What Are You Listening To?

[Dennie]

The Way I Should -- CD

Iris DeMent

1996 Warner Bros. Records

Amazon.com

Iris DeMent's 1994 My Life is the best country album released in the 1990s. Yet with its gorgeous string-band arrangements and its heartbreaking tales of home and family, it's so timeless it could just as easily have been released in the '30s as the '90s. By contrast, there's no mistaking which decade DeMent's album, The Way I Should, comes from, with its crossover-country sound and its references to Calvin Klein, MTV, child abuse, "quality time," and Beavis and Butt-head. Nonetheless DeMent's twangy Arkansas soprano and detail-filled lyrics are as sharply original as ever. DeMent's voice seems to glow on "This Kind of Happy," a love song co-written with her outspoken admirer, Merle Haggard, and on the prayer-like "Keep Me God." --Geoffrey Himes

Track Listing
1. When My Mornin' Comes Around
2. There's a Wall in Washington
3. Wasteland of the Free
4. I'll Take My Sorrow Straight
5. This Kind of Happy
6. Way I Should, The
7. Letter to Mom
8. Keep Me God
9. Quality Time
10. Walkin' Home
11. Trouble

 

[Dennie]

Clinch Mountain Sweethearts -- CD

Ralph Stanley & Friends

2001 Rebel Records

Amazon.com

This 16-track duet package is something of a companion piece to 1993's Saturday Night & Sunday Morning and 1998's Clinch Mountain Country, both of which offered a dazzling array of duets featuring Ralph Stanley singing with an A-list of country and bluegrass stars. Clinch Mountain Sweethearts, which features only female partners, is a worthwhile collection, though somewhat less focused than its predecessors. Country, folk, and pop stalwarts such as Iris DeMent, Lucinda Williams, Dolly Parton, Gillian Welch, Chely Wright, and Joan Baez display their artistry as they square off with Stanley at the microphone. But the real treats are Stanley's duets with less celebrated talents like Gail Davies, Melba Montgomery, Valerie Smith, Kristi Stanley, and Jeannie Seely. --Bob Allen

Track listing

1. Ridin' That Midnight Train - (with Iris DeMent)
2. Will You Miss Me - (with Pam Tillis)
3. Little Willie - (with Patty Mitchell)
4. Oh, Death - (with Gillian Welch)
5. Loving You Too Well - (with Dolly Parton)
6. Memory Of Your Smile - (with Maria Muldaur)
7. Are You Tired Of Me, Darling - (with Sara Evans)
8. Weeping Willow - (with Joan Baez)
9. I'll Never Grow Tired Of You - (with Kristi Stanley)
10. Rank Stranger - (with Gail Davies)
11. Trust Each Other - (with Iris DeMent)
12. Angel Band - (with Chely Wright)
13. You Win Again - (with Melba Montgomery)
14. I'm Ready To Go - (with Jeannie Seely)
15. Farther Along - (with Lucinda Williams)
16. I'll Remember You In My Prayers - (with Valerie Smith)

 

[Dennie]

Red Dirt Girl -- CD

Emmylou Harris

2000 Nonesuch Records

Amazon.com

Consider this Emmylou Harris's emancipation proclamation--an album that confirms that 1995's adventurously atmospheric Wrecking Ball wasn't an aberration, but a preview of more radical changes to come. Long the godmother of alternative-country's traditionalist wing, Harris here writes songs with Luscious Jackson's Jill Cunniff, sings a duet with Dave Matthews ("My Antonia"), and recruits Bruce Springsteen and Patti Scialfa to provide harmonies on the album's most compelling ballad ("Tragedy"). The production by Malcolm Burn applies sonic treatments of drum machines, shimmering guitars, and echoed vocals to a song cycle by Harris that is largely original and deeply personal, filled with dream imagery and evocations of a spiritual quest. While material such as "Michaelangelo" and "Bang the Drum Slowly" suffers from an arty ponderousness, it's doubtful that Harris has ever recorded an album that means more to her than this one. --Don McLeese

All tracks written by Emmylou Harris, except where noted.

"The Pearl" – 5:02
"Michelangelo" – 5:14
"I Don't Wanna Talk About It Now" – 4:47
"Tragedy" [with Patti Scialfa - duet vocals & Bruce Springsteen - harmony vocals] (Harris, Rodney Crowell) – 4:24
"Red Dirt Girl" – 4:19
"My Baby Needs a Shepherd" – 4:39
"Bang the Drum Slowly" (Harris, Guy Clark) – 4:51
"J'ai Fait Tout" (Harris, Jill Cunniff, Daryl Johnson) – 5:31
"One Big Love" (Patty Griffin, Angelo) – 4:33
"Hour of Gold" – 5:00
"My Antonia" [with Dave Matthews] – 3:43
"Boy from Tupelo" – 3:48

 

[Dennie]

Lookout For Hope -- SACD

Jerry Douglas

2002 SugarHill Records

Amazon.com

Jerry Douglas, who's most often heard adding lustrous Dobro lines to Alison Krauss's Union Station and umpteen country and pop records, uses his periodic solo albums to stretch the stylistic boundaries of steel strings and a slide bar. Lookout for Hope begins on a sweetly familiar note with a multitracked Dobro arrangement of Duane Allman's ever-popular "Little Martha," then ventures toward bluegrass, bebop, and points between and beyond. On many tracks, drums and even a dash of saxophone enhance the core acoustic string sounds, and low-key vocal cameos from Maura O'Connell ("Footsteps Fall") and James Taylor ("The Suit") offer a nice changeup from the high-powered instrumental action. Most intriguing is the title track (written by jazz guitarist Bill Frisell), in which the interlocking mandolin chops of Sam Bush and Nickel Creek's Chris Thile create a hypnotic groove that Douglas, guitarist Bryan Sutton, and Phish's Trey Anastasio ride into a 10-minute space jam. --Jeffrey Pepper Rodgers

All songs by Jerry Douglas unless otherwise noted.

"Little Martha" (Duane Allman) – 3:41
"Patrick Meets the Brickbats" – 3:22
"Footsteps Fall" (Annette Bjergfeldt, Boo Hewerdine) – 4:48
"Monkey Let the Hogs Out" – 1:02
"Lookout for Hope" (Bill Frisell) – 10:24
"Cave Bop" – 3:20
"Senia's Lament" – 5:25
"The Wild Rumpus" – 4:02
"The Sinking Ship" – 5:05
"In the Sweet By and By" (Traditional) – 1:59
"The Suit" (Hugh Prestwood) – 5:21


Jerry Douglas – dobro, lap steel guitar, vocals
Sam Bush – mandolin
Chris Thile – mandolin
Maura O'Connell – vocals
Jeff Coffin – saxophone
Stuart Duncan – fiddle
Viktor Krauss – bass
Barry Bales – bass
Byron House – bass
Russ Barenberg – guitar
Trey Anastasio – guitar
Ron Block – guitar
Bryan Sutton – guitar
Larry Atamanuik – drums, conga, percussion

 

[Dennie]

Happy Monday everyone... :scared-eek:

After The Gold Rush -- CD

Neil Young

1970/1990 Reprise Records

Neil Young's third solo album followed his Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young masterpiece Déjà Vu. Top 10 and double platinum, with the Top 40 'Only Love Can Break Your Heart' and his condemnation of racism in 'Southern Man,' 1970's After The Gold Rush has been ranked among the '100 Greatest Albums Of All Time' by both Rolling Stone and Time magazine.

All songs written by Neil Young except when noted

Side one

"Tell Me Why" — 2:54
"After the Gold Rush" — 3:45
"Only Love Can Break Your Heart" — 3:05
"Southern Man" — 5:31
"Till the Morning Comes" — 1:17

Side two

"Oh Lonesome Me" (Don Gibson) — 3:47
"Don't Let It Bring You Down" — 2:56
"Birds" — 2:34
"When You Dance I Can Really Love" — 4:05
"I Believe in You" — 3:24
"Cripple Creek Ferry" — 1:34

 

[mcad64]

I like them both!! He certainly fits with the music of the time. I wonder if it was a case as stated in the documentary that someone named "Rodriquez" just couldn't get radio airplay?

 

[PaulyT]

I listened to these both today, too. I like Coming from Reality a lot better, more interesting compositions and instrumentation IMHO. But they're both good!

 

[Dennie]

The Collection -- CD

Undisputed Truth

2002 Spectrum Music

This compilation presents the greatest hits of the Norman Whitfield-produced 1970s Motown band Undisputed Truth, including their most well-known song "Smiling Faces Sometimes."

As is usually the case, Motown's European division and its licensors have been more active than their American counterparts, which is why this 19-song, 78-minute compilation surfaced in 2002, a year before the U.S.-issued 12-song Smiling Faces: The Best of the Undisputed Truth. All 14 of the singles that were issued in America are represented, along with selected B-sides and album tracks, for a slightly more comprehensive overview of the group's output -- "Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today)" and "Poontang" are missing, but in their place are some equally worthy cuts, mostly notably the group's poignant nine-minute rendition of "What's Going On." Obviously, along with being a cross-section of the group's sound, this compilation gives us a good look at Norman Whitfield's altering sensibilities, and the changes that American soul underwent during the four years represented. By 1972, the Undisputed Truth had moved into louder, bolder, more funk-oriented sounds (with the exceptions of "Smiling Faces Sometimes," "Papa Was a Rolling Stone," and their version of "What's Going On"); away from socially significant songs, and into more of a pure dance mode -- not that these aren't extraordinary dance productions; they are. Most notable is "Law of the Land," with its pounding, larger-than-life rhythm section and swooping, soaring orchestral accompaniment. The sound is excellent throughout, especially on the later cuts. The solo electric guitar on "What's Going On," with its mix of trills and rhythm fills, is virtually isolated on its own separate channel, and is almost worth the price of the disc by itself. Its presence here is also a subtle tribute to Whitfield's influence on Motown: he was, after all, responsible for convincing Berry Gordy that there was room for two different hit versions of "I Heard It Through the Grapevine," when Gordy thought there wasn't room for one, and the original "What's Going On" was another case of Gordy almost missing the boat on something new, daring, important, and wonderful, and here was a sincere attempt to reshape that song from the bottom up. Only on the later tracks, such as "UFO's," "Higher Than High," and "Boogie Bump Boogie," do inspiration and subtlety seem to desert the band's sound, but they get it back for "Let's Go Back to Day One." ~ Bruce Eder

Track listing

1. Save My Love For a Rainy Day
2. Smiling Faces Sometimes
3. You Got the Love I Need
4. You Make Your Own Heaven and Hell
5. What It Is
6. Papa Was a Rolling Stone
7. Girl Youre Alright
8. Mama I Got a Brand New Thing
9. Law of the Land
10. Help Yourself
11. Whats Going On
12. Im a Fool For You
13. Lil Red Riding Hood
14. Spaced Out
15. UFOs
16. Got to Get My Hands on Some Lovin
17. Higher Than High
18. Boogie Bump Boogie
19. Lets Go Back to Day One

 

[mcad64]

I listened to these both today, too. I like Coming from Reality a lot better, more interesting compositions and instrumentation IMHO. But they're both
good!

I agree with your assessment Pauly. However I find "Crucify your Mind" off of Cold Fact to be truly hypnotic for me??? I think its the glockenspiel!!! At least it sounds like a glockenspiel? And You have to admit "I Wonder" has a very catchy base line!!

 

[Dennie]

Today's work truck music...

Closing Time -- CD

Tom Waits

1973/1990 Elektra Records

Amazon.com essential recording

It starts with a sunrise, it ends with "one star shining," and in between Closing Time contains an honest year's worth (1973, to be exact) of sweet, melodic, vintage Tom Waits--minus some of the vocal growl and thematic grit of his later stuff (but you can see it coming). Waltzes, lullabies, blues, jazz, you name it. Driving songs and drinking songs, even an honest to gosh country tune: "Rosie." There are torchers ("Lonely"), scorchers ("Ice Cream Man"), and back-porch senior citizen love songs ("Martha"): "Those were the days of roses/Poetry and prose, and/Martha, all I had was you and all you had was me." Other standouts are "I Hope That I Don't Fall in Love with You" (guess what--he does!) and "Grapefruit Moon," in which Waits croons: "Every time I hear that melody, something breaks inside." Hang on to your hearts and hats, folks. --Dan Leone

Side One

1. "Ol' '55" 3:58
2. "I Hope That I Don't Fall in Love with You" 3:54
3. "Virginia Avenue" 3:10
4. "Old Shoes (& Picture Postcards)" 3:40
5. "Midnight Lullaby" 3:26
6. "Martha" 4:30

Side Two

1. "Rosie" 4:03
2. "Lonely" 3:12
3. "Ice Cream Man" 3:05
4. "Little Trip to Heaven (On the Wings of Your Love)" 3:38
5. "Grapefruit Moon" 4:50
6. "Closing Time" (Instrumental) 4:20

 

[PaulyT]

Uncommon Ritual -- CD

Edgar Meyer with Bela Fleck and Mike Marshall

Another thanks to Dennie for a great "discovery" - I love this album! Kind of a classical+bluegrass fusion, with elements of other stuff thrown in. Great musicianship, and excellent SQ.

 

[Dennie]

We lost a long time Klipsch forum member on Sunday.

This one's for you Boxx. May you Rest In Peace my friend. ray:

American IV: The Man Comes Around -- CD/DVD

Johnny Cash

2002 Lost Highway Records

Amazon.com

On first thought, the idea of the Man in Black recording such covers as "Bridge over Troubled Water," "Danny Boy," and "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" might seem odd, even for an artist who's been able to put his personal stamp on just about everything. But American IV: The Man Comes Around, which also draws on Cash's original songs as well as those by Nine Inch Nails ("Hurt"), Sting ("I Hung My Head"), and Depeche Mode ("Personal Jesus"), may be one of the most autobiographical albums of the 70-year-old singer-songwriter's career. Nearly every tune seems chosen to afford the ailing giant of popular music a chance to reflect on his life, and look ahead to what's around the corner. From the opening track--Cash's own "The Man Comes Around," filled with frightening images of Armageddon--the album, produced by Rick Rubin, advances a quiet power and pathos, built around spare arrangements and unflinching honesty in performance and subject. In 15 songs, Cash moves through dark, haunted meditations on death and destruction, poignant farewells, testaments to everlasting love, and hopeful salutes to redemption. He sounds as if he means every word, his baritone-bass, frequently frayed and ravaged, taking on a weary beauty. By the time he gets to the Beatles' "In My Life," you'll very nearly cry. Go ahead. He sounds as if he's about to, too. Unforgettable. --Alanna Nash

"The Man Comes Around" (Cash) – 4:26
"Hurt" (Reznor) – 3:38 Originally recorded by Nine Inch Nails for The Downward Spiral (1994)
"Give My Love to Rose" (Cash) – 3:28 Originally recorded by Cash for Sun, appears on Sings Hank Williams (1960), also appears on At Folsom Prison (1968)
"Bridge Over Troubled Water" (Simon) – 3:55 Originally recorded by Simon and Garfunkel for Bridge over Troubled Water (1970)
"I Hung My Head" (Sting) – 3:53 Originally recorded by Sting for Mercury Falling (1996)
"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" (MacColl) – 3:52 Was a number one hit for Roberta Flack (1972)
"Personal Jesus" (Gore) – 3:20 Originally recorded by Depeche Mode for Violator (1990)
"In My Life" (Lennon/McCartney) – 2:57 Originally recorded by The Beatles for Rubber Soul (1965)
"Sam Hall" (Ritter) – 2:40 Originally recorded by Cash for Sings the Ballads of the True West (1965)
"Danny Boy" (Weatherly) – 3:19 First published in 1910, previously recorded by Cash for Orange Blossom Special (1965)
"Desperado" (Frey/Henley) – 3:13 Originally recorded by The Eagles for the album of the same name (1973)
"I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" (Williams) – 3:03 Originally recorded by Hank Williams; previously recorded by Cash for Now, There Was a Song! (1960)
"Tear Stained Letter" (Cash) – 3:41 Originally recorded by Cash for A Thing Called Love (1972)
"Streets of Laredo" – 3:33 (Traditional) Previously recorded by Cash for Sings the Ballads of the True West (1965)
"We'll Meet Again" (Charles/Parker) – 2:58 Most famously a hit for Vera Lynn (1939)

 

[Dennie]

Uncommon Ritual -- CD

Edgar Meyer with Bela Fleck and Mike Marshall

Another thanks to Dennie for a great "discovery" - I love this album! Kind of a classical+bluegrass fusion, with elements of other stuff thrown in. Great musicianship, and excellent SQ.

I knew you would catch that one. I'm glad you are enjoying it Pauly. :handgestures-thumbup:




Dennie bscene-drinkingcheers:

 

[Dennie]

Today's work truck music...

Get Rhythm - CD

Ry Cooder

1990 Warner Bros. Records

"The Musician's Musician." "The Master of the Eclectic." There are probably a dozen more titles by which this "guitar player" is known. To even refer to him as a guitar player is probably a gross mislabeling of this musician. He defies any sort of categorization; this is his greatest strength and for some his weakness. The theme for these nine cuts is rhythm of all different ilk. I won't even give the parameters because he seems to have none. I wondered how many different instruments he played on this album (I thought I counted five different types of guitar); it only says guitar and vocal for his credits. Listen to his version of "All Shook Up," more bop and rhythm than Elvis could put into four of his songs. It seems musicians line up to play with him, and they feel he did them a favor by letting them play on his albums. He always gives them plenty of space to do what they do. This CD will make the dead start tapping their toes. ~ Bob Gottlieb

1. "Get Rhythm" (Johnny Cash)
2. "Low Commotion" (Ry Cooder, Jim Keltner)
3. "Going Back to Okinawa" (Ry Cooder)
4. "Thirteen Question Method" (Chuck Berry)
5. "Women Will Rule the World" (Raymond Quevedo)
6. "All Shook Up" (Elvis Presley, Otis Blackwell)
7. "I Can Tell by the Way You Smell" (Walter Davis)
8. "Across the Borderline" (Ry Cooder, Jim Dickinson, John Hiatt)
9. "Let's Have a Ball" (Alden Bunn)

 

[Dennie]

Today's work truck music....

Go To Heaven -- CD

Grateful Dead

1980 Arista Records

Alabama Getaway, November 5, 2002
By Bilbo Baggins (USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Go to Heaven (Audio CD)

I remeber this album as one of the first Dead albums that the production started sounding full and worthy of the dead rythym section in the studio. Alabama Getaway is a perfect blend of commercially slick radio friendly sound while still retaining Jerry and Bob's superior technique and road earned mastery of subtle riffing and rythmic augmentation. Althea is so Deadly it defines the power of artistic hippy musical apptitude. I love this album because it is presentable to the mainstream but retains its freak flag flying high buried deep in the highest production fidelity money can buy. If you don't have a fully developed dead ear for psychadelic sound you can start your journey on track number one of Go to Heaven and work your way back to the first Dead Album. Enjoy the research. May the force be with you.

Side one

"Alabama Getaway" (Garcia, Hunter) – 3:36
"Far From Me" (Mydland) – 3:40
"Althea" (Garcia, Hunter) – 6:51
"Feel Like a Stranger" (Barlow, Weir) – 5:07

Side two

"Lost Sailor" (Barlow, Weir)– 5:54
"Saint of Circumstance" (Barlow, Weir) – 5:40
"Antwerp's Placebo (The Plumber)" (Hart, Kreutzmann) – 0:38
"Easy to Love You" (Barlow, Mydland) – 3:40
"Don't Ease Me In" (Traditional) – 3:13

 

[Babs]

RIP, Joe! You were one of the best.

 

[Babs]

 

[Dennie]

Today's work truck music...

Silvertone -- CD

Chris Isaak

1985 Warner Bros. Records

Isaak's Debut, April 5, 2001
By Thomas Magnum (NJ, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE) (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER) (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)


This review is from: Silvertone (Audio CD)

Chris Isaak's debut album takes its name from his backing band, Silvertone. The band's sound harkens back to the hey day of Sun Studios where artists like Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash and, most notably for Mr. Isaak, Roy Orbison ruled the day. There is a brooding, dark and eerie sound to the songs. "Dancin'" has an almost funky vibe to it, "The Lonely Ones" is a Roy Orbison redux and is an absolutely magnificent song and "Western Stars" is a lilting ballad. Mr. Isaak has a deep, smooth voice that adds a density to the songs while Silvertone plays songs in a way that seems on the surface to be quite simple but are full of nuances. This is a great debut record.

All songs written by Chris Isaak.

"Dancin'" – 3:44
"Talk To Me" – 3:04
"Livin' For Your Lover" – 2:56
"Back On Your Side" – 3:14
"Voodoo" – 2:44
"Funeral In The Rain" – 3:18
"The Lonely Ones" – 3:12
"Unhappiness" – 3:10
"Tears" – 2:44
"Gone Ridin'" – 2:36
"Pretty Girls Don't Cry" – 2:24
"Western Stars" – 3:12
"Another Idea" (US Editions) - 2:53

 

[Dennie]

Happy Saturday everyone... :banana-dance:

Ellis In Wonderland -- CD

Herb Ellis

1956/2006 Verve Records

The "swing machine", June 30, 2006
By Jazzcat "stef" (Genoa, Italy Italy) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)
This review is from: Ellis in Wonderland (Audio CD)

The Oscar Peterson Trio plus Herb Ellis was a terrific swing machine. Probably one of the best, if not the overall best rhythmn team in Jazz. Its swing flows with an impressive naturality. Everything seems incredibly easy and natural for these guys. This album de facto is an Oscar Peterson swing machine album plus some talented soloist, Jimmy Giuffre, Sweet Edison for the first four excellent tunes. This album is from 1956 and it has that fifties patina that is especially sweet and lovely. The program is classic, blues, standards and ballads. Herb is really focused on this album. It is clear he was playing regularly with a strong routine. His command of the instrument is total here. His ideas are brilliant, his playing precise and he swings like crazy. This album together with the album Herb preferred "Nothing but the blues" is perfect if you want to own just a couple of albums from Herb. The tunes I love the most here are the first four because of the variety and the quality of the solos from the improvisors. Edison and Giuffre were terrific, but I repeat Herb is absolutly excellent here. in this album he palyed some of his best music for sure. The opener is a splendid bop blues, a typical blues "sonic magma" from the trio. The second and the third tunes are two wonderful standards. Exceptional the rendition of the ballad It could happen to me. Pogo instead is a bebop tune, fast and "aggressive" just as bebop should be. The last four tunes are played more relaxed maybe (it was a different session). The music at some point is almost counterpoint (in the jazz sense). I think this album is a must buy for Jazz lovers.

"Sweetheart Blues" (Herb Ellis) – 4:46
"Somebody Loves Me" (Buddy DeSylva, George Gershwin, Ballard MacDonald) – 4:55
"It Could Happen to You" (Johnny Burke, Jimmy Van Heusen) – 3:47
"Pogo" (Ellis) – 4:45
"Detour Ahead" (Lou Carter, Ellis, Johnny Frigo) – 4:03
"Ellis in Wonderland" (Ellis) – 3:52
"Have You Met Miss Jones?" (Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers) – 6:20
"A Simple Tune" (Jimmy Giuffre) – 4:11

Herb Ellis – guitar
Jimmy Giuffre – baritone saxophone, tenor saxophone, clarinet
Harry "Sweets" Edison – trumpet
Charlie Mariano – alto saxophone
Oscar Peterson – piano
Ray Brown – bass
Alvin Stoller – drums

 

[Botch]