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Monday, February 01, 2010Monday's Earful: Dave Matthews Band; Phish
By: David Schultz
 THE CONCERT FOR HAITI TELETHON album isn't the only way you can use the power of the download to help out Haiti. The Dave Matthews Band has put together an EP of live tracks entitled The Haiti Relief Project. The 5 track EP doesn't contain live versions of Matthews' hits, rather it includes a 2004 recording of "Cry Freedom," a 2007 solo version of "Butterfly" and 2009 takes on "Out Of My Hands," "Lying In The Hands Of God" and "Dive In." The EP is available for $5 at the DMB site (click here) and the proceeds will go to their newly formed Bama Works Haiti Relief Fund. AS PART OF THEIR LIVEPHISH set of archival releases, the jamband titans will release their November 19, 1992 show from the Ross Arena at St. Michael's College in Colchester, Vermont. The mp3s are $9.95 and the FLAC files are $12.95 and 100% of the proceeds will go to the Haiti earthquake relief efforts through the Partners In Health and the American Red Cross. The show is notable for the live debuts of "Axila" and "Fast Enough For You" and a sit-in by Gordon Stone. The night also marked Phish's first attempt at the Big Ball Jam, where the crowd controlled Phish by knocking around four giant balloons with each one corresponding to a different member of the band. I saw them do the Big Ball Jam a couple days later at a gym in SUNY Stony Brook. I won’t profess a knowledge I didn’t have; I had no clue what they were doing and thought they were copying Jethro Tull’s penchant for lobbing balloons on the crowd at the end of a show. It’s a cool visual concept which might lose something in a purely audio context. Download the show through LivePhish by clicking here.THE FIRST EDITION OF THE GUITAR DEN with RICH CASELLA will make its Web based debut tonight at 8:00 p.m. at Casella's Web site. Each week, the talented New York based guitarist will take a song and break down its structure including fingerings and progressions. Making it more of seminar than a forum, there will be a live interactive chat going on during the live Webcast. First up on The Guitar Den will be Paul Simon's "Kodachrome." If you're reading this after 8:00 p.m., don't fret, the Webcasts will be saved for posterity. Labels: Dave Matthews Band, Phish Monday, December 21, 2009The Yearvolution: 2009 In ReviewBy: David Schultz 30. Paul McCartney at CitiField  As The Beatles played the most historic concert in the history of Shea Stadium, it was only fitting that Paul McCartney would play the first live shows at its successor, CitiField. For three balmy (and rainy, well drizzly) nights in July, McCartney gave a show for the ages that appealed to all generations, covering all areas of his Beatles career, offering up the best from his days with Wings and touchingly honoring his wife Linda, George Harrison and John Lennon. Returning the favor from his “Last Play At Shea,” Billy Joel joined McCartney for his opening night encore, adding his own “whooo” to “I Saw Her Standing There.”29. Metric: Fantasies  On “Gimme Sympathy,” Emily Haines poses the age old bar question, “Beatles or Rolling Stones?” Namedropping such classic rock titans gives you a sense that Emily Haines has some grand ambitions for her post Broken Social Scene career. By the time the arena rock bombast of “Stadium Love” closes the album, you can be sure of it. You never love to see any of your underground favorites make an album so broadly appealing that the mainstream homogenization process becomes inevitable. Fantasies makes it a little more bearable.28. Future Of The Left: Travels With Myself And Another  “Come on, Rick,” you didn’t hear of Future Of The Left in 2009? A shouty little band from Cardiff, Wales that boasts 2/3 of mcclusky, Future Of The Left bashes out erudite three minutes bursts of politicized punk; its like The Clash, only without the bouncy traces of ska. Like every great band with punk leanings, attitude and volume can only carry you so far. Without a whit of intelligence, whether academic or street savvy, its all sound and fury signifying nothing. Future Of The Left has the complete package; never has a band’s boast that we need Satan more than he needs us sounded so rational . . . and loud. The memory of LeRoi Moore, who passed away in the midst of the Big Whiskey recording session, looms large throughout the Dave Matthews Band seventh studio release. All of the trademarks you would expect from a DMB album are present - intricate musical arrangements, Matthews’ cycling through his gruff to falsetto vocal range, Carter Beauford’s booming drums – but they seem to be working at a more inspired level. The result is the Matthews Band's most entertaining and ambitious album since their 1994 debut.26. The Dead Weather: Horehound  I think we’re at the point where nothing Jack White does should be surprising. One side project not being enough, White jumped behind the drums, recruited Allison Mosshart from The Kills and Dean Fertita from Queens Of The Stone Age and created yet another great band with hard hitting drums, concise guitar licks and impassioned lead vocals permeating the album. As it has the gritty "Hang You From The Heavens" and the cocky "I Cut Like A Buffalo," it seems like nitpicking to complain that Horehound omits their marvelous cover of Gary Numan’s “Are Friends Electric?”25. Japandroids: Post-Nothing  On their first full-length release, the Canadian guitar and drum duo of Brian King and David Prowse envelop all the wondrous dreams and grand expectations that can only be maintained by the young in a magnificent haze of beautiful noise, drowning shoegazing guitar work in oceans of reverb. On “Wet Hair,” they envision themselves going to France so they French kiss a French girl and on “Heart Sweats,” the chorus needs nothing more than the quaint “xoxoxoxo” to get its point across. Their North American tour was derailed by a medical emergency before it could get off the ground, so 2010 will be the year they bring their music to the people.24. Antony & The Johnsons: “Aeon”  With his ghostly, ethereal voice and herky-jerky stage contortions, gender-neutral Antony Hegarty has always eluded simple definitions He does fall in the category of those performers that need to be seen, if only to prove to yourself that that voice comes from a human being and not an otherworldy aesthete. Probably the most startling track from The Crying Light, which easily wins the prize for the year’s most disturbing cover, "Aeon" puts Hegarty's indescribable talents in their finest light. An absolutely gorgeous song, Hegarty sings with an urgency rarely found in his airy poetic commentaries, his passion rising above the lush orchestration to provide one of the year's most moving songs.23. Living Colour: The Chair In The Doorway  Don’t call it comeback, cause they didn’t go nowhere; Living Colour reemerged in 2009 with the same sonic assault that made them a genre-busting revelation in the pre-grunge era. On The Chair In The Doorway, bassist Doug Wimbish and drummer Will Calhoun operate at a staggering level of speed and sophistication, Vernon Reid crunches through the avant-metal riffs that have become his calling card and Corey Glover offers his customary array of trenchant observations. A cerebral funk-metal band, Reid’s tapping of the spiraling guitar hook to “Behind The Sun,” his slide work on “Bless Those” and Glover’s knockout vocals on “Not Tomorrow” help make this Living Colour’s most eclectic album in years.22. tUnE-yArDs: BiRd-BrAiNs  Girls are still imitating Liz Phair, recording full length albums in the comfort of their own bedroom, only now they have Pro-Tools at their disposal. Merrill Garbus’ uncomfortably capitalized usage is just part of her wonderfully skewed musical vision. Whether it's methodically introducing layered instrumental loops over her sweetly innocent mediations as she does on “Sunlight” or unleashing them in a raga-infused burst like on “Hatari,” With its emphasis on recorded repetition and lack of reliance on guitar riffs and drum rolls, BiRd-BrAiNs offers a glimpse at the lush music textures that will be springing out of home studios across the globe and gives purist's a reason to not dread the future.21. Pearl Jam: Backspacer  Pearl Jam has always been at their best when they feel slighted or unheard, the role of the feisty underdog suiting them better than perhaps any band that's come before them. Now that the Obama era has seemingly left Pearl Jam without a villain to fight, they seem oddly happy. A compact little album, Backspacer zips along, full of moody Eddie Vedder elegies and thrashy little rockers that serve as a pleasant reminder that Mike McCready and Stone Gossard can build a song like no other. Having taken over the means of their own production, the grunge rock stalwarts are settling nicely into their role as stately rockers. 20. Wooden Shjips: Dos  On Dos, the band’s second album, Wooden Shjips offer another dose (see the title works on so many levels) of hallucinatory garage rock, stretching five songs over a quickly paced forty minutes. On “Down By The Sea” and “Fallin’,” the albums two lengthiest jams, bassist Dusty Jermier and drummer Omar Ahsanuddin lock in to a repetitive rhythm, hitting it early and not wavering from it one iota. The subtle repetition lulls you in and when Ripley Johnson unleashes his reverb heavy guitar licks on top Nash Whalen’s Ray Manzarek inspired organ melodies, you get a sense of what the 21st Century Doors should really sound like.19. The BPA: “He’s Frank”  Always the master of finding the right sample for whatever groove he’s working on, Norman Cook nee Fatboy Slim broadened his horizons for I Think We’re Going Need A Bigger Boat, his first offering under the moniker of The Brighton Port Authority, by working with singers instead of snippets. Hearing something in The Monochrome Set’s new wave obscurity “He’s Frank” heretofore unheard, Cook brought in Iggy Pop to lay down his inimitably droll vocals over a revved up funky beat. No one released a more enjoyable song that drips with this much credibility.18. Levon Helm: Electric Dirt  Expanding on the quaint folksy sound of The Dirt Farmer, his Grammy-winning effort from 2007, Helm livened up some standards, introduced a few Americana-sounding originals and plucked “Tennessee Jed” from The Grateful Dead for his follow-up, Electric Dirt. By keeping the recording within his Midnight Ramble family, all of the staples of Helm’s Rambles are present: the horn section busts out a true New Orleans flair on Randy Newman’s “Kingfish” and Larry Campbell’s violin brings out every bit of pathos in Helm’s distinctively raspy voice. Electric Dirt would work in any era but coming now, following his battle with throat cancer, it shows that Helm still has a lot of music left in his soul.17. Dan Auerbach: Keep It Hid  One half of the Black Keys, Auerbach’s debut solo effort was a sparkling affair. The baleful, empathetic acoustic blues of “Trouble Weighs A Ton,” “When The Night Comes” and “Goin’ Home” are filled with a naked emotion and a touch of pathos, generating earnest pleas from the depths of soul. It’s a fine contrast to the menacing stomp of songs like “The Prowl,” “I Want Some More” and the superlative “Heartbroken In Disrepair,”which shows that wherever Auerbach goes, reverb-heavy guitars will follow.16. Fuck Buttons: Tarot Sport  Naming themselves in such a fashion that assures they will never be written about in mainstream publications, Fuck Buttons work on a level of industrial intensity few others can match. On Tarot Sport, Brits Andrew Hung and Benjamin John Power refine their abilities to concoct hypnotic soundscapes out of psychedelic drone, tribal click-clacks and mechanized noise. Tinkering with each song as it unfolds, adding sounds that didn't seem like they were missing until they appear, Fuck Buttons shatter all modern song structure conventions. Tarot Sport will make you wish you did Ecstasy or at least wonder if their a tab of acid left over from the college days. By combining airy melodies, derivative of wistful Walt Disney soundtracks, with wicked Talking Heads new wave guitar riffs, St. Vincent nee Annie Clark has worked her way into the hipster circle of trust: criticize her at your own peril. The waiflike Ms. Vincent, who bragged about spending while Jesus saved on her debut Marry Me, still dips her toes in the pool of self-aware ennui, this time begging to be saved from her own desires on “Save Me From What I Want.” Take heed though, the Breakfast At Tiffany’s wide-eyed naiveté is all a show, Actor is a savvy little bit of new wavish pop.14. Leonard Cohen Returns To America  When ABBA is inducted to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2010, Leonard Cohen will lose his title of being the most unlikely member of the institution. Returning to the stage after a lengthy absence, reportedly due to crooked financial advisors looting his retirement accounts, Cohen's unretirement tour finally made its way to America in 2009. As if ageless, Cohen mesmerized sold-out crowds with his neo-romantic visions, bohemian patois and preternaturally, oh-so-calm-and-reassuring deep voice. His ability to leave listeners spellbound should be required study for every American Idol candidate that thinks melisma and histrionics are the keys to the entertainment.13. U2: No Line On The Horizon  When you’re the largest and most relevant band in the world, any album, even one that doesn’t break through any barriers or mark a monumental shift in musical focus, rises like cream atop the rest of the year’s releases. No Line On The Horizon may be a bit more of the same from the Irish superstars, but its still a worthy effort. Made for the stadiums in which it would be played, Larry Mullen's drums on "Magnificent" come charging in as if on a thoroughbred and you can still recognize Edge's guitar work from its brilliant simplicity. Oh yes, and then there's Bono. Only the greatest live performer not named Springsteen could propound the simplistic sentiments of “I’ll Go Crazy If I Don’t Go Crazy Tonight” and make them sound profound. 12. Grizzly Bear: Veckatimest  The Fleet Foxes and Bon Iver benefitted the most from Yellow House, Grizzly Bear’s 2007 release that paved the way for achingly beautiful, methodically evolving chamber room indie-rock. On Veckatimest, the meticulous progressions of “Two Weeks” and “Cheerleader” seem almost peppy by Grizzly Bear standards but at heart, it’s their ability to underscore bucolic harmonies with plaintive, haunting melodies that makes the album such a compelling listen. Depending on what strata of music you’re considering, Grizzly Bear rightfully deserves mention as one of the decade’s most influential bands; Veckatimest surely helps the cause.11. Bob Dylan: Together Through Life  Surprising everyone with his March announcement of its April release, Dylan continued his remarkable renaissance, taking his music to a Mexican border town and letting it wander around in the dust to soak up the atmosphere. Dylan’s forgotten more about traditional American music than most will ever absorb and on Together Through Life, his facility with blues, country and folk makes them all resoundingly come alive. From the Spaghetti western feel of “Beyond Here Lies Nothin’” through the bluesy jazz of “Jolene” to the raucous barroom romp of “It’s All Good,” Dylan shows he’s still got a lot of fuel left in his tank.10. Andrew Bird: Noble Beast  Making use of a violin, xylophone, a looping machine and a marvelous ability to whistle, Bird makes fantastic music out of the instruments most people abandon after elementary school. From "Anonanimal" through "Tenuousness," Noble Beast offers a true cerebral experience, a highly literate effort that truly is one instead of a fancy way of saying that the punk rocker sounds smart. Quirky, almost to a fault, Bird’s masterful grasp of the language and penchant for creative wordplay make a perfect match for his intricately plotted songs. Available for only a limited time, Useless Creatures, an instrumental companion album, showed the even wider breadth of Bird’s creativity than revealed on Noble Beast.9. Leroy Justice: The LoHo Sessions  Leroy Justice is a rock and roll band, plain and simple. Jason Gallagher’s confident vocals, Sloan Marshall’s timeless organ riffs and Brendan Cavanaugh’s Skydog- quality slide guitar burrow into the recesses of the rock and roll soul. Evoking an instinctive yet familiar response that only fine classic rock can generate, The Loho Sessions may have arrived more than three decades too late. Were it 1972, we would be talking about it as reverently as we do Exile On Main Street and Eat A Peach. It’s a glorious revelation to know that bands still make this type of music.8. Dirty Projectors: Bitte Orca  To take the term back from John McCain, Dave Longstreth and The Dirty Projectors are part of the New Mavericks of rock and roll. Rather than latching onto a genre, the Projectors simply make music and go in whatever direction it needs to go. If the song doesn’t need a chorus, one isn’t forced in; if a glockenspiel would make things sound better, no preconceived notion keeps it out. Bitte Orca gets better with each listen because there’s so much to hear. New York Magazine seemed to think so. Now that they've gotten around to realizing that there's a music revival going on in Brooklyn, they latched on to Longstreth and his band as the scene's poster children.7. Fever Ray: Fever Ray  A captivating effort, Karen Dreijer Andersson a/k/a Fever Ray has crafted the soundtrack for any episode of Miami Vice where Crockett & Tubbs pensively traveled down the highway in a convertible or required Don Johnson to dump a girlfriend who just happened to be involved with the drug dealer they were about to arrest. Practically subsuming her entire identity beneath studio distortion, Andersson uses her vocals to accentuate the album's wide swath of thumping ambient beats, warbling seductively just as often as she wails away with Bjork-like abandon. Fever Ray is a slyly seductive form of industrial raga, unleashing the Swedish pop demons that lurk beneath the slickest of mainstream hits in a manner destined to appeal to the denizens of the dankest of basement clubs.6. Black Crowes: Before The Flood . . . Until The Freeze  Recorded before a live audience in Levon Helm’s barnyard studio in Woodstock, New York, the Black Crowes rediscovered the Americana soul that has always simmered beneath their Southern soul stew. Luther Dickinson, now firmly in the fold, makes his presence felt adding a surfeit of gritty and sultry nuances to Before The Flood. However, it’s the bonus album, Until The Freeze, that is the true gem. With Larry Campbell sitting in, the music unfolds as if it’s being played around a campfire in the wee hours of the morning under a cloudy, smoky haze, the music spilling forth in a rustic mélange.5. The Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Shows At MSG  Mick Jagger and Bruce Springsteen sitting in with U2, John Fogerty and Billy Joel joining Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, Metallica welcoming Lou Reed, Ray Davies and Ozzy Osbourne, Stevie Wonder hosting Smokey Robinson, B.B. King, John Legend, Sting and Jeff Beck. Not a bad recipe for a memorable show. Add in Simon & Garfunkel, Crosby, Still & Nash and Aretha Franklin and you have not only the concert event of the year, but possibly of the decade. When the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame wants to celebrate a 25th Anniversary, they sure know how to do it in style . . . even if they, once again, throw a little passive-agressive missive at Cleveland, Ohio by not hosting in the city they deem worthy to house their hall. It took a while for White Denim’s follow-up to Exposion to make its way to the States, initially being released overseas where the Austin, Texas trio has become quite the sensation. With Fits, they move in new and different directions while remaining true to their overriding mantra of distilling rock music down to its high-octane essence. Flying through songs at a breakneck pace that would impress Usain Bolt, “I Start To Run” percolates on Steve Terebecki’s bass and Joshua Block’s drums needing only shotgun blasts from James Petralli’s guitar and “Mirrored And Reverse” has a steamy undercurrent of garage psychedelia. This is a band that has a ton to offer in 2010.3. Phish Ends Their Hiatus  It wasn’t done with the simplicity of Michael Jordan’s proclamation of “I’m back” but it pretty much had the same effect. By announcing three shows at Virginia’s Hampton Coliseum in March of this year, the venerable jamband titans sent their fanbase, who had been awaiting confirmation of the rumored shows with unprecedented anticipation, into a joyous hysteria that ultimately resulted in the evisceration of Live Nation’s credibility as a major ticket vendor once ducats went on sale. Phish also released Joy, their first studio album in more than five years, but the simple fact that Phish was back, which overshadowed the return of The Dead, trumped everything else they would do in 2009. 2. Animal Collective: Merriweather Post Pavilion  On Merriweather Post Pavilion, one of the more anticipated releases of 2009, Animal Collective, toned down their wild inclination for experimentation and avant-garde screamfests in favor of an inviting swirl of sound that Panda Bear explored on Person Pitch. Rather than antagonize their listeners, Aminal Collective decided to bring them into their wild world, which turned out to be oddly domestic, albeit in a psychedelically day-glo fashion. In cultivating their electronic pulses and hypnotically repetitive rhythms in their most pleasing manner yet, Merriweather Post Pavilion remains challenging without the Collective having to greatly compromise their slightly lunatic bent. Like it or not, this is one of the more important albums of the decade, its influence will undoubtedly reach well into the next. Hipsters of the future: if you're not listening to this now, learn enough about it; in 2015, you will have to credibly pull off the patronizing declaration that you've been listening to Merriweather Post Pavilion for years. The Decemberists created a rock opera in every sense of the word. A fractured fairy tale that combines the fantasy of a Narnia Chronicle with the fatalism of a Shakespearian tragedy, The Hazards Of Love tells the tale of a swan named Margaret and her star-crossed lover, a shape shifting faun of adopted royal heritage. Exquisitely crafted, the story packs an understated emotional punch, engendering sympathy for its main characters over the course of a one hour album. On the four versions of "The Hazards Of Love," Meloy builds on the thematic and musical structure of the song much as symphonic masters have done for centuries. My Brightest Diamond's Shana Worden gives voice to the evil Queen and Lavender Diamond's Becky Stark brings the avian heroine to life, adding to the theatrical quality by relieving Meloy of the onus of voicing every character. Prog-rock indulgences and bizarre story lines aside, Meloy and The Decemberists have put together a momentous album.Disappointments: These events just didn’t live up to expectations. Enjoyable though they may be, we desired more. Arctic Monkeys: Humbug Ben Harper & The Relentless 7: White Lies For Dark Times Kanye West At The MTV Awards Bruce Springsteen: Working On A Dream The Felice Brothers: Yonder Is The Clock Green Day: 21st Century Breakdown Monsters Of Folk: Monsters Of Folk Wilco: Wilco (The Album) Lou Reed: The Metal Machine Trio The reaction to Michael Jackson’s death The Best Of Earvolution: In case you missed it the first time. Living Colour Returns Woodstock: 40 Years On Gov’t Mule: Rockin’ It Fine At The Hammerstein (a review in verse) Michael Jackson: What Are We Mourning? Labels: Andrew Bird, Animal Collective, Dirty Projectors, Fever Ray, Leroy Justice, Phish, The Black Crowes, The Decemberists, White Denim Wednesday, December 02, 2009Wednesday's Earful: The Strokes; Phish & The Allure Of The After-HoursBy: David Schultz  As if sensing the communal love that's about to come their way once the Best of the Decade lists start recalling the greatness of Is This It, The Strokes have announced they will headline one of the nights at the Isle of Wight Festival in June of 2010. The set will be their first gig since 2006 and may come on the heels of recording sessions that could yield a fourth studio album. While they never fully recaptured the magic of their debut album, perhaps the various solo projects have cleansed their collective palate. Surely, Julian Casablancas has kept a wry sense of humor, covering "I Wish It Was Christmas, Today" one of the more bizarrely entertaining Christmas songs that originated on Saturday Night Live. If he plays this on stage, hopefully he does the Tracy Morgan dance . . . although the Chris Kattan head shake might be more hipsterish. TONIGHT, PHISH RETURNS TO MADISON SQUARE GARDEN for the first of three sold-out shows at the hallowed arena where they played many notable New Years Eve shows. Their presence in the City has goosed the late night scene into a small frenzy. Tonight, Allie Krall and Cornmeal, the eternal New Groove of the Year, will entertain the insomniacs at Sullivan Hall . Over at BB King Blues Club & Grill, The Heavy Pets will receive a helping hand from Particle and Phil Lesh & Friends' Steve Molitz and the ever-adaptable DJ Logic. Steve Kimock's Crazy Engine will headline the late night festivities at Sullivan Hall on Thursday night and move the party over to BB King's for Friday night. Phish's last night will also find Eric Krasno & Chapter 2 play the glitzy Canal Room and U-Melt holding court at Sullivan Hall. The U-Melt show, their last for the year, promises to be a special one and really, under no circumstances, should be missed.Labels: Cornmeal, Phish, Steve Kimock, Steve Molitz, The Strokes, U-Melt Monday, November 02, 2009Monday's Earful: Lenny Kravitz @ Irving Plaza; Phish, Gov't Mule Cover The Rolling Stones
By: David Schultz
 Twenty years ago, an uninspired and jaded Generation X pondered their future while staring at a bleak job market, the trickle down economics of Reagan era failing to bring about feelings of prosperity or any sense of hope in America’s youth. At the same time, a disenfranchised demographic moved their interest from the boy bands and formulaic pop that flourish during economic upswings to the flannel-draped hordes flooding out of the Pacific Northwest. Capturing the zeitgeist, Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Alice & Chains and the rest of their brethren turned self-loathing, insecurity and good old-fashioned rage into grunge rock, possibly saving rock and roll in the process. In contrast to the moody cynicism of the grunge rockers, Lenny Kravitz unleashed Let Love Rule, a psychedelic-drenched, flower-power collection that espoused a message of peace, love and harmony, owing as much to the peacenik nature of the Beatles as it did to Jimi Hendrix’ incendiary interpretation of the blues.The more things change, the more they stay the same. Two decades later, we face a floundering economy, a job market sitting at its nadir and Lenny Kravitz’ eternally optimistic and live-affirming attitude is as necessary and gloriously anachronistic to the times as it was back then. To celebrate the milestone of his debut album’s release, Kravitz has devoted his set list to reviving healthy portions of Let Love Rule, still his finest effort. Last week, Kravitz (finally) finished up his five night New York City residency at The Fillmore at Irving Plaza. Originally scheduled to take place two weeks ago, Kravitz postponed the show, not wanting to turn in a subpar performance after his voice gave out on him. Declaring the evening family night, Kravitz played with his daughter Zoe, who opened the show, perched atop one of the speakers along the side of the stage. Instead of playing Let Love Rule in its entirety, as has become the fashion, Kravitz used selected songs as a framework to resurrect the feeling and mood of the album. The steamroller guitar riffs of “Freedom Train” and “Mr. Cab Driver” remained tight and concise but on “Flower Child” and “Blues For Sister Someone,” Kravitz led the band through extended jams that flowed through organ leads and solos from the horn section. Stretching the songs out also let Kravitz show off his versatility, permitting him to show off the keyboards and jump behind the drum kit. The free flow of the opening half of the show gave way to a run through Kravitz’ post-Let Love Rule greatest hits. More apropos for stadiums and amphitheaters, Kravitz’ proven arena-rockers like “Always On The Run” and “American Woman” blew the roof off The Fillmore and the ultra-funky elastic spring of the bass line of “Fly Away” got the tightly-packed throng to ignore the overcrowded dance floor. (When large acts come to Irving Plaza, the sound board and extra equipment take up to eight times as much room than that of the bands that usually play the venue; it hardly seems as if the venue adjust admission accordingly). After an acoustic solo rendition of “Stillness Of Heart,” Kravitz closed the night with a lengthy version of “Let Love Rule,” urging the crowd to sing along until the message became ingrained in their psyche and fostering the communal spirit by jumping down from the stage to mingle with the masses. The Fillmore at Irving Plaza bears a fleeting, exceedingly corporate relationship to Bill Graham’s original venue. For five shows though, Kravitz’ heady vibe came closer to reconnecting with the ghosts of the Fillmore’s past than any number of posters and branding could ever accomplish. HALLOWEEN 2009 WAS ALL ABOUT THE ROLLING STONES. After weeks of speculation, Phish chose to cover Exile On Main Street for Halloween at Festival 8 in Indio, California and Gov't Mule's first set on October 31 consisted solely of Stones classics. Even Mick Jagger himself took to the stage, albeit on Halloween eve, popping up on stage at Madison Square Garden during U2's Friday night set at the Rock & Roll Fame concerts to sing "Gimme Shelter" with Bono and The Black-Eyed Peas (Yes, that sentence is factually accurate). Labels: Gov't Mule, Lenny Kravitz, Phish, The Rolling Stones Thursday, October 29, 2009Thursday's Earful: Festival 8
By: David Schultz
 Starting tomorrow night, Sirius XM's Jam On channel will bring Phish's Festival 8 live into your living rooms (or wherever else you listen to your satellite radio). Phish's eighth destination fest, hence the name, will take place in Indio, California and feature the resurrection of Phish's Halloween musical costume on October 31. The satellite radio station will broadcast all 8 sets over the three days live and, as always, without commercials.Taking on the live music scene is a fantastic gamble for the radio conglomerate. Ever since Sirius garnered a whirlwind of attention by luring Howard Stern off the terrestrial airwaves, there hasn't been much to attract people to the satellite wavelength. Tapping into the market for live broadcasts, especially with a band that's made its living on the stage, is a fantastic idea. Hopefully this works out and we get more of this. Hell, it may even get me to buy one of those newfangled radio doodads. Labels: Phish Tuesday, October 27, 2009Tuesday's Earful: Halloween 2009
By: David Schultz
 In 1994, Phish played The White Album in its entirety as part of its Halloween show at the Glens Falls Civic Center and began a tradition of donning a musical costume for the holiday’s that has grown beyond the crunchy Vermont foursome. When Phish takes the stage on October 31, to play one of their many sets as part of their Festival 8 in Indio, California, they will reclaim their Halloween legacy when the revive their ritual. What they will play though remains the object of intense speculation. They’ve been killing off albums in a gruesome fashion on their Web site, promising to play the last one standing. A campgrounds map with sites named Kid A, Electric Ladyland, Exile On Main Street, Hunky Dory, Purple Rain, Larks Tongues In Aspic and The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway has found its way onto the Internet, so you would have to think those are the odds-on favorites.Warren Haynes and Gov’t Mule also like to get into the Halloween spirit and like Phish, they like keep their “costume” a mystery until show time. In the past, the Mule have covered Houses Of The Holy and engaged in a little Dark Side of the Mule with a set of Floyd covers. This year’s show at the Tower Theater in Philadelphia, PA will receive ab assist from Jackie Greene, who along with Haynes has a lot of experience playing with the catalog of the Grateful Dead. Too easy, though. It won’t happen. Not every band is keeping their Halloween costume under wraps. Alt-country rockers Deer Tick will pull a complete 180 at the Brooklyn Bowl. After an opening band to be named later offers up a set of Sonic Youth, Deer Tick will become The Sex Pistols for a night. This is pretty much the equivalent of Marilyn Manson dressing up as Michael Jackson for the night. If you show up in costume, admission is free. Otherwise, it’ll cost you $5. Last year, Leroy Justice literally and figuratively dressed up as The Beatles at the Bitter End for a fun romp through Let It Be. This year they will return to the legendary haunt along with guest guitarist Scott Metzger for two sets that will include selections from The Steve Miller Band’s Greatest Hits. Labels: Deer Tick, Gov't Mule, Leroy Justice, Phish Thursday, October 01, 2009Thursday's Earful: Bruce Springsteen; Phish
By: David Schultz
 Right on the heels of U2 bringing their 360 tour through Giants Stadium, Bruce Springsteen & The E Street began a five night run that will serve as the final shows for the East Rutherford landmark. To give the shows a special touch, each night The Boss will be performing one of his classic albums in its entirety. For last night's opener and Thursday October 8, he has Born To Run on tap; for Saturday October 3 and Friday October 9, he'll bust out Born In The USA, the album that got him his first shows at the outdoor venue, and this Friday October 2 there will be a Darkness At The Edge Of Town. In the same way that Billy Joel closing Shea and Paul McCartney opening the new Shea (CitiField) seemed appropriate, Jersey's favorite son is the only person who could have fittingly locked the Giants Stadium doors behind him. At the conclusion of the run, he will have played the field a total of 24 sold-out times.IT'S HARD TO IMAGINE THAT there was a time when Halloween wasn't a particularly special night for live music. Other than Frank Zappa's annual show in New York City and the Grateful Dead trotting out "Werewolves Of London," there wasn't much to look forward to. Phish changed all that in 1994 when they donned the musical costume of The Beatles, playing The White Album in its entirety. They would follow it up in future years with Quadrophenia, Remain In Light and the Velvet Underground's Loaded and in the process give birth to a whole new industry of Halloween festivities. Gov't Mule has busted out (Haunted) Houses Of The Holy, Leroy Justice tackled Let It Be (Beatles not Replacements) and U-Melt offered their spin on the concept with a multimedia whirl through Pulp Fiction. This year, at Festival 8, Phish will be reclaiming their birthright this Halloween and they are having some fun with the idea. On their Web site, they are spinning through a roulette wheel of albums, eliminating them in ghoulish and macabre ways. Presumably, last one standing gets covered on October 31. Hidden Track has crunched such a startling amount of numbers on the subject, I worry for them. Labels: Bruce Springsteen, Phish Wednesday, September 16, 2009Wednesday's Earful: Living Colour; Trey Anastasio; Pavement Returns?
By: David Schultz
 As the kids would say, The Chair In The Doorway, Living Colour's fifth studio album dropped yesterday (yes, I am aware the kids would have said it like that a couple years ago). The day before they showcased the album for friends, family and press, I interviewed Corey Glover for Hidden Track at their Brooklyn rehearsal studio.A proper write-up of the album will come at a later date. For now, click on over to Hidden Track and see what Corey had to say. THIS PAST WEEKEND, TREY ANASTASIO teamed up with the New York Philharmonic for a show at the venerable Carnegie Hall. Getting past the proliferation of nitrous oxide being blatantly hawked outside the theater (this is a story that you are going to hear a lot about in the near future), Anastasio and the orchestra came up with an awesome arrangement of the Phish warhorse "You Enjoy Myself." Apparently there are some issues with what versions of the video are YouTubeable, but Justin Ward over at Live Music Blog seems to be on top of what's what. Check it out here. RUMOR HAS IT THAT PAVEMENT will reunite in 2010. If this happens, it will be salivated over to a degree that exceeds its actual import as everyone overhypes the return that not many paid attention to when they were around. Nonetheless, this is a good thing. OBAMA CALLED KANYE WEST A JACKASS . . . and that makes news? What's next? Do we stop the presses if he calls Angelina Jolie hot? Labels: Living Colour, Pavement, Phish, Trey Anastasio Thursday, September 10, 2009Thursday's Earful: Phish JoyBy: David Schultz Labels: Phish Friday, July 31, 2009Assembly of Dust Tour Dates and Mp3 Download with Phish bassist Mike Gordon AOD fans coming off the Gathering of the Vibes show last weekend will likely have to wait to mid-September to see the band again when the kick off their fall tour. Beyond the new tour dates, Assembly of Dust also has a new record out as well.Calling in some friends, Reid Genauer tapped Mike Gordon of Phish, Bela Fleck, Martin Sexton, Richie Havens, David Grisman, John Scofield and Earvolution friend Grace Potter who all lend their talents to Some Assembly Required. The band kicks off the fall in New York and after a mostly northeast run heads west: Sep 18 2009 Revolution Hall Troy, New York Sep 19 2009 Higher Ground South Burlington, Vermont Sep 24 2009 Paradise Rock Club Boston, Massachusetts Sep 26 2009 Calling Planet Earth Festival Charlestown, Rhode Island Sep 29 2009 Port City Music Hall Portland, Maine Sep 30 2009 The Bowery Ballroom New York, New York Oct 1 2009 River Street Jazz Cafe Plains, Pennsylvania Oct 2 2009 The Note West Chester, Pennsylvania Oct 3 2009 Recher Theatre Towson, Maryland Oct 16 2009 Bluebird Theater Denver, Colorado Oct 17 2009 Boulder Theater Boulder, Colorado Oct 18 2009 Community Concert Hall Durango, Colorado Oct 21 2009 The Mint Los Angeles, California Oct 22 2009 The Independent San Francisco, California Oct 23 2009 The Red Fox Tavern Eureka, California Oct 24 2009 Mississippi Studios Portland, Oregon Oct 25 2009 Tractor Tavern Seattle, Washington You can listen to more of the new songs over on the Assembly of Dust Myspace page. You can also download an mp3 for the track "Arc of the Sun" that features Mike Gordon of Phish right here. Labels: Assembly Of Dust, Bela Fleck, Grace Potter and The Nocturnals, Mike Gordon, Mp3s, Phish, Tour Dates Monday, July 27, 2009Monday's Earful: Leroy Justice @ The Mercury Lounge; Phish
By: David Schultz
 If this were 1973, the Mercury Lounge would not be the locale for a Leroy Justice gig, they would be further uptown headlining Madison Square Garden as part of a rambling caravan style tour. Alas, in 2009, heartfelt Let It Bleed style rock and roll that soars to enthralling levels when aired out on stage doesn’t have the ready-built audience that it did in the Seventies. The Baby Boomers that would eat this stuff up won’t put up with the dearth of parking spaces for their minivans on the Lower East Side and they have likely lost their ability to feel comfortable within the Spartan conditions of the Mercury Lounge. It’s truly a shame that classic rock radio, where it still exists, doesn’t reach down to find those bands keeping that spirit alive. Unless you are NPR-approved indie rock or singer-songwriter mooted Adult Album Alternative ready, there’s no way to connect with an audience that’s unlikely to leave their living room on a weekday night.Leroy Justice’s Thursday night set at their hometown digs served up liberal spoonfuls from The Loho Sessions, their recently released sophomore effort. Opening with a gritty version of the loping “Temporary Cure,” whose guitar riff immediately brings you in to Justice’s world, they offered up an inspired version of “Mickey,” with its marvelous singalong chorus and a measured version of “Out To Sea.” With Bradley Wegner and Josh Karis providing the rhythm, Justice’s set gave you an idea of what some early Black Crowes shows must have felt like, even down to the American flag draped over Sloan Marshall’s keyboard setup. Marshall emerged from behind the keys to add some harmonica flourishes to a bluesy stripped-down version of “Revolution’s Son” and they closed their set by restoring all the bar-band glory to “Last 4 Ozs.” Brendan Cavanaugh is emerging as a genuine powerhouse of a guitarist. At their last appearance at the Merc, a release party for The Loho Sessions. Cavanaugh dazzled with an amazing array of slide guitar licks. Showing his versatility, he set aside the slide this evening, his solos fitting more into the classic rock mode, picking and choosing his spots with the finesse of Warren Haynes. A more animated presence on stage, lead singer Jason Gallagher exudes the confidence of a consummate frontman, his infectious enjoyment of being on stage quickly spreading throughout the crowd. If you’re growing weary of cycling though your well-worn copies of Cream, Rolling Stones and The Allman Brothers, rest assured, there is Justice is in this world.  LAST HALLOWEEN, AT THE BITTER END, Leroy Justice offered up a start to finish cover of The Beatles’ Let It Be, tapping into a tradition of donning a musical costume that dates back to Phish’s late 90s shows which included All Hallow’s Eve covers of The Who’s Quadrophenia and the Velvet Underground’s Loaded. After playing a Where’s Waldo style game with their fans in releasing the location, Phish will be reclaiming their legacy this October in Indio, California, the site of the annual Coachella activities. Hosting Festival 8, a three day festival of eight sets, one of which will be a resurrection of the “costume” gimmick, Phish has started speculation over who they will be for Halloween.Labels: Leroy Justice, Phish Wednesday, June 03, 2009Wednesday's Earful: Hill Country Revue; Phish In Boston
By: David Schultz
 The Hill Country Revue answers the question of what Cody Dickinson and Chris Chew did while their fellow North Mississippi Allstar spent a year amongst the Crowes. Rounding out their latest project with vocalist Daniel Coburn, guitarist Kirk Smithhart and drummer Ed Cleveland, the HCR adopt a heavier take on the Delta blues that fuels the Allstars. In early April, the Revue made their New York City debut, opening for the NMA at the HighLine Ballroom (conveniently covered for jambands.com by your humble narrator), and recently returned to the Big Apple for a featured slot at the Mercury Lounge.It might be simplistic to characterize the Hill County Revue as the Luther-less All Stars but it would not be unfair. At the Merc, the HCR tore through healthy chunks of their recently released debut, Make A Move, and while they pack a mighty punch, there’s no avoiding letting your ear drift towards spots where Luther’s slide would be a perfect accent. The project serves as a welcome introduction to Smithhart and Cleveland, both entertaining musicians that are a treat to watch. However, Coburn never quite sets himself apart from the pack. He carries the right look - what’s there to hate about a bluesman that proudly bears a PBR patch on his jean jacket - and provides competent lead vocals but may the most interchangeable band member. Besides getting a sense as to how much the massive Chew truly resembles a professional wrestler, the best part of seeing the Hill Country Revue in such a small venue was getting a close up view of Cody Dickinson playing the electric washboard, a modern version of one of the oldest, most basic and, if you live by a river without a washer and dryer, utilitarian instruments. The scrambled techno-scratch Dickinson conjures up with his metal fingertips may not the most authentic of the Delta blues sounds generated by the Revue but when Dickinson’s washboard solo led into a take on the NMA’s “Psychedelic Sex Machine,” it produced one of the set’s finest moments. PHISH OPENED THEIR HIGHLY ANTICIPATED summer tour this week at Fenway Park in Boston. Ryan Dembinsky wrote an excellent review of the show for Hidden Track that's well worth checking out. Labels: Hill Country Revue, Phish Monday, March 09, 2009Phish Returns: Night 3 From the looks of things, it sounds like all Phish phans can look forward to a fine summer.Set 1 Sanity, Wilson, Foam, Bathtub Gin, Undermind, AC/DC Bag, My Friend My Friend, Scent Of A Mule, All Of These Dreams, Maze, She Thinks I Still Care, Army Of One, Tube, Cars Trucks Buses, Frankenstein Set 2 Down With Disease, Seven Below, Horse, Silent In The Morning, Twist, 2001, Moma Dance, While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Wading In The Velvet Sea, Slave To The Traffic Light Encore Contact, Bug, Tweezer (reprise) Should you have the time to spare, take a gander over at the Phish boards on Phantasytour.com. It's a rare fan base that can celebrate their band's reunion by getting into a pissing match with each other over who is the better fan and who knows more based on their 100 shows over 15 years. By my count, Phish can tally up 3 successful shows and one conquered Live Nation. Labels: Phish Sunday, March 08, 2009Phish Returns: Night 2The Saturday night set list:Set 1 Back On The Train, Runaway Jim, Brian And Robert, Split Open And Melt, Heavy Things, Punch You In The Eye, Gumbo, Reba, Mexican Cousin, It's Ice, Halley's Comet, Beauty Of A Broken Heart, Guelah Papyrus, Lawn Boy, Run Like An Antelope Set 2 Rock And Roll, Limb By Limb, Ghost, Piper, Birds Of A Feather, Wolfman's Brother, Prince Caspian, Mike's Song, I Am Hydrogen, Weekapaug Groove, Character Zero Encore A Day In The Life For a nice review of Saturday night's show, check out Mike Greenhaus over at jambands.com. Want to listen to it for yourself? Head over to LivePhish, where, for a limited time, they are making each night's show available for free as mp3 downloads. Labels: Phish Saturday, March 07, 2009Phish ReturnsOn Friday night, Phish returned. Playing the first of three shows at the Hampton Coliseum in Hampton, Virginia, the long awaited reunion, by all reports, lived up to the mightily high expectations. Opening with "Fluffhead," Phish played a three and a half hour show, including a nearly two hour opening set.For those of you not in Hampton, Phish is making mp3 downloads of each show available for free (for a limited time only). For a pair of fine reviews from Hampton, check out Hidden Track and jambands.com. Set 1 Fluffhead, The Divided Sky, Chalk Dust Torture, Sample In a Jar, Stash, I Didn't Know, The Oh Kee Pa Ceremony, Suzy Greenberg, Farmhouse, NICU, Horn, Rift, Train Song, Water In The Sky, The Squirming Coil, David Bowie Set 2 Backwards Down The Number Line, Tweezer, Taste, Possum, Theme From The Bottom, First Tube, Harry Hood, Waste, You Enjoy Myself, Encore Grind, Bouncing Around The Room, Loving Cup Labels: Phish Tuesday, March 03, 2009Phish Reunion @ Hampton CentralThis is not it.However, the fine folk over at Hidden Track have been waiting for this weekend since Phish played Coventry in 2004. They have every angle of this covered, down to traffic patterns and the weather. If you're looking for relevant information and knowledgeable opinions with respect to this weekend's show, check out Hidden Track by clicking here. Labels: Phish Sunday, February 01, 2009Phish Addresses The Live Nation Phuck Up Phish addressed the colossal disaster (read cluster f*$k) that passed for Live Nation's attempt to handle the online distribution of tickets of their upcoming summer reunion tour. The following is posted on the band's Web site"We have heard from many fans regarding this past weekend's onsales, particularly the shows that went on sale via Live Nation's website. Many of you experienced extremely long wait times, error messages, and quite simply, an inability to get through and purchase tickets. Clearly, the system was unable to handle the extraordinary demand. We're very sensitive to making the process of getting Phish tickets as straightforward as possible. We apologize for any inconvenience and thank you for your continued support and patience." Labels: Phish
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This past Tuesday, Phish released Joy, putting an exclamation point on their wildly successful summer tour and making their return after their five year hiatus officially complete. Customarily, you expect any record review to consist of a reasoned opinion based upon a critical yet unbiased assessment of the music. Thus, this review starts with a confession: I haven’t listened to the album. I did download it – legally too, thanks to Amazon’s potentially self-destructive competitive pricing scheme – but I have yet to press play. Despite being woefully unqualified to offer any type of commentary on the album, I still feel a compulsion to write about it. Why? Because it truly doesn’t matter what I, or anyone else, thinks about it.
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