Let’s start with a very nice clip of Robert Ellis.
Robert Ellis – “Drivin” from his latest album, Robert Ellis, released in June (This clip is from The Bluegrass Situation):
We will also give a big shout-out to Darling West, they recently released a wonderful album.
From their website:
Darling West was formed when the couple Mari and Tor Egil Kreken decided that the best way to get to spend some quality time together, was to create a common band project. They asked musical soul mate and guitar player extraordinaire Kjetil Steensnæs to join them, and Darling West was complete.
Their highly anticipated second album “Vinyl and a Heartache” was released on August 26th.
We’ve had the pleasure of seeing Ida Jenshus in concert many times, but never in such an intimate setting as last night.
It was magical. It was just like a night by the fireplace with good friends, good music and something good to drink.
Bad Reputation is Thin Lizzy’s eighth studio album, released in 1977. As the front cover suggests, most of the tracks feature only three-quarters of the band, with guitarist Brian Robertson only credited on three tracks. He had missed most of their earlier tour, following an injury sustained in a brawl, and this album turned out to be his last studio effort with Thin Lizzy.
“Teaming up with legendary producer Tony Visconti, Thin Lizzy managed to pull off a nifty trick of sounding leaner and tougher than they did on Johnny, yet they also had a broader sonic palette. Much of this is due, of course, to Visconti, who always had a flair for subtle dramatics that never called attention to themselves, and he puts this to use in dramatic effect here, to the extent that Lizzy sound stripped down to their bare bones, even when they have horns pushing them forward on “Dancing in the Moonlight” or when overdubbed vocals pile up on the title track. Of course, they were stripped down to a trio for most of this record: guitarist Brian Robertson (who’d injured his hand) had to sit out on most of the recording, but Scott Gorham’s double duty makes his absence unnoticeable. Plus, this is pure visceral rock & roll, the hardest and heaviest that Thin Lizzy ever made, living up to the promise of the title track. And, as always, a lot of this has to do with Phil Lynott’s writing, which is in top form whether he’s romanticizing “Soldiers of Fortune” or heading down the “Opium Trail.” It adds up to an album that rivals Jailbreak as their best studio album.”
My three favorite Lizzy albums are:
1. Bad Reputation
2. Johnny The Fox
3. Jailbreak
It is strange to listen to these albums now, they are so mellow and soulful. We regarded them as hard rock records in the late 70s, but now I will describe them as Hard-rock/soul albums. And how great is Phil Lynott’s singing, he’s a great soul singer!
Dancing In The Moonlight (Live and Dangerous, DVD):
Townes Van Zandt have been chosen, along with Bob Morrison, Beth Nielsen and Aaron Barker, to be included in the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame 9th of October this year.
The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame was founded in 1970 and have 199 inductees today.
We think Van Zandt’s inclusion is long overdue and here are 11 reasons why. There are many more, but these gems really shine.
Marie she didn’t wake up this morning She didn’t even try She just rolled over and went to Heaven My little boy safe inside
I laid them in the sun where somebody’d find them Caught a Chesapeak on the fly Marie will know I’m headed south So’s to meet me by and by
Marie will know I’m headed south So to meet me by and by
– Townes Van Zandt
Townes Van Zandt is one of the greatest songwriters in music-history. To narrow down my choice to just 11 songs is a pain. His 9 studio albums, and some compilations released after his death in 97 are so full of great songs that my task has been nearly impossible. I could pick 11 other songs in his songbook that are just as good, but today this is my list.
Marie:
Kurt Wolff (allmusic): Townes Van Zandt’s music doesn’t jump up and down, wear fancy clothes, or beat around the bush. Whether he was singing a quiet, introspective country-folk song or a driving, hungry blues, Van Zandt’s lyrics and melodies were filled with the kind of haunting truth and beauty that you knew instinctively. His music came straight from his soul by way of a kind heart, an honest mind, and a keen ear for the gentle blend of words and melody. He could bring you down to a place so sad that you felt like you were scraping bottom, but just as quickly he could lift your spirits and make you smile at the sparkle of a summer morning or a loved one’s eyes — or raise a chuckle with a quick and funny talking blues. The magic of his songs is that they never leave you alone.
Yellow Submarine is a 1968 British-American animated musical fantasy comedy film inspired by the music of the Beatles.
The film was directed by animation producer George Dunning, and produced by United Artists and King Features Syndicate. Initial press reports stated that the Beatles themselves would provide their own character voices; however, aside from composing and performing the songs, the real Beatles participated only in the closing scene of the film, while their cartoon counterparts were voiced by other actors.
June 18: The Late great Jackie Leven would have been 66
Jackie Leven was brilliant and truly under-appreciated. I never tire of his music.His lyrics stand as poetry of the highest order.His life ended much too soon. I was lucky to see him in concert just a year before he died. He was a master story-teller both in his songs and between his songs.
After the show he asked me what my name was, I told him that it was Hallgeir. He said: “What?” and then tried to say it and laughed. “What does it mean?” I said that it is an old viking name that it literally means stone spear. He signed his cd for me with the words: “To my big viking friend, Hallgeir!” He was a sweet, funny and very talented man.
I found some fine moments on YouTube to celebrate a fine songwriter.
Jackie Leven – Empty in Soho Square and a fine interview (2004):
Jackie Leven – Ancient Misty Morning medley – Tramway Glasgow 1995:
Jackie Leven (18 June 1950 – 14 November 2011) was a Scottishsongwriter and folkmusician. After starting his career as a folk musician in the late 1960s, he first found success with new wave band Doll by Doll. He later recorded as a solo artist, releasing more than twenty albums under his own name or under the pseudonym Sir Vincent Lone. He sometimes complained that his record company wouldn’t let him release as many albums as he wanted. And he wanted to release a lot!
