For an artist so deeply in touch with her musicianship and songwriting, it’s important for the listener to cede some control and go along for the ride. If Carlile has proven anything since her debut in 2005, it’s that she’s fully capable of taking her audience on a journey that remains firmly and fondly affixed in their minds.
Hopscotch Music Festival, Raleigh, NC – Sept. 8-10, 2011.
The whole production envelops, from the layers of perfectly produced instrumentation to the quiet, emotional vocal performances, Father, Son, Holy Ghost has it all.
Still Right Here fits nicely into her catalogue and reminds listeners why Melissa Ferrick is such a venerable force in the music industry, and, despite some missteps, it’s a fine work from a wickedly gifted artist.
You would think St. Louis and not Helsinki would be the backyard of The Latebirds, but alas they seem to nail a gorgeous, deliberate Americana style on the opening title track of Last Of The Good Ol' Days could be mistaken for a Jeff Tweedy solo track and not a seasoned Finnish-cana outfit. The bombast at the close might not be to everyone’s liking, but it seems to gel nicely. Meanwhile the sweet roots pop of “Among The Survivors” shines with its tight rhythm section and barroom keyboards.
The Hopscotch Music Festival is only in its second year, but the event already feels like a tradition. That’s partly due to the undeniable uniqueness of the festival, and partly to the huge cache of local bands that take part, thus drawing out local music fans by the busload. During Hopscotch, the lucky locals are happy to show the weekenders just how brightly Raleigh’s music scene, and the city itself, can shine. With so many amazing venues taking part, and the ever-increasing variety of other diversions downtown, the weekend becomes one big make-out session with the capital city.
Recording with The Combo makes all the difference in the world in the presentation of John Hiatt’s songs. A craftsmanlike composer schooled in Nashville, Hiatt may forever skirt a pro-forma approach to songwriting, but the unified punch of this band brings realism to his material and his performance on Dirty Jeans and Mudslide Hymns.
As the frontman and main songwriter of Yes, Jon Anderson has simply changed music forever—at least, he's changed the landscape of music that tries to break ground, music that strives to explore ideas not bound to the confines of popular radio. Unfortunately, the last few years have been somewhat unkind to Anderson.
[rating=4.00] On their official MySpace page, Wild Flag humorously describes themselves as both "the sound of an avalanche taking out a dolphin, and the cross between a hamburger and a
s the son of Crowded House’s Neil Finn, New Zealand’s Liam Finn has established himself by touring the world several times performing with Wilco, Eddie Vedder, Pearl Jam and The Black Keys, as well as at numerous festivals. His new album FOMO separates him from his famous family and shows how eclectic he can be courtesy of complex melodies and wistful vocals.
