Two new albums were recently released, a tribute to Townes Van Zandt by Steve Earle and a new album from Yusuf the artist formerly known as Cat Stevens.
Steve Earle’s new album Townes a tribute to Townes Van Zandt covers both little and well known Townes Van Zandt songs. It is interesting to see a singer songwriter do a tribute album. For the most part Earle pulls this album off. It is no secret that Earle admires the music of Zandt, he has been covering his songs for years and has even named his son in his honor. Earle’s gravelly voice does not always do the songs justice, but there is enough good stuff here to satisfy most Earle fans. Amazon is currently offering the album in download format for $2.99. At that price the album only needs a couple of great songs to justify the price and it does that and more. I recommend the album for all die hard Earle fans, others might want to shy away from this album.
Yusuf’s new album, Roadsinger is a return to the sound of early Cat Stevens…much more so than the previous album An Other Cup. If you enjoy the pre-pop Cat then this album is for you…
The song To Be What You Must opens:
I have journeyed, endless miles
Seen many others, where I took rest a while
On this boat called “near and far”
To be what you must, you must give up what you are.
Classic Cat…highly recommended.
and, lest we forget, The Bottle Rockets new one should be out very soon.
Edit: The Bottle Rockets new one won’t be out till August 11.
Edit 2: The Steve Earle album is actually way better than I thought earlier. I wrote the above after listening to it twice…but a few more listens shows that it is quite excellent. Like any Earle, it sounds best when turned up…
Filed under: personal
cat stevens may be suing coldplayhttp://www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/general_music_news/cat_stevens_says_he_may_sue_coldplay.html
Clapton & Winwood – Live From Madison Square Garden
Live From Madison Square Garden culls tracks from their 2008 performances, when Clapton & Winwood officially celebrated their Blind Faith collaborative period (of about forty years ago), adding-on material from early solo outings and Winwood’s Traffic tenure. The formula for this summit is established right from the release’s opening track, “Had To Cry Today,” that finds Winwood boyishly straining for stratospheric high notes, and Clapton jamming alongside his partner’s competing guitar licks. They are backed solidly by bassist Willie Weeks, keyboardist Chris Stainton, and drummer Ian Thomas, replacing original members Ginger Baker and the late Rich Grech. Despite the absentees, there is much magic in the expanded arrangements of Blind Faith tracks such as “Can’t Find My Home” and “Presence Of The Lord.” Winwood’s Traffic numbers, “Dear Mr. Fantasy” and “Pearly Queen,” get a lot of Clapton solo love, and their back-to-back tribute of “Voodoo Chile” and “Little Wing” to their former contemporary, Jimi Hendrix, honors the master’s original manuscripts as they add their own signatures.
Crowd-jolters such as “After Midnight,” “Low Down,” and “Tell The Truth” keep the pace grooving along right up through Clapton’s classic (and J.J. Cale composition), “Cocaine”–with a seventh inning stretch of segued solo songs (Clapton on Robert Johnson’s “Rambling On My Mind,” Winwood on Ray Charles’ “Georgia On My Mind”) providing a brief reprieve from the bluesrocking. The best compliment that can be paid to this live reunion is that it comes off like a boot, with none of the performances seeming overly precious or rehearsed. With Clapton and Winwood obviously having such a good time on this project, creating another studio experiment possibly is crossing their minds. But maybe they shouldn’t mess with a good thing. The genuineness of Live From Madison Garden perfectly reacquaints us with the kind of primal, bluesy rock that this duo’s early records introduced us to four decades ago.
Tracks:
CD 1:
1. Had To Cry Today
2. Low Down
3. Them Changes
4. Forever Man
5. Sleeping In The Ground
6. Presence Of The Lord
7. Glad
8. Well Alright
9. Double Trouble
10. Pearly Queen
11. Tell The Truth
12. No Face, No Name, No Number
CD 2:
1. After Midnight
2. Split Decision
3. Rambling On My Mind
4. Georgia On My Mind
5. Little Wing
6. Voodoo Chile
7. Can’t Find My Way Home
8. Dear Mr. Fantasy
9. Cocaine
DVD 1:
1. Had To Cry Today
2. Them Changes
3. Forever Man
4. Sleeping In The Ground
5. Presence Of The Lord
6. Glad
7. Well Alright
8. Double Trouble
9. Pearly Queen
10. Tell The Truth
11. No Face, No Name, No Number
12. After Midnight
13. Split Decision
14. Rambling On My Mind
15. Georgia On My Mind
16. Little Wing
17. Voodoo Chile
18. Can’t Find My Way Home
19. Dear Mr. Fantasy
20. Cocaine
DVD 2:
Documentary: The Road To Madison Garden
Documentary: Rambling On My Mind (includes Eric Clapton at a sound check)
Bonus Material: “Low Down,” “Kind Hearted Woman,” and “Crossroads”
Hey Kurt,
I got to see Clapton back in early 1990…I think it was the Journeyman tour. His guest was Stevie Ray Vaughan–shortly before he died. An excellent show.
hey john
I so wanted to jump off dEAD tour in 90? to catch Robert Cray, Stevie Ray and Clapton it was Stevie’s last shows along with Brent Midland which i did see.
P.S.
i always loved the wildweed song I want to model my life after that song.