VBR~235 kbps | 84 MB | LINKS
After doing their last three albums with famed pop punk producer Steve Evetts, they recorded this one with Joe Chiccarelli (Manchester Orchestra, The Shins) and Carlos de la Garza (Jimmy Eat World, Paramore, Tegan and Sara, M83), and it’s the biggest departure from the band’s pop punk roots yet. No Closer To Heaven experimented with the pop punk formula more than really any band had in a while, but Sister Cities has them leaving that sound almost entirely behind and just making a solid punk-ish rock record. TWY are easing us into their new sound though, with the lead single/title track which is the most similar song on Sister Cities to the band’s prior material. It’s a ripper with some nice lead guitar and a hugely anthemic, singalong chorus. It’s got a video written and directed by former Foxing member Josh Coll.
From the opening notes of “Mambo Rapidito,” the first single and opening track from Orquesta Akokán‘s self-titled debut album on Daptone, it’s impossible not to move one’s feet and hips. An homage to the great mambo music of the ’40s and ’50s, this 16-piece big band of seasoned Cuban musicians — that includes lead vocalist Jose “Pepito” Gomez and pianist/arranger Michael Eckroth — makes the dancefloor burn.
Recorded at Havana’s legendary Areito Studios over four days in 2016, this 9-track set offers the same intensity and joy that burst forth from recordings by Arsenio Rodríguez, Benny Moré, Tito Puente, and Perez Prado. It’s a welcome return for Daptone, whose roster has suffered heavy losses with the deaths of Dan Klein, Sharon Jones,…
…and Charles Bradley. While this is the label’s first Spanish-language album, based on the evidence herein, we can only hope it isn’t their last.
Though recorded in Havana, the album’s back story begins in New York City. Producer and musician Jacob Plasse — a longtime Latin music aficionado who runs the Chulo label and performs in salsa outfit Los Hacheros — had been heavily steeped in mambo for years and was looking to make a record inspired by the aforementioned sources. He contacted Gomez, who was born in Cuba but was residing in New Jersey. The singer fronted the legendary Maravilla de Florida, toured with Compay Segundo, and leads the Cuban supergroup Pupy y Los Que Son Son. Plasse was also working with arranger/pianist Eckroth, who has written charts for everyone from Pedro Martinez to Johnny Rodriguez. The trio composed for a small N.Y. ensemble, but it became obvious that while the songs were there, the musicianship wasn’t. Gomez was heading to Havana to tour with Pupy y Los Que Son Son. He encouraged Plasse to join him and cut the album there. The singer fashioned his many friends and contacts into a stellar group of multi-generational players.
The recordings were made live to tape, giving the album its bright, kinetic, warm feel. Eckroth’s charts are faithful but forward-thinking. At times, the glorious rapid-fire piano montunos are delivered by the saxophone section; elsewhere, they trade rhythmic and harmonic statements in call-and-response cadences that make the entire band a rhythm machine. Check the tumbao rhythms in “La Corbata Barata” that fuel the band through rhumba, cha-cha, and swinging modern Latin jazz before it’s over. On “La Cosa,” saxophones offer a melodic theme as trumpets reply in seeming counterpoint, but are actually doubling in the cascara role — drum sticks on the side of the timbales. “Otro Nivel” weaves mambo and son with a killer delivery by Gomez above the layered propulsive rhythms. The syncopated jazzy horn charts that introduce “Cuidado con el Tumbador” recall Moré’s group, but are appended by poignant tres amid lead and chorus vocals.
The word “Akokán” means “from the heart,” and the playing here underscores the translation. While the recording was meant as an homage, the innovations in both charts and performance make it simultaneously modern and timeless. — AMG
320 kbps | 89 MB | LINKS
Sam Morrow’s third album Concrete & Mud is an album full of foot stompers and funky honky tonk. This is evident in any of the album’s preview tracks from “Heartbreak Man” to “Quick Fix” or even “Skinny Elvis”. This album is highly recommended if you like your country fast and loud. Let’s take a closer look at some of these tracks.
The album opens up with “Heartbreak Man” which is a country rock tune complete with an awesome riff and some great funky organ playing. Another favorite is “Paid By The Mile” which takes you back to the days of 70’s southern rock with a tune about being on the road and wishing you got paid by the mile. “Skinny Elvis” features the vocal talents of Jamie Wyatt on a killer foot stomping duet.
“Coming Home” is a nice ballad which offers a change of pace. In this track Sam Morrow recounts his time on the road while at the same time wanting to be home. Another good storytelling ballad is “San Fernando Sunshine”. This track reinforces the west coast feel that runs through the album. The album closer is “Mississippi River” which features a more toned down rootsy sound similar to Morrow’s previous albums.
Concrete & Mud finds Sam Morrow stretching out his sound and getting into more of a funky and country rock groove. It echos back to the days of southern rock dominance while keeping its roots in a Texas honky tonk. This album is highly recommended if you like your country fast and heavy. Concrete & Mud is out everywhere on March 30th, 2018.
320 kbps | 85 MB | LINKS
John Paul Keith will release “Heart Shaped Shadow” simultaneously, a solo album with a distinct sound of its own. JP takes a harder driving approach, with a slight wildness that suggests a player with a few tickets in his glovebox. Memphis-style horns charge up some of the tunes, but his ultra-classic songwriting style and mind-boggling guitar work stand up to any of the gun slingers out there. The songs here reflect a man who spent some time unmoored, and feels his way back from a personal brink. And make no mistake, there are some brilliant honky tonkers that take the sting out.
A 12-year veteran of the Memphis music scene, singer, songwriter, and guitarist John Paul Keith has three critically acclaimed solo albums, including his latest, “Memphis Circa 3AM”. Most recently, John Paul appears on the new tribute album “Red Hot: A Memphis Celebration of Sun Records”, with proceeds going to St. Jude. John Paul also contributed a song to the new Don Bryant album from Fat Possum Records, “Don’t Give Up on Love”.<
320 kbps | 114 MB | LINKS
These days, it feels like the entire country has the blues, and many of us want to escape to a better time and a better world. Music provides the means, the access point to a world where things make some sense, a world where Nazi sympathizers aren’t in positions of power. And perhaps especially helpful is music with something of a classic sound. Old School, the new release from Kid Ramos, features a good mix of classic blues and early rock and roll, along with some original material written or co-written by David “Kid” Ramos. Joining him on this album are Kedar Roy on bass, Marty Dodson on drums, and Bob Welsh on keys. There are also several special guests performing on certain tracks, including Kim Wilson on vocals. Kid Ramos was, for a time, a member of The Fabulous Thunderbirds, and it’s great to hear him playing with Kim Wilson again. This album was recorded at Jon Atkinson’s studio, where they use all analog equipment, helping achieve that classic sound. This is where they also recorded Johnny Tucker’s recent album, which features the talents of Kid Ramos, Marty Dodson, and Bob Welsh. And on this release, Johnny Tucker sings on several tracks (and also co-wrote some of the material with Kid Ramos). So it has a relaxed, friendly, natural vibe, and the music feels real. You know?
Old School opens with “Kid’s Jump,” an instrumental track with a great, classic rock and roll, rhythm and blues sound, driven by the guitar. I absolutely love this kind of music, and I honestly don’t see how it’s possible to dislike it. This is an original composition by Kid Ramos, and it’s a great start to the album. More classic, timeless sounds follow with a wonderful cover of bluesman Magic Sam’s “All Your Love.” Kid Ramos’ son Johnny joins him on this track, performing lead vocal duties. Does he sound a bit young to be singing the blues? Maybe, but he does a good job, and keep in mind that Magic Sam was pretty young when he wrote and recorded it. This is Johnny Ramos’ first appearance on an album. Kid Ramos delivers some delicious work on guitar here. The long fade-out is a bit odd; this song feels like it should have a more solid, definitive ending (though, again, the original recording had a fade-out too). Johnny Ramos also sings on a cover of “Anna (Go To Him),” a song written and originally recorded by Arthur Alexander, but more famously done by The Beatles. Bob Welsh provides some nice work on piano.
Johnny Tucker joins Kid Ramos on vocals for “Tell Me What Ya Want (And I’ll Give Ya What Ya Need),” a song they wrote together. That gloriously rough voice is effective, and this song has a kind of fun vibe. “I’ll give you what you want, tell me what you need/I’m here to love you, and I’m here to please.” Oh yes. Plus, this track features some good, expressive work on guitar, and I totally dig what Bob Welsh does on organ. That’s followed by another original tune, a very cool instrumental track titled “Mashed Potatoes And Chili.” Listening to this music, I can feel my blues slip away. Kid Ramos then takes us back to the early days of rock and roll with a cover of Buddy Holly’s “Heartbeat.” This time Kid Ramos provides the vocals. Kid Ramos also sings on the cover of “Mona Lisa.” Johnny Tucker joins Kid Ramos again for “You Never Call My Name,” another song they wrote together, and a track which features no other musicians – just vocals and guitar. I am seriously digging this track, the raw and immediate sound of it. Kid Ramos also covers Wes Montgomery’s “Bumpin’,” here titled “Wes Side (Bumpin’),” a wonderful bluesy, moody instrumental piece.
Kid Ramos gives us some good gospel vibes with “Jesus Come By Here” (often titled “Jesus, Won’t You Come By Here”). This is an uplifting, cheerful rendition, sung by Johnny Tucker. That’s followed by “I Can’t Wait Baby,” an original tune, written by Johnny Tucker and Kid Ramos, with Johnny Tucker again on vocals. This is a good blues song with some haunting, effective work on organ by Bob Welsh. “I can’t wait, baby/’Til you come running back to me/I can’t wait, baby/Until you come crawling back to me.” This is a seriously enjoyable vocal performance, and I love that pause after “crawling.” Then Jon Atkinson joins Kid Ramos on vocals for “Weight On My Shoulders,” a song that he also wrote, and one of my personal favorites. It has such a great classic sound and does exactly what I want the blues to do; that is, it makes me feel a whole lot better. For the album’s final number, a cover of T-Bone Walker’s “High Society,” Kim Wilson provides the vocals. I love when Kim Wilson (probably best known for his work with The Fabulous Thunderbirds) shows up on album. A year and a half ago, he sang and played harmonica on Thornetta Davis’ fantastic Honest Woman album. This time he is teaming up with a former Fabulous Thunderbirds member for a really good rendition of a great tune. Danny Michel plays rhythm guitar on this track. “Yes, I got a society woman/She gets the best of everything/You know, she’s living her life in luxury/While she keeps me in the strings.”
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