Concert Review: Kraftwerk at the Sony Centre in Toronto

A potentially stodgy concert by a quartet of immobile men with an average age of 57 was transformed into a visually exhilarating experience by lavish 3D effects in Toronto on Saturday.

I laughed hysterically as I was repeatedly slapped in the face by virtual flying objects including letters and spaceships during Kraftwerk's performance at the Sony Centre.  The members of the groundbreaking band stood behind podiums as stunning images hovered and flew over the capacity audience of 3,200. 

The concert had been sold out for weeks, but I pulled the trigger when the best seats in the house were released a few hours before the show.  Situated in the center about 15 rows back, I reveled in the perfect sound reproduction and outlandish display. 

I'm not a Kraftwerk fanatic but I reckoned that Saturday's performance was probably the only chance I'd ever have to see the innovators.  The impulsive gamble paid off.  Not only was it the second most visually stimulating concert I've seen (Kanye West's Yeezus tour may never be topped), the show has caused me to begin rethinking my relationship with all electronic music.

The Toronto Star and Exclaim offer proper reviews of the concert.


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Adam Faucett is an Arkansas-based singer-songwriter.  His astonishing new album Blind Water Finds Blind Water is RIYL: Jason Isbell, Winter's Bone, Steve Earle.

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The Men's Tomorrow's Hits is a hoot.  RIYL: Alex Chilton, scuzz, the Flamin' Groovies.

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Excerpts from a new ECM release by Benedicte Maurseth and Åsne Valland Nordli are beautiful.  RIYL: Márta Sebestyén, Game of Thrones, Anonymous 4.

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Linda Thompson is featured in a lovely episode of "What's In My Bag?"

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Kansas City Click: My official picks are published here.

(Original image by a sidekick of There Stands the Glass.)

Concert Review: The Mosh Lives Tour at Aftershock

As I stood in line outside the men's room at Aftershock on Saturday, I witnessed a group of strangers bonding over their military service.  Enlisted men with close-cropped hair swapped literal and figurative war stories with shaggy veterans.  The encounter made me proud to be a metal fan. 

I paid $20 to bang my head and push and shove the other members of the capacity audience of 450.  Emmure headlined a six-band bill that also featured Volumes, Thy Art Is Murder, Gideon, Sworn In and On The Shoulders Of Giants.

Thy Art is Murder, a gnarly Australian band, gave my favorite performance.  Violent songs like "Reign of Darkness" and "The Purest Strain of Hate" almost incited a jubilant riot.  There are worse ways to die than getting trampled in a mosh pit in Merriam, Kansas. 

Tuscaloosa's Gideon was almost as riveting.  Hearing the sweaty dudes in the mosh pit shout along to every hardcore outburst without breaking stride impressed me. 

Volumes, the Los Angeles-based band I had been most excited about seeing, was enormously disappointing.  I was surprised to find that the two vocalists were bros.  I can live with that, but their total frat move antics and the band's thin sound were unacceptable.

When you're sandwiched between Thy Art Is Murder and Emmure, that weak sh*t just doesn't cut it.  After all, "The Key To Keeping the Show Fresh Is… I'm Dead".


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My notes on Regina Carter's performance Sunday at Helzberg Hall are at Plastic Sax.

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Approach's 2013 album Make-Out With Violence is temporarily available as a free download.

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Mac Lethal meets Ellen.

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Gwar's Dave Brockie has died.

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Only Madlib's imaginative production makes Piñata, the bafflingly acclaimed album by Freddie Gibbs, bearable.  Not a fan.  RIYL: Shoutouts to TechN9ne, Jay Rock, Earl Sweatshirt cameos.

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"We Made It", a new track by Jay Z and Jay Electronica, is tone-deaf. 

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My Hank Williams collection was complete- until now.  The Garden Spot Programs, 1950 will be released in May.

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Kansas City Click: My official picks are published here.

(Original expert photography by There Stands the Glass.)

Album Review: Drive-By Truckers- English Oceans

The heart regularly betrays the mind.

My intellect informs me that the precious time I spend repeatedly playing the tenth studio album by Drive-By Truckers would be better applied to a rigorous study of the latest effort by Vijay Iyer, investigating another reissue of African psychedelia or attending more performances by groundbreaking bands like Marijuana Deathsquads.  Alternative country, after all, is totally played out.

Not so fast. 

Many of English Oceans' smart, funny and sad songs speak directly to my experiences.  So what if ""Til He's Dead Or Rises" is a slavish imitation of Sticky Fingers-era Stones?  The album opener "Sh*t Shots Count" is the sort of Replacements-esque rocker that I thought I got out of my system in the 1990s.  Yet it moves me.  And "Primer Coat" is easily my favorite song of 2014.

English Oceans may not be a great album.  Hell, it may not even be a good album.  But I love it all the same.


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XV released two March Madness mix tapes.  RIYL: Wichita, Kid Cudi, wondering why XV isn't a star yet.

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Outsides covered Of Montreal to help promote the forthcoming Middle of the Map festival.

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Here's recent footage of a Turkish-inspired ensemble led by Beau Bledsoe.

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Indyground created a video for Farout's "Billy Hoyle."

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The War On Drugs' Lost In the Dream is the best album Dire Straits never made.  RIYL: Twin Shadow, long jams, Nils Lofgren.

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During one of the first warm days of the year, I spaced out while staring at drifting clouds for 30 minutes.  Beck's Morning Phase gives me the same sort of passive floating sensation.  RIYL: David Crosby, clouds, Autumn Defense.

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I'm down with the Pretty Reckless' Going To Hell.  RIYL: The Runaways, partying, Alice In Chains.

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An unassuming performance by Lowell Levinger, a founding member of the Youngbloods, delighted me at last month's Folk Alliance Conference.  His new album Down to the Roots features guest appearances by Ry Cooder and David Grisman.  RIYL: John Sebastian, authentic hippies, Mississippi John Hurt.

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Saxophonist Javon Jackson has the good sense to cover Stevie Wonder and Donny Hathaway on his new live album Expressions.  RIYL: Orrin Evans, jazz for the people, Stanley Turrentine.

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The Strypes' Snapshot is cute.  RIYL: Rockpile, good times and great oldies , the first Rolling Stones album.

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Imed Alibi is a Tunisian percussionist.  His new album Safar is RIYL: the future, Anouar Brahem, film scores.

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I already own original vinyl copies of a few of the Record Store Day 2014 special releases.  Make me an offer.

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Kansas City Click: My official picks are published here.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)

Concert Review: Marijuana Deathsquads and Lizzo at the RecordBar

I want to join Marijuana Deathsquads.  The noise collective's thrilling performance Monday night at the RecordBar  gave me a sensation I haven't felt in years- I longed to make music with the musicians on stage.

Marijuana Deathsquads' presentation looked more like an industrious meth lab than a performance.  As two drummers kicked up dust, four guys hunched over laptops, mixers and other gadgets.  It was a bit like this, only darker, dirtier and much louder. 

There were only about 50 people in the RecordBar when Marijuana Deathsquads began its assault.  The room cleared quickly.  About 15 fans had the fortitude to withstand the band's overwhelming "Ewok Sadness", a sound which is somewhat akin to a mashup of Ministry and Schoolly D. 

It's back to the lab for me. 

An opening set by Lizzo- loaded with bangers like "Batches & Cookies" and "Faded"- was charming. 


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I reviewed Ladysmith Black Mambazo at Liberty Hall on Thursday and Gordon Lightfoot at the Uptown Theater on Sunday.

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The Kansas City-based folk musician Beth Scalet has died.

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The lyric video for Josh Berwanger's "Baby Loses Her Mind" is very funny.

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Farout is arguably the best rapper in the Indyground crew.  Billy Hoyle is his new five-song EP.  RIYL: Steddy P., 420, Ces Cru.

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Stooges drummer Ron Asheton has died.

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Road trip?  The lineup of Iowa City's Mission Creek Festival includes There Stands the Glass favorites Philip Glass, Laurie Anderson, Jason Isbell and Dessa.

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The kids are alright.  "Alabama Movies" is a new video from Skating Polly, a band of Okie kids. The children in Austin's Residual Kid channel Nirvana on "Friends".  And the fresh faces of Radkey, the pride of northwest Missouri, continue to pop up everywhere.  The damning anecdote at the 1:20 mark of the Radkey video is damning.  (Residual Kid tip via SS.)

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I hadn't heard of Mickey Guyton until I watched a live stream of her performance at SXSW.  She's going to be a star.  RIYL: Taylor Swift, absurdly adorable people, the Band Perry.

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Joyce Yang's excellent solo piano album Wild Dreams has inspired me to begin studying the work of Paul Hindemith.

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The My Husband's Stupid Record Collection blog is delightful.  (Initial tip via Euclid Records.)

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Eagulls is my new favorite classic rock band.  Eagulls is RIYL: Lords of the New Church, oldies, Joy Division.

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Shahin Novrasli's Bayati is an exceptionally daring piano trio album.  RIYL: Eldar Djangarov, Eastern Europe, ECM.

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I'm not sold on the party vibe of Major Lazer's Apocalypse Soon.

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Real Estate's Atlas is one of the best received releases of 2014.  I call baloney.  It's little more than a Christopher Cross tribute album.

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Kansas City Click: My official picks are published here.

(Original images of Marijuana Deathsquads and Lizzo by There Stands the Glass.)

Album Review: Bohren & der Club of Gore- Piano Nights

I was initially mystified by the fashionable set's interest in Bohren & der Club of Gore.  The German ensemble approaches jazz from a unique angle on the new album Piano Nights.  It took me about 20 minutes to figure out that Bohren & Der Club of Gore wasn't merely a jazz-on-codeine novelty.  Nor is it a somnolent swing parody.  The narcoleptic jazz of Piano Nights is truly brilliant.  Sometimes the cool kids are right.


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The new album by The Kansas City Symphony is titled Miraculous Metamorphoses.

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Here's a very nice performance of "Any Other Way" by the Grisly Hand.

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Marc Myers wrote a history of the song "Kansas City."

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This footage of Sharon Jones interacting with fans at Liberty Hall is great.

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Bummer covered Gary Numan's "Cars" in a promo video for the Middle of the Map festival.

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Here's a video of Claire and the Crowded Stage performing "Spanish Sun."

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Pharrell Wiliams' G I R L is absolutely nuts, and not necessarily in a good way.  RIYL: Hooked on Classics, "Get Lucky", Stars on 45.

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St. Vincent's self-titled album is every bit as good as everyone says it is.

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Inner Fire, the new album by the Souljazz Orchestra, makes me very happy.  RIYL: Mulatu Astatke, spirituality, Fania Records.

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Ledesi's The Truth is a by-the-numbers R&B album.  And I like it.  RIYL: Tamar Braxton, the radio, Marsha Ambrosius. 

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Expectations can be a bear- I'm underwhelmed by my first impression of Ambrose Akinmusire's The Imagined Savior Is Far Easier to Paint.  It's obviously "good," but… RIYL: Miles in '65, "The One," Dave Douglas.

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Kelis' performance Thursday at SXSW was triumphant.  Here's a track from her forthcoming album.

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Kansas City Click: My official picks are published here.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)

Concert Review: Brendan Kinsella at Grant Hall

After playing a rendition of Frederic Rzewiski's thorny "The People United Will Never Be Defeated" that lasted for exactly one hour, Brendan Kinsella returned for an encore at Grant Hall on Monday.

"One more time," he joked.

I laughed along with the rest of the audience of about 50.  Funny thing, though- I would have stuck around for another 60 minutes to hear it again.  Kinsella's piano recital was a test of endurance.  And I won.

Kinsella sold me on Rzewiski's political statement, a work I'd never heard.  He also played an additional set of variations by Bach and Justin Writer.


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I reviewed Wednesday's Kings of Leon and Gary Clark, Jr. concert.

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My thoughts on the first volume of Stanley Crouch's biography of Charlie Parker are published at Plastic Sax.

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Charles Love of the Kansas City band Bloodstone has died.  Our paths crossed several times.  He was an old-school gentleman.  Here's a video montage that focuses on his final years.  And I'm still astounded that Bloodstone starred in the film Train Ride To Hollywood.

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Korn is the headliner of the 2014 edition of Rockfest.

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The latest episode of the KC Cypher series gets off to a rough start.  It doesn't get much better.  KD is the best of a sorry bunch.

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Shy Boys released a video for "And I Am Nervous".

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Former Kansas City resident Steve Cardenas is doing really interesting things as a member of Ben Allison's band.  RIYL: Jim Hall, the new thing, John Abercrombie.

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Teddy Dibble has a lot going on online.  Start here, here or here.   (Tip via There Stands the Glass reader Phil.)

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Phil also turned me on to Harold Ousley's obviously seminal "Uncle Funky" from the 1972 album Sweet Double Hipness.

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Well, this is embarrassing.  I'm smitten by Rick Ross' patently offensive new album Mastermind.  The fact that his relentless boasting, sexism and homophobia don't become tiresome makes me question my self esteem.  "Sanctified" features Big Sean, Kanye West and Betty Wright.

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I feel as if I'm the only fan of contemporary hip-hop who's not down with Schoolboy Q.  At its best, the new album Oxymoron resembles a poor man's version of Kendrick Lamar's good kid, m.A.A.d city.  At its worst, it sounds like an anemic Odd Future spinoff.  Here's "Break the Bank".

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Kris Bowers' Heroes + Misfits is the kind of album I dream about.  RIYL: Esperanza Spalding, the ideal balance of jazz and R&B, José James.

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"You wanna see a dead body?"  I championed Pusha T's "Numbers On the Boards" last year.  I still love the song, but "Nosetalgia", Pusha T's collaboration with Kendrick Lamar, may be the single best track released in 2013.

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Here's a bracing new rendition of Cursive's "A Gentleman Caller".

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Regina Carter's impeccable Southern Comfort is RIYL: Mark O'Connor, NPR bumper music, Bela Fleck.

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Ume realizes its potential on Monuments.  RIYL: Deafheaven, metallic shards, Joy Formidable.

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The way the lineup of the Big Blues Bender festival is listed reveals just how far the fortunes of a few former stars of the genre have fallen.

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I've publicly denounced modern blues in this space, so my endorsement of Damon Fowler's Sounds of Home  may send shock waves through the There Stands the Glass community.  RIYL: Dickey Betts, alcohol, Little Feat.

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Shirazette Tinnin's Humility: Purity of My Soul is a mixed bag for fans of adventurous R&B-inflected jazz.  Her drumming is great, but the occasionally wacky vocals are a deal-breaker.  RIYL: Tia Fuller, the new freshness, Stevie Wonder.

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Holy Out to Lunch!  Matt Bauder's Nightshades is very nice.  RIYL: Eric Dolphy, 1966 rebooted, Joe Henderson.

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Kansas City Click: My official picks are published here.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)

Album Review: Brad Mehldau and Mark Guiliana- Taming the Dragon

In the recollection of a dream that opens Taming the Dragon, a man is characterized as "a cross between Joe Walsh and Dennis Hopper."

In that spirit, I'll suggest that the collaboration between Brad Mehldau and Mark Guiliana is a cross between Herbie Hancock's Head Hunters and Tangerine Dream's Rubycon.

The collage of synths and percussion is less a response to EDM than an homage to the synth pioneers of the 1970s.   Taming the Dragon is a nice companion piece to Daft Punk's Random Access Memories.

Folks in nearby Atchison should note that one noodly track is titled "Elegy for Amelia E."  "The Dreamer" goes nowhere fast but I love the casual funk of "Sassysassed Sassafrass." A live version of "Hungry Ghost" is illuminating.   I understand why many Mehldau devotees are disappointed by the recording, but I like it.   

Taming the Dragon is a decidedly minor album by one of our time's most important musicians.


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I reviewed Thursday's concert by 2 Chainz, Pusha T and August Alsino.  Here's my analysis of Friday's performances by Black Joe Lewis and Pickwick.

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The Missouri Arts Council recently recognized There Stands the Glass and Plastic Sax.

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"Keep Me in the Dark" is the latest video from the Noise FM.

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Paco de Lucia has died.  A lot of people I knew played Friday Night in San Francisco constantly in 1981-82.

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The audio of Leonard Feather's legendary blindfold tests are available as free downloads.  (Incredible tip via Big Steve.)

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The lineup of Moogfest 2014 is amazing.

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I continue to root for Lisa Marie Presley, but the tone of her promotional material is all wrong.

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I'm calling it right now- this is the single worst pop hit of all time.  Watch and listen at your own risk. 

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It turns out that I liked the idea of Neneh Cherry's first proper solo album in 16 years more than the album itself.  Blank Project isn't nearly as good as her 2012 jazz-based album with the Thing.  RIYL: Portishead, feeling underwhelmed, Robyn.

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Amerigo Gazaway created a "conceptual collaboration" between Marvin Gaye and Mos Def.  RIYL:

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Kansas City Click: My official picks are published here.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)