American Songwriter » May/June 2009

L.R. Baggs M1

Luke Skidmore — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 16:17:37 +0000

L.R. BAGGS M1 LIST PRICE: $199.00 Website: http://www.lrbaggs.com/ The L.R. Baggs Company continues to impress guitarists with their innovation, design and superior products. It’s obvious why artists like Paul Simon, Fiest and Brandi Carlile endorse their gear. The M1 continues their quest for excellence with its exclusive TriAxial Dynamic Technology and sleek look. For those who don’t know how the TriAxial Dynamic works, it’s like having two pickups in your soundhole, both combined are set up to balance the sound coming not only from the strings, but the body of the guitar as well. I know, it sounds complicated, but from the moment you plug the guitar cable in, you’ll notice the difference. Installation was easy once I figured out how to adjust the lips to slide into the soundhole. The M1 comes with a 12’ Mogami cable for temporary set-up and a Strapjack installation for a permanent solution to the cable hanging out of the soundhole aesthetic.

BEHIND THE SONG: “A Change Is Gonna Come”

David Freeland — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 21:49:47 +0000

When Bettye LaVette performed “A Change Is Gonna Come,” in duet with Jon Bon Jovi, at the first inaugural concert for President Obama, a new generation of listeners was introduced to a classic composition by one of the most influential writers and vocalists in pop history, Sam Cooke. In the 45 years since it was first released, “Change” has grown into an anthem of the civil rights movement, an epitaph for a great performer, and an iconic piece of music. “A Change Is Gonna Come” Written by Sam Cooke When Bettye LaVette performed “A Change Is Gonna Come,” in duet with Jon Bon Jovi, at the first inaugural concert for President Obama, a new generation of listeners was introduced to a classic composition by one of the most influential writers and vocalists in pop history, Sam Cooke. In the 45 years since it was first released, “Change” has grown into an anthem of the civil rights movement, an epitaph for a great performer, and an iconic piece of music. Few works have been as eloquent in their depiction of triumph over adversity (“there’s been times that I thought I couldn’t last for long/But now I think I’m able to carry on”), and indeed the history behind “A Change Is Gonna Come” is every bit as interesting, and conflicted, as the song itself. For starters, radio listeners in 1965 were not even able to hear the whole song. In his writing of “Change” Sam Cooke had been inspired by “Blowin’ in the Wind,” the 1963 protest song by Bob Dylan. At the time Cooke, a gospel music veteran whose creamy voice and good looks had carried him to pop crossover fame, was longing to explore something more serious in his music. This new sense of urgency, the desire to make a political statement, was manifested in one of “Change’s” most striking lines: “I go to the movies and I go downtown/But somebody keeps telling me, don’t hang around.” But according to Cooke’s business partner, gospel vocalist J.W. Alexander (speaking in Peter Guralnick’s 1986 book, Sweet Soul Music), the potentially controversial line was cut when “Change” was issued posthumously as a single in late 1964. Only long-playing album buyers heard the full version, with politicized lyrics intact. Ironically, those in charge of promoting “Change” subjected it to the same inequitable standards Cooke had meant to criticize. In addition, Cooke’s sudden and tragic death ensured that “Change” was already imbued with an elegiac air by the time it was released. To date, no one is quite sure what happened that night on December 11, 1964, when Cooke was shot to death at the Hacienda Motel in a downtrodden section of Los Angeles. Biographer Guralnick clearly believes that, rather than being linked to a deliberate plot to kill an African-American singer who had become too successful for his own good (as some have argued), Cooke’s murder came as the combined result of a fast lifestyle and bad timing. Still, the questions and conspiracy theories remain, and they lend poignancy to another of “Change’s” memorable lines: “It’s been too hard living, but I’m afraid to die/Cause I don’t know what’s up there, beyond the sky.” Sam Cooke was only 33. From its initial release as a B-side (to the fun but largely forgettable “Shake”), “A Change Is Gonna Come” grew in stature slowly, building a reputation as the civil rights and other social movements reached full flowering in the years to come. In time it became a metaphor for human uplift, recast in numerous versions by artists as diverse as Aretha Franklin, the Nylons, and Israeli performer Anat Cohen. Few of these interpretations have been as moving, however, as LaVette’s rendition on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial the Sunday prior to Obama’s inauguration. For one thing, LaVette is one of the few contemporary rhythm & blues artists whose own career dates to the years of Cooke’s prime. She lived through the “package tours” in the South during the early 1960s, when African-American performers were turned away from whites-only hotels and other establishments (it was one such incident, in fact, which was said to inspire Cooke’s own writing of “Change”). For another, LaVette brought to the song her own sense of improvisation, proving that a classic need not be frozen in time; its meaning can shift and deepen with the passage of years. She restored the once-contested line in her own way (“I used to try to go to the movies, and I’d try to go downtown, but somebody was always telling me, little girl, you can’t come around”) then sang “but I know change has come,” in acknowledgement of battles fought and, at least for now, won.

JUSTIN TOWNES EARLE: Role Models

Matt Fink — Sat, 02 May 2009 00:42:15 +0000

Give him credit, despite the benefits of being the scion of one of American music's greatest songwriters, Justin Townes Earle is no opportunist. Give him credit, despite the benefits of being the scion of one of American music's greatest songwriters, Justin Townes Earle is no opportunist. And while his father now experiments with samples and loops, his son is taking another step out of his shadow by pushing farther into the past, cavorting with the ghosts of the folk tradition on Midnight at the Movies. So what inspired the song "They Killed John Henry"? My grandfather, actually. I had two false starts on writing a song to honor my grandfather, this being Jack Earle, my dad's dad. He was a very large presence in my life, and I always have believed that he was the model of a man. He was always a great storyteller, and that runs in my family. All his brothers and him were incredible storytellers. He stands just as big as the symbols of John Henry and Joe Hill in my head, so I decided to put him up against one of the biggest stories of all time and one of the biggest symbols of America that I'd ever heard of. It was also a chance for me to exercise the Dylan/Woody Guthrie style of rewriting old songs and seeing if you can make yours stand. That's always a challenge. I use bits and pieces of lyrics a lot. I was basically trying to rewrite two songs--"John Henry" and "Joe Hill." It was a real interesting kind of process. Do you see yourself as belonging to that Woody Guthrie/Bob Dylan tradition? I don't think I have any right to say I belong to that. I think that's something that eventually maybe you get inducted into. I'm just experimenting. I hear a lot of music and I love a lot of music, and I'm trying to make a conscious effort to make sure that I'm not making records that keep me from doing what I want to do. I couldn't blindside anybody with the two records that I've put out if they know my collection of work, unless I put out an electronic record, and that's not going to happen. At this point, who would you say are your main influences? Well, to me Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen are like staples, like food groups. They are the three food groups of songwriters. That's what you have to have. Most of the good stuff was influenced by that, and it's great to see where people take off on it and use it. It's all really based around that. The singer/songwriter thing is based around Woody Guthrie, because he really was the first. If you do it in any form of tradition, you're probably touching on Woody heavily. But I get influenced by a lot of shit. I heard Ben Sollee's record, and I immediately started putting together songs to make a guitar and cello record. I love music, and I go off on tangents of all the different projects that I want to do. There are several modern songwriters that I think are amazing. Lucinda Williams, for starters. Chris Stapleton, the guy who writes all the songs for The SteelDrivers, is a great songwriter. I'm a massive Springsteen fan and a big Joe Henry fan. There's also people like Jason Isbell. I tend to gravitate toward people where it's about the song and the rest comes later. Unfortunately, that's not the way it works on good ol' Music Row these days.

BLACK JOE LEWIS & THE HONEYBEARS: On the Horizon

Hal Horowitz — Sat, 02 May 2009 00:41:57 +0000

Austin-based musician Black Joe Lewis' Lost Highway debut, Tell ‘Em What Your Name Is! has just been released, and already he seems somewhat reticent to discuss it and himself. Austin-based musician Black Joe Lewis' Lost Highway debut, Tell ‘Em What Your Name Is! has just been released, and already he seems somewhat reticent to discuss it and himself. Perhaps the singer-songwriter and guitarist is trying to quiet the buzz that's already emerged around his old school, Memphis-driven garage soul vocals, horn- fueled attack, and energized, head-turning appearances at Lollapalooza, South by Southwest, Austin City Limits Festival and CMJ. Lewis' retro style is the male answer to Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings' similar get-down r&b approach, but Lewis' love of such deep Southern blues masters as Junior Kimbrough and Lightnin' Hopkins provides an even more dangerous slant. Add a gospel-inspired call and response, crisp, soul-soaked staccato brass, and song titles such as "Big Booty Woman" and "Master Sold My Baby" that won't win him guest slots on any upcoming Oprah shows. The resulting sweat-soaked sound is edgy enough though to win over predominantly youthful white audiences unfamiliar with the likes of Lewis' show stopping predecessors such as Otis Redding, Sam & Dave or Wilson Pickett. Surely his groove isn't logically in line with that of Spoon (whose drummer Jim Eno produced the new disc) or most of the other bands he supports on the college based festival circuit. But that doesn't seem to faze him, or even be a concern. "I just try to get the music out there so everyone can hear it, and see if they like it for themselves," he nonchalantly says. When asked if he's had more interest from indie rock or blues fans, Lewis simply answers "both." Although he sticks predominantly to vocals and original songs, one of the album's highlights is a knockout, hip-shaking adaptation of the Bar-Kays' snappy instrumental "Humpin'." Lewis' version is dominated by his seven-piece Honeybears band, who nail the pocket as effortlessly as the soul greats who came before. "Humpin'," like the rest of the disc, is sexy, passionate and raw, especially compared to the slickness of contemporary r&b. Even though the songs crackle with an energy born from first takes, the restless Lewis (whose two previous albums were self-released) isn't entirely comfortable with the sterile recording environment, especially if it comes with doing multiple overdubs. "The thought of getting something done the first time and not having to do it again motivates me," he elaborates. "It's kind of hard, I'm not much of a studio person." Regardless, he and Eno capture an urban, stalking, stray cat roaming the back streets looking for trouble vibe, both threatening, aggressive and even somewhat unhinged. You can just see him down on his knees, begging his woman to give him some, err honey, on the electrifying album closing "Please Pt. Two," a tune highlighted by his spine- tingling, Godfather-of-Soul- like screams. It's feral, primal and wild, but not quite as nasty as Lewis had envisioned. "The sound I wanted was dirtier," he says. "I like the way it is but I would have liked it even more low-fi."

JILL SOBULE: Carry On

Gillian G. Gaar — Sat, 02 May 2009 00:19:29 +0000

Though singer/songwriter Jill Sobule has what she calls a "small but mighty" fan base that's sustained her throughout her career, she hasn't had the best luck with record companies. Though singer/songwriter Jill Sobule has what she calls a "small but mighty" fan base that's sustained her throughout her career, she hasn't had the best luck with record companies. After having been on four different labels (two of which dropped her, the other two going bankrupt), she wasn't eager to go through the process of selling herself all over again. "I didn't fit in to any kind of package," she explains. "I always have trouble-‘who am I like?' And trying to say, ‘I'm going to write a song that's the focus track.' I don't know what the heck that would be...." And then she realized--why bother with a label at all? Why not draw on that fan base to fund her next record? She originally considered selling shares in the project ("People would've been stockholders in a sense," she explains), but after realizing the difficulties of setting up such a venture, she instead opted for the straight fundraising approach. A website, jillsnextrecord.com, solicited money, with rewards for different levels of donation, from the $10 "Unpolished Rock" level (getting a free digital download of the album) to the $10,000 "Weapons-Grade Plutonium" level (getting to sing on the album). "When I first started, I thought, ‘OK, this could be a complete disaster or really humiliating and I could just get $10 from my mother,'" Sobule says. But after a few reporters picked up the story, the word spread, and she met her goal of $75,000 in less than two months. Sobule involved her fans in other ways as well, streaming potential album songs on her website and asking for opinions. "I'm having fun with it," she says, "which is different than the past process, where everything feels out of your hands." The album, California Years, is full of off-beat characters and wry observations, leavened with a dose of self-deprecation, as in "Nothing To Prove," drawn from Sobule's own experiences with record companies, "going to some meetings and you just feel like, ‘ugh, I hate this!' and being in that kind of yucky ‘industry' mode," she explains. Sobule then turns the scenario back on herself, when she later meets someone she'd written off as "snobby" and instead learns that "basically they were just really nice and just shy." Or take "Where Is Bobbie Gentry?" inspired by hearing "Ode To Billie Joe" on an oldies station. "I hadn't heard it in years, and it was like, ‘what a weird, kind of creepy song,'" says Sobule. "There's no drums, it's these weird strings. And I thought her voice was so great." Sobule further mythologizes the song's mystery with her own idea of what was thrown off the Talahatchee Bridge. That the song's already mentioned in Gentry's Wikipedia listing makes Sobule laugh; "I'm in Bobbie Gentry's Wikipedia entry, so I'm the ultimate stalker!" Having successfully developed a new model getting her music out, Sobule sees lots of possibilities. "It's still kind of a frontier," she says. "It's a strange time when you're just feeling things out. But I think it's exciting." Nor does she see herself going back to a regular label, "unless Live Nation gives me the 100 million dollars they gave to Madonna!" she jokes. "Then maybe I'll sell out. But I don't really see that in my near future. I think that this is just too fun."

DIANA KRALL > Quiet Nights

Holly Gleason — Sat, 02 May 2009 00:15:14 +0000

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Label: VERVE

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Dusky voiced and restrained without straining, Diana Krall is the thinking man's sensual wading pool. Economy to her elegantly old school piano playing, Tommy LiPuma manages to craft an understated lushness that harkens back to a time when sophistication was the ultimate aspiration-and cocktail noir was mystery and an invitation. Embracing a collection of standards, she slinks through "The Girl From Ipanema," "You're My Thrill" and "Quiet Nights" with a quiet storm rapture. "Walk On By" shudders with stoic sadness, while "Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out To Dry" luxuriates in the strings and Krall's whispery confession of surrendering to the ache. Grown-up. Luxurious. Intelligent. Everything fans of saloon Sinatra could dream-delivered by a woman whose renderings are heart, vulnerability and a certain Zen erotica.

WILCO > Ashes of American Flags

Evan Schlansky — Fri, 01 May 2009 23:59:27 +0000

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When it comes to the defining Wilco movie, 2002's I Am Trying To Break Your Heart is hard to beat. But while that was more of a documentary interspersed with electrifying music, Ashes is a concert film which highlights the band's ferocious live performances. Label: NONESUCH Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars When it cometo the defining Wilco movie, 2002's I Am Trying To Break Your Heart is hard to beat. But while that was more of a documentary interspersed with electrifying music, Ashes is a concert film which highlights the band's ferocious live performances. Really, they feature two different Wilcos-Glenn Kotche had just joined the band at the time of Break Your Heart, but Nels Cline, Pat Sansone, and Wilco's latest repertoire of songs were missing. Jay Bennett and his country shirts are gone-same with original drummer Ken Coomer. This Wilco wears Nudie suits-figure that one out. They're also a band at peace with themselves and their music. The pic begins with Jeff Tweedy in cowboy hat, discussing arrangements with the band for "Ashes" before performing it for an empty room. Twelve live cuts from the 2008 tour follow, interspersed with interviews, interludes, and ruminations on the declining state of small-town America. The whole thing is shot Last Waltz-style, where you feel like you're on stage with the musicians. Nels Cline is the true MVP of this set. His guitar solos make other guitar solos look like slack-jawed yokels. He plays guitar like a mandolin, like a hummingbird on fire. It all builds to a great ending, with a surprise bonus appearance by Old Man Tweedy.

ADAM > A5

Brian Threlkeld — Fri, 01 May 2009 23:29:58 +0000

A5" src="http://www.americansongwriter.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/adam-300x192.jpg" alt="ADAM > A5" width="200" height="128" />

Lap steel by itself can be quite a lonely sound, but its a great deal better when played along with a rhythm section.

Lap steel by itself can be quite a lonely sound, but its a great deal better when played along with a rhythm section. So for this session, Chris brought in an acoustic guitar and bass. Chris works unbelievably fast, so we simply started by miking his acoustic guitar. Five minutes later, we placed a mic in front of the guitar amp to record the bass guitar. If you want to tell me how I shouldn't do this, go ahead. There are no rules in this game aside from getting a good level, which I overloaded at one point. After getting this part, Chris simply plugged his 54 Fender Dual Professional into the same amp and we were five minutes away from finishing one more masterpiece.

ADAM

List Price: $699 Pair

Website: http://www.adam-audio.com

Recording in an office or bedroom on a small budget (as many are doing) has paved the way for the A5, ADAM's latest and smallest installment to date. Those who are familiar with ADAM monitors can expect the same (ART) ribbon tweeters. This is one way that ADAM stands out against its competition. Recording with Chris Scruggs gave us our first opportunity to try these out firsthand. We used these speakers for playback when multi-tracking guitar and bass so Chris could have a bed to lay down his amazing steel parts. Headphones can be an annoyance, so we placed the mic close to the amp and turned the speakers up enough to hear, not worrying too much about the bleed into the mic. The speakers did an amazing job-so did Chris. After the take, we cranked them up to hear what was recorded and they gave more than enough headroom. I was satisfied with the mid-range and high end, and liken them to the larger models I have used before. Other small speakers we have used crap out and distort when pushed too hard. This lead myself and others (OR "us") to listen back at quieter levels or with headphones on to make sure the distortion wasn't in the track itself. I must comment on how this can turn an otherwise great time into a stressful mess of explanations. I was greatly impressed with the bass response of the 5" carbon fiber woofer. I must add how handy both the unbalanced RCA and balanced XLR inputs can be. I used these speakers along side my Event's for mixing, and I couldn't get over how they sounded in my home space. I messed around with the tweeter/6 kHz/150Hz adjustment pots on the back, and ended up putting them back to zero. I really regret having to take them back, but hope to be able to use them on future sessions. They were perfect for this application.

A quick explanation of the ADAM ribbon tweeter technology: in a conventional transducer (tweeter), the driver-to-air ratio is a 1:1. This is how fast the driver can move compared to the air. ADAM technology claims a 4:1 ratio, thus moving the air in and out faster, which creates the clarity and definition these speakers are known for.

CHRIS SCRUGGS: Sessions

americansongwriter — Fri, 01 May 2009 23:29:44 +0000

Chris Scruggs works very quickly, he assures us. He's brought his Fender 1954 Dual Professional steel guitar, an acoustic guitar, and an electric bass, and tracking one after the other, layering up a steel number he composed for the occasion, which he decides to call "Get Well Iva Lee." Chris Scruggs works very quickly, he assures us. He's brought his Fender 1954 Dual Professional steel guitar, an acoustic guitar, and an electric bass, and tracking one after the other, layering up a steel number he composed for the occasion, which he decides to call "Get Well Iva Lee." Iva Lee turns out to be the wife of Scruggs' first steel teacher, Caton Roberts, who played in Hank Snow's band. Sadly, Iva was recently diagnosed with cancer. When Scruggs was a teenager, he'd go down to visit Johnny Sibert, a security guard at The Tennessean, taking with him a little lap steel. Sibert was Carl Smith's famed steel player during the ‘40s and '50, but had grown weary of the music business. And that's how one of the finest non-pedal steel players got their start: sitting in the security booth on Sunday afternoons. His youth was not misspent by any means-a year in Europe at age 14 with his mother (who raised him) reinvigorated his passion for rockabilly, twang, Western swing, and roots music. Since those high school lessons with Sibert, Scruggs has played in a number of punk bands, with the likes of BR-549, and in the hallowed halls of the Opry. Though born into country music nobility, with the Scruggs family on one side and his renowned singer/songwriter/producer mother, Gail Davies, on the other, Chris Scruggs can stand on his own merits. His hands remove any potential doubts with their deft movement over the steel. Scruggs' skill and encyclopedic knowledge of his instrument fill our office in the mid-morning. Scruggs' album he recorded at The Wavelab (where Neko Case and Calexico have also worked) in Tucson, Arizona should be arriving any day now. Read about the gear we used to record him. Check out the Country Way, Volume 2 tracklisting here.

CHRIS ISAAK: On Record

Evan Schlansky — Fri, 01 May 2009 23:29:35 +0000

The "Wicked Game" singer talks to us about his new TV show, his new album, and why they call him "Mr. Lucky."

What would you have liked to have been, if you hadn't been a professional musician?
I've worked in a funeral home, did roofing jobs, drove delivery and spent time working the docks of Stockton, California, unloading ships. None of it was near as much fun and I didn't get to wear a sequined suit.

What made you want to start writing songs?
I don't know exactly, I just always wanted to write. I bought a tape recorder when I was a kid and my friends thought I was nuts! "Why don't you get a football?" But I thought with a recorder I could write songs. I still have that recorder and a bunch of tapes of me singing when I was a kid...sadly...I sound about the same.

What made you persevere, before your career took off?
I didn't have a choice. I was broke, didn't have any other options, and I loved making music. I didn't mind living in a closet and eating one meal a day if I got to be in a band.

How is Mr. Lucky different from your other albums? Or is it part of acontinuity?
I think it sounds like me. I mean it's my singing and my songs, so it is not wildly different...but I think this record has a wide range, pretty ballads to upbeat happy tunes with horns in the middle. It makes good music for a car trip.

What's the significance of the title?
I'm Mr. Lucky-I have been making music for 25 years with my friends. My folks are alive and still together after more than 60 years and my brothers and I all get along are in good health. If God came to ask me what I needed-I am already covered! Like Jimmy Stewart says, "it's a wonderful life."

You co-wrote "Breaking Apart" with Dianne Warren. What was that like?
Dianne is as crazy as I am and that's going a ways. I like to try something new with anyone.

How's the experience of working on The Chris Isaak Hour been?

Very fun, very fast. We worked like it was 1961...two takes and get it right! A lot of time playing with the guys in my garage, but not much in the studio.

What's it been like playing on your guests' songs? How much preparation or rehearsal goes into it?
Scary. I don't want to overstep or screw up, but the people have been great in opening up the music to include me. I try to know what I am doing but it's TV and we move fast and hope we get it good quick!

Have you learned anything new about songwriting, interviewing your guests for the show?
Glen Campbell told me "stay out of the way of a good song." I think it's true. If a song's good, don't overdo it.

What inspires you to write songs? What puts you in the mood to write?
I think just having a guitar in my hands is all I need. I play every day and the first thing I do when I get off tour is get out my guitar at home and write. I don't have too many hobbies. I just love what I do.

What's a song you're really proud of?
I like "Forever Blue." it was a letter to my ex but I turned it to a song because she wouldn't read my letters. So I always figure she might hear it on the radio yet.

What songs by others do you find yourself covering the most?
I love Elvis, of course The Beatles, and I am nuts about early country music, from1940s to about ‘63. From Hank Snow to Hank Thompson to Hawaiian music...I love a good song.