Muruch

Remember Katharine McPhee? Not the post-American Idol pop princess that so many (including myself) dismissed, but the vivacious brunette with the big voice who wowed us with her original audition of “God Bless The Child.” Well, she’s not a brunette anymore, but she’s still got that voice and this time around she’s put it to very good use. Her sophomore album Unbroken was released in January, and features an excellent mix of infectious pop melodies and singer-songwriter acoustics. Katharine co-wrote several of the songs with such talented singer-songwriters as Paula Cole, Ingrid Michaelson, Jason Reeves, and Rachael Yamagata.

The album opens strong with “It’s Not Right,” which layers pretty multi-tracked vocals over a sprawling piano melody. The catchy refrain “Had It All” was written by American Idol judge Kara Diogardi, the album’s title track was penned by Paula Cole, and Katharine co-wrote “Keep Drivin’” with Rachael Yamagata.

“Surrender” is the stand out. Katharine co-wrote this nearly flawless pop ballad with singer-songwriter Ingrid Michaelson. It and the post-breakup anthem “Last Letter” are the kind of songs that used to make successful romantic movie soundtracks.

The production is a little too smooth for my taste at times, but otherwise this selection of songs is perfectly suited to Katharine’s elegant and tightly controlled vocals. Her multi-faceted voice effortlessly flows from impressive Divaesque acrobatics to a warmer, relaxed charm reminiscent of classic Carole King. Perhaps a better comparison would be Melanie, since the album closes with a fun cover of “Brand New Key.”

It’s a shame this wasn’t her debut. Judging from some of the bizarrely negative reviews I’ve seen, I fear her reality show past is deterring people from taking her music seriously now. But Unbroken is the kind of album that can make Katharine McPhee a true star if given the chance.

I was not granted permission to share an mp3, but you can hear samples at the links below.

Buy @ Amazon

Katharine McPhee Official Site
Katharine McPhee MySpace

The Bird & The Bee’s new album Interpreting The Masters Volume 1: A Tribute To Daryl Hall And John Oates will be released by Blue Note Records on March 23rd. The Bird & The Bee are singer Inara George and multi-instrumentalist/producer Greg Kurstin. Their tribute to 1980s pop icons Hall & Oates is no parody, instead this is a sincere and happy homage to one of my favorite guilty pleasure bands.

The opener “Heard It On The Radio” is the sole original on the album. Considering the concept, I think the song should have been placed at the end of the album. Regardless, the airy pop tune does go very well with the covers.

The selection of Hall & Oates covers includes pop hits like “I Can’t Go For That,” “Kiss On My List,” and “Maneater” (feat. Garbage’s Shirley Manson on backing vocals), but it’s the inclusion of “Rich Girl,” “Sara Smile,” and “She’s Gone” that proves the band’s songwriting talents were worthy of tribute.

“Sara Smile” has always been my personal favorite Hall & Oates song, and The Bird & The Bee do a superb job of capturing the sultry jazz tone of the original. And the clap happy true-to-original take of “Private Eyes” reminds me why the song was such a big radio hit in the ’80s.

As I said in my review of last year’s Ray Guns Are Not Just The Future, Inara George “possesses a lovely, effervescent voice that melts beautifully into the lightest of melodies.” While these are genuine odes to Hall & Oates, most of the songs have been reworked in The Bird & The Bee’s signature electro-pop style.

The Bird & The Bee’s Interpreting The Masters Volume 1: A Tribute To Daryl Hall And John Oates is the perfect soundtrack for summer. I only hope that The Bird & The Bee will record a tribute to Olivia Newton-John for Interpreting The Masters Volume 2.

I was not granted permission to share an mp3, but you’ll be able to hear samples at the links below closer to the release date…

Buy @ Amazon

The Bird & The Bee Official Site
The Bird & The Bee MySpace

If you watched this year’s Grammy Awards, then you’ve already seen and heard Irish singer Imelda May. Imelda was the spitfire who sang the “How High The Moon” tribute to Les Paul with guitarist Jeff Beck. The Dublin native’s album Love Tattoo features a similar retro rock-a-billy sound.

What sets Imelda apart from other rockabilly acts is her incorporation of traditional Irish and jazz instrumentation into her rocked out arrangements. Imelda herself plays bodhrán while her band members contribute trumpet, flugal horn, and piano.

The jazz influence is most apparent in the upbeat horns of “Feel Me” as well as Imelda’s sultry vocals in the torch songs “Knock 123″ and “Meet You at the Moon.”

The real driving force behind the album is unquestionably Imelda’s growl and those revved up guitars – such as in the sizzling opener “Johnny Got a Boom Boom,” “Big Bad Handsome Man,” “Smotherin’ Me,” and especially the wailing chorus of “Smokers’ Song.”

Imelda wrote every song on the album except the traditional “Wild About My Lovin’” and “It’s Your Voodoo Working.” Both covers are fun, but it’s originals that stand out most.

Love Tattoo ends with a bang thanks to the hyperactive Latin horns and punk attitude of “Watcha Gonna Do.”

I was not granted permission to share an mp3, but you can hear samples at the links below.

Buy @ Amazon

Imelda May Official Site
Imelda May MySpace

On his new album Irish Classics, pianist John O’Conor transforms traditional Irish songs into classical compositions with the help of the Irish Chamber Orchestra.

Among the Irish tunes that John O’Conor and the Irish Chamber Orchestra remake with serene, classical arrangements are “I’ll Take You Home Again Kathleen,” “She Moved Through the Fair,” “Cockles and Mussels,” and “The Rocky Road to Dublin.”

My personal favorite is O’Conor’s beautiful cover of “The Last Rose of Summer.”

I was not granted permission to share an mp3, but you can hear samples at the links below.

Buy @ Amazon

John O’Conor Official Site

Bounce Back is the upcoming release by singer-songwriter and actor Creed Bratton. The former lead guitarist of The Grassroots, Creed is probably best known now for his quirky character on The Office. Whether you heard his previous self-titled album or not, I recommend checking out Bounce Back. With the help of his backing band The 3DVB’s and his The Office co-star Ed Helms, Creed has made an unusual, funny, funky, and all around awesome album. The promo he sent me included the note “Hi Victoria, Hope you dig it!” Indeed I do.

The catchy single “Rubber Tree” (which I posted last December) features Ed Helms on banjo and is a good representation of the album’s blend of folk, pop, and rock.

A psychedelic cover of “Let’s Get Lost” follows. After hearing Creed croon the Chet Baker tune during our phone conversation two years ago, I kinda wish he’d recorded a straightforward jazz rendition. But this trippy, pedal steeled duet with singer Tara Holloway is pretty awesome.

“Love Me Like You Dance” is a fun Hawaiian Honky-Tonk ditty, while tracks like “Then I Think of You” and “Matters Like This” are more sincere ballads.

The vocals and instrumentation on the album are seriously good, but the lyrics are often pure comedy. My personal favorite lines are “You’re a warm piece of jerky” from the Alejandro Escovedo meets Talking Heads guitar grinder “Change that Channel” and “You had crimson jeans covered in spam” in the wonderfully nonsensical finale “My Heart’s an Open Book.”

But it’s the bizarre, bluesy Western stomper “Driving the Drags” that really steals the show.

Creed Bratton – Rubber Tree (mp3) *

*mp3 hosted by & posted w/ permission of artist

The album’s release date has been pushed back to March. It will then be available for purchase at the following links.

Pre-order @ Amazon (not yet available)

Creed Bratton Official Site

In The Indigo is the debut album by jazz singer Nancy Harms. The Minnesota native has been singing since the age of four, but she was not exposed to jazz until her college years. Her delayed jazz education did nothing to hinder her ability to croon like the classic jazz divas. Her voice falls somewhere between the smooth quality of Jane Monheit and the interesting inflection of Madeleine Peyroux.

In The Indigo features a selection of originals and a wide variety of covers. Nancy successfully tackles classics like “Bye Bye Blackbird,” “On A Clear Day (You Can See Forever),” and “Cry Me A River.” Most notably, she transforms the bland John Mayer tune “Great Indoors” into a sultry jazz ballad. Her warm, lovely voice can apparently make any song beautiful.

I was not granted permission to share an mp3, but you can hear samples at the links below.

Buy @ Amazon

Nancy Harms Official Site
Nancy Harms MySpace

Eric Bibb’s new album Booker’s Guitar, a tribute to Delta blues guitarist Booker White, will be released on January 26th. I was privileged enough to hear a small preview of Bibb’s new disc when I saw him play at Mountain Stage last year, and I’m happy to say the album lives up to that performance.

The title track softly opens Booker’s Guitar with the true story of how a fan brought Bibb a vintage steel-body guitar that once belonged to legendary bluesman Booker White. That guitar was what first inspired Bibb to record these songs.

It’s the pure Delta blues number “With My Maker I Am One” that really revs up the album. The rest of the disc follows that gorgeous traditional blues path, to which Eric Bibb’s rich voice is perfectly suited.

The liner notes include brief descriptions by Bibb of the stories behind each track. I was surprised to find that, with two exceptions, Bibb wrote all of the songs. He so flawlessly captures the sound of vintage blues that I thought it was a cover album.

The album’s only two covers are the traditional “Wayfaring Stranger” and Blind Willie Johnson’s “Nobody’s Fault But Mine,” in which Grant Dermody’s harmonica steals spotlight. As I’ve said before, “Wayfaring Stranger” is an easy song for just about any singer to do well. But Bibb’s heartfelt croon is definitely one of the best renditions I’ve ever heard.

Bibb calls his own “One Soul to Save,” which was partly inspired by James McBride’s novel Song Yet Sung, a sequel to “Nobody’s Fault But Mine.” And “New Home” is a mellowly optimistic tune about a 1930s laborer with big dreams.

The somber “Flood Waters” was written about the great Mississippi flood of 1927, but it’s impossible not to think of Hurricane Katrina while listening to it.

“Turning Pages” is a wonderful theme song for bookworms like me. Bibb sings about his lifelong love of reading and mentions some of his favorite authors. Nancy Drew and Shakespeare set to the blues, no wonder I love this guy!

Eric Bibb – With My Maker I Am One (mp3 expired) *

*mp3 provided by & posted w/ permission of Telarc Records on behalf of Concord Music Group

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Eric Bibb Official Site

In addition to my usual year end lists, I’ve also compiled Best of the Decade lists. Following are my favorite albums that were released between 2000-2009…

25. Muse: The Resistance

This is one of those albums that has classic potential, and I expect to move its way up the list as the years go by. A quote from my review: “Integrating classical and opera music into their theatrical electro-rock sound, Muse have created one of the most exciting song cycles I’ve ever heard.”

Buy @ Amazon

24. Gaba Kulka: Hat, Rabbit

It was difficult to narrow how Gaba’s releases to just one, but I think her latest is her strongest to date. As I said when I named it #4 on my Top Albums list, it is “probably the most unusual and creative album” of 2009.

Buy @ Artist’s Site

23. Soundtrack: Once

The soundtrack to the Irish independent film Once features The Swell Season’s Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova. I said in my 2007 review that Hansard’s “lyrics are deeply poetic, his music is heart-wrenchingly lovely, and his beautifully raw voice conveys emotion as if the man were literally ripping his own chest open as he sings.”

Buy @ Amazon

22. Antony & The Johnsons: Antony & The Johnsons

Instead of a best of 2005 list, I deemed it The Year of the Bird and that post says everything about how Antony’s music made me feel when I first heard it. While I Am A Bird Now was their more popular release, I’ve always favored their self-titled 2000 album.

Buy @ Amazon

21. Pina: Quick Look

Pina sadly remains my best kept secret. I discovered her in the early aughts when a French pal shared mp3s of “I Loved the Way” and “Bring Me a Biscuit.” I also love Pina’s 2005 release Guess You Got It, but the rougher edges of Quick Look’s production fit better with her “Gothic folk” style.

Buy @ Amazon

20. Kasey Chambers & Shane Nicholson: Rattlin’ Bones

My 2008 review summed it up: “The flawless beauty of this album is almost beyond my comprehension.“

Buy @ Amazon

19. Hem: Funnel Cloud

I like this album even more now than when I called it a “nearly perfect album” in my 2007 review.

Buy @ Amazon

18. Damien Dempsey: To Hell or Barbados

As I stated in my 2007 review, the album is a “genre-hop through folk, rock, electronica, and reggae…but the genre gymnastics still take a back seat to the stunning quality of Dempsey’s voice.”

Buy @ Amazon

17. Anais Mitchell: The Brightness

My 2007 review said: “Like the greatest of classic literature, the compositions on The Brightness are the kind that softly seep through your skin and slowly make their way into your heart and mind before exploding in dazzling display of amazement.”

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14. Xavier Rudd: Dark Shades of Blue

Xavier has quickly become my favorite male artist in recent years, and as I said in my 2008 review: “the astounding quality of his songs make me wonder if future generations might consider Xavier Rudd to be the greatest artist of this era.”

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15. Mavis Staples: Never Turn Back

I’m almost ashamed not to put this at #1, because in many ways this is the greatest album of the past two or three decades. I simply don’t listen to it often as the albums listed below. I suppose this is because the weighty subject matter requires a certain mood. But as I said when I reviewed it two years ago: “We’ll Never Turn Back is what music should be. Gut-wrenching blues, earth shaking beats, hip swaying rhythms, deeply moving lyrics, and a rich voice that defies description.“

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14. Luminescent Orchestrii: Too Hot to Sleep

I deemed 2005 “the year of the bird,” but that’s only because I didn’t hear Luminescent Orchestrii until 2007 when I said: “there’s a definite connection between their frenzied, violent approach to orchestral instruments and the punk cabaret of The Dresden Dolls, but neither description fully captures their unique and unearthly sound.“

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13. Flogging Molly: Swagger

This album ushered in the Celtic Punk craze of the decade. There’s no such thing as a bad Flogging Molly album, but this one was definitely their best.

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12. Vienna Teng: Inland Territory

In my review I called Inland Territory a grand “display of Vienna Teng’s brilliance, grace, and talent.” I continue to fall more and more in love with this album with each listen.

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11. Kurt Vonnegut & Dave Soldier: Ice-9 Ballads

My #1 album of 2009. As I said in my review: “I can’t imagine a more perfect score for my favorite novel of all time.”

Buy @ Amazon

10. Mary Timony: Mountains

I had never heard of former Helium singer Mary Timony until a friend sent me this album shortly after its 2000 release. Mary’s unusual mix of Medieval folk, chamber pop, and indie-rock was unlike anything I’d heard before, and it remains one of the most strangely beautiful recordings I’ve ever heard.

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9. Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band: The Whole Fam Damnily

My #1 album of 2008. In my review, I called it an “inebriating concoction of swamp stomp and backwoods pluck.” But in subsequent listens I’ve found myself drawn more to The Rev’s lyrics, which accurately capture the perils of modern rural life.

Buy @ Amazon

8. Allison Crowe: Live at Wood Hall

Oh that voice! Still gives me chills. I’ve posted about Allison Crowe so many times over the years that I consider her Muruch’s musical mascot. As I said in my 2007 review: “there’s really no way to convey through mere words how much the music on Allison Crowe’s Live At Wood Hall moves me” Forget Susan Boyle, Allison sang the definitive cover of “I Dreamed a Dream.” (mp3)*

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7. Soundtrack: Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Once More With Feeling

I always call it the “Buffy Musical” rather than its proper title Once More With Feeling.” Years before Dr. Horrible, Joss Whedon wrote a hilarious, poignant, and very catchy musical for an episode of Buffy The Vampire Slayer. I don’t know how well the songs translate if you never watched the Buffy series, but I still love singing along to the soundtrack. The album features vocals by actors Sarah Michelle Gellar, Allison Hannigan, Michelle Trachtenberg, Nicholas Brendon, James Marsters, and Anthony Stewart Head. This is an example of why file sharing works – I and several friends burned our own soundtracks from mp3s recorded directly from the televised episode long before the soundtrack was released, yet we all purchased the official album once it became available.

Buy @ Amazon

6. Xavier Rudd: White Moth

I could easily include all of Xavier Rudd’s albums on this list, but I tried to limit myself to just two. My 2008 review said: “Rudd deems the album his “proudest work” and it’s easy to understand why.” But it’s really only been with repeated listens over the past two years that I’ve grown to love and truly appreciate its magnificence. And nothing speaks to the greatness of an album like having a panic attack when you think you’ve lost it and knowing you must replace it immediately. Fortunately, I found my copy!

Buy @ Amazon

5. Damien Rice: O

Unlike most Americans, I heard and fell in love with O when it was originally released in Ireland in 2001. My clothbound first edition of the album is a collector’s item now, but I wouldn’t part with it for anything. Rice seems to have faced some post-hype backlash in recent years, but that doesn’t erase the brilliance of this album. Most remember it for Lisa Hannigan’s delicate harmonies, but Rice’s use of strings and opera music were also very unique at the time. And the album as a whole has withstood changing trends in music over the years.

Buy @ Amazon

4. Fiona Apple: Extraordinary Machine

This is another example of why file sharing can have a positive effect on album sales. Remember “Free Fiona”? If you don’t, Fiona recorded a version of this album with producer Jon Brion and her label initially refused to release it. Mp3s of the demos were leaked online, the fans loved them, and a huge campaign called “Free Fiona” was launched in hopes of getting the album released. It worked, though Fiona re-recorded most of the album for the official release. I was one of many who purchased the album even though I had the demo mp3s. My 2005 review also shifted the focus of this site from simply sharing music to encouraging people to purchase albums. It has since become one of my favorite albums ever, and I hope Fiona decides to grace us with another release in the near future.

Buy @ Amazon

3. Soundtrack: Hedwig & The Angry Inch

Among the 2000-04 archives of this site that have been lost were my reviewes of the movie Hedwig & The Angry Inch (which I saw in a double bill with The Anniversary Party at a local film festival) and its soundtrack. Whether or not you’re familiar with John Cameron Mitchell’s awesome musical about a German transgender rocker, the soundtrack is one of the best rock albums of all time. There are thunderous punk rock numbers like “Angry Inch” and heart-melting ballads like “Origin of Love.” Why Mitchell continues to act instead of record music is a mystery to me.

Buy @ Amazon

2. Old Crow Medicine Show: Big Iron World

In my November, 2006 review, I said “I don’t believe I’ve ever said this about an album before, but I think Old Crow Medicine Show’s Big Iron World is just about perfect.” I stand by that statement. I’ve played this album more than any other released in the past three years, and only one band could keep it from the number 1 spot…

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1. The Dresden Dolls: The Dresden Dolls

Anyone who knows me or has been a longtime reader of this site knows that The Dresden Dolls are/were my favorite band. My posts about their self-titled debut (and the live A Is For Accident album that preceded it) were also lost with early archives of this site, but I’ve raved every other Dresden Dolls release since then. After “Over the Rainbow”, The Dresden Doll’s “Girl Anachronism” is my favorite song and this is possibly my all-time favorite album. Amanda Palmer proves without a doubt that – in the right hands – the piano is the most punk rock of all instruments.

Buy @ Amazon

*mp3 hosted by & posted w/ permission of artist

Violent Soho – Son of Sam (mp3) *

It’s so refreshing to hear a chunk of solid, noisy rock like this. From Australian punk-rock band Violent Soho’s new album We Don’t Belong Here.

Buy @ Amazon

*mp3 hosted by & posted w/ permission of artist’s PR rep

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Jer Coons – I Want You Back (mp3 expired) *

Jer Coons covers The Jackson 5. A little sugary for my taste, but nice. I posted his “Legs” mp3 in September, when his album Speak was first released.

Buy @ Amazon

*mp3 provided by & posted w/ permission of artist’s PR rep

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Why Write? – Burning Holes (mp3) *

Why Write? is a new project by Danish songwriter Jacob Faurholt. This song has a kinda mid-1990s alterna-rock sound, which I like.

Buy @ Amazon

*mp3 hosted by & posted w/ permission of artist

One of my favorite music blogs Wears The Trousers recently started their own record label, and their first release will be a tribute to legendary folk singer Odetta. As a great fan of Odetta’s (I had the privilege of seeing her perform live at Mountain Stage), I’m so glad that Wears The Trousers showed her due respect by selecting a talented group of contemporary female singers to carry on her grand legacy. The tribute will be released on November 30th and all profits from its sales will be split between two charities (The Fawcett Society and The Women’s Resource Centre) that benefit women.

Linda Draper’s softly buoyant, harmonica-accented rendition of “Sail Away” opens the tribute, but it is Ane Brun’s haunting croon of “If I Had A Ribbon Bow” that truly conjures up the musical spirit of Odetta.

The pop sheen of artists like Gemma Ray and Haunted Stereo seems a little out of place here. “900 Miles” and “Santy Ano” are substantial enough songs to anchor any vocal and these versions are certainly catchy, but I think other singers (such as Dayna Kurtz and Pamela Means) would’ve been better suited to the kind of music Odetta recorded. Fortunately, this is the only remotely negative remark I can make about the album.

Madam’s eerie Patti Smith-like wail of “Waterboy” and Kellli Ali’s delicate interpretation of “All The Pretty Little Horses” are absolutely gorgeous.

Sandy Dillon’s live acoustic recording of “Can’t Afford to Lose My Man” and Josephine Oniyama’s “The Gallows Pole” are superb recreations of Odetta’s unique brand of gritty fierceness and mellow femininity.

The album includes two versions of “All My Trials,” one by Anaïs Mitchell and the other by Marissa Nadler. I personally prefer the first cover by the incomparable Anaïs Mitchell. Marissa Nadler’s atmospheric take is unquestionably pretty, but Mitchell’s inflective vocal phrasing better represents the organic nature of Odetta’s music.

Katey Brooks belts out “What A Friend We Have”, while Arborea puts a gentle, wistful spin on “This Little Light of Mine” for the finale.

Track List:
01 Linda Draper: “Sail Away Ladies”
02 Ane Brun: “If I Had A Ribbon Bow”
03 Gemma Ray: “900 Miles”
04 Anaïs Mitchell: “All My Trials”
05 Haunted Stereo: “Santy Anno”
06 Madam: “Waterboy”
07 Sandy Dillon: “Can’t Afford To Lose My Man”
08 Ora Cogan: “Motherless Child”
09 Josephine Oniyama: “The Gallows Pole”
10 Pepi Ginsberg: “Beautiful Star”
11 Society Of Imaginary Friends: “Another Man Done Gone”
12 Marissa Nadler: “All My Trials”
13 Kelli Ali: “All The Pretty Little Horses”
14 Katey Brooks: “What A Friend We Have”
15 Liz Durrett: “Chilly Winds”
16 Arborea: “This Little Light Of Mine”

Ora Cogan – Motherless Child (mp3 expired) *

*mp3 posted w/ permission of label

You can currently pre-order physical or digital copies of the album through the label’s website and mp3s will soon be made available on Amazon and iTunes…

Pre-Order Album from Label

Buy @ Amazon (not yet available)

Buy @ Amazon.co.uk (not yet available)

Six-piece Portland ensemble Vagabond Opera is a new addition to my demented circus genre. But despite some similarities to twisted bands like The Dresden Dolls and Tiger Lillies, Vagabond Opera’s new album The Zeitgeist Beckons centers on a more traditional cabaret sound (akin to Camille O’Sullivan) with elements of opera, Eastern European folk, jazz, swing, and klezmer. Led by operatic tenor and accordion player Eric Stern, the band features a wide selection of instruments and styles with a revolving cast of female vocalists.

The cabaret style is omnipresent throughout the album, but front and center in “Welcome to the Opera.” The song introduces the musicians, showcases their eclectic stylistic madness, and finishes with a sample of Verdi’s “Traviata.”

Songs like “Chimaeras Be Met” and “Farewell Kabarista” are heavier on the jazz and swing. The manic cover of Tom Waits’ “Tango ‘Til They’re Sore” can’t compete with Holly Cole’s interpretation, but it’s not really trying to anyway.

“Milord” is a torchy homage to Edith Piaf that I love, but the sultry snarl of “Ganef” is probably my favorite track on the album. So much so that I was tempted to share it (the band was kind enough to let me choose the mp3), but I feel this track is a better introduction to the band…

Vagabond Opera – Welcome to the Opera (mp3 expired) *

Buy @ Amazon

Vagabond Opera will perform at Mountain Stage next month, and I think it’ll be a very entertaining set.

Vagabond Opera Official Site

*mp3 posted w/ permission of the band

The recently released Serenade: A Mario Lanza Songbook features a collection of popular recordings and seven previously unreleased tracks by the golden voiced American tenor, who died in 1959 when he was only 38. Lanza enjoyed a successful career as an opera tenor in the 1950s. His voice was often compared to the great Enrico Caruso (whom Mario portrayed in 1951’s The Great Caruso) and each member of the famous “Three Tenors” (Josè Carreras, Plácido Domingo, and Luciano Pavarotti) name Mario Lanza as their inspiration.

I was personally introduced to Mario Lanza’s astounding voice by the Kate Winslet film Heavenly Creatures and he has since become my favorite male opera singer. I think his may be the most accessible voice for those who are hesitantly curious about opera. I could easily imagine hearing him sing tunes from any genre, because the beauty of his voice was as strong as its magnificent range.

Among the previously unreleased tracks on Serenade are the title track by Toselli, “Dicitencello vuie”, “Fenesta cue lucive”, and the resplendent “Because.” Many of the songs were recorded for Lanza’s early ’50s radio show.

Mario’s most exquisite and soaring vocals of the album can be found in “O sole mio” and “Granada.” Also of note are Lanza’s lovely croon on Tosti’s “‘A vucchella” and “Besame Mucho.” The album closes with “Arrivederci Roma”, presented here in its entirety for the first time on CD.

Mario Lanza – O sole mio (mp3 expired) *

*mp3 posted for 2 weeks w/ permission of Crossover Media on behalf of Sony Masterworks

Buy @ Amazon

Devine’s Jug Band will released their new album Terrible Operation Blues on November 17th. Led by singer and jug player Pete Devine with vocals by guitarist Meredith Axelrod and fiddler Mayumi Urgino, the band plays jaunty old-fashioned jug band music reminiscent of The Jim Kweskin Jug Band. I especially love the plucky buoyancy of “The Dallas Rag” and the languid blues dance number “Hop Scop Blues”.

Devine’s Jug Band – The Dallas Rag (mp3 expired) *

*mp3 provided by record label

Pre-order @ Amazon

Devine’s Jug Band MySpace

British rock trio Muse have finally unchained themselves from those pesky Radiohead comparisons with their brilliant new album The Resistance, though they’re sure to be likened to Queen now. Integrating classical and opera music into their theatrical electro-rock sound, Muse have created one of the most exciting song cycles I’ve ever heard.

“Uprising,” which is the album’s first single, opens with an energetic, clap-happy glam rock shake. The album’s title track emerges from whispery synths into soaring stadium rock punched up with Styx-like vocal bursts, while “Undisclosed Desires” slides a darker undercurrent into retro ’80s synth-pop.

Singer-songwriter Matthew Bellamy brings new meaning to the phrase “orchestral arrangement” with the astounding Orwellian epic “United States of Eurasia (+ Collateral Damage).” A quiet start first explodes into Bellamy’s signature wail then drops into a dramatic, almost Middle Eastern rock instrumental. A full fledged rock opera of vocals soon follows before it all melts into Chopin’s “Nocturne in E Flat Major.” The entire piece is breathtaking and Bellamy has a career in classical waiting if he ever tires of rock.

“Guiding Light” recalls the prominent beat of “Vienna” by Ultravox, but the quaking guitar rock of “Unnatural Selection” and “MK Ultra” is purely of the modern age. “I Belong To You (+ Mon cœur s’ouvre à ta voix)” is mostly a catchy pop-rock ditty, but Bellamy again experiments with genre-bending toward the end by crooning the aria from the opera Samson and Delilah.

The album ends with the three-part symphony “Exogenesis” which often sounds more like an eerie movie score than an orchestral work. Bellamy’s haunting keens blend with searing guitar riffs all wrapped with atmospheric strings in “Part 1 (Overture).” Melodic piano bookends “Part 2 (Cross-Pollination)”, but the center of the song is more bombastic arena rock. Finally, “Part 3 (Redemption)” gently closes the album with a somber, pretty piano melody not unlike Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata” but with Muse’s trademark rock sound firmly planted inside.

I was not granted permission to share an mp3, but you can hear samples of each track at the links below.

Buy @ Amazon

Muse Official Site
Muse MySpace

Nouvelle Vague – Master & Servant (mp3 expired) *

Sultry Depeche Mode cover from Nouvelle Vague’s new album 3, to be released October 20th.

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*mp3 provided by & posted w/ permission of Daffodil Publicity on behalf of Peacefrog Records

Nouvelle Vague MySpace

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Thao w/ TGDSD – Know Better Learn Faster (mp3) *

Title track from the new album by indie-rock darlings Thao with the Get Down Stay Down (I reviewed their debut two years ago. To be released October 13th.

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*mp3 hosted by & posted w/ permission of Toolshed Media

Thao w/ TGDSD MySpace

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Ronin – Meandro (mp3) *

Rhythmic guitar driven instrumental by Italian band Ronin. From their new album L’Ultimo Re, to be released October 9th.

Buy @ Amazon

*mp3 hosted by & posted w/ permission of Ghost PR

Ronin MySpace

After I posted my review of SonoSings, I was granted permission to share an mp3 of their “Everything In Its Right Place” cover. I’ve edited the review to include the mp3.

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Muruch Album Review

Six-piece vocal ensemble Sonos perform a cappella covers of songs by popular indie artists. But this is no bland choir. Thanks to the presence of human beatbox Ben McLain and the innovative way their male and female harmonies are arranged, their covers are often more interesting than the originals. I was introduced to the group last April when they performed live at Mountain Stage. Their debut full-length SonoSings will be released by Verve Records on September 15th.

The album quietly begins with the Bon Iver cover “Re: Stacks.” I think a stronger song may have been a better choice for the opener. But whether humming in such hushed tones or belting to the rafters as in latter tracks, there’s an elegance to each note the sextet sings.

The cool, vibrating rendition of Radiohead’s “Everything In Its Right Place” that follows is more impressive, and Sara Bareilles herself joins Sonos for a rhythmic a capella recording of her song “Gravity.” I personally prefer both of these covers over the originals.

However, the studio version of “Again and Again” (originally by The Bird & The Bee) doesn’t translate as well as it did in their live performance. Sadly, this is somewhat true of the album in general. The fault obviously lies in the smooth production, which dampens the dynamics of the individual vocals. I know from hearing them sing unaccompanied in concert that these six voices need no such help or effects.

Still, the studio polish is only a minor irritation in most cases. The delicately atmospheric takes on Imogen Heap’s “Come Here Boy” and Bjork’s “Joga” are much more successful.

Sonos save their most stunning cover for last. To say their vocals on Fleet Foxes’ “White Winter Hymnal” are gorgeous and chill-producing may be cliché, but it’s true.

Sonos – Everything In Its Right Place (mp3 expired) *

*mp3 posted for a limited time w/ permission of ThinkPress PR on behalf of Verve Records

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Sonos MySpace.
Sonos Blog

Here’s a YouTube video of Pianafiddle’s Adam DeGraff warming up before a concert with a solo violin cover of “Sweet Child O’ Mine” (originally by Guns ‘N’ Roses):

Adam DeGraff – Sweet Child O’ Mine (YouTube Video)

Muruch Pianafiddle Reviews

At Home With Friends is the new collection of instrumental and vocal duets by Grammy winning violinist Joshua Bell, who is joined by an eclectic mix of guest musicians and singers. Among Bell’s collaborators are Sting, Regina Spektor, Kristin Chenoweth, Josh Groban, Chris Botti, and Tiempo Libre. The album will be released on September 29th.

The covers that Bell selected for At Home With Friends are as varied as its performers, beginning with a tender rendition of “I Loves You Porgy.” The sweet strings of Bell’s violin blend beautifully with the lonely jazz of Botti’s trumpet on the Porgy and Bess ballad.

Sting lends his voice to the sixteenth century love song “Come Again,” a version of which appeared on Sting’s The Journey & The Labyrinth. I preferred the simpler lute rendition on Sting’s album, but Bell’s arrangement is also very pretty.

Josh Groban’s voice makes a good companion for Bell’s violin in the theme from “Cinema Paradiso.” However, it’s my Cuban boys Tiempo Libre who steal the show with “Para Ti.” The song alternates between peppy brass coupled with rhythmic Latin percussion and soft orchestral interludes.

Kristin Chenoweth’s operatic soprano is lovely, but seems an ill fit for “My Funny Valentine.” And while Bell’s instrumentation in “Eleanor Rigby” is flawless, I think the cover would’ve been more effective had he chosen a different singer or recorded it sans vocals. Frankie Moreno’s voice is nice, just not strong enough to tackle this particular Beatles classic. A better choice may have been Nathan Gunn, whose powerful baritone follows in “O, Cease Thy Maiden Fair.”

Thanks to the wonders of technology, you can hear Rachmaninoff himself play piano in “Grieg: Sonata No. 3.” Bandoneon player Carel Kraayenhof joins Bell on two of the album’s instrumental tracks, most notably the theme from “Il Postino.” And Chris Thile’s mandolin gives the elegant melody of “Look Away” a plucky boost.

Unfortunately for me, Regina Spektor’s “Left Hand Song” is missing from the Sony advance. But it will be included in the final cut of the album. Until then, the hauntingly exotic “Variant Moods: Duet for Sitar & Violin” makes up for its absence. Written by Ravi Shankar, the piece features his daughter Anoushka.

I personally prefer Bell’s classical works – such as his previous release Vivaldi: The Four Seasons – but it is refreshing to hear him experiment with style and play with such a diverse group of musicians.

I was not granted permission to share an mp3 and there are no audio samples available online yet, but there should be streams added at the links below before the release date.

Joshua Bell Official Site

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Loving Takes This Course: A Tribute To The Songs Of Kath Bloom is a beautiful two-disc set featuring new covers of Kath Bloom songs by Devendra Banhart, Scout Niblett, Josephine Foster, Corrina Repp, and The Concretes among others. The second disc in the set contains the original recordings by Kath Bloom, an excellent bonus feature that I wish other tributes would include.

This review has unfortunately been gathering dust in my draft folder since April, forgotten until I began writing about the new Judee Sill tribute. Strange how changing trends bring such brilliant, but obscure artists to light. I’m sure I’m one of many who was introduced to the music of Kath Bloom through her work with Loren MazzaCane Connors and the use of “Come Here” in Richard Linklater’s film Before Sunrise. But when I posted about Bloom’s music years ago (relevant posts here and here), I don’t recall seeing any mention of her elsewhere. Yet this tribute album has been all over the place in recent months – I would be remiss if I did not direct readers to the wonderful reviews of this album to be found at Cover Lay Down and My Old Kentucky Blog.

The covers selected for Loving Takes This Course are much stronger than those on the Judee Sill tribute. Whether this is due to the quality of Blooms’ songs or the talent of the artists covering them varies from track to track.

“Come Here”, for example, is such a pretty and uplifting love song that it would be difficult to ruin. But I definitely prefer the version by Marble Sounds that opens the album to the one by The Concretes that closes it. Both bands make some interesting, though vastly different, changes to the arrangement that give the song a fresh perspective. But Marble Sounds manage to do this while staying true to the delicate sweetness of the original.

I’m so thrilled this tribute includes “When I See You” (originally titled “When I Feel You Coming”), which is my absolute favorite Kath Bloom song and one of her collaborations with Loren MazzaCane Connors. There’s really no way to improve on Kath’s haunting original, but Laura Jean’s cover is still very good.

Devendra Banhart livens up the music of “Forget About Him”, and the song also seems to give the freak-folk singer’s voice new life. I love Scout Niblett’s voice, but miss the mandolin in her sparse rendition of “I Wanna Love”.

There are three covers on this album that I might like even more than Kath’s originals. Bill Callahan transforms “The Breeze/My Baby Cries” into a forelorn country tearjerker, Mark Kozelek paints “Finally” with an eerie shade of Nick Drake, and Corinna Repp’s fragile wail carves new shivers into “Fall Again”.

Track list for Loving Takes This Course: A Tribute To The Songs Of Kath Bloom:

Disc One: The Covers:

1. Come Here – Marble Sounds
2. The Breeze/My Baby Cries – Bill Callahan
3. When I See You – Laura Jean
4. Finally – Mark Kozelek
5. Window – Mick Turner (Dirty Three) & Peggy Frew
6. Forget About Him – Devendra Banhart
7. I Wanna Love – Scout Niblett
8. Biggest Light Of All – The Dodos
9. Look At Me – Josephine Foster
10. Ready Or Not – Mia Doi Todd
11. Fall Again – Corrina Repp
12. It’s So Hard To Come Home – Marianne Dissard & Joey Burns (Calexico)
13. In Your School – Amy Rude
14. If This Journey – Tom Hanford
15. There Was A Boy – Meg Baird (Espers)
16. Come Here – The Concretes

Disc Two: The Kath Bloom originals:

1. Come Here
2. The Breeze/My Baby Cries
3. When I See You
4. Finally
5. Window
6. Forget About Him
7. I Wanna Love
8. Biggest Light Of All
9. Look At Me
10. Ready Or Not
11. Fall Again
12. It’s So Hard To Come Home
13. In Your School
14. If This Journey
15. There Was A Boy
16. Come Here

Bill Callahan – The Breeze/My Baby Cries (mp3) *
Kath Bloom – Come Here (mp3) *

*mp3s posted w/ permission of Forcefield PR

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Crayon Angel: A Tribute To The Music of Judee Sill features Beth Orton, Ron Sexsmith, Final Fantasy, Marisa Nadler, Frida Hyvönen, and Daniel Rossen of Grizzly Bear among others covering the songs of folk singer-songwriter Judee Sill. The album will be released on September 22nd.

With the exceptions of Ron Sexsmith’s performance of the album’s title track and The Bye Bye Blackbirds’ take on “There’s A Rugged Road” (my personal favorite of Sill’s songs – Shawn Colvin’s version is also great), it seems Sill’s music is much better suited to female voices. The other male covers seem flat to me, and I’d much rather listen to Judee’s soft coos and operatic trills. But Beth Orton’s recording of “Reach for the Sky” and Frida Hyvönen’s rendering of “Jesus Was A Cross Maker” (my other favorite Sill song) are particularly good. And the stand out track is “The Kiss” by Marissa Nadler & Black Hole Infinity.

Track list for Crayon Angel: A Tribute To The Music of Judee Sill:

01 Ron Sexsmith: “Crayon Angel”
02 Beth Orton: “Reach for the Sky”
03 Daniel Rossen: “Waterfall”
04 Frida Hyvönen: “Jesus Was a Cross Maker”
05 Shalants: “Lopin Along Thru the Cosmos”
06 Final Fantasy: “The Donor”
07 Nicolai Dunger: “Soldier of the Heart”
08 Trembling Blue Stars: “Lady-O”
09 Colossal Yes: “The Phoenix”
10 Marissa Nadler & Black Hole Infinity: “The Kiss”
11 Princeton: “Down Where the Valleys Are Low”
12 The Bye Bye Blackbirds: “There’s a Rugged Road”
13 Meg Baird: “When the Bridegroom Comes”
14 Bill Callahan: “For a Rainbow”
15 P.G. Six: “Til Dreams Come True”

Daniel Rossen – Waterfall (mp3) *

*mp3 posted w/ permission of Forcefield PR

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Greg Laswell – Your Ghost (mp3) *

Here’s a direct mp3 link for the song I posted last week. Greg Laswell covers Kristin Hersh’s “Your Ghost”. The song is featured on Laswell’s upcoming Covers EP.

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*mp3 hosted by & posted w/ permission of Girlie PR

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Meghan Wolf – Disappear (mp3) *

Eerie, femme electro-pop & rock somewhere between Hannah Fury & Patti Rothberg. From Wolf’s upcoming album Theory of Gravity, to be released September 15th.

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*mp3 hosted by & posted w/ permission of Toolshed Media

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The Duke & the King – If You Ever Get Famous (mp3 expired) *

The Duke & the King are Simone Felice, (formerly of The Felice Brothers) and Robert “Chicken” Burke. Their languid folk sound is similar to the somber side of Felice’s old band. This song is from their debut album Nothing Gold Can Stay.

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*mp3 provided by & posted w/ permission of Thirty Tigers PR

Greg Laswell – Your Ghost (external mp3 download page)

Click the link to visit KCRW’s site for Greg Laswell’s cover of “Your Ghost”, which is one of my favorite Kristin Hersh songs. The song is featured on Laswell’s upcoming Covers EP.

Pre-order @ Amazon (not yet available)

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The Raveonettes – Suicide (mp3) *

New song from the upcoming album In and Out of Control by The Raveonettes.

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*mp3 hosted by & posted w/ permission of Vice Records

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Blacklist – Flight of the Demoiselles (mp3) *

Electro-rock number from Blacklist’s new album Midnight of the Century.

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*mp3 hosted by & posted w/ permission of Magnum PR

Maura O’Connell’s unparalleled vocal power is beautifully displayed in her impressive new album. Naked With Friends is the Irish singer’s humorous way of describing this very serious and poignant work of vocal art. Determined to show that “just a singer” can possess as much talent as any musician, O’Connell recorded this collection of a cappella performances with the help of singers Kate Rusby, Dolly Parton, The Settlers Connection, Jerry Douglas, Crooked Still’s Aoife O’Donovan, Sarah Dugas of The Duhks, Altan’s Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh, Clannad’s Moya Brennan, Mary Black, Alison Krauss, Tim O’Brien, Darrell Scott, Paul Brady, Liam Bradley, Declan O’Rourke, and Áine Derrane.

Maura’s haunting a cappella opens “The Bright Blue Rose”. The earthy depths of her voice are so astounding, I wish she were unaccompanied for the duration for the song. But Kate Rusby, Dolly Parton, and The Settlers Connection make for a pretty choir on the song.

Jerry Douglas joins Maura for a gut-trembling performance of the traditional “Mo Sheamuseen”, Crooked Still’s Aoife O’Donovan and Sarah Dugas of The Duhks provide ethereal harmony on the ballad “Arrow”, and Alison Krauss contributes her soft croon to a cover of “Some People’s Lives”.

Tim O’Brien is outshone by O’Connell’s pipes on “The Blacksmith”, but Paul Brady does a fine job of keeping up with her on the traditional “Anach Cuain”. But you really must leave it to Irish gals to sing with each other, such as when Altan’s Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh, Clannad’s Moya Brennan (formerly known as Máire Brennan), and Mary Black lend their voices to “I Know My Love”.

Maura sings solo on a few tracks, beginning with a rafter shaking take on “Ae Fond Kiss” by Robert Burns. She also delivers a stunning rendition of Joan Armatrading’s “Weakness in Me”, which is one of my favorite songs of all time. The result is one of the most chill-producing vocals I’ve ever heard. Those who have heard the original know it’s difficult to imagine anyone successfully mimicking Armatrading’s heart wrenching delivery, let alone bringing anything fresh to the song. Yet the delicate trill and deep chasm of O’Connell’s voice evokes new facets of emotion from the tune.

Maura O’Connell – The Bright Blue Rose (mp3 link removed) *

*mp3 hosted by & posted w/ permission of Welk Music & Sugar Hill Records

Maura O’Connell Official Site
Maura O’Connell MySpace

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The Vignola Collective’s Gypsy Grass is a collection of hyperactive bluegrass spiced up with jazz, swing, and Flaminco guitar rhythms. The band combines uptempo, eclectic originals with covers of songs like Frank Zappa’s “Lemme Take You To The Beach” and Django Reinhardt’s “Appel Direct”.

The Vignola Collective – Funky Monkey (mp3 expired) *
The Vignola Collective – My Back (mp3 expired) *

*mp3 posted w/ permission of Crossover Media

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Young at Heart is a heartwarming, bittersweet, and highly entertaining documentary about a senior citizen choir in Northampton, MA who cover pop, rock, and punk songs by bands like Talking Heads, Sonic Youth, Coldplay, The Clash, and Ramones. Director Stephen Walker moves between scenes showing the choir’s rehearsals and stage performances, interviews with the aging singers, and impressive music videos featuring the group.

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Chicken Ain’t Chicken is the debut full-length album by Sweetback Sisters, and it will be released on June 30th. It can only be called a country album, though there are definitely elements of folk, jazz, and even funk thrown in. The strength lies the honeyed harmony of the gals and the twang-blues ruckus of certain songs, but the weakness seems to be found in songs that get a little too quirky for their own good.

The first portion of the album is charming and captivating, starting with the jaunty Western swing of “Cowboy Girl” – which has a surprising and brief burst of male opera vocals that reminds me of Joss Whedon’s “Grr Argh” logo. The pretty ballad “Virginia” follows, then there’s a funky cover of Roger Miller’s “My Uncle Used To Love Me But She Died”.

Unfortunately, something about the songs in the middle just started to irk me. At first I thought it was simply that I’ve burned myself out on country and folk (I’ve been listening to more rock lately), but I love the last few songs so I don’t know…even on repeated listens tracks 4-11 just grated on my nerves.

But then the sweet vocal harmony of “The Sweetest Gift” and the hyper honky tonk finale “You’re Gone Again” won me back over. So I can’t say I like the entire album, but I adore the songs that bookend it.

Sweetback Sisters – Cowboy Girl (mp3 removed)

Sweetback Sisters Official Site

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University of Calypso is the new collaboration of Trinidad’s “steel pan master” Andy Narell and Calypso singer-guitarist Relator (Willard Harris). The album will be released on June 23rd by Telarc Records. The songs pay homage to the incorporation of jazz into vintage Calypso music.

University of Calypso features fifteen covers of classic compositions by Lord Kitchener, Lord Melody, Mighty Terror, Roaring Lion, and Spider, as well as originals by Relator himself.

The concept of the collection was inspired by Lord Kitchener’s experiments with jazz and Calypso in the 1950s, particularly his “Bebop Calypso” ode to Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie. This jazz influence is most apparent in the cover of “Pan In Harmony”. Most of the other tracks have the upbeat, rhythmic melodies of Calypso music.

What I like most about the album is the lilting chime of Andy Narell’s steel drum – especially in “Sugar for Pan”. But not to be overlooked is the lighthearted rap style of Relator’s vocals in songs like “Food Prices”, which is seamlessly blended with the Calypso sound of the music.

Andy Narell & Relator – Gavaskar (mp3) *

*mp3 posted w/ permission of Telarc Records

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This past weekend was an eventful one for me with La boheme on Saturday night in Charleston, and a concert by Pianafiddle on Sunday afternoon in Daniels, West Virginia.

Daniels is a small town on the outskirts of Beckley, WV. Pianafiddle performed a free show at the Daniels Bible Church (which doubles as a small music venue) as a gift to the community in honor of their manager, Benny. Despite the parking lot and venue being packed, I managed to grab a pew in the second row with a great view of the stage. I arrived only a few minutes before the show started, thanks to my complete lack of navigation skills (I got lost).

I briefly introduced myself to Adam DeGraff and Lynn Wright (a.k.a. Pianafiddle), then got out of their way so they could begin. They played several selections from their albums Bach to Bluegrass and Or Something Like That! (my #9 of 2008), as well as a couple of new covers.

One of the many things that made the live performance even more interesting than the duo’s recordings was the way the two musicians played off of and challenged each other. This was an element of their improvisation that the audience wasn’t always aware of. For example, DeGraff revealed after their rendition of “Ain’t Misbehavin’” (which he dedicated to his cynical classical teachers) that Wright had attempted to trip him up by changing the tempo and the key of the tune from what they normally play. The two men obviously have a lot of fun playing together, and their chemistry made the performance even more entertaining.

A fan favorite and highlight of the first half of the concert was the lovely ballad “When I Grow Too Old to Dream”. Then DeGraff’s five year old daughter wowed the audience by jamming with the two gentleman on “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” – she played the central melody while Pianafiddle improvised around her.

In between songs, violinist Adam DeGraff told various anecdotes about touring, took questions from the audience, and shared the story of how he met pianist Lynn Wright in a local Walmart.

My personal favorite part of the concert was their improvisation of “Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto”. Adam’s classical training was most apparent then, and he played his fiddle with lightning speed. They rounded out the first set with a buoyant montage from “Fiddler On The Roof”.

After the intermission, the duo launched into a beautiful rendering of “Tennessee Waltz” (a song I hope they record on their next album!). A comical “Alley Cat” followed, after which Adam said he’d been instructed by Lynn to make his fiddle “meow like a sick cat”.

I had been hoping that Lynn – who is known as “The Ragtime Reverend” in his hometown – might play a Scott Joplin number and he dished out a jaunty take on “The Entertainer”. I wonder if I’m the only one who associates that particular tune with childhood memories of the local ice cream truck…

The second half of the show closed with “Beethoven’s Orange Blossom”, which grows from a slightly jazzy intro of “Fur Elise” into a genre-hopping conglomeration of jazz, blues, classical, and country. This was followed by a slide show of photographs from the band’s cross-country tour.

I feared Pianafiddle’s set might seem simple and dull in comparison to the WV Symphony performance I attended the previous night, but that was not the case at all. Pianafiddle’s concert was one of the best live performances I’ve ever attended, and I’m happy to hear they’ll be back in Charleston soon.

I don’t have any audio or pictures to post from this particular performance, but check out this post for links to Pianafiddle’s YouTube videos and their official site for tour dates.

Jim Byrnes new album My Walking Stick was just released this week. While other singers are quick to capitalize on any previous claims to fame, the press release for this album doesn’t even mention Byrnes’ acting career. I personally know him best as watcher Joe Dawson on Highlander the Series (my biggest guilty pleasure), but the general public may remember him better for his role on Wiseguy. Byrnes obviously considers himself a singer and musician first, an actor second. It’s easy to understand why when you listen to his music. Whiles blues artists like Duke Robillard are the first comparisons that come to mind, Byrnes also delves into roots, doo-wop, and even a jazz standard on this new disc.

Most of the album rests comfortably in Jim’s signature blues-roots combo style. But the soulful rendition of Irvin Berlin’s “My Walking Stick” allows Byrnes to croon, and it’s a surprisingly good fit for his gritty but solid voice. Now I want to hear the man record an entire album of standards. He also experiments with a bit of doo-wop on “Lookin For A Love”, and covers The Band’s “Ophelia”.

Jim Byrnes – Walk On Boy (mp3) *

*mp3 hosted by & posted w/ permission of Killbeat Music

Jim Byrnes Official Site
Jim Byrnes MySpace

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Concord Records and Frank Sinatra Enterprises have teamed up to release two new Frank Sinatra albums this month: a 40th anniversary edition of My Way and Live At The Meadowlands. The new edition of My Way features liner notes by U2’s Bono, and this is the first time the recording of Sinatra’s 1986 concert at the Meadowlands has been made available to the public. Like Bono, my husband is an Irish Sinatraphile. Since his knowledge of and appreciation for Sinatra’s music is much more extensive than my own, I asked him to review the two albums for us. And so I present the debut guest post from my Irish boy, Brendan…

Brendan says:

I became a Sinatra fan a few years ago, after hearing his early work with the Tommy Dorsey Band. I grew to love his work chronologically through box sets for the various record companies he worked with – from Columbia to Capitol to Reprise. I think Frank’s work deteriorated through the years and I was disappointed by his Live From Las Vegas album, so I didn’t expect much from a 70-year-old Sinatra. That’s why this new Meadowlands recording is a revelation to me.

Frank was obviously inspired by the hometown crowd, because Live At The Meadowlands is a worthy collection. I would list it among Sinatra’s finest live recordings, which for me are Sinatra at the Sands and Live in Australia 1959. From the plaintive opening of “Without a Song” through the joyous eruption of “New York, New York” and culminating with a wonderfully jazzy “Mack the Knife”, Sinatra is confident and in control of his vocal instrument. And he is ably assisted by the orchestra led by Bill Miller.

The 40th edition of My Way (which my wife prefers) is a nice collection with a few standout tracks: “For Once in My Life” (a rehearsal version is also included), a heartfelt rendering of The Beatles’ “Yesterday”, and the sublime “If You Go Away”. The climax is a live version of “My Way” – a song often copied, but never equalled. However, the less written about his ironic twist on Simon & Garfunkel’s “Mrs. Robinson”, the better.

To conclude, an excerpt from the book Why Sinatra Matters by Pete Hamill:

“High art always survives. Long after his death, Charlie Parker still plays his version of the urban blues. Billie Holiday still whispers her anguish. Mozart still erupts in joy. Every day, in cities and towns all over the planet, someone discovers them for the first time and finds in their art that mysterious quality that makes the listener more human. In their work all great artists help transcend the solitude of individuals; they relieve the ache of loneliness; they supply a partial response to the urging of writer E. M. Forster: ‘Only connect.’ In their ultimate triumph over the banality of death, such artists continue to matter. So will Frank Sinatra.”

I was not granted permission to share an mp3, but you can hear samples at the links below.

Frank Sinatra – I’ve Got You Under My Skin (audio stream)
Frank Sinatra – New York New York (audio stream)
Frank Sinatra – My Way (audio stream)

Buy My Way @ Amazon

Buy Live at the Meadowlands @ Amazon