Modern Acoustic Readers' Poll -- please particpate

Next month in Chicago Bruce Springsteen is slated to perform his classic album "Born to Run" in its entirety from start to finish. This has become quite a trend lately as more and more artists are bringing back their most-loved albums and playing them in concert. In the recent past, Steely Dan performed, on separate nights, "Aja," "The Royal Scam," and "Gaucho." Van Morrison embraced his famed "Astral Weeks," and Aerosmith cranked out "Toys in the Attic." It's a win-win for both the artists and fans, with little mystery of how the night's music will be recieved. Other artists, from a variety of genres, have gotten into the act, including Roger Waters (Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon"), Judas Priest ("Hidden Steel"), and even Lucinda Williams, who did a string of gigs in New York playing a different album in the first set of each night.

So here's my question for you, the astute readers of Modern Acoustic: Who would you like to see perform one of their albums in its entirety? Give the name of the artist, the name of the album, and a short explanation why. I will publish the responses in the next issue (hopefully coming out in late Sept.)
You can email me your response at rich@modernacoustic.com

The Big Surprise Tour, House of Blues Boston

On the night Paul McCartney was playing right across the street at Fenway Park, my wife and I instead took a left turn on Lansdowne Street, away from nostalgia and ended up in a rollicking, ramshackle hoedown called the Big Surprise Tour. OK, it wasn't a total surprise, I had bought tix months before when I heard Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings were going to be joined by Old Crow Medicine Show, the Felice Brothers and Justin Townes Earle in a seemingly free-for-all night of music.
First, an aside about the House of Blues: There are very few big venues in Boston that are able to feel like a club. For the most part, HOB works. The sound is terrific. It is a big place, packs a lot of people, but never seems overcrowded to the point that you can't move, and the sightlines, from just about anywhere are pretty good. I do wish the tall dudes would step to the back, and the beer, at $6, for a can of Bud, is way overpriced.
But I digress.
The show was amazing. The Felice Brothers, with help from various members of the Crow, started things off with the tour's signature song, "The Big Surprise." They then gave way to Justin Townes Earle, who played a few numbers and then brought out members of the Felice Brothers to help him with a gospel number to finish up.
By now we got the concept of the show. Each act would play a 20-30-minute set in which time various members of the other groups would come out and join them.
The Felice Brothers, who I had never heard before live (I had just listened to their latest album "Yonder Is the Clock"), proceeded to throw down some indie-rock/country/punk led by the diminutive, Dylan-esque growling Ian Felice. "Run Chicken Run" was a standout. Accordion/keyboard player James Felice deserves a shoutout as well.
After a short intermission, out came Gillian and Dave, playing as the David Rawlings Machine, which meant that Gill would play the role of harmonizer to Dave's lead. The two are mesmerizing no matter who is in charge. I have to say I came to see them first and foremost and was not disappointed. For Gillheads like myself, the setlist included: "I Hear Them All/This Land Is Your Land," "Sweet Tooth," "Monkey and the Engineer," "The Bells of Harlem," "Ruby," "Method Acting/Cortez the Killer," and a really great rendition of "Queen Jane Aproximately." Also, keyboardist extraordinaire Benmont Tench joined them for a couple of tunes and then stayed the rest of the night. I have to say I was much more impressed with him than I have ever been. I knew him as one of Tom Petty's Heartbreakers, but never thought he added tremendously to their sound. But he really shined in this show.
It was really a credit to the HOB that the sound mix was so good you could hear every instrument -- and many times there were a ton of them onstage. I didn't count, but there must have been 20 people on stage in the latter parts of the show.
After Dave and Gill, Old Crow bounded out and blew the crowd away. I have to say, I'm only a real casual fan. But they have a ton of energy and really brought the house down. While fiddle player/lead singer Ketch Secor gets a lot of the glory, I give props to guitarist Willie Watson, who's mop-topped head moved only slightly less than his gangly legs. They also have that country/punk thing going on and do it well. They wowed the crowd with their party tunes, including new ones "Alabama High-Test" and "Humdinger."
The number of musicians onstage kept growing with members of the Felice Brothers and Justin Townes Earle and Gill and Dave jumping on and off stage to help with songs. When they finally broke out "Wagon Wheel," their hit, everyone was onstage and the crowd went bananas. Dave had picked up an electric guitar, Gill was working the tambourine (It must have been tough for her with all that boy energy flowing around her), there were washboards, banjos, mandolins, a pedal steel and multiple keyboards. Surprisingly, the sound, though chaotic, was amazing.
For the encore, everyone came back out, this time Gillian on electric guitar (!) and they romped through "It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Want to Rock and Roll)," which was a blast. See the video I shot below. We left totally spent and a little stiff from standing for 3 1/2 hours, but it was so worth it.
The Boston Globe review HERE.


See my video of Gill and Dave doing "Method Acting/Cortez the Killer" HERE.
Check out my photos from the show HERE.

Italy and Erin McKeown's Cabin Fever

I'm just finishing up a fabulous two-week vacation in Italy with my family. It's been an amazing time filled with history and spectacular vistas. The trip started in Rome for a week where we toured the Vatican, the Forum, the Coliseum, as well as the many piazzas and fountains. We then moved South to Sorrento where we enjoyed sidetrips to Pompeii, Positano and Capri. The tourist towns were quaint, swimming in the sea was a refreshing respite from the heat, and the food, wine and limoncello was all to die for. It will be a trip to remember for a lifetime. I will post pictures when I return.
Anyway, this being mostly a music blog, I deem it necessary to report the one thing that seemed lacking throughout our trip was music. I was surprised at what seemed like a lack of music in the streets and shops both in Rome and in the vacation spots. There were occasional buskers playing guitar and accordion here and there, especially in the restaurants trying to make some tips. Most of the songs were of the "Volare" sort, cheesy tunes to win over the tourists. I heard very little modern rock 'n' roll-like tunes, though I won't say I sought it out with much gusto. It helped having my iPod handy, for our plane, car and boat trips.
One thing I was able to take in was Erin McKeown's Cabin Fever web concerts. I previewed the concerts HERE, and while I was not able to listen to them live because of the time difference in Italy, I was able to watch and listen to 3 out of the 4 shows.
First, the news from the shows: Erin's new album, "Hundreds of Lions," will be out Oct. 13, and has been picked up by Ani DiFranco's label, Righteous Babe Records, for distribution. That is pretty exciting news for Erin, who had come up with the idea of the Cabin Fever concerts to help fund her new album.
Cabin Fever was a unique idea which included broadcasting over the Internet for different house concerts -- an acoustic show from her living room, an electric, all-request one from her porch, water songs performed in her river, and her new album performed in full front yard. Viewers paid $10 per show or $30 for the series to watch.
How well did it work? While I have not heard how many people tuned in, it seemed overall to be quite a success, at least from a viewer's standpoint.
I wondered how technologically it would work, since streaming live still has it's issues even at its highest quality and backed by big money. At the grassroots level as this was, I wondered how it would all look and sound.
In most cases it went well. There were camera glitches as expected, but each concert felt special. Most of the sound was filtered through one major mike so the farther Erin and her guests were away from the microphone, the less you heard. But for what they were trying to accomplish, what you got were energetic, exciting and fun-filled performances.
By far the most fun performance was the one from the river. This consisted of Erin, with her chair firmly planted in the water playing songs about water. Apparently the six-inch river swelled to nearly two feet because of a night of rain which made the feat even more challenging. Her guests Jose Ayerve, Natalia Zukerman, Trina Hamlin, and Susan Werner joined her at various points to sing songs including DiFranco's "78% H2o," a rollicking Ike & Tina's version of "Rollin' on the River," Johnny Cash-by-way-of-the-Grateful Dead's "Big River" and a hilarious and wonderful take of "Cry Me a River," complete with stream dancing by Susan Werner.
In all, this is yet another great attempt by an artist to bypass big-market labels and create a unique way to reach their fans and keep their musical inspirations alive.

Eilen Jewell sings Loretta Lynn at the Lizard

I love those shows that you hear about at the last minute and then, after much back and forth whether you should go or just head home, you decide to go to the show, and you are rewarded and proved to have made the right choice.
All of this happened this week when, after a little waffling, I found myself waiting in line at the Lizard Lounge to see the wonderful Eilen Jewell and band. I've written about her many times, including a review of her latest album, "Sea of Tears," which is still my favorite album of the year. (My review is here.)
Anyway, while waiting in line -- and waiting for my wife to meet me for the show -- ended up chatting with some really nice, equally excited fans as well as the always-smiling Johnny Sciascia, bassist in Eilen's band. In fact, Johnny informed me that the band just learned that one of its songs from the new album will be on HBO's popular vampire show "True Blood," which is really a big deal. He believed the episode will air sometime this month, so we'll have to watch out for that.
OK, on to the music: First up was the Brewer-Miller Band (or is that Miller-Brewer?). Whichever it is, they are something to hear. Two great local guitarists -- Lyle Brewer of Sarah Borges' Broken Singles and Jerry Miller from Eilen's band -- were backed by Eilen's drummer Jason Beek and Sciascia, and they basically kicked ass, trading leads back and forth for a set of country-rock tunes. Some of them I recognized, though I cannot come up with song titles here. All I could do was shake my head at the amazing sounds coming from the guitars. Miller has the classic country licks, while Brewer adds an extra southern rock twang to his playing.
A short break later, Eilen made her way on stage backed by her aformentioned band and proceeded to play 15 or so Loretta Lynn tunes. The band was billed as Butcher Holler, the town (actually Butcher Hollow) that Lynn lived in Kentucky. It must have been some contractual reason why they couldn't perform under their own name... not sure there.
Now, I don't know many (if any) Loretta Lynn tunes by name. I know Eilen covered Lynn's "The Darkest Hour" on "Sea of Tears," which was great live. But Eilen sang each of Lynn's tunes as if they were her own, and the band followed suit playing the tunes with class, and humor, and reverence. It was a wonderful evening.
The band finished off right around 1:30 a.m. with a couple of Jewell jewels including "Fist City," which is just a blast. Lyle Brewer joined the band for the final songs, and completed a great night. Spotted in the crowd: Sarah Borges and her drummer Rob Dulaney.
I didn't have my camera because I came from work, which was a damn shame. So here is a YouTube take on "The Darkest Days." Please check Eilen and her band out when you get a chance. They are awesome.

Sarah Borges on tour

I've blogged about this before, but Sarah Borges and her band of merry men, the Broken Singles, are such a fun bunch I had to post again. When they go out on tour, they take their video camera with them and chronicle the life of a rock band on the road. In their latest video, they fly from Boston to Tampa and then to Seattle where they meet up with their tour van. We see them silkscreening their own T-shirts in their hotel room, meet up with bassist Binky's mom at a radio recording stop and watch as drummer Rob Dulaney excruciatingly tries to get comfortable in the back of the van after hurting his back at a party.
We all may have dreamed of being in a band and taking off across the country on a tour -- thinking wouldn't it be great to be seeing the country and living wild and free. Well, of course, it's not really like that. There are miles and miles of driving, bad food, bad hotels, and little sleep. But Sarah and the Singles seem to revel in all of it, and we are better for it.
Here's the video:

Jenny Lewis at the House of Blues

(image from Seattlesoundmag.com)

Somwehere around the fourth song, a dude in the audience yelled out "I love you, Jenny!" Which prompted another dude to yell-respond "Join the fucking club!," which got a laugh from the crowd around him.
And that pretty much summed up the Jenny Lewis fans in the audience, a mix of indie dudes and chicks -- and a few of older semi-geezers (me included!) -- who came to hear the singer's mix of country, gospel and rock tunes. And let it be said, Jenny Lewis is the complete package. Yes, she can rock a T-shirt and jeans like no other, and her stage presence -- with her dancing and posing onstage -- keeps all eyes focused on her, but more than all that she can flat-out sing. Her range on her albums is amazing, but that she can do it all on stage is even more impressive. Her voice commands attention whether she's standing solo singing a gospel number or surrounded by the full-on rock 'n' roll crunch of her tight and versatile band. Playing for more than two hours, Lewis played a generous portion of her new album, "Acid Tongue," a few choice morsels from "Rabbit Fur Coat," a couple of Rilo Kiley numbers ("Silver Lining," played solo) and, by my count, two new tunes (one called "The Big Wave.")
Here are a couple of highlights: She opened the show in force with "See Fernando," immediately showing off a band that is creative and powerful, and incredibly versatile. A pair of women percussionists, Danielle Haim and Barbara Gruska, also played crankin' guitar on certain tracks. The guy next to Jenny, Johnathan Rice, was playing the part of a young Neil Young on acoustic and had a great voice. And Farmer Dave Scher, who was an opening act as well, played all sorts of guitars, from lap steel to electric to some weird lap instrument. Other songs included "Rise Up With Fists!!," "The Charging Sky," and the Willbury's "Handle with Care" from the "Rabbit Fur Coat" album. She really took off on the electric tunes from "Acid Tongue." "Carpetbagger" and "Jack Killed Mom" were killer (he, he) and "The Next Messiah" was massive, with each part building and building to rock climax. Awesome. She also did beautiful renditions of "Pretty Bird," one of my favorite tunes from the new album, and the tune "Acid Tongue," which was one of three encores.
This is why you buy a ticket to a concert instead of sitting in your living room listening to the stereo.
For a professional take on the show from the Boston Globe, click HERE

Setlist:
See Fernando
The Charging Sky
You Are What You Love
Pretty Bird
Carpetbaggers
Sing a Song for Them
Jack Killed Mom
Trying My Best to Love You
Happy
Rise Up With Fists!!
Just Like Zeus
Handle With Care
The Next Messiah

Encore:
Silver Lining
Acid Tongue
The Big Wave
Born Secular

I didn't bring my camera this time because the last time I went to the HOB, to see Derek Trucks, they wouldn't allow it in. But here's a video of "Acid Tongue" posted from the show.

In Praise of Neil Young

(Reprinted from Modern Acoustic magazine, Issue 25, June 2009)
The ultimate Neil Young career retrospective is finally here. Years in the making, months in the start-and-stop release, this first collection highlights the years 1963-1972 and features an unprecedented 10 Blu-ray discs-worth of Neil classics, previously unreleased material, alternate takes and live cuts, from his earliest days with the little-known band the Squires through his classic “Harvest” album. This series – the latter years edition(s) still to come – according to press material, is the “definitive, comprehensive, chronological survey of his entire body of work.” At a cost around $200, you will have to be the biggest of Neil fans to own it.
However, the release of the retrospective does present a good time to discuss Neil Young’s place in the pantheon of popular music.
He is, in my opinion, one of the top 5 American songwriters in pop music history. There is Dylan, Lennon and McCartney, Paul Simon, Springsteen. And then… Neil Young? He is surely right up there. I’m not talking about number of hit songs, but quality of output, longevity, versatility and passion.
His longevity alone qualifies him. Music lovers can recite with ease the stages of Neil’s career: folk-rock pioneer with Buffalo Springfield in the ’60s; the loner rocking in early ’70s; his on-again, off-again musical love affair with Crosby, Stills and Nash; his guitar-hero frenzy with power trio Crazy Horse; and his laid-back country acoustic side. In his four-decade past he’s compiled album upon album of songs now forever referred to as classic rock – from Springfield’s “Mr. Soul” to CSNY’s “Ohio” to “Tonight’s the Night” with Crazy Horse and “Like a Hurricane.”
These stages were not a bunch of side projects, but a full-blown part of Neil Young’s musical spirit. And each stage, no matter which he chose, felt like a perfect fit for his talents.
Yes, his music took some unexpected turns. There was an electronica album (“Tron”), a rockabilly album (“Every-body’s Rockin’ ”), and a jump blues album (“This Note’s for You”). Each seemed like a detour down some dirt road to nowhere. But at the time, they were what felt right to him and he didn’t give a darn what anyone else thought. If he had to go the trip alone, so be it.
In the mid-’80s, I went to see him in concert during the “This Note’s for You” tour. In an interview beforehand, he warned his fans that he was only going to play his “blues stuff.” Yet those at the show came expecting to hear “Cowgirl in the Sand,” “Hurricane,” etc. As promised he hardly played any of his hits, and the crowd was not pleased. Finally, as an encore, he played “Tonight’s the Night” and fans roared with approval.
That desire to follow his heart has lead Neil to some pretty tough places, including battles with CSN over commercial success, and with critics over perceived poor material. But that’s what makes Neil great. His whole musical existence is to play what moves him. Luckily a lot of what moves Neil, moves others as well.
His work with Crazy Horse on 1979’s “Rust Never Sleeps” through 1989’s “Rockin’ in the Free World” inspired the grunge movement so much that Pearl Jam basically made him an honorary member. In 1992, at a time when folks started to worry Neil might be washed up, he delivered a stellar acoustic sequel to his 1972 hit album “Harvest,” called “Harvest Moon, which sweetly celebrated of aging and his love for his wife.
In fact, the latter album’s song “You and Me” talks directly to the “Harvest” song “Old Man”: Old man sittin’ there/Touch of grey, but he don’t care /When he hears his children call.
The song is sung with an elegant simplicity, yet it captures the phrasing and style of the original and echoes the tune without stealing from it. It’s genius songwriting.
Neil’s lyrics run the gamut from very personal, simple messages (“Only Love Will Break Your Heart”), to political rants (“Rockin’ in the Free World”), to complex story songs (“Cortez the Killer,” “Pocahontas”), each played with equal earnestness.
And Neil’s electric guitar playing, while not the most sophisticated or flashy, has reached legendary status for the way he maniacally hunches over his axe and stomps around the stage shooting out wailing solos. His acoustic playing is more subtle, but just as heart-filled.
As he’s gotten older, he’s returned to genres he loves, with varying degrees of success. 2005’s “Prairie Wind,” made after Neil came back from a brain aneurysm. And just as we thought he might again be was slowing down, he followed that up with the scathing “Living With War,” which was filled with songs blasting George W. Bush in a fury of electric guitars.
The former was praised by critics, while the latter was dubbed a Grumpy Old Neil album.
Now at 63, he’s released another rocking album, “Fork in the Road,” inspired by his Linc Volt electric car. Like it or hate it, this is a perfectly fitting album for him. It’s about what he is absolutely passionate about: cars, politics, going green, and rock ’n’ roll.
As usual, if you don’t care to take the journey, he’s OK to go it alone.

Our favorite Neil songs, and the album the songs come from:
1. Needle and the Damage, Done, “Harvest”
2. Tonight's the Night, “Tonight’s the Night”
3. Pocahontas, “Chrome Dreams”
4. Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere, “Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere”
5. Down By the River, “Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere”
6. Cortez the Killer, “Zuma”
7. Tired Eyes, “Tonight’s the Night”
8. The Loner, “Neil Young”
9. A Man Needs a Maid, “Harvest”
10. Country Girl (I Think You’re Pretty), CSNY’s “Deja Vu”
11. Comes a Time, “Comes a Time”
12. Don’t Let It Bring You Down, “After the Goldrush”
13. Cowgirl in the Sand, “Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere”
14. Helpless, CSNY’s “Deja Vu”
15. I Am a Child, Buffalo Springfield’s “Last Time Around”