that fans are able to place requests, either in the comments section, or on the artist’s page leading up to the show. Several people did just that, and Jon mentioned that some of those requests he received in the past week were for “She’s A Spark.” On “Oh Massachusetts” and “She’s A Spark,” he played harmonica. Jon then replied to a comment posted during the song, regarding a vinyl copy of Bill Morrissey’s Standing Eight which was visible behind him. So he mentioned that Passim’s Matt Smith had given him that record, and inside it had been a flier from the Old Vienna and a ticket for the Bill Morrissey concert where Jon was the opening act. Then, in introducing “P.T. Barnum Was Right,” he said: “I never thought that this song would be so relevant thirty years after writing it. I never thought it would be a principle of governing our country either.”

“I’m going to do a couple of newer ones for you right now,” Jon said, and played “Matchbox Car,” a seriously good song, one I first saw him perform at my brother’s house back in 2016 during an End Construction reunion (well, three-fourths of End Construction). Today he delivered an excellent rendition, and followed that with a much newer one, “Gather ‘Round,” a wonderful song that is particularly poignant during this time of isolation. In this one he sang, “Gather ‘round me, my children/Gather ‘round, old friends of mine/Gather ‘round, my door is open/You are welcome any time/Gather ‘round our basement concerts.” He then played some old favorites – “Big City” and “Dead End Streets.” It was great to hear these songs again. They took me back to those days at the Old Vienna. Great times, those. And actually, before “Big City,” Jon talked about the first time he played the song at that venue. And, yes, it was a bit odd stomping my feet alone at that one point in “Dead End Streets,” but there you have it. In the comments section, I typed “Stomp, stomp, stomp.” What else could I do?

Jon then delivered a really good rendition of “The Vaguely Dylan Blues,” which was even funnier than I’d remembered. He followed that with “I’m Not Down” a beautiful song which, if I were forced to choose, would be my vote for his best song. “I would rather hold your hand on this earth than keep reaching for the stars” is a line that I love. I can’t help it. “Been There, Done That” was next, and is a song that still has that energy and power that it had back in the day. And certain lines now seem to have taken on more meaning, such as “Is this news, I don’t know” and “Is this real, or is this fake?” and “Too many people don’t know what is going on.” Then Jon played “Embrace The Day,” the song The Loomers usually close their shows with, and one that seems to have even more significance than usual. As Jon mentioned, it is a hopeful song. “And it’s true we might not be here tomorrow/And it’s true we take too much for granted.” Heather joined Jon on vocals for the final song of the set, “A Way Of Praying,” a beautiful song, another of Jon’s best. The show ended at 5:10 p.m. eastern time.

Set List

1. Someday
2. If I Met Me At A Party
3. Oh Massachusetts
4. She’s A Spark
5. P.T. Barnum Was Right
6. Matchbox Car
7. Gather ‘Round
8. Big City
9. Dead End Streets
10. The Vaguely Dylan Blues
11. I’m Not Down
12. Been There, Done That
13. Embrace The Day
14. A Way Of Praying

Brief Notes On New Jazz Releases

Things are getting weirder out there all the time, and more and more we are stuck inside our homes and our own heads. Fortunately, there is a lot of excellent music to help us through these difficult and strange times. Here are some brief notes on a few new (and two older) jazz releases you might want to check out.

Enrique Haneine: “Unlayered” – The new album from drummer and composer Enrique Haneine contains eleven original compositions, featuring a good range of styles and moods, with a common theme of deconstruction. It may seem harsh at moments, as it tears at the corners, reaching down and demanding some truth at its core. Among my favorites are “Luculent Jiggle” (which features a very cool bass part) and “Dance Of Endless Encounter” (mostly because of that great work from the horns). Joining Enrique Haneine on this release are Thomas Heberer on trumpet, Catherine Sikora on saxophone, Christof Knoche on bass clarinet, and Jay Anderson on acoustic bass. This album was released on April 3, 2020.

Dave Stryker With Bob Mintzer And The WDR Big Band: “Blue Soul” – On Dave Stryker’s new release, he joins forces with conductor and arranger and saxophone player Bob Mintzer and the WDR Big Band to deliver some original numbers as well as cover some well-known songs in the pop and rock realm. Two of the first three tracks are Marvin Gaye tunes – “Trouble Man” and “What’s Going On,” featuring some nice work by Billy Test on organ. There is also an interesting and lively take on Prince’s “When Doves Cry,” with a wonderful section where Dave Stryker and John Goldsby are racing along together on guitar and bass respectively. That track also features some great stuff by Hans Dekker on drums. One of the coolest and most exciting tracks is “Aha,” composed by Bob Mintzer, who also plays tenor saxophone on it. That tracks features some fantastic work on both saxophone and guitar. Of the Dave Stryker compositions, two of them – “Came To Believe” and “Shadowboxing” – appeared on Steve Johns’ 2015 release Family, an album that Dave Stryker produced. “Shadowboxing” includes a good drum solo. The third is “Blues Strut,” which is a fun and bright tune. I love the way Dave’s bluesy guitar works in the big band setting. This is another of my favorite tracks. This album is scheduled to be released on June 5, 2020.

The Tnek Jazz Quintet: “Plays The Music Of Sam Jones” – Sam Jones was an incredible bass player who might be best known for his work with other artists, particularly Cannonball Adderley. But he also was a composer and band leader, and released several records in the 1960s and 1970s. The Tnek Jazz Quintet pays tribute to this musician on the new release, Plays The Music Of Sam Jones, covering seven of his compositions. This music on this disc is bursting with life, the rhythms exciting, as you’d probably expect. What might surprise you is just how great the horn parts are. Listen to their work on “Bittersuite,” for example. I love the groove of “Some More Of Dat,” which is just a ridiculously cool track, featuring some delicious work on piano and a wonderful bass solo. “Del Sasser” has such a fun, bright vibe. There is also a mellower, gorgeous tune, “Lillie.” The Tnek Jazz Quintet is made up of Kent Miller on bass, Darius Scott on piano, Greg Holloway on drums, Benny Russell on tenor saxophone and soprano saxophone, and Antonio Parker on alto saxophone. This album was released on March 1, 2020.

Eyal Vilner Big Band: “Swing Out!” – If you need some delicious big band tunes to lift you up in these dark days, Eyal Vilner Big Band is here to help. Eyal Vilner plays alto saxophone, clarinet and flute, and did the arrangements. He also composed a couple of the tracks, including the opening number, “Downhill,” which moves and swings and features some wonderful stuff from Vilner, as well as Brandon Lee on trumpet and Robert Edwards on trombone. The entire album is fantastic, but highlights include a wonderful rendition of “Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans” (here shortened to “Do You Know What It Means”) and fun versions of “Saint Louis Blues” and “5-10-15 Hours.” Brianna Thomas provides excellent vocal work on this album. Whether she is belting out a lyric or delivering a line more intimately, she is a delight to listen to. And Brandon Bain joins the band on vocals for a sweet rendition of “That’s All.” This album was released on July 12, 2019.

Rich Willey’s Boptism Big Band: “Down & Dirty” – This album features almost all original material, written by Rich Willey (the only exception being a moving rendition of “Old Folks”). If you love hearing new big band music like I do, you are going to dig this disc. This group takes big band music to some interesting places, using elements of funk at times. Highlights for me include “Dancing Hippo” and “Not So Fast!” (the latter of which implements a reggae beat). Rich Willey plays trumpet and flugelhorn, and the whole band has plenty of talent. Thomas Hooten joins them on piccolo trumpet for the album’s title track. This album was released on June 28, 2019.

Daystar: “The Complete Recordings” (2019) CD Review

Daystar delivers rock and pop numbers that have something of a classic feel, songs with excellent harmonies. Based in Portland, this group is made up of Derek Phillips on vocals, rhythm guitar, Mellotron and keys; Joel Roth on guitar and percussion; Nick Foltz on drums, percussion, piano and backing vocals; and Kelly Simmons on bass, cello and backing vocals. The band’s 2019 release, The Complete Recordings, features all original material, the lyrics written by Derek K. Phillips and the music composed by the entire band. There are some guest musicians on these tracks, including some string players. The opening track, “Right At Home,” is a wonderful straightforward rock song with a good beat. This is music that feels like summer to me. Not this summer, perhaps, but a normal summer, a good summer. You know, that positive, fun, youthful, carefree sound that promises warm days, excitement and good times, with guitar work leading the way. Music you want to enjoy with friends outside. Josh Boisvert is on organ on this track.

“A Lot To Love” is a sweet pop number, with pleasing harmonies and some really good lyrics, like “Taking your time when you know it’s running out.” That’s a line you can think about for a while. And “You can change your mind, but not what’s right” is one hell of a good line. It struck me the first time I listened to this album, and continues to do so each time I play it. That line is then followed by these: “Changing your mind in the middle of the night/Walking on out when you’re crazy from the fight.” The song ends on that note. It is followed by “People Get Lonely,” one that ought to get you on your feet, or at least dancing on your chair or in your bed, or wherever the hell you spend most of your time these days. The track rocks, and features more good vocal work, sounding sort of like early Paul McCartney & Wings, that band’s more boisterous songs. And of course the title line is one everyone can relate to in these days of isolation and social distancing, though the line that I relate to most is “Now we get lost in time, forget what’s on our minds.” What the hell was I thinking anyway? That final “Ooh” at the end surprises and delights me each time I hear it.

From the moment “Summer Girls” starts, it has me smiling. This track has a sound designed to lift you up, and it works every time. Again, it takes me back to my younger days (am I already old enough to say such a thing? lord, where did the time go?). Anyway, I just love this song, partly because of its ridiculously catchy rhythm. “And you sing, and you sing, and you sing/But you can’t really hear anything.” That is followed by “Warped Reality.” I had a feeling somehow I’d be able to relate to a track titled “Warped Reality.” I mean, really, isn’t that a perfect song title for what it is we are all experiencing? The first line is “Isn’t it a pity how quickly you can fall apart?” And so, yes, I am relating to it. Of course, with it opening with the line “Isn’t it a pity,” you can’t help but be reminded of the George Harrison song. And indeed, it has a somewhat similar vibe and pace. Adding to this track’s appeal is a string arrangement by Phillip A. Peterson, who also plays cello. Rachael Pearson is on violin. This track ends with the strings. Then “Sunny Golden Side” has something of an early 1970s folk rock vibe that I dig. “Always lost, frustrated/But all this time it’s always been nearby.”

There is something moving about “Angelina.” It’s a song you can sway to, and let carry you off, in part because of the wonderful vocal work.  “I’ll be around when you fall from above/When you’re running away, wasting your time/I’ll be around when you’re changing your mind/I’ll be around.” Then, interestingly, he adds, “And I’ll bring you down,” and lets it end there. That’s followed by “The Ballad Of Sister Sadie May.” There is a bird sound effect at the beginning of the track, but almost before you are fully cognizant of it, the song is underway. It has a rather cheerful and totally enjoyable pop sound, with some mid-1960s folk rock influences heard in the guitar work, yet the lyrics tell a more serious tale. “She had a scar on her cheek, she had a rip in her dress/But when she walked down the street, she could hide the rest/‘Cause when you’re down on your knees/There’s no time for rest.” There are birds at the end as well. The album concludes with “Fade Away, Love,” a track that I was curious about because of its title, which seemed the antithesis of the Buddy Holly song “Not Fade Away.”  This beautiful song begins gently, and features another excellent vocal performance, as well as a string arrangement by Philip A. Peterson. Victoria Parker is on violin. This is another of my personal favorites.

CD Track List

1. Right At Home
2. A Lot To Love
3. People Get Lonely
4. All That You Know
5. Summer Girls
6. Warped Reality
7. Sunny Golden Side
8. Buttons & Brass
9. Angelina
10. The Ballad Of Sister Sadie May
11. Get Yourself Away
12. Fade Away, Love

The Complete Recordings was released on October 25, 2019. By the way, this one is also available on vinyl, a choice of black or bright red. (Yes, I want to get a red copy.)

Chickenbone Slim: “Sleeper” (2020) CD Review

I was turned onto the music of Chickbone Slim a few years ago when he released The Big Beat. At that time, I felt the country was in need of some fun music, as we were trying to adjust to the dark stink of the Trump administration, and that album certainly did the trick. And here we are, three years later and feeling like at least two dozen years have passed, and the country is in even more desperate need of music to lift us from the anxiety and fear and fury that have made themselves a home here. In addition to the regular horrors of the Trump administration, we are now suffering through a pandemic, something for which the current leader is utterly unequipped to deal with. And here comes Sleeper, another wonderful release from Chickenbone Slim, right on time to aid us in these uncertain and rather terrifying times. This album features all original material, written by Larry Teves (Chickenbone Slim’s real name). The band includes Scot Smart on guitar, Troy Sandow on harmonica, Andrew Crane on bass, and Marty Dodson on drums.

The disc gets off to a great start with “Vampire Baby,” a song that opens with a lie. The first line is ordinary: “I woke up this morning.” Yes, an innocuous enough line, a line you might not even pay attention to, for it’s been used countless times. But when he follows that with “That’s a good lie,” he has you. This is a delicious bluesy rock song about being a vampire, and it features some wonderful guitar work, plus some good stuff on harmonica. “Got to find me somebody to satisfy my appetite” (or is it “some body to satisfy my appetite”?). It’s a totally enjoyable tune, just the thing to take our minds off our troubles for a bit. That’s followed by “Tougher Than That,” which comes in rocking and swinging and shaking, a song with a fun beat, and one whose title line we might all find ourselves singing: “I’m tougher than that.” We’ll see, won’t we? Let’s hope for the best. Meanwhile, a good dose of rock and roll is what the doctor prescribes, particularly as other medicines aren’t easy to come by. Then “The Ballad Of Dick” is a fun number that tells the story of Country Dick Montana, who died while performing on stage. This is an original song, not a cover of Mojo Nixon’s “The Ballad Of Country Dick.” That’s followed by “Strolling With Chickenbone,” which perhaps for now should be re-titled “Strolling Six Feet Apart From Chickenbone.” But this will pass at some point, won’t it? Anyway, this is another enjoyable tune with a groovy rhythm, an instrumental track featuring some great stuff on both guitar and harmonica.

Things then get more deeply into the blues with “My Bad Luck,” a blues title if there ever was one, right? The first line of this one is “Don’t you get too close,” and then a little later he sings “Better keep your distance.” Ah, good advice these days. Of course here he’s offering a warning that those who get too close might catch his bad luck. “I need a voodoo woman/A gypsy or a priest/Someone to break this curse.” Hey, whatever works. That’s followed by “Ride,” one that comes at you like a powerful train. It is that work on harmonica that really stands out on this track, the force that is keeping the engine moving. Then “Helpless” comes as a surprise, being more in the folk realm. It’s kind of wonderful, the vocals having a weary and raw sound, giving this a sort of improvised and immediate feel. “Hopeless, hopeless/Hopeless, I know/I come for your body, I come for your soul/I’m hidden and wanton/Do as you’re told.” This ends up being one of my favorite tracks.

The bass gets “Little Victory” started, and soon this track is rocking, a great force moving along steadily. “Evil spirits and conspiracies/The machinations of my enemies/Holding back the hordes/A long slow steady retreat/I need a little victory.” That’s followed by “Dignity,” a blues tune about being treated poorly by a lover who seems out to not just end the affair but ruin the man in the process. He asks, “Why you gotta hate me/Why you trying to wreck my life?” But don’t worry, this song still has a great groove and won’t get you down. The album concludes with “These Things Happen,” an excellent song addressing a serious subject, the lyrics also seeming to deal directly with what the country is experiencing now, with lines like “The numbers that we’re seeing are way off the chart” and “Somebody must decide who dies or gets to live.” The solution the people are offered of course is no solution at all, “All you do is hold hands and pray.” It’s pretty bleak. Yeah, the album leaves us with something to think about.

CD Track List

1. Vampire Baby
2. Tougher Than That
3. The Ballad Of Dick
4. Strolling With Chickenbone
5. My Bad Luck
6. Ride
7. Helpless
8. Little Victory
9. Dignity
10. These Things Happen

Sleeper was released on March 3, 2020.