Jessica Childress Releases Debut EP

Los Angeles based singer Jessica Childress released her debut EP, Don’t Forget My Name, earlier this month.  According to her bio info she was on the television show The Voice.  But, since I don’t watch that program, she was unfamiliar to me.  The EP is short but effective and I suppose aptly titled.  The way things are shaping up, you’re not likely to forget Jessica Childress’ name.

Check out the video for the track “I Quit” below.  It’s reminiscent of some of the old school girl group tunes we all know and love.

Jessica Childress is an explosive talent poised to take the music industry by storm. She is reminiscent of the golden age of classic soul, with a voice that will move and inspire you.   This LA soulstress combines traditional R&B with a rock n’ roll style, a deadly combination that landed her a spot on NBC’s Emmy Award –winning show The Voice. Since then, she has commanded stages across Southern California, drawing sold-out crowds in some of its most well-known venues and is set to release her debut EP, ‘Don’t Forget My Name’ on February 4th 2014. Childress wrote and/ or co wrote every song on this stunning EP. 

Jessica wasn’t always rocking out to R&B. In fact, for most of her upbringing she was exposed only to the sacred music of her church choir. It was only when Jessica left her small town of Lancaster, CA for Pepperdine University in Malibu, that she encountered a whole new world of music. At university, Jessica discovered classic soul, rhythm and blues, and rock and roll. Music became her life and Jessica divided her college years between studying music and public relations, singing and teaching piano.

The Clouds Are Ghosts To Release New Album

Austin based band The Clouds Are Ghosts are scheduled to release their sophomore album, Fractures, on February 15.  Giving the album a listen, I confess, I’m a little lost.  I quite enjoyed the first track, “Fifty Four”.  But, as I continued to listen, I kept hoping for something more along the lines of that first track for the remainder of the album.  Overall, it’s a solid effort. I was expecting something more infectious, when that didn’t happen, I kept expecting something properly mopey.  I got neither hence my lost feeling.  Check out the clip for “Fifty Four” below.

U.S. Royalty Release Blue Sunshine

DC area band U.S. Royalty released their new album, Blue Sunshine, yesterday.  Though I’d heard most of these songs live, I’d been looking forward to hearing the album as a whole with headphones.  I wrote this a week or so ago off the top of my head, in the wee hours, upon hearing the album stream.  I thought I’d change it between then and release date but, I didn’t.  Perhaps I should have.  It just felt right to give you what I felt upon first listen.

Things kick off with “Into The Thicket” a track full of pretty harmonies and excellent finger picking.  It’s a nice start and is followed by the title track, that for some reason, has drawn the ire of my cat.  

The standout track is the primal and glorious “Lady In Waiting".  Yeah, some of the guitar bits remind me of “Edge Of Seventeen” but, so what...the guitar work on this song is among my favorite on the album.  Seriously, put on some headphones and just listen to the guitar.  If I had to play one track from this album for someone who had never heard U.S. Royalty, this would be the one.  

“Get On Home” contains my favorite bit of lyric on the whole album, possibly of all that they’ve written. ‘Well, I wasted some time ... and I’ve been on the road ... lost a few friends ... no fault of our own ... wasteland of the places I’ve come now to call my home .... and you still reappear in my thoughts and my dreams ... how to distinguish what’s real from my fears ... tender are the moments we realize we’re not alone.’  (I think I got that right!)  This song resonated with me on a personal level more than any other on the record.

Additional highlights, “Valley Of The Sun” and the vaguely creepy, yet superb, “De Profundis”.  The latter is an acoustic instrumental gem. 

As much as I like this album, the are a couple of moments I’m just not feeling.  “South Paradiso”, first of all, for some reason, Neil Diamond pops into my head while listening to it. Anyway... Maybe I'll feel differently live or a year down the line but right now, I need to put that song away and leave it alone.

Then, there’s “Slow Magic”. I'm on the fence on this one.  I'm not sure if I like it or strongly dislike it.  I just know at the moment, there's no in between for me.  One thing I do know, the intro bit (it pops up throughout the song as well), will never grow on me.  It gives me bad 80s flashbacks...please don't make me think about my big hair, bad fashion choices and clown make-up!  I feel like the album should come with a tambourine just so I can play along with this track.  At any rate, this song is what I imagine would happen if 70s era Stevie Nicks had a song-baby with 80s era Stevie Nicks.

"Breathless", I really liked this song when I heard it live.  But...yes there's a but.  Something about the recorded version doesn't feel right to me.  I'm not sure why.  The lyrics are solid and it's well played but, I was left feeling a little, for lack of a better description, let down. Am I the only one that is reminded of Cheap Trick when listening to this one?  Probably.

Overall, Blue Sunshine is a nice, solid body of work.  It's saturated with sounds of the 70s with bold sprinkles of the 80s.  It reminds me of listening to Grandma's three button radio as a kid and The Midnight Special and Don Kirshner's.  The only thing missing is the crackling hiss and pop of vinyl which should be satisfied with their white vinyl version (scheduled to be released mid-February).  It reminds me of all of that while cleverly not sounding dated and crafting something that's all their own.  Where their previous album Mirrors was more raw and sexy, Blue Sunshine is more focused, polished and pop.  And that folks, is just fine with me.

Track List

• Into The Thicket
• Blue Sunshine
• Lady In Waiting
• Breathless
• Slow Magic
• Valley Of The Sun
• Only Happy In The Country
• Get On Home
• South Paradiso
• De Profundis
• Two Worlds

Crazy Pills To Play Cake Shop + Release New Record

Crazy Pills are celebrating the release of their debut record Restless this Saturday, July 27.  It all happens on the LES at Cake Shop ... you should go.  Full details are below.  

Crazy Pills
Desert Sharks / Fan Tan / Let's Be Loveless
Cake Shop
152 Ludlow Street
New York, NY
Doors: 8PM
Tickets: $8
21+

I've had a chance to listen to Restless.  I'm really enjoying this one folks.  It's soul-punk and rock 'n' roll.  It's a excellent summer album ... put it on and go hang out by the pool.  Standout tracks are: "Nothing But Love", "Break It Down", "Indictment" and "Trudy June".  Check out the track "Break It Down" below.  

What You May Have Missed: John Michael Rouchell at Mercury Lounge

John Michael Rouchell: June 24, 2013 @ Mercury Lounge, New York, NY 

Last week, I made a stop at Mercury Lounge to catch NOLA's John Michael Rouchell.  I became a fan of JM's what, three or four years ago...when I happened to catch him at the same venue.  He had been performing under the moniker MyNameIsJohnMichael and they came equipped with horns and trash cans.  This trip, he came with a slimmed down, highly effective and seriously bad ass band consisting of Joe Dyson, Jr. (drums), Max Moran (bass) and Joe Shirley (keyboards).  Those dudes are seriously tight, I mean seriously tight.

I wasn't sure how things were going to play out without the horns but, I was already digging the new songs from his recently released gem, The Separation EP, and was excited to hear them live, especially, "Wounded Heart" and "Holler" which have gotten a considerable amount of play around the office.  I wasn't let down.  Always an excellent live act, JM seemed even more on point than when I last took in a show.  When you're consistently good live, it's often hard to top yourself but, I do believe he did just that, topped himself.  Dare I say this is the best I've heard him?  He seemed, for lack of a better word, rejuvenated.  His always high energy show seemed even more intense.  In the past, I always gleamed a definite NOLA vibe in his sound.  With the new music, while JM is distinctly NOLA, his sound took less from that and leaned more towards R&B and soul.  I heard a soul singer.  We were treated to the aforementioned songs as well as a new song "Heartbeat" in the tight nine-song set.  All in all, it was one of those shows that left you with the one word response of, 'damn!'  

More photos HERE

Q & A with Dan Miller of Mission South

DC based Mission South released their latest EP, Migration, Vol. 2 in April. The album has gotten a good deal of play here at QNYC Headquarters.  It’s one of the few albums released in the last couple of years that gets played from beginning to end without a track being skipped. It’s also the first album released this year that I’ve fallen completely in lust with.  It’s earthy. It’s bluesy.  It’s soulful.  It’s tight.  It’s beautiful.  It’s excellence.  As I sit here writing this, the track “Free” is playing.  It’s rainy out with a bit of a chill and all I can think about is grabbing a blanket, a cup of tea and going to sit on the porch with my headphones on.  It’s one of those kinds of records.

I threw some questions out and Mission South guitarist/vocalist Dan Miller threw some answers back.  And this, is the result.

Quirky NY Chick (QNYC): How would you describe your sound to the uninitiated?

Dan Miller (DM): It's somewhere between bad and terrible.  As if Phil Collins had a baby with Pantera.  Haha, no.  It is all over the map though.  It's got some blues/rock grit, with pop sensibilities, and folk sensitivity.  

Mission South Release New Album and Video

 

DC based band Mission South released their delightful album, Migration Vol. 2 last week.  I'm really digging this release.  The record shines with a soulful groove that wraps itself around you like an old friend.  The highlights are ... the whole EP!  There's not one song on this effort that I don't like. 

They recently released a terrific video for the track "Peaches".  Check it out below.

Great Peacock Release Stellar Debut EP

 

Nashville based Great Peacock released their self-titled debut EP this week via This Is American Music.  The 5-song Great Peacock has earned a spot on my "you MUST hear this" list.

Last month the band's track "Take Me To The Mountain" found its way to me and I was immediately captivated.  To be honest, I was a little afraid to hear the rest of the EP.  I thought, 'no way could the rest of it be as good as that spectacular track'; I didn't want to be disappointed.  Well, color me wrong! From beginning to end Great Peacock is a stellar piece of work.  It's one of those records that demands to be put on repeat, drawing you in with its storytelling and harmonies.  While listening to it for about the dozenth time, I realized I can't pick a highlight; the whole album is a highlight! 

If Great Peacock keeps this up, they'll soon find themselves in the upper echelons of today's modern folk troubadour royalty.



Great Peacock Tracklisting:

• Take Me To The Mountain
• Desert Lark
• Sailing
• Family Home
• Bluebird

HITS Releases Debut EP

New York based HITS (formerly Jump Into The Gospel) released their debut self-titled EP last week.

HITS is a tight piece of work.  The songs are overall more polished while the band maintains the natural charm and fun of their previous incarnation. The album is reminiscent of mid-80's dance pop and tend to get stuck in your head forcing you to put them on repeat. 

The wickedly wonderful "St. John" has been a longtime favorite from their live shows.  The recorded version is less funky and more pop but maintains its infectious dance quality and bad ass bass groove of their live performances. The catchy "Singularity" stands as the commercial appeal track and has great potential in the licensing world. 

On "Twin Peaks" first of all, is that even vocalist Louis Epstein singing?!  The vocals on the album sound strong and more confident in general.  But, on this low key, dreamy sounding track, the confidence particularly shines through in the deeper, richer tone.  Somewhere out there, teens in angst are declaring this their song.

After several listens, I have decided that "Madness" is possibly one of the sexiest songs of the summer in a geek girl love fest sort of way.  It makes me feel like I should be at this very moment lusting over some slightly odd, vaguely nerdy guy with a somewhat weird view on love. 

If I have any complaints about the EP, it would be as a fan of guitars, they're a little too tucked away in the mix for my personal tastes ... more of guitarist Ben Vescovi please and thank you.  And, a live favorite, "Start A Following" didn't crossover into their new world.

Get on board with this album and band.  They are ready to take their star turn and you don't want to be the only person to miss the boat.

GIG ALERT!!!  HITS will be at Pianos on Saturday, July 21.  They go on at 9PM and it will cost you $10.

You can listen to and buy the EP using the handy widget below.

Hank & Cupcakes Get Naked

Earlier this month, Brooklyn based duo, Hank & Cupcakes released their Ludwig Boss produced, full-length debut album, Naked.  It's eleven irresistible songs that immediately get stuck in your head.  I've spent the last few weeks under the weather and the infectious Naked has been my go to feel good album.

For those familiar with Hank & Cupcakes' shows, you'll notice right off the bat that Naked manages to capture their live energy.  From Hank's seductive rhythms and fuzzy bass effects to Cupcakes pounding drum beats, everything that has made the pair one of New York's hottest acts is captured.  The only thing missing is an audience full of people dancing themselves into a sweaty mess. 

Cupcakes strong, oft times sassy, sometimes gritty vocals guide you through their fun, funky, rhythmic wonderland of well crafted, catchy songs.  Naked is easily one of the top releases of 2012.  I suggest you get on board with this record now.  

Hank & Cupcakes may not be FDA approved but they come pretty darn close to curing what ails with this release. 

Gig Alert!!! Hank & Cupcakes will be at Mercury Lounge on Friday, July 6. Doors are at 10:30PM and it will cost you $10 advance / $12 dos but you better grab a ticket quick, it will sell out!

And, for your visual pleasure, check out the video for "Tame The Fool" from Naked below.

We had a week of pre-production rehearsals in an old building in East Berlin and then entered the studio for 10 days, working at an average of 16 hours a day. We originally planned to record 8 songs but working with Ludwig Boss was so fruitful and the time we spent in Berlin was so magical and inspiring that we ended up recording 14 songs. ‘NAKED’ includes 10 of these recordings, a re-master of HIT and a remix for our song ‘Aint No Love’ produced by Will “The 83^rd” McNair and featuring Kalae All Day.

We feel that the album has a wholesome sound yet a diverse lineup of songs. There are pop oriented songs such as Born Again, Fly, Liquid Mercury & Aint No Love as well as rougher songs such as See Through, Sweet Potion & Pleasure Town. HIT & Jersey Girl are more on the dance music side and we even have a ballad - Tame The Fool, to show our hidden soft side. Aint No Love & Pleasure Town, previously released on our 2010 EP were re-recorded at Hansa and in our opinion have reached a level of precision that we hadn’t managed to achieve before. We’re very happy with the result and can’t wait to share this album with the world!

Mr. Big To Release Live From The Living Room, 2/28

Rock band Mr. Big is set to release their new record, Live From The Living Room on Tuesday, February 28 via Frontiers Records here in the states. The record was recorded live in Japan in January 2011 in front of an intimate audience.

The stellar musical skills in Mr. Big have always stood out. They are technically some of the tightest musicians to come out of the 80's. What set them a step ahead of many of their peers were their harmonies. The trademark raspy voice of Eric Martin surrounded by incredibly tight vocals of his bandmates was just special. Well, Martin, Paul Gilbert (guitar), Billy Sheehan (bass) and Pat Torpey (drums) haven't lost a step.

Live From The Living Room is Mr. Big stripped down and showing off what they do best. Oft times, when rock bands strip down, some of the musical fire is lost. This isn't the case with Mr. Big. Dare I say that I think this is some of the best live work I've heard from them? Well, it is. It's a record you can put on from start to finish without skipping a track. The harmonies are there and tight as ever as is the musicianship. This record should satisfy die-hard fans and casual fans alike. And, for those people who back in the day (y'all know who you are), were a bit disappointed that everything they did didn't sound like their hit single "To Be With You," this stripped down side of the band is probably closer to what you were expecting from them. Ironically, it's that song that I find to be the weakest of the tracks. It sounds good but personally, I just don't think it has the same spark as the rest of the rest of the record.

Mr. Big's most recent studio album, WHAT IF..., was released last year via Frontiers Records and featured the original band line-up reunited for the first time in 14 years. Formed in 1988, Mr. Big forged its place in hard rock history by combining trademark virtuosic musicianship with stellar vocal harmonies. The original (and now reunited) line-up features vocalist Eric Martin, guitarist Paul Gilbert, bassist Billy Sheehan, and drummer Pat Torpey. The quartet produced numerous hit songs that ranged across a wide array of rock genres, including the ubiquitous "To Be With You," which was a Billboard Hot 100 #1 single in 15 countries for weeks, propelling the band to huge international success and record sales in the multi-millions.

Track Listing

• Undertow
• Still Ain't Enough For Me
• As Far As I Can See
• Voodoo Kiss
• Take Cover
• Around The World
• Stranger In My Life
• All The Way Up
• To Be With You
• Nobody Left To Blame

Miss Guy's Dumb Blonde Is Smart Fun

Miss Guy kicked off the new year in style with the release of his solo record, Dumb Blonde. For the handful of those not in the know, Miss Guy is the frontman of the delightfully fun, glam punk band Toilet Boys as well as being one insanely talented DJ.

Dumb Blonde starts off with the infectious title track. When I first listened to the record it took me a while to get around to listening to the other four tracks. It's one of those catchy songs that grabs you and forces you to hit repeat many, many times and dance around the room. I finally allowed the second song to play only to realize I wouldn't be sitting down anytime soon. Where the autobiographical "Dumb Blonde" has more of a rock edge to it, "Take It Off" is a dance jam of the electro variety. It reminds me of Peaches which in my book isn't a bad thing 'cause I like Peaches. At any rate, it's one of those songs that makes you wanna get a little nasty on the dance floor at the club. There's something a little cheeky about following those two songs with a couple of songs that are reminiscent of 70's ("Magic") and 80's ("Don't Stop") pop music. The latter kind of made me feel like I should be awkwardly slow dancing at a school dance. The record closes with "Sometimes" which is kind of dreamy sounding. Sadly, it doesn't catch my attention in the same way as other songs on the album do.

Miss Guy has provided a compact and diverse piece of musical fun with Dumb Blonde. I'm enjoying it and that folks, makes it top notch in my book.

The video for "Dumb Blonde" has been released. Check it out below.

Track Listing

• Dumb Blonde
• Take It Off
• Magic
• Don't Stop
• Sometimes

Album of the Year...According to Me: U.S. Royalty - Mirrors

Normally at the end of the year, I put together a series of posts “reviewing” records I didn’t get around to mentioning throughout the year. This year, I wanted to change things up a bit. I considered putting together one of those nifty little best of lists. But then, I started thinking... that happens from time to time! There are several records that came out this year that I like be it because they were well crafted, catchy or just because. But, how many of those albums do I really listen to? By really listen to, I mean in regular rotation and can sing-a-long to sort of thing.

I did some highly complicated scientific calculations based on my listening habits and I determined the Quirky NY Chick Album of the Year...According to Me honor goes to, U.S. Royalty for their much listened to Mirrors.

The DC area band released Mirrors, their full-length debut, in January of 2011. When the record landed in my inbox (note to me, order physical copy!), I put it on and it has stayed in regular rotation since then. I’ve listened to it a lot. It’s um, playing right now as I type. Yeah, let’s just say, they would likely even say I’ve listened to their record too much! Is it a perfect record? No, but what is? There are a couple of songs, “Vacation Vacation” and “Old Flames,” that I don’t feel as much as the rest of the album, sorry fellas. That being said, the highlights far outweigh the “I ain’t feeling it” moments. I was initially drawn to “Hollywood Hollows.” I tend to listen to music before I listen to lyrics; it’s just how I work. The stomp blues rock of “Hollywood Hollows” is frankly some of the sexiest sounding rock ‘n’ roll to hit my ears in a while. The first several times I listened to the song, I frankly didn’t care what the lyrics were. The music combined with vocalist John Thornley’s phrasing dripped of musical sexiness and, I happen to like when my rock ‘n’ roll is sexy and a little dirty sounding. However, it’s the catchy “Monte Carlo” that gets stuck in your head for hours at a time. It is quite simply one of those wonderful pop rock songs that is worthy of being #1 on the Billboard charts. The fact that it is reminiscent of some of those classic Buckingham/Nicks era Fleetwood Mac songs (check out Paul Thornley’s guitar work on the track, Buckingham would be proud) just adds to the charm. From there you’re led into “Equestrian” full of driving rhythms that sound incredibly grand. “The Desert Won’t Save You,” another song I listened to several times before even listening to the lyrics, is also rather grand in sound with it’s Zepplinesque vibe. It just sounds intensely heavy reeling you in with seductive guitar work that weaves throughout the song then it pounds you hard before easing you back down through a maze of rhythm to let you go gently. Put on some headphones, grab a glass of wine (or some mother nature if that’s your thing), light some incense and candles and just let it take you away; it’s that kind of song.

Mirrors is an incredibly strong body of work. When I first mentioned this record on my little corner of the internet world, I put it on my list of recommended listens. Almost a year later, I still feel the same way.

U.S. Royalty also get kudos for putting on one helluva live show. They’re full of Stones like bravado giving you a show full of sweat, swagger and good old fashioned, no holds barred, we came to entertain you rock music. My only complaint would be that due to some bizarre cosmic deprivation conspiracy happenings, I only got to see one of their many NYC shows this year!

For those who were curious, the remaining two on my top three ridiculous number of listens list were... Nicole Atkins’ seriously wonderful Mondo Amore and I’ve worn out Jump Into The Gospel’s four song Self-titled EP... more songs, please fellas.

Review: Whitesnake Live At Donington 1990

This coming Tuesday, June 7, Whitesnake releases Live At Donington 1990 via Frontiers Records here in North America. The 2 CD and DVD packages are a welcome treat to fans whom this show has been a favorite of for years. The DVD contains never before seen footage of Whitesnake at a time some would say was their peak.

I'm a long time Whitesnake fan. Anyone who knows me has probably heard me say at some point David Coverdale can sing to me anytime, any place, for as long as he wants. This is Coverdale in full-throttle wailing rocker mode supported by a cast of stellar characters, Steve Vai (guitar), Adrian Vandenberg (guitar), Rudy Sarzo (bass) and Tommy Aldridge (drums) ... the all-star line-up, as many refer to this version of Whitesnake.

The favorites are here and the sound quality is good. Maybe a bit too good at times. When Coverdale pulls back his vocals and just sings without the theatrics as he does in the classic "Ain't No Love In The Heart Of The City," you can hear the end of the set roughness in his voice that comes from night after night of hitting those high notes. Good sound quality makes that a little more noticeable. And, that's not really a negative per se.

It has been a little while since I've heard live Whitesnake from that era. So, I was slightly concerned, that listening with somewhat fresh ears, that it might sound dated. Whitesnake was delightfully and brilliantly over the top during that period in time and I wondered if it was going to be as good as I remembered. Yeah, it's pretty darn close. At this stage in my listening I'm a little past the guitar and drum solo thing but they've held up well and sound good.

I haven't had a chance to check out the DVD portion but you can watch the trailer for the release below.

The LIVE AT DONINGTON 1990 DVD also includes a substantial gallery of never before seen stills of the band on the "Liquor & Poker World Tour 1990", plus an intimate behind-the-scenes documentary of the making-of the SLIP OF THE TONGUE album. LIVE AT DONINGTON 1990 will be available as a 2 CD set, a DVD coverpack, a combo 2 CD and DVD in digipak and digital editions. Please see below for the respective double CD and DVD track listings.

Track List
CD 1:

• Slip Of The Tongue
• Slide It In
• Judgement Day
• Slow An Easy
• Kitten's Got Claws
• Adagio For Strato
• Flying Dutchman Boogie
• Is This Love
• Cheap An' Nasty
• Crying In The Rain (featuring Tommy Aldridge drum solo)

CD 2:

• Fool For Your Loving
• For The Love Of God
• The Audience Is Listening
• Here I Go Again
• Bad Boys
• Ain't No Love In The Heart Of The City
• Still Of The Night

DVD:

• Slip Of The Tongue
• Slide It In
• Judgement Day
• Slow An Easy
• Kitten's Got Claws
• Adagio For Strato
• Flying Dutchman Boogie
• Cheap An' Nasty
• Crying In The Rain (featuring Tommy Aldridge drum solo)
• Fool For Your Loving
• For The Love Of God
• The Audience Is Listening
• Here I Go Again
• Bad Boys
• Ain't No Love In The Heart Of The City
• Still Of The Night
• BONUS CONTENT: The Making Of SLIP OF THE TONGUE; Slide Show

The On Fires: Rollicking Good Time

The On Fires: April 6, 2011 @ Arlene's Grocery, New York, NY

This past Wednesday, I went down to Arlene's Grocery to catch Australian band The On Fires. For anyone who hasn't had a chance to check this band out, they're a high octane band. After a long day at work, they are the perfect way to rid yourself of any stress you may have been harboring. From the moment they kicked into their set, you couldn't help but bounce around to the music. I'd have to say, they're probably the most high energy band I've seen in a while. If they're playing near you, check them out. There's nothing like a good dose of party punk to wash away a long, hard day.

They have a few more dates left on this tour, their third in the US. For those in the tri-state area, you can still catch them at The Saint in Asbury Park, NJ on April 13 at 8PM. It'll cost you $10.

More Photos HERE

Adam Taylor: Man and Poet

Adam Taylor is set to release his upcoming record, No Poet, on April 18. When I first heard Taylor's debut, Play The Piano Drunk, I thought if this is what he's capable of now, what's he going to give us once he has some age and seasoning under his belt? Well, No Poet answers that question.

The seven song record was produced by his older brother Chad Taylor and shows a maturity that comes with making that transition from boy to man and living life in general. The down to Earth, yet quirky Taylor writes sharp-witted songs with a bit of cheek. At times he's a bit dark while at other times he displays pure, happy, upbeat pop.

Having seen Taylor perform several times, I know most of the songs in their acoustic incarnations. In a true testament to his talent as a performer and songwriter, the songs work just as beautifully with a full band as they do in acoustic duet form. Taylor's band Kate Young (vocals/percussion), John Fritchey (guitar), Mike Giblin (bass/vocals) and Jason Hoffheins (drums) provide a tight musical foundation for him to shine.

A wide gambit of sounds are covered on No Poet be it the jazzy vibe of "The Story Of The Sea-Green Sky Part Two" or the rockabilly of "Spaghetti Western," a classic storytelling song, or the skiffle of "Lucy." They all fit and flow together well proving well crafted pop music doesn't come from a cookie cutter, auto-tuned assembly line. The record kicks off with the lust tinged "Oliver" a favorite of mine for a while now. For some bizarre reason, I think of "White Wedding" when I hear this song. Huh? We'll chalk that up as one of my questionable comparisons. Giblin's bass lines are all kinds of funky on this one as well as on the track "Jazzonia (Silver Tree) which is a killer dance tune. If you can't shake your ass to that song, you might have some issues you need to deal with. "Yes / No" harkens back to the days of beach/surf music. The kind of song you turn on and drive around with the top down on your convertible.

The record closes with what has become my favorite track, "New York." It's a sexy and bluesy moving onto the next stage of life song. This song more than any other track on the record, in my opinion, shows his transition from teenager to man.

No Poet is a terrific piece of work. Its only flaw is that it ends too quickly. Seven songs aren't enough!

For your listening pleasure, scroll to the bottom of the post and grab "Jazzonia (Silver Tree)" in the MP3 Grab.

Adam Taylor: March 31, 2011 @ The Living Room, New York, NY

Adam Taylor and his partner-in-crime Kate Young came back to the cozy LES venue The Living Room. On the heels of a successful Kickstarter campaign and weeks before the April 18 release of his new record No Poet, Taylor and Young took the stage. Performing six songs from the upcoming album in their twelve song set the pair showed once again why their fans appreciate and love them so much.

They kicked off the set with Jazzonia (Silver Tree) which until I saw the track list for No Poet, I thought the wording was Silver Dream! For two years I've been trying to figure out what the heck a silver dream was. I'm not only quirky, I'm goofy too! Anyway, this is the first time they've done "Daisy" at a show I attended so that was a pleasant treat. Taylor did a Radiohead song solo. I'm not a Radiohead fan so don't ask me which one but I'm 100% positive Taylor's version was better. I'll probably get stoned by disgruntled Radiohead fans over that one. Live, Taylor dedicates "Yes / No" to all the psychotic women. I'm tearing up; finally someone has written a song about me! I'm just kidding ... maybe.

I always smile at their shows. They make me feel good. What more can you ask for? They closed with the delightful "Cat's Cradle." I would have loved to have seen this on the new record but alas, it wasn't. Oh, and the next time you swing through town, can we add "Coffee" back into the set list for the night? I miss that song.

I've told you before and I'll tell you again, you really should see Taylor live. Full of laid back charm and dripping with an abundance of talent, he'll entice you to his corner and have you cheering him on loudly and proudly.

Check out a couple of clips from the show below and a clip of "Daisy" HERE ... yeah, it's out of focus but sound is good.

More Photos HERE

Setlist

• Jazzonia (Silver Tree)
• 12:51
• Daisy
• Spaghetti Western
• Yes / No
• No Diggity / Come Together
• Story Of The Sea-Green Sky Part Two
• Whiskey
• (Radiohead Song)
• New York
• Lucy
• Cat's Cradle

"Whiskey"


"Yes / No"

MP3 Grab: "Jazzonia (Silver Tree)" (right click, save)

Katie Costello's Lamplight Out Today + MP3

Singer/songwriter Katie Costello released her second full-length release, Lamplight, today via Tiny Tiny Records. Lamplight takes listeners though a piano laced, melodic romp that will likely have you singing along and tapping your foot. Costello has one of those voices that can leave you entranced and off in your own world. It's also a voice that's sweetly soulful and romantic; perfect for those quiet Sunday mornings. Lamplight is one of those records you will find yourself returning to again and again.

We have in our MP3 Grab at the bottom of the post, the beautiful "Out Of Our Minds" from Lamplight.

Track List

• Cassette Tape
• Ashes Ashes
• After Dark
• No Shelter
• Despite Times
• Out Of Our Minds
• Fading Lately
• Dig A Hole
• Old Owl
• People: A Theory
• The Weirds
• Stranger

MP3 Grab: "Out Of Our Minds" (right click, save)

Jump Into The Gospel Release EP

If you've been keeping up with my little corner of the blog world, then you'll be familiar with the fact that I like Jump Into The Gospel. Well, great news, they've released a four song self-titled EP! The EP can be downloaded HERE.

The insanely catchy "Humvee Mansion" kicks things off setting things up for a fun but much too quick musical romp. "Photovoltaic," the EP's second track takes me back to the days when I wore fingerless lace gloves and neon colored spandex. While I don't wish to re-live the fashion faux pas' of my youth, I relish the synth pop sound that made and still makes me bop around with my head phones on, music blaring.

Jump Into The Gospel are a fun treat. The band, Ben Vescovi (guitar), Chris Stein (drums) and Erik Tonnesen (keyboards) lay down a precise foundation full of ear pleasing melodies and rhythms to get you up and wiggling your ass. Super skinny, wild haired frontman Louis Epstein rounds things out with hypnotic vocals that are one minute reserved and sometimes mysterious, while the next minute he's a wailing falsetto.

Four tracks isn't nearly enough but, it'll do ... for now.

Gig Alert! They'll be at Mercury Lounge on Saturday, February 26. Doors open at 7:30PM and it'll cost you $10. Swing by and show them some love.

U.S. Royalty's MIRRORS Out TODAY!

MIRRORS, the debut album from U.S. Royalty, is out now! For those who haven't wrapped their happy little hands around the record, it's a rootsy, bluesy, burning and emotional romp that rocks from beginning to end. I've been enjoying this record a lot. I'm totally in lust with "Hollywood Hollows," seriously in lust. "Monte Carlo" is something that reminds me of the well crafted 70's classic rock of Fleetwood Mac while "Equestrian" mixes modern alternative with a bit of early Santana flavor. Maybe that's just me though. I put MIRRORS on my list of recommended listens.

MP3 Grab: "Equestrian"

Year End Review: The Black Crowes – Croweology

In August, The Black Crowes released their latest effort, Croweology. The Paul Stacey produced, double disc, acoustic work was released on the band’s own Silver Arrow label. Croweology commemorates the 20th anniversary of the band’s debut classic Shake Your Moneymaker reworking hits, fan favorites and other songs from their career.

When I first sat down to listen to the record, my first thought was, this is what the Crowes brief appearance on Unplugged back in the day should have sounded like. Then I listened again and thought, perhaps not. The Black Crowes that did that were wild, raw and hungry. There was a loose cannon edge to them. I wouldn’t trade that period in Crowes history for the world. Croweology is what years of seasoning and maturity sounds like. Does it make me feel like the guitar and vocals are going to take me over the edge into some unknown territory? No, it doesn’t. Twenty years ago, they made me feel as if they were saying “take my hand, the ride could get intense and scary but it’ll always be alright.” Twenty years later they make me feel like they’re saying “come by for Sunday dinner, we’ll eat and shoot the breeze.” That’s not saying it’s boring. That’s saying we’re grown up; we’re all twenty years older. This is us with lines around our eyes and twenty years of rock ‘n’ roll coursing through our veins. There’s a certain level of visiting an old friend type of comfort in listening to this record.

A friend of mine wasn’t so keen on getting this record because she’s a purist, and why mess with something that wasn’t broken. I think if it were any other band I’d probably feel the same way. But, one of the things I always loved about the Crowes was their desire and ability to change things up a bit live and that’s what this record feels like to me, an acoustic, structured, jam session. Yeah, I know, structured and jam session don’t belong in the same sentence!

Croweology brings back a lot of memories and I’ve enjoyed listening to it. Would I trade in the original versions of the songs for the versions on this collection? No. I might trade in a few of my well worn bootleg versions for these renditions … maybe. And, I have to say, I much prefer this type of “best of” instead of the traditional re-packaging of tracks that are nothing more than exactly what you already have only in a new package. I can do that myself on my music player, it’s called a playlist. So, kudos to the band on taking the mildly alternative route with their “best of” release.

As I played the disc, someone who had to endure endless plays of their albums and probably groaned every time I came back from the mailbox with an envelope of cassettes (they knew that envelope would contain several hours of live Crowes), came into the room. Their favorite Crowes song is “She Talks To Angels” so I skipped to that track. I asked what she thought and she replied “Chris sounds sane.” Huh? I was informed that there was a period where she thought he sounded substance aided lost and crazy. Okay. Vocally, Robinson sounds great on Croweology. To be honest, it might well be the best I’ve heard him, certainly in a good long time. He sounds less nasally, more controlled and there’s a maturity in his voice that’s comforting and warm. The Black Crowes have always been a top notch band. The rest of the band does some excellent work on this record and I’m not slighting them but Robinson’s vocals are the highlight here. The band has perfectly created a stage for Robinson to sparkle and shine.

While some may disagree, I think this is a fitting record to celebrate twenty years. Since the band is going on hiatus for an unspecified amount of time, I think it’s also a fitting way to say, “thanks and see you around” to their fans. Twenty years ago, I saw The Black Crowes, Chris, Rich, Steve, Johnny & Jeff for the first time and began my journey that while altered, has never ended. I’ve come full-circle now. Chris, Rich & Steve thank you for twenty years. To those who have come and gone and those of the current incarnation, thanks as well, you've helped make the journey a memorable one.

Croweology is a tidy package that brings things full-circle. And that my friends, is just what the quirky chick needed.

Track List

Disc 1

• Jealous Again
• Share The Ride
• Remedy
• Non-Fiction
• Hotel Illness
• Soul Singin'
• Ballad In Urgency
• Wiser Time
• Cold Boy Smile
• Under A Mountain

Disc 2

• She Talks To Angels
• Morning Song
• Downtown Money Waster
• Good Friday
• Thorn In My Pride
• Welcome To The Good Times
• Girl From A Pawnshop
• Sister Luck
• She
• Bad Luck Blue Eyes Goodbye