FLOWER MOON

Upon first hearing this album I was quickly whisked away into a mind blowing psychedelic trip leading me through a myriad of adventures and experiences. This album is not just something you listen to, but one you immerse yourself in with all of your senses. An interactive journey of the soul.

Artist Ryan David Platt embarked on this solo project as a mad scientist of sorts. He’s amazingly adept at expertly mixing sounds and effects that you might not ever imagine working well together, but somehow he nails it, every single time. On this album, Platt is responsible for almost every detail ( with the exception of the inspired addition of vocals by artist LeeRoy on “Jan Toro’s Oceanic Adventure”). Platt is the guy playing every instrument, singing every note, and was the writer of every lyric. From wailing guitar solos on “Jan Toro’s Oceanic Expedition” to the pounding beat of “Bad Acid”, to the trippy and dreamy “Pisces”, this record hits every mark and leaves you wanting for nothing. Platt captures more on this album than other artists do on 3 or 4.

Stand out tracks on the album include the ethereal and trippy “Pisces”, which is a beautifully layered, multi-dimensional song that makes you feel as if you’re wandering through a dream. Platt’s melodic vocals interwoven with a gorgeous melody make this track one you’ll keep coming back to.

“Bad Acid “ takes a totally different approach. It’s pounding and heavy feel takes you through the emotions and sensations you might imagine when a trip goes wrong. Menacing, pleading, driving, and heavy, there is still something gorgeous about this track. The emotions it stirs up are ones we have all felt at one time or another, with or without the psychedelics. The heaviness totally subsides during a beautiful interlude in the middle of the song that provides respite until the pounding melody returns again, only to come back in a haunting and celestial ending, calling to mind the peaceful eastern influences that bring the listener out of the mind trip and back into the comfort of reality.

“Jan Toro’s Oceanic Adventure” takes the listener on another turn entirely . Beginning with an infectious guitar riff the additional instruments begin to work their way in, leading to a richly layered experience. The lyrics on this track, coupled with an exceptional guitar solo, really make this track among my favorites on the album. The adventures of Jan Toro are epic, and draw the listener in . You just want to hear more of the story. The song delves deeply into the life of the mythical Jan Toro and his adventures both above and under the sea, then segues into the rich vocals of guest artist LeeRoy, who’s style evokes Alice In Chains. That may sound out of place with the rest of the album, but that’s the beauty of it. It makes the song unexpectedly perfect, another example of the genius Platt displays with his quirky combinations and inspired originality.

I asked Ryan what his goal was in making this album.

“For a long time I felt like I was never gonna make music again, just because I started to feel stagnant and didn’t know what direction I wanted to go to. Last spring I got really into older psychedelic music as well as some modern psychedelic bands, and felt like it might be fun to try my hand at making something like what I was listening to. I also wanted to artistically convey some of my own world views and aspects of my own personal psychedelic experiences. The goal of this album was more to make something for myself than for other people.”

Who are some of your Influences?

“Some of my biggest influences have been Babe Rainbow, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizards, George Harrison, The Beatles, Tame Impala, Jefferson Airplane, and a whole bunch more that I can’t think of right now. A lot of it was very directly inspired by George Harrison and the eastern scales and tones that he would use, especially in his solo album “All Things Must Pass”

What was the writing process like?

“The writing process was really interesting with this one. 90% of it was recorded at like 3 or 4 in the morning in a dark room with funky lights on, and almost all of it was just jamming and recording. Very little was planned before sitting down to record, and most of the lead parts were entirely different in each and every take. I probably couldn’t play some of the things I did the way they’re recorded a second time. A lot of the time I was delirious and about to fall asleep, which I think contributed to some of the dreamier portions. Overall though it was a weird process but I genuinely think I always want to write this way now.”

Music is supposed to make you feel, but my god, this album makes you feel everything. It’s a journey that envelops your senses, leaving you satiated, joyful and spent. I’m not sure I’ve heard such depth of originality in a very long time. Do yourselves a favor, friends. Take a few listens. I imagine you’ll love it as much as I do.

By Jennifer DiSilvio

This past week has been the most difficult one I can ever remember in this country in my lifetime. Already in the midst of a global pandemic, which left us the hardest hit nation in the entire world , we were forced to witness yet another cold blooded murder of a black man at the hands of a police officer(s) . Our President and his minions, who hold a very large responsibility in the extent of the Covid19 outbreak, due to ineptitude and denial and dismissal of both the human cost and the medical evidence, have quite literally begun shooting rubber bullets at peaceful protestors and spraying them with Tear gas , all so he can stand in front of a building he never enters, holding a book he never reads, to appease his evangelical base. As this nation mourns the loss of well over 100,000 Americans, in financial crisis that we haven’t seen since the Great Depression, while being led by a power hungry administration that will seemingly stop at nothing to get the power they so desperately crave, human lives be damned, we are all a crossroads. As so many of us finally, finally, begin to accept and admit that we are a nation rife with violence and racism and inequality that we must rise up against with ever fiber of our beings, the cost to our mental health has been great. So many of us quite literally feel as if we are drowning in despair, disbelief and rage. Yesterday, with the release of the first song from his upcoming album “Blue Hearts”, Bob Mould threw us all a life preserver.

“American Crisis” is more than just another release from one of my favorite artists. It’s a glorious revolution . From the very first seconds of this song, which begins with Bob’s guttural howl, it’s understood that you’d better hold on tight. For those of you familiar with Bob, you understand that his music has always been full of darkness . I include his last release, “Sunshine Rock” in that same mix, because despite a few more upbeat tunes, it was hard to miss the duality of Bob’s emotions. Even behind a catchy riff, Bob can shine a light on the dark and break your heart all while your toes are tapping along to the music. This duality has always been one of the things that has made Bob great.

Through Bob’s career we have always heard the subtle and not so subtle expressions of his anger . But I don’t think we’ve seen it reach this level since 1990’s “Sacrifice/Let There Be Peace.” From the album “Black Sheets of Rain” or quite possibly even the pinnacle of his rage in “JC Auto” from Sugar’s 1993 masterpiece, “Beaster”.

When we went see Bob at a couple of shows back in February, it became quite clear that instead of tempering it, this time his anger has been fully unleashed. As Bob spoke to the audience, almost pleading with us to understand his words, it became clear . A gay man who watched his friends die one by one during the AIDS epidemic while the government continued to marginalize and put blame on the LGBT community, all while stoking hate, division and fear, all while seemingly taking no responsibility for the ineptitude and inhumanity of how that crisis was handled. Sound familiar? And what Bob tried to tell us, was that we are in the midst of this kind of division and hate all over again. And that this time, as a man coming close to 60, he would never sit back and allow his silence to ever again make him complicit. He urged us to vote. To stand up. To fight. And made it quite clear to that if we were one of them, we stood against everything he held dear. It was the first time I heard “American Crisis” and I stood in the audience and wept at the glory of it.

On this track, Bob addresses the unfathomable hypocrisy of certain Christian evangelicals that are still supporting this President, despite anything and everything. The “Evangelical Isis” Bob refers to is so staggeringly anti-humanity, anti- inclusion and anti-peace, that they, like our President, are about as worthy and deserving of standing in front of a church and holding a bible as the devil himself, if you believe in such things. And that they, along with a certain group of power hungry white men in our government, are willing to sacrifice the very lives of anyone who doesn’t think exactly the way they do. And even some that do if it gets in the way of their agenda. The “pro-life “ crowd willing to sacrifice the ill, the elderly, the black community and the immigrant community, just like they did to the gay men back in the 80’s.

Of course, when writing this song, Bob could not have imagined how prophetic it would be. And how much we would all need a battle cry to help us stand up. Step up. And take this country back. As Bob says. “If you’re not one of us, you’re one of them. And if you’re one of them, don’t come near me again.” . Thank you , Bob. We are heeding your battle cry with everything we’ve got.

By Jennifer DiSilvio

It started a few years back when I had a press pass for Drive-By Truckers. It was a free show outside on the waterfront in NYC, so of course, not everyone there was a true fan. I remember being proud as I looked up onstage and saw the “Black Lives Matter” sign the band had hung up. These guys were not only one of the best bands around, but they were true artists, never afraid to stand up for what they believed in, even if it meant getting pushback or losing fans.

I wasn’t the least bit surprised, however, when I heard a bunch of guys in flannel and baseball caps, most likely expecting to see what was, in their view, a typical southern rock band, see the sign, hurl some racist epithets and leave. All while preaching that they’d never listen to Drive By Truckers again . At that point, it was the Summer of 2016. Donald Trump was the presumptive Republican nominee and it would become official a few days later. The rhetoric on the right had begun to get uglier by the day. People were becoming more and more emboldened to be bullies. I expected it to be temporary, but I was sorely mistaken.

Fast forward to today. I tend to like my music, just as any art I enjoy, to have meaning. When an artist is passionate about what they create, it makes it ever so much more beautiful. You don’t tend to get musical or literary or artistic brilliance from playing it safe. True art comes from somewhere deep within the soul. Often going hand in hand with what an artist believes in the most deeply socially and politically.

I belong to a lot of music fan pages and I rejoice in the commonalities we share as communities of human beings, who all love and respect the music of a particular artist or band. They have been safe places to discuss the music we are passionate about with civil arguments and discussions being welcome. We may see a lyric differently, or disagree on what album was the best, but it seldom got dirty or ugly or personal.

Over the last several years, this has begun to change dramatically. The meltdowns and personal attacks and nastiness hurled towards those who don’t agree with us have become almost sport. There are an abundance of people who show up on these discussion groups with the sole intent of sowing discord and stirring the pot. It’s gotten so bad that there was once even a guy who made himself an alternate Facebook page just to see who he could trigger on both sides. Some sick sort of entertainment.

As civility and kindness began to become less commonplace and more the exception, I began to notice a few things. The band pages I belonged to were becoming harbors for trolls. Attacking the artists, attacking the fans that defended them and then making themselves the victims. Hurling insults and grammatically incorrect diatribes, often with very personal attacks on people who had never expressed anything but a desire to allow the band their message and right to sing about whatever they damn well pleased. I can’t begin to tell you how often I’ve seen posts in the vein of “I liked you better before you became political” and “shut up and sing”, as if the idea of artist disagreeing with their politics was an attack on them personally. The idea that these people genuinely believe that the artists have NO RIGHT to pen lyrics that disagree with their own beliefs. That freedom of speech is only meant for those with the same points of view and that art should be altered to fit their tiny little narrative and world view. These, ironically, seem to always be the same folks vehemently defending the second amendment at any cost and with no compromise, but tend to see the first amendment as something that should only be implemented when it validates their own belief system. Hypocrisy at its finest.

It got ugly fast. And it has become the norm now, to see these kinds of posts explode into arguments with comments in the hundreds, before the unpaid Facebook administrators have to put a stop to it by either banning the trolls, or unbelievably, banning the message. I understand it gets overwhelming. I get it that it’s too hard to control, sometimes. But it’s also their goal. To wear us down until they get what they want.

Some examples that have made me incredulous were the refusal to allow a fund raising post that supported women’s reproductive rights, by an artist on his own fan page. This was a very politically outspoken artist who never hid his beliefs, having his passion about an issue erased because it offended fans who must have never been listening in the first place. Or just today, a Bob Mould and Husker Du Facebook fan page, where rules against posting anything political have been put into place because of arguments over Bob having a right wing troll removed from his show for heckling him. And where, after I posted about a show in Tarrytown, NY, where Bob spoke for quite awhile about his beliefs about the current administration and clearly expressed his rage on some mind blowingly good new music, The moderators threatened to ban me from the page. ( I left of my own accord. I don’t abide censorship or bullies) We aren’t speaking about anything speculative. We are speaking about the artists own views and beliefs being censored to ensure the satisfaction of a minority who choose to bully and throw temper tantrums until they get their way. This is happening everywhere. From the one million mom group ( the actual number is less than 100,000, I suppose they learned their penchant for exaggeration from their President) who goes after people like the Hallmark channel for airing a commercial with a same sex couple in it. Or an attempt in Minnesota to ban books not approved by a religious based counsel from libraries. To the bands we love being censored by their own “fans” because they choose to disagree with the bands message.

The most frightening thing about this, the thing that’s beginning to keep me up at night, is that this assault on our first amendment is becoming, at least in some ways, successful. The minority with the loudest screams and the largest bully sticks are winning. This happens when a band page can no longer post the views of an artist. Or when we go to check out a book at the library that they no longer carry. Or when journalists aren’t allowed interviews or information unless they have thrown impartiality to the wind. Or investigations are called “fake” so often that it wears people down far enough that they aren’t sure what to believe any more.

It may seem trivial and irrelevant when these fan pages no longer allow the full story. When they’ve been whitewashed to the point of not even representing the artist any longer. But it’s not. Every tiny step backwards when it comes to our first amendment rights is one we may never get back. And it’s time we either stand up and fight back again that, or wonder what the hell happened when those rights have been eroded beyond repair.

By Jennifer DiSilvio

I keep reading reviews for Bob Mould’s latest album, “Sunshine Rock “ and except for a very small percentage of them, I’ve come to the conclusion that either they’re all missing something or that I am.
Most reviewers are touting this album as Bob finally bringing his music out of the darkness and into the light.
To me, even though this album certainly contains some more upbeat tracks, there is still the requisite darkness, albeit a more mellow and more self reflective gloom. Bob battling himself and his demons.
But why is it that the vast majority of the reviews of this latest record are praising the new and improved “happy” Bob? While it’s a fact this this album is nowhere near all happiness and light, what kind of message are we sending when we make it sound like happiness and light are BETTER? Were so many fans actually disappointed when Bob put out albums that were mostly dark? Were they less comfortable with those records that an album that was more balanced or light? And to that I’d like to ask why?
I’m no songwriter, but I imagine that just like with any other form of writing, it is an extremely cathartic process. Letting the darkness out so there is room to let the light in. An artist that can connect with his or her emotions is one that can connect with their audience. In a world full of pop garbage, to listen to an artist that can feel what I feel is an incredible experience.
Sure, it’s nice to see Bob smile. Sure,  I hope he’s genuinely happy. But in the decades I’ve loved him, he’s smiled and laughed and created great music and lived his life. As with any human being there were highs and lows, I imagine. But maybe, just maybe, in writing songs like “Black Sheets of Rain” and “The War” Bob was cleansing himself of pain in a way he best saw fit. Through his art.
I also beg to differ when it comes to the idea Bob’s music has always been all dark. As a matter of fact, I’ve always seen the hope in Bob’s lyrics. The idea that even in darkest times, there was always something to believe in and hold on to. You hear the duality of his battles in songs such as “Hold On” from Patch The Sky and most certainly on my favorite track on this latest album, “Lost Faith”.
A lifelong Mould fan, I have turned to his music at every stage of my life. His darkness has often mirrored mine, especially when my own life was difficult or filled with loss or pain. Bob is a master at making you feel. A deeply retrospective and empathic man who sees into souls.
On this album, we hear darkness, we hear joy and we hear everything in between. Bob continues to be a master, and this album contains everything from the incredible “I Fought”, which is reminiscent of his Husker Du and Sugar days, to the upbeat “Sunshine Rock” to an incredible cover of “Send Me A Postcard”. His music continues to get better with age, as do his live shows. When we saw him in Brooklyn in February I was blown away by just how amazing he continues to be. A night filled with decades of his best music, played just as loud as you’d ever want or imagine, and the witnessing of humility and grace that this artist possesses when it comes to being grateful that his audience is still so in awe after three decades.
The darkness is not something people should rejoice in him “overcoming”. We all have moments of pain and despair and emptiness. It’s been a comfort to me throughout my life to turn to Bob’s music when I most needed someone to understand how I felt.
If happiness and joy are something that you’ve been longing for in the music of this man, I’d say you have missed the entire point.

I once had a session with a psychic intuitive that told me that my life’s theme was “Justice”. She explained that theme only applies to about 5% of the population. If The Proletariat’s latest release is any indication, singer/songwriter Rick Brown is among that 5%.
Justice has been a theme in the Proletariat’s music since the very beginning. And this album is certainly no exception. It is filled with songs about police brutality and racial inequality and gun violence. In the Trump era, the rage in singer Rick Browns voice has become even more palpable.

Many bands of this genre and era have put out new records that are mediocre at best and seem focused on a single goal; make a few bucks as a nostalgia band. They then go on tour and play half-heartedly, just wasting time until they get their pay, go home and take a nap. There is no passion, the band isn’t a cohesive unit and new music is lackluster to say the least. ( There are some notable exceptions to this rule that have been phenomenal.) The Proletariat stands in stark contrast to these kinds of bands. It’s immediately evident that their music and what it stands for remain important to them . The musicianship has only improved with age, and so has the passion. Every band member shines, with none attempting to overshadow anyone else. A true sign of a great band to me has always been a solid, singular vision shared by all of its members. The Proletariat seem to excel at this concept. And even after all of these years, they are still making exceptional music. In fact, this album may be their best.
A stand-out on the album is the fiercely anti-racist and anti-mass incarceration song,
“Incarceration Incentive”
“Incentive to incarcerate/ imprisoned, profit, product, slave/ incentive to incarcerate/ racial bias creates slaves. Prison Labor’s Cheap. They’re reinventing slavery .”

“Soft Targets” addresses the enormous gun violence issue we have in this country.
“In your search for truth/ lies offer comfort/ lies blur distinction/ lies bury lies—cowardly/ vulnerable/it’s easy when they don’t look like us.”
My favorite track on the album is the title track “Move”. This song is where Browns rage seems most evident and guttural. It’s subject is an incident from 1985 where police bombed
the headquarters of MOVE, a black liberation group, in a residential area. The fire spread to 60 building and 11 people, including 5 children, died.

I asked singer Rick Brown a few questions about the latest album and the band.
Jen: What inspired you to write this latest album?”
Rick:
The album title ‘Move’ was based on the Move House bombings in Philadelphia in 1985. There had been bad blood between the Move Org and the Philadelphia police for several years dating back to 1978 incident where an officer was shot in the back, while facing the organizations then headquarters. Nine members of Move where arrested and just over the last few years a few have been released.
Jen: The band seems more fine-tuned and cohesive than ever. You must put a lot of work in. How difficult is that at this stage if the game? To find the time and energy?

Rick: I’m glad you think were sharp and fine tuned 🙂 With jobs, families and a drummer on the opposite coast its really hard to stay sharp. When we rehearse its fairly intense, but still loose and fun.

Jen: I saw you guys play on the very first date of your first tour in 30 years. How important is it for you to play in front of live audiences?

Rick: Playing in front of live audiences is the best part of being in a band. Well, this band anyway 🙂 . Song writing and piecing together songs and regular rehearsals are OK, studio time on the other hand. Meh.
As far as today compared to 30 Years ago…two different animals. The venues then could be just about anything : lofts, garages, art spaces, etc…yeah we did play a garage/giant shed in Tacoma last year, but mostly now it’s clubs.

Jen: In the current political climate, a lot of bands get pushback for being too political. What’s your take on that?

Rick: We have never actually received push back for being political but back in the day we occasionally would catch some heat for our political beliefs. It’s hard for me to understand why the very same people that champion “freedom” are so hellbent on exercising their freedoms and then turning around and wanting to deny others the freedoms they seek.

Jen: Where do you hope to see us headed as a nation? What role to you think art and music have in shaping societies perceptions?

Rick:
One of the reasons that funding for the arts is often on the chopping block is that art, music, film and literature, by their very nature, demand your attention…the awareness that ensues scares our leaders. Work, eat, sleep, work, eat, sleep — a mind numbing, soulless existence for the masses will leave them little time to question authority and too little energy to resist and the status quo remains intact. I guess that sounds like a pretty grim response 🙂… For me music and the arts have always offered an alternative, a window, a hope. Whether it was Camus, Dylan or The Clash…talking about the French Resistance, Vietnam, Watergate, or Thatcher’s England, there will always be artists that question not only our leaders but ourselves as well. For that I am thankful.

I, for one, am thankful for bands like the Proletariat. Thoughtful, passionate and literate, they’ve always been a band that speaks their truth. And instead of those ideals mellowing with age, as they so often do, their message is now even stronger.

2018 was a hell of a year for most of us. No matter what was going on in our personal lives, most of us suffered through the constant streams of hatred, violence, misogyny and racist and anti-immigrant vitriol that we were bombarded with on a daily ( and sometimes hourly) basis. It was a very dark year for humanity and this country. Many of us watched helplessly, many of us tried to resist, but for the large majority of us, hopelessness and disbelief were the two most prevalent emotions.

Sometimes, immersed deep in the bowels of the ugliness that presides over our society currently, music was my only salvation. This years list was often political and always beautiful. Potent salves to soothe the soul.

8. Erika Wennerstrom: Sweet Unkown

When Erika , who is best known as the voice behind Heartless Bastards, released this solo album, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Her soulful and melodious voice has always been able to stand alone, but I wasn’t expecting the beauty I found on this record. Ethereal and indescribably lovely , Erika has proven she is a force to be reckoned with. Standouts on this album include “Extraordinary Love” and “Be Good To Yourself”. Erika and her band, featuring the spectacularly talented Lauren Gurgolio on guitar , were also one of the best live bands I saw this year.

7. Willie Nile : Children of Paradise

Willie has been one of my favorite artists for over 30 years. A prolific and vastly underrated songwriter, Willie has earned the respect and admiration of the best musicians in the industry. This latest album, his most political to date, includes protest songs like “ Gettin’ Ugly Out There” , “Earth Blues” and the infectious “Seeds of A Revolution”. But Willie doesn’t do darkness. In every song he sings he lifts you up and makes you believe that even through the darkest of times, love and beauty are out there. You can’t listen to this album without absorbing Willie’s belief in humanity and his hopeful, incessant and unwavering conviction that  hope and love are all we’ve got.

If you’re ever down, listen to this album. Better yet, go see Willie and his amazing band live. You can’t leave a Willie Nile  show without a smile on  your face. If you haven’t seen him live, you’re missing one of the greatest shows of your life. Just go.

6. Brandi Carlisle : By The Way, I Forgive You

This album is astonishing  in its beauty and understanding of humanity. Carlisle digs deep into her most heartfelt emotions and comes up with an album that makes the listener feel absolutely everything. Carlisle is a songwriter who excels at telling the stories of the lonely, the misunderstood and the forgotten. This album touches on subjects such as gender rolls, suicide, drug addiction and the pain of loneliness. It’s most beautiful song is “The Mother” which addresses the realities of Motherhood and all of its highs, lows and sacrifices and most especially the extraordinary love you can’t quite ever understand until you are a parent yourself.

It’s a rare human being that can succeed at making you feel exactly what she intends for you to feel with her music. Carlisle is one of them.

5. Courtney Barnett: Tell Me How You Really Feel.

On this album, Courtney remains just as witty and self deprecating as ever, but with more maturity and preciseness. There are no signs that her moderate stardom has effected her outlook on life and her focus is on the minutiae of everyday life and the ridiculousness of The expectations of others . Like most great songwriters, Barnett seems to possess the qualities of an empath. An ability to see and feel the tiniest nuances and verbalize the things most people miss. On the song “Nameless, Faceless” Barnett addresses everything from pent up hatred, misdirected anger, misogyny and the reality of the dangers of being a woman in the age of the “Me Too” movement all while still maintaining the capacity to feel sorry for those spewing the most hate.

On the song “Crippling Self Doubt and a General Lack of Self Confidence” Courtney is joined by Breeders Kim and Kelly Deal.

To me, the most critical components of being a true songwriter are possessing extraordinary skills of observation as well as empathy. The best of the best are often the ones with the most self doubt. Courtney Barnett is a star, whether she believes it or not. And her incredible body of works continues to get stronger right along with the artist.

4. Kurt Vile: Bottle It In

I’m not normally a fan of long and meandering songs. I often find them self indulgent and more often than not, I lose interest before the song ever comes to an end. This album contains a lot of songs that ramble. But Kurt understands something about melody more than the average mere mortal. And each song on this album, no matter how long, feels more like a journey where one savors every step instead of impatiently rushing to get to the destination. He is the master of taking us on journey’s  where beautiful surprises lurk around every corner and where you just can’t wait to see what’s coming next.

If you have patience, it soon becomes apparent that if you allow the melodious and mellow music to wash over you, Kurt sees exactly where he wants to take you. And it’s a beautiful place indeed.

The 10 minute long “Bassackwards” is a folky psychedelic and meandering trek into a comfortable nothingness. A place where you feel right at home. Vile proves the point that a song doesn’t necessarily have to take you anywhere specific to get the job done. And don’t we all just need to wallow in comfort and melody for a little while?

Whether you listen to Vile to immerse yourself in his hazy guitar riffs or enjoy his quirky and witty lyrics, this album is an excellent  representation of the way Vile sees the world. And it’s definitely a trip worth taking.

3. J Mascis : Elastic Days

Mascis has always been a master of the great guitar hook. The albums first track to be released was the incredibly upbeat and catchy See You At The Movies, with a hook as intriguing as any Dino Jr. have ever produced. The song immediately drew me to the album, and one of the aspects I enjoyed most was hearing the moody drone of J.’s vocals paired with the lovely harmonies of backing vocalist Pall Jenkins of Black Heart Procession.   While songs like See You at The Movies are evocative of Freak Scene, the classic Dino Jr, song, the album is much more heavily peppered with a mellow and folky beauty, poignant lyrics and other intriguing collaborations with Zoe Randall of Luluc and Mark Mulcahy of Miracle Legion fame.

As always, J.’s lyrics are haunted by the beauty of the ever elusive “someone” he has been singing to for over thirty years. The sort of soul mate you know you will always love and never quite have. An ever evolving circle of melancholy, emotional uncertainty and self-doubt that every single one of us has felt, is feeling or will feel.  On this album, Mascis delivers some of his most emotive vocals to date. His guitar solos are often how he most clearly expresses his deepest feelings, a non-vocal cry of pain or frustration, or despair. For the first time, we are hearing his vocals come close to matching his guitar as a way to express himself. And it is beautiful. From the astonishingly pretty I Went To Dust to the gorgeous Web So Dense, which includes the albums most fabulous guitar solo, this album reaches a level of maturity of sound that is genuinely incredible. It is truly Mascis at his finest.

2. Alejandro Escovedo: The Crossing

A career musician and master songwriter, Escovedo  has crafted a concept album featuring the narrative of two young immigrants—Diego from Mexico and Salvo from Italy—who meet in Texas , bond over music and  go searching for their own personal versions of the  American Dream.

For Escovedo, himself the son of Mexican immigrants, this album isn’t just political in nature, but personal. And it may just be his best album to date.

“Sonica USA” is the first single off the album , featuring Wayne Kramer of The MC5 on guitar. In it Escovedo returns to his punk roots, even referencing his time growing up in Austin and playing in a very early punk band called  The Zeros. “ I saw the Zero’s and they looked like me This is the America I want to be ” . A nod to the fact that immigrant kids played a seminal role in punk.

Sometimes  in your face and sometimes thoughtful and reflective, this album tells the American immigrant story in a way that can be told only from the perspective of a man or woman that has lived it.

Escovedo is backed on the album by Italian instrumental group, Don Antonio and together, they have created Escovedos most adventurous and genre-bending album to date. Through punk-inspired guitar, to lazy jazz riffs, to soulful ballads, and even spoken word, this album tells the timeless tale of racism, repression, resistance and kick-ass spirit that are the driving forces behind the real American Dream , one that is so threatened by the current administration.

The album encompasses not just a story, but immerses us in the entire experience of the American immigrant. From the innocent belief that anyone can accomplish the American Dream, to the reality that in doing so one must often give up their culture, their way of life and their own identity.

Escovedo has crafted more than a record, this is a true work of art. Take some time and let him tell you his story.

1. John Prine : The Tree Of Forgiveness

This album, Prine’s first of originals in over a decade, re-establishes his place among America’s greatest songwriters. Prine , a member of America’s most elite and revered lyricists, has written some of the most beautiful and heartbreaking lyrics to have ever been written. Some of his older work, including  “ Sam Stone”and “Hello In There” are songs that stay with you for the rest of your life and characters that haunt you. Prine, who’s battled cancer twice in the last twenty years and seems to be facing his own mortality, wrote this album that, at first, may not seem as deep, but then you begin to realize the simplicity of the life of which he speaks, the sheer beauty of what life has to offer, even in its most mundane moments, is what gives this album its depth of beauty. That simplicity, in its purest form, can be breathtakingly lovely.

From the foot-stomping and joy inducing “When I get to Heaven” on which everyone’s favorite line seems to be the hilarious “Buddy, when you’re dead, you’re a dead peckerhead”, to the lovely “Boundless Love” a song that speaks to what love really turns out to be, not all roses and champagne and kisses in the rain, but forgiveness and understanding and compassion. A steadfast belief in one another. (And isn’t that the most beautiful kind of love? ) This album is about the things that truly matter, performed in a way that only Prine can. It’s a beautiful example of what life truly is. And for that, I’m very thankful.

I was first introduced to the band X in 1981, at the age of 13. A friend and musical mentor listened to them frequently and was a huge fan. As with most of his music suggestions, I loved what I heard. X quickly became one of my all time favorite bands and have remained so for the past 35 years.

X  has a sound that is a unique mixture of rockabilly, punk and subtle shades of Americana and blues. They  remain one of the few bands in the world that always produced a  sound that was uniquely their own. From the poetic lyrics to the slightly off-kilter harmonies of singers John Doe and Exene Cervenka, I was drawn in at first listen and fully expected the band to remain in my top ten for the rest of my life.

X has been a part of my life for decades. My children know every song. My daughter attended her first concert when she joined me at an X show at the Irving Plaza just before she turned 15. This band meant something to me . That all changed after the tragedy at Sandy Hook.

I was unaware at the time, that Exene had a you-tube channel where she posted truther/conspiracy theorist rants that made her, quite frankly, sound like she had lost her mind. When a friend told me about  Sandy Hook conspiracy theorists  (A concept that literally turns my stomach), I did some research and found that Exene was among them.

To put this in perspective, I lived about a mile and a half from Sandy Hook school. The families affected by this tragedy were a part of my community. I knew some of them personally. I witnessed the devastation that followed that day. For months after the tragedy, you could hear a pin drop while walking around town. The sadness was a living, breathing thing that I’m certain you have to experience to understand. Like others that lived or worked near other unspeakable tragedies we have experienced in this country over the past 2 decades, I began to realize how much more real it seems when it happens right in your own back yard. And instead of joining together as a country and standing in solidarity against this gun violence epidemic that had now taken the lives of babies, people viciously attacked the families and spewed the unbelievable story that this tragedy was a hoax. It went further than just words. Families were harassed, threatened and intimidated by these conspiracy theorists. Many had to move from the area or live in hiding because of death threats to themselves and their families. Not only did these parents lose children in the most horrific and unthinkable way, but they were being mocked, harassed and threatened by right wind media darlings like Alex Jones, who encouraged his supporters to harass them.

Discovering Exene Cervenka was among them was incomprehensible. It was like a punch in the gut. This woman, an artist that I had admired and respected for most of my life, had turned into a monster. Someone that would mock dead children and support people who harassed their families. People that had suffered the greatest loss a person could imagine were being slandered by someone I’d admired and idolized. Delving more deeply, I saw the pattern. Exene’s you-tube channel rants ranged from the typical conspiracy theorists views about the government attempting to take your rights away, to unbelievably vile postings that were filled with racism, misogyny, and homophobia and were more like the rantings of someone who had lost all semblance of reality. My mind was blown. Punk was about acceptance, right? I vividly recalled my own punk youth where, except for the greatly disdained racist skinheads, everyone accepted everyone else. Had she lost her mind? Or were these kinds of things representative of who she had always been? But then I remembered something I’d tried to push back in my own mind for a  very long time. Something I liked to make myself believe had nothing to do with Cervenka’s own personal views (although rumors have always persisted about the racist nature of certain band members). And the lyrics to the song Los Angeles came back into my head.

“All her toys wore out in black and her boys had too
She started to hate every nigger and Jew
Every Mexican that gave her lotta shit
Every homosexual and the idle rich
She had to get out”.

While these lyrics could have just been part of a characters story, something about them always felt wrong. I understand that lyricists write about characters that have nothing to do with them or their beliefs. But something told me that in this case, they did. Seeing Exene’s now defunct YouTube channel solidified this belief. Right or wrong I just can’t abide it.

I first became aware of Cervenka’s madness a few years ago and I stopped listening to the band. But after seeing John Doe and his band play a few X songs on tour recently, I started to listen again. I spent a month believing I was going to attend a show last night at the Irving Plaza. I even worked on getting a press pass. But yesterday morning, I was driving and decided to put X on. When Los Angeles came on, my mind was made up. I would not be going to the show and I’d be deleting the X songs from my playlists.

I’m fully aware that I certainly must listen to other songs that are, by nature, against my own moral code in one way or another. And I am certainly a huge believer in Freedom of Speech. But just as I witnessed Drive-By Trucker fans leave a show I was covering recently because the band had put up a “Black Lives Matter” poster (Really? Have you never listened to a DBT song?) it remains my choice whether or not I can support a band whose views (At least those of Cervenka) are so completely opposite of my own. And for me, the answer is no. John Doe is a different person and a different story. I will remain a fan and he remains a great musician in my eyes. He has also attempted to distance himself from the words of Cervenka.

Exene took her you-tube channel down after the shit hit the fan about it in 2014. She even issued a statement where she tried to make peace, but certainly never truly apologized. But morally, I can’t forget the things she said. Maybe Exene is truly mentally ill. If so, I genuinely feel sorry for her and hope she gets the help she needs. But maybe this punk icon is really nothing more than a punk. There comes a time in your life when your own moral compass leads you to make some decisions based on what you believe is right and wrong. If I ever forget again, which I’m certain I won’t, all I will need to do is replay those lyrics in my head. Goodbye, X.

Addendum, 2022:

Despite the vile words and actions of Exene, the band seems to be allowing it. At a recent show, Exene ended the show with “Let’s Go Brandon” the vile, juvenile euphemism those on the far right use instead of having the balls to say what they mean out loud. And while Billy Zoom has always been tied to right wing ideology, John Doe and D.J. Bonebreak have not. But instead of condemning the words and actions of Exene, John and D.J. Seem to have made the decision to allow the words and beliefs of Exene to drive the narrative of the band. To me, complicity means acceptance. I hope I’m wrong and I will continue to believe they are still two of the good guys, despite their refusal to stand up against the things she says.

Looking more deeply into all of this, it’s also come to my attention that in addition to the racism, madness and misogyny Exene spewed on her now defunct YouTube channel, I have found interviews where she calls women “sluts” ( a term any woman should find repulsive) , goes after black people for using the N word, and tells us that we women should be happy we live in a time where sexism and misogyny are no longer rampant. Really. Let’s also remember that she released a recording of herself reading the manifesto of the unibomber. Jesus. She’s never hidden who she was. We’ve just refused to see it because we loved the music so much.

A few years back, I was able to speak to the manger of X. When I voiced my shock and outrage at the words of Exene regarding Sandy Hook he said to me ” We both know Exene said those things, but can’t you forgive people their faults?” No. When it comes to denying the very lives of children shot down in their classrooms, I most certainly can not.

J. Mascis is  best known for his role as the front man of Dinosaur Jr., a band that’s legendary loudness has been deafening its willing fan base for three decades. J. has long been the force behind the creative control of the band, and the acrimonious departure of bassist Lou Barlow back in 1989 allowed him to explore other areas of sound that Dinosaur Jr. may not have had Barlow remained a constant in the band. For a while, Mascis was able to explore and expand creatively in a way that most artists can only do when going solo. Mascis seemed to be  grasping for something that seemed just out of  reach. He came incredibly close to finding the sound he was searching for, but Dinosaur Jr.  just never felt right without all members the mighty trio of Barlow, Murph and Mascis. The band was just better as a unit. Together, their latest music has been extraordinarily cohesive, collaborative and solid. Yet It still seemed as if Mascis was still searching for something, a sound he finally understood was not possible as a member of this iconic band, and pursued a way to make the music he was so clearly meant to make. “Elastic Days” is the third solo album by Mascis, and the one that most closely reaches the ideal sound he seems to have been striving for.

Mascis has always been somewhat of an enigma, most clearly evidenced by the duality of his  indolent drawl coupled with energetic and ear-splitting  guitar riffs. A shy and introverted loneliness alongside an untamed ferocity rising up from the bowels of a Fender Jazzmaster.  It only seems fitting then, that one creative outlet would just never be enough for him. His need to express both sides equally has lent itself to an artist that best showcases his many talents both as a member of a majorly influential band that defined a whole new category of music and a laid back and mostly mellow musician whose style is best defined as folk-rock peppered with punk. While Dinosaur Jr has grown exponentially as a band over the last 3 decades, especially after the return of Barlow and Murph, Mascis has seemingly grown even faster in the 7 years since the release of his first solo album, Several Shades Of Why. While all 3 solo albums have leant themselves to a much more mellow and acoustically driven aesthetic, a more stripped down and lovely version of the guitar shred Dinosaur Jr. fans have come to know and love, Elastic Days is in a league of its own. In it, J. has finally captured the evasive sound he’s been trying to reign in all of these years. It is an album that combines all of the greatness of the often underrated musician. His beautiful lyrics, his catchy riffs and his astonishing ability to shred a guitar, albeit in a much more mellow form.

Mascis has always been a master of the great guitar hook. The albums first track to be released was the incredibly upbeat and catchy See You At The Movies, with a hook as intriguing as any Dino Jr. have ever produced. The song immediately drew me to the album, and one of the aspects I enjoyed most was hearing the moody drone of J.’s vocals paired with the lovely harmonies of backing vocalist Pall Jenkins of Black Heart Procession.   While songs like See You at The Movies are evocative of Freak Scene, the classic Dino Jr, song, the album is much more heavily peppered with a mellow and folky beauty, poignant lyrics and other intriguing collaborations with Zoe Randall of Luluc and Mark Mulcahy of Miracle Legion fame.

As always, J.’s lyrics are haunted by the beauty of the ever elusive “someone” he has been singing to for over thirty years. The sort of soul mate you know you will always love and never quite have. An ever evolving circle of melancholy, emotional uncertainty and self-doubt that every single one of us has felt, is feeling or will feel.  On this album, Mascis delivers some of his most emotive vocals to date. His guitar solos are often how he most clearly expresses his deepest feelings, a non-vocal cry of pain or frustration, or despair. For the first time, we are hearing his vocals come close to matching his guitar as a way to express himself. And it is beautiful. From the astonishingly pretty I Went To Dust to the gorgeous Web So Dense, which includes the albums most fabulous guitar solo, this album reaches a level of maturity of sound that is genuinely incredible. It is truly Mascis at his finest.

On Elastic Days, Mascis seems to have found himself. An always under-rated lyricist, the best and most revealing lyrics on the album may be from the song See You At The Movies;

” Finding you is easy/ Finding me is hard/ Finding you is easy/ I’ll just try to stall/ I don’t peak too early/ I don’t peak at all.”

To the contrary. Mascis seems to be at the peak of his career. I have no doubt his fans will have a long and amazing journey ahead, for as long as they stay along for the ride.

4.5 stars

I was a huge fan of the Proletariat back in the early 80’s. While they were part of the Boston area punk and hardcore scene, they always stood out to me. A mix of rage, talent, intellect and politically charged lyrics, the band sounded different from every other band. A unique blend of hard and melodic, coupled with songs that actually meant something. They quickly became one of my favorite bands.

I was lucky enough to see the Proletariat play their first show in 30 years in October 2016 and it solidified my view that these guys are as talented as I remembered and a band that should have been a much bigger deal in the music scene than they actually turned out to be at the time, other than to those of us in the know.

I’ve been anxiously awaiting their latest music to be released and it did not disappoint.
The newest release, “The Murder Of Alton Sterling” , sounds like the Proletariat, but with a new maturity and depth of character that only comes from knowing yourselves as musicians and human beings and taking that into the art you create. Anyone that knows the band will immediately recognize singer Rick Brown ,  his vocals full of emotion and rage . Rick has always had the ability to express emotion through his vocalizations. In the punk and alternative scene, this is a rare gift. You can’t listen to a Proletariat song without feeling. This is even more pronounced with these two new songs.
The subject matter on this latest release is not frivolous but deep and dark and thought provoking. “The Murder of Alton Sterling” is about a 37 year-old unarmed black man killed by police in Baton Rouge in July of 2016. The song is full of rage and messages of social and racial injustice and police brutality. “Push Back” the second song released , is just as political, with calls for not turning the other cheek and fighting against the madness we are facing in this world today.
As far as the talent in this band, The musicianship is more solid than I’ve ever heard then. Thomas McKnight and Peter Belivacqua are an amazingly cohesive unit, playing together without missing a note and with such ease that it seems almost impossible. Guitarist Don Sanders adds another layer of originality to this group, playing a unique blend of hard and melodic.
The Proletariat have an entire album they are getting ready to release ( Produced by Lou Giordano) and will continue to tour around the country. In a time when an awful lot of bands from the 80’s are making “comebacks”, the sheer number of old bands and new releases can cause us to miss the great new music that’s still to be found from a precious few of these bands. The Proletariat are among those ones you just have to take another listen to.

This is the first in a series I’ll be doing about open jam nights in Fairfield and New Haven counties. We’ve been having a wonderful time attending them and look forward to trying out the few we still have to attend.

The Horseshoe Tavern  is a Southport landmark. They hold an open jam every Monday night. The first thing we noticed was that energy in the bar is great and the patrons seem to genuinely be having fun. The crowd is certainly older, mostly 50’s and 60’s and there isn’t much diversity in the music being played. But if it’s straight ahead classic rock and roll you are looking for in a very welcoming setting, this is a really fun jam to attend. It had a lot of really good musicians and the crowd was dancing and laughing and having an all around great time. The crowd and other musicians seemed to be very welcoming and inclusive,  but if you are young and if your style of music is anything but classic rock, this jam may not be your best bet.
The Acoustic, Bridgeport, CT
This is by far my favorite of the open jam venues we’ve attended so far. Nestled in the heart of Black Rock, among a treasure trove of great little bars and restaurants, The Acoustic is a hidden gem. The open jams are held on Tuesday Nights and from what I’ve witnessed, the diversity in genres and age ranges is the most impressive I’ve seen. Bands sign up and get about 10 minutes to showcase their talent. Occasionally, a band will be featured and they will get a 30 minute set. And talent is in no short supply. We watched musicians ranging in age from 20’s- 60’s playing pop, funk, rock and everything in between. This place is a music lovers paradise and features some of the most talented artists that come through the Connecticut area. There is no grandstanding, no nepotism and no narcissism. You won’t be subjected to the same 10 classic rock songs, sung by the same exact people week after week. Instead, you’ll be treated to a variety of music by those artists that understand that originality of expression is everything. The Acoustic really seems to understand this. And while I still have a few open jams to attend, it so far greatly surpasses all of the many other venues we have attended. This is the place to go if you are a real and true fan of music of all genre’s and are looking for something new and different.