Seems like all the entrants in this week’s contest have been around the block a few times. While they’re, strictly speaking, not the freshest artists around, they still make some decent music.
I mean, if you look at it this way…Jonathan Richman has clocked up some 35 years in front of a microphone, Michael Franti 22, The Verve 19 and Teddy Thompson more than 8 years. Now, if you’re looking for some new music, this might sound a tad depressing.
Don’t let that put you off, though, as Richman and Franti have fresh sounding albums to offer that you could happily show off at your next house party. The Verve and Teddy Thompson are slightly more predictable, but if you like their styles - 90s Rock and Country Rock respectively - you would get a good few plays out of their new albums.
Richman’s ‘Because Her Beauty Is Raw And Wild’ is the winner for me this week. Music trends have come full circle and Richman’s twangy, folky style is being mirrored by a veritable army of young men earnestly strumming acoustic guitars. Few can match Richman’s wit, energy and total lack of embarrassment, however. As Richman grows older, he adds new, darker subjects to his catalogue which keeps things interesting.
Folky But Streetwise: Jonathan Richman ‘Because Her Beauty Is Raw And Wild’
Probably the most entertaining guy you’ll ever see with just a battered acoustic guitar for company on stage, Richman is still playing his slightly trashy take on roots music, a mix of all sorts of Folky styles from around the World, like back in the late 1970’s.
Check out ‘When We Refuse To Suffer’ with its Spanish style guitar and just a hint of Percussion. Balearic Rock doesn’t come purer than this. Now compare with ‘When We Refuse To Suffer (Version 2)’, which goes back to Richman’s early days with the Modern Lovers with its scorching electric guitar and a streetwise Richman rap.
Lyrics-wise, ‘Because’ is a bit of a turning point. Richman always had serious messages between his lighhearted stuff, but there is a new, sombre overall atmosphere to his latest songs. He covers Leonard Cohen’s ‘Here It Is’ capably and respectfully. On his own song ‘As My Mother Lay Lying’, Richman sings about visiting his mother in an old folks home as she hovered on the brink of death. A simply gripping performance.
‘Because’ captures Richman at his peak, accompanied only by long-standing touring mate Tommy Larkins on percussion. It will be comfortably familiar to Richman fans, but ‘Because’ also shows that Richman can still bring you to new places with his music. Rock on, Dude.
Listen Here to ‘Because Her Beauty Is Raw And Wild’ and download the album from iTunes. We don’t charge you any extras, just pay the regular iTunes Store price.
Conscious Hip Hop: Michael Franti And Spearhead ‘All Rebel Rockers’
An overt human rights activist, Franti has never been afraid to voice an opinion. For his latest album, he’s chosen the universal rebel music as a theme: Reggae music.
Franti fuses Reggae’s contemporary Dancehall form with Hip Hop and R&B. Both very compatible and Franti displays a knack for working Dancehall into upbeat jams and mellow ballads alike.
‘High Low’, for instance, is a classy lounge ballad. ‘A Little Bit Of Riddim’, ‘Soundsystem’ and ‘Hey World’ will sound good on your souped up SUV stereo or on the dancefloor.
My personal favourite sounds like a Specials’ 45 single slowed down to 33 then hijacked by Franti’s gruff R&B vocals: ‘Life In The City’ is slo-mo Ska with an Urban edge.
If you liked the conscious Hip Hop of artists like The Roots, the Fugees and Guru, then ‘All Rebel Rockers’ is right down your street.
Listen Here to ‘All Rebel Rockers’ and download the album from iTunes.
Timewarp To 1997: The Verve ‘Forth’
The Verve’s ‘Urban Hymns’ was the ambitious firework that rang out the Britpop era in 1997. ‘Forth’ is the comeback album for the band after a 11 years hiatus. Was it worth the wait?
Yes and no. Yes, if you like mellow 90’s Rock with a touch of Ambient. No, if you were expecting something a bit more fresh.
Working with the full band once again, Ashcroft’s laid back vocals benefit from the groove laid down by The Verve. But where ‘Urban Hymns’ entered the dancefloor in full stride, ‘Forth’ is largely content to skirt around it. Only once, on ‘Columbo’, does the band let rip and invite some booties onto the floor.
‘Sit And Wonder’ and ‘Rather Be’ are classic Verve rockers. ‘Love Is Noise’ plays with some Housey backing vocals. A good few tracks feature very Ambient guitar work, such as ‘Judas’ and ‘Valium Skies’.
What I am missing on ‘Forth’ are the hooks that gave The Verve’s trippy brand of rock a climax. Instead, tracks build and build without a release. While ‘Forth’ is pleasant to listen to, it leaves me somewhat unsatisfied.
Listen Here to The Verve’s comeback album ‘Forth’ and download it from iTunes.
Country Rock For Urban Professionals: Teddy Thompson ‘A Piece Of What You Need’
‘A Piece’ sounds like Nashville dressing up one of its acts to find open ears with a younger more urban audience. The irony is, that it’s actually a young urban artist who’s made the album. Teddy is the son of English folk musicians Richard and Linda Thompson and his L.A. mates include Rufus and Martha Wainwright.
There are a couple of songs where Teddy and his musicians really put a fresh spin on the Country theme, like on ‘What’s This’ and ‘Jonathan’s Book’.
But what Teddy mainly does is honest, no bull Country Rock. If that is your kind of thing, check out ‘Can’t Sing Straight’, ‘One Of These Days’ or the ballad ‘In My Arms’.
A real low on the album is ‘Don’t Know What I Was Thinking’. Spot on, Teddy, I don’t know either. It’s a truly sappy pop ballad. And ‘That Move’ is fortunately the only excursion into R&B on the album. Suffice to say, it doesn’t work.
He’s got some good tunes, however. And if the album wouldn’t be so slick, I might warm to Teddy’s music.
Teddy is playing a few dates in the UK this autumn. Worth checking out if playing live adds an edge to the songs from ‘A Piece’. You can book tickets online at Seetickets.com.
Listen Here to ‘A Piece Of What You Need’ and download the album from the iTunes store.
