Reverend Freakchild – Illogical Optimism | Album Review

Reverend Freakchild – Illogical Optimism

Treated and Released Records

www.www-reverendfreakchild.org

www.treatedandreleasedrecords.com

3 Discs / 35 tracks / 2:29:00

Reverend Freakchild is not your everyday average bluesman. Sure, he can play the blues in all of its forms, but his albums are way out there in the blues realm: they confuse old people, make little kids cry, and cause fellow musicians to grin from ear-to-ear. His latest project is no exception, and it is a worthy follow-up to last year’s amazing Hillbilly Zen-Punk Blues. This time around he has put together Illogical Optimism, which is two discs of his own material plus a third disc from another reverend, Ramblin’ Jennings. Personnel for this project included the Reverend on vocals and guitar, Chris Parker on the skins, Hugh Pool on lap steel, and backing vocals from The Mulebone Singers.

Disc 1: Odds, Ends and Other Amazingness is 67 minutes of a little bit of everything – it is not just a clever title. You will hear that the Reverend has mad guitar skills and a versatile voice, and that Chris Parker is one hell of a drummer. These songs are a collection of popular and obscure covers, and none of them are performed as they were by the original artists. “Who Do You Love” maintains its Bo Diddley beat, but gets a spooky spoken-word vibe. “All Along the Watchtower” goes reggae, but keeps a Hendrix-like solo. And John Lennon’s “Imagine” has Lou Reed written all over it, so there are surely dead hippies everywhere spinning in their graves. This might seem terrible on paper, but everything works out beautifully and in the end and it all sounds wonderful. Trust me.

Disc 2: Everything is Now is something completely different. In a little under an hour, the gang gives a dozen completely different takes on the same song: the catchy “All I Got is Now” from the Hillbilly Zen-Punk Blues album. How different? He does versions of the song in French and German, as well as interpreting it in genres such as punk, funk, reggae, and even “hillbilly.” The hillbilly version (“Alla Gotta Na’”) is breathtakingly stripped down, with lovely banjo and harp accompaniment. Likewise, the acoustic demo version is really cool with a roots vibe and barely intelligible lyrics thanks to a really up-front guitar sound.

Disc 3: Kairos is from Florida’s Ramblin’ Jennings, and this EP (24 minutes) is stripped down and full of awesome. Jennings gets the work done with just his voice, an acoustic guitar, and a harmonica. There are seven original tunes of Gulf Coast blues that use plenty of slide guitar, and Jennings’ voice is perfect for them -- full and timeworn, and dripping with character. There is also one traditional tune, and this vocals-only version of “John the Revelator” is powerful and full of terrifying biblical imagery.

Well, I cannot recommend Illogical Optimism enough. Reverend Freakchild pushes the boundaries of blues and approaches old songs in new ways that really makes the listener think. And his buddy Ramblin’ Jennings brings blues down to its basics to provide a touch point for the other two discs. Give it a listen for yourself, and check out his website for upcoming tour dates as he his getting around quite a bit this summer.

Mike Osborn – In the Dog House | Album Review

Mike Osborn – In the Dog House

Je Gagne Records

www.michaelosbornmusic.com

11 tracks / 45:00

Few albums that I review can be classified as pure blues, as they often have elements of rock or country in them, and in Mike Osborn’s case, his In The Dog House disc has a little bit of everything in it. After moving from Illinois to Woodland, California (near Sacramento) in his early teens, Mike took up the guitar and by the time he was 16 he was playing lead guitar in a country rock band; since then he has played a bit of everything: classic rock, blues, and metal. After taking a break from gigging to take care of his children, about ten years ago he got back into the business in a serious way. The result was his killer 2009 debut album, Fire & Fury, and now his follow-up, In the Dog House.

Though Mike now lives in the San Francisco Bay area, this disc was recorded in Southern California with Grammy winner Alan Mirikitani doing the mixing, mastering, and taking on the producer role. Mirikitani also wrote seven of the tracks with his collaborator Dennis Walker; Osborn wrote three of the other songs, and John Fulbright wrote the remaining tune. Mike took care of the vocals and guitars, and he was joined by a bunch of stone-cold professionals in the studio. These folks include Johnny Griparic on bass (Slash and BB Chung King), Lee Spath on the skins (Robert Cray and Rod Stewart), and Teddy Andreadis on keyboards (everybody, including Carole King and Guns & Roses). Whew!

What these guys put together is incredible: the songs are all very well-written, musicianship is first-rate, and Osborn’s guitar work and vocals are amazing. Each song is different and cover more genres than would seem possible in a 45 minute album that actually sounds like it is a singular piece of art. They kick this diverse set off with “Love vs. Ego” a blues rocker with nice Hammond from Andreadis and hearty vocals from Mike. He says “love wins,” but I am not too sure about that…

Though In the Dog House seems to be mostly focused on love and its associated games, Osborn finds time to address two subjects other than romance on this album. One of these, “Company Graveyard,” is a hard driving boogie about a man who does not want to be tied down by the man. And “Veterans Song” is an ode to our armed forces, a pleasant rocker with neat vocal harmonies.

But the other tracks are all about love, all the way down to its most graphic level, as found in “Tied Up.” This straight up blues tune matches a raunchy guitar tone to the lyrical content, and Andreadis’ organ is amazing. Get it?

One of the standout tracks on this disc is “Jump in Your Fire,” a Texas boogie that has a lot of “La Grange” in it. Except that Osborn’s growly vocals are a bit more intelligible than you might expect from the intro. This track rocks to the highest degree, and it shows that Mike’s talent has a lot of depth.

And to provide the icing for this tasty cake, guest artist Randy Mitchell (formerly with Warren Zevon) lends his slide guitar to the John Fulbright song, “Satan & St. Paul.” Though beautifully built, this countrified ballad is stone cold bummer as Osborn dissects a romance gone horribly wrong with vocals that he grads from deep within his soul.

The set draws to a close with the title track, and again we get something just a little different and unexpected. The surf-rock inspired instrumental has a slamming beat, jangly guitars and a cool melody. It is cool that Mike got to show off his mad guitar skills one last time -- he is the real deal, for sure.

Mike Osborn’s In the Dog House is a winner from every perspective. He delivers a passionate and intelligent album that was carefully put together by one of the best in the business. I have heard his live performance is just as good, so I look forward to checking his show out for myself at my earliest convenience!

Berndon Kirksaether and the Twang Bar Kings – The Voodoo Sessions, Live at Down Under | Album Review

Berndon Kirksaether & the Twang Bar Kings – The Voodoo Sessions, Live at Down Under

Roller Records

www.rollerrec.com

4 tracks / 20:49

I do not get very many blues albums to review out of Norway, but the few that have made it to my desk have been very good. One of these is the latest disc from Berndon Kirksaether & the Twang Bar Kings, The Voodoo Sessions - Live at Down Under. This EP is their fourth release, and it is a healthy dose of burning and moody blues-rock.

Three members of this group are from CIA, a solid blues band that hit the Norwegian scene in the early 1990s. On The Voodoo Sessions Live at Down Under you will find Berndon Kirksaether and Erik Gabrielsen on guitar, Stein Tumert on bass, and Roy Hanssen behind the drum kit; everybody gets credit for vocals on this effort.

This four song EP was recorded live at Down Under in Mjondalen, Norway and it includes three originals and one awesome cover tune. It is apparent that these guys are fans of 60s and 70s AOR swampy blues-rock, and this sound seems to be working for them. You will hear a bit of this when the band kicks off this set with “Mama Roll Over” which builds slowly into a powerfully dark anthem. The sound is very clear for a live album and it is mixed well so that none of the instruments are buried. The vocals are throaty and the lyrics are in English with no trace of an accent, in case you were wondering – they are from Norway, you know…

Next up is another original, “Some Kind of Voodoo,” which is six minutes of psychedelic fun. Berndon and Erik are able to coax synth-like sounds from their highly processed guitars, and there are neat vocal harmonies in play here. Hanssen shows great restraint and lays back on the drums throughout, mostly hitting the toms and adding cymbals in as needed for effect.

When looking for songs to cover, it is hard to go wrong with Robin Trower, so “Mad House” is a pretty good choice for the number three spot. This is one hell of a jam that lets all four members cut loose, and it is nice to hear Hanssen and Tumert go a little crazy. This is the standout track from the disc, and at 3 ½ minutes my only gripe is that it is not long enough!

Closing out the CD is “When the Moon is on the Rise” which gets even more out there in the guitar sounds department with tons of reverb added in. Hanssen keeps a steady beat on the high-hat which helps to create a tremendous sense of tension throughout as it sounds like the band will explode at any moment, though they never do. This song would have fit in well on any of The Doors’ albums, which is good thing in my book.

The Voodoo Sessions Live at Down Under is a fun release from Berndon Kirksaether & the Twang Bar Kings and it is good to hear what they can do live. We can only hope that they make it over to the states soon so we can hear them in person!

Howard Glazer – Looking in the Mirror |Album Review

Howard Glazer – Looking in the Mirror | Album Review

Self-release through Lazy Brothers Records

www.howardglazer.com

12 tracks / 58:47

There is a lot of soul in Detroit, a city that has a hard time over the past few years, but Howard Glazer is a great representative of the Motor City as is passionate for the city as he plays his own brand blues. His efforts have been noticed and he is certainly appreciated in his homeland, having been inducted into the Michigan Blues Hall of Fame and earning the 2014 Outstanding Blues/R&B Instrumentalist at the Detroit Music Awards.

Howard’s sixth solo album, Looking in the Mirror, is a wonderful blend of blues, funk, psychedelic rock, and swamp rock. He handles the guitars and vocals, and is joined by a capable crew that includes Chris Brown on bass and Charles David Stuart behind the drum kit, with additional vocals from Maggie McCabe and Stephanie Johnson. After cranking it up, you will find an hour of quality music with twelve original tracks written by Glazer, and not a cover song in sight.

The CD kicks off with the bawdy “Midnight Postman,” a rhythm and blues song with a healthy injection of funk and some fabulous B-3 work from featured artist Larry Marek. Glazer has the guitar chores nailed with his intuitive feel for the fretboard, and the ladies do a marvelous job of backing up his tenor vocals as he throws double-entendres out like a madman.

As you get deeper into it you will find that this album keeps things lively, and a great example of this is “All I Ever Wanted,” a refreshing blend of Creedence Clearwater-inspired swamp rock, interjected with a neat chorus featuring the ladies, not to mention a classy bass and guitar bridge. This song highlights what a terrific backline Glazer has found with Brown and Stuart!

Howard’s thoughts never go too far from his hometown, as shown by the jaunty 12-bar shuffle, ”Walking in Detroit.” He trades off on the vocals with McCabe as they call out the finer parts of the city, with a little help from the tasty trumpet work of David Kocbus. But when this fun song is over, Glazer does not let you forget that Looking in the Mirror is a guitar-driven blues album. He viciously tears through the next tune the playlist, the slow-burning “Eviction Blues,” which could very well be the standout track of the CD.

A very close second place for best song on the album is “Feeling so Bad,” Howard’s tribute to the late Johnny Winter. Glazer brings out his resonator guitar, and his slide work is a real treat. This bare bones song provides another piece of the blues puzzle for this project, and with the rest of the instruments stripped away it is a great showcase for what this man can do with his guitar, and the effect is amazing.

The set closes out with “Emergency” and no matter what you were expecting, there was no way it could be as awesome as this song! This is an epic psychedelic swamp song with crazy wah-soaked guitar tone and some tasteful electric flute from guest artist Tom Schmaltz. You heard that right: electric flute! This is not shtick – it is a heavy song that digs into the woes of the once-proud industrial capital of the United States. This song exemplifies what Glazer has accomplished with this disc, as he pushes musical boundaries to their limits while still managing to keep things tasteful.

Looking in the Mirror is a fine album, and Howard Glazer should be proud of what he has done here -- there are not many better ways to spend an hour of your time! So, why don’t you head on over to www.howardglazer.com to check out his catalog and to find out if he has any shows coming up in your area?

Thanks for stopping by!

Concert Review: Blue Oyster Cult and Uriah Heep at the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills, California

Aloha!

It is always cool to see bands that you have been listening to for years for the first time, and last Saturday (March 14, 2015) I was able to kill two birds with one stone when I caught Blue Oyster Cult and Uriah Heep at the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills, California.

The Saban Theatre is a really cool place to see a show. This Art-Deco 1900-seat venue opened in 1930 as the Fox Wilshire Theatre as one of 20th Century Fox’s premiere theatres. In 1981 the theatre was converted to a stage venue, and it was renamed about 5 years ago after a generous donation from the Saban family.

First up for the 9:00PM start was Uriah Heep, who have been rocking since they formed in London in 1969. Though their line-up has changed a bit since then, the original guitarist Mick Box is still hanging in there. He was joined by frontman Bernie Shaw, Phil Lanzon on keys, Russell Gilbroom on drums and Davey Rimmer on bass. They are touring in support of the 24th album, Outsider, and they played 13 songs in a 50-minute set for the fairly enthusiastic crowd.

Heep brought their A-game on Saturday and all of the pieces came together. Shaw has an incredible animal magnetism, and he can still wail with the best of them as he approaches the dreaded age of 60. Gilbroom’s drums were thunderous, and Rimmer joined him for a rock solid backline. Box is a good guitarist, but his solos became a bit tedious as the evening went on, as he seemed to play the same solo in every song. They finished on a strong note with “Lady in Black”, and took it a step further with their encore of “Gypsy” and “Easy Livin’.” They really got the mail delivered and I would see them again in a heartbeat. By the way, I got to meet up with the band after the show, and they are down to earth guys who do not mind mixing it up with their fans.

After this there was a way too chaotic stage change that took about ½ hour, and Blue Oyster Cult took the stage.

Blue Oyster Cult has also been around forever, having cranked out their first album in 1972. The New York-based band still has one original member, Donald “Buck Dharma” Rosier, and the rest of the band includes long-time singer Eric Bloom, Kasim Sulton on bass, Richie Castellano on keys and guitar and Jules Radino behind the drum kit.

And it was a rough night for BOC. The sound was off, and it was apparent from the git-go that Radino was having trouble with his monitors. When the drummer cannot hear what is going on, that is big trouble, but fortunately he is a good drummer and settled into his own groove and the band caught up with him after a few songs. Also, Rosier was having trouble with his pedalboard that led to a tech coming onstage to fix it in the middle of a song. They need to get a better plan for doing a quick stage change after the opening band clears out.

Anyway, their 12-song set was entertaining enough, and they included the expected hits, including “Burning for You,” “Godzilla, and “Don’t Fear the Reaper.” Suprisingly, they did not save the latter for the encore, going with “Hot Rails to Hell” and “Cities on Flame with Rock and Roll” instead. This is not how I would have done it, but it worked out pretty well.

The Cult’s show was a bit on the lazy side (actually, they phoned it in), with the standout performers being Kasim Sulton and Richie Castellano. These two have talent galore and good stage presence, and they should start shopping themselves around as they can do a lot better than this. I will not be seeing Blue Oyster Cult again – once was enough for me.

Any, if Uriah Heep comes to town make sure you try to see their show, it will be worth every penny!

Mahalo!

Blues Blast Magazine album Review: Microwave Dave and the Nukes – Last Time I Saw You

Microwave Dave and the Nukes – Last Time I Saw You

Self Released

www.microwavedave.com

13 tracks / 53:20

I am a sucker for clever band names and Microwave Dave and the Nukes is a winning handle that gives a hint of the good times music they play. Good times abound on their seventh album, Last Time I Saw You, which is mostly blues-based music, but ends up having a little bit of everything in it. Don’t worry though, because all of these songs groove.

There are ten original tracks, along with two cover tunes and a bonus track of mechanical noise (an automotive winch, or so I have been told). The original tracks are primarily written by guitarist and vocalist “Microwave” Dave Gallaher, who founded this band in 1989. The Nukes consist of James Irvin on drums and Rick Godfrey on the bass and harp, completing this Alabama-based trio; all three are all accomplished bluesmen and first-rate musicians.

Last Time I Saw You kicks off with “Drinkin’ Wine Since Nine”, which grinds but (like all liquor-themed songs) does not have the most intellectual lyrics. If you were not previously familiar with the band, this delta-inspired track provides a perfect introduction for Dave’s growly voice and dirty slide guitar work, as well as the tight and adventuresome duo of Irvin and Godfrey.

As I said earlier, there is a little bit of everything in Last Time I Saw You, and the second track “Jesus was Smart”, shifts into a countrified shuffle and provides the listeners with some clever and smart-alecky lyrics. And the surprises just keep on coming. I have been listening to blues for awhile now, and cannot remember the last time I heard a full-fledged lengthy bass solo on a blues album, but “I’ve got a Bet with Myself” delivers one, along with a selection of AC/DC to ZZ Top uptempo rock riffs.

The journey through the album finally slows down for a lovely blues ballad, “The Worst Thing” which provides Dave with the opportunity to show off some truly soulful guitar work. His voice and guitar work magically together. The Billy C. Farlow cover tune, “Alabama Saturday Night” has a Bo Diddley beat to it, thanks in no small part to the thumping drums laid down by James Irvin and some pretty sweet harp work by Godfrey.

“All Night Boogie” is indeed a boogie, and features impressive Keith Moon-esque drumming throughout, almost like a drum solo that happens to have a blues song happening on top of it. James Irvin is very talented, and his playing throughout Last Time I Saw You is considerably more complicated than what is found on more conventional blues albums. This song has really stuck with me and is my favorite on the album, so kudos for doing something a little different, fellas.

Heading into the final half of Last Time I Saw You, there are twists and turns through the influences of the Appalachians, and possibly Memphis, before things get decidedly weird (in a good way).

As the album ends, it takes a couple of unexpected turns, first with “Vagabundos”, a surf tune with Gallaher providing Spanish vocals in his distinctive baritone, and then with “Rafferty”, a 7-minute AOR instrumental that is amazingly melodic . Microwave Dave and the Nukes have provided a little something for everybody on this album, and it is quite a trip!

By now you probably realize that this is not strictly a blues album, but overall is great entertainment and a lot of these songs have made it onto the playlist I am putting together for my next party. I think Last Time I Saw You will appeal to most blues followers, and I think you should give it a listen.