Tag Archives: Cypress Grove

Lydia Lunch and Cypress Grove – A Fistful of Desert Blues (Rustblade)

Lydia Lunch and Cypress Grove reviewLast year a surprisingly uncharacteristic album came from Lydia Lunch. She and her collaborator, guitarist Cypress Grove recorded a mighty fine, moody, rock’n’roll album called appropriately A Fistful of Desert Blues. Rarely does a record title fit the sound so well. It’s a western desert blues record that can stand next to any Gun Club record and live up to it.

In fact there is a song by Jeffrey Lee Pierce on it called St. Mark’s Place. Cypress Grove had an earlier collaboration with Pierce on the Ramblin’ Jeffrey Lee record in 1992. Although, Lydia’s and Cypress’ version of St. Mark’s Place is well known from the We Are Only Riders tribute to Pierce, it serves well on the Fistful of Desert Blues album to remind us where the whole thing originated from.

While We Are Only Riders is a wonderful album, it maybe lacks some focus with so many musicians trying to find their way to express their admiration for Jefferey Lee’s work, A Fistful of Blues overcomes that problem easily by delivering plenty of originals. And there’s a cool variety to keep your attention. From dark and moody ramble of the opener Sandpit to the rocking Jericho.

Another cool cover worth mentioning is Mark Lanegan’s Revolver which fits perfectly as one of the focal points of this album. Cool reinterpretation of Van Morrison’s TB Sheets with Walter Daniels on harp makes a wonderful closer and makes you moan for more.

Flashlite #287

Elin Larsson, Blues PillsWe start of rocking hard. Mojo Magazine came up with the third instalment of their Heavy Nuggets and it sounds heavier than ever. Then we have a new name from Sweden – a hard rocking band Blues Pills fronted by Elin Larsson. Twin Peaks hail from Chicago and have a new album Wild Onion. Then we have a nice pair from Hozac – two singles and two new bands, 999999999 from the US and Southern Comfort from Australia, lead by Harriet Hudson and Angie Bermuda (also in Straight Arrows). One of the strongest albums this year so far is a duet by Lydia Lunch and Cypress Grove, entitle simply A Fistful of Desert Blues. They recorded a bunch of punky blues songs and it’s really strong. Then we have Richard Thompson with a new acoustic solo record in which he revisits his classics. But probably the coolest little bit today comes out in our Live in CLE segment. Today we have a brand new band from Cleveland called Monday Sound and it’s put together by Tom Fallon (New Salem Witch Hunters) and Brent Ferguson (Living Stereo). They covered no less than two Jackie DeShannon songs on their first gig ever and my recorder was handy…

The Gun Club – The Stranger In Our Town;
Freedom – Going Down;
Blues Pills – High Class Woman;
Ian McLagan and The Bump Band – All I Wanna Do;
Freddie King – Going Down (Blues Alphabet);
Twin Peaks – No Way Out;
Jackie DeShannon – Dream Boy;
The Monday Sound – Dream Boy (Live in CLE);
Jackie DeShannon – Don’t Turn Your Back On Me;
The Monday Sound – Don’t Turn Your Back On Me (Live in CLE);
999999999 – White Devils;
Southern Comfort – Suzanne;
Sonic Youth – Death Valley ’69;
Lydia Lunch and Cypress Grove – End of My Rope;
Wovenhand – Field of Hedon;
Richard Thompson – I Misunderstood.