Today we check in with new music fro some true singer songwriting legends: Willie Nelson, John Doe of X, Lyle Lovett and Calexico. Nitty Girtty Dirt Band make a whole album of Bob Dylan covers and they don’t just do Nashville Skyline. Lada, Dinko and Hrvoje from Bambi Molesters have a new band called LHD and it fits very well with their previous work. We also check in with Tyler Bejoian and his Names. But the show opens a newcomer, Peter Donovan from Seattle, WA.
The Americans – Give Way
Peter Donovan – This Better Be Good;
Willie Nelson – I Don’t Go to Funerals;
Green On Red – Time Slips Away;
Daniel Romano – I Don’t Fit In;
Tyler & the Names – OB’s;
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band – Tonight I’ll Be Staying Here With You;
Bob Dylan – Tonight I’ll Be Staying Here with You;
Tom Troccoli’s Dog – Girl from the North Country;
John Doe – The Cowboy and the Hot Air Balloon;
Lyle Lovett – Her Loving Man;
Lyle Lovett – LA County;
Giant Sand – Yer Ropes;
Calexico – Then You Might See;
LHD – Boiling Water, Dreamy Girl;
Amy Lavere – Girlfriends.
Today we hear some new music from the kings of lo-fi rock, Robert Pollard and Guided By Voices. He is as productive as ever. Following his footsteps in lo-fi, we introduce City Yelps from Leeds UK and Honey Radar from Indiana. Paul Kelly is back with a set of Shakespearean sonnets. Plastic Pals form Sweden have a new single. San Mikulec, a one-man band in Croatia is back with the new project called Snooze in Motion and we close everything with John Doe of X with his new album. Bob Hillman is a new name in show, he recorded an albums with the help of Peter Case. We pay respect to Jadranka Stojakovic, probably the greatest female character that ever came out of the Yugoslav pop and rock scene. She passed away yesterday.
Today we say the last goodbye to the great banjo player Doug Dillard and one of the Bee Gees – Robin Gibb. Both of them passed away recently and we owe a lot to each of them for the development of rock’n’roll and popular music in general. Other than that, we check out mainly some new singles, eps – short form in general. John Doe and Exene have a new one, recorded with minimal arrangements in the studio. Richard Buckner has a new three-track ep called Willow. And then come the rockers. The Intelligence from Seattle and Nobunny have new 45s. The Paperhead from Nashville sport a lovely Syd Barrett styled single from a split EP with Mikal Cronin (among others). King Khan also splits a 45 with Mikal. Only LP tracks are by the Dillard and Clark and The Beegees today!
Today we have a large block dedicated to Ty Segall and Mikal Cronin. We know Ty from our earlier shows. Mikal is in his band, and also has a solo record which offers a new standard for the snot punk scene. It’s a wonderful result that showcases a new, yet fully mature songwriter. We also have a new album for The Bangles and their producer, Matthew Sweet. Glossary are back with the new record Long Live All of Us. John Doe tours USA with X, they were in Cleveland on Tuesday, but he also has a solo record out called Keeper. Tommy Keene is back with Behind The Parade. We dedicate today’s show to Jerry Leiber, one half of the songwriting tandem Leiber and Stoller, who passed away on August 22 this year.
More bad news this week… Steve Popovich, rock maverick from Cleveland who indebted the world with many great records died last week in Tennessee at the age of 68. Steve was a musical promoter and record label owner in the golden age of ’70s when he helped manage careers of Bruce Springsteen, Cheap Trick, Boz Scaggs, Joe Grushecky, Southside Johnny, Ronnie Spector, Meat Loaf, Johnny Cash – just to name a few. He was a rare breed, a promoter who truly cared for the music he was promoting, someone who believed in what he liked, even if there was no conventional logic for pushing what he pushed. In that way, he is a true inspiration. We also say goodbye to Benny Spellman, a New Orleans singer who also died last week in his hometown at the age of 79. He left behind exciting early rock songs such as Fortune Teller and Lipstick Traces On A Cigarette, both written by Allen Toussaint. We also throw in a few new records. We introduce Dead Rock West from LA, a band clearly influenced by X. Also, we have new albums for Kate Maki and John Paul Keith. Mama Rosin, zydeco band from Switzerland is also back with a collaboration with Hipbone Slim.
Peter Case is a long standing figure in the history of rock’n’roll. He indebted us with bands like The Nerves and The Plimsouls, plus his rich solo recording career and occasional production work. This year he returns with Wig!. Somewhat surprisingly (although pleasantly), Peter Case reinvents himself on this one as an uncompromising blues-man. Hallmark of this reinvention is the song New Old Blue Car, which artistically defines this record. Melancholic folk-blues tune Old Blue Car from his first solo record now has a very different taste. Let us also mention that this record is also embellished with several subtle quotations from rock’n’roll standards – for example Money in I Ain’t Got No Dough. That’s a wonderful trick that creates an immediate bound for a true rock listener. A hired gun on this album and someone who definitely left a strong mark on it is DJ Bonebrake with his rough beats. Another one who must be mentioned here is the guitarist Ron Franklin who even co-authored some songs on Wig!. I only wish the same line up was out there to tour with this record, as this kind of gritty blues is best consumed live.
X lead us into today’s episode of the Little Lighthouse. I finally saw them live in Cleveland after a failed attempt due to the sold out club in New Orleans and it was unforgettable. We also have some new stuff – The Old 97’s are back with a very good album Blame it On Gravity and Willie Nelson has an amazing box set out, One Hell of a Ride, that reminded me how great he really is. Not that I ever doubted! We also introduce Heartbreak Willie (actually Luka from My Buddy Moose) and Petra, brother and sister from Rijeka who made some nice demos in their home studio.