Eilen Jewell's Understated Treasure

Nearly two months have passed since the occasion, but I don’t want to let the wonderful shows Eilen Jewell and her band played at Fall River’s Narrows Center for the Arts back in mid January go by without some recognition. 

The two sold out performances featured plenty of country twang and upbeat folk highlighted by the tight band's superior chops and Jewell’s prowess as a songwriter and singer. Her between song storytelling added to the folksy vibe while showcasing her understated humor and genuine charm. 

Eilen’s crisp vocals really shone on the few Loretta Lynn tunes where she really cut loose with extra exuberance. Among her many own tunes, standouts included “Queen of the Minor Key,” “Bang, Bang, Bang,” “Warning Signs,” I’ll Remember You,” “Only One” and “If You Catch Me Stealing.” 


SET LIST
Eilen Jewell at  The Narrows Center, Fall River 1/19/13:
•  Radio City
•  I Remember You
•  Warning Signs
•  Heartache Boulevard
•  Reckless
•  Restless
•  Only One
•  Too Hot to Sleep
•  Deep As Your Pocket
•  Why I’m Walking
•  Santa Fe
•  Dusty Boxcar Wall
•  Satisfied Mind
•  Home to Me
•  Rain Roll In
•  High Shelf Booze

•  Fist City

•  Bang Bang Bang
•  I’m Gonna Dress in Black
•  Shakin’ All Over  (with bits of Paint It Black and Daytripper)
Encore:
•  Queen of the Minor Key
•  If You Catch Me Stealing

The Truth (About The Rumour) Is Evident

Graham Parker and The Rumour at the Wilbur Theatre in Boston, Mass.  12/6/12

Saw a terrific Graham Parker and The Rumor gig at the Wilbur Theatre last night. I've seen G.P. a dozen or so times since the mid ’80s, but I don’t recall ever seeing him so positively agitated. Playing all his early hits, not to mention his latest stellar release (Three Chords Good), with the original musicians who helped him mint them seems to have lit a fire under the old sardonic Brit.

An added bonus was a great opening set by G.P. sometime accompaniests and wonderful band in their own right, The Figgs. Our front row seats didn’t hurt either.

Being that close, made for an interesting sonic perspective. We caught more of the sound out of the band members’ individual amplifiers (hearing Martin Belmont’s delightfully clean and crisp vintage Strat tone the loudest since his amp was 10 feet directly in front of us). We caught a bit of bleed of the mixed sound out of the back of the stage monitors, as well as from the house PA sound that filled the space behind us in the small theater. Fortunately, Graham’s voice cut through loud and clear, but it did make for a bit of a different effect than one is accustomed to hearing. 

The new and old tunes fit seamlessly, with standout new tracks being the new “Coathangers” (which Graham noted had “stirred up a bit of controversy ... never a bad thing”) and “A Lie Gets Halfway ’Round the World” nearly matching the most inspired classics: “Protection,” “Get Started (Don’t Start a Fire),” “Stupefaction,” “Passion Is No Ordinary Word” and “Don’t Ask Me Questions.” 

I won’t be surprised to see an official live recording of this 2012 reunion tour before too long. I know I’d buy it. Despite their encroaching geezer-dom, G.P. and the guys proved without a doubt that, indeed, “Passion Is No Ordinary Word” when it comes to their music. 

Here’s looking at you, Graham!

SET LIST:
The Wilbur Theatre, Boston, Mass.
Thursday, Dec. 6, 2012
    •  Fool’s Gold
    •  Never Gonna Pull It Apart
    •  Hotel Chambermaid
    •  Coathangers
    •  Get Started (Start a Fire)
    •  Old Soul
    •  Stop Cryin’About the Rain
    •  Long Emotional Ride
    •  Live in Shadows
    •  A Lie Gets Halfway ’Round the World
    •  Watch the Moon Come Down
    •  Discovering Japan
    •  Nobody Hurts You
    •  Protection
    •  Stupefaction
    •  Local Girls
Encores:
    •  That Moon Was Low
    •  Passion Is No Ordinary Word
    •  Don’t Ask Me Questions
    •  Soul Shoes  (with The Figgs joining in)

Mali Men’s Uplifting Blues

My favorite rockin’ nomads from North Africa made their second visit in two years to The Paradise in Boston last month and, once again, they presented an exotic blend of riff heavy, blues-based, trance rock with an undercurrent of tribal rhythms.

Despite the rampant riffology, overall the music is an upbeat, joyous, trance-like tapestry of melody, rhythm, singing and chanting. 

While many of the songs are indistinguishable to all but the most knowing of the group’s fans (I own six of their CDs yet have a hard time differentiating specific tunes on the fly), there is a definite sense of individual songs. It’s far from some endlessly meandering ebb and flow a la some Grateful Dead shows. The band certainly does jam, but most-often in distinct 2- to 6-minute arrangements that, for the most part, adhere to our Western sense of song structures (verse, chorus, bridge, etc.). 

There was no Ibrahim Ag Alhabib, the group’s most recognized public face and legendary founder, this time around. He may be phasing out of his role after 30-plus years leading the band. In last year’s Paradise show, he took the star turn and made little more than cameo appearances during the group’s lengthy set. The blue-robed Alhassane Ag Touhami (I think) took the lead role for most of that show and now he appears to have assumed the role of senior band leader, perhaps now, in turn, to yield the stage in increments to the next generation of newcomers. 

One new face – proverbially speaking, given what little you can see of them – this time was a tall dude, dressed in white with black head garb. He sang and clapped in the background for most of the nearly two-hour set, but on a handful of tunes he took the center mic to sing and play more ferocious, and more Western-sounding, electric guitar. He was spurred on by his seasoned bandmates, particularly the funky bassist who wouldn’t have been out of place grooving along to some Motown hits. The tall dude was also the only band member to sport a shiny new Gibson Les Paul on one tune – otherwise there’s a lot of sharing of guitars among the three six-string slingers.

The band’s authentic desert nomad apparel adds to the exotic flavor of things, but it also makes for an interesting juxtaposition considering the desert-meets-the-delta vibe of the music. I couldn’t help being struck by a thought spawned by the growing appeal of this North African music among American audiences and the anonymity of with its main proponents. If the tribe has as deep a well of talented musicians as it seems, they could outfit several touring groups to be traveling different parts of the North America and Europe through out the year (or at least in the desert off season). Kind of a musical Blue Man group from the Dark Continent. (I suggest that only partially in jest, and certainly with all due respect.) I hope Tinariwen come back for another annual visit next fall.

In the meantime, I’ll be on the lookout for other purveyors of these engagingly semi-exotic sounds from Timbuktu and beyond.

A Broad View of GP’s Repertoire at the Narrows

Graham Parker does an acoustic take on "Heat Treatment," the title track from his debut album with The Rumour in 1976, during his 9/29/12 performance at the Narrows Center in Fall River, Mass.

Last month, my wife and I made seeing Graham Parker at the Narrows Center in Fall River part of our 22nd anniversary celebration. It seemed fitting since we’ve enjoyed many GP shows – solo and with various bands – together over our years.

This Saturday in late September was no exception. Despite claims of being under the weather and not exactly road ready – it was one of only two shows he was doing on this stint, having added the Narrows to his trip to Cambridge for a commemorative event at the famed folk club Passim – Parker sang as soulfully as usual and regaled the audience with characteristic humor and sarcasm. 

The Narrows is a great venue for fans and perfect for the likes of GP’s solo shows, which he’s made an annual habit of bringing to the old warehouse-cum-artists’-studios in recent years. When out on his own like this, Parker adeptly accompanies himself on acoustic and electric guitar, harmonica and even kazoo – the latter more than once! But mostly it’s about the songs; and, yes, to a lesser degree, the banter.

This show was particularly notable in that besides a handful of the requisite – and welcomed! – favorites, Parker dug deep into his back catalog, pulling out several songs I’d never heard him perform in any of the previous dozen or so times I’ve seen him live. 

Another highlight was the debut of a catchy riff-based tune from the yet-to-be released GP and The Rumour album. Throughout the evening, the noted singer/songwriter and former angry young man spoke with a mix of disbelief and enthusiasm about his former band’s upcoming reunion tour. I know I’m excited; I already have my tix – front row! 

Wanting to end his performance on an upbeat note, Graham Parker performed “Life Gets Better” from his 1983 The Real McCaw album. Of course, as you’ll see in the video above, GP being GP, he couldn’t resist injecting a bit of cynicism into one of his most optimistic songs. Despite that, it holds a nice sentiment for an anniversary celebration. Happy anniversary, baby!

The Wall Revisited

Roger Waters and band perform “In the Flesh?” at Fenway Park, 7/1/12.


So after a 32 year hiatus, I caught my second performance of Pink Floyd’s The Wall last week. Of course, a bit has changed since the first time. Back in February 1980, it was the original full (though not necessarily chummy) Pink Floyd putting on what seemed at the time a highly theatrical rock concert in the canyon-esque confines of the Nassau Coliseum.

This time, of course, it was Roger Waters solo – OK, plus the backing of 12 hired guns, including a few recognizable names (G.E. Smith, Dave Kilminster and Snowy White on guitars), who were obviously more beholden to do the master’s bidding than his former bandmates. It was also staged in gargantuan proportions at Fenway Park (one of a handful or two ballparks to host Waters’ extravaganza of sight and sound this summer).

In fact, songs and a bit of the storyline aside, the two shows are largely incomparable. Floyd’s original was epic in its majestic power and artistic reach. Waters’ new version is a bombastic sensory overload. Even the themes have evolved, with the modern rendition emphasizing the anti-war and Big Bro gov. aspects to far greater extent, while downplaying the personal paranoia and psychosis storyline of the original.

Yes, there were puppets, though fewer in the outdoors stadium, perhaps for fear the wind would set them careening around the city. Yes, there was projected animation, much more of it, in fact. That's because there was a whole lotta wall to fill. The Wall itself had to be three to four times the size of the original arena version, running from foul ball territory in left field all the way to Fenway’s famed centerfield triangle. The Green Monster was dwarfed.

The stage itself extended forward nearly to the infield dirt between second and third bases, leaving just a smattering of people in front of the stage since the Red Sox don’t allow concert fans to tread on the diamond itself.

Forty-two projectors flashed some familiar but massively expanded visuals on the Wall stage left and right, as well as on Floyd’s old circular screen above the drum riser and even on centerstage itself when the wall was completed, with portions opening up to reveal glimpses of the band behind during the second set.

The visuals were constant and relentless. At times, they even overshadowed the massive sound, something that never really happened the first time around. In fact, the whole show exuded a dense, busy and freneticism that was not there in the first, but undoubtedly fitting for of our times.

Of course, even without David Gilmour’s searing guitar and sonorous singing, there were musical highlights (though the famed “Comfortably Numb” wasn’t one of them – that classic just isn’t the same without ol’ Dave singing his parts and wailing that epic guitar solo from atop the Wall. Waters and Co. did, however, deliver rousing versions of “In the Flesh,” “Another Brick in the Wall,” “Empty Spaces,” “Young Lust” and others. Thankfully, the Brechtian climax of “The Trial” seemed a bit abridged. All in all, Waters’ Wall is still a spectacle worth seeing – even from the other side of 30 years.


Roger Waters and band perform “Young Lust” at Fenway Park, 7/1/12.


See “Another Brick in the Wall,” too. 

The Feelies Touch Boston

The Feelies at The Paradise Club, Boston, 5/12/12

A small but enthusiastic crowd took in a characteristically lengthy, slowly-building set from The Feelies in what appears to be shaping up as an annual visit to Beantown. Almost exactly a year from the band’s last area appearance at Cambridge’s Middle East, the Jerseyites this time took the stage at The Paradise.

The two sets featured 34 songs, representing a wide selection from the cult heroes’ back catalog, as well as nine songs from 2011’s Here Before. True to form, they also sprinkled in quite a few choice covers, which included most of the usual selections and one surprise in Dylan’s “Seven Days.”  

SET LIST
The Paradise Rock Club, Boston  5/12/12
First Set
•  Bluer Skies*
•  For Now
•  There She Goes
•  Invitation
•  Nobody Knows
•  Should Be Gone
•  Let’s Go
•  Again Today
•  For Awhile
•  The High Road
•  On the Roof
•  When You Know
Second Set
•  Deep Fascination
•  On and On
•  Higher Ground
•  The Final Word
•  Away
•  Slipping (Into Something)
•  Doin’ It Again
•  Way Down
•  Time Is Right
•  Too Far Gone
•  Raised Eyebrows
•  Crazy Rhythms
Encore
•  Seven Days
•  Box Cars (Carnival of Sorts)
•  Paint It Black
•  Take It As It Comes
•  Fa Ce-La
•  Everybody’s Got Something to Hide
•  She Said She Said
•  I Go to Sleep in Your Arms
•  Later On
•  So Far
* Not sure if this was the opening track since I arrived mid song on this one.

M. Ward Rocks ... Sublimely

M. Ward, House of Blues, Boston, 5/8/12 


I finally got to see Matt Ward perform recently at Boston’s House of Blues. I’ve long anticipated this based on the facts that I’ve long heard from discerning muso friends that he puts on a good show and that I own all seven of his studio releases.

Despite all this, I didn’t really know quite what to expect in terms of which of the Portland, Ore., singer/songwriter’s multiple incarnations would come to the fore in concert this time around: The folky singer/songwriter, the lyrically sharp crooner, the closet rocker, the folk guitarist with the tasteful country jazz flare? I was fairly confident that it would be a lot more formidable than his pop forays as part of She & Him (with Zooey Dashanel) or the rootsy singer/songwriter supergroup Monsters of Folk (with Bright Eyes’ Conor Oberst and My Morning Jacket’s Jim James). With regard to the latter, I was one the mark; as to the former, Ward’s performer featured a bit of it all.

The guy is an accomplished pop craftsman, an emotive singer with a truly unique voice (one that takes some getting used to for some), and a masterful guitarist who avoids flamboyance despite his impressive chops. His tuneful constructions featured spritely finger-picking forays and he even played a few instrumental songs, both solo and with his quartet of drums, bass and acoustic/pedal steel. And you don’t cover John Fahey unless you’re serious about your guitar playing – and quite confident in your ability to pull it off. Ward didn’t disappoint at all.

His set list was perfect as far as I’m concerned, if surprisingly weighted toward earlier works, particularly 2006’s Post War release. Bafflingly, he featured only three songs from the just-released A Wasteland Companion. But he played nearly all my faves from his robust catalog.

What did it sound like? Well, for the uninitiated, it’s American country-folk with hints of rock and a notable jazzy undercurrent, most evident in Ward’s crooning and his modal chording. There are shades of Paul Simon, Leonard Cohen and Buddy Holly, mixed with a bit of country twang, folk melody and rockabilly spirit, all filtered through modern production with genuine artistic sensibility. Though slight in stature, make no mistake: M. Ward is musically a man of great substance and taste.

Throughout 80 minute set, his fingers danced across both acoustic and electric guitars, and he even tickled the ivories for one song on the otherwise neglected piano at stage left toward the end of the evening. Besides the Fahey cover, Ward dusted off his transformative slow acoustic rendition of Bowie’s “Let’s Dance,” featured on 2003’s Transfiguration of Vincent, rollicked through a bouncy version of Buddy Holly’s “Rave On” and kicked off the encore with Chuck Berry’s “Roll Over Beethoven” (see video above).

Ward may not yet be a household name – though the Dashanel partnership would be the fast track to that if not for the pseudo-anonymity of the duo's collaborative moniker – but he’s got far reaching appeal that should resonate with the masses, not just critics and connoisseurs.


SET LIST
M. Ward, House of Blues, Boston 5/8/12
Post War
For Beginners
I’m Gonna Give You Everything
Chinese Translation
Rollercoaster
Fuel for Fire
guitar instrumental
Let’s Dance
Helicopter
Magic Trick
Me and My Shadow
I Get Ideas
Primitive Girl
Requiem
John Fahey song
Fisher of Men
Rave On
Encore:
   Roll Over Beethoven
   Big Boat

Trampled Under Turtles’ Feet

The Paradise Rock Club, Boston, 4/18/12 (Another Sick Frank photo)

I saw some rockin’ bluegrass last week at The Paradise courtesy of Trampled By Turtles. It was the third time I’d see the string-slinging quintet from Minnesota, but the first time I’d seen them performing standing up, which clearly put extra kick in their boots. Of particular note was Ryan Young’s alternatively frenetic and hauntingly forlorn fiddle. Young sparred playfully with Erik Berry’s lickety-split mando melodies and machine gun-like chording. When all five musicians put pedal to metal they accelerated into an acoustic rave up that would’ve made The Yardbirds proud.

The ecstatic sell-out crowd was well familiar with the Turtles’ catalog, singing along with singer/guitarist Dave Simonett on many old faves (e.g., “Codeine,” “Darkness and the Light” and “Wait So Long”), while fervently persistent in their unrequited requests for others (“Whiskey”). It’s worth noting too that six songs from the just-released Stars and Satellites record fit right in with the Turtles’ classics, despite the overall mellower tone of the new collection.

For the uninitiated, the cumulative sound of Trampled By Turtles live suggests something like the Del McCoury Band meets Uncle Tupelo with a dash of Fisherman’s Blues-era Waterboys and a pinch of Ramones. All that is to say that not only do these guys have the authentic bluegrass chops to hold their own at any ’grass fest, an earned maturity and confidence means they comfortably and effectively transcend the genre. They were right at home in rock environs and they ripped the joint.

The Turtles really hit stride a few songs in with “It’s a War,” from their great 2010 release Palomino, and the intensity rarely waned—whether they were playing fast or slow—for the remainder of the 100 minute set. They concluded the main set with a jangley, R.E.M.-ish rendition of “Separate,” followed by a buoyantly rousing “Wait So Long” and an epic “Alone,” the latter featuring all five members of openers These United States joining in on backing vocals. The North Country quintet returned for a frenzied run through “Feet and Bones” before signing off with a somber, lonesome-fiddle fueled “Again.”     

SET LIST
The Paradise Rock Club, Boston, Mass.  4/18/12
Midnight on the Interstate
Help You
Risk
Widower’s Heart
New Orleans
It’s a War
The Darkness and the Light
(?) Still in Love with You 
High Water
Victory
Codeine
Don’t Look Down
Empire
Bloodshot Eyes
Walt Whitman
Separate
Wait So Long
Alone
Encore:
Feet and Bones
Again

Wild Flag’s Pop Power

Wild Flag: Mary Timony, Janet Weiss, Rebecca Cole and Carrie Brownstein

I saw a very good performance by Wild Flag at Boston’s Paradise Rock Club tonight (the new band’s third Beantown appearance in just over a year). These ladies really know how to nail melodies – not just on record but live, too. Tonight’s show was a little less punky indie rock and, somewhat surprisingly, a bit more neo-psychedelic at points than I expected.

I loved last year’s debut album, but some of the video clips I had seen of live performances (undoubtedly from their early gigs; they’ve been together little more than a year) seemed very energetic, but less nuanced in the playing and melodic sensibilities (which are a major part of the band’s allure). But, tonight, the power pop prevailed.

The harmony vox were exceptional, expertly handled by keyboardist Rebecca Cole and drummer Janet Weiss, providing a soaring sweetness to the sound while also instrumentally delivering a gritty verve that energized frontline. Cole, in particular, was impressive in providing a vibrant undercurrent of keys, but her backing vocals practically carried the band. Then again, Weiss’ drumming almost stole the show. I’m tempted to say she’s the best woman drummer I’ve ever seen; not because that qualification is needed, but because female rock drummers are a rarity. Suffice to say she’s a great rock drummer: period. That notion is supported by the fact that she has been an in-demand guest on many albums since her days with Sleater-Kinney.

Fellow S-K alum, singer/guitarist Carrie Brownstein is undoubtedly the most well-known of this Portland, Ore. and Washington, D.C.-based quartet, not only because of that previous bands’ noteworthiness, but nowadays even more so for her key role in the IFC show, Portlandia, in which she co-stars with SNL’s Fred Armison.

Brownstein and Mary Timony, formerly of Helium, trade off both lead guitar and lead vocal duties. Brownstein’s singing is more distinctive, but Timony, though more traditional in approach, is no slouch. Guitar wise, their styles are also different, but very complementary. Before tonight’s concert, I was more familiar with Brownstein’s approach, but I was really impressed by Timony’s melodic, neck-traversing leads. All together, the band reminded me of a more urgent and feminine version of Television (think “Friction”), and not just because they performed “See No Evil” during the encore.

Having only one album to draw upon, and not expecting them to dip very deeply into their previous bands’ catalogs, I wasn’t anticipating a terribly long performance (the roughly 75 minute show was fitting and satisfying). There were a couple of new songs performed, though not identified as such.

This audience video (not mine) features a snippet of Carrie Brownstein’s new song (“Can’t Fill the Void with the Void” maybe?), the most bluesy sound of the evening.

Overall, the 16-song set was well-paced, though it did seem to take three or four tunes to get the energy level fully amped up. (Brownstein, sipping tea throughout, mentioned that she had a sore throat and fading voice, but her singing was powerful and unaffected for the most part.) The band really hit stride on “Boom.” It was soon followed by a pleasantly surprising extended jam on “Glass Tambourine” – one of the aforementioned neo-psychadelic moments, conjuring hints of Hendrix and Traffic.

Other stand outs included “Future Crimes,” “Racehorse” (the other really extended jam, this one a bit too long perhaps) and the set closer “Romance.” They finished off with an encore of “Endless Talk,” the previously cited Television cover “See No Evil” and a spirited version of Fugazi’s “Margin Walker.”

I can’t wait to hear Wild Flag’s next release and see them again.

Set List: The Paradise Rock Club, Boston 3/31/12

Electric Band

Short Version

Black Tiles

Winter Pair

Something Came Over Me

Boom

Glass Tambourine

new Carrie song: Can’t Fill the Void with the Void — maybe

new Mary song: Cool Reaction — maybe

Future Crimes

Nothing

Racehorse

Romance

Encore:

Endless Talk

See No Evil (Television cover)

Margin Walker (Fugazi cover)

Desert-Bred Riffology

The desert guitar poets of Tinariwen at The Paradise , 11/18/11.

It was desert a go-go at The Paradise Rock Club in Boston last Friday night as the core of the Tuareg musical collective known as Tinariwen graced the stage with their simple, compelling guitar riffs (acoustic and electric), nomadic rhythms and rich vocal harmonies.

Think Led Zep’s “When the Levee Breaks” coupled with CSN’s soaring harmonies, and James Jamerson’s boisterously funky bass playing. Spread on some sweetly sung, albeit indecipherable, lead vocals – occasionally French, but mostly some Tuareg tribal dialect – and weave it around North African drumming and slinky, quite Western-friendly guitar riffs and you’ll begin to have an idea of the sound these serious soul men brought to town.

What a vibe! It was an inspiring evening of music – and one of those occasions that really makes me appreciate being in Boston with the opportunity to see (and hear!) a rare performance such as this. Even after all these years, I never take these kinds of things for granted. And they’re all the better experienced in a familiar old favorite like the (legendary) Paradise, where you can easily get a clear view of the action from 15 away or less – and still be no more than twice that distance from the bar! Paradise, indeed.

Playing as a quintet for most of the evening, the desert-dwelling dudes were all decked out in turbans, with the exception of founding member Ibrahim Ag Alhabib, the frizzy-haired face of the band who, in an old blues bandleader-like star turn, let his compadres warm up the crowd for a bit before making his appearance.

Fortunately, he wasn’t even missed, so good was his stand-in, young bandleader-in-the-making Hassan Ag Touhami, a fine singer and riffmeister on both acoustic and electric guitars. He spelled Ibrahim for the first half-dozen or so songs and again for several songs early in the encore. The band brought the celebration to a joyous close with all six members on stage, at which point Hassan again relinquished center stage to the elder Ibrahim, and joined in on backing vocals and dancing duties. The aforementioned bass playing of Eyadou Ag Leche was also exceptional and noteworthy in the superbly simple but sophisticated sound.

If you have the least bit of interest in blues-like world music, I highly recommend you check out Tinariwen – at the very least on record and, by all means, if you have the opportunity, in concert, too.

Further:

• Some fine listening ... All the collective’s releases are worthwhile, but you'd do well to start with:

– their latest, 2011’s Tassili (more acoustic and definitely more Westernized than their previous releases),

– 2001’s The Radio Tisdas Sessions (produced by English guitarist and world music afficianado Justin Adams of Robert Plant’s Strange Sensation band), and

– 2009’s Imidiwan (more electric like North Africa meets Memphis blues).

• Learn more about Tinariwen’s background.

Wilco at the Wang!

I don’t have time to write a proper review of Tuesday’s Wilco show at the Wang Theatre in Boston, but I wanted an excuse to post the cool poster from the gig. This one, by Massachusetts artist (corrected) Stephen Bowman, is perfect. So obvious, in fact, it’s amazing that it hasn’t been done before. But that’s part of the beauty of creativity isn’t it, discovering the obvious that’s yet to be realized?

A few quick notes on the show:

The set featured lots of new songs, expertly performed. Maybe it came across as a bit heavy on new material to casual fans, but for those of us who have seen Wilco live many times over the years, it’s welcome to hear a generous sampling of new stuff – presuming it’s up to par, which these tunes certainly are. Of course, hearing many of the old favorites is great, too!

Since, Nick Lowe opened the show with a solo set, the headliner’s performance was limited to 20 songs, which is quite abbreviated by Wilco standards. Bandleader Jeff Tweedy even remarked that the last time the band played Boston, they played 39 songs! (“Ain’t gonna happen,” he noted wryly, adding his view that it’s better to be able to bring Lowe along for the ride than to hear that much Wilco. Many fans would disagree, but the sentiment was sincere, and we still got our money’s worth of Wilco.) Of the 20 songs the band played Tuesday, seven were from the yet-to-be-released-but-widely-previewed (on NPR and elsewhere) new CD, The Whole Love.

Standout aspect of the 90-minute performance were:

• Guitarist Nels Cline, as always, and, increasingly, multi-instrumentalist Pat Sansone.

• Tweedy channeling Neil Young during his electric guitar solo on “At Least That’s What You Said.”

• The incomparable menace of “Bull Black Nova” – talk about setting a mood with sound!

• “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart” emerging as one of the “classic standouts” of Wilco’s live set.

• The rockin’ climax of “One Wing.”

• The absolutely sublime rendition of “One Sunday Morning” – an understated epic in the making.

• “Handshake Drugs” taking things even higher late in the set.

• Nels going interstellar on his jazzy, Allman-esque, Skydog flights of fancy building up to a frenetic climax on “Impossible Germany.”

• “Born Alone” sporting a nuance and aggressiveness not quite captured on the new record.

It was also interesting to hear songs from Yankee Hotel Foxtrot that were being debuted when I first saw Wilco live 10 years ago now firmly established as much-anticipated staples of the show. I wonder which of the new songs we heard this time will be the classics a decade from now? I’m sure a few of them will be.

WILCO – Wang Theatre, Boston 9/20/11

SET LIST:



Art of Almost


I Might


Black Moon


I Am Trying to Break Your Heart


One Wing


Bull Black Nova


At Least That’s What You Said


One Sunday Morning


Shouldn’t Be Ashamed


The Whole Love


War On War


Born Alone


Handshake Drugs


Impossible Germany


Dawned On Me


A Shot in the Arm


ENCORE:

The Late Greats


I’m The Man Who Loves You


Monday


Outtasite (Outta Mind)

The Majestic Beauty of Frisell’s Dreamers

Bill Frisell’s current trio with Eyvind Kang and Rudy Royston goes by the name Beautiful Dreamers, after their eponymous album of last year. It’s an apt moniker for the majestic tapestry of transportive music the trio weaves.

With Kang on violin and Royston on drums, the soft-spoken bespectacled guitarist again graced the stage of Narrows Center in Fall River, Mass., last night. Like last year’s show there (see my write up of that concert here), it was a magnificent palette of colorful sounds and musical interplay.

What this trio does is a jazzy take on Americana, flavored with modern effects and occasional new-agey elements – all rendered with impeccable musicianship. If not for Frisell’s clear country and folk influences, and his notable propensity for twiddling the knobs of his various stomp-box effects, it would be easy to label him a “jazz guitarist.” And most do. But that charts too narrow a course for his wide-ranging, intuitive and, ultimately, joyous musical explorations. Yes, there are plenty of modal chords in the mix, and the complex melodies he and Kang play in unison are straight out of the jazz playbook. But Frisell’s sonic sparring with delay and other effects puts him in another place than most jazzers dwell. It’s not quite The Edge or Robin Trower (re: the effects) meets Chet Atkins and Les Paul, but it is something akin to that – though clearly with more emphasis on the latter two six-string icons.

With steady concentration, Frisell and co. build a mounting swirl of sound that expands and then ambles onward as it evolves. The guitarist barely breaks a sweat – you won’t see any rock star posing or facial contorting (other than the occasional gleeful smile aimed at a bandmate after a particularly inspired passage). Yet, when the moment is right, he can seriously rip it up. Even then, though, he does it with precision and control, looking at his instrument with a studied thoughtfulness.

That’s not to suggest any lack of passion or feeling in his playing. In fact, it’s exactly the opposite! His fingers effortlessly feel out the most emotive melodies and chord patterns, often infused with a joy that borders on giddiness. This is most evident in the trio’s jaunty take on the Carter Family classic, “Keep on the Sunny Side,” which seems to be emerging as one of the several standards that Frisell is often associated with (along with his unique renditions of “Heard It Through the Grapevine,” “Shenandoah” and a few others). So while his particular brand of flare on the instrument may be understated, it’s no less impactful.

Of those nods to past country and r&b classics, only “Sunny Side,” was featured in Saturday’s two-set, 100-minute performance. But it was a standout along with “Tea for Two,” “Hard Times” and a stunning encore of “Goin’ Out of My Head.”

Lousy iPhone picture of Bill Frisell's Beautiful Dreamers at the Narrows Center, 6/18/11

This was the third time I’ve seen Frisell in the trio format, and the second time with this particular trio. Quite the active musician, he also performs with a quartet and a larger ensembles featuring horns. In addition, he makes guest appearances on many artists’ albums, most recently Buddy Miller’s outstanding Majestic Silver Strings collaborative, as well as with Lucinda Williams and others. The first time I saw him, six years ago, was with a different trio in tow. I’m guessing that – to my ears, anyway – the trio is his best musical setting; at least it’s where his guitar virtuosity shines most brightly. And that’s why I’m there.

I love the interplay between Frisell and Kang (interesting and creative violin playing always gets me, too). Kang has a nuanced feel for a variety of styles, and he’s more than just an adept counterpart for Frisell, mirroring the guitarist’s jazzy licks. On many songs, it’s Kang who leads the way, with Frisell providing the supportive reflections and foundation. Last night reminded me why I was so impressed by Kang last year. But this time I was even more struck by his stunning pizzicato string work. I don’t recall ever seeing a violinist finger pick the strings as much or as adeptly as Kang.

The dynamic that Royston’s super-subtle percussive touch brings to the group is unparalleled. This time around, I had a different vantage point on the triangulated trio, and thus a much better view of the drummer’s surgical stick work (his light dexterity on the cymbals was extraordinary). Royston’s playing is, most of the time, fittingly low key, but every once in a while he executes a controlled explosion, as if to say, “Yeah, I can do that, too!”

In the end, however, as much as Frisell would probably like to make it otherwise, it really is primarily about the guitarist. Playing a red Fender Stratocaster, rather than his familiar Telecaster, he let his musical comrades shine, but left no doubt as to why he was the focal point of the affair. I can’t wait for the next time around.