Langhorne Slim, a modern folky singer-songwriter whom we reviewed here a few years back, has performed on David Letterman and played major festivals like Bonnaroo. Here he performs "Diamonds and Gold" live from Sun Studio:



Langhorne has a new record due out this fall, which insiders tell us is shaping up to be a "big beautiful" record. For more on Langhorne and his tour dates you can visit his Myspace page.

Labels: Langhorne Slim, SunStudioSessions

By: David Schultz

When The Black Crowes famously reunited for a week's worth of shows at New York City's Hammerstein Ballroom, they selected a fine slate of artists to accompany them, including the North Mississippi AllStars. In addition to joining The Crowes for an encore of Elmore James' "Shake Your Money Maker" during that March 2005 run, the AllStars' lead guitarist Luther Dickinson (and his bandmates) rang in 2006 with the Robinson brothers at their New Year's concert at Madison Square Garden. As both bands are steeped in the southern tradition of the blues, it can't come as any surprise that they hit it off both on and off stage. No strangers to the joys and miseries of playing in a band with their brother, the Crowes' Rich Robinson and the AllStars' Luther Dickinson left their respective siblings at home to team up for an evening as Circle Sound.

While Circle Sound publicized their Friday night show at the Bowery Ballroom as featuring Robinson and Dickinson, it came with a heavy Black Crowes vibe. Current Crowes band members, keyboardist Rob Clores and bassist Sven Pipien, who is cultivating the Chris Robinson homeless hippie look, as well as former Crowes drummer Bill Dobrow rounded out the band. Aswirl with promises and rumors of special guests, expectations over surprise appearances ran amok and the presence of 2007 Hall Of Fame inductee and resident New Yorker Patti Smith sated all but the most unreasonable appetites for something exceptional.

Any hopes that Circle Sound would feature multiple guitar battles between The Crowe and The AllStar were quickly dashed. Robinson made no effort to match Dickinson's exemplary skills, providing rhythm guitars and complementary riffs instead of an old-fashioned duel. With his thick glasses and unkempt locks, Dickinson looks more like a librarian than a skilled bluesman. Bringing his customary phalanx of guitars, Dickinson switched axes every couple of numbers, notably breaking out a mandolin for a triptych of songs including Ry Cooder's "Boomer's Story," a song often covered by Chris Robinson when he sits in with Dickinson and the AllStars. Brother Rich seemed content to let Dickinson handle the leads, only once breaking out the slide guitar for a countryish version of Bob Dylan's "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight." For the encore, the two guitarists attempted some guitar theatrics on "Sunday Night Buttermilk Waltz," an acoustic, Led-Zep style outtake from Amorica. Dickinson seemed to throw off Robinson at the start of the song by switching guitars and the two seemed to play at odds with each other until the end when they finally meshed.

With the exception of a take on the AllStars' "Bang Bang Lulu" and the acoustic beginning to the encore, Circle Sound pretty much avoided NMA or Black Crowes fare, using their Bowery gig as an opportunity to have some fun. Becoming the night's most skilled cover band, Dickinson and Robinson breathed life into some wisely chosen classic rock covers, some old-school blues and a few Robinson originals. The band's best moments were on gritty blues tunes like "Spoonful," "Mean Old World" and a pair of Johnny Winter tunes. They dove heartily into the slinky off-kilter beat of The Rolling Stones' "I Just Wanna See His Face" and they expertly Crazy Horsed their opener, "Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere."

Robinson and Dickinson shared lead vocals throughout the set: Robinson fronting during tunes from his 2004 album Paper; Dickinson handling the swampier blues and classic rock covers. However, Patti Smith's voice resonated the most. Near the end of the set, the politically outspoken singer mesmerized the crowd with a rendition of "Smoke Signals." While Smith may be physically showing her age, her voice and stage presence remain as captivating as ever.

Opening act Langhorne Slim also provided some nice variety. Playing a revved up acoustic guitar like Ray Lamontagne on steroids, the gullible in the crowd could have been convinced that Slim was a disguised Jack White.

Circle Sound's Bowery Ballroom show was one for the band, who seemed to truly enjoy the freedom of taking a night off from their usual catalog to play a set of their favorite tunes. Far from an indulgent night, Dickinson, Robinson, the rest of Circle Sound, Smith and Slim exceeded all expectations, producing a fast-paced night of quality blues and rock and roll.

[PHOTO CREDIT TO VANARK - Check out more of his fine work HERE.]

Labels: Circle Sound, Langhorne Slim, Luther Dickinson, North Mississippi Allstars, Patti Smith, Rich Robinson, The Black Crowes

By: Paul Dobry

Langhorne Slim: "When the Sun's Gone Down"
Narnack Records (2005)



The best may be to come, but in the meantime get out of your rocker and dance.

In my experience, falling in love with a record can happen two ways. The first is if the record scratches a particular itch, something you may have not known was there until it was relieved. For example I never knew that I had been looking for the blend of Simon & Garfunkel with Donovan, infused with childhood daydreaming ala Le Petit Prince that I found when I first heard Belle & Sebastian. The second is to be
completely blind sided by something you never knew could exist. Think back to the first time you heard Björk.

As with any Venn diagram, however, there exists that rare overlapping of circles. Tom Waits remains the best example, to date, of this mysterious duality. The
awe of discovery, mixed with the feeling of coming home. I was born late enough that I could ration myself a fresh Wait's album whenever I saw fit, and was ready for my next dose. I may have to be a bit more patient with Langhorne Slim. When the Sun's Gone Down is the Pennsylvanian-cum-Brooklynite's first label supported full length. I'm already prepared to compare it to Closing Time. The promise of this record intimates the possibility of Rain Dogs-esque, melt your grey matter work somewhere in the distance.

I became aware of Slim with his self released mish mash Slim Picken's and was already chomping at the bit when Narnack Records brought him on board for The
Electric Loveletter EP. On the first two releases Slim picks and strums anxious American roots, frenzied to rush old storytelling styles through the decades and
back in people's consciousness. He seems satisfied enough with this crash course (given as much for himself as anyone else) to slow it down a bit and get to playing songs. The sound is fuller and richer, with perfectly placed instrumentation. While earlier tracks had no sense of depth. Straying from just a voice and guitar meant maybe adding a harmonica. When the Sun's Gone Down, however can balance a broader ensemble. Even with vox, guitar, slide guitar and drums a track like I Ain't Proud is subtle and restrained. And a reworking of the Ep's I Will and album closer I Love to Dance are raucous and bombastic, without just tacking on instruments in the background.

While the approach is more thoughtful and tactfully executed Slim can not escape the sound of a frenzied love-stricken blues man. And this is the real beauty of the record. Slim's voice provides the desperate strained, guttural howl to invoke 30's era born-under-a-bad-sign bluesmen. While an unabashed joy; that rises from his dusty brown boots, though every fiber of his ill fitting 3 piece suit and out
the top of his pork pie hat, makes you get on your feet and grab that sweet lil' mama you've been eyeing all night and dance until she breaks her curfew.

Labels: Langhorne Slim