Only Living Boy - Hide Nothing

Who the hell do these guys think they are?  First they hit me with the damnedest Deep Purple sound with “Lonely Puppy Blues.”  Then, they make me wrap my mind around “Sunny Day Man” somewhere between Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin.  My ears were not ready for the next onslaught, “Hide Nothing,” the album namesake, a hard-edged electric blues power trio guitar hooked blast that approaches “When The Levee Breaks” deliciousness. Who the hell gives them the right to write and play the blues this well?  Damn it, who the hell are these guys and why am I just hearing of them?

Two parts of the “Demon Shuffle,” the first a dark soft acoustic piece, the second a dissonant mess, drink out of the depths of the Tommy Bolan and Blue Cheer shotglass.  Then, WTF happened?  I’m handed a “Bag of Bullets,” and the band seeks quietude in acoustic instuments and soft harmony that, save for the drums, probably would beckon a Ry Cooder to sit in.  You’re punk with “Ronny Rozoni,” a song that Johnny Rotten would love.  Where the H - E- double toothpicks did this band come from?

Things do get a little  nasty as they “Open You Up” and, as they sing  “dip my fingers in it.”  it’s like Dave Matthews singing for an effin’ Jeff Beck during his rocker days..  Look, I’m trying to roll with the punches but this damned band has got me by the throat. “I Hear Music” as they again get the Led out. WTF is going on here?  Who are these guys?

I got no answer, rather, just a weird dragging “Family Of Ghosts” as it rattles the chains and pulls at the bottom so deep that the bass player must be underground.  Wow, I think I may have lost my  “Marbles,” (but they sing to me that “they’re back in my pocket”)  which is a bi-polar song with bizarre theatrical changes that would have made Frank Zappa very proud.  I gotta know, what the hell is going on?  Have I fallen into early heavy blues heaven or is it merely a self-induced delusion?  No, really, is this a new band or did someone find a bunch of hidden obscure heavy rock from the Masters and just now release them under a fake pseudonym?

As I’m pondering that very thought “Priority One” is released upon me.  Did Blind Faith reunite and someone not tell me? Then the final push is “My Heart Is Burning.”  Robert Johnson, John Lee Hooker, Honeyboy Edwards, they’re all there.  I swear.  Even sounds like Jimi Hendrix also dropped by.  I’m pretty sure I also heard John Entwistle and Keith Moon.  But, hey that’s just me.

So who is this band that blew me away so?  Is it the ghost of heavy rockers come back to life?  No, it’s Only Living Boy comprised of lead vocalist, guitarist and songwriter Joe Cirotti, bassist Eric Curley and drummer Trevor Newcomb.  They grabbed Scott Liss to sing and Anthony Chick to play percussion on “Bag Of Bullets.”  Paul Ritchie plays bass, Sam Bey plays percussion and guests Ron Franco and Mike Varina are featured on “Ronny Ronzoni.”

I still don’t believe it.  Try it for yourself.  Start at track 1 of Hide Nothing.  By the thirteenth track you’ll be  ready to play it straight through again.  It is ear candy tinged with the blues soul of heavy rock ‘n roll.  Now, who does that anymore?

- Old School

The Jeff Golub Band Featuring: Henry Butler - The Three Kings

 

Albert, B.B. and Freddie.  The trinity forms the foundation of modern day guitar-based blues and rock.  Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Johnny Winters, Joe Perry, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Johnny Lang, Joe Bonamassa, just to mention a few, all prayed at the three Kings’ altar.  They learned their riffs, sang their songs and added their own special flair to such classic blues numbers as “Let The Good Times Roll,” “Born Under A Bad Sign.” “Have You Ever Loved A Woman,” “Everyday I Have The Blues,” “I’m Torn Down” and “The Thrill Is Gone.”

Now it is Jeff Golub’s turn to pay tribute to the legends of the blues with his album release entitled The Three Kings. Golub, best known as a sideman for Billy Squier on 7 albums and 3 world tours from 1980 until 1988, and Rod Stewart on 4 albums and 5 world tours from 1988 until 1995, got his chops emulating  Clapton, Beck and Hendrix, and their inspirations - Muddy Waters, Buddy Guy, and “The Three Kings” - Albert King, B.B. King and Freddie King.  Golub also learned to play contemporary jazz, the subject of most of his eleven solo albums. After hearing a Wes Montgomery album, he enrolled at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Mass where he played with the James Montgomery Band.

Many tribute recordings fall short due to the need to “measure up.”.  There is the inevitable comparison to the original recordings.  In the case of The Three Kings there is also the inevitable comparison to sensational copies of the originals by some of the best musicians of the past 75 years.  Yet, Golub pulls it off.  This is one hot expression of gratitude, respect and admiration to Albert, B.B. and Freddie.  To help ensure success Golub invited Guitar God Robben Ford to play on Freddie King’s classic “Side Tracked” and world class slide guitarist Sonny Landreth to play on Golub’s one original song on the album, “In Plain Sight.”

Not all of the songs on album were written or performed by The Three Kings, although the majority were and the remainder, save Golub’s original and “Three Kings,” an original by featured pianist Henry Butler, are standards.  Butler is another stroke of genius added to the mix.  He is a New Orleans jazz icon who actually opened for B.B. King. Golub puts Butler’s piano and vocal talents to good use on “Let The Good Times Roll,” “Born Under A Bad Sign,” “Have You Ever Loved A Woman,” “Three Kings” and “Oh, Pretty Woman.”

Golub’s band also features Andy Hess on bass and Josh Dion on drums and percussion (and vocals on “Help The Poor,” “Everyday I Have The Blues” and “I’m Torn Down.”) The sound is rounded out by a B3 Hammond organ played by Chris Palmaro and a horn section consisting of Nick Lane, Rick Braun, Euge Groove and Dave Woodford.

If you love the blues of Kings you will love Jeff Golub’s The Three Kings.

- Old School

Ripple News - Jeff Beck – Rock ‘n’ Roll Party Honoring Les Paul DV

Filmed on June 9, 2010 at the Iridium Jazz Club in New York City, forever associated with the legendary Les Paul, this DVD captures Jeff Beck celebrating the great man with a selection of Les Paul songs and other great rock 'n' roll tracks on what would have been Les Paul’s 95th birthday. Jeff Beck is joined by some very special guests including Imelda May and her band led by Darrel Higham on many of the tracks plus appearances by Gary US Bonds, Brian Setzer and Trombone Shorty. The intimate setting puts you right there in the audience for a performance featuring stunning musicianship and truly great songs.


TRACK LISTING

1) Baby Let’s Play House

2) Double Talkin’ Baby

3) Cruisin’

4) Train Kept A Rollin’

5) Poor Boy

6) Cry Me A River

7) My Baby Left Me

8) How High The Moon

9) Sitting On Top Of The World

10) Bye Bye Blues

11) The World Is

Waiting For The Sunrise

12) Vaya Con Dios

13) Mockin’ Bird Hill

14) I’m A Fool To Care

15) Tiger Rag

16) Peter Gunn

17) Rocking Is Our Business

18) Apache

19) Sleep Walk

20) New Orleans

21) Walking In The Sand

22) Please Mr Jailer

23) Casting My Spell On You

24) Twenty Flight Rock

25) The Girl Can’t Help It

26) Rock Around The Clock

27) Shake, Rattle & Roll



Bonus Features

1) Interview with Jeff Beck

2) Behind The Scenes

3) At home with Jeff Beck & his guitars

4) Jeff Beck & Les Paul – Rock ‘n’ Roll Tonite

5) Les Paul & his little black box.

Derin Dow – Retroactive

An open letter of apology to Derin Dow:

Sorry man, I did it.  I broke the cardinal rule of being a music lover—I judged the album by the cover. 

Now admittedly, and I think you’ll agree, the cover of your dynamite album, Retroactive, er . . . leaves a little to be desired.  Not that it’s bad mind you, but it’s hardly an eye catcher, and in some ways looks a tad amateurish.  And in truth, I’m no fan of guitar heroes.  Just mention the names Malmsteen, Satriani, or Vai to me and my eyes will glaze over as if I was in an amnesiastic fugue.  Add in this day and age of proTools and desktop publishing, the thought that any schmoe can strap on a guitar and force-feed me 40 minutes of string-wankery, unleashing that slop to the general public . . . well . . . it made me wary.

And sorry again, but the first song “Friday,” did nothing to dispel my fears.  Sure there was some nice playing on it, but let’s be honest, it’s not the best demonstration of your talents.  With it’s retro-80’s hair metal vibe and a chorus of “Baby, I’m banging it out on a Friday/I won’t be back until Monday,” . . . well, again, I felt my sphincter tightening, believing I was gonna be in for a long 40 minutes.

Now’s where the apology comes in.  The second track “Signature” was better by far.  That nice strum of the acoustic, that searing guitar-verse lead guitar, that motoring pace and rhythm, your voice sounding so much stronger and more nuanced -- my ears perked up.  Now I could see where you were coming from, the glory days of the melodic rock of the 80’s when guys like Aldo Nova provided guitar heroics. It should have hit me sooner, after all the album’s title is Retroactive, but I’m a tad dense at times.  “Door to Your Heart,” maintained my new found interest with its gorgeous piano intro and your tale of love lost, but it was the freak-out of an instrumental “Lower the Boom” that really made me jump to my feet and take notice.

Folks, take this apology to heart.  What we got here is one damn fine blitzkrieg of good old-fashioned guitar magic.  A pure nugget of melodic rock/AOR treasure with that extra spark of something special.   Listening to “Lower the Boom,” the only word my mouth could utter was, “wow!”  This song jams about as hard as any of the best rock instrumentals I’ve heard.  I was mesmerized by that dramatic chord progression leading into a blistering world of guitar heat.  Think Jeff Beck, think Pat Travers.  You could probably think Satriani. I personally was thinking of Tommy Bolin and anybody that can ever bring the thought of Bolin into my mind is alright with me.  My only complaint was that at 2’45” long it was way too short (and trust me, that’s not usually something I say about rock instrumentals).  I wanted an 8 minute freakout, a 10 minute extravaganza.  Hell, pour it over both sides of an LP and I bet I still wouldn’t be satisfied.

Now fully attentive, I waited eagerly to see what else you could pull off your fretboard, and the rest of the album didn’t disappoint.   “Right Side of the Road,” is another standout track, with just another electrifying assault of shredding guitar.  Derin, you chose some great people to accompany you on this album, primarily Chris Pinnick, whose chops provide the terrific leads in these last two songs.  But throughout, the playing is stellar.  “Right Side of the Road,” picks up right where “Lower the Boom,” left off, that gorgeous guitar tone slicing through the opening chords, and here I think you’ve found you best vocal work and melody.  More Travers here?  Some REO?  No matter which way you slice it, the song just kicks ferocious ass. 

From there, the rest of the album is just a sparkler.  “Runnin’ to Win,” is a strong mid-tempo melodic rock staple with a freaking cool mid-song breakdown and sing-a-long chorus.  “Inside,” recaptures some of that stellar guitar-vibe with it’s clean tone and building choral break.  And, wonders of wonders, after the intensity of “Lower the Boom,” I found myself actually looking forward to the closing instrumental “Feelin’ Free.”  Once again, you didn’t disappoint.  With it’s strong jazzy feel, and Pinnick’s tasteful leads, you ended the album on a high note.

I now sit before you humbled, my hat in hand, crow in mouth.  Thanks for dropping such a sparkling retro-80’s guitar bomb into my lap, and thanks for keeping me honest and open in the way I listen to music.  I promise, I won’t make that same mistake again.


--Racer

www.derindow.com