Doom & Gloom From The Tomb

[Doom & Gloom From The Tomb]

Ryan Davis and the Roadhouse Band - Tubby’s, Kingston, New York, December 9, 2023

I mentioned that recent Uncut issue with the great On The Beach spread … if you pick it up, you’ll also get to read my full-page review of Ryan Davis and the Roadhouse Band’s Dancing On The Edge, which emerged as a late-breaking 2023 fave. Feels like a total classic, pretty much everyone I play it for falls in love with it.

Here’s the kick-off to my Aquarium Drunkard compadre Chad Depasquale’s rave: Ryan Davis is tipping his beer to a world in moral and constitutional decline. Ruminating shortcomings, both inward and out, that seem to have settled into the standard, the Louisville-based journeyman defiantly declares he and his crew “the new vigilantes of the two-drink minimum” on “Free from the Guillotine,” the dryly pugnacious opener to Ryan Davis & the Roadhouse Band’s Dancing on the Edge, the latest and perhaps greatest notch in the storied songwriter’s belt.

Just in time, NYC Taper (which might want to consider renaming itself Kingston Taper) popped up with a very nice Eric PH tape of Davis and the Roadhouse Band at Tubby’s. The gang sounds magnificent here, plenty of energy, plenty of style, pleasingly loose.

And hey, my Uncut review had a very brief Q&A with Ryan, chopped down considerably. Below, check it out in all its, er, uncut glory.

[Doom & Gloom From The Tomb]

Neil Young :: Honey Slides 2024

Have we gone this long in the new year without a Neil post? Inconceivable! Let’s fix that. First up, we’ve got my fourth annual Honey Slides mix over on Aquarium Drunkard, gathering up what is hopefully a very listenable hour of odds-n-ends. This one stretches from the Harvest sessions all the way to last year’s Coastal Tour. Mellow your mind and tune in …

Next? How about the Dollar Bin blog’s recently introduced Shakey Sundays series, wherein my brother Nathan is presenting a highly personal, very in-depth analysis of the entire Neil Young discography. The good, the bad, the even worse. Daringly, Nathan is not proceeding chronologically, he’s skittering across the decades helter-skelter-style. The latest post covers the one Neil Young album I don’t think I’ve ever made it all the way through — 2015’s The Monsanto Years.

What else? Well, I helped out a little bit with Uncut’s recent 50th anniversary celebration of On The Beach, getting valuable thoughts on the LP from such heads as Lee Ranaldo, Zachary Cale, Ethan Miller, Matt Valentine, Chris Forsyth and Nick Millevoi. The whole issue is quite nice and should be on ye olde newsstands as we speak.

And hey! Neil has just revealed that he’s taking Crazy Horse out for some dates this spring … the only one announced so far is the New Orleans Jazz Fest, but there are likely more TBA. What will the Horse sound like in 2024?! I don’t know, but I can’t wait.

[Doom & Gloom From The Tomb]

Robyn Hitchcock Sings Syd Barrett - The Chapel, San Francisco, January 6, 2024

As the outrageously grim month of January crawls by, I’ve kept my eye fixed on one shining night to get me through — the night when Robyn Hitchcock returns to Colorado. I’ve mentioned it previously, but back in March 2020, right when the whole Covid thing kicked off, I had tix to see Robyn … and I did not go … and the lockdown began. That was Hitchcock’s last show until the pandemic cooled down. And his run out here this weekend will be his first shows in the Centennial State since that fateful time.

A lotta context to just say: I am really looking forward to seeing Robyn Hitchcock! If all my facts are right, 2024 marks 30 years of seeing him play live for me — and I love the experience as much as a grizzled, gray-haired 40-something as I did as a fresh-faced teenager. To prep, I’m checking out this very fresh tape of Robyn and friends in San Francisco a few weeks back, celebrating Syd Barrett’s birthday with a psych-tastic Syd set. These songs are second nature to Hitchcock; he’s been covering Barrett for a half-century now (or longer now). But he still manages to locate the wild, inventive spirit of this music – and seems to relish doing so. The tape is killer, but you might want to check out the various videos of the show, too, which might take you back to the UFO Club circa 1966.

Robyn Says: Syd Barrett was an English art student who named and launched Pink Floyd. He wrote, sang and played guitar on their first hit records, released in 1967, but soon suffered an irreversible breakdown from taking LSD. Within a year he was out of the band, and by 1970 his career was over. He made two solo records of outstanding beauty and then gave up music. To some ears they’re sketchy and chaotic, but once you become attuned to Barrett these two albums are a seam of dark yet vivid intensity unmatched in modern rock. It’s like looking through a window in somebody’s head directly into all their wayward feelings. It’s unfiltered thought, set to meandering tunes and guitar-playing so edible you can taste it; it’s pure, undiluted — it’s real. And to those of us who speak Syd, exquisite. 

Further reading — my 2022 interview with Robyn is still hot off the presses …

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Ambrose Akinmusire - Owl Song

Trumpeter/composer Ambrose Akinmusire, ace guitarist Bill Frisell and drummer Herlin Riley join forces for this gorgeous trio record. As the title suggests, it’s a nocturnal vibe that’s achieved here. There’s a delicacy that dominates on the album’s eight tracks, but it’s not tentative or precious; instead, these three musicians find common ground where there’s really no lead voice, just a marvelous mood of mutual support and purpose. I’m reminded a bit of the similarly styled work that Frisell did with the late/great Ron Miles — which is always a good thing.

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Harry Smith - Sing Out! on WBAI with Barbara Dane & Irwin Silber, April 1965

A feisty / folky hour of radio from way back in 1965. I’ve been immersed in the Harry Smith universe for a couple months now, thanks to John Szwed’s remarkable bio Cosmic Scholar, which I followed up quickly with Paolo Igliori’s American Magus. Obviously, Smith is fascinating character — and the Anthology of American Folk Music is just the tip of the iceberg.

The Anthology, however, is the main topic of discussion on the Sing Out! show, which Harry seems bemused/amused by; he had put the whole thing together well over a decade before and had definitely moved on to other things. But Smith must’ve been pleased that as the 1960s kicked into high gear, his collection of oddball vernacular folk was proving to be deeply influential.

While listening to Harry spar (playfully, mostly) with Irwin and Barbara here, I kept trying to think who his voice reminded me of — and then I realized … it was a guy who knew the Anthology backwards and forwards: Jerry Garcia.

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Inter-Dimensional Music Through Iasos (1979)

The new age pioneer Iasos ascended to some other galaxy recently — so I’ve been listening to a lot of Iasos! It’s sublime stuff, still kind of the epitome of the genre: unabashedly beautiful, thoroughly cosmic and occasionally a little bit goofy. In the past decade or so, New Age has gone from a punchline to something taken quite seriously, but Iasos floated above any and all discourse. He made the music he wanted to make and we’re all the better for it.

This charming half-hour documentary from the late 70s gives you a little glimpse of the man himself. A funny guy — you might chuckle at his guru-esque vibes, his quasi cult-y persona, his painfully earnest speeches about inter-dimensional beings, etc. But then you listen to him conjuring up those amazing sounds and you think … well, fair enough! Αντίο, Iasos!

(Oh and hey — gonna recommend you check out this hot-off-the-presses New Age mix via Brent Sirota / Aquarium Drunkard!)

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The Feelies - Bowery Ballroom, New York City, December 10, 2023

Let’s keep things in the Bowery Ballroom / Hanukkah / VU cover zone for the moment. Which Velvets tune did the Feelies tackle on this Sunday evening last month? “Sunday Morning,” of course. A beauteous rendition, made even more lovely in the “unplugged” mode that the band was in for their opening slot. A rare mode! But a great one — mellower, if not exactly “mellow” if you know what I mean.

The Velvets repertoire, of course, is The Feelies’ comfort zone; but they throw in some curveballs at the Bowery: a gallop through Dylan’s “Don’t Think Twice,” a terrific version of Buddy Holly’s “Everyday” and best of all, what I think is the live debut of the Time For A Witness slow-burner “Find A Way.” Prove me wrong, Feelies freaks (and yes, I know about Wake Ooloo playing it). Inevitably, various Feelies popped up to guest with Yo La Tengo later in the night — here’s Stan Demeski and Dave Weckerman bringing the percussive thunder to “Deeper Into Movies.” Thanks to Roolin for these excellent videos …

What’s next for The Feelies?! When I interviewed Bill Million last year, he mentioned that they were batting around the idea of a sorta combo Feelies / Willies LP, one half straight-ahead songs, the other half more abstract instrumentals, a la Bowie’s Low. I’m into it. Obviously.

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Foggy Notion - The Bowery Ballroom, New York City, December 13, 2023

As you probably know, The Feelies released their Velvet Underground covers extravaganza Some Kinda Love late last year — a start-to-finish pleasure. But wait, just before the closing bell rang in 2023 there emerged another contender for the crown of Best VU Tribute Of The Year. Foggy Notion! No, not this Foggy Notion (which featured some Feelies, now that you mention it), but a righteous collective made up of Alan Licht, Sue Garner, Laura Ortman, Ryan Sawyer and Steve Gunn. Actually, it’s not a competition; there should be at least as many Velvets tribute bands as Dead tribute bands, right? I think so, anyway.

Foggy Notion came together to play the “Banana album” in its entirety at Pittsburgh’s Warhol Museum last September, and they returned to the stage last month to open one of Yo La Tengo’s annual Hanukkah shows in NYC. With Licht tuning his guitar Ostrich-style and Ortman’s slashing viola, the band is more faithful to the VU sound than most, with Sawyer keeping the rhythms gloriously Tucker-esque. But the quintet doesn’t sound overly reverent, either, capturing some of the dangerous thrills of this music — check out the scuzzed/skronked instrumental breaks of “Run Run Run” or the ominous rise and fall of “Heroin.” Lou would approve.

Thanks to the taper, Jesse J for the pic and John H for the technical assist! There are also some vids of the show over yonder …

[Doom & Gloom From The Tomb]

Resavoir

On Resavoir’s second LP (self-titled, just like the first), the collective’s mastermind Will Miller takes listeners on an eclectic/kaleidoscopic journey. The compositions here include Stepney-esque orchestral flights, Chicago post-rock damaged grooves, Shuggie Otis-inspired soul-pop, modular synth solar reveries, hip-hop-inflected slo-jams … and more! But instead of it being a mess, Miller manages to make it all flow beautifully, like a perfect mixtape maker or master DJ. The LP clocks in at just over a half-hour, but every moment is a finely detailed treasure, rewarding repeat plays. A total winner.

[Doom & Gloom From The Tomb]

Further Cosmic Pedal Steel Situations :: Winter 2024

The cosmic pedal steel scene continues to expand — and we’re here for it. Daniel Lanois, one of the godfathers of this movement, once called the pedal steel “my little church in a suitcase.” And if anything ties these various musicians together, it’s a certain kind of earthy spirituality, an openness to the myriad possibilities that the instrument offers. Check out a few of my recent favorites over at Aquarium Drunkard.

And while you’re over at AD — well, we’ve got a fab 2024 going for you already. Check out Brent Sirota’s magnificent Fourth World mixtape … or the latest installment of James Adams’ Dylan-tastic bootleg column Diamonds From The Deepest Oceans … or Jennifer Kelly’s convo with Kayla “Itasca” Cohen (her new one is ridiculously good) … or Michael Klausman’s appreciation of Butch Hornsby’s lost 70s classic Don’t Take It Out On The Dog … or J. Neas’ Q&A with the GBV gawd Robert Pollard … this is all in the first couple of weeks, people! I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: what a cool website!

[Doom & Gloom From The Tomb]

Songs of Leonard Cohen - Alternate Version

We listened to the Dirty Three playing Leonard Cohen’s “Suzanne” yesterday. Let’s listen to Leonard Cohen playing Leonard Cohen’s “Suzanne” today. The hard-working Albums That Should Exist blog is combing through various Cohen copyright releases and they’ve put together a very listenable alternate view of LC’s 1967 debut, giving us a valuable glimpse of the singer-songwriter at this crucial point in his career.

Some of the Songs are close to fully formed, others have a ways to go; “Come On, Marianne”?! Just doesn’t sound right — great change, Leonard! Then there’s the perky, kinda Blonde On Blonde-ish arrangement of “Hey, That’s No Way To Say Goodbye” — it doesn’t quite work but it’s fascinating to hear all the same. Would be nice to know exactly who is playing here … is it Kaleidoscope? Or someone else? Always been a little foggy. Anyhoo, stay tuned to ATSE, there’s more from these sessions on the way.

And hey, listening to this collection I was reminded of the Pitchfork Liner Notes video I wrote for Songs of Leonard Cohen several years back. I barely remember it, but it holds up — and you’ve got the added bonus of Jesse Jarnow’s dulcet tones bringing my words to life.

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Dirty Three - KWVA Studio, Eugene, Oregon, 1996

It’s summer in Australia, but for those of us in colder/grimmer climes, Dirty Three’s desolate vibrations are the ideal soundtrack. So here’s something from way back that I hadn’t heard before — a quick, casually brilliant radio session from the trio’s early days. Just three songs, but every moment is as deep as a well, Jim White, Mick Turner and Warren Ellis effortlessly conjuring up that mystical D3 sound. And hey, one of those songs is a true rarity: the band’s version of Leonard Cohen’s “Suzanne,” which is played with prayer-like reverence. “We’re just gonna do it, cuz it’s a nice song, and a nice way to pass the afternoon here.”

Warren Ellis: I think you need anxiety to move forward and to challenge yourself. I think if you go into something extremely confident, you don’t have a radar on. You need to question yourself. I don’t put any stock into the suffering artist thing. When you’re really down, you can’t get yourself out of anything. You can only create about it after you start to move out of there, and you can get a look at it.

[Doom & Gloom From The Tomb]

The 13th Floor Elevators - The Psychedelic Sounds Of.. (1966) {Deluxe Edition} [A Prof Stoned Comp]

Time to hop back on the Roller Coaster with the 13th Floor Elevators! The pioneering band’s debut album has been poorly served by reissue campaigns over the years — lost master tapes, poor transfers, shady labels, you name it. Prof Stoned to the rescue! Again!

The legendary dude has put together a necessary Psychedelic Sounds deluxe edition that “collects the majority of surviving studio and live recordings from the ‘65/'66 era in the best available quality, newly restored and mastered by yours truly. Although all of the material here has been released officially, we have aimed to upgrade the sound quality of every track.” Sweeeeeet. Through some cutting-edge de-mixing tech, painstaking research and further alchemy, the Professor has made this crucial early material sound … better than ever? I think so!

The live stuff is particularly radical; check out the Avalon Ballroom gig, which highlights the feral side of the Elevators, but also shows them to be a pretty damn tight rock 'n’ roll band. Roky and co. have a rep for being acid-fueled maniacs, but you get the sense that they knew exactly what they were doing — more so than most of the psych groups of the era. This was September 1966, so you can imagine that pretty much every San Francisco band at the time was in the crowd, furiously taking notes.

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Setting - At Black Mountain College Museum

Shone A Rainbow Light On, the debut long-player from Setting, was an instant 2023 favorite. No surprise, really: they’re a new band, but Nathan Bowles, Jaime Fennelly and Joe Westerlund have been reliable sources for outstanding sounds for years now. Together in this improvisational trio, they move as one, finding radical new musical paths to follow. Bowles is a longtime member of the avant-Appalachian group Pelt, and there are similar vibes, but Setting has its own idiosyncratic momentum and impulses — they make me think of an American Necks. A good thing! And as great as Rainbow is, this hour-long live recording from last fall might be even better, showing off the locked in/zoned out rapport that the trio shares. Immense, immersive, awesome. Highly recommended.

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John Cale - A Saint About To Fall: Live 1975

Since we just dealt with the OG Modern Lovers, let’s deal with the guy who tried in vain to get their record out into the world (while the band still existed, anyway). John Cale! Not a hip priest, but a hip pseud?! Hmmm … this reviewer was not impressed with Cale and his group onstage in 1975, but we can be impressed all these years later, thanks to this very nice Anazgnos compilation. A killer band, killer songs, and a frontman who often sounds like he’s going to kill you. What’s not to like?

I’ve shared various shows from this era over the years, but I dig the overall listenability of A Saint About To Fall. It also closes out with a wild, seemingly improvised number that I’ve never heard before. Very cool, very Cale! Oh and of course, there’s a raging rendition of the Modern Lovers’ “Pablo Picasso” to bring things full circle.

Cale Says: I am a ham. I’ve no business being rock ‘n’ roll. I’ve said it over and over again that I’m a classical composer, disheveling my personality by dabbling in rock 'n’ roll.