By: David Schultz

As the Brooklyn indie scene continues to thrive, that of its neighboring borough, New York City, has been in a continual state of flux. Over the last couple years, many of the storied venues that have been intimately associated with the Manhattan musical landscape have closed their doors making longevity a hard fought commodity. Defiantly, the HighLine Ballroom opened as the centerpiece of the wholesale renovations to the increasingly upscale Meat Packing District with much fanfare and a David Bowie curated festival to commemorate the new High Line District. In what everyone can only hope will be an annual Spring ritual, the City’s native son Lou Reed returned to the building he opened a little more than a year ago to celebrate the HighLine’s first anniversary.

The recently married singer/songwriter/legend was in good spirits for his two hour set, leading a band consisting of guitarists Steve Hunter and Mike Rathke, drummer Tony “Thunder” Smith, bassist Rob Wasserman, electronicist Sarth Calhoun and keyboardist Kevin Hearn. Since returning to the fold to participate in Reed’s Berlin shows, Hunter whose guitar work can be found all over Reed’s early 70s recordings, has reconnected with the mercurial rocker and somewhat supplanted Fernando Saunders, Reed’s longtime sideman. Reed’s typically strong band keeps him focused, especially on his older material. Out of a sense of boredom or simply forgetfulness, Reed often pays little attention to the cadence of his lyrics within any particular song. Longtime fans have become accustomed to Reed missing cues, quickly zipping through his vocals or just reciting his urban poetry along with the beat drumming inside his own head as opposed to the one behind him. The fact that it doesn’t seem to bother him one iota is what makes Reed the revered iconoclastic performer who has baffled and bewildered his fans for decades.

Reed never tailors his shows towards his audience predilections; you would be simply insane if you ever expected him to play a greatest hits show. At the HighLine, Reed offered a nice mixture of his hits along with lesser known tracks like “Guardian Angel” and a newer song “Power Of The Heart,” likely inspired by the new Ms. Reed, Laurie Anderson. Early in the set, Reed touched on his old Velvet Underground days with an uptempo version of “Sweet Jane” and a melodious version of “I’m Set Free.” Boasting a bit that he had a song in the indie-darling movie of the year, Juno, he playfully – well, at least as playful as Reed gets - shared vocals with Kevin Hearn on “I’m Sticking With You.”

Reed, who played the whole night in a slightly billowing leather shirt, made his only overtly political statement before New York’s “Halloween Parade.” Noting that the song was written about his many friends who are no longer here because they died of AIDS, Reed expressed his dismay that our country thinks nothing of spending millions of dollars to kill people overseas but hesitates over making the same investment to save them at home before dedicating the song to making sure that we have a new regime come the next election. That there will be a new regime regardless of what transpires this November did nothing to dilute the poignancy of the eloquently written tune.

Known for his gritty, direct lyrics, Reed and the Velvet Underground are often overlooked for their masterful live performances. Although they are never thought of in that regard, the Velvet Underground were one of New York’s earliest jambands. While the Grateful Dead, The Doors and other psychedelic West Coast bands were creating the musical blueprint from which lengthy explorative interpretations would be built, Reed, John Cale, Sterling Morrison and Maureen Tucker (as well as Doug Yule) were working the repetitive beats that would ultimately inspire legions of alternative rock bands for years to come. If you have any questions about the Velvets ability to jam, just listen to any version of “Sister Ray” from the Quine Tapes.

Reed’s ability to find a rhythm worth repeated reaped great dividends with his featured guest, saxophonist John Zorn. Since first playing with Zorn at Town Hall as part of the 20th Anniversary Celebration of the Knitting Factory, the innovative saxophone player has been a fixture at Reed’s New York performances. There are few musicians more gifted than Zorn in filling musical spaces and Reed’s compositions leave lots of room for improvisation. He brought an added depth to the often-plodding “Ecstasy,” an edgy uneasiness to “Magic & Loss” and a smoothness to the “Video Violence,” a song Reed resurrected from his overlooked Mistrial album.

The encore was a nod to two of his more recognizable hits: “Satellite Of Love” and “Walk On The Wild Side.” After a restrained start to “Satellite,” Reed, Hunter and Zorn built the song to a wild final crescendo and Zorn restored a sense of suave authenticity to a pounding version of “Wild Side.” For someone who has spent a large part of his career refusing to be censored, Reed surprisingly edited his most famous song: the chorus of “Walk On The Wild Side” is now just sung by “the girls.” Reed may have made one concession to political correctness but it was his only departure from the incisive vision that has kept him interesting and worth paying attention to for the past four decades.

Labels: Lou Reed

Tickets for Coldplay's transcontinental pair of free shows will be distributed by on-line lottery.

If you want to sign up for freebies to the July 23rd Madison Square Garden show, click here.

If the June 16th gig at Brixton Academy is more your cup of tea, click here.

Labels: Coldplay

By: David Schultz

The Fab Faux were halfway through “While My Guitar Gently Sleeps” when the man everyone hoped to see at the 7th Jammy Awards strode onto the stage at the WaMu Theater at Madison Square Garden. Without fanfare, Trey Anastasio calmly picked up a guitar and joined in on The White Album classic that would occasionally appear in Phish’s setlists. By the time Anastasio made his presence known, Page McConnell and Jon Fishman had already appeared and the anticipation of a Phish reunion became palpable. Recipients of this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award, Anastasio, Fishman, McConnell and Mike Gordon accepted the honor and shared the stage together for the first time since calling it quits at Coventry in 2004 but Anastasio’s heartfelt speech thanking Phish’s fans for letting them be at the center of something bigger than themselves would have to serve as the highlight of their appearance.

Anyone disappointed by the absence of a Phish reunion only had themselves to blame. Jammys organizers – Relix Magazine, jambands.com and Peter Shapiro – never promised nor hinted at a reunion. In fact, they kept their guarantees limited to the presentation of the Lifetime Achievement Award. The fact that people’s hopes were piqued to such intense levels only goes to show how high the expectations have come for the Jammy Awards. One part award show and nine parts superstar jam session, the Jammys have come to represent all that is worthwhile about live music.

Known for mixing and matching artists and performers who might not otherwise play together, the Jammys have always showcased various styles of music. This year’s Jammys didn’t feature as many of the random and offbeat pairings as in past years but instead featured lengthy digressions into jazz and old school rap. It also mixed classic rock nostalgia with a glimpse into the future; although the Jammys tend to do by relegating younger groups to high-profile backing bands instead of letting them flex their own creativity. At this year’s event, Rose Hill Drive backed Mountain’s Leslie West on muscular versions of “I’m Going Down” and “Mississippi Queen” and Tea Leaf Green unified a set featuring Squeeze’s Glenn Tilbrook, Cornmeal’s Allie Kral and Todd Park Mohr of Big Head Todd & The Monsters. Tea Leaf quickly ran through their 2006 Jammy winning song “Taught To Be Proud,” before segueing into a lengthy take on Big Head Todd’s “Sister Sweetly.” Mohr departed the stage, leaving an overly excited Tilbrook to lead the band through Squeeze classics “Pulling Mussels (From A Shell)” and “Tempted,” the latter getting a hand from Warren Haynes.

Every year, an unexpected artist leaves an indelible imprint on the Jammys with Travis Tritt, Huey Lewis and Peter Frampton turning in memorable performances. This year, the crown was worn by New York hip-hop legend Doug E. Fresh. During Galactic’s set, which featured Booker T. and Sharon Jones tearing down “Born Under A Bad Sign” as well as an appearance by Jurassic 5’s Chali 2na, the venerable Fresh took over the show. In getting the crowd on their feet and waving their hands in the air, Fresh’s old school delivery moved briskly through some of his classic riffs and freestyled to the raucous approval of the crowd. Fresh proved that sometimes all you need is two turntables and a microphone . . . or in this case Galactic and a microphone. Displaying the timeless art of the human beat box, Fresh engaged in a duel with Stanton Moore, forcing the talented drummer to keep up with his improvised beats.

Hardcore jazz fans had much to love as Page McConnell led a band comprised of James Carter, Roy Haynes, Christian McBride and Nicholas Payton through a Phish tinged set that included his own “Cars Trucks Buses.” It wouldn’t be the only Phish influenced set of the show. The night’s most difficult performance fell upon the Head Count All Stars, who on this night were made up of Jon Gutwillig and Mark Brownstein of The Disco Biscuits, Kyle Hollingsworth of String Cheese Incident, Jake Cinninger of Umphrey’s McGee and Joe Russo. Once the realization set in that Phish would not be playing, the mood in the room noticeably deflated. The All Stars quickly revived the crowd by pounding out the thumping beat of “Wilson,” which brought back a lusty chant of the title character’s name. Getting the most time, their forty-minute tribute to Phish including lengthy and faithful renditions of “Run Like An Antelope,” “Maze” and a jam on the theme to “2001.”

The oddest pairing of the night saw Keller Williams team up with comedian Chevy Chase. After offering a solo rendition of “Cadillac,” this year’s winner of Song of the Year, Chase walked guilelessly across the stage, engaging in a little subtle physical comedy before seating himself at the piano and accompanying Williams on “(You Make Me Fell Like A) Natural Woman,” “Sweet Home Alabama” and “Take The Money And Run.” Bringing to mind New York Yankee Bernie Williams’ appearance during the 2nd Jammys, Chase played it rather straight, showing why he’s still Chevy Chase and you’re not. Classic rock also ruled during the Fab Faux’s set with Jimmy Vivino, Will Lee and the rest running through “Come Together” with Joan Osborne and “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” and “Everybody’s Got Something To Hide Except For Me And My Monkey” with Anastasio.

Phish weren’t the only Vermonters to make a splash over the course of the evening. Co-hosting the event with the venerable Warren Haynes, the Jammy Awards was quite the rock star coming out party for Grace Potter. After opening the night with Haynes, Booker T, Will Lee and Joe Russo on a set that included a cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “Gold Dust Woman” and Al Green’s “Take Me To The River,” the lovely frontwoman for Grace Potter & The Nocturnals brought a vivacious and feisty spirit to the proceedings. Later that night, Potter slithered onto the stage during Galactic’s set at the after-show party at B.B. King’s to provide lead vocals to a slow, burning cover of “Whole Lotta Love.” Shaking her hips to the sinuous beat, Potter brought brash and sexy Tina Turner style to the strutting Zeppelin classic. Galactic’s set also included an appearance by 8-year-old future guitar phenom Yuto Miyazawa. Set up with a miniaturized mike stand and playing a guitar almost as big as he was, the young Japanese grade-schooler wowed B.B. King’s by leading Galactic through Ozzy Osbourne’s “Crazy Train,” hearing a packed crowd chant his name in unison when he probably should have been dressed in a different kind of jammys and tucked into his bed.

Miyazawa’s performance and the response it provoked were typical of the philosophy fostered by the Jammy Awards. In putting the art of the live performance on display, the Jammys keep alive the communal vibe that make concerts of any kind worth continually attending. That spirit will definitely not die and it seems as if it will outlast the Jammy Awards. Despite its success, the 7th Jammy Awards may be the event’s curtain call. On jambands.com, a reference to the event calls it the “final installment of the Jammy Awards” and notes that “[t]he award ceremony’s spirit will continue on in another form.” If this is so, the Jammys, which is always one of the most fun shows of each New York concert season, will be sorely missed. If the Jammys are dead, long live the Jammys.

The winners from the 7th Jammy Awards

Song of the Year: Keller Williams, "Cadillac"

Studio Album of the Year: moe., The Conch

Live Performance of the Year: Gov't Mule and Guests, Bonnaroo

Live Album of the Year: Umphrey's McGee, Live at the Murat

Archival Release of the Year: The Grateful Dead, Three From The Vault

Tour of the Year: the Disco Biscuits/Umphrey's McGee, D.U.M.B

New Groove of the Year: Cornmeal

DVD of the Year: Disco Biscuits, Progressions

Download of the Year: Phish, “Headphones Jam”

Mimi Fishman Award: Rock the Earth

Grahmmy Jammy: Lee Crumpton, Homegrown Music Network

Lifetime Achievement Award: Phish

Labels: Jammy Awards

The day before New York City prepares for an Al Sharpton led day of civil disobedience in response to the Sean Bell verdict, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who has spoken favorably about the right to peacefully protest, showed his support for a different type of police. In a press conference held in Times Square, Bloomberg joined Sting, Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers in announcing that the last Police show ever will take place this August in New York City.

Next to New York Police fans, public television will benefit the most from the band's final concert. The show, which doesn't have a date or a place yet, will serve as a benefit for Thirteen/WNET and WLIW New York. It appears that tickets will be available online through the public networks.

Labels: The Police

By: David Schultz

The perfect album can be a blessing as much as it can be a curse. With Urban Hymns, The Verve created a soundtrack forever associated with the late-Nineties boom period of British psychedelic pop. In doing so, they tapped into a deep well of creativity and ran it dry. Urban Hymns was such a masterwork that The Verve were never able and probably not destined to ever follow it up. It is The Verve’s legacy that they will mostly be remembered for one amazing album whose success they were never able to duplicate. Their legend lives on though. Even though Keith Richards and Mick Jagger won their lawsuit challenging the rightful authorship of The Verve anthem “Bittersweet Symphony,” Chris Martin still called it the greatest song ever written when he brought out Richard Ashcroft to sing it with Coldplay at Live 8.

More than a decade after Urban Hymns’ release, a reunited Verve arrived in New York City for two shows at the WaMu Theater at Madison Square Garden. The Verve’s 1997 masterpiece, provided the heart of the show. Even ten years later, “Come On,” “The Rolling People” and “Lucky Man” remain great rock songs and are fantastic arena anthems. With every song from their classic album, they offered a reminder as to why they were once bandied about in the same sentence as Oasis and Blur.

Sharing Oasis’ penchant for lush Beatles-style arrangements, The Verve might have survived their internal struggles if they were able to evolve with the times. At the MSG Theater, it was easy to see why The Verve never achieved any lasting success. Any of their non-Urban Hymns material, whether written before or after, sounded all too similar to songs contained on their signature album. When Ashcroft picked up an acoustic guitar and began the encore by strumming the opening riffs of “History,” it sounded identical to the main hook of an earlier played rendition of “Space And Time.” A lengthy psychedelic jam would have been a nice change of pace if Simon Jones hadn’t been playing the bass line on which it was based for the past half hour.

Even if all the royalties go the Glimmer Twins, The Verve are always going to attract a crowd as long as they play “Bittersweet Symphony.” As the song progressed, Ashcroft stopped delivering the song and went into cheerleader mode, goading the crowd into singing along, addressing the impact of the song more than the song itself. It made for a nice moment of audience participation but lacked the impact or import that Ashcroft gave it during his solo tour. Instead of taking a bow and saying good night at the close of the anthem, The Verve pushed their luck, playing a new song with a Euro-dance beat that destroyed the glorious mood created by “Bittersweet Symphony.” In deeming the last song a “new classic,” you wonder if Ashcroft’s definition of “classic” differs from the rest of the world.

Currently occupied with The Good, The Bad & The Queen, Simon Tong is sitting out this reunion tour, leaving Nick McCabe as the band’s sole guitarist on what is essentially a show aimed at fans looking to bask in some late ‘90s nostalgia. Awkwardly, the only people who mistook The Verve for a still-relevant band seemed to be the four people on stage. In announcing and playing some tepid new material, Ashcroft acted as if the world still clamored and yearned for new Verve music. While you can never say never; it seems like the times have passed The Verve by and in trying to adapt to a new musical era, they are skewing so far from the music that earned them their enduring legend. It truly is a bittersweet symphony.

Labels: The Verve

Jimi Hendrix allegedly joined Marilyn Monroe with posthumous sex tape releases this month. But, is all the hype surrounding the Hendrix sex tape focused on a genuine article? Two infamous ladies, who are not in the tape, claim to have first hand (pun intended) knowledge of Jimi's anatomy to verify that the genuine article is indeed what is shown in the grainy footage of a threesome.

But, of course, there's always two sides to a story. Unfortunately, Jimi's not around to verify things so the world is left to rely on others who've been up close and personal with the guitar hero. Hendrix biographer Charles Cross reportedly has seen some of the tape and says one thing he noticed is that none of the rings seen there look like any he'd seen Jimi wearing in various photos he's studied over the years. Beyond that, someone a little more closer to Hendrix, Kathy Etchingham - a girlfriend of Jimi's in the 1960s - says its not him in the film citing differences in the nose and hairline. And, she may be familiar with a few more characteristics that she didn't comment on.

Needless to say the folks behind the film are pushing hard to say it is Jimi Hendrix frolicking with the two girls on the sex tape. I guess we may never know for sure.

Labels: Jimi Hendrix, Rock Sex Tapes

Labels: Pink Floyd

Coldplay are making "Violet Hill," the first single from their upcoming album, Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends, available for free.

While they aren't going Radiohead on us and giving the whole album away for free, they are doing their part. On their Web site, Chris Martin and company announced that they would play two free shows: June 16 at the Brixton Academy in London and June 23 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Details about acquiring tickets will be made available soon.

Labels: Coldplay

By: David Schultz
Photos by Jeremy Gordon

Since its inception three years ago, the Green Apple Music & Arts Festival has grown from an ambitious local weekend-long New York City counterpart to the Jammy Awards into an equally ambitious nationwide endeavor raising environmental awareness in conjunction with Earth Day. For this years Festival, Green Apple organized and produced “America’s largest Earth Day celebration” which consisted of open admission shows in eight different cities, including San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park, New York City’s Central Park, Chicago’s Lincoln Park Zoo and the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

As the Green Apple Festival has grown in stature, so have the bands that have helped GAM&AF attain its well-deserved reputation for presenting bands whose relevance matches the importance of its activist message. In its inaugural year, San Francisco’s Tea Leaf Green played CBGB, bringing their easy-going rock and roll into the storied punk club. For the 2008 Green Apple Festival, Tea Leaf Green returned to New York City, only this time packing people into the HighLine Ballroom for a wonderful two-night run.

In many ways Tea Leaf Green is a band that keeps its fans young. They have tapped into the same fount discovered and perfected by the Grateful Dead and their shows, which differ from night to night, contain a palpable energy, bristling with a tangible excitement uncommon to the typical concert experience. Their fan base seems to reflect the timeless aura, it transcends age demographics and brings together a wide spectrum of fans who all revel in their communal love of the band and their music. Trevor Garrod, Josh Clark, Scott Rager and Reed Mathis are sitting at the epicenter of a perfect storm that should catapult them onwards and upwards. While true that there is nothing like a Grateful Dead concert; there is also nothing like a Tea Leaf Green concert.

With bassist Reed Mathis on tour with the Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey, Tea Leaf has brought ALO’s Steve Adams into the fold for their Spring tour. If Adams had any nerves about stepping into the breach, they hardly showed. For the two HighLine shows, Adams comfortably prowled and bounded about the stage, meshing with Rager as if they had played together for years. Clark enjoyed goading Adams on, giving him a beaming grin whenever Adams found the right bass lick and busting into a funky little dance in response to an Adams solo during “Zoom Zoom.” If the HighLine nights were your first TLG shows, you wouldn’t be faulted for thinking Adams had been with the band much longer than four shows.

It’s hard to quibble with anyone branding Tea Leaf with the jamband label unless you are going to assume that the term includes lengthy noodling. Tea Leaf does not mess around with endless soloing and directionless jamming. A song oriented band, Tea Leaf explores the possibilities of their songs in a live setting. Over the HighLine weekend, they inserted a wonderful psychedelic interlude into Garrod’s folksy “Taught To Be Proud” and brought the house down with a tightly wrought reading of “Carter Hotel,” a song that could someday be Tea Leaf Green’s breakout crossover hit.

On the opening night, Tea Leaf interacted marvelously with fellow San Franciscans Hot Buttered Rum. Garrod emerged near the end of HBR’s opening set to sit in on a simmering version of Bob Dylan’s “Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright.” Retuning the favor, violinist Aaron Redner gave a down-home feel to a cover of The Band’s “Ophelia” to close the first set and during the second set, simply transcended the middle portion of “Criminal Intent,” turning Clark’s hard-charging rocker into a sultry, backwoods charmer. For night two, which coincided with Pope Benedict XVI’s visit to New York City, Garrod’s references to Jesus in “I’ve Got A Truck,” which came with an assist from Moonalice’s Barry Sless and Pete Sears, and Clark’s pronouncement during “Wet Spot” about finding God and buying him a drink had a slightly thematic tinge to them.

Not a band that gears its show towards excessive soloing, the second night’s encore featured some impressive (and rare) individual efforts. Clark opened the extra set on his own, offering a resounding reminder that he is one of the most gifted axemen currently practicing the craft before guiding the band into "Hot Dog." Towards the close of “Morning Sun,” Garrod, Clark and Adams slipped into the dark recesses of the stage giving Rager the opportunity to showcase the skills that make Tea Leaf such an intriguing band. A common thread running through Garrod’s melodic tunes and Clark’s straight-up rockers is Rager’s uncanny ability to find the right measures; it’s a trick he performs with the skill of the finest jazz drummers and he does it so well, it’s sometimes easy to overlook.

About a year ago, Tea Leaf’s set lists felt in stasis, as if they were pausing so that everyone could catch up. In the past few months, such criticism would be unfair. At the HighLine, Tea Leaf included beloved tunes like “If It Wasn’t For The Money” and “Kali-Yuga” but also included newer songs like “Let Us Go” and “Red Ribbons.” You sense that Tea Leaf is sitting on a geyser of creativity and it is taking all their effort not to drown their fans in what they have at their fingertips. It makes for a fun time to be a Tea Leaf Green fan. If you’re not on board yet, drink the tea now before it becomes too hot to handle.

Labels: Tea Leaf Green

Sarah Borges and the Broken Singles have a very different musical style than singer songwriter Jon McKiel. Borges and her band deliver a bouncy Americana country-rock, while McKiel is an introspective troubadour ala Ray Lamontagne and Ryan Adams. Both recently brought their musical styles to Memphis to perform for the Sun Studio Sessions.

Both recorded several songs that will be released over the next several weeks. The first offering from Borges is the foot-tapping "Daniel Lee", while McKiel delivers the brooding "Never Forget."

Labels: Jon McKiel, Sarah Borges, SunStudioSessions

By: David Schultz

On a typical night, Reid Genauer shares the stage with such a fine array of musicians that it’s easy to lose sight of his special gifts as a singer and songwriter. Over his lengthy, estimable career, Genauer has played an integral role in the growth and development of Strangefolk and Assembly Of Dust. This month, Genauer has picked up his guitar and hit the road on his own for a short spate of acoustic shows, embarking on his first true solo tour. In taking the stage by his lonesome, Genauer has been playing select shows along the East Coast, providing a rare treat for his fans. For the New York gig, Genauer opted against playing one of the cozy, intimate venues that teem throughout Manhattan in favor of the club-like environs of Sullivan Hall.

In dusting off much of his material, Genauer cut directly to heart of each song. Stripping the Assembly Of Dust material of its musical flourishes, Genauer let his voice and lyrics carry the show. After appealing to the movie geeks in the audience by welcoming everyone to the Dexter Lake Club, Genauer joked that anyone looking to rock tonight may have come to the wrong place, that all you were going find here was someone baring their soul. He was slightly disingenuous with both statements: thankfully, Genauer didn’t get all Ani DiFranco on the crowd and with some solid guitar playing, he did manage to rock the house quite a bit.

Playing before his hometown crowd, Genauer seemed to relish the environment, commenting that with “6 wedges (monitors) and 4 whiskeys” at his disposal, he might be the happiest he’s ever been. At the outset, the decision to play an acoustic show in a hall more suited to louder styles seemed to be a mistake as the chatter of the crowd threatened to overwhelm the music coming from the stage. The hallmark of any good singer-songwriter, Genauer nimbly fought the nattering masses and for more than an hour and a half, needing nothing more than his guitar, his voice and a handful of finely crafted songs to attract their attention. As he played, Genauer slowly quieted the extremely chatty Sullivan Hall crowd; he never completely silenced the audience, though he did get the majority more interested in him than their own conversations.

Genauer debuted some new material, of note, the pleasant “The Second Song” which he appropriately played as the second song of his set. For the most part though, Genauer offered solo renditions of songs from his Assembly Of Dust catalog with the best moments coming when he bore full throttle into AOD’s most soulful and energetic tunes. In trotting out “Harrower,” “Telling Sue” and, by request, “Speculator,” Genauer relied on his remarkably strong voice to provide the power normally delivered by fellow Dusters Nate Wilson, John Leccesse, Adam Terrell and Andy Herrick. They played better with the Sullivan Hall crowd than softer, more reflective songs like “40 Reasons” and “45 Degrees” which yearned for more respectful ears.

In the acoustic setting, the wonderful narratives of Genauer’s literate lyrics were more pronounced. A gifted wordsmith, Genauer writes wonderful tales full of dust-bowl imagery and insightful observations. He also proved himself an amiable host, chatting with the audience between songs. He confessed that on his recent string of solo shows, he’s learned why singer/songwriters talk so much: they simply get tired and need a break. More talkative than at an Assembly of Dust show, Genauer didn’t treat the night as his own version of Storytellers, keeping the night focused on the music. As the night came to a close, he eased into a faultless version of “Songs We Sing” that provoked the same joyous reaction from the crowd as it does at any Assembly of Dust show.

With his glasses and slightly doughy physique, Genauer does not look like your prototypical frontman. Appearances can be misleading that way. Displaying a powerful voice, full of the empathy he carries for the subject matter of his songs, he never wavered or dropped his intensity over the course of the night. In displaying a subtle and self-assured charisma, Genauer revealed himself to be an incredibly engaging solo performer as well as one the more unlikely people to get a crowd gleefully dancing to just one man playing an acoustic guitar.

Labels: Assembly Of Dust

With classic rock radio losing its foothold on the terrestrial radio airwaves, reggaeton stations have been thriving. In New York City, Mega 97.9 has remained firmly entrenched near the top of the Arbitron ratings by broadcasting nonstop Latin dance beats and the genre's popularity has been growing exponentially. If you’re a regular reader of Earvolution, you might have guessed that we’re not spending our evenings in the Spanish dance halls. That doesn’t mean that we can’t detect a good beat when we hear it or recognize an up-and-coming talent. In that vein, check out New York City's own Negro Baby. Even if you don’t understand the lyrics, Negro Baby’s fine sense of rhythm and expertly-crafted beats will get you moving. If you’re new to the genre, Negro Baby is a good place to start.

Check out "Una Noche Mas," "Padre Celestial" and more here.

Amy LaVere is the latest artist to perform on the Sun Studio Sessions web video series. It's easy to see why Amy is garnering critical acclaim at home and abroad. Just this fall, Amy was nominated as best emerging artist by the Americana Music Association and this summer she'll take her great live show on the road. In addition to Bonnaroo, LaVere and her bandmates, Paul Taylor and Steve Selvidge, will open shows for both Langhorne Slim and the North Mississippi Allstars before hitting the UK later this summer.

Beyond sharing the stage, the connection to the Dickinson family runs deep. Taylor drummed for Cody and Luther before they formed the Allstars and their father, the legendary Jim Dickinson (Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan), produced her latest release Anchors & Anvils. But, LaVere is not moving ahead soley because of who she knows. She's a compelling performer will appeal to a range of music lovers, including "Norah Jones fans and anyone who loved Robert Plant's and Alison Krauss's Raising Sand." (Daily Mail, UK). Comparisons are nice, but check out Amy's work below as it speaks for itself.

Labels: Amy LaVere, SunStudioSessions

The legend of Chinese Democracy refuses to die. The fabled Guns N' Roses album has perpetually been in the about-to-be-released stage for so long, its joined the Roswell alien, the Loch Ness monster and Thomas Pynchon as things that need to be seen to be believed. Not only will Chinese Democracy not be appearing in your local record store anytime soon, it also won't be the centerpiece of a reality show.

Rumors ran rampant last week that Axl Rose was negotiating with U.S. television distributors over a reality show documenting the recording and release of Chinese Democracy. The band has nixed the rumors in a terse statement. "Despite rumours floating around the Internet, Guns N’ Roses will not be appearing on any reality TV program to promote their forthcoming album, Chinese Democracy or for any other reason."

The statement ends with a proclamation that we've all grown tired of hearing. "We’re in negotiations for the release of Chinese Democracy and things are going well." As my grandmother was fond of saying when I kept saying silly things, "All right, E-nough."

Labels: Guns N' Roses

One of the New York City's most exciting and enduring annual traditions will take a (hopefully) one year hiatus. After moving their annual March residency at the Beacon Theater to May in the hopes that Gregg Allman would be physically capable of performing throughout the entire run, The Allman Brothers Band announced that they would have to cancel the 2008 residency.

If you purchased tickets online with a credit card, Ticketmaster will automatically refund the money to your account. If you went old-school and purchased ducats at a Ticketmaster outlet or at the Beacon, you must return to the point of purchase to get your refund.

Optimists can take note that we are being told to look for information pertaining to the 2009 residency at the start of the New Year.

Labels: Allman Brothers Band

David Ford is injecting some life and excitement into the singer songwriter ranks. Unlike the quiet introspective types that often inhabit the space, Ford proves you don't have to whisper to say something important. On tour now with the lovely Sara Barielles and soon linking up with Augustana, Ford is definitely an act worth catching live.

In an earlier leg of his tour, Ford stopped into Sun Studio to perform several songs as part of the Sun Studio Sessions. Below is a clip for "Go To Hell." Check it out for a glimpse of why this should be a great big year for David Ford and his music career.

Labels: David Ford, SunStudioSessions

By: David Schultz

One of the more versatile bands around, Backyard Tire Fire has the ability to turn out sets focused exclusively on gritty traditional blues, homespun country or flat-out classic rock. Whatever mood may strike them, they can follow that muse. It doesn’t hurt that the band’s lead singer and guitarist Ed Anderson is turning into a prodigious and prolific songwriter. His brother, bassist Matt Anderson and drummer Tim Kramp may be having trouble keeping up with the sheer abundance of quality songs springing from his fertile mind.

Last week, Backyard Tire Fire returned to New York City to put on a scorching set before The Beautiful Girls took the stage at Sullivan Hall. Normally a trio, the Tire Fire have recently brought in guitarist Scott Tipping to round out their live sound. An eminently talented axeman, Tipping not only does pushes Ed Anderson to up his game, he makes it possible to keep the band’s signature guitar in the mix when Anderson moves to the keyboards.

BTF kept their one hour set focused on their upcoming album, The Places We Lived. In contrast to his brother who was nattily dressed, Matt Anderson opted for a simpler dress, proudly donning a Sun Studio shirt. In line with the band’s recent Session at the legendary studio, the new songs have a distinctly blues rock feel to them and they let a small hint of country slip in when it suits the song’s purpose. At the close of the set, they offered a stellar version of “Downtime,” one of Vagabonds and Hooligans’ best tracks.

The Tire Fire will be making their way around the Midwest with the Reverend Horton Heat and Nashville Pussy over the next couple months. Their road show is definitely worth the price of admission alone. Ed Anderson is truly an emerging songwriter whose immense talent won’t remain hidden for long. Catch them now before Backyard Tire Fire becomes absolutely white hot.

Labels: Backyard Tire Fire

By: David Schultz

Just because Earvolution hasn't gotten around to writing about some of this year's notable releases doesn't mean we haven't been listening.

The Black Crowes: Warpaint
A fine comeback for the Robinson brothers, nonetheless Warpaint fails to recapture the genius of the Crowes’ early days. Longtime fans won't be disappointed and would be hard-pressed to dispute the contention that the addition of Luther Dickinson is one of the best things to have happened to the Crowes in years. “Goodbye Daughters Of The Revolution,” “Wounded Bird” and “Oh Josephine” have that inimical Crowes swagger but the magic isn’t sustained for the entire album. Even though it’s better than 2 ½ stars, Maxim could have justified its rating had they actually listened to the album beforehand.

Lenny Kravitz: It Is Time For A Love Revolution
Lenny’s “love revolution” seems to involve celibacy. Given how women get a little weak in the knees over Mr. Kravitz, this is slightly offensive to those of us who don’t have the benefit of his je ne se quois. Getting beyond the concept, Love Revolution is a return to the heartfelt hippie-rock that marked the best moments of Kravitz’ prior efforts. He unleashes his moody side on “I Love The Rain,” channels his inner guitar God on “Love, Love, Love” and “Bring It On” and “If You Want It” and “I Want To Go Home” are Kravitz at his inimitable best. This album, his first in four years, is his best effort in quite some time.

Donna Jean & The Tricksters: Donna Jean & The Tricksters
Even though she’s in the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame as a member of the Grateful Dead, it’s easy to forget that Donna Jean Godchaux-MacKay a member of the seminal jamband for most of the Seventies. After listening to Donna Jean & The Tricksters recent self-titled effort, any fading memories will quickly come flooding back. Deadheads who whine and moan about music going downhill since Jerry Garcia passed away will be rushing to take their bongs off the shelf after hearing Donna Jean & The Tricksters latest. “Travelin’ Light” could be a kissin’ cousin of “Tennessee Jed” and “Me And Kettle Joe” is an old-school, Dead-Style thirteen minute jam.

Drive-By Truckers: Brighter Than Creation’s Dark
The Truckers’ latest, the second of their post-Jason Isbell incarnation, is a prolific creative outburst that could have benefited from some prudent editing. Missing a unifying theme, the 19 tracks crackle with Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley’s acutely poignant insights even if the impact is diluted by the sheer volume. In tilling familiar thematic soil, Creation’s Dark is their most contemplative album to date. Even if the album fails to produce a defining anthem, “That Man I Shot” and “The Righteous Path” come close.


Big Head Todd & The Monsters: All The Love You Need
Long before Radio became the poster boys for the concept, Big Head Todd & The Monsters have been exploring the implications of giving away new music through the Internet. All The Love You Need, BHT’s first full-length, fully-free release, puts together definitive versions of many of the tracks they have floated out amongst their fans. It marks a fine return to form for Todd Park Mohr, whose brand of laid-back, Colorado-crunchy rock and roll, percolating with bluesy guitar riffs, never grows old. “Silvery Moon,” “Blue Sky” and “Fortune Teller” are open-air anthems in need of a festival and the horns Mohr breaks out on “Her Own Kinda Woman” are simply sublime.


Atlas Sound: Let The Blind Lead Those Who Can See But Cannot Feel
Deerhunter’s Bradford James Cox offers an interesting change of pace on this solo effort, a collection of sparse, haunting tracks that offers more mood than riffs. The album unfolds at a leisurely, nearly psychedelic pace, drawing an assured strength from the slowly unfolding melodies. In line with Grizzly Bear’s calmly lilting style, Let The Blind Lead is an engaging effort that warrants repeated listens.


Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey: Little Tae Rides Again
The one constant about Brian Haas, Reed Mathis and the Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey is their unflinching nerve and desire to do something different which each new album. For Little Tae, the JFJO logged in considerable studio time (at least by their standards) and the ambient rock and cerebral rhythms that resulted feel like they’ve been handled with care. With new drummer Josh Raymer manning the kit for the majority of the album, Jacob Fred experiments with an eclectic electric sound that may run counter to many people’s expectations of the band.

The Dodos: Visiter
More immediately accessible than Animal Collective, The Dodos’ Visiter is one of the more off-kilter releases in recent memory. The duo of Meric Long and Logan Kroeber aren’t lazy about their songcraft and the album floats deliberately on hypnotically seductive guitar riffs and intricate drum beats. A cerebral collection, The Dodos ethereal spin on the minimalist formula of guitars and drums bears a serious listen.

The Whigs: Mission Control
The Whigs’ full-length debut is a raucous affair, full of in-your-face songs that waste little time getting to the point. Julian Doro’s precisely crisp drumming starts everything off right and “Right Hand On My Heart” pulses with energy thanks to a wonderful Parker Gispert guitar riff. In a perfect world, this would be the song that helps them crossover into the mainstream. Sounding like a younger, less patient version of Social Distortion, this Athens, Georgia based trio have produced one of 2008’s most exciting debut releases.

The Magnetic Fields: Distortion
Nothing like a little truth in labeling. Stephen Merritt ratchets up the fuzz on The Magnetic Fields’ eighth album, drenching lullabies like “To Drunk To Dream” in feedback or washing anti-California sentiment like “California Girls” in enough reverb to make it sound somewhat comforting. A modern day album with a completely throwback feel.

Bon Iver: For Emma, Forever Ago
A re-release of the Wisconsin native’s much talked about debut, Jagjaguwar is making sure Bon Iver’s endearing For Emma, Forever Ago gets a proper audience. A soundtrack for the snowy, winter evening lurking within one’s soul, Justin Vernon doesn’t need anything more than his ethereal voice and an acoustic guitar to draw you in. The album evolves like a dream, “Flume,” “Skinny Love” and “For Emma” floating along peacefully on Iver’s calming melodies. It’s no mistake that NPR had Iver on the bill of their much vaunted SXSW showcase that had people lining up fruitlessly outside of The Parish.

Labels: Atlas Sound, Big Head Todd and The Monsters, Bon Iver, Drive By Truckers, Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey, Lenny Kravitz, The Black Crowes, The Dodos, The Magnetic Fields, The Whigs

Jammy nominees Sharon Jones and Page McConnell are among the initial list of performers that will be playing at the Theater at Madison Square Garden as part of the 7th Jammy Awards. The May 7th event, which will be co-hosted by Warren Haynes and Grace Potter, will also include appearances from Rose Hill Drive, Tea Leaf Green, Galactic, Joe Russo, (Big Head) Todd Park Mohr, Los Lonely Boys, Booker T. Jones, Kyle Hollingsworth (String Cheese Incident), John Gutwillig and Marc Brownstein (Disco Biscuits), Glenn Tillbrook (Squeeze), Jake Cinninger (Umphrey's McGee), Steve Adams (ALO), The Fab Faux, Matisyahu, Christian McBride, James Carter and the HeadCount All-Stars.

Ostensibly an awards show, the main attraction of the Jammys has always been the intriguing pairings of musicians that wouldn't typically appear together under normal circumstances. Past Jammy Awards have seen collaborations between String Cheese Incident and Perry Farrell, the Disco Biscuits and Slick Rick, Robert Randolph and The Blind Boys From Alabama as well as moe. and Blue Oyster Cult. You can also count on a standout set arising from the Lifetime Achievement Award with memorable efforts being turned in by Steve Winwood, Buddy Guy, Bob Weir and Ratdog and Zappa Plays Zappa. This year the Lifetime Achievement Award will go to Phish.

Labels: Jammy Awards