Artist: Various ArtistsTitle: Rave On Buddy Holly
You will be interested if you are a fan of: Buddy Holly, Paul McCartney, She & Him, Nick Lowe, Lou Reed and any of the artists featured on the collection
Tell Me More: There are ambitious tribute collections where artists from the same genre turn in mostly-faithful, reverential covers of that artist's songs. "Rave On Buddy Holly" (Fantasy Records/Concord Music Group) is not that collection. Even classic rockers such Paul McCartney offer up reworked remakes on the well-timed 19-track collection (Holly would have celebrated his 75th birthday on Sept. 7, 2011).
The covers that comes closest to capturing Holly's approach include Justin Townes Earle's rollicking "Maybe Baby," She & Him's gloriously retro "Oh Boy!" and Nick Lowe's rockabilly-styled "Changing All Those Changes."
The wonderful eternally-independent spirit of Holly (who was only 22 when he died in a tragic plane crash on Feb. 3, 1959 - "The Day the Music Died") comes alive across the disc. Paul McCartney and his top-notch band including guitarist Rusty Anderson tear through "It's So Easy," Patti Smith offers up a dreamy "Words of Love" and My Morning Jacket offers up a similarly-affecting "True Love Ways" that captures the song's tender core.
Kid Rock turns "Well All Right" into a Motown-meets-Delta blues celebration; Lou Reed paints "Peggy Sue" with distorted guitars awash against a tribal beat as he uses his distinctive baritone to make the classic his own. Singer-songwriter John Doe (of X fame) takes a more acoustic approach to "Peggy Sue Got Married," but the results are glorious. Graham Nash closes out the purposeful set with a piano-anchored softhearted "Raining In My Heart."
Ultimately, this epic collection proves that Holly's music and songs were so powerfully original that they are open to reinterpretations that thrive in the loving hands of a wide range his musical descendants.
Rave on indeed.
Get Rave On here
Artist: Emmylou HarrisTitle: Hard Bargain
You will be interested if you are a fan of: Harris' previous albums, Lucinda Williams, Gram Parsons
Tell Me More: Music fans who love country music and those who can't stand it should check out the latest album from Emmylou Harris. Because while the legendary singer's style is rooted in Americana, traditional country and folk music, there is an otherworldly beauty across "Hard Bargain" (Nonesuch Records) that defies easy categorization. The opening track "The Road" is an emotive journey back in time with Harris' poignant memories of the late Gram Parsons ("I can still remember every song you played / Long ago when we were younger and we rocked the night away" and "The road we shared forever will never be the same" are among the telling lyrics in the song).
But it is not only "The Road" that impresses; elsewhere social injustice ("My Name Is Emmett Till"), the loss of friend/famed folk singer Kate Anna McGarrigle ("Darlin' Kate") and even the tale of a dog named Bella who lives at an animal shelter she runs ("Big Black Dog") are all beneficiaries of her skill as a singer and songwriter. Harris' country folk-flavored version of Ron Sexmith's "Hard Bargain" and the rollicking "New Orleans" further showcase Harris' wide ranging approach on the exceptional 13-song set.
Get A Hard Bargain here
Artist: Neil YoungTitle: A Treasure
You will be interested if you are a fan of: Neil Young's "Harvest," "Harvest Moon" and "Comes A Time" albums, Gram Parsons, Poco
Tell Me More: Few living artists are as eclectic or influential as Neil Young. From his classic rock role as a member of Buffalo Springfield and CSNY to his searing electric guitar-anchored rock recordings with Crazy Horse ("Powderfinger," "Like a Hurricane," "Hey Hey, My My" and "Cortez the Killer" are among my favorite tracks), rockabilly (1983's "Everybody's Rockin'"), blues (1988's "This Note's For You") and even electronica (remember the 1982 album "Trans"?), Young has seemingly done it all.
His latest release takes another well-deserved look at his love of authentic country with the release of "A Treasure" (Reprise Records), a live album he recorded with the International Harvesters in 1984 and 1985. The 12-track disc features six previously-unreleased tracks and features some of the genre's top players, including the late Ben Keith (pedal steel and slide guitar), the late Rufus Thibodeaux (fiddle), Spooner Oldham (piano) and Anthony Crawford (mandolin, guitar).
From the uptempo "Are You Ready for the Country?" to the tender "It Might Have Been" and confessional acoustic ballad "Flying on the Ground is Wrong," this album should have been released 25 years ago.
Better late than never. "A Treasure" indeed.
Get A Treasure here
Artist: Ray Manzarek and Roy RogersTitle: Translucent Blues
You will be interested if you are a fan of: Otis Taylor, The Doors, the Ray Manzarek/Roy Rogers 2008 disc "Ballads Before the Rain"
Tell Me More: "Translucent Blues" is the latest collaboration between keyboardist Ray Manzarek (The Doors) and slide guitar virtuoso Roy Rogers. A mix of heavy blues and classic rock marks the sonic territory explored by the musical greats, who also share lead vocal duties and are joined by bassist Steve Evans, drummer Kevin Hayes, tenor sax player George Brooks and singer-percussionist Joel Jaffe on the 12-track set (Blind Pig Records). But the real story is how song selection and the artful-yet-straightforward performances really defy easy comparisons with any other recent releases.
Highlights on the disc are the high-octane "Game of Skill" with its mix of Manzarek's fancy keyboard work and Roger's blistering slide playing. Fans of the Door's mix of rock, blues and poetry will enjoy hearing Manzarek lead the ensemble through the jazzy "Kick" (a song he co-penned with Michael McClure) as well as the rhythm-heavy "Tension" (a song co-written by Manzarek and Jim Carroll that recalls the hypnotic blues of Otis Taylor).
Rogers' vocals and slide guitar-anchored approach shine in his "Those Hits Just Keep On Comin'."
And just to really mix things up, "Translucent Blues" closes with a couple of nifty instrumentals: "As You Leave" with a evocative mix of guitar, piano and sax that supports the adage that "less is more," and finally the upbeat jazz-blues of "An Organ, a Guitar and a Chicken Wing" that has the troupe moving in the Booker T & the MG's realm like they own it.
Get Translucent Blues Here
Robert Kinsler 06/28/11
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