Album Review: Peter Case-'Flying Saucer Blues' (Vanguard)

Peter Case’s fourth Vanguard release sounds much like a continuation of 1998’s ‘Full Service, No Waiting’. The same musicians return, highlighted by multi instrumentalist Greg Liesz and percussionist Sandy Chila, again under supervision of producer Andrew Williams.

In contrast to ‘Full Service, No Waiting’, Case includes more blues numbers than previously offered on one release. Whereas a stricter interpretation of traditional folk-blues could have been adhered to, Case varies the delivery, as on ‘Coulda, Shoulda, Woulda’, omitting harmonica (at which he is skilled), and includes a slide guitar/fiddle accompaniment bearing an almost uncomfortable resemblance to what is passing for popular country music these days.

‘Two Heroes’, a complex (and at 6:13, the longest) song about a washed up boxer who comes to the aid of two young girls living in his building who are set upon by small time crooks, and who ends up becoming the default suspect due to his race (this is L.A. after all), benefits from a easily listenable verse/chorus sequence. Although the form is simple, Case’s complex and effective lyrics, backed by raucous arrangement accented by accordion and Chila’s minimal but pronounced drum line make the song speed by.

‘Cool Drink of Water’, another in the blues vein resembles something from the David Hildalgo/Louis Perez (of Los Lobos) side project ‘Latin Playboys’. It is a straight three chord blues song, complete with repeated lines (‘Well my dog keeps barking, she’s barking all night long, Yeah, my dog keeps barking, she’s barking all night long’). Andrew Williams’ production, which includes Case’s vocal frequencies altered to resemble a bullhorn or telephone, and a ‘dirty’ horn sound make the song tolerable, but just so.

While ‘Cool Drink of Water’ may well be considered the nadir of ‘Flying Saucer Blues’, its zenith is achieved on the track which follows it, ‘Blue Distance’. Greg Liesz’s multi tracked steel guitar achieves an airy echo as big as the mountain of which Case sings. The words are simple, but convey a larger idea, heightened further by the instrumentation and harmony vocals.

Of the remaining tracks, ‘Paradise, etc.’, ‘Something Happens’, ‘Black Dirt and Clay’ and ‘Cool Trail Blues’ best display Case’s direction of late. That is, evocative lyrics delivered with conviction and authority. Further explanation regarding their message, or hidden meanings, if one were to take the trouble to locate them, would only diminish their impact. Case is an acquired taste, and like Peter Holsapple, Freedy Johnston and Billy Bragg, may be tough to sell to those not looking for him.

Thankfully, Vanguard sees the value of Case’s musical contributions. The folk based label has been a haven for artists outside of the mainstream. Case’s work has clearly benefited from this association. ‘Flying Saucer Blues’ may not achieve the heights attained on ‘Full Service, No Waiting’, but it soars perilously close.

Review: Elvis Costello & The Imposters at NTELOS Pavillion Virginia Beach, VA 23 June 2002

He wore black, all black. So did Steve Nieve. So did Pete Thomas. It couldn't have been comfortable. I wasn't. I've had more leg room flying coach on a DC-3 than I did in row 'L' at the NTELOS Pavilion. But entertainment is seldom about comfort. It's about entertainment. And Elvis Costello and the Imposters delivered in abundance.

Costello's tour supporting his "Blood and Chocolate" record 15 or so years ago was called "Costello Sings Again". His latest, in support of "When I Was Cruel" could rightly claim the title "Costello Rocks Again". With over 20 US shows on their current tour behind them, the quartet steamed into the attractive (but uncomfortable) new venue like a well-oiled machine.

Over the course of the two hour show, Costello proved many things. Among them; just how great a catalogue of songs he has written; how he is a better guitar player than many give him credit for; how much better he is when working with Steve Nieve and Pete Thomas, and; how good an entertainer he is.

Costello kicked things off with the cleverly titled '45', the opening track from 'When I Was Cruel', whose title alternately refers to the year, and the 45 rpm record. 'Waiting for the End of The World' followed instantly, followed then by 'Watching the Detectives', allaying any fears that the show would be a mellow affair.

The pace was frenetic, Costello barely allowing the applause to die before launching into the next song. A surprise was the performance of 'Alison', usually reserved as an encore, as the ninth selection, mercifully squelching those requesting it after every number performed. The inclusion of 'I Hope You're Happy Now' following his most widely know (and far from best) song was a humorous, but likely unintentional comment.

Steve Nieve, Costello's keyboard player for over 20 years, had little use for the piano stool provided, as he was on his feet, working banks of keyboards and assorted electronics (including a small theremin), in what at times seemed a race to create the most sound possible with two hands. Nieve effortlessly produced keyboard sounds identical to those on Costello's earliest records with The Attractions, including '(I Don't Want To Go To) Chelsea', 'High Fidelity', 'No Action', 'Less Than Zero' and 'Radio Radio'. The two knockout seated performances of the evening were 'Deep Dark Truthful Mirror' and 'Shipbuilding'.

Bass player Davey Faragher, in addition to being a more than suitable replacement to Bruce Thomas, provided harmony vocals, something nearly absent from previous tours with a four piece ensemble, and most welcome on 'Sulky Girl', 'No Action' and 'I Hope You're Happy Now'.

I had yet to really warm up to the songs from 'When I Was Cruel' prior to this show. The memory of them being performed has helped my current enjoyment of them. The eight songs from the new release were scattered throughout the set, and no more than two were played consecutively.

The gadgetry (vocal and instrumental) present on 'When I Was Cruel' was reproduced in concert. Costello routinely activated a large console tape delay unit mounted on a pedestal beside him, allowing him to repeat riffs or sustain notes played. Costello's guitar solos on record are typically conservative and eclectic, and all but absent in concert. This evening's performance had Costello playing four solos of no more than 12 or 16 bars each. They were short but competent, servicing the song and not the soloist.

Two encores of three songs each were offered, and seemed timed to end the show precisely at the two hour mark. 'Alibi' from 'When I Was Cruel' afforded an audience response to each line of verse. 'You Belong to Me' retained all of the fun and freshness of when it was released twenty four (!) years ago, and 'Pump It Up' went by the books, but was no less well received.

The second encore began with 'Episode of Blonde' from the new album. The long, tango-esque song did not persuade the throngs already heading to the exits to stay. Those not familiar with the song prior to its performance probably limited their enjoyment to Costello's rapid, or rap-like verse delivery. 'Lipstick Vogue' followed with drummer Pete Thomas providing the sonic punch that is the song's signature.

Costello concluded with 'I Want You', considered a masterpiece track from a masterpiece album, 'Blood and Chocolate'. A long and obsessive song, its choice to close the show could rightly be considered a reward to those who stayed for the end.

Album Review: Joe Jackson-'Summer In The City Live in New York' (Sony Classical)

Many pop fans may not be aware that Joe Jackson has been very busy lately. Even long time fans may not be aware of all that he has been up to. Little wonder. His releases of the past five years, ‘Night Music’ and ‘Heaven and Hell’ went largely unnoticed by the record buying public, and may have contributed to the perception of inactivity.

Last year he released an autobiography of sorts ‘A Cure For Gravity’, and his ‘Symphony No. 1’. Unlike Paul McCartney’s ‘Liverpool Oratorio’ and whatever Billy Joel swears he’s going to complete right after his next ‘final’ rock show, Jackson knows what he’s doing when it comes to orchestral music. Having studied at the Royal College of Music, Jackson deviated from his studies there to pursue his pop dream. In addition, this type of composition is not new territory for Jackson, having released ‘Will Power’ in 1987 (conducted by George Manahan).

So those fans who have been thrown from the Jackson bandwagon with each new re-invention may be leery of his latest release, ‘Summer in the City’, and that it is distributed by the classical division of Sony. Fear not, pop fans, the listening is fine.

Recorded in New York in August 1999, Jackson presents a trio performance, with long time bandmates Graham Maby (bass and vocals) and Gary Burke (drums). Maby is Jackson’s original bass player, and has played on all but two of his rock albums.

Although Jackson is a piano player, the prominence of piano on his records has typically not been equal to that of other instruments, such as guitar and percussion. Even in concert, Jackson spends less time at the keyboard than he does at the microphone. In the trio setting however, the piano is central to the sound, and Jackson gets few breaks from it throughout the performance.

Do not look for his biggest hits like ‘Stepping Out’, ‘Breaking Us In Two’ or ‘Is She Really Going Out With Him?’ on ‘Summer’. But look for equally good, albeit less familiar numbers from his catalog like ‘Be My Number Two’, ‘You Can’t Get What You Want’, and ‘It’s Different For Girls’.

The trio is surprisingly effective in delivering his earliest rock songs like ‘Fools In Love’ (coupled with a cover of the Yardbirds’ ‘For Your Love’), and ‘One More Time’, which contains Maby’s signature bass line. Also notable is the lone song from Jackson’s magnum opus ‘Night and Day’, ‘Another World’. ‘Obvious Song’ loses little of the punch achieved with full band complement when originally released on 1991’s ‘Laughter and Lust’. ‘Hometown’ from ‘Big World’ stands out as a solo piece for piano and voice.

Jackson throws in a little jazz for variety, offering Duke Ellington’s ‘Mood Indigo’, with an all too short piano solo, and ‘The In-Crowd’, a major breakthrough hit for Ramsey Lewis from 1965, which is effectively paired with ‘Down To London’ from the financially disastrous but critically successful ‘Blaze of Glory’.

Jackson covers The Lovin’ Spoonful’s ‘Summer in the City’ and takes its name for the album’s title. Also covered within the context of two separate medleys are ‘Eleanor Rigby’, and Steely Dan’s ‘King of the World’.

The playing sparkles throughout. Jackson is not given to extended solos or improvisation, which would spell doom for lesser rock artists whose melodies may be found wanting absent of it.

‘Summer in the City’, breaks new ground as far as arrangements go, even though some of the material may be familiar to those who have followed each phase of Jackson’s career. For any of those he may have lost along the way, ‘Summer in the City’ is well worth visiting, if only to remind you of why he found you in the first place.

Review: Elvis Costello & Steve Nieve @ The Filene Center at Wolftrap Farm Park 23 June 1999

Memo to E.C.: Elvis-please open all of your shows with ‘Alison’. I’m tired of perpetually having to hear an air-headed bimbo sit behind me at your shows, and bitch about how much each song currently being played sucks, and inquire of her equally dim-witted friend(s) with her when you will get around to playing it. In full voice. So that everyone around her hears her. So we are made fully aware that that is the song she came to hear. To the exclusion of all others. -Oz-

That taken care of, to the show. A cheerful Elvis Costello performed his first-ever show at the Filene Center to a receptive, near-capacity crowd of mostly thirty and forty-plus-somethings. Clad in his trademark black suit, with his rapidly thinning hair cropped close to his skull, Costello and the Attraction, keyboardist Nieve, performed for exactly two and half hours, serving up ample helpings of new material with forays into his past, both distant and recent.

Opening with ‘Why Can’t a Man Stand Alone?’ from 1996’s ‘All This Useless Beauty’ Costello demonstrated a confidence in the ballad style lacking in most rock artists. Abandoning the frenetic pacing of his early years, Costello clearly seemed to enjoy savoring the material presented. Many of the more recent compositions performed, specifically eight co-written by Costello and Burt Bacharach for last year’s ‘Painted From Memory’ showcased a maturity of both temperment and voice, proven by both his introductions to, and delivery of them.

Reworkings of songs from his earliest albums provided a glimpse into the songwriting craft, and demonstrated their durability. Highlights included Girl’s Talk, (I Don’t Want To) Chelsea, Little Triggers, Temptation, (The Angels Want to Wear My) Red Shoes, and Talking in the Dark, which gave way to a piano flourish resembling a Chopin polonaise, which Nieve delivered with great enthusiasm and skill.

Fortunately for long time fans, Costello has not grown embarassed of any of this material, nor grown tired of performing it. In fact, he has created a body of work which allows his performances not to have to rely on any one segment of his output to satisfy his audience, despite his artistic development, and industry-driven musical demands.

Representing what could be argued as his strongest period (1982-1985), Costello peppered the evening’s offerings with Man Out Of Time, Everyday I Write The Book, Indoor Fireworks, The Long Honeymoon, Inch By Inch, Almost Blue, and I Want You.

Costello was more selective in his choices from the past ten years, and included three (Pads, Paws and Claws, Veronica, and Shallow Grave) written in collaboration with Paul McCartney, and You Lie Sleeping, a Nieve-penned composition, for which Costello supplied lyrics (a CD length release of Nieve/Costello compositions is rumored in the works).

Just under half of the songs (14) were performed as ‘encores’, a somewhat tedious practice Costello seems to indulge in, whereby the audience member is forced to ‘give it up’ for just ‘one more’ after ‘one more’, leaving many to pray for the mercy of the house lights and recorded music to follow. But few would discard what was included as unnecessary. Costello’s movie soundtrack contributions of late, She, a Charles Aznevour tune from Notting Hill, the Bacharach/David nugget I’ll Never Fall In Love Again, from Austin Powers II (etc.), and God Give Me Strength, from Grace of My Heart (the song that first brough E.C. and Bacharach together) provided little contrast given the limitation of piano and guitar/voice, and threatened an anti-climax.

Closing the show with Couldn’t Call It Unexpected #4, Costello took a cue from his pal Tony Bennett, and sang it unamplified. And, although Bennett is of such voice that he could probably have been heard by the pilot of the helicopter which chose that very moment to pass overhead, Costello is not. However a surprisingly silent audience was treated to his most intimate interaction of the evening.

Review: Lucy Kaplansky @ Ashland Coffee & Tea Ashland, VA 25 September 2001

Ashland Coffee and Tea was not only lucky enough to secure the booking of
urban folk singer/songwriter Lucy Kaplansky, but also to have her honor the
booking when the original show was canceled due to the events of September
11.

Kaplansky, who put a promising music career on hold while pursuing her
doctorate in Psychology, never abandoned her dream of making a life in
music.  With help from friends like former singing partner Shawn Colvin,
Kaplansky's talent was brought to the attention of Red House Records'
president Bob Feldman.  To date, Kaplansky has released four solo records
with Red House; The Tide, Flesh and Bone, Ten Year Night, and most recently
Every Single Day.

Whereas her recordings feature full instrumental accompaniment, featuring
guest artists such as Richard Shindell, Duke Levine and John Gorka,
Kaplansky typically tours as a soloist. For her September 25 show at Ashland
Coffee & Tea, she came armed only with her Martin acoustic guitar, her
voice, and a bag of songs and stories.

Kaplansky kept the first of two sets moving, offering a steady flow of
original compositions, including 'One Good Reason' and 'Ten Year Night'; and
cover material, such as 'Peace, Love and Understanding', which to her credit
was correctly attributed to Nick Lowe.  When it seemed the evening's
material would be dispatched with only a minimum of between song banter,
Kaplansky shared an extended story of her recent trip to England involving a
purchase of a mobile phone, an unexpected invitation to record with Brian
Ferry, and her inability to locate Ricola cough drops.

Ferry, it appears had been listening to a broadcast of Kaplansky over BBC,
and was so taken by her singing that he requested her for a session
scheduled that day.  He sent a car to collect the American singer, who soon
found herself in a London studio with the Roxy Music frontman. At the time,
Kaplansky was concerned about a cold she had caught, and it effect on her
singing voice.  Ferry, sensing her affliction, produced a package of Ricola
lozenges from his pocket, and the session proceeded.  Kaplansky remarked
that she had been unable to locate that brand of cough drop since her
arrival.

Some time later, Ferry sent her a package of Ricola, which she is saving as
a souvenir. The experience was later recounted in a New Jersey newspaper
interview, which then prompted the manufacturer to officially acknowledge
her 'plug', and offer a care package of their products, which she readily
accepted.  Confessing she was obliged to perform a Ferry tune, she then
offered the Roxy Music classic 'More Than This'.

As a reward to a table of fans who trekked from Virginia Beach to see her,
she closed the set with 'This Is Mine', with a caveat that it required an
alternate tuning of her guitar, and help with the lyrics, as she performs it
so infrequently.  After achieving the correct tuning following a false
start, Kaplansky reached about the halfway point before soliciting the
lyrics to the next verse from the audience.  The intimate confines of the
venue easily facilitated this exchange, and further heightened the already
somewhat communal aspects of the performance.  Credit the owners and staff
of Ashland Coffee and Tea for creating a venue that can not only draw talent
the likes of Ms. Kaplansky, but also make the experience as pleasing as the
entertainment.  A polite silence was maintained throughout, and the wait
staff was unobtrusive.

Her second, seemingly shorter set began with 'Mary and the Soldier', a
beautiful traditional English ballad, if a bit 'Ye Olde-y'.  Continuing with
'Guilty as Sin' from her new record, Kaplansky alerted those in attendance
that many of her songs are not autobiographical, and feels compelled to warn
her mother, who attends many of her daughter's shows, that some of the
songs, such as 'Guilty' are not reflections of her own life.  When warning
her mother about the adulterous content of 'Guilty as Sin' prior to a
concert, her mother simply said 'Cool!'  Regarding her mother, Kaplansky
further noted that she often rearranges CDs in stores to more prominently
display her daughter's efforts, and is known to purchase copies for the
purpose of showing the pictures to anyone who will indulge her maternal
pride.  Kaplansky then performed, a capella, a song her father, a
mathematician and amateur songwriter composed; an unwieldy tune about the
numeric value pi, which represents the ratio of circumference of a circle to
its diameter, the chorus of which was transcribed from the value of pi to
the notes on the piano keyboard.

The diversion to humorous familial matters offset the somewhat somber tone
of the second set's material, which included 'Song for Molly', a lamentation
about an aging grandparent, 'Broken Things', in this case hearts and
feelings, penned by Julie Miller, and a cover of Gram Parsons' 'Return of
the Grievous Angel'.

New Country Magazine characterized Kaplansky's voice as "sweet and pure as
fresh sheets and ice water".  Hyperbole aside, Kaplansky is an exceptionally
talented singer, whose voice is more evocative with solo guitar
accompaniment than on record.  She is not given to vocal gymnastics, and
limits her range, however her delivery and enunciation are remarkable.

It was inevitable that Kaplansky would address recent events.  However she
unabashedly admitted her satisfaction with her career choice, and made the
argument for music's life-affirming quality. The response was unanimous.