As is more commonly the case there’s far too much music this month than to allow for lengthy reviews. But with brevity being the soul of wit (and I love the challenge of saying more with less) it’s away we go!
Robben Ford
A Day In Nashville
Relativity Music
Having made his mark as a jazz/rock guitarist extraordinaire Robben Ford has lately turned his attention to Nashville, recording a pair of albums reflecting his latent country music obsessions. 2013’s Bringing It Back Home was a sturdy collection of cover tunes featuring an all-star cast and showcasing Ford’s skill as arranger and interpreter.
A Day in Nashville serves as its logical counterpart, written largely by Ford and recorded in a single herculean day at the famed Kitchen Sounds Studio. It’s a deliberately loose affair convening a sublime band consisting of guitarist Audley Freed, bassist Brian Allen, keyboardist Ricky Peterson, drummer Wes Little, and trombonist Barry Green. As such it relies more on groove than precision-quite a risk for the classically trained Ford-and rewards in ways that might surprise his fans.
The sound is forceful, at times ragged, and consistently filled with shuffling, Southern rhythm and blues addled performances. “Ain’t Drinking Beer No More” swirls with the sound of Booker T. like Hammond B-3 organ while “Top Down Blues” is a bass anchored bit of instrumental funk. Only “Just Another Country Road” gives any hint of Ford’s fabled jazz roots.
Peppered with minimal overdubs, A Day in Nashville isn’t quite “live in the studio” but it’s the sort of understated delight that I’d love to see Ford further explore. It’s the sound of first class musicians spending a day having all the fun in the world, and in its own unassuming way packs greater punch than many of his far more calculated albums. ***
Reagan Boggs
Quicksand
Reckless Bess Records
Given the generally insipid state of present-day radio friendly country music, it’s pretty tempting to write off the genre as a Nashville wasteland, an incestuous assemblage of mediocrity dressed up in a jewel lined cowboy hat.
There are certainly exceptions to the rule but for every Miranda Lambert there are a dozen Carrie Underwood wannabees who have somehow made the charts singing insincere material with innocuous voices. And while there was a time when “commercial country music” still had some serious gravitas, those days seem largely lost: Which is why the emergence of a force such as Reagan Boggs is a much needed breath of fresh air. She’s not retro; she’s the real deal, building on precedent while adding to it on her own terms, telling honest stories of hardworking people who might be down on their luck but are still fighting their way through life.
“Saving Grace” could only come from the guitar and pen of someone who’s been there, who knows what it’s like to be on the outside looking in. The disinclined lover in “When It Mattered” could be anyone but I get the sense Boggs has someone in mind, and that someone had better make their amends. The most clearly defined moment, “You Deserve Better”, is a love song for grownups, the aftermath of an affair in which the fervor might be gone but the friendship remains. It’s a space we’ve all been in, but one that rarely gets written about.
Quicksand is not without its flaws; at times Boggs’ lyrics slip into predictability and there’s more than a few lines that are downright awkward. But there’s no denying the power of her singing-equal parts vulnerable and self-assured-and the band is clearly in empathy with the material. Which adds up to an album that, while not perfect, might be the ideal antidote for what ails the once proud field of contemporary country. ***1/2
Ozomatli
place in the sun
Vanguard Music
For their sixth studio album, this Los Angeles based ensemble, which deftly employs rock, reggae, hip hop, and world beat Latino music into a sound that is both intimate and far reaching, Ozomatli has placed all its bets on producer Robert Carranza who, while collaborating with the band since its earliest days, has never been the go to guy. Given that Carranza has a sterling track record-having helmed successful records for Jack Johnson, Los Lobos, and Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe-it’s a fairly safe move.
The band has come a long way since their 1998 debut with a more fully developed sound that speaks of confidence and comfort in the studio; they’ve never let go of their Latino roots but they have ventured more deeply in world fusion, rap, and high octane rock and roll. The resultant pairing is a lively mix of everything that makes Ozomatli so interesting, peppered with a tension and synergy that keeps things fresh and vibrant. From the dynamic reggae groove of “Brighter” to the Latin Dance vibe of “Prendida” place in the sun is a confluence of styles that bursts with ideas and brims with texture.
The explosive heavy rock blast of “Burn It Down” literally jumps out from the speakers; it’s the sort of dance floor hybrid that few bands pull off with such audacity. That said, place in the sun still relies heavily, perhaps a bit too much, on forcing together styles that don’t always work side by side.
The electronica aspects can be distracting and it would be nice to see the band play more to their strengths. But there’s no denying the enormously engaging sound of this album, one that should please their fans while helping to expand their audience. And that should only work to their advantage. ****
The War On Drugs
Lost in the Dream
Secretly Canadian Music
Having only become stronger as a band, Philadelphia’s The War on Drugs continue to refine their sounds while expanding their repertoire. Since the departure of co-founder Kurt Vile, who has gone on to a wildly successful solo career, bassist Dave Hartley has stepped towards the forefront, becoming an equal partner with original member Adam Granduciel.
Hartley’s own experimental solo work (under the name Nightlands) has clearly infused the direction War on Drugs has taken. There’s a greater reliance on tape loops and ambient directives, while the lyrics, which early on reflected the Dylan like poetic leanings of Vile, have become a bit less vital to their sound. The current lineup of Hartley, Granduciel, Robbie Bennett, and Patrick Berkery are a formidable unit, able to propel the songs forward with a heavy dash of bass, drums, and synthesizer.
Imagine the broken dreams romanticism of Springsteen matched to the mid-1970s Berlin trilogy mechanics of Bowie/Eno and you might have some notion of what Lost in the Dream sounds like. Powerful songs such as “Red Eyes” and “The Haunting Idle” are melancholic masterpieces, repetitive grooves that draw you in with a combination of pain and passion.
When the band slows things down-as in the mournful “Suffering”- the results are no less spectacular, with guitars taking an uncharacteristic lead and piano/strings following closely behind. The more lengthy celestial passages, such as the beautifully captivating “Disappearing” bring to mind the best work of Tangerine Dream.
With this album The War on Drugs have set a seemingly impossible bar, a standard that might be hard to match. The warmth and depth of Lost in the Dream is at times astonishing, a creative alchemy that is at once observational, introspective, and gorgeously executed.
I could go on and on but the truth is the best and only way to experience this album is to listen with intent. I’ve spun it a half dozen times and remain both mesmerized and intrigued. Now it’s your turn. *****
John Sebastian
Faithful Virtue: The Reprise Recordings
Originally released in 2004 on Rhino Records-limited to 3000 copies, beautifully packaged, and ultra rare-this fabulous and far more affordable set collects all five of Sebastian’s early ‘70s recordings for Reprise.
John B. Sebastian, Cheapo-Cheapo Productions Presents Real Live John Sebastian, The Four of Us, Tarzana Kid, and Welcome Back were all unique entities, showcasing Sebastian’s uncanny “aw shucks” charm and untiring knack for pop masterpieces with a folkie underpinning. The founder of the Lovin’ Spoonful may have retreated from the spotlight of rock stardom but the six years represented here were amongst his most fertile period.
The major hits-and there were dozens-are included but so too are such rarities as the up tempo rocker ““Baby, Don’t Ya Get Crazy” (with Stephen Stills on guitar) and a lively cover of Lowell George’s “Dixie Chicken.”
There’s an additional thirty minutes of live material not featured on the Rhino set-which largely compensates for the lack of deluxe packaging-making this one heck of a great listen and a tremendous opportunity to discover the magic of John Sebastian’s post Spoonful phase. *****
The Allman Brothers Band
Play All Night, Live at the Beacon Theatre 1992
Epic/Legacy Records
With the announced departures of Warren Haynes and Derek Trucks, and the probability that the Allman Brothers Band are no more, Play All Night is likely the first of many releases to plumb the depths of the band’s vast history.
In fact since its release, other sets have been placed on the schedule, assuring us of years of ABB music to come. The question might then be “how much is too much?” Based on the superb quality of this collection I don’t think we need to worry. 1992 was a pivotal year for the band; with Warren Haynes fully in the fold, and Dicky Betts not yet trapped in the twin addictions of drugs and arrogance, the band sounds great.
Gregg’s voice is vital and alive while the standard two drummer configuration supported by percussionist Marc Quiñones and the thunderous bass lines of the late Allen Woody, fires up such standards as “Statesboro Blues” and “Whipping Post” with new energy. You’d think they were playing these treasures for the 20th, not 2000th time.
There’s a polish and grit to these performances that make them essential for any hardcore Allman Brothers Band fan. The Brothers are gone but the road does go on forever. ****
Will Kimbrough
Sideshow Love
Daphne Records
One of music’s most respected sidemen, plying his trade with such high profile artists as Emmylou Harris, Todd Snider, and Jimmy Buffett, Will Kimbrough has finally released the solo album that should move him from glorious second tier and into the big leagues.
Sideshow Love is a sprightly collection of songs, short stories set to melody that remind me of the two post-Derek and The Dominoes albums by Bobby Whitlock. It follows the progression of a relationship (although not in direct sequence) from newfound love to aching loss, chronicling the joys and hurts we accumulate along the way.
That’s hardly new terrain, but what Kimbrough so smartly does is pepper the songs with mordant wit (“Home Economics”) and playful amusement (the title track). As best heard on “I Want Too Much” Kimbrough’s voice is surprisingly supple; he may not be gifted with the range of other artists but he knows precisely how to work his singing to its fullest.
If you’ve followed his career you know that Will Kimbrough is largely employed for his guitar prowess, which is in solid evidence here. But he’s also a clever lyricist, smart arranger, and jack of many trades; which makes Sideshow Love the most compelling and fully realized of his solo efforts, as well as a top notch slice of Americana. ****