Alejandro Escovedo turned 68 on January 10, but at an age when many people have retired or at least are planning to, the singer-songwriter-force-of-nature shows little sign of slowing down.
Category: Reviews
Review: Scott Mulvahill’s “Himalayas”
“I wanna go where I’ve never been,” singer-songwriter-bassist Scott Mulvahill declares on the title track of his new CD, Himalayas. “I gotta find out what I’m made of.” That impulse to self-discovery has produced some impressive results in the form of this collection, which embodies pop, jazz, blues and gospel, among other influences.
Review: Kevin Welch’s “Dust Devil”
It’s been more than a quarter of a century since Welch’s “next big thing” days in Nashville, as the face of what the marketers dubbed “Western Beat.” Dust Devil, scheduled for release Oct. 15, needs no such label.
Podcast 25 Band of Heathens’ “Message from the People Revisited”
The Band of Heathens release “A Message from the People Revisited,” a breath of fresh air at a cynical time.
Kiefer Sutherland is “Reckless” in Houston
By Paul T. Mueller
If Kiefer Sutherland’s August 11 performance in Houston is any guide, the actor/musician’s forthcoming second album is likely to be a little more upbeat than his 2016 debut, Down In a Hole. Backed by a capable four-piece band, Sutherland treated a near-capacity audience at Miller Outdoor Theatre to about 90 minutes’ worth of songs, including several new ones and a few covers, and some stories about his recent turn to musical performance after years of songwriting.
The music might best be described as pop/rock with some twang, given a little more edge by the band’s two guitarists and taking on an even harder tone during a mid-set stretch when Sutherland put down his acoustic guitar in favor of a Telecaster. Some of the singer’s wardrobe choices (white sport coat and matching Panama hat) and stage mannerisms might have seemed more at home on a Broadway stage than in a honky-tonk, but his guitar skills were up to the task and his gravelly voice was well suited to his material.
Song titles weren’t always announced, but Sutherland introduced one that might have been “Something You Love” by explaining its theme as “Life’s too short to spend doing things you don’t love.” He described “Reckless and Me” as either a reference to the name of his horse during his rodeo days or a description of his personality (apparently the new album will be titled Reckless). He acknowledged being surprised at realizing how many songs in his catalog dealt with drinking; several showed up in the set, including “This Is How It’s Done,” “Agave” and “Tonight the Bottle Let Me Down,” delivered as a tribute to Merle Haggard. The theme was underscored by the bottle of Scotch that was more than an onstage prop. Sutherland also sang a nice rendition of “Open Road,” a highway ballad by singer-songwriter Jude Cole, a friend and frequent co-writer.
The show was a free one, part of the venue’s annual concert series, and it’s a fair guess that many in attendance were there out of familiarity with Sutherland’s acting career rather than as fans of his music. Still, at several points he expressed his gratitude that people had come out to hear him perform music they probably weren’t familiar with. He and the band were rewarded with a standing ovation when they wrapped up. They returned after a few minutes; Sutherland told some entertaining stories from his and his twin sister’s childhood with their dad, actor Donald Sutherland, and the band closed with a fine take on Dylan’s “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door.”
Footage from an earlier show on the tour:
New: Michael Kelsh’s “Harmony Sovereign”
Michael Kelsh first came to our attention in 2001 with the release of his excellent “Well of Mercy.” A mere 16 years later, we have “Harmony Sovereign,” a compelling new collection. Little wonder that the album contains 16 beautifully crafted songs.
Parker Millsap makes “Other Arrangements”
Parker Millsap’s new album, “Other Arrangements”, runs only 34 minutes. But the Oklahoma native packs a lot of goodness into the 12-song collection, his fourth release.
Out today: John Wesley Harding’s “Greatest Other People’s Hits”
It’s the rare album cover that makes me laugh out loud, but the new release from John Wesley Harding perfectly mimics ABBA’s “Gold” record. Given that “Greatest Other People’s Hits” is a covers record, it raises hope for a version of “Waterloo.”
Chris Hillman’s formative solo years
Chris Hillman’s career has come full circle. A founding member of the Byrds, he helped bring an Americana sensibility to that legendary band. And now his recent ” Bidin’ My Time” is seeing widespread acceptance by Americana radio.
Omnivore Records offers a glimpse into Hillman’s formative ’70s work with “The Asylum Years,” collecting 20 tracks from that era. There’s plenty of good work, though we’ll have to admit there’s the same search for a comfortable and cohesive sound we heard on the Byrds’ “reunion” album and the later McGuinn, Clark and Hillman records.
The title track from “Slippin’ Away:”
The Rolling Stones’ “Exhibitionism” opens in Nashville
The Rolling Stones’ “Exhibitionism” is quite the spectacle, packed with memorabilia, stage costumes, vintage gear, posters and videos. It’s a full two-hour experience for the fan.
Review: Michelle Malone’s “Slings & Arrows”
Georgia singer-songwriter Michelle Malone puts forth another fine effort with the wide-ranging Slings & Arrows. As always, she’s equally at home with quiet, folky material and flat-out rockers, and this 10-song collection adds other musical flavors, notably funk and soul, to the mix.
New release: Jenny Van West’s “Happiness to Burn”
This week’s mail contained a pleasant surprise – the new Jenny Van West album “Happiness to Burn” due for release in April . We love this Maine-based artist’s voice and admire the sentiment of “Live in a New Way,” inspired by the protests surrounding the death of Freddie Gray.
Detroit bluegrass: Escaping Pavement at the Americana in Houston
Escaping Pavement – Emily Burns and guitarist-mandolinist Aaron Markovitz, – both veterans of what they described as a thriving Detroit bluegrass scene, were undeterred by the sparse turnout, playing three enthusiastic sets that showcased their strong vocals and instrumental skills.
Reissues: The Choir’s “Artifact – The Unreleased Album”
I’ve always loved the near-perfect power pop of the Raspberries, and I knew their roots were in the Choir, where band members Wally Bryson, Jim Bonfanti and Dave Smalley honed their skills.
There have been re-issues of this Cleveland band’s early stuff, most notably “Choir Practice” and their single “Baby It’s Cold Outside.”
Cayamo 2018 review – A week of high points
Any weeklong music festival tends to turn into a blur of overlapping shows, and this year’s Cayamo festival-at-sea was no exception. The annual charter cruise, held aboard Norwegian Cruise Line’s Pearl and produced by NCL subsidiary Sixthman, featured 40-plus performers and something like 100 shows over the course of six days and seven nights.
Joe Ely and Terry Allen, with Jo Harvey Allen at the Heights Theater
Fans who bought tickets to the Jan. 26 show by Joe Ely and Terry Allen at Houston’s Heights Theater might have expected an entertaining song swap. They got that, and so much more
Review: Brian Pounds’ “Southern Writer”
Brian Pounds, the Austin-based singer-songwriter,whose credits include a finalist slot in the Kerrville Folk Festival’s New Folk songwriting contest and an appearance on “The Voice” a few years ago, leans more toward country than folk on his new nine-song set.
Bill Lloyd interview: “It’s Happening Now”
By Ken Paulson
Bill Lloyd of power pop and Foster and Lloyd fame has a new album out this week and it’s a musical departure. Rather than the Beatles/Byrds-infused sounds of “Set to Pop” and “Standing on the Shoulders of Giants,” “It’s Happening Now” is a refreshing collection of quieter, well-crafted compositions, long on melody and wry observations. We had the chance to catch up with Bill right before a performance in Nashville on Saturday to talk about his career, musical heroes and his new songs, including the only-in-Nashville “Pedal Tavern Girl.” As he notes in the interview, if you’ve liked Bill’s past work, you’ll enjoy “It’s Happening Now” as well. Highly recommended.
Lucinda Williams revisits “This Sweet Old World”
Why would an artist remake a widely praised and much-loved album from early in her career? In the case of This Sweet Old World, Lucinda Williams’ fresh take on her Sweet Old World from 1992, only Williams really knows.
Radney Foster showcases new book, album
Radney Foster can now add “author” to his already impressive résumé. The Nashville-based singer-songwriter recently published For You to See the Stars, a collection of short stories related in some way to lyrics from his songs.