BW's Saturday #76

 

Phil Collins In Three

 

 

 

 

A "Fireball" From Double Wide

 

I first heard North Carolinian John Ellis in New Orleans. I don't recall if he was playing sax with Stanton Moore, Charlie Hunter, Nicholas Payton or Jason Marsalis. It might have been all of them at once. But I instantly became a fan and bought my first Ellis record, 2005's "One Foot In The Swamp," a terrific display of New Orleans jazz meets the avant-garde.

His first record released as John Ellis & Double Wide came out in 2008. "Dance Like There's No Tomorrow" featured Jason Marsalis on drums, as well as New Orleans finest sousaphonist Matt Perrine, and it was as wonderfully twisted as I had hoped it would be. It has Mardi Gras rhythms that you can dance to, as well some demanding soloing that should keep jazz purists interested.

Two more records followed, but nothing new since 2015 had dropped, until "Fireball," the first Double Wide record in over ten years and it was definitely worth the wait. "Fireball" just might be the best music Johh Ellis has ever made. It's certainly the most accesssible. 

The press release says, "Ellis presents a new collection of music with his beloved Double Wide band that inspires dancing as much as analysis." I listened. I occasionally danced. I sat quietly and let the beauty of the melodies take over. 

The playing is simply stunning throughout, and the music covers a lot of bases without ever letting you forget about New Orleans.

Maybe you'll dig it. Maybe not. I think it's worth the time.  

 

 

 

Welcome To Music City

From Ireland, please enjoy some music from Music City and a few tracks from their debut, "Welcome To Music City."

The press release states,"Music City have toured with Sheer Mag and Parquet Courts, and recently returned from Spain and Italy supporting The Lemon Twigs. Put those names together and you'll start to hear where Music City are coming from."

 

Maybe.

I don't hear Parquet Courts, and if writing hook-filled pop tunes with fantastic harmonies is an automatic comparison to current hot shots The Lemon Twigs, well okay then. Music City, at times, reminds me more of the days of skinny tie power pop, while a few songs, the ballads, have a Laurel Canyon vibe. I had a difficult time finding a bad song on this record. And I was completely hooked after the gorgeous coda of "A Little Favour."

Your miles may vary. But you should listen.

(h/t Dr. Wu) 

 

 

Phil Thornalley Is "Stacked"

Phil Thornalley has been involved with many of my favorite records going back well over 40 years. Engineering classics by The Jam, XTC, the Psychedelic Furs and Paul McCartney, as well as producing the likes of The Cure, Duran Duran and Prefab Sprout, among many others, and co-writing Natalie Imbruglia's hit "Torn." But I began paying closer attention after he released 2017's "Astral Drive," a not so subtle homage to his hero and mine, Todd Rundgren.

Now comes "Stacked," a new record being described as "an affectionate nod to the unsubtleties of early 2000's U.S. pop rock," which I think is hilarious, and actually, a very accurate description of what is to be heard within.

The downside for me is, much of it reminds me of Weezer and I have never been a fan of Weezer. But I really enjoyed a good chunk of it. What I liked reminded me of Mike Viola, Fountains Of Wayne and Cheap Trick. I also love that he covered "Hold Me," an old standard written by "Little" Jack Little, and covered by many including P.J. Proby and my old friend Stew Lane with his Untouchables in 1980, which is actually the first time I heard the song.

If you like what's here, you might like it all.  

 

Songs Of The Week, 2026: 2/7-2/13

 

Rockin' On The Stage- Roy Wood & Phil Lynott
A Certain Girl- Warren Zevon
A Gain- A Loss- The Plugz
Falling For You- Rose Maddox
The Same Thing Again- Billy Preston
(Si Si) Je Suis Un Rock Star- Bill Wyman
We Will Not- Bad Brains

zip 

 

Here is a nice mix for you nice people. You may like some. You may hate some. That's okay. We like what we like. We are all brothers and I appreciate everything. Lah-di-dah. Lah. Di. Dah.