Blogcritics The critical lens on today's culture & entertainment
Kenny Loggins is the latest veteran artist (Sophie B. Hawkins, Natalie Merchant, Pearl Jam) putting out a record on his own after a lifetime with the majors. Will anyone be left at Sony? From his press release:
- On the cutting edge of a new trend, Kenny Loggins announced today that he is releasing a brand new studio album on his own label, All The Best! Records, later this summer. The album, entitled It’s About Time, was produced by Loggins and Tommy Sims, who is best known for his work with Bruce Springsteen and Eric Clapton. It’s About Time will be available in record stores on August 19th.
“I have essentially done three ballad albums over the last six years, so I was ready to do something more uptempo,” explains Loggins. “This album chronicles a kind of rite of passage for me, not unlike Leap Of Faith. I think the music on It’s About Time speaks to folks living through periods of intense change.”
To support the album’s launch Kenny is embarking on a six-week summer trek through North America, beginning with a July 15th date at Sea Pines Resort in Hilton Head, South Carolina and finishing at the end of August with a gig at Jones Beach in Long Island, New York. A highlight of the summer tour will be a nine-date run of co-headlining appearances with Hall & Oates. (A complete list of dates is attached).
“John and Daryl asked me to come out with them this summer and I was more than happy to do so,” says Loggins. “We toured together years ago, so I’m looking forward to this as a sort of reunion with old friends.”
DATE CITY VENUE
July 15 Hilton Head, SC Sea Pines Resort
July 17 Glen Allen, VA Innsbrook Pavillion
July 18 Danbury, CT Charles Ives Theatre
July 19 New Brunswick, NJ State Theatre
July 21 Vienna, VA Wolftrap
July 25 Tuscon, AZ Desert Diamond Casino
July 29 San Diego, CA Humphrey’s
July 30 Costa Mesa, CA Orange County Fair
August 1 Paso Robles, CA CA Mid-state fair
August 2 Orville, CA Feather Falls Casino
August 3 Sacramento, CA Radisson Hotel Outdoor Grove
August 5 Saratoga, CA Villa Montelvo Winery
August 6 Saratoga, CA Villa Montelvo Winery
August 8 Lincoln City, OR Chinook Winds Casino
August 9 Lincoln City, OR Chinook Winds Casino
August 10 Seattle, WA Chateau Ste. Michel Winery
August 12 Livermore, CA Wente Bros Winery
August 14 Phoenix, AZ Celebrity Theatre
August 15 Las Vegas, NV Mandalay Bay
August 16 Los Angeles, CA Greek Theatre
August 19 Chicago, IL Chicago Theatre *
August 20 Detroit, MI DTE Energy Music Theatre *
August 22 Cleveland, OH Nautica Pavilion *
August 23 Seven Springs, PA Seven Springs Resort *
August 24 Wallingford, CT Oakdale Theatre *
August 26 Hershey, PA Hershey Park Pavilion *
August 27 Philadelphia, PA Mann Music Center *
August 29 Gilford, NH Meadowbrook *
August 30 Wantagh, NY Jones Beach *
* With Hall & Oates
I like the tour of resorts, theaters and casinos and wineries prior to hooking up with Hall and Oates – rock ‘n’ roll is indeed middle-aged now.
In keeping with the new tradition, you can also hear a song from the new album, “With This Ring” on Loggins’ site.
I saw Loggins and Messina on Maui visiting my cousin in the summer of ’79, great show although it would be hard to beat the circumstances. At their best Loggins and Messina (much better together) blended rock ‘n’ roll, singer-songwriter folk-rock, and Poco-ish (Messina was in the original Poco) country-rock as well as anyone.
I absolutely love every one of these L&M songs, which begin the Loggins collection linked below:
1. “Your Mama Don’t Dance”
2. “Vahevala”
3. “Danny’s Song”
4. “House At Pooh Corner”
5. “A Love Song”
6. “Watching The River Run”
7. “Angry Eyes”
The extended jazzy instrumental break in “Angry Eyes” reminds me of “Can’t You Hear Me Knockin'” by the Stones, one of their finest moments on record.
I am less inclined toward Loggins solo – too much pop and not enough of the above mentioned blend that made L&M so good – but not all that bad either, especially the soundtrack rockers. The guy can really sing.
