Computer Age

M. Ward
Transistor radio
2005 Merge

In Spain it is still unknown. Very little is appointed here and perhaps not much in the USA. One of the great American authors of recent years, deeply rooted in musical traditions of his country, his most important contribution is to be a perfect example of music-making level beyond any kind of innovation in addition to creating timeless songs. The art of the song itself, as has been worked for decades. Initially sponsored by Howe Gelb, signed to Merge from his last album. You can take any of their three albums, excellent. Country-folk style, sometimes tinged with blues, pop in a broad sense. Versionea equally Beach Boys, Bowie or being M. Bach Ward always the result. In conformity with the sound of old records and the warmth of the music on the radio, you create an acoustic space itself. Work songs through evocative soundscapes and warm, using effects and assemblies sometimes subtly manage to study the effect of greatly preparing the ear to the songs. Open an instrumental, You Still Believe in Me (Pet sounds), quietly preparing what will follow. One Life Away is a delightful departure and song from another time, spoiling the most of the listener's ear with a vintage sound and made a great melody that conveys a sense of balance and stillness, the absolute present. Picking up momentum, Sweet hearts on parade introduces the rhythm and the presence of the band playing is right, a guitar that plays on the horizon, brush, key sound echo effect in the voice that still retain the feeling of being in a field soft and ethereal. Fuel for fire is another great song, perfectly developed, introducing a short half draws very few piano notes, loose, almost like a wink or a sampler, distant vocals and strings made lightly, as if came from a radio is not tuned quite right. Less is more. The vocal melody is a marvel. Everything changes with Four hours in Washigton, with the largest group, increasing pace of train and tear in her voice. Achieved successful string arrangements and drumming accompaniment to a tense song that has continuity in the next instrumental, Regeneration 1, point at which the maximum intensity of the disc is achieved by the combo, in great latinos.Triste cadences with cuts and furious. Big boat is the most cheerful song, rhythmic pattern r'n'r on a classic and a playful piano that acts as a bridge, provided a dynamic air and grounds. Returns to normal with Paul's song, which never abandoned. Another of the best compositions, with a traditional slide that provides the warmth needed. The rest goes through this area. All good, closing with a version of the Well-Tempered Clavier, which appears to him.
As for Ward's vocal style, is a singer with a slightly broken voice, wide registration and is normally in the grave. It sounds masculine and mature, without hesitation to expand the acute or falsetto, no frills or impost whatsoever. Authentic and pure. Warm as few. Usually used to double the voice and sometimes very country female vocals. Your voice is your best attribute, completely unmistakable. Noise predominates, the brushes and glue plates, the slide, the piano, always discreet. Instrumental consistency actually achieved. The calm and dominates the melancholy is a natural state, without affectation. It may be a shorter album would achieve perfection, being without doubt one of the best albums of last year, oblivious to the lists, on the other. Very promising. Probably one of the great for the future, although this has already been said a lot. Highly recommended for related to this page.

Loose Fur
Born Again In The USA
Drag City 2006

Loose Fur is made up of Jeff Tweedy and Glenn Kotche of Wilco and has been a member of Sonic Youth and important creative element in both formations, Jim O'Rourke, multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, producer technical and avant-garde. Waiting for the release of Wilco's new material, on which is projected so much anticipation, we received the new album from the trio, second in three years. A Wilco fans will love, with Tweedy's compositions at their best, some of which may be in the records of his band. No material is of secondary value are all great songs. What defines the content is the collaboration between O'Rourke and Wilco, the latter reduced to the essentials: vocals accompanied by guitars and percussion, folk-rock style with a moderate dose of experimentation itself O'Rourke especially with referral from your Insignificance (2001) very present. They play with the advantage of no need for commercial projection of the product, giving it a nice dose of freshness and relaxation.

Starting with the last record, we find such an excellent song in a wave Kinks signed by Tweedy which is exactly the atmosphere of the recording, tune to be a simple classic, perfect construction, with a whistled chorus, The running class. The opening song, Hey chicken, could be in a disc of Wilco, with a rhythmic approach to the wave of the last two albums. In that direction lies Apostilic, which is predominantly instrumental, containing breaks and developments that are likely responsible Kotche. In other songs we recognize the total mix of part to part Wilco O'Rourke as Wreckroom, halfway between the style of both, with a very clear fingerprint of the battery, moving between the tranquility of Tweedy singing and guitar explosion, with a comprehensive development in which the end is a walking environmental coda to the fainting.

The record closes again a topic of Tweedy, with a touch Beatle sometimes used. Regarding the numbers sung by O'Rourke, highlights Answers to your questions, intimate, simple and warm, Stupid as the sun, the polar opposite: cutting, electrical and again with a great job by Kotche that ends the matter. Between them, Thou shalt wilt, with a classic pop style supported by the piano. There is an issue that summarizes all the resources used: An Ecumenical matter, reminiscent at times the instrumental style of Captain Beefheart, with the presence of layers, cowbell and alternative role of the guitar and piano, built on the alternation of different parts .

On the other hand, the first disc, of shorter duration, also contains great compositions, and from the first, Laminated Cat, with the first part Wilco and development style characteristic instrumental combo, on a country-folk style electric, percussive and smooth . Elegant transaction, O'Rourke classical song with excellent vocals of Tweedy and instrumental parts, rhythmic and relaxed, very beautiful, also has a large light instrumental development, which is the tone of the album: short and long songs. The same applies to the next, So long, melancholy, full of sounds and noises of guitars and drums, but with a beautiful and catchy chorus, again sung by O'Rourke. You Were Wrong, beautiful, with the seal of Tweedy, the best of the disc. Chinese is like apple, also yours, completely Wilco. Acoustics, restrained, intimate and sober. Noteworthy is the good balance between the acoustic and electric davaneo experimental, at times approaching a soundtrack unique sound, simple and minimalist, which is why parallel to the work of Tweedy and Kotche on the soundtrack Chelsea Walls (2002).

In summary, two discs delicious that will appeal much to those who know the work of the personalities that comprise them, going unnoticed by the public. The covers finish off the job.

Loose Fur - Born Again In The USA in our forum

Junior Wells
Hoodoo Man Blues
Delmark 1965

Junior Wells was born near Memphis in 1934 and died in 1998. Sale in Blues Brothers 2000. Along with Little Walter, Junior Parker and others, is one of the masters of modern blues harmonica and one of the best voices in blues recording, with a strong and unique style. Seco, manly, grave, wide and deep. It represents the modern blues of Chicago to perfection: Hoodoo Man Blues is the ABC of style for anyone who wants to know what was the matter. His first solo. He learned from Junior Parker and began in earnest with the Myers brothers in the legendary Aces, when the combo was completed with Fred Below, drums converted jazz to blues, master of the drums present on hundreds of recordings. He joined the Muddy Waters band when Little Walter, following his first hit, Juke, left the Group in 1952 to lead the Aces, a quartet with two guitars, no bass. Waters had what is considered paradigmatic of the blues band from Chicago, school of future figures, similar to the formations of Miles Davis. It was forged Wells up to release their music. Prior to this album, recorded, among others, the cousin of John Lee Hooker, Earl Hooker, pioneer of wah wah guitar and experimentation. With he recorded one of their most popular, Messin 'with the kid. Hoodoo Man Blues is considered one of the best blues albums of all time. In addition to numerous topics ground shoot and not overwhelming in any time with fancy stuff of which were quite capable, offering a set of songs that highlights the sound, excellent and faithful to live. Presents the attitude of style in its proper point, neither more nor less. The most characteristic is restrained interpretation: it never gets to exploit completely, but there is a genuine and total control over the flow of sound. Each element plays at the time and does not extend beyond. Reach the peak and returns to the flow, multiplying his strength and expressive power. 100% attitude. Vinyl Open Snatch it back and hold it and leaves no doubt that with continued cuts to support voice and harmonic rhythm, leading to the set. Wells is part of a generation different from Waters and Walter, the primal funk rhythm'n'blues and were already there, so the disk is wide variety of clubs, but in a primitive and concise format, no frills or sobrearreglos. The quartet, completed by Buddy Guy, Jack Myers and Billy Warren plays exactly what always just around the voice. The themes are, in addition to Wells and Guy, of Leiber & Stoller (impressive Hound Dog expedited minor mode), Sonny Boy II (possibly the Good morning school more hot etching) and others like Kenny Burrell (chitlins con carne, instrumental rhythm ' Latino N'BLUE're ready next to demonstrate the versatility and filling of the band). The disc is completed with some minor slow blues in offsetting the fury of the rest. In the wee hours of the morning smalls is a melancholy semiinstrumental which extends the emotional field of the work. You do not love me baby in this record is one of the best versions also and Hey Lawdy Mama, where the guitar and harmonica are complemented to perfection, with phrases response percussive bass Guy on Myers, who in most of the album plays more notes in the usual style, without tiring, a little legacy of the Aces: Leaving fee to redefine it as seldom occurs. Exquisite work of Guy on guitar, playing almost pure rhythm, according to the tone of the disc, which does not project any of the four above the rest, working short phrases, repetition of simple motifs, riffs and joint attack on the strong parts. The rhythmic accents determine the nature of the issues. Wells harmonica is pure gold, dominating bass and phrases contained, sharp, with a flow of sound almost tangible. Blues pure and simple.

Van Morrison
Palacio de Congresos. Madrid.
Sunday January 15, 2006.

Van Morrison has once again done in the city bringing a repertoire focused on its excellent record of last year, with a preview of what will be their new material, the imminent publication. Despite the unpleasant cost of inputs, the singer's concert had a full almost total. The public came to be a mix of ages with a tendency to strip between 30 and 50 years, which is natural, given the age of the singer, which nevertheless fell on the quantity and level of production studio and live staging. Like other classical artists have also released good albums in 2005, Neil Young, Paul Mcartey or John Cale, bring a set of songs more than worthy and desirable to be heard live, without having to fall back for want of success past, as well turned out, being in short a concert focused on Magic time and well balanced with regard to the inclusion of a previous albums.
The show was to open an instrumental introduction by the band, formed by a core of guitar (musical direction), bass, piano and drums, in addition to the winds and a dynamic and eclectic percussionist. The start and was one of the keys of the concert in terms of internal functioning of the training, as being appropriate, given the choice of instrumental opening was successful (a Rythm'n 'blues very classic in which the different soloist give short talks solo pass in seeking heat the room), it failed precisely in this, in what hesitant or fearful of leaving, it really did not seem to be loose enough to achieve the desired effect. It certainly sensed the high level of musicians, but was greatly noticed the lack of strength and determination to address an issue of this kind, and even at times might seem a kind of advanced students of music school offering a recital for parents and friends. Lacked heat and necessity. It is a kind of introduction in such classic artists, not as bold as a James Brown can do even to this day, but with the same function, which should reveal what is going to offer below , while the musicians must show its expressive resources and why the figure carry them, which was not easy to imagine at the timidity with which they started. A simple exercise that was quickly forgotten after the advent of the singer.
The concert began, as usual on this tour, with Keep mediocrity at bay, the last record, a Chicago-style blues, which Morrison plays the harmonica and acts as an excellent entry. A true exercise in style with pace and punch, making it clear where is a good part of their roots. The style of the music played is completely focused on the sound of the last productions of the singer, who is putting almost like a real safe haven and stronghold of rhythm'n 'blues classic, played as jazz musicians do. Although it stops playing the odd classic like Moondance (especially cheered), the concert mused happily interpretation of most of the songs from his latest album, which sounded really neat and emotional throughout the session. The basic structure of the subjects was nearly identical: presentation of the theme sung solo round as a jazz band, and final return of the theme. The soloists made clear their worth, with particular emphasis on the saxophone, which was more thrilled the audience with their speeches, suggesting that bitumen is in the veins, driving both the tenor and the baritone and engaging in more instrumental moments create hot night, and the trumpeter, who also played the flute in Celtic New Year. The pianist showed his training and tastes in a speech to more jazzy soul. In turn, the likes of Morrison as an instrumentalist was more than clear when he made his sax section joining the winds, especially in interpreting the songs Louis Jordan-style jump. We commented above on the revealing of the introduction was confirmed during the bolus. Surely there must be some kind of intimidation among the musicians who hired Van Morrison, as almost never ended up starting tonight and play at will, except perhaps on sax. It seems that the singer's personality completely dominates the band, which is logical, but appears to be excessive in practice. Everything was being too studied and little loose, highly consistent with the expectations that a venue such as the Palacio de Congresos can awaken. Black music, but sometimes in excess of the Shrew. All very good, too often. It should make a difference between the songs and their live performance. This was done, but snatched a structure based on the same rounds that left no gaps closed to the unexpected. Anyway, this is the result of the will of the chief, whose performance was certainly delicious and emotional at all times. Open your mouth and no more to say. That if, without ever addressing the audience: no hello or thank you or to another (90 minutes to watch), which does not matter much either, but certainly not conducive to relaxation and enjoyment of the most respectable. There was a calculated where Morrison played Sonny Boy (Help me) and has been doing for over 30 years and it sounded excellent. Full stop.
The audience enjoyed the concert as he could. Notice the typical lack of familiarity with the new code and excessive desire to justify the payment of the entrance, applauding aimlessly at every opportunity, after each one and especially when some classic sounding stale. It was not much noise for new compositions, which no doubt already part of his best legacy. This is more than normal.
Despite all this, a very good show from someone who probably could not go on stage if they would be unlikely, at least, offered that night.