8143 - RIK EMMETT - ABSOLUTELY (1990)

RIK EMMETT
''ABSOLUTELY''
1990
44:21

1 Drive Time 04:19
2 Big Lie 04:23
3 Saved By Love 03:57
4 When A Heart Breaks 03:38
5 World Of Wonder 03:55
6 Stand And Deliver 05:24
7 The Way That You Love Me (Rik Emmett, Bob Halligan Jr., Graham Shaw) 04:18
8 Middle Ground 03:54
9 Heaven Only Knows 03:59
10 Smart, Fast, Mean And Lucky (Rik Emmett, Bob Halligan Jr., Graham Shaw) 03:56
11 Passage (For Big Nick) (Instrumental) 02:32
Tracks By Emmett, Except 7, 10

Colleen Allen/Saxophone, Vocals (Background)
Chris Brockway/Bass, Vocals (Background)
Randy Cooke/Drums
Rik Emmett/Guitar, Vocals, Vocals (Background)
Colina Phillips/Vocals (Background)
Jeff Stevens/Percussion, Shaker, Tambourine
Dave Tkaczuk/Arranger, Keyboards
Joel Wade/Vocals (Background)
Vivian Williams/Vocals (Background)

BIOGRAPHY
by Greg Prato (AllMusic)
Best known as the guitarist (and often singer) of hard-edged prog rockers Triumph, Rik Emmett went on to launch his own solo career after leaving the group in the late '80s. Born in Toronto, Canada, in 1953, Emmett picked up the guitar just before his teenage years, and eventually studied a wide variety of styles -- classical, pop, jazz, and rock. After dropping out of college during the early '70s, Emmett pursued music full time, and he was a member of such obscure Canadian outfits as the glam-based Justin Paige and the more progressive Act III. By the middle of the decade, Emmett had joined forces with drummer/singer Gil Moore and bassist Mike Levine, which led to the formation of Triumph.

Following in the footsteps of another Canadian trio, Rush, Emmett and company specialized in a prog rock meets heavy metal style, but Triumph also incorporated elements of arena rock (i.e., singalong anthems) into its sound. Several albums followed in the late '70s (1976's self-titled debut, 1977's Rock & Roll Machine, and 1979's Just a Game), while the group's over the top live show (heavy on intricate lighting/lasers) proved popular among headbangers in Canada and the United States. Triumph peaked commercially with such releases as 1980's Progressions of Power, 1981's Allied Forces, 1982's Never Surrender, and 1984's Thunder Seven, during which time Emmett's instrumental talents were often recognized, as his mug graced the cover of quite a few guitar publications. It was around this time that Emmett began writing his own monthly column in Guitar Player magazine (as well as the humorous "Rocktoons" for Hit Parader), and began a long association with the Yamaha guitar company.

But a cool reception welcomed a pair of Triumph releases in 1985, Stages and The Sport of Kings. With interest in the group waning, Emmett departed Triumph in 1988, as he had become increasingly frustrated with the group's musical direction. Emmett was supposedly offered gigs in both Asia and Damn Yankees soon after, but opted instead to launch a solo career. Throughout the '90s, Emmett issued a wide variety of solo releases and toured regularly, including such titles as 1990's Absolutely, 1992's Ipso Facto, 1996's Spiral Notebook, 1997's Ten Invitations from the Mistress of Mr. E. and Swing Shift, plus 1999's Raw Quartet and The Spirit of Christmas (the latter a collaboration with keyboardist Sam Reid). Also during the late '90s, an archival live Triumph release featuring Emmett (from 1981) was issued, 1996's King Biscuit Flower Hour (In Concert).

The early 21st century saw Emmett keep up his steady pace of issuing recordings and playing live shows, as such further releases as 2000's Live at Berklee, 2002's Handiwork and 2003's Good Faith were released, as was his very own edition of the 20th Century Masters - Millennium Collection series, The Best of Rik Emmett. Strung out Troubadours: Live at Hugh's Room with Dave Dunlop arrived in 2007. Additionally, the guitarist currently serves on the board of directors for the Songwriters Association of Canada, teaches a music career development course at Toronto's Humber College, and also oversees his own website, www.rikemmett.com.

OFFICIAL SITE

8142 - PHIL CODY - BIG SLOW MOVER (2001)

PHIL CODY
''BIG SLOW MOVER''
AUGUST 28 2001
46:31

1 We Could've Had It All 03:09
2 Big Slow Mover 03:23
3 Opposition Radio 03:36
4 Standing Invitation 03:35
5 Run Out of Town (Phil Cody, Mike Martt, Zander Schloss) 03:50
6 If I Needed You 03:39
7 City of Destruction 03:50
8 40 Winks of Sleep 04:32
9 Joyride 02:19
10 Wicked Cold Waltz 04:41
11 Option Anxiety 02:00
12 Spencer's Song 05:09
13 Orphan Train 02:41
Tracks By Cody, Except 5, 6

Rev. Brady Blade
Mario Calire
Matt Cartsonis
Phil Cody
Jennifer Condos
Kim Fox
Bob Glaub
Sheldon Gomberg
Emmylou Harris
Joe Henry
Rami Jaffee
Ethan Johns
Andrew Kamman
Doug Livingston
Al Wolovitch

REVIEW
by Erik Hage (AllMusic)
Phil Cody's Big Slow Mover is full of gritty folk-rock/pop that is charged through with melodic smarts. Cody was still on his major label when he recorded this effort, with co-producers Ethan Johns (Ryan Adams) and the Wallflowers' Rami Jaffee at the helm, and guest appearances by such notables as Joe Henry and Emmylou Harris. (The latter on a less-than-inspired version of Townes Van Zandt's "If I Needed You.") But after some label reconfiguring, Cody was dropped and ended up self-releasing this album -- and it's to the listener's credit that he did. Cody is a top-notch, tuneful songwriter with a distinctive set of pipes that land him somewhere between Cat Stevens and Bob Dylan (and that warrant comparison to those of Vic Chesnutt). What pulls him ahead of the singer/songwriter pack, however, is his aforementioned melodic sensibility. The gleeful "Joyride" succeeds on the back of bouncy, crunchy guitars; Cody's raw vocals; and a delightful pop hook. The title track is a downtrodden beauty that sweeps the listener up in its gentle guitar twangs and welling harmonies, while "City of Destruction" is a cruising, euphoric roots-rocker.

BIOGRAPHY
by Erik Hage (AllMusic)
Cincinnati-born Phil Cody, a longtime California resident, produces a smart, raw folk-rock blend that calls to mind Peter Case and Pete Droge. He released his debut album, The Sons of Intemperance Offering, in 1996 on Interscope Records. Most of the project was recorded live in the studio. In the years after its release, he hit the road, sharing the stage with artists such as Steve Earle, Golden Smog, Warren Zevon, and Jimmie Dale Gilmore. Cody was still on Interscope when he made 2000's Big Slow Mover, a compelling folk-rock/country amalgam full of sonic touches such as funk grooves and loops. It was co-produced by Ethan Johns and the Wallflowers' Rami Jaffe and featured guest appearances by Joe Henry and Emmylou Harris (on a great version of Townes Van Zandt's "If I Needed You"). However, the growing, changing label passed on it; so armed with a new Mac computer and a strong unreleased album, Cody went D.I.Y., starting his own label, Tiny Head Records.

8141 - PHIL CODY - THE SONS OF INTEMPERANCE OFFERING (1996)

PHIL CODY
''THE SONS OF INTEMPERANCE OFFERING''
MAY 21 1996
64:04

1 House of Lust 03:18
2 Running Halfway Blown 03:02
3 Stages 05:18
4 Solana Beach Song 03:27
5 Hats off (To the Big Queen City) 03:52
6 All the Way My Lover Leads 03:01
7 Soldiers 02:54
8 The Loneliest Girl in the World 04:59
9 Straight to Hell (Phil Cody, Topper Headon, Mick Jones, Paul Simonon, Joe Strummer) 05:49
10 A Soft Reply 04:32
11 Scream at the Blackbirds 06:09
12 Tighten Up 02:56
13 Simpatico Blvd 09:13
14 Unmarried Ladies 05:29
Tracks by Cody, Except 9

Bill "Luigi" Bonk/Accordion, Guitar (Electric), Vocals (Background)
Matt Cartsonis/Banjo, Guitar (Electric), Mandolin, Vocals (Background)
Phil Cody/Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), Vocals
Sheldon Gomberg/Bass (Upright)
Rami Jaffee/Accordion, Mellotron, Organ (Hammond), Piano
Andrew Kamman/Drums
Bryan Smith/Percussion

BIOGRAPHY
by Erik Hage (AllMusic)
Cincinnati-born Phil Cody, a longtime California resident, produces a smart, raw folk-rock blend that calls to mind Peter Case and Pete Droge. He released his debut album, The Sons of Intemperance Offering, in 1996 on Interscope Records. Most of the project was recorded live in the studio. In the years after its release, he hit the road, sharing the stage with artists such as Steve Earle, Golden Smog, Warren Zevon, and Jimmie Dale Gilmore. Cody was still on Interscope when he made 2000's Big Slow Mover, a compelling folk-rock/country amalgam full of sonic touches such as funk grooves and loops. It was co-produced by Ethan Johns and the Wallflowers' Rami Jaffe and featured guest appearances by Joe Henry and Emmylou Harris (on a great version of Townes Van Zandt's "If I Needed You"). However, the growing, changing label passed on it; so armed with a new Mac computer and a strong unreleased album, Cody went D.I.Y., starting his own label, Tiny Head Records.

8140 - PHAMOUS PHACES - NEW POP CITY (2005)

PHAMOUS PHACES
''NEW POP CITY''
2001
40:59

1 Denmark 03:10
2 Standing On the Stage 04:38
3 She Won't Have It 03:32
4 Kristen Did It 02:29
5 What's Wrong 02:46
6 No More Sht 03:04
7 Volcano Mouth 03:34
8 And She Goes 02:14
9 Allie 03:03
10 Going Crazy 03:22
11 Come and Get It 02:21
12 Love Me Alone 03:21
13 Where's the Words 03:19

THE STORY BEHIND PHAMOUS PHACES
by cdbaby
Written by Scott Vendetta (2005)
In the recent years of Phamous Phaces' existence, the band has finally settled into doing what it does best. That is, writing and performing the pop music that drew them into the world of rock-n-roll to begin with.

Friends for most of their adult lives, their story began a long time ago. Before coming together to form the band, the members all played separately in several bands that ended up on KZEL's "Oregon's Best Rock" album. Little did they know that they would end up playing together, and this actually was behind the tongue-in-cheek idea to name the band "Phamous Phaces".

In August of 1993 the band began to focus on their own music and the "Phaces" began recording their first album in 1994. Entitled Worlds Apart, it was comprised of many of the songs written during the initial years together on the club circuit, as well as songs that had been written currently. The album was released in April of 1995 and was moderately successful on a regional level. Two of the songs off of this CD were enough to qualify Phamous Phaces for a slot in the 1995 Ticketmaster Showcase as one of 185 bands nationwide out of over 10,000 who entered.

The band went back into the studio in 1996 to record its second CD. This time they had the help of co-producer Jeff Tamelier, guitarist for Starship at that time. Jeff is now playing with Tower of Power. On April 20 (4-20) of 1997, Suite 420 was released and garnered some very favorable reviews. This CD was the next logical step in solidifying the Phamous Phaces sound and marked the beginning of some great things to come for the band. During the summer of that year, Phamous Phaces went on their first international tour to Denmark. In Denmark the band played 17 shows in just over three weeks and started an ongoing love affair with the people and country!

Upon the band's return from Europe, the following year was made up of playing regionally until in late summer of 1998, when Phamous Phaces was invited to play the first annual International Pop Overthrow (IPO) festival In Los Angeles. At this festival, there were over 100 bands from around the world playing pop music! Phamous Phaces had found a warm and accepting audience there and proceeded to play the 2nd IPO again in 1999. At this festival the band played a rare second showcase to rave reviews at the request of David Bash, organizer.

After returning from LA, the band began to work on recording their third studio effort, which turned out to be a very special one. Phamous Phaces played their third International Pop Overthrow at the El Rey Theater in Hollywood promoting their upcoming release. New Pop City was released in August of 2001 after nearly 2 1/2 years of delays and setbacks. On this CD there is a noticeable move away from a "slick" production with the focus being "the song". This release is considered by most to be the band's best effort yet! Upon the release of New Pop City, Phamous Phaces traveled to Denmark for another tour. While in Denmark they signed a distribution deal for their new CD with MIS Label. New Pop City is being distributed to stores across Scandinavia.

Phamous Phaces music is getting airplay in several European countries as well as some regional airplay in the States! You can find them in rotation on powerpopradio.com on the Internet as well as airplay on numerous college radio stations. Rock-n-Rome, from KRVM 92V (91.9 FM) in Eugene, was the first one to play the band's music on the air, starting back with their first album. You can still hear their music played on his show every Sunday evening. The University of Oregon radio station KWVA 88.1 FM also has Phamous Phaces in rotation as does KSCU 103.3 FM at the University of California at Santa Clara. Many more stations all over the world have followed suit.

2001 also saw the departure of long time friend and guitarist, Roger McConnell, and the arrival of guitarist Johnny Wilde. With his great vocals and Fender guitar, he played with the band for the next two years.


It is now 2005, and the Phaces are working on their 4th full-length CD, which should prove to be their BEST yet...
Great new songs like "King of the World" and "Jessie's Song" show a powerful new light in their writing and sound.

Shedding some of that 'powerful new light' is new guitarist and vocalist, Tommy Pierson. With his thick guitar sound, great vocals and grand power-pop style, he truly fits the Phamous Phaces sound.

OFFICIAL SITE

8139 - LANE-MARRIOTT - THE LEGENDARY MAJIK MIJITS (2000) REPOST

LANE-MARRIOTT
''THE LEGENDARY MAJIK MIJITS''
AUGUST 25 2000
35:23

1 Lonely No More 02:14
2 Chicken (If The Cap Fits) 03:47
3 Toe Rag 01:05
4 Bombers Moon 03:01
5 Happy Birthday, Birthday Girl 02:48
6 Last Tango In NATO 03:11
7 How Does It Feel? 02:39
8 That's The Way It Goes 02:41
9 You Spent It 03:30
10 Son Of Stanley Lane 02:09
11 Be The One 02:25
12 Ruby Jack 03:34
13 All Or Nothing...Reprise (Live From The Canning Row Gig) 02:12

Steve Marriott – guitar, vocals
Ronnie Lane – bass guitar, vocals
Mick Green – guitar
Mick Weaver – keyboards
Jim Leverton – bass guitar
Dave Hynes – drums
Sam Brown – backing vocals

REVIEW
by William Ruhlmann (AllMusic)
Finally surfacing nearly 20 years after the fact, the great lost "Majik Mijits" album project is a duo recording made in the early '80s by the creative forces from Small Faces, Steve Marriott and Ronnie Lane. (The Majik Mijits moniker is yet another reference to their diminutive size.) Marriott at the time was fresh out of reunions with Small Faces (a gathering that had initially included Lane) and Humble Pie; Lane, most recently a solo artist, was just starting to suffer the physical limitations associated with multiple sclerosis. They organized a band featuring bassist Jim Leverton, guitarist Mick Green, drummer Dave Hynes, and keyboardist Mick Weaver, and used Lane's mobile recording studio to cut an LP democratically sequenced with six songs each by Lane and Marriott (no collaborations), alternating one after the other. The result, not surprisingly, has moments when it sounds like Small Faces. In particular, Marriott's "How Does It Feel" could have been a Small Faces single of the 1980s. Typically, Lane's songs are sturdy, well-constructed efforts, while Marriott's are more varied, sometimes ("Toe Rag") even being comic throwaways. And why was the album not released in, say, 1982? Apparently, record companies either passed on it or required that the band tour to support it, which Lane was incapable of doing. So, instead, the tapes ended up in the possession of Small Faces drummer Kenney Jones before emerging in the new millennium. Now, they constitute a worthy footnote in the Small Faces story.

BIOGRAPHY (RONNIE LANE)
by Steve Kurutz (AllMusic)
As the former bassist for the Small Faces, and later the Faces, Ronnie Lane left both bands when he felt the spirit of the group had died, gaining him the reputation of an uncompromising artist, and allowing him the opportunity to release some fine solo material in the '70s.

An underrated singer and songwriter, Lane (along with guitarist Steve Marriott) co-founded the British mod group the Small Faces in the mid-'60s, helping to guide them to the top of British charts with his clever songwriting. After Marriott left, Lane jettisoned the group's mod reputation and, adding former Jeff Beck cohorts Ron Wood and Rod Stewart, Lane re-formed the group as the Faces, a loud, boozy rock band that achieved widespread success in the States (something the Small Faces could never do). Although Lane was the unacknowledged leader among the group members, audiences were drawn to singer Rod Stewart, and when Stewart's burgeoning solo career began affecting the quality of the Faces' albums, Lane jumped ship to form his own band in 1973.

Billing themselves as Ronnie Lane's Slim Chance, the bassist organized an ambitious tour dubbed the "Passing Show" that included a traveling circus complete with jugglers, clowns, and animals in 1974. Although the tour was an interesting moment in rock history, it was a financial failure from which Lane would never recover. For income, he continued leasing his mobile recording unit out to bands like Led Zeppelin, who used it to record their double-LP Physical Graffiti.

With Slim Chance, Lane released several albums with a folk-rock flavor in the mid-'70s that spotlighted his minstrel-esque songs and fragile voice. And in 1976, Lane teamed up with Ron Wood, releasing the movie soundtrack album Mahoney's Last Stand. The following year, Lane again collaborated, this time with longtime friend and fellow mod Pete Townshend, on the critically acknowledged classic Rough Mix. Contributing songs such as the acoustic-drenched "Annie" and "April Fool," Lane once again exhibited the depth of feeling in his songwriting that he had displayed so wonderfully with the Small Faces and Faces. Sadly, Lane was diagnosed with the debilitating disease multiple sclerosis in the late '70s, severely curtailing his musical output. He released the solo album See Me in 1980, and in 1983, friends such as Eric Clapton, Pete Townshend, and Jimmy Page rallied around him, organizing an ARMS foundation benefit concert and tour, and donating the proceeds to the treatment of MS. In the '80s Lane relocated to Austin, TX, recording songs and occasionally fronting a local group called the Tremors, playing gigs around the city. In 1990, the bassist toured Japan, his last major tour, and later moved to Colorado where the climate was better suited to the treatment of MS.

Always remembered as a kindred spirit and talented musician who was able to write songs that cut to the core of human emotion, in June of 1997, the disease that had curtailed Ronnie Lane's music finally took his life. In 1999, there appeared a compilation featuring a number of rarities and outtakes titled April Fool.

BIOGRAPHY (STEVE MARRIOTT)
by Jason Ankeny (AllMusic)
The frontman for British hitmakers the Small Faces and Humble Pie, singer/guitarist Steve Marriott was born January 30, 1947 in London; a successful child actor, he played the role of the Artful Dodger in the musical Oliver! as a teen, but by the mid-'60s, he was working in a local music shop. There he met bassist Ronnie Lane, agreeing to jam with his band the Pioneers; Marriott soon joined the group full-time and, after adopting a sound influenced by American R&B and a look inspired by Mod fashions, they rechristened themselves the Small Faces. Though best-known in the U.S. for their hit "Itchycoo Park," at home, the Small Faces enjoyed much greater success, reeling off a series of smashes including "All or Nothing," "My Mind's Eye," and "Lazy Sunday" as well as the 1968 classic LP Ogden's Nut Gone Flake. The chart popularity of "Lazy Sunday" rankled Marriott, however -- he'd recorded the song as a joke and it was released despite his objections -- and when the more thoughtful "The Universal" failed to crack the Top 20, his dissatisfaction only increased.

Marriott's tenure with the Small Faces ended after he stalked offstage during a New Year's Day 1969 performance; he soon recruited ex-Herd guitarist Peter Frampton to form the hard rock combo Humble Pie, and after months of woodshedding at Marriott's Essex cottage, the group issued its debut single, "Natural Born Boogie," cracking the U.K. Top Five. The LP As Safe as Yesterday Is followed, but again American success eluded Marriott until the release of the 1971 Humble Pie live album Performance: Rockin' the Fillmore, which went gold. Although Frampton left the band soon after, 1972's Smokin' was a smash, reaching the U.S. Top Ten; subsequent efforts failed to achieve the same heights, however, and Humble Pie disbanded in 1975. After the release of the solo Marriott, in 1976, he joined in a Small Faces reunion, then four years later re-formed Humble Pie with original drummer Jerry Shirley; after two LPs, the group again dissolved. Marriott spent the better part of the decade in seclusion, but was planning to reunite with Frampton when he lost his life in a house fire on April 20, 1991.

8138 - JONATHAN BYRD - YOU CAN'T OUTRUN THE RADIO (2014)

JONATHAN BYRD
''YOU CAN'T OUTRUN THE RADIO''
OCTOBER 13 2014
36:11

1 .38 Baby 02:35
2 Slip Away 03:37
3 Starlight 04:03
4 Mama's Got Wheels 02:44
5 A Big Truck Brought It 03:11
6 Pale Rider 03:41
7 Poor Johnny 02:45
8 Working Offshore 04:43
9 You Can't Outrun The Radio 04:44
10 Close Enough To Touch 04:04

Alexa Dirks and Andrina Turenne - harmony vocals
Grant Siemens - electric guitar
Joanna Miller - drums
Rejean Ricard - bass
Corin Raymond - harmonies and spiritual guidance
Chris Scruggs - steel guitar
Steve Conn - organ
Jonathan Byrd - Guitar, Vocals

BIOGRAPHY (WIKIPEDIA)

You Can't Outrun The Radio

OFFICIAL SITE

8137 - CHRIS STALCUP AND THE GRANGE - DIXIE ELECTRIC COMPANY (2011)

CHRIS STALCUP AND THE GRANGE
''DIXIE ELECTRIC COMPANY''
APRIL 23 2011
41:34

1. Dixie Electric Co. 03:34
2. Old Hwy 41 03:22
3. Eastern Stars 04:04
4. Change Your Mind 02:36
5. California 03:43
6. Pawnshop 03:12
7. Tear Out My Heart 02:52
8. Think Of Me 03:18
9. Caroline 06:22
10. Hold On The Handle 04:55
11. Into The Wind 03:57

Reaching beyond the Alt-Country success of Chase Fifty Six’s 2010 “Allatoona Rising” Stalcup has embarked on a new project wielding the power of Atlanta’s All Star line-up of Bret Hartley ~ guitar (Sugarland, Sonia Leigh) Paul Barrie ~ drums (Cigar Store Indians, Donkey) Jon Daly ~ guitar, pedal steel, banjo (Michelle Malone, Jackson County Line) and Jim Vollrath ~ bass (Chase56, Mayhem Hero).

Hailing from Atlanta GA, Stalcup & The Grange finds it’s Americana sound situated squarely in the middle of the Southern Rock mecca for which their songwriting influences reign tall. Tales of loss and heartache combined with his unique southern storytelling and a well seasoned band, Stalcup leads the band’s dynamics from a slow swampy sway to a full blown rock and roll free for all.

OFFICIAL SITE

8136 - BILL LASWELL - TÚWAQACHI: THE FOURTH WORLD, DISC TWO (2012)

BILL LASWELL
''TÚWAQACHI: THE FOURTH WORLD, DISC TWO''
NOVEMBER 27 2012
59:10

DISC ONE (17:52)
1 Totoka 03:03
2 Kwatoko 00:24
3 Wikima 01:14
4 The Upper Air 01:29
5 Craibi 01:40
6 Pamösi 01:23
7 Waki 01:49
8 Pátuwvotah 04:29
9 Pávati 02:17

DISC TWO (41:18)
1 Kwátoko (Part 2) 01:02
2 Wikima (Part 2) 00:58
3 Panaiyoikyasi 02:22
4 Cloud House 00:58
5 Wénima 02:33
6 Totoka (Part 2) 03:12
7 Waki (Part 2) 02:37
8 Solstice 03:53
9 Pátuwvotah (Part 2) 01:36
10 Cloud House (Part 2) 02:51
11 Migration 12:52
12 Wénima (Part 2) 06:19

BIOGRAPHY
by Jason Ankeny (AllMusic)
A longtime linchpin of the New York City underground music scene, Bill Laswell has been among the most prolific artists in contemporary music; as a performer, producer, and label chief, his imprint is on literally hundreds of albums, the majority of them characterized by a signature sound fusing the energy of punk with the bone-rattling rhythms of funk. Born on February 12, 1955, in Salem, IL, he initially played guitar, but soon switched to bass; raised primarily in the Detroit area, he honed his skills in local funk outfits before relocating to New York in 1978. There Laswell formed Material, an outlet for his experimental approach toward sounds ranging from jazz to hip-hop to worldbeat; originally the backup unit for Daevid Allen, the group soon began working on its own, issuing its debut EP Temporary Music in 1979.

In addition to fronting Material, Laswell also mounted a solo career, issuing Baselines in 1982 on Celluloid, a label he partly owned and operated. Appearances on key recordings by the likes of David Byrne, John Zorn, Fred Frith, and the Golden Palominos established Laswell as a virtual nexus of the downtown N.Y.C. community, and in 1983 he broke into the mainstream with his production work on Herbie Hancock's smash "Rockit," which he also co-wrote; the follow-up LP, Sound-System, won him a Grammy. Throughout the mid-'80s Laswell was everywhere, playing bass on LPs from artists including Mick Jagger, Peter Gabriel, Yoko Ono, and Laurie Anderson; he also joined the avant group Curlew, and produced a number of African acts.

In 1986, Laswell joined guitarist Sonny Sharrock, drummer Ronald Shannon Jackson, and saxophonist Peter Brötzmann in the group Last Exit; a second solo LP, Hear No Evil, appeared two years later, and after a long hiatus he also resurrected Material in 1989 with Seven Souls. Another project, the hip-hop-flavored Praxis, was resumed after close to a decade of inactivity with 1992's Transmutation (Mutatis Mutandis). In 1990, Laswell formed another label, Axiom, to explore his interest in the new sounds of ambient and techno; where in the past his work rarely appeared solely under his own name, by the middle of the decade he was issuing several solo records annually in a wide range of styles from dub to jazz. He also remained among the most prolific producers in the business, collaborating with the likes of Dub Syndicate, Pete Namlook, Buckethead, and DJ Spooky.

In 2004, Laswell signed a multi-album label deal with the Sanctuary Records group. The deal spawned his new label, Nagual. He also began to collaborate on a series of drum'n'bass-styled recordings with Submerged (aka Kurt Gluck of the Ohm Resistance imprint), the first of these -- attributed to Bill Laswell vs. Submerged -- was entitled Brutal Calling and issued by Avant in 2004 with contributions from Toshinori Kondo and Guy Licata. Through the Sanctuary label's earlier acquisition of the seminal reggae label Trojan, Laswell now had access to the Jamaican label's sizable back catalog. Picking some of his favorite cuts and remixing them, Laswell issued the Trojan-sourced Dub Massive: Chapter One and Chapter Two in May 2005. The Only Way to Go Is Down followed on Sublight Records in 2006.

Laswell and Submerged re-teamed under the Method of Defiance moniker for 2007's Inamorata, on Ohm Resistance. This date found the pair teaming various drum'n'bass producers -- Amit, Paradox, Submerged, Future Prophecies, Karsh Kale, Evol Intent, SPL, Outrage, Fanu, and Corrupt Souls -- with jazz, rock, and avant artists such as Herbie Hancock, John Zorn, Pharoah Sanders, Nils Petter Molvaer, Kondo, and Buckethead. Laswell (as Method of Defiance) also released a collaboration with Finnish producer Fanu on Ohm Resistance entitled Lodge, which includes contributions from Molvaer and Bernie Worrell. The notion of a live band created around the Method of Defiance structure was initiated with participation from Laswell, Worrell, Kondo, Licata, and Dr. Israel. The group was documented on Nihon from the RareNoise imprint in 2009.

In 2010, Laswell initiated a new label called M.O.D. Technologies. Said to be centered around the principles of a solidified Method of Defiance lineup, the label released three albums: Method of Defiance's Jahbulon (a reggae album featuring Hawk and Dr. Israel), the instrumental dub-centric Incunabula, and a live offering from Laswell's spouse, Gigi, with Material, entitled Mesgana Ethiopia. Laswell collaborated with master reggae and Radical Jewish Culture bassist/composer David Gould on a dub version of the latter's 2009 album Feast of the Passover. The new recording, entitled Dub of the Passover, was issued by Tzadik in 2011. Metastation released Aspiration, an electronic album billed to Bill Laswell & Friends (including Alice Coltrane, Carlos Santana, Pharoah Sanders, and Zakir Hussain) -- the tunes were dedicated to the ensemble members' own inspirational figures, including H.H. Dalai Lama XIV, Sonny Sharrock, Rumi, and Pattabhi Jois.

OFFICIAL SITE

8135 - BILL LASWELL - TÚWAQACHI: THE FOURTH WORLD, DISC ONE (2012)

BILL LASWELL
''TÚWAQACHI: THE FOURTH WORLD, DISC ONE''
NOVEMBER 27 2012
59:10

DISC ONE (17:52)
1 Totoka 03:03
2 Kwatoko 00:24
3 Wikima 01:14
4 The Upper Air 01:29
5 Craibi 01:40
6 Pamösi 01:23
7 Waki 01:49
8 Pátuwvotah 04:29
9 Pávati 02:17

DISC TWO (41:18)
1 Kwátoko (Part 2) 01:02
2 Wikima (Part 2) 00:58
3 Panaiyoikyasi 02:22
4 Cloud House 00:58
5 Wénima 02:33
6 Totoka (Part 2) 03:12
7 Waki (Part 2) 02:37
8 Solstice 03:53
9 Pátuwvotah (Part 2) 01:36
10 Cloud House (Part 2) 02:51
11 Migration 12:52
12 Wénima (Part 2) 06:19

BIOGRAPHY
by Jason Ankeny (AllMusic)
A longtime linchpin of the New York City underground music scene, Bill Laswell has been among the most prolific artists in contemporary music; as a performer, producer, and label chief, his imprint is on literally hundreds of albums, the majority of them characterized by a signature sound fusing the energy of punk with the bone-rattling rhythms of funk. Born on February 12, 1955, in Salem, IL, he initially played guitar, but soon switched to bass; raised primarily in the Detroit area, he honed his skills in local funk outfits before relocating to New York in 1978. There Laswell formed Material, an outlet for his experimental approach toward sounds ranging from jazz to hip-hop to worldbeat; originally the backup unit for Daevid Allen, the group soon began working on its own, issuing its debut EP Temporary Music in 1979.

In addition to fronting Material, Laswell also mounted a solo career, issuing Baselines in 1982 on Celluloid, a label he partly owned and operated. Appearances on key recordings by the likes of David Byrne, John Zorn, Fred Frith, and the Golden Palominos established Laswell as a virtual nexus of the downtown N.Y.C. community, and in 1983 he broke into the mainstream with his production work on Herbie Hancock's smash "Rockit," which he also co-wrote; the follow-up LP, Sound-System, won him a Grammy. Throughout the mid-'80s Laswell was everywhere, playing bass on LPs from artists including Mick Jagger, Peter Gabriel, Yoko Ono, and Laurie Anderson; he also joined the avant group Curlew, and produced a number of African acts.

In 1986, Laswell joined guitarist Sonny Sharrock, drummer Ronald Shannon Jackson, and saxophonist Peter Brötzmann in the group Last Exit; a second solo LP, Hear No Evil, appeared two years later, and after a long hiatus he also resurrected Material in 1989 with Seven Souls. Another project, the hip-hop-flavored Praxis, was resumed after close to a decade of inactivity with 1992's Transmutation (Mutatis Mutandis). In 1990, Laswell formed another label, Axiom, to explore his interest in the new sounds of ambient and techno; where in the past his work rarely appeared solely under his own name, by the middle of the decade he was issuing several solo records annually in a wide range of styles from dub to jazz. He also remained among the most prolific producers in the business, collaborating with the likes of Dub Syndicate, Pete Namlook, Buckethead, and DJ Spooky.

In 2004, Laswell signed a multi-album label deal with the Sanctuary Records group. The deal spawned his new label, Nagual. He also began to collaborate on a series of drum'n'bass-styled recordings with Submerged (aka Kurt Gluck of the Ohm Resistance imprint), the first of these -- attributed to Bill Laswell vs. Submerged -- was entitled Brutal Calling and issued by Avant in 2004 with contributions from Toshinori Kondo and Guy Licata. Through the Sanctuary label's earlier acquisition of the seminal reggae label Trojan, Laswell now had access to the Jamaican label's sizable back catalog. Picking some of his favorite cuts and remixing them, Laswell issued the Trojan-sourced Dub Massive: Chapter One and Chapter Two in May 2005. The Only Way to Go Is Down followed on Sublight Records in 2006.

Laswell and Submerged re-teamed under the Method of Defiance moniker for 2007's Inamorata, on Ohm Resistance. This date found the pair teaming various drum'n'bass producers -- Amit, Paradox, Submerged, Future Prophecies, Karsh Kale, Evol Intent, SPL, Outrage, Fanu, and Corrupt Souls -- with jazz, rock, and avant artists such as Herbie Hancock, John Zorn, Pharoah Sanders, Nils Petter Molvaer, Kondo, and Buckethead. Laswell (as Method of Defiance) also released a collaboration with Finnish producer Fanu on Ohm Resistance entitled Lodge, which includes contributions from Molvaer and Bernie Worrell. The notion of a live band created around the Method of Defiance structure was initiated with participation from Laswell, Worrell, Kondo, Licata, and Dr. Israel. The group was documented on Nihon from the RareNoise imprint in 2009.

In 2010, Laswell initiated a new label called M.O.D. Technologies. Said to be centered around the principles of a solidified Method of Defiance lineup, the label released three albums: Method of Defiance's Jahbulon (a reggae album featuring Hawk and Dr. Israel), the instrumental dub-centric Incunabula, and a live offering from Laswell's spouse, Gigi, with Material, entitled Mesgana Ethiopia. Laswell collaborated with master reggae and Radical Jewish Culture bassist/composer David Gould on a dub version of the latter's 2009 album Feast of the Passover. The new recording, entitled Dub of the Passover, was issued by Tzadik in 2011. Metastation released Aspiration, an electronic album billed to Bill Laswell & Friends (including Alice Coltrane, Carlos Santana, Pharoah Sanders, and Zakir Hussain) -- the tunes were dedicated to the ensemble members' own inspirational figures, including H.H. Dalai Lama XIV, Sonny Sharrock, Rumi, and Pattabhi Jois.

OFFICIAL SITE

8134 - RAY LAMONTAGNE - SUPERNOVA (2014)

RAY LAMONTAGNE
''SUPERNOVA''
APRIL 29 2014
42:28

1 Lavender 04:24
2 Airwaves 04:40
3 She's the One 03:16
4 Pick Up a Gun 05:04
5 Julia 03:18
6 No Other Way 03:35
7 Supernova 03:54
8 Ojai 04:33
9 Smashing 04:38
10 Drive-in Movies 04:59
All Tracks By LaMontagne


Ray LaMontagne - vocal, acoustic guitar
Dan Auerbach - electric guitar, background vocals, acoustic guitar, electric bass, claves, claps, Mellotron
Richard Swift - drums, background vocals, percussion, claps, electronic drums
Dave Roe - electric bass, upright bass
Leon Michels - tambourine, Mellotron, piano, Hammond organ, electric harpsichord, Wurlitzer, electric piano, percussion, acetone, cabasa, glockenspiel, claps
Kenny Vaughan - electric guitar, acoustic guitar, tambourine
Russ Pahl - pedal steel, baritone electric guitar, acoustic guitar, 12-string acoustic guitar, electric guitar, tick tack bass
Seth Kaufman - electronic percussion, snaps, electric guitar, percussion, background vocals, claps, conga, drums, baritone electric guitar
Collin Dupuis - drum programming

REVIEW
by Thom Jurek (AllMusic)
Over four previous albums, singer and songwriter Ray LaMontagne has presented as many different musical portraits of himself. What united those records was the signature world-weariness in his writing and singing -- even in the seeming celebratory roots rock on 2009's God Willin' & the Creek Don't Rise. While Supernova, helmed by producer Dan Auerbach, presents yet another aspect of the songwriter's persona, that earthly weightiness all but vanishes. This is simultaneously LaMontagne's most sonically ambitious and purposefully referential offering to date; but the considerable topical and melodic shift in his songwriting dictated it. These songs are brighter, lighter, and musically more labyrinthine despite their ready accessibility. Auerbach's sound and textural palettes are so expansive he seems to have evoked Jack Nitzsche as a muse. He chose the band to orchestrate these songs that draw so heavily from Southern California's psychedelic pop and country-rock of the late 1960s and early '70s. "Lavender" has fat electric guitar chords that give way to a strummed acoustic guitar, Mellotron, and electric harpsichord. The dreamy Eastern feel in the music is held to earth by clipped snares and a lean bassline. But LaMontagne's layered, reverbed vocal and its whispered, percussive, "tchick-ahhh" chorus effects make the song's textures swirl. "Airwaves," in its hepcat acoustic soul and dreamy jazz, is one of several places where LaMontagne acknowledges the influence of early Van Morrison (from Astral Weeks through Moondance). "Pick Up a Gun" is darkly tinged at inception; it recalls Alice Coltrane's modalism with its harp-like Mellotron intro, but breaks into four different segments inside five minutes. It's alternately a sweet country waltz, a progressive folk-rock tune à la Tim Buckley, and a tripped-out pop tune à la Brian Wilson. "Julia" borrows the vamp from Them's "Gloria" but winds it out in grand psych rock style to become something other. The title track initially evokes the spirit of Morrison's "Brown Eyed Girl" with its minimal acoustic guitar vamp, pulsing organ (that sounds more like a Farfisa than a Hammond), and handclaps, but threads it with a retro-soul bridge and layers of progressive instrumentation, including glockenspiel and Mellotron, which float under a sitar impersonation and reverbed drums. "Ojai" is shimmering country-rock that simultaneously recalls Tim Hardin and John Phillips. The shifting rhythms and textures in "Smashing" are so exquisitely arranged and orchestrated, it feels like a rock suite with the alluring melody of a pop song. Closer "Drive-In Movies" an easy-grooving acoustic rocker with electric and pedal steel guitars holding the center, offers a notion of reminiscence that seems to thematically underscore the entire record. Supernova is unapologetically and indulgently retro; a casual listen might dismiss it as mere nostalgia. But pairing Auerbach's detailed, careful production with LaMontagne's open, expertly crafted songwriting and breezy, sensual, emotionally unburdened signing, that boundary is shattered.

OFFICIAL SITE

8133 - GLASS HAMMER - ODE TO ECHOE (2014)

GLASS HAMMER
''ODE TO ECHOE''
2014
52:59

1 - Garden Of Hedon (Shikoh, Schendel, Babb, Groves) 6:55
2 - Misantrog (Schendel, Groves) 9:56
3 - Crowbone (Schendel, Robert Low) 7:20
4 - I Am I (Babb, Schendel) 8:08
5 - The Grey Hills (Babb, Groves) 4:43
6 - Porpoise Song (Gerry Goffin, Carole King) 3:33
7 - Panegyric (Schendel) 4:10
8 - Ozymandias (Babb, Groves) 8:10


Fred Schendel - Keyboards, Guitars, Backing Vocals
Steve Babb - Bass Guitar, Keyboards, Backing Vocals
Kamran Alan Shikoh - Electric, Acoustic & Classical Guitars, Electric Sitar
Aaron Raulston - Drums
Carl Groves - Lead Vocals
Jon Davison - Lead & Backing Vocals
Susie Bogdanowicz - Lead & Backing Vocals
Featuring:
Walter Moore - Vocals
Michelle Young - Vocals
Randy Jackson - Lead Guitar & Backing Vocals On "Crowbone"
Rob Reed - Piano & First Mini-moog Solo On "Misantrog"
David Ragsdale - Violin On "Crowbone"

BIOGRAPHY
By ProgArchives, Wikipedia, Sound Resources
Glass Hammer is a symphonic-progressive rock band from the United States. They formed in 1992 when multi-instrumentalists Steve Babb and Fred Schendel began to write and record Journey of the Dunadan, a concept album based on the story of Aragorn from J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy. To their surprise, the album sold several thousand units via the Internet, The QVC Shop-At-Home Network and phone orders, leaving Babb and Schendel convinced that the band was a project worth continuing.

While many musicians have appeared on Glass Hammer albums over the years, Babb and Schendel have remained the core of the band. Both play a variety of instruments, but Babb mainly concentrates on bass guitar and keyboards while Schendel plays keyboards, various guitars and drums until the addition of live drummer Matt Mendians to the studio recording band in 2004. They also sing, although a number of other vocalists have also handled lead vocal duties including Michelle Young, Walter Moore, Carl Groves, Susie Bogdanowicz and Jon Davison. Worthy of mention, Yes vocalist Jon Anderson provided backup vocals on two songs from 2007's Culture of Ascent.

Lyrically, Glass Hammer is inspired mostly by their love of literature (most notably Tolkien, C. S. Lewis and John Krakauer) and Babb's love of Victorian prose and medieval mythology.

Musically, they lean towards 70's driven symphonic rock, with strong keyboard orientation; specifically Hammond organs in the tradition of ELP. They have a superb melodic flow to the music they make, encapsulating real power and dynamics without ever becoming overpowering. Their most apparent influences are Yes, ELP, Genesis, and, to a less noticeable extent, Camel. While Glass Hammer have, for the most part, combined those influences into a characteristic style of their own, they made much more direct references to the aforementioned bands on their 2000 album Chronometree and the 2010 release If. Without a doubt, GH remain one of the most popular groups in the progressive rock genre. All the albums are very conceptual, and there is great musicianship overall.

Current band members include co-founders Steve Babb (bass guitar and keyboards), Fred Schendel (keyboards and guitar) along with Alan Shikoh (guitar) and lead vocalist Jon Davison.

OFFICIAL SITE

8132 - WILLIE NELSON AND SISTER BOBBIE - DECEMBER DAY: WILLIE'S STASH VOL. 1 (2014)

WILLIE NELSON AND SISTER BOBBIE
''DECEMBER DAY: WILLIE'S STASH VOL. 1''
DECEMBER 2 2014
60:13

1 Alexander's Ragtime Band 02:39
2 Permanently Lonely 04:20
3 What'll I Do 03:29
4 December 03:08
5 Nuages 03:20
6 Mona Lisa 03:28
7 I Don't Know Where I Am Today 02:23
8 Amnesia 02:28
9 Who'll Buy My Memories 02:44
10 The Anniversary Song 02:10
11 Laws Of Nature 05:36
12 Walkin' 03:38
13 Always 02:38
14 I Let My Mind Wander 03:06
15 Is The Better Part Over 02:40
16 My Own Peculiar Way 04:08
17 Sad Songs And Waltzes 02:42
18 Ou Es-Tu Mon Amou; I Never Cared For You 05:24

REVIEW
by Mark Deming (AllMusic)
One of the reasons Willie Nelson's recordings have had such a singular sound over the years is his loyalty to the core of musicians who've given his music a truly distinct personality. Of course, one of the reasons he's been so loyal to his pianist Bobbie Nelson is she happens to be his big sister, but whether it's blood or simply a common musical outlook, the gentle, intuitive interplay Willie and Bobbie share when they play together has long been one of the consistent pleasures of Willie's body of work. Music seems to come as naturally to Willie and Bobbie as drawing breath, and the two often jam on old favorites as their tour bus rolls to the next gig; Bobbie proposed the idea of cutting an album of tunes they love the way they play them on the bus, and 2014's December Day is the result. The notion of Willie and friends casually running through some old songs he likes isn't exactly novel -- Nelson spent much the '80s making records that sounded as if he knocked them out in a good afternoon -- but December Day does have a loose, Sunday afternoon feel that seems honestly familial, as if Willie and Bobbie just let the arrangements fall into place as tape rolled, and when the other players ease into the tunes -- including Mickey Raphael on harmonica, Billy English on drums, and Bee Spears on bass (who died shortly after cutting these sessions) -- it sounds less like seasoned pros making an album and more like a casual guitar pull with some old buddies. Along with old standards like "What'll I Do," "Mona Lisa," and "Always," Willie tosses in a few of his own tunes (including a new number, "Amnesia," about his difficulties with writing new songs, and another recent copyright, "Laws of Nature," that's a gentle but firm affirmation of his environmental principles), and "Sad Songs and Waltzes," "Who'll Buy My Memories," and "Is the Better Part Over" certainly gain a personal touch in these interpretations, though Willie has honestly sung them better in the past. December Day may be meant to offer an intimate look into the music Willie and Bobbie Nelson make for their own pleasure, and it does capture some marvelous moments, but given that Nelson had built a remarkable career out of mostly doing just what he feels like, this album, charming as it is, isn't as revealing as it might have been coming from other major country artists, though for Willie's die-hard fans, it's a must and it is a sweet reminder of how much Bobbie Nelson has brought to Willie's music over the years.

8131 - GOV'T MULE - STONED SIDE OF THE MULE VOL. 1 (2014)

GOV'T MULE
''STONED SIDE OF THE MULE VOL. 1''
2014
35:58

1 Under My Thumb 04:52
2 Monkey Man 05:18
3 Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker) 04:43
4 Paint It Black 04:16
5 Angie 04:57
6 Ventilator Blues 07:39
7 Shattered 04:10

REVIEW
BY UNCLE BLURT
Call it, Exile on Mule Street. This seven-song mini-album—vinyl only, limited to 3000 copies, targeted for this year’s Record Store Day/Black Friday event—comes from a Philly show on Oct. 31, 2009, and it finds Gov’t Mule in fine Halloween form, covering the Rolling Stones. Haynes, Abts, Carlsson and Louis are joined by guests Jackie Green on guitar and harp and Steve Elson on sax and (more!) cowbell, and if your first reaction is to sniff and go, “Who needs another Rolling Stones tribute?” I totally understand. For my part, I definitely don’t need a Stones tribute; come to think of it, I don’t need most tribute albums. But this ain’t yer mama’s Stones trib.

For starters, Gov’t Mule has a long, storied tradition of serving up smokin’ covers, from Traffic to John Coltrane to the Dead to… take your pick. And here, they essentially inhabit these tunes, with possibly the exception of “Angie,” which was never much more than a weepily maudlin Mick Jagger vehicle in the first place. The other six tracks are motherfuckers, from a rousing, thumping and, yes, rolling “Under My Thumb” to a positively evil “Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker)” that thoroughly capture those tunes’ essences. And then there’s the bluesy, brawny, sleazy, extended foray into Exile’s “Ventilator Blues” with Greene’s harmonica prominent and Haynes unleashing some kinda stank on slide geetar; plus “Monkey Man,” which simply steamrolls forward, Haynes blurting the lyrics like a man possessed. (Worth additional note to hardcore fans who know the band’s capacity for pulling surprises out of thin air: drummer Abts takes the microphone for “Shattered.”)

Volume 1, eh? A covers/trib album this strong definitely deserves a curtain call and… waitaminnit, early December will see the release of Dark Side of the Mule, documenting the 2008 Halloween show in Boston when the band devoted nearly 90 minutes of a 3-hour concert to Pink Floyd covers. Let it bleed, you devils, and set the controls for the heart of the Mule.