On this first volume of The Mose Chronicles, singer-songwriter and pianist Mose Allison brings his idiosyncratic brand of southern comfort to London for this well-cheered live session. Flanked by a crowd that wholeheartedly embraces both his sardonic drollery and the supple rhythm section of bassist Roy Babbington and drummer Mark Taylor, Allison is in top form in this enthralling program that's characteristically wry and full of sharp wisdom. Mose is always divinely swinging, too, leveraging the hundreds of gigs he's played with this trio. Plain-folk advice marks the jumping "No Trouble Livin'," just as poetic social commentary rivets the sly "Everybody's Cryin' Mercy" and the joyfully apocalyptic "Ever Since the World Ended." Straight-ahead balladry comes to the fore on "Meet Me at No Special Place," an early favorite of Nat King Cole's trio. Allison's punchy piano style is as effervescent throughout the Chronicles as his singing is backwoods, and it makes for great listening.
Ritter's literate, highly romantic brand of folk has gained him attention on both sides of the Atlantic. Hello Starling, his third album, sees him pushing the boat out further and trying to move beyond the evident influence of Bob Dylan. It doesn't always work: the up-tempo "Kathleen" and "Man Burning", with their swirling organs, clearly carry the mark of Zimmerman, as does the soft and heartfelt "You Don't Make It Easy Babe", a troubled ode to a troubling girl. But this doesn't necessarily matter. Ritter's vocal performances may lack the intensity and weight of Dylan or Leonard Cohen (an equally heavy influence, most evidently on the track "Wings"), but he has a charm and lightness of touch that will endear him to many. Beyond this, it's a real joy to hear a musician attempting ambitious narratives ("Wings", "Bone of Song") where many singer-songwriters cower cravenly behind impressionistic cut-up techniques or, worse still, spatter us with self-obsessed drivel. Perhaps a few albums on, Ritter will truly find his own voice and be considered a real find.
Chaka Khan is set to return with her first album in 12 years. The full-length is dubbed, Hello Happiness, and is due for arrival on February 12th.
Hello Happiness serves as the long-awaited follow-up to 2007’s Funk This. It’s being released through Diary Records, the new label co-founded by Major Lazer member and Grammy-nominated producer Switch.
The forthcoming LP spans a total of seven “empowering” songs, including the previously released “Like Sugar”. It also features today’s unveiled title track, on which Khan celebrates “the life-affirming power of music” by successfully returning to the warm groove and strut of her disco roots.
Snapper's Hello Mary Lou spotlights Ricky Nelson's hits recorded in the '50s and '60s including "Travelin' Man," "Stood Up," "Poor Little Fool," and " Hello Mary Lou." While this set isn't bad for casual listeners, the better choice is Greatest Hits on Capitol, as it includes "Garden Party" and other favorites not included on this compilation.
An integral part of the early 1980s thrash metal movement, New Jersey quartet Overkill were formed in 1980 by vocalist Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth and guitarist Bobby Gustafson, and also included bassist D.D. Verni and drummer Rat Skates (later replaced by Sid Falck). The band garnered a reputation for brutal, pounding speed and technique, but lacked the musical diversity to compete with heavy hitters like Metallica; still, Overkill built up a strong following in the metal underground with albums like 1985's Taking Over and 1988's Under the Influence…
In 2016, Cheap Trick were finally elected into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which is often a double-edged sword for a working band. While the induction represents a powerful acknowledgment of their legacy, it's also an honor most often bestowed on bands that are well past their golden era…
Following the success of Piledriver, Status Quo opted not to change a thing, unfurling the mind-numbing boogie attack of Hello! The strategy worked, resulting in the group's first number one album and in "Caroline," its first top-five single. Mostly, the album succeeds in spite of itself. "Roll Over Lay Down," not immediately impressive, builds into a tizzy over the course of five minutes. It is one-upped by "Caroline," the definitive Status Quo rock song, a not particularly hard or fast four-on-the-floor stomp saved by a massive, deceptively simple guitar hook. "Forty-Five Hundred Times," less catchy but harder rocking, is brutally long, but is rescued by its placement as the album's closer.