New Music: Prodigal Son
There’s a wonderful group of videos on YouTube – featuring Ry Cooder in the studio performing new songs from Prodigal Son.
Category Archives: music
Mary Gauthier
Mary Gauthier
ABC heritage under attack
Neil Young
Neil Young’s entire catalog is available to stream for free on his newly launched archival website. Wow!!! – Thanks Neil
Tom Petty
Robert Plant
Midnight Oil
Randy Newman
A review of Dark Matter – click here.
Randy Newman
Women in music
A list of women in music – turning the tables; click here
Justin Townes Earle
Album Review: Justin Townes Earle – Kids in the Street
This is an album I am playing a lot. My rating would be 5/5.
K D Lang Ingenue
special 25th anniversary edition
here’s a re-issue of some really beautiful – magnificent music.
Neil Young
John Mayall
K D Lang
Randy Newman
Dark Matter – August 4th 2017
Dark Matter, Randy Newman’s first album of new material in nine years, is due August 4 on Nonesuch; vinyl on August 18.
Natalie Merchant
Ry Cooder
Chuck Berry
His last album: Chuck
You would have heard many songs over the decades – but this is something new.
Penguin Cafe
Steve Earle
New Album: So You Wannabe An Outlaw
A new Steve Earle album is due out soon – this time, with a few friends, moving back to his roots – being country music.
Lyle Lovett
Review: Lyle Lovett Greatest Hits 2017
It has been a while since we have seen a ‘greatest hits’ by Lyle Lovett – and this collection is one to have.
Sgt Pepper turns 50
Sgt Pepper’s at 50 – the greatest thing you ever heard or just another album?
Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band : is this the best popular music has to offer? Paul Townsend, flickr, CC BY
Willie Nelson
Rhiannon Giddens
Music Review: Rhiannon Giddens: Freedom Highway, February 2017
My comments have nit changed much from my previous post on Rhiannon Giddens: This 2017 album features a woman with a strong and beautiful voice – singing folk songs of America – making very beautiful Americana music.
Ry Cooder
Ry Cooder – Jesus on the Mainline (Radio 2 Folk Awards 2017)
Wonderful music from Ry Cooder – see Youtube below..
Bob Dylan
Review: Triplicate – 3 CDs, 2017
Here’s a challenge – Bob Dylan in slow swing doing this set of 30 songs. I recommend listening to these with the volume up – not soft.
I enjoyed 2015’s Shadows in the Night & also the 2016’s Fallen Angels. I recommend both of those albums.
Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
Sgt Pepper’s 50th birthday
I cannot be! That it is 50 years since at around 11pm when I was suppose to be asleep in bed, that I heard this music coming from the lounge room.
Linton Kwesi Johnson
Oh how we wish for more voices to be critical of the current political class and their hangers-on – and I include many journalists as being hangers-on.
International Women’s Day 2017
Celebrating with visual art and music
click on image for more….
Randy Newman
Randy Newman on PUTIN
Time for some fun – and a new song from Randy Newman…
The Rolling Stones
Review: Blue & Lonesome
Once upon a time thought The Rolling Stones were one of the great rock’n’roll bands – who also occasionally sang the blues. In between those early years and now there was not a lot of great music from the Stones – loads of concerts and a mix of music – some good and some ok. Would they ever make great music again?
Vinyl
yet another story on vinyl hanging in there
click on the image for the article.
Paul Thorn
Review: best of Paul Thorn (2016)
Here’s a highly recommended album for those who want to hear good Americana with a touch of rock. This is a best of Paul Thorn-2016 album – two discs. Rating 4/5
Neil Young
A review: Neil Young – Peace Trail
I think the reviewer has it about right for this new album by Neil Young – Peace Trail. Click on the image for the review inThe Guardian.
Howe Gelb
Music Review: Howe Gelb, Future Standards
Feel like some laid back almost soporific songs as if you had wandered into a quite bar or club. And some music that does not quite follow current americana, rock, blues or jazz trends.
Here’s an album of all of that and a little more. Admittedly I am a fan of Howe Gelb and Giant Sands music – but this is not his usual fare. Yes it still has that Arizona feel but it is very laid back – and enjoyable.
Suzanne Vega
Review Suzanne Vega: Carson McCullers Lover Beloved
One very nice recording just out by Suzanne Vega.
Leon Russell
Leon Russell
Leonard Cohen
Billy Bragg & Joe Henry
Shine A Light – Field Recordings From The Great American Railroad. 2016 Billy Bragg & Joe Henry
Here’s a fun story about two musicians and how they made this album. They hopped on the train and then jumped off at stops along the way to record a song – while making sure they were back on board as the train left. And yes – the music is good stuff. Definitely worth a listen if you are a follower of Billy Bragg and Joe Henry. Click here for more on the album.
Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen: You Want It Darker
Yes, there’s a new album out by our man, Leonard Cohen.
George Monbiot & Ewan McLennan
George Monbiot & Ewan McLennan – Breaking the Spell of Loneliness
A collaboration between the writer George Monbiot and musician Ewan McLennan seeking to use music and word to open up the issue of loneliness and bring people together.
Neil Young
Neil Young news – coming to the 2017 Byron Bay Bluesfest – online notice click here.
Van Morrison
Music Review: Keep Me Singing, Van Morrison 2016
Here’s an album for the many Van Morrison fans. They will love it.
Nick Cave
A new song from Nick Cave – one you may need to stop and listen to especially when you realise when he wrote it – just after his son had died. Continue reading Nick Cave
Shawn Colvin & Steve Earle
Review: Colvin & Earle June 2016
Join two wonderful voices, join two approaches to making music and two lives that have crossed over several times, and you have two marvellous talents – and the result – a great album. Many of the songs are original – and some are covers. It’s all good stuff.
Recommended: Rating 8/10
Paul Simon
A new album is on the way – click above to hear about it.
Peter Garrett is back
The first track from his coming album, A Version of Now – which is to be released July 15
Neil Young
Time to play this again – After The Goldrush – where it all began so many years ago.
Mary Chapin Carpenter
Mary Chapin Carpenter’s new album ‘The Things That We Are Made Of’ will be available May 6th. Click on image for youtube preview.
Bob Dylan
Melancholy Mood
Bob Dylan has released a song, Melancholy Mood from his forthcoming album, Fallen Angel. The song is also on a four track EP released for Record Store Day. This is his second album of Frank Sinatra inspired songs – the first being Shadows InThe Night.
Lucinda Williams & Elvis Costello
Live from 2001 – Wild Horses – click on image for You Tube video
Natalie Merchant
Brandy Clark
Video above for Brandy’s new single (2016) and for her 2013 album – click here.
Neil Young
Australia Day is as good a day as any to replay this video clip – just a reminder of what we used to be – but as yet are yet to put aside.
David Bowie
goodbye Major Tom…..
Tracy Chapman
Review: Tracy Chapman Greatest Hits 2015
The first thing to say is that tis is a great collection.
It is a new collection made by Tracy. The title – Greatest Hits – does not quite sit easily with this selection.
Neil Young
Music Review: Bluenote Cafe, Neil Young (2015)
If you like Neil Young’s music, then this album must make its way into your collection. This is Neil Young at his best and doing so as a Blues musician.
The music is from live recordings from 1987 – 1988 and is more or less based around his studio album, This Note’s For You .
Mark Seymour
Good to see artists speak out on issues – click on the image for the story
Music Review: Natalie Merchant
Paradise Is There: The New Tigerlily Recordings (2015)
It is the done thing for musicians to cover other musicians songs and to do new arrangements of those songs rather than just attempting to mimic them.
Eric Clapton
Eric Clapton enjoys his 70th birthday at the Albert Hall London. Click on the image for the video
Natalie Merchant
here’s another opportunity to enjoy Natalie Merchant – Equestrienne
John Mayall
First Listen: New John Mayall album
Find a Way To Care – John Mayall (2015)
For all the many John Mayall fans this is great news. A new album and even better, John and his band are in top form. There’s more than usual use of keyboards and a few with strong brass instruments.
Amy Helm
First Listen: Amy Helm, Didn’t It Rain (2015)
I have had the pleasure of recently discovering the wonderful talent of Amy Helm. While her music is probably somewhere in the style of Americana and alt/country, there is a great mix of other styles in there, from blues and gospel and more. She makes great music.
Recommended: rating 8/10
Natalie Merchant
Wonderful news for those who follow Natalie Merchant’s music.
Cilla Black
Cilla Black dies – see video above and the report in the guardian here.
Neil Young
Neil Young has released a 10-minute short film, Seeding Fear. Click here for the link.
Neil Young
It’s about the music! click on image for the latest from Neil
First Listen: Neil Young + Promise Of The Real, ‘The Monsanto Years’