CD: John Mellencamp, Freedom’s Road (Universal Republic, 2007)

It was the whine heard around the world: “Stop calling me Cougar!” At the time it seemed an unnecessary request – did his fans care what his name was, wasn’t Cougar cool, why bother changing? But it mattered to John Mellencamp, and the highly publicized name change kept his (new) name on the tip of everyone’s tongue. But of course it was the extremely likeable songs that he released year after year that kept him on the charts. And after writing some of the last three decade’s most memorable hits, Mellencamp continues his reign of rock with a new CD, Freedom’s Road. (more…)

CD: Los Straitjackets (with the World Famous Pontani Sisters and Kaiser George), Twist Party!!! (Yep Roc Records, 2006)

I can’t imagine anyone ever thought that four guys in Lucha Libre / Mexican wrestling masks playing ’60s-style surf and dance instrumentals would last all that long. But here it is, over 10 years and one Grammy nomination since the release of The Utterly Fantastic and Totally Unbelieveable Sounds of Los Straitjackets. I’d guess their tongues are planted firmly in cheek, but then again it’s hard to tell under those goofy masks, without which it’s doubful they’ve have made much more of an impression than other ’60s-fan-bands like, say, The Woggles or The Brood or The Malt Liquor Kings.

That’s not to say Los ‘jackets are bad. They’re good, but the appeal to me is that as a live act, since we’re all either too young to have seen–or too old to recall–the originals who inspired them, and those originals are mostly too dead to tour. As for spinning records at home, I’ll slip Los Straitjackets on every once in a while, but I’d rather groove to authentic old sides by the Swinging Blue Jeans, Mickey Lee Lane or the Lively Ones. (more…)

CD: Lucinda Williams, West (Lost Highway Records, February 14, 2007)

“Who knows what the future holds
Or where the cards may fall
But if you don’t come out west and see
You’ll never know at all.” – “West”

She’s rough around the edges and she’s as tough as they come, yet she can write some of the purdiest music ever heard. West is Lucinda Williams’ latest CD, and it’s 13 tracks (narrowed down from more than 27 that were vying for a spot on the album) that move from introspective, provocative gems to experimental ditties that push her country, blues and rock boundaries. (more…)

CD: The Silos, Come On Like The Fast Lane (Bloodshot Records, February 20, 2007)

On Come On Like The Fast Lane (recorded in Phillip Glass’s Looking Glass Studios), The Silos packed 20 years of evolution onto one little CD. Frontman Walter Salas-Humara brings a fresh feel to the table with smart songwriting and clean guitar rhythms. Backing him in all the right places is Drew Glackin on guitars, bass and backing vocals and Konrad Meissner on drums/percussion and backing vocals. (more…)

Concert preview: Roger Waters performs Dark Side Of The Moon at MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas

1. Roger Waters

2. Dark Side Of the Moon

1+2=Roger Waters will perform Dark Side Of The Moon, in its entirety, at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on June 16, at 8 p.m.

One of the top-selling CDs of all time, Dark Side Of The Moon was written by a bunch of 20-something’s in 1973 and used technology as no one had before. It was experimental and ground-breaking. And the chance to see original Pink Floyd member Roger Waters perform live is better than meeting the Queen of England.

Don’t miss this rare opportunity to hear one of rock music’s most influential stars play one of rock music’s most influential albums. Note: Waters will perform two sets: the first will provide an overview of his music, including early Pink Floyd material and solo works, the second, Dark Side Of The Moon.

Tickets will go on sale Saturday, March 17, at 10 a.m. and will be sold at the MGM Grand box office, Ticketmaster locations (Smith’s Food and Drug Center and Macy’s stores), at www.livenation.com and www.mgmgrand.com and by phone at 702-474-4000. Ticket sales are limited to eight per person and cost $47.25, $89.25 and $157.50.

Website/Company Review: ABQ Music Association

“We want to say to all bands out there playing: Make every show your best, even if you are playing to the two cowboys and a dog and the crickets are chirping. Why? Because you never know who is there in the back of the room listening.” – Sue Lucas

ABQ Music Association was voted one of the top six best things about the Albuquerque music scene in 2006, Weekly Alibi.

ABQ Music Association was first conceived in 2004 when organizers Sue Lucas and Cheryl Hooks met. By December of 2006, the site was up-and-running and has since helped improve the local Albuquerque music scene in a variety of ways, including working with the city to install loading/unloading zones at venues for bands before and after shows.

ABQMA’s dedication to the local scene is truly impressive and much needed. Few people outside of New Mexico are aware of the massive number of groups that call N.M. home. You can literally find every kind of music, from death metal to Native American, Reggae to improvisational jazz. Furthermore, many of the musicians are in more than one band and are making a living performing.

According to Hooks, some of the major obstacles facing local bands include a lack of knowledge, community and music industry infrastructure such as solid labels, mangers, booking agents, etc. ABQMA is tackling as many of these obstacles as possible with a number of extremely helpful resources. (more…)

CD: Kristin Hersh, Learn To Sing Like A Star (Yeproc Records, 2007)

If the currently blonde-haired Kristin Hersh never recorded more than the songs “The Letter” (Hips and Makers) and “Spain” (Sunny Border Blue) she’d still have to be considered one of the most intriguing songwriters of her time. Luckily, she’s recorded a virtual arsenal of music: Her band, Throwing Muses, which she started while in high school, has recorded many CDs, including the ingeniously restless Hunkpapa, the powerfully melodic University, The Real Ramona, Limbo and Red Heaven, over the years, not to mention the music she’s written for her band, 50 Foot Wave. And then there’s all the solo works: Strange Angels, The Grotto … there are many others … which has helped to make Hersh a superstar, at least in certain circles. And now she’s back with a new CD, Learn To Sing Like A Star.

From first note to last, Sing Like a Star is unmistakably Hersh. Her identifiable raspy voice is as raspy as ever; sophisticated strings (played by friends Martin and Kim McCarrick) run rampant and leave footprints on almost every song; and of course her trademark dark and disjointed lyrical style is present. Not counting the strings and drums (played by long-time musical cohort, David Narcizo), Hersh plays all the other instruments featured on the album. And this time around she included three beautiful instrumental pieces. (more…)

Interview with Alex of Buffalo Alice

Somehow Buffalo Alice sneaked it’s way onto my Myspace friends list but I never really paid much attention to it or it’s music. The band posts bulletins once in awhile, and honestly, I never read any of them. Until today.

Today I see a bulletin titled “i quit.” Right after it is another titled “seriously.” Sounded interesting, so I decided to see what was up. I was not prepared for what I read. The first bulletin read: “I suck my lyrics suck my music sucks my band sucks.” The second: “I ask you guys to listen to our songs today so we can get a higher ranking and all I get is 62 plays? wth? this is why we suck. thanks for helping us out. worst fans ever.”

Who can resist responding to someone with such a bad, self-deprecating attitude? Not me. So I wrote to the writer and told him (or her, I didn’t yet know) I thought he or she was pretty bold talking to their fans like that. Our e-mails shot back and forth at the speed of light and we decided an interview was in order. (more…)

CD: The Reformation, The Floral War (June Records, October, 2006)

Westin Glass was a relatively well-known guy on the local Albuquerque, NM, music scene a few years back as the drummer for the popular group Mistletoe, but the urge to write and record his own music simmered below the surface. Glass picked up moved to Seattle, where he found a moderate amount of success as drummer for Model Photographer and had the opportunity to perform and record some original material with the bands The Bum Out Patrol and Boyd Reno is John Center. But the simmering desire to write boiled over and Glass began to focus on his music in earnest with his “group” The Reformation.

The end result of this creative flux is the nine-track album, The Floral War, on which Glass wrote, performed and recorded with very little help from the outside world. In fact, the only outside influence comes from Alex Rose (a former bandmate in Model Photographer) who mixed the CD, Chris Hanzek (Soundgarden, the Melvins) who mastered it and some bass, guitar and keyboard work by friends John Bagley, Luke Heath and Boyd Reno. (more…)