I have seen Ryan Adams several times over the years. Fortunately I have been fortunate to have only seen “the good” Ryan (although his days of on stage misbehaving seem distant at this point). The Palace show continued my streak of seeing the “good” Ryan. This the most rock and roll of the recent shows that I have seen. I don’t know if Ryan adjusts to the venue (or perhaps selects venue based on tour), but a harder rock show seemed appropriate at the Palace Theatre.
This was my first show at the Palace Theatre, a new 2,800-capacity concert venue for contemporary music in the Twin Cities (St. Paul). It is pretty cool vibe. The building is a 100 years old. The renovation appears to have focused on making the venue sea worthy, but not restored. Surfaces look sand blasted and unfinished, yet there are plenty of modern touches. For my aesthetic it looked pretty cool – it is kind of like $250 distressed designer jeans – you want to mock them, but you also want them.
I do have a beef : It is not a great sounding venue (at least not on the general admission floor). When I stood close to the stage the sound was directed over my head. When I went to the rear and elevated part of the GA floor the balcony was messing with the sound. The best spot I found was right in front of the soundboard (usually is), that is slightly elevated and in front of the balcony. I would be curious what the balcony sounds like. Given all the hard surfaces this is not a forgiving venue. It is not Roy Wilkins bad, but it is not Northrop either (my vote for best sounding music venue). I think First Avenue sounds better. But it is brand new and it looks like the focus was getting the venue functional. Hopefully it will be successful and the city will have enough money to soften the venue with some acoustical treatments. In summary, I much prefer it for a rock show over the State and Orpheum – those theaters are too nice (and sit down). It is nice to have a rock venue that is twice the capacity of First Avenue. I am hopeful about the Palace as a music venue.
Back to Ryan Adams. As I mentioned this was rock and roll Ryan. This should not be a surprise because his recent album, Prisoner, is an electric guitar focused LP. The set list was a good cross-section of his catalog with emphasis on Prisoner.
A couple of highlights for me:
- The extended jam on “Magnolia Mountain/Cold Roses” – it was a mix of jam band, classic rock (I swear I heard a nod to Yes) and punk. It was wonderful detour.
- A deconstruction of “When Stars Go Blue” with one of the most effective uses of a disco ball that I can remember.
- What appeared to be a made up song on the spot about St. Paul.
Adams is at the top of his game. He is in an enviable position: he seems in complete control of his career and he is just popular enough to be profitable, but he is not a sellout. He continues to pump out great songs and is able to mine his catalog without being sentimental. His abilities as a performer and frontman have become more confident and entertaining.
As much as I loved the show, it was not quite right. Six nights later I figured out why. As a nice little dessert, I got to see Ryan for a one hour festival set at Lollapalooza. The sound was perfect – that was what made the Palace show unsatisfying – the crappy sound. It is hard to compete with a beautiful night, a festival mood and outside sound. It was fantastic. Ryan has gotten used to headlining – he was focused on managing his time and comically finished nine minutes early after a spectacular grand finale of “Shakedown on 9th Street.” Ryan came sheepishly back on stage and announced he had the perfect song to fill the time: “Magnolia Mountain.” He shrunk the twenty-minute version from St. Paul down to his allotted nine. The cherry on top was Adams’ shear joy. He was delightfully playful and our proximity allowed you to see the smile on his face.
My Spotify playlist is a more accurate set list of the Palace show than the photo of the set list Ryan tweeted below. Also is a playlist from Lolla.
This was our first Rock The Garden – a one day outdoor music festival in Minneapolis sponsored by The Current (the local public radio pop station – imagine a college radio station with a big budget) and the Walker Art Center (the Minneapolis version of MOMA). My ever vigilant wife spotted the chance to buy the tickets earlier this year (it always sells out in a heartbeat).
We saw three acts: Benjamin Booker, The Revolution (Prince’s Purple Rain era band) and Bon Iver. Headliner Bon Iver, who despite his proximity, had not played the Twin Cities market since 2011. It was a beautiful sweaty summer eve in Minneapolis.
We spent most of Booker’s set exploring the grounds and getting our bearings. My wife found a prime spot – balancing comfort and sight lines – flat ground (most of the viewing is on an uncomfortably steep hill) and a close unobstructed view of the stage and the big screen. We did get a chance to soak in a decent share of Booker’s set.
I had low expectations of The Revolution. I figured this was nothing more than a high-profile tribute band. If The Dead seems like a silly endeavor without Garcia, Prince’s band without Prince sounds downright absurd. The Revolution is a solid band, but they need a frontman (duh). This gig was blessed with Mint Condition’s frontman Stokley Williams for half the set. They ended up crafting a sentimental, yet poignant set that truly touched me. It mixed joy and tears: I worked myself up into a lather on “Let’s Go Crazy” and choked up for “Purple Rain.”
I have been a minor Bon Iver fan. I have the albums and I have listened to those albums out of obligation (the Twin Cities have claimed Wisconsin native Justin Vernon as one of our own). I have to admit Vernon’s stuff has never real hooked me. Sometimes seeing a band live is required. Vernon’s stuff seemed like the work of a studio rat and I was hard pressed to see how he could translate his studio art into a live set. Wow was I wrong. Bon Iver was amazing live and now I have crossed the threshold to true fandom.
Vernon had an amazing band: two drummers and 5 saxophones is not your typical road crew. Vernon deftly handle the vocals and electronics. I am not sure his hushed set would work in every venue, but in front of 10,000 card-carrying music heads he was in the right place at the right time – pure magic. Since the show I have listened to the Bon Iver catalog and it all makes sense to me now. I am converted – I see the light.
In anticipation of HAIM’s debut album, When Days Are Gone, they released three singles. By the time the album released in the fall of 2013, HAIM was receiving many positive vibes and lots of hype. Neither traditional pop girl group nor riot grrrls, HAIM were more the second coming of Lindsay Buckingham era Fleetwood Mac. That is, quality pop with a brain.
I gave the singles and When Days Are Gone album attentive listens at the time, but they never connected with me. However, Something To Tell You has connected. I am not sure why, it is the same basic formula. Part of it is that I saw HAIM live at Lollapalooza in the summer of 2016. Their live show was delightful. I loved their combination of pure energy, irreverence, mischief and complete lack of taking themselves seriously – it was simply a fun performance. Perhaps this album resonates with me because Rostam Batmanglij (Vampire Weekend) produced some of it.
Something To Tell You is a pop masterpiece. It is roll down the windows and cruise summertime pop. It has great hooks and songs you want sing along to. It sounds instantly familiar, yet it is original. Most of all it rocks (an intangible feature that cannot be described – either something does or does not).
If you like late 70s Fleetwood Mac, you are going to like this. If you like the exuberant fun of The Go-Go’s, you will dig this. If you do not like earworms, avoid this album.
I am not sure how I originally stumbled upon this release in 1988. My guess is that it was inspired by my appreciation of John Hiatt’s Bring the Family. That Hiatt album was produced by Ry Cooder and Cooder’s guitar was a major contribution to that album’s greatness. King and Evans had been backup singers on several Ry Cooder albums and I assumed Cooder’s production of Live and Let Live! on the heals of the Hiatt release would likely be a winner. Good guess, it is a great album.
Bobby King and Terry Evans are soul/gospel singers. They are great singers and these are great songs, but Cooder’s playing is the reason this is a hall of fame album.
Most songs have loose and rusty sound. This works perfect: gritty vocalists and gritty guitarist. There is only one song that is a bit too slick for its own good (“Saturday Night). The rest are perfect.
Well, here is a simple concept: Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy releases stark solo renditions of eleven songs from his arsenal. He draws mostly from his work with Wilco, but he gives us a pair from his side projects: Golden Smog and Loose Fur.
As carefully crafted a sonic experience as Wilco is, the revelation of Together At Last is how much Wilco is ultimately Tweedy’s voice. These songs lose nothing stripped down. They are not better or worse, just different; amazingly not that different. Wilco’s arrangements and players are complex and artsy (in a good way), but the privilege here is that the songs are so pure and clean.
Track list:
Via Chicago – Wilco – Summerteeth
Laminated Cat – Loose Fur – Loose Fur
Lost Love – Golden Smog – Weird Tales
Muzzle of Bees – Wilco – A Ghost Is Born
Ashes of American Flags – Wilco – Yankee Foxtrot Hotel
Dawned on Me – Wilco – The Whole Love
In a Future Age – Wilco – Summerteeth
I’m Trying to Break Your Heart – Wilco – Yankee Foxtrot Hotel
Hummingbird – Wilco – Yankee Foxtrot Hotel
I’m Always in Love – Wilco – Summerteeth
Sky Blue Sky – Wilco – Sky Blue Sky
Jaco Pastorius is to the electric bass as Jimi Hendrix is to the electric guitar. Maybe what Jaco did was more profound: he made the supporting actor the star.
I had the good fortune to see Jaco live in person twice: once with Joni Mitchell and once with Weather Report. Joni’s late 70s LPs were my intro to Jaco. Jaco then led me from Joni to Weather Report.
Jaco’s solo 1976 debut was about showing off. Granted he had a lot to show off. He was still an obscure talent. However, five years later when Word of Mouth came out he was an international star. He had nearly eclipsed Weather Report’s founders Joe Zawinul and Wayne Shorter.
I recall a lot of anticipation for Word of Mouth. I remember assuming it would be like Weather Report. Side one is Weather Report reimagined as a big band. Pastorius wrote all the songs on side one and arranged them magnificently. The secret weapon was harmonica virtuoso Toots Thielemans. Side two was more experimental and features Bach and a Beatles cover (“Blackbird”) along with two Pastorius originals.
Word of Mouth was a major statement from Pastorius. He was clearly more than a novelty or merely a virtuoso on the electric bass. He was a Mingus caliber genius (a player, a composer, arranger and bandleader). The original LP was mysterious – it had absolutely no credits. Years later when I got the CD, there were credits and I learned it was an all-star big band (e.g., Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Jack DeJohnette, Michael Brecker, etc.).
Jaco assembled a big band and toured the world playing the songs from Word Of Mouth. His next release, Invitation, was a live album from the Japanese leg of the tour. It is equally brilliant as Word Of Mouth. Maybe even better as the band had really jelled.
Since Jaco’s passing, there has been one more Word of Mouth big band release: The Birthday Concert. Jaco toured with the Word of Mouth big band worldwide for a couple of years. Unfortunately, there were just a couple of tidbit recordings: Invitation and The Birthday Concert – both of which were just samples of a typical concert. Until now!
Truth, Liberty & Soul is a full concert from the Word Of Mouth tour. A New York show from 1982 recorded for a NPR program radio program called Jazz Alive. It was recently issued as a limited Record Store Day (April 2017) three LP set. It came out digitally May 26, 2017 (as best I know it is only available on CD or to download via Apple, it is not on streaming services).
The album sounds great and it is a thrill to get to hear a full concert vs. highlights like Invitation and The Birthday Concert. The core band is the same as Invitation with Toots Thielemans stealing the show. Victor Wooten (no slouch as a bassist) endorsed this album: “This is a rare find; like finding a never-before-seen Picasso or Van Gogh painting.”
The album opens with a jazz standard “Invitation.” It is a great song for soloists to air it out and is equally great song for orchestrated blasts from the full big band. Jaco has a great solo that shows off not only his amazing bass chops, but also his great musicality.
“Soul Intro/The Chicken” is a Pastorius original. It is a playful funky big band chart with Jaco percolating under the orchestration and the soloists. In addition to traditional big band instrumentation, Jaco adds a wild card: steel drums. This is a hot cooking band.
Jaco made Charlie Parker’s “Donna Lee” his own on his solo debut. Jaco brilliantly delegates the opening to his tuba player and you get a sense of Jaco’s concept that the bottom end is more than a foundation. He lets the low end shine with tubas, trombone, bass-clarinet and of course his bass. The soloing on this song is mind blowing. There are some beautifully absurd sounds coming out of the instruments, Bird would be proud.
“Three Views Of A Secret” is a Jaco composition that would not sound out of place on a Jaco era Weather Report album. With big band arrangements and Toots’ harmonica substituting for Zawinul’s keyboards. This is a prime example of Jaco’s composition and arranging genius.
“Liberty City” is another Jaco original. It has a bit of a “Birdland” feel. Again a big band and Toots’ harmonica substituting for Zawinul’s keyboards. This is not just a band, it is an orchestra. This is the sound of fun. It is also a song where Jaco plays some very traditional bass. However, even when he does that, he is slightly cooler than the rest.
If you are going to be a big band, you have to play some Ellington. Jaco deconstructs “Sophisticated Lady” via his bass – making noises, you did not think a bass was capable of making. Then Toots engages in conversation with Jaco. The simpatico interplay between Jaco and Toots is truly special. Jaco plays oddly beautiful, Toots just plays beautiful. It is amazing to be privy to this musical conversation.
“Bluesette” is the Jaco and Toots show again, although Othello Molineaux gets a nice solo on the steel drums. Toots had his hand in writing this song so I assume it is a standard in his repertoire – he plays it comfortably.
“I Shot The Sheriff” is a very recognizable melody for most pop ears. Jaco takes primary responsibility for the melody and lets steel drums and harmonica do the bulk of the soloing. I always appreciate when jazz cats play songs I am familiar with so I can hear what they are doing. It is fun to witness the deconstruction.
“Okonkole Y Trompa” is from Jaco’s solo debut. Much of this version is a solo by master percussionist Don Alias. For me this is the only tedious track of the concert because Jaco does not appear until the last couple of minutes. When he does show up, he is practically whispering with a rhythmically complex percolating pattern.
“Reza/Giant Steps” was a staple of Jaco’s live set. “Reza” is a riff similar to the “Mission Impossible Theme.” It is a nice attention getter. “Giant Steps” is a famous Coltrane song. Jaco use the famous “Giant Step” cord changes to solo his ass off as a transitional bridge between the two songs.
“Mr. Fonebone” is playful tune by saxophonist Bob Mintzer who was a major contributor to the Word of Mouth band. It reminds me a bit of the Flintstone’s theme song. It is a great foundation for the band’s soloists to strut their stuff. Ornately arranged – this is not a simple blowing piece.
“Bass And Drum Improvisation” is a Pastorius/Erskine composition. The bassist and drummer had a shared history as the boy wonders in Weather Report. The song opens with an extended Jaco solo. If you have ever wondered “what’s up” with the Jaco hype, this solo is a good exhibit of why Jaco is amazing. After an extended applause, it is Peter Erskine’s turn to solo. His solo is a combination of restrained control with a threat he could go Keith Moon crazy at any moment. Erskine keeps the train on the rails. The song concludes with Pastorius’ “Twins. It is the full band in controlled chaos. Despite the cacophony, the song ends with an Aaron Copeland pastoral feel.
“Fannie Mae” is a grand farewell. Originally a late 50s R&B hit for Buster Brown. The band blows it up and it becomes a neat way for Jaco to introduce the band.
Jaco’s vision for a big band is genius. Unfortunately, as the concept was coming together, Jaco was becoming mentally unbalanced. Within a few years, his mental illness would contribute to his untimely demise. This album is the most complete portrait of Jaco’s Word of Mouth big band concept. There are several exhibits from this period, but this is the only full concert recording commercially available.
An added bonus of the release are the extensive linear notes. They include comments by the album’s producer Zev Feldman, jazz critic Bill Milkowski and several interviews with friends and disciples of Jaco. Resonance Records knocks it out of the park with this archival release. My only complaint is the vinyl edition did not come with a download and the album is not available on streaming services. Listening on a LP at home is preferred, but given modern life, portability is a requirement.
I have twenty years invested in Ryan Adams. He is one of my top-ten music acts. There was a time in Adams’ career when the material came out too frequently. Now it comes out at a digestible pace (but still plenty fast), which is great – now I actually anticipate an Adams’ release. I had high expectations for this “divorce album.” It is a cliché, but songwriters are inspired by life’s valleys.
This post has been sitting in draft status for a few months – it is time to get it out the door. I was reminded that it was an unfinished when I recently discovered that a companion album, Prisoner B-Sides, has been out since late April. In the interest of finishing this post I will pass on Prisoner B-Sides. I guess Adams is still capable of drowning his fans with content.
Each song on Prisoner reflects on love lost. The guitars speak as much as the lyrics. As always, Adams crafts beautiful sonic soundscapes and is a fascinating pop artist. He is a music-head fanboy (Google any of his interviews). He can play in nearly any style, yet he is wise enough to have his own voice. He is fearless about borrowing, yet stays original.
Side One
The album opens with a single: “Do You Still Love Me.” It is a classic 80s rock with a Tom Petty feel – an arena anthem. It is a post break up song where the raw emotions of the performance speak as much as the lyrics.
The titular track comes next. It is subtler musically and lyrically than the opener. On first listen, prison seems like a symbol for love or heartache. But on further listens, I think it is about “being in lust” (the crime) vs. “in love.”
“Doomsday” opens with a country harmonica intro. This is Ryan Adams at his country rock best. The narrator is committed to the relationship, but it does not sound like his partner is on the same page.
“Haunted House” is Adams’ Tunnel of Love era Springsteen song. The narrator, once part of a couple, must now live alone in the former love nest. It is too much for the one left behind.
“Shiver And Shake” has a nice Paul Westerberg feel. The boy has been left behind with only his memories. A wonderfully sad song:
“Maybe I’m a fool, doesn’t matter anyway
My chest is all tight, my heart still aches
These are the days, you need double what it takes
I’ve missed you so much I shiver and I shake”
“To Be Without You” ends side one. It has a 70s acoustic pop vibe. Our narrator is at the end of his rope, he is hopelessly heartbroken.
Side Two
“Anything I Say To You Now” is guitar paradise. A half-dozen rich guitar tones are going on in this song. The guitar tones remind me of the guitar great Eric Johnson. The narrator is trying to write an apology, but the words end up in a game of wastepaper basketball.
“Anything I say to you now is just a lie
Anything I say to you now is just a lie
Anything I say to you now, anything I say to you now
Anything I say to you now but goodbye
Is just a lie”
“Breakdown” is a very direct song. The narrator is losing it. What I like about the sound of this song is that is not chaotic or explosive, rather it is simmering away.
“Outbound Train” could easily be a Springsteen song, both lyrically and sonically. Kind of scary lyrics:
“But I was so bored, I was so bored
I was so sure, I was so bored
I was so bored, I was so bored
I don’t know anything anymore”
“Broken Anyway” is another song with a Paul Westerberg sound. Sometimes in life, things just turn out how they turn out. No one was wrong, things are just “broken anyway.”
“Tightrope” is a simple guitar and voice, until the bridge – then a sax solo comes in and the listener is transported to a higher plane. Again a Springsteen vibe.
“We Disappear” has a wonderful swagger to it. It is riff heavy and has some of the coolest guitar on the album. It is brilliantly lo-fi in a Replacements sort of way.
As bleak as this album is, Adams performance (especially the guitars) elevates the misery to something beautiful and redemptive. Our hero is broken, but not destroyed.
Ryan Adams is in a good place in his career. His craftsmanship is perfect – he just relaxes and plays. He has no pretensions and he has nothing to prove. Ryan Adams just is.
I am a big fan of the Brother’s Robinson – originally via the Black Crowes, but even more now due to their solo work and new bands. Their post Crowes material is top notch.
Per the Magpie Salute’s website:
THE MAGPIE SALUTE is an exciting new band that features musicians who have played together for decades throughout various projects and share a musical bond. The band brings Rich Robinson, the guitarist and co-founding member of The Black Crowes, together with two key members of Crowes fame – guitarist Marc Ford and bassist Sven Pipien – alongside drummer Joe Magistro and guitarist Nico Bereciartua. The Magpie Salute also boasts a fine cast of vocalists, including lead singer John Hogg (Hookah Brown, Moke), former Crowes singer Charity White and background singers, Adrien Reju and Katrine Ottosen.
So the band has perfect name (a magpie is of the crow family – see final quote at the end of this post), how do they sound? They sound great. There have great vocals (both lead and backup) and a great twin guitar attack. They recorded the album live, in the studio and in front of an audience at Applehead Recording in Woodstock (where Rich has been recording his last solo albums). The recording quality is high and with taught arrangements. The recording is so clean; it is a bit of a shock when the crowd erupts at the end of a song.
“Omission” is the sole Magpie Salute original. Back when I was a kid, we would have called this hard rock. The song would not sound out of place on a Soundgarden album. It features lead vocals by John Hogg. Hogg is a new voice to me and I look forward to doing some more research on him.
“Comin’ Home” is a Delaney & Bonnie song from On Tour With Eric Clapton. It is a great jam for the twin axes of Robinson and Ford to spar and for the multiple vocalists to harmonize.
“What Is Home” is a Rich Robinson original that first appeared on the Black Crowes’ album Before The Frost…Until The Freeze (2009).
“Wiser Time” is another Black Crowes’ song from Amorica (1994). The song feels like you are flying.
“Goin’ Down South” is a soul jazz song composed by Joe Sample (Crusaders) and was originally from the Bobby Hutchison/Harold Land album San Francisco. This is a perfect groove for an instrumental jam. It has some great keyboards and it is a sad reminder that keyboardist Eddie Harsch passed away shortly after this album was recorded.
“War Drums” is a cover of a song from the band War. Magpie Salute finds more inspiration from this song than I would have ever imagined.
“Ain’t No More Cane” is a traditional prison work song. The arrangement sounds like an outtake from The Band. In fact, it appeared on The Basement Tapes.
“Fearless” is from Meddle by Pink Floyd. The original was acoustic, and the Magpie Salute electrify it.
“Glad And Sorry,” composed by Ronnie Lane, is a Faces’ song. The Black Crowes always seemed like a Faces inspired band – so this is a very appropriate cover.
“Time Will Tell” is by Bob Marley from his album Kaya. Reggae covers can be cornball, but the band avoids pretending to be Jamaican and makes it their own.
I am impressed with this band. The best part is the twin guitar attack for Rich Robinson and Marc Ford – these guys have many miles with each other – so it is an easy conversation. The album has good diversity without being a grab bag. If you like a good jam band in the spirit of the Allman Brothers, you will like this.
Another quote from the band’s website:
Rich explains how the band members’ past experiences connect to the band’s moniker, The Magpie Salute. The term references a British superstition about the imperative to salute a Magpie anytime you see one in order to ward off negativity, or to have a good day; it is like saying, I am unarmed or I come in peace. Rich says, “The magpie falls within the crow umbrella of species, figuratively and literally. Magpies can be black and white, which for me represents the dark and the light. “The way to salute a magpie, is to say Good Morning Captain. I felt this had too many coincidences to ignore. He adds, “This touches on many aspects of my life and experiences.”
Here is a playlist of the originals:
Bob Dylan has been rocking my world for a long time now. I have read dozens of books about Dylan. In less than a half hour I learned more about Dylan and his muse than in all those books combined. He explains how three great works of literature informed and inspired his art. This is not a normal lecture – this is a long poem. If you have the slightest curiosity about where Dylan’s lyrics come from, this is the great reveal.
With the witty lyricism of Randy Newman and the pop sensibility of Elton John, Father John Misty (FJM) skewers our culture artfully.
2012’s Fear Fun is one of my favorite albums of this decade. I Love You, Honeybear was a worthy follow up. Pure Comedy makes it a hat trick.
FJM is Richard Dawkins cynical about religion (from the song “Pure Comedy”):
Oh, their religions are the best
They worship themselves yet they’re totally obsessed
With risen zombies, celestial virgins, magic tricks, these unbelievable outfits
And they get terribly upset
When you question their sacred texts
Written by woman-hating epileptics
This album is one of the finest pop criticisms of contemporary culture I have heard in a long time – especially pertinent given it is not coming from a jaded baby boomer millionaire bard (depending on your definition FJM is at the tail end of Gen X or an early Millennial).
FJM has even gotten more cynical since his last album – an impressive feat. However, these are cynical times. Musically it is mellower album, but not dour. FJM continues to conjure elaborate pop arrangements.
This album has not been in constant rotation for me like his first two. I have let rest for several weeks and it sounds better having had a chance to breathe. It now sounds more Beatlesque and the lyrics more relevant. For example, on first listen “Leaving LA” was too slow, too long and too stark, now it seems just right. Now I appreciate the Spartan framing – it allows you to focus on the vocals and lyrics. Here is a lyrical highlight from “Leaving LA:”
These L.A. phonies and their bullshit bands
That sound like dollar signs and Amy Grant
So reads the pull quote from my last cover piece
Entitled “The Oldest Man in Folk Rock Speaks”
I kind of like that Father John Misty is making us work for it.
P.S. Thanks for the ambitious packaging as always FJM!.
Axl's Catch Groove 