Thursday , March 28 2024
Brian Wilson goes 'Gershwin' and more in this week's new album releases...

New Music Tuesday: John Mellencamp, Ray LaMontagne, Brian Wilson, Bob Corritore, Piano Red, Iron Maiden

There are dozens of titles this week. Here are a few that have attracted my attention:

Bob Corritore
Harmonica Blues

Bob Corritore has been playing badass blues harp for 40 years and he’s played it for and with nearly every blues artist of note in those years.  Harmonica Blues isn’t a ‘Greatest Hits’ compilation but gathers tracks that Corritore has contributed to over his years in the business.  He is the common thread through most of these recordings but listeners will also get to enjoy the sounds of legends who have now passed (Koko Taylor, Little Milton, Robert Lockwood Jr., Nappy Brown) as well as those still working and making great music today (Honeyboy Edwards, Pinetop Perkins, Bob Margolin, Bob Stroger, Chris James, Patrick Rynn).

Piano Red
The Lost Atlanta Tapes

Artists today have ‘vaults’ of unreleased material, carefully preserved and archived for just the right moment when they or their label can cynically release these leftovers to pry fans from their cash.  It wasn’t always like this.  Okay, it’s not always like that now.  There is no telling how many great moments of artistic inspiration have been lost forever, never to be heard because the music wasn’t properly catalogued and stored.  Many artists have mined their own archives only to find treasures waiting for their moment in the sun.

The Lost Atlanta Tapes represent the last-known recordings of Piano Red.  This 18-track collection was recorded in 1984 at a performance Red gave at Altanta’s Excelsior Mill.  Red passed away the next year in 1985.  The music in this collection is vital enough to please and reward listeners but the fact this could have so easily have been lost forever makes it all the more special.

John Mellencamp
No Better Than This

John Mellencamp and producer T Bone Burnett team up once again for the follow up to their first collaboration, Life Death Love And Freedom and once again there is a sonic concept.  Life Death… was recorded and offered in something of a high-definition audio format developed by Burnett.  This set was recorded with the band playing in three historic locations using one vintage microphone.  Those three locations?  Sun Studios in Memphis, the San Antonio hotel room where Robert Johnson made his first iconic recordings, and the First African Baptist Church in Savannah, Ga (the oldest Black church in the US).

Ray LaMontagne
God Willin’ & The Creek Don’t Rise

Ray LaMontagne set fire to the indie crowd and Starbucks drinkers the world over with his debut Trouble.  His blend of passionate-yet-sensitive singer/songwriter sounds have been pleasing his growing throng of fans ever since.  God Willin‘ was recorded in LaMontagne’s home in the woods of Massachusetts in two short weeks.

Okay.  I’ve had my say.  Let’s hear from you.  What are you interested in for this week?  Brian Wilson?  Iron Maiden?  Are you a Juggalo?  Let’s discuss:

American Hi Fi – Fight The Frequency
Andrea Marr – Little Sister Got Soul
Billy Armstrong – World’s Greatest Fiddle Player
Bob Corritore – Harmonica Blues
Bop Ensemble – Between Trains
Brian Wilson – Brian Wilson Reimagines Gershwin
Bucket & Co. – Guitars, Beers & Tears
Butch Baldassari And Van Manakas – Leavin’ Tennessee
Buzz Cason – Working Without A Net
Bxi – Boris & Ian Astbury
Chief – Modern Rituals
Colin Gilmore – Goodnight Lane
Darker My Love – Alive As You Are
David Gogo – Different Views
David Gogo – Vibe
David Gogo – Acoustic: Official Bootleg Series – Volume 2
David Gray – Foundling / [2 Cd]
Davis Coen – Jukebox Classic
Dora The Explorer – We Did It! Dora’s Greatest Hits
Esperanza Spalding – Chamber Music Society
Filter – The Trouble With Angels
Firstman, Joe – Live At The Treehouse
Franti, Michael & Spearhead – Power To The Peaceful 2005
Hawkeye Herman – It’s All Blues To Me
Hawkeye Herman – Blues Alive!
Hawkeye Herman – Everyday Living
Herwig, Conrad – The Latin Side Of Herbie Hanco
Hey Monday – Beneath It All
Insane Clown Posse – Big Money Rustlas / [Dvd]
Iron Maiden – The Final Frontier
Iron Maiden – The Final Frontier: Mission Edition
John Mayall And The Bluesbreakers – So Many Roads
John Mellencamp – No Better Than This
Jon Lindsay – Escape From Plaza-Midwood
Karen Lovely – Still The Rain
Karen Lovely – Lucky Girl
Kaskade – Kaskade Presents Electric Dais
Kaur, Sada Simran – Huna
Kem – Intimacy
Kem – Intimacy / [Cd/Dvd Combo]
Knights Of The Abyss – The Culling Of Wolves
Kottonmouth Kings Presents D-Loc – Made For Kings
Latvian Blues Band – Unreal
Laya Project – A New Day: Laya Project Remixe
Lisandro Adrover – Meets The Metropole Orchestra
Lissie – Catching A Tiger
Manny Manuel – Rayando El Sol
Mccormick, Megan – Honest Words
Miss May I – Monument
Nofx – The Longest Ep
Orbs – Asleep Next To Science
Paul Quarrington – The Songs
Peter Blast – Straight Up No Ice
Peter Stampfel & Baby Gramps – Outertainment
Ray Lamontagne & The Pariah Dogs – God Willin & The Creek Won’t Rise
Piano Red – The Lost Atlanta Tapes
Red Line Chemistry – Dying For A Living
Rick Holmstrom, John “Juke” Logan, Stephen Hodges – Twist-O-Lettz
Rita Chiarelli – Sweet Paradise
Secret Handshake, The – Night & Day
Someone Still Loves You Boris – Let It Sway
Soundtrack – Charlie St. Cloud (Rolfe Kent)
Soundtrack – Nanny Mcphee Returns (James Newton Howard)
State Of Shock – Life, Love & Lies
Stephanie Bettman/Luke Halpin – It All Comes Back To Love
Superchunk – No Pocky For Kitty
Superchunk – On The Mouth
Taking Back Sunday – Live From Orensanz
The Mcclymonts – Chaos And Bright Lights
Thee Sgt Major Iii – The Idea Factory
Third Day – Offerings Box Set
Thornton, Phil – Rhythm Of The Rainforest
Trace Adkins – Cowboy’s Back In Town
Trace Adkins – Cowboy’s Back In Town / [Deluxe Edition]
Treasa Levasseur – Low Fidelity
Various – Rhythms Del Mundo Revival
Various – La Soga Soundtrack
Various Artists – The Switch: Music From The Motion Picture
Various Artists – Dexter – Season 4 (Music From
Vasquez, Junior – Junior S Nervous Breakdown 2:
Wason – Alma Mia
Werner, Kenny – No Beginning, No End
Wyckham Porteous – 3am

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