Mr. M coming in February from Kurt Wagner & Co.

By Blurt Staff

Merge Records will release Lambchop's Mr. M on February 21. Recorded at Mark Nevers' Nashville Beech House studio and dedicated to Vic Chesnutt, Mr. M includes the usual core of musicians - songwriter/vocalist Kurt wagner Scott Martin (drums), Matt Swanson (bass), Ryan Norris (guitar, organ), Tony Crow (piano), William Tyler (guitar). Guests include original co-founder Jonathan Marx, singer Cortney Tidwell (who shared vocals with Wagner on 2010's KORT project) and fiddler Billy Contreras (who has worked with everyone from Charlie Louvin to Laura Cantrell), plus string arrangements shared between Peter Stopschinski and Mason Neely.

According to Merge, "The core of the music remains the cyclical picking of Wagner's guitar and the soft, warm croaking of his voice. The songs are spacious, even dreamy, as on the Countrypolitan instrumental "Gar," while the lyrics and titles are rich with allusions, some of them obvious, others seemingly unknowable."

You can check out an advance MP3: "If Not I'll Just Die"

Lambchop - If Not I'll Just Die by MergeRecords

Held Nov. 10-13, it was indeed an All Star Spectacular at Brooklyn's Bell House.

Text & Photos by Michael Passman

Opening Night Thursday, November 10th had Norton Records Employees The Nor-tones, Dex Romweber Duo, The Phantom Surfers, The Alarm Clocks, The 5,6,7,8's, and The Black Lips.

The Norton Records 25th Anniversary was a practically non stop rock ‘n' roll party for four days straight.  The best in garage/surf/primitive R&B all gathered around Norton Records and its founders, Billy Miller and Miriam Linna.  There was never a less than stellar act playing and never an unhappy person in the room.  Some of the acts were legendary, some of the acts popular, some of the acts were new but make legendary rock ‘n' roll, but nearly everyone, both attendees and acts, gathered together, mingled, and watched the weekend unfold to some of the greatest acts in rock ‘n' roll.  It was a party, a rock ‘n' roll extravaganza reminiscent of the older rock ‘n' roll tours that combined Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard, Elvis, Buddy Holly, etc. 

The Nortones opened every night of the party with a great blast and a lot of fun with their Norton High letter sweaters.  They improved nightly and most people got there at opening time every night to catch them. 

The Nor-Tones

The always memorable Kim Fowley emceed for most of the weekend and participated with his vast knowledge and experience about great rock ‘n' roll in all its glory and perversity.

Kim Fowley

Dex Romweber Duo brought in the opening night with their own mix of R&B, Memphis blues, and a good measure of Hank Sr. that gives them their famous combo or raunch, subtlety, country, and heartache.

Dex Romweber Duo

The Phantom Surfers followed with incredible tunes lined up with what looked like a double-necked Fender Jazzmaster and a performance that was out of this world.  An added treat for the show was Russell Quan (The Mummies, The Bobbyteens, and The Chuckleberrys) joining them on stage for more than a few fun antics and rock ‘n' roll silliness.

The Phantom Surfers (also with Russell Quan)

Cleveland, Ohio ‘60s garage rockers The Alarm Clocks came next with their trademark Gretsch fuzz and incredible songs to boot.

The Alarm Clocks

A surprise ‘hello' came afterwards from the Detroit legend and sharp dressed rock ‘n' roll survivor himself, André Williams.  Kim Fowley then joined him for some on stage perversion that's the stuff that legends are made of.

André Williams (also pictured at the top with Kim Fowley)

The 5, 6, 7, 8's followed.  An all girl trio from Tokyo, Japan best known in The West for their appearance in Quentin Tarantino's "Kill Bill."  Japanese rock, like many Western things co-opted by Japan, is often considered exciting and fun, but more of a novelty instead of being important in its own right.  The 5, 6, 7, 8's was a little surprising since it was less raunchy than many of their recordings, but their sound of roots rock with hints of rockabilly and great surf guitar melodies proved they are a true rock ‘n' roll band and more than deserved their place in the lineup with better known modern acts and legends both old and new, as well as equal praise.

The 5, 6, 7, 8's

A special close to the first night was a late announced addition of The Black Lips, a self described "Flower Punk" act who have received much critical praise in their prolific career, as well as a dedicated following of mostly younger fans.  Many of the older attendees cleared the room for their performance since their fans have a reputation of rowdiness, nudity, and general youth debauchery that is part rock ‘n' roll, but is also at times merely showing off in elation to draw attention to themselves.  As expected, the crowd got rowdy for their show, but them being fans that came for the Anniversary and not their performance, it was the least rowdy crowd to be witnessed at a Black Lips show, which made their performance a lot more exciting.  The added treat was King Khan joining them onstage for a tune at the end of their set

The Black Lips (notice flying alcoholic beverage related projectile)

The Black Lips with King Khan

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Day 2, Nov. 11

With a phenomenal opening night and looking forward to the lineup for the next few days, we all knew it was going to be great, but we had no idea how one great night can build into another and another.  Friday night's festivities were no exception, starting with early readings by André Williams and Kim Fowley in support of their books "Sweets" and "The Lord of Garbage," respectively. The weekend "house" band, The Nor-Tones, made a louder ruckus than the night before rose to the occasion of playing on par with so many stellar bands and legends.  Great Gaylord with the Condo Fucks made a rousing, soulful noise to start with.  The frontman sounded way too young for his talents and gave many an almost "Where the hell did this guy come from?" impression.

Great Gaylord with The Condo Fucks

Mark Sultan, a one man band legend, also shared in the night's performances.  Mark Sultan has constantly been touring for yours.  Although he's among those who have been seen the most compared to others in the weekend lineup, Mark has a soulful voice and a songwriting ability that seems to keep evolving into something greater.

Mark Sultan

A great swinging band from Japan came up next that absolutely wowed the crowd with crazy on stage antics and great surf music with garage and rockabilly overtones, Jackie And The Cedrics.  They've had a few brief stints touring The States a few years back, but few people in general knew about them other than their Norton 10 inch.  They left a lasting impression.

Jackie And The Cedrics

The Reigning Sound was the band that everyone was waiting to see that evening.  Gregg Cartwright and Co. have put out music that some revere to be among the best album ever made, "Too Much Guitar", and they've transcended the typical garage rock labeling with a broad and loyal following.  Their performance of songs like "I'll Cry" and "We Repel Each Other" brought the crowd to a roar.

The Reigning Sound

The final lineup for the evening was the revolving lineup of the Norton R&B/Soul Revue.  This definitely was an all star show from start to finish that included Marcus "The Carcass" Natale from The A-Bones on bass and Mick Collins from The Dirtbombs as the backing band. The revue started with saxophone legend Lonnie Youngblood.

Lonnie Youngblood

A special appearance by The Mighty Hannibal, who was led onstage by King Khan, to the roar of the crowd.  Being blind and surviving a recent stroke, the only limitation noticed was him needing a few minutes to find his microphone.  The audience remained transfixed on him through the whole performance.  The man is a giant in R&B and rock ‘n' roll.  It was great to be part of an enthusiastic crowd giving him his due.  Joining in to take his place on the throne was the Happy Organ man, Dave "Baby" Cortez.

The Mighty Hannibal

Next to take the stage was André Williams, the great Chicago R&B singer/songwriter/producer whose hard life and periodic relapses into addiction are well known and harrowing.  André is a true survivor who still gets out to tour regularly, despite his increasing age, but his sobriety gives him much more vitality than he displayed years ago.  André is loved by all and is finally reaping the benefits of his contributions to music.  André was on fire, full of energy, and had the crowd in a frenzy by the time the band and him ripped into "Agile, Mobile, and Hostile."  About two thirds through the song, he stopped singing.  We then saw his wife rush up to the stage screaming "Andre, stop!"  The crowd got quiet while fellow musicians and performers came out from behind the curtain while the band continued playing the song.  We weren't sure what was happening, but everybody stood still while the music kept playing, waiting for an outcome.  Lonnie Youngblood and Mick Collins both moved over to either side of him and played the song the rest of the way through.  André caught his composure, finished up with the last song, and his set was over.  Maybe he over extended himself, but we were all very relieved that he was ok.

André Williams

The final act in the all star revue to come on stage was Melvin Davis, a Detroit producer and performer who's made some of the best soul songs in the past 50 years, among them being "Chains of Love" which was brought to the world by The Dirtbombs on their album "Ultraglide in Black".  More raves came from the crowd and mostly songs that few people were very familiar with, but in true Norton Records fashion, Melvin and the rest of the all stars took us backwards to show us how we got here.  That evening and the performers showed everyone what true rock ‘n' roll is, from the one man wail of Mark Sultan to the outrageous, high energy of Jackie And The Cedrics, to the incredible soul music of The Mighty Hannibal, André Williams, and Melvin Davis.  It was an unbelievable evening.

Melvin Davis

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Day 3, Nov. 12

A diversion uptown to check out The Left Banke interfered with catching The Nor-Tones, Daddy Long Legs, and The Hentchman (of whom I really, really dig, unfortunately).  I arrived back at The Bell House in time to catch The South Bay Surfers, composed of a rotating lineup of rock ‘n' roll hooligans. The Norton Anniversary version was Dave Klingaman, Lorin Peterson, Joe Cardinal, and the perpetually enthusiastic Russell Quan. A great act, but Russell tends to always steal the show no matter how hard he tries not to.

Lorin Peterson of The Subway Surfers

Joe Cardinal, Dave Klingaman, and Russell Quan of The South Bay Surfers

Another CA based act, Luis & The Wildfires followed.  Their upbeat, hell raising act leaned towards rockabilly, but it was definitely more rock ‘n' roll with a little rockabilly, including a rousing, crowd cheering cover of Joy Division's "Digital."

Luis & The Wildfires

Next was Untamed Youth, the Missouri based act led by legend Deke Dickerson.  All accolades and compliments warranted. One cannot say more other than mention the band participated go-go dancing contest that followed.  There were go-go dancers on stage, but all the band members danced better than them according to the crowd response.

Untamed Youth (3^rd pic: It's Not a Party Until Beer Goes Flying)

Deke pulled a double sitting in with another legend, The Randy Fuller Four following his previous set.  This act is steeped in garage rock history as well as Texas rock history, and it's a very rare treat to hear and witness.

Randy Fuller Four with Deke Dickerson (all cleaned up after the flying beer)

Question Mark & The Mysterians ended the evening in outlandish and outrageous style that was hot, soulful, and rousing.  Oh yeah, all anyone remembers from that one is singing along to "Da Doo Run Run" and "Be My Baby" with help from The Crystals La La Brooks supplying the helping pipes and her huge fro, then being outdone by Question Mark and The Mysterians ripping into "96 Tears" with their 66 year old leader's fringed arms in psychedelic shirt outstretched and putting the audience into a trip.  Exactly.

Day 4, Nov. 13

The notorious Bloodshot Bill opened up the final evening, in his pajamas, reasons unknown.

The Figures Of Light followed, a brand spankin' new band including the stellar Mick Collins and Miriam Linna

The Real Kids sadly had to pull out, but New Jersey's Swingin' Neckbreakers filled in the slot and joined the party:

The A-Bones, composed of Norton Records founders and showcase hosts Billy Miller and Miriam Linna hit the stage and got the crowd going, most notably with "Outcast", a song made famous by The Animals.

Suddenly, Flamin' Groovies Members Cyril Jordan and Roy Loney joined them on stage and the crowd turned into an elated pogo pit when they broke into "Shake Some Action", "Teenage Head", and "Slow Death." 

Cyril Jordan

Roy Loney

A mouth-watering treat came next with The Tandoori Knights, composed of King Khan, Bloodshot Bill, and an outstanding upright bass player.

That was a great evening, but it ended with the fathers of all things garage and distortion, The Sonics!  They were on fire.  Every song was eaten up by the crowd, including a few new ones that had a slight ‘80s lean on them, but were still great rockers.  "Strychnine," ‘Dirty Robber", "Boss Hoss", "Psycho", and of course, "The Witch".  The whole weekend was one revelation/incredible band after another.  It was also the best music festival EVER.

At the Fox Theatre on November 15, he proved he was still crazy after all these years.

By Steve Pick

So Beautiful or So What, Paul Simon's release earlier this year, is a front-runner for best album of 2011. Filled with songs of insight, beauty, humor, and vivacity, So Beautiful or So What is on the short list of records that stand with the best of an artists career nearly 50 years after they first recorded. On tour to ostensibly promote this achievement, Paul Simon somewhat perversely chose to play only four of his new songs in concert. However, there can be no complaints about a single one of the other 22 selections pulled from his extensive catalogue.

Simon stands with Paul McCartney and Bob Dylan as 60s icons who still work hard at creating new music. But unlike McCartney, who in concert delivers the old hits with passion yet textbook adherence to the original recording, or Dylan, who seemingly randomly rearranges favorite songs to sometimes brilliant effect but without always being recognizable, Simon remains engaged with his material. The most familiar songs, such as "The Sound of Silence" or "50 Ways To Leave Your Lover," were given thoughtful and tasteful new renditions without losing any of the luster they had displayed for decades.

Simon is not one to take chances unprepared; each night of this latest tour, he has played pretty much the exact same songs in the exact same order. Having given careful consideration to the ways he wanted to play off his hits with his new songs, and connect themes and images across the years, Simon sticks to the game plan night after night. The result was an evening of music which marvelously flowed together. Slow songs alternated with fast ones, leading to an explosive dance party at precisely the proper moment.

The band Simon has assembled for this tour is astonishing. Given the variety of rhythmic styles Simon has incorporated into his music over the years - reggae, zydeco, South African dance pop, Brazilian drum patterns, 70s jazzy studio sophistication - there can be few musicians capable of so perfectly capturing the spirit of each. Simon gave each of his players a chance to shine, but none hogged the spotlight. This band is as aware as their leader that the presentation of the songs is the most important  part of this show. Props must be given to Vincent Nguini on guitar, Jim Oblon on drums, Mick Rossi on piano and keyboards, Andrew Snitzer on saxophone and keyboards, Bakithi Kumalo (who has played with Simon since Graceland in 1986) on bass , Mark Stewart on guitar and baritone sax, Jamey Haddad on percussion, and Tony Cedras on several instruments, including trumpet to form a powerful horn section with Stewart and Snitzer.

While most songs were given shiny new treatments, material from Graceland, which will be celebrated next year with a tour in honor of its 25^th anniversary (which was really this year) was played as close to the fashion of the recorded versions as possible. "The Boy in the Bubble" opened the show, and "Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes," "Gumboots," and "Graceland" itself proved this band could be as supple and sinuous as the South African musicians who played on the original album. Surprisingly, however, the song which received the biggest response was "That Was Your Mother," the zydeco number which was revved up to a fever pitch. As this was a rare song on which Simon played no instruments, he was even inspired to do a little jig onstage, which possibly helped encourage the crowd to jump to its feet for the first of several times during the show.

The new material was received well. "Dazzling Blue" was as sweet and limber as the recorded version, and benefited from guest fiddler Gabe Witcher of opening act Punch Brothers, who played on the album. "The Afterlife," built on an irresistible African groove, is one of the funniest songs Simon has ever written, imagining a bureaucratic Heaven and a God which boils down to either "Be Bop a Lula" or "Ooh Poppa Do."  "Rewrite" is another funny one, albeit with a more serious subtext about repairing the mistakes of a lifetime, and the live version was given a sparser treatment, with some lovely guitar playing from all three ax-wielders. "Love is Eternal Sacred Light," your typical pop song about the Big Bang, God, and suicide bombing, is one of the finest things Simon has ever written, and its inclusion in the set was a terrific way of proving he hasn't stopped asking the big questions after all these years.

Even with a show lasting just around two hours, there was no way Simon could play everybody's favorite songs, so it was perhaps curious that he did a few cover versions. Each was so delightful, however, that nobody could complain. A medley of "Mystery Train" (with homage being paid more to Junior Parker's original than to Elvis Presley's more familiar version) and "Wheels," a classic instrumental by Chet Atkins, was a wonderful breath-taking after one of Simon's most serious and lovely originals, "Hearts and Bones." As part of the encore, Simon did an exquisite take on "Here Comes the Sun," at the end of which he said, "Thanks, George, for writing such a great song." And for the second-to-last song of the night, the band went wild on a version of Bo Diddley's "Pretty Thing," sung by Oblon and featuring an ebullient Kumalo on kettle drum and a verse of African vocals.

The rest of the show was all hits, all the time. "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover" was slowed down and funked up, making the song slightly more sinister than it originally seemed. "Mother and Child Reunion" (aka the first reggae song many Americans ever heard) was heavenly, especially with Cedras playing a sweet trumpet, but it did miss the female backing vocals from the original. "Slip Slidin' Away" was an interesting merger of the original arrangement with the African-inspired bass drum throb. "The Obvious Child," from Rhythm of the Saints, took the original Olodum drum beat from Brazil and amped it up into the most exhilarating song of the night. "The Only Living Boy in New York" was the only Simon and Garfunkel song played, and it was lovely enough that his partner's voice wasn't even missed. "Kodachrome" was marred by the audience clapping along much more stiffly than the band was playing, and "Still Crazy After All These Years" ended the entire show with a beautiful version of one of Simon's most perfectly crafted songs.

For his first encore, however, Simon stood on the stage completely alone to perform "The Sound of Silence." At one time, Simon was almost as brilliant a finger-picking guitarist as he is a songwriter, and this rendition reminded us of his skills. He started by playing the exquisite melody with perfect grace, then began to sing the familiar words welcoming his old pal darkness and describing his dream of desolation and isolation. At first, Simon sang this at a slight remove, seeming to recall his youthful worries as something no longer a concern. But, as he moved into the description of walking alone in his dream, you could feel the song filling him up and filling the room until it exploded in a flash of neon light which, in this case, connected him to his audience, to the people who have loved this song for more than 45 years. It was the sound of history, of understanding, of love and beauty and anything but silence.

"Raw Meat" indeed...

Self-proclaimed flower punks, The Black Lips have released the latest video from their 6^th studio album, Arabia Mountain (Vice Records).  The video for "Raw Meat," an undeniably catchy song thanks to the melodic whistling and sharp production by Mark Ronson, chronicles the band as New York City cops on a late shift causing more of a ruckus than the citizens they've promised to protect.  Featuring Hollywood super-weight Leo Fitzpatrick (The Wire, Kids), model Janell Shirtcliff, cult actress Tennessee Thomas (Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World), crisp B&W widescreen photography, and authentic 70's cop car and uniforms the video is by far the Black Lip's most beautifully shot video. 

The clip is the product of a collaboration between the Black Lips, Vice Records, Urban Outfitters, and director Phil Pinto, executive produced by Rachelyn Remz-Porter. It is the fifth installment of the UO Music Video Series, following videos for Spank Rock, The War on Drugs, Beach Fossils, and Toro Y Moi. 

Black Lips - "Raw Meat" from Urban Outfitters on Vimeo.

Festival fanatics take note - there's a new gathering in town... well, just to the south anyway, in Orlando Florida specifically. Aptly dubbed Orlando Calling and still in its infancy - the first event took place the weekend of November 12 and 13 - it attracted a roster that may well be the envy of rival musical events that have been around far longer. Go here on the BLURT site to see photographer Tony Landa's full gallery of images from the festival. (Pictured above: the Avett Brothers.)

By Lee Zimmerman

The names on the aforementioned roster say it all - Bob Seger, the Ettes, the Doobie Brothers, the Avett Brothers, Pete Yorn, Iron & Wine, Dr. Dog, the Pixies, the Raconteurs, Drive By Truckers and, hell, that's merely day one! For yours truly, it was well worth leaving home at 6 AM in order to arrive by the time the gates opened at 11 AM Saturday morning. And what we received in return was an amazingly excessive abundance of music, but one that presented the challenge of taking it all in.

Day One (Nov. 12): Awesome but overwhelming

Held on the site of Orlando's venerable Citrus Bowl, the same venue that hosted the Rolling Stones in 1981, it featured no fewer than five stages of varying size, from the mammoth realms of the bowl itself, to the crowded confines of the Art House, a small tent like area that had onlookers stoically gazing at rookie performers from outside the front flaps. Fortunately, the rest of the venues easily accommodated any overflow audience, and while there was constant temptation to squeeze towards the front of the stage, particularly in the larger concerts, no one was ever made to feel cramped or crowded. In fact, most of the time a blanket could be spread and still allow for ample visibility.

A varying stylistic landscape

The initial challenge on arrival was to discern the lay of the land without getting distracted by all the food booths and merchandise tents that littered the landscape. But in short order, my wife Alisa and I were plotting the schedule of appearances that would occupy our day and evening. We began by going to the FreeCreditScore Stage where, appropriately enough, we caught a performance by The American Secrets, who, not surprisingly, happen to be the giddy outfit currently featured in FreeCreditScore commercials. While something of a surprise to see that they were a real working band, they proved the point by running through an upbeat set that culminated with their now famous jingle. We then stuck around for something a bit more serious, the Deep Dark Woods, a Canadian combo whose backwoods sound resembles nothing less than The Band or the Flying Burrito Brothers as if refitted for the current millennium. A bit of levity about being pampered with a haircut and massage backstage notwithstanding, their mournful musings made for a genuinely pensive encounter.

It would be a couple of hours until the day's main attractions would take the stage, so we opted to spend our time discovering some of the newer names on the festival roster. Civil Twilight, an ambient three piece combo that resembled nothing less than a cross between Radiohead and U2, roused the crowd and beckoned a flock of photographers. A little bit was a lot to take in, so we made our first transition of the day, venturing over to the Authentic Stage where Lucero was holding court. Bedecked in tattoos, a horn section and hunting caps, the Memphis six-piece provided an earrly high-energy jolt, which was already badly needed. "I promised I'm gonna wake up any second now," their singer teased, affirming the fact that early preparation had taken its toll. Sounding something akin to a Southern-stirred Bruce Springsteen, these good old boys were the first highlight of an afternoon that would soon be flush with surprises.

On the other hand, we knew what to expect with Iron & Wine, although nothing on record ever prepares one for a live encounter. With a seemingly incongruous instrumental line-up - banjos complement flutes, exotic percussion and warbling back-up vocals - they offered up an adventurous and progressive template that at times sounded like King Crimson in full Court press. Big and burly, Sam Beam took center stage, an authoritative presence that resembled nothing less than a country preacher ready to inspire the flock and dazzle them at the same time. They were both awesome and intriguing, and while they tugged at the parameters of their time-constrained set - no one except the certified headliners was allowed to exceed 40 minutes - they delivered a performance that can only be characterized as nothing less than mesmerizing.

New darlings and former loves

Sam Beam and company provided an apt warm-up for our next stop, the Citrus Main Stage where the Avett Brothers held court in their usual off-handed, unassuming way. The group's unbridled energy makes adjectives like "exuberant" and "infectious" seem an understatement, given that it's hard to resist their riveting charms. The Avetts have been long time favorites of Alisa and I ever since we first caught them at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival five years ago, and while an expanding audience awareness has found them perched on the precipice of mainstream success, their Southern charm remains undiminished. A harmony-drenched take on the gospel standard "A Closer Walk With Thee," inspired by their grandfather, a Methodist minister, finds equal footing with populist anthems, and when the band are in full flight, there's no one that can top them for sheer exhileration. Cellist Joe Kwon is a particularly striking object in motion; often in full frenzy, he rocks his instrument in a way that would make a classical performer shudder with dread. On the other hand, when they regroup for the title track of their latest LP, I And Love and You, they also manage to seduce their audiences with sheer sentiment.

"I got a flat hand and a flat wallet," Seth called out at one point. Hmmm, we don't know what that first remark references and as for the second, with their growing fame, that wallet shouldn't remain flat very long.

Although still caught up the Avetts' euphoria, we were equally psyched to peruse the Pixies, and when Kim Deal, an earth-motherly type that boasts one of the best bass rumbles around, announced that they were going to do the whole of Doolittle, the crowd was overjoyed. Highlights included a a snarling "Debaser," a celebratory "Here Comes Your Man" and a positively giddy "La La Love You," each accompanied by appropriate images projected on a screen hung behind the band. Still, the highpoint resided in "Monkey Gone to Heaven," the album's once and future classic. Their poppy punk songs were quick and concise, often introduced by Deal in album order simply by giving the number of their sequence on either side. Black Francis nee Frank Black is still an ominous presence and given to a good scream, while guitarist Joey Santiago avoided any real interaction and stood stoically off to the side. Nevertheless, Deal and drummer David Lovering seemed intent on clowning around, and when prior to the encore, Deal announced she was tired and ready for sleep, Lovering kidded her relentlessly for apparently giving in to the whims of middle age.

Fortunately, their animated performance found those in the mosh pit down below - your truly included -not quite as inclined.

Still, with performances by the Raconteurs, the Roots and the Killers still looming, we opted instead to see the Drive By Truckers in the smaller FreeCredit Stage, having had enough of close encounters with our fellow festival goers. We were rewarded with a rowdy set that offered shout-outs to their Southern roots, a stance that mimicked Lynyrd Skynyrd and various other regional forebears. Energetic and indulgent, they capped their performance with a rousing take on the title track from their latest opus Go-Go Boots and sent us off into the night drained, delirious but eagerly anticipating the festivities that awaited on day two.

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Day Two: Tough acts to follow

Day Two of Orlando Calling began much the same way as Day One, with plotting, strategizing and attempts to create a schedule that would allow us to see all the bands on our wish list. In truth, the festival offers over indulgence and a wealth of riches, factors that turn it into parallel experiences. There are those artists one hopes to see as well as those that due to conflicting schedules or overwhelming desire, make that reality practically impossible to realize. A fellow festivalgoer may share tales of amazing experiences that may have nothing to do with the encounters experienced by another, simply due to the constraints of time and the inability to be in more than one place at one time. Science arrived at the latter premise several centuries ago, but those who opted to pit, say, the Raconteurs against the Roots may yet to have accepted that reality.

The fact is, with five venues of varying sizes and a line-up the equal of any of its competitors, there's simply no way to take it all in. Fortunately Day One had allowed us to get the lay of the land and eased the challenges of discerning from one stage to another. Yet with schedules often staggered a mere ten minutes between the start of one set and the beginning of another, difficult decision would have to be made. Some of the acts rarely visited the state, much less South Florida, so the possibility of seeing such desirable draws as the Flatlanders, Dwight Yoakam, Chris Isaak, Brandi Carlile, Michele Branch, Bob Seger, the Doobie Brothers and more in a single afternoon and evening obviously defied the odds. Ultimately, no amount of planning and plotting would succeed with sets that averaged 40 minutes at the most and shows that inevitably posed conflicts in terms of timing.

Then again, what other festival can claim such variety? Take one artist from column A, another from column B and ultimately you can find yourself grooving to Buddy Guy, punking out with the Pixies, rocking with Bob Seger, or enjoying country cool with Blake Shelton. For a first time event, Orlando Calling boasts variety in volumes.

Our first choice of the day, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, failed to show due to the fact that all their equipment was stolen the night before. A bad blow for them, but for us, a momentary respite as we caught our breath and gathered anticipation for the day of music that loomed before us. We opted then to first check out Elizabeth Cook, a Florida bred singer/songwriter whose casual country recalled Emmylou Harris in her formative years. Her three piece band, including another noted singer/songwriter, Tim Carroll, offered up an easy, breezy performance punctuated by Cook's comments about her upbringing in nearby Wildwood and her parents in particular, who first became acquainted as honky-tonk musicians. Unfortunately, Cook's mood quickly turned sour when a cable fuck-up silenced her guitar and necessitated repairs that took time out of her already abbreviated set.

"Hopefully next year they'll be more together than this year," she remarked with no small degree of ire. "You technical guys employed here, do you have a plan?" Happily for her, her repeated requests for more of the champagne she had consumed backstage didn't go ignored, which ultimately seemed to assuage her.

The Flatlanders were much anticipated by yours truly, although attendance for their performance was surprisingly scant. A true Americana super group, the band - fronted by singer/songwriter/troubadours Joe Ely, Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Butch Hancock, each among Austin's finest - was originally formed 40 years ago. The one album they originally recorded together became the stuff of legends, at least until five or so years ago when they reformed and began releasing a new series of collaborative efforts. Still, despite the sparse crowd and an abbreviated set much too compact to fully display their wares, the trio, their bassist and drummer demonstrated why reverence is duly deserved. The blend of Gilmore's high lonesome vocals, Ely's authoritative presence and Hancock's ability to anchor it all emphatically made their set more of an event than most of the crowd likely realized. Selections from their own song stash and a cover of Townes Van Zandt's "White Freightliner Blues" served as a sampling that merited much more.

Tough choices on a hectic afternoon

By midday it became evident that there would be limits to what we could accomplish. Some of our precious time went to a new young band from New Hampshire that called themselves Aunt Martha, an oddly named ensemble that didn't have a single female, much less anyone who looked matronly enough to actually be an aunt. Heads down earnest and clearly possessed by a studious sensibility, they made imaginative music, enough so to invite future listens to a new online album entitled Norway.

I reoined my wife Alisa in time to catch a brief portion of Michele Branch's solo show and then just as quickly we turned our sights elsewhere. With the Doobie Brothers playing a stadium show, the desire to indulge in some oldies proved to be a temptation too great to resist. As it turned out, this venerable band can still rouse a crowd, and though only three members of their classic front line remain - singer/guitarist Tom Johnston, singer/guitarist Pat Simmons and the band's multi-instrumental anchor John McFee - the band still renders well worn standards like "Takin' It To the Streets," "China Grove," "Listen to the Music" and "Black Water" with their same trademark enthusiasm. A couple of new tunes from a forthcoming album seemed to fit in just fine, as did new bassist, John Cowan, a bluegrass veteran who had no trouble adapting to the Doobies' rocky ways.

Afterwards, I rushed over to catch Justin Townes Earle, who dressed in work shirt and specs, resembled not so much his namesake - or his famous father either - but rather Sheldon from the show "Big Bang Theory" doing a turn as Woody Guthrie. Positioned between his two female accompanists, one on stand up bass, the other on fiddle, he offered assorted selections from his excellent album, Harlem River Blues, dedicating "Christ Church Woman" to the people affected by the earthquake that devastated the New Zealand city that contributed the title. In contrast to his father's irascible reputation, Earle seemed exceptionally polite, addressing his audience as "ladies and gentleman" and tossing in the occasional self-deprecating comment to boot.

Nevertheless, Earle's announcement that he was about to sing some blues made me think I probably ought to check out the real deal, Buddy Guy, who was performing one stage away. Alisa had gone there directly from the Doobies show and when I caught up with her, Guy was grousing about the fact that the stage manager had given him a five-minute warning to wrap up his set. At 75 years old, this venerable blues man is as feisty as ever, and an ending medley that incorporated riffs borrowed from Muddy Waters, Jimi Hendrix and Cream's "Sunshine of Your Love" showed off both his variety and voracity. He added some flashy technique -- picking the guitar strings with his teeth, playing it from behind his back and then rubbing it against his backside. While the gimmickry was obvious, his skill still showed.

Two superb showman and the ghost of Johnny Cash

Speaking of showmen, one of the afternoon's most anticipated sessions presented itself in the form of Chris Isaak and his illustrious combo, mostly the same musicians who starred with him in his Showtime series. These guys had their moves down pat, from the matching gray suits that contrasted with Isaak's dazzling red Nudie outfit and later, a suit all in mirrors, to their coordinated choreography, patented rock star poses and the good natured joshing they share among themselves. Isaak himself looks as if he hasn't aged in 20 years, and his stage presence, cool croon and movie star looks make him an artist for the ages. Exceptional songs and infectious entertainment enhance their winning ways and chances are, if anyone in the audience wasn't a devotee before the show started, they certainly were at its conclusion.

"Thank you for being open to adult language and nudity," Isaak said early on, and although the prudish needn't have worried, the anything goes attitude was obvious from the outset. Naturally, all the big hits were included - "Somebody's Crying," Baby Did a Bad, Bad Thing" and a handful of oldies from his new album, Beyond the Sun, a collection of covers of songs that influenced him early on. A steaming version of "Great Balls of Fire" had the crowd going wild, but his version of Johnny Cash's Ring of Fire" was especially incendiary.

By this point, Brandi Carlile's solo set was well on its way to a conclusion once we arrived. Still, being steadfast fans, we were determined to catch whatever we could. We arrived in time to hear her do her own Cash covers via roughshod renditions of "Jackson" and "Folsom Prison Blues." As she left the stage, the crowd roared their approval and shouted for an encore, but true to Orlando Calling tradition - at least what we had seen on the side stages so far - a return to the stage was not to be. That, despite the fact that Carlile was the final performer of the day at that particular venue. The audience finally conceded the inevitable, much to everyone's chagrin.

Clearly, my strategy for catching bits and pieces of music here and there was flawed to say the least. Although I determined that there would still be some time to see the final minutes of a conflicting set, in reality, the time it took to travel the distance, even to an adjoining stage, proved futile. Besides, after a full day of due diligence, our energy was sapped and our motivation along with it. Consequently, we scrubbed our plans to see Blake Shelton and Kid Rock in the stadium and took the easier course, to catch Dwight Yoakam.

Despite the fact that Isaak had been a hard act to follow, Yoakam and his band gave it their all and very nearly succeeded. Perhaps because they were pals and often trod through similar musical terrain, Yoakam took more than a few opportunities to send some good-natured zingers Isaak's way. When the sound of the musical activity in the nearby stadium intruded on his set, Yoakam suggested it was Isaak trying to make trouble. And when they came out for one of the festival's rare encores, he attributed that to Isaak as well. "Chris is making some trouble backstage," he joked. "They asked us to come back out and kill some time."

Still, if any rivalry was implied, Yoakam didn't seem too concerned. He too looks exactly like he did in the ‘80s, still wearing his trademark cowboy hat perched low over his eyes, with his blue denim jacket, flashy boots and tight, tight jeans showing consistency to his signature style. (One has to wonder if he claims the patent for today's new trendy skinny jeans.) His swivel hips and shifty legwork also reflect his trademark showbiz stance, as does a backing band intent on rocking from the get-go. Likewise, there was no shortage of hits, from covers of "Streets of Bakersfield," "Little Sister" and "Act Naturally" to classics of his own like "1,000 Miles" and "Guitars, Cadillacs." He also resurrected the ghost of Johnny Cash,"offering his own take on "Ring of Fire," while varying the tempo so that it was almost unintelligible.

It was left then to Bob Seger, white-haired, a wee bit heavier, but no less enthused, to close out Day Two and with it, the festival itself. Looking like a good-natured rock ‘n; roll granddad and backed by a 13 man band that included faithful sidekick and saxophonist Alto Reed, a handful of original Silver Bullet Band veterans, Grand Funk Railroad drummer Don Brewer and a full four piece horn section, he ripped through such classic rockers as ""Fire Down Below" "Roll Me Away,' "Old Time Rock ‘n' Roll," and my personal favorite, "Hollywood Nights." Bob's voice may not be as powerful as it once was, but the songs are no less telling, and with the perspective of time, songs about the weariness of a road routine take on an autobiographical context. Likewise, the more poignant offerings - "We've Got Tonight" (perhaps the best fuck song ever conceived) and "Turn the Page" remain as resilient as ever. Seger's superb show resonated with everyone there, proving indeed, to quote one of his song titles, Rock and Roll never - ever -- forgets.

Summing up

For its first time out, Orlando Calling ran remarkably smoothly. Likewise, the quality and diversity of their performers was as impressive as any fest that's been up and running for a while. Still, next time, it would behoove them to stagger the performances more so that audiences can make the rounds and catch more music. And while they're at it, they might consider extended the sets beyond a stingy 40 minutes. Otherwise, there's ample reason to hope that Orlando Calling will beckon for many years to come.

"Just in time for shopping season!" Don't laugh guys - it'll guarantee you some of that fine MILF action when the band comes to town. Plus, we're talking collectors' items. The best part, however, is scouring the web to see which otherwise sentient and sensible music sites are posting this news without any sense of irony... like this one, and this one, and this one. Notice how all of them are published verbatim from the original marketing pitch.

By Perez Mills

We get press releases at BLURT, and then we get press releases. This one not only speaks for itself, but it just screams from the page (computer screen), "Circulate me!" Ergo:

STYX -- Tommy Shaw, James "JY" Young, Chuck Panozzo, Lawrence Gowan, Ricky Phillips and Todd Sucherman - have teamed up with jewelry designer Diana Warner (www.dianawarnerstudio.com) to create the "Diana Warner for Styx" jewelry collection, which was made available exclusively on the band's official website (www.styxworld.com) on November 11, just in time for holiday shopping. 

Each piece is hand-made in Diana Warner's New York City studio, with prices ranging from $55-$200.  The first items available are eight dog tag necklaces made of 30 inch chains of gunmetal, antique gold or antique silver plate over brass.  The charms are made of pewter and rose gold, gunmetal, antique gold or antique silver.  They'll also be selling guitar pick earrings available in 4 finishes:  gunmetal, rose gold, antique gold and antique silver, as well as antique gold and silver charms with one of the band's well-recognized lyrics, "Come Sail Away With Me." 

This is only the first part of the "Diana Warner for Styx" collection.  Multiple styles of limited edition charms will be created in 2012, which will be sold in a small number and will be considered collector's items.  A full line of "Diana Warner for Styx" jewelry will be made available in 2012.  This is the first collection Diana has designed for a band and collaborated on this project with singer/guitarist Tommy Shaw's wife, Jeanne Shaw.

"The second we saw Diana's pieces, we knew we wanted to work with her," says Jeanne.  "We're so thrilled to be able to offer something very special to STYX's fans that's worlds different than anything we've done before.  We hope they love the collection as much as we do."

Styx Tour Dates:

Fri 12/16           Savannah, GA               Johnny Mercer Theatre

Sat 12/17          Montgomery, AL           Montgomery Performing Arts Center

1/25/12             Anaheim, CA                 The Grove

1/27/12             Temecula, CA                Pechanga Casino

1/28/12             Reno, NV                      Silver Legacy Casino

2/10/12             Las Vegas, NV              Green Valley Ranch/Grand Events Center

2/11/12             Wendover, NV               Peppermill Concert Hall

3/9/12               Miami, FL                      Magic City Casino Amphitheater

3/10/12             Silver Springs, FL          Twin Oaks Amphitheatre

Interview taped October 6 in Black Mountain, NC>

By Blurt Staff

Erin Scholze of Dreamspider Publicity and the Lingua Musical crew interviews Danny Barnes at Pisgah Brewing in Black Mountain, NC on October 6, 2011. Danny talks about his new record, Rocket, his love of cassette tapes and vinyl albums. He also details his first project of 100 different CDs that were signed and numbered, how he met Larry and Jenny Keel and more. Tony Preston filmed and edited this video.

You can visit Barnes and find out more details at his official website.

The videotaped conversation marks the latest in the ongoing Lingua Musica Interviews series and we're looking forward to many more in the very near future. (Previous installments have included Secret B-Sides, RBTS WIN, Dex Romweber Duo, Paper Tiger, Kellin Watson, Dubtribe, Dehlia Low, Ryan Montbleau, Brian McGee, Jon Dee Graham, and more.) BLURT is a proud co-sponsor of Lingua Musica. Please visit the LinguaMusicaAlive.com website, and meanwhile, check out the video.

"How Come You Never Go There" - the ultimate question, yes.

By Blurt Staff

A month or so ago Feist released her latest album, Metals, which our reviewer described thusly: "Metals is not her rock move, but it is certainly more intense and at times percussive than either 2004's Let It Die or 2007's The Reminder (or 1999's lesser known Monarch)."

She has also premiered her new video, for first single "How Come You Never Go There," at the Disco Naivete site. Check it out, below.

Out this week via Mute, it's now expanded with a bonus live disc. Always a classic Krautrock artifact; still is.

By Logan K. Young

Just as America didn't bear arms until the kamikazes forced her, Can never really got kosmische until Kenji "Damo" Suzuki joined the fracas. Of the fourteen studio records getting the reissue treatment, this one was first-with-a-bullet for a reason; Tago Mago is Can's best, most rewarding album.

Named after the Balearic lair of Crowley lore, the alchemy here - the motorik mantra of side one and "Halleluhwah," "Aumgn" and side four's hasty histrionics - is every beat as groovy, every spell as magickal as its namesakes. In short, a double album where nary a note sounds wanton or wasted. It's been four decades since Suzuki's method came to Köln, and here we finally get the cover art the band always wanted.

Can - Bring Me Coffee Or Tea by Mute UK

Moreover, a bonus live disc from 1972 comes fully stocked with three remastered tunes, including a killer 30-minute rendition of "Spoon." Excised to a mere three for Ege Bamyasi's first single, hearing this concert jam sandwiched between "Mushroom" and "Halleluhwah" does sound a vee bit veird. So, yeah, mission still accomplished.

Rock and Roll Always Forgets, published by Duke University Press, serves up a quarter-century's worth of white-knuckled rock criticism. Who could ask for anything more?

By Rev. Keith A. Gordon

Over the past 15 or 20 years, music criticism has become both ubiquitous and mostly disposable. The evolution of this once-hallowed literary endeavor can arguably be traced to the criticism of classical composer George Handel by his contemporary Charles Avison in 1752, although it would be modern scribes like Dave Marsh, Lester Bangs, Paul Williams, and Greg Shaw, among others, that would define and develop the dubious art form known as "rock criticism" during the 1960s and '70s.

As writing about music evolved beyond the milieu of handmade zines and poorly-distributed magazines, it would eventually become known as "music journalism," and album reviews and artist interviews could be read everywhere from syndicated columns and glossy mainstream publications to small-town newspapers. Until recently, many big city newspapers usually had one, if not two writers working the "entertainment beat," talking about music and such. Not coincidently, the downfall of music criticism can be traced somewhat to the advent of the Worldwide Web, which allowed anybody to be a publisher, and everybody to be a critic, albeit without editors and whether or not they had writing chops, or even a faint knowledge of music history whatsoever.

Now the Reverend has a vested interest in this unfortunate evolution of music criticism, what with being an old-school rockcrit who teethed on Marsh and Bangs and Metzger, and who mentored under, perhaps, the greatest of the early rock 'n' roll wordsmiths - the one and only Rick Johnson. But the Rev is no aging luddite blaming all the publishing industry's ills on the gosh danged Internet. While the web has definitely upset the traditional applecart as far as music magazines go, it has also enabled low-budget, high-quality media outlets like Blurt to exist.  

But even among the glut of online music zines and personal blogs, a few intelligent voices have managed to rise to the top like cream, writers like Jim DeRogatis, Martin Popoff, Fred Mills, and Chuck Eddy managing to bring new insight and perspective to an increasingly noisy critical realm too often overwhelmed by static and poorly-formed opinions expressed in too-brief reviews. Eddy, in particular, has distinguished himself as a critic to be reckoned with, both as music editor at the Village Voice and as a contributor to such publications as Creem, Rolling Stone, and Spin, among others. Eddy has also penned a couple of highly-entertaining tomes of music criticism and theory - The Accidental Evolution of Rock 'n' Roll, and the controversial and often hilarious Stairway to Hell: The 500 Best Heavy Metal Albums in the Universe, which made a strong argument for the inclusion of recordings by funk-soul diva Teena Marie.

Eddy's latest book, Rock And Roll Always Forgets, is sub-titled "a quarter century of music criticism" and, as such, it collects essays and reviews chosen from throughout Eddy's 25 years as one of America's most entertaining and annoying music critics. While it suffers slightly from a lack of an overall concept as his previous books, Eddy has broken everything down to thematic chapters, such as "Predicting The Future," in which he illustrates the futility of predicting where music is going by using his own past statements, and "Alternative To What," where Eddy questions the often-mindless pigeonholing of music through reviews/essays on the Ramones, Big Black, SST Records, Nirvana, Marilyn Manson, and others.  

Much of Rock And Roll Always Forgets is entertaining and thought-provoking as only Eddy can achieve. Chapters tackle heavy metal (Metallica, AC/DC, Def Leppard); hip-hop (Sir Mix-A-Lot, Just-Ice, Spoonie Gee); and pop music (Debbie Gibson, Pet Shop Boys) as well as offering perspective on the racial aspects of soul and rap music with fascinating pieces on Eminem, Kid Rock, and the aforementioned Teena Marie. Most of this stuff is well-written and insightful, offering a unique perspective and personality that few music critics are wont to reveal these days. Eddy's willingness to champion genres often ignored or outright disdained by the typical rock critic, such as metal and rap, is legendary, but he also displays a deft hand at writing about pop and even vintage music.  

Still, it's easy to find evidence of middle-age dementia creeping into Eddy's work. His complimentary reviews of contemporary Nashville floss like Mindy McCready, Toby Keith, and the horrible Big & Rich, among others, may read well, but they also provides cause to suspect Eddy's critical credentials. Sure, Eddy has covered glossy pop like Michael Jackson and the Spice Girls before - and done so without a hint of irony or patronizing opinions - but his dismissal of "pseudo-traditionalist hypocrisy" as the "country party line toed by most rock critics" as an excuse to wax ecstatically about Montgomery Gentry is pure D bullshit.

Like whatever music that you wanna like, Chuck, but the Reverend is old enough to remember when Jon Rich was trying (in vein) to become a rock star in Nashville and Toby Keith was the punchline to a Music Row joke. Country music really was better back in the day of Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings and David Allen Coe, and its current persona as 1970s-era singer/songwriter lite-rock with twang is a slap in the face to those that came before. That's not a party line to be drawn in the sand, that's just reality. Coe might be one ugly sumbitch, but he can sing circles around today's crop of country stars relying on Pro Tools and image consultants to get over with the suburban housewives that buy their records. Don't try and sell us sour milk and claim that it's aged whiskey....

Eddy's critical flights of fancy notwithstanding, he's a solid writer of no little wit and humor, and if we readers (such as yours truly) can agree to disagree on some of the dreck that he immortalizes in Rock And Roll Always Forgets, we can all find middle ground. As music critics go, Chuck Eddy has always been a bit of a provocateur, and his tendency to risk ridicule with absurdist or unpopular critical stances is what has always made him an engaging and intelligent writer. Rock And Roll Always Forgets certainly includes its share of those questionable moments, but it's also an entertaining and informative look back at the past quarter-century of popular music.