Author: Americana Music News

Review: Chelle Rose’s “Ghost of Browder Holler”

 in Americana Music, Reviews

By Ken Paulson

—Ghost of Browder Holler is a striking new album by Chelle Rose, a Nashville-based singer and songwriter with roots in Appalachia.

Songs like “Browder Holler Boy,” “Caney Fork Tennessee” and “Weepin’ Willow on the Hill” reflect those rustic origins but it also sounds like copies of Beggars’ Banquet and Let It Bleed made their way into the holler.

Rose has an honest and authentic sound; there’s no compromise here. She marries that candor to blistering rock ‘n roll on the robust “Alimony,” an apparently autobiographical romp that begins: “Well, I married a man ’cause he was kin to Dottie West, found out it ain’t exactly true, it was by marriage I guess.”

It’s a declaration of independence and the fireworks are all in the music.

“I Need You” shows the Rolling Stones’ influence and “Rufus Morgan preacher man” is right out of the Tony Joe White tradition, right down to the “I’m going to tell you all a story about …” intro.

Clearly Chelle Rose has fought hard to get where she is today. And as “Alimony” attests, you’d better stay  out of her way.

Tail Dragger and Bob Corritore – Longtime Friends in the Blues

 in Americana Music

By Joe Ross

The emotion, power and intensity of pure and heartfelt Chicago blues are the elements of Long Time Friends in the Blues featuring vocalist Tail Dragger (aka James Y. Jones) and harmonica player Bob Corritore.

The two bluesmen met in early-1976 on Chicago’s west side when they performed at a tribute to Howlin’ Wolf on the day after he’d passed on. Emotion and energy levels must’ve been very high that evening, and Jones and Corritore began a lifetime of friendship and collaboration.

Tail Dragger got his nickname by occasionally being late to gigs in the 1960s, and he embarked on a career as a full-time “lowdown blues” solo artist in the early 1970s. Bob Corritore’s life was changed in 1968 when he first heard Muddy Waters. He lives the blues in various professional capacities as musician, band leader, club owner, radio show host, and general all-round blues advocate and impresario (producing this and several other albums).

The full group of friends clearly understands the gruff, gritty, Delta-fashioned style of Howlin’ Wolf. For that, we acknowledge and thank Henry Gray (piano), Kirk Fletcher (guitar), Chris James (guitar), Patrick Rynn (bass), and Brian Fahey drums). They keep their playing straight ahead in the pile-driving style of the genre, without too much technical flash. Gray also provides some vocals on “Sugar Mama,” as well as some comments on “Boogie Woogie Ball” and “Please Mr. Jailer,” both excellent showcases for his masterful work on piano.

With the exception of John Lee Williamson’s “Sugar Mama,” all the songs were written by Tail Dragger, whose lyrics offer insight, revelation and modest advice. Blues acolytes will definitely rejoice in grooves produced by this potent teaming of Tail Dragger and Bob Corritore. While they may not have created songs as definitive as Wolf’s “Moanin’ at Midnight” and “Evil,” these guys have fashioned an album that has both musical personality and spiritual underpinnings.

Review: Nathan James & the Rhythm Scratchers

 in Americana Music

By Joe Ross
Nathan James likes to call his genre of music “Washtar Soul.” In 2010, he created an instrument called the Washtar Gitboard that connected a carved guitar neck to a travel-size washboard. He’s also wired and outfitted the gadget with LED lights from an auto parts store and plays a 3-string instrument (Tri-tar) built from a washboard and an axe handle.

More than just a novelty, James says he’s created both a new look and sound to produce his mostly original material that integrates elements from downhome jukes, the streets, vaudeville and Chicago clubs. It’s an entertaining mix that ranges from acoustic blues of the 30s to R&B of the ’60s.

On What You Make of It, James and his trio focus primarily on blues, offering solid originals, stunning guitar work, dramatic vocals and expressive harmonica. The only fully acoustic offering on this album, “Pretty Baby Don’t Be Late,” provides a nice contrast. Hopefully, most listeners won’t be taken aback by the kazoo solos in this number and the cover from Blind Boy Fuller (“Black Snakin’ Jiver”), the most influential and popular Piedmont-blues player of all time.

Nathan James grew up in a rural area outside of San Diego, and he gigged regularly as a teen. After high school, he was ready to pursue his dream of being a professional musician. At age 19, he began touring and recording with James Harman, whose vocals and harmonica are featured on one track.

Because I live near the Wildlife Safari in Winston, Or., I was quite curious about one song on this album, “Rhino Horn,” written by Harman when the touring band visited that outdoor zoo and were inspired by the rhinos. The song’s genesis establishes a funky groove before evolving into quite a story and tribute to the aphrodisiac. James also does a nice job with the cover from Bobby Patterson (“I’m a Slave to You”.) After touring and recording with Harman for over three years, Nathan James set out on a solo career.

James’ current band includes Troy Sandow (bass, harmonica, backup vocals) and Marty Dodson (drums, backup vocals). With unbridled energy, all three musicians have the diversity and talent to get the groove going with different shades and colorings in their music. Guests include saxophonists Jonny Viau and Archie Thompson on two cuts.

A contemporary synthesizer of multiple styles, Nathan James deserves a wider audience.  This group’s varied debut on the Delta Groove label is sure to find them plenty of listeners beyond the streets, juke joints and house parties.

Charting: Justin Townes Earle, Bruce Springsteen, Todd Snider

 in Americana Music

Lyle Lovett’s Release Me shot to the top of the Americana Music Association radio airplay chart, edging out Darrell Scott’s Long Ride Home by just seven spins.

New to the chart: Justin Townes Earles’ Nothing’s Going to Change the Way You Feel About Me Now at #11, Ray Wylie Hubbard’s Grifter’s Hymnal at #22, Todd Snider’s Agnostic Hymns and Stoner Fables at #25, Bruce Springsteen’s  Wrecking Ball at #31, Steel Wheels’ Lay Down Lay Low at #34 and Lucero’s Woman & Work at #38.

Review: Charlie Faye’s “Travels with Charlie”

 in Reviews

By Ken Paulson

— Charlie Faye’s Travels with Charlie is built on a cool concept – residences in ten different cities for a month each, but it’s no travelogue.

With the exception  of the honky tonk song “Two-Timer” cut in Nashville with Chris Scruggs, Kenny Vaughan and Buddy Spicher, the songs don’t reflect their roots.

What they do reflect is a fresh start each month, with a new set of musicians and producer. The end result, currently #12 on the Americana music chart, is surprisingly cohesive and consistent.

Charlie’s work would be filed under Americana at the few real record stores left in America, but she also has a strong pop voice and sensibility. Songs like “Broken Heart Maker” and the buoyant “Obvious to Me” are energetic and hook-laden.

The more reflective material is also strong, particularly “Bitterness” (“I knew you back when we were young and time had yet to lay his hands on us”) and the soulful “Girl Who Cried Love,” which seems to channel “I’d Rather Go Blind.”

Ten cities. Ten months. One fine album.

The Steep Canyon Rangers’ “Nobody Knows You”

 in Americana Music, Reviews


By Joe Ross— Years ago, I predicted that by the time the members of the Steep Canyon Rangers were thirty, they would be well-known far and wide for their brilliant performances and excellent recordings. Now this tight unit from western North Carolina could be one of the most recognizable bands in bluegrass today. Besides having talent and youthful appeal, their visibility was boosted by being Steve Martin’s backup band. They were nominated for a Grammy  for their 2011 album collaboration with Martin called Rare Bird Alert.  Following some excellent releases on Rebel Records, the band now debuts on Rounder.

The band’s certainly been on a fast and nearly vertical track since their 1999 formation and  first gigs at the Mellow Mushroom, a pizza parlor in Chapel Hill, N.C. Since going full-time in 2001, the young, hard-working and prolific band toured heavily. By 2006, they had won IBMA’s Emerging Artist of the Year Award, and 2011 brought them the organization’s Entertainer of the Year Award (with Steve Martin).

Now Woody Platt (guitar), Mike Guggino (mandolin, mandola), Charles Humphrey III (bass), Graham Sharp (banjo, guitar), and Nicky Sanders (fiddle) are riding the wave,  but not resting on their laurels. Platt does most of the lead singing, and the others sing harmonies. I’ve always enjoyed this band’s appealing delivery. characterized by power, passion, emotion  and drive.

With all the same splendid ingredients of previous releases, Nobody Knows You (named for a stout Colorado beer) takes the soulful band to an even higher plane of contemporary bluegrass. The ingredients are all here: a presumably higher budget for recording and production (with 9-time Grammy winner Gary Paczosa) and the  kind of experience that allows them to capitalize on their personalized sound with originality, unique rhythms, dynamics, moods and syncopations.

For example, “Between Midnight and the Dawn” has a creative, conversational call-and-response arrangement. The high-stepping “As I Go” starts with a rousing a cappella quartet before raising hell. Besides the material, this set tells me they also still have the right attitude and gumption to succeed.

If anything’s changed over the years, it’s the  continued development of an adventurous and sensational signature sound that allows them to “cross-market” the band to places where the music might not regularly be heard. The band also doesn’t shy away from adding some less traditional bluegrass instruments into their mix (“Easy to Love” has Jimmy Wallace’s piano; the closing “Long Shot” has John Gardner’s drums).

Seven of the songs on this album are originals written by Sharp. “Knob Creek” is an evocative Guggino instrumental that the band really taps for its minor-keyed emotion, and Humphrey had a hand in writing three (“Natural Disaster,” “Summer Winds,” and “Rescue Me”). Charles’ songwriting collaborators include Jonathan Byrd and Phillip Wofford Barker.

One soulful song, “Reputation,” comes from the pen of Tim Hardin. “Open Country” is a standout track with guests Jon Randall (guitar) and Randy Kohrs (Dobro). It’s nice that lyrics are included in the CD jacket. Now that the Steep Canyon Rangers have achieved great success, I wonder if they’d consider repaying the genre that brought them success by recording a traditional roots or bluegrass gospel album. Regardless, I look forward to their future forays into progressive contemporary bluegrass.

Tin Pan South Songwriters Festival sets 2012 line-up

 in Reviews

Tin Pan South, the pre-emiment songwriters festival, has just released its line-up for the 2012 event scheduled for March 27-31. It’s a wide-ranging collection of talent, spead over ten venues. Attendees can pay cover at the door or buy a weeklong pass that offers preferred access.
Many of this year’s performers are songwriters who have also had successful recording careers, including Ray Wylie Hubbard, Walter Egan, T. Graham Brown, Lari White, Michael Johnson, Peter Yarrow, Sam Bush, Mark Hudson, Felix Cavaliere, Radney Foster, Darrell Scott, Buddy Miller, Lee Roy Parnell, John Oates, Jim Lauderdale, Dickey Lee, Buzz Cason, Shawn Mullins, Jim Peterik, Al Anderson, Shawn Camp and the Wrights.
You’ll find details on the schedule and tickets at the Tin Pan South site. For coverage of past Tin Pan South events, go here.

(Follow Sun209and the festival at sun209com on Twitter.)

New on chart: Carolina Chocolate Drops, Joan Osborne,Sugar + the High-Lows

 in Americana Music, Reviews

The top three positions on the Americana music airplay chart remain steady this week, with Darrell Scott’s Long Ride Home, the Guy Clark tribute This One’s For Him and the Little Willies’ For the Good Times remaining first through third.

Lyle Lovett’s Release Me jumps into #4 in just its second week. It’s also one of the three most-added albums, with 15 stations picking it up this week.

New to the chart this week: The Carolina Chocolate Drops Leaving Eden at #27 (also the most added), Sugar + the High-Lows’s self-titled album at #31, Joan Osborne’s Shake Your Hips at #35, Otis Gibbs’ Harder Than Hammered Hell at #37 and Tommy Womack’s Now What! at #40.

Review: The Hobart Brothers with Lil’ Sis Hobart

 in Americana Music, Reviews


By Ken Paulson
— Crosby, Stills and Nash offered up a successful template, but the merger of singer-songwriters in a group can have widely varying results.  Souther-Hillman-Furay fell short of their promise; Bryndle never took off; the Thorns (Pete Droge, Shawn Mullins and Matthew Sweet) sounded great together, but that’s apparently as far as the harmony went.

And then there are the Hobart Brothers with Lil’ Sis Hobart, the collective alias of Jon Dee Graham, Freedy Johnston and Susan Cowsill.  From the band name taken from the dishwasher manufacturer to the loose spirit throughout, the Hobarts are clearly in this for the fun.

All three have had solid careers, and their songwriting carries the day on At Least We Have Each Other. From the driving “Ballad of Sis (Didn’t I Love You)” to the sweet “Sodapoptree,” the Hobarts  range far and wide musically, but are bound by shared sensibilities.

“I Am Sorry” is a world-class apology song, beginning with Johnston singing “Can you come get me at the Citgo by the airport? My heart may be broken and my battery is dead.” It gets sadder – and more revealing – from there.

There’s a healthier relationship in “I Never Knew There Would Be You,” a lively pop song worthy of Susan Cowsill’s original family band.

The narratives are compelling throughout, particularly, “All Things Being Equal,” a haunting song about the economics of the cotton market sung by Graham.

The Hobart Brothers with Lil’ Sis Hobart is a loose and loving collaboration, fueled by fine songwriting, making At Least We Have Each Other a refreshing change of pace.

The Leonard Cohen Economy

 in Americana Music

By Bruce Rosenstein

Leave it to The Economist, and specifically the Schumpeter management column, to find the intersection between Leonard Cohen and entrepreneurship. The February 25th Enterprising Oldies explores, in a neat package, why all of us (no matter where we are chronologically in adulthood) may have to explore entrepreneurship and other forms of self-employment at some point in our working lives. As we think about how to diversify our portfolio of work experiences, it’s worth digging deeper into how we can apply some of the life lessons of the 77 year old Cohen, a singer/songwriter/poet/novelist who was inducted into the Rock&Roll Hall of Fame in 2008. He’s written such oft-recorded classics as “Suzanne” and “Bird on a Wire,” and the more recent “Hallelujah.” As pointed out in The Economist and a recent New York Times interview, part of Cohen’s recent renaissance has come about because he had to resume touring and recording to help make up for millions of dollars lost in dealings with a former financial adviser. But no matter what the impetus was, the fact is that he has a new album, Old Ideas, and has toured the world recently at far beyond traditional retirement age. What can we learn from his example? 1.    Diversified creative output. He has a tremendous body of work, going back more than 40 years, to draw on. It’s entirely possible that his poetry books are not major money-spinners, but he also has his albums, songwriting royalties (perhaps a considerable sum, given all the cover versions of his songs) and concert fees. 2.    A  powerful personal brand. Mention the name and people instantly associate it with him and his work. 3.    A global outlook. He has a worldwide following, with his books and music available worldwide, and fans everywhere, well beyond his native Canada. 4.    Remaining relevant. People are eager to listen to the new output of this 77 year old man, and he’s adding new fans all the time. 5.    An impressive body of work. One reason millions of dollars are at stake from Cohen’s career is that he has written and recorded so many important songs over more than 40 years. Even if the work you do is not creative in nature, chances are you still may have to/want to work beyond 65. It’s never too soon, or too late to be thinking about amassing a high-quality body of work, diversifying your output, building your brand, thinking globally and remaining relevant. As ties to traditional jobs and employment arrangements continue to evolve and become more tenuous, we will increasingly find ourselves in what could be called The Leonard Cohen Economy.

(Read more of Bruce Rosenstein’s work here. )

Tommy Womack: Angst, art and rock ‘n’ roll

 in Nashville music

We’ve written about Nashville’s Tommy Womack’s inspired, irreverent and deeply personal music on Sun209 in the past, and Tommy has contributed to the site with a piece on his three favorite Kinks songs.
Still, his unique style is tough to capture in words. Our friend Peter Cooper succeeded with a fine article in today’s Tennesseean.

Cooper wrote about the reaction of Womack’s friends to his last album There I Said It!:

“We worried, because we knew he was singing his truth. He’d written who he was, and he was nervous and fragile and in an unrequited love affair with rock ’n’ roll.

And we worried, because we stood with the rest of his audience members in the middle of his performances, to cheer brave songs about being frightened. Isn’t that the kind of reinforcement that makes a guy want to open up another vein?”

Read the full story here.

Darrell Scott’s “Long Ride Home” hits #1, Lyle Lovett has top debut

 in Americana Music

Darrell Scott’s Long Ride Home moves into the top spot on the Americana music airplay chart this week, after a virtual three-way tie at the number one spot last week. The album is being played on 54 stations.
Chart debuts this week include Lyle Lovett’s Release Me at #16, the Chieftains’ Voice of Ages at #24 and New Multitudes, an album of new music and Woody Guthrie lyrics by Jay Farrar, Wil Johnson, Anders Parker and “Yim Yames, “ at #34.
Most added this week: Lovett’s album with 29 stations and Otis Gibbs’ Harder Than Hammered Hell with 13 stations.

(Follow Sun209 on Twitter at @sun209com and on Facebook.)

Sonny Curtis honored at the Country Music Hall of Fame

 in Nashville music, Reviews

Sonny Curtis, a first-generation rocker and a highly successful songwriter, was saluted at the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville as part of its “Poets and Prophets” series today.
The program was a compelling reminder of the many talented contributors to contemporary music who are not household names, but should be. The warm and self-effacing Curtis has had an extraordinary career, playing and recording with Holly before the Crickets were formed, writing the classic “I Fought the Law” (famously covered by the Bobby Fuller Four and the Clash) and writing and performing the indelible theme to the Mary Tyler Moore show.
Curtis reflected on his childhood (“We were poor with three Os”) and his friendship with Holly (“I think we were friends before we met.”)
Shortly after Holly’s death, Curtis joined the Crickets as the new lead vocalist. The band needed a new song and he delivered “I Fought the Law.” He said he played it for Jerry Allison and Joe B. Mauldin and they said “Hey man, that’s good enough for this album.” Shrewd move.
Curtis said his vocals ended up on the Mary Tyler Moore show opening “Love is All Around” because he insisted on it, telling the producers they couldn’t use the song without him. “I wouldn’t do that today,” he laughed.

Charting: Amos Lee, Elliott Brood, Punch Brothers, Chuck Mead and Dunwells

 in Americana Music

They don’t make elections this close: The top 3 slots on this week’s Americana Music radio airplay chart include the Little Willies’ For the Good Times with 389 spins, Darrell Scott’s Long Ride Home, also with 389 spins, This One’s For Him, the Guy Clark tribute with 388.

New to the chart this week: Amos Lee’s As the Crow Flies at #28, Elliott Brood’s Days Into Years at #31, the Punch Brothers’ Who’s Feeling Young Now? at #35, Chuck Mead and the Grassy Knoll Boys’ Back at the Quonset Hut at #37 and the Dunwells’ Blind Sighted Faith at #39.

Chuck Mead told us about the Quonset Hut project in December.

You’ll find the audio interview here.

Review: Richie Furay Band live

 in Americana Music, Reviews

by Terry Roland
The Richie Furay Band’s brief February tour through Southern California was important for this veteran country-rock artist. His last time around was with his old bandmates Neil Young and Stephen Stills on their long-awaited Buffalo Springfield reunion tour. While most of the audiences who attended the Springfield shows in California were familiar with Stephen Stills of Crosby, Stills and Nash fame and the iconic Neil Young, fewer have had the chance to hear Furay in the years since the band’s demise.

For the audience, it was a reminder of his considerable contributions to the legendary band. Fewer still realized that he was a co-founder(along with Jim Messina) of the band Poco, which helped to define country-rock even before they had a string of soft-rock hits in the late ’70s and ’80s.

If the Feburary 3rd concert, the final show of the tour in San Juan Capistrano at The Coach House, was any indication, the summer Buffalo Springfield tour paid off, as the Richie Furay Band played to a capacity audience. The show was dynamic, energetic and fresh. With his band, including Scott Selen on lead guitar(and a near orchestra of other instruments), Selen’s son, Aaron on bass, Alan Lemke on drums and Jesse Lynch on background vocals, Richie delivered a strong set of songs spanning 40 years.

Opening with the familiar Buffalo Springfield classic “On My Way Home,” he also faithfully recreated a trilogy of Neil Young’s songs he originally recorded on the first Springfield album. The first two songs, “Do I Have To Come Right Out and Say It,” and “If Flying on the Ground is Wrong,” were a reminder of how good Young’s quirky lyrics sound with Furay’s distinctive voice. Young’s “Nowawdays Clancy Can’t Even Sing” was stunning, with an arrangement and lead guitar work by Scott Selen that did Neil proud, and matched the duet Furay performed with Young during last summer’s tour.

The set included a strong sampling of early Furay/Messina Poco. As conceived by the two former members of Buffalo Springfield, Poco was an energetic, passionate and dynamic band that pushed country-rock to its limits during their heyday in the late ’60s and early ’70s, when Furay left the band.

The band missed his energetic presence, but went on to a string of commercial successes with soft, breezy and sometimes overproduced pop music. At this concert, Furay conjured up that original sound and reminded us all where it all began. This is not easy. While Poco always had at least two and sometimes three instrumentalists playing off each other, Furay’s band today relies on virtuoso Selen alone. He recreates the sound of Jim Messina’s distinctive electric guitar leads, Rusty Young’s frenetic steel guitar riffs and even throws in an occasional banjo, acoustic guitar and keyboard when needed.

During the show this musical chemistry hit the mark with Furay’s song
dedicated to Gram Parsons, “Crazy Eyes.” During the course of this 12-
minute opus, Selen moved from instrument to instrument as the music
flowed through its various tempos and changes, the musical equivalent
of a triathlon. The live performance eclipsed the original recording,
with a sense of soul and urgency, immediate and bittersweet. Trading
vocals with his daughter Jesse, Richie revisited the song he wrote
as a way of reaching out to Parsons and which was released
days before Parsons died. It ends in sad, but knowing resignation with the line, ”Crazy eyes, you’re as blind as you can be.” As presented live with this band, it is a masterful, and soulful statement about the loss of a friend to addiction.

What became clear during the two-hour set is that Richie Furay is a soul singer. Whether he sings an original gospel song like “Rise Up,” or his new song to his wife of 45 years, “Still Fine,” he gives every song his whole heart.

Richie has a unique and distinctive voice and in live performance infuses every lyric with a feeling that often transcends and raises each song to a new level.

After a standing ovation and encore of “Kind Woman” slowed down to a blue-eyed soul pace, Richie Furay seemed much younger than his years. Indeed, the musical future remains bright for this country-rock innovator, with or without a call from Neil Young.

Dave McGraw and Mandy Fer’s “Seed of a Pine”

 in Americana Music

By Joe Ross

Singer/songwriters Dave McGraw and Mandy Fer have a knack for capturing the passionate beauty of original contemporary folk music. Evoking tranquility and reflection, their frank lyrics and life-affirming tales are woven around melodic lines that hold the fabric together.

The set alternates with McGraw and Fer compositions, and this debut collaboration is a perfect showcase for their impressionistic songs. The watercolor that graces the album’s cover and jacket was drawn by 8-year-old Zia Kypta-Keith and was inspired by the song “Seed of a Pine. We also hear several references to colors in the stories they tell – purple sage, golden grey, angels dressed in blue, forests blooming green, streets painted in gold.

Fer’s “Forget the Diamonds” reminds us that “behind the curtain there are colors you won’t believe exist.” McGraw’s “Comin’ Down” tells us “that dusk in mountain colors fades from blue to red to black, you glance over your sore shoulder, it’s too dark now to turn back.” While their music emphasizes earth tones, they also occasionally evoke dreamlike pictures with vibrant colors and shades.

Both are guitarists, and Fer also lays piano, Wurlitzer, bells and tambourine into the mix on a few pieces. Instrumental support comes from Andrew Lauher (drums), Christopher Merrill (bass), Allison Russell (banjo), Nora Barton (cello), Peter Mulvey (electric guitar on one cut), Jared Rabin (violin), and Benny Sidelinger (Dobro). Russell, Mulvey and Jeremy “JT Nero” Lindsay also provide some vocal harmonies on a few cuts.  

And “So Comes the Day” with this touching music, and like the monsoons that “turn everything green from dusty dirt brown,” McGraw and Fer paint their canvas with multi-hued images. May their music be heard.

Some Velvet Evening’s “No Law Against Talking”

 in Americana Music

By Joe Ross

Fans of classic country music should rejoice that new music is still being written in that style by artists like Carrie Shepard and John Holkeboer (aka John Holk). The Detroit duo refers to themselves as “Some Velvet Evening,” and No Law Against Talking was recorded over a three-year period with the instrumental assistance of Todd Glass (drums), John Lang (pedal steel), and Paul McLinden (lead guitar). Shepard provides percussion, and Holk plays bass, guitars, banjo, mandolin and percussion.

Reflecting their name, the duo strives for a soft, smooth and lustrous sound. They don’t achieve the high, lonesomeness of their honky tonk influences, but do succeed with a more relaxed, personalized elegance that emphasizes their close vocal blend. That’s why a folky rendering of “Springtime” or the rawboned country song “Shooting the Breeze” are presented with wafting gentleness and a natural quality, sure to please aficionados of vintage country.

“Chore List” incorporates a simple melodic riff that gives the song a distinctly ethnic feeling. When I hear the two covers on this album, I can’t help but draw comparisons to original renderings. As done by the Delmore Brothers in the 1930s, “Southern Moon” had a driving bluesy feeling. Recently, I heard the song covered in a bluegrass arrangement with considerably more tempo by The Crowe Brothers. Some Velvet Evening keeps their harmonizing close throughout the song, but I think they could have imparted more energy with an arrangement in a higher key.

The closing track, “Come On, Let’s Go” is a radical change of pace, a cover of the Ritchie Valens hit. With their feet planted firmly in both the past and present, Some Velvet Evening is recreating a vintage sound that even presages the honky tonk era. Their music has heartfelt accents that are country to the core.

Leonard Cohen’s “Old Ideas”

 in Reviews

by Terry Roland
— Leonard Cohen’s latest album returns us to his dark ballroom of late night apocalyptic poetic waltzes, haikus and tongue-in-cheek pessimistic self-reflections.
Old Ideas is built off of much the same musical landscape that Cohen has carefully laid for the last ten years with spare and lean cabaret instrumentation, Sharon Robinson’s gorgeous, simple and clear background vocal arrangements and his own vocal range dropping down to a phantom-like near-whispered low frequency, his trademark for the last 20 years. His voice is as much his instrument as Dylan’s mid-‘60s howl, Ray Charles’ piano and BB King’s Lucille.
His contemplative meditations are built off of American blues, gospel and jazz. On songs like “Show Me The Place,” the songwriter walks into the warm comfort of Stephen Foster’s “Hard Time,” with his own updated sentiment “I save what I could save/a thread of light/a particle, a wave/but there were chains.”
This song also features beautifully arranged and performed background vocals by Jennifer Warnes who recorded the first and still best Cohen tribute album Famous Blue Raincoat. The song destined to be remembered is his one detour down Boogie Street on “Darkness,” which will most likely become fodder for future interpretations.
Old Ideas brings Cohen to a subtle thematic shift he’s been exploring for years and maybe, after a string of artistically successful albums and a world tour, he’s relaxed enough to simply let his own humorous leanings merge seamlessly into the sudden enlightenment of his well-worn lyrical angst and absurdity. To be sure, humor has always been a poetic ingredient in his work, but this time out, the artist is more relaxed with it and seems to have found the funny bone in his serious musings.
So what shines most on this new collection of songs is the grin behind the dark eyes. You can walk with Leonard and dance through his End-of-Times ballroom, but all you may see of him this time out is a mischievous Cheshire smile, less romantic and dramatic and more intent on tricking you as he disappears into sometimes familiar metaphors and images.
Examples abound on songs like “Crazy To Love You” where he “chases through the souvenir heartache, her braids and blouse all undone,” and his sly turn of America’s most joked about instrument into a gothic death symbol on “Banjo,” which is “broken and bobbing on the dark infested sea,” buoyed by appropriately infectious and toe-tapping phrasing. The song brilliantly sums up the balance Cohen has found in his humor and dark imagery.
Old Ideas, more consistently than Dear Heather and less earnestly than Ten New Songs, shows how Leonard, always the poet, continues to sharpen his skilled and unique approach to spoken word with haunting, spare and engaging music. If you’re so inclined to walk into his world of Old Ideas, it’s more important than ever not to take things too seriously. Do enjoy the stroll.