The Avett Brothers, out on the road for more than a year promoting the gorgeous I and Love and You album, have announced Live, Volume 3 is coming out on CD/DVD on October 5. The show is from August 8, 2009 and was recorded in Charlotte, N.C.
The Old 97’s rocked a show at Bloomington’s Bluebird on Wednesday night (July 21). In honor of that, head to their Facebook page – they’ve added a free digital three-song EP. I saw them when they came through Indy last summer, playing a gig at the Vogue – read the award-winning review here.
Have you heard the Georgia Satellites/Black Crowes/Cross Canadian Ragweed-influenced country rockers Blackberry Smoke? You should. The website That Nashville Twang has posted a Q&A with the band’s Charlie Starr. Worth a read for gems like Starr saying some of the best advice he’s received was from ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons, telling him to “get some good lookin’ boots”.
Outlaw country legend Billy Joe Shaver is recovering from heart surgery and is expected to resume performing in August. The Texas music hero cancelled three July shows due to chest pain and had minor heart surgery on July last Tuesday. Shaver, 71, also suffered a heart attack on stage at Gruene Hall in 2001.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIah7o_Np6s]
Rob Nichols
Folk Soul Revival, Rusty Bladen hit Indy; Zac Brown Band announces album release date
Virginia roots band Folk Soul Revival hits Spencer’s Stadium Tavern on Saturday, July 31. The band is making their Indiana debut. Fans of the rowdy, Old Crow Medicine Show vibe will like these guys.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fw1ZFeg-Kaw]
With their take on modern hard country, the Zac Brown Band sold more than 2 million units of its debut, The Foundation. Look for a Sept. 21 release date for a new album, You Get What You Give. They are touring through the summer and hook up with the Dave Matthews Band in July in New York, and Washington, DC. In some info that relates to the album release, an interesting blog post about (or lack of) sales for some critically-acclaimed alt-country artists. Good online discussion about music business and what success really means. What do you think?
Rusty Bladen journeys from his Ohio River town of Madison for an all-ages show Thursday night (July 22) at the Greenwood Park Mall, as part of their 2010 Summer concert series- showtime is 7:00pm. Bladen, who is out promoting his new Homegrown Treasures album with a solo tour, has a show the next night at Whiskey Business on Pendleton Pike (9:30pm).
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/v/vpwVno2STDI]
The Hold Steady Headed to Indianapolis in September
Indianapolis gets The Hold Steady at the Vogue. How about that? September 30th, with tix $18 advance/$20 day of show, on sale Friday, July 16.
They are making a trek across our part of the Midwest, in Lexington, KY the night before the show in Indy, and part of an exhausting one-night stand tour that makes the rock superstars who play a couple nights each week seem lazy. The band begins this particular run of shows on September 20 in Richmond, VA and works their way through both the South and Midwest, before winding their way back to Boston October 6 and New York City on October 7. It’s a run of 16 shows in 18 days. Indy falls right in the middle of the itinerary.
Heaven is Whenever is the album they are promoting, and healthy guitar rock and roll is what they push each night on tour. Along with kindred spirits The Gaslight Anthem, they are inspired by the Springsteen Way. Live shows are often sweaty, loud and legendary. Let’s see if that’s what they bring to Indianapolis. If I had to bet, I’d say this show sells out.
New Prince Album: Hear the 80's throwback
OK. Here’s the deal. Last weekend, Prince (the Purple one, from Minneapolis – we really want to like his music, but he makes it so damn difficult) released his new album, 20Ten , in the U.K. – given away for free by newspapers (!) The Daily Mirror and The Daily Record.
I had read two blog posts about the new record, and how it really was a throwback to his 80’s sound.
Again.
So I went on a search for tracks that we could listen to. And I found them. The whole album – on demand, online. Not sure how long it will be available, so take a listen while you can. There are no current plans for a US release.
Here’s what Prince has done: He has taken the drum sample/hand clap that was the hallmark of his early and mid-career songs, from “Controversy” all the way through “Raspberry Beret”, and used them on the new record. Sneaky simple. Follow the link and listen; could have been recorded 25 years ago. It is pop Prince all over again, with an 80’s flashback-inducing sound.
→ Listen to Prince – 20Ten
Album Review : Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers – "Mojo"
Here’s a prediction: Tom Petty’s new Mojo album will eventually by hailed as one of his brilliant moments; it’s the album where Petty let the band loose to play modern blues – filtered through, and kept familiar, by the Florida nasal twang of the frontman.
Fuck radio. That’s what Petty must have said. Are classic rock radio stations abuzz with anticipation of playing a new Tom Petty song? Maybe a couple. Maybe some AAA and Americana stations. And probably all the cool guys with the hour-long weekly radio shows on non-commercial stations will dig it. But Petty is almost 60 years old. Hit singles are in the past, even for a guy who kept MTV playing videos for about five years longer than they might have without his great pop songs and endless string of compelling (or at least entertaining) videos.
What Tom Petty has done has said “Screw all of ya. Me and the boys feels like making this kind of album”. And what “this” kind of album became was a logical followup to the Mudcrutch record that Petty, guitarist Mike Campbell and keyboardist Benmont Tench made two years ago with the two original members of a band that would become the Heartbreakers after moving to LA.
That album was a swampy, bluesy, stretched-out rock record. So is Mojo, if you replace the sound of the Everglades with the sound of Chess Records.
The title of album opener “Jefferson Jericho Blues” provides the obvious style clue. The record’s sound leans on Campbell’s guitar lines and Tench’s piano and organ. The vibe is Dylan’s Highway 61 Revisited with better production.
There are nuggets that shine. “Candy” is a fun piece of CCR confection; “US 41″ a Muddy Waters homage; and ‘Let Yourself Go” has a sound that reminds of the Doors, of all things.
Four for the 4th: Great Independence Day rock tunes
Here’s four tunes – from obscure to almost legendary – for the July 4th holiday: The almost essential, completely incomplete list of Independence Day songs.
Play them loud at a party. All the right people will get it, and think you are the best host ever.