Big Bam Boom!: Todd Rundgren, Daryl Hall, & The Eatontown Police Department

Friends old and new, are privy to the borderline psychotic feelings I have about Todd Rundgren and Daryl Hall. (Oates, not so much.) So, a concert featuring both Todd & Daryl is not something I could just ignore, like...say... the "Whitesnake/Tesla/Sebastian Bach/Lita Ford/Firehouse" package that will be unfolding this summer.  That's right...Firehouse.

On paper, it didn't work. Let's face it. Even if you live in Atlantic City, the drive to Atlantic City is three hours. And this is where the "road" version of "Live From Daryl's House," with special guest Todd Rundgren" was taking place. I was in Queens, on the Friday of Memorial Day Weekend. My feeling was, I'd get to Bahrain in less time. (But, will I hear "I Saw The Light" in Bahrain?)

It was all arranged, thanks to a dear friend. And, it was going to work, until the 77 year old guy in an SUV, with a portable oxygen tank, rammed into us on Route 36. He hit us so hard, we rammed into the "just moved to Jersey" pair in front of us, who rammed into the "been here all my life" guy in front of them. This all took place about twenty minutes after arriving in the Garden State.

The double impact left us in mild shock. My friend pleaded, "But we have to see a concert! Can't we just go?"  Me? I didn't know how old I was.

Officer: How old are you?

Me: 44. Uh...no. Uh...46. Uh...no.

He didn't care. I could have said 9.


Why did we get hit? SUV guy's wife, also in her seventies, had just gotten into a much more serious car wreck in Freehold, and he was on his way to get her. I guess that's a good enough reason, along with his age and the oxygen, to not be paying attention to the road and flooring it at a red light.

I know what you're thinking. "Jeez Sal, have a heart." Yeah, I know. But, what if Todd and Daryl opened with "The Last Ride?"

No one was hurt, not even the guy's wife. But it was something to think about, and I know I did, for the rest of the evening. I mean, no seat belts = no Todd show...ever again.

So yeah...the show!

The stage was set-up to look like Daryl's house, less the kitchen. The band was great, the concert was short, and the set list offered no surprises. Take a look.

(Thank you Mike, for the pic.)

But, even for just 75 minutes, which after an almost 9 hour door-to-door trip for me seemed even shorter, Daryl Hall and especially Todd Rundgren were in fine form. I've written many times before about Todd's occasional habit of phoning it in. But that night, thanks to what I'm sure was the professionalism of Daryl and his band, Rundgren played his A-game.

The boys looked happy. The harmonies soared on Todd classics like "It Wouldn't Have Made Any Difference" and "The Last Ride," as well as on H&O hits like "Kiss On My List," a song not performed on either of the two webisodes, and the still moving and gorgeous "Wait For Me."

Looking back, I am thrilled I made the journey, car wreck notwithstanding. I thank my friend for making it happen, especially now that the trunk of the car has to be tied shut, and the front license plate is sitting on the dashboard.

"For When You're Stuck In Traffic" : THE WEEKEND MIX

I see yesterday's Emanuel Laskey post went over like a lead balloon. Is it just an aversion to songs with "cheese" in the title? Maybe this "Weekend Mix," sans Laskey, will fit your unofficial start to summer needs a little better.

I'll be headed to Atlantic City to attend the Daryl Hall/Todd Rundgren show. (If Roy Wood comes out at the end for a Sparks' cover encore, you may never see me again.)

Here's a mix I wouldn't mind hearing if I was sitting still on the Grand Central Parkway.

Have a fun one and a safe one.


TRACK LIST

Green Onions- Booker T. & The MGs
Ghetto Soundwave- Fishbone
Want You To Feel Good Too- NRBQ
Lonely Too Long- The Rascals
Funky Stuff- Kool & The Gang
Next Girl- The Black Keys
Forget About You- The Motors
Head On- Jesus & Mary Chain
Johannesburg- Gil Scott Heron
My Mistake- Diana Ross & Marvin Gaye
Stranger Than Fiction- Joe Jackson
Green-Tinted Sixties Mind- Mr. Big
California Sun- The Ramones
On The Way Down- White Flag
Fear Is A Man's Best Friend- John Cale


THE ZIP

"Oh Mister, Won't You Please..."

I'm not sure I could tell Emanuel Laskey's story any better than the people over at Soulful Detroit. Truth is, I only know what I've read. It's HERE, if you're interested.

This song is another in a long line of minor obsessions. It's got the goods. I mean, as grooves go, this one sweats from 0:02. There are other Laskey tunes from the Thelma label that are worth some time, but none do it for me the way "Welfare Cheese" does it for me.

First time I heard "Welfare Cheese" was on a compilation called "Shakin' Fit," which I wrote about HERE.  I just located a sealed vinyl copy, so I am all over it all over again.

(I'd go back to that post if I were you. There's a ZIP!)

I Should Probably Lighten Up, But....

Ever wondered what a bodhisattva is? Or how to gaslight somebody? Then this site is for you! You're looking at an A-Z glossary of over 100 obscure words, people and places — all taken from the lyrics of Steely Dan songs.

I stumbled onto the Steely Dan Dictionary while looking for some info on their very expensive and extensive upcoming tour. (Strictly for mocking purposes.) Sometimes, these posts just write themselves.

I guess most know this by now--

Steely Dan:A type of (fictional) Japanese dildo. From William Burroughs' infamous 1959 book Naked Lunch. See the following excerpt:
Mary is strapping on a rubber penis. "Steely Dan III from Yokohama," she says, caressing the shaft. Milk spurts across the room. "Be sure that milk is pasteurized. Don't go giving me some kinda awful cow disease like anthrax or glanders or aftosa...."

Still, you do get entries like--

Muswellbrook: A town in New South Wales, Australia. Muswellbrook is approximately 280 kilometres north-west of Sydney and has a population of 15,000. The pronunciation used in the song is in fact wrong — locals don't pronounce the W, so it sounds more like "Musclebrook."

and..

Barrytown: A town in upstate New York, close to Annandale-on-Hudson and Bard College (Becker & Fagen's alma mater). Its biggest claim to fame would be as the headquarters of The Unification Church, a.k.a. "The Moonies", a religious cult who gained notoriety in the 70s from reports of its mass weddings & alleged brainwashing of members. As a fundraising measure, followers would often stand at street corners, carrying small bouquets of flowers for sale (hence the lyric).

There are also entries for Bleecker Street, Black Cow, and Dave Brubeck, though I'm not quite sure why those would be considered obscure.

Costello's Wheel Of Fortune

For 5 nights in October of 1986, Elvis Costello performed at the Broadway Theatre in New York City, providing what was for me, 5 of the most memorable concerts I have ever seen in my life. There were two nights with The Attractions, two with The Confederates, a band that consisted of such luminaries as James Burton, Jerry Scheff and Jim Keltner, and a night that was dubbed "The Spectacular Spinning Songbook," where the stage was set up like a game show, and contestants from the audience would have the opportunity to spin a big wheel of chance, hoping to hear El and the boys, play the song that was spun.

It was a spectacle alright, and as much fun as it was to hear Costello sing such oddities from the wheel such as Prince's "Pop Life" and the Psychedelic Furs' "Pretty In Pink," it was my least favorite night of the 5. My thoughts then, were the same now, as I try to begin a review of last night's concert at the Beacon Theatre. As the minutes ticked away, while the contestants were brought to the stage, briefly interviewed before giving the wheel a spin, and then escorted off, I could have been listening to Elvis and the band playing 2-3 more songs instead.

That said, last night's performance, the second of a three night stand, was still one of the most exciting shows I've seen in a long time, mostly because The Imposters are simply one of the best rock and roll bands out there, anchored by original Atttraction drummer Pete Thomas, whose gray hair is the only thing different about the man I first saw tear it up behind the kit in 1978.  35 years later, and Thomas is still a monster behind that kit, driving such classics as "Radio Radio," "Lipstick Vogue" and "Watching The Detectives" into the hemisphere.

Here's your set list from last night:

I Hope You’re Happy Now
Heart Of The City
Mystery Dance
Radio Radio

Detectives vs Hoover Factory – SPIN 1

Detectives – UNANIMOUS DECISION

(Here, by applause, was a vote for one or the other. As good as "Detectives" was, I was hoping to hear the rarely played "Hoover Factory." But I guess I couldn't expect that kind of reaction from an audience who was shouting out "Alison" requests from the second song in.)
 
“Time” Jackpot – SPIN 2

Clowntime Is Over
Strict Time
Man Out Of Time
Out Of Time


(There is also a "Girl" jackpot on the wheel where we could have heard "Girl" by The Beatles, "Party Girl," "Sulky Girl" and "This Year's Girl," or the "I Can Sing A Rainbow" jackpot that consists of "Red Shoes," Green Shirt," "Blue Chair" and "Purple Rain." Pretty cool, I think.)

Oliver's Army – SPIN 3

A Slow Drag With Josephine
American Without Tears - duet with Ronan MacManus with The Biblecode Sundays
Little Palaces/Set Of Traditional Fiddle & Accordion Tunes with The Biblecode Sundays

(Did you know Elvis had a brother? I didn't. He looks about 10 years younger, but there is a resemblence both in looks and sound, and this little set with The Biblecode Sundays was one of the highlights.)
 
So Like Candy/Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood
All Grown Up
Turpentine
Uncomplicated

Encore

Lipstick Vogue – duet with Alex Turner of The Arctic Monkeys
Waiting For The End Of The World
Chelsea
I Want You
Alison
Red Shoes
Purple Rain
Pump It Up
Peace, Love And Understanding

Costello's voice was strong, and on songs like the "So Like Candy/Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" couplet and the king of all bad break-up songs "I Want You," he sounded as he did 25 years ago, truly excited about delivering the goods.

At one point, Tennessee Thomas, the daughter of drummer Pete Thomas, came out and sat behind her dad on a second kit. For four songs, "Turpentine," "Uncomplicated" and then later, "Pump It Up" and "Peace, Love & Understanding," she shadowed her father, for what was one of the most exhilarating performances of the night.

I've been collecting the stray tracks and one-off covers since the "Revolver" tour began  earlier this month, hoping to bring you a nice compilation of the tour. It should be noted that last night's performance of "Pump It Up" was your standard, concert-ending reading. But, EC and the Imposters have been doing a very hip version in 6/8, which you can check out below.

PUMP IT UP/BUSTED


Back in '86, tickets were $25, and I made sure I was there every night. I barely made it to last night's show, though $100, is still a bargain compared to Steely Fucking Dan charging $250 to hear "Two Against Nature" and "Everything Must Go" in their entirety. And now that I've witnessed the 2011 version of the "Spinning Songbook," I wish I had the dough to have gone all three nights.

A Funny Thing Happened On the Way To The Forum

The plan today was to talk about Miles Kane, former (UK) Rascal and Last Shadow Puppet, and his new release "Colour Of The Trap," which British mags across the board have gone gaga over. I listened to it over the weekend and thought, "This time they are right."

Kane's got that Oasis-y, retro-y, Arctic Monkeys-y, and Beatle-y thing happening in spades. There's even one ballad, "My Fantasy" that could be a lost Marc Bolan track. Let's just say, I've really been digging Miles Kane, someone Mojo says is "fast becoming one of Britain's landmark composers."

So as I started prepping today's post, I put the record on again, trying to find the one track or two that may tickle the fancies of you readers. What sounded bright and exciting on Saturday, suddenly sounded like third-rate glam.

What happened?

I'm not sure I can explain. For a day, "Colour Of The Trap" had potential to end up on my 2011 Top Ten list. By the third pass, it seems so thin and derivative.

Give a listen to two tracks, one of which is the aforementioned T. Rex rip, and the other, a not-so-secret nod to John Lennon. Is there something here or is the British press just being loony?

"It's The End Of The World As We Know It, And I Feel Crampy" : THE week-END MIX"

I can't get too worked up over the end of the world THIS time. I thought it was over the minute the rave reviews for "Napoleon Dynamite" started rolling in. When I woke up the next morning, I thought, "Aaah. A new lease on life." Then, BOOM.  The Fleet Foxes.

Still here.

Maybe this time we will all learn a lesson. Maybe this time, it's for real.

If so, I'm going out strong. This mix is for me, as much as it is for you.

It's more than a few of my favorite things.

There are no guilty pleasures here. I am in love with every one of these tunes for one reason or another. If we're alive tomorrow, feel free to ask me why. In the meantime, try to enjoy this mix.

P.S.
Don't be smart alecks and start with Track 2. Give Lemmy some respect, and let Mikkey D blow you away on drums.



TRACK LIST

Sacrifice- Motorhead
All My Life- Leon Parker
Baby Don't Go- Dwight Yoakam & Sheryl Crow
Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy- Queen
I Guess The Lord Must Be In NYC- Nilsson
Young Savage- Ultravox
Big 'Uns Get the Ball Rolling- Stanton Moore Trio
The Verb To Love- Todd Rundgren
Getting Over Delusion- Myracle Brah
Uncle Tom's Cabin- Warrant
Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye- Rosanne Cash
Mother Mary- UFO
The Way It Was- The Bee Gees
Rock & Roll Jelly- Stanley Clarke & Jeff Beck
Whisper In The Night- ELO
Stagger Lee- The McCoys
At The Vanguard- Joe Lovano
On The Wings Of A Nightingale- The Everly Brothers

THE FINAL (?)  ZIP

Hall & Goo

The first time I heard the Goo Goo Dolls was in 1990, I think.



A friend suggested I see them live at CBGBs, describing them as "The Replacements from Buffalo." He wasn't wrong. They were loud and fast and hard, and underneath it all were enough hooks to snag a flounder. Two records, "Hold Me Up" and "Superstar Car Wash" became minor obsessions for about 2-3 years. 

Then suddenly, they tasted the big time with the big, sweeping ballad "Iris," from some Meg Ryan movie. Great tune. I was proud of the boys...except that, the next four albums became less of what they were, and mostly just rewrites of "Iris." They even covered Supertramp! (It's actually a very good cover, if you like the song, but that's not the point.)

Listen to it:



I can't blame leader John Rzeznik. He has the chops and the Bon Jovi thing happening with his looks, so why not use them. There has to be more money headlining summer concerts with Michelle Branch than playing 3 minute punk blasts in dive bars. Plus, you get to appear on "Live From Daryl's House," with Daryl Hall.

I say, why not?

Here are tracks from the aforementioned albums I loved for the first half of the 90s. I think they still sound pretty good.

JUST THE WAY YOU ARE




CUZ YOU'RE GONE






And check out the performance of "Iris" from "Daryl's House." As big, sweeping, Meg Ryan movie ballads go, I think this is quite fantastic. (The whole show is worth watching, as are most episodes of LFDH.)

Cloud Nine, Indeed

A bonus feature from the above DVD, is a 15 track, vocals-only program, where you can hear The Temptations in vivid detail, sans The Funk Brothers. One song is more astonishing than the next, and currently I am fixated on this one. I'll let it speak for itself.



CLOUD NINE

Budgie, And How I Had To Post This Today

Yesterday, both Steve Simels over at the indispensible Power Pop and I, posted our thoughts about the newly released Hollies boxed set. (Great minds, and all... )

My intentions today were to post a little something about Budgie, the freaky Welsh metal band from the 70s, that has influenced everyone from Van Halen and Metallica to Iron Maiden and Soundgarden. Why? Well, mostly because of one tune, and partly because I've been trying since 1976 to understand this band. I am consistently torn between feeling the appeal and thinking they are the worst thing I have ever heard.

I decided against it, thinking it may be a bit of a shock to everyone, especially following my borderline embarrassing gushing over "Carrie Anne."

So, as I pondered over today's entry, I went over to Power Pop, and saw a wonderful post about a great little band called Starry Eyed & Laughing. Lo and behold, in the comments sections, someone mentions BUDGIE!  I commented, saying I came very close to posting about Budgie. So thanks to Steve's "DO IT!"...

..here is the first song off of Budgie's "Squawk" LP from 1972. This is the song I occasionally obsess over. The Geddy Lee meets Brett Somers vocals of Burke Shelley are really hard to handle, especially over the course of a full length LP. But, that riff and groove after each verse is absolutely infectious and makes me get out the air instruments every time.

I've found that most of their records have that same quality. There is most definitely something there, if you're into that dark, sometimes hamfisted approach to heavy metal boogie. But while you wait for those moments, you'll have to sit through songs like "Hot As A Docker's Armpit" and "Drugstore Woman," the latter's title more cringeworthy to me than the former. Still, I think the band had something to offer.


WHISKEY RIVER

The Hollies...Everything... $20!

A long lost live Hollies recording from 1968 has just been unearthed and released and I am here to tell you, this 25 minute performance is one of the most stunning sets of music I have ever heard. Check out the set list from the Lewisham Odeon:

Stop Stop Stop
Look Through Any Window
The Times They Are A'Changin'
On A Carousel
King Midas In Reverse
Butterfly (BUTTERFLY, for Pete's sake!!))
Jennifer Eccles
Carrie Annie

I'm a bit of a Hollies fanatic, especially the trilogy that consists of "For Certain Because," "Evolution," and "Butterfly" released between 1966-1967. I even wrote a piece for The Huffington Post about how I thought "Butterfly" was a better record than "Sgt. Pepper." You can read that HERE, and then send your hate mail to Salisaputz@....

This live recording should make even a casual Hollies fan's hairs stand on end. Vocally, the band never sounded better, with Allan Clarke, Tony Hicks, and Graham Nash recreating the close harmonies to the point of non-belief. When has bassist Bernie Calvert ever been mentioned in the pantheon of rock musicians? Uh... never. Neither has drummer Bobby Elliott, for that matter. Big mistake! Here, that rhythm section comes to life, like you've never heard it before.

Why am I gushing? Because it's that good. As a matter of fact, I needed a cold compress right after the steel drum break in "Carrie Anne," which had been rearranged for strings at this performance.

What if I told you that this fabulous set of music could be yours for a mere bag of shells? (Ok, about $20.) Sounds fair, no? What if I told you, those 8 tracks close out the 6th disc of a 158 song box set collecting every song the classic line-up of The Hollies recorded between 1963-1968, all for the same $20? 

This set is like the Ginsu Knives for 2011!



It's here.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Clarke-Hicks-Nash-Hollies/dp/B004QJL4D8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1305546442&sr=1-1

Forgive me, but this is a no-brainer.

"Better Late Than Never" : THE WEEKEND MIX

Tracks 1-5 of this "Weekend Mix" just came together, thanks once again to a shitty commute and the often brilliant iPod shuffle. I liked the way it sounded.

The rest is the rest.

I found a link to some "alternate tracks" about a year ago. Most were just your basic tracks with the vocal channel cut out. Still, I loved it, especially hearing the B.J. Thomas track as an instrumental. It's really a beautiful arrangement with some wonderful playing. I think it will surprise you.

The XTC track is a leftover from the "Wasp Star" sessions.

The Hall & Oates track features the great Toots Thielemans, and should change the minds of any pain in the ass detractors who will go to the grave citing "Maneater" as a reason to not like Daryl & John.

Thanks to Steve for pointing out Sloan's killer version of Macca's "Waterfalls."


Oh, and that's Robert Wyatt singing lead on the Manzanera track.

DIG IT!!!

TRACK LIST

Frontera- Phil Manzanera
Sahara- Mac Rebennack
Oh! You Pretty Things- David Bowie
Never There- Cake
D.I.Y.-  Peter Gabriel
Bad Girl- Barrence Whitfield & The Savages
Tainted Love- Imelda May
Spasms- Little Willie John
Green River- The Everly Brothers
Sister Marie- Nilsson
Waterfalls- Sloan
Hooked On A Feeling (Instrumental)- B.J. Thomas
Spiral- XTC
Closer Still- World Party
Good Vibrations (Take 26, Stereo Mix) - Beach Boys
August Day- Hall & Oates

THE ZIP

Oy To The Vey

It wasn't me this time. I swear.

Blogger has been messed up since Wednesday. Yesterday's post is gone and I've only been able to get this up, for the time being.

The "Weekend Mix" is prepped and ready. So, don't go too far. If not later today, first thing tomorrow. Of course, this is not only up to me, but Blogger, as well.

I thank you.

The Burning Wood Challenge

It's simple, really.

The first person to supply me with a listenable MP3 of Allen Toussaint covering Marty Robbins' "El Paso" will get a 100 song, custom-made, iPod ready data disc of anything they'd like---rare live Costello, New Orleans R&B, multiple versions of "Honey", etc. You name it.

Let the games begin.

Blame It On The Dells

So I find this Dells record in New Orleans. "Love Is Blue," and it kills me.  It's filled, head to tail, with overwrought and hammy readings of pop tunes, including a particularly treacly "A Summer Place." And I love it. I'm not being hipster ironic. I don't think it's so bad it's good. I love the emotion and performances, even if it occasionally makes me laugh. (You can grab the whole thing here, if you dare.)

I shared "A Whiter Shade Of Pale" with you last week to mixed reviews. This made me think of a few more pop tunes turned into oversouled melodramas.

Millie Jackson's version of the Bad Company classic is pretty straight forward. Nothing too dramatic here, unless you picture her on the toilet when singing it.

Junior Parker absolutely floored me with his haunting version of George Harrison's "The Inner Light," which you can listen to HERE.

This time, he takes on another George classic, "Taxman." There ain't nothing cooler than when he says, "And if you take a walk...and this is awful...I'll tax your feet." (Actually, he says "And this is awful" a few more times, and every one makes me smile.)

Lyn Collins' version of the Gershwin classic "A Foggy Day," is not quite as over the top as The Dells, but when it kicks in with the groove at around 1:25, I could plotz.

Words fail me, actually, with the track from 24 Karat Black. They recorded for Stax, and thanks to the splendid Numero label, have been reissued. But, this is too much. It's an original, but it is hall of fame bound. Please, for me, listen to it.
(H/T to Sal Maida for this one.) 

Finally, it's back to The Dells, and another masterpiece of exaggeration, with a version of Bobby Russell via Bobby Goldsboro's sick-making tune, "Honey."  Just read these lyrics without selling a few buicks.




See the tree, how big it's grown
But friend it hasn't been too long
It wasn't big
I laughed at her and she got mad
The first day that she planted it, was just a twig
Then the first snow came
And she ran out to brush the snow away
So it wouldn't die
Came runnin' in all excited
Slipped and almost hurt herself
And I laughed till I cried
She was always young at heart
Kinda dumb and kinda smart and I loved her so
And I surprised her with a puppy
Kept me up all Christmas Eve two years ago
And it would sure embarrass her
When I came in from workin' late
'Cause I would know
That she'd been sittin' there and cryin'
Over some sad and silly late, late show

And honey, I miss you
And I'm bein' good
And I'd love to be with you
If only I could

She wrecked the car and she was sad
And so afraid that I'd be mad
But what the heck
Though I pretended hard to be
Guess you could say she saw through me
And hugged my neck
I came home unexpectedly
And caught her cryin' needlessly
In the middle of the day
And it was in the early Spring
When flowers bloom and robins sing
She went away

And honey, I miss you
And I'm bein' good
And I'd love to be with you
If only I could

One day while I was not at home
While she was there and all alone
The angels came
Now all I have is memories of Honey
And I wake up nights and call her name
Now my life's an empty stage
Where Honey lived and Honey played
And love grew up
And a small cloud passes overhead
And cries down on the flower bed
That Honey loved

And see the tree how big it's grown
But friend it hasn't been too long
It wasn't big
And I laughed at her and she got mad
The first day that she planted it, was just a twig



Check out the line "slipped and almost hurt herself" at around 0:52. (This time, you're allowed to laugh.)

Again, I'm serious. I love this shit.





Millie Jackson





Junior Parker





Lyn Collins




 24 Karat Black







The Dells

If It's Tuesday, It Must Be Street Date: 5/10/11

WARREN HAYNES- MAN IN MOTION

For what seems like an eternity, Warren Haynes has been on the road, either with The Allman Brothers or his anything goes jam band, Gov't Mule.  There was a period, late 90s until about 2006, where a Gov't Mule show was an absolutely must for me. It was just about guaranteed that you'd hear a full spectrum of music, with fine chops from all involved, not to mention the occasional special guest. But then the set lists, which included Haynes originals mixed with covers by anyone from Elton John and King Crimson to The Beatles and Led Zeppelin, started to become rote, and the performances started to lack fire. Haynes was working too much and it showed. Mule needed to be put on hiatus.

Now comes his first solo studio recording since his debut in 1993, and "Man In Motion" is a killer. Heavily influenced by the southern soul and blues Haynes listened to growing up, with Little Milton being his main focus, this record is the perfect combination of Haynes, then and now. With a band that includes George Porter Jr. of The Meters on bass, Terence Higgins, alumnus of the Dirty Dozen Brass Band on drums, and Ron Holloway on sax, Haynes delivers Memphis soul, tweaked and extended just enough to remind you that the man has not forgotten his employers.

Right now, you can get this as a $3.99 download over at Amazon. I'd do it, if I were you.

http://www.amazon.com/Man-in-Motion/dp/B004YKL82G/ref=tmm_msc_title_1

THE CARS- MOVE LIKE THIS

It looks, feels, and sounds like The Cars, but that's just not good enough. "Move Like This" is the new release by the new, old Cars, not to be confused with the New Cars.  Ric Ocasek's voice sounds young and alive and the production is slick. Problem is, the songs are lousy. Nothing here has anything remotely as exciting as those killer hits from 70s, especially not "Keep On Knocking," the boring and very inferior rewrite of "You're All I've Got Tonight." (Though, "Too Late," the first single is not bad.)  Even Eliott Easton's always tasty guitar playing seems to be in short supply. Halfway through this disappointing comeback, I forgot it was even playing.

BUY IT HERE--http://www.amazon.com/Move-Like-This-Cars/dp/B004NTMNB8/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1305030143&sr=1-1

BOOKER T. JONES- THE ROAD FROM MEMPHIS

One friend's early comments about this record led me to believe I was about to listen to a real snoozer. I'm thrilled to say, I do not feel the same. Backed by the always reliable ?uestlove & The Roots, the legendary Booker T. Jones delivers the...(I hate this phrase like I hate the phrase "perfect date movie, but I'm using it anyway)..."soundtrack of the summer."

"The Road From Memphis" is one groovy track after another.  Jones' signature organ sound and The Roots' in the pocket grooves help create one happy record. Yim Yames (of My Yawning Yacket) turns in an inspired vocal on "Progress," a song that back in the day, would have been blaring out of every beach transistor on every blanket. Yet another cover of Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy," works as an instrumental, as does Mrs. Lauren Hill's "Everything Is Everything." Even the 104 year old Lou Reed delivers on his ode to "The Bronx."  I love this record.

Check out "Progress."


BUY IT HERE
http://www.amazon.com/Road-Memphis-Booker-T-Jones/dp/B004S7G6CW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1305030186&sr=1-1




ALSO OUT THIS WEEK

RAPHAEL SAADIQ- STONE ROLLIN'
Follow-up to Saadiq's 2008, essential retro-soul release "The Way I See It," "Stone Rollin'" continues the journey, only misses the mark one too many times. You'll feel a little Sly & Motown here, but the songs are less focused, and at times, sound unfinished.

RANDY NEWMAN- THE RANDY NEWMAN SONGBOOK VOL. 2

The man, his material and a piano...again. Why not?

SLOAN- THE DOUBLE CROSS

I never got on board the Sloan train, and you think that I would have. It's pop music, with jangle and harmony, and lots of hooks. Yet somehow, the band has always eluded me...until now. I'd like to hear from any Sloan fans out there. Let me know how you feel about "The Double Cross," because I think it's great, so I'd like to know what I was missing.


AND FINALLY....

The great Terry Adams is BACK! The new NRBQ album, "Keep This Love Goin'" is a good ol' good one, and right now, only available at NRBQ.com

"Keep This Love Goin'" is a compact powerhouse of classic Q moments, sweet Beatley pop, and off-kilter grooves. It is reminiscent of the Q's finest hours, like "Tiddlywinks" and "Scraps." Run, don't walk to your keyboard, and order this baby!

My Weakness

I'm not sure how many of you know this, but I am a huge fan of Todd Rundgren.  ~wink~

I had mixed feelings about Rundgren's 2008 release "Arena" when it was first released. I wrote about it and the subsequent tour for The Huffington Post. You can read that HERE.  Even the man himself said a few words about my comments.

Since then, "Arena," its cheesy production aside, has become one of my oft-played Todd records, and the ballad "Weakness," has secured a permanent slot in my Rundgren Top 10.

"Weakness," with its powerful, pleading lyrics rival the heyday, when Todd would bare his soul and in turn force you to surrender yours.

I've been hooked on this tune since the end of 2008, and more than ever these last few days.





I don't keep a lot of secrets
But the ones I do will die with me
It's not because I'm hiding something
A trusted friend I try to be
But when every adversary lies in wait to test me
My world they would undo
And they'd break me down to nothing if they only knew
 
That you are my weakness, my weakness
You're my Achilles' Heel
The flame that melts the steel in my heart
 
I don't pretend to be objective
I will always come down on your side
But every time I see or hear or smell you
My bias grows more hard to hide
And when the truth must be protected
I find myself distracted
My duty I abuse
And in the battle's clamor
The flaw within my armor
Might shake the secret loose

There's no ties
As far as anybody knows, no surprise
As far as anybody knows, you and I
As far as anybody knows, have no ties
And as far as they know, my will is bulletproof
And I'd be no good to no one
If they knew the truth

That you are my weakness, my weakness
You are my Kryptonite
The sun that shines a light on my soul



Used copies of "Arena" are selling for $2. I strongly suggest giving this record a chance.








   



And while I have you...

It's been a bit of time since we did a "Todd On Mondays," post, so I'd like to throw this one in as well. From the second installment of Rundgren on Live From Daryl's House, a version of Todd's "The Last Ride" that rivals any one of the classic performances of the 70s.

It doesn't matter if you're a fan of either or neither, if you're a music fan, you'll appreciate the performance.

"Live From Jazz Fest" : THE WEEKEND MIX

I'd like to finish off the week with a 60 minute "Weekend Mix" featuring some of my favorite Jazz Fest moments. Hopefully, it will put you there, if only for a little while. These tracks were recorded between 2003-2009.


Enjoy, and once again, thank you for letting me get this out of my system.


TRACK LIST

All Right Now- Jon Cleary & The Absolute Monster Gentlemen
Bad Situation- Li'l Buck Sinegal
Spoonbread- David Egan w/ C.C. Adcock
You Haven't Done Nothin'- John Boutte
Sea Of Love- Phil Phillips (w/ C.C. Adcock & Dr. John)

Skinny Minnie- Snooks Eaglin w/ Jon Cleary & The AMG
I Found The Answer- Irma Thomas
Sprung Monkey- Midnite Disturbers
When The Levee Breaks- Galactic
Everyday I Have The Blues- Germaine Bazzle


THE ZIP

And That's That

Months of preparation and anticipation, and just like that, the first weekend of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival is done.

Some highlights:

Derek Douget's first set as a bandleader--
I first saw Derek play with Ellis Marsalis, then watched him come into his own as Maurice Brown's right hand man. His original material has some strong Ornette Coleman influence, but there's no getting around the New Orleans in his blood.

Germaine Bazzle--

To describe Miss Bazzle as a New Orleans version of Sarah Vaughan or Ella Fitzgerald would be selling her short. You must experience her live to appreciate the whole package. She can break your heart with a smokey ballad like "Every Time We Say Goodbye" then knock you out with a scat-filled version of "When You're Smiling." This is all done with elegance, grace and a whole lotta New Orleans zing.

Mumford & Sons--
It was near impossible to get anywhere near the Gentilly Stage to see these very un-New Orleans guys from England. But, the strength of the debut, specifically the brilliant single "Little Lion Man," has turned this band into a phenomenon. From no closer than 300 yards away, I watched a sea of people jump and sway as Mumford & Sons, with their blend of The Pogues-meet-the-E-Street Band style of attack, turn the Fairgrounds into a giant pub. Sadly, I only had the patience for about 30 minutes of the 80 minute set, as the masses and the heat and the video screens beat me this time out.

Midnight Disturbers--

Another supergroup of sorts, this line-up anchored by drumming monsters Stanton Moore & Kevin O'Day, with just about every hot shot horn player available--Shamarr Allen, Trombone Shorty, Roger Lewis, Matt Perrine, Mark Mullins, Corey Henry, Skerik, and Big Sam Williams--kicked some big time ass with their high-energy set of brass-band funk. These 55 minutes may have been my favorite 55 minutes of the weekend.






Astral Project--

Now on their 34th straight Jazz Fest appearance, this premier jazz ensemble featuring Tony Dagradi, Steve Masakowski, James Singleton, and drummer-extraordinaire John Vidacovich, never fail to bring the Jazz Tent to its feet with their completely original sound. Singleton is a martian on the bass. I don't think I have ever seen a player quite as original and unique.






 


Gospel Tent--
What can I say about the Gospel Tent? You don't have to be a believer to be moved by the line-up of local talent, testifying and singing to the heavens. From solo singers, to choirs as large as 40 members deep, the performers can and often do, bring an entire audience to a fever pitch. And where else can you see New Orleans legend James "Sugarboy" Crawford (the man wrote "Iko-Iko," for Pete's sake) sing a hymn.

New Orleans: Fairgrounds

GOSPEL TENT

 

DEREK DOUGET

 

ADONIS ROSE

 

GERMAINE BAZZLE & GEORGE FRENCH

 

FOOD (had the Gator Po'Boy)

 

 

BIG CHIEF WALTER COOK & CREOLE WILD WEST

 

THE DIXIE CUPS

 

BIG SAM & MARK MULLINS

 

BIG SAM, COREY HENRY, & SHAMARR ALLEN

 

STANTON MOORE & KEVIN O'DAY

 

CRAIG ADAMS & THE HIGHER DIMENSIONS OF PRAISE