Music Zephyr

2 New Christmas Albums for 2006

a) Sarah McLachlan's WINTERSONG

b) Jame's Taylor's AT CHRISTMAS

I admit to enjoying Christmas music, strictly between "Black Friday" (the traditional mad shopping day after Thanksgiving in the USA), and Christmas day at 11pm. Then, it's time to put it away for another year.

I was rather taken by both of these CDs. Sarah McLachlan's voice is world class; when she hits the highest notes of "The First Noel," you will agree, believe me. Yet the overall tone of this collection for the holidays is haunting; there is no better word in the lexicon than haunting.

WINTERSONG begins with a nice cover of the Lennon classic "Happy Xmas (War is Over)," and don't we all wish it were. Then, on to "Greensleeves," and into "Wintersong," which is a fairly non-holiday song that mentions Christmas. We then enjoy a few stantdards and yet jump into "In the Bleak Mid-Winter," again seemingly included for the non-conformist at the holiday gathering. We close with Diana Krall's brilliant contribution on "Christmas Time is Here."

Can you hear me holding back, just a bit on this review? Well, I am and so goes the tone of the CD. It's beautiful, but distant in overall production, which is solid by the way; it's a great capture of the sound of the voices and instrumentation. I just don't know what it is, but it does not draw you in; it does draw you however.

AT CHRISTMAS is Taylor at what James Taylor does best; a simple voice, not much razz-mataz, and remarkably piano-dominated arrangements. The acoustic strumming guitars are there, but you have to listen for them. And it, unlike WINTERSONG is inviting in tone. You want to pay more and more attention, and you notice more the few shortcomings. Without belaboring the set list, let's sum it up as rather religious and standard in song choice. Therein lies the nit-picking..."Jingle Bells," done as a jazz/R&B piano shuffle just doesn't work for me; the original children's version sung at school is just too well impregnated in my DNA. And hopeless miss cast (but a lovely song and performance nonetheless) is "Baby, It's Cold Outside." Again, I figure there had to be ONE song not at all specific to the holidays in the producer's mind. Natalie Cole adds the female voice solidly to this rendition, but the almost avuncular James Taylor hardly comes off as the letcher this song demands of the male voice. If you want a definitive version of this song, in my book, check out Tom Jones' version, available on any number of greatest hits compilations; it cooks!

Taylor's CD does end on a cute if hackneyed note with "Auld Lang Syne," and this DOES work. It is the perfect coda.

So, if you are looking for new performances and a few new twists for Christmas this year, that will hold up for decades...you can't go wrong with either disc. I got both...I just prefer the Taylor to the McLachlan, by half a star. They both make for a cool sounding yule, friends!

BOTTOM LINE:
Sarah McLachlan's WINTERSONG 3.5/5 stars

Jame's Taylor's AT CHRISTMAS 4/5 stars

Zeph, out
PS: I don't think I've ever heard the perfect (5/5) contemporary Christmas album...I'll have to dig back into my vinyl warehouse to come up with one of those I suspect. Happy Holidays! And stay tuned...

CHRIS STILLS

Yup, that's the title, just his name. This is Still's 2nd CD that I know of, his first for another label was "100 Year Thing," of course, a bouncy, strummy piece of what used to be called folk rock. I loved it.

Well, on the new label, Still's is better produced and edited, and maybe a bit more cosmopolitan, using French lyrics at times. Do play the very very very last cut, a bit hidden, and you'll have a great treasure...a classic rock nugget in French. I won't spoil it for you, but it's a riot and well done as well.

For those who have never heard this blue-eyed, ruggedly handsome son of the legendary Stephen Stills, he sings astonishingly like his father in his Buffalo Springfield days...you can hear it throughout the album. But make no mistake, Christopher Stills steps into his own sound, and you'll hear little to no reminders of Stephen's more recent solo work, nor his CSN or CNSY collaberations.

For a distinctively low-hype and very enjoyable record, I give Chris Stills a thumbs up and...

Bottom Line 4/5 stars...check it out.

PS: I found my copy at HMV in London for a rational (by UK standards) £ 10.
The Virgin Megastore on Oxford street also had it for a bit more. Don't ask me why music in the UK has to be so pricey...it just is...try getting your copy on line perhaps? It's on the French V2 label.

Zeph, out

The Beatles LOVE

What a fine mix up it is! I'm sure you've heard or read about the Las Vegas show, for which I am sure you will pay hundreds if not more to see. I'll ignore that. In fact a snippet of the show was done live on USA television (The Tonight Show) a few days ago, and I thought it was droll; couldn't hold a candle to the music of the soundtrack.

So, let's take the 79.9 minutes of pure Beatle bliss on it's own terms...it's brilliant. You really, no I mean really really get a taste of the greatness of the group long before the days of digital recording and using only the crudest of sound processing and effects. I doubt this kind of talent will ever be re-produced, ever.

Now you own most of this stuff, in fact maybe twice over. But the editing and new mix and how they did it--I don't know but fidelity of the instruments is breathtaking. Even if you don't appreciate the collection there is ONE huge reason to pick up this disc: George Harrison!

"While My Guitar Gently Weeps," is presented in a voice (Harrison)/acoustic guitar/newly recorded strings (by Sir George Martin of course). It is sublime. It is so well done you wonder why the original was ever released! Beautiful and compelling only begins to describe it; a hit single if anyone cares in this day and age of obscene rap crap.

Bottom Line: 5/5 Stars, wish I could award bonus points for the Harrison piece!

Zeph, out

CSN Website Re-Load

crosbystillsnash.com has been overhauled and went live this past weekend. The photo section is lame, and scant so far...just has a few pictures of the 2006 csnY (emphasis intended) tour.

There is a cute jukebox that if you are still on download takes forever to play anything, and there's a limited (and overpriced) "official store." They have T's and the like and a scant serving of music/video for sale. They don't feature any solo or Neil Young music.

That having been said, it's a great site for tour info, and may grow into a nice news site too. I hope like everyone else here there will be NEW material even a live album put out some day from CSN. Maybe from the "Down Under" tour planned? Check out the tour on the site.

Fear not 4WS webmaster, I am permanently plugged in to 4waysite.com for too many reasons to count; as flashy as it is, the new CSN site can't compare to yours.

Zeph, out
www.musiczephyr.blogspot.com

PS: consider buying your stuff (of any variety) via amazon thru a 4waysite link to keep 4waysite.com afloat, please...and rock on. See the link to 4WAYSITE above. Note I have no financial interest in any web site; including this one. I would like to keep W4S "up" forever, and that takes our support; that's all!

MICHAEL JACKSON "LIVE"
WORLD MUSIC AWARDS
IN LONDON

I'll let you be the judge, but the British SUN has a clip of a weird (you were expecting something else?), Michael Jackson performance. It will be on TV shortly, but don't wait, see it now!

http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,11021-10043,00.html

Zeph, out

The Reverend Al Green In Concert
2 November 2006
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
F.M. Kirby Center (http://kirbycenter.org/)

BOTTOM LINE:
Show: 3/5 stars
Venue: 2/5 stars
Al Green Band: 5/5 stars

Al Green, as Reverend as ever, did a sweat-flicking (he did that continuously from his brow with his fingers, and hit the standing crowd, but more on that in a moment)concert tonight, and what he DID was great...just not enough of it. He has SO many more songs to choose from, it was a bit sad to cut the show short like that.

The show was opened by Philadelphia’s own, The Dixie Hummingbirds...an affable soul group that has been around in one form or another for nearly eighty (yes 80) years! Try that Mr. Jagger and company. Their standout performer was the 21 year old male bass singer...he was a phenom to behold. The scant 30 minute set brought the audience to their collective feet and were very finely received, despite the overpowering and muddy bass sound. The bass guitar player, playing a fine 5 stringed version was more than competent, just the equalization and mix were close to awful...

Now, the Reverend and hit world-class band took control, and did a great 70 minute set...including chit-chat...not worth my (and the lovely concert lady friend) 75 US Dollars for a better than great seat. The band without the legendary singer rates a 5/5 as above by the way. They even jammed for another 10 minutes or so after Al Green left the stage at the 70 minute mark, never to return. What a tease! Looking back as thundering as the band was, the long jam was pointless without an encore by Green.

Rev. Green and his singers/bass/2 guitars/keys/and 3 horns, in contrast to the openers had a great mix. One could mentally tune in on even fine notes by any player, at all times. I can't say enough good about the band.

Al Green gives out long stemmed roses to the ladies he can reach and that brought a largely selfish and self-indulgent group of people who didn't care when they blocked the view of at least the first 5 rows of paying customers (including THIS one). That stunk...from the very first note, my view was blocked. ONE brave venue security guy tried to get people to sit down, and would have made it happen if there were only 2 or 3 more of them. But when he could only herd a few, the rest stayed put and put a real dasher on the show for many of us...I had a choice seat and at times NO view...
I spied one rather large and tall blonde woman shaking her sizable groove thing at eye level to the first few rows, and when politely tapped on the shoulder by someone in the first row became downright obnoxious and rude...maybe that's her. That should NOT have been tolerated by the venue, period. It was the lousy free roses that started the blockade by the way, given out before Al Green piped up a solitary sound, and from time to time from then on.

Now, I'm not a concert "virgin" or prude. At the encore (which there was not one), it's ok for everyone to be on their feet and dance in the aisles and by the stage. But to tolerate it the entire show, and the Rev. telling the audience to do whatever they want about seating (or lack thereof), just sucked. Also, Rev. Green walked into the audience about 20 minutes into the show, and stirred up the people who were providing the obstructed view even more...it would have been so cool if people were in their seats, but alas this venue has forgotten it's duty AFTER the tickets were sold.

For what it's worth, I used to like the venue...people behaved for Tom Jones there in the recent past. And even when Hall and Oates were there, nobody continuously stood until the 3 encores of that show (see a pattern, Reverend???). So I do know the Kirby Center staff WERE capable at one time! I will think twice about driving the 2 hours each way to attend shows there again (listening, Kirby?).

Final quibble: he did "Let's Stay Together" way way way too early in the show. That's like Bruce Springsteen opening with "Born to Run."

Final plus: an unexpected medley of Motown standards...but here again, he only sang one verse plus the chorus of each...wish he would have performed just two of the 5 or so tunes completely. And how about doing a live album of his own major hits, and a few COMPLETE Motown nuggets? Are you listening Rev.?

I should have known it would be a short show, when Al Green starting introducing a few band members at exactly forty minutes (!) into the show.

Final Thought: what he did was good to breathtaking...just not enough. If Tom Jones can do 2 hours (and and encore or two) every night...well Al Green can too!

Zeph, out

PS: Am just reviewing the ENDLESSWIRE CD by the Who, in short BUY IT. And the BAT OUT OF HELL III by Meat Loaf...in short, for fans of the series only. Stay tuned!