Concert Review: Steven Wilson at the Folly Theater

Steven Wilson reignited my dormant passion for prog-rock last night.  Largely because the debut albums by the Ramones and the Clash pulverized my teenage predilection for the likes of Kansas, Rush and Genesis decades ago, I attended the show as a curious skeptic. 

Wilson, the most significant prog-rock artist of the last 25 years, succeeded in reviving my interest in ponderous bombast.

Wilson and his band- guitarist Dave Kilminster, keyboardist Adam Holzman (son of Jac Holzman!), bassist Nick Beggs (of Kajagoogoo!) and drummer Craig Blundell- were abetted by impeccable quadrophonic sound (ambient sounds emanated from speakers in the back of the venue) and stunning images on a screen behind the stage.

Renditions of new songs including the soul-crushing ”Routine”, the enchanting ”Perfect Life” and the sensual ”Hand Cannot Erase” were wondrous.  Aside from a preponderance of flashy guitar solos and the aberrant behavior of addled concertgoers seated near me, the two-set show was perfect.  Now, where did I put my copy of The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway?


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I reviewed Blue Öyster Cult’s concert at the VooDoo.

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Election coverage preempted live on-air audio, but I here’s the text component of my weekly KCUR segment.  I featured Calvin Arsenia.

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I write weekly music previews for The Kansas City Star and Ink magazine.

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Leonard Cohen’s fabled appearance at the Midland theater was my second favorite show of 2009.  Cohen died last week.

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Leon Russell’s music was a prominent part of my life in my teens and again in recent years.  My dad got hip to Russell through his collaborations with Willie Nelson in the 1970s.  He and I bonded over our mutual appreciation of those jams.  I went decades without thinking much about Russell until Frank Hicks of Knuckleheads began regularly booking the legend in recent years.  I reviewed a couple of those shows for The Kansas City Star.  I also admired his 2014 album Life Journey at There Stands the Glass.  Russell died yesterday.

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Noël Akchoté and Mary Halvorson’s duet album is RIYL: Joe Pass, skronk, Fred Frith.

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I don’t know if Alicia Keys and her cohorts tried too hard or didn’t try hard enough while creating Here, but the well-intentioned project doesn’t work.  Songs like ”Blended Family” resemble public service announcements.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)

Album Review: Leon Russell- Life Journey

A handful of late-career documents by great artists including Charlie Rich's Pictures and Paintings, Solomon Burke's Don't Give Up On Me, Chet Baker's Let's Get Lost and Johnny Cash's American Recordings are among my favorite albums.  Leon Russell seems to have had those recordings on his mind during the sessions for his new Life Journey.  There's no thrill of the new in hearing Russell groan through "Georgia," "That Lucky Old Sun" and "I Got It Bad and That Ain't Good," but the tracks seem definitive.  Life Journey is the Russell album that is likely to stay in my rotation for the remainder of my life.

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Welcome to the roots edition of There Stands the Glass.  It's against my instincts to segregate genres, but I feel as if I've been neglecting folk, blues and country at this site.  It's time to make amends.

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The Kansas City Star published a nice remembrance of the late accordionist Don Lipovac.

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Rodney Crowell is in top form on Tarpaper Sky.  RIYL: Townes Van Zandt, giants among us, Johnny Cash.

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The highlight of Carlene Carter's decent Carter Girl is a duet with Willie Nelson on "Troublesome Waters."  The album is RIYL: Patty Loveless, the way things used to be, Rodney Crowell.

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It's shocking to hear Eli Paperboy Reed mimicking the pop sound of Bruno Mars on Nights Like This.  I can't decide if it's the most disappointing album of the year or a daring change of direction.  RIYL: Justin Timberlake, bad advice, Jersey Boys.

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Robert Cray's In My Soul is exceptionally solid.  RIYL: Junior Parker, consistency, Lowell Fulson.

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9 Dead Alive, the album by Rodrigo y Gabriela, is extraordinarily quiet.  RIYL: the late Paco de Lucia, NPR, Andres Segovia.

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The sound quality of Chuck E. Weiss' Red Beans & Weiss is atrocious.  And that's just one reason to love it.  RIYL: Hollywood Fats, real deal hipsters, Jimmy Reed.

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Bobby Rush's Decisions is a mixed bag.  Here's a high-quality video for "Another Murder in New Orleans".

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The title of Keb' Mo's Bluesamericana says it all.  RIYL: pandering, James Taylor, pablum.

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The Asylum Street Spankers are just as delightful as ever on The Last Laugh.  RIYL: hootenannies, 8 1/2 Souvenirs, the old Austin.

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Blues man Gary Clark Jr.'s Blak and Blu features contributions from Bilal, Big K.R.I.T., Robert Glasper and Talib Kweli.

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Jeff Black's Folklore is a fine collection of honest songs about subjects that are often extremely difficult.  RIYL: Guy Clark, sincerity, Greg Brown.

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Country star Dierks Bentley splits the difference between bluegrass and pap on Riser.

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Kansas City Click: My official picks are published here.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)