Month: May 2008

Roth’s “Hot Licks” instructional series has helped many a player. But he’s criminally overlooked to the general public. Toolin’ Around puts him in the limelight with wonderful songs that exhibit his mastery.

Most of the songs are familiar and his guests are as tasteful as his playing. Levon Helm, fresh from his recovery from throat cancer, sings soulfully on cuts like “Sweet Little Sixteen” and “Cryin’ Time.” He also drums on more than half of the cuts. Twangbanger Bill Kirchen joins in on a picture-perfect version of the Joe South classic “Games People Play,” and the very twangy country-rock of “Gas Station Frustration.” The dueling slide guitars of “Tumblin’” pair Arlen with Sonny Landreth in an orgy of smolderingly quiet slide and fiery riffs.

While most of the cuts feature vocals from Helm, Roth, Roth’s daughter, Lexie, or Levon’s daughter, Amy, a couple of instrumentals allow Arlen to cut loose. Dylan’s “Ballad of a Thin Man” gets the full treatment, with Arlen displaying his vast arsenal of chops. And just when you thought another version of “Sleepwalk” had reached the point of saturation, Roth’s slightly country feel gives it a breath of fresh air.

A bonus DVD lets you in on the making of the record, with behind the scenes rehearsal footage; watching the fellas listen to a playback of “Matchbox” proves they enjoyed it as much as you will.

Dailey and Vincent’s powerful combination of effusive vocals and fiery instrumentals make this debut one of the most impressive bluegrass albums of ’07 – which was an exceptional year for the genre.

Jamie Dailey and Darrin Vincent are pros; Dailey spent nine years as lead singer and guitarist with Doyle Lawson, while Darrin Vincent has been with the Ricky Skaggs band as a multi-instrumentalist and harmony vocalist for 10 years. Together, they’ve garnered 21 International Bluegrass Musicians Association (IBMA) awards. Vincent co-produced three artistically and commercially successful albums by his sister, Rhonda Vincent. As bandleaders, they demonstrate their musical personalities.

Dailey and Vincent takes the best parts of Doyle Lawson’s Quicksilver band combined with the supersonic speed of Skaggs’ Kentucky Thunder. The opening tune, “Sweet Carrie,” clocks in at only 2:17, but is performed so briskly there’s time for a full-length banjo intro, three verses, four choruses, and three full-length solos!

But not all songs are Mach 10 barnburners. “River of Time” lopes along at slightly more than a toe-tapping 114 beats per minute compared to “Sweet Carrie’s” outrageous 193! Their vocal harmonies are as spot-on as their rhythmic vigor; Dailey and Vincent achieve a three-part blend that’s as smooth as any band in bluegrass, including Quicksilver.

Sidemen include Bryan Sutton (guitar) and Andy Leftwich (mandolin). Since both have regular commitments, it’ll be interesting to see who Dailey and Vincent recruit for a touring band. And if the resulting show is anything like the album, Daily and Vincent will be one must-see act.

This Long Island quartet had already undergone several personnel changes since its formation in 2000 before a car wreck killed drummer John “Beatz” Holohan and severely injured bassist Nick Ghanbarian. Guitarist Jack O’Shea and lead singer Anthony Raneri (the only original member left at that point) pressed on as a duo, resulting in last year’s Acoustic EP.

With Ghanbarian back in action and Christopher J. Guglielmo ensconced on drums, the band teamed with Kenny Gioia and Shep Goodman – producers of its self-titled sophomore release, as well as albums by Lee Ann Womack, Mandy Moore, and Hall & Oates – for this, the group’s third full-fledged studio effort.

The 12-track result has all the goods to take Bayside from press darling “alt” rockers to the majors – smart, concise lyrics, memorable melodies, and, most of all, energy to spare. Nirvana and the Smiths are obvious influences, but the band’s identity is as strong as the material; for starters, Ranieri succeeds by not trying to ape other singers or affect a theatrical voice – the one he’s got is more than strong enough.

Likewise, O’Shea is equally adept on blazing lead, hooky fills, or rhythmic textures. Sonically, Gioia and Goodman make the most of the tight, perfectly matched rhythm section of Ghanbarian and Guglielmo, who simply kick ass. Despite the adversities, Bayside has clearly come out on top.

Mike Marshall and Darol Anger were in the early David Grisman bands that expanded the scope of acoustic music. Woodshop reunites these pioneers, who are among the most cerebral players in modern acoustic music. They don’t go for flash; their original compositions, such as the Marshall tune “Peter Pan,” display a synthesis of European form with third-world rhythms, with strong contrapuntal structures balanced by Latin and jazz rhythmic influences. Anger’s composition “Who Had Whom” begins with a modal quote from “Norwegian Wood” before going off into uncharted territory. As with most of the tunes on Woodshop this isn’t the sort of song you can hum along with easily, but you can feel the effortless flow and intrinsic musical logic behind its rhythmic and melodic gyrations.

Woodshop demonstrates the scope of this duo’s virtuosity. Marshall plays mandolin, mandocello, steel-string, nylon-string, and banjo guitar. Anger restricts himself to violin and cello. On a few cuts, they’re joined by Todd Sickafoose or Todd Phillips on acoustic bass, Michael Manring on electric bass, Phil Aaberg on piano, and Arron Johnston on percussion.

If you enjoy new acoustic music Woodshop deserves to be in your music library. It combines lyrical music with virtuoso performances by two contemporary masters at the top of their game.

Kent “Omar” Dykes is best known for fronting Omar and the Howlers, and though this disc was planned a solo effort paying homage to fellow Mississippi blues man Jimmy Reed, as word got out, friends started showing up at the session, including Kim Wilson (who brought his harmonica), Lou Ann Barton, Delbert McClinton, and James Cotton (and his harmonica). Jimmie Vaughan was scheduled to guest on a couple of cuts, but had so much fun and felt so close to the project, he stayed for the entire session.

Vaughan’s precise, tasty chops amp up the 12 cuts here, most covers from the Jimmy Reed catalog. Dykes, whose vocal style lies between Howlin’ Wolf and Root Boy Slim, has that cigarettes-and-whiskey growl you expect from a blues man. And he understands the music as well as the musical influence of Reed and his guitarist Eddie Taylor. So do the rhythm section consisting of Derek O’Brien (guitar), Ronnie James (bass), Wes Starr (drums), and the guests. Barton’s duo vocal with Dykes on “Good Lover” is inspired and inspirational, while the good-time grooves of “Big Boss Man” and “Baby, What You Want Me to Do?” are respectful, yet original.

The recordings sound like they were done live, old-school style, and even the packaging has a cool factor. We’ve all seen CDs printed to look like mini LPs. Well, this one even has little grooves molded into the top. Take it for a spin!

This two-disc set has 50 songs, many of which are classics of the soul genre that burst out of Memphis and the Stax label throughout the 1960s and ’70s.

The guitar was an important part of the Stax sound; Steve Cropper not only supplied amazing parts, but wrote or co-wrote many of the label’s hits. And the set serves as a reminder of how great the rhythm guitar is on cuts like Eddie Floyd’s “Knock on Wood.” Or the funk of the six-string on “What A Man” by Linda Lyndell. Or the distorted, steely tone on Isaac Hayes’ version of “Walk On By.” And speaking of Isaac, it’s tough to beat the wah on “Theme From Shaft.”

You know the hits – great songs from William Bell, Sam and Dave, Albert King, Rufus Thomas, Mel and Time, Johnnie Taylor, Little Milton, the Bar-Kays, and plenty more. There are some gems, too, that have been forgotten but really make this set a must-have. Mable John’s “Your Good Thing Is About To End” is a masterpiece. Eddie Floyd’s “I’ve Never Found a Girl (To Love Me Like You Do)” is a classic. And at least three William Bell cuts help bring a somewhat forgotten soul legend back to mind.