An acquaintance was appalled to learn that I paid the $25 admission charge to Westport Roots Festival on Saturday. I suppose I could have weaseled my way in, but that’s not my style.
I feel like I got my money’s worth even though I was impressed by only two of the nine acts I heard during the four hours I spent at the one-day event.
Luke Bell played in the rain on the patio of the Riot Room. The young honkytonk traditionalist from Wyoming appears to be the genuine article.
Kansas City’s Rex Hobart and the Misery Boys performed on the same stage before the rain hit. I hadn’t seen the country band in years. I hope to catch the sturdy ensemble again in the next couple weeks.
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I reviewed a production of “Million Dollar Quartet.”
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I reviewed Big Sean’s concert at the Midland theater.
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I contributed a Local Listen segment about Cadillac Flambé to KCUR.
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Madisen Ward and the Mama Bear’s Skeleton Crew sounds like a 1965 album on Vanguard Records. RIYL: Richard and Mimi Farina, the Greenwich Village folk scare, Ian & Sylvia.
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Bruce Lundvall has died.
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Marcus Belgrave has died.
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Bob Belden has died.
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Murs throws his backpack under the bus on Have a Nice Life. The new approach doesn’t always work for me. The pop-tinged ”No More Control” is one of the album’s best songs.
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Big Steve, one of There Stands the Glass’ most dedicated readers, asked for my opinion of Shamir’s Ratchet. He came to the right guy. I’m more excited about an upcoming show by The First Ladies of Disco than any other oldies concert this summer. Rather than representing anything new, Ratchet is a loving tribute to the ‘80s sounds of Mantronix, the Weather Girls and Newcleus. So Steve, you’ll appreciate Ratchet if you share the fetish for creaky electronic funk and campy disco that Shamir and I harbor.
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Graham Parker and the Rumour’s Mystery Glue isn’t all that great but at this late date I can’t resist its pub rock charms.
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The Robert Glasper Trio's cover of Jhene Aiko's "The Worst" (my #20 song of 2014) combines two of my favorite things.
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Los Cardencheros de Sapioriz is billed as “the last performing group of an a capella Mexican slave song tradition.” A few modern flourishes at the end of the recording break the magical spell of the group’s Un Amor Pendiente.
(Original image of pedal steel guitarist Nate Hofer’s boots by There Stands the Glass.)
5 comments:
Thanks for the Shamir review. I'll give it a go, but the consequences of me having too much fun will be on your head.
In return I'll recommend the recent Prefuse 73 releases-- the LP Rivington Não Rio and especially the EP Forsyth Gardens. I totally loved One Word Extinguisher way back in 2003, but nothing else he did since got to me like these new releases.
Thanks for the tips.
I disagree with you about the new GP & The Rumour album. From top to bottom I find it a very strong effort. The Rumour is seamless and Graham's aging voice still has the snarl tempered by the wisdom of experience.
And thanks for the tip about Luke Bell. I've decided to convert some You Tube videos to mp3 and then to wav and burn a mix cd of his stuff.
Cheers.
bgo
Btw I really liked the Shamir album. I just like the sound of it. The campy androgyny I'd gotten from the videos I saw wasn't really that much in evidence in the listening experience. I'm a cultural elitist, but 'it's got a good beat and you can dance to it' is still a very positive review.
Oh, you're funny. By the way, a paying gig will prevent me from seeing Martha Wash, Linda Clifford and Evelyn Champagne King at the Pride festival on Saturday.
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