I was surprised to learn that the Ben Miller Band was opening several concerts for ZZ Top. How, I wondered, did the ruffians from Joplin land those enviable gigs? Then I listened to the new album Any Way, Shape or Form. The ensemble is no longer merely a poor man's version of Split Lip Rayfield. Rugged new songs like "The Outsider" are capable of thrilling impatient fans of ZZ Top, Americana obsessives and jaded music bloggers.
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My notes on the opening night of the Kansas City Irish Fest are here.
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I contributed a Local Listen segment about Carswell & Hope to KCUR's Up to Date.
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Here's Ces Cru's video for "Give It To Me".
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A week after I named "Pieces of Me" as the #6 track of the decade, NPR posted Ledisi's excellent live performance of the hit.
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My observations about a 2011 Opeth show in Kansas City indicate that the band's transition from a metal band to a prog ensemble was underway three years ago. The ridiculously overblown new album Pale Communion resembles Emerson Lake & Palmer, Jethro Tull and Kansas. (And yes, I like it.)
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Pallbearer's Foundations of Burden is mighty. RIYL: rolling thunder, High on Fire, haunted houses.
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The audio portion of Dio's recently released Live in London: Hammersmith Apollo 1993 makes me smile. Here's corresponding concert footage.
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Somi's The Lagos Music Salon may be "important," but I just can't get into it. RIYL: Esperanza Spalding, Art with a capital A, Abbey Lincoln.
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I may be the only person who's excited about the impending deluge of resentful recordings by graying rappers. Cormega's Mega Philosophy is RIYL: bitterness, Nas, sour grapes. I'm all about it.
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Spoon's They Want My Soul is first-rate. RIYL: The Cars, craftsmanship, The New Pornographers.
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DJ Mustard's 10 Summers is RIYL: YG, radio playlists, Jeezy. Here's "Down On Me".
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I'd be lying if I suggested that I'd rather hear Steven Drozd and Wayne Coyne talk about Miles Davis than listen to the Electric Würms’ Musik, Die Schwer Zu Twerk, but it's a close call.
(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)
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