Maxwell- The Lady Suite

It's checkout time.

Where art thou, Maxwell? And what's going on with D'Angelo? Maxwell hasn't issued new material in five years, and D'Angelo last released new material in 2000. Luther's gone, John Legend just doesn't feel right and Anthony Hamilton can't carry the load all by himself. Hurry up, already! Maxwell recalls the mature Marvin and the romantic Prince on this MTV Unplugged disc from 1997.

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I check in with Oleta Adams here and I review Ani DiFranco's Monday night concert here.

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I'm a big fan of the skronk featured at Destination Out. Don't miss a guy from the Bad Plus writing about my favorite Henry Threadgill album.

Varnaline- Little Pills

Flushed.

I listened to Varnaline's Man of Sin when it was released ten years ago. It sailed right over my head. I picked it up again last week and in hindsight it sounds like the perfect intersection of Richard Buckner's gothic Americana and Chris Whitley's white-noise blues. Varnaline mastermind Anders Parker has gone on to critical acclaim, if not commercial success. He has two new releases coming out on Halloween.

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I've seen Chuck Berry perform a handful of times, but he was really good only once. That show started like the others. It was apparent that Chuck planned to phone it in. A funny thing happened after a couple songs. Chuck, startled by his phenomenal pick-up band, stared at the guys in disbelief. He realized they weren't going to let him off easily. Those upstart ringers were Lou Whitney, D. Clinton Thompson and the Morells. Today is Chuck's 80th birthday. This film clip is too much. "Good? He's great!"

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Fabolous is getting the national headlines, but a more serious rap-related incident took place locally this week. The body of a member of this group was discovered outside Lawrence this week.

Duke Ellington- Bakiff

The dance is over.

The Blanton-Webster era of the Duke Ellington band is often cited as the greatest phase of the most accomplished musical artist in 20th century America. Hyperbole? Decide for yourself. This eerie 1941 track spotlighting Ray Nance's fiddle, is full of incredible ideas. This version may be difficult to obtain, but other compilations contain the same brilliant material.

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On the other hand, I might cast my lot with some vintage soul. This Little Milton video is phenomenal.

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Must. Resist. Temptation ...

Freddy Fender, 1937-2006

Farewell, Freddy.

My dad worked a traveling salesman when I was a kid. He would sometimes take me along on his extended sales trips across the country. We were somewhere in southern California during the summer of ‘75 when my pop whipped his sedan across the highway median and pulled into a car dealership that was swarming with a couple thousand people. A used car dealer had hired Freddy Fender to do a show at his lot.

We couldn’t believe our good fortune in catching the man behind the recent hits "Before the Next Teardrop Falls" and "Wasted Days and Wasted Nights." Fender, along with Waylon, Willie and Merle, were about the only current artists we both liked. He refused to listen to my Earth, Wind & Fire and War, and I grew so weary of his John Denver, Bocephus and Linda Ronstadt tapes.

Freddy Fender died Saturday. He was 69. Fender was the third artist I featured when I began There Stands the Glass eleven months ago. Since I have never examined the same artist twice in the 242 posts since then, I’ve selected a gorgeous Fender song from this 1996 release under the Texas Tornados banner to pay tribute to the great man.

West Indian Girl- Dream

The dream is over.

Few stories in contemporary pop music are more intriguing and inspiring than the unexpected artistic renaissance of the Flaming Lips. Bands that follow the Lips down the psychedelic path they've cut are to be commended. West Indian Girl's 2004 release strays just the right distance from Lips territory. This song also reminds me of the underated first post-Gabriel album by Genesis.

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I'm a big fan of the way Houston So Real personalizes today's hip hop and rap scene in Houston. But in this post the dude shares amazing photographs of Daniel Johnston.

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How many of you could list every live music event you've attended? There's no way I could recount more than three-quarters of what I've seen. So I really admire someone who can do this.

The Climax Blues Band- Cubano Chant

The smooth chant is over.

This wispy jam just reeks of 1969. Faux Latin groove, Herbie Mann-style flute and ridiculous stereo effects are on full display. It couldn't be any groovier. The British band went on to enjoy some commercial success in the mid-70s, most notably with the mild funk of "Couldn't Get It Right." That song is begging for the likes of Rob Thomas or Maroon 5 to bring it back to the top of the charts. In the meantime, I'll continue to groove on this pleasant diversion.

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My review of last night's Soul Asylum and New Amsterdams show is here.

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I'm not ashamed to say that I'll buy the final installment of Lemony Snicket's dastardly Series of Unfortunate Events books tomorrow. I may also pick up its musical companion by the Gothic Archies.

Jimmy Forrest- Night Train

The train left the station.

People who write about music, myself included, tend to focus on important, pivotal sounds. Yet musicians can't change history with groundbreaking ideas every night. Live music in particular usually serves as functional entertainment. That's the case here. The muscular organ trio of Shirley Scott, Jimmy Forrest and Randy Marsh simply run through a set on standards on this 1978 set. And that's exactly how it should be.

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I recount a forgotten episode in the history of Tower Records here.

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Endless radio and video play didn't work. Constant media coverage had no impact. It took this homemade video by a few local kids to make me appreciate Coldplay.

Bracket- Warren's Song Pt. 11

Warren went.

I have nothing against Fall Out Boy and similar bands that rule the pop-punk universe. I sing along to the hits just like every other good American boy. It rankles me, though, that a band like Bracket can get lost in the mix. A concept record that lands somewhere between Queen's A Night At the Opera and Weezer's Blue Album, Bracket's Requiem should have been received as such when it was released in January. Maybe Takeover Records could repackage it as a "lost' Cheap Trick album.

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There's good news for fans of grimy bars and late night debauchery in Cowtown. My pal Jason broke the story.

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I don't care who owns YouTube as long as I can continue to watch things like this Bettye LaVette clip at will.

Dillard Hartford Dillard- Bear Creek Hop

The creek dried up.

The Dillards morphed from a family bluegrass band into hippie-oriented pickers during their long time together. They found a palatable balance between these disparate worlds on this 1977 date with John Hartford. The ride between county fairs, the Andy Griffith show, an Elton John tour and Branson has a long strange trip for the Missouri boys.

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I saw The Thermals open for Cursive last night. Their update on the Undertones/Buzzcocks/Ramones sound, as filtered through the K Records philosophy, is unspeakably refreshing. Download the bracing "Pillar of Salt" from their latest album here.

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Buck O'Neil was prone to breaking out in song during his many public appearances. He was a fine baseball player and an even greater man. Along with the rest of Kansas City, I'll miss him terribly.

Ike Turner- Box Top

The box top has been redeemed.

What the Sam Hill is going on here? This primordial stew is so suffused with exploratory energy that one could make a case that the men in the studio of Chicago's Cobra Records 48 years ago were forging the very future of popular music. Throat singing? Feedback? Insane overdubs? Nonsense lyrics? All that and more insanity is jammed into this rock'n'roll source code.

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Here's an excellent music industry sales analysis.

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To combat those dismal sales figures, artists are finding new sources of revenue. I don't begrudge the concept of selling access to artists through auctions like
this. I'm saving my pennies for a chance to bid on breakfast with Beyonce.

Richard Davies- Cantina

The cantina is closed.

If Richard Davies' Telegraph was released today, the music blog community might suffocate in an ecstatic group hug. And rightfully so. It's as if Van Dyke Parks produced the Kinks on the sands of Newport Beach. Cultists admire the Australian for his excellent work with Cardinals and Moles. But this out-of-print 1998 Flydaddy release is even better.

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Juana Molina's Son is one of my favorite releases of 2006. This
EPK enhances my appreciation of Molina's music.

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Fans of the original hardcore Bloodshot honky tonk sound will enjoy this concert by the Gaslights. It's available as a Patchchord podcast.

George S. Clinton- End Credits: Wild Things

The wild dance is over.

Most pople likely remember the 1998 suspense film Wild Things for its memorable sex scene. Adding to the movie's sensuality is a great score by George S. Clinton (not the funk legend). Every musical film noir cliche is seemingly employed on these end credits- ominous bass, sultry sax, propulsive drums, string crescendos and twangy guitar- yet it's highly effective. I can't promise that listening to this music will magically conjure aroused starlets, but it will make you feel like such an encounter is imminent.

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I'm captivated by the charming version of "Up the Junction" on Chris Difford's new album. The MySpace account of the former Squeeze man offers additional recent music.

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The outstanding Soul Sides blog referenced Office Naps in a recent entry. This guy uncovers obscure garage rock, Bollywood, oddball jazz and other rare revelations.

Vince Bell- Poetry, Texas

Buy your own ticket.

I finally saw the documentary about Townes Van Zandt last night. Be Here To Love Me is even better than I'd hoped. I was especially pleased that it was brave enough to dig into the Tomato Records saga. Rather than feature something from Our Mother The Mountain, I'll point my anemic little spotlight on another shamefully neglected Texas songwriter. Like his old running buddy Townes, Vince Bell writes brilliant open-ended songs, although Bell is more musical and slightly less miserable. This deceptively simple ode is from 1999's Texas Plates, but I suggest starting with the terrifying Phoenix. Buy them directly from the man here.

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The big news in Cowtown is that Doris Henson will play their last show Friday night.

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I'd hoped to catch Cory Branan tonight, but it looks like real life is going to get in the way.

Coleman Hawkins- Have You Met Miss Jones?

Miss Jones is not receiving visitors.

This is why I think Coleman Hawkins is jazz's greatest saxophonist. Even after turning the jazz world upside down with his revolutionary pre-war work, Hawkins never stopped looking forward. He incorporates the new vocabulary of the recently deceased Charlie Parker on this 1956 date. And Hawkins' salacious tone when he enters this sappy arrangement suggests that he's done much more than simply meet Miss Jones. His second solo at the ninety-second mark is much tougher. This 1986 compilation doesn't seem to exist anywere but in my own collection, but this disc has the same title and is on the same label, even if the cover art and track selection are slightly different.

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I recommend the brief reviews Steve Wilson has posted at his store's site. Steve may be the only guy in the world who manages to be both more knowledgeable and crankier than me.

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My review of The Stillborn's final concert is here.

Electric Wizard- Barbarian

The barbarian has been slain.

I'm hitting a regional metal show tonight. While two or three of the bands on the bill are compelling, none specialize in my favorite flavor. Slow, heavy stoner metal melts my mind. Electric Wizard's Dopethrone is the ultimate example. It's pure evil. Three of its songs run over ten minutes; "Barbarian" is six minutes and 23 seconds of head-crushing oppression. The band shares more of its sinister sludge at MySpace.

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Viewing the video of Joe Tex lip-synching this this disco classic might be the only possible way to revive yourself after receiving an Electric Wizard beatdown.

Tony Bennett- Lost In the Stars

We're all lost now.

Tony Bennett has received as much ink as Paris Hilton the last couple weeks. The music press is fawning over the 80-year-old's new duets album. A big part of Bennett's charm is his overwhelming sincerity. He smiles as he sings. That's why my favorite Bennett performance is this 1962 reading of Kurt Weill's bitter "Lost In the Stars." Hearing the perpetually cheerful Bennett crack on this existential poem tears me up. Oh, that's some guy named Kenny Burrell on guitar.

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I slobber all over Mardo in this live review.

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I haven't purchased The Flaming Lips' At War With the Mystics because I've been waiting for this forthcoming deluxe version. I love hearing production-oriented bands like Super Furry Animals, Queen and the Lips in 5.1 surround sound.

Roman Numerals- Msr. Control

Out of control.

The Roman Numerals are "the" band in their hometown of Kansas City. They've recently been cover boys for both the Pitch and the Star's weekly entertainment section. As the band puts it, they engage in "creative revisionism." So echoes of Joy Division and the Cure abound, but those bands never sounded quite like this. The Roman Numerals will perform in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Chicago in coming months. "Msr. Control" and "Can We Trust Your Architect" can be downloaded at MySpace. My favorite song on the new album, "The Rule of V," streams there as well. Blue Collar Distro sells it here.

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I'm giddy with anticipation for the new Hold Steady album, Boys and Girls In America. Stereogum posted a link to a podcast in which Craig Finn plays five of his favorite songs from his teenage years. And this site offers a new song. It sounds less like Springsteen and more like Seger. "Night Moves," indeed.

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As much as I enjoyed the big show headlined by Chris Brown three nights ago, I keep thinking about the thousands of teenage girls enthusiastically rapping along to wildly inappropriate songs like this by Juelz Santana and this by Lil Wayne. I also love them, but I'm not an impressionable 15-year-old.

Etta Baker, 1913-2006

Farewell.

Etta Baker's soft, soothing guitar work reminds me the gentle sense of well-being provided by the music of John Hurt and Elizabeth Cotten. Her generous spirit comes through just as loudly as her actual music. She was 93 when she died Saturday. This hymn is from Baker's fine 1991 One-Dime Blues.

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St. Louis blues legend Henry Townsend has also passed. He was 96. I featured Townsend in this space four months ago. I'll repost the MP3.

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I had a great time seeing Chris Brown, Ne-Yo, Lil Wayne and four other acts on Sunday night. My initial post-show impressions are here.

H-Town- Knockin' Da Boots

Playtime is over.

I’ll see Chris Brown and Ne-Yo headline a package show tonight. Also on the bill are Dem Franchize Boyz and Lil’ Wayne. I’m eager to see if the crooners’ performances offer any indication of their prospects as pop superstars. Both young men are currently riding high, but it remains to be seen if they’ll enjoy the career longevity of their heroes Usher, R. Kelly and Michael Jackson. H-Town is an unfortunate example of hopefuls that were almost instantly supplanted by new talent. This slow jam from the Luke Campbell proteges was one of the biggest hits of 1993. Thirteen years later it’s like they never existed.

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My pals Shannon and Matt issue a great new release on their Drama Club record label Tuesday. The Changes are a Chicago indie pop band. I'm especially partial to the gems at "One O'Clock" and "Five O'Clock" on this groovy Ecard.

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Retail music industry veteran Corky has entered the music blogging world with Desolation Row. He's still tweaking a few things, but you won't want to miss his list of the top songs by The Rolling Stones. Hey, where's "Happy"?

Royal Trux- The Sewers of Mars

Down the drain.

It should come as no surprise to those familiar with Neil Hagerty that he came off as a jerk to a journalist in this recent interview. It's part of his madcap charm, I suppose. He and his current band, Howling Hex, are in my town Saturday night. I've only bothered to see the guy perform once, with Royal Trux, in Toronto, and that was probably enough. Even so, the broken-down Stones vibe on this most unlikely major label disc is very compelling. The sleazy "The Sewers of Mars" is a narcotic anthem worthy of Mott the Hoople.

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It turns out that I'm not the only guy who is impressed by Tool's popularity. Zac Sally of Low paid tribute to the band in the Village Voice. My review ran yesterday in the Kansas City Star.

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News just broke on this very disturbing story about covert surveillance at the Lawrence, Kansas, Wakarusa Festival.

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Danny Flores, the voice and the sax behind the Champs immortal "Tequila," died Tuesday. This brief story hints at a fascinating life.