Album Review: Sidewise- Made of Matches

I lost track of the number of paying jobs I've had when the number passed 25.  Maybe the bots at Social Security or the IRS will sort it all out for me someday.  I've disliked a lot of those jobs, but I'm proud of almost all of them. 

Factories, warehouses, upscale office complexes, and yes, record stores, are among my former workplaces.  I've worn steel-toe boots and fancy ties.  The wide range of settings has erased many of my biases. 

That's why I have little patience for people who feel compelled to go out of their way to bash bands like Nickelback.  Not only do I not dislike Nickelback, I sincerely like Puddle of Mudd.  Many of the band's original fans have been my co-workers.  I've also worked alongside guys who consider Rockfest the highlight of their social calendars.

I have nothing but admiration for Sidewise's new album Made of Matches.  Sure, the Kansas City band is simply rearranging pieces of songs by the likes of Saliva, Five Finger Death Punch and Seether, but the recording rings true. 

Sidewise doesn't pretend to be innovative.  And there are times when I simply want to unwind to loud and unchallenging music.  I just spent a couple hours in the heat hacking at poison ivy.  Made of Matches sounds perfect right now.


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My thoughts about Saturday's tribute to the Jazz at Massey Hall concert are posted at Plastic Sax.

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Tim Finn reports that the Beautiful Bodies recently signed to Epitaph Records.

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Cowboy Indian Bear has released the 7-song EP Vandeventer.

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"Fix" is a new track by Reach.

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Teddy Dibble talks about records again.

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Tech N9ne released a video for "Hard".

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Jerry Vale has died.

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Da Cruz's Disco e Progresso is enthralling.  Here's a video for the opening track.  RIYL: Jorge Ben, Brasil, Chic.

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Pigeon John's Encino Man is RIYL: Kid Cudi, wild parties hosted by smart nerds, the B52s.

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The ECM player for Driftwood, guitarist Wolfgang Muthspiel's collaboration with Larry Grenadier and Brian Blade, has my name written all over it.

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Curtis Harding's Soul Power is RIYL: Hanni El Khatib, American music, Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears.

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Holy moly!  Down's Down IV – Part II is excellent.  RIYL: Black Sabbath, sludge, Masters of Reality.

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Marie et Marion, the latest release by Anonymous 4, rubs me the wrong way.  RIYL: incense, Chanticleer, church pews.

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Everyday Robots, the wistful and ramshackle new album by Damon Albarn, is RIYL: Paul Weller, merrie olde England, Thom Yorke.

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Sérgio Dias of Os Mutantes includes an album by the Swingle Singers (!) on his list of influential albums.

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I hadn't missed Dipset.  Here's Cam'ron's comeback song "Dipsh*ts".

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I began prepping for doomsday immediately after watching Die Antwoord's video for "Pitbull".  (Via S.S.)

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)

Album Review: M.I.A.- Matangi

I've been waiting for Matangi for most of my life.  The concept of "The Music of Tomorrow" has always fascinated me.  But now that it's finally arrived in the form of M.I.A.'s fourth album, I find myself a bit nonplussed.  Her vaguely militant "Life During Wartime"-style stance and synthesis of world pop is meant to be experienced communally.  Listening to Matangi on headphones is all wrong.  Songs like "Attention" need to be felt in a nightclub or concert hall.  Until I locate a willing DJ, I'll have NME's video feature on M.I.A. on repeat.


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In spite of the (deservedly) negative tone of my review, I actually enjoyed last night's concert featuring 2 Chainz, Tech N9ne, Juicy J, Tyga, Rocko and Kidd Kidd. 

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I reviewed Karrin Allyson's new Yuletide Hideaway album at Plastic Sax.

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Reach and Reggie B are featured on "Wrong Girl", a track on Marco Polo's star-laden PA2: The Director's Cut album.

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Here's a video for Approach's "Of a 1,000".  RIYL: 785, wordplay, grainy black-and-white film.

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Evalyn Awake's new single "Red" is RIYL: Chevelle, Trivium, Rev Theory.

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Danny Alexander's essay about attending a recent Del Lords concert is excellent.

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Hey, anyone remember Vinx?  The one-time area resident released Love Never Comes Too Late in April.  RIYL: Seal, Oleta Adams, John Legend.

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The video for Bruce Springsteen's "Dream Baby Dream" is nice.  RIYL: slow motion, Suicide, arena rock.

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The Gospel According to Sam, a compilation of homemade 1963 recordings of Mississippi bluesman Sam Langhorn, was released this week.  RIYL: John Hurt, tape hiss, Furry Lewis.

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John Legend's new album Love in the Future is excellent.  RIYL: Stevie Wonder, luxury brands, Donny Hathaway.

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Here's 17 minutes of Gary Burton and Julian Lage performing in the NPR offices. So good.

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Death Grips has released a free new album.  RIYL: end times, dub, Anonymous.

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Hearing the Biggie remix of Lorde's "Royals" sandwiched between Chris Brown and Drake on the radio makes me giddy.

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Phil, a loyal reader of There Stands the Glass, recommends the Blues Unlimited podcast.

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The video for Mick Turner's "The Bird Catcher" is messed up.  RIYL: the actress Karen Black (really!), the Dirty Three, nightmares.

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Kansas City Click: My official picks are published here.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)

Dreams I'll Never See

The disorienting sense that my recent reality is actually an extended waking dream was heightened by my experiences in an odd little town at Lake Erie last week.

Soon after I checked into a 1950s-style motel, I heard a band performing nearby.  A stellar version of "The Weight" sounded as if it was being played by the Avett Brothers.  I quickly made the one-block walk to the biker bar that was hosting the band.  

The musicians- a motley crew of middle-aged rockers in sequins and blue jeans- wasn't much to look at.  And they didn't sound good in close proximity either.  The band launched into a bevy of Lynyrd Skynyrd, Allman Brothers Band and Molly Hatchet covers when I grabbed a seat.  Several bikers played air guitar to "Dreams I'll Never See".  I washed down a sandwich prepared by Chef Mic with a couple beers as I observed the surreal scene.

As I tried to collect myself back at the motel, the band transformed again as it launched into a series of excellent covers of frat-rock songs like "Expressway to Your Heart."  Wake me up when it's over.


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I wrote a fall jazz preview for The Kansas City Star.

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Yet another piano trio!  I reviewed the Paul Shinn Trio's Reason Pure at Plastic Sax.

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Billboard cites the success of Strange Music.

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Reach's Loosies is available as a free download.  RIYL: KRS-One, Gang Starr, Rakim.  (Via Tony's Kansas City.)

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D/Will's Lamb & Lion is also available at Bandcamp.  RIYL: Kanye West, Gil Scott-Heron, A Tribe Called Quest.

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The Numero Group published the track listing of its new Eccentric Soul: The Forte Label compilation.

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Yeah, I watched MTV's VMA show on Sunday.  Pontificating on drummed-up controversies isn't my thing.  The fact that not a single rock or EDM act performed at the event is far more interesting to me than the calculated shenanigans of pop stars.

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Buika shines in a Tiny Desk Concert.

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Dent May's Warm Blanket is RIYL: Destroyer, George Harrison, Randy Newman.

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The Akku Quartet's Stages of Sleep album is RIYL: Tortoise, Pink Floyd, Charles Lloyd.

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The new releases of the most interest to me this week include titles by Avenged Sevenfold, Belle & Sebastian, Big Sean, Black Joe Lewis, Devil Driver, Franz Ferdinand, Robbie Fulks, Goodie Mob, Juicy J, Lorde, Maps for Travelers, Dent May (see above), Pieces of a Dream and Quiet Corral.

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Kansas City Click: My official picks are published here every Wednesday.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)

Album Review- Dalla In Jazz

Allow me to share an anecdote from my last trip to Rome.

The simple continental breakfast provided by a budget hostel was offered in a windowless room near the laundry facility.  The lights were automatically extinguished every time someone exited the room, requiring a guest to get up and manually flip a switch.  The Japanese and African travelers pretended to ignore the inconvenience.  The German and English tourists muttered amongst themselves.  A Californian couldn't restrain herself after the tenth blackout in about twenty minutes.

"F**king Italians," she screamed. 

The Italian experience can prove maddening to outsiders.  It's enchanting and annoying, beautiful and grating, lovely and obnoxious, sublime and confrontational.  That's how I feel when I listen to Dalla In Jazz.

The collection contains smooth jazz, smarmy lounge jazz, adventurous improvisational sounds worthy of Soul Note and ECM, Serge Gainsbourg-style sleaze (that's a good thing) and a couple selections with a Tunisian twist.  It's fair to say that I have no idea what's going on.  I had no prior awareness of Lucio Dalla when I began listening to the tribute album.  I'm only vaguely familiar with a couple of the musicians, but among the interesting aritsts now on my radar are Vinicio Capossela, Gegé Telesforo and the adventurous trumpet/accordion duo of Fabrizio Bosso and Luciano Biondini.

I love Italy.


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I reviewed Rockfest.

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Antennas Up made an amusing video for "Coming On".

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Footage of Reach and an excellent band opening for Talib Kweli features drummer Ryan Lee on keyboards.

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Helker may represent the future of rock and roll.  RIYL: Dio, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest.

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I'm pleased to introduce you to LeCroix Winget.  RIYL: Michelle Shocked, Lightinin' Hopkins, Kimya Dawson.  (Via Beau Bledsoe.)

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Last week I wrote that I was looking forward to hearing Joshua Redman's new album Walking Shadows.  Well, I loathe it.  The strings don't bother me.  The extreme conservatism, however, grates on me.

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The lineup for the 27th annual JazzReggae Fest doesn't include a single jazz artist.  Even so, I approve of any festival that presents both Barrington Levy and Common.

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After I listen to the new album by Red Line Chemistry, I'm going to check out this week's new releases by Anamanaguchi, Jason Boland, Will Calhoun, the Del-Lords, Dillinger Escape Plan, Eve, Juan Luis Guerra, Immolation, Jaga Jazzist, Glenn Jones, Mark Lanegan and Duke Garwood, Christian McBride, Laura Mvula and George Strait.

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Kansas City Click: Hansel und Gretyl appear at the Riot Room on Tuesday.

Scribbling Idiots are part of Wednesday's bill at the RecordBar.

Alan Ferber and Matt Otto perform Thursday at the Westport Coffee House.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)

Album Review: Reach- Live at RecordBar

When Reach insistently repeats the refrain "Hip Hop Is Alive" on his new album Live at RecordBar, he isn't celebrating the latest success of Wale or 2 Chainz.  Reach is a true believer in the original purist ideals of hip hop.  The new release- his fourth full-length album- serves as affirmation of Reach's principles.  Supported by the funk/jam band Mouth, DJ Ataxic and vocalists Schelli Tolliver, Sausha Brooks and Vance Ashworth, the well-recorded collaboration brings out the best in each participant.  Live at RecordBar represents most everything I respect but too rarely encounter in live hip hop performances.


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Gov't Mule was good on Tuesday.  Here's my review.  Diana Krall was great on Wednesday.  Here's my review.

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Jeff Hanneman of Slayer has died.

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Chris Kelly, better known as Mack Daddy of Kriss Kross, has died.

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Sid Selvidge has died.  Listen to "The River" from his 2003 album A Little Bit of Rain if you're in need a good cry.

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The single best live performance I witnessed last week was a rendition of Teri Quinn's "Shanafelt" at the senior recital of Sarrah Cantrell at UMKC's White Recital Hall.

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Betse Ellis performed "Straight to Hell" on KDHX.

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As I watched the attractive, well-heeled and diverse audience of about 10,000 take in Quixotic's sublime Surfaces performance last Sunday at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, it occurred to me that the event was the antithesis of Rockfest.  And in truth, I'm more of a Rockfest kind of guy.

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Les Izmore was a guest on KCUR's Central Standard.  (Not to be a stickler, but the "new" solo album in question was released in 2011.)

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I reviewed Matt Kane's Suit Up! at Plastic Sax earlier this week.

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De La Soul's new "Get Away" is impressive.

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I'm not prepared to endorse The Uncluded, the new partnership between Aesop Rock and Kimya Dawson, but it's entirely possible that I'll come around.  RIYL: parallel universes, primitivism, schizophrenia. 

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Dag- the lineup of Soundset 2013 goes from Atmosphere to Tech N9ne. 

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Two or three of you crusty old bastards highly-valued readers will be glad to hear that Spider John Koerner's new What's Left of Spider John is a lot of fun.  RIYL: Minnesota, Ramblin' Jack Elliott, Mississippi John Hurt. 

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Questlove is quite possibly the best person alive.

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Kansas City Click: My official picks are published here.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)

The 20 Best Kansas City-Related Albums of 2013 (so far)

Much of the Kansas City music community is rightfully engaged in self-congratulatory praise inspired by the notably strong showing of new releases in 2013.  A comment made by Matt of Jeopardy of Contentment at this site last week compelled me to join the chorus.  Here's a list of my twenty favorite Kansas City-related new releases of the past four months.  I created a Spotify playlist that includes all but five of my selections.


1. Mark Lowrey- Tangos For 18th Street (review at Plastic Sax)
2. The Grisly Hand- Country Singles
3. Pat Metheny- The Orchestrion Project
4. Eddie Moore and the Outer Circle- The Freedom of Expression (review at Plastic Sax)
5. Cherokee Rock Rifle- Ta-Li (review at There Stands the Glass)
6. Alaturka- Yalniz (review at Plastic Sax)
7. Dutch Newman- Schorre's Son
8. Cowboy Indian Bear- Live Old, Die Young
9. Reach- Live at the RecordBar (review at There Stands the Glass)
10. Ces Cru- Constant Energy Struggles (review at There Stands the Glass)
11. The Eldar Djangirov Trio- Breakthrough
12. Kutt Calhoun- Black Gold
13. The BD Trio- Live (review at Plastic Sax)
14. Appleseed Cast- Illumination Ritual
15. Heartfelt Anarchy- Heartfelt Anarchy
16. The Matt Kane Trio- Suit Up! (review at Plastic Sax)
17. Beau Bledsoe/Victoria Botero- Un Ramo de Voz
18. The Great Vehicle- The People's Cathedral of Wavelengths
19. Tate Stevens- Tate Stevens
20. Soft Reeds- Blank City


My list is not comprehensive.  I haven't heard a lot of stuff.  And there's plenty of music that simply doesn't appeal to me.  I encourage readers to investigate the sites linked to the right for additional commentary about the music being created in Kansas City.  The Mailbox features several new releases in today's podcast.  And The Mills Record Company Blog has been on fire lately. 

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)