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May 31, 2007
In love with LaVere
Café Nine in New Haven served up another fine show Wednesday night and, unless you were one of the 30 or so people there, you missed out on another gem.
Amy LaVere showed she is even more engaging in concert than on her albums, no small feat considering the level of talent she brings to her two albums, This World is Not My Home, released in January of 2006, and her new album, Anchors & Anvils.
I realize it isn’t easy for a lot of people to head to a nightclub on a Wednesday night, but surely there must be more than 30 people in New Haven and Fairfield counties who appreciate good music.
In an ideal world, LaVere would have achieved the same level of stardom as Norah Jones, whose fans, by the way, would have loved Wednesday’s performance. LaVere, however, would never be called “Snorah,” as some of the nastier critics have dubbed Jones.
Unlike Jones’ piano-based music, LaVere’s music is driven by the guitar, which she augments with her solid upright bass playing. On tour, LaVere, petite and attractive, is getting stellar guitar work from Mark Miller, the new bass player for country traditionalists BR549. Miller also contributed harmony vocals, which meshed nicely with LaVere’s dreamy voice.
LaVere touched on both albums in her set and added her take on Leonard Cohen’s “Tonight Will Be Fine” in addition to the covers she recorded on Anchors & Anvils, Carla Thomas’ “That Beat” Bob Dylan’s “I’ll Remember You.”
The 90-minute show ended on yet another high note with LaVere leading her band in a rousing version of The Byrds’ “Mr. Spaceman.”
It would have definitely been worth it if you had made the effort to get to Café Nine to see LaVere. You might have been a little tired Thursday, but you could have always caught up on your sleep over the weekend.
Posted by Sean on 5:15 PM | Comments (0)
May 21, 2007
Ride on
I caught the last hour of The New Riders of the Purple Sage show at the Acoustic Cafe in Bridgeport Saturday night and came away impressed. Of course, that often happens when I go to concerts with zero expectations.
I was never a fan of NRPS and the only song I knew was "Panama Red," which I got there too late to hear Saturday, but what I did hear of the band I liked. It was easy to catch on to why the band was successful as its Grateful Dead roots showed throughout each song (the band started as a Jerry Garcia side project).
If you want a more biased opinion, my friend Carol was at the show and she is a longtime fan of the band. Carol couldn't believe how good the band sounded after all these years and she and her sister were both sporting extra-wide grins by the end of the show.
My highlight was when opening act Reid Genauer joined the band for a run-through of The Dead's "Friend of the Devil." I didn't get to see Genauer's set, but I will atone for that when I see him at Gathering of the Vibes this summer in Bridgeport as a solo artist, with his band Assembly of Dust and with the reunited Strangefolk.
Posted by Sean on 4:01 PM | Comments (0)
May 15, 2007
Refreshing record
I must admit to not knowing anything about Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers, but when a copy of the album No More Beautiful World crossed my desk I knew there had to be more to this band.
After all, how many unknown bands have such impressive packaging, as well as a bonus 80-minute DVD?
It turns out Clyne was the voice of The Refreshments, which had a minor hit in the '90s with the song "Banditos" from the album Fizzy Fuzzy Big & Buzzy, in addition to recording that twangy theme song for the animated "King of the Hill."
Anyway, I'm extremely glad I gave the disc a listen as it soon became one of those CDs I couldn't bring myself to take out of my car's stereo. From the uplifting opener, "Hello New Day," to the reggae-tinged "Bottom of the Bay," this is acoustic-based rock at its best.
Clyne's southwestern roots make appearances throughout, most notably on the song "Andale," and he's quite adriot at turning a phrase, a talent that, to me, can't be overlooked.
Not only do I love this album, but it's led me to go back into my CD collection and dig out Fizzy Fuzzy Big & Buzzy and its follow-up, The Bottle & Fresh Horses.
You can find out more about Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers at www.azpeacemakers.com.
It was while browsing that site that I discovered the Clyne will be in Connecticut on July 24 at The Red Door in Watertown and I plan on making the trip north to check out the show. If you're interested, call the Red Door at (860) 945-6688.
Posted by Sean on 7:35 PM | Comments (0)
