Stephen Marley
Revelation part 1: The Root of Life
Republic
2011
Bob Marley son, Ziggy Marley brother, member of the Melody Makers, Stephen Marley is leaving quite a footprint on Reggae music. Marley debuted as a solo act with 2007's Mind Control (Universal/Tuff Gong), soon after followed by Mind Control Acoustic (Universal/Tuff Gong, 2009). Marley's is an expansive Reggae sound, plush and full of color, taste and smell. These first two recordings are fully developed and well presented. They possess the earthiness of his father's legacy while plowing new fields in the genre. Revelation part 1: The Root of Life is the younger Marley effort to put Reggae into perspective. His textures are richer and more complex than on the earlier albums, adding hip hop and soul elements to the music. The Marley Legacy remains fully intact and thriving.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Monday, May 16, 2011
Elvis Presley - Little Rock, Arkansas - May 16, 1956
Elvis Rocks Little Rock
Robinson Auditorium
Little Rock, Arkansas - May 16, 1956
So Many Roads to Ease My Soul
This recording has never been a secret. It was featured on KUAR's series Arkansongs a number of years ago and has been available for some time. The recording was made by a single microphone aimed at the concert public address system. It is surprisingly good and its value cannot be over estimated. Presley performed two shows at Robinson Auditorium at 7:00 PM and 9:30 PM. "Heartbreak Hotel" had hit No. 1 on the Billboard charts the previous April 21st. and Presley had turned 21-years old the previous January. This is not the music that would become cliche and parodied 20 years later. This was sex set to music, seminal and driving. This was rock and roll at the beginning making these scant seven songs essential, like Bach's Goldberg Variations.
Friday, May 13, 2011
Warren Haynes - Man in Motion (Stax, 2011)
Warren Haynes
Man in Motion
Stax
2011
My friend Garry justly calls Warren Haynes a journeyman musician. Indeed that is true with his last 20 years with the Allman Brothers band and Gov't Mule, as well as individual appearances. Man In Motion, finds an already mature musician maturing further like bourbon whiskey. Haynes employs a full horn section for a ten-song rock and R&B workout that is light years beyond his jamb band - cover trappings of the last decade. Haynes steps fully out front of his own project, centers his vocals in his perfect range and blows his version of Southern Soul--blue-eyed or otherwise. Versitle just might be his middle name.
Man in Motion
Stax
2011
My friend Garry justly calls Warren Haynes a journeyman musician. Indeed that is true with his last 20 years with the Allman Brothers band and Gov't Mule, as well as individual appearances. Man In Motion, finds an already mature musician maturing further like bourbon whiskey. Haynes employs a full horn section for a ten-song rock and R&B workout that is light years beyond his jamb band - cover trappings of the last decade. Haynes steps fully out front of his own project, centers his vocals in his perfect range and blows his version of Southern Soul--blue-eyed or otherwise. Versitle just might be his middle name.
Hank Williams III - Hillbilly Joker (Curb, 2011)
Hank Williams III
Hillbilly Joker
Curb Records
2011
If I get stoned and sing all night long
It's a family tradition!
Hank Williams III is not Hank Williams, Jr. and he sure as hell is not Hank Williams. this is not rock-a-billy, psycho-billy or any-kind-of-billy...it is molten Southern death metal mainlining a speedball of Linkin Park and Kid Rock without the faux-punk of the latter. Shelton Hank Williams is angry and mad as a 30-year untreated syphilitic, limping at a volume of eleven-on-a-scale-of-ten. Had Ozzy Osborn heard this music back in the day, he would have gone back in his shell and there would have never been a Black Sabbath.
Hillbilly Joker
Curb Records
2011
If I get stoned and sing all night long
It's a family tradition!
Hank Williams III is not Hank Williams, Jr. and he sure as hell is not Hank Williams. this is not rock-a-billy, psycho-billy or any-kind-of-billy...it is molten Southern death metal mainlining a speedball of Linkin Park and Kid Rock without the faux-punk of the latter. Shelton Hank Williams is angry and mad as a 30-year untreated syphilitic, limping at a volume of eleven-on-a-scale-of-ten. Had Ozzy Osborn heard this music back in the day, he would have gone back in his shell and there would have never been a Black Sabbath.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)