Van Morrison - "Live on Air" CD Review (XXL Media)

While I've been able to identify the (with reasonably certainty) the dates and location all of the previous "Live on Air" releases that I've reviewed, Van Morrison's Live on Air release had me stumped until I realized it was a compilation. The disc's set list makes this disc look like it is from Van's 1973 show at the Rainbow Theater with the Caledonia Soul Orchestra. While there are a number of tracks from that show included on this disc, a few tracks are sourced from different live shows that span Van's career.

Like most Live on Air releases, the disc was recorded "track at once" (gaps between the tracks) which makes it sound like a live greatest hits compilation rather than a 'concert recording'. Here is how the track list breaks down:

1 - "Warm Love" from Musikladden, Bremen, West Germany July 10, 1974


2- "Take Your Hands Out of My Pocket" - from Rainbow Theatre, London 1973


3 - "Here Comes the Night" (this is really "Here Comes the Knight") - ??, Video is below


4- "I Just Want to Make Love to You" - from Rainbow Theatre, London 1973


5 - "Brown Eyed Girl" - from Austin City Limits, November 18, 2006


6 - "Moonshine Whiskey" - from Rainbow Theatre, London 1973


7 - "Moondance" - from Rainbow Theatre, London 1973


8 - "Help Me" - from Rainbow Theatre, London 1973


9 - "Domino" - from Rainbow Theatre, London 1973


10 - "Caravan" - from Rainbow Theatre, London 1973


11 - "Cyprus Avenue" - from Ireland 1979


12 - "Wild Night" - from Pacific High Studios 1971


Links:
Van Morrison

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Rob Sacher (former owner of Luna Lounge) Readies New Book "Wake Me When It's Over" (out March 1st)

Former Luna Lounge co-owner, Rob Sacher, has a brand new book, Wake Me When It's Over, a story of his life as a New York club owner filled with stories about meeting, partying, or working with many iconic bands of the alternative and indie rock world.

Rob's last club was Luna Lounge, which started out on the Lower East Side, and the bar featured the first shows from some awesome bands that have gone on to be some of the world's most important and successful music artists. Luna was the room were The Strokes first performed, where Interpol formed and played their first shows, and where The National, Longwave, stellastarr*, The Bravery, and many other bands got their start. Also, it's the place where Elliott Smith wrote the album XO and first performed those songs for folks who just happened to be at the bar.

Among the people and bands about whom Rob has written are stories about Ray Davies of The Kinks, Debbie Harry of Blondie, Rick Danko of The Band, Joey Ramone, The Psychedelic Furs, The Jesus And Mary Chain, Bjork of The Sugarcubes, The Strokes, Interpol, Longwave, Marty Willson-Piper of The Church, Elliott Smith and Longwave (the title of the book is taken from a Longwave song).

Rob is self publishing his book through his own DIY imprint and is raising promotion money through Kickstarter, a funding website that has helped creative projects raise tens of millions of dollars since its inception. Rob is offering some pretty cool merchandise for helping support this project which include limited edition Hurricane Bells music (Steve Schiltz's post-Longwave band) and copies of a unique edition of the book with your name on a dedication page. The funding campaign ends on February 29th and the official release date of the book is March 1st.

Rob has been in the business for more than thirty years and owned two clubs before Luna Lounge, the Mission and the Sanctuary. Sanctuary was punk, Mission was an East Village bar where Joey Ramone, The Jesus And Mary Chain, The Psychedelic Furs, Nine Inch Nails, Ministry, and other bands would party together among friends.

Links:
Satellite Lounge (Rob's latest bar)

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Mutts - Chicago Blues Rock Band Release New Full-Length as a 'Pay What You Want' Download / Show at Rockwood Music Hall on March 10th

Chicago's Mutts have been called a cross between Tom Waits and Nirvana...while I can hear the Tom Waits comparison, I think the band's music is sounds closer to 70's blues-rock though the band can quickly switch from a psychedelic head-nodder with a pulsing bass and drums beat to a mellow number driven by an acoustic piano and Mike Maimone's vocals. Regardless, this is great stuff and the inability to put an exact label on the band's music is a complement to their unique sound.

Mutts first played together with tape rolling on "Pretty Pictures" EP in July 2009. Bob Buckstaff pitched the idea of recording Mike Maimone’s new material after they met as hired musicians for Company of Thieves. The pair instantly clicked over respect for honest, unrefined recordings and love of Tom Waits, Nirvana and Elliott Smith. They called mutual friends Jon Alvin and Chris Faller to engineer and play drums, respectively. Over a 3-day session in an old warehouse on the north side of Chicago, Mutts wrote, arranged and recorded their seminal release.

In their first year together Mutts independently put out 3 EPs: "Pretty Pictures", "We Float" and "The Tells of Parallels". Having quickly developed a unique sound and composed a repertoire of genre-bending tunes, Mutts are “poised to become one of Chicago’s top acts,” according to Loud Loop Press. Mutts decided from the outset to give away their first 3 EPs. By tracking them in a few days and releasing them immediately, the band has kept fresh, honest and spontaneous music flowing to their growing fan base. They have sold out of the first pressing of each CD, but all three are available as free downloads. The new album, Pray for Rain, is also a name-your-price download, and available on CD with a fold-out poster as well.

Mutts are playing two local shows in March. The first is on March 9th at Hank's Saloon in Brooklyn and the second is March 10th at Rockwood Music Hall. At the Rockwood Music Hall show, Mutts are sharing the bill with Sara Lewis, Monica Allison and Caroline Smith & the Goodnight Sleeps.



Links:
Mutts

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Paul McCartney - "Kisses on the Bottom" CD Review (Hear Music)

“I always thought artists like Fred Astaire were very cool. Writers like Harold Arlen, Cole Porter, all of those guys - I just thought the songs were magical. And then, as I got to be a songwriter I thought it’s beautiful, the way they made those songs.” – Paul McCartney

(Photographer: Mary McCartney)
On Feb. 7th, Paul McCartney is releasing his first new disc in five years, Kisses on the Bottom. The disc takes its name from a lyric in the Fats Waller song “I’m Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter” and McCartney’s cover of this song serves as the lead-off track on his new disc. This new disc is predominately comprised of little-heard cover songs and Paul’s approach to this disc is similar to his 1999 disc Run Devil Run on which he covered 50’s rock and roll songs and wrote some originals in the style of that era. The fourteen tracks on Kisses on the Bottom offer a glimpse into “the songs which inspired the songs”; twelve songs are Tin Pin Alley era covers and Macca wrote two new originals that fit perfectly with the music of that era. The impetus for this release is that Paul believes it is about time “the songs me and John based quite a few of our things on” received the recognition they deserve.

On Kisses on the Bottom, McCartney is backed by Diana Krall and her band and orchestral accompaniments are added to some songs courtesy of the London Symphony Orchestra. All of the songs have a soft jazz flair that is accentuated by Tommy LiPuma’s open-sounding and organic production. This disc marks the first time that Paul performed exclusively in the vocal booth without any instruments and his warm and lo-key vocals set the emotional tone for each song. Macca described this album as “very tender, very intimate…an album you listen to at home after work, with a glass of wine or a cup of tea.”

Songs range from the bouncy jazz of “I’m Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter” and “My Very Good Friend the Milkmen” to the orchestral “Bye Bye Blackbird” to smoky jazz torch songs ( Irving Berlin’s “Always” and “Home (When Shadows Fall)”). Macca stays true to the original versions of the twelve cover tunes and the stellar production brings out the piano, brushed drums and open bass notes. For the two originals, Eric Clapton adds some blues riffs and an understated solo to “My Valentine” and Stevie Wonder plays soulful harmonica on “Only Our Hearts”.



While I prefer McCartney’s rock numbers (and am waiting impatiently for more of the Wings’ reissues), kudos to Macca for pulling off such a stylistic leap without it sounding dated or “retro”.

Links:
Paul McCartney

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Natur Kicks Off Spring Mini-Tour with Windhand and Pilgrim on March 1st at Public Assembly

Local NWOBHM band(and recent Earache signee) Natur is kicking off a Spring mini-tour at Public Assembly on March 1st. The band is playing alongside Windhand (Richmond doom/stoner-metal), Pilgrim (Black Sabbath/St. Vitus influenced power trio) and Magic Circle (features members of Mind Eraser, The Rival Mob and The A-Team); tickets are $10 and the show starts at 8:30PM.

Formed in 2008, Natur channels the old school, high energy sound reminiscent of legendary artists Judas Priest, Mercyful Fate, and Motorhead with New York intensity. The band has already achieved cult status among Brooklyn's developing metal scene, joining prominent acts like Tombs, Krallice, and Black Anvil and catching the eye of popular publications Revolver Magazine and Vice. Steadily gigging locally and abroad, Natur has earned a reputation for putting on an explosive live show. Appearances at Maryland Deathfest IX and the Live Evil Festival have established them as a force to be reckoned with. The band has shared the stage with Ghost, Marduk, and Aura Noir, as well as Earache's own Cauldron and Hour of 13.



Links:
Natur

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Lord Mantis Release First Track "At the Mouth" from Upcoming Sophomore Album (Out March 13th on Candlelight Records)

When did NPR become hip enough to cover black metal releases?

The first track, "At the Mouth", from Lord Mantis' sophomore release, Pervertor, premiered on NPR's All Songs Considered Blog which was accompanied by an interview with guitarist Andrew Markuszewski (snippet below).

NPR: What role does blasphemy and perversion take in Lord Mantis?

AM: You'll find blasphemy and perversion in various states of practice in every member of this band. Pervertor comes straight from our beating black hearts. While I won't exactly go into specifics on what each of us does in our lives to communicate evil, if you listen to the music and read the lyrics — understand that we practice what we preach, for the most part. I mean, none of us have committed the act of murder on a physical level, yet, but everyone in the band has realized that evil eye in them. Bill [Bumgardner] hates everyone, for the most part. Charlie [Fell] is one demented and twisted soul. He's probably the last guy you'd want to be at the mercy of. He actually bit me in the leg once. I still have a scar. Granted, I did teabag him while he was in a straitjacket, though. Greg [Gomer] is dating an intense and professional dominatrix. I'm a blasphemous and hedonistic monk.



Chicago-based Lord Mantis is comprised of bassist/vocalist Charlie Fell (Nachtmystium, Von, Von Venien), drummer Bill Bumgardner (Indian), and guitarists Andrew Markuszewski (Avichi, Nachtmystium, Von, Von Venien) and Greg Gomer. Undoubtedly one of the most vile releases of 2012, Pervertor is the follow-up to the horde's 2009-released Seventh Rule Recordings debut, Spawning The Nephilim, the new LP exemplifying their pungent, hateful surge more than ever. Pervertor was put to tape with Sanford Parker (Nachtmystium, Pelican, Indian), liberating the organic filth of the hymns with maximum destroying power.

Pervertor Track Listing:
1. Perverter Of The Will
2. Septichrist
3. Vile Divinity
4. Levia
5. Ritual Killer
6. At The Mouth
7. The Whip And The Body

Links:
Lord Mantis

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Witchery - "Symphony for the Devil" CD Review (The End Records)

The UK-based Music for Nations label put out some pretty cool indie-metal releases in the 80’s and 90’s and its artist roster included Metallica, Godflesh, Trouble and Warrior Soul. The label shuttered in 2004 after which many of its titles become hard to find but The End Records recently secured a deal to re-release over 50 of the label’s titles. Physical copies of the first twelve titles were released on Jan. 31st.

The first title that I picked up off this new stack of releases is the third release by blackened Swedish thrash band Witchery, Symphony for the Devil (originally released in 2001). At the time, Witchery consisted of x-Satanic Slaughter members Jensen (guitar), Richard Corpse (guitar) and Toxine (vocals); x-Opeth drummer Martin” Axe” Axenrot and Sharlee D’Angelo (Arch Enemy, Mercyful Fate) on bass. As Witchery has had some long periods on inactivity, band-leader Jensen is probably best known as guitarist for The Haunted and he pulled double-duty on the 2001 US tour for this disc when Witchery opened for The Haunted.



Witchery’s music is similar to The Haunted with its melodic thrash guitar riffs being a focal point of both bands’ sound. Where the bands diverge is that Witchery’s sound is more old-school thrash (with some death metal leanings) than the “Gothenburg metal" of The Haunted. Witchery also appears to be “less serious” than The Haunted as, in addition to the band’s animated skeleton mascot, “Ben Wrangle”, Witchery’s lyrical themes deal with murder, death and other occult-themes and the band uses plays on words as both song and album titles: "Symphony for the Devil", "Hearse of the Pharaohs", etc . Vocalist Toxine sings with a hoarse and evil rasp (and only stays with a ‘pure’ death metal growl on “Storm”) so most of the melodies come from the interplay of Richard Corpse expressive solos and Jensen’s thrashing riffs.

There is a mix of styles on this disc which are all built around the band’s riff-oriented thrash core and the fourteen tracks on Symphony for the Devil include two instrumentals and two covers from the first Satanic Slaughter album (which were bonus tracks on some pressings of the original release of this disc). In an interview with Metal Rules, Jensen described the band’s creative process as a “’We don't give a shit’ mentality. We play exactly what we want; Black/Thrash/Heavy or even Death metal songs.” Special guest on the disc include Johan Larsson (Séance vocalist) and Hank Sherman, guitarist for Mercyful Fate.

Links:
Witchery

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