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

Yearend Musings Part 1

Happy Saturday and I hope everybody has been enjoying the holiday season. As 2022 is beginning to wind down, it’s time to revisit new music released this year. I decided to do this in two parts. Part 1, which draws on my weekly Best of What’s New feature, looks back at some of the new songs I like. Part 2 focuses on new albums that speak to me. To avoid overlap between the two parts, I won’t feature any tunes in part 1 that are on albums highlighted in part 2.

Following are 12 tunes released this year, one from each month. I’m doing this in chronological order. There’s also a Spotify playlist at the end, which includes all highlighted and some additional 2022 tunes.

John Mayall/Can’t Take No More (feat. Marcus King)

I’d like to kick off this post with the amazing John Mayall, who on November 29 turned 89. On January 28, the Godfather of the British Blues released The Sun is Shining Down, a true late-stage career gem I reviewed here. The soulful blues rocker Can’t Take No More, penned by Mayall, features Marcus King on guitar.

Gregor Barnett/Driving Through the Night

On February 19, Gregor Barnett released his debut solo album Don’t Throw Roses in My Grave during COVID downtime for The Menzingers, the Philadelphia-based punk band he co-founded in 2006. Driving Through the Night was written by Barnett like all other tracks on the Americana rock-focused album, a departure from his more punk-leaning music with The Menzingers.

Young Guv/Couldn’t Leave U If I Tried

Young Guv is a solo project of Toronto-based guitarist and vocalist Ben Cook. After playing in two Canadian hardcore punk bands, Cook launched a solo career in 2015 and has since released five power pop-oriented albums under the Young Guv moniker. I immediately loved the beautiful Byrdsy-sounding Couldn’t Leave U If I Tried, included on Guv III, his fourth album that came out on March 11.

The Linda Lindas/Talking to Myself

When I first came across The Linda Lindas in early March, I was struck by the energy of this Los Angeles-based all-female punk pop and garage band. The four-piece was founded in 2018 when their members were still young teenagers. Talking to Myself is a tune from the group’s first full-length album Growing Up, which appeared on April 8.

49 Winchester/All I Need

Va.-based 49 Winchester describe their music as “tear-in-your-beer alt-country, sticky barroom floor rock-n-roll, and high-octane Appalachian folk.” Formed in the mid-2010’s, the group has put out four albums to date. Lynyrd Skynyrd-flavored country rocker All I Need appears on their most recent Fortune Favors the Bold, released on May 13.

Lettuce/RV Dance

American jazz and funk band Lettuce were formed in Boston in the summer of 1992 when all of their founding members attended Berklee College of Music as teenagers. Initially a short-lived venture for just one summer, the group reunited in 1994 and released their debut in 2002. RV Dance is a groovy track from their latest album Unify, which came out on June 3. As I said at the time, you could picture James Brown singing to this great tune!

Dawes/Ghost in the Machine

Los Angeles-based folk rock band Dawes emerged from Simon Dawes in 2009 after that rock group’s co-songwriter Blake Mills had left. His departure did not only result in a new name but also in a change of music style from post-punk to folk rock. Here’s Ghost in the Machine, a cool tune from the group’s eighth and most recent studio album Misadventure of Doomscroller, out since July 22.

Marcus King/Blood On the Tracks

Guitarist and songwriter Marcus King is one of the most exciting young contemporary artists in my book. The 26-year-old has been on stage since he was 8 when he started performing alongside his family. Here’s the soulful rocker Blood On the Tracks from King’s second solo album Young Blood released on August 26.

Ringo Starr/Free Your Soul (feat. Dave Koz and José Antonio Rodriguez)

“Every band deserves a Ringo.” Unfortunately, I can’t remember where I read that great quote, which perfectly describes Ringo Starr. The ex-Beatles drummer always has been all about the music, never about himself. A perfect illustration is the All-Starr Band, his touring rock supergroup Ringo formed in 1989. Now 82 years young, he’s still rocking – and recording! Free Your Soul is the smooth closer of Starr’s most recent release, an EP titled EP 3 that appeared on September 16.

The Star Crumbles/Desperately Wanting

The Star Crumbles is a cool music project by fellow blogger Marc Schuster from Abnominations and his friend Brian Lambert. After meeting on Twitter and working together on one of Lambert’s songs earlier this year, they hit it off and decided to form The Star Crumbles. Both are into ’80s music and bands like The Cure, Echo & the Bunnymen, New Order and Ultravox, which is noticeable on their first album The Ghost of Dancing Slow released on October 7. Here’s one of my favorites, Desperately Wanting.

Larkin Poe/Southern Comfort

Sister act Larkin Poe have been among my favorite contemporary artists since they entered my radar screen a few years ago. Not only are Rebecca Lovell and her slightly older sister Megan Lovell great songwriters, but they are also really talented musicians and sing together in perfect harmony. Southern Comfort is a sizzling southern blues rocker from their sixth full-length album Blood Harmony, which came out on November 11 and which I reviewed here.

Mthunzi Mvubu/Mom vs the Bad Man

The final pick I’d like to highlight is by South African-based saxophonist, flute player and composer Mthunzi Mvubu. Playing professionally since he was 14, Mvubu has traveled globally with jazz luminaries since he was 18. Mom vs the Bad Man is a track from The 1st Gospel, Mvubu’s debut album as a leader, released on December 2.

Last but not least, here’s the above-mentioned Spotify playlist. While finding new music I sufficiently like can be quite time-consuming, I feel it’s been another rewarding year. Hope there’s something here that speaks to you as well!

Sources: Wikipedia; 49 Winchester website; YouTube; Spotify

Larkin Poe Return With Energetic Blues, Roots and Southern Rock Sound on New Album

Since I came across Larkin Poe a few years ago, I’ve been impressed with their energetic brand of blues, roots and southern rock. Not only are Rebecca Lovell  and her slightly older sister Megan Lovell great songwriters, but they are also really talented musicians and sing together in perfect harmony. All of these qualities once again shine on their new album Blood Harmony, which appeared on Friday, November 11.

Originally hailing from Georgia, the Nashville-based duo has been making music as Larkin Poe since 2010. They started out as teenagers with their eldest sister Jessica Lovell in a bluegrass/Americana formation called The Lovell Sisters, who put out two albums. Blood Harmony, released via their own Tricki-Woo Records, is their sixth studio effort as Larkin Poe. That’s a quite remarkable recording career for the two artists who are in their early 30s.

Rebecca (left) and Megan Lovell

From a May 19 press release announcing the album and its first single: Blood Harmony affirms Larkin Poe as an essential force in shaping the identity of Southern rock ‘n’ roll, breathing new energy into the genre with both forward-thinking perspective and a decidedly feminine strength. In a departure from the self-contained approach of past albums like 2020’s Self Made Man [which I previously reviewed here] Larkin Poe co-produced the new album alongside Texas-bred musician Tyler Bryant (also Rebecca’s husband).

With Megan handling harmony vocals, lap steel, and resonator guitar and Rebecca on guitar and keys, Larkin Poe also enlisted members of their longtime live band, including drummer Kevin McGowan and bassist Tarka Layman. Mainly recorded at Rebecca and Tyler’s home studio, the result is an electrifying new work that fully harnesses the fiery vitality they’ve shown in touring across the globe, imbuing their songs with equal parts soulful sensitivity and thrilling ferocity.

Let’s take a closer look at some songs. Here’s the lead single Bad Spell, credited to the sisters and Bryant. From the above press release: “Ever since I heard ‘I Put a Spell on You’ by Screamin’ Jay Hawkins for the first time I’ve wanted to write a female response to it,” says Rebecca Lovell. “I’d had the title ‘Bad Spell’ in my journal for years, and it was so fun to create a song where the riffs and guitar tones have that singular purpose of nastiness and swagger.” This sounds pretty badass!

Georgia Off My Mind is a tune about chasing one’s dreams and what gets left behind. Co-written by Rebecca Lovell and Bryant, it was released as the album’s second single on August 23. “Like 99 percent of my songs, that song came into being at my kitchen table late in the evening,” Rebecca explained. “My husband and I stumbled into that line at the chorus – ‘Tennessee keep Georgia off my mind’ – and it turned into a love song for the stretch of I-24 that connects Atlanta and Nashville, which is a drive we’ve made thousands of times now.” Cool southern rocker!

Strike Gold, which the two sisters wrote together, is a defiant tune about finding the way on one’s own terms. “After years of being out on the road, this song feels emotionally anthemic,” Rebecca noted. “Shoutout to all the good souls out there who keep showing up for their dreams, even when the goin’ gets tough.” Strike Gold also first appeared as a single on October 5. Another sizzling blues rock tune!

Here’s the title track, co-written by Rebecca Lovell, Bryant and McGowan, which “came together after Megan and our mom and I all read Ruth Ozeki’s A Tale for the Time Being, which is about the ways we perceive the passage of time,” Rebecca said. “There was just something about the sweetness of all three of us reading the same book, and then being able to talk about how it related to our love for each other and our love for music. Of all the songs I’ve ever written, I’m particularly proud of this one.”

Let’s do one more: Might as Well Be Me, another co-write by the sisters. The soulful southern rock ballad sets a welcome contrast to the otherwise mostly uptempo hard-charging album.

Blood Harmony, which based on other reviews I’ve seen, has been received very positively, and rightfully so! If you’re into blues, roots and southern rock, I can highly recommend it. Following is a Spotify link to the album.

The last word shall belong to Megan and Rebecca Lovell, who summed up their fine new work as follows: “When steering by your own stars, you never quite know where you’re going to wind up. Our true north is unique to us, and in following our true north without compromise, we have been out freewheeling this world on the ride of our lives. And it still feels like just the beginning. Blood Harmony is a creative step we are proud to have taken together as sisters. We grew these songs in a sweet part of our hearts and we hope they bring beauty.”

Sources: Wikipedia; Big Hassle press releases; YouTube; Spotify

Best of What’s New

Happy Saturday and welcome to another installment of my weekly new music revue. All picks appear on releases that came out yesterday. Let’s get to them without further ado.

Larkin Poe/Southern Comfort

Great to see a new album by Larkin Poe, the roots and blues rock-focused singer-songwriter sister act of Rebecca Lovell (vocals, guitars, keyboards, drums) and her slightly older sister Megan Lovell (vocals, lap steel, slide guitar, keyboards). Their website describes their music as “gritty, soulful, and flavored by their southern heritage.” I first came across these two young dynamic ladies, who not only are excellent musicians but also great vocalists, in late 2019. They started out as teenagers with their eldest sister Jessica Lovell in a bluegrass/ Americana formation called The Lovell Sisters. After the trio disbanded in January 2010, Rebecca and Megan decided to forge ahead without Jessica and have since been making music as Larkin Poe. Apart from self-producing their own music, the two sisters have a very active YouTube channel that among others includes a cover channel featuring stripped-back renditions of many well-known rock and blues tunes. If you don’t know Larkin Poe, check them out! Their energy and enthusiasm are infectious! Meanwhile, here’s Southern Comfort, penned by Rebecca Lovell, a nice southern blues rock-flavored tune from their sixth full-length album Blood Harmony.

Jack Kays/Finally Fine

Let’s turn to Jack Kays whose music is “hard to pigeonhole,” according to AllMusic, blending “punk and emo with rugged acoustic folk and occasional detours into cloud rap.” Here’s more from their bio of the young artist: After a handful of independent releases, the Ohio native found viral success with his sparse but aggressive acoustic songs, especially “Morbid Mind.” Signing with Columbia Records, Kays released his debut album, Mixed Emotions, in early 2021. My Favorite Nightmares, a collaborative EP with Travis Barker followed later that year. I featured a tune of that EP in a Best of What’s New installment at the time. Kays who struggled with addiction during his teenage years is now out with his latest EP titled Cessation. One of the songs, Finally Fine, begins…from the perspective of an addict and then transitions midway through to the perspective of someone in recovery, a press release explains. There’s something captivating about Kays’ lyrics and stripped-back approach on this and the EP’s other tracks, which drew me in.

Action/Adventure/Levity

Action/Adventure are a pop punk band from Chicago. From their Apple Music profile: Combining the aggressive melodic approach of pop-punk with the punishing guitar attack of metalcore, Action/Adventure are a band from Chicago who’ve earned a powerful reputation on the city’s underground rock scene. They also upend expectations of what a hardcore band should look like: Action/Adventure is composed of five BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) men, and their songs sometimes examine the challenges and contradictions of being part of a dominantly white musical community. They just as often deal with the anger, imaginings, and uncertainty that often fuel hardcore, and they perform with a strong balance of fire and precision. They made an emphatic debut with 2015’s Rumble Pak EP, revealed a greater maturity and ambition on 2018’s Going Heel, and began breaking through to a larger audience with 2021’s Pulling Focus. Action/Adventure include Blake Evaristo (lead vocals), Brompton Jackson (vocals/guitar), Oren Trace (guitar), Manny Avila (bass) and Adrian Brown (drums). Levity, credited to all members, is a tune from their latest album Imposter Syndrome. Metalcore generally isn’t my cup of tea, but Action/Adventure’s pop-flavored type isn’t your usual metalcore.

Franz Nicolay/Wandering Star

Wrapping up this week’s Best of What’s New is a prolific multi-instrumentalist and writer, Franz Nicolay. From his website: In addition to records under his own name, he was a member of cabaret-punk orchestra World/Inferno Friendship Society, “world’s best bar band” the Hold Steady, Balkan-jazz quartet Guignol, co-founded the composer-performer collective Anti-Social Music, was a touring member of agit-punks Against Me!; and recorded (complete discography here) or performed (complete list here) with dozens of other acts. He studied music at New York University and writing at Columbia University (where he was awarded a Felipe P. de Alba Fellowship). He received fellowship residencies in composition at the Rensing Art Center and writing at the Ucross Foundation and the Edward F. Albee Foundation. He has taught at Columbia University and UC-Berkeley, and is currently a faculty member in music and written arts at Bard College. This brings me to New River, Nicolay’s latest solo album, and the opening track Wandering Star. Great tune – check it out! In fact, the entire album looks promising, based on sampling a few of the other tunes.

Last but not least, here’s a Spotify playlist of the above and a few additional tunes by each of the featured artists.

Sources: Wikipedia; Larkin Poe website; AllMusic; Sony Music Canada website; Apple Music; Franz Nicolay website; YouTube; Spotify

If I Could Only Take One

It’s Wednesday and time again for another imaginary trip to a desert island. And that also means I have to pick a song I would take with me by an artist or band I like but haven’t written about or only rarely covered. Thank goodness I don’t have to do this in real life – I’d go nuts with one song only and the other “rules”.

I’m doing this little exercise in alphabetic order and I’m up to “l”. Artists/ bands in my music library, who start with that letter, include Larkin Poe, Cindy Lauper, Led Zeppelin, Little Richard, The Lovin’ Spoonful and Lynyrd Skynyrd, among others. And my pick are Los Lobos and Kiko and the Lavender Moon, a really cool tune I wouldn’t have picked without the above restrictions. Frankly, this was a tough decision for me, since I still don’t know the band from East L.A. very well.

Kiko and the Lavender Moon appeared on the band’s sixth studio album Kiko released in May 1992. The tune was written by co-founding members David Hildago (guitars, accordion, violin, banjo, piano, percussion, vocals) and Louie Pérez (drums, vocals, guitars, percussion). Both remain part of the group’s present line-up. I dig the vibe of this tune, though it’s tricky to characterize. I can hear some retro jazz and a dose of Latin groove. If it doesn’t speak to you the first time, I’d encourage you to give it at least one more listen!

Los Lobos, who blend rock & roll, Tex-Mex, country, zydeco, folk, R&B, blues and soul with traditional Spanish music like cumbia, bolero and norteño, were founded by Hildago and Pérez in East Los Angeles in 1973. When they met in high school, they realized they liked the same artists, such as Fairport Convention, Randy Newman and Ry Cooder. Subsequently, they asked their fellow students Frank Gonzalez (vocals, mandolin, arpa jarocha), Cesar Rosas (vocals, guitar, bajo sexto) and Conrad Lozano (bass, guitarron, vocals) to join them, completing band’s first line-up. Rosas and Lozano are also still around.

In early 1978, the band, then still known as Los Lobos del Este de Los Angeles, self-released their eponymous debut album in Spanish. By the time of sophomore album How Will the Wolf Survive?, their first major-label release from October 1984, the band had shortened their name to Los Lobos and started to write songs in English. In 1987, Los Lobos recorded some covers of Ritchie Valens tunes for the soundtrack of the motion picture La Bamba, including the title track, which became their biggest hit. While it’s a great cover, I deliberately avoided it. Los Lobos are much more than a one-hit wonder! To date, they have released more than 20 albums, including three compilations and four live records. 

Here’s how Kiko and the Lavender Moon and Los Lobos sound in 2022:

Following are some additional insights from Songfacts:

This song is about a magical, albeit lonely character called Kiko, who comes out at night to “dance and dance.” In our interview, Los Lobos’ drummer and songwriter, Louie Pérez, told us he reflected upon his childhood when writing the lyrics: “I took this remembrance of the little house that I grew up in and Mom’s dresser-top altar, and was able to fold that into a song.”

In 1993, Los Lobos performed this on Sesame Street, changing the lyrics to “Elmo and the Lavender Moon.”

Kiko saw Los Lobos adopt a more experimental sound, that mixed blues, rock, folk and psychedelic influences. Perez spoke to us about the spiritual experience that was the making of Kiko, which is his favorite Los Lobos album: “There’s a point when all songwriters fall into this vacuum where it seems so amorphic and almost surreal… all of us were on this crazy trip. It was like a canoe into the fog, all of us were right there paddling away, and knowing we just have to paddle. We don’t know where we’re going, but we just trusted it. And it was amazing.”

Sources: Wikipedia; Songfacts; YouTube; Songfacts

Clips & Pix: Larkin Poe/If I Fell

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I think watching covers performed by sister act Rebecca Lovell and Megan Lovell, aka Larkin Poe, is always fun. Their energy and enthusiasm draw you in. Plus, they’re really talented musicians. Check out how Megan’s lap steel harmonizes with Rebecca’s vocals – really neat!

It also doesn’t hurt these ladies take on a song by The Beatles, my favorite band of all time. Primarily written by John Lennon and credited to him and Paul McCartney, If I Fell was included on both the US and UK versions of the studio album A Hard Day’s Night released in June and July of 1964, respectively. The tune also appeared as a single in both countries: In the US as the B-side to And I Love Her, in the UK as an A-side backed by Tell Me Why.

Sources: Wikipedia; YouTube

The Year that was 2020 – Part 1 of 2

At first, the thought of writing a year in review type post didn’t look very appealing. After all, it’s safe to assume most of us can’t wait to kiss 2020 goodbye and erase it from our memories. This certainly describes my sentiments in many ways. But while the past 12 months brought unprecedented challenges, including for the music business, I think not all was doom and gloom. Initially, this was supposed to be one post. Then, it got longer and longer, so I decided to break it up in two parts. Here’s part 1

The good and the bad…

On the positive side, the music industry recorded rising revenue fueled by streaming. As Music Business Worldwide noted in September, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) reported a 5.6% year-over-over increase in total U.S. recorded music retail revenue to $5.6 billion for the first half of 2020. This included a 12% surge in streaming music revenue to $4.8 billion. If streaming kept that pace in the second half of the year, it would be up one billion year-over-year. However, according to this Billboard story from earlier this week, growth in streaming volume has stalled since the end of June.

At the same time, the concert business, the main source of income for most artists, is in the toilet. The Los Angeles Times recently reported America’s largest concert promoter Live Nation experienced a nosedive in revenue of 98% and 95% during the summer and fall, respectively. The same article also stated 90% of independent performance venues will close for good without government aid, while long-established venues like the Troubador in L.A. are hanging on but face an uncertain future. This doesn’t only put the livelihoods of many artists at risk but also of all the folks working at performance venues or whose job are otherwise tied to live entertainment.

New music kept coming out…

Despite COVID-19, new music continued to be released throughout the year – lots of it. In fact, at least some of this activity can be explained by the pandemic. Artists who weren’t able to tour found themselves with more time on their hands to work on new material. New albums by Bruce Springsteen, Taylor Swift and Paul McCartney are just some of the examples that come to my mind in this context.

I’m happy new music was a major theme for my blog in 2020, more than ever before. As frequent visitors know, I’m not talking about music you can find in the present mainstream charts. As of this blog post, I reviewed more than 20 new albums. That’s only counting new original music, not other releases, such as new installments from Springsteen’s great live bootleg series or James Taylor’s cover album of the American songbook. Yes, while I know next to nothing about American standards, I did review that album and enjoyed listening to it!

Frankly, I could have reviewed more new albums. I didn’t. In addition to lack of time, part of the reason was because of Best of What’s New. This weekly recurring feature on newly released music, which I launched in March, focuses on songs rather than entire albums.

It’s gratifying to me that except for one time due to a death in my close family, I posted new installments each week, meaning I’ve been able to discover new music week after week I found decent enough to write about. Keep in mind this is the same guy who as recently as last year kept complaining how “terrible” contemporary music is! I forgot one important qualifier: Music that’s in the mainstream charts. Let’s take a look at some of the new music I wrote about over the past 12 months.

My favorite new albums…

While it’s hard to narrow things down, from the 20-plus new albums I reviewed the four ones I feel most excited about are AC/DC/Power Up (released November 18), Walter Trout/Ordinary Madness (August 28), Norah Jones/Pick Me Up Off the Floor (June 12) and Ruby Turner/Love Was Here (January 24). Following is a tune from each:

AC/DC: Shot in the Dark (Power Up)

Shot in the Dark, the album’s great lead single, is classic AC/DC and makes you feel you just time-travelled back to 1980. Like all other tracks on Power Up, it was co-written by Angus Young and his older brother Malcolm Young during the period between the Stiff Upper Lip (February 2000) and Black Ice (October 2008) albums. You can read more about Power Up here, a must listen to for AC/DC fans.

Walter Trout: Wanna Dance (Ordinary Madness)

I love Walter Trout, a no BS artist and decent guitarist who has lived through dramatic ups and downs. Perhaps, he’s the ultimate blues rock survivor! Here’s Wanna Dance. “I had Neil Young and Crazy Horse in mind when I wrote the tune,” Trout told American Songwriter. Dancing is a metaphor for enjoying and celebrating every moment in life, since We ain’t gonna live forever, as Trout sings. He knows all too well. This is one hell of a blues rocker! See here for more about Ordinary Madness.

Norah Jones: Flame Twin (Pick Me Up Off the Floor)

I had been aware and always liked Norah Jones and her piano-driven lounge style jazz for ,any years, but had never explored any of her albums. I’m glad Flame Twin from her seventh studio album Pick Me Up Off the Floor finally changed this. Written by Jones, the tune injects a dose of blues, which rarely if ever is a bad thing in my book. I also dig the Hammond B3 accents from Pete Remm who plays electric guitar as well. And, of course, there are Jones’ great soothing vocals and piano playing. Like other songs on Pick Me Up Off the Floor, the tune was inspired by poetry. My review of this great album is here.

Ruby Turner: Don’t Cry Over Yesterday (Love Was Here)

Don’t Cry Over Yesterday was the track that made me listen to Love Was Here, a beautiful classic soul album by British soul, gospel and R&B vocalist Ruby Turner. I hadn’t heard of Turner before, even though she’s performed since 1983 and worked with other artists like Bryan Ferry, Steve Winwood, Mick Jagger and UB40. “Discovering” great artists like her is part of the reason why I love music blogging. If you’re into ’70s style soul, I’d encourage you to check out this album, a true gem! You can read more about it here.

Other new 2020 studio releases I’d like to call out include McCartney III (Paul McCartney), Letter to You (Bruce Springsteen), Bless Your Heart (The Allman Betts Band), Hate for Sale (Pretenders), Rough and Rowdy Ways (Bob Dylan), Homegrown (Neil Young), Self-Made Man (Larkin Poe), Blues with Friends (Dion), Early Morning Rain (Steve Forbert) and El Dorado (Marcus King).

In part 2 of this post, I’m revisiting the Best of What’s New feature and concerts before wrapping things up with final thoughts.

Sources: Music Business Worldwide; Billboard; Los Angeles Times; Christian’s Music Musings; YouTube

Clips & Pix: Larkin Poe/Fly Away

As more frequent visitors of the blog know, I really dig Larkin Poe, an American blues and roots sister act of singer-songwriters and multi-instrumentalists Rebecca Lovell (lead vocals, guitar, mandolin, banjo, violin, piano; programs drums, bass and arrangements) and Megan Lovell (harmony vocals, lapsteel, dobro). Not only do I admire their instrumental skills and harmony singing, but I also find their energy and enthusiasm infectious. To me, they truly represent what music should be all about!

This version of Lenny Kravtiz tune Fly Away, released on October 9, will be included on Larkin Poe’s next studio album Kindred Spirits, a collection of acoustic cover versions scheduled for November 20. As Rebecca and Megan explain on their YouTube channel, the album was inspired by positive reactions to their cover video series they started in 2015. I could watch these two women for hours, as they strip down songs like Steppenwolf’s Born to be Wild, Kansas’ Carry On Wayward Son, Joe Walsh’s Rocky Mountain Way and ZZ Top’s Sharp Dressed Man, to name some of their more recent additions.

Kravitz, who wrote Fly Away, first recorded the tune for his fifth studio album 5 that came out in May 1998. The tune was also released separately in December that year as the record’s fourth single.

Following is the track list for Kindred Spirit, which will appear on Larkin Poe’s Tricky Woo Records imprint, as reported by JamBase:

1. Hellhound On My Trail (Robert Johnson)
2. Fly Away (Lenny Kravitz)
3. Rockin’ In The Free World (Neil Young)
4. (You’re The) Devil In Disguise (Elvis Presley)
5. In The Air Tonight (Phil Collins)
6. Nights In White Satin (The Moody Blues)
7. Who Do You Love (Bo Diddley)
8. Take What You Want (Post Malone)
9. Ramblin’ Man (The Allman Brothers)
10. Bell Bottom Blues (Derek & The Dominoes)
11. Crocodile Rock (Elton John)

Sources: Wikipedia; JamBase; YouTube

Larkin Poe Largely Stick to Their Great Old Guns on New Album

While breaking new ground can be exciting, sometimes it makes sense to stick to your old guns, especially if your fire power is as mighty as the raw and high-energy roots-oriented blues rock by Larkin Poe. And that’s pretty much what sisters Megan Lovell and Rebecca Lovell have decided to do on their fifth full-length studio album Self Made Man, which appeared today.

I really dig Larkin Poe, so if you’ve visited the blog in recent weeks, chances are you’ve seen some of my previous posts. If you’re new to this band, which at its core is the Lovell sisters, and would like some background, you can find it here. Without further ado, let’s get to some music.

The album kicks off with what essentially is the title track: She’s a Self Made Man. Co-written by the sisters, this tasty blues rocker nicely sets the stage for the record. Typically, Rebecca takes the role of the front woman, providing lead vocals and guitar, while her 2-year-older sister Megan plays smoking lap steel fill-ins and sings backing vocals. Here’s the official video.

I’m going to skip the next three tunes – Holy Ghost Fire, Keep Diggin’ and Back Down South – since I already previously covered them here, here and here. Together with the title track, each of these songs already appeared as singles leading up to the release of the album. Instead, here’s Tears of Blue to Gold, another co-write by the sisters, which illustrates Larkin Poe isn’t a pure breed southern blues rock one-trick pony but also blends in other music styles – in this case country rock.

Every Bird That Flies introduces some keyboards, which I understand are played by Rebecca as well. This adds some welcome variety to the soundscape. The other standout to me here is Megan’s lap steel work. The sisters co-wrote this tune with singer-songwriter Pat McLaughlin, who like them is based in Nashville, Tenn. It’s got a cool vibe.

Next up: Scorpion written by Rebecca. This tune has a great riff and a nice driving beat. Check it out!

The last track I’d like to highlight is the album’s closer Easy Street. Co-written by Rebecca and Megan with Tony Esterly, another Nashville-based singer-songwriter, the tune is an interesting mix of gospel, country and blues. It’s also a nice illustration that Megan and Rebecca sound great harmonizing together.

According to this review by Glide Magazine, other musicians on the album include Tarka Layman (bass on three tunes) and Kevin McGowan (percussion). In addition, blues rock artist Tyler Bryant plays lead guitar on Back Down South.

Like Larkin Poe’s predecessor Venom & Faith from November 2018, which by the way topped the Billboard Blues Albums chart and received a 2020 Grammy nomination for Best Contemporary Blues Album, Self Made Man is self-produced by the sisters and appears on the band’s own label Tricki-Woo Records. While I think it’s fair to say the latter may explain the relatively basic sound quality, it does give the album a bare bones character that I find charming.

I’m going to leave you with another nice clip of a recent Behind the Mic live streaming performance presented by American Songwriter. It gives you a great idea about these two engaging ladies and their infectious energy together.

Sources: Wikipedia; Glide Magazine; American Songwriter; You Tube

Clips & Pix: Larkin Poe/Back Down South

Back Down South is the fourth and latest single from Larkin Poe’s upcoming new album Self Made Man slated to come out on June 12. They announced the release on Friday via their Twitter handle.

If you’ve visited my blog before, chances are you’ve seen previous posts I did on sisters Rebecca Lovell (guitar) and Megan Lovell (lap steel guitar). For this tune, they teamed up with Tyler Bryant, a 29-year-old blues rock guitarist from Texas, who based on Wikipedia seems to be some kind of wunderkind I should probably check out.

The tune is a nice illustration of Larkin Poe’s approach to blend traditional blues and rock with contemporary sounds like synth claps. Admittedly, I prefer real hand clapping or drums for that matter but also respect what I assume is an attempt to create a more updated sound.

Self Made Man definitely is on my radar screen.

Sources: Larkin Poe Twitter feed; YouTube