Words and Photos // Scott Pingeton

It's all too rare that a record comes along without hype or expectations and completely knocks me on my ass, but that's exactly what happened with Adam Arcuragi's brilliant new album Like a fire that consumes all before it.  Devoid of posturing, pretension and "flavor of the month" veneer, the album shines in its simplicity - it's about the heart, the soul and the songs.  No more and no less.  Timeless soul infused folk, delivered with a fire-and-brimstone gospel fervor.  Quiet laments and calls to arms, both whispered and shouted for all to hear.  The band refers to it as "Death Gospel", and that works for me.  The best record I've heard so far this year.

Adam Arcuragi and his excellent band The Lupine Chorale Society stopped at PA's Lounge in Somerville last weekend as part of their nation-wide tour in support of Like a fire....  Arcuragi and band took the stage with little fanfare, quickly launching into folk rave-up "President's Song", but it didn't take long to overcome an unattentive crowd and awful sound system.  Arcuragi's voice filled the room and silenced conversations mid-sentence as he and his band worked through a 45 minute set that drew heavily from Like a fire... and included a brilliant cover of The Ronettes "Be My Baby".  The live show took on the same characteristics as the album - no bullshit, just great, passionate music.  The songs were fleshed out by The Lupine Chorale Society, a crack band consisting of drums, bass, keys and banjo/pedal steel that showed the power to carry the songs and the restraint to let Arcuragi's soulful vocals steal the show.

A fantastic show from one of my favorite up-and-coming artists - I was enthralled from the first note to the last.  I guarantee that they'll be playing a bigger venue next time they come through Boston and that it will be a show you don't want to miss.  Until then, get the record (on vinyl preferably...it sounds goood) and tell your friends.

I recorded the entire show, but thanks to a talkative crowd and weak sound system the end result isn't great.  Here's "Here Comes Everyone", one of the tracks that ended up being listenable.

Adam Arcuragi - Here Comes Everyone (Live at PA's Lounge, Somerville MA - 2.3.12)

And here's a great video of "Oh I See" from slyke25:

Words // Scott Pingeton

New thing here that I'll try to keep going for at least 2 weeks.  You tweeters might recognize #ff as the hash tag for "friday follow"...or basically "it's friday, follow these people".  That's kind of the idea here too.  Cool stuff that's new or old, but I'm digging it and want to share.

Wooden Dinosaur - "Good Winter"
These Vermonters are one of my favorite New England bands.  Songwriter Michael Roberts writes literate, heartfelt folk songs that are perfectly suited for summer dusk porchlight or winter's coldest nights.  On their brand new (and excellent) album Spaces, the sound expands a bit from 2010's Nearly Lost Stars - expect more electric guitar and more yodeling (both good things).  Roberts is a master of wringing pure emotion from the strings of an electric guitar - listen to his work on David Wax Museum's excllent Everything Is Saved and on "Good Winter" off Spaces.  This song will singlehandedly propel me through the dreary final days of winter still to come and usher me into spring's embrace.  Absolutely love it.

Wooden Dinosaur - Good Winter

The Oh Hellos - "Hello My Old Heart"
When Jay Sweet, Newport Folk Festival producer and musical tastemaker, tweets about a new band he's digging, you listen.  That's how you discover bands like The Oh Hellos.  The band cites Mumford & Sons as an influence, and I believe it after hearing how "Hello My Old Heart" builds from a beautifully simple folk tune into a majestic anthem complete with layered vocals, handclaps and strings.  Grab their excellent 4-song EP right here (pay what you want!).

The Oh Hellos - Hello My Old Heart

Josh Netsky - "The Spirits"
Reverby vocals  give "The Spirits" a dream-like quality, but a military march propels the song forward - alternately staggering through a hazy psych-folk fog and bouncing along on plucked banjo notes.  Rochester NY's Josh Netsky is brand new to me, but I can't get enough of this song.  Grab "The Spirits" for free on his bandcamp page, or get the whole album for just $5 (recommended).

Josh Netsky - The Spirits

Kopecky Family Band
I'll leave you with this, because it's just freaking fantastic and needs no introduction...

Words // Sarah V

I was fortunate enough to be in New York City for Joe Henry's two concerts at City Winery recently. To add to my great luck, my favorite guitarist, Marc Ribot, was the opening act both nights, and he sat in with the band on a few songs during the main set as well. The band consisted of the same set of musicians that were on Joe Henry's recent studio album, "Reverie," plus his son, Levon Henry, as a guest saxophonist on a few songs. (Unlike other acts of on-stage nepotism I've witnessed over the years, Levon actually did an excellent job!) 

Ribot's opening sets were a little on the tame side, compared to some of the wild concerts I've seen him do, but the audience really loved him. It didn't hurt that he was introduced with phrases like "one of the great guitar players in the world" and "there isn't a musician in the world I admire more than Marc Ribot"... you'd be hard-pressed to come up with a more glowing recommendation than that, really. 

About half of what Ribot played was from his most recent album, "Silent Movies," and about half was covers - including some standards that he'd played on Allen Toussaint's fantastic "The Bright Mississippi," a couple of John Coltrane pieces, and a Lounge Lizards song ("Blow Job"). For someone like me who follows his career closely, the covers all made perfect sense: "The Bright Mississippi" was produced by Joe Henry, so of course he'd pull out some of those for this night's concert; one of Ribot's more recent bands is "Sunship," which focuses on double-electric-guitar interpretations of Coltrane, so naturally he's been working on some of those pieces lately; and way back in the 80s, he was the guitar player for the Lounge Lizards. 

Joe Henry played very similar sets both nights - he played the entirety of "Reverie," in order; plus a couple of covers in the encore. This was both good and bad... on the one hand, I absolutely adore "Reverie" and I loved having a chance to hear every song on it performed live; on the other hand, I would also have loved to hear some gems from the back catalog, too, since his last few albums are unfailingly brilliant. (I had fangirl fantasies of him getting Marc Ribot to break out his coronet so he could play that solo on "Bellwether" from his 2009 release "Blood from Stars," but I suppose that is asking a lot! Still, one or two of the songs from "Civilians" thrown into a second encore would have been a huge crowd-pleaser.) 

Joe Henry did an excellent job bringing the album to a live setting; the musicians he had on stage are all top notch, and they added some beautiful flourishes to the music. He brought Marc Ribot back on stage for all of the songs he'd played on the album - "Dark Tears," "Tomorrow Is October," and "Deathbed Version." One change that I particularly loved was giving Ribot an electric guitar instead of an acoustic guitar on "Tomorrow Is October," which transformed it from a spare and haunting ballad to something downright bluesy. The new arrangement was a real highlight of the night for me. Another highlight was Joe Henry's solo acoustic guitar version of "Room at Arles," which is one of my very favorites from the album - a moving tribute to the late Vic Chesnutt. 

The last song of the first night's show was a surprise - Loudon Wainwright came out and sang "Motel Blues" with Joe Henry and his band. The audience really ate that one up, and for five minutes it felt like we were transported to an entirely different concert with a much more rowdy and raucous atmosphere. On the second night we had high hopes that Elvis Costello might be a surprise guest, because the guy sitting next to me ran into him coming out of the men's room between sets - but I guess he was just there to see the show since he didn't turn up on stage. The second show's encore - which turned out to be entirely free of surprise guests - included a cover of the old Crosby/Sinatra/etc. standard, "I Don't Stand a Ghost of A Chance With You," as well as Woody Guthrie's "Ramblin' Round" to close the night. 

Joe Henry unfortunately doesn't tour very often, but when he does, I'd highly recommend catching his show - especially if you are a fan of things like great songwriting and finely honed musicianship. I'm already looking forward to the next time he comes around!

Joe Henry - You Can't Fail Me Now

Marc Ribot - Fat Man Blues

Words // Adam Sharp

M.Ward - "The First Time I Ran Away"
If this smokey, perfect little number is any indication of what A Wasteland Companion, the new M.Ward album, is going to be like, we're all in for a treat. (website)

Bahamas - "Lost in the Light"
Equal parts campfire sing/clap along, hymn, and love song, this is the best song I've heard so far this young year. (website)

The Strange Boys - "Doueh"
This song has all the requirements of a nice, smooth little rock song - some grit, a little jangle, and a bit of wailing. (website)

The Strange Boys - Doueh

Megafaun - "Hope You Know" (from the Moog Sound Lab)
You probably heard this during a Super Bowl ad. You didn't hear this version, believe me. (website)

Words // Adam Sharp

Yellow Ostrich - "Marathon Runner"
Well, kids, looks like we have 2012's first certified jam right here. It's got an odd rhythm, angular guitars and by far the catchiest chorus I've heard through the first month of the year. (website)

Yellow Ostrich - Marathon Runner

Bhi Bhiman - "Guttersnipe"
It's rare that a young songwriter can take an almost 7 minute long song about a wandering, lonely street urchin and turn it into an enjoyable, engaging listen, but that's exactly what Bhi Bhiman, and that magnificent, rich voice, has done. (website)

Bhi Bhiman - Guttersnipe

Alabama Shakes - "Heavy Chevy" (Live at Stubbs)
At this point I don't even know what to say about Alabama Shakes. They are just too damn good at rock & roll. Keep this in mind: 'Heavy Chevy,' which is a blistering little number, doesn't even appear on their forthcoming debut album. (website)

Wilco - "Cars Can't Escape"
You know those perfect songs that hide in the depths and clutter of your iTunes library? This was one of those for me. Hopefully that doesn't happen again. (website)

Wilco - Cars Can't Escape

Dr. Dog - "Lonesome"
As ramshackle, messy, bluesy songs go, this is pretty much perfect. (website)

Words // Scott Pingeton

With rumor swirling, and now hard proof, that Neil Young was recording new music with Crazy Horse, I've started digging back into my own Shakey archives.  As much as I love all incarnations of Neil Young, the Crazy Horse is my favorite - who doesn't love those long jams on "Down By The River" and "Cortez The Killer", or the sheer power of "Powderfinger" or "Hey Hey, My My"?  Here's a brilliant recording of NY and Crazy Horse at the Boston Music Hall in 1976.  An incredible 90 minute set that starts with an acoustic set and ends with a fiery electric Crazy Horse set - and he did it all again later that night.

Side note - shows like this make me wish I was around for the pre-arena rock show days.  Boston Music Hall (the Orpheum now) hosted every major artist in the 70s - Neil Young, The Who, The Rolling Stones, Springsteen and on down the list.  Those days aren't coming back, but what an incredible opportunity to see bands of that caliber in the relatively intimate confines of a theater instead of a corporate, souless basketball arena that we're forced to see today's biggest acts in.

The Boston Music Hall show is available below for stream or download in excellent sound.  If this doesn't get you excited for new Crazy Horse music (and hopefully a tour), then nothing will!

Neil Young And Crazy Horse
Boston Music Hall - Boston, MA
November 22, 1976 (Early Show)

The Old Laughing Lady
Human Highway
Journey Through The Past
Pocahontas
Needle And The Damage Done
Give Me Strength
A Man Needs A Maid
Sugar Mountain
My Country Home
Don't Cry No Tears
Down By The River
Lotta Love
Like A Hurricane
After The Gold Rush
Cortez The Killer
Cinnamon Girl
Are You Ready For The Country?

Full set download: mp3 zip

Photo by Alex Crick (http://backbeatseattle.com)Words // Scott Pingeton

I stumbled onto Ivan & Alyosha's excellent Fathers Be Kind EP fairly late in 2011, but it didn't take long for it to earn a spot on my year-end favorite EPs list.  Lush harmonies and pop sensibilities made it an easy listen, and listen I did - over and over and over.  A sure favorite for fans other PNW exports Fleet Foxes and The Head And The Heart.

When i heard the band would be warming the Somerville Theater stage for Aimee Mann, I promptly marked my calendar.  Seeing a band for the first time usually means a late night in an Allston or Cambridge club, which is great and all - but I am old and lame now, inching ever closer to 30.  Needless to say, the early start time, cushy theater setting and middle-aged Aimee Mann crowd suited me just fine, thanks.  Joking aside, one of the benefits of a theater vs. rock club is the sound, and the Somerville Theater was perfectly suited for the band's soaring harmonies.

As the band took the stage I was surprised to see 4 mics lined up across the front of the stage and no drum set.  Percussion was limited to tambourine, and frequent clapping/stomping.  The rest of the band traded off acoustic guitars, an electric guitar and all contributed vocals.  The band kept the crowd, which started small and steadily filled-in throughout their set, interested with songs off Fathers Be Kind, plus a heavy dose of new material.  Likeable between-song banter kept the mood relaxed and if the job of the opening band is to get whet the crowd's musical appetite and get them engaged - Ivan & Alyosha did just that.  "I Was Born To Love Her" opened the set, "Fathers Be Kind" was a late-set favorite that received a roaring ovation and the capacity crowd happily clapped and sang-along with the set-closing "Glorify".  Judging by the line at the band's merch table and comments overheard from those around me, I'd say the band won over some new fans.  I can't wait for them to return for a longer, headlining set in one of those aforementioned clubs.

The full set is available for stream/download below.  Sound is generally very good, with some limited crowd noise.  Thanks to the sound crew/staff at the Somerville Theater and of course to Ivan & Alyosha for allowing me to tape.  Enjoy the recording and please support the band.

Ivan & Alyosha
Somerville Theater - Somerville, MA
January 19, 2012

I Was Born To Love Her
Unknown / New?
Easy To Love
New Song
New Song
Unknown / New?
Unknown / New?
Fathers Be Kind
Glorify

It's (again) been entirely too long since I checked in around these parts, but I bring musical gifts as a peace offering. Going forward I'll be posting every week or so with music I've been listening to that I think you should check out, but today's post is all about catching you up on some unbelievable tunes I've stumbled upon lately. Here's some tunes I think you'll like. Enjoy.

Nick Waterhouse - "I Can Only Give You Everything"
This song has absolutely consumed me lately with its catchy, energetic throwback R&B, showing up in every playlist I make and finding itself being the first song I link someone to when they ask what I'd recommend. (website)

Words // Scott Pingeton

Yesterday's post was truly new music.  Today's post is new-to-me music.  What the two have in common is that they're catchy-as-hell unabashed indie rock anthems from the Great White North.  Toronto's Wildlife dropped their debut album in November, and the lead track is "Stand In The Water", a song that adds layers upon layers of sounds - acoustic guitars, crunch electric fuzz, a pounding beat, soaring synths and gang vocals.  It's a sound that reminds me of two other Canadian bands you may have heard of... Broken Social Scene and The Arcade Fire.  Guaranteed to get your mind off the snow outside and thinking of summer days at the beach.

Wildlife - Stand In The Water

Words // Scott Pingeton

Sometimes you hear a song that you instantly know will just melt faces and get the jaded hipsters moving at a live show.  "Lightshow", the first single off Plants and Animals' upcoming album The End of That, is one of those songs.  The song layers both acoustic and electric guitars, cacophonous percussion, lyrics that beg to be shouted back at the stage and some loud/quiet dynamics.  It may be anthem-by-numbers, but by the time the guitar solo and "oh oh" refrain comes along, I defy you to not raise your beer and shout along.  The track is streaming below and The End of That drops February 28.