Andrew Gold: “Something New: Unreleased Gold” (2020) CD Review

Record Store Day was scheduled for April 18th, but due to the coronavirus pandemic it was pushed back to June 20th. Now it looks like it will take place on three Saturdays, one in August, one in September, and one in October (the list of which records will be released on which days is due out on June 1st). As is the case every year, there are several special releases coming out, and my wish list grows every time I look at the website (and we all have time to peruse that list). One record that is coming out for Record Store Day is Andrew Gold’s Something New: Unreleased Gold, an album of previously unreleased tracks from the singer and songwriter responsible for the hits “Lonely Boy” and “Thank You For Being A Friend,” the latter later covered and used as the theme for The Golden Girls. You’ll have to wait for the vinyl, but the CD version is available now, and that includes four extra tracks. Most of the tracks on this album are solo demos, focusing on Andrew Gold’s vocals, but there are a few band tracks as well. This music was recorded in 1973, two years before the release of his first album, and as good as this material is, most of these songs did not find their way onto his solo albums.  

Something New: Unreleased Gold opens with its title track, “Something New,” a cheerful pop tune. These are the song’s opening lines: “Every day I wake to find I’m happy/It’s showing up in everything I do/I never thought I’d feel your love around me/I’m telling you it’s sure as something new.” I can certainly use a happy song like this one, and I imagine I’m not alone in that. This is one of the tracks to include the whole band, which is made up of Peter Bernstein on bass, Kenny Edwards on guitar and backing vocals, and Gene Garfin on drums and backing vocals. “And I’m glad, I’m so glad, that you are mine.” That’s followed by a solo demo recording of “Come Down To Me,” a beautiful song, with Andrew Gold on piano. “Now you’re moving away/Like the boat from the bay/Rolling out to the sea/But oh my friend, don’t forget me/In the morning, I rise to meet you/In the evening, you drift away.” Andrew Gold switches to acoustic guitar for the solo demo recording of “What You Do Is What You See,” one of my personal favorites. There is a sweet innocence to this song. “So let’s start looking forward/It’s upward and onward for you and for me/What you do is what you see.” This is a song I need right now, and Andrew’s vocals sound fantastic here. I love these demo recordings. They are not as raw as some demos you hear.

Andrew Gold returns to keys on the solo demo recording of “The World Tomorrow Brings,” a song about the desire for a return to an earlier time, with lines like “And everywhere it’s plain to see nostalgia is all the rage/A hundred million people shouting, ‘Hide the current age’” and “Forget the 1950s/It’s now we should revive.” Those are interesting lines, particularly in light of the fact that this song was recorded in 1973, the year of American Graffiti (and a couple of years after the stage debut of Grease, and the year before the premiere of Happy Days). “I want to hear the people sing/I want to find people laughing, people laughing/Because they’re living in the world tomorrow brings.” Yes, me too. Then Andrew Gold switches back to acoustic guitar for “You Are Somewhere Within Me.” In this one he sings, “You are unsatisfied/You feel unsure.” Well, those words could apply to most of us these days. Then “Sometimes When A Man’s On His Own” is a solo performance on piano. This is another strong track, featuring a passionate performance, particularly on vocals. “If you try to reach for me, I will try to reach for you.” Ah, that is sadly not the case these days. If you try to reach for me, I will aim pepper spray at you. Nothing personal, mind you. Then we get a full band version of “Prisoner,” a song with some good harmonies.

On the solo demo of “Ten Years Behind Me,” Andrew Gold plays acoustic guitar and provides his own backing vocals. This is a song that would end up on his first LP, a self-titled album that was released in 1975. That version features piano, and so is quite a bit different. Interestingly, a demo version of this song was included as a bonus track on a CD re-issue of that album, that one on guitar, but it is not the same recording that is included here. That one has him counting off at the beginning, but then is an instrumental track. The version included here is pretty and moving, and I actually prefer it to the official LP version. That’s followed by “Timothy Corey,” the piano having a happy, bright sound right from the start. “You believed in God, but thought you were the only son” is a great line. Then he switches to acoustic guitar on “Almost Love.”  “Yes, it’s hard to find a love that’s strong in these unfaithful times/Almost love is the best that I can find/And it’s almost love that pulls us together/It’s almost love that draws us apart.” Maybe almost love is the best many people can hope for, which is depressing, but this song has something of a sweet sound.

“Penny Arcade” is another excellent track, this one performed on piano. Check out these lines: “My father was old, and he kept the place clean/My mother fed coin to the movie machines/And my sister’s religion were the songs that were played/Inside all the bells in the penny arcade.” Seriously, how was this not released before? “Sit yourself down and hear my song/I’ve far to go, so I won’t stay long/To make you feel happy is my only trade/I’ve lived my whole life in a penny arcade.” The vinyl release ends with a solo demo recording of “Don’t Bring Me Down,” a lively number performed on piano. “Well, you’d better stop this screwing around/Stop and listen because it’s bringing me down.”

The CD release contains four more tracks, beginning with a full-band rendition of “Resting In Your Love,” a song that would become “Resting In Your Arms” when it was included on his self-titled debut album. This one has a happy vibe about it, and is kind of catchy. Yeah, it might be just a bit cheesy, but who cares? “It won’t be right ‘til I’m at home with you.” We can relate to that, can’t we? But, yeah, changing the word “Love” to “Arms” was probably the right choice. That’s followed by a solo demo of “Joseph,” performed on piano. We then get an alternative band version of “A Note From You,” a song that was included on his debut full-length album. “Every day the mailman comes and he gives me notes to read/Like notices which say, ‘Dear sir, your payment’s not received’/I’m sick and tired of having the kind of mail I do/All I need is my monthly check and a note from you.” Yes, this is a fun one. The CD then concludes with a solo demo version of “To Be Someone,” performed on piano and featuring an excellent vocal performance. A different version of this song was included as a bonus track on the CD re-issue of that debut album. That one features the full band. I prefer this solo version. “Did you wonder where I have been/And have you wanted to see me again/You’re the one that I really need to be someone.” This is another of the disc’s highlights.

CD Track List

1. Something New
2. Come Down To Me
3. What You Do Is What You See
4. The World Tomorrow Brings
5. You Are Somewhere Within Me
6. Sometimes When A Man’s On His Own
7. Prisoner
8. Ten Years Behind Me
9. Timothy Corey
10. Almost Love
11. Penny Arcade
12. Don’t Bring Me Down
13. Resting In Your Love
14. Joseph
15. A Note From You
16. To Be Someone

Something New: Unreleased Gold was released on CD on April 24, 2020. It is scheduled to be released on vinyl during one of the Record Store Day drop days.

Whitney Rose: “We Still Go To Rodeos” (2020) CD Review

From the moment I first heard Whitney Rose five years ago, I fell in love with her voice. It is a voice with a beautiful timeless quality, a voice that is perfectly suited for country music, and yet works equally well with pop songs (you have to hear her cover of “You Don’t Own Me”), and she mixes elements of the two in her own material. Her new album, We Still Go To Rodeos, features all original material. She has some excellent musicians joining her on this release, including Gurf Morlix on electric guitar, slide guitar and backing vocals; Lisa Pankratz on drums; Brad Fordham on bass; Dave Leroy Biller on electric guitar and steel guitar; Rich Brotherton on acoustic guitar, mandolin, banjo and ukulele; and Matt Hubbard on organ, piano, Mellotron, accordion and harmonica.

The album opens with “Just Circumstance,” a song with a bright country pop sound led by Whitney Rose’s distinct voice. This song creates a vivid central character, a young woman who gets into trouble, a woman we come to care for. “They all say ‘Bless her heart, she never had a chance.’” We’ve all heard folks say that about someone, right? So probably we each have someone in mind while we listen, a combination of this character that Whitney Rose has created and someone we knew, or knew of, as we grew up. And it’s hard to keep from relating the songs we hear to whatever is going on in our lives, so a line like “She wasn’t getting any sleep at night” might strike us more strongly during this stressful period of isolation. Is anyone getting any sleep at night? If you are, please tell me your secret. “Just Circumstance” is followed by “Home With You,” which has a sweeter and more positive vibe. It is about wanting to go home with that significant other, that person we are spending our lives with, that person who seems to be able to make everything seem all right, the passion having not diminished over the years, as she sings “It blows my mind how much you still turn me on.” But perhaps that passion has also changed to something more comforting. Those of us in such relationships are certainly fortunate in these days of isolation. Being stuck at home with a beautiful, wonderful person isn’t all that bad, right? I can’t help but love this song. It is one of my personal favorites on this album. Nichol Robertson plays electric guitar on those first two tracks. Then “Believe Me, Angela” features some wonderful work by Dave Leroy Biller on steel guitar. This song is addressed to the woman who is now with her husband, offering advice to her: “Just run away while you still can/Shine your boots and wash your hands/Find someone who’s going to stand by you.” For, as she tells the woman, “I got some years on you/I know him better than you do/And better than you ever will.” Josh Owen plays electric guitar on this track.

“In A Rut” is a lively energetic number, a great drinking song, another of my favorites. “The whisky don’t do what it used it to do/I don’t got what it takes to make it through/Folks have all been telling me that I don’t look the same.” How long is the rut going to last, many of us wonder. “Don’t ask me how I got this way/That’s asking too much/I’m in a rut, I’m in a rut, I’m in a rut.” My guess is a lot of people are going to relate to this song. And perhaps singing along, and shouting out the song’s title line, will help shake us all up enough to start making things better. And check out that great classic rock and roll guitar part in the second half, accompanied by hand-claps. Absolutely wonderful! That’s followed by “A Hundred Shades Of Blue,” and Whitney’s voice is gorgeous here, captivating. Just try to keep from falling under her spell while listening to this track. Her vocal performance helps to make this track yet another of the disc’s highlights. There is also some really nice work on guitar. “I’d Rather Be Alone” is another track with energy, coming from a place of distress and agitation. It’s like she is gathering strength to make a change, and listening to this track, you know she’s going to make it. Rich Brotherton plays banjo on this track, and I love the addition of that instrument. Certain lines stand out for me the first time I listen to an album, and this song’s title line, “I’d rather be alone than lonely,” is one from this album that stood out.

Whitney Rose then gets bluesy with “You’d Blame Me For The Rain.” The first lines are “Today is not your day/And you say that every day.” Oh, we all know or have known people like this. I’m sure you can think of someone you’d like to play this song for, and maybe you should. It is a very cool tune, with a delicious vocal performance. “You’re too good for your job/You think you should be the boss/But you weren’t dealt a fair hand.” That’s followed by “Fell Through The Cracks,” in which she sings “I wish we didn’t live so close/I can run into you on the street/I wish I wasn’t scared sometimes/We both just gave up on something great.” Sometimes good things end, and we don’t know exactly why. This song lives in that place afterward, that time of second thoughts and reflection, and features yet another excellent vocal performance. In this one she sings, “But life is a rodeo,” an image she returns to later in a more concrete form in the disc’s final track. “Fell Through The Cracks” is followed by “Don’t Give Up On Me,” a pleasant-sounding tune. “When you find a thing worth fighting for, you fight until you bleed/That was all that I could think about the night I fell for you.” It is an interesting choice to follow the previous song, thematically. “If I could go back, I would have made things easier for you/Giving you a reason to leave was the last thing I meant to do.” And, yes, this is yet another highlight of this disc.

“Better Man” is more a rocking country number. “I want the world to understand why I’m still by your side” is an interesting line. Does it matter what the world thinks? Maybe it does at times. “I don’t know if you want to/And I don’t know if you can/Be a better man.” That’s followed by “Thanks For Trying,” a song that made me laugh out loud the first time I heard it, the first time I heard her sing the title line, “But thanks for trying.” Oh yes, this is delicious. I’ve certainly used that line when someone has posted some asinine comment online; it sometimes seems better rather than responding furiously. “What you’re selling, I ain’t buying/But thanks for trying.” The album ends with its title track, “We Still Go To Rodeos.” This song is a total delight. Its rhythm, its story, Whitney’s vocals, that harmonica work, and that wonderful guitar part all add up to something special. What a great song to leave us with, feeling optimistic and positive. Whatever is happening, whatever we lack, there is still so much to appreciate, and it’s good to take stock now and again, to acknowledge the good things.

CD Track List

1. Just Circumstance
2. Home With You
3. Believe Me, Angela
4. In A Rut
5. A Hundred Shades Of Blue
6. I’d Rather Be Alone
7. You’d Blame Me For The Rain
8. Fell Through The Cracks
9. Don’t Give Up On Me
10. Better Man
11. Thanks For Trying
12. We Still Go To The Rodeos

We Still Go To The Rodeos was released on April 24, 2020.

Eliza Neals: “Black Crow Moan” (2020) CD Review

Our nation is in need of some strong, kick-ass female energy, no question about it. We are not getting enough of that in the political realm, but in the musical world, Eliza Neals is making sure we are well supplied. The songs on her new album, Black Crow Moan, are filled with attitude, power, and a heavy dose of the blues. These are mostly original songs, written by Eliza Neal, with one exciting exception. There are a couple of special guests on certain tracks of this release – Joe Louis Walker and Derek St. Holmes. Turn this album up and let Eliza Neal take over.

She opens this release with “Don’t Judge The Blues,” and as it gets going, that drum is thumping, driving our hearts, and Eliza’s vocals are a force blowing in from some fiery mountain, where the tormented souls of lesser creatures cheer her on. She is here to take over, this track seems to announce, and we are glad for it. “Come and sing with me.” This track also features some good work on guitar by Mike Puwal, who co-wrote the song with Eliza. She follows that with “Why You Ooglin’ Me,” a title I love (though, of course the word is “ogle,” not “oogle”), and a question we could perhaps provide a good answer for. “I know you can see me/You live across the way.” This one moves more slowly, taking its time, strutting and knowing it is in charge. Plus, it features more good work on guitar by Mike Puwal, who also co-wrote this track.

Joe Louis Walker joins Eliza Neals on guitar and vocals on “The Devil Don’t Love You,” and makes his presence known right from the start of the track, singing the opening lines with Eliza: “The devil, he don’t love you/He just keeps you satisfied.” Lenny Bradford and also provides vocals on this track, in addition to playing bass and tambourine. This track also features some excellent work on organ by Bruce Bears. “Nothing can stop me now,” Eliza Neals then sings in “Watch Me Fly,” and I don’t doubt her for a second. This tune has a slower groove, with a power bubbling below the surface and breaking through mostly on the chorus. On this track, Howard Glazer is on guitar, Chuck Bartels is on bass, Jim Alfredson is on organ, and Demarcus Sumter is on drums. Valerie Taylor and Kymberli Wright provide some wonderful backing vocals.

In “River Is Rising,” Eliza Neals sings “You need to confess your sins/Because sinners never prosper/Oh, cheaters never win, never win.” Oh, I wish that were true. But look where we are in this country. How did someone without an honest or decent cell in his entire body come to attain such a position of power? “Gonna make you pay,” Eliza calls out at one moment toward the end, and I trust that she will. That’s followed by “Run Sugar Run,” a song you want to latch onto and ride into a better day, a stronger day, as it bursts through whatever barriers stand before us. “Run, run, run to the other side/Lose all your troubles, don’t you lose your mind/Can’t get what you want if you don’t ever try.” This track features more strong guitar work. Joe Louis Walker joins Eliza Neals again on the album’s title track, “Black Crow Moan,” another of this disc’s powerful tracks.

Derek St. Holmes joins Eliza on guitar for the album’s final three tracks, beginning with “Never Stray,” another slow groove. Derek St. Holmes is known for his work with Ted Nugent, but we can forgive him for that. There is something about this song that tears into you, its claws gripping you. Of course, a big part of it is Eliza Neals’ passionate vocal performance. That’s followed by the album’s only cover, “Ball And Chain,” a song by Big Mama Thornton, but one I was introduced to on a Janis Joplin cassette I bought when I was thirteen or so. Eliza Neals’ voice has a raw edge, which works so bloody well here. There is both power and heartache in her delivery. She really digs into this one. And that guitar work is fantastic. Plus, there is some cool work on keys. The album then concludes with a fun rock and roll number, “Hey, Take Your Pants Off.” The hell with being subtle, right? It is an enjoyable track, a nice way of ending things.

CD Track List

1. Don’t Trust The Blues
2. Why You Ooglin’ Me
3. The Devil Don’t Love You
4. Watch Me Fly
5. River Is Rising
6. Run Sugar Run
7. Black Crow Moan
8. Never Stray
9. Ball And Chain
10. Hey, Take Your Pants Off

Black Crow Moan was released on April 6, 2020.

Nate Lee: “Wings Of A Jetliner” (2020) CD Review

Nate Lee is a singer and mandolin player, known for his work in The Becky Buller Band. On his new solo album, Wings Of A Jetliner, he is joined by the other members of that band on certain tracks. The disc features a combination of covers and original instrumental tunes, largely alternating between the two. On most tracks Nate plays mandolin, but on a few he also plays fiddle and banjo. Bluegrass music for me has always seemed to have an inherent power to raise our spirits and push away the darker elements of reality, and we could all use some of that right now.

Wings Of A Jetliner opens with a good instrumental number, “Wonderbat,” an original composition by Nate Lee. Joining Nate on this one are Todd Phillips on bass, Wyatt Rice on guitar, Bronwyn Keith-Hynes on fiddle, and fellow Becky Buller Band member Ned Luberecki on banjo, each musician taking a turn at lead, as is the way in bluegrass. This is a fun tune to get things started. It’s followed by “Tobacco,” a song written by Daniel Salyer. In addition to mandolin, Nate Lee provides the vocals, and is joined by Becky Buller on vocals and fiddle, and their voices sound great together. And actually the entire Becky Buller Band plays on this track – Dan Boner on guitar, Daniel Hardin on bass, and Ned Luberecki on banjo. This song takes place in the late 1800s, and is about an independent farmer facing tough times and persevering. We then get a sweet, light, cheerful instrumental tune titled “Quick Select,” another original composition. This one features some nice work by Bronwyn Keith-Hynes on fiddle.

“Somewhere Far Away” is a pretty number by Bradford Lee Folk And The Bluegrass Playboys, and was the title track to that band’s 2014 release. This song also provides this album with its title in the lines, “I like the lights on the wings of a jetliner/As they blink out, and they cut through the cloud cover/Makes me feel like I’m somewhere far away.” Nate Lee delivers a really sweet vocal performance here. I am also particularly fond of Ned Luberecki’s work on banjo on this track. And I think a lot of us can relate to these lines during these days of isolation: “The way that I feel when I’ve had a few in me/Makes me feel like somewhere far away.” Ah, yes. This is one of my personal favorites. “Serenity” is an instrumental track that has something of a lively feel to it, a tune that breathes, and features some excellent work on guitar by Wyatt Rice. Nate Lee plays both mandolin and fiddle on this one, giving us a chance to appreciate his skill on fiddle. Thomas Cassell also plays mandolin on this track. Then Daniel Hardin on bass gets this version of “All Along” going. This is one of those wonderful fast-paced bluegrass tracks, and Becky Buller joins Nate Lee on vocals again. This is another track to feature the entire Becky Buller Band, and everyone gets a chance to really shine on this one. I particularly like the work on banjo and guitar. This song was written by Bryan Holland, and originally recorded by The Offspring. As you might guess, this version has quite a different vibe.

There is something rather adorable and delightful about Nate Lee’s instrumental “Come Along Brown Dog.” The mandolin is really featured here, the only other musicians being Daniel Hardin on bass and Becky Buller on fiddle. This tune has a somewhat easygoing vibe, but also its own distinct beauty, and it ought to give you a smile. This ends up being another of my favorites. It’s followed by “Miner’s Grave,” and as you might guess from that title, it has a more somber tone, particularly at the beginning, the fiddle providing a more pensive sound. Nate Lee plays banjo on this track. Daniel Salyer joins him on vocals for this one. “Miner’s Grave” was written by Ashleigh Caudill. Then “Rook Roller” is the final instrumental track of the album, and it’s a fun one. Nate Lee is back on mandolin, and provides some wonderful stuff.

“The More I Pour” has more of a classic country sound, and features Nate Lee, Bronwyn Keith-Hynes and Dan Boner all on fiddle. Joining Nate Lee on vocals on this one are Dan Boner and Daniel Salyer. “The more I pour, the less I care/The more you drive me to despair/There’s no use in keepin’ score/The less you care, the more I pour.” Yes, it’s a good drinking song. Though, honestly, as I’ve said before, every song is a drinking song if you listen to it correctly. “The More I Pour” was written by Tim Stafford and Mark Bumgarner. Then “Sweet Allis Chalmers” mentions drinking as well: “I wish I was drinkin’ a bottle or two/And lovin’ some sweet thing instead.” This one was written by Bill Caswell, and features Becky Buller and Dan Boner on harmony vocals. The album concludes with “Love Medicine,” in which Nate Lee sings “Life gets hard and we get better.” Now that’s a line we ought to keep in mind these days, eh? This song was written by Chris Sanders.

CD Track List

1. Wonderbat
2. Tobacco
3. Quick Select
4. Somewhere Far Away
5. Serenity
6. All Along
7. Come Along Brown Down
8. Miner’s Grave
9. Rook Roller
10. The More I Pour
11. Sweet Allis Chalmers
12. Love Medicine

Wings Of A Jetliner is scheduled to be released on June 12, 2020 on Adverb Records.