BLACKIE AND THE RADIO KINGS
KINGS AND QUEENS
2011 – FILE UNDER: MUSIC
Produced By COLIN LINDEN
1. If I Can’t Have You
2. Another Free Woman Gets To Walk Away
3. Got You Covered
4. I’m Still Lovin’ You
5. Golden Sorrows
6. Shelter Me
7. My Town Has Moved Away
8. How Come You Treat Me So Bad?
9. Step Away
10. Heart A Mine
11. Brave
12. Made Of Love
13. Love Lay Me Down
14. Black Sheep
Kings And Queens? Absolutely. The Kings are Blackie & The Rodeo Kings, a Canadian alt country and folk band that should be much better known than they are. The Queens are exactly that. This 2011 album is a set of 14 duets with some of the best female vocalists you can find. It’s really an impressive list, and a fine bunch of performances. They didn’t try to recreate the hits of their guests…their guests are singing on the King’s own songs (for the most part). The Kings are a trio (Colin Linden, Stephen Fearing and Tom Wilson) who came together as a tribute to Canadian singer-songwriter Willie P. Bennett. Kings And Queens is their seventh album, and it really is a winner. The guest list alone makes it worth the price of admission, and the music justifies it.
So, who’s here? Well, the opener is Lucinda Williams. Rosanne Cash. Pam Tillis, Emmylou Harris. A rare sighting of Mary Margaret O’Hara. Surprises like Patty Scialfa, Sam Phillips, and even Exene Cervenka from X. And more. The Kings are obviously respected enough in music circles to have pulled in this impressive list of singers. They’re well known in Canada, but have barely made a mark in America. Even the single “Got You Covered” (with Cash) failed to make much of a mark. But don’t be fooled…this is good stuff. The Rodeo Kings still make fine music, and even did a follow up to this one called Kings And Kings in 2017, which featured male guest vocalists. This is well worth taking for a spin…it’s an entertaining and fun listen.
My Rating: ****1/2
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CAR SEAT HEADREST
TWIN FANTASY
2018 – MATADOR
Produced By WILL TOLEDO
FACE TO FACE
1. My Boy (Twin Fantasy)
2. Beach Life-In-Death
3. Stop Smoking (We Love You)
4. Sober To Death
5. Nervous Young Inhumans
6. Bodys
7. Cute Thing
8. High To Death
9. Famous Prophets (Stars)
10. Twin Fantasy (Those Boys)
MIRROR TO MIRROR
1. My Boy (Twin Fantasy)
2. Beach Life-In-Death
3. Stop Smoking
4. Sober To Death
5. Nervous Young Inhumans
6. Bodys
7. Cute Thing
8. High To Death
9. Famous Prophets (Minds)
10. Twin Fantasy (Those Boys)
Not a big fan of having to explain release details, but this one requires it. Here goes. Will Toledo (from Virginia) was a solo artist using the name Car Seat Headrest in 2011, and he released the album Twin Fantasy on Bandcamp. The project then became a band, and in 2018, a new and re-recorded version of Twin Fantasy was released. The version I stumbled across is a nice 2 disc set that includes the original 2011 version (Mirror To Mirror), and the new re-recorded album (Face To Face). It’s a pretty great package, in a double set with a nice artsy booklet. This new version became one of the better albums of the 2010’s decade, and in fact, is one of the better recent releases you will find. Not that anyone knew about it then or now…the album has been barely a blip on the music radar. That’s okay. Those who know…know.
The highlights here are truly great. “Nervous Young Inhumans” and “Beach Life-In-Death” are fantastic, and “My Boy (Twin Fantasy)” and “Cute Thing are not far behind. What this new edition does is update the original. It revisits the hurt of a relationship gone south a few years later and adds a new and more grown up perspective…which makes the confusing release history tolerable. And it is good to have both versions side by side, so that you can get the original hurt and the later view after some time and hopefully healing. And Car Seat Headrest is a band that deserves to be heard and better appreciated anyway. 12 albums in after 14 years, they should be taken seriously…particularly 2016’s Teens Of Denial and this one. Check it out.
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GIRLYMAN
SOMEWHERE DIFFERENT NOW (LIVE)
2008 – FINE FEATHERED MUSIC
No Production Credit
1. Kittery Tide
2. This Is Me
3. Hey Rose
4. Tuning And Drinking
5. Everything’s Easy
6. Introductions
7. Speechless
8. Cannons
9. All Through The Night
10. The Dong
11. Young James Dean
12. Evil Seagulls
13. Storms Were Mine
14. Wrong Song
15. Viola
16. Hava Nagila
17. Angel Of The Morning
18. Joyful Sign
19. Song For Voice And Drum
20. Say Goodbye
21. Let’s Go To Church
22. Postcards From Mexico
23. Somewhere Different Now
24. Lighting The Wick
25. Through To Sunrise
26. Ghosts Of Girlyman
27. Benediction
28. Son Of A Preacher Man
29. Moose In The Road
Girlyman was a folk rock band from New York City that ended up in Atlanta. Their first two albums were released on Daemon Records, which is owned by Amy Ray of Indigo Girls. In their decade together, this band that described their music as “harmony-driven gender pop” released five studio albums and this live record. Girlyman was a three piece band at this point…drummer JJ Jones had not yet joined them. This recording left in the stage banter, false starts and oddities that happen at live shows, which gives it a more realistic live feel, but also a sloppiness. It’s also the only live album from this band that never got as big as they maybe could have, and that might have stuck around for longer than they did. But each band has its shelf life, and Girlyman’s was over by 2013.
Part of the reason for Girlyman’s short life was that they simply were not very successful commercially. And this live set didn’t exactly set the world on fire. In fact, few at the time even knew it existed. This band was big with the gay community, but not really anywhere else. On this album, Girlyman was 3 singers (Tylan Greenstein, Doris Muramatsu and Nate Borofsky, who were the group’s founding members) with guitars, mandolins, banjo and percussion. They split up into a pair of groups that fizzled (Django Jones and Mouths Of Babes), and have never regrouped. This album has only sixteen actual songs on it, thirteen of which are Girlyman originals. The rest is mostly wasted space that can be tiresome…it was probably more entertaining if you were actually there. A mostly forgotten live disc from a mostly forgotten band.
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CROSBY, STILLS & NASH
CSN
1977 – ATLANTIC
Produced By DAVID CROSBY, STEPHEN STILLS & GRAHAM NASH WITH RON ALBERT & HOWARD ALBERT
1. Shadow Captain
2. See The Changes
3. Carried Away
4. Fair Game
5. Anything At All
6. Cathedral
7. Dark Star
8. Just A Song Before I Go
9. Run From Tears
10. Cold Rain
11. In My Dreams
12. I Give You Give Blind
Supergroups. They tend to not last for very long. Case in point: Crosby, Stills & Nash (and sometimes Young) played Woodstock and quickly released a pair of albums between 1969 and 1970, then aside from a tour in 1974, did nothing substantial together until 1977. CSN was their third album, but it was already a comeback effort. Their last studio record had been 1970’s Déjà Vu. Neil Young was not around for this one, and the trio wrote all of the songs individually. David Crosby and Graham Nash contributed three songs each, with the other six written by Stephen Stills. CSN sold more copies than their 1969 debut, and was a top ten album in several countries. Star power is what they had, and everyone wanted to know what they had to say after all these years.
The best songs here are from Nash. The sadly short “Just A Song Before I Go” is pure harmony heaven, and “Cathedral” is a perfect centerpiece. Stills checks in with a pair of FM radio staples, “Dark Star” and “Fair Game” (with that awful line about her looking at your crotch). But for the first time in their career (and not the last), there’s quite a bit of filler. The sharp songwriting skills of Stills had begun to fade, and the immediacy of their sound during the Vietnam era now sounded lazy and overly mellow. This album also marked the beginning of Crosby and Stills’ preoccupation with sailing, putting them more on a line with Jimmy Buffett than where they had come from. CSN was viewed at the time as a huge victory, but these days, it’s not much more than average work from a superstar group that had much better work in their rear view mirror.
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DEATH IN VEGAS
THE CONTINO SESSIONS
1999 – CONCRETE
Produced By RICHARD FEARLESS & TIM HOLMES
1. Dirge
2. Soul Auctioneer
3. Death Threat
4. Flying
5. Aisha
6. Lever Street
7. Aladdin’s Story
8. Broken Little Sister
9. Neptune City
Death In Vegas began in 1994 as Dead Elvis. They are a British electronic group that also includes elements of shoegaze, trip hop and psychedelic music in what they do, which makes them more than interesting. The Contino Sessions is their second album, and you’ll find it to be their best work. On this record, they include more live instruments, expand their sound to be more rock oriented, and add an interesting list of guest vocalists. This is a band that is bent on not just improving, but also holding your interest as a listener. It’s not clear who or what Contino is, but in the end, it really doesn’t matter, I guess. What matters is that this is a pretty cool album that warrants repeated listens. And that is a very good thing. I think you may like this one quite a bit.
The Contino Sessions is about half instrumental. And those instrumentals are strong. The ones with vocals…Iggy Pop wrote the lyrics for and sang “Aisha”, not surprisingly the most popular track here. Primal Scream’s Bobby Gillespie did the same on “Soul Auctioneer”, as did Jim Reid of The Jesus And Mary Chain on “Broken Little Sister”. Also interesting is “Aladdin’s Story”, with music reportedly written but never published by Mick Jagger & Keith Richards. Also, the opener “Dirge” is a really fine trip hop song. The band’s leaders, Richard Fearless and Tim Holmes, do a fine job of keeping things focused and fun. Death In Vegas has released six albums to date, but nothing in the last eight years (2016’s Transmission). The Contino Sessions is still their best work, and worth hearing.
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THE DECEMBERISTS
THE CRANE WIFE
2006 – CAPITOL / ROUGH TRADE
Produced By TUCKER MARTINE, CHRISTOPHER WALLA & THE DECEMBERISTS
1. The Crane Wife 3
2. The Island: Come And See / The Landlord’s Daughter / You’ll Not Feel The Drowning
3. Yankee Bayonet (I Will Be Home Then)
4. O Valencia!
5. The Perfect Crime #2
6. When The War Came
7. Shankill Butchers
8. Summersong
9. The Crane Wife 1 & 2
10. Sons & Daughters
I don’t really have a favorite band, but The Decemberists are close. This Portland group is led by the excellent songwriting of Colin Meloy, a deep spirit of Americana in their sound, great musicianship, and their unfailing ability to infuse drama into every note they play. The Crane Wife is their fourth album, and remains their finest work. The album can best be described as progressive folk, a kind of acoustic throwback to the work of bands like Genesis from the 1970’s…but also staying true to their own unique sound. It’s not a concept album, but the themes that the band explores here are fascinating…and, it turns out, highly musical. This album is catchy, very intelligent, and endlessly listenable. Definitely my favorite offering from one of my most favored bands.
The album has two central points. The Crane Wife story is based on an old Japanese tale. A poor man nurses an injured crane back to health...well, the story is worth looking up, and it’s fascinating that Meloy wrote half an album based on it. The other point is a suite called The Island, a prog classic inspired by The Tempest by Shakespeare. The two Crane Wife songs and The Island make up half of the album. But there’s more…”When The War Came” is about the Siege Of Leningrad during World War II. “Shankill Butchers” tells of a violent military group in Northern Ireland in the 1970’s. All of this is done while keeping themselves musically honest and never losing touch with the beauty of what The Decemberists sound is all about. This is excellence. Recommended without question.
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KRIS KRISTOFFERSON
THE SILVER TONGUED DEVIL AND I
1971 – MONUMENT
Produced By FRED FOSTER
1. The Silver Tongued Devil And I
2. Jody And The Kid
3. Billy Dee
4. Good Christian Soldier
5. Breakdown (A Long Way From Home)
6. Loving Her Was Easier (Than Anything I’ll Ever Do Again)
7. The Taker
8. When I Loved Her
9. The Pilgrim – Chapter 33
10. Epitaph (Black And Blue)
The career of Kris Kristofferson was either highly successful or not very great at all. I guess it depends on how you look at him. I prefer the former view. He was a gifted songwriter with a completely unpolished voice that caused many to dismiss him. He was a decent actor who once shared the screen with Barbra Streisand. He drank too much, chased too many women, and was the definition of a country outlaw. His second album, The Silver Tongued Devil And I, was his most successful album (along with Jesus Was A Capricorn from 1972). It came on the heels of the massive success of Janis Joplin’s version of his “Me And Bobby McGee”, which brought his talents to the eyes and ears of a mass audience. And although this album was a hit, it’s also become somewhat forgotten and underrated over the years.
“Lovin’ Her Was Easier” wasn’t really a hit, but it is the second highest charting single of his career (behind “Why Me”). But this album isn’t about hits. It’s about the absolute quality of the songs. In an era centered on singer-songwriter albums, this stands as one of the very best. “Jody And The Kid”, “Epitaph (Black And Blue)” (which was written for Joplin), “The Taker”…hell, everything else. Some of these were hits for others, but there’s nothing quite like the odd personal touch that Kristofferson gives them. Kristofferson was always famous, and yet his music was always not given its due. If you’re going to give one Kristofferson album a try, to see what his talent was really all about, make that one album The Silver Tongued Devil And I. An absolute classic filled with truly great songs.
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DUSTY SPRINGFIELD
DUSTY IN MEMPHIS
1969 – ATLANTIC
Produced By JERRY WEXLER, ARIF MARDIN & TOM DOWD
1. Just A Little Lovin’
2. So Much Love
3. Son Of A Preacher Man
4. I Don’t Want To Hear It Anymore
5. Don’t Forget About Me
6. Breakfast In Bead
7. Just One Smile
8. The Windmills Of Your Mind
9. In The Land Of Make Believe
10. No Easy Way Down
11. I Can’t Make It Alone
12. What Do You Do When Love Dies
13. Willie & Laura Mae Jones
14. That Old Sweet Roll (Hi-De-Ho)
15. Cherished
16. Goodbye
17. Make It With You
18. Love Shine Down
19. Live Here With You
20. Natchez Trace
21. All The King’s Horses
22. I’ll Be Faithful
23. Have A Good Life Baby
24. You’ve Got A Friend
25. I Found My Way
It doesn’t seem like it now, but British singer Dusty Springfield had a long career. Between 1964 and 1995, she released thirty studio albums, many of which were not very successful. But Dusty had a rare thing going for her…she was able to make two successful comebacks during her career. One was with a pair of singles with Pet Shop Boys during the eighties. The other was more significant. In 1968, Dusty was struggling, as her career had lost momentum. She signed with Aretha’s label, Atlantic Records, in the hopes of jump starting herself. The album was Dusty In Memphis. The album itself sold poorly at first, despite containing her most enduring hit, “Son Of A Preacher Man”. Today, this album is recognized as being her most important work, and her finest album. For good reason.
Dusty In Memphis is all about soul. And “Son Of A Preacher Man”. Originally intended for Franklin (she did record it after Springfield had a hit with it), the sinful hit is pure magic. She covers four Goffin-King songs here (plus another and Carole King’s “You’ve Got A Friend” in the bonus tracks), a pair of Randy Newman tunes, and turns in one fine performance after another. “Just A Little Lovin’” is a fine opener, and this set will make you wonder why it wasn’t a bigger record. Unfortunately, Springfield never had an easy time of it in America, and even in her home country, people weren’t quite sure what to make of her. But in a career of ups and downs, this was the definitive up. The 14 bonus tracks are a bit much, but the original 11 tracks are pure gold.
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FischmanRockMonster, JazzMeister, Bluesboy,ClassicalMasterProfile Land of Enchantment
DUSTY SPRINGFIELD
DUSTY IN MEMPHIS
1969 – ATLANTIC
Produced By JERRY WEXLER, ARIF MARDIN & TOM DOWD
1. Just A Little Lovin’
2. So Much Love
3. Son Of A Preacher Man
4. I Don’t Want To Hear It Anymore
5. Don’t Forget About Me
6. Breakfast In Bead
7. Just One Smile
8. The Windmills Of Your Mind
9. In The Land Of Make Believe
10. No Easy Way Down
11. I Can’t Make It Alone
12. What Do You Do When Love Dies
13. Willie & Laura Mae Jones
14. That Old Sweet Roll (Hi-De-Ho)
15. Cherished
16. Goodbye
17. Make It With You
18. Love Shine Down
19. Live Here With You
20. Natchez Trace
21. All The King’s Horses
22. I’ll Be Faithful
23. Have A Good Life Baby
24. You’ve Got A Friend
25. I Found My Way
It doesn’t seem like it now, but British singer Dusty Springfield had a long career. Between 1964 and 1995, she released thirty studio albums, many of which were not very successful. But Dusty had a rare thing going for her…she was able to make two successful comebacks during her career. One was with a pair of singles with Pet Shop Boys during the eighties. The other was more significant. In 1968, Dusty was struggling, as her career had lost momentum. She signed with Aretha’s label, Atlantic Records, in the hopes of jump starting herself. The album was Dusty In Memphis. The album itself sold poorly at first, despite containing her most enduring hit, “Son Of A Preacher Man”. Today, this album is recognized as being her most important work, and her finest album. For good reason.
Dusty In Memphis is all about soul. And “Son Of A Preacher Man”. Originally intended for Franklin (she did record it after Springfield had a hit with it), the sinful hit is pure magic. She covers four Goffin-King songs here (plus another and Carole King’s “You’ve Got A Friend” in the bonus tracks), a pair of Randy Newman tunes, and turns in one fine performance after another. “Just A Little Lovin’” is a fine opener, and this set will make you wonder why it wasn’t a bigger record. Unfortunately, Springfield never had an easy time of it in America, and even in her home country, people weren’t quite sure what to make of her. But in a career of ups and downs, this was the definitive up. The 14 bonus tracks are a bit much, but the original 11 tracks are pure gold.
EMMYLOU HARRIS
PROFILE: BEST OF EMMYLOU HARRIS
1978 – WARNER BROS
Produced By BRIAN AHERN
1. One Of These Days
2. Sweet Dreams
3. To Daddy
4. You Never Can Tell
5. Making Believe
6. Easy From Now On
7. Together Again
8. If I Could Only Win Your Love
9. Too Far Gone
10. Two More Bottles Of Wine
11. Boulder To Birmingham
12. Hello Stranger
There are numerous reasons to be thankful for what Gram Parsons brought to the world of music. The number one reason is now, and always has been, the career of Emmylou Harris. She was discovered by Parsons and became his harmony singer until his death in 1973. Her solo career began in earnest in 1975 with Pieces Of The Sky, and she’s been making fine music ever since. Profile is her first compilation album, and it covers the period from her debut in ’75 through 1978’s Quarter Moon In A Ten Cent Town. And fortunately, there are songs from two of her best records: Elite Hotel (1975) and Luxury Liner (1976). A best of pulled from just four albums may be a bit of a stretch, but Harris had the material. Most of the songs here are covers, as Emmylou does write songs…just not as a regular thing. She is mainly a great interpreter of material by other writers.
Profile was successful, and for good reason. These songs still stand among Harris’ finest solo moments. “Boulder To Birmingham” (the only Emmylou original here) reflects her feelings about Parsons’ death. The rest are covers of everyone from Buck Owens (“Together Again”) and Chuck Berry (“C’est La Vie”) to Don Gibson (“Sweet Dreams”) and Dolly Parton (“To Daddy”), and they are all excellent. Even early on, Emmylou Harris was an artist who could always be counted on to release quality material. She hasn’t always been perfect, but she’s always been consistent and very good. Profile is a great introduction to the early work of Harris. If you like this, you’ll want to explore this period of her solo career further and check out the four albums it covers. Highly recommended.
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