New Music: Neil Young, Shplang, Randy Lee Riviere, Jason Aldean

Although 2023 is winding down, there are still a slew of great new releases available now and definitely worth adding to your music library. 

Artist: Neil Young
Title: Before and After (Reprise Records)
You might like if you enjoy: Neil Young, Nils Lofgren, Michael Ubaldini
Tell me more: More than 55 years into his remarkable recording career it's clear that Neil Young can still surprise even the most discerning of listeners. As evidenced on his latest full-length LP Before and After, Young uses his otherworldly powers as a singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist to revisit some of his lesser known gems with a masterful and genuine emotional touch sure to please fans of the artist. As Neil Young notes about his new solo acoustic album Before and After: "Songs from my life, recently recorded, create a music montage with no beginnings or endings." Kicking things off with his surefire strumming on an acoustic guitar Young launches into the reflective "I'm The Ocean," a song further bolstered by his signature harmonica playing. Artful nuggets follow one after another, with the beautiful country-flavored "Homefires," affecting "On The Way Home," pump organ-draped "If You Got Love," shimmering "A Dream That Can Last," delicate "Birds," striking "Mother Earth" and tender "Comes A Time" are among the sparse and compelling performances that collectively add up to a truly extraordinary listen. Information: neilyoungarchives.com.

Artist: Shplang
Title: Thank You, Valued Customer (Big Stir Records)
You might like if you enjoy: Cheap Trick, XTC, Squeeze, Frank Zappa, Sparks
Tell me more: Shplang has returned with one of the last great album releases of 2023, the bewitching melodic rock-minded Thank You, Valued Customer. As ambitious as it is listenable, Thank You, Valued Customer showcases the literate and involving approach of core members Peter Marston and John Krause. The winning horns-adorned single "Understood," wistful psychedelic-tinged "Look Me Over," playful "Das Diddley" (the latter showcasing the band's virtuoso musical chops) and luxurious "Everyone Can Change" are early standouts on the ambitious album. Shplang's sixth full-length album continues its intoxicating run with the modern rockers "Buddha (What Was That?)" and "Lay A Little Love On Me" (the latter bolstered by a super cool instrumental bridge), and tuneful-meets-crunchy delight "A Son Son." The sci-fi-themed "Little Mushroom Men From Mars" somehow blends spoken word, a terrific chorus and virtuoso lead guitar work from Scott Goldbaum into something fully original. Information: bigstirrecords.com and https://orcd.co/shplang.

Artist: Randy Lee Riviere
Title: Blues Sky (Wilderness Records)
You might like if you enjoy: Billy F Gibbons, Neil Young, Ben Harper

Tell me more: Blending roots rock, Americana and electric blues with a stylish touch, singer-songwriter/guitarist Randy Lee Riviere impresses across his latest album Blues Sky. Surrounded by a top-tier group of talented players — Kevin McKendree (electric guitars, keyboards), Kenneth Blevins (drums), David Santos (bass), and the McCray Sisters (Ann, Regina and Freda) on backing vocals — Riviere's song craft shines across the McKendree-produced disc. Riviere, who divides his time between a Montana farm and a home outside of Nashville, taps into classic and contemporary American music across the album. Highlights include the Southern-fried "American Redoubt," catchy "Do Or Don't," blistering "Needles," the beautiful rootsy ballad "Just One More Time," rousing blues rocker "Old Country's Son," classic rock-tinged "Rocky's Road" and lovely closer "Cold Cold River." Information: randyleeriviere.com. 

Artist: Jason Aldean
Title: Highway Desperado (Broken Bow Records)
You might like if you enjoy: Jason Aldean, Eric Church, Luke Bryan, 3 Doors Down
Tell me more: One of country music's biggest stars of the 21st century, Jason Aldean has successfully used his talents as a dynamic live performer and exceptional recording artist to propel more than two dozen of his singles to number 1 on either the Hot Country Songs or Country Airplay charts. On his latest full-length album Highway Desperado, the Macon, Georgia native continues his incredible run with a terrific collection that showcases real life triumphs and struggles while simultaneously celebrating the American spirit with an otherworldly and emotional touch. Aldean has been especially masterful at blending modern country and classic rock genres into a signature style that resonates at festivals and arena settings. Each of the 14 songs on Highway Desperado are immediately infectious; the timely number one hit "Try That In A Small Town" taps into the well-founded fears of millions of Americans who have seen violent crime soar in big cities across the United States over the past several years. The Michael Knox-produced album's strengths are found across its run; the tender ballad "Hungover in a Hotel" offers a heartfelt message of regret, while the country rocker "Let Your Boys Be Country" celebrates time-honored traditions that champion how boys grow into men. Aldean sings of romantic loss poignantly on the beautiful "Whose Rearview" and "I'm Over You." Aldean explores newfound love on the soaring "Knew You'd Come Around," while the moody closer "Highway Desperado" taps into the powerful and invisible forces that lure some to keep moving on down the open road. Information: JasonAldean.com.

Robert Kinsler

2023 Rock Music-Minded Gift Guide

With Hanukkah here and Christmas just a couple of weeks away, here is a music-related gift guide featuring a diverse crop of special reissues, box sets, new albums and more.

Artist: Bryan Adams 
Titles: Live At The Royal Albert Hall (BMG)

Tell me more: Bryan Adams' new live box set Live At The Royal Albert Hall is available on audio CD + LP with a bonus Blu-ray DVD; the title includes a three album box set of live concerts captured in 2022 when the acclaimed rocker headlined three memorable nights at the legendary venue. At each night, Adams performed one of his classic albums in its entirety: Cuts Like A Knife (Night 1), Into The Fire (Night 2) and Waking Up The Neighbours (Night 3). Live At The Royal Albert Hall includes a total of 35 live songs, a Blu-ray DVD of all the performances, as well as a 32-page photo book featuring exclusive images from the performances. Information: BryanAdams.com.

Artist: The Beach Boys 
Titles: Pet Sounds; The Beach Boys' Christmas Album (Capitol)

Tell me more: The Beach Boys' classic albums Pet Sounds and The Beach Boys' Christmas Album have been released via limited edition color vinyl for the holidays. The beloved group's 1964 Christmas Album (which features enduring classics like "Little Saint Nick," "The Man With All The Toys," "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" and "The Man With All The Toys") is available in the colors of Christmas - fans can purchase the the album on limited edition translucent ruby red vinyl or limited edition green vinyl. Pet Sounds is now available on limited edition yellow/green splatter vinyl which matches the iconic album cover's unmistakable color scheme. The pressing, which is numbered and features a deluxe tip-on jacket is exclusive to TheBeachBoys.com, uDiscover Music  and Sound Of Vinyl. Information: TheBeachBoys.com.

Artist: The Beatles 
Titles: 1962-1966 "The Red Album"' 1967-1970 "The Blue Album" (Apple Corps Ltd./Capitol/Universal Music Enterprises)

Tell me more: Artist: The Beatles 

Titles: 1962-1966 "The Red Album"' 1967-1970 "The Blue Album" (Apple Corps Ltd./Capitol/Universal Music Enterprises)

Tell me more: In the wake of the release of The Beatles' final song ("Now and Then"), 50th Anniversary Editions of the band's 1962-1966 "The Red Album" and 1967-1970 "The Blue Album" collections were issued. The 2023 editions have expanded tracklists, with all the songs mixed in true stereo and Dolby Atmos. The new 4CD and 180-gram 6LP vinyl collections pair "Red" and "Blue" in slipcased sets.The UK single version of "Love Me Do" now kicks off 1962-1966, while the hit single "Now and Then" is featured on 1967-1970. In recent years, several 1967-1970 tracks and a few from 1962-1966 have received new stereo and Dolby Atmos mixes for The Beatles’ Special Edition album releases, including Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (2017), The Beatles (‘White Album’) (2018), Abbey Road (2019), Let It Be (2021), and Revolver (2022), as well as new stereo mixes for The Beatles’ 1 (2015). All tracks not also featured on those releases have been newly mixed in stereo and/or Dolby Atmos by Giles Martin and Sam Okell at Abbey Road Studios, aided by WingNut Films’ audio de-mixing technology. Both collections include new essays written by journalist and author John Harris. Together, the expanded 2023 Edition collections include 75 Beatles tracks. Information: TheBeatles.com.

Artist: Devo 
Titles: 50 Years of De-Evolution: 1973-2023 (Rhino)

Tell me more: Devo's pioneering legacy is celebrated across the expansive 4LP deluxe limited-edition 50 Years of De-Evolution box set. Loaded with 50 remastered hits and rarities, an album artwork lithograph, air freshener, a foldable paper hat that resembles the band's iconic red energy dome and a 28-page book, "this box set represents a great cost section of early experiments and later creations" says band member Mark Mothersbaugh. Information: Rhino.com.

Artist: Social Distortion

Title: Mommy's Little Monster (Craft Recordings)

Tell me more: Craft Recordings' 40th Anniversary reissue of Social Distortion's fiery debut Mommy's Little Monster is a must-have for fans of the groundbreaking Southern California punk rock outfit. Released on Nov. 10 on 180-gram vinyl and digital formats, the album has been newly remastered from the original analog tapes that were recorded on Christmas Eve in 1982 at The Casbah recording studios in Fullerton, CA. The album features several of Social Distortion's early standout tracks including the blistering title track, hard-edged "The Creeps (I Just Wanna Give You)," and hardcore-styled single "Another State of Mind." In addition to classic black vinyl, Mommy's Little Monster is available in a variety of exclusive limited edition color ways, including ruby red, black & white marble, an exclusive white pressing at Barnes & Noble, and a gray variant at RevolverMag.com. Information: CraftRecordings.com.

Artist: Toad the Wet Sprocket 
Titles: All You Want - Bonus Edition (Abe's Records)

Tell me more: Acclaimed modern rock outfit Toad the Wet Sprocket' 2011 greatest hits collection All You Want has been reissued on both audio CD and vinyl as an expanded limited edition bonus edition available via the band's official website. All the California band's essential hits are here (including "Something's Always Wrong," "Fall Down," "Good Intentions" and "Walk on the Ocean"), as well as some of the troupe's other top-tier tracks including "New Constellation," "Crazy Life," "Brother" and the enticing new 2023 original "Best of Me." Information: ToadTheWetSprocket.com.

Artist: Violent Femmes 
Titles: Violent Femmes — 40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition (Craft Recordings)

Tell me more: Violent Femmes' 1983 eponymous album is one of the great full-length debuts of all time. Now the masterwork has been reissued as a deluxe and expanded reissue that includes the remastered original album as well as a slew of rare demos, B-sides, live performances and more. Released on Dec. 1, the deluxe 2CD and digital formats feature newly remastered audio and more than a dozen demos, B-sides and live performances — including alternate versions of favorites like "Blister in the Sun," "Please Do Not Go," "Gone Daddy Gone" and "Add It Up." A special 4-disc vinyl box set is set to arrive on Feb. 9, 202, and that is limited to only 5,000 copies worldwide! Housed in a lift-top box with die-cut window detail, this collectible edition offers three 180-gram LPs — the original album alongside demos and live material (plus, a replica 7-inch single featuring "Ugly"/"Gimme the Car." The original album and single discs are cut from the original analog tapes, while lacquers for the complete set were cut by Kevin Gray at Coherent Audio. Both the CD and LP editions feature an expansive book with new liner notes by journalist/Rolling Stone senior editor David Fricke, complete with interviews with Violent Femmes members Gordon Gano, Brian Ritchie and Victor DeLorenzo. Information: CraftRecordings.com.

Artist: The Who 
Title: Who's Next/Life House (Universal Music Recordings)

Tell me more: One of this writer's all-time favorite albums, The Who's fifth studio album Who's Next is available as a super deluxe 10-CD/Blu-ray audio edition for the ultimate immersive dive into the 1971 masterwork. Who's Next/Life House includes 155 tracks (89 previously unreleased) and 57 new remixes; long time Who engineer Jon Astley remastered the original tapes while Steven Wilson completed Atmos and 5.1 surround mixes for the Blu-ray audio disc. Included are demos, singles, studio sessions, two complete concerts, a 100-page hardback book with new liner notes and more. Please note: as the date of this writing, the expansive reissue is currently selling for $285.75 on amazon.com.

Artist: Neil Young 
Title: Before and After (Reprise)

Tell me more: Neil Young's 45th studio album Before and After continues to find the groundbreaking artist revisiting 13 of his beloved classics via solo acoustic versions delivered via a decidedly new approach. According to a news release, Young performs the songs via "one continuous flow."

"Picking from a vast array of his originals, Young chooses favorites from his playbook like a trip into his music history and performs them mostly alone taking a solo acoustic journey to a new place. Each of the songs blend and create one continuous flow, clocking in at a 48-minute pure and intimate listening experience." Songs featured on Before and After include "Comes A Time," "Mr. Soul," "Birds," "I'm The Ocean" and "Mother Earth." Information: neilyoungarchives.com.

Robert Kinsler

New Music: Little Feat, Mark Farner, Blood Brothers

Little Feat's Highwire Act in St. Louis and Mark Farner's Rock 'N' Roll Soul: Live 1989 as well as the Blood Brothers' new concert recordings are available now.

Artist: Little Feat
Title: Little Feat: Highwire Act in St. Louis (Mercury Studios)
You might like if you enjoy: The Zac Brown Band, Traffic, the Grateful Dead
Tell me more: Originally released on DVD in 2004, Little Feat: Highwire Act in St. Louis has just been reissued as a wonderful Blu-ray+2CD collection (the concert is also available on digital video as well). The 2003 concert performance captured Little Feat in top form with the American band delivering 17 tracks blending rock, blues, soul, folk and Americana over 134 wonderful minutes. The line-up was among the ensemble's best, with Paul Barrere (guitars, vocals), Bill Payne (keyboard, vocals), Sam Clayton (percussion, vocals), Kenny Gradney (bass), Richie Hayward (drums, vocals), Fred Tackett (guitar, mandolin, trumpet) and Shaun Murphy (vocals, percussion) locked in and collectively showcasing their outstanding talents across the set. Highlights span the length of the concert, including the jazzy-rock opener "Time Loves a Hero," '70s-flavored rocker "Day Or Night," aptly-titled "Cajun Girl" bolstered by Tackett's inspired mandolin work, gorgeous Americana original "Willin'," and soulful "I'd Be Lyin'," the latter featuring Murphy's powerhouse soprano. Additionally, there are plenty of extended instrumental jams across the wonderful track listing that showcase the players' impressive musical chops to be sure. The Blu-ray Disc features a bonus 11-minute documentary titled "Little Feat Close Up In St. Louis" which features the band members discussing the colorful history and evolution of the group. Information: littlefeat.net.

Artist: Mark Farner

Title: Rock 'N' Roll Soul: Live 1989 (Liberation Hall)

You might like if you enjoy: Grand Funk Railroad, Randy Bachman, Blood, Sweat and Tears

Tell me more: The "1989 Woodstock Revisited" Festival was staged at Cal State Dominguez Hills in Carson, CA in August 1989 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Woodstock. Among the celebrated classic rock favorites to perform at the event were Mark Farner, Edgar Winter, Humble Pie, Canned Heat, Melanie, and Blood, Sweat and Tears. Now Farner's complete set from that event has been issued on both audio CD and DVD. Farner — founding member, lead singer and guitarist for Michigan's Grand Funk Railroad — delivered a powerful 15-song set backed by guitarist Arnie Vilches, bassist Lawrence Buckner, keyboardist Mike Blair and drummer Mike Maple. The set list is a mix of Grand Funk Railroad's beloved hits and Farner's strong solo material. Farner is an energetic and riveting frontman who shines on the mix of material; he even trades in his electric guitar to play electronic keyboards on several cuts ("Footstompin' Music" and "Mean Mistreater"). Farner and company immerse the crowd in blues on "Judgement Day Blues," which features the notable guitar work of Farner and Vilches. The soulful "Some Kind of Wonderful" features Buckner and Farner sharing lead vocals. Other highlights of the set include the tuneful sing-along "Bad Time," ambitious "I'm Your Captain/Closer to Home," riff rocker "Heartbreaker" and festive closer "The Loco-Motion." Information: liberationhall.com.

Artist: Blood Brothers

Title: Blood Brothers — Live in Canada (Gulf Coast Records)

You might like if you enjoy: Walter Trout, Tommy Castro, Joe Bonamassa

Tell me more: Fans of scorching electric blues will want to run out and pick up a copy of Blood Brothers — Live in Canada. The ensemble featuring Mike Zito (vocals, guitar) and Albert Castiglia (vocals, guitar) delivers a fiery performance across the 12-track live recording that was captured at Blue Frog Studios in British Columbia, Canada on May 19 and 20, 2023. The blistering blues-rock opener "Hey Sweet Mama," dazzling cover of Tinsley Ellis' "Tooth and Nail," rootsy "In My Soul," and poignant countrified blues nugget "A Thousand Heartaches" are early standouts. Just as luring are the Chicago blues-styled Zito original "No Good Woman," slide guitar-adorned take on John Hiatt's "My Business" and tender "Gone To Texas." Closing out the concert CD is an explosive reading of Neil Young's especially timely "Rocking' in the Free World." The other band members heard this night (bassist Doug Byrkit, drummer-percussionist Matt Johnson, drummer-percussionist Ephraim Lowell and keyboardist Lewis Stephens) contribute mightily to the performance. Information: gulfcoastrecords.net.

Robert Kinsler

Todd Snider set to release Vaulted 'Crank It, We’re Doomed' album 16 Years after originally recorded

 

Fifteen-Track Compilation Available November 10 Via Aimless Records 

Pre-Order the album HERE

 

Album Features Guest Vocals by Kris Kristofferson 

and the Late Loretta Lynn

 

First Single, “Juice,” Out Now

 

 

Sometimes an artist makes a record, then decides not to release it. Neil Young and Prince are two artists who famously did that multiple times. Todd Snider is another artist who has done it, putting three albums on the shelf in a career now spanning three decades. Like these artists, Snider is just as committed to his art, and his decisions to shelve those three records were artistic ones. But now Snider has decided to take one of those albums off the shelf. Sixteen years after it was recorded, Crank It, We’re Doomed will finally get its release via Aimless Records on November 10.

 

Snider was in the midst of one of the most creative periods of his career when he recorded Crank It, We’re Doomed in 2007. He was writing at a frenetic pace and experimenting with musical ideas he would develop more fully on later releases. He not only finished and recorded the 15 songs on Crank It that year, he also wrote and recorded the seven songs that appeared on Shit Sandwich, the digital-only EP released in 2010 by his alter ego Elmo Buzz & the Eastside Bulldogs. The tracks on Shit Sandwich made up the bulk of Snider’s 2016 full-length release, Eastside Bulldog.

 

“It was very much a blur,” he says, looking back on that year. “A blur not because of the party going on, but because of how many songs I was coming up with. It was probably the pinnacle of my time making up songs. Like they were really coming at me, and I didn’t know what to do with them all.”

 

Crank It, We’re Doomed was supposed to be the follow-up to a pair of acclaimed records that had taken his career to another level — East Nashville Skyline and The Devil You Know. The album was mastered and ready to be manufactured when he decided to pull the plug on it.

 

When asked recently why he decided against releasing the album, Snider puts on his best movie trailer voice and says, “The year was 2007 —  the sea was angry that year.”

 

Snider gets the laugh he’s going for, but the question remains because the why is not so easy to explain. His decision to shelve the record all those years ago was as much intuitive as it was the product of deductive reasoning.

 

“At the end, I was torn,” he says. “I felt like not only did I have all these story songs, sort of normal songs, there also were all these protest songs. And really that is where I lost the plot. I had too many scenes in the movie, and I had too many songs. It was all over the map. But I also remember feeling like it wasn't done either. Like it needed more songs.”

 

Snider had intended Crank It, We’re Doomed to be a double album with the Rolling Stones’ Exile On Main Street, The Beatles (White Album) and Bob Dylan’s Desire as its sonic touchstones/boundaries, and it unquestionably shares some musical similarities with all three of those releases. But with 15 tracks totaling 49 minutes in length, Crank It does fall a bit short of double-album length. Exile has 18 tracks totaling 67 minutes, while the White Album has a whopping 30 tracks that run more than an hour and a half.

 

Although Snider decided to not release Crank It, We’re Doomed, he did include five of the tracks he recorded for Crank It on his next two albums (Peace Queer and The Excitement Plan), with three of the songs getting new titles. In addition, he recorded new versions of six other songs from the record which were released on The Excitement Plan and Agnostic Hymns & Stoner Fables. Some fans, possibly many, will prefer the original versions of the songs on Crank It, which in some cases are dramatically different. The record also includes four other tracks no one outside the musicians and Snider’s inner circle have ever heard, and those recordings are pure gold.

 

Snider recorded Crank It, We’re Doomed at Eric McConnell’s East Nashville studio where he recorded East Nashville Skyline and The Devil You Know and was backed by the core of musicians he worked with on those albums: guitarist Will Kimbrough, drummer Paul Griffith, violinist Molly Thomas, and either McConnell or Peter Cooper on bass. He also brought in keyboardist Jimmy Wallace for the sessions.

 

At some point after Snider decided to put Crank It, We’re Doomed on the shelf, the stereo masters were lost. Over the years, both Snider and McConnell made efforts to locate the masters with no luck. The subject came up again recently when they met to discuss making another record together.

 

“We were sitting there just wracking our brains, ‘Where could it be,’ ” Snider recalls. “And finally Eric said, ‘I guess DeMain might have it.’”

 

McConnell was referring to mastering engineer Jim DeMain, and sure enough, DeMain had the masters. Snider’s mythic, lost album was found.

 

After hearing the record for the first time in more than a decade, Snider was no longer bothered by it being “all over the map.” So he shared it with a few friends and advisors, who recognized the historical importance and also felt it has withstood the test of time. They all encouraged him to release it.

 

“I couldn’t see it conceptually back then,” Snider says. “But now I can see it was about a guy losing the plot.”

 

Crank It, We’re Doomed Track Listing:

1. From A Dying Rose

2. Juice

3. Handleman’s Revenge

4. Don’t Tempt Me (featuring Loretta Lynn)

5. The War on Terror

6. America’s Favorite Pastime

7. Doll Face

8. But Seriously Folks

9. West Nashville Grand Ballroom Gown

10. Mercer’s Folly

11. What Made You Do It

12. The Last Laugh

13. Mission Accomplished (Because You Gotta Have Faith)

14. Slim Chance Is Still A Chance

15. Good Fortune (featuring Kris Kristofferson)

 

*Produced by Todd Snider and Eric McConnell; Recorded and mixed by Eric McConnell; Mastered by Jim DeMain

 

*Recorded at Eric McConnell’s studio in 2007

 

*All songs written by Todd Snider except “Don’t Tempt Me Baby,” written by Snider and Loretta Lynn, and “West Nashville Ballroom Gown,” written by Jimmy Buffett

 

Todd Snider 2023 Tour Dates:

Sep 24 - Mountain Stage - Franklin, TN - SOLD OUT

Oct 14 - Luckenbach Texas - Fredericksburg, TX^ - SOLD OUT

Oct 16 - Belly Up - Solana Beach, CA* - SOLD OUT

Oct 17 - Teregram Ballroom - Los Angeles, CA*

Oct 18 - Troubadour - West Hollywood, CA*

Oct 20 - Lobero Theatre - Santa Barbara, CA*

Oct 21 - Fremont Theater - San Luis Obispo, CA*

Oct 22 - Rio Theatre - Santa Cruz, CA*

Oct 24 - Palace of Fine Arts Theatre - San Francisco, CA*

Oct 26 - Revolution Hall - Portland, OR*

Oct 27 - Revolution Hall - Portland, OR*

Oct 28 - Washington Center for the Performing Arts - Olympia, WA*

Oct 29 - Moore Theatre - Seattle, WA*

Nov 1 - Mount Baker Theatre - Bellingham, WA*

Nov 2 - McDonald Theatre - Eugene, OR

Nov 4 - Bally's Lake Tahoe - South Lake Tahoe, NV**

Nov 5 - Knitting Factory - Boise, ID

Nov 6 - The Commonwealth Room - Salt Lake City, UT

Nov 8 - Waiting Room Lounge - Omaha, NE

Nov 9 - Barrymore Theatre - Madison, WI

Nov 10 - The Castle Theatre - Bloomington, IL

Nov 11 - Old Town School of Folk Music - Chicago, IL - SOLD OUT

 

^with Hayes Carll and The Band of Heathens

*co-bill with Patty Griffin

**with special guest Jim Lauderdale

 

About Todd Snider

A fixture on the East Nashville singer-songwriter scene, Todd Snider is known for his irreverent humor and poignant lyrics delivered in classic troubadour style. With influences including Jerry Jeff Walker, Kris Kristofferson, John Prine and Woody Guthrie, Snider's live shows combine sharp songwriting, acclaimed musicianship and endearing storytelling for a one-of-a-kind night of modern folk music.
 
For more information, visit toddsnider.net.

 

Todd Snider | Photo Credit: Stacie Huckeba

Neil Young, Hot Tuna, Robbie Robertson Shine on Classics

Essential new releases from Neil Young and Hot Tuna, as well as memorable titles featuring the late Robbie Robertson are featured in my column this week. 

Artist: Neil Young
Title: Chrome Dreams (Reprise)
You might like if you enjoy: Neil Young, Nils Lofgren, Dawes
Tell me more: One of the most remarkable new releases of 2023 is actually a long lost Neil Young album that was recorded between 1974 and 1977. Originally set for release in 1977, Chrome Dreams is every bit the masterpiece that surrounded the towering legend of the 12-track album prior to its long-awaited release on Aug. 11. The track listing of Chrome Dreams includes some very familiar titles, but the recordings featured here in the album's original form include some that were the first recordings of the Young-penned favorites. The album begins with a solo acoustic version of "Pocahontas" recorded on Aug. 11, 1976, Young's signature vocals soaring amidst his shimmering guitar (this is the same version that first appeared on Rust Never Sleeps, but without the overdubs). The acoustic guitar-driven "Hold Back the Tears" includes lyrics different than the subsequent version of the song featured on his American Stars 'n Bars album. Another highlight on the masterwork is the early — and first solo version — of his beloved original "Powderfinger," the power of the song's potent lyrics and evocative musical arch showcased via a mesmerizing performance. The album also includes the haunting and decidedly sparse "Will to Love," introspective "Star of Bethlehem," otherworldly romance-minded rocker "Like a Hurricane," sorrowful "Too Far Gone" and melancholy-adorned "Look Out For My Love." One of the most important releases of 2023. Information: neilyoungarchives.com.  

Artist: Hot Tuna
Title: 3 CD Collection (Mercury Studios)
You might like if you enjoy: Hot Tuna, Jefferson Airplane, Jorma Kaukonen, Mississippi John Hurt
Tell me more: Fans of American blues-rock outfit Hot Tuna can pick up the newly-issued 3 CD Collection. The 3-disc box set includes a trio of full acoustic band performances (no drums) captured at The Sweetwater Music Hall in Mill Valley, CA, two nights in a row as well as a concert date at Stove's in Yokohama, Japan. All three 1990s performances are housed in one colorful package complete with a poster. An offshoot of Jefferson Airplane, Hot Tuna was launched in 1969 when singer-songwriter/guitarist Jorma Kaukonen and bassist Jack Casady wanted to perform a mix of blues, folk, bluegrass and country while Grace Slick was recovering from vocal surgery. To be sure, the stellar performances featured on 3 CD Collection enhance Hot Tuna's legacy. Guests at the Jan. 27, 1992 recording include singer-guitarist Bob Weir (The Grateful Dead), keyboardist Pete Sears (Jefferson Starship) and singer Maria Muldaur; noted folk singer Happy Traum guests on the Jan. 28, 1992 show. Among the terrific tracks on the early part of the collection are the Delta blues flavored "Whinin' Boy Blues" and "Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out," breezy country blues nugget "Great Change," a breathtaking acoustic-flavored version of Jefferson Airplane's "Embryonic Journey" and riveting take on Bob Dylan's 1965 single "Maggie's Farm," the latter featuring Weir on lead vocals. The delights continue on the box set via wonderful cuts such as the joyful "Blue Moon of Kentucky," spirited "Folsom Prison Blues," infectious "Parchment Farm" and luxurious "Ice Age." Information: mercurystudios.co or hottuna.com.

Classic Titles Celebrate Robbie Robertson

Robbie Robertson seen performing
onstage at "The Last Waltz" on Nov. 25, 1976.

On Aug. 9, 2023, Canadian great Robbie Robertson passed away at the age of 80. A lead guitarist for Bob Dylan in the mid 1960s, the influential artist was best known as guitarist and songwriter with the Band from their inception in 1967 until 1978, and for several acclaimed solo albums — notably his self-titled 1987 album, 1991's Storyville and 2011's How to Become Clairvoyant.

From left, Bob Dylan, Rick Danko and Robbie Robertson performing on Nov. 25, 1976.
The event was filmed and released as Martin Scorsese's film "The Last Waltz."

In addition, Robertson collaborated on a number of celebrated film and TV soundtracks — usually with director Martin Scorsese — beginning with the music documentary film "The Last Waltz" in 1978 and continuing through classics "Raging Bull" (1980), "The King of Comedy" (1983), "Casino" (1995), "The Wolf of Wall Street," "The Irishman" (2019) and most recent "Killers of the Flower Moon" (scheduled for widespread release on Oct. 6, 2023).

A few years ago, Capitol/UMe released a series of expanded and remastered 50th Anniversary reissues of the Band's beloved studio albums, including Music From Big Pink (1968), The Band (1969), Stage Fright (1970) and Cahoots (1971). Following the death of Robertson, I revisited several of these wonderful collections and was reminded how talented — and groundbreaking — the Americana-styled Canadian-American band was. The Stage Fright reissue includes a June 1971 concert recording captured at Royal Albert Hall featuring stellar performances of "The Shape I'm In," "The Weight," "I Shall Be Released," "Up On Cripple Creek," "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" and other enduring staples. With their winning brew of roots rock, folk, jazz, country and R&B, the Band (Robertson was the group's principal songwriter) influenced the likes of George Harrison, the Grateful Dead, Eric Clapton, Elton John, Dawes and countless others.

Robert Kinsler