Album Review: Jill Scott- Woman

My world changed when I picked up a Japanese compilation of Stax singles that introduced me to the likes of William Bell, the Bar-Kays, the Dramatics and Frederick Knight in the early 1980s. I don’t know how or when Jill Scott came to love those same songs, but it’s clear that she also knows them inside and out.  Woman is a vibrant tribute to the classic sound of Stax Records.  The video for “You Don’t Know” will persuade skeptics.


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I didn’t expect my  review of Van Halen’s concert last week to instigate a classic rock rebellion.  The show struck me as unequivocally terrible.  It ranks among performances by Guy, Rick Ross and Soundgarden as one of the worst efforts by a major act I’ve witnessed in recent years.  The outraged reactions to my observations compelled The Kansas City Star to issue a disclaimer.

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I also reviewed a concert by Graham Nash.

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An item about Be/Non is my latest contribution to KCUR’s Local Listen series.

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The Popper’s ”I’m KC” may be cheesy, but it’s my song of the summer.

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Kutt Calhoun’s EP Kuttin Loose doesn’t contain any surprises.  RIYL: early Tech N9ne, rap beefs, gangsta sh*t.

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Howard Rumsey has died.  Here’s Marc Myers’ remembrance.

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David Banner’s “My Uzi” might be the best song of 2015.  It’s not about what you think it’s about.

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Torche’s Restarter is likely to be my favorite rock album of 2015.  RIYL: Nothing, sludge, Electric Wizard.

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Blue Dialect, a collaboration between bassist Mario Pavone, pianist Matt Mitchell and drummer Tyshawn Sorey, is astounding.  RIYL: Anthony Braxton, out, Myra Melford.

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Ashley Monroe’s The Blade is a mess.  Only three or four of the tracks on the scattershot album are on point.  RIYL: uncertainty, Sturgill Simpson, indecision.

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There’s nothing wrong with Richard Thompson’s Still, but I don’t intend to give the relatively unremarkable new album a second hearing.  I’ll count on There Stands the Glass readers to point out any hidden gems beyond the novelty goof “Guitar Heroes.”

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)

Selena Gomez!

I stood behind a couple of bros during a portion of Limp Bizkit's concert Sunday at the Granada.  (Here's my review.)  Not only did they know every word to every song, the ecstatic dudes appeared to associate specific memories from high school with hits like "My Way."  Limp Bizkit was obviously their favorite band- then, now and always. 

I envy that sort of single-minded dedication.  My love of most everything makes obsessing on just one thing impossible.

That's why I was delighted when I encountered the handiwork of a kid in my neighborhood.  I can't remember the last time I scrawled a musician's name on a driveway in pink chalk.


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Mac Lethal is an author.

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Making Movies made a video for "Cuna De Vida".

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"The Loon" is a new name-your-own-price track by The Jinxed.  RIYL: Ben Folds Five, Pablo Cruise, Ha Ha Tonka.

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I'm digging Made To Break's Provoke.  RIYL:  Ken Vandermark, Matthew Shipp, skronk. 

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Maybe I'm not taking the right drugs, but I'm not hearing what everybody else is hearing in Daft Punk's Random Access Memories.  While I enjoy the acclaimed album, it's just an homage to the dance music of 1976.

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Remember Urge Overkill?  The band's free concert at a suburban shopping mall last weekend was superb.

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The week's new releases of the most interest to me come from David Binney, Camera Obscura, Future Bible Heroes, the Giovanni Guidi Trio, Megadeth, Luis Perdomo, Queens of the Stone Age, Quercus (June Tabor, Iain Ballamy and Huw Warren) and Third Reel.  I'll get to those albums after I tire of my sordid little fling with Gretchen Wilson's new album of cover songs.

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Kansas City Click: The XX appear at the Uptown Theater on Tuesday.

The Bryant Carter Band perform before The Royals' game on Wednesday.

Richard Thompson may perform the bleakest song ever written at the Folly Theater on Thursday.

Cowboy Indian Bear headline the free Crossroads Block Party on Friday.

(Original images by There Stands the Glass.)

Review: Phil Neal & the Wornalls- Lonely Tonight

Every eighteen months or so I find myself digging through my music vault in search of albums by the Records, Bram Tchaikovsky and Brinsley Schwartz.  There's a certain nostalgic itch that can only be scratched by the power pop and pub rock of another era.  Given everything that's transpired in the past three decades, it's impossible for today's musicians to match that gloriously naive sound.

Or is it?  Lonely Tonight, the latest release by Kansas City's Phil Neal & the Wornalls, is a pitch-perfect throwback to that era.  Its eight songs are untouched by time. 

Neal comes by the sound honestly.  He led the power pop movement in Kansas City thirty years ago.  The videos for his minor hit "Standard Question" and "2 Time Loser" are essential artifacts of Kansas City music history.    

While dealing with more mature themes, Neal remains true to those roots.  Sure, Lonely Tonight has a few pitch problems, but that's precisely why it works.   The complete lack of affectation and a steadfast commitment to old-school production values are charming.  Lonely Tonight doesn't contain an ounce of pretension.

The next time I get a hankering to binge on power pop and pub rock I may just reach for the delightfully anachronistic Lonely Tonight.  Better still, I may head to a live performance.  The band plays an unplugged show at Nica's 320 on February 16. 


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My previews for ten of the acts at the Middle of the Map festival are published here.

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The advance word on Richard Thompson's new album was that he was taking a different musical approach.  Lies!  Electric sounds exactly like at least a half dozen other Thompson albums.  And that's great news for his cult dedicated fans.  I'm not really feeling this sound right now, but "Another Small Thing In Her Favor" hits me where it hurts.

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Mod revival, anyone?  Check out Paradise's "Humans and Stars".

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Lightning Swords of Death!

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May the jazz gods strike me down- Danilo Perez's contributions are my favorite component of Wayne Shorter's fine new Without a Net album.

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I'm a little late to the Sinkane party.  RIYL: Diplo, Ali Farka Toure, the future.

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I'm not feeling the lead electric guitarist on this otherwise exquisite video of Fatoumata Diawara's performance at Globalfest. 

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Cult of Luna's Vertikal is my favorite metal album of 2013 so far.  Here's the representative "Mute Departure".

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I honestly don't know if I'm man enough to book passage on the Kid Rock Cruise.

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Prediction #1- The new album The Electric Word will make 2013 a breakout year for the Relatives. RIYL: the Holmes Brothers, Lee Fields, Jesus.

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Meaningless prediction #2- The dude behind Night Beds is going to be a star.  RIYL: Fleet Foxes, wimp-folk, beauty.

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Kansas City Click: My official picks are published here.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)