Drive By Truckers – Brighter Than Creation’s Dark
Guest post from friend of Ickmusic Cam in Toronto.
Drive-by Truckers (DBT) are mostly known for their great live shows and categorized in the ‘southern rock’ genre. Over the past few years, though, they haven’t exactly acted like your standard ‘southern rock’ band.
Last year they backed blues woman Bettye Lavette on her Scene of the Crime album, which was nominated for a Grammy in the Best Contemporary Blues Album category (the award went to Eric Clapton). This year, Brighter Than Creation’s Dark (New West, 2008) received 4 stars, and much praise, from Rolling Stone, amongst many others, but is also featured on CMT. Their previous album, A Blessing and a Curse (2006), had elements of early 70s rock, showing influences like Faces & the Rolling Stones.
Top Ten Moments: The Boss in Anaheim
A couple of quality show reviews have already been posted on Backstreets and by Mr. Malchus at Popdose, so let me convey my Monday night Boss experience the following way….
picture courtesy of Backstreets.comTop Ten Moments from Monday, April 7th
Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band
The Honda Center, Anaheim, CaliforniaWednesday is Prince Spaghetti Day!
Is it merely coincidence that today is also the day that was selected to announce that His Royal Badness will be joining the (frankly) lackluster line up of this year’s Coachella Festival? Don’t get me wrong, I’d be stoked to spend a day baking in the middle of the desert but I don’t see shelling out the coin to travel across the country. That said, when will Prince finally put aside his hatred of the East Coast long enough to return for a show or two?
In Anaheim with the Ghost of Tom Joad
Before I jump on a plane and head back to Arizona, let me share the highlight of last night’s Boss show at the Honda Center in Anaheim. Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine) joined Bruce and the band for “The Ghost of Tom Joad”, and – oh – basically brought the house down. My GAWD – Morello did an amazing job of trading verses with Bruce, and harmonizing on the chorus – but the true jaw=dropping madness began when he launched into a blistering, effects-laden guitar solo for the song finale. I have a new found respect for Tom #%^@# Morello.
Here’s the vid…
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJT1EdKRF2g]
Ickmusic’s Friday Five: April 4, 2008
Face down in the gutter won’t admit defeat though his clothes are soiled and black, he’s a big, strong man with a child’s mind, don’t you take his booze away!
Is it April already? The first quarter of the year flew by and as a full time bean counter I’ve spent the last week up to my eyeballs in said beans so I’m ready for a fix (or five). We returned last week to a full house… Colin, Joe, Frank, the Tap! We had a few regulars and a few new faces in the fivers club. Membership is easy (and has its privileges); just follow my lead. Hit shuffle on the music player of your liking and share with the rest of the world!
That’s it, now onto the shuffle!
Here are this week’s tracks:
1. Erykah Badu – Stay (from Live)
One listen to Ms. Badu’s version of Chaka Khan’s brilliant “Stay” will make a true believer out of the most steadfast critic. And for those who have not picked up her latest realease New Amerykah, Part One (4th World War), click that link and remedy that situation now.
2. Sarah McLachlan – Shelter (violin mix) (MP3) (from Rarities, B-Sides, and Other Stuff)
Another vocal powerhouse, this is a sparse and hauntingly beautiful version of a track from her sophomore record Solace.
3. Sisters of Mercy – This Corrosion (from A Slight Case of Overbombing: Greatest Hits, Volume One)
Industrial, Goth, Electronica… there are a slew of labels that all somehow apply to the Sisters. If I had to pick one for this track it would be Grandeur. The pairing of Andrew Eldritch’s eloquence and view of the world and Jim Steinman’s over the top orchestration worked perfectly in this tune that can only be described as epic.
4. Madonna – Like a Prayer (from The Immaculate Collection)
Before the faux British accent and reliance on vocal enhancement software Madge had the ability to drop some shock and awe on the public conscious. Looking back it was all rather passé, but at the time shit was deep (burning crosses and making out with an African-American)! Truth be told, I prefer this model to her latest incarnation. I’m sure I’m not alone.
5. Guns N’ Roses – Paradise City (MP3) (from Appetite for Destruction)
It’s a damned shame that Axl Rose has allowed (some may say caused) the deterioration of the band’s reputation over the years. To me this still stands as one of the finest rock records ever committed to tape. I’ve burned out more than half a dozen copies of this album over the years and even 21 years later it sounds as vital and aggressive as it originally did.
So now it’s your turn, what’s closing your day?
Sly’s Fillmore Funk
It is time. It is time to be funked.
Here we have Sly and the Family Stone, live at the Fillmore East, October of 1968. The quality is great, and the funk is flyin’. So wake the neighbors, eat a pork sandwich and call yourself Jim (or Wanda). Yes, that made no sense.
Sly & the Family Stone
Live at the Fillmore East, New York City
October 5th, 1968M’Lady
Life
Are You Ready
It Won’t Be Long
Color Me True
Dance To The Music
Love City
Turn Me Loose
OutroVideo: Sebastien Tellier’s Divine
From the inbox. This was instant gratification for me. It’s too early for a summer song. How about a new spring song of 2008? From French artist Sebastien Tellier. We’re going international baby…
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vz58Hw9hldw]
New Tunes: Newton Faulkner
Here’s a cool cover of Massive Attack’s “Teardrop”, courtesy of 23-year old Brit-folk-popster Newton Faulkner. Good ol’ Newt will see the release of his U.S. debut album, Hand Built by Robots, on April 29th. But a 3-song iTunes exclusive EP is available right now, featuring the first single, “Dream Catch Me”.
Faulkner has a cool hand-tap percussion / bass / strumming technique on his guitar. You can see it in action in the video below. Pretty sweet.
Check out “Teardrop” and show the Newt some state-side looove…
Newton Faulkner – Teardrop (mp3)
Check out his official site at NewtonFaulknerMusic.com.
[youtube=http://youtube.com/watch?v=droZGvBt5DY 300 248]
Boss: Trapped in Seattle
I made it the whooole day without falling for an April Fool’s prank. That is until I read the Backstreets review of last night’s show in Vancouver, BC. Good God, I believed the Anne Murray bit. I believed until I saw the Photoshopped Weird Al on stage with Bruce. *shakes head*
Here’s the opener from Seattle a couple of nights ago: Jimmy Cliff’s “Trapped” – a tune that also made it into last night’s non-April Fool’s Vancouver set list!
Trapped (mp3 from Seattle, March 29th)
Ever heard the Jimmy Cliff original? Vastly different than the E Street version…
Jimmy Cliff – Trapped (LastFM full track)
Rave On!
The Raveonettes are undoubtedly one of my favorite bands of recent years. They incorporate elements of garage, girl groups, surf and wall of sound in ways that somehow manage not to sound passe. I’m also enamored with their harmonized vocals, which always seem to grab me. Last year, the band issued its fourth release, Lust Lust Lust, which just recently made it to U.S. shelves (with bonus tracks – score!).
The album continues the band’s trademark sound. Initially I didn’t feel it was too different from 2005’s Pretty in Black. But the more I listen to it (particularly since picking up the US version), I find myself reevaluating my take a bit. Granted, the band’s previous three releases each have a more distinct sound from each other. Lust Lust Lust seems to me a combination of Pretty in Black’s focus on girl group-style pop with the garage emphasis of 2003’s Chain Gang of Love. The result = a splendid rock album with pop sensibility and an awareness of its roots.
“Aly, Walk with Me” opens the album, and has been obsessing me for the last week following the band’s performance on Letterman. Check it:
The Raveonettes – Aly, Walk with Me (mp3)
And for good measure, here’s the video for “Dead Sound”:
[youtube=http://youtube.com/watch?v=SH8nJks6Vqs 336 278]