BobLamonta

I'm not a massive Emmit Rhodes fan (which seems to be the size most fans come in) though there are 6 or 7 of his songs that, when they come up on shuffle, I never skip. New album is an impressive continuation of what he started 40+ years ago. The song "Someone Else" is super catchy and does that thing he does so well. Definitely worth checking out. 

The greatest of the greats. Here's all the guitar-driven live boots I've got of The Purple One, most of them personally edited down to reflect my favorite selections. For the uninitiated, this required listening. He was a force nearly without equal.

www.mediafire.com/folder/1o9eb7haxe8ws/Prince

I was fortunate enough to get VIP access to the Nashville show, watching a fair bit of the second set from the side of the stage. I never saw the Dead proper. As a teenager in the early 90s, I was far more interested in the then-rising Phish. I'm a casual Dead fan, but even I had to recognize what an amazing gift it was to see so much of the Grateful Dead on one stage, just a few feet away from me. Really cool memory.

The show didn't do a ton for me, as the tempos are so slow and there is such wild inconsistency between the players. You've got Mayer and Oteil giving it 100%, plus Chimenti who's been comfortably inhabiting his role for a while now. But then the core trio are all over the map. If Mickey is mixed into the house at all, I'd be surprised. Just useless. Bill is just kinda there, but offers no real backbone to the proceedings, while Bob seems in much better shape than the Fare Thee Well snippets I heard, but he'e still a wreck of sorts. Oddly, the fact that Mayer and Oteil are attacking this so fiercely just underscores how weakly the original members are playing. Don't get me wrong, given their ages and personal history, it's amazing any of them are able to play anything. But it's hard to maintain that sense of awe at their history when they've got a hotshot half their age just firing off one flawless run after another. The dichotomy is so pronounced, it's distracting. I'd much rather have seen them with Phil and one of the Jerry clones just so the playing field was a bit more even (though Phil still plays with real vigor).

But for all the virtuosity Oteil and Mayer bring, it also feels really out of place. Mayer is so studied and driven, he doesn't really make mistakes, but at the same time, it's hard to know what he brings to the table on a personal or emotional level. Everything with that guy's music is always so mannered and manufactured it seems to undermine whatever talent and passion he has for the material. That being said, he led the band through Viola Lee Blues and seemed to infuse it with a lot more of his ideas and personality, with a lengthy, sorta heavy blues jam to open and several solo sections that just wailed. By far the highlight of the night to these ears.

With the 50th Anniversary coming to a close, I'm curious to see how they ride this out next year. There's still lots of money to be made, so I'm assuming a summer run is on its way. Should be fun for those looking to relive old memories or, like me, just get a small taste of what once was. That being said, I'd love to see Mayer and Oteil stay committed, get Bob to stay on point, and then bring on Hornsby and John Molo or Joe Russo or some other experienced members of the extended Dead family who can still really wail. Call it Ratcat or something. Do three nights at the Ryman. Focus on the songs rather than the scene. That I'd gladly pay to see again.

If there are any Mother Hips fans here, compare the similar riff on "Cold Slope" to the instrumental breakdown in the Hips' "Chum." Both songs offer a stone cold jam. Very happy to hear so many fuzzed out guitars on this new album.

Saw on another board that Ford has apparently reached out via twitter to both Rich and Steve in recent days. So maybe the hatchet is on its way to being buried? 

CR & RR definitely have their money (though multiple divorces couldn't have helped matters), but they are the only ones in the Crowes with songwriting credits. I wouldn't be surprised if even a member as important as Steve was ever given more than a fantastic annual salary from Crowes Inc. If there's a giant pot from which to share, CR, RR, and Angelus are the ones holding the ladle.

But beyond money (and I do believe the money has dried up to some extent, otherwise how to explain the 2013 tour?), I really think these guys have a hard time adjusting to the smaller, less interested audiences. And who can blame them? They've been full-on rock stars with a rabid fanbase since they were kids. Hell, Rich was still in his teens when he got famous. That's a hard drug to shake.

I have no doubt that they are infinitely happier and more fulfilled, creatively, spiritually, you name it, when they are far apart from one another. But the fact that none of them can draw on their own weighed them down once before and will do so again. Personally, I'm loving this new arrangment. They break up for a few years, talk shit about each other, put out some solid solo material, I get to see each of them in small clubs, then they get back together for a short time to trot out the classics. Repeat cycle. Works for me!

Haven't heard the rest of Trigger Hippy yet (apart from the songs on the EP), though what I heard so far was a solid Tedeschi Trucks-style endeavor, though not as strong as that band's latest.

Love Steve, very happy for him that he's finding so much joy with this new band, but the Crowes aren't done until they are all dead in the ground. Chris, Rich, and Steve will all need the money at some point, and they will definitely need the adoring crowds. Nothing they do apart garners them a fraction of the attention. There may not be a new studio recording until they are truly old men (no money in records anyway), but there will be shows. No doubt about it.

In the next 2-3 years, we will see another cash grab tour with CR, RR, Steve, Sven, Adam. The big question is whether or not Marc will return to the throne. But I wouldn't be at all surprised if he's there within the next 5 years.

Thanks for all the tips, gents (I assume there's no ladies here... safe bet). Look forward to digging into some of the Bruce stuff as he is one of my all-time favorite musicians. I heard one of his covers of Wharf Rat in college and just thought "what the hell is this? This is the greatest thing ever!" Rabbit hole from there. I know he and Jerry got close (Garcia played some nice solos on "Harbor Lights" and "Hot House"), but I mistakenly assumed that their Dead shows together were a mess. Happy to hear the good stuff!

The Veneta insight is welcome as well. I figured part of the appeal there is the attendant film that was held up for all those decades and the mystique of it all. I'm not a drug guy, so that's probably part of it, too. I know everyone raves about that Playin' and the Dark Star, and I have to confess, I'm not sure I've ever made it through a full Dark Star before. The base melody is cool, but the free-form stuff just doesn't do it for me. Same goes for something like "The Other One," which I love as a shot, fuzzed out blast of energy on the 10/2 show I've been listening to recently (maybe 7 minutes?) but am pretty sure I never finished on "Skull & Roses" which I admit makes me an awful person.

To each his own, right?

Thanks for all the recs! It's obviously a daunting catalogue, and while I'm familiar with the basic eras, it's nice to have insight from experts. I will make a completely heretical comment and say that when I listened to Veneta '72, I was largely underwhelmed. I know that was a Holy Grail release for many, but to my newbie ears it mostly just sounded like vaguely out-of-tune versions of material that I really enjoyed in their polished state on Europe '72. I realize that for most, that would be missing the point of the Dead entirely, and I get that. But yeah, I remember wanting to love that legendary Playin' only to be bored after a few minutes of the solo. I probably need to revisit that one, and I'll check some of the individual Europe shows as well, though the stumbling block for me has always been that the official release back in the 70s benefited from all the redone studio vocals, which is probably a bone of contention for many, but works for me.

And I will give Brent another shot! I love his background vocals and his keyboard playing. To me, he's a consumate sideman. That throaty raspy thing is perfect in the background, but it doesn't do much for me when it takes the lead. Then again, it took me a while to learn to love Weir, so...

Other quick question, if I may. I'm a massive Hornsby fan (my primary entryway to the Dead, really). I'd always assumed that Jerry's declining health had meant his era was weak, but there must be some gems in there. Any good SBDs from the Bruce years?

Anyone on the fence about these reissues should get them because A) it puts some money in Gary Louris' pocket and Gary Louris is an American treasure and 2) the sound on Rainy Day Music is vastly superior to the original CD issue, which was crazy compressed and audibly distorted at times. I mean, the brickwall thing has been a problem for a while, but at least it makes a tiny bit of sense for loud rock music or hip-hop or whatever, but clipping and distortion on an acoustic Jayhawks record? Insanity. The new iteration rights a 10-year wrong. 

H2H and TTGG are undisputed masterpieces, no doubt (though H2H is spottier than most people want to admit), but I'll take Louris-led 'Hawks just about any day. SO happy to hear he's taking control of the legacy again. Mockingbird Time isn't awful, but there can't be more than five songs from that album that I kept on my iPod. It's like Blue Earth or Bunkhouse to me. Heretical though it may seem to many other die-hard fans, I just don't consider that stuff canon. Give me the Louris trinity (and throw in the gorgeous Vagabonds as well) over the twangy, Parsons-lite stuff any day. Really hoping to see the reformed late-90s line-up again.

Saw Rich/Jackie in Nashville last night. Jackie went on first, which was a surprise. He got a solid response, though the crowd only went ape during his Dead covers. Jackie is a very versatile talent, no doubt about it, but little of his material really connects with me. It had more bite live than on record, but my attention still drifted fairly often. I have 9 songs of his on my iPod right now. Unlikely to change anytime soon, though I liked the Trigger Hippy EP more than I expected to. Interested to see how that unit progresses.

Rich played a great set as expected, though there were persistent sound issues, and "One Road Hill" wasn't played, which seemed odd. Only played one track from the first record, "Leave It Alone," (that riff still slays), and never busted out an acoustic guitar, which may have been for the best as the crowd was pretty chatty throughout the night. New songs sounded really strong, but other than The Giving Key and a few other moments, I mostly just found myself wishing the rest of the Crowes were there. When Rich moves into the acoustic space or the more overtly pop/melodic space ("One Road Hill" as an example), his voice works well for me. When he's kicking ass and presenting that full RR wall of rock (as he often did last night), it is hard not to wish that Chris (or even John Hogg!) was there with him. He played Free's "O I Wept" and a double shot of Clapton in the encore with "Presence Of The Lord" and "Got To Get Better In A Little While," and even though these songs are in his range (kinda), it does make you wish he had a real singer. 

I mean, covering Paul Rodgers, even subdued Paul Rodgers, is a ballsy thing to do. Gotta give them man credit, but I wish he had Mike Farris up there or someone with him who could actually do it. His band is fine, though special kudos to Ted Pecchio who looks and plays like skinnier, slightly younger Sven. Works for me!

Love Neal. Got all his records. My first exposure to his work was back in 2004 when he was touted as the new lead guitarist for the Crowes (before mighty Marc Ford returned to the fold). I end up keeping only a handful of tracks from each of his albums, but between his solo output and his stellar work with Hazy Malaze, I've found myself with a ton of Casal on my iPod (not even including his sideman work). A really talented guy and clearly the type of sideman who brings the best out of mercurial talents. 

I've been listening to the new CRB far more than I expected. Despite his faux-hippy lyrics and the put-upon "vibe" of it all, I really like the songs and arrangements (Casal's co-writing helps a lot on this one, I think). And Adam's keys are just the right amount of 70s weird for me. CRB has far exceeded my admittedly low expectations from the beginning. Hope he keeps this group up for a while.

As for Rich, my personal favorite Crowe, I'm enjoying the new album as I do all things RR, though it's not quite the leap forward that TACS was over Paper. Was hoping for another big step forward. This is more of a lateral move, but still a solid batch of tunes, and a great-sounding production. Does fall apart a bit in the latter half, but the highs are pretty high (The Giving Key is a stunner, and Rich should bring a female backing vocalist/co-vocalist with him on the road).

I know he loves to recycle his riffs, and usually it doesn't bother me, but maybe after 20 years of hearing these moves, my patience is wearing just a bit. "I Remember" has the Miracle To Me/Greenhorn strum going and then the overall melody/rhythm (especially the outro) is pure All Along The Way. He didn't even wait a full album release before rehashing that one. That being said, I liked Greenhorn more than Miracle To Me, so maybe he's just going to continue perfecting that gag over the years. But I prefer "All Along The Way" to "I Remember."

His lyrics, as usual, are hit and miss. I made the mistake of listening to this album after spending a few days going back through Jason Isbell's catalogue. Not really fair to Rich, but there's a fairly wide chasm between the confessional and pure storytelling chops of "Songs She Sang In The Shower" and the hokum of "I Have A Feeling" (which is almost as corny as Chris' recent lyrical output).

"Consciousness is ours to fathom/no one will tell us how it's done." CRob would be proud! Nevertheless, I'm very excited to see RR and Jackie Greene next week. That's a pretty cool double bill.

If that freebie copy of the ABB book is still up for grabs, I'll gladly take it. Like most, the announcement of their impending retirement has renewed my interest a bit. 

Further proof of Rich's underappreciated genius. Free track from his forthcoming album. Can't wait.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Records-Free- ... ee_p_tnr_1

Rich's voice is obviously his greatest weakness. I'm a super-fan, so my ears are trained to look past it (a la Dead fans and Jerry/Bob/Phil), but there's no doubt that he's an underwhelming singer overall, and when compared to his brother, there's no contest. That being said, Shug is absolutely right. When you listen to Rich solo material, you are listening to the sounds of the Black Crowes everybody fell in love with, minus Chris voice (and I get that this is a big minus for most people). CR&RR wrote all the BC songs together, but until the last album it was always Rich writing every riff, every bit of instrumental melody, which Chris would then write lyrics and vocal melodies too (while often re-arranging the orders of the song sections RR would write, making verses choruses and vice versa). I'm 99% sure that prior to Warpaint and BTF, the only song Chris wrote the music too on his own was High Head Blues (and that's a doozy, for sure). But the real Crowes catalogue... those open tunings, those descending chord progressions and those gorgeous arrangements? You don't have that without RR at the helm.

This to me says it all... on the original demo of Descending, the beautiful piano outro that every knows is apparently played nearly note-for-note by Rich on guitar. Ed is a genius piano player, and has written/improvised his own solos for the band on many occasions, but that one was apparently written and directed by RR from the word go.

I really love a lot of CRB, and much like the Crowes, Chris' secret weapon is his ballads (100 Days Of Rain is a classic), but listen to the music on Through a Crooked Sun (or even the patchier Paper) and you'll hear a dozen classic should-have-been Crowes tracks. "Hey Fear" would have killed it on Three Snakes.

Great username. My shoes hurt.

My shoes hurt too, Dad [sniffles] My shoes hurt too.

Rich is a rift master.  One after the other!!

Nice Freudian slip there. Rich is indeed the riff master. But you're right, he's also the rift master as well. Those Robinson boys are hard to get along with!

Neither the BTF/UTF or the CRB material hits me as hard as Holy Trinity Crowes (SHAMC, Amorica, TSAOC), but there are undeniably gems in both. Even though the live CRB is very hit or miss to my ears, I tend to give that band the edge over latter-day Crowes if only because it seems the purest expression of where Chris is at these days (however, faux hippie and slightly disingenuous that might be). I'm a Rich man, through and through, so as much as I enjoy the Cabin Fever stuff, it was always difficult for me to accept his role being marginalized by CR during that time. It's some weird glitch in my brain, I guess, but I'm more willing to accept the Chris wizards and gnome shit when it's through the prism of his Dead-aping companions than when he's trying to force it on his brother, whose bag of riffs and clever melodies seems to have no end.

Long-winded way of saying that I'm looking forward to April for new CR and RR albums. I wish they could find a way to recapture the magic they had together in the 90s, but if they can't, I'll gladly take whatever they can conjure on their own.

I made another round of "best of" compilations, this time from October 2005, which was an especially great month for the band. Chris was in really fine voice. Anyone who is interested, PM me and I'll send you links. Happy New Year, one and all!

Neil Finn is easily one of the finest singers and songwriters of the last 30 years. Anything he does is worth hearing. Can't wait.

 Bob, could you recommend a few specific shows from 96 and 97 that you think are tops?  I have a few but I've never thought it sounded as good as 2005 and 2006 Crowes.  I think what I like about the second coming of Marc Ford is that there were so many great covers being brought out and the blend of old originals, hearing Ford on Lions and By Your Side songs, and all the covers, plus many two-set shows made that year and a half just perfect for me.  I keep thinking I'm missing out on '97, though.  Lots of those are still for sale at nugs.net, I believe.  Let me know what you'd recommend and I'll seek it out.  Thanks, man!

Everything you like about '05-'06 is what gives that era a slight edge for me as well. And the fact that it's true stereo separation (Marc on the left/Rich on the right) makes those recordings even more terrific. That being said, Chris sounds pretty rough on a lot of those shows (relatively speaking - he's still a great singer). If you check out 2/17/97 or 2/27/97 or the Furthur shows (I think they have 7/8/97 and 7/22/97 on nugs.net), you'll hear Chris at his absolute peak. I don't care how strung-out they allegedly were or how much they were fighting, etc., the band is unbelievable in that time, and Chris most of all. Listen to something like Sometimes Salvation from '97 vs. the '05-'06 shows (take 05/05/05 as an example), and while the band is always firing on all cylinders, Chris is really only bringing in on the former.

I'm working on a comp of my favorite performances from those years. A lot of it is commercially available, so I'll be careful about how it gets shared, but I'll try to get it some of it out there to interested parties. I'm not sure Chris had a bad show during that time. His voice is basically perfect on those shows.

Rich has been a major label success since he was like 19 or something. I think it's hard for a guy like him to conceive of going it on his own completely (self-distribution, all that). Both Robinson solo careers, for all their talk of doing things differently than the Crowes and being "free" or whatever, tend to fall back on old music business paradigms because that's what they've been doing since they were kids. The Angelus doesn't fall far from the tree, so to speak.

Looks like my links were deleted (smart robot!). If anybody wants to hear these, PM me. Again, these recordings are no longer commercially available (apart from about six songs out of fifty). I'm a firm believer in supporting the artists first and foremost. Buy tons of shows on LBC.com (as I have!). But you can't get these particular performances anymore, which is a shame. So hopefully my mix can help out those ears who never got a chance to hear these.