Freezing cold warmth…review time!

Hiya everybody, got another set of review for you, it’s kind of weird, once I stopped trying to keep to a schedule, suddenly, I have been able to keep these almost weekly. I guess once the pressure’s off to produce, it doesn’t hurt so much when you’re late. So, it has been really cold around here lately, I’m thinking I need to move to a warmer climate, of course popping in some of these tunes can help warm my frozen heart once again. Enjoy.

Andy Bopp – This Guitar Kills Singer Songwriters – *** –

Just walk away, Levi…

By now I’m sure most of you have heard that Levi Stubbs, lead singer of The Four Tops, died last week. Bob Lefsetz has a nice remembrance of him.

And I have one, too.

Howzabout dem apples, a new review blog from me!

Alright, we are the throes of fall, and as such, it’s time for some yummy apples, five of which I offer you below. These fresh fruits fell on my head recently, knocking out all sense and leaving me with a strange desire to bathe myself in apple cider. So please bear with me as I watch this leaf CHANGE COLORS IN MY VERY HAND!!!! Creepy. Well, enjoy.

Cliff Hillis – The Long Now – ***1/2

Ringo sings the “No No Song” to Fans…

This just in – Ringo Starr, otherwise known as Richard Starkey, would be hairdresser and luckiest man in rock history, has decided that he will accept no more fan mail and give no more autographs.

I’m not sure how  feel about this. Ringo is 68 now, and we’re a long way from Beatlemania – or from Ringo’s solo career. Sure, he does the All-Starr band thing, but that just a glorified “oldies” tour with Ringo and other aging Boomer rockers playing to adoring audiences who are there to remember when they were all young and not dependent on Viagra, Retin-A, or – Depends.

Our national treasure…5 reviews for all

You know, it not often that we encounter a situation where the ultimate result is both a combination of what makes us really and at least a small part given to the answer we are looking for. Hopefully this blog will help to define what really makes us get out there.

Paul Westerberg – 3oclockkreep – *** –

Covers as Windows Into Musicians’ Psyches…

Bob Lefsetz, that erstwhile critic of the music scene (whose musical talent is, by his own admission, mastery of playing – the radio, cd player, iPod, etc.) has recently savaged James Taylor for releasing a new album of cover songs. While Lefsetz makes a salient point (as usual) in accusing Taylor of doing the “covers” album for the money (which seems as good a reason to do an album as any in these times), he misses something that maybe one such as I, an actual musician, can enlighten all you lovely readers about – why musicians like to play covers even if they write their own material.

Lefsetz takes Taylor to task, for example, for the obviousness of some of his covers – particularly for covering “Summertime Blues,” “Not Fade Away,” “Hound Dog,” “Wichita Lineman,” and “On Broadway.” Lefsetz’s point that these seem too obvious and motivated more by Taylor’s knowledge of what a Boomer audience might want has merit, but it ignores something – these are songs that Taylor probably admired and played for himself over his decades long career.