Tag: music

Poetry and electric guitars: Lucinda live in Red Bank

Lucinda Williams learned a lot from her father.

The country-rock songstress — is it country or rock or some other genre? — is one of the few songwriters who can rightfully claim to be a poet of the pop song, crafting lyrics of detail and exquisite wordplay that demonstrate a direct link to her father, the poet Miller Williams.

Last night’s set at the Count Basie Theater in Red Bank offered a cross-section of her career and a healthy dose of songs from her fine new record, Blessed, possibly her best recording in a half dozen years (and that says a lot).

And there were a lot of loud, guitars — courtesy of the great Val McAllum, who took over lead guitar responsibilities for Lucinda several years ago when she brought Buick 6 on board as her backing band. While I loved Doug Pettibone’s playing, McAllum has more range and seems more willing to expand the songs, to take them to a new place live. McAllum’s expansive, electric playing never overpowered the band — anchored by the fabulous Butch Norton on drums and steady David Sutton on bass.

Set list (as tweeted during the show):

    1 & 2: “It’s Over” and “People Talkin'” to start
    3: “2 Cool 2 B Forgotten”
    4: Guitar solo on “Tears of Joy” wow
    5: “Pineola” — after five shows. A dreadful, powerful story. Amazing.
    8-11: Bunch of the new: “Don’t Know How You’re Living”; “Copenhagen”; “Born to be Loved”; “Convince Me” 
    12 & 13: “Out of Touch” w/guitar solo followed by heavy blues of “Unsuffer Me” 
    15: Fats Domino cover — “I Live My Life” 
    16: Oops — words forgotten to “Righteously”! 
    17 & 18: “Change the Locks” & “Honey Bee” — guitar slinging 
    19: Encore: “Blessed” 
    20: From Essence “Get Right with God”, w/Dylan LeBlanc (An aside: If LeBlanc would have shown a third of the energy he displayed with the guitar on this song during his opening set….) 
    21: We found her “Joy” in Jersey! 
    22: “For What It’s Worth” for the Wisconsin protestors — encore 2 (actually, for all workers)

  • Read poetry at The Subterranean.
  • Certainties and Uncertainties a chapbook by Hank Kalet, will be published in November by Finishing Line Press. It can be ordered here.
  • Suburban Pastoral, a chapbook by Hank Kalet, available here.
Email me at grassroots at comcast dot net.

To open: Cliches and acoustic guitars

Dylan LeBlanc opened for Lucinda Williams tonight in Red Bank and offered evidence as to the pretentiousness of the folk revival movement.

With his wobbly tenor and competent guitar playing, he projected the image of a folkie without any of the necessary energy. It is not enough to have long hair and be able to finger pick. You still need to be interesting.

Consider him exhibit A for the prosecution in the case of the People v. the Folk Revival

Email me at grassroots at comcast dot net.

Call them the White Dashes?

Bands come and go, but it is still tough to swallow when a great band splits. The news today that Jack and Meg have called it quits leaves me feeling like one of Jack’s harsher guitar runs has been cutting a hole in my ear.

  • Send me an e-mail.
  • Read poetry at The Subterranean.
  • Certainties and Uncertainties a chapbook by Hank Kalet, will be published in November by Finishing Line Press. It can be ordered here.
  • Suburban Pastoral, a chapbook by Hank Kalet, available here.
Email me at grassroots at comcast dot net.

Brief thoughs on Charlie Louvin

It is difficult to explain how important Charlie Louvin was to the history of country music.

Recording with his brother, Ira, the duo made some of the greatest music the genre (or any genre) has seen — as the above video can attest.

I was lucky enough to see Charlie Louvin a few years ago when he opened for Lucinda Williams on Long Island and the did several duets that were magical. I have a CD that he signed and I listen to on more than a rare occasion.

Louvin’s death leaves a void, but the music lives on and will live on.

(Check out Livin’, Lovin’, Losin’, a remarkable tribute album to get a sense of the duo’s importance — or just pick up some Louvin Brothers songs.)

  • Send me an e-mail.
  • Read poetry at The Subterranean.
  • Certainties and Uncertainties a chapbook by Hank Kalet, will be published in November by Finishing Line Press. It can be ordered here.
  • Suburban Pastoral, a chapbook by Hank Kalet, available here.
Email me at grassroots at comcast dot net.

The pleasures of old vinyl

I’ve boxed up a number of old vinyl records for sale, most of which I’ll never listen to again. At the same time, I’ve held onto some vinyl that I either have sentimental attachments to — old Beatles, Dylan and Springsteen, for instance — and some records that have yet to hit digital.

My wife, for Hanukkah and Christmas, bought me a neat little device that is allowing me to transfer some of this material to my iPod — an interesting array of old punk and ’60s and ’70s obscurities that I used to listen to obsessively when the turntable was a regular part of my life.

Over the last couple of days, I’ve transferred some long-lost records:

Jack Lee, Jack Lee’s Greatest Hit Vol. 1. A former member of The Nerves (which featured Peter Case, as well), Lee put out a solo album in the early 1980s. It got no traction and, despite an ad campaign in Rolling Stone (where it came to my attention), it disappeared. Too bad. The album features some great rave-ups and Lee’s version of “Hanging on the Telephone,” which he wrote.

Jim Carroll Band, Dry Dreams. Everyone rightly remembers Catholic Boy, often called the last great punk album, but Carroll’s follow up deserves its own space in the post-punk pantheon. (Album No. 3, I Write Your Name, which I have on cassette, has some moments but is probably deservedly lost to the digital age.)

Bob Seger. Seger used to have a band called the Bob Seger System, which put out three classics of pre-punk Detroit boogie — Noah, Mongrel and Ramblin’ Gamblin’ Man (there may be others, but these are the ones I have) — that may not be lost, but deserve a much greater audience than they have at this point. Same for his Smokin’ OPs, an album of covers, and Seven.

Good Rats, Tasty. Yes, you can find some of their material on disc (through the band’s web site), but I have the vinyl and now it’s on my iPod.

Great stuff. I look forward to moving Mink DeVille, Tom Verlaine and some of the obscure wonders in my old vinyl collection to digital.

  • Send me an e-mail.
  • Read poetry at The Subterranean.
  • Certainties and Uncertainties a chapbook by Hank Kalet, will be published in November by Finishing Line Press. It can be ordered here.
  • Suburban Pastoral, a chapbook by Hank Kalet, available here.
Email me at grassroots at comcast dot net.