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Listen: Gorillaz Share “Hallelujah Money” With Guest Benjamin Clementine

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As long has been promised, Gorillaz has returned with their first new music in over six years, and like most of their music, it features a special guest. On the Damon Albarn/Jamie Hewlett led project, Mercury Prize winner Benjamin Clementine guests on the new track “Hallelulah Money.” Unlike other first snippets of music from the comic band, this one is more dour and isn’t exactly ready for dance remixes.  It’s the first release from Gorillaz’s new record, which is due later this year. In the accompanying music video (directed by Gorillaz & Giorgio Testi), Clementine sings from Trump Tower and is timely with inauguration day suddenly hitting tomorrow.

The post Listen: Gorillaz Share “Hallelujah Money” With Guest Benjamin Clementine appeared first on Glide Magazine.


Film Bits: ‘Logan’ and ‘Power Rangers’ Release Final Trailers

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Final ‘Logan’ Trailer Shows Actual Promise

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The final trailer for Logan, Hugh Jackman’s much touted final outing as Wolverine, was released today, giving us more insight into tone and direction of the film, which might also serve as the final chapter for the X-Men universe as we know it. The film takes place years after the main X-Men stories—both the original and Days of Future Past timelines (it’s complicated)—and finds Wolverine surviving on his own. His hermetic life is changed when Professor X (Patrick Stewart) introduces him to a young girl with powers much like his own. From the looks of things, this really will be a dark and dour chapter of the franchise, with a morose tone running throughout. I try to never get my hopes up whenever one of these films comes out—I’ve been burned too many times—but I’d be lying if I said this didn’t have me intrigued. We’ll know for sure on March 3.

(20th Century Fox)

‘Power Rangers’ Trailer Reveals Bryan Cranston

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You know, I was pretty dismissive of the new Power Rangers movie. This is probably owing to the fact that I’ve always been pretty dismissive of the franchise. But the more I see from the upcoming reboot, the more I think I might be on board. The latest trailer gives our first look at Bryan Cranston as the disembodied Zordon. It’s kind of awesome to see him return to his roots like that—before making it big, Cranston used to do voiceover work for the original series. It still looks kind of corny, but it also has the distinct air of fun that might push this one over the edge. Power Rangers opens everywhere on March 24.

(Lionsgate)

Points Shaving Scandal Getting Film Treatment

Hey, remember Goodfellas? Of course you do; it’s easily one of the best films of all time. If you think hard, you might remember a mention about a basketball scam from Ray Liotta and Robert De Niro’s characters. They sort of glossed over that in Goodfellas, but that was actually a pretty major college sports scandal—the Boston College points shaving scandal. Those events are now getting a movie of their own from director Seth Gordon (Horrible Bosses) and writer Robert Carlock (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt).

(Deadline)

Is ‘Hellboy 3′ Finally Happening?

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Guillermo del Toro has been vocal about his willingness to dip into the world of Hellboy a third time almost from the very moment Hellboy 2 first hit theaters. We’ve seen little progress on that note over the years, but yesterday the Pan’s Labyrinth director initiated a flurry of tweets that suggest that something might be in the works. First, he conducted an informal, tongue-in-cheek Twitter poll to gauge interest, asking fans if they would be interested and offering the responses of “yes” and “hell yes”, before moving on to announcing a sit down with Ron Perlman and Hellboy comic creator Mike Mignola. This certainly doesn’t make anything solid, but it’s great news for fans and could very easily become something in the near future.

(The Hollywood Reporter)

The post Film Bits: ‘Logan’ and ‘Power Rangers’ Release Final Trailers appeared first on Glide Magazine.

Centro-matic’s Will Johnson Announces New Solo LP ‘Hatteras Night, A Good Luck Charm’

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Over the course of his quarter-century-plus career, Will Johnson has dealt with every challenge a musician can face. The silver lining, however, is that the Austin-based songwriter excels at taking bumps in the road and turning them into gold.

A week before Johnson was to begin tracking his fifth solo album, Hatteras Night, A Good Luck Charm, he hit one such bump: His usual studio haunt, the Echo Lab—where he’s recorded solo work, albums by his beloved former band Centro-matic and side projects such as South San Gabriel—suddenly became unavailable due to a fire. Luckily, a friend and collaborator, Britton Beisenherz (Monahans, Milton Mapes) stepped in and offered up his Austin, Texas, studio, Ramble Creek Recording.

The last-minute switch was a blessing in disguise. First, the session now brought together both old friends (his Centro-matic bandmate Matt Pence, a pal of 27 years and the Echo Lab’s manager) and newer friends (Beisenherz, Ricky Ray Jackson, who’s worked with Phosphorescent and Steve Earle).

In addition, this combination of musicians ended up unexpectedly adding more depth to the album’s desolate, folk- and Americana-leaning songs. Anxious soundscapes—specifically, hushed harmonies and a mélange of drums and splintered acoustic guitars—give “Hey-O, Hi” cinematic tension. Elsewhere, mournful, coyote-howl pedal steel wafts through the country croon “Childress (To Ogden)”; “Ruby Shameless” is a gentle, lullaby-like song with a chiming melodic backbone; and on the easygoing “Predator,” winking piano peeks out from layers of burnished guitar strums and sparking percussion.

“Having Britton’s personality and his fingerprints on this record definitely added more to it,” Johnson says. “At first, I thought Hatteras Night, A Good Luck Charm was just going to be Ricky Ray and me holed up in the live room, making a really subdued, largely acoustic, pedal steel-type of record. But it wound up turning into a more involved and layered affair, and one that was even more rocking in places than it might have been had we done it at the Echo Lab.”

The latter development is most evident on “Every Single Day Of Late,” which has a creeping sense of dread thanks to shuddering distorted guitars and rhythmically off-kilter percussion, and on the roaring, hurricane-like “Heresy And Snakes.” These moments might remind some people of Centro-matic, although Johnson says that band’s absence is more of an influence.

“When Centro-matic was still intact, my solo records were usually really subdued,” he says. “I would take them in a completely different direction than the cascade of guitars and feedback that we were really into. Now that Centro-matic is not in existence anymore, there are going to be moments where I just want to turn everything up and kind of go for it.”

On some level, his ability to let loose stems from his chemistry with Beisenherz and Jackson, both of whom added prominent instrumental contributions to Johnson’s last album, 2015’s Swan City Vampires. However, this approach also reflects his comfort level with Pence. Although Hatteras Night, A Good Luck Charm marked their first full session together since 2012, their creative and studio relationship always tends to pick up right where it left off.

That enduring connection especially helped this time around, since the crew only had five days to make Hatteras Night, A Good Luck Charm. Although Swan City Vampires was almost as economical—it was recorded over six days—that record found Johnson navigating both the loss of his mother and the 2014 breakup of Centro-matic. Hatteras Night, A Good Luck Charm is a different animal: The record largely revolves around fictional narratives featuring vibrant, well-defined characters dealing with “situations of tension,” as Johnson puts it.

On “Every Single Day of Late,” the protagonist finds much more than spiritual fulfillment after seeking out religious counsel, and soon becomes addicted to the taboo relationship. Milaak’s titular song demonstrates the anguish which often goes hand-in-hand with human connection, while on “Heresy and Snakes,” misunderstood Mazie May’s actions are perceived to be more nefarious than dignified. The keening “Filled With a Falcon’s Dream,” meanwhile, namechecks the ill-intentioned trio of Lucius, Timmy and Steve.

“I was in a mindset of exploring risky connections between people, and their willingness to look the other way and just go through with them, for the simple need of human affection and an almost devil-may-care attitude,” Johnson explains.

Still, he is a benevolent songwriter. For example, the narrator of “Ruby Shameless” looks at the song’s main character, a stripper, with tenderness and humanity; he sees her as a person worth cherishing, rather than a devalued object. Hatteras Night, A Good Luck Charm‘s characters aren’t “morally bankrupt,” Johnson says, just dealing with a devil and an angel perched on their shoulders, whispering in their ears.

“I’m sympathetic to all of these characters, even though they’re flawed and maybe a little confused,” he says. “A lot of the time it’s good people making bad decisions. And they may just need some affection, and then will move on. It’s more coming to terms with, ‘I’m going to be alone in this world, and I’m okay with it. I’m totally okay with this solitary situation, and this empty bed.’”

As a solo artist, Johnson also knows all too well the balance required to navigate solitude and collaboration. However, on Hatteras Night, A Good Luck Charm, finding this equilibrium helps him discover nuanced and intriguing sonic directions. The album ends up a thought-provoking meditation on what it means to exist in a world that often misunderstands (or chooses to ignore) emotional complexity.

The post Centro-matic’s Will Johnson Announces New Solo LP ‘Hatteras Night, A Good Luck Charm’ appeared first on Glide Magazine.

SONG PREMIERE: my education Share Prog-rock Opus Minimus “Open Marriages”

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Austin band my education are skilled in the art of crafting sonic soundscapes. Band members have come and gone in the years that followed since they formed in 1999, but the band itself has always succeeded in taking the music into richer, more psychedelic dimensions with each respective release. This is, after all, a group that takes pride in collaboration, and though they are often classified as post-rock, such a moniker is far too simple. The cinematic instrumental music of my education can be interpreted in any number of ways, since music is an international language.

On March 3rd my education will release their newest album Schiphol. Repeated listens to the album reveal this sense of weightlessness, of timeless beauty, a flashing moment in time crystallized by the kinetic lightning storms the band experienced in the studio while recording. There is a trippiness and undeniable flow to the songs on Schiphol, yet there is also an orchestral preciseness always present. Today Glide Magazine is excited to share an exclusive first listen of one of the album’s most impressive compositions, “Open Marriages”. As ambiguous as its title, the sprawling instrumental captures everything unique about the band with a heavy prog rock sound that gives way into a swelling symphony of layered instruments. “Open Marriages” is only further proof that my education excel in the realm of thinking man’s rock.

Viola player James Alexander has this to say about the song:

Like most of my education’s work, “Open Marriages” was a collaborative composition. Growing from a pair of complimentary guitar riffs, it evolved into a three part ‘opus minimus’ with a reflective midsection and a hard-driving ending. The “meaning” behind the song is, as always with my education, ambiguous. The experience of being in a band like my education is, in a way, like an open marriage – band members go off and play with other musicians and groups and bring the energy of some of those experiences back to the band. Unlike most real open marriages, that has worked out well for this band. 

LISTEN:

my education will release Schiphol on March 3rd. For more music and info visit myeducationmusic.com.

Photo credit: Ismael Quintanilla III

The post SONG PREMIERE: my education Share Prog-rock Opus Minimus “Open Marriages” appeared first on Glide Magazine.

Keller Williams KWahtro Stretches Wide With Boller, Droll & Holmes (ALBUM REVIEW)

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kwatro2The one man jam band (and constant record releaser) Keller Williams has teamed up with some friends for yet another project titled Sync under the group name KWahtro (Confused? Sound it out.) The three other band members this go around come from different backgrounds with Danton Boller adding jazz flourishes on bass, frequent Williams collaborator Gib Droll on guitar and the drum work of Rodney Holmes who has worked with Santana, Steve Kimock and more. The trio successfully move Williams towards a more jazz oriented sound than bluegrass, jam rock or the acoustic dance music he has made his career on.

The musicianship is high while the overall tone is light and airy. Fans of KW will jump into this new project with both feet as tracks like the reggae/ganja tinged “Cheaper by the Bale” and the jamband closer “Running on Fumes” set things in motion while the grooving “In The Middle” will also scratch an itch. “Hategreedlove” is a surprise as the song builds with violin strings and a soaring distant electric guitar before some really out there lyrics from Williams corroded the finale with gore.

Williams has always been the Sierra Nevada and weed toke to  G. Love and Special Sauce’s Budweiser and Henessy back; Williams singing/lyrics are usually the point where fans are either drawn to him or walk away. The original Freeker By The Speaker and Porta Potty Romeo continues on with these “think-it, say-it songs”, that range from silly/cute to utterly pointless/vapid. Opener “Ripped 6-Pack” succeeds with equating working out to a heavy mind directly while “BabyMama” becomes an easy rolling get away song for new bland hippie parents. “Missing Remote takes this to the breaking point though with stream of conscious lyrics that admit their own frivolity, however behind the vocals the group explore exciting patterns, tempos and tones with some of the best music on the disk.

All the instrumentation, from KW’s acoustic strums to Boller’s bopping, Droll’s small touches and especially Holmes key percussion, are expertly presented. When guest Mike Dillon joins for funky jazz instrumental “Watchoowantgurl” the professionalism and fluidity reminds of the most organic Zappa jams. Who knows if this will be an ongoing project for Williams as he is involved in so many (Keller and The Keels, The Keller Williams Incident, WMD’s, The Rhythm Devils and his constant solo albums) but if it is, a solid foundation of acoustic acid jazz has been laid down via Sync.

The post Keller Williams KWahtro Stretches Wide With Boller, Droll & Holmes (ALBUM REVIEW) appeared first on Glide Magazine.

Shyamalan Produces Best Work in Years with ‘Split’ (FILM REVIEW)

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M. Night Shyamalan has been threatening a return to form for years now, with middling success. It was a long and uneventful fall from grace for the director, which began with The Village and continued throughout the years until redemption seemed impossible. 2015’s The Visit, however, showed a tiny spark of the Shyamalan that was without quite bringing him back into good graces.

A marriage between Shyamalan and Jason Blum—whose Blumhouse Productions, the current standard bearers of mass marketed horror, produced the film—The Visit did seem to reinvigorate the director’s career, somewhat. As corny and predictable as that film was, it was also difficult to deny that it felt like a new beginning for Shyamalan after a decade of misses turned him into a joke.

That marriage continues now with Split, which is easily Shyamalan’s best film since Signs. Split is Shyamalan at his most bold, and while the film is a bit bloated and filled with unnecessary moments and more than its share of cheesy dialogue, it serves as a decent reminder of what the director can be capable of or, at least, what he used to be capable of.

James McAvoy (X-Men: Apocalype) stars as Kevin, a man suffering from multiple-personality disorder, with 23 distinct personalities existing in his psyche, three of whom—the OCD Dennis, the matronly Patricia, and the 9-year-old Hedwig—have gone bad. The three personalities plot to kidnap three teenage girls, Casey (Anya Taylor-Joy, The Witch), Claire (Haley Lu Richardson, The Edge of Seventeen), and Marcia (Jessica Sula, Honeytrap). Locked away in a basement, the three girls must figure out a way to freedom, all while a new personality, known only as The Beast, begins to make itself known within Kevin.

Multiple-personality stories are always a little silly even when they’re good. There are a lot of misconceptions about the disorder that get played up in order to tell a decent yarn, and this one is no different. There’s a lot you have to be willing to accept in order to appreciate the story being told here, and to Shyamalan’s credit, he does a good job at selling his premise.

McAvoy and Taylor-Joy are both wildly enjoyable and turn in amazing performances. McAvoy in particular, who of course plays multiple characters throughout the film, is amazing to watch as he gives each personality a life of their own, often to horrifying effect. Taylor-Joy, meanwhile, finally lives up to the promise she showed in last year’s The Witch. Casey is a classic horror protagonist, one who wins audience cheers through her intelligence and resourcefulness.

Split is at its best when these two are interacting, and thankfully that’s most of the movie. However, at just under two hours long, there are a lot of moments that drag down the narrative and disrupt the overall flow of the film. At a lean 90-100 minutes, Split might have even been a great movie. At 120, the best it ever gets is pretty good.

Still, the final 20 minutes or so almost make up for the unnecessary moments from earlier in the film, and produces some genuine scares. The Beast, once unveiled, is kind of terrifying, and McAvoy pulls it off. It’s all enhanced by Shyamalan’s directing, which is as strong as it’s been since Unbreakable. There are some beautiful shots and well-orchestrated moments throughout Split that remind us all of why Shyamalan was such a fun director in the first place.

If there’s a weakness it’s in the script, which is at times too unfocused and silly for its own good. Writing has always been Shyamalan’s weak point as a filmmaker, and in the hands of less talented stars, Split would’ve ripped apart at the seams. As it stands, it all holds together well enough, even if you do roll your eyes more than a couple of times.

In the end, Split is Shyamalan’s most solid yarn in years. It’s a flawed film that works in spite of itself, but when it works it’s top notch. We may not ever get the Shyamalan of Signs or Unbreakable once again, but if this is a forebear of what’s to come, then we’re in for a fun ride. Maybe that’s the best we can hope for. Maybe that’s all we really need.

Split is now playing in theaters everywhere.

The post Shyamalan Produces Best Work in Years with ‘Split’ (FILM REVIEW) appeared first on Glide Magazine.

‘XXX’ And The Return Of Fighting Against The Man

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It must be a strange time to be in the action movie business. First, there’s an ever-growing interest in expanded, overlapping movie franchises, along with the public’s increasing lack of interest with investing themselves in new characters and stories. Then, the constant need to raise the bar as far as the action sequences themselves.

A prime example of both of these issues can be found in XXX: The Return of Xander Cage, where retired XXX agent Xander Cage (Vin Diesel) can’t just repel jump off a tower in the middle of the jungle, he has to repel jump off a tower in the middle of a jungle so he can ski through it, at least until he gets to his skateboard. Later, he can’t just have a motorcycle chase across an exploding beach resort being invaded by Russian foot soldiers, he has to have a motorcycle chase across an exploding beach resort being invaded by Russian foot soldiers and eventually across the ocean’s surface(!).

Not seen since 2002′s first XXX movie, Diesel’s Xander Cage was an about face from the square-jawed action heroes that had dominated the genre. Capitalizing on the extreme sports fad of the early aughts, Cage was arrogant and rebellious, becoming a spy only reluctantly — and even then only on the condition that he do it his own way.

Its timing put it perfectly at odds with an administration that had been whipped-up into a Cheney-sponsored frenzy of bloodthirsty patriotism in the wake of 9/11. Now, Diesel returns as the extreme sports enthusiast who’s even more reluctant to get involved than he was first time, and as he slowly assembles his version of the extreme lifestyle Avengers, their woke, worldly diversity ends up an unintended commentary on the incoming administration and its return to arrogant nationalism.

With a global threat that turns satellites into lethal, neighborhood-leveling space junk, Xander agrees to return to the XXX program. With the death of Augustus Gibbons (the omnipresent Samuel L. Jackson), however, he has to deal with Jane Marke (Toni Colette), a buttoned-down, by-the-numbers company-type.

Of course, Xander needs rules like he needs sleeves for any of the 845 different shirts he wears throughout the movie, and even when the square-jawed Army guys try and intimidate him, calling him “Red Bull” and “Mountain Dew” (and a bit of accidental self-parody), Xander just ties them to a parachute and launches them out of the plane.

The rest of the time, Xander and his cohorts, which includes enemies-turned-allies and allies-turned-enemies, spend the film gliding through highly coordinated action sequences in extreme slo-mo. Alternately, they fill their time puffing out their chests out at one another, reciting dialogue that sounds like it was written by a mad-lib committee, and edited together like a rough cut of a movie trailer by someone who doesn’t understand how editing works.

Their mildly cartoonish characters aside, actors like Donnie Yen, Deepika Padukone, Tony Jaa, and Ruby Rose do all bring their own unique style and charisma, especially when they have to spit out fed such hammy, tone-deaf dialogue. Even Rory McCann (The Hound from Game of Thrones) looks like he’s having an alright time despite his character having next to nothing to do. Even though it’s little more than a blatantly obvious effort to relaunch a concept that was barely a film franchise more than a decade ago, XXX: The Return of Xander Cage wins out simply because it never regards itself as being better than its own utter ridiculousness.

XXX: The Return of Xander Cage is now playing in theaters everywhere.

The post ‘XXX’ And The Return Of Fighting Against The Man appeared first on Glide Magazine.

Robert Earl Keen, Todd Snider Get Portland Feelin’ Good Again (SHOW REVIEW)

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Portland, Oregon was treated to a double feature of storytelling singer/songwriting powerhouses Wednesday night when Todd Snider and Robert Earl Keen played Revolution Hall.

Snider, coming off the fall release of his rock n’ roll party album Eastside Bulldog, came out armed with his acoustic guitar and a harmonica and engaged the crowd immediately with “Ballad of The Kingsmen.” This song encapsulates Snider’s approach to songwriting, delivering societal commentary through often humorous, sometimes poignant folk songs. A gifted storyteller, Snider entertains even when he isn’t playing, and his stories before, after, and even during songs work to add more weight to his compositions.

Snider, who grew up in the Portland area (Beaverton High, class of 1985), included a few regional songs in his set. “D.B. Cooper”, about the 1971 hijacking of a Boeing 727 and the possible fate of the hijacker, was a crowd pleaser. Later, a story about writing “Todd Snider Rules” in a Portland tunnel during his senior year of high school led into “Rose City Blues.” And he closed his set with fan favorite “Talkin’ Seattle Grunge Rock Blues.”

Snider, although he calls Nashville home now, lived in Texas for a time and talked about following Robert Earl Keen around Austin when he first arrived on the scene. So, it was only appropriate for him to play “Beer Run” from 2002’s New Connection, about some college guys going to see a Robert Earl Keen concert.

Robert Earl Keen took the stage with a full band backing him up. In addition to his acoustic rhythm guitar, Keen was accompanied by drums, electric bass, lead acoustic guitar, violin, and mandolin, along with a multi-instrumentalist that switched from keyboards to pedal steel to lap steel to dobro.

Similar to Snider, Keen’s songs use colorful storytelling and often humor, but also pack an emotional punch. With a career spanning more than 30 years, he’s released a dozen studio albums along with seven live albums. Last fall, Keen released Live Dinner Reunion, a celebration of the 20th anniversary of 1996 release No. 2 Live Dinner. Both releases were recoded live a John T. Floore’s Country Store in Helotes, Texas.

There was a lot of love for Keen in Revolution Hall, and it’s not hard to understand why. A jovial man, he possesses a disarming demeanor that allows his good-humored nature to permeate a room. Early in his set, when he played “Feeling Good Again,” it was clear that this was why fans showed up and were, indeed, feeling good. Although it was a seated show, many of Keen’s songs brought standing ovations from the crowd.

In addition to Keen classics like “Gringo Honeymoon,” “Feeling Good Again,” and the Terry Allen-penned “Amarillo Highway,” the band delved into a few covers, including Peter Rowan’s “Walls of Time’ and The Grateful Dead’s “I Know You Rider.” Todd Snider was invited on stage to help sing his own “Play A Train Song,” which Keen recorded for his album Ready For Confetti.

At the end of Keen’s set, the opening notes of what is almost certainly his most popular song brought howls from the crowd. As Keen led the band through the timeless classic, those in the sold-out crowd couldn’t help but sing along and remind us all that “The Road Goes On Forever, And The Party Never Ends.”

 

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The post Robert Earl Keen, Todd Snider Get Portland Feelin’ Good Again (SHOW REVIEW) appeared first on Glide Magazine.


Blues Legend Taj Mahal Gets Help From His Friends On ‘Labor Of Love’ (ALBUM REVIEW)

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MI0004151571The legend that is Taj Mahal released a time capsule of acoustic country, folk, blues in Labor Of Love, his first offering in four years and 47th record to date! Housing classic Mahal favorites like “Stack-O-Lee”, “Walking Blues”, and John Hurt penned personal favorite, “My Creole Bell”, but the succulence is the atmosphere. Clearly heard as friends purely making a joyful noise, the collection was recorded by Music Maker Relief Foundation headman Tim Duffy during a month and a half long tour back in 1998 in hotel room to hotel room. Being on tour always leaves ample time to pick and slide, sing a spell, blow some harp, or record all that goodness together and make it a record.

Labor Of Love finds Mahal putting on a clinic of sorts. Picking on blues staples and folk mainstays with a cast of mysterious characters in one-armed harp blower Neal Pattman, blind songbird Cootie Stark, Piedmont blueslady and gentleman Algia Mae Hinton and John Dee Holeman respectively, and not to mention a not so unknown, Cool John Ferguson adding some acoustic axe work on the album closer. There’s piano-laced barrelhouse blues coupled with hambone hand slapping and feathering to help flavor the acoustic folk blues fervor. Labor Of Love is a heaping helping of Taj Mahal’s blues with a little help from his friends.

The man is simply a legend. Recording since the late ‘60s and collecting an attic’s worth of triumph and awards, most notably a couple Grammys, an Americana Lifetime Achievement Award, and of course a seat in the Blues Hall of Fame, and a well-deserved one at that. Mahal has put more blues in hippies ears than Son House, John Hurt, or Fred McDowell combined. He’s toured with Dylan to prime audiences, picked a song or three with the Rolling Stones in front of the white hot lights of the stage, used to hang with BB King and our favorite Blues Brothers, Aykroyd and Belushi, and still plays shows all over the world as your eyes peruse these ramblings.

Bonnie Raitt chimes, “Taj is probably the most important bridge we have between blues and rock-n-roll. He’s as bad as they get.” The new father at 73, Mick Jagger has called him “a living link to the old blues tradition.” There’s no doubt he’s as bad as they come, however, Labor Of Love is also the mellowest of mellow offerings from Mahal. That’s what’s so ultimately refreshing about this thirteen song collection out now on Acoustic Sounds in 200 gram vinyl, no less! That and it’s a damn near twenty years old at the time of its release! There’s a ton of beauty there.

Labor of Love is a time capsule. Even if 1998 doesn’t seem that long ago, it was. Stripping down a record to voices and acoustic instruments will cause anyone to think throwback, yet few can pull it off as genuine and procure it quite like Taj Mahal and friends. Proof positive that all it takes is a soul with something to say and a way to catch it on tape to light that fire in the listener. If you’re akin to the blues, God bless you. If you’re not, let this be your easing in, you’ll find that at the heart of any ‘Labor Of Love’ there’s a definitive true blues.

The post Blues Legend Taj Mahal Gets Help From His Friends On ‘Labor Of Love’ (ALBUM REVIEW) appeared first on Glide Magazine.

Willie Nelson, Conor Oberst, Margo Price And More To Play Luck Reunion During SXSW

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Luck Productions is proud to announce the 2017 Luck Reunion, a boutique music festival held on Willie Nelson’s “Luck, TX” property in the heart of the hill country. Featuring performances from a eclectic artist roster, the Luck Reunion also celebrates artisans and chefs, offering specialty pop-up shops and the best of Austin cuisine. Luck Reunion will take place on Thursday, March 16. Tickets will be released on a rolling basis, with the first on-sale date on Saturday, January 21. Ticket sale dates and special codes will be announced through Luck Reunion social media pages, e-mail lists, and at www.luckreunion.com.

The 2017 Luck Reunion marks the fifth year that Nelson will lend his property to programming celebrating the evolution of American roots music; positioning “Luck, TX” as a lasting hub for the legacies among us and the artists carrying their torch.

Anchored by a headlining set by Willie Nelson, Luck Reunion will welcome more than forty artists who will perform across three stages. The first wave of announced performers includes: Conor Oberst with special to-be-announced guests; Margo Price; Brent Cobb; Parker Millsap; Aaron Lee Tasjan; Big Thief; Lillie Mae; Andrew Combs; Wild Reeds; Valley Queen; Paul Thorn featuring The McCrary Sisters; Frankie Lee; Bee Caves; Devon Gilfillian; Indianola; The National Reserve; and Red Shahan. We will announce several additional artists in the coming weeks.

“This year is a milestone for Luck Reunion in many ways,” said the Luck Productions team. “2016 showed us that you can never really know what’s going to happen: from a lightning storm that brought the Luck family closer and produced an unforgettable jam; to the beginning of our expansion beyond the flagship Reunion with new Luck events outside Texas. At the end of the day Luck will always be our home, and we could not be happier to be back to celebrate the fifth year of amazing music in this incredible location.

Luck Reunion is also proud to announce Southwest Airlines as a presenting sponsor for 2017. We will join the iconic brand in their initiative to support the music community, joining forces with artists and brands to carry out the mission of propelling the amazing performers forging their own path today.

An escape from the SXSW crowds, Luck Reunion offers a one-of-a-kind opportunity to experience the grounds that served as the set for Nelson’s Red Headed Stranger. Between sets, patrons can visit boutique pop-up shops, enjoy food from Austin’s famous food trucks, and sip complimentary cocktails at the Saloon and the venue’s several specialty bars.

On Wednesday, March 15, the eve of the concert event, Luck will also host an exclusive “Chef’s Pot Luck” dinner benefitting Wholesome Wave, an organization making fresh, locally grown food available for low-income families. Guests will enjoy a seated multi-course meal prepared by an all-star chef lineup to be announced soon; followed by a starlit performance by Willie Nelson and a collection of guests. Additional ticket details will be announced soon. To learn more about Wholesome Wave visit: www.wholesomewave.org.

For more information, please visit www.luckreunion.com or Facebook.com/LuckTexasReunion. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @luckreunion for ticket sale announcements and exclusive offers.

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John Paul White Breaks From Civil Wars Shadow To Illuminate The Troubadour (SHOW REVIEW)

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The reclusive former member of The Civil Wars, John Paul White has come out of the shadows to perform songs from his new solo album, Beulah. After a short tour last summer, he is following up with a 15 date tour of the across the United States and England. The tour included a very special stop at the legendary Troubadour club in West Hollywood, on January 11. The club was packed with adulate fans of the dark Americana songwriter. Some of those fans, sitting around the bar before the show began, could be heard exchanging stories involving the minutia of details surrounding the much-publicized breakup with his former musical partner, Joy Williams. The demise of Civil Wars leads White back to his alternative country roots, resulting in the new album.

The show opened with the rockabilly sounds of The Kernal, hailing from Jackson, Tennessee. The Kernal and his band The New Strangers channel the raw energy of Americana music with a nod to country music and rock and roll icons like Johnny Cash and Jerry Lee Lewis. The audience listened politely to the upbeat set.

In contrast, the set by White proved to be a much darker and brooding one, much to the delight of his ardent fans. As the singer-guitarist took the stage solo, with an acoustic guitar, he seemed to be living in the moment, savoring the strong reception from the crowd. He then proceeded to play his new album nearly in its entirety, first as a solo artist, then later joined by a full band of talented musicians.

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After each song White would stop to banter with the crowd, recounting his personal influences from his life in Alabama. He explained that much of his early musical influence came from his father’s country music collections. He was always drawn to the sad darker songs dealing with the struggles of real life. Music icons like Hank Williams, Sr. and Lefty Frizzell left a lasting impression on his writing style. The result has been a successful writing career for the charismatic singer. In addition to his Grammy award-winning songwriting with The Civil Wars, he also co-wrote the hit single “Relentless” for Jason Aldean. In 2015 he contributed the song “Kyrie” as a duet with Emmylou Harris and in 2017, he was a guest on the song “It Ain’t Over Yet” with Rodney Crowell and Rosanne Cash.

The audience at the Troubadour seemed entranced by the sad, somber songs early in the set, but the band came alive on a few thunderous numbers like the more upbeat track “The Martyr.” The 90-minute set left the audience shouting for more and a gracious White thanked them for indulging his songwriting addiction before politely leaving the stage.

 

 

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2017 ShipRocked Cruise Proves Loud & Mighty (PHOTOS

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Hard rock nation had a chance to unite last week on the seas. The 2017 ShipRocked Cruise set sail from Miami on Jan. 16, docking in at Grand Turk Island in Turks and Caicos on Jan. 18 and returning to Miami on Jan. 20, with performances by acts on the cruise and a wealth of other activities available to those on board. Artists on board included Wilson, Stitched Up Heart, Sevendust, Letter from The Fire, Avatar, Cane Hill, Bumblefoot and more. Photos by Amy Harris.


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Frank Ocean, Chance the Rapper, Twenty One Pilots Lead 2017 Sasquatch! Music Festival

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Sasquatch! Music Festival has announced the 2017 lineup, featuring headliners. Twenty One Pilots,Frank Ocean and Chance the Rapper.  The lineup is as distinct as the festival’s one-of-a-kind setting, the breathtaking Gorge Amphitheatre overlooking Washington’s Columbia River.  Created in 2002 by Pacific Northwest native Adam Zacks,  Sasquatch! established  its legacy through thoughtfully curated programming featuring global and regional artists that appeal to its diverse audience. The unique backdrop and fresh take on the traditional festival draws an annual pilgrimage from nearby and afar. Tickets to the 2017 Sasquatch! Music Festival will go on sale Saturday, January 28th at 10 a.m. (PST) at SasquatchFestival.com.

 

2017 Sasquatch! Music Festival Lineup:

Twenty One Pilots, Frank Ocean, Chance The Rapper

The Head & The Heart, The Shins, MGMT, Phantogram

Mac Miller, Bonobo, Rüfüs Du Sol, Kaytranada, Big Gigantic,

Bleachers, Kiiara, Bomba Estereo, Bob Moses, Aesop Rock, Charles Bradley & His Extraordinaires, Vulfpeck, Car Seat Headrest, Catfish & The Bottlemen, American Football, Mount Kimbie, Thee Oh Sees, Foxygen, Jagwar Ma, The Strumbellas, Kungs, The Radio Dept., Manatee Commune, Fakear, The Hotelier, Mondo Cozmo, Moses Sumney, White Lung, Rainbow Kitten Surprise, Arkells, Cigarettes After Sex, July Talk, Sales, Boogie, Joey Purp, Kaiydo, Corey Harper, Klangstof, Flint Eastwood, IHF, Hoops, Kyle Craft, Courtney Marie Andrews, Saint Mesa, Los Colognes, Porter Ray, Gazebos, and more to come!

Comedy: Fred Armisen, Sasheer Zamata, Nate Bargatze, Beth Stelling, Sal Vulcano, Alice Wetterlund, Sam Morril, Emmett Montgomery, Yogi Paliwal

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Pete Murano of Trombone Shorty Talks Guitar Solos & Opening For Red Hot Chili Peppers (INTERVIEW)

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Troy Andrews (Trombone Shorty) may be the focal point when he takes the stage with his band Orleans Avenue but when he turns it over to his guitar player Pete Murano to do a solo, the electrical current in the room goes way up. “As a guitar player he can do it all,” bandmate Joey Peebles tells me before Trombone Shorty’s set in New Orleans opening for the Red Hot Chili Peppers. “I’ve seen him play a bee bop gig, turn around and play like a thrashing rock gig and then a James Brown type of funk gig. I’m serious, he’s as diverse as hell.”

For the thirty-two year old St Louis raised musician, who has been with Andrews since 2004 when they started Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, this is the band that gives him a chance to frolic in all his favorite genres of music – from blues to funk to R&B and rock & roll. Although he actually began on saxophone, he was soon turned onto the guitar and never really looked back. After playing in his high school marching and Jazz bands, Murano earned a scholarship to Loyola in New Orleans. Hooking up with Andrews, the band has grown to one of the most influential Jazz/funk ensembles in music today, beloved all over the world and holding down the most coveted headline spot at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival for the last several years.

But for 2017, at least until March 18th, Murano and his bandmates will be opening for the Chili Peppers on their Getaway Tour across America. For someone who used to listen to the band as a teen, this is a thrill for Murano

The Red Hot Chili Peppers love New Orleans and they love New Orleans music. What do you love about the Chili Peppers?

Oh man, their body of work is pretty incredible. I remember growing up on a lot of their records and I remember Blood Sugar Sex Magik and everything when I was younger. I was also just starting to play guitar around this time. I remember being in high school when Californication came out and that was a big album. I was starting to play with my friends at that time. We put little bands together and I remember “Scar Tissue” was a new song and we learned that opening riff and played that. And now, it’s really cool that they’re still doing it, still putting out great work and out here touring. They’re one of the biggest bands out there operating at the highest level. Everyone is super cool and super professional, on top of all this great music.

How many dates are you doing with them?

I believe it’s thirty dates total

And how many are you into?

Here in New Orleans, it’s the fourth one, so we get the hometown show early, which is nice.

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In regards to Troy and Orleans Avenue, you guys built this band together. What were your goals in the early days and how have they come to fruition?

In the early days, we wanted to play the kind of music we liked to play, which is that kind of supercharged, funky, rock, brass-oriented kind of sound. We wanted to take that and be able to play it not just in New Orleans but all over the world and we’ve been very fortunate in that we’ve gotten to do just that, in many different places and many different countries.

What was the first foreign country you went to?

The first foreign country I went to with the band, I believe we went to England. I want to say we went to England for a couple of weeks, which must have been late 2006 or early 2007.

Did they know you there?

Not really. We were playing very small places. I mean, we would play in a little pub and then go across the street and play in another little pub. It was like that, that kind of thing. There were some people that were New Orleans enthusiasts who had kind of heard of us, people that would come to Jazz Fest every year. Those people are all over the world. So there were a couple people but it wasn’t anywhere near what it is now when we go to Europe. Now when we go, there’re people that are definitely coming to see the show, which has been really cool.

Which country do you see draws the most fans for you?

France. The crowd there has been building, which is cool. We just played there in November in Paris and I mean it was a blast, probably one of the best shows we did in 2016. And I feel like over the years in that town we’ve gotten to progress a bit, from playing in small clubs to the Olympia and then up from there.

You like to get out there and wail on that guitar. Has Troy always given you that freedom to improvise, cause he really seems to enjoy it.

He does, yeah. He’s always been very encouraging with that kind of thing, which is great. One of my favorite things about this band is I feel like all the guys kind of push each other to do better in those situations. And Troy is really cool about that stuff. He’s very encouraging and when he passes the ball, he wants you to score a touchdown.

Did you want to be like a guitar god growing up?

I wouldn’t say I wanted to be a guitar god. I wanted to just make a living playing music, and playing music that I liked. And mostly, that’s what I get to do so it’s a good life.

You started off when you were how old playing guitar?

I started on the saxophone when I was about nine. I moved to guitar around fourteen or fifteen and the first things I started to play was kind of a mix of blues stuff and that came from my dad and my uncle who were always playing a lot of blues records, people like John Lee Hooker, BB King. So I was learning that stuff and at the same time I was also taking stuff off of the radio at that time – Lenny Kravitz, Red Hot Chili Peppers, things like that. It’s cool cause playing with the band I’ve gotten to meet a lot of these guys years later.

Who was somebody that you have always admired that you got to meet while you were out touring?

Chilis are definitely on the list. Foo Fighters are all really cool guys. I remember checking them out when I was younger. Lenny Kravitz is another one. He plays a hell of a guitar and also drums. He can play pretty much anything he wants to play.

When you first started playing guitar what was the hardest thing to get the hang of?

The hardest thing to get the hang of for me was, first of all, figuring out which way to bend your fingers, to build those initial calluses, and after that I was trying to figure out how to do it without staring down at the fretboard the entire time. And I’m still learning that (laughs). But honestly, that is still something you’re always learning, always learning as you go, and depending on what you’re playing and how new it is to you, it’s always something to keep in mind. There’s always something that can improve. Then after that it was developing tone.

What is the most important thing about your guitar solos – what do you want to put in there?

Musicality (laughs). I want emotion. I feel like my best work, lead-wise, is just kind of an interpretation of whatever is going on in the room at that time. So it’s feeding off the crowd, it’s feeding off the other guys, it’s feeding off the overall vibe. And also, you’re thinking about what the song is about as well, trying to serve that at the same time. I always want to just keep expanding my horizons musically.

You did a song with Human Experience, which was pretty much Jazz fusion.

We made that track a couple of Jazz Fests ago. We had a mutual friend and it was kind of cool because here was this guy who was making all kinds of interesting beats and stuff like that and had a real know-how of computer that was not necessarily in my skill set. But it was fun to combine forces on that particular project. I do enjoy playing it sometime but it does get kind of heady at times.

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Do you like the fusion?

I like some of it. I like it in moderation. I’m also very much a blues guy, a rock guy. I like the raw stuff as well. It doesn’t have to be complicated, and complicated and musical is not the same thing, to me anyway. Just because something is more complicated doesn’t necessarily make it more musical.

Tell us about that marching band gig you had in high school

(laughs) I played the saxophone, alto sax, in the marching band. Actually, the Jazz band in school kind of helped set me a little more on the path I’m on, I’d say. I was going to audition for the Jazz band in school one year and I saw they had a guitar in there and I was like, oh wait, there’s a guitar in this too? Let me see the music! (laughs) I figured, let’s just give it a shot. Phil Milligan was the band director at that time and he let me play guitar in the Jazz band. Some of the guys in the rhythm section there, we would break off into, and I think it’s a common thing in school where you go off into sections – the saxophones go over in one room and they’re learning their stuff, trombone players are over here learning their stuff, right. So when it was the rhythm section doing our thing, we’d be playing the Jazz band music but we’d also be playing whatever song came on the radio that week that we liked. I remember I caught his ear one time. He came in when we were supposed to be working on the material for class and he heard us playing the other stuff and he just kind of came in and said, “Sounds good, guys. Keep at it.” And I never forgot that. That was very, very encouraging.

When you came to New Orleans for school, you started hanging around and playing on Frenchmen Street, this very small enclave of music. What were the early days like for you there?

When I moved to town, it was 2002, 2003, and honestly I’d never really seen anything like it. It was a whole lot of music concentrated in one very small area. I wasn’t old enough to get in half the places at the time but it didn’t matter as much back then. I found it was a very accessible scene for an eighteen, nineteen, year old guy to come in and check out different kinds of music. You could go hear Jazz guys at Snug Harbor and hear the funk guys at the Blue Nile, shoot over to Café Brasil and catch the Latin bands. You could shoot down to the Apple Barrel and hear the blues guys and hear the Trad guys at the Spotted Cat. You could do it all in one night so it was cool and was just a lot of fun for me.

You didn’t get intimidated as a new guy out there?

I didn’t. I thought the scene was very accessible actually. What’s the worst that could happen? You could go in or go sit in somewhere and it didn’t sound good? But you shouldn’t get discouraged from people being vibey or people critiquing you, you know what I mean. You get back up, take a few more swings and you learn.

What was your first big I can’t believe I’m here moment?

Wow, I remember I was not playing on this particular night. It must have been the fall of 2005. Katrina had just hit and I was not in New Orleans. I was in Chicago and Troy at that time was playing in Lenny Kravitz’s band and they were on the road. Lenny was playing before Aerosmith. So Troy called me up and said, “Hey, the tour’s coming through Chicago, you want to come out?” I went and met him and that was actually my first time. I had been to festivals, I’d been to clubs, I’d been to amphitheaters but that was my first time going to an actual arena rock concert on that level. That was my first experience with any of the stuff you see out here – all the trucks, the buses, the whole mechanism, all the moving parts, the whole machine there. That was my first experience. It was also my first time seeing Lenny play and my first time seeing Aerosmith play and I was kind of like, wow, this does exist (laughs).

What’s it like in the studio when you guys go to create music? Does Troy come in with music or send everyone files beforehand?

We have done it every which way over the past few records. There have been times where there’s been some songs we play on the road and we go in and record those. There’ve been other times where we’re actually writing something together in the studio. There’s been other times where Troy just comes in with a song and is like, “Hey, check this out.” Recently he brought in some stuff that he had been working on and it was kind of cool to be hearing that for the first time and then the red light goes on and that was it. But I liked that kind of sink or swim vibe to it, cause it kept things fresh, I feel like.

Are you working on new music?

Yeah, this fall we spent a good amount of time in the studio.

And when are we going to hear that?

That is a good question (laughs)

In the catalog that you’ve done with Troy, has there been a song that was difficult to transfer to the live stage, especially in terms of your guitar parts?

For us, putting our live spin on things has always kind of come naturally. If anything, I think the quest has been, how do we capture what is going on live, in the studio. I think it’s harder for me to go that way. It’s just different cause I think things that work live in the moment aren’t necessarily the best for when it’s part of an album as a whole and you’re making it like that and the live thing is much more about the crowd and the interaction there, whereas in the studio, it’s just you telling the story.

When you’re playing live, do you guys have much interaction onstage?

We look at each other pretty often. Sometimes it’s to cue something musically or do something technical. Other times it’s just pumping each other up and having fun with it.

What is your #1 guitar?

Number one right now is a Gibson Les Paul Classic. It is a 2001 and I just dropped some Seymour Duncan pickups in there, which I feel like it really opened the tone up a little bit more. I feel like there’s more bite, a little more clarity. I’ve been digging that lately.

Are you a gadget guy?

I am not a huge gadget guy. My setup is pretty basic. The guitar goes into a tube screamer, which I actually use as more of a boost than actually bringing up the sound and the gain is usually pretty low on there.

So what is this year looking like for you?

We’re going to continue to enjoy this tour for the next few months. We’re going to Australia after that and play the Byron Bay Festival. But until then, Chili Peppers all the way! (laughs) You’ve got to give it up to the Chilis for this one.

Do you think you’ll get a chance to go out there and play with them?

Who knows. I’m not expecting it but anything could happen. You never know.

 

Live photographs by Leslie Michele Derrough

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Vinyl Lives: Charleston’s Eclectic Cafe & Vinyl Serves Up Food And Tunes

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In Vinyl Lives we spotlight and profile record stores around the country who offer music lovers an experience that goes beyond an iTunes purchase or a Spotify playlist. Vinyl has found a new resurgence and the good folks behind independent record stores are on the front line, directly responsible for curating a unique collection of music. Here at Glide Magazine we feel that record stores are a valuable part of the community and to music as a whole, and are therefore worth celebrating.

Would you like eggs or a cup of coffee with your record? How about duck confit or a tasty local brew? Charleston’s Eclectic Cafe & Vinyl serves up all of these things under one roof. Located in the hip Cannonborough/Elliotborough neighborhood, Eclectic has been serving up new and hard-to-find vinyl alongside delicious food and drinks for less than a year and already it seems to be a good fit for this Southern city. As of now, vinyl and books are only a small portion of the business, with most people coming for the food and drinks, but the presence of music and literature clearly enhances the atmosphere and is a big part of the draw for patrons. Eclectic is part of a somewhat new business model happening in cities and towns across the country that brings together elements of independent record and book stores with cafes and coffee shops. For many, having these things come together makes for a more exciting way to dine and shop. Recently we caught up with Eclectic’s owner Garrett Garnos to chat about what makes his business unique.

Can you give us a short history of the store? 

The store has been open for 7 months. The concept behind the store is to provide a cultural gathering place to celebrate good vinyl, literature, poetry and live music within a comfortable environment serving quality food and coffee.

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Is there a specific style of music that you specialize in?

We do not really specialize in a specific genre of music. We do not even organize music in terms of genre, but simply alphabetically. I suppose we cater towards people’s sentimentality – their musical memories – and try to keep the best albums since the 1960′s in stock in all genres.

How much of your stock is used vs. new?

We are probably half new and half used vinyl.

Where does your shop fit into the musical history of your region?

In terms of the musical history of the region, I suppose we fit in now. We carry any and all releases from local bands and also have live music 2 nights a week.

What are some of your recent top sellers?

Sturgill Simpson’s A Sailors Guide to the Earth and a local band (which is really taking off – touring with the Lumineers this spring) Susto’s new album, & I’m Fine Today.

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Are there any upcoming releases you are particularly excited about?

We are excited for the release of Father John Misty’s new album, the new Fleet Foxes album, Phosphorescent’s new album. This is a really tough question, and I’m not sure how to answer it except in terms of the albums I’m most looking forward to.

You’d be surprised we sell a lot of…

You’d be surprised, but we sell a lot of food, coffee, beer, and wine. We are a hybrid store and vinyl sales are probably only about 15% of our net sales.

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Eclectic Cafe & Vinyl is located at 132 Spring St. Unit A in Charleston, SC. For hours, menu, and more visit eclecticcafeandvinyl.com or check out their Facebook page

 

Check out other editions of Vinyl Lives:

Luna Music (Indianapolis, IN)

Sweat Records (Miami, FL)

Shed House Records

Guestroom Records (Norman/Oklahoma City, OK & Louisville, KY)

Streetlight Records (San Jose/Santa Cruz, CA)

Scotti’s Record Shop (Summit, NJ)

Breakaway Records (Austin, TX)

Euclid Records (St. Louis & New Orleans)

Stinkweeds (Phoenix, AZ)

Pure Pop Records (Burlington, VT)

Generation Records (New York, NY)

Wall of Sound (Seattle, WA)

Strictly Discs (Madison, WI)

Is there a record store you think we should profile? Feel free to shoot your suggestions to Neil Ferguson on Twitter: @musicjournzo!

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Orchestra Baobab Releasing New LP ‘Tribute To Ndiouga Dieng’ Due 3/31

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West Africa’s iconic dance-band Orchestra Baobab will release their new album Tribute To Ndiouga Dieng o on March 31 via World Circuit Records. The album is their first in nearly a decade and comes almost half a century since their formation. “Foulo,” the first single from the new album has just premiered – hear it below…

Recorded locally in Moussa X’s Dakar studio, the new recordings sound fresh and yet reassuringly familiar, retaining the ripeness of the sound that made Orchestra Baobab a legend but interpreted with a vigor and vibrancy—and with a few twists—that are vital and captivating.

As enduring as the mighty African Baobab tree from which the group derives its name, the veteran core of the band remains as strong and sturdy as ever. Vocalists Balla Sidibe and Rudy Gomis, saxophonists Issa Cissoko and Thierno Koite and the long-serving, rock-steady rhythm section of Balla Sidibe on timbales, Charlie Ndiaye on bass and Mountaga Koite on congas.

Alongside this impressive continuity there have been changes in the ten years since Baobab’s last World Circuit album—Made in Dakar—but they have been executed seamlessly. Guitarist Barthelemy Attisso, now a lawyer in Togo, is absent due to the demands of his day job but kora player Abdouleye Cissoko from the Casamance region in southern Senegal is a welcome addition. It’s the first time Baobab has numbered a kora player in its permanent ranks but Cissoko’s rippling strings have blended seamlessly into the sound and lent a fresh dynamic. Elsewhere Baobab’s distinctive two-saxophone attack—which combines the vibrato laden declamatory style of Issa Cissoko with the softer more lyrical playing of Thierno Koite—has been bolstered by trombonist Wilfried Zinzou and the young virtuosic guitarist Rene Sowatche, both from the fertile musical pastures of Benin.

Veteran vocalist Balla Sidibe is a commanding presence on the album with his triple threat of musical influences—Manding from Guinea/Mali, creole from Casamance and Afro-Cuban. Two special guests memorably add their voices to the mix. Cheikh Lo dropped by the studio to add his soulful tones to “Magno Kouto” and Thione Seck, who left Baobab in 1979 for a career as one of West Africa’s biggest solo stars, reunites with his old bandmates for the first time in over 35 years to reprise his first hit “Sey.”

Tribute To Ndiouga Dieng is dedicated to one of the band’s original vocalists who sadly died in November 2016. His songs will continue to be sung with the band by his son Alpha. It represents the latest chapter in a long and storied career that started in 1970 when the newly-formed Orchestra Baobab helped forge Dakar into one of the world’s most vital musical cities. Over the next decade the group dominated the local scene and produced countless hits before disbanding in the early eighties.

A huge groundswell of international interest in their original recordings—and in particular the acclaim that greeted World Circuit’s reissue of their legendary 1982 album Pirate’s Choice—led to the triumphant reformation of  the band in 2001 and their award winning comeback album Specialist In All Styles.

Since then they’ve toured the world to international acclaim and have now been back together as long as they were in the belle epoque of the group’s first incarnation. This, their third album since their felicitous comeback—produced by Nick Gold, Lamine Faye and Jerry Boys—is an irresistible mix of velvet harmonies, warm and heartfelt vocals, smoky sax and sweetly shimmering kora and guitar lines, expertly crafted and masterfully delivered with a poise and virtuosity built up over a lifetime.

 

ORCHESTRA BAOBAB LIVE

January 31—London, UK—Roundhouse
February 2—Glasgow, UK— Celtic Connections
February 4—Leeds, UK— Opera North

TRIBUTE TO NDIOUGA DIENG TRACK LIST

1. Foulo
2. Fayinkounko
3. Natalia
4. Magnokouto
5. Mariama
6. Woulinewa
7. Sey
8. Caravana
9. Douga
10. Alekouma

The post Orchestra Baobab Releasing New LP ‘Tribute To Ndiouga Dieng’ Due 3/31 appeared first on Glide Magazine.

Tedeschi Trucks Band/Hot Tuna/Wood Brothers Set For Wheels of Summer Tour

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Tedeschi Trucks Band has announced the third installment of their wildly popular Wheels of Soul Summer Tour. The 12-piece ensemble led by husband and wife Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks will be supported on all dates by longtime friends and collaborators Hot Tuna (Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Casady and drummer Justin Guip) and masters of soulful folk, The Wood Brothers. The tour is scheduled to hit many of the country’s premier outdoor venues on the most ambitious Wheels of Soul tour to date July 1 through 30, 2017. For the latest ticket on-sale information, please visit: www.tedeschitrucksband.com.
When asked about joining Wheels of Soul this year Jorma offered excitement and praise, “Tedeschi Trucks is arguably one of the greatest band in the world today. It is an honor for me and my Hot Tuna brothers to be part of this great tour.” Jorma Kaukonen of Hot Tuna crossed paths with Derek and Susan early in their careers and their mutual admiration and kinship grew as Jorma supported TTB on select shows this past year.

The annual Wheels of Soul summer run has become more than just a fan favorite; it has become a highlight for the headliners as well. “It’s been great to develop this tour into an annual event where we get a chance to hit the road and share the stage with fellow musicians we love and respect. Each year we try to find bands that share our musical vision while bringing their own unique talents to this traveling circus,” says Susan.

Derek adds that this tour offers a unique opportunity for both the musicians and fans, “Every year as the tour rolls along the collaborations between all the musicians grow and grow. It inspires and challenges us in new ways and I think that really translates to the audience when they see how much fun we’re having with our friends.”
Fan pre-sale begins on Tuesday, January 24, and tickets go on sale to the public on Friday, January 27. Current Wheels of Soul 2017 dates listed below (Additional dates and on-sale information to be announced shortly).

Itinerary – Wheels of Soul Summer Tour 2017
July 01 Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion, Gilford, NH
July 02 Midway Lawn at Champlain Valley Expo, Essex, VT
July 03 Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga, NY
July 05 Wolf Trap, Vienna, VA (DC)*
July 08 Highland Bowl, Rochester, NY
July 09 Simsbury Meadows Perf Arts Center, Simsbury, CT
July 12 Veterans United Home Loans Amp, Virg. Beach, VA**
July 14 Red Hat Amphitheater, Raleigh, NC**
July 15 Fox Theatre, Atlanta, GA***
July 16 Charlotte Metro Credit Union Amp, Charlotte, NC
July 19 Farm Bureau Insurance Lawn, Indianapolis, IN
July 21 PNC Pavilion at Riverbend Music Ctr, Cincinnati, OH
July 22 Rose Music Center, Huber Heights (Dayton), OH
July 23 Meadow Brook Amp, Rochester (Detroit), MI
July 25 Walmart Arkansas Music Pavilion, Rogers, AR
July 27 Sandia Casino, Albuquerque, NM
July 29-30 Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, CO
*On sale March 18th
**On sale February 10th
***On sale February

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Film Bits: ‘Star Wars’ Title Revealed

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Finally, We Can Stop Just Saying ‘Episode VIII’

the last jedi

After months of waiting and teasing, the official title of Episode VIII was revealed today. Set to be released this December, the latest chapter in the Star Wars sage will be titled The Last Jedi. At first glance, it does seem as though this is an obvious reference to Luke Skywalker, who appeared in The Force Awakens for a moment at the very end of the film. However, it’s worth noting that, throughout the series, Jedi has been used as both the singular and plural form, so it could be a reference to the impending training of Rey. The announcement of a title means that a trailer can’t be too far behind, so be on the lookout for that. Star Wars: The Last Jedi opens December 15.

(LucasFilm)

James Cameron Reportedly Exploring New ‘Terminator’ Reboot

rsz_terminatorgenisys

There doesn’t seem to be much left to mine from within The Terminator, but Hollywood never let common sense get in the way of making a dollar. On the heels of 2015’s box office disaster, Genisys, series creator James Cameron has reportedly entered talks with Deadpool director Tim Miller regarding a potential reboot of the franchise. That’s…silly. This is a franchise that has been rebooted twice now, and has more timelines than anyone of us can be expected to keep straight. It seems a clear-cut case of letting what’s dead remain dead, but whatever, right? It’s possible that Cameron just wants a shot at a redemption for the series he fostered 30 years ago, which went off the rails in just about every conceivable way since the director left the series post-Judgment Day. Perhaps that means ignoring everything that came after and just creating a true sequel to the legendary second chapter. Who knows.

(Deadline)

‘Split’ Takes Solid Box Office Lead

James McAvoy in M. Night Shyamalan's Split

M. Night Shyamalan rocketed to box office glory over the weekend with his latest film, Split. Earning $40.1 million dollars, it doubled the take of its nearest competitor, xXx: The Return of Xander Cage, which took in $20 million. Hidden Figures fell to third place, raking in $16.2 million, while Sing earned $9 million. Rounding out the top five was heavy favorite for this year’s Oscars, La La Land, which earned $8.3 million in its seventh week. See below for the full top ten.

  1. Split-$40.1 million
  2. xXx: The Return of Xander Cage-$20 million
  3. Hidden Figures-$16.2 million
  4. Sing-$9 million
  5. La La Land-$8.3 million
  6. Rogue One-$7.03 million
  7. Monster Trucks-$7 million
  8. Patriots Day-$6 million
  9. The Founder-$3.75 million
  10. Sleepless-$3.7 million

(Box Office Mojo)

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Wire Return With 15th LP’Silver/Lead’, Share First Single “Short Elevated Period”

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Wire kick off extensive celebrations for their 40th year as a band in typical forward-thinking prolific form, with a new album and their fifteenth. Silver/Lead is due March 31st via the band’s pinkflag label and today they share a first taste with track “Short Elevated Period” which can be heard below…

Colin Newman and Matt Simms’ guitar work is alternately jagged and luminous, while bassist Graham Lewis’s ear-catching lyrics are vivid yet oblique. Meanwhile, drummer Robert Grey provides a virtual masterclass in percussive minimalism. But it’s how the various instruments mesh together that really counts. And Newman’s production creates a sonic space in which even the smallest gesture is accorded some recognition.

Highlights include the optimistic dazzle of “Diamonds In Cups,” with its almost T. Rex-style buzz and chug, and the moody swing of “This Time.” Elsewhere on the musical spectrum, there’s the menacing widescreen grandeur of “Playing Harp For The Fishes” and breakneck-paced guitar pop of “Short Elevated Period.”

Wire are one of the world’s most ground-breaking bands, their influence acknowledged by bands as diverse as Blur, Sonic Youth, R.E.M. and Savages. But they have never been interested in exploiting past glories. For Wire, there is only ever one possible direction: forwards. So it’s perhaps not surprising that over recent years, they’ve played strings of sold-out shows, achieved career-best record sales, and been cited as a strong influence by yet another generation of bands.

wire2Silver/Lead Track List:

 

1. Playing Harp For The Fishes

2. Short Elevated Period

3. Diamonds in Cups

4. Forever & A Day

5. An Alibi

6. Sonic Lens

7. This Time

8. Brio

9. Sleep On The Wing

10. Silver/Lead

The post Wire Return With 15th LP’Silver/Lead’, Share First Single “Short Elevated Period” appeared first on Glide Magazine.

Atmosphere Bring Honesty, Beats, and Rhymes To Austin (SHOW REVIEW)

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“What? My dad bod isn’t good enough for you?” Atmosphere’s energetic frontman Slug said to an audience chanting for his tour mate Brother Ali at Emo’s in Austin, Texas, on Friday, January 20th. Slug’s persona on Atmosphere’s records and on stage is that of serious indie rap superstar, self deprecating stand up comedian, and world weary father figure all at once. The remark summed up the man; knowing pioneer of “dad rap,” playfully teasing his adoring audience.

After being in the game for over 20 years and playing sold out venues everywhere in America, Atmosphere has been through it all. Their original brand of emotive lyricism has ceded itself to an acknowledgment of their accomplishments and their status with their fans. Slug knows he can play around with his fans because he knows his standing with them. This comfort in his own skin is something a much younger Slug would have been bashful about.

That came through when the group ran through their old fan favorites. A song like “GodLovesUgly,” which came early in the night, is rapped with a wink and a nod. It’s a song for us, the audience, now, rather than the man who wrote it. Slug punctuated every chorus by telling the beautiful people to be quiet, to screams from the crowd who so connect to the lyrics of admitted imperfection.

This connection with the audience is one of the most impressive aspects of an Atmosphere performance. While so many rappers build the foundation of their persona on being above their audience, being larger than life celebrities or gangstas, Slug’s has cornered the market on being one of us. The audience lives and breathes with him at a show, and hangs off his every word.

Slug delivers to them what they demand as well. While so many rappers would be shy about playing songs from their youth, Atmosphere busted out songs like “God’s Bathroom Floor,” which Slug proudly declared was written in 1995. When the group did run through newer songs, Slug thanked the audience for appreciating them. It’s those moments of honesty, admitting that the audience came to hear “Sunshine” or “Trying to Find a Balance,” both of which were played in the encore, that keep fans coming back for more.

It’s also not surprising that, despite the self deprecation, the new songs are just as welcome in the setlist. Songs like “Seismic Waves” from last year’s Fishing Blues or “Kanye West” from 2014′s Southsiders engaged Atmosphere’s cult following just as much as classics like “Yesterday” or “Puppets.” Credit is due to producer and DJ Ant for crafting such immaculate and consistent beats that those newer songs don’t sound awkward or out of place. Yes, Atmosphere has grown up. Slug spends more time talking about family life than thug life these days. Yet they’re still themselves and their progression has stuck within a realm that allows them to craft sets which never hit a lull or a moment when the audience is left begging for them to just get back to the oldies.

If Atmosphere’s greatest strength has been being so in tune with their fans, it’s a strength that has only grown with time. After all these years, the niche that Slug and Ant have carved out for themselves still enables them to connect and engage with their most loyal fans in a way of which most rap groups can only dream.

The post Atmosphere Bring Honesty, Beats, and Rhymes To Austin (SHOW REVIEW) appeared first on Glide Magazine.

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