5989 - GEORGE SMITH & BACON FAT - The Complete Blue Horizon Sessions, Disc One (2006)

GEORGE SMITH & BACON FAT
''THE COMPLETE BLUE HORIZON SESSIONS, DISC ONE''
AUGUST 14 2006
153:24

DISC ONE (BACON FAT)
1 - Up The Line/4:14
2 - Boom Boom (Out Goes The Lights)/3:46
3 - Small's On 53rd/3:45
4 - She's A Wrong Woman/5:21
5 - I Need Your Love/3:42
6 - Juicy Harmonica/3:54
7 - Nobody But You/2:12
8 - Telephone Blues/5:57
9 - You're So Fine/3:08
10 - Too Late/5:56
11 - Evil/2:42
12 - Blues Feeling (Remix Version)/3:57
13 - Off The Wall (Previously Unreleased)/2:57
14 - Ah'W Baby (Previously Unreleased)/3:39
15 - Mellow Down Easy (Previously Unreleased)/3:25
16 - Blues With A Feeling (Previously Unreleased)/3:09
17 - Tight Dress (Previously Unreleased)/2:59
18 - I've Had My Fun (Previously Unreleased)/6:53
19 - Help Me (Previously Unreleased)/3:56
20 - My Babe Pt. 1 (Previously Unreleased)/2:36

DISC TWO (GEORGE SMITH)
1 - Someday You're Gonna Learn (To Treat Me Right)/4:11
2 - Blue Switch/2:52
3 - Mississippi River Blues/9:13
4 - Before You Do Your Thing (You'D Better Think)/4:17
5 - I Don't Want To Go Baby/7:03
6 - Good Things/3:44
7 - Soul Feet/3:43
8 - No Time For Jive/7:20
9 - My Babe Pt. 2 (Previously Unreleased)/1:55
10 - I'm Ready (Previously Unreleased)/2:51
11 - Telephone Blues (Previously Unreleased)/5:23
12 - Forty Four (Previously Unreleased)/4:40
13 - Blues With A Feeling (Previously Unreleased)/3:34
14 - Summertime (Previously Unreleased)/3:43
15 - Got My Mojo Working (Previously Unreleased)/4:09
16 - Hamp's Boogie Woogie (Previously Unreleased)/5:12

Pee Wee Crayton /Guitar
Marshall Hooks /Guitar
Dick Innes /Drums
J.D. Nicholson /Organ, Piano
Rod Piazza /Harmonica, Vocals
Buddy Reed /Guitar
Gregg Schaefer /Guitar
George Clinton Smith /Harmonica, Vocals
Jerry Lee Smith /Guitar (Bass)

5988 - BLUE MURDER (1989)

BLUE MURDER
''BLUE MURDER''
APRIL 1989
52:04

1 /Riot
Mader / John Sykes/6:21
2 /Sex Child
John Sykes/5:59
3 /Valley of the Kings
John Sykes/7:51
4 /Jelly Roll
John Sykes/4:44
5 /Blue Murder
Carmine Appice / Tony Franklin / John Sykes/4:55
6 /Out of Love
John Sykes/6:44
7 /Billy
John Sykes/4:11
8 /Ptolemy
John Sykes/6:29
9 /Black-Hearted Woman
Carmine Appice / Tony Franklin / John Sykes/4:47

Carmine Appice /Drums, Vocals, Vocals (Background)
Tony Franklin /Bass, Guitar (Bass), Vocals, Vocals (Background)
Nik Green /Keyboards
Marc LaFrance /Vocals, Vocals (Background)
David Steele /Vocals, Vocals (Background)
John Sykes /Guitar, Vocals, Vocals (Background)
John Webster /Keyboard Programming, Keyboards

REVIEW
by Eduardo Rivadavia
After helping singer David Coverdale reinvent Whitesnake both sonically and aesthetically for the image-conscious American market, guitar hero John Sykes acrimoniously left the group when it became apparent that there was only room enough for one overblown ego in it: Coverdale's. Hardly ones to let a good thing slip away, though, the executives at Whitesnake's label, Geffen Records (specifically A&R super-guru John Kalodner), immediately signed Sykes to a new development deal and proceeded to aid and abet him in founding his own supergroup, Blue Murder, with veteran bassist Tony Franklin and nearly geriatric drummer Carmine Appice (whose career probably started before Sykes was even born!). Released in 1989, the power trio's eponymous debut was produced to pompous perfection by none other than Bob Rock, whose golden ears for bombastic yet consumer-friendly '80s metal were truly second to none at the time -- other than the one and only Mutt Lange, of course. And perhaps more than any of Rock's jobs prior to his hook-up with Metallica, Blue Murder proves it, thanks to songs ranging from muscular power-chord hell-fests like "Riot" and "Blue Murder"; to blues-inflected fare like "Jelly Roll" (whose video was soon all over MTV); to the all-important, overly lush (and frankly not all that good) power ballad "Out of Love." But the album has also become rather dated over the years, because of its frequent indulgence in the same sort of unchecked, peroxide-fueled "Bad Zeppelin-isms" that were then being shamelessly appropriated by bands like Kingdom Come and Sykes' own former boss, David Coverdale, and the reborn Whitesnake. As such, prime offenders like the gratuitously preening "Sex Child," the impressively epic "Valley of the Kings," and the disappointingly tepid "Ptolemy" abused this ethically flawed (if unquestionably effective, from a sales standpoint) gimmick at its most grotesquely histrionic -- but no more so than any of the other groups cited above, really. And because Blue Murder's songwriting was relatively consistent and their musicianship beyond reproach throughout, it's easy to understand why this album has endured far better than most similarly styled heavy metal albums of the era.

5987 - GRATEFUL DEAD - Dave's Picks Volume1 - The Mosque, Richmond, VA, 5/25/77, Disc Three (2012)

GRATEFUL DEAD
''DAVE'S PICKS VOLUME 1 - THE MOSQUE, RICHMOND, VA, 5/25/77, DISC THREE''
2012
168:49

DISC ONE
1 - Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo/10:41
2 - Jack Straw/6:17
3 - They Love Each Other/7:21
4 - Mexicali Blues/3:40
5 - Peggy-O/7:43
6 - Cassidy/5:27
7 - Loser/8:32
8 - Lazy Lightning/3:14
9 - Supplication/5:12
10 - Brown-Eyed Women/6:09
11 - Promised Land/4:30

DISC TWO
1 - Scarlet Begonias/10:30
2 - Fire On The Mountain/11:52
3 - Estimated Prophet/8:41
4 - He's Gone/13:52
5 - Drums/5:24

DISC THREE
1 - The Other One/15:14
2 - Wharf Rat/11:10
3 - The Other One/3:38
4 - The Wheel/5:23
5 - Around And Around/9:09
6 - Johnny B. Goode/4:17

JERRY GARCIA/LEAD GUITAR, VOCALS
DONNA JEAN GODCHAUX/VOCALS
KEITH GODCHAUX/KEYBOARDS
MICKEY HART/DRUMS
BILL KREUTZMANN/DRUMS
PHIL LESH/ELECTRIC BASS
BOB WEIR/RHYTHM GUITAR, VOCALS

BIOGRAPHY
by Jason Ankeny
Rock's longest, strangest trip, the Grateful Dead were the psychedelic era's most beloved musical ambassadors as well as its most enduring survivors, spreading their message of peace, love, and mind-expansion across the globe throughout the better part of three decades. The object of adoration for popular music's most fervent and celebrated fan following -- the Deadheads, their numbers and devotion legendary in their own right -- they were the ultimate cult band, creating a self-styled universe all their own; for the better part of their career orbiting well outside of the mainstream, the Dead became superstars solely on their own terms, tie-dyed pied pipers whose epic, free-form live shows were rites of passage for an extended family of listeners who knew no cultural boundaries.

The roots of the Grateful Dead lie with singer/songwriter Jerry Garcia, a longtime bluegrass enthusiast who began playing the guitar at age 15. Upon relocating to Palo Alto, CA, in 1960, he soon befriended Robert Hunter, whose lyrics later graced many of Garcia's most famous melodies; in time, he also came into contact with aspiring electronic music composer Phil Lesh. By 1962, Garcia was playing banjo in a variety of local folk and bluegrass outfits, two years later forming Mother McCree's Uptown Jug Champions with guitarist Bob Weir and keyboardist Ron "Pigpen" McKernan; in 1965, the group was renamed the Warlocks, their lineup now additionally including Lesh on bass as well as Bill Kreutzmann on drums.

the Warlocks made their electric debut that July; Ken Kesey soon tapped them to become the house band at his notorious Acid Tests, a series of now-legendary public LSD parties and multimedia "happenings" mounted prior to the drug's criminalization. As 1965 drew to its close, the Warlocks rechristened themselves the Grateful Dead, the name taken from a folk tale discovered in a dictionary by Garcia; bankrolled by chemist/LSD manufacturer Owsley Stanley, the band members soon moved into a communal house situated at 710 Ashbury Street in San Francisco, becoming a fixture on the local music scene and building a large fan base on the strength of their many free concerts. Signing to MGM, in 1966 the Dead also recorded their first demos; the sessions proved disastrous, and the label dropped the group a short time later.

As 1967 mutated into the Summer of Love, the Dead emerged as one of the top draws on the Bay Area music scene, honing an eclectic repertoire influenced by folk, country, and the blues while regularly appearing at top local venues including the Fillmore Auditorium, the Avalon Ballroom, and the Carousel. In March of 1967 the Dead issued their self-titled Warner Bros. debut LP, a disappointing effort which failed to recapture the cosmic sprawl of their live appearances; after performing at the Monterey Pop Festival, the group expanded to a six-piece with the addition of second drummer Mickey Hart. Their follow-up, 1968's Anthem of the Sun, fared better in documenting the free-form jam aesthetic of their concerts, but after completing 1969's Aoxomoxoa, their penchant for time-consuming studio experimentation left them over 100,000 dollars in debt to the label.

the Dead's response to the situation was to bow to the demands of fans and record their first live album, 1969's Live/Dead; highlighted by a rendition of Garcia's "Dark Star" clocking in at over 23 minutes, the LP succeeded where its studio predecessors failed in capturing the true essence of the group in all of their improvisational, psychedelicized glory. It was followed by a pair of classic 1970 studio efforts, Workingman's Dead and American Beauty; recorded in homage to the group's country and folk roots, the two albums remained the cornerstone of the Dead's live repertoire for years to follow, with its most popular songs -- "Uncle John's Band," "Casey Jones," "Sugar Magnolia," and "Truckin'" among them -- becoming major favorites on FM radio.

Despite increasing radio airplay and respectable album sales, the Dead remained first and foremost a live act, and as their popularity grew across the world they expanded their touring schedule, taking to the road for much of each year. As more and more of their psychedelic-era contemporaries ceased to exist, the group continued attracting greater numbers of fans to their shows, many of them following the Dead across the country; dubbed "Deadheads," these fans became notorious for their adherence to tie-dyed fashions and excessive drug use, their traveling circus ultimately becoming as much the focal point of concert dates as the music itself. Shows were also extensively bootlegged, and not surprisingly the Dead closed out their Warners contract with back-to-back concert LPs -- a 1971 eponymous effort and 1972's Europe '72.

The latter release was the final Dead album to feature Pigpen McKernan, a heavy drinker who died of liver failure on March 8, 1973; his replacement was keyboardist Keith Godchaux, who brought with him wife Donna Jean to sing backing vocals. 1973's Wake of the Flood was the first release on the new Grateful Dead Records imprint; around the time of its follow-up, 1974's Grateful Dead From the Mars Hotel, the group took a hiatus from the road to allow its members the opportunity to pursue solo projects. After returning to the live arena with a 1976 tour, the Dead signed to Arista to release Terrapin Station, the first in a series of misguided studio efforts that culminated in 1980's Go to Heaven, widely considered the weakest record in the group's catalog -- so weak, in fact, that they did not re-enter the studio for another seven years.

The early '80s was a time of considerable upheaval for the Dead -- the Godchauxs had been dismissed from the lineup in 1979, with Keith dying in a car crash on July 23, 1980. (His replacement was keyboardist Brent Mydland.) After a pair of 1981 live LPs, Reckoning and Dead Set, the group released no new recordings until 1987, focusing instead on their touring schedule -- despite the dearth of new releases, the Dead continued selling out live dates, now playing to audiences which spanned generations. As much a cottage industry as a band, they traveled not only with an enormous road crew but also dozens of friends and family members, many of them Dead staffers complete with health insurance and other benefits.

Still, the Dead were widely regarded as little more than an enduring cult phenomenon prior to the release of 1987's In the Dark; their first studio LP since Go to Heaven, it became the year's most unlikely hit when the single "Touch of Grey" became the first-ever Dead track to reach the Top Ten on the pop charts. Suddenly their videos were in regular rotation on MTV, and virtually overnight the ranks of the Deadheads grew exponentially, with countless new fans flocking to the group's shows. Not only did concert tickets become increasingly tough to come by for longtime followers, but there were also more serious repercussions -- the influx of new fans shifted the crowd dynamic considerably, and once-mellow audiences became infamous not only for their excessive drug habits but also for their violent encounters with police.

Other troubles plagued the Dead as well: in July 1986, Garcia -- a year removed from a drug treatment program -- lapsed into near-fatal diabetic coma brought on by his continued substance abuse problems, regaining consciousness five days later. His health remained an issue in the years which followed, but the Dead spent more time on tour than ever, with a series of dates with Bob Dylan yielding the live album Dylan & the Dead. Their final studio effort, Built to Last, followed in 1989. Tragedy struck in October of that year when a fan died after breaking his neck outside of a show at the New Jersey Meadowlands; two months later, a 19-year-old fan on LSD also died while in police custody at the Los Angeles Forum.

As ever, the Dead themselves were also not immune to tragedy -- on July 26, 1990, Mydland suffered a fatal drug overdose, the third keyboardist in group history to perish; he was replaced not only by ex-Tubes keyboardist Vince Welnick but also by satellite member Bruce Hornsby, a longtime fan who frequently toured with the group. In the autumn of 1992 Garcia was again hospitalized with diabetes and an enlarged heart, forcing the Dead to postpone their upcoming tour until the year's end; he eventually returned to action looking more fit than he had in years. Still, few were surprised when it was announced on August 9, 1995, that Garcia had been found dead in his room at a substance abuse treatment facility in Forest Knolls, CA; the 53 year old's death was attributed to a heart attack.

While Garcia's death spelled the end of the Dead as a continuing creative entity, the story was far from over. As the surviving members disbanded to plot their next move, the band's merchandising arm went into overdrive -- in addition to Dick's Picks, a series of archival releases of classic live material, licensed products ranging from Dead T-shirts to sporting goods to toys flooded the market. Plans were also announced to build Terrapin Station, an interactive museum site. In 1996, Weir and Hart mounted the first Furthur Festival, a summer tour headlined by their respective bands RatDog and Mystery Box; in 1998, they also reunited with Lesh and Hornsby to tour as the Other Ones. In spirit if not in name, the Grateful Dead's trip continued on.

5986 - GRATEFUL DEAD - Dave's Picks Volume1 - The Mosque, Richmond, VA, 5/25/77, Disc Two (2012)

GRATEFUL DEAD
''DAVE'S PICKS VOLUME 1 - THE MOSQUE, RICHMOND, VA, 5/25/77, DISC TWO''
2012
168:49

DISC ONE
1 - Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo/10:41
2 - Jack Straw/6:17
3 - They Love Each Other/7:21
4 - Mexicali Blues/3:40
5 - Peggy-O/7:43
6 - Cassidy/5:27
7 - Loser/8:32
8 - Lazy Lightning/3:14
9 - Supplication/5:12
10 - Brown-Eyed Women/6:09
11 - Promised Land/4:30

DISC TWO
1 - Scarlet Begonias/10:30
2 - Fire On The Mountain/11:52
3 - Estimated Prophet/8:41
4 - He's Gone/13:52
5 - Drums/5:24

DISC THREE
1 - The Other One/15:14
2 - Wharf Rat/11:10
3 - The Other One/3:38
4 - The Wheel/5:23
5 - Around And Around/9:09
6 - Johnny B. Goode/4:17

JERRY GARCIA/LEAD GUITAR, VOCALS
DONNA JEAN GODCHAUX/VOCALS
KEITH GODCHAUX/KEYBOARDS
MICKEY HART/DRUMS
BILL KREUTZMANN/DRUMS
PHIL LESH/ELECTRIC BASS
BOB WEIR/RHYTHM GUITAR, VOCALS

BIOGRAPHY
by Jason Ankeny
Rock's longest, strangest trip, the Grateful Dead were the psychedelic era's most beloved musical ambassadors as well as its most enduring survivors, spreading their message of peace, love, and mind-expansion across the globe throughout the better part of three decades. The object of adoration for popular music's most fervent and celebrated fan following -- the Deadheads, their numbers and devotion legendary in their own right -- they were the ultimate cult band, creating a self-styled universe all their own; for the better part of their career orbiting well outside of the mainstream, the Dead became superstars solely on their own terms, tie-dyed pied pipers whose epic, free-form live shows were rites of passage for an extended family of listeners who knew no cultural boundaries.

The roots of the Grateful Dead lie with singer/songwriter Jerry Garcia, a longtime bluegrass enthusiast who began playing the guitar at age 15. Upon relocating to Palo Alto, CA, in 1960, he soon befriended Robert Hunter, whose lyrics later graced many of Garcia's most famous melodies; in time, he also came into contact with aspiring electronic music composer Phil Lesh. By 1962, Garcia was playing banjo in a variety of local folk and bluegrass outfits, two years later forming Mother McCree's Uptown Jug Champions with guitarist Bob Weir and keyboardist Ron "Pigpen" McKernan; in 1965, the group was renamed the Warlocks, their lineup now additionally including Lesh on bass as well as Bill Kreutzmann on drums.

the Warlocks made their electric debut that July; Ken Kesey soon tapped them to become the house band at his notorious Acid Tests, a series of now-legendary public LSD parties and multimedia "happenings" mounted prior to the drug's criminalization. As 1965 drew to its close, the Warlocks rechristened themselves the Grateful Dead, the name taken from a folk tale discovered in a dictionary by Garcia; bankrolled by chemist/LSD manufacturer Owsley Stanley, the band members soon moved into a communal house situated at 710 Ashbury Street in San Francisco, becoming a fixture on the local music scene and building a large fan base on the strength of their many free concerts. Signing to MGM, in 1966 the Dead also recorded their first demos; the sessions proved disastrous, and the label dropped the group a short time later.

As 1967 mutated into the Summer of Love, the Dead emerged as one of the top draws on the Bay Area music scene, honing an eclectic repertoire influenced by folk, country, and the blues while regularly appearing at top local venues including the Fillmore Auditorium, the Avalon Ballroom, and the Carousel. In March of 1967 the Dead issued their self-titled Warner Bros. debut LP, a disappointing effort which failed to recapture the cosmic sprawl of their live appearances; after performing at the Monterey Pop Festival, the group expanded to a six-piece with the addition of second drummer Mickey Hart. Their follow-up, 1968's Anthem of the Sun, fared better in documenting the free-form jam aesthetic of their concerts, but after completing 1969's Aoxomoxoa, their penchant for time-consuming studio experimentation left them over 100,000 dollars in debt to the label.

the Dead's response to the situation was to bow to the demands of fans and record their first live album, 1969's Live/Dead; highlighted by a rendition of Garcia's "Dark Star" clocking in at over 23 minutes, the LP succeeded where its studio predecessors failed in capturing the true essence of the group in all of their improvisational, psychedelicized glory. It was followed by a pair of classic 1970 studio efforts, Workingman's Dead and American Beauty; recorded in homage to the group's country and folk roots, the two albums remained the cornerstone of the Dead's live repertoire for years to follow, with its most popular songs -- "Uncle John's Band," "Casey Jones," "Sugar Magnolia," and "Truckin'" among them -- becoming major favorites on FM radio.

Despite increasing radio airplay and respectable album sales, the Dead remained first and foremost a live act, and as their popularity grew across the world they expanded their touring schedule, taking to the road for much of each year. As more and more of their psychedelic-era contemporaries ceased to exist, the group continued attracting greater numbers of fans to their shows, many of them following the Dead across the country; dubbed "Deadheads," these fans became notorious for their adherence to tie-dyed fashions and excessive drug use, their traveling circus ultimately becoming as much the focal point of concert dates as the music itself. Shows were also extensively bootlegged, and not surprisingly the Dead closed out their Warners contract with back-to-back concert LPs -- a 1971 eponymous effort and 1972's Europe '72.

The latter release was the final Dead album to feature Pigpen McKernan, a heavy drinker who died of liver failure on March 8, 1973; his replacement was keyboardist Keith Godchaux, who brought with him wife Donna Jean to sing backing vocals. 1973's Wake of the Flood was the first release on the new Grateful Dead Records imprint; around the time of its follow-up, 1974's Grateful Dead From the Mars Hotel, the group took a hiatus from the road to allow its members the opportunity to pursue solo projects. After returning to the live arena with a 1976 tour, the Dead signed to Arista to release Terrapin Station, the first in a series of misguided studio efforts that culminated in 1980's Go to Heaven, widely considered the weakest record in the group's catalog -- so weak, in fact, that they did not re-enter the studio for another seven years.

The early '80s was a time of considerable upheaval for the Dead -- the Godchauxs had been dismissed from the lineup in 1979, with Keith dying in a car crash on July 23, 1980. (His replacement was keyboardist Brent Mydland.) After a pair of 1981 live LPs, Reckoning and Dead Set, the group released no new recordings until 1987, focusing instead on their touring schedule -- despite the dearth of new releases, the Dead continued selling out live dates, now playing to audiences which spanned generations. As much a cottage industry as a band, they traveled not only with an enormous road crew but also dozens of friends and family members, many of them Dead staffers complete with health insurance and other benefits.

Still, the Dead were widely regarded as little more than an enduring cult phenomenon prior to the release of 1987's In the Dark; their first studio LP since Go to Heaven, it became the year's most unlikely hit when the single "Touch of Grey" became the first-ever Dead track to reach the Top Ten on the pop charts. Suddenly their videos were in regular rotation on MTV, and virtually overnight the ranks of the Deadheads grew exponentially, with countless new fans flocking to the group's shows. Not only did concert tickets become increasingly tough to come by for longtime followers, but there were also more serious repercussions -- the influx of new fans shifted the crowd dynamic considerably, and once-mellow audiences became infamous not only for their excessive drug habits but also for their violent encounters with police.

Other troubles plagued the Dead as well: in July 1986, Garcia -- a year removed from a drug treatment program -- lapsed into near-fatal diabetic coma brought on by his continued substance abuse problems, regaining consciousness five days later. His health remained an issue in the years which followed, but the Dead spent more time on tour than ever, with a series of dates with Bob Dylan yielding the live album Dylan & the Dead. Their final studio effort, Built to Last, followed in 1989. Tragedy struck in October of that year when a fan died after breaking his neck outside of a show at the New Jersey Meadowlands; two months later, a 19-year-old fan on LSD also died while in police custody at the Los Angeles Forum.

As ever, the Dead themselves were also not immune to tragedy -- on July 26, 1990, Mydland suffered a fatal drug overdose, the third keyboardist in group history to perish; he was replaced not only by ex-Tubes keyboardist Vince Welnick but also by satellite member Bruce Hornsby, a longtime fan who frequently toured with the group. In the autumn of 1992 Garcia was again hospitalized with diabetes and an enlarged heart, forcing the Dead to postpone their upcoming tour until the year's end; he eventually returned to action looking more fit than he had in years. Still, few were surprised when it was announced on August 9, 1995, that Garcia had been found dead in his room at a substance abuse treatment facility in Forest Knolls, CA; the 53 year old's death was attributed to a heart attack.

While Garcia's death spelled the end of the Dead as a continuing creative entity, the story was far from over. As the surviving members disbanded to plot their next move, the band's merchandising arm went into overdrive -- in addition to Dick's Picks, a series of archival releases of classic live material, licensed products ranging from Dead T-shirts to sporting goods to toys flooded the market. Plans were also announced to build Terrapin Station, an interactive museum site. In 1996, Weir and Hart mounted the first Furthur Festival, a summer tour headlined by their respective bands RatDog and Mystery Box; in 1998, they also reunited with Lesh and Hornsby to tour as the Other Ones. In spirit if not in name, the Grateful Dead's trip continued on.

5985 - GRATEFUL DEAD - Dave's Picks Volume1 - The Mosque, Richmond, VA, 5/25/77, Disc One (2012)

GRATEFUL DEAD
''DAVE'S PICKS VOLUME 1 - THE MOSQUE, RICHMOND, VA, 5/25/77, DISC ONE''
2012
168:49

DISC ONE
1 - Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo/10:41
2 - Jack Straw/6:17
3 - They Love Each Other/7:21
4 - Mexicali Blues/3:40
5 - Peggy-O/7:43
6 - Cassidy/5:27
7 - Loser/8:32
8 - Lazy Lightning/3:14
9 - Supplication/5:12
10 - Brown-Eyed Women/6:09
11 - Promised Land/4:30

DISC TWO
1 - Scarlet Begonias/10:30
2 - Fire On The Mountain/11:52
3 - Estimated Prophet/8:41
4 - He's Gone/13:52
5 - Drums/5:24

DISC THREE
1 - The Other One/15:14
2 - Wharf Rat/11:10
3 - The Other One/3:38
4 - The Wheel/5:23
5 - Around And Around/9:09
6 - Johnny B. Goode/4:17

JERRY GARCIA/LEAD GUITAR, VOCALS
DONNA JEAN GODCHAUX/VOCALS
KEITH GODCHAUX/KEYBOARDS
MICKEY HART/DRUMS
BILL KREUTZMANN/DRUMS
PHIL LESH/ELECTRIC BASS
BOB WEIR/RHYTHM GUITAR, VOCALS

BIOGRAPHY
by Jason Ankeny
Rock's longest, strangest trip, the Grateful Dead were the psychedelic era's most beloved musical ambassadors as well as its most enduring survivors, spreading their message of peace, love, and mind-expansion across the globe throughout the better part of three decades. The object of adoration for popular music's most fervent and celebrated fan following -- the Deadheads, their numbers and devotion legendary in their own right -- they were the ultimate cult band, creating a self-styled universe all their own; for the better part of their career orbiting well outside of the mainstream, the Dead became superstars solely on their own terms, tie-dyed pied pipers whose epic, free-form live shows were rites of passage for an extended family of listeners who knew no cultural boundaries.

The roots of the Grateful Dead lie with singer/songwriter Jerry Garcia, a longtime bluegrass enthusiast who began playing the guitar at age 15. Upon relocating to Palo Alto, CA, in 1960, he soon befriended Robert Hunter, whose lyrics later graced many of Garcia's most famous melodies; in time, he also came into contact with aspiring electronic music composer Phil Lesh. By 1962, Garcia was playing banjo in a variety of local folk and bluegrass outfits, two years later forming Mother McCree's Uptown Jug Champions with guitarist Bob Weir and keyboardist Ron "Pigpen" McKernan; in 1965, the group was renamed the Warlocks, their lineup now additionally including Lesh on bass as well as Bill Kreutzmann on drums.

the Warlocks made their electric debut that July; Ken Kesey soon tapped them to become the house band at his notorious Acid Tests, a series of now-legendary public LSD parties and multimedia "happenings" mounted prior to the drug's criminalization. As 1965 drew to its close, the Warlocks rechristened themselves the Grateful Dead, the name taken from a folk tale discovered in a dictionary by Garcia; bankrolled by chemist/LSD manufacturer Owsley Stanley, the band members soon moved into a communal house situated at 710 Ashbury Street in San Francisco, becoming a fixture on the local music scene and building a large fan base on the strength of their many free concerts. Signing to MGM, in 1966 the Dead also recorded their first demos; the sessions proved disastrous, and the label dropped the group a short time later.

As 1967 mutated into the Summer of Love, the Dead emerged as one of the top draws on the Bay Area music scene, honing an eclectic repertoire influenced by folk, country, and the blues while regularly appearing at top local venues including the Fillmore Auditorium, the Avalon Ballroom, and the Carousel. In March of 1967 the Dead issued their self-titled Warner Bros. debut LP, a disappointing effort which failed to recapture the cosmic sprawl of their live appearances; after performing at the Monterey Pop Festival, the group expanded to a six-piece with the addition of second drummer Mickey Hart. Their follow-up, 1968's Anthem of the Sun, fared better in documenting the free-form jam aesthetic of their concerts, but after completing 1969's Aoxomoxoa, their penchant for time-consuming studio experimentation left them over 100,000 dollars in debt to the label.

the Dead's response to the situation was to bow to the demands of fans and record their first live album, 1969's Live/Dead; highlighted by a rendition of Garcia's "Dark Star" clocking in at over 23 minutes, the LP succeeded where its studio predecessors failed in capturing the true essence of the group in all of their improvisational, psychedelicized glory. It was followed by a pair of classic 1970 studio efforts, Workingman's Dead and American Beauty; recorded in homage to the group's country and folk roots, the two albums remained the cornerstone of the Dead's live repertoire for years to follow, with its most popular songs -- "Uncle John's Band," "Casey Jones," "Sugar Magnolia," and "Truckin'" among them -- becoming major favorites on FM radio.

Despite increasing radio airplay and respectable album sales, the Dead remained first and foremost a live act, and as their popularity grew across the world they expanded their touring schedule, taking to the road for much of each year. As more and more of their psychedelic-era contemporaries ceased to exist, the group continued attracting greater numbers of fans to their shows, many of them following the Dead across the country; dubbed "Deadheads," these fans became notorious for their adherence to tie-dyed fashions and excessive drug use, their traveling circus ultimately becoming as much the focal point of concert dates as the music itself. Shows were also extensively bootlegged, and not surprisingly the Dead closed out their Warners contract with back-to-back concert LPs -- a 1971 eponymous effort and 1972's Europe '72.

The latter release was the final Dead album to feature Pigpen McKernan, a heavy drinker who died of liver failure on March 8, 1973; his replacement was keyboardist Keith Godchaux, who brought with him wife Donna Jean to sing backing vocals. 1973's Wake of the Flood was the first release on the new Grateful Dead Records imprint; around the time of its follow-up, 1974's Grateful Dead From the Mars Hotel, the group took a hiatus from the road to allow its members the opportunity to pursue solo projects. After returning to the live arena with a 1976 tour, the Dead signed to Arista to release Terrapin Station, the first in a series of misguided studio efforts that culminated in 1980's Go to Heaven, widely considered the weakest record in the group's catalog -- so weak, in fact, that they did not re-enter the studio for another seven years.

The early '80s was a time of considerable upheaval for the Dead -- the Godchauxs had been dismissed from the lineup in 1979, with Keith dying in a car crash on July 23, 1980. (His replacement was keyboardist Brent Mydland.) After a pair of 1981 live LPs, Reckoning and Dead Set, the group released no new recordings until 1987, focusing instead on their touring schedule -- despite the dearth of new releases, the Dead continued selling out live dates, now playing to audiences which spanned generations. As much a cottage industry as a band, they traveled not only with an enormous road crew but also dozens of friends and family members, many of them Dead staffers complete with health insurance and other benefits.

Still, the Dead were widely regarded as little more than an enduring cult phenomenon prior to the release of 1987's In the Dark; their first studio LP since Go to Heaven, it became the year's most unlikely hit when the single "Touch of Grey" became the first-ever Dead track to reach the Top Ten on the pop charts. Suddenly their videos were in regular rotation on MTV, and virtually overnight the ranks of the Deadheads grew exponentially, with countless new fans flocking to the group's shows. Not only did concert tickets become increasingly tough to come by for longtime followers, but there were also more serious repercussions -- the influx of new fans shifted the crowd dynamic considerably, and once-mellow audiences became infamous not only for their excessive drug habits but also for their violent encounters with police.

Other troubles plagued the Dead as well: in July 1986, Garcia -- a year removed from a drug treatment program -- lapsed into near-fatal diabetic coma brought on by his continued substance abuse problems, regaining consciousness five days later. His health remained an issue in the years which followed, but the Dead spent more time on tour than ever, with a series of dates with Bob Dylan yielding the live album Dylan & the Dead. Their final studio effort, Built to Last, followed in 1989. Tragedy struck in October of that year when a fan died after breaking his neck outside of a show at the New Jersey Meadowlands; two months later, a 19-year-old fan on LSD also died while in police custody at the Los Angeles Forum.

As ever, the Dead themselves were also not immune to tragedy -- on July 26, 1990, Mydland suffered a fatal drug overdose, the third keyboardist in group history to perish; he was replaced not only by ex-Tubes keyboardist Vince Welnick but also by satellite member Bruce Hornsby, a longtime fan who frequently toured with the group. In the autumn of 1992 Garcia was again hospitalized with diabetes and an enlarged heart, forcing the Dead to postpone their upcoming tour until the year's end; he eventually returned to action looking more fit than he had in years. Still, few were surprised when it was announced on August 9, 1995, that Garcia had been found dead in his room at a substance abuse treatment facility in Forest Knolls, CA; the 53 year old's death was attributed to a heart attack.

While Garcia's death spelled the end of the Dead as a continuing creative entity, the story was far from over. As the surviving members disbanded to plot their next move, the band's merchandising arm went into overdrive -- in addition to Dick's Picks, a series of archival releases of classic live material, licensed products ranging from Dead T-shirts to sporting goods to toys flooded the market. Plans were also announced to build Terrapin Station, an interactive museum site. In 1996, Weir and Hart mounted the first Furthur Festival, a summer tour headlined by their respective bands RatDog and Mystery Box; in 1998, they also reunited with Lesh and Hornsby to tour as the Other Ones. In spirit if not in name, the Grateful Dead's trip continued on.

5984 - GARLAND JEFFREYS - Truth Serum (2013)

GARLAND JEFFREYS
''TRUTH SERUM''
SEPTEMBER 17 2013
40:06

1 /Truth Serum/4:12
2 /Any Rain/4:02
3 /It's What I Am/5:00
4 /Dragons To Slay/3:33
5 /Is This the Real World/3:41
6 /Ship of Fools/3:47
7 /Collide the Generations/5:13
8 /Far Far Away/4:18
9 /Colorblind Love/3:33
10 /Revolution of the Mind/2:47
All Tracks By Jeffreys

Art Baron /Trombone
Larry Campbell /Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric)
Aaron Comess /Drums, Tambourine
Tom Curiano /Drums
Rich Hammond /Bass
Garland Jeffreys /Guitar (Acoustic)
Steve Jordan /Drums
Zev Katz /Bass
Duke Levine /Guitar (Electric), Slide Guitar
James Maddock /Banjo, Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), Producer, Shaker, Vocals (Background)
Mike Merritt /Bass
Brian Mitchell /Accordion, Harmonica, Piano, Wurlitzer
Cindy Mizelle /Vocals (Background)
Oli Rockberger /Organ (Hammond), Piano
Brian Stanley /Bass
Andy Taub /Glockenspiel, Korg Synthesizer, Piano, Synthesizer

BIOGRAPHY
by Mark Deming
A critically acclaimed singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist, Garland Jeffreys has earned a loyal international audience for his intelligent and passionate songs, informed by a variety of musical styles from rock and R&B to reggae and dance music, and dealing with topics both personal and political, often at the same time. While not especially prolific -- he released a mere five studio albums between 1981 and 2011 -- Jeffreys' work reveals a rock & roller's soul and a poetic sensibility that have earned him the respect of musical peers such as Lou Reed, Bruce Springsteen, David Johansen, and John Cale.

Jeffreys was born in the Sheepshead Bay section of Brooklyn, New York in 1944. Of African-American, Puerto Rican, and European heritage, he was raised in a multi-cultural household and a neighborhood that was not always accepting of his family's racial diversity. Jeffreys' parents enjoyed jazz vocalists such as Billie Holiday, Nat King Cole, and Dinah Washington, and as a teenager, he developed a taste for doo wop and rhythm & blues; as the '50s gave way to the '60s, he became a passionate fan of soul music and Bob Dylan's early work. After graduating from high school, Jeffreys studied art history at Syracuse University, where he struck up friendships with fellow students and music fans Lou Reed and Felix Cavaliere; Jeffreys also expanded his cultural boundaries by studying for several months in Italy. After completing his studies in 1966, he began appearing at folk and rock clubs in Manhattan, often performing material that dealt with racial issues and using props and make-up to emphasize his messages. In 1969, Jeffreys formed a band called Grinder's Switch with three musicians from Woodstock, New York -- Ernie Corallo on guitar, Stan Szelest on keyboards, and Sandy Konikoff on drums. John Cale recruited Grinder's Switch to form the core of the backing band (credited as Penguin) on his first solo album, 1969's Vintage Violence, and the album included one of Jeffreys' songs, "Fairweather Friend." (Jeffreys also wrote a poem about Cale for the liner notes.) Grinder's Switch were signed to Vanguard Records and cut an album that was released not long before the band split up in 1970.

Jeffreys began working as a solo act again, and was signed by Atlantic Records. His 1973 solo debut was a commercial disappointment, but that same year, he released a standalone single, "Wild in the Streets" b/w "35 Millimeter Dreams." The A-side, arranged by New Orleans keyboard legend Dr. John, became an underground hit, and when Jeffreys moved to A&M Records, the track was included on his first album for the label, 1977's Ghost Writer, which led to Jeffreys being named Best New Artist of the Year by Rolling Stone. Jeffreys' tenure with A&M would be the most prolific of his career; he released One Eyed Jack in 1978, and American Boy and Girl in 1979. The latter, though largely devoted to hard-edged narratives of street life, also featured a romantic number called "Matador," which became a major hit in the U.K. and several European markets, where he gained a large and lasting following.

In 1981, Jeffreys moved to Epic Records and finally enjoyed a commercial breakthrough in the United States with Escape Artist, an album that featured backing from members of Graham Parker's Rumour and Bruce Springsteen's E-Street Band, as well as guest appearances by Lou Reed, David Johansen, and Linton Kwesi Johnson; it included a cover of "96 Tears" that became a minor hit single and an MTV favorite. Later the same year, a live album was released from the tour supporting Escape Artist, Rock ‘N' Roll Adult, and in 1983, Jeffreys reappeared with Guts for Love, a polished set of songs about love and relationships. While a cover of "What Does It Take (To Win Your Love)" fared well on the charts, the album was a commercial and critical disappointment, and it was nine years before Jeffreys returned to the recording studio. 1992's Don't Call Me Buckwheat, his first album for RCA, was a collection of songs about the issues of race in America and a strong return to form, but it sold far better in Europe than the United States, and his next album, 1997's Wildlife Dictionary, wasn't released at all in America.

In the same year Wildlife Dictionary was released, Jeffreys and his wife welcomed the birth of their daughter Savannah, and he took time off from his recording career to be a full-time father. He staged occasional European tours and in 2006 released I'm Alive, a compilation spanning his solo career that also included three new songs, but it wasn't until 2011 that he returned with a full album of new material, The King of In Between.

5983 - HUNTER JOHNSON - Miles And Miles (2013)

HUNTER JOHNSON
''MILES AND MILES''
AUGUST 27 2013
41:46

1. So Long Suzy/4:05
2. The Younger Me/4:28
3. Angel of Greatness/3:41
4. Miles and Miles/4:38
5. You Ain't Seen The Best of Me/4:09
6. Runaway/3:42
7. Eyes On You/4:09
8. Lay Your Burden On Me/4:25
9. She Ran Away From Everyone 04:14
10. Joy In Suffering 04:01
All songs written by Hunter Johnson

Hunter Johnson - Vocals, Guitar
Jason McGraw - Guitar
Bob Hoag - Drums, Backing Vox
Danny Aday - Drums
Tom Stuart - Bass
John Rickard - Pedal Steel/dobro

5982 - REDLINE ADDICTION - A To B, Disc Two (2012)

REDLINE ADDICTION
''A TO B, DISC TWO''
DECEMBER 6 2012
88:36

DISC ONE
1. I Beg You Surrender /3:37
2. Two Buzzes to Clarity /3:26
3. How to Lose /3:36
4. Uptown /3:09
5. Duet /4:53
6. Ordinary Fool /4:06
7. Devil With a Red Dress On /3:44
8. Highway Robbery /4:18
9. Yukon Gold /2:42
10. Left Exit /3:20
11. Our Moment /4:10
12. Last Call /3:53

DISC TWO
1. Everybody Knows /3:47
2. The Arsonist /4:36
3. Chunky, Come On! /3:23
4. Coming Attraction /4:00
5. Falling Down /4:27
6. Yesterday's Wagers /4:32
7. He's Not a Bad Friend, Just a Lousy Lover (Electric Mix) /2:39
8. Dark Days /4:30
9. Rusty /2:48
10. Whiskey Rose /3:55
11. Melancholy (Instrumental Mix) /5:05

Rob Robinson – Vocals
Chris McVey – Guitars, Vocals
Neil Mutreja – Guitars
Justin Ganderson – Bass, Vocals
Justin Liberti – Drums

ALBUM NOTES
BY CDBABY
This brand new album offers 23 songs that spans the entire career of Redline Addiction as of Winter 2012. From their very first show opening up for the Misfits on their 30th anniversary tour, to writing soundtracks for Science Channel, and playing D.C. area Shamrockfest with the Dropkick Murphy's, this collection has been years in the making.

The first disc (tracks 1 through 12) covers lots of musical ground. The first three tracks ("I Beg You Surrender", "Two Buzzes to Clarity", and "How to Lose") are all upbeat aggressive rockers that make you want to jump up and down. Other highlights include the chilled-out contemplative pop songs "Uptown" & "Left Exit", the epic ballad "Duet", the grooving bluesy rocker "Devil With a Red Dress On", the jammy "Highway Robbery", the rock-ska hooked "Yukon Gold" and the neo-reggae tune "Ordinary Fool". The first disc concludes with the upbeat and horn-laden "Last Call".

The second disc (tracks 13 through 23) showcases fan favorites from the course of the band's career over the past few years, with a few re-tracks (from Goodbye Miss Dolly) and re-masters (St. Elmo's Four EP). This disc ends with a collection of B-sides from their limited release singles, that you're sure to play over-and-over again.

OFFICIAL BIOGRAPHY
Hailing from the Washington, D.C. area, Redline Addiction is an alternative rock ensemble whose musical influences range from early 90s grunge to modern hard rock to folk. Redline Addiction signed to upstart label Counterpoint Records LLC in 2007.

In March 2008, Redline Addiction released its first full-length album, Goodbye Miss Dolly, to great reviews. This record highlighted each individual member’s unique balance of talent and style, and set the tone for the band’s up-tempo and energetic live show. A year later, the band released St. Elmo’s Four, a tight collection of four hook-laden songs showcasing the band’s dynamic range. In December 2010, Redline Addiction released its second full-length record entitled Letters, an introspective acoustic-based record demonstrating the band’s depth and songwriting. Not surprisingly, this record has received rave reviews. On Tap Magazine, a well-known DC based publication, even dubbed the group as a “buzzing band.”

Redline Addiction continues to build on its regional following by playing various shows throughout the East Coast in recognized venues. Further, the band is now growing on a global level thanks to its social media presence. Redline Addiction has participated in the Baltimore Music Conference, and has headlined a variety of charity events, including DC United’s “It Takes More” Concert Series and the Washington Humane Society’s Dog Walks. In addition to making a presence on stage, Redline Addiction wrote and performed an original soundtrack for The Science Channel’s Feast of Predators. Its music has also been played on radio shows like DC101’s Local Lix, 98 Rock’s Noise in the Basement, and 101.5 Bob Rocks’ Homegrown Stash. Redline Addiction has been featured in MTV’s TJ (Twitter Jockey) Search Competition and Firefly Vodka’s official hard rock playlist.

5981 - REDLINE ADDICTION - A To B, Disc One (2012)

REDLINE ADDICTION
''A TO B, DISC ONE''
DECEMBER 6 2012
88:36

DISC ONE
1. I Beg You Surrender /3:37
2. Two Buzzes to Clarity /3:26
3. How to Lose /3:36
4. Uptown /3:09
5. Duet /4:53
6. Ordinary Fool /4:06
7. Devil With a Red Dress On /3:44
8. Highway Robbery /4:18
9. Yukon Gold /2:42
10. Left Exit /3:20
11. Our Moment /4:10
12. Last Call /3:53

DISC TWO
1. Everybody Knows /3:47
2. The Arsonist /4:36
3. Chunky, Come On! /3:23
4. Coming Attraction /4:00
5. Falling Down /4:27
6. Yesterday's Wagers /4:32
7. He's Not a Bad Friend, Just a Lousy Lover (Electric Mix) /2:39
8. Dark Days /4:30
9. Rusty /2:48
10. Whiskey Rose /3:55
11. Melancholy (Instrumental Mix) /5:05

Rob Robinson – Vocals
Chris McVey – Guitars, Vocals
Neil Mutreja – Guitars
Justin Ganderson – Bass, Vocals
Justin Liberti – Drums

ALBUM NOTES
BY CDBABY
This brand new album offers 23 songs that spans the entire career of Redline Addiction as of Winter 2012. From their very first show opening up for the Misfits on their 30th anniversary tour, to writing soundtracks for Science Channel, and playing D.C. area Shamrockfest with the Dropkick Murphy's, this collection has been years in the making.

The first disc (tracks 1 through 12) covers lots of musical ground. The first three tracks ("I Beg You Surrender", "Two Buzzes to Clarity", and "How to Lose") are all upbeat aggressive rockers that make you want to jump up and down. Other highlights include the chilled-out contemplative pop songs "Uptown" & "Left Exit", the epic ballad "Duet", the grooving bluesy rocker "Devil With a Red Dress On", the jammy "Highway Robbery", the rock-ska hooked "Yukon Gold" and the neo-reggae tune "Ordinary Fool". The first disc concludes with the upbeat and horn-laden "Last Call".

The second disc (tracks 13 through 23) showcases fan favorites from the course of the band's career over the past few years, with a few re-tracks (from Goodbye Miss Dolly) and re-masters (St. Elmo's Four EP). This disc ends with a collection of B-sides from their limited release singles, that you're sure to play over-and-over again.

OFFICIAL BIOGRAPHY
Hailing from the Washington, D.C. area, Redline Addiction is an alternative rock ensemble whose musical influences range from early 90s grunge to modern hard rock to folk. Redline Addiction signed to upstart label Counterpoint Records LLC in 2007.

In March 2008, Redline Addiction released its first full-length album, Goodbye Miss Dolly, to great reviews. This record highlighted each individual member’s unique balance of talent and style, and set the tone for the band’s up-tempo and energetic live show. A year later, the band released St. Elmo’s Four, a tight collection of four hook-laden songs showcasing the band’s dynamic range. In December 2010, Redline Addiction released its second full-length record entitled Letters, an introspective acoustic-based record demonstrating the band’s depth and songwriting. Not surprisingly, this record has received rave reviews. On Tap Magazine, a well-known DC based publication, even dubbed the group as a “buzzing band.”

Redline Addiction continues to build on its regional following by playing various shows throughout the East Coast in recognized venues. Further, the band is now growing on a global level thanks to its social media presence. Redline Addiction has participated in the Baltimore Music Conference, and has headlined a variety of charity events, including DC United’s “It Takes More” Concert Series and the Washington Humane Society’s Dog Walks. In addition to making a presence on stage, Redline Addiction wrote and performed an original soundtrack for The Science Channel’s Feast of Predators. Its music has also been played on radio shows like DC101’s Local Lix, 98 Rock’s Noise in the Basement, and 101.5 Bob Rocks’ Homegrown Stash. Redline Addiction has been featured in MTV’s TJ (Twitter Jockey) Search Competition and Firefly Vodka’s official hard rock playlist.

5980 - THE WATERBOYS - An Appointment With Mr. Yeats (2011)

THE WATERBOYS
''AN APPOINTMENT WITH MR. YEATS''
OCTOBER 4 2011
56:35

1 /The Hosting of the Shee
Mike Scott / William Butler Yeats/4:29
2 /Song of Wandering Aengus
Mike Scott / William Butler Yeats/5:26
3 /News for the Delphic Oracle
Mike Scott / William Butler Yeats/4:30
4 /A Full Moon in March
Mike Scott / William Butler Yeats/2:08
5 /Sweet Dancer
Mike Scott / Freddie Stevenson / William Butler Yeats/3:26
6 /White Birds
Mike Scott / Freddie Stevenson / William Butler Yeats/5:07
7 /The Lake Isle of Innisfree
Mike Scott / William Butler Yeats/2:23
8 /Mad as the Mist and Snow
Mike Scott / Steve Wickham / William Butler Yeats/4:06
9 /Before the World Was Made
Mike Scott / William Butler Yeats/1:46
10 /September 1913
Mike Scott / Steve Wickham / William Butler Yeats/7:20
11 /An Irish Airman Foresees His Death
Mike Scott / William Butler Yeats/2:34
12 /Politics
Mike Scott / William Butler Yeats/3:50
13 /Let the Earth Bear Witness
Mike Scott / William Butler Yeats/3:37
14 /The Faery's Last Song
Katie Kim / Mike Scott / William Butler Yeats/5:53

Sarah Allen /Flute
Joe Chester /Choir/Chorus, Guitar (Electric), Harmonium
James Hallawell /Keyboards, Organ (Hammond), Piano
Katie Kim /Choir/Chorus, Vocals
Blaise Margail /Trombone
Ralph Salmins /Drums, Tambourine
Mike Scott /Arranger, Bells, Bouzouki, Cabasa, Cymbals, Drums, Drums (Snare), Effects, Flute, Guitar, Guitar (12 String Acoustic), Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), Hand Drums, Keyboards, Loops, Mellotron, Organ, Piano, Piano (Electric), Programming, Soloist, Treatments, Vocals, Voices
Kate St. John /Cor Anglais, Oboe, Saxophone
Freddie Stevenson /Vocals
Steve Wickham /Fiddle

REVIEW
by Thom Jurek
The idea that the poetry of Ireland's William Butler Yeats could be set to rock music and captured adequately (let alone eloquently) by Mike Scott and his Waterboys sounds pretentious at the least. Yet, they proved it possible with "Stolen Child" on Fisherman's Blues, then with "Love and Death" off Dream Harder. Yeats and Scott share not only iconic status among their followers, they are also regarded as iconoclasts. The former was born a Catholic, became an atheist, and eventually found spirituality in nature and the occult. He was a celebrated poet and playwright but became a hard-willed, even ruthless politician in his defense of Irish freedom and unity. The latter is a controversial rocker and producer who has aspired to be a mystic, a social and political raconteur, a poet, and a traditional and postmodern balladeer. Also like Yeats, Scott's art has been adventurous: he's taken chances that have not always netted him critical -- or commercial -- success. An Appointment with Mr. Yeats contains 14 tunes adapted from the Irish poet's works that are wedded to musical compositions by Scott (with fiddler Steve Wickham and Catalonian trombonist Blaise Margail helping on the charts). These last two are members of a ten piece Waterboys that include its members keyboardist James Hallawell, multi-instrumentalist Kate St. John, bassist/co-producer Marc Arciero, flutist Sarah Allen and vocalist Katie Kim (who steals the show on the simple and sparse "Sweet Dancer," one of the set's finest moments.) The opener, "The Hosting of the Shee," begins with Celtic reggae but becomes a Celtic rocker with swooping strings and layered guitars. On "News for the Delphic Oracle," cabaret music gets transformed into Celtic cinematic stomp. There are hints of Scott's last proper album, The Book of Lightning, evidenced by "September 1913" with soulful jazz piano by Hallawell, and "Politics" with its horn charts that could have been lifted from Dexys Midnight Runners' debut album, Searching for the Young Soul Rebels. The all-too-brief "An Irish Airman Foresees His Death," with its organs and Rhodes piano, get underscored by a military snare drum and Scott's voice haunting in the verses. The only misstep is that "Let the Earth Bear Witness," with its hymnodic reverence, should have closed the set instead of the ethereal "Faery's Last Dance," but that's a minor quibble. Scott and his band have pulled off a gloriously wide-ranging celebration in An Appointment with Mr. Yeats; it is the Waterboys' strongest effort since Room to Roam.

BIOGRAPHY
by Jason Ankeny
Led by the literate singer/songwriter Mike Scott, the group's sole constant member, the mercurial Waterboys formed in London in 1981. Born December 14, 1958, in Edinburgh, Scotland, Scott first became involved in music as the creator of the fanzine Jungleland and later played in a series of local punk outfits. After college, where he studied English and philosophy, Scott and his band, Another Pretty Face, moved to London; following the group's breakup, he formed the Waterboys, so named after a line in the Lou Reed song "The Kids" but wholly appropriate given Scott's recurring lyrical fascination with sea imagery.

A newspaper advertisement calling for musicians led to a response from multi-instrumentalist Anthony Thistlethwaite; along with drummer Kevin Wilkinson, the Waterboys issued their self-titled debut in 1983. Keyboardist Karl Wallinger and trumpeter Roddy Lorimer joined for the 1984 follow-up, A Pagan Place, which expanded the group's rich, dramatic sound while further exploring Scott's interest in spirituality. With 1985's This Is the Sea, the Waterboys reached an early peak; a majestic, ambitious record, it earned the group a significant hit with the single "The Whole of the Moon."

However, after the album's release, Wallinger departed to form World Party, which prompted Scott and Thistlethwaite to relocate to Ireland and begin with a clean slate. When the Waterboys returned in 1988 with the acclaimed Fisherman's Blues, they were joined by traditional Irish players like fiddler Steve Wickham, drummer Dave Ruffy, keyboardist Guy Chambers, and bassist Marco Weissman, resulting in a stripped-down, folky sound that was continued on 1990's Room to Roam.

In 1991, Scott moved to New York without Thistlethwaite or any other bandmembers; the release of 1993's Dream Harder, cut with session musicians, marked a return to an electric, more rock-oriented sound. Soon Scott moved back to Scotland, where he began a lengthy stay at a spiritual commune; there he recorded the folk-tinged Bring 'Em All In under his own name, apparently putting the Waterboys to rest for good.

On July 17, 1999, drummer Kevin Wilkinson committed suicide in his countryside home in Swindon, Wiltshire, England, just prior to jetting off on an American tour with Howard Jones. Wilkinson, who had also worked with Squeeze, China Crisis, Bonnie Raitt, and the Proclaimers, was a member of the Waterboys since their 1983 self-titled effort.

Good fortune was in the wings, for Mike Scott resurrected the Waterboys name in 2000. Rock in the Weary Land marked the band's first release in seven years. Thistlethwaite and Wickham would return to the group, and tours across the world would prove successful. Fisherman's Blues, Pt. 2, an album featuring previously unavailable material from the Fisherman's Blues sessions, appeared in summer 2002. Scott returned to the studio for 2003's Universal Hall, followed by Book of Lightning in 2007.

After a couple of years of touring and time off, Scott assembled and released a compilation of unreleased songs from the Waterboys This Is the Sea sessions entitled In a Special Place in 2011, and also published a book entitled, Kiss the Wind: A Waterboy's Adventures in Music. He and bassist Scott Arciero also assembled a new version of the Waterboys -- Wickham (fiddle), Katie Kim (vocals), James Hallawell (keyboards), Kate St John (sax, oboe), Blaise Margail (trombone), Ralph Salmins (drums), Sarah Allen (flute), and Joe Chester (guitar) -- who began performing together in late 2010 and early 2011. In March they entered a studio to commence recording a new album. An Appointment with Mr. Yeats, a collection of new songs whose lyrics were taken from the poems of William Butler Yeats. The sessions were completed in June. The album was released in Europe in the early fall on Proper, and in the United States in early 2012.

5979 - TRAMPLED UNDER FOOT Live At Notodden Blues Festival (2010)

TRAMPLED UNDER FOOT
''LIVE AT NOTODDEN BLUES FESTIVAL''
2010
48:58

1 /Too Big to Carry
Trampled Under Foot/5:37
2 /Mean Old Town
Johnny Winter/7:00
3 /Fog
Trampled Under Foot/6:48
4 /No! I Ain't Gonna Let You Go
Moms Mabley/5:28
5 /Love My Baby
Trampled Under Foot/7:01
6 /Johnny Cheat
Trampled Under Foot/8:35
7 /May I Be Excused
Trampled Under Foot/8:29

Danielle Schnebelen/Bass, Vocals
Kris Schnebelen/Drums, Vocals
Nick Schnebelen/Guitar, Vocals

BIOGRAPHY
by Al Campbell
The soul blues trio Trampled Under Foot consists of siblings Danielle Schnebelen (lead vocals and bass), Nick Schnebelen (guitars and vocals) and Kris Schnebelen, (drums). They grew up with the blues in Kansas City. Their father, Bill, was a blues guitarist in the band Little Eva and would regularly take his three children to jam sessions. Growing up, the siblings played separately in numerous bands over the years. Danielle was in Fresh Brew (1999-2004), Kris was a staple at blues clubs, and Nick was in Killing Floor (or K-Floor), and briefly, Buddahead. Missing the family camaraderie, the siblings formed Trampled Under Foot in 2000. The band released four studio sessions: Trampled Under Foot (2006), May I Be Excused in (2008), and Wrong Side of the Blues in (2011). They also issued Live at the Notodden Blues Festival in 2010. The combination of those releases and non-stop touring caught the attention of the jazz and blues label Telarc, who signed the band in 2013. They issued their fifth studio album, Badlands, that same year.

5978 - URBAN GROOVE UNIT - Street Talk (2010)

URBAN GROOVE UNIT
''STREET TALK''
JANUARY 3 2010
61:31

1. Survive/5:24
2. Barcelona Telephone Call/0:30
3. Bars and Barcelona/4:43
4. ABC Jazz/5:23
5. Texas Late-Night Radio/0:55
6. Lady Day and John Coltrane/4:22
7. Sly Groove/4:52
8. Coward and Witness/4:27
9. If/5:25
10. You're So Sweet/5:18
11. So Wild/3:11
12. Radio Air Waves/0:16
13. Little Sister (aka Tuff Gong)/5:00
14. Ti Mango La/11:44

Laetitia N'Diaye (lead vocals)
James Startt (guitar)
Thomas Cassis (keys)
Aurelien Barbolosi (bass)
Greg Baudrier (drums)
Valentin Couineau (trombone)
Nicolas Lassus (trompette)

ALBUM NOTES
BY CDBABY
Based in Paris, France, Urban Groove Unit is an international nine-piece band rooted in 70's soul/funk but with an eye on African rythyms as well. As its name incites, Urban Groove Unit is a band devoted to a common rhythmic goal and whose sound comes straight from the street.

5977 - WEST MEMPHIS SUICIDE - Resurrecting The Ghost (2010)

WEST MEMPHIS SUICIDE
''RESURRECTING THE GHOST''
OCTOBER 1 2010
52:31

1. Nothing Messiah/3:51
2. Sixx Feet/4:40
3. Delta Bruise/4:44
4. Have It Your Own Way/3:58
5. Poor Man's Lucky Sunrise/3:54
6. Cocked and Loaded/4:12
7. Crash and Burn/4:24
8. Downsyndrome/3:42
9. Resurrecting The Ghost/4:02
10. This Ends Now/4:15
11. Black Widow/4:25
12. Been There Before/6:24

Chris Raposo - Guitar and Vocals
Barry Martin - Guitar
Paul Oliver - Bass
Chris Spiers - Drums

"Swamp soaked delta dipped booze infused ass kicking rock".
Jeff Woods - Legends of Classic Rock.

"There was absolutely no question who these people were here to see.
Of the estimated 200 people crammed into this club probably 60% or
more were sporting various "West Memphis Suicide" T-shirts and the
second the band hit the stage they were front and center, ready to
rock." (Reflecting on the Toronto Show Nov. 16 2012)
Wally Norton - Decibel Geek Podcast

West Memphis Suicide brings soul to some great hard rocking riffs. If
Dimebag were alive, he'd be rocking out to them. I'm proud to be a
dirtbag.
Allan Robertson – Backstage Axxess

“Their debut disc, Songo Hollow, is one of the ass-kickingest heavy
albums I've heard in ages . Their music chugs low and loud like a
steamroller, but swings with the kind of deep-south boogie mastered
by bands like Black Label Society and even Creedence Clearwater
Revival. I'd be willing to bet that the award nomination is the first of
more (and bigger) to come. ”
— Bill Doucet, Cambridge Times

West Memphis Suicide, Songo Hollow. My pick for best local album of
the year is a 10-tonne slab of southern-fried rock 'n' roll so thick and
heavy it melted my car speakers. If Lynyrd Skynyrd and Black
Sabbath got into a boozy bar brawl, this would be the soundtrack.
Front man Chris Raposo is one of the best guitar shredders in the
country, a skill he shows off in abundance on Songo Hollow. Two big
devil-horns up. - Colin Hunter KW Record”
Colin Hunter - KW Record

5976 - THE DIRTY BLUE (2009)

THE DIRTY BLUE
''THE DIRTY BLUE''
SEPTEMBER 9 2009
41:06

1. New Feelin'/2:30
2. Let's Be Friends ... Into The Blue Theme/3:58
3. Farewell Theory/2:12
4. So, So Sad/4:28
5. Wake Up Call/4:33
6. Tea And Crumpets/4:07
7. Cottonmouth/2:23
8. Blue Eyes/3:52
9. Idle Hands/3:08
10.Sometimes ... Out Of The Blue Theme/4:22
11.Shooting Star/2:47
12.Check Your Head/2:46
All Songs Written by The Dirty Blue

Dima - lead vocals (tracks 2-12, bridge & chorus track 4), 6 & 12
string acoustic guitars, electric rhythm guitar, orchestration
John Kuhl - lead & rhythm guitars, slide guitar, cello arrangements,
lead vocals (track 1), backing vocals (track 5-coda)
Nathan Kuhl - drums, auxiliary percussion, bass guitar, grand piano,
hammond b3, wurlitzer, rhodes, clavinet, melodica, harmonica, lead
vocals (track 4 - verses), backing vocals (tracks 1, 2, 4, 5, 9-12)
Guests:
Andrea Schripsema - cello
Andrei Rabodzeenko - spoken word

The album is a collection of crowd favorites, showcasing The Dirty
Blue's relentless dedication to the traditions and aesthetics of the
golden age of rock while providing a retrospective of the band's early
career highlights. In many ways, this jukebox-diary of sorts does not
merely chronicle the first five years of the trio's history but also serves
as a frozen time capsule of group members' vast songwriting
influences that helped them form a tight bond as a band, favoring their
mutual appreciation for the classic pop and rock of earlier generations
over any flavor-of-the-month trend or fashion.

5975 - THREE LEGGED FOX - Not As Far (2009)

THREE LEGGED FOX
''NOT AS FAR''
2009
61:37

1. Soul Thief/3:07
2. Away/4:18
3. Not as Far/4:41
4. Maybe I'm Sorry/4:15
5. Back Again/4:17
6. Slow Down/4:35
7. Gone/3:29
8. I Believe/5:03
9. Help/4:35
10.Found Out/3:07
11.Love Move a Mountain/3:23
12.Easier Way/3:32
13.Higher Love/3:25
14.Higher Love 2.0/4:37
15.Away (Live 5.11.12)/5:08

Kyle Wareham (lead vocals, guitar)
Mike Brody (lead guitar)
Eric Weisenstein (bass)
Kory Kochersperger (drums)

5974 - PREACHER BOY - Gutters And Pews (1996)

PREACHER BOY
''GUTTERS AND PEWS''
1996
44:51

1 - Down And Out In This Town/3:29
2 - Catfish/3:59
3 - Ugly/5:11
4 - Cold Mountain Music/3:08
5 - I Won't Be There/1:58
6 - Something Is Wrong/3:24
7 - Buckshot/4:27
8 - Railroad/3:38
9 - New Orleans/2:53
10 - In The Darkened Night/4:54
11 - Back Then We Only Cared For Hell/3:37
12 - 2 O'Clock/3:17
All Tracks By Chris Watkins

Big Bones /Harmonica
Jim Campilongo /Guest Artist, Guitar (Electric)
Ralph Carney /Clarinet, Guest Artist, Sax (Alto), Sax (Baritone), Slide Clarinet, Vocals (Background)
Steve Escobar /Drums
Tom Giesler /Bass (Electric)
Harpo /Shaker
Preacher Boy /Accordion, Banjo, Dobro, Guitar (12 String), Guitar (Bass), Guitar (Electric), Jug, Mandolin, Mellotron, Melodica, National Steel Guitar, Organ (Hammond), Piano, Tambourine, Trumpet, Vocals, Washboard
Hans Raag /Guitar (Electric)
Miboy Sherman /Clapping, Clarinet (Alto), Vocals (Background)
Jimbo Trout /Banjo
Danny Uzilevsky /Bass (Electric)
Tom Uzilevsky /Bass (Electric)

REVIEW
by Scott Yanow
This CD is a rocking session most notable for the strange voice of Preacher Boy, who makes Louis Armstrong sound like a tenor. Preacher Boy (listed as playing various guitars, mandolin, bass guitar, mellotron, banjo, accordion, organ, piano, melodica, corn whiskey jug, tamborine, washboard, trumpet, wrench and egg) is joined by a colorful and versatile group for a set of originals. Listeners who can get used to the leader's very raspy bullfrog voice (which dominates the music) will find this spirited program of rockish blues to have some moments of interest.

BIOGRAPHY
by Richard Skelly
Christopher Watkins, a twenty-something rocker from the San Francisco Bay area, is turning a whole new generation of teenage and twenty-something alternative rock fans on to the eternal hipness of the blues. Watkins, who uses the stage name Preacher Boy, is backed on his club shows around the Bay area and other parts of the West Coast by his band Natural Blues.

Watkins was born in Iowa City, but lived in Michigan, Kansas, Italy, and Washington before moving to San Francisco. At 16, his mom brought him a copy of Sam Charters' book The Country Blues from the library. Mrs. Watkins knew her son was becoming obsessed with a Howlin' Wolf record he'd found in the family record collection. After reading about country-blues musicians in Charters' book, Watkins became fascinated with the styles of classic country-blues players like Mississippi John Hurt, Son House, Bukka White, Robert Johnson, Blind Willie Johnson, and Mance Lipscomb.

Watkins played guitar in a number of bar bands for several years before forming Preacher Boy & the Natural Blues in 1992. The band soon found themselves sharing stages with touring acts like Counting Crows, Chris Isaak, Los Lobos, J.J. Cale, and others on their San Francisco tour stops.

The band's self-titled debut for Blind Pig Records may not have been an overwhelming critical success, but change, whether it's in jazz or blues, is never easy. The band had a fresh take on the blues, and they turned out to be a surprise hit of the 1995 San Francisco Blues Festival. Watkins, who has a gruff, Tom Waits-like voice and jumpy, rhythmic guitar playing, shows an infectious energy and the band shows a maturity in the development of their style on their second album for Blind Pig, the 1996 release Gutters & Pews. On this album, the band successfully blends a range of Americana styles, including folk-blues, roots rock, funk, gospel, and early blues-based jazz. In 1998, Preacher Boy relocated to the U.K.,signed with Wah Tup, and released Crow. While opening for Eagle-Eye Cherry on tour promoting Crow, the two formed a songwriting partnership leading to Preacher Boy co-writing and playing on five tracks on Cherry's 2001 release Living in the Present Future. 1999 found Preacher Boy back in the States recording the follow-up to Crow. Devil's Buttermilk was released in 2000 on Manifesto and showed Preacher Boy further expanding his unique approach to the blues. Also in 2000, he contributed a version of "Old Boyfriends" to the Tom Waits tribute New Coat of Paint: Songs of Tom Waits.