By James Furbush | February 28th, 2010 | 1:50 pm UTC
Excellent! The Fruit Bats, who have solidified themselves as my favorite band (one of, anyways), have just recorded a short session for Daytrotter.
It includes an awesome cover of Neil Young’s “Revolution Blues”, which segues nicely into a slower-tempo’d “Union Blanket.” Johnson does Shakey proud, channeling both his vocal delivery and indignant pathos Young is famous for.
“Johnson tackles the theme of love – or is tackled by the theme of love – with the acceptance of a minister, as if he’s been sent here for this particular and very specific reason, to explain these wrinkles and these elations with all of his faculties,” writes Sean Moeller. “Sam Cooke sings about the grapes that are meant for the vine and the apples that are meant for the tree and Johnson sings that he’ll be “the sweetest apple on your tree,” taking the sentiment just a little further.”
This exemplifies everything I enjoy about Eric Johnson’s songwriting. He’s romantic, in the vein of Ralph Waldo Emerson, nimbly tiptoeing the delicate footbridge connecting love and nature and that underlying energy that just connects everything together.
By James Furbush | November 24th, 2009 | 9:05 pm UTC
Say what you want about Jimmy Fallon (that I’ve never bothered to watch a single episode of his show but continuously post his content), but the guy certainly knows how create a buzz worthy clip. Here he is doing a stellar Neil Young impression, covering the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air theme song.
By James Furbush | December 17th, 2008 | 11:41 am UTC
I’ve been on a huge Neil Young kick over the past two or three months. And I’ve decided beyond a doubt he’s one of my top 5 all-time musicians. But this 10-disc project seems destined for only the most severe Neil Young fans. It is ambitious and has been in the works for several years now, covering the first decade of his music career.
Neil Young Archives, Vol. 1: 1963-1972 is due 2/24 via Reprise. Amazon currently has it selling for $300 – $325.
Los Angeles’s Parson Red Heads (via Oregon no less) opened up for Blitzen Trapper and Starfucker last Thursday at the Wonder Ballroom. Not knowing anything about them beforehand, I can say that they do their namesake Graham Parson proud.
They aren’t related, but in taking the Parson namesake for their band, the group seems to mine similar territory. As one person remarked in the crowd, “wow it’s like 1973 up in here.” This isn’t a bad sentiment. The group combines the best of west coast folk music, made famous by Graham Parson and his two bands The Byrds and Flying Burrito Brothers, and that sort of psychpop.
It’s been a long while since I’ve seen a band play extended jams and not be afraid to playout songs, to play music on the edge and acquit themselves well. They covered Neil Young with the help of Blitzen Trapper’s Eric Earley on harmonica.
Though I was surprised by how indebted the band was to that late 60’s, early 70’s CSNY/Byrds country-folk-pop aesthetic, the lilting harmonies and precise song arrangements more than made up for that. Also, I’m a sucker for that type of music. It brings me no greater pleasure than to throw down the windows in my car and ramble along the backroads listening to Neil Young and his ilk. Now I can add another band to that mix and one from my generation no less.
Also, the drummer for the band, Brette Marie Way, is my new rock crush (unfortch she’s married to the lead singer). She’s this cute redhead who wears librarian glasses and man can she lay down the beats. It’s one thing to be a cute musician, it’s another altogether to be cute and accomplished.
By James Furbush | November 23rd, 2008 | 4:18 pm UTC
When done right, this blistering song has no comparison. It is so amazing that it lends itself to interpretation over and over again. Yes, Dylan may have recorded it originally and Hendrix may have perfected it, but there have been so many other great covers.
Enjoy renditions from some of the greats. Perhaps the most enjoyable thing is to see how all these great musicians interpret this Bob Dylan song.
Jimi Hendrix
Anyone who tells you that Hendrix’s version of this song isn’t the definitive version of this song is just lying to themselves.
Here he is at the Isle of Wright in 1970.
Neil Young
His version isn’t that bad. It’s almost what you’d expect. Very grungy, full of energy, and just straight nasty.
By James Furbush | September 19th, 2008 | 5:59 am UTC
Perhaps the one thing I love about September, more than the gradual nip in the air, the brisk winds picking up, or the subtle changing of the leaves is the full moon. The Harvest Moon. Low in the horizon, vibrant rust orange and unnaturally large. For some reason, no other full moon looks the way a Harvest Moon does.
When the Harvest Moon ascends to the night sky it is the one time during the year that I pause and reflect upon the night sky – no other astrological phenomena does that to me. It signifies the changing from the dog days of summer into the magic that is fall.
Excellent! The Fruit Bats, who have solidified themselves as my favorite band (one of, anyways), have just recorded a short session for Daytrotter.
