Today’s spotlight is on the neo-acoustic music scene in former Yugoslavia. There was a huge folk movement also known over there as akusticari in the early to mid seventies. It seems as that scene is being revived. We already presented Belgrade’s On Tour some time ago, and today we have two more new names. Irena Žilić is a young singer songwriter from Zagreb with her modern and fresh take on western folk music. Nina Romić, also from Zagreb, is on the other hand more rooted in the local folklore. In this episode, she covers a song written originally by Satan Panonski – a hard blood shock punk from the eighties who was both influential and controversial at the same time. Nina’s cover is a part of a larger tribute called OÄi u magli. We also have a new album by our old friends from Rijeka My Buddy Moose. Their style is more on the roots rock side. Their new album Shine Shine Shine is produced by Chris Eckman from The Walkabouts, who also lives in that neck of the woods these days – Ljubljana. The Walkabouts have a live album called Berlin and we check that out as well in this show. Elsewhere form Europe, Amsterdam, we have an instrumental outfit called Bevel Emboss who create a wonderful tapestry of guitar sounds on their new album called Celluloid. Back to America – we have Arbouretum from Baltimore for the first time and super-group Sweet Apple have a new single out there which announces their album due this Spring around the Record Store Day. Mark Lanegan is a guest vocalist!
Uncle Tupelo – Gun;
Arbouretum – The Promise;
Arbouretum – Wicked Messenger;
Faces – Wicked Messenger;
Jack Fords – Shake Some Action (Live in CLE);
My Buddy Moose – Girl;
The Walkabouts – Jack Candy;
On Tour – November Hits Hard;
Irena Žilić – Whatever Feels Right;
Nina Romić – DjeÄakova pjesma;
Bevel Emboss – Straighten A Dash;
Indexi – Nikada;
Low Cut Connie – You’ve Got Everything;
Ben Deily and Will Anderson – Sorry Too;
Stan McMahon – What’s Wrong;
Sweet Apple Feat. Mark Lanegan – Wish You Could Stay (A Little Longer).
We start off today with the new single for Sweet Apple. It’s a cover of Alice Cooper’s Elected. Then we check out the new band from Los Angeles, Blackfeet Braves. Los Straitjackets follow with their instrumental version of Nirvana’s Teen Spirit. Then we introduce new band from Australia, The Laurels. Shivering Timbers from Akron are in our Live in Cleveland segment. We also check out the new record for legendary Graham Parker. Some new reissues/archives are out as well. Jacke Deshannon’s final installment of her 60’s singles and Dan Penn’s soulful demos.
Every year about this time, The Little Lighthouse puts together a list of best albums that we rocked out at the show in the past year. This year is no exception. 2010 was quite exciting as far as the new albums go. I’d say that at least top 10 of the albums are modern classics, with all ingredients that a really big rock’n’roll record should have. I think it’s not so surprising that Sweet Apple with Love And Desperation took the number one. I was fortunate enough to see this album coming out of John’s sketches and forming into a full blown LP. But, even without that part, this record reminds us what a true rock record should be, without twists and frills. The real thing. The we also have Eamon McGrath as a surprising new songwriting talent and also Harlan T Bobo establishing himself as probably the greatest on in past 10 years. The rest of the list follows here:
Sweet Apple is a side band for John Petkovic of Cobra Verde, J Mascis of Dinosaur JR and Dave Sweetapple of Witch. It happened in a bitter moment when the trio of these rock’n’roll greats desperately needed a break not only from the music that they worked on in their original bands, but also a break from the situations in life that at the time seemed to choke them. Sometimes the best cure is to run away which a pack of friends, experience something new and return as a richer person. This is exactly what this pack did. A weaker person would cut his wrists, but these three people poored their hearts into a rocker that bursts with energy and desire for life. Casual atmosphere in the record creation allowed J to switch over to drums, totaling only three solos on the entire record. Still, there’s plenty of brilliant guitar work on the record courtesy of Tim Parnin of Cobra Verde and John on his purple Gretch (which he used in the songwriting process). Nothing is forced here, songs are charged with energy, crispy riffs are everywhere only to slow down on Dead Moon which stands out as a dark reminder that a man needs light to live, even if that light comes from a stage light show.
Sad news comes to us that the soul legend Solomon Burke died last week in Netherlands. This happened in the middle of the times when his revived career saw new heights. However, in his honor, we play some of his classic hits from the sixties and we dedicate this show to him. We also have some new stuff in today’s show. Australian band You Aim I is back with a self-titled album and Kim Simpson with a new ep which he entitled The Price Is Right. The new name in today’s show is Stephanie Finch, collaborator of Chuck Prophet. The album is called Cry Tomorrow. We also feature the new recordings for Tim Lee and Sweet Apple that one can find on Internet (or as a Japanese only bonus in the case of Sweet Apple).
Today we feature no less than three new truly exceptional records – one for Memphis musician Harlan T. Bobo, other for Holly Golightly and finally – Sweet Apple LP is out. This week in April might have brought three best records of 2010! Harlan’s third record is entitle Sucker. Not only it’s on par with his previous two records, but it also very well may be his best one yet. Diverse piece and a modern classic. Holly Golightly is again here with her Brokeoffs and it very well might be the hight of this duet’s career. Sweet Apple’s new album Love and Desperation is an instant hit record, lots of hooks and humor, but also some unexpected lyrical depths. But, let’s not forget to dedicate today’s show to Malcolm McLaren – legendary manager of Sex Pistols and a rock’n’roll maverick who died on April 8 this year.
Here we are again – another usually unusual episode of The Little Lighthouse. We have a brand new Mose Allison record, which he recorded with help of Joe Henry. John Hiatt has a new record The Open Road. Neo-blues duet The Pack A.D. also have a new record We Kill Computers. A great cd also came out this month for The Model Prisoners, which was a band for Sonny Vincent and Bobby Stinson after he left The Replacements. Bobby died in 1995, but a collection of recordings with various fidelity came out only now. Aleksandar made an interview with Sonny. Look for the tied up lady logo link among our bonuses on the right bar on this page. As Sweet Apple is preparing for their debut album on April 20th, an mp3 containing one of the songs from the album was distributed around. We hear that mp3, the song I’ve Got A Feeling.
Today we showcase several new names at The Little Lighthouse: John Paul Keith, Eichmann Family, Sweet Apple, Â The Hex Dispensers, Smith Westerns and D. Charles Speer. John Paul Keith comes from Memphis and has a band called The One Four Fives. About a year ago he put out the record called Spills And Thrills and it’s such a beautiful record, I can’t believe I missed until now. John Paul Keith’s band opened for Jack Oblivian in Cleveland and even more than that – they played the role of the Tearjerkers that night. John Paul Keith was also one of the Snake Eyes – the last band for Jim Dickinson before he passed away. Eichmann Family is another garage rock band from Zagreb – there are several very good ones over there. Sweet Apple is the new band for John Petkovic and Tim Parnin from Cobra Verde and J. Mascis and David Sweetapple form The Witch. Supergroup for the new millenium, isn’t it? Hex Dispenser are garage magicians from Austin Texas. Smith Westerns is a new band from Chicago and D Charles Speer and his Helix are from New York City – two new names that come from big cities, but sound much more provincial (which is a good thing at The Lighthouse!). And the last, but not the least, our favorites from a few years ago, Bassholes have a new LP, and it’s untitled again.