Interim Post #1 | May 23rd 2006

Hey there!

Thanks for checking my blog. At this moment I'm sorry to say that I am extremely occupied and thus have not enough time to write a decent review. I hope to get back into it in a week from now.
Of course, there are some cool records that definately deserve some words. For instance, I'm thinking of reviewing Buddy Miles' We Got To Live Together (1970) and Country Soul Brother, Jesse Dayton's excellent new album. Feel free to post your thoughts about the records or my words any ol' time!

Enjoy life & see you soon,

Mike

www.buddymiles.com
www.jessedayton.com

The Paladins | Re"jive"inated

The Paladins is - or was, since they seem to have parted their ways - a real live band. With an average of 200 gigs a year, they were always on the road for over fifteen years in a row. The title of their live album Million Mile Club says it all, I guess! As goes for The Paladins' studio records, there's not such a high standard as with their live shows. The 1988 (or maybe 1987) self titled debut album had a strong '50ies atmosphere, honky tonk rockabilly blues at its' best and is a favorite of a great deal of their fanbase, partly due to Kim Wilson's bare-bones production. With Years Since Yesterday and Let's Buzz they delivered some fine tracks as well, more orientated on the blues but with a less original sound - more '80ies, production-wise - and on the whole not as great as the debut. Luckily enough The Paladins released Ticket Home in 1994 and showed they surely knew how to catch their live sound on tape. Ticket Home contained more creative and adventurous song-writing, a modern yet rootsy rockin' approach and an excellent production of Los Lobos' Cesar Rosas. They continued their high quality rootsrock with Million Mile Club (1996), after which The Paladins unfortunately returned to the rockabilly with a country flavour and left the real rockin' to others. Slippin' In, Palvoline No. 7 and El Matador are not even a close to the level of their mid-nineties albums. The main reason for the ups and downs lies in the rhythm section: when playing with drummer Jeff Donovan, frontman Dave Gonzalez was pushed to another level. That's a whole different thing than the jazzy, not-so-tight and cosy style of drummer Brian Fahey. The Paladins haven't split up officially, but nowadays Dave Gonzalez plays with Chris Gaffney in The Hacienda Brothers, an outfit that plays some damn fine country. Although Gonzalez doesn't rock as he used to, he did go back to playing with class A musicians and thus he got back to the higher level he once had.

Anyway, you say, where the heck is Re"jive"inated?

O.K.! Re"jive"inated is the 1999 re-release of Ticket Home, after it was originally released under influence of 'record company marketing decisions' and got out of print in the U.S. of A. The Paladins kept control of their masters and waited until they could re-release the album as they originally intended it to be, with a couple of extra tracks and a different setlist. The main reason this album is my favorite Paladins record lies in its' deep soul and sincerity, more than any other album they did. Mature songs like Ticket Home, Comfort You and One Love are genuine for their breathtaking arrangements, dynamic and tasty musicianship and, most of all, a band singing and playing right from the heart. This stuff gets to you. The rolling-down-the-road bluesy rock of One Step and 15 Days are groovin' and definately movin', as well as the jazzy Re"jive"inated track, the rockabilly fire-cracker (Lil') Irene and the slow, moody Who's Been Sleepin'. The laid back rockers Every Time I See Her and Brand New Heart add some dynamics to the build-up, as they reveal some of the sympathetic attitude of The Paladins. The've been around the block, they wore the T-shirt (and didn't even pay for it!), they simply uplift themselves to the highest rootsrock level. Gonzalez proves to be one hell of a singer and in this period his guitar slingin' is obviously under the influence of early Clapton, Canned Heat and Stevie Ray Vaughan. There are a LOT of guitarplayers that try to get there too, but Gonzalez understands where the originals come from and makes them his own. That's a whole different thing than to imitate those cats! The other strong persona in this era of The Paladins is Jeff Donovan: he gets Gonzalez to places he couldn't (re)visit with any other line-up the band ever toured or recorded with. Thomas Yearsley isn't all that present on Re"jive"inated as a bassist, although he gets one third of the writer's credits and sings a tune or two in the typical Yearsley-madman style.

Even with the extra tracks on Re"jive"inated, I think Ticket Home is a stronger album. I can understand this raises some eyebrows, for all songs on Ticket Home are also featured on Re"jive"inated, but the differences lie in the somewhat superfluous extra tracks (Look What You're Doin' To Me, Wastin' My Time, Time After Time and the humurous rocker Elvis' Sister) and the order of the songs. Ticket Home starts off with Ticket Home and Every Time I See Her, then some rockin' with 15 Days, One Step and Lil' Irene, followed by a couple of unbelievable soulful songs, concluding with two 'fillers', Re"jive"inated and Ruby Lee. Re"jive"inated hits off with the three rockers to get the party goin', but with Look What You're Doin' To Me, Wastin' My Time and the two 'fillers' it looses tension. Then it feels as if you're turning the LP over, to continue with the soulful songs for which I love this album. For the folks who'd like to hear as much of the mid-nineties Paladins as possible, Re"jive"inated is a welcome reissue and shows how good San Diego is to this world, sharing this band with us 200 nights a year. My advice would be to burn a CD-R following the Ticket Home track order, without the extra tracks. Maybe you'll agree, maybe not! Any other way you'll have a strong and moving album by The Paladins at the height of their creative peak.

Mike

www.thepaladins.com
View live videos for The Paladins (not from this album, unfortunately)

The Hellacopters | Rock & Roll Is Dead

The Hellacopters have gone through some musical development in their existence. After having started as some sort of sleazepunkrock outfit they eventually moved towards a more musical, less sleazy and more mature form of Swedish Rock 'N' Roll, with evident roots in the Detroit rocksound. To go through such a development takes guts, vision and heart - and that's what The Hellacopters seem to not lack. Their latest two albums, By The Grace Of God (2002) and Strikes Like Lightning (2004) showed a departure in sound and production, for which I think we owe to thank producer Chips Kiesbye. Less distorted guitars, tighter drums and less-cliché arrangements paint the picture of a band that is eager to make a step forward instead of repeating itself. Of course, the boys had to top their excellent 2000 album High Visibility and they somewhat did that with their latest two albums. Now there's Rock & Roll Is Dead, a new album that could take it one step further.

Before The Fall is the kick-start beginning of Rock & Roll Is Dead and it's obvious that Rock & Roll is not dead. The Hellacopters do not try to do anything new - as they admit in the rocker Nothing Terribly New - but since when do we complain if there's a Chuck Berry groove in the house? It immediately reminded me of the first song of MC5's 1970 record Back In The U.S.A., Tutti Frutti. Throw away all pretences, there's gonna be some rocking tonight! Songs like Bring It On Home, I'm In The Band and I Might Come See You Tonight are from the same background. Fortunately, The Hellacopters manage to add some depth in their songwriting with the swampy, Creedence Clearwater Revival-inspired No Angel To Lay Me Away and Leave It Alone, where they give a respectful nod to blue-eyed soul - for those who appreciate this kinda Soul Rock I recommend listening to The Solution's Communicate!, on which Hellacopter Nicke collaborates with Scott Morgan. Of course Nicke is way too limited to ever become one of the great vocalists, but he has a voice and vocal approach that suits the attitude of The Hellacopters. It's not as gritty or angry as Iggy Pop's punkrock, but the controlled approach definately has a say in my book. Put Out The Fire exactly states what I'm saying here.

All in all, The Hellacopters created a rockin' melodic album with an edge, with enough diversity to keep the listener sitting the whole thing through for - say - three times in a row. That doesn't take too much time, because this band has a strong taste for short, pointy songs that last no longer than four minutes. If you think this description intends to stress a certain resemblance between the 'Copters and The Ramones, you're absolutely right. In their own existence, The Hellacopters took the development one step further. It's not as great as Strikes Like Lightning - which in fact is an interim record to keep the fans where they're at! - or High Visibility, but any endorser of '70ies punkrock should go and give this album a chance.

Mike

www.hellacopters.com
View video for 'Everything's On T.V.' & 'I'm In The Band'
View live version of 'No Angel To Lay Me Away'

Doyle Bramhall II & Smokestack | Welcome

If the music business - or, for that case: The World - was fair, Doyle Bramhall II (DBII) would be on top of it. He grew up in the midst of the Austin music scene, as his dad played as a drummer for names like Stevie Ray Vaughan, Lightin' Hopkins and Anson Funderburgh. Plus Doyle Sr. knows how to write a tune or two, as he did with Stevie. It would prove to be a very healthy environment to grow up speaking in terms of music, a little bit less in terms of healthy and steady living. But I'm certainly not going into the demons he had to deal with; if you listen to his songwriting, guitarplaying and singing, it's obvious that DBII took a lesson from past times. Thru the years, DBII played in or collaborated with the likes of The Fabulous Thunderbirds, The Arc Angels, Sheryl Crow, Roger Waters and lately Eric Clapton, Susan Tedeschi and Joe Henry. But when you listen to his 2001 album Welcome, you just know that this extreme talent shouldn't be someone's sideman. This is the real deal.

Welcome kicks off with the step-on-it soul rocker Green Light Girl. I could mention a few names that pop up when listening to this song, but I think that wouldn't be fair - in the end, DBII just sounds like DBII. On with Problem Child, where it's again a powerfull riff that sets the mood. Don't let the riffs distract you from the intelligent and daring songwriting, because DBII has more to offer than that. Try getting into So You Want It To Rain, Life or Send Some Love, a couple of über-Soul songs with a soft yet rocking touch. And DBII keeps on building up the tension, swiftly but intentionally straying with rocker Smokestack for a while, eventually leading to the deep Soul of Last Night, Blame, Thin Dream and the unbelievable Cry. Let the music tell you what DBII felt when he wrote these songs, although his lyrics are as equally deep, honest and strong as the music. Hats off to DBII's band Smokestack that truly lets DBII lock in and together they set the mood for a '70ish album with a modern vibe. And that's all I'm gonna write about this record: be good to yourself, just go and get your copy.

The rough, old school production of Welcome is a statement by itself, with which DBII raises a big, well-meant f*ck you to the mainstream music industry with which he had a flirt, but she dumped him stone-cold. DBII strikes back with this album, although the commercial success doesn't add up to it. At least he had the balls to do this album in this particular way. In comparison to DBII's earlier albums DBII and Jellycream, Welcome sure sounds more raw. Word is DBII is working on a new album at this very moment, I personally do not expect such raw energy and positive aggression but I'm sure it will be - again - something completely different and soulfull. Please support DBII - if anyone deserves it, it's him!

Mike

www.doylebramhall2nd.com
View video for 'Green Light Girl'

Shooter Jennings | Electric Rodeo

After reading a raving Guitar magazine review on Shooter Jennings' Put The O Back In Country - and the simple fact of Shooter being the only son of Country Outlaw Legend Waylon Jennings and Jessi Colter - I immediately checked out his first album. To be honest, I was quite blown away by the salt-of-the-earth attitude, the simple but forcefull arrangements and the clever recycling of country rock licks. Shooter's directness is something else than the so-called 'rock' of The Arctic Monkeys or whimps alike. This is music for real folks.

April 4th 2006 he released his second album, Electric Rodeo. From the title track to closer It Ain't Easy, Shooter and his Southern boys serve a fine piece of rockin' country that could - and should - start a revival of the Country Outlaw Scene of the '70ies. Personally I hear a lot of Lynyrd Skynyrd's, Waylon's and Cash's influences on Electric Rodeo, not really surprising indeed, but a song like Bad Magick adds a dark Zep meets Sabbath-esque atmosphere. Little White Lines shows the strong ability to mix country and rock, too. On his first album Shooter seems to have more '70ies rock and riff-based songs; on Electric Rodeo he leans a little more towards country arrangements. Too bad there are too many ballads, Electric Rodeo could easily do without The Song Is Still Slipping Away and Aviators. But he never gets corny or cheesy, a heritage of Waylon's Outlaw Attitude. Simply listen to the I-know-where-to-go determination in Gone To Carolina and Some Rowdy Women. Just like any other Shooter composition, it's in your face from the get-go. Yep, here's a stand-up guy that couldn't care less about marketing strategies, image building and the hypes of the day. And that's exactly why Shooter is a worthy addition to American Rock 'n' Roll.

Go ahead and check his website 'cause I expect Shooter to grow quite a following. You don't have to be into country to join the party! And Shooter, come and visit Europe some time soon. You'll like it over here.

Mike

www.shooterjennings.com
View video for 'Gone To Carolina'

First post

Hey Folks,

Welcome to Trigger's Blog.
I hope to update this blog about two times a week, mostly with posts about the music I love. Music for The Soul, that is. This could include 'reviews' - read: thoughts - on new (or old!) albums, gigs I visited or played, stuff I read on the web or in a zine, and so on. Just as long as I think it deserves a little extra attention, how little it may be. ;)
In the mean time, feel free to visit The Mellotones' website, a Southern Rock meets Texas Blues outfit from The Netherlands in which I play bassguitar.

Rockin' regards,
Mike

www.mellotones.com