David Crosby Santana Leon Russell Medeski Martin & Wood + Nels
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BOOK REVIEWS Cowboys And Indies: The Epic History of the Record Industry Umphrey’s McGee artists, ranging from Johnny Cash to By Gareth Murphy THOMAS DUNNE BOOKS Similar Skin NOTHING TOO FANCY Dylan to U2 to Ringo. You Should Be So Gareth Murphy’s Cowboys And Indies: The Epic History of the Record It’s ironic that a bunch of Lucky, his solo debut, isn’t likely to alter Industry comes just as billed. The book starts off in the 19th century guys who grew up Tench’s reputation. Its dozen songs are with the scramble for technological innovation and the accompanying worshipping Michael all well-constructed and impeccably patent rights to a device capable of capturing and reproducing sound. Jordan’s Chicago Bulls played—Tench always has been, and Following the invention of the “talking-machine,” the challenge turns would make a record that remains, a hell of a pianist and organist, to how to best realize its commercial prospects. Murphy’s chronicle their rival Detroit Pistons (nicknamed and a team of ace players joins him extends into the 21st century, tracking the efforts of self-described “The Bad Boys”) would have loved. here—and smartly produced by “record men.” The danger in such an undertaking is that it could have come off as That’s what Umphrey’s McGee have Glyn Johns. Ranging from crisp pop too dry or academic. However, while Murphy’s book is certainly informative, it is here with their eighth studio album. to thrusting rockers to rootsy blues also breezy and flush with anecdotes, placing a particular focus on the major A heavy, unapologetic, rock-and-roll and R&B, it’s a likable enough musical trends and the executives who founded and ran the celebrated record exhibition from start to finish that will showcase. Tench’s knack for crafting labels. Some may find that Cowboys And Indies focuses a bit too much on the have speakers everywhere trembling melody is unerring and his lyrics are former rather than the latter and strikes a balance that favors the execs rather in fear for what is the Chicago sextet’s far from trite. However, his voice is than the feet on the ground. Nonetheless, this is a rich and rewarding tale, a strongest work to date. While the unremarkable and often slight. One survey course on the history of recorded music. Dean Budnick Similar Skin numbers may be familiar to wishes he had a bit more to say on most UM fans, one shouldn’t assume his own. Jeff Tamarkin Please Be with Me – A Song for My Father, Duane Allman that they were recorded exactly as By Galadrielle Allman SPIEGEL & GRAU their onstage counterparts. Whether Medeski Martin & Wood + Nels Cline “My father is killed in the first paragraph of every article ever written it’s the prog rock-tinged “Cut The about him,” writes Galadrielle Allman in the introduction to Please Be Woodstock Sessions, Vol. 2 Cable,” the guitar theatrics on with Me. “His life story is told backward, always beginning at the end: in “Hourglass” or the additional lyrics WOODSTOCK SESSIONS the road, his motorcycle down, his body broken.” Galadrielle was only to the album’s most delicate tune On Woodstock Sessions, two years old when her father died; she has spent the years since Oct. “No Diablo,” it is clear, early on, that Vol. 2, the first 29, 1971 getting to know just who Duane Allman was. Please Be with the band set out to craft a cohesive, collaborative album from Me is as textured as a vintage Allman Brothers’ “Mountain Jam”—part thorough project to follow 2011’s Death funk-jazz group Medeski memoir and part biography, and Galadrielle’s story is built from the memories of By Stereo. In the world of laptops and Martin & Wood— those who knew and loved Duane—and The Allman Brothers Band. The lives of those indie-rock crooners, the art of the keyboardist John Medeski, bassist back home are given equal time with the lives of those out on the road. Bassist rock record seemed lost—until now. Chris Wood, drummer Billy Martin— Berry Oakley—often lost in the macabre tragedy of his own fatal crash a year after Kris Myers’ arena-rock drum takes, and Wilco guitarist Nels Cline, Cline Duane’s—is given his proper due as a catalyst in the band’s formation and the combined with the extraordinary guitar plays it dangerous. This is not a “sit-in,” relationships among all of the Brothers (blood, sweat, band and crew) are explored. duo of Brendan Bayliss and Jake really—the vibe is more like he’s a full Sometimes the realities of Duane Allman’s life aren’t very pretty, but it’s all part of Cinninger, make this full-throttle member of a slightly different band. separating the man from the legend. By the time you’ve finished Galadrielle Allman’s Umphrey’s McGee listening experience Over nine tracks of improvised noise- labor of love, her father is very, very much alive. Brian Robbins one of the most savory, with something funk, Cline is never timid or careful; for everyone on each track. Rob Slater he’s an equal, standing his ground. The results are intense and creative. The started with their 2010 collaboration, Thievery Corporation quartet shines especially bright during Santana The Union. Judging by the craggy Saudade ESL MUSIC a pair of grooves that spring up Corazón RCA/SONY LATIN IBERIA visage that peers out from its cover, Dialing it back has seemingly from out of nowhere. During It goes without saying Life Journey has indeed left a always been Thievery “Arm & Leg,” Martin initiates a soulful, that no matter how far formidable imprint. It’s fitting then Corporation’s m.o., hip-hop-influenced slow jam. And afield into jazz, funk, that he should retrace his roots via even when they’re doing about five-and-a-half minutes into “Les fusion, rock or pop he this route and a set of songs that looks everything in their power Blank,” thick bass, enthusiastic drums, chases his muse, Carlos toward the past. Helmed by music to push an agenda. (Remember the sly celebratory organ and sly guitar-riffing Santana always hews close to his Latin legend Tommy LiPuma, it’s a standard conspiracy theory subtext that drove amount to a joyful juncture. There are roots. (For starters, just give the standards set, similar to others 2011’s psychedelic Culture of Fear?) moments of peace, too. The first four classic Abraxas or 1992’s Milagro a proffered in recent years. Consisting The duo’s eighth studio album marks a minutes of “Les Blank” are filled with spin.) In that sense then, Corazón of mostly familiar fare—“Georgia on return to the bossa-jazz sound that got soothing weirdness. And “Cinders” is (“Heart”) is a logical step in the My Mind,” “That Lucky Old Sun,” New them started, but this time around, it a work of psychedelic serenity. continuum, even if it does stand out York State of Mind”—it finds Russell’s comes with a layered sophistication Brad Farberman for featuring some of the heavyweights croak of a vocal sharing certain that has emerged from years of fine- of Latin pop—an all-star assembly similarities to Willie Nelson and Ray tuning their production chops. As usual, Conor Oberst that’s in the mold, or perhaps more in Charles, although the effect there are guest shots galore, from Upside Down Mountain the shadow, of his monster-selling occasionally can be grating. Still, he chanteuse LouLou Ghelichkhani’s NONESUCH Supernatural. But where too many does the best with the pipes he’s dreamy “Decollage” to Natalia Clavier's For most of his career, cooks may have overwhelmed the been given, wisely allowing big band ultra-relaxed beach ballad “Claridad,” ‘at peace’ was never an latter, Corazón simmers with spicy arrangements and lush orchestration while the musicianship recalls the apt description of Conor variety, with peaks that include the to provide the punch. Lee Zimmerman breezy acoustica of Jobim, the luxe Oberst. But here we are, lilting “Una Noche en Nápoles” (with spaghetti soundtracks of Morricone in 2014, and the man who Lila Downs, Niña Pastori and David Crosby and even the trip-hop of Portishead. sneered, “I want a lover I don’t have to Soledad), Gloria Estefan’s nightclubby Croz BLUE CASTLE (The latter channeled through Shana love” a dozen years ago is releasing “Besos De Lejos,” Ziggy Marley’s With The Byrds and CSNY, Halligan’s sensuous take on “Depth of Upside Down Mountain—13 acoustic, true-to-dad rendition of “Iron Lion Zion” David Crosby stamped My Soul,” with full string orchestra at country-folk songs that find Oberst and the rambunctious “Mal Bicho” with a distinct imprint on the the ready.) Translated loosely, Saudade sounding like an elder statesman of Los Fabulosos Cadillacs.Better still, face of rock. But, as is Portuguese for a euphoric state of indie rock: relaxed, wise and free. Santana cuts loose with some of the evidenced by his fitful longing; Thievery’s Rob Garza and Eric Producer Jonathan Wilson’s gentle best guitar playing he’s done in solo career, he’s always functioned Hilton have managed to capture it spirit suits Oberst on these sun-kissed decades. The tasty filigrees and wah best with a creative sounding board. perfectly in a sprawling, space-age tunes—all acoustic strumming, drizzling solo in Jaunes’ sensuous “La Flaca” On Croz, his fourth studio album in four lounge excursion that flickers with warm drums and the occasional, cheerful alone instantly recall the original decades, and first in 20 years, he’s glimpses of a pop-art past.