Friday, September 29, 2006
NEW MUSIC COMING FOR CHRISTMAS (or your favorite winter holiday)...
OK friends, here it goes:
LINDSEY BUCKINGHAM-- Under the Skin [B&N has an Exclusive Bonus Track]: Listen to a free stream... Go to www.bn.com, click on music and then "coming soon" and when this album shows up under the release date "October 3, 2006" just click on the link for the stream.
KT TUNSTALL-- K.T. Tunstall's Acoustic Extravaganza, previously only available as an import or download will be available as a bona fide CD release October 17, 2006 in the USA.
NEIL YOUNG-- Neil Young, Live at the Fillmore East drops in the USA on November 14, 2006. I am sure this vintage show will be much more appreciated than "Living With War," and less controversial too!
MARK KNOPFLER & EMMYLOU HARRIS-- Real Live Roadrunning [CD/DVD] also drops on November 14th, Watch a video interview the same way as above under Buckingham at bn.com.
FYI: I have no affiliation with bn.com, but I have used them for purchases and have always been satisfied. Their site is wonderful if you want to find upcoming music or book releases.
Zeph, out
OK friends, here it goes:
LINDSEY BUCKINGHAM-- Under the Skin [B&N has an Exclusive Bonus Track]: Listen to a free stream... Go to www.bn.com, click on music and then "coming soon" and when this album shows up under the release date "October 3, 2006" just click on the link for the stream.
KT TUNSTALL-- K.T. Tunstall's Acoustic Extravaganza, previously only available as an import or download will be available as a bona fide CD release October 17, 2006 in the USA.
NEIL YOUNG-- Neil Young, Live at the Fillmore East drops in the USA on November 14, 2006. I am sure this vintage show will be much more appreciated than "Living With War," and less controversial too!
MARK KNOPFLER & EMMYLOU HARRIS-- Real Live Roadrunning [CD/DVD] also drops on November 14th, Watch a video interview the same way as above under Buckingham at bn.com.
FYI: I have no affiliation with bn.com, but I have used them for purchases and have always been satisfied. Their site is wonderful if you want to find upcoming music or book releases.
Zeph, out
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
BLIND FAITH DVD
LONDON HYDE PARK 1969
I loved this video just out this week, but it comes with a HUGE WARNING!!!
The sound is bad. First the show, it is over 30 years old, and looks it. The picture was done with primitive equipment and the primitive effects show, yet it's your only view unless you are one of the 100 thousand long-hairs (I saw no shorties!) that made it to the first public show of the short-lived super group's show. It was shot in day light. No spot lights, and the sun was not kind to the photographers for much of the relatively short show (maybe 45 minutes of real concert time sans fluff). And the sound is at best AM radio quality; even the "EQ" (equalization, or overall tone) of the soundtrack suddenly shifts for no good reason. Steve Windwood does all of the singing (except the few in the crowd who joined in), and there is fuzz on his voice at times.
Moreover, there are 3 promo videos of songs by Cream ("I'm So Glad"), Traffic ("Hole in My Shoe") and Spencer Davis Group ("I'm a Man"), which are curious, beyond primitive by 1990s standards and suffer from even worse sound.
So, why did I love this video? Well, it brings you back if you can remember the 60s. And it shows a new band (of real veterans, called "rock royalty" even at that time), doing it, LIVE, with minimal equipment. A shy Eric Clapton stands BEHIND the drummer Ginger Baker for much of the show, with no show-off stance, just great playing. Windwood hides behind the keyboards and just plays his rump off, wearing (in this day and age) laughable skin-tight red pants and high heeled boots...oh the Mod Era wasn't kind to this film. And the crowd were so sedate, yet aplauded loudly each number and really seemed to get into the one surprise "Under My Thumb" sang by Windwood and down-played lovingly (and curiously) by the guitar demi-god, Clapton.
Buy this DVD if you can get it on sale for less than 15 dollars US (about £8 UK), and you want to see history with a tolerable but lousy sound quality...now the mix is remarkably good, given the times. And in the few crowd shots, you can see the boys were playing to a tiny out system; so it's a treasure given the circumstances... But do get the BLIND FAITH CD if you want to really hear these guys clearly. ]
Bottom Line: 3/5 stars (if sound quality were better, it'd be 4/5)...
Zeph, out
LONDON HYDE PARK 1969
I loved this video just out this week, but it comes with a HUGE WARNING!!!
The sound is bad. First the show, it is over 30 years old, and looks it. The picture was done with primitive equipment and the primitive effects show, yet it's your only view unless you are one of the 100 thousand long-hairs (I saw no shorties!) that made it to the first public show of the short-lived super group's show. It was shot in day light. No spot lights, and the sun was not kind to the photographers for much of the relatively short show (maybe 45 minutes of real concert time sans fluff). And the sound is at best AM radio quality; even the "EQ" (equalization, or overall tone) of the soundtrack suddenly shifts for no good reason. Steve Windwood does all of the singing (except the few in the crowd who joined in), and there is fuzz on his voice at times.
Moreover, there are 3 promo videos of songs by Cream ("I'm So Glad"), Traffic ("Hole in My Shoe") and Spencer Davis Group ("I'm a Man"), which are curious, beyond primitive by 1990s standards and suffer from even worse sound.
So, why did I love this video? Well, it brings you back if you can remember the 60s. And it shows a new band (of real veterans, called "rock royalty" even at that time), doing it, LIVE, with minimal equipment. A shy Eric Clapton stands BEHIND the drummer Ginger Baker for much of the show, with no show-off stance, just great playing. Windwood hides behind the keyboards and just plays his rump off, wearing (in this day and age) laughable skin-tight red pants and high heeled boots...oh the Mod Era wasn't kind to this film. And the crowd were so sedate, yet aplauded loudly each number and really seemed to get into the one surprise "Under My Thumb" sang by Windwood and down-played lovingly (and curiously) by the guitar demi-god, Clapton.
Buy this DVD if you can get it on sale for less than 15 dollars US (about £8 UK), and you want to see history with a tolerable but lousy sound quality...now the mix is remarkably good, given the times. And in the few crowd shots, you can see the boys were playing to a tiny out system; so it's a treasure given the circumstances... But do get the BLIND FAITH CD if you want to really hear these guys clearly. ]
Bottom Line: 3/5 stars (if sound quality were better, it'd be 4/5)...
Zeph, out
Saturday, September 16, 2006
BOB SEGER
FACE THE PROMISE
Big Bob Seger is baaaaaaack! And I celebrate the wait.
I picked up this CD on my way to a dinner party the other night, I was driving alone about 50 miles and thought I'd treat myself to some musical company. Glad I did. That night, I was wearing an old sport coat I hadn't tried on in a good few years. It was a cool night and I remember thinking how well it fits and how good it felt "on," after the years had rolled by.
That's the best metaphor for Seger's new CD. It sounds like HIM; his age is just a number and his performance has not diminished a nano-bit. The production is mainly big guitars and lonely ballads; it works.
Two bumps in the road are the compellingly beautiful "The Answer's In The Question," duet with Patty Loveless. A great song, a great rendition...but it's a tad left field on this collection, and would have been a great closer for the 12 song collection. More off base is the actual closer, "The Long Goodbye," which has the right theme, but is a bit of a way under played and ultra mellow tune to shut down this house.
The other duet, with Kid Rock no less ("Real Mean Bottle") does indeed fit, duet or not. I marvel at how well Kid can sing (rather than rap or scream), and the mix of both guy's vocals with female backup singing was blended to a fine sonic aroma. This one is the real keeper of the newest Bob Seger set list.
It's a short CD, under 50 minutes, but makes for a good few plays without sounding static or wearing out it's welcome.
Welcome back, Bob, it's been too long...keep rocking and showing the youngsters how it is done.
Bottom Line 4/5 stars...
Zeph, out
FACE THE PROMISE
Big Bob Seger is baaaaaaack! And I celebrate the wait.
I picked up this CD on my way to a dinner party the other night, I was driving alone about 50 miles and thought I'd treat myself to some musical company. Glad I did. That night, I was wearing an old sport coat I hadn't tried on in a good few years. It was a cool night and I remember thinking how well it fits and how good it felt "on," after the years had rolled by.
That's the best metaphor for Seger's new CD. It sounds like HIM; his age is just a number and his performance has not diminished a nano-bit. The production is mainly big guitars and lonely ballads; it works.
Two bumps in the road are the compellingly beautiful "The Answer's In The Question," duet with Patty Loveless. A great song, a great rendition...but it's a tad left field on this collection, and would have been a great closer for the 12 song collection. More off base is the actual closer, "The Long Goodbye," which has the right theme, but is a bit of a way under played and ultra mellow tune to shut down this house.
The other duet, with Kid Rock no less ("Real Mean Bottle") does indeed fit, duet or not. I marvel at how well Kid can sing (rather than rap or scream), and the mix of both guy's vocals with female backup singing was blended to a fine sonic aroma. This one is the real keeper of the newest Bob Seger set list.
It's a short CD, under 50 minutes, but makes for a good few plays without sounding static or wearing out it's welcome.
Welcome back, Bob, it's been too long...keep rocking and showing the youngsters how it is done.
Bottom Line 4/5 stars...
Zeph, out
