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Leonard Cohen
Live in Dublin
Hot on the heels of his latest studio album
Popular Problems
comes
this triple CD recorded live in Dublin in 2013. In what is virtually an
on-stage career retrospective, the 80 year old singer/songwriter,
backed by his versatile six piece band and a trio of female backing
singers, includes just about everything fans would want to hear.
Bird On The Wire,
Suzanne, First We Take Manhattan, Dance Me to the End Of Love,
and
Hallelujah
are
performed in Cohen’s distinctive talk/singing style with a nuance and skill that makes
them timeless.
Sony
Bryan Ferry
Avonmore 4 1/2
As he so often does, Bryan Ferry cleverly weaves touches of contemporary
production into the fabric of his signature sound on his first release of new
material in four years. With a shifting cast that includes guitarists Nile
Rodgers, Mark Knopfler, Johnny Marr and Steve Jones, Ferry – always the
romantic – ponders the mysteries of love, embellishing each song with subtle wisps of sax,
trumpet and keyboards. The last two tracks are intriguing covers of Stephen Sondheim’s
Send
In The Clowns
(that opens with a backwards-running guitar) and Robert Palmer’s
Johnny And
Mary.
Cooking Vinyl/Universal
Another Day, Another Time: Celebrating the Music
of
Inside Llewyn Davis
This one-night-only concert was held at New York City’s Town Hall to
celebrate the music of the movie
Inside Llewyn Davis,
the story of a-week
in-the-life of an aspiring young singer struggling to make his mark in the
pre-Dylan Greenwich Village folk scene of 1961. The concert included a handful of songs from
the film and appearances of cast members joined by The Punch Brothers, acting as house
band, folk icon Joan Baez, Gillian Welch and David Rawlings, The Milk Carton Kids, Jack
White, Conor Oberst, Marcus Mumford, and Elvis Costello.
Warner Music
Marcia Ball
The Tattooed Lady and the Alligator Man
American singer, pianist Marcia Ball – whose style includes
elements of zydeco, swamp blues, boogie woogie, R&B and soul –
experienced a musical epiphany aged 13 when she heard legendary New
Orleans singer Irma Thomas. This led to an interest in Louisiana-style
piano playing as exemplified by Professor Longhair, Fats Domino and James Booker who
have continued to inspire her throughout a long and successful career. Featuring her stellar
touring band, (bass, drums, guitar, sax) the husky voiced storyteller paints musical pictures
full of characters like those in the title track.
Alligator/Only Blues
The Grand Ole Opry Story
The Grand Ole Opry
is an American institution. A radio program, founded in
1925, initially named
WSM Barn Dance
, is among the longest-running radio
broadcasts in history. Based around performances broadcast live to air, it
is dedicated to honouring country music and its legacy. Country, bluegrass,
folk, gospel and comedy are on offer. This four-CD/100-track release of studio recordings will
take you on a journey through country music history. Old time country of the ’20s and ’30s
with Uncle Dave Macon and The Delmore Brothers, to the heyday of country’s popularity of
the ’60s with Patsy Cline and Loretta Lynn. And everything in between.
Willie Nelson & Sister Bobbie
December Day: Willie’s Stash Vol. 1
Outlaw country icon Willie Nelson and his sister Bobbie were both taught
to read music and play instruments by their grandparents, who raised them,
when they were pre-teens. Now both in their ’80s, that’s a lot of years of
music making. Bobbie joined Willie’s Family Band when it was founded in 1973, and over
the years they’ve spent many a journey on the tour bus playing and singing.
December Days
offers new versions of their personally selected favorites. With Bobbie on piano and Willie
on his trusty guitar Trigger there is a familiar comfort to these laid back recordings, like we’re
listening into something really special.
Sony Music
Jim Lauderdale
I’m a Song
Jim Lauderdale is Mr Americana, and he is a song. Constantly writing,
recording and producing new projects with people like Elvis Costello,
Ralph Stanley and good friend Buddy Miller. He’s a Nashville hit maker for
others – but not so much for himself. On his 26th album he co-writes with
Costello, Bobby Bare and The Grateful Dead lyricist Robert Hunter, whom he’s worked with
extensively. This is a true country album from Lauderdale in that classic Bakersfield style
with songs about love and all its honky tonk associated side effects. With a crack band
and a little help from friends LeeAnn Womack and Patty Loveless, this is another totally
satisfying Lauderdale record.
WJO
Jools Holland and his Rhythm and Blues Orchestra
Sirens of Song
Before Jools Holland hosted BBC2’s program
Later... With Jools
Holland
in 1992, the pianist/composer had forged a successful career as a session musician, a
founding member of UK band Squeeze – and with the late Paula Yates – co-presented TV music
show
The Tube
. In 1987 he formed the Jools Holland Big Band, that gradually became his 18-piece
Rhythm & Blues Orchestra. On this release they provide big band support to an elite gathering of world
class female singers, representing genres spanning from today back to the jazz age. Apart from two
songs recorded for Holland’s TV show – Amy Winehouse performing Toots And The Maytals’
Monkey
Man
and the legendary Eartha Kitt who sang the jazz evergreen
Ain’t Misbehavin’
– everything was
recorded specifically for this album. With the exception of Ruby Turner’s cover of Ray Charles’
Jumping
In The Morning,
singers selected material out of their comfort zone, Emeli Sande chose Ruth Etting’s
1928 hit
Love Me or Leave Me,
KT Tunstall reinvented Cole Porter’s
Night And Day,
Laura Mvula
offered Nina Simone’s
See Line Woman,
Melanie C made Stevie Wonder’s
I Wish
her own.
Warner
Justin Townes Earle
Absent Fathers
Getting to 33 is a great achievement in itself for Justin Townes Earle, The son of Steve Earle
has followed in his father’s footsteps – in more ways than one. Having won the battle with
alcohol and drugs, he’s continued to build himself a successful career with his own blend
of soulful country, folk and blues. Now sober and recently married, there’s no stopping him.
Following the success of his fifth album
Single Mothers,
released only four months ago,
Absent
Fathers
is the companion piece. Both were recorded in the same session, and were intended
for double album release. But Earle ultimately decided the albums needed their own specific
identities. The titles of both records reveal much about Justin and his upbringing, and he
continues to tell his story, with his sincere introspective songs. Through truthful revelation lies
a new maturity, with every newly created album. Along with his trademark guitar pickin’ and
straightforward honest presentation, his touring band appear to know and feel these songs with
great respect. A standout track, not intended for this release, was recorded while in Australia on
his recent visit, a beautiful cover of the Fleetwood Mac’s
Dreams,
added as a bonus.
Warner
Billy Pinnell
is one of Australia’s most passionate and well informed broadcasters.
Denise Hylands just gets country music like no one else around
Hard Working Americans
The First Waltz
In 2013 Todd Snider joined forces with a talented bunch of
guys to play and interpret a selection of other people’s songs in a rock
‘n’ roll kinda way. With Dave Schools (Widespread Panic) they brought
together Neal Casal (The Chris Robinson Brotherhood), Chad Staely
(Great American Taxi) and Duane Trucks. They’ve gone all out on their second release, and
recorded a live album, accompanied by a DVD rockumentary. The doco follows them from
their beginnings, recording their debut album and on to playing sold out shows. These Hard
Working Americans have their hearts in country, and heads in rock ‘n’ roll.
Planet/MGM
ROOTS MUSIC
IT’S COUNTRY
13
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