Category: Blues (Page 10 of 16)

Radio Moscow: Brain Cycles

June 12, 2009 /

On Brain Cycles, Radio Moscow’s sophomore release, there’s an eight-minute jam called “No Good Woman,” in which there is a three-minute drum solo complete with headphone-porn stereo effects. The audacity of said drum solo is matched immediately by a one-minute unaccompanied guitar solo that closes out the track, with equally ludicrous stereo-shifting effects thrown in for no good reason. If that sounds awesome to you, then you should probably just buy Brian Cycles (as well as Radio Moscow’s 2007 debut) right now. If not, well, then you have no soul. Radio Moscow is a blues-rock band with some heavy psychedelic influences. They’re carved from the same stone as Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan and the Allman Brothers. Subtle as a punch in the face, their musicianship is without question; guitar solos run amok as drums fly at you in all directions, while Parker Griggs bemoans about womanly woes and many other of life’s common ills. It’s not original in the least, but sure as hell sounds good. These boys from Iowa know what they are doing, and Brain Cycles is sure to cause all but the most jaded blues rock fan to drop his head in awe and cry out “goddamn” at least once. This isn’t Wolfmother-style emulation of a classic rock sound – this is the real deal. (Alive 2009)

Radio Moscow’s MySpace page

Alternative, Blues, CD QuickTakes, CD Reviews

Todd Snider: The Excitement Plan

June 5, 2009 /

Over the course of his career, Todd Snider’s gained a well-deserved reputation as something of a smart-ass, an artist who apparently can’t resist the temptation to mingle his sentiment with satire, much the same as Kinky Friedman, Randy Newman, Shel Silverstein and other musicians known for their humor and chutzpah. Snider’s last effort, the obviously irreverent Peace Queer EP, found that line between sarcasm and sincerity all the more difficult to discern, and even though The Excitement Plan has Snider turning somewhat introspective, its also clear that his tongue is still situated comfortably in his cheek. Even so, Snider seems to be plowing his roots, turning down the amps and relying primarily on acoustic guitar, piano and harp for a steady, bluesy shuffle. The rustic appeal brings to mind more esteemed musical masters like J.J. Cale and Dr. John, but when he opts for a weathered and reflective perspective – as on “Greencastle Blues” and “Corpus Christi Bay” – the music becomes unexpectedly endearing. Happily, Snider’s observations are as wry as ever – borne out by the trippy tale of the ballplayer who pitched a no-hitter zonked on acid (“America’s Favorite Pastime”), an amiable diatribe on the spoils of success (“Money, Compliments, Publicity”) and a rambling lament about a shiftless spouse (“Barefoot Champagne”). Whether or not The Excitement Plan is as energized as its title suggests may be a matter of debate, but there’s no denying the lure of these entertaining observations. (Yep Roc)

Todd Snider MySpace page

Americana, Blues, CD QuickTakes, CD Reviews, Rock

Eilen Jewell: Sea of Tears

May 15, 2009 /

Eilen Jewell doesn’t take anything for granted in her multi-faceted approach. As comfortable emitting a bluesy wail as she is in delivering a down-home croon, she eschews the folk singer format to take a more old-fashioned approach, one that’s as close to a rootsy template as any other modern singer has ventured nowadays. On this, her fourth album and second for Signature Sounds, Jewell asserts her seductive prowess and spans references ranging from Billie Holiday (“Everywhere I Go,” “Final Hour”) to Patsy Cline (“The Darkest Day,” “Codeine Arms”). In between, she varies her delivery from sassy to seductive, maintaining an easy lilt that’s melancholy and mournful without sinking to the depths of depression. An unexpected cover of “Shakin’ All Over” notwithstanding, Sea of Tears does reflect its title accurately, but given her comfort with the material, this particular sea allows her remarkably smooth sailing. (Signature Sounds)

Eilen Jewell MySpace page

Americana, Blues, CD QuickTakes, CD Reviews, Folk

The Gourds: Haymaker!

April 3, 2009 /

Even those with half an ear wouldn’t mistake the Gourds for anything but a Texas band. From their sound, which is tough to describe since it has so many different elements (alt-country with creole and Tex-Mex seasoning? Hillbilly soul?), to their songwriting (with topics that run the typical Gourds subject matter weirdness: road trips, love, a guy named Thurman, unrequited love, fossils, love, Shreveport, women), this Austin-based five-piece is definitely of a place. Haymaker!, their ninth studio album, boasts more of a country sound than their last two albums, 2007’s Noble Creatures and 2006’s Heavy Ornamentals, but with the Gourds, country gets rightfully twisted to include soul, rock, swamp boogie, and a lot of the usual elements that listeners have come to expect from a Gourds album. Haymaker! thankfully is also a lot less ballad-heavy than Noble Creatures, so it naturally has a more playful feel. And while there’s nothing here as immediately stand-out as their cover of Snoop Dogg’s “Gin and Juice” – c’mon, that was 12 years ago, man! – there’s enough here for Haymaker! to be a contender for the best Gourds album yet. (Yep Roc 2009)

The Gourds MySpace page

Americana, Blues, Cajun, CD QuickTakes, CD Reviews, Country

Andrew Ripp: Fifty Miles to Chicago

March 27, 2009 /

This is what happens when a young, potentially gritty blues vocalist hires a former member of Tonic to produce his album: Fifty Miles to Chicago, 11 perfectly inoffensive, slightly soulful rock numbers that suggest what might happen if Rob Thomas listened to a lot of Electric Mud (and did not suck). In fact, Ripp flashes a lot of talent here, both in his vocal performances and his songwriting; it’s just a shame that Dan Lavery’s squeaky-clean production was allowed to suck all the sweat out of the recordings. As a result, although Ripp clearly has the chops to carry a warts-and-all record, Fifty Miles makes him sound like an impostor, an impression deepened by frictionless belters like “Lifeline” that drop him squarely in the driest, whitest square of Taylor Hicks Territory. In all fairness, Ripp co-produced the disc, with Randy Coleman – but it’s hard not to assume that he’s a much more entertaining, dynamic performer in a live setting, and that the decision to geld this record was made purely for commercial reasons. Here’s hoping that subsequent albums find Ripp more willing to color outside the lines, and give his songs the rough treatment they deserve. In the meantime, he’s got a lot more than 50 miles to go before he gets anywhere near Chicago – other than maybe the one that gave us “Hard to Say I’m Sorry.” (Get Ripp’d 2008)

Andrew Ripp MySpace page

Blues, CD QuickTakes, CD Reviews, Rock

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