Album Reviews

Pat Metheny: Orchestrion

The forces of nature, to which we know, all act in balance and in accordance to one another.  Seasons change and adaptations occur to maintain equilibrium, and sometimes nature produces extraordinary events.  In his new solo project and upcoming record titled Orchestrion, Pat Metheny creates a controlled universe where all acoustic and mechanical instruments work in synchronization together to produce the composed sound that is echoing in his mind.

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Hot Day At The Zoo: Zoograss

Taped at the Waterhole (Saranac Lake, New York) on Valentine’s Day 2009, Zoograss (released Jan. 12th) is one of those live albums that will turn into a word-of-mouth sensation as the rhythm of time passes.  The legendary music venue has come to be known as the headquarters of the gonzo bluegrass quartet. Filled with rowdy, foot stomping Adirondack locals (and plenty of drinks to drown a small army), the ambiance aligned perfectly with the overzealous approach of the Massachusetts group.

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Velvet Truckstop: Sweet Release

Sweet Release may be Velvet Truckstop’s debut album, but it sounds like the work of a band who’s comfortable in its own skin and knows what it wants to sound like. Constanten and Cage, being the pros that they are, step onboard only to serve the song; Sweet Release is a solid sample of Velvet Truckstop’s voice from beginning to end. They ain’t tryin’ to be nobody but themselves.

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John Coltane: Side Steps Box Set

What John Coltrane ultimately did with the lessons he learned and taught himself, for the period from 1956 through 1958, is what elevated him to the jazz pantheon. The previously-released companion piece “Fearless Leader” arguably illustrates that aspect of his career more fully than this five CD box set, but this set demonstrates how even as he honed his chops, Coltrane was a commanding presence. Virtually all the music contained in this package is vintage jazz of the highest order, but when that readily-identifiable horn begins to sound, the music ceases to become mere background.

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Tori Amos : Midwinter Graces

Tori Amos has made a career out of being unordinary, and most of her albums are better because of this fact. Here on Midwinter Graces, she’s still giving a max effort, it’s just that not much stands out. The holiday-themed album has a nice overall feel and flow, but it’s probably best served for background music at a party, something that can’t be said of any of Amos’ prior work. If you’re an Amos completist, by all means, get your copy—just don’t expect the magic you’re used to.

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The Chesterfield Kings: Live Onstage

Led by vocalist Greg Prevost (who sounds like a cross between Mick Jagger and David Johannsen and looks like a cross between Chris Robinson and the late Johnny Thunders back in his New York Dolls’ days), the Chesterfield Kings are all about the rock ‘n’ roll and aren’t afraid to show their influences.

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Gorvette: Lustfully Yours EP

Detroit Female Punks unite with the formation of Gorevette.  The group is a linking up of Nikki Corvette and Amy Gore from the Gore Gore Girls, bringing together some powerful pop punk chops crafted into a bouncy sing-along worthy effort titled, The Lustfully Yours EP.

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Emitt Nershi Band: New Country Blues

Emmitt Nershi Band is a newly assembled outfit that is comprised of two of the founding members of Colorado’s biggest acts on the jamband circuit, Drew Emmitt (Leftover Salmon) and Bill Nershi (String Cheese Incident).  On their studio debut, New Country Blues, they deliver a slice of breezy Rocky Mountain Americana complete with their blend of pickin’ and grinnin’. 

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Lissie: Why You Runnin’

Although she’s a California girl these days, don’t be fooled—Lissie still writes and sings about matters close to Midwestern life. And boy can she sing—her voice has an eerie quality of a transient churchgoer who needs no practice to call the angels down from the sky; her pipes are soothing and quite heavenly. The songs on her EP, Why You Runnin,’ offer a bit of folk, an ounce of soul, and healthy dose of realism that you just can’t deny, no matter what mood you’re in—a stunning and charming debut.

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