Pat Metheny “What’s It All About”
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#409 in the Series) Is Pat Metheny, What’s It All About. What a surprise it was this week when this little nugget showed up. I didn’t know it was coming but I must say that I’m awfully glad it’s here. It’s always a good day when Pat Metheny released new material. Those days now number in the 40s. (How time flies) This one however is a little different. This album, What’s It All About is an album of cover tunes. Yeah, I know that’s become something quite popular, but not by a jazz guitarist doing songs from the late 60s and early 70s. Besides Pat’s wonderful playing, there’s a few things that I...
Peter Wolf “Midnight Souvenirs”
Today’s Cool Album of the Day(#398 in the Series) is Peter Wolf, Midnight Souvenirs. When the question of the best band ever is debated the answer is a fairly easy one. In no particular order, depending on your rock sensibilities, the answer is: The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, or The Who When the same question is asked about American Bands the answer is not so simple. Certainly The Beach Boys, a band that has featured Glen Campbell and John Stamos in various incarnations, can’t be in consideration. Is it The Eagles? If so which era? To my mind a band that adds a superstar the likes of Joe Walsh needs to be considered as two separate bands. ...
Grace Potter and the Nocturnals “Grace Potter and the Nocturnals
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#390 in the Series) is Grace Potter and the Nocturnals The word “Nocturnal” means “of or pertaining to the night,” a perfect moniker to describe the band of traveling gypsies known as Grace Potter & The Nocturnals. 2010 and on in to 2011 has been a very busy time for the band. In an effort to make a name, and establish their identity, they embarked on a “scorched earth” tour of America, traversing the country, delivering to the unwashed masses, their unique blend of funky blues, gritty soul, and smoldering rock. The band also made time to make all of the usual Fallon, Kimmel, Letterman, talking head stops, as well as to lend...
EmmyLou Harris “Hard Bargain”
Gram Parsons has been gone for over 35 years now. Yet his influence on Emmylou Harris isn’t just hinted at in her sound. No, every so often, she gathers up that internal feeling and writes another great song to honor her dear friend. See: Boulder to Birmingham. I want to make sure that people know the other side of the story. We always hear how much Gram had to do with Emmylou’s early career. I want to make sure that people realize that this wasn’t a one way street. Emmylou may have helped Gram even more. Yes, you read it right. I’m referring to the Flying Burrito Brother era of Gram’s career and even into the period where he...
Ray Davies “See My Friends”
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#347 in the Series) is Ray Davies, See My Friends. The pantheon of rock’s elder statesmen for me includes Eric Clapton, Billy Joel, Elton John, Paul McCartney, Rod Stewart, and Ray Davies. There are others, but these are the AARP members that when they put out a new album, I will make it a point to check out their new work. Of this group, Billy Joel has not put out anything new since 1993. That’s right folks, the “Piano Man”, has not put out an album of new material in 18 years. Elton is Elton, and Paul is Paul, that is both of them can do no wrong. They keep their respective fingers...
New Foster and Lloyd album Coming April 19th
FOSTER & LLOYD IT’S ALREADY TOMORROW Pre Order Your Autographed Copy of ‘It’s Already Tomorrow’. (FYI, You will be ordering via Foster and Lloyd’s site, not mine.) All Pre-orders will be shipped the week of April 19th. Price: $15.00 + $4.00 s&h Foster and Lloyd It’s Already Tomorrow Looking back at the history of music, you can pinpoint those times when change takes place…something new replaces the old. Music that once sounded “like this” suddenly sounds “like that.” In the 1930’s, country music was considered to be the sound of hillbilly string bands. When the music was electrified, a honky-tonk shuffle played with a drummer became the new sound. It was still country. In the mid-to...
Robert Plant “Band of Joy”
Today’s Cool Album Of the Day (#294 in the Series) is Robert Plant, Band of Joy. Robert Plant? Think about this one…. How many artists from his era are still releasing strong, relevant music at this stage of their careers? Sure, we get some dynamite tours from some of them. However, for most of them, if they play their latest albums on those tours what you’ll usually find is that the restrooms are at capacity when they play them. Not Robert Plant, his work before this was the extremely popular album with Alison Krauss called Raising Sand. It only won about five Grammys! He’s reinvented himself the last decade and done it with-out going the Rod Stewart route. Band...
Gregg Allman “Low Country Blues”
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#258 in the Series) is Gregg Allman, Low Country Blues. This album is being released in just a few hours. I wanted to make sure everyone knew about it. It’s the solo album many have been waiting for. A good old fashioned blues album. Gregg covers the likes of Bobby ‘Blue’ Bland, B.B. King, Otis Rush, Muddy Waters and Junior Wells. There is also one original song written by Warren Haynes. Low Country Blues was produced by the ‘red hot’ T-Bone Burnett. Has he ever been on a role for a few years now. If your headed out to purchase this album today, please don’t forget your ‘Ma + Pa’ record stores!! I...
Justin Townes Earle ‘Harlem River Blues’
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#250 in the Series) is Justin Townes Earle, Harlem River Blues. (Bloodshot Records) I’ll be the first to admit. I ‘think’ I had heard of Justin Townes Earle. But I’m not sure. He’s an Americana musician and that pretty much is my favorite genre for years now. Somehow, Justin slid through the cracks. This week changed that. I was watching a few ‘DVRed’episodes of David Letterman last night. (I can’t believe he didn’t have ‘Mike Singletary’ on to discuss his firing.) On Tuesday this week, Justin was the musical guest. To say the least I could not have liked his performance more! He was outstanding. I then was able to see that his...
The Steepwater Band ‘Live at the Double Door”
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#248 in the Series, and #14, in the Live, Saturday Night Series) is The Steepwater Band, Live at the Double Door. I used to have a gig trying to book gigs for bands years ago. You’d assemble a promo kit and try to get your name in front of agents and club owners etc. One of the questions they’d always ask, and quickly too, was ‘How many members in band, son? Not, ‘Are they any good? Or ‘Where else have you played?’ No it was ‘How many members?!’ If you answered by describing you were representing a three piece…we’ll, you were not very welcomed in the south, southwest suburbs of Chicago and even...
