Be Here Now

Be Here Now, Recorded, Slideshow

Be Here Now: New Album Releases Reviewed 9-18-15 – 9-24-15

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This Sixpence None The Richer singer releases an album of irreproachable country songs, Leigh’s voice has just enough undertow to suggest depth without solemnity, her ballads are subtle enough to draw you in and her singing is clear, clean and unadorned enough to gain your trust. Try “Cruel Heart” or “Chicago” or “”Tell Me Now Tennessee” -try anything, she co-wrote them all. Leigh name checks Dottie West but she reminds me of mid-period Iris DeMent without sounding like her at all – Album Of The Week – A

Be Here Now, Recorded, Slideshow

Be Here Now: New Album Reviews 9-11-15 – 9-17-15

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If there is nothing as great as “Honolulu Blues” it is much much better than the last Hold Steady album. Craig is like Snoop Dogg, his voice is so distinctive that when the song isn’t rock solid, the voice overwhelms it. This is better than his last solo album. a tremendous run of great songs from one end to the other and what it misses in the top rung, it makes up for in the middle – ALBUM OF THE WEEK – A-

Be Here Now, Recorded, Slideshow

Be Here Now: New Album Reviews 8-28-15 – 9-3-15

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Stuff Like That There – Yo La Tengo – This is exactly how I like my Yo La Tengo, a sequel of sorts to their masterpiece, 1990’s Fakebook , every song here has a reason for being and if none of them is “Did I Tell You” or “Oklahoma USA”, all of it as a whole has the tunefulness and character of the latter: a superb collection of covers, of theirs and others,performed to get every single melodic element out of every single song of those type of songs. And, hey, maybe “Friday I’m In Love” is as good as the Kinks. Their best album since 1997 – ALBUM OF THE WEEK – A-

Be Here Now, Recorded, Slideshow

Be Here Now: New Album Reviews 8-21-15 – 8-27-15

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The Awakening – P.O.D. – P. O.D. – are the “Youth Of The Nation” Christiancore standard bearers, well and above the best of the lot, this isn’t for everyone, but if you want well thought out story albums here it is. Not a dud in the lot, you might not agree with its faith but even if you don’t this is very strong, melodic and intelligent stuff. Try “This Goes Out To You”: in a week with so much dreadful CCM, God save P.O.D. – ALBUM OF THE WEEK – B+

Be Here Now, Recorded, Slideshow

Be Here Now: New Album Releases Reviewed 8-7-15 – 8-13-15

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The late Russian poet Anna Akhmatova’s words are translated, put to music, and then made to rhyme, leaving you twice removed from the originals. Though with an adopted Russian daughter, Dement has more reason than most to change though respecting Anna’s words -she could hardly do a crib sheet. Which she does, on an album that while a relative disappointment, and slow, thoughtful, and did I mention slow?, has enough songs with the brilliance of a “Broad Gold” and “Listening Is Singing”, to make it more than rewarding enough. Or would you rather listen to Luke Bryan? – ALBUM OF THE WEEK – B+

Be Here Now, Recorded, Slideshow

Be Here Now: New Album Reviews 7-31-15 – 8-6-15

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Two sexual adjectives and a vicious verb, invites you into Samuel’s bitter brittle state of the USA , intro-ing with a song that would have been a hit for Nine Inch Nails 20 years ago, and a body blow to the American dream, and continuing with “The Lion And The Lamb”, an acoustic Neil Young in protest mode and about a gay kid thrown out by his parents but without the whining vocal, “Hurt” you know and it is here to stake Samuel’s claim to experimental hard rocks disappeared high ground, and by the final track, a trip hop meets Marilyn Manson meets Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry (or at least Adrian Sherwood) mash up, Claiborne’s debut stakes its claim to be the most original agitprop of the year if not the decade – ALBUM OF THE WEEK – A-

Be Here Now, Recorded, Slideshow

Be Here Now: New Music Reviews: 7-24-15 – 7-31-15

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#And See That’s The Thing – Djf Loaf – On the flawless side of things, this rapper, hook singer from Detroit is completely great on her five track EP debut. Dej’s Tae The Truth track was apparently no fluke, though she works closer to the same side of the street as Drake… with a difference: when she raps, she raps so close to the melody she seems to glide over it as opposed to solely play off the rhythm. She is also a great lyricist (though Big Sean sullies one song, Future comes off better). This is something of a masterpiece – ALBUM (well, EP) OF THE WEEK – A

Be Here Now, Recorded, Slideshow

Be Here Now: New Album Reviews, June 30th, 2015

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The Monsanto Years – Neil Young And And Promise Of The Real – From “Harvest” to “Harvest Moon” to “Wolf Moon”, this isn’t the devolution we have been promised but rather a wildly eccentric rock and folk mash up, that works better than anything Young has done since Psychedelic Pill. Even the seven minute song that gives the album its title is a goodie, plus it is politically smart – ALBUM OF THE WEEK – B+

Be Here Now, Recorded, Slideshow

Be Here Now: New Albums Reviewed, June 16th, 2015

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Lantern – Hudson Mohawke – The third best Scottish DJ, after Rustie and the one that is dating Taylor Swift, this is a surprisingly excellent collection of electronic sounds, which seems to balance between mainstream EDM and the stronger stuff. The title track is a doozy and wait around for Anthony’s appearance and Miguel adding a pop opprtunity late – ALBUM OF THE WEEK – A-

Be Here Now, Recorded, Slideshow

Be Here Now: New Albums Reviewed June 9th, 2015

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Suffolk County – Cousin Stizz – “Ain’t nothing much to do around here” Boston rapper Cousin Stizz notes in a cool flow on the first track, “shout out to the money, love the drugs” he raps on the very next track (his breakthrough hit) and claims “I am the Fresh Prince” on the third track on this working hustlers stories of life and business. Then he gets down to business – ALBUM OF THE WEEK – A-

Be Here Now, Recorded, Slideshow

Be Here Now: New Album Reviews, May 26th, 2015

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I wasn’t crazy about Rocky when I caught him at MSG, and “1 Train” had worn off, but this is a huge album in the middle of a very good year. “LSD” is the best song he has recorded, and the Rod Stewart, Miguel and Mark Ronson featured “Everyday” is a pop move that may well break pop, and the darker stuff features the likes of M.I.A. and Kanye West. At the least, acid is a lot more interesting than weed – ALBUM OF THE WEEK – A-

Be Here Now, Recorded, Slideshow

Be Here Now: New Albums Reviewed, May 12th, 2015

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1000 Palms – Surfer Blood – I actively disliked their last album but this is more like it, indie mood pop with hooks aplenty and sweet sounds all over the place. The giveaway is the yelp on “Island” but all of this gets through and how. A major reboot for a band who really impressed me the only time I saw em live. ALBUM OF THE WEEK – B+

Be Here Now, Recorded, Slideshow

Be Here Now: New Album Reviews, April 5th, 2015

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Traveller – Chris Stapleton – Country songwriter Chris sure can write em, this is the real deal country balladeering that needs no excuse at all and no time no annouce itself. Two drinking song, a devil song, travelling tracks and lots and lots of heartache, superb playing (the best harp since David Barnes) and songs, songs and songs. George Strait should cover every song – ALBUM OF THE WEEK – A-

Be Here Now, Recorded, Slideshow

Be Here Now: New Album Reviews. April 28th, 2015

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Smoke Machine – Nick Catchdubs – The co-owner of Fool’s Gold Records (with the great A-Trak) is pretty great himself. This is hip-hop meets dance, but the sounds are really different and they are really different on every track. “Don’t let it drop” is more than an aesthetic it is a point of view, and every single track here gets through in the end. Nick’s debut album, and as good as this genre can possibly get. – ALBUM OF THE WEEK – B+

Be Here Now, Recorded, Slideshow

Be Here Now: New Album Reviews, April 14th, 2015

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Second Hand Heart – Dwight Yoakam – Hip honky tonk lives on, and this is better than the 2012 album 3 Pears, which was pretty good itself. In full voice, Dwight dials back the years with a collection of country rockers from left of Bakersfield… “Dreams Of Clay” sounds suspiciously like “Suspicious Minds” (just sayin) – ALBUM OF THE WEEK – A-

Be Here Now, Recorded, Slideshow

Be Here Now: New Album Reviews 3-24-15

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I missed this 82 year old Gospel blues man from (where else) Mississippi debut album last year but this more secular take on the blues is ridiculous. Full throttle, hardcore with tons of guitar, all filthy dirty, and a man who sounds his age and that is perfect for the blues. Listen to Welch yelp on “I Don’t Know Her Name” and stand back in awe. from the Delta to your house, this is a great set and a must hear – ALBUM OF THE WEEK – A

Be Here Now, Recorded, Slideshow

Be Here Now: New Album Releases, March 17th, 2015

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There is Beatle cover bands and then there is anything former Styx Glen Burtnick adds his name to. Last time I saw Glen he was playing McCartney to Marshall Crenshaw’s Lennon at BB Kings, here he is the Neil Innes of contemprary power pop. Maybe more than that, these are less satiric copies and more stand alones which make their own case – ALBUM OF THE WEEK – A-

Be Here Now, Recorded, Slideshow

Be Here Now: New Album Reviews, March 10th, 2015

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This is their first new album in decades and while Jo Callis is missed, Fay Fife is here and though these have moments of maturity (sadly) and though there is nothing as great as “(My Baby) Does Good Sculpture” -what do you care if you’re listening to “Spike Heel Assassin”? Terrific, fun, a little older, not much wise… and FAY FIFE – ALBUM OF THE WEEK A-

Be Here Now, Live, Recorded, Slideshow

Be Here Now: New Album Reviews 2-24-15

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Ricky Warwick sounds enough like Phil Lynott to tug your memory and not enough to sound a copy, and this band, first a very late Thin Lizzy band and now a foil for Scott Gorham’s lead guitar, made the right choice in changing the band name. without the baggage, or at least without too much of the baggage, you can appreciate it as very good, old time hard rock – ALBUM OF THE WEEK – B+

Be Here Now, Recorded, Slideshow

Be Here Now: New Albums Reviewed 2-17-15

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Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros lead singer, produced by Marcus Mumford, so it could be twee folkieness and veers close from time to time, but the songs are very very strong and the production is sweet and clean. An addictive, talented album, alll the more surprising if you’re used to a steady diet of Edward Sharpe – ALBUM OF THE WEEK -A-

Be Here Now, Recorded, Slideshow

Be Here Now: New Album Releases Reviewed Week of February 2nd, 2015

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The claim can be countrypolitan in reverse only it isn’t really country, it is closer to the sort of reverence for great songs Dylan showed on Good As I’ve Been To You, then folk, here the Great American Songbook –with more than its fair share of obscurities, rearranged for Dylan’s band and Dylan’s voice. Why? Because he wanted to sing them – ALBUM OF THE WEEK – A

Be Here Now, Slideshow

Be Here Now: First Reviews Of New Releases 12-23-14

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Silent Type EP – Hannah Lou Clark – UK singer songwriter who plays it straight on this flawless three song EP, just voice and guitar at first with every addition, back up wooohs here, acoustic bass there like putting sugar on a fire cracker. There’s a feeling of barely concealed dread, of a worried out emotional discord being put to rest – RELEASE OF THE WEEK – A-

Be Here Now, Slideshow

Be Here Now: First Reviews Of New Albums, December 17th, 2014

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The “Shine On You Crazy Diamond” is one of the most glorious things you’ll hear this year and the entire three hour manifestation of jam meets Pink Floyd (live) is exceptionally great, channeling the late Richard Wright before the entire band and especially Haynes whose opening solo will ring on long after it’s over, blasts it to the edges. – ALBUM OF THE WEEK – A

Be Here Now, Slideshow

Be Here Now: First Take On New Album Releases 11-10-14

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Give My Love To London – Marianne Faithfull – Her best album in years begins with a song co-written with Steve Earle and ends with a Leonard Cohen cover about aging and a vibrantly and beautiful Ute Lemper-y cover of a Sinatra classic. In between, she uses her many friends to her own ends and somewhere in the middle covers the Everly Brothers – ALBUM OF THE WEEK – A-

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