In a recent post I forgave Ryan Adams and I am back to being a fan. I have come to accept that I can like the art and not the artist. Big Colors is not typical Ryan, it sounds like him, but a different sound. Per a Ryan Adams quote I saw in Rolling Stone:
“Big Colors was created as a 1980s soundtrack to a movie that never existed.Wednesdays was a study of decline and morality; Big Colors is meant to feel like a daydream. New York, where this album was written, always propels me into new, unexpected creative spaces and this album happened to me, more than I can say I happened to it.”
It does have an 80s vibe, invoking a careful curated 80s jukebox. I hear traces of Roxy Music, The Smiths & Morrissey, R.E.M. and without irony 38 Special (on “Middle Of The Line”). And there is a few hints of classic Ryan Adams. It is a remarkable juxtaposition of songs that really work together. I can definitely imagine some of these songs in a cheesy 80s movie where the soundtrack is better than the movie.
As I noted in a recent post, Adams was planning to release three albums in 2019. Those were shelved due to scandal. In December 2020 Adams released one of the three and now has released the second of the three. From what I see online he has rearranged the song placements of the three and both Wednesdays and Big Colors are not the original albums that would have been released in 2019.
The simple review is, I dig this album. I like that is not the typical Ryan Adams Americana. It is obviously him, but in some different moods. I am instantly hooked on it, whereas Wednesdays took awhile to sink in. For now I prefer Big Colors to Wednesdays, but that can change with time.
When I first heard this album I posted on my Instagram account (@catchgroove): “Does the world need another 2.5 hour live recording of Neil Young and Crazy Horse? Hell yes! As usual the boys are brilliantly sloppy and there are some deep cut gems.” A few months have gone by and this album still sounds good to me.
This live album is from a warm up show for the Ragged Glory tour at The Catalyst in Santa Cruz, CA, on November 13, 1990. Neil’s timing for Ragged Glory could not have been more perfect – Neil and the Horse were prophets: Seattle grunge was about to explode. They were like John The Baptist: anticipating a messianic rock movement that would be greater than themselves. Eventually Neil would be rightfully named The Godfather of Grunge.
The band plays most of Ragged Glory and selections from their back catalog – the obvious and not so obvious, for example, three from 1975’s Zuma (obvious) and two from 1981’s Re-ac-tor (not so obvious). I never tire of hearing this stuff: it is a turgid plodding mess, but somehow beautiful. The Horse is often maligned as not being accomplished musicians, but musicianship is besides the point – the magic of great rock music is that it just emotes – Way Down In The Rust Bucket gushes emotion.
On the one hand there is nothing new here, but on the other hand that is not the point. Neil Young and Crazy Horse are just a great hang and I will take every opportunity to hang with these guys. This is a particularly great opportunity.
I have been digging this album since it was digitally released in mid March. It was recently released on vinyl for Record Store Day (2021 Drop One). It was number one on my wish list and I got up at 5:00 AM on a Saturday morning to improve my chances. Success!
Daniel Lanois is a brilliant producer and musician. His production credits include: Bob Dylan, U2, Peter Gabriel, Brian Eno, Emmylou Harris, and Robbie Robertson (all masterpieces).
This is Lanois’ take on gospel music featuring the Hammond organ of Johnny Shepherd, sometime organist at Zion Baptist in Shreveport, Louisiana. Not surprising, Lanois does not play it straight. His take on gospel music has hints of reggae and electronica. As the kids like to say: pretty dope. I am no expert on gospel music and I am a pretty secular dude, but every time I get a taste of gospel I love it – I love Dylan’s gospel phase for example.
Per Lanois: “We want to lift people’s spirits with this music. It’s so easy to feel isolated right now, but we want everyone to feel included in what we’re doing. Our goal was to be a force for good with these songs. We wanted to remind people not to let the world steal their joy, to remind them that even during a global pandemic, it’s our responsibility to protect our spirits and find ways to keep on dancing, keep on singing, keep on teaching, keep on loving.”
The Heavy Sun quartet is Lanois (vocals, guitar, production), Rocco DeLuca (guitar, vocals), Johnny Shepherd (organ, vocals) and Jim Wilson (bass, vocals). For me the star of the show is Johnny Shepherd’s organ and Lanois’s arrangements and production. This is a really wonderful oddball masterpiece – highly recommend! This will be on this year’s top ten list for sure.
I am not sure why I bought this album shortly after it was released August 27, 1991. I was not a Grateful Dead fan and I certainly wasn’t a Garcia fan. I did own the Dead’s In the Dark album, but that was a pretty popular album at the time – “Touch of Grey” peaked at No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100, the band’s only top forty single – the song was in regular rotation on MTV! But I did buy the Jerry Garcia Band album and I have loved it. I have never tired of it in thirty years.
What hooked me first was the covers: Dylan, Motown, Beatles, Peter Tosh, Bruce Cockburn, Allen Toussaint, etc. They sounded so good – all original interpretations. There was a subtle soulfulness to the arrangements.
Once hooked with the interpretations and arrangements, Jerry’s guitar reeled me in. I love the marimba tone in Jerry’s electric guitar. It is almost a percussion instrument. When Jerry takes a lead it is wonderfully meandering. The leads are slow burning quite storms.
Jerry sings quietly – it is easy to miss how much complexity is there. He has a rich palate and he uses it brilliantly.
Finally, the band on this album is fantastic. The backup vocals harmonize with Garcia’s voice perfectly. Melvin Seals keyboards are always complementing Garcia’s guitar. John Kahn’s bass and David Kemper’s drums provide a rock solid rhythm section. The group borders on jazz rock fusion. This album sent me down the Garcia rabbit hole – I now own a couple dozen Garcia albums and started to scratch the surface of the Dead. Highly recommend gateway drug to Garcia and the Dead universe. This is my number one pick for Record Store Day 2021 Drop Two (first release on vinyl).
I have been grooving to the new The Black Keys album, Delta Kream, since it came out. I liked it enough that I picked it up on wax and what a revelation the LP is: the vinyl is analog heaven. The sound of the LP is absolutely nasty – some serious endless boogie. The guitars are deep and guttural. The drums are nice and loud and the vocals add sweetens to the mix. This is the Keys at their finest.
The album celebrates the band’s roots & features songs by R.L. Burnside & Junior Kimbrough. The opening track is the blues standard “Crawling King Snake” (a hit for John Lee Hooker, but the Keys take a Junior Kimbrough approach).
It is great to hear the Keys after all their success, return to their roots. This is highly recommended on vinyl. The vinyl mix is thick and tasty – it reminds me of soft caramel.
Ryan Adams has been one of my top 10 recording artists since I discovered Whiskeytown on the endcap of Target in the summer of 1997 – so nearly a quarter of century – more than half of my adult life. I listened to Demolition on repeat burying my mother. My daughter and I sang along to “When Stars Go Blue” when I drove her to and from dance class and it was her first concert (we saw many more together). We reprised “When Stars Go Blue” for the father/daughter dance at her wedding. I was a fan of Ryan Adams.
In 2019 a scandal broke: seven women (including Phoebe Bridgers and Ryan’s ex-wife Mandy Moore) came forward with sexual misconduct allegations against him, including exchanging sexually explicit photographs with an underage fan. Shit – I always assumed he was an asshole, but a sexual predator – that took the air out of my fandom – dare I say it broke my fanboy heart.
2019 was going to be a big year for Adams – three albums were to be released. But the scandal put the kibosh on that. The FBI investigation into the underage claims was closed in the fall of 2019 without Adams being charged, but the stuff with the adult women is pretty undeniable. It was going to be hard to continue to be a fan.
Adams went silent. As best I know Adams didn’t address the accusations against him directly, but he eventually posted on Instagram:
“Believe Women. Believe Truth. But never give up on being part of solutions, and healing. I’ve lost friends who have passed away in this time of self reflection and silence. I can’t be like that. There’s been too much that mattered.”
Not much of an apology. He kept a low profile for awhile. Like a lot of musicians he posted lots of cool solo at-home performances during lockdown. In December 2020, Adams surprise-released one of the planned 2019 albums: Wednesdays.
Was it time to forgive and become a fan again? The album was first released on streaming services and wouldn’t be released physical for several months – so I wasn’t tempted to pay him. I gave it a few listens and it didn’t move me – not sure if it was the music or my attitude towards Adams.
Several months have passed since its release and I am ready to give Wednesdays another chance. It is now available on vinyl and I need to make a decision: am I in or out on Ryan Adams?
Listening to it with forgiving ears I am a struck by how quiet and unassuming an album it is, but there is something there. I like the album enough and have warmed up to a post scandal Adams that I recently bought the vinyl.
Although it was created pre-scandal, it seems to me like the right collection of songs at the right time. Allmusic was not so kind:
“With their spare arrangements and threadbare melodies, the songs collectively create an impression of a singer/songwriter who feels quite sorry for himself, but not necessarily sorry for anything he may or may not have done.”
Ouch.
This is one sad album. Adams morns loss after loss: romances, friendships, death, etc. Despite the downer themes, the album is not a downer because of the beauty of the music. The songs are gorgeously arranged. There are no innovations here, just classic Americana Ryan Adams: strumming acoustic guitars, Dylanesque organ fills (courtesy of Benmont” Tench), Emmylou Harris backing vocals, tasteful strings, a little pedal steel, harmonica, etc. I assume Don Was’ production brought out the best in Adams – the recording sounds great.
Wednesdays is not an Adams masterpiece, but still a very good album. I am ready to get back into Ryan Adams (Big Colors is scheduled for June 11, 2021).
One of my favorite music writers, Steven Hyden, posted his ranking of Dylan’s studio albums to celebrate Dylan becoming an octogenarian. That inspired me to write a less ambitious post: my favorite Dylan albums. These are not in order – I can’t do that as my feelings change like the weather about each of these. Thus, I have listed them chronologically. I am not saying these are Dylan’s greatest albums, merely my favorites.
I fully appreciate Dylan’s folk era, but when he went electric that was something special – next level shit. This is part one, of the greatest hat trick in pop/rock history. This is when Bob Dylan became BOB DYLAN!
If someone had never listened to Dylan before, asked for a one album recommendation, this would be the one. If they could only listen to only one song it should be “Like a Rolling Stone” from this album. Number two, on the way to the hat trick.
There are days I would say this is my favorite Dylan album. The final piece of the trifecta. Bob headed to Nashville with keyboardist Al Kooper and guitarist Robbie Robertson, got the Nashville A-Team stoned and made his psychedelic masterpiece before promptly checking out.
And at the height of the psychedelic/rock/hippie/Woodstock era what does he do? Makes a blatantly country album. It was so unhip, that it was hip. And that voice – it doesn’t even sound like Dylan at first, but the more you listen, it does (Dylan claims the voice is due to the fact he had quit smoking). Extra special to me is that my wife and I used “Lay Lady Lay” as our first dance at our wedding. Bonus points: Dylan’s most delightful album cover.
Dylan temporarily left Columbia to join artist friendly David Geffen at Asylum. Dylan is supported on the album by longtime collaborators The Band, with whom he embarked on a major reunion tour following its release. With a successful tour and a host of publicity, Planet Waves was a hit, enjoying a brief stay at No. 1 on the charts – a first for Dylan. As close and as important as the Dylan and The Band relationship is, there is not much released studio material and this is the only proper studio album of this configuration.
On the days that Blonde on Blonde is not my favorite album this one is. The songs have been linked to tensions in Dylan’s personal life, including his estrangement from his then-wife Sara. One of their children, Jakob Dylan, has described the songs as “my parents talking.” It is considered a masterpiece of confessional singer-songwriter craft – although Dylan denies it is autobiographical. Recorded in NYC and Minneapolis it is sonically, one of Dylan’s best sounding albums.
The foundation album for the Rolling Thunder Revue. I love that many of the songs feature backing vocals by Emmylou Harris and Ronee Blakley. Most of the album was co-written by Jacques Levy and is composed of lengthy story-songs. Scarlet Rivera’s violin is a prominent feature.
This is the first Dylan album I purchased in real time. I bought it in the summer of 1978 in Alaska. At first I was disappointed, it did not seem to match the greatness of his back catalog. But over time I have learned to love it. The album was a departure for Dylan, who uses a large pop-rock band including female backing vocalists. It was a nice set up for what comes next.
This album is decried as Dylan’s Vegas act, I love it. Brilliant arrangements of a cross section of the Dylan catalog. Like Street Legal it features a large pop-rock band including female backing vocalists.
Of all the changes in Bob’s career, the most outrageous was becoming a born-again Christian. But he did it with such panache that I forgave him. The album is the funkiest of Dylan’s albums thanks to recording in Muscle Shoals with Jerry Wexler and Barry Beckett producing. Mark Knopfler’s guitar is a key component.
Dylan doubled down on his follow up to Slow Train Coming. The cover art lets you know what you are in for – this is a blatantly evangelical Christian music. Jesus brought out the best in Bob: it is the most passionate vocals of his career.
After three Christian albums, this was Dylan’s return to secular music and critics and fans collectively sighed “thank God!” Instrumentally the album sounds great. It was produced by Dire Straits’ Mark Knopfler, the second guitarist was former Stone Mick Taylor and the rhythm section is reggae’s Sly & Robbie. Famously one of Dylan’s greatest songs was left off the album: “Blind Willie McTell” which was later released on The Bootleg Series Vol 1-3 (1991)
This album has a strong 80s aesthetic, but don’t let that scare you away. Self-produced and accompanied by studio musicians and Tom Petty’s Heartbreakers this is a great album. Strong songwriting, an impassioned Dylan vocal performance and I dig the 80s arrangements. My only complaint is that on some songs the 80s drum effects are eye-rollers. I experienced my first Dylan show after this album in the summer of 1986 – that show will get its own blog post someday.
Daniel Lanois was on a roll in the 80s: U2, Peter Gabriel, Robbie Robertson, and the Neville Brothers all had hits with him. His brand of Cajun/Arcadian atmospheric ambient soul was the perfect match for Dylan.
Although Dylan hated working with Lanois, they got together again to create this masterpiece. Dylan had been given up for dead after a dreadful 90s and he had lost his muse – forced to get by on a couple of albums of folk and Delta blues covers. This was a comeback of epic proportions. Yet another Dylan album that on any given day would be my favorite. In my original review I said: “On Time Out Of Mind Dylan sings the blues. It is Dylan’s unique take on the blues: weary and regretful. When Dylan presented Lanois with songs, Dylan said the songs were about “the dread realities of life.” Lanois recently recalled the songs “had regret and hope, beauty and optimism. A lot of life experience. They were so complex.”
I distinctly recall this album’s release day: 9/11/01. It was solace in a crazy time. It was a worthy follow up to Time Out of Mind and proof Dylan was back.
I played this album on an endless loop on a college visit road trip with my daughter. We drove from Minneapolis to Cincinnati (12 hours) and she slept most of the way – so I had plenty of time to soak up this 38 track album. The album spans the recording sessions for Oh Mercy, World Gone Wrong, Time Out of Mind, and Modern Times as well as several soundtrack contributions and previously unreleased live tracks from 1989 through 2006. I love the Dylan/Lanois partnership (Oh Mercy and Time Out of Mind) and there is plenty of material from those sessions to enjoy on the album.
The legend of the Christian phase was that Dylan was performing the most impassioned live gigs of his career. Unfortunately, I never saw him during this period. In my review I said: “Trouble No More takes a deep dive over eight CDs and one DVD of the Christian era. Six CDs of live material and two of unreleased and rare material. As much as I have loved Slow Train Coming, Saved and Shot of Love, it is otherworldly to hear that material live. And like most eras of Dylan’s career, he left amazing material off the albums. Bootleg Vol. 13 is a treasure chest of previously hidden gold (unreleased songs and live cuts) from his Christian period.”
If Dylan never records again, this will be a great finish. When the first singles came out early in the pandemic it was a similar gift as Love and Theft on 9/11. In my original review I said: “At 79 Bob Dylan remains relevant as ever on his 39th studio album. After an 8-year dalliance with the Sinatra songbook, he returns with an inspiring collection of new original material. It is yet another masterpiece in his catalog – an amazing feat.”
Well, there you go, my favorite Dylan albums. If you have not figured it out by now I am a huge Dylan fan – so much so that our son’s middle name is Dylan. If pressed to give you just five it would be (in no order – as stated earlier my favorite Dylan album depends on my mood and the day of the week):
- Highway 61 Revisited (1965)
- Blonde on Blonde (1966)
- Blood on the Tracks (1975)
- Time Out of Mind (1997)
- Rough and Rowdy Ways (2020)
This is not much of a post, but given I mostly post about music, I thought I would share how I listen. 90% of my serious listening is on headphones with the source material being Tidal streaming via my Bluesound Node 2i. I still love my records and CDs, but streaming is so damn convenient. And with high resolution, streaming sounds great too! My primary rig is in the photo above with links to more details about each piece of equipment. Love to see what you all listen through.
My son recently asked me about my take on the Prince release that will part of this year’s Record Store Day. I had seen it on the list, but I had not checked it out. When I did, I realized it was part of the 1998 release Crystal Ball which is in my CD collection.
Per Record Store Day site:
“The Truth is widely regarded as one of Prince’s most underappreciated hidden gems. Originally released as an accompaniment to the 1998 triple album Crystal Ball, which marked the first time that Prince released an album totally independently, The Truth was also the first Prince album to be labeled “acoustic,” though it does contain electronic instruments and elements, and it gave listeners an unprecedented chance to hear his songwriting and voice in a stripped-down presentation. This release as part of RSD Drops marks the first time The Truth is available on vinyl, with gorgeous, foil-embossed artwork designed by Prince’s long-time art director Steve Parke.”
I am a Prince fan, but not an obsessive. I have most of Prince’s official albums, but he released so much material that a lot of it’s not that familiar to me (even stuff I own). I am more familiar with the packaging of Crystal Ball than the music. The Truth album is a worthy candidate for my “Lost on the shelves” posts – this is a new release to my ears.
Packaging: “The Truth,” the song, was originally released as a mail order CD single via Prince’s fan club. There was a plan to release The Truth as an album, but label trouble resulted in the album getting shelved.
Eventually, it was included as a bonus CD with a three CD set Crystal Ball. Crystal Ball was in a clear plastic round box. This packaging was kind of cool to look at, but not very practical. It did not file easily on a typical CD shelf and it was challenging to pull an individual CD out of the package to play it.
History: Originally Prince had a album concept called Crystal Ball. The concept was abandoned and many of those songs ended up on Sign O’ The Times. The Crystal Ball that ultimately got released as a “box set” was a collection of outtakes and songs from Prince’s vault. The Truth was thrown in as a bonus and ironically was a more thought-out album vs. the hodgepodge that is Crystal Ball.
The Music: The shorthand take on The Truth is that it is Prince’s acoustic album. It certainly leans acoustic, but it does have some electronic instruments.
The album opens with “The Truth” that has a Tracy Chapman “Give Me One Reason” vibe, but with stranger lyrics and odd vocals – in a good way.
“Don’t Play Me” has a singer songwriter feel. Lyrically, Prince is direct and mysterious at the same time.
After two sparse acoustic songs (augmented with some electronics), Prince gets lush. “Circle of Amour” is a gorgeous ballad recounting a kinky high school memory.
“3rd Eye” is acoustic guitar and bad ass electric bass. Prince explores religious themes. Prince offers some self-help:
“In self-pity so dark
This shitty and stark
Realization is all that will soothe
Ultimately the only one
That can save you is you
Your God is inside and for that God you will do
Whatever it takes
If nothing else is true
The only one that can save you is you, yeah
Some trivia: the “This shitty and stark” line is the last time Prince cussed on record.
“Dionne” is lushly arranged and has a Broadway show tune feel.
“Man In A Uniform” is a kinky novelty song, but in Prince’s hands it is funky AF.
“Animal Kingdom” is a vegan anthem and sonically is as weird as you would expect.
“The Other Side Of The Pillow” is an acoustic blues with the epic lyric: “Cool as the other side of the pillow.”
“Fascination” has a jazzy Doobie Brothers vibe.
“One Of Your Tears” is a heartbreak song where Prince coos: “Sometimes I want to die and come back as one of your tears.”
“Comeback” is about the ultimate loss.
The album ends with “Welcome 2 The Dawn (Acoustic Version)” which is a brilliant ending – it is the kind of song you would play for the end credits of a movie. It is the strongest song on an album of good songs.
This truly is a hidden gem in the tsunami that is Prince’s catalog. It is totally Prince, but another side of his brilliant star. It is not quite like anything else in his catalog, it’s wonderfully oddball. So glad to have been reminded of its existence by Record Store Day. It is not one of his greatest albums, but it is a fascinating footnote to his genius.
P.S. Sonically this is a great sounding record. Super clean and intimate sounding. Proof a CD can sound fantastic.
I have been posting fewer blog posts lately in favor of Instagram and Twitter. Some of this is laziness, but also I get more traction on those platforms.
My approach on Instagram is short takes on what I am listening to, drinking and eating with a photo. Pre Covid I would highlight activities like concerts and sporting events.
My approach on Twitter is to embrace the medium and give even a shorter take on the same stuff I would post on Instagram.
If you like this blog consider following @catchgroove on Instagram and Twitter. Thanks.
Axl's Catch Groove 