Alicia Keys is probably the most all-around talented of the contemporary soul divas of the past decade. She burst on to the scene in 2001 with a phenomenally successful debut album (Songs in A Minor) that has sold over 6 million albums. It has been a tough act to follow – subsequent albums had some hits, but nothing like that album.
Her new album is wonderful ear candy. Although she has lots of collaborators on this album (writing, production, and performances), there is a nice unity to the album. Mostly slow jams with positive uplifting lyrics. For my old ears this is nice mix of classic soul and contemporary hip hop influenced soul. There is not a bad cut on the album.
Highlights for me are “Fire We Make” which is a duet with Maxwell and has very tasty slow burning guitar solo from Gary Clark Jr. “Not Even the King” with it heart on the sleeve lyrics. The penultimate cut, “One Thing” – a Frank Ocean ballad. And the finale, “101,” which is a nice little pop symphony. The closest thing to a misfire is the Nicki Minaj collaboration on the titular song. Nicki’s rap just seems tacked on and does not add anything but a distraction to perfectly good song. Overall this a very strong album that should give Rihanna and Mrs. Jay Z a run for their money.
I was pleased to see a shout out to Dave’s Records in Chicago in the November edition of American Way (the American Airlines inflight magazine – see page 34). Dave’s Records is one of my favorite record stores. I try to stop by every time I pass through Chicago. Dave’s is a vinyl only shop that has managed to survive through the CD era. Although a small store they have an outstanding selection of new and used vinyl. Located on Clark Street in Lincoln Park, it was one of the biggest dividends of my son’s DePaul education.
This 1974 release is by two key members of Mahavishnu Orchestra. If you like the early 70’s incarnation of that band you will like this. It is an easier listen than those early MO albums. The music alternates between contemplative pieces (foreshadowing New Age) and funky jazz rock fusion.
Goodman was noted for his violin playing and Hammer for his keyboards, but on this album both guys stretch out on several instruments. Most songs sound like a full band, but it is just the two guys and the power of overdubbing.
I recognized a couple of tunes on my first listen, but could not quite place them – turns out they would show up 3 years later on the album “Jeff Beck and the Jan Hammer Group Live” (also a recent crate digging find that I have been savoring). Coincidentally the other day I had been listening to Mahavishnu Orchestra’ Birds of Fire and remarked that there is not enough violin in rock music. This album helps fill that gap!
I knew nothing about this album before picking it up other that I knew the guys where from Mahavishnu Orchestra, the year (1974) suggested a good vintage, a very cool cover, the album was in good condition and it was a reasonable price ($4). But you can’t discover new music without taking a risk on your intuition – this risk had a fine payout. Highly recommended.
My daughter and I made our Black Friday first stop Minneapolis’ Electric Fetus. We were not too extreme, arriving at 8:00 for a 9:00 opening and were rewarded with queue holder numbers #22 and #23. That was early enough to catch our limit of Record Store Day special editions. Thank goodness for sub-freezing conditions.
We continued the family tradition, originated by my wife, of giving away our extra number.
The Fetus is well-organized for this event. An employee gave us our number right away so we did not have to wait in the cold. Black Friday Record Store Day is the little brother of Record Store Day – there are not nearly as many releases, but still plenty of ways to blow a hundred bucks. The Fetus augmented the national releases with a bunch of Secret Stash 7 inch singles related to the recent Twin Cities Funk and Soul release (I had to restrain myself on those since I had purchased the limited edition purple vinyl edition earlier this fall).
Now that I have taken care of myself, I guess it is time to get into the Christmas spirit and think about others.
I have been so busy at work that I missed the first couple of Audio Society of Minnesota meetings this season. 
But fortunately I did not miss the November meeting with Minnesota audiophile legend Frank Van Alstine. Before the meeting I did not know Frank, but just 90 minutes in his presence has me sold. This is a no-nonsense audiophile manufacture who has a great product at a reasonable price.
Frank demoed his Audio by Van Alstine products through the Society’s Magnepan speakers. Last year I got to hear those speakers several times and I have to say I was not really that impressed. But wan Van Alstine’s product drove those speakers in a way that they sounded like sonic gems. Van Alstine proudly noted that the Magies were not augmented by a sub-woofer, stating that if you want great bass you need great electronics not a sub-woofer. And he spoke the truth, the Magies rocked all by themselves!
Frank is no gimmicks – just a pure audiophile and great engineering. I am not technical enough to understand his engineering, but I have ears to hear a great product. His amp, preamp and DAC sounded fantastic.
Well I now know who is behind blue eyes. Just finished Pete Townsend’s autobiography. This is a very intimate reveal. Pete tells all. I have always been connected to the music of The Who and to Pete’s solo work, so this was very special to get to know the man.
What did I learn? Pete has amazing notions and anticipated the music industry as we know it now in the early 70s. Pete is delightfully twisted and that insanity has been his muse. Pete defines the notion of being a musical genus vs. being merely talented. Pete is a Rock Star.
Pete has bold ideas about what rock music is capable of doing. He is not afraid to swing for the fences and striking out is not a failure, but a noble attempt to win the game. Pete’s failures (Who’s Next) are masterpieces. His successes (Tommy) are timeless.
Overall Pete is incomprehensible and that is his charm – he demands to be pondered. Like any great writer, Pete cuts open a vein and bleeds on to the page. This is book is like a great Who song – it kisses your soul.
My wife and daughter “dragged” me to Minneapolis Craft’za, but I was the winner! Not only was this a male friendly show at an amazing venue, but I got an exclusive test print of an amazing Adam Turman poster. I have been a fan of Adam’s work for a while, so it was a blast that I got to meet him and chat him up. He is a great guy and his work is so Minneapolis. It emphasizes babes, bikes and beer. I have long been an admirer of his Vinyl Girl (AKA Electric Fetus Girl).
The awesome print I picked is my home town on a turntable backed by Minnesota themes. Rock on Mr. Turman. PS Sweet Pea – thanks for the drag – it was not! See below:
In the summer of 2010 I saw Soundgarden at Lollapallooza. They were on top of their game and I am surprised it has taken until now for a new album to come out. But it was worth the wait. The album is very solid – they have not missed a beat in their 16 years of absence. This can sit proudly next Superunknown and Badmotorfinger.
I was a fan of the 90s Seattle scene, but I always had a special fondness for Soundgarden. They have always had a classic heavy rock sound that has appealed to my old ears. A bit of Zep, Black Sabbath, yet very much themselves.
I read the Spin review and agree that this is almost too slick a presentation. I debated about buying the Best Buy deluxe edition – it had 5 demos – typically this is worthless trash. But these demos are fully realized and just raw enough to overshadow the album cuts. I highly advise the extra spend for the Best Buy version. But don’t get me wrong – this is still a great album – the fact that they have demos this amazing is proof hat despite their long hiatus this is a band that has not lost their magic.
I you are a fan of Superunknown and Badmotorfinger you will love this album. If you like heavy classic rock you will love this album. So many bands embarrass themselves with reunions, this is a an exception. This is a mid-90s lost artifact – a wonderful anachronism – and I mean that in the most positive light – an archaeological gem.
I tweeted the other night that I have seen Dylan about a dozen times and this show ranked in my top three. What I liked about the show was:
- An amazing warm-up act – Mark Knopfler played a generous 80 minutes. I am longtime Dire Straits and Knopfler fan, but outside of seeing Dire Straits in the mid-80s I have not seen Knopfler live. He had an eight piece band that mixed folk, country, rock and Celtic music. They sounded great.
- Dylan really played the piano – for the last several years Dylan has been playing the keyboards and in the few shows I have seen he used it as prop. This show he had a baby grand and he actually played it. He had it mixed high enough to actually hear it.
- Dylan was physically animated – when not behind the piano he was front and center. He moved his body, granted he wasn’t Prince, but he wasn’t a mannequin either. Dylan has developed marionette stage mannerisms that are oddly engaging.
- Song selection – the classic hits, but also the obscure. For me the thrills were “Tangled Up in Blue” (from the classics) and “Blind Willie McTell” (from the obscure). “Tangled Up in Blue” was made extra special by a subtle walk on by Knopfler.
- Arrangements – Dylan is known for constantly tweaking his songs to the point they have new melodies. Dylan continues to evolve his late era sound which synthesizes 20th Century pop music.
- Presentation – a very simple clean stage with sepia lighting was perfect match music.
Although it was not perfect:
- Arenas suck – Xcel is as good an arena as you will find, but it still an arena. This show would have been transcendent in a theater.
- Crowd – This crowd as lethargic as you get and excited to get home. When the clock hit 10:00 people started leaving like it was the late innings of blowout ball game, by 10:30 I thought I had missed the fire alarm – there was a steady stream. Why would you spend good money and leave early?
For the professional’s point of view see the following reviews:
- Pioneer Press
- StarTribune
- City Pages – particularly delightful story at the end for the review as the author explains his bias.
Set List:
1. I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight
2. Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right
3. Things Have Changed
4. Tangled Up in Blue
5. Early Roman Kings
6. A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall
7. Summer Days
8. Blind Willie McTell
9. Highway 61 Revisited
10. Spirit on the Water
11. Thunder on the Mountain
12. Ballad of a Thin Man
13. Like a Rolling Stone
14. All Along the Watchtower
Encore:
15. Blowin’ in the Wind
Two Neil Young with Crazy Horse albums in less than six months and an autobiography too! Digg it! This summer’s Americana was a hoot – nifty covers of classic songs – the best being folk songs you remember from kindergarten.
Well my timing was just perfect: flying home from Minot North Dakota I finished Neil’s biography on the plane and picked up the new album Psychedelic Pill on my way home from the airport.
The autobiography was like nothing I have ever read – I felt like I was in Neil’s head witnessing his thoughts as he flitted between the present and the past in nanoseconds. I really feel like I got to know the man and better understand his restless artistic vision. As a Neil fan it was an absolute thrill to get in his skull.
Neil shares his wisdom: “I am not smoking weed anymore. I am a lot more focused now. That’s odd.” I bet it is odd Neil. Giving up weed and drink caused a songwriter’s block, so Neil decided to write a book in to get him over the hump. Thanks for going straight Neil.
Neil has many passions: music, model trains, classic cars, electric cars, audiophile digital files, etc. And he digs into them all in his autobiography. This is not a linear history: Neil goes from the present, to the near past, to his childhood, to the late 60s – sometimes in the course of ten pages. Neil rambles, brilliantly. There is no way this was ghostwritten – no “real” writer would allow this kind of chaos. The one sad part of the book is the Neil has managed to outlived all his best buddies.
The new album Psychedelic Pill is a companion piece to the book – not in a deliberate way, but you can see exactly how Neil could finish the book and walk into the studio with the Horse and record this album. It has the same reflective attitude. Having spent time with Neil in his book, these songs are logical extensions. I can’t judge the two works independently – they are completely intertwined.
This is classic Neil and the Horse – long fuzzy jams, face melting solos, great harmonies – ROCK. I can’t tell you how much a 28 minute ponderous Horse jam like the album’s opener “Driftin’ Back” works for me. It is just so heavy and slow. It feels like the second before you fall asleep – but extended for nearly a half an hour – falling back in slow motion.
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