LITTLE ROCK — Albert King with Stevie RayVaughan In Session StaxA-
Yes blues fans, you’ve seen this meeting of the legendary Albert King and thenemerging legend Stevie Ray Vaughan before. This 1983 session has been reissued several times, including one earlier this year. So why should you care that another version is out?
This one pairs the original 11 audio tracks on CD with a DVD of performances, including tunes not on the CD - “Born Under a Bad Sign,” “Texas Flood” and “I’m Gonna Move to the Outskirts of Town.” (The DVD also is available separately.)
The DVD is very cool, like observing a master class, with Vaughan as the devoted student. The verbal and musical conversation is fascinating, watching King’s reaction to Vaughan’s playing and the joy that permeates Vaughanduring this program. There’s no audience, so the men are essentially playing for the joy of the experience.
King was a vital influence on Vaughan; hearing and seeing these two men playing together and trading solos is an experience fans of King, Vaughan and great blues guitar shouldn’t miss.
- ELLIS WIDNERCassandra Wilson Silver PonyBlue NoteB+
It’s not clear which of the 19 tracks on Cassandra Wilson’s latest album were recorded live and which were recorded in a studio, and that may be part of the point.
Wilson and her band work the same whether you’re listening or not; the audience is incidental to the work they perform. So are the sort of genre labels attached by critics and record store clerks. Wilson is a tasteful jazz singer who’s comfortable in country blues, space funk and that sort of Starbucks-certified singersongwriter jive that’s often embraced by free-thinking aunties in purple scarves.
This time Wilson has added some New Orleans flavor to the roux, with the studio half of the album cooked up in the Crescent City’s Piety Studios. And while her sultry, slinky, elastic, contralto moan is in fine form, the songs aren’t especially novel choices, with the exception of Charlie Patton’s “Pony Blues.”
The record’s chief strength is Wilson’s crack band, particularly guitarist Marvin Sewell and pianist Jonathan Batiste. Guest star Ravi Coltrane adds saxophone on “Silver Moon,” and album closer “Watch the Sunrise” features John Legend’s vocals and pop-lounge piano. An ordinary album by Wilson’s high standards, but enjoyable nevertheless.
- PHILIP MARTINThe Band Perry The Band PerryRepublic NashvilleB+
Here are two brothers, one sister - Kimberly, Reid and Neil Perry - who are wet behind the ears (and likely not of legal drinking age) and yet are already kicking up some attention in Nashville.
“Hip to My Heart,” written by the Perry siblings and Brett Beavers, is a breezy number that’s already a hit. The rest of the trio’s debut is sophisticated, acoustic-heavy, bluegrass-tinged country music that will pick you up no matter what your age.
Interestingly enough, Kimberly sounds like a younger version of Natalie Maines. Some of the songs stretch the trio beyond their capabilities but there are stunners, such as “If I Die Young,” a gorgeous ballad that is practically Kimberly’s coming out party. The Band Perry is poised to make a lot of noise.
- WERNER TRIESCHMANNThird Day MoveEssential RecordsB+
A headliner in contemporary Christian music, Third Day keeps trying to broaden its appeal. Judging from appearances on The TonightShow, 60 Minutes and Nightline, its efforts seem to be bearing fruit.
The instrumentation on Third Day’s 11th studio album ranges from hard rock to classical to country, all of which can be perfect accompaniments to the smoky vocals of lead singer Mac Powell.
Move is loaded with upbeat, catchy songs. A couple are real standouts. “Lift Up Your Face,” with The Blind Boys of Alabama, is, according to Powell, “A message of encouragement for a country going through hard times.” “Children of God” is a beautiful song about love and redemption that features the sweet voices of the New Hope Academy Children’s Choir. It will have you singing along and maybe even clapping.
- ROSEMARY BOGGSCrocodiles Sleep ForeverFat PossumC+
This San Diego-based duo crank out their version of trippy, shoegazing, new wave with loads of synth, echo, guitars and more scuzz than glimmer. Some of the Jesus and Mary Chain’s early drone and girl group fascination is evident. There is a vampy, garage band feel to songs like “Hollow Hollow Eyes,” and “Sleep Forever” is a Beatlesmeets-My Bloody Valentine joy.
After a while, though, it sort of all runs together and sounds like something (surprise!) you’ve heard plenty of times before.
- SEAN CLANCYDoobie Brothers World GoneCrazy HORB+
It’s hard to imagine anyone but a hard-core Doobie Brothers fan could tell the difference between the group that’s a staple of classic rock radio and the older fellas who generate the music for this groove-happy CD.
And just to cinch the connection, Michael McDonald shows up to lend vocal help on “Don’t Say Goodbye,” and the Brothers re-record “Nobody,” their first single from 1971. That song works, as does the island-inflected rhythm of the opening track, “A Brighter Day.”
Perhaps you could say that World Gone Crazy is a little bit soft, with too much emphasis on the ballads and not enough on guitar-fueled anthems. But the songs have strong melodies that would put them in the lineup for radio play, if such a thing existed.
- WERNER TRIESCHMANN
Style, Pages 59 on 11/28/2010