A Good Feeling at The Met

Glenn Mercer led The Feelies through an exuberant set at The Met.

The Feelies made what has become their annual visit to New England this past weekend – I've caught the band’s springtime visits for the past four years. This time around was supposed to be a two-night stay, starting with a gig in Cambridge on Friday. Of course, that was canceled due to the Greater Boston area being in lockdown as the manhunt for the Boston Marathon bombers played out only a few miles away.

Fortunately, for those of us who had planned to see the Cambridge show, we had another chance the next night when the band made its first Rhode Island appearance in more than two decades. They quintet graced the stage at The Met in Pawtucket, R.I., a great venue that has recently upped its game booking wise. It really has all that The Paradise in Boston has to offer (except the legendary history) but with easier parking, better sightlines, cleaner restrooms and friendlier staff.

Though the Jerseyites made no direct reference to the traumatic and surreal events the area had endured over the past week – they’re not really much for stage banter — they were spurred on by the enthusiasm of the crowd and delivered a much needed celebration and return to normalcy.

Context aside, it was a typically wonderful Feelies show, featuring two sets and a lengthy series of encores. They played most of the old favorites (“Slipping Into Something,” “Higher Ground,” “Away” “Deep Fascination,” “Crazy Rhythms” et al) and more recent standouts (“On and On,” “Nobody Knows” and “Time Is Right”).  A special surprise was the rarely played “Decide” from 1991’s Time for a Witness album.



As usual, The Feelies offered up their own unique take on more than a half-dozen covers by the likes of The Velvet Underground, Bob Dylan, The Beatles, The Stones, The Stooges, The Doors, Television and R.E.M.  They slipped The Velvets (“There She Goes”) and Dylan (“Seven Days”) into their main sets – ending the first set with a particularly vicious rendition of the Dylan tune – then packed the four or five encores with the rest. 

Most notable of these were two covers that I had never heard the band do before. The first was The Stones’ “Get Off of My Cloud,“ seemingly a bit out of character for them, but so was “Seven Days” only a few years ago and now it‘s nestled comfortably in their repertoire. The other was R.E.M.’s “Shaking Through.” The Feelies’ R.E.M. connection goes way back – Peter Buck production and opening shows for the Athens quartet back in the mid ’80s. I’d heard them cover “Carnival of Sorts (Box Cars)” several times, but never this Murmur track.  

Despite the interesting covers, though, it’s The Feelies’ sometimes manic, sometimes melancholy, but always melodic pop that keeps me coming back each time. I hope they reschedule the Cambridge show before another year passes.


SET LIST
The Feelies at The Met, Pawtucket, R.I.  4/20/13
First Set:
•  It’s Only Life
•  Who Loves the Sun
•  For Now
•  instrumental
•  Change Your Mind
•  There She GOes
•  Invitation
•  Nobody Knows
•  Should Be Gone
•  Let’s Go
•  Again Today
•  The High Road
•  On the Roof
•  Seven Days

Second Set:
•  Deep Fascination
•  On and On 
•  Decide
•  Higher Ground
•  For Awhile
•  The Final Word
•  Way Down
•  Away
•  Slipping Into Something
•  Doin’ It Again
•  Time Is Right
•  Too Far Gone
•  Raised Eyebrows
•  Crazy Rhythms

Encores:
•  Get Off of My Cloud
•  Waiting
•  Shaking Through
•  See No Evil
•  Sooner or Later
•  I Wanna Be Your Dog
•  Everybody’s Got Something to Hide (Except Me and My Monkey)
•  Paint It Black
•  Take It As It Comes
•  Fa Cé-La

G.P. and The Rumour Rock Rhody

I saw Graham Parker play live last night for the third time in the last 7 months. My wife and I caught him for a solo set on our wedding anniversary back in September. Then a friend and I saw his much-anticpated reunion with his original backing band The Rumour in December. Last night, it was another gig with The Rumour, this time at The Met in Pawtucket, R.I., with a few friends and my teen-age daughter. 

With a rare all-ages show, I didn’t want to miss the opportunity to introduce her to G.P.’s impassioned live performance, song-writing acumen and witty banter. Of course, judging by the crowd, the “all ages” on the ticket meant you were welcome no matter how ancient you are! At nearly 18, my daughter was the youngest one there – by a lot. Regardless, she dug it, too.

In the December gig, it was obvious that the reunification with The Rumour inspired Graham not only to rock out, but to emote in ways that I’ve seldom seen him do in the dozen or so concerts I’ve seen over the last 25 years. (And as great a backing band as The Figgs have been for him on occasion over the years, it seems there’s just no substitute for his original compadres.) That was even more obvious last night at The Met. Graham was dancing and gesticulating like I’ve never seen him. And though there was plenty of gray hair on stage, the singer’s energy did justice to the “angry young man” legacy. He did, however, smile a lot more than back in the day.


This video hardly does justice (sound or vibe wise) to the superb, energetic show Graham Parker and The Rumour delivered last night at The Met.


As in December, guitarists Brinsley Schwarz and Martin Belmont were both in fine form, trading the many memorable vintage-toned melodies that are hallmarks of some of Parker’s best songs. While the six-stringers tend to get the most attention, the rhythm section of Andrew Bodnar and Steve Goulding played with deft touch and keyboardist Bob Andrews rocked the Hammond B-2 and impressed with essential – and very under-appreciated, I think – harmony vocals.  

The set list followed a similar tack as the late fall tour, with a few variations and perhaps a little less emphasis on the new album (the impressive Three Chords Good) and a little more on G.P.’s ample catalog of hits.

Things kicked into gear just a few songs in with the “controversial” (G.P.’s description) “Coat Hangers,” leaving little doubt about singer’s politics. Many highlights followed, including a particularly soulful “Black Honey,” a vibrant, edgy and elongated “Protection” and “Don’t Ask Me Questions,” which G.P. aptly introduced by saying, “Nobody plays this shit like The Rumour!” He’s right.

One of the most telling memorable moments came during the last song of the main set, “Local Girls.” I looked over the crowd to my left and saw Mike Gent – who opened the show and has backed G.P. in various guises for the last decade or so – dancing and singing along with abandon. Just another punter in the crowd inspired by G.P.’s brand of smart pub rock pop. Of course, a few minutes later Graham pulled him up on stage to join in on vocals for the rousing finale of “Soul Shoes,” which was propelled to the finish by Bob Andrews’ pounding Hammond.


Mike Gent of The Figgs joins G.P. for some impassioned vocals. 

On this second tour since reuniting and recording the critically acclaimed Three Chords Good last year, G.P. and the boys seem to be riding high on the exposure of the band’s appearance in Judd Apatow’s 2012 film This Is 40 (with G.P. even plugging the freshly released blu-ray edition of the movie, which features a documentary on the band). The fact that they all seem to be genuinely enjoying this second run 30 years on begs the question as to whether they might be game to do another album together – sooner rather than later.

My brief chat with Brinsley after the show as he cleared his gear off the stage and the crowd thinned out gave reason for hope. To my encouraging “you guys should do another album!” comment, he replied, “Yeah, we were just talking about that.”

Get to it boys!


SET LIST
G.P. & The Rumour
The Met, Pawtucket, R.I.  4/12/13
•  White Honey
•  Fool’s Gold
•  Howlin’ Wind
•  Coat Hangers
•  Three Chords Good
•  Long Emotional Ride
•  Lady Doctor
•  Get Started, Start a Fire
•  Black Honey
•  Snake Oil Capital of the World
•  Soul on Ice
•  A Lie Gets Halfway Around the World
•  Watch the Moon Come Down•  Discovering Japan
•  Don’t Get Excited
•  Protection
•  Stupefaction
•  Local Girls
Encores:
•  Passion Is No Ordinary Word
•  Don’t Ask Me Questions
•  Soul Shoes

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

Music in Mexico on the Road to the Mayans

A pleasant ride through the Yucatan countryside on our way to see the Mayan ruins in Coba. No getting lost, there’s only one very straight road through the jungle with just a few humble hamlets along the way. 

Not quite so many Gringo tourist-targeted money traps on this route. In fact, as depressing as some of it was (definite Third World feel), it was good to see some parts of the country outside the sphere of the tourist trade.

Apropos music by Los Lobos and Los Straightjackets. We listened to some Santana, Rodrigo y Gabriela and Clash on the way, too. 

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 'Boys Do Yeats Proud

The Waterboys’ 2011 release, An Appointment with Mr. Yeats, was a heartfelt – if hit or miss – reinterpretation of several of the famed Irish writer’s verses (the poet himself referred to his poems as “songs” for they were, in fact, lyrical). In honor of what would be the poet’s 147th birthday, here’s a stripped down version of “Mad as the Mist and Snow” – one of the strongest tunes on Mike Scott and the ’boys’ Yeats collection – recorded live in France earlier this spring.



Dig the masks, too – another Yeats fascination.

Groovin’ NBA Ad

As a both huge music fan and a dedicated basketball fan, I love this recent NBA commercial:


The athletes’ expressions are a perfect mimicry of musicians’ emotive facial contortions. A good use of Sam and Dave’s classic tune, 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.

Nope, Not Intoxicated at All!

I first came across this video when it was referred to in an article on Paid Content. The story detailed the copyright issue EMI asserted over the posting of this police cruiser surveillance video on YouTube after it was submitted as evidence in the legal proceedings related to the incident preceding the footage.

Seriously? I know EMI is a huge (read, idiotic) corporation passively overseeing the demise of a dying enterprise, but surely even the suits who once ruled Britannia’s recording biz must realize that this viral video phenomenon can do nothing but possibly prompt the sale of a few more copies of Queen’s iconic “Bohemian Rhapsody.”

Anyway, all that aside, the video is entertaining. It can’t possibly have helped the defendant’s case in court. But forgive the singing and you have to admire his unimpaired memory and perseverant rendition of the tune Wayne and co. immortalized in another backseat performance.

I’ll Drink to That!

Now this is putting technology to good use!

High Flying

While I appreciate history in all forms, I generally try to avoid nostalgia. But given the state of the Boston Celtics these days — good, but not good enough – seeing this video makes us fans pine for ye olde days ... like this:

Pretty much the definition of “shooting the lights out.” Even the Atlanta bench was falling all over themselves over some of the shots Larry Bird was sinking by the second half. And, to cap it all off, he even nails his shot at the buzzer to end the night. (I like how the compilers included a few awesome passes in with all the scoring highlights. That was such a big part of Bird's game, too.)

Today’s News: The 3 Little Pigs

The Guardian recently published a two-minute video advertisement for it’s Open Journalism series that imagines how the story of The Three Little Pigs would be covered today if it were a news story.

The video (non embeddable) is both funny and scary in the degree to which it’s on the mark. View it here.

Who Needs a Reason?

Fave singer-songwriter-guitarist Mark Cutler comes around with a new (and rare) one-off single release with an apropos theme for this – or, in fact, any – time of year:

Gotta love the classic pop blues sound and the nice slide guitar work – something Mr. C seems to be enjoying doing quite a bit more of these day. They're nicely paired with the vintage cartoon clips – oh, and Maestro Shemp, too, of course!

You can snag the song on iTunes (I did) as well as most of the other comparable sources.

And, come to think of it, no matter the tenor of the times, I’d say most of us have plenty of reason to celebrate.

Church Symphony’s Sonic Explosion

Who says old guys can’t rock? This recently surfaced video clip offers compelling evidence to the contrary, even if said geezers have a 70-piece orchestra in tow.

The Church’s sheer hyperblastic force on this version of their adrenaline-propelled classic track, “Tantalized,” from 1986’s Heyday, overwhelms the George Ellis Orchestra. The classical musicians accompanied the Aussie rock band during a special one-off “Psychedelic Symphony” performance at the Sydney Opera House in April 2011.

In fact, the orchestra seems unnecessary for much of the song, though it does add some nice embellishments around the band’s satiated sound. (It should be noted, too, that the original LP track did have prominent horn parts, too, so it wasn’t all just guitar slinging then either.)

Absolutely brilliant rock excess, even with the orchestral flourishes.

The Waterboys Do W.B.

The collision and incendiary results of two of my long-time favorites: My all-time favorite writer, the poet W.B. Yeats, and one of my favorite folk-leaning rock bands, The Waterboys.

Head Waterboy Mike Scott recently undertook the adaption of a set of Yeats poems to rock song format. And while I’m not sold on every single interpretation, some of them are quite inspired ... and inspiring. This is is one of them:

“Mad As the Mist and Snow,” was one of three tunes from The Waterboys’ new release, An Appointment with Mr. Yeats, that the band performed on Later with Jools Holland on 10/28/11.

What the Buck?!

Mountain bikers beware! Here’s why pedaling through the savannah might not be as fun as it sounds:

I feel for this dude! That looked brutal. Who knew those red hartebees were such badasses? The Forty-Niners should sign a few of them as cornerbacks.

F*** This!

This is a creative and effective take on the PSA (that’s public service announcement, for those of you not familiar with the media biz lingo).

They managed to get more of a diversity of celebs to participate, not just the usual crew of lefty do-gooders (although most of them are represented here, too).

Indeed, Sometimes It Does ...

Hats off to Megan O’Neill’s SocialTimes Web Video blog for ID’ing this whacked-out accident scene interview from a recent Fox newscast in Phoenix ...

... and then the even better “Songify” treatment by The Gregory Brothers. Don’t cheat, you have to watch the original broadcast video first to appreciate the second one:

If you want to see the full lyrics and chords – and I know you do! – click through to the Songify version posted on YouTube.

R.I.P., R.E.M.

Today, R.E.M. announced their break up after 31 years as a band. Few seemed very shocked by the news, and many, myself included, believe it was overdue – perhaps even long overdue.

Don’t get me wrong, the boys from Athens were great in their day; industry-shaking and authentically artistic. Drawing from rock, country, folk and even punkish influences, they applied their own brand and created a unique sound that has since influenced many others. In fact, matched only by U2 and The Clash (maybe), R.E.M. was the defining rock band of the era – at least in terms of the intersection of artistic merit and commercial success – for my generation (i.e., those in college during the early to mid 1980s).

But the bottom line today is that they have not been a noteworthy or relevant band in the present tense for more than a decade. Peter Buck’s extra-band activities (with Robyn Hitchcock, Tired Pony, The Minus Five and others, as well as guesting on sessions with The Decemberists et al) have been far more interesting than his primary band’s output for quite some time.

On top of that, Michael Stipe has grown increasingly obnoxious and annoying over the years. The consensus seems to be that he was better liked (artistically) as Mr. Mumbles, when no one could understand what he was singing, and (personally) when he just kept his mouth shut. (Ever see Charlie Rose’s interview with the singer and aspiring photographer in 2007? If so, you get my drift on the latter point.)

Nevertheless, several of R.E.M.’s records (Reckoning, Fables of the Reconstruction, Document, Automatic for the People and New Adventures in Hi-Fi) will always have a special resonance for me. And I’m very glad I got to see the band in concert a number of times – from small theaters and large clubs to arenas.

I loved Buck’s approach to guitar. He singlehandedly gave new life to Rickenbacker sales in the mid 1980s – OK, maybe Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers deserve a bit of credit for that, too. And later he made a place for mandolin in rock music not heard since The Face’s “Maggie Mae” and Zeppelin’s “The Battle of Evermore.” As an ever-dreaming indie record-store manager in Athens prior to hooking up with Stipe and forming the band, Buck was a student of rock history from ’60s’ garage bands onward. That enthusiastic scholarship served R.E.M. well, shining through in more than just the Byrds-meets-Velvet-Underground, jangle-pop of the band’s first few recordings.

Meanwhile, Mike Mills was the band’s secret weapon; underrated, but essential, not just as a bass player, but as a keyboardist, arranger and, most of all, harmony vocalist. And then there was Bill Berry, a good drummer and an important contributor to the band’s overall sound. The truth is, the band should’ve called it a day when he resigned in 1997. Nevertheless, that doesn’t diminish R.E.M.’s accomplishments at the height of their artistry, or their legacy. So while they may not really be missed, they will be fondly remembered.

Despite popular perception, not a love song.

My Favorite R.E.M. Releases:

1. Document (1987)
2. Reckoning (1984)
3. Fables of the Reconstruction (1985)
4. Automatic for the People (1992)
5. New Adventures in Hi-Fi (1996)
6. Murmur (1983)
7. Life’s Rich Pageant (1986)
8. Out of Time (1991)

No Paperback Writer: McCartney, Rejected!

I recently came across a humorous guest post by novelist Jon Gibbs on Nathan Bransford’s writing and publishing blog. It’s a well-executed, if somewhat predictable, tongue-in-cheek reject letter sent by a snarky literary agent to Paul McCartney as if The Beatles’ 1966 classic “Paperback Writer” had been an actual query letter.

This certainly appeals to the “publishing geek” in me, and no matter which side of the equation you might be on in the publishing formula, you can sympathize with the perspectives played out here. Or you you might simply enjoy it as a Beatles’ fan. Regardless, it’s worth a read. (Check it out here.)

And, to refresh your memory, here’s the original promo video the lads did for the song:



And, given the details of the referenced blog post, the full lyrics to the song might help, too:


Paperback Writer
(Lennon/McCartney) - but really Paul

Paper back writer (paperback writer)
Dear Sir or Madam, will you read my book?
It took me years to write, will you take a look?
It’s based on a novel by a man named Lear
And I need a job, so I want to be a paperback writer,
Paperback writer.

It’s the dirty story of a dirty man
And his clinging wife doesn’t understand.
The son (The Sun? Nice double entendre!) is working for the Daily Mail,
It’s a steady job, but he wants to be a paperback writer,
Paperback writer.

Paperback writer (paperback writer)

It’s a thousand pages, give or take a few,
I’ll be writing more in a week or two.
I can make it longer if you like the style,
I can change it round and I want to be a paperback writer,
Paperback writer.

If you really like it you can have the rights,
It could make a million for you overnight.
If you must return it, you can send it here
But I need a break and I want to be a paperback writer,
Paperback writer.

Paperback writer (paperback writer) ...

ADDENDUM

While tracking down the original video above, I also came across another interesting rendition of the song. This one is a rawer version the band prerecorded on a stage set in England in place of an in-person appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show in early 1966. It also includes the B-side to “Paperback Writer,” John Lennon’s “Rain” – further example of the songwriting duo’s potency during this period. (Who else was making singles with, in effect, two strong A-sides?)



I never noticed McCartney’s chipped tooth in this before now. Apparently, others noticed, too, leading to so many comments about it on YouTube that the video’s uploader got annoyed and disabled the comment capability. He does, however, explain that it was the result of a motor scooter accident. Obviously Paul (the cute one) had it fixed soon thereafter.