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July 2018 VOL.7 ISS.4 #76 4 COMICS 5 QUICK READ 6 ALBUM COVER OF THE MONTH 7 KEMP RIDLEY TURTLES, CELEBRATING 40 YEARS 8 3RD COAST FOODIE: ROAD TRIP TO AMARILLO, THE BIG TEXAN STEAK RANCH 11 DEBBIE NOBLE’S: PHOTOGRAPHY HELP 12 SPOON : H OT T HO UG HT S 13 BOY GEORGE & CUTLURE CLUB LIFE TOUR 14 C D REVI EWS 15 NEW MOVIE S & MUSIC
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STEAM Magazine is published monthly by STEAM Magazine, South Texas Entertainment Art Music, in Corpus Christi, TX. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Views expressed within are solely the authors and not of STEAM Magazine. Typographical, photographic, and printing errors are unintentional and subject to correction. Please direct all inquiries to: submissions@steamtx.com
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For better or worse J. Michael Dolan ~ Your music or acting career won’t advance without your persistent progression. ~ Your story or script will never see the light of day without your continuous, ruthless resolve. ~ Your business will never, ever grow without your willingness to change.
Important
because: things don’t get better on their own. In every hour of every day, we make choices and decisions that either affirm or deny the advancement of our dreams and goals.
Wasted genius J. Michael Dolan There are so many important things to do, so many things to fix, so many great ideas waiting to be born, so many great songs to compose, so many inspiring scripts to pitch, so many characters to play, so many ways to contribute, so many ways to make a difference, so many people to help, and so many opportunities to create entertainment that inspires and products & services that matter.
Important because: excuses be damned!
Tired old donkey J. Michael Dolan One beautiful sunrise morning a man, a woman and a donkey began their journey down the bumpy road to the village for supplies. Being the head of the household, the man rode the donkey and the woman followed behind. After a while a passing traveler stopped the trio and said, “You should be ashamed of yourself! Making your poor wife walk behind as you sit on top!” So the man got off the donkey and the woman got on the donkey and the man walked behind. After a few miles in the baking mid-day sun another passing traveler said, “You should be ashamed of yourself! Riding high on your mount while making your tired husband walk behind after working all day!” So the husband got back on the donkey and nudged up close behind his wife and they rode together down the road. After a few miles in the setting sun, a third traveler said, “You should be ashamed of yourself, the two of you on the back of that tired old donkey!” Important because: no matter how many people admire us or admonish us we will never impress everyone with our endearing personality, satisfy everyone with our very best work or convince everyone that our way is the right way. The moral of this fable is to ride your donkey to the village, pick up your supplies and return home and don’t allow the criticisms of passersby to alter your strategy. (This story was adapted from a 6th Century B.C. fable, from The Harvard Classics.)
Sinners strategy J. Michael Dolan (:41) I’ve been so fortunate in my showbiz career to work and consult with some of the most comitted, hard working, intelligent and talented artists and entrepreneurs. However, most of the time, the conversation is not focused on their success but rather their sins. Here are just a few sins that we artists & treps consistently commit—against ourselves: — Allowing the drama of the day to steal our focus and obstruct our work. — Resisting “change” as if it were the enemy. — Setting attainable goals instead of impossible ones. — Sabotaging the project 3/4 of the way through. — Faking it! — Allowing others to direct our destiny. — Procrastinating until we have to run a mad-dash to the finish. — Permitting pettiness to dictate our to-do list. — Allowing fear of failure to thwart a worthwhile project. — Believing the demon of doubt is actually the voice of reason. — Taking the low road even when the high road is always less congested. — Waiting to become rich and famous, before helping others. Important because: absolution is in our control. WWW.STEAMMAGAZINE.NET JULY 2018 STEAM MAGAZINE 5
It wasn’t until I got this album that I realized how huge of an impact the young man from Lubbock, Texas had on me. Until then, the only Buddy Holly songs I was familiar with were “That’ll Be The Day,” “Rave On,” and my favorite, “Peggy Sue.” That familiar raw, forceful energy was right in front of me in full fidelity! His work affected so many artists of my generation including The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. There were also the covers by Linda Ronstadt, Peter and Gordon, Blind Faith, and so many others. In spite of the highly fictionalized 1978 film, “The Buddy Holly Story,” and probably because of Gary Busey’s remarkable performance in the title roll, a whole new generation fans created a market for records like this one. I recognized a certain style in his playing that I also heard in the musicians who influenced me. I still play many songs recorded by Buddy Holly and the Crickets. Speaking of the Crickets, I have to mention drummer Jerry (J.I.) Allison, one of the greatest, most influential drummers and unsung heroes in Rock and Roll history. His contributions are probably just as important as Buddy’s. This man wrote the book on the role of a drummer in a rockin’ band, not to mention creating the distinctive, often copied tomtom paradiddle riff on “Peggy Sue.” He also cowrote many of their songs. It’s debatable if Buddy
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Holly’s impact on Rock and Roll would’ve been the same without Jerry Allison. With due respect to Don McLean, I’m not fond of the phrase, “the day the music died.” Yes, there was a tragic loss of human lives near Clear Lake, Iowa on February 3rd, 1959, but the music will live on as long as there is someone out there playing it. How could anyone recommend a favorite track off this album? It’s kind of like picking your favorite kid. But, for the sake of the song, try “Not Fade Away.” It was good enough for The Stones. Buddy Holly Lives!
While the legendary Buffalo Springfield recorded their final album in 1968, they were simultaneously breaking up. Their bassist, Bruce Palmer, had been deported to Canada, so on recommendation by David Crosby, they recruited Sunset Sound’s 20 year old sound engineer Jim Messina to play bass and handle the production. (Jim thought David was Bing Crosby’s son!) Soon after, Messina formed country-rock pioneers Poco along with Springfield band-mate, Richie Furay. By 1970, Messina grew weary of touring and wanted to spend more time with his new wife, so he and Poco parted ways. He then signed on as a producer for CBS Records where he took a new songwriter named Kenny Loggins under his wing. He “sat in”
on the first Loggins album in an effort to broaden the appeal of the inexperience folk singer. Messina’s skilled musical and technical contributions provided the momentum needed for a successful run at the pop charts, and Loggins and Messina flourished until they split in 1976, selling 16 million records along the way. Jim had always been the guiding spirit for the less seasoned Kenny, but Loggins was now ready to go out on his own. While Kenny Loggins became a giant hit maker in the 1980’s, the same can’t be said for his former partner. Messina released his first album, “Oasis” (1979), but wasn’t able to continue the drive that Loggins and Messina achieved. He pursued his own style of Latin Jazz mixed with rock, but apparently it was too far removed from what listeners expected from this diversely creative musician. Jim Messina is still active with his own band, and has frequently reunited with Poco and Kenny Loggins over the years. The songs that appear on this 2nd album all feature Jim’s smooth, fluid guitar playing, straightforward vocals, and studio expertise. He gathered a fine assembly of studio musicians and singers to help him out on nine songs he either wrote himself, or co-wrote. This whole album is a delightful sonic voyage, but if you only listen to one track, try the evocative “Whispering Waters.”
Contributing Writer: Katheryn Jager - Mc Alea Contributing Photographer: Gary Mc Alea Photography
Above: Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle hatchling release at Padre Island National Seashore with Dr. Donna Shaver. Below: Green sea turtle surgery at the Texas Sealife Center performed by Dr. Tim Tristan with Director of Rehabilitation, Amanda Terry.
Summers in Texas are best spent at the beach, which is even true for sea turtles. Each year, female turtles lay thousands of eggs on our beaches, and what happens next is simply incredible. An amazing network of wildlife organizations spanning the Texas coast supports our sea turtle population yearround. For the past 40 years, a group of local, state and international partners have worked together for sea turtle conservation, with a special focus on the Kemp’s ridley, the most endangered sea turtle in the world. In the past few weeks, we’ve had the privilege of watching some of these dedicated staff and volunteers working on and around North Padre Island first-hand. We visited rescued juvenile and adult sea turtles at the family-friendly education center of the Texas Sealife Center, observed surgery performed on a rescued green sea turtle, learned about 40 remarkable years of work being done to improve Kemp’s ridley hatchling survival rates and attended a public hatchling release at Padre Island National Seashore. These turtle adventures are among the best summer experiences you can have in Texas. From egg through adulthood, Texas’ sea turtles must be some of the luckiest in the world. The dedicated conservation organizations working year-round to protect these amazing animals are an inspiration. In the spring, turtle patrols, rangers, and even a sea turtle sniffing dog work tirelessly to identify nests and collect eggs for incubation in protected hatcheries. In summer, visitors can join the dedicated staff and volunteers at the National Seashore for public releases of these tiny hatchlings, learning about the importance of conservation and helping to keep predators
away. In the winter, rescue organizations across the Texas coast rescue cold-stunned turtles. And all year, numerous rescue organizations are ready to help the stranded and injured green, hawksbill, Kemp’s ridley, leatherback and loggerhead sea turtles that can be found along the coast. Many of these groups also have education centers you can visit to learn more about our beloved sea turtles and how you can help ensure their survival. Recommended Event We recommend that you make plans to visit Padre Island National Seashore on Saturday, July 14th. Conservation partners are coming together to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the program that made Texas a secondary nesting site. Their success is bringing generations of Kemp’s ridley mothers to our shores, protecting thousands of eggs annually, and helping to save these most endangered sea turtles. It is sure to be a great, family-friendly day on what we consider to be one of Texas’ best beaches. You may even get to see live sea turtles! Learn more at https://www.facebook.com/ nps.pais.seaturtles/ Join the event at Padre Island National Seashore, 20420 Park Rd 22, Corpus Christi, TX 78418. Report sea turtle sightings (nesting sea turtles, tracks, or hatchlings) to 1-866TURTLE5 or to your nearest park ranger. And, we don’t know about you, but we’re unofficially re-naming Padre Island to Madre Island in honor of the hundreds of Kemp’s ridley and other sea turtle mothers laying thousands of eggs of our Texas beaches each year. Human activity put these turtles at risk, and with some luck and dedication, human intervention may just bring them back from the brink of extinction.
Left: Kemp’s Ridley egg collection for safe incubation. Right Top: Kemp’s Ridley hatchling reaches the Gulf of Mexico. Right Bottom: Rescued adult green sea turtle released by Texas Sealife Center after recovery.
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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9 the 7 of us! So to be fair, we did a little supplementing with appetizers and three other meals; you know, just in case.
We started with fan favorites, Onion Rings and, because some of us hadn’t tried them before, Mountain Oysters. Both featured a nicely seasoned batter and the onions were thick and tender. The oysters were meaty and chewy. Being one of those who hadn’t tried them before Woodie said, “After the initial shock of what they weren't, I had 6 or 7.” Steve and Andrea passed on the oysters; they knew where they came from. It was total fan-fare when they brought out our 72oz Steak Challenge! Holy cow and I mean Cow! The steak covered the serving platter – not a dinner plate, a platter! We split each side into three (so everyone could try something): the perfectly Baked Potato with butter and sour cream, the fresh Salad with Homemade Ranch dressing, the warm Dinner Roll, and three very large Shrimp. The steak was shared by all 7 of us! Susan has a way with words and here’s how she describes this steak… “Being in Amarillo I expected a decent steak but I was amazed at the top notch perfection of the beef. The tender, flavorful meat rivaled any I've eaten at fine steakhouses. As I was the lucky one slicing and serving the enormous steak maybe my table mates didn't notice that I must have been practicing for the 72oz Challenge by the amount that disappeared from my plate.” I have to admit, I did see a large amount of steak disappear off her plate! Steve also was able to put this mammoth Steak into words… “I can’t get that 72 ounce steak out of my mind. Four and a half pounds of beef! Seven of us couldn’t finish it. We’d seen someone try and fail at the challenge before. I remember the guy taking the challenge when we were there. After 40 minutes, it was obvious that there was no free steak dinner for him. I imagined myself trying, and failing as well. The steak? Perfect! Cooked to perfection, virtually no fat or grizzle, tender and tastefully seasoned.” We all agreed when we placed our order that the steak would be cooked to Medium-Rare and it was faultless. As Rusty said, “It really was cooked to exactness; not too rare in the center or over done on the edges, so it served out nicely.” Personally, I loved the way the Steak was seasoned with a flavorful twang of horseradish and pepper, but nothing that overpowered the flavor of the meat. My mouth is watering just thinking about it! We were still enjoying our Steak when our three additional meals arrived. Wow, these people know how to cook! We are really good at making sure everyone who wants a bite can get one or two and in some cases more. Something we learned about Woodie is that he is a Chicken Fried Steak connoisseur, so much so that he refers to it as CFS! This breaded steak was juicy, tender, seasoned to perfection. Woodie stated that the CFS was one of the best he had ever had and the mashed potatoes and gravy were superb according to Steve. Being the Gulf people we are, we had to
have some seafood especially after the Mountain Oysters, so next was the Fried Shrimp Plate. We divvied up the extralarge, lightly breaded tender shrimp, there were nine on the plate so a few of us got more than one, and these were Andrea’s favorite. It was served with a Sweet Potato with butter and brown sugar-cinnamon on the side and a salad. The Big Pig Pulled Pork Sandwich was fabulous! It was piled so high with pulled pork that everyone got a chunk and Allene and I were still barely able to get our mouths around it! It was topped with one of those marvelous onion rings and served with a side of tasty Macaroni & Cheese. The best part of this enormous meal was that none of us were over full... yet.
As I mentioned earlier while we walked to our table we passed the desserts and the whole time we were eating a few of us couldn’t get that sight out of our heads, so we ordered three. What we didn’t know was how big they were! Our first selection came and our mouths dropped open! This was the largest Strawberry Shortcake we’d seen, it filled a dinner plate! The strawberries were nicely sliced and juicy while the cake was fresh and light and the whole thing was topped with the fresh whipped cream. Just this one would have done us in, but remember we’d ordered three! The New York Cheesecake was melt-in-your-mouth smooth and creamy with a graham cracker crust and a dollop of fresh whipped cream on the side. As that started around the table they brought
out the pièce de résistance… Chocolate Cake. It was HUGE! This piece was only an eighth of the four layer 12-inch cake, with half inch thick chocolate frosting between the layers and covering the sides and top, and it filled a dinner plate! So rich and so good! Now we were full! Walking back to our rooms at the Big Texan Motel Allene decided we should go for a refreshing swim under the stars in the Texas Shaped pool. We talked about our excellent meal and how we will be looking for excuses to return to Amarillo when Susan said, “Anyone in for a road trip to Childress to see the World's largest bird egg collection? You know they have a vintage RV museum in Amarillo, so that can be another trip!”
THE 72oz STEAK
SUSAN AND WOODIE ENJOYING DINNER
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THE BIG PIG
NEW YORK CHEESECAKE
STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE
THE CHOCOLATE CAKE
Facebook.com/DebbieNoble "How many shots did you just take?," a photographer friend asked me incredulously as he stood next to me listening to the whir of my shutter. I shrugged and smiled. I know I overshoot. I do. And if I still used a traditional film camera, I would not be able to do what I do. I basically pretend all the world is a soccer game because people are always moving and don't look good all the time, especially when they are talking. I have always preferred action shots to stills. So I either just use the sports setting my camera or set it on continuous shoot. Then, when I see something I want to capture, I point the camera, press the shutter down half-
way to focus, hold the button all the way down to shoot 3 or 4 or 6 or 10 photos at a time. I am bound to get one shot where everyone's eyes are open in a group, or the person with the microphone is not making a weird contorted face mid-speech or just that magic shot that is better the ones after it or the ones before it. Take advantage of continuous shoot and the space on your digital card to overshoot, and you are just more likely to get exactly what you want. The trick is to remember to keep the great shots and delete the bad and mediocre ones. Here are some examples of overshooting to get that one that stands out and keeps you coming back!
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By Derek Signore
After nine albums across two decades the Austin Texas Indie band Spoon has proven to push the threshold in an industry where longevity is becoming rare. More impressive is that across their catalog no two albums sound the same. Some may label them consistent, but we apply that in a different tone. Spoon will always surprise you, and that’s what makes them one of the most creative bands on the scene today. Twenty-Five years later what do you think is the true testament to the band. What impresses you most over such a storied career? The fact that the band is consistently putting out albums, not singles, not little EP’s, it’s always about making a record. Putting out a full album every time I think is the greatest accomplishment because as an artist it’s the best form of artistic expression. That and the fact that we’ve been able to do it without being beholden to anyone else is a testament to the band as well. It allowed us to do our thing which has always been important to us. Two and a half decades in you have a lot of material to choose from when out on tour. How difficult is it to balance the new material with the older classics fans have come to expect you to play from show to show?
When we release a new record we obviously want to put an emphasis on those new tracks in our set list every night. It’s always about striking a balance, the new material is always going to be the most exciting for us to play, but you also need to remember that the crowd is made up of fans and by definition they are a fan of all of your music so they need to hear a variety of songs from your catalog, not the new tracks. The new album touches on the current political climate especially with the song Tear it Down. The band has never really dabbled into the political arena with their music. Was it the intention from the beginning to throw your hat into the political arena with this new album? We have been very political on our social media, but the feedback from some fans was that we needed to ‘stick to music’ so we had that thought back in the back of our heads when making the track. To be honest when we wrote the track Trump hadn’t won the nomination yet, so we were actually most concerned that the song wouldn’t be relevant by the time the album came out because at the time who could have thought he would go on to win the election? The band has constantly been labeled the most ‘consistent’ in the genre today. Does that label hurt the band though? We have to imagine that such a generic label can
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downplay your future creative efforts, making it sound like more of the same. I don’t think it really applies to a consistent sound but just to the consistent quality of the new material we release. I do understand where some people think that can be a bad moniker to have applied because it seems very routine. I would say we consistently have to break that moniker every time the word is applied to us in a press feature. Do you ever get a night off on tour; and, if so, what do you do in your free time? We actually had a night off out on tour a few years ago and spent the night out on the town. We came to a bar where the artist was playing one of our albums in its entirety. Boy were they surprised when we hopped up there with them to perform the tracks as well. Other than that, we kind of don’t follow such things on YouTube. We know they’re out there, and we’re happy people have been able to put their own spin on the material. On tour the band always seems to be paired with either a charity or a political action group. Who have you chosen to partner with this time, and why? We always like to bring out some sort of political action group with us out on tour whether it is Headcount or Move to Amend. When you start tying in charities to
events, some of your fans might not agree with the cause even though you are just starting a conversation not necessarily pushing your opinions down their throats. Has there ever been backlash from fans who might not have thought a particular pairing worked for the band? It’s more generally people just asking us not to talk about politics. In a world where everyone has an opinion it’s unfortunate that people feel the need to express theirs. It’s as if we should be muted or silenced just because of the platform we have; but, in reality, we have the same right as them to voice our opinions.
SPOON HOT THOUGHTS OUT NOW
WEBSITE/FACEBOOK/TWITTER & MORE: SPOONTHEBAND
80's & New Wave makes a return to the Coastal Bend! Grammy Award winning legends Boy George and Culture Club have just begun The Life Tour: starring Boy George & Culture Club with special guest Thompson Twins’ Tom Bailey and The Book of Love, will visit 40+ cities across the U.S. kicking off June 29 in St. Augustine, FL and going thru October 5th, including a stop at Concrete Street Amphitheater on Sunday, July 8!
with an openly gay front man, Culture Club has set many records, including being the first band since The Beatles to have three Top Ten hits in America from a debut album. The band reunited in 2014 embarked on two worldwide sold-out tours in 2015 and 2016. Making up the remaining original line up on this tour are Roy Hay, Mikey Craig and Jon Moss.
Charlotte Raven on vocals and keyboards, Amanda Kramer (The Psychedelic Furs/Information Society) on vocals and keyboards and Paulina Szczepaniak on electronic drums. Much to TT fans delight; Bailey began writing contemporary songs again in 2016 and will be releasing a new album in 2018. The first track ‘Come So Far’ was released as a single in June 2016. Written from the perspective of a refugee in the current crisis the song is a moving portrayal of a refugee abandoning their home and moving in to the unknown. “I know where I’ve come from…don’t know where I go”. The single was released through Cooking Vinyl and all proceeds went to refugee charity Médicins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders). A special numbered and signed 7” vinyl version of the single was also released through Pledge Music.
“We know it will be hands
Since their inception in 1981 Culture Club, led by Boy George, racked up nine Top Ten singles in the U.S., including “Do You Really Want To Hurt Me,” Karma Chameleon,” “Miss Me Blind,” “I’ll Tumble 4 Ya” and “Church of the Poison Mind.” Now, after more than two decades and 150 million singles & records sold globally, 2018 marks a new era for Boy George and Culture Club, as they are currently working on their first new music in 20 years. The tour set list will celebrate some of their biggest hits plus gives fans an advance listen to new songs.
down this summer’s best night out,” — Boy George
The group is fronted by British singer/ songwriter Boy George, who is universally recognized as one of music’s iconic artists of all time. In 2015 George was presented with the Ivor Novello Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to the music industry. As the first multi-racial band
“We put together an amazing show that is going to be filled with hits and fabulous memories, we know it will be hands down this summer’s best night out,” said Boy George. Joining Boy George and Culture Club on The Life Tour is special guest the Thompson Twins’ Tom Bailey. For nearly three decades fans of the Thompson Twins have been waiting for more live performances from one of the most iconic bands of the eighties. Now Tom Bailey, with a new band, will be touring and performing the Thompson Twins hits. The Thompson Twins’ Tom Bailey features Tom Bailey on vocals, keyboards, guitar, harmonica and percussion. His all-female band features
The music and videos of the Thompson Twins became a fixture on hit radio and music television throughout the world in the eighties. They were the soundtrack of our lives. Tom Bailey is at last performing those songs again that meant so much to so many. Book of Love: Susan Ottaviano (Lead Vocals), Ted Ottaviano (Songwriter/ Keyboards/Vocals), Lauren Roselli
(Keyboards/Vocals) and Jade Lee (Keyboards/Vocals) were part of the Sire/Warner Group from 1984 – 1993 recording four studio albums: Book of Love, Lullaby, Candy Carol and Lovebubble. They produced a steady string of influential club hits. “I Touch Roses”, released in 1985 would eventually chart as a #1 dance single. On the self-titled 1986 album it featured not only the dance staples “Boy” and “I Touch Roses” but the dreamy “Modigliani (Lost In Your Eyes)” which also charted on the Top Ten and the ebullient “You Make Me Feel So Good”, Book of Loves’ first CHR radio hit. The bands warmth and vibrancy was obvious with Susan’s seductive vocals and Ted’s ethereal production work. Sticking to their art school backgrounds and post punk aesthetic, the album was a perfect pastiche of colors and flavors mixed with accessible pop sensibilities. Though they – disbanded in 1993, they have regrouped to record several new tracks and re-mixes. This collection is the perfect compilation of the enduring dance and pop hits from their four albums. The collection also features new songs “Getting Faster”, “Try” and Bonus Track “It’s In Your Eyes” one of the first songs ever written by the group, but never recorded until now.
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JEFF PLANKENHORN SLEEPING DOGS (SPIKE STEEL RECORDS) BY STEVE GOLDSTEIN
JEFFPLANKENHORN.COM STEVE GOLDSTEIN: STEAMMAGAZINE.NET JOHN PRINE THE TREE OF FORGIVENESS (OH BOY RECORDS) BY LAURA COATES & ANDREW WRIGGLESWORTH John Prine has long been seen as the beloved Granddaddy of Contemporary Americana. At 71, he has just been nominated for Artist of the Year in the 2018 Americana Music Association Honors & Awards, the same prize he took home last year. We’ve tried in vain to catch him live over the years but tickets sell out faster than the Speed of the Sound of Loneliness! And it’s no surprise really, when the writing is this good. When you count Bob Dylan, Kris Kristofferson and Jason Isbell as some of your biggest fans, you must be doing something right. John Prine has written some of the world’s best break-up songs (“All the Best”), anti-war songs (“Sam Stone”) songs of existential crisis (“The Late John Garfield Blues”) and the frailties of humanity in “That’s The Way The World Goes ‘Round”
Whether he’s working as a sideman for the likes of Joe Ely and Ray Wylie Hubbard, touring Texas and the world with his own band, or out front in his latest studio release, SLEEPING DOGS, Austin based Jeff Plankenhorn and his trusty “Plank” always seems to find his comfort zone. (If you’re not familiar with Jeff’s self-designed Plank slide guitar, check it out at his website.) To put it in the simplest terms that come to mind, this album is just a joy from start to finish. Coproduced by “Scrappy” Jud Newcomb, this is a text book study on studio production with strong, balanced vocals, spot on harmonies and top notch playing. At times, the sound has a 60’s Folk/Rock-Byrds-Gram Parsons-Grateful Dead throwback feel, but never sounds dated. The songs are all well crafted, well written and it’d be difficult to pick one standout tune among them. The leadoff title track is a nice upbeat tune that introduces Plankenhorn’s guitar slinging, powerful vocals and songwriting abilities as anything. “Love Is Love,” the standout tune that follows has a sparse, bluesy buildup that’s never overbearing and is a perfect fit for the lesson of the heart lyric. There’s no mistaking the hard and heavy “Tooth And Nail” as being co-written by, and featuring Ray Wylie Hubbard.” Homecoming” is a Rockabilly ride home complete with screaming Plank. Patty Griffin’s vocals naturally blend with Jeff’s on the heartfelt ballad, “Holy Lightening.” The heavy
etc. But what John specializes in is songs of the Everyman and that’s what you’ll find most on this new album, The Tree of Forgiveness. There isn’t as much of the social commentary of previous deliveries, though you’ll find that in the gaps and spaces left for the listener. You’ll still find the gritty realism, the sometimes wistful, other times witty reflections on the human condition and our shared torments and delights; an elevation of the ordinary and the mundane. But there’s an even greater wisdom present in this new offering, his first of original material in 13 years. There are a number of new life lessons and more investigations into our own mortality, particularly in “Summer’s End” and “When I Get to Heaven” Prine fans will welcome the new release like a warm, familiar hug from an old friend. The world-weary voice of someone who has cheated death a couple of times, the characteristic melodies and trademark pickin’ pat-
terns, the wry humor, stories of the collective experience of being alive but perhaps more of a focus on finding peace, love, happiness and something closer to the meaning of life; revelations about the simple joys and simple pleasures. But it’s not all sunshine and roses (such is life!) with tracks such as “Caravan of Fools” and “The Lonesome Friends of Science” packing a political punch. Thankfully, producer Dave Cobb has approached this album with a light touch, with elegantly sparse arrangements making it a mostly acoustic LP with welcome additions from Brandi Carlile (the catchy duet, “I Have Met My Love Today”), Jason Isbell and Amanda Shires. The vocals and thus lyrics are right at the fore, where they should be. The songs are beautiful in their simplicity. Our favorite tracks include “Summer’s End” and “Caravan of Fools”.
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THE TEXAS GENTLEMEN TX JELLY (NEW WEST REORDS) BY RICK J BOWEN For those of us who grew up listening to AM Radio with its non-format multi-genre eclectic and sometimes wacky playlist, the music of the new Dallas band The Texas Gentlemen is not only a breath of fresh air but a solace for the overproduced poison of pop music garbage on the airways today. The band’s debut, ‘TX Jelly,’ released in September of 2017 is a celebration of those simpler times when people made music for music sake and not with the singular purpose of commerciality and techno trickery. The brainchild of Beau Bedford, chief engineer, and producer at Dallas’ Modern Electric Sound Recorders, he assembled The Texas Gentlemen as an all-purpose backing band for an eclectic array of singer-songwriters. In 2016, the Gentlemen were lured out of the studio to the Newport Folk Festival, where they were joined by
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drum beat that kicks off “Never Again” rocks out with a “been there-done that” lyric that is in fine contrast to “Further To Fall,” an acoustic, “just when you thought you’ve reached the bottom” ballad that would be at home on a Lyle Lovett album. The fun, line danceable “Piece Of Cake” follows with help from Austin hometown favorite, Emily Gimble. “This Guitar” is a loving, personal, all acoustic tribute to the wood and steel that brings to mind others by Guy Clark, Vince Gill, Neil Young, among others, but Jeff Plankenhorn makes this one his own. “I Don’t Know About Anything” is a guitar driven, lesson learned rocker with a Buddy Holly beat. “Heaven On Earth” is the bluesy closer that shows off the Plank’s capabilities, sounding at first like a traditional steel guitar, before shifting into crunching overdrive. Every song on SLEEPING DOGS serves as an acknowledgement of Jeff Plankenhorn’s well honed talents as a singer/songwriter/ musician/inventor – not necessarily in that order .
LAURA COATES AND ANDREW WRIGGLESWORTH ARE THE FOLK/AMERICANA DUO THE WEEPING WILLOWS
iconic troubadour Kris Kristofferson, making his first Newport appearance in more than 45 years. The eleven original tracks were recorded in four days; start to finish, at Muscle Shoals’ renowned FAME Studios. The Gentlemen have drawn quick comparisons to The Band, My Morning in Jacket and other seminal studio bands The Wrecking Crew and of course The Swampers as the music touches on blues, soul, folk, country, rock, and gospel. But the song list plays out like forgotten B sides from 70’s icons like Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, and Leon Russell as well as one hit wonders like Tim Stafford, CW McCall, and Mac Davis, who topped both the Pop and Country charts. The album opens with the fiercely funky mostly instrumental “Habbie Doobie,” an instantly infectious appetizer and then rips out the radio-ready jangle pop song “Pain.” Then shifts to full on 70’s
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folk rock for the very Traffic like “Bondurant Women,” and the ballad of the red-headed stranger “Dream Along.” The easy sway and glorious steel guitar of “Sway,” and the slow waltzing “My Way,” is pure West Texas sound. Smack dab in the middle is “Superstition,” a fabulously campy perversion of Burt Bacharach worthy of the Dr. Demento show. The honky-tonk lament “Pretty Flowers,” could have been a staple of the George Jones catalog. The 8-minute romp thru garage rock anthem “Shakin’ All Over,” complete with electric sitar is an exercise in guilty pleasure. A sweet harmony filled bit of updated folk wisdom “Trading Paint,” closes the album. TX Jelly surely sounds like The Texas Gentlemen had fun making this record.
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