The Sunday Six

Happy Sunday, and hard to believe we’ve made it through another week. To all moms out there, Happy Mother’s Day and hope your families also appreciate you on all other days of the year! Welcome to another mini-excursion that once again will take us to music with different flavors from six different decades. The imaginary music time machine is ready to take off, so hop on board to join the fun!

Weather Report/Birdland

Today, our journey starts in March 1977 with Weather Report. While in general jazz fusion continues to be an acquired taste to me, I’ve come to dig this group co-founded in 1970 by Austrian keyboarder Joe Zawinul, one of the creators of jazz fusion, and saxophone great Wayne Shorter. By the time they released their seventh studio album Heavy Weather, the group also featured fretless bass maestro Jaco Pastorius, as well as Alex Acuña (drums) and Manolo Badrena (percussion). Here’s the neat Birdland, composed by Zawinul as a tribute to the Birdland nightclub in New York City.

Screamin’ Jay Hawkins/I Put a Spell On You

Next, we shall jump back two decades to October 1956 and a single that became the signature song of soul, R&B and rock & roll vocalist Screamin’ Jay Hawkins: I Put a Spell On You, which I first heard by Creedence Clearwater Revival who covered it on their July 1968 eponymous debut album. When Hawkins who co-wrote I Put a Spell On You with Herb Slotkin first released it as a single, it didn’t make the Billboard pop or R&B charts. But over time, it became a cult song, not only because of his unusual vocals, but also his wild live performances that included his emergence from a coffin on stage, wearing a long cape and featuring props like rubber snakes and smoking skull pieces – kind of like an early version of Alice Cooper.

Ozzy Osborne/Crazy Train

While it’s difficult to follow an eccentric performer like Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, I figured Ozzy Osborne could pull it off. In September 1980, the heavy metal singer released his solo debut Blizzard of Ozz after he had been fired from Black Sabbath by guitarist Tony Iommi. Crazy Train, co-written by Osborne, guitarist Randy Rhoads and bassist Bob Daisley, became Osborne’s solo debut and the album’s lead single. While it just made the top 50 in the UK (no. 49), Crazy Train also would turn out to be Osborne’s best-selling single over time. In the U.S., it reached 4X Platinum status (4 million certified sold units) as of September 2020. This is probably as much ear candy as you can get with metal. All aboard! Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! Ay!

Shinyribs/Dark Cloud

Okay, I suppose time for a little breather with Shinyribs. In case that name doesn’t ring a bell, you’re likely not alone. I only came across the Texas band a few months ago. They were initially formed in 2007 as a solo side project of singer and guitarist Kevin Russell who at the time still was a member of alternative country band The Gourds. After that group went on hiatus in 2013, Shinyribs became Russell’s primary focus. Today, the band is an eight-piece who in addition to roots rock incorporates Texas blues, New Orleans R&B funk, horn-driven Memphis soul, big band swing and other genres into what their website calls a sonic melting pot. Dark Cloud is a track from Shinyribs’ most recent album Transit Damage released in July 2023. This is rich stuff I hope you dig it as much as I do!

The Allman Brothers Band/Whipping Post

I trust y’all have heard of The Allman Brothers. The epic Whipping Post, written by co-founder Gregg Allman, takes us back to the group’s eponymous debut album that came out in November 1969. Apart from Gregg (organ, lead vocals), the group still had their short-lived original line-up featuring Gregg’s older brother and bandleader Duane Allman (slide and lead guitar), Dickey Betts (lead guitar), Berry Oakley (bass, backing vocals), as well as Butch Trucks (drums, percussion) and Jai Johanny Johanson (drums, congas). Sadly, the death of Betts last month at age 80 leaves Johanson (79) as the band’s only surviving member.

The La’s/There She Goes

Reaching our sixth stop once again means it’s time to wrap another trip. After jazz fusion, R&B, pop metal, rich roots rock and southern rock-plus, my final proposition is some jangle pop. In October 1990, British band The La’s released what would become their sole and self-titled studio album. It included their best-known song There She Goes, penned by the group’s frontman Lee Mavers. Founded in Liverpool in 1983, they were initially active until 1992, followed by a few reunions, mostly recently in 2011.

Of course, our little music excursion wouldn’t be complete without a Spotify playlist of the above tracks. Hope there’s something you dig and that you’ll be back for more music travel next Sunday. So long!

Sources: Wikipedia; Shinyribs website; YouTube; Spotify

The Black Crowes Bring Happiness to New York City

If there ever was any need for a reminder why good ole rock & roll will never go out of style, New York City’s magnificent Radio City Music Hall was the place to be last Saturday (April 27). That’s where The Black Crowes performed before an enthusiastic crowd as part of their ongoing Happiness Bastards Tour. A few weeks ago, I coincidentally had found out about the show when watching a YouTube clip of Larkin Poe, which listed the storied venue among their upcoming gigs. When I saw they would open for the Crowes, I had to check for a way in. Luckily, I found a verified resale ticket at a reasonable price.

Before getting to The Black Crows, I have to address Larkin Poe. Not only was it thanks to the southern sister act of Rebecca Lovell (guitar, vocals) and Megan Lovell (lap steel, backing vocals) I was there in the first place, but these ladies tore up the stage, even though their setup was way more modest than the Crowes’. These amazing musicians and vocalists were backed by their regular touring bassist Tarka Layman and an African American drummer whose name I didn’t catch. He may have been a sub for Kevin McGowan.

Megan Lovell (left) with her sister Rebecca Lovell

While I started paying attention to Larkin Poe about six years ago and have covered them on previous occasions, for example here and here, I’m not very familiar with the titles of their songs. As best as I can tell, their 30-minute set primarily drew on material from Blood Harmony, their most recent studio album released in November 2022. I believe the songs included Summertime Sunset, Kick the Blues, Georgia Off My Mind and Bad Spell. Additionally, I seemed to recognize Wanted Woman/AC/DC, a track from their September 2017 studio album Peach.

Last but not least, there were two excellent covers: Jessica, a sweet instrumental by the late Dickey Betts, off Brothers and Sisters, the fourth studio album by The Allman Brothers Band from August 1973; and Preachin’ Blues by Delta blues guitarist and singer Son House. Before giving you a little flavor of Larkin Poe’s fire power, I have to say I feel sorry for the boneheads who came late and evidently had no interest in seeing Larkin Poe and/or probably had no clue who they are. I also find it extremely disrespectful to walk in while musicians pour out their hearts and souls on stage. I just wish entertainment venues would ban this dreadful practice! Here’s Jessica and Kick the Blues, Larkin Poe style!

After a short intermission it was time for The Black Crows to land and take the stage; or perhaps I should better say soar. Delivering kickass rock & roll is so much better than fighting with each other. Brothers Chris Robinson (lead vocals) and Rich Robinson (guitar, backing vocals), who form the band’s core, certainly know a thing or two about the latter. Luckily, it appears their volatile relationship is a matter of the past – keeping fingers crossed it’ll stay that way!

After the Crowes concluded their Shake Your Moneymaker Tour in March 2023 to celebrate the 30th anniversary of their popular February 1990 debut album, they continued to be on the road through much of 2023 and into this year before they announced their current Happiness Bastards Tour in January. That 30-plus-date series is in support of their new album of the same name, which came out on March 15. Perhaps not surprisingly, music from their 10th studio album – their first of original music in 15 years – featured prominently in their set. Let’s check out some of the goodies!

After energetically kicking off with Bedside Manners and Rats and Clowns, the first two tracks off the Happiness Bastards album, Chris Robinson cheerfully announced that in addition to new songs they would also play some old motherfuckers. Of course, no good rock & roll show can be without f-words, the more the merrier! I’ll give you Twice As Hard, the fucking opener of the Crowes’ above-mentioned epic debut Shake Your Money Maker. That motherfucker was co-written by the two brothers.

Okay, I shall behave. No more f-words! Here’s Wanting and Waiting, my early favorite from the Crowes’ new album. That m… – nope, I’m not gonna say it! – was also co-written by the Robinson brothers.

I suppose the next song doesn’t need much of an introduction. Penned by Otis Redding, who Chris Robinson noted hailed from Georgia as well, along with Al Bell and Allen Jones, Hard to Handle was first popularized in 1968 by the Stax recording artist. Robinson also acknowledged that song had done much for the Crowes. Indeed. It became their first single to top Billboard’s Mainstream Rock chart. I think it’s fair to say it also still is the group’s signature song. Let’s listen to that motherfucker – opps, I did it again!

Alrighty, one more clip: Remedy, a track from The Black Crowes’ sophomore album The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion, which appeared in May 1992. Another co-write by the Robinson brothers, the song was also released separately as the album’s lead single in April of the same year. It became their third no. 1 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock chart.

After the crowd screamed for more, The Black Crowes obliged with a cover of White Light/White Heat, the title track of the second studio album by The Velvet Underground released in January 1968. The song was written by Lou Reed. Earlier in their set, the Crowes also delivered an energetic rendition of High School Confidential, the title track of the 1958 U.S. crime drama motion picture, co-written by Jerry Lee Lewis and Ron Hargrave, and performed by The Killer. Here’s the full setlist, as documented on Setlist.fm.

Setlist

• Bedside Manners
• Rats and Clowns
• Twice as Hard
• Gone
• Then She Said My Name
• Cross Your Fingers
• Seeing Things
• High School Confidential (Jerry Lee Lewis cover)
• Thorn in My Pride
• Wanting and Waiting
• Hard to Handle (Otis Redding cover)
• She Talks to Angels
• Flesh Wound
• I Ain’t Hiding
• Jealous Again
• Remedy

Encore:
• White Light/White Heat (The Velvet Underground cover)

I thought The Black Crowes delivered a great show. Chris Robinson’s vocals sounded strong, and his brother Rich Robinson was compelling on guitar. At one point, Chris also showcased his impressive harmonica skills. The Robinson brothers were backed by a formidable band featuring Sven Pipien (bass), who previously toured with them from 1997 until 2015; Nico Bereciartua (guitar, backing vocals); Erik Deutsch (keyboards, backing vocals) and Cully Symington (drums, percussion). The line-up also included backing vocalists Mackenzie Adams and Leslie Grant who added a neat soul vibe to the performance.

The Black Crows are flying next to Washington, D.C. (tomorrow, April 30), followed by Charlotte, N.C. (May 1); Bethlehem, Pa. (May 3); Atlantic City, N.J. (May 4); and Philadelphia, Pa. (May 7). The full schedule of the Happiness Bastards Tour is here.

Also, let’s not forget Larkin Poe, who to me were just as compelling as the Crowes. The sister act’s upcoming gigs include Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival, Manchester, Tenn. (Jun 14); Off North Shore – Skokie Music Festival, Skokie, Ill., Jun 21-22; Rock, Ribs & Ridges, Augusta, N.J., Jun 30; and High Sierra Music Festival, Quincy, Calif., Jul 4-7.

I also noticed that in September, Larkin Poe are playing the annual Sea.Hear.Now Festival in Asbury Park, N.J., which is right in my backyard. Unfortunately, tickets are already sold out. Well, it’s a good thing for the organizers. You can check out Larkin Poe’s full schedule here.

Sources: Wikipedia; Setlist.fm; The Black Crowes website; Larkin Poe website; YouTube

The Sunday Six

Happy Sunday and welcome to another installment of imaginary music travel. If you’re a frequent visitor of the blog or are familiar with my music taste otherwise, you know how much I dig great vocals, especially when sung in perfect harmony. So this time, I thought to challenge myself and put together an itinerary of instrumental tracks only. I think I found some good stuff, so stay with me!

Jeff Beck/Declan

Starting us off today is Jeff Beck, who undoubtedly was one of most amazing guitarists of our time with an incredible tone. Apart from music with various groups like The Yardbirds, The Jeff Beck Group and Beck, Bogert & Appice, he released a series of albums under his own name. Sadly, Beck’s nearly 60-year career came to an end in January 2023 when he passed away from bacterial meningitis at age 78. Off his seventh solo album Who Else! from March 1999, here’s the beautiful Declan, a composition by Irish folk musician Dónal Lunny.

The Allman Brothers Band/Jessica

This next track takes us to August 1973 and Brothers and Sisters, the fourth studio album by The Allman Brothers Band. During the recording sessions, co-founder and bassist Berry Oakley who had been struggling with addiction and depression in the wake of Duane Allman’s death weirdly was also killed in a motorcycle accident. The group carried on, bringing in Chuck Leavell and Lamar Williams on piano and bass, respectively, with guitarist Dickey Betts becoming their de facto leader. Betts also composed the bouncy Jessica, a tribute to gypsy jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt, named after Betts’ infant daughter.

Horace Silver Quintet/Señor Blues

Just because we didn’t start today’s trip with jazz doesn’t mean we skip it altogether. This time, I’ve picked a track by pianist, composer and arranger Horace Silver who is especially known for hard bop, a style he helped create in the 1950s. After leaving The Jazz Messengers, who Silver had co-founded with drummer Art Blakey in 1954, he formed his own quintet. One of their early albums, 6 Pieces of Silver, appeared in late 1956. Here’s Señor Blues, a composition by Silver. He was backed by Donald Byrd (trumpet), Hank Mobley (tenor saxophone), Doug Watkins (bass) and Louis Hayes (drums).

Booker T. & the M.G.’s/Time Is Tight

One of the coolest ’60s backing bands I can think of were Booker T. & the M.G.’s. As house band of Memphis soul label Stax, they played on hundreds of recordings by artists like Wilson Pickett, Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, Carla Thomas and Albert King. Starting in the early ’60s, Booker T. & the M.G.’s also released instrumentals under their own name. Their best-known is Green Onions, the title track of their October 1962 debut album. Time Is Tight became another hit single released in February 1969. Credited to all four members – Booker T. Jones (organ), Steve Cropper (guitar), Donald “Duck” Dunn (bass) and Al Jackson Jr. (drums) – the tune was included on the soundtrack album UpTight for the 1968 drama picture of the same title.

Jan Hammer/Crockett’s Theme

Next let’s pay a visit to the ’80s and one of the biggest instrumental hits of the decade I can recall: Crockett’s Theme by Czech-American musician, composer, and record producer Jan Hammer who had gained prominence in the early ’70s as keyboarder of jazz fusion band Mahavishnu Orchestra. Hammer also wrote scores for film and television. The latter included the ’80s U.S. crime drama series Miami Vice, which also became popular in other countries including Germany. Here’s Crockett’s Theme, which was released in 1986 and topped the charts in Belgium and The Netherlands, reached no. 2 in the UK and Ireland, and no. 4 in Germany. By comparison, it peaked at a moderate no. 42 in the U.S. on Billboard’s Adult Contemporary chart.

Peter Frampton/Isn’t It a Pity

For our sixth and final stop we shall head back to the present. In April 2021, Peter Frampton released his most recent all-instrumental album appropriately titled Frampton Forgets the Words. The English-American guitarist turned 74 on Monday. The day before, he was announced as one of the 2024 inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Leading up to it I had read Frampton had really hoped he would make it in. The induction of the man, who with Frampton Comes Alive! delivered one of the most iconic ’70s rock live albums, is well-deserved! Coming back to the above-mentioned album, here’s a beautiful rendition of George Harrison’s Isn’t It a Pity, a great song from his first post-Beatles solo album All Things Must Pass, which came out in November 1970.

Of course, this post wouldn’t be complete without a Spotify playlist of the above tunes. Hope there’s something for you and you’ll be back for more. While I can’t exclude the possibility of future twists, I don’t think you’ll see another all-instrumental installment of The Sunday Six anytime soon!

Sources: Wikipedia; YouTube; Spotify

The Sunday Six

It’s Sunday and hard to believe another week has flown by. On the upside, this means the time has come again to embark on a little imaginary music time travel excursion. As always, the itinerary includes six stops in six different decades with music in different flavors.

Lester Young/I Can’t Get Started

This first pick, which takes us back to 1956, was inspired by fellow blogger and jazz connoisseur Cincinnati Babyhead, aka. CB, who the other reminded me of Lester Young. Nicknamed The President, the tenor saxophonist and occasional clarinetist was active between 1933 and 1959. Young first gained prominence as a member of Count Basie’s orchestra. I Can’t Get Started, initially a 1936 composition by Vernon Duke with lyrics by Ira Gershwin, was included on Young’s 1956 album The President Plays With the Oscar Peterson Trio. This smooth music is perfect to ease us into the trip!

Ramones/Blitzkrieg Bop

Hey! Ho! Let’s go! To April 1976, which saw the eponymous debut album by New York punk rockers Ramones. They had formed two years earlier in the Queens neighborhood of Forest Hills. The band originally featured lead vocalist Jeffrey Hyman (Joey Ramone), guitarist and backing vocalist John Cummings (Johnny Ramone), bassist and backing vocalist Douglas Colvin (Dee Dee Ramone) and drummer Thomas Erdelyi (Tommy Ramone). Blitzkrieg Bop, co-written by Tommy and Dee Dee, was the band’s debut single. This fun music is my kind of punk rock. One, two, three, four!

Gary Moore/Story of the Blues

Time for some blistering electric blues with a nice soul touch by Gary Moore. Prior to releasing his solo debut Back on the Streets in 1978, the Northern Irish guitarist played with Irish bands Skid Row and Thin Lizzy. By the time he released his ninth solo album After Hours in March 1992, Moore had comfortably settled on blues and blues rock, which remained his main musical focus until his untimely death from a heart attack at age 58 in February 2011. Here’s Story of the Blues, a song he wrote.

Gregg Allman/Black Muddy River

Our next stop takes us down south and to the present century. In March 2016, Gregg Allman recorded what would become his final album Southern Blood. Initially, the Allman Brothers co-founder had planned a sequel to his 2011 solo album Low Country Blues with original songs. But Allman who had been diagnosed with liver cancer in 2012 was running short of time, so he worked with his manager Michael Lehman to pick “meaningful” songs to cover. Southern Blood was recorded over just nine days at FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Ala. The album was released in September 2017, four months after his death. Speaking of the Allmans, on Thursday, Dickey Betts passed away from cancer and COPD, leaving drummer Jaimoe (John Lee Johnson) as the former group’s only surviving co-founding member. Here’s Allman’s incredible rendition of the Grateful Dead’s Black Muddy River, co-written by Jerry Garcia and Robert Hunter.

The Hollies/Bus Stop

I always get weirdly emotional when listening to music from Southern Blood, so my next proposition is more upbeat. Enter a catchy ’60s song with sweet harmony vocals: Bus Stop by The Hollies. Initially formed in the late ’50s as duo comprised of Allan Clarke (vocals, guitar) and Graham Nash (vocals, guitar), they became The Hollies in December 1962, together with Vic Steele (lead guitar), Eric Haydock (bass) and Don Rathbone (drums). Bus Stop, released in June 1966 and penned by future 10cc member Graham Gouldman, was one of the group’s biggest hit singles and was also the title track of their fourth U.S. album. The Hollies exist to this day as a touring act and most recently were on the road in the UK last year. Tony Hicks and Bobby Elliott, who played guitar and drums, respectively, on Bus Stop, are part of the current line-up.

Scorpions/Bad Boys Running Wild

And just as this trip is in full swing, we need to wrap up again. Let’s push the pedal to the metal with Scorpions and the great opener of March 1984’s Love at First Sting. The German metal band’s ninth studio album cemented their status as an internationally popular act. With approximately 3.5 million sold units worldwide, Love at First Sting became their second-highest seller after Crazy World (November 1990). Initially were formed in 1965, Scorpiona continue to rock on and are currently on the road. Here’s Bad Boys Running Wild, with music composed by guitarist and co-founder Rudolf Schenker and lyrics written by lead vocalist Klaus Meine and then-drummer Herman Rarebell.

Of course, I wouldn’t leave you without a Spotify playlist of the above track. Hope sometimes tickles your fancy and that you’ll be back for more!

Sources: Wikipedia; YouTube; Spotify

Duane Betts Impresses on First Full-Length Album

Last Friday, Duane Betts released the first full-length studio album under his name. For a music artist who has been active for approximately 25 years, it’s been a long time coming, but the wait turned out to be very worthwhile. Wild & Precious Life puts Betts on the map as a solo artist.

When your father is Dickey Betts, guitarist and co-founder of The Allman Brothers Band, I guess the desire for music is in your genes. Duane recently told American Songwriter that after he had started learning the drums as a 5 or 6-year-old before switching to guitar around the age of 13, he never considered doing anything else but music. Evidently, nobody objected, so he stuck with it.

Credit: Dylan Jon Wade Cox

In 1994 as a 16-year-old, Betts joined the Allmans for a couple of gigs onstage. Four years later, he became a member of roots rock group Backbone69 and recorded their eponymous debut album with them the following year. After the band’s breakup in 2001, Betts co-founded rock group Whitestarr, together with his former Backbone59 bandmate Alex Orbison, the son of Roy Orbison.

In 2005, Betts’ father asked him to join Great Southern, the group Dickey had formed after his contentious departure from the Allmans in 2000. In 2015, Duane Betts became a touring member of folk-rock band Dawes. In April 2018, he released his first solo effort, an EP titled Sketches of American Music. Toward the end of the same year, he formed The Allman Betts Band, together with Devon Allman, a son of Gregg Allman. They released two albums in 2019 and 2020, respectively, and currently appear to be on hiatus.

Noting his EP, Betts explained to American Songwriter he wanted to put out a full-length album but the time needed to be right. He began writing songs for what would become Sketches of American Music during the pandemic in the summer of 2020. More songs followed in the beginning of 2022. In March of the same year, the recording sessions began at Swamp Raga Studio in Jacksonville, Fla., owned by Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks.

To make the album, Betts put together what he calls on his website “his dream team of musicians”: Allman Betts Band members Johnny Stachela (guitar), Berry Duane Oakley (bass) and John Ginty (keyboards), as well as Tyler Greenwell, one of the drummers in Tedeschi Trucks Band. There were also a few guests: Marcus King (guitar), singer-songwriter Nicki Bluhm and Derek Trucks (guitar).

Let’s check out some music! Here’s the magnificent opener Evergreen, which was co-written by Betts and Devon Allman. All it took for me to know I would dig this tune were the first few bars and that beautiful harmony guitar action. The jam-like instrumental part starting at around 2 minutes into the song is really sweet. And just after you could really picture the Allmans playing this song, Betts surprises you with some trumpet at around 3:43 minutes, which according to this Glide Magazine review was played by John Reid.

Waiting On a Song is another tune that grabbed my attention right away. Solely written by Betts, it first appeared on April 19 as the lead single, coinciding with the announcement of the album. An article in Garden & Sun, to which Betts’ website links, calls it “a breezy summer jam with an earworm melody and a guitar solo with more sizzle than steaks searing in a cast-iron skillet” – jeez, I never could have come up with that clever second half of the sentence!

Colors Fade features the aforementioned Nicki Bluhm on harmony vocals. The song was co-written by Betts, Johnny Stachela and Stoll Vaughan. And, yes, there’s more of that beautiful guitar harmony playing and some slide guitar action. Gorgeous tune!

Did I mention Derek Trucks? Check out Stare at the Sun, another single that was released ahead of the album on May 23rd. American Blues Scene reported the title of the song, which Betts co-wrote with Vaughan, came from something Trucks told Betts about his father’s guitar-playing: “He’s a player that’s not afraid to stare directly at the sun.” Apart from the great guitar interaction between Betts and Trucks, I love the keyboards in this tune.

Frankly, I could go on and on here. Another excellent track I included in my latest new music post is Cold Dark World, which features guitarist Marcus King. Let’s end it with an instrumental titled Under the Bali Moon. The track is credited to Betts and drummer Tyler Greenwell.

Wild & Precious Life was recorded to two-inch analog tape during a series of live-in-studio sessions at Swamp Raga Studio. Betts served as executive producer. Bobby Tis handled engineering duties, while mixing was done by seven-time Grammy winner Jim Scott who in addition to Tedeschi Trucks Band previously worked with the likes of Tom Petty, Wilco, The Rolling Stones and Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Summing up the album, Betts stated on his website, “This is a record that guitar players will love, but at its core, it’s really a song record. It’s an album about who I am, where I come from, and what I believe in.” Here’s a Spotify link to the entire opus:

Sources: Wikipedia; Duane Betts website; American Songwriter; Glide Magazine; Garden & Sun; American Blues Scene; YouTube; Spotify

Best of What’s New

It’s Saturday morning, at least in my neck of the woods, and I hope your weekend is off to a great start. This is also the time when I take a fresh look at newly released music. All featured tunes are included on albums and one EP, which came out yesterday (July 14).

Alaska Reid/French Fries

Alaska Reid (born Sophia Alaska Reid) is a singer-songwriter from Montana, who has been active since 2015. AllMusic describes her music as moody indie pop, blending “classic alternative influences with a contemporary sensibility.” At age 14, Reid started writing music and gigging at Sunset Strip venues in Los Angeles where she spent her high school years. Later in her teenage years, she formed and fronted the band Alyeska, who released their debut EP Crush in April 2017. In December 202o, Reid came with her solo debut album Big Bunny. From her sophomore release Disenchanter, here’s French Fries, co-written by Reid and Max Hershenow.

Blondes/Does It Rain On You?

Blondes are an indie pop-rock band from Liverpool, England I first featured in a November 2021 Best of What’s New installment. They were formed by freshmen at Nottingham University in late 2017. In 2020, they released their debut single Coming of Age, which went viral on TikTok. This led to a deal with C3 Records, which issued their debut EP Out In the Neighborhood in November 2021. Blondes are now out with their second EP, In Separation. One of the tracks is called Does It Rain On You? Pretty bouncy and catchy tune!

Duane Betts/Cold Dark World (feat. Marcus King)

Guitarist and singer-songwriter Duane Betts first entered my radar screen in September 2020 in connection with Bless Your Heart, the sophomore album by The Allman Betts Band, a group he co-founded in November 2018 with Devon Allman, a son of Gregg Allman. The son of Dickey Betts who like Gregg was an original member of The Allman Brothers Band, has now released his full-length debut solo album Wild & Precious Life. According to his website, it was recorded live-in-studio at Swamp Raga Studio in Jacksonville, Fla. owned by Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks. Here’s the sweet Cold Dark World featuring blues-rock guitar ace Marcus King. While I previously read Betts doesn’t want to be a copy of the Allmans, he also isn’t denying their influence, which I think can clearly be heard in this tune. In my book, this is by no means a bad thing!

Temple of Angels/Lost in Darkness

My last pick in this new music revue are Temple of Angels. According to their Bandcamp page, they were formed in Austin, Texas in 2017. Their founders Avery Burton (guitar, vocals), Patrick Todd (drums, vocals) and Cole Tucker (guitar) had all played in various hardcore and punk bands around town for years, but were keen to explore the dreamier, moodier music they enjoyed as well. After recording a few demos, they recruited Bre Morell (vocals) as their lead vocalist. Following an eponymous 2017 EP, the 2018 EP Foiled and a couple of singles, they have now released their first full-length album Endless Pursuit. Let’s check out Lost in Darkness. I dig their dreamy sound!

Of course, this post wouldn’t be complete without a Spotify playlist.

Sources: Wikipedia; AllMusic; Duane Betts website; Temple of Angels Bandcamp page; YouTube; Spotify

Catching Up: Devon Allman & Donavon Frankenreiter and Amanda Shires & Bobbie Nelson

Happy Monday and once again, it’s time to catch on new music that didn’t make my most recent regular weekly feature. Today, I’m thrilled to present what I feel are two true gems! Both are collaborations and appeared on Friday, June 23.

Devon Allman & Donavon Frankenreiter – Rollers

My first pick is Rollers, a new EP by Devon Allman and Donavon Frankenreiter. American guitarist, vocalist, keyboardist, songwriter and record producer Devon Allman, who I previously featured here and here, has been active for more than 20 years. And, to address the big elephant in the room, yes, he’s related to a famous Allman: Devon is the son of Gregg Allman and his first wife Shelley Kay Jefts. After they divorced in 1972 when Devon was still an infant, he grew up with his mom. Fortunately, Devon reconnected and bonded with Gregg as a teenager and occasionally appeared as a guest musician for his dad and The Allman Brothers Band.

But while Devon acknowledges The Allman Brothers and his dad as being among his musical heroes, he has charted his own course. He founded/co-founded various blues rock, southern rock and Americana-oriented bands, including Honeytribe, Royal Southern Brotherhood and The Allman Betts Band featuring songwriter and guitarist Duane Betts, son of guitarist and Allman co-founding member Dickey Betts. Between these different bands and his solo efforts, Devon Allman has released 11 albums to date.

Donavon Frankenreiter has had an impressive career as well. He started out as a professional surfer before getting into music. After recording two albums with his jam band Sunchild in the ’90s, he launched a solo career starting with a self-titled album in May 2004. To date, he has released five additional studio and two compilation albums.

This finally brings me to the collaborative EP Rollers. Here’s the cool country-flavored opener Calling All You Riders. This sounds mighty sweet!

Other songs on the six-track EP I’d like to call out are the groovy See It All and the neat blues rocker Where Ya Gonna Run To?. Here’s a Spotify link to the entire EP:

BTW, on August 5, Allman and Frankenreiter will embark on a tour, including 50 shows in 50 U.S. states in less than 50 days. According to their website, if they succeed, they will break the current world record of 50 shows in 50 U.S. states in 50 days. I’m not really sure why anyone would do such gruesome touring in the first place. That said, you can find more info about their ambitious plans on their above website.

Amanda Shires & Bobbie Nelson – Loving You

Amanda Shires is an American singer-songwriter and fiddle player who has released seven solo albums since her 2005 debut Being Brave. Fans of Jason Isbell will likely be aware of Shires who has been married to him since February 2013. She frequently recorded and toured with Isbell’s band The 400 Unit until the birth of her and Isbell’s first child in September 2015. In 2019, she co-founded country music supergroup The Highwomen, together with Brandi Carlile and Maren Morris. Shires continues to collaborate with Isbell and can be heard on his latest album with The 400 Unit, Weathervanes, which I reviewed here.

The late Bobbie Nelson was an American pianist and vocalist, the elder sister of Willie Nelson and a member of his band Willie Nelson and Family. Bobbie started her career in 1953 when she met and subsequently married Bud Fletcher and became a member of Bud Fletcher and the Texans. Notably, Fletcher didn’t have instrumental abilities and, as such, his role was limited to directing the group. The band broke up in 1955 after Bobbie and Bud had divorced. At some point, Nelson began working for the Hammond Organ Company. In 1973, she joined Willie’s band and started touring with them. Bobbie Nelson passed away at age 91 in March 2022. This brings me to Loving You, her final album recorded together with Shires, a covers compilation.

All of the renditions on Loving You are incredibly beautiful, so it’s hard to pick just one. Among my early favorites is Summertime, the timeless classic composed by George Gershwin in 1935 for the opera Porgy and Bess that was first performed in Boston on September 30, 1935, before moving to New York’s Broadway. The lyrics were written by DuBose Heyward, who authored the novel Porgy on which the opera was based, and Ira Gershwin. Here, Bobbie Nelson and Amanda Shires are joined by Willie Nelson. This is just priceless!

As previously noted, I find each track on this album is a gem, so it’s impossible to call out specific tunes. But to give you a sense, check out Always On My Mind, Dream a Little Dream of Me, Loving You and Over the Rainbow. Warning: If you’re prone to becoming emotional over music, which I am, the sheer beauty of these tunes may make you well up.

Here’s a Spotify link to the entire album:

Sources: Wikipedia; Devon Allman & Donavon Frankenreiter website; YouTube; Spotify

The Sunday Six

Are you ready to escape your surroundings for a little while and embark on another imaginary trip into the magical world of music? If yes, you’ve come to the right place; if not, I hope you’ll stick around anyway! It’s amazing what music can do, especially on a rainy weekend like in my neck of the woods of central New Jersey, USA. Without any further ado, let’s start up the music time machine!

Lars Gullin/Fedja

Our first stop leads us back to the year 1956 and some beautiful jazz by Swedish saxophonist Lars Gullin. He started out on the accordion and switched to the clarinet at age 13 before first embracing the alto saxophone. After moving to Stockholm in 1947, Gullin became a professional pianist, aiming to pursue a classical career. But in 1949 an unexpected tenure as the baritone saxophonist in Seymour Österwall’s band changed Gullin’s trajectory yet again, and this time he stuck with jazz. In the early ’50s, he was a member of Arne Domnérus’ septet and also started working with visiting American jazz musicians like James Moody, Zoot Sims, Clifford Brown and Lee Konitz. In 1953, Gullin formed his own short-lived group. In October 1955, he teamed up with Chet Baker for a European tour, which tragically involved the heroin-induced death of the group’s pianist Dick Twardzik. Sadly, Gullin developed his own addiction to narcotics, which eventually took his life in May 1976 at the age of 48. Here’s Fedja, a Gullin composition off his 1956 album Baritone Sax.

Marshall Crenshaw/Cynical Girl

Let’s next set our time machine to April 1982 and a neat artist I’ve started to explore recently, thanks to fellow blogger Rich who pens the great KamerTunesBlog where he featured Marshall Crenshaw and his 1983 sophomore album Field Day the other day. I instantly loved the American singer-songwriter’s catchy power pop and promptly covered Someday, Someway, a tune off his eponymous debut, which appeared in April 1982. It was a close decision between that tune and Cynical Girl, another song from that album I love. According to Wikipedia, the tune is a satire on the “mass culture” Crenshaw disliked, not about a specific girl.

Little Eva/The Loco-Motion

Time to go a little loco with one of my favorite early ’60s tunes: The Loco-Motion by Little Eva. It was one of the many great tunes by songwriting powerhouse Carole King and her husband and lyricist Gerry Goffin, who during the ’60s penned an impressive amount of hits for the likes of The Shirelles, Bobby Vee, The Chiffons, The Drifters, Herman’s Hermits, The Monkees and even The Animals. And, of course, Eva Narcissus Boyd, aka. Little Eva, the babysitter for King and Goffin, who became an overnight sensation with The Loco-Motion. Her debut single, released in June 1962, topped the U.S. pop and R&B charts and hit no. 2 in the UK. Initially, Goffin-King had written the tune for R&B singer Dee Dee Sharp but he turned it down, making Little Eva one of the most famous babysitters in pop history. What a timeless classic!

The Allman Brothers Band/It Ain’t Over Yet

This next pick is a bit out of left field. When you think of The Allman Brothers Band, tunes like Whipping Post, Melissa, Ramblin’ Man and the bouncy instrumental Jessica come to mind. It Ain’t Over Yet? Possibly not so much. I coincidentally came across that track a while ago and dug it from the get-go, so I earmarked for a Sunday Six. Co-written by Doug Crider and by the Brothers’ second keyboarder Johnny Neel, It Ain’t Over Yet became the closer of the group’s ninth studio album Seven Turns, released in July 1990 – their first after their second breakup in 1982. It Ain’t Over Yet, an appropriate title, also appeared separately as the album’s third single. Allen Woody’s slap bass playing gives the tune a bit of a funky vibe. Perhaps more familiar is the neat guitar work by Dickey Betts and Warren Haynes, and of course the vocals by the one and only Gregg Allman. Hope you dig that song as much as I’ve come to!

Alejandro Escovedo/The Crossing

Let’s go back to the current century and set our time machine to September 2018. I don’t recall how I came across that next tune and suspect it may have been served up as a listening suggestion by my streaming music provider. It’s another song that’s been on my list of earmarked tracks for a Sunday Six. Alejandro Escovedo, the son of a Mexican immigrant to Texas and a Texas native and, according to his website, one of 12 children, is an eclectic rock musician and singer-songwriter who has been recording and touring since the late ’70s. He played in various bands, such as punk groups The Nuns and Judy Nylon’s band, as well as country rock formation Rank and File, before releasing his 1992 solo debut Gravity, an alternative country and heartland rock-oriented outing. Fast-forward 26 years and The Crossing, the title cut of his 2018 studio album. You can find more about Escovedo’s story on his aforementioned website. For now, let’s listen to this excellent and haunting tune!

Sly And The Family Stone/Family Affair

And once again, it’s time to wrap up another trip. Our final destination takes us back to November 1971 and There’s a Riot Goin’ On, the fifth studio album by psychedelic funk and soul powerhouse Sly And The Family Stone. Mirroring other African American artists at the time like Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder and Curtis Mayfield, the record marked a departure from the group’s previous more upbeat songs by embracing sentiments like apathy, pessimism and disillusionment. The lead single Family Affair, which like all other tunes was written by frontman Sylvester Stewart (Sly Stone), became the group’s third and final no. 1 hit in the U.S. on both the Billboard Hot 100 and Best Selling Soul Singles (today known as Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs) charts. It also was their most successful international song, charting in Belgium, Germany, The Netherlands and the UK.

As usual, I’m leaving you with a Spotify playlist featuring the above tunes. Hope there’s something you dig!

Sources: Wikipedia; Alejandro Escovedo website; YouTube; Spotify

A Southern Peach Turns 50 And Remains As Tasty As Ever

“Generally, conditioned peaches will last for 3-4 days on the counter, slightly longer in the fridge, and they can be frozen for an extended time,” according to The Peach Truck. Yep, that’s a thing, and it came up when I typed, ‘what is the average shelf life of a Georgia peach?’ into my search engine. Of course, the peach I’m talking about here isn’t edible, though it certainly remains just as sweet as a fully ripe peach as it was when it first appeared today 50 years ago.

Eat a Peach, a double LP part-studio, part-live album, was the fourth record by The Allman Brothers Band, released on February 12, 1972. It came on the heels of At Fillmore East, the group’s commercial breakthrough, and perhaps the best live album ever recorded, at least when it comes to southern rock and blues rock. But while the Fillmore album had turned the Allmans into a commercially viable act, the group faced enormous challenges.

By the time they started work on the new album at Criteria Studios in Miami, much of the band was in the throes of heroin addiction. Their newly found wealth from the commercial success of Fillmore probably was a double-edged sword. In October 1971, band leader Duane Allman and bassist Berry Oakley, along with two of the group’s roadies, checked themselves into a drug rehab clinic in Buffalo, N.Y.

If I interpret the background I read correctly, following the above drug rehab, the Allmans went on a short tour. The day after Duane Allman had returned to Macon, Ga., he was killed in a motorcycle accident at age 24. “We thought about quitting because how could we go on without Duane?” said drummer Butch Trucks, according to Wikipedia citing a 2014 Allmans bio by Alan Paul. “But then we realized: how could we stop?”

In the wake of Duane’s death lead guitarist Dickey Betts essentially stepped into his shoes and took over the group’s leadership. In December 1971, the Allmans returned to Miami’s Criteria Studios to finish the album. Like At Fillmore East, Eat a Peach was produced by music genius Tom Dowd who had also served in that capacity for part of their sophomore album Idlewild South.

Among Dowd’s many prior accomplishments was the production of rock gem Layla that had brought together Eric Clapton and Duane Allman for one of the most memorable collaborations in rock. You can read more about Dowd and an amazing documentary titled Tom Dowd And The Language Of Music here.

BTW, the record’s title came from a quote by Duane who had said, “You can’t help the revolution, because there’s just evolution … Every time I’m in Georgia I eat a peach for peace.” I’d say the time is ripe for some music.

Let’s start with Ain’t Wastin’ Time No More, which opens Side one. The tune was written by Gregg Allman shortly after the death of his brother Duane and was Gregg’s attempt to come to terms with the tragic event. The song also became the album’s lead single in April 1972, backed by Melissa. Betts does a great job on slide guitar. He had big shoes to fill!

Closing out Side one is Melissa, another tune penned by Gregg Allman. In fact, he wrote it in 1967 prior to the formation of the Allmans. “By that time I got so sick of playing other people’s material that I just sat down and said, ‘OK, here we go,” Allman said during a 2006 interview, as captured by Songfacts. “And about 200 songs later – much garbage to take out – I wrote this song called ‘Melissa.’ And I had everything but the title.” The title would come to Gregg one night in a grocery store when he watched a Spanish woman telling her active little girl, Melissa, to stop running away. Melissa was a favorite of Duane’s. It also became the A-side of the record’s second single in August 1972.

I’m skipping all of Side two, which is the first part of Mountain Jam, a track that more appropriately should have been titled marathon jam. I realize this may not exactly endear me to die-hard fans of the Allmans or Grateful Dead, for that matter. While I recognize Mountain Jam features great musicianship, which among others includes an amazing bass solo by Berry Oakley I have to acknowledge as a retired hobby bassist, 19:37 minutes followed by 15:06 minutes on Side four simply is too much of a jam for me.

Instead, I’d like to highlight Trouble No More, the second track on Side three. Like Mountain Jam, it was leftover material from the group’s 1971 Fillmore East performances. Credited to Muddy Waters, he first recorded the upbeat blues in 1955. Wikipedia notes it’s a variation on Someday Baby Blues, a tune Sleepy John Estes had recorded in 1935.

Next up is Blue Sky, written by Dickey Betts about his then-native Canadian girlfriend, Sandy “Bluesky” Wabegijig. Notably, this was the first Allmans song that featured Betts on lead vocals. He also sang lead on Ramblin’ Man, the group’s biggest hit from 1973, a no. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. Blue Sky also was Duane Allman’s final recording with the band. The country-flavored tune features beautiful harmony guitar action and alternating solos by Allman and Betts.

The last song I’d like to call out is the final track of Side three: Little Martha. The lovely acoustic instrumental is the only tune on the record solely credited to Duane Allman (Duane received a co-credit for the aforementioned Mountain Jam). Songfacts notes, Duane wrote it for Dixie Lee Meadows, a girl with whom he was having an affair. “Little Martha” was a nickname Duane called her. According to Scott Freeman’s Midnight Riders: The Story of The Allman Brothers Band, Duane Allman claimed this came to him in a dream in which Jimi Hendrix showed him how to play the song using a sink faucet in a hotel room. Duane woke up and started playing it.

Eat a Peach was both a chart and a commercial success for The Allman Brothers Band. It reached no. 4 in the U.S. on the Billboard 200, becoming their second-highest charting record. Successor Brothers and Sisters, which featured Ramblin’ Man, made it all the way to no. 1. Eat a Peach also did well in Canada where it reached no. 12. In Australia, the album peaked at no. 35.

In December 1995, Eat a Peach reached Platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Together with At Fillmore East and Brothers and Sisters, this makes it one of the group’s three albums with certified sales of at least one million units.

Sources: Wikipedia; The Peach Truck; Songfacts; Discogs; YouTube; Spotify

Planes, Trains and Automobiles – Part II

Here’s part II of a mini series of three posts featuring songs related to planes, trains and automobiles. Each installment includes five tunes in chronological order from oldest to newest. Part I focused on planes. Now it’s on to trains. Hop on board!

In case you didn’t read the previous installment, the idea of the mini series came from the 1987 American comedy picture Planes, Trains and Automobiles. The film is about a marketing executive (Steve Martin) and a sweet but annoying traveling sales guy (John Candy) ending up together as they are trying to get from New York home to Chicago for Thanksgiving. Their plane’s diversion to Wichita due to bad weather in Chicago starts a three-day odyssey and one misadventure after the other, while the two, seemingly incompatible men use different modes of transportation to get to their destination.

Elvis Presley/Mystery Train

Let’s kick of this installment with Mystery Train, written and first recorded by Junior Parker as a rhythm and blues track in 1953. When Elvis Presley decided to cover the song, it was turned into a rockabilly tune featuring him on vocals and rhythm guitar, together with his great trio partners Scotty Moore (guitar) and Bill Black (bass). Produced by Sam Philips at Sun Studios in Memphis, Tenn., Presley’s version was first released in August 1955 as the B-side to I Forgot to Remember to Forget, which became his first charting hit in the U.S., hitting no. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs. This has got to be one of the best rockabilly tunes ever!

The Monkees/Last Train to Clarksville

Last Train to Clarksville is the debut single by The Monkees, which was released in August 1966. While at that time they still were a fake band that didn’t play the instruments on their recordings, which as a musician is something that generally makes me cringe, I just totally love this song. It was co-written by the songwriting duo of Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart, who used their band Candy Store Prophets to record the tune’s instrumental parts. At least there was one member from The Monkees on the recording: Micky Dolenz, who would become the band’s drummer for real, performed the lead vocals. Last Train to Clarksville, a Vietnam War protest song disguised by ambiguous lyrics and a catchy pop rock tune inspired by The Beatles’ Paperback Writer, was also included on The Monkees’ eponymous debut album from October 1966.

The Doobie Brothers/Long Train Runnin’

Long Train Runnin’ has been one of my favorite tunes by The Doobie Brothers since I heard it for the first time many moons ago. As such, it was a must to include in this post. Written by Tom Johnston, the groovy rocker is from the band’s third studio album The Captain and Me that appeared in March 1973. The song was also released separately later that month as the album’s lead single, backed by Without You. Long Train Runnin’ became the first U.S. top 10 hit for the Doobies on the Billboard Hot 100, climbing to no. 8, as it did in Canada. In the U.K., it reached no. 7, marking their highest charting single there.

The Allman Brothers Band/All Night Train

I had not known about this tune by The Allman Brothers Band and wouldn’t have found it without a Google search. All Night Train, co-written by Gregg Allman, Warren Haynes and Chuck Leavell, is included on the band’s 11th studio album Where It All Begins, their second-to-last studio release that appeared in May 1994. The track features some nice guitar action by Haynes and Dickey Betts and, of course, the one and only Gregg Allman on lead vocals and keys. Great late-career tune!

AC/DC/Rock ‘n’ Roll Train

For the final track let’s kick it up. How much? How about kick-ass rock & roll level with AC/DC! Rock ‘n’ Roll Train is the opener to their October 2008 studio release Black Ice. By then, the time periods in-between AC/DC albums had significantly lengthened, especially compared to the ’70s and ’80s. Predecessor Stiff Upper Lip had come out in February 2000. The next release, Rock or Bust, would be another six years away. Obviously, AC/DC has had their share of dramatic setbacks, but last November’s Power Up album proved one shouldn’t count them out yet. There has been some chatter about touring, though I haven’t seen any official announcements. Earlier this month, Brian Johnson joined Foo Fighters at a Global Citizen Vax Live concert in Los Angeles to perform Back in Black. Of course, one song is different from an entire concert, not to speak of an entire tour. Still, I guess it gives AC/DC fans some hope that maybe they’ll get another chance to see the band. Meanwhile, let’s hop on the rock ‘n’ roll train!

Sources: Wikipedia; YouTube