Rhythm & Booze An online music webzine created by music lovers for music lovers.

31 July, 2014

Various Artists-Bob Dylan In The 80’s Volume One

Filed under: acoustic,alternative,americana,blues,compilation,country,folk,indie,R&B / Soul,Recorded Reviews,reggae,rock,rock n roll,roots,singer-songwriter — Tags: blitzen trapper, bob dylan in the 80's, Bonnie Prince Billy, Built To Spill, Carl Broemel, craig finn, Dawn Landes, Deer Tick, Elvis Perkins, Glan Hansard, Langhorne Slim, lucius, new album, Reggie Watts, various artists — willmunn @ 12:36

Here’s a somewhat strange concept, a covers album of Bob Dylan in what, most people would declare, the poets weakest era (Bob suffered both critically and commerically throughout the decade!!), in fact most music fans maybe fairly ignorant to the majority of Dylan’s 80’s output with the likes of Saved, Knocked Out Loaded and Infidels barely registering on all but the hardened Dylan fans radars.

However producers Jesse Lauter (Elvis Perkins, The Low Anthem) and Sean O’Brien (Dawes, Papa) have set about addressing the forgotten era of Dylan by collaborating with a number of artists and Dylan fans to showcase what you may have been missing.

The album not only is an awareness raising affair for Dylan of the 80’s but also set’s to help raise funds for a fantastic charity, Pencils Of Promise (an organization that builds schools and eductational opportunities in the developing world) by donating a portion of the proceeds of the sale of this album. a win-win situation where purchasers are introduced to some brilliant music and give to the needy.

The compilation itself features a number of big names from the aforementioned Elvis Perkins to Deer Tick, Slash, Craig Finn (Hold Steady) and Dawn Landes & Bonnie “Prince” Billy among others all delivering rousing performances and highlighting the pen of Bob Dylan in the forgotten decade.

The album open’s with a gloriously ramshackle, rustic rendition of Got My Mind Made Up (from Knocked Out Loaded) by Langhorne Slim & The Law who weld together boogie woogie piano, handclaps, strummed acoustics and a raw, rousing,  infectious vocal delivery that sets the mood brilliantly. From there on in we’re treated to a variety of styles and approaches as the various artists reintrupt to their own strengths.

Highlights come thick and fast, from the likes of the gorgeous blissed out soul/reggae version of Brownsville Girl (Knocked Out Loaded) by Reggie Watts, the aforementioned Craig Finn with a brilliant piano led (Springsteen-esque) Sweetheart Like You (Infidels), the twanging country of Ivan & Alyosha’s You Changed By Life (Shot Of Love Outtakes), the beautiful folk lament of Dawn Landes & Bonnie Prince Billy’s understated Dark Eyes (Empire Burlesque) and the glorious alternative indie and muted horn assisted Series Of Dreams (Oh Mercy Outtakes) by Yellowcard. Whilst there’s no way you can review this album without mentioning the wonderfully the ahem, more warped, percussion friendly version of Waiting To Get Beat (Empire Burlesque) by Tea Leaf Green and the insane take on Wiggle Wiggle (Under The Red Sky) by Aaron Freeman (Ween) & Slash, which quite frankly has to be heard to be believed.

The seventeen track affair (24 if you manage to track down the deluxe vinyl edition with the bonus download code) is intriguing, captivating and at times surreal journey through the lesser acclaimed works by the most important songwriter born of this world. And if, as the album’s title suggests this only the first volume, sign me up for the subsequent releases now!!

Rhythm & Booze Rating 10

 

25 April, 2012

Various Artists-What’s Kickin’ Vol. 5

Filed under: acoustic,americana,blues,compilation,country,Recorded Reviews,rock — Tags: compilation, what's cookin, What's kickin — willmunn @ 15:22

The What’s Kickin’ compilations were first established in 2005 capturing the heart and soul of East London’s now famous What’s Cookin’ Club, a regular haven for fans of country, blues, folk, pub rock and so much more. The albums, feature studio tracks (many of them often exclusives) of the various artists to have performed at the club.

Volume 5. of the collection (and the first one I’ve got my grubby little mitts on) features a whopping nineteen tracks, ten of which are exclusive to this release, as ever the track listing features a variety of bands and styles from established acts such as Charlie Parr, (firm Rhythm & Booze favourites) The Lucky Strikes and Broken Family’s frontman Steve Adams (aka The Singing Adams) to newer names such as The Treetop Flyers, Italian roots rockers Lowlands and Molly’s Daggers among others.

The CD opens with the tremendous rousing folky blues rock of Philious Williams, that serves as a stunning introduction to What’s Kickin’, rootsy rock, bluesy bluster and glorious soulful lyrics collide on Old Black Bell to create a stunning, infectious rocker that reminds me of Worcester’s very own Robinson (high praise indeed). This is followed by the dusty roads, harmonica, piano and harmony fuelled country of Fools Ends by Society, a wonderfully catchy, laid back affair that’s for those hazy day chillouts or cross-country road trips.

From there on in, the highlights come thick and fast from the bluegrass traditional country Benjamin Folke Thomas and Charlie Parr with Another Day Of Being Lonesome (Another Day Of Being Blue) and (the Cash like) Mastodon respectively, the aforementioned pop infused brilliance of The Singing Adams, to the stomping blues harmonica of Hightown Crows.

This raggle-taggle collection seems to unearth genuine gems around every turn with personal favourites rotating on every spin, however any compilation that features the Americana/Country/roots rock  of Yngve & The Innoncent is always going to be onto a winner with this listener, with the piano led of Stonesy bluster and Pretending I Had Faith being a brilliant pick. Whilst the ever impressive Lucky Strikes, the stripped down folk of Whispering Pines and Madrid rockers Los Chicos deserve further special mention.

What’s Kickin’ Vol. 5 is a brilliant compilation chock full of bands that deserve your attention and further investigation and if this is the general standard of acts performing at What’s Cookin’  I should try and get my arse down there at some point.

Rhythm & Booze Rating 9

www.whatscookin.co.uk

www.mulefreedom.com

4 December, 2011

Various Artists-London Songs To Define The City

Filed under: compilation,folk,indie,pop,R&B / Soul,Recorded Reviews,reggae,rock — Tags: london, Time Out — willmunn @ 17:03

Time Out Magazine have come together with Universal Music to create a compilation that helps define the essence of our fine capitol, the CD comes with a handy 24 page musical history map pointing out all of the important historical sites that have helped create the musical world of London, helping to explain why it is still the most vibrant and important city here in the UK.

The twenty track affair kicks off with the effervescent Roxy Music with Do The Strands, a brilliant, attention grabbing opening salvo that’ll have you singing along and grooving to those funky horns before the end of the tracks duration. From there Time Out offer up a number of stone cold classics from The Kinks masterpiece, Waterloo Sunset to sax friendly Baker Street onto the evergreen summer anthem Itchycoo Park via Ralph McTell’s classic folk ode Streets Of London and Bowie’s early oddity The London Boys.

Time Out keep the mix fresh and interesting to modern music fans by throwing in a laidback slice of jazzy pop with London Skies by Jamie Cullum, nu-soul classic Warwick Avenue by Duffy and a perhaps more off the beaten track pick from Pulp in the shape of Bar Italia (Common People would haveot sure these  perhaps been more obvious).

And then just for good measure a few more obscure yet no less welcoming picks are lobbed into the varied yet intriguing mix, Piccadilly by Squeeze, the late great folk songstress Kirsty MacColl with Soho Square, Bert Jansch & John Renbourn with Soho and Caetano Veloso with London, London.

Now I’m not a hundred percent convinced that the tracks that have been picked really define London, in fact you’d probably need a massive box set to help define the city, however this is a wonderfully varied and at times eclectic attempt and it’s very hard to criticise a compilation that features both Chelsea Girls by Simple Minds and A Rainy Night In Soho by The Pogues.

London, Songs To Define A City is one of those collections that really does have something for everyone, it’s varied, fun and contains genuine sing-a-long classics, if you like music you’ll love London.

Rhythm & Booze Rating 8

 

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