Disciples of Sound

The Beatles Album That Made Me Stop Scanning the Dial

2026-08-09T06:22:15.334-07:00

I come in and out of The Beatles. Their impact is impossible to ignore, but whether it is overexposure to their best-known songs or simply my preference for other British acts from the same period, I rarely reach for one of their records on impulse. I've even been known to hit scan on the FM dial when a Beatles song comes on.

There is one exception: Rubber Soul. I consider it not only The Beatles' finest album but one of rock's most important. The songwriting is as strong as the music surrounding it, the production is remarkably clean, and the sequencing is nearly perfect. More than any other Beatles record, Rubber Soul feels to me like a complete album rather than a collection of songs.

Now comes an expanded Special Edition of the landmark 1965 release. Newly mixed by producer Giles Martin and engineer Sam Okell, the collection presents the album in new stereo and Dolby Atmos mixes alongside the original mono mix and the original Capitol U.S. album. The expanded editions add previously unreleased session recordings, home demos, and the contemporary double-A-side single "Day Tripper" / "We Can Work It Out."

Recorded over four weeks in October and November 1965, shortly after The Beatles' record-breaking performance for more than 55,000 fans at Shea Stadium, Rubber Soul captured the band at a creative turning point. "Drive My Car," "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)," "Nowhere Man," "Michelle," "Girl," and "In My Life" sit alongside experiments with new instruments, studio techniques, and increasingly sophisticated arrangements. The album helped establish the idea that a pop record could be approached as a complete artistic statement rather than simply a vehicle for singles.

The new collection opens that process to closer examination. The Super Deluxe editions include 24 early session recordings, 20 of them previously unreleased, along with three previously unreleased home demos. Among them are early versions of "Day Tripper" and "We Can Work It Out," as well as "Little Girl," a previously unheard John Lennon song outline.

The 4CD and 5LP Super Deluxe editions also include an 88-page hardbound book featuring a new introduction by Paul McCartney and a foreword assembled from Lennon's own comments about Rubber Soul over the years, along with photographs, album history, and track notes.

The release is available in formats ranging from standard CD and vinyl to 2CD and 2LP Special Editions, 4CD and 5LP Super Deluxe editions, and Blu-ray with the Dolby Atmos and high-resolution stereo mixes. There are also limited-edition orange vinyl and D2C-exclusive Zoetrope editions. In other words, there is a version for nearly every level of Beatles obsession.

More than six decades later, Rubber Soul remains the bridge between Beatlemania and everything that followed. Revolver, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, and the increasingly experimental work that came after it all begin to make more sense when you hear where Rubber Soul was taking them.

So I'm breaking my habit. I'm putting this one on the Thorens. Right now!

Rubber Soul - Special Edition Super Deluxe (68 tracks)

5LP Box Set

5LP Box Set, pressed on 180-gram vinyl, with 7” Single, 88-page hardbound book in a 12” x 12” slipcase"

• LP1: Rubber Soul (New stereo mix) half-speed mastered: 14 tracks

• LP2 & 3: Sessions and Demos (Stereo) half-speed mastered: 26 tracks

• LP4: Rubber Soul (Original mono master): 14 tracks

• LP5: Rubber Soul (Original Capitol US album): 12 tracks

• 7”: ‘Day Tripper’ & ‘We Can Work It Out’ (Stereo)

4CD Box Set

4CD Box Set with 88-page hardbound book in a 12” x 12” slipcase:

• DISC 1: Rubber Soul (New stereo mix): 14 tracks

• DISC 2: Sessions, Demos and the Single (Stereo): 28 tracks

• DISC 3: Rubber Soul (Original mono master): 14 tracks

• DISC 4: Rubber Soul (Original Capitol US album): 12 tracks

Rubber Soul Special Edition Deluxe (30 tracks)

2LP

2LP on half-speed mastered 180-gram vinyl in a gatefold sleeve with 4-page insert abridged from the Super Deluxe book:

• LP1: Rubber Soul (New stereo mix): 14 tracks

• LP2: The Single, Demos and Sessions Highlights (Stereo): 16 tracks

2CD

2CD in digisleeve and slipcase, with a 40-page booklet abridged from the Super Deluxe book:

• DISC 1: Rubber Soul (New stereo mix): 14 tracks

• DISC 2: The Single, Demos and Sessions Highlights: 16 tracks

Rubber Soul Special Edition Standard (14 tracks)

1LP (New stereo mix) on half-speed mastered 180-gram vinyl

1LP (New stereo mix) on half-speed mastered 180-gram orange colour vinyl

1CD in digisleeve + 20-page booklet (New stereo mix)

Rubber Soul Blu-ray Edition: 16 tracks + 4 videos

1 Blu-ray disc

New stereo mix in hi-res 96kHz/24-bit audio, new Dolby Atmos mix, and four videos

John Prine’s Missing Dogs, Found Again

2026-08-08T06:51:53.025-07:00

In 1991, John Prine released his first album in five years. Aptly titled The Missing Years, it marked a significant return for an artist whose influence had long exceeded his commercial profile.

As Prine began thinking about how to approach the record, the name of Heartbreakers bassist Howie Epstein surfaced. Epstein and keyboardist Benmont Tench had long been fans, regularly attending Prine's shows. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers were also known to cover Prine songs in concert. Epstein got the call, and the rest is history.

The Missing Years ignited my first real interest in Prine's music. The songs were brisk and bright, delivered with equal parts satire, sadness, and that wonderful sense of surprise Prine could find in the most ordinary corners of life. Epstein proved to be an ideal foil for the material, and with an all-star cast behind him, Prine made a record that wasn't simply a comeback. It was one of the most important albums of his career.

A few years later came Lost Dogs & Mixed Blessings. Epstein was back, and Prine delivered an even tighter collection of songs. At its center was "Lake Marie," a track that remains one of his finest examples of what made him so singular. It is lyrically dense, musically understated, and built around a story that keeps revealing itself. Prine didn't need to preach or overstate. He simply knew how to tell one hell of a story.

Photo: Rhett Rogers

Now Oh Boy Records is returning to that period with Found Dogs, a newly curated collection celebrating the 30th anniversary of Lost Dogs & Mixed Blessings. Drawn from the original sessions and demos, the album includes alternate takes, acoustic performances, and five previously unreleased Prine originals, offering a closer look at how these songs developed in the studio.

The collection was previewed in April with a Record Store Day pressing limited to 2,000 LPs. It will receive a wider physical and digital release October 9, one day before what would have been Prine's 80th birthday.

The first taste is "World Without Love," accompanied by a terrific lyric video featuring previously unseen Super 8 footage of Prine on a family vacation in the early 1970s. Recorded during the Lost Dogs & Mixed Blessings sessions, the song is one of five previously unheard Prine originals included on Found Dogs.

"World Without Love" could have easily found a home on the original album. It is loose and jangly, with an easy rhythmic lift that never feels forced. The arrangement moves with the same unhurried confidence as Prine's best work, while the footage of Prine and his family gives the song an unexpected visual companion.

That may be the appeal of Found Dogs. These aren't simply leftovers being pulled from an archive. The alternate versions and demos add dimension to a period of Prine's career that already produced some of his finest work without overwhelming the songs with historical significance.

The collection arrives as part of a larger celebration of what would have been Prine's 80th birthday. A star-studded concert benefiting The Hello In There Foundation will follow in Chicago this fall, extending the celebration of an artist whose influence continues to grow.

For now, start with "World Without Love." On a lazy August Saturday, it is exactly the kind of song John Prine knew how to make: seemingly effortless, quietly funny, deeply human, and gone before you realize how much you've been listening.

Found Dogs Tracklist

"Ain't Hurtin Nobody" (Alternative Version)
"All the Way With You" (Acoustic Version)
"Lake Marie" (Demo)
"Humidity Built the Snowman" (Solo Acoustic Version)
"Quit Hollerin' at Me" (Alternate Version)
"Hey Ah Nothin'"
"World Without Love"
"All for the Love of a Girl" (Johnny Horton Cover)
"Dogs in Burlington"
"My God Thank You John"

The Day the Music Died ...Again

2026-08-06T16:17:42.803-07:00

Don McLean's American Pie immortalized "the day the music died," using one unimaginable loss to reflect on a changing culture. This week, for many music writers and readers, another kind of loss arrived quietly: the decision to shutter the editorial staff across the Artists Friendly publishing portfolio, including Goldmine.

There was a time when music journalism occupied a central place in the culture. National publications sat alongside fiercely independent regional magazines, each serving listeners eager to discover something new. Goldmine emerged from that era. While it earned its reputation as the authority on record collecting, it ultimately became something much larger; a publication for people who viewed music not as content, but as a lifelong pursuit.

When Pat Prince took over as editor, he inherited a respected brand that could easily have remained tied to its past. Instead, he expanded its reach without sacrificing its identity. New coverage of jam bands, jazz, Americana, world music, and emerging artists complemented its traditional strengths while attracting new readers. More importantly, Pat understood that editorial excellence and business strategy were not competing ideas. He found ways to connect journalism with artists, labels, retailers, and readers that benefited everyone involved.

My own journey at Goldmine began with a simple blog called Vinyl Finds. A story about Michael Bolton's breakthrough unexpectedly found an audience, and before long Pat invited me to contribute more. My first cover story appeared in 2017. What followed were opportunities every music writer hopes for: interviewing heroes, improving my craft, and becoming part of a remarkably supportive editorial community. That growth happened because an editor believed in developing writers, not simply assigning stories.

Magazine closures are, unfortunately, no longer unusual. The economics of publishing have changed dramatically. But how those decisions are communicated still matters. Contributors, subscribers, advertisers, partners, and readers all deserve clarity and respect. A publication is more than a balance sheet. It represents years of trust built with a community that invested its time, money, and passion.

When media companies decide to close a title, they aren't simply ending a product. They are ending relationships. Those relationships deserve transparency, thoughtful communication, and acknowledgment of the people who built the publication's reputation in the first place.

The State of Music on Guy's Guy TV.

2024-11-21T07:13:00.000-08:00

My recent exchange with Robert Manni on the state of music today. Check it out and feel free to post a comment!

Getting Thing Started In Vegas.

2024-10-13T08:04:00.000-07:00

The new album, Just Got Started by Las Vegas-based Jimmy Carpenter is a bit of a surprise. Carpenter long known for his bold, brassy saxophone work here enlists the help of Christopher “Kid” Andersen who produced, engineered, mixed, and mastered the album. He also provides guitar parts that might make you wonder who’s record this really is. They both play at the top of their game, at all times. Carpenter and Andersen play off each other masterfully and find a way to transform some classic songs by sliding them through a Vegas neon filter. His version of Willie Dixon’s “My Babe” has all of the energy and sizzle you’d expect to hear from an “on the Strip” casino house band from the late 1960’s. It’s slick with great style and a musicianship that will get you on your feet and keep you there.

Recorded in March at Greaseland Studios in San Jose, California, the best tracks are covers. Jimmy’s own songs ring more of a manufactured sense of nostalgia. They let the air out of an otherwise perfect collection of songs. Give a special look at the cover of The Manhattan’s “Shining Star” where the Morgans (Dwayne, Walter, James) deliver background vocals that just smolder. I look forward to what lies ahead as his Gulf Cost Records relationship gets underway.

My Babe: https://youtu.be/QLmLpFKepPs?si=kYCgtTEbTNeZzAEC

Eric Bibb Gets Real.

2024-10-13T07:37:00.000-07:00

Across five decades, Eric Bibb has been making music that bridges the blues and gospel with folk through the eyes of a singer/songwriter. Last year he was nominated for a Grammy for his album Ridin, and he now returns with a studio album, In The Real World, that might be his best yet. The first single, “Roll On Buddy” is a funky ride, with tremendous guitar work from Robbie McIntosh and sultry background vocals from Sepideh Vaziri-Adlib that make things just melt. The harmonica part by Greger Andersson keeps the train chugging along at a pace that is slick, setting the scene for a remarkable groove. It’s an example of what Bibb has always done best and a perfect entry point into this bold collection of 15 tracks.

The album was recorded at Real World Studios and almost all tracks are the result of a collaborative writing effort between Bibb and drummer Glen Scott, who also arranged and produced the project. I think Bibb summed it up best when he said: “If I had to describe the sessions in one word it would be flow.” That’s for sure. In The Real World has an ease about it that unfolds like a comfortable stroll, with great glide and style.

Roll On Buddy: https://youtu.be/_abnpxHVXa8?si=Sk-Zlp6feiwPGvUs

Brand new blues that's set in stone.

2024-10-13T07:17:00.000-07:00

When the press materials boast that an artist is backed by people who have supported folks like Delbert McClinton. Bob Dylan, and Buddy Guy you have my attention. Randy Lee Riviere has a new spin out called Concrete Blues and it’s a solid rock ride. When you move through the tracks it should surprise you that his early influences came from bands like ZZ Top. There’s a kind of lowrider sass to be found in every one of these songs. They are sturdy and the guitar work does what it’s supposed to, nothing more. They aren’t the centerpiece nor or that a forgotten element. They appear where you’d expect and have a confidence that

Producer Tom Hambridge brings a balance to the sound that keeps things simple but tasty. That might be because he also holds down drumming duties and his approach to the kit give each of these songs great footing. Also pay attention to Mike Rojas' keys. They are subtle but add so much depth.

Riviere’s vocals are shaky and at times they pull the songs away from their steady hand. But they also provide a dramatic element that creates drama and a sense of character.

Moccasin Lake: https://youtu.be/80myJVxbpWY?si=pztSAu6Nty-x6jW5

The Grackles smoky Southern groove.

2024-03-27T10:59:00.000-07:00

Austin-based band Grackles has just shared the final pre-release single, "It's Coming To Ya," from their self-titled debut album. The track follows singles "San Antone" which features blues legend Charlie Musselwhite and Lauren Harris and "Top Of The World" featuring Kat Edmonson.

On "It's Coming To Ya," the band’s Noah Lit says:

"I knew I wanted a record that started with a galloping bluesy beat a la JJ Cale. I hoped it would set the stage for everything to come. The real sonic mood came with Jason's (Mozersky) tone-down Les Paul riff in the intro. It helped us establish where we were going. Joe’s Hammond organ playing drives and pushes and adds a Sopranos (opening song) vibe to the whole thing to me.

In October of ‘22, a recording session became a band. Drummer Jimmy Paxson was finishing a leg of his world tour with The Chicks at Austin City Limits Festival. Jimmy was in contact with Jason Mozersky, his Grammy award winning guitar player and band mate from Ben Harper. Then, Jason discussed with Kyle Crusham, producer for Paul Simon and Edie Brickell, the idea of getting together to do some recording. Lastly songwriter and indie rock musician Noah Lit (Oliver Future, Noah and the MegaFauna) was added to the mix, and like that, a band was in place.

The music has been appropriately described as “Tom Waits meets Chris Isaak”. The guitar sound, especially on this new single is very reminiscent of Marc Ribot’s contributions to the Wait’s albums Swordfish Trombones and Rain Dogs. And the arrangements have a similar rhumba vibe with a port ton at night mood that is eerie and intriguing, both at the same time. There’s also some space cowboy sounds to explore, but the band is most compelling when they keep the haunting harbor town thing front and center.

Grackles have also announced an Austin Record release show on March 30 at The Continental Club. The live band is an eight-piece country, rock, blues “explosion” so this material should really come alive Saturday night!

Listen here: https://youtu.be/hKJ7FsSw6zI?si=wsE6nF6kcD6u8kuV

Grackles Track List:

1. It's Coming To Ya

2. San Antone (ft. Charlie Musselwhite and Lauren Harris)

3. Eternal Return Blues

4. Near Or Too Far

5. The Distant Lightning

6. Top Of The World (ft. Kat Edmonson)

7. Grackles Barn Burner (ft. Lauren Harris)

Setting down soulful roots at Wishbone Studios.

2024-03-26T12:42:00.000-07:00

When you enter a studio like Wishbone Studio in Alabama with Muscle Shoals associated performers like guitarist Kelvin Holly (Bobby Bland), keyboardist Clayton Ivey (The Staple Sisters), drummer Justin Holder (Keb Mo,Delbert McClinton), and bassist Shonna Tucker (Drive By Truckers) you had better have your act together and be ready to deliver. Canadian singer/songwriter and keyboardist Jeff Rogers did that and more. The result is his latest solo effort, Dream Job.

Like those who have recorded at Wishbone before him (Etta James, Otis Redding, Aretha Franklin, and Bob Seger), Rogers brings an authenticity and warmth to vocals that never press to hard and also never lose their heat. An in-demand session player, Rogers too often has been kept musically at bay. Here he is released to do what he does best. Guest appearances are made with Colin Linden on “Mind of her Own,” and Kellylee Evans on “So Worth The Wait,” but make no mistake about it; this is a Jeff Rogers' affair and he gets all the support he needs from the accomplished musicians who call those Alabama music rooms “home”. Of particular note are Kelvin Holly’s blistering guitar licks and Ed Lister’s brassy horn charts. Wow!

Spend some time with tracks like “Lock & Key” and the title track. There you’ll witness his remarkable range and discover what all of the fuss is about. Mostly you’ll wonder why this 9-track set of songs didn’t pack a few more in. There’s a lot of talent in this guy’s tank.

Listen here: https://youtu.be/qAnGWtNjkrM?si=p3AI4uSRAXSkzlo3

Singin' the blues in Stockholm.

2024-03-26T07:52:00.000-07:00

Eric Bibb has flown a bit under the radar, even with his three Grammy nominations. That probably suits his fans just fine; they have him all to themselves. That connection to his audience is well demonstrated in his new record, captured live at the Scala Theater in Stockholm.

Here he is joined by longtime collaborator, musical director and producer Glen Scott along with a host of musicians across a wide array of instruments ranging from electric guitar to cittern. The music they cover sails through Bibb’s catalog and were assembled to meet three criteria: They haven’t appeared before on one of his live records, they are from his most recent studio releases Dear America and Ridin’, or they had never been recorded by him before.

The result is a real tasty record that feels intimate, personal, well thought out and filled with sonic surprise. For someone who has built a career that spans five decades, this is a record that is equally fitting for fans as it is for anyone interested in a contemporary interpretation of folk and blues. If you don't believe me, listen to how his fans in Sweden respond to his sound.

Listen here: https://youtu.be/4zW7ncPwFe4?si=R0eF4W-472BIchmu

Check Mate: A Blues Flip

2024-03-23T15:29:00.000-07:00

Just when it seemed like “the blues” didn’t have another bullet in their gun comes a new record of great depth and outstanding production. New Moves: The Chess Project takes classic Chess Record tracks adds elements of hip hop, rap, and modern jazz to songs made famous by this infamous label and gives them a sense of approachability without entirely losing their original integrity. It’s no surprise that it was the brain child of Chess Records scion Marshall Chess, who now at the tender age of 82 years has put this project together and was part of the production. His guidance helped make authenticity a demand.

Marshall conceived the album with percussionist Keith LeBlanc (Sugarhill Gang, Grandmaster Flsh, and Melle Mell). The original idea was to use samples of the original Chess blues masters and combine them with new original instrumental tracks. Instead, the team reimagined thee songs and the result is nothing short of brilliant.

Spend time with the album closer “Help Me.” There Grammy nominee Eric Gales delivers some of his most delicate but power-driven guitar offerings.

At the top of the key is Bernard Fowler, long time backing vocalist for the Rolling Stones. Along with Fowler and LeBlanc are Skip “Little Axe” McDonald (Grandmaster Flash) and Eric Gales on guitar. Paul Mowinski (Keith Richard, Patti Smith) and MonoNeon (Prince Ne-Yo) are on bass. Others round this out in a way that will make you wish that Marshall has a few more tricks up his sleeve. This is a groove!

Listen here: https://youtu.be/4IiKAYlj5lQ?si=CswyhaYXeiDihf55

Bringing Life To Stone Cold Hands

2024-03-02T14:19:00.000-08:00

New Orleans-based label Pugnacious Records considers themselves to be a “newfound gumbo!” With a historic base of urban art and culture, this musical pot boasts “a calm simmer of the most basic ingredient we’ve all come to appreciate: The Blues.”

That is abundant throughout the fun ride that is Sean Riley’s LP debut, Stone Cold Hands. Riley is a New Orleans staple playing frequently throughout the city, from Bywater to the French Quarter and Uptown, as well as regional shows in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. He’s joined live and on this record by his backing band The Water.

On Stone Cold Hands Riley is also joined by a number of bold-faced names from the NOLA scene that give this ten-track spin an authenticity that allows a real sense of confidence and commitment to comfortably come across on even the bluest of songs. While it is certainly rooted in the blues, Stone Cold Hands is a party playlist and the songs have a bounce that is truly feel-good and as Riley suggests, perfect for dancing in your kitchen making dinner or on your couch in fat, warm socks. This spin is that much fun and so much more.

Listen here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpfe3fO0QgxWirwmYJtfvmA

Bob Schneider has something better to do.

2024-01-29T14:43:00.000-08:00

I’ll admit it. I’m biased when it comes to Bob Schneider. Musically, he doesn’t always get on base but when he connects with the ball it’s a solid smack and the crack of his bat gets everyone in the stands on their feet. At the end of the year he released a bunch of singles and this one is among his best, ever. Sure Bob can rock, rap, and rule a hoedown. But some of his most important work comes in the form of a ballad where he presents a kind of vulnerability that is the direct opposite of the Texas Tornado-self he wraps himself around on faster tracks. That’s the case on the brilliant “Nothing Better To Do.” The song emerges, timid and unsure, and blossoms into a wonderland of conviction where sounds fill up the entire room. The pedal steel soars and the music lifts to a casual but grand height, tethered by the realness of Bob’s first-person character. This one will getcha every time. The video is pretty wonderful as well.

I’ll never understand why more folks don’t make his music the centerpiece of their playlists. But maybe with this one they’ll find something better to do and dig in deep to some of the best music being made today. Thanks Jack for making sure I didn’t miss this gem!!

Listen: https://youtu.be/EDVz8LSg0b4?si=-npp0Z-KxX8N0yJp

The Hails have a new Motive.

2024-01-20T07:59:00.000-08:00

The Hails is a five-man band with trippy pop rock sounds that are incredibly infectious, even if their subject matter is less than upbeat. They have just announced the release of an expanded version of their debut album, What’s Your Motive (Deluxe), with the debut of their official live video for “Stay.” Originally released in September of 2023, the band’s album features two new tracks, fan-favorite “Stay,” and a remix of “Fiona” with Magic City Hippies.

To help bring What’s Your Motive to its deluxe version, The Hails gathered at Fraser Studios in New York to film a live session of their most streamed song to date, “Stay.” A staple of the band’s catalog since formation, it felt right to include this beloved track on the deluxe, a capstone on an era for the group. The live session directed by Steph Rinzler of Prophet Media, gives a different perspective to a great track that has hints of Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams”, Band of Horses “No One’s Gonna Love You” and Maroon 5’s “Sunday Morning.” It’s a rare combination of sounds that never seems derivative, but feels surprisingly authentic and new.

Listen here:

Stay

Former Band of Horses guitarist blazes new trail.

2024-01-14T07:28:00.000-08:00

When Tyler Ramsey left Band of Horses in 2017 it was a move intended for him to take down the pace of everything he was doing and focus on family and his life at hand. Up until then his solo work was a significant departure from the sound of Horses, and his work was rightly compared to Ryan Adams and others. There was an acoustic rock footing to his sound but it felt intimate and quite open. He is about to release a new album, New Lost Ages, and here he seems to move much closer to the sound made famous by his former band. Recorded at the legendary Avast! Recording Co. in Seattle, Washington, by producer Phil Ek (Fleet Foxes, Father John Misty, The Shins, Built to Spill), the 10-song LP has a good amount of atmosphere and at times you might just think you are hearing his former band mate Ben Bridwell assume vocal duties. That said the result is a different kind of “Band of Horses” and something uniquely fresh. The first single, “These Ghosts” embodies this approach and sets the stage for the balance of the record. Watch: https://youtu.be/28cbAJexVwg?si=NQTXb7xTdQ_V3EDF

“This song is for anyone who has left a bad situation behind them only to look down and realize they are still carrying it with them somehow. Letting go - even letting go of something that’s no good - can take time. The pain in your head is just the smoke from a fire that burned out a long time ago.” - Tyler Ramsey.

It’s a welcome return from an artist who we all hope is ready to start making music more regularly. Based upon the schedule of upcoming tour dates, we can only assume that that is the plan.

TYLER RAMSEY ON TOUR

1/25 @ Highlander Mountain House | Highlands, NC

2/7 @ The Bijou Theatre | Knoxville, TN

2/20 @ Pearl Street Warehouse | Washington DC

2/21 @ Milkboy | Philadelphia PA

2/22 @ Mercury Lounge | New York, NY

2/23 @ Space Ballroom | Hamden, CT

2/24 @ Faces Brewing | Boston, MA

2/27 @ Beachland Tavern | Cleveland, OH

2/28 @ Rumba Cafe | Columbus, OH

2/29 @ LO-FI Indianapolis, IN

3/1 @ Shank Hall | Milwaukee, WI

3/2 @ Fitzgerald's Sidebar | Berwyn, IL

3/22 @ The Parish | Austin, TX

3/23 @ The Post at River East | Fort Worth, TX

3/26 @ The Casbah | San Diego, CA

3/28 @ Gold-Diggers | Los Angeles, CA

3/29 @ The Siren | Morro Bay, CA

3/30 @ Bottom of the Hill | San Francisco, CA

4/1 @ Tractor Tavern | Seattle, WA

4/2 @ Polaris Hall | Portland, OR

4/3 @ Neurolux | Boise, ID

4/5 @ Lulu's Downstairs | Manitou Springs, CO

4/6 @ Mercury Cafe | Denver, CO

4/8 @ Knuckleheads Saloon | Kansas City, MO

4/9 @ Off Broadway | Saint Louis, MO

4/10 @ Hernando's Hide-A-Way | Memphis, TN

5/9-11 @ Spring Skunk Music Fest | Greer, SC

Setting a musical mood in Austin.

2024-01-14T06:08:00.000-08:00

North Carolina-based Watchhouse —Emily Frantz (fiddle/vocals) and Andrew Marlin (mandolin/vocals)— known at the time as Mandolin Orange, took the stage at one of Austin’s most prominent venues, Austin City Limits Live at The Moody Theater, in support of their sixth album, Tides of a Teardrop. The show was recorded and originally released as a Bandcamp exclusive in 2020. It’s now being released on all formats by Yep Rock Records as: Watchhouse: Austin City Limits Live at the Moody Theater

Supported by Clint Mullican (bass), Josh Oliver (guitar) and Joe Westerlund (drums), the 15-song set is a remarkably warm and soulful take on male/female vocal approach to vocals in a folk-oriented setting. At many times I’m reminded of Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová and the soundtrack from the 2007 film Once. Like them, Emily and Andrew’s voices join to create a sound that is impossible to dismiss and one that instead transcends lyrics.

Songs from the show span the group's catalog; from their earliest songs - the bittersweet “There Was A Time” and the haunting “Jump Mountain Blues” - to the timely, politically charged “Wildfire” and “Gospel Shoes.”

Recorded at Austin City Limits Live at The Moody Theater in Austin, TX, the album was engineered by the band’s longtime FOH technician Mark Alspaugh, mixed by Sean Sullivan, and mastered by Alan Silverman at Aerial Sound, with artwork by Austin-based Ishaq Fahim.

This is the perfect Sunday morning spin and one that will find you digging deeper into their eight album catalog.

Watchhouse: Austin City Limits Live at the Moody Theater

1) Golden Embers

2) The Wolves

3) When She's Feeling Blue

4) There Was A Time

5) Jump Mountain Blues

6) My Blinded Heart

7) Time We Made Time

8) Cavalry

9) Echo

10) Gospel Shoes

The Grip Weeds Grab Hold Of the Holidays

2023-12-22T11:42:00.000-08:00

Most people know I’m not a terribly big fan of Holiday music. It’s probably because the classics start getting over-played around Halloween and the new covers of old favorites rarely present anything fresh or different. But in rare moments, the chain is broken and someone ushers in a take on the season that grabs you and fights hard to ever let go.

The Grip Weeds released Under The Influence Of Christmas back in 2011 and it received rave reviews and has since established its own loyal Holiday following. That’s because the band brought forward a collection of new songs that strike a great balance between sleigh bells and the group’s vintage 60’s pschye garage sound.

Now Jem Records has re-released the spin on “icy blue” vinyl, CD and all digital formats. The band enjoys added muscle and clout through contributions from Jim Babjak (The Smithereens), Mark Lindsay (Paul Revere & The Raiders), George Cameron (The Left Banke), and various members of The Anderson Council, The Doughboys, and The Satisfactors. It’s a first-rate office party and band leader Kurt Reil remastered the album and remixed three of the tracks for this reissue. All in it’s a grab bag of Holiday goodness and eleven tracks that’ll get you sliding down the chimney and rockin under the mistletoe.

Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrMz_o0KFo4

Reviving the soul and music of Bill Withers.

2023-12-07T08:25:00.000-08:00

Every picture tells a story, and sometimes it’s not the one you were expecting. There was a time when album covers were the lure that drew you in and made you listen to an artist you’d never heard of before. The trial didn’t always stick, but when it did you never looked at that cover the same way again

Kevin Burt’s forthcoming record, A Tribute to Bill Withers arrived in my mail for review and there was little about the album art or design that made me want to sample his new songs. The photo was flat and nothing seemed to pop. It seemed forgettable. But I needed to drive to La Guardia Airport to pick someone up and the fact that the record was a Withers tribute pushed things over the top. I’m sure glad that they did.

I wasn’t familiar with Burt prior to this airport run, but he is the perfect artist to create such a thoughtful, soul-tinged, unique no to one of modern music’s best. The album was recorded in Cedar Rapids, Iowa with his band Big Medicine and together they present an expression of Wither’s music that’s deeply rooted in a funky soul and punched up with just the right amount of blues. Surprisingly, the best track here is the cover of Grover Washington Jr’s 1980’s hit “Just The Two Of Us.” With Withers as guest vocalist the song topped Adult Contemporary charts, leveraging slick jazz infused elements and making this a pop classic. Burt rethinks it with harmonica and a slightly different arrangement that gives the track a rock vibe and a down home feel that’s contagious. His vocals are remarkable, earthy like Withers and never deployed without purpose.

This is yet another big win for Mike Zito’s Gulf Coast Records, a new label that is drawing talent from all corners of the soul/blues universe and giving their music a new platform to shine. In this world of streaming, maybe covers really don’t matter much at all. In this case, not one bit.

Listen here: https://www.youtube.com/live/wcrpRc1_yyw?si=AYXi004xHnk0n8KR

Running through Ray Davies' JEMs.

2023-08-27T08:11:00.003-07:00

Years ago I was in a taxi heading from a hotel in South Beach to the Bacardi Headquarters. We had been told in advance that access to the Bacardi building was going to require a full security session and that it might take some time. There was still an open contract on the lives of the Bacardi family that Castro has put in motion back in the 1960’s. So it’s safe to say that my thoughts were on what I was about to walk through, not the ride to HQ. But I couldn’t ignore that the driver was playing one Kinks track after another and they were deep cuts. We got to talking and I go a 15-minute MBA on Ray Davies and why this driver/fan considered Ry to be the most important rock creator ever. It stays with me to this day and that quick trip drove me to read more and more about Ray Davies, and not surprisingly my adoration of what the Kinks mean to rock expanded quickly. It’s just moved up another notch.

JEM Records has been presenting themselves and their roster to the public in a way that is so simple. And it’s there that the genius of the approach resides. They pick giants of 60’s rock and have their labely create a tribute to the artist with covers of songs, both hits and deep cuts. To date they have tackled John Lennon, Brian Wilson, and Pete Townsend. Every one of them has been special with tracks that I’ve turned to again and again before playing the original cut.

So when JEM Records decided that their next label tribute would celebrate Ray Davies lets just say I was in. Boy am I?! This is the best tribute they’ve produced to date – hands down. Versions of these songs don’t distort the original. Instead they clean them up, make them glisten, and somehow the end result is music that sounds refreshingly new and familiar at the same time.

While The Weeklings picked “Lola” for its popularity, their version here may be the best track on the record and it’s the perfect place to dive into all that this has to offer.

If there is any ding, nothing is mined from Ray’s solo career. It would have been terrific to hear a new take on a song like “Vietnam Cowboys.” Maybe we’ll get there on the next tribute.

Ray Davies Promo Video

Mitch Woods Reintroduces His Friends.

2023-08-26T15:03:00.005-07:00

In the early 90’s when I was rolling around Rowayton, CT a buddy of mine introduced me to Mitch Woods and his Rockin’ 88’s. Finn was the first fan I’d meet and boy he sure seemed like the biggest. In fact, He got Mitch to years later play his wedding. The music was always rollicking good fun, and there was something unmistakable about his sound. There still is.

.He has just re-released his 2017 gem Friends Along the Way with five previously unreleased tracks. It’s a not so gentle reminder of how well-regarded he is among his peers and has deep his talents can travel. Just look at this roster of talent! Van Morrison, Ruthie Foster, Taj Mahal, Elvin Bishop, Maria Muldaur, Cyril Neville, James Cotton, Charlie Mussel White, Marcia Ball, and John Lee Hooker. It’s no wonder cameras were rolling when these sessions took place.

I can’t say where a listener should turn first on this collection of largely duets. The songs are small in orchestration and immense in sound and emotion. But I will say that his duet with Ruthie on here gorgeous “Singin’ the Blues” got this fan choked up. It’s brilliant.

Sometimes collections like these get formulaic and I find myself turning away and paying attention to other things as they spin through. This is entirely different. There is so much to dig in to here and his decision upon securing ownership of the material to re-release it can only put this wonderful musical experience in front of many more folks. It deserves it and we do to.

Listen here: https://vimeo.com/234631738

Popa Chubby Pulls Away From The Pack With a Promising Label Premiere.

2023-08-26T14:30:00.000-07:00

I first discovered Popa Chubby through his 1995 release Booty and The Beast, mainly because it had been produced by the legendary Tom Dowd. He has a small regional hit with Sweet Goddess of Love and Beer,” but the real gems were found in the groove-driven, soul-infused tracks like “Lookin Back.” There I seemed to understand what Dowd saw in Chubby; and while I didn’t remain looped into his realm, this spin is one I have returned to again and again. That is until this month when his Gulf Coast Records debut album arrived for review.

Live at G. Bluey’s Joint NYC is quite a surprise. Backed by his all-star band that have each done stints with acts like Johnny Winter and Billy Gibbons, Chubby puts forward a record with great balance and sonic depth. There’s a distance to the sound that gives everything a club-like authenticity; it isn’t studio slick but presents something pretty much like the ”real thing.”

What sets this apart is that it isn’t weighted down with endless guitar solos and loop-like riffing. Instead each solo has a place, takes what time it needs and moves on. Moreover, Chubby wisely shares those show off moments with keyboardist Mike Dimeo who delivers really tasty sounds that glisten against Chubby’s brassy guitar sound.

Disc 1 is the real standout with terrific covers of “Hey Joe” and “Over the Rainbow.” But don’t count out Disc2. There he gets ambitious and delivers with a brilliant take on the Tom Waits’ classic “Heart Arrack and Vine.” This is a great way to debut on a hot and fast-rising label. Let’s hope that Mike Zito, Gulf Coast’s founder finds more ways like this to show Chubby’s broad range as a performer. It’s been long in the making and is more than ready to be served.

The next Jason Isbell.

2023-07-09T13:31:00.003-07:00

What seems like a collection of songs inspired by Joe Ely’s mid 1990’s masterpiece Love and Danger, West Virginia singer/songwriter William Matheny has just released a record that is rightly Southern and that packs a punch. That Grand Old Feeling opens with the solid steady march Late Blooming Forever. It’s a great way to begin with songs that dance about topics like despair and surrender, but are remarkably open and absent of denial. Songs here don’t whimper or whine. They instead face conflict with considered abandon and “that’s what his life offers” clarity.

Recorded in Point Pleasant, West Virginia at Trackside Studio, the album unfolds like a tale well-passed along like lore. What’s easy to miss is the nuance found in the remarkable musicianship of the band who surrounds Matheny. That is particularly present on maybe the record’s best track, “Down at the Hotel Canfield”, Bud Carrol lays down pedal steel that will remind you of the same kind of great additions Dan Dugmore provided Jackson Browne back in the 1970’s. This is step beyond his work as a member of The Paranoid Style, but reflective of a talent that has always seemed to be right on the tip of becoming the next Jason Isbell.

Listen here: Grand Old Feeling https://youtu.be/x1HBgc9dUfA

Best of the Gulf Coast!

2023-05-26T04:20:00.002-07:00

Mike Zito at Gulf Coast Records is on roll. He just added Poppa Chubby to his roster which marks another big win for the label. And he may have just released Gulf Coast’s best record to date, Joanna Connor’s Best of Us.

A Chicago blues scene staple and a frequent touring musician, Connor brings both solid, steady vocals along with some really tasty guitar work to every track on the record. Her voice has a Tedeschi-quality to it, but has a burnish likely earned through a career of belting out tunes in bare bones blues clubs. Her guitar has grit and body, more reminiscent of a rhythm rocker than a showy soloist. Her parts have soul and always give warmth to the groove.

In bassist and producer Shawn Gotti Calloway she has found a true creative companion. The tracks they have written together are the record’s best, mining soul and rock influences with an eye always toward the blues. It’s only when she performs the sole cover on the record, the old K.C. Douglas tune “Mercury Blues” where things seem to get away from her. Otherwise this is a solid outing from a veteran performer. Play close attention btw to the sensational brass parts delivered by the Grooveline Horns. They set the songs on fire.

Listen here: https://youtu.be/p5Y5JG5hTbU

A guitar master's ghostly return.

2023-05-23T12:59:00.001-07:00

A career in folk music is something William Lee Ellis probably could have never avoided. As the son of Tony Ellis, part of Bill Monroe’s early-60’s Blue Grass Boys, Williams grew up living and breathing roots music. Formal training took place at the University of Cincinnati - College Conservatory of Music and a global life of music followed as did a series of early 2000’s recordings on Yellow Dogs Records.

After a ten year hiatus from recording which found him instead teaching at a college in Vermont, Ellis has returned with the tasty record Ghost Hymns. It’s a quiet affair filled with original compositions and arrangements.

“More than any of my previous albums, I hear the weight of my dad’s musical imprint on my own, which is perhaps why I’ve chosen this album to finally play some banjo and arrange one of his most elegant fiddle tunes,” says Ellis.

Pay attention to the album closer, “Bury Me in the Sky/I Don’t Feel at Home in this World Anymore” which features hard to forget vocals from Hannah Assefa. They give the combined tracks an outright earthiness and soul that Ellis only hints at on the eleven previous tracks.

The 40 year Delay

2023-05-23T08:45:00.001-07:00

Delay Tactics was among the first American bands to produce music using digital instruments, including looping, sampling and delay effects. Considered one of the most innovative bands of the 1980’s they formed in 1981 as the tape-looping guitar duo of Carl Weingarten and Reed Nesbit and made their mark playing late night ambient concerts in St. Louis theaters. Within a year of forming synthesist Walter Whitney joined the band as they began recording their first album, Out-Pop Options.

Nesbit departed in 19983 and was replaced by Wax Theatrcks guitarist David Udell and they released their follow-up album, Any Questions? Now 38 years later they have released their third album the wonderfully atmospheric Elements of Surprise. It was produced and record by Whitney, Udell, and Weingarten with Michael Manring on fretless bass. It’s a welcome return with eight songs that casually present sounds that are pop-ambient and often prog inspired. It’s the perfect summer hammock spin, complete with the signature sound they birthed over 40 years ago.