Lucinda Willliams - Car Wheels Deluxe
Car Wheels on a Gravel RoadIts doesnt seem like its been 8 and a half years since Lucinda Williams became the preeminent voice of Alternative Country music with her release Car Wheels on A Gravel Road. The album, which was released 6 years after its predecessor "Sweet Old World" In the years since that wonderful release, Lucinda has dropped many memorable tunes on us but in my opinion, he has not been able to best the album that is Car Wheels.
And now we have a Deluxe Edition reissue of Car Wheels, released recently under the Universal "Deluxe Edition" series. The pack is complete with a second disc that features Ms. Williams doing a live set on WXPN's World Cafe way back in July of 1998, during a singer songwriter festival. The reissue sounds great, but I'm not certain a re-mastering was necessary for a chaturbate album that isn't even a decade old. Even so, I'm sure its an improvement. And the live disc sounds really amazing, and has some choice tunes as well. For the Lucinda completeist, there are also a couple previously unreleased tunes of note, "Down the Big Road Blues" and "Out Of Touch" and also the inclusion of her tune from The Horse Whisperer soundtrack, "Stilll I Long For Your Kiss", though it is an alternate version. And, as is usually the case with this type of release, the packaging is a big upgrade. I grabbed my copy of the original album just to compare and not only does the digipack fold out nicely to house the two discs but the linear notes booklet is 23 pages long, while the original only listed the song lyrics.
Obviously, as with most re-issues and remastered albums, this is mostly for the hardcore fans. But its also nice for those folks that may have been meaning to pick the disc up and now have a great reason to do so.
Robbers on High Street
ENS would like to welcome a new live reviewer to the team. Dave gets to alot more shows than yours truly, so look for some added insight in our live reviews section.
In a group of concert goers, the unavoidable conversation about what you're going to hear often arises on the way to the show. "I hope I hear." or "If I could write the setlist." are two phrases to which I frequently give voice. And, inevitably I always come out either elated that my predictions came true, or slightly disappointed that the band didn't play the main song(s) I wanted to hear. With a fun and enticing show drawing mostly from new material, Robbers on High Street proved me wrong on a chilly Sunday night at Alchemize.
First let me say, that if the new material was any indication, ROHS upcoming sophomore album, Grand Animals, will most definitely NOT be a slump. The songs sounded rich and light, similar to songs on their underrated debut album Tree City, but had a more confident ring to them, with the band not afraid to project their vitality and flavor.
They have often drawn comparisons to Spoon, but where the bands differ is in ROHS playful and exuberant attitude, the sign of a band simply having a whole lot of fun making music. They were able to inject this animation into everything from the haunting harmony vocals on "Married Young" to the downright funky bass line on "The Fatalist" (both of which are on their stellar new EP, The Fatalist and Friends).
Of course, the men didn't forget about crowd pleasers like "Spanish Teeth" and "Japanese Girls", which had everyone tapping their toes. But it was the new material that found a way to please, even without having ever heard it.
Robbers were also in the WOXY Lounge this week.
Music Now Fest Feature Sufjan Stevens
Last year saw the inaugural Music Now Festival here in Cincinnati. Curated by Bryce Dessner, native Cincinnatian and member of indie rock band The National, it was a really amazing little weekend. Bands that played and contributed included Clogs, Bell Orchestre, Glenn Kotche of Wilco and others. It was just the right mix of chamber music and indie to get me going. You can see my full jasminlive review of the inaugural fest here.
This years lineup has just been announced, and it looks like its gonna be another good one. Sufjan Stevens will headline, and play two of the three nights. One night with some string arrangements and the other night with a solo set. His Asthmatic Kitty labelmate My Brightest Diamond will also be playing supporting her debut solo album.
Tickets will be available here in town at Shake It Records, and also on the Music Now site. Festival passes will be 60$, and get you into the whole event. While individual tickets will be sold for 25$, the day of the show only, and only 30 min before the show. So, you gotsta hit up the whole thing, not just Sufjan...
Loney, Dear - Loney, Noir
One of the newest signing to the Subpop Records family is Loney, Dear. The Swedish multi instrumentalist, whos real name is Emil Svanngen is part of the large crowd of Swedes to hit US shores with melodic pop music in hand. Its difficult notLoney, Dear to listen in to the album, titled Loney, Noir, without thinking how cute and really beautiful the music is.
And its not in a contrived way either. The pop songs are just that, and fairly simple in their essence, but they still manage to affect the jasminelive listener in a way that makes things more colorful and light.
The Subpop debut for Loney, Dear is out now. Purchase it here and decide for yourself if he is the Swedish Sufjan Stevens.
Loney, Dear will also be playing lots of US dates this spring, including SXSW.
All of the dates will be opening for Of Montreal. Included is a date here in the Cincinnati area at the Southgate House on March 20th
Wilco Podcast #2. Finally
As a big Wilco fan, I got kinda excited when the band decided to start a podcast in awhile back. But with about 3 months since episode 1 aired I was beginning to think it may not return. Well, it does in fact come back, with a very relaxed sounding John Stirrat at the DJUncle Tupelo controls playing some of his favorite and rare and sometimes rare tunes. Also included is a very rare Uncle Tupelo track, "When You Find Trouble", which John says may be the last song UT recorded together.
The tracklist for the podcast is..
1. Student Loan Stereo - Wilco
2. Diamond Claw - Wilco
3. I am not Willing (Moby Grape cover) - Wilco w/ Brian Henneman
4. Merciful Night - John and Laurie
5. Winter Light - Autumn Defense
6. When You Find Trouble - Uncle Tupelo
7. Painting Box - The Incredible String Band
8. The Banks of the Ohio - The Blue Sky Boys
9. Trust Your Child - Patrizia & Jimmy
Subscribe to the Wilco Podcast using this link.
In other Wilco news, WilcoWorld reports that they will be webcasting Jeff Tweedy's performance from the Paramount Theatre in Charlottesville, Virginia on tomorrow.
Here is a song Jeff recently recorded with Charlie Louvin. The tune, Great Atomic Power, was also a song on the Uncle Tupelo album, March 16, 1992. I also remember hearing Jeff and Jay Farrar play in on KCRW Morning Becomes Eclectic, way back in the early 90s.
The Basement
Im just getting to know The Basement and am absorbing the EP I received of their work this week. A quick background check reveals that this album has been a long time in the making, with constant delays and setbacks, but is finally ready for our ears in its official form.
The four piece from Ireland began to see some interest back in 2003 with their live set and a single they released. It seemed they then dropped out of sight for quite some time only to reappear with this album years later.
The bands name is a Subterranean Homesick Blues Dylan reference of course, and you can also note they probably have a solid Beatles record collection as well. The sound is best described as a bluesy, ragtime vibe with a stiff shot of Irish Whiskey. Its not hard to picture having a few drinks and a sing a long around an old dusty piano to this EP.
The upcoming album was produced by Mike Crossey, who claims some responsibility for the Arctic Monkeys rise to fame. The EP is currently available as a digital only release here in the states and the full length, "Illicit Hugs and Playground Thugs" is due out later in the Spring.