The Pocket Knife

A few weeks ago I had my regular visit with the dentist. When I have sat in the waiting room and have waited to me in the row am I have paged through from boredom a women's service magazine. Not that these themes are interesting me much sometimes I take a spot on the reviews of books and records in it. I've been reading an article about the new record by The Secret Sisters. In this euphoric article they told the readers that it's the best new country record since long time. The only thing I knew about The Secret Sisters that they recorded a traditional country album. When I have read that T-Burne Burnett has produced the album I have dealt closer with it and must say that it has become a very good and contemporary album for this genre. The songs are dominated by the clear voices of the sisters Laura and Lydia Rogers based in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. Sometimes it remembers me on Adele going the country-style sometimes I think it's the country version of Warpaint. Mostly I was impressed on their version of PJ Harvey's 'The Pocket Knife'.

Have a nice week - where ever you, whatever you do.

The Secret Sisters - Rattle My Bones
The Secret Sisters - The Pocket Knife

From The Inbox

Sometimes I am already surprised which music of young bands is made. Many of these bands were inspired by the heroes of the past and try to let live on their music. Not that I am misunderstood: I doubt in no manner the skill of the single musicians and their abilities to write songs in their tradition. What I miss nevertheless is, often that I do not enough influence from the younger history of music in their sound finds again. Anyway, there are some artist I would like to feature time by time because they did a very good job. Today's band Olio reminds me on the early Police but with less punk and reggae influence and therefore some more heavy metal in it. Here is the band in their own words:

Three brothers from other mothers (and fathers) got together, from the OC, LA and DC, to create a miscellaneous collection of musical works aka OLIO. Inspired by everything from Black Sabbath to Barry White these guys stir up an eclectic blend of rock/pop/funk music and serve it up hot! Whether it’s songs about break-ups, make-outs, shake-ups or four letter words, Olio produces electrifying, positive music from their studio in Los Angeles, CA. On stage Arif Hodzic sings and breaks strings (sometimes his right hand gets heavy), DeHaven Carrington grooves on drums and croons (when the lights are low and the mood is right), and newest member Kelley Hill is a fireball of energy, bouncing on one leg and just tearing the bass up (you may even see metal shavings come off the neck).

Olio hit the road in the USA the summer of 2013 for their “Comeback Kings Tour.” Played a successful string of dates in Seattle, Portland, San Francisco and cities in between in June and Scottsdale, Austin, Fort Worth, Little Rock, Columbus, Philadelphia, NYC, DC, Kill Devil Hills and Atlanta in July and August. 5 weeks, 11,000 miles and 30 shows! They went back into the studio to record a brand new album "Untitled" due for release in March 2014. This is a much anticipated project, after their time with recording legend Eddie Kramer, who produced the band's last two EP's, the aforementioned Comeback Kings & the yet to be released France Sessions.

Back on December 18, 2012 Olio released the Comeback Kings EP produced by legendary producer/engineer Eddie Kramer (Hendrix, Zeppelin, Beatles, Stones, Santana, Woodstock, Kiss, Frampton, Robert Randolph, Grace Potter). This session was born from a project at Loyola Marymount University where Eddie and the band recorded their first single together "Hello/Goodbye". This prompted a new relationship so the band & Eddie could finish an EP. Before the project was done, Eddie needed a band to do a session in France for a Recording Workshop for some of the worlds top young Producers.

So Olio got on a plane and while there, they laid down the foundation tracks for the France Sessions EP. More importantly they wrote two new songs while there. One of which is "Rich People Problems" which Eddie loved and had the band record it immediately! old school style, no click track, just push record and go! The song is now a staple in the live shows and shows the raw energy of the band as well as their groovesmanship. the second song "Round & Round" can be heard on their 2014 release "Untitled."

2011 is what kind of started all of this good fortune. Olio won the Emerging Artist Competition held by Rusty’s on the Santa Monica Pier. They were the only band to play the Twilight Dance Series twice in one summer, opening for Dawes with Jackson Browne in front of a crowd of several thousand music lovers. Shortly there after bassist Kelley Hill joined the band and they have been non-stop ever since.

Other accolades include the celebrated release of their 2010 single “Get It Good” following the success of the 2009 11 song album “Living The Dream.” The songs are dynamic ranging from the nylon stringed sweetness of “Completely Beautiful” about the profound impact of becoming a parent (received an Honorable Mention Award in the 2008 West Coast Songwriters International Competition) to a hard rock/rap collab that already has 20,000 NJ Devils fans shouting “Here We Go” at the Prudential Center. Their homage to the mamacita de futbol aka “Soccer Mom” inspired one impassioned UK critic to call them “sexist and subtle as a sledghammer.” (Olio still thinks Benny Hill, John Cleese and Ricky Gervais are funny) The sound created is rich and packs a punch reminiscent of the John Mayer Trio while thematically aiming for Stevie Wonder’s “Songs in the Key of Life.”

To experience Olio only on recording is like Vader without the Darth. Whether it’s 30 minutes or 3 hours, the energy generated by these three could power a small town (or even the lesser known planet Zeta-Reticulan5). So, maybe the question isn’t Who or What is Olio but rather When and Where?

OLIO - Boom
OLIO - Get A Room

That's What I Watched On TV Years Ago # 5

In the end of the 80s private television broadcasting stations were fed in Germany into the cable nets. I never was a friend of these canals, because to me the commercial interruptions have interfered and I was accustomed a broadcasting without looking at interruption and therefore I has preferred to look at broadcastings on canals to me which had no advertising interruptions. But because there is an exception, thus for every rule. And here it is: Fox network created a character that is unforgettable until now. Al Bundy who represents as a father of a family and shoe shop assistant the easy American middle class. He was the main actor in the sitcom Married ... With Children (horrible translated into German language as A terribly nice family). It is a rather sloppy character and constantly crusty. Besides he will not have accompanied tiredly to regret the idioms in his life which the marriage the football plays on the college kept him since the end of the High-School, as him.

The series follows the everyday life of the Bundys. Al Bundy is a former Highschool football player who lives his life long to have achieved Polk High School in one single play four touchdowns on which, and is made since his marriage earn his maintenance as a ladies' shoe shop assistant; his always unwilling to work Mrs. Peggy is known for her highly back-combed red hair, kitschy / trashy clothes and her strong aversion compared with own household; finally, the common children Kelly – her as attractive like always dense daughter – and Bud who did not like very much, but the absolutely intelligent latest shoot of the family. He had the chance to study with a sports scholarship in a college – until he got to know Peggy Wanker whom he impregnated (which burst several times used condom) and married. As a result he felt constrained to make his holiday's job as a ladies' shoe shop assistant in „Gary's Shoes and accessories“ the main occupation. So Al never looks at "Peg" (which he wishes regularly the death or other incommodities to the neck) as well as his both children Kelly and Bud as the biggest evil of his life, a view, which he to the specially published life wisdom „Marries!“ to reason lays („I believe myself like a navigation society whose tanker has released an environmental disaster: An unintentional outpouring and I pays till the end of my days.“

The series portraits the regular American way of life and especially the sadness about missed chances in life. What I have always admired in this series, the humor with those was an American network on the everyday life has looked, inimitable characters has created in those many have found themself again.

And as a bonus - a forgotten song from 1987:

Guesch Patti - Etienne

Inflammable Material - First Records That Impressed Me Much # 2

Back in 1978 a lot of band appeared with new sounds. It was the time when everything new was accepted and we were hungry for it. We heard a lot of punk and new wave these days. It was these days when everything was possible for everyone who tried to start as a band - the so called Do it yourself.  A lot of bands tried to cover their idols but less were capable of doing it quite as well. Edinburgh's The Rezillos, however,were one of those bands that brought us back the fun in music. Some may say that they just tried to be the British Ramones plundering Rock and Roll history. But not for me. When I bought this record is was in heavy rotation. I liked the hyperactive tempo in their songs, their raging guitar and their pop melodies. They were maybe the first of the new bands that showed us how old songs could be played in a new and exciting way. The Rezillos were able to put their own spin on the template. They were a bit poppier and willing to get a few notches sillier than the others. But the key to this record is that they kept it simple. I still love this record with some of the greatest (cover) versions ever done until this time. I think albums like this can only be made when you get the right kind of lunatics together at just the right time, with just the right support - it's inevitably a one off. If you got this record - get it out, play it, sing along with it and enjoy again.

The Rezillos - Destination Venus (not on this record but worth to be show it up here)
The Rezillos - Flying Saucer Attack
The Rezillos - Glad All Over
The Rezillos - I Like It

What Happened To Pub Rock # 17

There are some bands from the pub rock era that had their few years of popularity to vanish as soon as they came. One of them were Chilli Willi & The Red Hot Peppers. They reached the peak of their fame while touring with Dr. Feelgood and Kokomo (another forgotten band from this era) in 1975. The band split and some members were found later in the bands from Elvis Costello and Graham Parker. Their main influence was original Country rock music added with ingredients of classic British rhythm and blues.

Chilli Willi & The Red Hot Peppers -  Desert Island Woman
Chilli Willi & The Red Hot Peppers -  Midnight Bus
Chilli Willi & The Red Hot Peppers -  Jungle Song

Songs The Lord Told Us # 8

I think that I don't have to say much about Billy Bragg at these place. Most of you will know (and maybe love) him and the music he made throughout the years. There many songs I like to listen almost every time when they shuffle up on my mobile phone. To pick out one is difficult but in my opinion Northern Industrial Town shows exactly his abilities in songwriting. It is very seldom that an artist is able to describe the working people and how they life. This song is in the tradition of Ray Davis and The Kinks who described the working people way back in England in the 60s.

Enjoy

It's just a northern industrial town

The front doors of the houses open into the street

There's no room for front gardens, just a two-up two-down

In a northern industrial town

And you can see the green hills 'cross the rooftops

And a fresher wind blows past the end of our block

In the evenings the mist come rolling on down

Into a northern industrial town

And there's only two teams in this town

And you must follow one or the other

Let us win, let them lose, not the other way 'round

In a northern industrial town

And the street lights look pretty and bright

From the tops of the hills that rise dark in the night

If it weren't for the rain you might never come down

To your northern industrial town

And on payday they tear the place down

With a pint in your hand and a bash 'em out band

Sure they'd dance to the rhythm of the rain falling down

In a northern industrial town

And there's plenty of artists around

Painters steal cars, poets nick guitars

'Cause we're out of the black and we're into the red

So give us this day our daily bread

In a northern industrial town

But it's not Leeds or Manchester

Liverpool, Sheffield nor Glasgow

It's not Newcastle-on-Tyne, it's Belfast

It's just a northern industrial town

Merry Christmas, war is over

In a northern industrial town

Billy Bragg - Northern Industrial Town

Twanging Tuesday # 32

Hasil Adkins was one of a kind Rockabilly lunatic whose life and music were bizarre enough that if they had been a work of fiction - no one with any sense would have ever believed it. Just a one-man band who bashed out the most ultra-crude tunes about sex, chicken and decapitation. Another weired one who lived close to R'n'R. Many bands who are accompanied to Rockabilly were inspired by him - especially The Cramps.

Hasil Adkins - She Said
Hasil Adkins - The Hunch