BLADE OF GRASS

Meet Blade of Grass!

Breaking through the cracks of a drab, artificial musical landscape to remind us of what is real, Blade of Grass will not be denied. Mixing acoustic based, harmony laden material with deep grooves and some reggae thrown on the canvas to brighten the sonic picture, the writing is stellar. Additional kudos to these guys for not allowing their vocal tracks to descend deep into "pitch correction software hell", never to return. The melodies are fine, decanted in the welcome environment of real human beings playing their instruments.

My personal favorite is "Who You Gonna Run To" which employs a clever turnaround, deftly picked acoustic figures and hooks galore.



Sinewy basslines and hypnotic beats compliment their compositions, though they are always deployed in service of song structure. In short, there is a lot to like here.

Who are Blade of Grass?

Measured by their talent, they should be the pride of their native Costa Mesa, California.

Check out their site and purchase their music

TENACIOUS D

The always brilliant duo return from exile with their new disc, Rize of the Fenix. Here's a taster from those dirty descendants of Simon and Garfunkel, dipped in metal. JB and KG each sport a gleam in their eye that could light the way out of the deepest mine shaft

RIP ROBIN GIBB

Another great talent has passed on too soon. Robin Gibb, 62, was an integral part of the international success of the Bee Gees, writing and performing countless hits along with brothers Maurice (who died in 2003) and Barry.

Gibb's health problems began to mount in 2010, with hospitalizations and surgery that seemed eerily reminiscent of Maurice's woes. Early this year, in London's Daily Mail, Robin confirmed he was battling colon cancer that had spread to his liver, but noted that he "mostly felt great." Emergency surgery followed, as did canceled appearances. Most telling, he missed the London premiere of his first classical work, The Titanic Requiem, commemorating the 100th anniversary of the ship disaster.

In April, he slipped into a coma after contracting pneumonia, but rallied, a development his doctor called "remarkable."

In a 2010 Q-and-A with the Guardian, Robin was asked what music he'd like to have played at his funeral.

Some Mozart, he replied, and also How Deep Is Your Love.

RAM REISSUE

May 22nd will see the re-release of RAM, a deluxe package of the second McCartney solo disc.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, this is an album from a long, long time ago, when the world was different. This is an album that is part of my history – it goes back to the wee hills of Scotland where it was formed. It’s an album called RAM. It reminds me of my hippie days and the free attitude with which it was created. I hope you’re going to like it, because I do!”. (Paul McCartney)

You can find my original review
linked here

RAM will be available in a number of different formats: a single CD remastered in stereo, a CD set with an eight-track collection of rarities, a one or two vinyl LP set (digital tracks included) and a box set consisting of a 112-page book, photo prints, full-size facsimiles of Paul’s handwritten lyrics and notes, four CDs and a historical DVD.

RIP DONALD "DUCK" DUNN

Very sad to hear of the passing of Duck Dunn, four string soul brother who anchored the rhythm section of Booker T and the MGs since the early 1960s. His style was very straightforward, always in the pocket. Part of the Stax house wrecking crew, he played on countless records by Otis Redding, Sam and Dave...well, just too many to name-check here.

"Today I lost my best friend," Steve Cropper wrote on his Facebook page. "The World has lost the best guy and bass player to ever live".

CRAZY MARY

DREAMING IN BRILLIANT COLOR

One of the great surprises in listening to contemporary music is finding bands/artists that don't fall prey to the sonic tools that have homogenized the sounds currently dominating radio play lists.

Crazy Mary offer the alternative.

Reaching back to an era where real people played music, that spirit of communal joy is infused in the grooves of their latest offering. Formed in New York back in 1998, Dreaming in Brilliant Color is the band's 10th release. Right out of the gate, "Come On Let's Go" is an exhortation to shake you out of complacency, bring you to your feet and join the party. Infectious and smart, the only choice for the listener is to comply. Highlights here include the dreamy "Song For A New Year", "Fallen Angel" and the experimental, yet very cool closer "Nick's New Groove".

Violinist Walter Steding brings another dimension to the band's sound, while vocalist Em Z graces the songs that guitarist/writer Charles Kibel brought to the sessions with her own unique style. Their blend of psychedelia, post rock sensibilities and soulful playing make for a rewarding listen, though you have to spin it a few times to truly take it all in.

Do yourself a favor and check out this record. Learn more about Crazy Mary here