American Songwriter

Daily Discovery: Sam Hunter & The Two Tones, “Ride Ride Ride”

American Songspace — Fri, 24 May 2013 23:26:19 +0000

ARTIST: Sam Hunter & The Two Tones

SONG: "Ride Ride Ride" BIRTHDATE: 9/18/92 BIRTHPLACE: Nashville, TN AMBITIONS: To be bigger than The Beatles TURN-OFFS: egomaniacs TURN-ONS: music DREAM GIG: Headlining at Royal Albert Hall TV ADDICTIONS: don't watch TV CELEBRITY CRUSH: Jessica Alba MY FAVORITE CONCERT EXPERIENCE: Seeing JD McPherson in July of 2012 THE BOOK THAT CHANGED MY LIFE: The Beatles Anthology 5 PEOPLE I’D MOST LIKE TO HAVE DINNER WITH: John, Paul, George, Ringo & Pete I NEVER LEAVE HOME WITHOUT: a guitar pick I WROTE THIS SONG: sitting in my car at a railroad crossing waiting for a train to pass.

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Great Quotations: Billy Joel

Evan Schlansky — Fri, 24 May 2013 16:24:06 +0000

I write backward — I write the music first and then I write the words. Most people write the words first and then they write the music. Keith Richards was explaining his method of songwriting. He calls it “vowel movement.” They come up with a riff, and it’s like sounds, and whatever sound . . . like “start me up” — “up” works because it has a consonant at the end of it, but if you go “take me home,” it wouldn’t have worked. I kind of subscribe to that. It has to sound right sometimes even more than being a poetic lyric. It’s a struggle to fit words onto music, and I want it to be really, really good, so I take a long time. I love having written, but I hate writing. So then I go through postpartum depression, and it’s: “Ugh, I gotta start all over again? Where am I going to get the” — what do you call it? Sitzfleisch? - Billy Joel

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Song Premiere: Tessa Rose Jackson: “Stepping Stone”

Andrew Leahey — Fri, 24 May 2013 12:00:37 +0000

When she was younger, Tessa Rose Jackson spent several years at the BRIT School in London, where artists like Adele and Kate Nash once roamed the halls. That was years ago, but the 20 year-old Dutch songwriter is still a student of sorts, taking notes from pop artists like Feist and indie-folksters like Edward Sharpe. She combines those influences on “Stepping Stone,” a summery swirl of cooing vocals, glockenspiel and synth pads. “‘Stepping Stone’ is about growing up, one step at a time,” she says of the song, which doubles as the leadoff track from her new album, (Songs From) The Sandbox. The album is already a hit in the Netherlands, where Jackson has been selling out shows and performing on late-night TV shows. Growing up, indeed.

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Happy Birthday, Bob Dylan!

Jim Beviglia — Fri, 24 May 2013 05:00:13 +0000

Happy Birthday, Bob! Bob Dylan turns 72 today (May 24^th), so we thought we’d celebrate by looking back at a somewhat bizarre yet truly dazzling performance of his signature song, “Like A Rolling Stone.” The occasion was the 10^th anniversary of David Letterman’s NBC late-night show back in 1992, and Dylan was joined by a cast of players that, on paper, seemed like a recipe for an unholy mess. There was plenty of music royalty on hand (Carole King on piano, Emmylou Harris and among the backing vocalists, Chrissie Hynde on guitar), but there were also several out-of-left-field accompanists (Steve Vai shredding on guitar, Michelle Shocked on backing vocals, and the weird, wild pairing of “Frankenstein” himself Edgar Winter and Johnny Carson sidekick Doc Severinsen in the horn section.) None of it should have worked, but, as you can see from the clip, from the minute King tears through the piano intro, the whole thing coheres beautifully. Much credit goes to Paul Shaffer, the Letterman bandleader whose experience with all-star, ad hoc performances likely proved invaluable. Plus he plays the heck out of the song’s Hammond organ part originally made famous by Al Kooper. Watch how Dylan starts off tentatively, as if unsure about all of this fanfare around him, before really tearing into the song with gusto by the final verses. The legendary Mavis Staples delivers her gospel fervor at song’s end to really bring the house down. Thanks to the Dylan site JohannasVisions.com for unearthing this great clip and providing info on the players. And a birthday thanks to Bob for so many incendiary performances like this one. Here’s to many, many more. Pick up Jim Beviglia's new book, Counting Down Bob Dylan: His 100 Finest Songs at Amazon.com. From The Archives: 30 Days Of Dylan From The Archives: The 30 Best Bob Dylan Songs

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Watch The Trailer For Springsteen & I

Julia Wallace — Thu, 23 May 2013 21:21:48 +0000

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Another rock star is releasing yet another documentary; but don’t write it off just yet. In an interesting twist on the status quo, Bruce Springsteen’s upcoming documentary, Springsteen & I, focuses on his fans, and their unique relationship to his music and persona. In the trailer, which was released today, concert clips are mixed with fan-made videos in which they proclaim their love for The Boss. “I can’t get through a day without Bruce,” one fan says. Another is shown crying in his car to a Springsteen song. Springsteen & I will be released in theaters July 22. Visit the film's official website for details. Got a Springsteen story you want to share? Let us know in the comments.

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Billy Talbot Band: On The Road To Spearfish

Hal Horowitz — Thu, 23 May 2013 19:51:41 +0000

Billy Talbot Band On the Road to Spearfish (Vapor) Rating: 3 1/2 out of 5 stars Neil Young’s long time bass playing compadre in Crazy Horse isn’t the most prolific frontman; this is only his second solo album and it comes nearly a decade after his debut. It’s also a long way from sounding Crazy Horse-ish. Perhaps Talbot wanted to take a break from his full time job in the amps-to-11 Horse when he wrote these codeine laced songs enhanced by barely there drums heavily reliant on hushed tom toms and a funeral horn section with tempos best described as drugged out. But far from being a somnambulant ride, this is deeply affecting music which, when given a chance to sink in, displays Talbot’s heartfelt, emotional take on Americana. He’s in no hurry to make any points as the extended lengths of the majority of tracks (three at nine minutes and the title clocking in at 13) show. While Talbot’s deep, somewhat narcoleptic voice won’t win any awards, it’s perfect for the slow, oozing groove. Lazy harmonica weaves its way through the album, referencing Young’s similar style, albeit in a more supporting role. The moderately more upbeat and shorter “Runnin’ Around” sounds almost like a single and would be a fine album track on any Neil Young release. The closing “Ring the Bell” is the disc’s most driving rocker and even boasts a singalong chorus. It’s as if Talbot’s shaking off the intense, creeping, stoner mood he has created during the previous hour to leave the listener in a more upbeat frame of mind. The performances sound live in the studio and unedited, creating an organic, rootsy atmosphere that makes them resonate with an emotional core rare in this era of sterilized, overdubbed productions. In that sense, the commercial middle finger Talbot gives is very much in line with Young’s equally idiosyncratic career. Talbot lets the songs go where they need which results in a pure, personal release. The approach sucks you in and is well worth the time it takes to revel in its unhurried presentation.

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Review: Focusrite Forte Audio Interface

Andy McDonough — Thu, 23 May 2013 18:31:57 +0000

$749.99 list / $499.99 street price Overview The Focusrite Forte is a great-sounding, 2-in/4-out USB audio interface that's ideal for songwriters who use either a Mac or a PC. With its clean sound and simple physical design, it is easy to transport, clean looking on the desktop, and functional. It's easy to see why recording professionals are using the Forte for demos and mobile recording sessions. A top-quality piece of audio gear that can convert audio at up to 24-bit/192 kHz, the Forte can help you take your songwriting to the next level. Professional songwriters, studio engineers and producers have long been fans of Focusrite gear that has been used to make hit recordings for decades. The company knows a thing or two about capturing good sound and it's not surprising that their little USB offering follows the same high standards. If you are making demos or recording your songwriting sessions, the most important thing you need to know about the Forte is that it can be used with digital recording software to capture your voice and guitar or other accompaniment without coloration or distortion. That said, there are some things you'll want to know about how it works to help you make a buying decision. Design At a glance, it's obvious that a good deal of thought went into the physical design of the Forte. It features a sleek, solid aluminum enclosure, colorful OLED display, and an oversized multi-function knob. A small display on the unit shows individual track levels along with meters that turn green, yellow, and red indicating signal level. Below the display are four touch-sensitive mode buttons for selecting input level, speaker volume, headphone volume, and DAW mode for controlling a software transport. The multi-function knob has a smooth, solid feel and spins freely to adjust levels and make selections. A single ¼-inch headphone jack is located conveniently on the front of the unit. At the back, you'll find a power input, a USB 2.0 port, an input for the breakout cable (Focusrite calls it a loom cable), and a pair of TRS line outputs. Since these outputs are not part of the loom, you can keep the loom in a drawer when listening over speakers and keep the desktop clear of cables. The short loom sports a pair of XLR microphone inputs along with a pair of TRS line/instrument-level inputs, so you can connect two mics and two instruments at the same time and leave them connected. The four audio output channels can be connected to an amplifier and speakers, powered monitors, or a mixer for additional monitoring or headphone outputs. Set-up and Performance Setting up the Forte was easy, requiring me to register on the company site before downloading the necessary drivers and bundled software. Once software is installed, you can connect the Forte via USB. The bundled Forte Control software offers low-latency monitoring and level control from your PC and the Midnight Plug-in Suite provides Focusrite's EQ and compressor software. Before you can start recording, you'll want to select the Forte as the input and output device in your recording software and attach the loom connector for instrument and mic inputs. As I expected, Focusrite preamps sounded warm and clean for my first quick recording of close-in voice and guitar tracks. Changing microphones, I was able to immediately hear the 'personality' of each microphone giving good indications that the Forte was not coloring the sound. The Forte's preamps also sounded noticeably cleaner and had more presence than other USB interfaces I've used. The playback quality of full-range reference recordings was stellar through the Forte with tight and extended bass response. I found the Forte's DAW mode to be very useful, allowing the desktop unit to be used as a remote. Tapping on the multi-function button in DAW mode, you can use the singular button to start and stop recording and to shuttle forward or back in your tracks. While you still need a mouse and keyboard to select and arm tracks, the Forte is handy as a remote, especially if you are recording yourself. The Focusrite Forte audio interface is a great choice for songwriters looking to produce high-quality demos or just get great sounding recordings of their work. It's an affordable, professional interface that is well designed physically, simple to set-up and use, and engineered to help you record clean, professional sounding tracks.

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Daily Discovery: Amanda Broadway, “Real Thing”

American Songspace — Thu, 23 May 2013 15:52:26 +0000

Catch Amanda Broadway at Musicians Corner on May 25 in Nashville's Centennial Park. ARTIST: Amanda Broadway SONG: "Real Thing" BIRTHDATE: 1/20/86 BIRTHPLACE: New Jersey AMBITIONS: Tour the world, sustain myself solely on music, always be happy TURN-OFFS: Fake people & cigarettes TURN-ONS: Real people & whiskey DREAM GIG: The Ryman Auditorium

STARTED PLAYING MUSIC: First known recording is a cover of Xanadu at the age of three. Still trying to top that.

FAVORITE LYRIC: "Loving her was easier than anything I'll ever do again" - Kris Kristofferson

CRAZIEST PERSON I KNOW: Myself

SONG I WISH I WROTE: "Piece of My Heart"

5 PEOPLE I’D MOST LIKE TO HAVE DINNER WITH: Etta James, My great grandmother, Bill Cosby, Anthony Bourdain, and I want to go to Red Lobster with Al Green. I hear he loves that place.

MY FAVORITE CONCERT EXPERIENCE: B.B. King at his club in Nashville. Amazing, intimate show and I got to shake his hand at the end.

I WROTE THIS SONG: about my love Mikie and our relationship. It's the most real thing I've ever experienced. We recorded the song (and the video) at his studio in Nashville, The Sanctuary. We cut it all live.

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Ray Wylie Hubbard At Hill Country Live

Jonathan Bernstein — Thu, 23 May 2013 14:45:28 +0000

Performing at Manhattan’s Hill Country Live, Ray Wylie Hubbard delivered a 75 minute set on Wednesday night tailored expertly for the lone star-dreaming crowd. Despite early smatterings of audience disengagement, it was an easy gig for the well-worn Texas songwriter whose songs pleased and roused, resting comfortably on the road-rambling authenticity that Hubbard so readily exudes. On Wednesday night, Hubbard sang with vigor and purpose, each song sounding like its own mission statement. “Mother Blues,” one of the rich, winding narratives that comprise 2012’s impressive Grifter’s Hymnal, displays Hubbard at his very best, as the sixty-six year old sang most vividly of his two tried subjects, sex and rock n’ roll, turning barroom sweat and lust into eventual regret and resignation. Hubbard has a penchant for cloaking his delicate songcraft in his eager-to-please roadhouse Texas blues. When he flipped things around, singing quietly about his well-intentioned troubles on “The Messenger” towards the end of the set, it was a hardly needed reminder that Ray Wylie Hubbard need not be reduced to bygone Texas myth, that his music is dynamic, contains multitudes. “Songwriting is inspiration plus craft,” Hubbard likes to say in interviews. But what Ray Wylie Hubbard doesn’t explain is how effortlessly hides his finely-tuned lyricism behind his affable persona and everyman subjects, which generally involve some combination of strippers, gambling, and Howlin’ Wolf. Perhaps Hubbard’s own Hill Country stamp was most evident when he let someone else’s words take over. His take on James McMurtry’s “Choctaw Bingo” was loose and indifferent, with Hubbard giving the deranged, tragicomic tale of drugged-up family reunions no special attention or melodrama. It was the country legend’s own way of saying that the song’s filthy grit was nothing unique, that it merely fit well alongside Hubbard’s own perpetually dirty South. For his encore, Hubbard began again singing about another unpleasant love. It was the night’s second performance of “Snake Farm” one of Hubbard’s most reliable, un-pretty sing-alongs, and it was unclear whether Hubbard had realized he had played the song over an hour earlier. Either way, it gave the crowd one more chance to sing Hubbard’s crude chorus back at him. After exposing himself raw on “The Messenger” one song before, Hubbard seemed happy, most comfortable, ending on another naughty roadhouse blues. “I forgot to mention something, this is a great sing-along,” he had wryly announced during the song’s first performance. It was after midnight, and Hubbard was still proving that very point. Setlist: Rabbit Snake Farm Drunken Poet’s Dream Down Home Country Blues Train Yard Name Droppin’ Count My Blessings Mother Blues Mississippi Flush Choctaw Bingo (McMurtry) Get Up Against The Wall, Redneck Mother My Time Ain’t Long Wanna Rock and Roll John The Revelator The Messenger Snake Farm

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Minds Will Be Blown At Interlocken Music Festival

Francie Johnson — Wed, 22 May 2013 21:32:09 +0000

The dwindling days until summer signify one thing for music fans: the approach of Festival Season. Festival veterans know that music festivals, though exciting, can sometimes feel rushed and hectic. Trying to cram as many bands as possible into one weekend proves quite the challenge, often involving difficult choices when multiple bands have sets at the same time. Imagine a music festival featuring longer sets by fewer artists to provide a more intimate experience. Each artist performs multiple sets throughout the weekend, making it easier for festival-goers to avoid scheduling conflicts. Sets flow seamlessly together with no breaks, creating one continuous music experience. Dave Frey and Peter Shapiro had exactly this type of festival in mind when they created Interlocken Music Festival, which will open its doors for the first time September 5-8 on Oak Ridge Farm in Arrington, Virgina. “Most festivals these days are trying to be everything to everyone - very eclectic with an emphasis on a large number of artists in various genres,” Shapiro said in a press release. “With Interlocken, we want to break away from that mold and create something more identifiable and distinct.” The four day festival, which prides itself on emphasizing "world class music," will feature multiple performances by Widespread Panic, Furthur, The Black Crowes, The String Cheese Incident and Neil Young & Crazy Horse, with more acts yet to be announced. Widespread Panic will play one of their two sets with special guest John Fogerty, and one of The String Cheese Incident's two sets will feature Zac Brown for the debut of The Zac Brown Incident. Additionally, one of Furthur's three sets will include a performance of the Grateful Dead's Workingman's Dead in its entirety. Each of the headliners will perform multiple two-hour sets throughout the weekend, with no breaks in between sets. Artist pre-sale tickets will be available beginning May 22 at 10 a.m. EST and general “early bird” tickets will go on sale May 23 at 10 a.m. EST. A limited number of discounted student tickets will also be available. For more information on Interlocken Music Festival, visit the official festival website.

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