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Reviews

Live Review: ALO, Chris Kasper at World Cafe Live (5/11)

May 14, 2012 – 12:32 am

Kasper_05-11-2012

Friday night Chris Kasper performed at World Cafe Live (downstairs) opening for ALO (Animal Liberation Orchestra).  Kasper is currently on tour with ALO.  His touring band consists of Daniel Bower (drums, vocals) and Will Wright (bass, vocals).  But for Friday night’s show, the hometown show, there were a few special guest musicians added.  Chris Kasper was also joined by Andrew Keenan (pedal steel, guitar), Jaron Olevsky (keys, accordion), and Kiley Ryan (vocals).  I’ve seen plenty of Chris Kasper performances and Friday night’s set was my favorite to date.  It had everything: a setlist with songs spanning the entire Flying Boy Trilogy, killer musicianship, an overwhelming beautiful vibe, and some incredible musical moments.  Kasper and band even did a nice tribute to Adam Yauch (MCA) by performing the Beastie Boys’ “(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!)” that had a phenomenal folk rock feel.  It’s performances like this that keep me coming back show after show.

ALO_05-11-2012

To be honest, the only thing I know about ALO is their song “Barbeque” that I first heard on WXPN several years ago.  Now don’t get me wrong, I really liked that song but I never took the time to get to know any more music by ALO.  So, I entered Friday’s show with an open mind and open ears.  WELL, now I must confess that ALO really knows how to jam.  Oh my, it was such a fun vibe during their set.  After playing for about an hour ALO took a 15 minute break and would return for their second set.  Sadly, I had not prepared myself for that much fun and I was far too tired to stay but I did witness one fine set by ALO.  By the way, ALO, you might want to tone-down your stage backdrop because it’s so amazingly radiant that it’s mesmerizing.

 

ALO: Website | Facebook| Twitter
Chris Kasper: Website | Facebook | Twitter

More ALO with Chris Kasper tour dates can be found here.
More photos: here.

 

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Reviews

Live Review: The Doublewides, The Roddies, Railroad Fever at Milkboy Philly (5/5)

May 7, 2012 – 11:53 pm

The Doublewides-05052012

This past Saturday night I got to see The Doublewides (an extremely fun band) at Milkboy Philly as part of The Roddies cd release show.  I always have a good time when I see The Doublewides live.  Come on, what other band has such creative songwriting that would incorporate laptops & hot sauce, jetpacks, or a Philly anthem that gives props to Manayunk, Roxborough, East Falls, and Mount Airy.  Plus, their momentary synchronized choreography is a real treat.  But what I find most impressive about The Doublewides’ music is their musicianship which creates those face-melting jams.

Also, on the bill was The Roddies who were celebrating their cd release.  Saturday night everyone got a free copy of The Roddies’ new album, Great Horned Owls, with admission.  I enjoyed their performance and I’ll have to give their new album a listen.

Yes, I finally got to see Railroad Fever live!  Before Saturday night I only knew Railroad Fever from their album, Things You Lost.  I liked that album so much that I took the time to review it and you can read that review here.  Anyway, I’m glad that Railroad Fever’s performance only made me even more of a fan of their music.  Aww, I got to hear “Saint Dorothy’s Shame” – that’s my jam!

I didn’t make it to Milkboy Philly in time to catch Dan Collins or Katie Barbato’s sets for reasons out of my control – trying to find decent parking in the city.

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Reviews

Live Review: Gifthorse, Will McCranie at Dawson Street Pub (5/4)

May 7, 2012 – 12:36 am

Dawson Street PubIf you’re a fan of small bars with a cozy, friendly atmosphere and live music then you might want to check out Dawson Street Pub.  Of course, my opinion is based entirely on their live music selection.  After all, that’s all I care about.

Ok, so I was at Dawson Street Pub Friday night to see Gifthorse.  I haven’t seen Scott Silipigni perform live in quite some time so I wanted to see/hear what he’s been up to.  Gifthorse has a roots rock (I might have heard a hint of county or bluegrass in there) sound.  I think I’ve seen Gifthorse before but with a different line-up.  Anyway, I enjoyed seeing Gifthorse and I’m thankful for the wonderful music they provided.

Will McCranie also performed Friday night at Dawson Street Pub.  I was told that he used to play the original Blinkin Lincoln but I honestly don’t remember seeing McCranie before.  Oh well, I do remember seeing Will McCranie Friday night and I enjoyed his music.  He began his set solo.  Then Freddie Berman joined in on drums, followed by Phil D’Agostino on bass.  Then at some point all the members of Gifthorse performed with McCranie and covered “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” by The Rolling Stones (yeah, I think that was the song).  Nice rendition guys!

If you ever get the opportunity I suggest you check out both Gifthorse and Will McCranie.  After all, good music is good music.

Upcoming Shows:
Gifthorse
<<< TBA >>>

Will McCranie
05.29.2012 – The Bitter End (New York, NY)
06.01.2012 – Joe’s Underground (Augusta, GA)
06.02.2012 – Stillwater Taproom (Augusta, GA)
06.14.2012 – Smith’s Olde Bar (Atlanta, GA)
06.16.2012 – Metro Coffeehouse & Pub (Augusta, GA)

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Reviews

Album Review: Psalmships – ‘Hymn of Lions’

April 25, 2012 – 1:09 am
Psalmships - Hymn of Lions Psalmships
Hymn of Lions
(March 27, 2012)

Track List:
1. The Stolen Song
2. My Whole Left Side
3. Tuscarora
4. Gospels
5. Sympathy
6. Cannon

Whether it was Joshua Britton in Sweetheart Parade or Britton is his current project, Psalmships, I’ve always admired Joshua Britton’s music for its honest songwriting and his beautifully unique vocal timbre.  And it’s those qualities that help make Hymn of Lions a worthwhile listening experience.

When I first listened to Hymn of Lions I thought it was a collection of sad songs that needed to be listened to with a box of tissues in hand.  Then I listened to Hymn of Lions several more times and somehow my whole view of the EP changed.  Hymn of Lions is not the dark, sad, and depressing EP that I had heard at first.  It’s actually an EP filled with songs of acceptance, realization, and hope.   And it’s all evident in the songwriting.  Although the feeling of hope found in Hymn of Lions comes from the music.

The opening track, “The Stolen Song”, is a lively and toe-tapping good.  Hmm, is that Joshua Britton singing on “My Whole Left Side”?  Anyway, it’s still an excellent tune.  The pedal steel (I think that’s the correct instrument) heard on “Tuscarora” is absolutely beautiful and extremely haunting.  “Gospels” is my favorite song on Hymn of Lions because it has such an overwhelming genuine feel to it – I just love it!  “Sympathy” has a nice, peaceful flow to it.  Last but not least, “Cannon” has vocals by Allison Polans and Britton – their voices sound so great together.

Oh my, Hymn of Lions is too good and you should definitely check it out.

 

Psalmships: Website | Facebook | Bandcamp

 

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Reviews

Live Review: Laura Shay at Tin Angel (4/21)

April 22, 2012 – 10:23 pm

AbstractDots

It seems that lately I’ve been hanging out at the Tin Angel and that’s ok with me because it’s a decent music venue.  Someone once asked me what my favorite Philly venue was to which I had no reply.  Their favorite venue happened to be the Tin Angel (admittedly a possibly biased opinion because they used to work there).  Well, these days I think the Tin Angel might be my favorite venue too.

So, why was I at the Tin Angel this Saturday? To see LAURA SHAY – of course!  Man, there was a time when I could see a Laura Shay (or any of my favorite Philly artists) show a few times a month but times have changed so whenever I get to see my favorite artists it’s like a major event.

For this particular performance it was Laura Shay (keyboard, vocals, and acoustic guitar), Dominic Cole (electric guitar and acoustic guitar), Michael Litt (drums), Andy McGowan (bass and backing vocals) and Karen Shay (percussion).  Laura usually starts her sets solo but this time it was full band.  At about mid-set we were told that the set was being recorded and a recording could be purchased at the end of the show.  That’s a nice feature that the Tin Angel offers.  Towards the end of the set is when Laura played a few tunes solo.  Then the band came back one final time to play a few more tunes.  At the end, the crowed enthusiastically cheered Laura on to play an encore – so, Laura and band played one final tune.

There were many highlights and interesting moments during this show.  The talk about clipping coupons, Laura explaining how her music affects her now, her very emotional playing of “Learning”, a haunting cover of “Mad World” by Gary Jules, and a great cover of Patsy Cline’s “Walkin’ After Midnight” were some of the few wonderful moments I remember from this show.  Well, not that I ever for a second doubted it but this show has reminded just how talented a singer-songwriter Laura Shay is and I hope that I can attend another performance some time soon.

 

Laura Shay: Website | Facebook | Twitter

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Reviews

Live Review: Shannon Pelcher, Orion Freeman at Tin Angel (3/23)

March 25, 2012 – 1:21 am

Shannon Pelcher at Tin Angel - 3/23/12

Have you ever been to the Tin Angel?  Well, over the years I’ve been to the Tin Angel plenty of times and I’ve always liked the atmosphere in the venue.  It’s usually a respectful audience, good sound, and most important – great artists playing live.  And that’s exactly what I experienced at the Tin Angel on Friday night.

Shannon Pelcher had the opening set for this night’s co-bill.  Pelcher was joined by her band, The Iron Threads.  So, it was Shannon Pelcher (vocals, acoustic guitar), Gary Lebiedzinski (drums), David Streim (accordion), Rhenda Fearrington (backing vocals), and Rob Shaffer (bass) all on stage.  The first thing I noticed about Pelcher was her voice.  Pelcher has a very beautiful singing tone that is reminiscent of an older, more soulful era.  That voice is so mesmerizing that for a few moments I sat there only able to think to myself “I love her voice.”  Then you add in Pelcher’s impressive songwriting skills plus The Iron Threads and you get one excellent set of music.  Also, the covers (M. Ward “Poison Cup” and Devin Greenwood “Dragon City”) were a nice treat.  I don’t think I’ve paid enough attention to Shannon Pelcher’s music in the past but I will pay a lot more attention from now on – and so should you.

Orion Freeman at Tin Angel - 3/23/12
Next on the bill was Orion Freeman, a new name to me from the ever changing, vast list of Philly artists.  It just so happened to be Freeman’s debut show at the Tin Angel.  Nonetheless, I’m always willing to give a “new artist” a chance.  Freeman began his set solo for the more “folky” material.  At times he was joined by some special guest musicians.  From the songs that I can remember hearing (sorry, I don’t remember the entire setlist) I really enjoyed listening to “The Science of Release” and it was nice that Freeman closed his set with his father playing fiddle on “It’s Alright”.  Orion Freeman has a delightfully raspy, somewhat timid voice that harbors a lot of hope even when he sings some of the saddest songs — nice!

Oh my, I had such a good time and I can’t wait to see where the live music leads me next.

 

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Reviews

Album Review: Railroad Fever – ‘Things You Lost’

March 5, 2012 – 9:15 pm
Railroad Fever: Things You Lost Railroad Fever
Things You Lost
(RAILROAD FEVER, 2012)

Track List:
01. Gone Are The Days
02. Every Single Day
03. Shipwrecks
04. Good Friday
05. Cayo
06. Tex Cobb
07. Left Of Nowhere
08. Guarracino Legs
09. Saint Dorothy’s Shame
10. Take My Chances
11. Consequential Blues

It’s exciting to come across music that’s special and blog-worthy like Railroad Fever’s ‘Things You Lost’.  Yes, finding GREAT music can really make your day.

‘Things You Lost’ opens with “Gone Are The Days” a song that unleashes a powerful, rugged, genuine voice (“it ain’t your fault but it might be mine”) that will immediately catch your ears’ attention and command your interest.  The next song, “Every Single Day” showcases a softer side of Railroad Fever which is nice.  The marching drummed beat on “Left Of Nowhere” really stands out on that song adding another dimension.  Aww, “Saint Dorothy’s Shame” is one of my favorite songs on ‘Things You Lost’.  This song has it all – beautifully played pedal steel, sweet harmonies, angelic female vocals, and it all sounds so phenomenal together.  Also, the harmonica heard on “Consequential Blues” is brilliantly executed.

Most of the songs on ‘Things You Lost’ have great harmonies and excellent backing vocals which is a great quality.  I believe the lead vocals change a few times throughout the album adding to Railroad Fever’s musical diversity and helps keep their sound fresh.  There is a certain level of realness to Railroad Fever’s songwriting that makes their music even more interesting and believable.

After listening to this entire album you will realize ‘Things You Lost’ is a wonderful release from Railroad Fever.  You will like this album for its authentic feel and solid folk rock, roots rock, Americana styling.  The only thing you might not like about this album is how quickly the album ends – then your ears are sadden and left wanting more Railroad Fever music.  And soon you will know (or simply be reminded) just how genius the repeat feature truly is.

Thank you, Railroad Fever, and the cast of musicians that are featured on this album: Dan Collins, Tom Spiker, Jamie Gallagher, Kevin Hanson, Michael Morrow, Raphael Cutrufello, Joe Innes, and everyone else – for sharing ‘Things You Lost’ for all us music fans to hear.

Railroad Fever: website | Facebook

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Reviews

Live Review: John Francis Band, Octopus Jones, Ross Bellenoit, James Klueh at Dawson Street Pub (1/3)

January 5, 2012 – 12:32 am

DawsonSt

Dawson Street Pub holds some great musical memories for me so I’m always up for hanging out there.  Plus, this particular Tuesday night’s music was a bill including John Francis Band and Ross Bellenoit, both of whose music I’m familiar with.  As for, Octopus Jones and James Klueh, it never hurts to check out new music.

I’ll blame it on the cold winter weather for why I was running late and missed all but the last song of James Klueh’s set.  Klueh was playing a solo set but it’s not wise or fair to comment on a performance based on one song that was distorted by the cacophonic tone in the pub at that moment.  So, maybe I’ll catch a full set by Klueh at some point.

For years I’ve only knew Ross Bellenoit as an integral musician in several of my favorite bands from the Philly area.  Then I became aware of Bellenoit as a singer-songwriter.  So, whether it’s integral musician Bellenoit or singer-songwriter Bellenoit, Ross is very skilled.  And it’s always a treat to hear Bellenoit play a solo acoustic set.  Hey, Ross, I definitely appreciate hearing the new material – thank you!

Octopus Jones is a five member band from South Carolina with a very diverse sound.  I don’t know how to begin to describe their sound other than to say that it’s good music.  At the beginning of Octopus Jones set I had no idea what to expect but by the end of their set they had just made at least one more fan from their performance.  Octopus Jones is a very energetic band that made a great first impression.  By the way, Octopus Jones’ cover of Tear For Fears’ “Everybody Wants To Rule The World” was fantastic.  NICE!

John Francis Band (John Francis, Ross Bellenoit, Freddie Berman, and Phil D’Agostino) had the final set of the night.  Prior to last night I had not seen John Francis live before but I’m very familiar with his album ‘Better Angels’ because it’s one of my favorites.  Anyway, no surprise that John Francis Band played an incredible set last night at Dawson Street Pub.  It was nice to hear Francis’ folk, country, Americana blend of music live – it made my ears smile.  Plus, the stories that accompany some of Francis’ songs are so entertaining and added a great vibe to the performance.  Even though it was getting late and I was getting tired I knew that I couldn’t leave before John Francis’ set was over or else I would regret it.  And I’m so glad that I stayed until the end because I heard a lovely cover of John Prine’s “Angel From Montgomery” – I love that song.

Tuesday nights can be fairly dull so I must thank: Russ, The Blinkin Lincoln, Dawson Street Pub, John Francis Band, Octopus Jones, Ross Bellenoit, and James Klueh for a great night of music.

 

Upcoming Shows:
John Francis
1/08/2012 – Sellersville Theatre (Sellersville, PA) Opening for Buffy Sainte-Marie
1/14/2012 – Pete’s Candy Store (New York, NY)

Ross Bellenoit
1/10/2012 – The Fire (Philadelphia, PA)
1/21/2012 – World Cafe Live [upstairs] (Philadelphia, PA)

Octopus Jones
1/05/201 – Martin’s Downtown (Roanoke, VA)
1/07/2012 – L.A.B. (Asheville, NC)

James Klueh
>>>>> TBA >>>>>

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Reviews

Live Review: Cheers Elephant, Illinois, Hollis Brown at Johnny Brenda’s (12/29/2011)

December 31, 2011 – 12:29 am

Illinois 12292011

In my younger years I used to get to shows too early and had to wait around for the opening band which was a good thing because I picked up some favorite bands in the process.  Well, of late, I’ve been rather late to shows and end up missing most of the opening act.  I apologize, as a music enthusiast I should know how to schedule my time better.  That being said, I did miss all but the last 30 seconds of Hollis Brown’s set.  I’ve never seen that band before so I would have at least liked to have seen their set.  Hopefully, we’ll cross musical paths sometime in the future.

I did of course make it to Johnny Brenda’s (Philadelphia, PA) in time to see Illinois.  After all, Illinois is one of my favorite bands and for good reason – their live shows are always incredible.  I’ve seen Illinois countless times since 2005 and I don’t recall every seeing a bad performance by them.  So, if Illinois is playing a show in the area then I always try my best to make sure I’m there.  I admire and respect the effort and passion that Illinois put into their music which makes their music sound so good.  By the way, great news, Illinois is going to release a new album soon so keep an ear out for that.

Cheers Elephant was the headlining band for this show.  Although I haven’t seen Cheers Elephant in ages it was nice to see that they had not lost an ounce of their on stage dancing, energy, and antics.  Man, that is one hyper band and that’s exciting when it comes to live performances.  So, it was great to see Cheers Elephant again and their performance made it quite apparent that I really need to see this band more often.

See the entire photo set here.

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Reviews

Album Review: Chris Kasper – ‘The First Hundred Years Are The Hardest’

December 6, 2011 – 1:03 am
Chris Kasper 'The First Hundred Years Are The Hardest' Chris Kasper
The First Hundred Years Are The Hardest
(Chris Kasper, 2011) 

Track List:
1. Walking on Water
2. Blue It Be
3. Once You Start, Away You Go
4. Safe And Sound
5. Reason to Believe
6. (Little Parade Down) Baltimore St
7. Miss Augustine
8. Feast My Eyes
9. Every Now and Then
10. You Are What You Are
11. *Skipping Stones

‘The First Hundred Years Are The Hardest’ by Chris Kasper is said to be the final installment in the FlyingBoy Trilogy (FlyingBoy, Chasing Another Sundown).  And if that is the case then it’s a very bittersweet end.  ‘The First Hundred Years Are The Hardest’ takes Chris Kasper’s incredible singer-songwriter skills that is evident in all his previous works and broadens it to include a slightly more musically experimental side.  So, what might have been a risk to many artists reveals itself as the pure brilliance in Kasper’s diverse sound.  ‘The First Hundred Years Are The Hardest’ is a memorable listening experience that no ears should be deprived of.

‘The First Hundred Years Are The Hardest’ begins with the ethereal tones of “Walking On Water” that song has an effortless feel similar to the feel in “Safe And Sound”.  “Blue It Be” is not only about the color blue but feeling blue (but the pulsing drum will wipe away any blues and make you want to dance). “Once You Start, Away You Go” starts off somewhat slow and mellow but breaks open with a rockin’ heaviness that is marvelous. Aww, “(Little Parade Down) Baltimore St.” has such an infectious melody adding that extra hint of beauty to the song.   For now, “Miss Augustine” is my favorite track because I love that vocal effect, electric drum sequence and those all too important oo’s.  Plus, “one day I may be stronger” is some lyrical optimism that we can all use.  More, lyrical optimism can be found in “Every Now And Then” with “every now and then I build myself up from the ground.”  But if we’re talking about those deep, thought provoking, intelligent lyrics that Kasper delivers we got to include “you are what you are even when you hide.”  Man, sometimes I think Chris Kasper is a lyrical genius.

I honestly could go on and on about how awesome an album ‘The First Hundred Years Are The Hardest’ is but I’d rather just end this review here so we can all go and listen to this album and enjoy it.  So, give ‘The First Hundred Years Are The Hardest’ a listen and I guarantee you’ll be blown away by how good this album is.

Also, since it’s that time of year with all these polls and whatnot I’d like to say that ‘The First Hundred Years Are The Hardest’ by Chris Kasper wholeheartedly deserved its spot on my list of Top 10 Albums of 2011.  I just want to listen to ‘The First Hundred Years Are The Hardest’ again and again and again and…

[LISTEN] “Once You Start, Away You Go” from ‘The First Hundred Years Are The Hardest’ by Chris Kasper
[soundcloud]http://soundcloud.com/chriskaspermusic/once-you-start-away-you-go[/soundcloud]

Thank you to Chris Kasper, Andrew Lipke and all involved in this album – job well done!

Chris Kasper: website | Facebook | Twitter

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