Concert review - David Bromberg, with Mollie O'Brien and Rich Moore

30 December 2011 (L2 Arts and Culture Center, Denver CO)
The L2 Arts and Culture Center proved to be the perfect intimate setting for this show. The 500 seat hall was sold out, drawing fans of traditional folk and blues music from across Colorado. After so many rowdier bar and arena shows, it was a nice change to enjoy a sit down concert experience. It was a contrast from the last time I saw David Bromberg at the Boulder Theatre. But while the crowd may not have been dancing, they were engaged.

Mollie O'Brien & Rich Moore

Folk duo Mollie O'Brien and Rich Moore opened the show. Moore's facile fingerstyle playing was impressive, as he slipped fill lines in with the chords and tossed in some bass as well. I love this style of solo guitar work. When a guitarist is as fluid as Moore, he can create a full, busy sound but still drop back to support the vocals.

While Moore provided the accompaniment, Mollie O'Brien covered the singing. Her voice is strong and soulful. When she drops to her deeper range, her tone has the same dark beauty as Linda Rondstadt. The setlist showcased how versatile her voice is. From jazzy folk to up tempo blues, O'Brien tailored her singing to the style perfectly.

I particularly enjoyed their cover of Richard Thompson's The Ghost of You Walks. The original version has a music-box quality. O'Brien and Moore's arrangement breathed more. Just as Linda Thompson changed the character of Richard Thompson's work, O'Brien's interpretation added a deeper emotional component. Moore's guitar was great as he added subtle fills to the ends of phrases. His backing harmony on the title line was perfect.

While the pair were comfortable on stage and had good patter, their stage presence was fairly static. It would have been nice to see them move around a bit more. The one up tempo blues song (the title might have been Every Night of the Week) kicked up the crowd energy, but otherwise, the vibe was more relaxed.

David Bromberg

It was a joy to see David Bromberg again. His albums, including the recent Use Me (review here), capture his tasteful playing and a sense of who he is. But on stage, Bromberg's personality shines, whether he's making a clever aside, ranting his way through an over-the-top song ending, or just radiating joy because he's in the middle of some great music. His comfortable style is fully in the moment and he can share that engagement with the audience.

The setlist meandered through bluegrass, traditional folk, and screaming blues. Bromberg alternated between playing acoustic and electric guitar, but his backing quartet also shifted instrumentation to back the songs appropriately. The opening song was an uptempo bluegrass/country tune that moved into an old-time music section that eventually featured a rollicking three way fiddle jam, with Bromberg pulling out his fiddle for the only time of the night.

The crowd was happy to follow along with Bromberg, savoring all the facets he showed. I'm more particular to his blues - hearing Bromberg testify as he wails out a guitar line is a special treat - but it's also great to see him work the band during the folk and bluegrass songs, goading them on to have as much fun as he is.

Introducing a section of songs from Use Me, Bromberg talked about the projec. The first song in the series was Blues Is Falling, which Tim O'Brien wrote and produced. Bromberg's comments about Tim O'Brien were classic:

It's really unfair that there are Tim O'Briens. Tim O'Brien can play beautiful guitar, mandolin, fiddle. Sing gorgeous tunes.Write beautiful songs and it's all as easy as breathing for him. If he wasn't so nice I could really learn to hate him.

Bromberg's backing quartet was exactly what you'd expect from one of the best side men in the business: talented players, able to adapt on the fly and make each song click. Still, the best moment of the show was with Bromberg alone. As he played some solo guitar, the intimate hall pulled even closer. During Delia, a classic folk blues number, the crowd was rapt as Bromberg played the fingerstyle lines and sang the tune. In between verses, he talked about the true life story of the song as he played his fills. A folk history lesson and beautiful tune, this was a special, bittersweet moment. The sweet singing guitar lines, the mournful lyrics ("she's all I've got, she's gone"), and the quiet reverent feel took the room back to its roots as a church.

With the rest of the band coming back on stage, Bromberg finished out a powerful set and two encores. Satisfied but never complacent, David Bromberg remains one of my favorite guitarists to see live.

More photos on my Flickr.

Favorite albums of 2011

It's time again to look back at the year's music and try to pick out the best. Even ignoring the odd biases of my personal taste, the whole idea is foolish. There are plenty well known bands that I didn't get to, so I can't include them. On top of that, I've listened to many new and upcoming bands that aren't really on anybody else's radar. Finally, I rarely review music that I don't care for at some level, so selecting a small handful is absurd. So call this my favorite albums of the year, not the best. They're all worth checking out, whether they're from a brand new group or a familiar band. Browse through my list and find something great.

Arbouretum - The Gathering

Arbouretum channels a classic rock sound, evoking bands like Bad Company. It's unselfconsciously retro, without a drop of irony or meta. On tracks like The White Bird, the casual psychedelia of meandering guitars against a throbbing melodic bass is sweetly hypnotic. The band captures the delicate balance between power and intricate intertwining parts, without the excesses that the early '70s could produce. As much as I enjoyed The Gathering on the first listen, it's been a great album to come back to over the year for casual listening.
(original review)

Dengue Fever - Cannibal Courtship

Dengue Fever finally released an album of new original music this year. Cannibal Courtship continues expanding the band's base sound, which is influenced by retro Khmer rock. Their core sound is still there on tracks like Cement Slippers, but Dengue Fever has mixed in ska, funk, and R&B. Lead singer Chhom Nimol is in fine form, whether summoning sultry appeal, dreamy desperation, or emotional aloofness. The rest of the band shines, too. Check out the psychedelic jam on Durian Dowry; Nimol's voice and Senon Williams' bass add oceans of depth to the track.
(original review)

Mogwai - Hardcore Will Never Die, but You Will

Such a heavy title, but Mogwai is just sharing their dry sense of humor. The album is full of restrained and reflective moments, as well as a strong inspiration of post punk synthesizers. But fans of the classic, post rock Mogwai will still find the cathartic waves of sound the band is known for. Death Rays offers a taste of both extremes. The title seems ironic as a softly building procession unwinds, but when a thick ragged guitar kicks in to represent the death rays, it all makes sense. The following track, San Pedro contrasts perfectly with a driving tension.
(original review)

Govinda - Universal On Switch

Like Beats Antique, Govinda blends world beat influenced grooves with electronic sounds. Or maybe it's electronic grooves with world beat sounds. Govinda meshes the two elements into an inseparable whole. The title cut to Universal On Switch anchors a flitting gypsy violin to a solid electronic beat. Indian shimmers, glitched vocal samples, and a grinding bass all fold together into a hypnotic trance vibe. The band also delivers some more pop oriented sounds, like the electro pop Angel Freezing.
(original review)

Other Lives - Tamer Animals

Orchestral and dreamy, Tamer Animals took a few listens to reveal its depth. My initial thought was that Other Lives had a good cinematic style, but it took time to appreciate the full sweep of the album. The band has a rich dynamic sense with extensive scope. Moving from atmospheric moodiness to lush fullness, Other Lives isn't locked into a single sound. The tracks progress through a series of moods, packed with evocative details that add subtlety and nuance. A sparse arrangement and echoing reverb set up a song like For 12 with its open western sense, but the strings and subdued piano establish the darkness of conflict and ambivalence.
(original review)

Spirits of the Dead - The Great God Pan

With songs that range from Hawkwind influenced wanderings (Mighty Mountain) to psychedelic jazz jams (Leaves of Last Year's Fall), Spirits of the Dead offer a rich spectrum of sounds. And that's just within the first two songs. Even within a song, the band might stir in acid rock, art rock, and loose improvisational playing. Despite any stylistic leaps, Spirits of the Dead effortlessly create a smooth flow throughout the album with well planned transitions. The percussion work in particular is impressive as it maintains the rhythmic thread while adapting fills to match the musical shifts.
(original review)

Callers - Life of Love

Does Life of Love even belong on this year's list? It came out in 2010, but I didn't review it until this January. It made such a strong impression that it seems unfair to disqualify Callers based on the release date. Sara Lucas' voice is strong and vibrant, with strains of Maria Muldauer, Phoebe Snow, and Grace Slick. Callers' music sounds loose and full of possibility. Ryan Seaton and Don Godwin's coordination on their arrangements is a thing of beauty. Subtle and open, but not thin or makeshift, from the gospel blues of their cover of Wire's Heartbeat to the muted psychedelic sparkle of Roll.
(original review)

The Golden Awesome - Autumn

The Golden Awesome are masters of dreamy noise pop. They temper the cathartic throb of distortion with their sweet harmonized vocals. This kind of juxtaposition is often interesting, but Autumn toys with the balance to show the world of variation possible, from the tense mechanism of Astronomy to the heady spiraling of Where to Begin. The noise drives away all distractions while the vocals soothe. Plenty of recent bands work the lo-fi end of this mix, but none of them capture the spark of joy heard on Autumn.
(original review)


Portugal. The Man - In the Mountain, In the Cloud

Portugal. The Man's major label debut hits the best of both worlds. The band has maintained artistic control, but this gave them a much better budget to work with and the production quality shows it. The sound is somewhere between Breakfast in America era Supertramp and David Bowie's Young Americans, but Portugal. The Man takes those retro elements and jams with them to create something new and trippier. Much like Flaming Lips or My Morning Jacket, PTM's studio work offers a hint of what the band can pull off on stage, but it stands well on its own.
(original review)

Paley & Francis - Paley & Francis

Reid Paley and Black Francis spent a couple of days writing music together, split up to write some lyrics, and then spent two brief days in the studio to record Paley & Francis. On that breakneck schedule, they could be forgiven if the album seemed slapdash. Instead, this collection of first takes has a raw power that comes from the stripped down arrangements and immediacy of fresh material. Both men approach the songs with firm confidence and blend their perspectives from song to song. Francis' songs evoke his work with the Pixies as well classic garage rock classics. Paley's voice is warm, but infuses his songs with ragged soul. The combination is excellent.
(original review)

Honorable mentions
Here are few honorable mentions - great albums that didn't quite make my 10 favorites.

• Cymbals Eat Guitars - Lenses Alien (original review)
• And the Giraffe - Something for Someone (original review)
• The Jigsaw Seen - Winterland (original review)
• The Indelicates - David Koresh Superstar (original review)
• Jonathan Coulton - Artificial Heart (original review)

That's still ignoring good albums by Lateef the Truthspeaker, Gomez, Whiskey Blanket, and others.

CD review - Monte Pittman, Pain, Love, and Destiny (2011)

Sideman takes center stage and rocks out

Monte Pittman has built a reputation in the industry by working at the edges. Like many studio musicians and hired guns, he's popped up in a number of surprising places: as Madonna's touring guitarist, playing bass with industrial rockers, Prong, and adding some heavier touches to Adam Lambert's shows. Pittman released his first album, the acoustic centered The Deepest Dark, in 2009. Pain, Love, and Destiny follows that up with a meatier rock sound. Between the two extremes, Pittman is poised to garner more mainstream audience attention.

Pittman demonstrates his guitar chops throughout the album, but his emphasis is on the songs. Whether it's a hard rock ballad or an arena rock anthem, his song arrangements are centered on nailing the right rhythm and leading with vocals. Pittman's touring experience shines as he sings with showy conviction. His opener, About You, has a soft start, but it quickly builds into hard rock. The dynamic flow is impressive: he sells the power with layers of hard rocking guitar, but the electric guitar sometimes drops out to reveal the underlying acoustic backing. The pacing feels theatrical. Just listening to the sudden stop ending, I can see the stage lights cut to black.

The best track is (I Am) The Black Rabbit. Like a chameleon, the intro phases from acoustic to metal to progressive rock. The synth shimmer at the edges brings out the prog focus on the verses. The chorused vocals bring in a '70s art rock element, but the doom laden vibe is much more modern. Metal guitar touches pile up, building to a shred style metal solo backed by rhythm crunch. The build is great, but then Pittman drops the dynamic down to transition the mood to a more retro feel again. The spare, angular acoustic guitar that signals the return of the chorus reminds me of Greg Lake (Emerson, Lake, and Palmer). While the music is great, the strength of the track is how Pittman builds a story with a mix of threatening tension and revelation.

The weakest song, Burn Down the Garden, also shifts around but the effect is unfocused. It starts out like Chicago minus the horns, then jumps around in style. A touch of Brian May fill, a longer section like Santana's Evil Ways, then the tune drifts from shred to AC/DC grind and Red Rider openness (Lunatic Fringe) before decaying into chaos. There's plenty to enjoy along the way, but it doesn't hold together as well as the rest of the album.

While tracks like Keep Shining and Definitely are more typical of Pain, Love, and Destiny, the final track proves most memorable. Predetermined Destiny acts as an after-dinner mint for the album. Recapping one of the album's themes:

Destiny, just let it be
Destiny
Nothing's certain, predetermined...

The song aims for John Lennon (Across the Universe), but the vocal sound evokes ELO's channeling of the Beatles. Regardless, the simplicity is a refreshing closer.

Listen to Pain, Love, and Destiny at Pittman's site.

CD review - Null Paradox, The Onion and the Ants: Gertrude and Grace (2010)

Rich vocals and intriguing prog complexity

The first thing that jumps out on The Onion and the Ants: Gertrude and Grace is Crystal Sherry's strong, warm voice. She shifts from sweet honey to steel when the song needs to raise a harder edge. She blends Karen Carpenter's lushness with Annie Haslam's (Renaissance) smooth range and adds a touch of Ann Wilson's punchy delivery.

If Sherry's voice drives most of the songs, the tight, balanced arrangements give her the room to work with. On songs like Black and White, the pieces fall together to create a piquant complexity. Shards of guitar set the initial stage, then the rhythm joins in. The combination of the initial guitar riff (left), a hypnotic fill melody (right), and Sherry's voice (center) fit together in a rich hard rock quilt. Subtle shades of feedback and a stalking bass line color the mix.

Null Paradox is rooted a set of ideas that band leader Tom Libertiny is still exploring. Initially, the band was intended to realize a concept album based on his book idea: The Onion and the Ants. With songs representing chapters, the two projects have become intertwined, with the book expanding into a series. The first book is due out soon.

The album has a coherent sound, but without the hint from the band, it might be hard to extract a story line for the album. In their promotional material, Null Paradox presents the premise as a choice between the love of your life (orange) and your destiny (purple). That provides some context for the songs, like the frustration on Small or the pervasive conflict related in The Ministry. Having the book would offer another facet for enjoying the album, but the songs all stand well on their own merits.

Throughout The Onion and the Ants..., Null Paradox mines a wonderful mix of lush modern rock and rich progressive rock. The Cell was one of my favorite tracks. The opening is spare and orchestral. Sherry's voice is low and breathy. Then, the song slips into a progressive groove that reminds me a bit of Steven Wilson, because of how the arpeggiated guitar part plays against the bass line. As The Cell negotiates a number of musical sections, it maintains an intriguing sense of contrast between open and tight channels and organic flow pushing against mechanical drive.

The final track, Glass Desert, briefly evokes Tori Amos, with a whisper vocal and piano line. But the band defies expectation, carrying the track into a laid back bluesy space. A heavier interlude overwhelms the looser groove, but a closer listen shows the two parts coexisting. The horn solo (about 4 minutes in) adds its jazzy smoke.

Null Paradox may be a "concept band", but Tom Libertiny has added some interesting artistic voices to his ideas. Browse their web site for more info. The video section has some cool info about the progression of developing the songs.