Rebecca Jade understands the pure, indomitable magic of fifties R&B. Profoundly aware of the ebb and flow of her sound as well as the soul-derived beauty of the art, “Weather The Storm” is the first single from her upcoming record, A Shade Of Jade due out in 2016.
Jerome, Jerome, Jerome Blazé. Is that bla-zay? Can’t be, unless you’re the master of some sort of Australian irony. On JB’s (if I may please take such license) title track “Lone Pine,” JB makes a winning case for his art and electronica. Reviewing music is a little bit like screening resumes. And I almost round-filed …
Frank Sinatra in 1968 singing Laura Nyro’s “Sweet Blindness” (from Eli and the Thirteenth Confession) dressed as the 6th member of the 5th Dimension – let’s go down by the grapevine, drink my daddy’s wine, get happy! – Pat Thomas is the author of Listen, Whitey! The Sights and Sounds of Black Power 1965-1975.
The other morning I had to take my car in, and instead of Uber-ing home from the garage, I decided to walk the couple miles back to Venice; it was a blustery morning, and I headed into a strong wind, with not a small amount of trash and dust kicked up in the air. I …
“Ava taught him how to sing a torch song. She taught him the hard way.” —Nelson Riddle The idea is that Frank Sinatra’s impossible, unresolvable romantic relationship with Ava Gardner—for whom he left his wife at a time (1950) when it simply wasn’t done; to whom he was married for a brief, tumultuous period (1951–53*); …
John Trudell, poet, activist for American Indian rights, dies at age 69 RIP John Trudell. I’ll never forget hearing him speak 20 years ago in a basement hall at the University of Washington, at a time when the case of Leonard Peltier was getting renewed attention (which did not result in his pardon), and Trudell …
Correatown’s new collection of wet, somehow magical little stones has been glistening in the dabbled sunlight of it’s musical dawn for a couple of weeks now. I stumbled across them just now. Let me show you some?! This one, “Longshot” (below), is for when you’re having trouble smiling. See its color? That’s dandelion. If you …
This is a recent conversation between two unquestioned experts on Sinatra, Pete Hamill, author of Why Sinatra Matters, and Jonathan Schwartz, the writer and radio host who coined the phrase “Chairman of the Board” in regard to Frank. A pleasant remembrance. http://92yondemand.org/pete-hamill-with-jonathan-schwartz – Chuck Strom
Unleashed from Los Angeles, ELECTRIC PARLOR creates honest, raw music with a live feel to it. Inspired by the past and the hard, loud lessons learned by the crazed, inspired, burning forefathers and foremothers of rock and roll, this conquering band and their wild woman lead singer Monique Alvarez seek to catalyze a new sound …
Listen to the song above and you can be certain these LA kids are on to something. They’re having fun and so are we. The product of top notch songwriting and interesting progressive elements, here is a glimpse into the hearts of some of LA’s most happening creators. http://www.facebook.com/mleoband
A couple of Spotify samplers for Sinatra anniversary week. The first recreates (almost) the singer’s last recording project, now out of print: Everything Happens to Me, a self-selected anthology of the songs that meant the most to him. No ring-a-ding-dings here; just the deepest ballads and most penetrating readings from his later years. In the …
In September 1998, shortly after Frank Sinatra’s passing, the jazz critic Francis Davis described Sinatra’s career in The Atlantic as a two-decade procession of taking songs off the market, meaning that once Frank had recorded them, his interpretations were immediately accepted as definitive and thereby discouraged other singers from recording them afterward. I thought of …
Meet conscious hip hop dynamo Sheik aka SK with his fresh single “The Breather”. Dubbing his unique style ‘New School Poetry,’ Sheik’s sound is a clusterfunk of afro punk, jazz, hip hop, soul and blues. “Music is better with no makeup on, people always relate to raw shit whether it’s a love song or a …
One of the more hilarious BBC clips I’ve ever seen, as The Faces thoroughly exploit the fact that TOP OF THE POPS used to insist on canned backing tracks, while ALSO insisting on live vocals (cf. several tracks from The Who’s ca. 2000 BBC cd compilation, which feature live Roger Daltrey vocals atop the familiar …
Only took me about 30 years to find this album by Millie – the very first known Nick Drake cover version – a jaunty rocksteady / ska version of the song “Mayfair” was recorded before Nick’s own version that appears on Nick’s debut album, Five Leaves Left. Must be heard to be believed. – Pat …
Lou Barlow has shared a video for “Nerve,” a candid cut from his recent solo album, Brace the Wave. Directed by video maker and musician Adam Harding, the video focuses on a broken relationship with video images mirroring lyrics, shots of broken musical gear, a mix of personal footage from Barlow’s past dating back to …
This is the music video for which I’ve waited years: the all-doggy video. I really wish pugs were featured in this video, but the French Bulldogs shown here are very cute and using that breed is a way of expressing political solidarity with France after the recent Paris massacre. The song is “Happy” by JES, …
my old pals in 7 YEAR BITCH (i did their logo) have released another record – 20 years later! it’s a live gig played at the club called “MOE” back in the mid-1990’s at the height of ‘grunge mania’ in seattle. this band was at a powerful peak at this point and were one of …
“Easy Way Out” by The Post will be released shortly in December and will ward off the chills as would a shot of it’s subject matter. If you prefer your rock and roll straight up, you will enjoy this potent foursome as they crank out an amped-up ode to the ritual, sometimes habitual. The Post …
another item that recently sold from Ringo’s warehouse of memorabilia. this is (strangely) the VERY FIRST rock and roll logo/brand/id/trademark in history (note: even elvis didn’t have a logo). the story on it is even more peculiar. according to Bodhi Oser’s amazing little book, “BAND ID, The Ultimate Book of Band Logos” (chronicle books, 2008), …
The Last Waltz-as-an-actual-event was a Requiem for both a Sensibility and an Era (call it Classic Rock, if one must), even if no one present knew it. I’ve also always assumed that–as of this date in 1976 anyway–not a single person on that Winterland stage (Patti Smith’s pal Bob aside, of course, and as usual) …
School Of Seven Bells – SVIIB to their mates – have had a place in my heart from the start, but it’s not always been firmly fixed. It seemed so sweet when twin sisters Alejandra and Claudia Deheza met up with Benjamin Curtis while opening on tour for Ben’s band Secret Machines, and the three …
A who’s-who of anime characters appear in the new video from Seattle band Quickie. That’s because the group shot the colorful video for their song “Pretty” outside of the most recent Sakura-Con convention, with over a hundred and thirty cosplayers taking part. Not as extras, but front and center as lead singers in the video. …
I remember a moment in the early 1990s when I stood in the crowd at First Avenue as we all waited for the show to start. The house speakers blasted Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins, My Bloody Valentine, and other loud awesomeness. Suddenly, I was arrested by an amazing new song I hadn’t heard, a sonic revelation …
While others make the pilgrimage to genuflect inside Room #8 at Joshua Tree Inn for Gram – you’ll find me in Tipton, sitting under a headstone inscribed “Harold Eugene Clark – No Other.” Today is Gene Clark’s birthday and nobody ever captured the LA experience as poignantly as he did with this. – Pat Thomas …
Here’s a cut from Donna Summer’s fifth studio album, I Remember Yesterday (1977). Reaching number six on the US Billboard Hot 100, the tune was produced by Giorgio Moroder of “Midnight Express” fame. https://youtu.be/C2q2bis6eLE
I first heard this tune a few months ago and loved it. Now Roses and Revolutions have performed it on Balcony TV so we get to watch them perform it with a lovely view of the New York skyline. http://www.rosesandrevolutions.com/
Kishi Bashi’s third LP, String Quartet Live!, is out via Joyful Noise Recordings. Listen below. It’s a collection of songs from his previous two releases, 151a and Light, performed live by himself and an accompanying string ensemble. Having recorded, toured, and collaborated with artists like Regina Spektor, Sondre Lerche, and of Montreal, Kishi Bashi launched …
Yonatan Gat and his band are known for their one-of-a-kind live performances, which take place from inside the audience and are expressively improvised, ensuring no two shows are the same. Feeding off each other’s energy and the crowd’s energy, their sets are raw, intense, and emotionally-charged. Now, fans all over the world can experience the …